One of my favorite Woody Allen lines is, "I'm not afraid of death. I just don't want to be there when it happens." Death ...
This blog will focus on political images I have found all around the Internet, though I will intersperse some commentary and quotes that I find interesting.
This is the first in a series of posts about local politics as reported in antiquarian issues of the Glens Falls Messenger, on file at The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library.

The Messenger was an early local weekly newspaper when the village of Glens Falls still used an apostrophe in its name.

State Assemblyman Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, has a reputation for being long winded.

But even Dan would have a hard time matching the endurance of A. Oakley Hall, a lawyer from New York City, who spoke effectively for over two hours, at the Warren County Republican Meeting in Warrensburg on September 1856.

About 2,000 people attended, the Glens Falls Messenger reported on Sept. 17, 1856.

The enthusiastic cheers and hearty responses with which the speaker was again and again greeted from the assembled multitude showed clearly that the cause of Liberty, Free Soil and suffering Kansas had sunk deep down into the hearts of old Warren, the Messenger reported.

Peletiah Richards served as president of the meeting.

Rev. Mr. Taylor of Fort Edward opened the meeting with an impressive prayer.

The Glens Falls Freeman Glee Club performed several soul thrilling patriotic songs.

It was an occasion long to be remembered by the freemen of old Warren and will tell well in the coming contest, the Messenger reported. Unless we much mistake the signs of the times, old Warren will in Nov. from the hill tops and mountain side give a long and loud shriek for freedom!.

Warren County Democrats held an event in Glens Falls and raised a hickory pole.
George Orwell, Milo Yiannopolous, and now Howard Zinn.

There's been too many instances on this blog where I've had to write about somebody, somewhere looking to ban an author or a book.

The latest case comes out of Arkansas, where state Rep. Kim Hendren has introduced legislation that would prohibit books written by or about Zinn from public schools.

Zinn was a radical historian and revisionist. Many on the right and left both thought he went too far in some of his radicalism  which would probably explain Hendren's fear.

In response to Hendren's proposed legislation, the Zinn Education Project announced it would start giving out free copies of Zinn's A People's History of the United States, which has sold more than 2 million copies.

The attempt to block any of Zinn's books from Arkansas schools comes just about a month after a top-tier Connecticut high school suddenly dropped George Orwell's classic Animal Farm from its curriculum.

In that case, school officials declined to comment  even to the English teacher  about their rationale for scrapping Animal Farm.
It is true, I did laugh. Several times, as a matter of fact.

Mommmm, hissed my tween from across the room. Stop it. We are in a museum.

I didnt see what the issue was. If you cant laugh in a place celebrating a dessert with the slogan Watch it wiggle, see it jiggle, where can you?

Would you like to hear about the history of Jell-O? asked a docent, without waiting for an answer. She motioned for us to sit on a bench in front of a life-sized portrait of 4-year-old Elizabeth King, the original Jell-O girl, and began her tale. The year was 1897 and a man by the name of Pearle Wait 

We were in LeRoy, New York, a town to the west of Rochester known, according to the billboard along the highway, for being the birthplace of Jell-O.

I guess it didnt surprise me that there was a Jell-O museum. The thing that surprised me was that I paid money to go inside it.

There was a moment, as I was about to hand over our $13 admission, that I imagined the museum attendant waving my cash away with a chuckle and saying something like, Oh, I am not actually going to charge you. Its a museum, after all, about  Jell-O!

But that didnt happen.

I studied a display labeled Gelatins from Around the World, trying to remember the last time I had dessert that bounces back. I buy it now and again out of habit, but its been years since Ive boiled water and cracked open a box. I got a sneaking suspicion the deep recesses of my pantry were harboring 10-year-old stacks of lime, orange and grape.

My daughter, meanwhile, flitted around the place, clipboard in hand, looking for the answers to her Jell-O scavenger hunt. The kid, admittedly, is a bit strange. For her 10th birthday, she asked to go to a World War II exhibit. Now we were at a place dedicated to a quirky dessert, rich in history and fruit flavor. She was in her glory.

This place is amazing, she said, pulling out her iPod to snap a picture of a wall of Jell-O molds. Probably just one room, huh? she said, echoing my words from the parking lot. Will you look at all of this?

I was looking. At the Jell-O oil paintings. The Jell-O collectibles. The Jell-O trivia. And I was also looking at the front door and the people walking in. One family. Then another. Then another.

I know, I am as shocked as you are.

Look! There it is, said my girl, dropping to her knees to count the number of stars on a Statue of Liberty Jell-O mold. Done!

She had completed her scavenger hunt. Now she could turn it in and get a special prize.

We went into the gift shop and bought our Jell-O T-shirts. And Jell-O keepsake pins.

Then my daughter collected her prize.

Yup, you guessed it.

A box of pudding.
Clemson adds local students to lists

CLEMSON, S.C.  Maxwell David Pawlick of Gansevoort, a general engineering major, has been named to the Clemson University President's List for the fall 2016 semester. To be named to the President's List, a student must achieve a 4.0 grade point average.

Seth Derek Cline of Bolton Landing, a pre-professional health studies major, has been named to the Deans List at Clemson University for the fall 2016 semester. To be named to the Dean's List, a student must achieve a grade point average between 3.50 and 3.99 on a 4.0 scale.

Ithaca College names Deans List

ITHACA  Ithaca College congratulates students named to the Dean's List for the fall 2016 semester. Local students include:

Mariana Camejo of Queensbury, an integrated marketing communications major;

Tiani DeBlois of Hadley, an occupational therapy major;

Amanda Ling of Queensbury, an integrated marketing communications major;

Caroline McKeighan of Salem, a clinical health studies major;

Morgan McLenithan of Cambridge, a speech language pathology and audiology major;

Kelly Meehan of Schuylerville, a music major;

Kaitlin Miczek of Gansevoort, a Spanish (teaching) major;

Olivia Paolano of Queensbury, a recreation management major;

Megan Tracy of South Glens Falls, a psychology major; and

Suzannah Van Gelder of Granville, a culture and communication major.

Community College names Who's Who

TROY  Local college students studying at Hudson Valley Community College were recently honored by acceptance in Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities. Students are chosen by a campus nominating committee for this honor based upon academic achievement, service to the community, leadership in extracurricular activities and continued potential for success. Local students include:

Anthony DeGregorio of Queensbury, who is studying in the construction technology-building construction academic program. DeGregorio was captain of the college's men's lacrosse team and has long served as a coach for youth lacrosse teams. He has also been honored as an outstanding student in his academic program.

Emily Wilk of Gansevoort, who is studying in the exercise science academic program. Wilk was honored for volunteer activities in her community. She also was a two-year member of the college's cross country team.

Two named to Clark's Dean's List

WORCESTER, Mass.  Nicholas C. Chalmers of Gansevoort and Sarah I. Murray of Gansevoort have been named to second honors on the Clark University Deans List. This selection marks outstanding academic achievement during the fall 2016 semester. To be eligible for second honors, students must have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, of a maximum of 4.3 (all A+s).
A Fort Edward man died of injuries suffered in a Saturday night crash in South Glens Falls that occurred after he fled from state troopers who had stopped the driver at a sobriety checkpoint in Moreau.
FORT EDWARD  An Albany County woman who was caught smuggling cocaine and prescription drugs into Washington County Jail last September has been sentenced to jail and probation.

Tanya Lee, 35, of Watervliet pleaded guilty to fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance in connection with a jail contraband case.

She was at the jail being booked on an unspecified misdemeanor charge when she was found to have drugs hidden in her underwear, police said.

Lee likely faces a 90-day jail sentence to be followed by 5 years on probation when she is sentenced March 31 by Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan.
QUEENSBURY  Its a huge production no matter how many months of rehearsal or how many simplifications. There is the elaborate set, the costumes, the singing, choreography and multiple roles.

Not to mention the requisite precise timing, lighting and set changes that could make or break the show.

And in this musical  based on Victor Hugos 1862 epic tale of poverty, love and redemption as told through the underlying crime of stealing a loaf of bread  intense emotion is conveyed through movement, facial expressions, music and song.

There are no spoken lines. It is written like an opera in the style of musical theater, said Avery Babson, the director of the Queensbury High School Spring musical, Les Miserables, on Wednesday night just before the first technical rehearsal. It has to be really tight and timed. Every crew and cast member has to be very ambitious to do this show. They have to want to be involved.

As Babson detailed, rehearsals began in December.

At first it was four nights a week from 6 to 8:30 p.m., but rehearsals have been ramping up the closer it gets to the shows March 9 opening. And now, the 60 cast members, plus a full orchestra, crew, lighting and sound techs, wardrobe and directors are on four days a week for four-hours a day.

And on Wednesday night, during their first technical rehearsal, a secret guest was in the darkened high school theater watching the performance. And once they finished an incredibly polished Act One run through, Babson called cast and crew back to the stage before escorting Broadway performer Dennis Moench forward to meet everyone.

This is my dream show, said Moench, a Queensbury alumni, who performed in Les Miserables on Broadway. You guys took me back there. You are all so talented; I cant imagine doing it in high school. This show is hard for the best of the best. And you guys are in such great shape.

Moench continued.

One thing that can be the biggest trap is that its called, Les Miserables, the miserable. Its easy to fall into the trap of thinking, Im struggling, he said. Dont struggle, fight for survival. You all have one thing in common, and that is hope. They are hopeful  and this play is very relevant to us now.

In sharing a story of his first technical rehearsal for the Broadway musical, he said they only made it five seconds into the show before the producer stopped it. And then every 10 seconds after that, he said.

One student, who was moved by his presence, shared how she had seen him on Broadway. And another asked about the biggest malfunction he experienced during a show. Once our Thenardier missed the entrance, he said, laughing and sharing the details of the mishap.

Babson, a Spanish teacher at the school, said that this is her second year teaching at the school and her first time directing at Queensbury. I had last year to get to know the kids and when I listened (to last years musical), I closed my eyes and asked, what do I hear? she said. I heard Les Miserables. Were ready for a big show and there is so much support here.

Veteran music director, Laura Lee Conti, who teaches at the middle school, has been directing the music for the school for over a decade and she said that she is impressed that they are doing something so challenging. I think we have the talent to do this; we have the right kids, she said, adding that the performers are also active outside of school with voice and music lessons and youth theatre. To be able to be a week away (from the opening) and feel comfortable with it  I hope people come out to see the show.

And lighting director Robin Eichler, who has been working the shows since 1998, echoes Conti.

This is a huge undertaking and everybody want to be sure this is the best we can do, she said.

The lighting?

There are a lot of shadows and that adds to the atmosphere, she said.

Several of the performers have been involved in Youth Theater, but for some this may be their biggest role.

This is the most serious part Ive ever played and I have to hold my self back and be more conservative, Patrick Shannon, who plays Jean Valjean, said. I think thats a good way to play it.

For Tommy Socolof, playing Thenardier is a departure.

Ive never played a villain before, he said. I like it, its great.

And Babson said it was important that the students understood the story and the story of their characters, thats why she brought in two French teachers talk about the history of the show and what conditions were like at that time in history.

We built characters, it was especially important for the chorus as they developed their roles, she said. They each created a back story for their character.

During their three-day run, a performance will be judged unannounced for the Proctors Theater High School Musical Theatre Awards sponsored by The School of Performing Arts at Proctors and The Broadway League.

We are being adjudicated, Babson said about being one of three area school that will be judged for the Proctor's awards. Its like the Tony Awards for high school. Babson said.
SARATOGA SPRINGS  A white male approached tellers at the Adirondack Trust Company bank on Route 50 with a knife and demanded money early Saturday afternoon, according to the Saratoga Springs Police Department.

Police said the man  dressed in all black and using a dark colored bandanna to cover most of his face  made his way over the bank counter and took cash from two money drawers.

The suspect left the bank, heading northeast down Northline Road on foot and then traveled north on Old Ballston Avenue. He was last seen running into the woods between Old Ballston Avenue and Old Post Road, police reported.

Saratoga Springs Police Department, as well as Saratoga County Sheriffs, the New York State Police and the New York State Police Aviation units continue to search the area.

The amount of money taken is not available and police said the investigation remains active.

Anyone who may have been in the area at the time and witnessed anything surrounding this event or may have information associated with this robbery is asked to contact the Saratoga Springs Police Department at 584-1800.

More information will be released when available.
Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, is seeking nominations for her 2017 Women of Distinction Awards to honor local women for the work they do to strengthen the Saratoga and Washington County communities.

At the same time, she is also accepting submissions from students for her Women of Distinction Essay Contest.

Nominations and essays are due by March 31.

Residents are invited to nominate a woman they know who is helping make a difference in our community in fields including business, community service, education, health care, military service, and humanitarian work.

Students in grades 6-12 are encouraged to submit a 500-word essay about a woman who is an inspiration and has impacted society. Submissions can be made via mail, email or by visiting Woerners website at nyassembly.gov/Woerner.

Im looking forward to celebrating the women from our area, both past and present, who have helped make the future brighter for us all, Woerner said in a press release.

Essay contest winners and Women of Distinction honorees will be announced at the Women of Distinction Awards Ceremony at 11 a.m., April 29 at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs.

For more information, call 584-5493 or email WoernerC@nyassembly.gov.




I'm not on Facebook and do not post to Medium.

Twitter has suspended me. I don't know why.





mscriver@3rivers.net

COMMENTS WELCOME unless they are anonymous.
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Last month, I went on one of the best trips of my life with Vibe Israel, a non-profit whose mission is to strengthen Israels brand in the world. I, along with three other influencers, was invited on a week-long tour of Israel, centered around my favorite subject: food.

It was truly an experience like no other. From the markets of Jerusalem to the world-class restaurants of Tel Aviv, I witnessed kindness and hospitality that had me falling in love with Israel and its people.

This is the first of a 3-part series I am writing on Israel. I will be talking more about my personal experience in Israel in a few weeks, but for now I loved the idea of sharing the absolutely incredible food I ate during my week abroad.

Whether you find yourself in Israel for a few days and need a dinner recommendation or a month and want to hit all the best spots, there is something here for every palate. Lchayim!

Get breakfast at:

Cafe 65

Start the most important meal of the day at this stunning brunch spot, known as one of the best in Tel Aviv. From the richest, chocolaty-est Babka to fresh pressed juices, everything at Cafe 65 is prepared to perfection. Pro tip: the Green Shakshuka is a must.

Eat authentic Israeli pastries at:

Albert Confectionery

Located in the heart of Tel Avivs Florentin district, Albert Confectionery is a tiny, no-frills pastry shop known for the best marzipan in the country. Started by a Greek immigrant, this family-owned shop prepares scrumptious traditional baked goods passed down for generations. Fun fact: each almond is individually peeled by hand to create the most creamy and delicious marzipan.

Bring all your friends to feast at:

Atalya Ein Kerem

One of my favorite experiences in Israel was eating at the home of Atalya, a larger than life Israeli chef living in the hills of Jerusalem. Atalya welcomes private groups into her home for unique meals that practically defy the laws of tastebuds; her food is masterfully prepared and bursting with an almost magical flavor that tastes like more than the sum of its parts. Atalya also hosts workshops in her home where you make some of her best dishes, and then, of course, eat them!

Feast by the ocean at:

Manta Ray Restaurant

If youre into sipping cappuccinos on a gorgeous deck while looking out at the ocean, Manta Ray is for you. This spot is literally feet from the sandy beaches of Tel Aviv. The food is artfully prepared, both visually and technically. For breakfast be sure to try the Poached Eggs and Croque Monsieur, while for lunch or dinner get a sampling of their extensive mezze (selection of dips and spreads common in the Middle East).

Spend the afternoon wandering around:

Machane Yehuda Market

One of the best ways to sample true Israeli cuisine is by wandering the Machane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem. Its filled with local vendors selling meats, cheeses, pastries, produce, nuts, seeds, and spices. Pro tip: dont miss the Uzi Eli juice stand, owned by a third-generation Yemenite healer and stocked with fresh pressed juices and plant-based body care and cosmetic products.

Dont miss a meal at:

Menza

Menza is one of those restaurants where if you lived in the neighborhood youd eat there every week. Chef Shlomi Attoun serves contemporary cuisine in a relaxed environment that lets the food shine. The Mediterranean Shrimp was bright and unique, and the Beef Carpaccio was other-worldly. Real talk: the carpaccio was one of the top 3 dishes I had in Israel.

Sample Israeli street food around:

The Muslim Quarter

Tucked into the narrow alleyways of Old Jerusalem is shop after shop of authentic Palestinian and Israeli street food. From freshly fried falafel to plates of warm hummus to life-changing Jerusalem Bagels, the streets of Old Jerusalem are sure to satisfy a rumbling stomach. Pro tip: Abu Shukri has killer hoomus.

Satisfy your American sweet tooth at:

Sweet Box

If youre craving classic American baked goods, look no further than Sweet Box in Tel Aviv. This tiny shop on an unassuming side street has the most happy-making decor, and is filled with chocolate chip cookies, warm sticky buns, and freshly baked breads. Seriously, youll have a hard time leaving with just one treat.

Get dinner and drinks (and more drinks) at:

Machneyuda Restaurant

Machneyuda is without a doubt the most fun restaurant Ive ever been to. Its equal part gastronomy and party. And while you may be thinking but is the food really that good? The answer is a resounding YES. Celeb chef Asaf Granit combines traditional Jerusalem flavors with upscale dishes that, as we unanimously proclaimed, are worthy of a Michelin star. Pro tip: the menu changes nightly, but be sure to ask for the Dessert Jungle at the end of your meal. The chefs wrap your table in foil, then splatter it with creme anglaise, fudge, fruit puree, and five different desserts. It. Is. Nuts.

Grab some groceries (and a smoothie!) at:

Farma Cultura

Another one of my favorite experiences in Israel (so much so that its getting its own post) was at Farma Cultura. Located on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, this Pinterest-worthy farm is owned by the most wonderful young Israeli couple. The storefront of Farma Cultura sells produce grown right out back, and they specialize in the most delicious produce-based smoothies (I adapted their green smoothie recipe in this post). They also host events on their stunning patio, making it perfect for a group.

Thats it, guys! So like have you booked your flight yet? 

Vibe Israel invited me to a week in Israel, though I was not compensated in any way. All opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the companies and brands that make Broma possible!
Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul is leading the fight to make the bill public. On Thursday, Paul, tailed by a pack of reporters, led a scavenger hunt through the Capitol for the bill, which is being kept in a "secure location."

A draft of the bill, leaked to Politico last week, was met with strong criticism from a coalition of House and Senate Republicans, who argued it did not go far enough in repealing the Affordable Care Act.

Paul called the draft bill "Obamacare Lite" and Rep. Mark Meadows tweeted last week, "

"2 yrs ago, the GOP Congress voted to repeal Obamacare. That 2015 repeal language should be the floor, the bare minimum," Cruz tweeted last week.

The House committee distanced itself from the leaked draft, which it said was outdated and no longer "viable."

While the GOP only needs a simple 51-vote majority to pass the Senate, without Paul, Cruz, and Lee, the party would not have enough votes to pass the legislation.

In the days leading up to the inauguration, Trump promised a swift repeal and replace, but has recently indicated the process will be slower.

"Nobody knew that healthcare would be this complicated," Trump told a meeting of governors last week.

During Trump's address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, he laid out a few basic principles of a future law, including
Comey argued that Trump's claim is false and has no supporting evidence, The Times reported, citing senior US officials. The Justice Department has yet to release a statement, however.

Trump made his stunning allegation Saturday morning, apparently referencing an article from the conservative news site Breitbart. The president raised the stakes on Sunday by calling for Congress to investigate his claim as part of its probe into Russian interference during the 2016 election.

Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the White House will not comment on the allegations "until such oversight is conducted."

Meanwhile, Trump's request could put Republican lawmakers in an uncomfortable position.

"I've never heard that allegation made before by anybody. I've never seen anything about that anywhere before," Sen. Marco Rubio said on "Meet The Press" on Sunday. "The president put that out there, and now the White House will have to answer as to exactly what he was referring to."
In early morning tweets on Saturday, Trump accused former President Barack Obama of ordering the wiretapping of phones in Trump Tower weeks before the election, without providing evidence of such an act.

The White House issued a statement on Sunday asking Congress to look into "whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016" as part of the larger investigation digging into ties between Trump's inner circle and Russian operatives.

Clapper told NBC's "Meet the Press with Chuck Todd" that in his purview as head the US intelligence community, he could deny that there was a request for a wiretap. The Guardian had reported in January that the FBI allegedly requested a warrant from a FISA court (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance) in October to monitor Trump campaign officials who were suspected of improper ties to the Russian government.

"For the part of the national security apparatus that I oversaw as DNI, there was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time, as a candidate, or against his campaign," Clapper said.

He also welcomed the bipartisan, independent investigation that the Senate Intelligence Committee is conducting into Russia's actions, saying it could "look at this from a broader context" than the intelligence agencies could.

Clapper added that, in the report the intelligence agencies compiled in the fall on Russia meddling in the US election, there was no evidence that the Trump campaign illegally conspired with Russian operatives.
US President Donald Trump has apparently honed in on North Korea as his most serious external challenge, and has reportedly declared them the single greatest threat to the United States. In January, Trump tweeted that North Korean missile hitting the US, as they've often threatened, ""

But in reality, taking out North Korea's nuclear capabilities, or decapitating the Kim regime, would pose serious risks to even the US military's best platforms.

Business Insider spoke with Stratfor's Sim Tack, a senior analyst and an expert on North Korea, to determine exactly how the US could potentially carry out a crippling strike against the Hermit Kingdom.

First, a decision would need to be made.

Military action against North Korea wouldn't be pretty. Some number of civilians in South Korea, possibly Japan, and US forces stationed in the Pacific would be likely to die in the undertaking no matter how smoothly things went.

In short, it's not a decision any US commander-in-chief would make lightly.

But the US would have to choose between a full-scale destruction of North Korea's nuclear facilities and ground forces or a quicker attack on only the most important nuclear facilities. The second option would focus more on crippling North Korea's nuclear program and destroying key threats to the US and its allies.

Since a full-scale attack could lead to "mission creep that could pull the US into a longterm conflict in East Asia," according to Tack, we'll focus on a quick, surgical strike that would wipe out the bulk of North Korea's nuclear forces.

Then, the opening salvo  a stealth air blitz and cruise missiles rock North Korea's nuclear facilities.

The best tools the US could use against North Korea would be stealth aircraft like the F-22 and B-2 bomber, according to Tack.

The US would slowly but surely position submarines, Navy ships, and stealth aircraft at bases near North Korea in ways that avoid provoking the Hermit Kingdom's suspicions.

Then, when the time was right, bombers would rip across the sky and ships would let loose with an awesome volley of firepower. The US already has considerable combat capability amassed in the region.

The first targets...

Next, the US would try to limit North Korean retaliation.

Once the US has committed the initial strike against North Korea, how does Kim Jong-un respond?

Even with its nuclear facilities in ashes and the majority of their command and control destroyed "North Korea has a lot of options," said Tack. "They have their massive, massive conventional artillery options that can start firing at South Korea in a split second."

But as the graphic below shows, most North Korean artillery can't reach Seoul, South Korea's capital.

Additionally, Seoul has significant underground bunkers and infrastructure to quickly protect its citizens, though some measure of damage to the city would be unavoidable.

According to Tack, much of this artillery would instead fire on the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas, detonating mines so that North Korean ground forces can push through. Also within range would be US forces near the DMZ.

Some 25,000 American soldiers are stationed in South Korea, all of whom would face grave danger from North Korea's vast artillery installations.

But the North Korean artillery isn't top of the line. They could focus on slamming US forces, or they could focus on hitting Seoul. Splitting fire between the two targets would limit the impact of their longer-range systems.

Additionally, as the artillery starts to fire, it becomes and exposed sitting duck for US jets overhead.

The next phase of the battle would be underwater.

North Korea has a submarine that can launch nuclear ballistic missiles, which would represent a big risk to US forces as it can sail outside of the range of established missile defenses.

Fortunately, the best submarine hunters in the world sail with the US Navy.

Helicopters would drop special listening buoys, destroyers would use their advanced radars, and US subs would listen for anything unusual in the deep. North Korea's antique submarine would hardly be a match for the combined efforts of the US, South Korea, and Japan.

While the submarine would greatly complicate the operation, it would most likely find itself at the bottom of the ocean before it could do any meaningful damage.

What happens if Kim Jong Un is killed?

"Decapitation" or the removal of the Kim regime would be a huge blow to the fiercely autocratic Hermit Kingdom.

Kim Jong-un has reportedly engaged in a vicious campaign to execute senior officials with packs of dogs, mortar fire, and anti-aircraft guns for a simple reason  they have ties to China, according to Tack.

Jong-un's removal of anyone senior with ties to China means that he has consolidated power within his country to a degree that makes him necessary to the country's functioning.

Without a leader, North Korean forces would face a severe blow to their morale as well as their command structure, but it wouldn't end the fight.

"Technically North Korea is under the rule of their 'forever leader' Kim Il Sung," said Tack, adding that "a decapitation strike wouldnt guarantee that the structures below him wouldnt fall apart, but it would be a damn tricky problem for those that remain after him."

Unfortunately, North Koreans aren't shy about putting their leader first, and at the first indication of an attack, Kim would likely be tucked away in a bunker deep underground while his countrymen bore the brunt of the attack.

Then the US defends.

"If North Korea doesnt retaliate, theyve lost capability and look weak," said Tack.

Indeed few would expect North Korea to go quietly after suffering even a crippling attack.

Through massive tunnels bored under the DMZ, North Korea would try to pour ground troops into the South.

"The ground warfare element is a big part of this," said Tack. "I think that the most likely way that would play out would be the fight in the DMZ area," where the US would not try to invade North Korea, but rather defend its position in the South.

Though its air force is small and outdated, North Korean jets would need to be addressed and potentially eliminated.

Meanwhile...

US special operations forces, after stealthy jets destroy North Korea's air defenses, would parachute in and destroy or deactivate mobile launchers and other offensive equipment.

The US faces a big challenge in trying to hunt down some 200 missile launchers throughout North Korea, some of which have treads to enter very difficult terrain where US recon planes would struggle to spot them.

It would be the work of US special forces to establish themselves at key logistical junctures and observe North Koreans' movements, and then relay that to US air assets.

So how does this all end?

North Korea is neither a house of cards or an impenetrable fortress.

Additionally, the resolve of the North Koreans remains a mystery. North Korea has successfully estimated that the international community is unwilling to intervene as it quietly becomes a nuclear power, but that calculation could become their undoing.

North Korea would likely launch cyber attacks, possibly shutting down parts of the US or allies' power grids, but US Cyber Command would prepare for that.

North Korea would likely destroy some US military installations, lay waste to some small portion of Seoul, and get a handful of missiles fired  but again, US and allied planners would stand ready for that.

In the end, it would be a brutal, bloody conflict, but even the propaganda-saturated North Koreans must know just how disadvantaged they are, according to Tack.

Even after a devastating missile attack, some of North Korea's nuclear stockpile would likely remain hidden. Some element of the remainder of North Koreans could stage a retaliation, but what would be the point?
"We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin," Trump tweeted. He attached a photo of a younger Schumer drinking coffee and eating what appeared to be donuts with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"A total hypocrite!" Trump added.

The photos appear to have been taken at a gas station owned by Lukoil  Russia's state-run oil company  during a 2003 visit by Putin to New York.

Later Friday, Trump demanded a second investigation into House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi after Politico surfaced a photo of her in a meeting with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, following her denials of meeting with him in an interview on Friday morning.

"I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for close ties to Russia, and lying about it," Trump tweeted on Friday afternooon.

A spokesman clarified that Pelosi had meant she never had a solo meeting with Kislyak.

Trump's administration has faced increased scrutiny in recent days over its emerging ties to Russia and amid the US intelligence community's conclusion that Russia interfered with the 2016 election. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday recused himself from Justice Department investigations related to Trump's presidential campaign after reports revealed that during his confirmation hearings he did not disclose two meetings he held with Kislyak during the presidential campaign.

Schumer called for Sessions' resignation on Thursday, a day after the revelations emerged, and he underscored the need for a further evaluation of the "scope of Russia's interference" in the 2016 election in a tweet. Dan Scavino, the White House director of social media, responded succinctly: "Do it over donuts and coffee."

Schumer fired back on Friday: "Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in '03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you & your team?" Schumer said.

"And for the record, they were Krispy Kreme donuts," Schumer added.
All of this was part of an effort to learn about controversial 1,000-year-old ruins that appeared to be the remains of an ancient, legendary "lost city" that had been buried in the rain forest for 500 years. While there, Preston and the team uncovered more about the site, including a literal treasure trove of sacred objects that appeared to have been hurriedly gathered and hidden by the area's residents  before they hastily vanished.

"It was absolutely incredible the things we found," Preston told Business Insider. "We found an untouched city."

A flesh-eating parasite

But in the weeks after they returned from the jungle, Preston and several other members of his team began to develop some worrying symptoms. Some had trouble breathing; others developed skin sores; still others noticed it was harder than usual to swallow.

"We were very popular with the doctors," Preston said. "If you're gonna get a disease and you're a journalist, this is one of the best ones to get. It's so interesting."

One person's "interesting" may be another person's "terrifying"  if left untreated, leishmaniasis can have horrific consequences, and it has no cure.

"Its a flesh-eating parasite," explained Preston. "And if it gets to your face, it eats away at the skin and it gets your nose and your lips first, and they fall off. Then it starts to eat away at the rest of your skin until you have an open sore where your face used to be. Eventually it eats away at the bones of your face, and there's essentially a hole there, and you die."

Fortunately, there are treatments for the disease  if you can afford them. These typically involve 6-8 hours of intravenous infusions daily, with highly toxic drugs designed to poison the parasite. The treatment typically takes about three weeks, but some people continue to need treatment depending on the progression of the disease. Initially, Preston and his team were all treated at the NIH lab, which Preston said he was "very impressed" by.

Preston was fortunate  he doesn't feel like the illness hasn't affected him too severely. But some of his colleagues have continued to need treatment. In those cases, the drugs simply weren't enough to tackle the parasite. And in the process of trying to kill it, the regimen essentially poisoned its human hosts as well. One person from Preston's trip now has severely damaged liver.

"One of our members is very ill," said Preston. "He will never be the same because of the treatment."

Though Preston responded better, he still regularly visits doctors to check in and keep an eye on any changes.

"It's a wait and see thing," he said.

Where leishmaniasis is found  and where it may spread

Leishmaniasis (of which there are several different forms) isn't seen too often in the United States  for now. It does exist in parts of 90 countries, most of which are in Central and South America, Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Southern Europe, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In those areas, an estimated 900,000 to 1.3 million new cases of leishmaniasis occur each year, according to the World Health Organization. The disease kills 20,000 to 30,000 people annually.

Studies suggest leishmaniasis is likely to spread. It's a "climate-sensitive" disease, meaning it's highly subject to changes brought about by human-induced global warming.

To help predict how climate change might affect the occurrence of diseases across the globe, researchers frequently create ecological models that combine what we know about trends in the climate with statistical analyses to create a picture of where different parasites or bacteria might flourish in a warmer world.

Right now, leishmaniasis is confined to a pretty limited range of areas in the US, which is one of the reasons it's so rare. But in the next few decades, as regional climates shift, the disease could flourish beyond its present confines. One study published recently in the journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases predicts exactly that.

"Even in the most optimistic scenario we found that twice as many individuals could be exposed to leishmaniasis in North America in 2080 compared to today," the researchers write.

Another ecological modeling study examined where sandflies (the insects that spread the leishmaniasis parasite) will live in a warmer world, and produced similarly worrying findings that suggest the insects' habitats will spread, increasing human exposure to the disease.

In other words, while the horrific disease Preston and his team caught is not a major health concern at present, it may become a much bigger deal in the coming decades.
On Thursday, the Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta announced that local authorities should stop collecting the levy.

But in a swift response, the ex-chairman of the Finance Committee of parliament said by this act, it means that whatever is done at the district level. We can use the power of parliament to quash it. Are we decentralising the power to the people or we are re-centralizing the power?

In an interview with Accra-based Citi FM, Mr Avedzi added that the decision to charge 'kayayie' levy is a resolution of the various assemblies.

According to him, the best way was for the assemblies to pass a resolution to quash the levy and not the central government.

This is a resolution of the local government, a resolution of the AMA or the KMA. It is for them to go back and reverse it. If you want them to reverse it, go and tell them that, go and do your resolution and remove it. Dont go and do a public announcement in Parliament saying you have abolished the tax, Mr. Avedzi stressed.

But the MP for Obuasi West who is heading to the Finance Ministry as Mr Ofori-Atta's deputy said claims that assemblies can charge levies and the central government cannot do anything about it is false.

The suggestion that the local assemblies can make any decision and charge levies and central government is helpless in the context of the current legal arrangement is false, he said.

He added: Government has a responsibility to look at the circumstances of every section of society and make specific directives in respect of their welfare.
According to him, the government will review the curriculum in a bid to "reform and strengthening our systems and institutions to provide a more functional education for all Ghanaians."

The "initiative to reform the curriculum during the year will re-introduce History and introduce Arabic as an optional language into our school system," he said.

In November last year, the then Chief-of-Staff Julius Debrah caused an uproar when he announced that Arabic language will be a compulsory examinable subject in 2017.

Later his statement was amended by a presidential staffer who said Mr Debrah's statement has been misconstrued.
READ MORE: OWASS old students refurbish science laboratory

The president was speaking at the 90th-anniversary celebration of Achimota School on Saturday, March 4, 2017, as the guest of honour.

"The safety and security of Achimota cannot be the responsibility of only those who go to school here or are old students. Achimota is a national icon. It belongs to the people of Ghana and the conversation about what happens to Achimota cannot be limited to a discussion within these walls, President Akufo-Addo said.

Other schools have lost lives, not on the dramatic scale of Achimota but what little they have lost means they no longer have a playing field and the consequences are equally grave. The problem of encroachment of school lands as a whole will receive urgent attention from my government," he added.

The president made the statement in response to an appeal by the headmistress of the school, Beatrice Adom, to help deal with the encroachment of the school's land.

According to her, there have been instances where land guards have threatened staff members of the school occupying school bungalows to vacate such facilities claiming they're the owners of the land on which such facilities have been built.

READ MORE: Government introduces Arabic as optional language

The school has been battling with land encroachers and marauding land grabbers for years.
According to him in an interview with Punch News' Saturday Beats, he is yet to apply for a permit to live in the US after two years of marriage to his partner.

He said, Right now, I have a bone to crack with her family because they think I am intentionally refusing to do my green card. I have not done it even now.

"It is funny how people think. I and Osas had been legally married in a court in the US two years even before the public knew we were going out.

"If I had wanted green card, I would have done it since but I felt it would be a distraction. I didnt marry her because of that."

Ajibade added that he was never the type to patronize the whole idea of marriage and love until he met his wife.

ALSO READ: This lovable picture of Gbenro Ajibade and his daughter

It was a case of friendship turned romance for the actor who revealed that Ighodaro used to drop him off at his girlfriend's house in their early days.
News / National

by Simbarashe Sithole

Chopped tree

A 24 year-old man went berserk with an axe and attacked a chief three times over a tree dispute.Confirming the incident, Chief Makope (Jacob Mapirinjanja)'s advisor Norman Mondoka alleged that Belington Nyamadzao (24) was cutting down a forbidden tree that is close to the Chief's shrine at Chipanza farm in Mvurwi, Mashonaland Central province."Belington was cutting a forbidden tree and Chief Makope confronted him on the matter and he started crying."He picked his axe and cut the Chief on the shoulder before we apprehended him. We then surrendered him to the police," said Mondoka.Another source who declined to be named said Nyamadzo intended to kill the Chief because he made the attempt three times."The young man was so possessed and his intension was to cut the Chief's head but luckily Chief Makope managed to dodge and the axe hit his back," said the source.Chief Makope was rushed to Mvurwi hospital where he was attended to despite the current strike by health workers before he was discharged late in the evening.The suspect is in police custody and currently assisting police with investigations.
They include the leaders of Mali, Zambia, Gambia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Algeria and Nigeria,

Mr Sckey told Radio Ghana that preparation for Monday's event at the Independence Square is being wrapped up.

He said all the various stages and media stands that are supposed to be mounted at the Independence Square have been done.

Asked about the corporate support towards the anniversary celebration, Mr Sackey noted that the support has been "quite encouraging."

According to him, the committee is mindful of the difficult economic situation Ghana finds herself, adding that the committee does not want to put pressure on corporate Ghana.

--GHC10,00 disbursed to assemblies--

The government on Friday released GHC10,000 to each of the Municipal, Metropolitan and District Assemblies to support the 60th anniversary celebrations.

A statement released by the Controller and Accountant General, Seidu Kotomah, on Friday 2 March said the amount is to support the district assemblies to celebrate Ghana's 60th Independence Anniversary.

The Controller and Accountant General wishes to inform all metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies that an amount of GHS 10,000.00 (ten thousand Ghana cedis) each has been transferred into the Sub Consolidated Fund (Sub CF) account of the assemblies. This amount is to support the district assemblies to celebrate Ghanas 60th Independence Anniversary," the statement said.

The statement added: "Management of the assemblies should note that this amount is part of the outstanding disbursement of the District Assemblies Common Fund.
Trump hauled his key advisors into the Oval Office on Friday afternoon before he departed for Palm Beach, Florida, and went "ballistic" over Sessions' recusal, ABC News reported, citing senior White House sources.

Sessions held a press conference the previous day to announce his recusal, acquiescing to growing, bipartisan calls to do so following revelations that he had not disclosed during his confirmation process that he had met with the Russian ambassador twice last year during Trump's election campaign.

Trump was "fuming" about the news on Friday, telling his aides Sessions shouldn't have recused himself, the Washington Post's Robert Costa tweeted Saturday.

Trump questioned the logic of Sessions' recusal, and emphasized to his advisors that the entire situation had been handled poorly, Politico reported.

The advisors present in the meeting on Friday reportedly included chief strategist Stephen Bannon, chief of staff Reince Priebus, press secretary Sean Spicer, White House counsel Don McGahn, communications director Mike Dubke, as well as senior advisor Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.
The new version, postponed several times, would replace the previous ban, which courts blocked.

The new order is expected to remove Iraq from the list of countries whose citizens would be temporarily barred from entering the US. It also includes some changes to its process of accepting refugees, officials told the Associated Press.

Whereas the original order indefinitely suspended Syrian refugees from entering the US, the new one will bar them for the same 120-day period, as all other groups.

Refugees have long been viewed warily by some Americans who fear they could pose a national-security threat, despite the fact that they undergo a rigorous, years-long screening and resettlement process, and there's no data supporting the concerns.

Here are some things you may not know about the refugees whom the US accepts:

Refugees must repay the government for the cost to come to the US.

When the government pays for flights bringing refugees to the US, it's actually a loan that the refugees must repay.

The State Departments Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration supplies the funds to the International Organization for Migration, and refugees have to start paying their interest-free loan back as soon as they start working. Usually, refugees begin paying that back within the first six months of arriving in the US.

That repaid money is used to assist future refugees traveling to the US.

Refugees can cost a lot for the government to resettle, but refugees positively affect economies.

There's no doubt that the US pays a large upfront cost when it accepts refugees. Data from the National Conference of State Legislatures shows that in the 2015 fiscal year, the US had a budget of $612 million to resettle about 70,000 refugees (this excludes $948 million that was set aside for unaccompanied minors who crossed the US-Mexico border).

Some of that funding goes toward people who aren't refugees, such as trafficking victims, according to The Washington Post, but the money is mainly allotted to provide refugees social services such as language and vocational training, cash allowances, as well as medical and preventive healthcare.

At the same time, multiple studies of countries across the world have found that accepting refugees can positively affect economies, or at least balance the cost of accepting them.

For instance, a 2013 study found that the 4,518 refugees who were resettled in Cleveland between 2000 and 2012, started 38 businesses. This yielded a total impact of 175 jobs and $12 million in spending in Cleveland in 2012.

"There's not any credible research that I know of that in the medium and long term that refugees are anything but a hugely profitable investment," Michael Clemens of the Center for Global Development told The Post.

Refugees have to prove they're refugees.

According to international law, the official definition of a refugee is someone with a "well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it."

The term was laid out by the 1951 Refugee Convention. Refugees must meet some of the criteria above. It's not enough just to be poor, for instance.

Many refugees don't want to be resettled anywhere, let alone in the US.

"Resettlement" refers to the process wherein refugees are relocated from a country where they're provided temporary asylum to a third country. But it's just one of three solutions. They could also permanently stay in the asylum country or return to their home country if conditions there improve.

In fact, resettlement is usually the international community's last resort, and the least desirable outcome for some refugees. Many want their home countries to achieve peace and stability so that they can return. Of the world's 20 million refugees, 99% will never be resettled, according to the International Rescue Committee.

For those refugees who don't have a viable path to return home, most tend not to want to come to the US. They prefer places such as Sweden or other European countries known for their history of accepting refugees and generosity with social payments, according to Tammy Lin, a San Diego-based immigration lawyer.

It takes a long time to be resettled.

Refugees hang in "limbo" for an average of 10.3 years and a median of four years before a permanent home can be found, according to the World Bank Group. For those refugees in protracted situations  meaning they have been in exile in an asylum country for five or more years  their average duration of exile is 21.2 years.

Once resettlement begins for those refugees assigned to relocate to the US, the minimum time the government spends processing them is 18 months, the IRC's Robin Dunn Marcos told Business Insider. But immigration lawyers say the process can often stretch from four to eight years.

Most refugees awaiting resettlement live in cities rather than camps.

In 2009, the UNHCR estimated that 60% of refugees live in urban areas, rather than camps. For the worlds 40 million internally displaced persons, that rate rose to 80%.

This means many refugees can work and earn money, as well as take advantage of their freedom of movement, although the UNHCR points out this can also leave refugees vulnerable to exploitation and other dangers.

Yet urban refugees self-sufficiency means the international community doesnt have to provide full financial support and that refugees can help boost economic development.

The US resettles the greatest number of refugees, although it trails many other countries on per-capita admissions.

The US has been resettling refugees since World War II, and has since become the top resettlement country in the world, according to the UNHCR. More than 3 million refugees have been resettled in the US since 1975, according to the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

But on a per-capita basis, the US lags far behind many European and Middle Eastern countries. Germany, for instance, is expected to annually take in 0.6% of its population for several years. In 2015, the US took in 0.02% of its population.
The justices heard arguments for Peckingham v. North Carolina on Monday, over a law the state passed preventing sex offenders from using social networking sites.

While the law may seem targeted, constitutional scholars warn it could have chilling effects on many Americans' First Amendment rights.

David Post, an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute and retired law professor from Temple University, filed a friend of the court brief with 14 other First Amendment scholars. They argue that the North Carolina law violates the sex offenders' constitutional right to free speech.

Sex offenders are entitled to the same

They already served their time in prison, and are off probation, so, the state shouldn't be able to violate their constitutional rights, according to Post.

"Not to be too extreme or hysterical about it, but I think this is the opening ledge in an attack on social networking," Post said. "That could be very dangerous, and the court has a chance to really nip that in the bud and reaffirm that this is what the First Amendment is about  protecting these forms of communication between citizens for good and for ill. That's just the price we pay for having the First Amendment."

If the Supreme Court upholds the law, it could allow states to pass laws preventing other classes of people from accessing social media. Post warns that states could claim that any targeted class in the country  people on the no-fly list, ex-felons, the unemployed, African American males, Muslims  could be more statistically likely to commit certain crimes, and ban them, too.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which also filed an amicus brief, called the North Carolina law "unconstitutionally over broad because, under the definition of social media, it would prevent individuals on the registry from reading or commenting on a huge swathe of websites, including not only all of Twitter and Facebook, but Amazon, the New York Times, and Wikipedia."

In the oral arguments of the case, some of the justices took issue with excluding this group from social media, which has become such a central part of civil discourse and society.

"Even if the New York Times is not included, the point is that these people are being cut off from a very large part of the marketplace of ideas," Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said. "And the First Amendment includes not only the right to speak, but the right to receive information."

By the end of the oral arguments, it seemed like the Supreme Court would strike down the North Carolina law limiting social media access. It's difficult to guess what the justices will do, but Post said he wouldn't be surprised if they unanimously rule that free speech is too important to restrict in this case.
Dr Patient Folorunsho, the Executive Secretary of Kwara Primary Healthcare, disclosed this on Saturday in Ilorin, during a capacity building workshop for wards and village development committees, organised by the EU-SIGN.

Folorunsho said that the freezers would help to sustain the potency and lifespan of vaccines in the state.

She explained that the distribution of the solar-powered freezers was based on assessment earlier carried out by the organisation across the 16 local government areas and 193 wards of the state.

She listed the benefitting local governments as Isin, Kiama, Offa, Irepodun, Ifelodun, Baruten and Edu.

Folorunsho urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the solar powered freezers and ensure that all children were properly immunised.

Dr Issa Yusuf, EU-SIGN State Technical Assistant, urged stakeholders to carry out regular sensitisation campaigns on immunisation.

He said that children and pregnant women were dying due to mundane belief, stressing that immunisation would go a long way to save lives.
The report read in part: "In south-east Nigeria, security forces led by the military, embarked on a chilling campaign of arbitrary arrests, extra-judicial executions and enforced disappearances.

"Many individuals are still being detained incommunicado while state security agents have killed at least 150 peaceful pro-Biafra protesters."

But the ministry of foreign affairs queried why the report failed to condemn the atrocities committed by terrorist groups.

In a statement released by the ministry's spokesman, Clement Aduku, it also wondered why AI did not subject its report to wide consultations and in-depth engagement, in line with best practices.

The statement read: "Such omission made the scenario captured in the report itself to totally lack conformity to both local and international standards. The federal government does not, and will not condone, the brazen and needless display of lack of regard for constituted authority by any unlawful groups.

"Accordingly, no persons or group of persons will be allowed to destabilize the peace, stability and security, or jeopardise the unity and sovereign existence of Nigeria. No matter how highly placed and the level of external support such individuals or group of persons enjoy.

"Nonetheless, if any security personnel are found to have flouted the rules of engagement, or acted unprofessionally, such officers would be punished in accordance with the provisions of the law. Nigeria remains committed to the freedom of expression and association, peaceful assembly and protest within the confines of the law.
The demonstrators accused local authorities and aid agencies of exacerbating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, which the UN says has left northeastern Nigeria on the brink of famine.

They also accused local aid agencies of diverting assistance that should have gone to the 15,000 displaced people living in the Teachers Village camp near the flashpoint city of Maiduguri.

The women held their protest as 15 ambassadors from the UN's top decision-making body visited the camp in northeastern Nigeria, seeking to draw global attention to the emergency affecting 21 million people in the Lake Chad region.

The region straddles Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger. The UN envoys are visiting all four nations on their mission, which began Friday in Cameroon and will end Monday in Abuja.

The humanitarian emergency afflicting the area was triggered by the Boko Haram insurgency, which erupted in Nigeria in 2009. Poor governance and climate change have also been powerful contributors to the crisis.

"We told the (UN) delegation about our long-standing grievances. There's no food, there is nothing good here for us," said 28-year-old Hajja Falmata, after she and several other displaced women met the envoys for half an hour.

"We were expelled from our homes by Boko Haram and we came to Maiduguri to seek refuge, but unfortunately we haven't been well treated," she added.

Millions face food shortages

Britain's envoy to the UN, Matthew Rycroft, had said at the start of the mission to the region that the ambassadors' aim was to "show that this will no longer be a neglected crisis".

"You can't tackle terrorism effectively without also tackling poverty, without also thinking about education and employment and protection of civilians and human rights and the rights in particular of women and girls who are disproportionately affected," Rycroft said Sunday.

People forced by Boko Haram from their homes have frequently accused Nigerian authorities of corruption and poor aid management.

The government has responded by launching several enquiries.

In a statement Sunday, the UN said its visit to Nigeria was aimed at gathering "first-hand information on the various issues affecting the country...

"The delegation will use the mission to engage with Federal and State Authorities, (and) actors on the ground," it added.

The UN envoys' visit began a week after UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres set off alarm bells over the threat of famine in northeast Nigeria, the epicentre of Boko Haram's insurgency.

The UN is seeking $1.5 billion in funding for 2017 for the Lake Chad region -- almost half of which is needed for northeast Nigeria, where 5.1 million people face acute food shortages.
According to a report by Guardian UK, the Royal Air Force, on a mission named Operation Turus, conducted air recce over northern Nigeria for several months after the girls were taken in April 2014.

"The girls were located in the first few weeks of the RAF mission. We offered to rescue them, but the Nigerian government declined," Guardian cited a source involved in Operation Turus to have told the Observer.

The source reportedly added that the girls were later dispersed into progressively smaller groups over the following months.

The report said the publication used Freedom of Information Act to obtain notes from meetings between British and Nigerian officials.

It said Nigeria welcomed international assistance in looking for the girls but viewed any action against the kidnapping as a national issue.

At a meeting on May 15, 2014, with UK's former Africa minister Mark Simmonds, Jonathan was quoted as saying, "Nigerias intelligence and military services must solve the ultimate problem."

A document summarising a meeting in Abuja in September 2014 between Nigerias national security adviser and James Duddridge MP, former under-secretary of state at the Foreign Office, shows Operation Turus had advanced to the point where rescue options were being discussed.

ALSO READ: FG, Boko Haram finalise negotiations for release of 2nd batch

Notes from the October 2014 document also showed how General Chiswell offered to advise the Nigerian government on what equipment might make sense and how weapon systems might be best deployed in the rescue of the girls.

"We wouldnt comment on specific operational details, which are a matter for the Nigerian government and military," Nigeria's Foreign Office responded.

The revelations contained in the report, if true, would buttress the criticism from many Nigerians at home and abroad that the Jonathan administration did not take decisive action when the girls' kidnap was still fresh.
The groups declared their support for the lawmaker and Lagos APC at a meeting organised for Idimog Saturday night to explain to Igbo Community why he decamped to APC.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting, held at Igbo Unity House in Ejigbo, Lagos, had in attendance a cross section of Igbo leaders.

Idimogu, representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency II at the Lagos State House of Assembly alongside other 5 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers decamped to APC on Feb.16.

Mr Ugochiniyere Asianya, the Traditional Prime Minister of Eze-Ndigbo in Isolo, however called on Idimogu to inform the leadership of the House of the decision of the groups.

Asianya said Idimogus decision was a wise one for the protection of Igbos in Lagos state.

Go out and say it loud that we are in support of your defection; we will follow you everywhere you go.

Tell the leadership of the House that the Igbo nation in Lagos supports your action, we give 100 per cent support to the ruling party, he said.

According to him, the lawmaker has all it takes to go far as he has demonstrated high level of humility.

Another Igbo leader, Ikem Agbasi, the Eze Oshodi\Isolo said :I am pleased with the way the lawmaker has conducted himself so far.

We will support you anywhere you go, we are fully behind you, he assured the lawmaker.

The APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr Joe Igbokwe, who welcomed the lawmaker to the governing party, called on Ndigbo in Lagos to support and be loyal to the ruling party.

Igbokwe urged the Ndigbo to change their strategy in politics and remain united to protect the interest of the Igbo nation in Lagos state.

We have developed this country together, we have investments everywhere, we are not going to leave them for anybody.

There is no permanent friend or enemy in politics, our people need to change strategy, Igbo people should work with APC.

I want to speak to all of us to sit down and play better politics, he said.

A member of APC Board of Trustee, Dr Ken Modi Ken, who also expressed satisfaction with Idimogus defection, said the decision was right for the Igbo vision.

I am happy that you have joined the ruling party; we need to protect the Igbo investment in Lagos.APC will not disappoint you all, he said.

Idimogu said he defected to APC to protect the interest of his Igbo brethren in Lagos and not for any selfish agenda.

The lawmaker said: As the only Igbo member in the Lagos Assembly, l am supposed to be a voice for the Igbos in Lagos, but it is difficult for me as a member of opposition party, PDP.

Four years will soon be over and many of you will ask me directly or indirectly what are my achievements. I want to achieve, I dont want to be a failure.

Of course, the government of Mr Akinwumi Ambode has shown me love, the leadership of the House has been magnanimous enough.

However, the truth remains that, there are things I will not get as a PDP member.

We should not forget, we are in Lagos, I want all of us to support Ambode to achieve greatness. At our villages, we can do whatever we like, but here in Lagos, the party is the way, he said.

Idimogu informed the Igbo leaders that since he moved to APC, some infrastructure projects had been pencilled down by the governor for the constituency.

He said: As I speak with you now, since I joined APC, another four new roads have been approved in my constituency.

So, we will miss so many things if we play opposition here. I should not be a fool.

So, I have thought about it and come to the realisation that this step is necessary to protect the interest of Igbos and my constituents.

Majority of Igbo in Lagos are businessmen and women, we must try and support ruling party.

Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Ejikeme Ekeke, who called on Ndigbo to support Idimogu consistently.
News / National

by Staff reporter

BULAWAYO City councillors have been stripped of powers to handpick individuals for employment under the community groups scheme after being accused of politicising the process.The councillors - who are all members of the opposition MDC-T - previously had the mandate of employing members of the community to do various council stipulated duties inclusive of drain clearing, road maintenance, grass cutting and street cleaning, getting a monthly salary of up to $200.However, in the latest development, the councillors who on a number of occasions had been accused of employing the groups on political grounds have since been stripped of those powers after a red flag was raised by the Government.According to a council report the Bulawayo Metropolitan provincial administrator, Ms Khonzani Ncube had written to the local authority on behalf of the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Saviour Kasukuwere where they (council) were questioned on the functions of the community groups."We understand that Bulawayo City Council has a programme that is running to help vulnerable people in the community."The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing is interested to understand how this programme is running."May you furnish this office with a detailed report of the programme. Among other details you can explain the selection criteria, what sort of activities are done, the payment thereof and how it is calculated, which department is running the programme and what the councillor's involvement is in the whole process. We would appreciate it if this matter is treated with urgency," reads part of the letter sent to council.The report further states that the eventual resolution to strip the councillors of the employment powers was necessitated by the fact that community groups were an important body within the local authority considering the Government stipulated recruitment freeze, which meant that council was unable to provide some services due to staff shortages."It was pointed out during the ensuing discussion that the background to the matter rested on the question of under staffing. Council was unable to recruit staff in view of the freeze on employment."There was therefore a gap on road and road verge maintenance projects which however, were seasonal and short term in nature."This was the rationale for community involvement through their respective ward councillors. The consensus after thorough debate on this matter was that the engagement of community groups should be an administrative role through the welfare section of council's housing and community services department in liaison with the project implementing departments," reads the report.In an interview, the local authority's town clerk, Mr Christopher Dube confirmed that the employment of the community groups was now an administrative function revealing that this was in response to numerous complaints that councillors were abusing the system by employing on political lines."Before the council resolution there was always a problem where residents were complaining that this scheme is in the hands of councillors and it was being abused as councillors were selecting people from their political parties."The councillors were accused of not giving this to the people who are deserving, the vulnerable in our society. We as management have always been saying that really councillors have no business in employing these people because honestly they cannot assess the vulnerability of someone," said Mr Dube.He said they were now happy that the issue had finally been resolved and that it would become a management issue as they would ensure that only deserving people benefited from the scheme.Commenting on the same matter, the local authority's spokesperson, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said this would help rid of a number of obstacles they were facing in the employment of community groups revealing that the local authority was already capacitated with the necessary personnel to determine the vulnerability of individuals in society."Looking at the dynamics of local government it will be easy if it's co-ordinated by council administration as it is a technical issue."Having in mind council's pro-poor policy this scheme allows social workers to go individually and assess because for one to be vulnerable there is some assessment that has to take place."We now want to link those vulnerable people, checking that they are ratepayers so that they are able to square off their debt to council. When you look at it, it will now make it structured and more easy to manage," said Mrs Mpofu.In 2011 councillors in the city were left with egg on their faces when their attempt to bar workers purported to be from Zanu-PF who were part of the community sweeping groups was declared null and void by the Bulawayo High Court.Council had on 1 June 2011 passed a resolution that all community cleaning groups' contracts be terminated in a month's time, for reasons which were not specified by that time.
The group also called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to propose a bill seeking to regulate fundraising to presidential libraries.

SERAP said this in a statement released on Sunday, March 5, by its senior staff attorney, Timothy Adewale.

The statement reads:

"We urge Acting President to propose a bill that would specifically regulate and bring transparency to any future presidential library fundraising process, and make public disclosure of major donations towards the establishment of any such library mandatory.

"The proposed bill would give Nigerians a better view of major donations going to presidential libraries, and provide access to information as to whether donors gain any special Aso Rock influence.

"The bill would minimise the potential for a quid pro quo, influence-peddling; and help to build trust and confidence among a citizenry that already questions the ethics of elected officials.

"Proposing bill that would provide information to Nigerians and allow them to know those who help pay for presidential libraries is not only a matter of public interest but also crucially important to enhance transparency, accountability and strengthen this governments anti-corruption efforts.

"Its unfair to Nigerians for a sitting or former president to raise an unlimited amount of money for a presidential library and not to have the obligation to publish information on the major contributors."

The group stressed that if transparency is not mandated, potential donors may seek to use library donations as a means to secure political favours.

ALSO READ: God has been partial to me  Obasanjo says

It said the proposed bill should include a requirement to disclose details about each contributor, total value of each contribution, the source(s) of the contribution, and the date of each contribution.

It added: "The bill should also prohibit the making of a contribution through a corporation or other legal entity that may be used to conceal the identity of the person actually providing the contribution.

"Former President Olusegun Obasanjo would serve public interest by making a voluntary disclosure of every single donation, particularly large donations, to his newly launched presidential library.

"This would contribute to greater openness, something that the presidential library seeks to promote about the work and achievements of Obasanjo while in government."
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Receiving the award, an emotional Idhalama acknowledged God as the best script writer she has ever met.

"He wrote this into my script to be standing here right now," said Idhalama.

"I have followed the trail of others, but I never thought that this early, I would become a trailblazer," she added.

Dedicating her win to her husband, sisters and son, the actress also mentioned her mum.

"My mum is the strongest woman I know, she has blazed through a lot," she said.

She also acknowledged her boss Jim Ovie, who she says allowed her go for the "93 Days" audition while she was working for him.

ALSO READ: undefined

Idhlama is popular for her role in Niyi Akinmolayan's The Arbitration, where she plays the confident Omawumi Horsefall.

She also featured in Steve Gukas 93 Days as Dr Ada Igonoh, undefined as Yemisi Disu, the upcoming 2017 action comedy, "Ojukokoro," and the recently released "The Guest."

Three of her movies screened at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival as part of the festivals city to city spotlight The Wedding Party, The Arbitration, 93 Days).

The beautiful Idhalama was also chosen as the TIFF Rising Star. The TIFF Rising Star had existed for five years before this years edition, and for those years, four Canadian actors were selected to meet with casting directors, directors, and major stakeholders in the film industry.

In 2016, the festival inducted its TIFF International Rising Stars and two actors were chosen - Somkele Idhalama and OC Ukeje.

ALSO READ: undefined

At the 2016 Africa International Film Festival Globe Awards, Idhalama earned a special jury mention for her role in 93 Days.

She won her first award ever at the 2016 ELOY Award, where she won the Actress of the Year award for her role in 93 Days.

She also won the 2017 The Future Awards EbonyLife Prize For Acting.
Buhari flew to the United Kingdom since January 19 on a medical vacation.

He has in the past weeks had telephone conversations with an array of his stalwarts in the All Progressives Congress, his administration and a couple of international allies including President Donald Trump, King of Morocco and the president of the African Union to prove he is alive and very well.

But Fayose said all the reported telephone conversations and physical visits to Buhari at the Abuja House in London by APC leaders are no proof that all is well with the President's health.

In a statement released by Fayose's Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, he said he is the only credible person who can convince Nigerians that Buhari is well.

He said: "If their problem is that they are looking for a credible person who can help them convince Nigerians that all is well with our President, Im their best bet.

"Let the president speak with me. If I tell Nigerians that the president spoke with me, Nigerians will believe.

"Since they are eager for the president to speak to people; believing in this way to convince Nigerians that their President is hale and hearty, let president Buhari talk to me. I can be reached on 08035024994. I am credible and Nigerians will believe me.

"They said he spoke to President Donald Trump; despite the hype, Nigerians were skeptical. Then they said he spoke to the king of Morocco; again, Nigerians were suspicious. Before we recovered from that, it is now the AU president that they said President Buhari spoke to."

ALSO READ: Removing Fayose from office is like removing Ekiti, PDP says
Protesters flooded the streets of Niamey chanting anti-regime slogans before holding a meeting in front of parliament, where they shouted "Life is too hard" and "Leave, that's enough".

The march was called by an alliance of 11 opposition groups.

"This mobilisation is additional proof that we have had enough," said Soumana Sanda, a former health minister who is now an MP for the Nigerien Democratic Movement (MODEN).

"Instead of taking care of our citizens' problems, they're more interested in taking care of their own affairs," he said.

MODEN is the party of Hama Amadou, who lost a run-off election against Issoufou last March.

That vote that was boycotted by the opposition after Amadou was jailed on charges of baby trafficking, which he claims are politically motivated.

The demonstrators also called for the release of "political prisoners", referring to several senior government figures arrested by the regime, some in connection with a failed coup in December 2015, others accused of embezzling public funds.

They also condemned the French, German and US military bases in the country, calling them a "liquidation of the country's sovereignty".

Niger's government says the bases are necessary for combatting the jihadist threat, in particular in Mali and Libya.
"I am not against telling stories, but I am against glorifying criminals and showing drug trafficking as glamorous. This confuses youths," Sebastian Marroquin, who changed his name from Juan Pablo Escobar after his father's death, told the Spanish newspaper El Periodico.

"I receive tonnes of messages from youths asking for help to be like my dad. They want to be that criminal, they send me photos dressed up like him, with his moustache, his hairstyle," Marroquin added.

"Series about narcos have turned my father into a hero and given young people the idea that it is cool to be a drug trafficker."

He told El Periodico that he offered the producers of the series access to his family's personal archives, including letters written by his father and never before released videos, but they said they were not interested.

"They preferred inventions by some scriptwriters in California to the truth from those who suffered this story in the flesh," Marroquin told the newspaper.

Colombian television station Caracol TV has also come out with a series about Escobar and several movies are in the works.

Escobar headed the world's leading cocaine cartel in the 1980s. He fought extradition to the United States with a violent campaign in Colombia, ordering bombings and the kidnapping and killing of politicians, judges and journalists who got in his way.

Marroquin was 16 when his father was shot to death in 1993 by Colombian police.

He rebuilt his life in Argentina after Escobar was gunned down, re-emerging as a guilt-ridden public speaker determined to make amends for his father's role in the drug war that racked Colombia.
Barrow's three-day visit to Senegal at the invitation of President Macky Sall wound up on Saturday and was his first foreign outing since becoming president in January.

An agreement was signed to work together on tourism, a key industry for both nations, according to a joint statement issued at the end of a series of meetings between the two heads of state.

Greater defence co-operation was also agreed as The Gambia attempts to reform its army, and as Senegalese troops remain on Gambian soil to assure security while suspected Jammeh loyalists are investigated.

Sall and Barrow also agreed for top Gambian and Senegalese officials to meet every six months to discuss ties, the statement added.
The country is one of several battling the Boko Haram jihadist insurgency, which has driven thousands from their homes and plunged areas into hunger and poverty.

"The international community must respond to the moral and political obligation to support Chad's efforts," Francois Delattre, France's permanent representative to the UN, said in the capital, N'Djamena.

Senegal's UN representative, Fode Seck, said Chad "has been on the front lines when it comes to helping Mali or fighting against Boko Haram."

"It's normal that the Paris Conference, which we are all preparing, comes to Chad's aid."

The 15 envoys from the UN's top decision-making body began their mission in Cameroon, and also plan to visit camps in Nigeria sheltering some of the 2.3 million people displaced in the Lake Chad region.

Chad, a country of 12 million people, has imposed austerity measures to cope with the economic strain from falling oil prices and the cost of foreign military operations.

"Chad has committed its own resources against jihadists in Mali, and against the Boko Haram sect in Cameroon, in Niger and in Nigeria," Prime Minister Albert Pahimi Padacke told the envoys after a meeting Saturday.
Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Services were granted funding to purchase an engine pumper apparatus to replace the one that suffered catastrophic mechanical failure late last month.

Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Services were granted funding to purchase an engine pumper apparatus to replace the one that suffered catastrophic mechanical failure late last month.

The pumper is 19 years old and has responded to 3,364 service calls in 5 years, deeming it no longer cost effective to repair and maintain.

Fire Chief Scott Lewis told the Pahrump Town Board that to purchase a new, similar apparatus, would cost approximately $450,000 to $500,000.

As a cost savings measure, the chief offered up an alternative by suggesting the town acquire a refurbished pumper at less than half of the cost of a new one.

Additionally, the refurbishing facility, Fire Trucks Unlimited, is located in Southern Nevada.

We had gone out and sought ideas and options as far as replacing that particular piece, which brought us to a refurbishing manufacturer in Henderson. They solely deal with pumpers, airport rescue and large scale rescue and their main purpose is to refurbish these types of equipment. The Town of Pahrump has conducted business with Fire Trucks Unlimited over the past decade. They have certified technicians trained to perform refurbishments and they have a solid reputation, he said.

In years past, the town has acquired various firetrucks from other parts of the country.

Lewis said the fact that the pumper truck was designed for Southern Nevadas climate makes the acquisition that much more attractive.

Fortunately for us, they recently acquired several pieces of equipment that would meet our needs and one of the key factors that we considered in this was the fact that these apparatus were designed for desert use and are used by all of the major players located in Clark County. There would be some changes made to these apparatus that would allow us to meet our operational objectives in the nature of our responses that we encounter here in Pahrump, he said.

Lewis also provided the board with two options, the first he considered high risk was to continue to repair the out-of-service pumper until it is deemed unsafe and irreparable.

The second, low risk option would be the purchase of the refurbished pumper using three older pieces as trade-ins at a cost not to exceed $150,000.

Lewis said the actual turnaround time with the low risk option would also benefit the town.

We dont have to go through the design phase on building the apparatus from the ground up because its more in line with our operational objectives. We fully anticipate that it will have a 90-day turnaround time, which would be to our advantage as we are down a full-sized piece of apparatus, he said.

The fire chief also issued a caveat to board and staff regarding other aging vehicles in the fleet.

Our pumpers are the workhorses and go on the most calls. Our engines, Two and Four, which are our newest engines are now 10 years old this year. Within the next four to five years, they will also be in alignment for refurbishing. We are operating apparatus that range from 10 years old up to 28 years old and those apparatus no longer meet the intent of the National Fire Protection Association compliance on our firefighters safety as well as the maintenance, he said.

Following further discussion board members voted unanimously to approve funding for a refurbished pumper truck at a cost not to exceed $150,000.
News / National

by Staff reporter

TWO men, among them a herdboy from Jotsholo are feared dead, after they went missing close to the boundary of Hwange National Park in two separate incidents.Fisani Moyo a herdboy in Jabatshaba in Jotsholo, Lupane went missing on 16 February while Tabani Shoko (31) from Gamba village, Lukosi in Hwange went missing on 3 February close to the Hwange National Park.Both men are suspected to have been attacked by wild animals, probably lions because there have been reports of lions being seen in areas they went missing from.Acting Matabeleland North police provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Namatarira Mashona could not immediately confirm the reports saying she was yet to receive information on the two incidents."We are yet to receive reports of the two cases so we cannot comment at the moment," she said.Villagers in Jabatshaba told Sunday News that they feared that Fisani could have been attacked by wild animals especially lions as some of the animals have strayed out of the park due to rains. The Civil Protection Unit reported last week that due to flooding in some areas in the province, lions, zebras and buffaloes were being spotted in some areas close to villages, raising fears among the people. Villagers said the fear over the missing men has also been heightened after reports that a professional hunter shot and injured a male lion and failed to track it down."Villagers are prone to wild animals attacks especially lions and hyenas and of late we have been living in fear as lions were spotted in the areas. We also understand that on 15 February there was a hunt that went wrong when a hunter shot a lion but failed to track it. The lion has not been located and we know that a wounded lion is very dangerous to people," said Mr Martin Moyo, a villager from Jabatshaba near Halfway hotel.Areas which have also been affected by the attacks are Ngundwane, Manganganga and Quarry in Lupane District.According to Fusani's employer, Mr Headman Nkomo, the herdboy drove the cattle to the grazing area on 15 February but never returned."We got worried when he didn't return and tried to look for him but only found the cattle unattended and since it was dark we went back home thinking he would return. At first we thought he had gone to visit a relative or friend and was failing to return because of the rains. We have been searching for him but we are not getting any luck. We have since reported the matter to the police," said Mr Nkomo.He said combined searches by the police, rangers and members of the community in suspected areas had yielded nothing.Meanwhile, Zimparks rangers said on 3 February Shoko and Mr Tapiwa Zulu went to Sinametela National Park intending to poach. After setting their wire snares, the two retreated close to the Hwange National Park boundary where they started a fire to roast some meat."After a while Shoko informed his friend that he was going to check on the wire snares and that he would return shortly but he never returned. Zulu ended up heading back home after efforts to locate his friend failed," said a ranger who could not be named since he is not authorised to speak to the media.The matter came to light on 23 February when Shoko's parents confronted Zulu over their missing son since he was said to be the last person who had been seen with him. They made a report police in Hwange who together with the rangers conducted a search but to no avail.Shoko was on a warrant of arrest after he failed to turn up for sentencing in January when he was found guilty of possession of wild game meat. Search efforts have also been hindered by the rains pounding the area.Zimparks spokesperson Mrs Caroline Washaya-Moyo could not be reached for a comment.
The rapids were strong and the clouds opened up to a fierce thunderstorm as a group of Black Hawk's warriors attacked three boats carrying arms and supplies to Fort Shelby in Wisconsin.

The time was July 19, 1814, and the place was what is now Campbell's Island near East Moline.

That was the scene painted by Susan McPeters on Sunday afternoon during a special presentation about the Battle of Campbell's Island at Karpeles Museum in Rock Island. The event was sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution, Mary Little Deere  Fort Armstrong Chapter.

The DAR's objective was to educate people about the battle that was part of the War of 1812, and to raise funds to preserve a monument to that battle on the island.

It was two years ago that it was estimated to be about $65,000 to repair the monument, said Kathy Elliott of Blue Grass, a local DAR member. So far, we have raised $9,000.

It will be divided into three stages. The first stage is to replace and repair a sidewalk that has been damaged by tree roots. The second is to repair a low perimeter wall and the third is to do tuck-pointing on the monument and to secure brass plates on the monument.

She said the monument was dedicated in 1908.

McPeters, also a member of the DAR chapter, wore clothing from that era and talked in first-person conversation as if she was a passenger on the boats.

She said the skirmish originally was known as the Battle of Rock Island Rapids because it took place in the treacherous rapids that affected river travel back then.

The battle made it one of the westerly-most sites of battle in that war, along with fighting at Credit Island, Davenport.

There were 130 people on those three boats, McPeters said of the Campbell's Island incident. We met up with Black Hawk and some of his warriors but they told us they meant no harm to us, she said. But the warriors followed us.

She said Lt. John Campbell, who the island later was named after, was on one of the boats.

Then, the attack began, she said. In all, 16 were killed, including one woman and one child, and 21 were wounded. They took almost all of the supplies that were for Fort Shelby.

About 100 people attended the presentation at the museum, which offers exhibits on the War of 1812 and houses original documents dating before, during and after the war.

I had noticed the monument over the years, said Lisa Becker of Bettendorf, who attended with husband, Byron. It is wonderful they are restoring the monument and wonderful learning more about why it was there. We were glad to be here.

Kathy and Lee Woodward of East Moline, had more than one reason to attend the event. Kathy is a former member of the Christian Science Church, where the museum is located. She said the church closed in the 1980s. The museum bought the property several years ago.

It brings back of lot of memories for me, Kathy Woodward said. It is nice knowing it is being used and not being empty.

Part of it was curiosity, but it also is fascinating. I did not know there was a War of 1812 event here, Lee Woodward said.
Imagine its the 1850s and youre flying over the state of Wisconsin. Theres nothing but white pine forests for as far as your eye can see. Miles and miles of timber, so much as to be inexhaustible.

Fast forward to 1906 and youre standing on the bank of the Mississippi River in Clinton, Iowa, watching a huge raft of logs, white pine logs from Wisconsin, float past.

Such rafts have been floating into Clinton for 40 years now, meeting up with nearly 20 sawmills. There, the huge logs were cut into lumber for a growing nation, helping to build towns and cities all across the Midwest, Chicago to Kansas City. At peak production in 1892, Clinton was proclaimed as the lumber capital of the world because more board feet of lumber were cut there than anywhere else in the country.

But now this raft is among the last. The prime pine stands in Wisconsin have been all but played out. The boom that left behind a devastation of stumps built houses, barns and businesses and made millionaires of a few is now over.

The realization that much of the forest that once covered Wisconsin passed through Clinton on its way to becoming building material is one of the lasting messages I took away from a recent tour of Clintons Sawmill Museum.

The museum at 2231 Grant St.  backed up to the Mississippi River levee at 23rd Avenue North  opened about five years ago in what was once a McEleney automobile dealership, but this was my first visit.

We met director Matt Parbs  doubling as the ticket-taker at the door  who gave us a brief rundown on the Clinton lumber industry. He explained how Rock Islands Frederick Weyerhaeuser convinced Clintons three lumber barons to join him in forming the Mississippi River Logging Co., a business that would control every point of production, from the forests all the way down the river to Clinton. By cutting out the middlemen, they could make more money.

Parbs also explained the workings of the museums signature exhibit, a huge, 1920s saw that makes rectangular boards out of round logs.

A 10-minute video provided additional orientation, then we stepped into a room furnished like an 1800s parlor, with gold and white wallpaper, an Oriental rug and rows of satin-covered chairs. At the front were four large gold picture frames on stands, and in each frame were the heads and shoulders of four mannequin-like men, representing the four big names in Clinton lumber history. Through the wonder of animatronics, the heads came to life and the men talked to each other about their individual stories.

In addition to barons Chance Lamb, William Young and David Joyce, there was E.H. Struve, another notable who lived somewhat later and whose company continued to operate a saw mill into the 1970s. Several pieces of Struve equipment are on display.

Appeal to children

A good chunk of the museums exhibits is geared toward young people. An 1888 mini lumberjack camp includes a bunkhouse, cooks shanty, foremans office and blacksmith shop. Placards explain that the cutting season was October through March, then from April to June daring river pigs built the rafts and floated them downriver.

A unique vocabulary grew up to describe the different specialties  a cruiser, for example, was a person who estimated the amount of money a particular stand of timber might produce and a fitter was a person who cut the notch in the tree to begin the process of felling it. (No power tools, of course. All the trees were cut down by hand and moved out of the forests on sleighs pulled by horses.)

Another portion of the museum contains placards with information about Clinton lumber industry personalities, displays of artifacts and pictures of their mansions, some still standing near the downtown.

Youll also see displays of tools, such as saws (of course!) and pike poles that were long, sturdy sticks with spikes on the end used to push or pull logs into position when building a raft or to snag an errant log floating downstream

I learned that at least one woman was involved in the industry  Ida Moore Lachmund managed all aspects of rafts for lumber baron Joyce in the 1880s and handled $500,000 worth of logs each season, according to one of the placards.

I also learned, a bit to my embarrassment, that George Curtis wasnt a lumber baron. For years I have been writing stories about the Curtis mansion, home to the Clinton Womens Club, describing him as such. Instead, he owned a company that produced millwork  kitchen cabinets, windows, doors, fancy trim and fireplace mantels. Visit any number of older homes in Clinton, and youll see amazing examples.

Expansion in works

Given the breadth of the museum and all there is to say about lumber and its role in the nations development, I wondered why the name sawmill was chosen instead of lumber.

Sawmill seems to give short shrift to what this place has to say. Its much more than sawmills. And we learned from director Parbs that theres more to come!

The museum has just embarked on a $1.2 million expansion to the back that will create space for two big childrens exhibits, including a rafting simulator and a water table display, he said. In addition, Clintonians proud of their heritage regularly make donations of artifacts, such as blueprints of old buildings or examples of Curtis millwork.

(News of the addition quelled my concern about the viability of the museum, which I had wondered about, given that many such nonprofits tend to struggle.)

As with all good museums, the Sawmill has a gift shop. My favorite offering: plastic bags filled with sawdust shavings for $1.

If youre interested in history, the Sawmill Museum is worth a visit.
Iowa has become a hotspot for biomedical innovation. Every year, our local hospitals, medical schools, and pharmaceutical companies conduct more than 1,000 clinical drug trials. Over half of these trials target cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other major conditions.

Unfortunately, this vital work is now under threat. Several powerful federal lawmakers, along with President Trump, want to legalize foreign drug importation. But that "reform" would crush the Iowa drug industry, destroy jobs, and hamper growth throughout the state.

Currently, a federal law called the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act limits the ability of American patients to buy drugs from foreign markets. There's good reason for these restrictions: foreign drugs are not produced in accordance with America's rigorous safety and quality standards. Many of these products are flat-out dangerous: at least 10 percent of the global medicine supply is counterfeit.

There's little American officials can do to patrol websites selling foreign medicines. There are at least 3,400 unregulated online pharmacies now in operation. These sites are highly adept at hiding their true origins: a report from the Government Accountability Office found that many claiming to be Canadian "are actually located elsewhere or selling drugs sourced from other countries."

That's why every FDA commissioner in American history, under Democratic and Republican administrations alike, has declined to certify the safety of foreign medicines.

Legalizing importation would expose patients to a flood of expired, contaminated, and counterfeit drugs. These kinds of products can kill: back in 2008, a counterfeit version of the blood-thinner Heparin lead to the deaths of 81 Americans.

Foreign importation would deeply damage Iowa's economy.

Foreign drugs do tend to be cheaper than those sold in the United States. So, were importation legalized, many Iowa patients likely would switch over to these cheap, foreign medications.

But foreign pharmaceuticals are cheaper because foreign governments strictly control drug prices. Pharmaceutical firms aren't allowed to sell at market rates in, say, Canada or Western Europe. So if importation became the status quo, our local drug firms would hemorrhage customers. Their revenues would plummet. And, they would be forced to scale back on new research and lay off workers.

Those effects would be devastating for Iowa's workers. Today, the drug sector supports more than 22,000 local jobs. The positions range from high-level researchers and lab assistants to construction workers, transportation specialists, and administrative staff. Every year, this sector pay out $1.4 billion in wages and supports nearly $6 billion in state economic activity.

This work also is a vital source of public funds, fueling the state treasury to the tune of $38 million every year.

So a contraction in the drug industry would grind Iowa's economy to a halt.

The White House and Congress ought to reject importation. Instead, they should embrace a much better way to bring down drug prices, one that doesn't compromise Iowa's health and wealth: reauthorizing the Prescription Drug User Fee Act.

This federal law charges drug companies for submitting products for FDA approval. It ensures regulators have the resources they need to quickly and effectively evaluate new medicines. This legislation needs to be regularly renewed -- the current version expires later this year.

Lawmakers should reauthorize it. Doing so would keep new medicines streaming into the American market. This flow fuels price competition and drives down drug costs.

Legalizing foreign drug importation would be bad deal for Iowa. It would expose our patient population to dangerous foreign medicines while undercutting our local drug industry, a crucial source of jobs and growth.
The muck left behind reeks worse than the swamp itself. It is imperative that Republicans in Congress, including Sen. Chuck Grassley, stop holding their noses and let the dredging commence.

Only a special prosecutor can unwind the web of connections between Russian agents and President Donald Trump's administration, or, at the very least, a select committee tasked with offering Americans the truth.

Pressure is mounting on congressional leadership following reports in the Washington Post detailing Attorney General Jeff Sessions' repeated contacts with Russian diplomats prior to November's election. Sessions testified, during his Senate confirmation hearing, that he had no contact with the Russian government. The Post story left the White House -- on a short-lived high following President Donald Trump's widely praised address to Congress -- reeling.

The excuses and double-speak matter little. The fact is, Sessions either accidentally mischaracterized his mingling with Russian government officials or, at the very worst, committed perjury. For the second time in as many months, Trump found himself defending a cabinet member for being less than honest about confabs with officials from a country that was actively attempting to handicap the presidential election.

Yet Grassley made clear Thursday that he had no intention of seeking charges against Sessions for the false testimony offered to his Judiciary Committee. The least he can do is assure that any probe is legitimate and not some political facade.

For weeks, Sessions rebuffed calls to recuse himself from the Justice Department's probe into the matter. His position only reversed after getting caught. But Sessions' recusal alone, which Grassley lauded, won't do. This flap perhaps should cost Sessions his job, regardless of how "ridiculous" Grassley finds the idea.

It's becoming increasingly unsustainable for congressional leadership looking to quell this spiraling story. Investigations are ongoing in the appropriate committees, they say. But in too many cases, such as with Rep. David Nunes, chairman of the House Committee on Intelligence and an early Trump supporter, political interest casts doubt the real intent. Nunes even complied recently with a White House request to call the media and try to quash coverage about the administration's links to the Kremlin. Late last week, even more Trump surrogates admitted to meetings with a Russian diplomat prior to the election.

Sessions is the second member of the administration to falsely describe his contacts with the Russians. Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's downfall last month applied the heat to Republicans wanting this story to die. Sessions' lack of candor could cook them.

This disturbing matter outstrips attaining partisan goals. It's bigger than placating Trump's base, a dedicated group representing roughly a third of the GOP. Russian tinkering of the presidential election is, in a very real sense, a threat to national security and the republic itself. That threat is exponentially greater if Trump's inner circle were in on the ruse.

Former President George W. Bush nailed it when he recently said getting to the "truth" is all that matters.

Grassley has committed himself to principles throughout his career. He's defended whistleblowers against attacks from Republican and Democratic administrations. He's built a reputation for bipartisanship, one that was damaged last year when he stonewalled President Obama's Supreme Court pick. Sen. Joni Ernst is a relative newcomer. But she, too, generally displays a commitment to good governance.

Yet, throughout Trump's short tenure, they've remained relatively quiet about his business conflicts. They've yet to demand his tax returns. They've worn kid gloves when pushing back against the White House's falsehood of the day.

It's a Republican administration, after all. That's politics. We get it.

But the troubling links between Trump's inner circle and Russia keep coming. They represent a clear and present danger to the U.S., its elections and its standing in the world.

Americans deserve the truth. A partisan whitewash simply won't do.
DES MOINES  Significant changes are coming to Iowas laws.

Whether those changes will be for the better remains to be seen and could depend greatly on the eye  or political leaning  of the beholder.

More certain is the fact one sweeping change to state law already has been made, and many more are in the works.

For the first time since 2010, the Iowa Capitol is controlled by one political party. From 1997 to 2010, Democrats held the governors office and had majorities in both the Iowa House and Iowa Senate.

Starting this year, Republicans have complete lawmaking control for the first time in two decades, for at least this year and next.

Thus far, they have not squandered the opportunity.

Although the chambers have so far sent just six bills to the governors desk  four of which have been signed into law  one of those bills brought dramatic changes to the way the states public employees collectively bargain for wages and benefits.

More big changes, with Republicans at the helm, are in store.

I am very optimistic that we have a lot of really good things going for us in this state, said Sen. Bill Dix, the new Senate majority leader from Shell Rock. The promise that I made to my caucus, the promise Ive made to my voters and supporters in my district is that were going to focus on policies that create a new legacy of opportunity here in Iowa, and were not going to let them down.

Democrats said they do not think the new Republican-led policy changes will accomplish Republicans' stated goals.

We see what has happened so far by Republicans as being broken promises, said Rep. Mark Smith, the House minority leader from Marshalltown. They talked a good game about improving the lives of Iowans, and weve not seen legislation yet that puts more jobs into our state, helps people get ahead in our economy and the overall economy improving.

Friday was a key deadline in the 2017 legislative session. In order to remain eligible for consideration, bills had to achieve a prescribed level of support: passage through at least the committee level. The deadline winnows the field of eligible bills and provides a glimpse at the majority partys agenda.

With that deadline past, here is a look at what bills already have been passed and sent to the governor, what bills are working through the legislative process and what is yet to come:

What's done

Branstad initially proposed a de-appropriation of about $110 million, but lawmakers actually de-appropriated and transferred $118 million. Lawmakers did cut the universities by $18 million total, but also directed the Department of Management to find specific ways of cutting $11.5 million of the nearly $118 million they approved. So the regent universities got another round of budget cuts under that. It's now up to more than $20 million.

Republicans also early in the session determined a funding level for K-12 public education for the 2017-2018 school year, a 1.11 percent increase in general aid over the previous year. Democrats and public education advocates expressed concern that funding level will be insufficient.

The collective bargaining changes were significant and drew much attention to the Capitol. The new law, which went into effect immediately upon its Feb. 17 signing by Gov. Terry Branstad, dramatically reduced the elements  health insurance, for one prominent example  over which public workers can collectively bargain. The law also added stronger benchmarks for those public employee unions to recertify.

Republicans said the changes were needed to balance a system that they said had grown to favor employees and to give public employers more flexibility in creating wage and benefits packages.

Democrats, public employees and their unions decried the law as an assault on public workers.

What's in the works

Many more pieces of legislation that would bring significant changes to state law are proceeding.

One would halt all public funding to womens health care clinics that perform abortions, the most prominent example being Planned Parenthood of the Heartland.

Public funds may not be used to fund abortions, but conservatives have long sought to stop all funding to providers that perform abortions. That would be achieved with legislation passed by the Iowa Senate and an Iowa House subcommittee. The bill creates a new state family planning program that sends no state money to Planned Parenthood.

Critics say the bill would leave women who use Planned Parenthood without options for not only abortions but also disease screenings and prenatal services, and that the state will lose out on $3 million in federal match funds.

GOP lawmakers also considered abortion policy proposals. A bill that would have recognized life at birth  a so-called personhood bill  did not garner enough support ahead of last weeks deadline and is ineligible for the rest of the session. Lawmakers were still debating a separate measure that would ban abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy.

Another bill moving through the Iowa House would bring sweeping changes to the states gun laws.

The bill has many elements, including a so-called stand your ground provision that would lessen the burden for an individual to prove he or she felt threatened before using deadly force with a gun. Proponents say the bill expands Iowans constitutional rights, while opponents fear the changes would increase gun violence and make the state a more dangerous place.

And at the request of Secretary of State Paul Pate, lawmakers in both chambers are considering legislation that would require voters to present some form of identification at the polls. The bill would require photo identification, such as a drivers license, or a state-issued voter ID card with a signature and bar code that poll workers could scan.

Supporters say the proposal would strengthen Iowas election system, which Pate says already is one of the cleanest and fairest in the nation. Critics say the bill could dissuade potential voters who do not possess one of the required forms of identification.

What's yet to come

Because this first deadline impacts policy bills, legislators typically wait until later in the session to start work on funding bills.

Republicans have not yet introduced legislation on school choice programs and tax reform, but GOP leaders said both issues will be addressed.

Republicans want to establish programs that help families send their children to non-public K-12 schools. While legislation is not yet drafted, such programs typically include state funding that could be used toward tuition and other costs at private schools.

Dix also said Senate Republicans want to address tax policy; he talked specifically about the states income tax, which is one of the highest in the nation, according to the national nonprofit Tax Foundation.

The hurdle Republicans face is both school choice programs and tax cuts come with a price tag in what figures to be another tight budget year.

Whatever we do, its going to be well-thought out, its going to be utilizing the evidence weve witnessed in other states and also in our own state, Dix said, pointing to income tax reductions made in Iowa in the late 1990s.

Republicans' agenda

House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, R-Clear Lake, said she thinks Republicans are making good progress on issues that Iowans raised as priorities.

We said when we were elected to the majority once again that we were going to focus on making this a great place to live, work and raise a family, and thats where were going, Upmeyer said.

Democrats and other opponents of some of these GOP proposals disagree with Republicans suggestions that these new policies will be good for Iowans.

The legislative session so far has been a complete contradiction of everything Republicans said during their campaigns, said Danny Homan, president of the states largest public employee union. In the months leading up to the election, we saw flashy ads about job creation and prioritizing Iowa schools and weve seen the complete opposite.

"They balanced their budget problems on the backs of public employees, gave schools a measly 1.1 percent (increase to K-12 school funding), stripped workers of their seat at the table, which is already negatively affecting contract negotiations, and taken every opportunity to restrict health care access for low-income women. This legislative session has been an all-out attack on working men and women in the state of Iowa.
Some Assyrians Returning to Iraq, But Many Are Not

(VOA) -- Hind Jijji recently returned to her hometown of Qaraqosh in northern Iraq after Islamic State, or IS fighters were forced from the town. She and her family fled the area in 2014 just two hours before IS fighters captured Qaraqosh. They feared that IS would target them as religious minorities. So they fled to Iraqi Kurdistan without taking any of their belongings. Before IS forces attacked Qaraqosh, Hind Jijji was a student at the College of Medicine in Mosul. She planned to become a doctor. Jijji told VOA she was shocked at how much damage had been done to the town. The home in which she grew up was destroyed. Jijji told VOA that when IS forces fled, they took everything they could and destroyed what was left. Jijji said the IS fighters burned hundreds of other homes that belonged to Christians. They also damaged a tall religious center, the church of St. Mary al-Tahira. St. Mary al-Tahira was once the largest church in Iraq. About 3,000 people went to religious services there every Sunday. The church is an important place for Iraqi Christians. Hundreds of people returned to the town to repair the building in late 2016. But for many Christians in Iraqi towns, life will never be the way it once was. It will be difficult to re-establish the Christian community in Qaraqosh and the rest of Iraq because most Christians who fled refuse to return. They have decided to move overseas. The fleeing of many Christians has raised questions about the future of Christianity in Iraq. Muslims and Christians have lived as neighbors in the area for centuries. "I don't want to live in this place again. I don't want to ever live next to people who chose to stay under IS rule," Hind Jijji told VOA. She and her family are trying to leave the country and join other Iraqis in Europe. For Jijji, moving to the West is not only an attempt to find safety, but a chance to live a better life. Like Jijji, Maryana Habash also left Qaraqosh with her family when IS fighters attacked. She and her family were given political asylum in France in early 2016. She now lives in Reims, France and has begun school. Like Jijji, Habash says Qaraqosh is part of her past now. Habash says eight other families from Qaraqosh live in Reims and more are coming. Mass Christian immigration from Iraq is harming the efforts of those who want to establish a self-governing area for Christians in northern Iraq. Romeo Hakari leads the Bait-al-Nahrain Assyrian Christian political party. He says "continued mass migration of our people to the West is the greatest danger to our existence as a religious minority in Iraq." The Iraqi government does not know how many Christians live in the country. But it is estimated that more than 1.5 million Christians lived there before 2003. The Iraqi Christian Relief Council is a non-profit group that supports Christian minorities in Iraq. It says the violence that followed the American-led invasion and the targeting of religious minorities by militants have forced about 80 percent of the Christian population to leave the country. Hakari partly blames the West for mass Christian immigration from Iraq. He says western officials appealed to Iraqi Christians to live in Europe and other places. Western countries have agreed to accept Iraqi Christians and Yazidis because of the attacks by IS on these groups. This year, a State Department official told VOA that the U.S government and Canada were working to permanently resettle hundreds of Yazidis and Christians from Iraq. Hakari told VOA that Iraqi Christian leaders meet often with the American and European officials in an effort to reduce support for such programs. But for many Christians like Hind Jijji, it is not possible to return. "With time we have realized that it doesn't matter where we live and what system is in place. What really matters is the people around us."
News / National

by Staff reporter

A family from Lusulu in Binga is appealing for help to raise $15 000 to take their two-year-old son for a heart surgery in India.The boy - Obey Muleya was diagnosed with a congenital heart disease, pulmonary vessel plethora when he was three months old, his father Mr Malaki Muleya said.Mr Muleya, a security guard in Victoria Falls, said his son is struggling to speak or feed on his own and can't walk as his feet are always swollen and weak. Doctors have recommended that he goes for an operation in India."I'm appealing for help to take my son for a heart surgery in India. We have taken him to different doctors and at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo they told us to look for $15 000 to take him to India for a heart surgery. I don't have that kind of money and I am appealing to well-wishers to help us so that I can save my son," said Mr Muleya.He said his son was diagnosed when he was three months old. "We got to know of his condition three months after his birth because he had difficulties in breathing. Each time he would breathe the rib cage would swell while his backbone would also bend outwards," said Mr Muleya.He said at first the family suspected their son had a fontanelle problem (inkanda)."We consulted doctors who initially thought he had blocked nostrils and chest problems. It was only after a scan that they told us he has a heart problem. They said the heart is bigger on one side and has a hole on the blood vessels linking it to the lungs," said Mr Muleya, a father of three.He said his son's feet sometimes get swollen and he becomes weak hence he can't stand on his own or walk."He doesn't eat on his own anymore and we have to feed him very light food like porridge. He can't hold anything or stand on his own. At Mpilo they said to bring the money and they will take us to Harare to prepare for the journey to India. Those willing to help can get in touch with me on 0713489699 or 0773408982 or deposit money on Barclays Bank Account 1020073, Victoria Falls Branch."The boy is admitted to Lusulu Clinic.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. | Allowing insurers to market health care policies across state lines is one of President Donald Trump's main ideas for bringing down costs.

While supporters of the idea cast it as a way to make insurance policies more competitive, critics say it's unlikely to result in more affordable plans and could undermine stronger consumer protections in states such as California and Hawaii. Such a "race to the bottom" could leave some older consumers with health problems unable to afford coverage.

And there's another complication: Trump's proposal appears unlikely to pass Congress unless Democrats cooperate. Congressional aides involved with health care legislation say the proposal to allow cross-state insurance sales would need 60 votes in the Senate.

In his speech to Congress on Tuesday night, Trump said the nation must turn to new ideas to help control costs.

"The time has come to give Americans the freedom to purchase health insurance across state lines," the president said.

The estimated 20 million Americans who buy coverage directly from an insurer would be affected. Their health plans are regulated by state governments, which decide the minimum benefits that must be covered and mediate disputes between insurers and their customers, among other consumer protections.

Variation between the states was extreme until former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, which raised the minimum standards for legal coverage nationwide.

One of the sharpest differences was coverage for maternity care. Mandy Burke of San Leandro, California, who is pregnant with a girl due in May, doesn't want to go back to a time when it might be more difficult or more expensive to find coverage for pregnancy care.

The costs for repeated prenatal visits, ultrasounds, blood tests and a hospitalization for delivery are insane, said Burke, a 39-year-old musician and music teacher who has subsidized health coverage through California's insurance exchange. "That was something we had to check out  can we even afford to be pregnant," she said.

Trump and congressional leaders have vowed to repeal the law and replace it, although the details of their plans remain in flux.

The Trump proposal on cross-state sales would "eviscerate the ability of state legislatures and state governors to decide what the appropriate consumer protections are for their state's consumers and businesses," said Dave Jones, a Democrat who regulates some of California's health plans as the elected insurance commissioner.

The concept of cross-state sales has been around for at least 10 years, but experts say there is a good reason why it hasn't advanced: It might not deliver as promised.

"Premiums really reflect the cost of care where an individual lives," said Barbara Klever of the American Academy of Actuaries, a professional group that represents experts who advise on health care and pension programs.

Health insurance is a little bit like real estate, in that costs reflect local conditions. If an insurance company based in a low-cost state such as Utah is allowed to sell policies in a high-cost state such as New York, its premiums for New Yorkers would reflect medical costs in their own state, not Utah.

Economist Joe Antos of the business-oriented American Enterprise Institute, said the idea of cross-state health insurance has an instinctive appeal because Americans have seen competition drive down costs in other areas, from credit cards to air travel.

But Antos said it's a "faulty analogy" when it comes to health insurance because where the competition really needs to happen is among hospitals and doctors. And they are increasingly consolidating into bigger units, partly to fend off insurer demands to cut fees.

"You have to have competition at the service-delivery level, as well," Antos said. "The most expensive part of health care is hospitalization, and that is pretty much going to drive the price of insurance."

Out-of-state insurers also face the challenge of building local networks of hospitals and doctors that would make their product appealing to consumers. And then there's a conundrum over who would regulate the out-of-state carrier.

"A consumer who had a concern about their claim being denied couldn't go to their local insurance regulator," said Trish Riley, executive director of the National Academy for State Health Policy, a nonpartisan group that advises states.

Concerned that repealing the Affordable Care Act would eliminate consumer protections, Democratic lawmakers in some states, including Washington, Hawaii and Nevada, have introduced legislation to preserve some of the act's consumer protections in state law. Allowing cross-state insurance sales could undermine those efforts.

"We have a small market ... and it would take a lot for some company from the mainland to try to come out here and get a foothold," said Hawaii state Sen. Rosalyn Baker, a Democrat who heads that state's committee overseeing health care.

Cross-state insurance is popular with conservative lawmakers who believe extensive state-level regulations require people to buy coverage they don't want or need and drive up costs for consumers, particularly those who are young and healthy.

"If you live in the state of California or New York and you wanted a policy that had fewer state mandates and might be cheaper, I don't see why you shouldn't be able to go to the state and find a plan that supports your needs," said Sally Pipes, president of the Pacific Research Institute, which advocates free-market ideas.

In his speech to Congress, Trump projected a sense of confidence about his health care proposals as he challenged Republicans and Democrats to work together. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said there's a "strong consensus" for cross-state sales.

But behind the scenes on Capitol Hill, there's lots of uncertainty about whether the proposal will get very far.

There's doubt it can meet the test for inclusion among budget-related items that Republicans can push through the Senate with just 51 votes under special procedures.

Normally 60 votes are needed to pass contested legislation, and there are 52 Republican senators. That's why Republicans are planning to use special budget-related procedures to pass most of their "repeal and replace" legislation.

A House GOP leadership document prepared for lawmakers refers to cross state sales as an idea that Republicans will pursue through "regular order."

The translation: 60 votes would be needed in the Senate.

A legislative referee called the Senate "parliamentarian" will make the final ruling on whether cross-state insurance can be considered under the special procedures that require only 51 votes to pass legislation.
Citizens attended Saturday's crackerbarrel to voice thoughts on a variety of issues, including instituting a personal and corporate income tax and a controversial bill to create "public safety zones."

About 100 citizens and several legislators attended the final Rapid City Chamber of Commerce-sponsored crackerbarrel for this legislative season in the Didier Educational Center on the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology campus.

Legislators who attended the chamber's event were Sen. Terri Haverly of District 35, Sen. Alan Solano of District 32, Sen. Jeff Partridge of District 34, Rep. Tim Goodwin of District 30, and Rep. David Johnson of District 33.

A projected budget shortfall and taxes dominated the discussion. One questioner asked whether it's time to consider a personal and corporate income tax in South Dakota, given the state's budget shortfall.

Partridge said he does not support an income tax at this time but that the idea is going to have to be considered, along with budget cuts or possibly increasing sales tax.

Solano said he is not in favor of an income tax, but before considering it or any other changes, he wants to look at tax exemptions already in place.

"Some of those are historical, and we need to ask if some of those still make sense," Solano said.

Goodwin rejected the idea outright, saying income tax is "not going to happen while I'm there, while I'm still breathing."

He offered an alternative called "performance based economy," whereby if the economy is doing well, everyone does well. If it's not doing well, "maybe every state employee takes a 10 percent pay cut."

"I think the government needs to start running more like a business," he said.

Participants also submitted questions about mental health care, vehicle or "hoghouse" bills, gerrymandering, the sale of the STAR Academy, the repeal of Initiated Measure 22, religious organization adoption policies and transparency.

One of the final questions was on a bill set to be debated this week, SB 176, which creates "public safety zones" and implements new restrictions on trespassing and stopping on highways.

The bill says, "If the trespasser defies a posted order not to enter a public safety zone established under chapter 34-48A, the trespasser is guilty of aggravated criminal trespass, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor."

The trespasser would be sentenced to county jail for at least 10 days, and none of that could be suspended. A trespasser convicted of the same offense within two years would be guilty of a felony, the bill says.

Solano said ensuring public safety was one of the main reasons he voted for the bill. He said if the governor tried to overreach, as some opponents fear, "I'd hope the Legislature would call a special session to stop it."

Johnson said he has heard good arguments on both sides and he looks forward to the debate. He also urged his constituents to contact him regarding the bill. The bill is scheduled for a hearing in the House on Monday.

Representatives protesting the new question format once again held an "alternative crackerbarrel" across the hallway from the chamber's event. The alternative event took place concurrently and was sponsored by the SDSM&T College Republicans.

The alternative crackerbarrel followed the old format for public participation, in which citizens pose questions directly to legislators. The new format requires citizens to hand in written questions, which are then posed by a moderator.

Those attending the alternative forum included State Sen. Phil Jensen of District 33, District 30 Sen. Lance Russell and District 35 Rep. Blaine "Chip" Campbell.

Jensen said legislators offered a compromise to the chamber of commerce: to have one written question and one live question, but no agreement was reached.

Jensen said the new format "makes the conversation harder." He said the alternative format provides more of an "interactive dialogue" in which the representative can converse with the citizen asking questions.
Three Dakota Wesleyan University students have been chosen to participate in the 2017 South Dakota Intercollegiate Band. Mellissa Spitzer, senior from Mitchell; Rheanna Pheifer, junior from Platte; and Bryce Blank, sophomore from Rapid City, were selected for the honor of joining the band, which will perform with top college musicians from across South Dakota at 11 a.m. March 24 at OGorman High School in Sioux Falls. Tickets are available at the door. Spitzer and Pheifer play the flute and Blank plays the alto saxophone.

The Readiatrics Book Drive will collect new and gently used children's books for youngsters experiencing a crisis in family, health or home circumstances in Western South Dakota. The Readiatrics Book drive has donated over 170,000 books to regional children in need since 2001. This year the drive runs from March 6 through May 5. The books collected by Readiatrics will be donated to families of children receiving services at the SD Dept of Health with five locations in western South Dakota. The drive also supplies books for the Storybook Island Children's Summer Library and for families in tutorial reading programs conducted by the Literacy Council of the Black Hills. 2017 drop points for new and gently used childrens books are: RC Public Library, Dahl Arts Center, Books a Million, the Technology in Education office and all Black Hills Federal Credit Union locations. The drive is also supported by the Rapid City Rotary and Backroom Productions. The collected books will be donated to the South Dakota Dept of Health on St. Patrick Street in a special presentation at in May. If you have not had a chance to get to a book drop location, books will be accepted at this event. Monetary contributions are used to buy books of cultural relevance highlighting Hispanic, American Indian, African American, Asian, or developmentally challenged children. Books about children in single parent homes, grandparents as primary caregivers and foster families are also purchased for the drive with the donations or grants. To inquire about making a donation, call Darla Drew Lerdal at 341-5940 or email ddrewlerdal@gmail.com.
Art education is almost certainly going back to Rapid Citys elementary schools, but not for another couple of years.

I do want to add art back to elementary education, but my recommendation is that we do that within the timelines as were beginning STEAM, said schools Superintendent Lori Simon.

STEAM is a play off the traditional STEM acronym  which stands for science, technology, engineering, and math  with the A standing for art and an extra M for medicine. Its an initiative to add art and medicine classes to all grade levels by 2020.

The initiative will likely require added staff and the creation of some brand new course offerings, which is one of the reasons why Simon wants to wait to reintroduce art classes until STEAM is ready to get off the launch pad.

It doesnt make sense to upset our schedule and staffing now, so when we implement STEAM in a couple of years, that upset happens again, Simon said. I think it makes more sense to implement this a little more strategically.

Art education has been absent from the districts elementary school curriculum for several years, though when it went away is unclear.

Its absence became clear in September, when the school barred Young Rembrandts  an after-school program that provides the only art education available to elementary students  from holding courses immediately after school lets out. Enforcing a district policy regarding the use of school facilities, the school board has since granted Young Rembrandts access to classrooms again.

Whether the district adding its own art education will affect the arrangement with Young Rembrandts remains to be seen.

I think they have a place and provide some positive work with our kids. I think its too soon to tell what any conversation or partnership with them might look like in the future, Simon said.

Simon said a district task force will begin discussing more concrete steps regarding STEAM and elementary art education in April.

Im excited at the opportunity to bring back art into our elementary schools, Simon said, but we want to make sure the timing is right.
PIERRE | South Dakotas primary elections for governor are 15 months away, but the tug of war for the Republican nomination is clearly underway between U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem and state Attorney General Marty Jackley.

Jackley rubbed some big elbows several times in recent days. He went to Washington, D.C., and met with new U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Then he met with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence on the day after the presidents speech to Congress.

The stock market rose the day after that speech. Jackleys stock seemed to rise a little too among those in South Dakota who like Trump or who at least dont dislike him.

Meanwhile, The Club for Growth taunted Noem with ads on South Dakotans television sets, linking her to a border adjustment tax that Congress is considering.

Noem seemed a little uncomfortably out of place when she visited the state Capitol and spoke to each chamber of legislators two weeks ago. She last was a legislator in 2010, when she ran for Congress.

About 15 of the current 105 lawmakers are still around from 2007 when she entered the state House of Representatives the first time.

Times change and so does political balance. When then-Gov. Mike Rounds appointed Jackley as attorney general in 2009, many legislators at that time didnt embrace the choice. This session, Jackley seems to be in his best standing yet.

While he was visiting the new Trump administration, several pieces of Jackleys legislation cruised ahead in recent days, with his aide Jeromy Pankratz presenting them and with the backing of the state's attorneys association and the sheriffs association.

The decision by House Speaker Mark Mickelson to withdraw from the contest for the Republican governor nomination changed the dynamics.

Noem seemed to hold the favorites edge facing both Jackley and Mickelson. When Mickelson stepped back after quickly raising a tremendous amount of money, the contest became one on one between Noem and Jackley.

Right now, at least in one very small and unscientific straw poll, Jackley is winning. The South Dakota Chamber of Commerce asked its members present for Business Day at the state Capitol a few weeks ago for their preferences for governor.

Of the 72 people who participated, 39 percent favored Jackley and 24 percent chose Noem.

A cluster of names followed well off that pace, with Republican Lt. Gov. Matt Michels and Senate Democratic leader Billie Sutton each at 11 percent and Republican Secretary of State Shantel Krebs at 10 percent.

At this point the Democrats dont have a clear candidate for governor in 2018. Behind the scenes there seems to be an effort afoot to position Sutton for that role.

The recent declaration by former U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin that she is done with political office took away the Democrats only recent winner. She lost her seat in 2010 to Noem and recently accepted the presidency of Augustana University.

Both Jackley and Noem have substantial treasuries. Jackleys political action committee donated $367,476 to his gubernatorial campaign committee at year's end, bringing the balance in the governor committee to just over $1 million.

Noem converted some $1.6 million from her congressional campaign committee, bringing the amount at year-end in her gubernatorial committee to $1.8 million.

Clearly, for their contributors, its not too early to consider the 2018 primaries. From a view on the ground, its not too early either. A candidate would need to visit at least one county each week to cover all 66 counties before the June 2018 elections.

Here we go.
KEYSTONE | Members of the Keystone community want the public to know that a nearby hotel's sewage problems haven't affected their town.

Business leaders in Keystone said they feared recently publicized wastewater problems at The Lodge at Mount Rushmore could damage Keystones reputation as a "clean, safe destination for Black Hills travelers."

The Keystone Chamber of Commerce issued a statement Friday assuring people that the hotel's septic system has nothing to do with the town's drinking water, which is safe.

Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it intends to deny a permit for the hotels septic system, pending a 30-day comment period.

Keystone prides itself on taking good care of the thousands of travelers who visit our town every summer, said Temple Estrada, executive director of the Keystone Chamber of Commerce. Our livelihood depends on our reputation."

The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources confirmed that Keystones drinking water is safe in a March 2 letter.

The Town of Keystone has met all requirements of the drinking water standards established in the federal Safe Drinking Water Act as adopted by the State of South Dakota since October 2015, DENR Drinking Water Program Administrator Mark S. Mayer wrote in the letter.

A small town about 20 miles south of Rapid City, Keystone relies heavily on tourism and its close proximity to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Problems with the private septic system at the Lodge at Mount Rushmore have drawn attention as people are starting to make their summer travel plans, and could put Keystone in a negative light.

Nothing is further from the truth, Estrada said. We take clean water seriously, and we want the public to understand that this has nothing to do with Keystone."

The release characterized the issue as an isolated incident at a private business.

"It is this business, and this business alone, that has fallen out of compliance," Estrada said in the release. "It is not representative of the town of Keystone, or the area as a whole."
Winner  Religious adoption/foster agencies

This isn't a win that makes one feel warm and fuzzy.

But to religious groups that arrange adoptions or placements in foster homes, Rapid City Sen. Alan Solano's bill would allow them to not place children in homes where the parents or their lifestyles conflict with the agency's "sincerely held" religious beliefs.

During debate over the measure, parents who likely would be cut out of the adoption or foster care process would include single parents or same-sex couples. Jim Kinyon of Rapid City, director of the local Catholic Social Services agency, testified that his group has requirements that adoptive parents be in an opposite-sex relationship and be married at least two years.

On one level, it seems logical that a Catholic adoption agency would not want to place a child in a family that does not follow Catholic doctrines. There's also a concern that groups that take that stance could lose state funding that allows them to pay for the adoption or fostering processes.

But as an American Civil Liberties Union representative testified, the bill seems harmful and discriminatory and would "set South Dakota backward."

Gov. Dennis Daugaard said he will take a close look at the measure if it passes and reaches his desk for signing.

Loser  Corrupt, unethical officials

While it may not have the range or depth of oversight of the Initiated Measure 22 package that was approved by voters and then repealed by lawmakers, a new state government accountability board should help make South Dakota government cleaner.

Though it remains under debate, the new board at this point would include four retired judges or state Supreme Court justices who would be empowered to review ethics or conflict of interest or corruption charges against state officials.

After a couple of state scandals in which a government official took his own life, and another in which an official killed his family and himself, voters made clear they want cleaner government and a process to file complaints.

Lawmakers felt IM22 went too far, so they're trying to find a new system that can work to hear complaints and make rulings and impose penalties where needed.

The bill to create the new panel would consider misdeeds by elected officials and state employees in nine categories ranging from conflict of interest to misuse of funds. Those accused would be allowed to make a rebuttal argument before the panel.

Even though they upended the will of the voters by killing IM22, it does seem as though lawmakers have gotten the message that state residents won't give blind trust to government, and will hold those who break the rules accountable.
CHADRON, Neb. | One hundred fifty years ago, Nebraska became Americas 37th state, after traversing a road that included presidential vetoes of its statehood and an override vote in Congress.

The Territory of Nebraska was created by the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 and covered 351,558 square miles with a population of approximately 2,000. Population increased after the Homestead Act of 1862, and by 1864, with the country embroiled in the Civil War, Congress allowed the predominantly Republican territories of Nebraska, Colorado and Nevada to adopt constitutions and petition for statehood in an effort to help President Abraham Lincoln get re-elected.

Nevada was the only territory to act quickly enough to win statehood before the fall election, becoming the 36th state on Oct. 31, 1864. Nebraska voters finally approved a draft constitution in 1866 that limited voting rights to white males. That met resistance from some members of Congress, but it garnered enough votes for approval. President Andrew Johnson, however, pocket vetoed the bill as Congress adjourned.

When Congress reconvened, in December 1866, Vermont Sen. George Edmunds sponsored an amendment that allowed for statehood only if the territories agreed on a prohibition of voting rights based on race or color. The amendment drew support from Republicans but opposition from Democrats and President Johnson, who argued that the federal government could not infringe on the states conditions for suffrage.

Still, Congress approved statehood for both Nebraska and Colorado in January 1867, but the president vetoed both bills. Nebraska, which had been whittled down to 77,000 square miles, had a population of roughly 60,000, including Native Americans, and a growing economy. Congress voted to override the presidents veto, and the territorial legislature agreed to Sen. Edmunds amendment on voting rights.

Colorados quest for statehood was delayed until 1876. (North Dakota and South Dakota achieved statehood on Nov. 2, 1889, making them the 39th and 40th states.)

Nebraskas battle to win statehood, accomplished on March 1, 1867, set up larger Reconstruction debates in the years that followed, as Congress passed much of the Reconstruction policy over Johnsons vetoes. A year after Nebraska entered the union, many of the former Confederate states were re-admitted with voting rights provisions similar to those imposed upon Nebraska.

There are events scheduled throughout the year across the state to mark the 150th anniversary of Nebraskas statehood, and several of them will take place in the northern Panhandle.

 The Nebraska Writers Guild is marking the 150th celebration with its Six Corners of Nebraska events. Six events, one near each of Nebraskas six corners, will bring speakers and workshops to the communities on the first Sunday of each month, beginning this weekend in Chadron.

Chadrons event will kick off at 12:30 p.m. today at the Chadron Public Library with readings by Nebraska authors, including Chadrons own Dr. Bob McEwen. At 1:30 p.m., Barbara Salvatore will present Big Horse Woman, the tale of a young girl who rescues a drowning colt who as an adult returns to the Niobrara village her tribe abandoned. Salvatores presentation will be followed by more readings from Nebraska authors, again featuring a Chadron favorite, Poe Ballantine.

At 3:30 p.m. Charlotte Endorf will present her Humanities of Nebraska presentation, Excess Baggage: Riding the Orphan Train, dressed in period attire as she describes this little known piece of Nebraska history. Endorfs presentation will be followed with the Future Great Writers of Nebraska awards and readings at 4:30.

The Nebraska authors will be available to visit with members of the public from noon to 5 p.m.

 During the Mari Sandoz Heritage Society Fall Conference Sept. 28-29, a time capsule will be buried near the Sandoz statue at Chadron State College. The capsule will contain 50-year predictions and will be unearthed in 2067, when Nebraska celebrates 200 years of statehood.

 A mobile childrens museum will visit 42 cities across the state this year as part of the 150th celebration, with stops in both Gordon and Chadron. Truckin Through Nebraska: A Mobile Childrens Museum is contained in a double-expandable trailer outfitted for traveling museum exhibits.

Interior exhibits will include areas where kids will build shelters and test them in a wind chamber or earthquake simulator, design their own 10-acre homestead, test their knowledge of Nebraska, create their own movie, explore toys from the past, craft their own postcards and more.

Exhibits will also surround the exterior of the trailer, allowing for optimal play and learning space. Those exhibits will include a timed chore challenge obstacle course, foam block invention area, toy creation station and more.

The Mobile Childrens Museum will launch in early April from the Omaha Childrens Museum, which partnered with the Nebraska150 Celebration on the project. Dates for the childrens museum to stop in the northern Panhandle have not yet been released.

While exhibits in the Mobile Childrens Museum are intended for children ages 5-12, audiences of all ages are welcome. Admittance is free and open to the public.

 Fur Trade Days will celebrate 41 years this summer, and the popular event in Chadron is an official Nebraska 150 event this year. Fur Trade Days will take place July 6-9 with many of the most-loved attractions back again, including the Primitive Rendezvous, canoe racing, parade, Traders Market, film festival, Colter Run, Buffalo Chip Throw and more.

 Inspired by Nebraskas sunsets in his youth, artist Todd Williams has pursued his dream to bring Nebraskas beauty to life on canvas, and the 150th celebration gave him the chance to showcase all 93 counties. Williams has finished a collection of paintings of each countys historical legacies, landmarks and landscapes. Dawes Countys 18x36 oil painting is of Beaver Wall, while Sheridan Countys 20x16 oil features Mari Sandoz. Sioux Countys 36x24 painting is a reproduction of what Frank Shoemaker, a famed photographer, may have experienced in Devils Den during his 1911 visit to the county.

The collection will debut today at the Nebraska History Museum in Lincoln, where it will remain until June 4. It will then begin traveling the state, with viewings at Prairie Pioneer Museum in Grand Island and Omahas Gallery. After mid-October, the collection will be divided into regional selections to be exhibited simultaneously in other parts of the state. Panhandle residents will have a chance to view the western Nebraska regional paintings at the Knight Museum in Alliance and at the West Nebraska Art Center in Scottsbluff.
LEAD | Just one year ago, 15-year-old Zoe Frauen was homeless and hungry, living in a modest motel room with her mother and younger brother, and constantly searching for something to eat.

Conditions for the now-sophomore at Lead-Deadwood High School would have led some young women to despair, particularly after Frauen was turned away from a food pantry when she was told her family didnt meet requirements.

But for Frauen, adversity spurred her into action to fight homelessness and hunger in her own community. For her tireless efforts, the bespectacled, sandy-haired girl is proof of one persons power to change lives. For her efforts, she was given the title of the Boys & Girls Clubs 2017 South Dakota State Youth of the Year.

Becoming a leader

Life has rarely dealt Frauen a winning hand.

When I was hungry and homeless, everything turned upside down, she recently wrote. At school, there were people who wanted to help me cope with drugs and alcohol. It would have been so easy to bury my problems and fall into the wrong crowd. But I know what addiction does to families.

Reluctant to discuss her own familys issues, Frauen did say she gained courage from watching her mother walk away from a failed relationship.

I did the same thing, she said. I walked to the (Boys & Girls) club, and it changed my life forever.

The young woman, mature well beyond her years, looked her interviewer straight in the eyes and said she knows she is not alone. Her research found that 30 percent of the children at her club live in poverty and 80 percent were eligible for free or reduced-priced meals at school.

There are too many of us going hungry in my community, Frauen said. So I set out to make a change.

Among the first dozen members to join the Boys & Girls Club of Lead-Deadwood when it opened in June 2014, Frauen found a new home amid a gaggle of youngsters eager to gain a mentor, and a safe place where she could find herself. The club, located in the Handley Center, now serves 386 youths.

Zoe understands what Boys & Girls Clubs are all about and, most importantly, she understands the impact a club has on the community, said Anne Rogers-Popejoy, the clubs unit director. Zoe is so special because she embodies all of the characteristics that Boys & Girls Clubs strive to impart to youth. She is intelligent, she is resilient, and Zoe is so kind.

Dinners on

Faced with her own dilemmas while helping raise her younger brother, Zefri, an 8-year-old third-grader who has since become a member of the club, Frauen didnt shy away from a challenge.

Fighting hunger and homelessness became my passion, Frauen told state legislators, agency officials, lobbyists and Lt. Gov. Matt Michels who gathered to judge the state Youth of the Year competition last week in Pierre. I set out to make a change. I used the club as a resource and hosted a free community dinner to raise awareness about hunger."

She learned valuable lessons along the way.

We need to change the way we think to help the problem, she added. If I thought my situation was never going to change, I wouldnt have survived hunger or homelessness. Instead, it changed my life. It moved me to action.

After garnering a $500 grant from ConAgras Make Your Mark on Hunger program, Frauen formed a committee, recruited volunteers, established a budget, assembled advertising and promotion, and staged the dinner on her birthday last April 24. More than 100 people showed up at a local church to enjoy spaghetti, salad and garlic bread, capped by brownie sundaes.

It felt really good knowing I could accomplish that, Frauen said last week after taking a break from helping a 9-year-old with homework at the club. And we served my favorite food  spaghetti.

Moving forward

Frauens personal efforts to combat homelessness and hunger, and serving as a mentor and tutor at her after-school club, are not the only activities that have captured her attention.

At nearby Lead-Deadwood High School, Frauen competes on the speech and debate teams, plays clarinet in the band, is a Key Club member, and serves as secretary-treasurer of the student council. In her off hours, she works 12-17 hours per week at a minimum-wage job at a gift shop on Deadwoods Main Street, a pursuit that allows her to pay her own cell phone bill and attempt to keep her 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee running.

And, from a personal standpoint, her familys life has improved. She, her brother and single mother, Tammie Ded, who works for Black Hills Special Services, now live in a 3-bedroom house near the high school.

Its easier to look back now knowing it was just temporary, said Frauen. I mean, I have my own bedroom and I feel more secure.

That growing confidence has led Frauen to declare that she plans to one day attend the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, where she wants to major in communications and counseling.

Shes already my counselor, her best friend and classmate, Zoe Keehn, said with a laugh.

A big recognition

After Frauen won the preliminary Youth of the Year competition among contestants from clubs in Hot Springs, Hill City and Lead-Deadwood, Jessica Noteboom, resource development director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Black Hills, was charged with finding a sponsor who could help defray costs for travel, meals, and even clothing the contestant in professional attire.

After being turned down by three prospects, Noteboom said she called Jim Scull of Scull Construction in Rapid City, explained Frauens situation, and asked for a $2,500 sponsorship commitment. Scull graciously pledged $3,500.

When Frauen was announced winner of the 2017 South Dakota Youth of the Year award last Wednesday in Pierre, Rogers-Popejoy said Frauen gasped. Two other club members at her table broke down and cried.

When Frauens win was announced at the club on Wednesday afternoon, the kids screamed so loud you couldnt hear anything, Rogers-Popejoy said. Shes their hero. And its because shes just like them.

After calling her grandmother with the news, Frauen phoned her mother and asked, Is this the mom of the South Dakota State Youth of the Year?

I dont know, am I? her mother responded. My mom was really excited, Frauen said.

The award, complete with a $5,000 college scholarship, made Frauen eligible to represent South Dakota at the Midwest Region Youth of the Year contest, sponsored by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, in July in Chicago. The winner of the regional contest will receive a $10,000 annual college scholarship, renewable for up to four years.

Regional winners will then compete in Washington, D.C., in September for the title of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Youth of the Year.

In the meantime, Frauen will continue working, preparing her presentation and essays, playing in band, competing in speech and debate, toiling at her part-time job, helping raise her little brother, maintaining her 3.6 GPA at the high school, and tutoring underprivileged youngsters at her favorite club.

Zoe has an amazing story, Rogers-Popejoy concluded. She works to combat homelessness and hunger, something shes witnessed first-hand. Shes definitely a success story. Zoe doesnt just survive, she thrives.
When North Middle School students heard about a local firefighter who was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash, they wanted to help.

Last week, the school said, the students raised approximately $500 for Robert Rendon, a Rapid City firefighter who lost his right leg below the knee after being severely hurt in the crash.

A release from the school said the students raised the money through such activities as a "jeans day," initiated by North Middle School Student Council adviser Jason Olson.

The release said Rendon was "touched by the generosity of the staff and students" and wanted to meet them. He'll visit the school during the lunch hour on Monday.

While students at Rapid City Area Schools frequently participate in fundraising and community service efforts, the release said the news of Rendon struck close to home at North Middle School: Rendon's sister, Chanda Spotted Eagle, is the school's assistant principal.

"The kindness, compassion, and generosity shown here at North Middle School has touched my heart and the hearts of my family, especially my brother," Spotted Eagle told the Journal via email. "Our staff, families, and students are the most giving people in Rapid City and we are grateful!"

She said one student told her he bought 10 bracelets just to help Rendon.

"This is also another example of how our staff, especially Mr. Olson teaches our students how to be good citizens, who are aware of their community and how to pull together and help each other out in times of need. We truly are, 'Working together today, to build tomorrow's community' (Our vision statement)," Spotted Eagle said.

Readiatrics book drive kicks off

The Readiatrics Book Drive wants to help you "relocate" those children's books you don't need any more.

A release from Dahl Arts Center said the drive is collecting new and gently used childrens books "for youngsters experiencing a crisis in family, health or home circumstances in western South Dakota." The drive runs from March 6 through May 5.

The books collected will be donated to families of children receiving services at the South Dakota Department of Health, for the Storybook Island Childrens Summer Library and for families in tutorial reading programs conducted by the Literacy Council of the Black Hills.

Drop-off points are the Rapid City Public Library, Dahl Arts Center, Books a Million, the Technology in Education (TIE) office and all Black Hills Federal Credit Union locations. The drive is also supported by Rapid City Rotary and Backroom Productions.

Monetary donations also are accepted. For more information, call Darla Drew Lerdal at 341-5940 or email ddrewlerdal@gmail.com.

Belle Fourche benefit

A group of students from Belle Fourche High School is putting together a benefit breakfast for an area family.

Vern Ward was hurt last month in an accident at his Belle Fourche ranch. The money raised at the benefit will go to help Ward and his family as he recovers.

The pancake and sausage breakfast will be from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at Ski's Pizzeria in Belle Fourche.

Other plans to help the family also are in the works, including a benefit auction scheduled to start at 7 p.m. April 1 at the Branding Iron in Belle Fourche.
News / National

by Staff reporter

AT least $20 000 that was donated for last year's Zanu-PF Annual National People's Conference that was held in Masvingo by Matabeleland North Province was allegedly misused, a party member has said.Sikhanyisiwe Mpofu, wife to Zanu-PF Secretary for Finance Dr Obert Mpofu told a party meeting in Lupane recently that there were some people who gate crushed into the province's travelling party, and even got allowances given to cadres that attended the conference in Masvingo. Mpofu was tasked to approve the accreditation list for delegates from the province who were to attend the conference."District co-ordinators were told not to send undeserving people to the conference. We were surprised when we got to Masvingo and we saw such people. They bulldozed their way and managed to get accreditation," she said."They caused problems when it came to accommodation during the conference. They also went ahead of other deserving delegates and collected allowances while the delegates failed to get what was due to them after travelling all the way to Masvingo," she said.Mpofu said most of the people who bulldozed their way to the conference were from Hwange."We know these people by name and they always do this all the time. I do not know how they managed to get accredited for the conference last year but they attended," she said.Mpofu raised the point after the provincial fundraising committee chairperson Sithembiso Nyoni made allegations that $20 000 that was donated by Tsholotsho North representative in the National Assembly Professor Jonathan Moyo did not reach her office."Conference funding to the tune of US$20 000 did not get to the National Treasurer Dr Mpofu. I also have not seen it," she said.Politburo member Thokozile Mathuthu said the issue should have been dealt with at the time it was discovered."It is easy to eject such people when we have their names. This should have been raised the moment they were seen at the conference and they would have been dealt with at that point," said Mathuthu.If identified, Mathuthu said party members who unprocedurally got allowances should reimburse the party."Deserving delegates cannot miss out on the allowances that they deserved because of imposters. It is wrong what Hwange District members are doing, they should clear the mess and list the problematic people once and for all," she said.Matabeleland North provincial chairman Richard Moyo said party leaders in Hwange should deal with the matter.
"You're from Pine Ridge; you go home. Those are very serious consequences."

 Sen. Troy Heinert, D-Mission, arguing that a bill to give the governor the right to declare zones where protest laws would be harsher is too broad and clearly aimed at Native Americans who have protested against pipelines

"I don't think we can even comprehend how offensive this bill is to a segment of our population."

 Sen. Lance Russell, R-Hot Springs, speaking in opposition to the bill

"This bill doesn't target any specific group or anything. Hopefully, we'll never have to use it."

 Sen. Bob Ewing, R-Spearfish, speaking in favor of the same "public safety zone" bill

"It's like a whole new world, kind of like the first photos from space that folks saw back in the 1960s. It opens a new world for us."

 Vermillion farmer Jerry Schmitz, testifying how he uses drones to see soil conditions and check for crop damage, during debate over whether to restrict where drones can fly in South Dakota

"This is one hole in the wall we'll be able to plug up."

 Rep. Mike Stevens, R-Yankton, praising a successful effort to record drug prescriptions in a statewide database to prevent multiple opiod scripts from being issued

"Those people drop a lot of dollars on Main Street in South Dakota. I would like to show them we are welcoming."

 Sen. Brock Greenfield, R-Clark, supporting a bill, which failed, to create 3,000 new three-day waterfowl licenses for nonresident hunters

"They are unconstitutional, unethical and an illegal process and practice. I believe it violates state law."

 Sen. Stace Nelson, R-Fulton, speaking of so-called "vehicle bills" that allow significant statutory language to be added long after a bill is filed and sometimes passed by committees
The President of the United States traffics in conspiracy theories. Donald Trump has brought the art of blaming dark forces for the events taking place in our world to the highest levels of power.

On Saturday, as he confronted the political crisis unfolding as a result of his advisers' contacts with Russian officials -- during the time that the intelligence agencies agree the Russians were systematically intervening in the election -- he found someone else to blame. "How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" he tweeted.

In another tweet he wrote: "I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!" The source of his accusations perhaps were broadcasts by the conservative talk show hosts Mark Levin and Rush Limbaugh, as well as a story on Breitbart by Joel Pollak. There is no evidence to support the wiretapping claim and Obama's spokesman, along with former members of his administration, have denied it.

Conspiracy theories have always been part of American politics. The historian Richard Hofstadter famously made this a central part of the study of American politics. He best captured this thesis in his 1964 Harper's Magazine article, "The Paranoid Style in American Politics," where he wrote about the ways in which conspiracy theories had been used by various political movements throughout U.S. history.

A historian who was writing in the middle of the McCarthyism of the 1950s and watching the rise of the Radical Right in Republican Barry Goldwater's presidential campaign, Hofstadter was interested in this underside of conservatism. "American politics has often been an arena for angry minds," Hofstadter started his piece by saying. For the "paranoid spokesman," Hofstadter wrote, "The enemy is clearly delineated: he is a perfect model of malice, a kind of amoral superman -- sinister, ubiquitous, powerful, cruel, sensual, luxury-loving."

This is how Trump likes to explain the world. It is not a surprise that he made his political name in 2011 and 2012 by moving to the forefront of the Birther Movement, which falsely argued that President Obama wasn't really American-born. We don't know whether Trump believed in the birther cause or not. And we don't know if he really believes Obama wiretapped him, or whether the President is really as paranoid as he sounds. But what we have seen without question is that he employs the language of conspiracy as a way to make his case to the public.

Trump's entire presidential campaign revolved around several alleged massive conspiracies: "Crooked Hillary," as he called his opponent, had used secret private emails to discuss classified information and hidden her actions from the public. The entire media was "rigged," he said, trying to throw the election to the Democrats even as he enjoyed endless airtime and coverage for his every statement. During the final days of the campaign he turned Bernie Sanders's populist critique -- the way that financial and economic policies hurt the poor -- into an anti-Semitic-tinged campaign ad that showed the faces of some prominent Jewish officials along with a speech about the global economic elite.

Trump continues to use the media as a foil, now blaming them for pouring out "fake news" that covers up every one of his alleged accomplishments -- from the crowd size at his inauguration, to the "real" outcome of the election, to his policy "success" in the First Hundred Days. Trump appointed Michael Flynn to be his National Security Advisor even though Flynn had regularly retweeted all sorts of conspiracy theories that came from crackpot broadcasters and social media contributors.

Trump argued that the press has refused to cover terrorist attacks He hinted of horrors in Sweden that never happened. He has accused refugees of flooding onto the U.S. shores with the intention of conducting massive terrorist attacks against the country.

He has often picked up on the claims of conspiracy theory guru Alex Jones, a radio host who operates on the fringes of politics. As protesters confront Republican legislators in town hall meetings about ACA, Trump blames the "liberal activists" for being behind the fury. He even told Fox and Friends that President Obama was to blame for the backlash. The President has sometimes given a silent nod to conspiracy theorists, such as when he removed references to Jews on Holocaust Remembrance Day despite the recommendations of the State Department. Doing so played directly into the hands of those who have claimed that the Jewish community somehow invented this massacre against them.

The use of conspiracy by the President of the United States as a central part of his discourse is extraordinarily dangerous. By doing so President Trump gives credence and legitimacy to these kinds of arguments which generate anger and distrust, as well as total misinformation -- in this case making an unfounded accusation against a former president of the United States. Ironically, he is employing a main strategy of McCarthyism at the very time he is claiming to be a victim of those kinds of tactics.

His focus on conspiracy also turns his attention away from the serious political issues that the nation faces. As he capitalized on in the campaign, the middle class is hurting economically and there are serious national security threats confronting the nation and our allies. Yet Trump is so consumed with exposing the "true" stories that are being covered up -- even why former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is leaving "The Apprentice" -- that he is letting the time that Republicans have to accomplish something with united government quickly slip away.

Over the past couple of weeks, particularly as it relates to Russiagate, there have been more political figures willing to call out Trump and his administration and challenge the way he is performing in office. But it won't be easy to fight his conspiratorial approach. As Hofstadter explained, this kind of rhetoric has deep roots in American history and now there is a President who embraces, rather than pushes back against this tradition, making it challenging for his opponents to engage in rational arguments and to try to win policy debates based on the facts.

Of course, if there was a wiretap the story would probably be even worse for Trump. As the New York Times reported, that would mean that a federal judge had concluded that the Justice Department found enough evidence to believe there was probable cause Trump might be guilty of a major crime or breach of national security.

In a tumultuous world, it is always tempting for people to argue that there are evil forces who are manipulating events. In this case, however, the person who is making those kinds of irresponsible claims is the head of the American government. The President is not speaking truth to the people. And in light of that reality, the health of our democracy is at risk.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Mugabe's VPs, at least 4 ministers & security chiefs were at airport at 6AM to welcome him. @ZBCNewsonline says he was "upbeat and jovial" pic.twitter.com/9sldCmkGTb  Zim Media Review (@ZimMediaReview) March 5, 2017

Defying rumours he was "gravely ill", President Robert Mugabe, 93-year-old, arrived back in Harare early on Sunday after a trip to see his doctors in Singapore - and he's looking pretty good, the state ZBC broadcaster reported.Mugabe had left Harare on Wednesday morning for a scheduled medical review in the South East Asian country.Accompanied by his daughter, Mrs Bona Chikore, President Mugabe's plane touched down at the Harare International Airport just after 6.am.He was met by the two vice presidents; Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, cabinet ministers Dr Sydney Sekeramayi, Dr Joram Gumbo and Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Minister of State for Harare Province Miriam Chikukwa, Chief Secretary to the President Dr Misheck Sibanda, other senior government officials and service chiefs.Looking upbeat and jovial, the President took some time to chat with his two deputies Mnangagwa and Mphoko, and proceeded to acknowledge the presence of service chiefs before taking his leave.
Ask any member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, of which Im a long-time member, and theyd tell you that work on the farm bill never really ends. It doesnt matter if its a farm bill year or not, Im always listening to farmers and ranchers ideas about how I can provide assistance so they can run their operations more efficiently, earn a better living, and ultimately pass their farm or ranch on to the next generation.

Todays sluggish agriculture economy means its more important than ever for policymakers in Washington to find new, innovative ways to help present and future generations of farmers and ranchers stay on their land. We can work toward achieving that goal by providing reasonable alternatives to growing crops on land that produces the least, which would make family-run farms more profitable.

After months of collecting feedback from farmers and other agriculture stakeholders, Ive introduced a new farm bill program thats intended to protect farmers income in these tough economic times. My bill, the Soil Health and Income Protection Program (SHIPP), is an economic assistance tool that offers several conservation benefits. SHIPP will not compete with or replace the popular Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), but would be a voluntary alternative for farmers who dont want to tie up their land for long periods of time.

Most farmers are familiar with CRP. Its a good program that provides a long-term benefit to farmers, wildlife, and the environment. It creates a safe and healthy habitat for South Dakotas pheasant population. But in order to enroll land in CRP, farmers must be willing to commit to a lengthy contract of up to 15 years. SHIPP, on the other hand, would give farmers the flexibility they need to plant their least productive cropland to a soil-enhancing, low-cost perennial conserving use crop for three, four, or five years. In return, they would receive an annual rental payment and additional crop insurance assistance.

Under SHIPP, farmers could enroll up to 15 percent of a farms least productive acres as long as they were planted or considered planted to a commodity crop for three consecutive years prior to enrollment. Once enrolled, the acreage must be planted to a perennial conserving use cover that can be hayed or grazed outside the designated primary nesting and brood-rearing season in the county in which the land is located. And SHIPP would be a low-cost program because it would encourage the removal of poor land from taxpayer-subsidized crop insurance premium subsidies and indemnities.

SHIPP is just the first of several individual farm bill proposals that Ill unveil this year, and I look forward to hearing from South Dakotans about how we can improve this or any existing farm bill program, for that matter. By laying the groundwork for some of these key issues early in the process, we can make sure were doing all we can to meet the needs of todays farming community.
Last week I declared that I didn't want to write about the media and President Donald Trump anymore because 1) those of us in newsbiz spend far too much time publicly focusing on ourselves and 2) we/I can't possibly appear to be fair when we discuss matters so close to our hearts and wallets.

So, what will I write about? The media and President Trump. What else? All of which proves that I am as reliable as a Donald Trump tweet. Not only that but  brace yourselves  I wholeheartedly agree with a decision he's made. He announced on Twitter: "I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!"

That may be one of the most gracious Trump tweets ever. Unless he's being sarcastic. Beyond that, it's hard to imagine a more obvious choice than the one he made. To attack news organizations as relentlessly as he has, it would have been ludicrous for him to show up at a dinner where journalists celebrate themselves. It has become a huge dress-up parody  the Nerd Prom, so-called because it is put on as a show of glamour nature's most unglamorous creatures. In fact, to achieve any glamour at all, the scruffy media types import a flock of Hollywood stars, jocks and other celebrities. Worst of all, the reporters invite the various officials they cover, making nice with those they're supposed to be making nasty with.

It's awkward, pompous and an embarrassment. The White House Correspondents' Association always contends that it is put on to celebrate the First Amendment, but it's a celebration of themselves. I should confess that I went to these dinners and the surrounding parties that took up entire weekends, but no more.

More than a few major media companies are pulling out or cutting back. Comedian Samantha Bee is holding an alternative event. Don't expect President Trump to show up at that one, either.

He and his administration accessories are too busy dreaming up ways to thwart those who cover him from covering him. Anytime anyone does a story that displeases him, he goes on a rampage about "fake news" or "dishonest reporters" trying to distract from the merits of the story. It's his time-tested way of deflecting scandal and accountability.

His other shtick is to go on tirades about leaks and anonymous sources, although he has always been a serial leaker when it comes to promoting himself. Furthermore, these days, his people go "on background" constantly. "Background" is shorthand for "providing information to reporters without being identified by name." From my perspective, it was always a deal with the devil I was willing to make to get information. But perhaps POTUS is correct. Maybe we should all decide not to discuss anything unless it's on the record and there's a name attached to the quotes or facts that are provided. It also would stifle coverage of anything but government announcements or other forms of propaganda that officeholders and other politicians would have you believe. So let's forget about purity. Trump always has. Now it's expedient to relentlessly brutalize the media. And he does.
Sometimes it seems like our lawmakers have more tricks up their sleeves than Houdini.

After the Legislature and Gov. Daugaard made Initiated Measure 22 disappear in front of our very eyes in the first days of the 2017 session, they pulled Senate Bill 176 out of their hats on Feb. 15  12 days after the deadline for new legislation to be filed.

The bill gives the governor broad powers to declare public safety zones with penalties that could land protesters  in this case those opposed to the Keystone XL Pipeline  in prison for as long as two years. It is headed for almost certain approval by the Legislature.

The bills route to the Senate floor, however, is more controversial than the bill itself. SB 176 is one of 16 vehicle bills introduced in the 2017 session. The bills are essentially empty vessels when introduced with just the faintest hint of what is yet to come.

Ryan Maher, the Senate assistant majority leader, said vehicle bills make the process work as smooth as possible. Opponents, like Sens. Stace Nelson and Lance Russell, call it a shortcut that creates a safety zone of sorts for lawmakers who can use them to limit discussion on controversial bills, which is certainly the case with SB 176.

When first introduced by the Senate State Committee on Feb. 3  the last day that bills could be introduced  it was a mere 32 words that referenced the protection of the safety of the citizens of South Dakota. It was approved on a 9-0 vote by the same committee.

By Feb. 15, SB 176 had morphed into a 1,500-word bill with seven sections, giving the governor the authority to declare public safety zones and making it a felony for anyone who trespasses in these zones more than twice in two years. The bill also limits to 20 the number of people who can gather near these zones in certain circumstances. It was approved by the same committee on a 6-3 vote. The Senate passed the bill the next day, 21-14.

The bill was born out of the governors desire to prevent what occurred in North Dakota when thousands of protesters sought to stop the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline project, a spectacle that attracted national attention and cost that state more than $30 million in law enforcement and cleanup costs. It is prudent for Daugaard to be looking ahead and doing what he can to avert a similar event.

But using the back door to introduce the bill in the second half of a 36-day legislative session has raised the ire of even Republican lawmakers. In fact, a dozen of them  including Sen. Phil Jensen and Reps. Blaine Campbell, Julie Frye-Mueller and Tim Goodwin of Rapid City  sent a letter to Attorney General Marty Jackley complaining that after vehicle bills are passed out of either chamber they are filled with intended content, effectively bypassing the public committee process on the intended content, which deprives the public of their right to an open government provided for in our S.D. Constitution."

Jackley, a candidate for governor in 2018, replied by ruling that vehicle bills are constitutional but the Legislature has the authority to eliminate them.

At the same time SB 176 was taking its subterranean route to the Senate floor, SB 130  which addresses vendor fees for businesses that sell hunting and fishing licenses  took a more traditional path. After it was amended three times in committee hearings, a compromise was reached that, according to Rep. Larry Rhoden, was "a good demonstration of good process."

It's difficult to understand why a vehicle bill was used for a measure that likely would have passed anyway. Maybe the governor's office wanted to limit the amount of time SB 176 would be subjected to public and legislative scrutiny, which, if true, casts a shadow over the entire process.

No matter how well-intended legislation is the use of vehicle bills undermines their ultimate purpose and shakes our confidence in the legislative process. It is time for the Legislature to make them vanish.
White supremacist posters have appeared in recent days on the campuses of Black Hills State University and South Dakota School of Mines & Technology as part of a national recruitment campaign orchestrated by a group called Identity Evropa.

The Southern Poverty Law Center  a nonprofit that monitors and combats hate groups in the U.S.  classifies Identity Evropa as one of several white nationalist hate groups associated with the so-called alt-right that have begun targeting college campuses recently.

Theyre trying to bring young people, educated young people, into the movement, said Mark Potok, senior fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center, adding that there have been 66 recorded appearances of white supremacist posters in the past year.

Potok said his group has seen a rise in white nationalist activity since the election of President Donald Trump. Attacks or threats against Jewish cemeteries and community centers also have spiked recently, according to national media reports.

The alternative right is essentially a rebranding for public purposes of the white supremacist movement. These groups tend to be more suit-and-tie-groups that avoid the Klan robes and swastika armbands.

Campus officials have decried the Identity Evropa posters in recent days.

We are not sure who posted them, said Corinne Hansen, director of university and community relations at BHSU. Its disappointing that groups of hate would come to our campus. Black Hills State University is better than that.

A spokesperson for the School of Mines said in a written statement that the posters "were posted without following the process for approval and have been removed."

On Friday evening, School of Mines President Heather Wilson sent an email to all students that said, "no poster hung in the dark of night will change the fundamental decency of who we choose to be."

"The appropriate response to an objectionable idea," Wilson said, "is a better idea articulately conveyed. It is to reach out to our friends and colleagues and students and let them know  very explicitly  that we are glad they are here."

The posters at BHSU and the School of Mines included images of Greek and Roman statuary with captions like, Serve your people and Protect your heritage. In a picture posted on Twitter, Identity Evropa identifies the location of one of the posters as BHSU, though the buildings in the background are on the School of Mines campus.

"The fact that the social media pictures showing these posters misidentified the university suggests to us that they were not posted by Mines students, or anyone who knows Rapid City," read the statement from Mines.

A spokesperson for Identity Evropa said he knows there is support for the group's message in South Dakota.

We have quite a few members in South Dakota, said Reinhard Wolff, director of administration of Identity Evropa, in an email to the Journal.

The purpose of the posters, Wolff said, is to counteract the Leftist, anti-White indoctrination that passes for education in contemporary American universities.

Potok said one goal of poster campaigns is to stir controversy for its own sake.

They get a hell of a lot of bang for their buck when they do this, Potok said of the posters. You get up at 2 in the morning and paste some posters and almost invariably it causes a big hubbub in the community and local media. It seems like theyre doing more of this fliering than any real bona fide organizing on college campuses. Their main strength seems to be provoking outrage.

Wolff said Identity Evropa is engaged in a "culture war" to create a U.S. that is "90 percent white."

We would also like to enjoy freedom of association and put an end to all anti-White hate speech, rhetoric, and policies, he said, adding that he has high hopes President Donald Trump will help accomplish this vision.

Aside from the mass re-migration of illegal aliens, we would like Donald Trump to limit legal immigration to reflect Americas traditional demographics  in other words to, other white countries.

Identity Evropa has become a national group since its founding in March 2016 by Nathan Damigo, a 30-year-old undergraduate student at Cal State Stanislaus. According to a story in the Los Angeles Times, Damigo once said to an ethics class at Cal State that he sees Native American reservations as a kind of ideal that white people should aspire to.

Even though horrible things did happen to the indigenous people  there was land set aside where they could be who they were and express themselves how they wanted to, and they could have a form of government that reflected them, Damigo said. And I think that is something that we want.

A former Marine corporal, Damigo is reported to have adopted white nationalist ideology while imprisoned for five years for armed robbery. In November 2007, he was charged with pressing a gun to the head of a cab driver he thought was Iraqi and robbing the man of $43, according to press reports.

Damigo, who did not respond to multiple requests for comment, often dresses in suits and keeps his hair slicked back in an undercut style that Wolff said is referred to by members of the alt-right movement as the Spencer in a nod to the white-nationalist Richard Spencer of the National Policy Institute, another alt-right group.

The clean-cut Damigo and Spencer are typical of a surface level rebranding trend in the white supremacist movement that Potok says is on the rise.

Nathan Damigo and people like him are doing their very best to pretend they are real intellectuals struggling with real problems, Potok said. Nathan Damigo is a guy who dresses up old-line Klan ideology in the fancy robes of academia. I think what people need to understand is that this is old wine in new bottles. The fact that these guys are wearing three-piece suits and have nice haircuts shouldnt fool anyone into thinking that their ideas are any more legitimate than those of the Ku Kux Klan in the 1960s.

There are 917 hate groups in the U.S, a number that rose for the second year in a row in 2016, up from 892 in 2015, according to information on the Southern Poverty Law Center website.

I think weve seen a kind of unleashing of the forces of the radical right, Potok said. These people believe they have been brought into the mainstream by the Trump campaign in ways that seemed impossible for decades.

Wolff said his group decries violence, but as the number of hate groups like Identity Evropa has risen, so too has the number of hate crimes, especially in the month following the election of Trump. In the 34 days following Trumps victory, the Southern Poverty Law Center recorded 1,094 hate-related incidents from around the country.

"With every wave of immigration in America," Wilson said in her email, "some have promoted the fiction that the only ones who belong here, the only ones who really contribute to this remarkable country, the only 'real' Americans, are people who look and sound and speak and pray like the person we see when we look in the bathroom mirror in the morning. But when we set aside our fears and our pride, and look around us, we know that's just not true."
Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

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..Across the Great Divide..03 March '17..Last night, 2nd March 2017, I was in Brunel for yet another event during Apartheid Week. There is a difference between an argument shaped to reflect your perspective and delivering raw propaganda. Opposition to Apartheid week is not about a difference of opinion. The endless distortion provided by speakers is supported by pillars of outright deceit. Those standing in front of the students on campus must *know* they are telling lies. They *know* they are purposefully omitting information. I have seen scores of speakers at dozens of events deliberately mislead students. This is fodder for the pulpit, not the campus.This propaganda is designed to incite hatred towards the Jewish state. Logically, it has no other purpose. These events are created to sell an image of an Israel so twisted, so beyond ethical reach, that only mass global action will save the Palestinians from their fate. At the same time, the image has to be so terrifying, so inhumane, that someone walking onto a bus and killing civilians, becomes the understandable event born of lack of choice and frustration.Only when both of these elements have been successfully delivered, is the true anti-Israel activist created. Therefore the movement has to take university students on a journey to accept horrific attacks against innocent Israeli civilians. A clear strategy of demonisation through propaganda. We have been here before.
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For a few hours last week, Chyanne Davis knew what it felt like to be someone people looked up to.

The 18-year-old from Dillon liked that feeling.

The student at Trapper Creek Job Corps wasnt alone in that feeling of knowing that she could make a difference in someone elses life at Daly Elementary School last week.

She was one of several students from the Bitterroot Valley Job Corps center who sat down with fourth-graders to celebrate I Love to Read Month.

With the youngsters gathered 'round, the Job Corps students read a book and then talked about the trades that they are learning at center on the banks of the West Fork of the Bitterroot.

Nadiya Ward of Arlington, Texas, let the youngsters know that she planned to be a welder. The 17-year-old was following in the footsteps of her brother.

I really enjoy it, Ward said. I get to challenge myself and do something that others might not think is possible for a girl.

Davis has her own footsteps to follow.

Her great-grandparents were both carpenters, as was her aunt.

I thought for a long time that I was going to get into the medical field, but I love carpentry, Davis said. When I decided to go to Trapper Creek Job Corps, I decided that I would try it. I have to say that I really love it there because everyone really cares about you. They want you to succeed.

Thats the message that Davis hoped to pass on to the fourth-graders who gathered to listen to her read and answer questions about her decision to pursue a field thats mostly filled by men.

I love coming in and seeing these kids, she said. They need someone to look up to. It makes me smile that someone could be me.

Over at a nearby table, Darel McIntyre of Columbia Falls read a book about a farmers life as Aryn Gardipee of Rocky Boy turned the pages.

I was a little bit nervous about doing this at first, McIntrye said. Thats a lot of people to read to.

But both young men came alive when they had the opportunity to tell the fourth-graders about the trades they are learning. Gardipee wants to become a carpenter and McIntyre a welder.

From his pocket, McIntyre pulled out a small piece of steel with bead running down its center.

The youngsters seated around the table said they knew nothing about welding.

I was given this as a good luck piece by someone who had been in the class for awhile, McIntyre said. Welding is kind of like my art.

Daly Elementary fourth-grade teacher Angie Whitlow smiled as she walked among the different small groups of her students surrounding the young people from Trapper Creek.

Its really special to have them here, Whitlow said. They are good role models. Its a great way to wrap up I Love to Read Month.

Trapper Creek Job Corps teacher Andrea Shay was all smiles, too, as she watched her students step up and take a leadership role with the fourth-graders.

Teaching leadership is an important aspect of our whole program, Shay said. This is a way that they can learn responsibility in teaching others. Its also a really cool way that they can use their reading skills.

Being able to step back into an elementary classroom in such a positive manner can have a lasting impact for some of the students at Trapper Creek.

A lot of these students here today may not have had the best experiences in elementary school, Shay said. For whatever reason, traditional schooling may not have worked out very well for them. This is almost like having a chance at a second childhood and that can mean the world to them.

Carrie Wolfe of Trapper Creek Job Corps said that centers students are always looking for ways to give back to the Bitterroot Valley community.

Here, they get to tell their story, Wolfe said. They can tell young people that they need to stay focused and work hard in school. We, as adults can say the same thing, but it doesnt have the same impact as it coming from someone who really went through it.

These kids see our students different than they do adults, she said. These are such neat kids. Theyve made the decision to change their lives. I love the energy that comes from people who want something different and are willing to work hard for it.
Theres far more to fishing than casting a fly.

Matt Devlin of Missoula knows all about how the love of that pastime can transcend time to create friendships forever tied to seeking that perfect cast on that perfect day in that perfect crystal-clear pool.

On Sunday, March 12, the folks who find a seat at Hamiltons Pharaohplex Theater for the Montana Fishing Film Festival will get a glimpse of just that in a film produced by Devlin about his long-lasting friendship with fellow fishing guide Bryce McLean of Stevensville.

Its about a friendship thats lasted 10 years or so, Devlin said. While things in both of our lives have changed over the years, we still really love going out and fishing every chance we get. While everything has changed, including going from first generation Go-Pro cameras to borderline Hollywood-level cinema stuff, the soul of it all has stayed the same.

At its core, its about sharing an adventure of attempting to fool a trout to suck in an artificial fly.

That film is just one of the 12 to 13 Montana-made films in the festival sponsored by Eddie Olwells Fishs Eddy O Outfitters to benefit the Bitter Root Water Forum.

This will be the first time that Hamilton has hosted the festival that Devlin has been hosting for the last four years.

The festival offers films made by professionals and self-taught film makers. All but one features trout fishing in Montana.

As a way to get people excited about another upcoming fishing season, Olwell has been hosting a film festival in Hamilton for the last two years. The previous festivals included a lot of exotic locations, fishing for species that many Montanans will never see.

A lot of people told me last year that they would like to see more films about fishing in Montana, Olwell said.

And so the Stevensville man looked north to find Devlins PMD Productions.

This is the fourth year that weve been doing this, Devlin said. Its been really humbling to see how its grown. Im the only employee. I get to see first how much work it takes to see an idea come to life.

Four years ago, Devlin and McLean thought they would see what kind of film they could create while fishing some of their favorite waters in southwest Montana.

It wasnt quite good enough to get in the bigger fly fishing film festivals, but we still wanted to show it to people, Devlin said. We decided the rent the Crystal Theater and show it to whoever showed up. The idea kind of snowballed and we found that there were a lot of other fishing movies being filmed in Montana.

This year, the Montana Fishing Film Festival has appeared or will appear in Missoula, Bozeman, Helena and Hamilton. Folks in Salt Lake City, Utah will also have a chance to see it in a show hosted by folks living in that area.

These films really resonate with people in a similar way, Devlin said. People come up to me after the show and theyre thankful. They thank me for putting this on. I think it connects with people because these are filmed in places that are similar to where they fish and live.

The only film in this years festival that doesnt originate in Montana or include trout is about carp fishing in Utah.

We thought that might be interesting to some people, Devlin said. There seems to be a growing interest in fishing for carp in Montana. There are some carp in Toston Reservoir in the lower Missouri. Those are some big fish.

All the proceeds for the Hamilton showing and a Reels N Brews event at Bitterroot Brewing immediately following the festival will benefit the Bitter Root Water Forum.

Olwell currently serves as the forums board chair. Hes very proud of the huge amount of restoration work the Bitter Root Water Forum has been able to accomplish in the past few years to stabilize and protect upper tributaries of the Bitterroot River.

The doors will open at the Pharaohplex Theater at 11 a.m. The films will begin showing at 11:30 a.m. Tickets cost $12, with kids ages 12 and under free. Tickets can be purchased at the Freestone Fly Shop or at the door.

The event at Bitter Root Brewing will run from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. A portion of every beer sold during that time will benefit the water forum. There will also be a variety of silent auction items to bid on, door prizes and a raffle for a float trip with Eddie O, complete with a gourmet lunch.
Schools in the Bitterroot Valley are hosting round-ups and registrations to corral kids starting kindergarten.

Stevensville Primary School is hosting kindergarten registration, March 6-10. Visit the primary school office to complete the paperwork or call 406-777-5613.

Stevensville Primary School Principal Jessica Shourd said registration is important.

I really want to encourage parents to register early so we can plan on having enough teachers for 2017-2018, she said. We are often just on the cusp of needing an additional teacher. The past three years we've had four teachers, which I predict will happen again. However, with budgetary limits, I have to show student numbers before I can prove the need.

The Stevensville kindergarten round-up will be held from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on June 5.

This kindergarten roundup/orientation will allow students and parents to get acquainted with the school, academics, parent volunteering and the Parent Teacher Club, recess, Infinite Campus parent portal, the schedule, bussing, lunches and more, Shourd said. There will be snacks provided and fun for all!

Corvallis Primary School is registering students entering kindergarten for the 2017-18 school year by appointment only on March 13, 14. Call 406-961-3261 for an appointment. On the day of your appointment, bring your child, your childs certified birth certificate, immunization record and a form of residence verification (for example a utility bill). Students must reside in the Corvallis School District and be five years of age by Sept. 10.

Florence Elementary School does not have a date selected yet. Look for that in April or May.

Victor Elementary School is not hosting a kindergarten registration or round up this spring but will have a meet and greet when school begins in the Fall.

Darby Elementary School is hosting a kindergarten round-up, 9 a.m. to noon, on April 7. Bring each childs birth certificate, immunization record and social security card.

In Hamilton, Washington Primary School is hosting a Kindergarten Round up from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., on March 24. Bring a certified birth certificate, immunization records and proof of address.

At Lone Rock, the Kindergarten Round-up is set for 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21, in the Lone Rock multi-purpose room. Teachers will briefly assess children and assist parents in completing paper work. Teachers will answer questions that parents may have about their children starting full day kindergarten and the curriculum. For more information, call Lone Rock school at 406-777-3314.
BILLINGS - It might not be long before the inscription atop Yellowstone National Parks iconic Roosevelt Arch is posted in Ryan Zinkes new digs.

Its what the new Interior secretary says is his mission for the Department of Interiors management of federal lands: For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.

Sitting in my office and I am now recognizing the task before me. Im excited about it. Its great to be asked by the president to be his voice on public lands, Zinke said Friday. I look forward to going out in the field and visiting our parks, our refuges and our holdings and just talking to the people. It goes back to the benefit and enjoyment of the people, and I intend to live up to the model.

The Republican from Montana has repeated the statement often since saddling up and riding to work with the mounted National Mall Police on Thursday. He was then greeted by his new staff as a Northern Cheyenne Indian drummer pounded out an honor song at the top of the Department of the Interior steps. It was a dramatic departure from his job as just one vote out of 435 in U.S. House. Zinke is the only congressman from a state so wide it falls just a few miles short of taking up an entire time zone.

It was just two years ago when Zinke was moving into his House office. Hed been a state legislator for a couple terms in the last decade. Before that he was 23-year veteran of the Navy SEALs, where he reached the rank of commander. He served in Iraq.

In President Donald J. Trumps Cabinet of millionaires, Zinke, 55, is tied with Vice President Mike Pence as the least wealthy, by a long shot. Minus his congressional salary, Zinkes non-government worth is about $800,000 and includes a 1938 Cadillac, a Harley Davidson, some family art and some rental properties, most notably in the Montana timber and ski town of Whitefish, where Zinke, a plumbers son, grew up in the shadow of Glacier National Park.

It is impossible to look in any direction from Zinkes hometown without seeing federal land. The local ski resort, Big Mountain, occupies land leased from the Forest Service. There is a tight green stubble on the landscape where a legacy logging industry sawed jobs from federal timber. Theres the national park and to the east of it the Blackfeet Indian Reservation before the landscape flattens into millions of acres of Bureau of Land Management grazing land, punctuated by farm communities founded in the land rush of the early 1900s.

In Montana, the federal government is everyones neighbor. Its the fourth largest state in the nation. The federal government owns a third of the property. The Department of Interior manages all but the U.S. Forest Service property.

The department represents federal governments obligation to American Indian tribes. It supervises oil, gas drilling and coal mining on federal lands and waters. It manages national parks and battlefields, national monuments and also protects endangered species. The Fourth of July bash on the National Mall? Yep, that too, and several other purposes, as well. It employs 70,000 people and has a $20.7 billion annual budget.

Like all neighbor relations, sometimes there's tension between communities and their largest neighbor. It is the Department of the Interiors job to balance the public's interests in both conservation and revenue from federal land, Zinke told Lee Montana on Friday.

I think we have to recognize that there are some public lands that fit better under the Muir model, where man is more of an observer, the lightest footprint," Zinke said. "And there are special places in our public land holdings that deserve that special recognition, and we have it to a degree with wilderness and national parks. But the preponderance of lands, I think, are under the Pinchot model of multiple use.

John Muir was a pioneer of American public land preservation whose vision was crucial in the creation of national parks. His counterpart was Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service. Pinchot established the management of natural resources for revenue. His maxim was, The greatest good for the greatest number and that good included industry.

Multiple use is making sure that the public can use our lands for the enjoyment and the benefit of the people, Zinke said. That benefit side may include timber harvest, it may include oil energy production. It may include mining. Our charter is to make sure that those activities that are more invasive have a reclamation plan where at the end of the project that land is returned either in the same or better condition than what we started with. And thats where the right regulation  but not excessive regulation  is needed.

Its where jobs are tied to federal land where relations are most heated between the federal government, states and local communities. Zinke sees a need to restore trust with those communities. In Congress, he tried to give local governments, states and Indian tribes more say in the management decision on federal lands. He was harshly criticized for it by House Democrats who said he was giving too much power to non-federal stakeholders in mining and drilling.

But the federal government should be able to create wealth and jobs from its resources, while also protecting public access to federal property for recreation.

National monuments

Several battles concerning public lands await the new Interior secretary. In Utah tempers are flaring over the Bears Ears National Monument. The ears are twin buttes that poke from Southern Utahs Elk Ridge. The features are surrounded by canyons, mesas and cliffs that include archaeological sites.

Former President Barack Obama declared the 1.35 million-acre monument before leaving office last year. Utah Republicans, like Rep. Jason Chaffetz have said the they hope President Trump and Zinke eliminate the monument status.

Republicans' stand on Bears Ears cost Utah the nations largest outdoors show, which brought 50,000 visitors to the state and $45 million year. Organizers said they couldnt support a state that didnt support Bears Ears.

Zinke didnt say the monument would be undone, but it might be changed.

I think we should follow the law in that there is no doubt there are areas that should have special protection and a monument is appropriate, Zinke said. But we should work with local communities, we should work with the states. We should follow the law that monuments should be appropriate to the specific areas that deserve that protection. Some of the monuments created in the last administration were popular. They had grassroots support. They had broad support at the state level. And other monuments, especially those that were created late and the actions that were taken late in administration, they do they smell of political agenda rather than gaining consensus. And theyve become viewed in many parts, especially in Utah, as, once again, breaching this bond of trust. And so my task as a secretary is to review all actions that were taken to make sure that we are and advocate for the local voice and advocate for the state and be seen as partners rather than adversaries.

The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument is an example of declaration that worked. The 330,780-acre monument in Northern California was widely supported by the community. Thats the support for a monument Zinke prefers.

A president has never undone a previous presidents national monument. Zinke said theres nothing in the law that prohibits nullification, but theres nothing that clearly allows it, either. But national monuments can be changed.

"Theres no doubt that a president can modify a monument that has been done before. Theres precedent in that, Zinke said. I think what the goal is on monument designation is to make sure you have local, and state, broad support of the people who live there, the people who are most affected by the monument. And of course that speaks to what my motto has been and will be: for the enjoyment of the people, which is on the Roosevelt Arch.

Standing Rock and Malheur

If the federal government had better local relations, it would hopefully have fewer protests like the one at Standing Rock, North Dakota, where the Dakota Access Pipeline is to cross beneath the Missouri River. The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge standoff in Oregon is another example where Zinke said things might have been different if public perception of federal land management were different. Federal property was damaged, and in the Malheur standoff someone died. Both incidents cost the federal government millions of dollars that could have been spent on restoration and management, he said.

Going forward, when the public sees a Fish and Wildlife truck, or a BLM truck, I want the public to think about management, Zinke said, Wildlife and land management rather than law enforcement. And I think thats an important distinction. Going forward, again, my biggest task is to restore trust at the local level, and thats being an advocate and making sure people believe they have a voice.

Coal

Zinke is a coal-state Republican. Montana has the largest holdings of federal coal in the United States. In Congress, he fought against a DOI suspension of coal leases triggered by concerns that coal royalties were set too low and needed to be studied. President Trump and Congress have since worked to lift the coal lease ban.

Zinke said coal, oil and gas from federal land is important because low-priced energy powers U.S. manufacturing. Those mining jobs are also directly linked to manufacturing in other states, like Illinois, where Caterpillar employees are hopeful an increase in mining under the Trump administration will boost demand for heavy machinery.

Coals decline is tied to a glut in global supply which has made exports unprofitable while at the same time cheap natural gas replaces coal as the nations primary source at power plants. Zinke and other Republicans argue that federal policy shouldnt exacerbate coals problems. They would like to see more coal power, an idea President Trump campaigned on.

But other economies tied to federal land also need to be promoted where possible, Zinke said.

We should not view it in terms of just extraction," Zinke said. "Public land also has a driver when it comes to recreation. In some areas, particularly in the Seattle area, Mount Rainier, Olympic National Park, the forest around Seattle, there is a strong desire to elevate recreation. In Alaska, there is a strong desire for energy development, many of our Native tribes particularly. Some of the biggest resource concerns are owned by Eskimos and Native indigenous peoples, and they are very pro-energy development. They use the pipeline. In many ways, it is their lifeblood, so I think it's best to view things locally and start understanding the challenges of energy development. The president was right to look at punitive excessive regulations to undo those and let the market drive things. I think the goal is to make sure we have clean air, clean water, but also the economic engine of the U.S.

Tribal relations

Not all American Indian tribes support fossil fuel development, Zinke acknowledged. Where there is opposition, the United States needs to honor that, he said.

I think with the tribes, and Ive talked with the tribes extensively before, although as a congressman I had the best relationship with the tribes in Montana, Zinke said. As a secretary now of Interior I have to have the same relationship with all tribes.

I think it stems from three things. One is sovereignty, and sovereignty has to be more than a word. Sovereignty has to mean something. Two is respect. And three is self-determination. And thats making sure the tribes have the tools to shape their own destiny and the authority to do that. As you know, even in the West, tribes are not monolithic, meaning that some tribes are pro-resource, pro-energy, pro-fossil fuels. And other tribes stand staunchly against that. I think it goes back to respect and sovereignty that each tribe in my judgement has to have the authority, the tools to carve their own path. And also from the Department of the Interior is to understand culturally many of these tribes are different, and their path may be unique to them, and I have to respect that.
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A fashion show on qipao, a stylish traditional Chinese dress for ladies, exhibited a beautiful facet of the rich Chinese culture to diplomats of different countries here at the African Union.

Hosted by spouses at the Chinese Mission to the Africa Union on the premises of the Mission Head's residence in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, the Qipao Fashion Show event on Saturday featured performances on different themes, including young girls' beauty; wedding; hosting friend; Chinese Romeo and Juliet dance; violin solo: a fishing boat song at dusk; and learning embroidery among others.

During the event that also displayed sample qipaos, an eight-year-old Chinese girl, in particular, captured the attention and the heart of the audience with her performance on violin solo: a fishing boat song at dusk.

According to Kuang Weilin, Head of the Chinese Mission to the Africa Union, the event was hosted by the spouses at the Mission in connection with the upcoming International Women's Day, aiming to promote the rich Chinese cultural elements to the rest of the world.

Kuang told Xinhua after the show that it was a successful event.

Stating that many Africans and other nationals do not know about China's qipao, also known as Mandarin gown, Kuang said the event was a very good platform to promote the traditional clothing and related cultural elements to diplomats of different countries.

"The event was a great success; it showed the Chinese culture to our friends, to ambassadors. I think, this event is also a very good event for the promotion of better understanding between China and other countries," he said.

"Qipao is really one of the most important elements of the Chinese culture. Qipao really is the symbol of the Chinese culture. And interestingly, not many people in Africa really know about qipao; it is our responsibility to introduce qipao to Africans so that African friends, ambassadors will really have better understanding of the Chinese culture," noted the Ambassador.

He said the Mission would continue to host such events in future with a view of promoting the rich culture of China to the rest of the world.

Participating in some of the performances and making presentation on qipao and its evolution, Wu Hua, spouse of the Chinese Ambassador to AU, noted that qipao is symbolic of Chinese culture.

It demonstrates the elegance, grace, and tenderness of the Chinese women, she said.

"Its design and style show special features of the woman's figure. However, at the same time, it does not expose too much. It shows Chinese woman's beauty subtlety," she added.

Attending the event, African and other diplomats have hailed the event, which featured qipao fashion show, presentation on evolution of the traditional robe (qipao), and performances on the different Chinese customs on different occasions.

Susan Sikaneta, Zambian Ambassador to Ethiopia and AU, told Xinhua it was a magnificent event.

"I must say that this fashion show has been magnificent, wonderful, and beautiful. I can describe it in all these beautiful words because it has really been magnificent," she said.

The fashion show was not only entertaining, but also informative and educative, said the Ambassador.

Speaking to Xinhua, Monica Sabatucci, spouse of the Head of EU Delegation to AU, said she admired the event.

"It is really, really, nice; it was a new experience for us; we can see how in-depth the perfection is of the Chinese people; it is a different culture you get to understand more; how important perfection is color. It was a different presentation. And it was really, new experience for all of us," said Sabatucci.

"It was not the first time; but every new presentation is new experience. Definitely, it was really, really, positive, and I was really, really honored to see all this kind of different presentation; it was not only the fashion show but also the presentation of the different customs that China offers," she said.

The event concluded with a banquet, which offers Chinese dishes, and was thrown by the Chinese Mission to the African Union.
Kathmandu, Nepal: The Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) has made clear that it will supply water from the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) to the households outside the Ring Road as well.

KUKL General Manager Dr. Mahesh Prasad Bhattarai has made the revelations at the fifth annual general meeting of the KUKL held in Kathmandu on Sunday. General Manager Bhattarai has made clear as there was a speculation that the KUKL would supply water from the MWSP to the households inside the Ring Road only.

According to the General Manager Bhattarai, the KUK is managing drinking water supply by supplying around 110 million liters of water on a daily basis against the daily demand that stands at 400 million liters in a day.

Likewise, General Manager Bhattarai also said in the function that the KUKL is currently supplying water to the areas in the Valley facing water shortage through 21 tankers daily.

Three tube wells would be constructed in addition within the current fiscal year to facilitate water supply system for the Valley dwellers, he said in the function.

Secretary at the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Bhim Prasad Upadhyay, also expressed his commitment for the timely completion of the project to deliver the Melamchi's water to the households in the Valley by mid-October.

During the function, Melamchi Water Supply Development Board Executive Director Ghanashyam Bhattarai informed about the developments of the project.
Guwahati, March 5 : Assam government will provide financial assistance of Rs 50 lakh for reopening of cinema halls which have already been shut down in the state. Similarly, an amount of Rs 25 lakh will also be provided to cinema halls which need repairing of its building for creating a good viewing ambience.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced this while speaking at the closing ceremony of Chalachitram, a heritage short film competition organized by Chalachitram in association with Department of Cultural Affairs, Assam government and Directorate of Film Festival, Govt. of India

at Rabindra Bhavan on Sunday.

Stating that cinema reflects the philosophy of life, reality and expectations of the society and plays an important role in transforming society, Sarbananda Sonowal recalled the contributions of Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla, Bhabendra Nath Saikia, Jahnu Baruah and Manju Bora in taking the Assamese cinema forward.

Sonowal further added that the cinema industry in Assam is plagued with various problems and the Govt. is preparing a roadmap to strengthen its infrastructure to give it a major fillip.

He also commented that Assamese films are best in all respect and can compete with the Indian and world cinema if backed with proper infrastructure.

Sonowal also called upon the film makers of the state to highlight the contributions of the legendary personalities of Assam to carry forward a message to the society.

The Assam CM also urged the film fraternity to guide the Government on the initiatives required to be taken for ameliorating its present condition.

Sonowal also distributed prizes of the short film competition titled aOur heritage, our pridea in the programme.

'Pride of Assam' bagged the best short film award in this competition. He also released a souvenir published to mark the occasion.

Director, Directorate of Film festivals, Union government, Senthil Rajan, eminent film makers Vijaya Jena, Manju Bora, Commissioner and Secretary, Cultural Affairs Department, Govt. of Assam Preetom Saikia, Secretary of Chalachitram Bhagawat Pritam were present among others in the programme.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
North Korean Ambassador to Malaysia Kang Chol speaks during a news conference at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on February 20, 2017. Photo: Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia said on Saturday it was expelling the North Korean ambassador, escalating a diplomatic row between the two countries over the murder of the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Ambassador Kang Chol was declared persona non grata and asked to leave Malaysia within 48 hours.

Kim Jong Nam, the leaders half-brother, was murdered on February 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, after being assaulted by two women who Malaysian police believe smeared his face with VX, a nerve agent classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.

The ambassador had said last month that Pyongyang cannot trust Malaysias handling of the investigation, and accused the country of colluding with outside forces, in a veiled reference to bitter rival South Korea.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak called the comments diplomatically rude. Foreign Minister Anifah Haji Aman said in a statement on Saturday that Malaysia had demanded an apology from the ambassador, but none was forthcoming.

Malaysia will react strongly against any insults made against it or any attempt to tarnish its reputation, Anifah said.

US and South Korean officials have said Kim Jong Nam was killed by agents of North Korea. Malaysia deported a North Korean suspect in the case on Friday.

Earlier this week, Malaysia said it would cancel visa-free entry for North Koreans entering the country from March 6. Anifah said in the statement that this move was an indication of the governments concern that Malaysia may have been used for illegal activities.

Malaysia on Saturday rejected any suggestion it may have violated sanctions imposed by the United Nations on North Korea, after a Reuters report said North Korea-linked firms were running an arms network in the country.

Reuters reported on Monday that North Korean intelligence agents used front companies to run an arms sales operation out of Malaysia under a brand called Glocom.
Guwahati, March 5 : Meghalaya police on Sunday had came close to nab a most wanted criminal of Assam and Meghalaya for several kidnapping and extortion cases, but he managed to escape.

According to the reports, a police team of North Garo Hills had launched operation in the hills area.

William Sangma had managed to flee after seeing a police team, who checked vehicle at Thapa Darenchi area in the hill district.

On seeing the police team, the most wanted criminal had suddenly turned his vehicle to a roadside field and managed to flee along with his three aides, North Garo Hills district SP Dalton P. Marak said.

When he turned his vehicle to the roadside field, the police personnel fired warning shots at them but they managed to escape leaving their vehicle behind, the top police official said.

Police had recovered one Chinese made carbine, a M-16 rifle magazine, one 7.65 mm pistol magazine, several rounds of live ammunition, camouflage uniforms from the abandoned vehicle.

Meanwhile, Meghalaya police had launched massive operation along the all suspected areas to nab Sangma and his aides.

On the other hand, the Meghalaya police has contacted with their Assam counterpart after the incident.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nathh)
Guwahati, March 5 : Paresh Baruah led United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) and Meghalaya's outfit group Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) have planned to blow up major explosions and attack on security forces in Lower Assam and Garo hills.

A top source of Intelligence Bureau (IB) said that, the both outfit group has been jointly planned to triggered a series of explosions in Assam and Meghalaya and also attack on security personnel.

The IB source further said that, the outfit groups also used professional criminals and carriers to carry explosives and to plant IEDs, bomb.

After intercepting telephonic conversation between two top leaders of ULFA (I) and GNLA, IB had managed to find out the biggest planning of the outfits.

The source said that, IB has already informed the Union Home Ministry and police, home departments of both states and other security agencies about the militants plan.

"It is a concern issue that militant groups had used professional criminals and carriers for their activities," the IB source said.

Meanwhile, Assam Police ADGP Pallav Bhattacharya said that, security has been beefed up in Guwahati and other parts of the state following the IB input.

"An ULFA group has been trying to enter in Guwahati and to trigger explosions in the city. We have launched massive operation at all suspicious areas in and out of the city," the top Assam cops said.

On the other hand, security forces on Sunday had recovered a powerful IED from Upper Assam's Charaideo district.

Following a tip-off, police and army had jointly launched operation at Dabluhabi area near Charaipung under Sonari police station and recovered the IED from a house owned by Ghanakanta Gogoi, who also was apprehended.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Kathmandu, Nepal: The government has on Sunday endorsed the report of the Local Level Restructuring Commission (LLRC) by adding 25 local units on the number that commission had recommended earlier.

The LLRC, formed to set the number and demarcation of local units under the federal system, had recommended the government to fix the numbers of local units at 719.

However, the cabinet meeting held on Sunday evening decided to form 744 local units in the country.

The government has added 21 local units in the eight districts of Province 2, two local units in Kathmandu district and one each in Manang and Bajhang districts, said a source close to the office of the Prime Minister and council of Ministers.

The government had formed a taskforce under the leadership of Federal Affairs and Local Development Minister Hit raj Pandey to review the commission report after Madhes-based parties demanded more local units in the Terai districts.

The cabinet decision regarding the number of local units will come into effect officially once the decision publishes in the gazette.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepal Police has on Sunday filed a case at the Kathmandu District Court against 12 persons arrested in different dates on the charge of 33.5 kg gold smuggling case.

Though the Nepal Police has indicted a senior Nepal Police Official, four TIA Customs Office staff, three alleged smugglers and four jewelers, it is said that other 18 persons are suspected to be involved in the gold smuggling case.

A team f Nepal Police had arrested three persons from the Gausala area of Kathmandu with 33.5 kg smuggled gold on January 5. The gold was smuggled from the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), the only International airport of the country.

Narayan Yadav, Raj Kumar Dhakal, Shyam Krishna Shrestha and Ram Hari Karki have been indicated from the TIA Customs Office. Nepal Police SSP Shyam Bahadur Khatri is indicated from the Nepal Police in the case.

Gopal Bahadur Shahi, Santosh Kafle and Dil Bandhu Thapa were arrested in possession of the smuggled gold while they were hiding the gold it in a luggage on a taxi. Kafle and Thapa had come there to receive Shahi.

Likewise other indicated persons in the case are Rojesh Shakya, Sunil Shrestha, Sapan Shrestha and Manoj Shrestha, the operators of the New Road-based Baibhav Laxmi Gold and Silver Palace.
Kathmandu, Nepal: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed serious concerns over the recent activities of the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF).

As the UDMF cadres are targeting the Mechi Mahakali National Campaign launched by CPN-UML, the NHRC has on Sunday asked the UDMF not to disturb the scheduled programs of any other political forces.

Issuing a press release on Sunday, NHRC Spokesperson Mohana Ansari has urged the Madhes-based parties to not to obstruct peaceful programs adding that such a activities of creating disturbance in others program is against of the freedom of expression and human rights.

The UDMF cadres had on Friday smeared black on the face of UML cadre Sambhu Yadav in Saptari district. Likewise another UML cadre Pratap Narayan Chaudhary was manhandled and stones were thrown on the vehicle of UML lawmaker Ranju Jha during a program of the party.

The NHRC has reminded to the political parties about the Gaur incident happened about a decade ago. In the clash between then CPN Maoist cadres and cadres of the than Madhesi People's Right Forum, 22 people had died.

Likewise, the NHRC has also requested the government to investigate all incidents of manhandling and attacks and to prevent clashes.
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Two batches of food imported from South Korea fail to measure up to China's required standards.

Inspection and quarantine authorities in northeast China's Liaoning Province Saturday returned two batches of food imported from the Republic of Korea (ROK) that failed to measure up to required standards.

Staff with the Dayaowan Inspection and Quarantine Bureau found the production dates of the food were inconsistent with the dates labelled in the sanitary certificates which were affiliated to the commodity inspection declaration documents.

The bureau decided to return the food according to law. The food comprised 18 kinds of products, weighing 2.1 tonnes and valuing 8,789 U.S. dollars in total.

In another batch of baked fish products imported from the ROK, the additives failed to meet Chinese standards, said the bureau. The products were destroyed according to law.
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Seguin, TX (78155)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with thunderstorms becoming likely overnight. Low 72F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with thunderstorms becoming likely overnight. Low 72F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Pork packing capacity in the Midwest will increase significantly in 2017.

A new plant in Sioux City operated by Seaboard Triumph Foods is scheduled to open in late July, with an initial daily slaughter capacity of 10,000 to 12,000 hogs.

Add this to several other new or remodeled plants, and there should be enough capacity to handle anticipated huge hog supplies this fall.

This is really an unprecedented increase in packing capacity, says Steve Meyer, vice president for pork analysis with EMI Analytics.

Its very much needed for the long-term health of the pork industry.

Later this year, Clemens Food Group is expected to open a plant in Coldwater, Michigan, with an estimated daily slaughter of 10,000 head. An additional 6,500 in capacity will be added at plants in Windom, Minnesota, and Pleasant Hope, Missouri, in 2017.

Packing capacity should also jump with the recent Seaboard Triumph Foods announcement of a second shift at the Sioux City plant, starting in May 2018.

And the new Prestage Farms plant, located near Eagle Grove, is expected to open in late 2018 or early 2019. Officials estimated about 10,000 pigs could be processed daily at the plant.

This increase comes at the right time for the industry, says Lee Schulz, Extension livestock marketing economist at Iowa State University.

Over the first half of 2017, pork production will rise based on hogs already in the pipeline, he says. Second half output will likely top 2016s record levels.

Additional packing plants coming on line in 2017 and 2018 will help ease capacity constraints. The additional capacity is good news for producers as more competition for their hogs will give producers a bit more leverage.

Schulz says plants prefer to work at full capacity. He says large numbers of hogs force plants to pay less as their costs mount.

Slaughter levels that greatly push packing plant utilization above a normal capacity level force plants to offer significantly lower prices for hogs, he says. Plants must pay overtime, cold storage becomes full, and the price of pork has to be lowered to stimulate more pork consumption.

Conversely, those fixed costs are higher when plants are operating at less than capacity. Schulz says packers also have contractual obligations to meet with their customers.

No packer wishes to give up shelf space, food service or export markets, he says. The result is theyll need to get after hogs, and there is an incentive to pay a higher price for hogs to secure a quantity level that captures operating efficiencies.

The packing industry worked overtime to handle last falls record production, Meyer says. He believes the same thing will happen in 2017.

I think whatever new capacity we have will be completely filled with this big number of hogs coming through this fall, he says. Hopefully we have everything up and operating.

Despite lower hog prices, most analysts expect to see continued expansion in the pork industry. Meyer says the added capacity provides a tempting incentive for producers.

Dont discount the fact that producers came into the fall of 2016 with their best balance sheets ever, he says. They saw huge profits in 2014 and 2015. Theyre looking long term, and with production costs down considerably, they see an opportunity.

That growth should continue. The USDA recently released its 10-year ag projections through 2026, including 3.9 percent growth in hog numbers over the next five years and 7.4 percent over the next decade. The numbers are based on 2016 totals.

No wonder new packing plants are under construction and the industry is in an all-hands-on-deck mode to get operational as soon as possible, Schulz says.

The key going forward is whether packers will be able to grow sales, particularly to key export markets.

Producers continue to be more efficient, he says. Advancements in genetics as well as new management practices have boosted pig numbers over the past decade.

Schulz says feeder pig imports from Canada are also increasing, jumping by 10.2 percent in 2015 and another 7.4 percent last year.

Several factors fuel the Canadian feeder pig import surge, he says. One is demand. Low feed prices and profitable lean hog prices boost interest in finishing hogs in the U.S.

A second factor is the strength of the U.S. dollar when compared to Canadian currency. Schulz says the favorable exchange rate has Canadian producers looking south.

Supply and demand fundamentals appear to be in place to keep pulling more Canadian born feeder pigs into the U.S. for the next few years, he says.

Schulz adds the largest sow herd expansion seems to be coming from Illinois and Missouri. He says the two states have combined to add 90,000 head to the nations sow inventory since Dec. 1, 2015.
SIOUX CITY | Loess Hills Longbeards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will hold its 18th annual superfund membership banquet on March 11 at the Masonic Temple, 820 Nebraska St.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., dinner begins at 7.

The evening will include live and silent auctions featuring special art prints and various unique items.

Several ticket packages are available. Interested persons are encouraged to obtain their tickets prior to the banquet. Tickets can be purchased from Ralph Buys, 239-4531, Duane Cory, 258-3066, Rick Schneider, 253-5407, or Mark Bower, 876-2838.

All proceeds from the event will be used for turkey conservation projects throughout Iowa and the country.
WAYNE, Nebraska | Two entrepreneurs have expanded their footprint in downtown Wayne, breathing new life into a treasure of an old building, the old Wayne City Hall.

1912 Emporium opened Feb. 1. The building, purchased for $70,000 by partners Lukas Rix and Mark Kanitz, is now a restored two-story consignment retail site, offering all sorts of items that may have been proudly displayed on family farms and residences, or, perhaps, were destined for the landfill.

1912 Emporium allows Kanitz and Rix to expand their operation, which began on Main Street in Wayne with the opening of Rustic Treasures in the fall of 2012. Rustic Treasures outgrew its first location and moved across the street in 2014. It then added an adjacent coffee shop in 2015, a site that now offers lunch, too.

"We've always wanted to make Wayne a downtown destination," said Rix, who studied marketing and business and Wayne State College. "We know to get people here, you have to give them a reason to show up."

People did show up, in big numbers. They brought their goods to Rustic Treasures, had Rix and Kanitz value items and then split the sales proceeds 50-50 with those previous owners. The arrangement worked, allowing the partners to expand into their second site, Thrift Warehouse, at the corner of Main and Second streets.

"At Thrift Warehouse, we collect donated items, as we kind of got tired of pricing 50-cent items at Rustic Treasures," Kanitz said. "At Thrift Warehouse, we can do the smaller-scale items and we make sure that at least 10-percent of our profits there go back into community organizations."

Last year, the business gave $7,000 back to local groups who applied for assistance with various projects. "For example, we'll give $250 this spring for flowers to be added downtown," Rix said. "It's a unique, one-time gift that will help boost downtown."

Still, with Rustic Treasures bursting at the seams, the entrepreneurs kept their eyes on the old Wayne City Hall, which had largely been used for storage for the local community theater group. The 1912 structure was built originally for $9,000. The main floor housed the community's fire engines for decades. The second floor contained city offices. There was even a jail cell on the premises.

At the big-box stores in major retail centers, Rix explained, a shopper encounters rows and rows of sale items in a space devoid of character. The old Wayne City Hall oozes character with its tin ceilings, refurbished hardwood floors, expansive windows and more.

"We think what we have is is something that adds charm to what we're selling," said Rix, who joined Kanitz and others in doing much of the renovation work over the summer and fall.

A grand opening is planned for March 24.

The recently opened site has proven to be popular among shoppers. Kanitz, who oversees the accounting end of the trade, noted that more than 800 treasure-seekers made their way to 1912 Emporium on Feb. 18, scanning the shelves and nooks and crannies for once-forgotten goods that have now filled space that totals 5,800 square feet.

A birthday party for a member of the community was held on the second floor of 1912 Emporium on Tuesday. Attendees took their seats at the oak table used by the Wayne City Council in 1912.

"We didn't realize this had two stories and had all this to offer," said shopper Kelly Kapels, of Creston, Nebraska.

"We love this place," added Kristi Rosendahl, of nearby Norfolk, Nebraska. "We are obsessed with it!"

"Buildings of this era need to be preserved in order to revitalize a community. Taking an old building with rich heritage and a story to tell makes the building part of the destination of the store," Rix said.

Rustic Treasures, Thrift Warehouse, The Coffee Shoppe and 1912 Emporium employ 7 full-time and 7 part-time workers. The businesses keep Ritz and Kanitz on the go, scanning estate sales and more for opportunities to give new life into once-used items for practical purposes or home decor.

"We seek to provide a place for unwanteds," Rix concluded. "Items otherwise destined for the landfill."

And, in the case of 1912 Emporium, maybe an entire building.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. | The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has had no shortage of critics in its management of the Missouri River and the system of dams and reservoirs that control its flow.

On Monday, a lawsuit challenging the Corps of Engineers' management practices will go to trial. With dozens of landowners up and down the river included as plaintiffs, the suit claims that the corps has changed its river management priority from flood control to restoration of fish and wildlife habitat. Those actions have led to ongoing flooding damage since 2007, the lawsuit says.

The corps in 2004 changed its water storage, release and flow management practices and by doing so, the suit says, is essentially taking farmland along the river to establish wildlife habitat and is not paying the landowners for it, a violation of the U.S. Constitution's Fifth Amendment.

"We believe they knew that when they made these changes for habitat for the public good, they knew that flooding would occur," Eddie Smith, an attorney with Polsinelli Law, a national law firm based in Kansas City, said prior to filing the lawsuit in March 2014 in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C. Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, a national law firm with offices in several cities, also is representing the landowners.

The Corps of Engineers does not comment on pending litigation.

The trial is expected to last into the summer. It will take place in federal court in Kansas City until April 13, then resume in Washington, D.C., on April 24 until its conclusion.

The suit lists 372 plaintiffs, including some from Siouxland, from six states from Kansas City to Bismarck, North Dakota.

The lawsuit seeks compensation for landowners whose land has been damaged by flooding, notably the 2011 flood, which caused billions of dollars in damage to land and infrastructure from Montana to Missouri.

Lawyers for the landowners contend that the 2011 flood and other flooding that's occurred since 2007 could have been prevented had the corps not begun emphasizing habitat restoration.
SPENCER, Iowa | Voters in Clay County, Iowa, have a chance to cast ballots in two local special elections Tuesday.

The elections will fill vacancies on the Clay County Board of Supervisors and Spencer City Council. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the 12 typical county voting precincts.

A vacancy on the county board was created by the December death of Linda Swanson. Swanson was serving a four-year term through December 2018, so the winner of the special election will serve through that date.

The five supervisor candidates are Loren Reit, Robert R.D. Johnson, Marty Koenig, Dan Skelton and Mike Wilson. Reit is a Republican, while the other four candidates list no party registration.

The four candidates for the Spencer City Council Ward 4 position are Duane Bates, Leann Jacobson, Dana Kramer and Terry Peterson.

The council position was held by Randy Swanson, who was elected to the Clay County Board of Supervisors in November. The winner of the Ward 4 special election will fill the remainder of his council term, through December 2019.
SIOUX CITY | Hoping to reduce expenses and save local taxpayers money, a majority of the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors want to consolidate the now separate county and Sioux City assessor offices.

But Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott told the Journal Friday the City Council, which has the sole authority to eliminate the city assessor's office, has no immediate plans to bring up the subject for discussion.

Scott said he is open to looking at any proposed consolidation that could be beneficial. The mayor said he doesn't want to raise the issue, unless other council members want to air it.

"I've brought it up in the past and it went nowhere. If council members brought it up, I would be willing to look at it," Scott said.

Some people have contended Woodbury County should join other Iowa counties that don't have two separate offices to set property valuations, which is one of the factors used to calculate property tax bills.

Many Iowa counties have all assessor duties housed in one office, the county supervisors noted in the public comment portion of the Tuesday board meeting. Supervisors Keith Radig, Matthew Ung and Jeremy Taylor said they support consolidating the two assessor entities, in order to reduce the number of personnel and expense of operating the office separately. There are 13 employees combined in the two offices.

"We should do it now," said Radig, a two-term councilman who resigned his seat in early January to start his first term on the county board.

City Assessor Al Jordan heads a department with seven other workers. The County Assessor department is led by Julie Conolly, where four other workers are employed to set valuations of rural areas and all cities in the county other than Sioux City.

Ung said the personnel in the two assessor offices have spoken against consolidation whenever the topic has been raised in the past. A 2014 analysis that looked into merging the city and county assessor offices -- conducted by the city and county assessors -- concluded consolidation wouldn't work and shouldn't happen. The City Council that year eventually in May 2014 halted department elimination talks.

Radig said the fact that the city assessor office is currently without a staff field position makes for an opportune time to combine the two departments. Radig said prospective candidates aren't applying for the position over the past year, due to fears a consolidation could put them out of a job.

"They aren't going to apply for something if they are going to lose the job," Radig said.

Jordan disputed Radig's statement that the open position can't be filled because people are afraid of working there due to a pending consolidation. Jordan said he has advertised the commercial appraiser position, but hasn't filled the post to save money and to avoid having an inexperienced worker during a year when reappraisal of city properties will be performed.

Jordan asserted the city office should not be eliminated by the city council. He gave the example of an eye doctor and dentist both having skills to work on a person's head, but said their tasks of work should never overlap.

"There is that much difference between the city assessor office and the county assessor office," Jordan said.

Conolly said she has a good working relationship with the city assessor staff and would welcome them if the city office were dissolved. But Conolly was quick to say she has no opinion on whether the elimination of the city office should occur.
Our Iowa workers compensation law has protected Iowa workers for over a century now. I know this law well. I work in a local law firm that has represented Siouxland workers and their unions for over half that century. So I know Iowa workers well, too. I know how hard each of you works to make a living. You perform difficult and often dangerous work that makes our economy go. And for over 100 years, weve had in place a workers compensation law that has served as a safety net to protect you from financial ruin caused by serious injuries at work.

That safety net that exists to protect you and your family is soon to be shredded. As I write, the Iowa Legislature is fast-tracking identical House File (HF) 518 and Senate File (SF) 435 through committees in each chamber. This bill is set for final passage this week and unless we stop it, it will be signed in to law by Gov. Terry Branstad by Friday.

What would this mean? Why should we care?

This new law includes over a dozen changes that, taken together, gut your entitlement to fair compensation. (I only have space here to discuss a few of these changes.)

It raises the burden of proof, making it harder if not impossible for an employee with a pre-existing condition to prove her injury is a cause of disability. For over 70 years, the law stated clearly that if a pre-existing condition was aggravated, accelerated, worsened or 'lighted up by the injury you were covered under workers compensation. (Rose v. John Deere Co., Iowa Supreme Court, 1956). The new law would overrule this basic principle. Now, the vast majority of currently legitimate injury claims will be denied, shifting the burden of expense onto you, your group insurance, or Medicaid and Social Security disability programs.

Next, HF 518 targets those of you who are older workers. If a work injury leaves you totally disabled, weekly benefits end at age 67, even if youre totally disabled for life. If you suffer an injury after you reach 67, you will not draw benefits for more than 150 weeks, even if youre totally disabled for life. So, if a 66-1/2 year-old construction worker falls through a roof, and is now left quadriplegic for life, he will receive weekly benefits for six months, not a nickel more. If hed waited and had the injury at age 67, he would receive weekly benefits for 150 weeks.

Next, HF 518 drastically shrinks benefits for shoulder injuries. Under current law, for example, a rotator cuff tear requiring surgery is compensated as industrial disability. You receive weekly benefits equal to your lost earning capacity (a percentage) multiplied times 500 weeks. The new law would compensate a shoulder injury as a scheduled member: the most you will ever receive is the doctors impairment rating (usually 5 to 10 percent) multiplied by the value of your arm (250 weeks). No more, even if your injury causes you to lose your job or ends your career. Even if you undergo shoulder replacement surgery, the usual functional impairment rating of 22 percent will pay out no more than one year in benefits, even if you are now disabled for life. Gutting benefits as such for shoulder injuries will be a windfall to heavy industry, like meatpacking, where workers are at high risk for shoulder injuries.

And if you think this cant be so, that youll hire a lawyer and get a more fair result, dream on. The new law would so drastically cut benefits that theres nothing left for a lawyer to get you. This leaves you (David) to fight the insurance company (Goliath) without even a slingshot.

This is where business and industry spokesmen tell their biggest lie. They say the current system allows lawyers to grab hefty fees that penalize the victimized injured worker. Yet it has always been the rule (and we follow it) that a lawyer cannot take a fee unless he earns it. An attorney fee could never be taken from benefits voluntarily paid. Business and industry claims about money-grubbing claimant lawyers are wildly exaggerated. But they will continue to pay handsomely their own phalanx of lawyers to trample your rights going forward.

Going forward? Alas, it seems were going backward, back to the 19th century, to a new gilded age, where business and industry dump the costs of their own greedy pursuits onto an unwitting, perhaps indifferent, public. Unless you do something, ever so quickly, to stop this.

The public hearing on this bill is Tuesday, at 6:00 p.m., at the State Capitol in Des Moines. I hope to see you there.

Dennis McElwain is a Sioux City attorney.
The birth of Iowas medical marijuana program in the Iowa Legislature was remarkable and dramatic, and the issue has ever since remained one of much legislative intrigue.

That continues this year as lawmakers face a critical deadline that, if not changed, will end the program.

Iowas medical marijuana program was approved in the waning days of 2014's legislative session. Advocates had pressed lawmakers all session to create the program, seemingly to no avail. But just when the issue appeared to be dead, suddenly, a bill was introduced, debated, approved, and sent to the governor, who signed it into law.

It was quite the dramatic entrance for a program that allows Iowa residents to, with a physicians prescription, possess cannabidiol, an oil byproduct of the marijuana plant that has medicinal qualities, to treat themselves or their children who suffer from epileptic seizures.

The programs creation was welcomed and celebrated by advocates. But it also is narrow and restrictive; the program does not allow cannabidiol to be grown or sold in Iowa, and many other states that have a program do not sell outside their borders, which can make it difficult for Iowans to obtain the product.

And the program only allows for cannabidiol to be used to treat epileptic seizures. Advocates say more forms of medical cannabis should be legalized, and more ailments --- cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder, for example --- should be eligible for treatment.

Advocates push to expand the state program kept the issue in lawmakers focus and the news. Dozens, maybe hundreds of people came to the Iowa Capitol in 2015 and 2016 to plead with lawmakers and tell their tales of pain, suffering --- and for some who have used cannabidiol, remarkable success.

Last year, an effort was made to expand the program. But the original bill, which would have permitted the growth and sale of medical cannabis, was stripped to its bare bones almost immediately after introduction. The amended version only attempted to create a partnership with one or more of the 28 states that have expansive medical cannabis laws.

The final version of the bill was deemed insufficient by advocates, and it was voted down by the Iowa House.

With the program set to expire July 1, lawmakers this session have been attempting to craft legislation that would extend --- and in some cases --- expand it. Already there have been ups and downs.

A bill introduced in the Iowa House achieved many of advocates goals: It would have extended the program, permitted the growth and sale of medical cannabis, and created a process by which more ailments could be added.

The bill appeared to have at least some measure of support when it was introduced and approved by a three-member subcommittee. More often than not, legislators do not hold subcommittee hearings unless they are confident the bill has at least enough support to pass the next step, the full committee.

There appeared to be optimism around that House bill when all three members of the subcommittee --- two Republicans and one Democrat --- approved it.

However, the very next day, the bill died when it was revealed there was not sufficient support from the full committee.

Back to the drawing board.

Legislators appear to be intent on, at the very least, extending the existing program. I have not yet heard any concern that nothing will get done and the program will expire. Whether any measure of expansion will occur remains in doubt.

The House has started over with a bill that extends the program and provides that if the federal government approves medical cannabis for medicinal use, so too shall the state.

The Senate has drafted an expansion bill that is much more like the original House bill, in that it permits the growth and sale of medical cannabis and expands the ailments covered.

It has been a long journey for medical cannabis advocates, with triumph and heartbreak along the way. Already this session, there have been twists and turns in the road and more are likely to come before legislators adjourn for the year.

The question that remains is, once they do, what kind of medical cannabis program will be in place.
International Relations  March 5, 2017  Stefan Kipfer

In comparative context, France has long been a source of inspiration for lefties and revolutionaries due to its history of successful or failed revolution from 1789 to 1968 and due to its role as an inadvertent point of contact for anti-colonial movements, from the Haitian revolution to the era of decolonization in the 20th century. More recent cycles of mobilization  movements against neoliberalism from 1995 to 2010 and the mass marches and revolts against racism and police violence from the early 1980s to 2005  kept French politics in the radical limelight.

These traditions of struggle are not dead. One can detect elements of them in the current conjuncture, in the demonstrations, strikes, and occupations during the protests against the El Khomri labour law in 2016 and the ongoing street battles and other mobilizations against racism and police violence. Today, however, the image France projects is more frequently steeped in the reactionary traditions that have deeply shaped Frances place in the modern world: histories of counterrevolution (monarchist, Catholic, or Bonapartist), living legacies of colonialism and neocolonialism and fascist or fascistic political currents. While distinct, these traditions are interrelated and sometimes converged, as during the collaborationist Vichy regime in the 1940s and during the Algerian war of independence.

After the election of President Francois Hollande and a nominally left parliamentary majority in 2012, strands of reactionary French politics quickly resurfaced. This happened first in the form of mass mobilizations named Manif pour tous against gay marriage and the inclusion of gender in the school curriculum between 2012 and 2014, proliferating smaller extra-parliamentary initiatives by extreme right groups partly encouraged by these mobilizations, and the string of victories during the European, municipal and departmental elections in 2014 and 2015 by the Front National under Marine Le Pen and by the renamed bourgeois right-wing party Les Republicains .

In the following essay, I will discuss how the Hollande government itself contributed to the role of France as a place of reactionary political experimentation. I will do so not in order to ignore the continued differences among various political forces in France (let alone to minimize the specificity of the neo-fascist Front National ) but in order to highlight the multiple sources of danger that feed the current conjuncture.

Part 1: States of Emergency

Vigilance?

In central Paris today, one cannot hope to spend a day outside without spotting an army vehicle or a platoon of four soldiers on foot patrol, semi-automatic weapons ready to be pointed at something, or someone. Soldiers can appear seemingly out of nowhere, when one steps out the front door, looks up from a cup of coffee in the local bistro, or turns the corner of a neighbourhood street.

Seeing soldiers patrolling Paris airports and train stations is not new. The phenomenon dates to the creation of Vigipirate , the programme organizing vigilance against terrorism since the mid-1990s. Since the murderous attacks on Charlie Hebdo , a kosher supermarket and numerous restaurants and concert venues in January and November 2015, this programme has been complemented by operation Sentinelle , under which up to 10,000 regular soldiers patrol the streets of France, the majority of whom are in the Paris region.

What to make of this troop deployment? It is impossible to think that roaming platoons can stop or even deter attacks. In fact, they represent convenient targets for anyone looking for one. Is the troop presence a form of psychological warfare, getting inhabitants used to the idea that the enemy is amongst their own? Is it a way to train soldiers eyes onto possible threats lurking in a crowd, as policemen are known to do? In any event, the daily troop presence reminds us that the distinction between war and policing, never complete historically, is particularly blurred today.

States of Emergency: Counter-terrorism 1

Operation Sentinelle is one element in a galaxy of measures taken in 2015 and 2016 under the guise of anti-terrorism. It adds a military element to the State of Emergency, which was declared in November 2015 and renewed by the French General Assembly five times since, thus contravening the European Convention on Human Rights. Even if the State of Emergency comes to an end in July 2017, as now planned, it would be the longest-lasting such measure since the 1961-63 period, when it was declared after the military coup attempted by the OAS ( Organisation Armee Secrete ) to stop Algerian independence.

Since the original law was passed in 1955, a year into the Algerian war of independence, the law was declared five times: in 1958 (in the transition period from the 4th to the 5th Republic), in 1961, in 1984-1985 (against the independence movement in Kanaky/New Caledonia), and in the fall of 2005 (during the revolts that spread through many French suburbs after three boys who fled the police, Bouna Traore, Zyed Benna, and Muhittin Althu, were electrocuted in a power station close to Clichy-sous-Bois in the eastern suburbs).

A legal regime of exception, the State of Emergency allows the executive and administrative branches of the state to breach individual liberties with limited or no judicial oversight. Why? To detain and prosecute those considered security threats on the basis of mere suspicion, not on the basis of concrete evidence of past infractions. For example, the State of Emergency allows prefects (local representatives of the central state) to order house searches, and, in a measure that was added to the 1955 law, condemn individuals to house arrest when serious reasons exist to believe that people in particular places engage in behaviour that threatens public order and security. For warrants to be issued, intelligence officers need not substantiate what such serious reasons might be.

Since the end of the 2015, more than 4,000 often violent and humiliating, even traumatizing raids and searches were undertaken. More than 600 people were condemned to house arrest, that is: forced to stay at home overnight, remain within a specified geographical perimeter and report to the police up to three times a day. A number of mosques were closed. Curfews were placed over some neighbourhoods. Demonstrations were prohibited. And hundreds of people were detained, including squatters and environmentalists preparing to protest the COP 21 Climate Summit in Paris in December 2015.

The repressive actions undertaken under the State of Emergency yielded very few concrete leads in specific anti-terrorism investigations. Already one of the most extensive in the world before 2015, Frances existing legal apparatus was more than sufficient for this purpose, as Laurence Blisson has pointed out. Most searches, arrests, prohibitions, curfews and house arrests pursued under the State of Emergency provisions affected many thousands of people that had nothing to do with those involved in the mass murders perpetrated in

France in 2015 and 2016. The exceptional measure did however foster a culture of suspicion and recrimination. It encouraged citizens to denounce their neighbours, colleagues or family members as possible suspects. And it made banal everyday acts of verbal or physical aggression against Muslims and migrants (real or perceived).

As Vanessa Codaccioni has pointed out, the State of Emergency has allowed the police, the intelligence services and the interior ministry to test the danger levels of those that count as internal enemies: non-white youth, anarchists, and those described as Muslims. The new extra-judicial powers were applied by casting a wide net over mosques, areas of petty street crime, and sensitive neighbourhoods that were already on the radar of security forces as the Collectif contre lislamphobie en France and Human Rights Watch documented. The emergency law thus has added a new layer to the forms of state racism already targeting Muslims and non-white inhabitants. Not surprisingly, some of these forms  racial profiling and regularly fatal police violence against non-white youth  are challenged with increased intensity right now by protests and high school occupations in Paris and beyond.

Furthermore, the State of Emergency endowed front-line police with a heightened sense of impunity in policing dissent even when they did not take recourse to emergency provisions. We can do whatever we want is an expression activists hear more frequently when confronted by police. Such has been the case with migrant workers who tried to organize solidarity actions with the refugees in Calais and Paris that were facing the destruction of their camps there; and such has been reported by the students and labour organizers who faced heightened police violence and new levels of punitive court action during the protests, occupations, strikes and Nuit Debout actions against the El Khomri Labour Law in 2016.

Rather than just a time-limited affair in response to concrete threats, the State of Emergency helps institutionalize further doctrines of preemptive justice. In June 2016, after having already made the State of Emergency a constitutional provision earlier that year, the Hollande government turned some emergency measures (administrative detentions, partial house arrest, house searches) into regular legal clauses. This step normalizes laws of exception that undermine judicial oversight (and thus the separation of powers) while formalizing inequalities before the law.

The June law added to some twenty anti-terrorism laws passed since 1986. Codaccionis research has shown that this body of laws and legal practices are based on an open-ended and slippery notion of terror. Also, since the preventative legal turn in the 1990s, they target not just past actions but behavior associated with the preparation or intended preparation of such actions, indeed, even just apologizing for such actions in public or on the internet. In this topsy-turvy legal universe, principles contravening basic freedoms (of association and expression) and protections (against arbitrary state actions) apply: when in doubt, detain (Blisson).

We are at war: Counter-terrorism 2

Days after the November 2015 attacks in Paris, President Hollande declared France at war. He promised to ramp up operation Chammal by intensifying air strikes against Daesh strongholds in Syria and Iraq. He fortified the image of a war chief he built for himself in 2013, during the two French military incursions in Africa: operation Serval in Mali and operation Sangaris in the Central African Republic.

While Hollandes aggressive militarism in Syria and Iraq received much attention (and some critical commentary), few noted what the NGO Survie documented, namely that between 2013 and 2015, before and after the attacks in France, a range of African countries (Mali, Cameroun, Djibouti, Chad, Tunisia, Niger) declared states of emergency very similar to the one instituted in France itself.

African countries walking in lockstep with France points to the fact that French politics is never just about France proper, the hexagone. In this case, anti-terrorism scenarios have a transnational dimension that escapes any easy distinction between domestic and international affairs. In fact, transnational anti-terrorism attests to a geopolitical vision that links social spaces in Europe to territories off the continent on a geographical continuum of security threats. It goes without saying that this geographical vision borrows more than a detail or two from French colonial history.

Roughly following the path prepared by the U.S. neoconservatives under Bush junior, the Hollande government entrenched a trend that took off under Sarkozy: using terrorism and insecurity to justify military intervention abroad. As Fabrice Tarri and Thomas Noirot have pointed out, anti-terrorism and national security serve strategic purposes in French efforts to re-legitimate and deepen its presence in Francophone Africa and beyond. After the Cold War, this presence had come under increased scrutiny and has since faced competitive pressures from the USA, China and the Gulf states, among others.

In 2014, operation Bharkane , which spins a web of military bases and new secret military assistance contracts across and beyond the Sahel region (including Mali, Chad, Niger, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso), consolidated and made permanent the previous operations Serval and Sangaris on the assumption that the war against terrorism has no time limits. Serval and Sangaris were originally defended in public as strictly time-limited and punctual military campaigns.

Bharkane and its predecessors were buttressed with laws that further insulate military personnel engaged in official or secret foreign missions from legal challenges (in December 2013) and that broaden the surveillance powers of the secret services (in May 2015). The urgency of these measures was made clear when journalists revealed that President Hollande, too, orders extrajudicial killings of French citizens abroad.

Bharkane helped expand and deepen Francafrique , the neocolonial economic, military and political relations that tie France to many of its former African colonies. Francafrique plays a strategic  and unapologetically aggressive  role within the superordinate U.S. imperial networks in Africa. Indeed, as Claude Serfati has pointed out, a revamped Francafrique shapes European Union policy on security, defense and foreign affairs in Africa and beyond. More broadly, this is also true for Frances military industry, which has benefited from Hollandes militarism in the form of expanding defense budgets and rapidly increasing arms exports.

As in the case of the State of Emergency, the Hollande governments approach to international affairs did more than passively reproduce initiatives undertaken under Sarkozy. One can say, following Mathieu Rigoustes argument, that they have actively strengthened the branches of the military, the police, and the interior ministry (as well as the arms industry) most committed to counterinsurgency doctrines. In so doing, they also help recreate the very grounds  war, imperialism, neocolonial state racism  upon which terrorism can grow.

Part 2: A Most Catastrophic Presidency

A Most Catastrophic Presidency

The cases discussed so far speak to Etienne Balibars verdict of the Hollande Presidency as one of the most catastrophic ever. Balibars point is not that Hollandes record is objectively worse on all grounds than that of right-wing governments in the past (or, for that matter, the future). He does however insist on the disastrous implications of Hollandes contributions to the vitality, the hegemony even, of the traditions that define counter-revolutionary France.

Balibars main focus is on Frances role in the European Union. Hollande failed to act as a counterweight to Germany in the EUs austerity-driven economic regime (and the brutal structural adjustment regimes imposed on Southern Europe, Greece above all). He also effectively contributed to the vilification of refugees as a threat to the EU. After reintroducing national border controls in 2015, France refused to make more than a minimal contribution to the EU refugee intake system, thus undermining Chancellor Merkels then statements against the rapidly spreading idea of closing the doors entirely on the refugees arriving on the continent.

In 2012, Hollande promised not to rock the boat. At the end of Sarkozys frantic right-populist term, which was shaken by mass mobilizations against pension reform, an 8-month strike by workers without status, and a string of scandals, Holland presented himself as a normal President with a few pragmatic promises: a moderation of austerity, a stop to the haemorrhage of plant closures, a strategy to ramp up housing construction, voting rights for immigrants with status, and a policy that would force police to give out receipts when checking peoples identity.

Except for a penal reform that includes provisions for restorative justice and the gay marriage law, which survived right-wing mass mobilization, most of these promises were abandoned or watered down. Hollande responded to economic stagnation, low rates of private sector investment, and electoral setbacks by replacing ministers in charge of key portfolios with others committed to a combination of law and order, anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant racism, and economic liberalism. Most important among these: Manuel Valls, who was promoted from Interior Minister to Prime Minister in 2014, and investment banker and committed neoliberal Emmanuel Macron, who replaced Arnaud Montebourg as Minster of Economy and Industry in the same year. A sort of Socialist Sarkozy, Valls has made a career out of whipping up hysteria about Roma camps, undocumented migrants, radical labour activists, and the threat Islam poses to (his conception) of the French republic.

The Valls government became increasingly preoccupied with insulating itself from internal opposition: those Socialist and Green deputies that took issue with its strategy to all but close ranks with the right on matters of security and economic policy. To discipline their own deputies, the government invoked article 49.3 of the constitution to force the passage of two bills that faced the most internal dissent: the Loi Macron (which deregulated professions, the transportation sector, and restrictions on Sunday shopping in 2015) and the Loi El Khomri (the labour law reform that faced mass resistance from March to September 2016).

To say that the Hollande administration abandoned the working classes, as Balibar does, is not an exaggeration. Next to its obsession with security, war and Islam, it followed supply-side economic policies: reducing employer contributions and corporate taxes, entrenching budgetary constraint, supporting the marketization of public services, and encouraging various forms of labour-market flexibility. These could not but reinforce the highly uneven, deeply racialized and polarizing effects of capitalism in austerity mode. Here are some examples:

The total number of unemployed, under-employed and precariously employed people, continued to rise during the Hollande years. Despite increasing arms exports, plant closures and the decline of industrial jobs continued also, albeit at a slower rate than under Sarkozy. Rates of poverty are still higher than in 2008, with the number of people in deep, structural poverty also on the rise.

According to the latest report by the Fondation Abbe-Pierre , inadequate housing conditions are endemic in French society. About 15 million inhabitants (23% of the population) experience one or several of the following conditions: difficulties paying housing charges, overcrowding, couch-surfing, a lack of proper heating, inadequate sanitary conditions, or outright street-level homelessness.

, inadequate housing conditions are endemic in French society. About 15 million inhabitants (23% of the population) experience one or several of the following conditions: difficulties paying housing charges, overcrowding, couch-surfing, a lack of proper heating, inadequate sanitary conditions, or outright street-level homelessness. Social housing authorities and the French state continue to produce social housing and mandate all except the smallest municipalities to having a minimum of 25% social housing in their total housing stock. However, these measures have not been sufficient to meet the Hollande governments social housing production targets. Fewer and fewer units with high subsidy levels get produced. Waiting lists for social housing keep growing.

The number of people facing housing evictions keeps growing. In 2014, a law encouraging private rental housing construction and imposing moderate forms of rent control and tenant protection was finally passed. It was however watered down in substance and in geographical scope in the face of protracted opposition from property owners and the real estate industry.

As far as citizenship and migration are concerned, the numbers of immigrants acquiring citizenship under Hollande rose again after a sharp drop at the end of the Sarkozy Presidency. There was a very modest increase in the number of migrants without status who were regularized. Deportations of migrants without status continued to rise until 2014 before they dropped to levels before the 2012 election.

Irrespective of these numbers, Hollande and Vallss record on migration and citizenship will likely be remembered for a range of actions that helped entrench racialized fears and divisions in France: failing to meet the modest target for refugee intake agreed to by the EU, the decision to dismantle refugee camps (notably those in Calais and Paris), and their proposal to strip dual citizens convicted of terrorism of their French nationality. Long advocated by the Front National , this latter proposal was abandoned only after internal opposition and legal hurdles appeared on the scene.

Under a Cloud: the 2017 Electoral Campaign

The early phase of the Presidential campaign has confirmed the disastrous nature of the Hollande years. In light of record-low approval ratings, Hollande himself decided not to run for a second turn. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron quit the government to run for President as an independent. Manuel Valls lost the Socialist Party primary against Benoit Hamon, the Education Minister who left Valls cabinet within a year of being appointed and then joined those opposing various planks of the Valls-Hollande legislative programme from within the Socialist caucus in Parliament.

The Hollande-Valls alignment with crucial neoliberal and right-wing principles was an act of cannibalism perpetrated on the Socialist Party and its allies. So far, this has benefited the hard right, not the far left. Hamon has concluded an electoral agreement with the Greens but not with Jean-Luc Melenchon, the former leader of the Front de Gauche (an alliance between the Communist Party, the Parti Radical de Gauche , and Ensemble ). Melenchon is running his own left-populist campaign with little concern for the components of the Front de Gauche and separate from smaller left parties like the Nouveau Parti Anti-Capitaliste .

Two months before the election, the Presidential campaign is volatile. So far, it is largely dominated by right and far-right candidates: the frontrunner Marine Le Pen from the National Front; Emmanuel Macron (who positions himself as a centrist even though he has close links to big capital and promises to deepen the neoliberal strategies he championed while in government), and Francois Fillon (Sarkozys Prime Minister and Republican candidate of the big bourgeoisie who runs on a Thatcherite programme and is supported by the Catholic far right).

Should the right or extreme right win the Presidential election in May (and the subsequent Parliamentary elections in June), they will be in an enviable political position. Not only because of the Hollande Presidency but due to more than two decades of shifting social and political forces and many rounds of experimentation in security-oriented state intervention, the distinction between what Nicos Poulantzas called authoritarian statism (creeping authoritarian dynamics within a formally liberal democratic capitalist state) and an exceptional form of state is more blurred than ever in a generation. While this fact attests to the deepening of contradictions, not the monolithic solidification of power in our conjuncture, it also opens institutional and ideological paths toward explicit authoritarian rule.

The point Chris Hedges made about the USA before Trumps inauguration (that basic elements of an authoritarian police state are in place) also applies to France. A recent Amnesty International (AI) report identifies the leadership role of France in the trend toward legal regimes of exception (and the increasingly common idea that Europe faces a perpetual emergency because of terrorism and migration). With reference to the European Union, thus without having to mention Turkey, Russia and the Ukraine, AI underlines the relative ease by which right nationalist or neo-fascist governments may push existing states into an explicitly post-democratic direction. In the EU, this is what is currently happening in Hungary and Poland.

An Anti-Fascist Political Constellation?

In his short essay After Trump, Robin D.G. Kelley insists on the urgency of building anti-fascist capacities by deepening, in non-sectarian fashion, networks of existing struggles. There is no space here to discuss the actors that may yield such a counter-constellation in

France. One can, however, highlight a few basic priorities that will survive the outcome of the spring elections: (1) countering the consolidation of an authoritarian state; (2) foregrounding the struggles of those most immediately affected by authoritarian state intervention (migrants, non-white residents, Muslims, activists facing repression); (3) refusing to separate these struggles from mobilizations against neoliberal austerity and precarity, and (4) embedding this constellation in broader European and international(ist) efforts and strategies. 

Stefan Kipfer is currently on sabbatical leave in France.
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.




Bamako (Mali), March 4, 2017 (SPS)  The 11th Ordinary Congress of the Organization of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU), held in Bamako, Mali, has expressed its solidarity with the struggle of the Sahrawi people for self-determination and independence.

The Congress welcomed, in a recommendation, all international, United Nations and African Union resolutions in favour of a fair and lasting solution to the Western Sahara conflict.

The recommendation called on the United Nations to speed-up the settlement process in Western Sahara. (SPS)

062/090/TRA




There is a limited number of Standardbreds that have won a pari-mutuel race at the age of 15, but now Prime Time Bliss is one that can boast such an accomplishment.

On Friday night (March 3), 15-year-old pacer Prime Time Bliss won the fourth race at Fraser Downs for trainer Terry Burstyk and owner Debbie Burstyk of Surrey, B.C.

Prime Time Bliss faced five rivals at least six years younger in the fourth race for $3,000 claiming pacers. Driven by Jim Marino, the old-timer cleared to the lead at the :27.4 opening quarter after leaving from the outside post position over a sloppy track and cruised through middle fractions of 1:00 and 1:29.4 en route to the victory in 2:00. Race favourite Procrastinatinpeat chased one length behind in second and the wide-rallying Imn Seventh Heaven rounded out the top three finish order.

Sent postward as the second-longest shot on the board at odds of 9-1, Prime Time Bliss rewarded his fan following with a win payout of $21.70.

"I was too happy to talk for a few minutes after he won. We are so proud of him," Terry Burstyk told Trot Insider. "He can be tough when he makes front, but you never know. He kind of does his own thing, he takes care of himself and that's why he's still around and he loves it. Jim Marino has won around 20 races with him over the years -- the most wins on any one horse he has driven."

Prime Time Bliss was victorious in his fifth start of the year and now boasts 59 career wins and earnings totalling $331,403. The son of Blissfull Hall out of Armbro Knots took his lifetime mark of 1:52.2 at Mohawk Racetrack in the summer of his four-year-old campaign and later that year headed to Western Canada, where he has been racing ever since. For the past five years, Prime Time Bliss has been with the Burstyks, who have claimed back their pet pacer on two occasions.

According to Standardbred Canada records, the only other horse that has won a pari-mutuel race at Fraser Downs as a 15-year-old is Sharp Control 16 years ago. The Abercrombie-Whitsends Vision gelding was a 2:01.2 winner on January 7, 2001 with Rick White driving for Katherine and Michael Jary.

In British Columbia, Standardbreds can compete in a pari-mutuel race until the end of their 15-year-old year before facing mandatory retirement.

"I think he is going to stand at stud in B.C. soon, but he does love the life as a racehorse," said Burstyk of future plans for Prime Time Bliss, who is well known around the stables. "I think he will miss it and we will miss him as he is a little noisy in the barn plus he is still real sound."

To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.
In recent years China has become the epicenter of international attention. Politicians, businessmen, scholars, journalists, students and ordinary citizens are interested in knowing more about a country which is becoming slowly but steadily an economic and political superpower. To understand China from a Western perspective is a relatively difficult task for two main reasons. First, most Westerners tend to analyze the country from their geographical perspective. And second, China has its own governance model and different priorities they are not familiar with.

In order to improve their knowledge on China, Westerners should pay closer attention to its domestic structure and developments. The two sessions, namely the annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) for instance, which are taking place these days, are highly significant. Their comprehensive interpretation can contribute towards a better understanding of the country. This is not only about its political structure but also about its future policies at the national and international level.

To start with, the NPC and CPPCC sessions of this year take place at a critical juncture during which China is encountered with unprecedented international challenges. The beginning of Donald Trump's presidency might entail the creation of a gap Beijing could possibly explore to fill.

In particular, the opposition of Trump to globalization  as highlighted by his decision to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)  leaves China as perhaps the most powerful supporter of this process of interconnectedness globally. But the Chinese leadership needs to carefully monitor how Washington will act in the short and medium-term before taking new initiatives apart from promoting the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and integration in the Asia-Pacific region.

Furthermore, this year marks the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). During the two sessions, information on China's defense budget will be released only a few days after Trump asked the Congress for a $54 billion increase in military spending. Also, the 45th U.S. President has said that he would increase his country's military presence in the South China Sea and aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson has been already deployed there. For its part, Beijing is in the process of modernizing and strengthening its defense sector and is not prepared to abandon its patriotism.

Concentrating on the economy, this year's NPC and CPPCC sessions are certainly connected to the course of China's economy. The so-called "New Normal" has already yielded the first positive results in creating conditions for a long-term sustainable growth. In that regard, data about the rise of consumption are optimistic.

According to China's former Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng, consumption has become the primary driver of China's economy since 2014, contributing 64.6 percent to the country's GDP growth in 2016, up 4.9 percentage points in comparison to 2015. Also, growth rates are stable, vacillating between 6.5 and 7 percent in a period during which world financial uncertainty  especially in the eurozone  is a nightmare.

And China significantly contributes to the world economy via its international investments, many of which are placed in the context of its Belt and Road initiative. President Xi is expected to evaluate this strategy, reveal new plans and also present more details about the relevant international forums he will organize in Beijing in mid-May.

Additionally, the two sessions will offer useful insights on critical internal issues. These include the fight against corruption which has been one of President Xi's most urgent priorities. Although progress has been impressive and $1.2 billion recovered according to the People's Daily, new measures will be shortly announced to bring more transparency at the national and regional sectors.

From another perspective, methods for the election of deputies to the 13th NPC from Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions are expected to be decided and the general provisions of civil law to be reviewed.

Last but not least, this year's two sessions can be considered as a precursor of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to take place this autumn. Their symbolism and substance are subsequently apparent.

More can be written about NPC and CPPCC sessions after their closure. However, as long as decisions are being drafted and announcements are being prepared, the world can better approach China's governance and its government's agendas. Westerners are allowed to disagree with the process. But they have to respect it.

George N. Tzogopoulos is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/GeorgeNTzogopoulos.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
Last years election season stirred discussion around an idea that, for decades, has ended up dead in the water  hiring a Cowlitz County administrator.

The administrator would take over day-to-day operations that now fall on the commissioners. Though the idea has its skeptics, supporters say an administrator would save money in the long run, improve efficiency and allow commissioners to focus on big picture issues.

Commissioners in the past month have discussed it, and a new group of prominent citizens have lobbied to send a home-rule charter to voters that would include the change.

I just see the tremendous value that the city manager provides Kelso, said David Futcher, Kelso mayor, who started the group a few months ago with Kalama Councilwoman Rosemary Siipola. If we had to run the city ourselves, I just would feel bad for the city.

And the change is supported by county staff, said Kris Swanson, Cowlitz County auditor. She said high turnover among commissioners leaves the county with a lack of continuity or long-term vision, presenting a challenge to employees.

Swanson said hiring a higher-level administrator or manager would be an investment.

Were a $200 million operation. ... Weve got very talented department directors, dont get me wrong. That missing link is someone steering the ship, Swanson said. Were doing the best we can, but Im telling you, we can do better.

The new hire could happen through one of two options. Commissioners can approve the new hire on a vote, or voters can adopt a new home rule charter that would take longer and require elected freeholders.

If commissioners chose to bring the issue forward at a commissioners meeting, it would currently have an uncertain split vote.

Commissioner Dennis Weber said he supported the move last year, while Commissioner Arne Mortensen said he promised he wouldnt grow government and opposes it.

I know theres no taste for that out on the street, Mortensen said. If I were to tell my constituents, By the way, were hiring a county manager, there would be some very unhappy people.

He said he also has concerns about using the administrator as a way to circumvent the Open Public Meetings Act, which prohibits any two commissioners from discussing most county business outside of the public meeting (Two commissioners form a quorum of the three-member board.)

An administrator would need the guidance of commissioners and could coordinate among them.

Others see hiring an administrator as an advantage. In an interview last year, Weber said the inability to talk to staff to get reliable information was frustrating and cumbersome.

Commissioner Joe Gardner said he wants more information before he decides whether he would support it.

I think we have to do our homework to make sure, is it good for Cowlitz County? I dont have an answer for that, Gardner said. We arent heading down a specific path at this point.

Weber could not be reached for comment Friday. He was one of the elected freeholders who created a home rule charter in 1998, which failed with 54 percent of voters opposed.

The county has voted on the charter twice in the past 50 years, and it went down in flames both times, Weber said in an earlier interview.

With a home rule charter, freeholders from all three of the countys districts would be elected to propose changes to the countys governance, draft the charter and put it to the voters. A charter in 1971 would have made four county positions appointed instead of elected officials and changed the board from three full-time commissioners to seven part-time members.

Weber has said he thought the freeholders tried to change too much in 1998 when the home rule charter failed. Futcher believes this time around, voters can be better educated and the process wont be rushed.

Mortensen said a home rule charter seems impractical when voters have already shot it down.

We will have gone through all this effort and expense, Mortensen said. The process just doesnt make any sense.

Cowlitz commissioners also hired a county administrator without approval of a home rule charter in May 2001. But commissioners removed the position and laid off the administrator just a year later due to budget cuts, according to the Office of Financial Management.

Futcher said thats one of the reasons his group favors a home rule charter, under which the position would be protected and taken more seriously. But he also wants another change  having at least five county commissioners, so that two can talk to each other and have a quorum of three.

Futcher said he and Siipola formed the group looking for people who would cross the political spectrum and had different backgrounds. Their group includes Brian Magnuson, Don Lemmons, Teresa Purcell and Ron Marshall.

Its not a partisan thing. Its not an ax-to-grind kind of thing, Futcher said. People from many different walks of life could see that we would benefit from professional management.

Of the 39 counties in the state, 17 of them have some higher-level administrative position for the county, according to the Washington State Association of Counties. Seven of them passed a home-rule charter, including Clark County in 2014.

Eric Johnson, executive director of the state Association of Counties, estimates the position would have a salary range of about $100,000 to $150,000 annually.

A few counties have reduced commissioners salaries when hiring a county administrator. That can only be done through a home rule charter, since commissioners cant vote to reduce salaries for their current terms in office.

Clark County, for example, reduced their commissioners salaries by half, Johnson said. Cowlitz County commissioners currently get paid salaries of $80,700.

Swanson said handing day-to-day administrative work to a county executive would give more time to focus on the big picture. For example, she said, commissioners should be spending more time in Olympia during the legislative session.

The county commissioners, theyre elected to be a leader, not a manager, and theres a difference, she said. I think its the right decision to make at this point, and it has been for some time.

The high turnover among commissioners has especially been a challenge, Swanson said. According to the Association of Counties, only 15 percent of county commissioners have been re-elected since 2008. The vast majority either retire or get ousted.

Mortensen said it shows citizens think commissioners arent doing their jobs, but he does not necessarily believe that hiring an administrator would be the solution.

Theres no evidence that adding another layer of administration has solved any problems, he said.

But Futcher said commissioners dont necessarily have the background or expertise to know how to manage a county. He estimates that City Manager Steve Taylor saved Kelso $250,000 a year just by negotiating with unions to provide more reasonably priced health insurance when Taylor first started.

Johnson said a home rule charter can provide a broader look into how the citizens want their government to be structured.

Thats a real positive thing to engage your citizens in that process. Its very powerful and it has worked in a number of those jurisdictions, Johnson said.

This is really a decision for an individual community to make, he added. The three commission form of government can work. Theres no magic organizational chart for a county.
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tech2 News Staff

WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging app meant to ease the means of communication and connectivity between people. It has been in the limelight for introducing many new features. But despite its usefulness and new features, the app has become the centre of an investigation. According to a report in Mid-Day, WhatsApp was used to leak the question paper of Secretarial Practice 13 minutes before the exam was scheduled to start.

This is the second time WhatsApp has been used to leak a question paper with the first leak reported two days back when the question paper for the Marathi exam in the Higher Secondary Certificate exam was leaked. The State Board confirmed the leak and lodged a complaint with Mumbai police. One thing to note is that according to the report, the students are expected to enter the hall 30 minutes early so it is highly unlikely that they could access the leaked question paper.

The complaint was registered under Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board and other Specified Examinations Act. The report further pointed out that a third question paper was leaked. But the leak for this question paper happened at 11:01 am, which is after the exam started. Because of the delay, the board did not lodge the complaint against this leak.
IANS

The Trump administration is expected to begin rolling back stringent federal regulations on vehicle pollution that contributes to global warming, marking a U-turn to efforts to force the American auto industry to produce more electric cars, a media report said. The announcement - which is expected as soon as Tuesday next week and will be made jointly by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Scott Pruitt and Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao - will immediately start to undo one of former President Barack Obama's most significant environmental legacies, the New York Times reported on Friday.

Trump is also expected to direct Pruitt to begin the process of dismantling the Clean Power Plan, Obama's rules to cut planet-warming pollution from coal-fired power plants. The regulatory rollback on vehicle pollution will relax restrictions on tailpipe emissions of carbon dioxide and will not require action by Congress. It will also have a major effect on the United States auto industry, the daily said.

Under the Obama administration's vehicle fuel economy standards, American automakers were locked into nearly a decade of trying to design and build ever more sophisticated fuel-efficient vehicles, including electric and hybrid models. The EPA will also begin legal proceedings to revoke a waiver for California that was allowing the state to enforce the tougher tailpipe standards for its drivers, the New York Times reported.

On February 21, a coalition of the 17 largest companies that sell cars in the US sent two letters to Pruitt, asking him to revisit the tailpipe rules. They complained about the steep technical challenge posed by the stringent standard, noting that only about 3.5 per cent of new vehicles are able to reach it. That even excludes some hybrid cars, plug-in electric cars and fuel cell vehicles, the automakers wrote.

The automakers estimated their industry would have to spend a "staggering" $200 billion between 2012 and 2025 to comply and said the tailpipe emissions rule was far more expensive for the industry than enforcing the Clean Power Plan. Former Obama administration officials and environmentalists denounced Trump's expected announcement.

"The rest of the world is moving forward with electric cars. If the Trump administration goes backward, the U.S. won't be able to compete globally," said Margo T. Oge, a former senior EPA official. The tailpipe pollution regulations were among Obama's major initiatives to reduce global warming and were put forth jointly by the EPA and the Transportation Department. They would have forced automakers to build passenger cars that achieve an average of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, compared with about 36 miles per gallon today.
PLEASE NOTE!

Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
'Australian economist says China to remain engine of world economic growth in a decade'

Xinhua, Canberra :

China has managed its economy better than expected and will still be the engine of the world's economic growth in the next ten years, a leading Australian economist said during an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

China did better than some commentators have suggested it might do, said Peter Drysdale, head of the East Asian Bureau of Economic Research and East Asia Forum, the Australian National University (ANU).

"China is still the engine of global economic growth. Even if China does not do quite as good it was doing at the moment, it will remain as an important source of global growth," he said.

"China accounts for about 40 percent of the world's income growth. That's likely to continue this decade, not necessarily that high proportion, but a major proportion," he said.

The Australia-China Joint Economic Report led by Drysdale suggests that China will add more global income output than all of the other major economies in East Asia, including Japan, South Korea, India, and Southeast Asia, over the next period.

Despite a better-than-expected economic performance in 2016 and a good start so far for 2017, Drysdale said that toward the end of the year, there probably would be more bites in China on the reform front "in order to navigate that transition of Chinese economy that will see China's high-mid income status to a more advanced economic structure."

Admittedly, China has to be prepared to confront many reform challenges and "that's why engaging externally in the reform process through RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) can help China carry those reforms through at home," he said.

Drysdale, recognized as the leading intellectual architect of Asia and Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), is a strong advocate of RCEP and just returned from the latest round of RCEP negotiations in Japan last week.

"Clearly in U.S. and Europe, there is a popular push against openness," he said, "(but) an open global economy that's multilaterally based is very important to East Asian economies because they are so dependent on international trade to achieve a higher level of income."
Body recovered in Tangail

BSS, Tangail :

Police recovered the slaughtered body of a man from Uttar Tarutia area in Sadar upazila on Saturday morning.

The victim was Harun Khan, 35, son of Samad Khan, a resident of khoila-nayapara village under kalihti upazila of the district.

Being informed, police rushed to the spot and recovered the body from a bank of a river of the area, said Abdur Razzak, sib inspector of Tangail Sadar Police Station.

Later the body was sent to Tangail Medical College Hospital morgue.

Harun went out from his house on Friday evening and did not return.

Some miscreants might have chopped and slaughtered Harun to death over previous enmity, the officer said.






China's premier rules out Taiwan, Hong Kong independence

China\'s Premier Li Keqiang attends the Chinese People\'s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) as attendants serve tea at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China.

AFP, Beijing :

China will firmly oppose Taiwan "separatism", Premier Li Keqiang declared Sunday, following tension with US President Donald Trump over the island, and said Hong Kong independence moves would "lead nowhere".

"We will resolutely oppose and contain separatist activities for Taiwan independence," Li said in a speech opening the annual session of China's rubber-stamp National People's Congress.

"We will never tolerate any activity, in any form or name, which attempts to separate Taiwan from the motherland."

Trump raised eyebrows following his November election victory with a protocol-busting telephone conversation with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen.

He later threw doubt on the "One China" policy-a tacit acknowledgement of China's claim to the self-ruled island-suggesting that the decades-old diplomatic formulation was up for negotiation, which drew protests from China. Li, however, extended the usual cautious olive branch across the Taiwan Strait, saying China would continue efforts to increase linkages with the island, which have included rising cross-strait investment, daily direct flights and increased tourism between the two territories. "People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should keep in mind the greater interests of the nation", and work towards the "reunification of China".

In Hong Kong, fears have grown that Beijing is increasingly interfering in the governance of the semi-autonomous financial hub, sparking calls by some activists for self-determination or even independence.

Such calls have riled Beijing, and Li shut down any hope of Hong Kong independence.

"The notion of Hong Kong independence will lead nowhere," he said.

Li's annual report to the highly choreographed congress is akin to a state-of-the-nation address highlighting key government priorities for the year, which are then typically parroted in subsequent delegate meetings.

China is deeply suspicious of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, whose ruling Democratic Progressive Party espouses the island's formal independence, a red line for Beijing, which has cut off an official dialogue mechanism with Taipei.

Tsai says she wants peace with China.

"We will never tolerate any activity, in any form or name, which attempts to separate Taiwan from the motherland," Li said in a report available before he delivered an annual address to China's top legislature. China will protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity while safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Li said.

Defeated Nationalist forces fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war to the Communists. China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, viewing it as a wayward province.

In 2014, hundreds of students occupied Taiwan's parliament for weeks in protests known as the Sunflower Movement, demanding more transparency and fearful of China's growing economic and political influence on the democratic island.

Chinese jets and warships carried out exercises near Taiwan and into the Western Pacific on Thursday, as Taiwan's defense minister warned of a growing threat from its giant neighbor.

Li also said the notion of Hong Kong independence would lead nowhere, and Beijing would ensure that the principle of "one country, two systems" is applied in Hong Kong and Macao "without being bent or distorted".

Hong Kong, a former British colony, returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula, granting it extensive autonomy, an independent judiciary and rule of law for at least 50 years.




Japan`s emperor in Thailand to pay respects to late King

AP, Bangkok :

Japanese Emperor Akihito arrived in Bangkok on Sunday to pay his respects to the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, following a weeklong trip to Vietnam aimed at winning support against Chinese expansionism.

The monarchies - two of a handful remaining in Asia - have maintained close ties. Bhumibol first visited Japan in 1963, touching off a decades-long friendship with numerous visits back and forth, most recently a visit by Akihito to Thailand in 2006.

Akihito, accompanied by his wife, Empress Michiko, was to lay wreathes and sign a condolence book at the Grand Palace in Bangkok before meeting with King Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, who ascended the throne after the death of his widely revered father in October.

The emperor's two-day visit to Bangkok comes as Thailand tilts closer to China, Japan's main rival in East Asia.

Thailand and Japan have traditionally enjoyed close relations, unburdened by the legacy of World War II that has complicated Japan's relations with other Asian countries. After a brief struggle, Thailand formally became Japan's ally through much of the war, suffering little of the destruction wrought on others like China, Myanmar and the Philippines.

But following a 2014 coup, Thailand's Western allies cut back on assistance, pushing the country's ruling military junta closer to Beijing.

"The visit is symbolic of Japan's interest in boosting Japanese-Thai relations at a time when China seems to enjoy favor in Bangkok," said Paul Chambers, research director at the Institute of Southeast Asian Affairs.

China frightens many in Southeast Asia with expansionist policies in the South China Sea. But China's claims do not clash with Thai territorial waters, paving the way for friendly relations.

The 83-year-old emperor is Japan's constitutional head of state, a role symbolic rather than political. However, his trips often serve to bolster relations with nations friendly to Tokyo.

The emperor's itinerary has been packed with visits across Southeast Asia, a move aimed at shoring up a regional bulwark against China. Vietnam, which has sparred with China over territorial waters, rolled out the red carpet for Akihito's visit last week. In January 2016, the Japanese imperial family visited the Philippines, which also has disputes with China, paying its respects at a World War II memorial.




Pistol, bullets stolen from police residence



The stolen pistol and bullets of a Sub-Inspector of Khulsi thana of CMP yet to be recovered despite passing of four days of its stealing . Mentionable that one 7 bore pistol alongwith 16 round bullets of SI Hasan Ali of Khulsi thana was stolen from his Alfalah Galli residence in city on Wednesday last in the morning . In connectin, SI Hasan Ali lodged a FIR before the thana on Friday.

Case No.03/17. Khulsi thana Officer incharge Sheikh Nasir Ahmed told that the family of the Sub Inspector went to their native village and hence the residence was vacant . Sub-Inspector Hasan went to Thana for duty on Wednesday 5 pm leaving the arms allotted to him in the residence and returned residence on next day at 9 pm after performing night duty on Wednesday and found that the arms and bullets were stolen from the residence. Deputy commissioner of Police(North) Md.Abdul Warish told the media that a case under arms robbery was filed with the concerned thana and conducting drives vigorously to recover the arms .


CCCI exchanges views with Iraqi diplomats

CCCI President Mahbubul Alam speaking at a view exchange meet with Md Salman Hamd, Iraqi Charged\'Affairs in Bangladesh at WTO office chamber on Friday.



Iraqi Charged'Affairs in Bangladesh Md.Salman Hamd paid courtesy call on President of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry at WTO office chamber on Friday evening. Among others vice consul of Iraq Omar Hashim, Embassy official Ali Md. Awad, Secretary General of SAARC Human Rights Foundation Moulana Md. Javed Ali and the

Chittagong chamber leaders were present during the meet. CCI President Mahbubul Alam welcomed the visiting diplomats at WTO office for their visit in World Trade centre.He said the importance of Chittagong is more significance in global arena considering its location. He also apprised them with the increasing investment in different private sectors in the port city. Chamber president emphasized the access of Bangladeshi products like readymade garments, drugs, ceramic products, jute and jute goods, leather and frozen foods in Iraqi market for promoting bilateral trade between the two friendly countries. Iraqi Charged 'affairs mentioned as Bangladesh is the role model of development and Bangladesh is a very popular country to the people of Iraq. He also stressed the need for promoting bilateral trade through visiting the WTO by the Iraqi chamber officials in coming days. Later the visting Iraqi team visited WTO and Permanent Export Exhibition Hall in WTO complex, sources said.


Tribunal blasts prosecution for negligence



The International Crime Tribunal (ICT)-1on Sunday came down heavily on the prosecution for its negligence in dealingwith a crimes against humanity case against former Jatiya Party lawmaker MA Hannan from Mymensingh and seven others.

The prosecution pleaded for allowing them to correct address ofKhandaker Golam Rabbani, a fugitive, in arrest warrant issued againsthim in 2015.

Prosecutor Tapas Kanti Baul submitted the plea as the conductingprosecutor Sultan Mahmud Simon was absent at the court at the time.

"The arrest warrant was issued in 2015, police has informed you aboutthe mistake but you did not bother to bring the matter to the court'sattention. Advertisement has been published for his appearance orsurrender already based on that wrong address. Do you think thegovernment has abundant money that it can afford to waste it," JusticeMd Shahinur Islam asked.

"We are seeing it there is an attempt to take the case haywire from the very start. Even the conducting prosecutor is not present here," Justice Md. Shohrowardi said.

In the meantime, prosecutor Sultan Mahmud Simon entered into the courtroom and sought unconditional apology for the mistake.

"No apology. Go and file a plea to issue a warrant afresh admitting your negligence," Justice Shahinur added.

Justice Anwarul Haque, chairman of the three-member panel of the ICT-1, then adjourned the hearing of the case till April 18.

Apart from Hannan, the other accused in the case are Hannan's son Rafique Sajjad, 62, Khandakar Golam Sabbir Ahmed, 69, Mizanur Rahman Mintu, 63, Hormuj Ali, 73, Mohammad Abdus Sattar, 64, MohammadFakruzzaman, 61, and Khandakar Golam Rabbani, 63. Of these, Fakruzzaman, Sattar and Rabbani are still on the run.
Trump`s threat to the free world`s hope

NOT even three months into the presidency, the much anticipated populist and radical vision of US domestic and foreign policy has raised the burning question - whether the United States can any longer lead the free world or not. Apparently, for decades, the United States had actively cooperated with other Western democracies to boost world trade, spread prosperity, and fight totalitarianism by setting up a whole alphabet of organizations like the UN, the EU, the WTO, and the IMF. In many cases it succeeded while in many cases it failed, but sincere efforts to promote liberal political viewpoints never stopped. But the new US President is about to evidently bring the core values of the free world crashing down by raising tariffs barriers, criticizing the EU and NATO, castigating allies while offering remarkably consistent praise for the reactionary Russian leader Vladimir Putin.



This change is not only unprecedented but also an audacious attempt to establish a new world order based on extreme populist belief, hostile foreign policies and racism ultimately leading to a global division. A clear example in this regard is the Trump administration's standpoint on Muslims and also the so-called Islamic State or ISIS. Without a hint of doubt, Mr. Trump has been painting the two with the same brush, whereas, one is a religion of peace while the other is a terrorist organisation without any official recognition of any independent state. Moreover, his detestable attempt to combat terrorism by loathing innocent Muslims of several countries from entering his country also conveys a dangerous message - the world's only official super power which so far have championed to endorse tolerance, democratic values, secularism while ensuring to practice all religious beliefs - is finally about to take an alternate destructive course. We expect the Americans to realise - it is not only the American hope for the free world that is at stake, but also the collective international dream for the free world is fast sinking.



There are enough reasons to fear that with the continuity of more hostile executive orders Mr. Trump may directly threat global peace. His sudden announcement for an alarming rise in US defence budget by as much as 10 percent is a clear indication of potential military conflicts to take place around the Middle East and South-China sea regions. Following this particular announcement China too has increased its defence budget by 7 percent straight. Russia and European powers are likely to follow suit. Such unanticipated increases in defence budgets have already given rise to a geo-political tension sending shockwaves across the globe.



We also mark how the Russian leadership meddled in the last US elections while deeply influencing Mr. Trump to resort to more nationalist policies. This is straightaway unacceptable. Thinking deeply, the Russian attempts are also meant to indirectly tarnish the spirit of over six-decade old free-world thinking.



Nevertheless, in a very meaningful democracy like America all hope is yet not gone. We believe, the general public who brought Trump to office can also stop him from harming free-spirited and free-thinking American people, but in the global stage countries like Germany, France, UK and also China should be united to thwart the Trumpisation of the vile populist global politics.



That said, the bottom-line is - Mr. Trump must be stopped from causing harm to the US and to the free world by subverting great American ideas of humanity and freedom. It is more than clear that President Trump is a close ally of Russia.






Trump supporters rally across country

Clashes, arrests in some locations

Anti-Trump protesters try to take a large piece of wood away from a Trump supporter at a rally for President Donald Trump at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park in Berkeley, Calif., Saturday. Internet photo

From Colorado's state Capitol to Trump Tower in New York and the Washington Monument, groups of hundreds of people rallied for President Donald Trump on Saturday, waving "Deplorables for Trump" signs and even carrying a life-size cutout of the president.

Chelsea Thomas, an accountant from Thornton, Colorado, brought her family to the March 4 Trump rally in Denver - and the life-size cardboard cutout of Trump. She said the family has taken it with them on camping trips, boat rides and a country music festival.

"It's nice to be surrounded by people who share your morals and opinions," said Thomas, as her son walked back and forth across the grass with a Trump flag.

Many in the crowd held American flags or wore red, white and blue and held signs with messages like "Veterans before Refugees." Police in Berkeley, California, say 10 people were arrested after Trump supporters and counter-protesters clashed during a rally that turned violent and left seven people injured. None of the injured was hospitalized.

A dagger, metal pipes, bats, pieces of lumber and bricks were confiscated, police said.

Six people protesting the rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol and fled, police said. About 400 people attended the event, and about 50 showed up to protest it. In Nashville, two people were arrested as protesters clashed with Trump supporters at the Tennessee Capitol. In Olympia, Washington, the state patrol says four demonstrators were arrested at a rally in support of Trump, KOMO-TV reported. Authorities did not say if the people arrested were pro-Trump or anti-Trump. The station reports that the demonstrators are accused of assaulting a police officer.

Near Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach Post reported that people on both sides exchanged profanity. Trump's motorcade briefly stopped so he could wave at supporters. In Ohio, Trump supporter Margaret Howe, 57, of Pataskala, said she increasingly fears civil war.

"We did not want to have something like this happen," she said, adding, "We came out today because Trump deserves to see he still has people for him. It's just all sad."

A group of counter protesters gathered nearby, separated from the rally by police tape. They chanted "No Trump. No KKK. No fascist USA" and held signs with messages like "Your vote was a hate crime."

Hundreds gathered in rallies on both ends of Pennsylvania to show support for Trump.

Supporters waved signs and flags and listened to speeches during Saturday's "Spirit of America" rally in Bensalem's Neshaminy State Park in eastern Pennsylvania's Bucks County.

"They love their country and they love what Donald Trump represents, which is about making America first," organizer Jim Worthington said. In northwestern Pennsylvania, the Erie Times-News reported that about 100 people gathered at a square in downtown Erie for a similar demonstration. "We've got to get the whole country united behind this man," said Richard Brozell, 75, who along with his wife braved the mid-20s temperatures and stiff wind chill to attend In Augusta, Maine, more than 100 people turned out for the event that was supposed to last three hours, but ended early because of freezing temperatures.

In Miami, supporters continued a rally while sipping espressos outside a Cuban restaurant, the Miami Herald reported. At a North Carolina rally, speakers said the dishonest media and left wing politicians were bordering on sedition in their opposition to the Republican president. Some men were seen walking through the Raleigh crowd carrying a Trump flag as well as a Confederate flag. Gathered just behind the rally was a handful of protesters, some of whom blew air horns in an attempt to disrupt the event.

"We're gonna take our country back and we're gonna establish borders and have legal immigration and law and order," said Cherie Francis, of Cary, North Carolina.

In Indianapolis, about 30 Trump supporters rallied at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis to denounce what they see as unfair treatment of the Republican. A local organizer, 61-year-old Patty Collins, of Indianapolis, said Trump's critics "aren't giving him a chance."

Trump supporters turned out Saturday in Phoenix. Media outlets reported that several hundred people participated in the Phoenix event held on a lawn at the State Capitol.

In Texas, Austin police say about 300 people rallied in support of Trump in a gathering outside the Capitol during rain. Organizer Jennifer Drabbant said there have been so many protests against Trump that she and others wanted to show there are people who support him.

Scores of people have rallied in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in a show of support for Trump. The Virginian-Pilot reports around 200 Trump backers showed up Saturday for the event at a park. Some held American flags and others wore "Make America Great Again" hats and Trump T-shirts.

In Lansing, Michigan, about 200 Trump supporters rallied on one side of the state Capitol while 100 critics gathered on another side. "Agree with President Trump or not, he is our president, and I think what I see happening in D.C. and with the Democrats - it can't stand," said Gary Taylor, 60.
AL trashes US report on HR situation



Awami League on Sunday turned down the US State Department's report on Bangladesh's human rights condition, saying the situation is far better here in many cases than that of in the USA.

"We reject the US State Department report as the human rights condition in Bangladesh is far better what it is in the US," said AL Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Hasan

Mahmud. Speaking at a press conference at party President Sheikh Hasina's Dhanmondi political office, he also said, "More people-more than double-are being killed in the USA every day than Bangladesh on average. So, think about your country's human rights condition and make report on it instated of analysing our human rights condition."

The ruling party leader also said the report tried to criticise the way Bangladesh government controlled militants. "Bangladesh is much more successful than the US in curbing militancy."

Mahmud said, many people are being killed in police firing in the USA while police in Bangladesh is only forced to fire back when terrorists attack them. On Friday, the US State Department in its 2016 Country Reports on Human Rights Practice said Bangladesh's the most significant human rights problems were extrajudicial killings, arbitrary or unlawful detentions, and forced disappearances by government security forces; the killing of members of marginalized groups and others by groups espousing extremist views.

Mahmud also talked about Finance Minister AMA Muhith's remark praising the role of microcredit and Dr Muhammad Yunus in eradicating poverty, saying it is neither a statement of the government nor of Awami League's. "It's his personal opinion." "The Finance Minister sometimes makes such comments and withdraws those later. He may withdraw this as well," he observed. Asked whether a responsible minister can make such a comment against the party's stance, Mahmud said it has demonstrated the beauty of Awami League's internal democracy. "The Finance Minister's remark manifested that there's democracy within our party and all can express their views in our party."
DU student handed over to police for shibir links

DU Correspondent :

A student of Dhaka University (DU) was handed over to police on Saturday suspecting his support for the Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS).

The student identified as Imran Hossain, a 2nd year student of Library Science and Management Department and a resident of Surya Sen Hall.

BCL Surya Sen Hall unit General Secretary, Nahid Hasan Saheen, told The New Nation that Imran had connection with Chhatra Shibir for a long time. ``He confessed it to us when we asked him'', said the BCL leader.

``We have got some documentary evidence also in this regard. After that we handed him over to the police by the Proctorial team'', he said.

Surya Sen Hall Provost Professor A S M Maksud Kamal told The New Nation that a 2nd year student was handed over to police for his support for Islami Chhatra Shibir.

Officer-in-Charge of Shahbagh Police Station, Abul Hasan, told The New Nation that the University authority handed over a student to us. Proper measures will follow the investigation.


Patients bear the brunt

Intern doctors' strike continues: More medical colleges join

Staff Reporter :

Patients continued to suffer across the country as the strike called by the intern doctors went on for the fourth day on Sunday.

The interns at different medical college hospitals continued their strike protesting the suspension of four interns of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital (SZRMCH) in Bogra over the assault of a patient's relative.

On Sunday, more government and private medical college hospitals including Chittagong Medical College Hospital and Mymensingh Medical College Hospital joined the strike.

Patients at most government medical college hospitals will have to bear the brunt of the strike action as the intern physicians yesterday threatened not to return to work until the authorities cancel the suspension order against their four fellows of SZRMCH.

"I came to the hospital with a lot of difficulty but after reaching here I was informed that the interns are on strike again today (Sunday). In this rift between the doctors and the patients, the patient always becomes the victim. They should at least ensure separate arrangements for patients in such a situation," a patient told journalists at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.

Besides Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, intern doctors at other medical colleges in the country also staged demonstration and formed human chain yesterday supporting the cause of the interns' strike in SZMCH of Bogra.

The patents' relatives alleged that no doctors are coming to the hospital. "We have not been able to get any medicines or care. Our patient, admitted in last month, is in a critical state," a relative of a patient admitted to a Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH) in Barisal said.

They said the admitted patients are not receiving proper care and attention due to the ongoing strike.

Interns at SZRMCH started their work abstention on Thursday protesting a Health Ministry directive suspending their four fellows -- Dr Nurjahan Binte Islam Naz, Dr Md Ashiquzzaman Asif, Dr Md Kutub Uddin and Dr MA Al Mamun -- for six months.

Later, interns at several medical college hospitals in Rajshahi, Barisal and Sylhet expressed solidarity with the strike of intern doctors and went on work abstention.

In Mymensingh, the intern doctors staged demonstration and formed human chain from 12:00noon to 1:00pm demanding immediate withdrawal of the suspension order of the four Bogra interns.

In Chittagong, the intern doctors of CMCH held protest rally and formed human chain from 12:00noon to 1:00pm demanding immediate withdrawal of the suspension order of the four Bogra interns.

Rashedul Islam, President, Intern Doctor Association of CMCH, said they began strike from Sunday and they will continue their programme if their demands are not met.

In Sylhet, interns at different medical college hospitals -- Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, Ragib-Rabeya Medical College Hospital, Northeast Medical College Hospital and Sylhet Women' Medical College Hospital --- started their work abstention on Saturday, demanding withdrawal of the suspension order of the four Bogra interns.

In Barisal, interns at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH) in Barisal also began the strike from Saturday noon.

In Rajshahi, interns at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) abstained from work from Saturday morning to push for the same demand.

According to hospital sources, Alauddin Sarkar, 60, of Konagati in Sirajganj, was admitted to the hospital at midnight. Soon after his admission, Alauddin's son Rauf locked into an altercation with an intern over switching on a fan.

At one stage of their argument, the intern called his colleagues, took Rauf to a separate room and beat him up. Later, the agitators locked the emergency unit of the hospital and went on an indefinite strike, citing that they were insulted by Alauddin's relatives.

Patients at the outdoor department of SZRMCH have been suffering badly as the interns continued their work abstention for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday.

The interns formed a human chain on the hospital campus around 10:00am yesterday demanding their security at workplace.

The 'outdoor departments' of all the hospitals across the country also remained shut from 11:00am to 12:00pm yesterday.
Kidney diseases spreading alarmingly

About 2 crore patients in BD

Reza Mahmud :

The kidney diseases are spreading alarmingly in Bangladesh. Experts said that about two crore people of our country are suffering from this problem.

"The kidney diseases are spreading alarmingly in our country. There are about two crore people suffering from different types of kidney diseases," said Professor Dr. MA Samad, Founder and President of Kidney Awareness Monitoring and Prevention Society (KAMPS), and Chief Consultant and Head of Kidney Disease Department of Lab Aid Specialised Hospital in Dhaka.

He said, as the treatment is costly, most of the patients cannot afford it. As a result, a good number of patients die every year, about 40 thausand, in Bangladesh. He stressed on awareness instead of treatment to check the death rate.

"If we are conscious, it is possible to save lives of kidney patients by about 50 to 60 percent. Healthy life style and early treatment are a vanguard against immature death," Professor Dr. MA Samad said.

He also said, a man may remain safe from kidney diseases by walking for 30 minutes a day, avoiding fat foods and eating fruits and vegetables regularly.

Sources said, the treatment of kidney diseases is costly in our country. The dialysis in a private hospital amounts to Tk 3500 to Tk 5000 each time. The poor people are unable to bear the costs. The experts said, in most of the cases the kidney diseases are not healed, adding 60 to 70 percent kidneys are found damaged before identification.

Professor Dr. Harun Ur Rashid, the Chairman of Kidney Foundation said, "There are only 96 centers in our country for kidney dialysis. The number is fewer considering the number of patients in our country. Eighty thousand patients have no access to the dialysis facility. So, the government and private hospitals should take initiatives to reduce dialysis cost."

Experts said, obesity is a potent risk factor for the development of kidney disease. It increases the risk of developing major risk factors of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), like diabetes and hypertension. The obesity also has a direct impact on the development of CKD and end stage renal disease (ESRD).

In the case of individuals affected by obesity, the kidneys have to work harder, filtering more blood than normal (hyper filtration) to meet the metabolic demands of the increased body weight. The increase in function can damage the kidney and raise the risk of developing CKD in the long-term. They also blamed the unplanned urbanization for obesity. They said that the city appears congested considering the population.


Demolition of BGMEA building

SC dismisses review plea

Staff Reporter :

Demolition of BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association) building is only a matter of time.

The Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday dismissed a petition seeking review of its judgment that upheld a High Court (HC) verdict for demolishing the BGMEA complex.

A three-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC headed by the Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order after two days' hearing.

The apex court, however, asked the BGMEA authorities to submit an application in the Appellate Division seeking time for demolishing the building by Thursday. The SC will pass the further order on that day.

BGMEA's lawyer Barrister Imtiaz Moinul Islam told reporters that the building must be demolished but the SC will give some time to the BGMEA authorities for demolishing the structure.

BGMEA will seek a three-year time for the demolition, the lawyer said.

A four-member bench of the SC headed by the Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha rejected the appeal petition filed by the BGMEA on June 2, 2016.

The SC on November 8 last year released the full text of its verdict in which the apex court upheld the HC judgment that ordered BGMEA to immediately demolish, at its own cost, the 15-storied building constructed illegally on the Begunbari canal and Hatirjheel Lake.

Otherwise, Rajuk will do it within 90 days of receiving the order and realise the cost from BGMEA, it said.

On December, 2016, President of the BGMEA filed a petition seeking review of the Supreme Court judgment.

On April 3, 2011, the HC verdict ordered the government to demolish the building within three months, saying it was built on land acquired through forgery and filled with earth illegally.

According to the documents of the case, an English daily published a report on the BGMEA building on October 2, 2010 saying that the building was built without permission of the Rajuk.

Later, a SC lawyer brought the report to the attention of a HC bench. On October 3, 2010, the HC issued a rule as Suo Moto about the building.

On April 3 in 2011, the HC bench of Justice A H M Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Justice Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain declared construction of the BGMEA building illegal.

The Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division on April 5 in 2011 stayed the HC judgment following a BGMEA petition. Later, the time period was extended several rounds.

The HC released the full text of its verdict on March 19 in 2013. The BGMEA authorities filed leave to appeal petition on May 21 on 2013. After hearing the SC rejected the leave to appeal petition on June 2 in 2016.

The SC said in its full verdict that although both site and environment clearance certificates were required for the commercial building, the "petitioner failed or did not care to obtain" the certificate.

No commercial establishment can be set up without the environment clearance from the Department of Environment as stated in Section 12 of the Environment Conservation Act 1995 and Rule 7(4) of the Environment Conservation Rules 1997, it said.

Since the water bodies "never belonged to the petitioner, at any point of time", the construction violates "Section 5 of the "Joladhar Ain, 2000" as well as Sections "6(Uma)" and 12 of the Environment Conservation Act 1995", it observed.

The apex court said the two natural water bodies, mentioned in Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan, Vol-II (urban area plan of 1995-2005), drain one-third of Dhaka city's storm and waste water and retain some rainwater for recreational opportunities.

Any commercial building changing the water bodies' nature and character in violation of "Joladhar Ain, 2000" is unlawful and violates Environment Conservation Act 1995, it said. Also, the Export Promotion Bureau has no right to allot the property, it added.

Moreover, the HC order was "well reasoned and based on proper appreciation of facts and circumstances as well as the law", it said.


PM leaves for Jakarta today

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves Dhaka for Jakarta today on a three-day official visit to Indonesia to attend the Leaders' Summit in Commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).

The IORA is an international organisation consisting of 21 coastal states bordering the Indian Ocean.

During the visit, Sheikh Hasina will also hold bilateral meetings with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena. "A Biman Bangladesh Airlines VVIP flight carrying the premier and her entourage members will take off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka for Jakarta on Monday morning," PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told BSS. The flight is scheduled to land at Halim Pardana Kusuma International Airport, Jakarta at 3pm local time. Bangladesh Ambassador to Indonesia Major General Azmal Kabir and representatives of the host government would receive the prime minister at the airport.

After the reception at the airport, a ceremonial motorcade would escort Sheikh Hasina to Hotel Shangri-La at Central Jakarta City, a special capital region of Jakarta, where she will be staying during her visit to Indonesia.

On the first day of her tour, the Bangladesh premier would attend the Leaders' Welcoming Dinner at the Plenary Hall of Jakarta Convention Center (JCC). On Tuesday, Sheikh Hasina will join the opening ceremony of the summit at the Assembly Hall- 3 of the Jakarta Convention Center in the morning.

She will later attend the opening session of the summit on "Adoption of the Agenda and Programme of Work".

The opening session would be followed by two sessions-one on the Summary of Reports and another on "Adoption and Signing of the outcome document of the Summit". The Bangladesh prime minister will join both sessions. Sheikh Hasina will attend the general debate on "Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for a Peaceful, Stable, and Prosperous Indian Ocean Rim" and deliver her statement in the event.

She will join the social lunch for the heads of delegation and hold bilateral meetings with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena. She is expected to attend the closing ceremony of the summit. After concluding her three-day visit, Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to depart Halim Pardana Kusuma International Airport, Jakarta for Dhaka 10.30 am Indonesia time on Wednesday.

The Biman flight carrying the premier is scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka in the afternoon (BST) the same day. Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, PM's Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque and PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, among others, will accompany the prime minister during the tour. Besides, a 60-member business delegation, headed by FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmed will accompany her. Indonesia, as the current chair of IORA, will host the first-ever IORA Leaders' Summit on March 5-7 in Jakarta under the theme "Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for a Peaceful, Stable, and Prosperous Indian Ocean".

The summit will bring together the leaders of the 21 IORA member states and its 7 dialogue partners as well as other special invitees and guests for promoting cooperation and closer interaction among them.

It is expected to be a "game-changer" for regional cooperation in the Indian Ocean, and in keeping with the challenges that the region faces, aims to forge a revitalized and sustainable architecture in multi-dimensional engagement. The summit is set to propose on adoption of strategic outcome documents entitled the "IORA Concord" and the "IORA Action Plan" as well as the "IORA Declaration on Countering Violent Extremism leading to Terrorism". These strategic documents reflect IORA's vision for the future.

The organisation was first established as the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative in Mauritius in March 1995 and was formally launched on 6-7 March 1997 by the conclusion of a multilateral treaty known as the Charter of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation. The members of the forum are Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the UAE and Yemen.

The forum has seven dialogue partners. They are China, Egypt, France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the USA.

The coordinating secretariat of IORA is located at Ebene, Mauritius.
BD records lowest remittance in recent yrs

Expatriate Bangladeshis have remitted $936.2 million in February, the lowest in a month in last five years.

The previous record low was $900 million in November 2011.

The downward trend began late last year when the monthly flow of remittance dropped below the $1 billion mark in November and December last year to $951 million and $958 million respectively, according to remittance data updated by the Bangladesh Bank released on Thursday.

The remittance increased to a little over the mark of $1 billion in January but dropped again in February.

The amount of remittance Bangladesh received in February last year was more than $1.13 billion. The amount received the same month this year is 17.6 percent less than that of last year's February.

The remittance received in the first eight months (July-February) of the fiscal year also dropped by 17 percent.

The expatriates remitted $8.11 billion in the period this financial year, a drop from $9.77 billion the same period in the last fiscal.

Worried about the downward trend of remittance flow, Finance Minister AMA Muhith has blamed the 'weakened economies' of Middle-Eastern countries where the most expatriates live and work.

"The oil prices have not increased much. So, the workers there are earning less. The salary of many working there has dropped; many have lost jobs. That's why the flow of remittance has dropped," he said. Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) research director Zaid Bakht told bdnews24.com that "devaluation of foreign currencies like British pound, euro, Malaysian Ringgit, Singapore Dollar to US Dollar for the drop in remittance."

"Because of the currency devaluation, we are getting less in Bangladeshi taka against the earnings of our workers' in these countries," he said. The central bank is also concerned over the issue.

After several meetings with the commercial banks, it has decided to send two delegations to the Middle-East, Singapore and Malaysia to investigate the situation. In 2016, the expatriates sent home $13.61 million in 2016, which is 11.16 percent less than $15.32 billion of 2015. Bangladesh saw the downward trend in remittance for the first time in 2013. The expatriates sent $13.83 billion that year, a 2.39 percent drop from 2012.

The flow of remittance grew by 7.88 percent in 2014. The amount was $14.92 billion that year. The remittance flow grew again in 2015; by 2.68 percent.

Finance Minister Muhith, in a recent report placed in Parliament on implementing the budget in the first quarter of 2016-17 fiscal year, said the number of Bangladeshis sent abroad for work from December 2015 to June 2016 was significant, but it could not help improve the remittance situation.

He said, the flow of remittance 'may have dropped' due to slow recovery by the developed countries from the economic recession, drop in oil prices leading to the economic standstill in the Middle-East and devaluation of US dollar against Taka. According to him, 58 percent of the remittance Bangladesh receives comes from six Middle-East countries. "I hope the flow of remittance from these countries will normalise when the oil prices get normal," he said.
The Undead Archives

I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world.
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Lake Hallies K-9 officer, Kita, went around the vehicle in the parking lot of a Lake Hallie business and didnt like the smell of things.

The German shepherd, which will mark its second anniversary this month with the police department, registered a hit on the vehicle that had been stopped for equipment violations at 7:24 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28.

Officers eventually searched the vehicle. A Chippewa County sheriffs log said officers found methamphetamine, meth paraphernalia and a large amount of cash.

Neither the driver nor the passenger would claim ownership of the contraband, so both were arrested.

Having a police dog has its advantages. Stanley Police Chief Lance Weiland would like to have the same advantage in his community.

Weiland will take a proposal to start a fundraising drive to get a K-9 officer to Stanleys Police and Fire Commission, Finance Committee and City Council in a series of meetings that start at 6 p.m. Monday at the citys fire station.

Were really looking for the OK to fundraise, Weiland said.

Ideally, enough money would be donated to pay for a new squad car and equipment to accommodate a K-9, plus training for the dog. Weiland said a new squad and equipment would cost about $35,000, and training could cost anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000.

Weiland said he does not want to add to the tax burden on city residents and would instead raise the money needed for the project.

He said a K-9 would be useful for Stanley and its surrounding area.

Theres a drug problem in Chippewa County and surrounding communities, Weiland said. With its powerful smelling ability, a K-9 can perform find drugs like no human can.

The only thing that effectively enforce that is the use of a K-9, Weiland said.

In Lake Hallie alone, there were 55 drug-related calls for village police during July, August and September last year.

Weiland said he doesnt believe there is a drug problem at Stanley-Boyd Schools, but a K-9 could perform checks if necessary.

Theres also a state prison in Stanley, and a K-9 could be used to detect any drugs in the prison.

Courts have ruled that checks of vehicles are time-sensitive, which is important if officers on the eastern side of Chippewa County have to call in K-9 Kita from Lake Hallie. Having an K-9 in Stanley would ease that concern.

Lance Johnson, a Stanley City Council member, said last week he hadnt seen the proposal from Weiland and looked forward to the presentation Monday.
Paris, TX (75460)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
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.
Hamilton Memorial Hospital McLeansboro Family Clinic has announced that Laura Devous, FNP, will join its team, according to a news release from the hospital.

Before coming to Hamilton Memorial, Devous practiced at Ferrell Hospital in Eldorado.

In McLeansboro, Devous' practice will include a full-range of family medicine including well-women exams and womens health care. She will begin seeing patients on March 7 and her office hours will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

The McLeansboro Family Clinic also offers extended hours Monday through Friday until 6 p.m. and welcomes walk-ins. For more information or to make an appointment, call 618-643-2988.

 The Southern
Ely Lambert, of Vienna, a Modern Woodmen of America managing partner, has earned membership in Modern Woodmens Managing Partner Round Table, according to a news release from the organization.

The distinction recognizes outstanding leadership and is based on high achievements in life insurance sales. Membership in Modern Woodmens Managing Partner Round Table is limited to the top managers nationwide.

Modern Woodmens local office is located at 408 E. Vine St. in Vienna. For more information, call Lambert at 618-339-5339.

 The Southern
Cornerstone Cabins owner Josh Brown says that one of the great things about the 2017 Solar Eclipse is that its a little bit like a dress rehearsal  it'll happen again in 2024.

This means that while facing the great unknown this year, businesses can be certain they will learn from the successes and mistakes. And then businesses can grow to put on an even better showing seven years from now.

For many, this will be the first time visiting Southern Illinois, so the question then is two-fold is  how can the region provide an awesome experience for visitors when they are here, and what can happen to retain them as regular, returning guests?

Experts in the tourism industry have been working on some answers to these questions and have put together some suggestions for best practices in receiving our guests.

Cinnamon Wheeles-Smith of Carbondale Convention and Tourism Bureau suggests that great customer service and southern hospitality are key.

Roll out the red carpet for every person as this may be our only chance to make them a repeat visitor," she said. "Let your business shine, and do what you do best. You may be at capacity through the duration of the weekend, but if customers can see you are doing everything you can, they will come back.

She also recommends that businesses be honest about their capacity.

If your business can only accommodate 50 people, don't try to serve 60," Wheeles-Smith said. "Recommend other great businesses to the other 10.

Shannon D. Johnson of the Williamson County Tourism Bureau offered many ways to provide excellent service to visitors, ensuring they have a good experience, and consider Southern Illinois a place they would love to further explore.

There are many ways to do this," Johnson said. "For instance, we are suggesting that restaurants offer a limited menu focusing on specialty items to allow them to serve more people in less time. Retailers are encouraged to have special sales during the long weekend, and venues are encouraged to offer an event that is both family-friendly and reasonably priced.

Johnson said the Williamson County Tourism Bureau is also asking their business partners and communities to be patient when going about their normal schedules and patronizing local businesses during this time.

We know commuting and getting through lines will take a little longer, Johnson said.

Cindy Cain, executive director of the Southernmost Illinois Tourism Bureau, suggested grocery stores and merchants stock up on inventory and certain supplies. Items related to personal hygiene and time spent outdoors will see a lot of use. This means paper towels, and shampoo, but it also means sunscreen, bug spray, hats, sunglasses as well as eclipse viewing glasses, and things like batteries, phone chargers and flashlights.

She also suggested businesses make appropriate provisions for safety, first aid, trash disposal and training staff.

We also want to provide fair and quality pricing, receive our guests with goodwill, and be helpful and polite," Cain said.

People should want to return for the people, as much as for the beauty.

Brown is reminding businesses to have a good selection of local maps and tourism publications.

It's up to us to help introduce people to the things we love about our area, and not just rely on planned activities," he said. "We can make a big difference in those people returning to become regular visitors to our community.

Directions to nearby gas stations, ATM machines, hospitals and houses of worship would also be a good thing to have prepared. Businesses can contact their local tourism or city government offices to what brochures and maps they already have available.

Its never too early to start stocking up.
Visitors from all over the world will soon be collecting in Southern Illinois for a few minutes of darkness. No, Im not talking about Ozzy Osbourne. Of course, like the rest of this months SBJ, Im talking about the 2017 solar eclipse that will have its longest point of duration right here in Southern Illinois.

Make no mistake, while these visitors wont be physically here for another 174 days, that doesnt mean they arent already here.

You may be asking, But Nathan, how can someone in London be here already? The eclipse isnt until August.

The answer: the internet.

What once took a phonebook, a map or a willingness to risk a bad restaurant or crummy hotel room now takes common internet access. Visitors are already visiting Southern Illinois through their computer screens and smartphones. Visitors are already sampling the food through reviews and pictures and theyre requesting rooms with softer or stiffer pillows. Visitors are pre-planning their driving routes, and when they get to Southern Illinois, their navigator is just a button away.

Visitors sure as heck are not using a phone book.

What these visitors are using is TripAdvisor, Facebook and a plethora of other digital resources that will set expectations that we, as a region, need to be ready to fulfill when these visitors arrive. For business owners in the hospitality industry, this means tidying up your digital storefront before visitors start walking through your actual storefront. This means representing your business accurately online so when visitors do walk through your front door their expectations are met, not mauled.

Now that you know the concept of why, lets talk about how.

Start by searching your business. Regardless of what search engine you personally prefer, search your business on Google. With more than two-thirds of search traffic in the U.S. occurring through Google, it is the undisputed search champion. Additionally, Google offers a lot of free tools to help your business be a champion. Sign up for Google My Business and make sure all of the information for your business is accurate. Are your operating hours correct? Is that address your actual address? Is the first picture you see when you search your business one that best represents your facility?

If your answer to any of these questions is no, then take 20 minutes and claim your listing. Also, and I hear the opposite of this from clients all of the time, answer Googles telephone call and follow their instructions. When Google calls its usually for your benefit, not to sell you something.

Once youve got your Google listing claimed, start focusing on the listing that come up first when you search your business. If Yelp is the first link that displays when you search your business, but theres not a TripAdvisor link until the second search page, its best to focus on Yelp first, but dont forget to claim your listing on all of the premier listing sites you can think of. While some visitors will be searching using broad sweeping search engines, others will use the site they already belong to to plan their trip. Its is important for you to be organized and presentable on all of these sites because of this.

Finally, after youve claimed these business listings and filled them with accurate information that represents your business honestly, its time to show activity. If youre using Facebook, make sure youre posting often enough that visitors to your page will know that youre open. Even though your hours may say youre open, if youve not posted since March 2016, visitors may assume that youre closed and not visit.

You should also be monitoring customer communications with your business that use any sites that display your business information. You dont have to respond to these reviews or comments if you do not feel confident in your abilities to politely engage your customers, but if you regularly update review sites and other sites that display your business information then visitors will know that youre monitoring your online presence and that you are (hopefully) working to fix any shortfalls that may be outlined in customer reviews or comments.

As a bonus, there are many tourism sites that are providing business listings. Get in touch with Williamson County, Southernmost or Carbondale tourism bureaus and ask about what listing services they have available to local businesses. Some may cost money, but some of these tourism organizations offer services that will cost your business nothing out-of-pocket.

These arent just listings, theyre opportunities. They will not only help your business, but our region. Like the old saying goes, a rising tide lifts all ships.
EAU CLAIRE  When Zach Halmstad looks at the under-construction Confluence Arts Center, the software entrepreneur sees more than a performing arts building.

He sees a big part of the future of downtown Eau Claire.

This is economic development through the arts, said Halmstad, who launched Jamf Software in the early 2000s with a couple friends and has since led its growth to 600 employees, 10,000 customers and eight offices worldwide.

The story of Jamf and the renaissance of downtown Eau Claire has flowed together, much like the confluence of the Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers in that western Wisconsin city of 64,000 people.

It has come to symbolize what can happen when a city builds on its indigenous strengths to attract and retain the talent needed to compete in a modern economy.

Halmstad was part of a Feb. 28 panel discussion on the UW-Eau Claire campus, where he earned a music degree, along with three other entrepreneurs who represent the citys rebirth as a tech and arts hub.

They talked about the role of the $45-million Confluence project, which will include a performing arts center, a recently opened student housing center and more, courtesy of a combination of public and private investment.

In part because Confluence was envisioned five years ago, Eau Claires downtown also includes Jamfs Wisconsin headquarters, the renovated Lismore and Oxbow hotels, other commercial buildings and an array of shops and restaurants in a part of the city that was almost left for dead.

My hope is that it continues to grow, Halmstad said of Eau Claires core. Our downtown doesnt look today like it did five years ago, and I hope five years from now it doesnt look like it does today in a positive way.

Music is a big reason why the city is hitting the right notes. The Chippewa Valley region hosts five music festivals each summer that attract tens of thousands of visitors from around the world. It is also home to about 20 bands that have won national awards  including Grammy-winning Bon Iver  a number of recording studios and an acclaimed music program at UW-Eau Claire.

Few cities in Wisconsin can lay claim to that kind of music tradition, but other cities can build on their own strengths as places to live, work and play.

Cool cities are hot cities when it comes to company and job creation. While many people think thats largely a big-city phenomenon, it has increasingly become true for mid-sized and even small cities.

Wisconsin is a state of mid-sized cities. Only Milwaukee and Madison rank among the nations 100 largest cities, but Wisconsin boasts a dozen cities with 50,000 or more people and many more that are large enough to stand out as economic magnets in their counties or regions.

Although Wisconsins population continues to expand, its civilian workforce is flattening out and may even decline by 2035, according to state Department of Workforce Development estimates. In part, thats because the states population is aging, but Wisconsin must also do a better job of attracting and retaining young workers  primarily those in their 20s and 30s.

After being told repeatedly he couldnt build a software company in Eau Claire, Halmstad proved the skeptics wrong by offering a creative work environment and by promoting the region as an attractive place for young people to live.

Its a formula that is working in other mid-sized cities such as Appleton and Beloit, where downtown revivals are underway.

Why are cities of all sizes important? In 47 of 50 states, including Wisconsin, they generate the majority of all economic output. In Wisconsin, cities of 50,000 or more account for 73 percent of the states jobs.

Those cities must become magnets for talent in order for Wisconsin to compete. While the state loses some of its homegrown talent to other states, studies show an even bigger problem may be its failure to attract people from beyond.

Cool cities of all sizes can help with that challenge  not only in bringing home those who left Wisconsin, but in appealing to people elsewhere. Its not just about brats and cheese in the emerging battle for talent, but computer bytes and culture.
CARBONDALE  Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute is hosting a one-day conference on March 10 to examine fair school funding in Illinois.

A recent report of the Illinois School Funding Reform Commission, appointed by Gov. Bruce Rauner, will be examined during the conference, which is from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Student Center. Speakers will include lawmakers who have been part of the commissions deliberations, along with state and national experts on the subject.

Paul Simon called attention to problems caused by the states over-reliance on property taxes to fund its K-12 schools when he was first elected to the Illinois General Assembly in the 1950s, Jak Tichenor, interim institute director, said. Sixty years later, per pupil spending still varies wildly between the states poorer and wealthier districts as a result. We welcome all residents, parents, teachers, school administrators, and students to learn about the Commissions roadmap to finally fix the way we fund our schools.

This conference is free and the public is invited. A complimentary continental breakfast and coffee will be available. A catered lunch and an all-day parking pass are available for $23 at the time of registration, but are not required. Other lunch options are available in the Student Center.

The conference will feature the following sessions:

8:45 a.m.: Illinois K-12 Funding in Comparison to Other States  Daniel Thatcher, program principal for the National Conference of State Legislatures. Thatcher tracks statewide education finance developments and Common Core State Standards implementation and legislation.

9:45 a.m.: Evidence-based Model Presentation  Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Budget and Tax Accountability. Martire will outline his organizations analysis of the potential benefits of the Evidence-Based Model of school funding under consideration by the Illinois Commission on School Funding Reform. EBM is designed to identify the level of funding needed to deliver an adequate education to every student in a state.

11 a.m.: Illinois Commission on School Funding Reform Panel Discussion. An in-depth discussion by members of the bi-partisan commission tasked by Gov. Rauner to make recommendations to the General Assembly to revise the states school funding formula. Featured panelists include: Illinois Secretary of Education Beth Purvis, state Sens. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, and Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, and Brent Clark, executive director, Illinois Association of School Administrators.

1:30 p.m.: A Users Guide for Budget Development Utilizing the Evidence-Based Model of Education Funding. Features a panel discussion of school superintendents led by Brent Clark, executive director, Illinois Association of School Administrators. The discussion will provide those attending with information they will need to develop their first years budget if the state adopts the Evidence-Based Model to fund K-12 schools. Panelists include: Gary Kelly, Du Quoin Community Unit School District; Steve Murphy, Carbondale Community High School District, and Steve Webb, Goreville Community Unit School District.

Five professional development hours will be available for school administrators and teachers, sponsored by the universitys Department of Continuing Education and Professional Development. Five continuing education credits will be available for social workers and licensed counselors, sponsored by the Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development and the SIU School of Medicine.

For more information and to register online, visit paulsimoninstitute.siu.edu/event-information/illinois-school-funding-fairness.php or call Leslie Brock, SIU Conference and Scheduling Services, at 618-536-7751 to complete registration by phone.
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To the Editor:

The strong storm that passed through Ottawa and nearby communities earlier this week is a grim reminder of natures destructive power.

Victims will soon begin rebuilding damaged property. Sadly, it is not uncommon for unscrupulous builders to offer assistance following these types of incidents. The Illinois Insurance Association urges residents to be on the alert for scam artists posing as legitimate building contractors.

Illinois Consumer Protection Against Storm Chasers Act protects citizens from those who would prey on them following a natural disaster. The law applies to storm-related repairs linked to insurance settlements. Contractors are prohibited from rebating or waiving the policy deductible, and cannot represent or negotiate on behalf of the homeowner in the claim process. In addition, contractors must make homeowners aware of their right to cancel the repair contract and provide the appropriate form.

Property insurance helps policyholders cope with the financial burden that comes with rebuilding, repairing, and replacing storm damage. However, homeowners insurance is not designed to pay for every loss situation. This can put the homeowner in a difficult situation, especially if he or she has already signed a repair contract.

The Storm Chasers Act allows homeowners to cancel the repair contract within five business days of receiving a denial letter from the insurance company. It also obligates the contractor to return the homeowners advance payment, less emergency repair costs.

Roofing contractors must also include their name and license number on bids, contract, building permits, commercial vehicles, and advertisements. In addition, Illinois roofers cannot lease their license numbers to out of state roofing contractors.

Storm victims can protect themselves from scrupulous contractors by consulting with their insurance agents and adjusters. It is best to work with a familiar builder or one recommended by the insurer. Residents that believe they have been approached by someone engaging in a deceptive practice should contact the local States Attorneys Office.

Kevin J. Martin

Executive Director,

Illinois Insurance Association
One of the revelations of 2016 was a brand called Jas Sum Kral (JSK) Cigars. The company was founded by cigar enthusiast, Riste Riatevski. After being disappointed with many cigars on the market, Riatevski set out to create his own cigar that would satisfy him. That cigar turned out to be a Habano offering known as the original Jas Sum Kral (also called the Red Knight). With some success under his belt and pressure to beat the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)s deadline, Riatevski set out to round out his portfolio with an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade offering and Connecticut Broadleaf offering.  resulting in the Jas Sum Kral Zlatno Sonce and Jas Sum Kral Crna Nok respectively. Today I take a look at the Connecticut Broadleaf offering  the Crna Nok in the Toro size. The good news is that Riatevski continues on an upward trajectory with his brand as he brings another excellent cigar to market.

When Riatevski set out to create his brand, he had to decide on a factory to produce his cigar. For the original Jas Sum Kral, Riatevski decided to work the Noel Rojas and Brandon Hayes New Order of the Ages (NOA) factory located in Esteli, Nicaragua. For both the Zlatno Sonce and the Crna Nok, Riatevski continues to partner with the NOA factory.

Without further ado, lets break down the Jas Sum Kral Crna Nok Toro and see what this cigar brings to the table.

Blend Profile

In addition to the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, the Crna Nok uses a Mexican binder that Riatevski refers to as Mexican Candy. There is Nicaraguan tobacco in the filler including Piloto Cubano and Corojo 06.

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Binder: Mexican

Filler: 99 Ligero Piloto Cubano, Corojo 06

Country of Origin: Nicaragua (Tabacalera NOA)

Vitolas Available

Crna Nok is available in two sizes. Each size is available in 20 count boxes of 5 count packs.

Robusto: 5 x 50

Toro: 6 x 52

Appearance

The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper of the Jas Sum Kral Crna Nok Toro was on the thick side. It had a dark coffee bean color to it. Upon closer examination, some darker marbling could be seen on the surface. While there was also some oil not the wrapper, I did find this Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper to have somewhat of a rougher feel not the surface. There are also visible veins and thin wrapper seams on the surface. The cigar also has a closed footer.

The band is highlighted by a black and gold color scheme. At the center of the band is a black shield with the initials JSK in a classic style gold font (the J and S are stacked on top of each other with a larger k to the right). Above the shield is a gold crown. Below the shield is a gold ribbon with a black colored strip on it. That strip contains the text JAS SUM KRAL in gold font. Two gold lions surround the shield to the left and right. The remainder of the band contains mostly gold and black adornments. The text Handmade is on the left side of the band while the text Nicaragua blends in on the right side  both in gold font. To the far right is a small gold medallion with the JSK logo etched on it that serves as a band fastener.

Preparation for the Cigar Experience

Prior to lighting up the Jas Sum Kral Crna Nok Toro, I went with my usual choice of a straight cut. Once the cap was removed, I commenced with the pre-light draw. Despite the closed footer, I found the Crna Nok Toro to still deliver a nice amount of flavor on the dry draw. This included a mix of coffee and earth notes. Overall I considered this to be a very good pre-light draw. At this point I was ready to light up the Crna Nok Toro and see what the smoking phase would have in store.

Flavor Profile

At the start of the Jas Sum Kral Crna Nok Toro, I detected more of the coffee and earth notes that I encountered on the pre-light draw. I also detected a healthy dose of white pepper. During the early stages, I didnt find there was a dominant note. At the same time, I did find the white pepper prominent on the retro-hale with a little more of the coffee notes mixed in.

The coffee notes eventually surfaced to the forefront early on.There were times the coffee notes had a little bit of what I term a Chock Full O Nuts urn quality. This is what I describe as a slight burnt component. I also found a slight sweet component mixed in as well as an underlying creamy texture. This resulted in some nice balance among the flavors. All of this I considered positive qualities to the flavor profile. Meanwhile the earth and pepper notes were close background notes.

During the second third of the Crna Nok Toro, I found the earth notes mixed in with the coffee notes. While the coffee notes still had both the urn and sweetness components, I did find the creamy texture to slowly dissipate.

By the last third, I still found the earth and coffee notes to be in the forefront. At this point, there was a decrease in the sweetness component. At the same time, there was an increase in the white pepper, but it didnt quite overpower the blend. This is the way the cigar experience of the Crna Nok Toro came to a close. The resulting nub was firm to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn and Draw

Overall the burn of the Crna Nok Toro performed well. I did find there was a slight amount of meandering of the burn. While this was remedied with some touch-ups, I did find this cigar needed a few more touch-ups than I prefer. The resulting ash had a salt and pepper color. There was some very minor flaking, but overall this is an ash that was on the tighter side. Meanwhile the burn rate and burn temperature were ideal.

As for the draw, I found it to be as good as one could get. This draw had a touch of resistance  which is something I like. For this, the draw earns our highest exceptional rating for draw.

Strength and Body

In terms of both strength and body, I definitely found the Crna Nok to be a bolder offering than the Red Knight. Both the strength and body started out in the medium range. By the middle of the first third both the strength and body progressed to medium to full.

The strength and body continued to progress slowly as the cigar experience of the Crna Nok continued. Toward the second half, the rate at which the body increased was greater than the strength and as a result, by the last third the body moved into full territory.

Overall the strength and body balanced each nicely, but toward the last third, I found the body to have a slight edge.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I found the Crna Nok Toro to be a fine addition to the Jas Sum Kral portfolio. I liked the fact that it provided something on the bolder and somewhat spicier side. This was also a well-balanced cigar. The Crna Nok Toro is a cigar that was ready to smoke now, but at the same my gut tells me the Crna Nok Toro has some serious long-term aging potential, so I am also inclined to put some away right now.

This is a cigar I probably would steer to a more seasoned cigar enthusiast. As for myself, its a cigar that I would definitely smoke again  and its definitely worthy of picking up one of those five packs of.

Summary

Key Flavors: Coffee, Earth, White Pepper

Burn: Very Good

Draw: Exceptional

Complexity: Medium

Strength: Medium (Start), Medium to Full (Remainder)

Body: Medium (Start, Medium to Full, Full (Last Third)

Finish: Very Good

Rating

Assessment: 3.0-The Fiver

Score: 90

References

News: JSK Cigars Adding Crna Nok and Zlatno Sonce Lines

Price: $12.00

Source: Jas Sum Kral

Brand Reference: Jas Sum Kral

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop
Ritchie McQueeney was on the hunt. He was expanding his business, and he needed a place to put it.

McQueeney expected to build quickly, on land that already had roads, water, sewer and the like. His company, Thermo King Columbia, takes trailers, trucks, vans and railcars and outfits them with refrigeration and other equipment for food transport. He works with some of the biggest names in the business, and he wanted an industrial site that would handle his growth.

I took my time with it, McQueeney said. It was a huge decision. I was a 58-year-old looking to make an investment like I was 38.

McQueeney connected with Chad T. Lowder, CEO of Tri-County Electric Cooperative, which distributes electricity to a big part of Calhoun County including several potential industrial sites. Lowder showed McQueeney the I-26 Industrial Park, which featured excellent access to Interstate 26. It didnt have sewer, McQueeney recalled.

They kept looking. In the meantime, Lowder secured a $305,000 Site Readiness Fund Grant, which when paired with matching local money let Calhoun County build a sewer lift station and connect the I-26 Industrial Park to public sewer nearby.

Almost immediately, Thermo King committed to the I-26 park, as did another expanding Columbia company. Between the two industries, they announced plans to invest $8.2 million and hire about 140 people. That equals a big win for Tri-County Electric Cooperative and Calhoun County, and its one example of how the states electric cooperatives and Santee Cooper are improving lives across the Palmetto State.

McQueeney has now doubled his facility space from his original location in Columbia, and hes planning another addition at the Calhoun site.

Were forward facing. We know we can grow now, he said. The biggest thing for me is Im more of a sales guy and now I dont have to tell a customer no. We can get things done.

Santee Cooper created its Site Readiness Fund programs in 2014, establishing grants available for high-value projects in co-op territories, within the borders of our municipal wholesale customers, or within our retail customer territory.

James Chavez, who was involved in the grant process for electric cooperatives as president and CEO of the South Carolina Power Team, calls Calhouns I-26 Industrial Park a great example of the value of the Site Readiness Fund Grants. That park kept getting looked at, but it kept getting kicked out for one reason  lack of sewer capacity. What this grant program has done is given us a tool to make a difference in these but-for sites.

By providing grant funding for cooperative, municipal and direct-serve sites, Santee Cooper has supported economic development across South Carolina  living up to its mission and responsibility to do just that. In addition to its Site Readiness Grants, Santee Cooper also provides attractive power rates for large industry, loans to help counties and cooperatives finance industrial shell buildings, and other incentives to help land new industry and jobs.

Chavez notes that in todays cutthroat industrial market, site readiness funding has allowed us to make significant investments in areas where we can get a win. This is a legacy initiative.

In just two years, Santee Cooper has funded 14 Site Readiness Grants to electric cooperatives, totaling more than $18.8 million in South Carolina, including in many rural communities from York to Georgetown counties. The grants secured another $52.4 million in local matching funds from those cooperatives and other local partners.

Newberry Electric Cooperative used a Site Readiness Grant to help bring MM Technics, a metal-stamping company serving auto manufacturers, to Mid-Carolina Commerce Park in Newberry County. The $625,000 grant, with a $625,000 match, will yield a return of $12.6 million in investment and 65 new jobs.

The investment that the grants secure is important, but more than that, they are bringing industry to our state, providing jobs for our customers and lifting up entire communities, said Mike Cool, Santee Cooper manager of economic development. Part of Santee Coopers responsibility is to promote economic development across the state, and we have formed a very effective team with the electric cooperatives. This is particularly important in rural parts of the state. The co-ops know these communities, and they have the best vision for how they can create opportunity that will lock in new industries and jobs.

Lowder also applied for a Site Readiness Grant to help Orangeburg County improve the entrance to the John W. Matthews Industrial Park, which attracted Sigmatex in 2015 and is looking to sign on other industrial tenants. Interest has picked up, in large part because the park entrance provides a great first impression and represents the community well.

In rural areas especially, you have to invest money and you have to have product, Lowder said. With the availability of the Site Readiness Grant and other resources from the co-ops and Santee Cooper, counties have become more active in developing product. For instance, Calhoun County is building its own industrial speculative building to keep the ball rolling.

Now Tri-County is looking at purchasing and developing a new industrial park, Lowder said. Its an exciting time. I really see good things coming down the next couple of years.

Black River Electric Cooperative is also working to position its service territory to capture industries looking to relocate. Charlie Allen, Black River CEO, noted the major role that site selector consultants play in helping industry  especially foreign industry  choose manufacturing locations. That only adds to the hardships for rural areas with few or no developed sites.

From my perspective, the purpose of these consulting firms is to eliminate sites, to reduce the list, Allen said. Everything you can do to keep yourself in the running is a huge, huge help. These grants help us and the community provide some of that initial infrastructure, to get into those final rounds where we can start talking about details and working to win a project.

Allens cooperative is purchasing property for its own industrial site as well, in Clarendon County. Working with the county, they are creating road access. The site is next to Interstate 95 and already has rail access, and there are good anchor industries nearby. Industries like to go where industry already is, Allen said.

Black River has also used grant funds to clean up a 20-year-old speculative building located in a remote industrial park in Sumter County.

We cleaned it up, repainted the inside, made it more presentable, repaved the driveway, put a fence around the outside and provided more security, Allen said. Weve had several people look at it this year, and there is currently one very serious prospect.

These are exactly the kind of results Santee Cooper had in mind when the Site Readiness Fund was created, and it is gratifying to see the success it is bringing across such a wide field, Cool said.

Thats good news for co-op leaders like Allen.

I think this program is very important, he said. Economic development, especially in some of the rural areas that we serve, has to be a team effort between the co-op, the state and Santee Cooper. Its a win for everybody when we get an industry in here. It provides jobs for the people who live here, a better tax base to provide services for the residents, and a better quality of life all the way around.
Sharan Strange is no stranger to taking what she considers "imaginative leaps" in the world of poetry, an art form she first began experimenting with as a high school student.

The Orangeburg native began writing poetry in earnest after college, forging her own path with the art of rhythmical composition that she hopes will engage a readers feelings and thoughts.

Strange is the daughter of the late James Strange Sr. and Frances Strange of Orangeburg. She teaches writing at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.

She served as the keynote speaker at The Watering Holes 4th Annual Retreat at Santee State Park late last year. The Watering Hole is a nonprofit, Southern-based poetry collective for poets of color.

Strange said she took that opportunity to talk about the urgency of the poetic voice in the contemporary moment, as well as the practice of building artistic community.

Ive always been excited about language and literature, and I attempted writing as a young child, said Strange, who spent her summer as a 10-year-old writing a mystery novel.

I first tried writing poetry in high school after we were assigned to do so in English class, but I was inspired to keep doing it because my older sister, Julie, was really good at it and was being mentored by a South Carolina State professor, Strange said. She even received encouragement from Nikki Giovanni!

After abandoning her terrible early works of poetry, Strange began writing in earnest after college.

Thats when I started discovering and reading a lot of contemporary poets on my own, and then met other young writers to discuss and share poetry with in Boston, which led to the writing community we fostered through the Dark Room Collective, she said.

As a founding member of the Dark Room Collective and co-curator of its Dark Room Reading Series, Strange helped to present more than 100 established and emerging writers, musicians and visual artists of color to audiences in the Boston area from 1988 to 1994.

The collective allowed her and other members to affirm the sustaining value of the commitment and contributions that other black writers had made to American literature and the African-American artistic tradition, she said.

James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou and Amiri Baraka were among those literary elders whose legacy they wanted to continue through new generations of artists.

Former Dark Room members have published and continue to publish collections of their poetry and prose, edit anthologies, teach writing workshops and literature classes, give public readings and lectures and read and serve as advisors at major journals, Strange said.

The Dark Room Collective had a mission of creating a community for African-American writers and artists. Strange has said that it was the sustaining practice of writing in community just as much as the activism of building a community-based reading series for writers of color that kept us engaged in collectivity.

She has also served as a contributing editor of "Callaloo," a journal devoted to creative work and critical studies of African-Americans and people of African descent throughout the African diaspora.

What does she find so appealing about poetry?

I like the compressed nature of poetry; I like that it demands that you take imaginative leaps. I like, too, that its grounded in musicality -- in sound and rhythm," Strange said. "I love the imagistic and metaphorical nature of poetry -- that it engages the senses and requires us to create relationships among the things we perceive, feel and know."

She said she especially likes that poetry engages more of a readers feelings than their thinking.

I love ideas, and my poems engage ideas, too, but they particularly aim toward empathy. So some sense of human relatedness and connection arises from them, she said.

Strange is particularly proud of the poems written in her book of poems entitled Ash because they were wrought from some of her difficult life experiences.

Because I struggled so much to emotionally and mentally survive my childhood and adolescence, they feel like a culmination, like I made some sense of that period of my life, she said.

Strange grew up in a large, poor, working-class family in Orangeburg, graduating from Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School in 1977 as the class salutatorian.

My parents werent able to go to college, but they raised me and my siblings to value our education. They were strict in discipline and determined that they would be upstanding and self sufficient," she said.

We didnt have so much as far as material means or a wealth of social experiences in Orangeburg, but there were family and other folks who were supportive -- especially certain teachers, Strange said.

She most remembers the racial and class segregation that she experienced while growing up in Orangeburg.

I wouldnt say that it inspired me, but those struggles certainly fueled my writing in that they helped me to understand the place that Ive come from and the forces that have shaped the person Ive become, Strange said.

Most recently, Im quite proud of Yet Unheard, a libretto that honors Sandra Bland, which I wrote in collaboration with the brilliant composer, Courtney Bryan, she said.

Bland was a 28-year-old black woman who was found hanged in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas, on July 13, 2015.

It was my first time writing a piece for performance by an orchestra, and it was such an interesting creative process. And the work was well received when it premiered in New York last summer, Strange said.

She doesnt have a particular set of themes in her writing, but encapsulates her writing as a personal-political-spiritual-philosophical inquiry into the human condition.

As a writing instructor, Strange describes teaching as a process of exploration and discovery with her students.

As a black woman, I appreciate being able to work with and mentor young black women as they come to realize the value and possibilities of language, the power of words, she said. All of our voices are vital. My ultimate goal is to help them realize their own agency through writing.

She said she is particularly delighted that society is actually witnessing another sort of renaissance in African-American poetry.

And that will continue with the proliferation of organizations like The Watering Hole, among others. I would tell aspiring poets and writers in all genres to seek out those contemporary and historical writers who make up the Black Literary Tradition -- an ever-evolving and expansive tradition -- who can serve as models and nurturers of their writing, Strange said.

She added, (I want aspiring writers to) meet them through their works -- on paper, digitally or in person -- and cultivate relationship with their bodies of work. To any writer, Id say feel, think, read, study your craft and write, write, write.

Strange received a master of fine arts degree in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York.

Her honors include the Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers Award, the Barnard Women Poets Prize, an individual artist grant from the Washington D.C. Commission on the Arts and residencies at the Gell Writers Center, the MacDowell Colony and Yaddo.

Strange has served as Bruce McEver Visiting Chair in Poetry at the Georgia Institute of Technology and guest faculty member at the Center for the Contemplative Mind in Society, as well as a writer-in-residence at Fisk University, Bennington College, Wheaton College, University of California-Davis, California Institute of the Arts, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, University of North Carolina-Asheville, University of North Carolina-Wilmington and other colleges and universities.

Her poems and essays have appeared in journals and anthologies in the U.S. and abroad, including: Angles of Ascent: A Norton Anthology of Contemporary African American Poetry; Best American Poetry; Black President: The Art and Legacy of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti; Callaloo; Furious Flower: African American Poetry from the Black Arts Movement to the Present; The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South; Temba Tupu! Africana Womens Self-Portrait; The American Poetry Review; 44 on 44: Forty-four African American Writers on the Election of Barack Obama; Bittersweet: Contemporary Black Womens Poetry; Dance the Guns to Silence; Agenda and Inspired Georgia.

She also has work forthcoming in Beardens Odyssey: An Anthology of Poems Responding to the Art of Romare Bearden and Revise the Psalm: Work Celebrating the Writing of Gwendolyn Brooks.

Stranges writings have been featured in exhibitions at the Whitney Museum, the New Museum of Contemporary Art, the Skylight Gallery in New York and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. Her work has recently been performed in concert with the American Modern Ensemble (with composer Robert Paterson), and in Sing Her Name, a commissioned collaboration with composer Courtney Bryan for The Dream Unfinished Orchestra.
CLEMSON  When the universe was young, a supermassive black hole  bloated to the bursting point with stupendous power  heaved out a jet of particle-infused energy that raced through the vastness of space at nearly the speed of light.

Billions of years later, a trio of Clemson University scientists, led by College of Science astrophysicist Marco Ajello, has identified this black hole and four others similar to it that range in age from 1.4 billion to 1.9 billion years old. These objects emit copious gamma rays, light of the highest energy, that are billions of times more energetic than light that is visible to the human eye.

The previously known earliest gamma-ray blazars  a type of galaxy whose intense emission is powered by extremely powerful relativistic jets launched by monstrous black holes  were more than 2 billion years old. Currently, the universe is estimated to be approximately 14 billion years old.

The discovery of these supermassive black holes, which launch jets that emit more energy in one second than our sun will produce in its entire lifetime, was the culmination of a yearlong research project, said Ajello, who has spent much of his career studying the evolution of distant galaxies. Our next step is to increase our understanding of the mechanisms involved in the formation, development and activities of these amazing objects, which are the most powerful accelerators in the universe. We cant even come close to replicating such massive outputs of energy in our laboratories. The complexities were attempting to unravel seem almost as mysterious as the black holes themselves.

Ajello conducted his research in conjunction with Clemson post-doc Vaidehi Paliya and Ph.D candidate Lea Marcotulli. The trio worked closely with the Fermi-Large Area Telescope collaboration, which is an international team of scientists that includes Roopesh Ojha, an astronomer at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; and Dario Gasparrini of the Italian Space Agency. Their scientific paper titled Gamma-Ray Blazars Within the First 2 Billion Years was published Monday in a journal called The Astrophysical Journal Letters. (Ackermann, M., et al. 2017, ApJL, 837, L5.)

The Clemson teams breakthroughs were made possible by recently juiced-up software on NASAs Fermi Gamma-ray Telescope. The refurbished software significantly boosted the orbiting telescopes sensitivity to a level that made these latest discoveries possible.

People are calling it the cheapest refurbishment in history, Ajello said. Normally, for the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA had to send someone up to space to physically make these kinds of improvements. But in this case, they were able to do it remotely from an Earth-bound location. And of equal importance, the improvements were retroactive, which meant that the previous six years of data were also entirely reprocessed. This helped provide us with the information we needed to complete the first step of our research and also to strive onward in the learning process.

Using Fermi data, Ajello and Paliya began with a catalog of 1.4 million quasars, which are galaxies that harbor at their centers active supermassive black holes. Over the course of a year, they narrowed their search to 1,100 objects. Of these, five were finally determined to be newly discovered gamma-ray blazars that were the farthest away  and youngest  ever identified.

After using our filters and other devices, we were left with about 1,100 sources. And then we did the diagnostics for all of these and were able to narrow them down to 25 to 30 sources, Paliya said. But we still had to confirm that what we had detected was scientifically authentic. So we performed a number of other simulations and were able to derive properties such as black hole mass and jet power. Ultimately, we confirmed that these five sources were guaranteed to be gamma-ray blazars, with the farthest one being about 1.4 billion years old from the beginning of time.

Marcotulli, who joined Ajellos group as a Ph.D student in 2016, has been studying the blazars mechanisms by using images and data delivered from another orbiting NASA telescope, the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). At first, Marcotullis role was to understand the emission mechanism of gamma-ray blazars closer to us. Now she is turning her attention toward the most distant objects in a quest to understand what makes them so powerful.

Were trying to understand the full spectrum of the energy distribution of these objects by using physical models, Marcotulli said. We are currently able to model whats happening far more accurately than previously devised, and eventually well be able to better understand what processes are occurring in the jets and which particles are radiating all the energy that we see. Are they electrons? Or protons? How are they interacting with surrounding photons? All these parameters are not fully understood right now. But every day we are deepening our understanding.

All galaxies have black holes at their centers  some actively feeding on the matter surrounding them, others lying relatively dormant. Our own galaxy has at its center a super-sized black hole that is currently dormant. Ajello said that only one of every 10 black holes in todays universe are active. But when the universe was much younger, it was closer to a 50-50 ratio.

The supermassive black holes at the center of the five newly discovered blazar galaxies are among the largest types of black holes ever observed, on the order of hundreds of thousands to billions of times the mass of our own sun. And their accompanying accretion disks  rotating swirls of matter that orbit the black holes  emit more than two trillion times the energy output of our sun.
ABILENE, TX -- Tribute Film Festival presented South Carolina filmmakers, Joe Clark and Ken Beale of SailWind Inc., the festivals highest award, Best Heritage Nonfiction Film by or for a Museum, for their short film entitled "Leo Twiggs: Requiem for Mother Emanuel," during a ceremony March 4, at the historic Paramount Theater in Abilene, Texas. The Tribute Film Festival showcases documentary films that focus on historic events.

In the aftermath of the massacre at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston in June 2015, South Carolina batik artist Leo Twiggs painted a series of nine portraits to commemorate the nine who lost their lives in the shooting rampage. The film is a short artists commentary tribute film in which the artist reveals his very personal journey from tears to forgiveness to redemption.

This series has been the most difficult I have ever done, says Leo Twiggs. Some of the members of Mother Emanuel are close to my family. No series has been more painful or personal. My paintings are testimonies to the nine who were slain. But I also record another moment: our states greatest moment, for one shining moment we looked at each other not as different races but as human beings.

Ken and I accept the award on behalf of Leo Twiggs, who created the nine paintings honoring the victims of Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston," films director, Joe Clark said. "The hatred of a lone shooter who killed nine members of a Bible study who welcomed him into their worship  in a church that has existed for over 200 years, is inexplicable. But through the medium of painting, Leo Twiggs has helped us understand the process of grace, a reflection of Christs love for all of us. We are honored to have helped Leo spread the message of forgiveness through his artwork and the lives of those lost.

Each one of the paintings individually is very moving, but collectively the series is overwhelmingly powerful, film producer and president of SailWind, Ken Beale said. "And we know that the nine paintings will eventually be dispersed into private collections, so we wanted to create a film that would capture Leos words and emotions while effectively preserving the unity and the magnitude of the nine paintings together in the series.

The series of paintings does an amazing thing. It brings you through the trauma of the massacre, but it brings you out to a very different place," said Jane Panetta, associate curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Twiggs moves the viewer from the bloody violence of the massacre in the first paintings to a very quiet sense of hope in the later works." The South Carolina Arts Commission announced Twiggs as recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in the 2017 Elizabeth ONeill Verner Governors Awards for the Arts, the highest honor the state presents in the arts.

The film was designed to accompany Twiggs paintings in exhibition and was first screened to the public when the City of Charleston committed the entire first floor of the City Gallery at Waterfront Park to the nine paintings in 2016 as the city commemorated the first anniversary of the massacre.

In August the series moved to The Johnson Collection in Spartanburg where it displayed through November, when the paintings travelled to the Mint Museum in Charlotte for a three-month exhibit. Upcoming venues include the I. P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg (March 5 to April 20, 2017); the Julie Collins Smith Museum at Auburn University (September 5, 2017 to January 7, 2018) and the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia (January through April 2018).
"We need visionaries to help solve the worlds problems," Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin says.

Benjamin addressed an audience of administrators, faculty, student leaders and guests at the Vice President's Forum on Inclusive Excellence held Feb. 27 in the Arthur Rose Museum, referencing Claflins mission of building visionary leaders.

Claflin has played and continues to play a tremendous role in shaping this community, the state and the world, he said.

You are being prepared for some incredible opportunities at a very high level, Benjamin said. Fighting for inclusion and justice and being an advocate for those who dont have a voice is in Claflins DNA. You need to know you have some very large shoes to fill.

"There's work that has to be done," Benjamin said.

Benjamin said he works in the community in the spirit of the people who fought for his freedom.

Sarah Mae Flemming was not looking for a fight or to become part of history when on June 22, 1954, she sat in a segregated section on a bus in Columbia, Benjamin said. Who knew what was on her mind.

The incident took place when only a few weeks earlier, the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that separate but equal doctrines were unconstitutional. Flemming eventually filed suit against SCE&G, which operated the citys bus transportation. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., overturned a previous decision in South Carolina and ruled that separate but equal Jim Crow laws were unconstitutional.

The ruling was the foundation for the bus boycott in Montgomery, Ala., led by Rosa Parks and launched the career of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Benjamin said. Flemming did not see it coming, but neither did they. She was not looking for history  but when history found her she chose to act.

I never had to face the hardships that so many had to endure during the Civil Rights Movement. But we are here because of what they did, Benjamin said. The Sarah Mae Flemmings and others fought, bled, cried and died for us. Because of their commitment to diversity and inclusion, we have the opportunity to enjoy what they fought for today.

As a community, people need to step out of their comfort zones to make the world a better place, Benjamin said.

"Your commitment now matters more than ever," Benjamin said.

You can provide hope -- and calm the fears of those among us who live in poverty and are shut out of the economic mainstream. We need visionary leaders who are passionate and committed to solving the problems that will help build a better world and a better nation.

Benjamin has stepped out of the comfort zone in his life.

At age 29, he was appointed to Gov. Jim Hodges' cabinet as director of the state's second largest law enforcement agency, the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services.

He began to receive national attention in 2009 when he represented radio host Tom Joyner in securing a pardon for Joyner's great uncles wrongfully convicted in the death of a 73-year-old veteran.

Since being elected mayor in a record turnout election in April 2010, Benjamin has made it his mission to create in Columbia the most talented, educated and entrepreneurial city in the Southeast. Re-elected by a 30 percent margin in November 2013, Benjamin and his administration have been characterized by a firm belief in Columbia's potential and intense focus on job creation.

President Barack Obama commended Benjamin on his work with My Brother's Keeper. Benjamin also spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler welcomed Benjamin.

As many of you know, Mayor Benjamin is not a stranger to Orangeburg, Butler said. His family has deep roots in Orangeburg. I am not all surprised at his remarkable leadership and how the city of Columbia has progressed and developed during his tenure as mayor.

The Vice Presidents Forum on Inclusive Excellence is presented by the Division of Student Development and Services at Claflin. The purpose of the event is to highlight Claflins ability to incorporate the diverse backgrounds, traditions and experiences of faculty, staff, and students in realizing the goal of an inclusive community that values excellence in scholarship, teaching and learning, and student development.
South Carolina State Universitys James E. Clark will officially be installed as the university's 12th president today during the Founders Day convocation.

Clark, who became president last summer, said there were two reasons he chose to have the installation during Founders Day instead of holding a separate ceremony as in years past.

I want it to be really quick, and I want it to cost us nothing, he said with a laugh.

I want it to be crisp, to the point, get er done, move on. And I dont want us spending a whole lot of money on it.

The event will be held at 4 p.m. at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

After the event, a reception will be held for Clark at the I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium. The museum had been closed for renovations, but the reception will serve as a reopening, Clark said.

The university sought sponsors for the reception to offset any cost.

"And if people throw a few dollars our way towards that, any excess funds will be used for the museum and presidential scholarships," he said.

"I know there's a ceremonial aspect, a particular ritual that is associated with academia, and it's important," Clark said. "But coming from the business side, I'm less used to such."

Clark talked about his future goals for the university and touched on the schools recent past, referencing the adage about finding a turtle on a fence post  it didnt get there by itself.

Lots of people had some part or piece to do with it, either through action or inaction, he said. But at the same time, you dont always see it.

It was a slow process over time, he said. To help repair the damage, the new board had to make cuts, put furloughs into place and enact more sound fiscal policies.

If it took many years  to get in this ditch, over five years, chances are youre not going to get out in five months, he said. As the chairman reminds me, Rome wasnt built in one day. But by not focusing on the right things, it was allowed to burn down in one night.

And even though it wasnt built in a day  they were having to lay some bricks every day, every hour, in order to make progress.

The states forgiving of a $12 million loan to the university and the refinancing of the Hugine Suites loan are steps in the right direction, he said. Money owed to vendors and money owed to the university by students are both down, he said.

The school is back on track with accreditation.

Clark said enrollment is up, with a significant increase in year-over-year new students.

But you cant sell em peanuts until you get em into the tent, he said. The university needs to create that buzz, that excitement that will attract more students.

That only comes about with real, positive news, real, positive outlooks on things, real views going forward, real, positive actions which result  in this elevation of the brand in a more positive space, he said.

Sharing positive news isnt enough, he said. The university has to be promoted in a way that is unexpected and aggressive.

So we will be aggressively pursuing increasing enrollment, he said.

S.C. State cant focus only on getting more freshmen, he said. There also has to be a focus on retaining students.

But really, looking forward, we realize that everything that we do has to be done based on this notion of partnership and collaboration, he said. We cant do it all by ourselves.

This collaboration includes academic institutions, business entities and the community, he said. S.C. State has academic partnerships with Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and Denmark Technical College, allowing their students a path to a bachelors degree.

A new partnership with a nearby major technical college system is in the works as well and will be announced in the near future, he said. Clark hopes that will lead to the university opening up to the entire technical college system in South Carolina.

S.C. State is also working on partnerships and collaborations with the University of South Carolina and Clemson University, he said.

The university will also be announcing some community projects in the next 30 days, he said.

Looking forward a little further, though  I really want to make this a destination university and I also want to make it the fourth university in South Carolina, he said.

Typically  the major universities, people are going to say USC, Clemson. And if youre talking about research, youre going to say MUSC. Or  people will tend to mention the one thats closest to them, he said. But I want people, if they had to list four, that were always in the list.  If they have to list four, I want S.C. State to always be there.

He said one of the ways this will be accomplished is by building programs of academic excellence that are attractive to everyone, delivered when and how people want them.

Whether its midday, at night, online (or) physically here, but its aligned with the needs of the workforce, delivered in a way and time when it can be done, he said. This includes a student-centered faculty that cares for, embraces and mentors its students.

Its the thing that sets us apart from maybe larger institutions, he said. The care and feeding, so to speak, that you get here is very special.

He also wants S.C. State to focus on brand renewal and getting the message out there for having a reputation of student success.

Also, weve got to fix our customer service. Its got to be first class. Up to now we havent had top-notch, first-class customer service, he said.

Cash availability is another issue.

A significant number of our students are Pell eligible, Clark said. There are need-based scholarships that we need to be able to help them with, and to do that, we have to make sure we are managing what little cash we have. And we need to put cash in the bank so that we can get rid of furloughs.

And lastly, the campus needs to be data savvy, he said.

One of our number one priorities is investing in our IT infrastructure to make this campus one that meets the needs of the millennials and actually just meets the needs of being a basic operational entity, he said.
Orangeburg County Council says it has confidence in the Regional Medical Center board.

We may have some differences, but we have confidence in the board, Councilman Willie B. Owens said.

During a special meeting last week, Owens made a motion to announce County Councils confidence in the hospital board. Councilman Clyde Livingston seconded the motion, which council passed unanimously.

County Administrator Harold Young said the vote was taken to get council, on the same page and agreeing to leave the hospital board as it is.

The hospital is owned by Orangeburg and Calhoun counties. The county councils appoint RMCs board members.

RMCs board voted in December to end the hospitals contract with Quorum Health Resources, which managed the facility for 24 years. It later voted to replace long-time President and CEO Tom Dandridge, who remains an employee of QHR.

Last month, County Council discussed removing some members from the RMC board.

Young says County Council will consider any reappointments at a later date when council holds another budget work session.

Owens said last week that council is confident in the boards abilities.

We endorse them, Council Chairman Johnnie Wright said, adding that he wants to see the board continue to move forward.

We want them to hopefully unite themselves also because its one of our most prized possessions, Wright said.

Council met Monday to discuss two items in executive session. One was an economic development project that is operating under the name Project Pillar until it is finalized. The other was road enhancement possibilities.

When council returned to open session, it amended the agenda to include a vote of confidence for the hospital board.
Bamberg Police Department

Police arrested a 40-year-old Cayce man a charge of simple assault after he allegedly physically assaulted the mother of his three children. All three children were present when the incident occurred on Feb. 23 at a Faust Street residence, the report states.

The victim, 36, told officers the man knocked her down and tried to pull the couples 18-month-old child from her arms. She said she told her daughter to call 911 for help. The report noted the woman had visible minor injuries.

After interviewing the man, officers arrested him, charging him with simple assault. According to the incident report, he said he simply wanted to keep his 18-month-old son safe, claiming the childs mother was not in her right mind, the report states.

In other reports:

Three people were arrested on Feb. 28 during a traffic stop on U.S. 301 for failure to dim headlights.

The driver and two passengers were asked for identification, and the vehicle and personal items were searched during the stop.

The driver, a 28-year-old Aiken man, was charged with driving under suspension, simple possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. A 37-year-old Barnwell man was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, and a 36-year-old Barnwell woman was charged with simple possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A 57-year-old Norway woman was arrested on Feb. 21 on multiple charges after police received a call that a KIA had hit the stop sign at the corner of Sunset Drive beside EZ Shop #1.

A witness gave officers the tag number, and a traffic stop was conducted on Dickinson Street when the driver was located. The woman was charged with hit and run and no South Carolina drivers license.
Why no Bibles for students?

It was my joy to be in a worship service at my church recently and hear a member of the Gideons speak.

Not only was he compassionate about faith, he was also concerned that so many children are denied the opportunity to own a Bible. His message was very clear.

Did you know that Orangeburg County public schools do not allow Gideons to give out Bibles to students?

Surrounding counties allow Gideons to place Bibles in the hands of public school students.

Something is wrong with this situation. I challenge anyone who can right this wrong to do so.

The target age for students to whom Gideons give Bibles is fifth grade. Childlike faith will last a lifetime if inspired by the Word of God.

-- Claire D. Shuler, Providence Community, Santee

-----

Solar holds opportunity for S.C.

I read your recent article, Sun brings power, taxes, T&D, Feb. 26) with great interest. It is an encouraging sign to see our state legislators bringing the Palmetto State up to speed on creating a solar-friendly tax framework that will help us compete with our neighbors for solar investment.

Solar energy has enormous potential. The cost of solar energy has gone down steadily in the past decade, while solar panels have become thinner, better, and longer-lasting. If companies want to invest here in South Carolina, and to put up their own money on solar projects, I believe that we should make it as easy for them to do so as it would be in North Carolina and Georgia. Our state will benefit from the ensuing job growth and counties will see their tax base grow, as empty land gains value from solar installations.

The South Carolina Senate did the right thing in approving the Renewable Energy Jobs and Economic Development bill earlier this year. I strongly encourage the House to follow suit."

-- Webster Hall, Cayce

-----

Senators should reject trophy hunting

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a resolution that transformed 76 million acres of national land in Alaska from a wildlife refuge to a refuge for trophy hunters. This inhumane and shortsighted measure, Senate Joint Resolution 18, is about to come before South Carolina U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott. Please join me in urging them to vote no.

There are so many reasons to oppose S.J. Res. 18. It will allow ruthless trophy hunters to slaughter wolf and coyote pups and bear cubs in their dens, alongside their mothers. They will be able to fly overhead in planes to track bears and use vicious leg-hold traps and wire snares.

If youre wondering why someone in our state should care about what happens on national wildlife refuges in Alaska, the answer is that this resolution establishes a precedent that will endanger all of our national parks and preserves. These lands and wild animals belong to all of us, not to a single group of cowardly hunters in a single state. If this measure passes, what is to keep Wyoming, for example, from deciding to allow hunters in Yellowstone National Park?

Please Sens. Graham and Scott, stand up for our wildlife and our national parks and vote NO on S.J. Res. 18.

Please call Sen. Graham at 202-224-5972 and Sen. Scott at 202-224-6121 and urge them to say NO to S.J. Res. 18

-- Kimberly Shack, Orangeburg
President Donald Trump's job-approval rating, 44 percent with a 48 percent disapproval rating in a new Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll, makes him "the first president of the post-World War II era with a net negative approval rating in his first gauge of public opinion," according to the Journal.

Trump's most strident supporters will no doubt call the polls fake, but the fact is, Trump's numbers are low, and they're more evidence -- as if any more were needed -- that there is no honeymoon for the 45th president.

But at the same time, there are signs of optimism -- not for Trump's political fortunes but for the country. If the Journal numbers are correct, more Americans say they are hopeful and optimistic about the future than have said so in several years. And, at least specifically where the economy is concerned, many attribute their optimism to the presence of Trump in the Oval Office.

The Journal-NBC pollsters asked 1,000 adults, "When you think about the future of the country, would you say that you are mainly hopeful and optimistic or mainly worried and pessimistic?" Sixty percent said they feel hopeful and optimistic, while 40 percent said they feel worried and pessimistic. That hopeful number is higher than when the Journal last asked the question in December 2016 (when it was 56 percent), and in August 2016 (54 percent), and September 2005 (53 percent).

"This is a strong number being driven by very high numbers among Trump voters who express optimism across a number of measures on the poll, including higher economic confidence," pollster Bill McInturff told me via email.

As McInturff said, Trump voters are the most optimistic. On the other hand, if 60 percent of Americans think something, the number includes a significant number of people who didn't vote for Trump.

Looking inside the poll, men (66 percent) and more hopeful than women (54 percent). People earning between $30,000 and $50,000 (63 percent) and between $50,000 and $75,000 (64 percent) are more hopeful than those who make more than $75,000 (59 percent) and under $30,000 (55 percent). On the other hand, all age and income groups are over 50 percent on the hopeful scale.

Looking at other groups, 52 percent of Hispanics are hopeful, versus 47 percent worried -- that's got to be a more positive number than many would have guessed. Among African-Americans, though, just 36 percent are hopeful, versus 63 percent worried. Among whites, 65 percent are hopeful, versus 35 percent worried.

Looking at political identification, there's no doubt Democrats are bummed -- 37 percent optimistic vs. 63 percent pessimistic. Republicans are happy -- 87 percent optimistic to 12 percent pessimistic. And independents are leaning toward the positive side -- 56 percent optimistic to 41 percent pessimistic.

Getting to those Trump voters, 89 percent say they are hopeful, vs. just 30 percent of Hillary Clinton voters. However, among the relatively small group of Americans who voted for some other candidate for president, 55 percent are hopeful. And among the much larger group of Americans who didn't vote at all, 68 percent are hopeful. That's a pretty big number.

There are other indicators in the Journal-NBC poll that suggest good feelings among Americans in the wake of Trump's victory. The pollsters asked, "During the next twelve months, do you think that the nation's economy will get better, get worse, or stay about the same?" Forty-one percent said they expect the economy to get better, versus just 21 percent who expect it to get worse and 36 percent who expect the economy to stay the same. That 41 percent, plus 42 percent who expected better times in the Journal's poll last month, are the highest expectation numbers in the Journal's polling since October 2012, right before Barack Obama was re-elected.

The Journal then asked those who believe the economy will get better whether they believe that will be the case mostly because of new Trump economic policies, or mostly because of what Obama set in motion, or mostly because the normal business cycle is simply improving. Seventy-three percent credited Trump policies, while just five percent credited Obama and 20 percent cited the business cycle.

Finally, the Journal pollsters asked the classic right track-wrong track question, "All in all, do you think things in the nation are generally headed in the right direction, or do you feel things are off on the wrong track?" Forty percent said they think the country is going in the right direction, versus 51 percent who said it's on the wrong track. That is by no means great -- but that 40 percent right-track number is higher than any in Journal polling since December 2012, again immediately after Obama was re-elected.

None of that adds up to Trump popularity. But Americans' sense of hope, especially about the economy, is a hugely important factor in presidential support. And where that is concerned, there is, for Trump, a little light for the future.
DENMARK -- Voorhees College will recognize 13 presidential scholars at the 2017 Presidential Scholarship Gala on March 17 at the Embassy Suites in Columbia.

The 2017 scholars are Rosaline Achiangia, Jamilia Burgos, Chantel Chandler, Rokia Cisse, Nasier Edwards, Rasheed Flowers, Akeena Harper, Alysha Linder, Terriana McCullough, Aariana Morgan, Shauna Powell, DAriel Walker and Desiree Simon.

Presidential scholarships are awarded to students based on their academic performance and financial need.

The students graduated high school with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and/or ranked in the top 20 percent of their senior class. The scholars continue to receive funds from freshman year up to four consecutive years as long as they maintain a 2.75 cumulative grade point average.

Senior biology major Rosaline Achiangia has remained a presidential scholar since her freshman year. Financing higher education can be very straining, and receiving this scholarship every year assists me in reaching graduation, Achiangia said.

During the 2017 Presidential Scholarship Gala, the scholars will be honored for their academic achievements and have a chance to thank current institutional donors. Proceeds from the gala will go toward the presidential scholarship fund.

Melika S. Jackson, assistant vice president for academic affairs, said, Our presidential scholars value their scholarships and realize the funds allow them to receive a quality education and graduate.

Tickets for the gala are $150. To become a sponsor or for more information, visit www.voorhees.edu or contact Teesa Brunson, assistant vice president for institutional advancement, at 803-780-1194 or tbrunson@voorhees.edu.
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By Azertac





The Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan will send an export mission to Kazakhstan next month. The mission will visit Astana and Almaty from 23 to 26 April, the ministry said.





The export mission will include companies specializing in the fields of production of building materials, chemical industry, machinery, cosmetics, fruits and vegetables, alcoholic and soft drinks production, canned food products, tea and light industry.





Companies to be part of the missions will be selected through a competition to be organized by the Economy Ministry and Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO).
By Azertac





Azerbaijani parliamentarians led by Samad Seyidov, chairman of the standing commission on international relations and inter-parliamentary ties, head of the permanent delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, will attend meetings of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy and the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to be held in Paris on March 6-8.





The event will discuss a range of issues, including corruption, policy pursued by Tunisias new government, and the situation in Belarus.





Head of the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE Samad Seyidov and MP Sahiba Gafarova will attend meetings of the PACE Bureau and Standing Committee to take place in Madrid, Spain, on March 9-10. The meeting will focus on the upcoming parliamentary elections in Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Armenia, constitutional amendments in Turkey, PACE-Russian parliament cooperation, and other issues.
By Azertac





Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa stressed the everyday development of Azerbaijan, which has turned into one of the most important countries on the world arena, and also noted that the Kingdom of Bahrain is closely monitoring the progress of the country as het with Azerbaijan`s Ambassador Rasim Rzayev.





During the meeting satisfaction with the level of relations between Azerbaijan and Bahrain was expressed, also development of cooperation in various fields between the two countries was discussed.





The FM recalled his visit to Azerbaijan with great pleasure.





Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa expressed his desire to visit Azerbaijan again in the near future.





Ambassador Rasim Rzayev informed Minister Khalid Al-Khalifa about the military aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan and underlined the worsening situation at the contact line of troops in recent days. The diplomat expressed his gratitude to the leadership of the Kingdom of Bahrain for the support of Azerbaijan's fair position on this issue.





Such issues as the development of relations between the two countries in political, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres, ways to strengthen both bilateral cooperation and cooperation within international organizations were discussed. Moreover during the meeting great interest of tourists from Bahrain to Azerbaijan, questions of development of bilateral relations in the tourism sector, as well as the simplification of the visa regime of the Kingdom of Bahrain for the citizens of Azerbaijan and the creation of direct air flights between the two countries were underlined. The importance of strengthening the cooperation in parliamentary relations was also noted.
By Azertac





Member of Bundestag, the German parliament, Mark Hauptmann has issued a statement to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Khojaly genocide. In his statement, the German MP said that 25 years ago the Armenian military units committed a grave crime against civilians in the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly.





He said the utmost must be done to prevent tragedies like Khojaly. Hauptmann said thousands of people were killed and hundreds of thousands were expelled from their homes as a result of the conflict.








China's CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Company will supply 100 subway cars for Metro Line 2 in Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city, in May, a report said.



CRRC Changchun, completed trial operations of Mashhad metro line this month, an Iran Daily report said, citing China Daily.



The 100 subway cars will be formatted in five sets, the report added.








Ithraa, Omans inward investment and export promotion agency, will lead a contingent of five high-profile organisations from the sultanate to India, in an effort to connect with Indian investors looking for commercial opportunities in the sultanate.



The organisations include the Special Economic Zone Authority in Duqm (Sezad); ASSAS; Khimji Ramdas; Port of Duqm; and Oman Logistics Company (Khazaen).



The delegation aims to raise awareness of investment opportunities in Oman, the support available for Indian companies considering the sultanate, and provide an opportunity for business leaders from both nations to make important connections.



Organised in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry, the visit begins on March 6 in New Delhi where the delegation will hold B2B meetings with Indian companies in the manufacturing, tourism, mining and petrochemicals sectors. The Omani business delegation will also visit investors in Pune and Ahmedabad.



Alya Al Hosni, Ithraas director of industrial investment, explained: The calibre of Indian small to medium-sized enterprises has improved significantly over the past 10 years and many are looking to enter the GCC markets using Oman as their gateway. Were particularly focused on attracting firms working in manufacturing, mining, petrochemicals and tourism.



Significant opportunities exist for Indian companies to set up and grow in Oman. Indeed, this is the message well be delivering loud and clear this week, said Al Hosni.  TradeArabia News Service


Iran has signed a preliminary deal with Germany's Siemens to manufacture equipment for the country's electricity industry, a report said.



An agreement had been reached with Siemens for knowledge and technology transfer as well as the construction of a equipment plant for power generation industry, Mehr News Agency quoting Arsalan Fat'hipour, a member of Iran Electricity Industry Syndicate, said.



He said that during a visit to Germany, an Iranian delegation signed a contract with Siemens and a plant will be built for manufacturing power equipment under the licence of the German company.



He said the agreement with Siemens will be finalised into a contract in two months.


Over 2,000 oil and gas professionals will converge at the Ritz Carlton Hotel tomorrow (March 6) for the opening session of the 20th Society of Petroleum Engineers Middle East Oil & Gas Show and Conference (MEOS 2017).



The associated 12,000 sq m exhibition of industry products and services will open in a separate ceremony on March 7 under the patronage of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister of Bahrain Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.



The event, which runs until March 9 is expected to attract over 8,000 attendees over the course of four days.



The MEOS 2017 conference opening session will begin with addresses from Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Minister of Oil, Bahrain; Nabeel I AlAfaleg, MEOS 2017 co-chairman, chief petroleum engineer, Saudi Aramco; Darcy Spady, 2018 SPE president, Broadview Energy.



More than 270 technical and eposter presentations designed to share the knowledge and experience of managing, operating and supplying companies will follow over the subsequent three days of the conference at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.



The 2017 conference theme Transforming the Industry through Innovation and Operational Excellence focuses on the challenges the industry faces in meeting world energy demand efficiently, safely and responsibly whilst ensuring a positive financial outcome in a fluctuating oil and gas market. The conference will reflect on industry transformation from many perspectives through presentations and panel discussions throughout the conference.



MEOS will deliver a high level executive plenary session on March 7 discussing this years theme, and six panel sessions led by chief executive officers, managers and presidents of national and international oil companies and the service industry. Panel discussion topics include the importance of technology, localisation policies, operational excellence, cyber security, energy economics and industry / academic collaborations.



Other highlights during the course of the conference include a special breakfast session entitled Oil Price Volatility: Continue Investing in the Future to Meet Future Demands or Control Cost to Survive?, on March 8. This special session will address the challenges of operating in a fluctuating oil price environment, and what is required to strike the right balance between short-term return and long-term sustainability of supply.



Two one-day SPE seminars entitled Advanced Hydraulic Fracturing Design and Treatment and Artificial Lift and Production Optimisation Solutions will also take place in conjunction with MEOS 2017 for delegates looking to improve technical skills.



A full programme of events aimed at the next generation of oil and gas professionals will meanwhile offer high school students, university students and teachers the chance to engage and gain valuable career advice.



The Exhibition

More than 200 companies from 25 countries will be in attendance at the parallel MEOS 2017 exhibition, which covers all areas of the upstream oil and gas industry.



Principal exhibitors include GCC national oil and gas companies, who will be exhibiting alongside international supermajors, service industry giants and independent specialist suppliers and distributors from across the globe.  TradeArabia News Service


Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, the Emirates dedicated entity for culture, arts and heritage, has announced the seventh edition of Sikka Art Fair  Dubai Art Seasons flagship initiative.



The contemporary, artist-led fair - held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum - will offer an unmatched celebration of visual and performing arts, music, film, literature and food, over the course of 10 activity filled days that will take place from March 11 to 21 at Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.



Showcasing GCC, Emirati and UAE-based artists, Sikka Art Fair invites visitors to become part of the regions cultural mosaic, with the 2017 edition featuring all-new Sikka Around The City initiatives and exciting collective ventures for the first time ever. Sikka 2017 has attracted an unprecedented number of submissions, with over 150 artists and institutions eager to participate in the fairs evolving programme.



Lubna Al Shamsi, projects manager and project leader of Dubai Art Season and Sikka Art Fair at Dubai Culture, said: Sikka 2017 will welcome new levels of collaboration between artists from across the region and indeed the world, as well as Sikka Around The City initiatives that will broaden the fairs scope to enrich Dubais public art scene and expose new segments of the community to the joys of art. Over the past six years, Sikka has supported Dubai Cultures commitment to nurturing home-grown talent and celebrating the regions flourishing artistic scene, and this year we are proud to be offering the largest and most innovative showcase to date.



Sikka 2017 highlights include The Bahrain House, which will showcase the work of five Bahrani artists, a collaboration between LocoMotion Community Cinema and The Animation Chamber that will screen a diverse array of cultural films, and the fairs traditional Closing Feast  a celebratory meeting of creative minds. In addition, the fair will welcome a wide range of artistic and cultural mediums from selected artists including the UAEs Rashid Al Mulla and Brazils Cosmic Boys, Lebanese street artist Tarsila Schubert, and Dubai-based designer Miaser Al-Habori, who will bring the fair to life with their distinct creative identities.



Now into its seventh successful year, the Sikka Art Fair celebrates local talent and enhances the communitys pride in its rising stars, allowing Dubai Culture to nurture young talent, promote Emirati culture, and build a heritage that future generations will call their own.



Sikka Art Fair complements the city-wide activation of cultural events that will take place during the fourth edition of Dubai Art Season, which runs throughout March and April 2017 and also includes Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, Art Dubai and Design Days Dubai, and the Middle East Film and Comic Convention, among hundreds of initiatives. - TradeArabia News Service
Reinforcing its long-standing CSR campaign with Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP), Ramada Downtown Dubai presented a cheque donation to the organisation through Emirates Red Crescent.



Mohammed Abdullah Al Haj Al Zarouni, head of Emirates Red Crescent Dubai, welcomed the Ramada Downtown Dubai team led by general manager Shahzad Butt, and received the cheque amounting to more than Dh13,000 ($3,539.2).



Butt said: In this Year of Giving, we pledge continuous assistance to FOCP. Ramada Downtown Dubai has been a proud partner of the organisation since 2014, and we aim to involve not just our team, but the guests as well. Through this charitable initiative, we can raise awareness about the condition and provide moral and monetary support to cancer patients and their families.



The hotel provides complimentary VIP stay and activity vouchers for one patient endorsed by FOCP, joined by his or her family every month. It also raises funds for the organisation through voluntary guest contributions and by selling Fight Cancer shirts. - TradeArabia News Service


Senior Stompers meet Mondays

Free only for Seniors 60+ who like to have fun, love music and like to dance, tapping and stomping to the beat. Join Joyces Senior Stompers on Monday mornings at 10:50 a.m. and exercise your mind and body. Call Joyce for more information 237-4908.

Reading the West book discussion

The Natrona County Library and Fort Caspar Museum host a book discussion series celebrating all things Western, from rugged heroes and horses to books that ride off into the sunset. At 6:30 p.m., on Tuesday, March 7, at the Natrona County Library, Blizzard 1949, by Roy V. Alleman will be discussed. The discussion is free and open to the public. To participate, pick up a copy of Blizzard 1949 at the Librarys second floor Reference Desk. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

International Womens Day party

Indivisible Casper invites everyone of any political affiliation (or none) to celebrate International Womens Day at a real political party from 4 to 7 p.m., on Wednesday, March 8, at Backwards Distillery, 158 Progress Circle in Mills. The purpose of the event is simple: have fun and get to know each other, so come ready to play dorky mixer games and make new friends. Theres no admission fee; Backwards Distillerys menu will be available for purchase and anyone 21 or more years old is very welcome.

Events at Art 321

March at Art 321, 321 W. Midwest Ave., will feature exhibits by the Pastel Group, as well as works by Ellen Black and Friends, and the All High School Show.

When visiting Art 321 to see the current exhibits, be sure to stop by the reception desk and pick up a 2017 brochure with a schedule of exhibits, workshops, and informal groups for the whole year. Its is a good way to plan ahead for any workshops and exhibits of interest and to find out about the benefits of becoming a member.

There are also many new offerings by Wyoming artists to browse through in the beautiful Gift Shop. Offerings include all sizes of art in many varied media, including fiber work, jewelry, and glass, in all price ranges. The gift shop changes merchandise frequently, so there is always something new.

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Opening receptions are held the first Thursday of each month from 5 to 8 p.m.

Adult coloring club

Stop by the Natrona County Library anytime between 2 and 5 p.m. on Friday, March 10 for Adult Coloring Club. Coloring books and pages will be available to turn into works of art. Colored pencils, crayons, and markers also will be provided. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Apply for

Mrs. Casper

The Mrs. Wyoming Pageant is seeking applicants for the title of Mrs. Casper. Once selected, the successful applicant will advance to represent her community in the 2017 Mrs. Wyoming Pageant to be held on May 6 in Cheyenne.

Local titleholders will compete to win a prize package valued at over $8,000 including an all expense paid trip to the national Mrs. America Pageant. Applicants must be at least 18 years old (no age limit), married at the time of competition and a Wyoming resident, no performing talent required.

Celebrating its 41st year, the Mrs. America pageant is the only competition to recognize Americas married woman.

To request the official application or for information, call Sheree Cooke, Wyomings state director, at 720-549-0440 or visit www.mrswyomingamerica.com.

Nostalgic display at Senior Services

The Senior Center, 1831 E. 4th St., is featuring a display that features nostalgic items back to the late 1800s. The display will be up through February and March. Items include baby plates and cups, antique dolls, Steiff collectibles, and many other items, thanks to Tom and Lida Volin. For more information, call 265-4678.
Monday support meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous: 6:30 a.m., 917 N. Beech; 8:30 a.m., 500 S. Wolcott; 10 a.m., 328 E. A St.; noon, 500 S. Wolcott; 2 p.m, 917 N. Beech; 5:30 p.m., 1124 Elma, Imitate the Image Church; 6 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200; 7 p.m., 917 N. Beech; 8 p.m., 328 E. A. Douglas: 7:30 p.m., 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back). Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are open. Casper info: 266-9578; Douglas info: (307) 351-1688.

Al-Anon: Noon, 701 S. Wolcott, St. Marks Church, main entrance, left to library.

Narcotics Anonymous: Noon, 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 7 p.m., 302 E. 2nd, Methodist Church; 8 p.m., 4700 S. Poplar (church basement). Web site: http://www.urmrna.org.

Teen Addiction Anonymous: 3:30-4:30 p.m., Boys & Girls Club Teen Center. Info: 258-7439.

Adult Children of Alcoholics: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., 12-24 Club, 500 S. Wolcott St., Suite 200.

TOPS Weight Loss: 5:30 p.m., Weight Loss Support Group TOPS #246, Wyoming Oil & Gas Building, 2211 King Blvd. Use NE door entry. Info: 265-1486.

Senior Stompers meet Mondays

Free only for seniors 60-plus who like to have fun, love music and like to dance. Join Joyces Senior Stompers at 10:50 a.m. Mondays and exercise your mind and body. Call Joyce for more information: 237-4908.

Rotarians hear science of eclipse

Michele Wistisen, supervisor of the Casper Planetarium, will give a presentation regarding the technical aspects of the solar eclipse to Rotarians and guests at noon at the Parkway Plaza. Wistisen has shared her method for teaching at the National Science Teachers Association conference and numerous planetarium conferences both nationally and internationally. She was selected as a National Space Foundation teacher liaison in 2012. She has a bachelors degree in elementary education and a masters degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Wyoming.

Doodling for tweens

The Natrona County Library will host a craft program for students in grades 4-6 at 4 p.m. Tweens will trace their hands and doodle inside. All supplies provided. Call 577-READ ext. 5 for more information.

Community impact at Pizza Ranch

Pizza Ranch, 5011 E. Second St., hosts Community Impact nights from 5 to 9 p.m. normally on Mondays and Wednesdays. Members of nonprofit groups bus tables for tips, and 20 percent of meal tickets from diners who mention the group are donated as well. Dine-in, delivery or pickup orders qualify. Mondays nonprofit is Highland Park Community Church for Seton House.

Learn about Airbnb for eclipse

The Natrona County Library and Wyoming Eclipse Festival will host an Airbnb Workshop from 5:30 to 7 p.m., in the librarys Crawford Room. The workshop will help create or revise a listing according to Airbnb best practices. Great for new hosts, just in time for the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21. Take a laptop, tablet, smartphone or other device to access the account; digital photos of the space to list (either on your phone, flash drive, or uploaded to your inactive Airbnb listing); and any write-ups, house rules, or other information about the listing, and well help you with your first post. Taught by Wyoming Eclipse Festival staff. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Doll collectors meet

The Casper Doll Club will meet at 7 p.m. at the Senior Center, 1831 E. Fourth St. Dolls accompanied by their storybooks will be explored and featured. Anyone interested is welcome. For information, call Janet at 234-4044.

Photographers meet

The March meeting for the Casper Photography Association is set for 7:15 p.m., at the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building, 2211 King Blvd., Casper. Use the east door. Members will be showcasing photos from field trips to Okie Mansion, Bishop House, and the area of Sunrise, Wyoming. The Casper Photography Association goes on monthly field trips and from time to time presents their photos at a meeting. The next field trip will be to Backwards Distillery. The public is welcome to attend monthly meetings.
Sunday support meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous: 10 a.m., 500 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200;10:15 a.m., 917 N. Beech; noon, 500 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200; 6:30 p.m., 1124 Elma, Imitate the Image Church; 6:30 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott; 6:30 p.m., 328 E. A; 8 p.m., 917 N. Beech; 8 p.m., 328 1/2 E. A. Douglas: 1 p.m, Douglas, 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back), womens meeting; 7:30 p.m., 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back). Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are open. Casper info: 266-9578; Douglas info: (307) 351-1688.

Narcotics Anonymous: Noon, 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 6:30 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 8 p.m., 15th & Melrose at the church. Web site: http://www.urmrna.org.

Nicotine Anonymous: 5 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club. Info: Pam M., 577-0518; Troy Y., 267-6326.

Breakfast at Eagles

Twice-monthly Sunday Eagles Breakfasts are back; support our many charities. Serving from 8 to 10:30 a.m. on the first and last Sundays of the month at 306 N. Durbin. Order off the menu. 235-5130.

Sunday breakfast

at Elks

The Casper Elks Lodge serves breakfast open to the public on Sundays from 8 to 11 a.m. All you can eat for $7, children 5 to 12 are $3, 4 and under are free. For more information, call 234-4839.

Super Flea at fairgrounds

The Casper Antique & Collectors Club hosts Super Flea from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fairgrounds Industrial Building. There will be lots of dealers with a large assortment of goods. The club has given thousands of dollars to museums and other nonprofit groups since it was formed in 1971. Admission is $2.50.

Century of Clothing fashion show

Doors at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center open at 12:30 p.m. for the Century of Clothing fashion show. Womens clothing presented is from 1790 to 1900. Only 150 seats will be sold.

Tickets are $25 at the door. Cash or check accepted at the Trails Center front desk or call to purchase with credit card.

All proceeds from this event will help with upgrades to exhibits at the National Historic Trails Center.

Cabin fever clinic

The Wyoming Flycasters will host its annual Cabin Fever Clinic from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Casper Recreation Center, 1801 E. Fourth Street. The free event is open to the public. Pros will teach all experience levels. There will be experienced fishermen giving casting lessons, as well as several people demonstrating the art of tying flies. All gear will be provided for demonstrations or take one. A rod and reel will be given away.

Cheryl Wilson  267-1903

Janet Ahlquist, Andre Bohren

in concert

Casper Chamber Music Society and Artcore present Janet Ahlquist and Andre Bohren together in concert at 4 p.m. in the Wheeler Concert Hall at Casper College. This is part of the CCMS season ticket, or Artcore pricing: adults $13, seniors $12, students and teachers $7, 12 and under $5.

The two pianists will perform solo and duet works by Schubert, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Ahlquist, Gershwin, Grieg, Brahms and Bacon.

Summer softball meeting

The Casper Recreational Leagues Association, in conjunction with the City of Casper Recreation Division, is offering softball leagues for mens, womens and co-ed teams.

All adult teams interested in participating in this years summer softball programs are requested to have a representative at the organizational meeting at 4:30 p.m., at the Casper Recreation Center, 1801 E. Fourth St. League rules, season dates, fees and important deadlines will be discussed.

If league sizes need to be limited, those teams represented at the meeting will be given first priority. If additional information is needed, contact the City of Casper Recreation Division at 235-8383.
In the 1930s, the University of Wyoming offered a degree in recreational ranching to prepare students to work on dude ranches.

A newspaper article from the time said the art of entertaining easterners who visit Wyoming dude ranches is going to be taught in a systematic way.

The degree eventually fizzled, and other similar programs grew out of its place until 2005, when the Department of Geography and Recreation eventually dissolved, according to a UW report.

While that effort may have failed, the need for more people trained in tourism and recreation is only increasing, experts say.

Theres a recognition the university can serve this industry for the betterment of the state, said Chad Baldwin, UWs associate vice president for communications and marketing.

And in 2018, if all goes as planned, UW will unveil its newest offering: a degree in natural resources, recreation and tourism.

No other state in the country offers the same combination of business, human dimensions, natural resources and recreation, said Doug Wachob, interim dean at the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources.

The degree is still in the concept and planning phase. It wont be official until it is reviewed by the faculty Senate and approved by the dean, provost and UW board of trustees.

But it has legs.

The idea started in the Haub School, which began working with the public and other areas of the university, particularly the College of Business.

As we reached out informally to members of industry and business, there was substantial interest in this, Wachob said. Our new president came on and she was queried by legislative and community members across the state if the university was doing anything with tourism.

UW then spent the fall of 2016 sending surveys to industry throughout Wyoming and holding focus groups. The result is an interdisciplinary degree that focuses on natural resources and the outdoors as well as business skills such as marketing, entrepreneurship and business and financial management.

Internships would be a formal component, as could something like a professional semester.

We hope they will have a broad array of interdisciplinary skills to start businesses, enhance businesses, work for government and enhance the economic diversity of the state through tourism, he said.

The university already offers programs to help feed other industries in Wyoming, from education to energy. It was a logical extension to train students to work in the states second largest industry, Wachob said.

Its an economic engine that Wyoming needs to enhance and build up, he said. We in Wyoming take for granted our open spaces and vistas, and its something the rest of the world is eager to participate in.

The new degree offering comes at a time of steep cuts to education and other programs across the state as a result of the downturn in the energy industry. Baldwin said even if the university is shedding programs, adding one that is needed makes sense.

Universities should constantly assess their programs, regardless of budget problems, he said.

At the same time, he added, a good university, particularly a land grant school, looks at: Are we serving the state the way we should be?

For Lodges of Yellowstone, one of the largest employers in Wyomings tourism industry, the possibility of this kind of degree is game-changing, said Rick Hoeninghausen, director of sales and marketing for Yellowstone National Park Lodges, part of of Xanterra Parks and Resorts.

Xanterras Yellowstone properties fill about 2,600 seasonal jobs each year and employ another 160 full-time staff.

Hoeninghausen started as one of them, working in Yellowstone National Park in 1980 as a seasonal worker in the laundry room and moving his way up through the company.

Theres ongoing perception in the industry that theyre all low-paying jobs and youll be flipping burgers and thats it, he said. And that couldnt be farther from the truth. Im an example of that.

His company wants people with initiative and a desire to grow and look for advancement. They also want people who already know principles of business such as marketing and budgeting. A hotel can train on specifics, but coming on with skills will enhance benefit the individual and the company.

This is a huge recognition of the second largest industry in the state, Hoeninghausen said. And will be one of the biggest things to happen in the state at least since Ive been here to further the industry as a whole.
Theres a knock on the door, and the family of five falls silent. Carefully, Javier Ramirez creeps to the window and peers through the curtains, looking onto the dark Casper street.

Javier unlocks the front door and talks to the guest through the glass door, which he keeps locked.

A voice comes into the living room  easy, fluent Spanish. Not threatening. Not from an immigration agent. Instead, its a friend coming to visit the family, who has lived fearfully since immigration agents knocked on that front door Tuesday morning.

The agents came before dawn and woke the family, Javier said. The next day they came again, pulling over Javier as he returned home from dropping off his son at school. They asked about his wife, Ana, who is undocumented.

The family had lived peacefully in Casper for the past seven years, but they became more nervous when the new administration took office in January. Besides a few traffic tickets, Javier and Ana have no criminal history. An attorney whos been working with the family thinks the agents are knocking because of a deportation order issued in 2012 after Ana missed an immigration court date stemming from a minor traffic ticket.

But if thats the reason, why come for her five years later, the family asks. And why single out a mother of three whose most serious offense was driving without a license?

"We might not have a license, but were not going out and doing bad. Were not committing crimes," Javier said in Spanish. "We go to work, from work to home. We go out every once in awhile as a family. Were not doing anything wrong."

They were going to take all of us

Ana came to the U.S. as a teenager on an eight-month work permit in 2000, searching for more opportunities than her hometown in western Mexico offered. When her visa expired, she stayed. Since then, shes been living illegally in the United States.

When he was 17, Javier illegally crossed the border in the desert of Arizona alone about the same time as his soon-to-be wife. For a few years, he worked in Arizona before moving to northern Colorado, where he met Ana. They married, settled down and had three kids. In 2010, the family moved to Casper after Javier got a job in construction, painting and putting up drywall. The three kids enrolled in school and Javier obtained a permit to work legally in the country.

The family agreed to speak with the Star-Tribune on the condition that their real names not be used for fear of further interactions with immigration agents. Their names have been replaced with pseudonyms.

Representatives from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, meanwhile, did not respond to requests for comment for this article.

The Ramirez family lived a quiet life in their modest home, the walls decorated with pictures of flowers and a large print of Our Lady of Guadalupe. They like to take family walks by the river with their dogs and play in the front yard.

Casper is home now, Ana said, sitting on her living room couch. Like many who live here, the family loves the relaxed pace of life. The schools are good, and there is relatively little crime, they said.

We like Casper. Its a quiet place, she said Wednesday. Well, until now. Until yesterday -- then it wasnt.

It started Tuesday morning with a knock on the door, the family said. It was before dawn, but Ana and her daughter crept out of bed and looked through the front window. Immigration agents, their badges visible, were on her front porch.

She went back to bed and the family stayed inside, silent. The entire family remained in the house all day like prisoners. Shiny trucks with tinted windows sat on the corners of their street.

On Wednesday, Javier woke early as usual to take his son to school. As the father and son got into their truck, they saw the dark-windowed cars on the corners again. As they turned off their street, a gray car started to follow them.

It followed them all the way to the boys middle school and then continued to follow Javier as he drove home. As Javier approached the house, the car switched its red and blue lights on and pulled him over.

An agent came to the window and asked if he was here legally. He asked to see Javiers papers. Javier said he turned over his work permit, which is valid until July. Javier stepped out of the car when the agent asked if they could go inside the home and talk. But he knew the agent needed a warrant to go inside and refused to walk past his front lawn.

The agents told Javier they were looking for someone. One agent pulled out his phone and showed Javier a picture of Ana. The agents became annoyed as Javier continued to refuse to let them in the house without a warrant.

They demanded he speak in English instead of Spanish. They threatened to come back and arrest the whole family, deport them all to Mexico. Javier said they couldnt deport him  he has a valid work permit. And the kids are U.S. citizens.

It didnt matter that I have my permit, Javier later said. They were going to take all of us.

Illegal immigration in Wyoming

Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has called for more aggressive deportation of undocumented immigrants. He maintains they bring crime into the country while taking jobs from citizens. However, repeated studies have show immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than those born in the U.S.

Under President Barack Obama, immigration officials were instructed to prioritize the deportation of people who had committed serious crimes. Through an executive order, Trump widely expanded immigration officials priorities to include people convicted of any crime, who were charged with a crime or have committed acts which constitute a chargeable criminal offense.

Essentially, the new priorities could include someone who was ticketed for driving without a license or other traffic violations, said Suzan Pritchett, a law professor at the University of Wyoming who specializes in immigration law.

"President Trump has expanded the net for who he thinks should be targeted for enforcement," she said. "But there's not the manpower to enforce every single immigration law that's been violated, and there's not always the political will to do so."

Its difficult to know for certain whether more people are being detained by immigration officials, said Jon Huss, a Casper immigration lawyer who has been advising the Ramirez family. However, he has noticed that agents have been significantly busier.

Prior to Jan. 20, 2017, there wasnt a lot of arrests of your regular people, he said. The new administration has changed their approach, and now ICE is going out and arresting people again.

According to 2014 estimates from the Pew Research Center, there are between 5,000 and 10,000 undocumented immigrants living in Wyoming, or between 1 and 2 percent of the states population. That estimate has remained relatively steady since 1995. About 2 percent of Wyoming students in kindergarten through 12th grade have one parent who is undocumented, the center estimates.

Nationwide, the number of undocumented immigrants has remained around 11 million since 2009.

People often choose to come to the country illegally because there are a limited number of each type of permit and visa, and wait times for such permits can stretch for years, Pritchett said. Employers face the same problem, she said. It is often far more expensive and complicated to legally hire foreign workers, so employers look to hire people who are here illegally.

"The process is just so incredibly complicated or unwieldy, people often dont know how to use the process or the process is not responding to supply and demand, she said. "The timing of it all is just so hard to get right."

Once people are in the country, it can be difficult to maintain legal status, Huss said. The court system is complicated, and those going through it have no right to an attorney. If they cant afford to pay one, they are often up against the court system on their own.

Immigration law is a patchwork quilt thats been constructed over the past century, Huss said. Its a lot more complicated than people think.

Ana said she did not try to obtain another work permit because it would have required her to return to Mexico. If she made the trip and was denied the permit, she would have been unable to come back to the United States.

Pritchett said the recent changes in policy have made even immigrants who are here legally nervous. International students or undocumented students at the university protected by the DREAM Act are concerned about how long they'll be able to stay in the country, she said.

"The policies are changing so quickly and so wildly nobody knows what to expect," she said. "Its hard as an attorney in this situation to give people good advice. Tomorrow, it could be something different."

Trapped

While politicians and bureaucrats set national policy from D.C., the Ramirez family waits to see what will come next.

"It's hard, because it feels like I'm being chased by them. One over there and the other here..." Ana said, trailing off as she gestured to the corners of the street where the family saw the trucks.

They've made plans, just in case. If Ana is detained, the family will stay in Casper and fight her deportation. If both parents are detained, the kids will stay with family elsewhere in the state while the couple's attorneys find a solution.

Ultimately, however, the whole family will have to move to Mexico if both Javier and Ana are deported. They understand that if the agents return with a warrant, there's little to be done.

"We also respect the laws here, even if we're not citizens," Ana said. "We have to obey. We understand that."

Neither Javier nor Ana has returned to Mexico since they came to the U.S. more than a decade ago. The kids  who are in fourth, seventh and ninth grade  have never even visited their parents' native country. Much of Javier and Ana's family in Mexico have either died or left. Mexico is no longer home.

"Theyre from here; they were born here," Javier said, looking at his three kids sitting on the couch by Ana. Nearby, a collection of family photos sits on an end table next to a decoration spelling the word "joy." "For them, it would be very hard to be (in Mexico). There arent the same opportunities."

Until they can figure whats going on, Ana isnt leaving the house. She spends her days in the house alone. She waits for the day the agents come with a warrant. Few of their friends know their situation, few know that she is undocumented. It's just not something you talk about, they said.

I feel trapped," she said. "Since all of this started, I feel completely shut in, like in a cage."

Her kids go to school in the morning, unsure if their mom will still be there when they return. Javier still goes to work, but he feels like he can't look away from his phone. He's waiting for the call from his wife, saying that the agents have returned.

In the meantime, the family has tried to live as normally as possible. But there are no more carefree walks by the river. Ana doesn't pick up the kids from school. They answer the door carefully, always looking through the window first.

"I didnt have to act like I was a criminal before," Javier said. "Thats how it feels  like youre a criminal. We dont owe anything, we haven't done anything wrong. The only crime is that we dont have a green card. Thats our crime?"
John Gordon Palmer

Casper, Wyoming

April 10, 1934-February 24, 2017

John Gordon Palmer was born in Jackson, Minnesota on April 10, 1934, the only and much loved child of George and Alice (Vacura) Palmer. After a happy farm childhood and graduation from Jackson High School, John served with the U. S. Army for three years including a stint in Korea. The army trained him as a baker and he furthered those skills at Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis. John married Kathy Heruth in Minneapolis in 1964 and together they moved to Casper, Wyoming in 1969.

Wyoming provided many memorable camping, hunting and fishing trips, but most especially the birth of their daughters, Jennifer and Stephanie.

John retired from the D.J. Power Plant in 1996 and became a first-rate househusband, and learned to carve.

He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and brother-in-law, John Heruth.

He is survived by his wife Kathy Palmer of Casper, Jennifer Palmer of Racine, WI, and Stephanie Palmer of Jackson Heights, NY. Also cousins, friends, and in-laws.

Services will be at Christ United Methodist Church, 1868 South Poplar, Monday, March 6th at 10:30 A.M, followed by military honors at the Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery.

In his honor, do what he did daily by telling your spouse and kids that you love them.

Memorials may be made in his name to Christ United Methodist Church or a charity of your choice.
The federal government is claiming a court order requiring it to negotiate with both tribes on the Wind River Reservation in central Wyoming when providing multi-tribal services is placing employees in legal jeopardy.

The government appealed its case to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California last month, protesting an October court decision forcing the Bureau of Indian Affairs to receive approval from both the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes before approving funding for reservation services affecting both tribes.

Court: Feds likely broke law in Wind River tribal negotiations The federal government appears to have acted illegally by entering into contracts with the E

Lawyers for the Bureau of Indian Affairs argue that the October decision was unnecessary because the BIA had already agreed to seek approval from both tribes before entering into any new contracts on the reservation.

The challenged contract renewals were the result of exceptional circumstances, U.S. Justice Department attorneys Mark Freeman and Weili Shaw wrote in the Ninth Circuit brief. The BIA will not enter into contracts for shared programs in the future without the consent of both tribes.

The dispute goes back to 2014, when the Northern Arapaho left the joint body that the two tribes  each of which has independent sovereignty over the same boundaries  had used for decades to work with the federal government.

The BIA subsequently worked exclusively with the Eastern Shoshone Tribe to provide reservation services, citing the difficulty of entering into two separate agreements for services covering the same reservation and the agencys hope that the Northern Arapaho would return to the joint council.

After it became increasingly clear that the Northern Arapaho were not going to return to the joint council, BIA Wind River Agency Superintendent Norma Gourneau wrote a letter over the summer stating that agency would begin seeking the approval of both tribes before entering into any new agreements.

In October, Montana U.S. District Court judge Brian Morris issued a preliminary injunction putting legal force behind Gourneaus letter  effectively forcing the government to abide by what it had already pledged to do.

In its appeal to the Ninth Circuit, the BIA argues that the preliminary injunction is unnecessary for just that reason.

The Gorneau Letter unequivocally states that the BIA will not enter into contracts for shared programs in the future without the consent of both tribes, Freeman and Shaw wrote.

Morris wrote in his decision granting the preliminary injunction that the Gourneau letter was not a legal document and would not prevent the BIA from entering into future contracts on the Wind River Reservation without approval from the Northern Arapaho.

The BIA has committed to no legally binding policy that would prevent such approval from happening in the future, Morris wrote.

BIA attorneys argued in their appeal that while Gourneaus letter is not technically legally binding, courts have historically presumed the government is acting in good faith and that the court should assume the agency will not violate its own stated policy.

But the lawyers further argue that the injunction requiring the government to follow Gourneaus letter puts employees at risk of being held in contempt of court.

The October order requires the BIA to consult both tribes on contracts impacting shared services and the government argues it is too difficult to determine which services are shared and which are meant only for a single tribe given the overlapping nature of both tribal organizations on the shared reservation.

Federally funded programs directed at one tribe commonly also benefit or affect the other tribe and its members, the government attorneys wrote.

The government believes that it risks violating the injunction  or being accused of violating the injunction  if it enters into agreements with the individual tribes and will be forced to negotiate with both tribes for every service provided.

Given the tribes ongoing unwillingness to cooperate in the administration of most such programs, such a determination would likely result in the rejection of the proposals, Freeman and Shaw stated in the lawsuit.

The lawyers caution this will lead to more programs administered by the federal government rather than the tribes themselves, as happened when the BIA partially took control of the tribal court in the fall. The BIA is asking the Ninth Circuit to overturn the injunction to avoid this situation because federal law compels the BIA to turn over as many reservation programs to tribes as possible.

The Northern Arapaho Tribe has until March 13 to respond to the governments appeal.
PALM BEACH, Fla.  President Trump turned to Congress on Sunday for help finding evidence to support his unsubstantiated claim that former President Obama had Trumps telephones tapped during the election. Obamas intelligence chief said no such action was ever carried out.

Republican leaders of Congress appeared willing to honor the presidents request, but the move has potential risks for the president, particularly if the House and Senate intelligence committees unearth damaging information about Trump, his aides or his associates.

Trump claimed in a series of tweets without evidence Saturday that his predecessor had tried to undermine him by tapping the telephones at Trump Tower, the New York skyscraper where Trump based his campaign and transition operations and maintains a home.

Obamas director of national intelligence, James Clapper, said nothing matching Trumps claims had taken place.

Absolutely, I can deny it, said Clapper, who left government when Trump took office in January. Other representatives for the former president also denied Trumps allegation.

The New York Times reported that FBI Director James Comey has asked the Justice Department to publicly reject Trumps assertion. The Times reported that senior American officials say Comey argued that the claim must be corrected because it falsely insinuates that the FBI broke the law. No such statement has been issued by the Justice Department.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said without elaborating Sunday that Trumps instruction to Congress was based on very troubling reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election. Spicer did not respond to inquiries about the reports he cited in announcing the request.

Spicer said the White House wants the congressional committees to exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016. He said there would be no further comment until the investigations are completed, a statement that House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi took offense to and likened to autocratic behavior.

Its called a wrap-up smear. You make up something. Then you have the press write about it. And then you say, everybody is writing about this charge. Its a tool of an authoritarian, Pelosi said.

Spicers chief deputy, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said she thinks Trump is going off of information that hes seen that has led him to believe that this is a very real potential.

Josh Earnest, who was Obamas press secretary, said presidents do not have the authority to unilaterally order the wiretapping of American citizens, as Trump has alleged was done to him. FBI investigators and Justice Department officials must seek a federal judges approval for such a step.

Earnest accused Trump of leveling the allegations to distract from the attention being given to campaign-season contacts by Trump aides with a Russian official, including campaign adviser Jeff Sessions before he resigned from the Senate to become attorney general. The FBI is investigating those contacts, as is Congress.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., said in a statement that the panel will follow the evidence where it leads, and we will continue to be guided by the intelligence and facts as we compile our findings.

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that the committee will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political partys campaign officials or surrogates.

The committees top Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, said Trump was following a deeply disturbing pattern of distraction, distortion and downright fabrication.

The office of House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., referred questions to Nunes, while a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said McConnell would not tell the Senate committee how to do its work.

Trump said in the tweets that he had just found out about being wiretapped, though it was unclear whether he was referring to having found out through a briefing, a conversation or a media report. The president in the past has tweeted about unsubstantiated and provocative reports he reads on blogs or conservative websites.

The tweets stood out, given the gravity of the charge and the strikingly personal attack on the former president. Trump spoke as recently as last month about how much he likes Obama and how well they get along, despite their differences.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some March 5 papers in history. With a subscription to newspapers.com you can search the Arizona Daily Star and many other newspapers using keywords or dates, and download articles or pages.
Hospitalized at Tucson Medical Center since his birth last month, Orion Flores is one of a growing number of local babies exposed to opioids in the womb.

The need to help babies like Orion and their families was the impetus for a new program that aims to help parents quit their addiction to opioids like heroin and oxycodone, manage the challenges of parenthood and keep families together.

Orions mom, Melissa Flores, has been in the fledgling program  a partnership between Tucson Medical Center and CODAC Health, Recovery and Wellness  since her third month of pregnancy.

Services through CODAC include a rehab methadone clinic, support groups at the hospital neonatal intensive care unit for parents with addicted newborns and care for newborns withdrawing from opiates.

Since September, the program has helped about 40 families, said Kelly Irving, CODACs senior director of womens services.

Withdrawal symptoms from an opiate addiction are the same for both children and adults, said Pat Brown, manager of the newborn intensive care unit at TMC. She said the withdrawal includes gastrointestinal problems, an inability to eat, pain and jitters. Often, the babies are inconsolable.

They go through the same withdrawals that an adult would go through, except theyre not able to verbalize what that pain is, Brown said.

Methadone

Most pregnant women who come into labor and delivery at TMC are forthcoming with their drug use because they want the best care for their baby, Brown said. Babies typically remain in the hospital for two to three months while they are treated for withdrawal, she said.

Flores, 25, has been receiving doses of methadone for treatment of her addiction to opiates at a CODAC clinic every morning since August, when she found out she was pregnant with Orion, her second child.

Babies like Orion whose mothers have drug problems are often diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), which is a group of problems that often occur in a newborn who is exposed to drugs while in the mothers womb.

Babies with NAS can have a number of symptoms, including an inability to eat and breathing difficulties.

Five babies, including Orion, have been born with NAS at the hospital since Jan. 1. There were 50 babies born with NAS at the hospital in 2016, TMC officials say.

Bruce Reddix, a pediatrician contracted to work with babies at TMC, said he has seen an increase in NAS-affected babies over the past few years. Statewide, the number of babies with NAS increased by 224 percent between 2008 and 2015, statistics from the Arizona Department of Health Services show.

Group sessions

Two rooms with white tile walls in the hospitals neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are designated for newborns like Orion who have been exposed to drugs. Each of the five babies the rooms can hold is assigned a nurse when they are born, and families are encouraged to be in the room with their children.

The separate area for these families benefits the parents because it encourages open conversation about where they are in their drug use, Brown said. There is a conference room next door where support groups are held by CODAC representatives for families.

Brown said it is best for all babies in the NICU that those displaying withdrawal or NAS symptoms are in a separate area.

A lot of times the families are very much involved and the nurses are there with these parents pretty much all the time, Brown said.

Irving said its generally mothers, grandmothers, and occasionally fathers and other family members who attend the group sessions.

In these sessions, parents are educated about substance abuse, treatment for themselves and their children, and they are encouraged to talk about what it feels like to have a child who was exposed to opiates.

Pregnancy

Flores found out she was pregnant with Orion when she went to TMC for a general health concern in August.

She immediately decided to move into a CODAC residential treatment facility called Las Amigas for four months so she could prepare for the birth of Orion and deal with her addiction.

Flores now is living at a Gospel Rescue Mission facility and is a part of a CODAC program called Mothers Caring About Self. She is working toward being able to support herself and her children.

I go to a clinic every morning, except for Sunday, I get a take-home dose for that day, Flores said. We take our dose at the window and they watch us.

Methadone used in the clinic is a synthetic opiate medication for treatment of people withdrawing from opiate addiction, said Irving. It is administered in liquid form.

A lot of people continue to use opiates because they dont want to experience this withdrawal because it is very intense, and then there is a high potential to relapse within the opiate addiction. Irving said.

Methadone gives them enough of an opiate to stop any withdrawal symptoms that they may have, but not enough to get high off of.

State custody

In some cases, the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) will remove a child from mothers who continue to combat addiction.

When baby Orion is discharged from the hospital, state officials will conduct an investigation to see if a case needs to be opened, program officials said.

Flores 19-month-old son, Jude, is currently in state custody and living in a foster home, but Flores says she hopes it is a temporary situation.

She sees Jude twice a week and is working on reunification, she said.

In cases where DCS is involved, CODAC will help the family and follow the case, Irving said.

We are the treatment providers going to their child and family team meetings, to their court hearings, and providing updates on the progress they are making in their substance use and their ability to cope and live healthy, productive lives, Irving said.

Irving said families can choose to remain with CODAC for case management or ongoing individual or group-therapy services.

Trauma therapy

Flores moved to Tucson from Massachusetts six years ago and said CODAC has provided the home, family and support system she lacked when she moved here.

We like to make sure that they are connected with some sort of community support, Irving said.

If thats a 12-step program, a club that they really enjoy going to, a church group, or something that connects them to other people in a healthy way, thats when we know people are ready to move on from our services and live their lives.

There are staff members at CODAC who are in recovery themselves who are on-site and available to help offer support, Irving said.

Flores said she looks forward to having more time with her children and on doing her ink drawings and other artwork.

Im excited to teach the kids how to draw. I try to get Jude to hold a colored pencil sometimes, but he doesnt get it yet, Flores said.

Irving said CODAC hopes to partner with a childrens provider to offer child-parent psychotherapy as part of the program.

It will be trauma-focused, where parents will be able to acknowledge the trauma they have caused their child, work to express that, and apologize for it, she said.

It helps them move on from the guilt and shame that they have from causing this in the first place, Irving said.
The Tucson Police Departments decision not to continue searching for a suspect who escaped from Border Patrol agents is being criticized as a political move.

TPD refused to further assist in the Friday night pursuit of a fleeing felon due to the political climate, the president of National Border Patrol Council said Saturday.

However, TPD officials said the department pulled out of the search after being unable to find the suspect in the specified area and that staff was needed to address other calls.

Carlos Erazo-Velasquez, 37, from Honduras, escaped from agents at Banner-University Medical Center Tucson after previously attempting to evade arrest and assaulting a Border Patrol agent, officials said.

Tucson police received a call from the Border Patrol shortly after 5 p.m. Friday, apprising them of the situation, said Sgt. Kimberly Bay, a TPD spokeswoman.

A man matching the suspects description was spotted in the area of North First Avenue and West Elm Street, and TPD officers immediately responded to help find the suspect, as they would in any situation where a law enforcement agency asks for help, said Bay.

Seventeen officers, including three K9 officers and the TPD air unit, helped in the search for more than two hours, she said.

As the evening progressed, protesters heard about the search and came to the hospital, believing that Erazo-Velasquez was being pursued for illegal entry into the country, Art Del Cueto, president of the National Border Patrol Council, told the Star on Saturday.

This (the search) had nothing to do with immigration, he said. This wasnt an illegal immigrant loose in the desert; he was in the city and near the university.

The protesters blocked a Border Patrol vehicle, Del Cueto said. Agents moved their command center to the TPD west-side substation parking lot on Miracle Mile, roughly four miles away, after protesters arrived at the hospital.

Later Friday night, TPD told Border Patrol agents they could no longer help, Del Cueto said.

And TPD management asked agents to leave the substation, saying theyd received a number of calls for service that they needed to respond to, Del Cueto said.

With Border Patrol agents and vehicles searching the alleys and streets, I understand why citizens were calling in, Del Cueto said.

But my concern is that if this man attacked a federal agent with a gun, what would he do to an average citizen he encountered in the streets?

Del Cueto said agents were told that TPD couldnt assist because of the current political climate.

TPD said its actions were about resources, not politics.

TPD officers determined, based on their experience of conducting thousands of urban-area searches, that the subject was most likely not within the contained area and further searching was futile, Bay said.

Given the time of night, busy call volume and a lack of the staff necessary to manage a demonstration at the substation, we were unable to accommodate this request and asked USBP to relocate to their own facility, Bay said.

TPDs current policy is to provide assistance as needed or requested and if the staffing level allows based on the totality of the circumstances of the situation or incident, Bay said.
The board hiring the University of Arizonas next president is meeting Monday for final interviews with the two remaining contenders, one of whom may have a lot to lose if he gets the job.

Dr. Robert C. Robby Robbins is a million-dollar man in his current post as president and CEO of Texas Medical Center, Arizona Daily Star research shows.

Robbins office wouldnt provide his salary, but the medical centers nonprofit tax records show he earned nearly $1.2 million in 2014, the most recent figure available online.

The other UA finalist, Sethuraman Panch Panchanathan, earns $447,400 as an executive vice president overseeing research, innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development efforts at Arizona State University.

Panachanathans income would increase by 50 percent, while Robbins would drop by about 50 percent, if they earned the same as current UA President Ann Weaver Hart, whose pay package totals $670,000 this year.

None of Arizonas university presidents makes $1 million. ASU President Michael Crow comes closest, with a pay package totaling $788,000 this year.

It isnt clear if the Arizona Board of Regents considered potential salary expectations when choosing the two finalists, or whether the board would consider increasing the pay level for the UA president.

Regents havent answered those questions. Nor have they provided a rationale for why the board plans to eliminate one of the two finalists by Tuesday, leaving only the winner to visit the UA campus community on Wednesday.

They also wont say who was on the short list of presidential contenders, prompting criticism that regents are ignoring an Arizona Supreme Court ruling that requires everyone interviewed for a state university presidents job to be publicly identified.

The two UA finalists also arent commenting for now.

The Star asked each for a 10-minute phone interview to talk about his vision for the UA. Panchanathan declined, saying he prefers to wait until after the regents final decision. Robbins office said hes traveling and is not conducting any interviews at this time.

Both finalists have career achievements that reflect the qualities regents say they are seeking in the UAs 22nd president.

Each has experience in the medical field, a priority area for the UA, which has two medical schools without permanent leadership after Dr. Joe G.N. Skip Garcia recently resigned as UAs health sciences boss.

The board also is seeking an innovator who can drive advances in research, fundraising and other key areas.

Robbins, a highly regarded cardiac surgeon, spent 20 years working for the Stanford University School of Medicine as professor and department chair in cardiothoracic surgery. In 2005, he founded the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute.

When Robbins left the California school in 2012 to take his current job in Texas, Stanford put out a news release saying his performance there had won him wide respect.

At Texas Medical Center, the worlds largest medical system, Robbins has introduced new research initiatives in areas such as genomics and regenerative medicine.

Why would someone making $1-million-plus a year at a much larger organization want to move to Arizona to run the UA for less money?

Lynn Nadel, the chair of UAs faculty and a member of the presidential search committee, said it may be that Robbins misses university life.

My sense is that he really wants to return to a university campus  and the life that that implies, enough that the likely loss of income is not a factor, Nadel said.

Not everyone makes every decision based on how much money they will earn. At a certain point, job satisfaction, quality of life, and other things, dominate.

Panchanathan, an adjunct professor at the UA medical school in Phoenix, is a computer engineer whose work has often focused on the intersection of technology and human health.

Hes spent years finding new ways for computers to improve the quality of life for disabled people. In 2004, for example, he led an ASU team that won an Arizona governors award for computer-assisted projects that help those with impaired vision recognize text, people and environments.

During the six years hes been the head of research and innovations, ASU has twice been ranked the No. 1 most innovative school in America by U.S. News & World Report.

In 2014, President Barack Obama named Panchanathan to the U.S. National Science Board, marking the first time an American of Indian origin was appointed to the body that advises the president and Congress on science and engineering issues.

UA donor Roni Woolston, a critic of the Tucson schools current president, said she was wowed by Panchanathan when he made a 2015 presentation to the Board of Regents on innovation and technology transfer.

He was absolutely brilliant and I remember wishing that we had someone of his caliber at the U of A, she said.

Regents will meet behind closed doors Monday in Phoenix for one last round of interviews with the finalists and are expected to announce their choice at a news conference Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the winner will visit campus for meetings with student leaders, faculty, deans, alumni and elected officials. The campus visit will culminate with a moderated question and answer session.

The hiring likely will be finalized in early April when regents vote on the new presidents contract.

Hart is stepping down as president but will remain on the UA faculty.

Regent Ron Shoopman of Tucson, vice chair of the presidential search committee, said when the finalists were chosen that both have the potential to lead the UA into the future in a dynamic way.

He said he hopes the UA community will welcome the next president with open arms.
PHOENIX  If your youngster attends school in an old building, you might suggest that he or she not drink water from the fountains. Especially first thing in the morning, and particularly on Mondays.

The state Department of Environmental Quality is in the early stages of getting local education officials to test some 7,000 school buildings throughout the state for lead in the drinking water. The DEQ is providing the test kits.

What theyve found so far may cause some concern.

Of results obtained from 118 schools already tested, 24 showed the presence of lead, about 1 out of every 5.

Whether that 1-out-of-5 ratio will play out across the state remains unclear.

Trevor Baggiore, the DEQs deputy director for water quality, said these were the first schools looked at in what started as a pilot program. They were among schools where students are likely to be at risk, he said, because they were built before 1987 when lead was outlawed, both for pipes as well as the solder used to connect copper pipes.

The testing protocol calls for taking samples from fixtures where the water has been sitting for at least six hours. The reason is that lead leaches into the water supply, particularly over time, which is why readings may be particularly high on Monday mornings after the water has been sitting in the pipes all weekend.

And Baggiore said the ratio is not as high as it might seem: While those 24 positive results represent 118 schools, samples were taken in multiple buildings on school grounds. Samples that exceeded federal standards of 15 parts per billion came from tests at 946 buildings, bringing the positive ratio down to 2.5 percent, he said.

Still, the findings have had some concrete results.

For example, the Casa Grande Elementary School District is providing bottled water to students at Palo Verde Elementary School. That came after the district shut off the drinking water supplies after DEQ found high levels of lead.

At San Manuel High School, by contrast, the district simply took the specific fountain with the elevated levels of lead off line, DEQ records show.

No corrective steps have been taken in Pima County schools so far, according to a DEQ spreadsheet that is updated weekly.

The testing is a direct outgrowth of the nationally publicized problems of lead pollution in Flint, Michigan.

Flints issue was different, with the cause having to do with a change in the source, and the chemistry, of the water, causing lead to leach out of old pipes. But Baggiore said it got everyones attention.

I think the nation had kind of gone into a lull, he said. Nobody was thinking lead issues anymore until the tragic accident of things that occurred in Flint.

That, he said, spurred DEQ into action. We looked at our own data as well as the things we know about the water systems in Arizona, Baggiore said.

There was a lack of data on schools and water quality in schools and the lead level (of water) being served at schools, he explained. We decided to set some money aside and develop this project to identify  and eliminate  the risk to kids.

Agency spokeswoman Caroline Oppleman said the risk has to be put into perspective.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency  and its also supported by our state and local health officials  childhood lead exposure primarily comes from sources like toys, lead paint, spices, those type of things, she said. Older toys and older homes are more likely to have lead content.

Drinking water is not considered to be a significant source of exposure for children in Arizona, she said.

The first Arizona schools tested were those built before lead was outlawed in 1987. DEQ also targeted schools with children age 5 and younger as well as those in what state health officials consider high-risk zip codes.

Since then, the list of schools wanting to participate has grown to 1,200, though only some are even on the schedule for testing.

While some schools have turned off all water, or at least fountains, if DEQ found lead levels above 15 parts per billion, Baggiore said his agency does not believe thats necessary.

Oppleman said the problem of high lead levels could be limited to an isolated fixture, with the rest of the fountains and faucets unaffected.

Beyond that, Baggiore said if the results are below 50 parts per billion, theres a simple answer: Run the water for at least a minute before allowing anyone to drink it. He said that should flush out lead that leached into standing water in the pipes while they were inactive.

Shutting water off would not be necessary and would not be something we would recommend, Oppleman said.

If any test were to show up at greater than 50 parts per billion  which has not occurred  Baggiore said the DEQ would advise a school to turn off the fixture if possible and put up signs advising people not to drink from it. Even that situation does not mean the water needs to be cut off entirely, he said.

You can wash hands, you can clean and do those things with water that has elevated (levels) of lead without any health concerns, Baggiore said.

At this point, DEQ is planning to test only public schools.

But Baggiore said local communities may want to do something more comprehensive. For example, he said the city of Scottsdale is using its own resources to test private and charter schools.
The U.S. District Court for the 9th Circuit will recognize teachers who encourage their students to enter a civics contest.

The contest is for students in grades nine through 12. Students can write essays or make videos on the theme, "Not to be forgotten: Legal lessons of the Japanese internment."

Four Arizona teachers who support their students in the contest will receive $350 each for their excellence in civics education.

To nominate a teacher or for more information about the contest and the teacher recognition, visit http://www.ce9.uscourts.gov/civicscontest. The deadline for nominations is April 16.
According to state law, fines, penalties, and license money shall be appropriated exclusively to the use and support of the common schools ... . An exception is fines for overloaded vehicles. Seventy-five percent of those funds go to state highways; 25 percent go to the county general fund where the fine or penalty is paid. Fifty percent of money forfeited or seized in enforcing drug laws goes to counties for drug enforcement. Vehicles seized in drug law cases may be used by law enforcement agencies or sold with the proceeds going to schools.

County Court

Traffic Sentences

Julia Dominguez Amador, 52, Madison, speeding 80 in 65 mph zone; $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Steven Petrinos, 24, 276 S. 7th Ave., speeding 55 in 45 mph zone; $25 fine and $49 court costs.

Kevin Rohloff, 41, 3039 E. Country Villa Rd., speeding 50 in 35 mph zone; $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Jordan Runge, 16, 15187 298th St., failure to maintain control; $25 fine and $49 court costs.

Chase Lemburg, 19, Silver Creek, speeding 71 in 50 mph zone; $200 fine and $49 court cost.

Mark Vanatta, 53, Conway, Arkansas, speeding 71 in 60 mph zone; $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Douglas Farran, 73, David City, speeding 74 in 55 mph zone; $125 fine and $49 court costs.

Kelly Misck Sr., 54, Schuyler, speeding 61 in 45 mph zone; $125 fine and $49 court costs.

Carlos Navarro, 51, Norfolk, speeding 81 in 65 mph zone; $125 fine and $49 court costs.

Gary Beran, 59, Hastings, speeding 70 in 60 mph zone; $25 fine and $49 court costs.

Patti Bader, 45, Newman Grove, driving too fast for conditions and possess/consume open alcohol container; $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Kelsey Nelson, 25, 207 E. 22nd St., no valid registration; $25 fine and $49 court costs.

Hannah Allen, 32, 2579 47th Ave. #6, speeding 65 in 55 mph zone; $25 fine and $49 court costs.

Brody Granstra, 19, Norfolk, speeding 75 in 65 mph zone and failure to use seatbelt; $50 fine and $49 court costs.

Melic Owens, 21, 3708 Cheyenne St., violate traffic signal; $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Ethan Mireless Pittman, 16, 2068 25th Ave., careless driving; $100 fine and $49 court costs.

Milton Wemhoff, 55, Humphrey, two counts overweight axle; $100 fine and $49 court costs.

Felisa Mazariegos, 43, Norfolk, speeding 78 in 65 mph zone and no operator's license; $150 fine and $49 court costs.

Jacinto Cuevas, 30, Madison, no operator's license; $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Nathan Foreman, 22, 2405 1/2 6th St., violate stop/yield sign and excessive window tint; $100 fine and $49 court costs.

Lanell Bilau, 59, Pierce, speeding 70 in 55 mph zone; $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Rosio Guillen-Torres, 18, Shelby, speeding 74 in 60 mph zone; $150 fine and $49 court costs.

Santiago Rosas Valle, 48, Milwaukee, speeding 79 in 60 mph zone; $125 fine and $49 court costs.

Karell Alvarez, 34, 2666 Prairie Pl., speeding 94 in 65 mph zone; $200 fine and $49 court costs.

Steven Wachal, 29, 1571 45th Ave., failure to maintain control; $25 fine and $49 court costs.

Vera Cromwell, 73, 3575 30th Ave., violate traffic signal; $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Felipe Erremayor Nabalon, 38, 2907 28th St. Apt. 4, violate stop/yield sign; $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Farah Ali, 42, Schuyler, speeding 85 in 60 mph zone; $200 fine and $49 court costs.

Shane Borer, 45, 2119 5th St., speeding 55 in 45 mph zone; $25 fine and $49 court costs.

Adam Koile, 33, Olathe, Kansas, speeding 75 in 65 mph zone; $25 fine and $49 court costs.

Edgar Garfias-Lezama, 44, 124 A Carriage House Estates, no operator's license; $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Ray Leclerc, 76, Grand Forks, ND, speeding 71 in 60 mph zone; $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Muhannad Moha Alamer, 22, Brookings, SD, speeding 75 in 65 mph zone; $25 fine and $49 court costs.

Criminal Sentences

Javier Prieto-Vidal, 42, 2153 30th Ave., DUI .15+; jail for 2 days, probation 6 months, revoke license one year, court costs.

Jesus Mendoza, 57, 3208 13th St., no operator's license; $175 fine and court costs.

Patti Bader, 45, Newman Grove, driving too fast for conditions, failure to use seatbelt, possess/consume alcohol open container; $175 fine and court costs.

Jeremy Kinney, 43, carry concealed weapon and driving under suspension; jail for 5 days with credit for 6 days served and court costs.

Jennifer Wood, 43, 5245 SE 16th St. #31, driving under suspension and possession; $350 fine and court costs.

Barbara Jackson, 27, Omaha, attempted class 4, reckless driving; $75 fine and court costs.

Michael Keener, 23, 23541 308th Ave. criminal mischief; $150 fine, $155.59 restitution and court costs.

Raquel Lopez, 21, 322 27th St., driving under suspension, failure to use seatbelt; $125 fine and court costs.

Matthew Recek, 34, attempted possession of controlled substance, criminal trespassing, criminal mischief; jail for 120 days with credit for 118 days served.

Treavor Twohig, 41, Madison, no operator's license, possession K2/marijuana; $375 fine and court costs.

Christopher Helmick, 42, Duncan, criminal mischief; $250 fine and court costs.

Jacob Herrmann, 30, 1158 39th Ave. #3, aiding and abetting; $150 fine and court costs.

Kenneth Inks, 20, 3522 25th St. #C4, criminal mischief; $150 fine and court costs.

Amy Lloyd, 38, 1158 39th Ave. #3, theft/shoplifting; $150 fine and court costs.

Eden Shuck, 45, Superior, criminal mischief; $50 fine, $50 restitution and court costs.

Patti Bader, 45, Newman Grove, criminal trespassing; $250 fine and court costs.

Kathleen Briones, 35, 3208 15th St., theft/shoplifting; jail for 15 days with credit for 41 days served, $70 restitution and court costs.

Jorge Santos, 27, 2647 47th Ave. #7, attempted possession of controlled substance, obstruction of police officer; 18 months probation, $250 fine and court costs.

Eric Schmidt, 37, 2265 8th Ave. #18, violate harassment protection order; probation for 179 days, $150 fine and court costs.

District Court

Criminal Sentences

Tavin Knievel, 25, Fremont, attempted burglary; jail 20 months-3 years with credit for 91 days served, probation for 5years, restitution of $30,000 and court costs.

Gabriel Munoz-Guerrero, 22, Omaha Correctional Center, delivery of controlled substance, sexual assault of child; jail 20 months-3 years with credit for 184 days served, and court costs.

Jeffrey Roan, 29, Lincoln, refusal to submit to test, fourth offense; jail 30-90 days to be served incrementally though Feb. 2017, probation for 30 months, revoke license for 45 days, $2,000 fine and court costs.

Patrick Wolfe, 21, Platte County Detention Facility, attempted sexual assault of minor, attempted class 2 felony; jail for 364 days with credit for 87 days served and court costs.

Kyle Timm, 25, David City, theft; jail for 30 days, probation 30 months, restitution of $1,800 and court costs.

Blake Spath, 38, 2822 7th St., six counts criminal non-support/violate court order; jail 18-30 months with credit for 73 days served, probation for five years and court costs.
The Tucson Police Departments decision not to continue searching for a suspect who escaped from Border Patrol agents is being criticized as a political move.

TPD refused to further assist in the Friday night pursuit of a fleeing felon due to the political climate, the president of National Border Patrol Council said Saturday. However, TPD officials said the department pulled out of the search after being unable to find the suspect in the specified area and that staff was needed to address other calls.

Carlos Erazo-Velasquez, 37, from Honduras, escaped from agents at Banner-University Medical Center Tucson, after previously attempting to evade arrest and assaulting a Border Patrol Agent.

Tucson police received a call regarding from Border Patrol shortly after 5 p.m. Friday, apprising them of the situation, said Sgt. Kimberly Bay, a TPD spokeswoman.

A man matching the suspects description was spotted in the area of North First Avenue and West Elm Street, and TPD officers immediately responded to help find the suspect, as they would in any situation where a law enforcement agency asks for help, said Bay.

Seventeen officers, including three K9 officers and the TPD air unit, helped in the search for more than two hours, she said.

As the evening progressed, protesters heard about the search and came to the the hospital and believed that Erazo-Velasquez was being pursued for illegal entry into the country, Art Del Cueto, president of the National Border Patrol Council, told the Star Saturday.

This (the search) had nothing to do with immigration. he said. This wasnt an illegal immigrant loose in the desert, he was in the city and near the university.

The protesters blocked a Border Patrol vehicle, Del Cueto said. Agents moved their command center to the TPD west-side substation parking lot on Miracle Mile, roughly four miles away, after protesters arrived at the hospital.

Later Friday night TPD told Border Patrol agents they could no longer help, Del Cueto said.

And TPD management asked agents to leave the substation, saying theyd received a number of calls for service that they needed to respond to, Del Cueto said.

With border patrol agents and vehicles searching the alleys and streets, I understand why citizens were calling in, Del Cueto said. But my concern is that if this man attacked a federal agent with a gun, what would he do to an average citizen he encountered in the streets?

Del Cueto said that agents were told that TPD couldnt assist because of the current political climate.

TPD said the actions were about resources, not politics.

TPD officers determined, based on their experience of conducting thousands of urban area searches, that the subject was most likely not within the contained area and further searching was futile, Bay said.

Given the time of night, busy call volume, and a lack of the staff necessary to manage a demonstration at the substation, we were unable to accommodate this request and asked USBP to relocate to their own facility, Bay said.
Voodoo is an ancient ritual that has its origin western Africa. Many in Nigeria are followers of Voodoo. The ritual combines some ancient beliefs with some aspects of the Catholic faith. People who follow this ritual are generally completely subservient to this practice.This ritual has a strong hold on tribal communities and many use it to further their aim. Recently the Austrian Police arrested a couple who were luring girls from Nigeria to Europe. These girls were then brainwashed and told that their only salvation to participate in the flesh trade.

Couple arrested

The couple who were arrested were Nigerians and though the man confessed, the woman has been denying involvement. Austria has a unique location in the heart of Europe and as such, it is both a destination and transit center. According to estimates, the most frequent phenomena of human trafficking in Austria includes human trafficking for sexual exploitation and child trafficking. Girls from Nigeria, who are young and supple find a ready clientele.

The problem

This problem is not confined to Austria but is common in Spain as well. Some time back the Spanish police broke up a gang that was using Voodoo and animal sacrifices to coerce young girls into prostitution. The gangs generally keep the girls on a tight leash and partake of their earnings.

The superstitious girls easily succumb to these rituals and fear dire consequences from the super powers if they take no part in prostitution

Last word

Europe is in the grip of an anti-immigrant wave, but girls from Nigeria are still being smuggled in. Some are brought in with the promise of jobs but the superstitious girls easily succumb to Voodoo rituals.

This is because back home Voodoo has a big say in tribal life. The arrest of the two Nigerians is perhaps just a tip of the iceberg and girl and child trafficking crime is prevalent all over Europe. Demand and supply go together and there is demand for young girls from Africa in all the capitals of Europe. Hopefully, the police will be able to crack down on this trade.
You know when Donald Trump was first inaugurated, and we watched him sit there signing order after order, bringing America to its knees? Well, only one of those orders really got any media coverage, because it took over all the news outlets in the world for a good couple of weeks. When the Muslim travel ban was getting all the media attention, Kellyanne Conway complained that the reporters should be covering his other big executive order. So, Seth Meyers of Late Night decided to take a look at the other order on his show, and it wasnt pretty.

Trump put a freeze on federal hiring that had a knock-on effect

Trumps other big executive order when he first became President was to immediately freeze all federal hiring, which led to devastating repercussions for war veterans, because they couldnt work. Trump ordered that no unfilled job positions could be filled and no new positions could be created. Sure, there were exceptions, but very few of them.

These positions that could no longer be filled are usually filled by military personnel, and their jobs are typically regarded as necessary to meet national security or public safety responsibilities. Now, as Meyers pointed out on his show, the main reason the VA resorts to fraud and provides subpar healthcare is because it is severely understaffed, a problem that is not solved by freezing all hiring of new employees, which is what Trump thought was a good idea (for some reason).

Trump is putting veterans out of work

The Washington Post reports that veterans make up 31% of the federal workforce, and now, thanks to Trump, a lot of them are out of work and cant find jobs for their skillset. These jobs also help them to reintegrate back into civilian life, which is another thing Trump is depriving them of.

So, when Trump was on the campaign trail, saying things like, Ive worked hard for the vets, and Oh, those vets. I love those vets. Were going to take care of those vets, and, strangely, Theres nobody bigger or better at the military than I am, he was just pandering to the vets in order to get their votes, only to screw them once he actually got in.

Fair enough, Trump donated $1 million towards constructing a memorial to the veterans of the Vietnam War in New York City, so he did that for them, but he also blagged his way out of serving in that very same war because he had a foot thing. Hmm.
Chancellor Philip Hammond has been voicing his opinions about Brexit and a trade agreement with the EU on The Andrew Marr Show as Prime Minister Theresa Mays finger itches the trigger on Article 50, which she cant wait to put into effect and get us out of the European Union. Marr questioned Hammond on whether or not the bills we have from Brexit that we owe to the EU would be paid, since the House of Lords seemed incredibly giddy about the fact that if theres no trade deal in the EU leave agreement, we could just walk off and not pay a penny and it would be totally legal.

We are a nation that honours its obligations

While not actually saying the words We will pay the Brexit bills we owe to the EU, Hammond did suggest that this was the case. Obviously, this is a piece of negotiating strategy that we are seeing in Brussels, he said. Hammond says that Britain is a nation that honours its obligations and promised that if there are any unpaid bills on our tab, we will obviously deal with them in the proper way.

Dealing with them in the proper way suggests paying them, but since Hammond hasnt actually promised it, that leaves this a bit of a dubious grey area. He also said that Britain is a nation which abides by its international obligations and says that we always have done, we always will do, and everybody can be confident about that. The exit bill is expected to cost 60 billion (52 billion), but Europes number one Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier says this figure is hugely speculative.
MP and Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond appeared on The Andrew Marr Show recently to discuss Brexit. He said that if a trade deal isnt reached, Britain will fight back and wont just slink off as a wounded animal.

Marr asked Hammond if the UK would be cutting business taxes as a way of incentivising overseas investors to do trade with the UK as opposed to the EU. This is Hammonds answer.

People can read what they like into it

As is customary with politicians when asked a difficult question, Hammond didnt provide a firm and solid yes-or-no answer to the question.

He instead said, People can read what they like into it. He told Marr he was not going to speculate now on the issue of how the UK would respond to an outcome that he doesnt believe we will come to.

Hammond did tell Marr that Britain is going into a negotiation with the EU. Everyone in Parliament is apparently operating under the assumption that a comprehensive free trade deal will be reached with the UKs partners in the EU, despite Brexit. But Hammond wants the British people to know that the alternative isnt Britain just slinking away into a corner.
Is my old school really ready to bring back the extinct woolly mammoth and, if so, where would they keep it, in the quad? Theres a big wall around the main campus with iron gates, but no one seriously thinks that would work. The Pittsburgh Zoo has an elephant sanctuary in Western Pennsylvania established a few years back but how well it is working no one knows because they decline interviews and visits from journalists. They are also charged by PITA with various violations and dropped their accreditation over complaints about improper contacts between animals and keepers.

Whats the bottom line?

Harvard really isnt quite ready to start bringing back extinct species, but they are getting closer. Close enough, in fact, to start looking at whether it is really a good idea. Jurassic Park Harvard Square may seem a romantic notion, but is it better to spend tens or hundreds of millions resurrecting species which had their chance and died out, or to spend millions on keeping endangered species alive?

One factor to consider is that while the mammoth and the saber-toothed tiger died out due to natural events - changes in their environment long before man could have any effect, many if not all of todays endangered species are on the verge of Extinction due entirely to mankind destroying their environment or killing them off to make carvings out of their tusks, or aphrodisiacs out of their horns (Rhinos.)

In other words, it should be possible for endangered species to continue living and even expanding their range in the current climatic conditions with just a few minor changes, but many of the extinct species would have to be cared for in special enclosures if they were resurrected.

The woolly mammoth, for example, lived in the extreme Arctic which is, itself, endangered, so where would they live?

Birds of a feather

Other scientists are working on the technology to resurrect birds, in particular the passenger pigeon which should be less controversial since they were killed off by man, having gone from the most abundant bird species in North America (an estimated 3 billion) to extinct in just a few decades.

Just how would these species be recreated in a lab? How does de-extinction work?

Some of those involved in the work of reversing extinction have coined the new term de-extinction to describe the recreation of extinct animals and (presumably) plants. The technique requires gene splicing which has only recently become practical with the invention of the CRISPR-Cas9 machine.

The so-called CRISPR revolution has made removal, splicing, and otherwise manipulating DNA relatively easy, so easy that, in the words of one actor in Jurassic Park (I), the people doing it havent earned the right to perform such enormous, magnificent, and even risky experiments by thoroughly understanding what they are doing.

Think of them as cooks who use a book vs a chef who understands molecular gastronomy.
The actor arnold schwarzenegger, former governor of California, announced that he has resigned and will no longer present the show "The New Celebrity Apprentice", where he took the place of Donald Trump, blaming him for his decision, informs BBC News.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, aged 69, who took Donald Trump`s place in the show "The New Celebrity Apprentice", said he would not appear in a new season of the show. He justified his decision, saying he is bothered by the intervention of US President during the show.

"I loved working with NBC and Mark Burnett.

Everyone - from celebrities to the team department - were perfect ten, and I would work with them again in a show that has not such a past", said Schwarzenegger, referring to the fact that the show was presented before him by the US president, Donald Trump.

"I refused to go back"

"It is not because of the show, because all viewers that I met told me they love the show ... but I refused to go back when I saw Trump`s name everywhere. When people learned that Trump was still involved in the show as executive producer and he still receives money from the show, more than half of the people watching began to boycott the show", said the actor, for Empire publication. "I learned many things, I felt good, it was a great opportunity, but under these circumstances I will not return for another season".

Arnold took over the role of presenter from Trump, but the ratings have dropped dramatically since the episodes were aired in 2016 - 2017 and as a result, several sponsors have done business with the show, but another apparent cause is Trump's intervention behind the cameras, as executive producer.

Trump criticized Schwarzenegger

Donald Trump criticized Arnold Schwarzenegger in two messages posted on Twitter, for audiences registered by the show "The New Celebrity Apprentice. Nine years ago, the first episode of "Celebrity Apprentice" was watched by 11.08 million viewers, and in February 2015 it reached about 6.1 million viewers.

Shortly after Donald Trump`s attack, the actor and gave his reply, also on Twitter.
Actor Danny Masterson is under investigation by LAPD over sexual assault claims, according to an article by Variety. The Los Angeles Police Department are currently investigating That 70s Show actor Danny Masteron over sexual assault allegations. Masterson currently stars alongside his '70s Show castmate, Ashton Kutcher, in the Netflix series, The Ranch.

LAPDS Robbery-Homicide Division said in a statement that three females have come forward to disclose sexually motivated assaults by the actor during the early 2000's and the Robbery Homicide Division, Sexual Assault Section is currently investigating these accusations.

Alleged victim was ex-girlfriend

Danny Masteron, a practicing Scientologist, played Steven Hyde in the long-running Fox comedy series alongside Ashton Kutcher, Laura Prepon, and Mila Kunis. The actors rep, in a statement to People that one of the alleged victims was in a six-year relationship, both before and after the alleged attack, with Masterson. The rep also stated that the victim had been in contact with former Scientologist Leah Remini before Tony Ortegas Scientology blog The Underground Bunker broke the story.

Female 'victim' 'pursued' actor?

The rep continued to explain that the female victim continued to pursue the actor after their break up and made threats against his current wife, actress, and model Bijou Phillips.

They also state that she turned to the Church to intervene in their breakup, making sure it would not be permanent. The rep stated they are aware that LAPD interviewed numerous witnesses and determined her claim had no merit. Although there is no evidence the rep's statement also claims that during their six-year relationship the victim frequently made inconsistent claims that she was raped by at least three other famous actors and musicians.

They conclude that the allegations are false and believe they have been created to boost Leah Reminis anti-Scientology television series.

The police have not mentioned The Church Of Scientology in their statement and neither Leah Remini or the Church have replied to any requests for comments.
The crisis as respects the Turkish-German relations was triggered on the one hand by the case of the journalist Deniz Yucel and on the other hand by the cancellation of three rallies pro-Erdogan in Germany.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Berlin on Friday that it "helps and shelters terrorists". He said in a speech that Deniz Yucel, correspondent in Turkey of the German daily Die Welt, jailed on Tuesday for "terrorist propaganda" is "representative of the PKK" - Kurdistan Workers' Party, organization decreed "terrorist" by Ankara - and "German agent".

He also accused Germany that tolerates manifestations of Kurdish separatists and he said that the German authorities "should be referred to the Court for helping and sheltering terrorists".

Germany: "It is absurd"

Angela Merkel has rejected the accusations of interference and she criticized the touches on freedom of the press in Turkey. "The legal situation in Germany is this: we are a federal system. The municipalities have jurisdiction, the lander have jurisdiction and the federal state has jurisdiction. Regarding the organization of events, the permits are committed to communal level", she said on a visit to Tunis.

Turkish-German journalist Deniz Yucel from Die Welt was arrested by Turkish authorities two weeks ago and charged with belonging to a terrorist organization.

Tuesday, magistrates decided that the journalist will remain for now in custody in Turkey. This decision has generated harsh condemnation from the German authorities, but also from the human rights organizations.

The Diplomat Sigmar Gabriel said Thursday that the arrest and incarceration conditions of the journalist have seriously affected the bilateral relations between Berlin and Ankara.

Germans have canceled three rallies pro Erdogan

"What kind of democracy is this?", said Bozdag. The Justice Minister was on a visit to Strasbourg, where he decided to fly straight in Turkey after canceling the campaign events in Gaggenau.

About 3 million Turks live in Germany, and of these other 1.5 million are entitled to vote in the constitutional referendum of 16 April, aimed at broadening the powers of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Gilbert R. Schoonover

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

The spirit of Gilbert R. Schoonover of Newville, Pennsylvania, left his mortal body on Ash Wednesday, March 1, 2017. According to his faith in the mercy of the Father, the blood of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, he rejoins his beloved wife, Thelma Zundel Schoonover, in steadfast and sure hope of resurrection and eternal life.

Gilbert, variously known as Gil, Gib, or Gibby, was born on June 5, 1926, the youngest son of Cornelius and Gertrude Schoonover of Galeton, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Galeton and moved to Newville in 1955, where he lived for the rest of his life. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Ward Schoonover of Newport News, Virginia, and Russell Schoonover, most recently of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as well as a daughter, Ann Marie Schoonover.

He was a World War II veteran, having served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific theater on the U.S.S. Fond du Lac, serving as bugler among his other duties. He frequently played Taps for military funerals, and his bugle was prominently displayed in his home and later, in his room at Green Ridge Village. He is a graduate of Galeton High School and Mansfield State Teachers College. He taught mathematics from 1955 to 1988 at Big Spring High School in Newville, where he was known for both his rich humor and his seriousness, as well as his willingness to devote extra time and attention to any struggling student who was willing to put forth effort.

He had been a member of Big Spring Presbyterian Church and First United Presbyterian Church, both in Newville, where he held numerous positions of service, and most recently attended Newville First Church of God. A self-taught trumpet player, he participated in brass choirs at church, in the Cumberland County Brass Choir, and at Big Spring Interchurch Council Easter sunrise services as long as he was able. He was an active helper at the Big Spring Area Food Bank, helped with the First Stop after-school program, and was a reading buddy in Big Spring elementary schools. He was known to family and friends as a skilled handyman who was generous in helping others.

He is survived by three children and their spouses: a daughter, Cheryl (Schoonover) and Steve Kennedy of Newville; and two sons, David and Joann Schoonover of Carlisle, and Donn and Betsy Schoonover of Chambersburg; seven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, March 18, at 2:30 p.m. at the Newville First Church of God, 475 Shippensburg Rd., Newville. Visitation will be held at 1:30. In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of Gilbert R. Schoonover may be made to the Big Spring Area Food Bank, 101 Crossroad School Rd., Newville, PA 17241 or Neighbors in Christ, P.O. Box 71, Newville, PA 17241.

Two days before Gilberts death, suddenly and unrelated to any previous conversation, he said, Ive gotta make tracks for home. His family praises God and rejoices in their faith that he has indeed made it home.
Since he was elected as the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump has increased his use of social media. In his seventh tweet of the day, the new president got more than he bargained for with his latest call to action on Friday evening.

Trump on Twitter

Not long after he took the oath of office two weeks ago, Donald Trump was quick to act as the new president. The billionaire real estate mogul has signed several executive orders, with most facing serious backlash from his critics and political opponents. Two of the most controversial executive orders signed into law by Trump has be in regards to combating illegal immigration, and the now infamous "Muslim ban." As protests continue to break out against the new administration on an almost daily basis, Trump has showed no signs of slowing down.

After another Twitter post on February 3, social media users trolled the commander in chief.

We must keep "evil" out of our country!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2017

"We must keep 'evil' out of our country!" Donald Trump wrote on Twitter Friday evening. Trump's message follows his previous tweet where he referenced an failed attempt at an Islamic terrorist attack on Paris, France at the Louvre Museum earlier in the day. "A new radical Islamic terrorist has just attacked in Louvre Museum in Paris," Trump pointed out, before concluding his tweet in all caps, reading, "GET SMART U.S."

Trump backlash

In response, social media users fired back at Donald Trump over his comments.

"I think we should keep fear-mongering out of this country," author David G. McAfree tweeted out. In a follow-up message, McAfree sent out a humorous meme depicting the characters of the Disney film "Aladdin," showing that they could travel anywhere in the world, with the exception of the United States.

@realDonaldTrump you're sprouting evil in US. With every policy you make, someone turns his back on you. No #FuckingWall could prevent that.  Vicente Fox Quesada (@VicenteFoxQue) February 3, 2017

Former President of Mexico, Vicente Fox, also responded to Donald Trump, continuing his theme of critical remarks about the president.

"@realDonaldTrump you're sprouting evil in US. With every policy you make, someone turns his back on you," the former Mexican President wrote on Twitter, while adding, "No #FuckingWall could prevent that."

.@realDonaldTrump Honey, before you start pointing fingers, take a look at what your new friend Steve has said and done.  Bess Kalb (@bessbell) February 3, 2017

TV writer Bess Kalb also went off on the former host of "The Apprentice," trolling the new president, while adding a shot at his Chief Strategist Steve Bannon.

"@realDonaldTrump Honey, before you start pointing fingers, take a look at what your new friend Steve has said and done," Kalb wrote. As of press time, Trump has not responded to the criticism, but it's likely he will tweet again soon.
Over the last two weeks since Donald Trump has been in office as president, the administration has only increased their war of words with the news media. For Presidential Counsel Kellyanne Conway, the pressure appears to be getting to her.

Conway chaos

Kellyanne Conway arrived on the national stage last August when she replaced the departing Paul Manafort as the campaign manager for Donald Trump. In the months that would follow, Conway would become a regular on cable news shows, often clashing with hosts and other guests with her non-stop defense of the former host of "The Apprentice." Just days after Trump was sworn into office as the new commander in chief, Conway appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" where she first used the term "alternative facts" to describe apparent falsehoods coming out of the White House.

During an interview with MSNBC on Wednesday, Conway cited a nonexistent Islamic terrorist attack to defend the recent "Muslim ban," and was quickly called out and debunked. In a series of Twitter posts on February 3, Conway lashed out.

NBC reporter texted me at 632am re:a diff story; never asked what I meant on @Hardball b4 slamming me on @TODAYshow Not cool,not journalism  Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) February 3, 2017

While speaking to MSNBC host Chris Matthews, Kellyanne Conway attempted to defend the recently signed executive order that has since been labeled a "Muslim ban," by citing a 2011 order by President Obama that temporarily restricted travel from Iraq. Conway pointed out that two Iraqi refugees "were the masterminds behind the bowling green massacre," but no such incident ever actually occurred.

The event in question involved two Iraqis, who previously lived in Bowling Green, being radicalized and committing terror acts in the Middle East. In an attempt to clarify her remarks, Conway vented on Twitter.

1/2: Honest mistakes abound. Last night, prominent editor of liberal site apologized for almost running a story re: tweet from fake account  Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) February 3, 2017

2/2: yet won't name him, attack him, get the base 2 descend upon him. Same with MLKJr bust fake story. It's called class, grace, deep breath  Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) February 3, 2017

After posting an article over the aforementioned attack, Conway then went on her tirade.

"NBC reporter texted me at 632am re:a diff story; never asked what I meant on @Hardball b4 slamming me on @TODAYshow Not cool,not journalism," Conway posted. "Honest mistakes abound. Last night, prominent editor of liberal site apologized for almost running a story," she went on to post, while adding, "re: tweet from fake account yet won't name him, attack him, get the base 2 descend upon him.

Same with MLKJr bust fake story. It's called class, grace, deep breath."

(Original interview clip over "Bowling Green massacre" on MSNBC."

Media clash

Over the course of his entire presidential campaign, Donald Trump and his team have been involved in a feud with the mainstream media. If his first two weeks is any inclination about what the future may hold, the rift between both sides is likely to continue.
The trump administration plans on reviewing two proposals created by the Obama administration that would allow customers to easily compare prices between airlines, and forcE airline companies to display their marketing methods. Trumps executive order Two-for-One regulation highlights his position on eliminating existing regulations

Airlines in support

Airline companies cheer nationwide as Trump stops a proposal that would force booking sites like Expedia or Travelocity to display the baggage fee along with ticket price and also their marketing methods.

Airlines argued that such a proposal would give the government control over how the airlines operate their business.

In 2015, airlines earned $3.8 billion solely from baggage fees. Airlines are under regulation of 13,000 rules across several agencies many of which are outdated. President Donald Trump met with CEOs of several airlines asking about such regulations that are impeding them in job growth. Though the regulation would allow for greater transparency for the customer, stopping the regulation would be one of the first steps to eliminating ancient regulations.

JPMorgan

While airlines fully support the decision, others such as JPMorgan argue that the proposal would not have had a large financial impact.

Under Obama, the government did not seek to heavily regulate airline companies ability to pursue revenue by implementing things like banning baggage fees completely. In a statement by the firm, they complained of Trumps version for important regulations.

Department of Transportation

The Department Of Transportation gave the Trump administration an opportunity to review the proposal effectively stopping it.

Airlines applauded Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao for making such decisions heavily in favor of airline companies. President of the Travel Technology Association argued against the decision claiming that the Department of Transportation needs to provide a competitive environment for airline prices and services.

Conflict exists between airlines and online travel sites.

Airlines pay online sites where their seats are sold and distributors to gather pricing data on the sites.

Although Trumps restrictions on immigration dropped the value of airline stocks because of concerns about the impact on travel demand, stocks have continued to rise. Trumps administration plans on cutting down regulations and improving the industry. A decision that affects many travelers.
An angry Donald Trump told media that the immediate past president, Barack Obama is behind the White House leaks and that Obamas people were arranging protests that other Republicans have been faced with in town hall meetings. Trump was speaking on the show Fox & Friends on the Fox News channel.

Trump, in his interview, added that people do not know what is happening in the background. He thinks the former US President is behind this and his people are behind the protests. He also added that some of the leaks came from those groups and it is a serious issue as is very bad for the national security.

Obama and his people are behind angry crowds says, Donald Trump

Donald Trump said that he understood that this is politics and it would continue. This is an extraordinary allegation against the former President Barack Obama and Trump, on his part, did not have any evidence to back up his claims.

Several groups that are affiliated with the Democratic Party have helped to organize protests against Republicans. Some of the members who are taking part in the protests or supporting the protesters were affiliated with Obamas presidential campaign. But, there is no proof that Mr. Obama was directly involved in these protests.

After Obama left office in January, he, along with his family, was seen enjoying a vacation on the private island of Richard Branson.

He was also seen visiting Broadway along with his daughter sometime last week. But, it is true that Mr. Obama did provide some political support to the protesters against Trumps travel ban.

Trumps administration is hit hard by multiple leaks

Donald Trumps administration has been hit by a series of leaks within the intelligence service in the US and the White House.

Most of these leaks led to serious and embarrassing revelations. For example, Trump walking the halls of the White House in his bathrobe. The national security advisor, to the President, Michael Flynn, was forced to resign after leaks revealed that he lied about the discussions he had with the Russian ambassador to the United States prior to Trump becoming president.

Trumps gives himself high marks

In his interview with Fox News, Trump said that he would give himself high marks for his presidential accomplishments so far, but gave himself a rating of C for messaging, but says he rates an A for his accomplishments and an A for effort. He feels he has not been able to fully explain to the public what he had done after taking over as the president. Donald Trump added that he has done great things, but he and his people have not explained well to the American public what theyve done.
Over the last week, President Donald Trump has been forced to deal with the growing scandal linking his administration to Russia. As part of his best effort to deflect from the news, Trump is now putting the blame on former President Barack Obama.

Trump on Obama

Over the last 72 hours, Donald Trump has come down hard on Democrats for accusing him of having ties to Russia. After the Washington Post broke a bombshell story revealing that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had spoke with a Russian official twice during the election, the former host of "The Apprentice" has been on the defensive.

Earlier this week, Trump sent out a series of tweets defending Sessions, while accusing the Democratic Party of engaging in a "witch hunt" against his administration. On Friday, the billionaire real estate mogul called for an investigation into both Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi for their alleged communication with other Russian officials in the past. However, it was on Saturday morning that Trump decided to attack Barack Obama when he claimed, without evidence, that the former president took part in wiretapping at Trump Tower. As reported by The Hill on March 5, the White House is now taking a step further, which was also seen on the president's Twitter account.

White House spokesperson: Trump claim of wiretapping should be part of probe into Trump's ties to Russia https://t.co/PkBFviaIVa pic.twitter.com/EjJ3nl53Fw  The Hill (@thehill) March 5, 2017

"Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, 'Tell Vladimir that after the election I'll have more flexibility?'" Donald Trump wrote on Twitter early Sunday morning, appearing to elude to Obama's hot mic moment back in 2012 when he was speaking to then Russian president Dmitry Medvedev about Vladimir Putin.

Just hours after Trump's tweet, spokesman for the White House, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, announced that the administration would like Obama's potential ties to Russia to be part of any investigation into the matter.

Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, "Tell Vladimir that after the election I'll have more flexibility?" @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2017

Sarah Huckabee Sanders appeared on Sunday's "This Week" on ABC, and doubled down on the call for an Obama investigation.

"Lets find out. Lets have an investigation," she said, before adding, "Theyre going to investigate Russia ties. Lets have this as part of it."

Moving forward

In response to the aforementioned call for investigation, a statement was released on Saturday on behalf of Barack Obama that called the allegations against him "simply false." Democrats have also come to the defense of Obama, citing Trump's lack of evidence and reliance on right-wing propaganda media to push his own agenda.
The 2016 presidential election highlighted the wide political divide in the United States. As tensions reach an all-time high, those who support President Donald Trump are now clashing with the opposition.

Trump protest

During the early part of the election season, Donald Trump and his controversial campaign style and rhetoric triggered multiple protests that took place across the country. Those who support the former host of "The Apprentice" routinely got into altercations with protesters, and at times, it would escalate into violence. Since Trump was elected last November, the opposition to the new commander in chief has only grown, which has increased even further since Inauguration Day.

While liberals and Democrats are usually the ones taking to the streets against Trump, at uc berkeley on March 4, the opposite took place. As reported by The Hill on March 4, supporters and protesters clashed on Saturday night.

"March-4-Trump" rally in Berkeley turns violent after pro-Trump and anti-Trump protesters clash https://t.co/Y1fbZerd11 pic.twitter.com/Bp5PgyI199  The Hill (@thehill) March 5, 2017

The "March-4-Trump" rally in favor of Donald Trump took place at the Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, which is located just outside the offical campus at UC Berkeley. During the event, a group of protesters expressed their disdain for Trump, and the scene quickly turned violent.

Brief fight broke out at #march4trump in Berkeley as demonstrators and counter protesters converge. Smoke bomb off. pic.twitter.com/lTtIbtYL3a  Pamela Larson (@PamReporting) March 4, 2017

@berkeleyside you proud of that Berkeley? This is what they did to this poor elderly man pic.twitter.com/D4row2StaM  God Empress Jenny (@JennyRussellAJB) March 4, 2017

Both sides started to brawl, with punches thrown and smoke bombs being set off.

Videos and pictures were taken and were circulating on the internet and across social media within minutes. One image showed a senior citizen Trump-supporter on the ground after getting hit with pepper spray. As expected, Donald Trump supporters put the blame on the liberal protesters, while the left put the blame on their right-wing counter-parts.

Not long after the brawls broke out, police arrived at the event where a number of individuals were arrested and taken into custody.

Guy on ground chased after someone after fight, Berkeley Police weren't having it. pic.twitter.com/kCnSY1uy6G  Gillian Edevane (@GillianNBC) March 4, 2017

Moving forward

While Donald Trump has only been the President of the United States for a month and a half, he appears to have only widened the divide with the American people.

In a poll released just last month by Quinnipiac University, less than 40 percent of those surveyed had a positive view of Trump's job performance, with over 55 percent holding a negative opinion. As supporters and protesters continue to clash with each other, only time will tell if that gap will close, or only become worse.
Police are searching for a gunman who approached a sikh man in his driveway in the East Hill neighborhood of Kent on Friday at round 8 p.m. The victim was working on his car when an unknown attacker approached him and started talking to him. After an altercation between the two men, the suspect reportedly told the Sikh man to return to his own country, then shot him in the arm.

Sikh man describes his assailant

According to the victim, the man who shot him was a white man, around six feet in height and with a stocky build. Reportedly the lower face of the suspect was covered with a mask.

The Washington Post quotes Police Chief Ken Thomas as saying Kent police are treating the incident as a serious matter and have approached the FBI and other law-enforcement agencies to help in the investigation.

Climate of hate affecting Sikh people

According to a report by the Seattle Times, the New York-based Sikh Coalition has asked local and federal authorities in a statement on Saturday to investigate the incident as a hate crime. The leader of a Sikh community in Renton said he believes the unnamed victim has now been released from hospital. Jasmit Singh said he and his family are pretty shaken up by the incident and the whole community is at a loss to understand what is happening right now.

Singh added that the incident brings home the fact that there is now a climate of hate. He said that in the Puget Sound area particularly Sikh men are reporting an increase in uncomfortable encounters and verbal abuse recently. He described it as a kind of xenophobia and prejudice and that they havent experienced anything quite like this in the past.

Recalling 911

According to Singh, the rise in incidents targeting Sikhs brings to mind the aftermath of the September 11 attacks back in 2001. At that time, however, Singh says the administration worked to allay those fears, but with the current Trump administration, it is a whole other story.

Sikh man shot at in US: Victim out of danger, says Sushma Swarajhttps://t.co/zPAeCeOGEo pic.twitter.com/VTOSU1Yo9T  India Today (@IndiaToday) March 5, 2017

Rajdeep Singh is the interim program manager for the Sikh Coalition and has called for an investigation into the hate crime. He said they do appreciate the efforts made by local and state officials in attacks of this nature, but that Sikhs need national leaders to step up and make hate crime prevention a priority. He said it has become a life and death matter for millions of Americans worried about losing their loved ones in a hate crime.
Raqqa in Syria is the center of the Islamic State, the headquarters from which worldwide attacks are being planned and the efforts to create a new caliphate in the Middle East. The town is, therefore, the prime target for President Trumps plans to destroy ISIS, the terrorist army that has rocked the world with its atrocities. The project to take Raqqa has begun to take shape, according to the Washington Post, and it involves the introduction of more American helicopter gunships and artillery units to support a fragile coalition of Syrian Arab and Kurdish fighters that will be the ground troops that will take the town.

Also, certain restrictions in the air bombing campaign designed to avoid civilian casualties will be lifted.

The Raqqa Campaign will be tough

Even with increased American support, the campaign to take Raqqa is likely to be a long and bloody one, just like the similar effort to liberate Mosul, the largest ISIS-held city in Iraq. The ISIS fighters are fanatical and will likely wage war to the death rather than surrender as their position becomes increasingly tenuous. The strategy to surround and isolate Raqqa to prevent ISIS fighters from fading into the countryside to wage guerilla war will also be time-consuming.

Syria is a hot mess of warring factions and shifting alliances

Complicating the Raqqa Campaign is the fact that Syria is a morass of warring factions, some supported by outside powers such as the United States, Russia, Turkey, and Iran.

Alliances have an unfortunate tendency to shift according to circumstance and mood. Cobbling together something that resembles peace in Syria ranges, according to most analysts, from difficult to well-nigh impossible.

America will try not to get into a quagmire while still trying to enforce the peace.

The United States has to strike some sort of balance that avoids a bloody quagmire, as well as chaos, brought one by too quick a withdraw after military operations have been concluded.

Iraq taught both lessons. The post-invasion mistakes that were made under President George W. Bush resulted in a year's long insurgency that sapped American strength and will and was only ended by the surge. President Obamas precipitous withdraw from Iraq created a vacuum that was filled by ISIS, with the results now seen. Clearly, there must not be a repeat in Syria.
When Thomas Jefferson penned the phrase "We Hold These Truths To Be Self-Evident" (the truth being about equality), he couldn't have foreseen his words used by feminist artists for a mural overrun with sexist remarks from 21st century politicians. But its also unexpected that the femmes - Zoe Buckman and Natalie Frank - would invoke the Founding Fathers words for their mural on view at the Ford Foundation Live Gallery in NY. Apparently they forgot that Jefferson was a slave owner said to have impregnated his daughters teenage chambermaid.

One of the sexist quoted remarks, uttered by former Wisconsin State Assemblyman Roger Rivard, conjures up Jeffersons behavior: "Some girls, they rape so easy." An offshoot of such chauvinism is Donald Trumps boast that he grabs hold of women by the pussy,

Prejudice in painting

But heres the thing. If youre talking about truth, politicians arent the only bad guys in the story. There are plenty in the art world who have been just as disregarding to women. In fact, artists may be guilty of rabble-rousing men to be sexists. British art historian Edwin Mullins doesnt say that, but he may as well have when he made the following two points: 1) There are 276 museums in Europe and America with important collections that draw between half a million to five million visitors each year.

2) Most of the paintings that these millions of people see are made by men about women. So for centuries, people have been looking at images of women seen through mens eyes. And while there are pictures of adoring mothers and Madonnas, there are a ton of rape pictures and those of females reminiscent of Nurse Rachet in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. Examples include paintings of man-eaters like Picassos Women with Stiletto featuring a cavernous mouth or imagery of female bestiality, like Juan Miros Head of a Woman with pterodactyl-like teeth knife-edged enough to devour men whole.

Women-hating

As if to explain the sexist view of women by male artists, Germaine Greer, leading feminist in the last century, famously told the New York Times in 1971, Women have very little idea of how much men hate them. So you get male artists saying hateful things, like Edgar Degas who saw women as "animals" with an "absence of all feeling in the presence of art. And art historians, such as Karl Scheffler, who also saw women as beasts without souls: "In an Amazonian state, there would be neither culture, history nor art." Thats a lot of sexism to counteract. Will mounting derogatory remarks about women on a mural make a difference? For that matter, will the protest posters by women in the Amplify The Voices Of Resistance project in Seattle matter?
Florida is home to over a million American alligators. These ferocious reptiles can grow to sizes of 17 feet and can take prey ranging from fish to cattle, but these alligators rarely exceed the length of 12 feet. American alligators are opportunists and they do not usually attack humans. Alligators typically feed on fish and other small alligators. These gators can attack humans when they swim and reach the Alligators territory as these blunt nosed reptiles are very territorial.

Recent alligator attacks on native people in Florida

The wildlife officials have taken strict measures to protect these reptiles from hunting and this has resulted in a significant increase in the population of American alligators.

In recent years, these predators have grown frequently to sizes exceeding 14 feet and are often seen roaming around the streets of Florida. People usually feed American alligators near the lakes in Florida and this causes these animals to attack and bite the Native People. There has been a significant increase in the number of alligator attacks on humans in the past three years and usually young children swimming in the water are attacked.

In September 2016, an adult male was attacked by an alligator on the Melbournes crane creek. A two year old boy was killed by an alligator at an artificial lake at the Disneys Grand Floridian resort last year. A twenty year old boy was dragged into the water by a giant 14 feet gator at the Florida Lake in early 2015.

Necessary steps to protect humans from alligator attacks in Florida

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission should make sure that native people and these reptiles do not confront each other frequently. The large American alligators should be kept in isolated lakes far from people, and strict action should be taken against individuals swimming in lakes infested with alligators and other dangerous predators.

A minimum of six months prison and a $1000 fine must be imposed on people risking their lives by swimming in these deadly lakes. Park rangers and wildlife officials should observe the lakes on the regular basis and report the presence of any large alligator swimming in the water.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and other wildlife departments have done really well to conserve these ancient reptiles.

An equally good effort is required by the wildlife authorities to make sure that these potential man eaters do not interact with native people, and human beings are safe from these dangerous predators.
CONESTOGA  A grassroots and American Indian group held a joint news conference Saturday discussing their fears of a proposed Midstate pipeline and its effects on the land it would cross.

Lancaster Against Pipelines expressed concerns about the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline going through rural Conestoga and Manor Townships. It would be in other parts of Lancaster and Lebanon counties. They say some of the land proposed for the pipeline is on sacred American Indian burial grounds.

The group chopped wood, cooked meals and braved the elements at their encampment outside the Lancaster Stand.

Were done waiting for the regulatory agencies to help us, said Mark Clatterbuck, a co-founder of Lancaster Against Pipelines. Were done waiting our cowardly elected officials to help us. We understand that the whole regulatory system is really designed to facilitate corporate exploitation of our land, our forests, our waters.

The group held the news conference to address what Brookfield Renewable Energy Group, who owns land close to the encampment, did this week.

They went ahead and publicly announc(ed) that they would be allowing Williams to put that pipeline through their property, Clatterbuck said.

Its disrespectful to us and to our ancestors when our remains are dug up, and when our artifacts are dug up and thrown into a museum where people come and pay to see them, said Gene Thunderwolf Whisler, president of American Indian Movement of Lancaster.

Christopher Stockley is the spokesperson for Williams, the company looking to build the pipeline. He sent ABC27 News this statement:

We do not intend to destroy cultural resources or human burials of any age or origin. Throughout the regulatory process for Atlantic Sunrise, Williams has gone above and beyond federal standards when finalizing a route and implementing mitigation measures to minimize impacts in and around sensitive areas. We coordinated with 21 federally recognized tribes and other non-federally-recognized tribes or stakeholders in or near the project to determine locations of cultural significance, including the location of cemeteries and burial grounds. We also worked closely with the Pennsylvania Historic Museum Commission to conduct extensive fieldwork and data recording, especially in the Conestoga area, to ensure that no prehistoric archaeological deposits, eligible to the National Register of Historic Places, exist within the project construction footprint. In fact, we excavated approximately 45,000 shovel tests following state guidelines and developed a construction plan to avoid impacts and ensure potentially sensitive areas are not disturbed. We also made numerous changes to the proposed route, as well as modifications to the project design and construction methodologies, to ensure significant cultural resources are protected.

Were going to physically put our bodies on the line and say to Williams, Youre not welcome here, and were going to keep you from building a pipeline through Lancaster County and through Pennsylvania. Thats our intention, Clatterbuck said.

The tents at the encampment are not going away. The group says theyll continue to camp out to show their opposition to the pipeline.
During his successful election campaign, President #Donald Trump constantly referred to the Mexicans and the problems illegal immigrants were causing in The United States. Yet he failed to mention that Mexico and many other South American countries struggle with long term problems and often due to foreign interference in their affairs.

Mexico

The country continues to face political instability and the attention placed on it by President Trumps rhetoric is not helping. The recent protest against the White House ordered deportations has had the effect of raising the profile of populist politicians rather than reinforce President Enrique Pena Nieto.

Furthermore, the continuing wars between drug lords which were probably responsible for the murder of journalist Cecilio Pineda Birto on Friday will only make Mexicans look for other places to live and thus push people to continue to risk entering the United States illegally.

Brazil and Argentina

As reported by the Guardian Argentina and Brazil are currently embroiled in an argument which is as much about history as it is for any other rivalry between the two countries.

The Argentinean government has protested to the Brazilian government for allowing Royal Air Force planes to use Brazilian air space as they transport British troops to the contested Falkland Islands which the Argentineans consider their sovereign territory.

The recent desecration of the Darwin cemetery on the islands where 237 seven Argentinean soldiers who died in the 1982 Falklands War are buried shows that this will continue to be a source of discord well into the future.

Columbia

A trial in the United States also shows how the past still haunts the present and how the period of the military dictatorships still casts a shadow not only on these country but others.

As reported by the Guardian, facing court in Washington on drug charges is Hernan Giraldo Serna, but these charges are not the worst crimes he committed. A former army officer, troops under his command murdered 270 people in the north of the country and he raped many young girls and women, 24 of whom then bore his children.

The court has allowed the family of one of his victims, Julio Henriquez, to testify on the impact of these crimes, the first time a commander of that bloody period will face the family of his victims.

This will be a historic occasion for the country to confront its bloody past.

This is part of a period of South American history where there are too many mysteries that will haunt relations with the United States for some time on the future.

Operation Condor

With the rise of left wing parties in South America in the 1960s and 70s the military hierarchy in many countries decided to take matters into their own hands. As a result many South and Latin American countries staged coups detats and created military dictatorships. The most famous of these was the coup against Chiles Salvador Allende and the dictatorship headed by Augusto Pinochet in 1973.

Known as Operation Condor, this period of history was marked by kidnappings, torture and death where the number of victims has never been ascertained as many were thrown into the Atlantic Ocean from air force planes.

In Argentina many of the pregnant female victims were killed after giving birth and the children given to childless military couples.

Although it is know that Americas CIA cooperated with many of these dictatorships, the full details are unknown and probably will continue to be until all the surviving victims and above all the perpetrators are already dead.

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will do well to remember this history when they deal with the South and Latin American countries. No true peace will come until these countries have confronted and laid to rest their ghosts from the past. This cannot be done without the United States.

If Donald Trump wants to enter the history books for any one single act, it would be to finally open these archives. It is well past time.
In a period where Journalists raise the ire of President #Donald Trump, the dangers for American journalists are not the same as those faced by their counterparts in many countries, including those in South America. The profession of informing the public can quite literally be deadly.

Mexico

Americas southern neighbour has a sad record of being amongst the places with most journalists killed in the world. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists in Mexico 35 journalists have been killed doing their work since 1992 and often by horrific means such as burning and after being tortured beforehand.

As reported in a number of newspapers, the latest fatality occurred last week when Cecilio Pineda Birto was killed in Guerrero State. As with many of the others in the continent, he was killed for his investigations into the local drug wars.

Deadly continent

According to statistics from the Committee to Protect Journalists, under the category of murdered as cause of deaths for journalists since 1992 South America plays a prominent part. In the top twenty four countries are from the continent Colombia with 43, Brazil with 37, Mexico with 35 and Peru with 8.

From the names of the countries it is obvious that drugs are a major contributing factor, but the deadliness of South American politics would also play a part in countries such as Nicaragua, Paraguay and Panama where journalists were also murdered in the same period listed above.

All too often residents of modern democracies such as the United States, Canada and the members of the European Union consider the activities of journalists as a normal part of daily life. In fact we often complain they are intrusive, or bothersome, but we do not murder them for undertaking their job. At the same time we do not understand that there is a heavy cost for their work.

In the cases of the many deaths, one thing is certain. They died to supply us the news we read every day and often their reports do lead to important developments as they reveal corruption or wrongdoing.

Yet the most important aspect of their deaths is the cruellest and also the most banal, nobody can accuse these deaths of being fake news. There is nothing fake about being murdered for doing your job.
Once the news broke that action movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger was hired as the replacement host for "The New Celebrity Apprentice," it was only a matter of time before Donald Trump went on the attack. In the last 48 hours, the two men have gone back and forth in a word of words, with the star of "The Terminator" firing the most recent shot.

Arnold on Trump

Arnold Schwarzenegger has been one of the most well-known Republicans in Hollywood, and served as the governor of California almost a decade ago. Despite being a conservative, Schwarzenegger has broken with the Republican Party on key issues, including Climate Change and support for the LGBT community.

Earlier on in the presidential race, Schwarzenegger confirmed that he would support Donald Trump in the general election after his first choice, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, dropped out. In recent days, the former governor's feud with Trump has only escalated, prompting Schwarzenegger to troll the new commander in chief in a February 3 Twitter post.

On Thursday morning during the annual National Prayer Breakfast, Donald Trump poked fun at Arnold Schwarzenegger for the low ratings on "The New Celebrity Apprentice," asking those in attendance to pray for the movie star. In response, Schwarzenegger released a video statement where he offered to switch jobs with Trump, where the billionaire real estate mogul could return to reality TV, and he could move into the White House.

(Arnold's first response via video.)

Shorty after 6 a.m. on Friday morning, Donald Trump lashed out against the former governor in a post on Twitter. "Yes, Arnold Schwarzenegger did a really bad job as Governor of California and even worse on the Apprentice," Trump wrote, while mockingly adding, "but at least he tried hard!" Hours later, the former "Predator" star used his own Twitter account to link back to a 2006 article when Schwarzenegger was still the governor, showing that he released his Tax returns, a topic that is still a mystery to Trump since the president keeps his financial records private.

Next up

As Donald Trump continues to feud with Celebrities on social media, he's also receiving harsh backlash from his political opponents and critics. Protests have taken place on a daily basis, which peaked the day after Trump was sworn in, as over two million people around the United States participated in the Women's March.
Donald Trump might be the President of the United States, but he can't seem to stay off of social media. In a series of Friday morning Twitter rants, Trump went after a variety of issues.

Trump on Twitter

When Donald Trump first kicked off his campaign for president, he was able to use social media to connect with potential voters. As time went on, Twitter became Trump's number one form of communication, which he's relied on heavily as he continues his feud with the news media. Trump also uses Twitter to rip into his political opponents, Hollywood celebrities, or to just vent about the issues of the day.

As seen in various tweets on February 3, the new commander in chief has a lot on his mind.

Yes, Arnold Schwarzenegger did a really bad job as Governor of California and even worse on the Apprentice...but at least he tried hard!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2017

"Yes, Arnold Schwarzenegger did a really bad job as Governor of California and even worse on the Apprentice...but at least he tried hard!" Donald Trump wrote on Twitter early Friday morning, as he continues his ongoing feud with the new host of "The Celebrity Apprentice." In a follow-up tweet, Trump then went after President Obama and Iran, attempting to kill two birds with one stone. "Iran is playing with fire - they don't appreciate how 'kind' President Obama was to them," Trump wrote, while noting, "Not me!"

Iran is playing with fire - they don't appreciate how "kind" President Obama was to them. Not me!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2017

Thank you to Prime Minister of Australia for telling the truth about our very civil conversation that FAKE NEWS media lied about. Very nice!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2017

"Thank you to Prime Minister of Australia for telling the truth about our very civil conversation that FAKE NEWS media lied about.

Very nice!," Donald Trump then posted on his Twitter feed. The message in question was in relation to earlier reports that Trump got into a heated phone conversation with the prime minister of Australia over the refugee program, where the new president allegedly hung up the phone on the foreign leader.

Meeting with biggest business leaders this morning. Good jobs are coming back to U.S., health care and tax bills are being crafted NOW!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2017

Trump brags

In yet another post on Twitter, Donald Trump took time to gloat over a recent meeting with top business leaders, where he promised to improve the job market and health care system in the United States.

"Meeting with biggest business leaders this morning. Good jobs are coming back to U.S., health care and tax bills are being crafted NOW!," Trump wrote. While the billionaire real estate mogul continues to deal with backlash against him over his recent executive orders and policy proposals, he doesn't appear willing to change his style anytime soon.
On Wednesday night, the campus of uc berkeley turned into a riot as liberal protesters demanded that the speaking event of Breitbart News editor milo yiannopoulos be shutdown. In the aftermath, conservative media and even select liberals are speaking out, though some have not been able to compose themselves in their outrage.

Tomi triggered

Milo Yiannopoulos is an editor of Breitbart News, but has made a name for himself by highlighting his controversial, yet charismatic style and brand of conservatism, while also being a strong supporter of Donald Trump.

Critics have labeled Yiannopoulos has a "white supremacist," "misogynist," and a leader of the so-called "Alt-Right," all labels that he himself dismisses. During the last stop in his college campus tour, known as the "Dangerous fa**ot" tour," Yiannopoulos was set to speak on the campus of UC Berkeley, but was quickly escorted out the area when protesters turned into rioter. The crowd clashed with police, and physically assault supporters of Yiannopoulos, which was all caught on video. In response, fellow right-wing social media star, Tomi Lahren, decided to give her opinion during the February 2 edition of "Final Thoughts" on the Blaze TV.

"I don't care what your leftists college professors tell you, it's not OK, nor is it protected expression to attack people or set fire because someone else's free speech offends you," Tomi Lahren said.

"It's true that the unloving and intolerant left will stop at nothing, literally nothing, to ensure conservatives don't have a voice on college campuses," Lahren continued, before playing a video clip of the liberal protesters and rioters breaking through police barriers and attacking supporters of Milo Yiannopoulos.

But if you wear the wrong hat pic.twitter.com/ivaaQjoNHE  Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) February 3, 2017

"It turns out that if you disagree with the left, they will burn down their own campuses, including trees that they claim to love," Tomi Lahren pointed out, while also showing another group of protesters violently attacking supporters of the Breitbart editor.

"What those animals, and yes I said animals, did last night, proves my point and proves Milo's point," she added. In conclusion, Lahren noted, "I stand with Milo, not because I agree with everything he says, but because I agree with his right to say it."

Next up

As tension between the political left and the right continue in the aftermath of the Donald Trump election, it appears that it will only get worse before it gets better. With Republicans in control of the White House and Congress, only time will tell how the Democratic Party and the left regroup and move forward.
Prince Harry and his girlfriend Meghan Markle don't seem to be slowing down. There is a prediction that they will be engaged by the summer. The prediction is based on the fact that the two are spending a lot of time together. Meghan just returned home to Toronto after spending almost two months with the prince at Kensington Palace. She became so well known entering and leaving Prince Harry's two-bedroom apartment that security just waved her in as if she were a resident.

Another reason for the speculation is that June will be their first year anniversary of meeting and beginning to date.

The recent issue of Us Weekly gives details about Prince Harry and Meghan's journey during the first year of their romance.

Future for the couple

Even though sources predict the couple will be engaged by the summer, there are a lot of things that still must take place before the prince and his girlfriend become engaged. Meghan has met members of Harry's immediate family with one exception. She has not met the one who could make a difference as to whether or not Prince Harry and Meghan will ever get married.

According to a British law that is on the books, Queen Elizabeth Il must give approval for any marriage for the first six people in line for the throne. Prince Harry is fifth in line behind his father, brother, nephew, and niece.

Harry's grandmother has not met Meghan yet, but as of now she is said to approve of the actress' humanitarianism. Besides, the queen says she has never seen her grandson so happy.

'Suits' series

"Suits" will wrap up this summer for the seventh season. Sources say this might be Meghan's last season because she is considering giving up acting after the series ends this summer.

If that is the case, she will be free to move to London permanently. She fits in well there and has already taken some of her personal belongings to Prince Harry's apartment. She has added some plants and candles to spruce up the residence, and keeps the kitchen stocked with Harry's favorite foods, cooking for him and teaching him to cook basic meals.

Some might think the 35-year-old actress is in love with the 32-year-old prince just because he is royalty. That does not seem to be the case. They have a lot in common, especially when it comes to charities. In fact, they are thinking about combining what they do.

Prince Harry and Markle's charities

Harry co-founded the Sentebale charity to help children affected by AIDS, and he is quite passionate about the Invictus Games for wounded veterans. Markle serves as a global ambassador for World Vision and is an advocate for U.N. Women. In January, she traveled to India to get more information about the issues women are facing in the impoverished communities.

Do you think the couple will be engaged as soon as this summer? Read more in this week's issue of Us Weekly.
With rumors doing the rounds that Princess Diana and Prince Charles youngest son, Prince Harry, might also enjoy nuptials soon with actress Meghan Markle, the potential royal pair were spotted on Jamaica on March 2, attending the wedding of a friend. A source reportedly told US Weekly that Markle kept the whole thing a secret, but they were spotted in Jamaica after news was reported of Prince Harry, 32, arriving on the island to attend his best friends wedding.

According to a report by the LA Times, Tom Skipp Inskip tied the knot with his fiance, literary agent Lara Hughes-Young, in Montego Bay on the island.

Naturally Meghan, 35, wanted to be there to meet Prince Harrys friends, possibly with a view to taking their relationship up to the next level.

Royal engagement news by the end of summer?

Reportedly an insider had said recently that Meghan and Harry will be engaged by the end of this summer. The source added that the couple see a life together and have spoken candidly about the possibilities. Location-wise, should they indeed get married, it might be a little tricky as Markle is currently based in Toronto with Prince Harry residing in London, however, according to sources, Meghan has virtually moved into her royal suitors two-bedroom apartment in Kensington Palace.

As it is obviously difficult for Prince Harry to relocate, a source told US Weekly that Meghan feels it inevitable that she will have to make the move to London.

As noted on Blasting News, however, Queen Elizabeth II would need to give her permission should the relationship result in an actual engagement.

Prince Harry & Meghan Markle seemed loved up at that Jamaica wedding - https://t.co/wz8WNO5F9s ... pic.twitter.com/VAAWkBi63G  Infopoles (@info_poles) March 5, 2017

Harry and Meghan in Jamaica for a few more days

Reportedly Harry is scheduled to leave Jamaica on March 8 and it turns out they have both been there before.

Prince Harry visited Jamaica back in 2012 on official business, while Markle reportedly got married to Trevor Engelson on the island back in 2011  the couple apparently got divorced in 2013. According to US Weekly, the couple previously took a romantic break in Norway to see in the 2017 New Year, enjoying the splendor of the aurora borealis, and are planning on many more exciting trips in the future.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle displayed lots of affection for each other last Friday at a Wedding in Jamaica. This was the first time they have been so open with their romance in public since they started dating about nine months ago. Prince Harry was in Jamaica to be in his best friend's wedding. He invited his girlfriend to meet him there so they could spend time together.

It's a major step in a relationship when a single couple attends a wedding together. Not only that, but it was that first time they have been so open with their affection.

Usually, when news outlets report about them, separate photos are posted of the two of them. On this particular occasion, the two are pictured together chatting, holding hands and looking into each other's eyes. Seeing them both at the wedding indicates they are coming out as a couple.

The wedding

The 35-year-old actress had just left England a couple of weeks ago after having spent two months with the 32-year-old prince. She had been lonesome and missed him after returning to her Toronto home. They were brought together at the wedding of his childhood friend, Tom Inskip who wed Lara Hughes-Young in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on March 3, 2017.

Harry was one of 14 ushers who wore a navy blue blazer and trousers.

Meghan was not in the wedding party, but she looked beautiful in a long floral dress that was quite appropriate for the Jamaican wedding. Harry and Meghan seemed quite comfortable partying with Harry's friends, enjoying drinks and talking at a table during the outdoor reception.

Harry was spotted on the beach with some of his friends and later at a bar.

Meghan was not with him while Harry celebrated with his pals after the wedding and reception. She joined him later, and they relaxed on the beach.

Spending time together

Harry had heavy security with him when he flew out from Gatwick to Montego Bay on Wednesday. Meghan flew in separately from her Toronto home later the same day. They are reportedly staying in the Caribbean for a week after the wedding. Leave it up to the two of them to find ways to spend as much time together as possible.
The Russian government has been urged to ban Disneys recent live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast after it was announced the film would incorporate a portrayal of homosexuality. The Russian controversy is notably reminiscent of that which has appeared in the United States over the film.

Russia has recent history with homosexuality in the law

A complaint had been sent in a letter to the government by Vitaly Milonov to the Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky over the upcoming film's content. According to reports, the letter advises banning the film if "elements of propaganda of homosexuality" were to be found in the film.

As of yet, however, the Ministry of Culture has not decided on a ruling for the film.

The controversy has come out from the films director, Bill Condon, claiming that the upcoming film will feature a nice, exclusively gay moment, concerning the character of LeFou, the villain Gastons minion. Unlike the original film, where the character presumably remains a villain throughout, reportedly the character is redeemed and shown dancing with another man during the happy ending.

The Russian government passed laws in 2013 making what is deemed "gay propaganda" illegal to be spread among minors, which could include films. Laws banning homosexuality had been in play as recently as 1993 and homosexuality had been kept on a government list of psychiatric disorders as recently as 1999.

In the States, there has been criticism on both sides of the argument

Similar controversy occurred over the film within the United States, in which an Alabama cinema announced that it would not release the film over the controversy, which also accused Disney of political propaganda in the inclusion of a gay character. Likewise, people on social media have reportedly claimed that they would avoid the film, both out of a distaste of what they perceived as Disney incorporating political themes in one of their films and others who disagree with the inclusion of a gay character at all.

On the other hand, some who supported the idea of a gay character have complained that it is not enough.

Eliza Thompson of Cosmopolitan in particular, wrote that the film failed by being too subtle in handling the portrayal of a gay character, writing that "you may as well go all in" when you are already risking offending people in the first place, and suggested including a kissing scene between two characters of the same sex.

Thompson conceded that doing so would probably have been out of the studios hands, and suggested that the hype concerning the inclusion of a gay character was more to blame than the film itself.

In a released statement, Condon himself also said that the issue was overblown.
After the debacle that was the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, Samsung has a lot to atone for. Regardless, loyal Samsung users and tech enthusiasts have been anticipating the samsung galaxy s8 for several months now. The Korean tech giant's 2017 flagship model has been shrouded in secrecy, however. Very few details have been released or leaked thus far. First images and specifications of the smartphone as well as its expected release date have began circulating on the internet.

Size & improved screen

The Samsung Galaxy S7, which was released in 2016, was met with rave reviews.

It brought several much welcomed improvements to its 2015 predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S6. Needless to say, expectations for the Galaxy S8 are sky-high. And while nothing is official, here are some of the most plausible rumors on the internet right now: First and foremost, it has been reported that this time around there will be no flat version of the phone. So, the Galaxy S8 may as well be called the Galaxy S8 Edge. Buyers will still have the choice between either a 5.8 or 6.2 inch screen. As with previous incarnations of the Galaxy series, the larger version will most likely include a larger battery with better battery life. The Samsung smartphone is expected to come with a 4k resolution screen and a super wide 18.5:9 aspect ratio.

This would be a notable improvement to the Galaxy S7, which "only" had a QHD screen with a resolution of 2160x4096. Take this with a grain of salt, though: As with the other rumors, nothing has been officially confirmed yet.

Camera, Power, and Price

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is reportedly coming with a 12 MP dual-lens rear camera.

This may seem a little underwhelming, considering the 16 MP that the Galaxy S7 had to offer. The Galaxy S8, however, should include a quality-enhancing software to make your photos look vivid and dynamic. The dual-lens camera would further allow for optical zoom. The front-camera is expected to come at 8 MP and incorporate an auto-focus feature, which is great news, especially for those who love taking selfies.

The back as well as the front-camera should both be splendid for low-light photography, as the aperture is rumored to go as low as f/1.7. In terms of performance, the Samsung Galaxy S8 should be a force to be reckoned with, if the leaks are anything to go by. According to various sources, the S8 is expected to come with either the 3GHz Exynos 8895 or the 3.2GHz octa-core Snapdragon processor. It'll also have either 4 or 6 GB of RAM available. These specs would certainly come in handy, if the device is truly to run at a 4k resolution. Taking into account these specifications as well as the fact that there won't be a flat version, it should be no surprise that the Galaxy S8 is most likely going to be more expensive than its predecessor.

The phone is expected to cost as much as $850 USD at launch.

So when will it be released?

Unlike the Galaxy S7, which was released in early March last year, Samsung is understandably taking its time with the Galaxy S8. This is most likely due to the fact that the company is trying to avoid another major fiasco. The launch of the 2017 flagship phone has been officially announced and is expected to be revealed at an event in New York on March 29. And while the phone won't be available for purchase straightaway, the release date is rumored to be April 21. At this point buyers will be able to pick up their phone at their local electronics store. There will also most definitely be an option to preorder the Galaxy S8 for those who just can't wait to get their hands on the smartphone. With the Nougat update also coming to the Samsung Galaxy S6, there are plenty of things for Samsung enthusiasts to look forward to in March.
When thinking of mining in Southeast Missouri, most locals recall the lead mines that have supported the region for more than a century that gave it the name the Lead Belt.

While the area still produces the majority of the nations lead, mining efforts have shifted west out of St. Francois and Madison Counties, focused now near Viburnum and south through Reynolds County. While it may seem as though the time of mining in the Parkland is a thing of the past, theres a small chance it could also be a thing of the future.

Much study has been done on the geology of southeast Missouri over time, and for different purposes. What seems to most interest researchers and investors is that the region shares characteristics with other mineral-rich areas around the world, such as South Australia where a large deposit of ore called the Olympic Dam is located. The Olympic Dam is a deposit containing iron-oxide, copper and gold (IOCG). Usually, these types of deposits also contain other materials that dont justify a mining operation on their own, but can be lucrative byproducts of iron or copper mining.

One type of byproduct that can be produced in such an operation is a group of elements called rare earth elements which have a wide array of applications.

Legend Minerals, a startup mine company with a field office in Fredericktown, is currently performing explorations in the region with the hopes of discovering a large deposit of the same type as the Olympic Dam deposit in South Australia that has so much in common with the geology here in Southeast Missouri.

Exploration Manager Bill Jud said the area holds promise because of how natural forces have or have not affected the area over time.

The production at the Olympic Dam Mine in South Australia is from the upper part (of the deposit) where you have a lot of replacement activity in the rocks, Jud said. Not from the lower part. The Pea Ridge Mine and that area of Missouri would be from the lower part, which also has a lot of potential, but the entire upper section has eroded off.

Jud said Madison County and surrounding areas in particular have potential to hold some strong deposits that havent been worn away over time.

Now as you go from the Pea Ridge Mine (in Sullivan) south, down to Southeast Missouri, the erosion has removed less and less and less material, and when you get down to this area, the super-structure is still there and the sub-structure is still there. So if theres anything here at all, its still here. It wasnt taken away by erosion half a billion years ago.

Jud said his hope for the region is to discover an IOCG-type deposit similar to the Olympic Dam deposit in South Australia. If such a deposit is indeed in the area, Jud said the mine would most likely produce iron or copper, but could produce other valuable minerals as byproducts, like rare earth elements, if it is present  in the same manner that China, the rare earth leaders of the world do.

In Chinas case, theyre not really mining rare earths, Jud said. Theyre mining iron and the rare earths just come along as a rider. And well likely do the same thing here. I dont think well have any rare earth mines in Missouri  well be mining something else and the rare earths will just come with it. Like gold  there wont be any gold mines in Missouri, but there might be enough to serve as a byproduct.

Anne McCafferty, a geophysicist with the United States Geological Survey, said rare earth elements are not called "rare" because of how often they occur, but in what magnitude.

What we like to say around here is that rare earth elements are not rare, McCafferty said. But what is rare is that they occur in abundance  enough for an economic mineral deposit.

Theyre used in all kinds of high-tech industries, McCafferty continued. Wind turbines use neodymium, in particular, to make magnets. The rare earths have these particular characteristics that make them robust in terms of using them in certain applications for military and high-tech industries.

The Mountain Pass Mine in California, once the largest producer of rare earths in the United States, filed for bankruptcy in 2015 as a result of foreign competition and domestic regulation.

In the United States, Mountain Pass on the border of California and Nevada was our largest rare earth element deposit, McCafferty said. And that is found in a carbonatite deposit. Mountain Pass had been up and running for many years and producing rare earth elements from that deposit. And then, over time, the Chinese took over  and they mined rare earth elements out of clay deposits, so its a lot less expensive. So, basically, Mountain Pass is out of business because of that competition.

So you find rare earth elements in a lot of different kinds of geology, McCafferty said. You find them in these clay deposits, you find them in these carbonatites, which are igneous rocks. You find them in iron deposits, and thats what you have there in Southeast Missouri.

Jud said the primary reason that the United States is not a successful producer of rare earth elements is not one of supply or location, but of legislation. One of the nails in the coffin of the California Mountain Pass Mine was a pipeline break that resulted in the dumping of liquid containing thorium and uranium in the Mojave Desert.

They throw up their arms and scream, Radioactivity! The worlds going to end! Jud said. And they take this down to ridiculous levels. Below the levels of radiation on Elephant Rocks, by quite a bit.

The restrictions come from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency, and Jud said they lump highly radioactive materials with less dangerous ones like thorium.

The building blocks in the (Madison County) Courthouse would probably qualify as being a radioactive hazard, but of course, theyre not, Jud said. And a lot of the land area around Pilot Knob and Ironton  pretty highly radioactive and a lot of radon gas and things like this.

Because of the regulations on extracting and storing materials like thorium, many mines dump material containing rare earths with the rest of their waste products, despite the high value of such material.

Jud said that James Kennedy, former owner of the Pea Ridge Mine in Sullivan, had the idea of creating a corporation with the express purpose of extracting and storing radioactive materials like thorium.

So its Jim Kennedys suggestion to set up a thorium corporation, Jud said. The mines can mine the stuff, they can refine it. And in the process of separating rare earths from each other you end up with thorium and uranium. Well, just give the thorium and uranium to the thorium corporation, and they can very competently take care of the problem. They will know what to do with it, and they can be safe about it and so forth.

Concentrations of rare earth elements have been discovered in geological structures called breccia pipes as near as Sullivan in the Pea Ridge Mine. The mine produced iron for years, but was also known to have potential for rare earth byproducts.

Kennedy owned the Pea Ridge Mine from 2006 to 2011, during which time he became aware of the mines potential rare earth deposits, as well as the legislative and economic hurdles that stand in the way of the United States having a rare earth industry to compete with Chinas.

Kennedy has spoken to Defense officials at the Pentagon and the White House. He has spoken at numerous thorium and nuclear energy conventions and has assisted in writing books on the topic. Kennedy is now the president of ThREE Consulting, a St. Louis company dedicated to providing a way for the United States to create its own rare earth value chain.

This is not a new problem, Kennedy said. This is a problem that goes back to at least the 90s.

Kennedy said the problem began in 1980 when new mining regulations were introduced in the U.S. that applied uranium regulations to all mining, deeming any radioactive material "source material," or material capable of being used as a nuclear fuel.

This caused the mining costs of operations who produced primarily iron or titanium and also rare earths as a byproduct to skyrocket. Meanwhile, Chinese operations took the opportunity to invest heavily in their rare earth production operations and soon had total control of the market.

This, Kennedy said, is why many companies are transplanting their operations to China. Rare earths are used for a variety of products, and some have military value as well as commercial.

Kennedy said that a government report from February of 2016 stated that the United States inventory of "smart weapons," which rely heavily on rare earths, was practically at zero.

So if China had blockaded us in February of 2016, the war would have been over by now, Kennedy said. Because we didnt have the resources or the weaponry.

For this reason, Kennedy says the U.S. government has a constitutional mandate to sort out the problem of American rare earth independence.

To that end, Kennedy is working on legislation that would allow the formation of what he describes as an old-fashioned farming cooperative, in which multiple entities front the cost for the extraction and production of rare earths in the U.S., and then a new, separate corporation would be solely responsible for the handling and storage of American thorium and creating a value chain, which entails creating a viable long-term cycle of extraction, refining and production of value-added products that rely on the materials.

In a technical presentation he gave at the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) Conference in Denver, Kennedy explained that while the business of mining rare earths is a $3 billion worldwide industry, it supports a $7 trillion product industry.

Kennedy said hes been working on this problem for eight years now, but is having difficulty finding people in the government willing to see the problem or to do anything about it. He said that the Trump administration seems very interested in correcting the problem, but only time will tell. As of now, Kennedy is part of a small group working to get legislation in the hands of government officials.

There are two people working on this right now, Kennedy said. Myself and my partner.

Jud said the aim for those interested in the future of Americas rare earth industry is to make others aware of the issue and to provide information.

So the goal right now is to get some interest going and some legislative action going to get rid of this restriction on low-level radioactive materials, Jud said. Everybodys afraid youre going to take it and make a bomb out of it. Well, you cannot make a bomb out of thorium. You cant. Thorium is a fertile material, but its not fissionable. It will not make a bomb.

Jud added that while the idea of an iron or copper mine in the Parkland that one day also produces rare earths may be a long shot, its nothing out of the realm of possibility.

This is an exploration project, and most exploration projects fail, he said. Its just the nature of exploration. Some of them succeed, and the ones that succeed, combine with agriculture to support all of civilization. You need mines to build things and you need agriculture to feed the miners.

Its not a get rich quick scheme by any means, he added. If everything goes well, and we actually make a discovery, were looking at 15, 25 years in the future. But once it gets started, itll be like the lead mines. Theyll go and theyll go and theyll go. The lead mines have been productive economic things for 125 years, and theyre still producing.

Jud said if there is indeed a sizable discovery of a deposit that can also produce a good amount of rare earths, the mine itself would only be part of the benefit to the area.

The final step that we have  if, of course, we actually discover something  is to bring in the high-tech industries that use that kind of stuff, Jud said. And instead of just having the usual mix of industry that we have (in the area), we can bring in the ones that do the electronics and the LED light bulbs and the alloys for jet engines and so on.

Despite the low chance of success, Jud said the end result would be worth the effort to explore the area for a rich deposit.

Its a low probability item, Jud said. We expect to fail, based on industry standards. Most prospects fail. They just do. But occasionally you get a success, and when you get a success, then you have something thats really valuable and supports the local community.

For more information about Legend Minerals, visit its website at www.legendminerals.com. For additional information about Kennedy's work regarding thorium and rare earth elements, visit www.threeconsulting.com
The Desloge Police Department and the Lead Belt Gun Club are hosting a fundraiser for Special Olympics on April 1 and they are in need of donations to use for prizes during the event.

Desloge Police Chief James Bullock said they will award prizes at the end of the shoot, but the number of prizes will depend of what is donated.

We havent started soliciting for prizes as of yet, but ... we will be working all month to pick up prize donations, said Bullock. Then they will be awarded to the shooters as the winnings for the trap and skeet shoot.

Bullock said they would be happy to accept donations from anyone who wants to donate a prize or make a monetary donation. He added checks should be made out to Special Olympics Missouri and they appreciate donations toward the $1,000 they are wanting to raise.

For the fundraiser, participants need to provide their own ammunition and the size shot has to be seven and a half or smaller. Bullock said the gun has to be a shotgun and it can be anywhere from a 410 bore to a 12 gauge shotgun.

We are having a five stand shoot, which means five different locations to shoot from, said Bullock. Its a combination of the trap and skeet and other targets. We rely on the public to help raise money with this event.

Bullock explained its not traditional trap and skeet, but a whole different game. They set up five different locations to shoot from and also have other traps out in the field that shoot the clay birds.

Each shooter will shoot five shots at each station and they will rotate until they have shot from each station, said Bullock. There will be different types of targets instead of the traditional trap that goes straight out or the traditional skeet that goes across.

The cost is $20 to enter and registration will start at 9 a.m. at Lead Belt Gun Club. To make a donation or for more information contact the Desloge Police Department at 573-431-1463 or J.D. Hodge at 573-366-7163.
Blog Hinangai

While there is much discussion in Guam about the economic benefits of increasing the islands military presence, the damages/dangers that they represent are rarely mentioned. This blog, a supplement to the Peace and Justice for Guam Petition, is meant to counter that by providing information about the US military in Guam, with the hopes of steering policy away from a dangerous unilateralist course to more sustainable notions of regional development and a strengthening international solidarity.
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HA NOI  A list of the best and worst regulations of 2016 compiled by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) has been received by concerned ministries with varying degrees of acknowledgement and skepticism.

The first such exercise carried out by the VCCI fulfills part of its mandate under Government resolutions to provide feedback from businesspeople and contribute to improving the business environment, officials said.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has stood out in declaring that it will look into the five regulations that the VCCI has considered poor and initiate remedial measures.

Very soon after the list was announced, MARD Deputy Minister Ha Cong Tuan sent an official document to the VCCI expressing the ministrys wish to improve the said regulations.

He said the ministry will request the Government to reconsider regulations on catfish farming, processing and exporting, effecting amendments to favour businesses and farmers. Specifically, the ministry will not impose a limit on the amount of ice and humidity in exported catfish products.

The Agriculture Ministry also confirmed that it had received VCCIs feedback on its regulations in June 2016, but administrative factors had delayed an immediate response.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Investment and Planning (MoIP) responded to being one of the top three ministries with poor regulations on VCCIs list with a caveat.

MoIP Deputy Minister ang Huy ong said VCCIs rankings depended largely on the subjectivity of questions and criteria it was based on. Since he did not know the institutions actual method of assessment, he could not comment on its validity.

VCCIs ranking is just one way for people to have their say, so it should be approached with caution. If a regulation is inadequate, we will accept constructive criticism on it, not a few selective comments, said ong.

We are ready to work with the VCCI in a serious manner, he added

au Anh Tuan, head of VCCIs legal department, confirmed that out of 30 poor legal regulations announced by his institution, seven had been altered by concerned ministries, while 13 are set to be amended within the framework of another law-building programme.

This is the positive reaction that we expect the ranking to have, he said.

This leaves about 10 regulations untouched, some of which he believed would remain, despite objections.

One of these could be Circular 57, issued by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), which requires vehicles to be equipped with fire extinguishing devices.

The MPS has informed the VCCI that Ministry of Justice has ruled the circular valid.

Likewise, the Ministry of Transports decision that transportation service providers within municipalities should have at least 20 vehicles at hand in order to operate an established route is likely to be kept, despite the VCCI arguing that this would hinder the growth of small and very small businesses, and that the scale of operation will have no bearing on traffic safety.

Shift in approach

Expounding further on the VCCIs expectations of the rankings, Tuan said: The movement itself is positive, but businesses want bigger changes in policymakers approach  to issue regulations that function as incentives, instead of just removing current obstacles.

In this context, regulations that allow undervalued divestment for State enterprises or the removal of certain procedures for registration or investment permits, for both domestic and foreign investors, would be welcomed very much by businesses.

When the market situation changes, the ability to take the initiative and alter regulations to lessen the negative side-effects of policies should be a goal for the State, Tuan said.

Several experts concurred with Tuan. Nguyen inh Cung, Director of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), said that should ministries and departments continue to neglect businesses requests, the Prime Ministers pledge to deliver a constructive government for the people would not be fulfilled.

Vu Tien Loc, VCCI Chairman, said he saw the rankings as an important step for policymakers to analyse and take decisions to benefit producers.

The VCCI has collected and reflected opinions and wishes from businesspeople to advise the Party and the government on socio-economic policies, a task it was assigned under Resolution 19/NQ-CP, which deals with reforming and improving the business environment, and increasing national competitiveness; as also Resolution 35/NQ-CP on supporting business development until 2020, Loc said.

Businesses ranked 114 regulations as "best" and 123 as "worst" among 9,297 nominations made by people from different Government agencies and business associations.

The exercise is expected to help government officials build laws and policies that create a convenient and transparent business environment, boost creativity and healthy competition.

The VCCI has officially requested the Prime Minister to commend ministries and departments whose regulations have been deemed good, and ask others to take corrective action soon.  VNS
HA NOI  A unique painting exhibition displaying art works of people with autism is opening in downtown Ha Noi.

Cham (Touch), as it is named, includes drawings, collages as well as sculptures by Ujita Masato, 43, from Japan, and five teenagers from Ha Noi, including Nguyen Trung Hieu, Trinh Hoang Minh, Pham Binh Minh, Nguyen Gia Bao and Ha inh Chi.

People with autism are not as lonely as we assume they are, said Vu Song Ha, deputy director of the Health and Population Initiative Centre. As you can see here, their souls are so rich and we should try to understand them. Such an exhibition is a chance for us to understand the world of people with autism so that our society will treat them properly, and offer them suitable jobs to make contributions back to society.

Among the exhibits are colourful scenes, portraits, humourous sculptures, and even clumsy sketches that are difficult to understand but they express the painters feelings in their own world.

Behind the event are countless efforts by their parents.

We occasionally organise such an exhibition to enhance peoples knowledge of autism, said Nguyen Lan Phuong, mother of 12-year-old Ha inh Chi, We also want to confirm the ability to contribute to society by people with autism. In Viet Nam, people with autism have not received proper attention, especially grown-ups. There are no vocational centres for them. They can hardly find any jobs.

Painter Le Thiet Cuong, who was invited to select the paintings for display, sees real talent.

Its very challenging for me to select their paintings, he told Viet Nam News.

Every painting is beautiful in its own way. All their paintings are full of sunlight, wind, joy and sometimes contain strange views. They express things that even normal painters cannot express.

Above beauty and clumsiness, their works touch peoples souls, as their parents named the event. The art of painting in this case is a way to connect the hearts of people with autism to those of ordinary people.

I hope to help them create a centre where they can to integrate with other people so that their art works do not stop at exhibitions but last longer in products for sale like souvernirs, ceramic wares, decorative patterns on fashion, he said.

Warm heart: Painter Ujita Masato (right) and his mother pose for a photo by his paintings.  VNS Photo Le Huong

Accompanying her 43-year-old son to the exhibition, Ujita Teruko said she and her son were happy to join the event in Viet Nam though she hosts an exhibition for him every four years in Japan.

People with autism like my son find it dificult to communicate with other people, Ujita said, Yet through paintings my son expresses his warm heart to other family members and the surrounding world. I think painting is good for people with autism.

Ujita Masato works at Yakuju Will Company, which employs disabled people, in Yokohama City, washing blankets and matresses. He has lived on his own for 11 years in a group home. He returns home every weekend to visit his parents. He likes painting, calligraphy, embroidery, kayaking and travelling.

His paintings are displayed at Aoba Gallery, Midori District, Yokohama City and at the offices of Yakujyu Company and cafes run by the Morinokai Association.

Nguyen Trung Hieu (18 years old); Hoang Minh (16); Binh Minh (14); Gia Bao (15) and inh Chi (12) are all from Ha Noi. They all attend regular schools beside practising drawing. Some play musical instruments well.

"I found some interesting paintings here," said Peny Anjre, a tourist from France. "They are both realistic and free in style."

The exhibition runs till March 12 at the Museum of Vietnamese Women, 36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street.  VNS
THUA THIEN-HUE  Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko concluded their first ever six-day State visit to Viet Nam yesterday after visiting several monuments restored with Japanese assistance in Hue City.

The Emperor and Empress were impressed by the warm welcome of the Vietnamese administration and people, said Hatsushi Takashima, spokesman and special assistant of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, at a press briefing on Saturday.

The city, in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, was recognised by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage in 1993.

At the Hue Imperial Citadel, an official from the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre introduced the Japanese Royal couple to special cultural aspects of the ancient capital of Viet Nam (under the Nguyen Dynasty).

Many of the palaces and tombs of Nguyen Kings in Hue have been restored with assistance from the Japanese Government and experts from the Waseda and Tokyo Universities, the official said.

The Emperor and Empress also enjoyed Hues famous royal court music, which was recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2003. This music was also staged in Japan in the eighth century.

The same day, the Japanese Emperor and Empress visited a memorial house dedicated to Phan Boi Chau, a pioneer of the ong Du movement in early 20th century that encouraged young Vietnamese to go east to study and seek ways to save the nation.

A memorial stele dedicated to Japanese doctor Asaba Sakitaro, who made great contributions to the ong Du movement, is kept at Fukuroi City, Shizuoka prefecture as a symbol of Viet Nam-Japan friendship in the 20th century.

During their stay, the royal couple met Japanese nationals in Viet Nam as well as volunteers of the Japan International Co-operation Agency in Hue. VNS
HA NOI  Leaders of the National Assembly met in Ha Noi yesterday with female ambassadors and heads of representative offices of international organisations in Viet Nam on the occasion of International Womens Day (March 8).

Addressing the event, which was also attended by President Tran ai Quang, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan congratulated the participants on International Womens Day for their contribution to development co-operation between Viet Nam and the international community.

Stressing Viet Nams efforts in realising the sustainable development goals (SDG) approved by the United Nations in September 2015, she said the Vietnamese NA has been working to create appropriate legal foundations and integrate the SDGs in decisions and long- and medium-term and annual socio-economic development plans.

She said female Vietnamese NA deputies have created forums to compare notes and share experiences, as well as contribute to improving the NAs operations, especially in issues relating to gender equality. The female Vietnamese NA parliamentarians group of the 14th NA was set up in November last year.

Ngan said she hoped the group would further promote practical activities with new action plans to contribute to raising the role of Vietnamese women as well as female NA deputies in the process of sustainable development and international integration.

She thanked the diplomats for the international assistance to Viet Nam, saying that through female ambassadors and heads of international organisations representative offices, Viet Nam was provided with lessons from other countries, resources and technology to accelerate its integration and implement millennium development goals and SDGs.

At the meeting, NA leaders, female heads of some NA committees and foreign guests shared their views on the position and role of women today and the activities of female Vietnamese NA deputies. They also compared notes on issues relating to the rights of women, gender equality, children, sustainable development and cooperation in these areas.  VNS
HA NOI  A high ranking delegation of the Lao National Assembly (NA), led by its Chairwoman Pany Yathotou, arrived in Ha Noi yesterday, starting a five-day official visit to Viet Nam.

The visit is at the invitation of NA Chairwoman, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

Chairwoman Ngan and her Lao counterpart will held talks today after a welcome ceremony at the NA House.

The two sides will sign a co-operation agreement between the two assemblies.  VNS
Tran Luc returned to a very different Viet Nam after studying in Bulgaria for several years, and made his mark as an actor, a TV film producer and a teacher. It was only 30 years into his career that he brought out the deep passion he has for theatre, with a trail-blazing, award-winning comedy, reports Nguyen Thuy Binh

"Excited youngsters tap their toes and clap their hands along with the rap performance of leading actor on the Viet Nam Youth Theatres stage. Meanwhile, older spectators are quiet, not quite sure what is happening on the stage.

Director Tran Luc commented on the audience who watched the very first play he has staged.

The comedy, Quan (Stupefaction), is a notable work that can be considered representative of modern Vietnamese theatre.

Luc staged the comedy for fourth-year students at the Ha Noi Academy of Theatre and Cinema.

"I set up the comedy to give my students a chance to access expressionism on stage. It is my favourite style and I want my students to learn different theatrical styles."

The comedy was written by late dramatist Long Chuong in 1960. The story is of an upper middle class man, ai Cat, and his familys efforts to disperse and hide their wealth after they are ordered to hand over their property to the new government.

ai Cat aims to get around the issue by giving his daughter a dowry and giving some property away to his wife. His younger sister ai Hung also wants to have a part of the big property and incites the mother to take her part.

However, the daughter knows what her fathers trying to do and doesnt agree with him. With her nursemaids help, she finds out where her father hides his gold and takes all of it to the authorities.

Luc said he had to adjust the original script in which the late dramatist aims to criticise and mock the upper middle class.

"I think the original script no longer suits our time," he said. "The playwrights intention is to enlighten the upper middle class members to follow the new government. But they are human beings and I let them live with their own personalities.

"The comedy helps people learn more about the history of their country. The audience will laugh at the infantile thoughts of older generations. When people laugh, it means that there is a development."

Quan earned Luc the Best Director award at Ha Noi Theatre Festival 2016 in December; and the play also won a gold and three silver medals for his actors.

The stage for Quan is very simple. There is just one white trunk played at the centre. Sometimes the stage is a living room with a trunk full of gold, sometimes it is a pagoda and at other times a contruction site. A group of actors with black costumes flexibly become workers on a construction site, trees on road or a statue of the Buddha.

Luc gets his leading actors to act with expressionism in epic theatre, which is rarely performed in Vietnamese spoken drama.

"German dramatist Bertolt Brecht created a new form of theatre designed to make the audience question and think about what they are watching. It is called epic theatre," Luc explained.

Epic theatre requires great concentration from actors. Actor Truong Manh at, who plays the main role, is about 1.80m tall. He is strong enough to act continuously, dancing, singing, speaking and gesturing.

"Western theatre is much influenced by orient theatre such as Japan and China. When I staged Quan I wanted to take advantage of Vietnamese traditional art genres of tuong (classical drama) and cheo (traditional opera). In tuong, just three actors performing with whips can express the image of thousands of troop riding horses to battle. This is epic theatre," Luc said.

The first Vietnamese spoken drama, Chen Thuoc oc (A Cup of Poison) by dramatist Vu inh Long, is said to have been staged in 1921. For decades after, spoken drama was seen as a preserve of amateurs and intellectuals.

The Viet Nam National Drama Theatre was the first spoken drama troupe to be established in 1952. Most of the plays then used Stanislavskis "psychological realism".

Quan is a break from the predominant tradition.

"Quan amazed me. Im surprised that Tran Luc did this," said Peoples Artist Le Khanh, deputy-director of the Youth Theatre. "I did watch this comedy and I liked it very much. I asked some famed directors to revive it, but they refused. They said it was outdated.

"Its great my colleague has done it," said Le Khanh.

It was not just Le Khanh, Lucs father - Peoples Artist Tran Bang - was among the happiest persons to see this comedy at home. The cheo artist could not watch it at the theatre due to old age, so his son recorded the comedy to show him at home.

"I think one of the most important things is that he uses epic theatre to stage the comedy," Bang said. "He has asked actors to use expressionism on stage. It is something that has not received much attention from Vietnamese directors. Very few directors in the past used it, like Nguyen inh Nghi and oan Anh Thang, but they too focused on stage design, not on acting."

Born to a traditional art family, Luc developed a passion for tuong and cheo when he was very young. He studied at the Ha Noi Academy of Theatre and Cinema in the mid eighties. As a first-year student, he was sent to study theatre directing in Bulgaria. In the five-year course, he learnt acting as well.

Returning to Viet Nam in 1991, Luc missed out on the introduction of the countrys oi moi (renewal) process in 1986. It was a very different country he returned to. Adjusting to this and finding his way took some time, so establishing himself in the industry had to be done first, before he could stage his own play.

Luc emerged on the scene after playing the leading role in motion picture Chuyen Tinh Ben Dong Song (Love Story on the Riverbank) by uc Hoan. His good looks and professional acting helped him star in a range of leading roles in many art-house movies including Ganh Hat Rong (Wandering Singing Troupe); and Nguyen Ai Quoc in Hongkong.

His performances in Chuyen Tinh Ben Dong Song and Ganh Hat Rong earned him the Best Actor award at the 10th Viet Nam National Film Festival in 1993. He was recognized as a Meritorious Artist in 2001.

While filming in different areas of the country was very useful experience, and he learnt a lot about the art scene in Viet Nam, he was not satisfied being a successful actor with both art and commercial movie success.

In 2002, he ventured into television film production with his own ong A Studio. His television productions were popular and won several prizes incuding the Silver Lotus at the 11th Viet Nam National Film Festival in 1996 and the Cu Neo Vang title - a prestigious award for comedians given by the Tuoi Tre newspaper.

Now, into his career for 30 years, Quans success has pleasantly surprised his colleagues, his family and his audience.

But director Luc also sees it differently.

"The award is meaningful to me and it is unexpected," Luc said. "But the most valuable thing is that I do a comedy in my style and my students have chance to practice. I want to the students to become skillful actors."

In recent years Luc has been teaching acting at the Ha Noi Academy of Theatre and Cinema, where he can transmit his knowledge and love of theatre to the younger generation.

He hopes his first success as director will help him to persist with his own staging style.

"Definitely, I will stage tuong and cheo because these Vietnamese traditional arts are symbols of epic theatre that I like very much."  VNS
Bao Hoa

Awareness of gender inequality has been around for some time, but the problem itself has been around for so long that the subtle ways in which it persists is not often recognised.

In Viet Nam, despite efforts made to reduce gender inequality, we can see that the problem persists, for instance, in the continued preference for sons as reflected in birth imbalances. This is an in-your-face fact, but there are others that are not so obvious.

In an educational environment where the younger generation is actually being made aware of the problem, a recent study by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has found gender stereotypes being reinforced.

Among 8,000 human characters that appear in grade 1-12 textbooks, only 24 per cent are women.

In fact, the study finds that the higher the level of education, the larger the gap between the number of male and female characters. The number of male characters account for 51 per cent of the total in primary school textbooks, and this rises to 67 per cent in secondary school and 81 per cent in high school.

Furthermore, the female characters are typically illustrated as doing household chores, agricultural work, taking care of pets and trees, cooking and so on. The male characters are policemen, scientists, researchers, doctors and engineers who seem to be more important and have bigger impact on society. They are also portrayed as being extroverted, the bread winner of the family and having the power to make decisions. The women are shown as introverted, weak and dependent on their husbands, the study finds.

Tran Thi Phuong Nhung, director of UNESCOs Gender Equality and Girls Education Initiative in Viet Nam, said that gender inequality would lead to a lot of problems if it is not tackled in a comprehensive manner.

One of the problems being school bullying, Nhung told Viet Nam Television. It starts from the gender-biased mindset that makes boys think they are stronger and have the authority to give orders or to treat those weaker than them in a violent way.

Moreover, "the gender stereotypes will increase in students minds if they continue being exposed to gender-stereotypical illustrations in textbooks as they grow up," she said.

The risk is that their career choices would be confined to certain gender-specific occupations.

Despite these warnings by gender experts, many parents are neither surprised nor upset by the studys findings. Tran Van Vinh, father of a third grader, said he found the portrayals of male and female characters in textbooks true to whats happening in society.

I have no problems if women are portrayed as doing mens jobs in textbooks, but I think in reality its different, he said.

Some occupations require the physical strength of men which women dont have, like manual labour or police work, he said. Similarly, boys can grow up choosing to become dancers, but their bodies cant be as flexible as girls.

Vinh also does not think being exposed to gender-stereotypical textbook illustrations would affect his childs choice of career.

It may affect the kids thinking, but when they grow up and know more about themselves, they will choose the job that suits them using their free will, he said.

Tran Thu Thuy, mother of an eleventh grader, also found the studys findings normal, but said they only fit the old Vietnamese society in which women played a minor role and did not have a say even in domestic issues.

Literature is a reflection of life, and since the textbooks havent improved much in years, it is understandable that the characters are a bit outdated, she said.

However, I think that as society is changing and a lot of women are claiming top positions and working in male-dominated fields, textbook writers will recognise that and make changes accordingly, she said.

So, parents are not alarmed. What about the students?

I spoke to several students in primary and secondary schools and realized they barely noticed the gap between the number of male and female characters, or gender biases.

Duong Thanh Thao, an eleventh grader, only noticed that most of the excerpts in textbooks were from literary works written by male authors.

If there are female figures they are characters in the texts, like Thuy Van and Thuy Kieu in Truyen Kieu (The Tale of Kieu) by Nguyen Du, whom I cant identify with, she said.

Putting more works by female authors into textbooks and portraying female characters in a variety of occupations will help diversify our perspectives, she said. It would help us be more confident in striving to become who we want to be.

Personally, despite being struck by the big gap between the number of male and female characters in textbooks, I feel that the signs of gender inequality here are very subtle, and it is difficult to measure the effect it has on students at the subconscious level.

Textbooks are only a part of education, and education is only part of the environment in which an individual is raised. I believe our interactions within our families and people that we meet as we grow up with have more of an impact than textbook reading.

A young woman or man can grow up being exposed to textbooks gender biases but not internalise them if she/he was raised in a gender sensitive environment.

During my teenage years it was common for my sister and me to see Dad staying home at night while Mom was out for business meetings, or Dad folding the laundry while Mom was making or taking business phone calls. Growing up in this environment taught me that the roles men and women play in family and in society are, to a certain extent, interchangeable.

So, while I think that upcoming textbook reforms should do something drastic about the gender stereotypes that we are unwittingly reinforcing, a far more important thing is for parents to be aware of their role as role models.

They should not impose gender stereotypes on their children, but if parents themselves, father and mother, subscribe to them, we have some problem.

A problem without a textbook solution.  VNS
WATERLOO  The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance and Chamber will hand out its annual awards at a celebration from 5:30 to 9 p.m. March 21 at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center.

Award recipients are as follows:

Diversity and Inclusion Partnership Awards go to the Sayer Law Group in Waterloo and CUNA Mutual Group in Waverly.

The award is given for firms which work diversity and inclusion into the workplace.

Sayer Law Group has used the Inclusion Connection for hiring of employees to promote diversity and gender balance. Employees speak a combined eight different languages, the firm has hired employees across the autism spectrum and has an active community relations committee planning monthly projects for specific charities or causes.

CUNA a long-standing mainstay Waverly business has formed a dozen different employee resource groups of African-American, Latino, Asian, military veterans, women in technology and single parents. The workplace has observed LGBT Pride Month, Martin Luther King Day and Veterans Day and has paid parental leave as a new benefit.

The 2017 Cedar Valley Partner Award for promoting economic growth and employment goes to the Waterloo and Cedar Falls community school districts.

The Cedar Falls district initiated the Center for Advanced Professional Studies, based on similar programs studied in Blue Valley, Kan., and Waukee. The CAPS program is a partnership with local businesses to put students in a skilled career environment. Students study at host businesses for 2 1/2 hours daily with high school teachers and business mentors, earning high school and Hawkeye Community College credit.

The program focuses on real-world experiences outside the classroom, according to Dan Conrad, director of secondary education for the district.

The Waterloo district is being recognized for its Career Technical Education, or CTE, program, offering students hands-on technical skills training. The district began implementing individual components of the program after a bond referendum to fully fund it failed to win voter approval last year.

The Harold Brock award, designed to recognize innovation in technology or advanced manufacturing, goes to Visual Logic/id8, at 402 E. Fourth St. and the Millrace co-working and collaboration space of Eagle View partners in the River Place development project along State Street in downtown Cedar Falls.

Visual Logic/id8 was recognized for the innovative approach theyve taken to training and developing the hard-to-find skill sets they need for their business, Alliance talent solutions director Danny Laudick said. He cited an internal training internship, an open enrollment class and launching a new id8 workspace to create an entire culture and space dedicated to the continuing education and development of entrepreneurs and employees alike.

Millrace in Cedar Falls is a space for early stage technology startups, freelancers and community members alike to find the resources, support and connections they need to thrive. The space, at 200 State St. fosters the type of spontaneous interactions between the entrepreneurs and the community that help entrepreneurs solve programs and continually learn as they grow their ventures, Laudick said.

The 2017 John Deere Treating Capital Well Award goes to Rydell Warehousing for its $1 million, 60,000-square-foot distribution warehouse for its automotive parts business on Doris Drive in Evansdales Prairie Industrial Park, serving multiple auto dealerships.

While Rydell had may options among its many dealer locations to locate this warehouse, Rydell was committed to the Cedar Valley from the start, wrote Chris Fereday, who nominated Rydell for the award. This decision not only helps other dealers, it also is a big plus to customers and the local economy. Rydell, in addition to its local auto dealerships, is one of the top five General Motors parts distributors nationwide, Fereday wrote.

The Businesses of the Year are the Accel Group in Waverly and Advanced Systems in Waterloo.

Accel Group was founded in 1936 in the home of Lesle J. Young and operated as First Insurance Services from 2000-2010, and took on its present name when it took on the 401(k) and employee benefits divisions of Net Work Advisors in Waterloo. It was recognized as one of The Des Moines Registers Top Workplaces in 2015 and 2016. It also helped establish Cedar Valley chapters of 100 Plus Men Who Care and 100 Plus Women Who Care in 2016 and sponsors an annual triathlon event at George Wyth State Park for a local nonprofit agency.

Advanced Systems is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2017. It marked a milestone in 2016 with the acquisition of the telecommunications product line of Schmitt Telecom Partners. It also secured a new $4 million location in the Cedar Falls Industrial Park and is designing a suitable work environment for our growing business. It has nine branches in Iowa and one each in South Dakota and Minnesota. It sponsors or supports a number of local charities and events.

The 2017 Fulfilling the Vision of One Award goes to Stacey Bentley, CEO of Community Bank & Trust for leading that institution in a $4 million renovation of its existing building, including advanced technology.

Bank employees have donated more than 1,200 volunteer hours per year on community programs. Bentley has been a board member of numerous community and charitable organizations. She was nominated by past CB&T CEO Joe Vich.

The Alliance Legacy Award presented by Alliance CEO Steve Dust, goes to Northland Oil CEO Bob Petersen and Dan Watters, regional vice president with US Bank.

They are being recognized for their nearly 20 years of concentrated work and partnership on numerous initiatives including the nonprofit Waterloo Development Corp. which has lead a number of downtown initiatives ranging from the Cedar Valley SportsPlex to a proposed white-water park and the overall development of the Riverfront Renaissance downtown Waterloo redevelopment plan which has included the RiverLoop Expo Plaza, RiverLoop Amphitheater and adjacent Marks Park childrens play area and other components still in the works.

In addition, in the 1990s Petersen was involved in the development of the MidPort America Industrial Park, and Watters headed the group Parents Advocating for a Student Stadium, or PASS, which led to the construction of Waterloo Memorial Stadium near Central Middle School.

For ticket information, contact Bette Wubbena, 232-1156, bwubbena@cedarvalleyalliance.com.
There is a wipeboard on the wall of the office of Helen Higgins, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis.

It includes motivational bullet points for her work with the club as well as an update on the clubs current fundraising campaign.

The club is just $1.1 million away from collecting the $5.9 million it needs for an expansion that would increase the clubs footprint by 50 percent and double the number of students it can serve in its high school programs.

Its going to be epic, Higgins said. I cant wait. Its been three long years.

April 18 the club will host a groundbreaking and, weather permitting, Gerding Construction will start work soon thereafter, with Higgins hopeful of a late spring or early summer opening next year.

The Gerding crews are geared up and ready to go, Higgins said. A lot depends on how wet the ground is. There is a lot of clay in the soil. I hope it will dry up a bit and let some of the soup drain away.

New building for teens

The expansion calls for 20,000 feet of new space at the northwest corner of the club's property on Northwest Circle Boulevard. The first floor of the new Center for Youth Excellence building will be a gym, with an upper story devoted to the clubs expanding medical services.

The complicated proposal also includes additional parking in the lot the club shares with Osborn Aquatic Center and Linus Pauling Middle School as well as new vehicle access to Circle and new internal traffic routes that will reduce bus traffic in the neighborhoods.

The Corvallis Planning Commission unanimously approved the plan March 2, 2016, which left the fundraising as the final piece.

The campaign took a big hit in December when Trillium Family Services pulled out of the project. Trillium was a co-construction partner responsible for more than 25 percent of the $5.9 million required to build the new teen center and was expected to provide behavioral and mental health services to club members.

Kim Scott, president and CEO of Trillium, released a statement to the Gazette-Times noting that multiple capital projects happening simultaneously led to a decision to focus on other ventures.

Trillium Family Services believes deeply in the collaborative spirit behind the Center for Youth Excellence, both as a vital community resource, and as a potentially scalable model which could be replicated in other communities across the nation, Scott wrote. Trillium will continue to support the Center for Youth Excellence  and we look forward to watching this incredible vision grow.

New services

Adding a mental health component to the dental program the club began in November 2006 is just another sign that this is no longer your fathers  or your mothers  Boys & Girls Club.

These are services that business and government used to pay for, but they dont do it anymore, Higgins said.

The dental program has served 6,000 individuals since it opened in space leased to the Benton County Health Department, and Higgins said that the mental health component is an urgently needed next step.

Higgins and her staff participated in a conference on mental health issues three years ago with the Old Mill Center, the Benton County Health Department, Trillium and the Corvallis School District.

Thats what started to spark the idea, Higgins said. This is a desperately needed service.

Higgins added that placing in one location the mental health program, the dental service and the job training and skills exploration that the club also features is a model that makes good sense.

In small communities you need to be efficient and effective in your use of resources, Higgins said. And you are bringing services and providers together in a location in which children and families feel comfortable. Its their happy place, their club, and they trust us.

Higgins said she is working to recruit another provider for the mental health component and added that there is a silver lining: Because all of the fundraising would be handled by the club itself, the leasing of the mental health space will provide revenue for ongoing operations.

Request of city

When the existing club buildings opened in 1998 the fundraising drive included a $100,000 grant from the city of Corvallis that offset the systems development charges (SDCs) that the project required.

The club has requested that the city take on the same role with the expansion. Two club board members, Matthew Smith of CH2M Hill and Brad Wakefield, CEO of the Corvallis Clinic, spoke during the community comment period of the Feb. 6 City Council meeting and requested $250,000 to offset the SDCs for the expansion.

This project will have a huge lasting impact on the community, Smith told the councilors. The club is a safe, positive and affordable place to go after school.

Smith also noted that the teen program has a 100 percent high school graduation rate and that the expansion would allow the club to increase the number of teens it serves from 150 to 300.

Wakefield noted the strong community backing of the project, reflected in the $4.6 million in donations as of Feb. 6.

There is great support for this already, Wakefield testified. When I show up there at 4 in the afternoon I see 400 kids getting great care and programs. And a lot of these kids dont have access to mental and medical health programs.

Wakefield concluded that it would be a wonderful legacy for the city to contribute to the expansion campaign.

Councilors made no commitment either way to the request, but City Manager Mark Shepard told the Gazette-Times on Friday that the budget he will unveil May 2 to the citys Budget Commission will not include the $250,000 sought by the club.

Shepard said that his budget message will note the request of the club, as well as other requests the city has received for funding from da Vinci Days, homeless advocates and the Regional Accelerator and Innovation Network (Rain).

City officials report that since 2001 the city has donated $274,000 to the club, with nearly $200,000 coming via the annual social services allocations. The remaining $40,000 were Community Development Block Grant funds the city received from the federal government. The club received $20,000 from the city during the 2016-17 budget cycle.

Shepard also said that the club is welcome to make its pitch directly to the Budget Commission when the body, comprised of the nine city councilors and nine community representatives, holds its public hearing to consider the spending plan in May. The commissions recommendation on the budget will be reviewed June 5 by the City Council. Higgins said the club plans to be there.

We are hopeful that this new City Council will also view the teen and wellness center services as an additional community benefit, Higgins said. The citys support would speak volumes to the funders who have contributed to the project to date to show that our local government supports putting into play the services for kids who need us most.

Higgins also emphasized that the fundraising does not stop once the approximately $6 million in construction in costs is in hand.

This is just phase one, said Higgins, who hopes to raise an additional $4 million for an endowment fund for the programs and facilities.
CEDAR FALLS  A 140 room hotel and 1,000-person events center is being proposed near the Hudson Road/U.S. Highway 20 interchange in southwest Cedar Falls.

Open Door Hospitality of Cedar Falls, which has several motel properties in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, is proposing the as-yet-unnamed project south of its Best Western hotel between that property and West Ridgeway Avenue.

The Cedar Valley has a need for a brand new, state-of-the art events center, said Mary Carlson, regional director of operations for Open Door Hospitality, headed by Atul Patel. They have been in the hotel and motel business locally for 30 years.

Plans and cost estimates are still being formulated. Company officials say the facility would be roughly twice the size of the Pipac Centre on the Lake. That venue, also known as the Park Place Events Centre, just to the north along Hudson Road, closed to public events earlier this year. It will house administrative offices and meeting space for Area Education Agency 267.

The Pipac Center closing created a void for meeting and events space the new facility will fill, company officials said. Pending city approvals, they anticipate it might open to the public in late 2018. Plans will be submitted to the city soon.

Company officials did not offer firm cost estimates but noted its other, smaller projects in the area typically exceeded $10 million each.

A lot of this came about because all of our properties are mainly Cedar Valley properties, Carlson said. All of the properties have been doing so well, its a perfect opportunity for us to do a project like this. And with Pipac closing, there have been so many calls, so many requests, we see this as great timing. Were in the final stages of planning.

The hotel will be affiliated with a major chain, and Patel indicated his company is talking to a couple of them. The site is available on contract.

Its going to be a state-of-the-art project, Carlson said. The franchise that we choose is going to be one that would require us to have the best of the best. We want to do that.

Even before Pipac closed, Carlson said, there was a need for a larger facility for conventions, weddings and other events.

With the hotel attached to the events center, I think its going to be exactly what it takes to bring those people. I know for myself, being on the board of the (Cedar Falls) Tourism (& Visitors) Bureau, its been a constant conversation about how do we bring more associations and more business to the community. And this is the perfect opportunity for us, Carlson said.

The proposed facilitys best asset is its location, she said, adjacent to the Technology Park wing of the Cedar Falls Industrial Park and near the University of Northern Iowa and the John Deere Product Engineering Center.

With all of the new businesses coming in, everything thats being built in this area, the need is there. Were right at a perfect place, she said. ... Were looking at being able to accommodate three or four large events at the same time.

The (Five Sullivan Brothers) convention center has a particular market. Even Pipac had a particular market. This would encompass everything in the Cedar Valley, and bring additional visitors and business to town, she said.

The finished project is anticipated to employ more than 100 people and an even larger number of construction workers.

It will be a lot of jobs, Patel said. ... Its going to bring a lot of new people into town. Its going to help other people, other business. Its going to bring a lot of revenue to the Cedar Valley.

From my experience, growing up here, living here, going to UNI, you get a real good underlying feeling of what the Cedar Valley wants and what they need, Patel said. And we want to do it right.
WAVERLY  A Miami man caught in a Waverly credit card fraud investigation last month also is suspected of planting devices to steal card information in Wisconsin.

Waverly police arrested 26-year-old Dunieski Santana Moreno, a Cuban in the country on an expired visa, Feb. 1 after he and two others allegedly used counterfeit credit cards to load funds onto gift cards at a Wal-Mart self checkout station.

Waverly police said they suspect the trio  which included fellow Cubans Liliany Meana DeArmas, 20, and Pedro Alvarez Rodriguez, 35  had been traveling throughout Iowa plying the scheme before they were arrested.

Now court records show at the time of the trip, Moreno had been awaiting trial in Jefferson County, Wis., where he is charged with multiple counts of identity theft for allegedly using a card skimming device at a convenience store.

Moreno has an outstanding warrant because he missed a Wisconsin court appearance Feb. 28.

Authorities said the Waverly crime involved using blank cards encoded with stolen credit card information on the magnetic strip.

The Wisconsin crime explains how the credit card information was stolen in the first place. It involved obtaining credit card information from unsuspecting shoppers by installing a fake card reader on gas pumps to capture card data. The skimmer is later retrieved, and the data is downloaded onto a computer.

The skimming case started in Fort Atkinson, Wis., a community of about 12,000 people between Madison and Milwaukee. An employee at the Stop N Go Food Store on Madison Avenue noticed a skimming device on the pumps Nov. 17 and notified authorities. Fort Atkinson police found more than 400 credit card numbers on the reader, although only 14 appeared to be recent.

Officers placed an alarm on the pumps in the event someone came to retrieve the skimmer.

On Nov. 22, the alarm sounded, and police stopped a Chrysler 300 pulling away from the store. Moreno was in the vehicle with Yasmani Moleiro Sardinas and Liandry Alfonso Pelaez, also of the Miami area, and officers found a key for the pump cabinet on the vehicles floor.

Pelaez was carrying a credit card investigators believe was used to test the skimming device, police said in court records.
WATERLOO  Demolition is ready to go forward at the former Orange School.

The Board of Education last week approved a $269,400 contract with D.W. Zinser of Walford to raze the 100-year-old school at 6028 Kimball Ave. It was the lowest of eight bids on the project. Other bids ranged from $375,000 to $594,623.

I just want to say that I was delighted that we had eight bids, said board member Shanlee McNally. Its obviously a competitive market for the timing that we were able to put this out.

Board member Sue Flynn added, Often we have one or two bids, so this was really encouraging to have multiple bids. She noted the wide variance of costs for the proposals. Im sure glad we got some low ones.

The building has been sitting empty for nearly four years, since the new Orange Elementary School opened in the fall of 2013 just up the road at 5805 Kimball Ave.

Orange Consolidated School opened in September 1916, serving students of all ages, and expanded with several additions over the decades. In 1964, the township school district became part of Waterloo Community Schools. Its final class graduated in 1972 and the building was solely an elementary school after that.

Last spring, the board approved a $547,000 contract to remove asbestos from Orange and Edison School, which also had been closed. The hazardous material was used in various parts of school buildings in the past  such as insulation, floor tiles, piping and windows.

Contractors are likely to get started soon, according to board members. The absolute deadline to finish the project is Aug. 1, said Michael Coughlin, the districts chief financial officer. But we expect it to be done way before that, maybe even by the time school lets out.

The city of Waterloo will take possession of the 24-acre property after demolition is complete. The land was swapped for the citys former street department facilities, which now house part of the districts bus garage complex. This is just fulfilling the rest of our obligation, McNally said of the demolition.

We are, again, following what we said, that we would get these buildings down, noted Flynn. So I think we are being faithful to what we promised the public.

Among the former school buildings demolished by the district in recent years are Edison, Logan Middle School and the former Irving Elementary School after the properties were no longer needed. Black Hawk Elementary School and the former Kittrell Elementary School were both demolished as well, but the land was used for the new buildings to replace them. The former Expo High School building also has been torn down, but Peoples Community Health Clinic had already taken possession of the property, and the district was not involved.

Former schools no longer being used, which are still owned by the district, include the Longfellow and Devonshire buildings.

We do definitely know that we have some work to do, said McNally. We are still working on buildings that we know either have to come down or be sold.

In other business, the board:

Submitted a request for $579,148 in modified allowable growth to the states School Budget Review Committee for inspection, testing and removal of asbestos from five district buildings during 2015 and 2016. This is one of those opportunities that the district has to recapture authority thats meant for an environmental process, said Coughlin. Removing asbestos is a required activity when we take down a building. So, thats why they allow us to recoup the authority of that, the cost of that.

Approved a resolution allowing for 0.43 percent growth in the districts regular program costs despite an enrollment decline of about 100 pupils this fall. The states budget guarantee gives Waterloo Schools authority to receive $307,905 in new money for 2017-18 through its tax levies.
CEDAR FALLS  The City Council on Monday will hold a public hearing on the $6.5 million Greenhill Road extension project, a major two-year road project in the western part of the city.

The project calls for the extension of Greenhill Road from its present end point west of Hudson Road west and north to West 27th Street west of the McLeod Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus. The plan also calls for a roundabout at Greenhills intersection with University Avenue near Rasmussen Towing and Hillcrest Park Apartments.

The Iowa Department of Transportation will let bids on the project March 21, and city staff said those bids will be reported back to the council.

The extension is anticipated to relieve traffic congestion on Hudson Road from events at the McLeod Center and the UNI-Dome. It also is near land the Cedar Falls Community School District is eyeing as the possible location for a new high school. City officials have said additional improvements may be needed later if the school is built.

The project is being funded by $2.85 million in federal funds allocated through the Black Hawk County Metropolitan Area Transportation Policy Board. City general obligation bond proceeds, repaid with interest by property taxes, and Cedar Falls Utilities funding for water main improvements would pay for the rest. Right of way for the project already has been secured.

The council meeting is scheduled to begin 7 p.m. Monday in the council chambers at City Hall.
Liberty Park group to meet

WATERLOO  The Liberty Park Neighborhood Association will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Unity Presbyterian Church, 1149 Hammond.

Special guest will be Paul Huting, director of Waterloo Leisure Services, addressing any concerns about emerald ash borer management as well as different leisure activities offered by the city.

Dust control deadline near

WATERLOO  The Black Hawk County Engineers Department is reminding rural residents living on gravel roads of the upcoming April 17 deadline to sign up for a dust control permit.

County policy allows residents to apply approved dust suppressing materials to gravel roads. Residents are responsible for all payments to the contractor. There is no charge for the permit.

For information, go to www.co.black-hawk.ia.us/depts/engineer.html or call 833-3008.

Legislative forum set

CEDAR FALLS  The next Legislative Public Forum for 2017 will be at 10 a.m. Saturday (coffee at 9:30 a.m.) at the Area Education Agency 267 Conference Center, 3712 Cedar Heights Drive.

The topic will be water quality. The public is welcome.

Leadership Awards at UNI

CEDAR FALLS  The University of Northern Iowa will host the Student Leadership Awards at 7 p.m. April 11 in the Old Central Ballroom of Maucker Union.

The ceremony will recognize student leadership through a series of awards presented to students and student organizations.

Several awards are presented, including three from the office of the dean of students: the Lux Service Award, Outstanding Student Leader Award and Servant Leadership Award. The Lux Service Award is the most prestigious award given to graduating senior students to acknowledge their outstanding involvement and lasting legacy. The Outstanding Student Leader Award recognizes students who have demonstrated dedication and leadership in one or more campus activities.

The Servant Leadership Award is presented to students who strive to serve others before themselves and promote the common good.

Other awards include the UNI CARE (Creating a Responsible Environment) Award, Northern Iowa Student Government Above and Beyond Awards, Student Organization Awards, Drake Martin Gold Star Awards, Student Employee of the Year, Dr. Sue Follon Scholarship for Women in Leadership and the Dr. Charlotte West Scholar-Athlete Award.

Recipients of Student Leadership Awards were chosen from nominated students or student organizations throughout January and February.

Neighborhood meeting set

WATERLOO  Waterloo Neighborhood Services will hold a mini conference on neighborhood association leadership from noon to 4 p.m. March 18 at the Waterloo Public Library.

Sessions will cover effective leadership, holding productive meetings, marketing, event planning, community resources, fundraising and a special panel of city officials and department heads answering questions.

The free event is open to all but targets current leaders and residents who would like to become more active in leading their neighborhoods. To attend or for more information, contact Felicia Smith-Nall at 291-9145 or felicia.smith@waterloo-ia.org.
On Tuesday, the agriculture subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee held a Farm Credit Administration Oversight Hearing.

Remarkably, it was the first public questioning of FCA leaders  and how they regulate the nations biggest agricultural lender, the $240-billion Farm Credit System  by the subcommittee in 19 years.

In the intervening, unchecked decades, system banks more than doubled their lending (from $106 billion in 2005 to $236 billion in 2015), increased their share of U.S ag debt by half (from 23.3 percent in 2000 to 40.4 percent in early 2016) and rose to dominate ag lending: 16 of todays top 20 American ag lenders are system members.

Another FCS lender is about to join that club.

Beginning last summer, three system associations  AgStar Financial, the huge lender in Minnesota and western Wisconsin; Badgerland Financial, the FCS lender in Wisconsins southern half; and 1st Farm Credit, the lender in western and northern Illinois  have worked to create a single association that would stretch from east of St. Louis to north of St. Paul.

If the not-yet-public plan is approved by association borrowers-owners in a quick, hoped-for April vote, the resulting $18-billion lender would be named Compeer Financial.

It is also largely unnecessary, says Bert Ely, a banking consultant who writes Farm Credit Watch, a fact-filled, monthly analysis of the FCS for the American Banking Association.

Part of all these merger deals seems to be one-upmanship among system bankers, explained Ely in a telephone interview. Another part is that these mergers enable CEOs to pay themselves much bigger salaries.

Millions in the case of the proposed, three-way upper Midwest deal.

Im very skeptical, however, that any system merger leads to greater lender profits or better lender service.

Ely would know. Hes been analyzing and writing about the Farm Credit System since before its mid-1980s crack-up and subsequent government bailout. Recently hes seen system banks balloon into something bigger and richer than Congress ever envisioned.

The systems credit line has increased and increased to now where one member can borrow up to $1.5 billion, he relates. What farmer do you know borrows $1 billion? Clearly, it isnt meant for farmers or ranchers.

Recent system lending proves Ely correct. In the last decade, several FCS banks loaned money to various nonfarm businesses and corporations  including Verizon, the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain and a car wash, according to an April 2016 Washington Post story  whose tenuous ties to agriculture seem to be the forgotten uncle of great grandmas adopted half-sister.

All this rule-stretching, claims Ed Elfmann, vice president of congressional relations for the American Bankers Association, violates the systems taxpayer-supported mission and allows system lenders to unfairly compete against commercial banks in local, regional and national ag lending markets.

Even worse, I think, offers Elfmann, Farm Credit has doubled its lending in the last 10 years with virtually no oversight and no controls. How will it hold up if the farm economy continues to flag?

System bankers quickly note their balance sheets are solid, at least for now.

What they dont talk about, however, is how their special status as a congressionally-chartered lender  and what Elfmann and Ely both say is lax oversight by both the Farm Credit Administration and Congress  allows system banks to pick big winners in Big Ag and Big Agbiz.

Given the size of most of todays system loans, opines ABAs Elfmann, can taxpayer-subsidized financing be justified for any of these massive borrowers?

Thats a good question for the tight-fisted, Trump-bowing Congress to address in 2018 farm bill hearings.

Before then, however, the borrower-owners of the not-yet-merged Compeer Financial should ask their hired hands at AgStar, Badgerland and 1st Farm Credit just how much the new bosses will be paid and how little the new deal delivers to them and their rural communities.
One of my favorite films is Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. In the film, Jefferson Smith (Jimmy Stewart) addresses Congress: Get up there with that lady thats up on top of this Capitol dome, that lady that stands for liberty. Take a look at this country through her eyes if you really want to see something!

I had a fantasy of making an address to the Iowa Legislature. In my head it went like this:

Ladies and gentlemen, look at this great chamber through the eyes of the people. Do we see what they see? We all want Iowa to be great, but Im going to be blunt: We are letting the people down.

We lose our students to opportunities in other states. Businesses that can create those jobs overlook us. And what do we do? We fall prey to our own shortsightedness and fail to create what they need.

Weve all traveled around the country, and what do we hear over and over? We hear Iowa being called a fly-over state. We hear that were hicks. Ive heard our own students say Iowa is nowhere. Were confused with Ohio and Idaho. The result is the lowest population growth in the nation. For decades!

We can get our dander up or say we dont care and dismiss those claims, but that perception is hurting us. Graduates want to go somewhere and businesses dont look at a state they see as nowhere.

So how do we correct that? Well, more than half of the people in this room think it means to give corporations even more of our revenue pie to show our willingness to please.

But does that place Iowa somewhere?

No it doesnt. That simply diminishes the spectrum of what we can afford to do.

Do you know what does put us on the map?

Diversity, choice, respect and service. Diversity opens doors. Choice attracts. Respect retains. Service protects. The instrument of sustainable growth is the enhancement of those directives and the quality of our services. We need a new Vision Iowa commitment that invests in our infrastructure, in education, in health care, in the arts and in revitalizing our downtowns, as well as preserving our unique geography of rivers, forests and farmland.

Des Moines is growing, but is that indicative of the state? No. Des Moines is anomalous, but it can be a template for how we grow our state. Des Moines offers students, families and businesses the experience of culture and the creation of opportunity that is drawn from a diverse palette.

Our small towns cannot support the choices of a Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Dubuque or Waterloo, but even the smallest town can be part of a culture of diversity and respect with the best services.

We dont lose what makes us proud to be Iowans when we embrace these principles; in fact, the opposite is true. And those investments will provide us with genuine fields of opportunities.

Or something like that.
For the second time in a little more than six years, a hallowed memorial to Waterloo's Sullivan brothers has been relocated.

While at first it seems a little sad to see such an important memorial temporarily disturbed again, its heartening we live in a community where it is revered enough another caring home for the statue was quickly found.

The 60-year-old statue with a stirring national history has been relocated to an outdoor chapel on the grounds of Columbus High School. It honors the memory of the five brothers from Waterloo who were killed while serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

The statue depicts Mary, the mother of Jesus. The 2 1/2-ton base of the memorial notes it is dedicated to George, Francis, Joseph, Madison and Albert Sullivan. All five of the brothers were killed when their ship, the Navy cruiser USS Juneau, was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine and exploded on Nov. 13, 1942. Only 13 sailors of the Juneau's crew of 700 survived.

The sacrifice by the Sullivan family captured the hearts of those across the nation and has been symbolic of the fact virtually every community in the country was impacted by World War II.

That continued to hit home several years later when, in 1956, a memorial to the Sullivan brothers was erected in their home parish, St. Marys Catholic Church in Waterloo. The memorial fund was initiated by those bearing the Sullivan name in Boston and quickly spread across the country.

Contributions were solicited from school children all over the U.S. The statue was truly a gift from a sorrowful nation, from people who shared in the grief felt by family and friends of the Sullivans.

It always will deserve a revered place where people are prompted to learn the story of the Sullivans and the heartache of war.

In 2010, the statue was removed from the property of St. Mary's Catholic Church, which had shut down a few years earlier. It was restored and relocated to the Waterloo Knights of Columbus Council 700 hall, 1955 Locke Ave., at Locke Avenue and La Porte Road.

Following that restoration and move, we expressed our gratitude through an editorial  just as we do today.

Eventually, the Knights of Columbus building had to be closed to the public, and last fall it was announced the structure would be put up for sale. At that time, Columbus High School math teacher Dave Will and student government leaders suggested the statue be brought to the school.

Its inspiring there is no shortage of those willing to be the keepers of this memorial. Thanks to those who were instrumental in bringing it to Columbus High School and to school officials who saw fit to make it happen.

The loss endured by the Sullivans will always be remembered here. The creation of this memorial was initiated through the caring of Americans all over the nation. Its a gesture that only deepens its meaning and impact.
Education reform and the reduction in poverty must be tackled simultaneously to improve our education system.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development launched the Program for International Student Assessment in 2000 as a tool to assess education achievement on an international level. In 2000, there were just 41 countries reporting data. That year, the United States ranked 16th in reading, 20th in math and 15th in science. Finland, Canada and New Zealand took first, second and third in reading while Hong Kong, Japan and the Republic of Korea took the top three spots in math and science.

The 2015 PISA report included data from 70 countries. The United States ranked 23rd in reading, 39th in math and 25th in science. Singapore and Hong Kong were the education heavyweights.

Americans are more competitive than that. We want the gold, the silver or at least the bronze  not 39th. But when it comes to education, we tend to lose our all-in, competitive drive to succeed and instead fall back on protective, territorial natures.

New Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has received blistering opposition from teachers unions and others. Lily Eskelsen Garcia, president of the National Education Association, said DeVos is dangerously unqualified and lacks the experience we demand.

But teaching experience hasnt historically produced exceptional results in this leadership role. During the first 15 years of the PISA report, Rod Paige, a former superintendent for the Houston Independent School District, served as education secretary in the Bush administration, and Arne Duncan, a former CEO of Chicago Public Schools, served for the Obama administration. Going from 20th in math out of 41 countries in 2000 to 39th in math out of 70 countries in 2015 is not an improvement, despite having qualified and experienced educators at the helm.

DeVos gave a less-than-stellar performance at her confirmation hearing, but one theme that stood out was her desire to empower parents. Nobody cares more about the education of our children than their parents. Maybe its time to allow them greater decision-making through school choice. If private schools were to receive public funds, though, it should be required these institutions  just like public schools  be nonselective in accepting students and be accountable and transparent through standardized and reported testing.

The competitive scramble for those finite, public dollars could affect infrastructure. High-performing schools may expand. Low-performing schools may close. One thing that wont change is we will always have parents who want the best for their kids, students who want the opportunity to realize their full potential and teachers who want to help them reach their dreams. The particular building in which they accomplish that is less important.

But even a monumental decision to implement school choice wouldnt solve the poverty factor. Teachers have been telling us for a long time that student poverty is one of the greatest challenges they face in successfully educating our youth.

According to both the OECD and UNICEF, the United States has one of the highest relative (less than one-half the nations median income) childhood poverty rates among developed nations. The argument poverty is affecting the success teachers have in the classroom has merit, and its not the job of the educator to fix that. That responsibility belongs to our legislators.

Legislators must do everything possible to bring good-paying jobs to their state. For those families still struggling in low-paying jobs, an immediate increase in the minimum wage to $9 could be a real help. Small businesses have shown reasonable increases can be absorbed.

Its tough to instantly produce good-paying jobs, but raising the minimum wage is entirely within their power. Until legislators increase the minimum wage, they cannot sincerely say they are doing their part to improve education.

We must do something different to better compete at the international level on education. School choice has been talked about for decades. Perhaps the time has come to act instead of talk. Trusting parents instead of the government to make education choices for our youths might be the sea change needed.

If we can make bold moves and reduce poverty, maybe we could even medal at the 2030 PISAs.
Within the past week or so, the governors office proposed a bill that eliminates licensure for social workers and licensed mental health counselors along with a number of other professions that currently require licensure in order to practice in the state.

The bill was created with no input from professionals who hold those licenses or members of the public who would be affected by the changes. If it had passed, Iowa would be the only state in the nation that didnt require licenses for those providing mental health services to the public. Thankfully, it didnt make it out of committee, but some of the provisions in it may be folded into spending bills. Those provisions cause significant concern for the public good and need to be called attention too should they appear.

Licensures purpose is to protect the consumer. If a mental health service provider violates the ethics of their profession and/or violates the terms of licensure, the consumer can file a complaint with the licensure board of that professional. The board can then discipline the provider, and if the violation is serious enough it can take away their license, thereby preventing them from practicing in the state.

Insurance companies only credential and reimburse licensed mental health providers, including social workers, marriage and family therapists, licensed mental health counselors and psychologists. Had this bill passed, if a persons therapist were a LISW or LMHC, the therapist would no longer be covered by any insurance plan, requiring the consumer to either pay out of pocket or go without services. This would great impact on those requiring therapy.

For example, in Dr. Conditts practice, more than 99 percent of all clients use health insurance to pay for psychotherapy. Pathways Behavioral Services, a nonprofit organization providing community mental health services, depends almost entirely on insurance companies to serve its population, and approximately 75 percent are three managed care organizations that recently replaced public insurance.

Iowa is an extremely underserved state for mental health services and ranks near the bottom in most categories used to measure access to mental health services. The vast majority of face-to-face therapy is provided by LISWs and LMHCs. In Black Hawk County, there are approximately 50 LISWs and 38 LMHCS, compared with only 19 psychologists. However, some of those psychologists only see University of Northern Iowa students through the counseling center and some practice only part-time. If the bill had passed and psychologists had to absorb all the clients served by LISWs and LMHCs, there is no way demand could be met.

The timing of this bill does not seem coincidental, occurring soon after the three MCOs in Iowa announced they are losing profits. If they no longer have to cover therapies provided by LISWs and LMHCs, they would save money, but certainly not anywhere near the amount they are losing.

Iowa is near the bottom of the nation in access to mental health care. The state recently closed two mental health institutes. Medicaid was privatized, causing nearly every recipient headaches in accessing care. And now, the governors office proposed legislation that would have prevented LISWs and LMHCs, who provide the bulk of direct therapies, from getting reimbursed. This would essentially have eliminated all services provided by them for the public.

Iowans need leadership that is informed about the need for quality mental health care, yet some policymakers are willing to sacrifice mental health. It is this will to sacrifice Iowans who often are unable to advocate for themselves that needs to change. Iowans deserve better. We need to approach our legislators to advocate for our mental health system.
When Judy Butler applied for her first job in the sciences in 1975, one of the requirements in the job description was to make coffee for all of the male scientists in the morning.

So on Saturday, when the retired Oregon State University faculty research assistant looked around to see nearly 140 middle-school girls from all over the Pacific Northwest participating in OSU's annual science workshop, known as "Discovering the Scientist Within," she couldnt help but smile.

Its a wonderful world, Butler said with a laugh. Ive enjoyed my scientific career, but its really heartwarming to see the progress thats been made.

Saturdays program, which dates back to the 1970s, was designed to nurture girls interest in the sciences through hands-on STEM activities and partnerships with female scientists. During the workshop, the girls broke off into groups and spread out all over the OSU campus to participate in a dozen activities, including extracting DNA from a strawberry, turning a penny gold, riding hovercrafts and imploding soda cans. Joining them for the program were 30-plus activity presenters and just as many undergraduate women studying sciences at OSU.

Coming into college and graduate school, I have been struck by the under-representation of both minorities and women in the sciences, said Carolyn Poutasse, a graduate student in environmental and molecular toxicology. Its something I would like to change.

Poutasse, who taught more than 20 middle school girls how to extract DNA from a strawberry, said she was excited that the workshop allowed the girls to dress in lab coats, rubber gloves and safety goggles and remove the DNA themselves. The girls got to take home souvenirs  small vials of the extracted samples.

As a female graduate student trying to become a scientist, I really like being a mentor for budding young women who might be interested in science, Poutasse said. I want them to see scientists and say, 'That is somebody who I can be. Thats somebody who looks like me.'

One of the main goals of "Discovering the Scientist Within" is to help dispel the idea that scientists must look a certain way, said Emily Nicholson, Precollege Programs Coordinator.

"There is this misconception that science is hard and that only men are scientists," Nicholson said. "Our goal is to change the way they think so when they think of a scientist, its not a man in a lab coat, but themselves."

According to the National Science Foundation, men outnumbered women in all STEM fields by about 10 to 1 in 1973. Butler, who first joined "Discovering the Scientist Within" as a 30-year-old graduate student in 1977, said attitudes toward women in scientific fields were very different back then.

When we worked in the lab, all undergraduate women were always expected to wear dresses, Butler, now 70, said. And when I was an undergraduate, I had a couple of friends of mine who applied to medical school who were told by their professors that it wasnt a wise use of their time because they were taking away opportunities for men to become doctors.

Butler said she helped out with one of the first "Discovering the Scientist Within" workshops at OSU in 1977. She said she was amazed to see the program grow from roughly a dozen girls in the first few years to the 100-plus that have attended the last several years.

Now theyre seeing that this is something they can do and their being welcomed and celebrated, Butler said. Its just so exciting to see all of these generations, from middle school to high school to college, to see the opportunities that they have.

Today, women constitute 50 percent of the workforce overall and 28 percent of the science and engineering workforce, according to the National Girls Collaborative Project, an organization dedicated to encouraging girls to pursue STEM careers.

When ('Discovering the Scientist Within') was first started, women were definitely underrepresented in all fields of science, said Kari van Zee, OSU instructor in biochemistry and biophysics. While weve made progress in some areas, like the biological sciences, life sciences and health professions, all of the sciences are open to all students and they need more opportunities to explore them.

Saturdays workshops focused specifically on those STEM career fields in which women are traditionally under-represented, including physics, chemistry, engineering and computer science. Today, men earn a majority of bachelors degrees in engineering (81 percent to 19 percent), computer sciences (82 percent to 18 percent) and physics (61 percent to 39 percent), according to the NGCP.

On Saturday, many of the girls involved said they were interested in pursuing careers in those fields. Dulce Rodriguez, 13, of Gresham, said she will never forget the moment she made a copper penny turn into silver and then gold.

"I'm going to keep the penny forever," Rodriguez said. "Seeing it change was so cool. I really like chemistry."

Dulce Guzman, 13, also of Gresham, said she also loved seeing the pennies change, but she's already decided she's going into physics.

"I think it's really fun to see how physics works," Guzman said. "I think it's really cool how you can experiment with how things move."

Zitlali Meza, 12, of Portland, said she was excited by Saturday's activities, but she's known for a long time that she wants to go into bio-engineering.

"I really like animals and the environment," she said. "I want to find ways to help the environment in the future."

While many girls said they knew what science they'd like to explore further, some, like Madison Tribe, 13, of Portland, said it was difficult to choose between so many options.

"I liked everything," Tribe said. "I think it's interesting to see how you can get so many different things by changing them in certain ways and taking things out or adding something to it."

Tribe said she also loved working with her mentors and could easily see herself becoming a scientist one day.

"I think the sciences are for all people. I think a scientist can be anyone," she said. "I found it really personally heartwarming to see all of these different types of people working together."

Parent Tammy Young, of Eugene, said she and her daughter, Morgan, first thought they wouldn't be able to attend the workshop Saturday as it fell on the same day of a middle school swim meet, also at OSU, but Morgan didn't qualify. Young said she was elated to see her daughter light up when they got to Corvallis.

"We were getting close and she said, 'You know, mom, I'm really glad I didn't qualify,'" Young said. "She did it last year and was really excited to do it again. I think that speaks volumes about the program they're offering, that she was that excited."

Young said her younger daughter, who is now in the fourth grade, is also excited about getting to be a part of the program in a few years.

"It's a phenomenal program and I'm really looking forward to my other daughter to do this as well as a part of the next generation," Young said. "They offer a diverse set of options, not just a sprinkling, but something where they're going into depth. Morgan is already planning on taking courses because of this program."

Discovering the Scientist Within is sponsored by the OSU Precollege Programs, OSU College of Science, OSU College of Agricultural Sciences, STEM Academy at OSU and Scientists and Teachers in Education Partnerships.

Those interested in learning more about the annual workshop and others offered as a part of Precollege Programs at OSU are asked to visit precollege.oregonstate.edu.
Despite all of his baggage, I voted for Donald Trump largely because of the promise he made to the workforce. Part of Make America Great Again was seeing Made in the USA again. Workers would prosper and be put first.

Trump carried Iowa by 10 percent. Many workers abandoned their traditional party and voted for Trump and Republicans down the ticket.

On Monday, I received an email about a new workers compensation bill. What I read shocked me. People need to be informed about this legislation.

This legislation puts Iowans last. In worker comp circles, the bills (HSB 169 in the House and SSB 1170 in the Senate) are being discussed as legislation that will gut or wipe out worker comp in Iowa.

I practice workers compensation law and have been for quite some time. Iowas worker comp system gets it right most of the time and makes injured workers whole. It does not need an overhaul.

After getting Mondays email, I made some calls to see what was going on and to see if this would pass into law. I became even more surprised. I was told it would likely soon be enacted.

My fellow Iowans are going to be hurt really bad and would not even know it was coming.

I have worked on cases for injured workers and on cases for the employer/insurance carrier. If advising either side on this legislation, I would give the same advice. In my legal opinion, the new worker comp legislation will have the effect of treating most injured workers like property or equipment. Use and throw away. Let someone else worry about what happens next.

The proposed legislation does more than fix minor problems or injustices in the system. It makes the entire system unjust and unfair for the injured worker. There have always been what amount to caps on benefits in worker comp. The new law reduces the caps by about 90 percent in many cases involving the most serious injuries. It would allow denial of medical care and benefits in many cases when a person suffers a serious spinal injury, shoulder injury or other injury at work and has degeneration or wear and tear on their body because of age. A workers right to a second medical opinion would be restricted. Employees were given this right 100 years ago because employers were given the right to choose the doctors. Older people are singled out and get fewer benefits because of their age, even if they intended to keep working before suffering the injury.

In short, when people are seriously injured at work, they will not be made whole. Many people will be unable to meet their bills, and there will consequences for families.

People need to consider the consequences of this law. The burdens of workers compensation will be shifted onto society. Taxpayers will end up paying more. Health insurance will end up paying more.

There are lots of misperceptions about worker comp that may be driving support for this new legislation. The new law will not cut wasteful government spending. Worker comp is not a government benefit. Worker comp is insurance paid by the employer.

There is a fallacy premiums will go down. If premiums are reduced, the reduction will not be enough to make any real difference on how businesses operate. People always complain about worker comp insurance; it is a cost of doing business. Plus, worker comp insurance rates are already regulated by the state.

Contact your local lawmakers to oppose this law. I hope lawmakers reading this article oppose this law. I write this impartially and without an agenda or special interest in mind. It is injured Iowans and their families who will be devastated by the proposed law. People really need to know that before they vote for it. They also need to know about the costs that will be shifted to taxpayers, health care and others.

Where is Donald Trump for the Iowa worker now?
Dear Mr. Berko: In July of last year, you recommended in an email to me to invest in Tronc at $15.75 because it was going to be bought out by Gannett. I believed you and bought 550 shares. I trusted you, and now I have lost over $700, and its your fault. You and the rest of Wall Street and its lawyers, its MBAs, its accountants and its fancy salespeople all are rich crooks. Youre hired to put deals together with the support of newspapers, the financial media and the big banks. Then after they sell it to the public, it crashes, and people like me get (expletive) on.

Dear LM: You sound as tense as an E string, but because you live in Chicago, I understand how you feel. However, you need to let go of your guilty feelings and be in touch with your inner sociopath. Afterward, I recommend you take a course in remedial reading because I never recommended Tronc (TRNC-$14.25). Several other readers asked about TRNC last October, and my answer was Gannett (GCI-$8.75), though then trading at the same price as Tronc, was trying to add Troncs newspapers to its portfolio of 92 daily publications and might pay as much as $20 a share, but I said it was a gross speculation. Now, if you can show me an email in which I recommended the purchase, Ill pay your loss and publicly apologize. Ive made plenty of bad calls in the past 45-plus years, and I dont want to get blamed for the bad ones I didnt make. But first things first.If it would make you feel better, write the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority with my blessing. FINRA is the internal affairs division of the brokerage industry. Like many government bureaucrats, FINRAs punchinellos, who mirror the stupids at the Environmental Protection Agency, become predatory and revel in the negativity they create when inspecting branch offices around the country. An old-time stockbroker I know always said, Its a good policy to flash a few $50 and $100 bills on your desk when a FINRA weenie visits your office.Tronc (rhymes with schmonc), formerly known as Tribune Publishing Co., owns 11 daily newspapers, 160 weekly or community papers and has a monthly audience of 60 million readers. TRNC owns 122 online digital platforms and also has a local, regional and national suite of digital marketing services. Its largest papers are the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Baltimore Sun, the San Diego Union-Tribune and the Sun Sentinel. Still, TRNC is having trouble turning a profit. 2016 revenues of $1.61 billion were down from the year before. This year, revenues should decline again, but theres a 71 percent chance management will post a 2017 profit of 22 cents a share. And its also possible management will turn TRNC into a lean, mean profit machine. If it does, then TRNC could be an excellent speculation but certainly not an investment.
WATERLOO  Tears gripped Maria Lee Motto on Thursday as she entered the courtroom and glanced at the man she injured in a 2016 car crash in La Porte City.

Motto, 49, quickly snatched two tissues from a box offered by a courtroom deputy and put them to good use as she waited for her sentencing hearing to begin.

Across the room, Dean Allen Demoss, 42, of Hiawatha, sat unable to recognize Motto, his memory of the collision still cloudy.

Last month, Motto pleaded guilty to serious injury by vehicle and possession of methamphetamine in the crash, and Thursday she was sentenced to up to five years in prison as part of a plea deal with the state.

Motto, of Vinton, wept as she called her actions reckless, careless and stupid and apologized to Demoss and his family.

I still owe you my deepest heartfelt apologies, she said. She said she will never again be so simple minded as to think her addiction was only hurting her.

Authorities said Motto, who knew Demoss through a friend, was driving his 2002 Nissan Pathfinder while coming down from a meth high and dozed off, slamming into a tree in the 600 block of Commercial Street at about 11:30 a.m. Oct. 28.

Witnesses said Motto appeared incoherent at the scene and was unable to tell authorities her name. Sheriffs deputies found syringes with meth inside her purse when they looked for her ID.

Dean Demoss, a backseat passenger, suffered serious head injuries. He was taken to Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo and then flown to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Iowa City.

He was in a coma for 10 days, remained in Iowa City until Nov. 14 and then went to Covenant rehab center until Christmas, said Assistant County Attorney Jeremy Westendorf. He said Dean Demoss is functioning at the level of a 12 year old.

Hes doing very well physically. He can do anything he wants. Its just his decision making isnt there, said his father, Roger Demoss, who has been caring for him since the crash.

Dean Demoss still has bruises on his brain and wont be able to return to work for awhile. He had been a roofer.

He said the family has grown closer with the crash.

He always loved his kids, but he also liked doing things he shouldnt be doing. And what has happened has brought them closer together because of the incident, and hes realizing the second chance hes got, and hes going to be a better person, Roger Demoss said.

6 hurt in Saturday

Cedar Falls crash

CEDAR FALLS  Three adults and three children were transported to area hospitals following a crash shortly after noon Saturday in Cedar Falls. One of the children suffered serious injuries.

The crash was at University Avenue and Union Road at 12:20 p.m.

All of the victims came from the same vehicle, a minivan, which had been headed north on Union Road, failed to yield at a stop sign and collided with a pickup truck hauling a trailer with a car on it. The pickup was eastbound on University Avenue.

The minivan was driven by Sury Banduvula, no age given, who was transported to Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo with minor injuries. Passengers in the van, Aneesh Banduvula, Nihar Banduvula and Brinda Krishnamoothy were all transported to Sartori Memorial Hospital. Darshan Arivazhagen, 3, was flown to University Hospitals in Iowa City.

The driver of the pickup, Blas Guevara Perez, was not injured.

Cedar Falls firefighters had to cut open the van to get to victims trapped inside.

Fire damages mobile home in Waterloo

WATERLOO  An overnight fire drove a family from their mobile home Thursday.

No serious injuries were reported, but two teenagers were examined at the scene for smoke inhalation, said Battalion Chief Mike Jenn with Waterloo Fire Rescue.

Residents at 1911 Manitoba St. woke to smoke around 11 p.m. Thursday and were able to escape, Jenn said. Waterloo firefighters extinguished the blaze, which started in a back bedroom.

The cause of the fire hasnt been determined, and the American Red Cross is assisting the residents with emergency shelter.

Clarksville man pleads in gun case

CLARKSVILLE  A Clarksville man has pleaded guilty to federal gun charges.

Curtis Lee Wordes, 36, entered his plea to one count each of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number Feb. 23 in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids.

Sentencing will be at a later date, and Wordes remains in custody at the Linn County Jail in Cedar Rapids.

Authorities were called to a South Main Street building after items taken from a storage area were found in an apartment Sept. 6, 2015. While Clarksville police sorted out the property, officers noticed a loaded 9 mm Ruger handgun in a bedroom. The weapons serial number had been scratched off, and police linked the gun to Wordes, according to court records.

A search also yielded a Winchester shotgun and drug pipes, records state.

Wordes is prohibited from handling firearms because of convictions for willful injury, first-degree theft and felony assault in Chickasaw and Cerro Gordo counties in 2004 and 2011, records state.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with the weapons offenses in January.

Former bouncer

sent to prison

NORA SPRINGS  A Nora Springs man has been ordered to spend up to five years in prison for possession of a firearm as a domestic violence offender.

Aron Bierl, 30, pleaded guilty to that felony charge in November. He was sentenced last week in Floyd County District Court.

Bierls attorney, Nellie OMara, has filed a notice of appeal.

Bierl had two separate protective orders filed against him at the time a gun was found in his home March 13, according to court documents. Under Iowa law those who have a protective order filed against them or have been convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence are not allowed to have firearms.

Bierl worked as a correctional officer for the Cerro Gordo County Sheriffs Office from July 2012 until his resignation in July 2015, according to Sheriff Kevin Pals.

In an interview during a protest outside the Pole Barn exotic dance club in Nora Springs nine days before the gun was found in his home, Bierl identified himself as a part-time bouncer at the business.
Astros take World Series title over Phillies in six games
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The Sinking of the Lord Clive Jeff Thomas

email: jeff.thomas1066@gmail.com

Posted Mar 5, 2017 The image above is the 18th century home of friends in Colonia, Uruguay. Today, sitting on their back patio on the Rio de la Plata, I looked out at a small yellow buoy in the harbor that marks the final resting place of the Lord Clive, a large, 60-gun British warship from the 18th century. In 1763, we British, already at war with Spain, decided to expand the venture to the New World. The Lord Clive arrived in Colonia, Uruguay and began firing into the tiny town. With her heavy contingent of cannon, her captain was confident that he could do enough damage to make the Spanish inhabitants surrender. After extensive bombardment, the Spanish had still not raised the white flag; however, the crew of the Lord Clive had managed to set fire to their own ship. The fire spread quickly and it soon became apparent that the crew must abandon ship, which they did. Swimming ashore, local accounts of the event have it that, the English crew apologized for bombarding the town and asked for mercy. Not surprisingly, the Spanish killed them all. Of course, this is not the outcome thats described in English history books. Although the defeat of the British on that day is acknowledged, the folly is not. Although historians will generally acknowledge a defeat, theyre often reluctant to mention any idiocy on the part of their own military. And so any English language version of the story tells a different tale from the account above. This is a great pity, as much can be learned from historical idiocy. Since its rarely taught, military leaders often make the same idiotic mistakes that their predecessors made. As an example, we can look at the adventures of the US today and observe their serial invasions over the last fifteen years in the Middle East and elsewhere. These adventures are being pursued ostensibly to make the world safe for democracy. However, whenever the US takes over a foreign country, it puts in place a puppet government  not exactly the textbook definition of democracy. And, of course, warfare is very costly. Choosing to invade multiple countries at the same time, as the US has been doing over the last fifteen years, is quite a bit more costly. Worse, the US government never misses an opportunity to portray the Russians as evil aggressors  an appellation far more suited to the US. On one occasion after another, Russia has sought to tone down the level of aggression, whilst the US has been conducting a shoving match with the Russians, goading them into a conflict. This is extraordinarily foolish, as it would take very little to light the fuse of direct warfare between the US and Russia. Over the centuries, quite a few countries have challenged Russia, but Russia has always proven to be a very hard country to defeat. Although American films about World War II tend to portray the US of having won the war against the Germans, it was the Russians that did the lions share of the job. Even when poorly armed and poorly prepared, Russia simply throws another ten or twenty million men at the problem and ultimately wears out any attacker. Russians dont like war any more than any other people, but they do have astonishing staying-power. Theyll grimly see a war through, long after their opponents have lost heart. In addition, China and others have stated their support for Russia, should the US get carried away with its aggression in the Middle East. Both China and Russia have stated that, should the US move on Iran, they will join the fray on Irans side. It would be foolhardy in the extreme for the US government to assume that it could take these powers on and come out of the fight victorious. But what does this have to do with the burning of the Lord Clive? Well, as stated above, the Captain of the Lord Clive had a massive warship, capable of doing a great deal of damage as he bombarded houses including the one pictured above. But the crew became so caught up in their zeal for destruction that they failed to extinguish a fire on board the ship and had to dive overboard, surrendering to the Spanish who, by that time were understandably not feeling particularly merciful. The US is in a similar situation. Its not exactly in the best shape at home. The economy is on the ropes and a financial collapse may be imminent. The government is rapidly becoming more autocratic and a police state is likely to be instituted in the near future. It will be needed, as funds for entitlements dry up and those who now praise the nanny-state will find that theyve been lied to all this time. Pension funds also are beginning to fail and people in both the private and public sectors will be more than a bit peevish when they discover that this rug, too, has been pulled out from under them. If we were to imagine the worst possible future for the US, it might go something like this: The US invades Iran, or directly attacks Russian forces in Syria or another third country.

Russia retaliates and the world takes up sides as World War III begins.

For the first time in history, the American people are angrier at their own government than they are at the trumped-up enemy their government has chosen to oppose.

The US government finds that it must fight a full-blown foreign war at a time when its fighting a second one at home.

All of the above takes place at a time when the US is broke and is economically unable to sustain a fight on either front.

The world turns against the US for causing this fiasco and for the first time, theres no one standing on the same side as the US.

The US effort collapses and, like the crew of the Lord Clive, the US, in effect, abandons ship and asks for forgiveness from those it has invaded. In the above scenario, we can imagine that the US would have created a situation that would maximize enmity from the rest of the world. (In 1919, Europe forced the Treaty of Versailles on Germany, not out of necessity, but out of vengeance. It served to cripple the German people for decades thereafter  both socially and economically.) A final thought: Every night on American television news programmes, pundits, politicians and retired generals perform their sabre-rattling, stating that the world at large had better cooperate with the US or else. Whilst this bravado may appeal to a segment of the American population, the programming is also available to the rest of the world. We who arent American and dont reside in the US, listen to the threatening rhetoric and find it decidedly unsettling. More to the point, the worlds leaders are also observing the programmes. It has a similar tone to the Nazi buildup in the 1930s. To those outside the US, US leaders are becoming increasingly dangerous. If this does play out along the lines of the sinking of the Lord Clive, it will be the American people who will pay the price for their leaders reckless behaviour. ### Jeff Thomas

email: jeff.thomas1066@gmail.com Jeff Thomas is British and resides in the Caribbean. The son of an economist and historian, he learned early to be distrustful of governments as a general principle. Although he spent his career creating and developing businesses, for eight years, he penned a weekly newspaper column on the theme of limiting government. He began his study of economics around 1990, learning initially from Sir John Templeton, then Harry Schulz and Doug Casey and later others of an Austrian persuasion. He is now a regular feature writer for Casey Researchs International Man, Strategic Wealth Preservation in the Cayman Islands and 321Gold. 321gold Ltd




Gary Shteyngart in the New York Times:

A broken man walks on stage and makes jokes for 194 pages. Thats the shortest summary I can think of for David Grossmans magnificently comic and sucker-punch-tragic excursion into brilliance, his new novel, A Horse Walks Into a Bar. Jewish humor is celebrated, and, these days, more necessary than ever. It is humor from the edge of the grave. Humor with a gun stuck in your ribs. Humor that requires nothing more than a match and a can of gasoline. And, of course, the willingness to set yourself on fire. Grossmans protagonist, the self-styled Dovaleh G, is ready for the flames. He addresses an audience hungry for jokes  though not of the political variety, theyve had enough of that in Israel  in the basement club of the town of Netanya, which lies between Tel Aviv and Haifa. The first photo of Netanya on Wikipedia shows the intersection of two highways with some Minsk-looking apartment towers attached. As Dovaleh likes to say: Nice city, Netanya.

The audience for Dovalehs act of self-immolation is a cross-section of Israeli society: soldiers, bikers, gruff Likudniks, sensitive young women and two special guest stars from his childhood, a former judge with anger management issues and a dwarf village medium with a speech impediment.

More here.
Perched more than 20 feet in the air atop the border fence between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, a Mexican lawmaker delivers a message to President Donald Trump.

"It's completely unnecessary -- and it's absurd -- to build a wall that costs $15 billion," Braulio Guerra says in Spanish as a camera rolls. "Look, in these 8 meters, more or less 8, 10 meters, how simple it is to climb."

The 2-minute video is the latest creative volley in the international drama unfolding over Trump's signature campaign pledge: to build a wall at the border and make Mexico pay for it. The Mexican government repeatedly has refused. Trump also has issued executive orders that pave the way for a dramatic increase in deportations.

Guerra, a member of Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto's ruling political party, says in the video that he visited the border not just to slam Trump's wall plan but also to talk with people being sent back to Mexico by the US Immigration and Naturalization Service.

The Mexican government, he says, must provide incentives to companies to hire people who are forced to return, as well as work with US officials "for the protection of our migrants in the United States."

"It was easy to get up the wall, but there are many dangers for our people," Guerra wrote in his tweet. "Human rights, principles and dignity are not negotiable."

The lawmaker's video, posted Thursday to Twitter, does not show Guerra climbing the barrier. Other photos show him atop the fence, which is closely flanked by a chain link fence, presumably making it easier to climb.

JFK-era politics

As he peers down at Pacific beaches on either side of the fence, Guerra harks back to what he views as a friendlier period of diplomacy.

"John F. Kennedy in his time spoke of an Alliance for Progress, in which the United States turned around to see Mexico and Latin America and cooperate with its development, with its economy, with its employment, to level the standards of quality of life, to be good neighbors and help each other," he says.

"This is to be able to improve the relationship and stop the migrant flow, and return to friendly relations that produce jobs, that translate into good economic terms and development for both countries."

US Customs and Border Protection last week gave notice that it will soon start collecting proposals from companies that want to design and build "prototype wall structures." A winning bidder is due to be announced in mid-April.

The US-Mexico border is approximately 2,000 miles long, running from San Diego to Brownsville, Texas.

Cost estimates for a wall range from $12 billion to $15 billion -- a best guess by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell -- to a $21.6 billion option now under consideration by the Department of Homeland Security.

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly has said under questioning from lawmakers who oppose walling off the entire border that the department might start by expanding fencing in certain areas, bolstered by technology and personnel.

Trump initially said he wanted to wall off the entire border, but has since said that 1,000 miles may do.

Social media sideshow

Guerra's video caught the attention of social media users, though perhaps more for his stunt than his message.

"Ridiculous," a few called him in Spanish.

"What a shame that a 'representative' of the Mexican people does these antics," @josuemb tweeted.

CNN's Catherine Shoichet and Ray Sanchez contributed to this report.
Ibram X. Kendi in Black Perspectives:

Giving voice to the voiceless, the Chicago Defender condemned Jim Crow, catalyzed the Great Migration, and focused the electoral power of black America. Robert S. Abbott founded The Defender in 1905, smuggled hundreds of thousands of copies into the most isolated communities in the segregated South, and was dubbed a Modern Moses, becoming one of the first black millionaires in the process. His successor wielded the newspapers clout to elect mayors and presidents, including Harry S. Truman and John F. Kennedy, who would have lost in 1960 if not for The Defenders support. Along the way, its pages were filled with columns by legends like Ida B. Wells, Langston Hughes, and Martin Luther King. Drawing on dozens of interviews and extensive archival research, Ethan Michaeli constructs a revelatory narrative of race in America and brings to life the reporters who braved lynch mobs and policemens clubs to do their jobs, from the age of Teddy Roosevelt to the age of Barack Obama.

Ibram X. Kendi: Please share with us the creation story of your bookthose experiences, those factors, those revelations that caused you to research this specific area and produce The Defender.

Ethan Michaeli: I decided to write the first comprehensive history of The Chicago Defender because I worked there from 1991 to 1996, and knew this was a story that needed to be told. I am white and Jewish, raised in a suburb of Rochester, New York, and arrived at The Defender as a fresh graduate of the University of Chicago with a bachelors degree in English literature. I had no particular interest in civil rights or racism or African American history, which is not to say that I was dismissive, but just to underscore how much I thought race was an issue which had been dealt with in the 60s. So that when a friendanother white, Jewish, University of Chicago graduateoffered to recommend me for a job he was leaving at an African-American-owned newspaper, I didnt appreciate the significance. I reasoned that in this putatively post-racial era, some newspapers would have white owners while others would have black owners, and what was the big deal? In those years at The Defender, then still holding its own as one of the citys three daily newspapers, I received a crash course in African-American history as well as the mechanics of journalism.

More here.
What county auditors want voters to know ahead of the midterm election

elections
Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.

A right delayed is a right denied.Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true.

Martin Luther King Jr.

No one is born hating another person People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

Nelson Mandela

We can disagree and still love each other, unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist

James Baldwin

There is a fine line between free speech and hate speech. Free speech encourages debate whereas hate speech incites violence.

Newton Lee

The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.

Albert Einstein
March 4 was observed as World Day of Fight against Sexual Exploitation in order to create awareness against sexual exploitation, which overwhelmingly involves women and children. Everyday we come across news-report that many women, girls and often young boys, are trapped by international criminal networks. They exploit them sexually, traffic and enslave them. Every year nearly million people are sexually exploited.

The expression exploitation shall include any act of physical exploitation or any form of sexual exploitation, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude, or the forced removal of organs. The declining sex ratio in India adequately portrays the discrimination shown towards women at the stage of birth. They are victims of crime directed specifically at them, rape, kidnapping and abduction, dowry-related crimes, molestation, sexual harassment, eve-teasing, etc. Inspite of constitutional and legal safeguards, the women in India continues to suffer, due to lack of awareness of their rights, illiteracy and oppressive practices and customs.

Incidences like sexual abuse by near relatives, co-habitation with near or dear friends and subsequent decline of marriages and issues relating to illegal pregnancy etc. are the real fact, the information of which remains mostly in darkness. In addition, girl students molested by teachers or repeated sexual abuse by antisocial activists are also an unfortunate reality.

The exploitation of women in the media has become so familiar, particularly in advertising, which most people fail to even notice or get annoyed anymore. Womens body is continually used to sell cars, cigarettes, liquors, male perfume and other recognized products, as well as newspapers, magazines and television programmes. One would find that with todays media, women and their bodies are used and exposed to sell and promote products. Corporations today encourage women to exploit their bodies and sexuality because they know sex sells not only to males but it also does end up catching the attention of women.

In todays society, people come across television advertisements such as Slice featuring Katrina Kaif, in which women are being offered in provocative manner. The camera will habitually zoom in on body parts. Society is still very much dominated by men who manage what people see. As a consequence, women are increasingly shown as sex symbols, so the media companies can increase their profitability. The Internet also has grown to be one of the biggest exploiters of women.

From this perspective, women and girls are viewed solely as objects of desire and for their bodies, instead of whole individuals who have emotions, personalities, and behaviors beyond the scope of the act of sex. India is a source, destination and transit country for women being trafficked for the use of forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation. Women are being held in debt bondage and are very vulnerable to forced labour working in rice mills, brick kilns, agriculture and in embroidery factories.

In order to improve their status, women themselves should come forward and unite. They should draw encouragement from women like Indira Gandhi, the first woman Prime Minister of India, Kiran Bedi, Indias first woman IPS officer; Pratibha Patil, the first woman President of India and many others. Education is one of the powerful tools in the liberation and the empowerment of women. It is the single utmost factor which can amazingly improve the position of women in any society. It is to be remembered that a nations progress and prosperity can be evaluated by the way it treats its women.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) leader stoked up a controversy on Sunday as he called to review the definition of minorities in the country. When there is last phase of elections remaining and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is doing a road show in Varanasi to assure for clear majority in UP, these ministers are trying to polarise the vote.

Making a polarising comment, he tweeted that the population of the Muslims has reached such level in the country that now they should be removed from minority category.

The minister also shared a report of Pew Research Centre and called for a fresh debate on minorities of the country.

We need to have a relook on the definition of minority tag given to the Muslims having a population of over 20 crores in the country, he said.

Because Muslims have the youngest median age (30) of all religious groups, they are the fastest-growing such group in the world, and by 2050 , India will be the country with the worlds largest Muslim population, said Pew Research Centre, an American think tank, recently.

The places where they (Muslims) are in large numbers as well as where they are less in numberat both places they are called minority, he said.

The Muslim population in the country was 21 crore and therefore, it is not proper to treat such a large population as the minority. A new law should be passed to change their minority status, he said.

As per the states official records, their population is 19 per cent of Bihars 10.5 crore population. Muslims are in a majority in Kishanganj district, with 80 per cent population. But still they are getting minority status, the minister said.
If you must be wondering that why Hollywood actress Natalie Portman missed The Oscars, then heres the reason

Hollywood star Natalie Portman welcomed her second child with choreographer-husband Benjamin Millepied. The Oscar-winning Actress, who already has a five-year-old son Aleph Portman-Millepie, gave birth to a baby girl on February 22, her representative confirmed to US media, reports AFP. Natalie Portman and her husband Benjamin Millepied welcomed a baby girl, Amalia Millepied, on February 22. Mother and baby are happy and healthy, her representative said in a statement circulated to US media. The 35-year-old actress was nominated in the Best Actress category at the 89th Academy Awards for her portrayal of Jacqueline Kennedy in Jackie. She kept the news of welcoming her second child as a secret for few days. Natalie and Benjamin got married in 2012 in Big Sur, California.

The Black Swan actress, who attended the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards in January, skipped going to the Oscars this year. The actress was though critically appraised for accurately portraying the role of the late US First Lady Jackie Kennedy in Jackie. The actress also channeled Demi Moores famous pregnant photo shoot in the Hollywood Issue of a magazine.

The actress announced her pregnancy in September and debuted her baby bump at the Venice Film Festival in 2016. Earlier, she informed her fans through her publicist that because of her pregnancy, she would not be attending the Oscar 2017 ceremony in Los Angeles.

Natalie Portman, who made her debut in direction with A Tale of Love and Darkness, won the Best Actress award for her psychological ballet thriller Black Swan at Oscars 2010.
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Some passing clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Some passing clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds light and variable.
Transcription

1 MAJOR ARTICLE Respiratory Syncytial Virus Epidemiology in a Birth Cohort from Kilifi District, Kenya: Infection during the First Year of Life D. James Nokes, 1,2 Emelda A. Okiro, 1 Mwanajuma Ngama, 1 Lisa J. White, 1,2 Rachel Ochola, 1 Paul D. Scott, 3 Patricia A. Cane, 3,4 and Graham F. Medley 2 1 Centre for Geographic Medicine Research-Coast, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kilifi, Kenya; 2 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, and 3 Division of Immunity and Infection, University of Birmingham Medical School, and 4 Health Protection Agency Antiviral Susceptibility Reference Unit, Birmingham, United Kingdom We report estimates of incidence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection during the first year of life for a birth cohort from rural, coastal Kenya. A total of 338 recruits born between 21 January 2002 and 30 May 2002 were monitored for symptoms of respiratory infection by home visits and hospital referrals. Nasal washings were screened by use of immunofluorescence. From 311 child-years of observation (cyo), 133 RSV infections were found, of which 48 were lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) and 31 were severe LRTIs, resulting in 4 hospital admissions. There were 121 primary RSV infections (248 cyo), of which 45 were LRTIs and 30 were severe LRTIs, resulting in 4 hospital admissions; there was no association with age. RSV contributed significantly to total LRTI disease in this vaccine-target group. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of childhood lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) worldwide and is preeminent among viruses [1, 2]. An effective vaccine is needed but remains elusive. Studies to elucidate the relationship between infection history, immunity, and disease and to determine disease burden in developing countries would be of significant benefit in vaccine design and implementation. Few studies have investigated RSV infection through longitudinal surveillance of individuals within a community [3 7], and very few have been set in the developing world [8]. A cohort of 300 children in Kilifi District, Kenya, who were recruited in 2002 have been intensively monitored for acute respiratory infection. We report the results of follow-up of these infants dur- Received 2 February 2004; accepted 27 May 2004; electronically published 8 October Presented in part: RSV 2003 Symposium, Stone Mountain, GA, November 2003 (abstract PV-9). Financial support: Wellcome Trust (grant ). The manuscript is published with permission of the Director of the Kenya Medical Research Institute. Reprints or correspondence: D. James Nokes, KEMRI/Wellcome Trust Research Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, Kenya The Journal of Infectious Diseases 2004; 190: by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved /2004/ $15.00 ing the first year of life, to yield estimates of incidence of RSV infection and of the risk of disease and to quantify the resultant burden of LRTI as a proportion of all-cause LRTI. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The study was performed in Kilifi District of rural, coastal Kenya, within an area under continuous demographic surveillance from which 180% of pediatric admissions to the District Hospital at Kilifi town (KDH) originate. In 1999, infant mortality for Kilifi District was 85.3 deaths/1000 births. Malaria is endemic, with peaks during the main (March July) and short (October November) rainy seasons [9]. In 2000, 9.8% of women attending KDH antenatal clinic were HIV seropositive. Infants were recruited at birth, in the maternity ward, or within 2 weeks of birth, at the maternal child health clinic (MCHC) at KDH. A child was eligible if, in relation to KDH, road access to their home was good, travel cost was!50 Kenyan shillings (US $0.7), and the journey time was!1 h. Informed consent for participation in the study was obtained from each infant s mother. Ethical approval for the study was granted by the Kenya Medical Research Institute/National Ethical 1828 JID 2004:190 (15 November) Nokes et al.

2 Review Committee and Coventry Research Ethics Committee. Active household surveillance for acute respiratory infection (ARI) was weekly during RSV epidemics and monthly otherwise. Passive surveillance was principally through parental referral to the KDH outpatient (OP) research clinic (Monday Friday, 8 a.m. 5 p.m.). At each contact, a nasal washing was collected if 1 of acute cough, difficulty in breathing, or nasal congestion/discharge was observed or elicited by the history from the preceding week. Passive referral was encouraged for a child with any of these symptoms (or worse). A blood film for malaria diagnosis was collected if the child had a history of fever or an axillary temperature 37.5 C on the day of the visit, and appropriate treatment was provided. Infant vaccination records were checked. During an active visit, the infant would be referred to the research clinic if observed to have a respiratory rate of 50 breaths/min with cough or difficulty in breathing (observed or in the history) or only difficulty in breathing on the day of the visit. The number of complete weeks of absence from the district since the previous active visit was recorded. Infants attending the OP research clinic underwent medical review by a clinical officer using a pro forma method to ascertain the severity of ARI. Transport costs were reimbursed, and definitive medicines were provided without charge. RSV-positive children were contacted as soon as possible, and the parents were requested to refer the child to the research clinic if his/her condition deteriorated. Additional passive surveillance of cohort infants was through admissions for ARI to KDH; nasal washings were collected if the child presented with severe or very severe pneumonia (by use of modified World Health Organization [WHO] criteria) [10] or had a clinical diagnosis of LRTI. Nasal washings were collected by use of the method described elsewhere [11], using 5 ml of normal saline for infants!6 months old and 7 ml for those 7 11 months old. Samples collected in the household were stored in a cool box and delivered to the microbiology laboratory at the end of the day; those collected in the OP clinic were delivered within 1 h. Samples were stored at 4 C until processed, which was usually within 24 h and invariably was within 4 days. After any mucus was broken up, slides were prepared from 200 ml of specimen by use of a cytology centrifuge (Cytospin 3; Thermo Shandon; 67 g for 10 min) and screened for RSV antigen by use of a direct immunofluorescent antibody test (DFA) (Light Diagnostics RSV screen; Chemicon), following the manufacturer s protocol. Blood films were stained with Giemsa and examined for malaria parasites by use of standard methods. Data were analyzed by use of STATA (release 8.0; Stata). Infants without a single follow-up record (24/362) were assumed to not be part of the birth cohort and were excluded from all analysis. Records were linked to online data on discharge from KDH pediatric wards. Samples were assigned as either positive or negative for RSV antigen, on the basis of DFA result. A positive RSV sample was assigned a separate infection event (case) unless an RSV-positive specimen had been identified from that infant within the preceding 2 weeks. Malaria was diagnosed when a child provided a positive blood film and had an axillary temperature 37.5 C [9]. LRTI was diagnosed when a child had a history of acute cough or difficulty in breathing and 1 of the following: (1) fast breathing for age ( 60 breaths/min if!2 months old or 50 breaths/min if 2 Figure 1. Infection experience during the first year of life in a birth cohort from Kilifi District, Kenya, A, No. of infants!1 year old in cohort (gray area) and cumulative primary respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections (line) by week of year. B, Weekly diagnoses of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) (line), total cases of RSV infection (gray bars), and cases of RSV-LRTI (black bars). C, Median age (max/min) of cohort (line/dashed lines) and median age of infants with primary infection (plus interquartile ranges) (square markers), by month. The histogram shows the no. of primary infections diagnosed each month. RSV in a Kenyan Birth Cohort JID 2004:190 (15 November) 1829

3 Table. 1. Risk of disease after respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, stratified by age and infection type, in a birth cohort from Kilifi District, Kenya, during the first year of life. Infection type, age group No. of RSV infections No. of infants (risk %) LRTI Severe LRTI Hospitalized Primary 0 2 months (36) 13 (25) 1 (2) 3 5 months 14 6 (43) 3 (21) 2 (14) 6 8 months 15 5 (33) 4 (27) 0 (0) 9 11 months (38) 10 (26) 1 (3) Total (37) 30 (25) 4 (3) Reinfection, all age groups 12 3 (25) 1 (8) 0 (0) NOTE. Fisher s Exact test by age: P p.959, for lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI); P p 1.000, for severe LRTI. 11 months old), (2) indrawing, or (3) low oxygen saturation (!90%) by pulse oxymetry or inability to feed (prostration or unconsciousness), when accompanied by a clinical diagnosis of LRTI or bronchiolitis. Severe LRTI was diagnosed when a child had LRTI meeting criteria 2 and/or 3 above. The severity of LRTI was the maximum observed between day 0 (day of collection of the sample) and day 7. Incidence rates (IRs) were estimated and presented as cases per 1000 child-years of observation (cyo), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) or IR ratios (IRRs) (estimated by use of Poisson regression) between groups (95% CI). An epidemic spanned a period delimited by weeks in which 1 case was found and within which at least 3 cases were found in any contiguous 3-week period. RESULTS A cohort of 338 children (51.8% female) born between 21 January and 30 May 2002 were recruited between 31 January and 6 June 2002; 249 were from the maternity ward, and 89 (median age, 9 days) were from MCHC. The period of follow-up is censored 1 calendar year from birth for each infant. During this period, 39 (10%) were lost to follow-up (4 died, 11 migrated, 10 refused, and 14 were lost by request because of absenteeism or home inaccessibility) The monthly total of infants in the cohort who were!1 year old is depicted in figure 1A. Accounting for dropout and weeks absent, there were a total of 113,557 child-days of observation (311 cyo). There were 9557 contacts (7585 active and 1972 passive), yielding 1930 nasal washings (460 active and 1470 passive). Surveillance intensity was 30 contacts/cyo (24 active and 6 passive) and 6 nasal washings/cyo (1.5 active and 4.7 passive). Of 459 specimens tested from active visits, 48 (10.5%) were antigen positive, and, of 1460 specimens tested from passive visits, 98 (6.7%) were antigen positive. The total of 146 positive specimens represented 133 separate infection events (52.7% in females), of which 121 were primary infections and 12 reinfections (10 infants had 2 infections, and 1 had 3). Malaria parasites were identified in 11% of children (140/ 1314) with fever (in the history or an axillary temperature 37.5 C). Of these, 75% (105) occurred during the last quarter of 2002 and the first quarter of In children with LRTI, 5% (16/335) had concurrent malaria. Malaria co-occurred in 3 of 133 infants with RSV infection (1 with severe LRTI). In subsequent analysis, we redefined infants with LRTI as infants with LRTI without malaria (unless RSV positive). Seasonal changes in incidence of RSV infection and LRTI. The cohort experienced 2 epidemics; March July 2002 (weeks 10 27) and December 2002 March 2003 (weeks 48 11). Cumulative primary infections are shown in figure 1A. Figure 1B shows the weekly RSV infections, LRTIs, and RSV-LRTIs. Of the 12 reinfections, 7 occurred during the first epidemic and 5 during the second. Severity of RSV disease. Of the 133 infants with RSV infection, 48 (36%) developed LRTI, 31 (23%) developed severe LRTI, and 4 (3%) were admitted to KDH. A detailed breakdown by infection status and age group is given in table 1. All 4 infants were admitted because of primary infections clinically diagnosed with LRTI or bronchiolitis, and none died. There was no significant difference in risk of disease (LRTI or severe LRTI) by age (table 1). Of the 17 children!1 month old with (primary) RSV infection, 5 (29%) developed LRTI, and 3 (18%) developed severe LRTI. Incidence of RSV infection, LRTI, and RSV-associated disease. The IR of RSV infection was 428 cases/1000 cyo (95% CI, cases/1000 cyo). The IR of primary RSV infection was 487 cases/1000 cyo (95% CI, cases/1000 cyo), on the basis of 90,750 child-days of observation, and the IR of RSV reinfection was 12 cases/22,847 child-days of observation (i.e., 192 cases/1000 cyo [95% CI, cases/1000 cyo]). The IR of primary RSV infection did not differ between the 2 epidemics (823 vs. 886 cases/1000 cyo; IRR [95% CI, ]). The IR of LRTI was 1029 cases/1000 cyo (95% CI, JID 2004:190 (15 November) Nokes et al.

4 cases/1000 cyo), that of RSV-LRTI was 154 cases/1000 cyo (95% CI, cases/1000 cyo), and that of primary RSV-LRTI was 181 cases/1000 cyo (95% CI, cases/1000 cyo). The IR of severe LRTI was 463 cases/1000 cyo (95% CI, cases/1000 cyo), that of RSV-associated severe LRTI was 100 cases/1000 cyo (95% CI, cases/1000 cyo), and that of primary RSV-associated severe LRTI was 121 cases/1000 cyo (95% CI, cases/1000 cyo). The IR of admission for LRTI was 103 admissions/1000 cyo (95% CI, admissions/1000 cyo), that of admissions for RSV infection was 13 admissions/ 1000 cyo (95% CI, 5 34 admissions/1000 cyo), and that of admissions for primary RSV infection was 16 admissions/1000 cyo (95% CI, 6 43 admissions/1000 cyo). Two of the children died in hospital during the period of observation; both had a diagnosis including LRTI, but neither was RSV positive. Age distribution of RSV infection in relation to age of cohort. The median age of infants with primary RSV infection, by month of study, closely follows median age of the cohort remaining uninfected (figure 1C). DISCUSSION During the 16-month period of observation (spanning 2 epidemics), we detected a primary RSV infection in 40% of the cohort, of which 10% had a secondary infection. Approximately 10% of infants had a severe RSV-LRTI, and 1% were admitted to the hospital with RSV infection. Previous studies have identified higher incidence of RSV infection in cohort studies: 68% 98% incidence of primary RSV infection [3, 5] and 22% incidence of RSV-LRTI [3, 8]. Differences in study design, population settings, and methods of determination of RSV infection and LRTI may all play a role. Although subclinical infections would have been missed in the Kilifi cohort, asymptomatic RSV infection is rare [1]. Laboratory diagnosis on the basis of immunofluorescent antibody test alone is not as sensitive as that by assay combinations [5] or molecular methods. The incidence of hospitalizations due to RSV infection during the first year of life reported here (1.3%) is not dissimilar to estimates for both developed and developing countries [12, 13]. What is clear from the present study is that hospitalizations due to RSV-LRTI represent only a small fraction (perhaps 15%) of all severe RSV-LRTI in the community. Estimates of the risk of LRTI and of hospitalization after primary RSV infection during infancy are in accord with those of previous studies [1, 3]. The absence of an association between the risk of LRTI or severe LRTI and age (table 1) is interesting. Previous studies demonstrating age dependence in RSV disease during infancy are based primarily on hospitalizations (the present study had very few subjects hospitalized) and do not account for age dependence in the number of individuals actually at risk [7, 13]. The number of reinfections observed gave insufficient power to compare the risk of disease after reinfection with that of primary infection. LRTI definitions were based on WHO guidelines and were adjusted for low specificity arising particularly in infants!2 months old [10] or from concurrent malaria [14]. In fact, malaria co-occurred in only 5% of patients with LRTI and in only 2% of patients with RSV-LRTI. RSV infection accounted for 15% of all incidence of LRTI, 22% of all incidence of severe LRTI, 12% of all incidence of LRTI admissions, and 6% of all incidence of all admissions. The cohort was stable, with only 6% of infants lost to followup due to migration or refusal and with minimal (1%) absenteeism from the locality. Previous work [15] suggests that the generality of the results to elsewhere in Kenya is unaffected by the sampling bias to hospital-born infants. However, the low infant mortality (13 deaths/1000 births) is perplexing and only in part explained by the inclusion, in the analysis, of only infants who survived to the first follow-up (median age, 23 days). Malaria parasitemia in the cohort was consistent with that known to occur in the study area [9]. Since surveillance was more intense (weekly) during RSV epidemics, this may have biased (upward) the incidence of RSV-LRTI (although allcause LRTI varies seasonally, as does RSV infection). The 2 epidemics in the community arose within a period of 9 months (figure 1) (mirroring RSV admissions and OP presentation to KDH; authors unpublished observations) and with equal incidence of primary RSV infection. There was no obvious correlation with climatic or social seasonal forcing factors (data not shown) [2]. Reinfections were uncommon, and only 5 (42%) were found during the second epidemic. These observations suggest that a susceptible population threshold for epidemic RSV was regained within 1 year but that loss of immunity after primary infection takes longer (assuming we were able to detect reinfections). Of further interest is that the average age of infants with primary infection accurately reflected the average age of susceptible children in the cohort (figure 1C), which is not in support of age predisposition for RSV infection (e.g., due to maternal antibodies). In conclusion, we have demonstrated an important burden of RSV-associated disease during the first year of life in rural Kenya. The data address a need for more information from developing countries and are important given the risk of infant disease and the target of vaccine prophylaxis. Acknowledgments We thank the mothers and infants of Kilifi District, who made the study possible, and the respiratory syncytial virus team for tireless work and constant enthusiasm. We thank the staff at the research out-patient clinic, the pediatric and maternity wards, and maternal child health clinic and the senior hospital staff at District Hospital at Kilifi town, for their support and cooperation in the running of this study. Mike English, Evasius Bauni, RSV in a Kenyan Birth Cohort JID 2004:190 (15 November) 1831

5 Tom Williams, and Anthony Scott all made important contributions to the study, for which we are grateful. References 1. Collins PL, Chanock RM, Murphy BR. Respiratory syncytial virus. In: Knipe DM, Howley PM, eds. Fields virology. Philadelphia: Lippincott- Raven, 2001: Weber M, Mulholland E, Greenwood B. Respiratory syncytial virus infection in tropical and developing countries. Trop Med Int Health 1998; 3: Glezen W, Taber L, Frank A, Kasel J. Risk of primary infection and reinfection with respiratory syncytial virus. Am J Dis Child 1986; 140: Hall C, Geiman J, Biggar R, Kotok D, Hogan P, Douglas RJ. Respiratory syncytial virus infections within families. New Engl J Med 1976; 294: Henderson F, Collier A, Clyde WJ, Denny F. Respiratory-syncytialvirus infections, reinfections and immunity: a prospective, longitudinal study in young children. New Engl J Med 1979; 300: Monto A, Sook K. The Tecumesh study of respiratory illness. III. Incidence and periodicity of respiratory syncytial virus and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections. Am J Epidemiol 1971; 94: Wright AL, Taussig LM, Ray CG, Harrison HR, Holberg CJ, Morgan WJ. The Tucson Children s Respiratory Study. II. Lower respiratory tract illness in the first year of life. Am J Epidemiol 1989; 129: Borrero I, Fajardo L, Bedoya A, Zea A, Carmona F, de Borrero MF. Acute respiratory tract infections among a birth cohort of children from Cali, Colombia, who were studied through 17 months of age. Rev Infect Dis 1990; 12(Suppl 8):S Mwangi TW. Clinical epidemiology of malaria under differing levels of transmission. Milton Keynes: Open University, 2003: World Health Organization (WHO). Management of the child with a serious infection or severe malnutrition: guidelines for care at the firstreferral level in developing countries [WHO/FCH/CAH/00.1]. Geneva: WHO, Hall C, Douglas RJ. Clinically useful method for the isolation of respiratory syncytial virus. J Infect Dis 1975; 131: Weber MW, Milligan P, Sanneh M, et al. An epidemiological study of RSV infection in the Gambia. Bull World Health Organ 2002; 80: Respiratory syncytial virus infection: admissions to hospital in industrial, urban, and rural areas. Report to the Medical Research Council Subcommittee on Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines. Br Med J 1978; 2: Redd SC, Bloland PB, Kazembe PN, Patrick E, Tembenu R, Campbell CC. Usefulness of clinical case-definitions in guiding therapy for African children with malaria or pneumonia. Lancet 1992; 340: English M, Muhoro A, Aluda M, Were S, Ross A, Peshu N. Outcome of delivery and cause-specific mortality and severe morbidity in early infancy: a Kenyan District Hospital birth cohort. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2003; 69: JID 2004:190 (15 November) Nokes et al.
In this July 22, 2004, file photo, Lily Zimmerman processes blood from a DNA collection kit at California's DNA laboratory in Richmond, Calif. More police departments are amassing their own DNA databases, a move critics say is a way around stringent regulations governing state crime labs and the national DNA database.
Iraqi Archbishop Hopeful Trump Will Aid Christians

Iraqi Archbishop Bashar Warda (C) the Chaldean Archbishop of Arbil, says that he is hopeful that the Trump Administration will do more to provide assistance to Christians and other religious minorities in Northern Iraq. ( Reuters) The Archbishop for the Christian community in Iraq hopes President Trump and will help minority religious groups in the region. Bashar Warda, the Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Erbil in Iraq, said as long as Trump's executive order includes special preferences for all victims of ISIS, it can be a positive for Christians in the region, whose plight Trump has been sympathetic to. "I would personally prefer that our people stay here in their ancient homeland, but I also understand that many have lost hope," Archbishop Warda said to Fox News. "They have suffered too much and want to leave. It is not my place to force them to stay. "That said, the fact that an American administration seems to know that there are Christians and other religious minorities here who need help is something I find heartening. I hope this means that we will no longer be excluded from U.S. government and UN aid, which our people desperately need." Warda, a key figure in the beleaguered Iraqi Christian community, has been vocal in the past about the lack of assistance from the U.S. government to Christians and other minorities in the region. Now, he hopes the current administration in Washington has started a helpful dialogue. "How is it possible that a community suffered genocide, that has seen its numbers decline by more than 8 in 10 in a little over a decade, [receives] nothing at all from the American government that is funding countless humanitarian projects for internally displaced persons in this country?" he said. The Nineveh Plain region, also known as the Plain of Mosul, has been the ancestral homeland of Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac Christians, Yazidis and other minorities -- all of whom were under attack from ISIS since the terror group rose in 2014. These ethnic and religious minority groups were driven from the Plain when the Islamic State attempted to establish their caliphate. The Christian population in Iraq alone has plummeted from 1.5 million in 2003 to current estimates of 275,000 and could be gone for good within five years if no action is taken, according to a November 2015 report from international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need. The dwindling numbers are due to genocide, refugees fleeing to other countries, internal displacement and others who either hide or disavow their faith. It has been estimated that a dozen Christian families flee Iraq each day. Christians who have managed to escape ISIS have fled to places like Europe and Lebanon, while members of the faith also are under increasing pressure in Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations. "Here at home, the words 'We help everyone' sound noble, but they have too often become shorthand for actually not helping the religious minority communities at all because when aid goes only to the big camps,' Andrew Walther, of the Knights of Columbus, told Fox News. "The minority groups aren't typically at those camps because they are targeted for violence by extremist groups there." The organization has performed philanthropic services in the region and successfully lobbied to get the State Department to classify the situation in the region as genocide. "The fact is, unless aid is specifically targeted to these small and fragile communities, they don't get it, and without U.S. government and UN assistance, the likelihood that these communities will disappear increases substantially," Walther said.
A snapshot of the work of David Rubinger, the renowned Israeli photographer who has died at the age of 92.

David Rubinger, Israels famed photographer, died last week at the age of 92.

Born in Vienna, Rubingers life mirrored that of the Jewish state he helped found and whose history he so memorably documented.

Saved from the Holocaust when he secured a place in 1939 on a Zionist youth group ship to Palestine, he later fought in World War II as part of the celebrated Jewish Brigade in the British army, seeing action in Malta and Italy. He later fought in Israels War of Independence and then settled into life as a news photographer, working for Israeli newspapers and internationally for Time-Life.

In 2004, Rubinger briefly found himself the subject of international news. After his wife of 54 years, Anni, died in 2000, Rubinger started dating a 78 year old Jerusalem widow named Ziona Spivak. In 2004, she was brutally murdered in her home by a Palestinian man shed once employed and to whom shed given charity often in the past. Writing about his love in the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth at the time, Rubinger poignantly explained that even late in life love can burn as fiercely as it does in youngsters.

David Rubingers photographs convey the beauty and passion of Israel over the past six decades. Here are a few of the notable images he captured in the life of the homeland he did so much to help build.

Young Jerusalemites Celebrate the UN Vote to Establish a Jewish State, November 30, 1947

On November 29, 1947, the nations of the world voted to partition Palestine into a Jewish and Arab state. Arab leaders rejected the vote and promised to declare war on a Jewish state, vowing to drive the nascent Jewish country into the sea. The Jewish community rapturously celebrated the vote.

Rubinger recalled the scene in Jerusalem: For anyone privileged to have been living there at the time, this surely was one of the most momentous happenings that one could have imagined. We, along with all our neighbors, were glued to the radio. At midnight, a majority vote was cast for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. The city erupted with milling crowds thronging the streets, singing, dancing, and celebrating.

Israeli Woman Learning to Throw a Grenade, 1948

The modern state of Israel came into being on Friday, May 14, 1948. Hours later, the armies of Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon invaded the new Jewish state. Vastly outgunned and outmanned, Israel scrambled to raise a fighting force to repel the invaders.

Searching for Dentures in No-Mans Land

Following Israels War of Independence, Jordanian forces occupied the eastern half of Jerusalem, including the famed Old City containing the Western Wall and other holy sites. No Jews were allowed to live or visit the eastern half of the city, and Jewish homes near the border were frequently the targets of sniper fire from Jordan.

In this tense atmosphere, a patient in a Catholic hospital located along the border leaned out of an open window and accidently dropped her dentures. Retrieving them required a major international mission. UN officials declared retrieving the dentures a priority and sent in an Israeli officer, a French officer waving a huge white flag to deter Jordanian snipers, and several nuns from the hospital. After searching through the rubble of no-mans land, one nun, Sister Augustine, glimpsed something on the ground, bent down, and triumphantly held up the missing dentures.

Rubingers photo appeared in Life magazine, where it provided a ray of light in the otherwise unrelenting gloom of Jordanian violence and occupation.

Israeli Paratroopers at the Western Wall, June 7, 1967

In the midst of the Six Day War, David Rubinger covered the fighting in Jerusalem. Making his way on foot to the front lines in the Old City of Jerusalem, he arrived at the Western Wall a few minutes after Israeli troops took control of Judaisms holiest site. Rubinger remembered: To get the most effective shot...it was necessary for me to lie down on the ground and shoot skywards so that I could capture in my lens both the victorious Israeli paratroopers and as much of the Wall as possible.

Blowing the Shofar at the Western Wall, June 7, 1967

When Israeli troops reached the Kotel, Israeli armys Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren blew a shofar, marking the first time in 1,997 years that the Wall, the remnant of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, was once again Jewish control.

David Rubinger recalled the intense emotions at the time: The scene around me was extremely emotional. People were crying with joy and relief, and I have to admit that, as I shot my pictures, tears were rolling down my cheeks too.

Marc Chagall and Golda Meir, 1969

David Rubinger followed the artist Marc Chagall around the Knesset, Israels parliament, as he sketched pictures that would eventually become the magnificent tapestries that adorn its walls and mosaics that decorate the floors. On the day of the tapestries unveiling, Rubinger had his camera trained on the artwork when he suddenly realized that hed be able to photograph the tapestries any time. This was his only opportunity, however, to capture the reaction of the artist and Prime Minister Golda Meir.

So instead, Rubinger recalled, I turned around and took a close-up picture of Chagall at the crucial moment when he leaned over and took hold of Goldas elbow just as the covers were removed from his tapestries. I overheard him say to her in Yiddish, Nu se gefaelte dir, Goldie? (Well, do you like it, Golda?) I saw her gasp as the work was uncovered, and I think she was overwhelmed. He smiled at her with evident satisfaction.

Entebbe Rescuers Coming Home

In 1976, an Air France flight carrying 244 passengers from Athens to Paris was hijacked by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, with help from the German Baader-Meinhof Gang. The plane was forced to land in Libya for refueling, then flew to Entebbe in Uganda. There, hijackers separated the Jewish and/or Israeli passengers, released the non-Jewish passengers, and then demanded the release of scores of convicted Palestinian terrorists from prisons around the world in return for the Jewish prisoners. Israel refused to negotiate with the terrorists and launched an audacious rescue mission instead. One hundred out of the 103 Jewish hostages were rescued; one Israeli officer, Yoni Netanyahu (brother to current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) was killed.

David Rubinger captured the moment when the returning heroes landed in Israel: I was at the airport to welcome back our brave and courageous boys and photographed the pilot who led the four Hercules rescue planes as he was held aloft on the shoulders of the jubilant crowd. Years later, Rubinger met the pilot hed photographed, who was not pleased, telling Rubinger ,After I was seen publicly in your photograph in Time, our security services forced me to wear a wig for a year to avoid my being recognized and possibly attacked!

Golda Meir Feeding Her Grandson

In the 1950s, Life magazine commissioned Rubinger to spend a few days with Golda Meir, then Foreign Minister of Israel. A capable and formidable leader, Golda Meir also had a tender side, which Rubinger captured in his photos. He later recalled: I watched her in a true domestic role, putting out nameplates for a diplomatic dinner at her home, going shopping, buying sweets and clothes for her grandchildren, and cooking in the kitchen for the family. This kitchen became known as Golds Kitchen, a place where, when she was foreign minister and later prime minister, many far-reaching political and military decisions were made.

Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat, 1980

Rubinger was present when Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat met to negotiate the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty.

Operation Solomon, 1991

Operation Solomon was the airlift of over 14,000 Ethiopian Jews from Addis Ababa in a massive 36-hour operation, on May 24 and 25, 1991. David Rubinger photographed the planes as they landed and recalled the incredibly scene. Many of the Ethiopian community in Israel who had arrived on the earlier aliyah were at the airport to welcome their relatives, so you can imagine how moving the scenes of families being reunited. It was a very emotional time. I covered one such story of a young man who had arrived in Israel as a child but was now a sergeant in the Israeli Defense Forces, happily settled and waiting for his relatives to join him.

(All quotes are from Israel Through My Lens: Sixty Years as a Photojournalist by David Rubinger with Ruth Corman, Abbeville Press Publishers, London: 2007.)
Bond in unity and stand up as proud Jews.

As anti-Semitic incidents rise at an alarming rate, I am listening carefully to the message of Purim.

The Jewish people were frightened, faced with threat of annihilation. Hamans hatred hung over the nation like a dark cloud. King Achashverosh told Haman to do with as you see fit. Letters were sent with permission to destroy, to slay, and to exterminate all the Jews, from young to old, children and women

In such dire circumstances who could keep hope alive?

My mother, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis, of blessed memory, described being deported from her home in Szeged, Hungary. She was a little girl when the Nazis awakened her from her sleep. My grandparents were given just a few moments to get ready and then they were thrown into the night. German shepherd dogs were barking. There was shouting and screaming. Terrified, my mother stood in the street holding in her arms her favorite doll for dear life, the only thing she was able to take with her.

The neighbors came and watched silently, gawking.

You are a dirty Jew. Where you are going you wont need any toys.

My mother noticed her friend, Marta, the daughter of the non-Jewish caretaker of the synagogue. The two girls had always played together. Marta was standing there with her father. She approached my mother and for a moment my mother thought that at least this little friend was coming to say goodbye.

As Marta came close, she grabbed the doll.

My mother began to cry. This doll is mine! Give me back my doll!

My father said I could take whatever I want. You cant keep anything.

Father and daughter looked at her, laughing. Then Martas father sneered, You are a dirty Jew. And you need to learn the facts of life. Where you are going you wont need any toys.

He spat on the ground.

But you dont have to worry, he added. Marta will take care of all your things.

My mother was deported to Bergen-Belsen.

How many times was the world ready to bid farewell to the Jews? How often have they vowed to throw us into the sea, to terrorize us, delegitimize our very breath and destroy our children?

My mothers transport was halted in Linz. They were loaded off the cattle cars. Heads were shaved. Amidst the sobbing, my mother found herself herded into a shower. They later realized this was also a gas chamber. My mother felt as if life had come to an end. She no longer felt as if she was a human being. She could not bear to glance at her beautiful mother who was shorn of all her grace and dignity.

At that moment of suffocating darkness, something incredible occurred.

My mother put her hand into her pocket and discovered a crumpled piece of paper inside. She pulled it out and carefully unfolded its fragile ends. It was a page from a prayer book. My grandfather had secretly placed the holy paper inside as a message to his little girl. The words of the Shema filled my mothers heart with hope. The message was clear: No matter what happens, no matter where life takes you, know that you never walk alone. My dear child you are part of the Jewish people. God is watching over you; never lose your faith.

The words of the Shema filled my mothers heart with hope. No matter what happens, you never walk alone.

There are times we search for Gods hand and feel despair. We long for clear vision. We cannot understand what is happening. It feels as if the presence of God is concealed. But we must know that beneath all the confusion there is a Divine plan. God is guiding us. We will survive.

This is the message of Purim.

It is Queen Esther, herself, who calls out to us until today.

Esther is alluded to in the Torah with the Hebrew expression hastir astir- I, God, will hide My face. There are times of darkness when we feel that Gods face is hidden. In the Book of Esther, Gods name does not appear. We may not always see or be cognizant of Gods hand in our life, but we need to know that His presence is guiding us, to pierce the veil of nature and search for the light behind the clouds.

That terrible night when my mother was woken from her bed and cast off for deportation, Marta and her father likely believed that they were done with the Jews. The Nazis could never have fathomed that one day the Jewish people would walk through the streets of Jerusalem and wash the stones of the Western Wall with our tears.

That page of the Shema sustained not only my mother, but an entire generation of Jews. We cannot afford to give up on ourselves.

We are still here, continuing to tell our unique story.

Let us never give up hope. Instead, let us embrace the words of Queen In times of trouble, Queen Esther told us what we must do. She asked that we bond in unity, stop hurting one another, and join together in prayer. This is the time strengthen your Jewish pride.

As we contemplate the rising anti-Semitism that is spreading throughout the world, the hatred of the BDS movement and the threats to our land, we must take a moment to think. We have faced cruel enemies before. We have suffered through pogroms, inquisitions, crusades, Holocaust and murderous terror attacks. But we are still here, continuing to tell our unique story.

Let us never give up hope. Instead, let us embrace the words of Queen Esther: Go, gather all the Jews. Become one. Reach out to someone with kindness. Make a difference in the life of another, even if its just through a good word or a bright smile. Say a prayer and stand up for the Jewish people.

Together we can turn sorrow to gladness and darkness to light.

Click here for more inspiring Purim articles.
Transcription

1 Cena Antonina Raymonda - Japan trip - Report by Martin Spicak

2 We made our project for the competition in sommer The results of the competition were very surprising and after all, we all three were accepted to came to Japan. It was hard thing to solve and without helping of Eva Takamine (Head of Czech centre in Tokyo) we cannot manage it. After came back from Japan i can say few of deficiency of all action. I think it s a great pity, that in the task of competition Cena antonina Raymonda it was no requirement to create some connection or relation between Raymonds philosophy and competitive proposal. In our project we tried to put in some mentions about Raymond, but nobody notice that. And that s because of nobody does count with it. Next time it will be very appropriate to deliberate competition task to the Raymond and his philosophy. Potential connotation could be in the small details, that can also help to frame the competition task. This could help to attainment the comparability of the incoming projects and easier comparing and choosing the best one. But now the competition task consisted no requirement - free form and free use for the specific defined location. This could be good if the location represents some complicated values or space, that is necessary to build up. But in this case it was not necessary. The second deficiency is also not fall of our hosts. I found much more rewarding to me to see the Raymond s smaller work, specially the wooden housing, that shows the great and unique approach to materiality and work with wood and actually great petrification of social environment, local condition and surroundings according to bringing universal western style to Japan of that time. I really appreciate this synthesis. So it was a pity for me, that we visited more concrete buildings and more large objects. These buildings are also interesting. For example in the way of as they try to find a limits of material or experimenting with form and shapes, but I think however, it does not always works well. Concrete and similar materials has another quality and connotations to me. The period until the department was also very stressful, because long time we didn t know, if is it possible to go all of us. We made that project together and there was no reason to choose one of us, because nobody lead us. Finally we found a common language between us and city of Kladno and Mrs. Hadrovova help us to find a solution to go all of us. Except this few deficiences, all the trip was one of the best experiences ever. For example to see the impressive difference between eastern and western culture, it s history, helps to better realize, on which basis our culture stays. And what kind of basis our problems are. So now I will describe all the trip from my point of view. It will be an chronological ordered picture with comments, that describes more than just an images. Waiting on the halfway - Dubai airport. One of the biggest airport i have ever seen. To cross whole hall takes twenty minutes.

3 5. April in the morning Katerina and me packed up our luggage and move to airport. We flew together only half of the route. In Dubai I joined another aircraft than Katarina, because of tickets from the different sources (One of them bought municipality of city of Kladno). So I came to Japan about six hours earlier than Katerina. My hosts pick me up, and in the end also Katerina. Moreover we landed on the different airports. The first evening we went to dinner with Eva Takamine and ms. Tsutchyia, Rahman, Joko and Miki Watanabe, that works in the Raymond office. After that we goes to our apartment to accommodate.

4 First, it is good to say, that our accommodation was pretty cool. Excellent view to Shinjuku skyline was impressive at the day and even more at night. The large scale of our apartment impressed me. When I was in Japan the last time (2 years ago), I lived in the very small dwellings. Once I accommodated in the room, which consisted only a bed. Once it was capsule hotel, once standard hostel room. No space wasted - that is the real struggle of Japan. Now we had two rooms, bathroom and even kitchen.

5 Our hosts took us to their office. On the top of the concrete modern building stays house from different world. Translucent walls, that iconic suggest Japan and on the other hand the dark wood furniture of thoughtful lines and beautiful shapes, that reminds rather western culture. All together is making fascinating atmosphere - play of mild light, which is softly touching the glossy surfaces. Here we met Mr. Tsutchyia and gave him a gift - pencils from Prague.

6 Everyday our hosts took care about us. We proposed maybe two or three wishes of what we want to see, that being successfully implemented into our schedule, which was very well prepared and edited by Rahman, Joko and Miki Watanabe. The first day we saw small wooden church and thereafter the big one, built all from the reinforced concrete. It was the day of the contrasts. Small building has rational details, form follow the function. Large one stands on a monumental effect that successfully covers construction difficulties. At the same day Mr. Tschutchya took as to the top of the one of highest buildings in Tokyo. Interest thing about it is, that if you looking at the city from the sixtieth floor, it look exactly like top view of the Japan cemetery.

7 If the city of Tokyo is incredibly monumental from the top of skyscraper, that view it is not making the same feel of monumentality like some of buildings, that we found in the streets (almost every time coincidently). This massive church look like space ship and I thing the overall impression surpass many of ideas of Japan Metabolists. Old Tokyo means Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines and great axis urbanism with small scale details making it. Light a candle or drop the coin into the resonant metal box. I liked the realness of all this rituals.

8 In the end of the day I made some pictures, that reflect how can man from the old continent in the west possibly feel in Japan. We don t have these things in our country and more than less, we actually cannot imagine how these things work s. One day we invented the trip with Rahman and Joko little bit far from the centre to the special kind of kindergarten. We were able to go inside in a company of the head of this institution. That man told us many interesting things about rearing of children, that after all in the end, we perceived and understand, that an architecture is only rational background scenery, that surrounds the impressive content.

9 The biggest experience is the city Tokyo. Always, when you return to the Tokyo, you re impressed. Especially unforgettable moment is a passage of Shinkansen through the skyscraper city. In that moment it look like a snake, which is crawling among the unfamiliar masses. High School St. Paul s Chapel seems like a masterpiece. However not if you go closer. I suggest this piece was one of the building, where Raymond tried, what is the limit of the concrete construction. We learned that he wanted at the first time to build it with no support ribs in the inner ceiling. Final result is - negligible massive ribs like a memento of the physical limits of concrete.

10 One hour with a train and we are next to one of the most beautiful piece of modern architecture in Japan. The question is, if the Japan s architecture is best in the world. Great materials, tenuous constructions, aesthetics proportions and also not big story behind. Such an amazing atmosphere, which is created by interpretation of classical archetypes. On the other hand, from every details we felt costliness and demands, which is not actually the one of sustainability factors.

11 One of free days we spent in Nara. When we visited Japan last time, we saw almost every highlights like Kyoto, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Naoshima island, etc. We also made a trip to the Fuji mountain. When we can see it again from this far, we cannot believe that we were on the summit. Shinto temple in Nara. Framework make a nature beyond mysterious. Shinto religion supported by this characteristic places with small scale and atmosphere works on me and definitely look more interesting than christian religion.

12 During our trip to the north we found Nebuta museum in Aomori. More closer to the north, more cold. These shining colourful sculptures helped us to warm up. Next stop beyond the longest railway tunnel in the world it was the city of Hakodate. Strange place, where merged two cultures - west and east. Here you can feel nearly the same as in Europe or U.S. Too bad is, that without the Chinese tourist this city will be almost empty. Hotels, infrastructure, etc. is fading.

13 Last Raymond house we have seen was the best one. Fragile house,which was built from the paper and wood and still is standing. And i hope it will be further. If something, i didn t expect something new from Nagano (I was here 2 years ago), but it actually happends. We came during the Cherry blossom season and the people of Nagano just celebrate it. In between the trees there stood many of tents. Inside the tents flowed beer and wine and good smelling food.

14 Inaccessible Hiroshige museum cost us a lot of nerve, because we stay on halfway in some village with no public transportation service because of weekend. Fortunately we found the solution and some kind driver took us directly to the museum. And we liked this museum very much. We learned that the museum was established to serve as a central cultural facility in town and also region. Woodblock prints shows old Japan, which is very different from today (for me as tourist). These images are also very suggestive and beautiful. Japan is an inspiring country with good people and good food. I cannot understand everything, but i feel, that is important for me, that I had the opportunity to see it. We spend 14 beautiful days 10 thousand kilometers from our home and i want to thanks for it to all of you Japan friends.
March 3, 2017

After meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington Feb. 15, US President Donald Trump announced in a press conference that he supports whatever Israelis and Palestinians end up agreeing upon, either a one-state solution or a two-state solution. This brings around previously discussed options, such as a confederation between the West Bank and Jordan, a Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula, and a binational state for Palestinians and Jews.

On Feb. 26, Netanyahu met with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop in Sydney and publicly suggested, for the first time ever, that international forces take control of the Gaza Strip as a security solution to deal with Gaza, without clarifying how such an arrangement would be implemented.

On the same day, Salem Atallah, the head of the political department of the Mujahedeen Brigades, said in a press statement that bringing in international forces to take control of Gaza is a far-fetched option because such foreign interference will be met with resistance.

On Feb. 26, Mohammad al-Hindi, a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movements political bureau, said during a political forum in Istanbul that he believes the threats made by Israel about international forces being deployed in Gaza are part of the psychological war on Palestinians.

Hamas spokesman Abdullatif al-Kanou told Al-Monitor, The idea of international forces in the Gaza Strip is completely unacceptable because it is a blatant interference in Palestinian internal affairs and it only aims to eradicate the Palestinian cause. Gaza was liberated from the Israeli occupation and now the blockade imposed by Israel since 2006 needs to end. Any international forces in Gaza would serve as an occupation force, as they would be providing the Israeli occupation with a free service. The Palestinian people will never accept such ideas that serve Israel.

Israel might be aware that the idea of international forces in Gaza cannot be applied immediately, but it could have suggested it just to see how Palestinians, neighboring countries and the international community would respond. Implementing it would require approval from the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas. If these two parties do not grant permission, Israel could resort to agreements with regional parties such as Egypt, which can approve the deployment of international forces in Gaza as it shares a long border with Gaza.

Abdullah Abdullah, a member of Fatahs Revolutionary Council, told Al-Monitor, The idea of international forces in Gaza is consistent with Netanyahus rejection of a Palestinian state and his desire to keep the Gaza Strip and the West Bank separated, so as to eliminate the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state. Palestinians might not have a say in this, and such forces could end up being imposed on them through a regional initiative, so Israel would not have to remain the only one responsible for maintaining security at the border with Gaza.

In May 2010, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with then-US special envoy for the Middle East George Mitchell in Ramallah and informed him of the PAs approval of NATO forces being present in the Palestinian territories. This means that, if need be, there could be a Palestinian desire to have United Nations forces on their land as part of a political solution.

Talal Abu Zarifa, a member of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestines political bureau, told Al-Monitor, We are in favor of the deployment of international forces to protect the Palestinian people in all the lands occupied in 1967  not only in Gaza  and avoid any conflicts between the Palestinian forces regardless of their orientation. However, Netanyahu wants these international forces to protect Israel from the resistance.

Israel may be intending to get rid of any responsibility as far as the Gaza Strip is concerned. It seems that Israel believes the deployment of international forces in Gaza may lead to the establishment of a port and an airport, which would allow Israel to guarantee its own security and turn Gaza from an Israeli issue into a regional and international issue, similar to other international experiences such as South Sudan's. However, this raises several questions about the future of Hamas as a large armed force in Gaza.

Youssef Rizqa, the minister of information in the former Hamas government, told Al-Monitor, Hamas will not accept Netanyahus suggestion to deploy international forces in Gaza, as such a move would allow Israel to separate Gaza from the West Bank and Jerusalem, and to annihilate the resistance in the Gaza Strip. This move would leave us with a model similar to the [UN Interim Force in Lebanon], whereby Israel would allow Hamas to remain as an armed force alongside international forces based on certain understandings, like Hezbollahs case [in Lebanon]. This is because Israel would rather deal with NATO, which includes European Union countries and the United States  which Israel has close ties with  than with UN-affiliated forces.

The Israeli government's proposal to bring international forces to Gaza comes at a time when the Palestinian scene is divided, and this may lead to imposing control on the Palestinians, increasing foreign intervention in Palestinian affairs and weakening the Palestinian option. This comes amid Israeli reports about Israels increased relations with Arab countries such as Egypt, Jordan and some Arab Gulf countries and the decline of Israeli relations with the Palestinians.

Hossam al-Dajani, a professor of political science at Umma University in the Gaza Strip, told Al-Monitor, Israel suggested the deployment of international forces in Gaza to ensure its security and carry out its scheme of entrenching a state with no sovereignty. Also, there is an Israeli understanding with Egypt in order for these forces to secure the Sinai border.

Dajani added, "However, I expect an armed clash between the Palestinian resistance and these troops, which would support Netanyahus vision whereby the resistance is a form of terrorism that should be fought through international forces. Also, such deployment of forces should be preceded by a strong Israeli military strike against Hamas in Gaza, one that would take it years back, in order to facilitate the entry of international troops. However, so long as Hamas has an armed arsenal, no state will agree to send its troops to Gaza.

The Palestinians fear that the idea of international forces is part of an Israeli scheme to legitimize the occupation as part of an agreement with regional countries, and that these troops will help implement the Israeli plan to establish separate cantons, which will disconnect the Palestinian cities and towns from each other, such as in the West Bank.

The international forces may come to somehow control the Palestinians and impose Israels vision instead of protecting them. This could further complicate the Palestinian cause instead of solving it.
March 2, 2017

The European Union finds itself at a crossroads, as important changes are taking place both inside and outside of Europe. And the outcome of this crossroads will undoubtedly affect many regions in the world, including the Middle East.

With the exit of the United Kingdom from the EU, a US president openly critical of the EU and the possibility of an anti-EU president at the French Elysee Palace, EU leaders will be forced to reassess their policies. EUs foreign and security policies stand first in this reassessment line, as Brussels must redefine its relationship with the new US administration. With the United States and Russia both aspiring to a weaker EU and not exactly lamenting the Brexit, EU leadership is in the process of developing policies of greater independence.

Federica Mogherini, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, had her first meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Feb. 9. A senior official close to Mogherini told Al-Monitor that the meeting focused on mapping out the agenda for future discussions between the United States and the EU. The aim of the EU is to create a balance between compromises with US President Donald Trumps administration and a more independent foreign policy, as defined by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The issues on the US-EU agenda include the situation in Ukraine, the Iran deal, the fight against the Islamic State (IS) and other fundamentalist terror, the situation in Syria and an Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution.

Mogherini has said publicly that she is dismayed by the unorganized decision-making process of the White House, but she will keep an ongoing rapport with the US secretary of state. Her associates explain that the EU awaits the input of Russia on the US positions, especially in relation to Ukraine, the Iran deal, Syria and the war on IS.

On the Israeli-Palestinian issue, it is clear that a two-state solution and the curbing of Israeli settlement policies is of greater urgency to the EU than it is to the United States. The senior EU official said that on this issue specifically, the EU will express an independent foreign policy, steered by the common interests and views of its member states. With the last Middle East Quartet report on obstacles to the two-state solution in July 2016 and the anti-settlement United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, freezing settlement expansion is a high priority for the EU. According to the official, Brussels will attempt to convince the United States to go ahead with a diplomatic move on a two-state solution while accepting Trumps preference for a regional approach.

In this vein, the EU is revisiting the last joint European-American approach to a policy platform for Israeli-Palestinian conflict resolution created by former US President George H.W. Bush: the Madrid conference of 1991, which promoted parallel bilateral and multilateral negotiation tracks. In a current configuration, a Madrid II conference could again take the role of a plenary launching of bilateral and multilateral negotiations.

The EU official describes the parameters of a possible Madrid II conference: The invitation to such a conference would be based on existing agreements between the parties and relevant Security Council resolutions, with the inviting part being the Quartet (EU, UN, United States and Russia). The date and location would be agreed upon with the United States and Russia. The representation level would be of foreign ministers, except for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, which should be represented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Mahmoud Abbas, respectively.

The conference will launch direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, to be held both in the region and in the United States. The sides will negotiate all permanent status issues: borders, security, Jerusalem, refugees, settlements and end of conflict. During the negotiations, both sides must refrain from any unilateral acts (including settlement expansion for Israel, turning to UN agencies for Palestinians) that could predetermine permanent status. The time frame of these negotiations will be one year; another plenary session to report the progress would convene in 2018.

On the multilateral track, the basis will be the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, with a gradual beginning of normalization between Israel and the Arab states. The multilateral talks would take place in Brussels and refer to the following topics: economic cooperation, environment, regional security and anti-terror, and water. The representation level of these talks would mostly be of experts and will progress in parallel to the bilateral track, with the aim of consolidating agreement points. These, in turn, would be reported and discussed at the 2018 plenary session.

The senior EU official emphasized that, given the danger of a total diplomatic stalemate, which would lead to a possible outbreak of violence, it is essential to agree with the US administration on a peace negotiation platform, while securing a leading role for the United States.

A senior Israeli Foreign Ministry official who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity rejected any such initiative that would create an international framework for negotiations. Israel, according to him, will agree only to bilateral and unconditional negotiations with the Palestinians.

Despite Israels rejection, Netanyahus government could be in for a surprise. The EUs talks with the United States and with Russia could bear fruits, and such a framework may come about as a result of these talks about the region.
March 5, 2017

The head of Libyas United Nations-backed government, Fayez al-Sarraj, undertook an official visit to Moscow to meet with top Russian diplomats and officials March 2-3. Russia has been stepping up efforts in Libya, which seems baffling outside the wide regional context. There is a popular opinion that Russian foreign policy, including planning in the Middle East, may sometimes be tactically impeccable but lacks strategic thinking. Some believe that unpredictability has been a hallmark of the Kremlin's foreign policy.

Russias revived interest in the Middle East goes back to Vladimir Putins second presidential term (2004-2008), and for a long while the authorities have focused on economic development and the need for most diversified economic ties. Their attitude has been typified by blunt pragmatism.

The well-known discord in 2011 between Dmitry Medvedev, who was then president, and Putin, who was then prime minister, over UN Security Council Resolution 1973 on Libya may also be illustrative of Russia's pragmatic stance. Russia then abstained from the vote in the Security Council, thus avoiding the image of being the dictator's benefactor and of being engaged in the conflict. At the same time, Putin called the Western policy "a new crusade" while referring to US damage inflicted on Iraq, which was consistent with the assessments that pervaded Russian society.

Neither the Kremlin reshuffle nor the Arab Spring drove Russia to refrain from its reserved pragmatism. Even the 2012-13 rule in Egypt of Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization declared extremist in Russia, did not stand in the way of stronger bilateral ties, even at the top level.

Following the notorious events in Ukraine, which led to a further escalation of tensions with the West, politics and security began to prevail over the economy for Moscow. Still, it failed to devise any clear foreign policy strategy except its own pivot to the East. Even the start of the military operation in Syria in September 2015 did not clarify whether Moscow aspires to replace the United States as a new Middle East hegemon or just uses the region in its contest with Washington. It was a head-scratcher.

The missing strategy seems to be a conscious choice of the ruling political elite rather than a sign of its confusion. Postmodernity is characterized by the absence of a reliable strategy. The United States and Europe's numerous failures in the Middle East testify to the fact, while the ill-fated, futile and disastrous Libyan venture in 2011 is its graphic illustration.

Therefore, the abolition of strategic objectives requires a new analysis of the values and principles of world politics and Russia's place in the world.

Since the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, the Russian political establishment has strongly distrusted the West, as the latter has been manipulating human values to its advantage. The mistrust along with the elite's idiosyncrasy to any ideology that was bred in the late Soviet era has conjured up an image of a profoundly cynical capitalist world.

However, the ensuing confrontation with the West, whose leaders turned their back on Russia, and the need to identify Russia as an alternative project rather than part of the West have led to deliberations over world politics premised on Russian historical experience. The approach of these deliberations seems to be based on seven principles: Security prevails over development; only stability can provide both security and development as revolutions are always destructive; stability is based on strong state institutions; institutions cannot be imposed from outside, socio-political engineering is inefficient; only a strong sovereign state can deliver security and development; unilateral steps on the world stage are destructive; and international law is the only means of creating a sustainable world order.

Looked at in this light, Russia is largely pursuing national security interests in the Middle East. Meanwhile, the events in 2015-17 showed that steps driven by the need to ensure security could produce new interests, with a new stable regional system of international relations being the major one.

This allows for an understanding of both the causes of Russias stepped-up efforts to deal with Libya and Moscows approaches to settling the countrys conflict.

Even though Russias existential interests are not at stake in Libya, one can emphasize four contexts providing rationales for its moves.

First, the list includes Moscows general line aimed at stabilizing the region. Not only does the policy contribute to Russias security, but it also throws into sharp relief its effective and attractive methods.

Second, add to the mixture Russian-Egyptian relations, which require specific measures to transform mutual affinity into a solid alliance, with Egypts regional position being strengthened. A weak Egypt, Moscow argues, will further destabilize the Middle East, as historical, geographical and demographic forces have predetermined the countrys key role. Assisting Egypt in handling Libya constitutes a means of bolstering Cairos regime.

Third, the agenda encompasses Russias Mediterranean policy and the countrys ties with European Union member states. According to an informed source, Europe has but once given signals to the Kremlin that the refugee-affected countries are seeking Russias active involvement in Libyas affairs, which in the long run could improve relations between Moscow and Brussels.

At the same time, a friendly or loyal regime in Libya could emerge as part of the Russia-dominated axis of Damascus, Cairo and Tripoli.

Fourth, economic interests of Russian businesses striving to gain a foothold in new markets must also be considered.

All these factors may account for Moscows interest in Libya rather than its marked bias in favor of Gen. Khalifa Hifter. Given the particular episodes in the commanders biography, which should instill mistrust among Russias policymakers, their sympathetic attitude toward Hifter is especially awkward.

Yury Barmin, an analyst of Russias foreign policy in the Middle East, suggests the Kremlin perceives Hifter as a new Col. Moammar Gadhafi. Although Barmin may have a point, the two leaders and the surrounding contexts are strikingly different. Gadhafi has never had to forcibly unite the country, with his political system originally resting upon the then most popular ideology in the Arab world. Gadhafi, along with his young supporters, articulated the interests of the most modernized groups of generally traditional society. (Now it is much more modernized.) This does not play into Hifters hands.

Nevertheless, the Libyan marshal may have been chosen as an ally by Cairo rather than Moscow. In this view, it is the dialogue with the former that represents the latters paramount interest. Hifters and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisis ideological affinity, which concentrates on confronting the Muslim Brotherhood, makes them even more attractive to Moscow.

Finally, the Kremlins willingness to act as appropriate, thus refusing to impose its own will, gives another explanation for its focus on Hifter. Indeed, the marshal has objectively proved to be Libyas most powerful figure. Amid the chaos, his personified power makes him more appealing, with individual groups being unreliable and weak. Fierce opposition to Hifter and prioritizing the Government of National Accord mean standing in the way of natural processes and fueling the ongoing war. It is the Wests ideologically driven policies and its reluctance to recognize the imperfect world that cause Moscows considerable irritation.

However, this does not imply that Russia intends to ignore other Libyan actors. Amid the lack of developed institutions and overmilitarized society, the establishment of a resilient system entails a necessary broad consensus. Given the Syrian experience and Moscows general approaches, one can assume that as a mediator in Libya, the Kremlin will follow a regional track of the conflict resolution involving Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria as the key players.
March 5, 2017

Turkish move blocked by Syrian forces

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not winning friends with US military planners by threatening to attack Manbij, a predominantly Arab town controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Pentagons partner of choice among armed groups battling the Islamic State.

The SDF is primarily made up of the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey claims is linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and therefore a terrorist group on a par with the Islamic State (IS). The SDF, led by the YPG, drove IS forces from Manbij last year.

Erdogans threat if the YPG does not leave Manbij is hardly a surprise, as Operation Euphrates Shield, launched in August 2016, always had the dual purpose of defeating both the YPG and IS.

Amberin Zaman notes that Turkeys latest lurch in its Syria campaign is already being blocked, another sign of the limitations of its forces and proxies relative to other Syrian parties.

Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters seemed to be carrying out Turkeys threats March 1 as they moved on a cluster of villages west of Manbij, Zaman writes. But the SDF thwarted these moves with one of its own. The Manbij Military Council set up by the SDF and trained by the United States to secure Manbij following the towns liberation announced that it would surrender the targeted villages to Syrian regime forces and Russia to prevent a confrontation with Turkey and the FSA. Regime forces have been advancing with Russian air support for some time, initially toward the IS-held city of al-Bab, over which Turkish forces and their FSA allies finally won control last week. Regime forces have since fanned out northward from al-Bab, linking up with SDF forces south of Manbij.

Despite their victory over IS forces in al-Bab last month, the Turkish military has few good options for its next moves in its disastrous Syria campaign. Nobody in Syria is clamoring for Turkish forces. Fehim Tastekin writes that the region surrounding Manbij has many deterrent factors. Also, the YPG and the local military council are not the only ones who would see Turkeys interference as occupation action. There is a diverse collection of local militias that will confront Turkey. Of course it is not possible to predict how far these local forces can get against Turkey unless the Kurds are involved on their side.

Zaman asks why the SDFs top ally, the United States, has remained silent in the face of Turkish and regime advances. No doubt Washington would prefer some face-saving accommodation, such as a choreographed YPG exit, which would avoid a battle.

There may be several reasons, Zaman continues. For one, Turkey has always made it clear that it will not tolerate any YPG advances west of the Euphrates River, where Manbij lies. The YPG and its political affiliates were supposed to leave once the town was fully freed. The United States offered guarantees to that effect. But the Syrian Kurds did not leave, and the Manbij Military Council is widely viewed as a YPG front.  The deal between the regime and the SDF will surely reinforce critics' long-running claims that the YPG is colluding with the regime, but it gets Washington off the hook.

Zaman suggests, however, that some creative choreography in defusing a confrontation in Manbij may provide a template for Raqqa. A nagging problem in plans to overrun the jihadis so-called capital is the lack of adequate manpower.  Turkeys offer to take Raqqa with the FSA is likely to be ignored because the US military planners remain unimpressed.  While the United States would never want to cooperate directly with the regime, any help it can get on Raqqa would clearly not be unwelcome. And as recent developments in Manbij have shown, with Russia pulling the strings, the SDF and the regime are capable of working together when need be. It may not be all that bad an outcome for Turkey, either, for the alternative, a deeper US footprint in alliance with the Kurds, is viewed by Ankara as the biggest threat of all.

United States backs Iraqi strike in Syria

For the first time ever, Iraqi warplanes attacked IS forces inside Syria, and did so by coordinating with both the US and Syrian governments.

Ali Mamouri suggests that there have been indications that the United States would like to give Iraq a role in the fight against IS in the Syrian territories.

The Iraqi attack Feb. 24 occurred one day before the unannounced visit of Saudi Arabias Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir to Baghdad, the first visit by a senior Saudi official since 1990. The two events seem to be linked to a more assertive regional posture by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Mamouri reports, Abadi tasked the Iraqi intelligence apparatus with improving relations in the region. He also wrote, Saudi Arabia might be thinking of arrangements for the post-IS period and is seeking to extend its influence in Iraq to find a balance with the broad Iranian influence.

Mamouri adds, Rapprochement with Iraq comes in the context of the US administration's keenness on curtailing Iran's role in Iraq.  There is a joint vision among Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United States to neutralize the role of Shiite militias affiliated with the PMU [Popular Mobilization Units], to prevent them from moving beyond Iraqi territories and advancing Irans agendas in the region. Last year, Abadi merged all the PMU militias into an official government security institution under his direct leadership and integrated Sunni militias into the PMU to create a political balance, ward off Iranian influence and prevent them from carrying out military missions outside the official framework of the Iraqi government. Although the PMU agreed to operate under Abadi's leadership, some Iran-affiliated militias did not hide their dissatisfaction with some of his policies, noting that they are not obliged to follow his orders beyond the Iraqi territories.

With regard to Iraqi-Syrian coordination against IS, this column in February 2014 identified the need for a new, regionally based mechanism to address counterterrorism taken up by those countries most affected by the rise of forces affiliated with al-Qaeda and jihadis, including Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Such an effort, which would include regular meetings and intensive cooperation among the security heads of these five countries, could complement both the Geneva talks and international efforts to address the terrorist threat from foreign fighters. Over time, this dialogue could be expanded to bring in Iran and Saudi Arabia as well as other countries affected by the growing terrorist threat from Syrian-based jihadis.
Michelle Matthews | mmatthews@al.com

WOMEN'S WORK

Meet photographer Devin Ford and some of the artists in her photo essay, In Her Shoes, at the exhibitions opening reception. Fords photo series focuses on Mobile women who impact our culture and economy. Each photograph is accompanied by a short statement about the subjects work and being a woman. Ford hopes these womens achievements will inspire others to pursue their dreams. The exhibition will remain on display until April 1.

"In Her Shoes" Exhibition Reception, March 9 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., West Regional Library, 5555 Grelot Road, free, www.devinford.com.

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Michelle Matthews | mmatthews@al.com

GO WITH THE FLOW

After a month off for Mardi Gras, LoDa ArtWalk returns to downtown Mobile on Friday, March 10.

Among the events are the Flow Show, featuring unique skateboard art by more than 50 local, regional and national artists, at Spire, 501 Dauphin St. All artists have donated their work to fund the Flow Initiative, Mobiles skate park nonprofit organization, which uses the funds to support the development of skate parks and skateboard programs in the area.

Also during ArtWalk, Dauphin's will showcase the artwork of Bruce Larsen, Benita McNider and Leslie Baumhower on the sidewalk, in the lobby and on the 34th floor of the RSA Trustmark Bank Building. The public is invited up to Bar 424 to enjoy Happy Hour from 2 to 6 p.m., and dinner until 10 p.m. with Mark Pipas live on the piano. Bar 424 is open until 11 p.m.

LoDa ArtWalk, March 10 from 6 to 9 p.m., downtown Mobile, free, www.facebook.com/LODAartwalk/.

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Michelle Matthews | mmatthews@al.com

Benita McNider

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Michelle Matthews | mmatthews@al.com

A RURAL SOUTH LOVE AFFAIR

Christenberry: In Alabama, organized on the occasion of the Alabama Bicentennial Celebration, honors the artist William Christenberrys exploration of themes related to his native state: Alabamas landscape, structures, traditions and people. The exhibition, which consists of more than 90 of the artists paintings, drawings, sculptures and photographs, will be on display until June 4. The Washington Post called Christenberry one of the most respected and influential artists of the modern South. He found his muse in Alabamas derelict buildings and verdant landscape.

"Christenberry: In Alabama," March 10-June 4, Mobile Museum of Art, 4850 Museum Dr., closed Mondays, free admission Thursdays, $12 adults, $10 seniors, $8 active military and students, free for 6 and under, www.mobilemuseumofart.com.

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William Christenberry

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Michelle Matthews | mmatthews@al.com

CHILI FORECAST

The American Cancer Society Chili Cook-off is a four-hour, fun-filled event where teams compete for the best chili, with chances to win prizes. Chili categories include All Meat, Meet and Beans, Wild Game and Vegetarian/Poultry/Other. The chili cook-off, which started in 1989, has raised more than $2 million for the American Cancer Society. Peek and Stereo Dogs will perform.

28th Annual American Cancer Society Chili Cook-off, March 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., The Grounds, $10 if purchased at the American Cancer Society office or $15 at the gate, (251) 344-9858 or www.MobileChiliCook-Off.org.

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Michelle Matthews | mmatthews@al.com

HOMES TOUR

The two-day Historic Mobile Homes Tour benefits the Historic Mobile Preservation Society and the Historic Oakleigh House Museum. This years tour focuses on not just homes in Mobiles historic East Church Street District, and includes special events such as tours of Church Street Graveyard, a Lost Church Street East tour with historian Tom McGehee and a walking tour with architectural historian Cart Blackwell.

Historic Mobile Homes Tour, March 10-11, Church Street East District, $25 in advance (through noon on March 9), $30 on the day of the tour, www.historicmobiletour.com.

Read more about Guesnard House here.
Alabama Weekend Update 2017.jpg

"Weekend Update" anchor Michael Che, above, delivers a joke about the Henagar Drive-In Theater's refusal to screen "Beauty & the Beast" on "Saturday Night Live" on March 4, 2017. (NBC)

, "Saturday Night Live" wasn't done with Alabama by a long shot.

During the weekly "Weekend Update" segment, anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che landed several jokes at the expense of Sessions and then the Henagar Drive-In Theater in DeKalb County for

.

First, Jost took aim at Sessions, noting the latest story about how at his conformation hearing, he denied meeting with any Russian officials.

"Saying no to a question when the answer is yes might seem like a pretty black-and-white issue. But remember, black-and-white issues is what Jeff Sessions is worst at."

Jost followed up, "The only silver lining now is when you Google 'Jeff Sessions,' 'Jeff Sessions Russia' comes up before 'Jeff Sessions racist.' So that's an improvement."

Michael Che then cracked a joke about how Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" film will feature its first openly gay character, suggesting they had already done that with Ursula in "The Little Mermaid" before working in the Alabama theater.

"A theater in Alabama has already refused to show this version of 'Beauty and the Beast' because in Alabama, gay characters have no place in a children's musical about bestiality," Che said.

"What Alabama bigot is watching a lady make out with a bigfoot and thinking, 'You know what's taking me out of this cartoon is that fruity-ass candle.'?"

Montgomery native and Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer hosted this week's episode.

Watch the jokes delivered on "Update" in the videos below. The Sessions joke comes at 5:43 in the first video and the drive-in theater joke at 4:46 in the second video:
For the first time in 78 years, Janet Griffin said she is afraid for democracy.

"We have become a nation of opinions rather than facts," she said. "I have never been afraid of a president" before, she added.

Griffin said former Alabama Gov. George Wallace used fear to bring people together. "I see that happening in our country now," she said.

People are fearing immigrants, Muslims and other minority groups, Griffin said. "We have gone against what the country stands for," she added.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of Alabamians are taking part in the progressive Indivisible movement, a nationwide grassroots resistance to the policies of the Trump administration.

In the span of three weeks, Indivisible Alabama - District 6 organizer Shea Rives said the group has gone from about 40 members to at least 900.

Others are members of Indivisible Alabama and Indivisible Birmingham.

"It is a lot of people who are politically active for the first time, or the first time in a long time," Rives said. "Its people coming together going, 'What can we do to kind of stand for the country that we always thought we were living in?'"

Fellow organizer, Carole Griffin, said the movement is about people standing up for "core American values."

Rives said the group is opposed to corruption, authoritarianism and racism. "That's about as American as it gets," he said.

They are against, for example, President Donald Trump's policies on immigration and repealing the Affordable Care Act.

Members of the non-partisan group held a "March 4 Creative Resistance" gathering in the parking lot behind Beloved Community Church and The Abbey in Avondale on Saturday afternoon. Dozens of families gathered for fellowship, food and music.

The event, only formally announced on Friday afternoon, was organized in response to the nationwide "March 4 Trump" events. One was held Saturday afternoon at Hoover Tactical.

Indivisible Alabama -- District 6 held protests at the Vestavia Hills office of U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer and called for a town hall meeting.

Though Palmer denies it was because of the movement, about six weeks after the protests began, Palmer agreed to the hold a town hall. Hundreds of people attended.

Eleanor Swagler, 18, said she was a month too young to vote in the last presidential election. "I didn't have a say in this, and this is going to be my life," she said.

Swagler said she decided to take action. Her first act was to participate in the protest at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport on Jan. 29 against Donald Trump's travel ban.

John Garst said he wanted to get involved after learning of Trump's cabinet choices. He said he believes Trump's cabinet appointees were picked to tear down the agencies they were selected to oversee.

"Our government is sacred to us," he said. "Our democracy is sacred to us. Everything (the Trump administration) is doing is anti-American."

What's next?

Rives said the group has many ideas, but one of the first things will be to ask senators Richard Shelby and Luther Strange to hold town hall meetings. He said a group is already protesting outside Shelby's local office every Tuesday.
Transcription

1 Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) at Slovak minority school in Hungary and GeoGebra Jan Guncaga Faculty of Education Catholic University in Ruzomberok, Slovakia Abstract: Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) can support the using of minority language in different subjects. In our paper we present this method in the case of school mathematics. First, we describe the process of gaining knowledge in teaching mathematics. We will present some students` works of future Slovak minority teachers. These activities are possible to make also in GeoGebra. Our activities are oriented to grid paper and tangrams. Keywords: Computer Based Math Education, Motivation in Mathematics education, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), GeoGebra activities with grid paper and tangrams. CLIL - Integrated teaching of minority languages and non-language subjects The motivation for the implementation of CLIL - an integrated teaching of minority languages and non-language subjects are European Commission's recommendations, particularly the Office of Commissioner for Education and Culture. European Commissioner Jan Figel 2006 states: Multilingualism is at the very heart of European identity, since languages are a fundamental aspect of the cultural identity of every European. For this reason, multilingualism is referred to specifically for the first time in the brief of a Commissioner. I am honoured to be that Commissioner. (CLIL, 2006)

2 CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) is an educational method for teaching non-language subjects through a minority language. It's an innovative approach that changes ways in which students are introduced to the curriculum, and that accelerates the acquisition of basic communication skills in a minority language. Project results and comparisons show that this way of learning accelerates and increases the quality of teaching in general - educational and vocational subjects, as well as language training. CLIL strikes a balance between language and vocational training. Nonlanguage subject is developed through a minority language and minority language by nonlanguage subject. Minority language is used as an educational tool, not only as the result of teaching. The objective this method of teaching is to improve the abilities and skills of students in minority language by the language as a tool of communication and not as a separate subject. CLIL can be considered as an educational method by which the EU promotes the linguistic diversity, and has a positive impact on language learning. Why CLIL? This teaching method has several advantages within minority schools. At this point we want to mention a few. When teaching with CLIL method, the aim is on the particular activity and not the minority language itself. This approach provides the opportunity to learn to think in that language and not only learn the language as such. CLIL allows students to practice the minority language in learning another subject. CLIL is the opportunity for graduates to develop their skills using foreign or minority languages and therefore to increase their personal potential for an advantageous position in the labour market. The curriculum can be explained first in Hungarian and later extended in the Slovak language, or vice versa. The activities in both languages should be complementary. From advantages that CLIL brings, we can mention following ones: overall improvement of student communication skills in a minority language, deepen awareness of the minority language, official language and other languages Increased student motivation through real educational situations in the teaching of minority languages increase the fluency of expression, a wider range of vocabulary active involvement in lessons, a positive attitude towards the minority language,

3 development of own national and cultural awareness preparation for practical life and work in a multicultural society. CLIL provides opportunities that allow students to use a minority language naturally, in such a way that they gradually forget about the use of minority languages and focus only on content. In the CLIL method the minority language is associated with other objects. In the classroom there are two main goals: one is the subject, topic, and another one is the language. This is the reason why CLIL is sometimes called a dual-focused teaching. CLIL can really do a lot, increases the willingness, wanting and ability to learn both - language minority and non-language subject. The process of gaining knowledge as a sequence of five stages Model of the process of gaining knowledge in mathematics education is based on five stages (Hejny et al., 2006, p. 15). It starts with motivation and its cores are two mental lifts: the first leads from concrete knowledge to generic knowledge and the second from generic to abstract knowledge. The permanent part of the gaining of knowledge process is crystallisation, i.e. inserting new knowledge into the already existing mathematical structure. The whole process can be described by a scheme. abstract knowledge crystallisation abstraction generic model(s) generalisation motivation isolated models Motivation is the tension which occurs in a person s mind as a result of the discrepancy between the existing and desired states of knowledge. The discrepancy comes from the difference between I do not know and I need to know, or I cannot do that and I want to be able to do that, sometimes from other needs and discrepancies, too. For example, in the parking lot, there are two cars and three more will come, how many cars there will be? Isolated models - models of a new piece of knowledge come into mind gradually and have a long-term perspective. For instance, the concepts of fraction, negative number, straight line, congruency or limit develop over many years at a preparatory level. For our example we can use concrete objects from the real life for example two yellow apples and three red apples, two chairs and three other chairs and so on. Generic model in the scheme of the process of gaining knowledge is placed over the isolated models indicating its greater universality. The generic model is created from the community of its isolated models and represents these models. For example fingers or bullets on counter represents chairs, apples and other objects. Abstract knowledge gives birth to abstract knowledge. It's a deeper view into that knowledge. New knowledge, relationships, concepts and dependencies between objects

4 are defined and give independence. A student at this stage is verifying new knowledge on used model. Crystallisation is the phase, in which the pupil after its entrance into the cognitive structure, a new piece of knowledge begins to look for relationships with the existing knowledge. If the pupil understand for example 2+3 = 5, there is easy to find through models, that 5 2 = 3 or 5 3 = 2. Automation is after mentioned five phases. In this stage we try calculate with pupils without models. The fact that a student answers quickly, correctly and with confidence does not imply that his/her answer is based on the appropriate image. For instance, the pupil knows that 2 x 4 = 8 but he/she cannot answer how much he/she has to pay for 2 lollypops costing 4 crowns each or what 3 4 is without going back to the beginning of the 4 times table. His/her knowledge is burdened with formalism; by this we mean the characteristic feature of mechanical knowledge. There is in this case very important the using of isolated and generic models. If teacher find by the pupil formalism or nonunderstanding of some notion, it is important to return to of isolated and generic models. The teachers often make the mistake that they didn t use these models and by pupils problems they haven t the possibility to return to some models. CLIL method in school mathematics and GeoGebra This method is applicable also in mathematics both in the preparation of future minority teachers of mathematics and also in Slovak primary and secondary schools in Hungary. The existence of a bilingual grammar is also an inspiration for new teaching methods of application of the Slovak language in the educational process at minority school in Hungary. According to Beardsmore (2008) the results of CLIL researches show that the monolinguals seemed to be stronger in their acquisition of knowledge of facts, whereas the bilinguals were better in acquiring the mathematical operations. In other words, the research revealed a difference between informational knowledge and operational knowledge for the two groups of subjects. Informational knowledge refers to the capacity to memorise, or knowing that, whereas operational knowledge refers to the capacity to apply what one knows to new circumstances, or knowing how. Operational knowledge is significant for creativity, whereas formational knowledge serves more as a tool on which creativity must be built up. The studies on the learning of mathematics in a bilingual context were confirmed amongst different school populations, both in primary and secondary education, and even amongst beginners in second language programmes. The study Dominguez (2011) shows one example the using CLIL method in mathematics teaching with text tasks. This teaching was in English and Spanish:

5 Tu maestra de arte te dio 3 paquetes de papel construccion para que hagan banderitas de Mexico. Un paquette es de hojas verdes, uno es de hojas blancas, y uno es de hojas rojas. Como podrias hacer 60 banderas de Mexico? Your art teacher gave you 3 packages of construction paper to make flags of Mexico. One package has green paper, one has write paper and one has red paper. Each package has 25 sheets. How can you make 60 flags? In our case we try to make some CLIL activities with future Slovak minority teachers at Faculty of Education in Szarvas, Hungary. We used the figures prepared from tangram parts. These parts are possible to prepare in GeoGebra. Figure 1 We have following plane figures pictures of animals: Figure 2

6 We try to make them in GeoGebra. The following picture shows two animals from Figure 2: Figure 3 First we analyze the tangram parts from mathematical point of view and find their names in Slovak and Hungarian language and later we try to formulate sentences in both languages (Slovak and Hungarian). Stvorec Trojuholnik Rovnobeznik Rovnoramenny trojuholnik Pravouhly trojuholnik Obdlznik Dom Komin Pes Negyzet Haromszog Paralelogramma Egyenlo szaru haromzog Derekszogu haromszog Teglalap Haz Kemeny Kutya Square Triangle A rectangle Isosceles triangle Right triangle Rectangle House Chimney Dog Table 1 Figures and tangram parts

7 Zajac bezi pred domom. Pes nahana zajaca. Ryby su v akvariu. A nyul fut a haz elott. Kutya kergeti a nyuszit. A halak akvariumban vannak. Rabbit is running in front of the house. A dog is chasing a rabbit. The fish are in the aquarium. Table 2 Sentences These activities support not only the building of mathematical notions by the students, but they have possibility to express their knowledge in Slovak and Hunagarian language and develop their communicative abilities. According Beardsmore (2008) bilingual children have a greater faculty for creative thinking at their disposal. They perform significantly better in tasks which require not the finding of the single correct answer to a question, but where they are asked to imagine a number of possible correct answers, for example, giving the maximum number of interesting and unusual uses for a cup. The activities with future Slovak minority teachers can prepare them for bilingual work with pupils. The mathematics serves it not only for Slovak language teaching, but also for developing of pupils activities. Such examples are possible to find by Billlich (2008), Tkacik (2007) and Gazdikova & Misut (2007). Work with GeoGebra allows using the methods of cooperative learning (see Jablonsky (2006)). Conclusion The GeoGebra research community has already international character which brings the opportunity to exchange the experiences in the field of motivation of pupils and students in Mathematics education. We describe in our article some possibility to use multilingual character of the GeoGebra software. There is suitable for this kind of activities the etwinning initiative. This is a European action that promotes school collaboration and networking through the use of ICT between schools in Europe. GeoGebra has the link at the webpage #links The Faculty of Education of Catholic University in Ruzomberok is a partner in the network CEEPUS HU 28 Active Methods of Teaching and Learnig of Mathematics and Informatics coordinated by University of Miskolc (see Kortesi (2009). GeoGebra is useful also for teachers of some natural sciences, for this reason it is interesting to make research in the interdisciplinary dialogue between Mathematics education and education of natural sciences (see English version of the webpage

8 Acknowledgements This paper was supported by grants KEGA 001UJS-4/2011 and GAPF 2/08/2012. References Beardsmore B. H.: Multilingualism, Cognition and Creativity. In: International CLIL Research Journal, Vol. 1 (1), 2008, Jyvaskyla University, p Billich, M. (2008). The use of geometric place in problem solving, In: Teaching Mathematics: Innovation, New Trends, Research, Ruzomberok, KU, p Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) at School in Europe, Eurydice European Unit, Brussels, ISBN In: Dominguez H.: Using what matters to students in bilingual mathematics problems. In: Educational Studies in Mathematics, Vol. 76, Nr. 3, 2011, p Gazdikova, V. Misut, M.: Preparing of Teachers for Using of ICT in Teaching. In: Information and Communication Technology in Natural Science Education Siauliai : NSREC, Siauliai University, ISBN p Hejny M et all.: Creative Teaching in Mathematics. Charles University, The Faculty of Education, Prague, Czech Republic, ISBN Jablonsky T.(2006). Cooperative Learning in School Education. Krakow, FALL, 2006,ISBN Tkacik S. (2007). Why logarithms? In: Matematyka XII prace naukowe, AJD, Czestochowa, 2007, p Kortesi P. (2009) GeoGebra Institute of Miskolc Didactical Research Group of the Department of Analysis of the University of Miskolc in the framework of the European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics. In: IMEM 2009, Catholic University, Ruzomberok, p
Most patients diagnosed with uveal melanoma, a rare eye cancer, have never even heard of the disease.

But Allyson Allred, then 31 and living in Hoover, had some idea what she was facing when doctors made the diagnosis back in 2001.

Through her church, Allred had prayed for a Vestavia Hills woman struck with the same cancer one year earlier - an acquaintance who also lived in Auburn University dorms during freshman and sophomore year. Allred reached out to the woman and they quickly became friends.

Their unofficial cancer sorority grew by one more 11 years later, when another classmate from the same set of neighboring dorms came down with the rare condition. Soon after, researchers began taking notice.

Every year, doctors diagnose about 2,500 cases of uveal melanoma - which means that roughly six out of every one million people will develop the disease. Most patients develop tumors later in life, but all three Auburn cases occurred in younger women who attended the school from 1988 to 1993 and lived in two adjacent dorms.

Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia are currently investigating all three cases along with five others linked to young women Huntersville, N.C. They hope the unusual groups of rare cancer patients will reveal common risk factors and a possible cure for the disease.

Unlike skin melanoma, which can be caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight and tanning beds, doctors don't know what causes uveal melanoma. The disease often starts as a freckle in the eye that grows, crowding out the color in the iris.

"This is a rare disease for which there isn't an exact known cause," said Dr. Marlana Orloff, oncologist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. "No one's really uncovered anything that causes it yet."

For Allred, the diagnosis came as a shock. The former kindergarten teacher and stay-at-home mom began seeing mild flashes of light - a common sign of a detached retina. Doctors found a tumor had pushed the retina away from connective tissue, causing the detachment. The tumor had grown to 10 centimeters, so doctors removed her eye to treat the cancer.

The friendship between all three women has become one of the unexpected bright spots of the disease, Allred said. Recently, they reached out to other former students on Facebook, seeking out others who may have been diagnosed for participation in the Thomas Jefferson study. They have received some responses, but so far, researchers have not confirmed any new uveal melanoma cases.

Half of patients with uveal melanoma will suffer a recurrence of the disease in another organ, so Allred's doctors scanned her once every six months to check her body for tumors. She remained cancer free for seven years, until a spot appeared on her liver.

Doctors removed that tumor and another that cropped up a couple of years later. Finally, the disease spread throughout her liver, and doctors could no longer treat it with surgery. Fortunately, the cancer has responded to new immunotherapy drugs - and every time tumors flare, Allred receives an infusion in Philadelphia. Mild flu-like symptoms often follow the treatment, but otherwise Allred tolerates the therapy well.

The drugs have been much more effective against her cancer than predicted, Allred said.

"My doctors say I'm in the top one percent for this drug," she said. "Prayers have been a huge part of my story."

Neither of the two other women has suffered a recurrence of the cancer, Allred said. There is urgency to the research, since uveal melanoma can't be treated by chemotherapy and metastatic disease almost always turns fatal.

"If you can figure out a cause, you can often find a cure," Allred said.

Orloff said the cases in Auburn and North Carolina can't technically be called cancer clusters, but they are unusual concentrations of a very rare disease, and warrant additional investigation. Sometimes researchers can pinpoint the cause of cancers that occur in groups, which can be linked to contaminants, but other clusters happen by chance.

The shadow of cancer has followed Allred for more than 15 years, but she has survived in good health long enough to see both of her children off to college. Her daughter will follow in her mother's footsteps by attending Auburn University. She hopes that by sharing her story, she can educate people about the disease and help researchers find a cure or a strategy for prevention.

"I've had people tell me there's no such thing as melanoma in the eye," Allred said. "And I have to tell them, 'Well actually, yes there is.'"
A man was found dead from a gunshot wound inside his Auburn apartment this weekend.

According to Lee County Coroner Bill Harris, Herman Cornelius "Ce-Ce" Lane was found dead inside his apartment at a complex on 420 South Dean Road.

Harris said a friend of Lane's went to check on him around 7:20 p.m. Saturday when Lane was not answering his phone. The friend went to the apartment, where he found Lane dead from an apparent gunshot wound.

He was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:45 p.m. His body was taken to the Alabama Dept. of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery to undergo an autopsy.

Harris said Lane was last seen alive around 3 p.m. Saturday.

Anyone with any should contact Auburn Police at 334-501-3140,the Auburn police tip line at 334-246-1391, or the coroner's secret witness line at 334-745-8686.
Rajasthan, India  Nineteen-year-old Sahil*, who lives in Kolaheda village in the northern state of Rajasthan, felt embarrassed and confused about the way his body changed during his adolescence.

It was not the kind of subject anyone in his village ever discussed and neither his parents nor his relatives volunteered any information.

Then he heard a story on his mobile phone, accessed through a toll-free number.

I liked the way the grandfather in the story openly discusses the topic of bodily transformation with the kids, he says. After hearing it, he stopped feeling ashamed.

I have heard all the stories many times, and even shared it with my friends.

The stories Sahil listens to are part of a Hindi-language interactive audio series disseminating information to teenage boys about gender and sexual issues in an engaging way.

The programme, called Kishor Varta, which in Hindi means Discussion for Adolescents, was introduced to about 250 villages in Bundi district of Rajasthan, the Indian state with the largest gender gap in youth literacy rates and the second-highest number of domestic and sexual violence cases. Across the state, child marriages are widespread  the median age at which girls are married is 15, and for boys, it is 19; the legal marriage ages are 18 and 21 respectively.

OPINION: Womens rights  Engaging the other half of the population

Educating about male privilege

The story Dada ka Gussa  Grandfathers Anger  the one which Sahil first listened to, addresses sex education, and is one of four available stories, each 10 to 15 minutes long with relatable, compelling fictional characters.

Halfway through a story, callers are asked to respond to multiple-choice questions in order to listen further. The caller is told whether their answers are correct or not and why, allowing the boys a chance to reflect on where they stand on the issues before the plot progresses.

We focus on men and boys because we cannot achieve gender equality without involving men and boys in the conversation, says Badar Uzzama, from the Centre for Health and Social Justice (CHSJ), a New Delhi-based charity that launched the programme through the toll-free number 1-800-112013 back in July 2015.





As adolescents, they are at a vulnerable and influential stage and could be encouraged to work with girls and women in their homes, schools and communities to bring change in unequal gender relations, says Rimjhim Jain, the programme manager.

It is about holding them also accountable for changing gender social norms by reflecting on their own male privileges and preferential treatment and opportunities.

The use of mobile phones  ensuring privacy, mobility, and conducive to listening at ones own pace  encourages a large number of callers. About 1,000 boys call each day  though not all calls go through to the end.

The programme uses a digital platform with an interactive voice response system, allowing callers to ask questions, respond to the stories and share their experiences. Queries are later answered by text message. Of the 50,000 calls received in the first three months, 6,000 callers shared their responses and asked for more information.

At the village level, the intervention is implemented through youth clubs whose members are between 15 to 25 years old. A community leader, chosen from among the older youths in the village, acts as a mentor and counsellor for his peers, and as a mediator between adults and boys.

One group successfully stopped the early marriage of a boy among them by explaining to his parents and relatives about the destructive effects of child marriage, such as hampered educational and social growth, or the how girl brides are more likely to suffer from sexual violence.

Kishor Varta was also introduced to the 30 co-educational secondary and higher secondary schools in Bundi, after a local partner, Manjari, an NGO focusing on social justice and equality, convinced the district education officer and the police in Rajasthan about the importance of equipping adolescents with life skills and knowledge about their rights and sexual and reproductive health. The programme is now part of the standard school curriculum, having been integrated as a monthly class.

During the sessions, a facilitator meets pupils, urging them to call the number and listen to the stories. They meet again a month later to discuss the issues and answer their questions.

READ MORE: Sold like cows and goats  Indias slave brides

A tool for mass awareness

The changes did not come all of a sudden, but only after the children listened to the stories regularly for over two or three months, says Adarsh, a facilitator from Nainwa village.

The project spread by word of mouth as boys discussed the issues they were learning with friends and relatives. Other adolescents living 100km away from the initial target villages started calling in, asking for more information, says Bajrang Singh, from Manjari. It is a very effective tool for mass awareness, he says.

When the number of calls shot up in March 2016, CHSJ was forced to halt the digital component, unable to bear the rising costs of maintaining it. Facilitators kept disseminating the stories as Bluetooth files.

In November 2016, the programme won the Vodafone Foundation Mobile for Good Award in the womens empowerment and inclusive development category, one of six winners in a national-level competition with 300 entries, CHSJ received a grant of around $22,500, allowing them to continue the mobile platform in January, at least for another year.

With adults in the villages ill-equipped to talk about sexual and reproductive issues, the stories provide a crucial opening point into these topics.

Despite being a science teacher, I did not know the information given in the Dada ka Gussa story, said Sarafat Ali, a teacher at Jajavar village, referring to the sex education story that Sahil also learned from, in a documented interview with a CHSJ facilitator.

The students in the school also discuss these stories with us now. It feels good that a change is coming in their thinking, he said.

READ MORE: The Indian caste where wives are forced into sex work

Considering the frankness with which otherwise taboo issues are discussed in the stories, the organisers felt it necessary to involve parents.

It is important that they know what is going on. Most families were against the particular story discussing sex education because they thought it will badly impact their sons, Singh says. We wanted to send a clear message that we do not have any wrong intention, he adds.

The best change comes when you convince everyone, and get everyone on the same page. When things happen by force, there are going to be some consequences.

Stopping child marriages

The stories have also directly affected adolescent girls. They have encouraged them to continue their education, allowed for more independence, delayed marriages and convinced their brothers take part in domestic chores.

One 16-year-old girl, Kriti, heard the story Haldi ki Jaldi  Hurry to Marry  about the consequences of child marriage and its illegality in the Indian constitution. Afterwards, she refused to get married because she wanted to continue her studies. Her future father-in-law and his brother visited her village to take her to their home, so she called the police and administrative officials. The police arrested the men, and, after questioning, released them on bail.

Local Hindi-language newspapers reported Kritis story  given its rarity in a state where child marriage is common  drawing attention to how she took the matter into her own hands.

Kriti now regularly attends school with the support of her parents.





Even so, there are challenges reaching other girls. The gender divide gap in technology use is wide. Across India, males are 25 percent more likely than their female counterparts to own a SIM card, according to a survey by GSMA, a global mobile association. Most girls and women in villages do not own a phone and if they can get access to one, their use is usually controlled by their brothers or fathers.

According to one testimony, from a collection of 50 compiled by CHSJ into a document titled Impact Stories, one pupil, after hearing the recordings, bought a phone for his sister, and encouraged her to listen to them.

Prateek, who is 16 years old, says his 15-year-old sister dropped out of school last year.

The moment I heard the Lakhanpur ka Raju story  which addresses gender inequalities  I insisted to my sister that she continue her studies, he told Al Jazeera. I also convinced my parents for the same and they said that they will get her enrolled in the school in the forthcoming sessions.

According to another testimony collected by CHSJ, one boy started helping his mother and sister with chores around the house after listening to this story. Previously, he had assumed it was normal for them to do the household tasks, while he and his father were responsible for anything to be done outside the home, such as the shopping. Although he now helps his mother and sister, he does so in secret; he is scared of his father, and too ashamed to tell his friends.

READ MORE: Halting the blow of domestic violence in India

True change is difficult, but possible

CHSJ recognises that progress will be slow.

Changing the centuries-old social norms is difficult, but we also recognise that it is possible, Uzzama says.

The issues that the stories address were themselves selected after a door-to-door baseline survey conducted in 2014 in 30 villages in Rajasthan.

The issues of dropping out from school, early and forced child-marriage and pregnancy, malnourishment among women, forced sex and dowry-related violence among young brides, as well as their secondary status in the household and workplace are just some of the problematic norms in Rajasthan.

Story modules were developed by incorporating feedback on draft content from adolescents and youth groups engaged in other CHSJ and Manjari projects. This feedback was crucial in shaping narratives that could address cultural practices and prejudices, identify the key issues and resonate with the youth.

CHSJ wants to expand the programmes reach to neighbouring communities of Bundi as well as enlist more male peer leaders.

We are trying to find ways of upscaling it, the major issue being cost. The pilot project has proved the success of this methodology and its potential for reaching directly enormous numbers of people. We are on the lookout for partners in Kishor Varta who are willing to bear the cost of the digital platform, Jain says.

The cost of running the system  and the need for more facilitators  are only some of the challenges. The project also needs to be closely monitored and periodically evaluated.

It is not like adding sugar to milk that you could see the impact right then, says Singh, Kishor Varta has started a process and reaction with the pilot project, results of which might be seen over next two to five years.

Getting the boys ready to listen to the stories is the first important step  in which we have been successful.

*All the childrens names have been changed to protect their identities.
Transcription

1 Planning Practice & Research, Vol. 13, No.3, pp , 1998 ~ CARFAX PRACTICE FORUM The Potential for Planning an Industrial Cluster in Barre, Vermont: A Case of 'Hard-Rock' Resistance in the Granite Industry ZENIA KOTVAL & JOHN MULLIN Introduction Throughout the world, there has been considerable interest among economic planners concerning the creation of industrial clusters (Harrison. 1992, 1994). Efforts to stimulate, nurture and reinforce such clusters can be found in virtually all of the European nations, as well as in Japan, Korea, China and others (Malecki, 199]; Best, ]990). These efforts range from reinforcing the strengths of promising areas to stimulating the creation of totajly new technologies (Castells & Hall, ]99/i";. The identification of such clustering oppon:.mities has become a critical element of national, state, regional and local planning activities. While there are many researchers who have focused on this topic, the Harvard Business School's Michael Porter has, arguably, been among the most effective in bringing the idea to working planners in both Europe and the US. His books and articles are widely read and analysed on both sides of the At]antic and his ideas have become increasingly commonplace in mainstream planning for economic development. Of particular note is his work The Competitive Advantage of Nations (Porter, 1990). It remains to be seen, however. what happens when one attempts to implement Porter's principles through local planning. A glimpse at what happened in Barre, Vermont between September 1994 and February ] 995' could help answer that question. From September ]994, the authors were part of a team of scholars and practising planners, commissioned by the mayor and the city administration to conceptualise and prepare an e~onomic development plan for the city. We worked with more than ] 00 local citizens, business leaders, community leaders and trade group representatives, to develop a plan that was largely based upon Porter's concepts. This paper is a summary and analysis of the team's efforts. While one case study cannot conclusively determine anything, we hope to help clarify issues for similar economic development planning in other areas, and to contribute to research into the effecliveness of the Porter approach. The Concept of Industrial Clustering The notion of places, regions and even nations acquiring a comparative advantage due to certain industrial sectors clustering together is not new. The first theorist to examine comparative advantage was the eighteenth-century Br!tish economist David Ricardo. who studied the interrelations between growing capitalist markets, trade and regional or national patterns of econ- Zenia KONal. DeparrmenI of Urban and Regional Planning. Michigan Stale Unil ersity. East Lansing. MI USA. John Mullin Department of Landscape /98/ $ Carfax Publ ishing LId 311

2 Zenia K orval & John Mullin omic specialisation. In his conception, comparative advantage renects the distribution of natural resources, climate, labour costs and differences in technology embodied in the production process. By the nineteenth century, neoclassical theory, emphasising the nature of demand and marginal costs and benefits, overshadowed classical theories centred around the labour theory of value. The neoclassical theory of comparative advantage includes more than one factor of production, i.e. capital as well as labour, and allows for the incorporali.on of demand, which Ricardo ignored (Walsh & Gram, 1980). Industrial clusters have been identified In Europe for generations-machining steel in Sheffield, textiles around Prato in Italy, chemicals along the Rhine, automobiles in the southwest German state of Baden- Wurtlemberg, financial services in London and fashion design in Paris and Milan. The most notable clusters in the US arc the electronics industry in the Route 128 area around Boston and the computer industry in California's Silicon Valley. Industrial clusters are emerging around medical devices (Minneapolis), biotechnology (San Diego. Worcester, Massachusetts), semiconductors (Austin) and software (SeattlclPortland). Over the past decade, industrial policy experts have come to realise that a positive local environment is essential in developing global competitiveness. The interaction of peers, competitors, local universities and the local government is crucial for the long-tern1 success of a firm. Scholars such as Annallee Saxenian (1994) agree that regions offcr :l competitive advantage to certain industrial clusters even as production and markets become increasingly global in nature. That proximity promotes repeated interaction and the mutual trust needed \0 sustain collaboration and enhance technological advancement. She argues, however, that spatial clustering alone docs not create mutually beneficial interdependencies. There is a need for the complex of institutional and social relationships that connect the produt:ers within a region's fragmented industrial structure. Bennett Harrison. in supporting the theory of clusters, argues that agglomer:llions of small- and medium-sized companies alone will no! create significant success. There is J need for bigger firms to help upgrade the technical capabilitie1 of their smaller suppliers. After analysing components of effective in dustrial clusters in the US and abroad, Michae Porter developed the 'Diamond' model foi competitive industrial clusters. He identifiee four important aspects of economic activity tha are essential to a strong industrial base. The first relates to 'Factor Conditions'. It is here that the role of government and local institu tions makes a difference. In order for loca' industry to succeed it must have the cooper ation of local government. Government mus: provide the water, sewer, highway and telecom munications systems that enable companies te compete. Government must also playa key role in training the workforce. For example, the plastics cluster in Fitchburg/Leominster. Mas sachusells has used the services of the Univer sity. of Massachusells (Amherst) for assistance in dealing with chemical compounds (poly mers) and the University of MassachusetH (Lowell) for assistance on the shop noor. The second clement of Porter's model cen tres on 'Demand Conditions'. These relate to < growing national (or local, but not inler national) demand and market for products Porter's model requires more than increasing output based on having the cheapest product; i' requires producers and buyers \0 work togethel \0 insure that price. quality and efficiencies are working cooperatively within a community When this occurs. there is a prospect for ar ever-increasing spirit of innovation thro'ughou' the industry. The loc::11 plastics industry ir Northem Worcester County (MAj, for example has caught this spirit and moved from chea~ plastic forks and spoons to high-tech 'sur screening' night goggles ror helicopter pilot1 operating in desert conditions. The third clement centres on 'Related ane Supporting Industries'. When foreign or inter national suppliers have been globally tested they will incvitably help domeslic end-produce: companies improve their products and scrvices Typically. they will have prospered in the world market hy upgrading and improving pro duction techniques. processes and outputs They can then bring their entrepreneurial cui lure to the domestic firms. where a highe: degree of L'ompetitivcness can emerge througf 312

3 3]3 Planning an Industrial Cluster mutually desired innovation, the transfer of information and a close working relationship. Porter maintains that there is a decided advantage when the suppliers and end producers are located in the same area: new ideas are tested more easily, informal learning results and news of the marketplace is shared. The integrating factor in Porter's Diamond is the fourth and final element: 'Firm Strategy, Structure and Rivalry'. Most companies do not define their strategies in a comprehensive manner. National industry leaders more commonly develop strategic plans based on the best analysis of world markets and trends, and the strengths and weaknesses of their competition. Small companies do not generally possess the economies of scale necessary to undertake such comprehensive strategic plans, however. Among smaller firms. strategic planning is often informal, inductive, reactive and too frequently lives only in the head of the chief executive officer. Company structure is also an important component of Porter's fourth element. Experience shows that sole proprietorships with local roots tend to stay in their present locations even if market advantages can be found elsewhere. However, family-owned businesses change over time and the commitment to place diminishes as older generations retire. For planners and local officials interested in attracting and retaining businesses. corporate structure can be an important indicator of corporate stability. If lines of succession are unclear, if mergers are in the wind, or if the existing location's attractiveness wanes, then a company would appear to be in danger of relocating. When rivalry among competitors, suppliers and customers exists there is continual improvement in product quality and an upgrading of labour. This is demonstrated in the more than 20 paper companies within 10 miles of Holyoke, Massachusetts ('The Paper City'), the 30 plastics companies within 10 miles of Leominster, Massachusetts ('The Pioneer Plastics City') and the hundreds of high-technology companies within ]0 miles of Route 128 (' America's Technology Highway'). Local rivalry with mutual cooperation can result in an environment that has a strong competitive advantage, where change is viewed as an opportunity. Organisations can help foster this spirit in the presence of company rivalries. A government 'Iabcratory' created such a spirit in the case of North Carolina's Research Triangle Park (Lugar & Goldstein, 1992). The presence of a strong university can foster the same spirit. The spin-off companies from Stanford, Duke, MTT and the University of Texas, among others, provide examples of how this can happen (Dertouzos el ai., 1989). A single university department can also help to stimulate this spirit, as in the case of the University of Massachusetts Polymer Studies Department. Another organisational structure, perhaps less widely recognised, is an industry network. Networks in the paper, plastics and granite industries have been quite effective. On the other hand, these networks can become overly protective and may focus on 'fighting the last war' rather than on fostering a spirit of healthy competition in the presence of industrial change. Industrial clustering does not occur spontaneously. There must be companies within an industry that compete against each other, sophisticated suppliers that co-exist with local firms, companies whose strategic plans define their competition in a global framework, and a desire for improvement. Barre, Vermont, The Granite Capital The City of Barre, population 9482, is located in central Vermont between Montpelier and White River Junction. approximately] 30 miles from Montreal, Canada. and 200 miles from Boston. Massachusetts (see Figure ]). First settled in 1769, it quickly became known for its vast quantities of granite. By the late nineteenth century, Barre had become known as the granite capital of the world. Although the claim is somewhat of an overstatement. the city sits on one of the most extensive granite deposits on the globe. Geologists estimate that the deposit is four miles long, two miles wide and ten miles deep. The granite industry is the largest industrial sector in Barre. There are approximately 60 granite companies located in the Barre area. They employ approximately 1000 workers with an additional 400 workers supplying transportation, machinery or equipment repair services.

4 Zenia Kotval & John Mullin 1-91 FIGURE I. The location of Barre. Vermont. The value of the products manufactured in Barre is estimated at approximately SI 00 million per year. Approximately 47%' of this represents the cost of materials, while 53% represents 'value added'. This relatively low percentage of value added reflects a reluctance by companies to invest in high technology or to take efforts to improve worker productivity. The workforce is predominantly blue collar but very well paid by Vermont standards. Indeed, among manufacturing occupations. only the ele.ctrical workers in Vermont earn a higher hourly wage. Most of the workers own their own homes. Moreover, Barre has virtually no major crime and contains some of the most spectacular natural resources in the nation. There is little turnover in personnel in the granite industry, and sons have followed fathers into the quarries for generations. Based on citizen surveys and focus sessions. there are no obvious signs of a widespread desire among residents to broaden the city's industrial or occupational base. The State of Barre's Industry Changes in the granite industry are sending signs of foreboding over Barre and its industry. 3]4

5 ~L"i Although Barre's finns have carved out a strong market niche, granite sales are in a gradual decline and new quarries are being developed across the United States. In fact, by tons of rock cut and shipped, quarries in Elberton, Georgia now out-produce those found in Barre. The Barre industry has long speciajised in rough-cut stone and grave markers. Approximately 90-95% of Barre's production is memorials and monuments. There are clear signs that the granite industry as a whole has not adapted to changing market conditions. American builders are increasingly moving away from the use of granite as a buijding materia]; one reason for this may be that the industry has faijed to standardise its cutting procedures like the brick, marble and concrete industries. The industry has also failed to 'add value' to its product. The marble industry has done far more to modernise than the granite industry and could serve as a model. Neither the Rock of Ages Company, the leading granite company in Barre, nor the Barre Granite Association (BGA), has made any noteworthy attempts to add value to their product. The Rock of Ages Company is the prime example of the industry's shortcomings. Rock of Ages has six quarries in Barre alone and many more across the Northeast. Because the company is based in nearby New Hampshire, it functions as an absentee owner. In its constant quest to hold down costs and compete in the industry, Rock of Ages' business strategy makes it more like a multinational corporation than a home-grown finn. The company chooses its rock-cutting and selling sites, in part, with an eye toward achieving economies of scale. The company's freedom to choose where it cuts rock means that Rock of Ages does not need Barre as much as Barre needs Rock of Ages. To date, the company has served as a 'good citizen'. It participates in community events. is an active member of the BGA. and operates the Barre Granite Industries' Visitors' Ce:nre. This s.upplements its inordinate impact on the local economy. A key factor that could influence the furore of Barre's granite industry is increasing international competition. Under the World Trade Organisation (WTO), all tariffs on granite will Planning an Industrial Cluster eventually be removed. Already, granite from as far away as India is quarried, cut, finished, polished and shipped to the US at a lower cost than a similar product can be supplied by Barre's companies. There are other nations, such as Italy and Spain, that also have a ready supply of the material and low extraction costs. Considering the slipping domestic demand for granite, the powerful position of Rock of Ages within Barre's industry, and growing international competition, Barre's granite industry has cause for concern. This led officials and some industry leaders in Barre to consider how industrial clustering could help. The Potential for Planning an Industrial Cluster in Barre From the start of this project, the mayor and town manager saw the need for change far more dearly than did the granite industry. The local governmental leadership knew that the industry was not growing, wages were flat and Barre's market share was eroding, It clearly needed to stimulate change, but had little experience, in planning for economic development. After looking at many approaches, the leadership felt quite comfortable in using the industrial clustering concept as a means of detennining the state of Barre's industries, identifying weaknesses and providing a focus for potential municipal actions, Tne results are explained below, Although the local government had come to recognise the need for change in its relations with the granite industry, its past record in providing Porter's Factor Conditions was mixed. Its role was primarily as a provider and guarantor of a social safety net for its citizens. In other words, economic planning and assistance were not of primary importance. The city had put together a 'Stone Trades' programme at the high school that regularly prepared 10 workers per year for the industry. but had no initiatives at the more significant university I~vel. (Vermont's universities and colleges do ~ot have a tradition of direct outreach.) After reviewing the impact of their orientation with the consulting team. local government officials came to see that they could play an interventionary role in stimulating growth

6 Zenia Kotval & John Mullin within their industrial base, and create a balance between providing a social safety net and supporting local companies. The shift in attitude was marked by. modest but noteworthy initiatives. Zoning was quickly altered to meet companies' expansion plans, ideas were generated for the establishment of a granite museum in the city, and local officials helped write legislation to require the use of granite in all Vermont public buildings. The shift was also evident in the search for financial assistance. For years the Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation had a small revolving loan fund (RLF) sponsored by the US Economic Development Administration (EDA), but it had gone unnoticed by most Barre officials. After the study was completed, however, the leadership became active in obtaining more resources from the fund. They are also now detcrmined to be active players in the EDArequired Overall Economic Development Programme (OEDP). Local government now at least considers the improvement of the granite business as being within its realm of responsibijities. However, Barre's 'hard-rock' resistance to change is perhaps best illustrated by the unwillingness of the granite industry to provide Porter's second critical element of industrial dusters: meeting the level of demand for product and keeping up with product buyers' increasing sophistication. Barre's granite companies have been slow to innovate. reluctant to market new products, and unwilling to adjust to a changing industry. The skills. tools and market exist for Barre to become a duster where the demands for improved products and greater competition stimulate 'value-added' product development. However, the BGA and the chief executive officers of many granite companies tend to see Barre's primary business as moving rock and cutting grave stones. Suppliers to Ba,rre's granite industry have made little effort to become globally competitive. Employers and business owners were surveyed by the consulting team, and whenasked about the int'iuence of WTO or NAFT A they initially argued. like the industry itself. that these agrcements will hurt Barre. When asked about the int'iuence of the European Union or the need to follow international stan- 316 dards, they argued that those developments arf irrelevant. Porter's capstone point, 'Firm Strategy. Structure and Rivalry', points to another weak spot in Barre's industry: formal planning i> rare. Companies' strategic plans are developed through informal processes, often determined by the gut instincts of company executives, In the absence of significant changes in the industry, the firms on the whole have performed quite well. But if change is coming to the industry, as even local government officials have recognised. then more formal processes of strategic planning are needed to deal with the increasing complexity of the industry. There is a great deal of rivalry in Barre's granite industry, but as the dominant firm in Barre and one of the leading granite companies in the US, Rock of Ages sets the tone. It has name recognition, a formal corporate structure, and a dearer sense of world trends than the smaller firms. Rock of Ages' hegemony perhaps provides the best explanation of the resistance in Barre to the adoption of a clustering strategy. Rock of Ages sees Barre as only a point of supply for the granite they need. The. company strategy appears to be to extract the rock at the lowest possible cost. thereby maintaining their dominant position in the industry. An industrial cluster would necessarily require the formation of a new, more aggressive trade association (which Rock of Ages would pay a majority of the funds to support) and the entrance of granite competitors to the Barre region. Both of these developments would work against the company's goals. In addition. company management does not tive in the city and therefore would not benefit personally from further economic development. A number of the basic components for an industrial cluster are present in Barre. Barre's natural granite resources are by all measures immense and demand has been healthy. Thcre are still impediments to creating a truly competitive environment. Barre's inability to develop its granite businesses into a. special industrial duster is due in large part to a rather feeble trade association, an increasingly outdated market orientation, a lack of commitment to 'value-added' products, a reluctancc to compcte in the world marketplace. assistance from government. and inadequate

7 ~17 Planning an Industrial Cluster Lessons Learned In trying to apply Porter's model to Barre, we identified several points that either receive inadequate attention in his approach or present interesting complications not explicitly addressed by Porter. These issues should be of interest to economic and industrial planners who are also interested in applying the model. The two main issues have to do with the role of government intervention and the role of the granite industry. The role of governmental intervention is critical to producing Porter's Factor Conditions. Local government leadership can indeed become more interventionist, but that government intervention by itself is not enough to reverse the situation. After focusing on alternative approaches, the administration determined that it could help the local industrial base in several ways. First, it was to ensure that government did not serve as an impediment to growth. Thus, the public leadership made sure that the necessary water, sewer and other infrastructure capacity was in place. Second, the government officials were very sensitive to the industry's need for favourable tax policies. Local property taxes were kept low. Further, the city administrator, as well as Barre's state senators and state representatives, worked to keep workmen's compensation and unemployment" insurance costs as low as possible. Third, the city was more than willing to use public funds to find new industrial sites so the granite companies could expand within the city boundaries. Finally, its education and banking institutions were oriented, as much as possible, to meet the needs of the industry. In order to have a significant impact. the role of government must be clearly defined and carried out consistently over an extended period of time. Equally important, local government must know its limits. It cannot directly change federal policy, intervene in business operations or predict world events. In Barre, local government eventually came to recognise its role in nurturing the city's granite industry. However, the necessary changes were not forthcoming in the granite industry. Not all companies strive for increased growth. If a company is making a high return on its investments, has little debt, and can see a solid demand for its product, it may well continue to operate as it is. The presence of a competitive advantage will not, by itself, result in an automatic willingness to take on risk. As long as the owners are making a solid return on investment and the immediate future appears secure, they will continue to operate as they have in the past. There are many such companies in Barre. Other important lessons of the Barre experience are noted below. The presence of the elements of an industrial cluster does not lead automatically to increased competitiveness. In the case of Barre, severa! elements were in place, but there was no catalyst to precipitate the necessary change in attitude within the granite industry. The dominance of one company in a local cluster contributes to a climate of uncertainty. There is never 'perfect equilibrium' in any industrial cluster. While the role of government is understood, industrial assistance programmes are still viewed with great scepticism. They are perceived as overly complicated, too intrusive and coming with too many strings attached. In the Barre case, the granite industry held to the old adage that government governs best when it governs least. Industrial associations can be instrumental in either promoting industrial clusters or impeding their development. They often reflect the wishes of the larger members of the organisation rather than the view of the majority. In order to promote clusters, associations need to lead their industries rather than follow them. Developing local points of pride is important.. Boosterism, statues (Figure 2), museums and festivals can help to create a sense of pride and create a bond between the citizens and the industry. They may have little direct impact on the bottom line but can have a great impact on corporate and community morale.. Industries need to establish better links with institutions ot" higher education. There appears to be little understanding in Barre's local government of how to bring together educational institutions to support an industrial cluster. Despite the best effoi1s of the

8 Zenia Kotval & John Mullin FJGt.:RE 2. The Stonecutter"s Monument. Main Street. Barre. Vermont. vocational school. the community coliege and the Private Industries Council (PIC). the results in Barre are unsatisfactory. The granite industry. like most other industries in the US. wants entry-level workers with good basic skills. The firms will train them in the particular company-established methods: the industry has a substantial lack of confidence in higher education. The creation of an industrial cluster in Barre requires a change in the industi"}'s culture. Such a change has not occurred. The potential exists to move toward higher value-added businesses. such as from extraction to cutting to standardisation to speciality marketing to retail goods. Such changes. however. do not occur overnight. and the trip from a Barre quarry to a Manhattan designer"s studio can be a long one indeed. A. crucial lesson of the Barre experience.is that industrial clusters have to evolve over time. There is no set formula for creating an industrial cluster. It must be grounded by an institution. natural resources. or a core company in order to emerge. But beyond those preconditions. the process of industrial cluster formation remains somewhat iii-defined. We realise that a single case offers only a snapshot ofa community and its industry at one moment in time. However. if the findings are similar in other communities endeavouring to develop clusters. then there is reason to shift our focus decisively from the other factors in the. Porter model toward the leadership environment. References '.Best. M. H. (1990) The :Vew Comperirirm: Insrirurions of Indusrrial ResrrucllIring (Cambridge. MA. Harvard University Press). Castells. M. & Hall. P. (1994) Techllopoles of rhe World: The Making of 21sr CenlllT\' Indusrrial Complexes (London. Roulledge!. Dertouzos. ~1..Lester. R. K. & Solow. R. ~!. (1989) Made in America: Regainillg rhe Comperirive Edge (Cambridge. ~IA. ~lit Press!. Harrison. B. (1992) Industrial districts: old wine in new bottles'? Regional SllIdies. 26(5 J. pp HaITison. B. (1994) Lt'w! alld,l-fl!an: Tht' Changing L.ilndscapt' of Corporate PO\\"I.'rin rhe Agl! of Flexibiliry ("'ew York. Basic Books!. Lugar. ~1. & Goldstein. H. A. (1992) Tl!chllology ill rhe Gardell (Chape! Hill. ",c. University of North Carolina!. \laiecki. E. J. (1991) Techllology Cllld Economic Dt'\'eloplI/t'nr I\'ew York. John Wiley!. Porter. M. E. (199() The COII/pt'riril't' A,h'wrtage o(,valiolls {:\'ew York. The Fn:e Press!.. Saxenian. A. (19941 Rt'~i(///{ll Adnlllrage: Culrure and COII/peririon ill Silinm Valll!.' ClndRowe 1::8 (Cambridge. ~la. HarYarc l'ni\'ersily Press I. Walsh. V. &: Gr~m. H. I!98()) Classical alld.vt'oclcl.\' -,"iell! Theories 0/ Gt'llera! E'fllilihrill1Jl {~kw York. Oxford Lni\'~rsity Pn.:~sL
Civilians fleeing Mosul spoke of hiding in basements and surviving on rotten bread for days as fighting raged.

Mosul, Iraq  Tarik Hassan and his family became human shields 18 months ago. Fighters with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) came to their village home near the town of Hammam al-Alil and ordered the 30-year-old, his wife and five children to pack and leave.

From then on, they would live in Mosul, the Iraqi capital of ISILs self-proclaimed caliphate.

The Hassans say that they were targeted because ISIL, also known as ISIS, knew that Tariks cousin was a member of Iraqs national intelligence service. They joined kidnapped relatives of police and army officers held near ISIL fighters bases and facilities as insurance against widespread use of heavy weapons or air strikes by the Iraqi army.

The more rattled the groups leaders became, the more they made use of this gambit, and when the operation to recapture Mosul began in October, fighters forced tens of thousands more civilians into the city and executed those who refused to comply, the United Nations said.

Mosuls east bank was fully recaptured by the Iraqi army more than a month ago. But west of the River Tigris that bisects the city remains largely ISIL-held.

The fighter told me, 'You will never leave this house, we will die here and so will you.' by Abdul Malik, 16, Mosul resident

Efforts to retake these districts from ISIL intensified in February and as troops entered densely populated neighbourhoods, some human shields were able to escape to describe their ordeal.

Exhausted, Tarik and his family arrived at a military checkpoint and medical clinic on raised ground to Mosuls southwest on Wednesday. Nearby, others also told of being driven from their homes towards the city.

Mahmoud, 47, who pushed a handcart containing bags, several newborn lambs and his six-year-old nephew, said ISIL had at first tried to persuade villagers that they faced a grim fate at the hands of advancing troops, but then eventually forced anyone remaining out as well.

He added that ISIL told them that those who tried to stay would be considered infidels and killed as a result.





As many as 2,000 Mosul residents fled that day, appearing first as a line of tiny, dust-shrouded silhouettes trudging across a rocky ridge on the citys outskirts before eventually reaching a scorched asphalt road strewn with empty bullet casings.

They carried treasured possessions, infants or relatives too frail to make their own way, and waved white flags made from curtains and sheets.

ISIL mortar shells landed in the hills around them, provoking little reaction. All fell wide this time, although a young boy had been killed the previous morning, doctors said.

Iraqi forces continued a near-constant bombardment of the city  artillery rounds whined overhead and attack helicopters made low passes, raking targets with rocket and cannon fire.

The new arrivals were visibly scared and often gaunt. They spoke of hiding in basements for a week or more as fighting raged and supplies ran dangerously low. Some had survived on rotten bread or unsweetened tea for days. The checkpoint and clinic, which consisted of few field cots under battered blast walls and a giant ISIL billboard, marked safety at last.

I cant believe Im seeing you, said one woman, smiling through tears as foreign volunteer medics and soldiers distributed water next to scrawled graffiti reading Make Mosul Great Again.

Further down the road, soldiers set up an assembly point where the displaced families crowded on to olive, flat-bed trucks that ferried them to reception centres and camps.

The majority were residents of Mosuls al-Maamoun neighbourhood. They had not been kidnapped, but many became hostages all the same. Abdul Malik, 16, described ISIL fighters parking an armoured vehicle in the courtyard of his house and insisting that he remain.

The fighter told me, You will never leave this house, we will die here and so will you,' he recalled. As ISIL fighters began to engage approaching Iraqi forces, however, he was able to slip away.

Others told of being instructed to move towards ISIL strongholds as the Iraqi troops pressed closer, adding that disobedience was met with lethal force. Fighters had appeared at 29-year-old Adnan Ghanims house the previous night and ordered them to travel further into Mosul.

They ignored the instruction, however, and instead escaped with a group of neighbours as Iraqi soldiers appeared on the edges of their district.

He recounts the story while waiting cross-legged for transport to a camp and cradling his four-year-old son. Fear began to turn to relief as they made their way out of town, he said.

But then an ISIL suicide attacker in an explosive-packed vehicle suddenly appeared in the distance and swerved towards them. We were happy that we escaped. But then we saw a car heading towards us, he recalled. It reached just a block away before the Iraqi army blew it up, causing only minor injuries to the group.

As he recounted this story, his son lay still in his arms, a smear of dried blood under one nostril, his eyes blank and staring. He is still traumatised by the explosion, Ghanim said.

READ MORE: ISIL using thousands as human shields in Iraqs Mosul

Medical staff at the clinic described ISILs brutal and concerted efforts to prevent civilians from fleeing. Mainly when they try to escape they are being targeted by mortars, said the clinic commander, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. As many as 50 civilian casualties a day were treated in the clinic last week, many of them children.

Soldiers fighting in the city echo these accounts, saying that civilians are being kept inside their houses and forced to pull back when security forces advance. Major Mohammed Masood, 39, the commander of the Nineveh Province SWAT team, which contains many men from Mosul, says the family of one of his personal guards had been driven further and further into the city.

They moved so many people, he said, speaking in a base outside eastern Mosul. We dont have an exact number but we think between 200 and 350 families.

ISILs use of human shields is not a new tactic, he added, but it has been used more and more as forces pressing on the west make greater use of heavy artillery.

The increasingly desperate fighters are now being herded into an ever smaller area as the fighting rages more intensely. For the thousands of hostages they have taken with them, the situation is likely to become increasingly perilous.
Pro-Palestinian activists have had events cancelled and faced other restrictions during Israeli Apartheid Week.

Manchester, England  On a gloomy afternoon outside the University of Manchester Students Union, pro-Palestinian activists took turns to man a small stall collecting signatures in support of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, or BDS.

Huda Ammori enthusiastically helped students asking how to get more involved in pro-Palestinian activism, as her colleagues considered the best way to move a mock two-metre high Israeli separation wall behind them.

They want us gone by half three, Ammori told Al Jazeera, explaining the agreement she had made with the union to vacate the area before it became too busy.

A local of the nearby town of Bolton, Ammori, a British citizen of Palestinian and Iraqi heritage, has spent the week drumming up support for Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW).

Other societies and groups do not face the same problems by Huda Ammori, student and pro-Palestinian activist

The event is held at universities across the world to shine a light on Israels treatment of Palestinians in the occupied territories and within the state itself.

The University of Manchester has allowed the series of talks marking the event to go ahead, but that approval has only come after several meetings and email exchanges with Ammori, and is subject to a strict set of conditions.

The university has heavily scrutinised every single detail of each event  the number of conditions the university has placed on us is unheard of, Ammori said, adding: Other societies and groups do not face the same problems.

The conditions, listed in emails seen by Al Jazeera, relate to the impartiality of event conveners and scrutiny of speakers.

The university vetoed Ammoris choice of academic to chair an IAW event on BDS, citing concerns over her neutrality.

Speakers also had to acknowledge the British government-endorsed definition of anti-Semitism.

Pro-Palestinian activists take issue with the definition, which has been adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, because they say it attempts to stymie criticism of Israel by conflating it with anti-Semitism.

Ammori said that she accepted the terms reluctantly, eager to ensure the events went ahead without a hiccup.

INVESTIGATIONS: the Lobby  Al Jazeera Investigations exposes how the Israeli lobby influences British politics

The student said Palestinian rights activists had experienced increased difficulties in organising events in recent years and that the university had previously withheld approval for two talks that were due to take place in February this year and October 2016.

University of Manchester historian Lauren Banko, the academic whose chairing of the event on BDS was blocked by university officials, told Al Jazeera their behaviour was a threat to free debate on campus.

The university is creating a very worrying precedent when it declares an academic who happens to be a historian of pre-1948 Palestine as not 'suitable' for the role of chairing a student-organised event on Palestine and the Israeli occupation by Lauren Banko, historian, University of Manchester

The university is creating a very worrying precedent when it declares an academic who happens to be a historian of pre-1948 Palestine as not suitable for the role of chairing a student-organised event on Palestine and the Israeli occupation, she said.

Banko, who is a specialist in Israeli and Palestinian studies, said the university should not involve itself in such matters, nor should it police the views its students and academics have of Israel.

It is for the university to assure safe conduct at student-organised events, but not to enter into discussions of how neutral the personal politics of their students or staff may or may not be.

University response

The university rejects the suggestion that these were deliberate attempts to censor the activists and blames administrative problems for the October and February events not going ahead.

A spokesperson said the university requires 14 days notice to approve a talk and for the event scheduled in February, the application was received the day before it was due to happen.

The university also passed on a joint statement by the Students Union and the BDS campaign, in which both accepted the February event was postponed because of human error in the process.

With regard to the October event, the spokesperson said paperwork had been submitted late and did not reach the university in time for approval.

Ammori was sceptical of the reasoning and said it was a strange coincidence that only pro-Palestinian events are affected by these [administrative] problems.

The universitys spokesperson did not address the reasons why Banko had been prevented from chairing the event, only remarking that a senior member of staff had been chosen as an independent chair.

READ MORE: Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: What is BDS?

On the issue of pro-Palestinian students having the right to protest against Israel without censure, the university said that it recognises that freedom of speech and expression within the law has fundamental importance for universities as places of education, adding: Events held on campus are reviewed under the Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech if they concern potentially controversial topics and whenever they involve external speakers.

The University of Manchester Students Union, which is the largest in the UK and operates independently of the university itself, passed a motion to officially endorse the BDS movement in December.

Other incidents

While most British universities hosted IAW events without incident, Ammoris experiences were far from isolated.

An investigation by the London-based outlet Middle East Eye found common themes developing in the affected universities that included heavy scrutiny of scheduled speakers, warnings that pro-Palestinian activists might be breaking the law, and the cancellation of events.

READ MORE: The BDS struggle in US academia

At the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) in the northern city of Preston, officials cancelled a talk by the Palestinian rights activist and author, Ben White.

In its statement to Al Jazeera, UCLAN said that the event was cancelled because organisers had failed to give enough notice.

The university has in place robust procedures to ensure that events that give a platform to external speakers are properly managed, the statement read.

In this instance, the student society event, Debunking Misconceptions on Palestine and the Importance of BDS, was not referred to the process in a timely way and therefore could not go ahead.

However, the reasoning given by the university in that statement seems to contradict an earlier statement sent by the university to pro-Israel activists, who posted it on Facebook on February 22.

The text suggests the cancellation was less about timing and more about the events content. It reads: We take seriously our responsibility to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all. As such, we have in place procedures to ensure that free, open and lawful debate is promoted and in this instance, our assessment has concluded that the proposed event cannot proceed as planned.

White rejected the claim that the cancellation was due to administrative issues based on other statements the university had made.

If the problem was procedural, why did the university authorities not engage with the students - and why did they initially give other reasons? by Ben White, author

There is nothing here with regards to a procedural problem, he told Al Jazeera.

[The universitys] public statement issued later that day, explicitly referenced two reasons for the event being cancelled: a lack of balance, and a supposed violation of a definition of anti-Semitism endorsed by the UK government, which is not a law.

White said that the students who organised the event only found out that it had been cancelled after the media started reporting on it and were not told by the university itself.

If the problem was procedural, why did the university authorities not engage with the students  and why did they initially give other reasons? he asked, before highlighting two potential reasons why Palestinian activists were being targeted.

The first is the British governments Prevent counter-extremism strategy, which requires universities to scrutinise behaviour it defines as contentious, including pro-Palestinian activism.

The second source of pressure on universities, according to White, was campaigning by pro-Israel groups.

Perhaps the most important factor here are efforts by the Israeli government and its friends to attack and undermine a growing Palestine solidarity movement, White said, adding that the first people to find out about the cancellation of his talk were the pro-Israeli activists who had complained about it.

He said the attempts to repress IAW were a sign that pro-Israel activists were losing the argument on the treatment of Palestinians and the occupation of their land.

When you crack down on freedom of expression and legitimate political activism, you do so because youre losing, or have lost, the debate.

Deeply problematic

Back in Manchester, Ammori said she was exhausted trying to balance the demands of activism with a heavy study schedule.

She asserted that as a Palestinian, she was unable to accept attempts to silence her criticisms of Israel.

To be labelled anti-Semitic for condemning the apartheid system Israel endorses is ridiculous, she said.

To know that every day my people face oppression, and then to face attempts to silence my voice is deeply problematic.
On Friday, as Deep Rai worked on his car in his driveway in the Seattle suburb of Kent, a man approached him and told him to go back to your own country, according to witnesses.

Described as six feet tall, of stocky build, and wearing a mask over his face, the man then shot at Rai and fled the scene. The attacker is still at large, and local police have contacted the FBI for support.

Rai is recovering in hospital.

The apparent hate crime comes two weeks after Adam Purinton, a white US navy veteran, killed 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla in Kansas.

INTERACTIVE: Mapping hate  The rise of hate groups in the US

Purinton reportedly mistook Kuchibhotla for a man of Middle Eastern origin and shouted get out of my country before opening fire in a crowded bar, according to witnesses.

Reports of violence against minorities in the US have increased since the election of President Donald Trump, whose campaign emboldened the anti-immigrant far right.

In his bid to become president, Trump promised to ban Muslims from entering the US and derided refugees and immigrants, particularly those coming from Mexico.

Amid growing Islamophobia, other communities have also come under attack.

Fridays shooting has reminded many of the post 9/11 era, when Sikhs were frequently mistaken for Muslims, and attacked.

On September 15, 2001, Frank Silva Roque murdered Sikh American petrol station owner Balbir Singh Sodhi in a hate crime. Roque mistook Sodhi for an Arab Muslim; 20 minutes later he shot at a Lebanese American, but missed.

Al Jazeera asked Rajdeep Singh Jolly, interim director of programmes at the New York-based The Sikh Coalition civil rights group, about rising xenophobia and its effect on minorities.

Al Jazeera: The dangerous attack on Rai in Seattle followed the killing of an Indian man in Kansas, and dozens of other reports of violence against minorities. What do these attacks characterise?

Jolly: These attacks are part of a broader pattern of hate and violence against immigrants and religious minorities. Whats particularly chilling is that in both cases  the anti-Sikh attack near Seattle and the murder of Srinivas Kuchibhotla  both men were told to go back to their country.

Xenophobic political rhetoric is literally putting lives in danger.

Al Jazeera: The Sikh community in the US often comes under attack at the same time as rising Islamophobia. Why is this, and how can it be prevented?

Jolly: Sikhs are not targeted exclusively because of Islamophobia. For example in 1907, Sikh immigrants were assaulted in Bellingham, Washington, during an organised riot fuelled by xenophobia.

There is no doubt that anti-Sikh hate crimes and Islamophobia have accelerated in the post-9/11 environment, but it makes no difference to a bigot whether his victim is Muslim, Sikh or Jewish.

That is why communities targeted by hate need to stand together.

Al Jazeera: Do you think the Trump administration is addressing rising xenophobia as best it can?

Jolly: The Trump administration needs to make hate crime prevention a top priority. So far, the administration has done nothing in this regard.

For example, it can create a federal task force to prevent hate violence, address the threats posed by white supremacists, work with faith communities to promote interfaith solidarity, and work with schools to create a culture of respect and appreciation for diversity.

Al Jazeera: How is the Sikh community responding to Fridays attack? How are people feeling?

Jolly: The Sikh community is vigilant, but we are also resilient. We refuse to live in fear.

Al Jazeera: Do you think events such as these create a divide between minorities, or bring them together?

Jolly: Hate incidents bring communities together.

For example, after the 2012 attack on a gurdwara [Sikh house of worship] in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, there was an outpouring of compassion from our fellow Americans.

However, we should not wait for tragedies like this to express love and solidarity.

In the Sikh religion, we believe all human beings are part of the same family, and all of us need to put this principle into practice.

Al Jazeera: After 9/11, Sikhs were targeted because some attackers believed them to be Muslims. What role does education play here, and are you concerned about similar violence emerging?

Jolly: We need to teach our children to respect all people. Racial and religious distinctions are irrelevant.

Over the years, we have consistently encouraged school officials to incorporate bias-prevention education into their curricula.

Al Jazeera: Do you think hate crimes have risen following the election of Donald Trump, or are more simply being reported?

Jolly: Our friends at the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League have documented an increase in the number of hate groups.

Hate crime statistics are unreliable because the reporting system is voluntary, and many large cities fail to report hate crimes to the FBI.

For us, even one hate crime is too much, and all of us  including the Trump administration  should do everything in our power to prevent hate from taking another life or loved one.

Follow Anealla Safdar on Twitter: @anealla
Gaziantep, Turkey  When Hassan Hejazi went to visit his olive grove near the village of Hor Kilis close to the Syrian-Turkish border in Aleppo province, he found what he thought were some unexploded shells.

It was November 2015, and armed opposition factions had just pushed fighters with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL, also known as ISIS) out of the area.

Hejazi started moving the shells carefully to clear the grove. As he walked between the olive trees, he stepped on what looked like a thin sheet of metal, inadvertently activating an improvised explosive device (IED).

He cannot remember what happened afterwards. A few days later, he awoke in hospital with broken bones and injuries all over his body. He could not see anything. It took him six months to recover partial eyesight in his right eye. The 29-year-old father of three says he can no longer do manual work.

READ MORE: Al Bab  When the tide is turning, ISIL go apocalyptic

Hejazi is one of many victims of ISILs lethal tactics of setting up IEDs and booby traps in civilian areas before withdrawing. A team of volunteers clearing out mines and unexploded ordnance from civilian areas later told him that they had removed hundreds of IEDs from the olive grove.

[This is] a very long-lasting problem. Displaced people [are at a risk] of dying or being maimed when they go back home, Damien Spleeters, head of operations for Iraq at Conflict Armament Research, told Al Jazeera.

Although other groups involved in the conflict use IEDs as well, the scale with which ISIL uses them is unmatched, he said, noting that ISIL targets not only enemy combatants, but also civilians, setting up IEDs everywhere from farm fields to homes.

While no organisation has estimated how many of the more than 470,000 deaths in Syria are due to IEDs, the United Nations Mine Action Service identifies them as a grave threat to civilians. According to its surveys, some 6.3 million Syrians are living in areas affected by explosive weapons incidents.

Adnan al-Hassan was only 20 years old when he started learning about de-mining. His family used to own small shops for electric household items in Raqqa and Aleppo, but the aggressive expansion of ISIL forced them back to their hometown of Azaz in northern Aleppo province. There, he connected with friends who had taken on the risky job of clearing IEDs and unexploded ordnance in civilian areas.

Just two months after he volunteered with his friends, Hassan was badly hurt by an IED near the village of Turkman Bareh, some 30km east of his hometown, which ISIL had mined before leaving. His team rushed him to a field clinic and then transferred him to Turkey, where he stayed in hospital for a month and a half until his body started to heal from all the injuries and broken bones. He never completely recovered his vision after losing sight in his left eye.

But the injuries he suffered did not dissuade him from continuing his work.

We saw that the work is dangerous, but we also saw that it is very important as it benefits our people. by Adnan al-Hassan, de-miner

After what happened, we were even more encouraged to continue. We saw that the work is dangerous, but we also saw that it is very important as it benefits our people, Hassan told Al Jazeera.

His team has lost five people in the past two years, amid ISILs ever-changing tactics in setting up IEDs and a scarcity of resources, which has affected training and team discipline.

To try to become more effective at their work and provide safety for the team, Hassan and the 50 other volunteers working with him decided to found an organisation, the Syrian Mine Action Centre (SMAC).

[We receive] reports from civilians, from local councils, the governorate councils, the stabilisation committee, the White Helmets. All complaints and reports that come in are marked on a map, Ahmad Naseef, a manager at SMAC, told Al Jazeera.

Their work is very challenging because of the unconventional nature of ISILs tactics, he said. In a conventional conflict, a warring faction would use standard mines and keep maps of the areas it mines, but ISIL does neither.

IN PICTURES: Fighting the flames of ISIL in Iraq

SMACs team was one of the first civilian organisations to enter Al Bab after Operation Euphrates Shield forces expelled ISIL from the city.

By our initial estimates, around 15,000 IEDs were planted in Al Bab, Ghiyath Dek, a member of SMACs team in Al Bab, told Al Jazeera.

His team has started clearing the main streets of the city, after which they will move on to public buildings, private houses and finally, the agricultural land around the city. Dek estimates that it will take up to two months to clear the city of IEDs.

The most dangerous kind, he says, are those disguised as rocks or bricks. They are usually left in front of houses or near household items and get activated when someone tries to lift them to clear the way. The SMAC team uncovered a workshop where these IEDs were being prepared using cement and other building materials to mask the explosives.

Spleeters noted that ISIL specialises in making IEDs from scratch, unlike other armed groups that use repurposed munitions, and they produce on an industrial scale, with workshops specialised at making each element of the device.

According to Spleeters, it is not uncommon for ISIL to change the way it sets up IEDs to make it more difficult for de-miners to disable them.

They would target de-miners by setting up something that is called an anti-lift device. If you think youve rendered safe a device and then you would lift it, that would detonate the device, he explained.

What has allowed ISIL to gain such sophistication in producing IEDs and munitions has been the decades-long experience of other insurgencies. A specific type of IED switch used in Syria or Iraq was first detected in Afghanistan, while another local switch has been transferred to countries such as Libya, Spleeters said.

There is a migration of knowledge, for sure, he said.

ISILs sophistication in producing IEDs has ensured that its lethal legacy remains long after its fighters have withdrawn from an area.

In Al Bab, ISILs IEDs have already claimed four lives, including two civilians. For now, SMACs team is warning people against going back home until their work is finished.
China may cooperate with Trump on issues such as N Korea and trade, but it will stand unwavering on security issues.

J Berkshire Miller is the director of the Council on International Policy.

On February 28, Chinas top diplomatic envoy, Yang Jiechi, visited the White House and met top US officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, National Security Adviser HR McMaster and senior adviser Jared Kushner.

Yang is Chinas State Councillor and a longtime key player in Sino-US ties, with former posts as foreign minister and ambassador to the United States. A statement from the White House indicated that Yang had a brief courtesy call with President Donald Trump.

According to Chinese state media, the visit allowed a space for Beijing and Washington to discuss areas of common interest and for China to ask for mutual respect on core interests  a clear signal that Beijing will not walk softly on areas it considers to be sovereignty matters, such as Taiwan and tensions in the East and South China Seas.

Finding areas of common ground





The top-level exchange comes only weeks after an ice-breaking phone call between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which eased a mini-diplomatic stalemate caused by the White Houses intentional ambiguity over its adherence to the long-standing one China policy.

During the phone call, Trump relented on his earlier insistence that the one China policy was vulnerable and dependent on Chinese actions.

Beijing reportedly was so irate at Trumps loose talk on Taiwan that it was prepared to freeze out high-level exchanges until he could come back  at least in principle  to the status-quo regarding cross-strait ties with Taipei.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration seemed to brush-off talk that it backed down to Chinese pressure and Trumps press secretary, Sean Spicer, insisted that the president always gets something for a concession such as this.

Since that Xi-Trump call, though, China has been sending signals to the Trump administration that it is willing to make a deal and find areas of common ground.

Indeed, diplomatic moves have been coming quickly since that point, and there was a meeting last month between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Moreover, Beijing announced last month that it would endeavour to suspend all imports of coal from North Korea, effective immediately, for the rest of the year.

While by 

is likely  and indeed prudent  the notion of a grand bargain between the US and China is doubtful for a number of reasons.]

To give a sense of the magnitude of this, in 2016, North Korea exported 22 million metric tonnes of coal to China, netting nearly $1.2bn in cash for the Kim regime. Beijing is  by far  the Norths largest export market for coal, and Pyongyang depends on China as a trading lifeline, with nearly 90 percent of its trade going through Beijing.

Trump has long railed against Chinas lack of genuine effort to rein in North Korea, insisting that he will hit back on other areas, such as trade, if Beijing continues to obstruct Washingtons strategic interests on the Korean peninsula.

On the surface, Chinas move on the coal suspension might seem like a significant breakthrough with Beijing finally acquiescing to US pressure to tighten the screws on Pyongyang, which has been consistently and incrementally improving its missile and nuclear programmes over the past few years in defiance of numerous UN Security Council sanctions.

The reality, however, is less definitive and we should be cautious before praising Beijings benevolence or Chinese efforts to constrain North Korea.

Compartmentalised cooperation

While compartmentalised cooperation is likely  and indeed prudent  the notion of a grand bargain between the US and China is doubtful for a number of reasons.

First, the range of strategic differences between Beijing and Washington is so wide-ranging and deeply ingrained, that it continues to be difficult to acknowledge and acquiesce to each others core interests.

Second, many of Washingtons most important allies and friends in the region  including Japan and South Korea  are wary of the notion that Trump might be willing to make a compromise on security interests in the region for a selection of economic sweeteners that Beijing might propose to curry favour with Washington.

Indeed, it seems dubious to think that Trump might take a lighter touch on these matters and recent evidence suggests the opposite.

Last month, Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Trump had a very successful summit and doubled down on their security alliance with an even firmer commitment to the Senkaku islands  claimed by China as the Diaoyu Islands  in the East China Sea.

Washington also elevated its extended deterrence guarantees to Japan through explicit mention of its willingness to use nuclear weapons to defend Japan if needed.

OPINION: Trump era heightens Asia-Pacifics tripwires

Likewise, the Trump administration has made strong commitments to South Korea and remains committed to deploying the Terminal High Altitude Air Defence (THAAD) anti-missile system there by the end of this year.

The THAAD commitment continues despite Chinese anger over the deployment, which it sees as antithetical to its security interests in the region.

Trump has alarmed Beijing through his recent announcement of a significant 10 percent increase in military spending and his maintenance of the Obama administrations approach to freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea.

This will probably lead to a scenario over the coming months in which Beijing looks to play at the edges with Washington on a number of key issues  including North Korea and trade  but stand unwaveringly on other issues where it will not compromise, such as the territorial disputes. This makes an appreciable improvement of Sino-US ties doubtful in the near term.

J Berkshire Miller is the director of the Council on International Policy and is a fellow on East Asia for the EastWest Institute.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Group led by Republican congressman learns first hand what controversial move decried by Palestinians would mean.

A US delegation is in Israel exploring the possibility of relocating the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move that Palestinian officials have strongly warned against.

The delegation is led by Ron DeSantis, a Republican congressman, who is expected to meet Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, during the two-day trip which ends on Sunday.

The delegation is in Jerusalem to learn first hand what it will mean to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, said Ruth Lieberman, a friend of DeSantis and a political adviser in Israel, according to the Jerusalem Post.

PALESTINE REMIX: Documentary films on Palestine

US President Donald Trump repeatedly promised the move during his election campaign and pledged to recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.

Palestinians criticised such promises as they hope to make East Jerusalem the capital of their future state, and have had the broad support of the international community for that aspiration.

Those who have cautioned the US against such a move include Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Hamas and Nabil Shaath, former Palestinian foreign minister.

Shaath in February told Al Jazeera: Moving the embassy is the same as recognising Jerusalem as Israels united capital. Its a war crime.

The US has two consulate-general buildings in West Jerusalem.

One mainly deals with diplomacy with Palestinians, while another building issues visas to people who live in Jerusalem and Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

If the US were to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem  it would be effectively recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, said Al Jazeeras Bernard Smith, reporting from West Jerusalem.

It would also be taking away from the Palestinians the separate recognition that these consulate general offices give them.

However, Trumps administration  like those of other US presidents such as Bill Clinton and George Bush who made similar promises  has been rolling back on the idea[s]  despite initial promises made during the campaign, he said.

READ MORE: Trumps embassy move to Jerusalem self-destructive

According to some reports in Arab news media, Palestinian officials have been informed that the move is not likely to happen.

This is after advice from Jordans King Abdullah II, who suggested it would cause violence on the Arab streets, said our correspondent.

Other reports in Israeli news media suggest that David Friedman, the incoming US ambassador to Israel, might work out of an office in West Jerusalem as a compromise, while the embassy building would remain in Tel Aviv.

Friedman is known to be a supporter of Israels illegal Jewish-only settlements.

That also, though, would be controversial, Al Jazeeras Smith said.
Raid in southern Abyan province came two days after intensive air strikes by US warplanes in Yemen.

A United States drone strike killed two suspected members of al-Qaeda in southern Yemen, said a security official and residents.

Saturdays raid in Ahwar, in the southern province of Abyan, killed two suspected fighters on a motorbike, the security official said.

It came after two days of intensive air strikes by US warplanes on fighters in the war-torn country.

Tribal sources and residents said another drone fired at a crowd of suspected al-Qaeda fighters in al-Saeed, in the adjacent province of Shabwa, but there were no reports on casualties in that incident.





On Friday, the Pentagon said it carried out somewhere over 30 strikes against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in two days, conducted in partnership with the Yemeni government.

This is part of a plan to go after this very real threat and ensure that they are defeated and denied the opportunity to plot and carry out terrorist attacks from ungoverned spaces, Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said on Friday, noting the US would continue to attack AQAP.

Yemeni officials and tribal sources said at least 20 fighters were killed in the air strikes on Thursday and Friday in the southern provinces of Abyan and Shabwa and the nearby central province of Baida.

The increased bombing comes a little more than a month after a botched American raid against AQAP left a number of civilians and a US Navy SEAL dead.

Yemen has been torn apart by conflict since 2014, when Houthi rebels, allied with troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, captured large expanses of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

A coalition of Arab countries assembled by Saudi Arabia launched an air campaign against the rebels in March 2015.

Seven ceasefire accords have failed to end the war, which has left more than 7,500 dead and 40,000 people wounded, according to UN tally.
Criticism of move to block rallies of Turkish officials comes day after claim Germany is aiding and harbouring terror.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised Germany for blocking several rallies there in advance of a referendum in Turkey on expanding his powers as head of state, comparing the decision to Nazi practices.

The remarks came on Sunday, a day after he accused Germany of aiding and harbouring terror for allowing outlawed Kurdish leaders to hold regular public meetings in the country.

Your practices are not different from the Nazi practices of the past, Erdogan said on Sunday in Istanbul at a campaign for the referendum.





I thought its been a long time since Germany left [Nazi practices]. We are mistaken.

Several German towns prevented appearances by Erdogans ministers last week, citing security and safety concerns.

Turkey summoned the German ambassador to the foreign ministry in Ankara to lodge a protest after local authorities in the southwestern German town of Gaggenau cancelled a talk by Bekir Bozdag, Turkeys justice minister.

The talk was reportedly intended to promote a yes vote for constitutional changes in the upcoming referendum.

Authorities in Cologne also withdrew permission for rallies where Nihat Zeybekci, Turkeys economy minister, was due to speak.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected Turkeys accusations that her government had a hand in scrapping the rallies, saying the decisions were taken by municipalities, and as a matter of principle, we apply freedom of expression in Germany.

The cancellations have angered the Turkish government, which has accused Germany of working against the Yes campaign in the referendum.

Journalist detained

In his comments on Sunday, Erdogan said: You will lecture us about democracy and then you will not let this countrys ministers speak there.

The previous day, Erdogan said Deniz Yucel, a correspondent for Germanys Die Welt newspaper who is in detention in Turkey, was a German agent and a representative of the banned Kurdish rebel group, PKK.

Yucel, who has both Turkish and German citizenship, was detained on February 14 after his reports about a hacker attack on the email account of Turkeys energy minister, according to Die Welt.

THE LISTENING POST: Turkeys post-coup media crackdown (25:00)

Erdogan accused Germany of harbouring Yucel for a month at the German consulate in Istanbul before agreeing to hand him over to authorities.

He was charged with spreading terrorist propaganda on Monday.

Merkel on Saturday called Binali Yildirim, Turkeys prime minister, to try to defuse the dispute and the two countries foreign ministers are set to meet later this week.
Haftars LNA launches air strikes in attempt to regain control of Es Sider and Ras Lanuf ports seized by BDB fighters.

An eastern Libyan group says it is carrying out air strikes against rival factions as part of its attempt to push them back from positions around the major oil terminals of Es Sider and Ras Lanuf.

The Libyan National Army (LNA) is attempting to regain control of the ports after being forced to withdraw on Friday by an attack by the Benghazi Defence Brigades (BDB).

The BDB is composed partly of fighters who were expelled from Benghazi by the LNA.

LNA warplanes targeted on Sunday afternoon positions near Es Sider [Al Sidra] and south of the coastal town of Ben Jawad, about 30km to the east, General Ahmed al-Mismari, LNA spokesman, told Reuters news agency.

There were also clashes between the rival groups on the ground, security and oil officials said, though it was not immediately clear whether either side had advanced.

The ports are among Libyas largest, though both terminals were badly damaged by previous rounds of fighting and have been operating far below their pre-conflict capacity.

The LNA forces, who are loyal to General Khalifa Haftar, conceded the loss of Es Sider and Ras Lanuf on Saturday.

The latest fighting, which is linked to a broader, stop-start conflict between political and military factions based in eastern and western Libya, threatens efforts to revive Libyas oil production.

National output more than doubled after the LNA took control of the oil ports of Es Sider, Ras Lanuf, Zueitina [Zuwaytania] and Brega in September.

All the ports except for Brega had long been blockaded.

Chaos and fighting

Production has recently been fluctuating around 700,000 barrels per day (bpd), but remains far below the 1.6 million bpd Libya was pumping before the 2011 uprising that toppled its longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

Since then, the North African country has been riven by chaos and factional fighting.

The LNA has been waging a military campaign for nearly three years against Islamists and other opponents in the eastern city.

Haftar claims to control most of the eastern part of Libya around Benghazi, Oliver Miles, a former British ambassador to Libya, told Al Jazeera.

But control is a loose word. Hes been fighting for a long time to deal with them, and it has taken a long time time to clear them up. Hes repeatedly said theyve dealt with the problem, but they keep reuniting.
Only a few of those living in Gaza receive necessary medical attention because of Israels continued siege.

Israels continued siege of Gaza is having an effect on medical services leaving many residents struggling.

With procedures costing around $30,000, residents of Gaza have had to turn to charities and international aid to pay for their operations.

Around 4,000 Palestinians need to leave Gaza for urgent medical treatment but they cant because of the siege, Dr Ashraf Al Qidra, spokesman for the Ministry of Health, told Al Jazeera.

Cancer patients are particularly affected as their condition is deteriorating. Our whole medical system is crumbling. We cant get equipment in and we cannot train our doctors.

The Israeli government maintains the blockade, which has been in place since 2007, is necessary for its security.

Gazas Ministry of Health says the siege alone is responsible for the dire healthcare situation in the heavily populated strip of 1.8 million people.

READ MORE: Gazas crumbling healthcare system

Only Palestinians with severe illnesses are permitted to seek medical treatment outside of Gaza, the ministry said before adding the residents must follow a complicated procedure that requires approval from the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government.

A 2015 report by Physicians for Human Rights found that Palestinians on average live 10 years less than Israelis and their infant mortality rate is five times higher.

The study also found that Palestines national expenditure on healthcare per person is one-eighth of Israels.
Transcription

1 Positioning Mauritius in the world

2 Contents 4 The importance of country brand strategy 6 Introduction 10 What is country brand strategy? 13 What are the benefits? 14 Brand Mauritius strategy 18 The elements of Brand Mauritius 19 Brand Values 27 Brand Personality 37 Brand Proposition 41 Brand Positioning 44 Supporting Messages 49 Mauritius and the senses 58 Communicating with different audiences: The brand and sector positioning strategies 71 Background to the project 74 Acknowledgements

3 The importance of country brand strategy

4 Introduction As Mauritians, we have much to be proud about. Mauritius is one of the most business and investment friendly locations in the world. Consistently rated the best destination for foreign direct investment in the region, Mauritius has been an established centre for international banking and finance for at least 20 years. With an efficient and sophisticated workforce, and fluency in English and French, Mauritius has repeatedly shown its ability to adapt to changing economic circumstances. In addition to the long established businesses in sugar, textiles and hospitality, the last few years have seen impressive developments in the Information and Communication Technology, Marine, Biotech and Medical industries. Mauritius is internationally renowned as one of the world s premier luxury holiday destinations. With many of the world s most famous hotels, Mauritius enjoys one of the highest rates of returning visitors in the world. Mauritius enjoys a degree of social harmony and cultural understanding that makes it a model for successfully promoting the benefits of ethnic diversity and co-existence. With a long heritage of stability and security, Mauritius has been consistently rated as the best run country in the region. However, we cannot afford to be complacent. We live in a highly competitive world which means we need to fight harder for visitors, investment and business opportunities. We have to stand out and play to our strengths. We must not lose sight of what makes Mauritius authentic and unique. We must be clear about who and what we are. Developing a country brand strategy and identity for Mauritius touches every one of us. We all have an important role to play in the economic, social and cultural success of our nation. This book has been produced to help everyone in Mauritius understand what makes it so special and how we can use that knowledge to our advantage. By concentrating on our particular qualities, we will give ourselves an advantage in this highly competitive world. We will stand out improving our image and helping our economy whilst retaining our essential character. 4

5 Signed by all the Steering Committee members Honourable C. G. Xavier Luc Duval G.C.S.K Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Tourism, Leisure and External Communications Mrs K. O. Fong-Weng Poorun Permanent Secretary, Home Affairs Division, Prime Minister s Office Mr Jean Maxy Simonet Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Leisure and External Communications Mr Shyam R. Seebun Coordinator, Brand Mauritius Project Mr Raju Jaddoo Managing Director, Mauritius Board of Investment Mr Prakash Beeharry Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Mauritius Mr Donald Payen Executive Vice President, Communications & Corporate Affairs, Air Mauritius Mr Arnaud Martin C.S.K Executive Director, Sun Resorts Mr Alain Gordon-Gentil Novelist, film-maker and journalist Mr Paul Ah Leung Managing Director, ATS Ltd. Mr Ajmal Cassim Financial Director, Union Beverages 7

6 What is country brand strategy? Is it something we need? A country brand is not something separate that we can decide to have. We have a brand whether we like it or not. So we need to manage it to challenge the unfavourable stereotypes and close the gap between perception and reality. A common misconception is that a brand is merely a logo and a slogan on a t-shirt. The reality is that a brand is far more than this. A brand is the whole experience of life in a country The Mauritius country brand is a set of values and beliefs, a whole philosophy that lies at the heart of our nation. It is the outcome of the particular set of circumstances that have shaped our island nation and made us who and what we are the combination of the spirit of the people, the place and the history. It is the connection between the past, the present and our future hopes and aspirations. We have to articulate what we stand for in a way that everyone understands and believes. The richness of our culture and heritage binds us together, helping us carve our niche in the world. We need to celebrate who we are and build greater pride in our nation and in our identity. 8

7 What are the benefits of articulating a new country brand strategy? The benefits of a strong brand will touch all aspects of our lives economic, social and cultural. Our brand will help us: Clarify who we are, uniting us together under a common sense of identity. Appreciate more fully what we do have and what makes us stand out, preserving and valuing our traditions and helping us make them relevant today and in the future. Inspire our businesses to develop new brands, products and services that reflect the strengths of the Mauritius brand. Foster a stronger sense of self-esteem and pride. Portray a clear message to the outside world, helping attract expatriate workers, tourists, trade partners and investors. Focus our direction by giving us a clear reason why people should trade with us, visit us and invest in us. Become stronger as a nation through being more able to express ourselves in the world at large and better able to withstand life s ups and downs. 11

8 Brand Mauritius Strategy

9 Most Mauritians will smile and greet you those with experience abroad realise that this is not true elsewhere Cybercity started as a sugar cane plantation a few years ago and it was countryside. Now it is full of buildings. The philosophy here is if you build it, they will come Whatever job it is, it is well thought through and well done by Mauritians. We pay great attention and care to detail We are disciplined people. There is security, financial stability, a legal framework, political stability and favourable legislation with regard to investment We speak English, Creole, French many languages. It is because of this we are moving ahead. We can adapt to any environment Everyone prays in their own way. This is why we live in peace. Everybody in Mauritius is a believer. Every street has this divine presence There is quality of fresh air and sunshine here that warms the heart a soothing, mellow, at ease feel to the place There s a greater balance of work-hard, play-hard here. As well as business opportunities, we also offer a lifestyle that allows you to relax with your family 14 15

10 The elements of Brand Mauritius Brand Values Brand Mauritius comprises five key components: Proposition What is the real benefit that Mauritius has to offer? This is a single idea that reflects a longterm aspiration and encompasses the best of Mauritius today. Positioning What makes Mauritius different and able to stand out from its competitors? Values What are the beliefs and aspirations that are consistently demonstrated in the behaviour and attitude of Mauritians? Personality What is the set of human personality characteristics that best captures the people of Mauritius? Supporting Messages What are the reasons why people should believe in the Mauritius country brand? In the pages that follow, we present the Values and Personality first, then we explain the Proposition and Positioning, followed by the Supporting Messages. What are the beliefs and aspirations that are consistently demonstrated in the behaviour and attitude of Mauritians? The values should provide a framework for all communications. Empathy Connectedness Team Spirit Resourcefulness Acceptance Harmony Reverence Brand Proposition Brand Positioning Brand Values Brand Personality Brand Substantiators 16 17

11 Empathy Mauritians are fluent in different languages and cultures. They are therefore good at understanding other people s feelings and points of view. They are natural diplomats. Connectedness Because of its cultural diversity and the adventurous spirit of its diaspora, Mauritians have extensive networks throughout the world. In Mauritius, there is a deep appreciation of the value of diversity. Mauritius epitomises the celebration of diversity and as a consequence enjoys the rewards of real connectivity

12 Team Spirit There is a strong sense of solidarity and teamwork in Mauritius, which comes from a culture of mutual respect. A unique team spirit flows from an appreciation of the qualities that people from different backgrounds can bring to every opportunity. Resourcefulness Mauritius has repeatedly shown its ability to reinvent itself in the face of changing circumstances. This spirit of resourcefulness is practical, openminded, sensitive and flexible

13 Acceptance People feel integrated and part of the Mauritian community irrespective of where they come from or their cultural group. A belief in the power of friendly and open communication creates an acceptance that goes beyond tolerance. Harmony Crafting a life that offers an optimal balance between work, play and family, and between mind, body and spirit, is vitally important for Mauritians. There is a keen work ethic and also a strong capacity for relaxation. This is helped by a spirit of tranquility that pervades life in Mauritius

14 Reverence In Mauritius there is a profound respect for the divine and a reverence for nature. There is a strong feeling that Mauritius is blessed by the existence of a divine presence on the island

15 Brand Personality What is the set of human personality characteristics that best captures the people of Mauritius? Astute Shrewd and insightful, Mauritian business people are renowned for their ability to identify and capitalize upon opportunities. The personality guides the tone of voice and should be reflected in any advertisement, press release or presentation. Astute Careful Sensitive Friendly Efficient Gentle Flexible 26 27

16 Careful Conscientious and diligent, Mauritians pay great attention and care to fine detail whether in manufacturing, tourism, outsourcing or financial services. Sensitive In Mauritius there is a culture of having time for people: time to understand and appreciate others; time to be helpful and generous

17 Friendly The Mauritian smile is genuine, natural and welcoming. Efficient Mauritius is an ordered place: modern and sophisticated; a place where things work and people can be trusted

18 Gentle There is a spirit of kindness and serenity in Mauritius, from the courteous way that people interact with each other, to the warmth of the climate. Flexible Mauritians are very good at getting on with different people and fitting in successfully to different situations and environments

19 Brand Proposition What is the real benefit that Mauritius has to offer? A brand proposition should be a single idea. It should reflect a long-term aspiration and encompass the best of what we do today. The brand proposition has three aspects: the sensory, the emotional and the rational. The brand proposition should capture the essence of the country: the spirit of its people, place and history. All those institutions, corporations and individuals who have the task of promoting Mauritius, whether directly or indirectly, should convey this proposition in their marketing materials and presentations. Also, this strategic idea should influence future projects, shape the behaviour of individuals and guide the selection of products, services, people and locations that bring this proposition to life. 35

20 Mauritius nurtures Mauritius nurtures the art of life and work. A nurturing environment that helps individuals and families realise their true potential. A nurturing environment that serves as a springboard and platform for business success in a range of sectors. From looking after the outsourced business needs of other companies to providing care in medical services. From giving professional expertise to boosting development in Africa to cultivating investments. From sensitively nourishing the needs and dreams of its tourist visitors to creating products that are made with care and meticulous attention to detail. The term nurtures is rich in meaning: Mauritius cares for, provides for, takes care of, attends to, nourishes, cultivates, promotes, tends, boosts, helps, encourages, stimulates.

21 Brand Positioning What makes Mauritius different and able to stand out from its competitors? A brand positioning that works together with a brand proposition to distinguish a country is critically important to its impact and ultimate success. This positioning will provide a focus for the development of new business sectors and the revitalisation and strengthening of existing businesses. It will help raise standards of delivery and guide Mauritians in the choice of skills training and education. A brand culture will be crucial for any business to prosper in a highly competitive environment. Mauritius must be ambitious in its targets and inspire all its people to realise their full potential. 39

22 Generosity of spirit Mauritius has a philosophy of helpfulness and sensitivity, based on a pervading generosity of spirit. Other countries may be open to business but they are not as naturally open and friendly to the individual behind the suit. Other countries may offer tourists great service and beautiful hotels, but only Mauritius gives people the comfort and acceptance of feeling at home. In Mauritius there is time for people, time for family, time for business and time to appreciate life.

23 Supporting Messages Citizens What are the principal reasons why people should believe in Mauritius s proposition Mauritius nurtures and positioning Generosity of spirit? These have been divided into three areas, however, many overlap and can be applied to all three: Citizens Business Visitors 1 Ethnic diversity and the cultural understanding and networks that this brings, makes Mauritius an ideal business partner for countries in the rest of the world. 2 Mauritius has a long heritage of stability and security: the crime rate is relatively low, the regulatory environment for business is trustworthy and reliable; the credit rating for investors is high. 3 Mauritius has developed a vision Maurice ile Durable. Its aims include providing 85% of Mauritius s energy needs from renewable sources by 2038 and preserving the natural beauty of Mauritius s coastline and countryside for future generations. 4 Mauritius has a well managed and advanced health service that is free for citizens and visitors. Public education from primary through to university level is free. 5 Mauritians combine a keen work ethic with a relaxed attitude to life and a strong capacity for enjoying the company of others. 6 The Index of African Governance has consistently rated Mauritius the best run country in sub- Saharan Africa. The Index ranks 48 countries on 5 factors: safety and security; rule of law, transparency and corruption; participation and human rights; sustainable economic opportunity; human development. 7 There are no indigenous inhabitants of Mauritius: everyone came to the island by boat. This means that everyone in Mauritius feels that they have an equal standing as Mauritians. 8 Mauritius is a long-established, mature democracy, with all the key benefits such as freedom of speech and equality before the law

24 Business 1 Mauritius is one of the most business and investment friendly locations in the world:15% corporation tax; exemption from customs and excise duties on imports of equipment and raw materials; exemption from tax on dividends and capital gains; free repatriation of profits, dividends and capital. 2 The Financial Times Foreign Direct Investment magazine rates Mauritius as the best destination for FDI in Africa. 3 Mauritius has a disciplined and sophisticated workforce. A rapidly developing tertiary education sector, a high quality secondary school system and a long-standing tradition of high value manufacturing and professional services, has made Mauritius a reliable centre for establishing a business. 4 Mauritius has been an established centre for international banking and finance for over 20 years. Many of the biggest international banks are present in Mauritius. 6 China has decided to make Mauritius one of its five special economic zones in its strategy to develop business in Africa. 7 Mauritius has repeatedly shown its ability to adapt to changing economic circumstances. In the last few years businesses in ICT, Hospitality and Property Development, Seafood and Marine industries, and Medical and Biotech industries have been established, attracting significant investment both from local and foreign investors. 9 Mauritius has a prime geographical position at the heart of the Indian Ocean and stands at the crossroads between Asia and Africa. 10 Mauritius is multilingual including English and French the two leading languages of international business and the two principal languages of sub- Saharan Africa. This is combined with a cultural dexterity derived from its unique ethnic composition: Indian, African, Chinese, French and British. 5 Mauritius has a sophisticated road, air and ICT infrastructure that meets international standards. 8 Mauritius has double taxation treaties with 34 countries, including India and China. This makes Mauritius an ideal partner for investment in the world s fastest growing economies. 11 Mauritius has a long-established, independent judicial system. The highest Court of Appeal remains the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London, UK

25 Visitors 1 Mauritius has one of the highest rates of returning tourism visitors in the world. This is because of the friendliness and professionalism of the service they receive in Mauritius. 2 Expatriates find it easy to feel at home in Mauritius as they are accepted rapidly into the community when they move here. 3 Mauritius is one of the world s top luxury tourism destinations with many of the world s leading hotels, which have won many tourism awards. 4 Mauritius is a destination of striking natural beauty and natural and cultural diversity. Combined with a benign climate, the friendliness of Mauritians and high levels of safety and security, this has made Mauritius one of the world s most aspirational tourism destinations. 46

26 Mauritius and the senses Creative agencies and businesses should think of imaginative ways to use sensory stimuli in their communications and environments. The sensory responses trigger deeper emotional responses and thereby create greater impact and overall positive response. Sights An unusual rocky protuberance crowning Pieter Both Mountain; Le Morne; the sugar cane factories rising out from the sugar cane fields; turquoise lagoons; colourful religious festivals; smiling people; rose-tinted sunsets; Le Coin de Mire; market stalls piled high with vegetables and spices; the vast blue horizon; white beaches 48 49

27 Sounds Sea waves crashing against the coast; melodious birdsong; the cries of the street food sellers; the silence of nature; the sound of Sega music; the rhythm of the Ravanne; the call from the mosque; the distant tinkling of bells Tastes The taste of thirty-five different varieties of mango; fish rougaille; the yellow peas, chili and cumin in Gateau Piment; Dhal Puri; P tit punch lime juice, brown sugar and white rum over ice; fresh vegetables on market day 50 51

28 Scents The syrupy scent of warm molasses; the sweet aroma from the vanilla-scented tea; the freshness of the sea; the soft fragrance of jasmine; exotic spices wafting through the air; the scents in the forest after the rain 52

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30 Communicating with different audiences The brand and sector positioning strategies At the heart of the brand is the idea that Mauritius the people and the place nurtures, characterised by a generosity of spirit and a nurturing environment that helps individuals and families realise their true potential. These are strategic directions that should be used as a base for every form of communication. The question is, how do we express this in the most appropriate way in a range of different circumstances? The following pages show how the strategy has been tailored to five key areas: citizens, trade, investment, visitors, diaspora Mauritius nurtures Generosity of Spirit Citizens Team Mauritius Trade Made with care Investment The empathiser Visitors The ultimate relaxation and renewal Diaspora The global network of ambassadors 56 57

31 Citizens Team Mauritius Proposition A celebration of our diversity: enrichment through sharing each others talents and richness. Positioning Team Mauritius: an example of different cultures living together and producing something collectively that is an example for the world. 59

32 Trade Made with care Proposition In Mauritius people take extra care in life which they channel into their work. They nourish the products they make and the services they provide, infusing them with care, sensitivity and insight. Positioning Made in Mauritius means made with care. Other countries have well put together products and services but Mauritius specialises in infusing its products and services with a very particular detailed sense of care. 61

33 Investment The empathiser Proposition Mauritius understands and takes cares of your specific business and investment needs. Positioning The empathiser: using its insight into the needs of others to craft opportunities into business success, thereby establishing its position as the business hub of the Afrasia region. Other countries may also have high levels of expertise but only Mauritius has the cultural dexterity and understanding to be truly sensitive to your business needs. Other countries may also offer enticing opportunities but Mauritius has the long track record of economic and institutional stability to keep your investment safe. 63

34 Visitors The ultimate relaxation and renewal Proposition Mauritius provides a level of acceptance, comfort and stimulation that delights visitors while giving them all the benefits of home. Positioning The ultimate relaxation and renewal. Other countries may have exemplary service but the Mauritian smile is natural and genuine and you are served with pleasure. Other countries may be as beautiful but the friendliness and kindness of the Mauritian welcome entices visitors to return again and again. Mauritius gives you the time and space to relax and unwind. Mauritius gives you a renewed sense of well-being: a deep revitalisation that involves attuning to all your senses and reconnecting with yourself. 65

35 Diaspora The global network of ambassadors Proposition Appartenance/belonging: the feeling of being welcomed home. Positioning The global network of ambassadors for Mauritius. Other countries have large and active diasporas but only Mauritius has such a well placed and widely dispersed diaspora as a proportion of its population. 67

36 Background to the project The brand strategy for Mauritius, explained in this book, is the result of considerable research and consultation conducted over a six month period. A series of group discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted with a cross-section of people in Mauritius and with stakeholders and potential stakeholders around the world. This included over150 qualitative and 300 quantitative interviews. Further insights came from all the essays submitted by students, writers and artists in Mauritius, who were invited to tell us what it means to be Mauritian. 69

37

38 Acknowledgements We wish to thank everyone who has willingly given time to help on this project: those people who have participated in the workshops, interviews and discussion groups and those people who have helped us find the places and people that enabled us to capture images of Mauritius in all its beauty and diversity. Acanchi was appointed by the Government of Mauritius to assist in the development of the country brand strategy. Written and produced by Acanchi Designed by Rose With special thanks to the MTPA Logo The Brand Strategy describes the platform for all future communications for Mauritius. As the first initiative, a new Mauritius Country Brand Logo has been created along with a special purpose strapline to be a symbol of the Positioning: Generosity of spirit and the Proposition: Mauritius nurtures. An example of this new Logo appears at the bottom of this page. The rules for the use and typography of the new Logo are set out in a separate book entitled Brand Mauritius Visual Identity Guidelines. 72

39
Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray calls on US to respect rights of Mexicans and urges path to citizenship for migrants.

Mexico has opened legal aid centres in its 50 consulates across the United States to defend its citizens amid worries of a crackdown on undocumented immigrants.

The centres will provide free legal assistance to Mexican citizens who feel that their rights in the US are being threatened.

On Saturday, Luis Videgaray, Mexicos foreign minister, called on the US government to respect the rights of Mexicans, and urged the US to allow a path to legality for those without documents.





We are not promoting illegality, Videgaray said in a video of an event at the Mexican consulate in New York provided by the foreign ministry.

He said Mexicos government wants its citizens in the US to follow the law, but it also advocates the respect of human rights .

Today, we are facing a situation that can paradoxically represent an opportunity, when suddenly a government wants to apply the law more severely, Videgaray said.

It is becoming more than evident that to apply the law, which is the obligation of any state, it would also imply a real economic damage to this country which highlights the need for an immigration reform that resolves once and for all the legal status of the people, Videgaray said.

Mexico is worried about the impact that guidelines issued last month by President Donald Trump will have on the lives of its citizens.

READ MORE: Dear Donald Trump  A letter from Mexico

During his first month in office, Trump issued orders to initiate tougher deportation procedures, following up on campaign promises to build a wall on the US-Mexico border, and crackdown on illegal migration.

The Pew Research Center estimates that there are nearly six million undocumented Mexicans living in the US.

In late February, Videgaray expressed worry and irritation about Trumps new policies to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security chief John Kelly when they visited Mexico for talks on immigration and security.

Diplomatic relations between the neighbouring countries have deteriorated after Trump declared his plan to build the wall, the construction of which, he said, will be paid for by Mexico.

The remarks prompted President Enrique Pena Nieto to cancel a visit to Washington on January 31 and to announce extra funding to protect the rights of Mexican citizens in the US.
More than 66,000 people have been forced to flee, according to the UN, as Syrian army makes progress on ISIL stronghold.

More than 66,000 people have been forced to flee fighting in northern Syria , ravaged in recent weeks by dual offensives on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ( ISIL ) group, according to the United Nations.

The UNs humanitarian agency, OCHA, said on Sunday that tens of thousands of people have left their homes in northern Aleppo province, particularly around the former ISIL stronghold of Al Bab.

This includes nearly 40,000 people from Al Bab city and nearby Taduf town, as well as 26,000 people from communities to the east of Al Bab, OCHA said adding that nearly 40,000 people displaced from the town fled north to areas controlled by other rebel forces.





Since February 25, OCHA said, another 26,000 people fled violence further east, where Syrian government forces supported by Russian air power have also been waging a fierce offensive against ISIL.

It added that the high contamination of unexploded bombs and booby traps set by retreating ISIL fighters was complicating efforts to return.

Many of those fleeing the violence sought refuge in areas around Manbij, a town controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Al Jazeeras Natasha Ghoneim, reporting from Gaziantep on the Turkey-Syria border , said there was a growing humanitarian crisis.

The civilians we talked to mentioned some horrific details, including their money being stolen and also children being slaughtered by ISIL, she said.

Theres also the issue of return: when and if. ISIL have planted many mines in the neighbourhood and that will become a big issue if and when they are allowed to return home.

Long queues

An AFP news agency correspondent in Manbij said that long queues of families were still forming at checkpoints leading to the town on Sunday.

Pick-up trucks full of children and women wearing full black veils were being searched individually by SDF personnel before being allowed to enter.

READ MORE: For Syrian orphans, a childhood on fast forward

In Syrias northern province of Aleppo, where ISIL have faced simultaneous assaults in recent weeks, twin suicide attacks killed 15 people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Sunday.

One attacker detonated a car bomb near the ISIL-held town of Deir Hafer, killing eight fighters with regime forces late on Saturday, according to SOHR.

ISIL claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was carried out by fighter Abu Abdullah al-Shami with an explosive-laden vehicle.





Deir Hafer lies on a key road linking Aleppo city to the ISIL-controlled town of Khafsah, which holds the main station to pump water into Aleppo, and further east to the groups de facto capital Raqqa.

Residents of Aleppo city have been without mains water for 48 days after ISIL cut the supply.

On Sunday, Russian and regime warplanes bombarded ISIL positions in support of Syrian troops, which had advanced to 9km from Khafsah, SOHR said.

They were just 6km from the pumping station, Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of SOHR, said.

In a second attack, ISIL said a fighter detonated his suicide belt in the rebel-held town of Azaz, also in Aleppo province.

SOHR said the suicide attack in the town killed seven fighters and wounded several others, some of them in critical condition.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in Azaz.
Number of displaced swollen by 45,000 who have fled citys west since push to seize it from ISIL began, says NGO.

More than 200,000 people have been displaced as a result of the Iraqi forces battle to retake the city of Mosul from ISIL that began in October, according to a Switzerland-based nongovernmental organisation.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimates, in a report released on Sunday, said 45,000 people have fled west Mosul since the push to seize it from ISIL, or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group, began in February.

More than 17,000 people arrived from west Mosul on February 28 alone, while over 13,000 came on March 3, according to the IOM.

On Saturday, a senior Iraqi government official publicly criticised UN-led efforts to aid those displaced by the west Mosul fighting, while the UN said that such assistance is the top priority.

WATCH: Will latest Iraqi offensive mean end of ISIL in Mosul?

Unfortunately, there is a clear shortfall in the work of these [UN] organisations, Jassem Mohammed al-Jaff, the minister of displacement and migration, said in a statement.

Al Jazeeras Dekker, reporting from eastern Mosul on Sunday, said that the stream of people is continuing.

Because the camps are operating at full capacity, the refugees are now being brought to the Kurdish regions here in northern Iraq, she said.

There are buses behind us that have just arrived with more arrivals. We are talking about thousands and thousands of people.

Additionally, medical workers warned that women and children have been exposed to toxic gas near the city.

If confirmed, the use of chemical weapons and toxic agents in the fighting will amount to war crimes, the UN has said.

Push for city centre

On the ground, US-backed Iraqi forces have advanced in a new push towards Mosuls old city centre from the western side of the Tigris River, in an attempt to drive out ISIL fighters, according to an Iraqi military spokesperson.

Smoke rose over west Mosul on Sunday as the forces advanced in a fight marked by explosions and continual automatic weapons fire.

Federal police and Rapid Response Division forces are attacking Al Dindan and Al Dawasa neighbourhoods, Iraqs Joint Operations Command (JOC) said.





Al Dawasa includes the Nineveh governors headquarters and other government buildings. Mosul is the capital of Nineveh province.

Counter-Terrorism Service forces are attacking Al Sumood and Tal al-Ruman neighbourhoods, and the advance is still ongoing, the JOC said.

The Counter-Terrorism Service and Rapid Response are two special forces units that have spearheaded operations in the Mosul area, while the federal police are a paramilitary police unit.

The operation in Mosul was officially launched in October last year. In January, its eastern half was declared fully liberated.

The Iraqi army is also taking part in the fight for west Mosul, with the 9th Armoured Division advancing through the desert surrounding the city, aiming to cut if off from the ISIL-held town of Tal Afar, farther west.

Decisive battle

Al Jazeeras Dekker, reporting from Hassan Al Shams camp for displaced people, said: What we understand is that theyre [Iraqi forces] now pushing in an area just south of the old city, an area that houses one of the government buildings.

She said retaking the government building would be significant.

Its symbolic [to recapture government building], because ISIL is believed to be using that as some form of a command centre, but its also right at the gates of the old city of Mosul.

Many people will probably tell you that the decisive battle for Mosul is fought, but its going to be very difficult.

The streets around the historic centre, which includes the mosque in which ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made his only public appearance in June 2014, will be inaccessible for Iraqi military vehicles and force government fighters to take on ISIL, also known as ISIS, in direct, on-the-ground fighting.

Iraqi government forces believe ISIL fighters are among the remaining civilian population, which aid agencies estimated to number 750,000 at the beginning of the latest offensive.
Attack in Washington state follows killing of Indian engineer in Kansas last month.

A Sikh man was shot and wounded near Seattle in the US state of Washington by an attacker who approached him in his driveway and reportedly told him to leave the country, police and media reported.

Seattle television station KIRO 7 reported on Saturday that Deep Rai was working on his car in his driveway when he was shot in the arm.

A witness told the TV station she knew the victim and saw him after he was attacked on Friday.

READ MORE: Sikh Coalition  After Seattle attack we are vigilant

Some comments were made to the effect of Get out of our country, go back to where youre from and our victim was then shot, Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said at a news conference.

To think that this could happen in our community was very surprising and extremely disappointing, Thomas said.





This is the first incident of this magnitude that Im aware of in the city of Kent.

The Seattle Times quoted Rai in describing his attacker as a six-foot tall white man with a stocky build wearing a mask that partially covered his face.

The victim was released from hospital, according to the news site, while the attacker remains at large.

In response to the attack, Rajdeeph Singh, a spokesperson for The Sikh Coalition, called on national leaders to make hate crime prevention a top priority.

Tone matters in our political discourse, because this a matter of life or death for millions of Americans who are worried about losing loved ones to hate.

Sushma Swaraj, Indias minister of external affairs, also condemned the shooting of the Indian national.

I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai  I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh, father of the victim, Swaraj posted on social media.

He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital.

String of attacks

The attack took place a day after a South Carolina man, originally from India, was shot dead after closing his shop.

Police said the killing of Harnish Patel was not racially motivated.

Two weeks ago, an Indian engineer was killed and two people were injured in another incident in the state of Kansas.

Fridays shooting in the city of Kent, around 24km south of Seattle, followed a number of other attacks on Sikhs in the US over the past decade.

READ MORE: Shooting in Kansas

In 2012, a man shot and killed six Sikh worshippers and wounded four others at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before killing himself.

Hate-crime tracking groups said assailants have occasionally mistaken Sikhs for Muslims, who have also been victimised in religiously motivated crimes.
Most of those freed by SPLM-N described by army as troops captured in fighting in Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.

A Sudanese rebel group has freed 127 people it had captured in fighting with government forces, according to the countrys army.

Those released by the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) included 109 soldiers and 18 civilians, Brigadier Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami, the army spokesman, said in a statement on Sunday.

The Sudanese army recognises this as a positive step towards achieving peace in the country.

The SPLM-N had captured the prisoners in Blue Nile and South Kordofan states, where the group has been fighting Sudanese government forces for years.

It was not clear how long the prisoners spent in captivity.

In 2011, South Sudan gained independence from Sudan following a 2005 peace deal that ended Africas longest-running civil war.

Excluded from deal

After a referendum, in which an overwhelming majority of South Sudanese voted to secede, Africas newest country came into being, the first since Eritrea split from Ethiopia in 1993.

But South Kordofan and Blue Nile, whose residents predominantly wanted to become citizens of the new nation, were excluded from the deal.

The SPLM-N, the northern affiliate of SPLM in South Sudan, consequently took up arms against the Sudanese government of President Omar al-Bashir, and fighting has continued on and off ever since.

Fighting in the two areas, and in Darfur, have left tens of thousands of people dead and displaced millions.

Khartoum announced a unilateral ceasefire in June 2016 in all three conflict zones, which it extended by six months in January.

UN says that for years Blue Nile and South Kordofan have been no-go areas for aid officials, leaving thousands of people without access to humanitarian relief.
Syrian rebel group says it shot down the plane but officials yet to confirm cause of crash in Turkish province of Hatay.

A Syrian military plane crashed in Turkey near its border with Syria, the Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu said.

The plane crashed in the Turkish province of Hatay on Saturday, the news agency said, quoting provincial governor Erdal Ata as saying police and medical teams were at the crash site.

The planes cockpit was empty. We believe that the pilots parachuted out, Ata said, adding that a search for them was under way.

On Sunday, Anadolu reported that the pilot was found and taken to hospital, adding that he had managed to use his parachute to land safely.





He was found exhausted after a nine-hour search by Turkish security teams and was being given medical care at a local medical centre.

Earlier, people in the Turkish border village of Samandag said they heard a loud noise at around 6:30pm (1530 GMT) and alerted the police, the Dogan news agency said.

A Syrian military official, quoted by state television, said: Contact was lost with a military aircraft on a reconnaissance mission near the Turkish border.

The Syrian rebel group Ahrar al-Sham told AFP news agency that it had shot down a government plane as it was overflying Idlib province [in northwestern Syria] and carrying out air strikes.

The British-based monitor of the Syrian conflict, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said a plane which probably belongs to the Syrian regime crashed in Idlib province. The status of the pilot is unknown and there are contradictory reasons for the cause of the crash.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, quoted by Anadolu, said the cause of the crash was unknown, but he pointed to poor weather conditions at the time.

The Syrian civil war started as a largely unarmed uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011, but quickly developed into a fully armed conflict.

Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations special envoy to Syria, estimated in April 2016 that more than 400,000 Syrians had been killed since the war started.

Calculating a precise death toll is difficult, partially owing to the forced disappearances of tens of thousands of Syrians whose fate remains unknown.

Almost 11 million Syrians  half the countrys prewar population  have been displaced from their homes.
The case against Assange is as political as it is legal; where does it go from here? Plus, Kenyas election influencers.










English News China announces lowest defense spending increase

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 5 Mars 2017



Though in regard of the absolute value, Chinas defense spending is only second to the US in the world, the number is only 24.6 percent of the latter. The per capita defense cost of China is only 1/18 of the US, 1/9 of the UK, 1/7 of France and 1/5 of Russia and Japan respectively.

By Zhang Mengxu from Peoples Daily Chinas defense budget will increase by around 7 percent in 2017, Fu Ying, spokesperson for the two-week 12th National People's Congress (NPC) annual session told a press conference on Saturday in Beijing. The new increase is the country's slowest defense budget rise in recent years.



Chinas budget expense has always been a spotlight of foreign media. Before the start of this years NPC and Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, also known as the two sessions, foreign media conducted rounds of analysis and predictions in this subject.



Nikkei, in its article published on March 1, said that Donald Trumps proposal to increase defense budget in his presidential campaign may set off Russia and China to raise spending.



At the end of February, the US-headquartered Time magazine predicted that in the new defense budget drafted by China at the two sessions, China may devote more resource into strengthening navy power.



When Fu announced the specific number, most media responded calmly and rationally. As AFP reported on Saturday, the 7-percent-increase is the lowest rate in recent years and Chinas military expense is still much less than that of the US.



Deutsche Welle said on its website that it is a mild move for China to rise the defense budget by 7 percent.



Though in regard of the absolute value, Chinas defense spending is only second to the US in the world, the number is only 24.6 percent of the latter. The per capita defense cost of China is only 1/18 of the US, 1/9 of the UK, 1/7 of France and 1/5 of Russia and Japan respectively.



The military expenditure per capita of China is only 13.58 percent of the US, 22.98 percent of the UK, 22.8 percent of France and 14.3 percent of Germany.



Chinas defense expense, though presenting a long-term growing trend, only accounts for 1.3 of its GDP, and stayed at that level for years. Such percentage is lower than most of the countries in the world.



The defense spending of major countries usually makes up 2 to 5 percent of their GDP. In the US, the figure is around 4 percent and Russia allocates 4 to 5 percent of its GDP for national defense.



Analysts stressed that as a major country with 9.6 million square kilometer of land territory, 3 million square kilometer of maritime territory and an almost 1.4 billion population, China has every reason to appropriately increase its military spending.



To meet the demands for economic development, it is reasonable to moderately increase military expenditure as long as it conforms the strategy of simultaneous development of national defense construction and economic construction, they added.



The average growth rate of Chinas defense expenditure stands at 12.43 percent in recent years, achieving simultaneous growth with fiscal revenue.



Against the background of profound changes in national strength, security environment and global strategic arena, Chinas defense budget increase is reasonable and sustainable, Chen Zhou, Deputy of the National Peoples Congress and researcher of Academy of Military Science of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army said in an interview on the sidelines of the two sessions.



A social media affiliated to Peoples Daily published an article on Saturday to analyze Chinas budget cost, said that the rising number is not high at all.



Chinese netizens commented with agreement. One netizen replied that what Fu said at the Munich Security Conference is right. It is wrong to ask US allies to keep their defense budget above 2 percent of the GDP while saying China is spending too much in military.



Double standard is not acceptable!  the web user stressed.



Pic:



Fu Ying, spokesperson for the fifth session of China's 12th National People's Congress (NPC), takes questions from Chinese and foreign journalists during a press conference on the session on March 4, 2017. (Photo by Weng Qiyu from Peoples Daily)



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English News China dwarfs other economies in 2016 growth

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 5 Mars 2017



The International Monetary Fund (IMF) previously slashed its estimate for growth in the US economy in 2016 to 1.6 percent, and predicted a 1.7 percent growth for Eurozone, 0.9 percent for Japan, 6.6 percent for India and 0.3 percent for South Africa.

By Lu Yanan, Wang Weijian from Peoples Daily Despite sluggish global economy, China posted GDP growth at 6.7 percent year-on-year to 74.41 trillion yuan in 2016, dwarfing other major economies of the world, Chinese official told a recent press conference. Economists stressed that with a 33.2 percent contribution, China remained a key engine of global economic growth.



"China's economy expanded by 6.7 percent last year, a good start for the country's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-220)," Wang Guoqing, spokesperson for the fifth session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said at a press conference Thursday.



The record low growth since 1991 sparked the legislators and policymakers debates on whether Chinese economy will hit a bottom, maintain a medium-to-high-speed growth or keep its driving forces.



These deputies will give their suggestions on Chinas economic and social agendas during the annual sessions of the National People's Congress and CPPCC that kicked off over the weekend.



Liu Zhibiao, member of the CPPCC National Committee and professor with Nanjing University, eased the market concerns, saying that China has no need to be anxious at all, because though the number was a dramatic fall compared with previous years, it far outnumbered other economies worldwide.



The International Monetary Fund (IMF) previously slashed its estimate for growth in the US economy in 2016 to 1.6 percent, and predicted a 1.7 percent growth for Eurozone, 0.9 percent for Japan, 6.6 percent for India and 0.3 percent for South Africa.



Though the growth was the lowest one in 26 years, China maintained as a big driver to world economic growth by contributing 33.2 percent of the expansion. Its economic aggregate exceeded 70 trillion yuan for the first time.



Li Wei, director with the Development Research Center of the State Council, added that the growth trajectory of Chinese economy may well be already in the second phase of an L-shaped recovery, and there is now less risks for a sharp growth fall.



Despite of a slower growth, the economy now develops along a healthier track, which can be proved by a faster growth of resident income than GDP, as well as a more optimized, coordinated and sustainable structure.



Data showed that in 2016, China registered a 6.9 percent year-on-year increase in gross national income. The added value of the service sector increased 7.8 percent year on year to 38.4 trillion yuan last year, contributing 51.6 percent to GDP, 1.4 percentage points more than the previous year.



Costs have to be paid to restructure economy, it is inevitable but will be rewarding, Liu explained, encouraging the Chinese economy to take the bull by the horns.



Analysts believed that China can afford the prices to restructure the economy. The process may, in a short run, reduce local governments GDP and fiscal revenues, tighten the pocket of business, and expose their risks, but in a long term will add more fuels for sustainable growth.



Those structural adjustment will release more resources like idled land and credit, and then allocate them to those needed industries, they added.





Pic.



Photo taken on March 1, 2017 shows workers are checking the product quality of automotive control cable at a factory in Yantai, east Chinas Shandong Province. China's manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) came in at 51.6 percent in February, 0.3 percentage points higher than that recorded in January, according to data released on March 1 by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing. (Photo by Peoples Daily)



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English News China is firm in its resolve to oppose THAAD deployment: Peoples Daily

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 5 Mars 2017



It is true that the decision of Seoul and Washington to deploy the THAAD system last July has severely damaged the public foundation of China-ROK cooperation, the article pointed out, indicating that the political estrangement has been spilled to economic, trade and cultural exchanges.

By Hu Zexi from Peoples Daily China is firm in its resolve to oppose the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and will never be hesitate in taking necessary actions to safeguard its own security interests, Peoples Daily stressed in a commentary published on Saturday, criticizing the ROK government and its businesss stubborn persistence in THAAD deployment.



The editorial under the pen name of Zhongsheng, which is usually used to voice Chinas stance on foreign affairs, came amid pouring anger and blames from Chinese government and media against the ROK government and Lotte Group, the countrys fifth-largest conglomerate.



Lotte put itself on fire after it agreed on a land swap deal to enable an early deployment of the US-backed missile shield system. The swap, which gives the ROK defense ministry the Lotte Skyhill Country Club in Seongju County, North Gyeongsang Province, for the deployment of the THAAD system, paves way for a speedy installation of the system by late June at the earliest.



Lottes latest decision trapped itself into a complicated strategic game in Northeast Asia. The panicky local media, in recent days, have been busy with guessing whether the retail giant will be sanctioned by China.



It is true that the decision of Seoul and Washington to deploy the THAAD system last July has severely damaged the public foundation of China-ROK cooperation, the article pointed out, indicating that the political estrangement has been spilled to economic, trade and cultural exchanges.



It is predictable that bilateral cooperation will definitely meet more icebergs if the ROK is stubborn on its decision, the paper stressed.



China welcomes foreign companies investing in the country and will always protect their rights and interests, but their operation should be in compliance with laws and regulations, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a recent conference while responding a question regarding whether China would take punitive measures against Lotte.



Chinese market and consumers will determine whether a foreign company is successful in China, the paper reiterated the stance, refuting ROK medias groundless claims that China is sanctioning the retail giant.



Lottes agreement on the land swap deal is pushing ROK government towards a wrong path since the THAAD deployment will not only damage the strategic security interests of its neighbors, but also deteriorate regional crisis, the paper commented.

Chinese consumers resolute and voluntary fight back never crosses the line of law, and it is a natural outcome that the company should have predicted before it made the decision, it added.

Though some ROK public labeled what Lotte did with patriotism, the article noted that it is a kind of fake patriotism since the decision to pave way for THAAD installation will surely endanger the country.

It cannot help with the process to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, but create more conflicts and confrontations, the article analyzed, warning that water on the whole peninsula will be meddled as a result.

Whats worse, if the ROK is kidnapped to a war chariot by the US, it would lose its rights to make a decision, the Peoples Daily said, concluding that the country will certainly suffer from heavy losses once clashes break out.





Dans la meme rubrique : < > China's Beidou reaches world-leading level: white paper Silk Road e-commerce promotes trade among Belt and Road countries Irrigation project in Jiangsu gets world heritage designation Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)










English News China now largest source of worlds foreign students

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 5 Mars 2017



The number of students from countries involved in the China-inspired Belt and Road initiative has significantly increased. In 2016, students from the 64 en-route countries of the initiative saw 207,746 students coming to China, representing an increase of 13.6 percent compared with one year before.

By Li Ning from Peoples Daily In 2016, China witnessed an increase in terms of both the number of students it sent out and accepted. China has sent the most students studying aboard in the world and accepted the largest number of foreign students in Asia, according to the country's Ministry of Education.



The total number of students studying aboard in 2016 stood at 544,500 and the number of returned personnel after receiving overseas education reached 432,500. Based on incomplete statistics, 80 percent of them choose to return to China for further development after completing the studies.



The distribution of overseas Chinese students was centralized. In 2016, over 90 percent of overseas Chinese students were in the US, the UK, Australia and another 7 countries. In regard of degree level, 70 percent of the students pursued bachelor or above degrees.



Out of the students studying overseas in 2016, 498,200 of them were self-financed, accounting for 91.49 percent of the total number. Since 2012, the percentage of self-financed students maintained at 92 percent.



At the same time, China has become the hottest destination for overseas education in Asia. In 2016, the number of foreign students in China exceeded 440,000, which is an increase of 35 percent on 2012. The number of source countries and regions of foreign students set a record high of 205.



The number of students from countries involved in the China-inspired Belt and Road initiative has significantly increased. In 2016, students from the 64 en-route countries of the initiative saw 207,746 students coming to China, representing an increase of 13.6 percent compared with one year before.



Given such trend, the scholarship offered by the Chinese government to foreign students leans towards neighbors and countries along the Belt and Road. Among the 49,022 recipients of the scholarship last year, 61 percent of them are from Belt and Road countries.



Xu Tao, Director General of Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of Ministry of Education said that to support the Belt and Road initiative, China will accept 10,000 more students every year from en-route countries.



This year, China will set up a Silk Road scholarship to finance foreign students of Belt and Road countries to study in China and help train talents for these countries, he added.



Pic:



Overseas students from Russia, Iran and Jordan of Yiwu Industrial &Commercial College visited Yiwu sewage disposal center to learn about the process and technology of sewage treatment on Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo by Peoples Daily)



Dans la meme rubrique : < > China's Beidou reaches world-leading level: white paper Silk Road e-commerce promotes trade among Belt and Road countries Irrigation project in Jiangsu gets world heritage designation Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)










English News Rural China braces for new betrothal tradition

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 5 Mars 2017



In traditional Chinese nuptial customs, the groom should give the bride betrothal presents, which is a form of engagement with a moral obligation. Meanwhile, this culture also embodies the wishes for respect, a bright future and a lasting marriage.

By Liu Junguo from Peoples Daily Instead of asking for onerous cash gifts, Liu Kangs in-laws, who in the northwestern province of Gansu, decided to abandon the long-held convention. Netizens in China lauded the generous gesture after it was reported by the media.



The example set by Lius in-laws embodies the changing mind-set in some rural regions, and is a victory for Chinas efforts to simplify marriage affairs.



Before the wedding, Liu learned that the betrothal price in his hometown was around 130,000 yuan ($18,853), even though in 2016 the average annual per capita disposal income of rural residents in China was 12,363 yuan and 8,452 yuan in poverty-stricken areas. He managed to collect the money by borrowing from friends.



To his surprise, Lius future father-in-law did not give him a hard time about the money. You two will soon start a new life. We dont care about gifts, he said. So Liu just offered 8,888 yuan. However, on the wedding night, his mother-in-law found a way to give the money back.



In traditional Chinese nuptial customs, the groom should give the bride betrothal presents, which is a form of engagement with a moral obligation. Meanwhile, this culture also embodies the wishes for respect, a bright future and a lasting marriage.



This traditional custom still prevails, especially in some rural areas, and the cost has become a heavy burden in some places.



The presents have become onerous for many ordinary families, with young people in rural areas unable to afford to wed.



Analysts pointed out that other than the traditional concepts of demanding money to support parents and compensation for losing a source of free labor for the brides family, anxiety over future nursing costs and keeping up with their neighbors have contributed to rising betrothal prices in some rural areas.



In recent years, the Chinese government has strengthened guidance, advocated simplifying marriage affairs, and opposed arranged marriage, illegal early marriage and extortion of property through marriage, yielding sound results.



Chinas Shandong and Henan provinces, where families lay great emphasis on the wedding price, have founded non-governmental organizations on marriage and funeral affairs, to curb high-price gifts and undesirable customs.



It is this type of changes in ideas and conventions that make it easier for people like Liu to not worry too much about the money when proposing a marriage.





Dans la meme rubrique : < > China's Beidou reaches world-leading level: white paper Silk Road e-commerce promotes trade among Belt and Road countries Irrigation project in Jiangsu gets world heritage designation Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)










English News Xi Jinping urges Chinese intellectuals to devote to innovation-driven development

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 5 Mars 2017



Everyone should stick to the implementation of the 13th Five-Year Plan and goals for economic-social development around the year and make in-depth research on maintaining the stable and healthy development of economy as well as social harmony before proposing practical and effective solutions, the President emphasized.

By Zhao Cheng from Peoples Daily Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday exhorted the nations intellectuals to commit themselves to innovation-driven development and play a bigger role in contributing to a better nation.



Xi made the remarks when joining a panel discussion with political advisors from the China Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD), the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party (CPWDP) and the Jiu San Society at the fifth session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).



The Chinese President, who is also General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that intellectuals should increase knowledge accumulation, strengthen innovation awareness and improve innovation capacity by focusing on the core links of economic competitiveness, the bottlenecks restraining social development and the major challenges of national security.



The interests of the country and nation should be put at the first place, he added, encouraging the intellectuals to take the initiative and help make nation a great scientific power.



The whole society should care for and respect intellectuals and cultivate a favorable environment that honors knowledge and intellectuals, Xi said, adding that authorities must create better conditions, speed up the mechanism-building and follow the work features of intellectuals so that they can concentrate on their duties and fully unleash their talent.



Defining this year as an important year for the 13th Five-Year Plan and a year to deepen the supply-side structural reform, Xi said that in-depth research, proper solution and joint efforts are required to meet all the challenges.



Everyone should stick to the implementation of the 13th Five-Year Plan and goals for economic-social development around the year and make in-depth research on maintaining the stable and healthy development of economy as well as social harmony before proposing practical and effective solutions, the President emphasized.



The General Secretary responded to my advice! said the advisors after the joint panel discussion.



Zhao Lihong, member of the CPPCC National Committee, member of the CAPD Central Committee and Vice President of Shanghai Writers Association told Peoples Daily that Chinas culture intellectuals should implement the spirit of Xis important speech and create excellent works that belong to China to let the world appreciate or even marvel at the Chinese culture.



Zhou Jianmin, member of the CPPCC National Committee, Vice Chairman of CPPCC Jiangsu Provincial Committee and Chairman of CPWDP Jiangsu Committee, pointed out that given the rapid development of technology, we should notice that China still lags behind in primary innovation.



We intellectuals should actively devote to innovation-driven development and make due contribution to the country so as to build a major socialism country of innovation, added Zhou, who also spoke at the joint panel.





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The intelligence community unjustly suffered a black eye when its use of enhanced interrogation techniques (EIT) was publicized by the media and used as a political issue by Democrats trying to discredit a Republican administration and undermine the post 9/11war effort. In addition, CIA black site operations were unfairly tied to an isolated case of prisoner abuse by military police at Abu Ghraib, a U.S.-run Iraqi detention facility for terrorist detainees. What was missing from the head-on attacks on the intelligence agency was the reality of how EIT thwarted terrorist plans and potentially saved thousands of American lives.

A new book, Enhanced Interrogation: Inside the Minds and Motives of Islamic Terrorists Trying to Destroy America (Crown Forum, 2016) by psychologist and retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, Dr. James E. Mitchell, describes the author's involvement in the development and implementation of the CIA's enhanced interrogation program from its inception in 2002 until it was shut down by Obama in 2009.

The book is an eye-opening account of how thoughtfully and judiciously enhanced interrogation techniques were developed, how they were applied, how much valuable intelligence was gleaned from their use and how effectively they thwarted potentially deadly attacks.

The unfair discrediting of EIT began when California Senator Diane Feinstein, a Senate Select Intelligence Committee member, cherrypicked information from CIA documents and alleged that corrupt CIA officials mercilessly tortured detainees and failed to produce a scintilla of useful intelligence in the process. Yet, her dubious claims were far from the truth. Feinstein was poised for a witch-hunt against the Bush administration and the CIA. The Senate Intelligence Committee failed to produce a balanced, bipartisan investigation and even refused to interview any of the CIA operatives and contractors involved in the EIT operation.

In his book, Mitchell defends the CIA program as well run, effective, conducted fully within the bounds of the law and a source of valuable counterterrorism intelligence. Further, the same Democratic members of the House and Senate intelligence committees that condemned the program were fully briefed ahead of time and supported it before it became politically useful to denounce it.

In Enhanced Interrogation, Mitchell laments that traditional rapport-building techniques typically used by law enforcement did not work with Islamic terrorist detainees who were trained to resist using various methods laid out in the Manchester Manual. The manual was a computer file found by Manchester Metropolitan Police in 2000 in the home of Abu Anas al-Libi, a Libyan under indictment in the U.S. for his part in the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings. Al-Libi worked as a computer specialist for Al Qaeda. The 180-page document on how to wage war included instructions on how to withstand interrogation methods and falsely claim torture.

Faced with detainees trained to resist traditional interrogation techniques, U.S. officials, after much analysis and soul-searching at the CIA, decided to use Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape or SERE techniques. These interrogation methods had been used for decades without significant injuries to train the U.S. military in resistance techniques when in enemy captivity. One of the techniques was waterboarding, which the author and another psychologist lobbied to eliminate from training because they felt it was too effective and would undermine the confidence of soldiers in their ability to withstand interrogation and protect military secrets. Ultimately, CIA head, George Tenet, the DOJ, White House lawyers, then national security advisor Condoleezza Rice, VP Cheney and President Bush, all approved use of these techniques.

One of the first Islamic terrorist detainees waterboarded was Abu Zubaydah, an operational planner for Al Qaeda prior to 9/11, who was believed to have much valuable intelligence to share with U.S. authorities. At one critical point after 9/11, Zubaydah had shut down and was unresponsive to questioning. Prior to waterboarding, he was intensely observed and subjected to a variety of interrogation methods. In addition, medical doctors, religious leaders and psychologists were consulted to determine if he would experience any long-term medical, psychological or cultural impact from the procedure.

In the end, the waterboarding operation proved to be enormously useful. Zubaydah provided critical information necessary to capture terrorists responsible for the 9/11 attacks and to break up plans for future attacks.

Zubaydah revealed the roles of others, including Ramzi bin al-Shibh, an accomplice to 9/11 mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed; Adnan el-Shukrijuman, a senior Al Qaeda operative; and dirty bomber, Jose Padilla. Zubaydah also admitted that, before he was captured, he had been planning to start his own Al Qaeda-like jihadist group to kill Jews in Israel. Interestingly, he advised his interrogators to use harsh techniques on other detainees to lessen their guilt and sense of betrayal of Islamic ideals when they yielded after a significant amount of pressure.

Continued waterboarding as time went on resulted in, not a useless torture operation, as later claimed, but the uncovering of a treasure trove of information about terrorists and their plans to launch horrific attacks that could now be thwarted.

When Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, a Saudi citizen who was the mastermind behind the USS Cole bombing and other maritime terrorist attacks was captured in the United Arab Emirates, he endured EIT at a CIA black site before being transferred to GITMO. Al-Nashiri had much valuable intelligence to impart, having been Osama bin Laden's go-to guy on sea attacks. Also, Abu Zubaydah because of his position in Al Qaeda provided a check on the veracity of the information gleaned from the Al-Nashiri interrogations.

Bin Al-Shibh, one of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed 's operatives, headed a cell whose plans to crash a hijacked plane into Heathrow and into buildings in London's financial district were disrupted in 2003. He had previously moved to Germany in the mid-1990s and joined the Hamburg cell that planned the 9/11 attacks. Bin al-Shibh, often identified as the 20th hijacker, was the only one of the group who failed to obtain a U.S. visa. He was accused of aiding the hijackers by wiring money and passing on information from key Al Qaeda leaders. Further, Bin al-Shibh's capture was crucial for locating Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, himself a rich source of information, whose main priorities were to protect Osama bin Laden and withhold information about planned attacks.

When Sheikh Mohammed was in custody, the use of EIT led to disruption of post 9/11 attacks, which included the West Coast attack on the Library Tower, the Plaza Bank in Washington State, the Sears Tower in Chicago and possibly other locations. It also led to the capture of Hambali, a Jemaah Islamiya leader with close ties to Al Qaeda and the mastermind of the 2002 Bali attack who Sheikh Mohammed enlisted to execute the so-called second wave.

In the aftermath of waterboarding, Sheikh Mohammed provided information on Al Qaeda operative, Iyman Faris, who was working on a plot to cut the Brooklyn Bridge suspension cables and cause a rush-hour collapse. Sheikh Mohammed also gave up information on Jose Padilla, who was plotting a radiologic dirty bomb attack inside the U.S. Further, Sheikh Mohammed identified two other Al Qaeda terrorists: Uzair Paracha, who was charged with smuggling explosive devices into the country to blow up gas stations along the East Coast, and Adnan Shukrijumah, who surveilled nuclear power plants, the homes of past presidents, historic landmarks, subways and bridges and proved a critical link to locating Osama bin Laden.

The author learned a great deal in the thousands of hours he spent with Sheikh Mohammed, particularly about Islamic jihadist ideology and logistics. Sheikh Mohammed described how the failed Bojinka plot launched in the Philippines to simultaneously bomb a dozen U.S. commercial planes and crash them into the ocean was the genesis for the 9/11 attacks. The terrorist expressed surprise that the U.S. did not respond to the African embassy attacks, the U.S.S. Cole bombing and the Beirut Marine barracks hit. Mohammed declared that large-scale attacks would not defeat America, which would be destroyed by massive immigration and the outbreeding of non-Muslims. Mohammed explained that Islamists would use the welfare system to support themselves while they spread jihad and employed America's laws and rights to protect themselves and their activities.

Another little-discussed side benefit of EIT was that terrorist detainees were conditioned to cooperate in interrogations when they expected that harsh techniques might be used, even when they werent going to be used. Mitchell explains that this type of Pavlovian anticipation meant that EIT could be tapered off after an average of 72 hours.

Enhanced Interrogation makes clear that a significant amount of critical intelligence was acquired through EIT techniques that helped the U.S. capture terrorists, disrupt plots, save lives and better understand the enemy. The CIA's interrogation program was a success and provided much information about terrorist organizational structure, leadership financing and planning. Without EIT, according to Mitchell, the United States would never have killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

When it comes to using EIT, Americans must ask what they value most: the so-called rights of terrorists intent on destroying America or the safety and security of the American people. Should U.S. authorities stop people who see themselves as being at war with us and our way of life by employing a pre-emptive, war-focused intelligence gathering approach or do we use an ex post facto law enforcement or criminal approach of convicting terrorists in a court of law? Surely, the former pro-active perspective offers the best chance for keeping Americans safe.

In Enhanced Interrogation, we see how the limited use of approved non-life threatening enhanced interrogation techniques can be instrumental in gleaning much critical information to thwart terrorist plots and potentially saved thousands of lives.
The recent dust storms that wreaked havoc in southwest Iran signaled only one of the many crises the mullahs are facing less than three months before critical elections. Tehran has been hit with severe blows during the Munich Security Conference, contrasting interests with Russia, the recent escalating row with Turkey, and most importantly, a new U.S. administration in Washington.

These crises have crippling effects on the mullahs apparatus, especially at a time when Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei sees his regime facing a changing balance of power in the international community, and is faced with a major decision of selecting the regimes so-called president.

Iran and Ahvaz

The dust storms crisis in Ahwaz, resulting from the mullahs own destructive desertification policies, caused severe disruptions in water and power services and people pouring into the streets in major protests.

The regime, and especially the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), has for decades pursued a desertification policy of constructing dams, drying lagoons, digging deep oil wells beneath underground water sources with resulting catastrophic environmental disasters. Various estimates indicate the continuation of such a trend will literally transform two-thirds of Iran into desert lands in the next decade. This will place 14 to 15 million people at the mercy not only dust storms but also salt storms.

Iran and the Munich Security Conference

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attended this conference with a series of objectives in mind, only to face a completely unexpected scene. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence described Iran as the worlds leading state sponsor of terrorism. Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said the mullahs are the source of threats and instability throughout the Middle East. Turkey went one step further and said Tehran is the heart of sectarianism and spreads such plots across the region, and all traces in Syria lead to Irans terrorism and sectarian measures.

This resembles a vast international coalition against Tehran, inflicting yet another blow to the mullahs following a new administration taking control of the White House. These developments are very costly for Khamenei and the entire regime.

In comparison to the early 2000s when the U.S. launched wars against Afghanistan and Iraq, Iran was the main benefactor. The current balance of power now is quite different, as seen in Munich. While there is talk of an Arab NATO, any coalition formed now in the Middle East will be completely against Irans interests.

Iran and Russia

Following a disastrous joint campaign in Syria, for the first time Russia is reportedly supporting a safe zone in Syria. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said contacts have been made with the Syrian regime to establish safe zones in Syria. These are the first remarks made by any Russian official on the issue of safe zones in Syria.

Moscows increasing contrast in interest with Iran over Syria has the potential of playing a major role in regional relations. Russia certainly doesnt consider Bashar Assad remaining in power as a red line, a viewpoint far different from that of Iran. Moscow is also ready to sacrifice its interests in Syria in a larger and more suitable bargain with the Trump administration over far more important global interests.

Iran and Turkey

Yes, Ankara and Tehran enjoy a vast economic partnership. However, recent shifts in geopolitical realities have led to significant tensions. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the mullahs of resorting to Persian nationalism in an effort to split Iraq and Syria.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu accused Iran of seeking to undermine Bahrain and Saudi Arabia as part of Tehrans sectarian policy. Cavusoglu used his speech in Munich to say, Iran is trying to create two Shia states in Syria and Iraq. This is very dangerous. It must be stopped.

Tehran considers Ankaras soldiers in Iraq and Syria as a major obstacle in its effort to expand its regional influence.

U.S. president Donald Trumps strong approach vis-a-vis Iran and the possibility of him supporting the establishment of a Turkish-administered northern Syria safe zone may have also played a major part in fuming bilateral tensions between these two Middle East powers.

Erdogan has obviously realized completely the new White House in Washington intends to adopt a much more aggressive stance against Tehran. This is another sign of changing tides brewing troubles for Irans mullahs.

Iran and Presidential Elections

With new reports about his ailing health, Khamenei is extremely concerned about his predecessor. One such signal is the candidacy of Ibrahim Reisi, current head of the colossal Astan Quds Razavi political empire and a staunch loyalist to Khameneis faction, for the presidency. With former Iranian president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani out of the picture, Khamenei may seek to seal his legacy by placing Reisi against Iranian president Hassan Rouhani in the upcoming May elections.

This is literally Khamenei playing with fire, as Reisi is considered a hardline figure and such an appointment may spark 2009-like protests across the country, as the country has become a scene of massive social challenges. Rouhani himself doesnt enjoy any social base support, especially after four years of lies and nearly 3,000 executions.

Final Thoughts

This places the entire regime in a very fragile situation. From the internal crises of Ahwaz, the upcoming elections and the formation of a significant international front threatening the Iranian regimes strategic interests.

Forecasting what lies ahead is truly impossible, making Khamenei and his entire regime extremely concerned, trekking this path very carefully and with a low profile. As we witnessed with the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, Iran immediately released the 52 hostages held for 444 days.

This regime understands the language of force very carefully. And yet, there is no need to use military force to inflict a significant blow and make Tehran understand the international community means business. Blacklisting Irans IRGC as a terrorist organization by the U.S. at this timing would be the nail in the coffin for the mullahs.
Last July, with Donald Trump on the verge of sealing up the Republican Party's presidential nomination, Ross Douthat authored a column in the New York Times about the new political battlefield. "[P]erhaps we should speak no more of left and right, liberals and conservatives," the token trad wrote. "From now on the great political battles will be fought between nationalists and internationalists, nativists and globalists."

Douthat's sentiment was echoed at the recent CPAC gathering, where President Trump's chief strategist, Steven Bannon, explained the difference between economic populists like himself and the jet-setting Davos crowd. "[W]e're a nation with an economy," he preached to the crowd. "Not an economy just in some global marketplace with open borders, but we are a nation with a culture and a reason for being."

It's true that we in the West are undergoing a political reorganization. The past two years have seen an explosion of nationalist political parties and personalities. The terms "liberal" and "conservative," in the popular context, are beginning to lose relevance. What's replacing them isn't so much party difference, but class.

The lines of separation between the elites and provincials has never been clearer. On big, nation-defining issues  trade agreements, wars, transnational partnerships, necessary credentials for high office  the divide cuts evenly. Those moneyed, cloistered, and comfortable welcome globalization and all its attendant benefits. Those who aren't so well off don't.

But class separation doesn't get to the heart of the difference between one end of the widening gulf and the other. The nationalist-globalist frame stems from something different, something more epistemological.

Politics really comes down to a value judgement: how does society best organize its collective life?

For nationalists, love of country, its inhabitants, and its unique character guides law-making. Government is formed solely for the benefit of citizens. High-minded psalms to the brotherhood of man have little place in policy.

The globalists are devoted to the biggest community on Earth: worldwide humanity. To the globally minded activist, there is no difference between the man next door and the man in a hut in Cambodia. Each is due equal consideration when it comes to the law.

In his recent New York Times column, David Brooks hits on this difference by singing a dirge to the enlightened universalism he sees as the cornerstone of the West. "The Enlightenment included thinkers like John Locke and Immanuel Kant who argued that people should stop deferring blindly to authority for how to live," he explains. But the anti-enlightenment movements of today "don't think truth is to be found through skeptical inquiry and debate."

Who are these intellect-eschewing dunderheads? Donald Trump, of course. But also Nigel Farage and Brexit backers, Marine Le Pen of France, Geert Wilders of the Netherlands, and Viktor Orban of Hungary. Each has cultivated popular support by appealing not to passionless debate, but to deep love of country and, more pointedly, familiarity.

These decidedly anti-intellectual voters act based not on cool reasoning. They go the polls not to impose their abstract philosophy on the world. They protect what is theirs, what is close, what they identify with.

To contrast this limited view of life with the liberal is to compare soil with sky. Wide open and infinite, the sky is spaceless. It doesn't shift and sift like dirt through your fingers. It can't be seen and felt like solid earth.

The nationalist is necessarily parochial, attached to his specific time and place. The globalist takes the opposite approach. Not starting from below but above, he takes an all-encompassing view of mankind and sets to reshape the world in its image. The leftist global crusader is a firm believer in what Michael Brendan Dougherty calls "the idea of eternal human progress and moral arcs bending across the universe."

The idea of unstoppable progression demands much from its acolytes. Do national borders impede immigrants looking for a better life? Then all barriers must be eliminated. Do some people prefer those who share their faith, culture, skin color, and history to those who don't? Then they must be made to take a more universal view toward man and be shamed for their bigotry. Does the preservation of national wealth deprive poorer countries of prosperity? Then wealth must be redistributed, be it in the form of trade, military occupation, or direct financial transfer.

On and on the reduction goes until all human distinctions are replaced by the universal, homogeneous, and thus bland and uninteresting man. When the liberal-globalist achieves this sterile paradise, he'll be left with mannequins for men, able to recite facile tropes about joyful togetherness. This "thin view of man," to use the words of Polish philosopher Ryszard Legutko, can be an anti-civilizing force if left unchecked.

What is the contra to thin humanity? Thick, obviously. And what does thick entail? It means an acceptance of complexity, of the infinitudes of thought and emotion within every individual. "Across a room," writes Ted McAllister, "a conservative might spy a sack of rapidly degenerating amino acids, but rather than thinking of the elements that make up the body he sees, he wonders about this creature's past, its network of relationships, its relationship with books."

Here's where the paradox sets in: while the nationalist-conservative takes a simple approach to living, his narrow vision accepts the inner complexity of the individual. He doesn't purport to have a theory for how all should be governed. Rather, the good he sees is best for his family, his community, his country. Going any farther impedes on the right of another nation-dweller to determine his future path.

The political clash before the West has its basis in distance. How far a man is willing to go to impose his will usually determines his political allegiance. For those who would stop at their country's defined border, the influence is growing. How far it grows will be determined by those who think of their persuasive power as limitless.
While traditional political labels- liberal, conservative, moderate- simply wont adhere to the Trump Administration, it is clear that Trump is an effective disruptive reformer. The Trump Administration increasingly employs actions and policies designed to disrupt the establishment and render useless the traditional tools used to keep and maintain the establishment.

What is Disruptive Reform?

Disruptive Reform is change that removes the competitive advantage of incumbent or establishment institutions and tools, thereby permitting competing insurgents or reform an opportunity to survive. Disruptive does not imply violence or even unlawful or illicit behavior. Disruptive means that reform is accomplished by replacing the traditional tools and institutions that normally support and sustain the establishment with those that challenge, change, and ultimately replace or reform the establishment.

The concept is perhaps Progressive, but the tools developed by Progressives are increasingly being appropriated by others. Others have noticed that it seems to be the Right, and not the Left, that is making effective use of disruptive reform. See, e.g, Innovation Nation: The Indian Rights Real Idea Is Disruptive Innovation.

The effectiveness of disruptive reform is increasingly demonstrated in a rapidly changing technological world, that is less cohesive and more personal. Disruptive reform has revolutionized the computer, telecommunications, and automotive industries. Disruptive reform is the driving force behind recent rapid changes in the use of social media and to secondary education. Disruptive reform has repeatedly been suggested as necessary to reform the health care industry. See, for example, "The Innovator's Prescription: A Disruptive Solution for Health Care." It is natural for someone like Donald Trump, whose experience is in the business sector, to reject the traditional tools of politicians in favor of effective tools from the business sector.

Trumps Disruptive Reform of Political Communication

There are many examples of the Trump Administration engaging in disruptive reform. In my previous article, 'The real significance of the Executive Order on Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States, for example, I discussed how Trump Administration immigration policy implementation intends to bypass traditional media information sources, and generate effective alternate narratives thereby threatening establishment immigration policy values. But it is political communication that is the most potent example of Trump Administration disruptive reform.

Traditional establishment politics values finely tuned, disciplined, discreet messages designed to find the greatest support and least opposition possible (whether or not true or accurate, by the way). Traditional political communication reinforces the establishment, and discourages reform by relying upon scripted talking points suggesting broad and enduring consensus, whether or not these exist, and threatening catastrophic consequences with alternatives, whether or not these consequences are true or likely. Traditional political communication values the use of surrogates to initiate communication, and values highly repetitive recitation of messages across a variety of media to reinforce the message thereby suggesting consensus. Traditional political communication values trial balloons and nuance that allows politicians and institutions to distance themselves from positions or ideas that later prove controversial or unpopular. Discourse leading to reform is rendered difficult, if not impossible, as those upholding the traditional establishment reject real debate or discussion as threatening established consensus and enduring underlying values.

Disruptive reform rejects and abandons these restraints on discourse as tools of the establishment, and so only utilizes the tool of traditional political communication to engage opponents and achieve discreet objectives. The Trump Administrations reliance upon direct to citizenry communication while decried by the establishment as dangerous, unprofessional, and inexperienced, continues to reinforce Trumps affiliation with those outside the establishment. Direct to citizenry content bypassses the establishment filters that would render the message less volatile, and less effective at challenging establishment ideas and institutions. Whatever the content, by communicating in an anti-establishment manner, any suggestion that Trump is co-opted by the establishment is likely to ring false.

Disruptive communication, unlike traditional political communication, can encourage and value vehement opposition, particularly where the opposition reveals opponents, bias, and weakness, or expends energy or resources that otherwise might be marshaled to actually frustrate reform. Opposition can invite consideration, and generate publicity. Opposition communication and discourse under a campaign of disruptive reform reveals in time that the establishment threats of adverse consequences are untrue or unlikely, thereby blunting the effectiveness of reform opponents. It undermines trust and confidence in establishment values, institutions, and structures, replacing traditional communication mechanisms that support the establishment with those that threaten the establishment. In this way, reform communication replaces the establishment emphasis and reliance upon the status quo.

The Trump Administrations mistrust of traditional media outlets is not new; its unrelenting full-throated attack, coupled with non-traditional means of communicating narratives is new. The ability of the establishment to reject by monolithic opposition and by repetition through various media outlets is muted as consumers of information find effective, inexpensive, and convenient alternatives.

Moreover, once confronted, the establishment predictably threatens extreme, outrageous, and unthinkable consequence. The establishment attack becomes unbelievable and increasingly lacking credibility as people realize that reform is not dangerous - Trump is not Hitler, is not rounding up homosexuals, and is working to parse the difficult immigration issues such as the protection of families, for example. As the establishment becomes more desperate, its agents and operatives become useful idiots, unwittingly revealing the true face of the establishment, and the need for reform.The establishment opposing the Trump Administration is increasingly revealed as less concerned with the lives of real people, and more with keeping and maintaining power and influence. It will be interesting to see whether establishment Republicans accept or reject these changes, and whether, if they side with the establishment against the Trump Administration, there will be a political cost that, in a traditional binary Republican-Democrat establishment, enhances or diminishes the Trump Administrations authority.
How many people, knowing they have their opponents caught red-handed in what now appears to be the worst political scandal of our lifetime, would wait until those people and their press cohorts fell on their faces before acting on it? Not many, I think, but that seems exactly what President Trump just did.

I know, you have been inundated by claims of Russian influence brought to bear mysteriously and for no discernible end by the major media. The latest tarring involved Attorney General Jeff Sessions meeting with the Russian ambassador about which we are supposed to be shocked, and an utterly baseless claim that he lied to Senator Al Franken when he testified before Congress.

A. Background

Did Attorney General Sessions Lie?

No, Its a confected claim, which depends on taking one answer out of context. Robert Barnes of Lawnewz explains:

Here is the key exchange: Franken asked about a continuing exchange of information during the campaign between Trump surrogates and intermediaries for the Russian government. Sessions answered: Im not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with Russians, and Im unable to comment on it. Anyone reading the actual exchange can see Sessions was referring to no communications as a surrogate just as the questions very long pre-amble specifically referenced the focus of the question to that subject matter. Nothing about Sessions answer was false, nor could it be construed to be materially false or willfully false, or even false at all. Notably, Senator Franken chose not to ask Sessions about his contacts with Russian officials over the years in his duties as a Senator on the Armed Services Committee. Sessions first meeting of the Russian ambassador was in public, and likely known to Franken and others. Franken could not have interpreted Sessions answer as anything but an answer to the question asked about campaign contacts with Russian government officials, which no evidence supports ever occurring. Indeed, given what Franken knew, one might fairly ask a different question: why did Franken avoid that specific question? Was it because hes a lousy Senator, like he was a mediocre comedian? Maybe. Or Maybe its because Franken knew the answer would undermine Frankens argument? Or maybe it was because Franken was planning on mis-using the answer to attack Sessions later? What next? Senator, have you now, or have you ever been, someone who ever talks with Russians? GUILTY! Doing your job is now considered a crime by the same people on the left who excused actual crime by their Presidential candidate and Presidential appointee. This question needs to be asked of the Sessions smear operators: do you have no shame?

Is There Something Nefarious About a Senator Meeting with the Russian Ambassador?

Actually, thats the ambassadors job, and the Internet was full of pictures and accounts of such meetings after the phony-baloney charge against Sessions was made.

The New York Times reported Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, a member of the Armed Services Committee, saying she had never had a call or meeting with the Russian ambassador. When undeniable tweets of hers dated 2013 and 2015 were revealed showing that she had, the Times without fanfare simply removed that claim.

When California Rep. Nancy Pelosi made a similar claim, she, too, was exposed for lying.

In fact, when Obama was trying to get support for the Iran deal, 30 Democratic senators met with the Russian ambassador.

Had the Democrats had any evidence to back up the claims of Russian efforts to collude with Trump to throw the election his way, wed have seen it by now. If you read anything on the subject, read this detailed, persuasive piece at the Tablet by Lee Smith.

The author notes, inter alia, that the late Wayne Barrett and his aides had amassed massive files on Donald Trump and had there been any there there, it would be in Barretts files and it is not:

The press at present is incapable of reconstituting itself because it lacks the muscle memory to do so. Look at the poor New Yorker. During the eight years of the Obama administration, it was best known not for reported stories, but for providing a rostrum for a man to address the class that revered him as a Caesar. Now that the magazine is cut off from the power that made it relevant, is it any wonder that when it surveys the post-Obama landscape it looks like Rome is burning -- or is that the Reichstag in flames? The Russia story is evidence that top reporters are still feeding from the same trough -- political operatives, intelligence agencies, etc. -- because they dont know how to do anything else, and their editors dont dare let the competition get out ahead. Why would the Post, for instance, let the Times carve out a bigger market share of the anti-Trump resistance? And whats the alternative? Report the story honestly? Dont publish questionably sourced innuendo as news? And still, you ask, how could the Russia story be nonsense? All the major media outlets are on it. Better to cover yourself -- maybe its true, because the press cant really be this inept and corrupt, so theres got to be something to it. I say this not only out of respect for a late colleague, but in the hope that journalism may once again merit the trust of the American public. Wayne Barrett had this file for 40 years, and if neither he nor the reporters he trained got this story, its not a story.

Even Vanity Fair, the magazine for lefty Upper East Side of Manhattan dwellers, punctured the tale:

...with so many souffles served up by the press in recent months, it emerged from the oven to oohs and ahs -- this time, with me among the oohers and ahers -- only to sink, first slowly, then quickly. Next, it will go into the trash, and well bake another. Its tiring. Its boring. And above all its supremely damaging to the press. If you want people to believe you, then develop a reputation for believability. Might work better than just blaming your loss of credibility on Trump."

Yes, Sessions recused himself from playing any role in an investigation of the Russian connection to the election, but thats unlikely to occur because there is no there there. And everyone knows it.

Obama and His Party Have Been Peddling the Claim of Russian Interference From the Moment Trump Won

Paul Mirengoff at Powerline details those efforts. It included changing the rules to permit the National Security agency to share widely -- even among those without security clearances (including European allies) -- information picked up by that agency, to keep clearances at a low classification to ensure wide readership and to include raw data into intelligence analyses. His conclusion seems undeniable: This effort was designed to undermine Trumps victory and delegitimize the new administration. Is it implausible to think that part of the purpose of the Obama administrations sharing was to embarrass the incoming president, undermine his legitimacy in European eyes, and enhance the narrative that the Democrats didnt really lose the election?

My online friend Harry Lewis thinks it was worse: The broader context is even worse than the article suggests. Obama knew about Russian efforts at hacking back in August, or perhaps even earlier, but deliberately chose not to reveal them, or to do anything about them, because Trump was alleging that the election was rigged, and Obama didn't want to add credibility to Trump's allegation.

In other words, Obama's concerns about Russian hacking were negligible enough that he didn't think they were worth pursuing until Hillary lost the election. The current frenzy about Russian hacking was ginned up solely to damage the Trump Administration, and not because of any real concern about national security.

Thomas Lipscomb finds nothing surprising in all this:

1) Of course Obama did every vile sneaky thing he could to screw up Trump's early days in the WH. Fortunately he is very lazy and not very smart, and without an Axelrod to do his dirty work, this is a minor annoyance. 2) Of course the Dems want to use "contact with the Russians" as some kind of magic talisman to divert from the total disaster of their defeat. Flynn, Manafort, Sessions, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, whomever. It doesn't matter in the least. The fact is the oncoming 2018 election has Dems waking up in the middle of the night screaming 3) Of course moving all this legislation through Congress is going to take some pretty skillful work.... this is not a major emergency that needs to terrify us on every news occasion. No matter what happens, the world is not going to end. 4) Of course Obama wants to be a key stumbling block and possibly destroy Trump.... but his ability to destroy is usually best exhibited when he is trying to help. Ask what is left of his political party. He hasn't got the power, and he can't raise the money (look at his "library" fund raising. ... he will be a flop at this as well as everything else he does. Don't let the press halo effect around a total failure fool you. 5) The media frenzy is just funny. They can't even get a good negative story right in the details.... They have lost the ability to report, everything is narrative and editorial. You will find cat videos on YouTube more enlightening.

By the way, this Natasha and Boris idiocy isnt working. According to Rasmussen, President Trump has a 53% approval rating right now.

B. Games Up

After waiting for the Russian souffle to collapse, Trump struck back with a real scandal: the Obama administration -- which, as weve noted, changed the intelligence-sharing rules on their way out of office, had illegally been listening in on Trump and his campaign.

Saturday, in a series of tweets, the president exposed the scandal:

Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017

Just out: The same Russian Ambassador that met Jeff Sessions visited the Obama White House 22 times, and 4 times last year alone.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017

Is it legal for a sitting President to be "wire tapping" a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017

I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017

How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017

As Deb in NC reports, the Trump team had suspected this as early as May when the NYT reported: A sense of paranoia is growing among his campaign staff members, including some who have told associates they believe that their Trump Tower offices in New York may be bugged, according to three people briefed on the conversations."

So theres something to the suspicion that Trump waited this long to level the charge for a good reason. Im not the only one who thinks this.

Conservative Treehouse credibly reviews the timeline and believes that Mike Rogers, head of NSA, privately briefed Trump about the tapping shortly after the election.

Scott Johnson at Powerline adds:

But if this is a story that has been out there for a while, why does Trump say he 'just found out'? Sounds like at a minimum there are new developments. We will see. John Hinderaker at the same site reports this may lead to the impeachment of the FISA judges who, after refusing to authorize such an improper tap months earlier, acquiesced to Obama when the second request was slightly narrowed.

I think it not unlikely that the tapping occurred even before the FISA authorized any such thing, in which case the criminal charges should be damaging to many more than merely the FISA judges.

If the Democrats were so worried about Trump they peddled the ludicrous Russian souffle to an credulous press, how worried must they be now?
I know, you have been inundated by claims of Russian influence brought to bear mysteriously and for no discernible end by the major media. The latest tarring involved Attorney General Sessions meeting with the Russian ambassador about which we are supposed to be shocked, and an utterly baseless claim that he lied to Senator Al Franken when he testified before Congress.

How many people, knowing they have their opponents caught red-handed in what now appears to be the worst political scandal of our lifetime, would wait until those people and their press cohorts fell on their faces before acting on it? Not many, I think, but that seems exactly what President Trump just did.

A. Background

Did Attorney General Sessions Lie?

No, Its a confected claim, which depends on taking one answer out of contest. Robert Barnes Lawnewz explains:

Here is the key exchange: Franken asked about a continuing exchange of information during the campaign between Trump surrogates and intermediaries for the Russian government. Sessions answered: Im not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with Russians, and Im unable to comment on it. Anyone reading the actual exchange can see Sessions was referring to no communications as a surrogate just as the questions very long pre-amble specifically referenced the focus of the question to that subject matter. Nothing about Sessions answer was false, nor could it be construed to be materially false or willfully false, or even false at all. Notably, Senator Franken chose not to ask Sessions about his contacts with Russian officials over the years in his duties as a Senator on the Armed Services Committee. Sessions first meeting of the Russian ambassador was in public, and likely known to Franken and others. Franken could not have interpreted Sessions answer as anything but an answer to the question asked about campaign contacts with Russian government officials, which no evidence supports ever occurring. Indeed, given what Franken knew, one might fairly ask a different question: why did Franken avoid that specific question? Was it because hes a lousy Senator, like he was a mediocre comedian? Maybe. Or Maybe its because Franken knew the answer would undermine Frankens argument? Or maybe it was because Franken was planning on mis-using the answer to attack Sessions later? What next? Senator, have you now, or have you ever been, someone who ever talks with Russians? GUILTY! Doing your job is now considered a crime by the same people on the left who excused actual crime by their Presidential candidate and Presidential appointee. This question needs to be asked of the Sessions smear operators: do you have no shame?

Is There Something Nefarious About Senators Meeting with the Russian Ambassador?

Actually, thats the ambassadors job, and the Internet was full of pictures and accounts of such meetings after the phony-baloney charge against Sessions was made.

The New York Times reported Missouri senator Claire McCaskill, a member of the Armed Services Committee, saying she had never had a call or meeting with the Russian ambassador. When undeniable tweets of hers dated 2013 and 2015 were revealed showing that she had, the Times without fanfare simply removed that claim.

When Senator Nancy Pelosi made a similar claim, she, too, was exposed for lying.

In fact when Obama was trying to get support for the Iran deal, 30 Democratic senators meet with the Russian ambassador.

Had the Democrats any evidence to back up the claims of Russian efforts to collude with Trump to throw the election his way, wed have seen it by now. If you read anything on the subject, read this detailed, persuasive piece at the Tablet.

The author notes, inter alia, that the late Wayne Barrett and his aides had amassed massive files on Donald Trump and had there been any there there, it would be in Barretts files and is not:

The press at present is incapable of reconstituting itself because it lacks the muscle memory to do so. Look at the poor New Yorker. During the eight years of the Obama administration, it was best known not for reported stories, but for providing a rostrum for a man to address the class that revered him as a Caesar. Now that the magazine is cut off from the power that made it relevant, is it any wonder that when it surveys the post-Obama landscape it looks like Rome is burning -- or is that the Reichstag in flames? The Russia story is evidence that top reporters are still feeding from the same trough -- political operatives, intelligence agencies, etc. -- because they dont know how to do anything else, and their editors dont dare let the competition get out ahead. Why would the Post, for instance, let the Times carve out a bigger market share of the anti-Trump resistance? And whats the alternative? Report the story honestly? Dont publish questionably sourced innuendo as news? And still, you ask, how could the Russia story be nonsense? All the major media outlets are on it. Better to cover yourself --maybe its true, because the press cant really be this inept and corrupt, so theres got to be something to it. I say this not only out of respect for a late colleague, but in the hope that journalism may once again merit the trust of the American public. Wayne Barrett had this file for 40 years, and if neither he nor the reporters he trained got this story, its not a story.

Even Vanity Fair, the magazine for lefty Upper East Side of Manhattan dwellers, punctured the tale:

with so many souffles served up by the press in recent months, it emerged from the oven to oohs and ahs -- this time, with me among the oohers and ahers -- only to sink, first slowly, then quickly. Next, it will go into the trash, and well bake another. Its tiring. Its boring. And above all its supremely damaging to the press. If you want people to believe you, then develop a reputation for believability. Might work better than just blaming your loss of credibility on Trump."

Yes, Sessions recused himself from playing any role in an investigation of the Russian connection to the election, but thats unlikely to occur because there is no there there. And everyone knows it.

Obama and His Party Have Been Peddling the Claim of Russian Interference From the Moment Trump Won

Paul Mirengoff at Powerline details those efforts. It included changing the rules to permit the National Security agency to share widely -- even among those without security clearances (including European allies) -- information picked up by that agency, to keep clearances at a low classification to ensure wide readership and to include raw data into intelligence analyses. His conclusion seems undeniable: This effort was designed to undermine Trumps victory and delegitimize the new administration: Is it implausible to think that part of the purpose of the Obama administrations sharing was to embarrass the incoming president, undermine his legitimacy in European eyes, and enhance the narrative that the Democrats didnt really lose the election?

My online friend Harry Lewis thinks it was worse: The broader context is even worse than the article suggests. Obama knew about Russian efforts at hacking back in August, or perhaps even earlier, but deliberately chose not to reveal them, or to do anything about them, because Trump was alleging that the election was rigged, and Obama didn't want to add credibility to Trump's allegation.

In other words, Obama's concerns about Russian hacking were negligible enough that he didn't think they were worth pursuing until Hillary lost the election. The current frenzy about Russian hacking was ginned up solely to damage the Trump Administration, and not because of any real concern about national security.

Thomas Lipscomb finds nothing surprising in all this:

1) Of course Obama did every vile sneaky thing he could to screw up Trump's early days in the WH. Fortunately he is very lazy and not very smart, and without an Axelrod to do his dirty work, this is a minor annoyance. 2) Of course the Dems want to use "contact with the Russians" as some kind of magic talisman to divert from the total disaster of their defeat. Flynn, Manafort, Sessions, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, whomever. It doesn't matter in the least. The fact is the oncoming 2018 election has Dems waking up in the middle of the night screaming 3) Of course moving all this legislation through Congress is going to take some pretty skillful work.... this is not a major emergency that needs to terrify us on every news occasion. No matter what happens, the world is not going to end. 4) Of course Obama wants to be a key stumbling block and possibly destroy Trump.... but his ability to destroy is usually best exhibited when he is trying to help. Ask what is left of his political party. He hasn't got the power, and he can't raise the money (look at his "library" fund raising. ... he will be a flop at this as well as everything else he does. Don't let the press halo effect around a total failure fool you. 5) The media frenzy is just funny. They can't even get a good negative story right in the details.... They have lost the ability to report, everything is narrative and editorial. You will find cat videos on YouTube more enlightening.

By the way, this Natasha and Boris idiocy isnt working. According to Rasmussen President Trump has a 53% approval rating right now.

B. Games Up

After waiting for the Russian souffle collapse, Trump struck back with a real scandal: the Obama administration -- which, as weve noted, changed the intelligence-sharing rules on their way out of office, had illegally been listening in on Trump and his campaign.

Friday in a series of tweets, the president exposed the scandal:

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Is it legal for a sitting President to be "wire tapping" a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW! Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election! Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump How low has President Obama gone to tap my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!

As Deb in NC reports the Trump team had suspected this as early as May when the NYT reported: A sense of paranoia is growing among his campaign staff members, including some who have told associates they believe that their Trump Tower offices in New York may be bugged, according to three people briefed on the conversations."

So theres something to the suspicion that Trump waited this long to level the charge for a good reason. Im not the only one who thinks this.

Conservative Treehouse credibly reviews the timeline and believes the Mike Rogers, head of NSA, privately briefed Trump about the tapping shortly after the election.

Scott Johnson at Powerline adds:

But if this is a story that has been out there for a while, why does Trump say he just found out? Sounds like at a minimum there are new developments. We will see. John Hinderaker at the same site reports this may lead to the impeachment of the FISA judges who, after refusing to authorized such an improper tap months earlier, acquiesced to Obama when the second request was slightly narrowed.

I think it not unlikely that the tapping occurred even before the FISA authorized any such thing, in which case the criminal charges should be damaging to many more than merely the FISA judges.

If the Democrats were so worried about Trump they peddled the ludicrous Russian souffle to an incredulous press, how worried must they be now?
President Donald Trump has spoken to Congress and the nation. He did what Democrats and some Republicans said he could not. He provided Americans with a positive vision and offered realistic solutions, with an overriding theme to bring people together to make America great again.

It was a bravura performance. He admitted that he hadn't been communicating well. So he stepped up and made the speech of a lifetime.

Even many of his severest critics admitted that they saw someone different take charge in the midst of a world full of problems.

But President Trump's triumph was far more than P.R. If only that, he would have just done an Obama. Toss out some sound bites. Preen for the cameras. Rely on the loyal commentariat to sing your praises.

President Trump can never rely on the latter, however. The media did everything it could to prevent him from being elected. And they went all out to destroy his presidency before he even got started.

What made President Trump's address so powerful was that it was substantive. The first Republican president in eight years, who enjoys a GOP-controlled Congress, which George W. Bush lost, provided an optimistic blueprint for governing.

The president began by urging his listeners to uphold the values that make America special. The "torch of truth, liberty, and justice" has been passed. The desecration of Jewish cemeteries and other disgraceful discriminatory acts remind us of the need to stand "united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms."

What isn't to applaud in those sentiments?

Next, he made the case for "Renewal of the American Spirit." His vision places America first. But not in a negative, selfish way. "America is once against ready to lead," he said.

However, we must first take care of members of our national family. That doesn't mean we don't care about anyone else. But our greatest responsibility is to those in our own community.

As the president explained, we've sent money and jobs to other nations. "We've financed and built one global project after another," but we've ignored the fate of our own people in cities across America. "We've defended the borders of other nations, while leaving our own borders wide open." The consequences have been large-scale illegal immigration, mass drug smuggling, and an increased risk of terrorism.

That has begun to change. Trump has filled his short time as president with action. More American companies are investing at home. Lobbying by former government officials has been restricted.

The massive regulatory burden on American business is being lifted. Violent crime is being confronted. Immigration laws and rules are being enforced. The Islamic State is being more effectively targeted. And a Supreme Court justice has been nominated who believes that the courts are to interpret, not make the law.

You don't have to like every policy to realize that this is a serious president with a serious agenda. And there's more to come.

He promised to improve America's infrastructure, relying on private as well as public funds. He urged Congress to "replace Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time provide better health care." That's what should have been done at the start.

The president cited the importance of affordable and accessible child care. He pointed to the need for faster development of cheaper drugs. He called education "the civil rights issue of our time." Said President Trump: "Every American child should be able to grow up in a safe community, to attend a great school, and to have access to a high-paying job." You'd think the Democrats at least would applaud that! The military also needs to be strengthened, so that it can perform its most important role: defending the country.

The president closed with a rousing call for Americans to work together for a better future. "Think of the marvels we can achieve if we simply set free the dreams of our people," he observed.

He urged members of Congress to "join me in dreaming big, and bold and daring things for our country." As for the people, he told them to "believe in yourselves. Believe in your future. And believe, once more, in America."

A large majority told pollsters that President Trump had the right priorities and that they felt more optimistic about the country's direction. So much for the president's supposed inability to lead.

Before a joint session of Congress, we saw the president the Democrats demanded: serious, positive, thoughtful, practical, uplifting. But his opponents still sat on their hands. They want him to fail, even if that means America fails.

But that's not going to happen.

President Trump has issued a call to arms. We the people must turn that into a reality.

Ken Blackwell is a member of the policy board of the American Civil Rights Union. He serves on the boards of directors of the Club For Growth and the NRA. He was a domestic policy adviser to the Trump Presidential Transition Team.
President Trump accused Barack Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower before the election.

The Washington Post dismissed the charge:

Trump offered no citations nor did he point to any credible news report to back up his accusation, but he may have been referring to commentary on Breitbart and conservative talk radio suggesting that Obama and his administration used "police state" tactics last fall to monitor the Trump team.

The Washington Post, a member of the Opposition Party, does not believe that Breitbart is credible. Breitbart reported that the Obama administration sought a FISA warrant in June 2016, which was denied, but did obtain a FISA warrant in October 2016.

Assuming that a warrant was obtained in October to tap Trump Tower, had such surveillance produced anything of value, you can bet that Obama would have disclosed the results of the investigation. The fact that Obama did not release any such information is further evidence that the "Russian interference" claim by the Opposition Party is pure nonsense designed to weaken the Trump presidency.

The standard for obtaining a warrant is to present to a judge facts from a reliable source that a crime is being committed or was committed, and that the place to be searched contains relevant information. Only the prosecutors present the warrant application to the judge. The person to be searched is not present to rebut the charges. But the standards under FISA are more lenient:

Under the Fourth Amendment, a search warrant must be based on probable cause to believe that a crime has been or is being committed. This is not the general rule under FISA: surveillance under FISA is permitted based on a finding of probable cause that the surveillance target is a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power, irrespective of whether the target is suspected of engaging in criminal activity. However, if the target is a "U.S. person," there must be probable cause to believe that the U.S. person's activities may involve espionage or other similar conduct in violation of the criminal statutes of the United States. Nor may a U.S. person be determined to be an agent of a foreign power "solely upon the basis of activities protected by the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

We do not know who were the targets of the warrant. The warrant application must be approved by the attorney general, which means that Loretta Lynch had to approve it. FISA warrants are usually granted.

The application for a FISA warrant must follow the following procedure:

Under FISA, the Justice Department reviews applications for counterintelligence warrants by agencies before submitting them to the FISC. The Attorney General must personally approve each final FISA application. The application must contain, among other things: a statement of reasons to believe that the target of the surveillance is a foreign power or agent of a foreign power, (subject to the relevant amendments made by the USA-PATRIOT Act, discussed below)

a certification from a high-ranking executive branch official stating that the information sought is deemed to be foreign intelligence information, and that the information sought cannot reasonably be obtained by normal investigative techniques;

statements regarding all previous applications involving the target;

detailed description of the nature of the information sought and of the type of communication or activities to be subject to the surveillance;

the length of time surveillance is required;

whether physical entry into a premises is necessary, and

proposed procedures to minimize the acquisition, use, and retention of information concerning nonconsenting U.S. persons. For U.S. persons, the FISC judge must find probable cause that one of four conditions has been met: (1) the target knowingly engages in clandestine intelligence activities on behalf of a foreign power which "may involve" a criminal law violation; (2) the target knowingly engages in other secret intelligence activities on behalf of a foreign power under the direction of an intelligence network and his activities involve or are about to involve criminal violations; (3) the target knowingly engages in sabotage or international terrorism or is preparing for such activities; or (4) the target knowingly aids or abets another who acts in one of the above ways

It appears that the Obama administration used the FISA court to obtain a warrant to spy on Trump, using the "Russian interference" as a reason and hoping to find something to use against him.

We had a Watergate Committee to investigate the break-in of the headquarters of the DNC, supposedly to obtain information on the Democrat candidates. The question was what Nixon knew and when he knew it. Now we have the use of the FISA warrant to obtain information about Trump.

We need an investigation to determine the basis of the warrant. What facts were alleged? Who authorized seeking the warrant? Why was it the warrant sought? Who was the target of the warrant?

It is difficult to believe that Attorney General Lynch would have approved wiretapping Donald Trump, Trump Tower, or members of his campaign team without the knowledge and approval of Obama.

Did Obama know the warrant was sought? When did he know? Did he authorize it, even if he did not order it? Why would he authorize it?

As the Democrats repeatedly say, such serious charges demand a full investigation and a special prosecutor.
In a video rant that Senate Democrats posted to their Facebook page as "words of inspiration," former Attorney General Loretta Lynch seemed to suggest that the way to combat the policies of President Trump was to mimic the success of civil rights protests, no matter the cost.

Without offering a shred of proof or any specifics, Lynch said that American's rights were "being assailed, being trampled on and even being rolled back." She also appeared to suggest that the way to remedy the situation was to march, bleed, and die for the cause.

WND:

Without offering any specifics, Lynch goes on to say that our rights are being assailed, being trampled on and even being rolled back. But the strongest words come in a statement that seems to suggest the answer is street action that will inevitably turn bloody and deadly. I know that this is a time of great fear and uncertainty for so many people, Lynch says. I know its a time of concern for people, who see our rights being assailed, being trampled on and even being rolled back. I know that this is difficult, but I remind you that this has never been easy. We have always had to work to move this country forward to achieve the great ideals of our Founding Fathers. Lynch, who is scheduled to receive the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal of Law from the University of Virginia, goes on to say: It has been people, individuals who have banded together, ordinary people who simply saw what needed to be done and came together and supported those ideals who have made the difference. Theyve marched, theyve bled and yes, some of them died. This is hard. Every good thing is. We have done this before. We can do this again. Lynch succeeded Eric Holder as Barack Obamas attorney general in 2014.

I don't think Lynch was actually calling for violence to combat Trump, but it's clear that her hysterical analysis of what Trump is actually doing logically led to the analogy with civil rights marchers who were beaten and even killed in the streets during the 1960's. It's not only a false analogy, but a loony kind of equivalence with the real hardship and suffering by civil rights activists.

If Senate Democrats think it's "inspirational" for Lynch to talk about blood and death in the streets, you have to wonder just how far they'll go in opposing the president.
Can the behavior of the Mexican government get any more outrageous than this?

Mexico has opened more than 50 legal aid centers at its consulates across the US to assist illegal aliens in their legal fight to stay in the country.

Reuters:

Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray exhorted the U.S. government to respect the rights of Mexicans and called for the United States to allow a path to legality for undocumented migrants. "We are not promoting illegality," Videgaray said, according to a video of an event at the Mexican consulate in New York provided by the foreign ministry, saying that Mexico supported following the law, but that means respecting human rights.

Pray tell, if they support "following the law," why are they defending those who break it?

Just askin'.

"Today we are facing a situation that can paradoxically represent an opportunity, when suddenly a government wants to apply the law more severely," Videgaray said. "It is becoming more than evident that to apply the law, which is the obligation of any state, would also imply a real economic damage to this country which highlights the need for immigration reform, an immigration reform that resolves once and for all the legal status of the people," Videgaray said.

I think it very touching how much Mr. Videgaray cares about "real economic damage" to the US.

And we've already resolved "the legal status of the people." They are here illegally. What else is necessary to know?

Late last month, Videgaray expressed "worry and irritation" about Trump's new policies to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security chief John Kelly when they visited Mexico for talks on immigration and security.

What's Videgaray so "irritated" about? Mexico isn't caring and feeding the 11 million illegal aliens currently in the US. Is he "irritated" that Mexico may have to take on some of the burden of caring for their own citizens?

Sheesh.

Mexico is not being a good neighbor. But, of course, they aren't interested in good relations as much as they are concentrating on keeping the millions of Mexicans who came to the US illegally as far away from Mexico as possible. To do that, they are willing to defend the indefensible.

The Mexican government is faced with a choice; cooperate with the US government to make the deportation of their citizens less of a disruption in their citizen's lives or fight tooth and nail to keep the illegals on US soil.

They appear to have chosen the latter.
Iran's rulers are attempting to end their country's international isolation. But there are innumerable obstacles for them, beginning with the goon-like activity of Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) along with its expeditionary arm, the al-Quds Force. There are also problems with Iran's proxiees, the Iran-allied Shia militias in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon, all of which are meddling in neighboring countries such as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. And state-sponsored terrorism remains as policy, as strong as ever. But the most important obstacle is the political unrest inside Iran.

During the last three days In Tehran, thousands of Iranians from different classes such as nurses, mine workers, retired teachers, employees of Tehran's Transit Bus Company, military men, inspectors, and experts from the Mine & Industry Ministry, have gathered in front of the parliament and Tehrans City Hall, demanding job security, wage rights, and job insurane.

According to National Council of Resistance (NCRI) report (in a clarified translation):

The rallies were held under severe security measures. The suppressive forces were in tight control of the parliament's and the city hall's surrounding areas for fear of large groups of people joining the protest, and were barring pedestrians from stopping and joining the protesters. The police forces prevented any passer-by from stopping in the street. Protestors chanted: 'Workers and employees are awake, we hate injustice, Workers, teachers, unite, unite,' 'Rise up to eliminate discrimination,' 'Dignity, and livelihood are our inalienable right.' The protestors accused the regime authorities and leaders of embezzlement, astronomical property plunder, and chanted against Ghalibaf, the crooked Mayor of Tehran. The protestors were holding placards that read: 'We will not rest until we get our rights.' Passers bye hailed the protestors and paid sympathy and tributes to them and as they signaled their hatred of the regime."

Meanwhile, the Swedish government has proposed a resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council against the Iranian regime for violating human rights. The Swedish representative in the UN announced that the purpose of this resolution is to prepare a text to extend the general mandate of the human rights rapporteur to investigate the Iranian regime for a year.

Iran as usual, condemned the Swedish human rights draft resolution,

Deputy Foreign Minister for International and Legal Affairs of Iranian regime Araghchi slammed the United Nation draft.

The U.S. State Department, in its annual Report on Human Rights on Iran wrote:

The most significant human rights problems are severe restrictions on civil liberties, including the freedoms of assembly, association, speech (including via the internet), religion, and press; unlawfully detained, tortured, or killed; disappearances; cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, including judicially sanctioned amputation and flogging; repression; harsh and life-threatening conditions in detention and prison facilities, arbitrary arrest and lengthy pretrial detention; denial of fair public trial, sometimes resulting in executions without due process; the lack of an independent judiciary; harassment and arrest of journalists; censorship and media content restrictions; official corruption and lack of government transparency, violence against women, ethnic and religious minorities.

It was obvious enough in an appalling act of violence, two days ago, when a young Tehran resident who had recently converted to the Baha'i was killed by the agents of the Iranian regime's para-military Basij forces. According to an MEK report (in a clarified translation):

Arta M., 26, had recently converted to Baha'ism. According to his friends, his life was threatened a number of times by his cousins who were members of the government-backed para- military Basij, and agents of the intelligence ministry. On one occasion, his cousins attacked him and beat him severely, leaving him badly injured.

Arta's friend, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals by government agents, said a member of the family had threatened Arta that if he didn't repent. If he decided to continue with his new religion, he would definitely be killed. The video is too gruesome and barbaric to watch and this victim of a religious hatred killing shows once again the flagrant violations of human rights in Iran

In yet another incident, Zia Savari, 24, from southern oil-rich city of Ahvaz who had sought but was unable to gain asylum in the Netherlands got arrested by the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) at its headquarters as soon as he returned to Iran. He was then sentenced to six years' imprisonment at the trial by the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz. He was charged with "propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz placed his family under pressure regarding the given bail upon the confiscation of their property. An Arab refugee in Netherlands named Isa Savari said: "Zia Savari was with me for a few days and he was not linked to any organization or political circle. He was not involved in any activities since his asylum case had not been clear.

It demonstrates conclusively that it is too late for Iran to attempt to end isolation. The leading obstacle is the oppression happening inside Iran and the powder-keg nature of Iran's society.

Hassan Mahmoudi is a human rights advocate and social media journalist seeking democracy for Iran and peace for the region.
Liberals like Sen. Franken seeking to blame Hillary Clinton's election loss on alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election never answer just why Vladimir Putin would want Clinton, the successor to Barack Obama, to lose. One would've thought the Russians would want her to win, hoping she, as president, would give them even more access to U.S. uranium supplies.

Still, liberals insist that people like former national security adviser Mike Flynn and current attorney general Jeff Sessions conspired with Russian officials to influence November's results. In either case, it was not illegal for them to meet with the Russian ambassador and perfectly sensible for them to do so. Just ask Missouri's Sen. Claire McCaskill, who "lied" about her meetings with Russians as well.

The fact is that, with the possible exception of Flynn and Sessions putting Russian dressing on their salads, their contacts with Russia has been overhyped. Just how did they conspire with Russia? Did Sessions or Flynn cancel Hillary's trip to Wisconsin? Did they give the Russians John Podesta's password, which was "password"? Did Sessions or Flynn help them hack into the DNC computers? The whole, shall we say it, witch hunt is just a bunch of...well, "Bolshoi."

If Sen. Schumer and House Minority Leader Pelosi want to investigate attempts to work with Moscow to influence a U.S. election, they should investigate Sen. Ted Kennedy's attempt to get the Russians to help him prevent the re-election of President Ronald Reagan in 1984. As Peter Robinson wrote in Forbes in 2009, London Times reporter John Sebastian, poring in 1991 over Soviet archives Boris Yeltsin had made public, found a memorandum detailing another instance of Sen. Ted Kennedy going a bridge too far:

Composed in 1983 by Victor Chebrikov, the top man at the KGB, the memorandum was addressed to Yuri Andropov, the top man in the entire USSR. The subject: Sen. Edward Kennedy. "On 9-10 May of this year," the May 14 memorandum explained, "Sen. Edward Kennedy's close friend and trusted confidant [John] Tunney was in Moscow." (Tunney was Kennedy's law school roommate and a former Democratic senator from California.) "The senator charged Tunney to convey the following message, through confidential contacts, to the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Y. Andropov." Kennedy's message was simple. He proposed an unabashed quid pro quo. Kennedy would lend Andropov a hand in dealing with President Reagan. In return, the Soviet leader would lend the Democratic Party a hand in challenging Reagan in the 1984 presidential election. "The only real potential threats to Reagan are problems of war and peace and Soviet-American relations," the memorandum stated. "These issues, according to the senator, will without a doubt become the most important of the election campaign."

Teddy Kennedy asked the Russians to meddle in the 1984 campaign for the purpose of defeating Ronald Reagan, the man who would go on to defeat the Soviet Union and win the Cold War. The memorandum, which shows Kennedy's efforts to derail Reagan's attempt to build up our nuclear deterrent in Europe, received little or no attention until the publication of Paul Kengor's book, The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism, in 2006.

As the Daily Signal notes of Teddy Kennedy's perfidy:

Sen. Edward "Ted" Kennedy had "selfish political and ideological motives" when he made secret overtures to the Soviet Union's spy agency during the Cold War to thwart then-President Ronald Reagan's re-election, a Reagan biographer said in an interview with The Daily Signal. When they came to light years later, Kennedy's secret contacts with the Russians through their KGB spy agency in the early 1980s didn't cause nearly the tizzy that Russia's alleged interference with this year's election has for President-elect Donald Trump among liberal activists and reporters. ... In the 1980s, Kennedy was "terribly misguided" and "a fool" for seeing Reagan as a greater threat than either the leader of the Soviet Union or the head of its brutal secret police and intelligence agency, political science professor and writer Paul Kengor told The Daily Signal. ... The presidential hopeful's secret correspondence with the Soviet spy service was first reported Feb. 2, 1992, by the London Times in an article headlined "Teddy, the KGB and the Top Secret File." ... In a letter addressed to then-Soviet General Secretary Yuri Andropov, dated May 14, 1983, KGB head Viktor Chebrikov explained that Kennedy was eager to "counter the militaristic policies" of Reagan, who defeated Carter as the Republican nominee, and to undermine his prospects for re-election in 1984[.] ... Kennedy's history with the KGB, and the trips Tunney took to Moscow on his behalf, are documented in what are known as the Mitrokhin papers filed with the Cold War International History Project of the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. ... [W]hat is clear from history is that Russian agents have worked with "dupes" such as Kennedy and other "naive" Americans to influence U.S. policy to serve their own ends, Kengor, a Grove City College political science professor, told The Daily Signal.

Well, well  Democrat Sen. Ted Kennedy was a "dupe" of the KGB. But, unlike with the current feeding frenzy over a nonexistent conspiracy between the Trump administration and Putin's Russia, the media ignored the documented evidence.

Kengor talked about Kennedy's close working relationship with Moscow and the KGB, and the fact that American media wouldn't touch the story, in the American Thinker in 2009:

In 2006, when my book was released, there was a virtual media blackout on coverage of the document, with the exception of conservative media: talk-radio, Rush Limbaugh, some websites, and mention on FoxNews by Brit Hume. Amazingly, I didn't even get calls from mainstream reporters seeking to shoot down the story. I had prepared in great detail to be grilled on national television, picturing the likes of Katie Couric needling me. I didn't need to worry. I worked up a detailed op-ed on the document, where I even played devil's advocate by defending Kennedy, trying to get at his thinking, being as fair as possible. No major newspapers would touch it. The Boston Globe editors refused to acknowledge it or reply to my emails. The editor at the New York Times confessed to being "fascinated" by the piece but conceded that he wouldn't "be able to get it in." One editor at a West Coast newspaper, a genuinely fair liberal, considered it carefully. We went back and forth. I was shocked to see that neither the editor nor his staff would do any investigating, not placing a single phone call to Kennedy's office. In the end, the editor rejected the piece, telling me: "I just can't believe Kennedy would do something that stupid."

When a Democrat senator demonstrably works with the Russians and the KGB to undermine a U.S. election, the lamestream media is silent. But when a Republican senator meets with the Soviet ambassador in his office, the media paint it as Trump's Watergate.

Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investor's Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
We are watching some of the most partisan and the ugliest politics in some time. You know that things are bad when a good man like Attorney General Sessions is accused of perjury for answering a question from the pompous Senator Franken.

It's bad, really bad. It makes you want to sing, "Where have you gone, Walter Mondale? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you..."

It's time for the GOP to fight back and stop this madness. I like what Wesley Pruden is saying:

The Democrats call their scorched-earth attacks on the new president "the resistance." But it is accurately described as "an insurrection." They're determined to destroy a duly elected president of the United States, by resignation or impeachment if they can, and if that doesn't work, maybe something more sinister will be employed. We've never before seen anything like this. We're sailing in uncharted water.

It may be time to put the Democrats in some uncharted water, too.

For example, President Trump could send an emissary to remind President and Mrs. Clinton that he can recommend to A.G. Sessions that an independent prosecutor look into the Clinton Foundation and the "server" issue. I wonder what such an investigation will find! At the moment, the FBI is looking into it, but a special prosecutor will keep the Clintons busy for a while.

President Trump could send another emissary and remind President Obama that he will discuss with A.G. Sessions appointing another independent prosecutor to look into the IRS story. After all, we don't really know what happened, but no administration should ever use the IRS to attack a citizen who disagrees with it. Don't we always hear from Democrats that an article of impeachment against President Nixon was about that?

Last, but not least, the U.S. House and U.S. Senate should open hearings on this bit of corruption from the Obama years:

The Obama administration funneled billions of dollars to activist organizations through a Department of Justice slush fund scheme, according to congressional investigators. "It's clear partisan politics played a role in the illicit actions that were made," Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, told Fox News. "The DOJ is the last place this should have occurred." Findings spearheaded by the House Judiciary Committee point to a process shrouded in secrecy whereby monies were distributed to a labyrinth of nonprofit organizations involved with grass-roots activism.

We understand the Democrats' game. They are trying to keep the fundraising going and maintain peace with an angry left that wants scalps rather than legislation.

Let's remind the Democrats that we can fight back. And that we will use our majority to put them in uncharted water, too.

It would be better to treat the Democrats like adults and listen to their reasoned comments. However, there is nothing reasoned about their approach. It's time to fight back!

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
The Pentagon is proposing to significantly increase US forces in Syria to support the Kurdish and Arab rebels against President Assad who have targeted the ISIS capital of Raqqa.

The troops would not be directly engaged in ground combat, according to the Pentagon. But since the plan to support the rebels includes US artillery fire, the troops would necessarily have to move closer to the fighting than they are now.

As with anything militarily having to do with Syria, there are "complications."

Washington Post:

President Trump, who campaigned on a pledge to expand the fight against the militants in Syria, Iraq and beyond, received the plan Monday after giving the Pentagon 30 days to prepare it. But in a conflict where nothing has been as simple as anticipated, the Raqqa offensive has already sparked new alliances. In just the past two days, U.S. forces intended for the Raqqa battle have had to detour to a town in northern Syria to head off a confrontation between two American allied forces  Turkish and Syrian Kurdish fighters. There, they have found themselves effectively side by side with Russian and Syrian government forces with the same apparent objective. Approval of the Raqqa plan would effectively shut the door on Turkeys demands that Syrian Kurds, considered terrorists by Ankara, be denied U.S. equipment and kept out of the upcoming offensive. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that arming and including the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, in the operation is unacceptable and has vowed to move his own troops and Turkish-allied Syrian rebel forces toward Raqqa. U.S. officials, some of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity about the still-secret planning, believe Erdogans tough talk is motivated primarily by domestic politics, specifically a desire to bolster prospects for an April 16 nationwide referendum that would transform Turkeys governing system to give more power to the presidency.

While such talk is comforting, it may be irrelevant. Erdogan doesn't need success on the battlefield to finish his takeover of the Turkish state. He's already got most of the country's institutions on his side. Those that may have opposed him have been purged since the supposed coup attempt last year.

Erdogan genuinely hates the Kurds and doesn't think, much better of the US.

The United States had promised the Turks that Kurdish control would not extend to the west beyond the nearby Euphrates River, and Manbij was turned over to the Manbij Military Council, Arab fighters within the SDF. Kurdish police are in charge of local security, but the Americans have insisted that YPG fighters have largely left the scene.

Erdogan isn't buying and indeed, the situation is so confusing and fluid that determining who is fighting who and for what has become a genuine mystery to many on the ground in Syria.

Is there a chance for a military confrontation with NATO ally Turkey? If Turkey engages the Kurdish forces advancing on Raqqa - a possibility that Washington will look to head off but with no guarantee of success - the US may be forced to choose between their promises to the Kurds and their obligation to Erdogan's Turkey. Erdogan does not appear inclined to compromise at this point, which means that the Kurds will basically be on their own. The Arab rebels may even join the Turks in opposing the Kurds.

The prospect for one, gigantic mess outside of Raqqa among anti-Assad forces is real as President Assad and Iran keep their troops out of the fray, ready to move in on their own if necessary. It would be ironic if Assad was able to claim credit for the capture of the ISIS capital while the forces that oppose him squabble among themselves, unable to coordinate their actions.
Trump derangement syndrome is the new political disease afflicting not only Democrats, but also much of the political establishment, including Republicans and the #NeverTrump crowd. Some of this is natural when a Republican is in the White House, as we saw during the George W. Bush presidency. Remember Bush Derangement Syndrome? This year a new strain has emerged, more virulent, and potentially fatal to the weak and feeble-minded, namely establishment Republicans.

Is this over-the-top hatred of anything and everything Trump based on Trumps policy initiatives? Or is it personal, based simply on the persona of Donald Trump?

Could it be his message during the campaign and now into his Presidency? Things like, The era of big Government is over. Or the initiative to, Take our streets back from crime and gangs and drugs. Or a goal of, Eliminating 16,000 pages of unnecessary rules and regulations, shifting more decision-making out of Washington, back to States and local communities. Harsh words from Trump. No wonder no one likes him. Oh, wait! These words were from Bill Clinton in his 1996 State of the Union address.

Perhaps Trumps stand on immigration is the cause of the derangement syndrome. Assertions like: Because we live in an age where terrorists are challenging our borders, we simply cannot allow people to pour into the United States undetected, undocumented, and unchecked. Or these sentiments, mentioned frequently on the campaign trail. Americans are right to demand better border security and better enforcement of the immigration laws. No wonder both Democrats and Republicans are against Trump, for as they like to say, This is not who we are. Oh, wait again. Those are not Donald Trump quotes, instead they are the words of Senator Barack Obama in a 2006 Senate floor speech.

Maybe its his so-called Muslim Ban as described by much of the fake-news mainstream media, including the New York Times and Washington Post. Bad policy in the new Cant we all just get along world of Obama and the progressives. Forgetting some minor details, however. Such as the word Muslim not appearing anywhere in Trumps Jan. 27 executive order. And the fact that the seven countries mentioned in the order were identified by the Obama administration back in 2015 as countries of concern. Or that other Muslim-majority countries such as Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are not included in the executive order.

Clearly President Trump is instituting or reinforcing the policies of his presidential predecessors. When Presidents Clinton or Obama proposed these ideas, there were no protests or riots. No intervention by appeals courts. No calls for impeachment. In fact, the Washington Post heralded Clintons 1996 SOTU address as the 3rd most memorable such speech.

What about the Republicans? Why are so many of them still in the #NeverTrump mode they have been in since Trump announced his candidacy in June 2015? His recent address to Congress should have been Christmas morning to true Republicans.

Job creation. Reduced regulations. Bolstering defense and veterans spending. Tax cuts. Obamacare repeal. School choice. A merit-based immigration system. The Wall along the southern border. Honoring a fallen Navy Seal. Addressing big city crime. And finally, Trump uttering the verboten radical Islamic terrorism.

His speech could be the mission statement of The Heritage Foundation or the Tea Party. A conservative wish list. Nothing about compassionate conservatism or a kinder and gentler nation.

Yet here we are, six weeks into the Trump presidency, with everyone out to get him. No surprise from the media and their Democratic Party cousins. But where is Republican support for Trump? Or for cabinet members like Attorney General Jeff Sessions under unwarranted and relentless assault by the media and Democrats? With calls for resignation and impeachment, Republicans, and self-described conservatives like John McCain, Lindsay Graham, and even former President George W. Bush are sitting on their hands just as the white-clothed (isnt that racist?) Democrat women did during Trumps big congressional speech.

Meaning its not about policy at all. Only personality. Democrats will support policy a they propose, but oppose the same policy if it comes from a Republican. Hows that for leadership? No wonder they lost 1,200 elected seats in the past eight years. How about Republicans? If it were President Jeb or President Marco giving the same speech Trump gave, I suspect the GOP would be doing back flips and celebrating like they won the Super Bowl.

But since its Donald Trump, political outsider, not part of the establishment, not influenced by the donor class and their money, everyone hates him. Instead of measured words on the Sunday talk shows during the campaign, Trump gave off-the-cuff telephone interviews and speeches and spread his message via Twitter. Rather than respecting the GOP elders, he called them out. The Bushes, including low energy Jeb. Or McCain and Graham. Or Paul Ryan. Or Ted Cruz. No one was safe from Trumps nicknames and sharp tongue.

It has become personal and that is where it sits now. Opposition to Trump is not about policy but about hurt feelings. He has a more conservative cabinet than Reagan and most of his policy initiatives should be a dream come true for conservatives.

From the Democrats and their media allies, this resistance should be no surprise. But shame on the Republicans. If Trump hadnt won on Nov. 8, the Republican Party would be over. Infighting after such a loss would destroy the GOP and lead to several third parties. A Clinton presidency would seal the electoral, social and judicial fate of the country for generations, a fall to the left side of the political spectrum that America could not recover from.

A time for choosing for Republicans. Policy or persona. A last chance to change the trajectory of America, assuming you really want that. Or cutting off your political nose to spite your face. Letting your president dangle in the wind because you dont like his personality. His style. His tweets. If you dont stand for something, you stand for nothing.

Brian C Joondeph, MD, MPS, is a Denver-based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
Brave Trump supporters gathered in Berkeleys civic center, and were attacked by leftists, including masked Black Bloc supporters, who claim antifa (anti-fascism) as justification for violence against their political opponents. Local coverage in the San Francisco Bay Area, as expected, used words that implied that responsibility for the violence was shared:

Violence erupts at pro-Trump rally in Berkeley ( San Francisco Chronicle

A violent clash erupted Saturday in Berkeley as pro-Donald Trump supporters fought with anti-Trump protesters during a heated demonstration (KTVU Fox 2)

But the pictures in the media belie this claim. For instance, Noah Berger of the San Francisco Chronicle captured Black Bloc demonstrators kicking a Trump supporter

The most complete photo coverage comes from local website Berkeleyside, which honestly admitted:

Some individuals from both sides were aggressive and hostile, but many of the pro-Trump demonstrators behaved peacefully and said they had come to support free speech, particularly after the violent protests that happened after far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos came to Berkeley on Feb. 1. At least seven people were injured and police made ten arrests. The rally ended around 6 p.m.

A perusal of the many photos on Berkeleyide, and on its Twitter feed will show that many anti-Trump demonstrators were wearing masks, which is itself illegal.

There was a notable differnce in the level of language employed by the two sides:

Nevertheless, leftists are going for the Big Lie:

Berkeley, California was once famous for the Free Speech Movement  which was never about free speech, but which made a nice-sounding label for radical leftism. Now, that label is so out of date that the leftists of today reject the notion that anyone who disagrees with them must be silenced.
I am a retired newspaperman. I am 69 and live in Poca, WV, with my wife of 45 years, Lou Ann. We grew up in Cleveland. Three kids. Grandfather.

More on who I am is here.

Report all errors to DonSurber@GMail.com
There are times when I wish a real news story was a fake news story.

This is one of those times.

From LifeSiteNews.com:

The archbishop now at the helm of the Pontifical Academy for Life paid a homosexual artist to paint a blasphemous homoerotic mural in his cathedral church. The archbishop, Vincenzo Paglia, was also recently appointed by Pope Francis as president of the Pontifical Pope John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. The massive mural  depicts Jesus carrying nets to heaven filled with naked and semi-nude homosexuals, transsexuals, prostitutes, and drug dealers, jumbled together in erotic interactions. Included in one of the nets is Paglia The image of the Savior is painted with the face of a local male hairdresser, and his private parts can be seen through his translucent garb.

In July of 2016, while still under the direction of Paglia, the Pontifical Council for the Family issued a new sex-ed program that includes lascivious and pornographic images so disturbing that one psychologist suggested that the archbishop be evaluated by a review board in accordance with norms of the Dallas Charter, which are meant to protect children from sexual abuse.

The Pontifical Academy for Life, whose mission was to help promote a culture of life and thereby help defeat the culture of death in which we live, was founded during the pontificate of the late Pope St. John Paul II.

Pope Francis has, for reasons unknown to most (including me), decided to gut reform the academy, much to the dismay of many pro-lifers. The academy technically still exists, with Paglia as its head.

Lets face it. These prelatesand I include all modernist clergy in this statementare not wolves in sheeps clothing; theyre simply wolves (there are some notable exceptions, thank God). They blast President Trump, yet they have poisoned minds and souls in a far, far worse way than the president could ever dream of.

Sickening.

On a related front, the clergy sex abuse crisis, which has cost the Church over $2 billion since 2004, was/is due largely to pederasty. As Bill Donohue of the Catholic League pointed out: 78 percent of the males who were abused were postpubescent, and since all the victimizers were male, that means that homosexualitynot pedophiliais at the root of the scandal.

Certainly not politically correct to assert, but factual.

I should add that those who struggle with same-sex attraction but strive to live chaste lives deserve our moral support, just as those who struggle with other demons but strive to live morally upright lives deserve the same.
The United States is monitoring the growing violence in eastern Ukraine, and is concerned by the failure of combined-Russian separatist forces to honor the ceasefire, which Russia committed to do when it signed the Minsk agreements. 

The United States condemns the recent targeting of OSCE Special Monitoring Mission monitors and the seizure of an unmanned aerial vehicle by combined-Russian separatist forces. It is imperative that these forces halt their attacks on civilian infrastructure, including the Donetsk water filtration station. The United States also calls on Russia and the separatist forces it backs to immediately observe the ceasefire, withdraw all heavy weapons, and allow full and unfettered access to the OSCE monitors.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the United States is ready to work with Russia if it finds common areas for cooperation, but he emphasized that Russia must implement its commitments under the Minsk agreements.

"As we search for new common ground, we expect Russia to honor its commitment to the Minsk agreements and work to de-escalate violence in Ukraine," Secretary Tillerson told reporters on February 16 after meeting with his Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Bonn.

Secretary Tillerson said the United States would stand up for its interests in areas where differences exist with Russia.

In a written statement, Acting State Department Spokesperson Mark Toner said, "We call on Russia and the separatist forces it backs to immediately observe the cease-fire, withdraw all heavy weapons, and allow full and unfettered access to the OSCE monitors."


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The Fifth Judicial District Attorneys Office has cleared the Artesia Police Department of any wrongdoing in connection with last summers officer-involved shooting.

DA Dianna Luce released her findings Friday afternoon, as detailed in a letter issued last month to Agent Edward Aranda.

The incident occurred just before noon on July 26, 2016, after APD officers were dispatched to the area of West Runyan Avenue and Sixth Street in reference to shots fired and armed subject calls.

There, officers encountered Juan Reynaldo John Duran, 36, of Artesia, who was armed with a pair of firearms.

According to the DAs letter, the first officers on scene were Beth Hahn and Antonio Baca. As Hahn prepared her rifle and took cover on the passenger side of her police unit, Baca gave commands for Duran to drop his weapon, the letter states.

Luce writes Duran was visible on video moving forward from between a SUV and RV trailer parked along the curb. In the video, Duran moves back out of view of the camera and throws a firearm to the ground, at which time commands were issued for him to throw down the second firearm.

Mr. Duran continues to move up and back between the vehicles raising his arm parallel to the ground and appears to be holding a handgun, the letter reads. Officer Hahn fires her rifle one time striking Mr. Duran.

The letter says NMSP findings from the investigation of the scene were consistent with both witness cell phone and dash cam videos.

Durans autopsy revealed a single gunshot wound resulting in death, and his toxicology report determined .09mg of methamphetamine were present in his system.

Based on a review of all of the evidence, we do not find any wrong doing on the part of the officers involved in the incident, Luce writes. The officers acted within the scope of their authority.

The APD was contacted Friday but was unable to comment due to pending litigation.
Goenka said automotive industry is changing very rapidly in India and certain factors will effect industry.

New Delhi: Rise of taxi aggregators, tougher emission regulations, GST roll out and autonomous driving will majorly impact Indian auto industry going ahead, according to Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) Managing Director Pawan Goenka.

The competitive pressure in the Indian market will also make companies forge alliances as witnessed globally, he said but neither denied nor confirmed speculations on the link-up between M&M and Ford.

Amid the changing scenario, he said M&M is focussing on sustainable mobility, seeking to position itself as a catalyst to popularise electric vehicles in India even as it works to increase its volume, market share, revenue and profit.

"The automotive industry is changing very rapidly in India and there are three-four factors, which are going to have a major impact on the industry in India and globally in the next four to five years," Goenka told PTI.

The factors are ascent of taxi aggregators such as Ola and Uber, tougher regulations on emissions and safety, upcoming GST and autonomous driving will have an impact in long term, he added.

Identifying aggregators such as Ola and Uber to make "perhaps the biggest" impact, he said they are going to "significantly change the dynamics of the industry, and in a way take away power of pricing from OEMs to the customers".

"That's what happens when buyer is stronger than the seller and buyer determines the price," Goenka said. With India heading towards tougher emission and safety norms, Goenka said vehicles would need to be designed differently and there would be "significant increase in the cost of the vehicle".

From April this year, new models of passenger vehicles in India will have to meet crash test norms necessitating companies to equip them with airbags. While from 2020 the strict BS VI emission norms will be implemented.

On GST, Goenka said he isn't worried about the rates and focus must be on how do GST changes the way firms do business as it will take away the "requirement of companies optimizing tax".

"Today those companies who are able to manage taxes better, perhaps, have an upper hand and tomorrow the companies which manage their businesses better will have an upper hand," he added.

Emphasising on the implications, he said: "So that is a very significant change that will happen in the way we set up plants, where we source our components from. How do we store our finished goods, how do we sell finished goods."

On autonomous driving, Goenka said while it looks a little bit away in the timeline horizon, he won't be surprised if it happened sooner contrary to common expectations. "The reason for that is that we have chaos on our roads because of indisciplined driving. On the other hand a computer would never be indisciplined.

So once a driving of disciplined computer comes in, our roads would be much better and much easier to drive on," he said. As the availability of drivers becomes difficult and more expensive, people would like to have an autonomous or driver less vehicle, he added.

Predicting partnerships between companies, Goenka said: "When it comes to competitive scenario, clearly India has a unique situation where almost 88 per cent of the volumes is

top three players and there are 15 players taking the rest of the volume, which would mean that these 15 players are not making money."

He further said: "How long can they continue? One doesn't know. So, there will have to be some kind of alliance. Consolidation that's happening globally will have to happen in India and the industry therefore will again change the dynamics."

Goenka, however, neither denied nor confirmed speculations on a link-up between the company and Ford saying at any point of time a company is talking to multiple counterparts for either sharing of platform, production capacity or technology collaboration.

Sharing the company's strategy for the road ahead, he said: "What Mahindra wants to do in this is obviously to increase volume, market share, increase profit and revenue." However, he said: "We also want to think ourselves as a responsible company where objective is just not what happens to Mahindra but also what happens to India. In that what we can do for sustainable mobility is very important to us."

Regarding this, he said M&M started focusing on electric vehicles five years ago but hasn't met with much success in India so far. "But we are the only player who has invested in electric vehicles in India and hopefully we are going to see some traction happening in years to come," Goenka said.

He further said: "It is really our dream that India becomes big in electric vehicle usage. If it's Mahindra vehicle nothing like it but even if it is not Mahindra we would love to see more and more Indians using electrical vehicles that are made in India and not imported."

Stressing that M&M is a great proponent of 'Make in India', he said, "we would like to see Indian manufacturing become global".
The 'Badlapur' actor rued the lack of 'tapori' films as he plays a 'new-age tapori' in 'Judwaa 2.'

Mumbai: Varun Dhawan, who is stepping into the shoes of Salman Khan in the sequel to Judwaa, says the superstar has advised him to listen to his director and not be over smart. "The only advice Salman Khan has given me for Judwaa 2 is that, 'listen to your dad (director David Dhawan) and dont be over smart'," Varun told PTI.

The 29-year-actor actor says he was a kid when Judwaa released in 1997 and remembers his first meeting with Salman at a special screening of the film. I just remember watching Judwaa in the theatre during a special screening and meeting Salman Khan for the first time. I dont remember much as I was small.

In Judwaa, Salman played the double role as Prem, the naive guy, while Raja, who was the street smart chap. In the second instalment that is being made almost after two decades, Varun will be seen as the new-age tapori. It is sad that we dont make films on taporis anymore. There will be a big change in the character of Raja in the sequel. But I would not like to speak much about it. It is far different from what Salman did in the first film, Varun says.

Except for actress Rambha, all lead actors of the original comic caper will be seen in the cameo in the sequel. I cannot say anything about it right now because I want people to be surprised, especially by Salman Khans character in the film (Judwaa 2), he says. Beside Judwaa 2, Varun will be collaborating with filmmaker Shoojit Sircar for the first time.

There is something that he has narrated to me which I really liked. I wanted to work with Shoojit Sircar ever since I watched Vicky Donor. I will start shooting for the film after Judwaa 2 and it is a love story, he says.
The Culture Minister and an MP are apprehensive about the release following the gay character in the film.

Dan Stevens and Emma Watson in a still from 'Beauty and the Beast.'

London: Russia is mulling upon banning Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' movie, due to a subplot in it showing a man discovering himself as gay.

The subplot in the movie shows a character, Josh Gad's LeFou, discovering that he is gay.

Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky has ensured that checks will be carried out to ascertain that the movie does not oppose the country's laws against "spreading gay propaganda among minors," the Telegraph quoted the BBC as saying.

An MP, Vitaly Milonov, has also called for a government screening of the movie a day before its official release, in order to let ministers decide whether to permit it for a general release.

The film's director Bill Condon, last week, in an interview to a magazine revealed the movie's 'gay moment.'

'Beauty and the Beast,' starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, is scheduled to release in the UK on March 17.
The BSF has already informed their counterparts, Bangladesh Rifles, on the increasing incidents of smuggling of fake Indian currency.

Intelligence reports available with the government reveal that the ISI has already set up a latest printing press on the outskirts of Karachi for producing fake notes of new denomination of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500.

New Delhi: Indian intelligence agencies will soon take up with their Bangladesh counterparts the issue of counterfeit notes of the new Rs 2,000 denomination which were seized recently being produced on currency paper that is normally used by the Bangladeshi printing press to print their own currency notes. Intelligence sources said preliminary investigations into the three recent seizures of Rs 2,000 fake notes, two from Malda and one from Kolkata, have revealed these were produced on currency paper used in printing currency by Bangladesh mints.

Since there has been an increased level of cooperation between intelligence agencies of both countries, Indian agencies said they would flag the issue with their Bangladeshi counterparts to ensure that there was no pilferage or connivance of some staff at the mints in Bangladesh.

In technical terms, the currency paper is often also known as stamp paper. In the last few days there have been three important seizures of fake Rs 2,000 notes, introduced in November last year following demonetisation, that had been smuggled from the Indo-Bangla border. The interesting feature, specially in the sei-zure made in Kolkata, revealed that the notes had been printed on stamp or currency paper used in Bangladesh. We are still conducting more investigations and will soon take up the issue with our Bangladesh counterparts, a senior intelligence official said.

Both the National Investigation Agency and Intelligence Bureau have informed the Centre that ISI-backed subversive elements have been able to copy at least 8-10 security features in the new Rs 2,000 notes. Officials admitted that if initial reports of currency paper from Bangladesh mint being used for printing counterfeit Indian currency were correct then it was surly a cause for concern.

The BSF has already informed their counterparts, Bangladesh Rifles, on the increasing incidents of smuggling of fake Indian currency. Indian intelligence agencies also suspect that some of the staff members of Pakistan embassy in Dhaka may also be involved in this and were using their diplomatic immunity to pump in new currency from through the porous Indo-Bangla border.

Intelligence reports available with the government reveal that the ISI has already set up a latest printing press on the outskirts of Karachi for producing fake notes of new denomination of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500.

`The possibility of some diplomatic channels being used to bring in this currency from Pakistan into Bangladesh through the air route cannot be ruled out. This issue has been taken up with Bangladesh authorities in the past but in view of the recent increase in seizures of Rs 2,000 fake notes we would ask the agencies there to investigate this aspect more thoroughly,the official added.

Demonetisation has had a huge impact on funding of both terror and Naxal outfits leading to a decline in their activities also. For instance post demonetisation there was a sharp drop in incidents of stone pelting in the Kashmir Valley as subversive elements could not pay the local youth for holding demonstrations. It is believed that terror groups and their operatives pay the local youth anything between Rs 500-800 for pelting stones on security forces.
China is building several hydroelectric projects in the area.

Reports said that hundreds of engineers and other skilled manpower arrived in Muzaffarabad and Kohala during the past few weeks.

Srinagar: With the influence of China in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) increasing  as also the presence of Chinese people in the territory  a large number of local people are learning the Chinese language.

It is not only students but traders, government officials and also those related to tourism who are warming up to the Chinese language, apparently to be able to communicate with the foreigners better so as to obtain financial and other benefits from the ventures they are involved in, reports from across the LoC said.

The Chinese people are building several hydroelectric projects in PoK and are also involved in other ventures, particularly the Chinese Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), in the territory and beyond.

The largest 1,124 megawatts hydroelectric project in the territory is being built by China Three Gorges Corporation, the largest hydropower enterprise in the world in terms of installed capacity based in China. The work on the $2.4 billion project  which is coming up on river Jhelum (which flows into PoK from Kashmir Valley) at Kohala, about 224 km from capital Muzaffarabad  began recently.

Reports said that hundreds of engineers and other skilled manpower arrived in Muzaffarabad and Kohala during the past few weeks. While most of them stay in accommodations close to the project site, others shuttle between Kohala and Islamabad on a daily basis.

The Chinese people are actively associated also with a comprehensive plan formulated by the government in Muzaffarabad to accelerate the pace of hydropower development and to construct a number of additional small hydro power plants through its own resources and with private investments in the territory. Four other major power projects on which the Chinese are working, along with locals officials and engineers, include 969 mw Neelam-Jhelum, 700 mw Karot, 147 mw Patrind project on river Kunhar, 100 mw Gulpur and 500 mw Chakothi Hattian, reports said.

About a year ago, media reports had talked also about the presence of Chinese troops in PoK but Islamabad was quick to reject and term these as baseless rumour-mongering. Beijing had also refuted these reports.

Nevertheless, the increasing influence of China in PoK is a fact and it is mainly because of the growing presence of Chinese people in the territory that the locals have been attracted to learn the Chinese language. In view of this trend, the Pakistan Occupied Kashmirs main university recently started Chinese language classes.
The 33-year-old policeman lost his life on Saturday in a clash between security forces and militants.

Senior officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police carry the body of constable Manzoor Ahmad who was killed in an encounter in Tral. (Photo: PTI)

Tral: A 33-year-old Jammu and Kashmir policeman, who was to become a father soon, lost his life in his second attempt to flush out militants holed up in a house in Tral in Jammu and Kashmir after miraculously escaping a volley of fire the first time.

Constable Mazoor Ahmed Naik came forward on two occasions after senior officers decided to bring down the house at Reshipora from which the two militants had continued firing on the police, army and CRPF.

Undeterred by blazing fire from assault rifles, the braveheart crawled in the pitch dark and placed charges (explosives used for road construction) around the house, a senior officer recalled.

The constable came under heavy fire from an AK rifle as he started retreating towards his position but managed to escape, they said.

Koi baat nahi (dont worry), was his nonchalant reply when it was pointed out to him that he would have been killed and that he should not take such risks.

The explosives planted by him, though, brought down only half of the house.

This was followed by a heavy exchange of fire which continued till nearly 2 am.

The situation was tense as people in the nearby locality were protesting and social media was abuzz with rumours to mobilise more people, an officer said.

The firing then stopped and following a wait of two hours, Naik again volunteered to plant explosives to bring down what remained of the house, after an Army Major suffered serious gunshot injuries.

As he charged towards the house this time, he was hit by a volley of bullets from a militant. Despite his wounds, Naik planted the explosives on remaining part of the house before breathing his last.

Survived by a four-year-old son Aarzoo, a pregnant wife and two unemployed brothers, the resident of Salamabad in Uri (North Kashmir) was the lone bread-earner for his family.

He had announced to his senior officer earlier that he was proceeding on leave as his wife was expecting.

Its sad that we have lost a boy whose love for his duty and motherland will not go waste. The supreme sacrifice made by the constable boosts the moral of Jammu and Kashmir Police. I salute the brave heart, director general of police SP Vaid said after the wreath laying ceremony held for the policeman.

Both militants, one of whom was from Pakistan, were killed in the encounter.

One of the militants was a Hizbul Mujahideen operative identified as Aaquib Bhat, popularly known as Aaquib Maulvi, who was active in the area for the last three years.

The other, Saif-ul-lah alias Osama, was a Pakistani terrorist working with Jaish-e-Mohammed.
This is done to obviate the need to go to Parliament in case the levy has to be raised on certain goods and services.

Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Arun Jaitley with Minister of State for Finance Santosh Gangwar at GST Council Meeting, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Goods and Services Tax Council on Saturday approved the final draft of the Central GST (C-GST) and Integrated GST (I-GST) legislation, and will take up for approval State-GST and Union Territory-GST (UT-GST) bills at its next meeting on March 16. With this, the new tax regime appears to be all set for rollout from July 1.

The C-GST, that will give powers to Centre to levy GST on goods and services after Union levies like excise and service tax are subsumed, and I-GST, which will be levied on inter-state supplies, will go to Parliament for approval in the second half of the Budget Session that starts March 9, finance minister Arun Jaitley said after the meeting of the council.

The GST Council also fixed a five per cent tax rate on small hotels and restaurants and approved the draft of key supporting legislation to enable the rollout of the new indirect tax regime from July 1.

The S-GST, which will allow states to levy the tax after VAT and other state levies are subsumed in GST, will have to be passed by each of the state Assemblies. The UT-GST will also go to Parliament for approval.

Mr Jaitley said the model GST law will have a clause to enable levy of up to 40 per cent tax (20 per cent by the Centre and an equal amount by states), but the effective tax rates will be kept at the previously approved levels of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent.

The rates will be what has been decided by the council. There wont be a higher rate of taxation. But the cap rate in the legislation is always put at a higher level to leave a headspace, just as in the Customs Act you have a difference between the bound rate and applied rate. So the applied rate is going to be what the council has decided, the finance minister said.

This is done to obviate the need to go to Parliament in case the levy has to be raised on certain goods and services. This will also help in a scenario where the cess on demerit goods being proposed to compensate states for loss of revenue from GST is to be merged with the tax rate itself, he told reporters after the meeting.

It looks like its on track. Hopefully the laws would be before Parliament this session and subject to Parliament approving them, July 1 this year now optimistically looks like the possible date for GST implementation, he said.

The council, headed by Mr Jaitley and which comprises the representatives of all states, decided to levy a five per cent GST rate (2.5 per cent by Centre and 2.5 per cent by states) on small hotels, restaurants and dhabas with an annual turnover of up to Rs 50 lakhs.

Revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia said there were some demands that restaurants be included in the composition scheme, particularly those with less turnover. So the council decided there would be a composition scheme for restaurants up to a turnover of Rs 50 lakhs, and the rate for them is five per cent. The remaining restaurants will come into the regular service tax rate.
DRDO hands over to Army recce vehicle to counter chemical, biological hits too.

New Delhi: The strong possibility that chemical weapons were used in Wednesdays attacks in Afghanistan has brought the dangerous reality to Indias doorsteps. Pakistans growing arsenal of strategic and tactical nuclear weapons and the declared intent of terror outfits like Al Qaeda, Taliban and ISIS to acquire non-conventional weapons, including chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, has resonated very strongly in India and rapid steps are already underway to combat such attacks, be it from state or non-state actors.

We have not faced nuclear or chemical attacks, but we will have to be prepared at every moment to deal with the issue, defence minister Manohar Parrikar said on Thursd-ay. Alluding to reports of chemical attacks by the Taliban in Afghanistan on Wednesday, he said: While these reports are yet to be confirmed, I have seen photographs of the local population suffering from blisters and burns and they are quite distressing.

Significantly on Thursd-ay itself, the state-owned Defence Research and De-velopment Organisation (DRDO) handed over to the Army the NBC (nuc-lear, biological and chemical) Recce Vehicle which is all set to be deployed.

Resembling a battle tank and equipped with GPS navigation, meteorological sensors and radiation sensors, the NBC Recce Vehicle is capable of conducting effective reconnaissance of radiological and chemically contaminated areas, demarcation of contaminated zones, real-time communication of digital data after analysing the solid and liquid samples to the supported formation.

The utility of the NBC Recce Vehicle goes beyond warfare and will prove to be indispensable in any NBC disaster situation too, said a source who has worked on the development of the vehicle.

Going beyond, the DRDO has also introduced a bouquet of radio-protectors and radio-mitigator drugs that are required to reduce the effects of gamma irradiation substantially in the aftermath of a nuclear, chemical and biological attack.

In a nuclear disaster, a person is exposed to gam-ma radiations. In high dos-es, radiation syndromes can kill in hours to days to a few months, while in low doses, genetic and cancer disorders may result.

Radio-protectors and radio-mitigator drugs are required to reduce the effects of gamma irradiation substantially. The drugs have been put to Drug Controller General for special approvals, while provisioning to Indian armed forces has already started as these are life-saving drugs.

The DRDO has also provided a NBC kit to the Indian defence forces although it has been segregated into elements for field use and in the hospital on the advice of the Army authorities, said a top DRDO official on condition of anonymity.
Patel forwarded the email to a senior RBI officer, who in turn approached the cyber cell of Mumbai police and lodged a complaint.

Mumbai: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel allegedly received a threat mail asking him to quit the job from a 37-year-old man, who has been arrested from Nagpur, police said on Sunday.

The RBI Governor received the email on February 23 in which the sender threatened to harm Patel and his family if he did not quit, a police official said.

Patel forwarded the email to a senior RBI officer, who in turn approached the cyber cell of Mumbai police and lodged a complaint.

During investigation, police found that the email was sent from a cyber cafe in Nagpur.

A team from the Mumbai police's cyber cell then went to Nagpur and arrested the accused, identified as Vaibhav Baddalwar, on Friday.

"We have arrested the accused from Nagpur in connection with the threat mail to the RBI Governor," Deputy Commissioner of Police, cyber cell, Akhilesh Singh said.

An offence was registered by police under Indian Penal Code section 506(2) (criminal intimidation) in the case.

Police claimed that the accused admitted to having sent the mail.

Baddalwar was later produced in a Nagpur court which remanded him in police custody till March 6.

The accused did his post-graduation abroad and is currently jobless. It is suspected that he sent the mail out of frustration, Singh said adding that an investigation into the matter is on.

The RBI spokesperson did not offer any comments in the matter.
The forces reportedly blasted the house after imposing a curfew in the area.

The security forces resumed the operation with the first light on Saturday after it was suspended for the night to avoid collateral damage but did not find militants inside the house when they entered it around 9 am.

Srinagar: A fierce gun battle undertook between a group of two to three militants holed up in a house and security forces in Hayena village of Tral area in southern Pulwama district on late Saturday evening.

The forces reportedly blasted the house after imposing a curfew in the area. The locals said over the phone that earlier, mike-fitted police jeeps went around announcing, a curfew had been imposed in and around Hafoo Nazneenpora village and that no one should try to venture out.

After some time we heard huge blasts, said one of them. Heavy firing was also on. In a related incident, irate crowds attacked the CRPF reinforcements, which were on way to the village in Tral. Sources said the mob had gathered in the heart of the town and attacked the security personnel with sticks and stones. They also snatched the service rifle from a CRPF jawan, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the security forces called off the operation launched on Friday evening in a remote village of Kashmir Valleys southern Shopian district on Saturday as the militants who had been holed up in a private house escaped overnight.

The security forces resumed the operation with the first light on Saturday after it was suspended for the night to avoid collateral damage but did not find militants inside the house when they entered it around 9am.

A police official said that there was no response to the security forces firing towards the house on Saturday morning, and after some time when the Armys Paratroopers entered the premises, they found it empty. The family living left soon after the encounter started on Friday evening. After the search, the operation was called off.
Modi attacked the state government for its failure to arrest UP minister Gayatri Prajapati who has been accused of gang rape.

Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday used the gayatri mantra to attack chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.

People recite the gayatri mantra before starting anything auspicious but the SamajwadiCongress alliance chants the Gayatri Prajapati mantra, he said while addressing a rally in Jaunpur.

He attacked the state government for its failure to arrest UP minister Gayatri Prajapati who has been accused of gang rape and the case against him was registered on the directives of the Supreme Court.

The chief minister addresses an election meeting for Gayatri Prajapati. The accused minister then goes to cast his vote but the UP police cannot find him now. This is the same UP police which can find buffaloes but does not care about justice for a daughter, he said.

Continuing his attack on the state government, Mr Modi said that the reason or the poor law and order situation was that in UP, police stations had turned into Samajwadi party offices.

I promise that when the BJP comes to power, the police stations will function like police stations and the jails would return to being jails and not remain the citadels of the bahubalis, the PM said.

Reacting to the chief minister's remark that if the Prime Minister travelled to the Lucknow-Agra Expressway, he would vote for the Samajwadi Party, the Prime Minister said, If Akhilesh Yadav cycles down the road from Kheta Sarai to Khuthan in Jaunpur with his new found friend (Rahul Gandhi) on the pillion, even he would refuse to vote for the Samajwadi party.

The Prime Minister said that BJP would celebrate Holi with its victory in UP and the first decision that would be taken would be loan waiver for farmers.

The Prime Ministers speech was disrupted by an excited crowd that had Mr Modi repeatedly stopping his speech and appealing to the crowds to remain calm.
The Uttar Pradesh police had earlier issued a non-bailable warrant against the accused minister.

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik on Sunday shot a letter to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, seeking clarification on whether he "justifies" it to "retain" the tainted minister Gayatri Prajapati in his cabinet.

"A non-bailable warrant has been issued against Prajapati after an FIR was registered against him in rape case. Serious question of constitutional morality and dignity arise on his remaining in the cabinet", Governor said in a letter to CM seeking his "justification on retaining the minister".

Naik said that as per media reports, a look out notice has been issued against Prajapati fearing that he might flee from the country and his passport has also been impounded.

"This is serious in nature with Prajapati being a cabinet minister", he added.

He said, it has also come to his notice that CM himself has asked the minister to surrender but he has not done so till now and is absconding. There are apprehensions that he might have fled to some foreign country, he said.

The police is searching for the minister and trying to arrest him, the governor said in his letter.

On Saturday, the passport of Prajapati, who is a senior UP government minister was impounded and a look-out notice was issued against him, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused SP-Congress of chanting "Gayatri Prajapati Mantra".

On the directives of the Supreme Court, UP Police has filed an FIR against Prajapati, a senior SP leader, in connection with separate cases of gangrape and attempt to rape another woman and her minor daughter.
In its first year of creation, the Film Facilitation Office secured shooting permissions to 40 film crews to shoot in the country in 2016.

New Delhi: India has registered the highest-ever number of clearances given for shooting of foreign films, seeing an increase of over 33 per cent, after the Narendra Modi government pushed a single-window clearance scheme for them.

In its first year of creation, the Film Facilitation Office secured shooting permissions to 40 film crews to shoot in the country in 2016. Government statistics revealed that the number of clearances given to foreign film producers for shooting in 2015 was 30, 25 in 2014 and 33 in 2013.

The FFO was setup to facilitate a single-window clearance for film makers, and is being considered one of the most busness-friendly steps initiated by the government in the sector. The FFO acts as a facilitation point for film producers and assist them in obtaining requisite permissions, disseminate information on shooting locales as well as facilities available with the Indian film industry for production and post-production. The FFO came into existance in December 2015.

Among the movies and programmes cleared by the I&B ministry during 2016 include nine approvals to production houses based in the US and seven to those based in the UK.

Eight clearances have also been given to film crews based in various Eureopean countries and a similar number to producers from Bangladesh, sources added.

In another step to help foreign filmmakers, the Modi government has asked all state governments to facilitate foreign film crews and production houses. The states have also been asked to appoint a nodal officer to interact with these crews so that they do not face trouble in shooting of films.

Most of these steps for the foreign film makers come as Union I&B minister M. Venkaiah Naidu has been takeing up their cases with various ministries in the government.

The Modi government had also introduced the concept of film visa, as reported by this newspaper on March 1. The film visa has been created as a separate category under the liberalisation, simplification and rationalisation of visa regime in India by the introduction of a new category of visa titled Film (F) Visa.
China is locked in a dispute with some of the southeast Asian countries over maritime rights of water in southeast Asia.

New Delhi: India will lay emphasis on connectivity, open maritime trade and rights of navigation during the summit of the 21-nation Indian Ocean Rim Association (Iora) to be held in Jakarta on Tuesday, where vice-president Hamid Ansari will represent the country.

Mr Ansari, who will embark on the two-day visit of the Indonesian capital on Monday, is also expected to pitch for cooperation among the think tanks of the member countries to evolve common strategies to meet the conventional and non-conventional threats, sources said, according to news agency PTI. The theme of the summit is Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for a Peaceful, Stable and Prosperous Indian Ocean.

China is locked in a dispute with some of the southeast Asian countries over maritime rights of water in southeast Asia while India and the US have been focusing on the right to navigation in international waters.

At the meeting, a declaration on countering violent extremism is expected to be adopted along with the Iora Concord and an action plan. The Iora Concord is a strategic document that sets the ways and means to strengthen the regional architecture in the Indian Ocean Rim and elevate Iora as a regional cooperation, an official statement from the Iora secretariat was quoted by news agencies, as stating. The Iora is a regional forum that aims at facilitating and promoting economic co-operation, bringing together, inter-alia, the representatives of the Member States governments, businesses and academia.

The association comprises India, Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. It also has seven Dialogue Partners  the US, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Japan and the UK.
Five of the accused men have been arrested and police teams were conducting raids to locate and arrest Siddiqui and one of his aides.

Faizabad: Bahujan Samaj Party candidate from Ayodhya seat, Bazmi Siddiqui, and his six aides were on Saturday booked by the police for allegedly raping a woman.

Five of his accused associates have been arrested, the police said, even as Siddiqui claimed the case was a political conspiracy against him.

The complainant has alleged that Siddiqui and his men forcibly entered her house in Purani Sabzi Mandi locality of Faizabad city under Kotwali police station area late last night.

They allegedly beat up the woman and her family members and then took turns to rape her, police said.

Faizabad SSP Anant Dev said, five of the accused men have been arrested and police teams were conducting raids to locate and arrest Siddiqui and one of his aides.

Siddiqui said over phone, There is a BSP wave in the ongoing elections and I am winning. So the opposition parties are conspiring against me.

The complainant has alleged that Siddiqui had raped her three months ago also but the local police managed to save him.

A physically-challenged relative of the woman said he was also badly beaten up when he opposed Siddiqui and his men.

Police said Siddiqui has several cases of crimes registered against him in Faizabad and Lucknow.

Siddiqi made news during the ongoing UP assembly election after media reported him as first Muslim candidate fielded by BSP on Ayodhya seat.
Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of South Carolina was found dead of gunshot wounds in his yard.

New Delhi: The Sikh man, who was shot in the arm by a masked gunman in Seattle, is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital, said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday after speaking to his family.

Taking to Twitter, Swaraj posted the update about Deep Rai, who is a US national of Indian origin.

She also extended her condolences to the family of Harnish Patel, who was killed in Lancaster, assuring that the investigation of the case is in progress.

What came as an apparent third hate crime case in two weeks against the Indian community in United States, a 39-year old Sikh man was injured by an unknown assailant, who shot the victim outside his home and allegedly shouted "go back to your own country."

The victim was working on his vehicle outside his home in the city of Kent on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to the driveway.

There was an altercation, and the gunman - a stocky, 6-foot-tall white man wearing a mask over the bottom part of his face - said "Go back to your own country" and pulled the trigger.

An argument ensued, and the suspect, wearing a mask, told him to go back to his homeland, the victim said. The victim told police the man then shot him in the arm.

According to the local police, the Sikh man sustained "non life-threatening injuries" and they are "treating this as a very serious incident."

Kent police have launched an investigation into the case and reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.

This development comes close on the heels of the tragic shooting in Kansas last month of 32-year old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was killed when 51-year old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani before yelling "get out of my country."

Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gunshot wounds in his yard.
PM Modi visits temples after 3-hour roadshow.

Lucknow/New Delhi: Varanasi was on Saturday transformed into a political Maha-Kumbh city with all the generals, ranging from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and BSP supremo Mayawati descending there to catapult their outfits to ultimate victory.

Milling crowds, the chanting of slogans like Har Har Modi, Har Har Mahadev as well as UP ke ladke and the BSPs slogans Sarvajan hitaye sarvajan sukhaye, jumle vaadon mei na ayein rent the air of this ancient holy city, the home turf and parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Modi.

Thousands thronged Mr Modis three-hour roadshow which moved at a snails pace amid slogans like Subah Banaras, shaam Banaras, Modi tere naam Banaras as well as Jai jai Modi. The Prime Minister, easily the star attraction, waved at the massive crowds as people jostled to reach his vehicle. Special flower-showering machines were also installed at several places on the route. After the roadshow the PM offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath and Kaal Bhairav temples, two of the foremost Hindu holy places there.

While the BJP appeared mesmerised by the crowd and the response, and felt the magic of 2014 was recreated, neither the party nor the Prime Minister are willing to take chances. Given some reports that due to battles over ticket distribution in all five Assembly segments falling under the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat the contest could be tough, the PM has himself decided to camp in Varanasi till March 6, the last day of campaigning for the final phase of polling. BJP sources claimed that distribution of tickets by the party leadership in all five Assembly seats had ruffled many saffron feathers.

After recreating the magic on the streets of Varanasi, the PM held a public rally at Jaunpur, where he took on the Akhilesh Yadav government and claimed mothers and daughters are not safe under the Akhilesh Yadav government. He then asked the crowd: Should not women feel as secure as men? He played the patriotic card by talking about the brave jawans who had carried out the surgical strike against Pakistan. The PM claimed the world is still studying the surgical strikes conducted by the soldiers.

That the pressure was on became evident when the Prime Minister, after the Jaunpur rally, returned to Varanasis Town Hall for another speech. He started by invoking Lord Shiva with a full throated chant Har Har Mahadev.

As the sun began to set, it was the turn of UP ke ladke  the Rahul Gandhi-Akhilesh Yadav combine  to hit the streets. Yet again, the streets, lanes and bylanes of Mr Modis citadel were filled with frenzied crowds that waved Congress and SP flags and raised slogans like Jai Akhilesh. Atop the vehicle, Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav waved at the charged-up crowds. The vehicle was covered with photographs of Rahul and Akhilesh and plastered with the alliances key slogan UP ko yeh saath pasand hain. The crowd went into raptures as Akhilesh Yadav took repeated jibes at the Prime Minister, saying this PM does not even know whether its coconut juice or coconut water Amid the cheers, roars and thunderous applause, Mr Yadav vowed to give 24-hour electricity to Kashi. He then reiterated: This is the alliance of youth.

After him it was Rahul Gandhis turn to take on the PM by interacting with the crowd. He asked: Modi had promised to clean the Ganga, clean Varanasi  did he do it?. The crowd roared back: Nahin (No). He then mimicked the PMs laugh and mannerisms. Mr Gandhi and Mr Yadav also visited the Kashi Vishwanath temple to seek blessings.

While the roadshows by the BJP and the SP-Congress alliance dominated the day, BSP supremo Mayawati confined herself to a rally, where she took on both rival outfits. She said: The BJP and the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance are fighting for the second and third places.

As the political titans clashed in Varanasi, there were reports of a minor scuffle between Samajwadi and BJP workers outside the BHUs Singh Dwar. Some unidentified persons also pelted stones when the SP-Congress roadshow passed the Chowkaghat area.
The Uttar Pradesh Police issued non-bailable warrants against Prajapati and six others in connection with the rape charges.

New Delhi: Union Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Kalraj Mishra on Sunday assured that the absconding Samajwadi Party leader Gayatri Prajapati, who has been booked on charges of rape, would be arrested once the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government comes to power in Uttar Pradesh.

"Gayatri Prajapati should have been arrested till now. He will be arrested once our party will come to power after March 11," Mishra said.

Mishra also alleged that the Akhilesh Yadav-led government was trying to protect Prajapati.

Earlier on Saturday, the Uttar Pradesh Police issued non-bailable warrants against Prajapati and six others in connection with the rape charges.

Prajapati's passport has been revoked for four weeks to prevent him from attempting to flee out of the country.

Earlier this week, the police also initiated proceedings for a look out notice against Prajapati following reports that he may try to escape abroad to evade arrest.

On February 20, Prajapati moved the Supreme Court against its order of registering an FIR against him and sought protection from the arrest and recall of the apex court's earlier order.

The apex court had directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to file a status report in the case within a period of eight weeks.

A 35-year-old woman had accused Prajapati of raping her when she met him three years ago.

He is also accused of taking obscene photos of the victim and threatening her to make the photos public and raping her for the past two years.

However, Prajapati claimed it to be a conspiracy of the BJP in order to distract people's attention from the assembly polls.

"It is a conspiracy against me. I don't even know who the lady is. Since the government has ordered such probe, I would accept it gladly," Prajapati said.
Varanasi: Addressing a rally after his second roadshow in two consecutive days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lashed out at the Opposition, saying the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) believe in 'kuch ka saath kuch ka vikas.''

"Our motto is sabka sath sabka vikas, but Cong, SP and BSP have different culture of politics that believes in kuch ka saath kuch ka vikas," said Prime Minister Modi while addressing a rally in Varanasi after concluding his roadshow.

He also added that he wanted to make Varanasi a global attraction for tourists.

Modi also alleged that Congress, SP and BSP came together following his announcement to demonetise high-denomination currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 on November 8 last year.

"When on November 8, Modi said 'My dear friends', all the three (BSP, SP, Congress) came together. The three always indulge in mud-slinging but united on the issue of demonetisation," he added.

Hitting out at the current ruling dispensation, the Prime Minister said development is impossible in East Uttar Pradesh as the region has everything but a good government.

Continuing his tirade against the Samajwadi Party, Modi said the honest will not be acknowledged till the time the present government remains in power.

"I want to tell all honest citizens- no one will ever trouble you under our government. The honest will be awarded," he said.

In a veiled attack on the Congress, the Prime Minister said the country has been looted by politicians and babus.

"For the first time in India a government has come which is trusted by the country," he said.

Prime Minister Modi lambasted the former government for questioning the surgical strike and delaying the approval of the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for the past 40 years.

"Look at the misfortune of the country that it has such politicians and political parties which demand for proof of the surgical strike," he added.

Modi earlier in the day held a second roadshow in Varanasi starting from Pandeypur Chauraha which concluded at the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith.
Interestingly, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had also said that the Prime Minister should do kaam ki Baat.

New Delhi: It is a fight to control the airwaves and counterpunch governments claims. Congress Spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit has now started his own kaam ki baat to take on the Prime Ministers Mann Ki Baat programme.

In the last two-and-a-half years, the Congress has been critical of the Mann Ki Baat programme of the Prime Minister. The party has filed complaints with the Election Commission of India regarding the broadcast of Mann Ki Baat during state elections.

Presently, the kaam ki baat episode is only available online on social networking sites and the YouTube channel. Like all new shows at first, the Congress wants to judge the response which these episodes are generating.

According to sources, the idea was to take the message of the Congress among the youths on the utterances of the Prime Minister in his radio programme. Hence the online medium becomes more effective as social messaging can be done easily.

The first three segments of the kaam ki baat of five minutes each have already been released. Unlike the Mann Ki Baat, which is exclusively for radio broadcast, the kaam ki baat episodes are video recordings. They are a response to the Mann Ki Baat which was delivered by the Prime Minister on February 26.

Mr Dikshit has responded to all the three issues raised by the Prime Minister which included Digi Dhan, ISRO satellite launch and issues concerning the farmers.

There are lots of claims which the Prime Minister makes in his Mann Ki Baat and takes credit for. The fact needs to be told that the base was built by the Congress governments which have (now) culminated (into results), Mr Dikshit said.

In the last episode when the Prime Minister lauded ISRO for launching satellites into space, he should have also praised the first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru who started ISRO and the space program, Mr Dikshit argued.

Interestingly, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had also said that the Prime Minister should do kaam ki Baat. While the RJD was also planning to start its own kaam ki baat, it could not take off for some unknown reasons.

The Congress feels that the government and the BJP is having a free ride in usurping the credit for the development work which it has done. Now it wants to once again stake claim to its legacy.
Mulayam Singh Yadav was in his old form when he termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as jhoota badshah (liar king).

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, who has refused to campaign for the SP candidates barring his brother Shivpal and daughter-in-law Aparna, made an exception for his old associate and minister Parasnath Yadav when he addressed a meeting in Jaunpur district on Sunday.

Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav was in his old form when he termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as jhoota badshah (liar king).

Addressing the rally in Malhani Assembly segment , the SP leader said that Mr Modi had spoken lies to form his government in 2014 and called upon the people to beware of the Prime Ministers promises.

He said, I was alone when I formed the Samajwadi Party in 1992 and we managed to form our own government within 11 months in 1993. We have always fought against injustice to the poor and there has been no difference between our words and actions.

In the Samajwadi regime, we have given greater representation to women in government jobs. We have made education and health care available to the deprived section of society. We have also helped the farmers and ensured jobs for the youth, he said.

The SP leader said that if people want, the SP would be able to form government again. We have fulfilled all promises we made in our previous election manifesto. We work on the principles of Mahatma Gandhi, Ram Manohar Lohia and Sardar Patel, he said.

Mr Yadav, however, avoided any mention of his strained relations with chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.
The more stressed someone was, the bigger the body weight, BMI and waist circumference of the person.

Even just being aware that stress might make you eat more may help (Photo: AFP)

Washington: Stress is capable of packing a double hit as it can make you obese over time, but now a recent study suggests that if you want to avoid those extra kilos, then it's time to stop counting calories and simply relax.

Researchers from University College London (UCL) conducted the study on 2,527 men and women over the age of 50. They measured the level of cortisol, the stress hormone, in two centimetre clippings of hair (about two months' growth).

After taking into account variations in age and sex as well as other factors like whether someone smokes or has diabetes, the researchers found that the higher the level of cortisol (ie. the more stressed someone was), the bigger the body weight, BMI and waist circumference of the person.

Having a higher level of cortisol was also linked to persistent obesity over time.

Lead author Sarah E. Jackson said that while we probably can't eliminate all stress from our lives, we might be able to find ways to control it: "Even just being aware that stress might make you eat more may help." The study appears in the journal Obesity.
No casualties or injuries were reported in the incident but several people were rendered homeless.

New Delhi: A fire broke out in shanties in southeast Delhi's Batla House area in which some houses were gutted, officials said on Sunday.

A call was received around 12:21 am, about a fire in the shanties and three fire tenders were rushed to the spot, said a Delhi Fire Services officer.

Police said 44 people were affected due to the fire.

No casualties or injuries were reported in the incident but several people were rendered homeless, police said.

The fire had spread in the area of 600 to 700 square yards, the officer said.
Sisodia praised Mr Jaitley for piloting the GST negotiations successfully & leading the country to the biggest tax reform in recent years.

New Delhi: Delhis deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday demanded that real estate be brought under the ambit of The Goods and Services Tax (GST), saying that the move will help in curbing black money.

In a letter to Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, Mr Sisodia requested to bring real estate under GST and said: The change will bring transparency and control hoarding of land and property. People will get property in less price.

I believe that by keeping real estate out of GST, we have kept a big space open for flourishing black money. I raised the issue in the last council meeting and apprised that the decision to keep real estate out of GST is not right, Mr Sisodia said.

However, he praised Mr Jaitley for piloting the GST negotiations successfully and leading the country to the biggest tax reform in recent years.

Referring to an article by chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian, where he deals with some misconceptions about the tax reform, Mr Sisodia said that all these misconceptions are unfounded.

For a tax reform like GST, all political parties are showing a lot of will. There will be a need of more political will to bring real estate under the ambit of the GST, Mr Sisodia said in his letter in Hindi.
More than a dozen accounts opened in the name of district DCPs

A senior police official, who did not wish to be named, said that they had around Rs 20 crore in denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 which they had to deposit in the banks. (Representational image)

New Delhi: The Delhi police is reportedly opening more than a dozen bank accounts in the name of the district DCP (deputy commissioner of police) to deposit scrapped currency worth several crores, which was seized as case property in different cases.

A senior police official, who did not wish to be named, said that they had around Rs 20 crore in denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 which they had to deposit in the banks.

This huge cash is case property seized by the Delhi police in several cases. It was kept in the maalkhana of the police stations. In most of the cases, the cash is given back to the persons to whom it belongs after the courts permission. But post demonetisation, this cash has become nothing but junk and senior police officials were worried as to what to do with this money, the official said.

The senior police officials discussed the matter with the legal cell and they were advised that the demonetised currency notes, which were seized as case property in different cases, should be deposited with the banks.

The legal cell directed us to open accounts with the banks in the name of the concerned district DCP. We were also advised to take permission from the concerned magistrate, he said.

On the request of the police, the district court directed the banks to take this money, which is no longer a legal tender, as deposits. Officials said that the courts had arra-nged for the money to be videographed before directing the police to deposit the same at the banks. The courts have also ma-de an inventory of such money.

The police official said that most of the currency seized as case property will now be deposited with banks and they will be given new notes.
LAS VEGAS  A lawyer for a Nevada rancher whose father fought the government for decades over grazing and property rights said Thursday hell appeal a federal judges order to pay $587,000 and remove his livestock from federal lands by the end of the month.

Mark Pollot, attorney for Wayne N. Hage, said in a brief email that they disagree with the judges decision and that he was working on a notice of appeal.

Hage is the son of cattleman and longtime Sagebrush Rebellion figure Wayne Hage, who died in 2006.

The fathers fight began in 1991, more than a decade after the movement to wrest control of federal land got its start in the late 1970s and was labeled the Sagebrush Rebellion. But the elder Hage became iconic among ranchers and cattlemen who chafe at grazing and use restrictions on vast expanses of land under government control in states in the West.

Federal agencies control some 85 percent of land in Nevada, 66 percent in Utah, 62 percent in both Idaho and Alaska, and 53 percent in Oregon, according to the Congressional Research Service.

The movement then has echoes today in states like in Utah, where lawmakers have for years tried to seize control of land from the federal government. One law passed by the Legislature in 2012 even set a 2015 land transfer deadline that came and went.

In Congress, a federal-to-state land transfer bill by Nevada Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei got a subcommittee hearing in November, along with another measure called the Federal Land Freedom Act of 2015.

Opponents argue that states dont have the money to manage and protect vast expanses of rangeland or fight wildfires, and that they would allow oil and gas drilling in environmentally sensitive places.

U.S. park, forest, military and other agencies also control significant amounts of land in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, Washington state and Wyoming.

Chief U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro in Las Vegas on Monday ruled that federal grazing permits held by Wayne Hage and his wife until the mid-1990s didnt transfer to their estate or to their son.

The judge gave Wayne N. Hage 30 days to pay grazing fees and penalties racked up from November 2004 to June 2011, and 15 additional days to provide proof that he had complied.

The judges order also banned the Hage family from grazing livestock on any public land administered by the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management.

The battle over some 11,000 square miles of property in and around Nye County, northwest of Las Vegas, preceded the fight involving federal agencies and rancher Cliven Bundy and an armed standoff in April 2014 near Bunkerville, 90 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

Five Bundy family members and 12 accused co-defendants are now facing trial before Navarro in Las Vegas on conspiracy, weapon, assault on a federal officer and other charges relating to the standoff. Two other defendants have pleaded guilty to federal charges.

Hage told the Las Vegas Review-Journal (http://bit.ly/2m04XcV ) he doesnt have livestock on the range in question. He declined to say if he could pay the judgment.

He cast the court ruling as a bellweather step in government efforts to extinguish private property rights on public land.

The Hage case has a long and complicated history. Navarros ruling follows a 2013 decision by U.S. District Judge Robert Clive Jones in Nevada that was overturned on appeal by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
Kejriwal said that the BJP-run municipal bodies have failed to keep the national capital clean.

New Delhi: Delhi will come to resemble London in barely a year if the AAP wins the coming civic polls, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday.

Addressing a rally at Uttam Nagar in West Delhi, Mr Kejriwal said that the BJP-run municipal bodies have failed to keep the national capital clean. He added that Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have controlled the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for 15 long years, but nothing has changed in all these years.

If we get control of these (three) municipal bodies, I promise to clean up Delhi like never before, the AAP national convenor said. He added that it was the duty of the civic bodies, not the Delhi government, to keep the city clean.

Mr Kejriwal said that the reason why the AAP government has been able to achieve a lot in health, education, and other sectors is because it refused to compromise with corruption. He admitted that he fought a lot with the Union government but made it clear that he fought for the people of Delhi and not for the sake of (my) children and wife.

The Delhi chief minister also claimed that his governments achievements on many fronts in the past two years far surpassed the achievements of the BJP-run governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in the last 10-15 years.

The AAP leader was speaking at an event to mark the inauguration of sewer and drains in Uttam Nagar, a thickly-populated area in West Delhi. Delhi ministers are on an inauguration spree ahead of the next months civic polls.

Meanwhile, Delhi governments pilot project of providing quality drinking water from taps was inaugurated on Sunday, with Navjeevan Vihar becoming the first such area where residents will get 24X7 water supply.

The project, which according to the government will be replicated in entire Delhi, will convert intermittent water supply into 24X7 with improved water pressure and quality, thus bypassing the need of overhead tanks.

The initiative will also help the government in saving water from leakages or overflow as consumers will have facility to use direct water supply from taps by closing the inlet of overhead tanks.
The court observed that since the victim of the offence is no more, the case cannot be closed based on a settlement.

Mumbai: The cases of abetment of suicide cannot be quashed merely on the ground of settlement between the parties involved, the Bombay High Court has said.

A division bench of Justices A S Oka and Anuja Prabhudessai made this observation on Friday while dismissing a petition filed by city resident Mohammad Asgar Choudhary.

The petitioner sought a case registered against him for allegedly abetting his girlfriend's suicide to be closed.

The case was filed against Choudhary by the deceased's father.

Choudhary, in his petition, claimed that he has settled the case with the complainant and has also given monetary compensation to the victim's family.

The deceased's father submitted an affidavit in the High Court claiming that he was in a state of shock after his daughter committed suicide and hence, filed the complaint.

The affidavit further said that the victim was suffering from depression from a long time.

The bench, however, refused to accept this argument. "Cases under IPC section 306 (abetment to suicide) cannot be quashed on ground of settlement since the victim of the alleged offence is no more," Justice Oka observed.

The bench then dismissed the petition.

The HC said the accused can file a fresh petition for quashing the case based on merits (evidence and facts).
The courts allow the government considerable latitude in matters of national security and in the admission and expulsion of foreigners.

Kishwar Naheed is one of the most respected Urdu poets in the subcontinent. She was the lone Pakistani poet to make it to the Jashn-i-Rekhta festival in New Delhi from Feb 17 to Feb 19. She was obliged to leave midway when informed that she had been invited as a guest and not a participant.

The explanation that the founder of the Rekhta Foundation, Sanjiv Saraf, gave to a correspondent shows him and the Indian government in a poor light. It is self-contradictory, craven and disingenuous. We took a considered decision in the light of the prevailing atmosphere in the country to not have any Pakistani participation. But, since the purpose of this festival is to promote togetherness and bonding, we thought of inviting a few Pakistanis as guests.

Oblivious to the contradiction, he added: This festival is about bringing people together and we did not want that to be taken away by some incident. We did not even apply for the permission that is required from the government whenever a Pakistani is invited as a participant at any event.

Surely, the dreaded incidentmight have been sparked by the presence of the Pakistani guest without her reciting any of the poems that have earned her rich fame. It is equally hard to understand why he did not apply for the permission that is required for a Pakistani participant at an event. Apparently, since no permit is required if the Pakistani sits as a mute spectator. But the government can still grant a visa. Did it direct the organisers after the distinguished guest had arrived?

Under an official circular in force over the last few decades, prior permission of the home ministry and also of the external affairs ministry is required for holding an international conference/seminar/workshop, etc. on a subject that is political, semi-political, communal or religious in nature, or is related to human rights. A mushaira does not fall in any of these dangerous topics.

However, permission is required from both ministries for holding an international conference if participants are invited from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan or Sri Lanka. A mushaira or a musical concert is neither a conference nor a seminar nor a workshop. The etcetera cannot rope them in.

The Modi government follows the old circular with added zeal. Sarafs reference to the prevailing atmosphere in the country reveals more than he intended.

Missing in the entire discourse is one decisive aspect  the citizens right to meet or hear the foreigner in person. The State has a right to bar the entry of a foreigner into its territory. But it is not an absolute right. It can be exercised only on relevant and valid grounds, such as defence, security and the like. A bar for manifestly, demonstrably extraneous reasons would be bad in law.

Article 19(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights says that the right to freedom of expression shall include freedom to seek, receive and import information and ideas of all kind, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of print, or through any other media of his choice.

The courts allow the government considerable latitude in matters of national security and in the admission and expulsion of foreigners. But the onus is on the State to establish that the acts are so related. In Kleindienst vs Mandel (1972), the US supreme court upheld attorney general Richard Kleindiensts refusal of a visa for Ernest Mandel, a Belgian journalist and Marxist theoretician, to participate in an academic conference sponsored by Americans. The court split 6-3. Justices Douglas, Marshall and Brennan dissented. More, even the majority rejected the governments plea that Mandels books were available, after all.

This argument overlooks what may be particular qualities inherent in sustained face-to-face debate, discussion and questioning.

In 1952, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists devoted an entire issue to the problem of Americas visa policy and its effect on the interchange of ideas between American scholars and scientists and their foreign counterparts. The general conclusion of the editors supported by printed statements of such men as Albert Einstein, Hans Bethe, Michael Polanyi and Raymond Aron was that American visa policy was hurting the continuing advance of American science and learning, and was harmful to our prestige abroad.

Justice Thurgood Marshall said, It is undisputed that Dr Mandels brief trip would involve nothing but a series of scholarly conferences and lectures. The progress of knowledge is an international venture. As Mandels invitation demonstrates, individuals of differing worldviews have learned the ways of cooperation where governments have thus far failed.

What illiberal visa policies do is to prevent civil society from acting independently of the State, to plead for change in its policies and advocate a conciliatory approach.

By arrangement with Dawn
The US blames Pakistani safe havens and duplicity for their failure and pressed Pakistan to fight their fight.

The emergence of IS in Afghanistan and its attacks in Pakistan have alarmed Iran, Russia, China and the Central Asian states. (Photo: AFP)

Afghans often proudly refer to their country as the graveyard of empires. Today, unfortunately, it has become just a graveyard. The latest UN report on Afghanistan chronicles the large and escalating human toll of its prolonged war. Afghanistan has also emerged as the primary source of regional instability.

The major catalysts for the current chaos in Afghanistan were the 1979 Soviet intervention; the subsequent rise of religious extremism and terrorism; and the two wars fought by the US in Afghanistan.

After 15 years, the loss of thousands of lives and the expenditure of hundreds of billions of dollars, the US and its allies have been unable to eliminate Al Qaeda or defeat the Taliban. The war on terror has intensified the terrorist threat from Afghanistan.

The US blames Pakistani safe havens and duplicity for their failure and pressed Pakistan to fight their fight.

The continued presence of the US-Nato forces in Afghanistan serves several unstated goals: to prevent the collapse of the US-installed Kabul regime; to exert pressure on Pakistan and Iran in the context of counter-proliferation and other US regional objectives; to counter the rising influence of Russia and China in Afghanistan and the region.

The 2001 US invasion pushed many of the Afghan Taliban (as well as Al Qaeda terrorists) into Pakistan. Pakistans unpopular alliance with the US, and its early military operations in South Waziristan, fed extremism and eventually led to the creation of the so-called Pakistani Taliban (TTP).

Most of the TTP and Afghan Taliban fighters have now moved to the vast ungoverned areas of Afghanistan. Although the good and bad Taliban distinction has been derided, there is a clear difference between the Afghan Taliban and the TTP. The Afghan Taliban have a feasible political agenda: to secure or share power in Afghanistan. The TTP espouses the nihilistic aim of overthrowing the Pakistani state. The TTP is now also allied with the militant Islamic State group whereas the Afghan Taliban are fighting it.

The IS has announced the extension of its caliphate to the Khorasan province (encompassing Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan and Iran). It has found recruits mainly from the ranks of TTP, Al Qaeda, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and the East Turkmenistan Islamic Movement (ETIM).

The emergence of IS in Afghanistan and its attacks in Pakistan have alarmed Iran, Russia, China and the Central Asian states. Iran sees IS, with its extremist Sunni ideology, as a mortal enemy which it is fighting in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere. As the enemy of its enemy, Iran has reportedly extended support to the Afghan Taliban.

Moscow has also established contacts with the Afghan Taliban. Russia recently hosted consultations on Afghanistan with Pakistan and China. It was only after protests from Kabul and New Delhi that they were invited to a subsequent meeting in Moscow.

China is also concerned because ETIM is associated with the TTP and now with IS. Apart from preventing destabilisation of Xinjiang province, China also wants to ensure that the threats emanating from Afghanistan do not disrupt the implementation of President Xi Jinpings ambitious One-Belt One-Road project, especially the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

India has sought for decades to confront Pakistan with a two-front threat. The 2002 installation of the Northern Alliance-led regime in Kabul revived that possibility. As openly admitted by the Indian national security adviser, Ajit Doval, India is using Afghan territory to destabilise Pakistan by sponsoring TTP terrorism and Baloch insurgents.

Appeasing Narendra Modis India will not avert Indias plans for widespread subversion and terrorism in Pakistan. This can be achieved by decisive action against the TTP and the eradication of Indias sleeper cells within Pakistan.

The incoming Trump administration is now the wild card in the endeavour to create durable security in the region. The new administration has not pronounced its policies on Afghanistan, Pakistan or the region. Pakistan and other concerned states must seek to convince Washington that, one, peace in Afghanistan can be achieved only through a negotiated settlement between Kabul and the Afghan Taliban; two, IS and its associates are the primary threats to the security and stability of Afghanistan and the region; and, three, India and its Afghan collaborators must terminate their support to these terrorists.

The current Afghan chaos was created by unilateral military interventions. Ending it needs active international cooperation.

By arrangement with Dawn
The Tawang monastery is the biggest Tibetan monastery after Lhasa.

Perched on a verdant mountainside in western Arunachal Pradesh is the worlds second largest Tibetan monastery of Tawang. This multi-storied Buddhist monastery towers over a vast collection of associated buildings sprawled across an entire mountainside and houses one of the last remaining centres of Tibetan culture.

The Tawang monastery is the biggest Tibetan monastery after Lhasa. At its heart are a library of ancient texts and a main hall housing the sacred 27 feet statue of the Golden Buddha.

The three-storied Parkhang library holds a collection of centuries old scriptures in addition to other priceless manuscripts many of which were rescued from Tibet at a time when its monasteries were being ravaged by the Red Army soldiers.

The Tawang monastery is dedicated to the wrathful deity, Palden Lhamo or Goddess Dri Devi, considered to be the principal protectress of Tibet. Should this monastery fall, then, many Tibetans believe, so will Tibet and the dharma would forever be extinguished.

This massive Tawang complex is the last bastion of Tibetan Buddhism that is sought to be overwhelmed and obliterated by Beijings Communist overlords. The tall white-washed protective walls of the monastery are unlikely to withstand a Chinese military assault. The only force standing between them and the might of Chinas Red Army is the Indian government.

This monastery and its long heritage are at the centre of the latest face-off between Beijing and New Delhi.

Despite repeated threats from Beijing, New Delhi has held to its unstated position that the Tibetan people, their culture and religion need to be preserved. Even though India accepted Chinas invasion and annexation of Tibet in 1950, it did so reluctantly and gave refuge to the Dalai Lama and his followers. Thousands of Tibetan refuges continue to live in India.

The Chinese leadership, however, continues to view the Tibetan religion, its head, the Dalai Lama, and Tawang as threats.

The recent Indian decision to allow the Dalai Lama to travel to Tawang set off a predictable ruckus in Beijing which threatened India in no uncertain terms.

India is fully aware of the seriousness of the Dalai issue and the sensitivity of China-India border question, said Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson. Under such a background if India invites Dalai to visit the mentioned territory, it will cause serious damage to peace and stability of the border region and China-India relations.

The Chinese spokesperson added: The Dalai clique has long been engaging in anti-China separatist activities and its record on the border question is not that good.

Indian external affairs ministry spokesman retorted: The Dalai Lama is free to travel in any part of the country, we see nothing unusual if he visits Arunachal Pradesh again. Earlier, the Chinese had even objected when President Pranab Mukherjee held a dinner for the Dalai Lama.

Recent disclosures made by a former high official of the Chinese government, Dai Bingguo, who has participated in 15 rounds of border talks with India, admitted that China considers Tawang to be an inalienable part of the Tibet region of China.

He hinted that although China claimed all the 90,000 sq. km of Indias Arunachal Pradesh, a deal could be worked out if New Delhi agreed to hand over Tawang. Former foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon has disclosed in his book Choices that Beijing has long made it clear that it covets Tawang.

New Delhi has not only consistently resisted this demand but also not accepted Beijings annexation of 38,000 sq. km of land in Aksai Chin. Beijing offers nothing in return and wishes New Delhi to act unilaterally.

This is because Beijing does not believe in a give and take policy. It believes that every other nation being naturally lower in status, must accept this fundamental asymmetry. In the past, subservient kingdoms were expected to bring expensive annual presents to appease Chinas emperors, whereas today the Communist bosses in Beijing expect territory and acceptance of Chinese diktats.

Significantly, every nation that has signed a border agreement with the Peoples Republic of China has had to cede territory. Even the tiny Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan (area 199,951 sq. km), which is about the size of Gujarat (area 196, 024 sq. km), was forced to give up 1,250 sq. km of its land to China under an unequal agreement signed in 1999. Local Kyrgyz leaders were so incensed with this unequal deal that many had demanded the impeachment of their then President.

Another even smaller Central Asian republic, Tajikistan (area 143,100 sq. km, which is about the size of Chhattisgarh state), was compelled to hand over 1,122 sq. km of territory to China. This led to massive protests in Tajikistan and took almost a decade to implement the treaty. In total, an estimated 16,000 sq. km of Central Asian lands have been acquired by China during the last two decades.

Even this is nothing compared to the two massive kingdoms of yesteryears, Eastern Turkestan and Tibet, that have been annexed by Chinas Communist regime. Not surprisingly these regions, which today constitute the Chinese provinces of Xinjiang and Tibet, continue to experience huge discontent and militant protests.

Similarly, Beijing claims that the two regions incorporated into India during British rule, Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh (formerly the North-East Frontier Agency), belong to China, despite the fact that no Chinese communities have ever ventured in these parts. The fact that the rulers of these regions once paid tribute to Chinese emperors is considered to be the basis of Chinese sovereignty over them.

Despite Beijings intransigence on Tawang, its blatant opposition to Indias bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and its stonewalling of a UN resolution against Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar, New Delhi sent its foreign secretary to China last month for strategic talks.

Although Chinese officials claimed that the talks were positive it made no concessions. While there is huge asymmetry in Indias military and economic capabilities vis-a-vis China, a medieval hegemonic mindset is unlikely to work in todays age where cooperation rather than coercion is the order of the day.
Bennett, a former US Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, made headlines in 2014 when he made anti-Islam comments on social media.

Houston: 'Do you beat your wife' was a poser in a questionnaire that Muslims wanting to meet a Republican lawmaker were reportedly asked to fill out.

Oklahoma Representative John Bennett asked his constituents taking part in the state's third annual 'Muslim Day' on Thursday to fill out the bizarre questionnaire, BuzzFeed News reported.

Adam Soltani, executive director of Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) Oklahoma, was quoted as saying that high school students from Tulsa's Peace Academy visited Bennett's office to either meet with him or schedule a meeting.

Soltani said the students were met by a legislative assistant who gave them a questionnaire, telling them it must be filled out in writing.

The nine-part questionnaire included questions such as, "Do you beat your wife?"

"I was distraught when (the students) showed me the questionnaire. I wasn't completely surprised by it because obviously we have been challenging Bennett's hate rhetoric for many years," Soltani said.

"Nobody should be vetted with stupid, Islamophobic, hateful, bigoted questions before they can meet with their representative," Soltani said.

Bennett, a former US Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, made headlines in 2014 when he made anti-Islam comments on social media.

He also said there is no difference between moderate and radical Islam.

The questionnaire was written by anti-Islam group ACT for America -- the group's logo and email address were on the sheet of paper.

Bennett confirmed to the Tulsa World that three Muslim students visiting his office as part of Muslim Day were given questionnaires.

Bennett told the newspaper that he did not speak to the students personally.

Responding to the news, the Oklahoma Democratic Party called Bennett "an embarrassment to the Oklahoma Legislature". "Why do Republicans continue to turn a blind eye and ignore Bennett's hateful fear-mongering actions?" the statement was quoted as saying by The Huffington Post.
Members of the community met Brownback seeking his assurance in protection of Indian-Americans in the State.

Washington: Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has welcomed "valuable" Indian community to the state, stressing that "hateful" actions of one man doesn't define them in the aftermath of the killing of an Indian engineer.

A delegation of Indian-Americans in Kansas along with the Hindu-American Foundation joined the Indian Consul General in Houston, Anupam Ray, in meeting Brownback and Lt Governor Jeff Colyer.

"The hateful actions of one man don't define us  KS welcomes & supports Indian community," Brownback said in a tweet shortly after the meeting last Thursday.

"Unique contributions of the Indian-community make KS a better place. We stand with them in the face of this crime," Colyer said after the meeting.

Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed on February 22 when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani at a bar before yelling "get out of my country".

The incident, which is being investigated as a hate crime by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has sent shockwaves among the Indian-Americans across the country.

Members of the community met Brownback seeking his assurance in protection of Indian-Americans in the State.

Brownback gave assurances that the perpetrator in custody, Purinton, currently facing first-degree murder and attempted first degree murder charges, would be prosecuted to "furthest extent of the law".

He further gave commitments that state officials would cooperate with federal authorities officially investigating the incident as a hate crime.

"The meeting with Governor Brownback and Lt Governor Colyer was very fruitful in my opinion," said Sridhar Harohalli, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Indian Association of Kansas City.

"The delegation got an assurance that this incident will be prosecuted effectively. Governor Brownback's commitment help to get Srinivas' widow Sunayana Dummala back to her home and career in Kansas was also heartening," Harohalli said.

At the meeting, a message sent through a family friend from Sunayana was also read out.
Trump has repeatedly denied having any personal ties to the Kremlin and his aides have denied or played down contacts with Russian officials.

Washington: US President Donald Trump accused his predecessor Barack Obama of tapping his phone during the 2016 campaign for the White House. Mr Trump, however, did not provide any evidence to back up the claim, which he tweeted out on Saturday.

Id bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to election! Mr Trump wrote on Twitter.

How low has President Obama gone to tapp (sic) my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy! he wrote in another tweet.

Mr Trump levelled the charges in a flurry of tweets shortly after dawn, amid an avalanche of recent revelations about communications between Russian officials and some of his senior aides, including Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Mr Trump has repeatedly denied having any personal ties to the Kremlin, and his aides have denied or played down contacts with Russian officials.

But, the accusations have continued amid almost daily leaks to the press that have revealed new details about links between Moscow and senior Trump officials.

One such revelation prompted Mr Sessions to recuse himself from any investigations into the Trump campaigns possible Russia ties.

Mr Sessions had told a Senate committee under oath that he did not have communications with the Russians, but reporters found that he had actually met the Russian ambassador twice in the months before taking up his post as Attorney General, Americas top law enforcement officer.

Mr Trump has expressed his displeasure over the charges, and the barrage of leaks that led to them, lashing out in tweets on Friday directed at the top Democrats in the Republican-led Congress  Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Nancy Pelosi.

The businessman-turned-politician, who has accused his political foes of conducting a total witch hunt, on Saturday directed his Twitter tirade at his Democratic predecessor.

Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! Mr Trump wrote a day after departing Washington for a weekend getaway at his Mar-a-Lago Florida resort for the fourth time in five weeks.
In conversations with diplomats and other officials, Trump and his aides have ascribed the new thinking to Moscow's recent provocations.

Washington: President Donald Trump is telling advisers and allies that he may shelve, at least temporarily, his plan to pursue a deal with Moscow on the Islamic State group and other national security matters, according to administration officials and Western diplomats.

In conversations with diplomats and other officials, Trump and his aides have ascribed the new thinking to Moscow's recent provocations. But the reconsideration of a central tenet of his foreign policy underscores the growing political risks in forging closer relations with Russia, as long as the FBI investigates his campaign associates' connections to Moscow and congressional committees step up their inquiries into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election.

The controversy has already led to the firing of Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who misled officials about his contacts with the Russian ambassador, and to calls by Democrats for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign after he failed to disclose his own meetings with the envoy.

Trump's new skepticism about brokering a deal with Moscow also suggests the rising influence of a new set of advisers who have taken a tougher stance on Russia, including Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and new national security adviser H.R. McMaster. During his first meeting with National Security Council staff, McMaster described Russia  as well as China  as a country that wants to upend the current world order, according to an administration official who attended the meeting.

Michael McFaul, who served as President Barack Obama's ambassador to Russia, said that while Trump has been open about wanting warmer relations with Russia, "he hasn't picked people to the best of my knowledge at senior levels that share that view."

European allies also have been pushing the Trump administration not to make any early concessions to Russia. To bolster their case, European officials have tailored their rhetoric to appeal to Trump's business background, including emphasizing the risks of negotiating a bad deal, rather than more nuanced arguments, according to one Western diplomat. Given Trump's "America First" mantra, foreign officials emphasize how U.S. standing in the world could be diminished by making concessions to Russia instead of focusing on the importance of the U.S. and Europe sticking together to counter Moscow.

Trump, who spoke favourably about Russian President Vladimir Putin throughout the campaign, is said to have shown interest in a broad deal with Russia that could address cooperation in fighting the Islamic State, nuclear arms control agreements and Russia's provocations in Ukraine. But in recent days, the administration has signaled that the moment for such a deal may not be right.

In an Oval Office meeting last week, Trump told advisers that Russia's recent violation of a Cold War-era arms control treaty was among the complicating factors. In February, the Trump administration accused Russia of violating the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty by deploying a cruise missile.

A White House official confirmed the discussion, saying that Trump believes the treaty violation is making a diplomatic and security agreement with Russia "tougher and tougher to achieve." Top administration officials have also echoed that message in conversations with some allies, according to diplomats.

The president and his advisers have yet to settle on a formal approach to Russia and discussions about how to proceed are still in early phases, a second White House official said.

The officials and Western diplomats insisted on anonymity in order to discuss private discussions and deliberations.

Trump has been trailed by questions about his possible ties to Russia for months. He's taken an unusually friendly posture toward Russia, praising Putin's leadership and, at times, appearing to echo Kremlin positions on Ukraine and other matters. He's also repeatedly said that it would be better for the U.S. and Russia to have a stronger relationship, particularly in fighting terrorism.

While Trump has continued to talk about a detente with Russia since taking office, there have been some signs of his administration taking a more traditional approach.

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley hit Russia hard last month over its actions in Ukraine, saying U.S. sanctions imposed after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 will remain in place until the peninsula is returned to Ukraine. Trump also sent letters to Eastern European leaders, who worry Russia might set its sights on their borders next, underscoring his commitment to their security.

"Your support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine is important for our shared goal of enhancing European and regional security," Trump wrote to the Estonian president in a letter dated Feb. 15 and obtained by The Associated Press.

Trump has insisted that he has no nefarious connections or financial ties to Russia. He's also said he's not aware of any contacts his campaign advisers had with Russia during the 2016 campaign, a period in which U.S. intelligence agencies assess Russia was interfering with the election to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Still, the suggestions of wrongdoing have followed Trump to the White House, in part because of his own team's missteps. Flynn was fired for misleading Vice President Mike Pence and other top White House officials about the nature of his conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, even as the FBI was interviewing Flynn about those contacts.

This week, Sessions acknowledged that he had contacts with Kislyak during the campaign. He said the discussions happened in his capacity as a U.S. senator and he was not misleading a Senate panel when he volunteered that he had no contacts with Russians as a Trump campaign surrogate.

After the disclosures, Sessions said he would recuse himself from any Justice Department investigations related to Russia and the campaign. Democrats are demanding a special prosecutor to oversee such investigations.

Trump, in a news conference after Flynn's firing, suggested the firestorm could hamper his ability to make a deal with Russia.

"It would be unpopular for a politician to make a deal," Trump said. "It would be much easier for me to be so tough  the tougher I am on Russia, the better."
Philippine military has vowed to bring Kantner's killers to justice and to continue operations to free other hostages held by Abu Sayyaf.

Philippines: Philippine soldiers have found the remains of a German man who was beheaded by Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf militants last week, a military official said late on Saturday,

Both the head and body of Jurgen Kantner were recovered while the troops were conducting combat, search and retrieval operations in Indanan town in the remote southern province of Sulu, Colonel Cirilito Sobejana told reporters.

Kantner's remains would be kept in a hospital morgue in Sulu while documents were being prepared to transport the body, said Sobejana, commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu.

The Philippines and Germany have condemned Kantner's killing by the militants who posted a video of the murder after a deadline for a $600,000 ransom passed.

The 70-year-old German, who had been held on the small southern island of Jolo, had appealed for help twice in short video messages, saying he would be killed if a ransom was not paid.

President Rodrigo Duterte has apologized to Germany for failing to save Kantner while insisting that ransoms should not be paid.

The Philippine military has vowed to bring Kantner's killers to justice and to continue operations to free other hostages held by Abu Sayyaf, which had raised tens of millions of dollars from piracy and ransom payments.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the government "will leave no stone unturned in squarely addressing the evils of extremism and plain banditry".

"Rest assured these mindless acts will not go unpunished," he said in statement.
The foreign ministry said the expulsion is part of the process by the Malaysian government to review its relations with North Korea.

Kang claimed Malaysia's investigation was politically motivated and said Kuala Lumpur was conspiring with 'hostile forces'. (Photo: AP)

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia has expelled North Korea's ambassador, giving him 48 hours to leave the country in a major break in diplomatic relations over the airport assassination of the half-brother of Pyongyang's leader.

Kim Jong-Nam was poisoned February 13 with deadly nerve agent VX. North Korea has not acknowledged the dead man's identity but has repeatedly disparaged the murder investigation, accusing Malaysia of conniving with its enemies.

"The ambassador has been declared persona non grata" after Malaysia demanded but did not receive an apology for Pyongyang's attacks on the investigation, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Anifah Haji Aman said.

"Malaysia will react strongly against any insults made against it or any attempt to tarnish its reputation," he said in a statement released late Saturday.

Ambassador Kang Chol failed to present himself at the ministry when summoned and "is expected to leave Malaysia within 48 hours," the statement added. The expulsion deadline expires 6pm on Monday.

Arch-rival South Korea has blamed the North for the murder, citing what they say was a standing order from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill his exiled half-brother who may have been seen as a potential rival.

The foreign ministry said the expulsion is "part of the process by the Malaysian government to review its relations" with North Korea, which before Kim's assassination were unusually cosy.

"North Korea must learn to respect other countries," Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Sunday.

The expulsion shows "we are serious about solving this problem and we do not want it to be manipulated," he added.

On Sunday evening, a senior government official who did not want to be named said Kang was still in the country and was expected to leave on a flight to Beijing on Monday.

The diplomatic spat erupted in February when Malaysian police rejected North Korean diplomats' demands to hand over Kim's body.

Kang then claimed the investigation was politically motivated and said Kuala Lumpur was conspiring with "hostile forces".

Malaysia summoned Kang for a dressing-down, with Prime Minister Najib Razak saying the ambassador's statement was "diplomatically rude".

Malaysia issued a February 28 deadline for an apology, but "no such apology has been made, neither has there been any indication that one is forthcoming."

Malaysia has also recalled its envoy to Pyongyang and cancelled a rare visa-free travel deal with North Korea.

Police are seeking seven North Korean suspects in their probe but on Friday released the only North Korean arrested for lack of evidence.

After Ri Jong-Chol was deported, he claimed police offered him a comfortable life in Malaysia for a false confession, saying the investigation was "a conspiracy to impair the dignity of the Republic (North Korea)".

Two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- have been charged with murdering Kim Jong-Nam, with airport CCTV footage showing them approaching the heavyset 45-year-old and apparently smearing his face with a cloth.

Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later. Swabs of the dead man's face revealed traces of VX nerve agent.

North Korea had few friends even before the assassination, but the fallout from the killing looks set to further isolate the nuclear-armed state.

Malaysia formally established diplomatic relations with North Korea in 1973 and opened an embassy in Pyongyang in 2003.

It has provided a conduit between Pyongyang and the wider world in recent years, with Kuala Lumpur serving as a discreet meeting place for talks between the regime and the United States.

A recently released report by a UN Panel of Experts reviewing compliance with sanctions against Pyongyang identified a front company run by North Korean intelligence out of Malaysia, selling military communications equipment to Eritrea, with suppliers in China and an office in Singapore.

Up to 1,000 North Koreans currently work in Malaysia and their remittances are a valuable source of foreign currency for the isolated regime.

North Korea imports refined oil, natural rubber and palm oil from Malaysia, which buys electrical and electronic items, chemicals as well as iron and steel products from North Korea.

Last week Malaysia's trade minister Mustapa Mohamed said the spat would have no impact on Kuala Lumpur as trade with the reclusive country is "insignificant".
The government on Saturday gave Ambassador Kang Chol 48 hours to leave the country after he refused to apologise.

The death of Kim, the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. (Photo: AP)

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia said Sunday that its expulsion of North Korea's ambassador was intended to warn Pyongyang that it cannot manipulate the investigation into the killing of the North Korean leader's half brother.

The government on Saturday gave Ambassador Kang Chol 48 hours to leave the country after he refused to apologize for his strong accusations over Malaysia's handling of the investigation into the Feb. 13 killing of VX smeared on Kim Jong Nam at Kuala Lumpur's airport.

"I think we have given a clear message to the North Korean government that we are serious about solving this problem and we do not want (the investigation) to be manipulated," Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quoted as saying Sunday by Malaysian national news agency Bernama.

The death of Kim, the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. Malaysian authorities said Kim died within 20 minutes after two women smeared his face with VX, a banned nerve agent considered a weapon of mass destruction.

North Korea has rejected Malaysia's autopsy finding that VX killed Kim. Kang has accused the Malaysian government of trying to hide something and said it colluded with outside powers to defame North Korea.

Kang's expulsion came just days after Malaysia said it would scrap visa-free entry for North Koreans and expressed concern over the use of the nerve agent.

Ri Tong Il, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Nations, has said Kim probably died of a heart attack because he suffered from heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Two women - one Indonesian, one Vietnamese - have been charged with murder in the case, although both reportedly say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

Authorities released a North Korean chemist from custody on Saturday due to a lack of evidence to charge him and deported him on the same day. Ri Jong Chol, however, has accused Malaysian police of threatening to kill his family to coerce him into confessing to the crime.

Malaysia is also looking for seven other North Korean suspects, four of whom are believed to have left the country on the day of the killing. Three others, including an official at the North Korean Embassy and an employee of Air Koryo, North Korea's national carrier, are believed to still be in Malaysia.

Malaysia's finding that VX killed Kim boosted speculation that North Korea orchestrated the attack. Experts say the oily poison was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons, including VX.

North Korea is trying to retrieve Kim's body, but has not acknowledged that the victim is Kim Jong Un's half brother, as Malaysian government officials have confirmed.
In a separate incident in Faryab province, a local security forces commander was killed when insurgents attacked a police checkpoint.

Kabul: At least five members of the Afghan security forces were killed early on Sunday morning when their checkpoint came under an insurgent attack in northeastern Kunduz province, an Afghan official said.

Gen. Abdul Hamid Hamid, provincial police chief in Kunduz, said a large group of Taliban fighters attacked the post near the city of Kunduz.

Meanwhile, 18 insurgents were killed by airstrikes in the Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province, according to a statement released by the Interior Ministry. Three others were wounded while five vehicles and an ammunition stockpile were destroyed, the statement added.

"The key terrorists killed in the operation were involved in planning and implementing several terror attacks in Kunduz province," said the statement.

Elsewhere in the northern province of Faryab, a district police chief died when a bomb that had been attached to his car detonated, said Karim Yuresh, spokesman for the provincial police chief. Another policeman was wounded in the explosion Saturday evening. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a separate incident in Faryab province, Yuresh said a local security forces commander was killed when insurgents attacked a police checkpoint.
At least 100,000 people were killed during the separatist war between government forces and rebels from the Tamil Tigers group.

Colombo: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has rejected a fresh appeal from the United Nations to allow international judges to investigate alleged war-era atrocities, vowing to not prosecute soldiers.

"I am not going to allow non-governmental organisations to dictate how to run my government. I will not listen to their calls to prosecute my troops," the president said in remarks distributed by his office Sunday.

The UN on Friday criticised Sri Lanka's "worryingly slow" progress in addressing its wartime past, urging the government to adopt laws allowing for special hybrid courts to try war criminals.

In his first remarks since the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva handed down a new report on Sri Lanka, Sirisena rebuffed calls for international judges to probe abuses committed during the island's 37-year civil war.

At least 100,000 people were killed during the separatist war between government forces and rebels from the Tamil Tigers group, which officially ended in 2009.

Sirisena, a member of the majority Sinhalese community, received the support of the Tamil minority after promising accountability for excesses carried out by the largely Sinhalese military.

The president agreed in 2015 to a UN Human Rights Council resolution in October 2015 that called for special tribunals and reparations for victims.

But his comments marked a sharp shift in his policy towards accountability and reconciliation which had initially earned him the praise of international observers.

"A charge sheet is now brought against our forces with a demand to include foreign judges to try them," he said in a speech to troops in the northern peninsula of Jaffna.

The UN report acknowledged that Colombo had made some positive advances on constitutional and legal reforms, limited land restitution and symbolic gestures towards reconciliation.

But it cautioned that the measures taken so far had been "inadequate, lacked coordination and a sense of urgency."
International law firm RPC has added corporate specialist Janney Chong to its team in Hong Kong amid reports that it will be merging with its alliance firm.Chong joins from Sidley Austin after 13 years with the firm including the past five years as a partner specialising in IPOs, fundraisings and M&A transactions for mainland Chinese firms.The firm currently operates as Smyth & Co in association with RPC but Legal Business reports that a name change request has been filed with the Law Society of Hong Kong and that RPC will formally combine with the local firm in May.Mayer Brown SJM in Singapore has announced that leading international arbitration lawyer Yu-Jin Tay is joining the firms international arbitration team along with two associates.Tay and his team join from DLA Piper where he was a previous co-chair of the international arbitration group. Prior to that he headed the Asian arbitration practice at Shearman & Sterling in the city-state.His career has also included practicing in London, Paris and Washington DC.Herbert Smith Freehills partner Andrew Cannon has been appointed to a public international law panel by the British attorney general.Cannon is one of the first solicitors to join the panel with six other lawyers. Government departments will then select a solicitor or barrister from the panel when they need advice or representation on a public international law matter.His experience includes being a legal adviser to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and he represented the UK at the UN in New York and the EU in Brussels.This is the first year that solicitors have been appointed to the panel, previously only barristers were chosen. Attorney general Jeremy Wright also has a general civil law panel and a regional panel.
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Hello,



I am originally from Malaysia, now a PR been here since 2011.



Thanks

Jerry
Thanks Mania, I am just wondering how to build the case strong and the picture is like this, I got a government scholarship both Australia and my country so I applied for student visa and the agreement was to get back home country after study and stay there for at least 2 years before replying to remain in Australia. During this visa application I declared my wife and one child and the other children who are from my previous relationship were not included in the application as dependents. I went back and during that time my wife remained in Australia with our daughter on student visa after she now became principal visa holder and I became the dependent and with the daughter. The other children have been coming over to visit and in their visa we have been indicating they have relatives including their step sister and step mum. One is even on student visa and we stay with him in Melbourne. We have renewed our student visa twice and now my wife has completed her Nursing course and she has a chance to apply Grad Year Visa 485 and in this application we have had a chance to read through and we now have to include the other children and their mum has no objection and even earlier she did not after all but thought may be two year short stay I needed not include all dependents after after all. I have since seen a migration agent and she said I should have declared and so we are in a dilemma would this application be refused or what and if refused what are the options of appeal success. Do we need put a cover letter with application or wait for the immigration response.
The Japanese manufacturer sells its Chennai-built cars in 106 countries; aims to remain one of the largest automobile exporters out of India

Nissan Motor India has notched a milestone of having exported a total of 700,000 Made in India Nissan and Datsun cars. The landmark comes seven years after the Japanese manufacturer began exporting from India. The cars, manufactured at the Renault-Nissan Automotive India plant in Chennai, have been sold in 106 countries.

Commenting on the landmark, Guillaume Sicard, president, Nissan India operations, said, The achievement of this export milestone for Nissan clearly indicates the recognition of Indian production quality and its appeal to customers on the global stage. We are happy to play our part in promoting made-in-India cars across the world.

Coupled with this exports achievement, in January we were the fastest growing domestic auto company in the country, and overall the second fastest growing OEM this fiscal year so far. The teams at our manufacturing facility and R&D operations in Chennai have worked tirelessly to help us achieve these milestones in our domestic and international markets. With our plans to launch eight new products for the Indian market by 2021 as announced earlier, the future is bright and exciting for Nissan in India, added Sicard.

We aim to remain one of the largest automotive exporters from India as part of our commitment to support the Make-in-India vision. By using our manufacturing plant in Chennai, which is one of the largest Renault-Nissan Alliance plants, we are well positioned to cater to the demands from overseas as well as future markets, Guillaume Sicard had told our sister publication Autocar Professional last year.

India is not only a key hub for completely built-up units (CBU) but also for parts supply. Nissan India exports over 2,500 types of manufactured parts to 25 Nissan and Renault plants in 18 countries, ranking in the top four in volume of parts shipped within Nissan global operations. Nissan has been exporting vehicles from Kamarajar Port (formerly Ennore port) in Chennai since 2010 to various regions, including Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, and other destinations in Asia and Africa. For Nissan, the Micra has been the most-exported model out of India; other export models in its product line-up include the Nissan Sunny, Datsun Go, Datsun Go+ and the Datsun Redigo.
5 March 2017 13:58 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

An official welcome ceremony was held for President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in Tehran March 5.

President Aliyev arrived at Sadabad Palace accompanied by the cavalry.

A guard of honor was arranged for the Azerbaijani president in a square in front of Sadabad Palace decorated with national flags of the two countries.

President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani greeted President Aliyev.

National anthems of Iran and Azerbaijan were played.

The chief of the guard of honor reported to the president of Azerbaijan.

The presidents reviewed the guard of honor.

The presidents posed for official photos.

State and government officials of Iran were introduced to President Aliyev, while members of the Azerbaijani delegation were introduced to President Rouhani.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
5 March 2017 14:55 (UTC+04:00)

After the expanded meeting, a ceremony of signing documents between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been held with participation of Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Hassan Rouhani, Azertag reported.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
5 March 2017 16:10 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The North-South Transport Corridor project, which is being jointly implemented by Azerbaijan and Iran, is a historical event, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev.

President Aliyev, who is on a visit to Tehran, was making joint statement for the press with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

President Aliyev pointed out that there are very good results in the economic sphere.

Our trade turnover has grown by more than 70 percent last year. This is the result of the agreements reached, said Ilham Aliyev, adding that all the signed documents are being realized.

Eighteen documents were signed last year alone during my visits to Iran and President Rouhanis visits to Azerbaijan. Two additional documents have been signed today. This creates a strong legal framework for our relations. The Iranian side has started to make investments in Azerbaijan and we are grateful for that, added President Aliyev.

At the same time, as President Rouhani said, Azerbaijan has also mobilized great volumes of financial resources for construction of Rasht-Astara railway, added Ilham Aliyev.

A year ago, I said in this hall that Azerbaijan will build its railway up to the Azerbaijani-Iranian border in 2016. We have achieved that. It is already a reality. Even a railway bridge has been constructed and commissioned over the Astara River. The first train has recently crossed the border through the newly-built bridge, said Azerbaijans president.

Ilham Aliyev pointed out that the North-South Transport Corridor project, jointly implemented by Azerbaijan and Iran, is a historical event.

This project also makes great contribution to regional cooperation. The number of trilateral formats is increasing in the region. Great success has been achieved in the energy sector. We connect our power lines and are making exchange, said President Aliyev.

He further noted that there are good opportunities for cooperation in the oil and gas sector.

Iranian company is an active participant and investor of the Shah Deniz 2 project. There was held a broad exchange of views today for carrying out joint oil and gas operations in the Caspian Sea, said President Aliyev. I would like to especially mention the activities of the joint economic commission. The commission operates very actively and executes all orders of presidents in time and at the high level.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
5 March 2017 16:50 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Iran has always supported the territorial integrity of all countries, including Azerbaijan, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said.

Rouhani made the remarks at a joint press conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Tehran, March 5 while commenting on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Irans state-run IRINN TV reported.

Iran believes that peace and stability should be established in the region, Rouhani said, adding all conflicts and problems between the countries should be settled through negotiations.

We hope that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will reach a final solution through political dialogue, Rouhani added.

Rouhani further hailed relations with Azerbaijan as friendly, brotherly and strategic, saying we are always with the people of Azerbaijan.

He expressed hope that the mutual ties between the two countries will be developed day by day.

Rouhani said that Tehran and Baku share close views on regional issues including crisis in Syria and Iraq.

The two countries view terrorism as a major threat, and share common views on the need to fight terrorists in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere, the Iranian president added.

He further expressed hope that efforts by Iran, Turkey and Russia to settle the crisis will be fruitful and will lead to establishing permanent ceasefire in Syria.

Rouhani also referred to mutual cooperation over the Caspian Sea issues, saying both Tehran and Baku are concerned over Caspian Sea pollution and environmental issues.

He also said that the issue of legal status of the Caspian Sea should be settled through consensus by all the five littoral states.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Contact Californian columnist Lois Henry at 395-7373 or lhenry@bakersfield.com. Her work appears on Sundays and Wednesdays; the views expressed are her own.
Opinions expressed in this column are those of Lois Henry. Her column runs Wednesdays and Sundays. Comment at http://www.bakersfield.com, call her at 395-7373 or email lhenry@bakersfield.com

LOIS HENRY ONLINE Read archived columns by Lois Henry at http://bakersfield.com/columnists/lois-henry.
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.
AUSTIN Employers would be barred from disciplining or firing workers for expressing their political beliefs away from the job under a bill filed Friday by Rep. James White, R-Hillister, who represents Hardin County.

If passed, the bill would place political beliefs in the same protected category under Texas law as race, color, disability, religion, sex, national origin and age.

White said the bill would allow employees to engage in political activity outside of work without fear of punishment or losing their jobs. He also framed it as a protection for employers who hire workers who do not share similar political views by potentially shielding their businesses from public backlash over unpopular statements or activities.

"If someone has a very liberal person working for them in a community that is conservative by nature, and they see them on TV spouting a particular political position, there's no reason to take it out on the employer," White said.

"I think that we would empower and free up political discussion in our country," White said."

Kalandra Wheeler, a Dallas-based employment attorney at Rob Wiley, P.C., said the bill could afford Texas workers with more off-the-job protections, but its effect still raised concerns.

"It seems like it's applying protections for private sector employees kind of in the same ways as protections afforded to public sector employees," she said. "It feels like it is an expansion of rights here."

Wheeler said she has not seen many cases in which an employee was terminated for voicing political opinions off the job, but said that could change in the current political climate.

"I wouldn't be surprised if things do pick up if, in fact, people are taking negative actions because of what others are saying off the clock now," she said. "A lot of people are fired up after the election."

Should the bill become law, she also cautioned that it likely would be up to judges to decide the parameters of any new provision to the state labor code.

"The only thing is, you have to wait and see how the courts will interpret 'political belief,'" Wheeler said. "You don't want it to get to the point where political belief extends to discriminatory hate speech that becomes protected."

Jeffrey M. Hirsch, a University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill professor who specializes in labor law, said that if passed, the legislation could break new ground in state-level employment protections because of its vagueness and scope.

"You don't see a lot of cases where, in the private sector, people are punished for their political views, because, frankly, it's just not good business," he said. "Although, businesses might like this as political coverage for them."

Hirsch said it could help business owners who do not want their enterprises to be associated with their employee's political opinions. "The bosses could say, 'Hey, I can't touch them,'" he said.

Bobby.Cervantes@Chron.com
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Lagan Valley Leisureplex in Lisburn for Lagan Valley and South Down constituencies. Brenda Hale and Paul Rankin pictured at the count. Photo by Philip Magowan / Press Eye.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Lagan Valley Leisureplex in Lisburn for Lagan Valley and South Down constituencies. Sammy Morrison pictured at the count. Photo by Philip Magowan / Press Eye.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Aurora Leisure Complex in Bangor for Strangford and North Down constituencies. Steven Agnew (second right) leader of the Green Party watching the verification of the North Down vote. Photo by Brian Little / Press Eye.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies.The boxes are opened for the count. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

Counting continues at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre, Ballymena, in Northern Ireland's Assembly election. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 3, 2017. This is the second contest in less than a year and early indications are that turnout has been higher than expected. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire

BALLYMENA, NORTHERN IRELAND - MARCH 03: Counting gets underway in the Seven Towers Leisure Centre for the North Antrim and Mid Ulster seats in the Northern Ireland assembly election on March 3, 2017 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. A snap election was called following the resignation of the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuiness, with indications showing that voter turnout was considerably higher than in May last year. The first declarations are expected around lunchtime today. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Banbridge Leisure Centre for Newry & Armagh and Upper Bann constituencies. DUP Councillor, Darryn Causby and SDLP hopeful Dolores Kelly pictured at the count. Photo by Tony Hendron / Press Eye.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Aurora Leisure Complex in Bangor for Strangford and North Down constituencies. Verification of the Strangford and North Down vote starts. Photo by Brian Little / Press Eye.

Assembly Election 2017 Count at Aurora Leisure Complex in Bangor for Strangford and North Down constituencies.

Counting underway in the Seven Towers Leisure Centre for the North Antrim and Mid Ulster seats in the Northern Ireland assembly election on March 3, 2017 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Aurora Leisure Complex in Bangor for Strangford and North Down constituencies. Steven Agnew (second right) leader of the Green Party watching the verification of the North Down vote. Photo by Brian Little / Press Eye.

Press Eye  Belfast - Northern Ireland 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey for East Antrim and South Antrim constituencies. Photo by Freddie Parkinson / Press Eye 

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena for North Antrim and Mid Ulster constituencies. Jim Allister TUV candidate pictured at the count. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena for North Antrim and Mid Ulster constituencies. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Lagan Valley Leisureplex in Lisburn for Lagan Valley and South Down constituencies. Brenda Hale pictured at the count. Photo by Philip Magowan / Press Eye.

PACEMAKER BELFAST 0303/2017 Counting gets underway at the Titanic Exhibition centre. Results for Belfast East, North, South and West are expected in by mid afternoon on Friday.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - Counting gets under way at the NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena for North Antrim and Mid Ulster constituencies. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Lagan Valley Leisureplex in Lisburn for Lagan Valley and South Down constituencies. Paul Givan pictured at the count. Photo by Philip Magowan / Press Eye.

Counting gets underway at the Titanic Exhibition centre. Results for Belfast East, North, South and West are expected in by mid afternoon on Friday. Pic Pacemaker

Ballots are counted in Ballymena, County Antrim for North Antrim and Mid-Ulster. Sinn Fein's Michelle ONeill arrives at the count centre with candidates Ian Milne and Linda Dillon. Picture By: Arthur Allison. Pacemaker

Sinn Fein's Michelle ONeill arrives at the count centre with candidates Ian Milne and Linda Dillon and MP Francey Molloy Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye.

Sinn Fein's Michelle ONeill arrives at the count centre with candidates Ian Milne and Linda Dillon. Picture By: Arthur Allison. Pacemaker

Ballots are counted in Ballymena, County Antrim for North Antrim and Mid-Ulster. Sinn Fein's Michelle ONeill arrives at the count centre with candidates Ian Milne and Linda Dillon. Picture By: Arthur Allison. Pacemaker

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Sinn Fein candidate for west Belfast Orlaithi Flynn(centre) celebrates with party colleagues after she is elected. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Omagh Leisure Complex for West Tyrone and Fermanagh & South Tyrone constituencies. Arlene Foster, DUP arriving at the Omagh Leisure Complex for the results of the count. Picture by Trevor Lucy / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Sinn Fein candidate for west Belfast Orlaithi Flynn(centre) celebrates with party colleagues after she is elected. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

Michelle O'Neill pictured after topping the poll in Mid Ulster with 10258 votes. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye.

Michelle O'Neill pictured after topping the poll in Mid Ulster with 10258 votes. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Alliance party leader and eat Belfast candidate Naomi Long(centre) celebrates with party colleagues after she tops the poll. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Alliance party leader and eat Belfast candidate Naomi Long(centre) celebrates with party colleagues after she tops the poll. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Omagh Leisure Complex for West Tyrone and Fermanagh & South Tyrone constituencies. Thomas Buchanan, DUP pictured after the West Tyrone results were announced. Picture by Trevor Lucy / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Omagh Leisure Complex for West Tyrone and Fermanagh & South Tyrone constituencies. Michaela Boyle, Sinn Fein and Barry McElduff, Sinn Fein pictured after the election results for West Tyrone. Picture by Trevor Lucy / Press Eye.

People before Profits Gerry Carroll at the Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast on Friday for Belfast North, South East and West constituencies Assembly Election Count. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press

Carla Lockhart elected for Upper Bann, pictured with her husband Rodney Condell and mother and father Valerie and kenneth Lockhart. Picture Matt Bohill pacemaker

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Banbridge Leisure Centre for Newry & Armagh and Upper Bann constituencies. Danny Kennedy (UUP Newry/Armagh) pictured at the count. Photo by Tony Hendron / Press Eye.

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister during the counting of ballot papers at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre, Ballymena, in Northern Ireland's Assembly election.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Foyle Arena in Derry for Foyle and East Londonderry constituencies. Elisha McCallion and Raymond McCartney, Sinn Fein, pictured at the count. Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Foyle Arena in Derry for Foyle and East Londonderry constituencies. Eamonn McCann, People Before Profit Alliance, and partner Goretti Horgan, pictured at the count. Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena for North Antrim and Mid Ulster constituencies. Photo by John McIlwaine / Press Eye Sinn Fein candidates Linda Dillon and Ian Milne are congratulated by party leader Michelle O'Neill and Francey Molloy after their election to Mid Ulster on the third count

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Left to right. SDLP candidate for north Belfast Nichola Mallon and SDLP candidate for west Belfast Alex Attwood. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams talks to the media as he arrives at the count centre. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Foyle Arena in Derry for Foyle and East Londonderry constituencies. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood pictured at the count. Phoo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Omagh Leisure Complex for West Tyrone and Fermanagh & South Tyrone constituencies. Arlene Foster, DUP pictured during the announcement that she has been re-elected. Picture by Trevor Lucy / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Belfast west successful candidates are officially announced. The SDLP's Alex Attwood, who was elected, pictured on the declaration podium after the successful candidates were officially elected. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. DUP candidate for south Belfast Emma Little-Pengelly(left) with DUP candidate for north Belfast Nelson McCausland. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Banbridge Leisure Centre for Newry & Armagh and Upper Bann constituencies. The Old And The New...Outgoing DUP MLA, Sydney Anderson, left, and his replacement, Jonathan Buckley celebrate. Photo by Tony Hendron / Press Eye.

Count at Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey for East Antrim and South Antrim constituencies. Mark Cosgrove with John Stewart UUP Photo by Freddie Parkinson / Press Eye 

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Banbridge Leisure Centre for Newry & Armagh and Upper Bann constituencies. The Dup's Jonathan Buckley, left, celebrates being elected with fellow MLA, Carla Lockhart and Upper Bann MP, David Simpson. Photo by Tony Hendron / Press Eye.

UUP leader Mike Nesbitt pictured at the Park Avenue hotel in Belfast as he announces that he will be stepping down as party leader. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. DUP candidate for north Belfast Nelson McCausland pictured after he is eliminated from the count and fails to be elected. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Banbridge Leisure Centre for Newry & Armagh and Upper Bann constituencies. Dolores Kelly of the SDLP celebrates after being elected. Photo by Tony Hendron / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Omagh Leisure Complex for West Tyrone and Fermanagh & South Tyrone constituencies. Sean Lynch, Sinn Fein pictured at the count. Picture by Trevor Lucy / Press Eye.

OMAGH, NORTHERN IRELAND - MARCH 03: Democratic Unionist party leader and former First Minister Arlene Foster makes her acceptance speech as the Northern Ireland Stormont election count takes place on March 3, 2017 in Omagh, Northern Ireland. Voters went to the polls yesterday for the second time in 10 months after the collapse of the power sharing executive government. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Sinn Fein Leader in the North Michelle O'Neill (right) speaking at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena. Niall Carson/PA Wire

Returned DUP MLA Paula Bradley (centre) speaking with media at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast for the 2017 Northern Ireland Assembly election count. Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Returned SDLP MLA Alex Attwood during his declaration speech at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast during the Northern Ireland Election count. Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Sinn Fein candidates in Belfast West MLA's celebrate with Fra McCann, Orlaith Flynn, Pat Sheehan, and Alex Maskey holding up four fingers during their declaration speech at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast. Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Mark H. Durkan and his wife Anne celebrate after he is re-elected, on his birthday, as an MLA for Foyle at the count in the Foyle Arena. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com

Press Eye  Belfast - Northern Ireland 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey for East Antrim and South Antrim constituencies. Paul Girvan, DUP elected for South Antrim Photo by Freddie Parkinson / Press Eye 

Press Eye  Belfast - Northern Ireland 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey for East Antrim and South Antrim constituencies. Paul Girvan DUP with his wife Mandy (Centre) and Daughter Victoria Photo by Freddie Parkinson / Press Eye 

Press Eye  Belfast - Northern Ireland 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey for East Antrim and South Antrim constituencies. Danny Kinahan MP Photo by Freddie Parkinson / Press Eye 

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 03 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Omagh Leisure Complex for West Tyrone and Fermanagh & South Tyrone constituencies. Rosemary Barton, UUP speaking after her election result. Picture by Trevor Lucy / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Alliance Party candidate for south Belfast Paula Bradshaw pictured after being successfully elected. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. UUP candidate for east Belfast Andy Allen pictured after being successfully elected. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

Democratic Unionist party leader and former First Minister Arlene Foster consoles Lord Morrow who lost his seat in the Northern Ireland Stormont election count. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill speaks to members of the media after arriving at the count centre for the Northern Ireland Assembly elections in Belfast, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, on March 3, 2017. Northern Ireland has voted in snap elections to resolve a political crisis fuelled by bad blood and Brexit, which is testing the delicate peace in the British province. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL MCERLANEPAUL MCERLANE/AFP/Getty Images

UUP Party Leader Mike Nesbitt, followed by his wife Lynda Bryans and son PJ Nesbitt, after announcing his resignation at the Park Avenue Hotel, after his party failed to make a breakthrough in the Northern Ireland Assembly election. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 3, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

DUP candidates William Humphrey and Nelson McCausland at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast for the Northern Ireland Election count. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 3, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - MARCH 03: Orlaithi Flynn stands for a photograph after Sinn Fein won four seats in West Belfast in the Northern Ireland assembly election on March 3, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A snap election was called following the resignation of the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuiness, with indications showing that voter turnout yesterday was considerably higher than in May last year. Voters went to the polls yesterday for the second time in 10 months after the collapse of the power sharing executive government. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Leader Arlene Foster celebrates as she is elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly at the count centre in Omagh, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland, on March 3, 2017. Northern Ireland has voted in snap elections to resolve a political crisis fuelled by bad blood and Brexit, which is testing the delicate peace in the British province. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images

Returned UUP MLA Andy Allen speaks with media at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast at the Northern Ireland Assembly election count. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 3, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Sinn Fein candidates for Fermanage South Tyrone Jemma Dolan (left), Sean Lynch and Michelle Gildernew at the Omagh count centre having been deemed elected in Northern Ireland's Assembly election. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 3, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

OMAGH, NORTHERN IRELAND - MARCH 03: Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew (R), Sean Lynch (C) and Jemma Dolan (L) celebrate winning their three seats in the Fermanagh South Tyrone election as the Northern Ireland Stormont election count takes place on March 3, 2017 in Omagh, Northern Ireland. Voters went to the polls for the second time in 10 months after the collapse of the power sharing executive government. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Returned SDLP MLA Nicola Mallon celebrates with supporters at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast at the Northern Ireland Assembly election count. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 3, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Returned Green Party MLA Clare Bailey (centre) celebrates with supporters at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast at the Northern Ireland Assembly election count. PA

Returned Green Party MLA Clare Bailey (right) celebrates with supporters at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast at the Northern Ireland Assembly election count. PA

Sinn Fein candidate for Fermanagh South Tyrone Sean Lynch celebrates at the Omagh count centre having been deemed elected in Northern Ireland's Assembly election. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 3, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

DUP party chairman Lord Morrow (left) with DUP leader Arlene Foster at Omagh count centre as he failed to be re-elected in Northern Ireland's Assembly election. Brian Lawless/PA Wire

DUP party chairman Lord Morrow (right) with DUP leader Arlene Foster at Omagh count centre as he failed to be re-elected in Northern Ireland's Assembly election. PA

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 4 March 2017 - Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams take a selfie following a press conference on the Falls road in West Belfast. Photo by Peter Morrison / PressEye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 4 March 2017 - Sinn Fein's leadership team , Michelle O'Neill, Mary Lou McDonald and Gerry Adams take a selfie following a press conference on the Falls road in West Belfast. Photo by Peter Morrison / PressEye

Sinn Fein's leadership team , Michelle O'Neill and Gerry Adams speak to the media during a press conference on the Falls road in West Belfast. Photo by Peter Morrison / PressEye

Pacemaker Press Belfast 06-03-2017: DUP Leader Arlene Foster pictured with Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds at Stormont in Belfast on the first day back to the Assembly after the Elections. Picture By: Arthur Allison.

DUP Leader Arlene Foster pictured with Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds at Stormont on the first day back to the Assembly after the Elections. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye.

Pictured Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams and Michelle O'Neill looking towards the image of the late Ian Paisley hanging in the Great Hall before holding a press conference.

Northern Ireland parties return to Stormont after last eek's Assembly election. Sinn Fein's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill meets school children on the steps of Stormont's Parliament Buildings, east Belfast. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

Northern Ireland parties return to Stormont after last eek's Assembly election. Sinn Fein's president Gerry Adams pictured going past a portrait of the former First Minister and DUP leader Ian Paisley as he leads his party to talk to the media on the steps of Stormont's Parliament Buildings, east Belfast. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

Northern Ireland parties return to Stormont after last eek's Assembly election. Sinn Fein's president Gerry Adams meets school children on the steps of Stormont's Parliament Buildings, east Belfast. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

Tom Elliott and Mike Nesbitt from the UUP speak to the media at Stormont on Monday , following the recent election results at the weekend. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press 06/03/2017

SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood with Party MLA's speak to the media at Stormont on Monday, following the recent election results at the weekend. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press 06/03/2017

Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry speaks to the Media with party members Kellie Armstrong and Stewart Dickson at Stormont on Monday , following the recent election results at the weekend. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press

Sinn Fein holding a press conference on the first working day after the recent Election. Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire is to meet Stormont party leaders later to try to persuade them to form a new power-sharing executive. Pictured Gerry Adams waves to a group of Chinese tourist from Shanghai visiting Stormont as the Sinn Fein Electoral team pose for photos of the steps of Parliament Buildings. Picture: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX

Sinn Fein's leadership team pictured talking to the media at Stormont Castle, in Belfast. Sinn Fein MLAs left their brief meeting with Secretary of State James Brokenshire. Picture By: Arthur Allison.

Sinn Fein's leadership team pictured talking to the media at Stormont Castle, in Belfast. Sinn Fein MLAs left their brief meeting with Secretary of State James Brokenshire. Picture By: Arthur Allison: Pacemaker Press Belfast

DUP leader Arlene Foster and party member Simon Hamilton MLA speak to the media before talks at Stormont Castle. Photo by Peter Morrison / PressEye Wednesday 8th March 2017

Sinn Fein's John O'Dowd has repeated his party's assertion they will not go into government if Arlene Foster's is put forward as First Minister.

It comes as DUP MP Gavin Robinson raised the possibility that she might step aside as the partys First Minister designate until the RHI inquiry has concluded.

He stressed it would be for Arlene Foster alone to decide but said his party was keen to make devolved government work.

As a party that wants to see devolved government in Northern Ireland succeed we are not going to present impediments to progress, the East Belfast MP told Stephen Nolan on Radio 5 Live. But we are not going to have another party determine who is going to lead our party.

Mr O'Dowd, who was returned as an MLA for Upper Bann, said his party, as they said during the election campaign, could not support a nomination for Arlene Foster as First Minister and they would not return to government.

Responding, the DUP's Simon Hamilton said he would like to see Arlene Foster lead the party into the negotiations.

Asked if she should step aside, he said: "No she shouldn't. It is not for Sinn Fein to dictate our nominee."

>>Results centre - select a constituency - every result as it happened -



North Antrim - East Antrim - South Antrim - North Belfast - East Belfast - South Belfast - West Belfast - Strangford - South Down - Lagan Valley - Upper Bann - Newry and Armagh - Fermanagh & South Tyrone - West Tyrone - Mid Ulster - East Londonderry - Foyle - North Down
The ousted DUP MLA Emma Little Pengelly has blamed voter confusion - caused by leaflets advising first preferences should go to her running mate and being distributed in the wrong area - for her failure to retain a second DUP South Belfast seat.

Leaflets for Mr Stalford, she claimed, were handed out in areas where voters should have been voting for her as their first preference.

She said at one polling station one person handed out leaflets and "misinformation" for "many hours" and that they would not leave.

"In an election where 25 votes separated Christopher and me this confusion was unacceptable," she said.

The former special adviser also hinted she may well run again to retake her seat.

In a Facebook post on Sunday morning, the barrister thanked those who turned out to vote.

She said: "I apologise to the voters in Stranmillis PS where Stalford 1 leaflets were handed out for many hours during election day and misinformation given out.

"Unfortunately this person would not leave. This should not have happened and there should not have been that confusion to you, the DUP voters.

"I can assure you I have raised it with the party. In an election where 25 votes separated Christopher and me this confusion was unacceptable."

She added: "We fought a hard campaign and the DUP vote rose to 9,000 in this election. The DUP was once again the biggest party in South Belfast.

Expand Close Emma Little Pengelly's Sunday morning Facebook post / Facebook

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"This time around I lost Nettlefield PS as recommended No1 Little Pengelly (in order to try and ensure both DUP candidates got a similar first preference vote to give us the best chance of 2 seats), despite this my first preference vote equalled last year's.

"Unfortunately, the rise in the nationalist vote meant even on this strong performance by both DUP candidates didn't get us two seats. I believe we will be able to gain back those two seats in the next election with your kind support."

Asked if he was party to the leaflets being handed out, Christopher Stalford said he had no comment to make on that matter.

He added: "I have been on the receiving end of an Assembly election defeat and I know how sore it is.

"There is always the temptation to look for blame and think it is unfortunate we did not get two seats and I wish we had. I wish Emma all the very best for the future."

Asked again if he played any role in his leaflets being distributed in areas which should have had 'Little Pengelly 1' leaflets distributed instead, he added: "These accusations have been made two days after the vote and after the heat of a campaign battle and I have no further comment to make."

>>Results centre - select a constituency - every result as it happened -



North Antrim - East Antrim - South Antrim - North Belfast - East Belfast - South Belfast - West Belfast - Strangford - South Down - Lagan Valley - Upper Bann - Newry and Armagh - Fermanagh & South Tyrone - West Tyrone - Mid Ulster - East Londonderry - Foyle - North Down
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell ruled himself out of ever running for the Labour leadership

John McDonnell said he is willing to work with Tony Blair to heal divisions within Labour.

The shadow chancellor has already offered to meet arch-critic Lord Peter Mandelson for a cup of tea and he has now extended that invite to Labour's former prime minister.

Meanwhile, Mr McDonnell insisted Jeremy Corbyn will lead Labour into the 2020 general election as he said possible leadership successors needed to gain "more experience".

He also categorically ruled himself out of a future run for the leadership.

Mr McDonnell, one of Mr Corbyn's closest allies, hit out at Mr Blair and Lord Mandelson in the run up to the Copeland and Stoke by-elections after the pair made high-profile interventions.

Mr Mandelson said he was working "every single day" to bring Mr Corbyn's leadership to an end and Mr McDonnell claimed a "soft coup" to oust the leader was under way.

When asked on The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One who was leading the coup, Mr McDonnell said there were a "number of people" within the party who were "stirring" ahead of the two by-elections.

Mr McDonnell said: "There must have been people on the end of that line and the end of that email chain to receive it.

"Actually, what is interesting, as I say, I think we have all looked over the edge on Copeland and we have decided we need to unite the party now and yes, I will be having a cup of tea with Peter Mandelson.

"There will be lots of things we agree upon. There will be some disagreements. But I think the most important thing that we have got is a responsibility to our party but more importantly to the country."

When asked if he would also be willing to have a cup of tea with Mr Blair, he said: "Of course. I am willing to talk to anybody. We need advice from everybody."

Mr McDonnell was also asked about a push to change Labour rules to make it easier for a left wing candidate to make it onto the ballot paper in a future leadership election.

He said: "Let's get this clear. I want to be absolutely clear: John McDonnell will not stand for the Labour leadership ever in the future again, full stop. I have made that clear time and time again."

He continued: "Jeremy Corbyn will lead us into the next election.

"Of course we are building up a succession for the long term future and we have got some really great young talent coming through but they need more experience before eventually they will succeed."

Meanwhile, senior Labour MP Hilary Benn echoed Mr McDonnell's call for unity as he also ruled out a bid for the leadership.

The chairman of the Brexit Select Committee told the Sophy Ridge on Sunday show on Sky News: "I'm not standing to be leader of the Labour Party and there isn't a vacancy because Jeremy is the leader and has been re-elected by the party members."

He said Labour needed to talk about the things that voters care about like social care, housing and security at work in order to persuade them to return the party to power.

He said: "Those are the big challenges that our society faces and Labour has historically in the past been able to find answers to that and when we turn our attention to that rather than debating amongst ourselves then I think we will have a better chance of persuading the British people to put in a Labour government once again."
GBS is harmless in most cases but can lead to a range of serious illnesses

One baby dies every two weeks because of a preventable infection, an investigation has found.

Public Health England has told BBC Radio 5 live Investigates that the number of babies being made ill by early onset group B streptococcus (GBS) has increased by 12% between 2011 and 2015.

The programme said that according to the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit, 518 newborn babies in the UK and Ireland were made ill as a result of the bacteria, 27 died and dozens more were left with disabilities in the year to April 2015.

GBS is harmless in most cases but can lead to a range of serious illnesses, including septicaemia, pneumonia and meningitis if contracted within the first week of a baby's life.

The bacteria, carried by an estimated one in four pregnant women, is passed from mother to baby.

In the majority of cases babies can be protected if the mother is given intravenous antibiotics during labour.

Women featured on the programme feel very strongly that every mother should be tested for Group B.

The programme said this is already the case in some European countries and the US, but routine screening is not done in the UK, adding that the decision on whether to introduce it in this country is down to the Department of Health which takes expert advice from the National Screening Committee.

Dr Anne Mackie, director of programmes for the UK National Screening Committee, told the programme: "The UK independent expert screening committee's last review of screening for group B strep carriage found testing in late pregnancy unreliable.

"This is because the test cannot distinguish between women whose babies will be affected by early onset group B strep and those who would not.

"This could lead to a high number of mothers and babies being exposed to unnecessary antibiotic use."

The programme said a clinical trial has recently been undertaken at Northwick Park Hospital in London in which more than 5,000 women were screened, with those testing positive offered antibiotics in labour.

Full trial results are expected to be reported in the British Medical Journal but preliminary results given after the first eighteen months showed an 80% reduction in the number of babies infected with the bacteria, the show said.

:: BBC Radio 5 live Investigates is on at 11am on Sunday.
Former Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness collapsed the last Assembly by resigning over Arlene Foster's refusal to step aside over the RHI inquiry

Theresa May and Enda Kenny have ordered government ministers to open urgent talks with parties in Northern Ireland in an attempt to restore devolution.

After a snap election radically altered the face of the Stormont Assembly, abolishing for the first time the overall unionist majority, political leaders have three weeks to form an executive.

But the two main parties, the Democratic Unionist Party and Irish republicans Sinn Fein, are on a collision course over Arlene Foster's leadership.

Sinn Fein have refused to pull back from its red line that the DUP leader can not be reinstated as first minister while an inquiry is ongoing into alleged corruption and misuse of public money in a heating scheme scandal that forced last week's snap poll.

The DUP has insisted Sinn Fein can not dictate who they nominate to lead the party in any restored Stormont Executive.

Mrs May and Mr Kenny held a 15-minute telephone conversation on Sunday about the election outcome.

They have ordered Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Brokenshire and Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan to meet all political parties on Wednesday "with a view to re-establishing a functioning executive as soon as possible, and to address outstanding issues under the agreements".

Two two leaders agreed to discuss the issue again at the EU council summit in Brussels on Thursday.

In separate co-ordinated statements on Sunday, both Mr Brokenshire and Mr Flanagan warned there was a "limited window" to resolve differences and get a functioning parliament back up and running.

Mr Brokenshire said responsibility lies on the shoulders of both the DUP and Sinn Fein.

The Secretary of State added "confidential" talks would start immediately to resolve other outstanding issues over the full implementation of peace agreements in the region and how the legacy of the Troubles is addressed.

Mr Flanagan said it was of the utmost importance for the people of Northern Ireland that the political institutions, established under the Good Friday Agreement, promptly resume "not least so that they can effectively engage with the issues raised by Brexit".

However, Sinn Fein's John O'Dowd, education minister in a previous executive, signalled a looming deadlock.

"If the DUP decide after the implementation talks that will take place over the next number of weeks that they are going to nominate Arlene Foster as joint first minister, Sinn Fein will not support that nomination," he said.

"We were very clear on the doorsteps, we were very clear during the election and we have a mandate, and we said to people we would not support Arlene Foster as joint first minister ahead of the publication of the RHI report."

Former deputy first minister Martin McGuinness collapsed the last Assembly by resigning over Ms Foster's refusal to step aside pending an inquiry into the renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme.

The botched green energy initiative has been embroiled in controversy and could cost the Northern Ireland taxpayers 490 million.

An inquiry into its operation is not expected to make any findings for at least six months.

Mr O'Dowd said there is a "recipe for a stable executive and assembly" but warned the issues that forced the snap election could not be ignored.

"Alleged corruption at the heart of the government, alleged incompetence at the heart of government," he said, adding the high turnout at the polls showed the public are "very, very tuned in" to the scandal.

But the DUP's Simon Hamilton, economy minister up until the assembly's collapse, said Ms Foster has a mandate to lead her party.

"We can't have the sort of powersharing John is talking about whenever you have diktats coming from Sinn Fein about who leads and who heads up the DUP in government," he told BBC's Sunday Politics.

"I have heard a lot from Sinn Fein over the last number of weeks about respect, but they are not respecting the mandate that the DUP has received, and that mandate endorsed Arlene Foster."

The pro-Brexit DUP narrowly remained the region's largest party by just one seat as a Sinn Fein surge saw the republican party make major gains over the DUP.

Having entered the election 10 seats ahead of Sinn Fein, the DUP's advantage was slashed to a solitary seat.

Only 1,168 first preference votes separate the DUP and Sinn Fein and, for the first time, Unionists will not have an overall majority at Stormont.

Amid the fallout, Mike Nesbitt said he would resign as Ulster Unionist leader.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has said the "perpetual unionist majority" at Stormont has been "demolished".

On Sunday, Mr Adams took aim at the Conservative government in London, saying they are "part of the problem" of the political crisis in Northern Ireland.

"The British government refuses to implement the agreements on legacy and has sought immunity for their soldiers and agents," he said.

"They have set aside the concept of consent, and undermined human rights safeguards, in seeking to impose Brexit against the will of the majority of voters in the north.

"The British government has given up all pretence of independence.

"The Tory party stood in the recent election and was rejected again by the electorate receiving only 2,379 votes.

"They are not neutral arbitrators.

"They have refused to implement and honour their agreements and responsibilities.

"They are part of the problem."

Mr Adams also attacked the Irish government for not holding London to account as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement.

But the Sinn Fein leader said his party will be at Stormont on Monday to "engage positively with all the other parties" to find a way forward.

It is understood Mr Brokenshire will meet with all five main party leaders on Monday "on a bilateral basis" ahead of talks including Mr Flanagan on Wednesday.
Tony Blair reportedly met the president's son-in-law and key adviser Jared Kushner at the White House last week

Tony Blair's spokesman has refused to be drawn on claims that the ex-prime minister is seeking to become US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy.

Mr Blair met the president's son-in-law and key adviser Jared Kushner at the White House last week to discuss working for Mr Trump, according to the Mail on Sunday.

A spokesman for the former PM told the Press Association: "I'm not going to comment on private conversations."

The newspaper said Mr Blair has met Mr Kushner three times since September.

After leaving Downing Street, Mr Blair took the role of Middle East envoy for the Quartet Group comprising the EU, US, Russia and UN.
Iraqi troops advance during fighting against IS militants in western Mosul

Iraqi troops came under a wave of attacks from IS militants as they launched a new offensive in Mosul.

Major General Haider al-Maturi, of the Federal Police Commandos Division, said IS militants dispatched at least six suicide car bombs, which were all destroyed before reaching the troops, as they edged closer to a government complex in the west of the city.

He said militants were also moving from house to house and deploying snipers in heavy clashes with troops.

Maj Gen Al-Maturi said his troops launched a fresh offensive early on Sunday morning in the Dawasa neighbourhood, adding they were about 500m away from the government complex.

The Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen TV aired live footage showing thick black smoke almost covering the sky amid a heavy exchange of fire.
A bid from Pulte Homes to rezone and add 465 residences and possibly a school near Sandy Run Creek on Jedburg Road wasn't met with open arms at a Oct. 26 community meeting on the part of local homeowners seeking to preserve the area's rural characteristics. Read moreJedburg Road residents tell Pulte Homes: 'Keep it rural'
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It can be tough to be a vegetarian. You have to work harder than everyone else to make sure youre getting all the nutrients your body needs. So, when its time to take a
They traveled from Becker, Mahnomen, Clearwater, Beltrami and Hubbard counties. . . .

"A lot of you people out there think I'm anti-clean water. Believe me, I'm not," Green said, adding that his research finds water quality is greatly improving.

"To get to where there's no trend in pollution, you have to be improving," he stated, citing a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency report from 2014.

"Water cleans itself. We don't go in and put anything in to clean it. What we do is stop polluting it and it actually cleans itself," Green said. . . .

A retired biology teacher stood up to counter Green's assertion that there is less water pollution. Phosphorus levels are, in fact, getting worse in Minnesota's lakes and rivers, he said. . . .

Green is pushing for a state Constitutional amendment that replaces the Clean Water, Land and Legacy amendment with funding dedicated to roads and bridges.

Minnesota voters approved the Legacy amendment in 2008.

"Especially read Section 4 prohibiting any state employee from expressing opposition to the proposed amendment, which clearly violates the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing freedom of speech," Hitchcock said. "Those who voted for the original Legacy amendment recognized the need to protect and enhance and restore the very things that not only make Minnesota attractive to residents but also serve as an economic engine for the millions of visitors to the state."

Arts events, like the Heartland Concert Association series, are supported by Legacy funding, Hitchcock pointed out.

"Why would you gut the whole spirit of the state to fix roads and bridges rather than enact the necessary taxes for that work?"

The lengthy list of public officials who would fall under the gag order include the director of Explore Minnesota Tourism and the Governor, Hitchcock said.

Hubbard County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor Lynn Goodrich said that he, too, would be among those prohibited from speaking against Green's amendment.

One-third of Legacy amendment funding is supposed to go toward clean water projects, Green replied, but approximately 10 percent does.

Legacy money is also used to purchase private land and convert it to public land enhancements, he continued, removes the land from tax rolls.

"Is this really how you want the money spent?" Green asked.

The audience responded with "Absolutely!" and "Yes!" . . .
At issue was a proposal to name the bridge for General Aung San, Burmas independence leader who is known as the Father of the Nation. His assassination in 1947 is understood by many to have accelerated the ethnic conflicts that have plagued Burma since independence the following year. Many major roads, bridges and other civil structures throughout the country bare his name, yet for many, the agreements made between General Aung San and minority ethnic leaders remain broken promises.

General Aung Sans daughter, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, now serves as State Counselor and leads the National League for Democracy (NLD), which holds a majority of seats in parliament.

There has been broad opposition to the name change since Paung Township NLD representative Mi Koon Chan first introduced a proposal to discuss it in the Pyi Thu Hluttaw, the lower house of the Union Parliament. Residents say the proposal from the Mon State representative ignores the wishes of area residents, who want a name that better reflects the Mon character of the area.

Protesters expressed their dissatisfaction with the Pyithu Hluttaws February 28 decision to discuss the proposal.

I am here to demand that the Hluttaw respects the wishes of local residents, and does not unnecessarily impose itself on ethnic affairs. They need to continue to build relationships of goodwill between the various ethnic groups. When all of the locals reject the name [General Aung San Bridge] and the Pyithu Hluttaw continues to push it, they get the feeling that that they are being bullied within the democratic system, said Dr. Aung Naing Oo, Deputy Speaker of the Mon State Hluttaw and Chaungzone Township representative.

The key to the federal system of government now being built in Burma, he said, is mutual respect, and recognition of local needs. The Union government must show its commitment to this system by acknowledging local demands in its policies.

Protesters insisted that they do not mean disrespect to General Aung San, whom they recognize as the founder of Independent Burma. They take issue, though, with the apparent disregard for local voices in naming the bridge. Burma should be building a real federal union, not an empire of General Aung San, they argue.

Why is the bridge being named for the father of Myanmar, rather than the father of the Mon people. If they genuinely want to build a Burmese union of all the ethnic groups, they cannot bully the minority ethnic people. So I totally condemn and absolutely disagree with these actions, said Sayadaw Warawongsa, the abbot at the Jeyawongsa Monastery in Bonut Village, Choungzone Township, Bilu Kyun.

While the bridge was under construction it was referred to as the Thanlwin (Chaungzone) Bridge. It was only when the bridge neared completion that they tried to erase the Mon identity by naming the bridge for General Aung San, said U Min Tin Nyunt, a protest organizer.

Protesters carried signs as they marched from Ka-nyor village to the Chaungzone side of the bridge. They also chanted slogans demanding recognition of local wishes and calling for ethnic solidarity. Protesters promised to continue marching if their demands were not met.

Construction on the bridge, which will be 1,759 feet long when completed, began in February, 2015 under the government of former President U Thein Sein. Opening celebrations are scheduled for April.
The founder of an app to help people with Parkinson's Disease has been crowned Ireland's best young entrepreneur.

Physiotherapist Ciara Clancy - who is 26 - developed Beats Medical which emits a beat or soundwave from your smartphone to help control movement and speech.
Local Enterprise Offices all over Ireland will host events to showcase their services today.

As part of Local Enterprise Week 2017, LEO's are holding hundreds of events to inspire start-ups, entrepreneurs and business owners.

The week aims to highlight the range of supports and services available to micro and small enterprises.

Sheelagh Daly is from the Wicklow Local Enterprise Office: "The week kicks off today... We're expecting up to 15,000 people to take part in the variety of events across the country."
More than 100 people have died from hunger in the past 48 hours in a single region of Somalia, the country's prime minister said.

It is the first death toll announced in a severe drought threatening millions of people across the country.

Somalia's government declared the drought a national disaster on Tuesday. The United Nations estimates that five million people in the Horn of Africa nation need aid, amid warnings of a full-blown famine.

The United Kingdom has allocated 100 million to humanitarian funding for Somalia, which is providing emergency food to up to a million people.

The money is also giving life-saving nutritional support to more than 600,000 starving children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, safe drinking water for a million people and emergency healthcare for 1.7 million people.

The death toll of 110 announced by prime minister Hassan Ali Khaire is from the Bay region in the south west of the country.

Somalia was one of four regions singled out by the UN secretary-general last month in an aid appeal to avert catastrophic hunger and famine, along with north-east Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen.

All are connected by a thread of violent conflict, the UN chief said.

UN humanitarian co-ordinator Stephen O'Brien is expected to visit Somalia in the next few days.

Thousands have been streaming into the capital Mogadishu in search of food aid, overwhelming local and international aid agencies.

More than 7,000 internally displaced people checked into one feeding centre recently.

The drought is the first crisis for Somalia's newly elected Somali-American leader, President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed.

Previous droughts and a quarter of a century of conflict, including continuing attacks by extremist group al-Shabab, have left the country fragile.

Mr Mohamed has appealed to the international community and Somalia's diaspora of two million people for help.

About 363,000 acutely malnourished children in Somalia "need urgent treatment and nutrition support, including 71,000 who are severely malnourished", the US Agency for International Development's Famine Early Warning Systems Network has warned.

Because of a lack of clean water in many areas, there is the additional threat of cholera and other diseases, UN experts say. Some deaths from cholera have already been reported.

The government has said the widespread hunger "makes people vulnerable to exploitation, human rights abuses and to criminal and terrorist networks".

The UN humanitarian appeal for 2017 for Somalia is 702 million to provide assistance to 3.9 million people, but the UN World Food Programme recently requested an additional 21 million to respond to the drought.

UK International Development Secretary Priti Patel said: "More than six million people in Somalia are living in desperate conditions, with the number of people tragically dying from hunger increasing and many more lives threatened.

"Our message to the international community is clear - they need to act now and urgently, before it is too late to help stop innocent people starving to death."

AP/PA
Chancellor Philip Hammond has warned the EU that Britain will "fight back" and not "slink off like a wounded animal" if it does not get the Brexit deal it wants.

In some of the toughest talking yet ahead of the UK triggering the Article 50 negotiations on terms of withdrawal, the Chancellor said Britain would "do whatever we need to do" to be competitive in the event of leaving the EU without a trade agreement.

Mr Hammond told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "If there is anybody in the European Union who thinks that if we don't do a deal with the European Union, if we don't continue to work closely together, Britain will simply slink off as a wounded animal, that is not going to happen.

"British people have a great fighting spirit and we will fight back. We will forge new trade deals around the world. We will build our business globally.

"We will go on from strength to strength and we will do whatever we need to do to make the British economy competitive and to make sure that this country has a great and successful future."

Asked if this meant the UK would slash business taxes to attract investment away from the EU, the Chancellor said: "People can read what they like into it. I'm not going to speculate now on how the UK would respond to what I don't expect to be the outcome.

"But we are going into a negotiation. We expect to be able to achieve a comprehensive free trade deal with our European Union partners, but they should know that the alternative isn't Britain just slinking away into a corner."

The Chancellor indicated the UK would pay any Brexit bills it owed to the EU.

He said: "Obviously, this is a piece of negotiating strategy that we are seeing in Brussels. We are a nation that honours its obligations and if we do have any bills that fall to be paid we will obviously deal with them in the proper way.

#Brexit: Asked about any bill for leaving the EU, Chancellor Philip Hammond says UK will honour "its obligations" #marr pic.twitter.com/UK6Qne1aVp  BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) March 5, 2017

"We are a nation which abides by its international obligations. We always have done, we always will do, and everybody can be confident about that."

The comments came after a Lords report stated that Britain could legally walk away from the EU without paying a penny if there is no trade deal.

While it has been reported that the European Commission's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier is seeking a 60 billion euro (52 billion) "exit bill" from Britain, the Lords EU Financial Affairs Sub-Committee said all estimates of the cost of withdrawal were "hugely speculative".
Donald Trump has declared that the media are the "enemy of the people", but his vice president showed he is still willing to joke around with reporters - and poke fun at himself - in a venerable Washington tradition.

Mike Pence was the featured speaker at the 132nd annual Gridiron Dinner, a comedic white-tie affair featuring skits, songs and speeches.

He called the dinner "a light-hearted respite" from bruising Washington politics and dished out a number of jokes, including a dig at the Best Picture blunder at least week's Academy Awards.

"We haven't seen that many shocked Hollywood liberals since November 8," Mr Pence said, recalling Mr Trump's upset Election Day victory.

The president did not attend the dinner, instead spending the weekend at his coastal Florida estate.

For more than a century, every president has spoken at the dinner at least once.

While most of Mr Pence's remarks were self-deprecating, he also chastised reporters over what he considered unfair news coverage, seeming to channel his boss, the media critic in chief, by saying "we all just have to do better".

Most of the night was good-humoured, with jabs at Hillary Clinton, White House leaks and the lingering question of Russian influence in the election.

House of Representatives minority leader Nancy Pelosi, who was the featured Democratic speaker, belted out "don't take my Medicare away" during a skit on the main stage.

Standing a few feet away from Mr Pence, she said: "This president has appointed so many people from Goldman Sachs to his cabinet that there's no one left there to listen to Hillary's speeches."

"Does the president know you're here laughing with the enemies of the people?" she asked Mr Pence. "It's okay, Mr Vice President. People here can keep a secret ... unlike at the White House."

She said she was sorry Mr Trump and his wife could not be there but offered a greeting to the first family - in Russian.

Iowa senator Joni Ernst, who gave the Republican address, said her goal was simple: "To make this speech shorter than Mike Flynn's time at the NSA."

She also noted that Mr Pence was "one heartbeat away from being the second most-powerful person in the country" - behind White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Among the Washington names in attendance were former secretary of state Colin Powell, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway and the subject of many jokes, White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

The Gridiron Club was founded in 1885, just after the election of Grover Cleveland. He never attended a dinner, but every president since has been at least once.

Fifteen journalists formed the club and instituted the formal dinner, in modern times held every year at a central Washington hotel in a setting less glitzy and celebrity-studded than its more famous cousin, the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Mr Trump has said he will not attend that event this year either.

Barack Obama attended the dinner three times while in office. George W Bush made it six out of eight years.

AP
Everyone has done it: booked a table at the restaurant and decided at the last minute not to show and never told them, or at least brought out the trusted "sick kid" or "last-minute meeting" excuse.

Pod Food manager Samuel Kildea has been on the receiving end of all sorts of excuses.

Co-owner of XO Restaurant, Kent Nhan, said no shows hurt business and their workers. Credit:Jay Cronan

He once tried calling a no show, he simply got a swear word then a dial tone, which made him giggle.

Nationally, 38,000 people have been blacklisted from online reservation app Dimmi after failing to show up too many times. The no shows have all copped a one-year ban.
Public satisfaction with federal politicians is plumbing new depths. Voters are sick of poor behaviour by their representatives: the MPs they vote for and whose salaries they fund.

Rorting expenses, accepting donations from influence peddlers, hiding from scrutiny and secret backroom deals have, in the minds of many voters, become the norm  and our democracy is poorer as a result.

Transparency International Australia chairman Anthony Whealy. Credit:Peter Rae

Survey findings released last week by Transparency International, with more data due on Tuesday, suggest Australians are acutely aware of the dangerous links between their politicians and self-interested organisations, including businesses.

What most federal MPs do not realise is that one reform could go a long way towards restoring their reputations and rebuilding trust with the electorate.
One of the leaders of the opposition to council mergers in Sydney's lower north has emerged as a primary challenger to the Berejiklian government's chance of retaining the seat of North Shore.

Carolyn Corrigan, a councillor on Mosman Council, will run as an independent candidate for North Shore, the seat vacated by former health minister Jillian Skinner.

The seat was held by independents Ted Mack and Robyn Read in the 1980s, but has remained solidly Liberal since 1991.

Controversy over the state government's council amalgamation agenda has emboldened local independents, including Cr Corrigan, who was first elected to Mosman Council five years ago.
NSW's outgoing police chief says the toughest part of the aftermath of the Lindt Cafe siege has been his inability to discuss it.

Andrew Scipione, who is about to step down as NSW Police Commissioner, was teary-eyed while talking about the ordeal on the Nine Network on Sunday night.

"I'd ask people just to reflect on the reality we're having to deal with. Not only were they (officers) prepared to die ... they'd made the preparations to those that mattered. Yet they didn't think twice," he told the 60 Minutes program.

"That's probably been the hardest part about that whole process ... not being able to talk about it."
Queensland's environment minister has denied breaking strict rules about email use while trying to drum up cash for his tilt at the seat of Murrumba.

The Courier-Mail reports Steven Miles sent an email to supporters last week from what appears to be his parliamentary email address for his current seat of Mt Coot-tha.

A spokesman for Steven Miles has said the email wasn't from the minister's parliamentary email address. Credit:Glenn Hunt

The email seeks donations to pay for a new campaign office in Murrumba, the seat Dr Miles will contest at the next election.

MPs are banned from using electorate office resources for campaigning.
A Melbourne father has died in Nepal while returning from Mount Everest base camp.

Fairfax Media has been told the man, who worked for a multinational tech company, visited the high-altitude site on Friday, but started experiencing breathing difficulties upon his descent.

He reportedly died the next day.

Local media reported that a 49-year-old Australian man had died from altitude sickness. The report said he had been staying at the Madan Hotel in Pheruche of Khumjung-7, in the Solukhumbu district.
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This is the moment a mass brawl erupted outside Analog nightclub in Bristol on the early hours of of Saturday morning.

More than a dozen people could be seen trading blows using chairs and barriers in shocking scenes.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset police said four people had received stab wounds and had to be treated in hospital. Another two men had been arrested at the scene on suspicion of affray.

Multiple ambulances were be seen at the scene.

Officers are now looking at CCTV and talking to witnesses to try and find out what happened. Detectives were also spotted at the Triangle this morning.

Clubbers speaking to the Bristol student newspaper The Tab, said they were shocked at the violence.

One clubber said: "I don't know how to describe it. There were at least 4 bodies on the floor.

"Me and a friend were attending a guy who had serious head injuries. I have never witnessed such brutality in my life."

Anyone who might have seen anything or know anything about the incident should ring the police on 101.

Or, to give information anonymously, call independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or through their website, www.crimestoppers-uk.org

They never ask for your name and cannot trace your call.
Latest News Mortgage stress hits Australian households Learn seven ways to ease the interest rate burden, says broker

New investor strengthens Invoice Finance Group Partnership will provide funding, new products for SMEs

Mortgage Professional Australia (MPA) is due to hold its annual High-Performance Business Summit in Sydney in a couple of months.Held on 3 May at Dockside Darling Harbour, the event will feature insights from Australias top award-winning brokers. Speakers have been recognised for their success at industry events such as the Australian Mortgage Awards (AMAs), MPAs Top 100 Brokers and MPAs Top 10 Independent Brokerages report.The event attracted large numbers of participants last year with 176 brokers attending in Sydney. An additional 184 brokers attended our Melbourne summit.Topics will cover crucial areas of business growth for todays mortgage and finance professionals from notable industry leaders such as Ruan Burger, managing director of Time Home Loans, and Elizabeth Wilson, director of Wilson Financial, and 2016 AMA commercial broker of the year George Karam.With up to 7.5 CPD hours available, tickets for the event run at $295 per person. Further information can be found on the HPB Summit website Feedback on last years event was positive from brokers across the industry.A great, diversified and well-presented summit. Would certainly attend future events, said one Loan Advisers director.A day jam-packed with ideas on how to take your business to the next level from successful and professional people, said a principal at Blue Chip Mortgages.An additional High Performance Business Summit will also be held in Melbourne later on in the year. Watch this space for more details.
HS Football: North Penn upsets Pennsbury in instant playoff classic

With the game on the line, North Penn coach Dick Beck opted to go for the win with a two-point conversion attempt against Pennsbury.
Everything you need to know for MLS Cup 2022
A Burnham-On-Sea Veterinary Nurse has just returned from a unique trip to Africa.

Helen Jenkins provided care for horses and donkeys in the Gambia as she volunteered for The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust.

Speaking to Burnham-On-Sea.com about the experience, she said: The Gambia is a very poor country and many living there are in extreme poverty. The majority of animal welfare problems are a result of a lack of education and understanding, rather than cruelty.

The people rely on their animals for their own survival so they do everything they can to keep their animals healthy. A healthy working animal can increase a farming familys income by up to 500% and buying an animal is a big investment for a family. If the animal becomes sick or dies not only the animal suffers, but its owners suffer too.

She added: I spent time providing nursing care to horses and donkeys in the Gambia which is a real challenge due to insect-borne diseases. They include Sleeping Sickness (Trypanosomiasis), African Horse Sickness, and tick fever which are all too common. When these problems are combined with poor nutrition and poor management caused by a lack of knowledge and poverty, the results can be disastrous for the farmers.

I provided the Gambian people with the skills and knowledge to prevent and solve their own problems, creating a long term, sustainable solution. By providing training opportunities for farriers, harness makers, para-vets, livestock assistants and blacksmiths, I helped to enable them to provide essential services to their local community whilst also earning an income for themselves.

Workshops are held in villages and towns in the Gambia to provide training for local people so that they can support their own communities with professional skills. Poorly manufactured and poorly fitting harnessing materials are responsible for a large amount of animal suffering, but it is a relatively easy problem to prevent.

Helen continued: Farmers are provided with information about the best types of harness and information about correct harness fit, loading of carts and equine care. When provided with education they are very keen and willing to apply better practices and workshops are always extremely well attended.

Her time was split between the two centres; Matasuku and Sambel, where there are facilities to admit in-patients who require more long term treatment than can be provided at a mobile clinic.

She continued: The team have nursed back to health patients with some extremely serious and life threatening illnesses and injuries, including equines with serious burn injuries, broken legs, severe fungal infections, laceration wounds and emaciation. One of my cases was an orphan foal I nursed until he was old enough to return to the family who owned him.

The GHDT is involved with a school education programme covers basic management practices, appropriate handling, harnessing and information about equine diseases, illness and injuries. Many of the problems that I saw would be prevented if their owners had the correct knowledge and knew what to do in an emergency situation.

They have provided 147 donkeys to needy families who were unable to afford to purchase their own donkey. The donkey recipients attend an intensive training course at the GHDT centre where they are educated about how to appropriately care for and handle a donkey. The recipient must provide a house for the donkey to shelter in before their donkey is allocated to them.

The donkeys are provided on loan to the families in need, and the project manager travels to visit all of the donkeys every month to ensure they are being properly taken care of, and to provide veterinary treatment if required.

The charity relies heavily upon dedicated volunteers who offer their time and services to help us, and employ a team of local Gambian staff. The GHDT is a small charity that has had many great achievements, but to continue this work your support is urgently sought. It was an incredible experience to be part of supporting such a worthy cause.

I encourage your help to keep this amazing going in any way that you can.

RELATED LINK:

GHDT
A courageous Berrow woman who has battled with anorexia for over 30 years has held a unique fundraising event to raise money for a charity close to her heart.

Vanessa Holbrow from Berrow has suffered with anorexia for over three decades and, to raise money for Beat, a leading eating disorder support charity, she baked a large batch of dog treats that went on sale on Friday, at Take Two, a dog-friendly cafe in Burnham-On-Sea.

I am fundraising for Beat, the UKs eating disorder charity. An eating disorder has affected my life badly and also my friends.

I came out of a specialist eating disorder unit just before Christmas after six months treatment for Anorexia.

When in treatment I crossed the paths of others, the majority much younger than me, suffering and battling to recover.

I witnessed their lives fractured at such vulnerable ages. So I am doing this to reflect all those affected by eating disorders, especially the friends Ive made during treatment.

This is the most insidious evil disease, its also a fierce liar and stokes up an incredible amount of emotional agony and conflict. And that radiates to friends and family.

I am passionate to raise awareness and to talk about this so something positive comes out of the years battling this torrid existence surrounding food, weight and nutrition.

Beat supported me years ago, when it was formerly now as the Eating Disorder Association (EDA). Back in the 90s for example I was sectioned regularly for a year at a time, in general psychiatric units.

Specialist eating disorder units were for some reason never on the cards for me, perhaps due to the fact because I suffer with a complex web of psychiatric issues.

At this time a lady from the EDA wrote to me regularly. She offered me a life line  I had one person at least who would listen to me empathically and understand at a time when I felt excruciatingly vulnerable and alone. Ive never forgotten her and the EDA, as it was then.

Beat supports anyone with an eating disorder, their friends and family, as well as professionals working with or worried about an individual in their care. These serious mental illnesses include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.

725,000 people in the UK have a diagnosed eating disorder. Thats why I chose 725 as the number of treats to bake. They affect people of all ages and backgrounds, and up to one in four sufferers are male. Eating disorders cost the UKs economy 16.8 billion each year.

How may someone spot the first signs of symptoms of an eating disorder. This is extremely important when encouraging individuals to get the help and support they need as quickly as possible. Beat has created their tips campaign  giving the tips to spot those very first signs of an eating disorder  here.

If youre worried someone you care about is showing the signs of an eating disorder, encourage them to seek help from their GP. Beat provide support services and information for individuals and those supporting someone with an eating disorder.

Jack, my dog, is my mainstay and the very reason I continue to fight every aspect of mental health issues I live with, notably PTSD, Borderline Personality Disorder, Dissociative Disorder & self injury  all need talking about so to help spread awareness and break the stigma attached to mental health illnesses.

Jack is rehomed from Border Terrier Welfare UK. He is now five years old and adores his trips to Take Two. Hes enabled me very much  especially socially and getting out and about. Hes helped me in unimaginable ways.
In the first nine months of this financial year, Maruti Suzuki India sold a little over 60,000 cars to cab aggregators, six per cent of sales.
With no high-end models after the Note 7 debacle, Korean chaebol Samsung, known for its super-premium phones in the Rs 45,000-plus bracket, is counting on its semi-premium range to improve sales. By semi-premium, the reference here is to phones in the Rs 25,000-35,000 bracket. At the same time, the countrys largest smartphone maker is also eyeing numero uno position in the online space, where it lags peers Xiaomi and Lenovo at No. 3.

On Monday, March 6, Samsung will launch a new phone in India in the Rs 25,000-30,000 bracket. This will be the second launch in a week in this range. Last week, the Korean major relaunched a six-month-old model A9Pro at a new price-point of Rs 29,900. It was earlier available for Rs 32,490. Interestingly, this phone will be available only online now as against offline earlier, lending credence, say experts, to Samsungs online bent. The companys other online-only phones are bunched under a series called On, which are models priced under Rs 20,000 a unit.

While online constitutes a quarter of overall smartphone sales in India, it still is an important channel, say experts.

Most Chinese brands, which have populated the Indian market in recent years, have made a mark pushing their phones online, analysts said.

In February, Samsung came out with a new series called the C series, targeting the Rs 35,000-36,000 bracket. The strategy, say experts, is clear  be aspirational, but yet affordable to consumers. As the leader, our focus is on all segments of the market, says Manu Sharma, vice-president (mobile business), Samsung India. We have feature phones costing Rs 1,200 a unit, going right up to those that cost Rs 55,000 apiece in our portfolio, he says.

But sector analysts say that Samsung has been hit hard in recent quarters by brands such as Vivo, Oppo, Gionee, HTC and One Plus in the Rs 25,000-30,000 bracket, as the Korean major focused its attention on the super-premium end of the market in its drive to take on Apple.

In many respects, the Note 7 issue, where a series of battery explosions compelled the company to eventually recall the phablet last year, has acted as a reality check, say experts. They say it has pushed the company to focus not only on premium flagship models, but also phones lower down the pecking order.

The Rs 25,000-35,000 price range has become a key focus area for Samsung in recent months since brands such as Vivo and Oppo have done well there, says Tarun Pathak, senior analyst, Counterpoint Research. Besides the super-premium end, the only other segment that can give players good margins is the semi-premium market since price realisations are fairly good, Pathak says. So brands, he says, can maintain equity without having to compromise too much on price.

Faisal Kawoosa, lead analyst, CyberMedia Research, says: Samsung seems to be testing the waters with slightly lower-priced offers. This is critical, as it has ceded ground to Apple in the absence of a super-premium phone in recent months. This should help it fill the gap for now.

Company executives argue that its super-premium segment is not unrepresented with the S7 Edge, a one-year-old model still doing well in the marketplace. This phone, for the record, was adjudged the best phone of 2016 at the recently-concluded Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

But, say experts, in the fickle world of smartphones, where consumers have no brand loyalties, one year is too long a time to keep interest levels going. While the S8, Samsungs latest in the S series is slated for a global launch on March 29, it will hit the Indian shores only in the second or third week of April.
Photo: VOV

Joining the tour were ambassadors and their spouses, representatives from diplomatic agencies, international and foreign non-governmental organisations in Vietnam, ministries and agencies.

VUFO Vice President Bui Khac Son said the annual tour brought them to the complex of tomb and temple of Kinh Duong Vuong  founding King of Vietnam, and Dong Ho folk painting village in Thuan Thanh district.

They also had a chance to enjoy Bac Ninh love duets which has been recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Hermini Lopez Diaz thanked VUFO and the provincial authorities for their hospitality, saying that the tour has given them an insight into the Vietnamese culture and history as well as the vibrant socio-economic development of Bac Ninh.

The tour concluded with an exchange between participants and the provincial leaders./.
Drug manufacturer has sold its animal health business in South Africa to Ascendis Health for around Rs 190 crore as part of its strategy to streamline business and focus on core therapies.
may be considering breaking off talks over a planned merger of its European business with German conglomerate Thyssenkrupp, a UK media report claimed on Sunday.

The merger talks had been revealed by the Indian steel giant last year as part of a major restructuring of its UK steel business.

Such a deal with the German steel major could potentially lead to the formation of a European steel behemoth with blast furnaces in Wales, the Netherlands and Germany. However, The Sunday Times claims that the deal may be under threat due to German pension liabilities.

The deal has been slow moving as tries to solve the problem of its own 15-billion-pound British steel pensions scheme.

Last month its UK workers had voted in favour of a new pension deal to save their jobs.

Nearly 10,000 workers voted in a ballot in favour of moving from a final salary pension to a less generous scheme in return for job safety andTata's promise of nearly 1-billion-pound worth of investment over the next 10 years.

According to the newspaper, Dutch unions representing workers at Tata's vast Ijmuiden plant have raised concerns over the Thyssenkrupp pensions, which are an unfunded liability and underpinned by cash-flow from the steelworks.

Thyssenkrupp is under pressure from the activist investor Cevian and recently sold its steel venture in Brazil for 1.3 billion euros.

Thyssenkrupp, a vast conglomerate ranging from escalators to car axles, is reportedly already considering an alternative for its steel business should the deal with Tata fail - floating it as a standalone company.

"Talks are ongoing with Thyssenkrupp and to find a sustainable solution for the UK pension scheme," said in a statement.

TataSteel, which owns the UK's largest steelworks at Port Talbot in South Wales among other units, has been working on finding a solution to the crisis in the steel industry since it announced a major restructuring in March 2016.
Reserve Bank of India Governor allegedly received a threat mail asking him to quit the job from a 37-year-old man, who has been arrested from Nagpur, police said on Sunday.

The RBI governor received the email on February 23 in which the sender threatened to harm Patel and his family if he did not quit, a police official said.

Patel forwarded the email to a senior RBI officer, who in turn approached the cyber cell of Mumbai police and lodged a complaint.

During the investigation, police found that the email was sent from a cyber cafe in Nagpur.

A team from the Mumbai police's cyber cell then went to Nagpur and arrested the accused, identified as Vaibhav Baddalwar, on Friday.

"We have arrested the accused from Nagpur in connection with the threat mail to the RBI Governor," Deputy Commissioner of Police, cyber cell, Akhilesh Singh said.

An offence was registered by police under Indian Penal Code section 506(2) (criminal intimidation) in the case.

Police claimed that the accused admitted to having sent the mail.

Baddalwar was later produced in a Nagpur court which remanded him in police custody till March 6.

The accused did his post-graduation abroad and is currently jobless. It is suspected that he sent the mail out of frustration, Singh said adding that an investigation into the matter is on.

The RBI spokesperson did not offer any comments in the matter.
A 39-year-old in the US has been shot and wounded outside his home by an unidentified person who shouted "go back to your own country", just days after an Indian engineer was killed in a hate crime shooting.

The was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent, Washington, on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to the driveway, the Seattle Times reported.

Kent police said an argument broke out between the two men, with the victim saying the suspect made statements to the effect of "go back to your own country". The unidentified man then shot him in the arm.

The Sikh man, who has not been named, described the shooter as a six-foot-tall white man, wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face. Kent police are looking for the gunman.

Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said while the sustained "non life-threatening injuries", they are "treating this as a very serious incident".

Kent police have launched an investigation into the case and have reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, the report said.

"We're early on in our investigation," Thomas said.

Kent Police Commander Jarod Kasner said the incident is getting attention from the Sikh community and others.

"With recent unrest and concern throughout the nation this can get people emotionally involved, especially when (the crime) is directed at a person for how they live, how they look," Kasner said.

The incident is the latest in a series of troubling cases where members of the Indian community have been targeted in apparent hate crimes.

It comes close on the heels of the tragic shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".

Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gun shot wounds in his yard. However, police said in Patel's killing his Indian ethnicity does not appear to be a factor.

Jasmit Singh, a leader of the Sikh community in Renton, said he had been told that the Sikh man injured in Friday's incident has been released from the hospital.

He said the victim and his family are "very shaken up".

"We're all kind of at a loss in terms of what's going on right now, this is just bringing it home. The climate of hate that has been created doesn't distinguish between anyone," he said.

Singh said that men from his community have reported a rise in incidents of verbal abuse, "a kind of prejudice, a kind of xenophobia that is nothing that we've seen in the recent past".

He said the number of incidents targeting members of the Sikh religion are reminiscent of the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks.

"But at that time, it felt like the (presidential) administration was actively working to allay those fears," Jasmit Singh said, adding that "now it's a very different dimension".

Advocacy group The Sikh Coalition said it calls upon local law enforcement officials to investigate this shooting as a possible hate crime.

Various rights groups and ethnic Indian organisations are reaching out to people of the community asking them not to succumb to fear and immediately report any incident of hate crime or violence to law enforcement authorities.

The Indo-American Democratic Organisation strongly condemned Kuchibhotla's tragic killing, saying "the circumstances around this horrible crime are incredibly troubling which includes but not limited to: unprovoked violence in a public venue, racial slurs, and a senseless attack against innocent members of the public."

It also called on local elected leaders to express outrage over the "unacceptable and appalling" situation and publicly commit to doing what they can to prevent and call out hate crimes across communities.

It said it will continue to "represent the best interests of the local South Asian American community against the rise of any and all hate crimes and we join in partnership with many other organisations and civic leaders who stand for a more just, safe and equitable country".

India Civil Watch, a collective of Indian-American activists and professionals, called on Indian-Americans to not succumb to fear in the wake of incidents like Kuchibotla's murder.

The community must get organised in broad coalitions with others who intend to defend immigrant and minority rights, it said.

"This is also a moment for Indian communities in the US to reflect, take stock, and prepare for the oncoming weeks and months of struggle against a rising tide of racism and xenophobia," it added.
Contrary to market perception, India's unemployment rate halved from 9.5 per cent in August 2016 to 4.8 per cent in February this year and among major states, a sharp decline was registered in Uttar Pradesh.

According to the State Bank of India (SBI) Ecoflash, during August 2016 to February 2017, unemployment rate in Uttar Pradesh registered the maximum decline from 17.1 per cent to 2.9 per cent, followed by Madhya Pradesh (10 per cent to 2.7 per cent), Jharkhand (9.5 per cent to 3.1 per cent), Odisha (10.2 per cent to 2.9 per cent) and Bihar (13 per cent to 3.7 per cent).

"We believe this decline is primarily due to the government's efforts in providing new employment opportunities in rural areas," said the report compiled by SBI research team led by Group Chief Economic Advisor Soumya Kanti Ghosh.

The report further noted that the decline was also explained by household demanded/allocated work under MGNREGA, which increased from 83 lakh households in October 2016 to 167 lakh households in February 2017.

Moreover, the number of works completed under MGNREGA increased by a whopping 40 per cent to 50.5 lakh in 2016-17 compared to 36.0 lakh in 2015-16.

The notable increase was registered in the works of anganwadi, drought proofing, rural drinking water, and water conservation and harvesting.

"This is a welcome trend and will contribute greatly for developing rural infrastructure a sine qua non for sustained agri growth," the report said.

In the Union Budget FY18, MGNREGA scheme has been allocated a budgetary resource of Rs 48,000 crore.

During FY2017-18, another 5 lakh farm ponds will be taken up, compared to expected 10 lakh during FY2016-17. This single measure will contribute greatly to drought proofing of gram panchayats.

The unemployment rate was estimated by BSE and CMIE from data collected regarding the employment/unemployment status of all members of 15 years and more of a sample of randomly selected households.
The Kerala government plans to introduce a system for procuring directly from manufacturers and supply them to hospitals, amid efforts by drug regulators to implement the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authoritys (NPPA) order capping the devices prices.

A stent is a mesh tube placed in arteries to improve the blood flow to the heart.

According to the NPPA order issued on February 13, the price of a bare-metal stent will be capped at Rs 7,260, while drug-eluting stents and biodegradable stents will be priced at Rs 29,600 apiece, excluding taxes.

A senior official of the Kerala government said the state will keep a buffer of quality stents and provide it to hospitals when the latter raise the demand.

The scheme, the official added, will initially be for state-owned hospitals and subsequently extended to private hospitals based on their demand.

Once this scheme is rolled out, no hospital will be at the mercy of distributors. We will procure it directly from the company, the official said on condition of anonymity.

The state is in the process of collecting data from various quarters to assess the demand for stents in hospitals, and is likely to launch the scheme as early as April 2017, the officials said. This will be the first time a state will procure stents on behalf of hospitals.

While this scheme will ensure adequate availability of high-end stents, the state drug controller will continue to ensure that hospitals raise demand and provide to patients.

This measure comes at a time when the Centre is trying to ensure adequate availability of high-end stents at hospitals across the country by asking manufacturers to update the NPPA with their manufacturing and distribution plans every week.

The Centre has made it obligatory for manufacturers to submit their data on a weekly basis by invoking the section 3 (i) of the Drugs Price Control Order 2013. The government invoked the order after it received complaints on shortage of high-end . The NPPA is also investigating 26 hospitals on account of overcharging.

During deliberations (with stakeholders) it was found that huge unethical markups are charged at each stage in the supply chain of coronary stents, resulting in irrational, restrictive and exorbitant prices in a failed market system driven by information asymmetry between the patients and doctors, pushing patients to financial misery, the NPPA had said while justifying its decision to impose the price ceiling.
The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone of 10 KW FM Radio Station at Malhar village in Udhampur district, Jammu today. Shri Pawan Gupta, MLA Udhampur was also present on the occasion. .

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While addressing the gathering, Dr. Singh expressed his delight that the long pending aspirations of the people living in Udhampur district have finally come true with the commissioning of this station. He said that the need was felt in order to entertain the defence employees working in far flung areas of the district and to promote the talent. It would go a long way in providing an opportunity to the youth of the district to prosper their talent and promote the folk culture of the district, he added. .

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Director General All India Radio, Shri Fayyaz Sheheryar also spoke on the occasion and expressed his gratitude to the Minister for laying the foundation stone of FM Radio Station at Udhampur. He said that the project will be completed at the cost of Rs.9.24 crores excluding the cost of the land and shall take about one and a half year for getting completed. The land has been donated by Shri Kaka Ram who was felicitated on the occasion by the dignitaries. .

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Shri Aditya Chaturvedi, Deputy Director General (Projects) AIR was also present on the occasion. .

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Frank Yiannas has spent years looking in vain for a better way to track lettuce, steaks and snack cakes from farm and factory to the shelves of Walmart, where he is the vice-president for food safety. When the company dealt with salmonella outbreaks, it often took weeks to trace where the bad ingredients came from.
AG Chief Executive Officer John Cryan is reversing course less than two years into his new strategy, announcing an overhaul that includes offering 8 billion ($8.5 billion) in stock, selling part of the asset management business and reintegrating Postbank.
US President Donald Trump may sign an updated executive order banning travel from certain Middle Eastern and African countries early next week, possibly as soon as Monday, an administration official told CNN.

Trump was scheduled to sign the order last week but pushed it back after his joint address to Congress on February 28 received overwhelmingly positive reviews.

Sources told CNN on Saturday that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defence James Mattis and National Security Adviser H R McMaster have all advocated for Iraq to be removed from the administration's list of banned countries in the new executive order for diplomatic reasons, including Iraq's role in fighting the Islamic State (IS) terror group.

Homeland Security Secretary James Kelly also supported the move, but it remains unclear whether the White House has made a final decision on the issue.

The news of the pending announcement came as lawyers for the Justice Department stated in a court filing this week that the President plans to formally "rescind" the old travel ban and replace it with "a new, substantially revised" executive order.

The sources said they expected that the President will revoke the original travel ban despite repeated statements from White House press secretary Sean Spicer that the new executive order would co-exist with the old one on a "dual track".

The Justice Department previously indicated in court filings that a new executive order was on the way, but in a new legal filing on March 2, it provided more clarity on the administration's current decision-making on formally rescinding the existing travel ban.

In a written order granting the Trump administration a two-week extension to respond to a federal class-action lawsuit against the travel ban, Judge James Robart noted the plaintiffs' frustrations over the apparent contradictions between what Spicer and Justice Department lawyers have said about plans to revise the ban.

"The court will continue to rely on the representations of the government's attorneys, as officers of the court, which indicate that the new Executive Order will 'rescind', 'replace', 'supersede' and 'substantially revise' the existing Executive Order," Robart wrote in his decision.

Robart is the same judge who, in a different case, granted a temporary restraining order against key provisions of the January 27 executive order.

The order aimed to bar foreign nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US for 90 days, and all refugees for 120 days.
At the Hue Imperial Citadel, an official from the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre introduced them to the special culture of Hue  the ancient capital of Vietnam under the Nguyen Dynasty, which was recognised by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage in 1993.



Many of the palaces and tombs of Nguyen Kings in Hue have been restored with assistance from the Japanese Government and experts from the Waseda and Tokyo Universities, he said.

The Emperor and Empress enjoyed Hue royal court music, which was recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2003. It was also staged in Japan in the eighth century.

The same day, the Japanese Emperor and Empress called at a memorial house dedicated to patriot Phan Boi Chau, an initiator of Dong Du movement in early 20th century that encouraged young Vietnamese to go east to study and seek ways to save the nation.

Currently, a memorial stele dedicated to Japanese doctor Asaba Sakitaro, who made great contributions to Dong Du movement, is being kept at Fukuroi city, Shizuoka prefecture as a symbol of Vietnam-Japan friendship in the 20th century.

During their stay, the royal couple met Japanese nationals in Vietnam and volunteers of the Japan International Cooperation Agency in Hue./.
A 43-year-old Indian-origin store owner in the US has been shot dead outside his home, just days after an Indian engineer was killed in Kansas in a hate crime shooting that had sent shockwaves across the country.

Harnish Patel, 43, the owner of a convenience store in Lancaster County, South Carolina, was found dead of gunshot wounds in the front yard of his home on Thursday, coroner and police officials said.

Patel closed his store and drove in his silver minivan to his nearby home where authorities believe he was confronted by his killer. The store is about 6 km from his house, The Herald reported.

He had locked up his nearby store less than 10 minutes before he was found dead, police said.

Patel was found in the yard a few minutes before midnight, according to a statement from the Lancaster County Coroner's Office.

Lancaster County police received calls at 11:33 PM after people called 911 to say that they heard screaming and gunshots.

Sheriff Barry Faile said the Indian ethnicity of Patel does not appear to be a factor in the crime.

"I don't have any reason to believe that this was racially motivated," Faile said



Friends and customers were in shock and were visiting Patel's home to offer condolences to his family.

"Who would do anything like this to him, as good as he is to everybody," Nicole Jones, a frequent customer at Patel's store, told WBTV.

Jones and other friends said Patel was not always worried about the bottom line of his business.

"If you didn't have the money, he'd let people have food," Jones said.

Mario Sadler, another customer and friend, said Patel had offered him jobs before, and did anything he could to help out in tough times.

"He's watched my kids grow up, which is why it's painful. From day one he's been amazing, just awesome, and I just don't understand the sense behind it," Sadler said.

Dilipkumar Gajjar, a close friend of Patel and the owner the ABC store next to the Speedee Mart, said Patel came over to this country to better his family's life, and did that.

Patel's death comes close on the heels of the shooting in Kansas of a 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani at a bar before yelling "get out of my country."



The shooting last month had sent shockwaves across the Indian-American community with people expressing concerns over their safety in an environment of xenophobic and racist rhetoric in the country.

US President Donald Trump had condemned the Kansas shooting. He had said America stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday began his road show for the second consecutive day in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi to ensure that the BJP emerges victorious in the assembly polls.

The Prime Minister landed at the Police Lines helipad here prior to beginning his road show, which began from Pandeypur Chauraha and is scheduled to culminate at M.G. Kashi Vidyapeeth.

The locals here turned out in large numbers as Prime Minister Modi's cavalcade moved at a snail's pace.

'Modi, Modi' and 'Vande Mataram' slogans were raised by the supporters as the Prime Minister waved at them.

Prime Minister Modi yesterday took out a roadshow from the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where he garlanded the statue of Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya and went on to offer prayers at Kashi Vishwanath temple and Kal Bhairav temple.

He also held a public meeting later in the evening.

Wooing the electorate in his constituency, Prime Minister Modi yesterday asserted that he has made Kashi his 'Karya Kshetra' so that the BJP can regain the pride of the region, which has lost its shine under the current Samajwadi Party Government.

Expressing full confidence in his party's chances in the state polls, the Prime Minister said that even if he had not visited Kashi, the BJP would have emerged victorious, adding he, however, still wanted to come and address the people as they were close to his heart.

"Back in 2014, I could not visit Varanasi as the Election Commission did not allow me to carry out a rally. Since then I have always wanted to come and speak to you. Kashi for me is not a political area, but I want to work here because I want to bring back its lost heritage," the Prime Minister said.

The opposition had criticised yesterday's roadshow and the Congress even lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging that the show of strength was made without the requisite permission.

Of the five assembly constituencies that fall under Varanasi in the Lok Sabha, three are held by the BJP and two by the Samajwadi Party.

For the state assembly polls, the BJP is contesting in four of five seats and its ally is contesting in one.

The seventh and final phase of polling is scheduled to take place in the state on March 8. The results will be declared on March 11.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Following the rape case booked against Bahujan Samja Party (BSP) leader Bazmi Siddiqui, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday said that the former and Samajwadi Party's main agenda is to win the Assembly Elections with the help of goons and corrupt people and has nothing to do with development.

"The only agenda of BSP and SP is to get seats with the help of goons and due to that they gave tickets to people with criminal records one after the other. Their only motive is to win the election, they don't care about the method they have to use for attaining their agenda," BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh told ANI.

Singh further stated said that both Samajwadi Party and BSP are filled with people with criminal records like Gaytri Prajapati, Atiq Ahmed, Ansari brothers and now they have Siddiqui adding that both the parties have nothing to do with the development of Uttar Pradesh.

He further asserted that BJP is the only party dedicated to work for the development of the state.

Earlier this morning, after a case of gang-rape was registered against him, Bazmi Siddiqui accused the Opposition of trying to frame false cases against him to hurt the party's chances in the Uttar Pradesh polls.

A case of gang-rape and robbery was registered against Siddiqui, who is contesting from Ayodhya and seven other accused here.

"Seeing the huge lead of the BSP in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, our opponents are frustrated and are trying to frame me in false cases," Siddiqui told ANI.

A similar case was filed against him earlier, but no evidence was found to prove the charges.

"She is the same woman who had filed a case against me earlier, now she has filed another case. Earlier also police probed the matter and didn't find any proof against me. This time also they are not going to get any evidence," Siddiqui said, while claiming that he was in Lucknow from past two days, when the incident is said to have taken place.

Meanwhile, the Assistance Superintendent of Police, Vikrant Vir said that a case of molestation and robbery have been registered against eight people and an investigation has also been launched into the matter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for visiting temple during his Varanasi road show, the Congress on Sunday said doing politics over 'worship' doesn't suit his stature.

"Everybody goes to temple but when a Prime Minister visits a temple for personal benefit that too while campaigning then it doesn't suit him. Doing politics over worship and devotion doesn't suit him," Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit told ANI.

Asserting that the rally of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was better than that of Prime Minister, Dikshit said that one could clearly see that there is wave of SP-Congress in Varanasi.

"The result will tell everything. The Uttar Pradesh people are with Rahul and Akhilesh," he added.

Prime Minister Modi yesterday offered several litres of milk, Ganga jal and flowers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple and performed aarti at the sanctum sanctorum during a break in his road show.

Wooing the electorate in his constituency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday asserted that he has made Kashi his 'Karya Kshetra' so that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can regain the pride of the region, which has lost its shine under the current Samajwadi Party (SP) Government.

Expressing full confidence in his party's chances in the state polls, the Prime Minister said that even if he had not visited Kashi, his own constituency, BJP would have emerged victorious, however, he still wanted to come and address the people as they were close to his heart.

"Back in 2014, I could not visit Varanasi as the Election Commission did not allow me to carry out a rally. Since then I have always wanted to come and speak to you. Kashi for me is not a political area, but I wanted to work here because I wanted to bring back its lost heritage," the Prime Minister said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Taking serious note of the violence in Kerala's Kozhikode district, Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday alleged that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) does not believe in democracy and is eventually witnessing a decline.

"The people should understand the kind of hatred that they are showing only proves they don't believe in democracy, they don't believe in the Indian Constitution. They have lost their mental stability. The CPI (M) has become a party of goons and that is why they are declining the world over," he told ANI.

Naqvi also advised the CPI (M) not to fight its ideologically through violence.

In a yet another political faceoff in Kerala, three RSS workers and one BJP worker were allegedly hacked by a group of Communist Party of India (Marxist) workers in Kozhikode district.

The workers have been hospitalised after they suffered series injuries at the hands of more than 10 CPI (M) workers over political rivalry.

The incident comes in the wake of the ongoing tussle between the RSS and the CPI (M) in Kerala, as an RSS office was attacked last Thursday in the state.

The office was attacked hours after an RSS functionary announced a bounty of Rs. one crore on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's head.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court will today continue the hearing over the case of Najeeb Ahmed, the student from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) who has been missing since October 15 last year.

Earlier in February, the Delhi Police was pulled up by the High Court over their slow progress in the case and was asked to explore other prospects of probe like polygraph test of other persons connected with the disappearance of Ahmed, as all other leads in this case have not yielded any good result.

"The student had gone missing in October 2016; it is February now. Nearly four months have gone by and none of the leads are going anywhere. We asked for a polygraph test as the other leads have not yielded any results," the Court observed.

The High Court was hearing an application by one of the nine students, who are suspects in the case, seeking recall of the High Court's order dated December 14 and December 22, 2016.

The application had alleged that by means of these two orders, the court was regulating the manner of investigation which was prejudicing the probe and violating their rights under Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution.

The applicant had also challenged a notice issued to him by the Delhi Police to appear before the trial court on Friday to give consent for lie-detector test.

The Delhi Government's counsel opposed the application, stating that the same student had moved a similar plea through another lawyer earlier and the High Court on January 23 disposed it off by asking the student to come forward.

Earlier, the Delhi Police had conveyed to the high court that it has not been able to carry out lie-detector tests on nine "suspect" students, as none of them responded despite multiple notices.

A habeas corpus plea was moved by Najeeb's mother, Fatima Nafees, who sought direction to trace her son who has been missing since the intervening night of October 14-15.

Najeeb, 27, a first year M.Sc. student, went missing from his JNU hostel, allegedly after a row with members of RSS student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
After finding fame as Thor's villainous brother Loki in the Marvel movies 'Captain America

The 36-year-old actor told USA Today, "Action has always been a part of me. In the Marvel films, it's hidden in the playfulness and mischief of that character. But actually, there's several one-to-ones with 'Captain America' and 'Thor' where the action requires choreography. But 'Kong' puts all of that centre stage."

"It's like, this (Tom's character former SAS tracker Captain James Conrad)

is the guy you want on the ground in a jungle. It's lovely to be a hero," the 'Crimson Peak' star added.

Tom's 'Kong' character is introduced to viewers with a bar fight scene but the actor admitted he would probably "get the hell out of there" in a similar situation.

The movie is all set to hit the theatres in the US on March 10.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three youth were injured in a blast that occurred on Sunday near an Army camp in Pazalpora Hardshiva village of Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district.

Out of the three injured in the explosion, one youth is said to be in a critical condition.

The cause for the explosion is yet to be ascertained and neither has any terror outfit claimed responsibility for it.

The development comes in the wake of the encounter that concluded earlier today in Tral, in which two militants were successfully neutralised.

"We have killed 2 terrorists, one of them is a Pakistani. It was a joint op by J&K police and security forces. Unfortunately we lost a jawan," said the DGP of JK Police SP Vaid.

A wreath laying ceremony was held for Constable Manzoor Ahmed who lost his life in the encounter.

The Army had launched a cordon and search in Tral at around 6:30 pm on Saturday on the basis of information of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Srinagar.

The area was sealed and security forces zeroed in on the house where the terrorists were holed up. The hiding terrorist opened fire on the forces, triggering an encounter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Afghan Ambassador to Islamabad Omar Zakhilwal has said that if Pakistan does not re-open the Pak-Afghan border, his country would arrange special flights to airlift its stranded citizens.

On February 16, Pakistan closed the border after 88 people were killed in a suicide bombing at the Sufi saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine of in Sehwan, Sindh.

Zakhilwal said Pakistan has failed to provide a 'convincing justification' for closing the border.

"Argument that the closure of these crossing points was needed to stop terrorists' crossing cannot carry any weigh as these points such as Torkham and Spin Boldak have been manned by hundreds of military and other security personal and have all the checking infrastructure and equipments in place," Zakhilwal said in his Facebook post on Saturday.

The envoy further said that such "continuous unreasonable" closure of legal Pak-Afghan trade and transit routes cannot have any other explanation except to be aimed at hurting the Afghan people.

" However, what actually gets hurt more is bilateral trade, with Pakistan losing more - Peshawar & Quetta in particular as Pakistan's declining export share in Afghanistan is indicative of that," Zakhilwal said.

Zakhilwal said he met Advisor to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz and conveyed to him that Afghan government would provide charter flights to lift its stranded citizens if an opening was not allowed in the next couple of days.

The government sealed the Torkham border crossing for an indefinite period and closed all kinds of communication citing 'security concerns'.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Urban noise pollution and are closely linked, according to rankings of 50 large cities in both categories released on Friday.

High-decibel urban areas-such as Guangzhou, New Delhi, Cairo and Istanbul topped the list of cities where hearing was most degraded, researchers reported.

Likewise, cities least afflicted by noise pollution, including Zurich, Vienna, Oslo and Munich, registered the lowest levels of decline in hearing.

This statistical link does not necessarily mean the constant din of city life is the main driver of hearing loss, which can also be caused by infections, genetic disorders, premature birth, and even some medicines.

The findings are also preliminary, and have yet to be submitted for peer-reviewed publication.

"But this is a robust result," said Henrik Matthies, managing director of Mimi Hearing Technologies, a German company that has amassed data on 200,000 people drawn from a hearing test administered via cell phones.

"The fact that noise pollution and have such a tight correlation points to an intricate relationship," he told AFP.

Researchers at Mimi and Charite University Hospital in Berlin explored the link by constructing two separate databases.

The first combined information from the World Organization (WHO) and Norwegian-based technology research group SINTEF to create a noise pollution ranking for cities around the world.

Stockholm, Seoul, Amsterdam and Stuttgart were also among the least likely to assault one's ears, while Shanghai, Hong Kong and Barcelona came out as big noise makers.

Paris, which is one of the most densely populated major cities in Europe, scored as the third most cacophonous.

The ranking for drew from Mimi's phone-based test, in which respondents indicated age and sex. Geo-location technology pinpointed the cities.

The results were measured against a standard for age-adjusted hearing.

On average, people in the loudest cities were ten years "older" in terms of hearing loss-than those in the quietest cities, the study found.

Stacked side-by-side, the two city rankings are remarkably similar, suggesting more than an incidental link.

The findings highlight the need for better monitoring, the researchers said.

"While eye and sight checks are routine, ear and hearing exams are not," said Manfred Gross, head of the department of Audiology and Phoniatrics at Charite University Hospital.

"The earlier hearing loss is detected, the better the chances are for preventing further damage," added Gross.

Collaborations between scientists and private companies that collect health-related information from consumers are becoming more common in the era of Big Data.

California-based DNA genetic testing company 23andMe, for example, has worked extensively with university researchers to ferret out rare genetic disorders by combing through mountains of anonymous data from its clients.

Also on Friday, World Hearing Day, the WHO released figures showing annual costs of unaddressed hearing loss of between $750 billion and $790 billion globally.

Direct care costs were calculated to be up to $107 billion, with loss of productivity due to unemployment or early retirement about the same.

"Societal costs", stemming from social isolation, inability to communicate and stigma, were estimated at more than $500 billion.

In a recent editorial, the medical journal The Lancet said hearing loss is a "silent epidemic", noting that proper care remains out of reach for millions of people.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (right)

receives Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. (Source: VNA)

The Party General Secretary stated that the visit, which is the first ever made by a Japanese Emperor to Vietnam, carries historic meaning and marks a new development in the friendly relationship between the two countries.

He affirmed Vietnam very much treasures the ties with Japan and wishes to further strengthen the friendship.

General Secretary Trong took the occasion to thank Japan for giving Vietnam valuable assistance in social-economic development and national construction in the past years.

Emperor Akihito recalled the vivid impressions that he got during the meetings with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Japan in 2008 and 2015.

He thanked the Party General Secretary, other leaders and people of Vietnam for the respectful and warm welcome.

The Japanese Emperor and Empress and General Secretary Trong discussed in depth the cultures and cultural exchange between Vietnam and Japan, highlighting the cultural similarities and long-time cultural exchange between the two nations.

Emperor Akihito expressed deep sympathy for Vietnams great losses caused by wars, noting that he is impressed by the great achievements the country has achieved in its reform process and reconstruction.

The Emperor appreciated Vietnams contribution to world peace and wished that people of the two countries continue cooperation for peace.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Emperor Akihito shared the view that the Vietnam-Japan friendship and cooperation is now at its best in history, and the hope that the visit of the Emperor and Empress will help promote the bilateral relations across many fields./.
Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan Mehdi Honardoost called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss matters of regional security and mutual interest.

Iran Envoy acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan Army's contributions towards regional peace and stability, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a release.

Honardoost also expressed his appreciation for ongoing operation Radd-ul-Fasaad for elimination of terrorism from Pakistan.

While thanking the Ambassador, General Bajwa said that the Pakistan Army greatly values historical relationship between the two brotherly countries which can never be compromised on any cost.

He said that enhanced Pak-Iran bilateral military to military cooperation will have positive impact on regional peace and stability.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Kalraj Mishra on Sunday assured that the absconding Samajwadi Party leader Gayatri Prajapati, who has been booked on charges of rape, would be arrested once the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government comes to power in Uttar Pradesh.

"Gayatri Prajapati should have been arrested till now. He will be arrested once our party will come to power after March 11," Mishra told ANI.

Mishra also alleged that the Akhilesh Yadav-led government was trying to protect Prajapati.

Earlier on Saturday, the Uttar Pradesh Police issued non-bailable warrants against Prajapati and six others in connection with the rape charges.

Prajapati's passport has been revoked for four weeks to prevent him from attempting to flee out of the country.

Earlier this week, the police also initiated proceedings for a look out notice against Prajapati following reports that he may try to escape abroad to evade arrest.

On February 20, Prajapati moved the Supreme Court against its order of registering an FIR against him and sought protection from the arrest and recall of the apex court's earlier order.

The apex court had directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to file a status report in the case within a period of eight weeks.

A 35-year-old woman had accused Prajapati of raping her when she met him three years ago.

He is also accused of taking obscene photos of the victim and threatening her to make the photos public and raping her for the past two years.

However, Prajapati claimed it to be a conspiracy of the BJP in order to distract people's attention from the assembly polls.

"It is a conspiracy against me. I don't even know who the lady is. Since the government has ordered such probe, I would accept it gladly," Prajapati told ANI.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Reacting on the fresh incident touted to be yet another hate crime in which a 39 year old Sikh man was shot by an unknown assailant, the American Gurdwara Parbhandhak committee (AGPC) has condemned the attack and offered to help the US administration to generate awareness about their religion.

"Incidents of mistaken identity have happened in the USA recently and some of the Sikhs have become victims of this. The American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC) offered the US administration all help to generate awareness about the Sikh religion," Dr.Pritpal Singh coordinator AGPC told ANI.

Meanwhile, the Akal Takhat (primary seat of Sikh religious authority ) and SGPC ( the premier body of the Sikhs) has also condemned the incident and urged Trump administration to help against the spreading menace of hate crimes.

President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandhak committee Manjit Singj GK has also voiced his condemnation over the hate crime incidents taking place in U.S. and said, "they would approach the US administration and offer their services to generate awareness about Sikhs."

Marking as the third incident in two weeks of apparent hate crime against Indian community, a 39-year-old Sikh man in the US has been injured when an unidentified person shot him outside his home and allegedly shouted "go back to your own country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Sikh man, who was shot in the arm by a masked gunman in Seattle, is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital, said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday after speaking to his family.

Taking to Twitter, Swaraj posted the update about Deep Rai, who is a U.S. of Indian origin.

She also extended her condolences to the family of Harnish Patel, who was killed in Lancaster, assuring that the investigation of the case is in progress.

What came as an apparent third hate crime case in two weeks against the Indian community in United States, a 39 year old Sikh man was injured by an unknown assailant, who shot the victim outside his home and allegedly shouted "go back to your own country."

The victim was working on his vehicle outside his home in the city of Kent on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to the driveway.

There was an altercation, and the gunman - a stocky, 6-foot-tall white man wearing a mask over the bottom part of his face - said "Go back to your own country" and pulled the trigger.

An argument ensued, and the suspect, wearing a mask, told him to go back to his homeland, the victim said. The victim told police the man then shot him in the arm.

According to the local police, the Sikh man sustained "non life-threatening injuries" and they are "treating this as a very serious incident."

Kent police have launched an investigation into the case and reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.

This development comes close on the heels of the tragic shooting in Kansas last month of 32-year old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was killed when 51-year old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani before yelling "get out of my country."

Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gunshot wounds in his yard.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC), a body governing various Sikh Gurdwaras (religious shrines) across the United States has expressed serious concern over the recent incident of attack against the Sikh community member at Kent in the state of Washington.

A 39 years old Sikh man was left injured after he was shot at Kent by an unknown man wearing a mask.

AGPC President JS Hothi and Coordinator Dr. Pritpal Singh said in the statement issued here that they are in contact with Federal and State level authorities and they want to know if it is an incident of 'hate crime'.

"No doubt it was non-fatal incident and the police and FBI both are investigating the shooting in which 39 year old targeted on Kent's East Hill. The victim was performing some repairs to his stranded vehicle when he was approached by another man and opened fire. We want to know from the investigating agencies if it was the case of hate crime and we seek thorough probe and action as per U.S. law'', said Dr. Pritlal Singh.

He said AGPC has already taken up the case with the U.S. Sikh Congressional Caucus and other U.S. Congress members and demanded the probe into condemnable incident in which an innocent man was targeted. He said they are praying for his speedy recovery at the hospital.

"It looks like a hate crime but we need answers as the final confirmation is yet to come from the authorities. There had been some other incidents including in Kansas and we are concerned and we are in close contact with US authorities to check such incidents of crime'', he added.

The Friends of U.S. Congressional Caucus head Harpreet Singh also described the incident as a matter of concern for the whole community.

He said like other community members, he was also saddened over the incident and demand inquiry.

The U.S. Sikh leaders also said that they will focus more on the awareness campaigns that the Sikhs are the most law abiding residents of America and had contributed immensely to the development and welfare of the nation and liberal U.S. society.

"Yesterday in Kent, in the state of Washington where somebody shot and injured a Sikh man a 39 year old man. It looks like a hate crime. We are trying to talk to authorities and victim but nothing has come out yet," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Satwinder Kaur, a member of sikh "soch" and prominent community leader, has expressed shocked over the recent incident in Kent where a 39-year-old Sikh man was shot by an unknown assailant.

"It was disheartening when I saw this news in the morning, I was shocked. It does not happen in our community; we did not expect it to happen here. I don't know it happens in Kansas or other places but it does not happen in Washington state and it does not happen in Kent," she said.

The Sikh man was left injured after he was shot at Kent by an unknown man wearing a mask.

She, however, expressed her satisfaction on the response from the Kent Police chief.

"I was very happy with his response," she said.

She added that the chief was able to answer the questions put by the media.

Expressing her delight with the ongoing investigation, Kaur said that she was ready to see what comes out it.

"We had a shooting here at Kent this morning against a Sikh person, a hate crime, FBI and Kent police is investigating it right now," she said.

"We have got the support from our community leaders, public officials , Kent police departments which makes us feel better about the situation and we plan on to host events and rallies and better educate them who we are and in just with solidarity with everybody inclusiveness and diversity," Kaur added.

She asked everyone to be vigilant and report if they witness something suspicious.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Condemning the attack on a Sikh man in Seattle, United States envoy to India MaryKay Loss Carlson quoted President Donald Trump's message denouncing all forms of hate and evil.

Saddened by shooting in WA. Wishes for quick and full recovery. As @POTUS said we condemn "hate and evil in all its forms" MaryKay Loss Carlson (@USAmbIndia) March 5, 2017

Meanwhile, the Sikh man, who was shot in the arm by a masked gunman in Seattle, is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital, said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday after speaking to his family.

Taking to Twitter, Swaraj posted the update about Deep Rai, who is a U.S. national of Indian origin.

I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai a US national of Indian origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh father of the victim./1  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 5, 2017

He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital. /2  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 5, 2017

She also extended her condolences to the family of Harnish Patel, who was killed in Lancaster, assuring that the investigation of the case is in progress.

What came as an apparent third hate crime case in two weeks against the Indian community in United States, a 39-year old Sikh man was injured by an unknown assailant, who shot the victim outside his home and allegedly shouted "go back to your own country."

The victim was working on his vehicle outside his home in the city of Kent on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to the driveway.

There was an altercation, and the gunman - a stocky, 6-foot-tall white man wearing a mask over the bottom part of his face - said "Go back to your own country" and pulled the trigger.

An argument ensued, and the suspect, wearing a mask, told him to go back to his homeland, the victim said. The victim told police the man then shot him in the arm.

According to the local police, the Sikh man sustained "non life-threatening injuries" and they are "treating this as a very serious incident."

Kent police have launched an investigation into the case and reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.

This development comes close on the heels of the tragic shooting in Kansas last month of 32-year old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was killed when 51-year old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani before yelling "get out of my country."

Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gunshot wounds in his yard.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After putting up a massive road show in Varanasi yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to hold a roadshow here again on Sunday ahead of the last phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls on March 8.

The Prime Minister will embark his roadshow from Pandeypur Chauraha around 3 p.m. to MG Kashi Vidyapeeth.

Prime Minister Modi's roadshow today will cover a much wider area during which the party candidates are also expected to accompany him.

The BJP had won three of the five assembly seats from here in 2012 whereas the Samajwadi Party had won the remaining two.

Meanwhile, Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi is also not leaving any stone unturned to ensure their popularity amongst the voters.

Rahul who also held a joint road show with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will address three rallies in Sonbhadra, Mirzapur and Jaunpur.

On the other hand, Akhilesh will address a rally in Robertsganj city at 10:45 .m. which come under Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier on Saturday, wooing the electorate in his constituency, Prime Minister Modi asserted that he has made Kashi his 'Karya Kshetra' so that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can regain the pride of the region, which has lost its shine under the current Samajwadi Party (SP) Government.

Expressing full confidence in his party's chances in the state polls, the Prime Minister said that even if he had not visited Kashi, his own constituency, BJP would have emerged victorious, however, he still wanted to come and address the people as they were close to his heart.

"Back in 2014, I could not visit Varanasi as the Election Commission did not allow me to carry out a rally. Since then I have always wanted to come and speak to you. Kashi for me is not a political area, but I wanted to work here because I wanted to bring back its lost heritage," the Prime Minister said.

However, Rahul who was also present here yesterday firing a fresh salvo against Prime Minister Modi, Akhilesh charged the former with having the capability of confusing buttermilk with bhaang.

"Prime Minister Modi at times describes juice as water, Pineapple as coconut, coconut water as juice. Be careful friends, hope it doesn't happen that when you drink 'butter milk', the Prime Minister calls it ' bhaang'," Akhilesh said while addressing an election rally here.

The seventh-phase of Assembly polls is scheduled to take place on March 8, in which as many as 46 constituencies covering seven districts of Uttar Pradesh will cast their vote.
This bustling city is smaller than New Delhi and has less than half its population, but it is the world's eighth-largest trading economy, seventh-largest exporter in merchandise trade, Asia's largest FDI recipient in 2016, and has the continent's fourth-largest stock market. Its cargo airport is the world's busiest.

One reason for the city's success, according to Raymond Yip, Deputy Executive Director of Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), is that its entrepreneurs are "agile" and have always looked beyond their borders to leverage opportunities.

In an interview with IANS here, Yip said about 93 percent of Hong Kong's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) now comes from the services sector, which was very important for domestic employment -- but this economy was built on a strong manufacturing base.

Asked about steps India should take to emerge as a top-ranked economy, Yip said India and Hong Kong had different circumstances as the two had vast variation in size, population and availability of natural resources.

"The most important thing, if any lesson is to be learnt, is how from day one Hong Kong entrepreneurs looked beyond our borders. Even in the early part of the last century, Hong Kong thrived on international trade. We started our own manufacturing after the Korean war, and for trading with the world we leveraged opportunities beyond our border," Yip said.

He said India had a lot of manufacturing but whether it "is for exports or not is another thing", adding that its advantage of being a big market can be used as a nurturing ground for developing skill sets and selling its products around the world.

He said investments, including FDI, were needed to boost manufacturing and any investment decision was based on factors such as cost of production, domestic market and government policy.

India is seeking to increase the share of manufacturing in its GDP from about 15 percent at present to 25 percent by 2022.

"If Hong Kong's experience is anything to go by and it happens in other countries also, you always started with manufacturing. Everything comes out of manufacturing. Europe, Japan all started with manufacturing. Once you have a sophisticated, substantive manufacturing, then you can develop your services. The manufacturing sector uses the services sector. This is how we evolved. This is the same thing for the US and the UK."

"Start with manufacturing, grow your critical mass and they, in turn, are pillars of services sector whether it is financial services, creative, logistics or professional. The biggest and first users of services sector were manufacturers," he said.

He said Hong Kong entrepreneurs are very "agile and versatile" and went into China even before the country opened up its economy in the late 1970s. "They were not invited by China or pushed by the Hong Kong government. It happened because of economic need."

Hong Kong became a special administrative region (SAR) of China in 1997 after 150 years of British administration.

Under the "One country, Two systems" concept negotiated between China and the United Kingdom, Hong Kong controls all aspects of its governance except foreign affairs and defence. It is a member of World Trade Organisation and an "an independent customs territory".

Yip said entrepreneurs from Hong Kong set up factories in the Pearl river delta area of China due to scarcity of land, natural resources and growing labour wages here.

He said there were 60,000 Hong Kong factories in the Pearl river delta area in China about 10 years back employing 10 million people and the number now was about 32,000 factories employing over five million people. Yip said these factories produce 90 percent of Hong Kong's total manufactured products.

He said Hong Kong had managed a transformation to a services-led economy many years ago by moving people from manufacturing to services, but added that any impression about lack of manufacturing by Hong Kong was wrong as it largely takes place inside China.

(Prashant Sood was in Hong Kong at invitation of the HKTDC. He can be contacted at prashant.s@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Iran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday dismissed the recent US State Department annual report over human rights situation in the Islamic republic, Tasnim news agency reported.

"Due to its awful and dark human rights record, either inside that country or at the international level, the US government is in no position to comment on the status of human rights in other countries," Xinhua news agency quoted the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying.

Qasemi said that no international organisation or law has authorised the US government to judge the status of human rights around the world one-sidedly and with political motivations.

Friday review of human rights by the US State Department on Iran alleged that there have been "severe restrictions on civil liberties" including freedoms of speech, gatherings, religion and press in the Islamic republic in 2016.

The review chided the Iranian government for reportedly committing arbitrary or unlawful killings, "including, most commonly, by execution after arrest and trial without due process".

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday that some Western states use the human rights issue as a tool for their political ends.

--IANS

lok/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran believes there is no competition between the lead actors in Malayalam filmdom because the industry is not congested and that allows actors to do the kind of films they believe in.

Considered one of the leading stars of Malayalam industry, Prithviraj doesn't compete with the current crop of stars such as Fahadh Faasil, Dulquer Salmaan and Nivin Pauly because he is considered a "mature actor".

"Although we are all pretty much in the same age bracket, my screen image and the amount of time I've spent on acting have translated to people perceiving me as a more mature actor. Therefore, I get characters that traverse big time span," Prithviraj told IANS here.

Having made his acting debut with the 2002 Malayalam film "Nandanam", the "Mumbai Police" actor is on the verge of completing 100 films.

He said: "I don't think the industry is congested enough for us to compete. We make about 100 films a year and we have only spoken about four to five actors who contribute 20 to 25 films which still leaves another 75 films. I also don't see anybody as competition because the kind of films I do are very different."

With over half a dozen projects in his kitty, Prithviraj is looking forward to "Detroit Crossing" and the highly anticipated historic drama "Karnan".

"Detroit Crossing", to be helmed by Nirmal Sahadev, will be the second crossover film in the actor's career.

"It's something I have wanted to do for a very long time. On the international stage, there aren't many stories being told about our people. 'Detroit Crossing' is happening because I said yes to it. Had they done it as a small and independent parallel cinema, it might have been a good film, but it wouldn't have found the kind of money it has found now," he explained.

To be completely shot in the US, the film will throw the spotlight on Tamil street fights in Michigan and Detroit.

Talking about "Karnan", he said he isn't sure when they will go on floors.

"If everything goes well and we manage to pull it off, it's going to be a very big film. The pre-production process of the film is going to be unlike any Malayalam film in terms of the amount of detailing required in the production," he said.

"We know the actual shooting will take shorter time than what was spent on the pre-production. However, I'm still not sure when we plan to commence filming," he added.

Prithviraj currently awaits the release of "Tiyaan", "Adam Joan" and "My Story".

--IANS

hp/nn/vt

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday condemned the killing of two Indians in the US and urged New Delhi to take up the matter with Washington.

"Two more shocking killings of Indians in the US. GOI (Government of India) must take this up with the US government on an urgent basis," she tweeted.

On Thursday night, Indian-origin businessman Harnish Patel was shot dead outside his home at Lancaster in South Carolina.

The incident happened after Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead at a bar in Kansas on February 22.

--IANS

mgr/ssp/vgu/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia on Sunday accused the North Korean ambassador of manipulating the investigation into the murder here of Pyongyang's leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother Kim Jong-nam.

The statement by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi came after the Foreign Minister announced the expulsion of North's Ambassador Kang Chol from the country for not issuing an apology over his recent criticisms of the investigation into Kim Jong-nam's assassination, Efe news reported.

"The statements by the ambassador were obviously aimed at manipulating the matter," Zahid said during a meeting with members of the ruling party.

"We have been professional in our probe in terms of interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence, whether it was DNA samples or CCTV footage," he added.

Malaysian authorities have given Kang until 6 p.m., on Monday to leave the country.

The measure comes amid escalated tensions between Malaysia and North Korea over the killing of Kim Jong-nam on February 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport using the VX nerve agent.

On Friday, Malaysia issued an arrest warrant for Kim Uk Il, an employee of North Korea's Air Koryo airlines who has sought refuge at his country's embassy in Kuala Lumpur, in relation to the crime.

Authorities also sought to interrogate North Korean diplomat Hyon Kwang Song. However, his diplomatic immunity means he cannot be arrested.

Both reportedly went to see off four North Koreans suspected of planning the lethal nerve agent attack on Kim Jong-nam.

So far, the only people detained over the murder are two women -- Indonesia's Siti Aisha and Vietnam's Doan Thi Huong -- who allegedly rubbed the VX on Kim Jong-nam's face using a handkerchief.

The police believe the four North Koreans recruited the two women, who maintain that they were hired to play a prank on the victim.

The US and South Korea have accused Pyongyang of plotting the murder.

However, Malaysia is yet to point any fingers at Pyongyang over the death, which North Korea claims occurred due to a heart attack.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Government employees have to be in office by 9.30 a.m., says new Nagaland Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu.

Unlike his predecessors, Liezietsu means business and he also means to stick to the mantras as he dictated to the heads and administrative heads of department: Be punctual in office; set your office in order; and give the best of your services to the public.

"Salaries are paid to government employees and they are required to attend to their duties for a specific period of time on all working days," the 81-year-old Chief Minister said.

"If traffic congestion is the reason employees cannot reach their office on time, they should leave home early for their places of work," he said.

He also insisted that his movement through the city "should not inconvenience any member of the public.

"I am a public servant and I have no right to inconvenience the people I serve while moving through the city," the Chief Minister told his OSD (Security) and insists that his convoy wait out in the traffic jam like any other motorist caught in the morning rush.

He instructed his officers not to fix any appointment, even for ministers and legislators, with him at his private residential office "except under unavoidable situations".

"I have a fully functional office at the Secretariat and so do they. They should attend their offices and if need be, meet me there at the Secretariat. And so should bureaucrats," he said.

--IANS

rrk/mr/py

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With solar power tariffs falling below Rs 3 per unit in auctions last month, a major player in the solar rooftop space says they are on course to fall further given that the recent demonetisation measure has come as a boost to industry because of the availability of cheaper finance.

"Demonetisation is helping the industry get cheaper loans," Kushagra Nandan, President of SunSource Energy, told IANS in an interview.

SunSource Energy is a key player in the Indian solar space with 100-odd commissioned and under-execution projects spread across 14 states.

"Even at the retail level prices are getting competitive with solar tariffs having come down to the range of Rs 5-6.50 per kilowatt hour (kWh). Tariffs are going to get lower," Nandan said.

Solar tariffs fell to record lows last month when major players, including foreign firms, won separate contracts for building a 750 MW solar park in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, with bids to supply power at less than Rs 3 per unit.

Nandan said that banks being flush with funds, for lending at easier rates after the November demonetisation of high-value currency, has come as a boost for an industry to which investors are being drawn by the lure of good returns.

"Investors are keen to invest in solar, which has become a proven investment mechanism offering 13-15 per cent return on investment, as compared to the single-digit returns coming in from FDs, for instance.

"Besides, there are tax concessions given by the government for investing in solar. We have a situation where a lot of inward enquiry is coming in for setting up in the sector," the SunSource President said, referring to the Centre's push for solar generation under the National Solar Policy 2010.

"India has quickly become a mature solar market where people now understand that solar is the way to saving," he said, pointing out that while the agriculture sector in India benefits from the cheapest electricity tariffs, for residential use rates range from Rs 4 to Rs 8 per unit, while power for commercial use fetches the highest tariffs ranging between Rs 6-14 per unit, depending on the region.

The government has set a solar generation capacity target of 100 gigawatt (GW) by 2022, and hopes to add 10.86 GW of utility-scale solar and grid-connected rooftop solar capacity by end of this fiscal.

The Noida-headquartered SunSource, co-founded by Nandan and Adarsh Das, both of whom had studied and worked in the US, has come a long way since it was also launched in the year of the solar policy announcement in 2010. Company turnover this fiscal has touched Rs 100 crore and Nandan said they have set a target of Rs 500 crore by 2020.

Nandan said that the company has nearly 100 ongoing projects across the country and has opened offices in the US, as well as in Singapore in order to pursue business more aggressively in the Southeast Asian region with an ongoing 100 MW project in the Philippines.

This complete solar solutions provider offering services on an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis has to its credit some prestigious solar rooftop projects here like at the India Habitat Centre and Vasant Valley School, among others.

Nandan and Das are among a breed of young entrepreneurs who have successfully developed a viable business model for rooftop solar in collaboration with corporates which have large rooftop spaces and other empty areas, at a time when ground-based large solar projects are discovering tariffs fallen to record lows.

Companies like SunSource have been offering big corporates like Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki, as well as entities like airports, which have available large rooftop spaces and empty areas, to set up the entire project at the builders' investment . In return, a long-term power purchase agreement is signed offering the industrial house tariffs cheaper than diesel generators, and which are also quite competitive with the industrial and commercial rates offered by distribution companies (discoms).

Unlike discom-scale solar projects, rooftop solar projects compete with diesel generators and industrial or commercial electricity rates.

In this regard, Nandan said that they are also setting up solar projects for corporate customers providing systems to integrate with power supply generated by using diesel.

Delhi-based solar consultants Sunkalp Energy in a note on the recent record low tariffs said that these were discovered for three states only, which fall under special category and have 70 per cent subsidy support. Besides being applicable to limited capacities from 0.5-1 MW, these also apply only to non-profit entities, the note said.

The flip side to low tariffs is demonstatrated by large firms like Singapore's Sembcorp, Italy's Enel, Softbank and Adanis bidding recennly at Rewa at below Rs 3 per unit. According to analysts, such bids are assuming solar modules prices, currently at below cost, to fall further, which would impact their quality.

(Biswajit Choudhury can be reached at biswajit.c@ians.in)

--IANS

bc/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Pakistani was among two militants killed in a 15-hour gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir that also left a policeman dead, police said on Sunday.

Six other security personnel, including an army Major, were injured during the fighting that began on Saturday evening in Tral town in the Kashmir Valley.

Director General of Police S.P. Vaid told the media that one of the guerrillas was identified as a Pakistani and the other as Aquib Molvi, a local commander of the Hizb-ul Mujahideen.

A house used up by the militants as a fortified bunker was demolished by the security forces with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the police said.

After the gunfight, villagers clashed with security personnel.

--IANS

sq/mr/sm/ruwa

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Jammu and Power Development Department (PDD) employee was electrocuted and another critically injured while repairing electric lines here on Sunday, an official said.

The employees were engaged in repair work atop an electric pole in Badshah Chowk area when current was switched on suddenly at the sub-station concerned.

The deceased, identified as Mushtaq Ahmad, belonged to Rainawari area of Srinagar.

PDD authorities have suspended the area's junior engineer and the assistant executive engineer for extreme negligence.

State police has also lodged an FIR against the officials concerned, while the Srinagar District Magistrate has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the incident.

The injured employee was admitted to hospital where doctors described his condition as critical.

--IANS

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At least seven police personnel were killed when Taliban militants attacked a security checkpoint in Afghanistan's Kunduz province on Sunday, police said.

"Militants stormed a police post in Zhakhel. A police officer was also injured in the attack," Xinhua news agency quoted an official as saying.

The government set up police force in 2010 to protect villages and districts around the country where army and police have limited presence.

--IANS

py/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Sikh man was injured when a masked gunman opened fire at him in front of his house in Washington after telling him "Go back to your own country."

The victim, who was hit in the arm, survived the Friday night attack, the third shooting of an Indian national in the last 10 days in the US.

The attacks have claimed two lives and shocked the nation.

The 39-year-old Sikh, who has not been identified by name, was working on his car in front of his house in Kent city of Washington state when the gunman described as white, who had his face partially covered, opened fire at him, police said.

"We're early on in our investigation," the Seattle Times quoted Kent Police chief Ken Thomas as saying on Saturday morning. "We are treating this as a very serious incident."

According to KING5 TV, the incident was being investigated as a possible hate crime and police had reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for help.

In the recent spate of attacks, Harnish Patel of Lancaster in South Carolina, was killed on Thursday, and Srinivas Kuchibhotla was murdered on February 22 in Olathe, Kansas.

Another Indian, Alok Madasani, who was injured in the Olathe attack, survived.

Satwinder Kaur, a candidate for Kent City Council, said on Facebook that the latest victim "wishes to remain anonymous at this time. So as a community we should respect that". She said Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke has reached out to him.

"This incident is such a big deal because hate crimes to this extent do not happen in our community," Kaur said.

Sikh community leader Jasmit Singh told the Times that the 39-year-old was released from the hospital.

"He is just very shaken up, both him and his family," Singh said. "We're all kind of at a loss in terms of what's going on right now. This is just bringing it home. The climate of hate that has been created doesn't distinguish between anyone."

According to Singh, Sikh men in area around Seattle have experienced "a kind of prejudice, a kind of xenophobia that is nothing that we've seen in the recent past".

Before the Kent attack, the Sikh Coalition had released an advisory asking the community members to report instances of people "saying hateful things about your Sikh identity".

In the aftermath of the Kansas attack, the coalition said: "We should not wait until someone gets hurt or killed to report hate incidents."

Kent is about 30 kms from Seattle and is near the Congressional constituency of Pramila Jayapal, the Indian-origin member of the House of Representatives.

Jayapal tweeted: "Thoughts and prayers to family and entire Sikh community in the wake of horrific shooting. This must be investigated as #HateCrime."

On Thursday night, Patel was shot outside his house in Lancaster.

Officials do not believe it was a hate crime. "I don't have any reason to believe that this was racially motivated," county Sheriff Barry Faile said on Friday.

In the February 22 Kansas incident, an American, Ian Grillot, who tried to stop the shooting, was also shot and injured.

A white Navy veteran Adam Purinton, 51, was arrested and charged with murder in the killing of Kuchibhotla. Purinton reportedly said that he had shot two Iranians.

The hate crime has been condemned by leaders in both the US and India.

In his address to the joint session of the Congress, Trump last Tuesday said: "Last week's shooting in Kansas city reminds us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms."

At a news conference in Washington on Friday, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said he had discussed the Kent incident with administration and Congressional leaders during his visit.

Jaishankar earlier met Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and House Speaker Paul Ryan.

"What we heard from very high-level, cabinet level that we should regard this as an act of an individual," he said.

"The American justice system was at work, it could bring the perpetrators of this act to justice. It is being prosecuted as a hate crime."

Hate crimes have been a part of the American fabric, including in the liberal state of Washington.

In Auburn in 2012, a Sikh taxi driver was attacked by a man who thought he was Muslim. The attacker was sentenced to three years in prison for the crime.

In 2015, Hindu place of worship in Kent, the Sanatan Dharma Temple, was attacked and had its windows smashed and the word "Fear," painted on it.

Another Hindu temple in nearby Bothell was also attacked.

Neither of these hate crimes were condemned by former President Barack Obama or the media.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar, who is directing Bollywood superstar Salman Khan in "Tiger Zinda Hai", says the upcoming film will feature scenes shot in sub-zero freezing locations.

"Butterflies in stomach and lots of excitement, packing for sub-zero freezing locations 'Tiger Zinda Hai'. It's gonna be fun," Zafar posted on Twitter on Sunday, without giving the exact location of where he is shooting.

Salman will return to share screen space with actress Katrina Kaif in the film.

The shooting of "Tiger Zinda Hai" started in Morocco. It is a sequel to 2012 film "Ek Tha Tiger", which was directed by Kabir Khan.

"Ek Tha Tiger" centered on the life of an Indian spy of RAW (Salman), code-named Tiger, who falls in love with a Pakistani spy from ISI (Katrina) during an investigation and how Tiger's ideology and principles change over time.

Earlier, Salman and Zafar worked together in 2016 blockbuster "Sultan".

On March 2, Zafar shared a screenshot of a Skype video call, where he was talking to six people from six different parts of the world.

"Countdown to the shoot begins as the crew from six different countries does a Skype call 'Tiger Zinda Hai', technology makes the world so small," he wrote alongside the image.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday said she has spoken to the father of a Sikh man who was injured when a masked gunman shot him in Washington state after telling him "Go back to your own country".

"I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a US national of Indian-origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh, the father of the victim," Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

"He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital," she said.

Rai, 39, was working on his car in front of his house in Kent city on Friday night when the gunman described as white, who had his face partially covered, opened fire at him, the police said.

According to KING5 TV, the incident was being investigated as a possible hate crime and the police had reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for help.

In the recent spate of attacks on Indians, Harnish Patel of Lancaster in South Carolina was killed on Thursday, and Srinivas Kuchibhotla was murdered on February 22 in Olathe in Kansas city.

Another Indian, Alok Madasani, who was injured in the Olathe attack, survived.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On the threshold of entering the electoral arena with the upcoming MCD elections, the Swaraj India party on Sunday announced a comprehensive agenda for the overhauling of the municipal governance in the national capital.

Announcing its bid for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, expected to be held in mid-April, the newly-launched party promised an array of changes in the municipal governance -- "the most neglected and critical tier" -- which it will bring about, if it wins.

"We believe that participatory, accountable and responsive governance must begin at the village- and municipal-levels. This is why Swaraj India begins its electoral journey from the grassroots," party President Yogendra Yadav told media persons here.

He said the municipal wing of governance is the most neglected here than cities in the rest of the world where it tends to be more powerful.

He added that they will contest the elections on the basis of issues which are ailing the city, instead of verbal jousting which the political parties tend to indulge in during polls.

The changes Yadav promised included strengthening the MCD by more transparency in councillors' usage of funds, recovery of dues from other agencies such as the Delhi Development Authority, and implementation of the Fourth Delhi Finance Commission's recommendations that entail more financial liquidity, among other matters.

Policies to tackle the menace of corruption range from issuing licences to street vendors and ending the "institutionalised" bribery to limiting councillors' salaries to an amount that doesn't go beyond covering their "livelihood needs and routine expenditure".

Other areas which found mention in the party statement were measures to stem environmental degradation and seasonal epidemic break-outs, making the city garbage-free, expediting parking projects, and takeover of all MCD schools by the state government, among others.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Under a new foreign policy it adopted last year, Taiwan is seeking to woo more foreign students, including from India, to study in its institutes of higher learning.

"The central focus of our New Southbound policy is to strengthen ties with Southeast Asia and India," Rebecca Lan, Deputy Director General at the Department of International and Cross-Strait Education in Taiwan's Ministry of Education, said during an interaction with a group of visiting journalists from the region here.

"Many of our universities hold very high world rankings and we want more students from these countries to come and study here," she said.

Under the New Southbound Policy, adopted by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's government, the East Asian island nation is striving to broaden exchanges and cooperation with India and five South Asian nations, the 10 member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), and Australia and New Zealand in areas such as commerce, culture and technology.

This will mean lesser dependence on mainland China for Taiwan's economic development. Taiwan is the world's 22nd-largest economy and was dubbed one of the four Asian tigers in the late 20th century, the others being Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea.

According to the draft of the policy, the Taiwanese government will expand bilateral educational and cooperation platforms.

Under this, the Ministry of Education will set up a think tank to elaborate strategies to train people for interaction with India and countries of Southeast Asia; set up interactive communication platforms and higher education alliances; identify the different educational services requirements of each country and region; and identify strategic opportunities for Taiwanese business and industry engagement.

According to Lan, Taiwan has visa-free or visa-on-arrival agreements with 162 countries. This, despite the fact that the country shares formal diplomatic relations with only 21 nations, a large number of which are Latin American.

"Courses are fully taught in English in Taiwan's colleges and universities," she pointed out.

With a literacy rate of nearly 100 per cent (98.6 per cent as of 2015), the island nation is now seeking to welcome more and more students from the target nations of its New Southbound Policy.

As of 2016, there were 1,143 Indian students studying in China. Given its size and population, the number of Indian students is certainly small compared to other countries in the region.

Of 26,752 students from Southeast Asia in Taiwan in 2016, Malaysia by far accounted for the largest number of students with 14,946. Indonesia and Vietnam had over 4,000 each.

For those interested, there are three scholarships offered by the Taiwanese government for foreign students to undertake graduate, postgraduate and doctoral studies.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Taiwan Scholarships assist students from countries that have diplomatic relations with Taiwan to undertake degree programmes and the non-degree Mandarin Language Enrichment Programme.

For students from countries like India that do not share formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, there are other scholarships on offer.

The Ministry of Education Taiwan Scholarships are offered to students from countries whose citizens are not eligible to apply for a MOFA Taiwan Scholarship to undertake a degree programme.

The Ministry of Science and Technology Scholarships are offered to assist students to undertake a master's degree or doctorate programme in Taiwan and to promote bilateral scientific and technological exchanges.

These apart, for those seeking to learn Mandarin, there is a scholarship offered by the Ministry of Education.

"The Huayu Enrichment Scholarship (HES) programme is designed to encourage international students to come to Taiwan to study Chinese and learn about Chinese culture in Taiwan," Lan said.

Huayu is one of the names commonly used to refer to the Mandarin dialect of Chinese.

Lan said that students given this scholarship receive a monthly stipend of 25,000 New Taiwanese dollars (US$800).

HES winners study at a Mandarin Chinese language training centre affiliated with a university or college in Taiwan for a period from as short as two months up to a maximum period of one year.

Lan also said that there were plans for children of immigrant families to learn their mother tongue from the elementary level.

"In Taiwan, we have many modern language courses," she added.

(Aroonim Bhuyan visited Taiwan at the invitation of the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He can be contacted at aroonim.b@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two girls from Uzbekistan were found injured on a road in the Madhya Pradesh capital, police said on Sunday.

It appeared that the girls were thrown out of a car, but police denied it, while the girls, who are studying in Delhi, refused to file a complaint.

According to police, Christina, one of the students, became friends with Deepesh through Facebook and planned to meet him in Bhopal. She brought another friend along and both were staying at a hotel in the New Market area here.

They were found on a city street on Saturday night and taken to the hospital.

Denying that the girls were thrown out of a car, Superintendent of Police (Crime) Rashmi Mishra told reporters said that the girls were injured in a road accident. However T.T. Nagar Police Station in-charge Kuldeep Khatri told IANS that it seemed that the girls met their friends at a pub but soon had an argument which turned violent.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who essays Doctor Strange in the film by the same name, has shot down rumours that he will be replaced by a stand-in for the character's scenes in the forthcoming film "Avengers: Infinity War" due to scheduling conflicts.

According to the buzz, Cumberbatch was too busy filming his upcoming movie "The Current War" to appear in "Avengers: Infinity War", reports etonline.com.

"I think it's a bit of an exaggeration. There's a great deal that can be done in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and any comic universe. Whether it's hiding a pregnancy, to having someone there who's on another side of the world, but there's only so much they can do without you. So, I'll be there. Don't worry," Cumberbatch said.

Besides Cumberbatch, other "Avengers: Infinity War" cast members include Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan and Dave Bautista.

"Game of Thrones" star Peter Dinklage also stars in the film, and he is speculated to play MODOK.

"Avengers: Infinity War" will release next year.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the seminar Untold stories of Demonetisation - its impact on Indian Economy got underway, the legal cell of the All India Congress Committee welcomed Supreme Court advocate and former United Progressive Alliance minister Kapil Sibal with a bouquet. Sibal asked why he was the only one being presented with a bouquet. This is like homecoming for you, sir, said senior lawyer Rajiv Saxena, who welcomed Sibal on the dais. Besides Sibal, former finance minister P Chidambaram and former deputy chairman of the erstwhile Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia also spoke at the seminar.
If the roadshow of Prime Minister Narendra Modi competed for crowds with the combined roadshow of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi in the bylanes of Varanasi, there was an equal contest on social media. Several Congress and Samajwadi Party supporters complained how news channels gave live coverage to the PMs roadshow and largely ignored the roadshow of the rival parties.
Last week ace US fixed income investor Howard Marks was in Mumbai where he shared his successful approach to investing. Mr Marks, whose net worth is close to $2 billion, founded Oaktree Capital in 1995, which now manages more than $100 billion in assets. One of his ideas, popularised in his book, The Most Important Thing, is second-level thinking, which is nothing other than thinking differently from what is obvious. As Mr Marks describes it in his book, first-level thinking would say, The outlook calls for low growth and rising inflation. Lets dump our stocks whereas the second-level thinking says, the outlook stinks, but everyone else is selling in panic. Buy! First-level thinking would say, I think the companys earnings will fall; sell while second-level thinking would argue, I think the companys earnings will fall less than people expect, and the pleasant surprise will lift the stock; buy.
The suggestion by Microsoft founder Bill Gates that robots should be taxed in the interest of saving human jobs has generated sharp debate across the political spectrum. In his scheme, the tax would offset the social costs of automation and could be used to finance a universal basic income (UBI). From the votaries of industrial growth, the objection stems from the disincentive on innovation and the resultant productivity losses, pointing to the industrial revolution as evidence. Greeces former ultra-left finance minister Yanis Varoufakis has raised questions about how the tax would be computed. Mr Varoufakis points to three problems.
In the article, Indias idiot nationalism (March 3), Aakar Patel has rightly pointed out that nationalism also resides in the Congress. It is, however, incomprehensible why he equates nationalism in India today with Hindutva.
Hopeful of winning the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls in alliance with the Samajwadi Party, Congress managers have started working on a plan to wrest power from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat. The western state is slated to go to the polls later this year. The BJP, which has ruled Gujarat for about two decades, won 116 seats in the 2012 election, while the Congress got only 60. Business Standard does a reality check on the Congress prospects:

Opportunity

There is an opportunity for the Congress, but the grand old party needs to put in place a solid action plan to oust the BJP. According to Congress managers, the Gujarat BJP leadership has weakened after Narendra Modi, who served as the Chief Minister from 2002 to 2014, became the Prime Minister.

The Congress leadership feels that Modis successors Anandiben Patel and Vijay Rupani lack the appeal of the former chief minister. Besides, a lot of discontent is said to be brewing in the state BJP. A win in Gujarat is vital for the Congress as it will boost the partys morale ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Preparedness

Getting the right candidates will be crucial for the Congress. AICC in charge of Gujarat affairs Gurudas Kamat has urged party vice president Rahul Gandhi to finalise the nominees as early as possible, so that they can work on the ground. The screening committee for the state polls may be set up by the end of March, sources said, adding that applications from all those wanting to contest the election have been invited.

Also on the cards are some changes in the state- and district-level units to prepare a new team for the assembly polls. However, infighting continues to be a big challenge for the state Congress.

Congress managers derive satisfaction from the partys success in the zilaparishad polls. The party had just one zilaparishad seat in the state, against BJPs 29, in 2010, but the scenario changed to 23 for the Congress and seven for the BJP by 2016. However, the BJP did much better than the Congress in the panchayat polls last year.

Strategy

The Congress hopes to gain from the unrest among farmers, the poor and the communities that have been neglected by the BJP governments, particularly the resourceful Patidars or Patels. Aware of the deep distrust the Patels developed for the BJP government, the Congress is trying to woo the community leaders and has deployed Siddhartha Patel, son of former Chief Minister Chimanbhai Patel to do the spadework.

In order to consolidate its traditional tribal vote bank, the Congress is planning to launch an Adivasi Vikas Yatra in March-April. Tribals form around 14 per cent of the voters and the BJP has been trying, of late, to make inroads into the community. Rahul, who was earlier scheduled to launch the yatra at Ambaji, will perhaps join it in between.

Contest

Though the political battle in Gujarat has mainly been between the Congress and the BJP, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal has also announced his plans for the coming polls. How much resources and energy will AAP invests in Gujarat will depend on the new outfits performance in the Punjab and Goa assembly polls.

Amid a wedge between the BJP and the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, the latter recently announced that Hardik Patel, who led the Patidar movement in the past two years, will be its face in the state but the young leader quickly denied the same.
BJP today lashed out at Akhilesh Yadav for "hurting" the dignity of the Chief Minister's post by making a "frivolous" statement that voters should accept money from other parties but cast their ballot for the SP.

Reacting strongly to Akhilesh's remarks, BJP state General Secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said, "It seems that the UP CM is indulging in hollow talk.

"His frivolous statement which appeals to the voters that they may take money from different political parties, but vote for SP's 'bicycle' symbol has undoubtedly hurt the dignity and sanctity of the CM's post."



It is because of such acts and faulty policies of the state government in the past five years that the funds sent by the Centre to UP could not be spent, he told reporters here.

"Apart from this, law and order machinery has collapsed in the state and 'jungle raj' prevails throughout it," he said.

Addressing an election rally in Bhadohi yesterday, Akhilesh had said, "I have heard that voters are being given money. My advice to you is to keep the money with you and vote for the bicycle symbol."



Earlier, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had been let off with a light rap by the Election Commission when he made a similar remark that he had no problem with people accepting money from other parties to attend their rallies but that they should vote for the BJP.

The EC, which took cognisance of the matter, had asked Parrikar to be more circumspect and careful while making any statement in future when the Model Code of Conduct is in operation.

The EC advisory pertained to allegations that he abetted the offence of bribery during a speech ahead of the Goa Assembly polls.

The EC had earlier directed registration of an FIR against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for asking voters in Goa to accept money from other parties, but vote for AAP which was testing its popularity in the coastal state.
The Budget session of the Maharashtra legislature, beginning Monday (March 6), is likely to be a stormy affair, with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) planning to corner the BJP-led government over farmer-related issues.

The two opposition parties boycotted the customary tea meeting convened by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday to protest against the governments alleged failure to curb farmer suicides, its dilly-dallying on farm loan waiver, deteriorating law and order, among others.

A delegation comprising the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, and the Leader of Opposition in the state Council, Dhananjay Munde, will appeal to Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao to direct the state government to waive the farm loan.

Vikhe Patil said over 9,500 farmer suicides took place in Maharashtra in the last two-and-a-half years and 117 in the last two months. If the loan waiver is for businessman Vijay Mallya, why is it not applied to farmers? The opposition will corner the government on this issue, he said.

Fadnavis has, however, clarified that his government wants the loan waiver should not merely benefit the banks but the farming community in particular.

The budget session is taking place days after the BJPs stellar performance in elections to the 25 zillaparishadsand 10 municipal corporations in the state. Both the Congress and the NCP were routed in these elections.

The Congress-NCP combine ridiculed Fadnavis announcement that the BJP would keep away from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) mayoral election, saying it was a cheating on the Mumbaikars.

The BJP won 82 seats in the BMC polls, two less than the Shiv Senas 84.

Vikhe-Patil reminded the BJP of its allegations with regard to mafia raj and a slew of scams in the BMC, which was ruled by the Shiv Sena in the last term. He pulled up the BJP for double speak and alleged that the party had been supporting mafia raj in the BMC.

Munde and Vikhe-Patil said the opposition will expose the lack of transparency in the state government.

The chief minister, meanwhile, hinted that it would be smooth sailing for the state government in the budget session and said there was no threat to the government.

The Shiv Sena, which had earlier said the government was on a notice period in the run-up to the BMC polls, is not expected to play a spoilsport after the BJPs decision to drop from the BMC mayoral polls.

The government, which will present the annual budget for 2017-18 on 18 March, faces a tough task to present the budget, especially when the demonetisation has reportedly resulted in a fall in revenue by Rs 1,000 crores.

State finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, in his budget for 2016-17, had projected revenue deficit of Rs 3,644 crore.
With reports emerging that rape accused Samajwadi Party (SP) leader may try to flee the country fearing arrest, a non bailable warrant has been issued against him and his passport has been revoked for four weeks.

This development comes after all airports across Uttar Pradesh have been alerted along with all major exit points to thwart his escape bids.

After the state police was unable to find him in the extensive search launched earlier, the local intelligence unit approached the Central intelligence body and warned them that the minister might make attempts to flee the country, sources said.

Immediately all the airports in the state and exit points were put on alert and were informed about notifying Prajapati's presence to the authorities.

Meanwhile, the massive manhunt continues to nab the absconding politician, but to no avail.

Earlier, BJP president Amit Shah slammed the Akhilesh-led government in the state for not doing enough to arrest Prajapati.

"Akhilesh government should arrest Prajapati before March 11. If this doesn't happen, once the BJP government is formed we will find him by from just about anywhere," Shah told the media in a press briefing.

Prajapati earlier on February 20 moved the Supreme Court against its order of registering an FIR against him in connection with a gang rape and sexual harassment case.

Prajapati filed a plea in the apex court seeking protection from arrest and recall of the top court's earlier order.

The apex court had earlier directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to file a status report in the case within a period of eight weeks.

A 35-year-old woman had accused Prajapati of raping her when she met him three years ago.

He is also accused of taking obscene photos of the victim and threatening her to make the photos public and raping her for the past two years.

However, Prajapati claimed that it is a conspiracy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against him in order to distract people's attention from the assembly polls.

"It is a conspiracy against me. I don't even know who the lady is. Since the government has ordered such probe, I would accept it gladly," Prajapati told ANI.

The woman, who hails from Chitrakoot alleged that she was raped by Prajapati and others for two years on the pretext of getting a position within the Samajwadi Party.

Earlier, the woman had moved the apex court after the police in Uttar Pradesh did not register the FIR, following which the police were ordered to file a status report in the matter within eight weeks.
At least 11 soldiers were killed in Mali in an attack on an army base near the border with Burkina Faso, as rival armed factions surrounded the flashpoint city of Timbuktu.

The jihadist attack on the border village of Boulekessi killed 11 troops and wounded five more, according to an official toll from the defence ministry read out on national television.

"One of our positions was attacked early Sunday morning by terrorists, on the border with Burkina Faso," a highly-placed Malian military source yesterday told AFP on condition of anonymity.

French forces stationed in the troubled west African nation sent helicopters to help Malian forces assess the attack site, the source later added, and 20 soldiers had crossed into Burkinabe territory to flee the violence.

A regional security source said the attack was carried out by Ansarul Islam, a jihadist group that claimed an attack in December in which 12 Burkinabe soldiers were killed.

Ansarul Islam is led by Burkinabe Malam Ibrahim Dicko, a radical preacher who wants to create an Islamist "kingdom" in the region, experts say.

There was no official claim of responsibility from the group.

Dozens of soldiers were killed in a suicide attack on an army base on January 18 in Gao, northern Mali.

But jihadist attacks like yesterday's have increased in Mali's centre, having previously been largely confined to the restive north.

A resident of Douentza, the county seat near the base, said the assailants had looted or torched large amounts of military hardware.

The Malian army told AFP that a team had been dispatched to assess the damage and provide reinforcements.

Meanwhile in Timbuktu, northern Mali, residents said their city was entirely surrounded by rival armed groups, blocking all entry and exit points.

"They have taken position everywhere outside the city. We are very scared of being caught in crossfire," said the resident of Abaroudjou, a neighbourhood on the city's outer edge.

Witnesses told AFP shots were fired on the city outskirts and the main road to Timbuktu was cut off by mid-evening.

The tensions relate to Boubacar Ould Hamadi, an ex-separatist rebel who was awarded a position as head of an interim regional authority in Timbuktu that will pave the way for elections to be held when security improves.

Internal conflicts within the former rebel alliance have delayed Hamadi taking his position until today, and appeared to have erupted anew ahead of the deadline.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bihar Entrepreneurship Association (BEA) in collaboration with the state industries department will organise a two-day 4th Bihar Entrepreneurship Summit here on March 21-22 for Start-ups and young entrepreneurs.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would inaugurate BES 17 and launching the 'Start-up Bihar' campaign at the summit, BEA General Secretary Abhishek Kumar told PTI.

"This will be the fourth edition of Bihar Entrepreneurship Summit where 4,000 participants are expected between March 21 and 22," he said.

Bihar's Industries Minister Jai Kumar Singh and Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh would also be present at the summit, Kumar said.

On the first day, there would be presentation on benefits for young entrepreneurs in state's Start up policy and industrial incentive policy and the second say would be for three business sessions, he said.

Besides, there will be a Tech-cum-Start-Up Expo of technological products and services, Kumar said adding, selected Start-ups would be given free of cost technology by big firms participating in the Summit.

While BES 2015 paved way for making Bihar the next Start-up destination with the Bihar Start-up policy, incubation centres, a Rs 500 crore state venture capital fund, Bihar Start-up yatra among some initiatives, BES 2016 gave Udyog Samwad and the Start-Up Committee to implement the Start-up policy, Kumar said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After a gap of five years, State Bank of India has decided to reintroduce penalty on non-maintenance of minimum balance in accounts from April 1, and revised charges on other services, including ATMs.

The country's largest bank will permit savings bank account holders to deposit cash three times a month free of charges and levy Rs 50 plus service tax on every transaction beyond that.

In case of current account, the levy could go as high as Rs 20,000.

As per the list of revised charges of SBI, failure to maintain Monthly Average Balance (MAB) in accounts will attract penalty of up to Rs 100 plus service tax.

In metropolitan areas, there will be a charge of Rs 100 plus service tax, if the balance falls below 75 per cent of the MAB of Rs 5,000. If the shortfall is 50 per cent or less of the MAB, then the bank will charge Rs 50 plus service tax.

The charges and MAB varies according to the location of bank. It is minimum in case of rural branches.

A senior official said the bank had suspended levying charges on breach of minimum balance requirements in 2012 to acquire new customers.

The charges are now being reintroduced from April 1.

The Reserve Bank has permitted to levy charges for breaching minimum balance limit.

Withdrawal of cash from ATMs will attract a charge of up to Rs 20 if the number of transactions exceeds three from other bank's ATMs in a month and Rs 10 for more than five withdrawals from ATMs.

However, will not levy any charge on withdrawals from its own ATMs if the balance exceeds Rs 25,000. In case of other banks' ATM there will be no charge if the balance exceeds Rs 1 lakh.

SBI will charge Rs 15 for SMS alerts per quarter from debit card holders who maintain average quarterly balance of up to Rs 25,000 during the three months period.

There will be no charge for UPI/ USSD transactions of up to Rs 1000.
The budget session of Andhra Pradesh Legislature beginning tomorrow will be held for the first time in the new state capital Amaravati.

Governor E S L Narasimhan will address a joint session of the Legislative Council and the Assembly at 11.06 AM. The Legislature will then be adjourned for the day.

The Business Advisory Committees of the two Houses of state Legislature will meet tomorrow and decide on the duration of the session.

The government is keen to wind it up by March 28 after getting the Appropriation Bill passed, ahead of the Telugu New Year's Day 'Ugadi' on March 29.

The AP Legislature session will be held tomorrow after a gap of six months and for the first time in the new capital.

The three-day monsoon session in September was the last to be held in Hyderabad, the joint capital of AP and Telangana.

The state government had to skip the winter session, normally held in December, as construction of the new Legislature building in Amaravati was not completed in time.

The new Legislature building, with hi-tech facilities, was finally inaugurated on March 2 in the state government's transitional headquarters premises at Velagapudi, where the Secretariat is also located.

Since there are no facilities (accommodation) for the legislators in the new capital region, the government would pay them Rs 50,000 each as a special allowance, state Legislative Affairs Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said.

The state's Budget for the year 2017-18 will be presented in the House on March 13. The agriculture budget will also be presented on the same day.

The government is expected to introduce at least five Bills during the budget session.

The state Cabinet recently approved the draft AP Seed



Bill, Maritime Board Bill, Logistics University Bill and the Energy University Bill.

The Depositors of Financial Establishments (Amendment) Bill has also been cleared by the Cabinet and is expected to be moved in the Assembly.

The lone opposition YSR Congress is expected to raise the issue of special category status demand for the state.

Besides, the suspension of its firebrand member R K Roja from the Assembly for a year is also an issue at hand for the YSRC.

Actress-MLA Roja was in December 2015 suspended from the House for a year for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the Leader of the House Chandrababu Naidu.

She had also allegedly made some remarks against TDP MLA Vangalapudi Anita.

The issue is expected to be taken up by the House on March 7, Legislature sources said.
Connectivity, open maritime trade and rights of navigation are the areas that India will lay emphasis on during the Summit of the 21-nation Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to be held in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Vice President Hamid Ansari, who will embark tomorrow on the two-day trip of the Indonesian capital to attend the Summit, is also expected to pitch for cooperation among the think tanks of the member countries to evolve common strategies to meet the conventional and non-conventional threats, official sources said here today.

The theme of the Summit is 'Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for a Peaceful, Stable and Prosperous Indian Ocean'.

At the meeting, a declaration on countering violent extremism is expected to be adopted along with the IORA Concord and an action plan.

"The IORA Concord is a strategic document which sets the ways and means to strengthen the regional architecture in the Indian Ocean Rim and elevate IORA as a regional cooperation," according to an official statement from the IORA Secretariat.

IORA is a regional forum which aims at facilitating and promoting economic co-operation, bringing together, inter-alia, the representatives of the Member States' governments, businesses and academia.

The association comprises India, Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

It also has seven Dialogue Partners -- the US, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Japan and the UK.

(Reopen DEL25)



The IORA Concord, also called Jakarta Concord, is a



strategic document containing the vision and norms of the future of cooperation among the member countries with an aim of strengthening the regional architecture to face its challenges.

The IORA Action Plan is a document containing the implementation actions of the Jakarta Concord. It also strengthens the implementation of priority areas and cross- sectoral commitments.

The Declaration on Preventing and Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism is an agreement of IORA member states about the importance of countering terrorism and violent extremism.
BJP Corporator Nanda Jichkar was today elected the new Mayor of Nagpur, while Deepraj Pardikar of the same party will be the Deputy Mayor.

Jichkar and Pardikar were elected to their respective posts at a special general body meeting of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).

District Collector Sachin Kurve supervised the electionprocess.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress had also fielded their candidates for Mayor and Deputy Mayor's posts, but Jichkar and Pardikar scored an easy win given the BJP's overwhelming majority in the just-elected general body of NMC.

Of the total 150 members, 147 were present in the House at the time of Mayoral election. Jichkar secured 108 votes with Sneha Nikose of Congress coming distant second with 26. Vandana Chandekarof BSP secured 10 votes. Three members did not vote.

At the time of Deputy Mayor's election, held half an hour later, 149 members were present in the House. Pardikar secured 108 votes, Nitish Gwalbanshi of Congress 28 and BSP's Narendra Walde got 10. Three members did not participate in the voting.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A book chronicling digital progress in Madhya Pradesh, penned by Bhopal-based journalist and author Sarman Nagele, has been released in Japan.

'Digital Madhya Pradesh', written in Hindi, was released by Asian Productivity Organisation Secretary General Santhi Kanoktanaporn recently.

Nagele was part of a mission that went to Japan to study the mass media there.

"The book scans the digital progress in Madhya Pradesh. Santhi described the book as a good resource to understand India's digital landscape," Nagele said here after returning from Tokyo.

He said Indian states have potential to emerge as leading destinations of information technology and claimed his is the first book in Hindi on digital scenario in MP.

Those present at the book launch included senior media professionals from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, he said.

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In a wildlife sanctuary in southern Kenya the relentless sun has bleached savannah grasses and dried up rivers, turning water holes first into muddy pits and now, dust bowls.

Herds of elephant, buffalo and zebra have gathered near one of the holes, where for six months, pea farmer Patrick Mwalua has been delivering water to them in a rented blue truck.

After the rains failed for the third time in November, Mwalua was so distressed by the obviously weak and thirsty animals that he began seeking donations to bring water to the Taita Hills sanctuary.

The 41-year-old was haunted by the memory of a 2009 drought, which the International Fund for Animal Welfare estimates led to the loss of 40 per cent of the animals in the neighbouring Tsavo West National Park.

"It was so sad. I saw it myself and I felt very bad and I said this thing should never happen again," he told AFP.

Over his lifetime, Mwalua has seen the climate change drastically, with droughts causing chronic water shortages and increased conflict between villagers and wildlife.

Thirsty elephants -- which can drink up to 190 litres (400 pints) of water in one sitting -- have in recent months carried out often deadly raids on villages in search of water.

To the majority of locals struggling to survive the failure of their crops, these wildlife neighbours are little more than a menace and competition for land and resources.

However Mwalua believes it is crucial to protect the wildlife, arguing "we are the voice of the animals".

He reached out to foreigners, who had participated in a conservation programme he runs, to ask for donations to pay for the USD 250 (237-euro) truckloads of water.

At first, he would pour it into natural water holes but quickly realised that much was soaked up by the baking earth, so turned instead to a cement hole near a tourist lodge.

The animals "come running the moment they see the truck, they even know the timings. When they are really thirsty they even drink when the truck is emptying," the lodge's assistant manager Alex Namunje told AFP.

A GoFundMe crowdfunding page, set up by an American friend, has raised over USD 200,000 -- most of that in the past two weeks, as word spread about Mwalua's initiative.

"It has blown my mind," said Mwalua, who plans to buy his own water truck and dig a borehole in the park.

Meanwhile, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust -- famed for rearing orphan elephants -- has now joined him in trucking in water to the water hole.

In a sign of the crisis the region faces, the charity has drilled 13 boreholes over the years, Angela Sheldrick, who runs the trust, told AFP.

While conservationists praise Mwalua's efforts, they warn that climate change and human activity have affected water supply so badly it will take much more to solve the problem.

"It is a good initiative but how much water can we truck into Tsavo? How many boreholes can you sink?" asked Jacob Kipongoso, head of the Tsavo Heritage Foundation.

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: City-based Central Arecanut and Coca Marketing and Processing Co-operative has signed an MoU with Indian Institute of Spices Research under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Kozhikode to process pepper at their facility and market the produce to consumers.

CAMPCO, which had recently amended its bye-law to enter the pepper sector along with arecanut and coca, planned to market processed pepper with the certification manufactured at ICAR-IISR processing facility for spices.

The facility at IISR would be utilised to cleane, grade and pack black and white pepper by CAMPCO, which had recently started procuring pepper from farmers in its jurisdiction.

According to CAMPCO president S R Satishchandra, the move is aimed at offering substantial price to farmers and to provide quality product to consumers.

The institute would provide necessary training and technical guidance to CAMPCO, besides giving the quality certification.

The agreement was signed by ISSR director K Nirmal Babu and CAMPCO Managing Director M Suresh Bhandary,a release said.

Satishchandra said the pepper market had so far been unorganised and the market did not have any branded product, especially from the co-operative sector.

The agreement would facilitate availability of assured quality pepper to consumers and assure stable prices for the produce, he said.

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Cetrum Home Finance, the Centrum group's housing finance arm that was launched last month, plans to have a loan book of Rs 250 crore by the end of the first year of operations.

The Centrum group is among the early birds from the brokerage space to enter the home finance segment along with JM Financial, after the Modi government began to focus on affordable housing in a big manner.

"We have just opened our first branch in Indore. The second branch will be formally opened in the third week of March in Baroda. Since we will be focusing on a hub-and-spoke model, we will have nine hubs in three states (MP, Maharashtra and Gujarat) and 37 spokes by next March," Cetrum Home Finance managing director and chief executive Sanjay Shukla told PTI.

Shukla, who was heading Centbank Home Finance (home finance JV of Central Bank) before joining the Centrum group, said that he hopes to have "a loan book of Rs 250 crore by March 2018 and Rs 1,000 crore loan book by March 2019".

On the initial equity capital, he said promoters have already infused Rs 50 crore and will infuse a similar amount shortly. The rest of the growth capital will come in from bank funds. He also said the company will not be tapping the debt market to raise funds initially.

Shukla, a home finance veteran having worked with all the standalone players, was the first MD of Tata Capital as well as the first senior employee of LIC Housing, said they just tied up with sectoral regulator National Housing Bank to draw the benefits from the PM's affordable housing scheme.

He had also worked with ING Vysya Bank, Citibank Mortgage, HDFC and Gruh Finance.

In the initial years, the company will be focusing only on tier 2 and 3 towns in the four states of Maharashtra, MP, Gujarat and Rajasthan, and will be only in the affordable housing space, Shukla said, adding the average ticket size will be in the Rs 15-20 lakh range.

Shukla said the company has hired around 25 now and will have 125 heads by the end of the next financial year.

The Budget 2017 has proposed complete tax deduction on profits from housing projects with flats measuring 30 sqm in the metros and 60 sqm in other cities so that the government attain the goal of housing for all by 2022.

A World Bank and National Housing Bank-commissioned study recently estimated the potential of the affordable housing finance segment at Rs 8.8 trillion, while the existing affordable housing portfolio is only Rs 6,500 crore.

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Dozens of people holding Chairman Mao posters protested in China's Jilin province today, calling for a boycott of South Korean goods as part of a backlash against the country's Lotte Group.

The retail giant has faced growing opposition in China since signing a deal to provide land for a US missile-defence system Tuesday.

The plan to install the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system was prompted by threats from North Korea, but Beijing fears the move will undermine its own military capabilities.

"No to THAAD! Boycott Korean goods!" chanted the protesters in northern Jilin province.

"Patriotism starts with me! Long live the Communist Party!"



Similar protests have sprouted across the country, as Lotte suffers setbacks in several of its Chinese ventures -- from last month's government-ordered halt of a $2.6 billion theme park project to apparent cyber-attacks on company websites.

Citing fire violations, authorities in Liaoning's Dandong city have also suspended the operation of Lotte Mart, the Yonhap agency reported on Saturday.

Earlier this week, major tour operators confirmed to AFP that trips to South Korea have been suspended "due to policy and safety factors."



China has repeatedly denounced THAAD as a threat to its security, with a foreign ministry spokesman saying "the consequences entailed will be borne by the US and the Republic of Korea".

Calls are growing in China for Beijing to use the carrot and stick of its huge market to raise pressure on South Korea to abandon the THAAD plan.

The stakes are high for Lotte, which has invested more than ten trillion won ($8.76 billion) in its Chinese operations since 1994.

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A clerk has been dismissed for "violation" of service rules, days after he hurled shoes at the Gujarat Minister of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja.

Gopal Italia, posted at the office of Dhandhuka taluka Sub-Divisional Magistrate under Ahmedabad collectorate at the time of the incident, has been dismissed for violating the Service Rules, a top official of the collectorate said today.

The incident had occurred on March 2 outside a public entry gate of the Gujarat Assembly building in Gandhinagar, when Italia shouted "down with corruption" and flung the shoes at the minister who was about to address the media. However, he missed the target.

According to the official, Italia was sacked directly as he is a "fixed-pay" employee and not a regular grade staffer with the state government.

"State government has dismissed Italia for violating service rules. Since he was a fixed-pay employee working at Dhandhuka SDM office, Italia has been dismissed directly instead of being put under suspension," he said.

In January, Italia was arrested by the Ahmedabad crime branch for allegedly impersonating a police constable to call up the deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel.

He allegedly circulated audio clips of the conversation on various social media platforms.

Italia had purportedly told Patel that a recent ordinance to strengthen the liquor prohibition law in the state has failed to serve the purpose, as it has ended up in increasing the price of liquor in the dry state.

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A policeman was among two persons arrested with cannabis in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Police intercepted the cop near bus stand in Kathua and recovered 100 grams of cannabis during a search last evening.

Nearly a kilo of cannabis was further recovered from his place on basis of his revelation, police said adding one more person was also arrested in this regard.

A case has been registered and investigation has been started.

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Visiting New York Gov Andrew Cuomo said today that a recent rash of anti-Semitic acts in the United States was "reprehensible" and his state would have no tolerance for them.

In a visit to Israel, Cuomo made his first comments following the toppling of headstones at a Jewish cemetery this weekend in Brooklyn.

It followed a series of vandalism attacks at Jewish cemeteries and more than 120 bomb threats to Jewish organizations in three dozen states since early January. In New York City alone, ant-Semitic hate crimes nearly doubled in the past year.

Speaking at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, Cuomo says the incidents "violated every tenant of the New York State tradition." He said the state has posted rewards and put together a special police unit to combat the phenomenon.

"New York State by its definition is a celebration of diversity, it accepts all, we believe in the spirit of inclusion and we live by discrimination of none. New York's principles are built on a rock they will not change and the political wings will not change them," he said, alongside Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.

"We have made it clear that there will be no tolerance for these acts of anti-Semitism."



The New York Police Department's hate crimes division is investigating the toppled headstones at Washington Cemetery in Brooklyn. It follows the targeting of a Jewish cemetery in Rochester, New York.

About 100 headstones were recently overturned in a Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia. That came about a week after a similar crime in Missouri. In Indiana, an apparent gunshot fired into a synagogue Tuesday has drawn the attention of the FBI.

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'Do you beat your wife' was a poser in an 'Islamophobic' questionnaire that Muslims wanting to meet a Republican lawmaker were reportedly asked to fill out.

Oklahoma Representative John Bennett asked his constituents taking part in the state's third annual 'Muslim Day' on Thursday to fill out the bizarre questionnaire, BuzzFeed reported.

Adam Soltani, executive director of Council on American- Islamic Relations (CAIR) Oklahoma, was quoted as saying that high school students from Tulsa's Peace Academy visited Bennett's office to either meet with him or schedule a meeting.

Soltani said the students were met by a legislative assistant who gave them a questionnaire, telling them it must be filled out in writing.

The nine-part questionnaire included questions such as, "Do you beat your wife?"



"I was distraught when (the students) showed me the questionnaire. I wasn't completely surprised by it because obviously we have been challenging Bennett's hate rhetoric for many years," Soltani said.

"Nobody should be vetted with stupid, Islamophobic, hateful, bigoted questions before they can meet with their representative," Soltani said.

Bennett, a former US Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, made headlines in 2014 when he made anti-Islam comments on social media.

He also said there is no difference between moderate and radical Islam.

The questionnaire was written by anti-Islam group ACT for America -- the group's logo and email address were on the sheet of paper.

Bennett confirmed to the Tulsa World that three Muslim students visiting his office as part of Muslim Day were given questionnaires.

Bennett told the newspaper that he did not speak to the students personally.

Responding to the news, the Oklahoma Democratic Party called Bennett "an embarrassment to the Oklahoma Legislature".

"Why do Republicans continue to turn a blind eye and ignore Bennett's hateful fear-mongering actions?" the statement was quoted as saying by The Huffington Post.

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Actor Varun Dhawan, who is stepping into the shoes of Salman Khan in the sequel to "Judwaa", says the superstar has advised him to listen to his director and not be over smart.

"The only advice Salman Khan has given me for 'Judwaa 2' is that, 'listen to your dad (director David Dhawan) and don't be over smart'," Varun told PTI.

The 29-year-actor actor says he was a kid when "Judwaa" released in 1997 and remembers his first meeting with Salman at a special screening of the film.

"I just remember watching 'Judwaa' in theatre during a special screening and meeting Salman Khan for the first time. I don't remember much as I was small."



In "Judwaa", Salman played double role as Prem, the naive guy, while Raja, who was the street smart chap. In the second installment that is being made almost after two decade, Varun will be seen as the 'new-age tapori'.

"It is sad that we don't make films on taporis anymore. There will be a big change in the character of Raja in the sequel. But I would not like to speak much about it. It is far different from what Salman did in the first film," Varun says.

Except actress Rambha, all lead actors of the original comic caper will be seen in cameo in the sequel.

"I cannot say anything about it right now because I want people to be surprised, especially by Salman Khan's character in the film ('Judwaa 2')," he says.

Beside "Judwaa 2", Varun will be collaborating with filmmaker Shoojit Sircar for the first time.

"There is something that he has narrated to me which I really liked. I wanted to work with Shoojit Sircar ever since I watched 'Vicky Donor'. I will start shooting for the film after 'Judwaa 2' and it is a love story," he says.

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The Fifth Session of the 12th National Peoples Congress (NPC), Chinas top legislature, opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sunday morning. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a report on the government's work at the opening ceremony.
Dutch far-right MP Geert Wilders today denounced plans by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to attend a Rotterdam rally in support of a high-stakes Turkish referendum.

"They should not come and interfere here with our domestic problems," Wilders told reporters, referring to next Saturday's rally backing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Dutch officials, including Prime Minister Mark Rutte, have already condemned the plans to hold the demonstration organised by some of the port city's sizeable Turkish community.

It comes as campaigning is in full swing in The Netherlands for Dutch general elections here due on March 15.

"If I would be prime minister today I would declare -- until at least the half of April when they have the referendum -- I would call the whole cabinet of Turkey persona non-grata for a month or two, not allowing them to come here," Wilders said, speaking in English.

Rutte on Friday said the government had received official notification from Turkey that a campaign event ahead of the Turkish referendum in April was being organised in The Netherlands.

He called the idea "undesirable" and said the Dutch government would not cooperate.

"We believe that Dutch public space is not the place to hold a political campaign for another country," Rutte said on his Facebook page.

A Turkish-Dutch political association said Friday that Cavusoglu would attend the rally, hoping to persuade some hundreds of thousands of Turkish-origin citizens to vote "yes" in the April 16 referendum aimed at boosting Erdogan's powers.

German towns last week banned three similar rallies which had been due to be attended by Turkish ministers, provoking anger from Ankara.

The Turkish public will decide whether to approve constitutional changes that will expand the role of the head of state and remove the office of the premier.

Wilders, who has gained support for his anti-Islam and anti-immigration stand is running neck-and-neck in the polls with Rutte ahead of the March elections. He slammed his rival for what he called a "weak reaction".

"Coming here to advocate (for) the Turkish constitution will only strengthen the Islamo-facist leader Erdogan of Turkey, more than Dutch parliament," he said.

Wilders was meeting with international press in Amsterdam, ahead of a rival day of "Solidarity with Muslims" planned later today in the capital city.

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Retired defence personnel are being employed as security guards in the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), Transport Minister Diwakar Raote today said.

He said 900 ex-servicemen have already been appointed in the MSRTC as security guards and 550 more are being added.

Raote was in Kalyan to enquire into attacks on MSRTC drivers by autorickshaw drivers.

Talking to newspersons outside the ST depot, he warned attacks on MSRTC drivers will not be tolerated.

Suresh Bhosale, a MSRTC driver, was recently attacked by a rickshaw driver. He is being treated at a local hospital, where Raote paid a visit and enquired about his health.

At a time when the Minister was in the city, RTO carried out checking of autorickshaws and detained as many as 258 who had no permit to operate their vehicles.

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A man was arrested after fake currency notes of the face value of Rs 92,000 were seized from his possession here.

Acting on a tip-off the police last evening arrested a man, identified as Mukuleswar Mian (50) from the Rathbari area of the town.

Mian was carrying fake notes of the face value of Rs 92,000. The notes were of the denomination of Rs 2000, Inspector-in-Charge of English Bazar Police Station Purnendu Kundu said.

The police was interrogating Mian to find out from where he got the fake notes, Kundu said.

A man was arrested with fake currency notes of the face value of Rs 2 lakh from in Dhulyan in neighbouring Murshidabad district yesterday.

The man was identified as Alam Sheikh, a resident of Malda district.

On March two five persons were arrested with counterfeit currency notes having face value of over Rs 56,74,000 while trying to purchase a mobile phone in Kolkata.

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The government is examining recommendations of the 3-member expert panel on various issues related to audit firms, amid concerns over certain practices circumventing regulations.

The expert panel, headed by Teri Chairman Ashok Chawla, submitted its report last month to the government, an official said.

Set up by the Corporate Affairs Ministry, the panel examined various issues pertaining to audit firms, including possible adverse impact from restrictive shareholder agreements.

While the committee's recommendations could not be ascertained, it had the mandate to examine whether there is an adverse impact on "Indian audit firms from restrictive shareholder covenants" and "through the manner in which audit rotation is being implemented by companies".

Another official said the government is examining the panel's recommendations and would take a call in due course.

The committee was set up in September 2016 following representation from several domestic audit firms about the negative impact on them on account of various practices that lead to circumvention of regulations.

Among others, the panel examined whether joint audit could be introduced in cases where there are restrictive covenants and other specified cases where there is a multinational audit firm as the auditor.

"Several audit firms have represented about adverse impact on Indian audit firms due to the structuring of certain audit firms leading to circumvention of various regulations and imposition of restrictive conditions by foreign investors with regard to auditor appointment by companies," the Ministry had said in September last year.

Chaired by Chawla, RBI Deputy Governor N S Vishwanathan and Jubilant Life Sciences' Co-Chairman and Managing Director Hari S Bhartia were the other members of the committee. Chawla is former Finance Secretary and had served as Competition Commission of India (CCI) Chairman.

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The government has approved a long-pending proposal to give promotion to over 9,600 paramilitary jawans in three border guarding forces by upgrading their posts, a move aimed at easing stagnation in the ranks.

The orders issued by the Union Home Ministry on March 2, accessed by PTI, will be implemented with an "immediate effect" and will ensure the much-awaited first promotion of 9,603 men and women.

The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) will get a maximum of 4,095 upgraded posts followed by 3,024 for Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and 2,484 for Assam Rifles.

The decision is being seen as a major development to ease backlog in promotions in the lower ranks of the three forces that had been stuck since 2012.

These frontier forces had petitioned the government in 2013 requesting for upgradation of one constable post in each section (comprising 10-12 personnel) of a battalion to the next level of head constable or havildar rank.

The move will not only help in increasing promotion chances to those appointed at the lowest rung of these forces but will also aid in better operational management of the unit while on a task, a senior official said.

A section is the smallest unit in a paramilitary or Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) that is capable of operating independently to accomplish a given task of rendering law and order duties, conducting patrols, guarding a critical installation or laying ambushes.

"The expenditure for these promotions will be borne by the forces concerned from their sanctioned budgets. The modalities have been cleared by both the Union Home and Finance Ministries," the official said.

The senior-most jawans in each section, with about 15-18 years of service, will be promoted as per the latest orders and will be given duties to lead small teams, he said.

"There is already a huge stagnation in the lower ranks of the constabulary. The latest order will ease this issue a bit as delay in promotion is one of the biggest grievance amongst these personnel working in some of the harshest and difficult borders, violence and threat-prone areas," he said.

The country has four border guarding forces under the Home Ministry and each of them is tasked with securing different frontiers.

While the ITBP guards the Sino-India frontier, the SSB looks after the security along India-Nepal and India-Bhutan borders. The Assam Rifles carries out similar duties along Indo-Myanmar border.

The Border Security Force (BSF), guards the India-Bangladesh and India-Pakistan borders.

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The government has started a detailed probe into the incident involving Jet Airways' flight at the Dhaka airport in January when the plane's tail touched the runway during landing.

The flight from Mumbai had as many as 168 people on board. After the incident, which happened on January 22, the airline had taken the pilots concerned off their duty and grounded the Boeing aircraft.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has ordered the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to probe the "serious incident".

On January 22, confirmed the "tail strike".

The flight 9W-276 from Mumbai to Dhaka had 160 guests and eight crew members when it had a tail strike on landing at the Dhaka airport on January 22. There were no injuries to guests or crew, all of whom deplaned safely, the airline had said.

Ordering a "formal inquiry" into the incident, the ministry in a recent notification said a committee headed by AAIB Deputy Director R S Passi will carry out the inquiry.

Other members in the panel are AAIB Assistant Director Jasbir Singh Larhga and Air Safety Officer Shilpy Satiya.

"It appears to the central government that it is expedient to investigate and determine the causes and contributory factors leading to the said serious incident and make recommendations to avoid recurrence of such serious incidents in future," the notification, dated February 22, said.

AAIB, under the the civil aviation ministry, is the apex body for probing accidents, serious incidents involving Indian aircraft.

A senior AAIB official said the bureau is currently probing more than 12 incidents, but did not provide specific details.
The government is reviewing the Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP) after a report found that the scheme failed to achieve its objectives and special purpose vehicles of the parks violated norms.

"We are reviewing the Scheme for Integrated Textiles Parks as many SPVs were found violating its norms as non-textiles units were operating from inside the parks," a senior Textiles Ministry official said.

"The report commissioned by us has also revealed many loopholes in the scheme which need to be rectified," the official said.

The report by Wazir Advisors to the Ministry has cited various reasons, including high rentals in some parks, changes in other government schemes or regulations, lack of marketing efforts, no special benefits available for investors in parks, poor accessibility and challenges for units in SEZ Parks, for the scheme failing to attain its objectives.

The report has recommended that a new scheme -- Mega Textile Parks -- be launched with parks having minimum land size of 1,000 acres, and infrastructure support in the form of readymade factory sheds, warehouse, incubation centres and testing labs, with express connectivity to seaports and airports.

The implementing agencies for the new scheme should be entrepreneurs-led SPV (special purpose vehicle), industry associations or state government either through their institutions or in PPP mode, said the report on review of the scheme.

Textiles Minister Smriti Irani last month had informed Parliament that the ministry was examining complaints against certain SPVs of textile parks sanctioned under the for violation of guidelines.

She had said that show cause notices to at least four SPVs, namely the Vraj Integrated Textile Park; GILT Textile Park; Surat Super Yarn; and EIGMEF Apparel Park, had been issued for violation of norms.

"The Government has sought response of Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd. (IL&FS) which was the Project Management Consultant (PMC) for Vraj Integrated Textile Park regarding violation of guidelines/criteria of the Scheme for integrated Textile Parks (SITP) by the Special Purposes Vehicle (SPV) of the said Park.

"Based on the response of IL&FS, the SPV and PMC have been directed to get those non-textile units which were not part of the approved project of Vraj Integrated Textile Park relocated outside the textile park area sanctioned under the SITP," Irani had said in a reply to the Lok Sabha.

The Vraj integrated textile park is owned by the Chiripal Group and is based in Gujarat.

The Textiles Ministry has also cancelled several projects after the SPVs were found flouting the SITP's guidelines.

These include Bharat Fabtex & Corporate Park Pvt Ltd; Vaigai HiTech weaving Park; Shri Dhairyashil Mane Textile Park Co-op Society Limited; Hyderabad Hi-tech Weaving Park; Edison Integrated Textiles Park; Shri Lakshmi Cotsyn Ltd; Wada Textile Park; Kapila Textile Park; Rajasthan Texmart Textile park; Soham Textile Park; Shri Laxminarayan Textile Park; and SLS Textile Park, Tamil Nadu.
Japanese carmaker Honda is pinning hopes on its upcoming compact crossover WR-V and the new City sedan to rev up its India sales in the next fiscal.

The company has sold a total of 1,24,114 units in the April-January period this fiscal, a decline of 23.2 per cent.

"Last year we were in a run out period of previous models and now we have launched the new City and the WR-V will be launched in this fiscal but the real sales will happen in the next fiscal year," Honda Cars India President and CEO Yoichiro Ueno told PTI.

Honda plans to launch the WR-V on March 16, while the new City sedan was introduced last month.

"Hopefully, these two models will add to total sales volume of the company in the next fiscal," he said.

Sharing the strategy for the W-RV, he said Honda is looking to position the model a bit differently from compact SUVs such as Maruti's Vitara Brezza or Ford EcoSport.

"Our direction is, to kind of, creating a new segment with this model," Ueno said.

The sub-4 metre SUV segment is rapidly growing in the Indian market selling around 2 lakh units annually.

On sales expectations from WR-V he said: "We are expecting some good sales but not huge may be because we are newcomers. Market is growing, however, models are also increasing."

Ueno said although some customers could compare between WR-V and the Jazz, HCIL is not expecting "cannibalisation" between the two.

"It's the synergy of these models that we think can capture a broader range of customers," he added.

The new City has also gained traction in the market and sold 6,318 units last month and received over 10,000 bookings since its launch on February 14.

When asked about the company's plans for a third plant in Gujarat, Ueno said the investment has been done keeping in mind future growth potential of Indian market.

"The decision of Gujarat plant was taken couple of years back. At that time our volume was smaller, however, we expect Indian market to grow. In the near future, it may be one of the top three biggest markets (in the world)," Ueno said.

He, however, said the company currently has no plans to expand capacities in India and the purchase of land in Gujarat was to prepare for the future.

"It is kind of pre-investment for the future expansion," Ueno said.

Currently, HCIL sells around two lakh units annually, while its production capacity stands at around 2.4 lakh units from its two plants in Greater Noida and Tapukara (Rajasthan).

"The Tapukara plant can be further expanded. I think for several years, we can manage our sales from two factories. If sales grow this land (in Gujarat) can be one option to expand. We haven't yet finished purchasing the land," Ueno said.
Actor Shahid Kapoor says he is confident about his craft and does not feel insecure when working in a two hero film.

There have been reports of rivalry between him and Ranveer Singh over sharing screen time in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming magnum opus "Padmavati".

Shahid's latest outing "Rangoon" is also a two-hero film in which he has shared screen space with Saif Ali Khan.

"If you are insecure as a person then you will be insecure in any situation. If you are a secure person and if you are sure about yourself then nothing matters," Shahid told PTI, when asked if there is any insecurity or rivalry when two actors come together for a film.

"I am very much sure about myself and my work. I will feel insecure only when I feel I will be lesser than somebody, but I don't think I am lesser than anybody. I am not here to say I am better than anybody but definitely I'm not lesser," the "Haider" star adds.

Asked if he was upset with reports of clash between him and Ranveer, the 36-year-old star says, "I had read the script (of 'Padmavati') 20 days before I started shooting. So, from my side I just wanted to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali."



Ranveer and actress Deepika Padukone, who have worked with Bhansali in his last two films, have always praised the director for getting out the best from actors.

To this, Shahid says, "Yes absolutely, without any doubt. I have shot with him for 25 days and I know the only way to work with him is to up your game."



The actor wonders why the "Bajirao Mastani" filmmaker is often called a hard task master.

"I don't know why people say that about him. He is trying to do his best and I love working with people who want the best. I have not had so much fun working with anyone so far (other than Bhansali)," he says.

"I feel this is the most exciting opportunity of my career so far. It is an amazing opportunity. I think I have never had such great time with any filmmaker," Shahid adds.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Mumbai suburban district administration will start the process of razing illegal structures in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) in Versova next week, an official said today.

The administration has identified 53 unauthorised structures in the CRZ in suburban Versova, he said.

Social activist Abdul Choudhary had earlier written to the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA), asking it to initiate steps to demolish the structures. The letter was forwarded to the district administration.

"We have received the complainant's letter but even before that, we had issued notices to MHADA (housing board) and BMC seeking details from them.

"Recently, we demanded that MHADA initiate action against structures that violate CRZ norms and had given them 15 days time," said Deependra Singh Kushwah, Mumbai suburban collector.

"Since the time period given to MHADA has lapsed, the Revenue Department or the Collector's office will file a police complaint in the coming week and start the process of demolishing illegal structures," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Xinhua) 13:22, March 05, 2017

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday pledged to continue reforms to attain the economic growth target of about 6.5 percent this year despite challenges ahead.

The annual government work report, delivered by Li at the opening meeting of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, set the GDP growth target at around 6.5 percent, or higher if possible in practice.

The target, which Li said is "realistic and in keeping with economic principles," is the lowest for more than 20 years for China. Nonetheless, China remains one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

The target will help steer and steady expectations and make structural adjustments as well as help achieve the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020, Li said while delivering the report at the session, the first since Xi Jinping was endorsed as the core of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee last October.

Li called for uniting more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Xi as the core and working hard to fulfill development targets.

2017 is of crucial importance for the country as the CPC will convene its 19th National Congress in the second half of the year to elect a new leadership for the next five years during which Xi's vision of a well-off society will be achieved.

Nearly 3,000 NPC deputies listened to Li's report at the meeting chaired by Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, along with Xi and other leaders.

GROWTH TARGET ACHIEVABLE

Li also announced that in 2017, China will keep its CPI increase at around 3 percent, and create more than 11 million urban jobs with a registered urban unemployment rate within 4.5 percent.

The country will also reduce its energy consumption per unit of GDP by at least 3.4 percent.

"An important reason for stressing the need to maintain stable growth is to ensure employment and improve people's lives," Li said.

Last year, China's GDP reached 74.4 trillion yuan (10.8 trillion U.S. dollars), a 6.7-percent growth, outpacing most other economies and contributing more than 30 percent of global growth.

Despite challenges, China created 13.14 million urban jobs and increased per capita disposable income by 6.3 percent. About 12.4 million people shook off poverty.

Noting that China must be ready to face more complicated and graver situations including sluggish world economic growth and growing trend of protectionism, Li expressed his confidence that difficulties will be overcome as the country has a solid material foundation, abundant human resources, a huge market, and a complete system of industries.

National lawmaker Zhang Zhao'an called the target "reasonable, pragmatic and reachable."

"You have to take into account the large base figure of China's economic aggregates. The moderate adjustment of the target signals a greater focus on the quality and returns of economic growth," said Zhang, vice president of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

SUPPLY-SIDE STRUCTURAL REFORM

Supply-side structural reform will be given priority in China's development, Li said.

According to the report, efforts will center on a variety of areas,including streamlining administration, reducing taxes, further expanding market access, and reducing ineffective supply while expanding effective supply.

Comparing the reform as "the struggle from chrysalis to butterfly," Li said China must press forward with courage and get the job done.

"China's endeavors to deepen reforms, improve government efficiency and encourage innovation and entrepreneurship have had positive impacts on the economic sector," Zhang Zhao'an said.

To be specific, China will further reduce steel production capacity by around 50 million metric tons and coal capacity by at least 150 million metric tons this year, the report said.

It also highlighted cutting excess urban real estate inventory, bringing down the leverage of enterprises, reducing costs for enterprises and strengthen areas of weakness including poverty eradication.

China will pursue a more proactive and effective fiscal policy.It has set its government fiscal deficit this year at 2.38 trillion yuan, or 3 percent of its GDP, an increase of 200 billion yuan over last year.

It plans to invest 800 billion yuan in railway construction and 1.8 trillion yuan in highway and waterway projects, and begin construction on another 15 major water conservation projects.

This year, the government aims to reduce the number of rural residents living in poverty by over 10 million, including 3.4 million to be relocated from inhospitable areas. Central government funding for poverty alleviation will be increased by over 30 percent.

Meanwhile, the report said, transforming and upgrading the real economy through innovation will be another focus of work.

"China's population dividends are declining, but its institutional dividends are increasing," Zhang said.

GLOBALIZATION

Despite an increase in anti-globalization sentiment and attempts to reverse the trend, Li Keqiang reassured that China opposes protectionism in its different forms, and will work toward a deeper and higher level of opening up.

Li's remarks echoed President Xi Jinping's January speech during the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, in which Xi said pursuing protectionism is like "locking oneself in a dark room."

In this spirit, Li said, China will push ahead with the Belt and Road Initiative, for example, by accelerating the building of overland economic corridors and maritime cooperation hubs, and deepening international industrial-capacity cooperation.

The initiative, proposed by China in 2013 with the aim of connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes, has yielded infrastructure projects of all sorts, economic and trade cooperation zones, and jobs.

China will also make big moves to improve the environment for foreign investors, including making service industries, manufacturing, and mining more open to foreign investment, encouraging foreign-invested firms to be listed and issue bonds in China, and allowing them to take part in national science and technology projects, according to the report.

SOVEREIGNTY AND SECURITY

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, and 18th anniversary of Macao's return.

"We will continue to implement, both to the letter and in spirit, the principle of 'one country, two systems,'" Li said, stressing the principle will be steadfastly applied in Hong Kong and Macao without being bent or distorted.

The notion of "Hong Kong independence" will lead nowhere, he warned.

He also voiced opposition against and resolution to contain separatist activities for "Taiwan independence."

"We will never tolerate any activity, in any form or name, which attempts to separate Taiwan from the motherland," Li said.

In addition, China will continue to deepen reforms in national defense and the armed forces.

It will strengthen its maritime and air defense as well as border control amid efforts to safeguard its sovereignty and security, according to the report.

"We will boost military training and preparedness, so as to ensure that the sovereignty, security, and development interests of China are resolutely and effectively safeguarded," Li said.
Noted American economist Steve H Hanke has said that India's economic growth for 2016-17 is appearing 'solid' because the GDP figures did not take into account adverse impact of on informal economy.

"India's growth is only solid b/c it ignores the adverse effect of demonetization on the massive informal economy," Hanke, an American applied economist at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, said in a tweet.

The Indian government had last month pegged GDP growth at a higher-than-expected 7.1 per cent for the current fiscal despite note ban.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) had put the growth rate for October-December -- the quarter in which the government banned 86 per cent of the currency in circulation -- at 7 per cent, compared to 7.4 per cent in the second quarter and 7.2 per cent in the first quarter.

India's growth was higher than China's 6.8 per cent for the October-December period of 2016.

The growth numbers were better than those projected by the RBI (6.9 per cent) and international agencies like IMF (6.6 per cent), OECD (7 per cent) in view of .

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) had in February last year projected the country's economy to expand at 7.4 per cent in 2016-17.

Buoyed by higher-than-expected GDP growth, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has also said a 7 per cent expansion in third quarter belies exaggerated claims of note ban impact on rural economy.
India will organise its first mobile congress in September with a special focus on reaching out to the South East Asian markets.

"There is Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and an edition in Shanghai. There is nothing in between for South East Asia. India is emerging as one of the global leaders in telecom which we will also showcase in the Indian Mobile Congress," COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews told PTI.

He said that the Department of Telecom and the Ministry of Electronics and IT have laid their emphasis on Indian Mobile Congress and Cellular Operators Association of India will drive it.

The GSM Association, which organises annual global event of Mobile World Congress (MWC) here, has agreed to associate with the three-day event that will be held at Pragati Maidan starting September 27, he said.

Mathews said he along with Indian government delegation had held the discussion with British and Swedish Trade Ministers for their engagement in IMC.

"We have held a meeting with official representatives of other governments as well," Mathews said.

He said that all Indian mobile operators, Facebook, Huawei, Ericsson, Cisco etc are likely to participate in the mobile congress.

"We have asked other Indian business association to come together and be part of it. The event will focus on knowledge sharing, exhibition, start-ups, skill development and all pillars of Digital India including Make in India," Mathews said.
A 29-year-old Indian-American man was found dead in the US state of New Jersey, an incident which the family has described as a "personal issue".

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted today that the Indian Consulate here "has spoken to the father of the deceased in Massachusetts. He says this is a personal family tragedy".

More details were not immediately known.

Sources here said the cause of the death was still unknown and the medical examiner's office was investigating the incident which took place in Jersey city.

Consulate officials have reached out to the deceased's family in Massachusetts and sources said the family has requested privacy, saying "it is a personal family matter".

The sources strongly cautioned that the incident should not be seen as linked to a possible hate crime since all details are still not available and the family too has termed it as a personal issue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Troops of Indian and Oman armies were today given security briefing ahead of their second joint exercise "Al Nagah-II 2017" in Bakloh belt of Himachal Pradesh.

"Initial orientation and security briefing were carried out. It also included the training aspects and area familiarisation," PRO Defence, Jammu, Lt Col Manish Mehta said.

The 14-day joint exercise will begin tomorrow in the Dhauladhar Ranges at Bakloh.

"This is the second joint military exercise between the two countries which have a history of extensive cooperation in defence arena. The first one was held in Oman in January 2015," he said.

The PRO said the participating troops for this exercise have been drawn from one infantry battalion each from the Indian Army and the Royal Army of Oman.

About 60 troops from both countries will participate in the exercise, he added.

"The aim of the exercise is to build and promote bilateral army-to-army relations and enhance interoperability while exchanging skills and experiences," Mehta said.

The Indian troops have undergone extensive training on rock craft, slithering, counter-terrorism or low intensity conflict operations in addition to tactical drills of close cordon and house intervention drills to fulfil the mandate of the joint exercise, he said.

The vast experience and expertise gained by Indian troops in counter-insurgency operations holds special importance for the Royal Army of Oman. The conduct of the joint exercise would therefore set the stage for greater defence cooperation between the two nations, the Lt Col said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After nearly 20 years, indigenous manufactured INSAS rifles will be finally 'retiring' from the army and replaced by an imported assault rifle which will be manufactured in the country later.

The Indian Small Arms System (INSAS), which was inducted in the army 1988, is likely to be replaced with deadlier assault rifles of higher caliber (7.62x51), official sources said.

The sources said that as many as 18 vendors, including some Indian companies having a tie-up with a foreign arms manufacturing firm, have sent in their consent to replace nearly two lakh such rifles used by the army along the borders and in counter-insurgency operations.

The reason for phasing out of INSAS, as cited by experts, was that it was not effective at long range and at best, it could only maim the enemy.

The sources said that 7.62x51 assault rifles have already been introduced in the Pakistani army which purchased them from Heckler and Koch, one of the world's leading small arms manufacturers based in Germany.

The proposal for procuring the new assault rifles was in pre-Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) stage and expected to be completed by the year end after putting the process of purchase of these weapons on a fast track.

The sources said that emphasis was being laid on arming the Special Forces of the army in the Northeast as of now and the proposal will come up before the Defence Acquisition Committee (DAC) soon.

After the new weaponry for the Special Forces aimed at helping them in close-combat situations, the focus will shift to procurement of the assault rifles and replace the INSAS, the sources said.

The foreign vendor would also be required to participate in Transfer of Technology (ToT) so that there is no dearth of ammunition and maintenance of the assault rifles in the country. These weapons can kill the enemy up to an effective strength of 500 metres.

The conceptualisation of the INSAS began in early 1980's before it was finally handed over for production to Ichapur Ordnance Factory in West Bengal. In 1993, the design of the rifle was changed before being introduced in the army in 1996.

The rifle was put to use during the 1999 Kargil war.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
: Kerala's capital, Thiruvananthapuram, which was ranked first in the annual city governance ranking in a recent national survey, is now on its way to be declared as complete 'plastic-free' zone soon.

As an initial step, the City Coroporation here has imposed a blanket ban on all types of plastic carry bags within its limits from March 1.

"Green protocol has also been made mandatory for the conduct of all festivals and celebrations here from now on," Corporation sources said.

Besides plastic carry bags, use of plastic sheets, multi-layer plastic covers, disposable plates and glasses and packaged commodities will also be banned in the next phase, they said.

The authorities have also launched efforts to introduce eco-friendly cloth and paper carry bags in place of non-degradable plastic ones, which pose the biggest challenge in waste management.

Deputy Mayor Rakhi Rravikumar said over 5000 kg of banned plastic has been seized from various outlets in the city including branded shops in the last four days after the implementation of the ban.

The initiative would be a boon for the waste management initiatives in the city, where disposal of solid waste is a big issue, she said.

"The Corporation has formed a number of special squads to conduct raids across the city to seize plastic carry bags and issue notice to those who violate the ban," she told PTI.

"The ban will be made stricter from next month. Fine will be imposed on those shops and outlets which do not comply with the ban.We are also mulling stern steps like cancellation of the license of such shops which violate the order," she said.

Despite repeated warning by health and environmental experts, use of plastic articles, especially carry bags, is rampant in Kerala including in the capital city.

Carry bags made of low-quality plastic which pose great health and environment hazards, were widely used in majority of shops ranging from malls and branded super markets to street-side outlets.

The habit of burning plastic by city-dwellers and consuming hot food wrapped in plastic covers in hotels and street take-away also posed serious health concerns.

With an aim to put in place a permanent solution to the plastic menace, the Corporation is planning to introduce eco-friendly alternatives in its place, the Deputy Mayor said.

"We are carrying out an exhibition titled Go Green Expo to create awareness about alternatives to plastic carry bags. Public response to it is really good," she said.

In the Expo, the Corporation facilitates a platform for



manufacturers of eco-friendly paper and cloth bags. Those interested can place orders for the product directly there, the Deputy Mayor said.

Though the initiative garnered positive response from public as well as residents' associations, traders and shopkeepers are on a warpath against the move as they depended completely on plastic carry bags to distribute articles.

However, the Deputy Mayor said the plastic ban would be implemented effectively and the police help would be sought if necessary to carry out raids in shops.

Thiruvananthapuram was awarded top rank in the city governance ranking, Annual Survey of India's City-System (ASICS), undertaken by not-for-profit institution Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy (JCCD) which evaluated 21 major cities from the country's 18 states.

Pune is ranked second while Kolkata in the third slot in the survey, released last month.
North Korea's embassy in Kuala Lumpur has become ground zero in its high-profile diplomatic row with Malaysia over the murder of Kim Jong-Nam, providing a rare glimpse into the workings of the reclusive regime.

Malaysia yesterday gave the North's ambassador 48 hours to leave the country, the latest blow to a relationship that has rapidly worsened since the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader was assassinated.

The murder, carried out with the nerve agency VX at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on February 13, and the subsequent dispute have pushed Pyongyang's usually determinedly low-profile diplomats into the spotlight.

South Korea says the North's regime ordered the killing and Malaysia has named several North Koreans as suspects, although four of them left the country on the day of the killing.

There has been intense media speculation that two of the suspects may be hiding inside the embassy. Pyongyang's envoys meanwhile have blasted Malaysia's investigation as biased and demanded the return of the body.

On Friday police issued an arrest warrant for one of the men believed holed up in the embassy, a North Korean airline employee. They also requested that the other, the second secretary at the mission, assist the probe.

"They (the suspects) could be in the North Korean embassy as it is the safest place against questioning or possible arrest," a senior government official, who did not want to be named, told AFP.

The embassy, a two-storey neo-colonial house with a North Korean flag fluttering defiantly, is situated in Kuala Lumpur's well-heeled Bukit Damansara area known for its hipster cafes and restaurants.

For three weeks international media have been camped outside, awaiting the next doorstep statement and watching the comings and goings of black embassy cars and deliveries of ginseng chicken soup.

"This is extremely rare for a North Korean embassy to be in the spotlight because Pyongyang is usually low-profile," said Dr Roy Rogers, from the Department of International and Strategic Studies at the University of Malaya.

Malaysia formally established diplomatic relations with North Korea in the boom years of the 1970s.

"North Korea, despite its reclusiveness is part of the Non-Aligned Movement and Malaysia was trying to be a leader among developing countries," Ibrahim Suffian, a political analyst with the Merdeka Centre think-tank, told AFP.

"Malaysia tried to have a diplomatic footprint larger than its actual size," he added.

As long ago as 2000 the United States and North Korea held abortive talks in the Malaysian capital on curbing the North's missile programme.

Pyongyang opened its embassy in 2003, providing a conduit between it and the wider world, with Kuala Lumpur serving as a discreet meeting place for talks with Washington.

Last October former US diplomats held closed-door talks with senior Pyongyang officials in the city.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Leading elevator manufacturer KONE India is targeting 5-6 per cent sales growth this year on the back of new products and likely revival in the property market.

KONE India, a subsidiary of the Euro 8.8 billion KONE Corporation of Finland, posted a muted growth of 3-4 per cent in 2016 as sales and new launches of real estate projects fell sharply following demonetisation in November.

"The elevator and escalator market in India is currently about 50,000 units per annum. Escalator market is very small. Our market share was over 20 per cent in 2016," KONE India Managing Director Amit Gossain told PTI.

He said the company's business grew by 3-4 per cent during 2016 calendar year even as growth in the overall elevator and escalator industry remained flat mainly due to demand slowdown in the real estate market.

"Real estate sector is not doing well as the industry has been impacted by demonetisation. With things now getting more stable, there is likely to be growth in the real estate sector which should benefit the elevator and escalator industry," he said.

Gossain said the government's decision to accord infrastructure status to affordable housing in the Budget along with interest subvention would help the sector in gradually recovering from demonetisation impact.

The housing demand and sales are expected to grow from second half of this year, he added.

Stating that the elevator industry is likely to grow by 3-4 per cent during 2017, Gossain said the company expects to grow slightly faster at 5-6 per cent by offering leading technology products and best services to customers.

"We have recently launched gearless elevator KONE Neo which has a speed of 0.6 meter per second. This is a very good product for small homes and apartments," he said.

Gossain said the company has acquired a 20 acre land parcel near its existing plant in Chennai to set up a new unit to cater to domestic as well as export markets.

KONE India, which employs over 4,500 people, is focusing on research and development to develop new products as per the market requirement. It is also integrating digital technology into its products.

"Safety is at the top of our agenda. It is important that after the handover of the elevator, a proper maintenance contract is signed with the OEM. This ensures that the elevator is in safe hands and with regular checks untoward situations can be certainly avoided," he added.

Last year, KONE had signed a multi-year agreement with technology giant IBM for cloud-based Internet of Things technologies and services.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Make In India' and US President Donald Trump's emphasis on 'Make in America' are "not contradictory", Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas has said.

Pradhan, who was on a two-day visit to the city, made the remarks while underscoring India's focus on creating "a new energy story" using world class technology and cutting-edge innovation.

Prime Minister Modi's vision of 'Make in India and Trump's 'Make in America' are not contradictory, he said.

"If we use American technology and innovation in India's market, then it is not necessary that all components will be made in America. If American technology needs business, then they will have to come to India. We need a good business model and technology in our market. These are not contradictory," Pradhan told PTI in an interview here.

During his stay, Pradhan delivered the keynote address at the 2017 MIT Energy Conference and addressed students at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

He held talks with top city officials and energy experts, including former US Secretary of Energy and now a professor at MIT Ernest Moniz and Professor Henry Lee at Harvard.

Pradhan said energy accessibility and affordability is the Modi government's primary priority.

"We have to give clean energy to all our citizens. Our energy basket predominantly has coal but gas and renewables will also be part of our energy mix in future," he said.

He also emphasized that India's goal to produce 175 GW renewable energy by 2022 and to ensure energy security requires delivering energy to a large mass of population in a short span, for which self-sufficiency will be critical.

"We will need to increase our production. All this we will be able to accomplish when we have technology. Institutions like MIT and Harvard are natural points of innovation and new ideas. We are here to see how we can link this to our market, how we can bring the concept of energy justice as a deliverable," he said.

During his interaction with students, Pradhan said they talked about energy as a commodity and how to make it into a business model that can be replicated across developing nations that have to fulfill energy requirements for its citizens.

On the government's demonetization move, he said despite attempts at generating a "fear psychosis", economic growth has been on track and will improve in the months ahead as a vast majority of the Indian population has supported the government's move to combat corruption and black money.

He also attended a reception hosted for him by the Indian community in the greater Boston area, where he lauded the achievements of the Indian diaspora. He called on the Indian community to contribute to the technological advancement of India.

"We need technology, innovation, good business models and processes to take our country to the next level of growth. As the world today becomes a global village, we need the support of the Indian diaspora to realise this dream for our country," he added.
The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, will continue exchanges with the U.S. Congress this year to boost communication and understanding, Fu Ying, the spokesperson for the NPC annual session said Saturday.

"There are a lot of exchanges between the NPC and the U.S. Congress," Fu Ying told a press conference a day ahead of the meeting.

"We should deal with the China-U.S. trade deficit through further expanding the trade volume as many U.S. lawmakers are concerned about the issue," Fu added.
Mauritius plans to connect Kolkata and Hyderabad when its airline gets permission to operate in more Indian cities.

"Kolkata and Hyderabad are the two new cities for which we plan connectivity. Currently, we are allowed only for four cities and we are flying from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai," Air Mauritius manager, India and South Asia, Vinith G told PTI today.

"So far we are unable to connect with these cities (Kolkata and Hyderabad) due to bilateral restrictions and we are planning to initiate dialogue with India," he said.

Bilateral connectivity negotiations is held once in two years.

Currently only Air Mauritius links Indian cities with the island country.

Meanwhile, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) country manager Vivek Anand said demonetisation had affected tourist flow by 10 per cent in the last three months. However, that country's tourism department was looking at double digit growth for the current year.

Last year 83,000 Indians had visited Mauritius accounting for seven per cent of the total tourist inflow to the island country. It conducted five B2B roadshows in Indian cities, which ended with Kolkata today to promote tourism of the country.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold a roadshow here today in support of local BJP candidates, a day after an impromptu tour through the winding streets of the city.

Modi is scheduled to begin his tour today with the roadshow which will commence at 3 PM from the Police Lines helipad where his chopper will land, BJP media convenor for Kashi Prant, comprising several districts in eastern UP, Sanjay Bhardwaj told PTI.

"Traversing through localities like Pandeypur Chauraha, Hukulganj, Chaukaghat and Teliyabagh, he will reach Kashi Vidyapeeth premises where his 'Parivartan Sankalp' (pledge for change) rally is scheduled at 6.30 PM," he said.

Modi had hit the campaign trail here yesterday with an impromptu roadshow while he was on his way to two of the ancient city's most revered temples in the morning. He also held a public meeting late in the evening and later left the city.

The opposition had criticised yesterday's roadshow and the Congress even lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging that the show of strength was made without the requisite permission.

He will return to his parliamentary constituency this afternoon for a two-day visit, with less than 48 hours to go before the campaign for Uttar Pradesh Assembly poll's final phase comes to an end.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters, "We were enthralled by the massive crowds that came out yesterday to greet the PM as he travelled several kilometres in an open jeep."



He said the turnout was even greater than what was witnessed when Modi had come to the city to file his nomination papers during the 2014 general elections.

"We know that when the PM is among his people, they expect him to provide inspiration through his unparalleled oratory. So today his vehicle is likely to be fitted with a mike so that the people of Kashi get to hear their leader speak," Goyal, a senior BJP leader, said.

After the rally, Modi will leave for the Diesel Locomotive Works guest house where he will stay the night.

Before retiring for the day, the Prime Minister will interact with nearly 2,000 prominent citizens drawn from various walks of life at the DLW premises.

Tomorrow morning, Modi is expected to visit Ramnagar town across the Ganga and garland a statue of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri who had spent his early childhood there.

Modi is likely to sign off his campaign trail with a huge rally at Rohaniya, a predominantly rural Assembly segment on the outskirts of the city, before boarding his return flight.

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A day after BJP opted out of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) mayoral race, NCP MLC Dhananjay Munde today launched an online campaign to "expose" the opportunistic politics of the saffron allies (Sena and BJP).

Munde, who is also the leader of opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council, started the campaign with hashtag #DoYouRemember aimed at cornering both the Sena and BJP who indulged in mudslinging against each other during the recently concluded polls but called it a truce ahead of mayor's election scheduled for March 8.

"My point is very clear in this campaign. The language used by the BJP and the Shiv Sena leaders against each other during the BMC polls was indecent and harsh.

"With CM Fadnavis paving way for Shiv Sena mayor in the BMC... It is nothing but engaging into some kind of arrangement with the party (Sena). It is the same party with which BJP was fighting fiercely a few weeks back," Munde told PTI today.

"Through this campaign, I want to expose and point out the hollowness in their big talks," said Munde.

Munde has not only tagged Fadnavis but also BJP and Shiv Sena in his online campaign. He has also uploaded the relevant newspapers clippings during the electioneering days.

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A Rajya Sabha member today pitched for "expanding" the budget for the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, while emphasising that the body must play the role of a "catalyst" in ensuring a safe future for children.

Addressing a function here to mark 10 years of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Rajeev Chandrasekhar, member of the Upper House from Karnataka, said child rights issues, unlike women's rights, have received less attention because voices raised for it "have not been as loud."



"There are issues when it comes to the domain of child rights, and bulk of the work is being done under the framework of NGOs and volunteerism and 'inadequately' funded NCPCR and the state commissions.

"The budget for NCPCR must be expanded by the Centre. I will do whatever I can in my limited capacity for this. But, I also emphasise that NCPCR must play the role of a catalyst in ensuring safety of children," he said.

The Rajya Sabha member also recounted an incident about a child who was allegedly abused in a school in Bengaluru a few years ago, and the helplessness of the victim's parents, which prompted him to work for child rights.

NCPCR was set up in March 2007 under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005, and it functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

"Initially, when it came to issues related to children, only three factors were considered--nutrition, education and labour. Child safety for many years has not been on the radar for some reason.

"But, in the last few years, I believe the pendulum has swung, from apathy and negligence to acknowledging that child safety is not an isolated issue," Chandrasekhar said.

He also pitched for holding national conferences on the theme of child rights as conducted by the NHRC on human rights and conferences of judges on POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act.

"Our police and court system is not fully equipped to deal with child rights-related cases and sometimes they face hostile environment. It must be our joint effort to boost the capacity of the system, but NCPCR can and must play the role of a catalyst and bring things together," he said.

NCPCR Chairperson Stuti Kacker said the Commission is also focusing on adolescent age group as it is prone to indulge in crime.

"Also, in partnership with Khadi India, we are conducting charkha-spinning sessions for children, as the exercise has been found to be therapeutic as well, especially for those subjected to abuse," she said.

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The United States today launched a new wave of air raids against Al-Qaeda in Yemen, as jihadists fled from towns being targeted to mountainous areas, security sources said.

At least five early morning raids hit targets linked to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in the southern Shabwa and central Baida provinces, security sources told AFP.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Among the areas from which the radical group pulled its operatives is the Baida town of Ghail, where top AQAP commander Abdulelah al-Dhahab has reportedly been holed up, the sources said.

Suspected AQAP gunmen meanwhile killed five soldiers at a checkpoint in the southern province of Abyan, which has itself been hit by air strikes in recent days, security sources and medics there said.

Since Thursday, Washington, which regards AQAP as the jihadist network's most dangerous branch, has stepped up its air and drone strikes on Yemeni provinces including Baida, Shabwa and Abyan.

The Pentagon on Friday confirmed it had carried out more than 30 strikes against AQAP, conducted in partnership with the Yemeni government.

Local officials and tribal sources told AFP that at least 20 jihadists were killed on Thursday and Friday.

The bombing campaign comes after a botched January 29 raid against AQAP left multiple civilians and a US Navy SEAL dead in the first military strike ordered by President Donald Trump.

Al-Qaeda has exploited a power vacuum created by two years of war between Yemen's government and Shiite rebels who control the capital to consolidate its presence, particularly in the south and east.

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As Non-performing Assets (NPAs) of public sector soared to a staggering Rs 6.8 lakh crore, the chairman of a key Parliamentary panel on Sunday favoured naming and shaming corporate houses which default on repayment of bank loans.

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chief K V Thomas hopes "naming and shaming" such corporate houses may help financial institutions get back their money.

Out of the Rs 6.8 lakh crore of Non-Performing Assets of public sector banks, a whopping 70 per cent are those of big corporate houses, Thomas said, adding hardly one per cent of it constitutes loans to farmers.

"In case, of farmers or small traders, act strong and they go to their houses to recover money. They even get published their name and photograph in newspapers. But when it comes to corporate houses, they don't reveal the names.

"We intend to give names of such big defaulters who owe money to in our reports to be submitted in Lok Sabha before the end of budget session," he said.

The five-week-long second half of the budget session is scheduled to begin from March 9.

The PAC has suo motu chosen to examine the issue of bad loans of public sector banks as these were rising and needed to be checked, he said.

"We have met Chairmen and Managing Directors (CMDs) of a few public sector banks, including Indian Overseas Bank, Indian Bank and Allahabad Bank, among others, to discuss the issue. We plan to meet other CMDs too," he said.

Thomas said the banks have told the Committee that big corporate houses had taken loans for various infrastructure related works in sectors like civil aviation, energy and road construction, among others.

"Banks need to answer as to what was the guarantee taken by them before giving such big amounts as loan to corporate houses and what action is being taken by them. The rise in bad loans worries me. "We will be giving our detailed report on NPAs to Parliament. The report is likely to be submitted before the end of the budget session," he said.

As of September 30, 2016, the NPAs declared by various scheduled commercial banks stood at a stupendous Rs 6,65,864 crore, according to the government's reply in the Rajya Sabha last month.

According to the Ministry data, the NPAs of the country's largest lender State Bank of India is Rs 97,356 crore, followed by Rs 54,640 crore of Punjab National Bank and Rs 44,040 crore of Bank of India.

Bank of Baroda has NPAs of Rs 35,467 crore, Canara Bank Rs 31,466 crore, Indian Overseas Bank Rs 31,073 crore, Union Bank of India Rs 27,891 crore, IDBI Bank Limited Rs 25,973 crore, Central Bank of India Rs 25,718 crore, Allahabad Bank Rs 18,852 crore and Oriental Bank of Commerce Rs 18,383 crore.
The battle to retake west Mosul from the Islamic State group has pushed more than 45,000 people to flee, the International Organisation for Migration said today.

Iraqi forces launched a major push to recapture west Mosul from IS on February 19, retaking the airport and then pushing up into the city from the south.

The IOM figures indicate the number of people who came from west Mosul to sites for the displaced from February 25, when the arrivals began, through Sunday.

More than 17,000 people arrived from west Mosul on February 28 alone, while over 13,000 came on March 3, according to the IOM.

IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes and other support have since regained most of the territory they lost.

Iraqi forces launched the operation to recapture Mosul on October 17, retaking its eastern side in January before setting their sights on the smaller but more densely-populated west.

While the feared exodus of a million or more people from Mosul has yet to materialise, the IOM says that more than 200,000 are currently displaced as a result of the operation, while more fled but later returned to their homes.

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Tombstones overturned in a Jewish cemetery in New York were the result of environmental damage and not vandalism, police has said, amid a rising number of anti-Semitic incidents in the United States.

Officers were called to Washington Cemetery on Saturday evening and ordered an investigation to determine whether or not the incident was a hate crime, police yesterday said.

"Upon further investigation... It appears that the tombstones were toppled as a result of either long-term neglect, lack of maintenance or environmental factors," a spokesman later told AFP.

Recent weeks have seen scores of bomb threats against US Jewish organizations and at least three other Jewish cemeteries desecrated.

The Anti-Defamation League, a national civil rights group that tracks anti-Semitism, last week recorded 121 threats against Jewish institutions in 36 US states and two Canadian provinces since January 1, labeling the surge an "epidemic."



Some critics have blamed President Donald Trump's sometimes incendiary rhetoric and policies, which they say have stoked feelings of insularity and xenophobia.

Last month, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo promised a $25 million grant to boost security and a $5,000 reward for information leading to arrests and convictions for hate crimes.

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Home appliances and consumer electronics company Panasonic India is aiming to capture 10 per cent market share in the washing machines segment in the next fiscal year on the back of new product launches.

"In four years' time of manufacturing the product, we have achieved more than 5 per cent market share in the washing machine segment. Currently, the industry size of this segment is approximately 5 million units. In the washing machine segment, we are aiming to achieve 10 per cent market share in the FY2017-18," Panasonic India Home Appliances Head Gaurav Minocha told PTI.

Currently, the washing machine segment is growing at 20 per cent in which fully-automatic washing machines are growing more than 20 per cent and semi-automatic washing machines are growing more than 15 per cent.

The tier II and tier III cities contribute almost 40 per cent to the total sale of washing machines.

The company witnessed lower washing machine sales in November and December due to demonetisation but Minocha said the situation has started to normalise from January.

"We saw low number of sales in the month of November and December due to demonetisation, but washing machines still contributed 10 per cent to the total Panasonic turnover in India," he said.

The Japanese consumer electronics major aims to clock a revenue of Rs 10,800 crore this fiscal, compared to Rs 8,700 crore that it had posted last fiscal.

Panasonic India currently manufactures 5 lakh top load washing machines and plans to scale it up to 8 lakh in the near future.

The company recently launched 13 models of fully-automatic top loading washing machine series FoamPremia in the country and Minocha said they aim to capture 15 per cent market share in the top load washing machine category in financial year 2017-18.

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Exuding confidence ahead of the municipal polls, AAP today claimed people of Delhi were eager to vote it into power to "cleanse" the city and "corruption- ridden" civic administration.

"The BJP-ruled MCD has allowed the city to become filthy by failing in its sanitation job. And, people of Delhi, seeing our work in the last two years, now feel that if AAP wins civic polls, it will clean the city and the corruption in MCD," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led party is making its debut in the high-stakes elections to the MCD which has been ruled by BJP for the last 10 years.

The erstwhile unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi was trifurcated in 2012 into North, South and East Delhi Municipal Corporations. While NDMC and SDMC have 104 seats each, EDMC has 64 seats.

Sisodia was interacting with reporters after inaugurating a pilot project for "24x7 drinking water supply through taps" in Navjivan Vihar area in posh south Delhi.

AAP and the three corporations have lately gone on inauguration spree to make most of the time before the model code of conduct kicks in. The polls are due sometime in April.

"People of Delhi are eager to vote us (AAP) into power. And to clean the garbage, one must pick up the broom," Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra said, alluding to the party symbol.

Sisodia said the pilot project was "nothing short of a dream for us" and now our aim is to replicate it for entire Delhi in phased manner.

Water and sanitation are two major poll planks for the civic polls and AAP, which has attacked the BJP-ruled on sanitation front, is hoping to corner the ruling party to woo voters in its favour.

Navjivan Vihar falls under Malviya Nagar constituency and local MLA Somnath Bharati was present on the occasion.

"We have delivered to you at city government level and now doing as much as we can at the local level. But, further success of our plans would now hinge on municipal administration.

"So, put us (AAP) in MCD also, so that we can deliver to you from top to bottom... We are set to make waves in Punjab and Goa, allow us to serve people in the MCD also. We have the intent and we will chafe the system," Bharati said.

All three AAP leaders drank from a makeshift tap, installed near the venue, to symbolically inaugurate the facility.

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Villagers from Guangan, Sichuan province hold a housewarming banquet after they were relocated to new houses before the Spring Festival this year. (Photo by Peoples Daily)

China's poverty eradication is among the greatest human rights achievements, experts pointed out, dismissing voices smearing Chinas human rights record at the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.

Discriminatory words concerning Chinas human rights record are heard in almost every human rights session of the UN. It is believed some organizations and individuals with ulterior motives always turn a blind eye to Chinas human rights progress, but make a judgment via blinkers.

However, over the past years, China has made great achievements in human rights undertakings.For instance, food and clothing are no longer a problem for the 1.3 billion Chinese people. Over the past three decades, over 700 million people have been lifted out of poverty, accounting for more than 70 percent of the global poverty reduction.China is the first country to have realized the Millennium Development Goal of halving its poor population.

At present, 770 million Chinese are employed and nine-year compulsory education has achieved universal coverage. Rights of 230 million senior residents and 85 million handicapped people are well protected, and the basic life of over 60 million low-income residents in urban and rural areas is supported by the government.

Prior to the founding of PRC in 1949, China's per capita life expectancy was only 35, and for now the number has been raised to 76. China is hailed by the UN as having the best record of improving life expectancy during the past three decades.

Tom Zwart, director of the Netherlands School of Human Rights Research, rankedChinas record of poverty relief among the greatest human rights achievements of all time. He didnt hesitate to show his anger towards false speeches belittling Chinas progress.

I sincerely congratulate on the remarkable success of the CPC and Chinese government in eradicating poverty, added Zwart, also a human rights professor with UtrechtUniversity.

China has been actively engaged in international human rights cooperation based on the spirit of equality, mutual trust, inclusiveness, and mutual benefit, so as to push forward with a just and objectiveinternational human rights system.

In 2016, China was elected to the UN Human Rights Council by180 votes, becoming one of a few countries which have sat in the Council for four times.

China has joined 26 international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and five other core human rights covenants. It also shoulders its international human rights responsibilities by accepting multiple human rights reviews.

In addition, China has held human rights dialogues and exchanges with almost 40 countries, launched technical cooperation on human rights with UN agencies, injecting great energy into global human rights governance.

Zamir Akram, chair-rapporteur of the Working Group on the Right to Development at the United Nations Human Rights Council, commented that China is the only social and economic entity that has ever achievedsuch a rapid development.

Over 700 million Chinese people have been lifted out of poverty in such a short period, he hailed, adding that the countryalso has offered big amount of aid to other developing countries.
Public interest litigation (PIL) cannot be used as a "weapon to challenge financial or economic decisions", the has told the Delhi High Court opposing a plea against the surcharge on credit and debit card transactions.

The plea has alleged that the surcharge levied by the banks and the financial institutions on credit and debit card transactions was "illegal" and "discriminatory".

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has urged a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal to dismiss the PIL.

"The decisions are taken by the in exercise of its administrative/statutory powers and in public interest. The issues in the writ petition pertain purely to the economic policy of the state and the challenge to the same at the instance of a public-spirited person cannot fall within the parameters of PIL, as has been laid down by the Supreme Court from time to time," the submitted.

The response of the federal bank came on the PIL filed by advocate Amit Sahni who alleged that though Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation move was beneficial, the decision to levy surcharge on credit and debit card transactions was "highly unfortunate".

"The issue raised in the present petition almost affects everyone operating a bank account," the plea said, adding that the "unlawful, unequal and arbitrary treatment is visible in the payment of petrol charges through credit and debit cards".

The lawyer said that levying surcharge is not only illegal and discriminatory but it also promotes circulation of black money.

The RBI, however, refuted the petitioner's contention and said that it has neither violated any fundamental right or any legal right of the petitioner or any citizen of India.
A Delhi Police head constable was injured after a speeding car hit a barricade he was standing next to in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj.

A white Verna car hit Head Constable Premchand, who was delpoyed at a picket near NH-8 for routine vehicle checking, on the intervening night of March 4 and 5.

The policeman signalled the vehicle to stop but the driver sped up and hit the barricade.

"The head constable was injured and rushed to a hospital. He suffered a fracture in his right leg. A case has been registered and the vehicle has been seized," said the officer.

The driver has been booked on the charges of negligent driving, obstructing a public servant from discharging duty and causing hurt.

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Global direct selling major says it has "big plans" for India but needs clear-cut norms that differentiate genuine direct-sellers from those involved in illicit investment schemes.

Malaysia-based QNet's Global CEO Trevor Kuna emphasised that it sells products and services and not into "investment business" and said it has been paying all its taxes and all their payments have been made after deduction of taxes and that too through non-cash modes with full documentation and transparency.

The group and its Indian franchisee has been facing several legal cases in India and has been accused of indulging in fraudulent business activities -- the charges which it has been refuting consistently.

"We do have big plans for India, but like many other we are waiting and watching how the implementation of the guidelines unfolds on the ground," Kuna said in an email interview from Malaysia.

Amid persisting concerns over direct selling activities, the government last year came out with draft guidelines for such business with the aim to protect the consumers' interest.

On various occasions, certain direct selling companies, including QNet, have come under the scanner of government agencies for alleged malpractices.

"The draft guidelines are a good first step, but we have a long way to go before we can compare with these international laws.

"The need of the hour is to formulate clear-cut laws to govern the direct selling industry in India which has been generating large scale self-employment," Kuna said. Further, he said there is still no protection for genuine direct selling from the application of the Prize Chits and Money Circulation (banning) Act or other investment- related acts.

It has been alleged that had perpetrated fraudulent activities and a case is going in the court.

"Now that the chargesheet has been filed in the case in Mumbai and the matter will formally be heard in court, we will be able to prove beyond doubt the genuine character of our business model," Kuna said.

Betting big on Indian markets, he said, " has always recognised the potential of this market. Despite multiple hurdles over the years due to lack of legislation and awareness we have stood by our commitment to all stakeholders in the Indian market.

"I believe that the true potential for direct selling in India is yet to be realised. India is one of our top 5 markets and we are here for the long term, and seek a sustainable future.



He expressed confidence that the new Direct Selling Guidelines will help improve the business environment and make it viable for direct selling and direct sellers to do fair business and in the long run ambiguity surrounding this industry will finally be clarified.

"This is a very exciting time to be in the Indian market. India is part of the 'billion-dollar club' in the direct selling industry having generated approximately $1.18 billion in revenues in 2015," he said.

Kuna also said that QNet has not been banned in any country.

"In Saudi Arabia, the government issued a ban on direct selling and network marketing industry as a whole. QNet was not singled out," Kuna said.

Last December, markets regulator Sebi forwarded the complaints against QNet and its India franchisee Vihaan Direct Selling India Pvt Ltd to state government authorities in Karnataka.

"QNet's business model is sound and we stand by it ... No fraud company can last that long. Unfortunately, a lack of proper legislation for direct selling in India has led to many companies including us being investigated under various Acts," Kuna said.

The QNet chief also pitched for having an independent self-regulating trade body under the government.

On tapping the digital platforms for its business, the QNet chief said it adopted the e-commerce model way back in 1998.

"All our transactions are 100 per cent digital on our e-commerce platform. We provide all distributors with a virtual office on our platform to track their orders, earnings, oversee the performance of their teams, and manage their business.

"We have also introduced mobile apps that allow our distributors to conduct their business on their smartphone or tablet while they are on the move," he said.

He said the direct selling business is a $183.7 billion industry globally today with more than 100 million people involved in it.

"In India, an estimated 40 lakh people are involved in this industry, and Indian companies here generated approximately $1.18 billion in revenues in 2015," he said.

The Asia-Pacific region is responsible for 46 per cent of global direct sales, followed by the Americas (34 per cent), Europe (19 per cent) and Africa-Middle East (1 per cent), he added.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday accused the Uttar Pradesh government of not undertaking any developmental works in the state, "despite UP getting the highest share of funds from the Centre".

Addressing an election rally here, Rajnath said, "Despite UP getting the highest share of funds from the Centre, no developmental work has been undertaken in the state."

Taking a jibe at CM Akhilesh Yadav, Singh said, "UP CM had promised 24-hour power supply in the state. But, the administration is such that there is no power supply, yet people are getting the electricity bills."

Attacking SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Union Home Minister said, "Till a few days back, SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav was attacking the Congress, but his son has now entered into an election alliance with the Congress. SP has for the first time entered into a poll pact with a political party, which it has been opposing throughout its life."

In a lighter vein, Singh remarked, "A cot (khaat) is meant for sleeping, and not for holding meetings (apparently referring to Rahul Gandhi's khaat sabha)."

Rajnath also mentioned that father (Mulayam) has punctured the cycle, while uncle (Shivpal) has broken the chain of the cycle.

"During the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the country's economy became robust, but the Congress has brought it down," he remarked.

Commenting on the BSP, Rajnath said, "The health of the elephant has deteriorated, as earlier the elephant used to eat Peepal leaves. But, now it has started eating currency notes."

The 'do or die' campaign for the seventh and final phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, covering 40 assembly seats in seven districts, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency, will come to a close on Monday.

The seven districts going to polls in this phase are Ghazipur, Varanasi, Jaunpur, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Bhadoi and Sonebhadra.
Actor Sanjay Dutt is not nervous about his upcoming biopic as he believes his life, despite many controversies, has been an open book.

The 57-year-old actor, who is currently shooting his comeback film "Bhoomi" after completing his jail term, is looking forward to the movie, which is being directed by "Munnabhai" filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani.

"I'm not nervous about anything... Don't you all know about my life? And my things are out in the open. Bhushan (Kumar) is a big part of that film. I've just given my story and I've been with Rajkumar Hirani (while he was writing the film)," Dutt told reporters.

Talking about the new age actors, Dutt is all praise for Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt for the way they are handling their career in Bollywood. Ranbir will be seen playing Dutt in the upcoming biopic.

"I like Ranbir and Ranveer. Varun has also done some good work. These young boys and girls are really doing well. Alia is amazing. They work professionally and they perform well."



The actor says he chose Omung Kumar's revenge drama as his comeback film over a sequel because he appreciates good cinema.

"All my life I've been doing films which are original. I appreciate that people are recognising and appreciating that we're doing a film which we have thought about, we've written and is a film of a common man."



Dutt says he does not regret missing out on big budget films released in the last few years as he has worked in almost every genre.

"I have done every genre possible. I don't regret anything nor do I want to be a part of any other film. But yes, I do appreciate good cinema and good performances. It's only good for our industry that all the films should do well. Our industry should grow like that."



He may have served years in jail for being convicted in Arms Act but fans and the entire film fraternity have always loved him and wanted his comeback in Bollywood. Dutt says it is because of his grounded nature.

"I have been taught to be a good human, to respect people and be grounded no matter how big a person you become. That's what I've been taught by my parents."



The actor, who was convicted in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, had served a 42-month sentence at Pune's Yerwada jail. He was released on February 25 last year, 103 days ahead of his prison term.

"I also want to clear that the tag of 'deshdrohi' (traitor) has been dismissed by court and I was proved innocent in that case. I was only convicted in Arms Act.

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Senior Pro Leander Paes' place in Indian Davis Cup team will be up for discussion when the AITA Selection Committee meets tomorrow to pick the squad for the upcoming Asia/Oceania Zone tie against Uzbekistan.

The selectors will also deliberate whether to go with two singles players or opt for three.

Saketh Myneni, who pulled out of the New Zealand tie in the last minute, and Sumit Nagal have made themselves unavailable due to injury issues. Ramkumar Ramanathan, Yuki Bhambri and Rohan Bopanna would therefore be automatic selections due to their superior rankings.

When fit, Myneni has the ability to play both singles and doubles but now the question is whether to choose three singles players or two doubles' specialists.

In case the committee decides to pick three singles players, Bopanna's berth is certain since he is the best-placed Indian in the world rankings at number 24.

Bopanna was dropped from the side despite being higher-ranked than Paes in the previous tie in February but the big-server is likely to win back his place.

Bopanna did extremely well at the just-concluded Dubai ATP 500 event, where he ended runner-up with partner Marcin Matkowski and en route the final, he got the better of Paes and his partner Gracia Gulliermo-Lopez in the semifinals.

If ranking is the criteria, Paes will certainly lose his place in the side since he is placed fourth at number 62 with both Divij Sharan (54) and Purav Raja (56) now ahead of him.

There is also a feeling that if both Bopanna and Paes are picked, the team will be left with only Yuki and Ramkumar to compete in the singles. If there is an injury breakdown, neither Bopanna nor Paes would be able to compete in singles five-setters if required.

Even if the Committee decides to have two singles players, left-handed Sharan and Raja may not be ignored this time with AITA officials going on record to say that they would like to give youngsters a chance to be in the team.

In that scenario, it looks like Paes will lose his place and he will have to wait for the record-breaking 43rd doubles win in Davis Cup.

The question would then be about the third singles player. There are two contenders -- Tamil Nadu boys Prajnesh Gunneswaran and N Sriram Balaji.

Gunneswaran was in the side for the New Zealand tie in Pune, where India triumphed 4-1.

The Asia/Oceania second-round tie, first for Mahesh Bhupathi as non-playing caption, is scheduled for April 7-9 in Bengaluru and the winner will advance to the World Group Play-off stage.

World number 68 Denis Istomin is likely to lead the visiting side. Istomin, who stunned Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open second round earlier this year, had played a pivotal role in his side's 3-1 win over Korea in the first round.

He won both his singles and the doubles rubber with Sanjar Fayziev to shape Uzbekistan's win in the away tie.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 39-year-old Sikh man in the US has been shot and wounded outside his home by a partially- masked gunman who shouted "go back to your own country", in a suspected hate crime incident that comes just days after an Indian engineer was killed in Kansas.

The Sikh man, identified as US national Deep Rai by Indian officials in New Delhi, was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent, Washington, on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to his driveway.

Kent police said an argument broke out between the two men, with Rai saying the suspect made statements to the effect of "go back to your own country". The unidentified man then shot him in the arm.

The victim described the shooter as a six-foot-tall white man, wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face. Kent police are looking for the gunman.

Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said while the Sikh man sustained "non life-threatening injuries", they are treating this as a "very serious incident".

Rai is able to talk, an Indian government official said. The official said the government was ready to offer all possible assistance to the wounded man.

Authorities are investigating the shooting as a suspected hate crime, according to the Seattle Times.

Consulate General of India in San Francisco is in touch with local authorities who are ascertaining the nature of the crime, the Indian official said.

Kent police have launched an investigation into the case and reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.

"We're early on in our investigation," Thomas said.

Kent Police Commander Jarod Kasner said the incident is getting attention from the Sikh community and others.

"With recent unrest and concern throughout the nation this can get people emotionally involved, especially when (the crime) is directed at a person for how they live, how they look," Kasner said.

The incident is the latest in a series of troubling cases where members of the Indian community have been targeted in apparent hate crimes.

It comes close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".

Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gun shot wounds in his yard. However, police said in Patel's killing his Indian ethnicity does not appear to be a factor.

Jasmit Singh, a leader of the Sikh community in Renton, said he had been told that the Sikh man injured in Friday's incident has been released from hospital.

He said the victim and his family are "very shaken up".

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Syrian farmers near the Euphrates river are terrified the Islamic State group will literally open the floodgates to defend its stronghold Raqa, drowning their tiny villages in the process.

Water levels of the Euphrates, which snakes down through northern Syria and east into Iraq, have shot up over the past month near the jihadist group's de facto capital, Raqa city.

Residents of the modest farming villages scattered on the river's eastern bank say they are afraid the jihadists will destroy the Tabqa dam, Syria's largest, to slow advancing anti-IS forces.

"If IS goes through with its threat of blowing up the Tabqa dam, then all areas around the southern part of the river could be under water," said Abu Hussein, 67.

He spoke to AFP in Tuwayhina, a small village that was recently recaptured by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces east of the river and around 10 kilometres (six miles) from the dam.

Abu Hussein said "hundreds of villages and fields" could be submerged if IS opens the gates of the dam, which lies around 50 kilometres upstream from Raqa city.

"They don't even fear God. And if someone doesn't fear God, then I'm afraid of him."



The Tabqa dam sits 500 metres (yards) from the eponymous town, an IS stronghold since 2014 where many of its most senior commanders are based.

Tabqa is a key target of the SDF's months-long drive for Raqa, and its fighters have already advanced to just five kilometres from the town.

"We're hearing that Daesh is planning on blowing up the Tabqa dam," said Raheel Hassan Mahmoud, 58, in the arid village of Bir Hamad, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"If this happens, it means most of Raqa and Deir Ezzor will drown, while other towns die of thirst and crops and livestock die," he told AFP.

Hassan, a 35-year-old in nearby Bir Hassan, said he expected IS would flood the villages as a last resort.

"It could open up the dam's gates to cover itself as it withdraws, in case it's no longer able to resist in the area," he said.

The UN's humanitarian coordination agency (OCHA) says water levels of the Euphrates have risen 10 metres (33 feet) since late January.

The UN said the increase was "partly due to heavy rainfall and snow".

But it also pointed the finger at air strikes near the dam, "which, if further damaged, could lead to massive scale flooding across Raqa and as far away as Deir Ezzor" province to the southeast.

Any further rises in the water level or damage to the Tabqa dam "would have catastrophic humanitarian implications in all areas downstream", the UN warned.

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Tamil Nadu today protested the "escalation" in apprehension of its fishermen by Sri Lanka and said the Centre did "not seem to put adequate pressure" on Colombo regarding the matter.

In a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister K Palaniswami referred to the arrest of 32 Indian fishermen by the Lankan authorities in the last few days and said these incidents were causing hardship and mental agony to the fishermen community.

"This sharp escalation in harassment and apprehension of our fishermen, especially at a time when they are getting ready for the much awaited Katchatheevu festival, is causing considerable hardship and mental agony to the poor, innocent fishermen," the letter read.

A fisherman, who was about to be apprehended by the Lankan authorities, "attempted to swallow broken glass out of fear and mental stress, thereby endangering his life", Palaniswami said, adding that this highlighted the "desperate situation in which the Indian fishermen have been placed".

Tamil Nadu has been repeatedly urging the Centre to sanction a comprehensive project for conversion of mechanised trawlers into deep sea long-liners and create the infrastructure to resolve the issue, he said.

On the Centre's advice, the first batch of fishermen has also been trained in deep sea long-liner fishing operations, the chief minister noted.

"But, despite our repeated requests, neither has the Rs-1,650 crore package been approved by Government of India nor does there seem to be adequate pressure built up on Sri Lanka to desist from day-to-day harassment and arrest of our fishermen," Palaniswami wrote in the letter to Modi.

The fishermen peacefully go about their activities "in the waters in which they have enjoyed the customary rights to fish for several centuries", he added.

"Tamil Nadu's fishermen appear to have been left at the total mercy of the Sri Lankan Navy, which picks them up at random, incarcerates them for months together and fails to return their boats for years together, despite commitments made during talks," the letter read.

The chief minister also called for the retrieval of the Katchatheevu islet, ceded by India to Sri Lanka in 1974.

Citing examples, including in South-East Asia, he said countries have arrived at workable diplomatic arrangements in which, two sides continue to fish without any harassment and interference.

"There is no reason why a similar arrangement cannot be put in place between India and Sri Lanka," added Palaniswami.

Noting that currently, there were 85 fishermen and 128 fishing boats in Lankan custody, he urged Modi to direct the External Affairs Ministry officials concerned to take concrete action through diplomatic channels to secure their release.

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US President Donald Trump today questioned Barack Obama's "secret" conversation with Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev in 2012 as he continued his tirade against his predecessor, a day after he accused him of "wire tapping" his office before the presidential elections.

"Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, "Tell Vladimir that after the election I'll have more flexibility?" Trump tweeted, apparently referring to a hot-mic conversation between Obama and the then Russian President Medvedev in 2012 before his second term.

Facing flak over his top administration officials' alleged contacts with Russian officials during and after elections, Trump yesterday accused Obama of "wire tapping" his office in New York just before the 2016 presidential elections and likened the alleged surveillance of his communications to the "Watergate" scandal.

"Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" Trump had said, without providing any evidence to substantiate his claims.

"How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" he said.

Obama's spokesperson Kevin Lewis rejected the allegations as "simply false" and said the former US president never ordered surveillance on any US citizen.

Meanwhile, NBC reported that senior US officials had no clue about Trump's allegations of wire tapping at the Trump Tower.

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Chinas bike-sharing industry has embraced an explosive growth since last year. Data showed that by the end of last year, millions of bikes offered by over 20 bike-sharing companies have expanded their service to nearly 19 million users.

The bike-sharing service enables users to find, unlock and pay to rent the bicycles through a smartphone app. Mobike and Ofo are among the two largest of a growing crop of private bike-sharing operators.

Ofo, the company behind the yellow two-wheelers, announced on 1st Marchthat it has raised 3.1 billion yuan ($450 million) in a fresh round of funding. It not only represents the largest single deal in terms of fund raised by a bike-sharing firm, but also swells the firm to the industrys richest unicorn, a start-up companyvalued at over 1 billion dollars.

Shared bikes are lined up outside a subway entrance in CBD in Beijing. (Photo by Qiang Wei from Peoples Daily)

Public bike is not a fresh thing. Many Chinese cities have launched public bikes previously to meet the citizens demands for the last mile of public transportation, but congested public space and complicated procedures restrained the pace of such efforts.

Unlike the services provided by local governments, users of the newly emerging shared bikes like Orange-hued Mobike can find and pay for bicycles via a smartphone app and then leave them wherever they want. The location of the bike will be recorded by the data platforms, so that the next users can find one easily.

The economical and convenient service also responds to Chinas call for green, energy-saving transportation, attracting a host of fans due to its convenience and low price.

These bikes, a combination of sharing-economy, high-technology and market demands, also provide the outside world a glimpse into Chinas huge potential in sharing economy.

PwCs projections show that five key sharing sectorstravel, car sharing, finance, staffing, and music and video streaminghave the potential to increase global revenues to around 335 billion dollars by 2025, over 20 times higher than the number in 2016.

The latest report released by McKinsey & Company on Chinas sharing economy revealed that shared transportation is gaining wide popularity in the Chinese market, while office space and technology sharing is rising.

So far, Chinas sharing economy is applied in transportation, office space, skills and finance, while segment fields including car-hailing, bike-sharing, car-sharing and apartment-renting are growing in a faster pace.
The decision on whether or not to return the Syrian pilot who ejected into Turkey will be made following his treatment, a Turkish Cabinet minister said today.

Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli spoke with reporters in the southern border province of Hatay, where a Syrian military jet crashed yesterday.

Canikli said the pilot had "a few" broken bones and was receiving treatment at a local hospital, but wasn't in critical condition.

The pilot was found in an exhausted state after a nine-hour overnight search and rescue operation in the rain. Asked whether he would be returned to Syria, Canikli said "the decision will be made in the coming days" after the pilot's duties and activities have been "clarified."



Hatay governor Erdal Ata told state-run Anadolu agency yesterday that there had been no airspace violation and no intervention by Turkish forces.

Syrian helicopters were shot down for violating Turkish airspace in 2013 and 2015, and a Syrian MIG jet was shot down in 2014 for the same violation.

A Russian military plane was similarly shot down by Turkey for violating airspace in 2015, leading to months of tension between Ankara and Moscow. Syrian opposition military group Ahrar al-Sham said it had downed the plane.

Anadolu said the search and rescue operation was over because the plane was a single-person aircraft.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two youths were killed and four others have been injured when two bikes collided on Selor road here, police said.

The mishap occurred late last night near Dadabari Jain temple under Sadar police station area.

The deceased were identified as Ramavatar Gujjar (24), a resident of Vishdhari village and 19-year-old Noshad of Lankagate area here, police said.

The four injured were rushed to district government hospital from where Surendra and Ayub were referred to a Kota hospital, police said.

The bodies have been handed over to the families after postmortem.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US today assured India of working with all agencies to ensure "speedy justice" to the Indian-American victims of bias-related incidents.



"State Department, on behalf of US Govt, expressed condolences and assured they are working with all agencies concerned to ensure speedy justice," the Indian Embassy in the US said in a series of tweets.

State Department, on behalf of US Govt, expressed condolences and assured they are working 3/4 @NavtejSarna @MEAIndia @SushmaSwaraj  India in USA (@IndianEmbassyUS) March 5, 2017

India's Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna reached out to the State Department to convey his "deep concerns" to US government on recent tragic incidents involving Hardish Patel and Deep Rai.

Sarna also "underlined" need to prevent such incidents and protect Indian community.

Indian Embassy officials are in constant communication with local police officials in both the cases.

In the case of Patel, the County Sheriff has pointed out that this may not be a hate crime. "We will remain in touch with them," an Indian Embassy source said.

The Consulate General of India in Atlanta has deputed a consular official to meet the family and offer condolences and any required assistance.

"It is also in touch with the local community organisation of expat Indians, including those from Gujarat," sources said.

"I condemn this hateful act, the shooting of a local man because is a Sikh. We all must stand together," said Congressman Rick Larsen.

There have been a slew of bias-related incidents in the US, raising concerns over the safety of Indian-American community.

Patel, 43, the owner of a convenience store in Lancaster County, South Carolina, was found dead of gunshot wounds in the front yard of his home on Thursday.

Rai, 39-year-old Sikh, has been shot outside his home by a partially-masked gunman who shouted "go back to your own country", in a suspected hate crime.

A series of troubling cases have reported where members of the Indian community have been targeted in apparent .

It comes close on the heels of shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".
Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik today shot a letter to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, seeking clarification on whether he "justifies" it to "retain" the tainted minister Gayatri Prajapati in his cabinet.

"A non-bailable warrant has been issued against Prajapati after an FIR was registered against him in rape case. Serious question of constitutional morality and dignity arise on his remaining in the cabinet", Governor said in a letter to CM seeking his "justification on retaining the minister".

Naik said that as per media reports, a look out notice has been issued against Prajapati fearing that he might flee from the country and his passport has also been impounded.

"This is serious in nature with Prapatati being a cabinet minister", he added.

He said, it has also come to his notice that CM himself has asked the minister to surrender but he has not done so till now and is absconding. There are apprehensions that he might have fled to some foreign country, he said.

The police is searching for the minister and trying to arrest him, the governor said in his letter.

Yesterday, the passport of Prajapati, who is a senior UP government minister was impounded and a look-out notice was issued against him, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused SP-Congress of chanting "Gayatri Prajapati Mantra".

On the directives of the Supreme Court, UP Police has filed an FIR against Prajapati, a senior SP leader, in connection with separate cases of gangrape and attempt to rape another woman and her minor daughter.

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China will resolutely oppose Taiwan's independence, Premier Li Keqiang said today amid heightened tension between Beijing and the island.

"We will thoroughly implement the policies in our work report to Taiwan, uphold the 'One China' principle," Li said in his work report to the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC).

"We will protect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, maintain peaceful growth of cross straits relations and safeguard peace and stability," he said.

"China will not tolerate any activity, in any form or name, which attempts to separate Taiwan from the motherland," Li said.

China claims Taiwan as part of its mainland and opposes any country having any political and diplomatic relations with the self-ruled island.

China recently took exception to US President Donald Trump's comments that he would negotiate on the 'One China' policy.

Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to Trump only after Trump agreed to abide by the 'One China policy' followed by his predecessors.

At the same time, Li said the notion of Hong Kong independence would lead nowhere, and Beijing would ensure that the principle of "one country, two systems" is applied in Hong Kong and Macao.

"We will continue to act in strict in compliance with China's constitution basic law of Hong Kong and Macau special administrative regions and we will ensure that the principle of one country two systems steadfastly applied without being bent or distorted," he said.

China recently objected to a British government report which stated that developments inHongKong have affected confidence in the city's autonomy, though the rule of law in the city remained robust 'despite challenges'.

HongKongwitnessed a series of pro-democracy demonstrations with large participation of people over the past couple of years, with some people pushing for independence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A major plan to provide an enhanced anti-terror cover to airports is in the offing which will involve deploying smart CCTV cameras, armoured vehicles and perimeter protection fences at these facilities.

The CISF, tasked with providing armed cover to 59 civil airports in the country, has embarked on a first-ever mission to prepare a 'concept paper' to standardise security gadgetry and infrastructure at these locations.

Once in place, the country's airports would be among some of the best secured across the globe.

A high-power panel comprising officials of the CISF, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and airport operators has begun conducting a ground assessment at select airports and the beginning of 'tag-free' hand baggage for passengers is a measure in this direction.

The initial upgrade of such security systems is expected to be operationalised in the next few months.

"We are in the process of preparing a concept paper for integrating the overall security architecture at airports under our cover. It will spell out the entire gamut of security-related protocols. We expect that our task in this domain will enhance and hence standardisation of such issues is important," CISF Director General O P Singh told PTI.

He said the paper will be shared with other stakeholders in airport security for its effective implementation and with an aim to put it in place in one go.

A senior official supervising airports, under the command of the Union Home Ministry, said a series of smart gadgetry coupled with changed layout of physical barriers will soon come up.

A blueprint prepared in this regard by security agencies, also accessed by PTI, states that the "CCTV systems that monitor pre-embarkation checks and security hold area need to be upgraded to capture the whole gamut of activities from the terminal area upto the aircraft".

"It is desirable that every part of terminal building (especially the sterile zone that passengers enter after their physical frisking) has CCTV coverage without any grey areas," it states.

"Video analytics features in the existing CCTV cameras are required to be installed. This would help in identification of passenger, staff and unattended baggage in a lesser time to make analysis and fix accountability," it said.

The blueprint also stipulates that the quick reaction teams of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) should immediately be provided with armoured vehicles to effectively counter a terrorist attack.

Large airports like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru should be secured by foolproof intrusion-detection systems or perimeter fences, it says.

(Reopens DEL 5)



It adds that there is an urgent requirement for



"re-arrangement of layout of the security hold area so that the threat baggage segregated for physical checking can be kept out of reach of the passenger."



It says that the "re-arrangement of security layout" assumes significance at a time when it has been decided to do away with stamping and tagging of the hand baggage.

The physical stamping of these tags ensures that there is an accountability as to which security personnel cleared what bag.

The official added that the select seven airports-- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Cochin, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad-- will also undergo a change in the length of the output roller coming from the X-ray machine so that both 'clean' and 'suspect' bags can be identified easily for further verification.

He said these airports will also have "dedicated" CCTV cameras which will have power backup facility so that these surveillance gadgets function even when the normal power trips or shuts down due to an accident or emergency.

Such backup cameras will be installed at other airports too, the official said.

Manpower enhancement of the CISF at the airports is also being done, the official said, adding bolstering has recently been done at the Guwahati and Dehradun airports.

Out of the 26 'hyper-sensitive' airports in the country, like the ones in metro cities of Mumbai and Delhi, 18 are under CISF cover while six, like Srinagar, and others are not.

Under the sensitive category there are 56 airports out of which only 37 have the paramilitary cover and amongst 16 normal airports, only four have CISF security.

To sum up, out of the total 98 functional airports in the country, 59 are under CISF cover leaving out 39.

Out of the 59 airports, 53 are operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and six by joint ventures or private players.
Scientists here have identified three new species of microbes that flourished on mobile handsets.

How grimy are the ubiquitous



Reports from Western nations have suggested that are more often dirtier than toilet seats, with some smart phones even known to harbour deadly drug resistant bacteria.

The startling finding is by scientists of the government-owned National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) here who have been able to identify three new species of microbes from screens of .

Two bacteria and fungus, never before reported in scientific literature, were identified by this laboratory funded by the Department of Biotechnology.

Earlier a study done in 2015 by William DePaolo, an assistant professor in the Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Department at the University of Southern California, found that toilet seats usually contained three different types of bacteria but mobile phones on an average housed some 10-12 different types of fungi and bacteria.

Mobile phones since they are carried in almost all human environments from the kitchen to the public transport harbour a larger diversity of micro-organisms. These microbes grow well on the sweat and grime left on the phones as humans carry them around.

In Pune, Yogesh S Shouche and his team from the Microbial Culture Collection group of the NCCS collected samples from 27 mobile phone screens and they were able to isolate 515 different bacterial types and 28 different fungi.

These microbes are friendly to humans and usually thrive on our bodies, says Praveen Rahi, a co-investigator for the work.

The team used sterilised cotton swabs and sterile saline solution to wipe from the surface these microbes which were then grown using standardised culture media at 30 degrees centigrade.

But what surprised this six-member team was that they encountered three new species of organisms -- two bacteria they have named Lysinbacillus telephonicus and Microbacterium telephonicum and a new species of fungi that they named Pyrenochaeta telephoni.

There is some good news, Rahi emphasises.

"In the samples they collected none of the highly dangerously pathogenic microbes like Staphylococcus aureus, the most common multi-drug resistant super bug.

Yet he emphasises they did not actively sample smart phones used by health care workers where these super-bugs usually reside.

This Pune finding on the hygiene of mobile phones suggests that the situation is not as bad in India even though in this nation of 1.3 billion people there are more mobile phones than toilets.

On the other hand, a 2015 study from Alexandria in Egypt where more than half of the 40 samples collected from doctors at the university hospital harboured the super bugs.

This week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) gave out an alarming finding that 12 families of microbes were winning the war against anti-biotics and humanity urgently needed to discover new chemicals to kill these super bugs.

The WHO said, "antibiotic resistance is growing, and we are fast running out of treatment options."



The simplest way to keep mobile phones clean and hygienic is not to carry them to toilets and to occasionally wipe them with semi-dry piece of cloth moistened with soap water and then fully drying the handset before putting it to use.

It is recommended that commercial cleaning fluids and sanitiser should not be used and that the mobile device should be switched off before any cleaning is attempted.

The NCCS group is known for their varied expertise on microbes as they house under one roof some 200,000 different microbe cultures making it possibly the world's single largest microbe culture collection.

As they say mobile phones are literally mushrooming with India alone being home to some 900 million handsets yet who ever imagined that new species of organisms would be discovered from this twenty first century electronic marvel. The ubiquitous mobile phone is now a new haven for microbes.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has pitched for the inclusion of real estate under the ambit of the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST).

In a letter to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Sisodia praised him for piloting the ambitious tax reforms even as he pointed out the "mistake" of keeping land and real estate out of its scope.

Sisodia, who also holds the Finance portfolio, said doing so would only weaken the fight against black money and cited a recent newspaper column by chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanians to buttress his point.

Supporting the points raised by Subramanian, the Deputy Chief Minister said land and property transactions can be made more transparent by including real estate in GST.

"All the political parties are showing much willpower when it comes GST . Maybe more willpower is needed to bring real estate under its ambit. I believe if it does not happen now it will never happen. I want you to discuss this issue once again," he wrote.


Jio's Rs 303 offer, so far, was uncontested by any other telecom operators in the country. However, Airtel's new offer does take on competition, rather aggressively. This new offer will come in direct comparison with Reliance Jio in terms of costing per GB. According to this new tariff, Airtel will be offering 28GB of data at a price of Rs 345.

As promised by Airtel Chief, Sunil Mittal, this new tariff will be head to head with Jio's best offers. Similar, to Jio's Rs 303 offer, there will be a data limit of 1GB per day. The company has, however, made certain modifications.

The user subscribing to Airtel's Rs 345 offer will get 500MB data for the day and 500MB data for night. Users who want to use the entire 1GB data whenever they want, will have to subscribe to the Rs 549 plan.

The users will have to subscribe to this plan before March 31 to avail the benefits. After which they can avail the offer for the next 11 months. All telecos are targeting for the March deadline to retain their subscribers or even make them switch from Jio.

The second largest telecom operator of the country, Vodafone also launched a new scheme which is at par with both Airtel and Jio's offers. The new plan, which will cost Rs 346 per month offers benefits like unlimited calls and SMS with 28GB data for a month. Vodafone in a statement said that this offer is valid only till 15 March.

Last month, RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani announced Jio's Rs 303 data plan along with the Prime Membership, which offers 28GB 4G data and unlimited voice calls without any roaming charges.

However, Reliance Jio Prime members get unlimited data but only 28GB of which will be available at 4G speeds and there is a 1GB/day limit as well.


On Oct. 8, 2016, the day before Chinas traditional Double Ninth Festival when people show respect to the elderly, resident troops made dumplings and watched shows with senior citizens at a nursing home in Qingdao, Shandong province. (Photo by Peoples Daily)

By further streamlining administration and delegating power, strengthening supervision and improving the service level, China will mobilize social forces to participate in the development of elderly care industry, lower the institutional cost for entrepreneurship and create a fair development environment, according to a policy paper released by relevant Chinese authorities recently.

The Notice on Accelerating the Reform on the Entry, Supervision and Service Level of the Senior Service Industry was released by thirteen departments, including Ministry of Civil Affairs, National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Land and Resources and National Elderly Work Committee Office.

Now entering into an aging society, China has huge demands for the elderly nursing industry. In 2015, the number of senior aged over 60 in China reached 220 million, accounting for 16.1 percent of the total population.

The quality of the industry concerns over 200 million senior citizens, especially the over 40 million incapacitated or semi- incapacitated elderly.

However, the sheer quantity and quality of Chinas senior service supply still fall short of the increasing demand for the industry. China is now still headache with inaccessibility of urban and rural public facilities, as well as insufficient supply of senior products.

Other than a livelihood project involving the welfare of billions of people, the senior service industry is also a rising business with great potential.

At the end of last year, the Chinese State Council released a guideline on widening the access of the senior service market and improving the quality of senior service, requiring the service to orient towards community, rural areas as well as incapacitated and semi-incapacitated senior citizens.

Nursing care resources should be further expanded and the development of small-sized and professional chain service agencies should be vigorously supported, read the guideline.

To address the short boards in senior service, the guideline also pointed out that for community senior service, China will speed up the construction of a comprehensive service information platform and provide such home service as meal assistance, cleaning assistance, walking aid, bathing assistance and medical assistance.

Small-sized community nursing homes are encouraged to meet the needs of senior citizens within close proximity as well.
The Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) is designed to enhance public safety, while reducing spending in the criminal justice area. The JRI bill was passed two years ago, but Cache County Executive Craig Buttars said that because no funding came with it, the use of the JRI has been limited. He believes the Utah Legislature may change that before the session ends.

The bill that passed two years ago basically changed a lot of the nonviolent drug offenses from felonies to misdemeanors, and so were trying to make it so individuals who have drug offenses can receive their counseling and the help that they need sooner in the system, said Buttars. Weve lacked the funding to do that for the last couple of years since it was implemented, so this year were hoping the funding will be there so that we can actually provide the program and move it forward as it was intended.

Buttars said if the bill is improved, it will probably have broad support.
LOGAN  More than one-hundred people took part in a conference at Mt. Logan Middle School last Thursday, discussing the opioid drug epidemic in Cache Valley.

The event was organized by the Cache County Sheriffs Office and featured speakers from the Cache Rich Drug Task Force and University of Utah College of Pharmacy.

Afterwards, Sheriff Chad Jensen said drug abuse effects almost everyone either personally, or through friends and family. He and his deputies put on the conference in hopes of clearing up some of the misunderstandings about prescription and illegal drug abuse.

Often times I think there might be a misconception that if it is prescribed by a doctor it is safe and okay, said Jensen. Well heroin is not prescribed by a doctor and its basically the same narcotic. Prescriptions have their place in the world and they should be used if somebody needs that, but they can also be addictive and abusive as well.

William Pace, pharmacy student at the U of U, discussed statics of how Utah ranked 7th in the country for drug overdose deaths between 2013-2015. He also highlighted how more people die from prescription drug overdoses than heroin and cocaine.

Jensen said on average, deputies are called to between 18-24 drug overdose incidents a year in the county.

The statistics and the tracking of this is newer too, because of its prevalence. So, I dont know if we have tracked it far enough to say it was this substance, this substance or this substance. We only know it was a drug overdose.

During the presentation, Pace explained some of the warning signs of opioid overdose, such as pinpoint pupils, respiratory depression and unconsciousness. He also demonstrated how family and friends can use the drug Naloxone, to reverse the effects of opioids in an emergency.

Jensen said if someone suspects their friend or family member might be abusing drugs, especially prescription drugs, they should seek help.

Theres hot-lines you can call to get advice. Call the physicians. Call the police and let us know and let us help you. We will have the information to get you in touch with the right people, but dont be afraid to search and ask for help, regardless of where it comes from.

And then just be cautious in what you leave in your home and what you dont have in your home. Medications are good things and are there for a reason, but when you dont need them anymore, dispose of those things so that they dont become such a problem.

Price said there is more information on how to help someone struggling with an opioid drug addiction at utahnaloxone.org. The website was started by the family of someone who lost their life to an opioid overdose.

<hr /><p style=text-align: center;>will@cvradio.com
Elma Hotel, Zikhron Yaakov, Israel: A Single-Sited Cultural District

Published on March 5, 2017

Story by Pablo Markin

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Despite its location on the global and local margins, Elma cultural complex and hotel positions itself as an emergent destination for locally-sourced cuisine, classical and contemporary performances and art appreciation on the premises of a historical Yaakov Rechter-designed sanatorium erected in 1968.

Standing metaphorically for the Israeli brand of socialism falling gradually into disrepair, this building with a patina of functional modernism is an unwitting sign of the times as it became recuperated as a luxury, art-laden hotel in 2015. While boutique hotels keep popping up across Israel urban landscape, and even high-end Palestinian hotels rake in top reviews from international travelers, outlier locations also begin to sport highlights that straddle the erstwhile divide between hospitality and cultural districts.

Thus, Elma Hotel masterminded by Lily Elstein, the patron behind this arts center, not necessarily puts Zikhron Yaakov on a global map, but offers an opportunity to contemplate the layers of history that have constituted the restored architectural structure that forms the basis for this establishment. Elmas year-round classical concert, dance performance and visual arts programming meets cultural needs of both local and regional audiences as well as urbanites looking for a respite.

This also leaves place for smaller-scale events, such as master classes, which turns the Elma complex into both a cultural destination and a community place. The relatively miniature scale of the Elmas concert hall with a variable acoustic configuration makes it well-suited for chamber music pieces, Baroque operas and boundary-crossing genres such as world music. As part of this Elma hosts shows both by budding local artists, such as the Young Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, and international musical collectives and luminaries.

A custom-built Germany-imported pipe organ adds to Elmas ability to go the range from classical symphonies to chamber music quartets to modernist experimentations, e.g., Gustav Mahlers late-Romantic and pre-modernist symphonies. Those willing to mix drinks, hors doeuvres and conversations before, during or after jazz sessions and musically diverse performances can do that at the Cube that also serves as an after-party space, where locale visitors gather in a bar atmosphere on the backdrop of a diminutive stage opening onto a square lower area studded with an array of restaurant-like seating.

Its ambient, heterogeneous soundtrack echoes the semi-permanent exhibition of local contemporary art curated by Tel Avivs Givon Gallery, which ensures that ground-level ambulation through Elmas halls, nooks and crannies turns into an exploration of Israeli art, such as Sigalit Landaus Salt Bride photographic series documenting the crystallization of a female gown in the brine of the Dead Sea.

Going from wall to wall in Elmas Elstein Galleries can provide an overview of Israeli modern-to-contemporary painters work from the generation of Raffi Lavie, Pinchas Cohen Gan and Moshe Gershuni. Elmas skylights in lateral lobbies open toward both large-scale works, such as Nurit Davids painting, and works that explore the continuum between painterly and sculptural representation, as in Micha Ullmans objets dart.

This culture complex blending in fine dining grounds, casual bar areas, and a performance space also deconstructs the notion of the white cube as not only an ultimately modern background for artworks, but also an aesthetic originally developed for the commercial presentation of commodities.

Story by Pablo Markin
Chinas economic transformation has entered a quality improvement phase following a period of slower growth, a Chinese economist told the Peoples Daily in a recent interview.

Last year, the economy experienced slower but stable growth, while the producer price index (PPI), which measures the cost of goods at the factory gate, increased, ending a four-year streak of decline, said Li Wei, director with the Development Research Center of the State Council.

The economist further explained that in the same period, businesses reported growth, and urban employment also registered a better-than-expected number.

All these signs show that Chinas economy is moving towards more healthy growth in terms of both quality and efficiency, leaving less risks for a sharp fall,  he added.

Dragged down by weak global demand, Chinas exports slumped7.7 percent year on year in 2016, the second annual decline in a row. A key troublemaker of the dismal exports is less foreign direct investment in manufacturing.

But Chinas investment into other markets is surging. Official data shows that non-financial outbound direct investment increased 44.1 percent year on year to $170 billion in 2016, far outweighing the around 15 percent growth of previous years.

It on one hand means more domestic businesses are now improving their competence and profitability by expanding overseas markets, and on the other hand implies that Chinas reforms to build an open economy are reaping harvests, Li pointed out.

The Chinese government, in its annual Central Economic Work Conference which sets the national agenda for economic work, has prioritized revitalizing the real economy.

To fulfill the mission, Li suggested that China first boost demand by rebuilding consumer confidence in the Made in China brand.

To realize this goal, relevant departments need to tighten supervision on product quality, strengthen protection of consumer rights, and improve the overall institutional environment, he elaborated.

According to Li, Made in China 2025, a national plan to boost the manufacturing sector, has to be strictly implemented to improve business innovation.

The scholar explained that although Chinese companies have strong manufacturing capability, most of them must become more.competitive.

We need to foster a host of strategic industrial clusters with core competence as soon as possible, and create more famous brands recognized in the overseas market, the scholar continued.

He said that downward pressure remains in 2017, but China should focus on its reform and development amid challenges from the global economy.

Facing the arduous task of supply-side structural reform, China will secure stable growth this year as soon as it can prevent systematic risks, Li concluded.
As Russia and China vetoed it, the UN Security Council failed to adopt a draft resolution on Syria sanctions on 28th February. But what impressed is the seven-minute-long explanation given by a Chinese diplomat on the reasons behind the decision, in which he unmasked the extremely hypocritical faces of some powers.

The defeated resolution, drafted by Britain, France and the US, aimed to impose sanctions over alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria. If adopted, the draft resolution would have imposed asset freezes and travel bans on individuals and entities associated with the Syrian government.

The British, US and Japanese representatives pointed blame at China and Russia after their veto against the draft. UKs permanent representative to the UN Matthew Rycroft told the council that he was astonished by Russias abuse of veto power, and was surprised and disappointed that China had also cast a veto.

Chinese permanent representative to the UN Liu Jieyifought back those denouncements with a rare seven and a half minutes long speech.

We oppose the use of chemical weapons by any state, any organization and any individual under any circumstance, and support the punishments against all instances of chemical weapons use,"said Liu.

As a victim of chemical weapons back in those days, China has more right than any other country to condemn its use, the diplomat added.

He also called on relevant countries to reflect on history to prevent from repeated catastrophes, citing the Middle East region as an example.

We still remember the huge disasters brought by some countries after they waged wars against the region by alleging the latter of possessing large amount of weapons of mass destruction, and the Middle East still has not shaken itself from its after-effects, Liu underlined.

He stressed that "it is too early to reach a final conclusion" since investigations on the use of chemical weapons are still ongoing, adding that a forcible vote amid serious disagreements of members did not help solve the chemical weapons issue in Syria, let alone the political settlement of the Syrian crisis.

In his last seconds of off-script remarks, Liu asked relevant stakeholders to reflect on how Syria and the Middle East were allowed to degenerate to their current situations, and what parts they played in this process.

Which actions are good and which ones are ulterior? It is extremely hypocritical to take the interests of the public only in words, the ambassador emphasized.

Zheng Qirong, a UN studies expert at China Foreign Affairs University, said that Lius relatively long statement is the latest case of Chinese representatives sending detailed, timely and clear-cut messages refuting slams or misunderstandings from the outside world.

But he pointed out that as the US and Russia are now wrestling their influence in Middle East affairs, the outside world will focus more on Chinas positions.
Tameh Valentine, National President Teachers Association of Cameroon Wilson MUSA

The National President of Teachers Association of Cameroon, TAC, Tameh Valentine has reiterated that the strike action initiated by Teachers in the English sub system of Education was purely educational, hence had no political undertone.

Mr Tameh who was one of the signatories to suspend the strike action on February 3, 2017 said those teachers who want to link the strike to political issues should resign as teachers and join politics. He made the statements in Buea last Friday March 3, in a Press Conference during the extra ordinary Council session of the CGCE Board.

Tameh Valentine who was very vocal during the early days of the strike said government has listened to their cries and is already implementing clauses of resolutions arrived at in Bamenda on January 13, 2016 paving the way according to him for a restart of activities in schools.

The President of TAC also said one of the reasons why the strike was called off is due to the nonpayment of salaries by proprietors to teachers in private schools which made life difficult to the latter. He added his voice to that of the Board to appeal to parents to send their children to school come Tuesday March 7.

According to Semma Valentine the now Acting National Executive Secretary General of Cameroon Teachers Trade Union, CATTU, Government has shown signs of good faith and that when they called the strike, they didnt bargain for all what has taken place with activities in schools paralyzed. His wish is that schools resume soon so that children can take on their end of year examinations.

However the two Trade Union leaders who were invited at the council as guests did not mention the imprisonment of their colleagues with whom they fought together. Journalists who raised this issue were told by the GCE Board Registrar that they have raised a pertinent question but to the wrong persons. He said such questions can only be answered by administrative authorities.
"That would mean the victim is no longer on the periphery and perhaps seen as a bit of a nuisance, but is seen at the centre of our pastoral life; it's almost like an ethical conversion that we have to have."
Police said they were alerted to the incident by another resident of the unit earlier on Sunday. That resident told police the 39-year-old man had barricaded himself in the unit overnight after an argument, and that he had allegedly assaulted the resident with a weapon. Police would not say what type of weapon was used.
China on Wednesday released its strategy on cyberspace cooperation, with an aim to build a community of shared future in cyberspace around the globe. The roadmap offers the Chinese solution to difficulties the world is now facing in cyberspace governance.

The International Strategy of Cooperation on Cyberspace, issued by Foreign Ministry and State Internet Information Office, is the first document China has released regarding the virtual domain.

Themed with peaceful development, win-win cooperation, the strategic guideline illustrates China's approach to cyberspace cooperation. It is the first comprehensive and systematic policy paper China wrote about international cooperation on this subject.

The strategic document called for an international cyberspace collaboration based on peace, sovereignty, shared governance and shared benefits.

In the paper, China urged the international community to ensure peace and security in cyberspace by observing the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter in real earnest, persist in equal-footed sovereignty, never pursue cyber hegemony or interfere in other countries internal affairs, and put in place a multilateral, democratic and transparent global governance system based on international cyber rules drafted by all stakeholders.

All countries should strive for complementarity of strengths and common development of all countries in cyberspace, in a bid to bridge the digital divide and ensure that people across the world can share the benefits of internet development, the guideline advised.

In order to realize the final common community, actions speak first. The document listed Chinas actions plans in terms of formulation of international rules, partnership, governance system, protection of human rights, security cooperation, cultural exchanges, and other three perspectives.

The remedies the guideline offered are based on Chinas experience in Internet security and informationization undertakings, as well as the worlds cooperation fruits.

International cyberspace cooperation has been high on Chinas agendas. Chinese President Xi Jinping, while addressing the second World Internet Conference in late 2015, proposed an accelerated reform of global Internet governance system as well as a cyberspace community of shared destiny.

Chinas first strategic document in the subject demonstrates its firm determination to push ahead international cooperation, Peoples Daily pointed out in its commentary under the byline of Zhongsheng.

The guideline not only declares Chinas cyber policies in an all-round manner, but also depicts a prosperous and secure future for world cyber security, the article added.
Children at a kindergarten in Dingwei county, Guizhou province are having their nutritional meals. A total of 181 pre-school children in the county, which is among the 20 poorest in the province, have been offered nutritional meals each day since the fall semester of last year. (Photo by Peoples Daily Online)

More than 36 million students from 134,000 primary and junior high schools in impoverished rural regions have benefited from China's nutrition improvement program since its implementation in 2011, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said recently.

The program was initially launched by the MOE, the Ministry of Finance, and 13 other departments on a pilot basis in a bid to address malnutrition of rural students receiving compulsory education.

It has so far reached 1,590 counties in 29 provinces, according to the progress report released by the MOE. Thanks to five years of efforts, the students have been freed from hunger malnutrition.

The Chinese Center For Disease Control And Prevention, after tracking the students in piloted areas, found that children who benefited from the program are taller amd heavier than the rural average.

Data shows that from 2012 to 2015, male students on average increased in height and weight by 1.2 cm and 0.7 kg respectively while female students increased by 1.4 cm and 0.8 kg.

In the given period, anaemia rates dropped to 7.8 percent from 17 percent. Better nutrition has also aided their efficiency and enthusiasm for their studies.

Since the plan was launched in 2011, nearly 160 billion yuan in subsidies were allocated to support the national plan, reward piloted areas, improve students meals and subsidize impoverished children.
Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car

I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ...
Terminals of Maotao airport, an airport located in Yaoba village, Maotai county to serve the county-level city of Renhuaiunder the administration of the prefecture-level city of Zunyi in Guizhou Province, is under construction on January 18. With a total investment of 1.573 billion yuan, the new branch airport can accommodate Boeing 737 series, A320 and other models. (Photo by Peoples Daily Online)

China plans to have 74 more civil transport airports to bring the total number in the country to around 260 by 2020, said the latest report released by civil aviation regulator.

According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), by then, number of air passengers in China will grow to 720 million. It means that China will complete its construction of a traffic network in air in the near future after the convenient high-speed railway network takes shape.

Civil airlines have constituted Chinas most important transportation tools together with railways and roads. Latest data from the CAAC revealed that during the week-long 2017 Spring Festival holiday, over 80,000 flights were operated by domestic airlines and 9.84 million passengers were transported by them, up by 11.9 percent and 15.1 percent over the previous year respectively.

In addition, 12.83 million seats were available, with an average load factor of 83 percent.

But the countrys aviation industry needs a more balanced structure. To this end, the plan, by putting more emphasis on short-distance transport, would make passenger trips easier to those remoter areas that regional aircraft hard to cover.

By 2020, six airport clusters encompassing Chinas northern part, northeast, central and southern part, southwestern area as well as northwest region will be completed, read the report, adding that new airports for cargo transportation will be deployed as well.

Of the 74 civil transport airports, 30 ones are under construction and 40 ones will be new. Upon completion, the total number would reach about 260.

The airports located in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are requested to improve their competitive edges to build themselves into international hubs after complementing their advantages with neighbors but differentiating their positioning.

These airports will be upgraded to world-class airport clusters that meet the development demands of the cities in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta.

The country's airline on-time arrival rate was 67 percent in 2015, but the regulator asked the carriers to increase that figure to 80 percent by 2020, as an effort to reduce the customer complaints resulted from flight delay.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 5

Trend:

An official welcome ceremony was held for President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in Tehran March 5.

President Aliyev arrived at Sadabad Palace accompanied by the cavalry.

A guard of honor was arranged for the Azerbaijani president in a square in front of Sadabad Palace decorated with national flags of the two countries.

President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani greeted President Aliyev.

National anthems of Iran and Azerbaijan were played.

The chief of the guard of honor reported to the president of Azerbaijan.

The presidents reviewed the guard of honor.

The presidents posed for official photos.

State and government officials of Iran were introduced to President Aliyev, while members of the Azerbaijani delegation were introduced to President Rouhani.
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.
Sometimes its good to be reminded of just how good a car is by giving it go once more. In the case of the Mitsubishi Xpander, its the smal...
With Carlos Ghosn at the reins of Mitsubishi after the Nissan takeover last year, the Japanese company is now looking at expanding its operations by opening a new engine plant.



They already spoke to the Romanian government earlier this week, according to Digi24, but an official decision has yet to be taken.

Nevertheless, if given the green light, then the Japanese could open their new engine assembly facility either in Timis or Prahova, and for a good reason  both locations are nearby motorways that could help them export their products in Central and Western Europe with ease.

Said to rise at over 200 million ($210 million), the investment would create numerous new jobs and eventually contribute to the local budget.

However, besides Romania, Mitsubishi are also negotiating with the local authorities in nearby Hungary, and Slovakia, and with several important demands that include tax deduction and government support, it wont be an easy task deciding on where to open the engine plant.

Note: Mitsubishi eX Concept pictured

PHOTO GALLERY
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 5

Trend:

The relations between Azerbaijan and Iran have been built on ancient history, culture and common religion, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev during his visit to Tehran.

I am very glad to be on the soil of brotherly Iran again. This is my third visit to Iran over the past three years, President Aliyev said at a joint press conference with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran March 5.

"In general, I have met with President Rouhani eight times over the past three years, President Aliyev said. This shows that the friendly, fraternal relations between Iran and Azerbaijan are developing successfully and rapidly.

Our relations have been built on ancient history, culture and common religion, he said. We have established very good cooperation on this solid basis. Our political relations are at a high level and we support each other in all international organizations.

I would like to express gratitude to Iran for its position on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement on the basis of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, the president said. This position is based on the international principles, laws and justice. Each country's territorial integrity is inviolable."
A particularly raunchy couple from Paraguay have set the internet abuzz after being filmed on a moving motorcycle apparently having intercourse.



The bizarre scene was briefly filmed by a passing motorist with the man seen riding shirtless and his female partner lying back against the fuel tank with her legs wrapped around him.

Whats more, neither were wearing helmets or any form of protection.at least not from what we can see.

Beyond scaring locals, the two could face some rather serious penalties after local police said they are investigating the incident.

If they are found guilty, the pair could be fined the equivalent $534 and if theres evidence that the biker had been drinking, a possible prison sentence could be on the cards.

VIDEO
Ford has a new generation Fiesta out that comes in 3- and 5-door flavors, including a heated up ST model. These days, its all about SUVs, which is why Ford has added a crossover-flavored version to the Fiestas range as well.



Convertibles, on the other hand, and especially ones the size of a Fiesta, are a dying breed that mainly live on the minds of people like XTomi who imagined the ST with its roof chopped off and two roll bars that sit behind the rear seats.

In the meantime, the actual new Ford Fiesta ST is getting ready for its public debut at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. The first units of the potent supermini will arrive at dealers early next year.

The ST swaps the previous models 1.6-liter turbo four for a new 1.5-liter three-cylinder EcoBoost. It produces 197 horses and 214 pound-feet (290 Nm) of torque, which translates into a 6.7sec time needed for the 0-62 mph (100 km/h) sprint.

PHOTO GALLERY
You could have the missing piece of the puzzle that will help the RCMP put someone behind bars. Here are some recent crimes that Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers hope you can help solve by calling our anonymous tips line at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit our website at www.crimestoppers.net or text to CRIMES (274637), keyword Ktown.

CRIME: GARAGE DOOR OPENER THEFT

DATE: February 24, 2017

RCMP FILE: 2017-9147

Lake Country RCMP were called to a theft on February 24th from a neighbourhood near Peter Greer Elementary School. Two insecure vehicles parked at a home both had garage door openers stolen overnight. The residents were advised to unplug and re-program the device to prevent the thief from returning to the home and gaining entry.

Photo: Crime Stoppers

If you know anything about this crime, or any other crime, call the Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers anonymous tips line at 1-800-222-TIPS or visit our website at www.crimestoppers.net. Your information will be kept confidential and could lead to a reward of up to $2000.00.

CRIME: THEFT/MISCHIEF TO MAILBOXES

DATE: February 26, 2017

RCMP FILE: 2017-9516

Residents from the Pretty Court area contacted Lake Country RCMP to report an insecure Canada Post mail box on February 26th. RCMP attended and verified that the box had been pried open with only flyers and advertisement-type mail left inside. The mailbox is located on the Pretty Court / Jardine Road intersection. Canada Post advises residents to pick up mail regularly but if you believe your mail was stolen please contact Canada Post Customer Service.

Photo: Crime Stoppers

You can help catch these suspects and qualify for a reward by calling Crime Stoppers anonymous tips line at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit our website at www.crimestoppers.net or text to CRIMES (274637), keyword Ktown.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: Contributed Peter Molibar

BC Liberals in Kamloops are revving up the election machine with the official opening of Peter Molibar's campaign office.

The office, at 3685 Tranquille Rd. in the Library Square, opened the doors Friday with a ceremony planned from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Welcoming remarks from Molibar and other dignitaries took place at 1 p.m.

Molibar will be taking the reins from retiring Kamloops-North Thompson Liberal MLA Terry Lake who announced he would not seek another term in office.

Both Molibar and Lake were former Kamloops mayors before jumping into the provincial arena.

Molibar will be challenged for the job by BC NDP hopeful Barb Nederpel.

Dan Hines will carry the BC Green Party banner into the May 9 provincial election.
Photo: Contributed Vernon Mosque and Islamic Centre

Vernon Interfaith Bridging wants to bring people of all beliefs together.

The Sacred Spaces Tour is inviting people to get together for a better understanding of the different faiths in Vernon.

The purpose of the event is to dispel stereotypes, increase understanding and build friendships.

The tour will include a visit to the Vernon Mosque and Islamic Centre, a First Nations ceremony at Polson Park and presentations on the Bahai and Buddhist Faiths at the People Place.

This is an opportunity for members of the public to learn about other faiths and cultures and experience something unique in their own community. You do not have to belong to any particular faith group to attend. We welcome everyone, said Richard Birnie, a member of Vernon Interfaith Bridging.

Those interested in attending the Sacred Spaces Tour should meet at the Vernon Mosque, 3414 17th Ave., just before 9 a.m. Saturday March 11.

It is expected that the tour will be completed by noon at the People Place.

The group says given the recent rise in hate crimes in North America, including the attack on a Mosque in Quebec, this event and its goals are timely.

Many people in the community would like to do something concrete to show their support for diversity. Potentially stepping outside your comfort zone by attending this event is a very positive first step. Its a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning, so bring your family and friends, said Annette Sharkey from the Social Planning Council for the North Okanagan.
Photo: Twitter

From Colorado's state capitol to Trump Tower in New York and the Washington Monument, groups of hundreds of people rallied for President Trump Saturday, waving "Deplorables for Trump," signs and even carrying a life-size cutout of the president.

The March 4 Trump demonstrations were planned around the country, and supporters clashed with generally smaller groups of counter protesters. Six people protesting the rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota state capitol and fled, police said. About 400 people attended the St. Paul event, and about 50 showed up to protest it. Some other minor scuffles between the dueling demonstrators were quickly defused.

Near Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach Post reported that people on both sides exchanged profanity. Trump's motorcade briefly stopped so he could wave at supporters.

In Ohio, Trump supporter Margaret Howe, 57, of Pataskala, said she increasingly fears civil war.

"We did not want to have something like this happen," she said, adding, "We came out today because Trump deserves to see he still has people for him. It's just all sad."

Outside the state capitol in Denver, hundreds gathered, listening to speakers including former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo on the West Steps facing the mountains. Many in the crowd held American flags or wore red, white and blue and held signs with messages like "Veterans before Refugees."

Chelsea Thomas, an accountant from Thornton, Colorado, brought her family to the rally  and a life-size cardboard cutout of Trump. She said the family has taken it with them on camping trips, boat rides and a country music festival.

"It's nice to be surrounded by people who share your morals and opinions," said Thomas, as her son walked back and forth across the grass with a Trump flag. A group of counter protesters gathered nearby, separated from the rally by police tape. They chanted "No Trump. No KKK. No fascist USA" and held signs with messages like "Your vote was a hate crime."

In Augusta Maine, more than 100 people turned out for the event that was supposed to last three hours, but ended early because of freezing temperatures. In Miami, supporters continued a rally while sipping espressos outside a Cuban restaurant, the Miami Herald reported.

At a North Carolina rally, speakers said the dishonest media and left wing politicians were bordering on sedition in their opposition to the Republican president. Some men were seen walking through the Raleigh crowd carrying a Trump flag as well as a Confederate flag. Gathered just behind the rally was a handful of protesters, some of whom blew air horns in an attempt to disrupt the event.

"We're gonna take our country back and we're gonna establish borders and have legal immigration and law and order," said Cherie Francis, of Cary, North Carolina. "And if you're against all that, then you should be afraid. 'Cause we're going to take the country in the direction it should be going, instead of the direction it has been going for at least the last 16 years."
Photo: Julie Bruns

The snow just won't leave them alone.

Metro Vancouver and surrounding areas have been handed yet another snowfall warning by Environment Canada.

A total of five to 10 centimetres of snow is expected in Metro Vancouver, with snow getting heavier overnight and on Sunday.

Similar warnings have been given for as far east as Fraser Valley and as far west as the east side of Vancouver Island, including Greater Victoria, and the Southern Gulf Islands.

A low pressure system offshore is expected to bring intermittent snow to the South Coast overnight, with the amount of snow expected to vary from place to place.

"Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations," the EC warning says. "If visibility is reduced while driving, slow down, watch for tail lights ahead and be prepared to stop."

People are asked to monitor alerts and forecasts from EC, and to report severe weather.
Photo: NewsKamloops.com - File photo

A Kamloops-area First Nation has voted to push back against the proposed Ajax Mine Project, at the Jacko Lake area.

Calling the land a "profoundly sacred, culturally important, and historically significant keystone site," the Stk'emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation (SSN) chief and council voted to oppose the project.

SSN represents two communities, and claims "irreplaceable" connection to Pipsell land around Jacko Lake, pointing to the Trout Children Stseptekwll, whose oral history is connected to the area.

The SSN Joint Council, comprised of leaders from Tkemlups te Secwepemc and Skeetchestn Indian Band, made the decision to oppose the project on Saturday.

"We say no to this project in order to say yes to the health of our community members and our neighbours in Kamloops and surrounding area," said Tkemlups te Secwepemc chief Fred Seymour.

"For our two communities united through SSN, it does not make sense to sacrifice for all time all that we have in Pipsell to obtain limited benefits which will last for only 25 years."

Skeetchestn acting chief Terry Deneault adds that the move is intended to protect future generations from the proposed development.

"We want to protect and share in the wonder of the place known as Pipsell," Deneault said.

"Our decision to preserve and sustain Pipsell is for the long-term benefit of all Canadians, ensuring the future enjoyment of this special place serves to further reconciliation, so that we may all be great and good.
Photo: Twitter

A senior aide to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will carry the Liberal banner in a federal byelection next month.

The Liberal party says Mary Ng beat out two challengers Saturday in a nomination battle in the Toronto-area riding of Markham-Thornhill.

Ng worked in the Prime Minister's Office as his director of appointments.

Ng, who came to Canada from Hong Kong with her family, does not live in the riding but grew up in nearby north Toronto.

My goal is to spend the next several weeks of the by-election working hard to earn the support of voters to become the next Member of Parliament for this important riding, Ng said in a statement.

The nomination battle was mired in controversy in the past week when another contender pulled out of the race saying it was set up to favour Ng.

Juanita Nathan was unhappy that the party set an early cutoff date to register new members, saying more than 2,000 people she signed up were ineligible to vote in Saturday's nomination.

The party said the nomination process was run in accordance with national nomination rules and Ng's camp said some members it signed up were ineligible as well.

The seat became vacant when Immigration Minister John McCallum quit to become ambassador to China.

The byelection will be held April 3, along with four others in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.
Photo: Twitter Author Joseph Boyden on left.

Acclaimed novelist Joseph Boyden, who has been dogged by controversy in recent months over his heritage and allegations that one of his short stories has similarities to an Ojibway storyteller's work, says you need to be "very careful" when "you're going onto somebody else's turf."

A winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize, Boyden was participating in a panel discussion Saturday about the challenges of writing Canadian history.

Boyden has come under fire recently after the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network questioned claims of indigenous ancestry he has made throughout his life.

The network also published a report highlighting similarities between Boyden's 2001 short story "Bearwalker" and a 1989 work by Ojibway storyteller Ron Geyshick.

In a statement last month responding to the APTN report, Boyden said the section in question was inspired by oral histories he had heard during his travels.

"I have always been interested in and inspired by oral stories, and I often use elements from ones like this in my own fiction as a way of connecting the character and the reader to a place in history," he said.

In January, Boyden issued a statement about the questions surrounding his heritage, saying "a small part of me is Indigenous, but it's a big part of who I am." He went on to say that he'd "made mistakes" and that while his intentions were good, he recognized that he'd been "too vocal on many Indigenous issues in this country."

The moderator of Saturday's discussion posed a question about the responsibility authors have when telling old stories that belong to a lot of people.

"This week, Joseph, there have been suggestions that you didn't credit someone properly, or perhaps you didn't respect an old story enough. Are we responsible to our audience, and how do we live up to those responsibilities?" said moderator Denise Balkissoon.

"When you're going onto somebody else's turf, you are very careful," said Boyden. "But you also have to explore. We're explorers, in a way, as historical novelists.

"Imagine how fiction would grind to a halt if we weren't allowed to be those explorers. Sometimes you get beat up for being that explorer  or you get heralded."

Boyden's fellow panelists were poet and novelist Lee Maracle, historian Charlotte Gray, and writer Cecil Foster.
Tehran, Iran, March 5

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

There is a closeness of relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Iran which cannot be found anywhere else, said Iranian-based political analyst Ali Khorram in a comment on Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyevs trip to Tehran.

There is so much overlap in national interests between Iran and Azerbaijan which, if used, can give a very powerful momentum to both countries progress, Khorram told Trend March 5.

If something goes against Irans national interests it would be the same for Azerbaijan and vice versa, the political analyst stressed.

President Ailyev traveled to Tehran March 5 to pursue a rich set of agreements between his country and Iran. The agreements come from two past meetings between Aliyev and his counterpart Hassan Rouhani.

Last year about the same time Mr. Aliyev visited Iran, where the two countries signed 11 agreements. In a late 2016 trip to Baku by Rouhani the two countries signed 7 more cooperation documents. During the current trip two more were signed.
Photo: Contributed

Police in a Seattle suburb were looking for a gunman who shot a Sikh man in the arm and told him to "go back to your own country," the Seattle Times reported.

The victim  a 39-year-old man who observes the Sikh faith  told police that he was working in his driveway about 8 p.m. Friday when the unknown man came up to him, the Times reported. Male observant Sikhs often cover their heads with turbans, which are considered sacred, and refrain from shaving their beards. The faith comes from South Asia's Punjab region.

An argument ensued, and the suspect told him to go back to his homeland, the victim said. The victim told police the man then shot him in the arm, the newspaper reported.

The victim told police that the shooter is 6-foot-tall, white and has a stocky build. The victim said the man was wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face.

Kent police told the newspaper that the agency has contacted the FBI and other law enforcement agencies about the incident.

"We're early on in our investigation," Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said Saturday. "We are treating this as a very serious incident."

Jasmit Singh, a leader of the Sikh community in the nearby suburb of Renton, said he had been told the victim was released from the hospital, the Times reported.

"He is just very shaken up, both him and his family," Singh told the newspaper. "We're all kind of at a loss in terms of what's going on right now, this is just bringing it home. The climate of hate that has been created doesn't distinguish between anyone."

Sikhs have previously been the target of attacks in the United States. After the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, the backlash that hit Muslims across the country expanded to include Sikhs and their faith as well, with some assuming the sight of a long beard and turbaned head can only mean one thing.
Photo: Avalanche Canada File photo

RCMP say a man is dead after an avalanche near Whistler, B.C., Saturday.

Sgt. Annie Linteau says police were notified about a slide at Callaghan Valley just before noon.

She says 14 people were reported to be involved at the time the avalanche occurred.

RCMP and Whistler Search and Rescue sent crews to the remote location which could only be accessed by helicopter and snowmobile.

She said the body of a 32-year-old man was recovered shortly before 4 p.m.

No one else suffered serious injuries.
Photo: Thinkstock.com

One of the Toronto police officers who delivered a baby in the back of a taxi cab early Saturday said it was quite a feeling.

"It's not every day you can say you helped deliver a baby," Const. Colin McLaughlin said in a phone interview Saturday night.

"When I walked into work last night I wasn't expecting something like that to happen."

McLaughlin, a 26-year veteran on the force, was on the night shift at an east end precinct when a call came in at around 1:20 a.m. from a paramedics dispatcher saying a taxi cab with a woman in labour was about to arrive at his station.

McLaughlin went outside followed by Staff Sgt. Kim O'Toole to see what they could do and spotted the cab.

"I just walked up to the passenger side and looked in the back window and sure enough there was a woman lying on the back seat," he said. "You could see the baby's head."

McLaughlin said he just reached in to support the baby's head as O'Toole told the woman to push.

"It all happened so fast, I just heard her say 'push' and then it was literally one push and the baby came out and I was fortunate enough to be there to catch it."

With the baby in his arms McLaughlin said he had a brief anxious moment.

"When the baby came out he wasn't making any noise and then after a few seconds he started to cry but then he stopped crying and I'm like 'oh oh,'" McLaughlin recalled.

Paramedics arrived on the scene almost immediately and the infant was fine, the whole thing lasted about three minutes McLaughlin said.

Police said Saturday mother and baby were doing well.
Photo: The Canadian Press

There are three winning tickets for the $7 million jackpot in Saturday night's Lotto 649 draw.

They were purchased in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec  and each is worth just over $2.3 million.

The draw's guaranteed $1 million prize was claimed by a ticket sold in the Prairies.

The jackpot for the next Lotto 649 draw on Mar. 8 will be approximately $5 million.
Photo: The Canadian Press

The White House said Sunday that Congress should expand its investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election to include President Donald Trump's unverified allegation that former President Barack Obama stepped over the legal line in the campaign.

While Trump claimed, without evidence in a series of tweets Saturday, that his predecessor had tapped the telephones at Trump Tower, Obama's director of national intelligence said no such action was carried out against the New York businessman as a candidate or against his campaign.

"Absolutely, I can deny it," said James Clapper, who left his job when Trump took office Jan. 20.

An Obama spokesman has said Trump's accusation was "simply false." Lawmakers from both parties appealed for Trump to provide proof for the startling claim, yet the White House said there would be no further comment until "such oversight is conducted" by the congressional intelligence committees.

"It's called a wrap-up smear. You make up something. Then you have the press write about it. And then you say, everybody is writing about this charge. It's a tool of an authoritarian," said House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer announced the request for a congressional inquiry in a statement that referred to "very troubling" reports "concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election."

He did not elaborate or respond to inquiries about those reports.

Trump said the wiretapping happened in October at the New York skyscraper where he ran his campaign and transition.

Spicer said the White House wants the committee to "exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016."

Spicer's chief deputy, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said she thinks Trump is "going off of information that he's seen that has led him to believe that this is a very real potential."

Josh Earnest, who was Obama's press secretary, said presidents do not have authority to unilaterally order the wiretapping of American citizens, as Trump has alleged was done to him. FBI investigators and Justice Department officials must seek a federal judge's approval to investigate by demonstrating that probable cause exists.

Earnest accused Trump of levelling the allegations to distract from the attention being given to campaign-season contacts by Trump aides with a Russian official, including campaign adviser Jeff Sessions before he resigned from the Senate to become attorney general. The FBI is investigating those contacts, as is Congress.

Rep. Devin Nunes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that the committee "will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political party's campaign officials or surrogates."

The committee's top Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, said Trump was following "a deeply disturbing pattern of distraction, distortion and downright fabrication."

In his tweets, Trump compared the alleged wiretapping to "Nixon/Watergate" and "McCarthyism!" And he called Obama a "Bad (or sick) guy."

Trump said in the tweets that he had "just found out" the information, though it was unclear whether he was referring to a briefing, a conversation or a media report. The president in the past has tweeted about unsubstantiated and provocative reports he reads on blogs or conservative websites.

The tweets stand out, given the gravity of the charge and the strikingly personal attack on the former president. Trump spoke as recently as last month about how much he likes Obama and how much they get along, despite their differences.

"How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" he tweeted, misspelling 'tap.'

Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said Saturday that a "cardinal rule" of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered in Justice Department investigations, which are supposed to be conducted free of political influence.

Lewis said neither Obama nor any White House official had ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. "Any suggestion otherwise is simply false," Lewis said.

Trump has been trailed for months by questions about his campaign's ties to Russia. Compounding the situation is the U.S. intelligence agencies' assessment that Russia interfered with the election to help Trump triumph over Hillary Clinton, along with disclosures about his aides' contacts with a Russian official.
Photo: CTV Police officer views scene after shooting.

The FBI will help investigate the shooting of a Sikh man who said a gunman approached him as he worked on his car in his suburban Seattle driveway and told him "go back to your own country," authorities said Sunday.

Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said no arrests have yet been after the victim was shot in the arm Friday night about 20 miles south of Seattle but that he did not believe anyone was in imminent danger.

"This is a top priority investigation, and we are doing everything possible to identify and arrest the suspect," Thomas said in an email, adding that the city of about 120,000 should "be vigilant."

It comes after an Indian man was killed and another wounded in a recent shooting at a Kansas bar that federal agencies are investigating as a hate crime after witnesses say the suspect yelled "get out of my country."

Hira Singh, a Sikh community leader, said there have been increasing complaints recently from Sikhs near Seattle who say they have been the target of foul language or other comments.

"This kind of incident shakes up the whole community," he said, adding that about 50,000 members of the faith live in Washington state.

India's foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, identified the victim on Twitter early Sunday, saying, "I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a U.S. national of Indian origin."

She said she had spoken to Rai's father, who told her Rai is out of danger and recovering in a hospital.

Rai told police a man he didn't know came up to him Friday night and they got into an argument, with the suspect telling Rai to go back to his homeland. He described the shooter as 6 feet tall and white with a stocky build, police said. He said the man was wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face.

Sikhs have previously been the target of assaults in the U.S. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the backlash that hit Muslims around the country expanded to include those of the Sikh faith. Men often cover their heads with turbans, which are considered sacred, and refrain from shaving their beards.

In 2012, a man shot and killed six Sikh worshippers and wounded four others at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee before killing himself.

The Sikh Coalition, a national civil rights group, asked local and federal authorities to investigate the shooting in suburban Seattle as a hate crime.

"It was disheartening to see it happening here in my community," Satwinder Kaur said. "Kent is a very diverse community."

Kaur said she had arranged for Kent's police chief to talk to the community Saturday about their concerns on immigration and the role of local police officers. After the shooting, the meeting turned into a question-and-answer session about the crime, she said.

"When someone says, 'Get out of my country,' it's a hate crime, there's no question," Kaur said. "The community has been shaken up."
Photo: The Canadian Press

Dr. Thomas Starzl, the pioneer of liver transplantation and the driving force behind the world's first baboon-to-human liver transplants and research on anti-rejection drugs, has died. He was 90.

The University of Pittsburgh, speaking on behalf of Starzl's family, said the renowned doctor died Saturday at his home in Pittsburgh.

Starzl performed the world's first liver transplant in 1963 and the world's first successful liver transplant in 1967, and pioneered kidney transplantation from cadavers. He later perfected the process by using identical twins and, eventually, other blood relatives as donors.

Since Starzl's first successful liver transplant, thousands of lives have been saved by similar operations.

Starzl joined the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 1981 as professor of surgery, where his studies on the anti-rejection drug cyclosporin transformed transplantation from an experimental procedure into one that gave patients a hope they could survive an otherwise fatal organ failure.

It was Starzl's development of cyclosporin in combination with steroids that offered a solution to organ rejection.

Until 1991, Starzl served as chief of transplant services at UPMC, then was named director of the University of Pittsburgh Transplantation Institute, where he continued research on a process he called chimerism, based on a 1992 paper he wrote on the controversial theory that new organs and old bodies "learn" to co-exist without immunosupression drugs.

The institute was renamed in Starzl's honour in 1996, and he continued as its director.

In his 1992 autobiography, "The Puzzle People: Memoirs of a Transplant Surgeon," Starzl said he actually hated performing surgery and was sickened with fear each time he prepared for an operation.

"I was striving for liberation my whole life," he said in an interview.

Starzl's career-long interest in research rather than private practice began with a liver operation he assisted on while a resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. After the surgery to redirect blood flow around the liver, he noticed the patient's sugar diabetes also had improved.

Thinking he had found the cause of diabetes to be in the liver rather than the pancreas, he designed experiments in 1956 with dogs to prove his discovery. He was wrong, but had started on the path that would lead to the first human liver transplants at the University of Colorado in Denver seven years later.

In September 1990, at age 65, Starzl put away his scalpel for good, soon after the death of a famous young patient: a 14-year-old girl from White Settlement, Texas, named Stormie Jones. Starzl also underwent a heart bypass operation in 1990 and suffered lingering vision problems from a laser accident five years earlier.

Stormie lived six years after a combination heart-liver transplant at age 8 but needed a second liver in 1990 and died within nine months. Her death affected Starzl greatly.

"It is true that transplant surgeons saved patients, but the patients rescued us in turn and gave meaning to what we did, or tried to," he once wrote.

Starzl was born March 11, 1926, in LeMars, Iowa. His mother was a nurse and his father was a science fiction writer and the publisher of the local newspaper. Starzl's uncle, the late Frank Starzel, was general manager of The Associated Press from 1948 to 1962.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Five months of multi-sided clashes in Syria's crowded northern battlefield have displaced some 66,000 people, a U.N. humanitarian agency said Sunday, a day after the U.S. bolstered Kurdish-led forces with a deployment of armoured vehicles amid preparations for a push toward the Islamic State group's de facto capital.

Besides the autonomous Kurdish-led forces, Turkish, Syrian government and Syrian opposition fighters have all been jostling for territory formerly held by the Islamic State group near the Turkish-Syrian frontier.

The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, led by the Syrian Kurdish PKK party, are the current front runners in the race to Raqqa, the IS capital. They are now stationed eight kilometres (five miles) north of the Euphrates River city and supported by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and a deployment of some 500 U.S. special forces operators. The Pentagon has said they are working in an advisory capacity.

But Turkey, a U.S. ally through NATO, says the PKK is an extension of the Kurdish insurgency inside its own borders and has classified the party as a terror organization. It has objected strongly over the SDF offensive and vowed, too, to throw the Kurdish-led forces in Manbij  the SDF's westernmost flank  back over the banks of the Euphrates. This would disrupt the Raqqa campaign.

There are Turkish forces stationed in al-Bab, 40 kilometres (25 miles) southwest of Manbij. The threats prompted the SDF to ask Russia and the Syrian army to establish a buffer between Manbij and al-Bab.

With uncertainty building, the U.S. deployed a number of armoured vehicles to its allies in Manbij, the Syrian Kurdish Rudaw news agency reported Saturday.

Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. John Dorrian confirmed the deployment on Twitter. He said it was mean to "deter aggression and keep focus on defeating ISIS," another acronym for the Islamic State group.

Dorrian added the deployment was there to guarantee that the Kurdish elements of the SDF have left Manbij. Turkey says they have not.

The Syrian military, meanwhile, has driven east of Aleppo to draw a front with the Turkish-backed Syrian opposition forces south of al-Bab, blocking their route to Raqqa. Government forces, backed by Lebanese Hezbollah militants and Russian airpower, have moved quickly in the direction of IS-held al-Khafseh, on the banks of the Euphrates.

Al-Khafseh is home to the main water station for Aleppo, Syria's largest city. Government forces are 13 kilometres (8 miles) away, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.

The U.N.'s OCHA agency said that the Turkish and Syrian opposition campaign to capture al-Bab from IS militants displaced 40,000 residents. They captured the town on Feb. 23, after starting operations in November.

The office said another 26,000 residents have been displaced in fighting around Manbij, held by Kurdish-led forces, and al-Khafseh, held by IS militants. Al-Khafseh is home to the main water station for Aleppo, Syria's largest city.

In other news, a Syrian search-and-rescue group reported a bomb blast in the opposition-held town of Azaz, north of Aleppo, killing at least eight people. Azaz is 50 kilometres (31 miles) from al-Bab.

The Observatory said an IS sleeper cell was responsible for the blast.

The militants carried out a suicide car bomb attack in the nearby town of Sousian on Feb 24, killing at least 60 people. Most of the victims were civilians who had gathered seeking permits to return to al-Bab, a day after it was liberated from the extremist group.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Iraqi troops encountered the "heaviest" clashes yet with Islamic State group fighters Sunday in western Mosul since the start of the new push more than two weeks ago, according to a senior commander.

Maj. Gen. Haider al-Maturi of the Federal Police Commandos Division told The Associated Press that IS militants dispatched at least six suicide car bombs, which were all destroyed before reaching the troops. The militants, he said, are moving from house to house and deploying snipers.

The wave of heavy resistance comes as Iraqi forces launched attacks against IS-held neighbourhoods in western Mosul from three points Sunday morning. The Federal Police are closing in on the city's main government complex in the Dawasa neighbourhood and Iraq's special forces are attempting to push into the Shuhada and Mansour neighbourhoods.

IS fighters have "some mortar (teams) and snipers positioned inside homes," said Iraqi special forces Maj. Ali Talib, explaining that U.S.-led coalition airstrikes have helped destroy some of the IS defences, but clashes are still ongoing.

Al-Maturi, of the federal police, said his troops are now some 500 metres away from the government complex.

Also on Sunday, The Hague, Netherlands-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said in a statement the organization was "seriously concerned" about reports of chemical weapons use in Mosul.

"The OPCW has asked Iraqi authorities for more information and has offered its assistance to the Iraqi investigation," the statement said.

The alleged attack occurred last week in eastern Mosul, an area declared fully liberated by Iraqi forces in January. The attack hit a neighbourhood along the Tigris River, which roughly divides the city in two. Hospital officials said 10 patients were admitted for exposure and would be discharged in the coming days.

The United Nations warned that the alleged use of chemical weapons, if confirmed, would be a war crime and a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

The push on Mosul's west was launched about two weeks ago after the eastern half of the city was declared "fully liberated" in January. The operation to retake Mosul officially began in October after more than two years of slowly clawing back territory from IS militants. IS overran nearly a third of Iraq  including Mosul the country's second largest city  in the summer of 2014.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Federal cabinet ministers are set for an in-depth discussion this week of the practical and political pressures being placed on the Liberal government by a rising number of asylum seekers in Canada.

Border security, RCMP and immigration officials have been running scenarios to prepare for the possibility that a relative winter trickle of illegal immigration into Canada could turn into a spring flood.

The results of their table-top exercises will help form options being put before cabinet Tuesday, The Canadian Press has learned.

Officials are also studying links between distinct groups of border-crossers that might belie the common notion they're all being pushed into Canada by the volatile U.S. political climate.

Two government officials confirmed to The Canadian Press that many of the people coming into Quebec hold American visas issued at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Interviews revealed the visas were obtained to use the U.S. as a transit point get to Canada and claim asylum  plans set in motion long before the U.S. election in November, the officials said, neither of whom were authorized to publicly discuss the issue.

But it is the pictures of RCMP officers hoisting small children above snow-covered fields along the Canada-U.S. frontier that have drawn global attention and placed political pressure on the Trudeau government from all sides.

The Opposition Conservatives are demanding a crackdown, and want those crossing illegally charged with crimes, something the government notes cannot happen until asylum claims are heard.

The fact those claims are being fed into a clogged system has others urging the Liberals to put more resources into the refugee-determination process and the agencies that support newcomers.

"We are the endpoint," said Chris Friesen, director of settlement services for the Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia.

The Immigration and Refugee Board reported in its last quarterly financial document that in the first nine months of 2016-17, there was a 40 per-cent increase in new claims compared to the same period the previous year.

Statistics provided to The Canadian Press show claim levels generally began rising in Canada before U.S. President Donald Trump took office.

In fact, the increase seems to have begun just as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took power.

In October 2015, the month of the last federal election, 1,519 claims were lodged in Canada. The next month, when the Trudeau Liberals took office, there were 1,647 and  with the exception of two months in 2016  they have been rising since.

Trump is pushing people into Canada, but the Trudeau government's repeated messaging on welcoming diversity and immigration is a pretty strong pull factor, Friesen said. "We are now the beacon of hope for desperate refugees."

In B.C., there has been a 60-per-cent increase in the number of refugee claimants in the last 12 months compared to the previous one-year period. Most are Iraqi Kurds and Afghans, and there were also 18 undocumented Latin Americans from Guatemala, Honduras and Venezuela who recently crossed the Canada-U.S. border, immigration agencies said.

The number of Mexican claimants is also starting to rise in B.C., following the end of a requirement for Mexican citizens to have a visa to enter Canada. During the last three months, there were 29 refugee claimants from Mexico, the agencies reported, compared to 30 who arrived between December 2015 and November 2016.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 5

By Huseyn Valiyev  Trend:

Yevgeny Kaspersky, CEO of Kaspersky Lab, is expected to visit Azerbaijan in June, Vice President, Enterprise Business at Kaspersky Lab, Veniamin Levtsov told Trend.

Levtsov added that the program of the visit is being prepared.

"We have recently met with representatives of telecommunications companies, banks, Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR, he said. There are a number of areas of cooperation with each organization. We are now preparing a road map for each customer, including ministries, individually, depending on the customers needs.

I reviewed the work of the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) of Azerbaijan's Special State Protection Service, he said. There is something to be changed and we know how to help. We are working for any agreements to be signed. It is not excluded that there will be framework agreements."

Levtsov added that the national program on computer literacy improvement must be of high priority for such groups as the civil servants or students.

"These are different programs, but they are necessary for people to be more vigilant and not to be hacked, he added. It is not excluded that it will take years. The countrys president personally pays attention to these issues. We see a high-level support."
Tehran, Iran, March 5

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

Michel Sapin, French Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry, has said his country is willing to push for facilitating banking ties with Iran.

Meeting with his Iranian counterpart Ali Tayyebnia, Sapin said that normal banking relations are necessary for the two countries to have powerful economic ties, ISNA news agency reported March 5.

In the past few months Iran-France relations have much developed and there have been projects and contracts that have been signed. But, money transfers should be normalized. Although it cannot be done in one day, it is our goal and desire.

French companies have been among the European business entities that swarmed Iran after the Islamic Republic was set free of sanctions in 2016.

However, major world banks have been reluctant to normalize their relations with Iran, fearing punishment by the US.

US President Donald Trumps statements rejecting the nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers which led to the removal of the sanctions has made foreign banks more cautious in approaching Iran.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 5

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

The Iranian Defense Ministry plans to test the home-made "Bavar-373" air defense missile system in coming months.

Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan has said that within the test the experts will examine the function of Bavar 373 against a ballistic missile, Fars news agency reported.

The minister added that the missile system is expected to undergo final tests on May 24.

Earlier on March 4, Iran successfully tested the S-300 surface to air missile system which was purchased from Russia under an $800 million contract concluded in 2007.

Iran showcased "Bavar-373", an alternative to Russian S300, for the first time last August.

The home-grown missile system features characteristics similar to Russias S-300 and it reportedly is capable of hitting high altitude targets.

Dehghan had earlier said that Tehran was expected to begin the mass production of "Bavar-373" in March 2017 after completing technical tests.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 5

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Iran is ready to export 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day to South Africa, the Islamic Republics oil minister, Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, said.

Zanganeh made the remarks on the sidelines of a meeting with South African Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson on a visit to Tehran March 4, Mehr news agency reported.

Sales of crude oil and oil products to the African country were the main topic of the mutual talks, Zanganeh said, adding that Iran is also ready to support private sector companies, which are interested to purchase refinery shares in South Africa.

Zanganeh further said that the issue of implementing Gas to Liquids (GTL) projects was also discussed at the meeting.

The two parties have recently held various talks regarding the issue, but no result was achieved so far due to disputes over gas prices, he added.

A new round of talks will be held between the National Iranian Petrochemical Company and the South African counterparts regarding the issue on March 5, Zanganeh said.

The African country was one of Iran's traditional oil markets before the sanctions were imposed on the Islamic Republic due to its disputed nuclear program.

During the last month before sanctions cut down Iran's crude oil exports (June 2012), South Africa was buying averagely 68,000 barrels of oil from Tehran per day.
Chino, CA (91710)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low around 55F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low around 55F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 5

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Iranian Defense Minister, Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan says Tehran will continue to provide full support for Russian air strikes in Syria.

Dehqan has said that Irans cooperation with Russia in the Islamic Republics Nojeh air-base concerning Syria will go on as long as required, Fars news agency reported.

However, he denied that Iran has handed over its Nojeh air-base in northwestern province of Hamedan to Russia.

According to the minister, Iran through its northwestern air-base provides the services that Russian aircraft need to reach Syria.

Earlier in August 2016, long-range Russian Tupolev-22M3 bombers and Sukhoi-34 fighter bombers used Nojeh airbase to launch air strikes against armed opposition groups in Syria.

The development sparked controversy in Iran as the critics suggested that the decision to allow foreign forces to use the countrys military base was against the constitution.
Tehran, Iran, March 5

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

The current visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev to Tehran is a sign of eternal friendship between Iran and Azerbaijan, former Iranian ambassador to Baku Mohsen Pakaeen told Trend March 5.

This shows that Tehran and Baku are serious to pursue their previous agreements, the diplomat said.

The visit is particularly noteworthy in that it is the eighth visit between Mr. Aliyev and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani in the past four years, considering the fact that the two heads of state also met in a trilateral meeting with Russia recently, Pakaeen noted.

He pointed out that during Mr. Aliyevs trip to Tehran, the two countries pursued their friendly ties, indicated by signing various agreements, including in areas of banking and battle against money laundering.

On the same day as President Aliyevs visit to Iran, the two countries inaugurated a railroad that connects them together. The Astara-Astara railroad that came into service during Aliyevs visit is part of the North-South Corridor.

The North-South Transport Corridor project, which is being jointly implemented by Azerbaijan and Iran, is a historical event, said Mr. Aliyev in a joint press conference with Rouhani.

President Aliyev pointed out that there are very good results in the economic sphere.

Our trade turnover has grown by more than 70 percent last year. This is the result of the agreements reached, said Aliyev, adding that all the signed documents are being realized.

Eighteen documents were signed last year alone during my visits to Iran and President Rouhanis visits to Azerbaijan. Two additional documents have been signed today. This creates a strong legal framework for our relations. The Iranian side has started to make investments in Azerbaijan and we are grateful for that, added President Aliyev.
Mexico police officers rescued 31 illegal migrants from Cuba, who had been held in the house in the resort city of Cancun, municipal Public Safety Department said in a statement Sunday, Sputnik reports.

According to the statement, the Cuban migrants were held in the basement for two months by a group of armed men, who had demanded money for their release from relatives, residing in the United States.

The Cubans received necessary medical aid after being rescued as a result of a special operation.

The Cuban nationals were trying to cross into the United States from Mexico.

Since President Obama announced in 2014 that the US would resume improved bilateral relations with Cuba, migration from the island nation has surged. In 2015, Cuban entries increased 78 percent over 2014, according to US Customs and Border Protection data. Approximately 56,000 Cubans arrived in the US via ports of entry in 2016, representing another 31 percent jump over 2015.
Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz called on Sunday for the opening of refugee centers outside the European Union, suggesting Georgia and the Western Balkans as possible locations, Sputnik reports.

Kurz stated that refugee facilities could be located in such countries as Egypt, Georgia or in one of the countries of the Western Balkans.

We need refugee centers outside the European Union, which would be managed jointly with the UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency). Their location is not so important. It is important that they will provide protection, and that people, trying to enter Europe illegally, will be returned there, Kurz told Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

In May and September of 2015, the European Commission published its roadmap for migrants allowing for the relocation of 160,00 migrants who had turned up in various countries - notably Greece, Italy and Hungary - amid the chaos of mass movement and inadequate border controls. These migrants would be 'processed' and then redistributed around EU member states according to an "emergency" plan a mandatory quota system.
Every year on Nov. 22, the nation comes together to reflect on the anniversary of President John F. Kennedys assassination. In the past 50 years, dozens of films have explored his life, his legacy, and the controversy surrounding his death.

In no particular order, here are 10 movies that tell the story of this unforgettable presidents short life.

1. PT 109 (1963)

Most people know Kennedy as the 35th president of the United States, but he was also a decorated World War II Navy veteran. PT 109 is one of the only movies made about the former president that delves into his military career. It tells the true story of one of the torpedo boats he commanded and the heroic actions Kennedy took to rescue his crew after it sank.

PT 109 is the first film ever made about Kennedy, and it was released in theaters just five months before he died.

2. Kennedy (1983)

Martin Sheen is known for his turn as the fictional President Josiah Jed Bartlet on NBCs The West Wing, but he also played another president in the 1983 Kennedy miniseries. The five-hour film followed Kennedy from his childhood through his political career and right before his assassination.

Though it first aired 30 years ago, Kennedy stands the test of time as a work that still provides a compelling look at of one of Americas most intriguing public figures. Kennedy was a commercial and critical success, and to this day, Sheens impressive performance is considered one of the best portrayals of JFK.

3. JFK (1991)

Kennedy is sadly remembered not only for how he lived but for how he died. For decades, conspiracy theorists and historians have debated the findings of the Warren Commission, which investigated his assassination. Oliver Stones controversial JFK tells the true story of New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrisons quest to discover the truth about the presidents death.

Whether you believe there was another shooter on a grassy knoll or think Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, JFK is a gripping film about the way Kennedys death changed America.

4. Thirteen Days (2000)

The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 was one of JFKs defining moments as commander in chief. Thirteen Days is a film that takes us inside the White House as Kennedy, his brother Robert, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff decide whether to declare war against Cuba after an American pilot was shot down in Cuban territory.

Director Roger Donaldson manages to build suspense despite the obvious outcome of the film. But more importantly, he allows us a rare glimpse at the important role Kennedy and his most trusted advisers played in shaping American history.

5. The Kennedys (2011)

One of the most abiding pieces of lore about Kennedy and his loved ones is that they suffer a Kennedy curse. Its hard to deny that this prominent family has endured more than its fair share of tragedy. In 2011, The Kennedys miniseries aired for the first time amid controversy over its portrayal of the president and its historical accuracy.

While the miniseries is far from perfect, it does provide a glimpse into the lives of JFK; his father, Joseph; wife, Jackie; and brother Robert as they ascend the political landscape of a changing America and experience the fall of their so-called Camelot. It may not be a movie, per se, but it definitely deserves a spot on this list.

6. Executive Action (1973)

Much like Oliver Stones JFK, Executive Action is a dramatization of how various government and business faction may have conspired to assassinate President Kennedy. Written by famed screenwriter Dalton Trumbo and starring Burt Lancaster and Robert Ryan, the film was highly controversial when it was released  just 10 years after the assassination.

And while Executive Action was not as favorably received by the critics as Stones JFK, it shares many similarities, including the hypothesis that Lee Harvey Oswald was a patsy for the real conspirators.

7. Parkland (2013)

Written and directed by Peter Landesman, this historical drama takes a look at the Kennedy assassination from the perspective of various ordinary people who were there that fateful day in 1963, including the staff of the Parkland Hospital where JFK was brought and declared dead.

Reviews of the film were decidedly mixed, and Parkland currently has a 50% approval rating from the critics at Rotten Tomatoes, who noted that, Although its decision to look at John F. Kennedys assassination through uncommon perspectives is refreshing, Parkland never achieves the narrative cohesion its subject deserves.

8. Rush to Judgment (1967)

One of the first films to question the findings of the Warren Commission, Rush to Judgment is based on a book of the same name by author Mark Lane. Directed by Emile de Antonio, this documentary film features interviews with actual witnesses to the Kennedy assassination, including Abraham Zapruder, the man who famously captured the event in a video recording.

This documentary is perhaps most notable for sparking a wider discussion about Kennedy assassination conspiracy theories.

9. Killing Kennedy (2013)

Based on a book of the same name by Bill OReilly and Martin Dugard, this telefim premiered on National Geographic Channel in November 2013. Starring Rob Lowe as John F. Kennedy and Will Rothhaar as Lee Harvey Oswald, this film outlines key events in both mens lives that led to that fateful day in Dallas.

Like many films about the JFK assassination, Killing Kennedy also covers the death of Lee Harvey Oswald, the primary suspect in the assassination who was gunned down by Jack Ruby two days after Kennedy was killed.

10. Zapruder Film

Unfortunately, but without question, the most famous film about John F. Kennedy is the home movie that shows his assassination. Shot by Dallas businessman Abraham Zapruder, the film became a key piece of evidence in the Warren Commission investigation and was added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 1994.

Endlessly analyzed and debated by conspiracy theorists, the 26 second-long film may be the most well-known and notorious piece of film footage in history.

Additional reporting by Nathanael Arnold

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At least 10 soldiers were killed in Mali on Sunday in an attack on an army base near Boulikessi, on the border with Burkina Faso, army sources said, Dailystar reported.

No group has claimed responsibility for the assault, an army officer said in Bamako, though attacks by jihadist groups have increased in Mali's central regions, having previously been confined to the restive north.

"We have lost at least 10 men. One of our positions was attacked early Sunday morning by terrorists, on the border with Burkina Faso," a highly-placed Malian military source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"We have several men who are probably still alive but have sought shelter in Burkinabe territory," the source added.

A resident of Douentza, the county seat near the base, said the assailants had looted or torched large amounts of military hardware.

The Malian army told AFP that a team had been dispatched to assess the damage and provide reinforcements.

Mali's north fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels and jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda in 2012, who were largely ousted by a French-led military operation in January 2013.

But the implementation of a peace accord struck in 2015 has been piecemeal, and insurgents who refused to sign the deal are still active across large parts of the country, increasingly in its central belt.

Meanwhile, three jihadist groups active in the Sahel region announced Thursday that they would merge to form a single organisation, raising fears of more attacks and better coordination by insurgents operating in Mali.
Oregonians famously don't want you to move there, but they don't mind a visit  unless you're Californian. Then don't bother, please, and thank you. Regional dislikes are nothing new: Connecticut people loathe New Yorkers (especially those behind the wheel); Texans have legions of detractors across the South; and Wisconsin residents are dismissed as cheese heads by those in Illinois.



Most of this is mere chaff  something to have fun with. But the bad blood between Oregon and California has always struck me as something a little deeper, especially when it comes to wine.



California used to be the undisputed American star in the world of wine. But, increasingly, Oregon has been stealing the limelight, to the Golden State's sometimes obvious chagrin.



This fact was driven home at a big wine tasting conducted at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California last year. The only Oregon winery there was Sokol Blosser, at a table at the far end of the aquarium behind a big pillar. There, if you got that far, was winery co-founder Susan Sokol Blosser, winemaker Russ Rosner and a friendly octopus patiently waiting for visitors.



Sokol Blosser's placement was probably just luck-of-the-draw coincidence, but it did provide one of those aha moments that you remember. Using two social media platforms, Facebook and Twitter, I recently asked who made the better pinot noir: Oregon or California? And, if California, Sonoma's Russian River Valley or the Central Coast?



The replies were sharply split and decisive. Some of the partisanship was expected, coming from public relations pros and winery owners. But others farther afield, either geographically or vocationally, also weighed in.



"Given my druthers, Oregon," said Richard Kamins, host of a radio talk show in Middletown, Conn., and a former wine store owner. "Better climate and soil conditions. Though, Santa Barbara's Au Bon Climat makes good pinots."



There was a split opinion at the Hilton Austin in Texas. Joe Bolash, the hotel's resident manager, is "partial to the Russian River Valley with its propensity for producing full, high tone pinots that feature red berry and lots of structure." Jason Grant, general manager of the hotel's Finn & Porter restaurant, likes Oregon, especially the Dundee Hills region, for pinots with "softer tannins and overall roundness, femininity and a long true finish."



And Carolyn Jung, who writes the FoodGal.com blog in Santa Clara, Calif., admitted, "I have to say I'm partial to Oregon pinots. And I live in California! Is that sacrilege?"



Might just be. But give her a dispensation for honesty.



And the winner is ... California



Merry Edwards made her considerable reputation on distinctive pinot noir wines from California's Russian River Valley, so it seems right that one of her wines came in first in a blind tasting of California and Oregon pinots. Right behind her, though, came two of the Oregonians: Sokol Blosser, one of Willamette Valley's pioneer wineries, and ForeFront, a new venture by the Crimson Wine Group.



In general, the Oregon pinots were lighter in color, fruitier in the nose and cleaner on the palate than the Californians, which were dark, smelled more like hay and mushrooms and had more powerful fruit.



The California-Oregon smackdown presented here won't change any minds, especially because only three Oregon pinots were put up against three from the Russian River Valley. Yet this sort of comparative tasting is something you can do at home. Shake up old preconceptions and assumptions in the new year.



2007 Merry Edwards, Russian River Valley: Full fruit flavor deepened with woodland notes and a sense of the earth. Evocative nose offered touches of hay, smoke, cedar and spice. Colored a beautiful deep garnet. Serve with seared duck breast, beef stew, foie gras.  $42



2008 ForeFront, Willamette Valley: A somewhat faint nose bloomed a little in the glass, offering floral and pepper notes. The taste was bigger, dark cherry fruit underlined with cedar and earth. Short tannic smack on the finish. Serve with pasta and mushroom sauce, steak, prime rib.  $24



2007 Sokol Blosser, Dundee Hills: This Willamette Valley wine was markedly lighter in color than the rest. A lean, elegant wine with notes of earth, pine, dark cherry. Serve with grilled salmon, scallops in vanilla sauce, crown roast.  $38



2007 Rued Winery, Russian River Valley: A kirsch-like nose with flavor touches of cinnamon, cherry and spice. Serve with short ribs, lasagna, cheeseburgers.  $35



2007 Sequana Sundawg Ridge Vineyard, Green Valley: A wine from a small wine region in the Russian River Valley. There were cherry, chocolate and plum flavors. Serve with venison in a berry sauce, rack of lamb, roast chicken.  $50



2007 King Estate Signature Collection, Oregon: The simplest wine of the lot; sweet cherry predominated with just a slight cedary edge for balance. Bright red fruit on the nose. Serve with Asian pork loin, duck with plum sauce.  $29



You want that wine. But your store or area distributor may not carry it. State law may prohibit you from ordering a wine online. What to do? Ask your wine retailer for a wine similar in flavor, style and price. Remember, too, prices vary.



bdaley@tribune.com
Taglia's expertise helped iwth renovations that streamlined the space into a clean, neutral canvas for Kostic's decorative flourishes. Read our story here. (Nathan Kirkman for Chicago Tribune)

If your style is more maximal than minimal, if you never met a cool vintage piece you didn't long to collect, you might want to take a few notes from Graham Kostic and Fran Taglia's style notebook.

Kostic, creative and editorial director at Glossedandfound.com, is known for his eye for fashion and flair for entertaining. So when he and Taglia, president at an engineering consulting company, bought their first home as a married couple in 2012, the results landed them in shelter mags like domino  and squarely in the "envy of all their friends" category. Though they've since moved on, the space they created in a former soda pop factory in Noble Square remains a style high water mark we can't forget.

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One reason? Every possession has a back story. Take the piano, a Craigslist's freebie that cost hundreds to move and restore to working order. It came from a Catholic school  which explains its eccentric mirrored facade. "The nuns could keep their eyes on the kids while they were playing it," Taglia chuckles.

In the study, the couple hung a frenzy of vintage paintings hung on rich aquamarine walls turned that room into an experience as madcap yet impressive as the coloratura Kostic invokes to channel Ethel Merman at their singalongs.

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But they didn't start at fabulous. "We looked at dozens of places, and this one was nothing but a big beige brick box. I was totally unimpressed," Kostic admits.

MORE: Check out our full 2018 Home Ideas Guide 

But for Taglia, "it was love at first sight. It had such potential. I definitely strong-armed Graham into buying it," he admits sheepishly.

The couple learned a lot about themselves and each other from the renovation process.

"I could see how the space would lay out and acted as the architectural designer and general contractor, while Graham is a remarkable decorator,'' Taglia explains.

True to form, fun came first when Kostic and Taglia added decorative layers, which include fantastical wallpapers, graphic tiles and character-rich furnishings of every provenance and period.

Managing those layers is a never-ending process: "We never want things to be predictable," says Kostic. "It has to be new and fresh to stay fun."

Design smarts: Kostic and Taglia's shortlist for keeping it fun

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Be bold with color and pattern: Kostic used Carlton Varney's Brazilliance Wallpaper, a riotous explosion of banana leaves, in the kitchen. "But we could only use it on the (wall) that's drywall, because you can't wallpaper brick," he notes.

Add elements of surprise: Kostic painted the interior of his kitchen drawers fluorescent lemon-lime. "We're the only ones that see it, but it makes us happy," he explains. "I design not just for what other people see, but also Fran and me," he says.

Decorate for the way you live: Kostic's bathing habit inspired a celestial mural on their bathroom ceiling. "I love to take baths and hated the boring white ceiling, so we had an artist paint it with a mural of the night sky's constellations."

Don't be afraid of paint: Nothing is immune to the power of paint, including a vivid cerulean front door that made the house a landmark  a good thing since there were no house numbers. "We tell everyone it's the blue door right off the corner," Taglia laughs.

The House Therapist is in  with 6 solutions for your home's issues

3 quick ways to get organized at home
A group of Mexican people waits to board a U.S. Border Patrol plane at Midway Airport in 1954 in the midst of what at the time was called "a drive to clear Chicago of 'wetbacks.'" The group was to fly to Brownsville, Texas, and then be put aboard a boat for Veracruz, Mexico. (Chicago Tribune)

In 1954, after U.S. Border Patrol agents in Chicago rounded up dozens of Mexican immigrants living in the country illegally, a photographer snapped a striking image of deportees lined up on a Midway Airport runway. More than six decades later, the Tribune's account is even more striking. It reported "a drive to clear Chicago of 'wetbacks.'"

Linguistic skirmishes continue to mark the debate over immigration policy. During his campaign and as president, Donald Trump has referred to people like those shown in that photograph as "illegal aliens" or just "illegals"  terms considered by many as offensive as "wetback." Some who sympathize with migrants would call them "undocumented immigrants." And some news organizations try to avoid labels altogether by focusing on how the immigration violations occurred  such as overstaying visas, etc.

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But in the 1950s, the term "wetbacks" was used by friends and foes of those Mexican nationals photographed just before being herded onto a Border Patrol airplane bound for Brownsville, Texas. There they were to be put on a ship headed to Veracruz, Mexico.

Their itinerary was part of what the U.S. Justice Department announced as a major "drive to return 'wetbacks' to Mexico." Chicago was the focal point of what the Feds called the "wetback airlift." By the end of 1954, under the direction of Walter Sahli, district director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, it flew about "three planeloads a week of Mexican workers who entered this country illegally" out of Midway Airport, according to a Tribune article.

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As many as 1.3 million immigrants would be rounded up in the United States under the program launched by President Dwight Eisenhower. They were loaded onto trains, buses and planes and deposited deep in Mexico's interior to prevent them from returning.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump promoted the idea of a "deportation force" to rid the U.S. of up to 11 million immigrants living in the country illegally  an idea that sparked a comparison to the 1954 effort. When challenged, Trump expressed enthusiasm for Eisenhower's program, calling it "very effective."

Even in 1954, the program was controversial. A Tribune story said that our southern neighbor thought the deportation effort was a sham. The headline noted: "Mexicans hint U.S. winks at wetback horde." The Mexican government, said the story, believed that farmers and ranchers in Texas encouraged lax border patrol because they preferred hiring Mexican workers at low wages.

In most stories, the paper inserted an explanation of the term "wetbacks," saying the Mexican migrants are "so named because they swim across the Rio Grande to evade border guards." One waggish reader noted that because there is no water on the border between California and Mexico and not much in the Rio Grande, "I suggest changing the term from 'wetbacks' to 'dusty rogues.'"

A man boards a U.S. Border Patrol plane to be deported at Midway Airport in 1954 amid "Operation Wetback," a federal effort described as "a drive to return 'wetbacks' to Mexico." (Chicago Tribune)

But by the 1950s, "wetback" had entered colloquial English as a metaphor for work badly done and workers poorly paid. A Tribune gossip column took note of a U.S. congressman who said that his colleagues "think up more unconstitutional laws than a bunch of wetbacks from Mexico." In one article published in the Tribune, a writer commenting on the success of a Broadway press agent observed that, "In the theater, press agents are casual labor, like Okies and wetbacks."

Strange as it might seem, the term came naturally to the lips of Dr. Louis Leal, who doubled as a University of Chicago professor and chairman of the Mexican American Council of Chicago. "One of our problems is that of wetbacks coming to Chicago," he told the Tribune in 1952.

Yet if the language of the era seems offensive, the arguments offered in the 1950s for the deportation effort are no different from today's. A year before the "wetback airlift," a Tribune Washington correspondent wrote that U.S. Attorney General Herbert Brownell had said "an uncontrolled wave of crime remindful of the prohibition era is sweeping the southwest in the wake of the illegal entry of hundreds of thousands of alien Mexicans across the border." The Justice Department's border patrol has "completely broken down," Brownell told Eisenhower, the correspondent reported.

Prominent U.S. senators were troubled by a government program that allowed some Mexican workers to enter the country legally. Sens. Herbert Lehman, D-N.Y., and Hubert Humphrey, D-Minn., the Tribune reported, "charged that the recruitment program makes it easy for Communists and other subversives to enter the United States." Lehman estimated the daily flow of troublemakers as "perhaps many hundreds."

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Lehman and Humphrey were unabashed liberals, not reactionaries. But it was the era of the Cold War confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Fear of a communist underground was as potent then as fear of Islamic State terrorists is today.

Brownell said that, having lost control of its borders, the U.S. was being inundated by upward of 100,000 Mexicans "drifting eastward to Chicago and New York seeking work."

Lack of education limited their prospects. Many hadn't finished grammar school, noted Leal, the Mexican community leader. "We want more professional people  more lawyers, more doctors, more teachers," he said.

Between the 1950s and now, the labor movement switched sides in the immigration debate. Currently many unions support the cause of immigrant workers' rights, but back then union activists feared that that jobs were being lost to illegal immigrants. On March 3, 1951, the Tribune reported: "A 'flying squad' of the AFL National Farm labor union today forced the deportation of 115 'wetback' Mexican farm laborers." They were being given a pass by border agents "at the instance of ranchers seeking cheap labor."

Politics, it's said, makes for strange bed fellows, and never more truly than in the era of the "wetback airlift." The farm workers union was on the same side of the immigration issue as an attorney general who saw the labor movement infested by communists and mobsters.

Brownell needed all the help he could get. With only about 1,000 Border Patrol agents at his disposal, trying to curb illegal immigration was an exercise in futility, as he told the Tribune: "It's like sweeping up the ocean."

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rgrossman@chicagotribune.com
Bond was denied for a 31-year-old Polish national accused of fatally beating a Loop jewelry supplier inside his Northwest Side home during a violent home invasion back in October 2010.

Judge James Brown ordered Piotr Wielblad held without bail Saturday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building. Wielblad, formerly of west suburban River Forest and the Cragin neighborhood, faces first-degree murder and home invasion charges in the death of Shai Miller, 57.

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Miller, the owner and president of Miller's Jewelry Supply Inc. on Jeweler's Row, was found severely beaten on the kitchen floor of his home in the 6300 block of North Kildare Avenue in the Sauganash neighborhood on the evening of Oct. 27, 2010. He died from his injuries six days later, and his death was ruled a homicide by the Cook County medical examiner's office. Miller's then-14-year-old son had been struck, bound with duct tape and held at gunpoint by the home invaders.

Fugitive trackers with the US Marshals Service Great Lakes task force arrested Wielblad in his native Poland and brought him back to Chicago, where he was taken into custody by police Thursday as he arrived at O'Hare International Airport, ending a three-year international manhunt.

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Wielblad's role in the deadly home invasion wasn't known until 2014  four years after Miller's death  when authorities received information from his alleged accomplice, Leszek Pawelkowski, about Wielblad's identity and his distinctive large tribal neck tattoo, according to prosecutors. Wielblad's physical description, and his neck tattoo, matched the description given to police by Miller's son. Cook County Judge Thomas Byrne later signed an arrest warrant for Wielblad that year.

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In court, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Wielblad's large striped neck tattoo was obscured by the fleece jacket he was wearing. He also had several other tattoos, including the words "Gangland" on his lower right arm and "F--k You" on his right hand, according to police records.

Prosecutors alleged that Wielblad and Pawelkowski forced their way into Miller's home and stole cash and items from the home. But before leaving, Wielblad repeatedly kicked Miller in the face as he lay on the floor, his head hitting the refrigerator door as he was kicked, according to Assistant State's Attorney Holly Grosshans. After the invaders fled, Miller's son was able to free himself and contact police.

Authorities found a fingerprint belonging to Pawelkowski, who was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and home invasion three weeks after Miller's death. His case is still pending.

Wielblad is expected to return to court Tuesday.

wlee@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @MidNoirCowboy

This story corrects the date of Miller's death from an earlier version.
At least six people including a 14-year-old boy have been hurt in separate shootings from Saturday afternoon through early Sunday, police said.

The boy was shot in the arm about 4:10 p.m. when someone opened fire from a vehicle in the 1500 block of East 70th Street. He went to Jackson Park Hospital in good condition.

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The most recent shooting was about 3:15 a.m. Sunday in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. Two men ages 21 and 29 were driving in the 1100 block of North Central Park Avenue when a blue minivan pulled up and someone inside fired shots. They each were shot multiple times, and they drove themselves to Norwegian American Hospital.

The younger man was shot in the chest and shoulder and was listed in critical condition. The older man was shot in the right arm and abdomen. His condition was not immediately available. They both were expected to be transferred to Stroger Hospital for further treatment.

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At 2:35 a.m., a 26-year-old man was shot while he pumped gas in Lawndale. He was at the gas station in the 3900 block of West Roosevelt Road when someone fired shots from a gray sedan and he was hit in the leg. He went to Mount Sinai Hospital, and his condition was stabilized.

At 11:45 p.m. Saturday, a 22-year-old man got himself to Jackson Park Hospital with gunshot wounds to both legs and told investigators he was in the 7200 block of South Blackstone Avenue when someone approached and tried to rob him. When he ran, the would-be robber fired shots, and the man was wounded in both legs. His condition was stabilized.

Earlier, at 10:10 p.m., a 39-year-old man was shot in Pilsen. He was on the sidewalk in the 900 block of West Cullerton Avenue when someone fired shots from a gray SUV and he was shot in the back. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, and his condition was stabilized.
A 19-year-old man tried to intervene in a fight at a Northwest Side parking lot and was cut in the face, police said.

Three people were arguing in the lot of a restaurant in the 3600 block of North Pulaski Road about 1:05 a.m. Sunday. The man noticed and tried to intercede, and one of the people involved, a male, pulled out a knife and cut him on the right side of the face.

The man was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, and his condition was stabilized.
Chicago police investigate a house in the 900 block of West 59th Street in the Englewood neighborhood where nine children were removed and taken to Comer Children's Hospital for observation, March 5, 2017. (Eric Clark / Chicago Tribune)

Nine children ranging in age from infant to teenager were found unattended in a dirty Englewood home Sunday and hospitalized as a precaution, according to fire and police officials.

Chicago police officers responded to the home in the 900 block of West 59th Street about 12:50 p.m. after receiving a call about children left alone, police said.

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The Chicago Fire Department assisted, said spokesman Larry Langford, who described the home as "unkempt and dirty" and lacking heat and food.

"The police department took the kids into protective custody, and as part of that we transferred them to Comer (Children's Hospital) to be checked out," he said.

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None of the children showed signs of injury, and they were taken to the hospital in an abundance of caution, Langford said.

The youngest child was determined to be an infant, he said. Officials are working to determine the age of the oldest child, who they believe is a teenager.

Two women, who identified themselves as mothers of the children, arrived at the home after authorities arrived, Langford said. The women accompanied the children to the hospital.

Officers contacted the Department of Children and Family Services, police said. It's unclear whether the children will remain in the women's custody.

No arrests had been made, police said.

echerney@chicagotribune.com
A man who was found dead Saturday afternoon in a vacant lot in the Austin neighborhood had been shot to death in a homicide, authorities determined following an autopsy.

The man found in the 5400 block of West Ohio Street was identified as Antoine D. Watkins, 22, of the 600 block of North Long Avenue, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. He died from multiple gunshot wounds in a homicide, the office determined Sunday.

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Officers responded about 12:15 p.m. Saturday to a call of a person down in the 5400 block of West Ohio Street. When they arrived, they discovered an unresponsive man lying facedown, police said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:33 p.m., according to the medical examiner's office.

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Watkins' death marked the first homicide in six days in Chicago, the longest stretch without a criminal homicide in the city since at least Dec. 3 to 9, 2012, according to Tribune analysis of city homicide data.

Authorities have not yet ruled on the cause and manner of death of a woman whose body was found in a garbage container Friday afternoon, although authorities said Friday she may have suffered from head trauma. If her death is found to have been a homicide, the city will have gone five days without a homicide for the first time since March 11 to 15, 2015, according to Tribune data.
The city of Chicago went six days without a homicide, something that hasn't happened here since the end of 2012.

About noon Saturday, a man was found lying facedown in the 5400 block of West Ohio Street in South Austin. The medical examiner's office on Sunday identified him as Antoine Watkins, 22, and determined his death was a homicide, caused by multiple gunshot wounds.

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His death came six days after that of James Morris, 23, of the 3100 block of West 15th Place, who was killed about 11 a.m. Feb. 26 while sitting in a vehicle in the 1300 block of South Kedzie Avenue.

It marked the longest stretch without a homicide in the city since at least Dec. 3-9, 2012, according to a Tribune analysis of city homicide data.

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There have been fewer homicides so far this year than there were in 2016 but more shootings overall. There were 109 homicides through March 5 in 2016; there have been 103 so far this year. There were 520 shootings through this date in 2016, and there have been 539 shootings so far this year, according to data kept by the Tribune.

The last time Chicago saw a day without a person shot was Feb. 28, 2015, according to data compiled by the Tribune.

Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the Chicago Police Department, said it really begins with the community.

"Residents and business owners drive the safety of neighborhoods, and we are there to support them," he said. "The credit goes to our community partners."

Guglielmi said there isn't one individual reason behind the six days without a homicide, but that the department is seeing promising results in its 7th and 11th districts, where it has been investing a lot in terms of manpower and predictive analytics technology that determines where to send officers and gunshot detection systems.

"We still have a lot of work to do, but the predictive analytics is one of many ingredients. The largest one is the investment of officers with the partnership of communities," Guglielmi said.

The Tribune's Liam Ford contributed.
A fighter jet late Saturday crashed in the southernmost Turkish province of Hatay, Anadoly reported.

Local authorities say it is a fighter jet from Syria, and a Syrian opposition group has separately claimed it shot down a regime aircraft.

Hatay Governor Erdal Ata said he had received reports of a plane crash near the village of Yaylacik in central Antakya, 35 kilometers (22 miles) from the Syrian border.

"We think the plane belongs to Syria," Ata said, confirming no Turkish Armed Forces nor civil aviation flight was scheduled in the area.

A search and rescue team combing the area found the wreckage but the jets cockpit was empty, Ata said.

We believe the pilot has ejected safely, he said, adding that a search is underway.

The governor noted that the situation was not a matter of border violation, and that the jet had not been engaged on the Turkish side.

Eyewitness Suphan Polat, 55, told Anadolu Agency he saw the jet sink like an arrow into the ground.

There were three fires. The trees had been razed. Ammunition from the jet was lying on the ground, while the cockpit was a little off to the side. We were looking for any injured people but were afraid to go near it in case it blew up, Polat said.

Adem Yuman corroborated Polats story, saying it was around 6.30-7 p.m. (1530-1600 GMT) when they heard the explosion.

We went to the wreckage but we didnt get too close. There was one explosion when it crashed but no more, he said.

The Syrian opposition has told Anadolu Agency that they shot down a plane belonging to the regime.

The plane was allegedly bombing Idlib province in northern Syria when it was shot down by the opposition forces, said group spokesman of Ahrar al-Sham, Ahmed Karaali.
An immigration detainee stands behind bars at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility Feb. 28, 2013, in Florence, Ariz. (John Moore / Getty Images)

Tens of thousands of immigrants detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were forced to work for $1 day, or for nothing at all -- a violation of federal anti-slavery laws -- a lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit, filed in 2014 against one of the largest private prison companies in the country, reached class-action status this week after a federal judge's ruling. That means the case could involve as many as 60,000 immigrants who have been detained.

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It's the first time a class-action lawsuit accusing a private U.S. prison company of forced labor has been allowed to move forward.

"That's obviously a big deal; it's recognizing the possibility that a government contractor could be engaging in forced labor," said Nina DiSalvo, executive director of Towards Justice, a Colorado-based nonprofit group that represents low-wage workers, including people living in the country illegally. "Certification of the class is perhaps the only mechanism by which these vulnerable individuals who were dispersed across the country and across the world would ever be able to vindicate their rights."

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At the heart of the dispute is the Denver Contract Detention Facility, a 1,500-bed center in Aurora, Colo., owned and operated by GEO Group under a contract with ICE. The Florida-based corporation runs facilities to house immigrants who are awaiting their turn in court.

The lawsuit, filed against GEO Group on behalf of nine immigrants, initially sought more than $5 million in damages. Attorneys expect the damages to grow substantially given the case's new class-action status.

The class-action ruling by U.S. District Judge John Kane means that as many as 60,000 current and former detainees at the detention facility in Aurora are now part of the lawsuit without having to actively join as plaintiffs, said Andrew Free, one of the plaintiffs' attorneys

The lead plaintiff in the case is, in fact, a permanent resident of the U.S., and attorneys expect "a significant portion of the class will fit that bill."

The original nine plaintiffs claim that detainees at the ICE facility are forced to work without pay -- and that those who refuse to do so are threatened with solitary confinement.

Specifically, the lawsuit claims, six detainees are selected at random every day and are forced to clean the facility's housing units. The lawsuit claims that the practice violates the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which prohibits modern-day slavery.

"Forced labor is a particular violation of the statute that we've alleged," Free said. "Whether you're calling it forced labor or slavery, the practical reality for the plaintiffs is much the same. You're being compelled to work against your will under the threat of force or use of force."

GEO Group also is accused of violating Colorado's minimum wage laws by paying detainees $1 day instead of the state's minimum wage of about $9 an hour. The company "unjustly enriched" itself through the cheap labor of detainees, the lawsuit says.

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None of the original nine plaintiffs is still detained at the facility, DiSalvo said.

The class-action ruling by Kane, a senior judge in the U.S. District Court in Colorado, came at a critical time, DiSalvo said, noting President Donald Trump's pledge to deport 2 million to 3 million people living in this country illegally. Advocates say private prison companies that have government contracts stand to benefit significantly from the president's hard-line policy of detaining and deporting a massive number of immigrants

"That means you need to round up and detain more people in order to determine whether they have the rights to stay in this country before you deport them," DiSalvo said. "More people could be moving through, not just in the Aurora facility. More people could be subjected to GEO's forced labor policy."

Notably, the stocks of the two biggest private prison operators, Geo Group and CoreCivic (formerly known as Corrections Corporation of America), have surged since Trump's election. The companies donated a total of $500,000 to Trump's inaugural festivities, USA Today reported. Since Trump took office, his administration has reversed the Obama administration's policy to end the country's reliance on private prisons.

GEO Group has strongly denied the lawsuit's allegations and argued in court records that pay of $1 a day does not violate any laws.

"We intend to continue to vigorously defend our company against these claims," GEO Group spokesman Pablo Paez said in a statement. "The volunteer work program at immigration facilities as well as the wage rates and standards associated with the program are set by the Federal government. Our facilities, including the Aurora, Colo., facility, are highly rated and provide high-quality services in safe, secure and humane residential environments pursuant to the Federal government's national standards."

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Jennifer D. Elzea, acting press sectrary for ICE, said she couldn't comment on the litigation because "ICE is not specifically a party in this suit."

Under ICE's Voluntary Work Program, detainees sign up to work and are paid $1 a day. The nationwide program, ICE says, "provides detainees opportunities to work and earn money while confined, subject to the number of work opportunities available and within the constraints of the safety, security and good order of the facility."

Detainees work for up to eight hours a day, 40 hours a week, cleaning bathrooms, showers, toilets, windows, patient rooms and staff offices, waxing floors, and preparing and serving meals. ICE says detainees "shall be able to volunteer for work assignments but otherwise shall not be required to work, except to do personal housekeeping."

Jacqueline Stevens, who runs Northwestern University's Deportation Research Clinic, said the program does not meet the criteria for what qualifies as volunteer work under labor laws.

"Just slapping the word 'volunteer' in front of 'work program' doesn't exempt the prison firm from paying legally mandated wages any more than McDonald's can use 'volunteer' senior citizens and pay them Big Macs," said Stevens, whose research about the volunteer work program prompted the lawsuit.

Prison labor, Stevens added, has two purposes: to punish prisoners after they've been convicted of a crime and to rehabilitate them.

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Those don't apply to immigrant detainees who have not been convicted of a crime.

"There's no ostensible purpose to rehabilitate them," Stevens said. "They're just waiting for a court date in order to clarify their immigration status. Some don't end up being deported."

Free, one of the plaintiffs' attorneys, said there are alternatives to detaining immigrants while they wait for their day in court. That includes supervision programs and community monitoring.

"That's much cheaper than spending double the current cost of detention," Free said, adding that not incarcerating them would ensure they're able to find attorneys and attend their immigration hearings. "The for-profit prisons are a policy choice against due process in immigration courts and against access to counsel and against positive outcomes to immigrants who have valid claims."

In 2014, GEO Group filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing in court records that Colorado's minimum wage law does not apply to immigrant detainees.

"Detainees are not whom the minimum wage laws were intended to protect. The minimum wage law was enacted in Colorado to ensure wages are adequate to 'supply the necessary cost of living and to maintain the health of workers so employed,' " the attorneys argued, quoting the state statute.

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The company further argued that the Trafficking Victims Protection Act is inapplicable because the law is meant to prevent human trafficking of people for labor and/or sex. GEO Group, the attorneys wrote, "did not traffic Plaintiffs in the Aurora facility with the purpose of putting them to work." They added that the detainees are in the custody of immigration officials.

In 2015, Kane, the federal judge, partially denied the motion to dismiss. Although he agreed with GEO Group that Colorado's minimum wage law is inapplicable, he ruled that the other claims can stand.

"GEO's argument was, 'Even if we are forcing people to work under threat of solitary confinement, that would be allowed,' " DiSalvo said. "And the judge said, 'No,it wouldn't be.' "

Kane granted class-action status a few days after the Justice Department directed the Bureau of Prisons to, again, use private prisons, a significant shift from the Obama-era policy of significantly reducing -- and ultimately ending -- their use.

In a one-paragraph memo last week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded the previous directive to the Bureau of Prisons to either reduce or decline to renew private prison contracts as they came due, The Washington Post's Matt Zapotosky reported.

"The memorandum changed long-standing policy and practice, and impaired the Bureau's ability to meet the future needs of the federal correctional system," Sessions wrote. "Therefore, I direct the Bureau to return to its previous approach."

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The original directive from the Obama administration did not apply to immigration detainees.
Emergency crews work in front of the site of a warehouse fire, Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP)

Smoke inhalation killed all 36 people who perished in a December fire at an Oakland warehouse, according to investigators.

The causes of death were confirmed Saturday by the Alameda County Coroner's Bureau.

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The Dec. 2 blaze broke out during a concert, trapping scores of people. The warehouse  known as the Ghost Ship  had an internal maze of structures, according to firefighters and former tenants, making it difficult for patrons to escape the quickly moving fire.

The victims ranged in age from 17 to 61.

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Despite mounting evidence that the warehouse had been converted into an illegal residence and music venue, the city of Oakland never moved to shut it down, records show.

The city had received several complaints that conditions inside the warehouse were unsafe, including reports of piles of trash and faulty electrical wiring.

The Alameda County district attorney's office has opened a criminal investigation into the fire.

The San Francisco Chronicle first reported the causes of death, which were determined in December.
The 39-year-old Sikh man was working on his car in his driveway in Kent, Washington, just south of Seattle, when a man walked up wearing a mask and holding a gun.

According to a report in the Seattle Times, there was an altercation, and the gunman - a stocky, 6-foot-tall white man wearing a mask over the bottom part of his face - said "Go back to your own country" and pulled the trigger.

Authorities are investigating the shooting as a suspected hate crime, the newspaper reported.

The victim, whose name hasn't been released, was shot in the arm at about 8 p.m. Friday and suffered injuries that are not life-threatening, the newspaper reported. The man who shot him is still on the loose. Kent Police have reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies for help.

The Washington state shooting comes just weeks after an Indian man in Kansas was killed and another was injured by a gunman who told them to "get out of my country" before opening fire in a bar.

In the Kansas case, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, died from his wounds. Alok Madasani, 32, was released from the hospital Thursday. A third person, Ian Grillot, a patron at the bar, was shot while trying to intervene, The Washington Post reported.

Authorities there were also investigating whether the shooting was motivated by bias, a widely-held suspicion among the victims' family members.

The father of the injured Indian man said the rhetoric of President Donald Trump contributed to negative feelings in the nation and implored parents in India "not to send their children to the United States."

The White House disputed the family's claim.

Family members of the two men said in interviews that they feared the current atmosphere in the United States. "There is a kind of hysteria spreading that is not good because so many of our beloved children live there," said Venu Madhav, a relative of Kuchibhotla. "Such hatred is not good for people."

Madhav said that "something has changed in the United States."

Relatives of the Indian men told the Hindustan Times that they were friends who had not antagonized the alleged shooter, Adam Purinton, and that Purinton had instead "picked an argument" with them and suggested they were in the country illegally. Purinton is charged with first-degree murder.

"They tried to tell him that they had done their [master's degrees] in Kansas in 2006 and had been staying there with valid work permits," a relative said.

Sikhs have faced similar fears since Sept. 11, 2001, worried that they are singled out for persecution because of their religious head coverings, according to Sikhnet, a global virtual community for the religion's adherents. Sikhs, who wear turbans as part of their religion, are from northern India and are neither Hindu nor Muslim, according to Sikhnet.

"Many Sikhs have become victims of hate crimes because of their appearance," according to the site.
From left, Donald Trump, Bayrock Group founder Tevfik Arif and Felix Sater in New York in 2007. (Mark Von Holden / WireImage)

Reporting from Washington  Working from a 24th-floor office in Manhattan's Trump Tower, Felix Sater spent years trying to line up lucrative deals in the United States, Russia and elsewhere in Europe with Donald Trump's real estate organization.

For much of that time, according to court records and U.S. officials, Sater also worked as a confidential informant for the FBI, and  he says  U.S. intelligence.

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"I was building Trump Towers by day and hunting Bin Laden by night," Sater, now 50, told the Los Angeles Times in a phone interview from New York.

As managing director of Bayrock Group LLC, a real estate development firm, the Russian-born businessman met Trump in 2003, court records show, when Trump was looking to expand his business and branding organization around the globe.

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Although few projects were built, Sater worked on hotel and condominium deals with the Trump Organization through 2010 in New York, Florida, Arizona, London, Moscow and elsewhere even as he secretly helped the FBI infiltrate and take down organized crime figures, according to court records.

Trump has denied they were close, but Sater had access to Trump's inner circle as recently as this year.

In January, Sater and Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, met in a New York hotel with a Ukrainian lawmaker who asked them to bring the White House a pro-Russian peace deal for Ukraine.

"I was only trying to stop a war," Sater said of his role linking the lawmaker, Andrei Artemenko, with Cohen.

Retired Lt. General Michael Flynn, who was forced to resign as President Donald Trump's national security adviser, chats with former Texas Governor and Secretary of Energy Rick Perry and Trump attorney Michael Cohen, center, in the lobby at Trump Tower on Dec. 12, 2016, in New York. (Kathy Willens / AP)

The New York Times, which first reported the meeting, quoted Cohen as saying he gave the envelope containing the proposal to Michael Flynn, then Trump's national security advisor, but Cohen now denies delivering it.

"I acknowledge that the brief meeting took place, but emphatically deny discussing this topic or delivering any documents to the White House and/or General Flynn," Cohen wrote in an email to the Los Angeles Times.

The White House has "no record" of receiving the Ukraine peace proposal, according to spokesman Michael Short. He also said that "no one in the White House" had discussed the matter with Cohen.

There is no question that Sater led a double life during the years he worked with the Trump Organization.

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In 1998, Sater pleaded guilty to a federal charge of racketeering for his role in a Mafia-linked $40-million stock fraud scheme. He quickly cut a deal, agreeing to become a secret FBI informant in hopes of getting a lenient sentence.

Court records were sealed to protect Sater's identity, so his role in the fraud case stayed secret for a decade while he was at Bayrock. After a court hearing in 2009, he was fined $25,000 but was not sent to prison or ordered to pay restitution.

At his sentencing hearing, several FBI officials vouched for Sater's help. He got his biggest endorsement in January 2015 when Loretta Lynch was asked at her Senate confirmation hearing for U.S. attorney general why court records had been sealed in the fraud case.

Sater had secretly worked with federal prosecutors and the FBI for more than 10 years, "providing information crucial to national security and the conviction of over 20 individuals, including those responsible for committing massive financial fraud and members of La Cosa Nostra"  the Mafia  according to Lynch, who had served as U.S. attorney in the Eastern District in New York.

Sater's lawyer, Robert W. Wolf, gives his client more credit, saying he worked with "numerous U.S. national security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies." Sater says he helped hunt "America's greatest enemies" in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

There is no independent verification of those assertions.

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Former CIA officials who worked in counter-terrorism and Russian affairs said they never heard of Sater and doubt his cloak-and-dagger claims of chasing down terrorists.

"We should not take this guy's statements at face value," said Glenn Carle, a former CIA operations officer who retired in 2007. "There are all sorts of people who seek protection by wrapping themselves in the American and CIA flags."

A spokesman for the CIA declined to comment.

Sater's business history with Trump is well documented, however.

In their first deal, in November 2003, the Trump Organization and Bayrock announced plans to build a 19-story condominium tower and hotel complex in Phoenix.

Residents who objected that the project was too large forced a citywide referendum to block construction, however. Trump pulled out in 2005, and the project was never built.

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The following year, Bayrock licensed Trump's name and began construction of a 24-story hotel and condominium complex in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The project ran out of money and was hit by lawsuits and claims of fraud by buyers. Trump was dropped from the lawsuits after asserting he was not the developer and was not responsible for the problems.

The Trump Organization and Bayrock developed the Trump Soho hotel in Lower Manhattan starting in 2006. Sater appeared with Trump at a launch party in September 2007.

Sater left Bayrock the following year after news stories first revealed his criminal record. He continued to work with the Trump Organization  he had business cards that called him a "special advisor" and kept his offices in Trump Tower  trying to put together real estate deals through 2010.

Sater said he had signed several development deals with Trump's company, including one for a Trump Tower in Moscow, but none were built.

"We were looking to do deals in various capitals, in London, Paris  we had no special affinity for Moscow," Sater said in the interview.

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Sater says he was still pitching deals to the Trump Organization in 2015. A lawyer for the Trump company did not return requests for comment.

In a sworn deposition in 2013 in a civil suit, Trump said he barely knew Sater.

"If he were sitting in the room right now, I really wouldn't know what he looked like," Trump said.

Short, the White House spokesman, declined to comment on Sater's role as an FBI informant or on Trump's relationship with him.

Born in Russia, Sater grew up in Brighton Beach, a gritty Brooklyn neighborhood known for its large Russian community, after his father emigrated from the Soviet Union in 1972.

Sater became a licensed stock broker, but he stabbed a man with a broken margarita glass during a bar fight in 1991. He was convicted of felony assault and served about a year in prison.

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During his years as an informant, Sater sometimes confided in his rabbi  who thought he was making up his exploits.

"I thought perhaps he had watched too many James Bond movies and read one too many Tom Clancy novels," Rabbi Shalom M. Paltiel said in a 2014 speech naming Sater "man of the year" for his service to his Chabad congregation on Long Island.

Paltiel said Sater then invited him to a secret thank-you ceremony at a federal building in New York.

"To my amazement I see dozens of U.S. intelligence officers, from all the various three-letter intelligence agencies of this country, including some I had never even known existed," Paltiel said in a video posted by Sater. Their accounts were "more fantastic and more unbelievable than anything he'd been telling me."

Several lawsuits paint a less flattering portrait of Sater, however.

In one, Ernest Mennes, an investor in the Phoenix project, sued Sater and Bayrock in Arizona Superior Court in 2007, alleging that they had skimmed an unspecified amount of money and that Sater had threatened to kill Mennes if he disclosed Sater's criminal record.

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Sater angrily denied the allegation. "You think I'm doing Trump Towers [deals] and telling someone I would  cut their legs off? Are you crazy?" he said in the interview

Bayrock settled the case for an undisclosed amount. In an interview, Mennes praised Sater, saying he "served the U.S. well" and was "a great partner."

joseph.tanfani@latimes.com

Twitter: @jtanfani
"How low has President Obama gone to tapp (sic) my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!"

-President Donald Trump, tweet, March 4, 2017

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"Reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling."

-- White House press secretary Sean Spicer, statement, March 5

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Trump's explosive allegation that former President Barack Obama wiretapped him is based on -- what?

That's been the question since a series of provocative early morning tweets by the president, since he and his staff have provided no evidence.

At The Fact Checker, we require the accuser to provide the evidence for a dramatic claim. We asked on Saturday and received no answer.

However, in calling for a congressional investigation into Russian meddling in the election to also investigate this claim, Spicer on Sunday referred to "reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations." That suggests the tweets were based on media reports, not information the president might have received from inside the government.

Our Washington Post colleague Robert Costa has reported that White House aides have internally circulated an article on Breitbart titled: "Mark Levin to Congress: Investigate Obama's 'Silent Coup' vs. Trump." Breitbart is a right-leaning news organization that is a rather unreliable source of information. Often the material that is published is derivative and twisted in misleading ways.

However, a White House spokesman told The Fact Checker that the White House instead is relying on reports "from BBC, Heat St., New York Times, Fox News, among others." He provided a list of five articles.

Let's explore the sources of the president's claim.

The Facts

We are going to start with the Breitbart article, which lists two key data points that appear to relate to the president's claim:

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"June 2016: FISA request. The Obama administration files a request with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) to monitor communications involving Donald Trump and several advisers. The request, uncharacteristically, is denied.

"October: FISA request. The Obama administration submits a new, narrow request to the FISA court, now focused on a computer server in Trump Tower suspected of links to Russian banks. No evidence is found - but the wiretaps continue, ostensibly for national security reasons, Andrew McCarthy at National Review later notes. The Obama administration is now monitoring an opposing presidential campaign using the high-tech surveillance powers of the federal intelligence services."

But these data points are not based on reporting by Breitbart. Instead Breitbart links to a report which appeared in Heat Street, another right-leaning news organization: "EXCLUSIVE: FBI 'Granted FISA Warrant' Covering Trump Camp's Ties To Russia." It was written by Louise Mensch, a former Tory member of the British Parliament and an independent journalist. This is one of the news reports identified by the White House, and it's the most important one.

This article claimed: "Two separate sources with links to the counter-intelligence community have confirmed to Heat Street that the FBI sought, and was granted, a FISA court warrant in October, giving counter-intelligence permission to examine the activities of 'U.S. persons' in Donald Trump's campaign with ties to Russia."

Mensch claimed that the warrant was related to an FBI investigation of a possible secret channel of email communication from the Trump Organization to a Russian bank - an investigation that, as far as anyone knows, went nowhere.

"The FISA warrant was granted in connection with the investigation of suspected activity between the server (in Trump Tower) and two banks, SVB Bank and Alfa Bank. However, it is thought in the intelligence community that the warrant covers any 'US person' connected to this investigation, and thus covers Donald Trump and at least three further men who have either formed part of his campaign or acted as his media surrogates," Mensch wrote.

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The Washington Post for months has sought to confirm this report of a FISA warrant related to the Trump campaign but has been unable to do so. Presumably other U.S. news organizations have tried to do so as well. So one has to take this claim with a huge dose of skepticism. Indeed, the New York Times reported before the election that the FBI "ultimately concluded that there could be an innocuous explanation, like a marketing email or spam, for the computer contacts" with the Russian banks.

Interestingly, as far as we can tell, only two other reports have touched on this FISA claim, and they also have British connections. One is a report in the BBC from January, which the White House also cited as a source. The BBC reported:

"Lawyers from the National Security Division in the Department of Justice then drew up an application. They took it to the secret US court that deals with intelligence, the FISA court, named after the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. They wanted permission to intercept the electronic records from two Russian banks.

"Their first application, in June, was rejected outright by the judge. They returned with a more narrowly drawn order in July and were rejected again. Finally, before a new judge, the order was granted, on 15 October, three weeks before election day.

"Neither Mr Trump nor his associates are named in the FISA order, which would only cover foreign citizens or foreign entities - in this case the Russian banks. But ultimately, the investigation is looking for transfers of money from Russia to the United States, each one, if proved, a felony offense.

"A lawyer - outside the Department of Justice but familiar with the case - told me that three of Mr Trump's associates were the subject of the inquiry. 'But it's clear this is about Trump,' he said."

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Finally, there was a report in The Guardian, which reported on the supposed June FISA request, but could not confirm the October one. (The White House did not cite the Guardian.)

"The Guardian has learned that the FBI applied for a warrant from the foreign intelligence surveillance (FISA) court over the summer in order to monitor four members of the Trump team suspected of irregular contacts with Russian officials. The FISA court turned down the application asking FBI counter-intelligence investigators to narrow its focus. According to one report, the FBI was finally granted a warrant in October, but that has not been confirmed, and it is not clear whether any warrant led to a full investigation."

The White House provided three other sources. Two, a National Review article and a Fox News interview, are simply derivative of the Heat Street article, with no independent confirmation. The third is a New York Times report that intelligence agencies "are examining intercepted communications and financial transactions" as part of a probe of possible links between Russian officials and Trump campaign aides. (We recall the president has previously deemed Times reporting on this matter as "fake news.")

So what do we have here?

Only two articles, both with British roots, have reported that a FISA court order was granted in October to examine possible activity between two Russian banks and a computer server in the Trump Tower. This claim has not been confirmed by any U.S. news organizations. Moreover, neither article says Obama requested the order or that it resulted in the tapping of Trump's phone lines.

Moreover, the articles do not support the White House's claim that these were "potentially politically motivated investigations" led by Obama. The articles all suggest the FISA requests - if they happened - were done by the intelligence agencies and the FBI. The BBC says the investigation was prompted by a tip from a Baltic country about possible criminal activity:

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"Last April, the CIA director was shown intelligence that worried him. It was - allegedly - a tape recording of a conversation about money from the Kremlin going into the US presidential campaign.

"It was passed to the US by an intelligence agency of one of the Baltic States. The CIA cannot act domestically against American citizens so a joint counter-intelligence task force was created."

The Pinocchio Test

While the Trump White House cited five news reports to justify its request for a congressional investigation, only two actually are relevant.

It's certainly ironic that the Trump White House - which has heavily criticized articles relying on anonymous sources - now relies on articles based on anonymous sources that cites information that has not been confirmed by any U.S. news organization. It would be amusing if it were not so sad.

Even if these reports are accepted as accurate, neither back up Trump's claims that Obama ordered the tapping of his phone calls. Moreover, they also do not back up the administration's revised claim of politically motivated investigations.

We're still waiting for the evidence.
A 55-year old Aurora man faces a number of charges, including attempted murder and aggravated fleeing and eluding police, after allegedly shooting a former roommate in the neck and then leading police in a car chase through Aurora that reached speeds in excess of 70 mph.

Aurora police said John W. Speery of the 300 block of Grant Avenue was charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and aggravated fleeing and eluding police in connection with the shooting of a 56-year-old man at around 4:40 p.m. Saturday, police said.

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The Kane County State's Attorney's Office authorized the charges Sunday.

Speery drove his 1988 Cadillac Brougham to the victim's house in the 300 block of Jackson Street and called out to his former roommate, who was in the driveway, according to a press release. The suspect then pulled a handgun and fired a single shot from his vehicle which struck the victim in the neck, and then sped away, police said.

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According to the release, responding officers spotted Speery alone in his vehicle in the area of Ohio and Grove streets and attempted to pull him over. However, the suspect refused to stop and led officers on a 14-minute pursuit through a large swath of the city's east and northeast sides, reports said.

The pursuit ended when Speery lost control of his car and struck a utility pole at Claim Street and Lincoln Avenue. He was taken into custody without further incident.

The shooting victim, who was not identified, was transported by ambulance to a hospital in Aurora where he was listed in stable condition Sunday and expected to survive, police said.

Speery was taken to a different hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and released into police custody. His bail was set at $500,000 on Sunday and he was remanded to the Kane County jail, the release said.

Police have not ruled out the possibility of additional charges. Police said Saturday's shooting stemmed from a personal dispute between Speery and the victim, but they did not elaborate.

Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon News.
Two men were arrested last week in Evanston after police recovered cocaine and two guns, along with other drugs and materials used in distributing them, from a home that police executed a search warrant on, Evanston police announced in a Saturday news release.

Xavier L. Frye, 28, of the 1500 block of West Birchwood in Chicago, was arrested Wednesday and charged with felony delivery of cannabis within 1,000 feet of a school and misdemeanor delivery of cannabis, according to the news release.

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Evanston resident Nicholas M. Mayfield, 25, of the 1400 block of Pitner was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

He is currently being held in Cook County Jail on $250,000 bail, according to information on the Cook County sheriff's website. Bond information for Frye was not immediately available.

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Evanston police said that members of the department's special operations group executed a search warrant at a residence in the 1400 block of Pitner Avenue.

Officials said a .357 caliber Glock and .45 caliber semi-automatic hand gun were discovered there.

The Glock, police said, had been reported stolen out of Mississippi.

Police also found 1.5 grams of cocaine and 175 grams of cannabis, scales, ammunition and narcotics packaging material, according to the news release.

Frye, Mayfield and another unidentified 29-year-old man were arrested at the residence and taken to the Evanston police station, police said.

The third man was released without being charged, according to police.

Mayfield is scheduled to appear in court March 21.
Lake Forest police on the scene of garage fire in the 700 block of Waveland Sunday after which a man was found dead inside the residence. March, 05, 2017 in Antioch.Joe Shuman/For The Chicago Tribune (Joe Shuman / Chicago Tribune)

The death of a man found in his Lake Forest garage Sunday morning at the site of a small fire is not being treated as a homicide, authorities said.

The man, who has not been publicly identified, was discovered when fire officials responded to a call at 11:26 a.m. Sunday to a fire in the 700 block of Waveland Road.

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The fire was in a garage at the home, and was extinguished within minutes by the Lake Forest Fire Department.

Lake County Coroner Dr. Howard Cooper said Sunday afternoon that the man was found in the garage area of the home.

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"At this point we're not dealing with a homicide investigation," Cooper said, adding that the cause of death is still under investigation.

Lake Forest Police Commander Craig Lepkoswski also confirmed that no homicide investigation has been initiated as a result of the incident.

Fire Department Shift Commander Andy Allan said the fire was contained to the garage and was put out "in two or three minutes."

The Highland Park Fire Department automatically responded to the call as well, but Allan said the fire did not require extra help.

Police and fire officials said in a news release that damage from the fire was estimated at $1,000.

There was no structural damage to the home, and fire damage was limited to the garage, according to officials.

There were no other reported injuries "to any other persons within the home or responding emergency personnel," according to the news release.

jnewton@tribpub.com
Throughout March, a piece of history will be displayed at the North Chicago Public Library, telling a story of the arrival of former slaves in the City of Elgin.

The "contraband"  as the men, women and children were labeled  arrived in one city, in two railroad box cars and settled in a three-block area on Elgin's east side in 1862, hence the name of the award-winning documentary and traveling exhibit: "Project 2-3-1."

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At the North Chicago library, at 2100 Argonne Drive, upon entering what appears to be one of the railroad boxcars of long ago where the ex-slaves from Alabama traveled, visitors are invited to learn about the lives of the 110 people who were the first African Americans to live in Elgin.

The film "Project 2-3-1" will be screened on March 14 in conjunction with the month-long traveling exhibit's stay at the North Chicago Public Library. (Yadira Sanchez Olson / Lake County News-Sun)

Through large-scale fabric walls that incorporate vibrant colors and black and white photos, the traveling museum exhibit paints a picture of what life was like for the former slaves who finally experienced freedom, the citizens who welcomed them and that of those who were not as accepting of their new neighbors.

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"This is a powerful story and I thought it should be told here," said Joan Battley, library director.

As a self-professed lover of history, Battley said that after watching the "Project 2-3-1" documentary a few months ago. she wanted Lake County residents to also get the opportunity to learn about those families who might be unknown.

A $500 donation from Shields Township made the stop at the North Chicago library for the month of March possible.

Battley said she's hoping local schools and sororities take the time to visit the exhibit.

"They'll be inspired," Battley said. "Most of the people in the boxcars were children; 77 of them were kids."

According to the Elgin Area Historical Society and Elginite Ernie Broadnax, who was the driving force behind the project, within months of the arrival, some of the children died from contagious diseases, such as small pox and scarlet fever.

Those who remained became integrated into the city, along with other races who were there before them and they meshed into a fabric of life in business, education and housing that would continue through generations.

Broadnax grew up in the segregated housing in Elgin called The Settlement. The story of his ancestors is one he had been wanting to tell for many years before he partnered with Grindstone Productions to make the documentary.

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On March 14, the library will screen the 75-minute film in conjunction with the exhibit at 5:30 p.m. Registration to the event is advised.

Yadira Sanchez Olson is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
American remakes of South Korean drama series are common nowadays and just in case Netflix decides to make a Hollywood version of "City Hunter," the lead stars should be Lee Min Ho and Brad Pitt. In 2015, it was rumored that the two actors would star in a Hollywood film titled "Raid" with Chinese actors Fan Bingbing and Zhang Hanwei.



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Lee's agency confirmed to the media that they did receive a proposal. However, they turned down the proposal after examining it.



"Many Chinese proposals have been received," Drama Fever quoted the agency as saying at the time. "But the next project has not been decided. He is currently reviewing film and television offers."



Recently, Lee was recognized as the top actor of South Korea. Thus, if he decides to level up and conquer Hollywood, the proper time is now.



The winners of the 12th Annual Soompi Awards were announced on March 2, Thursday, by Soompi. With Fuse and ZANYBROS as partners, the United States-based online news provider specializing in Korean pop culture received almost 100 million votes hallyu fans from 139 countries across the globe from Dec. 19, 2016 to Jan. 16.



Jun Ji Hyun's "The Legend of the Blue Sea" co-star was chosen as Actor of the Year. Voters chose him over Eric Mun, Jang Hyuk, Ji Chang Wook, Ji Sung, Jo Jin Woong, Jo Jung Suk, Kim Rae Won, Kim Woo Bin, Lee Jong Suk, Lee Joon Gi, Park Bo Gum, Park Hae Jin, Seo In Guk and Song Joong Ki.



It will be great opportunity for Min Ho if he gets the chance to reprise his role as Lee Yoon Sung/Poochai in an American remake of "City Hunter" with Pitt playing Lee Jin Pyo. In the South Korean series, Jin Pyo was played by Kim Sang Joong, who is only two years younger than Pitt.



Meanwhile, check the "City Hunter" song titled "Suddenly" here:






From left, Ashlen Trapalis of Norwood Park, Elizabeth Gerth of Hinsdale and Chloe Theus of Broadview perform at a dress rehearsal of "Radium Girls" at Trinity High School. (Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press)

Two shows that director Pat Henderson said "highlight the plight of workers" will be presented at Trinity High School in River Forest.

"Radium Girls' and "The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs" are "both challenging theatrical pieces," said Henderson, who is also the set/lighting designer.

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"We're all unaware of where our electronics come from," Henderson said. "It made me think."

"Radium Girls" is based on a story of women who painted luminous watch dials.

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"They actually glowed at night, which is part of the makeup we do," Henderson said.

Kira Barrett, 17, a student director and senior from River Forest, said "I think it's very cool that Trinity is taking this on."

"Change just doesn't start with adults," Barrett said. "It starts with the high-schoolers and the students who are growing up and will soon be making policy decisions themselves."

Caden Marshall, 16, a home-schooled junior from Berwyn, plays Tom Krieder, the fiance of Grace Fryer of "Radium Girls."

"It's awful; it's sad," Marshall said.

Ashlen Trapalis, 18, a senior from Norwood Park, plays Grace Fryer.

"It's kind of shocking," Trapalis said.

"This is such an awesome thing [for Trinity] to do and especially at this time," Trapalis said. "The fact that mistreatment of workers is still going on is appalling."

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Henderson directed "The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs" for the Williams Street Repertory at the Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake (26 N. Williams St.) in August 2014.

"I felt it was a perfect play to bookend with 'Radium Girls,' " she said, of the pairing.

"Now, I'm not going to stop using technology," she said. "But do we all have to rush out and get the latest and the greatest when people are being worked to this level? You have to see what the cost is."

Caden Marshall is among students not enrolled at Trinity who appear in a production at the all-female high school. Auditions took place in December.

"I think if you own some amazing important item, it's good to know how it was made and its background," Marshall said. "Things that are made by hand, like those luminous watches or cellphones, those have a personal touch to it. And the conditions that people are put in when they're making these things are important. It's a cool thing to think about."

Shows are March 10 and March 11 at 7 p.m. The March 12 matinee is at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and senior citizens. Students pay $5.

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Nearly 20 cast and approximately 15 crew members are participants, Henderson said. Costumes are designed by Deb "Dame" Erickson.

"As always, her designs raise the production quality beyond my concept," Henderson said.

Tickets can be purchased online at or at the door.

Karie Angell Luc is a freelance photographer and reporter for Pioneer Press.
Pueblo state Senate candidates dispute claims made in 'dark money' ads

Incumbent Nick Hinrichsen and GOP challenger Stephen Varela have denied claims made by outside groups spending big money on competitive races
To share with friends and brethren The Gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (the Everlasting Gospel), and to prepare a people to stand when He returns to redeem His remnant. Also, to share relevant information of current events, and to show how they relate to prophecy; By means of articles, editorials, opinions, scripture readings, and poetry.

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Endrtimes does not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article/video posted on this site. The information provided here is done so for personal edification; It's up to the reader to separate truth from error, and to examine everything (like the Bereans) from a Biblical perspective. Let the Holy Scriptures be you guide! - - - FAIR USE NOTICE: These pages/videos may contain copyrighted () material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to advance understanding of ecological, POLITICAL, HUMAN RIGHTS, economic, DEMOCRACY, scientific, MORAL, ETHICAL, and SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior general interest in receiving similar information for research and educational purposes.
According to the US state department report, the greatest human rights concerns in Egypt "were excessive use of force by security forces, deficiencies in due process, and the suppression of civil liberties"

Egypt says a recently-issued US State Department annual report on human rights around the world reflects Washington's viewpoint and is not based on binding legal obligations.

The report, released on Friday, said the most significant human rights concerns in Egypt "were excessive use of force by security forces, deficiencies in due process, and suppression of civil liberties."

In response, Egypt's foreign ministry said in a statement late Saturday that "the report is an American procedure stemming from internal concerns and [one that] reflects the US point of view."

It added in the statement that the report was not based on any "legal frameworks" Egypt is bound by or its membership to United Nations organisations.

"Human rights conditions in Egypt are committed through clear constitutional obligations and are being monitored by national Egyptian organisations: governmental and independent," the statement read.

The report, which documents human rights conditions in nearly 200 countries and territories, is mandated by congress and put together by staff in US embassies. This year's report was largely compiled under President Barack Obama's administration.

The report said Egypt's "excessive use of force included unlawful killings and torture."

It added that due process problems included "the excessive use of preventative custody and pretrial detention, the use of military courts to try civilians," also trials without evidence and arrests without warrants.

Civil liberties violations included societal and government restrictions on freedoms of expression and assembly, the report explained.

Other human rights violations mentioned were: "disappearances," harsh prison conditions, arbitrary arrests, a politically-motivated judiciary and restrictions on academic and religious freedom; impunity for security forces; harassment of some civil society organisations; official corruption; violence, harassment, and societal discrimination against women and girls; and child abuse.

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The 3D images of the restoration of the two Xuchang Man skulls [Photo: Xinhua]

Latest evidence suggests prehistoric hominids in northern China might have been hybrids of the indigenous population and Europeans, challenging the popular view of humankind's African origin.

According to a report published in "Science" magazine on Thursday, human cranial fossil remains dating back to 105,000 - 125,000 years ago found in Xuchang, central China's Henan Province bear characteristics of Chinese hominids, early modern humans and the Neanderthals of Europe who thrived between 30,000 and 130,000 years ago.

The two skulls of Xuchang Man were discovered in 2007 and 2014 respectively by an archaeological team led by Li Zhanyang, first author of the report and a researcher with Henan provincial institute of cultural heritage and archaeology.

Li said the skulls show a similar occipital bone and inner ear labyrinth structure to Neanderthals, and share features of Peking Man (living in Beijing about 200,000 and 700,000 years ago) in a low neurocranial vault, flat neurocranium and short mastoid with inward slopes.

The Xuchang humans lived between Peking Man and early modern humans in north China (about 40,000 years ago), which Li said proves the continuity of human evolution in north China.

Li said Xuchang Man was very likely a direct ancestor of modern northern Chinese, which challenges the hypothesis that northern Chinese were originated from Africans. Geologically Xuchang is located in north China.

In anthropogeny, the study of human origins, African origin is the current general consensus, yet a competing "multiregional view" is also held by many scientists.

It is the first time fossils bearing characteristics of the Neanderthals have been found in East Asia. And it will influence research on the origin of modern humans, said Erik Trinkaus, co-author of the report and a professor with Washington University in St. Louis.

After using CT scanning and 3D technology to make comparisons with other human fossils found in other parts of the world, Li said Xuchang Man is a new species. However, a DNA analysis has yet to be carried out.

Li presumes that the Chinese hominids migrated to warmer European regions during an ice age and crossbred with the local Neanderthals. During the last interglacial stage (74,000 to 128,000 years ago) when the climate got warmer, the ancestors of Xuchang Man came back to north China. The migration might have happened several times due to climate change.
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Police have detained a suspect who appeared in an online video verbally abusing two women on a metro train in Beijing after the post went viral online on Saturday.

The video clip showed the suspect making abusive comments to the two women, grabbing a cell phone from one of them as the woman called a police hotline, and eventually pushing the woman out the train door at a station on Line 10.

Police said the 17-year-old suspect has been put under detention for interrogation.
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Malaysia has declared on Saturday night the ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the country as "persona non grata" and asked him to leave Malaysia within 48 hours, amid a row over the investigation into a DPRK man's death.

The decision was made after the ambassador, Kang Chol, failed to show up at a meeting after he was summoned by Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the same day, said the Foreign Minister Anifah Aman in a statement, adding no other senior official came to the meeting either.

Anifah said the ministry has sent a diplomatic note to the DPRK embassy on Saturday evening to inform the DPRK government that Kang should leave Malaysia within 48 hours from the scheduled time of the meeting, which should have taken place at 6 p.m., March 4, according to the statement.

The expulsion of the ambassador came after Kang and the DPRK government accused the Malaysian side several times of "colluding with hostile forces" in its investigation into the death of the DPRK man on Feb. 13 in Kuala Lumpur, and refused to trust the investigation.

Anifah said the DPRK side also failed to make an apology for the accusations Kang has leveled against Malaysia, and there is no sign of a forthcoming one.

Previously, Malaysia has recalled its ambassador in Pyongyang and said it would rescind visa-free entry for DPRK citizens.

These measures are part of the process by Malaysian government to review its relations with the DPRK, according to the statement.

Malaysia also defended its impartiality in the investigation, citing the release of Ri Jong Chol, a DPRK man arrested as a suspect following the killing.

Ri was deported back to DPRK on Friday and during his transit stay in Beijing, he accused the Malaysian police of coercing him to confess his crime.
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Iran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday dismissed the recent U.S. State Department annual report over human rights situation in the Islamic republic, Tasnim news agency reported.

"Due to its awful and dark human rights record, either inside that country or at the international level, the U.S. government is in no position to comment on the status of human rights in other countries," the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying.

Qasemi said that no international organization or law has authorized the U.S. government to judge the status of human rights around the world one-sidedly and with political motivations.

Friday review of human rights by the U.S. State Department on Iran alleged that there have been "severe restrictions on civil liberties" including freedoms of speech, gatherings, religion and press in the Islamic republic in 2016.

The review chided the Iranian government for reportedly committing arbitrary or unlawful killings, "including, most commonly, by execution after arrest and trial without due process."

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Thursday that some Western states use the human rights issue as a tool for their political ends.
The group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militant group in 2014

The statement said the apprehended leaders were arrested while they held meeting to plan a range of "deadly" attacks in the near future.

Egypt has been battling waves of militant attacks in North Sinai, centred mainly in Rafah, Shiekh Zuewied and Arish cities since the ouster of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013, following nation-wide protests against his rule.

Some attacks have reached other parts of the country, including the capital.

Militants have killed hundreds of security forces over the course of the insurgency.

The army has said hundreds of militants have been killed in its campaigns.

In November 2014, the Sinai based militant group Ansar Bait Al-Maqdis pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militant group.

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Photo taken on Dec 1, 2016 shows the Huanghua Port in North China's Hebei Province. China's economy grew 6.7 percent year on year in 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

The country's top economic planner vows to draw up a blacklist to ensure the authenticity of outbound investment and fend off risks from "its rising excessively fast".

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) will introduce a system of capital contribution requirements for State-owned enterprises' outbound investment and provide guidance to ensure Chinese businesses going global in a well-regulated and orderly manner, according to a document.

The document, named "report on the implementation of the 2016 plan for national economic and social development and on the 2017 draft plan for national economic and social development" was issued by the NDRC on Sunday.

The move comes as China's outbound investment surged to a record high last year. The outbound mergers and acquisitions jumped 2.46 times in value to $221 billion, according to industry reports.
A skilled worker operates a welding robot at an elevator-manufacturing company in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province. [Photo/China Daily]

China accomplished the year's main task and targets for economic and social development, and got the 13th Five-Year Plan off to a great start.

The economy has registered a slower but stable performance with good momentum for growth.

GDP reached 74.4 trillion yuan, representing 6.7-percent growth, and seeing China outpace most other economies. China contributed more than 30 percent of global growth. The CPI rose by 2 percent. With an 8.5-percent increase in profits, industrial enterprises reversed the previous years negative growth of 2.3 percent. Energy consumption per unit of GDP fell by 5 percent. Economic performance improved markedly in quality and returns.

Employment growth exceeded projections.

A total of 13.14 million new urban jobs were added over the course of the year. The number of college graduates finding employment or starting businesses reached another record high. The registered urban unemployment rate stood at 4.02 percent at year-end 2016, the lowest level in years. For China, a large developing country with a population of over 1.3 billion, attaining this level of employment is no easy task.

Continued advances were made in reform and opening up.

Breakthroughs were made in reforms in major sectors and key links, and initial success was achieved in supply-side structural reform. New measures were introduced for opening China up, rapid progress was made in pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative, and a number of major projects and industrial-capacity cooperation projects with other countries were launched.

Economic structural adjustment was stepped up.

Consumption was the main driver of economic growth. The value created by the service sector rose to 51.6 percent of GDP. High-tech industries and equipment manufacturing grew rapidly. In agriculture, production was stable and structural adjustments were made, and we had continued good grain harvests.

New drivers of growth gained strength.

Further progress was made in pursuing the innovation-driven development strategy, and a number of world-leading achievements were made in science and technology. Emerging industries were thriving, and the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries accelerated. People were busy launching businesses or making innovations, with a 24.5-percent year-on-year increase in the number of new businesses registered- an average of 15,000 new businesses daily. With self-employed traders and other market entities included we had an average of 45,000 new market entities launched per day. New growth drivers are opening new prospects for Chinas development.

Infrastructure became ever-better able to sustain development.

Over 1,900 kilometers of new high-speed rail lines came into service, and more than 6,700 kilometers of expressways and 290,000 kilometers of rural roads were built of upgraded. Construction picked up pace on urban rail transit facilities and underground utility tunnels. Construction began on 21 major water conservancy projects. The number of 4G mobile communications subscribers grew by 340 million and over 5.5 million kilometers of optical fiber cable were added.

Living standards were improved.

Personal per capita disposable income increased by 6.3 percent in real terms. The number of people living in poverty in rural areas was reduced by 12.4 million, including more than 2.4 million people relocated from inhospitable areas. More than 6 million homes in rundown urban areas and over 3.8 million dilapidated rural houses were renovated. In tourism, domestic trips showed rapid growth, and overseas trip exceeded 120 million. People in both urban and rural areas saw a rise in living standards.

China successfully hosted the G20 2016 Hangzhou Summit, and helped to deliver a number of important pioneering, leading, and institutional outcomes, thus doing its part for global economic governance.
A worker cuts steel bars on the production line of a mill in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province. Si Wei / For China Daily

To deliver a good performance this year, we in government should stick to the following guidelines:

First, we should make progress while maintaining stable performance and keep our strategic focus.

Second, we should focus on supply-side structural reform.

Third, we should expand aggregate demand as appropriate and improve its efficacy.

Fourth, we should rely on innovation to replace old growth drivers with new ones and speed up structural improvement and upgrading.

Fifth, we should solve prominent problems of public concern.
China has zero tolerance for "subsidy cheating" by some new energy vehicle makers and the country will introduce new policies as the subsidies will be phased out by 2020, Minister of Industry and Information Technology Miao Wei said on Sunday.

Miao said the government will improve the existing policies and strengthen the regulation on subsidies offered to carmakers.

The minister made the comments before the opening of the annual meeting of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.

Miao said the government is also studying alternative policies as the government will end the subsidy policy in 2020.

"We are planning to set up a new trading system based on the energy consumption of the traditional and the new energy vehicles," Miao said, adding the ministry is soliciting public opinions on its website.
BRUSSELS - The European Union should further its digital cooperation with China to boost cyber security, a European digital expert told Xinhua here recently.

Luigi Gambardella is the president of ChinaEU, a business-led international association in Brussels that promotes bilateral digital cooperation.

He believed the European Commission should make use of the re-evaluation of the EU Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA) and transform it into a Chinese-European agency for network and information security.

The consultation on the evaluation of ENISA is now well under way. Until now, no one has come forward with a constructive idea to overcome the dilemma between scrapping ENISA altogether or maintaining it in its current form. Stressing the possibility of using this review to set up a concrete EU-Chinese cooperation project would be timely.

"Together, the EU and China can make the Internet a safer place," Gambardella said.

ENISA was set up in 2004 to help ensure a high level of network and information security within the bloc. Its current objectives, mandate and tasks were set for a period ending in 2020.

The Commission is now holding a public consultation that will close on April 12. It aims to make proposals for the new ENISA mandate by June 2018.

Gambardella said that over the past few years, the cyber security landscape had evolved significantly in terms of threats, and technological, market, and policy developments.

EU's directive on Network Information Security, adopted last July, fundamentally changed the institutional setting by requiring member states to set up a specialized network of national computer security incident response teams to deal with cyber security threats.

Gambardella said the Chinese government pledged to make network and information security a national strategy and introduced a series of policies and other steps to strengthen information security and promote the development of an information security industry.

"In his Davos speech, President Xi expressed China's desire to cooperate with Europe. Why not further deepen digital cooperation in the area of cyber security?" Gambardella said.
Malong said in statement to El-Sharq El-Awsat (Middle East) newspaper on Sunday that the Egyptian intervention in South Sudan is limited to furthering a peace process and providing humanitarian aid.

The military commander praised Egypt's role in the region, saying his country is eager to benefit from Egyptian military expertise by sending army officers to receive training in Cairo in the near future.

Last month, South Sudans government denied Sudanese allegations that the Egyptian government had provided arms and ammunition to the South Sudanese army.

South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013 after President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, fired his deputy Riek Machar, a Nuer.

The ensuing violence has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced more than 2 million, many of whom have fled to neighbouring Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan.

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China to raise 2017 defense budget by around 7 pct: Spokesperson

China's 2017 defense budget will expand by about 7 percent, a spokesperson for the annual session of the country's top legislature said Saturday.

"China's military capacity building will be continued. This is the requirement for safeguarding our national sovereignty and security," Fu Ying, spokesperson for the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) annual session, told a press conference.

The new increase could be the country's slowest defense budget rise in at least a decade.

Last year, the country's defense budget rose by 7.6 percent to 954 billion yuan (about 138 billion U.S. dollars), breaking a multi-year run of double-digit increases.

The country's 2016 economic growth registered a nearly three-decade low of 6.7 percent. However, the rate still outpaced most other major economies.

Premier Li Keqiang will unveil the government's GDP target for this year on Sunday. The exact figure for the new defense budget is also expected to be released in a budget report the same day.

At the press conference, Fu said China's defense budget in recent years has been in line with China's economic development and defense needs.

Her words were echoed by Major General Chen Zhou, who said China's defense budget increase is reasonable and moderate against the backdrop of "profound changes in China's overall strength, its security environment and the world's strategic situation."

"A rise of about 7 percent in defense budget is basically in keeping with last year's GDP output," said Rear Admiral Yin Zhuo of the People's Liberation Army Navy.

Yin said China's defense spending per soldier is considerably lower than that of other major countries.

The country's entire defense spending last year accounted for less than a quarter of that of the United States.

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to further strengthen his country's military buildup.

In his first address to Congress after taking office, Trump proposed a huge 54-billion-U.S. dollar surge in the country's military spending, up 10 percent from the previous year.

Fu also noted that China's defense spending accounts for only about 1.3 percent of the country's GDP, compared with NATO members' pledge to dedicate at least 2 percent of GDP to defense.

"You should ask them what their intentions are," Fu told reporters, adding that China has "never inflicted harm on other countries."

"Of all the conflicts and wars in the world that have killed and displaced so many people and caused significant loss of property, which one is China to blame for?" she asked.

Yin Zhuo also said China, itself a victim of aggression in the past, would not inflict its own suffering on others.

"We know the price for peace," Yin said.

Concerning disputes between China and neighboring countries, Fu said China advocates dialogue and peaceful solutions in addressing those issues.

"But in the meantime, we must also have the capability to defend our sovereignty, our rights and interests," she said.

"In particular, we must guard against outside forces from interfering with such issues," Fu said without elaborating.

"The enhancement of China's capabilities is conducive to safeguarding regional peace and stability, not the contrary," she continued.

According to Fu, China and some ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries have already returned to dialogue and consultation, and tensions in the South China Sea have shown trends of easing.

"As to the future development [of the settlement of these disputes], I think we also need to take into account the intentions on the U.S. side," she said, calling the United States' actions in the South China Sea a "weather vane" for the region.

Fu went on to say that concerns over navigational freedom in the South China Sea are misleading and uncalled for.

"In essence ... Washington is perhaps concerned that China could catch up with or surpass the United States in terms of capability," she said, noting that there is still a huge gap between the two countries.

Fu said whether a military poses a threat rests on its "strategic intentions."

"Thus the key question we should really ask is whether we are pursuing common security or exclusive security," Fu said.

"China wants common security for all, and this is the shared consensus of many Asian countries as well," she said.
From overseas media: Major concerns during two sessions

Seeking progress while maintaining stability

All eyes are on China's Two Sessions since it's the country's largest annual political event where the government's core policies on economic, political, and social fields are discussed. According to the People's Daily and other state-run media outlets, the main focus will be certainly the economy. In this case, we should first think of the slogan "wen zhong qiu jin ()", which means "seeking progress while maintaining stability." This is not an exaggeration since China's top leadership made it clear that the policy will focus on "seeking progress while maintaining stability" at the Central Economic Work Conference held at the end of last year.

--Asia Today

Economic growth

High on the agenda is how the government will help the economy adapt to growth that has fallen to its lowest level since 1990.

--AP

Supply-side reform

With the framework somewhat settled, Chinese leaders are expected to discuss the details, including intensifying structural reform on the supply side.

--Arirang, South Korea

State-Owned Enterprises

Ma Bangui, however, was just an ordinary worker at a state-owned gas company in the northeastern city of Dandong when he was elected to the NPC. Ma says SOE workers currently lack motivation, and their jobs should be incentivized through bonuses and other perks, like private companies do.

--Time magazine's website

Left-behind children

Tens of millions of rural Chinese flock to factories on the coast every spring, but their children are only eligible for free schooling in their home villages. These "left-behind children"  estimated at 61 million last year  are typically cared for by elderly grandparents but frequently struggle estranged from their parents and with only poor educational facilities available.

--Time magazine's website

Agriculture

Chinese agriculture suffers from a lack of professionalism and mechanization, leading to the overuse of fertilizers and pesticides to keep yields high.

--Time magazine's website

Rural health care

Especially in rural areas, doctors are poorly equipped, trained and work horrendous hours; many are even attacked by frustrated patients. Owing to low wages, many doctors elicit bribes from patients to provide treatment.

--Time magazine's website
Minister: Govt will not tolerate 'subsidy cheating' by new energy vehicles

China has zero tolerance for "subsidy cheating" by some new energy vehicle makers and the country will introduce new policies as the subsidies will be phased out by 2020, Minister of Industry and Information Technology Miao Wei said on Sunday.

Miao said the government will improve the existing policies and strengthen the regulation on subsidies offered to carmakers.

The minister made the comments before the opening of the annual meeting of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.

Miao said the government is also studying alternative policies as the government will end the subsidy policy in 2020.

"We are planning to set up a new trading system based on the energy consumption of the traditional and the new energy vehicles," Miao said, adding the ministry is soliciting public opinions on its website.
Research must be conducted before congestion charges, transport chief says

Local authorities should conduct thorough research and foster maximum consensus in society before launching a congestion charge to reduce traffic gridlock, Transport Minister Li Xiaopeng said on Sunday.

The minister told reporters before the opening of the National People's Congress that congestion charges can only be launched after thorough research and evaluation, and its implementation must be in line with the law.

Li said the ministry will encourage and support the development of bicycle-sharing services.

"We also encourage the local authorities to implement the strategy based on their cities' situation and step up regulation," he said.

He noted that it is also important for bicycle-sharing operators to improve their services and users to obey social protocol.
Counties no longer in poverty can still benefit from favorable policies, development chief says

"Impoverished counties" can still benefit from poverty-alleviation policies for a certain period after they have been lifted out poverty, Liu Yongfu, head of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, said on Sunday.

Extending favorable polices for these counties can help boost their development and prevent them from falling into poverty again, he said.

Some impoverished counties are reluctant to be graded as having been lifted out poverty by the Central government for fear they may lose favorable poverty-alienation policies, according to some media reports.

China has pledged to pull all people out of poverty by the end of 2020.
Dairy sector scales new heights, minister says

The dairy sector has reached new heights with the development of large-scale farms and use of machinery after the 2008 milk scandal, Agriculture Minister Han Changfu said on Sunday.

The minister told reporters before the opening of the annual National People's Congress that large-scale dairy farms now account for 50 percent of the milk supply in the dairy sector, and use of machinery is commonplace.

Sales and production of the top 20 milk enterprises now takes up half of the whole sector, he said.

"All those changes are indicators that China's dairy sector is heading for rejuvenation," he said.

The dairy sector was hit hard after a 2008 scandal in which a number of farmers and manufacturers were found to have added melamine, a toxic chemical, to unprocessed milk.

Han said the authority will continue to step up the regulation on milk sources and the raising of dairy herds, and encourage the development of large-scale enterprises and name brands in the sector.

"I believe that someday foreign tourists will purchase Chinese milk powder when they visit China," he said.
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China committed to global economic cooperation, Premier says

China will stick to its commitment to promoting global economic cooperation, Premier Li Keqiang said on Sunday while delivering the Government Work Report.

"Economic globalization is in the fundamental interests of all countries. China will not shift in its commitment to promoting global economic cooperation," Li told lawmakers during the annual session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

The premier said that China will play an active part in multilateral trade negotiations and join hands with other countries to implement multilateral trade agreements.

"China is a responsible country. We have always striven to honor the commitments we have made, and we will firmly defend our due rights and interests," he said.
Fixed-asset investment may rise 9%

Fixed-asset investment is expected to expand by 9 percent in 2017, according to the draft plan for national economic and social development released on Sunday.

Fixed-asset investment in 2016 reached 60 trillion yuan, official data showed.

The central government plans to invest 507.6 billion yuan ($73.5 billion) in infrastructure projects and public services alone this year, according to the draft plan.

The draft plan also said China would boost the private sector by further easing restrictions on private investments in key industries, including telecommunications, oil and gas exploration and exploitation, and defense-related science and technology.

Investment in public programs has been one of China's ways to sustain its GDP growth.
Dozens of Coptic families have fled North Sinai as jihadist attacks against Christians grow in number. Simultaneously, Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis fired missiles across the border into Israel, prompting an Israeli response that killed several Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis operatives in Egypt, and security forces launched a new sweep of Gabal Al-Halal, a notorious militant hideout.

The developments raise questions not only about the capabilities of Islamic State-affiliate Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, but the ways in which the war against the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq and the shrinking spheres of IS influence there are playing out in Sinai.

According to sources interviewed by Al-Ahram Weekly, the connection is clear. It is reinforced, they say, by the growing role played by Gaza jihadists in the leadership of Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, a role they claim is reflected in the ferocious campaign to discredit Cairos policy towards the Palestinian-Israeli negotiating process, which has included leaks from the Aqaba summit and the spreading of rumours of a land exchange that would allow Palestinians to settle in Sinai.

The targeting of Copts in Sinai increased following the posting of a video explicitly calling for attacks against Christians on Al-Nabaa, a website closely associated with IS in Syria.

Analysts say the call was driven by several factors, not least attempts by IS to further foment sectarian conflicts now it finds itself on the back foot in what until recently were the groups heartlands in Syria and Iraq. Analysts also believe the attacks against Copts are part of an attempt to place Egypt in an awkward situation internationally. The recent incidents occurred in tandem with a number of high-profile visits  of the British foreign secretary and the German chancellor  and ahead of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisis upcoming visit to the US.

MP Tamer Al-Shahawi, a member of parliaments National Security Committee and a former Military Intelligence officer, is not surprised by the tactics now being adopted by Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis. Targeting Israel is a ploy it regularly used before it declared allegiance to IS and the increase in attacks against Copts is lifted directly from the 1990s playbook of Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya and the Egyptian Islamic Jihad. The tactical shift had been anticipated months ago in view of the progress made in regaining control over areas in which takfiri organisations have operated,Al-Shahawi told the Weekly.

Al-Shahawi argues that the correspondence between militant organisations now extends beyond Salafist jihadists to other groups.

Just as Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya and Egyptian Jihad called for attacks against Copts and the plundering of Coptic-owned jewellery stores in order to fund their operations in the 1990s, so we see Sinai-based groups now targeting what we might term soft targets. In Sinai Copts are the target. Elsewhere targets have included individuals who are not so closely guarded  former grand mufti Ali Gomaa, artillery division commander General Adel-Ragaai and Assistant Prosecutor-General Zakaria Abdel-Aziz.

The idea of correspondence between radical Islamist organisations begs the question of Muslim Brotherhood involvement.

Ali Bakr, an expert on Islamist groups, believes there is a Muslim Brotherhood connection.

There has been ample evidence of the existence of what is, in essence, a trans-ideological coalition since Mohamed Morsis rule, Bakr told the Weekly. Parties to the coalition may differ ideologically but they share a common interest, to target the Egyptian state. We know that the Muslim Brotherhood was implicated in the kidnapping of soldiers. We also know that it negotiated with jihadist forces in order to smooth relations with Israel. It was as a result of Brotherhood intervention the bombing of gas pipelines in Sinai stopped.

A security source points to the resemblance between the video claiming responsibility for the bombing of St Peters Church in December and the video posted on Al-Nabaa calling for attacks against Copts. Both, he says, display a distinct Brotherhood tone perceptible in the rhetorical details suggesting that the Brotherhood media machine or, more precisely, rebel factions within the Brotherhood such as Hasm and the Revolution Brigade, had a hand in its making.

Nageh Ibrahim, former member of Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiyas Shura Council, disagrees. He argues that the Brotherhood is unlikely to be connected to the latest attacks because it is too busy trying to distance itself from anything that might help the US authorities place it on the State Departments list of terrorist organisations.

Salah Salam, a native of El-Arish and head of the North Sinai Doctors Syndicate, says terror recruits come from all over and you cant distinguish between them.

Many people from the Nile Valley who came to live in Sinai have adopted Salafist-jihadist ideas. Others have come from Gaza, from the Gulf, from Jordan and Libya. They have established a presence in Sinai and play a role in extremist organisations. It is not limited to attacking Copts, they also harass Muslims. They stop women in the streets and buses and warn them to wear the veil and not to go outside without a male relative.

At the level organisations involved none can be excluded from what is happening in Sinai, from IS to Al-Qaeda to local groups.

As far as Washington is concerned, minorities, rights and freedoms are unlikely to be prioritised by the Trump administration to the extent they were by the Obama and Bush administrations, says Amr Abdel-Ati, a specialist in American affairs. Yet the issue could still be problematic because of the attention it receives in the American media, attention which might cast Cairo as incapable of providing Copts with security and stability, or which could portray the military campaign against terrorism in Sinai as a failure.

Of course, the US administration could think it best to offer Egypt greater support in its war against terrorism. Indications this might be the case emerged during Sundays meeting between the head of US Central Command Joseph Votel, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and the minister of defence."

The armys sweep of Gabal Al-Halal was ordered because of signs that the missiles fired into Israel were launched from that area. Twelve jihadist operatives were killed in the operation and a number of weapons depots destroyed. Commentators, though, chastened by hailing previous operations as success stories signalling a collapse in the terrorists capabilities, now sound a more cautious note. North Sinai MP Hossam Al-Rifaai has even called for the creation of a parliamentary committee to inspect the security situation on the ground in Sinai.

Al-Shahawi, however, insists the security forces have succeeded in performing the tasks assigned to them.

I am perfectly satisfied with their current performance. More than 98 per cent of the places that were under control of the terrorist organisations have been recovered. The problem, ultimately, is that we are fighting ghosts, not a distinct force, otherwise they would have been defeated in the first round.

Al-Shahawi suspects regional and international intelligence agencies of stirring the Sinai pot. The conspiracy is not over yet, he says. Some countries might be saying that they are reassessing their relations with Egypt in a positive light, but I dont trust them. Even the US, in my opinion, will not play an effective role in the fight against terrorism.

Counterterrorism expert Khaled Okasha stresses the importance of differentiating between security performance and security policy.

Those who agreed to the relocation of Coptic families from Sinai have contributed to the realisation of the goals of the takfiris, he says. The security forces can be blamed for this. They should have kept the families in El-Arish and furnished them with the necessary protection.

Salam agrees. Security policy needs to be reassessed. It causes more harm than good because it equates criminals with the victims in Sinai.

A media chorus portrays Sinai Bedouins as terrorists, broadening the scope of suspicion and the use of unwarranted force against civilians, which ultimately creates a support structure for the terrorist organisations.

Okasha agrees with the experts who say it is the Gazan jihadist component in Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis that is behind the resumption of missile attacks on Israel. He also believes the recent thaw in relations between Cairo and Hamas, leaks regarding the secret Aqaba summit and rumour mongering of land exchanges in the framework of some solution to the Palestinian cause are part of the same picture. Both the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Ayoub Kara and the Muslim Brotherhood were equally responsible for the rumours, says Okasha.

Why should we exclude Israel from being involved in what is happening in Sinai? asks Nageh Ibrahim. It is, after all, the party most capable of infiltrating jihadist organisations.

*This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly

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China to revoke mobile roaming rates for domestic calling: Premier

China will cancel the years-long practice of charging domestic roaming and long-distance calls as part of government's move to build a stronger internet industry, Premier Li Keqiang said while delivering the Government Work Report in Beijing on March 5, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Premier Li Keqiang announced on Sunday the nullification of the years-long practice of charging domestic roaming and long-distance calls as part of government's move to build a stronger internet industry.

Li rolled out the plan while delivering the Government Work Report at the opening of National People's Congress, China's top legislative body, with some 3,000 delegates across China gathering in Beijing.

Currently mobile phone users can face big bills for long-distance calling within China. Data roaming, or using mobile data in places other than where the phone is registered, also demands extra fees.

Li's announcement is one of the points that the report promised for innovation in the internet industry. Acknowledging that "in the age of internet, faster and more cost-effective information networks are crucial to the development of every sector", the report pledged to increase broadband and lower rates for other internet services.

Small and medium enterprises can also expect fall in broadband services this year, according to the report.
China mulls blacklist system for outbound investments

Photo taken on Dec 1, 2016 shows the Huanghua Port in North China's Hebei Province. China's economy grew 6.7 percent year on year in 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

The country's top economic planner vows to draw up a blacklist to ensure the authenticity of outbound investment and fend off risks from "its rising excessively fast".

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) will introduce a system of capital contribution requirements for State-owned enterprises' outbound investment and provide guidance to ensure Chinese businesses going global in a well-regulated and orderly manner, according to a document.

The document, named "report on the implementation of the 2016 plan for national economic and social development and on the 2017 draft plan for national economic and social development" was issued by the NDRC on Sunday.

The move comes as China's outbound investment surged to a record high last year. The outbound mergers and acquisitions jumped 2.46 times in value to $221 billion, according to industry reports.
From overseas media: Key points of Government Work Report

Economic growth

Most overseas media coverage drew attention to economic growth goal for 2017 at 6.5 percent, notably The New York Times, the BBC, Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, CNN and the CNBC.

"China set a slightly lower economic growth target for this year as the country's lawmakers began their annual meeting on Sunday."

"Li Keqiang, China's premier, called on Sunday for economic growth this year of "around 6.5 percent or higher, if possible," slightly more modest than last year's target of 6.5 to 7 percent."

--New York Times: "China Lowers Growth Target as Lawmakers Meet"

Financial risks

Reuters also talked about the government's vigilant attitude toward financial risks.

"We will ensure order in the financial sector and build a firewall against financial risks," Reuters quoted the Premier as saying.

--Reuters: "China cuts growth target as it pushes through reforms, builds 'firewall' against risks"

International politics

The Guardian took a different perspective by noting the Premier's comments on global issues.

"Speaking in the Great Hall of the People, Li Keqiang urged China to brace itself for 'more complicated and graver situations ahead, as a result of developments "both in and outside China".

--Guardian: "Chinese premier warns world entering period of political and economic upheaval"

Blue sky

The Associated Press noticed Premier Li's pledge to combat air pollution.

"Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledged Sunday to make the country's smoggy skies blue again and "work faster" to address pollution caused by the burning of coal for heat and electricity."

--The Associated Press: "China premier pledges: 'We will make our skies blue again'"
Belt and Road will benefit Afghanistan, ambassador says

The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, as it was mentioned in the Report on the Work of the Government, will benefit people along the routes, including Afghanistan, the Afghan ambassador to China said on Sunday.

Ambassador Janan Mosazai made the remarks after hearing the Report on the Work of the Government delivered by Premier Li Keqiang during the annual session of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.

"It's especially important for me to see that the report emphasizes the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative. It's extremely important for us to see the success of the initiative," he said.

The initiative is going to benefit not only the people of Afghanistan and China, but also people of the entire region, which is "very useful", he said.

The ambassador also spoke highly of China's commitment to open economies and free trade, which was reiterated in the report.

"We believe China has a very important role to play now and in the future, not only in terms of economic growth, but also in terms of overall prosperity for the region," he said.
Xi calls on Shanghai to lead way

President praises city, but asks it to do even more in opening-up, boosting innovation

President Xi Jinping said China will continue to open up in all respects, particularly in further liberalizing and facilitating trade and investment, while calling on Sunday for Shanghai to take a leading role in deepening reform and boosting innovation.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during a panel discussion with Shanghai lawmakers at the National People's Congress annual plenary session.

"The door of China's opening-up will not close," Xi said, mentioning that creating the pilot free trade zone in Shanghai was a strategic move by the CPC Central Committee.

The zone, inaugurated in 2013, has seen about 40,000 new enterprises emerge.

Shanghai also should make a difference in deepening free trade zone reforms, advancing the construction of scientific innovation centers and social governance innovation, and strengthening CPC discipline, Xi said.

The president said the city should be bold in its pilot projects, expanding its role as a testing ground for further reform and opening-up. He also urged the city to push forward with free trade and facilitation of investment. Its free trade zone should become a bridgehead for the country's Belt and Road Initiative and help market entities go global, he said. That way, Shanghai can achieve innovative results that can be adopted by other regions.

China faced a complex global situation and downward pressure on its domestic economy in the past year, but the nation kept "seeking progress while maintaining stability", pushed forward on supply-side structural reform, and achieved its goals of economic and social development, Xi said.

The president recognized the achievements of Shanghai authorities in the past year in areas such as boosting innovation, optimizing economic structures and deepening reform.

The key to the supply-side structural reform is innovation, Xi said. He urged breakthroughs in key technology areas. He also advocated educational reform to create the talent needed for the country's development.

Xi said Shanghai should explore new ways of social governance that fit a super municipality. He suggested use of information technology, including the internet and big data, to enhance intelligent city management to make the city more orderly, safer and cleaner.

The president also vowed to strengthen the discipline of the Communist Party of China. Party leaders must shoulder their responsibility in clean-governance supervision, he said.
A still shot of Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace. [Photo/Official Weibo account of Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace]

Reputed as the sequel of Empress in the Palace, another costume drama titled Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace has received public attention since shooting began.

Starring Chinese renowned actress Zhou Xun and Taiwan actor Wallace Huo, the drama tells the romantic love story of emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and his empress Ruyi.

The TV series is expected to hit the small screen at the end of this year.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is likely to embark on his debut trip to Asia this month, visiting Japan, South Korea and China, and possibly meeting Chinese foreign minister and even more senior leaders, Japanese media reported on Saturday.

Tillerson was expected in Japan on March 17-18 and would meet Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, Kyodo news agency said. The report was not confirmed by the US State Department. A department spokesman was cited by Reuters as saying: "We don't have any travel to announce at this time.

Beijing has also not confirmed the timing of the visit as of Saturday evening.

In China, the US secretary of state would meet Foreign Minister Wang Yi and possibly President Xi Jinping, Kyodo reported, adding that the two sides were expected to arrange a meeting in the US between Xi and his US counterpart Donald Trump.

That would be the second time for Tillerson to hold talks with Wang since becoming Trumps top diplomat about a month ago. The two met on Feb 17 on the sidelines of the Group of 20 ministers meeting in Bonn, Germany. At the meeting, Wang stressed that common interests between China and the US far outweigh their differences.

The reported travel to China seemed to be a response to an invitation from Chinas top diplomat, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, last Tuesday.

In their meeting at the State Department, Yang, the first senior Chinese official to visit Washington five weeks after President Trumps inauguration, invited Tillerson to visit Beijing, and Tillerson expressed interest in doing so in the near future, acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner said last Tuesday.

The two officials affirmed the importance of a constructive relationship and of regular high-level engagement between the worlds two largest economies, Toner said.

Tillersons reported China trip followed improving China-US relations in recent weeks after Trumps China-bashing rhetoric on his campaign trail and his early challenge on the one-China policy, the cornerstone of relations between the two countries.

On Feb. 9, in what Trump tweeted as a lengthy and cordial phone conversation with President Xi, the two sides agreed to work together to achieve greater results in further developing China-US relations. Trump agreed to honor the one-China policy, a shift from his earlier saying that he might not do so unless China made big concessions on trade.
The number of Coptic families who have fled North Sinais Arish for Port Said after a series attacks on Christians has risen to 28 families with 93 members, priest Armia Fahmy, the spokesperson of the Port Said Coptic archbishopric, told Ahram Arabic website on Sunday.

Fahmy says that the families have been housed at the International Scouts Camp, as well as in homes provided by the Mar Girgis Church in Port Fouad and at the citys relief centre. A number of students have been enrolled at different Port Said schools, with some already attending classes.

The spokesperson said that the Bishop of Port Said thanked the governorate and security officials for providing assistance to the families, and added that the number of fleeing families is expected to increase, therefore requiring more housing.

At the start of this month, the number of Copts who have fled North Sinai to the city of Ismailiya had risen to 143 families.

The cabinet had said earlier that a total 118 Coptic families have fled North Sinai, 96 of whom were given shelter in neighbouring Ismailiya, eight in Qalioubiya, 12 in Assiut, and two in Cairo.

The recent series of killings in North Sinai came after the Egyptian affiliate of the Islamic State militant group called on its supporters to attack Christians across the country in a video in which it claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a church in Cairo in December.

Several days after the video was released, three Christians were murdered in Arish, bringing the number of Christians killed in North Sinai in the last month to seven.

Several of the killings have been claimed by Islamic State-affiliated militants.

Sectarian violence against Christians  who make up around 10 percent of Egypts population  is not uncommon.

Local human rights watchdog Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights reported in August 2016 that in the first eight months of that year, 10 incidents of sectarian violence had taken place in the governorate of Minya, which has a relatively high number of Christian.

On Tuesday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said that his government is providing all possible help to residents of Arish, who he said were being targeted as part of a cowardly plot by evil people designed to undermine national unity and confidence in the state.

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Sameh Shoukry is scheduled to sign a cooperation agreement with EU counterparts that frames Egypts future relationship with European institutions in the next three years

Egypts Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry arrived in Brussels Sunday on a one-day visit where he is scheduled to meet with the 28 foreign ministers of the European Union, a ministry statement read.

Shoukry is scheduled to sign an EU-Egyptian association agreement, which was being negotiated since February 2016 and frames Egypts future relationship with European institutions in the next three years.

During negotiations, the Egyptian side ensured that the association agreement is based on Egypts 2030 development plan.

A European Union delegation will visit Egypt mid-March to continue talks on how to implement the EU-Egyptian agreement.

The detail of the agreement is yet to be announced.

Shoukry, during the meeting with his EU counterparts, will also give them a detailed explanation and updates on Egypts domestic affairs, in particular Egypts current economic reform programme.

The foreign minister will also present Egypts vision on eradicating terrorism as well as reaching a settlement to the Syrian crises and reviving peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel.

During the visit, Shoukry will meet with Dimitris Avramopoulos, European commissioner for migration, home affairs and security, and will brief him on Egypts latest efforts to quash illegal migration.

Shoukry will also meet with Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), to discuss the Egyptian-NATO relationship and recent cooperation efforts that led Egypt to have diplomatic representation for the first time in NATO in mid-January 2017.



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Chinese hypersonic glide vehicle

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China is spreading rumors its stalled hypersonic weapons program is being refined to defeat both the U.S. MIM-104F Patriot Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) surface-to-air missile (SAM) system protecting Japan from Chinese ballistic missiles, and the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) ballistic missile defense system soon to defend South Korea against North Korean ballistic missiles.



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The People's Liberation Army (PLA) website hopped onto news reports circulated by foreign news outlets saying China's now plans to develop hypersonic weapons (or missiles that fly in excess of Mach 5 or 6,000 km/h) specifically designed to penetrate Japan's PAC-3 missile system and South Korea's THAAD.



PLA said these new weapons are hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs). These next-generation maneuvering strike weapons will be the payload of ballistic missiles that travel at speeds of up to Mach 10 (12,000 km/h). HGVs can maneuver and glide along the atmospheric edge, which makes it tougher for the PAC-3 and THAAD interceptors to destroy.



PLA argues that with China's hypersonic weapons advances, "Japan's anti-missile system could be made impotent."



The revelation about this alleged enhancement to China's ongoing hypersonic weapons program comes as Japan is in the midst of upgrading its PAC-3 system to protect the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games from North Korean missiles.



The upgrades, which began in mid-2016, are expected to be completed within 2017 and are the most significant improvements to Japan's missile defense system in a decade. They involve deploying the new advanced Missile Segment Enhancement that will double the range of the current PAC-3 missiles to 30 km.



The Republic of Korea Armed Forces operates the older PAC-2 system and will replace this system with the PAC-3 by 2018. U.S. forces based in South Korea will upgrade their PAC-3 batteries defending the capital Seoul to the system now being installed on Japan's PAC-3 system.



The Republic of China (Taiwan) also operates PAC-3 systems and last week redeployed some of its PAC-3 batteries to locations from which they can better shoot down Chinese missiles fired from directly across the Taiwan Strait.



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Tagschina, hypersonic weapons program, MIM-104F Patriot Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD), People's Liberation Army, hypersonic glide vehicles, HGVs, 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games
Malaysia Arrests Seven For Suspected Links To Militant Groups Including ISIS

Malaysia has arrested six foreigners and one Malaysian for suspected links to militant groups including Islamic State, the police chief said on Sunday.The Southeast Asian nation has been on high alert since suicide bombers and gunmen linked to Islamic State launched multiple attacks in Jakarta, the capital of neighbouring Indonesia, in January 2016.

A grenade attack on a bar on the outskirts of the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, in June last year wounded eight people. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks, the first of such attacks on Malaysian soil.

Malaysia has arrested hundreds over the last few years for suspected links to militant groups.

In the latest arrests made between Feb 21 and Feb 26, one Malaysian and one Indonesian were detained for planning to launch a large-scale car bomb attack using a 'vehicle borne improvised explosive device,' before leaving to join IS in Syria, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said in a statement.

The two were part of an Islamic State cell that received instructions from Muhammad Wanndy Muhammad Jedi - a known Malaysian IS fighter in Syria.

One East Asian, with a fake student visa, had connections to an East Asian militant group that sends its members to Malaysia before heading to Syria to join Islamic State, Khalid said.

Four Yemenis arrested were suspected of being part of a Yemeni insurgent group. They were also part of a syndicate forging travel documents.

Police seized multiple international passports and 270,000 ringgit, or equivalent to $60,650, in cash in different currencies from the four.
Northern Ireland Election Leaves 'Door Open' For Legalisation Of Same-Sex Marriage And Abortion, Christian Charity Says

There is a 'door open' for the introduction of same-sex marriage and abortion in Northern Ireland, a Christian charity has said, following the country's latest election.

The Northern Ireland Assembly election results were announced yesterday, in which nationalist party Sinn Fein made significant gains, causing the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to lose its overall seat majority.

The DUP have previously blocked legislation on progressive causes such as the legalisation of same-sex marriage and abortion. Sinn Fein has lobbied against the DUP on such causes, and the new makeup of the chamber is expected to favour their cause, especially now a reduced DUP have lost their exclusive right to veto.

Christian charity CARE spoke with Premier Radio about whether the election result has 'opened the door' for the progress of causes such as same-sex marriage.

'Definitely it does leave the door open... for certain issues. But I don't think it's a time for us to worry and to get cynical,' said Tim Houston, CARE's church and development officer in Northern Ireland.

He remains optimistic, and encouraged greater engagement on the divisive issues, not less. He said: 'I think it's a time for us to have a renewed hope that these negotiations will be fruitful, it's a time for us to intercede for our government, to pray for them, to pray for goodwill on both sides.'

He said that CARE would be continuing to pursue issues regarding the protection of the unborn, human dignity and sex trafficking, and engaging with those who disagree 'with a tone of compassion and mutual respect'. Houston called for prayer for the leading parties and a spirit of goodwill that can pursue the 'common good'.

Sinn Fein and the DUP must form a power-sharing government in the next three weeks, or return to direct rule from Westminster, London, which was originally repealed in the historic Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

Houston said: 'No one really wants to go back to direct rule and that's healthy for Northern Irish people to be able to govern ourselves. I think the desire is there - it's just if they can overcome the main hurdles.'
U.S. Pastor Pays For Freedom Of Over 200 ISIS Sex Slaves In Partnership With Underground Rescuers In Iraq

This American pastor deals with smugglersand he has saved hundreds of lives because of that.

Bill Devlin, a pastor at Infinity Bible Church in the Bronx, New York City, has made it his personal mission to rescue women and children taken as sex slaves by the Islamic State (ISIS), according to The Christian Post.

In the last few years, Devlin has visited Iraq many times to help Iraqi refugees displaced from their homes by ISIS invaders.

Last year as part of his mission, he partnered with an underground network of smugglers in northern Iraq. In April 2016, he flew to Iraq and handed over $1,500 to help a displaced Yazidi husband and son pay for the costs of helping their wife and mother escape from ISIS captivity,

He returned to the U.S. after that but came back to Iraq last August and December, again giving money to help two other families pay for rescuers to free their loved ones from ISIS detention.

Devlin said three more enslaved girls were rescued with his financial support.

That network has so far rescued more than 200 minority children and women from ISIS captivity.

Devlin said compassion for fellowmen facing dire circumstances compels him to act. "My motivation was that I have three daughters of my own. If my daughters were being held captive by a terrorist organisation and I approach someone and said that I am rescuing girls, I would want them to say, 'I'll join you,'" he told The Christian Post.

The pastor said he has secured the pledges of American donors who are willing to provide funds needed to help Iraqi families pay for the costs of rescuing their loved ones.

Devlin made it clear though that the network is not paying ransom to ISIS, saying that the money is only used to pay the rescuers for their efforts.

In January, The Independent reported that a secret underground network operating in Iraq and Syria has freed more than 3,000 Yazidi women held captive by ISIS.

The network was set up by Kurdish and Christian civilians together with other ethnic minorities and families of the victims, according to the charity group NGO Yazda.

"This is a group made up of all ethnicities working together on the ground. I know of more than five different groups collaborating, some are rescuing from Mosul, some from Raqqa, every group is working in different places," Yazda director Ahmed Burjus told The Independent.

In August 2015, CBN News reported another rescue group called Liberation of Christian and Yazidi Children of Iraq. It is led by a Jewish man from Canada named Steve Maman who said he was inspired by Oskar Schindler, the German businessman who rescued more than 1,200 Jews from the Nazis during World War II.

Maman had rescued nearly 130 victims of enslavement by the time his exploits were reported.
Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi expressed on Sunday his appreciation of the country's security bodies in maintaining stability and protecting the state in comments made during an unplanned visit to the State Security headquarters in Cairo.

The Egyptian president said that the state is determined to provide all support to enhance the capabilities of the State Security department in face of the ongoing threat of terrorism.

He also stressed that all of the country's security bodies aim to preserve Egypts national, economic, political and security institutions.

Egypt has been battling an intensified Islamist insurgency in North Sinai  centred mainly in Rafah, Sheikh Zuweid and El-Arish cities  since the ouster of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.

Militants have killed hundreds of security personnel over the course of the insurgency, while the army has said that hundreds of militants have been killed in its security campaigns.

Some militant attacks have reached other parts of the country, including the capital.

Last month, a series of killings targeted the Christian community in North Sinai after the Egyptian affiliate of the Islamic State militant group called on its supporters to attack Christians across the country.

The group made the call in a video where it claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a church in Cairo in December.

In November 2014, the Sinai-based militant group Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.
Welcome To The Wall: Artist Banksy Opens 'Walled Off' Bethlehem Hotel

Under an army watchtower and across the street from the concrete wall Israel has built in parts of the occupied West Bank, street artist Banksy has opened a guesthouse in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem.

In the revered birth town of Jesus, the Walled Off hotel stands three storeys high. Its bedroom walls and hallways are decorated with the mysterious artist's stencil graffiti work --one shows an Israeli soldier and masked Palestinian youth having a pillow fight, and a statue of a chimpanzee bell-boy stands at the entrance, clothes falling out of the suitcase he holds.

The hotel, converted from a pottery workshop, has been styled to resemble 'an English gentlemen's club from colonial times', a statement from the artist said, in acknowledgement of the historical role Britain played in the Middle East.

But the decor has been spiced up with statues choking on tear gas, cherubs hanging from the ceiling, their faces covered by oxygen masks and oil paintings of refugee life jackets washed ashore.

The hotel was set up in secrecy over the last 14 months - Israeli military authorities in the West Bank did not immediately respond when asked if they had been aware in advance.

Banksy, whose real name is not known, described his guesthouse as having the worst view of any hotel in the world: Every room overlooks the barrier which is a symbol of oppression for the Palestinians.

Israel began building it in 2002 at the height of a Palestinian uprising in which Israeli cities were rocked by frequent Palestinian suicide bombings.

Palestinians dub it an 'apartheid wall' and an Israeli attempt to grab land in the West Bank, which they want along with Gaza and East Jerusalem, for a future state.

The Banksy statement said the hotel 'offers a warm welcome to people from all sides of the conflict and across the world' and was financed by the artist.

Gentle music from a self-playing pianola fills the candle-lit dining room where a framed painting of Jesus looks up at three warplanes, stenciled on the wallpaper above.

The hotel also has its own art gallery and an exhibition dedicated solely to the wall, which features contributions from Palestinians and Israelis.

The Walled Off is Banksy's biggest project since the 2015 'Dismaland' theme park at the English seaside, where staff carried balloons proclaiming 'I'm an imbecile' and model boats full of refugees floated in a pond.
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A sexual assault accusation and a short foot chase led to a Sunday morning police standoff that ended peacefully in northwest Houston, even after a man held a gun to his head to keep officers at bay.

The chaos started around 5:30 a.m. at a Crowne Plaza hotel on US-290, according to authorities.
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Longtime Houston Chronicle photographer James "Jake" Nielsen's tools of the trade extended far beyond cameras and lenses. He had instinct. Patience. Talent. Fierce curiosity. A sincere love for people, places and stories.

And he was generous. If he had knowledge or a resource, he was quick to teach or share. That was his key to unlocking friendships with people in all stations of life.

Those traits combined to create a beloved photojournalist, husband, father and friend.

Nielsen died on Friday after complications following outpatient surgery. He was 54.

"From security guards to presidents, Jake connected with people in the most earnest, honest, interested way. Nothing can replace that," said Chronicle photojournalist Mark Mulligan. "Jake got it. He knew how to live. He knew how to treat people. When I look at him I see light - this bright, awesome light - just radiating out of him. I see it touching all of us who were touched by him through his life here on Earth. I see us all carrying it with us everywhere we go. I want to be more like Jake."

Chronicle Executive Editor Nancy C. Barnes said Nielsen will be deeply missed.

"Jake put 100 percent into every assignment he had and offered a smile to everyone he met. His spirit was contagious," she said.

'Enthusiasm of a child'

James Aaron Nielsen was born in Galveston on Feb. 6, 1963, to a family that eventually included three boys reared by their mother, Joyce M. Nielsen. He was the middle child known as "Jake" and spent his entire upbringing on the island, where he developed a connection with the water. He began his lifelong love of fishing at age 6.

After graduating from Ball High School in 1981, he came to Houston to work for parts manufacturer Stewart & Stevenson.

The big city's vibe, landscape and personalities fueled an interest in photography. His questions and research built skills that developed into a passion and profession.

Nielsen eventually was offered assignments by the Associated Press and Getty. By the late 1990s, his skills landed him on the list of Chronicle freelancers. He joined the photography staff in 2006.

The prior year, Nielsen met Kerstin Blankenburg through mutual friends at a crawfish boil. He offered to show her how to get the meat out of mudbugs.

"He has been peeling crawfish for me ever since," she said.

They dated but took a break in the relationship. When they reunited two years later, Blankenburg's life had changed. She decided to reveal the news by making sure he walked her to the car on their first date.

"He knew I always had dogs and he asked: 'Do the dogs need a baby seat?' " she said, laughing. That was her opening to tell him about her daughter. "His reaction was  'Oh cool'  and then he was Heidi's dad."

The couple married in 2009.

"We were just a family of three with dogs in our lives. We could rely on each other and trust each other, and we loved each other dearly," Blankenburg said. "There is no question: He has a heart of gold, and he is just so wonderful and genuine. He is just the best person ever and the best dad for Heidi."

Nielsen distinguished himself as the Chronicle's go-to shooter for the space shuttle.

Chronicle photojournalist Steve Gonzales, who hired Nielsen, recalled his buddy's front-page image of the October 2007 launch of the Discovery STS-120 International Space Station mission from the Kennedy Space Station in Florida with a bird flying in the foreground.

"It ran large on the front, and, in my humble opinion, it is the best launch image I have ever seen," Gonzales said. "In fact, I liked it so much that we had a huge wall print made that hung outside the photo department at 801 Texas. I miss Jake so much, but I will cherish his friendship, his stories and his images."

Nielsen was known for his versatility and upbeat attitude.

"He approached each assignment with the enthusiasm of a child, excitedly recounting for you the ups and downs almost to the minute! He never met a stranger and often came away from assignments with new friends," recalled Jill Karnicki, the Chronicle's deputy photo editor. "He cooked a mean brisket, felt most at home fishing in the Gulf, and had such a love for his wife Kerstin and daughter Heidi."

Chronicle columnist Lisa Falkenberg remembers discussing Nielsen's rise in the profession.

"Jake and I had a long conversation once about how he didn't have a college degree, and he seemed kind of proud of the fact that he'd risen to this level in journalism, staff photographer at a major metropolitan daily, without having a credential that's now almost universally expected," she said. "He said he always felt he could learn more working out in the real world than in a classroom. He was probably right."

Dog lover and dad

Nielsen also had a strong bond with dogs. After losing their last pet in July, his family adopted a white German shepherd in October and a Belgian Malinois in November. Then, in early December, Nielsen shot the airport arrival of military bomb-detection dogs retiring after service in Kuwait. One Malinois, Jodi, made an immediate connection.

"She was all over him," Blankenburg said. "It's not that we were looking for three dogs, but I tell you one thing: You have to follow your heart."

Nielsen succumbed to a cascade of progressive complications following surgery on Feb. 10.

He was baptized in the hospital on Tuesday by the same Lutheran pastor who performed the rite for Heidi.

On Friday, his mother, wife and Jodi were with him at a hospice center when he took his last breath.

In addition to his wife, mother and 10-year-old daughter, Nielsen is survived by older brother John Charles Nielsen of Galveston; younger brother Jeffrey Nielsen and his wife, Jacki Hart Nielsen, of Galveston; as well as a niece and two nephews.

Relatives, who plan to have a public memorial service, said Nielsen's final wish was to be reunited with the waters he loved so much. They intend to take a boat into the Gulf of Mexico to scatter his ashes. Donations are being accepted for his family.
Egypt's foreign ministry gave orders early Sunday to the Egyptian embassy in Rome to follow up on the case of an Egyptian national who died in an Italian prison, the ministry announced.

Egyptian citizen Hany El-Sayed Mohamed died in an Italian prison last week.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry directed the Egyptian embassy in Rome to communicate with Italian authorities and demand a full investigation of the death of the Egyptian citizen, and for Italian authorities to communicate the results of that investigation.

Shoukry also gave orders to the embassy to facilitate the return of El-Sayed's body to Egypt, expressing his condolences to the deceased's family.

According to Al-Ahram Arabic website, quoting MP Ghada Agamy, Hany El-Sayed, born in 1987, entered Italy illegally. Agamy added that Italian authorities stated the cause of death as suicide. El-Sayed was previously sentenced to four years in prison for assaulting a police officer.

Egyptian-Italian relations have been strained since the disappearance and murder of Italian PhD student Giulio Regeni in February 2016.

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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.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from being truthful while under oath. President Donald Trump has recused himself from being a stable, sound-minded, responsible president and quelling suspicions about an improper relationship between his campaign and Russia. As a result, Sessions should recuse himself from being Attorney General and a 9/11-type independent commission needs to be appointed a.s.a.p. to fully investigate the Russian-Trump connection.

Just three days after a Congressional address in which Trump pivoted to acting and sounding like a president, he pivoted back to being a reckless tweeting nit-wit.

Early Saturday morning, Trump unleashed a twitter torrent, accusing Barack Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower during the election, calling him "a bad (or sick)guy."

These are the tweets Trump unleashed from sunny Mar-a-Lago, Florida:

"Terrible! just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!"

"Is it legal for a sitting President to be "wire tapping" a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!"

"I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!"

How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!"

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017

Obama's spokesman released the following statement Saturday afternoon refuting Trump's claims: "A cardinal rule of the Obama Administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice. As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false."

Trump offered no proof for his serious allegations against the former president.

The key words in Trump's tweet storm are -"just found out." Where did Trump find out about the alleged wiretaps?

It's speculated the source of Trump's allegations are comments made Thursday by conservative talk radio host Mark Levin and a story on Breitbart, Friday. Trump's tweets echo an argument made by Levin and Breitbart that Obama used "police state" tactics in an attempt to sabotage the Trump campaign. The Breitbart story was said to be circulating in the White House, where it's former CEO, Steve Bannon appears to be the de facto president.

The Department of Justice and U.S. Intel agencies have been reported to be conducting an ongoing investigation into connections between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and Russian operatives. Three Trump associates that have been named are his former campaign boss Paul Manafort, and former advisers Roger Stone and Carter Page. It's believed the agencies conducting the investigation have obtained a FISA warrant.

Trump tweets mean one of three scenarios could be true, all are bad.

1) President Obama broke the law and ordered wiretaps on Trump.

2) Investigators obtained a FISA warrant to wiretap Trump after showing significant evidence that illegal activity likely occurred.

3) Trump smeared a former president based on nothing more than claims made by dubious far-right media sources.

Trump may not fully grasp the seriousness of what he just tweeted. He may have intended to only vent, or distract, but he may have actually just declassified and confirmed that he and is associates have had FISA warrants issued against them.

Trump furious over Sessions' recusal.

The Washington Post reported that Trump left for Florida Friday after fuming at a senior staff about Sessions' decision to recuse himself. "Trump was angry and told his top aides that he disagreed with the attorney general's decision." Trump felt his staff should have done more in Sessions' defense.

So, Trump isn't upset that the nation's top lawman gave misleading answers, or perjured himself, under oath, he's ticked off with his staff?

Sessions is claiming he didn't think his meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak were relevant to Sen. Al Franken's question. He also claimed he met with Sergey as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

In the confirmation hearing, Franken brought up that Trump had been warned by the FBI and intel agencies about the dossier alleging he had been compromised. Franken cited the news reports of the Trump campaign being in constant contact with Russian operatives. Franken asked Sessions what he would do if those reports were true.

Sessions replied, "I'm not aware of any of those activities, I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians."

The question was what would Sessions do? Instead he gave a defensive answer that someone who's guilty would give.

Sessions met Kislyak in July, at the Republican convention, and again in September. At the time of the meetings, U.S. Intel agencies had determined Russia was responsible for hacking the DNC and Clinton campaign. The Trump campaign was already being viewed suspiciously over Trump's fawning praise of Putin.

Sessions was far more than just a surrogate. At the time he was Trump's top national security and foreign policy adviser, working with Michael Flynn.

The Washington Post checked to see if any other members of the Armed Services committee met with Kislyak. Twenty of the twenty-six members responded. None met with Kislyak that year, including Chairman John McCain.

A Committee staffer told the post, "Members of the committee have not been beating a path to Kislyak's door. There haven't been a ton of members who are looking to meet with Kislyak for their committee duties."

Sessions also wrote that he never met with Russians in a confirmation hearing questionnaire from Senator Patrick Leahy.

Sessions doesn't pass the smell test as the nation's leading lawman. What's being smelled and seen is ever-increasing smoke billowing from the Trump administration when the topic turns to Russia. Congress needs to appoint an independent commission to find the truth once and for all, and if necessary, a special counsel.

If Trump tweets were intended as a diversion, or fed by anger over the Russian story not going away, all he did is turn up the heat on it.
st-casimir.jpg

Members of the Polish American Legion and Polish Legion of Veterans unfurl flags for the procession into the church for the reopening Mass at St. Casimir Catholic Church on July 15, 2012.

(PD file/Gus Chan)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The fifth anniversary of the Vatican order reopening historic St. Casimir Church will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, March 5, followed by the church's annual St. Patrick's Day corned beef and cabbage dinner in the adjoining social hall, 8223 Sowinski Ave., Cleveland. (Dinner tickets: $15.)

Formed as a Polish ethnic parish in 1891, St. Casimir was among 50 parishes closed in 2009 and 2010 by the eight-county Cleveland Catholic Diocese, which blamed money, demographics and a priest shortage. With 10 other parishes, St. Casimir was ordered to be reopened in March 2012 after a canonical appeal in Rome and 2-1/2 years of prayer vigils outside the padlocked gates of the boarded-up building.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This Saturday in Voinovich Bicentennial Park, a "Spirit of America" rally, one of nine held around Ohio, showed support to President Donald Trump. Organized primarily by the group Main Street Patriots, an hour of Pro-Trump speakers addressed the crowd.

Across the lawn, separated by police officers on horseback, a group of protesters with virulently anti-Trump signage chanted and attempted to drown out the rally speakers.

Hosted by Main Street Patriot founder Ralph King, addressed the crowd: "We are letting the media, and everyone else know, we are that voice. We are that silent majority, and we support Donald Trump."
Protect Our Patients campaign joins nationwide effort to get Rob Portman to vote against ACA repeal

Victoria Byrd, a medical student, protests last month in Cleveland, calling on Sen. Rob Portman to vote against Affordable Care Act repeal. Today, Paul Cain, who has the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis type 2, writes that Portman and other Republicans are irresponsible in rushing to repeal the act.

(Gus Chan, The Plain Dealer)

Paul Cain has a genetic disorder, Neurofibromatosis Type II

CRESTON, Ohio -- When I was 15 years old, I was diagnosed with a genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis type II, or NF2. In the decade that followed, I endured five years of chemotherapy, two radiation therapies, one large spinal surgery, and twice yearly MRIs.

Despite losing most of my sight, hearing, motor functions, and balance, I've refused to let that keep me from chasing my dreams. I received my bachelor's degree in 2013 and am now going back for my master's. And while I've always been driven and willing to put in the work needed to move forward in life, the health care system we used to have didn't serve people like me with a strong work ethic.



There have been many health and financial benefits afforded to disabled individuals like me under the Affordable Care Act, but one perhaps unintended upshot of the law has been incentivizing those with a disability to work.

In Ohio, those considered disabled by the Social Security Administration are eligible for Medicaid so long as their income is less than $38,509 a year. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, I don't have to give up on chasing my dream job that pays well over that limit.

Before the law, I would have had to worry about losing access to affordable coverage if my earnings exceeded our state's Medicaid income eligibility cap. Now, insurance companies must cover people like me who have pre-existing conditions, and they cannot discriminate against us by charging us more for having a health condition.

Furthermore, insurance companies can no longer put an annual or lifetime cap on how much care they will cover.

As someone whose chemotherapy treatment alone cost up to $50,000 a year, it's a big relief to know that if I were insured through the individual market or an employer, I wouldn't have to worry about racking up tens of thousands of dollars in medical debt (that not even my dream job as a game designer would be able to afford).

Unfortunately, Sen. Rob Portman and Republicans in Congress have been rushing to repeal the Affordable Care Act, despite having no plan to guarantee that these safeguards will remain in place.

This is irresponsible and backward. Not only would this discourage disabled people like me from working, but a report from the Economic Policy Institute finds that repealing the law without a replacement would take away health insurance from about 30 million people, including 964,000 people in Ohio alone. But it's not just people losing their health care. The report also finds that repealing the law would cost our country 1.2 million jobs, including 50,000 jobs here in Ohio.

While opponents of the Affordable Care Act have yet to come to a consensus on how they would ensure the American people have access to quality, affordable health insurance, some of the reforms they've floated terrify people like me who are covered through Medicaid.

President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have suggested block-granting Medicaid or reimbursing states per Medicaid enrollee. According to Ohio hospitals and healthy policy experts, either of these approaches would significantly limit care for our state's most vulnerable. An Urban Institute analysis of House Speaker Paul Ryan's Medicaid block grant proposal estimated that between 14 million and 21 million people -- including the disabled, pregnant women, and children -- would lose their health insurance.

Sen. Portman and his colleagues in Washington should not force such devastating changes onto Ohio's Medicaid program. I wish Sen. Portman would instead work on a bipartisan basis to improve health care and sustain the safeguards guaranteed under the Affordable Care Act, not unnecessarily rush us to the brink, because health care should be about people, not politics.

Paul Cain, an Ohio University graduate with the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis Type II, is seeking a master's degree in game design.

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Iran said on Sunday there had been progress in talks with Saudi Arabia on allowing citizens of the Islamic republic to join this year's hajj pilgrimage, despite some remaining issues.

Iranians were barred from attending last year's hajj after the two countries severed diplomatic ties and failed to agree on security measures.

"Most of the questions up for discussion have been resolved and a couple of issues are remaining," the ISNA news agency quoted Ali Ghazi Askar, the Iranian supreme leader's representative for hajj affairs, as saying.

"If those questions are resolved, we hope pilgrims will soon be sent to Saudi Arabia," he added, without giving details.

Talks have been ongoing since an Iranian delegation travelled to Saudi Arabia on February 22.

Last year marked the first time in nearly three decades that Iran was barred from the pilgrimage, considered one of the most important religious obligations for able Muslims.

A key issue has been compensation for the families of hundreds of people killed in a stampede during the 2015 hajj. Iran says 464 of its citizens died in the disaster.

Ghazi Askar said Iran had also raised the sexual assault of two Iranian teenage boy pilgrims by Saudi police in Jeddah airport earlier that year.

Tehran suspended pilgrimages to Saudi holy places -- except during the hajj period -- in protest at the incident.

"The culprits have been sentenced by Saudi Arabia to four years in prison and 1,000 lashes and dismissed from duty," Ghazi Askar said.

"If these problems are resolved and it becomes clear for us that they have been punished, the lesser hajj will also be restored."

The lesser hajj -- or "umrah" -- refers to pilgrimages outside the hajj period, which lasts around five days and varies depending on the Islamic calendar.

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A lending binge and increased government spending last year have fueled worries about high debt levels and an overheating housing market.

Top leaders at the National People's Congress are tolerating slightly slower economic growth this year to give them more room to push through reforms to deal with a build-up in debt.

China is aiming to expand its economy by around 6.5 percent in 2017 as it continues to implement a proactive fiscal policy and maintain a prudent monetary policy, Premier Li Keqiang said on Sunday.

Gross domestic product officially grew 6.7 percent in 2016, the slowest in 26 years, but within the government's target range of 6.5 to 7 percent.

That 6.5 percent growth target is "needed to achieve the employment objective," Li said in his prepared remarks.

The government announced ambitious jobs plans, including to ensure that every family has at least one breadwinner, which is key as jobs are cut in major state-owned enterprises.

As the government moves away from manufacturing-led growth, Beijing is tasked with quickly finding new employment for millions of workers, or risk the possibility of social unrest as unemployment looms

China says it expects 11 million new urban jobs will be created this year, but that still wont keep pace with the 15 million new workers the government estimates will enter the market, according to prepared remarks. The government will continue to focus on the coal and steel sectors, with plans in place to cut steel production capacity.

But experts were skeptical of the idea that certain economic growth levels would be "needed" for employment reasons.

"There is not now nor has there ever been any magical connection between GDP and jobs. You can have capital-intensive 6.5 percent GDP growth and not create enough jobs and you can have 3.5 percent labor-intensive GDP growth and create more than enough jobs," said Derek Scissors, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and chief economist of the China Beige Book. "The Chinese government's position for the past 20 years has been that the nutrition content of food doesn't matter at all, only the number of calories."

"This doesn't make any sense economically, but it's perfectly clearly politically," he said, noting that China had said it needed greater GDP growth when its labor force was actually expanding, as opposed to its current contraction.

Although GDP growth is a widely-watched metric for divining the state of the Chinese economy, that measurement is also routinely questioned by outside experts.

There has never been definitive evidence that the country's economic data is exaggerated, but the widely-held theory says that China's National Bureau of Statistics will overstate growth in a stability-minded effort to hide the truth about a slowing economy. So instead of relying on government reports, China-watchers analyze other metrics for a more complete picture of the country's GDP.
Deutsche Bank plans a significant capital hike alongside the flotation of its asset management holding and further restructuring from asset disposals, Germany's biggest lender said on Sunday.

The 8 billion ($8.5 billion) capital raise will be launched on March 21, the bank said in a statement, and undertaken via the issuance of new shares with subscription rights for existing investors.

Meanwhile, the embattled firm estimates an additional 2 billion ($2.1 billion) could be raised through the disposal of non-core assets and the partial flotation of its minority stake in Deutsche Asset Management.

This follows a torrid 18 month period for the German bank, during which it has faced a litany of litigation battles with U.S. and European authorities, thousands of layoffs, deep cuts to its compensation pool and several management reshuffles.

"Our decisions are a significant step forward on the path to creating a simpler, stronger and growing bank. The capital increase will reinforce our financial strength substantially," John Cryan, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Deutsche Bank since June 2015, said in the press release.

There has also been pain for its shareholders in the form of dividend suspensions and a tumbling share price, which last September hit an even lower point than ever reached during the financial crisis.

After unveiling plans to restructure the business into four units to much fanfare only a year and a half ago, the group's strategy has pivoted once again to further simplify the business model into three divisions.

The new structure will consist of a Private & Commercial Bank, Deutsche Asset Management and a combined Corporate & Investment Bank.

The company also revealed ambitions to further integrate technology and other overhead functions in a bid to increase accountability, generate synergies and cut costs. The lender is targeting a drop in its adjusted cost base from 24.1 billion last year to around 21 billion by 2021.

The new three-pillar structure of our operating business should position us for significant growth, both in revenues and earnings," Cryan said.

This message represents a shift in tone from an interview with CNBC in Davos seven weeks earlier, during which the CEO said that hiking capital was not the bank's ideal path forward.

"We have always said that our strong preference was not to raise fresh capital when there were lots of other things we planned to do anyway" Cryan told CNBC at the World Economic Focus on January 18. Cryan was asked if Deutsche Bank would need to raise capital over the next one to three years.

Management changes are also featured in the wide-ranging announcement. The bank's Chief Financial Officer, Marcus Schenck and its CEO of Germany and Head of Private Wealth & Commercial Clients, Christian Sewing are assuming joint Deputy CEO positions, effective immediately.

Cryan is set to assume the additional role of responsibility for the bank's U.S. business, as Jeffrey Urwin retires after a transition period.

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President Donald Trump has promised to bring jobs back to America, but the number of U.S. manufacturing jobs has been on a 30-year decline. Can that entrenched trend be reversed?

A growing number of market experts believe the answer is yes.



"I'm very optimistic," small businessman Drew Greenblatt told CNBC's "On The Money" in an interview. "We're going to see an American manufacturing renaissance"



Greenblatt, chair of the National Association of Manufacturers and president of Baltimore-based Marlin Steel Wire Products, pointed to policies that Trump wants to enact as a potential catalyst to new hiring.

"We're talking about reducing regulations by 75 percent, cutting our tax rate from 40-something percent to 15 percent," he said.



"It's just going to make America more attractive to bring back opportunities to our country," he added.



However, in industries such as apparel, more than 97 percent of clothing and shoes are made overseas. Given the entrenched economic realities, others are skeptical that any government policy can spark a manufacturing rebound



"There's not much that can bring most of those jobs back, " retail consultant Jan Kniffen told CNBC in an interview.



"We haven't made patterns in America, we haven't made the product in America forever," he said.

Kniffen added that the U.S. "would need factories, but those factories would have to be so automated, the jobs would be maintaining the equipment not producing the product."



That is because "the cost of producing abroad is so low and shipping not that much," he said.



Greenblatt remained optimistic that at least some sectors could see a resurgence. " I acknowledge some industries are not coming back here, it makes more sense to do it elsewhere. But things like making airplanes and bulldozers and cars, it's going to grow here, it's going to thrive here."



Greenblatt's Marlin Steel exports to 39 countries from its Maryland factory. He told CNBC that the company designs and fabricates wire baskets for automotive clients including Toyota Motor and General Motors .



"We make baskets for Caterpillar and Boeing ," he said. "These companies are building factories in America, growing factories in America and they're poised for big expansion as these policies improve."



Kniffen, however, sees a longer timeline.

"I think what he just described is a 15- to 20-year program if you could do it in terms of training," he said.

However, both men cited a significant lack of trained workers to fill available jobs. In a 2015 report, the Manufacturing Institute said that over the next decade, more than 3 million manufacturing jobs would need to be filled as current workers retire or move on to other jobs. However, because of the decline in necessary skills, barely a million of those positions will be staffed, in part because fewer students are receiving the necessary training in schools.



"There is a significant skills gap", Greenblatt said. "We need schools to be teaching math, English, the STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Math] educations. These things are critical to create the talent pool so we can hire these people."



Another trade change the Trump administration is considering is the border-adjustment tax, as part of an effort to fund a border wall with Mexico. The proposal would place a 20-percent tax on all goods imported into the U.S., but outgoing American-made goods would not be subject to the tax.



Kniffen told CNBC he was "conceptually" is in favor "of a cross border tax," but cited significant risks. Some experts say a border tax would be passed on to American consumers, and may result in the loss of jobs in certain sectors.



"I think it would bring back jobs, and we would get exports," he said. "But in the short term the disruption would be enormous, my retailers would all go broke...and we wouldn't bring those (retail) jobs back. "



Kniffen added it "could be a net positive long term". But "in the short term, it could be very painful."

On the Money airs on CNBC Saturday at 5:30 am ET, or check listings for air times in local markets.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at his election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 9, 2016.

Groups of hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters rallied in cities across the country Saturday to show they stand behind the new White House and its policies.

Some of the "March 4 Trump" rallies were met by counter-protesters, and there were clashes between supporters and anti-Trump demonstrators at several events, police said.

In St. Paul, Minnesota, six were arrested and charged with rioting and disorderly conduct after "50 anti-Trump protesters started a big fight in our rotunda area," Minnesota State Patrol Lt. Tiffani Nielson said. About 300 Trump supporters attended the rally before the skirmish broke out, she said.

In Berkeley, California, punches were thrown and smoke bombs were set off during demonstrations. In Olympia, Washington, four people were arrested for assault on a police during a clash between demonstrators, Washington State Patrol Sgt. James Prouty said.

Trump's claims that former President Barack Obama ordered the former real estate mogul's "'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory" remained at the forefront of some Trump supporters' minds at a rally of several hundred in New York City.
The Trump administration issued a call on Sunday for Congress to probe potentially "politically motivated" investigations initiated under former president Barack Obama, just a day after President Donald Trump made an extraordinary accusation that he was wiretapped at the height of the general election.

The president sparked a firestorm on Saturday by leveling an unsubstantiated claim against his predecessor, suggesting Obama ordered surveillance on his residence at New York's Trump Tower. The suggestion was flatly rejected by an Obama aide, but the controversy has reverberated across Washington and social media.



On Sunday, White House Press Secretary issued a statement calling on Congress to look into whether the Obama administration "abused" its investigative powers before leaving office.

"Reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling," Spicer said in a statement, but did not elaborate on which reports had made the wiretapping claim.

Last year, a few conservative-leaning publications reported that the FBI had obtained a Foreign Intelligence Service Act (FISA) court warranta request that would have been routed through the Justice Department but not the White House.

Trump "is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016," Spicer said.

"Neither the White House nor the President will comment further until such oversight is conducted," he added.
Arsene Wengers decision to leave Alexis Sanchez out of Arsenals starting XI for Saturdays 3-1 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday could prompt him to leave, claims Ian Wright.

The Chile internationals future remains uncertain, with his contract expiring at the end of next season and the Gunners inability to challenge for the Premier League title  they sit 13 points behind leaders Chelsea  and the Champions League  a 5-1 first-leg defeat to Bayern Munich to be concluded in midweek  could lead to him leaving soon.

Although Alexis was forced to watch from the bench as his side slipped to a two goal deficit against Liverpool, he emerged for the second half to set up Daniel Welbeck to pull a goal back within 12 minutes, but a late goal from Georginio Wijnaldum killed off Wengers men.

Wenger insisted he had no regrets about leaving the ex-Barcelona attacker out initially, insisting he wanted to be direct and physical up front, but Wright believes the decision could see the player head for the exit.

Id be thinking if I cant get in this team  hammered out of the Champions League and not in the top four  I know therell be other teams, Wright told BT Sport.

He has nothing to lose now. It was a strange game to leave him out of, it baffled me.

Alexis is currently the joint-top goalscorer in the Premier League with 17 goals, alongside Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku, and his nine assists are only bettered by Christian Eriksen and Gylfi Sigurdsson  both on 10.
More than 65,000 people have been forced to flee fighting in northern Syria, ravaged in recent weeks by dual offensives on the Islamic State group, the United Nations said Sunday.

The UN's humanitarian agency (OCHA) said that tens of thousands of people have left their homes in northern Aleppo province, particularly around the former militants' stronghold of Al-Bab.

"This includes nearly 40,000 people from Al-Bab city and nearby Taduf town, as well as 26,000 people from communities to the east of Al-Bab", OCHA said.

Turkey-backed rebels seized Al-Bab from IS on February 23 after several months of fighting.

OCHA said the nearly 40,000 people displaced from the town fled north to areas controlled by other rebel forces, and that the "high contamination" of unexploded bombs and booby traps set by retreating militants was complicating efforts to return.

And since February 25, OCHA said, another 26,000 people fled violence further east, where Syrian government forces supported by Russian air power have also been waging a fierce offensive against IS.

Many of those fleeing the violence sought refuge in areas around Manbij, a town controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

An AFP correspondent in Manbij said that long queues of families were still forming at checkpoints leading to the town on Sunday.

Pick-up trucks full of children and women wearing full black veils were being searched individually by SDF personnel before being allowed to enter.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said Saturday that 30,000 people had been displaced by the government's offensive on IS militants.

The Russian-backed push is aimed at IS-held Khafsah, the main station pumping water into Aleppo.

Residents of Syria's second city have been without mains water for 48 days after the militants cut the supply. Regime forces retook full control of the city last year.

On Sunday, Russian and regime warplanes bombarded IS positions in support of Syrian troops, which had advanced to around 14 kilometres (nine miles) from Khafsah, the Observatory said.

Since war broke out in Syria in March 2011, more than half of its population has been forced to flee their homes.

Aleppo province hosts tens of thousands of displaced Syrians, many in camps near the Turkish border.

"We left our homes with nothing: no fuel, no bread. Our children are starving," said Jumana, a 25-year old Syrian woman who fled the clashes with her two children.

"Daesh (IS) was shelling us, the airplanes were hitting us. Our children were terrified. We were barely able to save ourselves," she told AFP on the outskirts of a village around 18 kilometres (11 miles) from Manbij.

Ibrahim al-Quftan, co-chair of Manbij's civil administration, told AFP on Saturday that fleeing families were "suffering very difficult circumstances."

"The numbers of displaced people here are still rising because of the clashes between the Syrian regime and Daesh (IS)," Quftan said.

Syria's multi-front conflict is approaching its seventh year and has killed more than 310,000 people, defying international efforts to stem the violence.

Another round of UN-brokered peace talks ended Friday in Geneva. The negotiations between government and rebel delegations limped along for several days but stumbled on the issue of counter-terrorism.

Russia began its air war in support of President Bashar al-Assad's forces in September 2015, and its help has been instrumental in re-capturing large areas from IS and rebels, including Aleppo and the famed desert city of Palmyra, which fell from militants' hands last week.

Rebel backer Turkey sent its own troops into Syria in August to fight both IS and Kurdish forces, some of which Ankara considers "terrorists".

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday to voice opposition to what the Israeli leader charged were Iran's attempts to establish a permanent military foothold in Syria.

"In the framework of a (future peace agreement) or without one, Iran is attempting to base itself permanently in Syria - either through a military presence on the ground or a naval presence - and also through a gradual attempt to open a front against us on the Golan Heights," Netanyahu told his cabinet in public remarks on Sunday.

"I will express to President Putin Israel's vigorous opposition to this possibility," he said.

Iran, Israel's arch-enemy, has been Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's staunchest backer and has provided militia fighters to help him.

Russia, also Assad's ally, is seen as holding the balance of power in achieving a deal on Syria's future. In Geneva on Friday, the first U.N.-led Syria peace talks in a year ended without a breakthrough.

Israeli leaders have pointed to Tehran's steadily increasing influence in the region during the six-year-old Syrian conflict, whether via its own Revolutionary Guard forces or Shia Muslim proxies, especially Hezbollah.

Majority-Shia Iran says its forces are in Syria to defend holy Shia shrines. However, the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces said in November the Islamic republic may seek to set up naval bases in Yemen or Syria in the future.

Last year, Avi Dichter, the chair of Israel's foreign affairs and defence committee, said Iran had tried several times in the past to move forces into the Syrian Golan Heights, next to territory that Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

Dichter said those moves were repelled, but gave no details.

Netanyahu has said that Israel has carried out dozens of strikes to prevent weapons smuggling to the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah via Syria. Two years ago, Israel and Russia agreed to coordinate military actions over Syria in order to avoid accidentally trading fire.

"I hope that we'll be able to reach certain understandings to lessen the possible friction between our forces and their forces, as we've successfully done so far," he said at the cabinet meeting, referring to the Russian military.

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Christian Fellowship students fill shoeboxes with Christmas gifts

"After they get it, we can be friends," Lucy said.
Authorities are investigating the suspected hate crime shooting of a Sikh man at his home near Seattle, media reported Saturday, just days after an engineer from India was fatally shot in Kansas.

The 39-year-old Sikh was working on his car in his driveway in Kent, Washington just south of Seattle, when a man walked up late Friday wearing a mask and holding a gun.

The Seattle Times newspaper reported that the partially-masked gunman, after exchanging words with the victim, said "Go back to your own country" before pulling the trigger, shooting him in the arm.

Authorities are investigating the shooting as a suspected hate crime, according to the Seattle Times, which did not provide the nationality of the victim.

The daily reported that police are continuing to search for the gunman.

Jasmit Singh, a leader of the Sikh community near Seattle, told The Seattle Times that the victim has been released from the hospital.

"He is just very shaken up, both him and his family," Singh said.

"We're all kind of at a loss in terms of what's going on right now, this is just bringing it home. The climate of hate that has been created doesn't distinguish between anyone."

The incident follows a shooting at a Kansas bar last month that killed 32-year-old engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, causing shockwaves felt around the country.

A second Indian engineer, Alok Madasani, was injured in the Kansas shooting carried out by a white gunman whom witnesses said screamed racial slurs and told his victims to "get out of my country" before opening fire.

The Sikh Coalition, a New York-based civil rights group, asked local and federal authorities in a statement Saturday to investigate the latest shooting as a hate crime.

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Breaking Saturday Win on Automatic Voter Registration

HB28, Automatic Voter Registration at MVD sponsored by Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero, passed the NM House 56-10! Thank you, Representatives!

AVR is a process states are adopting to update our current paper-based system with a new electronic system that creates a secure database to automatically identify and register all eligible Americans to vote. The secure database actively updates voter registration information when people apply for or renew their drivers license or when they change their address.

Secure. Technology has dramatically changed the way we live. Unfortunately, our outdated paper-based system of voting hasnt kept up with the times. An electronic automatic voter registration system would use a secure database to ensure that those who are ineligible to vote will not be able to take advantage of an insecure system.

Technology has dramatically changed the way we live. Unfortunately, our outdated paper-based system of voting hasnt kept up with the times. An electronic automatic voter registration system would use a secure database to ensure that those who are ineligible to vote will not be able to take advantage of an insecure system. Accessible. Automatic Voter Registration will protect the fundamental right of every American, regardless of party, to have their vote counted. And it will ensure that those who encounter barriers to voting  veterans, active military, senior citizens, and people with disabilities  are able to participate fully in our democracy.

Automatic Voter Registration will protect the fundamental right of every American, regardless of party, to have their vote counted. And it will ensure that those who encounter barriers to voting  veterans, active military, senior citizens, and people with disabilities  are able to participate fully in our democracy. Accurate. Each year, millions of voter paper registration forms are manually entered into a database. Too often, mistakes happen that deny eligible American citizens their right to vote.

Friday Update

SJR 12 Fair Election Constitutional Convention, sponsored by Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, would call a Constitutional Convention to address Money in Politics. While CCNM obviously supports fighting big money in politics, we steadfastly oppose a Constitutional Convention. Unfortunately, this passed Senate Rules on Friday, while CCNM, LWVNM, AFSCME, ACLU-NM and Voice for Children all opposed  committee members did not share our concerns, and both Democrats and Republicans joined together to call for a constitutional convention.

Why Does Common Cause Oppose An Article V Constitutional Convention?

The call for a federal constitutional convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution is both dangerous and a real threat to our democracy. Common Cause opposes a call for a constitutional convention, regardless of the amendment being proposed, for the following reasons:

THREAT OF A RUNAWAY CONVENTION: There is nothing in the Constitution to prevent a constitutional convention from being expanded in scope to issues not raised in convention calls passed by the state legislatures, and therefore could lead to a runaway convention.

There is nothing in the Constitution to prevent a constitutional convention from being expanded in scope to issues not raised in convention calls passed by the state legislatures, and therefore could lead to a runaway convention. INFLUENCE OF SPECIAL INTERESTS: An Article V convention would open up the Constitution to revisions at a time of extreme gerrymandering and in an environment of unlimited political spending. It could allow special interests and the wealthiest to re-write the rules governing our system of government.

An Article V convention would open up the Constitution to revisions at a time of extreme gerrymandering and in an environment of unlimited political spending. It could allow special interests and the wealthiest to re-write the rules governing our system of government. LACK OF CONVENTION RULES: There are no rules governing constitutional conventions. A constitutional convention would be an unpredictable Pandoras Box; the last one, in 1787, resulted in a brand-new Constitution. Theres a significant danger that opponents of certain civil liberties could change the scope of the convention and undermine basic rights long protected by the Constitution.

There are no rules governing constitutional conventions. A constitutional convention would be an unpredictable Pandoras Box; the last one, in 1787, resulted in a brand-new Constitution. Theres a significant danger that opponents of certain civil liberties could change the scope of the convention and undermine basic rights long protected by the Constitution. UNCERTAIN RATIFICATION PROCESS: A convention could re-define the ratification process (which currently requires 38 states to approve of any new amendments) to make it easier to pass new amendments, including those considered at the convention. This happened in 1787, when the convention changed the threshold necessary for ratification.

A convention could re-define the ratification process (which currently requires 38 states to approve of any new amendments) to make it easier to pass new amendments, including those considered at the convention. This happened in 1787, when the convention changed the threshold necessary for ratification. THREAT OF LEGAL DISPUTES: No judicial, legislative, or executive body would have clear authority to settle disputes about a convention, opening the process up to chaos and drawn out legal disputes that threaten the functioning of our democracy and economy.

No judicial, legislative, or executive body would have clear authority to settle disputes about a convention, opening the process up to chaos and drawn out legal disputes that threaten the functioning of our democracy and economy. APPLICATION PROCESS UNCERTAINTY: There is no clear process on how Congress or any other governmental body would count and add up Article V applications, or if Congress and the states could restrain the conventions mandate based on those applications.

There is no clear process on how Congress or any other governmental body would count and add up Article V applications, or if Congress and the states could restrain the conventions mandate based on those applications. POSSIBILITY OF UNEQUAL REPRESENTATION: It is unclear how states would choose delegates to a convention, how states and citizens will be represented within a constitutional convention, and who would ultimately get to vote on items raised in a convention.

You can read our full report, The Dangerous Path: Big Moneys Plan to Shred the Constitution.

Saturday and Ethics, Now Monday and Ethics Continued

Today HJR8 to establish an Independent Ethics Commission was heard in the House Judiciary Committee, and the discussion and hearing will continue on Monday, March 6 at 1:30 p.m., or 1/2 hour after the floor session. Sponsors Rep. Jim Dines, Rep. Bill McCamley, and Rep. Nathan Small fielded questions from the committee regarding this constitutional amendment that would consist of a seven-member commission appointed by the Governor and leaders from both parties of each chamber. If passed by the voters in 2018, this commission would be effective by 2019.

Our HUGE thanks to Terri Cole, President and CEO of the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, the League of Women Voters of New Mexico, the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government and Conservation Voters New Mexico who testified in strong support of HJR8 before the committee. Accountability and transparency is an issue that reaches across all party lines, is supported by 86% of our New Mexico business leaders, and 90% of New Mexicos citizens in recent state-wide polls conducted by Research & Polling Inc.

Common Cause has been working on the creation of an ethics committee in various forms for almost 40 years, please help us make 2017 the year that we pass meaningful ethics reform in New Mexico and contact your representative today to ask for their support!

Tuesday, March 7

SB 42, Agreement to Elect President by Popular Vote, sponsored by Sen. Mimi Stewart, is on the House State Government, Indian & Veterans Affairs committee calendar for 8 a.m. on Tuesday.

HOW THE NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE PROPOSAL WOULD WORK

States currently have the power to award their electors to the winner of the national popular vote, although this would be disadvantageous to the state that did this unless it was joined simultaneously by other states that represent a majority of electoral votes. Hence the National Popular Vote plan is an interstate compacta type of state law authorized by the U.S. Constitution that enables states to enter a legally enforceable contractual obligation to undertake agreed joint actions, which may be delayed in implementation until a requisite number of states join in. There are more than a thousand interstate compacts, and each state in the United States belongs to dozens of them. The U.S. Supreme Court has authorized electoral compacts in dicta and several other electoral compacts have been proposed in the past.

Under the National Popular Vote plan, the compact would take effect only when enabling legislation has been enacted by states collectively possessing a majority of the electoral votes that is 270 of the 538 electoral votes. Once effective, states could withdraw from the compact at any time except during the six-month window between July 20th of an election year and inauguration day (January 20th).

To determine the National Popular Vote winner, state election officials would simply tally the nationwide vote for President based on each states official results. Then, state elections officials in all states participating in the plan would choose electors sworn to support the presidential candidate who received the largest number of popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The winner would receive all of the compacting states electoral votes plus additional electoral votes from whatever non-compacting states happened to be carried by the nationwide winner. Thus, in practice, the presidential candidate receiving the most popular votes nationwide would typically receive about three-quarters of the electoral votes.

Thursday, March 9

SB 224, Register Voters 3 Days Before Elections, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Steinborn, is scheduled for the House Local Government, Elections, Land Grants & Cultural Affairs committee on Thursday, March 9 at 1:30 or 1/2 hour after the floor session in Room 315. This bill will extend the Voter Registration Deadline by allowing registration, in real time, through the Saturday before Election Day.

Democracy works best when the highest number of people participate in the process. Low voter turnout has been a problem in New Mexico, and registering through early voting is an effective way to boost voter turnout. Our election officials currently have the technology to process voter registration forms in real time thus allowing registration through the Saturday before Election Day.

Please check in for an update from the Common Cause New Mexico team tomorrow so see what other bills may be added to committee calendars on the Democracy Wire page of our website!

Follow us on Twitter @commoncausenm & like us on Facebook for mid-day updates and remember to CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS!
At least five members of the Afghan security forces were killed early Sunday morning when their checkpoint came under an insurgent attack in northeastern Kunduz province, an Afghan official said.

Gen. Abdul Hamid Hamid, provincial police chief in Kunduz, said a large group of Taliban fighters attacked the post near the city of Kunduz.

Meanwhile, 18 insurgents were killed by airstrikes in the Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province, according to a statement released by the Interior Ministry. Three others were wounded while five vehicles and an ammunition stockpile were destroyed, the statement added.

"The key terrorists killed in the operation were involved in planning and implementing several terror attacks in Kunduz province," said the statement.

Elsewhere in the northern province of Faryab, a district police chief died when a bomb that had been attached to his car detonated, said Karim Yuresh, spokesman for the provincial police chief. Another policeman was wounded in the explosion Saturday evening. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a separate incident in Faryab province, Yuresh said a local security forces commander was killed when insurgents attacked a police checkpoint.

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The US Food and Drug Administration and the California Department of Public Health had announced a warning on Friday not to eat any I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter products, specifically those that contain the I.M. Healthy brand soy nut butter and granola. Twelve people in five states have been reported to have become ill.

Victim counts have increased nationwide due to the E. coli outbreak linked to the products. The SoyNut Butter Co. has issued a recall an unknown quantity of its I.M. Healthy Original Creamy SoyNut Butter.

Only I.M. Healthy Original Creamy SoyNut Butter with best by dates of August 30, 2018 or August 31, 2018 was included in the recall. Health officials have warned the public against all SoyNut Butter products and granola after the outbreak has hit children hard than adults.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data showed 11 out of 12 confirmed victims were known to be younger than 18. They have warned child care centers to check for SoyNut Butter and securely discard it to prevent children or animals to get to it. Even if some of the SoyNut Butter or granola was consumed and no one got sick it's still recommended to throw the product away.

SoyNut Butter website said they are investigating the issue and are questioning the supply chain. For questions and concerns, buyers are urged to call 800-288-1012.

On Tuesday, they first investigated the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. The CDC updated a consumer warning last Thursday and has now confirmed the outbreak has occurred in five states, Arizona, California, Oregon, Maryland and New Jersey.

According to Food Safety News, six out of the 12 confirmed victims required hospitalizations and four have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is a type of kidney failure. The CDC said there were no deaths reported.

WFMZ reported the first confirmed illness began Jan. 6 and the most recent confirmed victims was on Feb. 15. Four of the victims from Arizona were children below the age of 5. Another child in Seattle is in the intensive care unit on dialysis awaiting laboratory results.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
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Meghan Markle And Prince Harry recently made headlines by attending a Jamaican wedding. Interestingly, the royal and the "Suits" actress did not feel shy and came out openly, and casually displayed their affection towards each other. If this is any hint, then fans can probably expect the two to announce their wedding date.

Meghan Markle And Prince Harry On A Romantic Caribbean Outing

The royal recently took his girlfriend to a romantic Caribbean outing, where his best friend was going to wed. The pair wandered on the Jamaican island hand-in-hand and looked very much smitten with each other, reported News.co.au.

Onlookers were surprised to see Meghan Markle And Prince Harry showing off their relationship openly. The friends of the Prince said that it was the first time that he has been with his girlfriend so casually in public. All through their stay, the 35-year-old actress had her hand protectively around her supposed beau.

Meghan Markle wore a patterned maxi-dress, whereas the Prince looked dapper in his dark blue suit with yellow buttonhole. Meghan Markle And Prince Harry added a touch of glamor with the sunglasses they wore. During their stroll across the Jamaican island, the royal exclusively wore a lime green board shorts, whereas Meghan Markle looked sexy in a tiny turquoise bikini.

Meghan Markle And Prince Harry: Couple Cuddled And Kisses In Front Of Friends

According to the source, the pair cuddled and kissed in front of their friends while on the beach and even frolicked in the sea. The Daily Star said that the friends of Meghan Markle And Prince Harry even teased them that they should already get engaged. The source added that some of the guests even allegedly smoked cannabis during the wedding party.

Since pot use is legal in Jamaica, it seemed quite acceptable. Throughout their stay, the couple was together. The "Suits" actress had a glass of wine, while the royal chatted with his friends and smoked a few cigarettes. Meghan Markle And Prince Harry even shared a tender embrace in full view of the guests on the balcony of their villa.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
Philippine troops have found the remains of a German hostage who was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the country's south, vowing Sunday to rescue more than 30 other captives and crush the ransom-seeking extremists.

Marines dug up the head and body of Jurgen Gustav Kantner late Saturday in the mountainous hinterlands of Indanan town in Sulu province, where the militants are holding at least 31 other foreign and Filipino hostages, said regional military commander Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr.

The 70-year-old Kantner was seized from his yacht with his female German companion off Malaysia's Sabah state in November. Kantner's companion was fatally shot on the yacht, which was later found in the southern Philippines, according to the military.

The couple had survived a kidnapping ordeal off Somalia in 2008.

"Once again, the command is sending its deep regrets to the family for not being able to rescue Mr. Kantner on time," Galvez said. He repeated a pledge to rescue other hostages and crush the Abu Sayyaf.

President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman, Ernesto Abella, said the government "will leave no stone unturned in squarely addressing the evils of extremism and plain banditry."

"Rest assured these mindless acts will not go unpunished," Abella said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned Kantner's killing as an "abominable act." The Abu Sayyaf circulated a video of the beheading online.

Duterte has said Filipino forces tried their best but apologized to Germany and Kantner's family after troops failed to rescue him in his nearly four months of jungle captivity in Sulu, a poor Muslim province 590 miles (950 kilometers) south of Manila.

About two dozen Filipino troops were wounded in clashes that also killed 16 Abu Sayyaf gunmen in efforts to rescue Kantner. After he was beheaded, troops intensified ground assaults and airstrikes.

On Sunday, marines killed four Abu Sayyaf militants in an assault near Sulu's Maimbung town. At least 10 other militants were killed in a separate clash Friday that also wounded 18 troops near Patikul town, said Sulu's military commander, Col. Cirilito Sobejana.

An intelligence report seen by The Associated Press said the militants behind Kantner's abduction and killing included Abu Sayyaf commander Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan and his nephew, Mujil Yadah, who was also allegedly involved in the 2015 kidnappings of a Norwegian, a Filipina and two Canadians from a yacht club in the south. The two Canadians were separately beheaded last year.

According to the report, the other kidnappers of the German included Moammar Askali and Idang Susukan. Askali, a young militant, insisted that Kantner should be killed on schedule as they had threatened to do, but others wanted to wait longer to get a huge ransom, which was last pegged at 30 million pesos ($600,000), the report said.

The Abu Sayyaf, which has more than 400 fighters, has been blacklisted by the Philippines and the United States as a terrorist organization for kidnappings, beheadings and bombings.

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Everyone has something special that gets their motor running. For some people it's feet, others enjoy a bit of bondage, and a select few can only get off while reading the intro sentence to an internet article. (PS: You're welcome!)

But no one hides their fetishes worse than artists, who are used to wearing their heart (and privates) on their sleeve. Some even turn their peccadillos into their passion, spending their lives putting their kinks on canvas like some sort of artistic exhibitionists. We have no doubt that they are the happiest -- and sorest -- people in the world.

WARNING: Yelling "but it's art" will probably not save you from being fired for reading this NSFW article during your lunch break.
The United States on Sunday launched a new wave of air raids against Al-Qaeda in Yemen, as Islamist militants fled from towns being targeted to mountainous areas, security sources said.

At least five early morning raids hit targets linked to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in the southern Shabwa and central Baida provinces, security sources told AFP.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Among the areas from which the radical group pulled its operatives is the Baida town of Ghail, where top AQAP commander Abdulelah al-Dhahab has reportedly been holed up, the sources said.

Suspected AQAP gunmen meanwhile killed five soldiers at a checkpoint in the southern province of Abyan, which has itself been hit by air strikes in recent days, security sources and medics there said.

Since Thursday, Washington, which regards AQAP as the Islamist militants network's most dangerous branch, has stepped up its air and drone strikes on Yemeni provinces including Baida, Shabwa and Abyan.

The Pentagon on Friday confirmed it had carried out more than 30 strikes against AQAP, conducted in partnership with the Yemeni government.

Local officials and tribal sources told AFP that at least 20 Islamist militants were killed on Thursday and Friday.

The bombing campaign comes after a botched January 29 raid against AQAP left multiple civilians and a US Navy SEAL dead in the first military strike ordered by President Donald Trump.

Al-Qaeda has exploited a power vacuum created by two years of war between Yemen's government and Shia rebels who control the capital to consolidate its presence, particularly in the south and east.

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Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz proposed to create EU reception centers for refugees outside the borders of the union, for example in Georgia or in the Western Balkans.

The unexpected proposal came during his interview with German Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

"It is not that important where exactly they [the centers] will be. The important thing is that they [these countries] will ensure protection, and that people who illegally try to get to Europe, will be send back there. The facilities could be placed in countries such as Egypt, Georgia, or somewhere in the Western Balkans," Kurz told the newspaper.

The minister once again criticized the immigration policy of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, saying that it led to the situation which is now hard to resolve.

"This wrong policy was supported by the heads of many states and governments, as well as the European Commission. It was based on good intentions, but for me it was always clear: if we let people enter Central Europe, there will be more and more of them coming," the politician stated.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has repeatedly been criticized for her open-door policy not only by her opponents, but also by her supporters. For instance, German Minister of Finance Wolfgang Schauble admitted that the German government made a mistake in 2015, when it let hundreds of thousands of refugees enter the country.

Merkel herself claimed that the reception of refugees was the only way to stay true to "European values". However, even she acknowledged that she committed some mistakes "in the past" and promised to curb the influx of migrants to the EU.

According to official data, German authorities have spent 7.1 billion euro to address the migration crisis in 2016 alone. Reception, registration, accommodation and integration of newcomers cost Germany an additional 1.4 billion euro.

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We are in trouble.

Connecticut is likely to experience in the coming months the real meaning of disruption. State Democrats are mostly united in pushing against this tide of creative destruction, but we need more than one party. In protecting Connecticuts wealth, businesses, property and labor from President Donald Trumps anti-immigrant policies, we need the support of Connecticut Republicans. Billions are at stake.

Most state residents dont know any unauthorized immigrants. Precisely, most dont know if they are unauthorized. Such people dont make a banner of their legal status. But if Trump prevails, we are all going to feel the impact personally.

There are about 130,000 immigrants in Connecticut guilty of illegal entry or improper entry, a misdemeanor. For citizens, a misdemeanor might be punishable by a fine. For aliens, a misdemeanor usually means deportation. Law enforcement is subject to discretion. Over President Obamas tenure, the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the nations immigration agencies, ignored misdemeanors, because they dont even rise to the level of petty crime. The administration instead prioritized violent felons. Plus, purging the landscape of illegals would have stalled the economy. As H. Ross Perot might have put it, we would have heard a giant sucking sound.

Perot was a candidate for the presidency in 1992 talking about the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement. He said the trilateral agreement would extract mountains of wealth from the U.S. along with millions of jobs. It was, and is, cheaper to do business in Mexico. It would be different, he said, if Mexico were on par with the U.S., but its not. Meanwhile, youve wrecked the country.

I dont know if anti-immigrant policies will wreck Connecticut, but no matter where you stand on the issue, the state has taken a long, long, long time to recover from the 2007-2008 crash. There are reasons for that slow pace, some in and out of our control. But one thing is certain: If Trump extracts 130,000 people out of Connecticut, we are going to hear a giant sucking sound. All their wealth will go with them.

How much? According to a study by a pro-business coalition called The New American Economy, unauthorized immigrants account for $3.1 billion in household income in Connecticut. They represent $2.7 billion in spending power. They pay $397 million in federal, state and local taxes. The nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy broke it down more. They pay more than $125 million in just state and local taxes in Connecticut. That would rise by more than $20 million if they had legal status.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney once said you cant take that much money out of an economy without doing serious harm. When asked in 2012 why he didnt propose more draconian cuts to the federal budget, he said: If you take a trillion dollars out of the first year of the federal budget, that would shrink GDP over 5 percent. That is by definition throwing us into recession or depression.

I dont know if sucking $3.1 billion out of Connecticuts economy would trigger a recession. What we do know is that our margin for error isnt generous. And before you say, Well, these illegals dont pay taxes anyway, know this: Youre wrong. They pay every tax you and I pay. Even if paid in cash, which is surely the case much of the time, they pay taxes, even property taxes. (If you rent, you pay the landlords taxes.) Before you say, Well, illegals are mooching from us anyway, know this: Youre wrong again. Undocumented immigrants pay into the safety net, but dont benefit. In the case of payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare), they paid $12 billion in 2010, but by law are barred from receiving benefits. We are mooching from them.

The threat of deportation is real, as is deportations threat to our economy. The Trump administration is maintaining the line that the presidents executive order will not lead to mass roundups. But its language is so broad federal authorities are targeting anyone guilty of the misdemeanor of illegal entry, including immigrants married to U.S. citizens and immigrants brought here by their parents as children.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Wednesday a so-called Dreamer. A native Honduran married to an American who has been living in New Haven more than a dozen years has been ordered to leave the U.S. by the middle of this month.

This is only the beginning.

John Stoehr is a lecturer in political science at Yale University. He can be reached at johnastoehr@gmail.com.
The vibrant colors are the first thing you notice in the work of Stamford artist Princess Cureton.

The vivid hues captivate the eye, draw the viewer closer and then you might do a double-take when it appears that the imagery is literally reaching out to you. Step in close and it becomes apparent that there is a three-dimensional element in Curetons work, involving pieces of cloth, sand, glass, beads and other objects from the far-flung locales in which she has lived.

I love it when someone walks up to a piece and says, Wait a minute, is this real?, the artist says. They ask, May I touch it? and I will tell them, Yes.

The artist dreams of making giant canvases in which many elements will leave the wall. I want to start with a foot on the floor that is coming out of the canvas. Im talking large scale, hanging from the floor all the way up to the ceiling.

The longtime Loft Artists Association member and teacher in the Greenwich public school system is moving to North Carolina this summer to a house near Charlotte, where she will have a studio with the extra space to execute her dream of big sculptural pieces. The Loft is sponsoring her solo show, Off the Wall, opening March 24, in honor of this new phase in the artists life.

Although she put down roots in Connecticut over the past two decades, Cureton has always thought of herself as a nomad. She was born in Washington, D.C., moved on to Brooklyn, N.Y., to study art education at the Pratt Institute, and then set sail to the Virgin Islands for her first teaching job. The artists travels have taken her all through the Caribbean, Greece, Cyprus, China and Japan, deepening her love of other cultures and fueling her desire to use those life experiences in her work.

Im a colorist, she says of the way she has tried to capture the light and the unique hues of each place she has visited.

Cureton sees her art as a combination of the external sights and sounds of her travels with the interior impact theyve had on her emotionally and aesthetically.

I dont just bring back tales; Ive collected things from each place to use in the work, she says of such objects as a suitcase full of beautiful handmade paper brought back from Japan, where she worked as a Fulbright scholar after retiring from teaching in 2014. Bits of the paper can be seen in the work in the Loft show.

The sculptural paintings are a way Cureton holds onto the places she visits in a literal sense. There is a strong nostalgic element in the work she has done at the Cape Cod Fine Arts Center that includes sand from Provincetown, Mass., along with broken shells. I love the Cape and I try to take it with me, she says.

After seeing her work, and enjoying a laughter-filled conversation with the artist, I ask if her first name was something she adopted to suit her artistic personality.

I wish I could tell you a wonderful story, she says, laughing, of the fact that Princess is her given name. Im one of nine children with names like Ann and Marie and Oscar. People assume I might have been the first born or the last born, but I was in the middle. It took me until I was an adult in my 40s to ask my mother, and I found out that it was the name of her best friend from Greenville, S.C. So I was honored.

The name has been a conversation starter and even the source of some practical benefits.

It bumped me up to business class one time on a plane trip, Cureton says, with a laugh.

jmeyers@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @joesview
BRIDGEPORTFirefighters and police responded to 170 Park Street Saturday around 5:45 p.m.

A small fire broke out in basement, sending out heavy smoke, according to fire dispatch reports.

Firefighters are on scene and have knocked down the flames, according to dispatches. Theyve requested assistance from United Illuminating, the power company.

Police are blocking traffic a few blocks away on Maple Street, according to dispatch reports.
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DERBY  It may be years away and would require several state approvals. But a local developer believes the former Lifetouch National School Studios at 90 Main Street could be the gateway to a new downtown Derby.

And his first choice is to work with the state and Social Venture Partners Connecticut to link with a school like Housatonic Community College to train people for needed manufacturing jobs. Theres also the possibility of a manufacturer linking up with the program.

Its a big challenge, Joe Salemme told the citys Planning and Zoning Commission during a recent informal meeting. There are a lot of obstacles, and its not going to be easy.

Among those challenges is $5 million needed in infrastructure improvements that include relocating and adding lines for utilities, sewers, water and gas.

Salemme helped develop the Hawks Ridge residential component off Sheltons Bridgeport Avenue and is involved in a subdivision in Beacon Falls. He told the Planning and Zoning commission that he has an option to buy the vacant Lifetouch building, whose employees for years photographed area school students and weddings.

Moving parts

The building encompasses about 35,000 square feet, has 65 parking spaces and sits on about 1.2 acres, according to the $850,000 listing by the Connecticut Realty Group.

Salemme credited Mayor Anita Dugatto and Lynn DiGiovanni, a member of the mayors staff, for helping get his plan moving. But he noted its not going to get done unless everyone is on board.

And that would include the state departments of Energy and Environmental Protection, Economic Development and Transportation, as well as private investors.

This is exactly what the Valley needs  jobs and job training, Dugatto said during a visit to the site.

This is a great location for it, she added, pointing out the building, which is directly across from the citys railroad station and entrances and exits to Route 8.

Dugatto said she is confident Salemme will purchase the site within a month or two.

Im excited we have someone looking at the downtown, she said. He wants to be part of a big picture, and its not just him  we have two others, and they are all talking to each other.

And, Dugatto said, The great thing about this location is it wont be impacted by the widening of Route 34.

Sometime next year, the state is expected to double the two-lane road, also known as Main Street and divide it with a grassy median. Bids to demolish the remaining few buildings on Main Streets south side are expected to be taken by early summer.

Dugatto said she has met with Salemme, the state Department of Economic and Community Development, Sylvia Shepard of Social Venture Partners in Westport and others in trying to push the project forward.

Part of SVPs mission is to close the opportunity gap in the workforce, Shepard said. Thousands of manufacturing jobs all across the state are going unfilled because there are not enough trained people.

Eyeing a model program

Shepard said she has had discussions with Housatonic Community College to handle the advance training aspect, which also could benefit students from Derby High School and Ansonias Emmett OBrien and Milfords Platt Tech, two of the states vocational training high schools.

Shepard sees the program as building a relationship with the needs of manufacturers from Waterbury to Bridgeport  emulating the relationship Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield has with manufacturers farther north in the state.

They have an incredible program, Shepard said of Asnuntuck. If we could replicate that kind of thing in Derby  wow!

Rose Ellis, Housatonics dean of administration and institution effectiveness, confirmed that the school has had conversations with Shepard.

However, Ellis said that because the school is a state agency, it cant enter into agreements on it own, and must submit a proposal to the state Board of Regents.

If a plan were to be approved a request for proposals would be written.

Whatever happens, Salemme sees the Lifetouch building as the cornerstone of the project to rebuild Main Street. If the manufacturing aspect fails, he said, hes also had discussions about a hotel possibly moving in. And if that falls through, theres always the possibility of restaurants and retail.
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SHELTON-Like Pizza?

And want to talk politics?

Well heres your chance.

State Sen. Kevin Kelly and State Reps. Ben McGorty and Jason Perillo will host a pizza and political discussion March 20 beginning at 6 p.m. at Caloroso, 100 Center Street, Shelton.

We usually do a coffee hour in the morning which is great for our retired constituents, explained Perillo. Were doing this at night with the hope of getting some feedback from others.

During the morning sessions a lot of residents have raised concerns about the governors cut in funding to Shelton and the impact it will have on their property taxes.

Hes also proposed that you cant claim a credit for property taxes on your state income tax, Perillo said. A lot of people are upset with this as well as all the other fee increases hes proposing...Theres no way that budget is being approved.

On this same night beginning at 6:30 p.m., Gov. Dannel P. Malloy will be conducting at town meeting at Ansonia High School on Pulaski Highway.

So residents will get a chance to grab some pizza, discuss Malloys proposals with Perillo, Kelly and McGorty then rush over to Ansonia High and question the governor.

Its kind of like dueling town hall meetings, Perillo quipped.
Models strutted down the catwalk in a color palette of different shades of blue -- navy, midnight, denim -- as well as black and white.

French fashion house Christian Dior is seeing blue for women's wardrobes next winter, with artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri turning to one of the preferred colors of the luxury label's founding designer for her latest collection.

At Dior's autumn/winter 2017/2018 fashion show held at the Paris' Musee Rodin, models strutted down the catwalk in a color palette of different shades of blue -- navy, midnight, denim -- as well as black and white.

There were navy belted jackets worn with cropped culotte trousers as well as taffeta pleated dresses, tops and skirts.

Chiuri paired blue chunky knits with see-through chiffon skirts, and also presented dark blue velvet dresses and trouser suits, loose denim trousers, dungarees and overalls. There were also some dark blue and black check outfits.

For the evening, Chiuri, who joined Dior last year from Valentino, added sparkling sequins, floral embroidery and moon and star motifs on dark velvet and tulle dresses.

"The collection is a sequence of pieces that reconnect emotions, feelings and memories," show notes said, adding the color blue was "among Monsieur Dior's great favorites".

A Christian Dior logo appeared on the bottom of jackets as well as on underwear seen underneath see-through black dresses.

For accessories, models wore berets, choker necklaces and bags slung over their bodies. There were also simple stiletto heels, flat and knee-high boots.

Earlier, the northern lights, or aurora borealis, were the inspiration at the Issey Miyake show, with models wearing voluminous coats as well as plenty of the label's signature pleats.

The first looks nodded to the striking dancing green sky lights phenomenon, with the outfits' fabric changing color depending on the angle it was viewed, according to show notes.

There was also an array of eye-catching pleats in blue, orange, green, yellow, burgundy and black created with special baking and steam techniques, in billowy shapes.

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As the world commemorates as World Hearing Day, Egypt celebrates its achievements and highlights further challenges

Each year countries across the globe dedicate 3 March to World Hearing Day to shed light on a medical condition that devastate the lives of many, although through awareness and early intervention it can be largely minimised.

In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the immediate need for action that would save many countries the cost of dealing with this problem if tackled in its early stages.

The WHO estimates that 32 million children across the globe suffer from disabling hearing loss. Not addressing the problem early on has cost the world 750 billion dollars.

According to the Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, it is estimated that around 4.5 million people in Egypt (around 5% of the population) are living with partial or complete hearing loss.

Children make-up around 130,000 of the total estimate.

Hearing impairment in a child affects their skills of speaking, engaging in society and academic achievement and the ripple effect resonates in the child's family and the society at large immensely. Most of hearing impairment cases are in poorer governorates

The cochlear implant procedure is considered most effective when performed between the ages of one and five.

Recent endeavors to save children

The last five years saw intensive efforts from civil societies NGOs like Misr El Kheir, and Egyptian Medical Universities who collaborated with private sector's MED-El to launch campaigns of awareness and convoys to inspect the hearing abilities of kids in various governorates all over the country, including in Asyut, Qena and Aswan.

The Egyptian Medical Universities also signed a protocol with The Health Insurance to build rehabilitation centres and audiology units in such hospitals, including five rehabilitation centres to be built in the next three years. The role of rehabilitation for children and parents was brought to the forefront as well, highlighting its importance after cochlear implant procedures.

Many celebrities have taken a stand to help shed light on the importance of the cause and raise awareness regarding early detection. Among them are prominent actor Mohamed Sobhi and star Yousra Ellozy, who bravely shared the story of her daughter suffering from the ailment.

On World Hearing Loss Day, Professor Mohamed El-Shazly, the renowned cochlear implant surgeon, commented on the statistics published by private sector's hearing implants provider MED-EL  which includes specialised ENT doctors -- stating that 3000 children in Egypt require cochlear implants on yearly basis.

The numbers are still shockingly high but Egypt has come a long way, El Shazly explained.

"We went from zero knowledge about the hearing loss and rehabilitation process, to an active civil society, and engaged journalists working towards education and awareness. The study conveys that there is still more work for us to do together, to defeat the epidemic in the country," he concluded.

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We must rethink the U.S. response to infectious disease. Here's why.
The actor and his family admired the sun rise on Giza Plateau with Egypt's Zahi Hawass

Famed American actor Will Smith and his family arrived in Cairo early this morning and paid a visit to the Giza Plateau where they met renowned archaeologist Zahi Hawass, who guided the family on a tour around the Sphinx and inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu.

Hawass discussed with the Smiths the secrets of the Khufu Pyramid and the latest discoveries being uncovered at the plateau.

The former minister of antiquities told Ahram Online that Smith and his family enjoyed admiring the sun rise on the plateau, learning about ancient Egyptian civilisation and taking photographs before the Sphinx.

Smith and Hawass have been good friends since 2006 when they were selected among Time magazine's top 100 men and women whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world.

Hawass told Ahram Online that Smith is from Philadelphia, the city where Hawass received his PhD. Hawass and Smith enjoyed breakfast together in a luxury hotel overlooking the plateau and planned to meet again for dinner.

Smith received an Oscar nomination for portraying Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness in 2007.

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The ITV police drama Broadchurch last week dealt a damaging blow to British justice

The ITV police drama Broadchurch last week dealt a damaging blow to British justice. This expensively made, star-infested type of programme has a huge impact on those who watch it.

Beloved and respected actors in tense, enthralling stories influence viewers far more than any amount of news or documentary film. As the author Philip Pullman has rightly said, Once upon a time is a far more effective way of getting into someones mind than Thou shalt not.

So I was appalled by a scene in the first episode of the new series  a high-impact moment just before the first commercial break.

The actors involved were David Tennant, a TV superstar since he played Doctor Who, Olivia Colman, a key character in the successful The Night Manager, and Julie Hesmondhalgh, for 15 years a mainstay of Coronation Street, as the transsexual Hayley Cropper.

People want to like these celebrities, and they want to be liked by them. Police often imitate what fictional coppers do on TV

This platoon of the glamorous, the earnest and the politically correct joined together to portray the investigation of a rape.

At least there was no attempt to pretend that the police still treat those who report rapes with dismissive callousness, something that stopped about 20 years ago.

On the contrary, Ms Hesmondhalghs character was caressed with endless consideration.

Mind you, this wasnt one of those he-said she-said rapes where the complainant says there was no consent and the alleged rapist says there was consent.

This was a full-scale violent attack, with Ms Hesmondhalghs character covered in blood, bruises, scratches and cuts, and suffering from concussion.

So why on earth would a battered, blood-encrusted person, after being taken deadly seriously for hours, swabbed for DNA and the rest, suddenly ask the kindly, helpful, diligent police team: Do you believe me?

This platoon of the glamorous, the earnest and the politically correct joined together to portray the investigation of a rape

As far as I can see it was only so that David Tennant could say Yes. Later in the same programme, Olivia Colmans character snapped at a colleague: We always start from a position of believing the victim.

These are words a police officer should never say. The police are servants of justice, not judges, let alone a substitute for independent juries. If they decide in advance that an allegation is true, they will not investigate the case properly because their minds are shut.

It was this misguided attitude that led to multiple police mess-ups, the worst of them being the ludicrous, inexcusable public persecution of Field Marshal Lord Bramall and the disgraceful treatment of the late Leon Brittan and his widow.

This has been the subject of a huge debate. It led to the excoriation of the police in a report by the distinguished Judge Sir Richard Henriques.

He says no judge would ever allow an alleged victim to be referred to in court as a plain victim when there has been no conviction.

The police should do the same. But, partly because they have recently got much too big for their boots, and started to think they are judge, jury and executioner, the police dont want to. They will have been pleased by this scene.

Olivia Colmans character snapped at a colleague: We always start from a position of believing the victim

You may not care about this. But unless it is put right, every one of us, no matter how respected and apparently secure, is at the mercy of a false accusation and the ruin that can follow  think of the Dorset Fire Chief David Bryant, who spent three years in prison on the basis of an accusation of sexual assault. But the complainant was later found to be a fantasist with a history of mental illness.

Mr Bryants wife Lynn, who worked so hard to clear his name, has since died, probably thanks to the terrible strain of fighting a prejudiced justice system.

I have no doubt that the police believed this horrible liar, and referred to him as a victim. Perhaps if they hadnt, it might have crossed their minds to do the detecting that they are hired and paid to do, and that poor, devoted Lynn Bryant wore herself out doing.

All of us  and that includes TV scriptwriters and actors  have a duty to help put an end to this sort of injustice. Broadchurch has done a great deal of harm by endorsing police arrogance and folly.

Ms Liz Truss, now in charge of our drug-filled prisons, was once an ultra-keen campaigner for the legalisation of marijuana

They've freed the weed at last, Liz. Happy now?

Our Justice Secretary, Ms Liz Truss, now in charge of our drug-filled prisons, was once an ultra-keen campaigner for the legalisation of marijuana.

This was in the days when she was openly a Liberal Democrat, instead of the nominal Tory she is now.

One of her former comrades recalled in a BBC Radio 4 profile that Ms Truss, pictured left, wanted to cover a whole Lib Dem stall with posters saying Free The Weed! She had to be persuaded to take some down.

He said she was very keen that we should be fighting the cause. I asked her office about this and (after ignoring me for a bit, and being pestered) they eventually responded by saying: The Secretary of State does not believe cannabis should be legalised.

Well, of course she doesnt. Why should she? Her student goal is being achieved by another route.

Britain, as a member of the UN Security Council, cannot legalise marijuana without breaking its treaty obligations. But what it can do, as pro-drug campaigners worked out long ago, is just not enforce the law.

And our elite have done just that. Several police forces now openly state that they dont bother with cannabis possession any more.

The official maximum penalty for possessing marijuana is five years in jail. But the standard response to this crime, recommended by the National Police Chiefs Council, is the cannabis warning, an unrecorded nothing.

Britain, as a member of the UN Security Council, cannot legalise marijuana without breaking its treaty obligations. But what it can do, as pro-drug campaigners worked out long ago, is just not enforce the law

Even that is falling into disuse. A parliamentary answer found cannabis warnings dropped from 95,000 in 2009 to 72,172 in 2012 to 35,343 last year. This isnt because theres less of it about. Its because the warning was just the latest stage in a long surrender.

Meanwhile, there is more evidence each day of a correlation between this drug and mental illness. Ms Trusss anarchic prisons are full of people whose minds have been wrecked by drugs. But dont expect a government crammed with people like her to do anything about it.

The Weed is Free in all but name.

Grammars come out top for fair education

The tiny rump of besieged grammar schools in England are incessantly accused of reinforcing privilege, though its not their fault.

But when two major surveys show that comprehensives, by their nature, really do reinforce privilege, silence falls over the media and politics.

I wonder why.

The Sutton Trust reported last week that more than 85 per cent of the best-performing comprehensives dont take their fair share of poor pupils.

About half of this gap is down to schools having catchment areas that just dont have many poor people living in them. And a typical house in the catchment area for a good comprehensive costs 45,700 above average in that local authority area.

Meanwhile, a separate report from Teach First also showed that children from the richest homes dominate the top state schools.

To be exact, 43 per cent of pupils at outstanding secondaries are from the wealthiest 20 per cent of families.

Yet the Left complain that academic selection is ruthless. Actually, there are plenty of second chances in a school system based on merit. But when wealth is the test, immovable bars of gold separate the lucky from the unlucky, for ever.

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As last weeks Lords rebellion spreads to Commons...

This week the House of Lords will debate a proposal to give MPs a proper vote on the outcome of the Brexit talks, regardless of their result.

The Prime Minister has said Parliament will vote on any deal agreed with the EU, but at present, if there is no deal there will be no vote.

It means that if the talks fail and we leave with nothing  an outcome described by many as falling off a cliff  there is nothing Parliament or anyone else can do about it.

To many of us, it seems a matter of common sense that MPs should have a say on this. It is even more important that Parliament is consulted if we dont get a deal than if we do.

Anna Soubry speaking at an Open Britain press conference. The a cross party, pro-European campaign group wants to secure the best deal with Europe for Britain's future after Brexit

Which is why, if the Lords approves this proposal, I will support it when the Brexit legislation returns to the Commons.

I have no idea how many other Conservative MPs will join me in voting against the Government. It is not something any Conservative does lightly.

And it wont be easy. Between now and a vote on the issue, any Conservative colleagues considering voting for the proposal should do so with their eyes open. They can expect an orchestrated campaign of personal and political vilification against them. There will be abuse from internet trolls, vile letters in their Commons mail box and all manner of spoken and unspoken, veiled and not-so-veiled threats from the whips.

I have dished out a few brickbats on occasion, so this is not a complaint about the political hurly-burly. There is a much bigger issue here.

I have never known a political atmosphere like the current one in Westminster. There is a danger that the insidious methods used to silence all criticism of Brexit, no matter how reasoned and measured, will have disastrous consequences for our country.

It happened to John Major and Michael Heseltine last week and generally goes like this: Conservative politician questions the merits of a hard Brexit. A series of pro-hard Brexit Conservative MPs (usually the same ones each time) round on him or her in abusive terms for having the temerity to question whether a hard Brexit will lead to Britains streets being paved with gold.

And the pro-Brexit cheerleaders in the media pile in and give them a kicking for good measure, distorting any valid arguments along the way.

I was struck by a newspaper article by Michael Gove, in which he rightly railed against the danger of the creeping pro-Left-wing monoculture in universities, where policing speech and hostility to dissent was becoming the new normal. He argued: The stifling of dissent and march of conformity on campuses was dangerous and had to be resisted.

A packed House of Lords on Wednesday saw peers push for guarantees over the rights of EU nationals living in the UK after Brexit

Yet that is exactly what is happening now as a hard Brexit monoculture takes hold. Some are determined to stifle all dissent in their zeal to make everyone conform to their views. I and others who have done no more than dissent from supporting aspects of the Governments policy on Brexit have received vile abuse. I received an email from a Conservative-supporting clergyman who told me to burn in hell, evil bitch. And they used to say the Church of England was the Conservative Party at prayer.

We are lucky to have a free Press. But in some parts of it you have to search hard to find items concerning any negative aspects to Brexit. Such as reports last week that lorry drivers in non-EU Turkey have to queue up to 15 miles and up to 30 hours to get into EU Bulgaria. And Turkey has the advantage of being in the Customs Union. Theresa May says the UK will not be in the Customs Union.

Or the warning by CBI president Paul Drechsler that it would be irresponsible and wrong to leave the EU without a deal. Some British exports, including food, would face tariffs of 50 per cent, he said. Yes, fifty, 5-0.

To the Brexit-at-any-cost brigade, Mr Drechsler is not speaking up for British business  hes just another Remoaner to be scoffed at.

And before anyone accuses me of betraying Theresa May or my party, let me say this: I have no doubt that Mrs May sympathises with many of my arguments. I am betraying no confidences by saying I understand she has intimated as much to Conservative MPs whose word I trust.

Similarly, there are members of the Cabinet who agree with me. For some reason, they have chosen to keep their heads down. Which brings me to another concern.

Whatever ones view of the Brexiteers, one thing cannot be doubted. They have maintained the ruthless military-style discipline that helped them win on June 23.

The Prime Minister has said Parliament will vote on any deal agreed with the EU

They seek out and destroy their enemies brutally. I am not worried for myself. Ive been around the block. And I have had the privilege of having been a senior Minister. Other younger, less-experienced Tory MPs are more susceptible to threats and intimidation.

Here is another quote from Goves article that caught my eye. It is only through constant challenge that truth can stay strong and only through learning how to argue against error that successive generations can effectively defend what is right. Thats a bit rich from someone whose idea of truth during the referendum campaign was to peddle fibs about the NHS getting an extra 350 million a week if we leave the EU and conjured up the image of 88 million people from Turkey and the Balkans arriving if we stayed in.

But let us put petty point-scoring to one side  I couldnt agree more with Michaels statement. That is why I will continue to challenge the Government and warn of what I perceive to be the truth and the grave consequences of the error we will inflict on successive generations if we withdraw from the EU in a reckless, dogmatic way.

Doubtless the Brexit trolls will be tapping their keyboards and getting their green-ink pens out even as you read this.

Let them do their worst. When it comes to Parliament, we should take the mainstream Brexiteers at their word.

Let us give the sovereign Parliament they claim to believe in so passionately a role in deciding this nations future when all the talking in Brussels is done in 2019 and Article 50 becomes what I fear will be a cold and harsh reality.

It is not a denial of democracy to seek to ensure that the Brexit people voted for on June 23 is achieved on the best possible terms for our country. If we are faced with a potentially catastrophic falling off a cliff, the least we can do is provide a parliamentary safety net.
It wont happen again, officer, I swear. I promise, I promise on my childrens heads because last Wednesday the Government brought the final curtain down on my worst habit and lethal addiction, and one I cant just give up for Lent, I must give up for ever.

My worst habit by far, as terrified family members and other road-users will confirm, is using my mobile at the wheel.

Im a guilty player in a national epidemic of fatal bad manners on the highway that on March 1, the Government cracked down on: its now six penalty points, a 200 fine, even a possible driving ban for some offenders. Serious stuff.

'Sixty people have been killed by drivers using mobiles in the past three years, and the South East (where I live) is the worst blackspot for the accidents.'

Sixty people have been killed by drivers using mobiles in the past three years, and the South East (where I live) is the worst blackspot for the accidents.

So these penalties are long overdue, but Im terrified. Its not as if I havent been caught already. A few months back, I was in the middle of a long, pleasurable gossip as I drove through West London. My iPhone sat in its cradle at eye level, on the screen Google Maps.

Yak yak yak, I went, and then, to my horror: a blue flashing light in the wing mirror.

Policeman on a motorbike eyeballing me. Caught red-handed.

The cop jabbed a finger towards the garage just up ahead on the left, so I drove in.

Cursed by the 'disease to please' Its terrible that the first person many women blame when bad things are done to them is themselves. Jane Fonda says she was raped and sexually abused as a child and was fired because she wouldnt sleep with her boss and I always thought it was my fault; that I didnt do or say the right thing. This isnt quite as self-flagellating as Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde, who says she has only herself to blame for when she was sexually assaulted. I remember thinking when I was attacked in the street that it was my fault for sneaking off to an Emmanuelle film with my boyfriend without telling my mother. Bravo to Jane Fonda, 79, to name the common condition many women of all ages suffer from to their own cost: Hanoi Jane calls it the disease to please. Time we found a lasting and permanent cure for this disease of my sex. Advertisement

He hopped off, I put the handbrake on, but the car still rolled on before coming to a standstill (its always done that). You were talking on your mobile, he told me sternly. And your handbrake does not work. Id say, Madam, youre [he glanced at his watch under a leather gauntlet as if the countdown to driving doomsday had started] this close to being off the road.

What would you do? What would an honest Injun do? Certainly not what I did.

Then, it was 100 and three points, rather than double that, but still  possibly the end of the road for me, I wasnt sure of the penalty points system, so I panicked.

No I wasnt, officer, I whined. I was just using Google Maps! and pointed to the offending mobile.

But Ive been behind you, watching you, for ten minutes, said the policeman, who clearly thought I had been dangerously distracted even if I hadnt actually been holding the phone.

I collapsed like a pricked inflatable. I considered the options. And I did the only thing I thought I could do in the circumstances.

The PC with red hair glared at me, and I said he was right. I was wrong. I admitted I had lied, and I apologised. And I am sorry to say he let me off. Just this once. It was my lucky day  but maybe, I allow, not yours.

My name is Rachel Johnson and I am a mobile-phone addict, and therefore a danger to society. It wasnt the first time Id done it. It was merely the first time Id been caught.

So this is my promise to nice PC Ginger and all other road users. This has been a lesson to me, and I hope to you.

These new laws are as tough as they need to be.

It wont happen again, officer, I swear. Its cold turkey, and then one day at a time.

Kellyanne Conway, 50, in the Oval Office

Kellyanne Conway, 50, was caught crouching on the Oval Office sofa like a texting schoolgirl in her teenage bedroom.

Which told us this: shes more than at home in the White House, the mansion built by slaves that now houses the President and his men, but not, for the moment, his wife.

As the hyper-relaxed pose  stilettos tucked under her bony butt  revealed: Conway has the run of the place, and she and Trump are clearly comfortable together as colleagues.

If I was Melania  who, unlike Kellyanne, has not put a foot wrong, let alone two  I would definitely have a word.

That's not a dress - it's just a distraction

Jennifer Aniston, 48, at the Oscars last week

To the big question of the week: how much is too much?

Actress Brie larson appeared on The One Show last week in what one critic supplieted was a 'pre-watershed busty display'.

Emma Watson, the actress and feminist activist, flashed underboob with predictable results (accusations that she'd gone 'topless' and 'posed semi nude').

Jennifer Aniston was ticked off for showing both breasts and leg at the Oscars.

The answer is this. If your boobs are all anyone is talking about - not your latest film (Larson and Aniston), or your opinions on female genital mutilation (Watson) - then you're showing too much.

Quotes of the week

If Richard was a member of the Secret Service, then maybe Ken Dodd was in charge of MI5.

Kathryn Apanowicz, partner of the late Richard Whiteley, after actor Ricky Tomlinson claimed the former Countdown host was a spy.

The good news is we got to see some extra speeches.

Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel after La La Land was mistakenly announced as the winner of Best Film instead of Moonlight.

Dont get me started on the Yorkshire puddings.

Twitter user as Cambridge students complain that dishes such as Jamaican stew are racist.

Been there, done that.

Astronaut Buzz Aldrins reaction to tycoon Elon Musks mission to send tourists around the Moon.

Never kick a man until he is down.

Labour MP Sir Gerald Kaufman, who died last week aged 86, with his golden rule of politics.

Use your mobile and drive and as of today youll end with more points on your licence than Liverpool FC got in February six.

Greater Manchester Police poke fun at Liverpools loss of form in a road safety message.

I bought an Aston Martin but I just feel like a t** in it.

Pop star Ed Sheeran admits his wealth can leave him feeling uncomfortable.

Labour needs a smack in the face. A serious wet fish to the chops.

MP Jess Phillips bemoans the current state of her party.

I get all my 81-year-old mothers hand- me-downs. Luckily theyre cashmere.

Mary Berrys daughter Annabel reveals the pair have a similar sense of style.




Celebrity-obsessed millennials are fuelling a surge in interest in cosmetic surgery, experts say.

Young women in the UK and the US are searching for breast augmentation, rhinoplasty and lip augmentation more than ever before - and it could all be down to stars like Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner.

Dr. Dev Patel tells FEMAIL millennials 'thrive' on racking up likes on social media platforms like Instagram and are increasingly modelling themselves on celebrities.

Scroll down for video

Celebrities like Kylie Jenner, 19, are believed to be behind a surge in interest for cosmetic procedures in millennial women who are increasingly opting for lip fillers and nose jobs

'The sharp rise in women aged 18 to 25 asking for lip fillers has been faster than anyone expected,' says Dr Patel, medical director and lead cosmetic doctor at Perfect Skin Solutions in Portsmouth.

'This is thanks in large part to celebrities such as Kylie Jenner - who is often regarded as the poster girl for lip fillers.'

While the number of women having plastic surgery in the UK has dropped overall, curiosity is keener than ever as surgeries report a huge spike in visits to their sites.

RealSelf saw more than 13.5 million visits from the UK in 2016, up 16 per cent compared to the previous year - and they say millennial women are driving the spike.

Role model: Dr Dev Patel believes women like Kim Kardashian, 36, showing 'no upper facial expression' when she is crying on TV looks 'ridiculous' and suggests she has had Botox

Millennial women can be led to believe that getting extensive cosmetic work will take them to a level of beauty like Kim's (pictured with sister Kylie), according to Dr Patel

Women aged 18 to 34 now account for more than half (53 per cent) of traffic on the site and are not only considering have breast augmentation and rhinoplasty, but injectables are making serious headway too.

Non-surgical treatments like hyaluronic acid fillers, cosmetic toxins, including Botox, and lip augmentation also top the list of treatments being searched for by millennial women.

According to Dr Patel, the 'natural' look is on the decline with as pumped-up lips becoming more sought after than ever.

Experts are reporting that younger girls often want people to recognise that they have had their lips "done" and want an exaggerated pout like Kylie, pictured

UK millennials: Most searched Breast augmentation 23.81% Rhinoplasty 16.13% Hyaluronic acid 11.58% Cosmetic toxins 11.08% Lip augmentation 5.36% Advertisement

'Younger girls often want people to recognise that they have had their lips "done" and want an exaggerated pout; despite many experts (like me) explaining that this will often diminish rather than enhance their beauty.'

He adds: 'This also applies to Botox. When you see women like Kim Kardashian showing no upper facial expression when she is crying on TV, it looks utterly ridiculous and suggests way too much Botox.

'However, because many look up to her as a style and beauty icon with an enormous social media presence, they can be led to believe that "too much" for them will also take them to a level of beauty like Kim's.'
Sophie's husband Jaryd took their two young children to family's beach house

She's had a tough couple of days online, so it's no surprise that Young Mummy blogger Sophie Cachia is looking to unwind.

The mother-of-two took to Instagram on Saturday to celebrate the fact husband Jaryd was taking their two young children to the family's beach house for the weekend.

That meant Sophie was going to get one of the rarest treats of all to a busy mum - a night to herself.

The blogger no doubt appreciated the time alone even more after being targeted by anti-vaxxers earlier this week.

After a stressful week on social media, popular blogger Sophie Cachia happily prepared milk for her two-month-old daughter before enjoying a night off from mummy duties

The Young Mummy blogger revealed that her husband Jaryd was taking their children to the family's beach house for the night so she could attend a party and work on Sunday morning

But before the fun day off could begin, Sophie made sure to prep - and pump - as she is still breastfeeding her two-month-old daughter Florence.

'My milk udders and I have been moo-ing...I mean prepping away,' she joked in the caption of the Instagram picture, which showed both empty and full pouches of milk.

'This is only half of what needs to go with [Jaryd] for 1 bubba!' she added.

Sophie also made sure to send some love to her husband, praising him for taking care of the children by himself for a night.

'A completely competent father taking his children away for the night so Mum can attend a birthday AND then work on Sunday. It's crazy, I know!' she joked.

But before she could enjoy some much needed time alone, Sophie couldn't resist posting a picture of her two cherubs.

But before relinquishing mummy duties for the night, Sophie couldn't help but post this adorable photo of her son Bobby hugging his baby sister Florence

Sophie clearly enjoyed her day off, posing with fellow mummy blogger Bridget Jarrad at a birthday party on Saturday

The adorable Instagram photo featured Sophie's son Bobby hugging his little sister Florence, who looked precious in a colourful footsie.

And Sophie made it clear that she was going to miss her children, even if they were only going to be apart for 24 hours.

'Now I'm going to enjoy my Saturday/Sunday and have the BEST time! [*complete lie: I'll have 6 anxiety attacks and cry at least 10 times. All good. Dad's totally got this],' she joked.

Sophie later posted two images from her friend's birthday party, stylishly decked out in a yellow miniskirt and flowing white top.

She clutched an orange drink in her hand as she happily posed with friends, including fellow mummy blogger Bridget Jarrad.

Although she may have had the day off from mummy responsibilities, Sophie wasn't wasting much of it on sleep.

'When you're kid-free and STILL awake at 7.30am,' she added in the caption of one selfie that showed off her hair from the day before.

Sophie clearly isn't letting recent criticism keep her offline and away from her work.

The weekend away came after Sophie came under fire for posting this video of daughter Florence looking 'milk drunk' after a round of immunisations

The popular blogger (pictured with husband Jaryd and their children) joked that they gave Florence a 'shot of tequila to help numb the pain' after the vaccinations

But commenters were quick to claim baby Florence was suffering a 'vaccine reaction' as others slammed Sophie for joking about giving the tot alcohol

The mummy blogger came under fire after she posted a video of Florence looking 'milk drunk' to Facebook on Friday after receiving a round of vaccines.

'First lot of injections yesterday, so we let her have a shot of tequila to help numb the pain. Whoops,' Sophie joked.

But the post caused a furore online with some commenters who claimed Florence had suffered an adverse 'reaction' to the vaccinations as others slammed Sophie for joking about giving the tot tequila.

'Poor baby! How many vaccines? 4? 5? 6? That baby is lucky to be alive,' one commenter wrote.

'One eye rolling into the back of the head?! Seriously?! That's not "milk drunk" or a full, healthy baby... that's a vaccine reaction,' claimed another poster.

'Reactions happen and you need to be looking out for any signs of an adverse reaction so soon after vaccinating,' another said.

Sophie hit back, telling Daily Mail Australia: 'Crazy, isn't it..We, as parents, simply do what we believe is best for our children according to information presented to us.'

'Everyone else can do whatever they like with their children.'

Sophie hit back, telling Daily Mail Australia: 'Crazy, isn't it..We, as parents, simply do what we believe is best for our children according to information presented to us'

'I'm so confident in our parenting and our decisions (husband & I),' she added.

'Whether it's immunisations, feeding, sleeping etc...you're never going to please everyone and I certainly don't try to.'

'And re: the tequila comment. It's obviously a joke. Lighten up!'

Following the furore, Sophie had a tongue-in-cheek message for her Snapchat followers.

Considering that the parenting police are out in force in my page today I thought I would let everyone know that I just dropped my coffee cup on her head,' she joked.

She is alive, she is going really well, shes recovering perfectly fine, she may smell like a little bit of decaf but she is okay.'

Sophie has been making headlines when it comes to her children, most recently for live-streaming her daughter's birth on Snapchat in January.

The popular blogger then shocked fans once again when she changed her baby's name from Betty to Florence just days after she was born.

She also told critics to 'lighten up' about the tequila quip, which she said was clearly a joke
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The arrival of a new baby girl or boy always brings an immense amount of joy and reason to celebrate.

And now one Queensland photographer has perfectly captured that festive feeling by creating a maternity shoot revolving around a bathtub full of glitter.

The gorgeous photos taken by Melissa Jean show a mum-to-be peacefully lying in her tub as specks of glitter dance on her skin amid a sparkling sea of confetti.

Queensland photographer Melissa Jean has turned the pregnancy photo shoot on its head, and made it much more sparkly

Melissa, 35, has shot plenty of pregnancy pictures in bathtubs, but began to get bored with her traditional props.

'I started with the milk baths, then I did the flower baths, then I did far too many flower baths,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'So I thought, what's next?'

Melissa was decluttering her house when she found a forgotten bag of glitter - and the answer to that question.

'I turned to my friend who is pregnant and asked "Do you want to have some glitter in your bath?"' she said.

Melissa was hesitant at first about her idea as most of her work was grounded in nature.

Melissa used less than a 280g bag of sparkling confetti to create this gorgeous and original spread of maternity photos

Melissa was inspired after finding a forgotten bag of glitter in her house. She turned to her pregnant friend and asked: 'Do you want to have some glitter in your bath?'

But then she realised that glitter was the perfect way to illustrate the happiness that comes with a newborn.

'What represents a celebration more than glitter?' she said. 'Every time you see glitter and confetti, you're celebrating something.'

'There's no greater celebration than life and birth,' she added.

Melissa used less than a 280g packet of confetti to full up the tub for the shoot and said it was surprisingly easy to clean up afterwards.

'As soon as its dry, you vacuum it!' she said. 'I left my friend's house and within 45 minutes of me leaving she had sent me a photo of her spotless bathroom. The effort was minimal.'

Melissa isn't a stranger to using creative - and shiny - props in her pregnancy photo shoots, including this festive one full of Christmas baubles that she did in December

But the effect was huge, with one picture from the photo shoot racking up more than 20,000 likes on Instagram.

Melissa did receive a few comments that claimed she was hurting the environment, but she has brushed off the negative criticism.

'It's all in good spirit, no harm intended,' she said.

'Regardless of the few pieces of confetti that go down the drain, what about fireworks? Or Christmastime and wrapping paper?'

'People will nitpick anything, and life is too short to be taken that seriously.'

And Melissa was happy to bring something new to the table when it came to pregnancy photo shoots.

'The key to original photography is to not imitate what others have done, and do what you haven't seen,' she said.

Melissa has been turned to more unique props after doing a number of gorgeous photo shoots in baths full of flowers

As much as Melissa loved their natural touch, she started to get bored after doing spread after spread of flowers

'As soon as one thing takes off, there's an oversaturation of it. It takes away the beauty when it's everywhere for me.'

So don't expect a replica glitter bathtub photo shoot from Melissa, although she doesn't plan to pack away the sparkles just yet.

'Every time a client tells me what they love of mine, I do a new version,' she said.

'I never copy my own work, and I never reproduce the same image for anyone.'
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Three years into World War One, Britain was running short of men, with millions of Tommies mown down during a series of bloody battles including Ypres and the Somme.

To carry on the fight, the government called on the services of thousands of women, who swapped the dreariness of wartime Britain for the peril of life on the front line.

The Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was created in March 1917, one hundred years ago this month, and on the 31st the first detachment of members, 14 cooks and waitresses, were sent to France.

Due to a shortage of male soldiers, the government called on the services of thousands of women to help in the Army, forming the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in 1917. Pictured are some of its members marching in Britain on June 1, 1917, before leaving for France

On March 31, 1917, the first detachment of 14 cooks and waitresses were sent to France. Pictured are members of the WAAC during an inspection at a barracks in 1917

Volunteers wore khaki uniforms like male soldiers, but any skirt was not allowed to be more than 12 inches from the ground. Pictured is Queen Mary inspecting members of the WAAC at Aldershot barracks in 1917

Although they were not involved in fighting, women replaced men in support roles at offices and army bases. Queen Mary was a great fan on the WAAC, which took her name in its title after 1918 until its dissolution in 1920. Behind the Queen is King George V (carrying a stick)

Members of the WAAC kept fit with activities such as Morris Dancing and hockey. Pictured are women taking part in a tug-of-war contest in August 1918 while hundreds of male soldiers watch on

Volunteers wore khaki uniforms like male soldiers, but with a skirt that was not allowed to be more than 12 inches from the ground.

Although they were not involved in fighting, women replaced men in support roles at offices and army bases.

Some even went from being maidservants back in Blighty serving as mechanics in France - an unthinkable concept before the war.

They regularly worked as cooks at hospitals and army camps, often serving up food that was far better than the men had enjoyed at home.

At first there was some resistance to the idea of using women in France. Sir Douglas Haig, commander-in-chief of the British Army, was concerned they would not be able to manage the physical labour done by men.

He also questioned whether the presence of women in storerooms - where male soldiers had to change - would undermine moral standards.

At first there was some resistance to the idea of using women in France. Sir Douglas Haig, commander-in-chief of the British Army, was concerned they would not be able to manage the physical labour done by men. Pictured are members of the WAAC walking back to billets in France in 1916

Volunteers such as Miss Carter, from Manchester,(right) were inspired by recruitment plasters such as this one,(left) which urged women to see themselves as a vital part of the war effort. Both photos were taken in 1918, when the WAAC had been renamed Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps

This postcard shows members outside the Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps Hostel, 5 Rollestone Camp, on Salisbury Plain. Some 50,000 women signed up to the WAAC the end of the conflict in 1918

Members of the WAAC march through London in 1918, presumably after the end of World War One in November. The contribution made by women to the war effort greatly increased the respect they were afforded among the male establishment. Women over the age of 30 who owned property were given the vote in 1918

But in the end he accepted the idea, writing to the War Office on March 11th, 1917: 'The principle of employing women in this country [France] is accepted and they will be made use of wherever conditions admit.'

Some 50,000 women signed up to the WAAC by the end of the conflict in 1918, with each recruit being paid upwards of 24 shillings a week.

After 1918, the organisation was renamed Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps, and remained in existence until 1920.

However, it was not only through the WAAC that women contributed to the Allied effort during World War One.

Thousands worked as nurses and ambulance drivers for the Voluntary Aid Detachment, whose most famous member and leader was Katherine Furse.

There was also the Women's Royal Navy Service, established in 1916, and the Women's Royal Airforce that came into existence two years later.

While most never came too close to the front line, there was one female soldier - 20-year-old Dorothy Lawrence, a journalist who joined the British Expeditionary Force in 1915 by passing herself off as a man.

It was not only through the WAAC that women helped out in World War One. Pictured are members of the Women's Royal Air Force, created in 1918. This image was taken in London in 1919, when members were attending a party for war workers

Thousands of women also carried out dangerous work at munitions factories in Britain. In total, 400 women died in these factories, between 1914 (when this image was taken) and 1918, when the war ended

Women war workers, including the distinctively white-capped and VAD nurses in aprons, parade outside Buckingham Palace in 1918

Female ambulance workers, such as this group photographed in November 1915, served both at home and on the front line
Married At First Sight fans have slammed the behaviour of groom Andrew, after he launched into an extraordinary verbal attack on wife Cheryl Maitland.

The 38-year-old from Perth didn't hold back during Sunday night's episode, as he complained about how hard it has been to be 'married' to Cheryl while making fun of her appearance and breasts.

'Who says firemen are good guys? Andrew's character is disgusting, I'm shocked he pulled that on TV,' one outraged viewer posted online.

Married At First Sight fans have slammed the behaviour of groom Andrew, after he launched into an extraordinary verbal attack on wife Cheryl Maitland

The 38-year-old from Perth didn't hold back during Sunday night's episode, as he complained about how hard it has been to be 'married' to Cheryl

Andrew's heavily criticised behaviour occurred during a boys night in with his fellow MAFS grooms.

He admitted to the boys at the end of the night when he was asked whether he thought he was a better match with Lauren or Cheryl, he chose Lauren.

'Lauren had a chance to come back and I knocked it. Yeah, thinking things couldn't get worse,' he said

'Lauren is actually heaps more fun to hang out with than Cheryl.'

He had been originally matched up with single mother Lauren, only to be ditched by her the same night.

'It's clear why Lauren ditched him on that first night, she spotted something iffy,' one Twitter user wrote.

When the question was posed to Andrew what 'he makes eye contact with' during conversations with Cheryl, he made a startling gesture.

'Well her eyes of course,' he says sarcastically, while appearing to grope the air in front of him.

Andrew's heavily criticised behaviour occurred during a boys night in with his fellow MAFS grooms

When the question was posed to Andrew what 'he makes eye contact with' during conversations with Cheryl, he appeared to grope the air in front of him referring to her breasts

Twitter users were shocked over the grooms rude behaviour about the 25-year-old Cheryl

He admitted to the boys at the end of the night when he was asked whether he thought he was a better match with Lauren or Cheryl, he chose Lauren - who left him on the first night

Cheryl had other ideas with the girls, saying she believes the relationship could work if it was given a chance (pictured)

Others claimed Andrews was going the right way to becomes the show's new 'villain'

Anthony had previously been slammed for calling his on screen wife Nadia 'frigid'

'So Cheryl's crazy dad might actually be right about Andrew after all,' one user said referring to an earlier episode.

Others claimed Andrews was going the right way to becomes the show's new 'villain'.

'Andrew proving that Anthony isn't the only 'bad guy' on MAFS', one wrote.

Another added: 'Andrew doing well in taking over Anthony's place as MAFS most hated.'

While fellow groom Anthony laughed along at Andrew's comments, not everybody was impressed with his behaviour at the boys night, especially Simon and Sean

'Sean's gonna punch your smug face with a truth fist Andrew. Get ready,' one Twitter user said.

Like Sean and Simon, social media users were not impressed with Andrew's behaviour

While fellow groom Anthony laughed along at Andrew's comments, not everybody was impressed with his behaviour at the boys night, especially Simon (left) and Sean (right)




Married at First Sight's Sean and Simon earned a legion of fans during Sunday night's episode after they defended Cheryl when her husband Andrew harshly criticised her during a boys' night in.

Andrew made it clear he had virtually zero feelings for Cheryl and made fun of her appearance and intelligence during the male bonding session.

Simon and Sean vocalised how uncomfortable the episode made them feel and labelled Andrew 'disrespectful.'

Married at First Sight's Sean and Simon (pictured) earned a legion of fans after Sunday night's episode

During a boys' night in, Andrew (pictured) made it clear he had no feelings for Cheryl and made fun of her appearance and intelligence

Andrew suggested it was impossible to hold a conversation with Cheryl.

'You talk about affection being too much? A conversation seems too much for Cheryl!,' he exclaimed, predominantly speaking to Anthony.

Andrew also admitted to the boys when asked if he thought he was a better match with Lauren or Cheryl - he picked Lauren.

'Lauren, she had a lot going on,' he said.

'Lauren had a chance to come back and I knocked it. Yeah, thinking things couldn't get worse. Lauren is actually heaps more fun to hang out with than Cheryl.'

Simon (pictured) appeared less than impressed as Andrew spoke about his 'partner'

Both Simon and Sean (pictured) vocalised how uncomfortable the episode made them feel and labelled Andrew 'disrespectful'

Social media users were quick to applaud the pair for sticking up for the 25-year-old while labelling Andrew 'a mug'

Simon said that that Cheryl 'didn't deserve to be spoken of in such a manner'.

While Sean was more blunt, saying: 'It was all a bagging out Cheryl session. I thought it was pretty f****** s***.'

Social media users were quick to applaud the pair for sticking up for Cheryl in her absence, while labelling Andrew 'a mug'.

'With that episode, you know who among the guys really respect women. Kudos to Sean and Simon,' one wrote.

Another commented: 'Simon and Sean are the real men, the rest need to take a hard look at themselves and their boys' club'.

'I have so much respect for Simon and Sean,' another said. 'True gentlemen. So sweet!'

'Jonsey is being a mug. Good on you Sean and Simon,' one wrote.

'Lauren had a lot going on Lauren's actually heaps more fun to hang out with than Cheryl,' Andrew said (pictured with Cheryl)

'With that episode, you know who among the guys really respect women. Kudos to Sean and Simon,' one wrote on social media

A frustrated Sean later told the camera he thought Andrew was being disrespectful.

'I don't know whether he's just trying to impress the boys or whether that's how she is carrying on,' he said.

Simon and Sean a pictured as Andrew talks to the boys during their night in

Cheryl (pictured) said she believes the relationship could work if it was given a chance

'Look, I really don't know, but I just think how he was speaking - you shouldn't speak like that about girls.

'I really don't know... But I was very unimpressed tonight. I thought it was pretty unreasonable. That's not the sort of people I wanna be around with. Have a bit of respect.'

Married At First Sight continues on Monday night on Channel Nine at 7.30pm.
After hundreds of fashion shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris over the past month or so, I am drawing one big conclusion  and its far more important than the usual chatter about hemlines and lipsticks.

For the first time in 30 years, its finally happened: the catwalks of some of the best designers in the world have begun to reflect a wider, more human and, frankly, more enjoyable view of womanhood. Mothers and grandmothers have been welcomed. Curvy women have been sought out.

Agents have scoured the world for models who abandoned fashion years ago, and talked them into a comeback. Finally, theres a chance of seeing people on the catwalk who look a bit more like us.

Meet the modern model: Ashley Graham in Milan

It began in New York, when Michael Kors, always a jolly chap, decided to star Ashley Graham, the 29-year-old real-sized model from the Midwest, in his show.

To be fair, fashion editor Alexandra Shulman had already put her on the cover of British Vogue  and castigated the designers who didnt want to lend their clothes to her.

Maybe it was Shulmans shaming that did the trick  but, whatever, Kors decided he didnt want to be one of the baddies. So there was Graham making everyone else look uninteresting.

In London, it was 30-year-old designer Simone Rocha who broke ranks on the age front, asking model Jan de Villeneuve, who is 72, to make a comeback, alongside several others, including Cecilia Chancellor, 50.

Sarah Mower (above) asks: Could it be that a previously reality-impervious sector is finally realising that women who can afford good clothes are aged 40 and above?

Meanwhile, in Milan, Dolce & Gabbana went the whole nine yards, casting 140 real people, many of whom did not conform to regulation size.

The best part for me was seeing them being cheered by the crowd. Fashion shows are not places where people ever cheer. Normally, one sits with an expression as disengaged as the interchangeable, size zero girl-bots before us.

But, all of a sudden, everyone was acting like human beings. Miracolo!

Then, in Paris, came the best bit. To celebrate his 100th fashion show, Belgian designer Dries van Noten staged a reunion of 40 models who had worked for him over the years. Effectively, it was the first almost entirely middle-aged fashion show. The women had been given the choice over what they wanted to wear.

DRESSING CURVES: THE RULES Waists are big news  look for peplums, kimono styles and wide belts. Flatter bottoms and thighs with fluid, wide-leg trousers. This seasons ruching is a wonderful way to try fitted without doing bodycon. Springs longer and looser jackets are both practical and elegant. Advertisement

Each one looked polished and confident. Lots of them werent the size they used to be, but nobody gave a damn. Their individuality shone out.

And the High Street is ahead of the catwalk on this one. For the curvaceous woman who wants to channel Dolce & Gabbana, Hobbs hourglass shaped Etoile dress (139, hobbs.co.uk) works well.

Meanwhile, have a look at the Jacques Vert sale (jacques-vert.co.uk), where a fit and flare coat  perfect for highlighting your waist  is reduced to 103.20.

Personally, I was inspired by Van Notens oversized jackets and fluid trousers. Seeing them up on the catwalk confirmed for me that we real women are the new normal. Fashion, get used to it.

If youre searching for this style, try the Relaxed Fit Jacket from Warehouse (49, warehouse.co.uk). Look, too, at Marks & Spencer for wide-leg trousers  both the flat front and belted styles are excellent, with good-quality material and a flattering cut, for only 39.50 (marksand spencer.com).

Could it be that a previously reality-impervious sector is finally realising that women who can afford good clothes are aged 40 and above?

I hope so. It has the potential to change a whole industry and put out of work those people who moan that non-teenage women are difficult to make look good in shoots and that no one wants to look at them. Well, I do.
Margaret Dabbs, 48, a podiatrist-turned-businesswoman, looks after the feet of celebrities worldwide. She has eight clinics that perform her renowned Medical Pedicure, as well as a bespoke line of products. She lives in London and has two children, James, 24, and Emma, 21.

My mother died when I was little  I was the second eldest of four children, then ranging between four and nine years old. My father looked after us by himself.

We lived first in Hertfordshire and then East London. Our father made sure we were always polite, though I do remember being permanently cold, as we had no heating.

I usually opted for fashion over a good fit, and sometimes wore shoes that hurt. This left me with very sensitive feet.

Margaret Dabbs (above), 48, a podiatrist-turned-businesswoman, looks after the feet of celebrities worldwide

I also have a vivid memory of visiting my aunt in Belfast, where she was a matron at Musgrave Park Hospital, and hearing her talk fondly about her chiropodist, as she was on her feet all day.

At 17, working Saturdays at my local GPs surgery, I realised that I wanted a medical career. My light bulb moment came on the way to London Bridge Hospital in 1993, where I was assisting in the operating theatre. People were walking over the bridge to work, some in high heels, others in trainers and some in ballet pumps.

Suddenly, it all made sense: my sensitive feet, knowing other people needed help with theirs (just like my aunt), and my inner drive. Back then, no one was combining beauty with health in footcare: I knew you couldnt have one without the other.

And so my business was born. Now, I have eight spas and sell treatments and beauty products for feet worldwide. Since that day on the bridge, Ive never looked back.

Products available at QVC and margaretdabbs.co.uk
Want a five-star escape for less? Go out of season. The weather might not be perfect but youll get a lot more bang for your buck...

RAINY RAJASTHAN

July is a good time to grab a bargain, and Rajasthan is not as wet as more southerly states

July is a good time to grab a bargain, and Rajasthan is not as wet as more southerly states.

INSIDER TIP: Practise yoga at the Shiva Temple in Jaipur.

DETAILS: Seven-night Monsoon Summer package from 2,599 pp (winter price 4,450). Includes BA flights and B&B at Oberoi hotels in Gurgaon; Amarvilas, Agra; and Rajvilas, Jaipur, plus sightseeing, private guides, transfers and Taj Mahal visit, greavesindia.com

COOLER AFRICA

Pricey Botswana is more affordable in February and March when it tends to rain in the afternoons

Pricey Botswana is more affordable in February and March when it tends to rain in the afternoons.

INSIDER TIP: Take better photos  the rains make for dramatic skies and its far less dusty.

DETAILS: The Miracle Rivers non-exclusive tour is from 3,500 pp in Feb and March 2018 (high season 4,695). Price includes tented accommodation, full board, flights and transfers, coxandkings.co.uk.

OFF-PEAK ASIA

Travel to Myanmar between June and September and save around 750 per person. Sites such as the golden Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon will be less tourist-filled

Travel to Myanmar between June and September and save around 750 per person. Sites such as the golden Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon will be less tourist-filled.

DETAILS: Eleven-day trip taking in a cruise on Inle Lake and along the Irrawaddy from 3,400 pp (saving about 750 pp), including all flights and land arrangements. Price based on two people sharing a room/cabin, redsavannah.com.
There are plenty of things you can feel positive knowing about Garfield - the cat who loves lasagna, hates Mondays and adores a teddy bear named Pooky.

But last week, without warning, there rose a strange and sudden debate around a question about the famous feline that even creator Jim Davis needed to weigh in on: Is Garfield a boy, a girl, or no gender at all?

The argument appears to have begun when writer Virgil Texas came across a 2014 Mental Floss interview with Davis where he described his tabby creation as 'not really male or female or any particular race or nationality, young or old.'

Big question: Garfield the cat recently became the topic of a Wikipedia editing war after it was suggested that the feline's gender wasn't clear

Putting it out there: Writer Virgil Texas appeared to have started the debate after digging up a 2014 quote in which creator Jim Davis described Garfield as 'not really male or female'

In response to the quote, Virgil wrote on Twitter: 'FACT: Garfield has no gender. This. Is. Canon.'

So sure was he of Garfield's true gender status that Virgil even took it upon himself to update the Garfield character Wikipedia page with the information.

But it was quickly clear that not everyone agreed with Virgil's hasty edits, and thus began a war over the Wikipedia entry edits.

The Washington Post reported that the battle took place over 60 hours and eventually ended when Wikipedia shut things down by locking the page.

One editor cited multiple moments when Garfield is referred to as 'he' or 'him' or even 'good boy' by other characters in the comic strip.

Float on: The suggestion caused an uproar, with many others coming out to edit the page

Making the argument: The battle took place over 60 hours and eventually ended when Wikipedia shut things down by locking the page

A strange player: It appeared as though a member of the House of Representatives even waded into the war

Another user wrote: 'Garfield is male. Any other view is Fringe.'

Others rooting for the genderless option added that it shouldn't matter at all whether Garfield is male or female and the gender classification from the Wikipedia entry should be removed entirely.

The war became so overblown that even Capitol Hill appeared to jump in the fray, with Twitter boy chronicling Wikipedia entries made from U.S. Congress IP addresses reporting that someone in the House of Representatives did some editing of their own.

As for Virgil, he warded off plenty of naysayers over his theory before writing: 'If one could locate another source where Jim Davis states, as explicitly as he states in the Mental Floss article, that Garfield's gender is male or female, then this would give rise to a serious controversy in Garfield canon. Yet no such source has been identified, and I highly doubt one will ever emerge.'

Snuggled up: Many users pointed out that Garfield is frequently referred to as 'he' or 'him' throughout the comics

Shutting it down: Jim Davis, 71, eventually stepped in, saying that Garfield is, in fact, male

Resigned: Virgil accepted defeat, telling his followers not to see it 'as a loss'

It was a statement that soon appeared to have been made in haste as Jim Davis indeed soon joined the debate, shutting everything down in one line to Washington Post: 'Garfield is male.'

The 71-year-old cartoonist also pointed out that Garfield has a girlfriend, Arlene, and claimed that his 2014 quotes had been 'taken out of context.'

'Ive always said that I wanted to work with animals because they're not perceived as being any particular gender, race, age or ethnicity,' he said. 'In that sense, the humor could be enjoyed by a broader demographic.'

The news was enough for Virgil to admit defeat in the argument, later taking to Twitter once again to say: 'Friends, we should not view the Garfield gender ruling as a loss. We should view it as a victory for what matters most: Canon.'
I thought this week I would earn my wage and write a column about how marvellous cardboard boxes are when you flatten them. Or how about my thoughts on Donald Trump? Or what about a column on how Im now playing my vinyl records and reading real books instead of downloading content on to my iPhone? (Im not; I gave my not inconsiderable vinyl collection to Oxfam many, many moons ago; my books are in storage.)

Haaahahaha. Not really! Instead, Im writing the sentence you knew was coming a very, very long time ago:

I have finally gone completely mad.

I was in bed last night, reading, and I could suddenly hear a very loud buzzing. I looked out of the window for a passing helicopter. I checked the fire alarms. I took the duvet off and shook my towels, in case it was a giant bee. I put one ear to Mini, to see if it was her snoring. (Snoring was slightly more likely than a giant bee, but I still checked Mini last.) Nothing. I got back into bed. I clamped my hands over my ears and discovered the buzzing was just as loud.

My tinnitus, which is normally a dull hum, like distant traffic, under a tinkling, like breaking glass, is now accompanied by the sound of a giant bee. Its inescapable. Exhausting. This is why hearing aids dont work on me: the noise is inside my head.

But there is a second reason I am certifiably bonkers. I emailed David (you know the one; the man who stole my cat) and told him that if he is still planning to stop off on his way to Inverness, be aware we have deep snow and thick fog, and that I wouldnt be in the Dales anyway if he was passing, as I have to attend the premiere of Fifty Shades Darker in Leicester Square.

That sounds glamorous, doesnt it? The reality is I will teeter in my one remaining pair of Louboutin heels and a thin Gucci dress from taxi to red carpet, have a pack of photographers baying at me to Get out the waaaaaay!, be told to move along and find my seat by several burly security men the size of haystacks with walkie talkies, then sit, alone, like a sad pervert, in my seat for about an hour until the stars turn up.

I will see the rapidly retreating back of Jamie Dornan as he exits by a side door when the lights go down  the stars never stay for the movie; theyve seen it so many times before  and then teeter out again two hours later, feeling very unhappy about my nipples (after their relocation during breast reduction surgery, they have stretched into an oval shape and still have darning needle holes all the way round, so they resemble colanders) and even more convinced that David really should have learned a few extra moves. I told him in no uncertain terms I only have one ticket.

Hope you enjoy the film and that they have beef-caked it up for you. Would you like to stay here?

That wasnt the result I was after. I just wanted him to be jealous. I was ill that night with a crashing migraine, so I emailed him the next day: Yes, possibly.

Him: Is that, yes, possibly youd like to stay, or possibly they will have beefed it up?

Later. Him: Actually, if you are going to stay with me, I dont want it to be in my flat, too miserable. Can we book The Hospital Club, my treat?

But that would be one bed. One bathroom. When I said he could stay with me on his way up to Scotland, I was absolutely clear he would be in the spare room.

I replied: No, dont book a hotel. The newspaper will find me somewhere.

Him. If you dont have time to meet up this time, I will understand. I do have to go up to Scotland soon anyway, snow or not.

He really is unputoffable. I really am a nutcase.
Aida made a scene-stealing appearance singing the Bell Song aria from the opera Lakme in Florence Foster Jenkins, starring Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant

Who? The 29-year-old Russian soprano has acted alongside Meryl Streep, been championed by renowned tenor and conductor Placido Domingo and is now releasing her debut album.

From Russia, with love Aida grew up in Kazan, a city 500 miles east of Moscow, where her love of singing was clear from an early age. I was three and singing all the time  whether I was walking, eating or playing with my dolls. Her mother, a choir conductor, spotted her potential and, at five, Aida appeared in a televised childrens competition. It didnt faze her: I found that performing in front of a big audience was natural for me. At 11, she was accepted for singing lessons at the Kazan State Conservatoire and, at 13, sang with an orchestra at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatorys Great Hall.

Big break Following stints at universities in Germany and Vienna, Aida cites meeting world-famous conductor Valery Gergiev in 2012 (backstage at the Royal Albert Hall, where he asked me to sing for him) as a turning point. A week later, she joined him at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. She came to international recognition when she won Placido Domingos Operalia competition in 2013, and the Vienna State Opera immediately offered her a place in its ensemble.

Meeting Meryl Aida made a scene-stealing appearance singing the Bell Song aria from the opera Lakme in the 2016 film Florence Foster Jenkins, starring Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant. Meeting them was amazing, she enthuses. Meryl is such an elegant woman.

On her daughter Since having Olivia [born shortly before Christmas last year], there are new, rich colours in my voice, says Aida. Maybe its because Im so happy.

East meets West The idea of my new album Aida is to reveal my roots, she explains. Where Im from is a meeting of East and West and we have our own music. Its rare and I want the world to hear it.

Aida is out now on Decca Classics


International Womens Day on Wednesday 8 March celebrates the social, cultural and political achievements of women around the world. Buying from these ethical brands we can support women everywhere.

Beulah London is a luxury British brand that aims to design and produce clothes that empower women, while raising awareness of those trapped by slavery. As well as donating ten per cent of profits from its Blue Heart range to the UN Blue Heart Campaign to support trafficked women, it also employs women in India to block-print its silk clothing, helping to provide them with a sustainable livelihood.

Bag, around 280, Future Glory, futureglory.co

Future Glory believes that business can help create social change. Its products are made in conjunction with its paid apprenticeship programme, which provides training in leather craft, sewing and business basics to vulnerable women in San Francisco. A portion of proceeds from every purchase is donated to local organisations that are dedicated to rebuilding womens lives.

Lemlem was founded by supermodel and maternal-health advocate Liya Kebede. As well as using locally grown materials, traditional weaving techniques and employing artisans in Africa, five per cent of all proceeds from Lemlems special promotions support the Liya Kebede Foundation, which addresses the top health concern of women in Africa: access to life-saving maternity care.





Nannacays founder Marcia Kemp discovered unique craftsmanship during her travels and made it her mission to help people develop their creative potential within communities in Peru, Colombia and Brazil. Her social fashion project has already provided jobs for more than 100 families.

The Non-Profit H&M foundation, in partnership with humanitarian organisation Care, supports women living in developing countries by investing in their economic empowerment. So far, the nonprofit programme has helped 75,000 women from poor communities, giving them skills training in areas such as basic calculation, marketing, negotiation and sales.
I was given a slice of this a while back and when my friend told me what it was, I thought, Courgettes in a cake, really? But when I took a bite into that beautifully moist and flavoursome crumb, I was sold. The fact that courgettes are one of your five a day is a bonus! Choose the green pistachios in the shops, not the brown, dry, shrivelled ones. If you cant find them then just leave them out or substitute with hazelnuts or walnuts.

SERVES 8-10

oil, for spraying or brushing

325g courgettes, grated

120g butter (I use salted)

180g caster sugar

zest of 2 lemons

handful of pistachios, plus extra for decoration

seeds of  vanilla pod or  tsp vanilla extract

3 medium eggs

280g self-raising flour

 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

FOR THE DRIZZLE

juice of 2 lemons

60g icing sugar

EQUIPMENT

1.2 litre loaf tin

1 Preheat the oven to 180C (fan 160C/350F/gas 4). Line the loaf tin with baking parchment and spray or brush with a little oil. I usually put a strip along the whole length of the tin, making sure that it comes well over the edges. This makes it easy to remove the loaf when it is cooked.

2 Place the grated courgettes in a tea towel and wring out as much of the moisture as you can over the sink. This can take a few minutes but it is an important step as the loaf may become too soggy otherwise.

3 Melt the butter in a pan and then put it in a bowl along with the sugar. Add the courgettes to the bowl along with the lemon zest, pistachios, vanilla and eggs and mix this together until combined. Then add the flour, baking powder and salt and carefully fold this in.

4 Tip the mixture into the lined tin and then bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.

5 Once the loaf is baked, remove it from the oven and set aside while you make the drizzle. Mix the lemon juice and the icing sugar together. Using a fork or toothpick, gently prick the top of the loaf and then pour the drizzle all over the cake so that some soaks into the loaf and the rest forms a light glaze on top. Remove the loaf from the tin, sprinkle the remaining pistachios over the top and serve.

TIP When making any cake, the less you can stir it the better for a light texture: over-mixing means that the stretchy proteins (gluten) in the flour can become overworked, resulting in a denser cake.
On the eve of this years Olivier Awards nominations, our hotly tipped stars share some private moments with Miranda Thompson

Helen McCrory

Played Hester in The Deep Blue Sea at the National Theatre

Helen McCrory

For me, nothing in the world beats the litmus test of a live audience  they tell you so quickly whats working and whats not working. It is almost like a meditation: three hours of concentrating, trying to make each moment alive. I know some actors repeat [their performances] a lot, but I play a completely different Hester every night. I always read the whole play before I go on stage. I love the connection I have with each audience  that moment will only exist once and it will never happen again.

I enjoy working at the National. My first few jobs were there and I remember watching Elise, the dresser for the leading ladies, changing Judi Dench. Coming back for my ninth play 20 years later was very special  and now I have Elise helping me.

Performing in a large theatre such as the Lyttelton is a different technical achievement every night. Trying to dominate hundreds of people, to get the intimacy but the energy that you need to work that stage for three hours is phenomenal  its like being an athlete. You drop a stone in the first two weeks.

Tara Fitzgerald

Played Lady Macbeth in Macbeth at Shakespeares Globe

Tara Fitzgerald

I found performing at the Globe quite mental; its an experience. I couldnt believe how different it was from most theatres. Its alfresco, for one thing, so youre thinking, Holy cow, its tipping it down with rain. Im going to get very wet and probably have to shout my lines. You can see everyone in the audience: if theyre watching you, if theyre on their phones, if theyre leaving because theyre bored. The first time you see hundreds of faces looking back at you is extraordinary.

Im always nervous before I go on stage. I kept thinking it would get easier as I got older, but it doesnt. Its thrilling, too. Someone once said that anxiety is only excitement without the breathing, which is nice as long as you remember to breathe. Afterwards, Im so relieved. Im at my most grateful at the end of a play.

Katherine Parkinson

Played Eleanor in Dead Funny at the Vaudeville Theatre

Katherine Parkinson

The only time I improve is when Im on stage. You get the chance to perform every night, so if youre not happy with it you can hone your character and do it again. Theres also the control of the audience, particularly if its a play with some laughs in it. You can sense how theyre responding and adapt your performance accordingly. It makes you feel in command.

I found the show so funny at certain points that I lost control and laughed when I shouldnt have  but only about three times out of a hundred! One time Steve [Pemberton] had a custard pie thrown at him and a bit of pastry stayed on his face for the rest of the play. The audience found it very funny and that set me off.

I let the mood from the day bleed into my performance; it means the show is always different. And because Im a mum to two young children Im coming to the theatre from cleaning the kitchen or having Play-Doh thrown at my hair. Backstage I like to have some peace and quiet, or play music  I love Katie Melua.

Anne-Marie Duff

Played May in Oil at the Almeida Theatre

Anne-Marie Duff

In theatre, you have a true connection with the audience that you cant achieve in front of the camera, as hard as you try. When youve got people breathing in front of you theres a tension, which is quite exciting and thrilling.

I remember first reading Oil. I couldnt believe Ellas [Hickson, the writer] ambition in what she demands of the audience; its an extraordinary, brave play. My character is dark, terrifying and unlike anyone Id played before. If a part makes me think, Ive not done that before, could I do it? it always scratches an itch.

Im a very superstitious actress. Ive got lots of little things that I do before I go on stage  collecting energy by touching something or doing a small improvisation with somebody.

I used to have lots of fun after the shows but now I have a six-year-old Im off after 20 minutes. But I love having a glass of wine and a gossip with pals who have come to see the show.

Beverley Knight

Played Rachel in The Bodyguard at the Dominion Theatre

Beverley Knight

I like the camaraderie of being in a theatre company. I know certain shows about stage schools would have you believe that its dog-eat-dog and people trample on each other to get where they want, but all Ive seen is people pulling together to make the show work. Ive always been a solo performer, but now Im part of an ensemble, which is lovely. I love being a part of that team.

Preeya Kalidas

Plays Patty Di Marco in School of Rock at the New London Theatre

Preeya Kalidas

Any actor should experience the feeling of stepping out on stage in front of an audience and not knowing what could happen. Its terrifying but exciting. With TV or film, if something goes wrong, you can put it right, but with theatre, you have to make that performance happen on the night.

The children in School of Rock are fantastic. Not only are they super-talented, but off stage theyre adorable and so hilarious; they make me laugh every day. They have such attention to detail  if I do anything different on stage theyll notice and come up to me to re-enact it. Every night four of them prepare a little surprise for me when Im coming off stage  a little harmony or a mini-performance. I always look forward to that moment.

Working with Andrew Lloyd Webber is such a treat. Hes so hands-on with all his productions  hes not some mystical person!  and hes really affable so you can discuss ideas with him.

Pixie Lott

Played Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffanys at Theatre Royal Haymarket

Pixie Lott

Growing up I used to love going to watch shows in the West End, so Breakfast at Tiffanys was a dream come true. Playing Holly was incredible; shes such an iconic character. There are so many similarities between us: our bad eyesight, our love for our brothers  and I always forget my door key, too.

My dressing room was chaotic, with dresses and make-up everywhere. I had about 22 costume changes for each show and sometimes it felt as if I had only seconds to do them.

Bob the cat [Pixies co-star] was mostly well behaved, but occasionally would make a run for it. We had to carry on as if it was meant to happen while his handler went to find him.

Scarlett Strallen

Played Amalia in She Loves Me at the Menier Chocolate Factory

Scarlett Strallen

I grew up in the theatre  my parents were both actors  and I honestly feel that theatre is sort of a home for me, no matter where it is. There is something about the smell and the energy of a place; it feels very comforting, even though the theatre can be quite nerve-racking.

Our dressing room is communal, with a plywood board between the men and women, but I found a secret cubby hole with props from past shows. I would sit in there for five minutes before the show and do a quick power meditation, tuning out every sound or any crazy activity from the day. I find I get into character the moment I step on to the stage.

I loved this production because its so full of yearning. Every single one of the characters has their moment, but we all have a similar theme in common: were longing for this huge romantic love.

Ive been lucky with most of my parts as Ive really loved them, even when theyre slightly devilish and naughty. Amalia is very funny and witty, and yet what she wants most is to find love. It feels Pollyanna-ish to say but I looked forward to going in and being Amalia. It didnt feel like work in any way.

Jade Ewen

Plays Princess Jasmine in Aladdin at the Prince Edward Theatre

Jade Ewen

Playing Jasmine was my childhood dream, so trying on my turquoise costume for the first time was an amazing moment. The show is so huge: the clothes are breathtaking and its so glamorous and glitzy. We get the most incredible response from the audience because the show has big numbers such as A Whole New World, which really move people. Its so rewarding. I have goosebumps every single night. Theres a moment when the magic carpet takes off and everyone is in darkness, and Im suspended with the audience beneath me, surrounded by the moon and stars and smoke to look like clouds. Its beautiful  I always think, Im so lucky.

Sheridan Smith



Played Fanny Brice in Funny Girl at the Savoy Theatre

Sheridan Smith

We had a fantastic run at the Menier Chocolate Factory, which is one of my favourite venues. Having performed in Little Shop of Horrors there years ago it felt like home. Then we went on to the Savoy. We worked with such an amazing team, by the end of the run it felt like a big happy family. Just before the show I am full of adrenalin and excitement: for me its about the audience and giving them my all. The relationship between an audience and the performer is so important; it is the reason I love my job so much!

Sheridan is on national tour with Funny Girl

Amber Riley

Plays Effie White in Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre

Amber Riley

I had no expectations about what being on the West End was going to be like, I just jumped in. Its been fun and exciting and challenging at times. The rehearsal process was one of the toughest things Ive ever done, so getting to opening night and being able to show everyone what we had accomplished as a team and hearing their reaction is something Ill remember for the rest of my life.

I like to get to the theatre early  before most other people  to settle in and get my mind right, with prayer or meditation. I turn on my humidifier with lavender  theatres are dusty!  and zen out. This role is so demanding and I have to make sure my body can sustain it for seven shows a week.

My friend Shoshana Bean [the Broadway actress] told me not to worry about my voice, its made to do what its supposed to do. While I do look after my voice, I think thats the best advice anyone has ever given me. I dont want the year to be up and for me to have worried about things I didnt need to so Ive been focusing on enjoying every day.

Nominations for the Olivier Awards 2017 with Mastercard will be announced live at 12 noon tomorrow at olivierawards.com
There is a spectre haunting world democracies. The spectre of absolutism. It is everywhere: politics, governance and universities.

Elected dictatorships are on the move. Trump in America, Modi in India, Le Pen in France, and all around us.

Every absolutist carries a baggage of absolute support. The BJP's student body, the ABVP, has decided to create havoc on university campuses.

Clashes break out between activists of the ABVP and the AISA at Delhi University

In this, they are protected by the BJP government in power which turns on others (such as the Left) accusing them of anti-nationalism and actually charging them with 'sedition'.

Free speech silenced

In 2016, there were protests in JNU in which Kanhaiya was accused of sedition. He was also threatened by a mob of BJP-oriented lawyers, who did not just stop at that but insulted even a Supreme Court team sent to examine the matter.

The FIR was filed by BJP MP Maheish Girri; and Home Minister Rajnath Singh promised to come down heavily against those who raised 'anti-India' slogans.

JNU rusticated Umar and fined his friends. Political support against ABVP was inevitable as Kejriwal, Shashi Tharoor and Karat expressed solidarity with the victims of this violence.

One writer said: 'State of JNU mirrors the State of India'. Now, we have Ramjas College where Umar Khalid was invited to speak on the 'Culture of Protests'.

ABVP went 'beserk'. Khalid was charged with sedition. Since when did a person charged with an offence (albeit sedition) lose their right to speak before they were tried and found guilty?

The ABVP has been making itself known on University grounds in India's capital

Who is the ABVP to silence them? Think of accused politicians. Even your right to speak from prisons cannot be halted.

Some 50 ABVP activists, rampaging violently stopped the seminar. The silent protest against ABVP was thrashed by them, and even the right to go to the Maurice Nagar Police station to register a complaint was met with violence.

The seminar was cancelled as anti-national and seen as offensive. Even the brave and plaintive voice of Gurmehar Kaur (a martyr's daughter) that she is not afraid of the ABVP was met abrasively forcing her to withdraw her statement.

She had a greater emotional right to address the issue of nationalism democratically than her uncontrolled evil detractors. The BJP cohorts have an unenviable record against Nivedita Menon at Jodhpur University (on Kashmir), Haryana University (over Mahasweta Devi's play Draupadi), Jadavpur University (tearing posters), Hyderabad University (against Ambedkarites), Jharkhand University (against MN Panini speaking), JNU (over a seminar on Kashmir), Ramjas (over Umar speaking).

ABVP activists during a protest against Delhi Police at Police headquarters in New Delhi

Since when did the ABVP get the right to use violence to disrupt seminars and lectures on campus?

The integrity and autonomy of universities is a part of free speech. Just as politicians in legislatures are protected in their speech, the right to discourse is protected in a university.

It does not matter how provocative the discourse is. Exchange of ideas, howsoever uncomfortable, is what a university is about.

Varsity autonomy

The very character of a university will be lost, if speech or the desire for speech is met with violence.

This does not mean that the right to protest is lost. Those against an activity may protest non-violently by demonstration; and by modern technology instantly carries the message.

But brutal violence can never be the answer. What is true of campuses is also true of any speech.

Within the campuses or otherwise, the right to non-violent counter demonstration is always open to a speech act, exaggerated by technology's over drive.

The ABVP are the student wing of the BJP party currently in power

The Supreme Court quoting Voltaire says, 'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to death your right to say it.'

That is the spirit of discourse. The wise sage Justice Krishna Iyer in the Periyar Ramayana case observed: 'Even today, here and there, these die-hards (read ABVP) may be found in our country who are offended by... writings, but no government will be antediluvian enough to invoke the power to seize... writings because a few fanatics (read BJP/ABVP) hold obdurate views on them'.

This applies to all speech or speech acts. What the government is doing now is to use the power to prosecute for 'sedition' in universities and elsewhere.

Democracy over Nationalism: AISA and Jawaharlal Nehru University students hold a protest demanding the arrest of Akhil ABVP members

The moment I want to speak unfavourably on Kashmir, I am a treasonable seditionist.

Sedition in India

Drafted by the infamous Thomas Macaulay, India's sedition law was introduced in the 1870s, to deal with 'increasing Wahabi activities between 1863 and 1870 that posed a challenge to the colonial government' of the age. In short, Section 124a in The Indian Penal Code makes 'words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the government' punishable by law, a fine and a maximum punishment of life imprisonment. In the 19th and early 20th Centuries, the law was mainly used against Indian political leaders seeking independence from British rule. Mahatma Gandhi, who was frequently charged with sedition by the British, famously said the law was 'designed to suppress the liberty of the citizen'. In 1951, prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru described the law as 'highly objectionable and obnoxious'. He too had be imprisoned many times for violating the law. In 1962, the Supreme Court imposed limits on the use of the law, making incitement to violence a necessary condition. Advertisement

If I oppose government policy on Kashmir and speak on autonomy of Kashmir, I am worse than a terrorist.

Govt's use of sedition

ABVP's cohorts would disrobe me of my right to speak by threatening violence. They decide what my speech agenda is.

Remember, in Delhi, the police come under the Centre's Home Ministry.

This is part of those 'mini-structures' and 'mini processes' of governance.

And, the present government has revived the offence of sedition in ways reminiscent of how the British Raj which punished the best Indian voices for liberation.

In those days, the freedom movement thought 'sedition' was a honourable offence.

In independent India, it is a notto- be-used dishonourable offence.

Indeed, in the Kedar Nath case (1962), the Supreme Court frowned on the savagery of the Privy Council's interpretation; and ruled to make sedition an intentional 'law and order' offence.

Now the pathology of 'state and 'ABVP' practice takes us back into the imperial past where sedition was an instrument to impel silence.

We are back into a freedom struggle again. We live at a time of violent absolutism which already plagues us in more ways than one.

The BJP government is hand-in-glove with its reckless but motivated ABVP. A counter-revolution is overdue. The author is an advocate and human rights activist
Kent police chief Ken Thomas

A 39-year-old Sikh man in the US has been shot outside his home by a partially masked gunman who shouted 'Go back to your own country'.

The incident is another suspected hate crime that comes just days after the killing of an Indian engineer in Kansas, and the shooting of a shop owner in South Carolina, although the latter is not yet a suspected 'hate crime'.

The Sikh man, identified as US national, Deep Rai, was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent, Washington, on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up his home's driveway.

Kent police said an argument broke out between the two men. The unidentified man then shot him in the arm.

Reacting to the incident, External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said, 'I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a US national of Indian-origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh, father of the victim.

A 39-year-old Sikh man was shot in the arm while working on a car in his driveway in Kent, Washington: The incident is another suspected hate crime that comes just days after the killing of an Indian engineer in Kansas.

'He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital.'

On the attack on Rai, MaryKay L Carlson, Charge d'Affaires, American Embassy in New Delhi, said she was saddened by the shooting in Washington state.

'Wishes for quick and full recovery. As @POTUS said we condemn hate and evil in all its forms', she tweeted.

The victim described the shooter as a six-feet-tall white man, wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face. Kent police are looking for the gunman.

Kent Police chief Ken Thomas said 'While the Sikh man sustained non life-threatening injuries, they are treating this as a very serious incident.'

An Indian government official said, 'Rai is able to talk.' The official said the government was ready to offer all possible assistance to the wounded man.

Authorities are investigating the shooting as a suspected hate crime, according to the Seattle Times.

India's Consulate in San Francisco is in touch with local authorities who are ascertaining the nature of the crime, the Indian official said.

Kent police have launched an investigation into the case and have reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.

'We're early on in our investigation,' Thomas said. Kent Police Commander Jarod Kasner said the incident is getting attention from the Sikh community and others.

32-year-old Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead while getting a drink at a bar in Olathe on February 22 with a co-worker

With recent unrest and concern throughout the nation this can get people emotionally involved, especially when (the crime) is directed at a person for how they live, how they look, Kasner said.

The incident is the latest in a series of troubling cases where Indians have been targeted in apparent hate crimes.

It comes on the heels of a shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him.

A shop owner in South Carolina was shot dead, although at this point the murder is not being considered a 'hate crime'
The Philippine defense chief and two other Cabinet members on Saturday toured a U.S. aircraft carrier patrolling the disputed South China Sea on the invitation of the Navy on Saturday, officials said.



Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II visited the USS Carl Vinson along with three Philippine security officials, said U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Molly Koscina.

The visit shows continuing top-level engagements between Philippine officials and the U.S. military despite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's threat to scale back engagements with American forces while reaching out to China and Russia.

There was no immediate reaction from China, which had opposed U.S. patrols in waters it has claimed virtually in its entirety.

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Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II visited the USS Carl Vinson, pictured, along with three Philippine security officials. The supercarrier is patrolling the South China Sea

There was no immediate reaction from China, which had opposed U.S. patrols in waters it has claimed virtually in its entirety. The U.S. ambassador to Manila, Sung Kim, accompanied the Philippine officials to the Carl Vinson, pictured, where they met US navy commanders

Visit shows continuing top-level engagements between Philippine officials and U.S. military despite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's threat to scale back American relationship while reaching out to China and Russia. Pictured: Trump on board aircraft carrier Gerald Ford

The U.S. ambassador to Manila, Sung Kim, accompanied the Philippine officials to the Carl Vinson, where they watched F18 fighter jets land and take off on catapult on the flight deck and met U.S. navy commanders in charge of the 95,000-ton carrier as it sailed in the disputed waters, Koscina said.

U.S. Navy officials told a small group of journalists who were flown to the Carl Vinson on Friday that the U.S. warship deployment was aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, a key waterway for global commerce and security.

Rear Admiral James Kilby told the Associated Press: 'We're going to continue to demonstrate that international waters are waters where everyone can sail, where everyone can conduct commerce and merchant traffic.'

Kilby's comments and the presence of the carrier in the South China Sea are aimed at reassuring American allies, who have expressed concerns over China's aggressive actions to assert its claims to virtually all of the South China Sea.

The nuclear-powered Carl Vinson, which is manned by about 5,500 military personnel, has sailed through the contested region several times and other U.S. warships have routinely patrolled the waters for decades, Kilby said.

Sailors expressed confidence and pride in what they do, stepping aside to give way to visitors in narrow corridors.

Rear Admiral James Kilby said: 'We're going to continue to demonstrate that international waters are waters where everyone can sail, where everyone can conduct commerce and merchant traffic.' Pictured: Chinese vessels around disputed Spratly Islands

Kilby's comments and the presence of the carrier in the South China Sea are aimed at reassuring American allies, who have expressed concerns over China's aggressive actions to assert its claims to much of the South China Sea. Pictured: Chinese ships at Spratly Islands

'Are you enjoying your time on board?' Navy Lt. Charlotte Benbow, who was in charge of the navigation bridge, asked journalists touring the mammoth ship. 'Flight ops is pretty cool.'

In recent years, China has turned seven mostly submerged disputed reefs into islands where Beijing is now reportedly installing a missile defense system.

Chinese officials have stressed that they have a right to carry out those constructions in what they say are their territories and add they have no hostile intentions in the region.

Left to right: Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, who visited the USS Carl Vinson at the invitation of the US Navy

Duterte, right, describes himself as a left-wing politician and has declared that he would chart a foreign policy independent of the U.S., his country's longtime treaty ally

But worries over China's actions have grown. Governments fear its actions could later restrict movement in a key waterway for world commerce with rich fishing grounds and potential undersea deposits of oil and gas.

'There is a lot of worry about what China's intentions are,' said Ernest Bower, a senior adviser for the Southeast Asia program of Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.

'I think the question everyone has is, "(are) the Chinese trying to shut down access to the South China Sea?"' Boyer told reporters in Manila. 'The Americans are saying under no circumstances would that be acceptable to the international community.'

Duterte, who took office in June and describes himself as a left-wing politician, has declared that he would chart a foreign policy independent of the U.S., his country's longtime treaty ally.

Last year, he lashed out at then-President Barack Obama and the State Department, which has raised concerns over Duterte's deadly anti-drug crackdown.

Last year, Duterte lashed out at then-President Barack Obama and the State Department, which has raised concerns over Duterte's deadly anti-drug crackdown. After Obama ended his term, Duterte has moderated his language toward the U.S. Pictured: Trump on Air Force One

Duterte has said he would reach out more to China and Russia. Pictured: China President Xi Jinping and Russia President Vladimir Putin

Duterte has ordered the Philippine navy not to proceed with previous plans to carry out joint patrols with U.S. forces in the contested waters, although his administration has agreed to continue a considerable number of joint military exercises with U.S. forces in the country.

There have also been questions if America's role as a counterweight to China, particularly in the disputed waters, would change under President Donald Trump.

After Obama ended his term, Duterte has moderated his language toward the U.S., allowing an opportunity for military engagements to continue to flourish, Boyer said, adding that he believed Trump's security team may take a firmer stance on the territorial disputes.

'I would actually suspect we'll see more determination from the Americans on the South China Sea, sort of a bit of a harder edge towards the Chinese,' Boyer said. 'I think that's going to ... cause a little bit of a bumpy road, to be honest with you.
Police are desperately searching for a teenage girl who went missing nine days ago.

Tara Maree Clark, 15, went missing on February 24 and was last seen at Melbourne's Southern Cross Railway Station at between 1.30-2.05pm.

Tara's family hold grave concern for their missing daughter and police launched an appeal for assistance on Saturday.

Police are desperately searching for a Tara Maree Clark, 15, who went missing nine days ago

Photo's of the missing teen were released by the police to help aid in the search.

Tara is described as being 164cm tall, with a medium build and brownish-red wavy hair.

She also has a nose piercing, a 'taper' in her left ear and was last seen wearing a black jacket, black leggings and red Doc Marten boots.

Anyone who sees Tara is urged to call Benalla Police Station on (03) 5760 0200.
An Adelaide family has been left devastated by a double tragedy after a man was arrested for allegedly killing his twin sibling.

Lucas Cawte, 24, handed himself into Christies Beach police station about 10am on Friday after allegedly shooting his twin brother Jake Cawte in the head.

Jake's body was found just an hour later inside the family's 26-hectare property on Marshall Rd on the outskirts of Willunga, south of Adelaide, The Advertiser reported.

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Lucas Cawte (left), 24, has been charged with the murder of his twin brother, Jake (right)

Police said no one was at home except for the brothers when Jake was killed and the twins' father and owner of the property, Timothy Cawte, returned home on Friday afternoon, clearly distressed.

Jake's brother Troy Thompson-Cawte, who posted a photograph of the pair on Facebook on Saturday, told Channel Nine: 'Jake was a great person who had a beautiful soul, he would always make people laugh and feel good about themselves.'

Lucas has been charged with murder and refused bail. He will likely front court on Monday.

He is being held at the Margaret Tobin Centre, a mental health facility in Flinders, where he previously spent time battling mental health issues.

The twins' mother told 7 News the Cawte family became concerned about the Lucas and Jake after they returned from a trip to South America as 'different people'.

They had taken a strong hallucinogenic drug 'ayahuasca'.

'They have changed their outlook on life completely,' forensic toxicologist Andrew Leibie said.

'They feel like they're a different person based on the things they've seen and perceived while they're taking this drug.'

The men's mother said she would stand by her son despite his alleged actions.

Jake's brother Troy Thompson-Cawte, posted a photograph of the pair on Facebook on Saturday after the fatal incident

Lucas Cawte, 24, handed himself into Christies Beach police station at about 10am on Friday after allegedly shooting his twin brother Jake Cawte in the head

The twins had gone on spiritual journey to South America together and according to their mother, returned as 'different people'

They documented themselves taking the powerful hallucinogenic drug 'ayahuasca'

Lucas had no visible injuries and was co-operating with police, according to Detective Chief Inspector Tony Ransom.

Homicide detectives are still investigating what happened and whether drugs or alcohol were involved in the fatal incident.

'It is unusual and we are working with the family and friends,' Insp Ransom told The Advertiser.

It is understood the twins' father has guns at the property but police do not know if one of them was used to kill Jake.

The community, which is fond of the Cawte family, has been left in shock.

Residents of the tight-knit community said the incident was unexpected.

It is understood the twins also have a sister.

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Forensic investigators take photographs of a vehicle believed to be related to the incident
Pauline Hanson has challenged an ABC presenter to declare if he would be happy to live under Islam.

The One Nation leader posed the question to Barrie Cassidy, the host of the ABC's Insiders program who was former Labor prime minister Bob Hawke's chief press secretary during the 1980s.

'They hate western society. They want to change us. Do you want to be changed?' the Queensland senator asked on Sunday.

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One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said Muslims hate western society. 'They want to change us'

ABC Insiders host Barrie Cassidy defended Muslim migrants after Pauline Hanson asked him if he would be happy to live under Islam

'Would you be happy to live under Islam?'

Mr Cassidy defended Islamic migrants, saying: 'They all say that they're prepared to obey Australian law and operate under that basis.'

His defence of Muslims comes less than a week after an electrician, Haisem Zahab, was arrested in the southern New South Wales town of Young and charged with a terror plot to develop 'high-tech missiles' for ISIS.

Senator Hanson, who campaigned during last year's election to ban Muslim migration to Australia, reiterated her belief that Islam is not a religion.

Pauline Hanson says Muslims are seeking to change Australia's way of life (women in burqas in the southern New South Wales town of Young pictured)

Barrie Cassidy, who was a media adviser to former Labor prime minister Bob Hawke (pictured), said Muslims were obeying Australian law

'It is purporting to be a religion but I believe it is a political ideology who want to impose their sharia law and impose their way of life and their thoughts, processes on the rest of our society,' she said.

Senator Hanson also used the interview to say maverick Nationals MP George Christensen, another critic of Muslim migration, should stick with his own party instead of defecting to One Nation.

'I advise him, stay where you are because if you jump ship it's going to destabilise the government and I don't believe the people want that,' she said of the former Nationals whip.

Pauline Hanson said she was not encouraging renegade Nationals MP George Christensen to defect to One Nation but would not say no if he jumped ship

'If he actually then says, "No, I've had enough, that I can't stay with the National Party they're not representing my electorate what I want", well of course if he wants to come across to One Nation I'm not going to say no.

'I'm not encouraging him.'

A ReachTel poll taken late last month in Mr Christensen's north Queensland seat of Dawson showed he had just 30 per cent primary vote support in his federal sugarcane electorate, compared with 30.4 per cent for One Nation.

One Nation's leader in the Queensland parliament Steve Dickson, a former state government minister, in January defected from the Liberal National Party.

Senator Hanson, a former small business owner in Ipswich south-west of Brisbane, praised the Fair Work Commission's recent decision to cut Sunday penalty rates for retail, hospitality and fast food workers.

Pauline Hanson has accused Labor of wanting small business owners to be forced to pay higher wages than a McDonald's down the road (Opposition Leader Bill Shorten pictured)

She accused Labor and the unions of hypocrisy in the matter, saying in her old fish and chip shop she had to pay $34 an hour in hourly wages where the McDonald's down the road only paid $26.

'Where is the union jumping up and down about that with the battlers?,' she said.

'This government is doing nothing about addressing this whole issue and Labor are a bunch of hypocrites.'

More than 700,000 retail, hospitality and fast-food workers will have their Sunday penalty rates as a result of last month's Fair Work Commission decision.

Sunday rates will be reduced from 200 per cent to 150 for full and part-time retail workers, and dropped to 175 per cent for casuals.
The BBC has been accused of being dismissive of Christianity and lambasted for its ignorance after questioning whether an MP should have attended a parliamentary meeting with an Ash Wednesday cross on her forehead.

An item on the BBC Politics Facebook site asked readers: Was it appropriate for this MP to go to work with a cross on her head?

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Glasgow MP Carol Monaghan is a practising Roman Catholic and has said she's not ashamed to appear with the cross

It was accompanied by a picture of Glasgow MP Carol Monaghan, a Roman Catholic, displaying the symbol made of ashes that is traditionally marked on Christian worshippers at church services marking the start of Lent. The Facebook post was linked to an article on the BBC website in which Monaghan is quoted as saying she is not ashamed to appear with the cross.

Acting Bishop of London Pete Broadbent tweeted: Is it appropriate for people working for @bbcpolitics to be so ignorant about the Christian faith that has shaped this country? while former Minister Ann Widdecombe, a convert to Catholicism, said she thought the question reflected a dismissive attitude and said it showed the BBCs complete ignorance.

Ash crosses are a mark used by worshippers at church services signalling the start of Lent

SNP Cabinet Secretary for the Environment Roseanna Cunningham wrote on Twitter: Is it appropriate for @bbcpolitics to even ask this?

A BBC spokesperson said: The Facebook post was meant to attract the audience attention and to encourage them to read the article.
An Australian journalist has told of the tense moment he came eye-to-eye with one of South America's most prolific killers.

It was a nerve-racking experience - even for a man who voluntarily spent several months inside a Bolivian prison.

'That was a really hairy interview,' said Rusty Young, who met the former cartel hitman John 'Popeye' Velasquez during the making of his new documentary Wildlands.

Velasquez, a former enforcer for Pablo Escobar, has admitted to murdering hundreds, and is believed to have arranged for the killings of some 3,000 people.

'I wanted to ask the tough questions [but] I didn't to be [victim] 3001,' Mr Young told News Corp.

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Rusty Young spent months living in a Bolivian prison while researching his debut book. Now, he has returned to South America to make a documentary about the drug trade

Mr Young wrote his first book about an inmate at the San Pedro prison in La Paz (pictured)

John Velasquez, right, a former enforcer for Pablo Escobar, has admitted to murdering hundreds, and is believed to have arranged for the killings of some 3,000 people

Over a decade ago, Mr Young was lauded for his debut book, Marching Powder, which profiled Thomas McFadden, a cocaine smuggler imprisoned in Bolivia.

The writer said he bribed prison staff to be allowed to stay in McFadden's prison cell.

McFadden, who was busted at the La Paz airport in 1996 with five kilos of cocaine in his luggage, spent four and a half years at San Pedro prison, according to Vice.

Inside San Pedro, McFadden made money giving clandestine tours of the prison.

That's the way he got to know Mr Young - who says the two are still good friends.

McFadden even named his firstborn son 'Rusty' after the writer.

Thomas McFadden, left, who was busted at the La Paz airport in 1996 with five kilos of cocaine in his luggage, spent four and a half years at San Pedro prison

Inside San Pedro, McFadden made money giving clandestine tours of the prison

For his new documentary, Mr Young went back to South America to investigate the drug trade.

'Through writing Marching Powder, I became fascinated by the world of cocaine trafficking,' he says in the trailer for the new film, which premieres on Monday.

'I uncovered stories from living legends, who had fought on both sides of the law.'
President Donald Trump is expected to sign a revised executive order early next week banning travel from several Middle Eastern and African countries.

The president will sign the new executive order at the Department of Homeland Security as early as Monday, Politico reports.

It is not clear what changes Trump plans to make to the revised travel ban.

The Associated Press reported last week that the reboot will only apply to six nations - taking Iraq off the list because it is a close ally to the US in the fight against the ISIS terror army.

President Donald Trump is expected to sign a revised travel ban early next week - just over a month after his January 27 (above) order caused controversy worldwide

Citizens of six other predominantly Muslim countries - Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - will remain on the travel ban list, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Those bans are effective for 90 days.

The new executive order comes just over a month after Trump's original decree caused controversy across the United States.

It caused chaos at airports when people were detained before being sent back overseas, while others were banned from boarding flights at foreign airports.

Trump's original January 27 order was widely criticized as amounting to a ban on Muslims, and also for being rolled out sloppily - with virtually no warning to the public or preparation of the agencies tasked with enforcing it.

The order temporarily barred people from seven Muslim-majority countries from traveling to the United States for 90 days, as well as all refugees for 120 days and Syrian refugees permanently.

The original executive order, which banned travel from seven predominately Muslim countries, triggered worldwide outrage as well as protests (above) in the United States

Trump's original January 27 order was widely criticized as amounting to a ban on Muslims

The government initially blocked Green Card holders before offering those legal residents special permission to come into the country. It finally decided the order didn't apply to them.

The State Department provisionally revoked roughly 60,000 valid visas in all, before a federal judge in Washington state blocked the government from carrying out the ban.

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that decision, which could still be appealed to the Supreme Court.

The Trump administration has defended the order, saying more restrictions are needed to protect the U.S. from future terrorist attacks.

A new revised order has been rumored for sometime, but the White House decided this week to push back releasing a replacement after Trump's widely praised speech to Congress on Tuesday night.

'We want the (executive order) to have its own "moment",' CNN quoted an official as saying.

The president will sign the new executive order at the Department of Homeland Security as early as Monday. He is pictured above after signing the original decree on January 27
One in ten of all Britains Islamist terrorists come from just five council wards in Birmingham, a report has revealed.

A terror map of the UK shows 26 of the 269 jihadis came from the highly segregated neighbourhoods.

The wards have sizeable areas where the vast majority of the population is Muslim.

The findings of the most comprehensive study of terror convictions in Britain will raise fresh concerns that the failure to integrate has led some communities to be incubators of extremism.

The homegrown terror threat: This map shows how many residents were arrested in cities across the UK, between 2011 and 2015

The 1,000-page report covers all Islamist convictions and suicide bombings from the first in 1998 to the beginning of last year.

The study, by security think-tank The Henry Jackson Society, is being published tomorrow, as Britains most senior counter-terrorism officer launches a fresh appeal for the public to help tackle the threat.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, of the Metropolitan Police, urged people to report suspicions of terrorist activity to prevent atrocities taking place in the UK and overseas.

The report has found:

The number of Islamist terror offences doubled in the five years to 2015 from 12 to 23 a year.

Womens involvement in Islamist terrorism in the UK has trebled in the same period from 4 per cent to 11 per cent.

Bombing is the most common type of offence planned or committed but there has been an 11-fold increase in plots involving Islamic State-style beheadings and stabbings.

Only 10 per cent of terror attacks were carried out by lone wolves unconnected to wider extremist networks.

The landmark report has analysed all aspects of every Islamist terror case including plotting or carrying out attacks, funding jihadis and offering support to terror groups.

The most chilling findings are clear geographical clusters of terrorism, often linked to areas with highly segregated Muslim communities.

Birmingham, with 234,000 Muslims, has a total of 39 convicted terrorists.

The shocking report reveals that Islamist-related offences in the UK have doubled in the last five years. Pictured, anti-terror police on duty today at Vauxhall Station in London

Islamism-inspired terrorism remains the principal terrorism threat to both the United Kingdom and British interests overseas. Pictured, ISIS fighters in Syria

This is more than the whole of West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and Lancashire combined, even though their Muslim population is higher at 650,000. Only five wards in Birmingham  Springfield, Sparkbrook, Hodge Hill, Washwood Heath and Bordesley Green  account for 26 terrorists.

They include Parviz Khan, of Washwood Heath, the ringleader of an Al Qaeda terror cell that plotted to behead a British Muslim soldier.

There were greater numbers of offenders in London  117  but they were more widely spread across the city. But 50 per cent were from three boroughs in the east of the capital: Tower Hamlets, Newham and Waltham Forest.

The report found that a growing proportion of offenders are clean skins  previously unknown to the authorities. The proportion known to MI5 has halved from 61 per cent to 29 per cent, which suggests a growing challenge for the security services.

British terrorists are getting younger, the report says, with 46 per cent of offences between 2011 and 2015 carried out by under 25s, compared with 42 per cent before that.

Almost 80 per cent were inspired or directed by extremist networks, most often hate preacher Anjem Choudarys now banned group al-Muhajiroun, which was linked to a quarter of all UK terror convictions.

Mosques or faith charities were places of radicalisation for 38 per cent of terrorists. The internet was cited as a key source of brainwashing in only 35 per cent of cases, although this was increasing.

Deprivation plays a significant part in producing terrorists, contrary to the belief that they are educated and middle class.

Report author Hannah Stuart, senior research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, said: This study identifies some significant new challenges for the authorities, including keeping track of a new generation of terrorists.

British terrorists are getting younger, a report says, with 46 per cent of offences between 2011 and 2015 carried out by under 25s, compared with 42 per cent before that

Five of the city's homegrown jihadis

Moinul Abedin: The used car salesman turned a terraced house in Sparkbrook into a bomb-making factory. The father-of-two, though to be an Al Qaeda sympathiser, had plotted to kill and maim large numbers of people. He was jailed for 20 years in 2002.

Parviz Khan: He was the ringleader of an Al Qaeda terror cell that plotted to kidnap and behead a British Muslim soldier. But Khan, of Washwood Heath, failed to identify a soldier to target before being arrested. He was jailed for life in 2008.

Irfan Khalid: He was a member of an Al Qaeda terror cell, consisting of 11 jihadis, who plotted the deadliest terror attack on British soil, boasting of a nail-bomb attack that could kill 2,000 people. Khalid, from Sparkbrook, was jailed for 18 years in 2013.

Umran Javed: During a protest in London against cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, he called for American and Danish people to be murdered. The cartoons were published in Denmark. Javed, of Washwood Heath, was jailed for six years.

Mohammed Nadim: A member of a British cell that supplied terrorists fighting in Afghanistan with equipment bought with dole money and donations given to help earthquake victims. Nadim, from Bordesley Green, was jailed for three years in 2009.

Five of the city's homegrown jihadis: Moinul Abedin, Parviz Khan, Ifran Khalid, Umran Javed and Mohammed Nadim




With her hand protectively around Prince Harrys back, there could be no mistaking the message Meghan Markle was sending out to the world.

The couple were inseparable as they attended the wedding of one of Harrys closest friends in Jamaica.

And to cement the image, the Suits actress was wearing what appeared to be a 5,000 gold Cartier Love Bracelet, believed to be a romantic token from her Royal lover.

Fun in the sun: Harry in blue suit and sporting a yellow buttonhole, and Meghan in her 1,200 dress

The besotted pair were pictured in Montego Bay, where they are celebrating the marriage of Harrys Eton pal Tom Skippy Inskip to heiress Laura Hughes-Young at Hopewell Baptist Church.

Pastor Conrad Thomas, who conducted the ceremony told The Mail on Sunday that Meghan, 35, and Harry, 32, are head over heels in love.

He added: They sat three rows back from the front and joined in a very robust and joyful version of One Love [by Bob Marley].

Meghan has beautiful bright eyes. They are a very affectionate couple.

As well as the Cartier band, Meghan wore a floor-length 1,200 Erdem dress for the ceremony before the party continued at the 110-acre private Round Hill Hotel on Friday.

A hotel worker said the pair, who are staying in a 5,000-a-night villa, started the night quietly sipping champagne before joining the mother of all parties  where they drank rum cocktails and ate jerk chicken.

Close: Meghan and Harry blend in with their crowd as she puts a loving hand on his back

Meghan was wearing what appeared to be a 5,000 gold Cartier Love Bracelet, circled, believed to be a romantic token from her Royal lover

The couple were at the wedding of one of Harrys closest friends in Jamaica

Then Harry took to the dancefloor to moonwalk to Michael Jacksons Billy Jean  with disastrous consequences.

He was going backwards when he banged into a waitress carrying a tray of drinks and sent them flying, a source revealed. Harry gasped, looked shocked and put his hands on the waitresss shoulders and apologised.

Meghan and Harry were kissing each other constantly and danced with each other. Everyone was very drunk.

A design inspired by chastity belts The oval Cartier band is made of two C-shaped halves screwed together. The only way to remove it is with a screwdriver, like the 18-carat one supplied - a feature said to be inspired by medieval chastity belts. The Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson each had earlier versions of the Cartier Love Bracelet Advertisement

'Some people were smoking marijuana  it is Jamaica, after all,  and a couple of Harrys friends threw up.

'Harry and Meghan left at 1am but the party lasted until 3.30am.

The celebrations were due to continue last night with reports that sprinter Usain Bolt, a pal of Harrys, had been invited.

A spokesman for Prince Harry declined to comment.
Lionel Patea's lawyer claims Tara Brown's death could have been prevented if his client got proper care for his mental illnesses.

Campbell MacCallum, who had represented the bikie since he was a teenager, said he never saw a violent side to Patea despite only representing him for violent crimes.

'He and his brother are polite, well mannered, respectful, and engaging in any dealings I've had with them,' Mr MacCallum told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

Lionel Patea's (L) lawyer claims Tara Brown's (R) death could have been prevented if his client got proper care for his mental illnesses

The 25-year-old rammed Ms Brown's (pictured) car off the road and beat her to death with a fire hydrant cover in September 2015

The veteran barrister says he 'likes the type of person [Patea] is when he's not violent' as he got to know a side of the convicted murderer the public didn't see.

It was at odds with the brutal way the 25-year-old rammed Ms Brown's car off the road and beat her to death with a fire hydrant cover in September 2015.

Patea last week pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison with at least 20 years before parole could be considered.

But Mr MacCallum said Patea had 'significant psychological and psychiatric issues' since childhood that if addressed could have saved Ms Brown's life.

Campbell MacCallum (pictured), who represented the bikie since he was a teenager, said he never saw a violent side to Patea despite only representing him for violent crimes

Mr MacCallum said every prison sentence or parole order Patea faced was 'supervised by unqualified persons' when it came to mental health

Mr MacCallum also criticised police for not taking Ms Brown's domestic violence complaint seriously enough, but said it was a system-wide problem

'No one knew how to deal with him, so it was always much easier to label him a bikie thug who deserves to be locked up in a cell,' he said.

Mr MacCallum said every prison sentence or parole order Patea faced was 'supervised by unqualified persons' when it came to mental health.

This meant he 'slipped through the cracks' and did not get treatment that could have stopped his cycle of offending.

He said courts should be able to force people into rehab or outpatient psychiatric care, instead of just getting 'pills shoved down their throats' that do not help once they are released.

But Mr MacCallum said Patea had 'significant psychological and psychiatric issues' since childhood that if addressed could have saved Ms Brown's life

Fresh CCTV footage is released which shows Patea running down the Gold Coast street where he murdered Ms Brown, before he is seen picking up the murder weapon - a 7kg metal fire hydrant cover

Mr MacCallum also criticised police for not taking Ms Brown's domestic violence complaint seriously enough, but said it was a system-wide problem.

He said there were so many 'vexatious' claims police did not properly screen or investigate them all, leading to genuine cases like Ms Brown's being turned away.

'Police get fixated on these bikies and other offences that they are committing, domestic violence seems to be low on their priority when it comes to trying to get a conviction,' Mr MacCaullum said.

Ms Brown applied for a domestic violence protection order against Patea on September 3, 2015  five days before he killed her.

Mr MacCallum said Patea was trying to rehabilitate himself in prison, but it was difficult as he was locked away in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day.

The 7kg fire hydrant cover Patea used to bludgeon Ms Brown to death on the Gold Coast is pictured

'To try to pretend that there is any rehabilitative aspect to prison is just a joke,' he said.

He earlier told the Bulletin Patea converted to Islam to help with his rehabilitation, and when sentenced said he would be 'ultimately judged by God'.

Mr MacCallum said his client needed 'guidance from other people', which was a major factor in his conversion, along with separation from his mother.

'It was more someone to talk to, some beliefs he wished to adopt and someone that he could ultimately talk to when he's locked in his cell,' he said on Friday.

Ms Brown had just dropped off her three-year-old daughter Aria at day care when Patea chased down her hatchback with a four-wheel-drive at speeds of up to 100km/h.

She had been hiding from him at a safe house and friends' homes since taking out a domestic violence order against him just days earlier.
Five-year-old Ellie-May Clark with her mother Shanice Clark, 25. Ellie-May died after a GP refused to treat her when they arrived four minutes late for an appointment

Hundreds of doctors who made serious and sometimes fatal mistakes have been allowed to accept soft touch written warnings in secret meetings designed to spare them the anxiety of appearing before a public tribunal.

GPs who committed deadly medication errors, failed to spot killer infections or misdiagnosed patients with catastrophic results are among those given warnings.

The sessions, held by the doctors watchdog the General Medical Council (GMC), took place behind closed doors.

As a result, they have not had their competence scrutinised in public fitness to practise hearings  and their failings have often gone unreported. Critics last night accused the GMC, which regulates Britains 240,000 doctors, of failing in its principal duty to protect patients.

The news comes a week after we revealed how Dr Joanne Rowe received a warning after she refused to see five-year-old asthmatic Ellie-May Clark, who later died. Ellie-May, from Newport, South Wales, suffered a fatal asthma seizure less than six hours after the GP had turned the girl and her mother Shanice away because they were four minutes late for an emergency appointment.

A 294-word warning, issued to Dr Rowe last May, can be found only by delving into her medical registration on the GMC website.

Details of the tragedy came to light only after The Mail on Sunday submitted a Freedom of Information request for the names of all doctors given warnings in 2016.

Dr Rowe was one of 94 and, of those, 18 received a warning after public hearings with the remainder given after private meetings.

From 2013 to 2016, 499 doctors received warnings, of which 434 were issued after private sessions. The warnings are noted on their medical registration for five years, after which they are deleted.

Among them was Dr Paul Bisnar, who sent Zawdie Bascom, 38, home with painkillers after the father of three was carried into A&E by his sons in agony. Dr Bisnar diagnosed an upset stomach  but Mr Bascom actually had an inflamed appendix, which burst and killed him.

SECRET CASE NOTES 1 Sent toddler with acute kidney failure home to die GP Dr Aboo Thamby told Lucy Connolly to take her 19-month-old son Harry home and feed him rice and yogurt after the toddler had been suffering from diarrhoea and lethargy for days. Just 48 hours later Harry was dead from dehydration and acute kidney failure. In 2013, Dr Thamby was given a five-year warning and continues to practise in Northampton. Advertisement

SECRET CASE NOTES 2 Missed blood clot on lung because she was 'busy' Dr Delia Parnham-Cope failed to spot Jayne Hughes, 44, had a blood clot on the lung when she came into casualty after a fall in December 2012. Dr Parnham-Cope discharged her and Ms Hughes died two days later. The medic wrote to the victims mother to apologise wholeheartedly but said she had been very busy that day. She got a five-year warning. Advertisement

Mr Bascom's widow Nawanda, from East London, described the GMC procedures as a cover-up, adding: Theyre cutting public hearings to put less stress on the doctors  but what about the grieving families?

Devastated father George Smith, from Kirkcaldy, Fife, had to refer GP Bala Gundati to the GMC when the local health board refused to do so. Dr Gundati had failed to spot the signs of meningitis which killed Mr Smiths son Gregor, 13.

He said: If shed acted sooner, Gregor would still be here today. It was such a needless waste of a young life and it still hurts that she avoided a public hearing. Incredibly, the GMC has actively encouraged doctors who have made mistakes  or in some cases broken the law  to avoid public hearings by agreeing to accept a sanction such as a warning instead.

Secret case notes 3 Gave patient lethal dose of blood-thinner after op Anaesthetist Dr Rajeeva Venkataswamy was told to give Alison Pearson, 64, the blood-thinner heparin through her IV drip after an op. He set the flow rate at 5ml per hour  but the surgeon had stipulated 0.5ml. Mrs Pearson suffered a brain haemorrhage and died. It later emerged he had never given heparin before. He was given a five-year warning. Advertisement

The approach was adopted after a 2011 GMC consultation, which stressed the importance of making disciplinary procedures less stressful for doctors. It stated: Public hearings often result in a great deal of stress and anxiety for both the doctors involved and the witnesses. In some cases, allegations are reported in the press which later turn out to be unfounded.

Hearings were also extremely costly, noted the GMC, which doctors fund through compulsory fees.

The consultation argued: Where a doctor is willing to accept the GMCs proposed course of action  the case for a public hearing is hard to make. It then asked: Do you agree that, where there is no significant dispute about the facts, we should explore alternative means to deliver patient protection other than sending cases to a public hearing? Unsurprisingly, 83 per cent of respondents agreed, according to a GMC report on the outcome of the consultation.

Andrew Davies, the Conservative leader in the Welsh Assembly, who has taken up Ellie-May Clarks case, called our findings shocking. He said: To think this doctor [Dr Rowe] quietly got away with a slap on the wrist, because a soft-touch system allows it, is unforgivable.

And Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns, a member of the Health Select Committee, said: One has to ask if the GMC is putting patient safety first, if it is failing to hold public hearings for so many serious cases.

At the very least it should ensure doctors whose mistakes lead to deaths go before fitness to practise tribunals. The patients families deserve nothing less. The GMC should remember that justice needs to be seen to be done. At the moment its disciplinary procedures are not transparent enough.

GMC chief executive Charlie Massey said: Patient safety is at the heart of everything the GMC does and we do not hesitate to take strong action where we judge that doctors who have made mistakes continue to pose a threat to patient safety.

Any doctor who receives a warning, which can be seen by any patient and employer, has had to account for their actions and prove they have taken the steps necessary to remedy them.

Ellie-May mum: Make GPs face public scrutiny

Tom Bedford

Ellie-May Clark, 5, died of an asthma attack after being turned away by her GP for being four minutes late

The heartbroken mother of five-year-old Ellie-May Clark, who we revealed died after being turned away by her GP, last night called for all doctors behind similar tragedies to face public tribunals.

Shanice Clark, 25, is still grieving for Ellie-May who died of an asthma attack two years ago.

GP Dr Joanne Rowe had refused to see her because she was four minutes late for an appointment.

Shanice said: The investigation has been kept secret and we are still waiting for an inquest two years after Ellie-May died.

Unless these tragedies are made public, doctors can carry on breaking the rules and other children could die. Waitress Shanice wants doctors to face public disciplinary tribunals in the same way as teachers and other professionals do.

Ellie-May had a history of asthma and doctors at the Grange Clinic in Newport, South Wales, had been warned that she could have a life-threatening attack.

The Mail on Sunday discovered Dr Rowe was let off with a warning from the GMC after refusing to see the seriously ill schoolgirl in January 2015.

Shanice said: The so-called caring doctor said she always refused to see patients who were late. But that decision cost Ellie-May her life.

Dr Rowe, now a GP at the Cloughmore surgery in Splott, Cardiff, has refused to comment on the case.
A powerful new memorial to the troops who died on D-Day is to be unveiled on the beaches of Normandy  just weeks after Britain is due to finally sever its ties with the European Union.

The monument, likely to be a series of walls bearing the names of the fallen, will be officially opened on the 75th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2019.

The symbolic gesture  funded by 20 million from Chancellor Philip Hammonds first Budget on Wednesday  will highlight the sacrifices made by Britain to bring peace to Europe. Supporters of the EU argue that the organisation has helped to preserve that peace.

The D-Day anniversary will fall shortly after 'Brexit Day', scheduled for March 2019, by which Britain should have left the European Union

The D-Day anniversary falls shortly after Brexit Day, which is scheduled to be in late March 2019. Prime Minister Theresa May has said she will trigger Article 50, starting the two-year process of leaving the EU, by the end of this month.

Plans for the memorial come as Tory MPs are poised to revolt against Mrs May to ensure that Parliament has a meaningful final say over the Brexit deal. The House of Lords is expected to support an amendment on Tuesday demanding that, when Mrs May comes to Parliament with her Brexit deal, MPs will not be forced to make a stark choice between accepting it or crashing out of the EU without an agreement.

About 20 Conservative MPs are prepared to defy Mrs May to back the Lords amendment when it returns to the Commons. One rebel, Anna Soubry, today demands Parliament should be given a role in deciding this nations future when...Article 50 becomes what I fear will be a cold and harsh reality.

Prime Minister May hailed the memorial as 'fitting tribute' for the 21,000 British soldiers who died in the campaign

Writing in todays Mail on Sunday, Ms Soubry says: It is not a denial of democracy to seek to ensure that the Brexit people voted for on June 23 is achieved on the best possible terms. If we are faced with a potentially catastrophic falling off a cliff, the least we can do is to provide a parliamentary safety net.

Last night, Mrs May hailed the Normandy memorial, which could resemble the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, as a fitting tribute to the 21,000 British troops who died in the campaign. She said: We must never forget the courage, sacrifice and selflessness of the British servicemen and women who gave their lives.

Teeth are gnashing in the Leavers' cave - and it's put a spring in my step, writes MATTHEW PARRIS

The people have spoken - and they have declared that two and two make five

I'm cheering up about Brexit. The moaning has to stop. Why be downhearted and edgy when youre confident of your argument? Leavers: youre all wrong. Im not totally sure  one never can be  and certainly I could be mistaken: and one day well know.

Meanwhile, I place my confidence in the judgment of those in British politics I most admire, people like Michael Heseltine, Chris Patten, John Major, Ruth Davidson and Kenneth Clarke; and, sticking to my guns and with a merry two fingers up to the lot of you, I leave you Brexit types to the snarling din emanating from your Brexit cave. Chins up, Leaver trolls. You won  remember? Its all going to be fabulous  remember? Why the cross faces?

Out will go my whimpering about loutish Brexit bullies. For the Leavers, sympathy rather than resentment will be my watchword. And whats the point of lamentation about the cowed state of the rump of Conservative Remainer MPs? Thats their problem: get a spine or deserve your fate.

From now on I start each morning with a cocky grin. So the populace has opted for Brexit? But the populace can be mistaken. Leavers, you made a massive mistake. The people have spoken  and they have declared that two and two make five. Time will tell, and until time adjudicates, let them by all means stick with the peculiar arithmetic that is, also, their right.

Perhaps that sounds aggressive, but I make a serious point. Passive-aggressive is never an attractive look. From my fellow Remainers a bit more aggressive and a bit less passive is called for. Weve become self-pitying. But instead of seeing the Leave sides angry intolerance of dissent as threatening, we must find the confidence to understand it for what it is: symptomatic of anxiety. And how right they are to be anxious!

So every gnash of a Brexiteers teeth puts extra spring in my step, and I shall dive with added relish into the online readers posts beneath my columns to remind myself of the psychological insecurities of my critics.

I shall dive with added relish into the online readers' posts beneath my columns to remind myself of the psychological insecurities of my critics

The triggering of Article 50 will be upon us any moment. After that, big storms are coming. It is time for us remaining Remainers to muster. Time now to ratchet things up. Kenneth Clarke will not support even beginning the leaving process. Michael Heseltine will vote to insist MPs get a meaningful vote before the process ends. John Major struck a typically careful note, warning against overconfidence; but he makes it implicitly plain he still believes the whole thing a rotten idea.

Im but a sparrow alongside these eagles but (for what its worth) I would not obstruct the triggering of Article 50, which surely became Theresa Mays duty after the referendum. Id be with Lord Heseltine, however, in wanting a meaningful vote by MPs once the shape of the negotiated deal looks clearer. Mrs May has already undertaken to expedite a vote of some sort. But what could that vote usefully determine? Wouldnt it be too late for us British to change our minds once Article 50 has been triggered?

The triggering of Article 50 [has] surely become Theresa May's duty after the referendum

Article 50 is incoherent. So never mind what it says, I submit that a Commons rejection of a draft Brexit deal would lead to what our European partners would be quick to call a new situation.

Part of this situation would be an impression that the British electorate had turned against the deal  otherwise MPs would not dare reject it. No Prime Minister would then carry on regardless.

What do you propose to do about this? would be (I suggest) Brusselss response. With an informal assumption that we British could (after all) change our mind about leaving, but not the terms negotiated for leaving. The Government, however, could not abandon Brexit without a second referendum or a General Election or both.

It follows that to ask for a meaningful Commons vote in 2018 is to encompass the possibility of a second referendum. We Remainers should now be upfront in saying so. But while openly recommending that second referendum, we Remainers must know theres only an outside chance of any appetite for this. The odds do point to a bad deal or no deal, but the worse it appears our EU partners treat us, the more defiant the public mood may become.

So where does that leave us? Picturing the Gadarene mob, squealing and hurtling with ever-increasing ferocity for the cliffs edge. But  hey  Remainers, rejoice! Were not among them! Politics may be sour, but how sweet it is to be on the right side of a great question.

 The Spectator
Two teenagers were badly hurt in a dirt bike accident in rural Queensland.

The boys, aged 15 and 18, were airlifted to hospital after the collision on Spoor Road, near Proserpine around 7pm Saturday.

The teens were riding towards each other on the gravel road when their handlebars clipped each other, a police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

Two boys, aged 15 and 18, were airlifted to hospital after a dirt bike collision in rural Queensland on Saturday

The 18-year-old sustained severe head injuries and was flown to Townsville Hospital in a critical condition, police said.

The younger boy received multiple fractures and was airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital.

The motorbikes involved in the incident were a KTM 125 and Suzuki RM250, police said.

Police are investigating whether the teens wore helmets at the time of the crash.
Ken Livingstone escaped a two assassination attempts by Ulster Loyalists it has emerged.

The former mayor of London reportedly came within days of being assassinated by convicted loyalist killer Michael Stone in the 1980s because of his alleged Republican sympathies.

Now another plot to murder 'Red Ken' has been uncovered, reports the Daily Star.

Ken Livingstone (pictured) escaped a two assassination attempts by Ulster Loyalists it has emerged. He was a target because of his alleged Republican sympathies

Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) allegedly hired a hitman to shoot Mr Livingston at a Bloody Sunday protest in London in January 1993.

Gangs of loyalists and far-right activists, including neo-Nazis, had reportedly planned to attack the demo as it left Hyde Park.

The hitman was going to shoot the former GLC boss and then planned to escape in the crowd.

Loyalist Michael Stone admitted he planned to shoot Mr Livingstone and carry surveillance on the former London mayor

The plan emerged in former London Ulster Defence Association commander Frank Portinari's new autobiography, Left-Right-Loyalist.

He wrote: 'Livingstone's provocative support for Irish republican terrorists and their apologists made him public enemy number one.

'A UFF unit decided to assassinate Livingstone on the day of the march.

'A volunteer on a motorbike would be parked nearby to transport the gunman to a safe house.'

Luckily Troops Out protesters refused to leave the park and continue marching until the counter demonstrators were dispersed.

This saved Mr Livingstone's life.

Portinari added: 'Our people were stopped, searched and served with a notice to disperse or expect to be arrested.'

Some 400 people were arrested at the march causing the hitman to abandoned the plan and return to Northern Ireland.
One rally to show support for President Trump was marred by clashes between his supporters and anti-trump activists on Saturday as The Donald's fans gathered across America.

While many of the rallies around the country have remained peaceful, some supporters are clashing with counter-protesters at a march in Berkeley, California.

Thousands convened near Trump Tower, the Washington Monument and several other places across the nation to march in pride.

The President even made an appearance at one of the demonstrations near his estate at Mar-a-Lago on his way to the 'Winter White House'.

It came on the same day that Trump sensationally accused former President Obama of wire tapping his phones at Trump Tower in a flurry of tweets on Saturday morning.

Scroll down for video

A demonstrator in support of Trump swings a stick toward a group of counter-protesters in Berkeley

Once again the President made an appearance, waving at one of the demonstrations near his estate at Mar-a-Lago en route to the 'Winter White House'

In Berkeley supporters and counter-protesters were wearing goggles, motorcycle helmets, gas masks or with their face half-covered with bandanas while pushing, throwing punches and hitting each other with the sticks that were holding their signs.

Video of the scattered fights shows smoke bombs being thrown at the crowd and at least one man pepper-spraying a brawling group.

Berkeley police officers in riot gear are standing by at the rally of about 500 pro-Trump supporters and opponents at a park less than a mile from the University of California, Berkeley campus.

The rallys came on the same day that Trump sensationally accused Obama of tapping his phones at Trump Tower in a flurry of early morning tweets

Paramedics have responded to help at least two men, one bleeding from the head and the other with cuts on his face.

In a number of additional states around the country, the President's supporters clashed with smaller groups of counter protesters.

Six people protesting the 'March 4 Trump' in St Paul, Minnesota, were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol and fled, police said.

About 400 people attended the St Paul event, and about 50 showed up to protest it. Some other minor scuffles between the dueling demonstrators were quickly defused.

Two others were arrested as protesters clashed with supporters of President Donald Trump during a rally at the Tennessee Capitol in Nashville.

In Olympia, four demonstrators were arrested at a rally in support of Donald Trump, KOMO-TV reports.

The TV station says about 225 people attended the pro-Trump rally and a group of about 150 people against Trump staged a counter-protest.

Authorities did not say if the people arrested were pro-Trump or anti-Trump.

A bloodied supporter of President Trump is seen after a 'People 4 Trump' rally and counter-protest turned violent in Berkeley, California

People wearing goggles, motorcycle helmets, gas masks or with their face half-covered with bandanas are pushing each other, throwing punches and hitting each other with the sticks holding their signs

The President's supporters have rallied all over the country throughout the day to show that they stand behind Trump and his actions as president thus far.

Saturday's 'March 4 Trump' demonstrations were also intended to show unity in the face of what organizers call a 'seditious fringe' aiming to sabotage the President's vision for the country.

At Neshaminy State Park in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, a smaller group gathered in a field lined with Trump campaign signs and flags.

While many of the rallies around the country have remained peaceful, some supporters are clashing with counter-protesters at a march in Berkeley, California

Video of the scattered fights shows smoke bombs being thrown at the crowd and at leas tone man pepper-spraying a brawling group. Photo shows a Trump supporter pepper spray a group of counter-protesters

A man (L) punches a supporter of President Trump during the rally in California

Paramedics have responded to help at least two men, one bleeding from the head and the other with cuts on his face (pictured)

The Pennsylvania march's GoFundMe page, which accrued $360 of their $5,000 goal, said: 'The Grass Roots of Pennsylvania ...the forgotten people, who were silent no longer on November 8, 2016 and voted RED for Donald J Trump are facing more challenges today.

'We cast our vote and now we must stand up and STOP THE FIGHT AND UNITE all Americans! OUR fight against these liberal paid rioters who want nothing but to destroy our democracy and LAW AND ORDER.

'Patriots, we cannot stay quiet! Those who want to interfere by bullying people especially those who voted Trump, by blocking highways, airports and beating people. ENOUGH! We need to stand tall as a nation and with OUR PRESIDENT and show the nation we will not be bullied into submission.'

Trump supporters demonstrate in Lafayette Park outside the White House during the pro-Trump rally

A couple hundred supporters gathered in New York City near Trump Tower, chanting 'U-S-A' on Friday

Supporters of President Donald Trump are convening near Trump Tower, the Washington Monument and several other places around the country in marches to show their pride in his presidency

A rally at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus turned into a clash of words when Trump protesters shouted 'No Trump, No KKK, No Fascist USA' over the supporters' 'U-S-A' chants.

'MARCH 4 TRUMP' LOCATIONS Mar-a-lago, Florida

Washington, DC

New York, New York

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Berkeley, California

Austin, Texas

Phoenix, Arizona

Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Erie, Pennsylvania

Lansing, Michigan

Indianapolis, Indiana

Nashville, Tennessee

Denver, Colorado

St Paul, Minnesota

Columbus, Ohio

Atlanta, Georgia

Olympia, Washington Advertisement

Trump supporters have held rallies in recent weeks to counter the numerous demonstrations against him.

As the president returned to Mar-a-Lago this weekend, his route was lined with dozens supportive signs and messages from fans donning American flags.

Friday night, however, there were arrests outside the Four Seasons in Palm Beach where Trump was attending an event with Republican donors, the Palm Beach Post reported.

Police confirmed at least one person was arrested and one was detained and questioned by the Secret Service.

Around 200 Trump backers in Virginia Beach showed up Saturday for the event at Mount Trashmore Park, according to the Virginian-Pilot.

Some held American flags and others wore 'Make America Great Again' hats and Trump T-shirts.

Also in attendance were some 100 counter-protesters, who quietly marched in from a nearby parking lot carrying a banner with the words 'No Hate in Our Town.' Some wore tape over their mouths. They stood nearly silent behind a barricade.

Saturday's 'March 4 Trump' demonstrations are also intended to show unity in the face of what organizers call 'a seditious fringe' aiming to sabotage his vision for the country

Trump supporters have held rallies in recent weeks to counter demonstrations against him
If new cafes with hipster baristas are popping up in a suburb not far from the city, chances are it will be a good place to buy an investment property.

Former inner-city working-class suburbs Newtown and Surry Hills have gentrified to become Sydney's trendiest addresses for urban professionals and cashed-up couples with no children.

They are also home to popular bars and cafes where the young waiters often have tattoos and groomed beards.

This terrace at St Peters in Sydney's inner west is in an that is becoming gentrified

Young baristas sporting beards, and sometimes tattoos, are common in suburbs that are becoming more upmarket

This terrace in the industrial, inner-Sydney suburb of Alexandria is in a gentrifying area

The trick is to find an area that will soon join the A-list when it comes to lifestyle, making it attractive for young renters - so that means buying in an area that's going to gentrify.

Pascoe Vale, a suburb with cottage-style houses 10 kilometres north of Melbourne's city centre, is one example.

Median house prices jumped from $460,000 in 2008 to $760,000 at the end of 2016, data from realestate.com.au showed.

This represents eight per cent annual growth during the past decade.

Another such area is the industrial inner-Sydney suburb of Alexandria, where warehouses have given way to new terrace developments.

Median house prices in this area near the airport stand at $1.4 million, which is higher than Sydney's median of $1.1 million.

Pascoe Vale, in Melbourne's inner north, has experienced strong annual house price growth during the past decade

Residents at Pascoe Vale are likely to be talking about capital gains around the kitchen table

INVESTMENT TIPS Buy in an area that's going to be gentrified with hip cafes Go for areas with capital gains potential Look where market activity is on the rise Consider an area where new transport infrastructure is being built Source: realestate.com.au Advertisement

Positive Real Estate chief executive Sam Saggers said gentrification often had a ripple effect on neighbouring suburbs.

'Often a suburb is targeted for gentrification once similar suburbs that are close by have been revitalised,' he told news.com.au.

'When the ripple comes, property investors can reap the benefits of this property growth.'

Smart investors also target areas where there's the potential for capital gains.

Suburbs in Sydney's inner-west, such as Dulwich Hill and St Peters soared in value from 2012 onwards.

A similar phenomenon is happening at Salisbury, south of Brisbane's city centre, as an influx of urban professionals brings in new hipster cafes.

Home owners at Salisbury in Brisbane's south are also experiencing capital gains

The North West Rail link in Sydney is bound to accelerate capital growth in some outer suburbs

These are also areas for where market activity is on the rise so it pays to keep a close watching on annual and quarterly price increases to spot any trends.

It's also worth looking at areas where new transport infrastructure is either being planned or is under construction.

The Sydney Metro North West Rail link, due for completion in 2019, is set to accelerate the price of properties 30km from the city.

This will benefit Castle Hill, which will have an underground train station near a major shopping mall.

A tram line from Sydney's city centre to the south-eastern suburbs is also set to give a boost to Kensington, the home of the University of New South Wales.
Private naked photos of Kate Moss on her wedding day have reportedly been stolen by hackers.

Snaps of the British supermodel getting changed before tying the knot with rocker Jamie Hince in 2011 are apparently being shared online by fans.

It is thought the intimate photos, among many she commissioned with her estranged husband, were taken from her computer files.

Private naked photos of Kate Moss on her wedding day have reportedly been stolen by hackers. She is picture with estranged husband Jamie Hince at their wedding in 2011

Snaps of the British supermodel (pictured in a brand campaign) getting changed before tying the knot with rocker Jamie Hince are apparently being shared online by fans

A source told the Daily Star Sunday: 'Kate will be fuming about this. Even though she has now split with Jamie, this set of photos is still really close to her heart and they are very, very private.'

They added: 'Kate is obviously no stranger to getting her clothes off for photo-shoots, but these images were different. Some were only meant for Jamie.'

Moss is not the first celebrity to have naked photos stolen by hackers. Saucy snaps of model Emily Ratajkowski are still circulating online after her iCloud account was broken into.

Last month a crook was sentenced to nine months in prison for hacking the electronic accounts of 30 celebrities including Jennifer Lawrence and stealing nude photos and information.

Edward Majerczyk, 29, from Chicago was also ordered to pay $5,700 in restitution for counseling services for one undisclosed celebrity victim whose photos were disseminated online.

Moss, who is now dating Count Nikolai von Bismarck, 29, has reportedly reached 'quietly' reached a formal separation agreement with Mr Hince

Moss, who is now dating Count Nikolai von Bismarck, 29, has reportedly 'quietly' reached a formal separation agreement with Mr Hince.

The 43-year-old model - who married The Kills guitarist in 2011 but split last year after four years of marriage - allegedly describes herself as 'divorced' and apparently came to a pleasant agreement with the musician 'some time ago' without any 'high profile legal battle'.

It has been reported Kate - who has 14-year-old daughter Lila with her former partner Jefferson Hack - has been granted the majority of their wealth, whilst Hince is believed to have acquired possessions the former couple acquired during their four-year marriage, including paintings and other artworks.
A mother has hailed charges against a Florida man accused of raping and murdering her 16-year-old daughter almost 40 years ago.

The naked body of Sharon Schollmeyer was found in a bathtub in her apartment in Salt Lake City, Utah on December 5, 1977.

Her mother Sally Kadleck made the grisly discovery after asking the building manager Patrick McCabe to let her inside when the teenager failed to show up to work.

Now, the man who used his keys to open Sharon's front door four decades ago, is the person authorities have pinned her death on after a breakthrough in DNA evidence cracked the cold case.

Sharon Schollmeyer's body was found dumped in a bathtub in her apartment in Salt Lake City, Utah on December 5, 1977. Her rape and murder remained unsolved for almost 40 years

McCabe, a 59-year-old convicted pedophile, was formally charged in Gilchrist County, Florida on Friday.

Kadleck said she still remembers McCabe's face from when he helped her get into the apartment, but she never suspected him.

'What kind of guts he had,' Kadleck told Deseret News. 'I mean, really he knew what he had done and yet he went ahead and let me in.'

McCabe boldly waited in the living room while Kadleck searched the apartment and came across her daughter's lifeless body.

Sharon had been stripped naked, gagged and blindfolded before her body was dumped in six inches of water in the bathtub.

Her mom Sally Kadleck made the grisly discovery in 1977. She said she was grateful the alleged killer was finally caught after Patrick McCabe was charged in Florida on Friday

Patrick McCabe, a 59-year-old convicted pedophile, was charged on Friday. He had been the building manager at Sharon's apartment when he allegedly raped and killed her in 1977

An autopsy revealed she died from strangulation and suffocation.

There were no breaks in the case until 2013 when the halter top used to gag Sharon was put in for DNA testing. The DNA was entered into a national sex offender database in 2016.

It flagged a match with McCabe in December, according to police documents.

He had previously been arrested in Gilchrist County in 1998 and later convicted of a lewd act in front of a minor. Police said he remains on a list of registered sexual predators and offenders.

Kadleck found her daughter's body in the bathtub in her Salt Lake City apartment (above) after asking the building manager Patrick McCabe to let her inside

Authorities say McCabe confessed to raping and killing the teenager back in 1977. He told them he left Utah two months after Sharon's murder and had not returned.

Her mother feared she would die not knowing who took her daughter's life.

'To know that they actually have him that it's going to be able to be concluded it great,' she told KUTV.

'I was like every other parent, you never get over it. I was just grateful for the years I had.'

McCabe is currently being held in Gilchrist County awaiting the extradition process to face prosecutors in Utah.
The Duke of Edinburgh was instrumental in banning women from joining the crew of the Royal Yacht Britannia, according to an official document.

Ministers in Harold Wilsons government were keen to allow Wrens  members of the Womens Royal Naval Service  to serve in non-combatant roles on ships, and Britannia was seen as an ideal vessel to trial the initiative. But a National Archives file reveals the Duke believed it was too costly to provide separate facilities for women.

His opposition may have set back the Wrens cause by several years. No woman ever served among the naval crew on Britannia, and it wasnt until 1993 that Wrens were integrated into the Royal Navy.

The Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip was instrumental in banning women from joining the crew of the Royal Yacht Britannia, according to an official document

In a letter to a senior Ministry of Defence official dated November 11, 1975, former Britannia commander, Rear Admiral Hugh Janion, said: I am informed by the Private Secretary to His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh that the latter considers that the appointment of Wrens to Britannia would mean an expensive major internal reconstruction. The proposal is not supported, therefore, by either the Palace or me.

The Rear Admiral died in 1994. The Dukes private secretary in 1975 was Commander William Willett, who is also now deceased, so it is not known whether he raised the issue with the Duke or just gave his own opinion. The commander had previously served on Britannia and perhaps knew the idea was unpopular with the crew.

Lord Hamilton of Epsom, the former Tory Armed Forces Minister who allowed women to serve at sea, told The Mail on Sunday: I did not know about the objections from the Palace but Im not totally surprised. We thought Britannia would be ideal for women to be deployed but there was a kick-back. A lot of the crew had served on the yacht for a long time and did not wish to be pushed aside by women.

Philips opposition is ironic given that at the time, his daughter Princess Anne was Chief Commandant of the Wrens. On Wednesday, Anne is to open an exhibition in Portsmouth which chronicles the history of women in the Navy.

A Palace spokesman said: 'This is a letter between a naval officer and a serving civil servant at the Ministry of Defence and as such it would not be appropriate to comment.'




Darwin residents were urged to take shelter as a tropical cyclone hit the Northern Territory on Sunday.

The storm, dubbed Cyclone Blanche by the Bureau of Meteorology, begun as a tropical low strengthened to cyclone intensity by Sunday morning.

The bureau advised residents on the Top End to take shelter, think twice before traveling, and be alert for flooding.

Parts of the region could see up to 40cm of rainfall in the next four days with chances of severe thunderstorms.

A tropical cyclone hit the Northern Territory on Sunday. The storm was dubbed Cyclone Blanche by the Bureau of Meteorology

What began as a tropical low strengthened to cyclone intensity, BOM announced in a tweet around noon

A man braves strong winds as a cyclone approached Darwin last December. This weekend, the Northern Territory was hit by another cyclone

There was 384mm of rainfall on Bathurst Island between 4pm on Saturday and 9am on Sunday, smashing the regions previous rainfall record of 265.2mm from Cyclone Carlos in 2011.

Widespread rainfall totals of around 50 to 60 mm were recorded in the Greater Darwin area.

Damaging winds up to 95km/h battered Bathurst Island coasts in the early hours of Sunday morning, while gusts in the range of 60  80 km/h were recorded across the greater Darwin region.

Public transport services in Darwin have been suspended, bus services stopped at midday on Sunday.

Rough seas have forced Sealink NT to suspend ferries travelling to Mandorah and the Tiwi Islands for the remainder of the day.

Police are urging residents to avoid driving if possible, with several waterways including Rapid Creek, Adelaide River and areas near Dundee Beach at risk of flooding.

'If floodwaters are encroaching onto roads, do not attempt to cross them,' regional controller commander Brent Warren said.

'We also ask boaters to stay off the water in these rough conditions.'

Darwin Airport is operating as normal but travellers are advised to check directly with airlines before flying.

Nightcliff Jetty on the city's foreshore is also closed.

Parts of the Top End region could see up to 40cm of rainfall in the next four days, BOM predicted

At 11am on Saturday, a Tropical Cyclone Warning was issued for the coastal and island communities from Cape Fourcroy to Croker island, a BOM meteorologist said.

'Gales may develop along coastal areas between Point Stuart and Darwin later in the day, and extend down the west coast of the Top End to Wadeye early on Monday,' BOM forecasters wrote in a weather update.

'Longer term, the system is expected to maintain a south-westerly track through the Timor Sea, and start impacting the north Kimberley coast later on Monday and into Tuesday.'
Beau Biden's widow Hallie was spotted still wearing her wedding ring on Saturday afternoon, amid revelations that she has been having a relationship with her late husband's married brother, Hunter Biden.

The 43-year-old brunette looked relaxed and casual in an olive leather jacket, jeans and knee-high black boots while stepping out with her young kids, in photos captured exclusively by the Dailymail.com.

She wore her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail while dropping her son Hunter, 10, and his friends off at a trampoline park in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. She later went for dinner at the nearby Big Fish Grill.

Beau Biden's widow Hallie was still wearing her wedding ring on Saturday afternoon when she stepped out in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania

The 43-year-old was spotted for the first time since news broke earlier this week of her romantic relationship with her late husband's younger brother Hunter Biden

It is the first time Hallie has been photographed since news broke earlier this week of her romantic relationship with 47-year-old Hunter, the youngest son of former Vice President Joe Biden.

Hunter is nowhere to be seen in the photos, just days after he was accused by his estranged current wife of depleting the family's funds on drugs and hookers.

Beau Biden, Hunter's older brother, was married to Hallie when he passed away from brain cancer in 2015 at age 46. Hunter has since started dating his sister-in-law, he told Page Six last week.

Vice President Joe Biden has given his blessing to Hunter and Hallie's relationship, telling Page Six that they have his 'full and complete support.'

'We are all lucky that Hunter and Hallie found each other as they were putting their lives together again after such sadness,' he said.

Hallie looked relaxed and casual in an olive leather jacket, jeans and knee-high black boots while stepping out with her young kids

Hallie was married to Beau Biden - former Vice President Joe Biden's elder son - when he passed away from brain cancer in 2015 at age 46. They are pictured above in 2011

Hunter's estranged wife Kathleen, 48, was spotted jogging (left) near her home in Washington D.C. on Saturday afternoon. She filed for divorce from Hunter (right) in December

Although the former vice president is supporting his son, President Obama's family appears to be siding with Hunter's estranged wife Kathleen, 48, in their ongoing divorce.

Kathleen and Hunter split last year, and she claims he has a substance abuse problem and drained the family's bank accounts to spend on prostitutes, strip clubs and drugs.

Sasha Obama was spotted at Kathleen's house on Friday afternoon, where she spent time with Kathleen's 15-year-old daughter, Maisy. The two are classmates at the exclusive Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C.

Kathleen, 48, is also close friends with Michelle Obama, and they were seen vacationing together at a ski resort in Aspen over President's Day weekend.

She filed for divorce from Hunter last December, but the two have reportedly been separated since July 2015.

It is the first time Hallie has been pictured amid revelations that she has been carrying on an affair with her married brother-in-law, Hunter Biden

Hallie, pictured above wearing her wedding ring, was married to Beau Biden when he passed away from brain cancer in 2015 at age 46

In court papers obtained by the Dailymail.com, Kathleen accused her estranged husband of 'dissipating hundreds of thousands of dollars of marital funds' by spending on 'drugs, alcohol, prostitutes, strip clubs and gifts for women with whom he had sexual relations.'

She claimed Hunter's spending has drained the family's bank accounts, leaving them with 'no funds to pay legitimate bills' and resulting in bounced checks to housekeepers and overdue medical bills.

Kathleen also called their debts 'shocking and overwhelming' and said they have 'maxed-out credit-card debt' and owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes due to Hunter's financial problems.

She was also seen wearing a ring on her wedding finger on Friday, while returning to her home in Washington, D.C. with her parents. On Saturday afternoon, she was spotted jogging nearby in a winter jacket, leggings and a black knit cap and gloves.

Hunter's estranged wife Kathleen was out running just days after revelations he was having a romantic relationship with his late brother's widow

Kathleen braved the cold with a winter jacket, leggings and a black knit cap and gloves

Kathleen and Hunter split last year and she claims he has a substance abuse problem and drained the family's bank accounts. They are pictured above in April last year
Labour leadership hopeful Chuka Umunna is planning to orchestrate a drive to recruit tens of thousands of new party members as part of a secret putsch to overturn Jeremy Corbyns leadership.

The former Shadow Business Secretary has told friends that the time has come for Labour moderates to challenge Corbyns power base among ordinary party members.

Corbyn has clung onto power  despite being opposed by the overwhelming majority of his MPs  because the partys grassroots, which plays a pivotal part in leadership elections, is packed with his supporters: around 300,000 out of the 528,000 party members back Corbyn.

Chuka Umunna is hoping to recruit thousands of new members to out-muscle the hard Left

But now Umunna is urging his colleagues to launch a membership campaign to out-muscle the hard Left.

It comes as new figures suggested that Corbyns supporters are starting to drain away from the party. Almost 26,000 Labour members have deserted since last summer, with about 7,000 alone leaving after the Labour leader forced his MPs to vote for the Governments Brexit bill last month. Two-thirds of Labour voters backed Remain in the referendum.

Sources expect there to be a further exodus in the wake of Corbyns humiliating loss of the Copeland by-election  the first time the party has not held the seat since 1931 and the only gain by a sitting Government in a by-election since 1982.

A senior source said: Chuka thinks that now is the time to strike. The moderates are in despair at the supposed iron grip of the hard Left but, as disillusionment sets in among the ordinary membership, he thinks we can eat into the 62 per cent of the vote Corbyn claimed in last years leadership election.

Corbyn's loss at the Copeland by-election was the first time the party had not held the seat since 1931

Another option being considered by moderates is to force through changes to the leadership rules to return it to the previous system.

Prior to changes introduced by former leader Ed Miliband, the votes of full party members made up just one of three electoral colleges that chose the new leader. Now the leader is elected using a one-member, one-vote system. But any rule change would have to be agreed by the partys ruling National Executive Committee, which is in the grip of Corbyn supporters.

Umunna withdrew from the 2015 Labour leadership contest at an early stage, complaining that his then girlfriend felt hounded by the press. But the 38-year-old former lawyer, who is now married, has told friends that if the leadership became vacant again  and he could secure enough support among MPs  then he would enter the race.

Umunna declined to comment.
Southern California drivers were treated to a blink-or-you'll miss-it unusual sight recently.

Motorcyclist Kyle Katsandris jumped the 60 Freeway in Moreno Valley, California, gliding from one hillside to another.

Video uploaded to Instagram shows a man preparing a dirt path up a hillside near the freeway, which lies in a hilly landscape on outer reaches of the Southern California megalopolis.

Like a scene out of 'Fury Road': Motorcyclist Kyle Katsandris jumped the 60 Freeway in Moreno Valley, California, gliding from one hillside to another

Video uploaded to Instagram shows a man preparing a dirt path up a hillside near the freeway and the subsequent jump. The video, which has more than 70,000 views, is captioned: 'The key board warriors were out in full force. Where are you now #nolimits'

An artful shot shows Katsandris ascend a hill with greenery on the right and barren mountains on the left.

He later arrives at the jump-off point and is seen gaining tens of feet over the cars below.

The video, which has more than 70,000 views on the social media platform, is captioned: 'The key board warriors were out in full force. Where are you now #nolimits.'

An artful shot shows Katsandris ascend a hill with greenery on the right and barren mountains on the left

Some travelers wondered what would have happened in the event of an accident.

A woman told CBS News: 'Becoming a threat to other people as well. Not only to himself. Its not only about his injuries, its about other people.'

A friend of Katsandris's said the motorbike enthusiast frequently pulls such stunts.

But it remains to be seen whether California Highway Patrol and the Riverside County Sheriff's Department - both of which are investigating the incident - will be impressed.
Andrea Heming disappeared before her sentencing two years ago after pleading guilty to poisoning her husband

A woman from Nevada is on the run after poisoning her husband's Lucky Charms cereal all to get out of having sex with him.

Andrea Heming pleaded guilty to contaminating her husband's food after putting boric acid in his cereal, energy drinks and even whipped cream.

The chemical is often used to kill cockroaches. The man suffered from diarrhea and nose bleeds for months before he realized what was happening.

When questioned by police, Heming admitted to poisoning his food.

A police report states Heming told police, 'I wouldn't use that much to kill him, but just enough to make him not have an erection.'

Heming poisoned her husband's Lucky Charms cereal with Boric acid (file)

Video courtesy of KTNV

The night before she was due to be sentenced she went on the run and has been on the lam for the past two years.

'I was very surprised,' her ex-husband, identified by 3 News only as 'Ralph,' told the station. 'I thought we had a better system of keeping track and holding people responsible.'

'I had been getting sick awhile back. Like six to eight months. I got stomach cramps.'

Ralph told the station that his wife's erratic behavior wasn't just aimed at him: 'She did reveal to me a story where she was a flight attendant at one time, and she had a customer  you know a passenger who was she said was unruly,' he told the station. 'She actually put sedatives in her drink.'

Law enforcement officials believe Hemming is hiding in Mexico.

If she is ever caught, she could face up to 15 years in prison.
Donald Trump erupted into a 'ballistic' Oval Office tirade against his senior staff for failing to fight off Sessions' recusal amid Russia links and told Priebus and Bannon they weren't flying on Air Force One to Florida, before storming out, reports have claimed.

The president was seemingly expecting a celebratory week following his praised speech to Congress on Tuesday but after a fresh round of Russia allegations, Trump was furious over the 'mini disaster' according to multiple accounts.

He was allegedly especially upset over Attorney General Jeff Sessions' decision to recuse himself from all FBI investigations regarding Russia on Thursday and took it out on his senior staff the next day.

In his 'ballistic' rant, Trump gave his aides a verbal lashing and told chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Stephen Bannon they wouldn't be accompanying him on Air Force One to Florida, before storming out on Friday.

In less than 24 hours after his blow out with staff, Trump released a series of tweets that accused Obama of authorizing a wiretapping on Trump Tower right before the election and called it 'McCarthyism'.

Donald Trump erupted into a 'ballistic' tirade against his senior staff for failing to fight off Sessions recusal amid Russia links on Friday. He is pictured leaving the Oval Office on Friday

In his explosive lecture to his senior staff Trump told his chief of staff Reince Priebus (left) and chief strategist Stephen Bannon (right) they wouldn't be accompanying him on Air Force One to Florida before he stormed out of the Oval Office

Trump accused Obama of tapping his phones at Trump Tower in a flurry of tweets early on Saturday morning, just hours after he erupted at his senior staff

DID OBAMA ORDER THE WIRETAPPING ON TRUMP TOWER? President Trump claimed in a series of tweets that Obama had wiretapped Trump Tower back in October, early Saturday morning. The Obama administration quickly denied Trump's allegations that the former president had ordered a wiretap on the New York building on Saturday. A statement put forth by his team said: 'A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice. 'As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen.' However, most glaringly, the statement did not deny allegations that there was a wiretap. It simply said Obama never ordered one on Trump. This means that another federal agency may have sought authorization to listen in on Trump Tower and received it. Advertisement

Trump was seemingly outraged after learning of the alleged wiretapping, adding to his earlier anger directed towards his senior staff members over more Russia tie allegations.

Sources said to CNN the Oval Office lecture had a 'lot of expletives' and that 'nobody has seen him that upset'.

According to Politico sources, during the 'robust discussion' in the Oval Office among his chief of staff Reince Priebus, senior adviser Jared Kushner, chief strategist Steve Bannon, communications director Mike Dubke, and press secretary Sean Spicer, there were 'fireworks'. His daughter Ivanka was also present.

Trump learned of Sessions' decision following a visit with military in Virginia where he had told reporters he had 'total' trust in the attorney general and didn't think he should remove himself, reported ABC News.

A senior White House official said to the news outlet: 'We should have had a good week. We should have had a good weekend. But once again, back to Russia.'

Sessions announced that he would recuse himself from all investigations involving the presidential campaign in order to save his job, after it was revealed he had met a Russian ambassador twice during the campaign.

When Trump returned to the White House amid the media frenzy of Sessions' declaration, he was angry that the news was overshadowing the progress he felt he had made in his speech to Congress, CNN reported.

Further sources told Politico that Trump had further expressed his frustrations with his administration in phonecalls over the weekend.

'He's tired of everyone thinking his presidency is screwed up,' said one person who spoke to him.

Obama's administration was quick to deny the claims and an official echoed others saying Obama could not have ordered a wire-tap, adding that it would have been taken to a judge by investigators, but investigators never did that

After the reported blow out, Trump departed to his estate in Florida with his grandchildren on Friday. Bannon later left for Florida on Saturday after reports he volunteered to stay behind in Washington

The talk grew reportedly heated when Sessions' recusal was brought up. The same day of the attorney general's announcement, Trump had told reporters he had 'total' trust in him. He is seen above on March 2

Sean Spicer told the news organization: 'The President had a fantastic week advancing his agenda to lift up all Americans and keep the nation safe.

'His joint session speech will go down in history as one of the best.'

In the wake of Trump's fury, Bannon and Priebus were no longer riding in the aircraft to travel to Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, as originally planned.

A source told ABC News that both men volunteered not to make the trip to Florida and instead stay in Washington and Trump agreed that they should.

Bannon later flew out to Florida on Saturday but it was not clear if that was his intended travel plans.

According to an official regarding the phone tapping claims, a wiretap cannot be directed at a US facility, without finding probable cause that the phone lines or internet addresses were being used by agents of a foreign power.

Another former senior US official, who worked under the Obama administration, told CNN there was no such investigation of Trump, nor were his phones tapped.

'This did not happen. It is false. Wrong,' the former official said.

The official echoed that of others saying Obama could not have ordered this and adding that it would have been taken to a judge by investigators, but investigators never did that.

The president, who is currently vacationing at his private Mar-a-Lago estate, did not provide any additional evidence to back up his claims.
President Donald Trump has declared that the media are the 'enemy of the people,' but his administration was willing to joke around with reporters and poke fun at itself in a venerable Washington tradition.

Vice President Mike Pence was the featured speaker Saturday night at the 132nd annual Gridiron Dinner, a comedic white-tie affair featuring skits, songs and speeches.

He called the dinner 'a light-hearted respite' from bruising beltway politics and dished out a number of jokes, including a dig at the Best Picture snafu at least week's Academy Awards.

'We haven't seen that many shocked Hollywood liberals since November 8th,' Pence said, recalling Trump's upset Election Day victory.

Vice President Mike Pence was the featured speaker Saturday night at the 132nd annual Gridiron Dinner, a comedic white-tie affair featuring skits, songs and speeches

The President did not attend the dinner, instead spending the weekend at his coastal Florida estate.

For more than a century, every president has spoken at the dinner at least once.

But while most of Pence's remarks were self-deprecating, he also chastised reporters over what he considered unfair news coverage, seeming to channel his boss, the media critic in chief, by saying 'we all just have to do better.'

Most of the night, though, was good-humored with jabs at Hillary Clinton, White House leaks and the lingering question of Russian influence in the election.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who was the featured Democratic speaker, belted out 'don't take my Medicare away' during a skit on the main stage.

Standing just a few feet away from Pence, she noted that 'this president has appointed so many people from Goldman Sachs to his Cabinet that there's no one left there to listen to Hillary's speeches.'

'Does the president know you're here laughing with the enemies of the people?' Pelosi asked. 'It's OK, Mr Vice President. People here can keep a secret ... unlike at the White House.'

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who was the featured Democratic speaker, belted out 'don't take my Medicare away' during a skit on the main stage

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst (pictured wearing orange), who gave the Republican address, said her goal was simple: 'to make this speech shorter than Mike Flynn's time at the NSA'

And she said she was sorry Trump and his wife couldn't be there but offered a greeting to the first family - in Russian.

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, who gave the Republican address, said her goal was simple: 'to make this speech shorter than Mike Flynn's time at the NSA.'

She also noted that Pence was 'one heartbeat away from being the second most-powerful person in the country' - behind White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Among the Washington bold-faced names in attendance were former Secretary of State Colin Powell, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and the subject of many jokes, White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

The dinner is a Washington tradition, as the Gridiron Club was founded in 1885, just after the election of Grover Cleveland.

Cleveland never attended a dinner, but every president since has been at least once.

Fifteen journalists formed the club and instituted the formal dinner, in modern times held every year at a downtown Washington hotel in a setting less glitzy and celebrity-studded than its more famous cousin, the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Trump has said he will not attend that dinner this year either.

President Barack Obama attended the Gridiron dinner three times while in office. George W Bush made it six out of eight years while in office.
Pauline Hanson has angered the government by likening a compulsory vaccination policy to a dictatorship.

The One Nation leader slammed the 'no jab, no pay' policy where family payments of up to $15,000 a year are withheld if parents fail to have their kids immunised.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull shot down Senator Hanson's assertion the government is blackmailing parents into vaccinating their children.

'If parents choose not to vaccinate their children, they are putting their children's health at risk and every other person's children's health at risk too,' he told reporters in the central Queensland town Barcaldine on Sunday.

Scroll down for video

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has compared a vaccination program to blackmail

ABC Insiders host Barrie Cassidy's assertion that vaccinations saved lives failed to move Senator Hanson

'It is a vital health objective to ensure that everybody is vaccinated.'

Senator Hanson, who actually had her four children vaccinated, described the policy introduced by Tony Abbott's government as an affront to civil liberties.

'What I don't like about it is the blackmailing that's happening with the government - don't do that to people,' the Queensland senator told the ABC's Insiders program on Sunday.

She hit back at ABC Insiders host Barrie Cassidy's assertion vaccinations saved lives.

'That's a dictatorship and I think people have a right to investigate themselves,' she said.

'I hear from so many parents, where are their rights?'

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said unvaccinated children were a risk to other children

Health Minster Greg Hunt has also weighed in to say vaccinations save lives

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the 'no jab, no pay' welfare policy had led to an extra 200,000 children being vaccinated during the past year

Health Minister Greg Hunt told AAP: 'The clear and categorical advice from experts including the chief medical officer, based on decades of research and evidence, is that vaccinations save lives.'

Mr Hunt both highlighted the success of the 'no jab no pay' policy, saying it had led to an extra 200,000 children being vaccinated over the past year.

'It's good news for kids, their families, and the community,' he told AAP.

Labor's health spokeswoman Catherine King was appalled to hear Senator Hanson's comments.

'They aren't just wrong - they are dangerous,' she wrote on Twitter.

Former Australian Medical Association president Brian Owler said Senator Hanson was 'dangerous and ignorant'.

'Vaccination (is) the most effective public health measure ever,' the pediatric neurosurgeon wrote on Twitter.

Senator Hanson's advice was 'uninformed, dangerous and insulting' and it was disgraceful that an Australian politician could endanger children like that, he said.
A Pentagon plan for an assault on Islamic State capital Raqqa will see major US army deployment.

The proposal, which Donald Trump saw on Monday, is banking on reduced restrictions on US activities in the region that were ordered under Barack Obama, the Washington Post reported.

A major part of the proposal would be to increase the number of US Special Operations trainers and advisers, which currently number around 500.

It does not call for putting Americans on the front lines but does call for greater American decision-making powers.

Scroll down for video

A Pentagon plan for an assault on Islamic State capital Raqqa was seen by Donald Trump on Monday. It is banking on reduced restrictions on US activities in the region that were ordered under Barack Obama

A major part of the proposal would be to increase the number of US Special Operations trainers and advisers, which currently number around 500. Pictured: An Iraqi Army officer watches as a rocket launched towards Islamic State militants during a battle in Mosul, Iraq

The plan comes as a major battle to liberate the Islamic State group's stronghold of Raqqa in northern Syria looms after victories on the battlefields of Mosul and Palmyra.

Questions remain as to who exactly will lead the operation to kick ISIS out of its de facto capital.

Syrian government forces, Turkish troops and their Syrian militia allies, and US-backed Kurdish forces all have their eye on Raqqa.

Each vehemently rejects letting the others capture the city and would likely react in anger should the United States support the others, and it is not clear that any has the resources to take the city on its own.

The fall of Raqqa, the Islamic State group's de facto capital and largest remaining stronghold, would be the biggest defeat for the militants in Syria since they captured the northern city on the banks of the Euphrates River in January 2014.

The proposal does not call for putting Americans on the front lines but does call for greater American decision-making powers. Pictured: A displaced Iraqi family in Hamam Ali town, southern Mosul

Plan comes as major battle to liberate Raqqa looms after victories on the battlefields of Mosul and Palmyra. Questions remain as to who exactly will lead the operation to kick ISIS out of its de facto capital. Pictured: Iraqi soldiers

Syrian government forces, Turkish troops and their Syrian militia allies, and US-backed Kurdish forces all have their eye on Raqqa. Pictured: Smoke billows as Iraqi forces hold a position on a street in Mosul on March 1

Since October, US-backed coalition forces have been advancing on Mosul in an attempt to re-capture it from the terror group's control.

Civilians have been evacuated and ISIS have been driven out of the city one village and area at a time.

Saturday morning, an Iraqi military commander says forces have taken control of another neighborhood in western Mosul.

Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, spokesman of the Joint Military Operations Command said despite bad weather, Iraqi special operations forces have completely retaken the Wadi Hajjar area from militants.

However, commanders on the ground say that clearing operations are still continuing.

Wadi Hajjar lies just northwest of the city's international airport.

Iraqi forces, including special operations forces and federal police units, launched an attack on the western part of Mosul nearly two weeks ago to dislodge the extremists.

Since the offensive began, more than 28,000 people have been displaced by the fighting, according to the UN.

Across the border in Syria, army units were clearing land mines and explosives left behind by ISIS in the historic town of Palmyra on Friday, a day after government troops and allied militiamen recaptured it from the extremists.

The military expects the process to be long and difficult due to the large number of mines planted by the terror group.

Syrian troops fully recaptured Palmyra on Thursday after a push that saw the militants' defenses crumble and ISIS fighters flee in the face of artillery fire and intense Russia-backed airstrikes.

Each vehemently rejects letting the others capture the city and would likely react in anger should the United States support the others, and it is not clear that any has the resources to take the city on its own. Pictured: Parts of the ancient city of Palmyra being blown up

Fighters from the al-Qaida linked Islamic State, now called the Islamic State group, marching in Raqqa, Syria, where attention will now turn

Now, all eyes turn to Raqqa.

Faysal Itani, an analyst at the Washington-based Atlantic Council, said: 'Raqqa is more of an abstract goal: everyone wants it in principle, but no one is willing to commit the resources and bear the risks necessary.'

Turkey rules out a US compromise in Syria Turkey is ruling out compromise with the United States over the involvement of Kurdish militia fighters in an assault in Syria, an obstacle for Washington's plan to deploy its strongest allies on the ground in a decisive showdown with Islamic State. Donald Trump has made defeating ISIS one of the key goals of his presidency, and his new administration received a draft Pentagon plan on Monday to accelerate the campaign. Raqqa in Syria, one of Islamic State's two de facto capitals along with Mosul in Iraq, is expected to be the scene of the final battle to crush the jihadists' self-proclaimed Caliphate sometime this year, after a US-backed Iraqi government assault on Mosul already under way since October. But putting together a united ground force to take Raqqa has so far proven a confounding task in Syria, where the United States, Turkey, Russia, Iran and Arab states have all backed local forces in a multi-sided civil war since 2011. All the foreign powers oppose Islamic State, but their Syrian proxies have mainly fought against one another. Turkey, with the second largest army in NATO, is adamant that Washington should switch support for the planned Raqqa offensive from the Kurdish YPG militia to Syrian rebels Turkey has trained and led against Islamic State for the past year. Advertisement

President Donald Trump has vowed to 'obliterate' the group.

'We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet,' he told Congress on Tuesday.

The top US commander in the campaign against IS, Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, has said he believes Raqqa and Mosul will be taken within six months.

So far, the offensive on Mosul has been underway four months, with only half the city captured from the militants in ferocious street-to-street urban combat.

And that is using a relatively intensively trained and united military, backed by heavy U.S. firepower and commandos on the ground - a contrast to the comparatively undisciplined and fragmented forces the US has to choose from as allies in Syria.

Raqqa is a smaller city than Mosul, but the militants are believed to have dug in with powerful fortifications there.

In Syria, US-backed predominantly Kurdish fighters known as the Syria Democratic Forces, or SDF, remain Trump's best bet.

Aided by US-led coalition airstrikes and some 500 US special forces troops deployed in an advisory role, the force has been marching toward Raqqa since November.

Closing in on the city from different directions, it is now stationed some eight kilometers (five miles) north of the city.

The US military recently provided a small number of armored vehicles to the US-backed force to give better protection from small arms fire and roadside bombs as they get closer to Raqqa.

Further aid to the rag-tag group, however, raises sensitive questions over how to deal with Turkey, a NATO ally with much at stake in Syria.

Turkey considers the main Kurdish militia in Syria - known as the YPG, and an affiliate of the US-backed SDF - a terrorist organization, and has vowed to work with Syrian opposition fighters known as the Free Syrian Army to liberate Raqqa.

In a dramatic reversal of years of the Obama administration's calls for the ouster of President Bashar Assad, Trump has hinted he might be willing to work with Assad's army and Russia, whose year-and-a-half military intervention has propped up Assad's government.

Assad's forces are preoccupied with other battles, however, and would likely need significant US military involvement to take on Raqqa.

On Wednesday, the Syrian military recaptured the central town of Palmyra, a city located in the desert south of Raqqa that has gone back and forth between control of the military and the extremists several times.

The government forces have also clashed with the Turkish-backed Syrian fighters, who block their path to Raqqa.

Iraqi security forces inspect a recently discovered tunnel that had been used by Islamic State militants as a training camp, in western Mosul, Iraq on Wednesday, March 1. 2017

Syrians are sharply divided over who should enter Raqqa.

Many opposition supporters consider the SDF, which maintains a tacit non-aggression pact with Assad's forces, to be a hostile group.

There are also fears of tensions if Raqqa, home to a nearly 200,000 mainly Arab population, is taken by the SDF, a coalition of Kurdish, Arab and Christian fighters.

'Let us be frank that any force that will liberate Raqqa, other than the Free Syrian Army, is going to be a new occupation force with different flags and banners,' said Mohammed Khodor of Sound and Picture Organization, which tracks atrocities by ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim was even more blunt, warning that if the SDF enters Raqqa, it will hurt relations between Ankara and Washington.

Since the Mosul offensive began, more than 28,000 people like these have been displaced by the fighting, according to the UN

'We have said that a terror organization cannot be used against another terror organization,' the Turkish leader told the state-run Anadolu news agency.

The Kurds reject that notion and insist that only forces fighting under the SDF banner will liberate Raqqa.

'Turkey is an occupation force and has no legitimate right to enter Raqqa,' said SDF spokeswoman Cihan Sheikh Ehmed.

In a text message exchange from northern Syria, she said the SDF has the experience in fighting IS to finish the operation.

Battlefield victories by the SDF against the Islamic State group have brought growing Western support.

Asked if adding more US troops or better arming Syria's Kurds were options, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he will 'accommodate any request' from his field commanders.

In Mosul, the US-led coalition is playing a greater role than ever before in the fight against IS and coalition forces have moved closer to front-line fighting.

U.S. Air Force Col. John Dorrian says the increased support is an effort to 'accelerate the campaign' against the Islamic State group, noting that launching simultaneous operations in both Mosul and Raqqa 'puts further strain on the enemy's command and control.'

'It is a complicating factor when you don't have a partner government to work with,' conceded Dorrian, adding that whoever the coalition partners with in the fight for Raqqa is 'a subject of ongoing discussions.'

Wladimir van Wilgenburg, a Middle East analyst at the Jamestown Foundation who closely follows Kurdish affairs, says the US-led coalition wants to have a quick end to IS in Raqqa, from which external operations against the West are planned.

That means it would prefer to work with the Kurdish-led SDF forces 'since they are able to mobilize manpower unlike the Turks,' he said.

An ISIS flag flies in the city of Palmyra - but not for long as victory nears in the city

Allied forces stand on the rubble of the Tetrapylon and Roman Amphitheatre in Palmyra

An Iraqi soldier inspects a recently-discovered train tunnel, adorned with an Islamic State group flag

In any case, the battle for Raqqa is sure to be a long and deadly one. It took the SDF nearly 10 weeks to capture the northern Syrian town of Manbij from IS last year.

It took Turkish forces and allied groups more than three months to retake the town of al-Bab, a costly battle that killed dozens of Turkish soldiers and many civilians.

Raqqa is much larger than either Manbij or al-Bab.

Some Syrian opposition activists say the extremists dug a trench around it to make it difficult for attackers to storm it.

'It would be difficult for any troops,' said Itani of the Atlantic Council.

'Witness the slow and ugly progress in Mosul as well. Raqqa would be tough,' he said.
One minute it was a stolen chicken farm used to make thousands of deadly improvised truck bombs for Islamic State.

But in seconds it was reduced to rubble when five 227-kilogram bombs fired from two Australian fighter jets struck the factor just outside Mosul.

The GPS-guided bombs were some of more than 1,600 ordnance fired, with pinpoint accuracy, at the jihadist group since the RAAF joined the fight in Iraq.

Australian F/A-18 fighter jets are flying missions over Iraq six days a week, destroying ISIS targets in the battle for Mosul

Two jets destroyed this chicken farm converted into an improvised truck bomb factory

Australia has seven F/A-18 Hornets stationed a short flight from the war zone flying missions six days a week, destroying hundreds of targets.

Drone footage from the strike on the bomb factory obtained by Seven News shows their devastating impact in the battle for the key ISIS stronghold of Mosul.

'All those bombs landed exactly where they were meant to,' Air Task Group Commander Mike Kitcher told the program.

More explosions were seen afterwards as bombs inside the facility were detonated, sending smoke plumes into the air.

Five 227-kilogram GPS-guided bombs struck at the same time, completely destroying the facility

It was reduced to rubble in seconds, one of hundreds of ISIS targets destroyed by the RAAF

Meanwhile, another Hornet wiped out a terrorist firing position on a building inside the city that was shooting at Iraqi military.

Australian special forces called in the strike and observed its impact through a drone camera.

The jets are doing well for 30-year-old warplanes, but will soon be replaced by the controversial and long-delayed F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

For now though, they are well-suited to doing the 'heavy lifting' of Australia's contribution to the war as it draws to a close.
Kellyanne Conway made headlines this week after a photo of her kneeling on a couch in the Oval Office caused controversy.

So it was no surprise when she showed up throughout this week's episode of Saturday Night Live - albeit very subtly.

Conway - impersonated by Kate McKinnon - was spotted kneeling and looking at her phone several times during the show's various sketches as SNL poked fun at the 'couchgate' photo controversy.

Unlike previous episodes, Trump's advisor didn't have her own sketch. Instead, Conway was a silent fixture in the background - appearing on a chair, the floor and even the news desk.

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Kellyanne Conway, impersonated by Kate McKinnon, was spotted kneeling several times during Saturday Night Live as the show poked fun at the 'couchgate' photo controversy

"Being in the government is so fun." #SNL pic.twitter.com/EW3zNiMO6A  Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) March 5, 2017

It stemmed from an incident in the Oval Office this week when Conway was caught on camera kneeling on a couch with her high heels as Donald Trump posed for photos with leaders from some of the country's historically black colleges and universities.

The White House adviser came under fierce criticism with many calling her out for how disrespectful the pose was.

SNL also referred to 'couchgate' in its cold open where embattled attorney general Jeff Sessions was trolled in a sketch inspired by Forrest Gump.

'Being in the government is so fun. Have you ever been in it?' McKinnon's impersonation of Sessions asked a person sitting at a bus stop.

Sessions showed the photo of Conway kneeling on a couch in the Oval Office saying: 'This is my best good friend, Kellyanne. She ain't got no legs.'

'She's the best talker you've ever heard.'

Unlike previous episodes, Trump's advisor didn't have her own sketch. Instead, Conway was a silent fixture in the background - appearing on a chair, the floor and even the news desk

McKinnon was spotted kneeling and looking at her phone several times during the show's various sketches in reference to a photo taken on Conway in the Oval Office this week

It stemmed from an incident in the Oval Office this week when Conway was caught on camera kneeling on a couch with her high heels on as Donald Trump posed for photos

The cold open featured the attorney general having a series of conversations with people on a park bench in a parody of the 1994 film Forrest Gump.

McKinnon's version of Sessions, who ate from a box of chocolates the entire time, started out denying any involvement with the Russians.

'I never talk to any Russians ever, and that's all I got to say about that,' she told one person.

But just seconds later, he changed his mind.

SNL also referred to Conway in its cold open where embattled attorney general Jeff Sessions was trolled in a sketch inspired by Forrest Gump. He held up the photo of Conway saying: 'This is my best good friend, Kellyanne. She ain't got no legs.'

McKinnon's version of Sessions, who ate from a box of chocolates the entire time, started out denying any involvement with the Russians before eventually fist pumping Vladimir Putin

'I talked to the Russians,' he said, referring to recent reports the attorney general was removing himself from investigations into his meetings with the Russian ambassador during the election campaign.

Beck Bennett's version of Vladimir Putin then appeared next to Sessions on the bus seat.

'This meeting never happened,' Putin said.

Sessions replied: 'I wasn't going to remember it anyway.'

Octavia Spencer, who is this week's SNL host, reprised her role as Minny Jackson, an African American maid from The Help, when she sat down next to Sessions at the bus stop.

She came bearing a freshly baked pie for Sessions. It referenced a pie she baked in the film using her own excrement, which she later fed to her white employer.




Author Stephen King mocked Donald Trump with a list of possible Obama conspiracy theories after he accused the former president of wiretapping.

The horror-novelist imagined another set of terrifying possibilities that Obama had done after Trump claimed in a series of tweets that his New York building was listened in on before the election, he said on Saturday.

King, 69, speculated that not only did Obama order the wiretapping and personally install it while Michelle stood guard, but Trump's predecessor also stole ice cream and was hiding out in the White House with scissors.

Author Stephen King (left) mocked Donald Trump with a list of possible Obama conspiracy theories after the president accused his predecessor of wiretapping on Saturday

The horror-novelist imagined another set of terrifying possibilities for Trump, including Obama stealing strawberry ice cream

The 69-year-old continued in another tweet that Obama had personally installed the wire tap while Michelle stood guard

He first tweeted out on Saturday morning: 'Not only did Obama tap Trump's phones, he stole the strawberry ice cream out of the mess locker.'

Known for suspense, he later upped the ante and said: 'Obama tapped Trump's phones IN PERSON! Went in wearing a Con Ed coverall. Michelle stood guard while O spliced the lines. SAD!'

Then finally wrote: 'Trump should know OBAMA NEVER LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE! Hes in the closet! HE HAS SCISSORS!'

King had said the day before that the president's administration reminded him of Tom Arnold's 1996 movie The Stupids.

To up the ante he finished with: 'OBAMA NEVER LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE! Hes in the closet! HE HAS SCISSORS!'

Just before King mocked Trump about the wiretapping, he said his administration reminded him of the movie The Stupids

The 1996 film starring Tom Arnold is about a dull-witted family that takes everything literally

The film is about a dull-witted family that takes everything literally and stumbles around trying to piece together information, according to IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes.

He said: 'All politics aside, the Trump administration reminds me of that Tom Arnold movie, THE STUPIDS. Really, you guys, this is embarrassing.'

King doesn't limit his observations on politics to just Trump. The Washington Post reported in 2015 he commented on Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Republican presidency candidates before Trump,

He said in April 2015: 'Cruz, Paul and Rubio, all running for President. Hey, I thought I was supposed to write the horror stories.'

Trump accused Obama of tapping his phones at Trump Tower in a flurry of tweets Saturday morning

Trump fired off his tweets shortly after 3.30am ET Saturday morning and Obama's administration later strongly denied the allegations

Trump accused Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower on Saturday morning and the Obama administration was swift to strongly deny the allegations.

Obama's spokesman Kevin Lewis released a statement Saturday afternoon refuting Trump's wire-tapping claims, which said: 'A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice.

'As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false.'

However, the statement did not deny that another federal agency may have sought authorization to listen in on Trump Towers and received it.

Lewis' statement comes shortly after Trump's tweets early Saturday morning claiming that the former president had been spying on him in October, a month before his election victory.

'Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!' the president wrote on Twitter.




An unemployed miner sobbed into his father's arms as he was sentenced to five years jail for trafficking large amounts of meth.

James William Arthur Watt sold as much as 70 grams of the drug ice at a time from his base in Mackay, central Queensland, as well as cocaine and marijuana.

He pleaded guilty to trafficking dangerous drugs in the Mackay Supreme Court on Thursday, according to the Sunshine Coast Daily.

James William Arthur Watt was sentenced to five years in prison for drug trafficking

Mr Watt was caught on tape by undercover police making drug deals

The 33-year-old was caught on tape by undercover police making numerous deals and bragged he could obtain wholesale quantities of ice, the court heard.

Watt sold tens of thousands of dollars worth of drugs while under surveillance between March 19 and October 15, 2015.

Crown prosecutor Jacob Robson said would buy an ounce of ice for $9,000 and sell it to 20 to 30 customers, including street dealers, in just two days.

He was also adept at standover tactics, and could 'be seen to be quite forceful', making 'implied threats' to customers who owed him money.

Watt's dealing started as a way to support his own gram-a-week ice addiction developed after he lost his job as a mining machine operator in late 2014.

Defence lawyer Stephen Byrne said his life spiralled out of control and his lost his house and split up with his long-term girlfriend.

He allowed 'drugs to take over his life' and despite his dealing profits he was $30,000 in debt and 'considering declaring bankruptcy'.

Mr Watt could be on parole in early 2018 due to time already served

He was also left with just 75 per cent use of his right arm from being shot in the elbow in 2015, which his lawyer said was 'not drug related'.

Much of his dealing was done while on bail for drug possession, and he spent 233 days in jail for breaching bail on another charge.

Justice David North said Watt was a 'productive, law-abiding member of society' before losing his job in the economic downturn.

With time served, Watt could be out on parole on January 23, 2018.
President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions dined together in Mar-a-Lago Saturday night.

The pair also dined with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly and White House counsel Don McGahn during Trump's fourth straight weekend spent at his estate.

Trump and Sessions also spoke with guests of a Japan-themed charity gala held tonight at Mar-a-Lago, for which tickets ran $600 per person and up, the Palm Beach Post reported.

Absent at dinner were Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, against whom Trump launched into a 'ballistic' Oval Office tirade on Friday.

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Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions dined together in Mar-a-Lago Saturday night along with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly and White House counsel Don McGahn. Pictured: Trump arriving on Air Force One Friday

Trump was allegedly upset over Sessions's decision to recuse himself from all investigations involving the presidential campaign in order to save his job, after it was revealed he had met a Russian ambassador twice during the campaign, which he announced on Thursday, March 2

Trump and Sessions also spoke with guests of a Japan-themed charity gala held tonight at Mar-a-Lago, for which tickets ran $600 per person and up. Pictured: Scenes from the gala

Trump was allegedly especially upset over their failure to fight off Sessions's decision to recuse himself from all FBI investigations regarding Russia, which Sessions announced Thursday.

Trump told the pair that they were not flying on Air Force One to Florida before he stormed out on Friday, reports have claimed.

Sources said to CNN the lecture had a 'lot of expletives' and that 'nobody has seen him that upset.'

The president was seemingly expecting a celebratory week following his praised speech to Congress on Tuesday but after a fresh round of Russia allegations, Trump was furious over the 'mini disaster' according to multiple accounts.

Sessions announced that he would recuse himself from all investigations involving the presidential campaign in order to save his job, after it was revealed he had met a Russian ambassador twice during the campaign.

Trump learned of Sessions' decision following a visit with military in Virginia where he had told reporters he had 'total' trust in the attorney general and didn't think he should remove himself, reported ABC News.

Absent at dinner were Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, against whom Trump launched into a 'ballistic' Oval Office tirade on Friday. Pictured: Trump's limousines waiting at Mar-a-Lago on March 3

The president was seemingly expecting a celebratory week following his praised speech to Congress on Tuesday but after a fresh round of Russia allegations, Trump was furious over the 'mini disaster' according to multiple accounts. Pictured: Mar-a-Lago

When Trump returned to the White House amid the media frenzy of Sessions's declaration, he was angry that the news was overshadowing the progress he felt he had made in his speech to Congress. Pictured: Sessions (left) and Trump (right) together on February 28

When Trump returned to the White House amid the media frenzy of Sessions's declaration, he was angry that the news was overshadowing the progress he felt he had made in his speech to Congress, CNN reported.

Sean Spicer told the news organization: 'The President had a fantastic week advancing his agenda to lift up all Americans and keep the nation safe.

'His joint session speech will go down in history as one of the best.'

In the wake of Trump's fury, Bannon and Priebus were no longer riding in the aircraft to travel to Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, as originally planned.

Trump was allegedly especially upset over failure of Chief of Staff Reince Priebus (left) and Chief Strategist Steve Bannon (right) to fight off Sessions's decision. Trump told pair they wouldn't accompany him on Air Force One to Florida before he stormed out of the Oval Office

After the reported blow out, Trump departed to his estate in Florida with his grandchildren on Friday. Bannon later left for Florida on Saturday after reports he volunteered to stay behind in Washington

A source told ABC News that both men volunteered not to make the trip to Florida and instead stay in Washington and Trump agreed that they should.

Bannon later flew out to Florida on Saturday but it was not clear if that was his intended travel plans.

The next day he released a series of tweets that accused Obama of authorizing a wiretapping on Trump Tower right before the election and called it 'McCarthyism'.

Trump has mingled with guests of charity events at Mar-a-Lago on three previous occasions since his inauguration.
An Australian businessman who was the first to invest in Snapchat has been rewarded for his bold gamble to the tune of $2 billion.

Perth-raised Jeremy Liew stumped up $641,000 in 2012 from his Lightspeed Venture Partners company to help get Snapchat off the ground, the Australian Financial Review reported.

Now that Snap Inc. - the parent company of the photo sharing app - has completed its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange, Mr Liew's company is currently sitting on a $2 billion profit from the investment.

Perth-raised Jeremy Liew was the first to invest in Snapchat, in 2012

Snapchat is a popular photo sharing app

Snap, the parent company of the popular video social network Snapchat, debuted on the New York Stock Exchange last week

'It's just another day at the office,' Mr Liew said.

Mr Liew grew up in Perth and studied at the Australian National University before heading to the U.S. 20 years ago.

He first stumbled across Snapchat after being told the daughter of Lightspeed partner Barry Eggers was spending a large chunk of time on the app, which launched in 2011.

Mr Liew then contacted Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel through Facebook.

Jeremy Liew grew up in Perth and headed to the U.S. 20 years ago where he now works as a venture capitalist

Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel and his fiancee, Australian model Miranda Kerr

'We set up a meeting for the next day, and about two weeks later we signed a termsheet to lead the first round of investment in Snapchat. It's been an amazing ride ever since,' Mr Liew said.

He described Mr Spiegel, the fiancee of Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr, as a 'visionary'.

'He [Spiegel] is an extraordinary founder, product visionary and leader,' Mr Liew said.
Nearly 150 million of the UK's health budget was spent on international development in the past year, it has been revealed.

This included at least 15 million on the World Health Organisation's anti-smoking schemes.

It has been reported that the amount the Department of Health spent on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) has almost quadrupled in the past year from 32 million in 2015/16 to 149 million in 2016/17.

Nearly 150 million of the UK's health budget was spent on international development in the past year including 15 million to help people abroad stop smoking (Stock image)

Conservative MP Philip Davies, who uncovered the figures after a series of Parliamentary questions, said: 'When we have got a crisis in social care in the UK, it is completely unacceptable,' according to the Sunday Express.

He added: 'It's a luxury we cannot afford. We shouldn't be prioritising spending this kind of money abroad when we have got such high level of need in the UK.'

A Department of Health spokesperson said: 'The way we account for this money has changed over time, and not a penny of it has been diverted away from the NHS frontlinebut as diseases do not respect borders, and epidemics like Ebola threaten us at home, we make no apology for using UK expertise to help people in developing countries defeat the world's worst infectious diseases.'

Last week, MPs warned that patients are being let down by bickering between health bosses and politicians while the NHS spirals into crisis.

Conservative MP Philip Davies uncovered the figures after a series of Parliamentary questions

The Governments funding plans are simply not up the job, according to the Commons public accounts committee.

Ministers are accused of shifting money around to hide a financial black hole, while Theresa May has fallen out with NHS England boss Simon Stevens.

The news of the international aid spending came just hours after MPs urged Philip Hammond to use his Budget to provide an urgent funding boost for social care.

The Chancellor should bring forward 1.5 billion earmarked for 2019-20 to fill the funding gap councils are facing from April, the Commons Communities and Local Government Committee said.

The MPs said pressure on social care was 'acute' and the Government's decision to allow authorities to raise council tax by an extra 3% was 'not adequate' to meet the funding shortfall.

The Local Government Association (LGA) backed the committee's demand and warned that social care services were 'on the brink of collapse'.

Estimates of the black hole in social care funding for 2017-18 range between 1.3 billion and 1.9 billion and the gap could be as high as 2.6 billion by 2019-20.

The report noted that councils had seen their overall budgets cut since 2010, and efforts to make efficiencies and find savings were no longer sustainable.

The news came just hours after MPs urged Philip Hammond to use his Budget to provide an urgent funding boost for social care

Councils had moved from doing 'more for less' to 'less for less', the report said, and 'there is evidence that people are not getting the care required or that the care they already have is not being increased as their needs grow'.

The crisis in social care funding has been blamed for adding to pressure on the NHS as patients who do not need to be in hospital cannot be discharged if proper arrangements are not in place for them in the community.

As well as an ageing population, the introduction of the national living wage has increased the cost of providing care, the report noted.

The MPs called on Mr Hammond to use his March 8 Budget to promise that 1.5 billion of money from the improved Better Care Fund should be brought forward from 2019-20 to 2017-18.

As well as an ageing population, the introduction of the national living wage has increased the cost of providing care (Stock image)

The committee's Labour chairman Clive Betts said: 'The adult social care sector provides care and support to adults of all ages with care needs to enable them to lead independent and fulfilling lives.

'Throughout our inquiry we have heard powerful evidence from all parts of the sector, including people who receive council-funded social care services, about the stress the system is under.

'The Government should bring forward 1.5 billion from the improved Better Care Fund to help social care services meet the immediate pressures over the next year and then commit to closing the funding gap up to 2020.

'While short-term action is vital, there are funding, structural, and other problems facing the social care sector in the medium and long-term which we shall be addressing in our final report published next month'.
Georgia, responding to an intervention from a European court, on Friday suspended a ruling from a domestic court that had placed the country's biggest independent TV station under the control of a close ally of the government.

The country's supreme court on Thursday ordered broadcaster Rustavi 2 returned to its former co-owner, businessman Kibar Khalvashi, in a move critics at home and abroad called an attempt to muzzle the media.

Rustavi 2's attorneys challenged the ruling at the European Court of Human Rights, which on Friday ordered its temporary suspension.

"We will follow this procedure," Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani told reporters, adding that the Strasbourg-based court had also instructed the government to abstain "from interfering with the broadcaster's editorial policy in any manner."

Government officials have accused the popular TV station of bias, while critics fear Khalvashi -- a close supporter of the ruling Georgian Dream party -- will silence the only strong media voice critical of the government.


The Chancellor is to unveil an extra 500million a year on technical and vocational training this week in an effort to create a new generation of electricians, plumbers and builders to replace European migrants in the post-Brexit age.

Philip Hammond will unveil 'radical' plans to improve technical education, including the introduction of 'T Level' exams, in the Budget on Wednesday.

In the last decade a shortage of workers in construction, engineering and domestic trades have been filled by Polish, Romanian and other European migrants who have brought the required skills.

An apprentice works on a grinding machine at the Cammell Laird shipyard on Merseyside. But employers have been calling for years for improvements to technical post-16 education

But the government is preparing for the post-Brexit world and realises Britain needs to up its game when it comes to post-16 education.

The BBC says 15 'world-class routes' will replace the existing system, where students are offered a mind-boggling choice of 13,000 qualifications.

Teenagers will receive an extra 900 hours of teaching a year, 50 percent more than at present.

Among the 15 'T level' courses on offer will be engineering, construction and manufacturing but also social care, business, administrative and catering.

Britain is fourth from bottom of the world's 20 developed economies when it comes to how many people have a technical education.

Mr Hammond wants to change that and put technical training on the same footing as academic education.

Crossrail took on 400 apprentices but many other construction projects have suffered from a lack of young people with the requisite basic skills

A Treasury source told the Sunday Telegraph: 'Now that we've leaving Europe we really need to up our game on this stuff. We cannot wait. We will soon be competing with every other country after Brexit.'

Lord Sainsbury told the Telegraph: 'Targeted investment of this type makes economic sense. Our international competitors recognised long ago that investing in technical education is essential to enhancing national productivity.'

The building trade, particularly in London and the South East, is set to be among the hardest hit by Brexit, with thousands of construction jobs currently filled by EU migrants.

Thousands of British construction workers are coming up for retirement age and the shortage of skilled workers has begun to affect the housebuilding industry.

Last year the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said bricklayers and quantity surveyors were in particularly short supply.
Pauline Hanson says Russian president Vladimir Putin is the kind of strong leader Australia needs.

In an interview with Barrie Cassidy, the host of the ABC's Insiders program, the One Nation leader praised Mr Putin as 'a strong man' who she respects a great deal.

Her comments were met with disapproval from Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who says Mr Putin's stronghold over his country should not be admired.

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Pauline Hanson (pictured) says Russian president Vladimir Putin is the kind of strong leader Australia needs

In an interview which saw the controversial Senator indicate a distrust of immunisation and declare that Muslims 'hate western society'  Senator Hanson also praised the 'patriotic and well-liked'Mr Putin (pictured)

In an interview which saw the controversial Senator indicate a distrust of immunisation and declare that Muslims 'hate western society'  Senator Hanson also praised the 'patriotic and well-liked' Russian leader.

'He is very patriotic towards his country, the people love him, he is doing so well for the country,' she told ABC TV on Sunday

'So many Australians here want that leadership here in Australia. They want a leader here to stand up for the people and fight for this nation.'

Referring to an unspecific opinion poll, Senator Hason said '97 per cent of Russians respect' Vladmir Putin.

When pressed on the origins of the poll by former Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke's chief press secretary Senator Hanson retorted: 'Do you believe everything you read?'

She then added she 'couldn't care less about Russia'.

In an interview with Barrie Cassidy, (left) the host of the ABC's Insiders program, the One Nation leader praised Mr Putin as 'a strong man' who she respects a great deal

Referring to an unspecific opinion poll, Senator Hason said '97 per cent of Russians respect' Vladmir Putin

Her comments were met with disapproval from Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who says Mr Putin's stronghold over his country should not be admired

'Vladimir Putin's Russia is not and should not be an object of admiration in any respect,' Mr Turnbull said

Pushed on how that view tallied with Russia's involvement in shooting down the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine, killing 298 people including 38 Australians, Hanson said the downing of the flight was disgusting but queried the proof of Putin's influence.

'Did he push the button?' she asked.

Mr Turnbull pointed out Russia was subject to international sanctions over its role in shooting down the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, killing 298 people including 38 Australians, and for invading Ukraine.

'Vladimir Putin's Russia is not and should not be an object of admiration in any respect,' Mr Turnbull said in central Queensland town Barcaldine.

'It should withdraw from the territory it's occupied in the Ukraine and it should provide the information that we know they have on the identity of the people who shot down the MH17 airliner and in doing so murdered 38 Australians.'

Labor frontbencher Brendan O'Connor found Senator Hanson's comments offensive and contemptible.

'It's quite extraordinary that someone so undemocratic, someone who it would appear has been involved in the deaths of so many Australians would be a hero of Senator Hanson,' he said.
One of the victims of the 'British Josef Fritzl' has revealed she 'loved' him despite enduring 21 years of rape and abuse.

The woman - who cannot be named - was regularly beaten and sexually assaulted by Michael Dunn, 57, from the age of 14, but said she could 'not break free' from a 'strange bond' created with him.

Dunn was last week jailed for 27 years after he was found guilty of raping and molesting four women over five decades, imprisoning two of them as sex slaves.

His victim even revealed one of their children now wants to be a policeman so he can 'catch people like daddy'.

A source who worked on the case described it as 'reminiscent in many ways of Josef Fritzl'  the Austrian monster who kept his daughter as a sex slave in a secret basement for 24 years.

Michael Dunn, pictured, was jailed for 27 years for raping and molesting four women over five decades. One of his victims has revealed she 'loved' him despite 21 years of abuse

As reported by the Mail, Dunn built a 'hidey hole' behind his fridge at his home in Greater Manchester and hid the woman, then 14, in it nine times when police came to look for her.

Speaking to the Sun, the victim - known only as 'Julie', which is not her real name - said she had 'grown to love him' and 'could not break free' after she had three of his children.

She also revealed her children witnessed Dunn's physical abuse against her and know he is in prison.

Julie told the paper: 'It breaks my heart that my kids are old enough to remember him. They've seen him beating me and know he's now in jail.

'My son told me the other day, "Mummy I want to grow up to be a policeman so I can lock up people like my daddy."'

She added: 'Even now, I wake up screaming after dreaming about him abusing me. I think about it every day. It's ruined my life.'

It is understood the victim met Dunn through a friend aged 13 and trusted him because he seemed to have a 'happy family'.

After running away from home following a family row, Dunn asked her to move in, but soon began abusing her.

She described her hiding place as 'pitch black and tiny' and said Dunn was 'always fully prepared' when the police came because he had cameras on his doors and two Alsatians who would bark when visitors arrived.

The victim was kept in a 'hidey hole', pictured, built by Dunn at his Greater Manchester home whenever police came to look for her

Eventually she left Dunn's home aged 21, four years after having their first child, but could not shake the 'bond' she had with him, having two more children with him.

Dunn wept in the dock during the sentencing last Wednesday, which followed his conviction for 10 rapes, three charges of false imprisonment and three charges of indecent assault after a trial in January.

His victims told the court how their lives have been wrecked by his abuse, with one saying she had confided in him that she had been raped - and days later he then raped her himself.

Dunn, pictured, would regularly physically abuse his victims

Jailing him at Teesside Crown Court for 27 years Judge Tony Briggs told him: 'The history reveals you to be a devious, manipulative and controlling man with a strong urge to dominate.'

A court heard officers missed a further opportunity to save his victims  none of whom can be identified  after another 14-year-old accused Dunn of assaulting her in 1993, only for them to take no action.

She told the Daily Mirror: 'I remember being told that the police did not believe me and they would not be taking it any further.

'My mum asked why, because she did believe me. Apparently my body language was not right. That was the reason they gave.

'He is a monster. I hate him. I hope he never gets out. I would like him to go down for life. I have suffered for the past 24 years because of him.'

The other woman he imprisoned, who was in her 20s when the abuse started, was beaten to the point where she had black eyes. She submitted to sex in fear after Dunn threatened to hit her if she did not.

The court heard he padlocked doors from the outside to keep the two victims locked in rooms at his home, giving them walkie-talkies so they could communicate.

The woman, now 38, said Dunn was 'fully prepared' for the police and had 'cameras and Alsatians' to warn him of unexpected visitors. Pictured is the inside of the hole where she was forced to hide

The house was monitored by a 'ramshackle' array of CCTV cameras, alarms and sensors to enable him to spy on their movements.

During his evidence, Dunn insisted that none of the claims made by his victims, now all adults, were true. He showed no remorse as the verdicts were announced, simply shaking his head as he was found guilty.

Dunn was convicted of ten rapes, three charges of false imprisonment and three of sexual assault. He was cleared of one charge of rape and making threats to kill.

An unnamed relative described him as 'strange' and said he once dug a hole beneath the living room floor of a house he owned near Redcar.

'He said at the time it was a bomb shelter which seemed bizarre,' they said.
Writer Andrew Davies claimed directors must share some blame with muttering actors for inaudible dialogue - as they know the lines so well they don't notice the murmuring

Actors who mumble their lines have left many a frustrated viewer straining to understand what's going on.

But writer Andrew Davies has claimed that directors must share some of the blame with muttering thespians for inaudible dialogue.

The BAFTA Fellow, who has adapted dramas like War and Peace and Pride and Prejudice, insisted that directors know the lines so well they often don't notice when they're being murmured.

Davies, who admitted he was 'full of complaints' about lighting and sound, said directors assumed the actors were enunciating - leaving it to viewers to notice the problem when the drama hit the screen.

'I think yes, actors who are trying to make it sound more like natural speech sometimes do tend to mumble,' he told The Telegraph.

'And directors know the lines so well that they can hear them and they think they're being said clearly.

'I watch the rushes and I'm full of complaints. Directors get sick of me saying "I can't see, it's too dark, and I can't hear what they're saying because it's not clear".'

The Welshman, 80, conceded that poor sound could also be down to flatscreen televisions having speakers in the back.

Davies' comments come after a wave of dramas like Taboo and Broadchurch being hit with sound complaints from disgruntled viewers.

Tom Hardy stars in BBC's Taboo, a period drama set in 1814, but 'mumbling' didn't impress viewers who took to social media to complain about poor sound quality

The gritty programme - which is based on a story written by Tom and his father - was praised by most but the quality issues were a problem for some

Viewers were unhappy about the show's sound quality claiming that they would need subtitles to decipher the action

Taboo, starring Hollywood film star Tom Hardy, aired in January with many viewers taking to Twitter to say they needed subtitles because of the 'mumbling'.

The dark and grim storyline was met with praise by most fans, but the problems were too hard to ignore for some: 'Another poorly lit BBC drama full of mumbling, who'd have thought?', wrote one viewer on Twitter.

Discussing the period drama, which is set in 1814, another wrote: 'I was really looking forward to Taboo but it's ruined by incoherent mumbling. Could have been brilliant.'

The 39-year-old returned to television as James Delaney in the gritty programme, after his much-loved turn in BBC Two's Peaky Blinders.

The BBC declined to comment on the latest viewer complaints.

To Walk Invisible, a one-off drama telling the story of the Bronte sisters, Charlotte, Emily and Ann, was met with the same irritation over sound problems

It comes just a week after the BBC aired To Walk Invisible, a one-off drama telling the story of the Bronte sisters, Charlotte, Emily and Anne and their brother Branwell.

Complaints flooded Twitter about the drama, with one Twitter user saying: 'So disappointed by #ToWalkInvisible spoiled by bad sound quality. Visually beautiful and well-acted but much was muffled drowned by soundtrack.'

Meanwhile, in February furious viewers targeted new drama SS-GB, complaining it was easier to understand the Germans because they could not hear what the mumbling English actors were saying.

The first episode of the alternate history drama, set in German-occupied London in 1941 after the Battle Of Britain, featured subtitled German dialogue.

But many of the 6.1million viewers said they turned on subtitles for the English exchanges because the actors were 'muttering' and 'whispering'.

In February furious viewers targeted new drama SS-GB, complaining it was easier to understand the Germans over the mumbling English actors (Pictured, Sam Riley as Detective Douglas)

Many of the 6.1million viewers said they turned on subtitles for the English exchanges because the actors were 'muttering' and 'whispering' in the first episode

The main culprit was a gruff Sam Riley as detective Superintendent Douglas Archer who was called upon to investigate the murder of an antiques dealer.

He spoke quickly under his breath in several exchanges, leaving viewers scratching their heads.

One wrote on Twitter: 'Why was it easier to understand the Germans speaking English than the indigenous population? Ban the mumbling please BBC.

Another added: 'Sam Riley sounds like he smokes five packs a day, no idea what he's mumbling about.'

Popular detective drama Broadchurch also faced the wrath of frustrated viewers back in 2015.

Popular detective drama Broadchurch also faced the wrath of frustrated viewers back in 2015

Some complained they struggled to understand actor David Tennants Scottish accent to the extent that they were forced to turn on the TV subtitles

Some who tuned in for the start of the second series complained they struggled to understand actor David Tennants Scottish accent to the extent that they were forced to turn on the TV subtitles.

While the opening episode drew widespread praise and was quickly being talked about on Twitter, many viewers said they had difficulty deciphering some of the dialogue.

One wrote: Still couldnt understand a word they were saying in Broadchurch tonight  I need someone to translate the heavily accented mumbling. Another added: Challenge: try to watch Broadchurch without subtitles. FAILED.
A rape survivor who teamed up with her own rapist to tell their story has revealed why she decided to not press charges against her then-boyfriend.

Thordis Elva, from Iceland, was just 16 years old when she was sexually assaulted by her boyfriend, an Australian foreign exchange student, Tom Stranger, 18, in 1996.

After co-authoring a book on the rape together, the pair teamed up for a talk at the TED conference - which has since been viewed more than two million times.

Thordis Elva, from Iceland, was just 16 years old when she was sexually assaulted by her boyfriend, an Australian foreign exchange student, Tom Stranger, 18, in 1996

In a 19-minute-long talk filmed late last year, Mr Stranger and Ms Elva discussed the impact the rape had on both of their lives.

Thordis said in The Observer: 'I am concerned with how quick some people were to judge the wrong way in which I worked through my experience.'

She added: 'By the time I was able to identify what had happened to me as rape, Tom had moved to the other side of the planet, far from the jurisdiction of the Icelandic police.

'At the time, 70% of rape cases in Iceland were dismissed, even when the perpetrator could be interrogated and the survivor had documented injuries, neither of which were the case for me. Therefore, pressing charges would not have been a fruitful process.'

The pair had been dating for a 'month or so' when the assault took place in Ms Elva's home after the school's Christmas ball.

Ms Elva had tried rum for the first time, and she describes thinking that Mr Stranger was her hero after he took her home to put her to bed.

In a 19-minute-long talk filmed late last year, Mr Stranger and Ms Elva discussed the impact the rape had on both of their lives

'It was like a fairy tale, his strong arms around me, laying me in the safety of my bed,' she remembered.

However, soon her gratitude turned to horror 'as he proceeded to take off my clothes and get on top of me.

'My head had cleared up, but my body was still too weak to fight back, and the pain was blinding. I thought I'd been severed in two.

'In order to stay sane, I silently counted the seconds on my alarm clock. And ever since that night, I've known that there are 7,200 seconds in two hours,' she said.

The pair had been dating for a 'month or so' when the assault took place in Ms Elva's home after the school's Christmas ball

The couple broke up a couple of days later and Mr Stranger returned home to Australia.

Thordis and Tom were due to speak at the Women of the World conference but a petition started by Amira Elwakil now has more than 2000 signatures asking for the conference not to host Stranger.

It states: 'We the undersigned are a group of feminist activists and academics, as well as concerned citizens based in the UK and beyond.

By giving the rapist in question a platform to relay their narrative, the event will inevitably encourage the normalisation of sexual violence instead of focusing on accountability and root causes of this violence.'

Thordis and Tom were due to speak at the Women of the World conference at the Southbank Centre (Stock image)

In a statement posted to the petition, a Southbank Centre spokesperson said: 'Rape is one of the most complex and difficult issues that all societies around the world struggle to deal with, every day. Conversations about blame are mostly focused around the survivor not the perpetrator.

'We programmed this talk for one woman to share her journey of coming to terms with the devastating impact of her rape and her decision to invite her perpetrator to take full responsibility for his actions.

'As demonstrated by the strength of feedback around this talk, the sensitivity of this issue hugely divides opinion and we are taking the time to listen to different viewpoints before deciding the most appropriate way forward.'

Ms Elva and Mr Stranger have co-authored a book, called South of Forgiveness.

To watch the TED talk in full, click here.
Lord Hattersley has revealed how he learnt later in life that his father was a Catholic priest who married his mother to another man than ran away with her weeks later.

Frederick Hattersley met his mother Enid while 'instructing' her into the Catholic Church before she was married to miner John O'Hara in Shirebrook, Nottingham.

The two fell in love and ran away together and married, leading to Mr Hattersely being ex-communicated, the former Labour peer has revealed.

Enid Hattersley (left), mother of former MP and Lord Roy Hattersley (right). Lord Hattersley has revealed his father was a Catholic priest who ran away with his mother after marrying her to another man in a new book

Lord Hattersely, one of the most influential figures in the Labour party until he resigned in 2015, was not even told that his father was once a priest as a child.

Despite his in-depth knowledge of the Catholic Church, he had thought that he served as a civil servant and spent other periods in life unemployed.

But when he died in 1973, he received a letter from the Bishop of Nottingham that alluded to his past, Lord Hattersley writes in his new book.

At the time, his mother told her son - then in his 40s - she met the priest when he placed and order at the local coal merchant's where she worked and they fell in love.

However, he met the bishop as part of his research into a new book based loosely on his father's life story and learned of the true scandal of their relationship.

Lord Hattersley, 84, told The Telegraph: My parents met when he was instructing her to join the Catholic Church, they fell in love and they decided nothing could be done about it. He officiated at the wedding ceremony and they ran away two to three weeks later.

Mr O'Hara died intestate in Mansfield in July 1956. His estate, valued at 373 12s 10d, was left to his ex-wife - who went on to become Lord Mayor of Sheffield - suggesting he never moved on or had children.

Enid and Frederick married a few months later, which led to his ex-communication from the church as Catholic priests are not supposed to get married.

Lord Hattersley had alluded to the scandal in an introduction to his autobiography A Yorkshire Boyhood in 2001 but tells the full story in his new book The Catholics.

In the introduction, he writes: 'My father - parish priest of St Josephs church in Shirebrook, Nottingham - had met my mother after he agreed to "instruct" her for admission to the Catholic Church in anticipation of her marriage to a young collier.

'Father Hattersley had performed the wedding ceremony. Two weeks later the priest and the bride ran away together. For the next forty-five years they lived in bliss - married after my mothers first husband died in 1956.'
Pictures have emerged of a crocodile swimming in a river close to where two juvenile crocodiles were stolen from a mobile zoo.

An eagle-eyed kayaker on Sydney's Georges River noticed the crocodile swimming through the water on Saturday and grabbed close-up images of the reptile.

Get Wild Animal Experiences reported their two juvenile crocodiles Snap and Crackle stolen on Friday and confirmed on their Facebook page a crocodile had been spotted in the river.

A kayaker paddling on Sydney's Georges River snapped this pic of a crocodile

The crocodile was seen by the kayaker on Saturday. It was close to where two crocodiles were stolen from a Sydney mobile zoo

The crocodile has not been seen since it was spotted by the eagle-eyed kayaker

'There has been a report of a crocodile sighting on the Georges River,' the mobile zoo wrote.

'Police are investigating and suspect the animals may of been released by the abductors on realising the severity of the situation.

'These animals will not survive the cold Sydney waters and this action could lead to their death.

'We along with police will be trying to find and confirm the crocodiles in the Georges River and all attempts will be made to recapture them.'

The juvenile crocodiles were stolen from Get Wild Animal Experiences (stock image)

Get Wild Animal Experiences described Snap and Crackle as 'much loved' (stock image)

The crocodile was seen near Fitzpatrick Park, just metres from Sandy Point, which was where Snap and Crackle were stolen.

It is understood police searched the river for the crocodile which had been sighted but it is still missing, along with the second crocodile reported stolen.

Get Wild Animal Experiences workers noticed the juvenile crocodiles, which are about 80cm to 100cm long, were not in their enclosure about 11.30am on Friday.

Police said there were no signs of forced entry.

Anyone with information about the theft is urged to contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
Two of Britain's most experienced former detectives are setting up a private police force to patrol and investigate crime in three of the wealthiest parts of London.

My Local Bobby (MLB) has been set up by Tony Nash, a former borough commander in Newham, east London, who retired last week after 30 years in the Metropolitan Police.

Nash has joined forces with former Detective Chief Inspector David McKelvey and the pair have reportedly signed an agreement with the ACRO Criminal Records Office, which allows them to access criminal records of suspected offenders when they are prosecuted privately.

The scheme is the brainchild of former Detective Chief Inspector David McKelvey (pictured, left) and Tony Nash (right), who retired as borough commander in Newham recently

Nash told the Sunday Times: 'There is real talent in the police but it is stretched. We will be hoping to fill the gaps and enhance the service.'

Earlier this week Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) reported there was a 'national crisis' in policing and the Met alone was short of 700 detectives.

The company's employees will patrol the streets of Mayfair, Belgravia and Knightsbridge, make arrests, gather evidence and mount private prosecutions.

Individual householders will be able to pay a subscription to be included and McKelvey told Mail Online the monthly retainer would entitle them to various services, including cyber security checks, keyholding and escorting from local stations after dark.

MLB will be owned by TM Eye, a company which already investigates crime and has brought 300 successful private prosecutions.

The company's operatives will reportedly patrol Knightsbridge (pictured), Belgravia and Mayfair and prosecute crimes which the police do not have the resources to investigate

McKelvey said there would be 20 privatised bobbies - mostly ex-police and military - on the beat from next month, who would wear bodycams and carry GPS tracker devices.

He said they would be able to perform citizen's arrests if they saw someone in the act of committing a crime but would have to hand them over to the Met to be processed.

One of the most controversial aspects is that MLB will reportedly have access to the Police National Computer (PNC), having signed a memorandum of understanding with Scotland Yard.

But McKelvey said: 'Our access to the PNC would be very restricted. Material would only be used in a private prosecution.'

A Home Office spokesman told Mail Online: 'The police are the professionals at tackling crime and keeping our communities safe and if someone suspects a crime is in progress they should call 999.

'The public should also be in no doubt that the Metropolitan Police has the resources its needs to police London  there is more funding per head of population than anywhere else in the country. It is ultimately for Chief Officers and Police and Crime Commissioners to make decisions about the size and composition of police forces.'

Belgravia (pictured) contains some of the wealthiest residents in Britain and the company believe local businesses and individuals will be prepared to invest in an extra layer of policing

A Metropolitan Police spokesman told Mail Online: 'We would encourage residents who have concerns about policing in their area to contact their local Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

'There are dedicated officers working in every ward across the capital. Where organisations or communities wish to fund their own security patrols we will work with these personnel in the most appropriate way to prevent and detect crime.

'Any reports of crime and evidence provided to the Met by a third party will always be assessed and dealt with in the most appropriate way.'
A zoo where 500 animals have died in three years has been accused of covering up the death of a tiger, who was killed by its parents.

Sumatran tiger, Kadi, was bottle-fed when she was rejected at birth at South Lakes Safari Zoo, in Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, in 2010.

According to keeper Sarah McClay, who was killed in 2013 by a tiger, Kadi was 'eaten' in 2012 when she was put in the same cage as her parents.

South Lakes Safari Zoo, where 500 animals have died in three years, has been accused of covering up the death of a Sumatran tiger cub (pictured) who was killed by its parents

Kadi was killed by her father when owner David Gill, 55, moved her out of her cage to make room for other animals. Pictured, a tiger at the zoo

She told her boyfriend David Shaw that millionaire owner David Gill, 55, moved the cub out of her cage to make room for other animals.

The tigers 'sponsors' were told she had been transferred but keeper Sarah McClay told her boyfriend Kadi had been 'eaten'

In 2012, the star attraction disappeared from the zoo and her sponsors were told she had been transferred.

Mr Gill told the Sunday Times to 'f*** off', before confirming that Kadi had been killed by its father.

He told the paper: 'I don't know anything about that. I delegate things, I had lots of people working for me.'

Zoos do not have to publicise animal deaths, but 'sponsors' were upset that they weren't told what had happened to the cub.

One Amazon customer named Martin wrote a review of Mr Gill's autobiography in 2013, asking 'Where has Kadi the tiger cub gone?'

He wrote: 'This is highly deceptive especially to people like myself who donated our hard earned cash to adopt the poor little creature.'

Yesterday, it was reported by the Times that Mr Gill's wife and zoo vet, Frieda Rivera-Schreiber, is not qualified to practice in the UK.

Former beauty queen Frieda Rivera-Schreiber (left) is not qualified to treat animals in the UK. She is married to David Gill (right)

The Miss Peru finalist took the job in 2014 when she married Mr Gill.

But according to the Royal Society of Veterinary Surgeons, she is not registered with them.

Even though she is unqualified, Ms Rivera-Schreiber is not breaking the law in her role at the zoo.

Mr Gill, who could lose his licence for the zoo next week.

Miss Peru finalist Frieda Rivera-Schreiber took up her post at South Lakes Zoo Safari in Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, in 2014 when she married millionaire zoo owner David Gill

He has come under fire after outraged visitors claimed his animals were living in shocking conditions.

Ms Rivera-Schreiber is described as a vet co-ordinator on Companies House.

Even though she made the final of Miss Peru, her mother, Frieda Holler, won the competition in 1965.

Two years before she married Mr Gill, the former beauty queen's fiance died in a suspected suicide.

Kite-surfing champion, Fernando Garrigue, 43, was killed by a gunshot wound.

She has carried out more than 150 post-mortems on animals who have died at the controversial zoo.

A report by an inspector said: 'The provision of veterinary care ... has historically been poor.'

The report will be considered by the council when they decide on Mr Gill's licence on Monday.

A badly injured giraffe is among the animals being kept in appalling conditions at the zoo

Campaigners are calling for South Lakes Safari Zoo to be shut down after it was revealed that almost 500 exotic creatures have died there in less than three years.

Among them were a jaguar that had to be put down after it chewed off its own paw, two snow leopards found partially eaten in their enclosure and a monkeys body found stuck behind a radiator.

Hospitality worker Laura Ainsworth, 21, photographed this bleeding giraffe on a visit last Wednesday.

There seemed to be no regard for animal welfare at all, she said.

The Captive Animals Protection Society which took pictures of an emaciated-looking kangaroo

The giraffe enclosure, which housed three giraffes, was barely big enough for three horses. One had badly cut its ear bending down to get food.

Sara Dunbar, 25, also visited last week with her children and claims she witnessed penguins left in an empty tank without water.

Penguins without any water to swim in: Campaigners are now calling for South Lakes Safari Zoo to be closed down

The animals just looked depressed, she said.

Another mother witnessed a vulture that had fallen off its perch.

The accounts tally with an inspection last year by the Captive Animals Protection Society which took pictures of an emaciated-looking kangaroo and a mongoose with a painful skin condition.

The park was refused a new licence after inspectors said he was not fit and suitable to manage a zoo. Right, Zoo keeper Sarah McClay, 24, was mauled by a Sumatran tiger in 2013

Inspectors have been particularly critical of how giraffes are housed at the zoo, saying the Africa House has a slippery floor which resulted in one adult animal falling over and having to be shot.

Blame for the catalogue of horrors has been directed at the zoos millionaire owner, David Gill, 55.

The park was refused a new licence by Barrow Council last summer after inspectors said he was not fit and suitable to manage a zoo.

Mr Gill was criticised for blaming keeper error after employee Sarah McClay, 24, was mauled to death by a Sumatran tiger in 2013. He is pictured here at the inquest into her death in 2014

However, it will reconsider granting a licence next week.

Gill was criticised for blaming keeper error after employee Sarah McClay, 24, was mauled to death by a Sumatran tiger in 2013  the zoo was last year fined 255,000 for health and safety breaches leading to her death.

Despite its poor welfare record, the zoo remains popular with visitors, with 2,193 out of 2,624 reviewers on TripAdvisor rating it very good or excellent.

The Captive Animals Protection Society and Born Free Foundation have both said if a licence is renewed, the zoo will have to pay 110,000 to cover the cost of regular welfare checks.

South Lakes Safari Zoo said it had brought in a number of zoo experts to ensure we are going in the right direction.

Seven healthy lion cubs were put down aged just five days old at a zoo where almost 500 animals have died in just five years, it emerged yesterday

Mr Gill declared on Facebook he had good fortune because he 'always pursued a different style of management to the norm'

Chief executive Karen Brewer said: Its been an upsetting week for the whole team because I know how dedicated they are to the animals.

Cowboy hat-wearing Gills love life is as colourful as many of the animals at his zoo. In 1997 he started an affair with a 16-year-old zoo hand, prompting his wife to leave him.

The pair later wed, but the marriage was short-lived and in 2008 he hit the headlines when an ex-rugby league player found him in bed with his wife and knifed him. He has since married for a third time, to Frieda Rivera-Shreiber, a model turned vet.
Chancellor Philip Hammond will use Wednesday's Budget to build a 60billion Brexit war chest and warn other spending must be funded by cuts elsewhere.

In his first full Budget, Mr Hammond will set out 1.3billion in extra cash for social care, 500million for new vocation 'T-level qualifications' and other small giveaways.

But new measures will be funded by changes elsewhere, including higher tax on cigarettes and higher national insurance on the self employed.

All the gains from the better than expected economy will be used to ensure 'we've got enough gas in the tank' for a turbulent Brexit journey, Mr Hammond said.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell demanded 12billion of the war chest be immediately re-directed to the NHS warning 'the crisis is now'.

Chancellor Philip Hammond, pictured on today's Andrew Marr programme, will use Wednesday's Budget to build a 60billion Brexit war chest and warn other spending must be funded by cuts elsewhere

In his first full Budget, Mr Hammond will set out 1.3billion in extra cash for social care, 500million for new vocation 'T-level qualifications' and other small giveaways

In an interview with the BBC's Andrew Marr yesterday, Mr Hammond said the economy was 'performing extremely well' but refused to spell out the details of his Budget.

He warned there was still a deficit and gains were about borrowing being less than expected.

Economists estimate Mr Hammond could be 45billion better off because of better than expected tax receipts and robust economic growth.'

His first Budget is expected to include:

Better than expected growth forecasts and borrowing figures, giving the Government room for manoeuvre

The Chancellor will warn of Brexit 'turbulence' ahead and set aside money to help deal with problems later

Spending commitments are expected on social care, vocational training for young people and a new D Day memorial

New policies cracking down on automatic subscriptions for online services and streamlining terms and conditions are also due

Mr Hammond is expected to raise money by hiking cigarette taxes and raising National Insurance rates on the self employed from 9 per cent to 12 per cent

The Chancellor said: 'If your bank increases your overdraft limit you don't want to go and spend every penny in it.'

He added: 'We've got enough gas in the tank to see us through that journey ...that seems like a sensible approach.'

WHY DOES HAMMOND HAVE MORE MONEY? Philip Hammond has praised the economy for 'performing well' and is thought likely to have more money in his Budget on Wednesday. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is likely to unveil a hefty hike to this year's growth outlook in its latest independent forecasts after the economy continued to show surprising resilience in the face of Brexit uncertainty. Experts also predict higher tax receipts will help Mr Hammond undershoot his borrowing target, with experts at PwC pencilling in a 45 billion windfall within the next five years. But Mr Hammond is unlikely to offer any Budget giveaways, as Britain's public finances remain fragile amid the uncertainty of Brexit negotiations. Advertisement

On social care, Mr Hammond said he recognised public services are 'under pressure' but warned it was not all about money.

He said there would be money for 'dealing with short term disparities between areas that are coping well at present and areas that struggling' but said 'we have to look at the differences there'.

Signalling a wider review of care funding, Mr Hammond added: 'There is a case for taking a longer term view to fund a service that is linked to the ageing demographic of the population'.

In the Sunday Times, Mr Hammond said: 'As we begin our negotiations with the European Union we are embarking on a new chapter in our history.

'We need to maintain our commitment to fiscal discipline and to strengthen our economic position as we forge our vision of Britain's future in the world.'

He warned Britain must 'get back to living within our means' and cannot risk a 'huge spending spree, calling those who want higher borrowing 'confused' and 'reckless'.

The Sunday Times said the Budget would see higher cigarette taxes, making the cheapest pack 8.68 and a 3p National Insurance rise for self employed workers.

Online retailers face fines for tricking customers with complicated small print and automatic subscriptions.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell, also speaking to Marr today, demanded 12billion of the war chest be immediately re-directed to the NHS warning 'the crisis is now'

Mr McDonnell committed the next Labour government to scrapping the public sector pay cap

PHILIP HAMMOND REFUSES TO PUBLISH HIS TAX RETURN Philip Hammond has refused to publish his tax return, branding the practice 'demonstration politics'. The Chancellor is facing call to reveal how much he earns and the tax paid. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tonight published his own tax return. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell did so last month. But Mr Hammond told the BBC's Andrew Marr he had 'no intention' of doing so. He said: 'Just for the record my tax affairs are all perfectly regular and up to date. 'But this demonstration politics isn't helping to create a better atmosphere in British politics.' Labour announced this week it would force all millionaires to publish their taxes. But Mr Hammond said this would hurt Britain. He said: 'That is likely to drive away talent and investors that Britain needs to create the global future we're trying to build.' Mr Corbyn said: 'I have made it clear that I think it is right for party leaders to be open and transparent about their tax arrangements. 'As you can see, my total income for 2015-16 was 114,342 and I paid 35,298 in tax.' Advertisement

In an interview with the BBC's Andrew Marr, Mr McDonnell said: 'The independent estimate now on [how much is needed for the] NHS and social care is between 8bn and 12bn.

'We believe that the Government now put aside, as is reported, 60bn - increased tax receipts have contributed to this as well - for a crisis in case there's Brexit.

'The crisis is here now in our social care and NHS. We should prepare for Brexit but some of that money now needs to deal with the crisis in the NHS and social care, it is a crisis.'

The shadow chancellor also demanded the Government drop plans to overturn court rulings extending disability benefits.

He said George Osborne 'found the money' to abandon cuts 12 months ago and Mr Hammond should now spend 3.7billion to do the same.

Mr McDonnell said the country needed a pay rise and committed the next Labour government to scrapping the public sector pay cap - a commitment costing another 5billion.

After Mr McDonnell's comments, David Gauke MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: 'Today Labour confirmed they would hit ordinary working families to pay for billions of pounds of extra spending.

'All Labour offer is more spending, more borrowing and higher taxes  and now we know ordinary working families would pay the price.

'It's only with a strong economy that we can protect the vulnerable and pay for important public services like the NHS.

'We have turned the economy around from where Labour left it, and are now building an economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.'

Mr Hammond (left) and Mr McDonnell (right) both appeared on today's Andrew Marr Show with Ukip leader Paul Nuttall (centre)

A major Budget announcement on Wednesday will be boost skills training for 16 to 19-year-olds by 500 million a year.

Mr Hammond says the move is the most significant shake-up in post-16 education since the introduction of A-levels 70 years ago.

500m for electric cars and superfast phones Mr Hammond will this week announce plans to put Britain in the vanguard of super-fast mobile phone technology with multi-billion investments. He will spell out plans to make sure the UK does not miss the boat on the new 5G standard. Previous governments were accused of being too slow to exploit earlier developments in mobile infrastructure. The Chancellor is set to announce plans for 5G trials in universities. Treasury sources say the technology has huge potential, such as live monitoring of heart patients to ease pressure on hospitals. His 500million of technology investment will also include backing for a controversial march of the robots. He will unveil a 270 million fund to encourage trailblazers in artificial intelligence, robotics and electric cars plus 90million more to fund 1,000 PhD places in science, technology and engineering, and 200 million for university research in cutting-edge areas. Technology experts have warned that recent major advances could spark a march of the robots that could wipe out half of the nations jobs. But Mr Hammond will say that Britain can forge ahead and become a leading player in the technology if it invests now. A Treasury source said the initiative would help Britains innovators compete with the best, seize the opportunities and advance our position. The Chancellor wants to see the UK take a lead in developing electric car batteries. He is also urging British firms to boost mankinds ability to operate in the most extreme and hazardous environments, such as under the sea. Advertisement

A wide-ranging reform of technical education will see the current 13,000 separate qualifications replaced with '15 world-class routes' better suited to business needs, according to the Chancellor.

The 500 million a year investment from 2019 is also aimed at boosting Britain's productivity levels, and will see the amount of training for 16 to 19-year-olds on technical routes increase by more than 50 per cent to over 900 hours a year.

Students on higher technical education courses will also be eligible for maintenance loans under the reforms.

Mr Hammond will also announce the casualties of the D-Day landings are to be remembered by a special monument which the Government is contributing 20 million towards.

The memorial to those who died in the Normandy campaign will be erected at the site of fierce fighting which took place during and after the Allied landings in France in 1944.

The monument will be unveiled on the 75th anniversary of D-Day in 2019.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said the need to build a war chest showed the Chancellor knew Brexit would 'send a torpedo through Britain's finances'

It will carry the names of the estimated 21,000 members of the British armed forces and Merchant Navy, as well as those from other nations who fought alongside them, who lost their lives in the campaign.

A fundraising appeal will now be launched by the Normandy Memorial Trust, supported by the Royal British Legion, to add to the Government's contribution to the project which comes from LIBOR fines levied on the banking industry.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: 'This shows that Hammond knows Brexit is going to send a torpedo through Britain's finances.

'It is clear you can't have a strong economy and strong public services with a hard Brexit. It is ridiculous to see the Chancellor trying to fritter away money this week, at the same time as the Prime Minister continues to drag Britain towards a hard Brexit.

'The Liberal Democrats are the real opposition to this Conservative Brexit Government. We will fight for Britain's place in the single market to protect our economy and make the case for real investment in our health and social care services.'
A man driving an allegedly stolen Jaguar led police on a wild chase before slamming the luxury car into a pole.

Helicopter footage captured the black sedan speeding through the streets of the Perth suburb of Rivervale on Saturday afternoon.

The driver was seen veering on to the wrong side of the road, narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic as police gave chase.

A man driving an allegedly stolen Jaguar led police on a wild chase before slamming the luxury car into a pole

The dramatic pursuit came to an end when the vehicle slammed into a light pole and a stationary car.

A passenger was seen running from the Jaguar before the video, released by Western Australia Police, came to an end.

A police spokesperson said the driver also fled the vehicle before he was arrested.

'The driver and passenger of the stolen vehicle ran from the vehicle,' the spokesperson said.

Helicopter footage captured the black sedan flying through the streets of the Perth suburb of Rivervale on Saturday afternoon

The driver was seen veering on to the wrong side of the road, narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic as police give chase

A 20-year-old-man from Camillo, in Perth's south-east, was charged with a range of offences

'The driver was arrested and an extensive search of the area failed to locate the passenger.'

A 20-year-old-man from Camillo, in Perth's south-east, was charged with a range of offences, including car theft, reckless driving to escape police and driving without a licence.

He was expected to appear in Perth Magistrates Court today on Sunday.

When the chase came to an end, police said the driver and a passenger fled the scene
Martin Clunes has undergone a mysterious cosmetic treatment which he wants to keep private to avoid becoming the target of 'mockery and jokes'.

The millionaire Doc Martin star, 55, is battling to have the cost set against his income tax, insisting he needed the treatment 'for the purposes of his acting trade'.

The actor, famed for his distinctive jug ears and fleshy lips, asked a judge to save him from embarrassment by granting him anonymity before the case is heard by a tax tribunal.

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Martin Clunes has undergone a mysterious cosmetic treatment which he wants to keep private to avoid becoming the target of 'mockery and jokes'

But Judge Bishopp revealed all when he said: 'He underwent certain treatment of a cosmetic nature for which he paid'.

Mr Clunes, who previously described himself as 'no sex symbol', has often said he's not bothered that he does not have the looks to be a romantic lead.

But the Doc Martin star says the cosmetic treatment was 'intimately connected with his work'.

HMRC is adamant that whatever he had 'done' was not needed 'wholly and exclusively for the purposes of his trade'.

Mr Clunes argued that, if his identity was revealed during the case, 'he might become the target of mockery and jokes.'

He was also concerned that 'his public perception, or what might be referred to as his celebrity persona, might be damaged', said the judge.

The Men Behaving Badly star is battling to have the cost set against his income tax, insisting he needed the treatment 'for the purposes of his acting trade' (pictured left, in 1990s, and right, last year)

The 55-year-old actor, famed for his distinctive jug ears and fleshy lips, asked a judge to to save him from embarrassment by granting him anonymity before the case is heard by a tax tribunal (pictured as Doc Martin)

Because of its very nature, the actor 'felt sensitive' about the treatment he had undergone.

He argued that 'fans like to retain a certain image of the actors and others they admire' and he had a 'legitimate interest' in maintaining his image.

Mr Clunes gave the example of a magician reluctant to reveal how he does his tricks.

The actor previously described himself as 'odd-looking' and 'certainly no sex symbol'.

'I never intended to be a leading man because I'm tall and odd-looking,' he told the Daily Mirror. 'And I'm certainly no sex symbol, no, no, no.

'I've never been a leading man in the Brad Pitt, Hugh Grant way, that kind of traditional romantic lead.'

Mr Clunes argued that, if his identity was revealed during the case, his public perception might be damaged (pictured, left, in 2013, and right, in 1997)

He confessed that his cousin, actor Jeremy Brett, even offered to pay for his ears to be pinned back at the start of his career.

'It flitted through my mind and I thought, "no, I'll be fine",' he admitted.

Judge Bishopp said Martin had to be named because justice could not be done without referring to his 'personal characteristics'.

The father-of-one shot to fame on much-loved sitcom Men Behaving Badly as the dysfunctional Gary Stran

Despite expressing 'some sympathy' for the actor, he said the public would have to know about his treatment.

HM Revenue and Customs insists that Mr Clunes cannot write off the cost of his treatment against his acting income.

Judge Bishopp, who emphasised that the case had absolutely nothing to do with tax avoidance, drew a veil over exactly what treatment the actor underwent, or how much it cost.

But he added: 'The expense in question here was not mundane and unlikely to attract attention'.

HMRC lawyers pointed out that even those not in the public eye might not like their friends or neighbours to know about their finances - but they would have no chance of being granted anonymity.

The judge said: 'I have some sympathy for Mr Clunes in that I recognise that the revelation of his identity does have the potential to cause him some collateral embarrassment...'

However he ruled that, when the case is heard, it 'would not be sufficient to identify him simply as an actor'.

Cosmetic treatment for one actor might be considered necessary, but for another it might be viewed as no more than 'a vain indulgence'.

Mr Clunes, who previously described himself as 'no sex symbol', has often said he's not bothered that he does not have the looks to be a romantic lead

The judge added: 'I do not see how the tribunal will be able to determine where on the scale Mr Clunes falls without reference to him as an individual, and by reference to his personal characteristics.

'I do not see how the public interest in the fair administration of tax can be satisfied by the release of a decision which, by concealing these characteristics, make it impossible for the reader to reach a full understanding of the reasons why the appeal has been determined as it has.'

Judge Bishopp gave his decision on the anonymity issue in December, but his ruling was only published today.

No date has been set for the full hearing of Mr Clunes' tax appeal - but the decisions means he will be identified throughout the case.
Philip Hammond today warned the EU that Britain would not 'slink off as a wounded animal' and will 'fight back' against a punishing Brexit deal.

The Chancellor said Britain was a nation that 'honours its responsibilities' and would settle legitimate bills that arise from Brexit.

But he said the Government would resist aggressive attempts to use the Brexit deal as a deterrent to other member states from quitting the bloc.

Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier has suggested the divorce bill could run to 50 billion while senior figures have insisted the final deal cannot match the terms of membership.

Philip Hammond today told the BBC's Andrew Marr Britain would not 'slink off as a wounded animal' and will 'fight back' against a punishing Brexit deal

The Chancellor said Britain was a nation that 'honours its responsibilities' and would settle legitimate bills that arise from Brexit

Mr Hammond said Britain would 'do whatever we need to do' to be competitive in the event of leaving the EU without a trade agreement.

Mr Hammond told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: 'If there is anybody in the European Union who thinks that if we don't do a deal with the European Union, if we don't continue to work closely together, Britain will simply slink off as a wounded animal, that is not going to happen.

'British people have a great fighting spirit and we will fight back. We will forge new trade deals around the world.

BREXIT COMMITTEE DEMANDS OFFER TO EU NATIONALS The powerful Commons Brexit committee has told Theresa May to unilaterally guarantee the rights of EU nationals in Britain. The committee, chaired by Remain MP Hilary Benn but including senior Brexiteer Michael Gove, unanimously backed the position. Mrs May has said she wants to guarantee the rights of EU nationals but has refused to do so without similar guarantees for UK expats. But the committee said the PM 'should now make a unilateral decision to safeguard the rights of EU nationals living in the UK'. Commons leader David Lidington defended the PM today. He told Sky News's Sophy Ridge on Sunday: 'I just think it would weaken the position of British citizens overseas if we were to make a unilateral gesture now. 'Its not just a right of residence, its about access to healthcare, its about arrangements around pensions, its about what happens if the work that somebody is here exercising treaty rights to carry out ends and all of those issues have to be dealt with in this negotiation.' Advertisement

'We will build our business globally.

'We will go on from strength to strength and we will do whatever we need to do to make the British economy competitive and to make sure that this country has a great and successful future.'

Asked if this meant the UK would slash business taxes to attract investment away from the EU, the Chancellor said: 'People can read what they like into it.

'I'm not going to speculate now on how the UK would respond to what I don't expect to be the outcome.

'But we are going into a negotiation.

'We expect to be able to achieve a comprehensive free trade deal with our European Union partners, but they should know that the alternative isn't Britain just slinking away into a corner.'

Mr Hammond said Mr Barnier's claims were 'pre-negotiation positioning' from the EU.

Most of the money is for projects that Britain signed off as a member but has not yet paid for. It also includes funds for the pensions of Brussels officials.

A committee of peers this week suggested Britain would be under no obligation to pay a settlement to the EU because of Brexit.

The Government's legal advice states that there is no law or treaty that will compel Britain to make payments to the EU after Brexit.

The position is a significant boost to Theresa May as she prepares to begin negotiations with the EU after triggering Article 50 within the next couple of weeks.

Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier has suggested the divorce bill could run to 50 billion - primarily for projects Britain agreed but is yet to pay for and pension liabilities for EU staff

Britain can argue there is no basis in European or international law for payments to continue after Brexit, unless there is an agreement to do so between both sides.

Following the report, senior MEP Gianni Pittella accused Mrs May of incompetence and a 'bullying' attitude, warning that her plans would soon hit reality.

He told the Observer: 'Theresa May is a bull in a china shop. She likes playing the role of the hardliner but she's just coming across as fully inadequate to live up to this incredibly delicate historical phase.

'Against this background, it is extremely important that the UK is called upon to honour all financial obligations falling due, up to and including the date of its withdrawal.'
Shocking footage has captured the moment a woman in Burwood was tasered by police after refusing to drop a knife while standing on the street.

The woman was filmed by shoppers standing in the rain with a knife and witnesses said the 42-year-old had not threatened anyone when police arrived, according to Seven News.

The police arrived at 1.20pm on Victoria Street and asked the woman to drop the knife as they converged.

Police tasered a woman who was holding a large knife standing outside the cafe

Witnesses said the woman refused before she was tasered.

'She was just holding the knife and the police kept saying drop the weapon, drop the weapon. Then another two police officers approached her and tasered her,' a witness said.

Police said the decision to taser the woman was because she was posing a significant threat to the public.

The woman did not appear to sustain any major injuries during the fall and was taken to Concord Hospital for a mental health evaluation.
Robert O'Brien, 35, of Cardiff, quit his NHS job due to the 'stress' of racking up almost 800 in parking fines at a hospital car park

A health worker has been forced to quit his NHS job due to the 'stress' of racking up almost 800 in fines for parking at a hospital car park.

Robert O'Brien, 35, has gone to court to challenge the 28 parking tickets he got in four months while working night shifts at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

The health care assistant's wife Daisy said it was 'disgusting' that he should be penalised - despite working through the night to help vulnerable patients.

Mr O'Brien has gone to court to challenge six tickets totalling nearly 800 - but has 22 further fines outstanding.

Now Mr O'Brien has quit his job because of the stress caused by the parking firm's actions.

Private parking firm Indigo Park Services has issued a county court judgement against Mr O'Brien claiming 768 in unpaid fines - but he has decided to fight it.

Mr O'Brien, who is now working as a salesman, said: 'I quit my job with the NHS because of the stress of being hit with parking fines.

'I loved the job but just couldn't take it any more.'

Mr O'Brien also hit out at hospital chiefs for not issuing him with a parking permit to park for free at night.

He said: 'I don't think it's too much to ask when you are working nights to be able to park at your place of work.'

His wife Daisy said: 'I think it's disgusting that someone like my husband should be penalised in this way while working all night to help patients.'

The 'disgusted' health care assistant has gone to court to challenge six tickets totalling nearly 800 - but has 22 further fines outstanding (pictured with his wife Daisy at Cardiff county court)

Mr O'Brien, from Whitchurch, Cardiff, wants to overturn the judgement claiming that he did not receive notification of the court action against him because he moved house.

His case comes at a time when hospital night shift workers throughout Britain are being targeted by private parking firms employed by health boards.

He has taken his case to the Cardiff Civil Justice Centre in a bid to have the judgement struck out.

His representative John Wilkie, whose firm specialises in fighting for victims of parking firms, will argue that the county court judgement should be quashed and the case has been adjourned.

A hospital spokesman said: 'Some 98 per cent of users pay a 1.05 daily charge.'
This is one of the cryptic message North Korean dictator Kim Jon Un is believed to be using to direct his spies in the south.

The coded message, intercepted from a Pyongyang propaganda station, instructs members of the '21st exploration team' to 'review' their 'math assignment'.

The broadcast then recites a series of numbers, which it is believed could be used by North Korean spies in South Korea to translate into orders amid high tension between the nations - which remain technically at war after six decades.

A cryptic message intercepted in the Korean peninsular has fueled fresh fears that North Korea are using Cold War spy tactics to attack their enemies in the south. Pictured is North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un

It says: 'On page 924 number 49, on page 14 number 76, on page 418 number 37,' which are believed to be codes that can be translated by the spies.

In the days of Cold War espionage, spies would receive messages in number form that could be translated using cipher books they were issued, which they enemies could not de-code without them.

The message, broadcast on Radio Pyongyang, comes amid heightened international tensions with North Korea as Kim Jong-un's spies are accused of assassinating his brother in Malaysia.

Kim Jong-nam was killed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport with a nerve agent VX on February 13. South Korea says the North's regime ordered the killing and Malaysia has named several North Koreans as suspects, although four of them left the country on the day of the killing.

There has been intense media speculation that two of the suspects may be hiding inside the embassy. Pyongyang's envoys meanwhile have blasted Malaysia's investigation as biased and demanded the return of the body.

On Friday police issued an arrest warrant for one of the men believed holed up in the embassy, a North Korean airline employee. They also requested that the other, the second secretary at the mission, assist the probe.

North Korean military participate in the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, in 2015. It's is feared that the nation is becoming increasingly hostile amid heightened international tensions

'They (the suspects) could be in the North Korean embassy as it is the safest place against questioning or possible arrest,' a senior government official, who did not want to be named, said.

The embassy, a two-storey neo-colonial house with a North Korean flag fluttering defiantly, is situated in Kuala Lumpur's well-heeled Bukit Damansara area known for its hipster cafes and restaurants.

For three weeks international media have been camped outside, awaiting the next doorstep statement and watching the comings and goings of black embassy cars and deliveries of ginseng chicken soup.

'This is extremely rare for a North Korean embassy to be in the spotlight because Pyongyang is usually low-profile,' said Dr Roy Rogers, from the Department of International and Strategic Studies at the University of Malaya.

The message, broadcast on Radio Pyongyang, comes amid heightened international tensions with North Korea as Kim Jong-un's spies are accused of assassinating his brother Kim Jong-nam (pictured) in Malaysia

Malaysia formally established diplomatic relations with North Korea in the boom years of the 1970s.

'North Korea, despite its reclusiveness is part of the Non-Aligned Movement and Malaysia was trying to be a leader among developing countries,' Ibrahim Suffian, a political analyst with the Merdeka Centre think-tank, told AFP.

The most shocking assassination attempt in North Korea's history The Blue House was targeted by North Korean commandos in 1968 In 1968 thirty-one North Korean commandos slipped across the demilitarised zone with one mission - kill the South Korean president in his official palace. It would be the climax of years of guerrilla warfare and subversion carried out against the south. North Korea had chosen its most elite soldiers for the operation. However after slipping across the border they were discovered by South Korean villagers, who warned the police and military. But the commandos were still able to get within a few hundred yards of the Blue House, South Korea's presidential palace. A firefight broke out and dozens of South Korean troops were killed. The commandos attempted to flee back across the border, but all but two were killed. Bizarrely one of the survivors, Kim Shin-jo, later went on to become a Presbyterian minister. Advertisement

As long ago as 2000 the United States and North Korea held abortive talks in the Malaysian capital on curbing the North's missile programme.

Pyongyang opened its embassy in 2003, providing a conduit between it and the wider world, with Kuala Lumpur serving as a discreet meeting place for talks with Washington.

A CCTV image posted on an open social media page of a suspected female assassin

Last October former US diplomats held closed-door talks with senior Pyongyang officials in the city.

There were also more covert operations.

A recent report by a UN Panel of Experts, identifying a front company run by North Korean intelligence out of Malaysia, exposed Kuala Lumpur to criticism that it had been naive in its dealings with Pyongyang.

'I don't think (Malaysian authorities) were naive. They should know what the North Koreans are doing in the country. They let it slip,' said Faisal Hazis, head of the Asian Studies Centre at the National University of Malaysia.

The Vienna Convention of 1961 grants diplomats and embassies protection, and some believe the suspects will use this to avoid prosecution or arrest if they are in the embassy.

'It potentially can become like the Assange case,' said Ibrahim, referring to Julian Assange, the founder of the secret-spilling Wikileaks website, who has found refuge at the Ecuadoran embassy in London since 2012.

'A lot depends on Malaysian authorities' patience,' he added.

Malaysia is now hardening its stance. With the ambassador's expulsion order and the cancellation of a rare visa-free travel deal with North Korea, it is edging close to severing diplomatic ties.

'We are closer but not equal to severing ties,' said Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

'If they continue to make baseless accusations, refuse to cooperate with the investigations, or the investigations conclude that the assassination was state-sponsored, then indeed it could get worse diplomatically,' he added.
President Trump taunted Barack Obama on Sunday morning with another early morning Twitter jab after hearing the ex-president deny his sensational phone tapping allegations.

'Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, "Tell Vladimir that after the election I'll have more flexibility?"' said Trump, reminding his followers of a hot-mic comment President Obama was overheard in 2012 before his second term.

Moments earlier, he accused the DNC of denying the FBI access to its server to investigate the Russian hack.

'Is it true the DNC would not allow the FBI access to check server or other equipment after learning it was hacked? Can that be possible?'

It came after President Obama's denial of allegations he'd tapped the Republican billionaire's phones during the campaign last year.

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President Trump fired off two more taunting tweets against his predecessor Barack Obama on Sunday morning

Trump has been tweeting from Mar-a-Lago in Florida where he was pictured on Saturday (above)

Trump's tweet referred to a comment Obama made in 2012 (above) to the then outgoing Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev. Obama was heard giving him a message to pass along to President Putin that he would have 'more flexibility' to negotiate key issues after the election

'A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice,' Lewis wrote.

'As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false,' Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said.

Trump's Sunday allegation referred to a hot-mic remark made by the former president in 2012 during a meeting with the then outgoing Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev.

Obama was overheard telling him he would have 'more flexibility' to negotiate missile defense after the election. He asked him to relay a request to the Kremlin for 'space' until his second term was in the bag.

President Obama (above in New York City last week) denied the phone tapping accusations via a spokesman

'On all these issues, but particularly missile defence, this, this can be solved but it's important for him to give me space,' Obama said.

Mr Medvedev replied: 'Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you '

'This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility,' Obama went on.

Medvedev, who was preparing to hand over the presidency, replied: 'I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir [Putin].'

The Obama administration defended his comments at the time.

A spokesman said they were reflective of the 'reality' of the year which saw elections in each country.

'Since 2012 is an election year in both countries, with an election and leadership transition in Russia and an election in the United States, it is clearly not a year in which we are going to achieve a breakthrough,' Ben Rhodes, who lampooned Trump's phone tapping claims on Saturday, said at the time.

Trump's other Twitter suggestion - that the DNC denied the FBI access to its servers to investigate the hack - goes against earlier claims from Democrats that the bureau simply didn't try hard enough to look in to it.

In his first interview since the election last month, Clinton campaign manager John Podesta said agents barely tried to warn them of the Russian threat but were overzealous in their probe of her private email use.

Podesta said their lackluster approach to the hack and subsequent enthusiasm for a Clinton investigation was proof the FBI wanted her to lose.

Obama and Trump's feisty exchange over the weekend is a stark contrast from the refined civility the pair have shown publicly since the latter's November election win.

While other Democrats decried the businessman and sparked desperate bids to have the election result thrown out, President Obama urged Americans to get behind him and unite for the greater good.

The awkward but civil mood at their first Oval Office meeting in November carried on until Trump's inauguration after which he heaped praise on his predecessor for graciously handing over the presidency.

Accusations: Trump accused Obama of tapping his phones at Trump Tower in a flurry of tweets Saturday morning

Trump's claims seem to have stemmed from a Thursday evening radio show hosted by Mark Levin that claimed Obama executed a 'silent coup' of Trump via 'police state' tactics

Trump even shared details of the letter Obama left for him on his way out, a time-honored tradition of outgoing presidents. He said it had been well thought-out and 'beautifully' written.

Trump has been tweeting from Mar-a-Lago, his expansive Palm Beach estate which he fled to on Air Force One on Friday after an explosive outburst in the Oval Office against senior members of his staff.

Several sources told outlets including CNN, ABC and Politico that the president's foul-mouthed tirade was against Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and White House Chief Strategist Stephen Bannon.

The outburst was prompted by Attorney General Jeff Sessions' decision to recuse himself from any investigations into the administrations ties to Russia, reports suggested.

OBAMA DENIAL 'A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice. 'As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. 'Any suggestion otherwise is simply false.' - Kevin Lewis, Obama spokesman Advertisement

Trump, whose congressional address earlier in the week was widely praised, labeled it a 'disaster', they said, and one which he believed should have been staved off by staff.

The Obama administration's statement on Saturday which denied tapping Trump's phones didn't rule out that another federal agency might have been ordered the surveillance.

The accusations began when Trump tweeted sensationally on Saturday morning: 'Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!'

McCarthyism, which the president used in his first tweet, is the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence.

The tweets, which began at 3.30am ET, continued: 'Is it legal for a sitting President to be 'wire tapping' a race for president prior to an election?'

In another tweet Trump said it was a 'new low' for the former president, compared it to 'Nixon/Watergate' and called Obama a 'bad (or sick) guy'.

Ben Rhodes, Obama's former policy adviser, blasted Trump's accusations on Twitter: 'No President can order a wiretap. Those restrictions were put in place to protect citizens from people like you.'

Rhodes shot back at another Trump tweet saying: 'Dear Pundits who lauded his speech. Is it still 'presidential' to call your dignified predecessor 'Bad (or sick) guy!'

Lewis said 'neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen'

Ben Rhodes, former Obama policy adviser, also blasted Trump's accusations on Twitter

Former Mexican President Vicente Fox Quesada said Trump was a 'so-called president' for calling Obama a 'bad and sick guy'

Former Mexican President Vicente Fox also slammed Trump following his Twitter tirade.

'A 'so-called' President is calling a real President and true leader: bad and sick guy. What a shame, America you need to do something now!' Fox tweeted.

'@realDonaldTrump is more aware of what happens in reality TV than his own country. He's a very bad apprentice of politics!' he added in reference to Trump's Celebrity Apprentice show.

Trump also linked Obama to Attorney General Jeff Sessions's meetings last year with Russia's US ambassador, Sergey Kislyak.

'The first meeting Jeff Sessions had with the Russian Amb was set up by the Obama Administration under education program for 100 Ambs,' he tweeted.

Trump's team has sought to push back over its connections to Russian officials by pointing out instances of Democrats meeting with Kislyak.

A former senior intelligence official told The Washington Post that 'it's highly unlikely there was a wiretap'.

'It seems unthinkable. If that were the case by some chance, that means that a federal judge would have found that there was either probable cause that he had committed a crime or was an agent of a foreign power,' the official said.

According to the official, a wiretap cannot be directed at a US facility, without finding probable cause that the phone lines or internet addresses were being used by agents of a foreign power.

'You can't just go around and tap buildings,' the official told the Post.

Another former senior US official, who worked under the Obama administration, told CNN there was no such investigation of Trump, nor were his phones tapped.

'This did not happen. It is false. Wrong,' source said.

Trump's claims seem to have stemmed from a Thursday evening radio show hosted by Mark Levin that claimed Obama executed a 'silent coup' of Trump via 'police state' tactics, according to far-right Breitbart News.

Through a timeline, Levin suggested the former president should be the target of congressional investigation.

During the summer last year, the Obama administration filed a request with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) to monitor communications involving Trump and several advisers but the request was denied, according to Heat Street former editor, Louise Mensch.

Trump's claims seem to have stemmed from a Thursday evening radio show hosted by Mark Levin that claimed Obama executed a 'silent coup' of Trump via 'police state' tactics

The president, who is currently vacationing at his private Mar-a-Lago estate (pictured), did not provide any additional evidence to back up his claims. Obama has not responded to the accusations

KEEPING AN EYE ON RUSSIA 1. In June 2016, the Obama administration filed a request with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) to monitor communications involving Trump and several advisers but the request was denied, according to Heat Street former editor, Louise Mensch. 2. In October, the Obama administration submitted a new FISA request, which focused on a computer server in Trump Tower suspected of links to Russia, according to Heat Street. 4. In January 2017, Christopher Steele was named as ex-MI6 agent behind 'fake' Trump sex dossier. None of the allegations were verified and some were proven false. Also in January, the Obama administration expanded the power of the National Security Agency to share globally intercepted personal communications with the government's 16 other intelligence agencies before applying privacy protections. 5. In January 2017, American law enforcement and intelligence agencies examined intercepted communications and financial transactions as part of a broad investigation into possible links between Russian officials and associates of Trump, according to the Times. 6. The Times also reported in January that White House officials took efforts in the closing days of the Obama administration to analyze and spread information about Russian election interference, driven by a concern that the material might get buried by Trump. 7. A month later, ex- National Security Adviser Mike Flynn was forced to resign from his position following reports that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence and other officials about his contacts with Russia. 8. Also in February, phone records and intercepted calls showed that members of Trump's campaign and other Trump associates had repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials in the year before the election, the Times reported. 9. In March, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions removed himself from all investigations involving the presidential campaign in a stunning turnaround to save his job on Thursday afternoon. It was revealed that he didn't tell Congress about his meetings with the Russian ambassador to the US. He then announced he was recusing himself from all investigations connected to the presidential election. Advertisement

Just a day before the 2016 election, Mensch reported that 'sources with links to the counter-intelligence community' confirmed that a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) had granted a FISA court warrant in October to monitor activities in Trump tower.

On Wednesday, a New York Times report said White House officials took efforts in the closing days of the Obama administration to analyze and spread information about Russian election interference, driven by a concern that the material might get buried by Trump.

Intelligence agencies rushed to analyze raw intelligence material about Russia connections, going over months-old material as the extent and possible motives of what the agencies say is Russian election hacking emerged.

Officials made efforts to ask specific questions at intelligence briefings as a way to get the information into the record and be archived for examination later.

In January, American law enforcement and intelligence agencies examined intercepted communications and financial transactions as part of a broad investigation into possible links between Russian officials and associates of Trump, according to the Times.

The FBI led the investigations, aided by the National Security Agency, and the Treasury Department's financial crimes unit.

Others have also responded to Trump's claims, including Ted Lieu, a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives, representing California's 33rd congressional district

Nancy Pelosi, who Trump recently demanded by investigated after she said she hadn't met the current Russian ambassador, also responded to Trump's claims

Former Vermont Gov Howard Dean also tweeted shortly after Trump's accusation made headlines

Investigators found no conclusive evidence of wrongdoing, the officials said.

One official said intelligence reports based on some of the wiretapped communications had been provided to the White House.

As the news spread about Trump's allegations, many government officials took to social media to respond.

South Carolina Sen Lindsey Graham, spoke on Trump's accusations at a Town Hall on Saturday.

'I am very worried that our president is suggesting that the former president has done something illegally,' Graham told his audience.

On Thursday, Jeff Sessions recused himself from investigations involving the presidential election after it was revealed he twice met with Russia's ambassador to Washington

'I would be very worried if in fact the Obama administration was able to obtain a warrant lawfully about Trump campaign activity with foreign governments.

Democrats also responded to Trump's claims, including House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, who Trump recently demanded be investigated after she said she hadn't met the current Russian ambassador, only to be revealed to have met him in a 2010 photo.

Pelosi hit back at Trump's demands of an 'immediate' investigation by tweeting: 'The Deflector-in-Chief is at it again. An investigation by an independent commission is the only answer.'

The Trump administration has come under increasing pressure over its connections to Russian officials.

Earlier this week, Sessions recused himself from any investigations involving the presidential election after it was revealed he twice met with Kislyak during the campaign.

When Trump was asked if he knew Sessions had met Kislyak before the election, he said: 'I wasn't aware at all.'

The president's extraordinary intervention came as Sessions faced a firestorm over whether he lied to the Senate during confirmation hearings by failing to disclose his two meetings last summer.

But the president also said he has 'total' confidence in his attorney general and does not think he should recuse himself from Justice Department investigations involving Russia.

'I don't think so,' he told reporters asking about recusal on Thursday as he visited the USS Gerard R. Ford in Newport News, Virginia.

Despite saying he did not know of the meetings with Kislyak, he stood by Sessions as he took fire from Democrats for failing to disclose the conversations during his confirmation hearing.

Asked if Sessions told a Senate panel the truth about the communications, Trump gave only a half-hearted endorsement, however.

'I think he probably did,' Trump said.
A diplomatic rift between Turkey and key European nations deepened on Sunday as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany of 'Nazi practices'.

Speaking in Istanbul, the Turkish President, 63, fanned the flames with a stinging verbal attack.

He said: 'In Germany they are not allowing our friends to speak. Let them do so. Do you think that by not allowing them to speak the votes in Germany will come out "no" instead of "yes?"

'Germany, you don't have anything to do with democracy. These current practices of yours are no different than the Nazi practices of the past.'

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan salutes before addresses a meeting in Istanbul, Saturday, March 4, 2017

A body guard watches over firebrand anti Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders, center, as he answers questions during an election campaign stop at De Telegraaf newspaper in Amsterdam

His comments came just days after a local authority prevented a Turkish minister from addressing a rally.

Meanwhile, at an election campaign event in Amsterdam, Dutch right-wing populist Geert Wilders also resorted to extreme-right comparisons, calling Erdogan an 'Islamo-fascist leader'.

The diplomatic tension has been rising in recent days amid Turkish plans to have government ministers to address rallies in Germany and the Netherlands in support of an upcoming constitutional referendum that would give Erdogan new powers.

On Thursday, Turkey's justice minister canceled a meeting with his German counterpart after local authorities in southwest Germany withdrew permission for him to use a venue to hold a rally near the French border that was part of a campaign to get Turks in Germany to vote 'yes' in the referendum.

Turkey's economy minister, Nihat Zeybekci, was due to speak at two events in western Germany on Sunday. There are about 1.4 million people in Germany who are eligible to vote in the Turkish referendum

Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern, in an interview with German weekly newspaper Welt am Sonntag, said it is time to pull the plug on long-stalled moves to bring Turkey into the EU.

'We shouldn't just temporarily suspend the accession talks with Turkey but end them,' Kern said. 'We can't continue to negotiate about membership with a country that has been steadily distancing itself for years, during ongoing access talks, from democratic standards and principles of the rule of law.'

The Dutch government is investigating whether it can halt a rally being planned for later in the week at which Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is reportedly due to speak.

Dutch Prime Minister and VVD party leader Mark Rutte, right, answers questions during an election campaign stop in Barendrecht, near Rotterdam

Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Dutch broadcaster NOS on Saturday that his government 'is looking at all legal avenues to prevent such a visit.' Rutte said the proposed constitutional changes take Turkey, an aspirant European Union member state, 'in a less democratic direction.'

'We believe that Dutch public space is not the place for political campaigns of other countries,' Rutte wrote earlier in a post on his Facebook page.

Kern said, 'A concerted approach by the EU to prevent such campaign appearances would make sense. So that individual countries such as Germany, where appearances have been banned, don't come under pressure from Turkey.'

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a meeting in Istanbul, Saturday, March 4, 2017

Wilders, whose Party for Freedom is lagging only slightly behind Rutte's VVD party in polls before March 15 elections for Parliament's lower house, said he would go further if he were in power.

'I think that coming here to advocate a change of the Turkish constitution that will only strengthen the Islamo-fascist leader Erdogan of Turkey more than Parliament, Turkish parliament, is the worst thing that could happen to us,' Wilders told reporters at a campaign event.

Wilders said that if he were Dutch prime minister, '''I would call the whole Cabinet of Turkey 'persona non grata' for a month or two, not allowing them to come here.'

Kern, however, pointed out that totally cutting ties with Ankara wouldn't be in EU interests. An EU deal with Turkey, which also is a NATO member, has significantly cut the number of migrants crossing into Europe.

'We should realign the relationship, without the illusion of EU membership,' Kern said. 'Turkey is an important partner in security matters, on migration and on economic cooperation. Turkey has stuck to all of its commitments resulting from the refugee deal in any case. We should build upon that.'
A woman whose son died from whooping cough at just 32-days-old has slammed Pauline Hanson's 'uneducated' comments on a compulsory vaccination policy.

Catherine Hughes took to Twitter to label Senator Hanson a 'disgrace' for likening the 'no jab, no play' policy to a dictatorship.

'My son died a horrible death from whooping cough,' Ms Hughes wrote on the Light for Riley Twitter page.

'Your uneducated comments about vaccination are a disgrace to children.'

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Catherine Hughes, who runs the Light for Riley project, took to Twitter on Sunday to slam Senator Pauline Hanson

Catherine Hughes has been fighting to educate people about the dangers of whooping cough since her son died

Ms Hughes' son Riley died in March 2015, just 32 days after he was born.

When he was three weeks old, Riley was rushed to hospital after he developed mild cold-like symptoms.

Four days after he was admitted, tests confirmed he had whooping cough and his condition grew progressively worse until his death.

Ms Hughes, through the Light for Riley project, has been fighting ever since 'to educate people about the dangers of whooping cough, and positively promote the need for vaccination'.

She is a director of the Immunisation Foundation of Australia and was named Western Australia's Young Australia of the Year in 2016.

Senator Hanson had likened a compulsory vaccination policy to a dictatorship on Sunday.

The One Nation leader slammed the 'no jab, no pay' policy where family payments of up to $15,000 a year are withheld if parents fail to have their kids immunised.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull shot down Senator Hanson's assertion the government is blackmailing parents into vaccinating their children.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has compared a vaccination program to blackmail

ABC Insiders host Barrie Cassidy's assertion that vaccinations saved lives failed to move Senator Hanson

'If parents choose not to vaccinate their children, they are putting their children's health at risk and every other person's children's health at risk too,' he told reporters in the central Queensland town Barcaldine on Sunday.

'It is a vital health objective to ensure that everybody is vaccinated.'

Senator Hanson, who actually had her four children vaccinated, described the policy introduced by Tony Abbott's government as an affront to civil liberties.

'What I don't like about it is the blackmailing that's happening with the government - don't do that to people,' the Queensland senator told the ABC's Insiders program on Sunday.

She hit back at ABC Insiders host Barrie Cassidy's assertion vaccinations saved lives.

'That's a dictatorship and I think people have a right to investigate themselves,' she said.

'I hear from so many parents, where are their rights?'

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said unvaccinated children were a risk to other children

Health Minster Greg Hunt has also weighed in to say vaccinations save lives

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the 'no jab, no pay' welfare policy had led to an extra 200,000 children being vaccinated during the past year

Health Minister Greg Hunt told AAP: 'The clear and categorical advice from experts including the chief medical officer, based on decades of research and evidence, is that vaccinations save lives.'

Mr Hunt both highlighted the success of the 'no jab no pay' policy, saying it had led to an extra 200,000 children being vaccinated over the past year.

'It's good news for kids, their families, and the community,' he told AAP.

Labor's health spokeswoman Catherine King was appalled to hear Senator Hanson's comments.

'They aren't just wrong - they are dangerous,' she wrote on Twitter.

Former Australian Medical Association president Brian Owler said Senator Hanson was 'dangerous and ignorant'.

'Vaccination (is) the most effective public health measure ever,' the pediatric neurosurgeon wrote on Twitter.

Senator Hanson's advice was 'uninformed, dangerous and insulting' and it was disgraceful that an Australian politician could endanger children like that, he said.
A man on West Midlands Police's 'most wanted' list attempted to give himself up on Tuesday night - but got bored after waiting 45 minutes and went back on the run, a relative claims.

Officers swooped on a Birmingham street after Benjamin Partridge's brother-in-law informed them the 35-year-old was at his home, and was prepared to surrender.

But Andrew Thomas says that Partridge, who is wanted on suspicion of attacking an ex-partner, changed his mind during the long wait for police to arrive.

Officers swooped on a Birmingham street after Benjamin Partridge's (pictured) brother-in-law informed them the 35-year-old was at his home, and was prepared to surrender

When officers arrived, they arrived in large numbers, with stunned residents in Barratts Road looking on as the area was searched.

'I even left the door open, so they didn't have to kick it in,' says Andrew who himself has convictions for car theft and violence, and has served prison sentences.

'They were as nice as pie with me.'

He claims that Partridge knocked unexpectedly at his door at around 8pm and said he was ready to hand himself in.

Andrew says he made the call to the police but after three-quarters of an hour, Partridge changed his mind, grabbed two cans of cider from the fridge and left.

'I thought they'd be here a bit quicker, to be honest,' Andrew, 47, told the Sunday Mercury.

'The police arrived in large numbers and blocked every exit on the street. There was real drama that night.'

The swoop followed a police appeal for information about Partridge's whereabouts.

The force posted online: 'Benjamin Partridge is wanted on suspicion of domestic abuse. The 35-year-old is suspected of assaulting an ex-partner and breaking her jaw in March 2016.

When officers arrived, they arrived in large numbers, with stunned residents in Barratts Road looking on as the area was searched (Stock image)

'Partridge is from Birmingham and has links to Tipton. We have made numerous enquiries at addresses where Partridge has lived, and places we know he frequents, but so far we have been unable to locate him.

'Do you know his whereabouts?'

Andrew added: 'We used to be pretty close. He's been wanted for months, maybe close to a year, but looked well when I saw him on Tuesday.

'I think he should do the right thing and give himself up.

'He should get it out of the way. He can't hide forever.'

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: 'Police were called to Barratts Road, Birmingham at 8.15pm on Tuesday following reports Benjamin Partridge, who is wanted for a domestic abuse related offence, was at the address.

'Officers were immediately dispatched, but by the time they arrived Partridge had already left the scene. A search of the local area was conducted but officers were unable to locate him.'

Chief Inspector Jack Hadley added: 'The force responds to hundreds of incidents every day across the West Midlands. Both officers and staff are committed to keeping our communities safe and work round the clock to do so.

'On this occasion, we were not able to arrest the individual in question, but we are dedicated to apprehending those we believe have committed crime and anyone who has any information about any of our outstanding offenders is urged to call us.'
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has already had a rough week - but it got a little worse on Saturday when SNL turned him into Forrest Gump, courtesy of actress Kate McKinnon.

The former Alabama Senator was transformed into Tom Hanks' dim-witted but lovable oaf as he told his story to a series of strangers on a bus bench - including Vladimir Putin, played by Beck Bennett.

'I didn't know what to do,' McKinnon's Sessions said of the recent revelation that he'd been speaking to Russian representatives, despite claims that he had not.

'So my lawyers said, "Run, Jeffy, run!" So I started running and running, and I ended up all the way at this bus stop sitting here with you.'

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Parody: Kate McKinnon (right) appeared as AG Jeff Sessions in SNL, playing him as a parody of Forrest Gump. And of course, Beck Bennett was back playing Vladimir Putin (left)

The sketch began with a string of gags about the similarities between Sessions and Gump.

They both 'got to meet the president' and shake his hand - though in McKinnon's Session's case it was Trump, not JFK.

The comedian then appeared to take particular delight in mimicking Trump's strange, jerky handshakes.

And in a moment that referenced Gary Sinese's injured war veteran, Sessions boasted about having a friend with no legs - holding up the infamous photo of Kellyanne Conway kneeling on the Oval Office sofa during a meeting.

'I always say life is like a box of chocolates,' McKinnon's Sessions mused to Leslie Jones' bystander. 'Sure are a lot of brown ones in there!'

Racist: McKinnon's Sessiosn was portrayed as casually racist, commenting: 'I always say life is like a box of chocolates. Sure are a lot of brown ones in there!'

In real life, Sessions announced Thursday that he would recuse himself from the investigation into Trump's staff's alleged dealings with Russia because he himself had spoken to Russian officials on a series of occasions.

So it's no surprise that McKinnon's Sessions had plenty to say on the subject.

'This whole mess began with a congressional hearing,' McKinnon said, after Jones' bystander was replaced by another person.

'A senator from up north started asking all these questions about Russia and if I ever talked to 'em, and I got so nervous and confused.

'I got as worked up as a double-donged piggy in a room full of sows. So I said, "No, I never talked to any Russians ever and that's all I got to say about that.'

Seconds later, to another person at the bus stop: 'I talked to the Russians. Twice.'

Best pal: Sessions held up a pic of his pal Kellyanne Conway, saying she had no legs - a reference to Forrest's friend Lt. Dan, who lost his legs at war

'You know, I talked to a fella who turned out to be Russian on account of he was the Russian ambassador.'

'His name was Sergey Kislyak. Now I remember any name with the name "Gay kiss" in it.'

'I was the only one who talked to the Russians,' McKinnon went on - before stringing out a list of Trump staff who've been accused of talking to the foreign power: Michael Flynn, JD Gordon, Jared Kushner, Carter Page and Paul Manafort.

'I just gotta prove to everybody that I don't have any ties to the Russians whatsoever,' she added, before Bennett's Putin appeared and warned her: 'This meeting never happened.'

'I wasn't gonna remember it anyway,' McKinnon replied, with a fist-bump.

The final arrival at the bus stop was Octavia Spencer, playing Minny Jackson - the outspoken maid from The Help, for which she won an Oscar.

Bad taste: Octavia Spencer closed out the episode as her character from The Help, giving Sessions a chocolate pie with her own poop baked into it

'Are you Jeff Sessions? The one Coretta Scott-King wrote that letter about?' she asked.

King, who was Martin Luther King Jr's wife, opposed Sessions' appointment to federal judgeship in 1986, writing that he 'used the awesome powers of his office in a shabby attempt to intimidate and frighten elderly black voters.'

In 1985, as US Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, Sessions had prosecuted three black community organizers for voter fraud - leading to complaints that he had not done so in white communities.

'My name's Minnie. You don't know me, I'm from a different movie,' Spencer said, before handing him a chocolate pie.

McKinnon's Sessions then took a big bite from the pie - little knowing that Spencer's character in The Help was in the habit of baking her own excrement into it.

'Mmm, my favorite!' McKinnon's Sessions said, with glee.
A clothing brand showcased its debut collection in an old public toilet at Paris Fashion Week.

Designers Mao Usami and Alve Lagercrantz presented their first ready-to-wear collection for their brand, Sirloin, at the Madeleine public toilets in the Place de la Madeleine, located in the 8th Arrondissement in Paris.

But the unisex toilets, which were built in 1905, are unlike any other public facilities - they feature mahogany doors, ceramic-tiled floors, stained-glass windows, Art Deco mirrors and brass taps.

Designers Mao Usami and Alve Lagercrantz presented their first ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week in a pubic toilet

Images of the fashion show the models leaning against cubicle doors with steely gazes while head-to-toe in the designs

The historic toilets, which were built in 1905, are unlike any other public facilities - they feature mahogany doors, ceramic-tiled floors, stained-glass windows, Art Deco mirrors and brass taps

The designers, who are graduates of Central Saint Martins art college in London, said their odd choice of a venue was meant to play tribute to 'a place that allows the trivial, silly yet brilliant questions and ideas in life to flow free'.

Ms Usami, who has worked for Louis Vuitton and Dries Van Noten, said: '[Toilets] are where you go when you are pretending to work, but you are just escaping and having a break.'

Invitations to the show, which took place on March 3, featured folded toilet paper and a photograph of some graffiti scrawled on the inside of one of the historic toilet doors which read: 'We don't have to be deadly serious.'

The designers said the venue was not a stunt, saying the collection 'focuses on the intellectual questions that every Sirloin girl would ask herself during their brief moments in the toilet'

Sadly the stunning toilets have been closed to the public after the number of visitors dropped

The designers added their decision to stage the show in the toilets were to pay tribute to 'a place that allows the trivial, silly yet brilliant questions and ideas in life to flow free'

Ms Usami (left) and Mr Lagercrantz are graduates of Central Saint Martins art college in London

The designers insisted the venue was not a stunt, saying the collection 'focuses on the intellectual questions that every Sirloin girl would ask herself during their brief moments in the toilet.'

Images of the fashion show the models leaning against cubicle doors with steely gazes, while rolls of toilet paper are stacked neatly nearby.

According to Ms Usami and Mr Lagercrantz, their autumn-winter collection consists of designs that merge 'lingerie with ready-to-wear suits and streetwear.'

Other brands that swayed from the traditional fashion show were Saint Lauren, which held its show in a building site, while French designer Delphine Delafon staged hers as a Sicilian wake-cum-funeral, with 15 models in widow's weeds silently mourning over a man's body.
A judge has denied a paternal grandmother's emergency petition for custody of Heather Mack's toddler.

Judge Susan Kennedy Sullivan on Friday cited procedural issues for denying the petition of Kia Walker. Sullivan questioned whether she even had jurisdiction over the child, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Walker argued it is in the best interest of the child, named Stella, that she be allowed to bring her to the US and raise her.

'My granddaughter deserves to be in a loving environment where she can know her grandmother and have a relationship with other family members,' Walker told People. 'Im willing to face whatever is necessary so that I can raise my granddaughter.'

Kia Walker (right), the paternal grandmother of Heather Mack's daughter Stella (left with her in prison in Bali) is fighting to have the toddler brought back to the US

Stella Schaefer, who will be two this month, is due to leave her parents' custody in two weeks

Kia Walker, Stella Schaefer's maternal grandmother, is seen above with her granddaughter during a prison visit in Bali

Stella Schaefer, the only child of Heather Mack and her boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, will be two this month and is due in two weeks to be transferred out of Balis Kerobokan penitentiary where she has lived since birth with her murderess mother.

Mack, now 21, and Schaefer, 23, are serving 10 year and 18 year sentences for killing her mother Sheila von Wiese-Mack and stuffing her body into a suitcase at the St Regis in Nusa Dua, Bali, in 2014.

Mack was pregnant with Stella when she was jailed in 2015 and was told that she could keep the baby with her in jail until she turned two.

Walker filed paperwork in Indonesia to become the toddler's legal guardian but Mack is fighting it.

Hours before Walker appeared in court on Friday in downtown Chicago, a lawyer appointed to serve on the child's behalf said Mack has made plans for Stella to be with an Australian couple who live near the Bali prison and have been involved in the child's life.

Walker has visited her son Tommy Schaefer (above with his daughter in jail) several times. She says the child deserved a better start at life which she believes she will have in Chicago

Mack was pregnant when she and Schaefer (above in 2015) killed her mother, Sheila von Wiese-Mack, in Bali in 2014. She was allowed to keep Stella with her in prison for two years after giving birth

Mack confessed to killing her mother alone in a YouTube video last month (left) but has since retracted her claims, insisting that Schaefer (right before they were jailed) wrote them and forced her to recite them on camera

Mack would rather see her daughter be raised in Bali where she will get to see her twice a week in visits while serving a 10-year prison sentence.

But Stella's father, Schaefer, wants his mother to have guardianship, said Walker's attorney, Michael Goldberg.

Walker has had regular contact with her son and has visited him and Stella in prison.

'I witnessed her birth and cared for her for that first week in the hospital,' Walker said.

Schaefer has also contacted the US Consulate in Indonesia for assistance, Goldberg said.

Although Stella was born in Indonesia, Goldberg argued that she is an American citizen through her parents and resided in the country before traveling abroad on a tourist visa.

A child born in Indonesia to non-Indonesian parents would not automatically become a citizen there, according to Indonesian law.

Mack and Schaefer killed her Chicago socialite mother Sheila von Wiese-Mack and stuffed her body in a suitcase

'We're trying to stop that,' Goldberg said of Mack's plans to keep Stella in Indonesia. 'Our position is, this is an American citizen with American parents, and we have a grandparent here in the United States petitioning for guardianship.'

Goldberg said they will return to court on March 14 seeking permanent guardianship on Walker's behalf.

Mack's lawyer said that because she is Stella's 'blood mother', she deserves to keep the toddler in the same country as her.

'My client Heather Lois Mack as the blood mother of Stella, wants Stella here in Bali, so she has chance to meet Stella twice a week or more, so the relationship and psychological of Stella as well as the Mother more healthy,' attorney Yulius Benyamin Seran wrote in an email last month.

The toddler may also stand to inherit her mother's share of von Wiese-Mack's $1.56 million estate.

Mack's paternal uncle is trying to block his niece from inheriting the money, claiming she should not profit from her crime.

Last month, Mack retracted a video confession in which she described for the first time murdering her mother, claiming Schaefer wrote the confession and forced her to recite it.

In the videos, Schaefer said he was innocent of murder and that Mack only roped him in to her plot to help dispose of her mother's body.

Mack said she killed Wiese-Mack, 62, after learning that she was responsible for her father's death years earlier.

The tapes prompted Balinese prosecutors to consider a tougher sentence for the young mother.

Her lawyer hurriedly insisted the videos were fake after local law agencies addressed them.
The families of those onboard missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 launched a desperate bid to raise 12million to fund a private search for the plane.

The passenger plane disappeared on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing, China, with 239 people on board.

Jacquita Gomes, whose husband was a flight attendant on the plane, said families have no choice but to take matters into their own hands by raising the money.

It comes after Malaysia, Australia and China suspended a three-year search in the southern Indian Ocean on January 17.

A girl has her face painted during the Day of Remembrance for MH370 event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Saturday, March 4

A man writes a condolence message during the Day of Remembrance for MH370 event in Kuala Lumpur

Relatives of the victims of the missing Malaysia MH370 flight release the pigeons during the event

They had failed to discover any signs of the plane and the families have now resorted to fundraising as the third anniversary of the tragedy approaches.

Ms Gomes, who speaking during a three-hour remembrance event at a shopping centre near Kuala Lumpur, said: 'What happened to MH370 is a mystery.

But it should not go down in the history books as a mystery. Everybody wants answers.'

Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said in a speech at the event that a final report with information and analysis on what happened to the plane based on available data and evidence would be released this year. He didn't say when.

A man with a painted face attend the Day of Remembrance for MH370 event in Kuala Lumpur

A man arranges artwork for an exhibition marking the Day of Remembrance for the tragic plane which went missing three years ago

He said authorities would step up efforts to comb for plane debris along the African coast.

So far, Liow said, 27 pieces of debris have been found, including two new pieces found off Africa about two weeks ago.

He said that three pieces of debris have been confirmed to be from Flight 370, and that five more are 'almost certain' to be from the plane.

Despite the suspension of the $160million hunt for the plane, Liow said authorities haven't abandoned all efforts to locate the wreckage.

He said that an international team of experts in Australia is still studying whether an area north of the previous search area could be the plane's final resting place.

Liow said there was an 85 percent chance that the new 25,000-square-kilometer (15,535-square-mile) area could be the crash site, and that experts needed more time to study satellite images, debris flow and other clues.

A woman looking at a painting exhibition during the Day of Remembrance for MH370 event in Kuala Lumpur

Relatives of victims of the missing Malaysia MH370 flight have a moment of silence in Kuala Lumpur

He said: 'Funding has never been an issue, but we have to be sure, we need credible evidence.'

Ms Gomes said that through online fundraising and corporate donations, families hope to raise at least $15 million to pursue the search in the new area recommended by the experts.

More than 30 family members from Malaysia, Australia, China, India and France went on stage and spoke about the urgency to find closure. They released eight white pigeons and shouted 'search on.'

Danica Weeks of Australia, whose husband was a passenger on Flight 370, said: 'We will keep fighting, we will keep trying.

'We have no peace at this point. It's painful. It doesn't get better with time.'
An Australian man has reportedly died on his descent from the base camp of Mount Everest.

The Melbourne man had reached Mount Everest's base camp - a 5300 metre ascent - when he became ill last Thursday night, according to The Age.

It is believed he was with three other Victorians when they started their descent back down the mountain on Friday morning, but the man died on the way down.

A father-of-two is believed to have died on his descent back down from Mount Everest's base camp in Nepal (Stock Image)

The father-of-two was one of the thousands of hikers who trek to the Nepal base camp every year.

The man's family have decided to stay with the body until they can arrange to bring him home, according to The Herald Sun.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the publication they were only aware a male had died in Nepal.

'We stand ready to offer consular assistance in accordance with the consular services charter,' a DFAT said in a statement.
The number of violent assaults in suburbs surrounding Sydney's lockout area is on the rise, new figures reveal.

A report from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research shows there's been an increase of 299 assaults in areas around Sydney's CBD and Kings Cross since lockout laws began in 2014, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

In areas directly surrounding the lockout precinct, such as Pyrmont's The Star and venues in Ultimo and Surry Hills, assaults have jumped 12 per cent in the 32 months to September last year.

The number of assaults in suburbs outside Sydney's lockout area are on the rise, while assaults within the lockout area are on the decline (stock image)

Revellers are less likely to be assaulted in Sydney's CBD or Kings Cross since lockout laws were introduced, new figures show (stock image)

Assaults in areas surrounding Sydney's CBD and Kings Cross, such as Pyrmont, home of The Star (pictured), have increased

Assaults in the next ring of areas, including Newtown, Double Bay and Bondi, have soared 17 per cent in the same period.

Meanwhile, assaults are down within the lockout area, plunging 49 per cent in Kings Cross and 13 per cent in the CBD.

'While this suggests there has been a shift in violence away from the target sites to the surrounding areas, it should be remembered that the reductions in assault in the Kings Cross and Sydney CBD far outweigh the observed increases in the displacement sites; supporting the conclusion that, overall, there was a net reduction in violence during the 32-month post-reform period,' the BOCSAR report said.

Lockout laws were first introduced to Sydney's CBD and Kings Cross in February 2014 to help curb alcohol-fuelled violence.

The laws included a 1.30am lockout and last drinks at 3pm.

As part of a two-year trial starting from January, the lockout was pushed back to 2am, and last drinks to 3.30pm.
Police are appealing for help to catch a hapless crook who tried to rob a fish and chip shop with what appeared to be a banana.

The masked raider burst into the takeaway and pointed the 'gun' at staff while he screamed 'open that f***ing till now'.

But the makeshift weapon actually seemed to be nothing more than a piece of curved fruit concealed in a plastic bag.

CCTV then shows him fumbling in his pocket to try and pull out another weapon - but he failed and then fled the takeaway empty-handed.

A video clip released by Greater Manchester Police shows an offender trying to rob a fish and chip shop with a camouflaged weapon - believed to be a banana

He is seen screaming at the staff to 'open the f***ing till' but the workers stand firm

Police have released footage of the raid in Atherton, Greater Manchester - prompting online debate about what weapon was used.

One person said: 'He just robbed that shop with a banana wrapped in a plastic bag.'

Another added: 'The fool is waving a aubergine in a plastic bag about?'

One even wrote: 'He looks like he's holding a d**** wrapped in a plastic bag.'

The incident happened at the shop in Leigh Road, Atherton, at around 8.45pm on Saturday, February 11.

Detective sergeant David Johnston, of Greater Manchester Police's Wigan borough division, said: 'I am appealing for information about this terrifying incident, which put these people's safety in danger, all for petty cash from a till.'

He can be seen attempting to draw another weapon from his pocket before fleeing the premises in Atherton, Wigan

Police were called to reports at around 8.45pm on Saturday 11 February that a man had entered the shop on Leigh Road, Howe Bridge, and threatened staff with a concealed weapon

The offender is described as white, around 6ft tall and of a slim build.

He was wearing a blue jumper with a black hooded jacket underneath and had black material covering most of his face.

DS Johnson added: 'If anyone recognises the man in the CCTV footage, or has any other information that may help us, then I urge you to get in touch.'

Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 7292 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Two sisters who lived as recluses before one of their bodies was found under a table in their cluttered mansion had never married and lived together as recluses for years after changing their names and shunning their family history.

Hope Wheaton, 67, was found dead under a table in the kitchen of the house in Brookline, Massachusetts, in December by a visiting cousin. Her older sister, Lynda, had been living with her decomposing body for more than a year.

At the time she told police her sister often fell over and that she would nurse her with water and Fudgsicles until she could get to her feet again.

She said she didn't know what to do when Hope 'didn't get better', failing to acknowledge out loud that she had died, the town's newspaper the Brookline TAB reports.

'They seemed to really love each other. They were best friends,' a lawyer who worked with them in one of two bitter family feuds told The Boston Globe on Sunday.

Hope Wheaton, whose body was found under a table in her Massachusetts home in December, was born Sheryl Hope Walman. She is pictured (bottom left, front) with her family including her older sister Lynda (top right, back row) who had lived with her corpse for a year. The sisters are seen above in 1959 with their parents, older sister Toby, cousins and aunt and uncle - all of whom once lived together in the house where Hope later died

The sisters were born Sheryl Hope Waldman and Lynda Waldman but changed their names to Wheaton as adults.

The sprawling house was their childhood home which they shared with their parents, another sister and extended family in an odd, communal style of living.

Their mother and her sister had married a pair of brothers and they all lived together with their combined six children; Hope and Lynda have another sister, Toby, two male cousins and a female cousin.

The two families went into business together but a bitter feud festered and eventually plunged their happy lives into legal spats.

Hope and Lynda's sister eventually moved out of state after becoming estranged from their father and eventually, after lengthy court proceedings, their side of the family was awarded the house by a trust.

The sisters had briefly moved out to attend college but returned after their mother's death in 1969.

Their father, who they cared in his old age, died in 1986, sparking another court battle. Toby, their other sister, petitioned the courts to be named as the executor of his will.

She said her younger sisters had swindled his fortune as he ailed in old age and that they shouldn't be trusted with what remained of it.

Eventually they triumphed in court but the second legal battle plunged them further into their reclusive lifestyle.

A cousin discovered Hope's body under a table in the kitchen of the family's cluttered 4,000 sq ft mansion (above) in December

Lynda (left) and Hope (right at her cousin's 1966 wedding) moved back in to the house after brief stints at college. They remained in it while their cousins and older sister moved on with their own lives after years of family feuds

With both their parents dead and their other sister and cousins estranged, Lynda and Hope continued living in the house where they'd grown up.

Despite numerous offers of help, they refused to let neighbors in to the house which was described as being in 'total disrepair' when police found Hope's body in December.

One thoughtful neighbor looked in to who owned the house to check how the sisters were being cared for.

Lynda, Hope's older sister (above in a rare public appearance in 2001) told police she did not know what to do when her sister showed no signs of getting better - failing to acknowledge her death

'We tried to be respectful. When I saw the trust records, I figured someone was involved in their lives. Somebody is taking care of them,' they told The Globe, unaware that the trust had been set up decades earlier amid the family's legal battle.

Officials visited the house on numerous occasions but were always told to go away.

One neighbor said she smelled a terrible odor while slipping a magazine through one of the doors.

'Oh my God, the smell was terrible,' she said. Hope's body was discovered when a cousin, who has never been named, went to the home to collect Lynda. She'd allowed them to come by after asking for help because the pipes had frozen.

The cousin found Hope's decomposing body and alerted police, taking Lynda away with them to stay with other relatives and later in a hotel.

She has never been charged over the discovery. Hope's cause of death has never been made public and it's not clear of Lynda ever underwent a psychiatric evaluation.

At the time her death became public, neigbour Harriet Allen told CBS the circumstances surrounding the discovery were 'profoundly sad'.
A young mother was nearly killed by a flesh-eating bug which she caught after playing dodgeball with her friends.

Lesley Kane, 35, used to be healthy and enjoyed nothing more than keeping fit in her free time.

She took part in a game of dodgeball - made famous by the hit 2004 comedy movie of the same name starring Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn.

But when the mother-of-two, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, was hit by a ball the impact caused a tiny graze on her left chest, triggering a horrific chain of events.

Lesley Kane, 35, used to be healthy and enjoyed nothing more than keeping fit in her free time

Mrs Kane had to have an operation to remove her left breast (right, her scar before the skin grafts) and has taken steps to recover (left)

At first, she felt groggy, but only four days later she was rushed to hospital with little more than a 12-hour window to save her life.

Doctors discovered she was suffering from sepsis and a bacterial infection called Necrotising fasciitis - a deadly flesh-eating bug.

She was taken into intensive care and underwent a series of operations to remove her left breast, as well as parts of her torso and back.

Mrs Kane, who works in the property industry, thankfully fought her way back from the brink of death but says she is still struggling to recover six months on.

She said: 'I was having flu symptoms but thought I could sleep them off. Just a few days later I was in hospital fighting for my life.

'The doctors tried to establish what was wrong with me. They knew it was blood poisoning but they didn't know what was causing it.

'After various tests and scans, they realised that I had contracted that bacteria.

'I think they worked out that the only place where there was an injury was a mark to my chest. It was bruised but there was no obvious injury.

'I am assuming they knew there was a graze there. It was so small that I hadn't noticed it.

'When I think about it, it was my flesh rotting. I was being killed by a flesh-eating bug.

'My body was shutting down at this point. The doctors said there was a 12-hour window and that if they did not operate I was going to die.'

But when the mother-of-two, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, was hit by a ball the impact caused a tiny graze on her left chest, triggering a horrific chain of events

Mrs Kane was almost killed by a flesh-eating bug and had to work in the hospital gym to recover

Mrs Kane said she had to relearn basic day-to-day activities such as walking, writing, and even brushing her teeth

The ordeal began when she was hit in the chest during a game of dodgeball with friends and colleagues on August 3 last year.

She didn't notice any pain or symptoms but developed flu-like symptoms which kept getting worse in the following days.

Mrs Kane tried to sleep them off and decided to go ahead with a family holiday to the Netherlands with her husband Stephen, 40, and two daughters, seven and nine, on August 6.

But just one day after their arrival, she was severely ill with fever and unable to hold herself.

Her concerned family phoned emergency services who checked her over and rushed her to hospital.

She said: 'I was pretty much out of it. They hooked me up to drips and medicine and gave me whatever they could to keep me comfortable.

'They operated on me before midnight.

'They removed part of my chest, they cut a T-shape from shoulder to shoulder and then removed my left breast, part of my torso and my side down to my hip.

'My husband said I had four operations over 24 hours to remove the bacteria.'

Mrs Kane was in intensive care for nine days battling for her life and finally awoke on August 15.

She took part in a game of dodgeball - made famous by the hit 2004 comedy movie of the same name starring Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn (pictured)

Her husband Stephen (pictured) has supported her the whole way and family members and friends have also helped him

Mrs Kane had to taken part in regular physio sessions during her time in hospital (pictured)

Due to the complicated operations and damage to her tissue, she was transferred from the MCH Westeinde in Den Hague to the Dutch Burn Centre in Beverwijk.

She was forced to spend two months in medical care.

Mrs Kane said she had to relearn basic day-to-day activities such as walking, writing, and even brushing her teeth.

She added: 'I was treated as a burns patient. The doctors don't know how I managed to survive, I shouldn't be here really.

'They waited until I wasn't critical and put on like a vacuum thing to heal the wound to take away the bacteria and allow the healing.

'I went on to have four skin grafts. They grafted from my left leg. There were several surgeries and I took each day to try and improve my strength.

'When I left Holland, I was still using a wheelchair. I had to continue building my strength back up.

'I came back to Scotland but wasn't able to go back to my life as it was before. I still couldn't walk a great distance or carry out tasks like I used to with a wealth of energy.

'My day-to-day life was no longer how it was. I was tired, very tired, all of the time and on a lot of pain relief.

'I'm still not quite there. I feel my mind is 100 per cent on it but my body just can't keep up with me.

'I'm getting there. I've returned to fitness and my physio and I'm trying to build my strength up but it's a long journey and I have years of surgeries ahead to reconstruct and improve my scars.

'The support of my family and friends has helped me entirely. They've all been by my side, from things like leaving food at my doorstep to doing my cleaning, helping with school runs to helping my husband with everything around the house.

'I've never been short of help. It's been amazing and overwhelming.'

Lesley's friends have launched a fundraiser to help her with recovery, hospital fees, physio, and reconstruction options.

Readers wanting to support her can do so by visiting https://www.justgiving..com/crowdfunding/LesleyKane.
The BBC has been accused of 'silencing' freedom of speech after it warned Jenni Murray not to speak openly about controversial topics.

Dame Jenni sparked a row when she said transgender women, who have previously lived as men 'with all the privilege that entails', do not have the shared experience of growing up female.

Yesterday, BBC bosses said they had reminded the host of Radio 4's Woman's Hour that she must remain neutral on 'controversial subjects'.

It followed calls for her dismissal by transgender presenter India Willoughby, who called the broadcaster a 'dinosaur' who used her position for 'spouting bile'.

In the Corporation's first formal intervention in the row, a BBC spokesman said: 'Jenni Murray is a freelance journalist and these were her own views.

Dame Jenni Murray (pictured) has sparked a fierce debate with her claim that a sex change can't make someone a real woman - with some even calling for her to be fired

'However, we have reminded her that presenters should remain impartial on controversial topics covered by their BBC programmes.'

Miss Willoughby was a well-known reporter on regional ITV's Border News as a man, Jonathan, until 2010 but returned five years later after having 14,000 gender reassignment surgery.

She became the first trans woman to present an all-female TV chat show when she co-hosted Loose Women.

In an article at the weekend, Dame Jenni described interviewing Miss Willoughby for Woman's Hour, adding: 'India held firmly to her belief that she was a "real woman", ignoring the fact she had spent all of her life before transition enjoying the privileged position in our society generally accorded to a man.'

The comments infuriated Miss Willoughby, who yesterday said: 'Honestly, I wouldn't wish being trans on anyone, even Jenni. "Male privilege" was never a privilege to me.'

Last night a group which aims to promote 'balanced' debate on transgender issues said Dame Jenni was being 'silenced'.

India Willoughby (pictured) became the first trans woman to present an all-female TV chat show when she co-hosted Loose Women

Stephanie Davies-Arai, founder of Transgender Trend, said: 'The trans-activist campaign is so powerful that if anyone speaks out of line, in their opinion, they are getting threats.'

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen accused the BBC of hypocrisy and pointed out that Dame Jenni was encouraged to tackle contentious issues on her programme. 'By telling her that she should remain neutral on controversial issues, the BBC has overstepped the mark,' he said.

Angie Bray, another Conservative MP, said the mother-of-two should be allowed to give an honest opinion.

'She is totally entitled to her views and if she wishes to express these in a personal interview, she should be able to,' she added.

On Twitter, some commenters vehemently disagreed with the remarks while others agreed with the veteran broadcaster.

Twitter user Wadorf Sixpence said: 'Jenni Murray needs to be sacked from Women's Hour immediately.'

Rachel Cohen, executive director of campaigns and strategy at Stonewall, said: 'Whether you are trans or not, your identity is yours alone. I do not question your identity Jenni, and in return, I wouldn't expect you to question mine - or anyone else's. What right would you have to do so?

'My experiences of being a woman are undoubtedly different to yours. However, their differences do not make them in any way less valid.

On Twitter, Lynsey Spence wrote: 'Nobody gets to define who or what a real woman is'

'Trans women have every right to have their identity and experiences respected too. They are women  just like you and me - and their sense of their gender is as engrained in their identity as yours or mine.'

Lynsey Spence wrote: 'Nobody gets to define who or what a real woman is.'

Dakota said: 'Jenni Murray and her ilk dress up their opinions as caring and nuanced. They aren't.'

Commenter Aniqah added: 'Why does Jenni Murray get to choose what a 'real woman' is?'

Joanna Williams added: 'Jenni Murray is absolutely right. Brave woman for saying it'

Julie Carpenter wrote: 'So disappointed that Jenni Murray joins those feminists who think being a real woman depends solely on possession of a few body parts.'

However, some agreed with the position of the veteran broadcaster.

Amy Wyatt said: 'I agree with Jenni Murray about trans women. What Germaine Greer has been saying for years.'

Another user said: 'Jenni Murray well done - agree with everything you say.'

Joanna Williams added: 'Jenni Murray is absolutely right. Brave woman for saying it.'
Jacqueline Watts's car was found running with the emergency flashers on in Columbus, Indiana. She was in the area to drop off her pet rabbit and dogs before a trip to D.C.

A 33-year-old Indianapolis woman was found dead on a sandbar by Flatrock River Saturday morning.

Jacqueline 'Jackie' Watts's car was found abandoned near a wooded area in Columbus, Indiana hours after she was set to fly to Washington, D.C. with her husband.

Police said they would not comment on how far her body was from the car or if she appeared to be forcibly removed from her car.

Police found Watts's car running with the passenger door open near a wooded area in Columbus, which is an hour drive outside Indianapolis. Her purse and cellphone were inside the vehicle and the emergency flashers were on.

Saturday, Columbus Police Lt. Matt Harris said in a press conference: 'Right now we have many more questions than we have answers.'

He also said: 'At This point, we don't know how Jacqueline died so we don't want to jump to any conclusions.'

Police have not said if they suspect foul play.

Watts, who was on the board of directors for an animal rescue charity, went to drop off her pet rabbit and dogs at her parents' house before the trip. Police did not say if the pets were found or if she finished dropping them off. However, Watts's sister in law Jen Watts Barrie said she was not seen after she dropped the dogs off at Watts's parents' house.

But she did not meet her husband at home before they were supposed to head to the airport Friday afternoon according to The Republic.

Police could not disclose how far Jacqueline Watts's (pictured with her husband) body was found from her car

Her disappearance was considered 'suspicious'.

Columbus Police searched the area near where her car was found and held a press conference Saturday morning.

Officers looked over the area overnight and reached out to the Louisville Metropolitan police department to search with a helicopter

At 8.30am found her body on a sandbank an hour after police started searching the area Saturday. They did not disclose where along the river her body was found.

Her cause of death will be released after her autopsy which is scheduled for Monday.

Officers found Watts's body (pictured right and left with her husband) less than 12 hours after she went missing

Watts was an avid animal lover and was scheduled to scout a venue for an Indyclaw Rescue shelter event next week. She was on the board of directors for the charity and spent time nursing sick bunnies to health.

After her death was confirmed, the shelter posted a photo collage and wrote: 'Jackie was always taking home the really sick bunnies that she could nurture back to health, and if that wasn't possible, she would many times keep them to their end. Even adopting a pair post mortem that she so dearly loved and nursed until they died.'

'Just yesterday, Jackie was sitting on the floor of the Bunny Barn trying to help me give fluids to a long time bunny we believe to have cancer. Like me, Jackie discovered poor Laverne was like Swiss cheese and the fluids would just not stay with her. Jackie loved on Laverne and apologized to her for not taking her home this past week, so Laverne could see what it was like being in a real home.'

Jackie Watts was on the board of directors for Indyclaw Rescue who posted this photo of her caring for animals when her death was announced

Another animal rescue center, Kentuckiana Boxer Rescue, posted condolences on social media for the Boxer lover.

The investigation is ongoing and the police spokesman urged the public to not jump to conclusions or post rumors on social media.

The press officer referenced a false rumor about a bloodied woman walking out of the woods.

This also may have been in reference to rumors surrounding the two teens who were found murdered along Deer Creek in Delphi, which is about an hour north of Indianapolis. Police confirmed there have not been any arrests in this case.

Watts was an animal lover and was out dropping her pets off to be cared for before a trip at the time of her death

The investigation is ongoing and the police spokesperson urged the public to not jump to conclusions or post rumors on social media

Liberty German and Abigail Williams were found near Monon High Bridge Trail which is 121 miles away from where Watts's car was found on Riverside Drive in Columbus, according to Fox59.

Watts's sister in law Jen Watts Barrie posted on Facebook the details about what Jacqueline was doing before she went missing. She wrote: 'My sister in law, Jackie, has been missing since this afternoon. She and my brother were flying to DC tonight for a visit, and she didn't come home to meet Michael and go to the airport.

'She dropped their dogs off at my parents' house and rabbit off at her parents' house and no one heard from her afterward. Her car has been located in Columbus, IN, running, with her cell phone and purse inside and the passenger side door open.'

'PLEASE PLEASE view her picture, jog your memories and ask others to take a look. Please pray and send good thoughts. We love her and need her home safe and sound.'

Anyone with information regarding Jacqueline's death is encouraged to call 812-376-2600.

Jacqueline Watts's car was found abandoned near a wooded area hours after she was set to fly to Washington, D.C.
A 20-year-old woman was killed while operating farm machinery in a field in Devon yesterday afternoon.

The woman, who has not been named, was airlifted to hospital by air ambulance from a farm in Gatehouse, near Dawlish, but was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

The Health and Safety Executive has launched an investigation into her death, which is believed to have been a tragic accident.

A second air ambulance arrived on the scene amid reports that another woman had suffered a cardiac arrest

An air ambulance landed in a field to pick up the woman and a second woman was reportedly treated for heart failure nearby.

Chris Iles, who took a video of the air ambulance taking off, said: 'There were two air ambulances and quite a few rescue services in the town. I could see they were helping someone by some farm equipment.'

Chris Iles, who was nearby at the time, filmed the dramatic arrival of the air ambulance

A Health and Safety Executive spokesman said: 'We have been made aware and are working with Devon and Cornwall Police.'

There were 27 deaths in farm accidents in the year 2015/16 and there have been 152 fatalities in the last five years.

Falls were to blame for 25 deaths, 23 people were killed by animals and another 25 were hit by vehicles, with farm machinery attributed as the cause of 17 deaths.
The Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee says his panel will probe President Donald Trump's allegations that Trump Tower was wire-tapped by President Obama's administration.

Rep. Devin Nunes, Rep for California, said his committee 'will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political party's campaign officials or surrogates', the chair said in a statement Sunday afternoon.

The White House demanded Sunday morning that Congress investigate Trump's claims, which he tweeted out Saturday morning, suggesting Obama abused his executive powers in connection with the 2016 presidential election.

'Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!' the president wrote on Twitter. McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence.

Trump offered no evidence supporting the tapping of telephones in Trump Tower, while a spokesman for Obama denied the allegation as 'simply false'.

Lawmakers in both parties have asked to see proof.

Earlier Sunday, Senate Intelligence Committee member, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., suggested his committee would look into the matter as well.

'We've already begun an inquiry on the intelligence committee into Russia's efforts to undermine confidence in our political system,' Cotton said on Fox News Sunday.

'That inquiry is going to be thorough, and we're going to follow the facts wherever they lead us. And I'm sure that this matter will be a part of that inquiry.'

Scroll down for video

The Obama administration has denied President Donald Trump's claims that Barack Obama wire-tapped his phones at Trump Tower before the election. Trump was spotted waving to his supporters as his motorcade crossed the Bingham Island Bridge in Palm Beach on Saturday

Obama's (pictured during Trump's inauguration) spokesman Kevin Lewis released a statement Saturday afternoon refuting Trump's wire-tapping claims

Rep. Devin Nunes said his committee 'will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political party's campaign officials or surrogates'. He is seen above on February 14

Cotton's committee chair, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., made a broader statement.

'As I've said since the beginning and have repeated since, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will follow the evidence where it leads, and we will continue to be guided by the intelligence and facts as we compile our findings,' Burr said Sunday.

It came after James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence in the Obama administration, 'absolutely' denied there was a secret court order for surveillance at Trump Tower.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer had said earlier in a statement on Sunday that reports 'concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling'.

Trump accused Obama of tapping his phones at Trump Tower in a flurry of tweets Saturday morning

Another official echoed that of others saying Obama could not have ordered a wire-tap, adding that it would have been taken to a judge by investigators, but investigators never did that

REACTION TO TRUMP'S BUGGING ALLEGATIONS Ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff, called Trump's wire-tapping charge 'incendiary' and 'baseless,' and suggested the president got it from ' Breitbart or other conspiracy-based news'. 'For a president who similarly claimed that millions of undocumented immigrants voted illegally costing him the popular vote, and that his predecessor wasn't born in the United States, these new allegations follow a familiar if deeply disturbing pattern of distraction, distortion and downright fabrication,' Schiff charged. House minority leader Nancy Pelosi called the allegations 'ridiculous' and said 'it's the tool of an authoritarian to have them always be talking about what you want to be talking about'. She added: 'Rather than Russia, we're talking about President Obama.... When he's been not in favor of Congress investigating anything, including what the Russians have on Donald Trump politically, financially or personally. That's the truth we want to know.' South Carolina Sen Lindsey Graham said: 'I am very worried that our president is suggesting that the former president has done something illegally.' Sen Marco Rubio said: 'I have no insight into what exactly he's referring to. And I'd imagine the president and the White House in the days to come will outline further what was behind that accusation.' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said: 'It's beneath the dignity of the presidency. It is something that really hurts people's view of government. And either way, the President's in trouble. If he falsely spread this kind of misinformation, that is so wrong.' Advertisement

'President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016,' Spicer said.

It was unclear what reports Spicer was referring to, and what prompted Trump to make the allegation.

Spicer ended the statement by saying that neither the White House nor Trump will comment further 'until such oversight is conducted.'

The FBI has yet to release an official statement on the allegations.

However the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., released a statement asking the White House to join him in demanding that FBI Director James Comey answer more questions about the bureau's Russia probe.

'If the administration truly believes that President Obama illegally eavesdropped on the Trump campaign and wants our committee to investigate the matter, they should join my call on Director Comey to answer any question put to him that is pertinent to the Russia investigation,' Schiff said.

Schiff, and his Republican counterpart, Nunes, sat down with Comey on Thursday and afterward the Democrat criticized Comey for not being more open with the members.

Comey has reportedly said the claim is false and asked the Justice Department to publicly reject Trumps assertion that Obama ordered the tapping, the New York Times reported.

Schiff also slapped President Trump around too.

He called Trump's wire-tapping charge 'incendiary' and 'baseless,' and suggested the president got it from ' Breitbart or other conspiracy-based news.'

'For a president who similarly claimed that millions of undocumented immigrants voted illegally costing him the popular vote, and that his predecessor wasn't born in the United States, these new allegations follow a familiar if deeply disturbing pattern of distraction, distortion and downright fabrication,' Schiff charged.

Trump actually first claimed that millions had voted 'illegally' and didn't specifically note the voters' immigration status. There's no evidence that any widespread voter fraud occurred.

Pointing to the White House's decision not to comment further on Trump's wire-tapping claims Schiff said of the press secretary, 'not even Spicer wishes to have to speak to such an unsubstantiated charge'.

Clapper said on on NBC's 'Meet the Press' on Sunday (seen above) that in the national intelligence activity he oversaw, 'there was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president, the president-elect at the time, as a candidate or against his campaign'

Clapper furthered Schiff's case by saying on 'Meet the Press' Sunday that 'there was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president, the president-elect at the time, as a candidate or against his campaign'.

Clapper says as intelligence director he would have known about a 'FISA court order on something like this.'

He added, 'Absolutely, I can deny it.'

He left the White House on January 20 when Trump took office.

Obama's spokesman Kevin Lewis had on Saturday released a statement refuting Trump's wire-tapping claims.

'A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice,' Lewis wrote.

'As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false.'

However, the statement did not deny that another federal agency may have sought authorization to listen in on Trump Towers and received it.

Lewis said 'neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen'

Trump had started tweeting shortly after 3.30am ET Saturday and posed the question: 'Is it legal for a sitting President to be 'wire tapping' a race for president prior to an election?'

In another tweet Trump said it was a 'new low' for the former president, compared it to 'Nixon/Watergate' and called Obama a 'bad (or sick) guy'.

Ben Rhodes, the former policy adviser for Obama, blasted Trump's accusations on Twitter: 'No President can order a wiretap. Those restrictions were put in place to protect citizens from people like you.'

Rhodes shot back at another Trump tweet saying: 'Dear Pundits who lauded his speech. Is it still 'presidential' to call your dignified predecessor 'Bad (or sick) guy!''

Former Mexican President Vicente Fox also slammed Trump following the Republican's Twitter tirade.

'A 'so-called' President is calling a real President and true leader: bad and sick guy. What a shame, America you need to do something now!' Fox tweeted.

'@realDonaldTrump is more aware of what happens in reality TV than his own country. He's a very bad apprentice of politics!' he added in reference to Trump's former television show.

Trump fired off his tweets shortly after 3.30am ET Saturday morning

Ben Rhodes, the former policy adviser for Obama, also blasted Trump's accusations on Twitter: 'No President can order a wiretap. Those restrictions were put in place to protect citizens from people like you'

Former Mexican President Vicente Fox also slammed Trump following his Twitter tirade

Fox said Trump was a 'so-called president' for calling Obama a 'bad and sick guy'

Trump also linked Obama to Attorney General Jeff Sessions' meetings last year with Russia's US ambassador, Sergey Kislyak.

'The first meeting Jeff Sessions had with the Russian Amb was set up by the Obama Administration under education program for 100 Ambs,' he tweeted.

Trump's team has sought to push back over its connections to Russian officials by pointing out instances of Democrats meeting with Kislyak.

But on these latest allegations a former senior intelligence official told The Washington Post that 'it's highly unlikely there was a wiretap'.

'It seems unthinkable. If that were the case by some chance, that means that a federal judge would have found that there was either probable cause that he had committed a crime or was an agent of a foreign power,' the official said.

According to the official, a wiretap cannot be directed at a US facility, without finding probable cause that the phone lines or internet addresses were being used by agents of a foreign power.

'You can't just go around and tap buildings,' the official told the Post.

Another former senior US official, who worked under the Obama administration, told CNN there was no such investigation of Trump, nor were his phones tapped.

'This did not happen. It is false. Wrong,' the former official said.

The official echoed that of others saying Obama could not have ordered this and adding that it would have been taken to a judge by investigators, but investigators never did that.

The president, who is currently vacationing at his private Mar-a-Lago estate, did not provide any additional evidence to back up his claims.

Trump's claims seem to have stemmed from a Thursday evening radio show hosted by Mark Levin that claimed Obama executed a 'silent coup' of Trump via 'police state' tactics

Trump's claims seem to have stemmed from a Thursday evening radio show hosted by Mark Levin that claimed Obama executed a 'silent coup' of Trump via 'police state' tactics, according to far-right Breitbart News.

Through a timeline, Levin suggested the former president should be the target of congressional investigation.

During the summer last year, the Obama administration filed a request with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) to monitor communications involving Trump and several advisers but the request was denied, according to Heat Street former editor, Louise Mensch.

Just a day before the 2016 election, Mensch reported that 'sources with links to the counter-intelligence community' confirmed that a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) had granted a FISA court warrant in October to monitor activities in Trump tower.

On Wednesday, a New York Times report said White House officials took efforts in the closing days of the Obama administration to analyze and spread information about Russian election interference, driven by a concern that the material might get buried by Trump.

Trump's claims seem to have stemmed from a Thursday evening radio show hosted by Mark Levin that claimed Obama executed a 'silent coup' of Trump via 'police state' tactics

The president, who is currently vacationing at his private Mar-a-Lago estate (pictured), did not provide any additional evidence to back up his claims. Obama has not responded to the accusations

Intelligence agencies rushed to analyze raw intelligence material about Russia connections, going over months-old material as the extent and possible motives of what the agencies say is Russian election hacking emerged.

Officials made efforts to ask specific questions at intelligence briefings as a way to get the information into the record and be archived for examination later.

In January, American law enforcement and intelligence agencies examined intercepted communications and financial transactions as part of a broad investigation into possible links between Russian officials and associates of Trump, according to the Times.

The FBI led the investigations, aided by the National Security Agency, and the Treasury Department's financial crimes unit.

Trump also linked Obama to Attorney General Jeff Sessions's meetings last year with Russia's US ambassador

Investigators found no conclusive evidence of wrongdoing, the officials said.

One official said intelligence reports based on some of the wiretapped communications had been provided to the White House.

As the news spread about Trump's allegations, many government officials took to social media to respond.

South Carolina Sen Lindsey Graham, spoke on Trump's accusations at a Town Hall on Saturday.

'I am very worried that our president is suggesting that the former president has done something illegally,' Graham told his audience.

'I would be very worried if in fact the Obama administration was able to obtain a warrant lawfully about Trump campaign activity with foreign governments.

In other words, the he Obama administration would have only been able to lawfully obtain a warrant for a wire tap, if a judge found probably cause that Trump was engaging in criminal activity.

Democrats have also responded to Trump's claims, including House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, who Trump recently demanded by investigated after she said she hadn't met the current Russian ambassador, only to be revealed to have met him in a 2010 photo.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif. listens at left, as the committee's ranking member Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., talk to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 2, following their meeting with FBI Director Jim Comey about Russian influence on the American presidential election

Pelosi hit back at Trump's demands of an 'immediate' investigation by tweeting: 'The Deflector-in-Chief is at it again. An investigation by an independent commission is the only answer.'

She added in an interview with CNN's State of the Union that the allegations were 'ridiculous; and 'it's the tool of an authoritarian to have them always be talking about what you want to be talking about'.

She added: 'Rather than Russia, we're talking about President Obama.... When he's been not in favor of Congress investigating anything, including what the Russians have on Donald Trump politically, financially or personally. That's the truth we want to know.'

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) also said on Meet the Press that he was not aware of the claims.

Rubio said: 'I have no insight into what exactly he's referring to. And I'd imagine the president and the White House in the days to come will outline further what was behind that accusation.

'I've never heard that before. And I have no evidence, or no one's ever presented anything to me, that indicates anything like that.'

Meanwhile Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said: 'It's beneath the dignity of the presidency. It is something that really hurts people's view of government.

'And either way, the President's in trouble. If he falsely spread this kind of misinformation, that is so wrong.'

Nancy Pelosi, who Trump recently demanded by investigated after she said she hadn't met the current Russian ambassador, also responded to Trump's claims

Others have also responded to Trump's claims, including Ted Lieu, a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives, representing California's 33rd congressional district

Former Vermont Gov Howard Dean also tweeted shortly after Trump's accusation made headlines

The Trump administration has come under increasing pressure over its connections to Russian officials.

Earlier this week, Sessions recused himself from any investigations involving the presidential election after it was revealed he twice met with Kislyak during the campaign.

On Thursday, Jeff Sessions recused himself from investigations involving the presidential election after it was revealed he twice met with Russia's ambassador to Washington

When Trump was asked if he knew Sessions had met Kislyak before the election, he said: 'I wasn't aware at all.'

The president's extraordinary intervention came as Sessions faced a firestorm over whether he lied to the Senate during confirmation hearings by failing to disclose his two meetings last summer.

But the president also said he has 'total' confidence in his attorney general and does not think he should recuse himself from Justice Department investigations involving Russia.

'I don't think so,' he told reporters asking about recusal on Thursday as he visited the USS Gerard R. Ford in Newport News, Virginia.

Despite saying he did not know of the meetings with Kislyak, he stood by Sessions as he took fire from Democrats for failing to disclose the conversations during his confirmation hearing.

Asked if Sessions told a Senate panel the truth about the communications, Trump gave only a half-hearted endorsement, however.

'I think he probably did,' Trump said.

A White House spokesperson didn't immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
The state government is seeking answers from the lord mayor of Sydney Clover Moore over her $3.5 million annual expenses account.

The Local Government Minister Gabrielle Upton has told the Sydney city council they have three weeks to implement a new policy to make sure the Lord Mayor's budget is transparent after concerns over 'a lack of proper governance'.

The Department of Local Government found that there were some discrepancies in the Office of Lord Mayor's annual reporting of ratepayers funds, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore and her office have been given three weeks to implement a new policy guideline around spending ratepayer money

Gabrielle Upton, Local Government Minister, said the City of Sydney's lack of transparency is unusual and a concern

A letter sent to the City of Sydney office from Acting Local Government chief executive Tim Hurst told the council they found that the Lord Mayor seemed to be able to approve her own expenses.

Furthermore, the expenses of the Office of the Lord Mayor had not been properly reported.

Ms Upton said the expenditure of ratepayers' funds should be transparent.

'The result of the investigation is a timely reminder to all councils that ratepayers funds must be properly spent and appropriately oversighted,' Ms Upton told the publication.

'The Lord Mayor signing off her own expenses is unusual and shows a lack of proper governance. This is a concern to me and I am sure to many of the council's ratepayers. The council now has three weeks to get its house in order.'

A spokesperson for the City of Sydney council said it always followed regulations and at least two staff members had approved the Lord Mayor's Office expenditure.

Ms Upton said the lack of transparency is a concern for ratepayers
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Drivers have been warned to stay off the roads after an inch of snow fell in the UK overnight.

Parts of North and Mid Wales woke up to see plenty of the white stuff, with low temperatures leading police to urge motorists to stay indoors.

Shocked locals posted pictures of the flurry on social media, with cars and houses snapped covered under a light dusting.

And experts believe the UK could see more snow next weekend as temperatures drop and a cold front swoops in.

But in another twist, temperatures in the south east could go as high as 13C by midweek, making it warmer than the south of France.

Many locals in parts of Mid and North Wales, pictured, were surprised to wake up to a light dusting of snow overnight

Snow fall pictured in Fron Isaf near Wrexham, North Wales. Residents have been urged to avoid the roads after more than an inch of the white stuff fell overnight

The worst affected areas were on higher ground, such as Llangollen, near Wrexham, with staff at the Ponderosa Cafe, pictured, urging locals to beware 'very bad conditions'

Council officials in Wales confirmed gritting lorries had been out today to make the roads safe for use. Pictured is a home covered in snow in Llangollen, near Wrexham

Meanwhile yellow weather warnings are in place for the rest of the day in south west England with gusts of 70mph expected in Cornwall and parts of Devon.

Although the snow has stopped for now, there will be plenty of rain overnight and into Monday, with the south west again set to fare worst as another inch of precipitation falls.

In Wales, council officials confirmed gritting lorries had been out today to make the roads safe for use.

Cyngor Gwynedd Council tweeted: 'Council gritters are currently working on the main routes in these areas. Please take care.'

North Wales Police also urged locals to avoid Horseshoe Pass, near Llangollen, and said: 'Snow on Horseshoe Pass making driving conditions difficult - please avoid the area and use an alternative route.'

It comes as the Met Office has predicted more snow could fall in the UK next weekend, with north England, Scotland and highland most at risk. Pictured is a snowy Horseshoe Pass in Llangollen, near Wrexham

Although snow fell overnight in north Wales, left and right, much of the UK is set to enjoy brighter weather this week, although it will be frequently interrupted by showers

Other parts of the UK, including Brighton, pictured, endured heavy rain today, with hail showers even hitting parts of London and the south east

The inclement weather and rough seas did not deter members of Brighton Swimming Club, pictured, diving into the waters

Hail showers blighted the afternoon in parts of London and the south east, including outside this McDonald's restaurant, pictured

Short hail showers also hit London and parts of the south east, sending shoppers and pedestrians running for cover.

Much of the UK will enjoy sunny spells over the week ahead, but they will be constantly interrupted by showers as traditional spring weather starts to move in.

A spokesman for the Met Office said: 'Monday will start out wet and windy in the south west with gusts of maybe 40mph, but it will clear up by late morning and it will be a much better day on the whole for the rest of the UK, with plenty of sunny spells.

'But we will pay the price for that clear weather on Tuesday morning with a lot of frost around in the north and south, although we will get off to another fine start.

Your browser does not support the <code>iframe</code> HTML tag. Try viewing this in a modern browser like Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Internet Explorer 9 or later.

The contrast between north and south Wales was stark, with families enjoying a walk in the sun at Barry Island in the Vale of Glamorgan, pictured

Although there was some cloud around at Barry Island, pictured, there was plenty of sunshine for families to enjoy

'As the day goes on, however, cloud, wind and rain will come in and we will be in for a wet afternoon, but that is quite common for March weather.'

The spokesman added: 'There is a hint we might get another cold spell next weekend, with a chance of snow in the north, Scotland and particularly on hills.

'It is likely to be shortlived, but there is potential for more snow.'

Temperatures over the next few days are likely to remain mild, with highs of around 11C expected in central and southern England.
Jonathan Morales, 23, died on Saturday night after falling from an apartment balcony

A student has died falling from an apartment balcony during an early St Patrick's Day party.

Jonathan Morales, 23, was with friends at the apartment in Champaign, Illinois, on Saturday when he fell off the balcony into an interior courtyard at the building.

They were taking part in Unofficial, an early St Patrick's Day celebration held in Champaign to capitalize on the holiday before students leave for Spring Break.

The University of lllinois, where Morales was a student, has called for the event to be scrapped in light of his death.

Champaign Police Department officers were called to the apartment shortly after 10.30pm where they found the student. He was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead three hours later.

Police said he had been drinking with friends and was 'fooling around' on the balcony.

'Upon arrival to the scene, the individual, who was later identified as 23-year-old University of Illinois student Jonathan Morales, was found unresponsive.

'Morales was then transported to Carle Foundation Hospital, where at 11:50 PM he was pronounced deceased by hospital personnel.

Morales had been with friends at Maywood Apartments when he fell from a balcony

'Limited information is available at this time; however, preliminary investigations suggest that Morales fall was accidental,' a statement released by the department on Sunday said.

The student's devastated father Rudy told friends of his heartache on Saturday night, describing how he wanted to 'trade places' with his son.

A University of Illinois spokesman told People it would like to see the event scrapped.

'We would like very much for it to never happen again.

'Its a danger to our students We lost a young man. Thats absolutely tragic,' she said.

A GoFundMe page raising money for Morales's funeral expenses described him as 'happy and spirited'.
Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey said President Donald Trump is likely 'right' about Trump Tower being surveilled, but the order would have had to come from the Justice Department as part of the FBI's intelligence gathering activities.

'This is the difference between being correct and being right, I think the president was not correct certainly in staying that President Obama ordered a tap on a server in Trump Tower,' Mukasey, who worked under President George W. Bush, said on ABC's This Week.

'However, I think he's right in that there was surveillance and that it was conducted at the behest of the attorney general  of the Justice Department through the FISA court,' Mukasey explained. The Justice Department oversees the FBI.

The former attorney general was being asked about claims Trump made starting Saturday, in which the president suggested Trump Tower was bugged by President Obama preceding the presidential election.

Team Trump has provided no solid evidence that this occurred, except referring to vague 'reports,' while Obama's spokesman has denied such an effort.

Obama's Director of National Intelligence James Clapper explained to NBC's Chuck Todd that he would have been aware of a FISA, or Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, court order and said 'I can deny it' when asked by the Meet the Press host if it exists.

'I can't speak officially anymore,' said Clapper, who resigned after Trump's election. 'But I will say that, for the part of the national security apparatus that I oversaw as DNI, there was no such wiretap activity mounted against  the president-elect at the time, or as a candidate, or against his campaign.'

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Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey speculated that the Justice Department got a FISA court order to surveil Trump Tower as part of an FBI intelligence gathering operation

James Clapper, President Obama's Director of National Intelligence, said he 'can deny' that there was a FISA order to snoop on President Trump's campaign headquarters and home

Mukasey thought there might be a FISA order based on news reports.

'I also base it on [the] kind of inadvertent blurting out by Adam Schiff that his committee wants to talk to the counterintelligence agents at the FBI who were involved in this,' Mukasey explained.

Schiff, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, along with his Republican counterpart, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., huddled with FBI Director James Comey on Thursday.

Afterward, Schiff accused the FBI of walling off portions of the Russia probe from Congress, including details about 'any counterintelligence investigations they are conducting.'

Mukasey explained that the FBI has two functions  they investigate crimes and they gather intelligence.

Mukasey said that if any surveillance of Trump Tower was green-lit, Schiff's comments indicated it was part of an intelligence gathering investigation, not a criminal one.

If Trump Tower was being surveilled it would be because there was 'basis to believe that somebody in Trump Tower may have been acting as an agent of the Russians,' Mukasey said

'It means there were some basis to believe that somebody in Trump Tower may have been acting as an agent of the Russians, for whatever purpose, not necessarily the election, but for some purpose,' Mukasey explained.

'And the FBI keeps track of people who act as agents of foreign governments. They keep track of people who act as agents of the Chinese, the Russians, the Israelis, everybody,' he added.

Mukasey also said the only way to verify electronic surveillance would be to disclose the warrants and what was found.

'And that should not be done even in a political storm as hot as this one,' the ex-attorney general said.

But Clapper pretty confidently denied any sort of wire-tapping activity was going on at Trump Tower, where the president resides in New York and also where his campaign and business headquarters are based.

When Todd asked Clapper if he could confirm or deny that there was a FISA order, Clapper said 'I can deny it.'

'There is no FISA order?' Todd asked again.

'Not  not to my knowledge,' Clapper responded.

Todd asked again, specifying at Trump Tower.

'No,' the former DNI head said.

Additionally, former White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest appeared with Martha Raddatz on ABC's This Week and said the Obama White House was not involved.

James Clapper (left) told Chuck Todd (right) that there was no FISA order to surveil Trump Tower before the presidential election, as the president has claimed

'What I can categorically deny, Martha, is that the White House was at all involved in directing or interfering or influencing the FBI investigation of any sort,' Earnest said.

Clapper said Americans should be given the facts.

'Again, I'd think it would be very healthy to completely clear the air on this subject. And I think it would be in everyone's interest to have that done,' Clapper told Todd.

Clapper expressed confidence in the Senate Intelligence Committee's 'truly bipartisan effort' and said that needs to play out, along with the House's investigation, before a special prosecutor is tapped.

And the White House called on Congress today too, though to include Trump's wire-tapping allegations into any investigations into the Russia matter.

'President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016,' Press Secretary Sean Spicer said today in a statement.

'Neither the White House nor the President will comment further until such oversight is conducted,' Spicer wrote.
An accused bomb hoaxer has a history of lying and intimidation, according to people who count themselves as victims.

Interviews with people close to Juan Thompson, who was arrested on Thursday for allegedly making bomb threats against at least eight Jewish community centers, unlock the sordid details of his life and career.

Ian DEmilia, Thompson's former friend and Vassar College roommate, told the New York Post that he earned the serial fabulist's ire last February after he told reporter Doyle Murphy with the Riverfront Times that Thompson had always been a 'peculiar guy'.

Juan Thompson (above), who was arrested on Thursday for allegedly making bomb threats against at least eight Jewish community centers, has a history of lying and intimidation

Thompson, 31, is a disgraced former journalist fired from The Intercept for fabricating quotes. He was charged by the federal government with cyberstalking

'He was a peculiar guy,' D'Emilia told Murphy. 'Very peculiar. I never really trusted him.'

Enraged by the story, Thompson allegedly embarked on a reign of cyber terror against 25-year-old D'Emilia and Murphy.

'He told me I wouldnt get a job once he was done with me,' said D'Emilia. 'He said that hed tell my future employers that Im a racist and homophobe.'

Thompson's yearbook photos at Mehlville High School in St Louis

Soon, D'Emilia's boss and graduate adviser received emails from Thompson in a campaign to smear him.

Thompson also emailed Murphy's boss and tried to get him fired.

When that didn't work, Thompson emailed Murphy directly:

'"You are a white piece of sh who lies and distorts to fit a narrative,"' Thompson wrote him in October. 'Thankfully no one reads you or the rft and you will spend the rest of your career aggregating stories about shootings.'

The abuse continued for weeks.

Thompson's penchant for revenge allegedly led him to create fake Twitter and Facebook accounts, claiming Murphy was a rapist.

Thompson tweeted (left) that he got his first tattoo of Malcolm X, which turned out to be photo posted on a tattoo shop's website that he reversed (right)

He bragged about making kimchi, but the photo he used was stolen from a food blogger

Before Thompson was arrested for his part in a string of bomb threats, he used his Twitter account to go on imaginary trips to Cuba and Senegal.

'He lied about the weirdest things,' Murphy wrote on Friday.

Thompson tweeted in December a picture of kimchi he claimed to have made.

An online search found he had stolen the photo from a food blogger.

Then he posted his new Malcolm X tattoo, which turned out to be a reversed Google image.

He fabricated other social media posts while railing against white women, police and President Donald Trump, among other topics.

The disgraced journalist was fired last year from online news site The Intercept after it was learned he had fabricated quotes and invented sources.

In addition to his Intercept stories, Thompson claimed he won the lottery, had a book deal and was accepted to the University of Chicago's law school. None of these claims have been verified.

Thompson was fired last year from online news site The Intercept after it was learned he had fabricated quotes and invented sources

'He would lie for no reason,' said D'Emilia. 'Almost to the point of there being something psychologically wrong with him.'

Thompson was charged in New York with cyberstalking a woman by communicating threats to JCCs in the womans name'.

If convicted, Thompson faces up to five years in federal prison.

The government alleges that Thompson began to make threats against Jewish institutions back in January.

On or about February 21, Thompson allegedly emailed a threat to the New York offices of the Anti-Defamation League.

'[The woman] is behind the bomb threats against jews,' the email read. 'She lives in nyc and is making more bomb threats tomorrow.'

People are evacuated from the David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie, Florida, on February 27 after a bomb threat. Thompson allegedly made threats against eight Jewish institutions in the name of a former lover

On or about February 21, Thompson allegedly emailed a threat to the New York offices of the Anti-Defamation League (seen above)

The next day, the ADL received a phone call stating that explosive materials had been placed in its midtown Manhattan office.

The federal government also alleges that on or around February 7, a JCC in Manhattan received an emailed bomb threat from an anonymous account.

'Juan Thompson put two bombs in the office of the Jewish center today,' the email read. 'He wants to create Jewish newtown tomorrow.'

'Newtown' is a reference to Newtown, Connecticut, the site of a December 2012 school shooting that left 26 people dead, among them 20 children.

On Sunday, Thompson re-tweeted a number of news stories about the bomb threats against the JCC as well as other historical articles and references to anti-Semitism and the Nazis.

Federal authorities also say that Thompson used his Twitter feed to allege that the woman in question made threats against him as well as President Donald Trump

The tweet above was cited by the federal government in its complaint against Thompson. Here he tweeted that the woman in question was 'a filthy anti-Semite'

'The hatred of Jews goes across all demos,' he tweeted in a post that was referenced in the US Attorney's Office complaint.

'Ask NYCs [employer of the woman in question,' he tweeted. 'They employ a filthy anti-Semite. These ppl are evil.'

'Thompsons alleged pattern of harassment not only involved the defamation of his female victim, but his threats intimidated an entire community,' FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney said.

'The FBI and our partners take these crimes seriously.'

The ADL tweeted on Friday that the suspect behind the threat had been arrested

After Thompson's arrest, Jewish community leaders met with FBI Director James Comey.

The JCC Association of North America said Friday's meeting included discussion of threats directed against Jewish institutions in the past two months.

The association says the Jewish community is deeply grateful for the FBI's 'extraordinary effort.'

It says representatives left the meeting 'with the highest confidence' that the agency will work to resolve the matter soon.
A mother-of-two sobs as she carries her young son down a street in war-torn Mosul following heavy clashes today between the Iraqi Army and ISIS.

Iraqi forces have taken more territory in the west of the city from the jihadists as the number of people fleeing the city reaches 45,000.

Since launching an offensive on February 19 Iraqi soldiers have seized much of western Mosul but their pace has slowed as bad weather has muddied streets and made air support more difficult.

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A woman, holding her child, sobs as she and her husband follow an Iraqi special forces soldier out of a devastated district of Mosul

Most people in Mosul are Sunni Muslims, while the Iraqi Army is dominated by Shias. ISIS has sought to portray itself as protecting the Sunnis but their brutal reign has not endeared them to the local populace

If ISIS loses Mosul then the only city left in its grasp would be Raqqa in Syria, which is why it is fighting tooth and nail for the city.

The fall of west Mosul would effectively mark the end of ISIS's dream of a 'caliphate' across the Iraq/Syria border, which its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced from a mosque in the city in 2014.

Black smoke billowed over west Mosul today as Iraqi forces battled ISIS in a fight marked by explosions and continual automatic weapons fire.

Smoke billows into the air after Iraqi troops blew up an ISIS unit as they drove a car bomb towards their lines

A man, who has taken his shirt off to make it clear he is not carrying a suicide bomb strapped to his chest, gestures as he walks towards Iraqi soldiers from an ISIS-held area

In the course of the fighting, security forces targeted an approaching ISIS car bomb, detonating it and sending a fireball rising over the area, and also fired on a jihadist drone flying overhead.

Lieutenant Colonel Abdulamir al-Mohammedawi said: 'Rapid Response forces are moving toward important governmental buildings such as the governorate building and the police directorate.'

He said ISIS were using snipers, mortars and bombs planted in streets and houses.

The UN, which has been providing shelter, food and other assistance to Iraqis who have fled Mosul during the nearly five-month-long battle, said it is working as fast as possible to help those displaced by the fighting

A woman bursts into tears after crossing from an ISIS-held district of west Mosul into an area liberated by the Iraqi Army

Among the districts attacked by Iraqi forces today was al-Dawasa, which includes the Nineveh province governor's headquarters, and al-Dindan.

Other Iraqi units are moving into the neighbourhoods of al-Sumood and Tal al-Rumnan.

The Iraqi Army's 9th Armoured Division is advancing through the desert surrounding the city, aiming to cut if off from ISIS-held Tal Afar, to the west.

A man carries his son as he walks from an ISIS-held district of west Mosul during heavy fighting

A man weeps as he carries his daughter to safety from an ISIS-held district

More than 45,000 people have fled west Mosul since the push to retake it began, while over 200,000 are currently displaced as a result of the battle to retake the city, which was launched on October 17, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The UN, which has been providing shelter, food and other assistance to Iraqis who have fled Mosul during the nearly five-month-long battle, said it is working as fast as possible to help those displaced.

'The top priority for humanitarians is to make sure that there is sufficient capacity at emergency sites to deal with the number of civilians who are fleeing western Mosul,' said Lise Grande, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Iraq.

An Iraqi federal policeman prepares to fire a mortar at ISIS positions in west Mosul
It's a tragic tale we read too often: A tiny baby left to die in a broiling hot car by one or both of their parents. Who could do such a thing, we ask ourselves?

But the answer, experts say, is just as horrifying: You would.

'The biggest mistake people make is thinking it won't happen to them,' Janette Fennell, founder of child safety nonprofit kidsandcars.org told the Tampa Bay Times.

Tragedy: Thomas Naramore (left) died at just 18 months after dad Judge Wade Naramore (right) left him in his car. He was acquitted. Such deaths occur on average 37 times a year

Forgotten: Most children who die in hot cars have simply been forgotten by their carers - a common occurrence due to the way the brain processes memory

A car can become dangerously hot in just minutes, and fatally so within an hour - with sunlight on an 80-degree day heating a car interior to 123 degrees in just an hour.

And as young children cannot regulate their body temperature, they quickly succumb to the deadly heat.

The bond between a parent and child is so strong that many parents believe there must be some malice at play when a child dies such a ghastly and preventable death.

Surely, they assume, the parent was an unfeeling psychopath, or lost in a haze of drugs, or simply outright homicidal.

But they are in the minority. According to 1998-2017 statistics from San Jose State University's department of meteorology and climate science, 54 per cent are simply because the parents forgot.

A further 28 per cent are due to children playing in and around unattended vehicles

And just 17 per cent are due to deliberate action by the parents.

Already two children have died in hot cars this year; last year the death toll was 39 - just two over the average 37 such deaths recorded in the US.

Arrested: Dad Asa North, 24, was arrested after his daughters died in his car, where he had left them. Police said at the time he had drunk alcohol, but many cases involve no drink at all

Deceased: Ariel and Alaynah North, both 16 months, died of heat stroke. Sadly, deaths such as these are all too common

At risk: The younger a child is, the more at-risk they are of dying due to heatstroke. Children aged 1-3 make up more than half of all hot car fatalities

Charged: Sgt Cassie Barker of Long Beach PD, Mississippi, was charged with the hot car manslaughter of Cheyenne (both pictured) last year

What links those 54 per cent of Americans whose forgetfulness led to the deaths of the 376 children in their charge?

It's not their parents' color, class, creed or careers: A glance at recent headlines reveals a swathe of bereaved parents from all walks of life.

There was the case of Wade Naramore, 36, a judge from Arkansas who intended to drop his 18-month-old son off at daycare in July 2015, but drove to his office instead.

Hours later he got into his car to pick his son up, and found the boy baked to death in the rear seat. The tiny child's internal temperature was 107 degrees.

When officers arrived, Naramore was pacing back and forth, crying 'I killed my baby!' over and over.

He was acquitted of his son's murder in August last year, and last month was allowed to return to office - but won't be allowed to sit neglect cases.

In July Nancy Byrd-Wilkins' nine-month-old son Jefferson died the same way after she forgot to drop him off at a daycare. She was not charged in his death.

In August, Georgia father Asa North, 24, was found trying to revive his twin 16-month-old daughters, Ariel and Alaynah, with ice packs after leaving them in his car.

Police said he had drunk alcohol that day, and charged him with involuntary manslaughter.

Also charged with manslaughter was Sgt Cassie Barker, a 27-year-old cop with the Long Beach PD in Mississippi, who left Cheyenne, three, while at the house of a colleague.

Heating up: Cars can heat up incredibly quickly, as sunlight and radiant head collect in the car. Opening windows is not enough to save a child from dying

The universality of these deaths shows differences in the way some are prosecuted.

Within two weeks last year Joshua Blunt, a 26-year-old black man from Grenada County, Mississippi, and Amy Bryant, a white mom from Madison County, an hour away, lost their kids.

Bryant was never indicted, but Blunt was convicted of manslaughter - and got a five-year suspended sentence after his lawyer argued jailing him would be racist.

So what does link these tragic deaths?

According to Dr David Diamond, director of the Neuroscience Collaborative Program and Center for Preclinical and Clinical Research on PTSD at the University of South Florida, it's often due to a conflict in the brain.

HOW HOT CARS KILL YOUNG CHILDREN Fast-rising temperatures in cars can quickly overwhelm very young children, who cannot regulate their body heat properly

High internal temperatures lead to heatstroke, which overwhelms the brain's temperature control

That leads to dizziness, confusion, disorientation, agitation, seizures, sluggishness, unconsciousness and eventually death

Cracking a window, or even leaving one open, is not enough - the heat in the car will not dissipate properly, and the greenhouse effect continues Advertisement

The brain has two types of memory: Habit memory - which deals with repetitive tasks like driving to work - and prospective memory, which is used to plan for the future.

'When we repeatedly drive along a fixed route, as between home (or other typical start locations) and work, habit memory can supersede plans stored in our prospective memory,' he told CNN.

That can happen almost daily, he says, 'for example, when we forget to interrupt a drive home to stop at the store for groceries.

'In this case, the habit memory system takes us directly home, suppressing our awareness (prospective memory) that we had planned to stop at the store.'

So when a break in routine occurs - like having a baby in the car when usually another parent takes it to daycare - parents can literally 'forget' their child is there.

That happens regardless of how caring they usually are - and with fatal results. Curiously, the brain will sometimes create false memories of dropping off the child, Diamond said.

Apps that detect if a car seat is occupied are among a number of ideas generated to stop these tragedies from occurring.

Others include putting a stuffed toy on the dash if you have a child in the back seat, or putting keys or an ID - anything essential to your job or day - next to the baby's seat so you have to retrieve it.

But, Diamond said, that may well fall on deaf ears.

'Many strategies have been suggested ... but most people refuse to take any precautionary measures because they believe this could never happen to them, a potentially fatal mistake.'
A group of women spanning across the nation have banded together to take down a con-man they say married many of them and squandered their live savings.

Richard Scott Smith, 46, of Lenexa, Kansas, left behind him a trail of fraud, forgery, deceit, bigamy, and at least one case of assault.

Those scorned by him are now seeking justice after one woman launched a blog -'Scott The Crook Smith' - exposing his lies and connected with his other victims, who have since all become best friends.

Richard Scott Smith, left, of Lenexa, Kansas, left behind him a trail of fraud, forgery, deceit, bigamy, and at least one case of assault - he is pictured with one of his wives Jean Hansen

Lisa Lenton, who is still technically married to Smith, began the blog to document her experience with Smith - which was later discovered by other women who had also been married to him.

When Smith was questioned by police in January, he told them that he thought he'd been married five times. According to the blog, his sister believes he could have had as many as eight or nine wives.

Lenton married Smith in Georgia in April of 2012. After a few months, she left him, but has not yet been able to have their marriage annulled. Fortunately for her, she had the foresight to block him from accessing her finances.

According to the blog, his sister believes he could have had as many as eight or nine wives

'When I left, I froze my accounts,' she told the Kansas City Star.

'I'm glad I did.'

Another victim Jean Hansen was not so lucky. Her and Smith flew to Las Vegas in August 2015 and were wed after hitting it off at a singles group.

'He tells great stories,' she said.

'It's part of his charm.'

She later realized, however, that 'every word out of his mouth is a lie.'

After agreeing to join his 'business' Prestige Corporate Living, she was left so financially devastated that she had to borrow money to file for bankruptcy. She told local news that she lost her house and her cars due to the debt he accrued in her name.

Smith allegedly promised her that she would receive all the money she funded back after he got a $1.2 million he was anticipating from selling another business. She later found out that this was all part of his elaborate plan.

Smith and Hansen were married in Las Vegas in August 2015 - she later found out he was already married to a woman in Georgia

Hansen said she began to become concerned about their relationship in January 2016 when he started acting strangely.

'When I first met him, he was very charming, he was very affectionate he was always complimentary - just a really, really nice guy. Very charismatic.'

A few months later, however, things changed.

'He was very manipulative and that's how he got me to do things and agreed to things I would have never, ever agreed to,' she said.

'I've never experienced that kind of abuse before. And I never really thought of it as abuse until people pointed out to me. Sometimes the emotional abuse is far worse than being beaten - because it stays with you forever. The scars are internal.'

Hansen learned that Smith was already married to Lenton after seeing her blog, and was granted an annulment in Johnson County court last year.

She also learned that he had apparently been seeing another woman he met in June 2015 - a month before they were married.

After agreeing to join his 'business' Prestige Corporate Living, she was left so financially devastated that she had to borrow money to file for bankruptcy. She told local news that she lost her house and her cars due to the debt he accrued in her name

That woman, whose name has been redacted from court documents, was later engaged to Smith. During a business trip to Kansas City in September 2015, Smith allegedly assaulted her and was arrested for domestic abuse.

She told police that she thought Smith was going to kill her after he threw her to the ground, kicked her, and hit her in the head with an electronic device.

According to court records in Polk County, Iowa, he was later given probation for the crime.

The woman wished to not be named due to her current employment. She told local news, however, that she's found support through her friendship with Hansen.

When they first met, they simply embraced eachother.

'We have become best friends,' she said.

Another Kansas woman, Holly Koch, became a victim of Smith's in 2014, and successfully sued him for $90,000 but has yet to receive any payouts from the conman

Another unnamed victim of Smith's who claims to be his ex-fiancee was left in financial crisis when Smith filled out a credit application in her name and forget her signature on the document.

He also 'maxed out her credit cards and drained their joint checking accounts,' according to the affidavit which was filed to support claims of his identity theft and forgery.

Another Kansas woman, Holly Koch, became a victim of Smith's in 2014, and successfully sued him for $90,000 but has yet to receive any payouts from the conman. She joined his faulty business with him after the two met on an online dating site.

They later became serious and moved in together. Koch said that she even brought Smith to meet her family, who were immediately suspicious of his intentions.

She continued their relationship until May of 2015, just before he met the unnamed woman whom he allegedly assaulted.

Smith reportedly spent thousands of dollars using the company's credit card and left Koch with the bill.

The three other women are now just seeking justice - but have accepted the financial tribulations they suffered because of Smith.

Hansen said: 'I've lost the money, and that's done,'

'What we want is to put him in jail so he doesn't do it to more people.'

The felony charges against Smith were filed last month, and he has been released on a $1,000 bond. On Thursday, he was granted more time to find an attorney, and will appear in court next on March 23 in Johnson County, Kansas.
Keenyn Pahio was fatally shot in what appears to be a road rage incident

A 31-year-old father of three was 'shot then run over by his shooter' in what appears to be a road rage murder in Aiea, Hawaii.

Police say Keenyn Pahio was shot dead before noon on Saturday.

Witnesses say Pahio appeared to punch 72-year-old Darryl Freeman during a traffic related argument and then allegedly shot the carpenter.

Two of Pahio's young daughters were in the car at the time of the fatal shooting.

Witnesses say the suspect drove over Pahio's body in the van as he sped home.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports a stranger performed CPR on Pahio and wrapped a wound on his head.

Pahio's two young daughters were in the car when he was fatally shot then run over

Pahio is seen above in a Facebook photo. he was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died there

Darryl Freeman was arrested for second degree murder at his home in Aiea

Pahio was taken to a hospital in critical condition and was pronounced dead.

Freeman, a retired firefighter,reportedly ran off to his home after the shooting and locked himself in his home, according to Hawaii News Now.

The SWAT team used canine units and a police unit hovered above Freeman's home.

He spent the night in jail last night and is accused of second degree murder.

Freeman's neighbors told the TV station they are afraid of him and has threatened many of them

Police blocked off Moanalua Road for five hours during the investigation.
Tesco has sparked outrage by pulling British sugar from its shelves - despite one of its biggest stores being right next to the factory that makes it.

The supermarket giant is now using suppliers who import stock from as far as 5,000 miles away in countries such as Belize rather than using bags made from British beet.

After consumers reacted angrily online, Tesco confirmed it was now stocking Tate & Lyle, which imports sugar from overseas and then refines it at its base in Silvertown, east London.

The supermarket giant is now using suppliers who import stock from as far as 5,000 miles away in countries such as Belize rather than using bags made from British beet

Silver Spoon sugar has stopped being stocked in Tesco after it switched to suppliers Tate & Lyle

Paul Kenward, managing director of British Sugar which makes Silver Spoon, said the retailer dropped the household brand because of 'fractions of pennies' in the cost.

'We didn't decide not to supply Tesco, they decided not to stock us,' he said.

'The supermarkets in their marketing make a great play of supporting British food and locally grown produce.

'But all too often - when it comes to a contract stage and they get presented with a choice - for fractions of pennies they will go the other way.'

The factory, which produces Silver Spoon's product in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, is across the road from one of Tesco's largest edge-of-town superstores.

But the HQ for Silver Spoon, which is made by firm British Sugar, is located just over the road from one of Tesco's largest edge-of-town superstores

In Bury St Edmunds there is a large Tesco Superstore less than a mile away from Silver Spoon

Mr Kenward believes too few consumers realise sugar beet is grown in the UK - despite the Union Jack and Red Tractor logo on Silver Spoon packaging.

He added: 'If Tesco wants to get the credit for being supportive of British farmers, then they should support British farmers.'

Cambridgeshire beet grower and newly elected NFU Sugar board chairman Michael Sly said: 'Our growers will be disappointed by Tesco's decision.

'Beet growing makes an important contribution to rural economies and supports many jobs in rural areas.'

Mr Sly, who farms in Thorney, Cambridgeshire, added: 'Many people in Yorkshire, the East Midlands and East Anglia will know that beet is grown locally, yet Tesco is denying them the opportunity to back British farming by switching to cane sugar.'

Tesco confirmed on Twitter it was now using Tate & Lyle and said they still have 'Half Spoon and sweeteners available'

Several shoppers slammed the supermarket for not supporting businesses that farm sugar in the UK.

Brian Colgate commented: 'The bottom line is the only "ethics" known to corporations. If the sugar cane sourced 5,000 Miles away can be brought to the U.K. and processed into sugar cheaper for them, that's all Tesco will care about.'

Gary Skinner wrote: 'If they want to support British Farmers, all they need do is support British Farmers. They have taken away our ability to choose which sugar to buy. But that's ok, we can still choose at which supermarket to shop.'

Tesco said it had reviewed its ranges and suppliers for sugar.

Responding to queries from frustrated shoppers on Twitter, the retailer said: 'We have decided to change our supplier from Silver Spoon to Tate & Lyle, but we still have Half Spoon and sweeteners available.'

A spokesperson for Tesco told the MailOnline: 'Our aim is to always provide the best possible quality and prices to our customers. We continue to scrutinise any proposed cost increases from our suppliers to avoid any unjustified or unnecessary increases in price.'
Zachary Lee Person, 29, was arrested on Thursday in the masked groping attack on a female hotel worker in Omaha, Nebraska

A serial sex offender in Nebraska is suspected in a brazen midnight attack on a female hotel employee that was caught on camera.

Zachary Lee Person, 29, was arrested on Thursday in the masked groping attack on a female employee of the Home2 Suites in Omaha, Nebraska.

Police moved quickly to make an arrest in the assault on Wednesday, saying they suspected Person in a spree of sexual assaults in the area, which they felt certain would continue with Person on the loose, KETV reported.

Person has been twice convicted of groping-type assaults in Nebraska, state sex offender records show.

Cameras at the Home2 Suites caught the astonishing attack, in which a masked man attacked the female worker, ran after she unmasked him, and then returned for his ski mask.

The incident unfolded over the course of about 20 minutes in the early morning hours of March 1, police say (camera time stamps may not have been aligned properly, and show the afternoon of the day prior).

The masked man entered the Home2 Suites Omaha West lobby around 3am on February 28

Creeper: peering around a corner, the masked pervert surveys the empty lobby area

Unsuspecting: meanwhile, a female employee is doing some late-night work in a back office

Break time: the employee gets up for a bathroom break,not realizing the pervert lurks nearby

Clad in grey sweatpants, a black sweatshirt, and black ski mask, the stealthy crook cases the empty lobby and creeps through the foyer.

The masked man can be seen poking his head around a corner and then lurking in wait near a lobby restroom.

The pervert's left hand appears to be jiggling inside the front of his pants as he creeps through the lobby.

When a female employee gets up from her desk in a back room for a restroom, the masked man springs his trap.

He can be seen following her into the restroom hallway. Cops say he tried to force the woman into the restroom.

But she fought back, pulling the ski mask from his face.

Pocket pool: with one hand jiggling in his pants, the pervert creeps up on the hallway

Trapped: the masked assailant believes he has the woman cornered as he slinks after her

Unmasked: a struggle ensues, and the attacker flees after the victim pulls off his mask

Exposed: the attacker slinks out a side door of the hotel, plumber's crack exposed

Unmasked, the pervert flees the scene, running out a side door with his pants sagging and plumber's crack exposed.

But within less than a minute, the twisted assailant circles back to the main entrance, covering the lower half of his face with his sweatshirt.

The female victim spots him from behind the counter, where she is making a phone call, presumably to police.

The victim flees towards the side door with cell phone and the mask in hand, and the pervert gives chase.

A struggle ensues, and the masked man rips the mask from her hand and flees through the side door.

Round two: the pervert circles back to the main entrance in less than a minute, covering the lower part of his face with his sweatshirt

The chase: spotting the victim, who appears to be calling cops, the pervert gives chase

Gimme back: The attacker wrestles his lost mask from the victim, pants still sagging

By returning to the hotel for his mask, the attacker exposed part of his face to the cameras, giving police investigators a key clue.

Working with police from Sioux City, Iowa, cops linked the attack to a similar incident just hours later at Morningside College.

Around 8am on Wednesday, a man on the campus exposed himself in a women's shower area, the Omaha World-Herald reported.

Cops were able to link a description of the assailant, his vehicle, and a partial license plate to Person, who is a registered sex offender living with his mother in Norfolk, Nebraska.

Investigators feared the spree of assaults would continue, and decided to move in on Person immediately before building a tighter case.

'He's definitely going to assault somebody else,' Douglas County Sheriff Tim Dunning told KTEV.

'We can't wait, so where as we could have made a better case, we still have a good case, but we could've made a better case. The risk outweighed that reward.'
Mr Kaba (left), 24, was allegedly part of a group of five men who went to a Notting Hill Carnival after-party (inset) in east London in the early hours of August 30. They are suspected of conspiring to murder a 23-year-old rival who was shot on the dance floor at the Oval Space nightclub in Cambridge Heath. The victim was chased out of the nightclub and shot twice by a gunman before being taken to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. He was treated for gunshot wounds to both legs, but survived the attack. The four men appeared at Thames Magistrates Court on October 28 charged with conspiracy to murder. The newspaper reported that the prosecution will allege Mr Kaba helped plot the attack and was present at the incident. Mr Kaba, who died in Streatham Hill (right), south London, on September 5, was being followed by an unmarked police car with no lights or sirens turned on in the minutes before the shooting, Inner South London Coroner's Court was told last month.
Roger Stone, a longtime Trump political ally, got in a number of nasty Twitter rows with reporters and pundits this weekend  and labeled Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling a 'hypocrite' after she called attention to his tweets.

In an email with DailyMail.com, Stone stood by his tweets writing, 'My pathetic critics lost the election  they need to get over it,' he wrote. 'I will be neither silenced or censored.'

When the Huffington Post labeled his Tweetfest a 'meltdown,' he tweeted back Sunday that this was 'just a typical Saturday night kicking liberal a** in the #STONEZONE.'

Longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone had a number of fiery exchanges on Twitter Saturday night, calling it 'just a typical Saturday night kicking liberal a** in the #STONEZONE'

Roger Stone's exchange with Twitter user @RVAwonk captured the attention of Harry Potter creator J.K Rowling who screenshot the back-and-forth and criticized 'this guy'

After Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling was critical of Roger Stone, he went after her for not heeding the advice of two right-wing writers who suggested she take in migrants and refugees

It all began with Stone chiming in on the most recent news storm coming from President Donald Trump, his allegation that President Barack Obama had wire-tapped Trump Tower in the run-up to the presidential election, of which the president offered no proof.

Stone called on Obama to be 'charged, convicted and jailed.'

When Twitter user @RVAWonk, a self-proclaimed feminist, scientist and statistics professor, shot back asking, 'Do you know what libel is, Mr. Stone?' the GOP political consultant replied, 'Bring it! Would enjoy crushing u in court and forcing you to eat s*** - you stupid ignorant ugly b****.'

Rowling captured this conversation and tweeted it to her own followers.

'This man is an advisor to the leader of the free world. This guy, right here,' the best-selling British author wrote, using a hashtag to spell out Stone's name.

Stone responded by tagging the names of two right-wing writers, who had suggested Rowling house migrants and refugees at her large house.

'#Hypocrite,' he called the Harry Potter creator.

Stone also slapped around Republican CNN contributor Ana Navarro, who was critical of Trump throughout the presidential campaign and has of late been referring to him as 'President Loco.'

Loco is Spanish for crazy.

In a Saturday Twitter rant, Roger Stone slammed both Republican pundit Ana Navarro (left) and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling (right)

GOP political operative Roger Stone went after CNN's Ana Navarro. He mocked her weight, intelligence and suggested she was sleeping with another big name in Florida GOP politics

In a since-deleted tweet, Roger Stone called a critical Twitter user a 'stupid, stupid b****' and noted there was nothing wrong with him having a 'perfectly legal back channel' to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, who published the Democrats' hacked emails

'7 deranged tweets in 3 hours. President Loco escaped asylum,' she tweeted yesterday, after Trump tweeted his wild wire-tapping allegation. 'Palm Beach, be on lookout for a man w/taped red tie, claiming to be President,' the pundit added, referring to the fact that Trump is spending the weekend at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago.

Trump has also been spotted using Scotch tape to hold together his tie.

Stone said that Navarro was 'fat, stupid and f***ing Al Cardenas,' referring to another influential Florida Republican, the former head of the American Conservative Union who backed Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in the 2016 GOP primary.

Linking to a Washington Post graphic that showed the Trump administration connections to Russia, Stone wrote, 'Total horseshit from the CIA controlled Washington Post.'

Stone called a number of Trump critics, including Yashar Ali, who covers politics for the Daily Beast and New York Magazine, 'pathetic losers' who could kiss his 'a**.'

Additionally, he told Ali, 'Go f*** yourself, u talented asswipe.'

He got into it again with @RVAWonk too.

In a since-deleted tweet he called her a 'stupid, stupid b****,' and explained that he 'never denied perfectly legal back channel to [Wikileaks founder Julian] Assange who indeed had the goods on #CrookedHillary.'

The tweet inspired headlines like one from the Huffington Post, which said Stone 'admits collusion with Wikileaks' or another from The Hill, which notes Stone's claim of a 'legal back channel' as if it was new.

Roger Stone, a longtime Trump confidant, suggested there was nothing new about the fact that he tweeted about having a Wikileaks go-between that tipped him off that the site was going to drop dirt on Hillary Clinton last fall

Roger Stone had a particularly tough message for Yashar Ali, a politics writer for the Daily Beast and New York Magazine

Talking to DailyMail.com, Stone suggested that the story was already out there, saying he 'ANNOUNCED' that he had a mutual friend who had communicated with Assange and tipped him off that Wikileaks had dirt on Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, which the site would start disclosing in October.

Both the Democratic National Committee and John Podesta were hacked and the content of those emails was released by Wikileaks.

Last fall, U.S. intelligence agencies accused Russia of trying to interfere in the 2016 election, blaming the Kremlin for the email account hacks, saying in January that the aim was to try and help Trump win the election over Clinton.

Today, a defiant Roger Stone explained his name-calling fest by saying 'just nothing better than calling out liberal jerk offs on Twitter. We won, you lost. You're done!'

'Assange does NOT work for Russians and no one has proved otherwise,' Stone said in an email. 'Although I never had direct contact would be neither illegal or improper.'

'Nothing Wikileaks released has ever proved to be fabricated or untrue,' Stone continued. 'This is/was all an effort to distract from the substance of the disclosures which documented corruption of Crooked Hillary and her running dog lackeys like Podesta.'

'Busted!' Stone told DailyMail.com.

Stone remained defiant on Twitter today too.

'Just nothing better than calling out liberal jerk offs on Twitter,' Stone tweeted Sunday after his series of spats. 'We won, you lost. You're done!'
A former British Army officer has been shot dead on his Kenyan ranch by raiders among a vicious tribal battle between warring militias, according to reports.

Father-of-two Tristan Voorspuy was shot dead after he went to inspect the remains of a friend's home that had been burnt down on Friday.

The British cavalry veteran had ridden to the property on the Sosian ranch on Sunday morning but farm staff lost contact with him at noon and he was later discovered dead.

One neighbour said: 'He rode out to look at what was left of Richard's house. He never came back. We flew over the area to look for him.

'The horse had been shot in the leg and he was dead in front of the house.'

South African-born Mr Voorspuy, pictured above, was raised in Sussex and served for six years in the British Army before turning to tour guiding

The ranch is in the region of Laikipia which was once a tourist paradise but has been plunged into chaos by warring tribes with several Kenyans killed or forced from their homes.

In recent weeks cattle herders armed with automatic rifles have left a trail of destruction in northern Kenya while searching for grazing land - killing elephants, giraffes, zebras and lions.

Invaders from the Samburu, Pokot and Masai tribe have rampaged through the area after stockpiling ammunition made in government factories.

Officials have reportedly not yet reached his body on the Sosian ranch amid security fears caused by a heavily armed militia holed up on the hillside above the ranch.

After leaving the army in 1981 Mr Voorspuy, pictured above, drove a motorbike from London to Cape Town for nine months and looked for work in Africa

Kenyan authorities and the British High Commission did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

South African-born Mr Voorspuy was raised in Sussex and served for six years in the British Army before turning to tour guiding.

After leaving the army in 1981 he drove a motorbike from London to Cape Town for nine months and looked for work in Africa.

Having heard of mounted safaris in Kenya, he applied for a job and spent six years guiding before starting his firm in 1990.

His biography page on the website of his firm Offbeat Safaris said his experience in the forces 'inspired a wanderlust and return to Africa'.
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Actor Dax Shepard led the charge at the Chicago Polar Plunge on Sunday as locals and celebrities alike ran into the chilly Lake Michigan to raise money for charity.

Shepard - who directs and stars in the upcoming film adaptation of cop show CHiPs - roared as he ran into the foamy waters to raise money for Special Olympics Chicago, NBC reported.

And while the water was colder than his Florida-based CHiPS character would be used to, the day's relatively balmy 56 degree weather - and 40 degree water - meant the annual event wasn't quite as painful this year as it normally is.

It's so bracing: Dax Shephard (right), star of highway patrol cop comedy film CHiPs, led the rush into Lake Michigan this Sunday as the VIP (Very Important Plunger) at this year's Polar Plunge to raise money for the Special Olympics

Chilly dogs: Shepard ran into the water - which was chilly, though not as cold as it's been in previous years - in full costume. Meanwhile, former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher (right) served up hot dogs for fans and plungers

Chippenfails: A group of men dressed like strippers were among the hundreds who raised $200 each to join in the run. Last year the run raised a record-breaking $1.5 million

Making a splash: Officials - in rather warmer clothing - were on hand to make sure that the crowds were safe and did not run too far into the freshwater lake. The event has been running for 14 years

This is the Highland, Michigan native's first Polar Plunge, but he told the Chicago Tribune he's no stranger to winter's bite.

'I have, on numerous occasions, fallen through the ice in Michigan during both my childhood and my years of heavy drinking,' he told the Tribune before the event.

Shepard, 46, was declared the day's VIP - Very Important Plunger - and wore his CHiPs motorcycle cop uniform as he led the charge into the deep.

But before the event he speculated that the water might not be as bad as the event's name implies.

'Chicago is actually pretty warm,' he said. 'I might just get a little floatie and just stay in the lake for a while.'

One celebrity who knows just how bad it can get is Jon Seda, star of Chicago PD and four-year Polar Plunge veteran.

The New Yorker made his debut plunge in 2014, during the infamous Polar Vortex.

'They had to break a section in the ice so we could do it,' Seda, 46, told the Chicago Tribune. 'Anybody doing it this year and it's your first year, you're lucky.'

The event, which has been running for 17 years, broke its own record last year, making $1.5 million that was given to Special Olympics Chicago and its programs, which serve more than 6,800 athletes per year.

Each runner must raise $200 to be able to make the run into the frigid lake.

Previous celebrity plungers have included Jimmy Fallon, Vince Vaughn and Lady Gaga.
A military wife has slammed armed forces accommodation as a 'disgrace' after claiming her home was left covered in rat droppings.

The mother, who has asked to remain anonymous, hit out at Ministry of Defence contractor CarillionAmey, who provide maintenance to tens of thousands of homes for troops and their families across Britain.

Shocking photos, posted to the Fill Your Boots Facebook page by the woman, show mounds of animal faeces scattered along a floor.

Pictured: A military wife has slammed armed forces accommodation as a 'disgrace' after claiming her home was left covered in rat droppings

The mother, who lives on a military base in the south west of England, claimed CarillionAmey were not treating her case as a priority because they doubted the droppings were from rats.

She fumed: 'Apparently this isn't a priority to CarillonAmey, even with a newborn baby, as we don't have solid evidence it's rats, so we have to wait until next week until they can sort it.

'I have mould and animal waste in my house but that's ok and normal. You can smell the animal urine from the bottom of the stairs.

'How can they leave a child in this environment is an absolute disgrace! I haven't even been offered temporary accommodation by CarillionAmey.

'I am so upset and angry. I feel like I am failing as a mother, as every mother wants to provide their children with the basics, like a healthy safe home environment.'

CarillionAmey claimed their team had offered to visit the mother's home, but could not do so because she was not available.

A spokesman said: 'We are aware of the case where an occupant has reported finding droppings in their loft and have responded in line with our contract.

'An earlier appointment was offered to the occupants, but they were not available.'

The woman posted this picture on a military forum, called Fill Your Boots, claiming to show vermin droppings and stains from their urine

The contractor also said that it had 'significantly improved' its performance adding it was 'working hard for Service Personnel and their families and focusing on how we can improve things further on their behalf.'

On CarillionAmey's website it says: 'We look after our Armed Forces by delivering essential infrastructure and housing services.'

It adds: 'Building on the proven track record of our parent companies (Carillion and Amey) and our own experience we're creating productive working environments; repairing and building infrastructure on 280 key RAF Stations, Army Garrisons, Naval Bases and defence sites across the UK and helping Service families in over 49,000 homes with our 'one stop' housing service.'

However, Alfie Usher, who runs Fill your Boots and served with the Parachute Regiment before leaving the forces, claimed families across the country have allegedly suffered awful conditions in their accommodation.

Pictured, the angry post from the mother, who has asked to remain anonymous but lives on a base in the south west of England

He said: 'Poor military accommodation seems to be the standard today, camps without hot water or heating, married quarters unfit for children filled with asbestos is well documented and simply ignored by the chain of command.'

The MoD said it provided range of accommodation to members of the Armed Forces, subsidised to a cost 'far below' private sector rental rates, and that it is committed to offering high standards.

An spokeswoman said: 'We take very seriously the quality of the accommodation provided for our Armed Forces and their families.

'CarillionAmey address 95% of the 30,000 maintenance requests they receive every month within contracted timeframes and are working hard to improve their service.

'In the last six years the Ministry of Defence invested 660m in housing, and last year refurbished 4,700 homes and spent 450m on subsiding rent to keep costs down.'
A hunter stumbled upon a skull detached from skeletal remains on a train in Long Island.

Suffolk police cordoned off the area Friday and are going to determine whether or not the bones are human or animal in the Middle Island trail, according to Newsday.

The hunter told the New York Post that he believes he saw filings in the teeth which led him to call the police. He found the bones while following deer tracks along the trail.

A hunter stumbled upon what he believed was a human remains in Middle Island (stock photo)

He told the Post: 'I guarantee it was there a long time, over five years. There was no flesh, no hair, you could see fatigue cracks in the skull from being dried in the sun.

'I also saw one side of the jaw, maybe two arm bones, a collarbone, vertebrae.'

The hunter chose not to be identified. The remains were discovered near Rocky Point Road at Yaphank Middle Island Road.
Neighbors mourn the day after a fire ripped through a rural Massachusetts home, taking the lives of a mother and four of her children.

Dozens gathered for the memorial service on Sunday morning at Trinitarian Congregational Church in Warwick.

'Its probably the most traumatic thing thats happened to this community in many years,' Pastor Gordon Ellis told the congregation.

Selectman Lawrence Prine told CBS Boston after the service that the family was 'wonderful'.

'You have to seek solace in whos left,' said Prine. 'You need to cherish the moments that you have with the people you know, because you never know when will be the last time you see them.'

Dozens gathered on Sunday morning at Trinitarian Congregational Church in Warwick, Massachusetts, to mourn the loss of a mother and four children who died in a house fire

Charred debris of a home lies on the ground following the deadly house fire in Warwick

South Deerfield firefighters investigate following the devastating house fire on Saturday

The bodies of the victims were pulled from the charred remains of the two-story home hours after the fire was extinguished

Two other family members escaped the fire, which broke in the single-family house

A small bike and several burned-out vehicles still sit on the property among the ashes.

Firefighters in Warwick rushed to the scene at 405 Richmond Road around 12:45am on Saturday when they were told a blaze began from a wood stove.

Upon their arrival to the remote home they found it engulfed in fire with members of the family trapped inside.

Firefighters in Warwick rushed to the scene at 405 Richmond Road around 12:45am on Saturday

Firefighters had a difficult time getting water on the flames because the rural road didn't have fire hydrants. So, water had to be pumped in through the woods from a nearby pond

The father and one child were able to escape. The victim's have not yet been identified

Several burned-out vehicles still sit on the property among the ashes

Warwick Fire Chief Ron Gates said there was nothing they could have done differently

Firefighters were told the blaze, which appears accidental, started in this wood stove

Several inches of ice still coated the property's driveway on Sunday

Two people - a father and one child - were able to escape, but the family's mother and four children perished.

Sixteen fire crews, made up of mostly volunteers, had to pipe in water through the woods from a nearby pond because the rural road did not have fire hydrants.

They worked through the freezing, windy night until 9am to put out the blaze.

Warwick Fire Chief Ron Gates said there was nothing they could have done differently.

The victims have not yet been identified.

People gathered at the Town Hall on Saturday where Gates held the press conference, and many brought food and comforted each other through the community-wide loss.

Two people were able to escape, but the family's mother and three children perished. Sixteen fire crews made up of mostly volunteers worked through the night until 9am to put out the blaze

Stephen Ruggiero, also a resident of Richmond Road said: 'It's so upsetting, nothing like this happens like this around here. It's so completely rural and peaceful.'

Large portions of Warwick's 55-mile surface area are unpaved, and a 2010 population estimation by the US Census counted less than 1,000 inhabitants. It is located about 30 miles north of Amherst.

One resident John Bradford said: 'It's horrific.'

'It's not something that's easy to wrap your head around.'
A number of tombstones found overturned in an historic Jewish cemetery in New York fell over due to environmental causes and poor maintenance, not vandalism, police said.

Officers were called to the Washington Cemetery in Brooklyn on Saturday evening to investigate the damaged graves, but police determined that the damage was due to soil erosion and natural weathering, not vandalism, according to CNN.

Some of the headstones seen toppled in a Sunday morning tour of the grave yard conducted by New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind had actually been toppled over for years, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Early concerns of an intentional attack followed a rash of vandalism at Jewish cemeteries and 122 bomb threats called in to Jewish organizations in three dozen states since early January. Disgraced former journalist Juan Thompson is accused of making eight of those bomb threats, authorities revealed on Friday.

Members of the Shomrim Brooklyn South Safety Patrol, a private group that patrols predominately Jewish neighborhoods, investigate Washington Cemetery on Saturday night

The Shomrim are seen meeting with a police investigator, center, after reporting suspected vandalism of gravestones in the predominately Jewish Brooklyn cemetery

Community members survey toppled tombstones in Washington Cemetery Sunday morning

Washington Cemetery was founded in 1850, and quickly became a predominately Jewish burial ground, although the Brooklyn cemetery also has many Christian graves

A broken tombstone is seen in the cemetery on Sunday. Police suspect the damaged tombstones actually fell some time ago due to poor maintenance

A state assemblyman insisted Sunday morning that the graves had been vandalized, but police concluded that the damage was environmental

Hikind said a Jewish resident of Brooklyn's Midwood neighborhood was walking past Washington Cemetary on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, when the resident noticed gravestones that appeared to be out of place.

The resident waited until sunset on Saturday, the end of the Sabbath, and then reported the disturbance to the Shomrim, a neighborhood watch group that patrols several heavily Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods in Brooklyn.

Police were alerted, and investigators arrived Saturday night and Sunday morning to check the graveyard.

'In light of everything going on in the country we wanted to see what was going on,' Hikind said at an impromptu press conference on Sunday morning. 'The police commissioner was down here, the crew chiefs, the bias unit was down here and they're taking it seriously.'

'In the cemetery there are many tombstones that clearly have been pushed over, clearly vandalized,' Hikind continued. 'We are not talking about tombstones that are naturally lying down, there are some of those. All you gotta do is walk in there and see that something is just not right.'

Police disagreed though, finding that the tombstones were likely toppled by soil erosion and poor maintenance.

Washington Cemetery, which is predominantly Jewish, was founded in 1850, and became a Jewish burial ground as early as 1857.

New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind (right) is seen with NYPD officials at Washington Cemetery on Sunday, surveying damage to graves

Hikind (right) and a member of the Shomrim private safety patrol seen on Sunday

Hikind (second from left) consults with police. The politician said 40 gravestones had been vandalized, but police investigators did not agree with that conclusion

New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind gives a small press conference on Sunday. 'We are not talking about tombstones that are naturally lying down,' he said, but natural causes were quickly determined to be the case

In 2010, Washington Cemetery was actually targeted by vandals, who covered as many as 200 gravestones in graffiti and toppled them over, the New York Post reported at the time.

On Sunday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo responded to vandalism at an upstate cemetery and bomb threats against Jewish institutions while on a visit to Jerusalem.

Speaking at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, Cuomo says the recent incidents 'violated every tenant of the New York state tradition.' He said the state has posted rewards and put together a special police unit to combat the phenomenon.

'New York state by its definition is a celebration of diversity, it accepts all, we believe in the spirit of inclusion and we live by discrimination of none. New York's principles are built on a rock they will not change and the political wings will not change them,' he said, alongside Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, left, and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin shake hands at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem on Sunday

About 100 headstones were recently overturned in a Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia. That came about a week after a similar crime in Missouri.

On Thursday, about 16 headstones were toppled and several other defaced at a Jewish cemetery in Rochester, New York, the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reported.

In Indiana, an apparent gunshot fired into a synagogue Tuesday has drawn the attention of the FBI.

Cuomo, who returns to New York Monday, will also meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, tour the Western Wall and attend a security briefing at Jerusalem's Old City Police Headquarters.

He'll also host a New York State-Israel Economic Development working lunch with the mayor of Jerusalem.
Federal and state police are searching for an 11-year-old girl and her 'survivalist' father after their abandoned truck was found last month.

Kaitlyn Stofiel is believed to be with her custodial father, Thomas Clarence Stofiel, 44, whose abandoned truck was found on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in late February.

Police want to ensure that Kaitlyn is safe, and has warned the public not to approach her father, who is believed to be armed with 'various weapons' and may be distraught, the FBI said.

Missing: Police are searching for Thomas Stofiel (left) and his daughter Kaitlyn (right). Stofiel does not face any charges; the FBI says it just wants to make sure Kaitlyn is safe

The pair had most recently been living in Portland, where Kaitlyn was being home-schooled by her dad, who is not a fugitive from the law.

Thomas Stofiel is described as a white male, 5'5" tall, 125 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes. Kaitlyn is 11, with brown hair, and will reportedly be 12 in July.

It's believed her mother lives in Oregon.

Although he's not wanted in connection with any crimes, police say Stofiel is armed, 'may be distraught' and should not be approached. He 'reportedly' has survival skills, according to the FBI.

According to a pair of Facebook posts by a family friend, Thomas was last seen with Kaitlyn in October in Missouri, where he got into a fight with his brother.

He was armed with 'a rifle and an AK' at the time, she said in November.

She added: 'I met him when he was sober for 11 months. Besides his hate he preaches to his daughter about the government, he was nice and had his s**t together. It unraveled quickly with his drinking.'

Neither of the Stofiels are believed to have any connection to the reservation, beyond it being the location where the truck was found.

It was seen one-half mile down the Mt Wilson turn-off near Highway 26 (near milepost 76) on the reservation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Portland FBI at (503) 224-4181 (ext 0), the Bend FBI at (541) 389-1202; or the Warm Springs Police Department at (541) 553-1171.

Those living further afield can also contact their local FBI office, or the nearest American embassy or consulate.
Senator Marco Rubio said on Sunday he isn't sure what prompted President Donald Trump's claims that Barack Obama wiretapped his phones at Trump Tower during the presidential election.

In an interview on NBC's 'Meet The Press', Rubio said he had never heard these claims before.

'I have no insight into what exactly he's referring to. And I'd imagine the president and the White House in the days to come will outline further what was behind that accusation,' said the Florida Republican.

'I've never heard that before. And I have no evidence, or no one's ever presented anything to me, that indicates anything like that.'

Senator Marco Rubio (pictured) isn't sure what prompted President Donald Trump to send tweets on Saturday accusing Barack Obama of bugging his phones at Trump Tower

The Obama administration has denied President Donald Trump's claims that Barack Obama wire-tapped his phones at Trump Tower before the election. Trump was spotted waving to his supporters as his motorcade crossed the Bingham Island Bridge in Palm Beach on Saturday

Obama's (pictured during Trump's inauguration) spokesman Kevin Lewis released a statement Saturday afternoon refuting Trump's wire-tapping claims

Rubio, a member of the Senate intelligence committee, surmised that Trump is privy to classified information and, if that is true, the public will find out about it 'very quickly'.

'[T]he president put that out there, and now the White House will have to answer as to exactly what he was referring to,' Rubio said.

Trump fired off a flurry of tweets early Saturday morning claiming - without any evidence - that the former president had been spying on him in October, a month before his election victory.

'Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!' the president wrote on Twitter.

McCarthyism, which the president used in his first tweet, is the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence.

Trump accused Obama of tapping his phones at Trump Tower in a flurry of tweets Saturday morning

Trump fired off his tweets shortly after 3.30am ET Saturday morning

When asked on CNN's 'State of the Union' if the FBI should get involved, Rubio said that's a 'difficult thing' because the agency doesn't publicly acknowledge when an investigation is underway or delve into details.

'And I know it's a source of deep frustration for a lot of people, not just on this issue, but in other issues in the past,' he said. 'But what I think we should do is, everybody needs to take a deep breath and calm down here, and let's go through this as what we are doing.

The Senate Intelligence Committee is working in a bipartisan way to review information, Rubio said.

Members will issue a report to the Senate that will be available to the public - 'then people can form judgments on the basis of the collection of facts', he added.

'I remain confident that the Senate Intelligence Committee is going to produce a document built on the facts that will allow people to reach judgments based on the facts,' said Rubio.

'And that's what we should be doing in something like this.'

The Obama administration has strongly denied Trump's claims that the former president wire-tapped his phones.

Trump is asking Congress to determine whether the Obama administration abused its investigative powers during the presidential campaign, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement Sunday morning.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer is urging Congress to probe allegations that the Obama administration bugged Trump Tower during the presidential election

Spicer sent a series of tweets Sunday morning to probe whether 'executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016'

He offered no evidence of President Trump's claims that his predecessor bugged his phone

Spicer won't discuss Trump's wiretapping claim

'Reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling,' Spicer wrote in a tweet.

'President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016.'

Spicer added: 'Neither the White House nor the President will comment further until such oversight is conducted.'
Women are being signed off to have abortions based on only a brief phone conversation with a call centre worker, the Mail can reveal.

Doctors at Marie Stopes, the second largest abortion provider in the country, are approving thousands of abortions a year for women they have never met.

Less than a year after an inspection by the healthcare watchdog found that many abortion approvals are based on only a one-line summary of what a woman tells a call centre worker who has no medical training, a Mail investigation revealed that the telephone discussions can be as short as 22 seconds.

A Mail investigation found that patients at Marie Stopes were having abortions approved after a short conversation, some lasting just 22 seconds

If the woman fails to give a reason for the abortion which reflects those set out in the Abortion Act, she is encouraged to come up with a different reason, we found.

This comes after Marie Stopes got a temporary ban on abortions lifted last year by reassuring regulators that improvements had been made at its clinics.

In one case, our undercover reporter found that, following a telephone consultation, the official note of her reason for having the abortion was completely different from what she had said on the phone.

Although doctors are not legally required to meet a woman before signing off their abortion, Department of Health guidance says it is good practice. And doctors must be able to show they have signed off the abortion after forming an opinion in good faith that the legal grounds for termination have been met.

When a Mail reporter contacted Marie Stopes saying she wanted an abortion, she was told there was no need to meet the doctor who would give the go-ahead because it was routine for doctors to fill out the necessary forms behind the scenes, based on the reason she gives the clinics call centre staff.

The call centre worker told her: Weve already done the legal side of things. Its done before [you get to the clinic]. This is despite the fact that when asked for a reason, the reporter said: I just dont want the baby  which, on its own, is not considered sufficient grounds for an abortion under the Act.

The law stipulates a number of conditions must be met before an abortion is approved, such as that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.

'YOU'LL BE OK TO GO AHEAD' FIRST CONSULTATION Call centre: OK, so first of all, are you sure of your decision? Reporter: Yeah. CC: And what are your reasons for requesting a termination, please? R: Um I mean, I just dont want to have the baby. CC: Yeah? So its just not the right time for you at the moment, or? R: Yeah, yeah. Exactly, yeah. CC: Yeah? Thats fine. That will come under emotional reasons. R: You have to have permission from two doctors for an abortion I just wondered when that happens and whether I need to see two doctors on the day? CC: No, thats absolutely fine. Just looking at your notes there it says youre a self-referral, so you dont need to be referred by your doctors. R: Right, so in terms of because it says, um, you know, you have to give your reasons? And two doctors have to agree? CC: Yeah, so thatll be our doctors. So youve given me your reason now, which comes under emotional reasons, and then our two doctors will sign this, and youll be OK to go ahead with the treatment. R: So when I go on the day, I dont have to explain my reason again? CC: No, thats absolutely fine, no. SECOND CONSULTATION R: I read that you need to see two doctors before you have CC: No, youll just, youll see the surgeon on the day, OK, all right? And theyll assess your medical and obstetric history. R: OK. So its just about my health? Someone told me you have to convince two doctors of your reasons? CC: No, no, no. Youve already done that, OK? Weve done your consultation, OK? And weve gone through the legal side of things. Our two doctors will sign it. You dont need to convince anybody, OK? All right? R: Right  so I wont have to talk, I dont talk to him about my reason? CC: No, no, not at all. Weve already documented your reason, OK? Weve already done the legal side of things. R: Oh, OK because somebody told me that two doctors have to agree and you have to explain your reasons to them. CC: Yeah, no. Youve already done all that, OK... the only thing youll need to do on the day is to sign your consent form. R: OK, thats really helpful... I didnt realise it could be done, sort of, behind the scenes. CC: Yeah, yeah. Its done before. This is why you have your phone consultation. R: Great. So the reason I gave before, thats all I need to do? CC: Thats all you need to do. Advertisement

By the time the reporter got to the clinic, her I just dont want the baby justification had been recorded in her medical notes as client is unable emotionally to continue with pregnancy, which fits the legal conditions.

A second reporter told a call centre worker: Im just not in a position at the minute to have a child really, its just not the right time for me. But after being asked whether she agreed that it was not the right time emotionally for her to have a child, she was told: Yeah, yeah, under the Abortion Act, that would fall down as an emotional reason, so thats absolutely fine.

Concerns that doctors were signing off abortions based solely on call-centre conversations were raised last year by the health watchdog, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which inspected Marie Stopes clinics last April and published its reports in December. In a major scandal which resulted in the suspension of some abortion services at the clinics, inspectors found a string of failures.

Inspectors at the Marie Stopes clinic in Maidstone, Kent  one of 70 the organisation has in the UK  voiced concern over the fact that when certifying the legal grounds for an abortion, the two certifying doctors had not usually seen the patient prior to a termination. They said the doctors instead relied on the healthcare assistance or nurses summary of the facts.

There were also serious concerns about doctors bulk signing abortion consent forms without seeing the women involved, with one doctor signing 26 consent forms in two minutes.

As a result, regulators suspended abortions in Marie Stopes centres, saying they could not guarantee womens safety. The ban was lifted after Marie Stopes reassured regulators that improvements had been made, but the Mail investigation suggests the practices which concerned regulators are continuing.

Paul McPartlan, managing director at Marie Stopes UK, said: We would like to reassure women that our services comply fully with UK abortion law. Following last years CQC inspections of our services, we took the concerns raised very seriously. Since then, we have worked extensively to address these concerns. We continue to work closely with the CQC.

A spokesman added that the 22-second discussion about the womans reason for the abortion was part of a 16-minute booking call, which was very thorough.

They said it was categorically untrue that women were asked to come up with a different reason for having an abortion.

The Abortion conveyor belt: Bullying, cost-cutting and a relentless pressure to perform terminations - a former Marie Stopes doctor reveals how women were pushed through system

by Dr John Parsons, retired consultant gynaecologist

Ex-Marie Stopes doctor John Parsons reveals how women were treated at the clinics

The woman who sat in front of me at the Marie Stopes Clinic in 2010 was in her late twenties, with brown quizzical eyes that mirrored her confusion.

She wanted an abortion, but she didnt speak English. The best way forward would have been to dial into a phone translation service so that someone fluent in her language could explain the options and the risks they entailed.

But that would take time  and staff at Marie Stopes simply werent given time to provide proper care.

The management took every opportunity to cut costs, cut corners and squeeze patients through as fast as possible with the least demanding protocol for treatment.

On that particular day, I had sat in on the consultation and listened as a healthcare assistant (HCA) explained the options for an early termination of pregnancy while the womans husband translated.

The HCA had just 20 minutes to explain the procedures to each patient, perform an ultrasound and take a medical history and a blood sample.

On top of that, the HCA had to complete the paperwork. It was a punishing schedule. And in this case we were reliant on the patients husband to translate accurately what was being said.

The woman could opt for a two-day medical termination  taking the pill mifepristone and coming back the next day to take a second tablet, misoprostol. Or she could have an early surgical abortion, without anaesthetic, using a suction technique. Unfortunately, because she had not fasted, she could not be given a strong sedative before the procedure.

I wasnt happy that she understood either what the surgical termination I would perform involved, or that she might feel some pain. She was scared and just wanted it over and done with, so she opted for a no-anaesthetic abortion.

We worked in an atmosphere of bullying and pressure  it was nothing more than a conveyor belt service. Dr John Parsons, retired consultant gynaecologist

Against my better judgment, I went ahead. Her particular case has stayed with me, because it felt so wrong.

I should have walked out of the door right then and turned my back on the Marie Stopes organisation, where I believe the women who sought help were taken advantage of as well as the doctors and the staff. We worked in an atmosphere of bullying and pressure  it was nothing more than a conveyor belt service.

More than 190,000 abortions are carried out each year in the UK. Around 60,000 of these are undertaken at Marie Stopes centres. I worked there one Saturday every month from 2003 to 2010, and then once a week until 2012. During the week, I was a consultant at Kings College Hospital, London.

At that time, Marie Stopes was performing around 30-35 surgical terminations a day at the clinic I worked in alone. About a quarter of them were over 14 weeks. Some 95 per cent of patients were funded by the NHS.

Many women are upset when they arrive at a clinic. Time should be given to talk to them, and to pick up on any signs that they dont want to go through with the termination. But you couldnt always be sure this had happened, because of the pressures everyone was under.

Legally, abortion forms require two medical signatures. I would fill in the forms without having met a patient, ticking the appropriate box to confirm that was the case.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS When can you have an abortion legally? The Abortion Act 1967  which covers England, Scotland and Wales but not Northern Ireland  states that in most cases, abortions can take place only up to 24 weeks into pregnancy. In rare cases, an abortion may be carried out after this. Generally, an abortion should be carried out as early as possible, usually before 12 weeks and ideally before nine weeks. Abortions must be carried out in a hospital or a licensed clinic. How is an abortion authorised? An abortion must be authorised by two doctors, and they must ensure that certain legal criteria are met. The doctors must both agree in good faith that an abortion would cause less damage to the womans physical or mental health than continuing with the pregnancy. Does the law require doctors to meet the woman face to face? The Department of Health states that it is desirable for at least one of the doctors authorising an abortion to have met the woman face to face, while health watchdog the Care Quality Commission describes it as best practice. But it is not a legal requirement. Advertisement

I just had to rely on the HCAs and hope that if a woman was unsure or had been forced into a termination by her partner or parents, they had picked up the signs in the short time they had with the woman. There was a climate of fear at Marie Stopes. If we were taking too long signing forms, wed be chivvied by administrative staff. Sometimes, Id already be in the operating theatre, performing a procedure, when documents would be presented for me sign. To say it was a rushed would be an understatement.

Every now and again, a patient on my operating table would change her mind and leave the room. Could she have been better counselled? Certainly, more time spent with her might have thrown up her doubts. Its likely she had simply not felt able to express doubts about what lay ahead to the HCA as she was sped through their checks.

I sometimes got the impression that the women I treated hadnt been given the full picture, or had the pain properly explained to them. They often appeared to feel more pain than youd expect, and that upset me, because once you have started a termination you cant stop. I would just have to carry on, despite their cries.

The next level up from a no-anaesthetic abortion was conscious sedation  something which is used very commonly throughout NHS services, including dentistry  whereby the patient is given low dose anaesthetic drugs so they dont lose consciousness. The drugs used  which had similar effects to the date-rape drug Rohypnol  would wipe the memory of the pain.

More than 190,000 abortions are carried out each year in the UK, with around 60,000 of these undertaken at Marie Stopes clinics (pictured, Marie Stopes House in Bloomsbury, London)

It sped up the process, because women recover quicker than after general anaesthetic and theres less aftercare needed. But is it all right for a doctor to hurt someone simply because she wont remember the pain?

I would be trying to perform a termination on a patient who was wriggling or shuffling up the operating table, trying to get away. Id have to pull her back down again to continue the procedure. After a termination  and to keep a rapid throughput of patients  women would be taken into a small room where they were allowed to lie for ten minutes before being taken upstairs to sit in a reclining chair. On the occasions I had to examine someone who had post-operative pain, the fact that there was no bed available made it far more difficult.

Late surgical terminations, from 18 weeks pregnancy on, were carried out under general anaesthetic. There was one anaesthetist but never a trained assistant during the time I was working at the clinic. I felt it would have been safer  and better practice  to have an assistant present as well.

And when I carried out terminations at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, one of these assistants was always in theatre. Certainly, my anaesthetist colleagues at Kings College Hospital were shocked by this when I told them. I dont know if this practice has since changed at Marie Stopes.

The business manager at the clinic was continuously checking that we were moving patients through fast enough. On the wall in the staff tearoom was a chart, showing the progress of the previous week, and giving the turnaround time we should be aiming for  from the moment a patient walked in to the moment she left.

Former Marie Stopes doctor John Parsons said that staff were 'constantly under pressure' (file photo)

I had never see anything like that in an NHS clinic. We were constantly under pressure, with junior administrative staff harassing medical staff to get a move on.

The founder of Marie Stopes International, Tim Black, once told me: Whatever is good enough for a black woman in Africa is good enough for a white woman over here. The implication was that Black was aware that Marie Stopes was providing a basic service.

The aim was always to save money  the faster the recovery, the faster the patient would be out of the door. To my great discomfort, I felt it was an organisation that didnt have its patients at the centre of the service they were offering.

Dr John Parsons is the former head of the termination of pregnancy service at Kings College Hospital, London, and a former member of the British Pregnancy Advisory Services board

A spokesman for Marie Stopes said Dr Parsons employment with Marie Stopes had ended some years ago, adding: We do not believe his views are an accurate reflection of where the organisation was at that time, and he is certainly unable to provide any information or opinion on where the organisation is today, following the changes that have been under way since the CQC inspections.

There were lots of crying women... I'd never go through it again

by Sara Smyth, Mail Investigations Reporter

Traumatic: Shannon Skinner with Amelia, who survived an abortion

After a brief phone call and a 20-minute appointment with a healthcare assistant at a Marie Stopes clinic, Shannon Skinner was given tablets to abort her baby.

She says she was not seen by a Marie Stopes nurse or doctor but received treatment from uncaring receptionists and healthcare assistants.

As she was handed the first of two sets of pills to end her eight-week pregnancy, she felt rushed and was not sure she was making the right choice. Miss Skinner, then 19, says that instead of being listened to, she was met by staff who were clearly trying to get as many abortions done in a day as possible.

She says: Its not an experience I would ever want to go through again. [The clinic] felt like a conveyor belt. There were lots of crying women.

But feeling like she had no choice, she went through with the medical abortion on the NHS in 2013.

A medical termination involves taking the drug mifepristone orally, which inhibits the hormone progesterone, essential for pregnancy.

This is followed by misoprostol, which can be taken on the same day or up to three days later, which causes the uterus to expel the embryo.

At the clinic in Bristol, Miss Skinner, now 23, was given the two drugs to take four hours apart. But they did not work and her baby, Amelia, survived.

Now raising Amelia, two, and her first daughter Lacie, three, she says she has moved on, but deeply regrets ever trying to abort her baby.

Her anger is directed at Marie Stopes, which she thinks handed abortion pills out to anyone, no questions asked. Miss Skinner says: If someone had paid more attention to my doubts, I think I would have backed out of the decision to have the abortion and been much happier.

But no one ever asked me how I felt about it, if it was something I really wanted. If there had been some trained and caring person willing to talk to me I think the outcome would have been very different. That way, I wouldnt be living with the guilt that I do now.

For the rest of my life I will worry that the abortion tablets will have a negative effect on Amelia. So far, she has been fine but no one can guarantee that will continue. I wish Marie Stopes had treated me better.

Since the failed abortion Miss Skinner has split up with boyfriend Anthony Hunt, but they co-parent the two girls. After a traumatic delivery with Lacie, she was advised not to have another baby for two years.

But she says that when her contraceptive failed four months after Lacies birth, she was pressured into aborting her second baby at Marie Stopes.

She was told by her GP that carrying another baby could damage her health and she should ring Marie Stopes for a termination. She booked a telephone consultation, which was carried out by a healthcare assistant not a nurse.

Miss Skinner gave details of her medical history and was asked about her first pregnancy during the 20-minute call.

She thought that she would be given time at the clinic with a nurse to discuss her decision. But there, she saw only receptionists and healthcare assistants. She was scanned, told to sign a consent form and given her medication.

I regretted it instantly, she says. I wish now Id just walked out. I was crying my eyes out.

Miss Skinner adds: Ill always regret the abortion, but Ill never regret having Amelia.
A man has been charged with the murder of an 80-year-old woman whose body was found in a garage at an allotment.

Rahim Mohammadi, 40, has been charged with the murder of 80-year-old Lea Adri-Soejoko, Scotland Yard said.

Mrs Adri-Soejoko, a Belgium-born mother-of-three, was found dead at the allotment where she was secretary in north London.

Rahim Mohammadi, 40, has been charged with the murder of 80-year-old Lea Adri-Soejoko (pictured)

The 80-year-old's body was discovered at the plot of the Sheaveshill allotment society in Colindale, north London (pictured)

Rahim Mohammadi, 40, of Goldsmith Row, east London, was charged on Sunday with the murder of Lea Adri-Soejoko, the Metropolitan Police said.

The pensioner's body was discovered on Tuesday in Colindale, north-west London, in a lock-up store at the allotment where she was secretary.

Mohammadi will appear in custody on Monday at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court.

A forensics officer was at the scene in north London after Mrs Adri-Soejoko was found

Ms Adri-Soejoko did not attend an allotment meeting on Monday evening, causing members to contact her family.

Her body was found on Tuesday morning, 25 minutes after she was reported missing - raising the possibility she could have lain undiscovered for 12 hours.

Scotland Yard says enquiries into Ms Adri-Soejoko's death are ongoing.
A new report revealed hundreds of Marines are being investigated by the U.S. Department of Defense for sharing explicit photos of their female colleagues in a lewd Facebook group.

The group titled 'Marines United' had hundreds, possibly thousands of photos of unsuspecting servicewomen, some who were on active duty.

There were 30,000 followers of the secret Facebook group and many members made sexually aggressive comments about the victims. Some suggested in the 2,500 photo comments that the servicemen perform sexual acts with the women and film it for the other members.

The he U.S. Department of Defense is investigating those involved with the derogatory Facebook group (stock photo)

The admins used Google Drive to store the photos and information of the servicewomen as revealed in the report by Reveal of the Center for Investigative Reporting and The War Horse.

The veteran who initially posted the Google Drive link has been fired from his position as a government subcontractor.

Since January 30, more than two dozen women have been identified. The first two infantry women in the Marines were assigned on January 5.

To get into the group, someone has to be added by a member. Only current and former members are able to search the group.

One servicewoman was photographed in secret at Camp Lejeune as she leaned over to pick up her gear. These photos were posted on February 16, two weeks after the linking accounts were shut down.

Captain Ryan Alvis, public affairs officer for the Marines, told CBS News: 'Whoever runs it kept moving it, making it hard to even find what the scope of it was.'

'People will immediately start blaming victims, and we are most concerned about them. They may have taken pics meant to be private and then those images could have been shared by a former close friend. So many questions that we just dont have answers to at this point.'

'The Marine Corps is deeply concerned about allegations regarding the derogatory online comments and sharing of salacious photographs in a closed website. This behavior destroys morale, erodes trust, and degrades the individual. The Marine Corps does not condone this sort of behavior, which undermines our core values. As General Neller said in his recent Message to the Force, the Marine Corps success in battle depends on trust, mutual respect, and teamwork.'The Marine Corps takes every allegation of misconduct seriously.'

He went on to say the people involved will be held accountable for their actions.

The Marines also released a 10 page document addressing how the misogynistic nature of the group is unacceptable.

The War Horse journalist and former Marine Thomas Brennan received threats after exposing the group. Members are allegedly posting his addresses and phone numbers of his friends and colleagues in the group.

Brennan told the Marine Corps Times: 'As a Marine veteran, I stand by the code: honor, courage and commitment. This story was published with the intention of standing up for what is right and staying true to the leadership principle of looking out for Marines and their families.'

These kinds of groups aren't new. In 2013, California Representative Jackie Speier wrote in a press release about a similar Marines Facebook group called 'FN Wook'. She proposed multiple bills aimed to reduce sexual assault and sexual harassment in the Marines.

In an annual report the Pentagon released in May 2016, the U.S. military received about 6,000 reports of sexual assault in 2015, similar to the number in 2014, but such crimes are still underreported.




A television news anchor took the opportunity to grill a White House spokeswoman on the President's unfounded allegations that Obama ordered an illegal wire tap of the Trump tower in the run up to the election.

Martha Raddatz hosted Sarah Huckabee Sanders on ABC's This Week and held nothing back.

Raddatz started out stating that the President was making 'extremely serious allegations' while questioning where Trump was getting his information, and why he was so certain that it was legitimate.

The interview took place just a day after President Trump tweeted claims that suggested Obama abused his executive powers in connection with the 2016 presidential election by wiretapping the president's home at Trump towers.

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Martha Raddatz hosted Sarah Huckabee Sanders on ABC 's This Week to question the White House spokeswoman on the President's unfounded allegations that Obama ordered an illegal wire tap of the Trump tower in the run up to the election

Speaking on 'This Week' Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that numerous media outlets, including the BBC and the New York Times reported that federal investigators sought warrants to monitor Russian banks suspected of steering money to the Trump campaign

'Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!' the president wrote on Twitter.

McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence.

Trump offered no evidence supporting the tapping of telephones in Trump Tower, while a spokesman for Obama denied the allegation as 'simply false'.

Trump accused Obama of tapping his phones at Trump Tower in a flurry of tweets Saturday morning

Another official echoed that of others saying Obama could not have ordered a wire-tap, adding that it would have been taken to a judge by investigators, but investigators never did that

Speaking on 'This Week' Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that numerous media outlets, including the BBC and the New York Times reported that federal investigators sought warrants to monitor Russian banks suspected of steering money to the Trump campaign.

However, these reports did not directly reference Trump's wiretap claim.

Sanders explained that, for the Trump administration, 'All we're saying is let's take a closer look. Let's look into this. If this happened, if this is accurate, this is the biggest overreach'.

Sanders became flustered throughout the interview, and Raddatz recognized the moment and attacked the spokeswoman's lack of evidence for his claims

Raddatz recognized her moment and went in for the kill, saying: 'If, if, if, if, if! Why is the president saying it DID happen?'

Sanders jumped to the President's defense, claiming that she thinks Trump is going off of information he has already seen.

She further explained that Trump just wants the same level of investigation into the Obama administration and the possibility that they abused presidential power.

However, she did not want to get too much into it, saying: 'I will let the president speak for himself'.

Raddatz quickly pointed out 'You're his spokesperson. You're backing off of it.'

On Sunday Morning, the White House demanded that Congress investigate Trump's claims, which he tweeted out Saturday morning, suggesting Obama abused his executive powers in connection with the 2016 presidential election.

The Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee says his panel will probe President Donald Trump's allegations that Trump Tower was wire-tapped by President Obama's administration.

Rep. Devin Nunes, Rep for California, said his committee 'will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political party's campaign officials or surrogates', the chair said in a statement Sunday afternoon.

The Obama administration has denied President Donald Trump's claims that Barack Obama wire-tapped his phones at Trump Tower before the election. Trump was spotted waving to his supporters as his motorcade crossed the Bingham Island Bridge in Palm Beach on Saturday

Trump fired off his tweets shortly after 3.30am ET Saturday morning

Lawmakers in both parties have asked to see proof.

Earlier Sunday, Senate Intelligence Committee member, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., suggested his committee would look into the matter as well.

'We've already begun an inquiry on the intelligence committee into Russia's efforts to undermine confidence in our political system,' Cotton said on Fox News Sunday.

'That inquiry is going to be thorough, and we're going to follow the facts wherever they lead us. And I'm sure that this matter will be a part of that inquiry.'

Trump's claims seem to have stemmed from a Thursday evening radio show hosted by Mark Levin that claimed Obama executed a 'silent coup' of Trump via 'police state' tactics

Cotton's committee chair, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., made a broader statement.

'As I've said since the beginning and have repeated since, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will follow the evidence where it leads, and we will continue to be guided by the intelligence and facts as we compile our findings,' Burr said Sunday.

James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence in the Obama administration, on Sunday 'absolutely' denied there was a secret court order for surveillance at Trump Tower.

Obama's (pictured during Trump's inauguration) spokesman Kevin Lewis released a statement Saturday afternoon refuting Trump's wire-tapping claims

Lewis said 'neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen'

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement Sunday that reports 'concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling'.

'President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016,' Spicer said.

It was unclear what reports Spicer was referring to, and what prompted Trump to make the allegation.
The parents of sick baby Charlie Gard last night told of their immense gratitude at the public response to his plight.

Connie Yates and Chris Gard said they were overwhelmed after Mail readers helped add 150,000 in just three days to the fund to help the seven-month-old boy.

Last night as the grand total stood at 196,000, Miss Yates, 31, said: We are absolutely overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone whos donated to help Charlie.

The parents of sick baby Charlie Gard have expressed their gratitude at the public response to their plight. A GoFundMe page has so far raised 196,000 to help secure pioneering treatment

It has given us real hope during the most difficult time of our lives and wed like to thank everyone who has donated so far.

Charlie is desperately ill with a genetic condition so rare that he is only the 16th person in the world to have it.

The High Court will rule in a month if he should be allowed to die. They have until April 3 when the court will rule on his fate, after his doctors said it would be better to withdraw Charlies life support and allow him to die.

His mother and father have refused to give up on their son and scoured the globe for a cure. They found a neurological specialist at a hospital in the United States who has offered to try an experimental treatment on him.

Miss Yates, 31, and Mr Gard, 32, of Bedfont, South-West London, are fundraising to pay for an air ambulance to get their little boy across the Atlantic, and for the cost of his treatment.

Since telling their story in the Mail last Friday, our generous have helped quadruple the 50,000 they had previously raised in the past month.

Miss Yates said: Appearing in court against doctors was one of the worst days of our lives. But getting back to Charlie and seeing him made us realise we are doing the right thing.

We are also so buoyed by all the public support from people all over the world.

We have been fighting Charlies corner the whole way and knowing that we have so much support behind us gives us even more strength to continue fighting.

Parents Connie Yates, 31, and Chris Gard, 32. They have until April 3 when the court will rule on his fate, after his doctors said it would be better to withdraw Charlies life support and allow him to die

Charlie is stable and not in pain so as long as he is still fighting we will fight for him.

We are loving parents who just want the best for our son. And there is no way we are giving up on him.

Charlie suffers from mitochondrial depletion syndrome  which saps energy from the organs and muscles  and has a particularly rare strain which has no accepted cure.

His lungs are so weak he is being kept alive on an artificial ventilator in intensive care at Great Ormond Street Hospital, in London.

Doctors there believe they have exhausted all treatment options and say it would be kinder to allow Charlie to slip away.

Charlie suffers from mitochondrial depletion syndrome  which saps energy from the organs and muscles  and has a particularly rare strain which has no accepted cure

The hospital has asked the High Court to agree it would be in Charlies best interests to withdraw the artificial ventilation and allow him to die with dignity.

But Charlies parents  described as utterly devoted by High Court judge Mr Justice Francis last week  asked for time to secure pioneering treatment in the United States, and Mr Justice Francis agreed.

The couple have found an American doctor offering to treat their son with an unproven therapy which is said to have shown promising signs.

The American hospital, which cannot be named for legal reasons, accepted Charlie as a prospective patient on Wednesday last week. He would require an air ambulance equipped with intensive care facilities and doctors and nurses to fly him there.

The family say the doctor they have found is an eminent neurologist and incredibly experienced in his field.

Miss Yates said: Its not much, but every little flicker convinces us that we, his Mummy and Daddy, are doing the right thing to not give up on him

Charlie was born healthy on August 4 last year, weighing 8lb 3oz, but after delighting his first-time parents with smiles at just six weeks he became progressively weaker, and was admitted to hospital at eight weeks old.

Miss Yates, a carer, and Mr Gard, a postman, have lived every waking hour at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Mr Gard spends 14 hours a day from 10am to midnight stroking his sons hand, reading him stories and chatting to him. Miss Yates arrives at 11am and stays until 4am. They take it in turns to lie on the bed and cuddle Charlie.

The parents have told how Charlie locks eyes with them and their presence calms him. His mother says: Its not much, but every little flicker convinces us that we, his Mummy and Daddy, are doing the right thing to not give up on him.

Great Ormond Street Hospital said: Charlie has a very rare and complex disease, for which there is no accepted cure. We appreciate how hugely distressing this is for his family and we continue to support them in every way we can, while advocating, what we believe, is best for Charlie.

Great Ormond Street Hospital has said in a statement: Charlie has a very rare and complex disease, for which there is no accepted cure.

Charlie was very unwell when he was admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital and has remained under 24-hour care on our intensive care unit. We have tried to strengthen Charlie and give him the best possible chance of survival. But his condition has continued to deteriorate and we now feel we have exhausted all available proven treatment options.

We appreciate how hugely distressing this is for his family and we continue to support them in every way we can, while advocating, what we believe, is best for Charlie.

Readers can donate to Charlie's cause here.
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Holidays are supposed to be enjoyable - time spent away from the relentless grind of daily life.

So the last thing you'd want to be faced with, for example, is a visit from an enormous Australian spider in your room, or a South African elephant taking a pew on your car.

As these photos illustrate, you've really only ever moments away from a potential nightmare no matter where in the world you are.

One image captures a truck teetering precariously over the edge of a steep ravine in Bolivia, while another shows a loo full of frogs.

Another chap was unfortunate enough to emerge from a nice swim in the ocean with a slimy octopus clinging to his back.

Here, MailOnline Travel has rounded up a collection of dismal scenarios which will leave you feeling relieved to be safe at home.

Nail-biting: This truck suffered an extremely close call when it nearly ran off a very narrow Bolivian road in the pouring rain

No thanks: This horrifically huge spider was apparently captured in Australia, home to some of the most fear-inducing creatures on earth

Crushing defeat: Taken in South Africa's Pilanesburg National Park, this is the moment an elephant used a car to scratch an itch

Hitching a ride: No-one wants to emerge from the ocean after a nice swim with a slithery octopus on their back

This skier was robbed of his trousers after taking a tumble from a chairlift in Vail, Colorado and was left dangling for ten minutes before being rescued

Rain, rain, go away: Enough dismal weather can ruin pretty much any camping trip, as seems to be the case with this group

Not ideal: This somewhat alarming photo was apparently taken after a flood, which resulted in a loo basin full of frogs

Look where you're driving! A toppled vehicle on Fraser Island, Australia, sinks into a sandbank filled with flowing water

Perched: According to the uploader, this was the result of some Canadian tourists forgetting to use their handbrake in Turkey

Well hello there: After a bit too much revelry, one man claims he woke up on the street to be greeted by this fox tugging on his trousers

Bathroom break: This tourist may not know it yet, but the lemur on his back is unceremoniously using his Batman hat as a urinal

Snatched: If close encounters with beady-eyed birds is enough to have you in a flap, be careful with your snacks around seagulls

According to the submitter of this image, the bound and gagged passenger pictured 'drank an entire bottle of some duty free alcohol' then started 'screaming that we're going to crash'

Oops: A cautionary tale against eating a bowl of cereal in the sun without slapping on some sunscreen, resulting here in a painful burn
If this were you, would you be delighted or terrified?

Awe-inspiring footage has emerged which captures a pod of whales weaving through the ocean right underneath someone on a paddle board in Hawaii.

The aerial video, shot off the coast of Maui, shows the lone human absolutely dwarfed by the group of North Pacific humpback whales - one of which appears to nearly collide with the board before hovering under it then switching course.

Aerial footage has emerged which captures a whale weaving through the ocean right underneath someone on a paddle board in Hawaii

The video, which has been viewed more than three million times since it was uploaded to Facebook earlier this year, was shot by a photographer under the name of Uheheu.

According to Uheheu, who has been documenting whales in Hawaii over a number of months, the footage captures four 30-ton whales.

It is likely that the one which came particularly close to the board was simply curious, though the perspective of the shot does make it appear somewhat alarming.

Each year, between around November and May, the magnificent mammals sail through Hawaii during their winter migration through the North Pacific.

The video, shot off the coast of Maui, shows the lone human absolutely dwarfed by the group of North Pacific humpback whales

The video, which has been viewed more than three million times since it was uploaded earlier this year, was shot by a photographer under the name of Uheheu

Due to the conservation efforts of the North Pacific Humpback Whale conservation, their population has been growing over the past 50 years.

In 1966, this whale population was believed to be approximately 1,400, according to Maui Whale Watching.

In 1993, marine conservationists estimated 6,000, and in 2014, the population is believed to be 21,000.
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Machu Picchu in Peru has been named as one of the new seven wonders of the world, and it does not disappoint.

What is wondrous about it must be different for every hiker who makes the trek up the long Inca trail, or every tourist who comes more comfortably by train.

But few people can resist the sense of awe at this amazing site.

Author Philippa Gregory explored Peru's magnificent Machu Picchu, an 80,000-acre site which sits nearly 8,000ft above sea level

Even today it still challenges with unanswered questions.

Why was it abandoned only eight years after it was completed in about 1572? Why did the Spanish conquistadors never discover it as they hunted for the gold of the Inca? Why was it built in the first place?

And how was it that people working without a written literature and cutting stone without iron tools could plan and construct such an extraordinary site, nearly 8,000ft above sea level, putting together terraces, palaces and temples without mortar? The enormous shaped boulders fit together like a 3D jigsaw puzzle of the gods.

I reached it the easy way  by the scenic train ride, the narrow track winding through gorges and across clean mountain rivers, to the town of Agua Caliente.

I can assure you that there is nothing very wondrous about Agua Caliente  it exists as a starting point for the buses up the mountain and it is all market and no mystery, a lot of plastic and no archaeology.

The first thing that strikes the visitor about Machu Picchu is the scale  the whole site covers nearly 80,000 acres. The mystery city was probably built for an educated elite. Some of the religious buildings are aligned for sunrise and sunset, others are precisely placed to catch the rising moon.

Philippa and her friend, pictured, were suitably alarmed by their close encounters with piranhas during a fishing trip

I was shown around by a local guide who spoke of the American explorer who came upon the ruins while looking for somewhere else, of the extraordinary archaeological work that continues today, and the eccentric theories that only another civilisation could have created such a miracle of engineering. Ancient Egyptians? Aliens? Both?

However sceptical one might be, the ruins, their relationship to other sites in the sacred valley nearby, and their inspiration from astronomy, makes you long to solve the mysteries yourself.

I came back down to earth at Cusco, capital of the Inca empire. Its a hauntingly pretty town where a perfectly shaped Inca wall runs on one side of the street and exquisite medieval Spanish townhouses fill the other.

You can walk past the famous angle stone on your way to the Coricancha palace, where the Inca temple forms the core and base of the later Spanish monastery built by the conquistadors to celebrate their victory.

When an earthquake hit Cusco in 1950, it destroyed the cathedral but the Inca temple remained standing  the guides say that the Inca stones were so perfectly fitted together that they could move apart and then rejoin without falling.

Inca culture is inspiring, but in Cusco the modern world is beautiful too. I stayed at Inkaterra La Casona, a 16th Century house now superbly restored with 11 suites, each with a super-sized bath and open fireplace.

The final part of my holiday was to the Peruvian Amazon.

Philippa's vessel was this, a spacious riverboat from which motorboats took her out on daily excursions along the Amazon

To reach the Amazon by plane, you have to go through Lima. Actually, to fly to almost anywhere in Peru you have to go through Lima, and soon Id had enough of the crowded, clogged, exuberant city.

A Peruvian told me the wonderful myth of Lima: that conquistadors asked a defeated Incan where they should site their principal city and, in a great revenge joke, he suggested a rain-washed valley surrounded by sunny hills.

You can be in damp mist in Lima when it is clear just five minutes away.

From Lima I flew to Iquitos for a six-night Amazon riverboat adventure. Every day I went out on small motorboats with highly skilled guides and every day I came home to my generous-size cabin having seen something strange, rare or exotic.

I became accustomed to seeing a flamingo-coloured pink dolphin, breaking the surface of the river and showing a flash of shocking pink as it dived. Amazon kingfishers escorted the boats, and I saw a family of otters, a tiny spider monkey, hawks, parrots and orioles.

She also stopped by Cusco, capital of the Inca empire, pictured - a hauntingly pretty town where a perfectly shaped Inca wall runs on one side of the street and exquisite medieval Spanish townhouses fill the other

One day we were even offered the chance to swim in the Amazon, and catch piranha. I am sorry but I declined both.

The water of the Amazon  chocolate-brown in colour and teeming with underwater life  is not inviting, and I dont like fishing for any sort of fish, least of all fish with teeth. So I sat in the prow with a friend and planned to sit peaceably beside her as she dipped the bait in the water.

At one point a piranha snatched. As she jerked it out of the water, it swung towards me on her line, and slapped my hat. I saw the face, the eyes, the sharp little teeth. I screamed, my friend screamed, the boat rocked, she flung line and nearly rod back in the river and the piranha unhooked itself and vanished.

Then, of course, as all serious fishermen do, we clung to each other and dissolved into giggles.

Philippas latest novel, Three Sisters, Three Queens, is out now in paperback, priced 8.99.
Looking for an affordable way to experience the best of Tenerife?

Or hunting for an Interrail-type ticket to use on Eurostar services between London and the rest of Europe?

Mail on Sunday's Travel Editor Frank Barrett answers your travel questions this week.

Some of Tenerifes popular resorts can be described as challenging, but there are also many charming ones to be found here on the Canary Islands

QUESTION: We're planning a pre-Easter break in the Canaries to celebrate an anniversary. We would like to stay somewhere upmarket yet reasonably affordable, which may be impossible. Weve heard bad reports about some places on Tenerifes south coast. Any advice? Sylvia, by email

ANSWER: Some of Tenerifes popular south coast resorts can be described as challenging, but there are also many charming resort hotels, some of which may not be as expensive as you fear.

The upmarket Ritz-Carlton hotel (ritzcarlton.com) is currently offering B&B from about 190 per room per night.

Couple this with a no-frills flight and you have a very affordable package at a very high-class hotel.

Eurostar is launching a new, lower and simpler passholder fare for Interrail travellers which will be available between London, Brussels, Lille, Calais and Disneyland Paris, among others

QUESTION: Is it possible to buy an Interrail-type ticket that allows you to make use of Eurostar services from London to the Continent? Rachel, by email

ANSWER: Eurostar is launching a new, lower and simpler passholder fare for Interrail travellers. Interrail Passes (from about 175 for a five-day European pass) can secure Eurostar seats from 23 one way in Standard class or 29 in Standard Premier.

The fares will be available between London, Ebbsfleet and Ashford International and Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais and Disneyland Paris.

For more information, go to interrail.eu.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR FRANK BARRETT?

Contact him at askfrank@mailonsunday.co.uk or on Twitter: @FRANKBARRETTMOS
He's the popular co-host of Channel Nine breakfast show, Today.

And according to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald, the 'pressure' to remain youthful has supposedly got to Karl Stefanovic.

The Fairfax publication claims the 42-year-old underwent a 'subtle hair transplant' a few years ago to cover thinning at the front and top.

Unconfirmed: Karl Stefanovic reportedly had a 'subtle hair transplant' a few years ago to cover thinning at the front and top - but do pictures tell a different story? Pictured in May 2015

A change of style? In photos of Karl from 2014 (left) and 2015 it does appear there is some thinning, but his hair also does not seem to have changed notably in recent photos (right)

In photos of Karl taken in 2014 and 2015 it does appear there is some thinning, but it also does not seem to have changed notably in recent images.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Channel Nine for comment.

According to the publication, make-up guru and Channel Nine presenter Michael Brown confirmed he himself had a hair transplant and was happy with the results.

Speculation: According to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald, the 'pressure' to remain youthful has supposedly got to 42-year-old Karl

Reports: Daily Mail Australia has reached to Channel Nine for comment. Karl pictured (from left to right) in 2007, 2012 and 2015

Fixed! According to the publication, make-up guru and Channel Nine presenter Michael Brown confirmed he himself had a hair transplant and was happy with the results

The unconfirmed claims about Karl's 'transplant' come after he reportedly began dating model and designer, Jasmine Yarbrough, 33.

According to an article by Woman's Day, the Los Angeles-based blonde may have recently met the Today show host's mother after jetting into Sydney recently.

'Jasmine had hoped this trip would be the perfect opportunity to get to know Karl's family,' a source allegedly said.

The report also suggests Karl's mother Jenny is pleased for her son after his highly-publicised split from wife of 21-years, Cassandra Thorburn, last year.

New relationship? The unconfirmed reports of Karl's 'transplant' comes after Karl has been rumoured to be dating model and designer, Jasmine Yarbrough, 33

Model behaviour! Jasmine is pictured here modelling for Midori several years ago

The claims come just weeks after Jenny was pictured reading a front page newspaper article about her son's supposed new romance.

Despite reportedly being supportive of her son's new relationship, Jenny is also said to be worried about the public scrutiny surrounding his love life.

Rumours of Karl and Jasmine's relationship surfaced after the pair were spotted canoodling on a boat in Sydney last month.
They thrilled fans by performing TOPLESS and covered in body glitter at the ARIA Awards in November.

And once again The Veronicas pulled out their favourite look for a dazzling show at the Mardi Gras after party in Sydney on Saturday.

Pop twins Jessica and Lisa Origliasso, 32, wore sparkly purple paint as they bared all for the show - as Jess' girlfriend Ruby Rose watched on.

Their breast look yet! The Veronicas' Jessica and Lisa Origliasso performed topless and covered in glitter at the Mardi Gras after party in Sydney on Saturday night

The sisters completed their daring look with tight latex black pants, which showed off their slender pins.

Jessica and Lisa styled their dark hair in low buns and wore dramatic make-up including winged eyeliner and red lipstick.

They put on an energetic performance, dancing and throwing their hands in the air as they performed for the crowd.

If you've got it! The 32-year-old twins wore dark purple body paint as they bared their busts

All done up: Jessica and Lisa had their dark hair pulled back into low buns and wore make-up including winged eyeliner and red lipstick

Racy! The duo completed their look with black latex leggings, which showed off their trim pins

Support: Jessica's girlfriend Ruby Rose was photographed being escorted by security after watching the performance

Surrounding them on stage were their dancers, who wore red outfits and glitter.

They also had several male dancers performing shirtless in briefs.

Ruby, who is based in the US for her Hollywood career, flew to Sydney on Friday ahead of the performance.

Why so shy, Ruby? Security tried to prevent photographs being taken of the DJ and actress

Doing their thing: They put on an energetic performance, dancing and throwing their hands in the air as they performed for the crowd

What a show! Surrounding them on stage were their dancers, who wore red outfits and glitter

Smitten! Ruby, who is based in the US for her Hollywood career, flew to Sydney on Friday ahead of the performance

She had a hectic week in Los Angeles with Oscars events, photo shoots and filming for Pitch Perfect 3.

In November, Jessica and Ruby announced they were back together, after reportedly dating in 2008 in an on-and-off relationship.

They fell back in love after Ruby starred in The Veronicas music video, On Your Side.

Going strong: In November, Jessica and Ruby announced they were back together, after reportedly dating in 2008 in an on-and-off relationship

Happy: They fell back in love after Ruby starred in The Veronicas music video, On Your Side

Scantily clad: The Veronicas also had hunky male dancers performing shirtless in briefs

Ruby recently gushed about Jessica on Valentine's Day, writing on Instagram: 'We have made some pretty bad decisions in our lives... mostly fashion related but one decision we have never regretted is loving each other..'

'Happy Valentine's Day my @jessicaveronica.'

Jessica also wrote: 'I've waited 10 years to kiss you on a Valentine's Day. And I would wait forever to do it again X I love you X @rubyrose.'

'One decision we have never regretted is loving each other': Ruby recently praised her girlfriend Jessica on Valentine's Day

'I've waited 10 years to kiss you on a Valentine's Day': Jessica also paid tribute to Ruby

Dramatic! Jessica and Lisa certainly lived up to the hype at the spectacular Mardi Gras
The Bachelorette's Georgia Love and Lee Elliott have been dealing with split rumours since Woman's Day reported they had a 'blazing row' at a Sydney restaurant.

But it would seem the only way Georgia could possibly have had an argument with her boyfriend on Saturday night was by telephone.

As the 27-year-old partied at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, Lee instead enjoyed a boys' night out in Wollongong with his former co-stars.

Where's Lee? As The Bachelorette's Georgia Love partied at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras on Saturday night, her boyfriend Lee Elliott was nearly 100km away in Wollongong

Having curiously disappeared from Instagram for the past week, it was the 35-year-old's fellow Bachelorette castmate Matthew Dunne who revealed their plans.

Matthew shared a photo of himself, Lee, Ben Lyall and Courtney Dober in Wollongong, nearly 100km away from where Georgia was partying it up in Darlinghurst.

And as the boys caught up in what could only be described as a quiet affair, Georgia was living it up in a skimpy white dress atop a glitzy parade float.

Boy's night out? After disappearing on Instagram for over a week, Georgia's boyfriend Lee Elliott surfaced during a night out with his former Bachelorette co-stars in Wollongong

And just few hours later, she cuddled up to her friend Joel Creasey, an openly gay comedian, as the pair hosted a Mardi Gras event.

'Celebrating equal love with the guy who puts the ho in homo,' she captioned the playful Instagram photo.

Meanwhile, down on the south coast, it appeared the highlight of Lee's tame evening was a stop-off at a tapas bar with fourth-place finisher Courtney.

Making friends! As Lee spent time with his Bachelorette co-stars, Georgia cuddled up to her friend Joel Creasey, an openly gay comedian, as the pair hosted a Mardi Gras event

Quiet night: Meanwhile, down on the south coast, it appeared the highlight of Lee's tame evening was a stop-off at a tapas bar with fourth-place finisher Courtney Dober (R)

But over on Georgia's fun-filled Instagram Story, the Channel Ten personality was mixing it up with fellow parade marchers.

The bedazzled crown-clad journalist puckered up for a photo with a group of handsome male partygoers wearing fishnet shirts.

Later, a blurry image captured the commotion of the packed-out celebration going on in Sydney's Central Business District.

Having fun! But over on Georgia's fun-filled Instagram Story, the Channel Ten personality was mixing it up with fellow parade marchers

What a great night! Later, a blurry image captured the commotion of the packed-out celebration going on in Sydney's Central Business District

At a Mardi Gras pre-party the night before, Georgia declared she had found a new 'favourite' person in musical theatre star Lucy Durack.

Alongside a snap of the duo, she wrote: 'Sorry to everyone else I've ever met but @lucydurack is my favourite of all the humans',

It comes after Woman's Day claimed last month Lee has been 'secretly sending flirty texts' to as many as three former girlfriends in recent weeks.

'Sorry to everyone else I've ever met': At a Mardi Gras pre-party the night before, Georgia declared she had found a new 'favourite' person in musical theatre star Lucy Durack

And after an alleged row at the Australian Open, the mechanical plumber took to his Instagram to deny the allegations.

He wrote on Instagram: 'Never let the truth get in the way of a good story'.

Meanwhile, the couple haven't been featured on each other's Instagram accounts for the last six days.

Daily Mail Australia understands Georgia's representatives are keen to portray the couple's relationship as stable and ongoing following reports of a 'split'.

Reports: It comes after Woman's Day claimed last month Lee has been 'secretly sending flirty texts' to as many as three former girlfriends in recent weeks

Where is he? The reality TV couple haven't been featured on each other's Instagram accounts for the last six days
She's been jetting all over Europe for the various Fashion Weeks.

But Kendall Jenner showed no signs of slowing down as she enjoyed a girls night out in Paris on Saturday evening after touching down in the French capital to walk in a host of shows.

The reality starlet, 21, looked jaw-droppingly beautiful in a red knitted dress by Unravel Project, which she paired with dangerously high snakeskin boots.

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Scarlet siren: Kendall Jenner looked absolutely incredible in a red knitted dress and a sexy pair of thigh-high boots as she ventured out in Paris on Friday night

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians beauty's form-fitting attire boasted a poloneck style and built-in belt detailing at the waist.

She upped the glamour thanks to her racy footwear and matched her scarlet lipstick to her dress.

With her dark tresses slicked back behind her ears, Kendall bore a striking resemblance to momager Kris Jenner.

Red hot: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians beauty's form-fitting attire boasted a poloneck style and built-in belt detailing at the waist

Gorgeous: She upped the glamour thanks to her racy footwear and matched her scarlet lipstick to her dress

Good genes: With her dark tresses slicked back behind her ears, Kendall bore a striking resemblance to momager Kris Jenner

She was joined on the outing by gal pal Cara Delevingne, who whipped off her hat to reveal an edgy, punk rock inspired hairdo.

She complimented her platinum tresses with a Beetlejuice inspired suit, teaming fitted trousers with a stomach-baring top and a matching jacket.

Cara, 24, set off her cool and quirky attire with layered necklaces, keeping a low profile as she headed out for the evening.

Girls just wanna have fun: Kendall was on top form as she prepared for another big night of partying

These boots were made for walking: Kendall's footwear was so high that they were easily mistaken for trousers

The beauty queen who attained supermodel status modelling for the likes of Burberry, Chanel and Mulberry, has focused on acting instead of fashion in recent years.

She was open about how much she prefers acting in an interview with Vogue magazine, calling modelling 'fake'.

'The thrill of acting is making a character real,' the beautiful Brit said.

'Modeling is the opposite of real. Its being fake in front of the camera.'

Blonde bombshell: Kendall was joined on the outing by gal pal Cara Delevingne, who whipped off her hat to reveal an edgy, punk rock inspired hairdo

Top of the crops: She complimented her platinum tresses with a Beetlejuice inspired suit, teaming fitted trousers with a stomach-baring top and a matching jacket

New look: Cara, 24, set off her cool and quirky attire with layered necklaces, keeping a low profile as she headed out for the evening

Fancy seeing you here! Kanye West was also seen heading out and about with his sister-in-law Kendall
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's Los Angeles home looked to be the target of a swatting prank over the weekend.

A report by Us Weekly claimed that officers responded to reports of criminal activity at the couple's Bel Air home on Saturday, which turned out to be a false alarm.

However, Los Angeles Police Department has now clarified that no such call took place.

The watch commander for the West LAPD told the website that 'they did not respond to any call like this today'.

Not targeted: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were not the victims of swatting on Saturday despite reports that claimed someone called the LAPD to report a shooting at the duo's home

While a rep for the stars also confirmed to Us Weekly that the reality star was not swatted and any police calls made on Saturday have 'nothing to do with Kim.'

Earlier on Saturday authorities with the LAPD initially revealed no crime took place after officers responded to fake reports of criminal activity - a shooting at Kim and Kanye's home.

Swatting refers to when a phony phone call is made to authorities in order to draw out police, fire or medical officials to a specific location.

Heads up: The calls were reported by an organization that monitors information from scanners in the Southern California region

The reports stemmed from the Twitter account for the Southern California Monitoring Association - an organization that monitors scanner reports - which said that scanner reports trickled in that the West Los Angeles residence was the target of a home invasion and that a cleaning girl was shot by a suspect.

The organization concurrently said that the reports might have been a possible swatting incident.

According to the SCMA, the reporting caller hung up as law enforcement officials breached the door to penetrate the home.

It 'appears [that the] Kim Kardashian home is victim of [a] SWATTING call,' the SCMA said.

Fake: Early reports suggested police breached the door of the couple's home in the swatting incident Saturday but the LAPD have now confirmed no call was made and no visit to Kim and Kanye's residence took place

No laughing matter: Kim blew off steam four years ago after swatters targeted her mother Kris Jenner

Several years ago Kim was the victim of such a prank and took to Twitter to vent about the issue after pranksters summoned authorities to her mother Kris Jenner's Calabasas mansion.

In the January 2013 tweet, Kim said: 'These prank calls are NOT funny! People can get arrested for this! I hope they find out who is behind this. Its dangerous & not a joke!'

She said that her mother told her that the swatter in that incident told police that a shooting had occurred in the home, to which 15 SWAT officers and three helicopters responded.

Other celebs targeted in past swatting pranks include Justin Bieber, Tom Cruise, Simon Cowell and Ashton Kutcher.
Hours earlier she arrived for the Vivienne Westwood PFW show.

But it appears Rita Ora was only in Paris for a flying visit on Saturday, as she was later spotted arriving at Gare De Nord airport.

Putting on an edgy display a casual ensemble for the trip back to London, the 26-year-old RIP star wasted no time in the fashion capital.

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Turning heads: Rita Ora was only in Paris for a flying visit on Saturday, as she was later spotted arriving at Gare De Nord airport

Teaming a pair of boyfriend jeans with some very quirky lilac ankle boots, she kept the French cold out in a navy pea coat.

And donning a red T-shirt- the only change from the ensemble she arrived in earlier, she accessorised with a round Vivienne Westwood bag- perhaps a gift from the show.

More notable was her naughty phallic-shaped pink brooch, but she was spared any blushes by covering her pretty face with a pair of oversized sunglasses.

Standing out: Putting on an edgy display a casual ensemble for the trip back to London, the 26-year-old RIP star wasted no time in the fashion capital

Cheeky! Notable was her naughty phallic-shaped pink brooch, but she was spared any blushes by covering her pretty face with a pair of oversized sunglasses

Earlier in the day she sat FROW at the Vivienne Westwood show, mingling with the likes of Pamela Anderson.

Pamela showcased her famous assets in a plunging wrap dress, and the two blondes put on quite the display for the edgy show.

As well as singing, Rita recently appeared as Christian Grey's sister, Mia, in the film adaptation of the best-selling novel, Fifty Shades of Grey.

Singing to acting: Rita recently appeared as Christian Grey's sister, Mia, in the film adaptation of the best-selling novel, Fifty Shades of Grey

Travel chic: Donning a red T-shirt- the only change from the ensemble she arrived in earlier, she accessorised with a round Vivienne Westwood bag- perhaps a gift from the show

Rita's screen time in the Fifty Shades film was a fleeting 90 seconds, but she recently defended her cameo.

Speaking to OK! magazine, she said: 'Everyone is going to have their own opinions.

'But for me this was such a great cameo to be involved in, and even though I'm only in it for a little bit, it's opened the door to a lot of movie things.'

Heading out: Rita wasted no time once getting off the Eurostar, heading to the Chiltern Firehouse with a friend

Keeping the party going: The singer was rocking the exact same outfit as earlier in the day
She's considered one of the most stylish members of the royal family and is currently taking the fashion world by storm.

And Lady Amelia Windsor showed exactly why as she arrived in an effortlessly chic ensemble at the Sonia Rykiel AW17 show in Paris on Saturday.

The 21-year-old beauty showcased her style credentials by opting for bright red palazzo trousers, which she paired with a white ruched blouse.

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Fashionable royal: Lady Amelia Windsor chose an effortlessly chic ensemble at the Sonia Rykiel's AW17 show in Paris on Saturday

Lady Amelia, who is 36th in line to the British throne, finished off the ensemble with an oversized navy coat with fur-trimmed sleeves and a military-inspired gold brooch.

The granddaughter of the Duke of Kent accessorized her outfit with a kooky polka dot clutch bag, boosting her height with a a pair of black wedge sandals.

Displaying her natural beauty, the young royal went for a minimalist make-up look, with her blonde tresses framing her face.

English rose: The 21-year-old displayed her natural beauty with a minimalist make-up look

Stylish: She opted for bright red palazzo trousers, paired with a white ruched blouse and navy oversized coat

Former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko also went to the show, displaying her endless pins in a navy dress featuring large cuff sleeves.

She finished off the stylish get-up with a striped box bag and patterned heel sandals, pulling the ensemble together with a bright red lipstick.

Meanwhile, stylist Kate Foley appeared to go for the same blouson sleeve blouse by Sonia Rykiel as Lady Amelia, but paired it instead with a leather midi-skirt.

Glamour: Former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko also went to the show, displaying her endless pins in a navy dress featuring large cuff sleeves
She has a hectic schedule as one of the top models in the world, jetting to Milan, New York and London in recent weeks.

But Jourdan Dunn showed no signs of fatigue, flaunting her incredibly limber figure in a pair of thigh-high heeled boots as she left a Paris Fashion Week event at the George V hotel in the French capital on Saturday.

The mother-of-one beamed as she left the glitzy event showcasing her envious frame in a flirty red, black and blue minidress.

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Flirty fashion: Jourdan Dunn, 26, looked incredible in a pair of statement thigh-high boots as she left a Paris Fashion Week event at the George V Hotel in the French capital on Saturday

The intriguing woven frock featured a plaid-like pattern of bright pink, scarlet, black and a metallic blue.

The ensemble had a frayed hem which added to the flirty vibe of the outfit.

Jourdan's legs looked svelte in a pair of statement thigh-high heeled boots as she called it a night.

Catwalk star: The beautiful mother-of-one donned an intriguing woven minidress which featured a plaid-like pattern of pink, red, blue and black

Ready for bed: The Vogue cover girl swept her raven locks into a low ponytail and sported just a slick of lip gloss

The London-born model wore her long raven locks slicked back into a low ponytail and flashed photographers a toothy grin.

The beauty left her make up minimal, sporting just a slick of lip gloss, and had painted her nails a dark berry colour.

Fashion designer legend Karl Lagerfeld was also a guest at the fashion function where he was spotted rubbing shoulders with Kendall Jenner.

Fashion legend: Karl Lagerfeld, 83, showcased his inimitable style in a back suit, loose tie and silver snakeskin gloves

Karl, 83, showed off his eccentric sense of style, donning a black suit with silver snakeskin gloves, a loose tie and tinted spectacles.

The Chanel designer swept his white locks back into a short ponytail.

The fashion mogul has been enjoying himself in his native city during an action-packed few days of shows.

Chanel mastermind: The Chanel designer swept his white locks into a ponytail

Model moments: Gabriel-Kane Day-Lewis was also seen leaving hand in hand with a brunette

Check him out: The son of actor Daniel Day-Lewis looked casually chic in ripped jeans and a smart camel coat, paired with a brown checked shirt
One used to date Justin Bieber and the other is his musical protege after being discovered on YouTube.

And his ex Hailey Baldwin, 20, and songstress Madison Beer, 17, united for Paris Fashion Week on Saturday.

The American duo put on a stylish display as they were seen arriving at the Royal Monceau Hotel.

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Girl's night: Hailey Baldwin, 20, and songstress Madison Beer, 17, united for Paris Fashion Week on Saturday

Hailey showed off her toned physique in a sparkling black vest, teaming it with a pair of coordianting combats.

Adding a sporty touch, she donned a light bomber jacket and added a touch of glamour in silver platform heels from Schutz.

With her usually pin-straight hair in tousled waves, she flashed a diamond ring on her ring finger.

Posers: The American duo put on a stylish display as they were seen arriving at the Royal Monceau Hotel

Madison joined in on the glamorous display, wearing a skintight thigh-skimming peach corset dress.

Accentuating her stature, she added a pair of nude over-the-knee boots , wearing her chestnut tresses in loose waves.

Holding onto Hailey as they headed to the hotel, the duo ensured they were the centre of attention.

Sporty glam: Adding a sporty touch, she donned a light bomber jacket and added a touch of glamour in silver platform heels from Schutz

Turning heads: Madison joined in on the glamorous display, wearing a skintight thigh-skimming peach corset dress

Earlier in the day she worked another outfit changed, as she enjoyed a day out in Paris before the Elie Saab Fashion Show.

The daughter of Alec Baldwin didn't disappoint with her off-duty look either, arriving and leaving in a super stylish mauve ensemble.

The model glammed up her attire for the evening as she exited the star-studded show, sporting the same smart coat with a sexy pair of over-the-knee PVC boots.

Pretty in purple: Hailey didn't disappoint with her off-duty look either, arriving at the Elie Saab show during Paris Fashion Week in a super stylish mauve ensemble earlier in the day

Legs for days: The 20-year-old model glammed up her attire for the evening with a pair of kiny boots as she exited the star-studded show

Hailey was showing off her flair for fashion in her coordinated attire, with the silk duster jacket billowing behind her as she walked.

She upped the glamour thanks to her fancy footwear and a pair of large hoop earrings, ready for another night on the town.

Hailey was spotted arriving at the show earlier on in a similar ensemble, wearing the coat open to reveal a simple strappy top.

Chic: Hailey was showing off her flair for fashion in her coordinated attire, with the silk duster jacket billowing behind her as she walked

Dressed down: Hailey was spotted arriving at the show earlier on in a similar ensemble, wearing the coat open to reveal a simple strappy top

She dressed the look down with a pair of tracksuit bottoms, and injected some serious style thanks to black and white, stripy heels.

During the show, Hailey flaunted her willowy frame in an array of beautifully crafted dresses as she sashayed down the runway.

In her first look, she slipped into a flirty layered frill mini dress that added volume to her slender figure.

Sports luxe: She dressed the look down with a pair of tracksuit bottoms, and injected some serious style thanks to black and white, stripy heels

Weathering the storm: Hailey was assisted by a security guard who shielded her from the rain

The intricate piece highlighted her narrow torso and teased at her bust with sheer lace panelling while she wrapped a slim belt around her waist.

Later in the show, she changed into an equally intricate piece that featured endless crystal and beaded detailing.

Her semi-sheer second look also featured daring nude mesh panelling but still covered her modesty with scallop shaped detailing.

Conquering the catwalk: During the show, Hailey flaunted her willowy frame in an array of beautifully crafted dresses

Gothic glam: Her semi-sheer second look featured daring nude mesh panelling but still covered her modesty with scallop shaped detailing

Meanwhile, the American fashion star was announced as L'Oreal Professionel's new global ambassador.

The model daughter of Stephen Baldwin has been announced as the new muse for the beauty brand's SS17 and AW17 campaigns, and she will be the face of their 2017 PRO FIBER hair care treatment campaign.

Hailey has admitted she feels 'super happy' to have joined forces with the highly recognized company.
He split from ex-Strictly Come Dancing partner Georgia May Foote at the end of last summer.

And now pro dancer Giovanni Pernice has headed back to Georgia's old stomping ground, Coronation Street, in search of his next lady friend.

According to reports, current Corrie actress Katie McGlynn has been enjoying the Lothario's company, taking him up on the offer of a romantic night out.

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Strictly Swapsies! Dancer Giovanni Pernice (L) trades one Coronation Street actress in for another as he 'enjoys date' with Katie McGlynn (R) six months after splitting from Georgia May Foote

Out with the old: Giovanni split from ex-Strictly Come Dancing partner Georgia May Foote at the end of last summer

Katie  who plays Sinead Tinker in the soap - 'went for dinner and the cinema' with Giovanni and 'had a night partying with some of his pals in London' recently.

A source told The Mirror that 'there was a lot of chemistry between them'.

'They really like each other and theres a huge attraction there, but its early days,' said the source, who claims to know how both parties are feeling internally.

'[Katie's] in Manchester filming with a big story-line, while [Giovanni's] home is London and he has his tour coming up in April, so who knows?'

In with the new: Katie  who plays Sinead Tinker in the soap - 'went for dinner and the cinema' with Giovanni and 'had a night partying with some of his pals in London' recently

Partners on screen AND off: Georgia was announced as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015 where she met and was partnered with Giovanni - leading to a romance that lasted until Summer 2016

Elephant in the room: Giovanni has a history with Katie's former Corrie co-star Georgia - making things potentially disastrous

The elephant in the room here is the fact that Giovanni has a history with Katie's former Corrie co-star Georgia - making things potentially disastrous.

Backing up the source's claim that the dancer and actress enjoyed a date night this week, Katie tweeted: 'London it's been a pleshze! Back in actual sunny Manchester now; what's gwarn?! [sic]'

No mention was made of the dancing hunk, but her tweet confirmed that she was in the capital.

Katie's character Sinead - who has just discovered that she's pregnant - cheated on her on-screen boyfriend Chesney Brown - who ironically also dated Georgia's character Katy.

In character: Katie's character Sinead - who has just discovered that she's pregnant - cheated on her on-screen boyfriend Chesney Brown - who ironically also dated Georgia's character Katy

Co-stars: The two actresses crossed-over on the veteran soap, with Georgia joining the series in 2010, and Katie appearing first in 2013

The two actresses crossed-over on the veteran soap, with Georgia joining the series in 2010, and Katie appearing first in 2013.

The pair were colleagues for two years before Georgia quit in 2015.

Later that year she was announced as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, where she met and was partnered with Giovanni - leading to a romance that lasted until Summer 2016.

The split was amicable, with Georgia explained at the time that they were 'better as friends', citing work schedules as a major cause that the relationship wasn't working.

Last month, Georgia was photographed in California with new boyfriend, model George Alsford, who she started seeing almost immediately after the break-up with Giovanni.
Chloe Moretz kept things casual during an outing in LA on Saturday.

Dressed in blue sweatpants, black Vans sneakers, a faded black T-shirt and striped black and white Adidas jacket, the Kick Ass actress topped off her look with a pair of dark sunnies.

On February 10, the former child star celebrated her 20th birthday with friends and family.

Relaxed: A casually dressed Chloe Moretz was seen running errands in LA on Saturday. The actress had previously stopped by a CVS pharmacy

On the move: The former child star - sporting Vans shoes - was spotted leaving the pharmacy with her purchases in hand

Birthday girl: The blonde beauty celebrated her 20th birthday on February 10, with a party with family and friends

Joining the young actress was her 5th Wave co-star, Alex Roe.

The pair stuck particularly close at the party, prompting rumors they may be be dating following her split last year from Brooklyn Beckham.

'It can go either way with a co-star - sometimes people just hate each other but luckily Chloe and I really hit it off,' the 26-year-old actor told the Evening Standard. 'Her family is from Atlanta, so I went to her house for Thanksgiving. Theyre all awesome - I think thats a big part of how shes managed to stay grounded.'

She has a type: Chloe is reportedly dating British actor Alex Roe, after splitting with boyfriend Brooklyn Beckham last year

Art imitating life? The rumored couple first met on the set of last year's movie, The 5th Wave, where their chemistry was undeniable

But the British hunk denies reports of a romance.

'We are very close friends, but thats it. Im just focusing on work right now,' he added. 'Thats not to say if someone amazing came along I wouldnt be interested.'

Chloe last year opened up to ELLE magazine about her relationship with then boyfriend Brooklyn, shortly before their split in September.

Something to spill? Chloe has remained quiet on reports of a romance with her co-star, while he says they're 'very close friends'

Already an old pro: At just 20, the talented actress already has no less than 60 film credits to her name

'My boyfriend is a huge support,' she confessed. 'I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't need a man for anything, but when I'm feeling bad about myself, he's like, "Stop. Look at what you say in interviews. Look at what you stand for. Listen to your own words, because you're as beautiful as you say you are! All young women are more beautiful than they think, you know. And I like you more in sweatpants than I do when you're on a red carpet."'

Despite the age gap between the pair, she said her now 18-year-old ex was wise beyond his years.

'And it's nice to have a young man who's 17 years old be able to look at a woman that way. I think it means we're on the right track,' she added.
Blac Chyna loves to live in luxury.

On Saturday, the 28-year-old star was spotted driving around Los Angeles in a brand new pink Range Rover.

During her day of driving, the reality diva took son King Cairo to lunch at The Stinking Rose in Beverly Hills before the two enjoyed a spin around town in the star's new wheels.

Lap of luxury: Blac Chyna and her son King Cairo enjoyed lunch at The Stinking Rose in Beverly Hills. After, the 28-year-old star and her little guy took her new ride for a spin around town

Hot wheels! The mother-of-two was happy to show off her brand new baby pink Range Rover

Chyna, who was born Angela Renee White, went incognito during lunch as she covered up with dark sunglasses and a hoodie.

The ex of Rob Kardashian's low-key look was still stylish, with her hoodie by Adidas and hip Yeezy sneakers on her feet.

A hint of sparkle could be seen on the star's manicured hands as the voluptuous vixen walked her little man out of the restaurant by the hand.

Little King: Four-year-old King Cairo was super cute in his striped tracksuit and matching tablet

Pretty in pink: Yesterday, the reality vixen showed off her new ride on Instagram

Little King looked cute wearing a navy and red sweatsuit while carrying a little red tablet. The four-year-old is Blac Chyna's son with rapper Tyga, who now dates Rob's sister Kylie Jenner.

The mom and son duo then hopped into Chyna's slick new ride before driving away to enjoy their plush new vehicle.

Yesterday the social media persona showed off her new ride on Instagram, in a shot that she captioned 'Pink Velvet. Rose Gold Rims' while adding the tags '#pinkmafia' and '#chynadolls'.

Protective parent: Chyna stayed close to her little guy, before they hopped in her flashy new ride and hit the town

It seems like she's been enjoying the single life since her split with Rob in January.

Since their split, the star has been spending time with her daughter Dream while still flaunting her hot body and promoting herself on Instagram.

Who knows is the tumultuous pair will eventually reunite. The former lovers are still planning to shot season two of their E! reality series Rob & Chyna.
He kissed Georgia Love on several occasions before being left heartbroken on The Bachelorette last year.

But Australia's new Bachelor Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson may not be so inclined to smooch his dates in the new series.

The Sunday Telegraph reports the 29-year-old does not approve of the way American Bachelor Nick Viall has kissed many of the female contestants, only to send them home.

Kiss off! Australia's new Bachelor Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson (pictured) may not be so inclined to kiss so many girls in the new series due to his reported dislike of American counterpart Nick Viall's behaviour

According to the publication, bookmakers have already begun to take bets on how many girls Matty will kiss on the upcoming series.

And it is claimed Matty is 'none to pleased' with Nick Viall, so it is speculated he won't be following in his footsteps by regularly kissing different girls.

The current US Bachelor is a veteran of the franchise having been runner-up on the Bachelorette twice and even appeared on Bachelor In Paradise.

Turn-off! And it is claimed Matty is 'none to pleased' with Nick Viall (pictured), so it is speculated he won't be following in his footsteps by regularly kissing different girls

He keeps coming back! The current US Bachelor is a veteran of the franchise having been runner-up on the Bachelorette twice and even appeared on Bachelor In Paradise

Nick, who at 36 is one of the older Bachelors, has built himself quite the reputation in his extended time with the series.

Hilariously, he kicked the latest season of The Bachelor off by saying: 'Im going to give America a happy ending.'

'Happy ending' can sometimes refer to a sexual favour offered clients at the end of a massage in exchange for a tip.

'Im going to give America a happy ending': Nick, who at 36 is one of the older Bachelors, has built himself quite the reputation in his extended time with the series

Too far? In the latest series, Nick swiftly eliminated a contestant after it emerged they had previously had sex, licked whipped cream off a woman's bare chest and kissed someone who had just thrown up

In the latest series, Nick swiftly eliminated a contestant after it emerged they had previously had sex, licked whipped cream off a woman's bare chest and kissed someone who had just thrown up.

'I'm not afraid to not necessarily play by own rules but, you know, follow my heart and do what I think is best regardless of the majority opinion,' Nick explained to ABC in December.

Meanwhile, it has been a rough start for Matty after four woman claiming they 'slept with' him shared their alleged experiences on The Kyle And Jackie O Show recently.

Say what? Meanwhile, it has been a rough start for Matty after four woman claiming they 'slept with' him shared their alleged experiences on The Kyle And Jackie O Show recently

In a memorable phone call, a woman named Sinead said it was 'sloppy', but another woman also shared a text where she described the experience as 'spectacular'.

The fifth season of The Bachelor Australia is currently being filmed and will be broadcast later in the year.

Meanwhile in America, Nick Viall's fourth quest to find love on TV has made it to the final three contestants.
It was recently revealed that Disney's live-action remake of Beauty And The Beast was going to introduce its first ever LGBTQ character in Josh Gad's portrayal of LeFou.

The 36-year-old - who is the bumbling side-kick of antagonist Gaston, played by Luke Evans - had been described by director Bill Condon as participating in a 'nice, exclusively gay moment' in one scene to British magazine Attitude.

But now the Oscar-winning director/writer/producer is saying, 'It's all been overblown... it's part of just what we had fun with.'

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'Why is it a big deal?': Beauty And The Beast director Bill Condon told Screen Crush the 'exclusively gay moment' in the live-action Disney film has been 'overblown'

'An amazing job': Josh Gad said portraying Disneys first ever openly gay character is 'incredible,' and 'subtle' but 'effective.'

Speaking to Screen Crush, it appears Condon spoke too soon and preferred he had waited for audiences to watch LeFou's character come to life in theaters.

'I feel like the kind of thing has been, I wish it were - I love the way it plays pure when people dont know and it comes as a nice surprise,' he admitted.

When asked if he wishes audiences could view the film without knowing about the 'gay' scene beforehand, he replied: 'To not make a big deal of it. Why is it a big deal?'

Now that the film has made headlines for it's homosexual undertones, a drive-in theater in Henagar, Alabama has refused to show the movie.

'Wonderfully complex': Speaking at the world premiere of the movie on Thursday, Josh said: 'Bill Condon did an amazing job of giving us an opportunity to create a version of LeFou that isnt like the original'

The owner decided not to feature the remake because a gay character clashes with their Christian beliefs, saying it will not show any film including 'sex, nudity, homosexuality and foul language.'

Meanwhile, Josh says portraying the first ever transparently gay character in a Disney film is 'incredible,' and 'subtle' but 'effective.'

Speaking at the world premiere of the movie in Hollywood on Thursday, Josh said: 'Bill Condon did an amazing job of giving us an opportunity to create a version of LeFou that isnt like the original, that expands on what the original did, but that makes him more human and makes him a wonderfully complex character to some extent.

Large shoes to fill: The 36-year-old takes on the role of LeFou in the live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast

'Its an incredible moment and its subtle, but I think its effective.'

And while exact details of the plot alteration have not been revealed so as to avoid spoiling the movie, Condon said: 'LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston.

'He's confused about what he wants. It's somebody who's just realizing that he has these feelings. And Josh makes something really subtle and delicious out of it.

'And that's what has its payoff at the end, which I don't want to give away. But it is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie.'

Josh took to Twitter shortly after his characters sexuality was announced on Wednesday to reply to a fan who had asked him to confirm the news.

Filling in the details: Josh plays the bumbling side-kick of antagonist Gaston, played by Luke Evans

Quoting the tweet which included a link to an article, Josh simply said: 'Beyond proud of this.'

In the new version, Emma Watson will play leading lady Belle, voiced in 1991 by Paige O'Hara, while Dan Stevens will be the Beast, succeeding Robby Benson.

Other cast members include Ian McKellen, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Kevin Kline and Emma Thompson.

The film enjoyed its world premiere in London last Thursday and will open to a wide release in both America and Britain on March 17.
Former Biggest Loser fitness guru Steve 'Commando' Willis has claimed he's not at fault for the collapse of a training institute of which he was the face.

The celebrity personal trainer copped much criticism following the financial collapse of Sage Institute, with many targeting him for his public backing of the organisation.

But now Willis, 40, has defended his reputation and revealed he is still owed money by the institute after it was forced into administration in February with debts of as much as $8 million, the Herald Sun reports.

Not invovled: Former Biggest Loser fitness guru Steve 'Commando' Willis (pictured) has claimed he is not at fault for the collapse of Sage Institute, of which he was the face

The fitness training organisation reportedly owes money to staff, media and property owners, but Willis - who is dating Michelle Bridges - insists he is not to blame.

'I have no ownership or financial interest in Sage and no involvement in the running of their business, so I can't speak to the reasons for their financial problems,' he said.

While he set the record straight on his involvement with the company, he appeared not to criticise them for their financial failings.

Front man: Willis, 40, has defended his reputation and revealed he is still owed money by the institute after it was forced into administration in February with debts of as much as $8 million

Instead, despite the enormous amount of owed money, he seemed to leave the door open to continuing his role as their face.

'I do hope they sort it out, they are the type of educator the industry needs, so it would a shame if they were to go under,' Willis added.

The administrator overseeing the company's collapse, confirmed Willis' claims he is yet to be paid completely for his role as an ambassador.

'Yes, he is owed money for his appearance fees like everybody else,' George Georges clarified.

Celebrity couple: Willis - who is fellow Biggest Loser star Michelle Bridges' partner - copped widespread criticism following the financial collapse of Sage Institute

Under pressure: Having appeared in adverts for the company, many targeted him for his public backing of the organisation

This comes after it was revealed by the Sydney Morning Herald that Sage had earned some $32 million through a defunct VET FEE-HELP student loans scheme.

It was also claimed that only 45 per cent of students graduated from the institute, while some claimed they'd been duped into enrolling.

In a statement released at the time, Sage claimed it did not engage in any deceptive practices to entice enrollments.
She became a mom for the first time just last year.

But that hasn't stopped Anne Hathaway from babying her precious pooch.

The 33-year-old actress cradled her dog while joined by husband Adam Shulman at a Bristol Farms grocery in Los Angeles on Saturday.

Out and about: Anne Hathaway, 33, held a dog as she and husband Adam Shulman, 35, were snapped outside of a Los Angeles Bristol Farms location on Saturday grabbing groceries

The Les Miserables star beamed in a tight ash grey sweatshirt with a pair of denim jeans with ripped knee areas and white sneakers.

The talented actress wore a grey patterned cap and Sunday Somewhere sunglasses as she left the store with her 35-year-old spouse.

Shulman was clad in a simple ensemble of a black T-shirt with blue jeans and brown shoes as he carried a bag of groceries while the Alice Through the Looking Glass actress held the furry brown pooch.

He wore brown tinted sunglasses on the overcast day in La La Land.

Happy days: The actress - sporting Sunday Somewhere sunglasses - and her spouse looked to be enjoying light banter on the stroll

Obliging: The A-lister flashed a smile at photographers while keeping her canine corralled

The Devil Wears Prada beauty and Shulman, an actor-producer who was last seen in 2015's Ricki and the Flash, are likely also busy preparing for a first birthday party for their son Jonathan Rosebanks Shulman, who was born March 24, 2016.

Hathaway's name came up in headlines this week after her co-star in The Princess Diaries series, Julie Andrews, told BuzzFeed that 'theres talk about' a third installment in the Disney series that could serve 'in honor of' the late Garry Marshall.

The Hollywood stalwart, who directed both the 2001 film and its 2004 sequel The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, passed away last July at the age of 81.

On deck? Anne's name came up in a recent Buzzfeed report in which actress Julie Andrews teased the possibility of a third installment in the Disney series

In memorial: Andrews said a third film could serve 'in honor of' the late Garry Marshall, who directed the first two. Here, Hathaway was snapped with the filmmaker - who died last summer - in 2009 in LA

Andrews said that she 'would very willingly and happily do it' - and that Hathaway was 'very keen to do it.

'Annie had an idea that she wanted to pursue about it, and Im all for it, so if shed like to.'

Andrews said she was 'not sure what the status [of a potential film] is right now,' while a rep for Hathaway said that it was 'way too premature to discuss this project' in its embryonic stage at this point.
She partied into the early hours at Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras on Saturday, while he enjoyed a quiet boys' night out in Wollongong.

So it's hardly surprising The Bachelorette's Georgia Love was looking a bit worse for wear compared her boyfriend Lee Elliott on Sunday morning.

She captured their hilarious brunch date on Instagram, making fun of her own hangover while Lee looked remarkably fresh after 13 hours sleep.

The morning after! It's hardly surprising The Bachelorette's Georgia Love was looking a bit worse for wear compared her boyfriend Lee Elliott (pictured) on Sunday morning after she spent the previous night partying at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

On her Instagram Story, Georgia shared a photo of her fresh-faced boyfriend, who had enjoyed a reunion with his former Bachelorette co-stars the night before.

In the photo, the 35-year-old mechanical plumber sat smiling with a coffee in hand as Georgia captioned the post: '13 hours sleep'.

Moments later, she shared a rather different photo of herself slouched over the restaurant table wearing a large pair of sunglasses to cover her eyes.

She needs coffee! Later, the Bachelorette star, 27, shared a photo of herself slouched over the table wearing a large pair of sunglasses to cover her eyes as she enjoyed brunch with Lee, who looked fresh-faced by comparison

Suggesting she was perhaps feeling a little rough, the Studio 10 personality revealed by contrast that she only had four hours sleep.

They had spent Saturday night apart as Lee visited friends in Wollongong while Georgia, 27, hosted a Mardi Gras event nearly 100km away.

And as the boys caught up in what could only be described as a quiet and timid affair, Georgia was living it up in a skimpy white dress atop a glitzy parade float.

Where's Lee? Georgia's hangover comes after she only got four hours sleep on Saturday night after hosting an event at the Mardi Gras

Boy's night out? Meanwhile, Lee enjoyed a rather quiet boys' night out in Wollongong, catching up with several of his Bachelorette co-stars

Having fun! Over on Georgia's fun-filled Instagram Story, the Channel Ten personality was mixing it up with fellow parade marchers

It comes after Woman's Day claimed last month Lee has been 'secretly sending flirty texts' to as many as three former girlfriends in recent weeks.

The publication has also reported the Bachelorette couple had a 'blazing row' at a Sydney restaurant, which saw her storm out of the venue.

Daily Mail Australia understands Georgia's representatives are keen to portray the couple's relationship as stable and ongoing following reports of a 'split'.

Reports: It comes after Woman's Day claimed last month Lee has been 'secretly sending flirty texts' to as many as three former girlfriends in recent weeks
Hero of Mollywood's first musical hit 'Thiramala' shares his Hollywood stint, directing Prem Nazir and more
She's the stunning model who became one of Home And Away's biggest stars.

But when she's away from TV cameras, Pia Miller, 33, is a doting mother-of-two.

And on Sunday, she took to social media to celebrate the 14th birthday of her eldest son Isaiah, who she gave birth to when she was just 19.

Doting mother: Pia Miller, 33, celebrated her eldest son Isaiah's 14th birthday on Sunday

In the selfie, the lookalike mother and son smile happily for the camera.

'March 5... such a special day,' she wrote in the caption. 'Thank you for being you and lighting my world everyday  happy birthday sweetheart xx'.

Her doting post came just days after Pia returned to work on the Palm Beach set of Home And Away.

Flashback: Last year on Isaiah's birthday Pia shared this intimate photo of the day he was born

'Happy birthday sweetheart': The Home and Away star gave birth to Isaiah when she was 19

Having spent the summer soaking up the sun on the beach, she found herself back at the fictional Summer Bay suburb.

Posing for a selfie on set of the Channel Seven soap, the glamorous brunette kept her make-up simple while enjoying a coffee.

She was also dressed in a police officer's uniform, getting ready to film a new scene as Katarina 'Kat' Chapman.

Back to work! Pia returned to work on the Palm Beach set of Home And Away recently

Pia also shares a younger child, son Lennox, with her former husband Brad Miller.

In 2015 they separated, and the former model is now dating filmmaker and entrepreneur Tyson Mullane.

Outside of her work on TV, Pia is well-known for her Instagram page which has over half a million followers.
Megan Marx and Tiffany Scanlon moved to Bali in January to start a new life together.

But the couple are both back on familiar ground seeking home comforts after rumours of a split surfaced - with Megan pictured in Perth on Saturday.

Tiffany flew home to Western Australia alone last week, and the woman she met on The Bachelor cut a lonely figure as she was seen dragging her suitcase along a suburban street.

Troubled times: Megan Marx is back on familiar ground seeking home comforts in Perth after rumours of a split with girlfriend Tiffany Scanlon surfaced

Megan, who first confirmed the pair's relationship in November, looked downcast as she was pictured leaving a house with plenty of luggage in tow.

The 27-year-old wore only a blue bikini under denim dungarees as she dressed appropriately for the sunny weather.

Having dropped her bags off, the blonde beauty was later snapped walking around barefoot.

Feeling blue? Tiffany flew home to Western Australia alone last week and the woman she met on The Bachelor cut a lonely figure as she was seen dragging her suitcase on Saturday

Frown: Megan, who first confirmed the pair's relationship in November, looked downcast as she was pictured leaving a house with plenty of luggage in tow

Megan's trip home comes on the back of her girlfriend leaving their Bali home in Canggu to fly back to Australia last week.

Tiffany has since used her Instagram account to keep her followers updated with her exploits.

The 30-year-old enjoyed a day trip to Rottnest Island on Friday, soaking up the sun and enjoying a 'soul fueling' day.

Homesick: Megan's trip home comes on the back of her girlfriend leaving their Bali home in Canggu to fly back to Australia last week

Adventure: The 30-year-old enjoyed a day trip to Rottnest Island on Friday, soaking up the sun and enjoying a 'soul fueling' day

Cryptic: Earlier in her trip, Tiffany sparked rumours of a split by sharing a post saying she was 'lost in life,' and calling her two pet dogs her 'creature comforts'

Earlier in her trip, Tiffany sparked rumours of a split by sharing a post saying she was 'lost in life,' and calling her two pet dogs her 'creature comforts'.

She was later seen belting out Adele's Rolling in the Deep, singing the lyrics: 'We could of had it all.'

Megan also shared a snap a week ago to her Instagram, posing on a boat and claiming she needed 'solitude.'

While Tiffany is yet to comment on the rumoured split, Megan did reveal exclusively to Daily Mail Australia on Thursday that she's endured a tough time recently.

'I've had a pretty rough couple of weeks,' she said.
Rumors were floating around that te iconic Gatwick Hotel was going to be featured in the next season of The Block.

But it seems the producers of the hit reality show have passed up on renovating the St Kilda eyesore, according to The Herald Sun.

In December, the publication reported that the halfway house was close to being sold to The Block after two months of negotiations, with a figure as high as $14 million allegedly being offered.

Change of heart: Producers of The Block have passed up on renovating The Gatwick Hotel

However a source confirmed that the deal fell through, despite some in the community pushing for the hotel to be sold.

'I can tell you it has gone away (sic)' they said.

While another added: 'It is not happening here.'

The building, which is also known as the house of horrors, has had an infamous history in the seaside suburb.

Negotiations: In December, the halfway house was close to being sold following two months of negotiations, with a figure as high as $14 million allegedly being offered

House of horrors: A source confirmed that the deal fell through, despite the some in the community pushing for the hotel to be sold

Infamous history: The source said that the offer has gone away, while another said 'It is not happening here'

It has been the site of four murders, including 34-year-old Arthur Karatasiosis - who was stabbed to death in the foyer in 2006.

During that same year a 52-year-old woman was raped and robbed in a gruesome attack.

The building has also seen a series of fatal drug overdoses.

In the past, Inspector Jason Kelly, has called for improved security and safety from the building's owners and government agencies after attending five jobs a day at the former hotel.

Murders: The property has seen four murders, including 34-year-old Arthur Karatasiosis who was stabbed to death in the foyer in 2006

Shocking: In 2006, a 52-year-old woman was raped by a man who robbed her for her credit card pin so he could buy a packet of cigarettes

Improved security and safety: In the past, Inspector Jason Kelly said he attended five jobs a day at the former hotel

'The mental health, the drug and alcohol abuse, the homelessness and the type of people it's attracting to the area is a concern,' he said in a report by the ABC.

The casting website for the reality program called for: 'Long term couples, family teams and enduring friendships,' to apply for the show.

It's believed the producers are currently at the shortlisting stage for contestants.
She was recently nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Hidden Figues at the Oscars on Sunday.

And Octavia Spencer joked during her Saturday Night Live monologue that while it was an honor, she has been approached with compliments for her 'Hidden Fences' film.

The 44-year-old actress was referring to Denzel Washington's drama Fences, for which Viola Davis took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

So many people have been coming up to me and saying, "I loved Hidden Fences," and I say, "No, I was in Hidden Figures."'

'Hidden Fences': Octavia Spencer joked during her Saturday Night Live monologue that people confused her film Hidden Figures with drama Fences

'I mean I get it, there were three black movies at the Oscars this year,' the star explained.

Hidden Figures, Fences and Moonlight all received accolades at the Academy Awards for their powerful performances.

'And that's a lot for Americans,' she continued. 'So if you are going to get confused anyway I thought I might as well make some money off it.'

'I mean I get it': The 44-year-old star explained that she understood considering 'there were three black movies at the Oscars this year'

'Might as well make some money': The Oscar winner said she would produce 'Hidden Fence Light' which combined the 'three black movies' that were nominated at the Oscars; Hidden Figures, Fences and Moonlight

'Thats why I produced 'Hidden Fence Light.'

As the live audience broke into laughter, the Academy Award-winning actress described her take on the film.

'Its the story of three black women who send an introspective gay boy to build a fence on the moon.'

Michael Keaton, who presented the award for Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes, incorrectly referred to Hidden Figures as Hidden Fences, as he confused it confusing it with the drama Fences.

'Just kidding!': Meanwhile, the children's book author was thrilled to be finished with awards season and joked: 'This is my first real night out... of my Spanx'

The 65-year-old Batman actor apologized and said he 'made a mistake reading the TelePrompTer and cue cards' and felt 'really badly' about the mishap.

Meanwhile, the children's book author gushed over her hosting duties, saying, 'It is a dream come true to be here.

'I've spent the last four months of my life at awards shows, doing interviews, and walking red carpets so this is my first real night out... of my Spanx. I'm just kidding, I'm still wearing Spanx,' she laughed.

'How insane is that?': The Alabama native gushed over what an honor it was to receive an Oscar nomination for her role in Hidden Figures, given that she played a nurse '16 times'

'Resting nurse face': The star then described the different faces she played as nurses in films

'And did you all watch the Oscars? How insane was that? How crazy was it that I didnt win?'

'I mean it when I say it truly is an honor to be nominated because for a good part of my career I pretty much just played nurses.

'I played a nurse 16 times! I did it so many times that when I played a maid they gave me an Oscar.

Octavia referred to her role as Minny Jackson in 2011's The Help for which she won the award for Best Supporting Actress.

'Nurse Has Had It': They cut to a photo of her as an admitting nurse in Grounded For Life

'Nurse Thats Had It Up To Here': The talented star also played Nurse Jackson in Red Band Society

Octavia referred to her role as Minny Jackson in 2011's The Help for which she won the award for Best Supporting Actress.

I guess I have what Hollywood calls resting nurse face. For example, I played 'Nurse Has Had It.' she said as they cut to a photo of her as an admitting nurse in Grounded For Life.

The Alabama native also played Nurse Jackson in Red Band Society as she described herself as 'Nurse Thats Had It Up To Here.'

Finally, she played Nurse Daniels in Halloween II as the 'Nurse That Had It So Bad This Happened.'

Octavia is shown in a scene as she's covered in blood and says, 'Yeah, she got stabbed.'
The Real Housewives of Sydney descended into chaos on Sunday's episode when Athena X and Matty Samaei clashed over which of them was more 'fake'.

At a lunch hosted by Victoria Rees, the women came to blows when Matty was accused by Athena of being fake for using botox.

'Who are you calling fake?' Matty yelled and Athena snapped back,'I don't have a reputation as Miss Botox!'

Fakers: The Real Housewives of Sydney descended into chaos on Sunday's episode when Athena X and Matty Samaei clashed over which of them was more 'fake'

But Matty slammed the artist, calling Athena 'Miss Fake Spirituality' in return.

Matty and Athena had first clashed at the luncheon when Matty told Athena to stop talking about spirituality as she's 'had enough.'

Athena yelled that she 'doesn't need to apologize for being spiritual' and told Matty that she is fake because she has had so much work done.

Athena insisted she's 'deep' and the others aren't which made Matty even angrier and she asked, 'you think I'm shallow?'

'You know what you say Matty? One for me and one for my client!' Athena cried out and called Matty 'Miss Botox'.

Matty then stormed off and left the lunch saying 'f**k this.'

Augmented: At a lunch hosted by Victoria Rees, the women came to blows when Matty was accused by Athena of being fake for using botox

Shocked! But Matty slammed the artist, calling Athena 'Miss Fake Spirituality' in return

Lisa told the camera that 'having lunch with these women is like having a lobotomy with a knitting needle and no anesthetic'.

Earlier in the episode, Krissy Marsh met Victoria at her ritzy Bondi apartment and brings her a packet of Jatz crackers, referencing their in-joke that Athena X is ' crackers'.

Victoria said that Athena needs to 'own' being 'crackers' as she enjoys astral travelling and wears odd clothes.

Over it: Matty then stormed off and left the lunch saying 'f**k this'

Melissa Tkuatz and Athena revealed they have known each other for over a decade and Athena takes the former pop star to get a style makeover.

She thinks Melissa is stuck in her 'golden era' of her television days and tried to change her wardrobe with some bright prints.

The pair discussed the fight that Athena had with other women and Melissa admitted that she felt her old friend was oversensitive about Krissy's jabs.

But Athena believes that Krissy was very condescending and felt she should have gone to the police about Victoria throwing her shawl into the water.

New clothes: Melissa Tkuatz and Athena revealed they have known each other for over a decade and Athena takes the former pop star to get a style makeover

'I could have gone to the police. It was a personal violation,' Athena told Melissa of the incident.

Melissa agreed and said it was 'crazy behaviour' especially for a woman of Victoria's age.

Athena thinks Victoria must have a lot of internal pain because of her behaviour.

Melissa suggested that Athena stop talking so much about how spiritual she is in front of the other women as it annoys them.

Moving: Back in Bondi, Victoria told Krissy that she has hired a private investigator and wants to find her father who left when she was two years old and he was just 18

Tears: Krissy broke down in tears in a piece to camera and said that she fears that Victoria will try to find her dad and will discover he is dead

Back in Bondi, Victoria told Krissy that she has hired a private investigator and wants to find her father who left when she was two years old and he was just 18.

She reveals that her father was offered $100,000 to leave by grandparents when her mother was just 17.

Krissy agreed to accompany Victoria on the search to find her dad in Victoria, and Krissy promised that she would support her.

Krissy broke down in tears in a piece to camera and said that she fears that Victoria will try to find her dad and will discover he is dead.

Parenting skills: Lisa calls her son Bert a 'd***head* when he he begins crying over the pool water being too cold

No criticism here: She insisted she doesn't give a hoot what anyone thinks of her parenting and called her son a 'terrorist'

Lisa Oldfield took a call from Nicole O'Neil who tried to convince her Krissy is fun and not a mean girl but Lisa doesn't care for her.

Lisa calls her son Bert a 'd***head* when he he begins crying over the pool water being too cold and wees himself.

She insisted she doesn't give a hoot what anyone thinks of her parenting and called her son a 'terrorist'.

'I pity ISIS if he goes to Syria to fight them' she quipped to the camera.

Ouch: 'I pity ISIS if he goes to Syria to fight them' she quipped to the camera

Brad and Ange? She then compared her 16-year marriage with husband David Oldfield to Mr and Mrs Smith as they 'fight passionately and love passionately'

She then compared her 16-year marriage with husband David Oldfield to Mr and Mrs Smith as they 'fight passionately and love passionately'

Krissy hosted a dinner for her mum and dad and extended family and compared them to the Kardashians as they're up in each other's business.

The next day the women met for a lunch on the North Shore and Matty told Victoria she was still sore as she had recently had her ' fat frozen'.

Krissy is deeply offended when she sees an Instagram post made by Lisa making fun of the death of Amy Winehouse.

Hurt: Athena then offended Victoria when she threw back a gift of g-string underwear from a gift hamper that Victoria had given her

No thanks: Athena said she doesn't wear g-strings and tosses the lacy item to Krissy, offending Victoria who calls her rude

Nicole defends Lisa, saying she just has a black sense of humour, but Krissy hit back that Lisa appears to target other women.

Athena wore a vintage wedding dress to the lunch which raises some eyebrows.

She then offended Victoria when she threw back a gift of g-string underwear from a gift hamper that Victoria had given her.

Athena said she doesn't wear g-strings and tosses the lacy item to Krissy, offending Victoria who calls her rude.

Rude! Victoria was not amused when Athena rejected her gift

Athena brought an actual olive branch to the lunch, which she called, 'a branch of olive' and offers it to Victoria and Krissy.

However she said that the pair 'don't have the intelligence and the depth to understand' the token.

The women asked Athena what the X in her name is all about and she said that no one questioned Malcolm X for his name.

Krissy and Natalie don't even know who the activist is.

Peace please: Athena brought an actual olive branch to the lunch, which she called, 'a branch of olive' and offers it to Victoria and Krissy

Lisa arrived late and isn't wearing white as requested, donning black instead, saying, 'when privileged white people get together wearing white it's like the KKK'.

Krissy asked Lisa why she made the Amy Winehouse post and Lisa said it was just 'humour noir' and calls herself the 'Ozzy Osbourne of Sydney'.

Lisa told the camera, 'This is me and if you don't understand me, f**k off away from me'.

Rebel: Lisa arrived late and isn't wearing white as requested, donning black instead, saying, 'when privileged white people get together wearing white it's like the KKK'

Krissy kept pushing and asked why Lisa is so controversial on social media and not in person and said her 'bark is worse than her bite'.

Lisa said to camera that Krissy has the IQ of room temperature.

Offended: Krissy was angry at Lisa over a dark post she made on Instagram about Amy Winehouse which Lisa said was dark humour




She is the supermodel de jour and is constantly spotted partying with the stars.

And Hungarian supermodel Barbara Palvin once again showed off her perfect figure as she joined Cara Delevingne and Kendall Jenner for girls' night out in Paris on Saturday evening.

The 23-year-old stunned as she donned a dazzling orange cut-out leather dress for the evening which had an extreme thigh-split.

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Bold and beautiful: Hungarian supermodel Barbara Palvin showed off her perfect figure as she joined Cara Delevingne and Kendall Jenner for girls' night out in Paris on Saturday evening

Barbara, who was recently linked to F1 ace Lewis Hamilton, looked sexy and relaxed as she posed for cameras in her bold, short sleeved frock.

The form-fitting all-leather dress highlighted the model's perfectly toned slender curves.

And the Hungarian beauty kept her make-up minimal for her night in the French capital with her A-list friends, allowing her natural dewy complexion to do all the work.

Barbara drew her tresses into a slicked back style with long lengths flowing down her back, drawing attention to the high neckline of her chic and sexy outfit.

Dazzling: The form-fitting orange leather dress highlighted the model's toned slender curves - and minimal make up allowed Barbara's natural dewy complexion to shine

The supermodel, who was recently linked to F1 ace Lewis Hamilton, joined Keeping Up With The Kardashians beauty Kendall Jenner and British model and actress Cara Delevingne for the night.

Bright colours seemed to be the day's theme, as Kendall showed off her slender figure in form-fitting attire with a bold red poloneck style dress with built-in belt detailing at the waist.

And with her dark tresses slicked back behind her ears, Kendall bore a striking resemblance to momager Kris Jenner.

While Cara, 24, went for a Beetlejuice inspired suit which complemented her platinum tresses and teamed it with fitted trousers and a stomach-baring crop top.

Scarlet siren: Kendall Jenner looked absolutely incredible in a red knitted dress and a sexy pair of thigh-high boots as she joined her pals
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The first picture of Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins' was unveiled on Friday.

And now, the 34-year-old actress appeared practically perfect in every way as filming got under way in London for the new Disney feature film remake Mary Poppins Returns on Saturday.

The Girl On The Train star got into her full character as she sported a red thirties inspired tailored jacket and coordinating midi skirt as she led her co-stars up the steps at the Bank Of England.

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Practically perfect: Emily Blunt appeared practically perfect in every way as filming got under way in London for the new Disney feature film remake Mary Poppins Returns on Saturday

The waist-cinching look featured a zigzag print and chic caplet as she took to the scene with gusto and no doubt a spoonful of sugar.

Paying tribute to Julie Andrew's incarnation, she teased her brown locks into a finger wave as she worked a blue hat with playful bird detailing and feather on the side.

With a dusting of rose blush and a red lip Emily was transformed into the iconic character for the sequel set in 1935, during London's great depression.

The British star was set as she carried her distressed leather bag in her glove clad hand, while tackling the steps in her court cobalt blue heels.

A spoonful of sugar: The Girl On The Train star got into her full character as she sported a red thirties inspired tailored jacket and coordinating midi skirt as she led her co-stars up the steps at the Bank Of England

In character: The waist-cinching look featured a zigzag print and chic caplet as she took to the scene with gusto and no doubt a spoonful of sugar

Set for release at Christmas 2018, the 54-year age gap is one of the longest between sequels in film history.

In Depression-era London, a now-grown Jane and Michael Banks, along with Michael's three children, are visited by the enigmatic Mary Poppins following a personal loss.

Through her unique magical skills, and with the aid of her friend Jack, she helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives.

The all-star cast features Meryl Streep, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Colin Firth, Julie Walters and Angela Lansbury.

It also stars Lin-Manuel Miranda, who will be writing some new musical pieces for the 150 million film.

The original Bert - Dick Van Dyke - who also played a second role as the bank director Mr Dawes Sr in the first film, will return to play his son Mr Dawes Jr.

'Well, Ive got to be a part of it,' Van Dyke he told Entertainment Tonight. 'I think Ill just have the one scene, and a little song and dance in it.'

Speaking about his new role in the flick, he joked that it would be an easier role to take on, saying: 'This time there's no four hours in the makeup chair, I grew into the part! I don't have to wear makeup at all!'

All in the details: Paying tribute to Julie Andrew's incarnation, she teased her brown locks into a finger wave as she worked a blue hat with playful bird detailing on the side

Jump to it: Followed by her three young co-stars and a stole clad extra, Emily approached the door with Poppins' renowned confidence, while hundreds of extras lined the pavement

Transformed: With a dusting of rose blush and a red lip Emily was transformed into the iconic character for the sequel set in 1935 during London's great depression

While she is not yet attached, fans would be gutted if the original Ms Poppins, Julie Andrews, did not also float by for a cameo at the very least.

Followed by her three young co-stars and a stole clad extra, Emily approached the door with Poppins' renowned confidence, while hundreds of extras lined the pavement.

A number of classic vehicles filled the streets while police and film security directed the traffic from the busy set.

The exciting photos come just days following Emily's first reveal as the wonder-filled nanny.

Blunt revealed to EW last year that she was relieved to have received Andrew's blessing via director Rob Marshall.

'Rob said he was in the Hamptons, and he saw [Andrews], and he said, "Its top secret, but Emily Blunts playing Mary Poppins". And she went, "Oh, wonderful!",' she recalled.

Exciting: A number of classic vehicles filled the streets and police and film set security directed the traffic

Camera ready: A number of extras relaxed in-between takes in full thirties costume

Setting the scene: The scene required a number of extras, who donned felt bowler hats while the women sported fur stoles

Muted: The set was filled with muted tones of grey and black to make Mary Poppins' appearance all the more vibrant

Period piece: Two extras walked on the pavement during the scene as they sported their period costume

Attention: A vintage double decker bus drove through the scene with a number of passengers on board

Stop: In between takes, the bus stopped as they reset the scene with the many extras

Throwback: The film went all out with the many throwback buses and vehicles they filled the street

Relaxed: An extra peered out the window as she sat on a bus during filming

Walk this way: A number extras were immersed in the scene as they walked down the street clad with bags and packages

Road ready: An extra dressed a traffic warden called on the bus as he stood in the middle of the road

Carry on: A number of red buses filled the street with many extras patiently waiting on them to start shooting the scene

Sky-high: Two ladies donned long wool coats for the afternoon while they slipped on a pair of Mary-Jane heels for filming

Old school: A vintage lorry waited by the scene filled with a multitude of furniture

Fun-filled: The scene was filled with many extras and film crew as they reset the scene for another take

'I felt like I wanted to cry,' she added. 'It was lovely to get her stamp of approval. That took the edge off it, for sure.'

Andrews' 1964 outing was her first feature film, which landed her an Academy Award for Best Actress, and revealed welcomes the return of the nanny.

She revealed to ABC's Popcorn With Peter Travers: 'I have no issue with it. It's not a re-creation of the original film, it's a brand new one. I think she'll [Emily Blunt] be practically perfect.'

The film garnered 13 Oscar nominations in total - a still standing record for Disney - and won five, including visual effects, score, and Best Song for Chim Chim Cher-ee.

Remarkably, it is the only film of Walt Disney's to get a Best Picture nod during his lifetime and prosperous career in film.

Mary Poppins was created by Australian-British novelist PL Travers, who wrote eight books in the series.

The story of Disney's arduous effort to purchase the screen rights from her was captured in the 2013 film Saving Mr Banks, starring Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson as the sparring pair.
Their short-lived fling hit headlines in September - when they were seen getting cosy at the TV Choice Awards, eight months after his separation from wife Jessica.

But Gemma Oaten has now admitted that her fleeting romance with Nick Knowles hugely knocked her confidence.

The Emmerdale star, 32, confessed to the Mirror that she has now 'learned to keep her guard up' in the dating world after the 'upsetting' situation with the 54-year-old six months ago.

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'Upsetting': Gemma Oaten has now admitted that her fleeting romance with Nick Knowles hugely knocked her confidence

The pair sparked romance rumours when they were seen cuddling up outside the TV Choice Awards - but Gemma later claimed the relationship came to a sudden end when it became public knowledge.

Talking about the seemingly difficult split, the actress explained: 'The experience with Nick knocked my confidence and I've learned to keep my guard up since dating him.'

Acknowledging the painful fling was a learning curve however, she added: 'Now when I go on dates I don't reveal as much about myself. From an upsetting ordeal I've learned a positive lesson.'

Moving on: Talking about the seemingly difficult split, the actress explained: 'The experience with Nick knocked my confidence and I've learned to keep my guard up since dating him'

'It was upsetting and hurtful, but it hasn't put me off men. It's been nearly six months, but my confidence is finally back. In a way I'm kind of grateful.'

Gemma has previously revealed that she and the DIY SOS host had been in bed together when images of their cosy moment emerged online - leading him to completely revert his demeanor towards her.

Following her revelation, Nick then made a statement in a bid to address the matter once and for all.

Onwards and upwards: However she revealed that she was getting her mojo back, adding: 'It's been nearly six months, but my confidence is finally back. In a way I'm kind of grateful'

Taking to his Twitter page the TV host confirmed to his followers that their fling happened during a 'turbulent and traumatic' time while he separated from his estranged wife, with whom he shares a young son.

Broaching the topic of his troubled relationship with ex-wife Jessica, he said: 'This year we have faced a miscarriage, the break down of our marriage and cancer without being disrespectful about each other at any point.'

Moving on to his fling with Gemma, he continued that it was 'something that happened (in the space of less than one week) during a turbulent, traumatic time and more to the point - whilst we were separated'.

Getting over it: Her short-lived fling with Nick (L) hit headlines in September - when they were seen at the TV Choice Awards, eight months after his separation from wife Jessica (R)

After a brief reconciliation however, it was then reported last month that Jessica, 28, was moving on from Nick once and for all - and on the hunt for a new man.

The TV presenter spoke to Lorraine Kelly in November about their turbulent relationship, but admitted that their little boy is the main priority.

He said: 'Our essential point has to be our son Eddie, he's a real joy.'

Touching on their reconciliation, he added that they had been keeping busy, explaining: 'Throughout difficulties - Jess went through a terrible time with cancer and now she's an ambassador at Jo's Trust and shes doing an incredible job with that - but we're always travelling in and out in London...

'We're not going to work out our relationship in the public eyes but we remain the best of friends and first and foremost we are parents to Eddie.'

Justification: Taking to his Twitter page the TV host confirmed to his followers that their fling happened during a 'turbulent and traumatic' time while he separated from his estranged wife, with whom he shares a young son
Megan McKenna put her relationship woes to one side and enjoyed a night out with pal Amber Turner on Saturday.

The glamorous pair visited 100 Wardour Street in Soho, London, looking more than happy to model their stylish outfits for the cameras.

Brunette beauty Megan couldn't be missed in a striped mustard jumpsuit embellished with a swallow at the navel.

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Girls' night out: Megan McKenna put her relationship woes to one side and enjoyed a night out with pal Amber Turner on Saturday

The TOWIE star held a black leather clutch which perfectly complemented her black manicure.

She was typically made-up, sporting a pink shade on her plump pout and decorated her sparkling peepers with lashings of mascara.

Her luscious tresses cascaded in abundance down her front, looking glossy and full of vitality.

Here come the girls: The glamorous pair enjoyed a girls' night out at 100 Wardour Street in Soho, London, looking more than happy to model their stylish outfits for the cameras

Looking good: Brunette beauty Megan couldn't be missed in a striped mustard jumpsuit embellished with a swallow at the navel

Blonde Amber wore a plunging gold halter-neck top with billowing white trousers for a 70s vintage style.

As the pair turned to flaunt their ensembles, Amber's slender bare back was revealed, while Megan's derriere looked pert.

The day before, Megan fought back tears as she appeared on the This Morning couch without Pete, who had been due to join her.

Struggling to contain her emotions as she spoke with Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, she said of her ability to be in the same room as Pete: 'Its complicated at the moment with me and him. Its not the best time for us to be together.'

She wears it well: The TOWIE star held a black leather clutch which perfectly complemented her black manicure

Glamorous: She was typically made-up, sporting a pink shade on her plump pout and decorated her sparkling peepers with lashings of mascara

Ruth - who had previously shared the news that Pete had pulled out at the last minute - proceeded to question Megan on how she'd react if her beau had joined her for the interview.

With her lips quivering, the brunette responded: 'Id be professional. Out of respect for each other we wont speak about each other. But right now its complicated.'

While Pete changed his mind about appearing on the show for the live interview, Megan was accompanied by her TOWIE co-stars Bobby Norris Cole and Kate Wright.

Megan and Pete appear to have called time on their relationship in more ways than once, as The Sun reported on Friday that the pair have unfollowed each other on social media.
She put on quite the eye-popping display earlier in the day as she went braless while soaking up the sun in Miami.

Now turning her back on her jean short ensemble, Chrissy Teigen wowed fashion fans as she slipped into a figure-flaunting gown as she enjoyed a night out on the tile in Florida on Saturday.

The 31-year-old model looked striking as she left her hotel in a Raisa & Vanessa gown that featured racy sheer lace panelling across her chest to highlight her buxom bust.

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Red hot! Chrissy Teigen wowed fashion fans as she slipped into a figure-flaunting gown as she enjoyed a night out on the tile in Florida on Saturday

Her choice of glamorous garment showcased her cleavage as it boasted red embroidery starting from her chest and continuing to her slender hips.

The mother-of-one hinted at her enviable pins in the piece with it's sheer lace and fringe tasseled detailing.

The fashion darling dazzled in the floor-length black and red number, which appeared similar to the dress she wore at the Beauty and The Beast premiere earlier in the week.

Adding to her sartorial choice, she accessorised her look with a pair of sleek strappy heels and cylindrical shaped black clutch with gold accents.

Fringe benefits! The 31-year-old model looked striking as she left her hotel in a Raisa & Vanessa gown that featured racy sheer lace panelling across her chest to highlight her buxom bust

Gorgeous: The fashion darling dazzled in the floor-length black and red number, which appeared similar to the dress (R) she wore at the Beauty and The Beast premiere earlier in the week

Chrissy completed her sophisticated look styling her glossy locks into three braids on her crown before working her tresses into a sleek ponytail.

Bringing the ensemble altogether, she accentuated her flawless complexion with a slick of vibrant red lipstick as she entered her waiting car.

It's been an action-packed week for the doting mother after she jetted into Miami with her husband John Legend earlier in the week.

The couple - who have been married for three years - attended the Beauty And The Beast premiere on Thursday, but it was their night at the Oscars that got people talking.

Sleek: Chrissy completed her sophisticated look styling her glossy locks into three braids on her crown before working her tresses into a sleek ponytail

John was an actor and executive producer of La La Land, which was mistakenly announced as Best Picture after the envelope containing the correct winner - Moonlight - was mixed-up with the one for Best Actress.

Chrissy has been having some fun poking fun at John following the mix-up, and recently shared a hilarious video of her teasing John as a Hollywood tour bus drove by them.

'It's John Legend!' she shouted to the tour bus. 'He won an Oscar, but not this year!'

Chic: Adding to her sartorial choice, she accessorised her look with a pair of sleek strappy heels and cylindrical shaped black clutch with gold accents

'Not this year!' added the Grammy winner.

The day after the Oscars, Chrissy presented her husband in a video: 'Hey guys. Here joined by Oscar winner John Legend. Not this year,' she quickly added.

'Not this year,' John quipped.
She has kept a decidedly low-profile during the different fashion weeks around the world.

And now, Cara Delevingne has made quite the splash as she enjoyed a night out in Paris alongside her model pals, debuting her new shorter platinum 'do on Saturday night.

The 24-year-old looked effortlessly chic with her bright white locks that complemented her sultry striped suit.

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New 'do: Cara Delevingne has made quite the splash as she enjoyed a night out in Paris alongside her model pals, debuting her new shorter platinum 'do on Saturday night

While her two-piece emulated that of 1988 film Beetlejuice, the chic look highlighted her leafy frame as her high-waisted trousers hugged her slender pins.

The British beauty's blazer featured wide lapels as it exhibited her trim figure with it's tailored finished and black buttons.

Mixing up her monochrome suit, she slipped on a tummy teasing ribbed crop top that displayed a flirty lace underlay which showcased her toned stomach.

She completed her fashion forward look with a Gucci gold buckle belt and a number of layered kitsch necklaces to accentuate her glowing white tresses.

Mane attraction: The 24-year-old's new ice coloured locks are quite the departure from her usual sun kisses mane (Pictured right in 2016) she's known for sporting

Work it! The British beauty's blazer featured wide lapels as it exhibited her trim figure with it's tailored finished and black buttons

Adding inches to her frame, she slipped on a pair of black heeled boots as she enjoyed a night on the Parisian tiles with a number of pals, including model Kendall Jenner and American Honey star Sasha Lane.

Her new ice coloured locks are quite the departure from her usual sun kisses mane she's known for sporting.

She was spotted earlier in the day jetting into the French capital covering her new mane under a simple beanie before later joining Kendall - who was clad in a racy red mini dress - for the evening.

Meanwhile, Cara, who attained supermodel status modelling for the likes of Burberry, Chanel and Mulberry, has focused on acting instead of fashion in recent years.

New look: She slipped on a pair of black heeled boots as she enjoyed a night on the Parisian tiles with a number of pals, including American Honey star Sasha Lane (Pictured)

Scarlet siren: Kendall Jenner looked absolutely incredible in a red knitted dress and a sexy pair of thigh-high boots as she ventured out in Paris

Girls just wanna have fun: Kendall was on top form as she prepared for another big night of partying

These boots were made for walking: Kendall's footwear was so high that they were easily mistaken for trousers

She was open about how much she prefers acting in an interview with Vogue magazine, calling modelling 'fake'.

'The thrill of acting is making a character real,' the beautiful Brit said. 'Modeling is the opposite of real. Its being fake in front of the camera.'

The model has impressed Hollywood executives with star turns in films Paper Towns and Suicide Squad.

Undercover: She was spotted earlier in the day jetting into the French capital covering her new mane under a simple beanie

Laureline and her special operative partner, Valerian, played by actor Dane DeHaan, embark on a mission to the intergalactic city of Alpha, an ever-expanding metropolis with millions of inhabitants from all four corners of the universe.

Based on the graphic novel series, Laureline and Valerian must investigate the unseen forces at work in Alpha, which threaten the whole universe.

Cara will next be seen in the sci-fi flick Valerian And A City Of A Thousand Planets which will be released this summer, playing Laureline.
She's the leading lady in sadistic Western Brimstone.

And Dakota Fanning's character Liz is unlike any she's played before as the tale moves from the peaceful American wilderness into a world of sex and violence.

In images from the film, which is released on March 10, the Hollywood star, 23, can be seen brandishing a bloodied knife as she casts her eyes over what is presumably a fallen body.

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New direction: Dakota Fanning's Brimstone character Liz is unlike any she's played before as the tale moves from the peaceful American wilderness into a world of sex and violence

Dakota is braless in a cropped cotton vest top and matching bottoms, while a racy black lace mask hangs around her neck.

Her auburn locks are messily styled, no doubt following a struggle, and she wears a stunned expression on her face, unsure of what she's done.

The actress can also be seen getting intimate with a man in a brothel where she worked as a teen.

Ruffled: Her auburn locks were messily styled as she left the room

In the boudoir: Dakota is braless in a cropped cotton vest top and matching bottoms, while she wore a racy lace mask

Dakota stepped into the role after Mia Wasikowska pulled out at the last minute.

'I didnt have any trepidation,' she told The Independent when asked about being called up to the role so late by Dutch director Martin Koolhoven.

'I just hoped that Martin would want me to do it. I just read the script and really loved it. I felt it was very different from anything I had ever done. Any opportunity to have a strong female character be the lead of a film  we dont see that nearly enough.'

Intimate: She had a smile on her face as she was pursued by a man

The film follows the rugged tale of a mute woman (Fanning) who is persecuted by a vengeful preacher (Guy Pearce) who arrives in her town.

Also appearing in the epic is Game of Thrones hunk Kit Harington who stars as rugged outlaw Samuel.

Written and directed by Koolhoven, Brimstone was honored as one of the official selections at this year's Venice Film Festival.
She has portrayed the victim of a brutal rape in ITV hit series Broadchurch.

And 47-year-old former Coronation Street star Julie Hesmondhalgh has revealed that, even though she has depicted a rape survivor herself, she is 'sick of seeing' so much sexual assault and violence against women on television programmes.

The activist and actress said she finds the normalisation of rape and murder of women on mainstream shows disturbing.

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Disturbing: Former Corrie star Julie Hesmondhalgh is playing a rape survivor in Broadchurch but says she is 'sick of seeing' so much sexual assault and violence against women on TV

More than 7.5 million people flicked over to ITV last Monday evening to watch the new series of Broadchurch, which opened with Julie's harrowing portrayal of farm worker Trish Winterman reporting a brutal rape.

And, despite her role, the actress thinks teenagers should not be routinely exposed to so much violence against women on screen.

Julie told Rape Crisis : 'I am absolutely sick of seeing  even on programmes I love  women being chase through woods by predators

'Seeing dead women on slabs being cut to pieces after terrible acts of violence have been enacted on them. And I think that's become so normal for us as viewers of television that we'll even happily sit and watch that with our young teens.'

Back on screen: Julie, 47, is joined by series stars David Tennant and Olivia Colman who return as magnetic investigative duo DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller

Accurate: The talented actress believes Broadchurch and its producers are approaching the sensitive topic of sexual violence in the right way

Julie is joined by series stars David Tennant and Olivia Colman who return as magnetic investigative duo DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller to investigate the case.

The veteran actress added: 'The scale of sexual violence seems to me to be like an epidemic. Something is really, really going wrong in our society that it has been normalised to that degree. The numbers are so shockingly high.'

According to Rape Crisis UK, approximately 85,000 women and 12,000 men are raped in England and Wales alone every year, which equates to roughly 11 rapes every hour.

But though she is sick of seeing women being attacked on the small screen, the talented actress believes Broadchurch and its producers are approaching the topic the right way.

Terrifying: According to Rape Crisis UK , approximately 85,000 women and 12,000 men are raped in England and Wales alone every year, which equates to roughly 11 rapes every hour

Important: Julie said she thinks it is important to have middle aged people like herself - not just young women - depicting rape survivors as that is a more realistic reflection of real life

Writers and producers met with sexual abuse charities and the show depicts police dealing with reports of rape effectively and sympathetically - in contrast to widespread fears - which Julie believes is important and might help rape victims have the courage to come forward.

And many viewers agree, flooding social media with posts appreciating Broadchurch's sensitive handling of the topic as it aired.

One user wrote: 'Feel like they've handled a sensitive subject really well, I'm in tears already.'

Dermot O'Leary added: 'So good to have Broadchurch back. Nothing but love for Tennant/Colman and masterclass from Julie Hesmondhalgh - measured,understated, heartbreaking.'

Social reaction: Many viewers agree with Julie about the show's brutal but responsible and accurate depiction of the rape case

And a former police detective who handled sexual assault cases, Rav Wilding, wrote: 'I was a detective on a sexual offences unit. Broadchurch was as close to real as I've seen on TV as to how such cases are handled.'

And this is not the first time Julie has spoken out after depicting a woman facing one of the hardest dilemmas in life.

The actress left Corrie in 2014 after her character Hayley - who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness - took a cocktail of drugs to kill herself.

At the time Julie spoke out in a similar way to now, saying that after extensive research into the issue of assisted suicide for the soap opera role, she personally believed euthanasia should be legalised in the UK.

For confidential support, call Victim Support free on 08 08 16 89 111 or for more information, see www.victimsupport.org.uk for details.
After a stint in the South African jungle, Keira Maguire returned home on Friday.

The controversial reality star was pictured at Sydney airport three days after she was evicted from I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

And Keira looked happy to be out of the camp at Kruger National Park as she was pictured in a low-cut boilersuit while leaving the airport.

She's back: After a stint in the South African jungle, Keira Maguire returned home on Friday

The former Bachelor contestant wore the camouflage number buttoned down, with a green bomber jacket thrown over her shoulders.

Looking refreshed after a few days out of the jungle, Keira cut a relaxed figure as she added to her look with a pair of white trainers.

The fiery blonde entered the arrivals terminal with a suitcase and several smaller bags - one of which contained a souvenir from her trip: a cuddly giraffe toy.

Homecoming: The controversial reality star was pictured at Sydney airport three days after she was evicted from I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

Looking the part: Keira looked happy to be out of the camp at Kruger National Park as she was pictured in a low-cut boilersuit while leaving the airport

Fashion parade: The former Bachelor contestant wore the camouflage number buttoned down, with a green bomber jacket thrown over her shoulders

Keira was met by a man in a navy suit before she handed over her bags as the duo left the airport and braved the rainy Sydney weather.

A public vote saw the TV personality voted out alongside Kris Smith in a surprise double eviction on Thursday night's episode.

And while Keira showed viewers all the sides to her personality, she revealed to Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson that showcasing her body was a step too far.

Sneaky: Looking refreshed after a few days out of the jungle, Keira cut a relaxed figure as she added to her look with a pair of white trainers

Goner: A public vote saw the TV personality voted out alongside Kris Smith in a surprise double eviction on Thursday night's episode

Camp mates like Kris were regularly shown showering in their underwear, but Keira told the KIIS FM duo earlier this week that she had a ploy to ensure that didn't happen to her - showering naked.

'The reason I showered nude is because I did see them showing other women showering with their undies on. I'm like, "Nup, not having it",' she said.

Keira was dropped into the jungle as a late entry, and her arrival led to feuds with a number of her fellow celebrities - most notably Steve Price, who she said, in a parting shot, suffers from 'short man syndrome.'
Jordan Barrett is one of the world's leading male models.

So it's no surprise that the chiselled 20-year-old wasn't short of female company as he attended the Chrome Hearts X Bella Hadid collaboration launch in Paris on Sunday.

The Byron Bay-native was pictured beside Kiwi stunner Georgia Fowler and dark-haired beauties Olivia Perez and Hannah Bronfman.

Ladies' man: Jordan Barrett wasn't short of female company as he attended the Chrome Hearts X Bella Hadid collaboration launch in Paris on Sunday

Striking a trademark pose, Jordan cut a cool figure in a baggy blue jacket, featuring gold stitching and a padlock hanging from the top pocket.

Navy blue trousers and a pair of brown loafers completed the super model's look as he accesorised with a couple of gold chains.

Fresh from causing a stir by baring all in a sheer frock on the catwalk days earlier, Georgia wore a more reserved outfit.

Squad: The Byron Bay native was pictured beside Kiwi stunner Georgia Fowler (middle right) and dark-haired beauties Olivia Perez (middle left) and Hannah Bronfman (R)

Dressing up: Striking a trademark pose, Jordan cut a cool figure in a baggy blue jacket, featuring gold stitching and a padlock hanging from the top pocket

The 24-year-old put her slender figure on display in a black dress, adding to her ensemble with a gingham scarf.

Jordan has been making waves in the fashion industry since being discovered at age 14 by a model scout working for international agency IMG.

The chance meeting took place when he was caught stealing matches from a convenience store.

Back in black: Fresh from causing a stir by baring all in a sheer frock on the catwalk days earlier, Georgia wore a more reserved outfit

Hot property: Jordan has been making waves in the fashion industry since being discovered at age 14 by a model scout working for international agency IMG

Jordan told New York Magazine about the incident: 'I wanted to have a cigarette, but I couldn't get a lighter because apparently you have to be over 18, so I decided I was gonna take matches from the counter.'

Taking the modelling industry by storm, the genetically blessed star graced the runway for Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino and Versace at Milan Fashion Week in January.

Jordan has also proved to be a hit with some of the world's leading ladies, spotted getting cosy with Megan Blake Irwin, Hailey Baldwin and Lara Stone.
She is one of the most in demand models of the moment - having walked in the New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks this month.

And Gigi Hadid showed no signs of stopping on Saturday, as she unveiled yet another stunning photoshoot for Penshoppe's SS17 campaign.

The beauty, 21, showed off her striking natural beauty and model prowess as she dramatically flicked her hair in the shots, for the leading Filipino fashion brand.

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Top model: Gigi Hadid looked as fierce as ever on Saturday, as she unveiled yet another stunning photoshoot for Penshoppe's SS17 campaign

The former Model of the Year displayed her impressively statuesque figure and long legs as she posed fiercely for the sun-soaked shoot.

The blonde left her enviably slender pins as well as her toned and flat stomach on show, as she clad herself in skimpy denim shorts with chunky rips on the front.

Not afraid to flash more skin, the LA native then paired the bottoms with a pink crop top, which slit at the side to reveal her tiny waist and a saucy flash of sideboob beneath.

Cheeky: Not afraid to flash more skin, the LA native then paired the bottoms with a pink crop top, which slit at the side to reveal her tiny waist and a saucy flash of sideboob beneath

Gigi completed her look with brown suede cowboy boots, to add even more height to her model frame as she performed a number of knockout poses - including one which saw her effortlessly whip her long hair for the camera.

The star, who is currently dating Zayn Malik, left her face almost bare and added only small gold hoops as an accessory - letting her striking natural beauty do the talking.

Drawing attention to her gorgeous body further, the blonde later posed in an array of high-waisted trousers and crop tops, to give another glimpse of her washboard abs.

Toned:Drawing attention to her gorgeous body further, the blonde later posed in an array of high-waisted trousers and crop tops, to give another glimpse of her washboard abs

The stunning new photos only adds to Gigi's ever-blossoming career - having unveiled a new campaign with Tommy Hilfiger, who she is global ambassador for, earlier on Saturday night.

The new gigs also follow her hectic Fashion Week schedule, which saw her jet to New York, London, Milan and Paris to walk for the likes of Versace, Balmain and Jeremy Scott.

As if that was not enough to prove her model status, Gigi also landed four Vogue covers for the March 2017 issue - gracing the front of the US, UK, China, and Arabia editions of the magazine.

Captivating:The star, who is currently dating Zayn Malik, left her face almost bare and added only small gold hoops as an accessory - letting her striking natural beauty do the talking

However, Gigi recently admitted that despite her huge successes, she still feels very insecure when walking the runway for big-time designers.

Talking candidly with W Magazine, she admitted: 'Its funny because obviously Im not the best on the runway. But what do you do?.

'Im working on it, but Im human. I still get insecure on the runway, but its really exciting for me because I want to get better.'
She is known for her striking looks and ability to portray serious and moving roles on screen.

And Salma Hayek turned her attention from acting and producing for a few hours on Sunday as she enjoyed a front row seat at the Balenciaga Paris Fashion Week show.

The 50-year-old star looked youthful and flaunted her slender curves in a stunning floral print dress.

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Stunning: Salma Hayek turned her attention from acting and producing for a few hours on Sunday as she enjoyed a front row seat at the Balenciaga Paris Fashion Week show

Radiant: The stunning actress wore very pared back makeup for the event, allowing her natural beauty to shine, but did allow herself a dash of luscious red lipstick

The Academy Award-nominee looked dazzling in her form-fitting and eye catching ensemble.

Salma sported an on-trend polo neck dress but added her own signature touch by opting for a silken textured design with varied floral patterns snaked around the body.

The stunning and age-defying actress also wore very pared back makeup for the event, allowing her natural beauty to shine.

But the Frida star did allow herself a dash of perfectly matched red lipstick, adding a sexy touch to the outfit, which was teamed with ankle-strapped fuchsia coloured pointed heels.

Unique: Salma sported an on-trend polo neck dress but added her own signature touch by opting for a silken textured design with varied floral patterns snaked around the body

The Mexican actress was joined on the front row of the star-studded show by none other than legendary Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

The voluptuous actress was also accompanied by her French billionaire businessman Francois-Henri Pinault.

He is the CEO of Kering, which owns high end fashion brands Balenciaga, Brioni, Gucci, Puma, to name a few.

He wore a toned navy ensemble and looked happy to be with his famous wife at the fashion event as the couple - who have been married since 2009 - posed for pictures together.

Happy times: Salma and her billionaire businessman husband Francois-Henri Pinault, who married in 2009, spend a lot of their time in the French capital
Her partner Simon Cowell is currently busy filming the new series of Britain's Got Talent in the UK.

So Lauren Silverman was sure to enjoy some quality time with her son Eric, 3, on Saturday, as she took her little man to the park in LA.

The socialite, 39, opted for a casually chic skinny jeans and T-shirt combo as she spent a relaxing afternoon playing with her son in the great outdoors.

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Quality time: Lauren Silverman looked utterly relaxed on Saturday as she enjoyed a day at the park with her sweet son Eric, 3

The stunning brunette showed off her svelte figure in the figure-hugging denim, which clung tightly to elongate her already long and slender frame.

Keeping things low-key for the afternoon in the sunshine, she teamed the jeans with a plain, loose fitting T-shirt and a pair of stylish tan gladiator sandals.

She co-ordinated her footwear with a matching sleek leather shoulder bag and added only a pair of glamorous retro sunglasses to her face, to draw attention to her naturally clear and smooth complexion.

Having a ball:Clearly having the time of his life, her three-year-old was seen climbing the rocks relentlessly, with his hand tightly clasped in his mother's

Carrying little Eric in her arms, the mother-of-two looked completely content as she embarked on a fun-filled day in the park's play area.

Clearly having the time of his life, her three-year-old was seen climbing the rocks relentlessly, with his hand tightly clasped in his mother's, before he ventured to the sandbox to join some other kids his age.

Lauren and Eric have returned to LA while Simon has jetted to London for his judging duties on Britain's Got Talent - following their festive getaway to Barbados earlier this year.

Happy family: Simon and Lauren welcomed their son - a half-sibling for Lauren's son Adam from her previous marriage - in February 2014 and named him after Simon's late father

Proving his famously critical nature is all an act on screen, Simon was even seen inviting a young fan to have tea with them on the island.

Simon and Lauren welcomed their son - a half-sibling for Lauren's son Adam from her previous marriage - in February 2014 and named him after Simon's late father, who died in 1999.

However, the Syco owner confessed last year that he had struggled to form a close relationship with his son following his arrival.

Besotted: Speaking to the Mirror late last year, Simon went on to gush that his son has now given him a whole new perspective on life

Speaking to Jimmy Fallon, the TV star admitted that he was worried about a disconnect between the pair.

'I wasn't good to begin with,' he began. 'I thought he was going to be like a puppy. Like you could throw thing and he would retrieve them.

'After eight months I thought he hated me. Then one day he was watching me on TV and then he kind of got me, and he started talking to me and now we're buddies.'

Yet, speaking to the Mirror late last year, Simon went on to gush that his son has now given him a whole new perspective on life.

He said in the heartfelt chat: 'Now that I am a father I understand on a much deeper level how devastating it would be to hear the news that your child was unwell.'
She's always present at the fashion world's glitziest soirees.

So it came as no surprise too see Lottie Moss at fellow model Natalia Vodianova's birthday Vogue Cabaret Party as part of the Paris Fashion Week on Saturday.

Joined by Doutzen Kroes and a host of stars in the French capital, the 18-year-old model looked right at home as she partied the night away.

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Party princess: it came as no surprise too see Lottie Moss at fellow model Natalia Vodianova's birthday Vogue Cabaret Party as part of the Paris Fashion Week on Saturday

Looking as effortlessly chic as always, the younger sister of Kate Moss donned a baby pink dress with a cute peter pan collar.

Highlighting her slender waist, the garment flared out in a knee length skirt which offered a look at her enviably lean legs, whilst a pair of cream heels gave her model frame an extra boost.

Layering up, she donned a cream fur coat that complemented her ensemble, whilst her golden locks were styled in loose waves framing her pretty face.

Model moment: Also in attendance at the bash was Doutzen Kroes, 32, who proved that less is more in her simple yet stylish ensemble

Pretty in pink: Looking as effortlessly chic as always, the younger sister of Kate Moss donned a baby pink dress with a cute peter pan collar

That's a wrap! Layering up, she donned a cream fur coat that complemented her ensemble, whilst her golden locks were styled in loose waves framing her pretty face

Also in attendance at the bash was Doutzen, 32, who proved that less is more in her simple yet stylish ensemble.

Keeping her outfit under wraps, the Dutch model donned a black PU trench coat that flashed her tanned and toned pins.

Adding to the glamour, she donned a pair of crimson heels which matched the slick of glossy lipstick on her plump pout.

Suited and booted: Joe Jonas donned a denim look jacket with orange seams on the outing

Two of a kind: The singer posed for snaps with Derek Blasberg at the swanky soiree

Loving life: Olivia Palermo and Jonathan Huebl cuddled up to one another on the night

Looking good: Sienna Miller and Maria Grazia snuggled up to pose for snaps on the night

Three's company: Patrick Demarchelier, Anna Wintour and Mario Testino cuddled up

Blooming lovely: Christian Louboutin rocked a floral scarlet shirt and matching trousers

Tres chic: Former Vogue Paris editor Carine Roitfeld dazzled in a black coat

Whilst Doutzen is a veteran on the modelling scene, Lottie is in the throes of her new career after being scouted at sister Kate's wedding to Jamie Hince.

The blonde stunner was just 13 at the time.

She is now represented by Storm Management, the agency which made her sister one of the world's most famous models.

Cold shoulder: Natasha Poly draped a red scarf over her little black dress

Scarlet siren: Natalia Yakimchik dazzled in a red dress with cold shoulder detailing
Dev Patel couldn't stop kissing and hugging his new girlfriend, Australian actress Tilda Cobham-Hervey during a pedalo boat ride in LA on Sunday.

The two lovebirds looked deeply in love while pictured in the centre of Echo Park Lake.

The Oscar nominee and his new love strolled hand in hands under blue skies and even explored indie bookstores during their very own Notting Hill moment.

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Could it be love? Dev Patel and his beautiful new girlfriend, Australian actress Tilda Cobham-Hervey couldn't stop kissing as they enjoyed a pedalo ride in LA on Sunday

Suave: The BAFTA winning actor had clearly made an effort with his appearance for the date

An onlooker told The Mirror: 'They looked so in love, it was really sweet to see. They couldnt stop smiling and Dev kept kissing Tildas head. It was lovely.

The British man of the moment, 26, looked handsome and carefree as he wandered arm in arm with his new love.

The BAFTA winning actor had clearly made an effort with his appearance for the date. He wore a sleek sheepskin-lined black jacket over a light blue shirt, left unbuttoned at the collar.

Man of the moment: The Londoner wore a sleek sheepskin-lined black jacket over a light blue shirt, left unbuttoned at the collar

Beams of joy: Tilda looked incredible and relaxed in an oversize collared camel-coloured coat and carrying a large black satchel bag over one shoulder

Hand in hand: The budding Australian actress - who is about to appear in new film Hotel Mumbai with the British star - teamed her statement coat with a red and white striped shirt

Adding further tones to the ensemble, Dev wore faded aquamarine-tinged jeans and light desert shoes for the special day.

Tilda, 22, looked incredible and relaxed in an oversize collared camel-coloured coat and carrying a large black satchel bag over one shoulder.

The budding actress - who is about to appear in new film Hotel Mumbai with the British star - teamed her statement coat with a red and white striped shirt.

She also showed off her long slim pins in dark denim jeans and, sharing a giggle, the two looked adoringly at one another as their hands intertwined while they walked.

Real-life romcom: Creating a perfect moment Tilda and Dev then leaned in for yet another romantic kiss

Adoring: As they waited for the pedal boat, the 26-year-old gazed contentedly and thoughtfully into the distance as he rested his chin lightly on Tilda's shoulder

Attraction: It became evident over the course of the afternoon that the couple were unable to keep their hands off each other

Cute: The couple looked to be deep in conversation for much of their romantic day out

After hitting up a gastropub in East Hollywood for lunch, the lovers strolled down the road and checking out some local book stores.

They then chose to stretch their legs and blow off any postprandial sleepiness with the most romantic trip to local Echo Park Lake.

Taking a pedal boat, the London-born actor and his antipodean girlfriend moved their legs in tandem as they laughed and joked, floating slowly around the pond.

And, creating a perfect moment, the two then leaned in for yet another romantic kiss.

Romantic: Taking a pedal boat, the London-born actor and his antipodean girlfriend moved their legs in tandem as they laughed and joked, floating slowly around the pond

Perfection: Dev was caught on camera tenderly stroking the hair of his new love

Moments of joy: The chose to stretch their legs and blow off any postprandial sleepiness with the most romantic trip to local Echo Park Lake

Budding romance: Tilda and Dev got tongues wagging about the status of their relationship over Oscars weekend when Adelaide native Tilda accompanied Dev and his mother

Total relaxation: The couple enjoyed a coffee while pedalling their way across the lake in what looked to be the most incredible afternoon out

Laughing: The pair of lovebirds appeared to laugh a lot and seemed not to have a care in the world

Lazing on a sunny afternoon: The pair are set to appear later this year in American-Australian thriller Hotel Mumbai

Mooring: As they headed back to shore, the British heartthrob made sure they didn't drift away

Dev, has garnered lots of attention this awards season following his Oscar nominated role in Lion, was then caught on camera tenderly stroking the hair of his new love.

It became evident over the course of the afternoon that the couple were unable to keep their hands off each other.

They walked so close to each other while perambulating around the park that their shoulders brushed, and they held hands almost the entire time.

As they waited for the pedal boat, the 26-year-old gazed contentedly and thoughtfully into the distance as he rested his chin lightly on Tilda's shoulder, while she looked lovingly at her British star.

Moments later the couple created a real-life romcom moment as they leaned in for a tender kiss.

Food time: After hitting up a gastropub in East Hollywood for lunch, the lovers strolled down the road and checking out some local book stores

Shopping with her man: He put a tender arm around her they appeared very at ease in one another's company

Intellectual: The pair browsed bookstores together happily before heading to the park

New on the scene: This is the first high-profile relationship for Tilda, 22, who has been dubbed the 'Aussie actress you need to know' by Marie Claire magazine

Movers and shakers: Making waves as Hollywood's new leading man, the former Skins actor plays Arjun in the flick opposite Tilda's character Sally

Hitting the road: Dev was spotted leaving A.O.C restaurant in the 90210 area on Monday

Flying solo: Dev cut a causal figure in a pair of khaki slacks and a grey T-shirt

Catchin up: The Lion star looked happy as he chatted with what appears to be a business associate

Tilda and Dev got tongues wagging about the status of their relationship over Oscars weekend when Adelaide native Tilda accompanied Dev and his mother to the Weinstein Company's pre-Academy Awards bash at Montage Beverly Hills.

The pair are set to appear later this year in American-Australian thriller Hotel Mumbai.

Making waves as Hollywood's new leading man, the former Skins actor plays Arjun in the flick opposite Tilda's character Sally.

The movie tells the true story of the victims and survivors of the devastating attacks on Mumbai in 2008.

Talented: She worked with her parents in a children's circus and co-founded award-winning creative acrobatic troupe, Gravity and Other Myths, at 14

This is the first high-profile relationship for Tilda, 22, who has been dubbed the 'Aussie actress you need to know' by Marie Claire magazine.

The Adelaide-born rising star first became recognisable in Australia after she starred in Myer's Find Wonderful commercial in 2014.

The brunette beauty is the daughter of lighting designer Geoff Cobham and dance and performance artist Roz Hervey.

She worked with her parents in a children's circus and according to Adelaide Now, co-founded award-winning creative acrobatic troupe, Gravity and Other Myths, at 14.

'We were like, theatres not that easy, they had no director,' her father told the publication of his advice to the then teenager.

Previously Dev dated his Slumdog millionaire co-star Frieda Pinto for six years, before they split in 2014.

Speaking about the break-up at the time, he told the Guardian: 'We are incredibly close. She's just a really generous, patient human being who has been one of the most impactful people on my life.

'A lot of my motivation has come from her, from being with her and knowing her.'

That girl! The Adelaide-born rising star first became recognisable in Australia after she starred in Myer's Find Wonderful commercial in 2014
She's been busy making the most of Paris Fashion Week.

But Lottie Moss, 19, looked a little down in the dumps as she hid under a chunky orange scarf while with her beau Alex Mytton on Sunday.

The model, who is in town for Fashion Week wrapped up in a thick, cream coat and a stripy orange scarf for her outing in the French capital.

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Stepping out: Lottie Moss, 19, looked a little down in the dumps as she took a break during Paris Fashion Week shows to spend some quality time with her beau Alex Mytton on Sunday

She walked with her head down and her arms folded, giving off the impression she was feeling glum.

The half-sister of modelling superstar Kate Moss teamed her warm winterwear with black skinny jeans ripped at the knees and trainers.

Lottie tied her blonde tresses back and covered her eyes with large black shades.

Winterwear: The model wrapped up in a thick, cream coat and a stripy orange scarf for her outing in the French capital

That's better: Alex looked in higher spirits as he strolled beside his girlfriend

Alex looked in higher spirits as he strolled beside his girlfriend. He rocked a pale grey unzipped jacket over a plain black tee and matching skinny jeans.

He wore a chunky pair of grey boots and accessorised with a black wristwatch, rings, a necklace and orange tinted, mirrored shades.

The Made In Chelsea star played on his phone as they made their way along the wet streets, before the sun made a rare appearance.

Cutting a cool figure: Alex rocked a pale grey unzipped jacket over a plain black tee and matching skinny jeans

Walk this way: The half-sister of modelling superstar Kate Moss teamed her warm winterwear with black skinny jeans ripped at the knees and trainers

Covered up: Lottie tied her blonde tresses back and covered her eyes with large black shades

Lottie has had a busy start to the year, appearing in London, New York and Milan Fashion Weeks and attending their glitziest parties.

She was also recently in Hollywood at the Bvlgari pre-Oscar Celebration at the iconic Chateau Marmont Hotel.

Lottie, posted plenty of snaps from Milan Fashion Week, including a picture with Bella Hadid, Winnie Harlow and Jasmine Sanders at the Bvlgari Dinner Party, calling the models 'my @bulgariofficial girls'.
She is the beautiful Vogue cover girl who has soared to the top of the modelling profession at the tender age of 21.

And Gigi Hadid proved she is as stylish as any fashionista sporting a neon pink suede jacket and PVC leggings while dashing around Paris on Sunday.

The California-born supermodel donned a body-hugging grey t-shirt underneath her statement jacket which brightened up the Parisian night.

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Pink lady: Gigi Hadid, 21, sported a stylish neon pink jacket and PVC leggings as she dashed around Paris on Sunday night

She paired the jacket with PVC leggings that clung to her limber legs and she wrapped a thick studded belt from Rockins around her tiny waist, adding some edge to her ensemble.

Gigi also sported a pair of biker boots and a black and white Rockins bandana which she tied around her neck.

She wore a pair of sunglasses - despite heading out at night - and toted her belongings in an oversized black leather handbag.

Biker chic: Gigi tied a thick studded belt around her waist and sported biker boots

Fashionista: She went fresh-faced and slicked her famous beachy waves back into a ponytail

Model of the moment: Gigi faces a hectic schedule of catwalk shows at Paris Fashion Week but her boyfriend, Zayn Malik, flew into the French capital to lend his beau moral support

The beauty went fresh faced, showing off her blemish-free complexion and slicked her famous beachy waves back into a low ponytail.

Gigi is in the French capital for Paris Fashion Week and has faced a hectic schedule of catwalk shows.

On Thursday she put on a futuristic display at the Balmain runway show, going bra-less in a bondage-inspired caged sheer top, while her boyfriend, pop star Zayn Malik, watched from the front row.

Futuristic: The blonde beauty looked unrecognisable in the Balmain show on Thursday, wearing a bondage-style caged top and a gold lip ring

The versatile model stunned in the avant-garde show with her blonde locks styled into tight cornrows and her pillowy lips embellished with a gold lip ring.

She sported dramatic eye makeup at the show with streaks of eyeliner transforming the Tommy Hilfiger model into a Gothic vision.

Boyfriend Zayn watched as his supermodel girlfriend stormed the catwalk, donning a camouflage and black sheepskin jacket and letting his silky black locks fall across one eye.

Supportive boyfriend: Zayn watched from the front row as Gigi strutted her stuff on the runway

Catwalk superstar: Gigi stormed the Balmain catwalk in a brown-and-gold fringed ensemble

Gigi's career reached new heights as she was unveiled as the first model to grace the cover of brand new magazine Vogue Arabia.

She looked stunning in the image, which she shared on Instagram, wearing a bejewelled hijab.

However the model, who is half-Palestinian and whose father is Muslim, was the focus of harsh criticism on social media as commentators accused her of 'cultural appropriation' and complained that the hijab was a religious garment which should not be used as a 'fashion statement'.
He was widely criticised for being a 'bully' towards Cheryl earlier in this series of Married At First Sight.

But it appears Anthony's public hostility towards the busty brunette could just be the racing commentator's way of dealing with his true feelings.

'Although he'd never admit it, he fancied her as soon as he laid eyes on her, which is why he's been so critical of her,' a source claimed to Woman's Day.

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Secret crush? According to Woman's Day magazine, Anthony has been 'hiding' his true feelings for Cheryl on Married At First Sight

The insider went on to add that the 33-year-old has been 'hiding the way he feels' about the 25-year-old from the get-go, as he is married to Nadia.

Earlier this month, Anthony led the explosive attack on Cheryl after she returned to the show with new partner Andrew, 38.

'Putting yourself into this position though, where you're having a second time round. You've gotta get it right,' Anthony told Cheryl at the group dinner party.

Something to tell us? According to the magazine's source, the 33-year-old has 'fancied' Cheryl since they first met, 'which is why he's been so critical of her'

Secret admirer: Anthony is said to be 'hiding the way he feels' about Cheryl, who is now married to fireman Andrew on the reality show

'You'll look like a f***ing idiot if you get it wrong.'

He also immediately dismissed Cheryl's connection with fireman Andrew based on her previous partnership with Jonathan.

'It's hard to be convinced that Cheryl's relationship with Andrew will work based on on what I've seen already with her and Jonathan last week,' Anthony said to the cameras.

Critical: Anthony slammed Cheryl earlier in the show when she returned with new partner Andrew, warning her: 'You'll look like a f***ing idiot if you get it wrong'

Fans took to social media to slam the Sydneysider's comments towards Cheryl, with some calling him a 'bully'.

'@MarriedAU Anthony you are so rude. U do not deserve Nadia and u should leave Cheryl alone. Ur a bully [sic],' one viewer Tweeted.

'Anthony is just a bully competitive d******d. Focus on your own. Poor Cheryl, wish Jonesy stuck up for her more,' another wrote.

Bully? Fans took to social media to slam the reality star's attack on Cheryl, with one Tweeting: 'Anthony is just a bully competitive d******d. Focus on your own. Poor Cheryl'

Unpopular: Meanwhile, Anthony was slammed once again on Sunday after he labelled wife Nadia, 36, 'frigid'

Meanwhile, Anthony and his wife Nadia, 36, have had their share of ups and downs.

On Sunday's episode, Anthony raised eyebrows when he labelled his partner as 'frigid' in front of the entire group.

'I'm just trying to work out the boundaries, and there have been times where for lack of a better term you've been frigid,' Anthony explained to Nadia in front of the experts.

'That's embarrassing!' Nadia was shocked to hear her husband's criticism of her

Hitting back: Meanwhile, Nadia claimed Anthony isn't overly affectionate himself, saying: 'It's like getting blood out of a stone'

'Don't say that in front of people  that's embarrassing!,' Nadia retorted.

The Queensland-based model went on to explain to the group that Anthony isn't overly affectionate himself.

'It's weird I feel in this process. It's been very slow. Even last week I thought you're not very affectionate. It's like getting blood out of a stone,' she said.
She's one of the best-known faces in the modelling world.

And Lara Stone once again showcased her natural beauty as she stepped out at the L'Oreal dinner in Paris on Sunday night.

The 33-year-old displayed her enviably slender pins in a daring asymmetric dress with a thigh-high split.

Natural beauty: Lara Stone stepped out in a daring asymmetric dress at the L'Oreal Dinner in Paris on Sunday night

The blonde beauty showed off her slim figure in the tight-fitting number, with the ring detailing running down the side highlighting her endless pins.

Wearing her blonde locks in loose waves, Lara oozed glamour as she accentuated her lips with a red lipstick.

The supermodel finished off her stylish ensemble with a black boxy clutch, boosting her already towering height with a pair of gold sandals.

Flirty look: The 33-year-old flashed her enviably slender pins in the dress, which featured a thigh-high split

While keeping a relatively low profile during Paris Fashion Week so far, Lara showed her support for fellow supermodels Natalia Vodianova and Karlie Kloss at a charity event held in London last month.

The Dutch model's magazine cover for CR Fashion Book was also unveiled last week, featuring a striking shot by Mario Sorrenti.

Fellow supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid, as well as Karlie Kloss, also landed their own covers for the Paris-themed issue.

Speaking to The Edit in December, Lara revealed she now feels comfortable posing naked - a feat she now finds surprising after believing she was 'definitely not attractive' in her youth.

Stylish: The supermodel finished off her ensemble with a black boxy clutch, boosting her already towering height with a pair of gold sandals

Glam squad: A host of A-listers turned out for the L'Oreal dinner, hosted by Julianne Moore

Talking of the numerous raunchy shoots she has embarked on in the past, including one which saw her lying topless beneath pop sensation Justin Bieber for Calvin Klein, she admitted: 'I don't mind being naked in front of people, that's fine'

'On a shoot, no one is staring at the naked model. They're doing a job and they've seen it all 100,000 times before. No one's interested.'

She also admitted she has never felt uneasy about her appearance in the modelling world, whether fully clothed or not.

Lara said of the brutal reputation of the fashion industry: 'Maybe I was just naive, but I've never felt uncomfortable. All those stories you hear about fashion Nobody told me to lose weight.'
She has found love again with Elvis impersonator Mark Tabone, after a 22-year relationship with former ironman Grant Kenny, 53.

But despite being engaged to her new love, reports in Monday's Woman's Day have suggested that Lisa Curry has been holding off on a divorce.

Despite the former couple's 'extremely complicated' finances being sorted, a source told the publication that the I'm A Celebrity contestant considers her marriage 'a sort of safety net.'

Bizarre love triangle? Reports by Monday's Woman's Day have suggested that Lisa Curry, 54, has been holding off on a divorce with Grant Kenny, despite being engaged to Mark Tabone (pictured), 50

Friends of Lisa reportedly told the publication that their 'extremely complicated' finances were not the only reason, preventing the mother-of-three from finalising a divorce.

'That [the finances] was all sorted out ages ago, so it's a bit confusing.

'I think they both quite like the idea of still being married to each other.

'It's probably been a sort of safety net,' the source continued.

Family unit: Lisa, a three-time Olympian, enjoyed 22 years with Grant, sharing three children together, Morgan, Jett and Jaimi Kenny

Any truth? A friend of Lisa reportedly told Woman's Day that the mother-of-three considers her marriage to Grant 'a safety net'. Pictured with Grant, 53, and son Jett

Lisa, a three-time Olympian, enjoyed 22 years with Grant.

The couple share three adult children together, Morgan, Jett and Jaimi Kenny, later splitting in 2008.

Grant had a brief fling with radio and television personality Fifi Box, 40, resulting in a child, three-year-old daughter Trixie.

High-profile: Grant had a brief fling with radio and television personality Fifi Box, 40, resulting in a child, three-year-old daughter Trixie

Lisa also struck up a relationship with Elvis impersonator Mark Tabone, announcing an engagement publicly, in October last year.

The couple announced their happy news in New Idea magazine.

'I planned exactly how I was going to do it and booked a yacht, a swim in the Blue Lagoon and a sail along the cliffs,' said Mark, who popped the question during a holiday to Malta in July.

Romantic: The couple announced their happy news last October in New Idea magazine. 'I planned exactly how I was going to do it and booked a yacht, a swim in the Blue Lagoon and a sail along the cliffs,' said Mark, who popped the question during a holiday to Malta in July

Sharing the excitement: In August last year, the couple spoke to Daily Mail Australia about that same holiday in Malta - where Lisa was introduced to Mark's family. 'Mark had a couple of shows in Canada and then we decided to go to Malta to see his family,' Lisa said

In August last year, the couple spoke to Daily Mail Australia about that same holiday in Malta - where Lisa was introduced to Mark's family.

'Mark had a couple of shows in Canada and then we decided to go to Malta to see his family,' Lisa said.

'He had a school reunion over there as well. It was really nice to see everyone.'

Lisa confirmed she was dating Mark back in December 2015, just weeks after splitting with boyfriend of five years Joel Walkenhorst, 33.

Making it official: Lisa confirmed she was dating Mark back in December 2015, just weeks after splitting with boyfriend of five years Joel Walkenhorst, 33
She confessed to crashing into her next door neighbour's luxury car on Friday.

And it appears Jackie 'O' Henderson's day only became more eventful when the police came knocking on her door hours later.

Sharing the story on KIIS FM's The Kyle And Jackie 'O' Show on Monday, the 41-year-old remained very ambiguous on the details, insisting she 'can't talk about it'.

Ambiguous: Jackie 'O' Henderson began sharing a story about a surprise home visit from the police on Friday, but remained extremely vague on the details

Earlier that day, the radio star had admitted to causing a prang that saw damage being done to both her Range Rover as well as her neighbour's Porsche.

'The police were there on a totally unrelated matter,' the mother-of-one told co-host Kyle Sandilands on Monday.

'It's got nothing to do with me, can I just say?' she continued, adding that the reason for the cops' visit is 'a private matter'.

What a day! The visit from the authorities came on the same day the radio star crashed into her neighbour's Porsche, causing extensive damage to her Range Rover (pictured)

What happened? The 41-year-old's mysterious story piqued her co-host Kyle Sandilands' interest, with the shock jock itching to know what the visit was all about

Kyle meanwhile, became more and more curious and added: 'That sounds like dodginess.'

'No, no, I swear it's not dodgy. But jeez did it look dodgy,' Jackie explained.

Jackie was heard going into detail about her accident on Friday morning, after Kyle alerted her to the 'huge amount of damage' to her own vehicle.

'It's got nothing to do with me, can I just say?' The mother-of-one insisted the police were talking to her about a 'private matter' that she can't share any information about

'I cut it fine every morning when I'm coming to work... As I'm coming out of my drive way, I've smashed into my next door neighbour's Porsche,' Jackie admitted.

The blonde beauty went on to explain that she was in a rush to get to work at 5am and didn't get a chance to see what damage the collision had caused.

'As I've sort of come out of the drive way and turned the corner, I just hear this buckling and scraping,' she recalled.

Pranged: Prior to getting a visit from the police, Jackie had crashed into her neighbour's luxury vehicle while rushing to work at 5am

'And because it was so dark I didn't see her car there.'

The blonde beauty then revealed she hadn't yet notified her neighbour of the crash.

'I haven't left a note or anything,' she said.




She is making a mark on the fashion industry one party at a time.

And Lottie Moss yet again proved herself to be the perfect party girl as she attended the lavish L'Oreal Paris Dinner hosted by Julianne Moore on Sunday night as Paris Fashion Week draws to a close.

The 19-year-old beauty, who is joined in the Paris capital by her beau Alex Mytton, looked stunning in a thigh-skimming mini skirt as she debuted her new lengthy blonde tresses - worlds away from her hair look just a night before.

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Hair today, gone tomorrow: Lottie Moss debuted new lengthy locks as she hit the L'Oreal Paris Dinner hosted by Julianne Moore on Sunday night as Paris Fashion Week draws to a close

Lottie is the younger half-sister of fashion legend Kate and she is truly vying for her sibling's crown as one of the fashion world's hardest partying stars.

Ensuring she looks as sensational as her sister, she nailed Parisian chic in her flirty ensemble comprising of her statement jacket and mini skirt.

Despite the winter chill descending on the city, she seized the opportunity to show off her incredible legs - boosted by her intricately detailed staggering heels.

Her jacket was the perfect addition to her night time look, with the furry trim upping the glam and the red roses standing out starkly against the black backdrop.

Dazzling: The 19-year-old beauty, who is joined in the Paris capital by her beau Alex Mytton, looked stunning in a thigh-skimming mini skirt paired with an ornately embroidered jacket with a rose detail and fluffy trim

Living it up: The stunner has added lengths to her tresses with the help of extensions

Lottie wore her long blonde tresses in perfectly styled lengths cascading over her shoulders and seemingly boosted with the help of extensions.

Her make-up was perfectly applied with an orange-based eyeshadow pallet giving a bold base while she wore fluttering false eyelashes.

Proving herself to be every inch the model, she pulled an extremely steely gaze as she walked along the steer

The long and short of it: Her hair looked stunning as she hit the town

Long locks: She fancied a change of scenery with her tresses

Lottie has had a busy start to the year, appearing in London, New York and Milan Fashion Weeks and attending their glitziest parties.

She was also recently in Hollywood at the Bvlgari pre-Oscar Celebration at the iconic Chateau Marmont Hotel.

Lottie, posted plenty of snaps from Milan Fashion Week, including a picture with Bella Hadid, Winnie Harlow and Jasmine Sanders at the Bvlgari Dinner Party, calling the models 'my @bulgariofficial girls'.
She lost a staggering 30 kilograms on the 2006 season of The Biggest Loser Australia.

But in Monday's Woman's Day, the now-host of the series Fiona Falkiner revealed how failing to work on her mindset 'in the real world' led to a downward spiral.

'I'd not really addressed the issues going on in my head,' the 33-year-old told the publication.

'I did not address the issues in my head': Fiona Falkiner, 33, opened up about her past struggles with binge eating and anxiety, after dropping a staggering 30kg on the 2006 season of The Biggest Loser Australia, in Monday's Woman's Day. Pictured on the left in April 2016 and the right prior to 2006

'I know from my own experience that I lost a lot of weight on the show, but when I went back to the real world I'd not really addressed the issues going on in my head that caused me to gain weight in the first place,' Fiona shared.

Admitting to binge eating and regaining the weight she had initially lost on the program, the Melbourne-born star had to change her mind frame.

'I suffer from anxiety, so keeping that at bay is really important for me...I take some time every day to meditate and do things that feel good to me, which is training and swimming and being active, setting myself up for a really good day,' Fiona continued.

Apart from a positive mind frame, the eHarmony ambassador is also enjoying a new romance, only giving out small details: 'I'm dating but it's still very early days....I don't want to freak him out too much.'

Candid: 'I know from my own experience that I lost a lot of weight on the show, but when I went back to the real world I'd not really addressed the issues going on in my head that caused me to gain weight in the first place,' Fiona told the publication

Her secrets: 'I take some time every day to meditate and do things that feel good to me,' the Melbourne-born star shared, in relation to getting herself in a positive frame of mind

Connected: Fiona often takes to Instagram, sharing her newfound confidence and lease of life, with her 53,800 followers

Fiona has certainly not been shy in showing off her new positive state of mind with her 53,800 Instagram followers.

Numerous snaps on the personality's account see Fiona either soaking up the sun at idyllic destinations or working on her form at the gym.

Next week will see Fiona reappear on Australian television, hosting The Biggest Loser: Transformed.

Resident trainers Michelle Bridges, 46, and Steve 'Commando' Willis, 40, will not make their return, having ended their contracts.

Shannan Ponton however will be back at the helm, with new trainer Libby Babet, 34 on board.

Body confident: Numerous snaps on the blonde beauty's account see Fiona showing off her curves in bikinis while on holiday

New face: The Biggest Loser: Transformed, premiering next week, will feature new trainer Libby Babet (pictured), 34
One of Hollywoods favourite endings is when a humble, gentle man triumphs against the odds. This years Oscars served up a classic example of the genre when the Best Actor award went to a man who insists he has no desire to be famous at all.

Casey Affleck won film actings most treasured gong for his portrayal of an unassuming school caretaker who has to look after his orphaned teenage nephew.

His more famous big brother, Ben, jumped up to embrace him before Casey gave an aptly self-effacing speech.

Hot stuff: Ben, right, and Casey with ring girls at a boxing match in 1999

As he did so, Casey noticed Ben crying. I saw those tears and I thought maybe Im just not making a good speech, he said. But I think he was probably touched.

Such fraternal pride is understandable. Caseys victory cemented the Afflecks place as Hollywoods hottest family.

Still both in their early 40s, the brothers already have three Oscars between them. Yet the pair have more in common than driving ambition, good looks and star power. There are more painful parallels in their private lives.

While 44-year-old Bens issues have been with drink, gambling and serial infidelity, a rather darker shadow hangs over Casey. And its one that critics complain has, in true Tinseltown tradition, been cravenly brushed under the red carpet.

One heard barely a whisper of scandal during the endless fawning interviews of the Oscars campaign, but 41-year-old Casey has been accused by two women  a producer and a cinematographer  of sexually tormenting them while working on a film. According to the pair, far from being a mild-mannered actor who shrinks from fame, Affleck is a predatory, drink-sodden sex pest.

Not that there was a whiff of dissension at the Oscars ceremony  although the actress Brie Larson, who won an Oscar last year for playing a sexual abuse victim, managed just the thinnest of smiles as she presented him with his award.

The alleged incidents, which Casey dealt with in out-of-court settlements and denied any wrongdoing, both occurred while he was making the 2010 mockumentary film Im Still Here, with his friend and brother-in-law Joaquin Phoenix.

At the time Casey seemed settled: he was married to Phoenixs sister Summer and they had two young children. But behind the scenes it was different, according to the films experienced director of photography, Magdalena Gorka.

Left, Casey is hugged by Ben after winning the Oscar for Best Actor in February and right, the brothers together in 2007

In court papers, attractive blonde Gorka  the only woman in the production crew  claimed she was subjected to a nearly daily barrage of sexual comments, innuendo and unwelcome advances by crew members, within the presence and with the active encouragement of Affleck.

She also said that one night, during filming in New York, Casey put up crew members at his own flat. He offered to sleep on the sofa while Gorka took his bed. But in the night, she says, she awoke to find him curled beside her, reeking of alcohol and wearing only underwear and a T-shirt.

He had his arm around her and was caressing her back, and his face was right next to hers, it was claimed in court papers. She was wearing a camisole and pyjama trousers, and was shocked and repulsed because she didnt know where he had touched her while she was sleeping.

She jumped out of bed, she said, and told him to get out of it, to which he replied: Why? She told him: Because you are married and because you are my boss. Eventually he left the room and slammed the door in anger, according to the court papers.

Gorka said she confronted the star the next morning and left the film, although she was persuaded to return by its producer, Amanda White, who assured her she would be present on set during filming.

Ben with actress Jennifer Garner. The couple married in 2005 and had three children before divorcing in 2015

Gorka, however, said the sexual tension continued, describing a night in Costa Rica when she and White found they couldnt get into the room they shared because Casey Affleck and Phoenix had locked themselves inside and were having sex with two other women. She sued Casey for 2 million.

Gorkas disturbing claims were largely corroborated by White, who had filed a separate lawsuit against Casey just a few days earlier. She claimed 1.6 million in damages for uninvited and unwelcome sexual advances.

White  who had worked with Casey for ten years  alleged that he ordered his friend Antony Langdon, a British rock musician who had been hired as a camera assistant, to expose himself in front of her during a plane trip.

Casey poses with his Academy Award

She also said Casey had spoken inappropriately about her advancing age and fertility, discussed his sexual exploits and referred to women as cows. She claimed he had once violently grabbed her arm and berated her after she refused to stay in his hotel room during filming.

The Affleck camp dismissed the claims as total fiction and the two lawsuits as an extortion attempt. Casey vowed to countersue but weeks later it emerged that the two sides had quietly settled out of court. Details of the settlements, including any payment made, remain confidential but it has been claimed that Casey paid out a substantial sum.

Casey insists wearily that he is legally bound not to discuss the scandal. But he tritely told his hometown newspaper, the Boston Globe: I believe that any kind of mistreatment of anyone for any reason is unacceptable and abhorrent, and everyone deserves to be treated with respect in the workplace and anywhere else.

Those who attack him just dont know the facts, he insisted. He has, however, admitted to having a drink problem  also an issue for brother Ben  which he now claims to have conquered.

As for his marriage to Summer, that ended in 2016 over reports that she was having a lot of trust issues with her husband.

If there wasnt much appetite in Tinseltown to consider allegations against Casey Affleck before his Oscar, there will be even less now.

His big brother, whom he reportedly reveres, can certainly tell him about the perils of superstardom. Ben likes to point out that addiction issues run in the family  he and Casey were raised in a tough part of Boston by their mother after she divorced their alcoholic father when Ben was 12.

A much-publicised affair with Gwyneth Paltrow in the late Nineties ended with the actress witheringly saying Bens perfect woman would be any sort of stripper ... anyone that serves cold beer in a bikini. Although he claimed to have given up drinking in 1998, three years later he checked himself into rehab for alcohol abuse.

He also insists he has never been addicted to gambling, but he has played poker compulsively.

Off the tables, he had an 18-month relationship from 2002 to 2004 with Jennifer Lopez, before a planned wedding was called off amid claims by a stripper that she and Ben frolicked with three other lap-dancers.

Next came Bens marriage to the actress Jennifer Garner. They married in 2005 and had three children, only to announce their divorce in 2015. He was romantically linked with actresses Emily Ratajkowski and Blake Lively and  most notoriously  to his childrens nanny (now ex-nanny), Christine Ouzounian.

Do you have a moral compass? chat show host Stephen Colbert asked Casey Affleck recently. He insisted that he did, although he had to remagnetise it every day.

That just might be a problem that runs in the family.
Persistent and pent-up demand among would-be US homeowners could spur builders to boost construction, helping to ease pressure on the market for new homes

The US housing market, a key economic driver, is exceedingly tight, with supply struggling to meet demand as the sector recovers a decade after the housing crisis, analysts say.

But persistent and pent-up demand among would-be homeowners could spur builders to boost construction, helping to ease pressure on the market for new homes.

Inventory of homes for sale has remained stagnant even while the pace of sales returns to pre-crisis levels.

"What I hear from realtors pretty much across the country is that if they had more inventory they could make more sales," Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors, told AFP.

Home sales jumped in January, with sales of existing homes rising 3.3 percent, the fastest monthly rate since early 2007, while sales of new homes increased nearly four percent, with buyers in the Northeast snapping up the largest volume of single-family houses in nine years.

While demand has been bolstered by steady job creation and a pickup in wages in 2016, that exuberance has not translated into an increased supply of houses available.

Inventory for existing homes has fallen for 20 months in a row, and the number of homes for sale for every 1,000 households fell 47 percent between January 2008 and January of this year, according to figures from the residential real estate website Trulia.

As the housing market continues to reemerge from the 2008 financial crisis -- precipitated by a housing bubble and mortgage crisis -- prices are recovering.

The median price for a new home rose 34 percent between January of 2008 and January of this year. Existing home prices have risen for 59 straight months, hitting a median of $228,900 in January -- up 7.1 percent over the same month last year.

And 30-year mortgage rates also have moved sharply higher since the end of 2016, rising to 4.17 percent in February, up half a point year-on-year, according to government-sponsored mortgage agency Freddie Mac.

- Construction lagging -

NAR's Yun told AFP tight supply could see sales of existing homes flatline in 2017 after hitting an annual rate of 5.7 million units sold in January.

"That may actually be the yearly high," he said.

Compared to the population, the pace of new home construction currently is at about 64 percent of its 50-year average and rising slowly, according to Trulia. Analysts point to a range of reasons to explain the drop off in housing inventory.

Yun noted that zoning, regulations and a tight labor market can create barriers for construction, while homeowners may be reluctant to sell, believing a peak in prices is yet to come.

Investment firms bought up a large share of the supply of existing homes in the wake of the financial crisis, converting many into rental properties, keeping suitable single-family houses off the market, he added.

"Apparently they're unwilling to unload because rent growth is very profitable and they just want to ride it out," he added.

Builders may also feel that rental is where the money is. December saw a stunning 54 percent jump in the construction of multi-unit buildings, although that measure can be volatile.

The hot rental market is fueled in part by the fact many people are unwilling or unable to borrow to buy a home in the wake of the crisis.

The share of people aged 18 to 34 living with parents or relatives has been steadily rising since the late 1980s and is now approaching 40 percent, according to Trulia.

As those millennials get jobs and move out in a growing economy, they are likely to form a new cohort of renters before buying their first homes.

Ralph McLaughlin, the chief economist at Trulia, told AFP the construction sector was still suffering from low capacity after the housing crisis.

Furthermore, some housing markets are suffering "price spread," where the gap between the costs for starter, mid-range and luxury houses grows, making it harder for home-owners to trade up.

This can help shrink inventory by reducing turnover, according to McLaughlin.

"You may be less likely to make that hop and more likely to make the rock you're on your home," he said.

Patrick Newport of IHS Global Insight said sales volumes had yet to recover from the housing crisis and demand had room to run, which could exacerbate the inventory crunch.

"Every year, the housing numbers get a little bit better. We're healing but we're still not back to normal," he told AFP.
Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena was elected in 2015 after vowing to investigate war-era atrocities

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has rejected a fresh appeal from the United Nations to allow international judges to investigate alleged war-era atrocities, vowing to not prosecute soldiers.

"I am not going to allow non-governmental organisations to dictate how to run my government. I will not listen to their calls to prosecute my troops," the president said in remarks distributed by his office Sunday.

The UN on Friday criticised Sri Lanka's "worryingly slow" progress in addressing its wartime past, urging the government to adopt laws allowing for special hybrid courts to try war criminals.

In his first remarks since the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva handed down a new scorecard on Sri Lanka, Sirisena rebuffed calls for international judges to probe abuses committed during the island's 37-year civil war.

Sri Lanka has resisted calls to establish a special court to investigate allegations that government forces killed up to 40,000 Tamil civilians in the final months of fighting, which ended in May 2009.

Sirisena, a member of the majority Sinhalese community, received the support of the Tamil minority after promising accountability for excesses carried out by the largely Sinhalese military.

- Inadequate response -

He had agreed to a UN Human Rights Council resolution in October 2015 which called for special tribunals and reparations for victims and gave Sri Lanka 18 months to establish credible investigations.

But the deadline lapsed without those commitments being met.

The UN said coalition politics in the unity government Sirisena formed after ousting former strongman leader Mahinda Rajapakse were likely to blame for the slow pace of progress.

Last week the main Tamil political party accused Sirisena of failing to deliver on his promises, and urged the UN to hold his administration to account.

Sirisena's response marks a sharp shift in his policy towards accountability and reconciliation, which had earned him the praise of international observers.

More than 100,000 people were killed in Sri Lanka's 37-year Tamil conflict that ended in 2009

"A charge sheet is now brought against our forces with a demand to include foreign judges to try them," he said in a speech to troops in the northern peninsula of Jaffna, the Tamil heartland.

The defiant tone contrasted with his Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, who asked the Human Rights Council for more time, promising that his country remained committed to seeking justice.

At least 100,000 people were killed during the separatist war between government forces and rebels from the Tamil Tigers group, with atrocities recorded by both sides.

In its report, the UN said abuses including torture remain widespread in the ethnically divided island nation of 21 million, with "a prevailing culture of impunity" partly to blame.

The UN acknowledged that Colombo had made some positive advances on constitutional and legal reforms, limited land restitution and symbolic gestures towards reconciliation.

But it cautioned that the measures taken so far had been "inadequate, lacked coordination and a sense of urgency."
Chinese activists hold posters of Mao Zedong during a protest calling for a boycott of South Korean goods in Jilin, on March 5, 2017

Dozens of people holding Chairman Mao posters protested in China's Jilin province on Sunday, calling for a boycott of South Korean goods as part of a backlash against the country's Lotte Group.

The retail giant has faced growing opposition in China since signing a deal to provide land for a US missile-defence system Tuesday.

The plan to install the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system was prompted by threats from North Korea, but Beijing fears the move will undermine its own military capabilities.

China has denounced the THAAD missile defence system as a threat to its security

"No to THAAD! Boycott Korean goods!" chanted the protesters in northern Jilin province.

"Patriotism starts with me! Long live the Communist Party!"

Similar protests have sprouted across the country, as Lotte suffers setbacks in several of its Chinese ventures -- from last month's government-ordered halt of a $2.6 billion theme park project to apparent cyber-attacks on company websites.

Citing fire violations, authorities in Liaoning's Dandong city have also suspended the operation of Lotte Mart, the Yonhap news agency reported on Saturday.

South Korean activists demonstrate outside the Lotte headquarters in Seoul on February 27, in protest at the retailer providing land for the THAAD missile system

Earlier this week, major tour operators confirmed to AFP that trips to South Korea have been suspended "due to policy and safety factors."

China has repeatedly denounced THAAD as a threat to its security, with a foreign ministry spokesman saying "the consequences entailed will be borne by the US and the Republic of Korea".

Calls are growing in China for Beijing to use the carrot and stick of its huge market to raise pressure on South Korea to abandon the THAAD plan.

South Korean retail giant Lotte has invested $8.76 billion in its Chinese operations since 1994, such as in this department store in Shenyang, Liaoning province

The stakes are high for Lotte, which has invested more than ten trillion won ($8.76 billion) in its Chinese operations since 1994.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, on March 5, 2017

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a plan to form a unity government with Israel's opposition last year as part of a regional peace bid, but later backtracked, a newspaper reported Sunday.

The plan centred on a document delivered to opposition leader Isaac Herzog in September, but Netanyahu later pulled back and talks collapsed in October, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

The effort came as moves were underway to restart peace talks with the Palestinians through a process that would include Arab countries in the region.

Netanyahu currently heads what is seen as the most right-wing government in Israeli history, with key members of his coalition openly opposing a Palestinian state.

Forming a unity government with the centre-left could have reassured Arab nations of his sincerity.

The document reportedly delivered to Herzog in September was a proposal for a joint declaration reiterating their commitment to a two-state solution and their desire to seek a resolution with the Palestinians.

It came some seven months after a previously reported secret meeting between Netanyahu, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Jordan's King Abdullah II and then US secretary of state John Kerry.

The meeting in the Jordanian city of Aqaba saw Kerry pitch a regional peace effort.

Arab countries have previously offered normalised relations with Israel in exchange for resolving the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Under Netanyahu's plan, the draft document negotiated with Herzog was to be submitted at a summit in Egypt in October to launch a regional peace initiative.

The two men were then to announce negotiations for the formation of a unity government after returning from the summit, which ultimately did not occur, Haaretz said.

According to the paper, Netanyahu later told Herzog he wanted to resolve controversy surrounding the evacuation of a Jewish outpost in the occupied West Bank first, and talks later collapsed.

Netanyahu's office said the newspaper's description of how the "possible regional summit" ended up not taking place was "fundamentally wrong".

"The issue had nothing to do with Amona," the statement said of the outpost that was evacuated, stressing that "Netanyahu wants to advance a regional initiative."

A source close to Herzog told AFP that "a historic opportunity to change the face of the Middle East was missed" because of "a prime minister who bolted".

Donald Trump has since taken office as US president and has sent mixed signals regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Last month as Netanyahu visited the White House, Trump backed away from Washington's years-long commitment to a two-state solution, saying he would support a single state if it led to peace.

Israeli right-wing politicians have welcomed Trump's election, with some calling for an end to the idea of a Palestinian state.
According to The Mail on Sunday newspaper, Blair met with Trump's son-in-law and key aide Jared Kushner last week to discuss taking a role with Trump

Tony Blair has had no discussions about working for US President Donald Trump, his spokesman said Sunday after reports that the former British prime minister sought to become his Middle East adviser.

According to The Mail on Sunday newspaper, Blair met with Trump's son-in-law and key aide Jared Kushner last week to discuss taking a role with Trump.

The weekly tabloid said Blair had met Kushner three times since September.

A spokesman for Blair initially said: "I'm not going to comment on private conversations."

But a statement on his website later said: "The story in The Mail on Sunday is an invention.

"Mr Blair has made no such 'pitch' to be the president's Middle East envoy. Neither has he had any discussions about taking such a role or any role working for the new president."

It continued: "He has been working on the peace process for 10 years. He continues to do so. He does so in a private capacity. He will continue to do it in that way."

After leaving office in 2007, Blair was the envoy of the Middle East Quartet until 2015.

The group comprises the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States.

Blair was prime minister from 1997 to 2007, winning three general elections but his role in leading Britain into the war in Iraq has badly damaged his legacy at home.

However, he has been making more interventions in British politics since leaving his Middle East role.

Last month he urged Britons who support the European Union to "rise up" and persuade Brexit voters to change their mind about leaving the bloc, in a high-profile speech.

Blair wrote an article in The New York Times newspaper on Friday where he called for a centrist new coalition that is "popular, not populist", in order for liberal democracy to survive and thrive in the face of rightist populism.
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier seen here in the Arabian Sea in 2009

A new animated film from Iran shows the US Navy's Fifth Fleet being blown out of the water in the latest effort to build up the legend of the country's most celebrated general.

Director Farhad Azimi told local media his 80-minute "Battle of the Persian Gulf II" is "a response to the gibberish of Hollywood and American politicians".

Four years in the making, its expensive graphics, thumping soundtrack and barrages of missiles are a slick addition to Iran's propaganda efforts, clearly aimed at teenage boys.

The star of the show is a commander whose salt-and-pepper beard was explicitly modelled on Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the Revolutionary Guard's external operations arm, the Qods Force.

Soleimani heads Iran's operations in Syria, Iraq and beyond, and has become a prominent fixture in the media in recent years, often pictured on the frontline or alongside supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

His high profile has led to speculation he may emerge as a presidential candidate one day, although he has so far denied any desire to move into politics.

Major-General Qassem Soleimani heads Iran's operations in Syria and Iraq

"Battle of the Persian Gulf II" cost some five billion rials ($140,000 130 million euros) to make, part of increasing military propaganda efforts that in many ways mirror the close involvement of the Pentagon in Hollywood's more gung-ho blockbusters.

It comes at a time of mounting tensions after President Donald Trump warned that any Iranian boats harassing the US Navy -- a regular occurrence in the Gulf, according to the Pentagon -- would be "shot out of the water".

Azimi said he wanted to highlight Iran's defensive capabilities.

"If one bullet is fired by the enemy toward Iran, we will respond firmly," he said.

The film has premiered in Iran's second city Mashhad and is due to arrive in Tehran next week. The makers are also hoping to show the film in China and Russia.
In his roles as a reality TV showman and presidential candidate, and now as president, Donald Trump has repeatedly embraced conspiracy theories, including the suggestion that Brack Obama was not born in America

FBI Director James Comey has asked the Justice Department to publicly refute President Donald Trump's explosive, unsubstantiated accusation that Barack Obama tapped his phone during last year's election campaign, US media reported on Sunday.

Comey's extraordinary measure questioning the president's truthfulness provides an indication of the implications of Trump's incendiary claim about his predecessor. The department has not made any statement.

Trump's aides were scrambling on Sunday to limit the political fallout of Trump's accusation 24 hours after it was made -- admitting it was still unproven, and calling on Congress to investigate.

Citing still undefined "reports" of "politically motivated investigations," press secretary Sean Spicer said Trump was calling on Congress to "determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016."

Trump spokeswoman Sarah Sanders echoed those comments.

"If this happened," she told ABC, "this would be the greatest abuse of power, and overreach, that has ever occurred in the executive branch."

FBI Director James Comey asks the Justice Department to correct Donald trump's unsubstantiated claims that Barack Obama tapped his by publicly rejecting it

Trump, who has returned to Washington from a weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida, has not publicly commented further on his allegations.

On Saturday, he tweeted: "How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" He provided no evidence to back up the claim.

Watergate is the generic term for the scandal that brought down president Richard Nixon in 1974. It began with the revelation of a secret wiretap in the offices of the Democratic National Committee at Washington's Watergate Hotel.

Obama, via a spokesman, denied Trump's new allegation as "simply false."

US presidents can't legally order such wiretaps, which require the approval of a federal judge and reasonable grounds for suspicion.

Obama's director of national intelligence James Clapper told NBC there was "no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time as a candidate or against his campaign."

- President 'furious' -

Donal Trump was said to be angry that Attorney General Jeff Sessions (pictured) recused himself from any campaign or Russia-related investigations

Trump's comments appear to have been based on unverified claims made by the right-wing Breitbart News outlet. His chief strategist, Steve Bannon, used to run it.

The New York Times, citing senior US officials, first reported that Comey believes Trump's claim to be false.

The FBI director made the request on Saturday because "there is no evidence to support it, and it insinuates that the FBI broke the law," the paper reported the officials as saying.

Previous media reports have indicated that US prosecutors investigated communications between a server registered to the Trump Organization and a Russian bank.

In his roles as a reality TV showman and presidential candidate, and now as president, Trump has repeatedly embraced conspiracy theories, including the suggestion that Obama was not born in America. Obama was born in Hawaii, a US state.

Trump leveled the latest charges in a string of tweets early Saturday, at the end of a week in which his administration was battered by controversy over links between his advisors and Russian officials.

The Republican chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Devin Nunes, said his panel would look into Trump's latest claims

Trump was said to be furious that good reviews of his maiden speech to Congress on Tuesday were overtaken by a series of revelations about aides' meetings with Russian officials.

The president was also said to be angry that Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from any campaign or Russia-related investigations.

Sessions' recusal came after it emerged that, speaking under oath during his Senate confirmation hearings about campaign contacts with Russia, he failed to disclose two meetings with Moscow's ambassador in Washington.

Amid that and several other revelations of Trump aides holding meetings with Russian officials, the White House has denied allegations of collusion.

- Diversionary tactics -

US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a campaign to meddle in last November's presidential election in a bid to tilt it in Trump's favor.

Former CIA director Leon Panetta on Sunday accused Trump of diversionary tactics.

"They are trying to obfuscate and trying to cover up. They are trying to somehow raise other issues," he told CBS.

"In the end, it is going to be the truth that will determine what is involved here, and not tweets, but the truth."

However, the Republican chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Devin Nunes, said his panel would look into Trump's claims.

"The Committee will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political party's campaign officials or surrogates, and we will continue to investigate this issue if the evidence warrants it," he said in a statement.

Democrats and a growing number of Republicans in Congress have called for the appointment of a special prosecutor and a bipartisan inquiry to look into the Russia issue.

With approval ratings already low, Trump could do without another scandal in his young presidency.

Republicans have largely stood behind him, hoping he will enact tax cuts and other policies they favor.

But some Republican lawmakers appear to be losing patience with the drama of Trump's presidency.

"We are in the midst of a civilization-warping crisis of public trust," Senator Ben Sasse said, adding that Trump's allegations of wiretapping "demand the thorough and dispassionate attention of serious patriots."
Bahrain's Shura council is the upper parliamentary chamber appointed by the king in the Gulf state

Bahrain's upper house of parliament on Sunday approved a constitutional amendment which grants military courts the right to try civilians, sparking concern for the fate of activists already in custody.

The 40-seat Shura Council, the upper parliamentary chamber appointed by the king in the Gulf state, unanimously approved an amendment to Article 105, members of the council told AFP.

The amendment drops a clause limiting military trials to members of the armed forces or other security branches. Civilians charged with "damaging public interest" or with terrorism, a vague legal term, could now face courts martial.

Sunni-ruled Bahrain last month marked six years since protests demanding constitutional reform in the Shiite-majority kingdom erupted in the capital Manama.

King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa, whose family has ruled Bahrain for two centuries, declared a three-month state of emergency in 2011 during which special military courts were established to try civilians.

Sunday's move comes two weeks after approval by parliament's elected lower chamber, and has sparked concern among rights activists for Bahraini civilians -- including those already in detention.

"We are concerned that they will choose someone to make an example of," Said Yousif al-Muhafdha, vice-president of the non-governmental Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), told AFP.

Leading Shiite cleric Issa Qassem, who was stripped of his Bahraini citizenship last year, could be one such example, according to Muhafdha.

Qassem is currently on trial on a string of charges which include inciting unrest. His citizenship was revoked over charges that he incited religious tensions.

Hundreds of Shiite protesters including high-profile opposition leaders have been arrested since 2011, as Bahraini authorities make sweeping use of counter-terrorism legislation.

Prominent Shiite human rights activist Nabeel Rajab, a BCHR founder, is also in custody facing trial on a list of charges, including spreading "false information" about Bahrain.

Authorities in the small but strategic archipelago state have accused Shiite-dominated Iran of meddling in the domestic affairs of Arab countries in the Gulf.

Iran has consistently denied the charge.
The Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo (L) speaks as he stand next to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on March 5, 2017, during his visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum in Jerusalem

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo began a whirlwind visit to Israel on Sunday, pledging solidarity with Jews as the United States sees a surge in anti-Semitic incidents.

There have been more than 100 bomb threats against US Jewish organisations since the beginning of the year and three Jewish cemeteries have been vandalised, with some analysts blaming the politics of the Donald Trump era.

Cuomo, seen as a possible Democratic presidential candidate in 2020, is governor of a state with a large Jewish population.

"It is disgusting, it is reprehensible, it violates every tenet of the New York state tradition," Cuomo told reporters, standing next to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin during a tour of Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial centre.

"To the people of Israel, I say that these acts of anti-Semitism will not be tolerated," he said.

"We believe in the spirit of inclusion and we live by discrimination of none. New Yorks principles were built on a rock," Cuomo added. "They will not change and the political winds will not change them."

Trump has faced accusations of being slow to condemn such acts.

Rights activists say his rise to the White House and the populist rhetoric that has accompanied it has encouraged the extreme right.

Amid the criticism, Trump spoke out against anti-Semitic incidents and also condemned a seemingly racially motivated killing of an Indian man in his maiden speech to Congress last week.

But while the rise in anti-Semitism has raised concerns, many of Israel's right-wing politicians have also welcomed Trump's presidency because of his pledges of support for the country.

Addressing Cuomo, Rivlin said "your arrival to Israel at this time is an extremely important signal that the US people and government will not let anti-Semitism win."

The Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo looks at pictures of Jewish Holocaust victims, at the Hall of Names during his visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum

The Israeli president, whose role is mostly ceremonial, also said "the same appreciation goes to President Trump, who condemned the recent attacks."

Cuomo's office said his brief visit would include meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan.

He also plans to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre -- built on the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried -- and the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray.

He will return to New York on Monday.
Dakar's mayor Khalifa Sall, pictured in 2011, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing related to public funds allegedly embezzled by his office

The embattled mayor of Senegal's capital Dakar will face questioning Monday in connection with public funds worth $2.85 million (2.7 million euros) allegedly embezzled by his office, he said while rejecting the allegations.

Khalifa Sall, who has run the city since 2009, held a press conference Sunday to defend himself against claims made by prosecutors that his office was unable to show receipts proving that funds earmarked for food for the city's population had been spent correctly.

Sall broke down in tears during the press event, explaining his family had been shocked by the accusations, and told journalists he would comply with a request to be questioned by criminal investigators on Monday.

But he hit out at what he said were politically motivated allegations and said he was ready to face scrutiny over the missing cash.

"I am ready to go before the court with all those who accuse me," Sall said.

Sall, a rebel member of the Socialist Party, part of the country's ruling coalition, had been seen as a probable contender in the 2019 presidential elections, and has claimed a plot may be under way to remove him from the running.

He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing after a government monitor published a report raising a flag about missing funds.
Malian army soldiers, pro-government militia members and former rebels, predominantly Tuaregs, take part in a joint patrol in Gao in northern Mali in February 2017

At least 11 soldiers were killed in Mali on Sunday in an attack on an army base near the border with Burkina Faso, as rival armed factions surrounded the flashpoint city of Timbuktu.

The jihadist attack on the border village of Boulekessi killed 11 troops and wounded five more, according to an official toll from the defence ministry read out on national television.

"One of our positions was attacked early Sunday morning by terrorists, on the border with Burkina Faso," a highly-placed Malian military source told AFP on condition of anonymity earlier Sunday.

French forces stationed in the troubled west African nation sent helicopters to help Malian forces assess the attack site, the source later added, and 20 soldiers had crossed into Burkinabe territory to flee the violence.

A regional security source said the attack was carried out by Ansarul Islam, a jihadist group that claimed an attack in December in which 12 Burkinabe soldiers were killed.

Ansarul Islam is led by Burkinabe Malam Ibrahim Dicko, a radical preacher who wants to create an Islamist "kingdom" in the region, experts say.

There was no official claim of responsibility from the group.

Dozens of soldiers were killed in a suicide attack on an army base on January 18 in Gao, northern Mali.

But jihadist attacks like Sunday's have increased in Mali's centre, having previously been largely confined to the restive north.

A resident of Douentza, the county seat near the base, said the assailants had looted or torched large amounts of military hardware.

The Malian army told AFP that a team had been dispatched to assess the damage and provide reinforcements.

- Timbuktu surrounded -

Meanwhile in Timbuktu, northern Mali, residents said their city was entirely surrounded by rival armed groups, blocking all entry and exit points.

"They have taken position everywhere outside the city. We are very scared of being caught in crossfire," said the resident of Abaroudjou, a neighbourhood on the city's outer edge.

Witnesses told AFP shots were fired on the city outskirts and the main road to Timbuktu was cut off by mid-evening.

The tensions relate to Boubacar Ould Hamadi, an ex-separatist rebel who was awarded a position as head of an interim regional authority in Timbuktu that will pave the way for elections to be held when security improves.

Internal conflicts within the former rebel alliance have delayed Hamadi taking his position until Monday, and appeared to have erupted anew ahead of the deadline.

The government maintains that the heads of the new regional authorities in Timbuktu and Taoudenit will still begin work Monday.

Mali's north fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels and jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda in 2012, who were largely ousted by a French-led military operation in January 2013.

But the implementation of a peace accord struck in 2015 has been piecemeal, and insurgents who refused to sign the deal are still active across large parts of the country.

Meanwhile, three jihadist groups active in the Sahel region announced Thursday that they would merge to form a single organisation, raising fears of more attacks and better coordination by insurgents operating in Mali.
People forced by Boko Haram from their homes have frequently accused Nigerian authorities of corruption and poor aid management

Thousands of Nigerian women forced from their homes by Boko Haram jihadists held a protest on Sunday to demand better conditions as UN Security Council envoys visited their camp, an AFP journalist saw.

The demonstrators accused local authorities and aid agencies of exacerbating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, which the UN says has left northeastern Nigeria on the brink of famine.

They also accused local aid agencies of diverting assistance that should have gone to the 15,000 displaced people living in the Teachers Village camp near the flashpoint city of Maiduguri.

The women held their protest as 15 ambassadors from the UN's top decision-making body visited the camp in northeastern Nigeria, seeking to draw global attention to the emergency affecting 21 million people in the Lake Chad region.

The region straddles Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger. The UN envoys are visiting all four nations on their mission, which began Friday in Cameroon and will end Monday in Abuja.

The humanitarian emergency afflicting the area was triggered by the Boko Haram insurgency, which erupted in Nigeria in 2009. Poor governance and climate change have also been powerful contributors to the crisis.

"We told the (UN) delegation about our long-standing grievances. There's no food, there is nothing good here for us," said 28-year-old Hajja Falmata, after she and several other displaced women met the envoys for half an hour.

"We were expelled from our homes by Boko Haram and we came to Maiduguri to seek refuge, but unfortunately we haven't been well treated," she added.

- Millions face food shortages -

Britain's envoy to the UN, Matthew Rycroft, had said at the start of the mission to the region that the ambassadors' aim was to "show that this will no longer be a neglected crisis".

"You can't tackle terrorism effectively without also tackling poverty, without also thinking about education and employment and protection of civilians and human rights and the rights in particular of women and girls who are disproportionately affected," Rycroft said Sunday.

People forced by Boko Haram from their homes have frequently accused Nigerian authorities of corruption and poor aid management.

The government has responded by launching several enquiries.

In a statement Sunday, the UN said its visit to Nigeria was aimed at gathering "first-hand information on the various issues affecting the country...

"The delegation will use the mission to engage with Federal and State Authorities, (and) actors on the ground," it added.

The UN envoys' visit began a week after UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres set off alarm bells over the threat of famine in northeast Nigeria, the epicentre of Boko Haram's insurgency.

The UN is seeking $1.5 billion in funding for 2017 for the Lake Chad region -- almost half of which is needed for northeast Nigeria, where 5.1 million people face acute food shortages.

Fourteen donor countries have pledged $672 million in emergency aid. While the sum is just a fraction of what is needed, the UN is optimistic its target will be met.
Trump seeks Congress' help on wiretap claim; FBI disputes it

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - President Donald Trump turned to Congress on Sunday for help finding evidence to support his unsubstantiated claim that former President Barack Obama had Trump's telephones tapped during the election. Obama's intelligence chief said no such action was ever carried out, and a U.S. official said the FBI has asked the Justice Department to dispute the allegation.

Republican leaders of Congress appeared willing to honor the president's request, but the move has potential risks for the president, particularly if the House and Senate intelligence committees unearth damaging information about Trump, his aides or his associates.

Trump claimed in a series of tweets without evidence Saturday that his predecessor had tried to undermine him by tapping the telephones at Trump Tower, the New York skyscraper where Trump based his campaign and transition operations, and maintains a home.

Obama's director of national intelligence, James Clapper, said nothing matching Trump's claims had taken place.

"Absolutely, I can deny it," said Clapper, who left government when Trump took office in January. Other representatives for the former president also denied Trump's allegation.

___

AP-NORC Poll: Divided Americans fret country losing identity

NEW YORK (AP) - Add one more to the list of things dividing left and right in this country: We can't even agree what it means to be an American.

A new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds Republicans are far more likely to cite a culture grounded in Christian beliefs and the traditions of early European immigrants as essential to U.S. identity.

Democrats are more apt to point to the country's history of mixing of people from around the globe and a tradition of offering refuge to the persecuted.

While there's disagreement on what makes up the American identity, 7 in 10 people - regardless of party - say the country is losing that identity.

"It's such stark divisions," said Lynele Jones, a 65-year-old accountant in Boulder, Colorado. Like many Democrats, Jones pointed to diversity and openness to refugees and other immigrants as central components of being American.

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Republicans in Maine, Utah want Trump to undo monuments

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Republican leaders in Maine and Utah are asking President Donald Trump to step into uncharted territory and rescind national monument designations made by his predecessor.

The Antiquities Act of 1906 doesn't give the president power to undo a designation, and no president has ever taken such a step. But Trump isn't like other presidents.

Former President Barack Obama used his power under the act to permanently preserve more land and water using national monument designations than any other president. The land is generally off limits to timber harvesting, mining and pipelines, and commercial development.

Obama created the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine last summer on 87,500 acres of donated forestland. The expanse includes part of the Penobscot River and stunning views of Mount Katahdin, Maine's tallest mountain. In Utah, the former president created Bears Ears National Monument on 1.3 million acres of land that's sacred to Native Americans and is home to tens of thousands of archaeological sites, including ancient cliff dwellings.

Trump's staff is now reviewing those decisions by the Obama administration to determine economic impacts, whether the law was followed and whether there was appropriate consultation with local officials, the White House told The Associated Press.

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Trump hotel may be political capital of the nation's capital

WASHINGTON (AP) - At a circular booth in the middle of the Trump International Hotel's balcony restaurant, President Donald Trump dined on his steak - well-done, with ketchup - while chatting with British Brexit politician Nigel Farage.

A few days later, major Republican donors Doug Deason and Doug Manchester, in town for the president's address to Congress, sipped coffee at the hotel with Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif.

After Trump's speech, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin returned to his Washington residence - the hotel - and strode past the gigantic American flag in the soaring lobby. With his tiny terrier tucked under an arm, Mnuchin stepped into an elevator with reality TV star and hotel guest Dog the Bounty Hunter, who particularly enjoyed the Trump-stamped chocolates in his room.

It's just another week at the new political capital of the nation's capital.

The $200 million hotel inside the federally owned Old Post Office building has become the place to see, be seen, drink, network - even live - for the still-emerging Trump set. It's a rich environment for lobbyists and anyone hoping to rub elbows with Trump-related politicos - despite a veil of ethics questions that hangs overhead.

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Trump expected to sign new travel ban order

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is preparing to sign a revised executive order temporarily barring the entry of people from certain Muslim-majority countries and halting the nation's refugee program.

A White House official says plans to roll out the order are on track for Monday. The official insisted on anonymity in order to discuss the order ahead of the official announcement.

The new order has been in the works since shortly after a federal court blocked Trump's initial effort, but the administration has repeatedly pushed back the signing.

Trump administration officials have said the new order aims to overcome the legal challenges to the first. Its goal will be the same: keep would-be terrorists out of the United States while the government reviews the vetting system for refugees and visa applicants from certain parts of the world.

Trump's original orders temporarily blocked citizens of Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Libya from coming to the United States and put on hold the U.S. refugee program.

___

Seoul: North Korea fires 4 ballistic missiles into ocean

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea on Monday fired four banned ballistic missiles that flew about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), with three of them landing in Japan's exclusive economic zone, South Korean and Japanese officials said, in an apparent reaction to huge military drills by Washington and Seoul that Pyongyang insists are an invasion rehearsal.

It was not immediately clear the exact type of missile fired; Pyongyang has staged a series of missile test-launches of various ranges in recent months, including a new intermediate-range missile in February. The ramped-up tests come as leader Kim Jong Un pushes for a nuclear and missile program that can deter what he calls U.S. and South Korean hostility toward the North.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday's firing shows that North Korea has become "a new kind of threat." Japanese officials said three of the four missiles landed in the 200-nautical-mile offshore area where Tokyo has sovereign rights for exploring and exploiting resources.

South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff said in a statement that Monday's launches were made from the Tongchang-ri area in North Pyongan province. The area is the home of the North's Seohae Satellite Station where it has conducted prohibited long-range rocket launches in recent years.

Seoul and Washington call their military drills on the Korean Peninsula, which remains in a technical state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice and not a peace treaty, defensive and routine.

___

Income tax audits plummet as IRS loses agents to budget cuts

WASHINGTON (AP) - As millions of Americans file their income tax returns, their chances of getting audited by the IRS have rarely been so low.

The number of people audited by the IRS in 2016 year dropped for the sixth straight year, to just over 1 million. The last time so few people were audited was 2004. Since then, the U.S. has added about 30 million people.

The IRS blames budget cuts as money for the agency shrunk from $12.2 billion in 2010 to $11.2 billion last year. Over that period, the agency has lost more than 17,000 employees, including nearly 7,000 enforcement agents. A little more than 80,000 people work at the IRS.

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said budget cuts are costing the federal government between $4 billion and $8 billion a year in uncollected taxes.

"We are the only agency if you give us more people and money, we give you more money back," Koskinen said in an interview.

___

Liver transplant surgical pioneer Dr. Thomas Starzl dies

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Dr. Thomas Starzl, who pioneered liver transplant surgery in the 1960s and was a leading researcher into anti-rejection drugs, has died. He was 90.

The University of Pittsburgh, speaking on behalf of Starzl's family, said the renowned doctor died Saturday at his home in Pittsburgh.

Starzl performed the world's first liver transplant in 1963 and the world's first successful liver transplant in 1967, and pioneered kidney transplantation from cadavers. He later perfected the process by using identical twins and, eventually, other blood relatives as donors.

Since Starzl's first successful liver transplant, thousands of lives have been saved by similar operations.

"We regard him as the father of transplantation," said Dr. Abhinav Humar, clinical director of the Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute. "His legacy in transplantation is hard to put into words - it's really immense."

___

What to do when pulled over: A new chapter for driver's ed?

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Deadly encounters between police officers and motorists have lawmakers across the country thinking driver's education should require students to be taught what to do in a traffic stop.

A North Carolina bill would require instructors to describe "appropriate interactions with law enforcement officers." Illinois passed a similar law recently, and another awaits the Virginia governor's signature. Mississippi, New Jersey and Rhode Island also are considering them.

Many lawmakers want to make police interactions more transparent and improve community relations, in particular with people who feel unjustly targeted or mistreated because of their skin color.

Most don't pretend to legislate exactly how drivers should react, leaving the details to be worked out by state law enforcement or education and driver's license agencies. The 2017 "Rules of the Road" for Illinois , published in February, could provide a model, making detailed "suggestions" about proper driver behavior.

"The goal here is to reduce what could be a tense situation that can be very stressful on both sides," said Dave Druker, with the Illinois Secretary of State's Office, which oversees licensing 2.2 million new and veteran drivers annually.

___

Flip the script: Cursive sees revival in school instruction

NEW YORK (AP) - Cursive writing is looping back into style in schools across the country after a generation of students who know only keyboarding, texting and printing out their words longhand.

Alabama and Louisiana passed laws in 2016 mandating cursive proficiency in public schools, the latest of 14 states that require cursive. And last fall, the 1.1 million-student New York City schools, the nation's largest public school system, encouraged the teaching of cursive to students, generally in the third grade.

"It's definitely not necessary but I think it's, like, cool to have it," said Emily Ma, a 17-year-old senior at New York City's academically rigorous Stuyvesant High School who was never taught cursive in school and had to learn it on her own.

Penmanship proponents say writing words in an unbroken line of swooshing l's and three-humped m's is just a faster, easier way of taking notes. Others say students should be able to understand documents written in cursive, such as, say, a letter from Grandma. And still more say it's just a good life skill to have, especially when it comes to signing your name.

That was where New York state Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis drew the line on the cursive generation gap, when she encountered an 18-year-old at a voter registration event who printed out his name in block letters.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - At least five members of the Afghan security forces were killed early Sunday morning when their checkpoint came under an insurgent attack in northeastern Kunduz province, an Afghan official said.

Gen. Abdul Hamid Hamid, provincial police chief in Kunduz, said a large group of Taliban fighters attacked the post near the city of Kunduz.

Meanwhile, 18 insurgents were killed by airstrikes in the Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province, according to a statement released by the Interior Ministry. Three others were wounded while five vehicles and an ammunition stockpile were destroyed, the statement added.

"The key terrorists killed in the operation were involved in planning and implementing several terror attacks in Kunduz province," said the statement.

Elsewhere in the northern province of Faryab, a district police chief died when a bomb that had been attached to his car detonated, said Karim Yuresh, spokesman for the provincial police chief. Another policeman was wounded in the explosion Saturday evening. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a separate incident in Faryab province, Yuresh said a local security forces commander was killed when insurgents attacked a police checkpoint.
JERUSALEM (AP) - Visiting New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that a recent rash of anti-Semitic acts in the United States was "reprehensible" and his state would have no tolerance for them.

In a visit to Israel, Cuomo made his first comments following the toppling of headstones at a Jewish cemetery this weekend in Brooklyn. It followed a series of vandalism attacks at Jewish cemeteries and more than 120 bomb threats to Jewish organizations in three dozen states since early January. In New York City alone, ant-Semitic hate crimes nearly doubled in the past year.

Speaking at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, Cuomo says the incidents "violated every tenant of the New York State tradition." He said the state has posted rewards and put together a special police unit to combat the phenomenon.

The Governor of New York Andrew M. Cuomo lays a wreath at the Hall of Remembrance at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, Sunday, March 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

"New York State by its definition is a celebration of diversity, it accepts all, we believe in the spirit of inclusion and we live by discrimination of none. New York's principles are built on a rock they will not change and the political wings will not change them," he said, alongside Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. "We have made it clear that there will be no tolerance for these acts of anti-Semitism."

The New York Police Department's hate crimes division is investigating the toppled headstones at Washington Cemetery in Brooklyn. It follows the targeting of a Jewish cemetery in Rochester, New York.

About 100 headstones were recently overturned in a Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia. That came about a week after a similar crime in Missouri. In Indiana, an apparent gunshot fired into a synagogue Tuesday has drawn the attention of the FBI.

Cuomo, who returns to New York Monday, will also meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, tour the Western Wall and attend a security briefing at Jerusalem's Old City Police Headquarters. He'll also host a New York State-Israel Economic Development working lunch with the mayor of Jerusalem.

The Governor of New York Andrew M. Cuomo, left, and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin shake hands at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, in Jerusalem, Sunday, March 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

The Governor of New York Andrew M. Cuomo lays a wreath at the Hall of Remembrance at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, in Jerusalem, Sunday, March 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

The Governor of New York Andrew M. Cuomo rekindles the Eternal flame at the Hall of Remembrance at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, in Jerusalem, Sunday, March 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

The Governor of New York Andrew M. Cuomo visits the Hall of Names at Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, Sunday, March 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

The Governor of New York Andrew M. Cuomo looks at photographs of Jews who were killed during the Holocaust, in the Hall of Names at Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, in Jerusalem, Sunday, March 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

The Governor of New York Andrew M. Cuomo lays a wreath at the Hall of Remembrance at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, in Jerusalem, Sunday, March 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

The Governor of New York Andrew M. Cuomo looks at photographs of Jews who were killed during the Holocaust, in the Hall of Names at Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, in Jerusalem, Sunday, March 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

The Governor of New York Andrew M. Cuomo, left, and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin shake hands at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, in Jerusalem, Sunday, March 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

The Governor of New York Andrew M. Cuomo looks at pictures of Jews killed during the Holocaust, in the Hall of Names at Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, Sunday, March 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)
Cursive writing is looping back into style in schools across the country after a generation of students who know only keyboarding, texting and printing out their words longhand.

Alabama and Louisiana passed laws in 2016 mandating cursive proficiency in public schools, the latest of 14 states that require cursive.

And last fall, the 1.1million-student New York City schools, the nation's largest public school system, encouraged the teaching of cursive to students, generally in the third grade.

'It's definitely not necessary but I think it's, like, cool to have it,' said Emily Ma, a 17-year-old senior at New York City's academically rigorous Stuyvesant High School who was never taught cursive in school and had to learn it on her own.

Attention to detail: A third-grader practices his cursive handwriting at P.S. 166 in the Queens borough of New York. Cursive writing is looping back into style in schools across the country

Handiwork: Students display some of their cursive writing work and exercises at P.S. 166

Penmanship proponents say writing words in an unbroken line of swooshing l's and three-humped m's is just a faster, easier way of taking notes.

Others say students should be able to understand documents written in cursive, such as, say, a letter from Grandma.

And still more say it's just a good life skill to have, especially when it comes to signing your name.

That was where New York state Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis drew the line on the cursive generation gap, when she encountered an 18-year-old at a voter registration event who printed out his name in block letters.

'I said to him, "No, you have to sign here,"' Malliotakis said. 'And he said, "That is my signature. I never learned script."'

Malliotakis, a Republican from the New York City borough of Staten Island, took her concerns to city education officials and found a receptive audience.

Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina distributed a handbook on teaching cursive writing in September and is encouraging principals to use it.

It cites research suggesting that fluent cursive helps students master writing tasks such as spelling and sentence construction because they don't have to think as much about forming letters.

Practice makes perfect: Christine Weltner watches one of her students practice his cursive handwriting

Advantages: Penmanship proponents say writing words in an unbroken line is just a faster, easier way of taking notes

Malliotakis also noted that students who can't read cursive will never be able to read historical documents. 'If an American student cannot read the Declaration of Independence, that is sad.'

It's hard to pinpoint exactly when cursive writing began to fall out of favor.

But cursive instruction was in decline long before 2010, when most states adopted the Common Core curriculum standards, which say nothing about handwriting.

Some script skeptics question the advantage of cursive writing over printing and wonder whether teaching it takes away from other valuable instruction.

Anne Trubek, author of 'The History and Uncertain Future of Handwriting,' said schools should not require cursive mastery any more than they should require all children to play a musical instrument.

'I think students would all benefit from learning the piano,' she said, 'but I don't think schools should require all students take piano lessons.'

Example: A sample of cursive letters are on display in the third-grade classroom at P.S. 166

At P.S. 166 in Queens, Principal Jessica Geller said there was never a formal decision over the years to banish the teaching of cursive.

'We just got busy with the addition of technology, and we started focusing on computers,' she said.

Third-graders at the school beamed as they prepared for a cursive lesson this past week.

The 8-year-olds got their markers out, straightened their posture and flexed their wrists.

Then it was 'swoosh, curl, swoosh, curl,' as teacher Christine Weltner guided the students in writing linked-together c's and a's.

Norzim Lama said he prefers cursive writing to printing 'cause it looks fancy'.

Camille Santos said cursive is 'actually like doodling a little bit'.

Added Araceli Lazaro: 'It's a really fascinating way to write, and I really think that everybody should learn about writing in script'.
WASHINGTON (AP) - As millions of Americans file their income tax returns, their chances of getting audited by the IRS have rarely been so low.

The number of people audited by the IRS in 2016 year dropped for the sixth straight year, to just over 1 million. The last time so few people were audited was 2004. Since then, the U.S. has added about 30 million people.

The IRS blames budget cuts as money for the agency shrunk from $12.2 billion in 2010 to $11.2 billion last year. Over that period, the agency has lost more than 17,000 employees, including nearly 7,000 enforcement agents. A little more than 80,000 people work at the IRS.

FILE - In this March 22, 2013 file photo, the exterior of the Internal Revenue Service building in Washington. As millions of Americans file their income tax returns, their chances of getting audited by the IRS have rarely been so low. The number of people audited by the IRS last year dropped for the sixth straight year, to just over 1 million. The last time so few people were audited was 2004, when the population was significantly smaller. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said budget cuts are costing the federal government between $4 billion and $8 billion a year in uncollected taxes.

"We are the only agency if you give us more people and money, we give you more money back," Koskinen said in an interview.

So is it safe to cheat on your taxes? Not necessarily, according to tax experts.

"I don't think it's open season for people to cheat," said Joseph Perry, a partner at the accounting firm Marcum. "I think there are a certain group of people that will always try to push the envelope to get away with things that they think they can get away with."

As Koskinen put it: "If you're a taxpayer, you don't want to roll the roulette wheel and have the little white ball land on your number because then we're not very happy."

Most people don't have much of an opportunity to cheat on their taxes because the IRS collects a lot of information to verify taxpayers' finances. Employers report wages, banks report interest, brokerages report capital gains and lenders report mortgage interest.

In 2016, the number of people audited by the IRS dropped by 16 percent from the year before. Just 0.7 percent of individuals were audited, either in person or by mail. That's the lowest audit rate since 2003.

The higher your income, the more likely you are to get audited. The IRS audited 1.7 percent of returns that reported more than $200,000 in income. Agents audited 5.8 percent of returns that reported more than $1 million in income.

Both audit rates were steep declines from the year before.

The most well-known audit in Washington is one on President Donald Trump, who has cited it in refusing to release his tax returns. The IRS, however, has said an audit would not prevent an individual from releasing the returns.

Corporate audits were down by 17 percent last year. Just 0.49 percent of corporations were audited, the lowest rate in at least a decade.

Republicans in Congress began cutting money at the IRS after they took control of both the House and Senate in the 2010 elections. They became more enthusiastic about the spending cuts after it became public that the agency had improperly singled out conservative political groups for extra scrutiny when they applied for tax-exempt status during the 2010 and 2012 elections.

Koskinen was not at the IRS when the political groups were mistreated, but some Republicans in Congress have been unhappy with his cooperation in their investigations.

When asked about IRS money, many Republican lawmakers inevitably mention the mistreatment of conservative groups.

"Go look at all the areas where they've wasted money, mismanaged taxpayer resources," said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. "Not to mention the fact that, you know, one of the reasons we went after them so hard is they did target people for their political views."

Democrats argue that it's a costly move.

"You know, when somebody doesn't pay, that means that others pay more," said Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee. "But I think there's no question that the majority (Republicans) here and apparently the president, they have had a target on the IRS."

Tony Reardon, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents IRS workers, questioned Trump's proposal to increase military spending by billions while the GOP targets the IRS.

"The IRS collects 93 percent of our nation's revenue. You cannot increase defense spending and cut IRS funding at the same time. It does not add up," Reardon said.

Most federal agencies are bracing for budget cuts under the Trump administration, though Koskinen said he is making the case that the IRS already "gave at the office." It's unclear, however, how much influence Koskinen will have in the Trump administration. He was appointed by President Barack Obama and his term ends in November.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin offered the IRS a bone at his confirmation hearing when he acknowledged that adding agents would increase tax revenues. The department oversees the IRS, and Mnuchin was appointed by Trump.

"I can assure you that the president-elect understands the concept of where we add people and we make money," Mnuchin said at the hearing, which was held before Trump's inauguration. "He'll get that completely. That's a very quick conversation with Donald Trump."

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Follow Stephen Ohlemacher on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephenatap
BERLIN (AP) - Germany planned to close its border with Austria and turn back asylum-seekers in September 2015, a move that could have dramatically changed the course of the European refugee crisis that was at its peak at the time, according to a German newspaper.

The Welt am Sonntag reported Sunday that Chancellor Angela Merkel and her ministers agreed Sept. 12 to send thousands of police to the border, where they were to turn back migrants who didn't have documents entitling them to enter Germany - "including in case of asylum request."

The plan was halted hours before it was due to take effect on Sept. 13 after officials raised concerns about the border closure during an emergency meeting at Germany's Interior Ministry, the paper reported .

FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2015 file photo, a young boy looks at police officers after he and other migrants were pulled out of a train by German Federal Police at the train station of the southern German border town Passau, German newspaper 'Welt am Sonntag' reports that the government planned to close the border with Austria and turn back asylum-seekers in September 2015, but nixed the plan at the last minute., the paper reported Sunday March 5, 2017. The interior ministry said in a statement it could "neither confirm nor deny" the report. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber,file)

Citing interviews with several unnamed high-ranking officials involved, Welt am Sonntag reported that ministers didn't want to take responsibility for a decision that might have been illegal under German and European law. The possibility of unpopular images of police officers blocking women and children was reportedly also a concern, resulting in a change to the police order that effectively allowed all asylum-seekers to enter the country.

The interior ministry said in a statement to The Associated Press that it could "neither confirm nor deny" the report.

Had the plan been implemented, tens of thousands of migrants who were making their way northward to Germany in the fall of 2015 would likely have been stranded as countries along the route closed their borders to avoid taking them in.

It would also have marked a sharp turnaround for Merkel, who only days earlier had effectively opened Germany's borders to migrants who were stuck in Hungary, citing humanitarian reasons.

More than half a million people - many of them Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans fleeing conflicts in their home countries- entered Germany in the last three months of 2015.

A EU deal with Turkey to prevent migrants from reaching Europe and tighter asylum rules have resulted in a marked drop in arrivals since then.

___

Follow Frank Jordans on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/wirereporter

FILE - In this Oct. 25, 2015 areial view file photo, a column of migrants moves through fields after crossing from Croatia, in Rigonce, Slovenia. A German newspaper reports that the government planned to close the border with Austria and turn back asylum-seekers in September 2015, but nixed the plan at the last minute., the paper reported Sunday March 5, 2017. The interior ministry said in a statement it could "neither confirm nor deny" the report. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic.File)

FILE - In this Oct. 28, 2015 file photo German federal police officers guide a group of migrants on their way after crossing the border between Austria and Germany in Wegscheid near Passau, Germany. German newspaper 'Welt am Sonntag' reports that the government planned to close the border with Austria and turn back asylum-seekers in September 2015, but nixed the plan at the last minute., the paper reported Sunday March 5, 2017. The interior ministry said in a statement it could "neither confirm nor deny" the report. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson,file)

FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2015 file photo a police officer, right, advises refugees to follow him after they were pulled out of a train by German Federal Police at the train station of the south German border town of Passau. German newspaper 'Welt am Sonntag' reports that the government planned to close the border with Austria and turn back asylum-seekers in September 2015, but nixed the plan at the last minute., the paper reported Sunday March 5, 2017. The interior ministry said in a statement it could "neither confirm nor deny" the report. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber,file)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Filmmaker Gabrielle Burton says she didn't plan for her documentary about the drag scene in Ohio's capital city to achieve wider distribution at a time of political and cultural division.

But becoming comfortable with complex subjects is something everyone needs at the moment, Burton says.

"Kings, Queens, & In-Betweens" had screenings in Columbus and New York last Friday and becomes available on iTunes, Amazon and some cable providers next week.

This undated photo provided by Five Sisters Productions shows a poster for the film "Kings, Queens & In-Betweens," by filmmaker Gabrielle Burton. The documentary profiles the drag queen scene in Ohio's capital city of Columbus. (Five Sisters Productions via AP)

The film profiles eight drag performers and their companies in Columbus, which has long had a reputation as a gay-friendly town, including one of the country's biggest Pride festivals.

"If it exists here, you know that it's going to be present everywhere," Burton said.

The film hadn't been released yet when the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 legalized gay marriage in all 50 states. Last year, President Barack Obama instructed public schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond to their gender identity. These developments led Burton to joke that her film might become obsolete.

Then, President Donald Trump's election raised concerns in the LGBT community that some civil rights could be rolled back.

Trump rescinded Obama's transgender bathroom order last month. That resulted in a mixed message, since in January the White House released a statement declaring Trump would enforce an Obama administration order barring workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual identity.

Elsewhere, efforts have stalled in North Carolina to repeal that state's "bathroom bill," which requires transgender people to use restrooms in public buildings that correspond to the sex on their birth certificates.

Some states are considering so-called "religious exemption" laws that would allow some businesses and civil servants to refuse services to LGBT people if their decisions were deemed to be based on religious belief.

In Ohio, a committee in the GOP-controlled House is weighing a bill that would protect ministers who refuse to perform gay weddings.

Everything going on now "kind of shows even more how much engagement the film can do and how important that is," Burton said.

The film is unique in its examination of a variety of drag performers. The people Burton profiles include men performing as women, women performing as men, women and men performing with exaggerated femininity and masculinity, and transgender performers who don't always consider their performance drag.

One of the people featured in the movie, Andrew Levitt, started performing in drag after graduating from Denison University in central Ohio.

Today, under the stage name Nina West, Levitt does shows in Columbus and elsewhere four to five days a week, on top of a day job in social media marketing.

Levitt, 38, who is gay, says he aims to be both entertaining and to serve an LGBT activist when he's onstage.

"My role is really to be both an escape, and a voice," Levitt said.

Burton runs "Five Sisters Productions" with her four real-life sisters. The company has made other documentaries and feature films, including 2002's "Manna from Heaven" with Shirley Jones and Cloris Leachman. An unproduced screenplay, "The Sky's The Limit," focuses on the 13 women tested to be astronauts in 1961.

Burton says her goal is telling stories that give people hope for change but are also entertaining. She lives in suburban Delaware near Columbus with her husband and two children.

"These movies each have a sense of, 'That people are good people and the world can be a good place,'" Burton said.

___

This story has been corrected to show the title is "Kings, Queens, & In-Betweens," not "Queens, Kings, & In-Betweens."

___

Andrew Welsh-Huggins can be reached on Twitter at https://twitter.com/awhcolumbus. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/andrew-welsh-huggins
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump's claim that then-President Barack Obama had Trump's telephones tapped during last year's election (all times EST):

9 p.m.

Congressional Democrats are seeking details about reports of contacts between the White House and the Justice Department concerning the FBI's ongoing review of efforts by the Russian government to unlawfully influence the U.S. presidential election.

FILE - In this Feb. 27, 2017 file photo, President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Trump is accusing former President Barack Obama of having Trump's telephones ``wire tapped'' during last year's election, but Trump isn't offering any evidence or saying what prompted the allegation. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

House Judiciary Committee Democrats plan a letter to White House counsel Donald McGahn noting the contacts were inappropriate. Judiciary Democrats will also send a similar letter to FBI Director James Comey.

The Democrats cited reports of the White House contacting the Justice Department and FBI asking them to knock down reports of communications between Trump associates and Russians during the campaign. Comey hasn't done so, and Democrats want to know details of those communications.

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7 p.m.

A U.S. official tells The Associated Press that the FBI has asked the Justice Department to dispute allegations made on Twitter by President Donald Trump that Barack Obama as president ordered the tapping of Trump's phones during the presidential campaign

The official isn't authorized to discuss the situation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores has declined to comment on the matter, and an FBI spokesman also isn't commenting.

The New York Times reports that FBI Director James Comey has argued that the claim is false and has to be corrected.

The Justice Department has not issued any statement in an effort to refute Trump's assertion.

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6:20 p.m.

The New York Times is reporting that the director of the FBI has asked the Justice Department to publicly reject President Donald Trump's assertion that Barack Obama as president ordered the tapping of Trump's phones during the presidential campaign.

The Times reports on its website that senior American officials tell the newspaper that FBI Director James Comey has argued that the claim is false and must be corrected. No such statement has been issued by the Justice Department.

The Times reports that the officials say Comey wants the claim rejected publicly because it falsely insinuates that the FBI broke the law.

Trump made the allegation of tapped phones at Trump Tower in a series of tweets Saturday but cited no evidence. An Obama spokesman says the allegation is false.

A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment on the Times report.

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12:45 p.m.

House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes says President Donald Trump's allegations that the Obama administration wiretapped Trump Tower last year will become part of his panel's investigation.

Trump has offered no evidence or details to support his claim, and Obama's spokesman has denied it.

The California Republican says in a statement his committee "will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political party's campaign officials or surrogates."

The committee was already investigating Russian interference in the presidential election.

Without offering evidence, Trump claimed in a series of Saturday tweets that former President Barack Obama had telephones at Trump Tower wiretapped.

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11:10 a.m.

A Republican member of the Senate Intelligence Committee says he believes President Donald Trump's unsubstantiated allegations that his predecessor ordered wiretaps of Trump Tower will become part of the committee's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton says, "We're going to follow the facts wherever they lead us. And I'm sure that this matter will be a part of that inquiry."

Trump has provided no evidence of his tweeted accusation that former President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower during the 2016 presidential campaign.

And Cotton said he has not seen any evidence of official wiretapping.

Cotton tells "Fox News Sunday," ''That doesn't mean that none of these things happened. It simply means I haven't seen that yet."

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11 a.m.

The senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee is calling President Donald Trump's tweeted allegations that the Obama administration had wiretapped Trump Tower without revealing evidence "very reckless."

Sen. Mark Warner says, "This feels like an attempt where the president is trying to distract us by throwing out unsubstantiated information."

Trump has offered no supporting evidence for his claims and a spokesman for Obama denied the claim as "simply false."

The Virginia Democrat tells CBS's "Face The Nation" that he was not aware of any official intelligence order seeking wiretaps of then-presidential candidate Trump, and Trump's tweets made it sound like he didn't know how legal wiretaps are authorized.

Warner says, "To make that type of claim without any evidence is, I think, very reckless."

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10:35 a.m.

A White House spokeswoman says President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions likely discussed a new executive order over dinner on Saturday night.

But White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders did not specify what the new order would say. The White House is expected to soon release a new executive order replacing the one barring people from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

The meeting comes days after the attorney general withdrew from overseeing the FBI probe into Russian interference in the presidential election. During his confirmation proceedings, Sessions did not disclose his campaign-season contacts with a Russian ambassador.

Sanders also tells ABC's "This Week": "The president believes that Jeff Sessions is a good man and that he didn't do anything wrong."

___

10:05 a.m.

The former director of national intelligence in the Obama administration denies there was a secret court order for surveillance at Trump Tower.

James Clapper says that in the national intelligence activity he oversaw, "there was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president, the president-elect at the time, as a candidate or against his campaign."

Clapper says as intelligence director he would have known about a "FISA court order on something like this. Absolutely, I can deny it."

He left the White House on January 20 when Trump took office.

Clapper's comments on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday came after President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower in the last stages of the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has provided no basis for his allegations.

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10:00 a.m.

Sen. Marco Rubio is on the Senate Intelligence Committee and he says the White House "will have to answer as to what exactly" President Donald Trump was referring to when he claimed former President Barack Obama had Trump Tower wiretapped during the 2016 presidential election.

Presidents cannot order the surveillance of private citizens.

Rubio - a Florida Republican who ran against Trump last year - was interviewed on NBC's "Meet the Press."

___

9:55 a.m.

The top House Democrat says it's "just ridiculous" for President Donald Trump to claim that former President Barack Obama would ever have ordered any wiretap of an American citizen.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi says "we don't do that" and she calls the charge a "smear."

The White House now wants Congress to investigate whether executive powers were abused in connection with the 2016 election.

Pelosi tells CNN's "State of the Union" that Trump is following the playbook of making something up, having the media report it and then saying everybody is writing about it.

The California Democrat says that's "a tool of an authoritarian" - to always having people "talking about what you want them to be talking about."

___

9:50 a.m.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders called for a congressional investigation of allegations that the former Obama administration ordered wiretaps of Trump Tower during the last presidential campaign. But Sanders refused to say where the current president got his information or why he blamed the former president.

Sanders says on ABC's "This Week": "If they're going to investigate Russia ties, let's include this as part of it. That's what we're asking."

Sanders would not elaborate on what the president meant, saying his tweets speak for themselves. She also would not say exactly where the president got his information.

Without being specific, Sanders says Trump is "going off information that he's seen that have led him to believe that. ... And if it is, this is the greatest overreach and the greatest abuse of power that I think we've ever seen and a huge attack on democracy itself."

___

9:15 a.m.

The White House says it wants the congressional committees that are investigating Russian interference in last year's U.S. presidential election to also examine whether "executive branch investigative powers" were abused in 2016.

That's a reference to President Donald Trump's claim in a series of Saturday tweets that former President Barack Obama had telephones at Trump Tower wiretapped.

Trump has offered no evidence or details to support his claim, and Obama's spokesman has denied it.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer says there'll be no further White House comment until the committees conclude their work.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., right, and the committee's ranking member Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., leave after talking to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 2, 2017, following a briefing with FBI Director Jim Comey about Russian influence on the American presidential election. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - It was the swag-bags that convinced community health organizer Julia Liou to redraw the battle plan in a fight to reduce the hazardous chemical exposures of nail-salon workers, most of them low-paid Asian immigrant women.

In 2005, Liou watched at California's state Capitol as dozens of lobbyists gave away bags of lipsticks and other beauty goodies to excited legislative staffers. It was part of the beauty and chemical industries' effort to defeat a bill to ban one of the thousands of industrial compounds used to make manicure and pedicures prettier and longer lasting.

Liou and her colleagues lost on that bill. But the state Capitol cluster-swag emerged as a defining lesson for Liou, underscoring how hard it would always be to go lobbyist-for-lobbyist against the U.S. beauty industry, with its $62 billion in estimated revenue last year.

In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, photo, Lan-Anh Truong performs a manicure at her Leann's Nails in Alameda, Calif. All previous efforts to limit nail-salon workers' exposure to harmful chemicals through legislation failed because of opposition from the chemical and beauty-products industry. But starting in 2010, Bay Area salon workers, immigrant women often with poor English and little idea of their rights, waged a grassroots campaign that has succeeded in establishing a county-health-department certified system of healthy nail salons in California. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

That episode has given rise to a San Francisco Bay Area grass-roots campaign of salon workers, health workers and local officials that has taken hold in California and is gaining increasing national support and recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and others.

"I realized we need to bring the voices of the community there ... to really articulate what was really happening, what workers were experiencing on the health side," said Liou, development director of Asian Health Services, a clinic and outreach program in Oakland's Chinatown where staffers first took note more than a decade ago of how many nail-salon workers were dealing with cancer, headaches, miscarriages and other health problems.

Since then, the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative that Liou co-founded has spearheaded a California effort to reduce the toxicants that salon workers touch and breathe. Cities and counties taking part in the program certify salon owners who voluntarily ban suspect ingredients and nail products and who provide proper ventilation, gloves and masks for workers.

Last year, California lawmakers passed legislation supporting the certification program.

The health complaints voiced by the country's more than 400,000 nail-salon workers, mostly immigrants from Vietnam, the Philippines, South Korea and other Asian countries and many with limited English or political experience, have gotten more attention over the last decade.

In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has mandated ventilation systems and other measures to reduce chemical exposure in nail salons. Some businesses and local groups around the U.S. have tried self-certifying healthy nail salons.

But California's voluntary program stands out for the local government certification and for giving salon owners and workers the say on what health measures salons could best afford, as well as the training and encouragement to speak out on their health concerns.

One morning this winter, TV crews, state and federal officials, and salon workers crowded inside a storefront nail salon in the San Francisco suburb of Alameda. The gathering celebrated the salon as one of the newest of 143 in the Bay Area and the Southern California city of Santa Monica to win local government certification as a healthy salon.

On the sidewalk outside, the owner of another salon, Van Nguyen, stood and cried.

In support of the program, Nguyen had told California policymakers of miscarriages she suffered and the debilitating skin ailments that plagued a son she carried to full term.

Having earlier won certification for her own San Francisco nail parlor, Nguyen, 46, was proud she had spoken out to protect other workers. But she mourned the harm she believes she did to her offspring through long days working with glues, removers and polishes.

"I had misfortune, but I did the best I can," Nguyen said. "I don't want anyone else to suffer like me."

Beauty product trade groups and chemical makers deny the ingredients targeted by healthy-salon programs, including formaldehyde and other chemicals known or believed to cause cancer or other harm, are dangerous at the levels used in products.

Regardless, leading manufacturers already have removed many chemicals most cited by critics, said Lisa Powers, spokeswoman for the Personal Care Products Council.

Overall, these ingredients provide a small and harmless part of what's in nail polish, said Linda Loretz, the council's chief toxicologist.

"A chemical gets a bad name in a very simplistic way," as opposed to risk-based science, Loretz said.

Critics counter that the country's scientific and medical communities have failed to study any long-term threat from the industrial compounds that salon workers may work with daily for years.

California's Department of Toxic Substances Control opened hearings this month to examine the safety of some of the most frequently questioned ingredients in nail polishes and other products. Karl Palmer, chief of the department's branch for safer consumer products, said the hearings could lead to recommendations for safer alternatives or other state action.

The EPA awarded the California program a $120,000 grant in part because it believes the model could expand nationally, said Matthew Tejada, director of the agency's office of environmental justice.

The involvement of salon-workers was critical to their success, he said.

"They're not looking to just make a policy critique on some intangible, philosophical point," Tejada said. "They're trying to make their lives better."

In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, photo, lemons are used to soften cuticles during a manicure at Leann's Nails in Alameda, Calif. All previous efforts to limit nail-salon workers' exposure to harmful chemicals through legislation failed because of opposition from the chemical and beauty-products industry. But starting in 2010, Bay Area salon workers, immigrant women often with poor English and little idea of their rights, waged a grassroots campaign that has succeeded in establishing a county-health-department certified system of healthy nail salons in California. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, photo, Van Nguyen, a nail salon worker who suspects the chemicals she worked with caused her miscarriages and her son's birth defects, attends an event at Leann's Nails in Alameda, Calif. All previous efforts to limit nail-salon workers' exposure to harmful chemicals through legislation failed because of opposition from the chemical and beauty-products industry. But starting in 2010, Bay Area salon workers, immigrant women often with poor English and little idea of their rights, waged a grassroots campaign that has succeeded in establishing a county-health-department certified system of healthy nail salons in California. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, photo, Kim Hoang, left, receives a pedicure at Leann's Nails in Alameda, Calif. All previous efforts to limit nail-salon workers' exposure to harmful chemicals through legislation failed because of opposition from the chemical and beauty-products industry. But starting in 2010, Bay Area salon workers, immigrant women often with poor English and little idea of their rights, waged a grassroots campaign that has succeeded in establishing a county-health-department certified system of healthy nail salons in California. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, photo, a banner promotes a healthy nail salon program outside Leann's Nails in Alameda, Calif. All previous efforts to limit nail-salon workers' exposure to harmful chemicals through legislation failed because of opposition from the chemical and beauty-products industry. But starting in 2010, Bay Area salon workers, immigrant women often with poor English and little idea of their rights, waged a grassroots campaign that has succeeded in establishing a county-health-department certified system of healthy nail salons in California. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, photo, a ventilation tube is seen on a manicurist's table at Leann's Nails in Alameda, Calif. All previous efforts to limit nail-salon workers' exposure to harmful chemicals through legislation failed because of opposition from the chemical and beauty-products industry. But starting in 2010, Bay Area salon workers, immigrant women often with poor English and little idea of their rights, waged a grassroots campaign that has succeeded in establishing a county-health-department certified system of healthy nail salons in California. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, photo, a wall rack is filled with polishes at Leann's Nails in Alameda, Calif. All previous efforts to limit nail-salon workers' exposure to harmful chemicals through legislation failed because of opposition from the chemical and beauty-products industry. But starting in 2010, Bay Area salon workers, immigrant women often with poor English and little idea of their rights, waged a grassroots campaign that has succeeded in establishing a county-health-department certified system of healthy nail salons in California. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's judiciary has indicted a member of the country's team that negotiated the nuclear deal with world powers, a spokesman said Sunday, likely an Iranian-Canadian national previously detained by authorities on suspicion of espionage.

An Iranian-American also faces charges after allegedly taking $3.1 million from people after promising to help them emigrate to foreign countries, judiciary spokesman Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejehi said, according to reports by Iran's official IRNA news agency.

In the case involving the nuclear team member, Ejehi said it would be up to a court to decide whether to try the individual charged. Ejehi did not directly name the team member who had been indicted, nor did he explain what charges the indictment carried.

However, Ejehi did say the person involved was a dual national with the initials D.E. That suggests the person indicted likely is Abdolrasoul Dorri Esfahani, a dual Iranian-Canadian national.

In August, hard-line news outlets said authorities detained Esfahani, who reportedly worked as a member of a parallel team focusing on lifting economic sanctions as part of the deal. He later was granted bail, which is rare in Iran for those accused of having committed a serious crime.

After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Esfahani reportedly served as a member of the Iranian team working at The Hague on disputes between Iran and the United States over pre-revolution purchases of military equipment from the U.S. by Iran. He is a member of the Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants in Canada. He also has served as an adviser to the head of Iran's Central Bank.

The Associated Press could not reach Esfahani for comment. John Babcock, a spokesman for Canada's Global Affairs department, said officials were aware of reports of the detention of a Canadian citizen in Iran, but declined to comment further.

The nuclear deal remains a sore spot for Iranian hard-liners, but it was a foreign policy victory for moderate President Hassan Rouhani. Rouhani is widely expected to seek a second term in Iran's May presidential election.

Meanwhile, Ejehi announced the case against the unnamed Iranian-American, who presumably faces fraud charges.

"The person has been detained but they were not a government official," he said.

The U.S. State Department said it was "aware of media reports alleging the detention of an American citizen in Iran," but declined to comment further.

There have been several Iranian-Americans detained in the wake of the nuclear deal, which saw Iran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of some economic sanctions.

Among them are Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi and his octogenarian father, Baquer Namazi , who are serving 10-year prison sentences for "cooperating with the hostile American government." Also detained is Robin Shahini , who is serving an 18-year prison sentence for "collaboration with a hostile government."

Iran does not recognize dual nationalities, meaning that those it detains cannot receive consular assistance. In most of the recent cases, dual nationals have faced secret charges in closed-door hearings before Iran's Revolutionary Court, which handles cases involving alleged attempts to overthrow the government.

___

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
JERUSALEM (AP) - Holy smokes! The Israeli government has taken a step toward decriminalizing marijuana use.

Israeli media say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Cabinet has approved a measure that would reduce penalties for possession of marijuana. If caught, smokers would pay a fine, instead of facing criminal charges.

Netanyahu said ahead of Sunday's meeting that a "new enforcement policy" should be drawn up "cautiously and in a controlled manner."

FILE - In this Nov. 1, 2012 file photo, an Israeli woman works at Tikkun Olam medical cannabis farm, near the northern Israeli city of Safed, Israel. The Israeli government has taken a step toward decriminalizing marijuana use. Israeli media said Sunday, March 5, 2017 that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Cabinet has approved a measure that would reduce penalties for possession of marijuana. If caught, smokers would pay a fine, instead of facing criminal charges. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty, File)

The decision does not mean that Jerusalem will now have Amsterdam-style coffee shops. The Haaretz daily said a committee would study ways to regulate the use of pot.

Opposition lawmaker Tamar Zandberg told Haaretz: "This is an important step, but not the end of the road. It sends a message that a million Israelis who consume marijuana aren't criminals."
A 14-year-old Honduran boy has been locked up in a Northern California juvenile hall for nearly a year, even though he has no criminal record and has been granted asylum, attorneys seeking his release have said.

The teen, who has been identified only by his initials, GE, was apprehended last March trying to enter the United States alone at a Texas border crossing. His asylum case documented severe abuse by his parents and caregivers in Honduras.

The boy is being held at the Yolo County Juvenile Detention Facility in Woodland, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

He receives little treatment for the trauma he's suffered and should be in foster care, said Cecilia Candia, a staff attorney with San Francisco's Legal Services for Children who visits the teen weekly.

A 14-year-old Honduran boy is being held at the Yolo County Juvenile Detention Facility in Woodland, California (pictured) even though he has legal immigrant status, lawyers said

The boy's trauma has only been worsened by his indefinite detention, Candia said, adding that he spends most of his time alone in his cell and has repeatedly tried to harm himself.

He has lashed out at times, she added, causing staff to douse him with pepper spray or bind his wrists and ankles.

'He has behavioral issues in this jail which are directly related to his mental health,' Candia said. 'He's hypervigilant, he reacts very strongly to perceived threats, he's always in that fight-or-flight response.'

Candia, who is building the case for the teen's release, said she's filing a petition challenging his detention as unlawful in federal court in the coming weeks.

Officials involved in the boy's case, including the federal Administration for Children and Families and its Office of Refugee Resettlement, declined to comment, citing confidentiality protections for minors.

Attorney Cecilia Candia (left) and social worker Erin Maxwell (right) are working to help the teenager, who according to his asylum case suffered severe abuse

Yolo County spokeswoman Beth Gabor said the county's contract with the federal government prohibits local officials from discussing specific cases.

But, she said federal law requires the refugee agency 'to continue to detain a child even after he or she is granted asylum,' until they can find a safe placement that takes into consideration 'all of his or her social, behavioral and mental health needs'.

Candia said the boy was ecstatic when he was granted asylum in January after being told it would mean his imminent release. Now, she said he's in despair.

'On the outside, myself and others have been working really hard. But he doesn't see any results, so it's really difficult,' Candia said. 'He's feeling really hopeless.'

About 155,000 children have crossed the nation's southern border alone in the last three years, the majority fleeing violent gangs, poverty and domestic abuse in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, according to the US Department of Homeland Security.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement looks for 'the least-restrictive settings' for the minors, and 98 per cent are placed within a network of 100 shelters in 11 states and typically released to relatives within about a month.
CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago nearly went a full week without a fatal shooting.

The Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune reported the city had passed such a milestone on Sunday morning for the first time in more than five years.

However, that was before the Cook County Medical Examiner's office on Sunday afternoon reported the homicide of 22-year-old Antoine D. Watkins from multiple gunshot wounds. Police say they found him lying face down Saturday in a vacant lot about a block from where he lived in the Austin neighborhood on the city's west side.

Before that fatal shooting, the last one had occurred Feb. 26.

The newspapers report the city has recorded more than 100 homicides so far this year.
JUPITER, Fla. (AP) - Now that he has Ichiro Suzuki is back on the field, Miami manager Don Mattingly looks forward to resting him - at least once the regular season starts.

The 43-year-old Suzkui made his Grapefruit League debut on Sunday, going 0 for 2 as the Marlins' designated hitter in a 7-7 tie with Houston.

Injuries in the Marlins outfield last season forced Mattlingly to play Suzuki in the field 78 times, significantly more than than Miami's preseason blueprint designed.

"I think we had the most success when it was more of a limited role," Mattingly said. "The one time his numbers dipped was when he was in there every day, every day, every day. Hopefully we're healthy and we don't get to that."

Suzuki started in 38 of his 54 right field appearances last season, with most of those coming when Giancarlo Stanton hit the disabled list. He also started double-digit games in left and center.

His .291 batting average last season improved significantly from the .229 average he posted while starting 88 games the year prior, his first with Miami. In August, he became the 30th major leaguer to reach the 3,000-hit plateau, doing so with a triple at Colorado.

Mattingly would like to use Suzuki for no more than a couple of starts per week in the field this season, likening the frequency to that of a backup catcher.

"He's pretty much always prepared," Mattingly said. "He's an easy guy to get ready for that."

A thigh injury sustained during a collision with fellow outfielder Brandon Barnes during an outfield communication on Feb. 21 temporarily halted Suzuki's spring.

Had the injury occurred during the regular season, Suzuki said the chances of him going on the disabled list would have been "probably high," especially now that MLB has instituted a 10-day DL.

"It definitely wasn't fun but it's one of those things where sometimes you have to experience something to realize what people go through," he said through a translator.

At the time of the injury, Suzuki said it was the first time in his career he'd visited the training room for treatment. Only once in his 16-year career has he been on the DL, in 2009 for a bleeding ulcer.

The delay in seeing the field this spring may actually prove beneficial.

"I'm 43 now, so it's OK if my first game is a little bit later than in the past," Suzuki said.

Suzuki struck out in his first at-bat when he couldn't check his swing. In his second he bounced out to short, then drew a walk in his final appearance, scoring on Adeiny Hechavarria's first homer of the spring.

"Seeing him back a week later, it's a lot easier for me," said Barnes, who became the subject of clubhouse ribbing following the collision.

Suzuki will get Monday off, then play the outfield for the first time on Tuesday. After that, he will likely see action on alternating days for the near future.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Defense Department is investigating reports that some Marines shared naked photographs of female Marines, veterans and other women on a secret Facebook page, some of which were taken without their knowledge.

The photographs were shared on the Facebook page "Marines United," which had a membership of active-duty and retired male Marines, Navy Corpsman and British Royal Marines. Along with identified female military members were photographs of unidentifiable women in various stages of undress, and included obscene comments about some of the women, officials said.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is now investigating. The photographs have been taken down, officials said.

FILE- In this May 5, 2014, file photo, a U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard stands under a Marine Corps emblem in Jupiter, Fla. The Defense Department is investigating reports that some Marines shared naked photographs of female Marines, veterans and other women on a secret Facebook page, some of which were taken without their knowledge. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert B. Neller on Sunday, March 5, 2017, called the online activity "distasteful" and says it shows an "absence of respect." (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)

Marine Corps commandant Gen. Robert B. Neller on Sunday refused to comment directly about the ongoing investigation. "For anyone to target one of our Marines, online or otherwise, in an inappropriate manner, is distasteful and shows an absence of respect," Neller said in a statement.

It was not immediately known how many active-duty Marines and other service members were involved or are under investigation. A Marine Corps official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss personnel matters by name, said at least one government contractor had been removed from his job after he posted a link to the photographs.

In response to the report, Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Green, the top enlisted man in the Marine Corps, said: "These negative behaviors are absolutely contrary to what we represent."

The investigation was first reported by the Center for Investigative Reporting. The activity was revealed by The War Horse, a nonprofit news organization run by Marine veteran Thomas Brennan.

"We are thankful that Thomas Brennan, a Marine veteran, notified the Marine Corps and NCIS about what he witnessed on the 'Marines United' page," Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Ryan E. Alvis said. "It allowed us to take immediate action to have the explicit photos taken down and to prepare to support potential victims."

The CIR report said that more than two dozen active-duty women, officers and enlisted, were identified by their rank, full name and location in the photographs on the Facebook page. Other photographs of active duty and veteran women were also posted and linked through a Google Drive link.

The social media accounts behind the sharing have been deleted by Facebook and Google at the Marine Corps' request.

An internal Marine Corps document obtained by The Associated Press says a former Marine maintained the Google Drive and that it had a following of 30,000. The NCIS investigation is "in support of two individuals affected by postings," according to the document.

A Marine proven to have posted an explicit photo of another person could potentially be charged with violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the internal document asserted. A Marine who directly participates in, encourages or condones such actions could also be subjected to criminal proceedings or adverse administrative actions, according to the document.

"The Marine Corps is deeply concerned about allegations regarding the derogatory online comments and sharing of salacious photographs in a closed website," Alvis said. "This behavior destroys morale, erodes trust, and degrades the individual."

Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said such revelations are troubling and that he expects a full investigation by the Marine Corps.

"Degrading behavior of this kind is entirely unacceptable. They and the nation deserve better," Thornberry said.

Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the ranking Democrat on the committee, called the online behavior "degrading, dangerous and completely unacceptable."

"The military men and women who proudly volunteer to serve their country should not have to deal with this kind of reprehensible conduct," Smith said.
BARRINGTON, R.I. (AP) - Two 97-year-old twin sisters apparently froze to death Saturday after they fell outside and were stranded overnight just steps from one of their Rhode Island homes.

Jean Haley, of Barrington, was trying to call for help and fell after noticing her sister, Martha Williams, of East Providence, had fallen also, Barrington Police said.

The sisters had returned to Haley's home from dinner Friday night with their 89-year-old sister. The younger sister, who lives elsewhere in Barrington and wasn't named by police, left the two sisters at some point before the falls, police said.

They said Williams was going to her car to leave Haley's home when she fell in the driveway, near the rear of her vehicle. When Haley attempted to re-enter her home to call for help, police said she may have tripped on a rug in the garage and fallen.

A neighbor found the twin sisters the next morning. They were rushed to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence in critical condition, but died a short time later.

Temperatures were freezing with a wind chill overnight Friday into Saturday, when much of New England saw some if its coldest temperatures of the winter.

Police Chief John LaCross called the deaths a "tragic loss." A man who identified himself as a grandson answered the phone at Haley's home Sunday and said the family would be commenting later.
Jamie Murray combined with Bruno Soares of Brazil to secure their first ATP doubles title of 2017 at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco.

They beat John Isner and Feliciano Lopez 6-3 6-3 and it was the fourth title since the pair had teamed up last year.

We did well to win the first match this week (against Cilic/Mektic) because we were down for most of the match tie-break. But thats what often happens in doubles. You squeeze through the first match and go on to win the tournament, Murray told reporters after the win.

Murray and Soares

Today was a difficult match, a lot of good serving. We knew we werent going to get loads of chances, but we were able to take the ones we had.
Families touched by the Zeebrugge ferry disaster will gather at a church service on Monday to mark the 30th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 193 lives.

At about 6pm on March 6 1987, the Townsend Thoresen roll-on, roll-off ferry the Herald of Free Enterprise turned over on its side outside Zeebrugge, Belgium, as it set out for Dover, Kent.

Heroics by crew and passengers led to the majority of those on board surviving, but more than 150 passengers and nearly 40 crew on the British-flagged vessel perished.

At St Mary The Virgin Church in Dover on Monday, relatives will attend a service to remember those who died in what was the worst peacetime British maritime disaster in living memory.

A board naming the 193 dead at St Mary's the Virgin Church in Dover (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Among those attending will be Kim Spooner, whose aunt and uncle Neil Billy Spooner, 37, and Mary Smith, 44, died after taking advantage of a cut-price Continental day-trip offer in a newspaper.

Ms Spooner, 38, from Essex, said: I was eight years old at the time and I can remember it like it was yesterday. I knew that it was something absolutely terrible. The worst bit was waiting for news because we were obviously in a time when there were no mobile phones and no internet.

For them, it was a spur of the moment trip. It wasnt a planned thing. They lived in Essex so lived quite close to the coast. It was fate. They could have gone the day before or the day after.

(PA)

I have never recovered from it to be honest. I get quite angry when I hear it described as a freak accident because it wasnt. There were people and corporations to blame. Its as simple as that.

A public inquiry confirmed the ferry had left Zeebrugge with its bow doors open, allowing water to flood the car deck, and the crew member responsible for closing them was asleep at the time.

A number of the heroes of the disaster received awards, including a George Medal for ex-policeman Andrew Parker.

Andrew Parker (centre, with beard) at a memorial service in 1987 (PA)

He became known as the human bridge after saving his wife, his 12-year-old daughter and about 20 other passengers who walked over his body to safety.

Townsend Thoresen, which later became P&O European Ferries, was severely criticised in the public inquiry report published later in 1987.

In October 1987, an inquest jury returned verdicts of unlawful killing.

(PA)

A manslaughter trial began at the Old Bailey in September 1990 involving eight defendants, including the ferry company and three former directors. But the case collapsed a month later after the judge directed the jury to acquit them.

International ferry safety regulations were tightened after the disaster, but there were further changes when the ferry Estonia capsized in a severe storm in the north Baltic Sea in September 1994 with the loss of more than 900 lives.

The former Bishop of Liverpool, the Right Reverend Bishop James Jones, will lead prayers at the service, which is held annually by maritime charity the Sailors Society.
Theresa May and Enda Kenny have ordered government ministers to open urgent talks with parties in Northern Ireland in an attempt to restore devolution.

After a snap election radically altered the face of the Stormont Assembly, abolishing for the first time the overall unionist majority, political leaders have three weeks to form an executive.

But the two main parties, the Democratic Unionist Party and Irish republicans Sinn Fein, are on a collision course over Arlene Fosters leadership.

Sinn Fein have refused to pull back from its red line that the DUP leader cannot be reinstated as first minister while an inquiry is ongoing into alleged corruption and misuse of public money in a heating scheme scandal that forced last weeks snap poll.

The DUP has insisted Sinn Fein cannot dictate who they nominate to lead the party in any restored Stormont Executive.

Arlene Foster

Mrs May and Mr Kenny held a 15-minute telephone conversation on Sunday about the election outcome.

They have ordered Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Brokenshire and Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan to meet all political parties on Wednesday with a view to re-establishing a functioning executive as soon as possible, and to address outstanding issues under the agreements.

The two leaders agreed to discuss the issue again at the EU council summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Secretary of State @JBrokenshire following the outcome of the Northern Ireland Assembly election. #AE17 https://t.co/hpxHCRqdiw pic.twitter.com/f4cIf6lCZR  Northern Ireland Office (@NIOgov) March 4, 2017

In separate co-ordinated statements on Sunday, both Mr Brokenshire and Mr Flanagan warned there was a limited window to resolve differences and get a functioning parliament back up and running.

Mr Brokenshire said responsibility lies on the shoulders of both the DUP and Sinn Fein.

The Secretary of State added confidential talks would start immediately to resolve other outstanding issues over the full implementation of peace agreements in the region and how the legacy of the Troubles is addressed.

Northern Ireland elections and the way forward - read Minister @CharlieFlanagan's full statement at: https://t.co/87QzPXnmwf pic.twitter.com/6vhPVJOrWW  Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) March 5, 2017

Mr Flanagan said it was of the utmost importance for the people of Northern Ireland that the political institutions, established under the Good Friday Agreement, promptly resume not least so that they can effectively engage with the issues raised by Brexit.

However, Sinn Feins John ODowd, education minister in a previous executive, signalled a looming deadlock.

If the DUP decide after the implementation talks that will take place over the next number of weeks that they are going to nominate Arlene Foster as joint first minister, Sinn Fein will not support that nomination, he said.

What Sinn Fein wins is a win for all - @moneillsf pic.twitter.com/nbZ0FPzHX1  Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) March 3, 2017

We were very clear on the doorsteps, we were very clear during the election and we have a mandate, and we said to people we would not support Arlene Foster as joint first minister ahead of the publication of the RHI report.

Former deputy first minister Martin McGuinness collapsed the last Assembly by resigning over Ms Fosters refusal to step aside pending an inquiry into the renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme.

The botched green energy initiative has been embroiled in controversy and could cost the Northern Ireland taxpayers 490 million.
The White House is demanding that a probe into Russian interference in last years US presidential election also examine claims that former President Barack Obama had telephones at Trump Tower wire tapped.

White House officials said they want the congressional committees to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016  a reference to President Donald Trumps claim of wire tapping in a series of tweets on Saturday.

Mr Trump has offered no evidence or details to support his claim, denied by Mr Obamas spokesman.

He made the allegations in a series of tweets claiming he just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!

Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said a cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered in any Justice Department investigations, which are supposed to be conducted free of political influence.

Neither @barackobama nor any WH official under Obama has ever ordered surveillance on any US Citizen. Any suggestion is unequivocally false pic.twitter.com/qF04X3NUvq  Kevin Lewis (@KLewis44) March 4, 2017

As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any US citizen, Mr Lewis said, adding that any suggestion otherwise is simply false.

Mr Trump compared the alleged activity to behaviour involving president Richard Nixon and the bugging of his political opponents.

Mr Trump said the wire tapping occurred in October. He ran the presidential transition largely out of Trump Tower in New York, where he also maintains a residence.

The call for an investigation came after clashes broke out as hundreds of people gathered at sites around the US to join rallies backing Mr Trump.

From Colorados state Capitol to New York and the Washington Monument, hundreds rallied for Mr Trump, waving Deplorables for Trump signs and carrying life-size cut outs of the president.

Supporters including one wearing a President Donald Trump mask walk past Trump Tower during a March 4 Trump rally

Supporters of President Donald Trump chant slogans during a March 4 Trump rally on Fifth Avenue

Police in Berkeley, California, said 10 people were arrested after Trump supporters and counter-protesters confronted each other during a rally that turned violent and left seven people injured.

A dagger, metal pipes, bats, pieces of lumber and bricks were confiscated, police said.

Anti-Trump protesters try to take a large piece of wood away from a Trump supporter at a rally in Berkeley

Six people protesting against a rally in St Paul, Minnesota, were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol. About 400 people attended the event, and around 50 showed up to protest.

In Nashville, two people were arrested in clashes at the Tennessee Capitol. In Olympia, Washington, four demonstrators were arrested at a rally in support of Mr Trump, KOMO-TV reported.

Hundreds gathered in rallies at both ends of Pennsylvania to show support for Mr Trump.
Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Germany of Nazi practices.

Mr Erdogan hit out on Sunday days after a local authority in south-west Germany prevented a Turkish minister from addressing a rally.

Mr Erdogan has accused Germany of nazi practices (Yasin Bulbul/Presidential Press Service, Pool Photo via AP)

He said: In Germany, they are not allowing our friends to speak. Let them do so. Do you think that by not allowing them to speak the votes in Germany will come out no instead of yes?

Germany, you dont have anything to do with democracy. These current practices of yours are no different than the Nazi practices of the past.

On Thursday, Turkeys justice minister Bekir Bozdag cancelled a meeting with his German counterpart after local authorities in the south-west of the country withdrew permission for him to use a venue to hold a rally near the French border. It was part of a campaign to get Turks in Germany to vote yes in the referendum.

There are about 1.4 million people in Germany who are eligible to vote in the Turkish referendum.

Bekir Bozdag

Julia Kloeckner, a deputy leader of Chancellor Angela Merkels Christian Democratic Union, told the German daily Bild that Erdogans Nazi comparison was a new pinnacle of immoderation.

Mr Erdogan is reacting like a stubborn child who cant get his own way, she told the paper.

Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern, in an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, said it is time to pull the plug on long-stalled moves to bring Turkey into the 28-nation EU.

We shouldnt just temporarily suspend the accession talks with Turkey but end them, Kern said.

We cant continue to negotiate about membership with a country that has been steadily distancing itself for years, during ongoing access talks, from democratic standards and principles of the rule of law.
A British man known for his daredevil climbs around the world was questioned by Dubai police over recent stunts in the sheikhdom, authorities said on Sunday.

James Kingston wrote on his Twitter page on Saturday: Four undercover agents plucked me from my hotel room earlier today with no warning. He later said he was detained and released hours later.

I have been arrested by the CID here in Dubai. Four undercover agents plucked me from my hotel room earlier today with no warning... pic.twitter.com/xdqKNLhijT  James Kingston (@JamesKingst0n) March 4, 2017

The 25-year-old posts videos online showing him scaling skyscrapers and cranes. His most-recent video saw him shimmy over a fence at a construction site in downtown Dubai in broad daylight.

Picture

The state-owned newspaper Emarat Al Youm quoted Dubai police Brigadier General Salem Khalifa al-Rumaithi on Sunday confirming police had summoned Kingston over recent climbs.

Al-Rumaithi said Kingston previously had been arrested in 2014 after climbing to the top of the Princess Tower in Dubai Marina, which at over 400 metres (1,300 feet) is the second-tallest building in Dubai.

Dubai police later issued a statement saying Kingston was not arrested, but was asked to sign a statement that he will not attempt to perform such stunts in Dubai.

Kingstons dangerous stunts on buildings in Dubai violated Dubais strict regulations prohibiting such activities, the statement said.

British Embassy officials have yet to respond to requests for comment.

Kingstons detention is the second major incident involving stunts on Dubais skyscrapers.

In February, Dubai police contacted a Russian model who posted images online of herself, holding onto only a mans hand, dangling out over the side of 300-metre (985ft) Cayan Tower.

Kingston earns money from selling T-shirts and posters commemorating his stunts. He has also written a book about his exploits.

While on top of a Dubai crane in his most-recent video, Kingston stopped to look out on the glittering Burj Khalifa  the worlds tallest building.

He said: I would love to stand on top of that: Goals.
A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of an 80-year-old grandmother whose body was found in a garage at an allotment.

Rahim Mohammadi, 40, of Goldsmiths Row, east London, was charged on Sunday with the murder of Lea Adri-Soejoko, the Metropolitan Police said.

A man has been charged with the murder of Lea Adri-Soejoko in #Collindale last week https://t.co/tdKeqIxaxg pic.twitter.com/U9VHMxhE5W  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 5, 2017

The pensioner, who was strangled with a ligature, was discovered on Tuesday in Colindale, north-west London, in a lock-up store at the allotment where she was secretary.

A post-mortem examination took place at Northwick Park Hospital on March 1 revealing the cause of death was ligature of the neck, the Met said almost a week after her death.

(Metropolitan Police/PA)

Mohammadi, who was arrested on Friday, appeared in custody at Wimbledon Magistrates Court on Monday for a five-minute hearing.

With the help of a translator speaking Farsi, he confirmed his name, address and date of birth and held his hands clasped together. He was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on March 8, when he will be able to apply for bail.

A forensics officer at the scene where the body of Lea Adri-Soejoko was found

Meanwhile, officers will be in the area of the allotments between 2pm and 6pm on Monday and are keen to speak to anyone who knew Ms Adri-Soejoko, or who saw or spoke to her in the days leading up to her death.

She was wearing black wellington boots with white spots and pink piping around the sole and top of the boot, a navy blue quilted jacket and grey trousers, the Met said.
Rescue teams have found the Syrian pilot who ejected just before his jet crashed in Turkey near the Syrian border.

Turkeys state-run news agency Anadolu said the pilot was found early on Sunday in an exhausted state and taken to hospital after a nine-hour search and rescue operation in the rain.

He has been identified as a Syrian national.

Picture

The jet crashed into the countryside in the southern Turkish border province of Hatay on Saturday, with witnesses claiming they had seen the pilot eject before the crash.

Syrian opposition military group Ahrar al-Sham said it had downed the plane.

Anadolu said the search and rescue operation was now over because the plane was a single-person aircraft.
BEIJING, March 5 (Reuters) - China will cut steel capacity by 50 million tonnes and coal output by more than 150 million tonnes this year, its top economic planner said on Sunday as the world's No. 2 economy deepens efforts to tackle pollution and curb excess supply.

In a work report at the opening of the annual meeting of parliament, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said it would shut or stop construction of coal-fired power plants with capacity of more than 50 million kilowatts.

The pledges are part of Beijing's years-long push to reduce the share of coal in its energy mix to cut pollution that has choked northern cities and to meet climate-change goals while streamlining unwieldy and over-supplied smoke-stack industries such as steel.

Speaking at the opening of parliament on Sunday, Premier Li Keqiang reiterated the government's plan to ramp up monitoring of heavy industry and crack down on companies and officials that violate air quality rules.

"Officials who do a poor job in enforcing the law, knowingly allow environmental violations, or respond inadequately to worsening air quality will be held accountable," he said.

"We will make our skies blue again."

In its report, the NDRC said it would cut energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product by 3.4 percent and curb carbon intensity by 4 percent this year.

By 2020, the government has said it aims to close 100 million-150 million tonnes of steel capacity and 800 million tonnes of outdated coal capacity.

This year's targets come after the world's top coal consumer and steel maker far exceeded its 2016 goals to eliminate 250 million tonnes of coal and 45 million tonnes of steel capacity.

Much of the steel capacity was already idled and output actually rose 1.2 percent to 808.4 million tonnes. Coal output fell 9 percent to 3.64 billion tonnes.

COAL LIMIT

A new round of capacity cuts was widely expected, although some executives may be disappointed the NDRC did not give an update on the government's policy that sets a limit on the number of days thermal coal mines can operate each year.

Coal prices have rallied in recent months amid speculation the government would reinstate a limit of 276 days.

"The smaller target this year is a natural move as the government gradually replaces low-efficiency coal capacity with more efficient ones," said Li Rong, analyst with consultancy SIA Energy.

Speaking on the sidelines of the annual meeting, industry minister Miao Wei said the government would continue to weed out low-grade steel that uses recycled material, which it says is a major source of smog and a safety hazard.

(Reporting by Meng Meng, Dominique Patton and Aizhu Chen; Writing by Josephine Mason; Editing by Robert Birsel)
By Jussi Rosendahl

HELSINKI, March 5 (Reuters) - Finnish foreign minister Timo Soini said on Sunday he would step down as leader of the nationalist and eurosceptic Finns party in June, a move which could challenge the future of the country's three-party government.

The departure of Soini paves the way for a more hard-line leadership, surveys have suggested, as many of its core voters bridled at compromises he made as part of an austerity-focused government that has cut workers' benefits while catering for an influx of migrants.

Analysts say the move could even bring down the coalition, which includes the Centre Party and the conservative NCP, at a time of tough reforms aimed at fixing a stagnant economy.

"I will not seek a new term from the party congress in June. It is time for something else," Soini wrote in a blog. "This was not an easy decision."

He said he would like to stay on as foreign minister if the party remains in the government.

Soini, aged 54, has led the party he co-founded for 20 years, dragging it out from obscurity and into the mainstream when its opposition to the European Union's sovereign bailouts spooked financial markets in 2011.

But the party has seen its support drop due to compromises it has made in government, which it joined in 2015. The second-biggest in the parliament, the party now ranks fifth in the polls with support of about 9 percent.

A survey by Lannen Media in January showed the most popular successor for Soini among active party members would be Jussi Halla-aho, currently a member of European parliament who is known for his tough stance against immigration and the European Union.

"Personally, I tend to think that a membership in the EU is not in Finland's strategic national interest," Halla-aho told Iltalehti newspaper last month.

Halla-aho has also proposed sanctions against organizations that rescue refugees and immigrants from the Mediterranean, saying it encourages movement from Africa to Europe.

Halla-aho said he will likely run for the party presidency in June. He was not immediately available for comment.

"This (Soini's announcement) can have dramatic consequences... I don't see that the Finns could continue in the government if Halla-aho gets elected. That could lead to a government crisis," said Kimmo Gronlund, professor of political science at Abo Akademi.

The centre-right government, led by Prime Minister Juha Sipila, has faced demonstrations and strikes over its austerity programme aimed to kick-start the economy after a decade-long stagnation. (Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Louise Heavens)
By Ralph Boulton, Ece Toksabay and Andrea Shalal

ISTANBUL/ANKARA/BERLIN, March 5 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany on Sunday of "fascist actions" reminiscent of Nazi times in a growing row over the cancellation of political rallies aimed at drumming up support for him among 1.5 million Turkish citizens in Germany.

German politicians reacted with shock and anger. German Justice Minister Heiko Maas told broadcaster ARD that Erdogan's comments were "absurd, disgraceful and outlandish" and designed to provoke a reaction from Berlin.

But he cautioned against banning Erdogan from visiting Germany or breaking off diplomatic ties, saying that such moves would push Ankara "straight into the arms of (Russian President Vladmir) Putin, which no one wants".

The deputy leader of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party said the Turkish president was "reacting like a wilful child that cannot have his way", while a top leader of the CDU's Bavarian sister party described Erdogan as the "despot of the Bosphorus" and demanded an apology.

German authorities withdrew permission last week for two rallies by Turkish citizens in German cities at which Turkish ministers were to urge a "Yes" vote in a referendum next month on granting Erdogan sweeping new presidential powers. Berlin says the rallies were cancelled on security grounds.

However, Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci spoke at large events in Leverkusen and Cologne on Sunday while protesters stood outside.

The row has further soured relations between the two NATO members amid mounting public outrage in Germany over the arrest in Turkey of a Turkish-German journalist. It has also spurred growing demands for Merkel to produce a more forceful response to Erdogan's words and actions.

A poll conducted for the Bild am Sonntag newspaper showed that 81 percent of Germans believe that Merkels government has been too accommodating with Ankara. Germany, under an agreement signed last year, relies on Turkey to prevent a further flood of migrants from pouring into Europe.

DEFIANT

The lead article in German news magazine Der Spiegel on Sunday urged Merkel to free herself from the "handcuffs of the migrant deal".

A defiant Erdogan said he could travel to Germany himself to rally support for the constitutional changes to grant him greater power.

"Germany, you have no relation whatsoever to democracy and you should know that your current actions are no different to those of the Nazi period," Erdogan said at a rally in Istanbul.

"If I want to come to Germany, I will, and if you don't let me in through your doors, if you don't let me speak, then I will make the world rise to its feet," he told a separate event.

Neither Merkel's office nor the foreign ministry had any immediate comment.

Erdogan says he needs the proposed new powers to tackle Kurdish rebels, Islamist militants and other political enemies in a land with a history of unstable coalition governments.

Critics, meanwhile, argue that a "yes" vote in the April 16 referendum would abolish checks and balances that have already been eroded over 15 years of his rule.

Germany and other European countries have grown increasingly concerned about mass arrests and dismissals in the army, judiciary and civil service across Turkey after a failed attempt to topple the president in July.

ECONOMIC TIES

The remarks by Erdogan - a man admired by many for his rhetorical flourishes - could win support among those who see Turkey threatened by militant attacks and abandoned by putative allies, but they could damage economic ties at a time when Turkey faces rising unemployment and inflation.

Ten percent of Turkish exports go to Germany, while Germany accounts for about 11 percent of Turkish imports.

The confrontation has also fanned anger across the European Union, which Turkey had aspired to join but with increasingly subdued conviction of late.

Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern called for an EU-wide ban on campaign appearances by Turkish politicians to avoid member countries such as Germany coming under pressure from Ankara.

Dutch nationalist Geert Wilders, expected to make huge gains in a March 15 election, said on Sunday that he would declare "the whole cabinet of Turkey persona non grata" and described Erdogan an "Islamo-fascist".

Julia Kloeckner, deputy leader of Merkels Christian Democratic Union, told Bild newspaper: "The Nazi comparison is a new high point of intemperance."

Andreas Scheuer, general secretary of the Bavarian CSU party, said that Erdogan's remarks marked a new low point in ties between the two allies and demanded an apology.

"This was a monstrous gaffe by the despot of the Bosphorus," Scheuer told the Passauer Neue Presse. "The Nazi comparison is outrageous and preposterous. An apology is in order."

(Editing by David Goodman)
By John Irish and Andrew Callus

PARIS, March 5 (Reuters) - France's conservatives appeared to be at war with themselves less than 50 days from the presidential election as Francois Fillon clung on to his struggling, scandal-tainted campaign and senior party members fought to oust him as their candidate.

In a drama-filled day, Fillon delivered a defiant speech to thousands of grassroots supporters in central Paris on Sunday, telling them that they would not be robbed of victory.

But pressure mounted for him to stand aside, and yet another poll showed him on course to be knocked out of the election in the April 23 first round, leaving centrist Emmanuel Macron favourite to win a May 7 run-off against far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Once the frontrunner, Fillon is mired in a scandal over hundreds of thousands of euros of public money he paid his wife to be his parliamentary assistant. He denies allegations she did little work for the money, but suffered a serious blow last week when he learned he could be placed under formal investigation for misuse of public funds.

Speaking on France 2 television's evening news, Fillon was asked directly whether he would stand down.

"The answer is no," he said. "I see no reason to do that. It would lead to a dead end for my political family."

He added, though, that he was open to discussions. "I am not autistic. I want to convince my friends that my programme is the only one that can bring about recovery for the country."

Leaders of his party, The Republicans, are preparing for a meeting on Monday evening to discuss the crisis ahead of a March 17 deadline when all candidates must be formally endorsed by at least 500 elected officials. Fillon said he would be present.

After a string of resignations among advisers and backers, the 63-year-old had been banking on a big turnout at the Paris rally to show his detractors that he remains their best hope to win the presidency.

While hailing the support of thousands of tricolour-waving backers who braved pouring rain and chanted for him to stay, he also acknowledged the obstacles facing him.

"I am attacked from all sides and with all consciousness I must listen to you, listen to this massive crowd that pushes me forward, but I must also ask myself about those who doubt me and jump ship," he said.

His party appears divided, with some heavyweights attending the rally and others looking for an alternative.

Christian Estrosi, Valerie Pecresse and Xavier Bertrand, who run three of the country's largest regions, will meet Fillon on Monday to try to find solutions, Estrosi said, naming ex prime minister Alain Juppe as the best replacement.

Jean-Christophe Lagarde, head of the centre-right UDI party, which has an alliance with The Republicans, said Fillon would lead to "certain failure" and called for Juppe to take over.

Minutes after Fillon's TV appearance, Juppe said on Twitter he would make a statement to the press on Monday morning. He has previously said he would not run against Fillon's will.

L'Obs magazine, citing sources close to Juppe, said he planned to say that he would not stand for president, irrespective of what Fillon decided. It was not possible to confirm the report.

A Kantar Sofres-OnePoint opinion poll published on Sunday showed Fillon down to 17 percent, well behind Macron and Le Pen in first-round voting intentions, and therefore out of the contest at that stage.

But it also showed that if Juppe replaced Fillon, he would go through and face Le Pen in the run-off, with Macron eliminated in the first round.

(Additional reporting by Adrian Croft, Simon Carraud, Sudip Kar-Gupta, Emmanuel Jarry and Sophie Louet; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
NAIROBI, March 5 (Reuters) - Gunmen shot dead a British man in northern Kenya on Sunday after armed herders invaded a private ranch in the Laikipia area, two of the man's neighbours told Reuters.

The man was a father of two and a British cavalry veteran who ran a safari company, one of the neighbours said.

There have been a number of violent attacks in the area in recent weeks between local residents and armed cattle herders searching for grazing. (Reporting by Katharine Houreld; Editing by David Goodman)
By Katharine Houreld

NAIROBI, March 5 (Reuters) - A British man was shot dead in northern Kenya on Sunday at a private ranch in the Laikipia area, two of the man's neighbours said, and a legislator warned that local politicians were stoking violence as elections approach.

There have been numerous attacks in the drought-stricken region of Laikipia in recent months as armed cattle herders searching for scarce grazing have driven tens of thousands of cattle onto private farms and ranches. At least a dozen people have been killed.

The most recent victim was Tristan Voorspuy, a father of two and a British cavalry veteran who ran a company called Offbeat Safaris. He was shot dead after he went to inspect the remains of a friend's home that had been burnt down by herders a few days earlier, one of the neighbours told Reuters.

"He rode out to look at what was left of Richard's house. He never came back. We flew over the area to look for him ... the horse had been shot in the leg," the neighbour said.

"He (Voorspuy) was dead in front of the house."

Workers had seen the body and confirmed that Voorspuy was dead, he said.

Both neighbours asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation.

The British High Commission did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

Sarah Korere, a member of parliament for Laikipia North, said the violent land invasions are being stoked by politicians seeking votes from particular ethnic blocs in national elections scheduled for August.

"Some guys will be in a hurry to displace certain communities so they don't vote. We can say the violence is going to get worse," she told Reuters. "Some politicians are using this issue of land to woo the voters."

Kenya has a history of ethnic clashes and political violence. The last election, in 2013, passed relatively peacefully but more than 1,200 people were killed following a disputed poll in 2007.

Korere and the two residents said the government had to act quickly to stop the violence worsening.

After 15 foreign tourists were evacuated from Laikipia by helicopter in February because of the herders invading ranches and conservancies in the area, hundreds of heavily armed riot police were sent to the area.

But it was not enough, one of the neighbours said.

"Residents are regularly shot at by people who are invading farms or raiding cattle or forming what seems to be a militia," he said. "We've been expecting this (killing) for some time." (Editing by David Goodman and Pritha Sarkar)
PARIS, March 5 (Reuters) - France have called up Francois Trinh-Duc to their squad for next weekend's Six Nations game against Italy, almost four months after he suffered a fractured arm, the French federation said on Sunday.

Trinh-Duc, who can play flyhalf or inside centre, broke his arm last November in a game against Samoa and returned to action with his club Toulon against Brive on Saturday in the Top 14.

Fullback Brice Dulin was also called up to the squad for the match in Rome on Saturday.

France started their Six Nations campaign with a narrow defeat against England, before beating Scotland and losing to Ireland. (Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Toby Davis)
By Anthony Boadle and Tatiana Bautzer

BRASILIA/SAO PAULO, March 5 (Reuters) - Brazil's top prosecutor will seek authorization from the Supreme Court as soon as this week to investigate senior ministers in President Michel Temer's Cabinet and senators from his PMDB party for corruption, a source familiar with the situation said on Sunday.

Folha de S. Paulo newspaper reported on Sunday that the request by Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot will include Presidential Chief of Staff Eliseu Padilha and Wellington Moreira Franco, the minister in charge of a major infrastructure and privatization program.

According to the paper, Janot is also considering whether to include Temer himself in the request.

The source confirmed the thrust of the Folha report but did not name the ministers and senators involved in the request, which is based on recent plea bargain deals by 77 employees of Brazil's largest construction group Odebrecht S.A.

The source, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said prosecutors will also ask the Supreme Court to make public the content of the executives' depositions, which are under seal.

Odebrecht - which agreed to pay a record $3.5 billion to Brazilian, Swiss and U.S. authorities to settle bribery charges in December - is at the heart of a sprawling investigation into illegal political payments by firms in return for contracts with Brazilian state oil company Petrobras.

The statements by Odebrecht executives are expected to further tarnish the image of Temer's government, which is already struggling with rock-bottom ratings as it seeks to pass austerity measures aimed at curbing Brazil's massive budget deficit.

However, the slow pace of justice in Brazil would likely allow the government to press ahead with pension and labor reforms in Congress before any impact was felt, analysts say.

"I don't see a short-term effect on Temer's clout in Congress," said Luciano Dias, partner at consultancy firm CAC, noting the Supreme Court typically takes around 8 months to formally indict suspects and a further year before a trial begins.

A presidential aide said on Sunday that any minister would only be suspended if prosecutors decided to bring formal charges against them following an investigation, and would only be dismissed if a judge accepted the charges and placed them on trial.

The departure of Padilha, who is already absent on health leave, would deprive the government of one of its most effective political operators but Congressional leadership could take up the slack in ushering through reforms, said Christopher Garman of Eurasia Group.

TEMER IN CROSSHAIRS

The allegations against Padilha and Moreira Franco stemmed from testimony by Odebrecht's former head of government relations in Brasilia, Claudio Melo Filho, which was leaked to the media.

The testimony alleged that Odebrecht cultivated ties with senior members of the PMDB for years and that Padilha received an illicit 10 million real ($3.21 million) payment for the party's 2014 election campaign.

A spokesman for Padilha declined to comment. A representative for Moreira Franco said he had never talked about party issues or financing with Melo Filho.

Folha said the prosecutors' list included other senior members of the PMDB, including the government's leader in Congress, Senator Romero Juca, former Senate head Renan Calheiros, and the current Senate president Eunicio Oliveira.

Senior members of the allied PSDB party including former presidential candidate Senator Aecio Neves and Senator Jose Serra, who resigned as foreign minister two weeks ago, are also being targeted by prosecutors, the paper said.

Press representatives for the senators did not comment on the report.

Former presidents Dilma Rousseff and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the Workers' Party are also among the politicians that Janot intends to investigate, the paper said.

Lawyers for Lula and Rousseff did not respond to requests for comment.

The Constitution forbids investigating a sitting president for crimes committed before the start of his term, but prosecutors are considering whether they should also seek to investigate Temer.

The prosecutors are discussing whether his term as a vice-president, before Rousseff's impeachment last year, counts as part of his current term, according to the paper.

The Planalto presidential palace did not comment.

The president has repeatedly denied accusations of soliciting illegal funds and insisted any donations were legal and duly registered with electoral authorities. ($1 = 3.1143 reais) (Editing by Daniel Flynn and Mary Milliken)
Nine illegal contructions built duing past 3 years without DWC permission

Six acres to be officially handed over to the church from Wilpattu Lands

Environmentalists complained to Vatican Embassy against Chilaw Boship

The Pallekandal Catholic Church inside Wilpattu National Park made headlines after environmentalists raised concern that the constructions of the church were being expanded, destroying the natural beauty of Willpattu forest.

Despite environmentalists having held many conferences to raise public awareness and inform responsible government authorities, no action was taken by the relevant authorities. The church is believed to have religious and historical significance since the days of Indian Catholic Missionary Joseph Vaz before the establishment of Wilpattu as a National Park in 1938.

According to an announcement by the Roman Catholic Church, Joseph Vaz who came to Sri Lanka in 1687 had visited Pallekandal and put up a little chapel. The chapel has now been revamped and is handled by the Parish Priest of St. Judes Church, Wanathawilluwa Father Prabath Sanjaya under the purview of the Chilaw Bishop Valence Mendis. A small scale feast was annualy held at the Pallekandal shrine with a little number of villagers who set up temporary shelters, which were taken down after the feast. However, according to environmentalists claims, the church running within an area of less than a quarter of an acre, started to be expanded and renovated, causing damage to the wildlife in Wilpattu after 2011.

Aerial view of the Pallenkandel Shrine inside the Wilpattu Park. Courtesy EFL

Expanded church premises

Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

The Daily Mirror received a comprehensive document prepared by the Wanathawilluwa Divisional Secretarys Office regarding pre and post activities of the Pallekandal feast held in July, 2016.

The main mass of the Pallekandal Church was planned through discussions with the Deputy Minister of the Tourism Development & Christian Religious Affairs Arundika Fernando in May, 2016.

During the discussions, issues pertaining to the devotees such as how to control the vehicle traffic, where to park the vehicles, arrange space to park them, repair work of the road used by devotees, building temporary toilets, providing food and drinking water facilities, constructing stalls, emergency health requirements etc. were focused.

The repairing of the Puttalam-Mannar Road was done by the Road Development Authority (RDA) upon directions given by the Deputy Minister.

In June, 2016, giant water tanks were placed at the church premises after clearing the trees and plants in that particular area.

The places where tents were set up during the feast



Another document prepared by the Parish Priest of Wanathawilluwa St. Judes Church Father Prabath Sanjaya also stated that the Puttalam-Mannar road was expanded by the RDA so that two vehicles could travel at the same time. The environmentalists slammed that the road which was first built by armed forces during the tough time of the LTTE war, was now expanded and renovated for the Pallekandal Church devotees by cutting trees in Wilpattu.

When the Daily Mirror visited the Pallekandal Shrine, we witnessed several new constructions and some unfinished constructions. The vicinity of the church which was surrounded by plants and trees of the Wilpattu was now full of rubbish. Empty plastic cans, polythene bags and wastage have destroyed the natural beauty of the surroundings. Not only that, but also the foot prints of elephants could be seen all over the place. It proves that the elephants too roam in the church areas because it is their habitat.



No cleaning activity was apparently carried out after the feast held in July, 2016 with the attendance of more than 30,000 people. More space for the people to set up tents was given by cutting trees. Equipment they used to cook was still seen on the ground of

the surroundings.

Environmentalists maintain that unnecessary renovations were done under the blessings of the politicians who try to interpret this as a religious need forgetting the grave environmental damage caused to the wildlife of Wilpattu preservation. Legal Counsel Wardani Karunaratne of Environmental Foundation Ltd. (EFL) one of those organisations opposing the Pallekandal expansion, had told a news conference that the constructions of Pallekandal Church are in direct infringement of the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance.

However, Wanathawilluwa Divisional Secretary H.M.S. Herath assured that the church authorities had sought the permission of the Department of Wildlife Conservation although she failed to present any legal document to show the given permission. She also said that they have informed the Land Commissioner regarding a request made by the Chilaw Bishop to grant six acres to the church. She added they couldnt do anything against the constructions at the church for two reasons; first, they are done with all political powers which she denied explaining more and the holy place had originated before the Wilpattu National Park was upgraded to National Park status in 1938.

Expanded church premises

Meanwhile, Wilpattu Park Park Warden Manoj Widyaratne said they were at the moment seeking legal assistance to file a court case at Puttalam Court against the illegal constructions of the Pallekandal Church with the purpose of re-taking state owned land.

There are nine constructions built during past three years adjourning the church without seeking legal permission from the relevant departments. We have been waiting too much until the unlawful constructions came to an end but to no avail. Despite several warnings to the church, they did not stop so that this has to be solved at legal level other than discussion level, he said.

Elephants still come to the lands where the church is located. The foot prints of elephants can be seen all over the place. This is actually not a religious issue but an environmental one. We also want to stop this destruction by any means. Such anti-environmental activities should be stopped. The expansion of the church began several years ago until when it had only an old shrine. The further constructions were begun with the blessings of the government. The church had requested approval to use six acres for their religious activities but the approval was not granted. Incidentally, they use more than the requested extent of acres already in violation of the laws and regulations of the Flora and Fauna Act, he said.

The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) had recently complained to the Vatican Embassy against the Chilaw Bishop who they said was responsible for the destruction caused to the national park. WNPS President Rukshan Jayewardene said they had a very productive discussion with the Bishop of Chilaw and his team, at the Vatican Embassy when the complaint was heard.

We have pointed out violations of the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance and keeping the Forest Department which has no jurisdiction whatsoever over these lands or the Wildlife Department which has to uphold the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance without fear or favour. Being informed does not legitimise or legalise these activities, he said.

Speaking on the Wanathawilluwa Divisional Secretary who is currently working on to give 6 acres to the church from Wilpattu Lands, Mr. Jayewardene of WNPS said neither the Wanathawilluwa Divisional Secretary nor President of Sri Lanka could request or seek permission for activities within a National Park. He said they did not have the authority to get land within a Gazetted National Park released for any purpose.



A National Park has the highest level of protection afforded by the state to public access lands and is strictly governed by the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance which is the law governing all such lands. It is declared and maintained for the protection of all animals and plants falling within its boundaries and only secondarily to an area for human access and activity but strictly governed by the FFPO. Much of the confusion and problems arise when the law is not fully understood or not fully enforced, or in attempts to subvert or ignore it often by the very people charged with upholding those laws, he explained. The environmental organisations and the people who are concerned about the issue are still waiting until a responsible government authority solves the Pallekandal issue without dragging it more.

We have no idea to expand the church

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mirror, Bishop of Chilaw Valence Mendis denied all the allegations adding that he would look into the matter again and take necessary action if any illegal activity was going on.

We deny the allegation that damages were caused by activities relating to the church.

The people will not destroy the forest when they come for the mass. They come only for two or three days. I want to highlight that the allegations have been exaggerated. This is merely a religious matter.

We have absolutely no idea to expand the church as such. There are no more buildings in the church premises other than a water tank. The number of devotees coming to the church is increasing and I cant stop people coming. The repair work of the church was started soon after the war. The front verandah was the only expansion work done within the church premises after the war. Considering the convenience of the pilgrims when the mass is held, we got the admission from the authorities to set up an open verandah, the Bishop said. Commenting on a car park which was allegedly built by clearing trees and plants of the Wilpattu Park, he said it was not made a car park but just a naturally open space in the forest. He said no trees were cut down to make a car park or for any other purpose. Emphasising that all these activities were done under the supervision of the Forest Department and Wild Life Conversation Department, he said that they would never break the law of the land for religious purposes.

I will look into the allegations whether any unpermitted structures have been put in the church premises without my permission. I would not allow anyone to fell trees in the Wilpattu National Park. We too love nature, the Bishop said. Meanwhile, he said that they had written to the President, requesting him to release six acres to the church adding that their only concern was to hold the mass properly for the devotees who come to Pallekandal annually.

The places where tents were set up during the feast
The investigation into the killing of underworld kingpin Samayan and six others including two prison guards, has revealed that about six well-trained gunmen believed to be army deserters had ambushed the bus and shot at the Kalutara prison inmates, a senior police officer said today.

Investigations have also revealed that there was sufficient evidence to indicate that rival underworld leader Angoda Loku was among the assailants and had led the attack.

Although the police suspect the involvement of Southern-based underworld leader Matara Madush in the shooting, evidence collected so far did not show his presence among the gunmen.

A senior police officer told the Daily Mirror that Matara Madush had been identified as the underworld leader whose followers were made of the largest number of deserters with weapons training.

Matara Madush is known to have fled the country in 2000 to Dubai but the police suspect whether he had returned to the country via a sea route from South India.

Several police teams conducting investigations have also focused their attention on sea routes which the suspects might be attempting to use to flee the country because of increased vigilance at the two international airports in Katunayake and Mattala.

Sources said the use of sea routes was a possibility because Matara Madush was known to be a chief lynch-pin in human trafficking operations in Sri Lanka owning about five multi-day deep sea trawlers.

Meanwhile, sources at the Colombo Crime Division said they were working on certain leads and believe that the assailants were still hiding somewhere in the country. (Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana and Thilanka Kanakaratna)
The management of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is returning premier service aircraft to Sri Lanka.

The Airbus-330 was acquired on lease for premier service of PIA. The PIA has paid over $19 million to Sri Lankan authorities in terms of wet lease for this aircraft during span of six months. Stats revealed every flying-hour of Airbus-330 cost PIA over 8,000 dollars. Seat and load plan for London-bound flights did not work according to the plan.

PIA Spokesperson Danyal Gilani articulated that the aircraft was acquired at market rate. In August 2016, the PIA had acquired three A-330s from Sri Lanka on wet lease in a bid to revive glorious past of the national flag career.(The News)
fficially Sri Lanka today is in a situation best described by the Sinhala idiom Girayata ahuwechcha puwak gediya wage a Catch-22 situation- a paradoxical situation from which there is hardly any chance of escape.

The country faces an almost insurmountable foreign exchange and external debt repayment crisis; a problem of finding backers to help extricate itself from this situation.

The External Debt in Sri Lanka averaged 42,142.63 USD Million from 2012 until 2016, reached an all time high of 47,302.10 USD Million in the third quarter of 2016. Since independence Sri Lanka has never defaulted on its repayments, but today a repayment default is staring the country in the face. It is claimed that the last regime frittered away the IMF/World Bank life-line extended, leaving the present regime to carry the baby.



Be that as it may, the billion dollar question facing the country is how we are going to address this problem. The sources available to the Government to even temporarily tide over the problem and keep the country economically afloat are few.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank whose funding comes with conditions imposed by the institutions The second option is China, whom unfortunately the present regime antagonised, not only in the run-up to the election, but also in the aftermath of an unprecedented election victory.

These are the sources which could provide a financial lifeline to the country. The billion dollar question is which option the country will opt for.



Unlike in many other countries, Sri Lankan politicians have never shown an inclination to come together when the country faced destabilisation or danger.

When al-Qaeda carried out attacks in the US mainland on 9/11, we did not see the unedifying spectacle of the Opposition parties in the US blaming the administration of President Bush for the attack.

Instead we saw the Democratic Party totally backing the then President to unite Americans against a common foe. In neighbouring India, whatever the differences of caste, creed or party affiliation, the politicians and people unite as Indians against anyone seen as an opponent.

Unfortunately in Sri Lanka party-political affiliations and personal agendas override national need. The country was never able to unite in the war against the LTTE described as the most brutal terrorist organisation in the world.



Sri Lankans could not recognise the woods for the trees we pay too much attention to details- the Tamil mainline political party and people backed the LTTE because they claimed to be fighting for Tamil rights, despite Tamils being more oppressed under the LTTE than at that time under a Sinhalese government.

India promoted the rebels to promote its domination in what it sees as its backyard. The Western democratic countries upholders of Human Rights values when it suits their purposes- backed the LTTE despite its flagrant rights violations.

It was only the Non-Aligned Group of Nations including China, which backed this country in its efforts to overcome the terrorists.



Today we are facing an equally difficult uphill task, the problem is different but the situation is equally grave. We are caught in a debt-trap of our own making as was the ethnic problem of yesteryear. As then we do not see our country and its people uniting to overcome the foreign exchange and debt repayment trap we have entrapped ourselves in. To overcome the problem we need to attract foreign investment into the country. The Chinese have already made huge structural investments in the country by way of highways, a mega port and

port city.

But the investments are not generating revenue to repay the loans, they were taken for. We need to move onto the second stage to transform the original investments into capital

earning entities.



Sadly we now have a situation where we have the very persons who initiated the original programmes, blocking the second stage of the programme. Effectively preventing their becoming capital earning capacities and in this way easing the debt repayment problem the country faces. India continues to see bogeymen in the Chinese involvement in Sri Lankas development claiming it endangers Indian security, but while opposing Chinese investment in Sri Lanka India herself makes no effort to fill the vacuum.

The Forbes magazine in an article of Jan 21, 2017 regarding the offer to partner with India in developing the Trincomalee harbour and thus ease Indian fears of Chinese involvement in Sri Lankas ports encapsulates Indias attitude towards our country India Tells Sri Lanka: You Can Take Your Port And Shove It.

Its time to put Sri Lanka first.
Results of Uttar Pradesh elections may well be quite contrary to the poll bravado used so extensively by Team Modi.

There is a sense of deja vu about how Team Modi has been handling the ongoing UP elections, arguably the political semifinals for Indian politics, before the 2019 finals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his handpicked president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Amit Shah and their entire team of the government and the ruling party at the Centre have done it before - not once, but twice before.

Team Modi approached Bihar elections in the last quarter of 2015 in a similar vein. Prior to that, Team Modi had done it in Delhi Assembly polls two years ago.

Modi ensured carpet bombing in campaigning during Assembly polls for Delhi and Bihar and personally led the poll campaign. He lost both elections miserably for different reasons.

He lost Delhi because he underestimated the vast political undercurrent in favour of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which feasted on the Congress' vote share, and also, because he para-trooped a rank outsider, Kiran Bedi, and projected her as the BJP's chief ministerial candidate. She eventually lost even her own seat.

Assembly elections are much different from general elections and local issues as well as state leadership matter hugely.

Modi lost Bihar because of some ingenious political engineering, wherein Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress came together to forge a mahagathbandhan or great alliance, while Modi decided to go to Bihar polls without projecting his party's CM candidate.

Like in Delhi and Bihar, this time in UP too several chinks in Team Modi's armour are visible.

Like in Bihar, there is no chief ministerial candidate of the BJP, while it's two main rivals, Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, have well-established CM candidates. Moreover, Team Modi's sole poll mascot is the PM himself, an experiment that backfired badly, first in Delhi and then in Bihar.

Assembly elections are much different from general elections and local issues as well as state leadership matter hugely. One simply cannot judge BJP's electoral chances for a crucial state like UP on the basis of the fact that the party had won 71 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP in general elections nearly three years ago on its own steam.

A prime question before the UP electorate should be that though nationally the image of Narendra Modi is still good and he continues to be far ahead of all Opposition leaders in public perception, but he is not going to administer the state himself. Will the UP electorate vote for an unknown UP version of a Manohar Lal Khattar or a Devendra Fadnavis? That's an important question.

Next, the question is how is the BJP going to poll at least 30 per cent of the votes required to win UP, though the party had polled a whopping 42 per cent votes in the 2014 general elections? Those were different times when a Modi tsunami was sweeping the state, like the rest of the country. But this time, there is no Modi wave, let alone a tsunami!

Next, there are wide cracks within the BJP in UP this time. For instance, consider the Yogi Adityanath factor, the BJP strongman in UP whose vast followers are livid over the fact that he has not been projected as the party's CM candidate.

Next, consider the Rajnath Singh factor, another BJP heavyweight in UP and the Union home minister, who has been party president and was majorly responsible for the annointment of Modi as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate way back in September 2013 at the expense of veteran LK Advani.

Rajnath Singh has rocked the Modi-Shah boat with his calculated remarks recently that the party should have given tickets to Muslims while expressing surprise that the BJP did not field even a single candidate from the community in 403 seats.

Union ministers like Uma Bharti and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi have made similar noises which may well be part of bad portents for the Modi-Shah duo if the BJP were to lose UP on March 11.

Next, the Samajwadi Party-Congress pre-poll coalition may well prove to be a game-changer, largely because of the youthful image of Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi, and the reasonably good work done by Akhilesh in a large state like UP while braving challenges within and outside. Also, anti-incumbency may not be a factor. After all, haven't we seen this in Bihar in 2015?

Against this backdrop, it looks very uncertain as to how Team Modi is going to repeat its general elections' performance in the state Assembly polls now.

Actually, the phrase Team Modi is quite misleading given the PM's style of functioning as an autocratic leader who hardly believes in team work.

However, there is one saving grace for Modi this time in UP. Unlike in Bihar, the RSS has not rocked his boat in UP so far like it did for the BJP in the middle of Bihar elections with anti-reservation remarks.
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CULPEPER  Kienta Tibbs is living proof that being a funeral director isnt just for men anymore.

The southern Maryland native is opening her own business, Tibbs Funeral Home & Cremation, Monday at 503 N. Main St. in Culpeper, where W.C. Thompson Funeral Home operated for several decades.

As the funeral director, Tibbs, 41, will meet with families, help plan burial services, embalm and prepare bodies, plan and organize visitations and memorial services, place obituaries in newspapers and help finalize death certificates.

I want my families to know that I am here in Culpeper to earn their trust and honor their loved ones. They should be able to grieve and not worry about the business side of the process, she said.

As a female in the industry, I offer compassion, empathy and a feminine touch during delicate times. I am that funeral director that cries with them but also understands its my job to get them through this grieving process.

Tibbs is one of a growing number of women working in the funeral service industry. According to Robert C. Smith III, executive director of the American Board of Funeral Service Education, women represented 62 percent of graduates from accredited mortuary programs in the United States in 2015, up from 53 percent in 2004 and 40 percent in 1996.

So having a female funeral director in Culpeper or any other community is not really a surprise from a statistical perspective, Smith said, noting that female ownership of small businesses in general also is rising. The year 2000 was when the female graduation rate reached the 50-50 point.

Janet M. Stephens, program director of funeral services at John Tyler Community College in Chester, said that, of the 40 students in the program this year, 19 are women.

You typically see men in this profession. When I came through the program in 1992, there were about nine of us in the program. That has changed over the years, she said. I think women bring more compassion to this industry. We are more apt to listen to the familys needs and desires.

Even though more women are entering the mortuary profession, they still face gender stereotypes.

When I attend conventions, the male funeral directors are quick to think that my husband is the funeral director and not me, said Tibbs.

As for the job itself, Tibbs said: There really arent any challenges because weve figured it out. We know how to do the removals by ourselves, and we handle the families well.

Tibbs, a first-generation funeral director, said she first became interested in the mortuary business as a third-grader, after a cousin died in a car crash. While attending the viewing, she noticed grass in his hair and blood oozing from his ear.

I just knew that wasnt right and that just drew my interest, she said. When career day came along, a local funeral director spoke, and thats when I knew thats what I wanted to do. And Ive always had the interest ever since.

Tibbs received her associates degree in mortuary science from Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service in Atlanta and completed her apprenticeship at Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home in Conyers, Georgia. She obtained her initial funeral service license in December 2001 and is now licensed in Virginia Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Tibbs got her first full-time job in the industry at Vaughn Greene Funeral Home in Baltimore, then spent about 15 years with Metropolitan Funeral Service in Alexandria. She worked as a funeral director at Harman Funeral Home in Hagerstown, Maryland, for almost a year before deciding to open her own business in Culpeper.

Tibbs said she handled every aspect of the business for her former employer, from meeting with families to preparing the bodies.

So I thought, I can do this and step out on my own, she said. That just encouraged me and gave me the drive to open my own business.

Jeff Tibbs, 42, describes his wife as a natural nurturer, a skill that serves her well both as the mother of their four children and on the job.

Shes compassionate and understanding, he added. Its just a different perspective. My wife is very good at what she does. I dont think Ive ever met a funeral director that has the skills and technique that Ive seen her have in the prep room.

She has done work for a lot of different funeral homes. She does her work behind the scenes on a lot of dignitaries and political figures. People dont [ask you to] do those things if youre not good at it.

Kienta Tibbs said her husband has played an important role in her career.

Hes been so supportive. When we first heard of a need to have an additional funeral establishment in Culpeper, Jeff did months of research to assure me and our kids that this would be a great area to grow a business and raise our children, she said.

Kienta and Jeff Tibbs have four children: Jeffrey II, 19; Kobe, 12; Madison, 11; and Dylan, 7. She plans to continue to live in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and make the more than two-hour commute  at least until her younger children complete this school year.

For more information, call Tibbs Funeral Home & Cremation at (540) 321-4778 or (844) 891-5856.
Can you spell back-to-back champion?

Riley Hamp sure can. After correctly spelling the word toxicosis in the 66th round, the Waynesboro eighth-grader took home the gold for the second year in a row on Saturday at the 70th annual Regional Spelling Bee.

As she did last year, the Kate Collins Middle School student will now prepare to flex her linguistic dexterity against competitors from around the country at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May. Last year, Hamp was ousted in the third round by the word ballotage.

Im really excited to be going back this year and to see all of my friends, Hamp said in the aftermath of her triumph.

Her victory was hard-fought in a polite but devastating war of words with standouts Renae George, Layla Bouber and 21 other elementary- and middle-school students from Central Virginia. The annual contest, co-sponsored by The Daily Progress and The News Virginian, brought students from public and private schools in Charlottesville, Staunton and Waynesboro and the counties of Albemarle, Augusta, Fluvanna and Greene.

The auditorium of Albemarle High School was filled with dozens of proud parents and enthralled spelling bee enthusiasts for hours on Saturday. With a spellbound silence one might expect at the putting greens of the U.S. Open, the crowd watched the ultra-focused competitors wrangle with increasingly complex and obscure words, often asking for definitions, etymological origins and alternate pronunciations.

Some air-scribed their words on the palms of their hands; others spared no such pleasantries as they declared the spelling of words proffered by Knikki Hernandez, a Spanish teacher at William Monroe High School. The competition was fierce, but never frosty; soft high-fives could be spotted on the stage, and each dreaded ring from the judges bell of blunder was taken with an air of quiet dignity.

Before long, simpler words like safari and mentor were supplanted by nightingales, bruins and chutneys. One by one, the competition began to dwindle as disheartened but battle-hardened contenders left the luminous auditorium stage.

By the end of the first hour, the pool of competitors fell to single digits. Half an hour later, it was down to just four: Hamp, George, Bouber and Finn Irving, an Augusta native who showcased his prowess with a laudable spelling of umlaut.

But alas, several rounds later, Irving found himself undone at the hands of a nabob  a provincial governor of the Mogul empire in India or a person of great wealth or prominence, according to Merriam-Webster.

As the rounds drew on, the words descended further into untapped realms of obscurity. Hamps winning word from last year, symbiosis, came and went with little fanfare, being overtaken by trattorias and coloraturas alike.

Undeterred, the final three pressed onward, dispatching roodeboks, bobadils and a slew of other terms so scholastic that even the most erudite lexicographers and snobby newspaper writers would find themselves discombobulated.

Amidst the melee, fifth-grader and Albemarle County native Bouber made a brief but fatal slip, giving one too many ps to a paparazzo. The third-place winner left the stage with a smile and an aura of indomitable grace.

Minutes flew past as Hamp and George, a seventh-grader who secured last years third-place victory, smacked down every rejoneador and croesus hurled in their direction. Worried that the champions may be in the arena for the long haul, a break was called just after the bees two-hour mark  it was a decision that may have roiled Georges otherwise perfect streak.

Just as the competition resumed, George was immediately confronted with a skerry shed never visited, giving Hamp a chance to steal the show. With successful spelling of attache and toxicosis,  she said she was kind of relieved that I knew that word, which according to Merriam-Webster is a pathological condition caused by the action of a poison or toxin  Hamp was declared the winner.

I was really impressed by my fellow competitors, and Im really proud of myself for having done this, Hamp said, shoulder-to-shoulder in the triumvirate of victorious young women.

All of the contestants were given a resounding ovation, with proud parents embracing their young linguists and showering them with praise and, for some, snacks.

I was nervous and racked, and thought how long can it go on? Rajan George said when asked about watching his daughters epic silver-winning performance, before joking, I thought maybe I would need a break!

Judges Andre Luck, director of career services at Piedmont Virginia Community College; Caroline Emerson, vice president and campaign director at the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area; and Jane Sathe, features editor at The Daily Progress, spoke candidly afterward about the impressive talent on display in this years competition.

Progress Publisher Rob Jiranek agreed, saying to parents at the bees conclusion that we do this because we care about our future; I think youll agree that our future looks quite bright.
Almost 30 years ago, the federal government helped make it easier for patients with leukemia and lymphoma to receive lifesaving stem cell transplants. Now, we need the federal governments help again to ensure that Medicare patients with these cancers and other serious blood disorders can access the care they need.

In 1987, Congress approved funding for a national database of patients willing to donate bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells. That database is now known as the Be The Match Registry, operated by the National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match. According to the NMDP/Be The Match, patients searching the registry have access to 27 million potential volunteer bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell donors worldwide, along with more than 680,000 units of cord blood donated by mothers after giving birth.

Having access to such a large registry has made it easier for patients to find a match if they dont have a fully matched sibling donor, which is the case for about 70 percent of patients who receive a stem cell transplant. The registry has helped 80,000 patients receive bone marrow transplants, peripheral blood stem cell transplants, or cord blood transplants from an unrelated donor.

While the federal governments foresight and financial support have helped make adult stem cell and cord blood transplants  the only cure available for these diseases  possible for thousands of patients, Medicare coverage policies have not kept pace with this breakthrough treatment.

Medicare is more restrictive than private insurance companies in deciding for what indications stem cell transplants and cord blood transplants will be covered. With private insurance companies, we have the opportunity to talk with a medical director about the indication and provide literature to support the decision for a transplant. This opportunity is not available for our Medicare patients.

In most cases, Medicare doesnt decide whether to cover a stem cell or cord blood transplant until after the procedure is completed. This leaves most Medicare patients an impossible choice: Turn down their only chance at a cure or potentially face paying the significant cost of a transplant themselves. Even when Medicare does decide to reimburse for these transplants, according to the NMDP/Be The Match, it covers less than half the cost of the transplant.

Addressing this issue is especially important because seniors make up a large portion of the patients with the cancers and blood diseases that can be cured by a stem cell or cord blood transplant. For example, 24 of the 65 patients who received stem cell or cord blood transplants at University of Virginia Health System in 2016 had Medicare coverage.

So I am asking the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to expand Medicare coverage for stem cell and cord blood transplants, along with paying for the search and procurement costs as they already do for solid organ transplants.

The federal government has helped save the lives of tens of thousands of patients through better access to stem cell and cord blood transplants. I hope now they will act to make sure all Medicare patients who need one of these transplants can receive it.

Tamila L. Kindwall-Keller, DO, MS is the associate clinical director of the Stem Cell Transplant Program at the University of Virginia Health System.
The story of how Germanna professor Cory MacLauchlin came to pen the authoritative biography of New Orleans writer John Kennedy Tooleand how that biography came to be optioned as a feature film in which Susan Sarandon has signed on to star inis full of strange twists and turns.

But its no stranger than the story of the satirical novel, A Confederacy of Dunces, that brought Toole all the accolades he ever dreamed ofyet of which he never knew, as the book was published more than 10 years after his death from suicide at age 31.

Production of the movie is expected to start in May. It will be filmed in New Orleans, a city that is as much the star of the story as Toole or his protagonist Ignatius Reilly.

Id like to romanticize it in some ways, but to be honest, I was apprehensive, MacLauchlin, who teaches English at Germanna Community College, said of the phone call that came two years ago, inquiring about the film rights to his book.

Director David DuBos told MacLauchlin he was caught in a rainstorm in New Orleans and ducked into a record store, the Germanna professor recalled.

He was just passing away some time, saw my book on the counter and started reading it. That night, he called me to option it, he said.

A magazine article written 37 years ago calls Tooles novel the most bizarre publishing story of 1980.

Seventeen years earlier, Tooleknown to friends as Kenhad finished a comic tour de force, borrowing his title, and perhaps some of his satirical style, from Jonathan Swift.

The New Orleans native spent years trying to publish the book in the 1960s, even corresponding with noted Simon & Schuster editor Robert Gottlieb for two years of revisions. But nothing came of it.

Three years after his last exchanges with Gottlieb, on March 26, 1969, Toole took his own life.

Maybe his sense of rejection and failure led to despair, or maybe his mothers domination of his life contributed. Maybe it was mental illness.

But for 10 years, his mother and close friends were the only ones wondering. His mother, Thelma, spent her grief in a quest to see her genius sons novel in print. After sending an increasingly tattered copy back and forth from several publishers, she snatched a chance to force it on well-reviewed author Walker Percy, who decoded the first few smeared pages looking for a reason to stop reading.

He didnt find one. Eventually, Percy shepherded the story to publication by the Louisiana State University Press in Baton Rouge. The next year, in 1981, it won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

Some, like Gottlieb, have called it the character-driven novel a book about nothingyears before the sitcom Seinfeld would be given a similarly dubious description. Others celebrate it purely for its comedic forceor for a better grasp of the culture and patois of New Orleans than any other novel. And some see main character Reillys insufferable yet hilarious superiority as he blunders adjacent to the civil rights issues of the day as a lampoon of self-righteous, tone-deaf organizers.

A tale of one city,

and three books

Whatever ones view of the cause for the books impact on American literature, MacLauchlins taleand the upcoming movienow is really the story of three books: MacLauchlins biography, Butterfly in the Typewriter; a memoir of Toole and his forceful mother, called Ken and Thelma, by Joel Fletcher, and, of course, Dunces, the book that started it all.

MacLauchlin, who grew up in Newport News, said he has always had an interest in the culture and history of New Orleans. But after he got his masters in English at the University of Virginia and did some adjunct teaching at Germanna and then at Christopher Newport University, his interest swelled as Hurricane Katrina struck.

He took students from Christopher Newport to the city for relief work, but their reaction to the beloved city caught him off guard.

I heard a lot of disparaging comments, comments that I was sort of shocked with, Mac-Lauchlin said.

The crime, riots and looting, and the scale of the devastation made some students feel the Crescent City wasnt worth the investment of rebuilding, he said.

It occurred to me that perhaps we dont realize how much was kind of created in New Orleans that feeds into American culture, he said. I decided to do this class just  exploring this idea.

It was when he was researching for the class that he found Fletchers memoir, Ken and Thelma.

And then he found Fletcherin, of all places, Fredericksburg, where he has lived since about 1987.

An art dealer from New Orleans, Fletcher knew Toole there around 1960, before Dunces was written, and kept up a correspondence with him.

After Tooles death, Fletcher eventually became close to Tooles mother as she promoted the book. His memoir, Ken and Thelma, grew out of his personal knowledge of them both.

So I contact him and he invites me over for dinner and we end up just really hitting it off, MacLauchlin said of Fletcher. I didnt know what I was going to do. I didnt even know what it meant to write a book, to be honest.

Fame he never knew

It wasnt easy for Mac-Lauchlin to get to the story he needed to tell.

A lot of the people I interviewed were in their 70s and 80s, he said. They had already been burnt by a lot of journalists who came out of the woodwork.

Writers had created fictional narratives to fill in the gaps, MacLauchlin said, and Tooles story had been sensationalized.

Without Fletchers help, MacLauchlin said, he doubts he would have been able to write the bookand it certainly wouldnt be the same book.

It was a total coincidence that he happened to be teaching at Germanna and I happened to be living here, Fletcher said. Cory and I followed the golden thread.

MacLauchlin was looking for the real story behind Tooles book and suicide, not the sensationalized one, he said.

When I started reading the book, I remember distinctly, I was in a cafe and I was laughing out loud. Its strangeIve read comic novels before, but laughing out loud is not something that I usually do, MacLauchlin said.

But this one was just hilarious and so I was just sort of struck by how funny it was, right on the page.

Once MacLauchlin started to learn about the life and death of this literary Pagliacci, he became more and more curious, he said.

I think I just felt like he had been given a bad deal in how his life story was told, that he was sort of this tortured writer and because his book was rejected he killed himself, he said.

The sensationalized version of Tooles story held that he was gay and repressed his sexual identity, and that led to his suicide. But that explanation doesnt sit well with MacLauchlin, who doesnt agree with the assessment, or the simplification of Toole.

I think ... whatever leads someone to suicide is complex, MacLauchlin said. It seemed like there was more there.

Fletcher said he couldnt say much about Toole, as hes been asked not to give interviews with the film on its way out. But when he became acquainted with MacLauchlin, Fletcher was contributing to a documentary, John Kennedy Toole: The omega point, available to view at jktoole.com.

The documentary helped give MacLauchlin access to people who knew Toole, and gave him the chance to tell a more nuanced story.

Fletcher doesnt know if theres any lesson to be learned from Tooles life and death, any moral to the story. To him, his friends talent, and the tragedy that he never knew that it was recognized, is compelling on its own.

Its an amazing story, Fletcher said. I think the book is a wonderful book, but its also the backstory of how Ken, who wanted more than anything else in the world to be a famous writer, never knew he became one.
He has spoken to senators.

He has spoken to generals, both regular and soon-to-be-attorney.

But as soon as he speaks his words vanish, as if they had never been.

No one can definitively state that they were in the room with him at any time. (This must create certain difficulties in his job as Russias ambassador to the United States.)

His name is Sergey Kislyak, and he is the Most Forgettable Man in the World.

Pictures of him show a corpulent replica of Nikita Khrushchev. But these pictures apparently correspond to a man that no one has ever met. No one he has ever met or talked to seems to remember him. Not Michael Flynn. Not Attorney General Jeff Sessions. No one. Dementors speak of him with reverence, as the mere allusion to his presence removes not only happy memories but all memories of any kind.

He has made many phone calls. But it is only with great difficulty that intelligence agencies were able to make any record of these calls. His voice, like a tree falling alone in a Siberian forest, never makes a sound.

The second he meets with anyone, this meeting vanishes from their memories and their testimony. After meeting with him, senators will shake their watches and say, But Sofia, I was supposed to meet the Russian ambassador two hours ago! and Sofia will say, He just came out of your office, sir.

He is a paradox of space and time.

He once slept on a memory-foam mattress and left no impression whatsoever.

Pigeons often fly directly into him, mistaking him for empty space.

As Amir Nasr noted on Twitter, he is the reason people in D.C. say good to see you rather than good to meet you: No one can ever be entirely sure that they have not already met him.

Who can say what is discussed in his meetings? Those who were in them cannot recall. When people speak to him, they become different people. They receive new hats. They stop being campaign advisers and become Senate committee members only. They are transformedand then the memory vanishes. Other people will carelessly allege that Kislyaks conversation with Sessions was a series of simple surface pleasantries about the election, not an in-depth discussion, and definitely unofficial, but those in the room will not even say that.

Perhaps no words were even spoken.

Afterward, all his interlocutors have are images and feelings: warmth, security, ethics, definitely nothing that belongs in testimony.

Look, Kislyak is unmemorable, and nothing he has ever said to anyone involved in the Trump campaign can possibly have been of any interest. I do not know what this allegation is about and, also, it is false.

Are we sure that he exists? Is he even corporeal? Who can be sure? He melts away the second he is measured, like a Trump crowd on Inauguration Day.

It must be difficult to be so mild and self-effacing in a position of such international importance. How does he conduct diplomacy when no one can remember ever seeing or hearing him? Even Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who denounced Sessions for communing with him, discovered to her horror that SHE, TOO, had shared a group meeting with him.

Possibly we have all met with Kislyak and our minds are just shielding us from this knowledge.

Still, it is a good thing that some people have managed to keep records. Otherwise we might never know that he had talked to anyone at all.
#COVID-19 S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases drop below 20,000 South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 20,000 on Monday due to fewer tests over the weekend amid growing concerns that daily infections could spike to as high as 200,000 du...

S. Korea participates in Japan's fleet review for 1st time in 7 years A South Korean naval vessel took part in Japan's international fleet review on Sunday for the first time in seven years amid escalating nuclear and missile threats from North Korea...
The carrier plans to induct these four planes part of the 27 aircraft order placed with the Boeing Inc in 2006.

New Delhi: The government-owned Air India is looking to raise short-term loans worth over Rs 3,000 crore to partly fund acquisition of four Boeing 787 planes. It plans to induct these four planes part of the 27 aircraft order placed with the Boeing Inc in 2006  between July and October this year.

Currently, the national carrier has 23 B787-800 planes in the fleet besides other types of Boeing and Airbus planes. To fund the purchase of four more Boeing 787 aircraft, the airline is looking for banks and financial institutions to arrange bridge financing or short term loans for a period of 15 months.

The bridge finance would be up to "USD 470 million (approximately USD 117.500 million per aircraft) for partly financing acquisition of four B787-8 aircraft," as per an Invitation of Offer document.

At the current dollar-rupee exchange rate, USD 470 million translates to little over Rs 3,100 crore. For availing the short term loan, the national carrier would provide the aircraft as security.

The loan amount would be repaid after it concludes a Sale and Lease Back (SLB) arrangement. Under SLB arrangement, the seller of an asset leases it back from the purchaser for a long term.

There would be no government guarantee for the loan, Air India has said in the document. According to the document, Air India has sold 21 planes of the 23 Boeing 787 aircraft that are currently in operations and took them back under SLB arrangement.

The SLB of the two remaining planes, which were delivered to the airline between November 2106 and January this year, is under process. Back in 2006, as part of fleet expansion plans, Air India placed orders with Boeing for 68 aircraft -- 27 Dreamliners, 15 B777-300ERs, 8 B777-200LRs and 18 B-737-800s. Of these, Boeing has already delivered 61 planes to the the airline. Apart from four B787-8s, remaining three B777-300ER are scheduled to be delivered early next year.
New Delhi: E-commerce major Flipkart is looking to hire 20-30 per cent more people in 2017 compared to last year even as rival Snapdeal hands out pink slips to its employees.

The Bengaluru-based firm, which is locked in an intense battle with the US-based Amazon for leadership in the Indian market, will hire most laterals this year. "Our 2017 hiring plans are calibrated to the growth momentum we are seeing and we expect it to be somewhere around 20 per cent to 30 per cent higher than last year, spread out as per requirements across verticals," Flipkart COO Nitin Seth told PTI.

He added that a majority of this will likely come in through the lateral route. "We believe this offers us the right mix of talent needed to power the next phase of growth at Flipkart," he said.

Seth, however, declined to comment on the hiring number this year or in the previous year. According to sources, Flipkart hired about 1,500 people last year. Besides, it hired about 10,000 temporary staffers, mostly in logistics, ahead of festive sales to ensure it can meet the huge jump in demand.

According to research firm RedSeer, the Indian e-tailing industry expanded by a merely 12 per cent in 2016 to clock revenues of USD 14.5 billion compared to a whopping 180 per cent growth in 2015.

With raising of fresh funds becoming difficult and markdown in valuations, many of these technology-led businesses are being forced to pare down workforce or shut businesses.

Flipkart itself has seen a mutual fund managed by Morgan Stanley marking down its value for the fifth straight quarter. It now values the e-commerce major at USD 5.37 billion.

Last month, SoftBank-backed Snapdeal laid off some 600 people, with founders forgoing their salaries as part of the company's efforts to become profitable in two years. Similarly, the Chennai-based online hotel room aggregator Stayzilla decided to wrap up operations because of intense competition in the market.
New Delhi: Finance Ministry has agreed in-principle to allow public sector banks to offer stock options to their employees from next fiscal -- a move aimed at retaining experienced hands with better incentives.

According to sources, Employee Stock Option plans (ESOPs) could be given by those banks which have not only earned substantial profit but also made remarkable improvement in managing NPAs.

It will help motivate employees to work towards strengthening the financial status of their banks so that their share value rises, sources said. Although the Finance Ministry has given in-principle nod, the finer details are being worked out like what percentage of profit can be earmarked for ESOPs, sources said, adding, this is based on the suggestion of Banks Board Bureau (BBB).

One of the proposals is to issue shares equivalent to a certain percentage of banks' net profit to employees which is being examined. For large banks, the ESOPs could be as much as 5 per cent of profit after tax while for the smaller ones, it could be about 3 per cent but no decision has been taken yet, sources said.

Apart from ESOPs, bonuses and other performance-linked packages are also being discussed as suggested by BBB, sources added. ESOPs are common in the private sector, where companies offer stocks to reward and retain key and top-performing employees.

Since the employees stand to benefit from any appreciation in stock price, ESOPs also help in aligning the interests of the employees with those of shareholders. Earlier in January, BBB chief Vinod Rai had said the compensation package across the board of public sector banks needs to be improved.

"Maybe we are not able to do much with the fixed part of compensation package but variable part we are hopeful that in the next financial year we will be able to introduce a far more attractive package which will have bonuses, ESOPs and other performance linked incentives as part of the package," he had said.

It can be monetary or non-monetary benefits to make it more attractive for professionals to enter public sector banking space, he had said. Last year, the then RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan also made a case for offering ESOPs to bank staff.

"With public sector banks' shares trading at such low levels, a small allocation to employees today may be a strong source of motivation, and can be a large source of wealth as performance improves," Rajan had said.
These seafarers were so far exempted from paying tax on their remittances if they stay 182 days in India.

Mumbai: The proposal of the Income-Tax authorities to tax Indian sea farers who remit their salaries earned abroad to India could cost the country a drop in foreign exchange.

There are 1,30,000 Indian seafarers working abroad and they remit around $35-40 million annually. These seafarers were so far exempted from paying tax on their remittances if they stay 182 days in India.

But the Kolkata bench of the I-T appellate tribunal recently held these seafarers are liable to pay taxes on receipt basis because the foreign employer on the instruction of the seafarer remitted the salary to his NRE account in India.

The Centres Maritime Agenda 2020 as well as stakeholders of the maritime industry envisages the global share of Indian seafarers should increase to 9 per cent from the current 7 per cent. This could be in jeopardy if the tax authorities implement the decision of the court, said Capt Kamal Chaddha, former mariner and now MD of Marix Media.

He said most countries dont tax international earnings of foreign going seafarers. India should not lag behind given the competition to secure lucrative assignments for their citizens, he said.

Hopes are now on the case filed by both Maritime Union of India and National Union of Seafarers of India challenging the I-T Tribunals decision in the Calcutta High Court.
Mumbai: Varun Dhawan, who is stepping into the shoes of Salman Khan in the sequel to Judwaa, says the superstar has advised him to listen to his director and not be over smart. "The only advice Salman Khan has given me for Judwaa 2 is that, 'listen to your dad (director David Dhawan) and dont be over smart'," Varun told PTI.

The 29-year-actor actor says he was a kid when Judwaa released in 1997 and remembers his first meeting with Salman at a special screening of the film. I just remember watching Judwaa in the theatre during a special screening and meeting Salman Khan for the first time. I dont remember much as I was small.

In Judwaa, Salman played the double role as Prem, the naive guy, while Raja, who was the street smart chap. In the second instalment that is being made almost after two decades, Varun will be seen as the new-age tapori. It is sad that we dont make films on taporis anymore. There will be a big change in the character of Raja in the sequel. But I would not like to speak much about it. It is far different from what Salman did in the first film, Varun says.

Except for actress Rambha, all lead actors of the original comic caper will be seen in the cameo in the sequel. I cannot say anything about it right now because I want people to be surprised, especially by Salman Khans character in the film (Judwaa 2), he says. Beside Judwaa 2, Varun will be collaborating with filmmaker Shoojit Sircar for the first time.

There is something that he has narrated to me which I really liked. I wanted to work with Shoojit Sircar ever since I watched Vicky Donor. I will start shooting for the film after Judwaa 2 and it is a love story, he says.
Mumbai: Shahid Kapoor says he is confident about his craft and does not feel insecure when working in a two hero film. There have been reports of rivalry between him and Ranveer Singh over sharing screen time in Sanjay Leela Bhansalis upcoming magnum opus Padmavati. Shahids latest outing Rangoon is also a two-hero film in which he has shared screen space with Saif Ali Khan.

"If you are insecure as a person then you will be insecure in any situation. If you are a secure person and if you are sure about yourself then nothing matters," Shahid told PTI, when asked if there is any insecurity or rivalry when two actors come together for a film.

"I am very much sure about myself and my work. I will feel insecure only when I feel I will be lesser than somebody, but I dont think I am lesser than anybody. I am not here to say I am better than anybody but definitely Im not lesser," the Haider star adds. Asked if he was upset with reports of clash between him and Ranveer, the 36-year-old star says, "I had read the script (of 'Padmavati') 20 days before I started shooting. So, from my side I just wanted to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali."

Ranveer and Deepika Padukone, who have worked with Bhansali in his last two films, have always praised the director for getting out the best from actors. To this, Shahid says, ''Yes absolutely, without any doubt. I have shot with him for 25 days and I know the only way to work with him is to up your game.''

The actor wonders why the Bajirao Mastani filmmaker is often called a hard task master. ''I dont know why people say that about him. He is trying to do his best and I love working with people who want the best. I have not had so much fun working with anyone so far (other than Bhansali),'' he says. ''I feel this is the most exciting opportunity of my career so far. It is an amazing opportunity. I think I have never had such great time with any filmmaker,'' Shahid adds.
Mumbai: Never before has the re-release of a film entailed this big a fan frenzy. But then this is Rajinikanth we are talking about!

The 1995 cult gangster-thriller, 'Baasha,' till date is one of the superstar's biggest blockbusters.

There has been no looking back for the actor, ever since, and every film that followed has been an event, celebrations and festivities that would go on for days.

And now, the film is all set for a very hyped re-release, and fans across the country have been in a perennial state of excitement.

However, the hysteria isn't exclusive to the country, with the 'Thalaiva's fans in France also have been joining in on the celebrations.

A standee has been erected with crackers being burst in abandon and 'Rajini' being showered with milk and flowers like lesser mortals general do prior to the release of the star's films.

Rajini was last seen in the all-time blockbuster 'Kabali,' and will grace the cinemas this year alongside Akshay Kumar in the highly anticipated '2.0' by Shankar, the sequel to the cult superhero film, 'Robot'.

Bur before that, it's 'Baasha' time across the world!!

Watch the video here:
Washington DC: Speaking out about the controversy surrounding Disney's first openly gay character, director of 'Beauty and the Beast' Bill Condon now says the whole thing has been blown out of proportion.

The director, in an interview with ScreenCrush, said the public's reaction to character LeFou's (played by Josh Gad) questioning of his sexuality was stronger than he had anticipated, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

"Oh, God. Can I just tell you? It's all been overblown. Because it's just this - it's part of just what we had fun with," Condon told the outlet. "I love the way it plays pure when people don't know and it comes as a nice surprise."

He further said that he hopes audiences don't "make a big deal of it. Why is it a big deal?"

Now that the film has made headlines for its homosexual undertones, a drive-in theater in Henagar, Alabama has refused to show the movie.

On Saturday, BBC News reported that Russia was considering banning the live-action adaptation for violating a law prohibiting gay propaganda directed toward minors.
Pawan Kalyans Katamarayudu is all set to hit the screens on March 24. Now, the team has left for Europe to shoot the songs for a few days and will come back to the city in time for release. In the meantime, the post production is also almost complete and producer Sharrath Marar is all set to release the film on March 24. The makers informed the distributors and the exhibitors that they are planning to release the film on March 24. So everyone is gearing up for the date, says a source.

The Nizam distribution rights have been bought by Asian Films and Shreshth Movies owned by Sunil Narang and Sudhakar Reddy (Nithiins father) for nearly Rs 20 crore. Business in other areas too has been really good. Kishore Kumar Pardasani (Dolly) is the director of the film which stars Shruti Haasan as the female lead.
It looks like things are slowly falling in place for actor Allu Arjuns next with writer-turned-director Vakkantham Vamsi. While a recce is on and several locations across India have been zeroed in for the shoot of the film, tentatively titled Na Peru Shiva Na Illu India, the makers are also keen to finalise a leading lady at the earliest. And it seems, Bollywood actress Kiara Advani has been approached.

Kiara has been approached for several Telugu films earlier but nothing ever worked out because of her dates, and other issues. Shes a fresh face who can appeal to the Telugu audiences. The makers are keen to have her in the film. If things work out, she could make her Telugu debut, especially since shes got pan-India appeal too, shares a source in the know.

Meanwhile, Allu Arjun is working on his summer release Duvvada Jagannadham directed by Harish Shankar and co-starring Pooja Hegde.
Bengaluru: Art has always had the power to bring communities together, especially when it is accessible. Bringing art out of the confines of galleries is the Whitefield Art Collective, a month-long art festival that is taking place at V.R. Bengaluru, said Sumi Gupta, curator of the collective.

With this initiative, we have brought together master artists, students and graduates from reputed art schools and institutes, both from the city and across the country. The aim is to showcase their work, outside of a typical gallery setting, enabling audiences to access art and engage with it in new and unique ways, Ms Gupta said.

This is the second edition of the art fest which features over 100 artists and almost an equal number of works, installations and paintings. This edition is a tribute to renowned artist, the late Yusuf Arakkal. Four of his rare works and a car painted by him in bronze are featured at the collective along with a storyboard showcasing his complete lifes journey.

Ms Sara Arakkal, who handpicked the pieces, said, "Everywhere Yusuf and I went we saw art. Our lives, especially his, was all about art. It feels good to see this tribute to him. I have chosen four oil on canvas works for this collective."

She felt that it is festivals like these that make art for everyone. Art galleries are left confined to their four walls and the people who visit them are usually art lovers and connoisseurs. But when you put it in a space like this it brings in curiosity, especially in children and that is how art really spreads.

George Martin P.J. and Murali Cheeroth also unveiled their special projects for the Collective at the inauguration last Friday. George's piece, which was a Skoda car painted with various neon shades, symbolises the fluidity of the present time. I was inspired by the ever-changing, ever moving city life that we live in. It took me six days to work on it. He was mistaken for a car mechanic more than once, he says with a laugh. I love how working in open spaces brings people together. I was asked by people if I could fix their car. I mean, how often does that happen?"

The festival also has installations from city-based Ria Rajan's Moonbox Collection which is inspired by the phases of the moon and Rajasthan School of Art's Kathputli installation which featured a 25-foot-tall kathputli doll with an iPhone. Technology has been a boon to women in remote villages. It is like a small bundle of power. We wanted the installation to reflect women empowerment through technology, said Ms Vrinda Haldiya part of the duo behind the installation.
1 Definitely take a drive around the city on the vintage Cadillacs, and put on Salsa music while at it. Choose a convertible, put your head back, and let your hair fly with the wind.

2 Have a daiquiri at the famous Floridita that was the famed author Ernest Hemingways most favourite watering hole.

3 Stay at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, a heritage property rich in history and beauty. Dont miss the stunning peacock that dances around the portico bar n cafe, while you sip on their famous pina colada. Yum!

4 Visit one of the Partagas Cigar factories and watch how the best cigars in the world are made here sniff around for a whiff of the famed Cubans!

5 Visit the Museo de la Revolucion and catch a glimpse of the lives of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara.

 as told to Namita Gupta
Bengaluru: The Magadi police have arrested four people, including two women and a 17-year-old boy, for sacrificing 10-year-old Ayesha in a black magic ritual.

Investigations revealed that they sacrificed Ayesha, thinking that it will help the brother of the prime accused recover from paralysis.

Mohammed Vaseel, 42, his sister Rashidunnisa, 36, both residents of Sunakal village in Magadi, black magician Naseema Taj, 38, a resident of Goripalya off Mysuru Road, and the minor are the arrested. Vaseel, a small-time businessman, is a distant relative of Ayeshas father.

Vaseels younger brother Rafiq was running a medical store in Tumakuru. He recently suffered a paralytic stroke, could not manage his business and shifted to Vaseels house. The father of the two brothers was known in the village for his black magic rituals. But as he has aged and suffers from memory loss, the brothers wanted the rituals done by Naseema, who has reportedly learnt the tricks from their father. Vaseel and his sister Rashidunnisa approached Naseema seeking help to cure Rafiq of paralysis, the police said.

Naseema told them that she could help, but they had to arrange a girl, aged between 8 and 11, who has to be sacrificed. She reportedly promised the brother and sister that within a month of the ritual, they could see their brother returning to normal. Vaseel sent pictures of eight girls, including Ayeshas, to Naseema and she chose Ayesha, an official said.

They decided to sacrifice Ayesha on Wednesday. Vaseel and Rashidunnisa asked the minor accused, also a relative, to bring Ayesha to his house, close to girls home. From there, Vaseel and Rashidunnisa took the girl to Vaseels land, where Naseema was waiting for them. As they brought the girl, Naseema reportedly hypnotised the girl telling her that a spirit would possess her body. After performing some rituals of black magic, Naseema tied a lemon to the girls leg and the accused strangled her by tying a duct tape tightly around her neck and smothering her. Later, they threw the girls body into the canal on Hosahalli Road in the early hours of Thursday and returned to their houses, the police said.

Accused Mohammed Vaseel and Naseema

The police cracked the case with the help of clues given by Ayeshas father Mohammed Nurulla Gulab, who had found his daughters hair clip and signs of black magic at Vaseels land when he was searching for his missing daughter.

Based on his statement, the suspects were picked up and they confessed to the murder, the police said. Two more suspects in the case have been detained.

Their involvement in the case has been proved, but we are not sure whether they knew the intention of Vaseel and Rashiddunisa. They are still being still questioned, the police said.
Accused Vaibhav Baddalwar, in the email allegedly sent on February 23, asked Mr Patel to resign from his post of RBI governor and threatened him with dire consequences. (Representational image)

Mumbai: Police in Mumbai on Sunday arrested a 34-year-old man from Nagpur, who had allegedly sent an email threat to Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel. Mr Patel lives in Mumbai.

Accused Vaibhav Baddalwar, in the email allegedly sent on February 23, asked Mr Patel to resign from his post of RBI governor and threatened him with dire consequences. We will finish your family overnight, your lovely daughter, son will get killed in coming blast..., the email warned.

Police said the email was riddled with grammatical errors and disjointed sentences. Cops are now investigating how Baddalwar was able to get Mr Patels personal email address.

The police arrested Baddalwar from Nagpur, after tracing his internet protocol address. Deputy commissioner of police (Mumbai cyber crime) Akhilesh Kumar Singh said: We have sent him for a medical examination but he appears to be mentally disturbed.

A source from the cyber police said Baddalwar is unemployed and stays with relatives in Nagpur. He appears to be troubled because he was not getting a job, the source said.

An official revealed that Mr Patel initially informed the RBI general manager about the threat email, who in turn approached the police to register an FIR. But since the threat was sent via email they were asked to inform the cyber police, which registered an offence on February 28.

The bizarre email states: Hi Mr Urjit, RBI Governor, my dear son, please quit the job, dont seat in the RBI, this is my right, otherwise, we will going to kill you, we will finish your family overnight, your lovely daughter, son will get killed in coming blast, without any bones remain in the body.
Kozhikide: In a yet another political faceoff in Kerala, three Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers and one Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker were allegedly hacked by a group of Communist Party of India (Marxist) workers in Kozhikode district.

According to a report in DNA, one of the CPI (M) workers has been arrested.

The workers have been hospitalised after they suffered series injuries in the ambush by more than 10 CPI(M) workers over political rivalry.

The incident comes in the wake of the ongoing tussle between the RSS and the CPI(M) in Kerala, as last Thursday, an RSS office was attacked in the state.

The office was attacked Hours after an RSS functionary announced reward of Rs 1 crore for anyone who brought the head of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Both parties have been at loggerheads over the steady cycle of violence which has claimed several lives on both sides.
New Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue Rakesh Sinha on Sunday demanded imposition of President's rule in Kerala, saying the law and order situation in the state has reached the level of anarchy.

Sinha, who was reacting to the attacks on four RSS members in Kozhikode district, said Kerala has reached a state of anarchy and added this is now the right time for the Centre to intervene immediately.

"The incidents of violence and the killing of RSS workers remain unabated. They are inviting a civil war as they are provoking RSS activists all over the country. Therefore, I demand imposition of President's rule in Kerala because there is no way out," he said.

Sinha also trained his guns on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and accused him of orchestrating the killings of RSS members.

"The Kerala Chief Minister is determined to kill the RSS workers. He is the main accused and nobody else can be blamed. And at the same time, I accuse the CPI (M) of endorsing the violent activities of the Kerala Government," he added.

In a yet another political faceoff in Kerala, one BJP worker and three RSS workers were allegedly hacked by a group of CPI (M) workers in Kozhikode district.

The incident comes in the wake of the ongoing tussle between the RSS and the CPI (M) in Kerala, as last Thursday an RSS office was attacked in the state.

The office was attacked hours after an RSS functionary announced a bounty of Rs. one crore on Chief Minister Vijayan's head.
Thiruvananthapuram: A re-autopsy on the body of soldier Roy Mathew of Kollam, who was found dead in the Army camp in Nasik on Thursday, was conducted at the medical college here after his body was brought to the international airport on Saturday. An inquest was conducted under Kollam Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Abdul Salam.

Artillery gunner Roy Mathew, 33, of Karuvelil, Ezhukon, Kollam district, was attached to the Rocket Regiment 214 in the Nasik camp. He was found hanging from the ceiling of an abandoned barrack in Deolali cantonment after he had gone missing on February 25. Earlier, he had allegedly featured in a sting operation held by an online news portal that claimed to expose the abuse of sahayak (orderly) system in the Army and the orderlies were shown walking the dogs of senior officers.

His relatives had raised suspicion before the district administration over his death. His wife Finy Mathew declined to receive the body at the airport on Saturday morning protesting against the way in which the Army handled the soldiers death. The relatives cried foul as the coffin lay unattended in a trolley for nearly half-an hour.

Two relatives, including the gunners uncle Mr Jose, told this newspaper that they had verified the body before it was taken for re-autopsy. We found no suspicious injuries but are awaiting the re-autopsy result, he said.

The funeral was held at Mathews residence in the evening and around a dozen Army officials paid him homage.
Bengaluru: Rubbishing reports that the state government had decided against the caste survey being carried out a a cost of Rs 182 crore by over 1.25 lakh persons, a member of the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission says it is nearly ready to submit it.

Almost 95 per cent of the printing work has been done. The report has been divided into eight or nine volumes of 900 pages each. But Chief minister Siddaramaiah has not yet given us an appointment to officially present the report to him," he told Deccan Chronicle.

The member, who worked for over two months across the state to compute the details, notes that such a massive exercise has been conducted after a gap of six decades.

I see no reason for the government to discard the survey report after utilising so much human resource to compile it, he said clarifying that at the recent Congress coordination committee meeting, senior leader, Mallikarjun Kharge and others had merely asked the Chief Minister not to make any commitment on the Justice A I Sadashiva Commiittee report on internal reservation among the scheduled castes and tribes.

Mr Kharge never ever spoke against the socio and economic survey as it pertains to all castes and communities and is not restricted to the SCs, he added.
Hyderabad: AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said that he would speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the external affairs ministry regarding the safety of Indians in the United States.

Mr Naidu was speaking after meeting the family of Hyderabad-based techie Srinivas Kuchibotla, who was killed in a hate crime on February 24 in Olathe, Kansas.

Mr Naidu expressed his support for the family, and assured them that he would put pressure on the Centre to pursuing Srinivas murder case in the United States.

Mr Naidu said that with repeated incidents, people from Telugu states residing in the United States were worried. The US should be thankful to Indians for working for their country, but it is sad that they are creating fear through such incidents. This should stop and our people should feel safe there, Mr Naidu said.

He also appreciated Srinivas wife Sunayana when she said that she would try to fulfil her husbands wishes. He also consoled Srinivas parents and relatives.
Chennai: A speech by actor-turned DMK politician Radha Ravi has sparked outrage, after he compared the partys political rivals to children with disabilities.

According to reports, the 64-year-old politician made the speech at a DMK event on March 1, equating PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss and MDMK leader Vaiko to differently-abled children trying to play with regular ones.

At the event, held to celebrate the birthday of party working president MK Stalin, Ravi said, Premature babies - the ones who are born in 6 months instead of 10 months - their hands and legs get pulled, and their mouth keeps dripping saliva. The crowd and the party fuctionaries on stage, including MLAs, responded with cheers and laughter.

In response, activists demonstrated outside Ravis residence in Hyderabad, and a petition was filed against him at the Teynampet police station by members of the December 3 movement, a disabled rights activists group in Tamil Nadu.

DMK leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi slammed Ravi. (He should) stop speaking about differently-abled people in a derogatory and mocking fashion. Kalaignar's cadre will not accept this. Having disabilities is indeed a small obstacle. But it is when you're emotionally weak that it is an even bigger obstacle. The differently-abled are people who have broken these emotional barriers."

Further protests in Chennai are planned in the event that an FIR isnt filed against the controversial actor turned politician.

Ravi joined the DMK in February this year after quitting the AIADMK.
Kochi: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday pitched for healthy students' politics in campuses, saying else the anarchists and the communal forces will take control.

"Anarchists and caste, communal forces will control the campuses not having student politics. I am of the view that campus politics is essential for checking such forces," he said, inaugurating "Maharajakeeyam" organised by old students of Ernakulam Maharaja's College here.

The Chief Minister cautioned against the frequent incidents of clashes between various students outfits in the campuses.

"Conflicts of ideas are required in the campuses," Vijayan said.

Describing Maharaja's College as the pride of Kerala, the Chief Minister said every one should be cautious about retaining its status.

In an apparent reference to the recent incident of burning of the principal's chair in Maharaja's College, allegedly by some students, Vijayan said it was possible for a few to "push the institution from pride to humiliation."

"Everyone should be cautious about it," he said at the function attended by old students including state Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, P T Thomas, MLA and actor Mammooty.

Vijayan's comments also assume significance in the context of the recent violence at Delhi University's Ramjas college where ABVP and AISA clashed over cancellation of a seminar invite to JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid.

While the college administration withdrew the invitation following opposition by the ABVP, it led to widespread violence after clashes between the RSS' students' wing and the Left-affiliated AISA.

Maharaja's College is a Government Autonomous College established in the year 1875. It is one of the five Centres of Excellence in Kerala.
Lady officer of J&K Police paying tribute to constable Manzoor Ahmad who was killed during an encounter at Tral after wreath laying ceremony in Srinagar on Sunday. (Photo: PTI)

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel on Sunday bid a tearful adieu to constable Manzoor Ahmad, who was killed during the assault against militants holed up in a house in Tral area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Sunday.

A wreath laying ceremony was held for the constable, hailing from Uri area of Baramulla district, at District Police Lines in Srinagar, a police official said.

Besides top police officials, Education Minister Altaf Bukhari laid wreath on Naik's coffin which was draped in Tricolour, the official said.

"Naik was part of the assault team which led the gun battle at Tral, in which two terrorists, including one from Pakistan, were killed," the official said.

The slain constable is survived by a four-year-old son and wife who is pregnant.
Srinagar: A police constable and two militants have been killed in an encounter between security forces and around five top Hizbul Mujahideen militants, who were holed up in a house in Tral on the city outskirts.

"We have killed two terrorists, one of them is a Pakistani. It was a joint op by Jammu & Kashmir police and security forces," SP Vaid, DGP J&K Police, told ANI.

Officials sources said special forces of the Army were deployed to carry out a combing operation in the area in south Kashmir.

The gunfight broke out late on Saturday evening after security forces cordoned off the house and is still continuing.

The J&K police constable has been identified as Manzoor Ahmed, officials said.

Curfew has been clamped in this area, 10 km from here, as protesters had gathered near the encounter site. A CRPF jawan's rifle was snatched by them, they said.

Half of the house was brought down by the security forces but militants were still firing on them.

The poster boy of banned Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit, Burhan Wani, belonged to this area.
Rampur: Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan on Sunday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he was camping in Varanasi as if he was a "nukkad neta" and accused him of virtually transforming the city into the country's capital.

A day after the Prime Minister held a roadshow in his constituency, the UP minister charged that the "entire Union government has been shifted to that city and Varanasi has been virtually transformed into the capital of the country".

"The Prime Minister has been camping in Varanasi as if he happens to be a nukkad neta (a leader addressing corner meetings)," Khan, who is known for making controversial remarks against the Prime Minister, told reporters in Rampur last night.

"Even then the BJP is not going to win a single seat there and it would be enough achievement for the outfit if it could save the security deposits of its nominees," he said.

A host of Union ministers and top BJP leaders led by Amit Shah have been camping in the city to lead the party's campaign for the last phase of UP polls.

On the crowd gathered for the Prime Minister's road show, Khan said, "Modiji's road show saw the presence of 400 policemen and that lasted for a short duration. It is unfortunate that in early days people used to shower flowers on Modi but the latter was seen throwing flowers on the crowd".

Asked about the Prime Minister describing Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's works as 'karname' the cabinet minister said, "You consult Oxford dictionary and you will come to know that 'karname' is used for good works".
Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Varanasi "roadshow" yesterday was violative of the election Model Code of Conduct and urged the EC to look into the matter.

In a statement issued here, she said, "Yesterday's roadshow taken out by PM Narendra Modi (in Varanasi) is a serious issue. Violation of the Model Code of Conduct by people occupying high posts is not only improper, but also dangerous for democracy."

The former Chief Minister also claimed that the Prime Minister's action showed that conducting a free-and-fair election would be a challenge for the Election Commission in Uttar Pradesh.

Mayawati urged the poll watchdog to "immediately intervene", so that those occupying high posts do not dare violate the Model Code of Conduct in future.
The PMSA had in the last week of January apprehended 36 fishermen and seized six boats off Gujarat coast. (Photo: Representational Image)

Ahmedabad: Pakistani forces have apprehended 94 Indian fishermen and seized 17 boats off the Gujarat coast since Saturday, an official of the National Fishworkers Forum said.

"Around 70 fishermen on board 13 boats were captured yesterday by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA).

"24 others on board four boats were held today in the high seas from near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) off Jakhau coast," the forum's secretary Manish Lodhari said.

A total of 94 Indian fishermen have been arrested and 17 boats seized near Jakhau port in the Arabian sea, Lodhari told PTI, noting that all of them have been taken to Karachi by the agency.

He said that fishermen in the area feared more arrests as "the Pakistani agency's vessels are active".

The incident comes close on the heels of the PMSA apprehending 11 fishermen with two boats last week, he said.

"Last week, two boats with eleven fishermen were captured by the PMSA, we have been officially informed," Lodhari said.

The PMSA had in the last week of January apprehended 36 fishermen and seized six boats off Gujarat coast.

In a related incident on February 2, the Border Security Force (BSF) had seized four abandoned Pakistani fishing boats near the Sir Creek in Kutch district on the Indo-Pak border during an extensive search operation.
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday condoled the death of an Indian-origin store owner in South Carolina and said the investigation in the case was in progress.

Swaraj also said that she had spoken with the father of Sikh-American Deep Rai, who was shot outside his home in Kent, Washington, and was recovering in a private hospital.

In a series of tweets on attacks in the US on India-origin persons last week, Swaraj said, "I am pained to hear about the killing of Harnish Patel, a US national of Indian-origin in Lancaster, South Carolina. Our Consul has reached Lancaster and met the family of Harnish Patel."

She said the investigation in the case was in progress. Swaraj also offered her condolences to the bereaved family.

Patel, 43, the owner of a convenience store in Lancaster County, South Carolina, was found dead of gunshot wounds in the front yard of his home on Thursday. Police had said in Patel's killing his Indian ethnicity did not appear to be a factor.

Reacting to the the attack on 39-year-old Rai, Swaraj said, "I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a US national of Indian-origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh, father of the victim."

"He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital," Swaraj tweeted.

Rai was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent, Washington, on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to his home's driveway.

Kent police said an argument broke out between the two men, with Rai saying the suspect made statements to the effect of "go back to your own country". The unidentified man then shot him in the arm.

On the attack on Rai, MaryKay L Carlson, Charge' D' Affairs, American Embassy here, said she was saddened by the shooting in Washington state.

"Wishes for quick and full recovery. As @POTUS said we condemn 'hate and evil in all its forms'," she tweeted.

Both these attacks come close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".
Mumbai: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel allegedly received a threat mail asking him to quit the job from a 37-year-old man, who has been arrested from Nagpur, police said today.

The RBI Governor received the email on February 23 in which the sender threatened to harm Patel and his family if he did not quit, a police official said.

Patel forwarded the email to a senior RBI officer, who in turn approached the cyber cell of Mumbai police and lodged a complaint.

During investigation, police found that the email was sent from a cyber cafe in Nagpur.

A team from the Mumbai police's cyber cell then went to Nagpur and arrested the accused, identified as Vaibhav Baddalwar, on Friday.

"We have arrested the accused from Nagpur in connection with the threat mail to the RBI Governor," Deputy Commissioner of Police, cyber cell, Akhilesh Singh said.

An offence was registered by police under Indian Penal Code section 506(2) (criminal intimidation) in the case.

Police claimed that the accused admitted to having sent the mail.

Baddalwar was later produced in a Nagpur court which remanded him in police custody till March 6.

The accused did his post-graduation abroad and is currently jobless. It is suspected that he sent the mail out of frustration, Singh said adding that an investigation into the matter is on.

The RBI spokesperson did not offer any comments in the matter.
New Delhi: A court in Rohtak, Haryana, has discharged three men, who were accused of eve-teasing two girls on a state roadways bus in Rohtak in December 2014, in the absence of evidence to begin proceedings against them.

Two girls, Arti and Pooja Kumar, from Sonepat had accused the three men of harassing them on a state roadways bus. The sisters had shot to fame in December 2014 after a video, showing them beating up the three men, went viral.

According to a report in NDTV, the Haryana Police, which filed the investigation report in the case in 2015, could not find witnesses to corroborate the girls account of the incident.

However, a few passengers, who were on the bus when the alleged incident took place, came forward to support the men  Kuldeep, Deepak and Mohit  who have claimed innocence. The polygraph test result also could not prove the girls allegations.

Arti and Pooja have expressed their disappointment at the courts order and are planning to approach the high court against it.

"We were shocked by the court order and disappointed," said Arti Kumar. "But we had problems with the line of Investigation right from the beginning... They kept asking us how many boyfriends we have and questioned our character. Exactly what does that have to do with the case?" she said.

The two college-going sisters had confronted the three men inside a moving bus, with one of the girls even hitting the youths with her belt.

The entire incident, recorded by a passenger on mobile phone, went viral both on television and social media. It showed the two girls using hand and belt to thrash the trio, who appeared to be taken by surprise.

The Haryana government had even decided to reward the two sisters for bravery, but later put the decision on hold after four witnesses claimed that the boys were innocent.
MUMBAI: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat will be conferred with the degree of Doctor of Letters (D. Litt.) by Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur, for showing that the economy of gau shalas (cow shelters) is not based on milk but products derived from cow urine and dung.

Mr Bhagwat, who did his graduation at Government Veterinary College, Nagpur, will be issued the degree by Maharashtra governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao on March 9. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also likely to remain present for the function. Animal husbandry, dairy development and fisheries development minister Mahadeo Jankar confirmed the development.

We had received a proposal regarding awarding D.Litt. to Mohanji Bhagwat for his contribution in the field. He has been a guiding force for the Veterinary College in Nagpur. The proposal went through a process for approval and got consent from various committees, Mr Jankar, who is pro-vice-chancellor of the university, told this newspaper. The minister also clarified that there was nothing political in honouring the RSS chief.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar was also conferred with D. Litt. by Nanded University for completing 50 years in politics and his contribution in the field. Bhagwatjis D. Litt. was also approved at the same time. There is nothing political in it, the minister said. When contacted, professor A.K. Misra, vice-chancellor of the Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University, narrated the contribution of Mr Bhagwat to the field.

Bhagwatji completed his graduation from Veterinary College in Nagpur. He had taken admission for Masters, which he could not complete due to social commitments. He has established a large number of gau shalas. One of them at Deolapar (near Nagpur) grabbed the attention of the entire country. It showed that the economy of gau shala is not based on cow milk but on the products derived from urine, dung like panchamrut and ayurvedic medicines, Mr Misra said.

The V-C added that the RSS chief has written a number of books on these issues and promoted organic farming and conservation of indigenous breeds.

An independent body called Senior Veterinary Association proposed Mr Bhagwats name for the D. Litt.

The proposal went to the academic council of the university, the university, the management council of the university and then the governor. He (Bhagwat) is such a renowned person who has committed his whole life to a social cause. His name got unanimous approval from all the committees. Even a few members from opposition parties supported the proposal, Mr Misra said.
Mumbai: Its official. The next Mumbai mayor will be from Shiv Sena. In a surprise move, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would not contest the mayoral election in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). With this, it is almost certain now that Shiv Sena will retain its hold on Indias richest civic body.

Sources from the BJP said that the party would have had to compromise with either Sena or the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to come to power in the BMC and both options would have dented the CMs clean image.

We have decided not to put up a candidate for mayor or deputy mayor or any other committee chairman for Brihanmumbai Muni-cipal Corporation. We will not claim the post of opposition leader also, the Chief Minister said after attending BJPs core committee meeting.

The BJPs announcement came on a day when Shiv Sena announced Vishwanath Mahadeshwar as its mayoral candidate. The Congress has also announced that its corporator Vitthal Lokre will contest the mayoral election.

However, Sena has 84 corporators and the support of four Independent corporators, while Congress has only 31 corporators in the house of 227 councillors. Since the BJP, which has 82 corporators has decided not to contest or support any other party, Mr Mahadeshwar is the clear frontrunner for mayors post.
New Delhi: The Sikh man, who was shot in the arm by a masked gunman in Seattle, is out of danger and recovering in a private hospital, said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday after speaking to his family.

Taking to Twitter, Swaraj posted the update about Deep Rai, who is a US national of Indian origin.

"I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai a US national of Indian origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh father of the victim. He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital," she said in a series of tweets.

She also extended her condolences to the family of Harnish Patel, who was killed in Lancaster, assuring that the investigation of the case is in progress.

What came as an apparent third hate crime case in two weeks against the Indian community in United States, a 39-year old Sikh man was injured by an unknown assailant, who shot the victim outside his home and allegedly shouted "go back to your own country."

The victim was working on his vehicle outside his home in the city of Kent on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to the driveway.

There was an altercation, and the gunman  a stocky, 6-foot-tall white man wearing a mask over the bottom part of his face  said "Go back to your own country" and pulled the trigger.

An argument ensued, and the suspect, wearing a mask, told him to go back to his homeland, the victim said. The victim told police the man then shot him in the arm.

According to the local police, the Sikh man sustained "non life-threatening injuries" and they are "treating this as a very serious incident."

Kent police have launched an investigation into the case and reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. Police are on the lookout for the suspect.

This development comes close on the heels of the tragic shooting in Kansas last month of 32-year old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was killed when 51-year old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani before yelling "get out of my country."

Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gunshot wounds in his yard.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his road show in Varanasi on Sunday. (Photo: PTI)

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a verbal attack on the Opposition, saying the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) believe in 'kuch ka saath kuch ka vikas.''

"Our motto is sabka sath sabka vikas, but Cong, SP and BSP have different culture of politics that believes in kuch ka saath kuch ka vikas," said Prime Minister Modi while addressing a rally in Varanasi after concluding his roadshow.

He added that he wanted to make Varanasi a global attraction for tourists.

Prime Minister Modi said Congress, SP and BSP came together following his announcement to demonetise high-denomination currency notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 on November 8 last year.

"When on November 8, Modi said 'My dear friends', all the three (BSP, SP, Congress) came together. The three always indulge in mud-slinging but united on the issue of demonetisation," he added.

Hitting out at the current ruling dispensation, the Prime Minister said development is impossible in East Uttar Pradesh as the region has everything but a good government.

Continuing his tirade against the Samajwadi Party, Prime Minister Modi said the honest will not be acknowledged till the time the present government remains in power.

"I want to tell all honest citizens- no one will ever trouble you under our government. The honest will be awarded," he said.

In a veiled attack on the Congress, the Prime Minister said the country has been looted by politicians and babus.

"For the first time in India a government has come which is trusted by the country," he said.

Prime Minister Modi lambasted the former government for questioning the surgical strike and delaying the approval of the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for the past 40 years.

"Look at the misfortune of the country that it has such politicians and political parties which demand for proof of the surgical strike," he added.

Modi earlier in the day held a second roadshow in Varanasi starting from Pandeypur Chauraha which concluded at the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith.
Mysuru: All India Congress Committee (AICC) spokesperson Brijesh Kalappa has objected to the controversial tweet of Mysuru Kodagu MP Mr Pratap Simha against Gurmehar Kaur, daughter of Kargil martyr, Captain Mandeep Singh. Gurmehar had stirred a controversy by speaking out against the pro-BJP ABVP in New Delhi which had led to a nation-wide debate and protests by the student community

Speaking to mediapersons here on Sunday, Mr Kalappa alleged that the BJP and its outfits were targeting youth under the age of 25 years. He said, "While earlier they targeted Kanhaiya Kumar and Rohit Vemula, now they are targeting Gurmehar Kaur. It is not right. Probably they might target youth under 16 years in future. Mr Simha is creating controversies instead of focussing on the severe drought, and getting drought relief funds from the Central government.

He said, "So far 110 soldiers have been martyred after Mr Narendra Modi became Prime Minister. Has he visited the house of a single soldier? Mr Modi doesn't have any concern for soldiers," Mr Kalappa alleged. He said, "We are confident of victory in the Nanjangud and Gundlupet by-elections. The BJP candidate Mr V. Srinivaprasad has alrealdy accepted defeat with his use of bad language against Congress leaders."
Tamil Nadus fishermen appear to have been left at the total mercy of the Sri Lankan Navy, which picks them up at random, incarcerates them for months together and fails to return their boats for years together, despite commitments made during talks

Chennai: Contending that Indian fishermen have been placed in a desperate situation owing to Sri Lankas continued harassment, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswamy, called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to end their ordeal and also take steps to ensure the release of the arrested 32 Indian fishermen.

Palaniswamy said the incident took place when the Indian fishermen were fishing in their "traditional waters" near Palk Bay and that the "Sri Lankan Navy opened fire without any warning."

This sharp escalation in harassment and apprehension of our fishermen, especially at a time when they are getting ready for the much awaited Katchatheevu festival, is causing considerable hardship and mental agony to the poor, innocent fishermen, he said in a letter to Modi on Sunday.

A fisherman, who was about to be apprehended by the Lankan authorities, attempted to swallow broken glass out of fear and mental stress, thereby endangering his life, he pointed out.

The fishermen peacefully go about their activities in the waters which they have enjoyed the customary rights to fish for several centuries, he said.

Tamil Nadus fishermen appear to have been left at the total mercy of the Sri Lankan Navy, which picks them up at random, incarcerates them for months together and fails to return their boats for years together, despite commitments made during talks, the letter read.

Palaniswamy announced a sum of Rs five lakh to the family of the deceased from the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund.

He also announced Rs 1 lakh to another fisherman, who was injured in the attack, and directed that the best medical treatment be offered to him.

The Chief Minister also called for the retrieval of the Katchatheevu islet, ceded by India to Sri Lanka in 1974.

Citing examples, including in South-East Asia, he said countries arrived at workable diplomatic arrangements under which, two sides continue to fish without any harassment and interference.

There is no reason why a similar arrangement cannot be put in place between India and Sri Lanka, Palaniswamy suggested. Noting that currently, there were 85 fishermen and 128 fishing boats in Lankan custody, he urged Modi to direct the External Affairs Ministry officials concerned to take concrete action through diplomatic channels to secure their release.
No auction or tenders were called and land was allotted solely at the discretion of the powers-that-be. (Representational image)

Hyderabad: IT companies that want to set up base in Hyderabad will no longer be entitled to subsidised land allotment from the government.

Companies have to purchase land at the existing market rate and if there are multiple applicants for the same parcel of land, an open auction will be conducted by the government.

To woo IT companies, the state government has, since the late 1990s, offered land in the city at throwaway prices. A company like Infosys Technologies got hundreds of acres of land in the city for just Rs 12 lakh per acre.

Land in Hyderabad in any location at present commands Rs 15 crore to Rs 25 crore per acre. As IT companies are vying for land on the citys outskirts and there is shortage of land, the TS government has decided not to offer land at subsidised rates any more. The decision was taken in the meeting of the Land Management Committee headed by Chief Secretary S.P. Singh. Official sources in the IT department said the new policy will come into effect in the new IT Park being developed by the government near Shamshabad international airport, spread over 250 acres, where the existing market rate is in the price band of Rs 10 crore to Rs 15 crore.

The Chief Secretary has directed TSIIC officials to offer land to IT firms by conducting auctions. No allotments should be made at subsidised rates, sources said.

After natural calamities in Chennai and Vizag and law and order problems in Bengaluru, many global and local IT firms prefer Hyderabad. The good climate and business environment in the city, and political stability are encouraging more and more firms to set up shop here, the source said.

Land was not auctioned in undivided AP

In undivided AP, there was no uniform policy to determine the price of land allotments. An IT company was allotted 6.32 acres in an IT park at Nanakramguda for just Rs 60 lakh per acre on December 12, 2004, whereas a non-IT company was allotted five acres for Rs 35 lakh per acre on December 14, 2004.

Another company was given land at Nanakramguda for Rs 60 lakh per acre on February 16, 2005, and a leading IT firm bought 15 acres at the rate of Rs 29 lakh per acre on March 28, 2005. No auction or tenders were called and land was allotted solely at the discretion of the powers-that-be.
Students however, continue to ask the same question on what the status of Neet is in the state. (Representation image)

Chennai: Uncertainty continues to prevail among the student of Tamil Nadu on whether they will have to write the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Neet) this year.

With organisations like the Doctors' Association for Social Equality (Dase) urging the state government to request the Centre for an extension of Neet dates, officials from the state government are continuing their efforts to get the state exempted from writing the test.

While Dase claims that it is requesting for an extension, keeping in mind those students who were unable to apply for the test, it fails to realise that requesting for an extension could imply that the state has now fallen in line with the Neet, said an educationist.

"We are very hopeful of getting the President's assent. However, if anything goes wrong, it is better to have an extension. It does not mean we have given up hope. We are confident and we know that the Central Government will respect the voice of the people of the state. We are only asking for the extension because many have missed applying for the test," said Dr. G. R. Ravindranath of DASE.

Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, had on Saturday opined that Tamil Nadu students should be capable of competing with students of other states in India and that the demand by the state government to exempt Tamil Nadu students shows the incapability of the state government.

Therefore, the need for efforts from the state government to improve the level of education among schools in the state was felt. "Students should be trained to write Neet. We are asking the state government to improve the syllabus and to train our students to face competitive examinations," added Dr. Ravindranath.

Stating that Tamil Nadu will not give up in its fight for exempting the students from the test, Director of Medical Education Dr. Narayana Babu said that the state's policy is to follow what was followed last year.

The Tamil Nadu government is for the system of counselling to benefit poor students. "A large number of rural students will benefit from the counseling as they will be unable to afford the entire process of the competitive examination," he said.

Students however, continue to ask the same question on what the status of Neet is in the state. "We are very hopeful that the state will be exempted, however, we are still awaiting clarity on the same. Whatever information we get on the same is from the press. We hope that the government does a better job of informing the students of what the situation actually is," said R. Vignesh, a plus two student.
Lucknow: In a major development that is bound to cause much embarrassment to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik sent a letter to Mr Yadav demanding to know why rape-accused minister Gayatri Prajapati continued to remain in the ministry.

Raj Bhavan sources claimed the letter said: A non-bailable warrant has been issued against Prajapati after an FIR was registered against him in a rape case. Serious questions of constitutional morality and dignity arise on his remaining in the state Cabinet. The Governor sought the CMs justification (for) retaining the minister.

The Governor said it had come to his notice that the CM himself asked the minister to surrender, but he hadnt done so and was absconding. There are apprehensions he might have fled to some foreign country, he added. This is serious as Prajapati is a Cabinet minister.

It may be recalled that on Saturday the rape-accused UP ministers passport was impounded, a lookout notice issued and airports alerted. The UP police claimed it was conducting raids across the state.

Well send Prajapati to jail

The ministers passport was cancelled and the lookout notice issued hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the SP-Congress alliance of chanting Gayatri Prajapati Mantra during the ongoing election campaign.

The police registered an FIR against Prajapati and six others for allegedly gangraping a woman and molesting her minor daughter. The FIR was filed last month on the SCs directive.

BJP president Amit Shah raked up the issue Sunday at an election meeting in Ambedkarnagar. He said Prajapatis arrest would be one of the first tasks if his party forms the government in UP. Mr Shah said: As soon as the BJP forms the government in UP on March 11, we would search (Gayatri Prasad) Prajapati even from hell and send him to jail.
Vijayawada: TD general secretary Nara Lokesh said on Wednesday that he was ready to contest in the 2019 general elections if the party leadership so desired. He said the talk of his joining the state Cabinet was a mere speculation, but added that he was bound by any decision taken by the leadership.

He was speaking to the media here, after paying tributes to TD founder N.T. Rama Rao on his death anniversary. Mr Lokesh said that it was because of NTR that the Telugus across the world were being treated with respect.

He stated that the Andhra Pradesh government was requesting the Central government to confer the Bharat Ratna award on NTR this year. Mr Lokesh said the party was setting up an NTR museum in Amaravati. He invited anyone having unique pictures of the veteran actor and former chief minister to send them to the NTR Trust.

The Telugu Desam leaders in Telangana have also paid tributes to their party founder at the NTR Ghats in Hyderabad. The leaders, who visited the NTR Ghats, include Telangana TD president L. Ramana, party working president A. Revanth Reddy and senior party leader M. Narasimhulu.

The former chief ministers family members, including his actor-son Balakrishna, and his daughter and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu wife N. Bhuvaneshwari visited the NTR Ghats.
Lucknow/New Delhi: Varanasi was on Saturday transformed into a political Maha-Kumbh city with all the generals, ranging from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and BSP supremo Mayawati descending there to catapult their outfits to ultimate victory.

Milling crowds, the chanting of slogans like Har Har Modi, Har Har Mahadev as well as UP ke ladke and the BSPs slogans Sarvajan hitaye sarvajan sukhaye, jumle vaadon mei na ayein rent the air of this ancient holy city, the home turf and parliamentary constituency of the Prime Minister.

Thousands thronged Mr Modis three-hour roadshow which moved at a snails pace amid slogans like Subah Banaras, shaam Banaras, Modi tere naam Banaras as well as Jai jai Modi. The Prime Minister, easily the star attraction, waved at the massive crowds as people jostled to reach his vehicle.

In UP, Modi plays the patriotic card

Special flower-showering machines were also installed at several places on the route. After the roadshow the Mr Modi offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath and Kaal Bhairav temples, two of the foremost Hindu holy places there.

While the BJP appeared mesmerised by the crowd and the response, and felt the magic of 2014 was recreated, neither the party nor the Prime Minister are willing to take chances.

Given some reports that due to battles over ticket distribution in all five Assembly segments falling under the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat the contest could be tough, the PM has himself decided to camp in Varanasi till March 6, the last day of campaigning for the final phase of polling.

BJP sources claimed that distribution of tickets by the party leadership in all five Assembly seats had ruffled many saffron feathers. After recreating the magic on the streets of Varanasi, the PM held a public rally at Jaunpur, where he took on the Akhilesh Yadav government and claimed mothers and daughters are not safe under the Akhilesh Yadav government.

He then asked the crowd, Should not women feel as secure as men? He played the patriotic card by talking about the brave jawans who had carried out the surgical strike against Pakistan. The Prime Minister claimed the world is still studying the surgical strikes conducted by the soldiers.
A group of astrologers, which follows the Drugganitha panchangam, wants the Telugu New Year to be celebrated on March 28, a Tuesday. (Representational image)

Hyderabad: The state government has declared a holiday on March 29 for Ugadi, the Telugu New Year.

However, astrologers are differing with this and pitching for celebrating Ugadi on March 28. Noted astrologer Srinivasa Gargeya urged the people to celebrate Ugadi on March 28 and requested governments of both Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh to declare the holiday on that day instead of March 29.

A group of astrologers, which follows the Drugganitha panchangam, wants the Telugu New Year to be celebrated on March 28, a Tuesday.

Kanchipeetam Siddhanthi L. Subramanyam, noted astrologer P. Srinivasa Gargeya, and a few others supported March 28 but the Srungeri Peetham, TTD and some others want Ugadi to be celebrated on March 29.

Siddhanthi Subramanyam and astrologer Srinivas Gargeya said that out of 56 noted panchangam pandits and astrologers in Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh, 48 favoured celebrating Ugadi on March 28 and had given a written representation to government in this regard.
A herd of elephants stray into a residential area in Sundakkamuthur in Coimbatore on Sunday. (Photo: DC)

Coimbatore: Drought in the forests of Coimbatore district is driving elephants into residential areas, as water sources in the forest have dried up due to monsoon failure.

Elephants movement has increased near the residential area of Madukkarai near here, even as the Forest department has issued a warning to residents against venturing out after dusk.

A herd of five elephants entered a private school at Madukkarai, breaking its gate. This was recorded on CCTV cameras fixed inside the school premises on Saturday.

Madukkarai is a thickly populated residential area, which shares boundaries with the Boluvampatti forest range. More than 7,000 families residing there have been spending sleepless nights due to straying wild pachyderms.

Due to monsoon failure last year, many small ponds inside the forest have dried up. The Forest department digs many bore-wells inside the forest and fills small ponds. But due to the drought, many bore-wells have also gone dry. For the past 10 years, elephants have become a major source of concern, said G. Bala, a resident of Arioli Nagar.

Elephants have been camping in residential areas at night, but due to the drought, they have even started intruding in broad daylight into residential area. They are damaging compound walls and even houses. Over the last three years, elephants have killed four persons in the locality, he said.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the RSS leader who offered bounty for his head (Photo: PTI/ANI)

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans security has been tightened further in the wake of the threat issued by RSS leader in Madhya Pradesh.

Sources said in addition to the existing police personnel in CM security, four more commandos would be attached to the team. The security has been enhanced considering the prevailing threat perception to the chief minister.

The RSS and its affiliated organisations had held a nationwide protest earlier this week during which the main target was Pinarayi Vijayan. Local leaders of RSS were giving hate speeches as part of the campaign and to incite violence against the Kerala chief minister which was evident from RSS leader Kundan Chandravat's call in Ujjain to behead Pinarayi.

High level security will be provided to the chief minister during his visits outside the state.

Meanwhile the government has enhanced the security of BJP state president Kummanam Rajashekharan, Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar, Muslim League leader Dr M. K. Muneer, former MLA R. Selvaraj and CMP leader N. Venu.

Sources said the security of these leaders had been enhanced after evaluating the prevailing threat perception.
Chennai: Citing the report of United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Zeid Raad Al Hussein accusing Sri Lanka of failing to comply with the commissions resolutions for hybrid mechanism to probe the war crimes and return of army occupied lands to Tamils, PMK youth wing leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday asked the Union government to take the issue to the UN security council to ensure justice for Tamils.

The high commissioner had stated that the island government is very slow in implementing the UNHCR resolutions and the ministers are speaking in different voices about them.

The laws of the Lankan government should be amended to facilitate a hybrid mechanism for an enquiry into the war crimes and withdrawal of military from all civilian affairs, Anbumani said, quoting the report.

He also said the report had sought the setting up of an office for UNHCR in Lanka and signing of the international treaty for probing genocide and war crimes, besides the withdrawal of anti-terrorism laws.

The high commissioner had accused the island government of trying to avoid punishment for the guilty and insisted on implementation of its recommendations.

Anbumani said the report had made it clear that the Lankan government is trying to deny justice for Tamils and the international community should not fall prey to such deceptions.

He said the Union government should not try to save the Lankan government, but bring a resolution at the UNHCR meeting on March 22 to implement the UNHCR resolutions within a time frame, besides taking the issue to the security council.

Ramadoss slams CM for using Ammas name

PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss on Saturday reiterated his earlier demand of removing the portrait of former chief minister Jayalalithaa in government function and in advertisements released to media houses.

In a statement Ramadoss accused chief minister Edappadi K. Palanisami of running the government in the name of Amma (Jayalalithaa), who has been found guilty in a disproportionate assets case and convicted by the Supreme Co-

urt.

The chief minister and his colleagues could pay respects to Jayalalithaa in party functions, but not in government functions or in advertisements wasting public money, he said. It may be noted that Ramadoss had also sought the removal of Jayalalithaas pictures from Amma brand of schemes.
With exactly a year left for the assembly polls in Karnataka, the BJP under the leadership of its state president and former Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa is on a crusade to strengthen the party so that it can win 150 plus seats. He is also trying everything possible to attract leaders from the Congress besides generating confidence among party leaders to win the peoples hearts to win the polls.

Mr Yeddyurappa, who was in Shikaripur on March 4 to hold meetings with party workers and well-wishers, shared his views with Deccan Chronicle on the present political scenario. Excerpts.

You and Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah are making charges and counter charges. You say Mr Siddaramaiah is the most corrupt CM in the country and he says you are the most corrupt in the universe. You had to go to jail and you are still facing cases. Since there are no cases against Mr Siddaramaiah, how can you call him corrupt?

The exposure of financial deals regarding donations to the Congress party which find mention in the secret diary allegedly recovered from the residence of Congress MLC Govindraju substantiates my allegation against Siddaramaiah. Without the CM being aware, such a huge financial deal could not have taken taken place. The recent cancellation of the controversial steel bridge project by the state government proves my allegations against Siddaramaiah.

You claim Siddaramaiah is corrupt. Till now, you have not produced a single piece of evidence which stands the scrutiny of law?

The diary seized from the residence of Govindraju is itself strong evidence to prove the corruption allegations against the CM. The Steel Bridge project has been mentioned in the diary.

Whats your game plan? You level corruption charges against the CM and other ministers. But the charges may not reach a logical end because the allegations are weak.

No. Our allegation regarding the corruption charges against the Chief Minister and other ministers are not at all weak. So, our next game plan is to take the issue to a logical end and for this we are demanding the intervention of the CBI which is a national investigating agency to probe the alleged diary episode on Congress party donations. The cancellation of the Steel Bridge project is a big setback to the Congress government. The BJP has also planned protests and rallies throughout the state from March 10 against the state government demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister.

Mr Siddaramaiah said he would set up a special court if he comes to power to try cases involving BJP leaders. Nothing happened. What will the common man get if you leaders fight over allegations?

When there is no proof on the allegations against BJP leaders then how can Siddaramaiah try them by setting up a special court? Besides, the Chief Minister is being criticised by his own party seniors regarding maladministration and corruption in the implementations of development projects. The common man is fed up with the attitude of Congress ministers and MLAs who do not hear peoples problems. The state is reeling under an acute drought but Congress leaders are busy enjoying their positions instead of taking up relief measures.

What are the other scams you want to expose in the near future?

The BJP is trying to unearth more scams in coming days. The next salvo against the Congress party would be the exposure of corruptions and irregularities in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). There are lots of complaints regarding the middlemen menace and misuse of tax money. Till now, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah used to look after the financial matters of BBMP, now the same job has been entrusted to the Bengaluru Incharge Minister K.J. George which raises a lot of questions over the financial management in BBMP.

You say the Congress has totally failed. The same was the case with BJP in 2013. You may reel out statistics to prove you did many things for the state when you were in power. Mr Siddaramaiah too can give data to substantiate what he has done in the last four years. But the quality of life of the common man has not improved. So, no matter who rules, people continue to suffer. Under these circumstances, why should people bring BJP back to power?

Its not only me, the people of the state, that too in old Mysore region from where the Chief Minister hails, are blaming the Congress government. They have compared the current government and the track record of the BJP from 2008-2013 and have appreciated the effective implementation of our policies and programmes The BJP lost power in 2013 not due to failure of the administration but due to our internal fights. We will project the development achieved when we were in power and the good governance of the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which will definitely attract people towards BJP.

But, the JD (S) is going stronger from day by day. They may pose a threat to your dream.

Who told you that JD(S) is growing stronger day by day? The claims made by its leaders are baseless and its losing its grip day by day. People will come to know who is stronger and capable of ruling the state in the coming days.

How will Congress and JD(S) leaders joining BJP benefit you?

It will definitely help the BJP in making inroads into areas which had proved difficult for the party. For instance, the entry of former minister and Dalit leader V. Srinivasprasad into BJP has benefited in with his vast political experience helping us reach the grassroots for development of all sections of society. Whoever is willing to join us, will be a plus point. They can work with traditional BJP leaders to create a strong base for the partys success.

Once your party comes to power, you end up fighting for power because you have a problem of plenty and you cant make every leader the minister. Going by the past record, turncoats who join any party focus only on power and on making money. No one bothers to serve the people.

But this time it would be a different strategy. The performance of leaders coming from other parties would judged thoroughly before accepting them. The first priority would be given to able candidates in the BJP and the second preference would be given to those coming from other parties.

Moving on, the solutions worked out by the BJP central leadership to end your feud with K.S. Eshwarappa were not implemented. You have not reconstituted some of the district units. Havent you betrayed party central leaders?

There is no question of betraying central leaders. Based on the requirements, the office-bearers of various districts of the BJP would be changed. Right now there is a need to make some changes in the party leadership in Belagavi, Ballari and Kodagu district units. The party organization in other districts is strong to face the political challenges in coming days.

You may say there is no internal tussle. But people think otherwise. This shows, Mr Yeddyurappa has not changed to be accommodative, large hearted and considerate. Why?

All differences within the party have been resolved and the party leadership will handle party affairs taking all leaders and workers into confidence. About being accommodative, you can ask the party leaders working alongwith me. My only aim is to bring the BJP to power by projecting the leadership and governance provided by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. We are planning to make strategies for the Karnataka elections once the assembly elections are over in north India.

Which constituency will you contest from? There were reports that you are considering changing your Assembly constituency in the 2018 poll?

I will contest from my home turf  Shikaripur. I have no plans to contest from anywhere else.
India could be wondering what the Donald Trump administration may be upto as conflicting signals are emerging from the United States. This is evidently a time of great uncertainty for the world as President Trump resets ties with allies, but India was stunned even more by the suspension of expedited processing of H-1B visas. This move, hours after Indias foreign and commerce secretaries claimed to have made headway in convincing Team Trump that the H-1B issue involved trade and services and shouldnt be clubbed with the immigration restrictions being planned, is particularly worrisome as theres an obvious disconnect between the spoken word and action. It is clearly aimed at constricting the guest worker programme, that was useful for Indian IT firms to put skilled workers onshore with US clients to further their valuable offshore work for American firms.

The Trump administration says that by scrapping quick processing  which affects industries ranging from IT to healthcare, with 15,000-odd doctors also serving rural communities through H-1B visas as well as students  its only trying to reduce overall H-1B processing times. With 85,000 such visas due to be issued this year and a time lag of six months in the lottery process, its going to be a specially trying time for the $150 billion Indian IT industry, with giants like TCS and Infosys dependent on these visas. The US argument against the programme stems from fear of backdoor manipulation of commerce by bodyshopping, resulting in a drop in real wages in the US for its workers. It is clear New Delhi has failed to convince Washington of a special position in sending skilled workers to keep the wheels of the new economy ticking in America.

The issue must, however, be seen as part of a larger canvas of social change, with a fair dose of xenophobia injected into Donald Trumps America by the swing to rightist populism. This is clear from the kind of racially motivated attacks on Indian-origin immigrants forming a discernible pattern in recent weeks. As attacks on Indians are only highlighted in the Indian media, its hard to tell how much of an effect recent events had on attacks on international migrants in the US. Indians are, however, particularly targeted as they are seen as very successful immigrants who have made a life in their adopted land even as inner city communities are seen to be suffering from lack of opportunities. New Delhi has a delicate task of balancing ties even as it takes up the issue of hate crimes. The defence relationship is now the key aspect in these times of closer cooperation marking improved Indo-US ties, even if India must be seen taking a stand over people of Indian origin facing discrimination.
The BJP has decided not to stake claim to the coveted mayors post in the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), or to hold any office in the BMC, thus letting the Shiv Sena, which won just two more seats than the BJP in the recent BMC election, to have the post of both mayor and deputy mayor. This is a smart move as it potentially heads off the possibility of the Sena withdrawing support to the Devendra Fadnavis government in the Maharashtra Assembly. That would certainly bring down the BJP-led state government if the Nationalist Congress Party doesnt shore it up. The NCP has been put in the shade by the BJP in its western Maharashtra stronghold in the recent local bodies poll. Will it want to test its strength against the BJP in an Assembly election in the near future, if the Fadnavis government falls?

For that matter, will the Sena, whose relations with the BJP, its ally of three decades, have lately turned rocky, want to risk state elections when the party didnt do too well in the local bodies election?

If both the NCP and the Sena wish to chance their arm in a state election as of now, then the BJP-led government faces an uncertain future. Before taking a call, though, the two smaller Maharashtra parties may prefer to gauge the BJPs overall stock after the results of the Assembly elections in five states on March 11. The Sena, meanwhile, would do well to gain allies in the BMC and not rely only on the BJP.
2016 saw a near-threefold rise in mobile malware detections compared to 2015 with a total of 8.5 million malicious installations identified. This means that, in the space of just one year, a volume equivalent to 50 percent of all the malware detected in the previous 11 years (15.77 million in 2004 to 2015) was released.

Leading the way were mobile advertising Trojans which now make up 16 of the top 20 malicious programs, up from 12 in 2015. These are the findings of Kaspersky Lab's annual Mobile Virusology report, which also highlights the evolution of mobile banking Trojans. Specialist officers from INTERPOL's Global Complex for Innovation have contributed an analysis of mobile malware on the Dark Web to the report.

In 2016, Kaspersky Lab mobile security products reported:

-Nearly 40 million attacks attempts by mobile malware, with over 4 million users of Android-based devices protected (vs 2.6 million in 2015)

-Over 260,000 detections of installation packages for mobile ransomware Trojans(an increase of almost 8.5 times, year-on-year)

-More than 153,000 unique users targeted by mobile ransomware (an increase of 1.6 times compared with2015)

-Over 128,000 mobile banking Trojans detected (nearly 1.6 times more than in 2015)

Advertising Trojan: is your device already rooted?

-The most widespread type of Trojan in 2016 was the advertising variety, accounting for 16 of the top 20 malware programs

-These Trojans are capable of seizing rooting rights, allowing the malware to not only aggressively display ads on the infected device, often making it impossible to use, but also to secretly install other applications. These Trojans can also buy apps on Google Play.

In many cases, the Trojans were able to exploit previously patched vulnerabilities because the user had not installed the latest update.

Further, this malware simultaneously installs its modules in the system directory, which makes the treatment of the infected device very difficult. Some advertising Trojans are even able to infect the recovery image, making it impossible to solve the problem by restoring the device to factory settings.

Representatives of this class of malicious software have been repeatedly

found in the official Google Play app store, for example, masquerading as a guide for Pokemon GO. In this case, the app was downloaded over 500,000 times, and is detected as a Trojan.AndroidOS.Ztorg.ad.

Mobile ransomware: further development

-In 2016, 153,258 unique users from 167 countries were attacked by Trojan-Ransom programs; this is 1.6 times more than in 2015.

Modern ransomware overlays windows with demand messages, thus making it impossible to use the device. This principle was used by the most popular mobile ransomware program in 2016 Trojan-Ransom.AndroidOS.Fusob.

This Trojan mostly attacks users in Germany, the US and the UK, but avoids users from the CIS and some neighboring countries. Once launched, it runs a check of the device language and, after achieving some results, it may stop execution. The cybercriminals behind the Trojan usually demand between USD 100 and USD 200 to unblock a device. The ransom has to be paid using codes from pre-paid iTunes cards.

Mobile banking Trojan: a skyrocketing threat

-In 2016, over 305,000 users in 164 countries were attacked by mobile banking Trojans,compared with over 56,000 users in 137 countries the previous year.

-Russia, Australia and Ukraine are the top 3 countries affected in terms of the percentage of users attacked by mobile banking Trojans relative to all users hit by mobile malware.

Mobile banking Trojans continued to evolve through the year. Many of them gained tools to bypass the new Android security mechanisms and were able to continue stealing user information from the most recent versions of the OS.

At the same time, the developers of mobile banking Trojans repeatedly enhanced their creations with new capabilities. For instance, the Marcher family, in addition to implementing the usual banking applications' overlay, redirected users from financial institutions' websites to phishing pages.

The Dark Web delusion

According to specialist officers from INTERPOL's Global Complex for Innovation, who have also contributed to the report, the Dark Web remains an attractive medium for conducting illicit businesses and activities. Given its robust anonymity, low prices and client-oriented strategy, the Dark Web provides a means for criminal actors to communicate and engage in commercial transactions, buying and selling various products and services, including mobile malware kits. Mobile malware is offered for sale as software packages (e.g. remote access Trojans - RATs), individual solutions and sophisticated tools, like those developed by professional firms or, on a smaller scale, as part of a 'Bot as a Service' model. Mobile malware is also a 'subject of interest' on vendor shops, forums and social media.

"In 2016, the growth in the number of advertising Trojans capable of exploiting super-user rights continued. Throughout the year, it was the top threat and we see no sign of this trend changing. Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the fact that most devices do not receive OS updates (or receive them late), and are thus vulnerable to old, well-known and readily available exploits.Moreover, we see that the mobile landscape is getting a little crowded for cybercriminals, and they are beginning to interact more with the world beyond smartphones. Perhaps in 2017 we will see major attacks on IoT components launched from mobile devices," concludes Roman Unuchek, Senior Malware Analyst at Kaspersky Lab USA.

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The Samsung scion's hearing will be held in a court that can accommodate more than 150 people, according to the Seoul Central District Court's court database.

Samsung Group leader Jay Y. Lee will go on trial for bribery and embezzlement on Thursday, a court said, amid a corruption scandal that has rocked South Korea and led to the impeachment of the president.

Lee, the 48-year-old third-generation leader of the country's top conglomerate, was indicted on Tuesday on charges including pledging 43 billion won ($37.24 million) in payments to a confidant of President Park Geun-hye.

"We are preparing hard, thinking that the upcoming Samsung trial ... could be the trial of the century that the entire world will be watching," special prosecutor Park Young-soo told reporters.

The Samsung scion's hearing will be held in a court that can accommodate more than 150 people, according to the Seoul Central District Court's court database.

Lee, who was arrested on Feb. 17, was charged with bribery and embezzlement in a case that has dealt a blow to the standard bearer for Asia's fourth-largest economy.

Samsung Group declined to comment but has denied wrongdoing.

Among the charges against Lee are pledging bribes to a company and organizations tied to Park's confidant, Choi Soon-sil, the woman at the center of the scandal, to cement his control of the smartphones-to-biopharmaceuticals business empire.

The funding also included Samsung's sponsorship of the equestrian career of Choi's daughter, prosecutors say.

Legislation appointing the special prosecutor states that the trial should be finished in three months.

President Park, 65, daughter of a former military strongman, has had her powers suspended since her impeachment by parliament in December.

Should the Constitutional Court uphold the impeachment, she would become the country's first democratically elected president to be thrown out of office.

A decision is expected this month.

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Hundreds of Android apps on the official Google Play Store have discovered to be infected with an unknown Windows malware.

According to a blogpost by Palo Alto Networks, around 132 Android apps have been found to be infected with an unknown Windows malware. In the report, Palo Alto Networks traces the infected apps to a common geographical location even though the developers are unrelated. Most of the apps are said to originate from Indonesia , since the country's name was attached to the names of the apps.

"One common way HTML files have been infected with malicious iframes has been through file infecting viruses like Ramnit. After infecting a Windows host, these viruses search the hard drive for HTML files and append iframes to each document. If a developer was infected with one of these viruses, their app's HTML files could be infected," the report notes.

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The Samsung Galaxy S8+ was also spotted on GeekBench (model number SM-G955U). In the listing, the Samsung Galaxy S8+ is also tipped to pack 4GB RAM and run on Android 7.0 Nougat.

South Korean tech-giant Samsung recently announced the official launch of its Samsung Galaxy S8 at MWC, 2017 as 28th March. Now a leak suggests that the company has started the mass production of its scheduled smartphones as it targets to manufacture over 10 million units in the initial stage itself. Furthermore, the companys Galaxy S8+ was also spotted on a benchmark website.

The South-Korean site Naver reports that Samsung plans on making a sale of over 10 million handsets in the first month itself. The company looks forward to expanding its focus on nations other than South Korea . Samsung is also rumoured to be preparing itself for a global launch.

The Samsung Galaxy S8+ was also spotted on GeekBench (model number SM-G955U). In the listing, the Samsung Galaxy S8+ is also tipped to pack 4GB RAM and run on Android 7.0 Nougat.

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Washington: US President Donald Trump is expected to sign a revised travel ban on Monday, just over a month after his original decree sowed controversy across the United States and chaos at airports, US media reported.

The president will sign the new executive order at the Department of Homeland Security, according to Politico, which cited senior government officials.

It was unclear what changes Trump planned to make, according to the publication.

Trump's original January 27 order was widely criticized as amounting to a ban on Muslims, and also for being rolled out sloppily - with virtually no warning to the public or preparation of the agencies tasked with enforcing it.

The order, which temporarily barred people from seven Muslim-majority countries from traveling to the United States for 90 days, as well as all refugees for 120 days and Syrian refugees permanently - triggered worldwide outrage as well as protests in the United States.

It also caused chaos in the first days of its implementation as people arriving at US airports from targeted countries were detained and sometimes sent back to where they came from.

However, the order was halted after two judicial setbacks - a nationwide freeze on Trump's ban by a US district judge in Seattle and a subsequent ruling by San Francisco's Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the suspension.
London: Tony Blair has had no discussions about working for US President Donald Trump, his spokesman said on Sunday after reports that the former British prime minister sought to become his Middle East adviser.

According to The Mail on Sunday newspaper, Blair met with Trump's son-in-law and key aide Jared Kushner last week to discuss taking a role with Trump.

The weekly tabloid said Blair had met Kushner three times since September. A spokesman for Blair initially said: "I'm not going to comment on private conversations."

But a statement on his website later said: "The story in The Mail on Sunday is an invention. Mr Blair has made no such 'pitch' to be the president's Middle East envoy. Neither has he had any discussions about taking such a role or any role working for the new president."

It continued: "He has been working on the peace process for 10 years. He continues to do so. He does so in a private capacity. He will continue to do it in that way."

After leaving office in 2007, Blair was the envoy of the Middle East Quartet until 2015. The group comprises the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States.

Blair was prime minister from 1997 to 2007, winning three general elections but his role in leading Britain into the war in Iraq has badly damaged his legacy at home.

However, he has been making more interventions in British politics since leaving his Middle East role. Last month he urged Britons who support the European Union to "rise up" and persuade Brexit voters to change their mind about leaving the bloc, in a high-profile speech.

Blair wrote an article in The New York Times newspaper on Friday where he called for a centrist new coalition that is "popular, not populist", in order for liberal democracy to survive and thrive in the face of rightist populism.
A Sikh man in Seattle suburb was shot at by an unidentified gunman, who asked him to leave the US. (Representational image)

Kent: Police in a Seattle suburb were looking for a gunman who shot a man in the arm and told him to "go back to your own country," the Seattle Times reported.

The victim  a 39-year-old man who observes the Sikh faith  told police that he was working in his driveway about 8 pm Friday when the unknown man came up to him, the Times reported. Male observant Sikhs often cover their heads with turbans, which are considered sacred, and refrain from shaving their beards. The faith comes from South Asia's Punjab region.

An argument ensued, and the suspect told him to go back to his homeland, the victim said. The victim told police the man then shot him in the arm, the newspaper reported.

The victim told police that the shooter is 6-foot-tall, white and has a stocky build. He said the man was wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face.

Kent police told the newspaper that the agency has contacted the FBI and other law enforcement agencies about the incident.

"We're early on in our investigation," Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said Saturday. "We are treating this as a very serious incident."

Jasmit Singh, a leader of the Sikh community in the nearby suburb of Renton, said he had been told the victim was released from the hospital, the Times reported.

"He is just very shaken up, both him and his family," Singh told the newspaper. "We're all kind of at a loss in terms of what's going on right now, this is just bringing it home. The climate of hate that has been created doesn't distinguish between anyone."

Sikhs have previously been the target of attacks in the United States. After the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, the backlash that hit Muslims across the country expanded to include Sikhs and their faith as well, with some assuming the sight of a long beard and turbaned head can only mean one thing.
Boston: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Make In India' and US President Donald Trump's emphasis on 'Make in America' are "not contradictory", Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan has said.

Pradhan, who was on a two-day visit to the city, made the remarks while highlighting India's focus on creating "a new energy story" using world class technology and cutting-edge innovation.

Prime Minister Modi's vision of 'Make in India and Trump's 'Make in America' are not contradictory, he said.

"If we use American technology and innovation in India's market, then it is not necessary that all components will be made in America. If American technology needs business, then they will have to come to India. We need a good business model and technology in our market. These are not contradictory," Pradhan told PTI in an interview here.

During his stay, Pradhan delivered the keynote address at the 2017 MIT Energy Conference and addressed students at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

He held talks with top city officials and energy experts, including former US Secretary of Energy and now a professor at MIT Ernest Moniz and Professor Henry Lee at Harvard.

Pradhan said energy accessibility and affordability is the Modi government's primary priority. "We have to give clean energy to all our citizens. Our energy basket predominantly has coal but gas and renewables will also be part of our energy mix in future," he said.

He also emphasised that India's goal to produce 175 GW renewable energy by 2022 and to ensure energy security requires delivering energy to a large mass of population in a short span, for which self-sufficiency will be critical.

"We will need to increase our production. All this we will be able to accomplish when we have technology. Institutions like MIT and Harvard are natural points of innovation and new ideas. We are here to see how we can link this to our market, how we can bring the concept of energy justice as a deliverable," he said.

During his interaction with students, Pradhan said they talked about energy as a commodity and how to make it into a business model that can be replicated across developing nations that have to fulfill energy requirements for its citizens.

On the government's demonetization move, he said despite attempts at generating a "fear psychosis", economic growth has been on track and will improve in the months ahead as a vast majority of the Indian population has supported the government's move to combat corruption and black money.

He also attended a reception hosted for him by the Indian community in the greater Boston area, where he lauded the achievements of the Indian diaspora. He called on the Indian community to contribute to the technological advancement of India.

"We need technology, innovation, good business models and processes to take our country to the next level of growth. As the world today becomes a global village, we need the support of the Indian diaspora to realise this dream for our country," he added.
The program appeared to be successful, as several of the North's rockets and missiles failed soon after launch. (Photo: File)

Washington: Former US president Barack Obama in 2014 launched a cyberwar against North Korea's missile program but it has failed to make significant gains, The New York Times reported Saturday.

The United States still cannot effectively counter North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, the newspaper said following a month-long investigation, based on interviews with officials in the Obama and Donald Trump administrations as well as "a review of extensive but obscure public records."

North Korea's threats remain so dangerous that when Obama left office he warned Trump that this would likely be the most urgent problem he'd face, the Times said.

Three years ago Obama ordered the Pentagon to increase cyber and electronic attacks against North Korea to try to sabotage its missiles before launch or just as they lift off, the report said.

The program appeared to be successful, as several of the North's rockets and missiles failed soon after launch.

Advocates of the US program claimed success, believing that they had delayed for years North Korea's ability to mount a nuclear weapon on an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and threaten a US city.

Skeptics however said the failures could have resulted from shoddy manufacturing, disgruntled insiders and simple incompetence.

Kim Jong-Un's isolated regime has continued to thumb its nose at the world with a series of missile launches over the years.

It has conducted three successful medium-range rocket launches in the past eight months and two nuclear tests in 2016 in its quest to build an ICBM that could reach the United States.

North Korea is barred under UN resolutions from any use of ballistic missile technology.

The UN Security Council has imposed six sets of sanctions since Pyongyang first tested an atomic device in 2006.

Kim boasted in January that Pyongyang was in the "final stages" of developing an ICBM in an apparent attempt to pressure the incoming US president. Trump shot back on Twitter, saying, "It won't happen."

On February 12 North Korea fired what appeared to be a modified intermediate-range Musudan missile, which landed in the ocean.

The Musudan has a range of 2,500-4,000 kilometers (1,550-2,485 miles), meaning it could threaten both Japan and US bases on Guam.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the test "absolutely intolerable."

Days later, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson pledged that Washington would use the full range of its arsenal, including nuclear weapons, to defend allies Japan and South Korea against North Korea.
A 39 years old Sikh man was left injured after he was shot at Kent by an unknown man wearing a mask. (Representational image)

San Francisco: American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC), a body governing various Sikh Gurdwaras (religious shrines) across the United States has expressed serious concern over the recent incident of attack against the Sikh community member at Kent in the state of Washington.

A 39 years old Sikh man was left injured after he was shot at Kent by an unknown man wearing a mask.

AGPC President JS Hothi and Coordinator Dr. Pritpal Singh said in the statement issued here that they are in contact with Federal and State level authorities and they want to know if it is an incident of `hate crime'.

"No doubt it was non-fatal incident and the police and FBI both are investigating the shooting in which 39 year old targeted on Kent's East Hill. The victim was performing some repairs to his stranded vehicle when he was approached by another man and opened fire. We want to know from the investigating agencies if it was the case of hate crime and we seek thorough probe and action as per US law'', said Dr. Pritlal Singh.

He said AGPC has already taken up the case with the US Sikh Congressional Caucus and other US Congress members and demanded the probe into condemnable incident in which an innocent man was targeted. He said they are praying for his speedy recovery at the hospital.

"It looks like a hate crime but we need answers as the final confirmation is yet to come from the authorities. There had been some other incidents including in Kansas and we are concerned and we are in close contact with US authorities to check such incidents of crime'', he added.

The Friends of US Congressional Caucus head Harpreet Singh also described the incident as a matter of concern for the whole community.

He said like other community members, he was also saddened over the incident and demand inquiry.

The US Sikh leaders also said that they will focus more on the awareness campaigns that the Sikhs are the most law abiding residents of America and had contributed immensely to the development and welfare of the nation and liberal US society.

"Yesterday in Kent, in the state of Washington where somebody shot and injured a Sikh man a 39 year old man. It looks like a hate crime. We are trying to talk to authorities and victim but nothing has come out yet," he said.
Washington: The White House budget director confirmed Saturday that the Trump administration will propose "fairly dramatic reductions" in the US foreign aid budget later this month.

News outlets reported earlier this week that the administration plans to propose to Congress cuts in the budgets for the US State Department and Agency for International Development by about one third.

"We are going to propose to reduce foreign aid and we are going to propose to spend that money here," White House Office of Management Budget director Mick Mulvaney told Fox News on Saturday, adding the proposed cuts would include "fairly dramatic reductions in foreign aid."

Mulvaney said the cuts in foreign aid would help the administration fund a proposed $54 billion expansion of the US military budget.

"The overriding message is fairly straightforward: less money spent overseas means more money spent here," said Mulvaney, a former South Carolina Representative.

The United States spends just over $50 billion annually on the State Department and USAID, compared with $600 billion or more each year on the Pentagon.

Several Republicans this week on Capitol Hill raised concerns about the planned cuts to the State Department.

"I am very concerned by reports of deep cuts that could damage efforts to combat terrorism, save lives and create opportunities for American workers," said US Representative Ed Royce, the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.

A US government website said 20 government agencies plan to award $36.5 billion in foreign assistance programs in more than 100 countries around the world during the current budget year.

Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, tweeted earlier this week: "Foreign Aid is not charity. We must make sure it is well spent, but it is less than 1% of budget & critical to our national security."

Mulvaney said the Trump administration will release its budget proposal on March 16. Reports said the administration plans significant proposed cuts in many other domestic programs.
Kabul: At least five members of the Afghan security forces were killed early on Sunday morning when their checkpoint came under an insurgent attack in northeastern Kunduz province, an Afghan official said.

Gen. Abdul Hamid Hamid, provincial police chief in Kunduz, said a large group of Taliban fighters attacked the post near the city of Kunduz.

Meanwhile, 18 insurgents were killed by airstrikes in the Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province, according to a statement released by the Interior Ministry. Three others were wounded while five vehicles and an ammunition stockpile were destroyed, the statement added.

"The key terrorists killed in the operation were involved in planning and implementing several terror attacks in Kunduz province," said the statement.

Elsewhere in the northern province of Faryab, a district police chief died when a bomb that had been attached to his car detonated, said Karim Yuresh, spokesman for the provincial police chief. Another policeman was wounded in the explosion on Saturday evening. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a separate incident in Faryab province, Yuresh said a local security forces commander was killed when insurgents attacked a police checkpoint.
The death of Kim, the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. (Photo: AP)

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia said Sunday that its expulsion of North Korea's ambassador was intended to warn Pyongyang that it cannot manipulate the investigation into the killing of the North Korean leader's half brother.

The government on Saturday gave Ambassador Kang Chol 48 hours to leave the country after he refused to apologise for his strong accusations over Malaysia's handling of the investigation into the Feb. 13 killing of Kim Jong Nam at Kuala Lumpur's airport.

"I think we have given a clear message to the North Korean government that we are serious about solving this problem and we do not want (the investigation) to be manipulated," Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quoted as saying Sunday by Malaysian national news agency Bernama.

The death of Kim, the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. Malaysian authorities said Kim died within 20 minutes after two women smeared his face with VX, a banned nerve agent considered a weapon of mass destruction.

North Korea has rejected Malaysia's autopsy finding that VX killed Kim. Kang has accused the Malaysian government of trying to hide something and said it colluded with outside powers to defame North Korea.

Kang's expulsion came just days after Malaysia said it would scrap visa-free entry for North Koreans and expressed concern over the use of the nerve agent.

Ri Tong Il, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Nations, has said Kim probably died of a heart attack because he suffered from heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Two women - one Indonesian, one Vietnamese - have been charged with murder in the case, although both reportedly say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

Authorities released a North Korean chemist from custody on Saturday due to a lack of evidence to charge him and deported him on the same day. Ri Jong Chol, however, has accused Malaysian police of threatening to kill his family to coerce him into confessing to the crime.

Malaysia is also looking for seven other North Korean suspects, four of whom are believed to have left the country on the day of the killing. Three others, including an official at the North Korean Embassy and an employee of Air Koryo, North Korea's national carrier, are believed to still be in Malaysia.

Malaysia's finding that VX killed Kim boosted speculation that North Korea orchestrated the attack. Experts say the oily poison was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons, including VX.

North Korea is trying to retrieve Kim's body, but has not acknowledged that the victim is Kim Jong Un's half brother, as Malaysian government officials have confirmed.
North Korea's Ambassador to Malaysia Kang Chol speaks to the media outside the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo: AP)

Kuala Lumpur: North Korea's embassy in Kuala Lumpur has become ground zero in its high-profile diplomatic row with Malaysia over the murder of Kim Jong-Nam, providing a rare glimpse into the workings of the reclusive regime.

Malaysia on Saturday, gave the North's ambassador 48 hours to leave the country, the latest blow to a relationship that has rapidly worsened since the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader was assassinated.

The murder, carried out with the nerve agency VX at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on February 13, and the subsequent dispute have pushed Pyongyang's usually determinedly low-profile diplomats into the spotlight.

South Korea says the North's regime ordered the killing and Malaysia has named several North Koreans as suspects, although four of them left the country on the day of the killing.

There has been intense media speculation that two of the suspects may be hiding inside the embassy. Pyongyang's envoys meanwhile have blasted Malaysia's investigation as biased and demanded the return of the body.

On Friday police issued an arrest warrant for one of the men believed holed up in the embassy, a North Korean airline employee. They also requested that the other, the second secretary at the mission, assist the probe.

"They (the suspects) could be in the North Korean embassy as it is the safest place against questioning or possible arrest," said a senior government official, who did not want to be named.

The embassy, a two-storey neo-colonial house with a North Korean flag fluttering defiantly, is situated in Kuala Lumpur's well-heeled Bukit Damansara area known for its hipster cafes and restaurants.

For three weeks international media have been camped outside, awaiting the next doorstep statement and watching the comings and goings of black embassy cars and deliveries of ginseng chicken soup.

"This is extremely rare for a North Korean embassy to be in the spotlight because Pyongyang is usually low-profile," said Dr Roy Rogers, from the Department of International and Strategic Studies at the University of Malaya.

Malaysia formally established diplomatic relations with North Korea in the boom years of the 1970s. "North Korea, despite its reclusiveness is part of the Non-Aligned Movement and Malaysia was trying to be a leader among developing countries," said Ibrahim Suffian, a political analyst with the Merdeka Centre think-tank.

"Malaysia tried to have a diplomatic footprint larger than its actual size," he added.

As long ago as 2000 the United States and North Korea held abortive talks in the Malaysian capital on curbing the North's missile programme. Pyongyang opened its embassy in 2003, providing a conduit between it and the wider world, with Kuala Lumpur serving as a discreet meeting place for talks with Washington.

Last October former US diplomats held closed-door talks with senior Pyongyang officials in the city.
A statement said that Ambassador Kang Chol failed to present himself at the ministry when summoned and was expected to leave Malaysia within 48 hours. (Photo: AP)

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia has expelled North Korea's ambassador, giving him 48 hours to leave the country in a major break in diplomatic relations over the airport assassination of the half-brother of Pyongyang's leader.

Kim Jong-Nam was poisoned February 13 with deadly nerve agent VX. North Korea has not acknowledged the dead man's identity but has repeatedly disparaged the murder investigation, accusing Malaysia of conniving with its enemies.

"The ambassador has been declared persona non grata" after Malaysia demanded but did not receive an apology for Pyongyang's attacks on the investigation, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Anifah Haji Aman said.

"Malaysia will react strongly against any insults made against it or any attempt to tarnish its reputation," he said in a statement released late Saturday.

Ambassador Kang Chol failed to present himself at the ministry when summoned and "is expected to leave Malaysia within 48 hours," the statement added. The expulsion deadline expires 6pm on Monday.

Arch-rival South Korea has blamed the North for the murder, citing what they say was a standing order from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill his exiled half-brother who may have been seen as a potential rival.

The foreign ministry said the expulsion is "part of the process by the Malaysian government to review its relations" with North Korea, which before Kim's assassination were unusually cosy.

"North Korea must learn to respect other countries," Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Sunday.

The expulsion shows "we are serious about solving this problem and we do not want it to be manipulated," he added.

On Sunday evening, a senior government official who did not want to be named said Kang was still in the country and was expected to leave on a flight to Beijing on Monday.

The diplomatic spat erupted in February, when Malaysian police rejected North Korean diplomats' demands to hand over Kim's body.

Kang then claimed the investigation was politically motivated and said Kuala Lumpur was conspiring with "hostile forces".

Malaysia summoned Kang for a dressing-down, with Prime Minister Najib Razak saying the ambassador's statement was "diplomatically rude".

Malaysia issued a February 28 deadline for an apology, but "no such apology has been made, neither has there been any indication that one is forthcoming."

Malaysia has also recalled its envoy to Pyongyang and cancelled a rare visa-free travel deal with North Korea.

Police are seeking seven North Korean suspects in their probe but on Friday released the only North Korean arrested for lack of evidence.

After Ri Jong-Chol was deported, he claimed police offered him a comfortable life in Malaysia for a false confession, saying the investigation was "a conspiracy to impair the dignity of the Republic (North Korea)".

Two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- have been charged with murdering Kim Jong-Nam, with airport CCTV footage showing them approaching the heavyset 45-year-old and apparently smearing his face with a cloth.

Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later. Swabs of the dead man's face revealed traces of VX nerve agent.

North Korea had few friends even before the assassination, but the fallout from the killing looks set to further isolate the nuclear-armed state.

Malaysia formally established diplomatic relations with North Korea in 1973 and opened an embassy in Pyongyang in 2003.

It has provided a conduit between Pyongyang and the wider world in recent years, with Kuala Lumpur serving as a discreet meeting place for talks between the regime and the United States.

A recently released report by a UN Panel of Experts reviewing compliance with sanctions against Pyongyang identified a front company run by North Korean intelligence out of Malaysia, selling military communications equipment to Eritrea, with suppliers in China and an office in Singapore.

Up to 1,000 North Koreans currently work in Malaysia and their remittances are a valuable source of foreign currency for the isolated regime.

North Korea imports refined oil, natural rubber and palm oil from Malaysia, which buys electrical and electronic items, chemicals as well as iron and steel products from North Korea.

Last week Malaysia's trade minister Mustapa Mohamed said the spat would have no impact on Kuala Lumpur as trade with the reclusive country is "insignificant".
Ankara: A Syrian military pilot whose aircraft crashed in Turkey near the countries' border is in hospital having been found after a nine-hour search, the Anadolu news agency said on Sunday.

According to the Turkish report, the pilot was recovered during an air and ground search and taken to a local hospital after the plane went down on Saturday night in the Turkish province of Hatay.

Anadolu, a state-run agency, did not give further details on the pilot's health but said he was flying alone when the plane crashed.

A Syrian military source quoted by state television on Saturday said "contact was lost with a military aircraft on a reconnaissance mission near the Turkish border."

The Syrian rebel group Ahrar al-Sham told AFP that it had shot down a government plane "as it was overflying Idlib province (in northwestern Syria) and carrying out air strikes."

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, quoted by Anadolu, said earlier that the cause of the crash was unknown, but he pointed to poor weather conditions at the time.

More than 310,000 people have died since the war in Syria erupted in March 2011 after regime forces crushed anti-government protests. Millions have fled the country.
A 39-year-old Sikh man in the US has been shot outside his home by a partially-masked gunman who shouted "go back to your own country", in a suspected hate crime that comes just days after the killing of an Indian engineer in Kansas.





The Sikh man, identified as US national Deep Rai, was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent, Washington, on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to his home's driveway.



Kent police said an argument broke out between the two men, with Rai saying the suspect made statements to the effect of "go back to your own country". The unidentified man then shot him in the arm.



Reacting to the incident, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, "I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a US national of Indian-origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh, father of the victim."



"He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital," Swaraj tweeted.



The victim described the shooter as a six-foot-tall white man, wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face. Kent police are looking for the gunman.



Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said while the Sikh man sustained "non life-threatening injuries", they are treating this as a "very serious incident".



Rai is able to talk, an Indian government official said. The official said the government was ready to offer all possible assistance to the wounded man.



Authorities are investigating the shooting as a suspected hate crime, according to the Seattle Times.



Consulate General of India in San Francisco is in touch with local authorities who are ascertaining the nature of the crime, the Indian official said.



Kent police have launched an investigation into the case and reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.



"We're early on in our investigation," Thomas said.

Kent Police Commander Jarod Kasner said the incident is getting attention from the Sikh community and others.



"With recent unrest and concern throughout the nation this can get people emotionally involved, especially when (the crime) is directed at a person for how they live, how they look," Kasner said.



The incident is the latest in a series of troubling cases where members of the Indian community have been targeted in apparent hate crimes.



It comes close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".



Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gun shot wounds in his yard. However, police said in Patel's killing his Indian ethnicity does not appear to be a factor.



Jasmit Singh, a leader of the Sikh community in Renton, said the victim and his family are "very shaken up".



"We're all kind of at a loss in terms of what's going on right now, this is just bringing it home. The climate of hate that has been created doesn't distinguish between anyone," he said.



Singh said that men from his community have reported a rise in incidents of verbal abuse, "a kind of prejudice, a kind of xenophobia that is nothing that we've seen in the recent past."



He said the number of incidents targeting members of the Sikh religion, are reminiscent of the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks.



"But at that time, it felt like the (presidential) administration was actively working to allay those fears," Singh said, adding that "now it's a very different dimension."



Advocacy group the Sikh Coalition said it calls upon local law enforcement officials to investigate this shooting as a possible hate crime.



Various rights groups and ethnic Indian organisations are reaching out to people of the community asking them not to succumb to fear and immediately report any incident of hate crime or violence to law enforcement authorities.



The Indo-American Democratic Organisation strongly condemned Kuchibhotla's tragic killing, saying "the circumstances around this horrible crime are incredibly troubling which includes but not limited to: unprovoked violence in a public venue, racial slurs, and a senseless attack against innocent members of the public."



It also called on local elected leaders to express outrage over the "unacceptable and appalling" situation and publicly commit to doing what they can to prevent and call out hate crimes across communities.



It said it will continue to "represent the best interests of the local South Asian American community against the rise of any and all hate crimes and we join in partnership with many other organisations and civic leaders who stand for a more just, safe and equitable country."



India Civil Watch, a collective of Indian-American activists and professionals, called on Indian-Americans to not succumb to fear in the wake of incidents like Kuchibotla's murder.

The community must get organised in broad coalitions with others who intend to defend immigrant and minority rights, it said.



"This is also a moment for Indian communities in the US to reflect, take stock, and prepare for the oncoming weeks and months of struggle against a rising tide of racism and xenophobia," it added.
E-commerce major Flipkart is looking to hire 20-30 per cent more people in 2017 compared to last year even as rival Snapdeal hands out pink slips to its employees.





The Bengaluru-based firm, which is locked in an intense battle with the US-based Amazon for leadership in the Indian market, will hire most laterals this year.



"Our 2017 hiring plans are calibrated to the growth momentum we are seeing and we expect it to be somewhere around 20% to 30% higher than last year, spread out as per requirements across verticals," Flipkart COO Nitin Seth told PTI.



He added that a majority of this will likely come in through the lateral route.



"We believe this offers us the right mix of talent needed to power the next phase of growth at Flipkart," he said.



Seth, however, declined to comment on the hiring number this year or in the previous year.



According to sources, Flipkart hired about 1,500 people last year.



Besides, it hired about 10,000 temporary staffers, mostly in logistics, ahead of festive sales to ensure it can meet the huge jump in demand.



According to research firm RedSeer, the Indian e-tailing industry expanded by a merely 12 per cent in 2016 to clock revenues of USD 14.5 billion compared to a whopping 180 per cent growth in 2015.



With raising of fresh funds becoming difficult and markdown in valuations, many of these technology-led businesses are being forced to pare down workforce or shut businesses.



Flipkart itself has seen a mutual fund managed by Morgan Stanley marking down its value for the fifth straight quarter. It now values the e-commerce major at USD 5.37 billion.



Last month, SoftBank-backed Snapdeal laid off some 600 people, with founders forgoing their salaries as part of the company's efforts to become profitable in two years.



Similarly, the Chennai-based online hotel room aggregator Stayzilla decided to wrap up operations because of intense competition in the market.


Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has welcomed "valuable" Indian community to the state, stressing that "hateful" actions of one man doesn't define them in the aftermath of the killing of an Indian engineer.





A delegation of Indian-Americans in Kansas along with the Hindu-American Foundation joined the Indian Consul General in Houston, Anupam Ray, in meeting Brownback and Lt Governor Jeff Colyer.



"The hateful actions of one man don't define us - KS welcomes & supports Indian community," Brownback said in a tweet shortly after the meeting last Thursday.



"Unique contributions of the Indian-community make KS a better place. We stand with them in the face of this crime," Colyer said after the meeting.



Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed on February 22 when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani at a bar before yelling "get out of my country".



The incident, which is being investigated as a hate crime by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has sent shockwaves among the Indian-Americans across the country.

Members of the community met Brownback seeking his assurance in protection of Indian-Americans in the State.



Brownback gave assurances that the perpetrator in custody, Purinton, currently facing first-degree murder and attempted first degree murder charges, would be prosecuted to "furthest extent of the law".



He further gave commitments that state officials would cooperate with federal authorities officially investigating the incident as a hate crime.



"The meeting with Governor Brownback and Lt Governor Colyer was very fruitful in my opinion," said Sridhar Harohalli, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Indian Association of Kansas City.



"The delegation got an assurance that this incident will be prosecuted effectively. Governor Brownback's commitment help to get Srinivas' widow Sunayana Dummala back to her home and career in Kansas was also heartening," Harohalli said.



At the meeting, a message sent through a family friend from Sunayana was also read out.
A 45-year-old man has died under mysterious circumstances in police custody sparking off a protest by locals who partially torched Barhara police station premises which falls in Bhojpur district. Ram Sajjan Satva, a resident of Barhara village, died yesterday after he was allegedly beaten up by policemen following which a crowd gathered outside the police station and pelted stones, injuring several police personnel, District Magistrate Birendra Prasad Yadav said.



"The protesters also entered the police station and torched a portion of it," Yadav said. Several vehicles parked outside the police station, furniture and some documents were set afire by the angry mob, the DM said, adding fire tenders were pressed into service to bring the situation under control. SDO Navdeep Shukla and SDPO Sanjay Kumar along with a team have gone to the village to control the situation, he said.



Meanwhile, a medical report has said that Satva died of severe head injuries. The police had yesterday picked up Satva after his daughter lodged a complaint that her father used to come home drunk and tried to abuse her. Satva's kins have alleged that he was killed in police custody. However, the police have claimed that the victim died after he jumped off the vehicle when he was taken to a government hospital for medical examination.



An investigation into the matter has been launched, the DM said. Meanwhile, the Police have arrested 13 persons for their involvement in arson at Barhara police station, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Shahabad Range, Md Rahman said.



He said a case has been lodged under relevant provisions of law and raids were on to nab other persons involved in the incident. Rahman said Barhara Police Station In-charge Sudesh Kumar, Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police (ASI) Arvind Kumar Singh and a Chowikar have been suspended for dereliction of duty.
The atmosphere was a bit melancholic with many poignant moments in between at the Alliance Francaise auditorium recently. Vijay Singhs latest film, Farewell My Indian Soldier, a touching docu-fiction, struck an emotional chord with all the spectators who were present at the screening.





It was a moving portrayal of Indian soldiers who came to fight in France and Belgium during the First World War. The presence of these 1,50,000 soldiers in Europe is a virtually unknown fact of history. In this film, Vijay Singh recounts the story of Indian soldiers through the eyes of love and human affection.



During their furlough on French barns, some Indian soldiers and French women developed affection for each other and children were born. These Indo-French children became the victims of a taboo because of which most people avoided them. The film is inspired by the story of one such child. In the film, a young girl named Paloma Coquant, a descendant of an unknown Indian soldier and his French hostess, journeys across France, Belgium, England and India and weaves around it the fascinating story of the Indian soldiers in the First World War.



Using rare archive, historical testimonies, 100-year-old Indian war songs and 600 insightful letters written home by soldiers about their mind-altering experience in France, this film tells the story of these men of whom 10,000 were never to return to their motherland.



The screening was followed by an interactive session with director Vijay Singh and film scholar and critic M K Raghavendra, who received the National Award for Best Film Critic in 1997. Vijay gave an insight into the making of the film and everything involved in the process, right from the inception of the idea to the final product.



Cavery, one of the viewers, found it to be a very touching story that was showcased beautifully and evocatively. The issue itself was very sad. The blacks were used as cannon fodder wherever possible and sent off. And the Indian government was also doing it until recently. In that sense, it was no different from the British who used the Indian soldiers as cannon fodder, considering them dispensable. The director put forth the story in the most wonderful way possible.



It was a lovely endeavour to showcase a story that has never been told before. Such screenings make you aware of a lot of issues that have never really been discussed or spoken about. It was a brilliant, emotional portrayal and I am glad that I was able to attend the screening. It was surely an evening spent meaningfully, said Roshan, another spectator adding, Also, as an Indian, I definitely felt proud watching the film!






Nestled at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains in Lehi, Utah, the IM Flash plant is a paragon of US high-tech manufacturing. Robots glide along the ceiling, moving silicon wafers the size of dinner plates between hulking machines that deposit and etch microscopic layers of material to build the most advanced memory chips in the world.





For the 1,700 technicians and scientists who tend to the robots and troubleshoot problems in the delicate manufacturing process, the jobs offer generous pay and benefits and easy access to Utahs many outdoor attractions.



For Intel and Micron Technology, the two US companies that jointly own and operate IM Flash, the venture allows both of them to sell cutting-edge, three-dimensional memory chips while sharing the multibillion-dollar costs of a modern semiconductor factory.



The memory chips produced at the plant are probably one of the biggest advances of technology in the last 20 years, said Jon Carter, who oversees Microns strategy for new memory products. And, as he was quick to point out, all of the work was done in the United States. Micron has done a really good job of having a good footprint on the home front, he said.



In many ways, however, the IM Flash plant is an outlier. While companies based in the US still dominate chip sales worldwide, only about 13% of the worlds chip manufacturing capacity was in this country in 2015, down from 30% in 1990, according to government data.



Chipmakers attribute the decline to a variety of forces, including high US tax rates and the hefty subsidies offered by foreign governments for new semiconductor plants, which can cost as much as $10 billion.



Its quite a bit more expensive to build a factory in the US, said Stacy J Smith, the executive at Intel overseeing manufacturing, operations and sales. Intel  which predominantly manufactures in Oregon and Arizona but also has factories in Ireland, Israel and China  estimates that the extra cost for a US plant is more than $2 billion.



Chipmakers are hopeful that President Donald Trump, who has promised large corporate tax cuts and a tougher approach to trade with China, will help them.



Intels chief executive, Brian M Krzanich, made a public display of his faith in the administration this month when he stood by Trump in the Oval Office to announce that the company would spend $7 billion to complete a leading-edge chip factory in Chandler, Arizona, creating 3,000 full-time jobs.



Intel said it was talking with the Trump administration and Congress about a broad corporate tax cut as well as other ways to improve the financial incentives for chipmakers to locate new projects here. Although the United States has 76 semiconductor plants, many of them are older, and few new ones are being built.



Intel, whose workforce relies heavily on highly skilled immigrants, is also pressing the administration to continue allowing such immigrants to enter the country. We benefit from being able to hire the best talent from around the world, Smith said.



The chip industry spends about one-fifth of its revenue on research and development, but it wants more federal funding for basic research into fundamental problems, like how to pack transistors closer together and whether materials other than silicon could form the basis of future chips.



We would like this administration to double down on investments in basic research in universities, said John Neuffer, chief executive of the Semiconductor Industry Association, a trade group that represents US chipmakers. Help us pedal faster.



Foreign countries have become more appealing for chip manufacturers, in part, because of the rise of contract chip foundries owned by Samsung of South Korea and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. They have made it easy for US tech companies like Qualcomm and Apple to design cutting-edge chips in the US but outsource production to Asia.



Looming in the background is China, which is a bit player in the industry but has committed to spend upward of $100 billion to create a world-class chip industry.



Today, its a modest threat, but two, three, four years out, if China plays out as it plans, it could be very significant to subsectors of our industry, Neuffer said.



The IM Flash plant in Lehi was built in 1994 and was Microns first factory outside Boise. In 2005, Intel and Micron struck a partnership to expand the plant and make flash memory there, sharing costs and output.



The two companies have spent the past 11 years developing the newest type of memory, which they call 3-D XPoint. The design combines the functions of a computers ultrafast working memory and its slower, longer-term storage to create a hybrid aimed at companies like Facebook, Goldman Sachs and Exxon Mobil, which need to process vast amounts of data reliably and at the highest speeds.



David Kanter, principal analyst at the research firm Real World Technologies, said the technology, which is still being tested by the first round of customers, was very promising. It could the change the way that computing operates, he said.



Foreign factories



However, as with all new chip technologies, the initial products are likely to be expensive. The Lehi plant will continue to make traditional, cheap 2-D memory chips while gradually expanding production of the newer chips.



Both companies have turned to foreign factories to hedge their bets with other products  less expensive, less capable 3-D flash memory designs aimed at the broad slice of the market that wants better performance but is unwilling to pay top dollar for best technology available.

Micron committed $4 billion to expand a plant it owns in Singapore to make the 3-D flash memory chips, which it began selling last year.



Intel converted an ageing factory it built a decade ago in Dalian, China, into one that produces state-of-the-art 3-D memory chips.



China is the largest market for us on the planet, said Smith of Intel. It made sense to locate some production in China.



Given Chinas position as the biggest buyer of US chips, the industry is concerned about Trumps talk of a trade battle with China. At the same time, chipmakers believe that China has sometimes treated US companies unfairly and relish the idea of help from Washington on that front.



In any case, Intel and Micron, which rejected a $23 billion acquisition bid by a Chinese company in 2015, say they intend to keep the bulk of their chip manufacturing in the US.



Rob Magness, an IM Flash employee who works with the equipment that etches and polishes the silicon wafers, is optimistic, but said he knew just how fragile the industry was.



During his 25 years making chips, he has seen employer after employer downsize and move factories offshore as they coped with the brutal economics of chip making.



All the places I came from are dying, he said. The other two memory companies I worked for actually went under. The prices just got too cheap.




The state Public Works Department has taken strong objection to the Karnataka Legislative Assemblys move to take over maintenance of Vidhana Soudha and Vikasa Soudha and ownership of various prominent buildings, including the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi.





The PWD has in a detailed letter to the Chief Ministers Office (CMO) said rules framed under the Constitution of India do not allow the Assembly to perform the executive functions of the government. The department has also complained to the CMO that the Assembly is mounting pressure on it to hand over the responsibility of maintenance of these buildings to it immediately.



The Assembly secretariat had a few months ago sent a list of buildings to be handed over to it and described the maintenance being done by PWD as against the independence and autonomy of legislature. But the government had chosen not to react. PWD is currently maintaining almost all government buildings. But Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha and the Multi-storey Building are being maintained by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms. The PWD further said the legislature secretariat does not come under the purview of the Karnataka Government (transaction of business) Rules, 1977 and Karnataka Government (allocation of business) Rules, 1977, framed as per Section 166 of the Constitution.

The cost of building maintenance is borne from the Consolidated Fund and the order to draw money is issued in the name of the governor, as mentioned in the rules.



The government is accountable and answerable to the legislature for all its actions. The legislature does not have any executive powers as per section 187(1) of the Constitution. Hence, the Assembly secretariat cannot accord administrative approval for taking up any project or issue any order for releasing money or call tenders, the PWD said.



If the maintenance is handed over as requested by the Assembly, the Speaker (who is the head of the Assembly) will be answerable to the House in case of any lapse in tendering or substandard work by the contractor. The Assembly secretary also acts as secretary to the public accounts committee. The secretary will face embarrassment in case of any observation by the Comptroller and Auditor General on any project implemented by the Assembly, added.


The murder of a 10-year-old girl in Magadi town, 30 km west of Bengaluru, was an act of sorcery committed by a neighbour to cure his paralysed brother, police say.





Mohammad Waasil (42), a neighbour and a distant relative of the girls father, Mohammad Noorullah, was distressed after his elder brother, Mohammad Rafi, suffered a stroke about a month ago. Waasil was certain that it was the result of witchcraft performed by an unknown enemy of the family. He approached his sister, Rashidunnisa alias Rasheeda (36), who lives in Goripalya, west Bengaluru, and who is said to be well versed in black magic. He invited her over to find a solution to the problem. She suggested that they perform counter-witchcraft to cure Rafi of the illness and said this was possible only if they sacrifice a young girl.



Waasil thought of Ayesha, the daughter of his neighbour Noorullah, who would often come to his house to play. He decided to sacrifice her as she could be easily lured. He hatched a devious plan and also roped in Rasheedas friend, Naseem Taj (33), and Rafis 17-year-old son.



Accordingly, they abducted Ayesha around 9 pm on February 1. They gagged her with a polythene bag and tied her legs with a piece of cloth. They then tied lemons to her limbs and strangled her with her ribbon. Thereafter, they performed black magic on her. With their mission accomplished, they stuffed her body in a gunny bag on Rasheedas advice and dumped it in the bushes on the right side of a mosque in Magadi. Before fleeing, they laid some flowers and lemons near the body.



As Ayeshas harried parents began searching for her, Waasil suggested that Noorullah file a missing complaint with the police. He heeded his advice and lodged the complaint on February 3. Police went into action and traced the body after some residents reported noticing it.



Looking at the body, we were certain that it was an act of sorcery and black magic. Some residents testified that they had seen Ayesha moving with Waasil on the night of February 1. We picked him up for questioning and he spilled the beans. Later, based on his information, we arrested the three others, IGP (Central Range) Seemant Kumar Singh told journalists on Sunday.



Singh further said more arrests were likely and that there also was a possible property angle to the savage crime.


You may have seen the header image shared on the likes of Daily Mail, The Sun and Metro.

In case it wasn't obvious already, the image is completely and utterly fake. How do we know that? Pretty simple, actually. We tracked the image to a Facebook page called Zambian Watch, which originally posted the image on March 1st.

The image claimed that there was a ghost in the sky above the Mukuba Mall in Kitwe, Zambia and that eyewitnesses on the scene either ran away in horror, fell to their knees and prayed - but only one person took a picture of the ghostly image.

The image was then picked up by Daily Mail and Metro, who ran the image and used the same quotes from Zambian Watch.

Daily Mail

Metro.co.uk

The Sun

What's interesting is that people from Zambia - including some who were actually at the Mukuba Mall on the day in question - didn't recall seeing the image and made this point in the comments below the original Facebook post where Daily Mail and Metro took their story from. Moreover, one commenter even pointed out that pretty much everyone would have their phones out and taking pictures of such an event.

Not only that, residents of Kitwe - where this event occurred - are claiming that they're only seeing this image on Facebook and that no-one saw the event take place on the day in question.

It's also worth pointing out that Wikipedia just recently announced that it was no longer using Daily Mail as a reliable source for information or citation.

Any guesses why?

Via Facebook / Metro / Daily Mail / The Sun
Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa took everyone by surprise on Sunday night by calling off his friendship with fellow artiste Sudeep.





Me & Sudeep arent Friends Anymore. We are just Actors working for Kannada Industry. No more speculations please. Thats the end of it (sic), he tweeted.



Hours later, Darshan took to Facebook to dispel rumours that his Twitter handle was hacked. Referring to one of Sudeeps television interviews, he said,  I was hurt after seeing the video. Sudeep claims that he ensured the lead role for me in Majestic movie which is false. Sudeep should clarify for making a false statement (sic).



Majestic was Darshans first film in a lead role and turned out to be a big hit.

Sudeep is yet to comment on the announcement.



Chintana A V, who has directed Darshan in an upcoming film Chakravarthy, said minor differences between the two actors might have forced the Challenging Star to end the relationship. Actor Ambareesh is likely to broker peace between them, he added.



Sudeep often wished Darshan on important occasions through his tweets, but the latter rarely responded. Both are A-List actors in the industry and have a large fan following.



Public display of disaffection is nothing new in the industry. Actor Yash once targeted Darshan, Sudeep and Upendra through dialogues in his film Masterpiece (2015) while Upendra and Sudeep paid him in kind on social media.



Fans of Yash and Sudeep clashed recently in Gangavati taluk, Koppal district, over the placing of the actors life-size posters. Police had to use canes to disperse them.
Three days after the government scrapped the steel flyover project, residents of northern Bengaluru staged a protest, urging the government to implement the project to decongest Ballari Road.





Led by Karnataka Abhivruddi Mattu Anushtana Samiti, nearly 500 people from 20 residents welfare associations (RWAs) from areas of northern Bengaluru staged a protest near Esteem Mall, opposing the move to scrap the project.



It took so many years for the government to finalise a flyover to decongest Ballari Road. We were happy that our long-pending demand was being met. They cant make a U-turn like this, said Samuel H, who is part of the group in support of the flyover.



Students, employees from IT sector and homemakers took part in the march, holding placards that read, Connect Bangalore North to Bangalore, Steel flyover beku and Do not politicise steel bridge.



B M Devarajappa, president of the Samiti, said the government can change the design to save some of the 812 trees, but cant abandon the project. We will plant more than 5,000 saplings to compensate for the trees to be cut down for the project, he said. The protesters said the daily commute between the city and areas in northern Bengaluru was a harrowing experience as they had to spend at least three hours in traffic. We just need a flyover, whether concrete or steel. The government will conduct more surveys and take 10 years to come up with a new proposal. People in northern Bengaluru cant wait that long. The steel flyover has been finalised, we want it to happen soon, Samuel said.



When asked about alternatives such as suburban rail and Metro, Samuel said such projects take a lot of time.



Even otherwise, the flyover is necessary. It is part of the comprehensive solution.

Devarajappa said the RWAs will petition the chief minister, governor and ministers.



If the government listens to us, we will stand by it. If it ignores us, we will go to court, seeking direction to the government to implement the project, Devarajappa said.


Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the government will consider including information about civil services in the school curriculum.





Inaugurating Dr Rajkumar Civil Services Academy here on Sunday, the chief minister noted that the number of civil service officers from Karnataka was lower than those from states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.



I would have pursued civil services if I was well informed about it during my school days. Luckily, I got professors like Nanjundaswamy during my law studies. Otherwise, I wouldnt have entered politics, he said.



Noting that talent was not restricted to people from a certain class, he said good guidance and fair share of opportunities will open up paths for success to individuals from all communities.



Raghavendra Rajkumar said the motto of the institution is to help students in need. We will try to go beyond civil services and include other competitive exams in the coming days, he said.
The Akhila Bharata Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane on Sunday urged Ramanagaram Superintendent of Police, Ramesh Bannoth, to take action against Channapatna Rural Circle Police Inspector, Gopinath V, for threatening and forcing a

16-year-old girl to record a statement absolving the suspect.





They submitted a memorandum to him on Sunday. They claimed that the girl was abducted by one Mandeep (19) on January 18, 2017, and kept in illegal confinement for 48 days when she was physically and mentally tortured.



Mandeep, a resident of Doddamalur village, had abducted the girl when she had gone to college.



The girl told the superintendent of police that Gopinath forced her to record wrong statement. Gopinath claimed that he knew minister Energy Minister D K Shivakumar and Mutthappa Rai. He threatened to kill me. He said that Mandeeps future hinged on my statement. He forced to me to record that I had eloped with my uncle, she said.

The SP has promised to enquire into the matter and take action, if needed.


Bengaluru to Chennai in 20 minutes seems to be pipe dream but Tesla/SpaceX founder Elan Musks Hyperloop One may as well take us on such a ride provided we vote for it.





The Los Angeles-based company has allowed people to vote on the proposed five routes, including Chennai-Bengaluru and Bengaluru-Thiruvananthapuram. Another route, Mumbai-Chennai, also connects Hubballi and Bengaluru to Hosur, Vellore and Sriperambadur.



The firm held a global challenge, inviting interested companies to propose routes. The 35 semi-finalists were picked from 2,600 registrations. The winner route needs to put forward a comprehensive commercial, transport, economic, and policy case for their cities, regions or countries to be considered to host the first hyperloop networks.



With five routes from India making it to the semi-finals, the company is holding polls on Facebook to pick the finalist. The government of India has expressed interest in the technology. However, the details of proposals, including the cost, are yet to be released.



Described as the fifth mode of transport, Hyperloop involves travelling at high speeds in low-pressure tubes. The company claims it to be a safe, quiet, weather-proof and energy efficient mode of transportation where a magnetically levitated vehicle is accelerated through the tube using a linear electric motor. The vehicle can move at airline speeds for long distances due to the extremely low aerodynamic drag and non-contact suspension.



The company is also working with Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) to prepare a detailed project report on high-speed magnetic levitation train, which will be submitted to the ministry by June next year.



The company is yet to test its first fully installed line in Las Vegas, which may take three more months. After the successful test of their prototype propulsion system in open air last year, the company has gained confidence.


The meeting of the council of ministers called by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday is expected to discuss the state budget proposals for the financial year 2017-18.





Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio, will be presenting his 12th budget (a record in the state) on March 15, and it is largely expected to be a populist one.



This will the Congress governments last full-fledged budget before the Assembly polls next year.



Siddaramaiah is expected to announce some succour for farmers, who are reeling under severe drought, announce sops for Ahinda (Kannada acronym for OBCs, Dalits and minority) communities, provide more grains under the Anna Bhagya scheme and freebies for BPL families, among others.



Official sources said Siddaramaiah is keen on getting a collective opinion from his ministerial colleagues on the budget proposals. The reason the council of ministers meeting (which will be attended by ministers of state-rank also) has been convened instead of the state cabinet (where only Cabinet ministers attend) is to ensure participation by all ministers, sources added.



There have not been many instances in the past when a council of ministers meeting has been convened to discuss budget proposals.



During the past few days, Siddaramaiah has been holding department-wise pre-budget meetings.



The state governments decision to scrap the controversial steel flyover project in Bengaluru is also likely to figure in Mondays meeting.



Bengaluru Development Minister K J George had announced on Thursday that the government will not go ahead with flyover project, after consulting Siddaramaiah.

The decision will now have to be ratified by the state cabinet.






The BJPs surprise decision not contest for the posts of mayor, deputy mayor or any of the committees in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) indicates its unwillingness to put the alliance government at risk.





The Maharashtra BJPs decision to blink first in its stand-off with the Shiv Sena came after the partys central leadership conveyed its decision not to let the confrontation between the two parties flare up to the extent that it posed a threat to the Devendra Fadnavis government.



The BJP is dependent on the Sena for a numerical majority in the state Assembly.

Earlier, the BJP formula for an honourable compromise with the Sena, under which it drops its critical posturing on every issue and tones down its anti-Modi rhetoric, did not appear to make any headway.



Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray kept up attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Fadnavis even after the BMC poll results were out.



The Sena had also threatened to pull out of the state government, even as its ministers privately requested the chief minister that the party be allowed to run the municipal corporation. The Sena and BJP had bitterly fought the polls despite being partners at the Centre and state.



Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari was the first central BJP leader who openly said the two parties must strike a compromise, which was the line mooted by Fadnavis too. But other BJP leaders did not want it to appear like the party was giving in easily.



An immediate divorce between the two parties would give a boost to the Opposition Congress and the NCP, who stand to benefit in the event of a situation leading to fresh elections, a central BJP leader said. At the same time, the central leadership wanted the BJP not to appear to be getting into any compromise with the Sena for the sake of enjoying power in the BMC. Hence, the chief minister announced setting up a committee to suggest ways and means to bring transparency in the functioning of all the municipal corporations.



The BJP had made transparency in the BMC a major issue, accusing the Sena of unbridled corruption.



Fadnavis said the government would request the Lokayukta to appoint a Upa Lokayukta specifically for Mumbai so that the administration became more transparent. According to the central leadership, this approach would ensure that Fadnavis, who enjoys the reputation of Mr Clean in Maharashtra politics, saves his government and also keeps the BJP ahead.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held his second roadshow in his Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi, seeking support for the BJP nominees.





Modi, who began his roadshow from Pandepur Crossing, traversed through Chowkaghat, Hukulganj and Teliabagh before culminating at Kashi Vidyapeeth, where he addressed a rally.



The prime minister, who again started his address by chanting Har, har Mahadev (paying respect to Lord Shiva), said that the temple town should be developed in a way so as to keep its cultural heritage intact.



Modi again targeted the Akhilesh Yadav government in the state and said that the chief minister had not cooperated with the centre on its plan to develop the city.



The state government thinks only in terms of vote-bank politics. Our mantra is development of all, he said.



Modi referred to the prevalence of encephalitis in the eastern region of Uttar Pradesh and said that the centre had given funds to the state government to provide adequate medical care, but it had failed to utilise the same.



The prime minister said that the SP, the BSP and the Congress had joined hands to oppose the note-ban decision.



He also sought to allay the concerns of small traders following the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.



No corruption charges



Modi also referred to the reported scams during the UPA regime and said in his stint so far, there had not been any allegation of corruption.



The people of the country trust this government, he added.

He lambasted the Opposition parties for seeking proof of the September 29 surgical strikes across the LoC.



Modi also listed his plans to develop Varanasi and assured the electorate that in the next few years the changes would be visible.
The high-decibel election campaign that witnessed acrimonious exchanges will finally culminate in Uttar Pradesh and Manipur on Monday evening.





The Opposition parties are hoping for a result that will catapult their stocks to a new high to take on the Narendra Modi government.



However, Modi and the BJP are not leaving any stone unturned. The prime minister is camping in Varanasi, his Parliamentary constituency, and nearby seats, which are going to polls in the seventh and last phase in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. The second phase of polling in Manipur is also on the same day.



Varanasi will be the cynosure of all eyes on Monday, with top leaders of all the parties, including Modi, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati, camping in eastern Uttar Pradesh.



The country was on election mode since the first week of January after the Election Commission announced the dates for polls to five states from February 4 to March 8.

The last ballot in this edition of polls will be cast on March 9, as polls to two constituencies in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh were postponed due to the death of candidates. Counting will be held on March 11.



While Goa and Punjab voted on February 4, Uttarakhand went to polls on February 15. Polling in Uttar Pradesh was spread over seven phases, beginning February 11 and ending on March 8. Manipur voted on March 4 in the first phase.



The campaign saw Modi and Rahul criss-crossing the five states, while Akhilesh and Mayawati concentrated their efforts in Uttar Pradesh, where poll pundits are not willing to predict the outcome.



Several said it would be a hung Assembly, while acknowledging that the BJP had a late surge.



The results of Uttar Pradesh will have a bearing on national politics as a defeat would make things difficult for the BJP.



A not-so-impressive result will also have an effect on the Presidential election, leaving the saffron party with less bargaining power.



The results are also keenly awaited in Punjab, where the Akali Dal-BJP combine is up against the anti-incumbency of a 10-year rule and intensive campaigning by the Congress and AAP.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the conclave which Chinese president Xi Jinping will host in Beijing in May to drum up support for his One-Belt-One-Road (OBOR) initiative.





New Delhi turned down Beijings request for a high-level political representation from India to the OBOR conclave.



It has not yet been decided if New Delhi will be represented at a lower level, but the sources DH spoke to did not rule out the possibility of India finally boycotting the conclave.



Beijing is yet to send a formal invitation to the prime minister, but checked with New Delhi through diplomatic channel if India was willing to be represented in the conclave at a high-level.



India is opposed to the OBOR, because Chinas ambitious connectivity initiative includes an economic corridor, which is proposed to pass through areas New Delhi accuses Pakistan of illegally occupying in Kashmir.



The proposed China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will link Kashgar in Xinjiang in northwestern China and a deep seaport at Gwadar in Balochistan in southwestern Pakistan.



Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar conveyed Indias position on the CPEC in particular and the OBOR in general during his meetings with Chinas State Councillor Yang Jiechi, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui in Beijing on February 21 and 22.



He pointed out that the proposed CPEC passes through an area that New Delhi considered an integral part of India, albeit under illegal occupation of Pakistan, sources told DH.



Jaishankar conveyed to the Chinese government officials that the proposed CPEC would infringe on the sovereignty of India.


ANCHORAGE, Alaska, 5 March 2017 (Associated Press)  The sound of howling dogs filled downtown Anchorage on Saturday as mushers from around the world gathered for the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. About 2,000 dogs belonging to 72 mushers waited their turn  some more patiently and less vocally than others  to hit the trail this year. The race spans nearly 1,000 miles of Alaska wilderness, including the last stretch when the teams battle the frozen Bering Sea coast en route to the finish line in the community of Nome. The ceremonial start is a fan-friendly event designed to show off mushing to fans in Alaskas largest city. Spectators pet the dogs, mingled with mushers and even grabbed an autograph or two. [] Anchorage had more than enough snow to stage the ceremonial start. But just a few hundred miles north, the Alaska Range  a mountain span that includes Denali  has little snow and open-water conditions. That has prompted race officials to move the competitions official start from the Anchorage area over the mountain range to Fairbanks to avoid the dodgy spots. Its the second time in the past three years, and third in the past 14, that the race has had to move to Fairbanks to find suitable winter conditions to start. [more]
By Kacy Burdette

28 February 2017 (Fortune)  Back in 1970, then-President Richard Nixon signed an executive order establishing the Environmental Protection Agency. Just after its creation, the EPA created a photo-documentary project called Project Documerica. Its purpose? To record the state of the environment and efforts to improve it. Similar to the famous photography program by Rex Tugwells and Roy Strykers Farm Security Administration, which depicted daily life in Depression-era America, the project examined the rapid decaying of the United States environment. It focused on environmental concerns of the early 1970s: water, air, and noise pollution; unchecked urbanization; poverty; environmental impact on public health; and youth culture of the day. The project also showed the countrys commitment to solving these problems by showing positive images of human life and Americans reactions, responses, and resourcefulness. The EPA hired freelance photojournalists all over the country to photograph the outdoors and environmental problems. Some of the photographers by used the project were Danny Lyon, Bill Strode, David Hiser, and Yoichi Okamoto. The project was almost scrubbed due to challenges with photographer salaries and copyright issues. More than 100 photographers produced over 81,000 photographs. They catalogued around 20,000 images by the National Archives and Records Administration. About 15,000 digital scans in the collection are available to the public online. Here is a selection of some of the best photographs from the collection, showing the impact the EPA has had on the country in the last five decades. [more]
Here's Why Sanjay Dutt Didn't Allow His Daughter, Trishala To Become An Actress!
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Asset managers Standard Life and Aberdeen Asset Management have announced they are in advanced talks over a possible merger to create an 11bn company with more than 650bn of assets under management.

Under terms of the mooted all-share merger, shareholders of Edinburgh-headquartered Standard Life would own 66.7% and Aberdeen's 33.3% of the combined group, though there would be an equal number of seats on the board for the two sides.

At the top, Standard Life chief executive Keith Skeoch and Martin Gilbert of emerging markets-focused Aberdeen would become co-CEOs of the combined group.

Standard Life's Gerry Grimstone was proposed as chairman of the board of the combined group, with Aberdeens Simon Troughton becoming deputy chairman.

Taking the chief financial officer would be Aberdeen's Bill Rattray, with Rod Paris of Standard Life becoming chief information officer.

In a joint statement, the pair said the potential merger would:
Meggitt shares were a 'buy' for the Sunday Times' Inside the City column, after the aerospace technology group revealed it would conduct a sweeping review of operations as sales are predicted to grow. Almost a year and a half after its last profit warning, and seven months since activist fund Elliott Advisors took a 5% stake, Meggitt is a much improved company.

Having rooted about for finer details on the company from suppliers, customers and former staff, Elliott analysed its workload before putting its demands to chairman Nigel Rudd. Seemingly as a result, the review followed, while ex-Rolls-Royce director Tony Wood is CEO in waiting, and shares are on the up. Elliott's final demand was for the company to be sold, with larger rivals likely to be attracted to its aircraft brakes and engine de-icing gear even more now the housekeeping has been done.

Buy shares in Morrisons, said Questor in the Sunday Telegraph, a year after quarterly sales growth reappeared after four years of decline. But what next for chief executive David Potts, after last year's turnaround? Morrisons is expected to deliver more good news with its preliminary results on Thursday and perhaps an update on strategy.

There is potential for the Bradford-based retailer to set new targets for free cash and cost savings, along with an update on its balance sheet and the slimming of its property estate. While rivals have gone down the acquisitive route, Potts is more likely to look at a special dividend or buyback programme, in time.

Shares in Frenkel Topping have plenty of potential, said Midas in the Mail on Sunday. While insurers were gnashing their teeth over the government's changes to payment calculations for personal injury claims, it is good news for this oddly-named company that manages money for victims of tragic accidents. Moreover, chairman Jason Granite is pushing through a transformation in the business.

Hard-nosed former investment banker Granite runs a private investment firm, FCFM, where Icap founder Michael Spencer is the second-largest shareholder, and between them own 17% of Frenkel. One of their biggest changes to the business is for group to begin managing customers money, rather than just advise them on what to do with it, which boosts its profits and, it says, is cheaper for customers than investment managers. After the compensation rule changes, profits for the current year are forecast to rise from 1.5m last year to at least 3.4m, rising to more than 4m for 2018.





Please note: Digital Look provides a round-up of news, tips and information that is impacting share prices and the market. Digital Look cannot take any responsibility for information provided by third parties. This is for your general information only and not intended to be relied upon by users in making an investment decision or any other decision. Please obtain a copy of the relevant publication and carry out your own research before considering acting on any of this information.
Four Donegal companies are set to benefit from a grants scheme worth more than 750,000.

The funding is being released under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Operational Programme for the seafood sector.

Deputy Joe McHugh has welcomed the massive government funding injection into the countys seafood processing and aquaculture sectors.

Minister McHugh said the programme is intended to help companies develop and add value to their products.

The Donegal grants of 777,927 announced today include:Comhlacht Iascaireachta Fanad Teo 317,143; Feirm Farraige Oilean Chliara Teo 276,948; OBell's Isle Seafoods Ltd, 161,301,Tullyearl, Donegal Town and Ocean Farm Ltd. 9,535, Killybegs and Albatross Seafoods Ltd., 14,000, Killybegs.

The Fanad companies, operated by Marine Harvest, secured the maximum grant of half a million euro.

Minister McHugh said today: "Against the backdrop of Brexit and its potential implications for our food exports, I am particularly pleased to see so many seafood enterprises continuing to invest in growing their production, developing new consumer products and growing and diversifying markets. This sector is an important part of the Donegal economy and Im particularly pleased it is part of a larger investment by the companies themselves.

Minister McHugh said the Department has provided Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) with 26 million of EMFF funds in 2017 and expects to announce many more awards as the year progresses.

He welcomed the funding from Marine Minister Michael Creed but again called on the Minister to drop a review of the mackerel quota.

We need stability in the industry here in Donegal and I have made my views very clear on this again to the Department and the Minister, said the Donegal TD.
The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths:

- Dr. Brian McCaffrey, Portmarnock, Dublin and Creeslough

- George Blair, Sean O'Hare Unit, Stranorlar

- Bernadette Ward Detta, Ballyherin, Kimacrenan

- Ann O'Donnell, Church Road, Kellybegs

- Charlie Quinn, Tullynagrena, Letter Barrow, Donegal Town

Dr. Brian McCaffrey, Portmarnock, Dublin and Creeslough

The death has occurred of Dr. Brian, Dr Mc Caffrey late of Creeslough and Portmarnock, County Dublin.

Removal from the Eternal Light Chapel of Rest, Mountain Top, Letterkenny this Friday evening March 3rd, at 5pm going to his late residence in Creeslough. Funeral Mass on Sunday, March 5th at 11am in St Michaels Church, Creeslough. Burial afterwards in Doe Cemetery. Family time please from 11pm to 10am.

George Blair, Sean O'Hare Unit, Stranorlar

The death has taken place of George Blair Sean OHare Unit, late of Stranorlar and formerly of Cavan Upper, Killygordon.

Reposing at his Sister Ivy Bates residence at Carricknamana, Killygordon on Saturday, 4th March.

Funeral from there on Monday, March 6th at 11.30am for Service at 12 noon in Convoy Reformed Presbyterian Church. Burial afterwards in the family plot at Convoy Presbyterian Church. Family time from 11pm to 11am.

Family flowers only. Donations if desired to the Sean OHare Unit Stranorlar c/o any family member

Bernadette Ward Detta, Ballyherin, Kimacrenan

The death has occurred of Bernadette Ward Detta late of Ballyherin, Kilmacrenan.

Her remains will repose at her late residence.

Funeral from there on Sunday, March 5th going St Columbas Church Kilmacrenan for Requiem Mass at 11am.

Burial afterwards to Old Abbey Cemetery.

Ann O'Donnell, Church Road, Killybegs

The death has taken place of Ann O Donnell late of Church Road, Killybegs. Remains reposing at her late residence.Removal from her residence on Monday morning March 6th at 10.30am going to St. Marys Church Killybegs for 11 oclock funeral Mass. Burial afterwards in the local cemetery. Family time from 11pm to 11am and on the morning of the funeral please.

Charlie Quinn, Tullynagrena, Letter Barrow, Donegal Town

The death has taken place of Charlie Quinn late of Tullynagrena, Letter Barrow, Donegal Town. Remains reposing at the family home from 6pm to 10pm today and from 12pm until 10pm on Sunday.

Removal on Monday at 11:15am to the Church of the holy Redeemer Drimarone, for 12pm funeral mass with burial immediately afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Family flowers only please, donations if so desired to the oncology unit Letterkenny University Hospital, care of any family member

* If you wish to have a death notice included, please e-mail: editorial@donegaldemocrat.com and include a contact telephone number for verification.
Outgoing Donegal Person of the Year Deirdre McGlone told guests at the Donegal Person of the Year banquet that she was hugely proud to have been selected as Donegal Person of the Year for 2015.

She said it had been "one of the best years of my life" and she said it was well known now that Donegal was voted by National Geographic as one of the coolest places on the planet, and it was her wish that Donegal would indeed become cooler.

She said: "Let's work together to make Donegal and even cooler place with the warmest welcome possible being offered to people who come here."

On a personal note she said she was delighted to learn that Stephen McCahill had been selected as the 2016 Person of the Year, and added that it was a little know fact that she had in her younger days busked outside the Corner House in Ardara and loved every minute of it.

"My view on Stephen is this, he is good at 'thinking big' and I would hope others would follow his lead on that."
Echoing the sentiments of former winner of the Donegal Person of the Year, Daniel O'Donnell, the most recent winner, Stephen McCahill said the greatest award you could ever get is an award from your own county.

"To be honoured by your own is very special," he told more than 520 guests at the Regency Hotel in Dublin moments ago.

Stephen, speaking at the Donegal Association in Dublin banquet tonight, said he was honoured, humbled and proud to be selected as Donegal Person of the Year.

He praised the young committee and they were lucky to have a guiding light like Kathleen Sheerin keeping an eye on them, he said.

"I have been overwhelmed by the numbers of letters and messages I have received, many of them on Facebook and others in the more traditional way. I tried to analyse the messages and I can only conclude with Brexit and the issues in the USA and elsewhere the world is very frustrated at the moment, with the corruption and tribunals and much more there is a lot of frustration in the world and then you have ordinary people just wanting people to work with and for their communities and that's where people like myself come in," he said.

"The Association have picked so many high profile people, and they were wonderful choices, but this time they opted for a community-based person and I am just a symbol of those people in the community, the ordinary people who do great work for their community and that is worth appreciating."

Employment

He praised those who created employment in the area. He singled out Gallagher's Bakery which now employs 330 people. He mentioned other businesses in the south and west of the county who have created employment and he celebrated the fact that a new whiskey distillery would soon be up and running.

He also praised those who give it a go and may not be successful: "Never forget the great people in Donegal who have tried and it hasn't worked out for them, but I am equally as proud of them as everyone else."

He said that there were many people in various communities who make a huge contribution and when they pass on, their loss is felt by all: "In any community the loss of a person in your community is important - we had the biggest wee man I ever knew in our community, Gerard Slowey - who I salute. I cherish the memory of this wonderful man."

He went back tot he first ever winner of the Donegal Person of the Year award, Canon James McDyre.

"I am from Glenties, born and reared. My neighbour was the first recipient of this award in 1978, Fr James McDyer.

"I was very influenced by the thinking of Fr James who had a great passion for keeping communities alive. He led by example and the seed for businesses like Errigal Eisc was set by Fr James and he has influenced so many people.

"We need to keep our communities alive, if we don't we won't survive.

He acknowledged his mother, who is 87, who he said was proud of him and his winning of the award. He thanked his wife and family for their support.

He remembered the late Charlie Bennett, a former Person of the Year, who he said he wanted to mention. "He was a great person and we remember him fondly."

Profile in brief - who is Stephen McCahill?

Stephen McCahill, 58, the 2016 Donegal Person of the Year, is essentially a community activist and volunteer.

An accomplished businessman, he has involved himself at various levels, very often as the chairperson, in a variety of community and voluntary organisations in Ardara where he lives.

Stephen is very passionate about the promotion of our county and is very passionate about community involvement and the importance of keeping the community alive and vibrant.

Married to Marietta, they have two children, Steven and Gemma. At 58 years of age he has led an incredibly busy and varied life and clearly his passion is people.

His early working years saw him with Lyons Tea as a national sales representative and later became a quality control officer with Moracrete in Clondalkin.

In 1981 he moved back to Donegal where he took up a position as quality control manager with Campbell Seafoods in Killybegs and spent six years with the company, he later worked with Joey Murrin as a marketing manager.

In 1991 Stephen set up his own company Glenard Fish which organised the sales of fresh fish and he is still involved in the fishing industry in Killybegs.

His involvement in local groups is remarkable - founder and now chairman of the Cup OTae Festival; chairman Ardara Traders Association; a former chairman (4 years) of Ardara GAA club, he served 12 years also as club treasurer; he is on the editorial committee for local magazine Duchas; Chairman of the Ardara Heritage Centre and the Ardara Community Centre; a former chairperson, secretary and PRO of the Ardara Parish Council.

It is evident from Stephens involvement in so many groups and committees that he has spent much of his adult life giving freely of his personal time to keeping his local area alive and vibrant. He has helped develop and sustain tourism, heritage, culture and rural life through numerous projects, festivals, initiatives and enterprises.
Communities like Ardara are a shining example to the rest of the country, the President of the Donegal Association in Dublin told guests at the association's annual banquet in Dublin.

Hugh Harkin said Donegal "has the highest unemployment rate of any county - and indeed the rest of the country - at twice the national average - and the lowest level of disposable income per head in the country."

However, he said the community in Ardara stands out as a shining example to the rest of the county and country of what can be achieved by the determined efforts of local people working together, largely on a voluntary basis.

"So, I would say to other look at what Ardara has done and learn from it. I believe this kind of community effort could make a significant impact on changing the unemployment rate and the disposable income per head of population."

He said in recent years the association had acknowledged the contribution of entrepreneurs. "This year, you could say, we are acknowledging the contribution and achievements of the social entrepreneur. While the success in Ardara has clearly been the work of many hands, it takes someone to be the champion and in Ardara, that person, by popular acclaim, is Stephen McCahill."

He said the 2016 recipient of the Donegal Person of the Year, Stephen McCahill wasn't afraid to put his head "above the parapet". He said there would always be people waiting to "take a pot shot at you when you do this". But, he added, "Stephen has shown what can be done when you just get on with the work and not let any of that deter you."

Stephen McCahill, he said, was a hugely popular choice for the award: "It is clear from the attendance here tonight and from all the messages we have received in the last six weeks that Stephen is a very popular choice and is recognised as very deserving of the Donegal Person of the Year award. He has made a tremendous contribution to the town of Ardara and indeed to the south west of the county."

He said in recent years the association had acknowledged the contribution of entrepreneurs. "This year, you could say, we are acknowledging the contribution and achievements of the social entrepreneur. While the success in Ardara has clearly been the work of many hands, it takes someone to be the champion and in Ardara, that person, by popular acclaim, is Stephen McCahill."

Mr Harkin praised the work of outgoing Person of the Year, Deirdre McGlone, who had been a "wonderful" ambassador for the county: "She has traversed three continents. She has been to North America four times during the year and I know she has no intention of easing off."
It started as a simple request, simple at least for a charitable organization that distributes several hundred thousand dollars or more each year to various causes.

When the City of Dothan realized it would need to expand the Omussee Wastewater Treatment plant to meet the demands of a growing city, Dothan Police Chief Steve Parrish realized the police department would lose its nearby shooting range and modest training area.

Wiregrass Foundation President Barbara Alford began to explore the possibility of the Foundation helping fund a similar facility at another place.

The exploration came at an interesting time, Alford said.

You turn on the news and just when you think you have heard the worst, you see something else, she said.

According to statistics compiled by the FBI, 41 law enforcement officers were killed in 2015 as the result of a felonious act, a 51 percent increase from 2013. The 2015 reported stated more than 50,000 officers were assaulted during the line of duty.

We started having a broader conversation, Alford said. We started to think bigger, much bigger.

The mission statement of the Wiregrass Foundation is to provide charitable investments that will have significant, measurable impact on health, education and quality of life. The Foundation has assisted the City of Dothan before with funding for a walking bridge at Forever Wild, a recreational pool at Andrew Belle Center and improvements at Dothan Regional Airport that helped secure the relocation of Commercial Jet. Typically, however, the Foundation has chosen to assist nonprofit agencies and other similar organizations.

Through all of this research, as we started looking at this, I began to understand public safety in a much different way than before, Alford said. Because, at the core, if you dont have a safe community, nothing else matters.

The broader conversation led to a lot of questions. Instead of a modest police training facility, why not a comprehensive police training facility? Instead of a comprehensive police training facility, why not a comprehensive police and fire training facility? Why not make this training facility comprehensive enough to allow for regional training for agencies throughout the Wiregrass? Why not allow community access for citizen training?

By the end of the months-long conversation, Alford and the Foundation conceptualized the Dothan Regional Public Safety Training Center.

That was only half of the heavy lifting.

An investment that may have amounted to $1 million, more or less, would now be more. Much more.

Now, the Foundation would need to contribute more than $20 million.

It took the team six months to wrestle with the design. It took our board that same amount of time to come to a decision on funding. You are talking about 25 percent of our outlay for the next 20 years. You think about what can be accomplished, but you also think about what you are going to have to say no to, Alford said.

Ultimately, Alford said the board decided to fund the project because it met the Foundations mission statement. Agencies that train better, police better. Agencies that police better provide safer communities. Safer communities improve the overall quality of life.

Only a few public safety regional training centers exist in the country, and none in Alabama.

I believe that 10 years from now, law enforcement agencies throughout the entire country will be looking to do what Dothan is looking to do right now, Dothan Police Chief Steve Parrish said.
People began filing in to JonJam on Saturday for a day of music and activities to benefit programs that help people with disabilities.

This years event at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds included local and regional bands, a bike fest hosted by Dothan Area Cyclists, a chili and gumbo cook-off and activities for kids.

Event planner Angelia Turner hoped to have 1,500 to 2,000 people at the jam. Some tickets are sold in advance but about 75 percent are bought at the gate.

Its starting to grow, Turner said. We have great sponsors. They back it so expenses are all paid and the remaining will be applied to the benefit of The REAL Project and AMBUCS.

JonJam is in its ninth year. It was started in 2009 to help raise money for Jon Lee, who was paralyzed in 2008 after he fell from his second-floor apartment balcony while hanging a light.

A group of his friends got together to hold the first JonJam at Landmark Park and it has grown from there. This year the event raises money for The REAL Project (Refurbished Equipment Assisting Lives), AMBUCS of the Wiregrass, Adaptive Yoga and other special needs activities throughout the Wiregrass.

Lee is director of The REAL Project, which opened in October 2010 at the Wiregrass Rehabilitation Center in Dothan.

People donate medical equipment and then we loan it out or give it to people at no cost, Lee said. Since its opening the program has had about 4,200 pieces of equipment donated and helped over 4,000 people.

Why try to sell a pair of crutches? Lee said. Donate it to us.

The program provides wheelchairs, braces, hospital beds and other equipment people cant afford to buy themselves.

Whenever somebody doesnt have medical insurance and they come in there and get something from us, they break down crying because they had no other way to get it, Lee said.

AMBUCS provides adapted tricycles for children or adults who cannot ride a traditional bicycle. Weve bought over 200 trikes for people with disabilities in the Wiregrass, mainly kids, Lee said.

This years JonJam featured local bands Pontiac Stove Company, Jon and Friends, and Firedogs. Destin-based Cadillac Willy headlined the event.

The event is in its second year at the NPF Fairgrounds. Turner said a lot of people still dont know about JonJam and the organizations it benefits.

The Jon Lee Foundation Board, Jons friends who rallied around him when he needed them the most, started the event to help him rebuild his life as a paraplegic.

They are still here helping, Turner said. There are still a lot of stories to tell.
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To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020.




Some of the valuable intelligence gleaned in the Navy SEAL raid in Yemen on Jan. 28 included hundreds of contacts for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in the region and the West, a U.S. official told ABC News today.



The official, familiar with the intelligence gathered from the raid, told ABC News that the information included contacts for hundreds of AQAP sympathizers in the Middle East and in the West.
Australia 237 for 6 (S Marsh 66, Renshaw 60, Jadeja 3-49) lead India 189 by 48 runs

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details 237 for 6 (S Marsh 66, Renshaw 60, Jadeja 3-49) lead189 by 48 runs

It is hard to believe this series is only five days old, such is the drama that has already been witnessed. And such has been the unexpected dominance of Australia that this fifth day of the campaign - and the second day in Bengaluru - began with ominous predictions that India's hopes of regaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy would be dead unless they had launched a fightback by stumps. Does six wickets constitute enough of a fightback? The jury is out.

Certainly, India's bowlers deserve credit for their persistence. All day they maintained pressure on Australia's batsmen, and the pressure was particularly intense during a gripping morning session. But by stumps, the cold reality was that Australia held a lead that was already useful, and which on the third morning may yet progress to become match-winning. They went to stumps 48 runs in front, with the total on 237 for 6, and with Matthew Wade on 25 and Mitchell Starc on 14.

Ashwin gets Warner, again 8 Instances of R Ashwin dismissing David Warner in Tests. That is also the most times Ashwin has gotten rid of a batsman, and Warner has fallen to a bowler

5 Times in nine innings that Matt Renshaw has faced 100 or more deliveries. Renshaw has played a total of 1058 balls in Tests. Since his debut, only Steven Smith has faced more for Australia (1135).

18 Runs scored by Shaun Marsh in his last five innings from the No. 4 position - 0, 0, 0, 2 and 16. In this match, he struck a fifty from the same position.

8 Partnerships of 50 or more for Australia in this series so far, including three in the first innings of this Test. India have only had two such stands in three innings.

The anchors of Australia's day had been the oldest and youngest members of the side. Matt Renshaw , the 20-year-old opener, showed maturity and patience in compiling 60; Shaun Marsh , the 33-year-old recalled for this series, was equally respectful of the bowling and ground out 66 of his own. Both men fell as they approached 200 deliveries, their concentration perhaps waning, but they were to be commended for their efforts.

The pitch was cracking like a dry river-bed: spinners threatened with sharp turn and fast bowlers sent through the occasional skidder. No delivery summed up the batting challenge better than the last ball before tea, when Ishant Sharma had Mitchell Marsh lbw for an 11-ball duck to a delivery that barely bounced above his ankles. It was the last ball of the 80th over, and thus the last ball before the teams had their reviews renewed, but Marsh was so plumb that he just walked off.

If that ball demonstrated the danger of low bounce, R Ashwin 's dismissal of David Warner showed how spinners can use the surface. During the morning session, Ashwin attacked the footmarks outside the leg stump of Australia's left-handers and after a number of searching deliveries caused problems, Warner lost his off stump when one pitched outside leg and ripped across and past his outside edge.

These deliveries also served to highlight how invaluable runs on the board might become over the remainder of the Test. Should Australia's lower order find a way to lift their advantage up to triple-figures on the third day, it would be a long, hard road for India to fight back into the series. Still, India at least kept themselves in the match on day two, and that was more than could be said of their second day in Pune

The day had started with Australia at 40 for 0; the 197 runs they added for the loss of six wickets were the product of impressive resilience. The morning session was particularly enthralling. It was one of those times when the raw numbers fail to tell the story - Australia crawled along by 47 runs, India managed only two wickets. But the intensity of the contest was undeniable. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja found sharp turn, Ishant and Umesh Yadav found edges and up-and-down bounce.

There were tight lbw appeals, edges through the cordon, words exchanged, more exaggerated facial expressions than in an acting class for beginners. Both teams wanted to pretend the other was under all the pressure. The reality was that all 13 players on the field were under the pump. Ashwin got Warner, and Steven Smith edged onto his pad and up to the wicketkeeper for 8 off 52 balls, yet by lunch neither team had struck the vital blow.

Matt Renshaw and Shaun Marsh put on the longest partnership of the match - 52 runs in 25.1 overs  Associated Press

Importantly for Australia, Renshaw had batted through the session, and after the resumption he brought up a fine 183-ball half-century. He was edgier than a Richard Pryor comedy gig - four of his five fours went through gaps in the cordon - but it was not until the 67th over of his innings that his focus appeared to lapse. He advanced to lift Jadeja down the ground for six, then two balls later was stumped coming down the wicket again, as Jadeja turned one past his legs and Wriddhiman Saha did the rest.

Peter Handscomb played positively and struck a couple of boundaries before he too fell to Jadeja, flicking on the up to midwicket where Ashwin took a good juggling catch. But Marsh stepped up where Renshaw had left off, as Australia's rock, repeating his mantra to watch the ball, and doing so for 197 deliveries.

Marsh had some nervous moments. On 14, he fended at a delivery from Umesh that hit a crack and jagged away; India's half-hearted appeal was turned down, but replays suggested the ball had kissed Marsh's glove on the way through. Then on 44 he had two lucky breaks: he was given out lbw to Umesh but a review found the ball had struck him outside the line of off stump, and in the next over he was trapped plumb by Ishant - who had over-stepped and been no-balled on-field.

Marsh went on to bring up his fifty from his 162nd delivery, but on 66 his time - and perhaps his energy - ran out when he flicked a catch to midwicket off Umesh. It was the first wicket of the innings for Umesh, who like his team-mates bowled tightly and created opportunities, though whether enough opportunities remains to be seen.
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In her 11 years married to the Navy sniper Chris Kyle, Taya Kyle experienced what many military spouses face: days of worry and nights of loneliness and the grind of taking care of a household alone.

Kyle became a widow in 2013, when her husband, a Navy SEAL whose exploits were portrayed in the movie American Sniper, was killed at a shooting range in Erath County.

Her foundation, the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation, recently announced a $200,000 grant to develop marriage workshops for military couples in central Texas.

The grant is in conjunction with the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work and the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work at Baylor University.

The programs will begin in the fall, with recruiting for military and first responder couples beginning in the spring and summer.

Military families, Kyle said, can become frayed by separation. The divorce rate for service members was 3 percent in 2015, similar to the civilian rate.

Often, one spouse is focused on the stresses of deployments and training, while the other takes on the mantle of taking care of a family.

"They don't live the same life, Kyle said. They can't walk in each other's shoes."

Kyle met her husband in 2001. Like many spouses, they didnt want to worry each other, and as a result did not share what they were going through.

Chris, he didn't want to tell me things that would make me worry about him, Kyle said. And you don't want to rehash how you've felt, to talk about bills, the home.

Both people in a military marriage are also often depleted, Kyle said. They are giving everything of themselves: one to the home and one to the military, she said. When you're depleted it's hard to dig just a bit deeper to give to your spouse.

Military spouses can suffer silently. Of those whose husbands were deployed, 36.6 percent of respondents were diagnosed with at least one mental health disorder, according to a 2010 study of 250,000 military spouses between 2003 and 2006.

Kyles foundation launched its first couples retreat in 2015, followed by date nights in 2016.

UT-Austin and Baylor will run separate programs. Both will begin with an orientation weekend, followed by six months of follow-up instruction ending in a weekend to evaluate progress.

The UT-Austin program hopes to enlist 25 couples, according to Elisa V. Borah, associate professor at the School of Social Work and a military spouse herself. While planning is ongoing, the school hopes to include a few hours of in-person or web instruction each month for six months.

The Baylor program plans to recruit 20 couples, said John Singletary, dean of Baylors Garland School of Social Work. Jason Duckworth, a former Army chaplain, will design the course, which will begin with a three-day, two-night retreat in downtown Waco.

Couples will have to pay a fee to attend the workshops, which Borah said would be below $100.

The foundation is faith-based, but Baylor and UT-Austin said their programs will not be religious. The foundation was established in 2014 and holds $1,208,051 in assets, according to public documents.

The hope is that the date nights and couple retreats become touch points for couples lacking shared experiences. Military spouses know their loved ones can't commit to birthday parties, vacations, anniversaries. There are little disappointments that add up, Kyle said.

At the time of her husbands death, Kyle wrote in her book about their marriage that the pair had found something that worked: Like all marriages, wed had our share of ups and downs, heartache and triumph, but lately wed hit a kind of glorious plateau. We were spending more time together and had found a rhythm that gave us both comfort and shelter, even as our world had expanded and changed.

She now hopes to help other military couples.

I have a lot of respect for Chris, Kyle said. It's just that, if we had had the tools, if we had someone to explain to us, it would have been easier.

jlawrence@express-news.net
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This story was edited to reflect the fact that school districts collect data on immunization rates at individual schools, not the state.

Susana Canseco thinks getting your child vaccinated should be something to celebrate, like when he takes his first step or she loses her first tooth. So a few years ago, she started the I Got My Shots Facebook page where parents can post photos of their newly protected tykes.

Its a whimsical page about a serious subject. But as vaccine opponents increase their clout in the Texas Legislature and promote discredited studies to sow doubt among parents, Canseco, a mother of two, became alarmed.

Shes now involved with a grassroots group called Immunize Texas that supports two vaccine bills recently filed in the state legislature.

The Parents Right to Know legislation (House Bill 2249 and Senate Bill 1010) would require school districts to report the number of children per school who have been exempted from the requirement that they be fully vaccinated before they can attend school. Currently, only district-wide exemption information is readily available on the Texas Health and Human Services website.

These bills will allow parents to make more informed decisions about their childrens health, said Canseco, a local attorney whose children are 4- and 2-years-old. It seems silly that this information isnt already out there.

School districts do, in fact, collect data on immunization rates at individual schools in order to report aggregate data to the state. But getting those numbers requires filing an open records request. This can cost as much as $200 in staff time and photocopying and can take weeks to fulfill, according to Anna Dragsbaek, president and CEO of The Immunization Partnership, a nonprofit group that supports the legislation.

She said having data on individual campuses will allow parents to make more informed decisions. In some school districts, for example, parents can opt to send their kids to a different school than the one to which theyre assigned. Other alternatives include charter schools, magnet schools and, for those with the means, private or parochial schools.

Were not trying to disrupt those who decline to have their kids vaccinated, but we also feel parents have the right to know the immunization rate in their kids school, she said. You hear a lot of talk about school choice coming out of Austin. Lets give everyone a choice, she said.

Texas requires students to receive seven vaccines to attend public school. These include a single vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella, and shots for diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio and hepatitis A and B. Students or their parents can apply for exemptions for medical reasons and reasons of conscience, which can include religious beliefs.

The proposed legislation is designed to protect children  those too young to be vaccinated and those who cant get the shots because they have an immune disorder, cancer or an allergy to ingredients in the vaccine  from being exposed to preventable diseases from kids who have not been vaccinated.

Both bills have been referred to committee  the Public Health Committee in the House and the Health and Human Services Committee in the Senate  and are awaiting hearings.

Proponents say campus-level data is needed, especially for parents who live in large districts with many school campuses.

Jinny Suh is a mother of a 5-month-old and a 4-year-old. Her oldest, a boy, has had all his shots and is set to enter kindergarten in the fall. But since she lives in the Austin ISD, which has 130 campuses, district-wide immunization data affords her little comfort.

I need to know how many kids are not vaccinated in the school hes going to go to, said Suh, the head Immunize Texas. There are plenty of individual schools where lots of kids arent protected.

Representative J.D. Sheffield (R, Gatesvillle), who introduced the House version of the bill, said he did so in the interest of transparency.

Parents say they have a right not to vaccinate their child, said Sheffield, who claims to be the only rural physician in the Legislature. But dont others also have the right to know if their kid is going to be around unvaccinated kids, putting them at a higher risk (from vaccine-preventable diseases)?

Rebecca Hardy, director of state policy for Texans for Vaccine Choice, perhaps the most active anti-vaccine group in the state, said her organization is 100 percent opposed to the bills.

The bills will do nothing to protect public health and could violate student privacy, she said. In rural schools theyll make it easier to deduce which students are not vaccinated, and thats a recipe for discrimination, harassment and bullying.

She also noted that the bills dont address the vaccine status of others on campus, including teachers, administrators, staff and even visitors.

Dragsbaek noted that the data would not identify children or families by name and would not apply to rural schools with fewer than 65 students. Only the number of students whove received exemptions for reasons of conscience (including religious belief) and medical reasons, as well as those whose vaccinations are not up-to-date would be available on the website.

While the statewide vaccination rate remains high at more than 98 percent, the anti-vaccine movement appears ascendent. According to state figures, 45,000 students received nonmedical exemptions during the 2015-15 school year, up from about 38,000 the year before and a 19-fold increase from 2003-04, the first year nonmedical exemptions were allowed.

A recent Washington Post article quoted Peter Hotez, director of the Sabin Vaccine Institute & Texas Children Hospital Center for Vaccine Development saying, Were losing the battle. He added that some schools are what the article described as dangerously close to the threshold at which measles outbreaks can be expected.

The minimum vaccination rate necessary to protect against an outbreak varies by disease, but for measles its generally thought to be about 95 percent, according to Dragsbaek.

This situation at some private schools (where vaccination rates are readily available because theyre considered to be their own district), is even worse. In fact, many parents send their kids to these schools in part because they are not subject to state vaccine laws.

Suh worries about the pricey private school located near her home where the percentage of students vaccinated for serious yet preventable diseases such as chickenpox, measles and polio is only in the high 30s.

Sure my kid doesnt go to that school, but these kids may be in the same parks and stores and restaurants as we go to, she said. Its a public health hazard.

Much of the modern anti-vaccine movement has sprung from a since-discredited study published in the medical journal The Lancet that claimed to find a link between vaccines. The publication eventually retracted the study and, as a result, lead author Andrew Wakefield lost his license to practice medicine in the United Kingdom.

President Donald Trump has since suggested he believes there is a vaccine/autism connection and locally, so-called anti-vaxxers were bolstered last year when Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood appeared in the controversial anti-vaccine documentary Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe boldly stating that childhood vaccines can and do cause autism.

Wakefield is credited as the director of Vaxxed.

A similar bill was filed during the last legislative session, but time ran out before it could have a Senate hearing.

rmarini@express-News.net

Twitter: @RichardMarini
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Once the dignitaries ended their speeches and cut the ribbon stretched across the entrance to the New Witte, the crowd laden with dinosaur lovers surged into the museum that reopened Saturday with expanded galleries that include hands-on displays and high-tech features.

Some of the parents seemed almost as excited as their children by the sensory onslaught.

Im like a kid in this place. Its so awesome, said Chris Mery, 31, accompanied by sons James, 7, and Henry, 4. I know the Witte well. This is so exciting.

Besides cases of stroller gridlock, the only downside mentioned was there was too much information to absorb on one visit.

Returning patrons at the 90-year-old facility marveled at its $100 million makeover, from a dramatic new glass-and-rock exterior to the enlarged displays that now cover 174,000 square feet.

I used to come here as a kid, and all I can remember are the Fiesta dresses, confessed Clara Harper, 65.

First-time Witte Museum guest Anna Wells, 14, of Houston said, Its very impressive. The displays are really impressive, and you can get up close.

RELATED: Experience the New Witte in 360-degree images here.

The stars of the newly unveiled exhibits are the life-sized replicas of dinosaurs, or their skeletons, that tower menacingly above visitors.

Rudolph and Tracy Jaso knew better than to hurry as son Justin, 7, methodically made his way from one display to another.

Hes going to want to read every caption on every display, so well be here for a while, said Rudolph Jaso, 46.

Tracy Jaso chimed in, Hes been all about dinosaurs since he was 2.

But theres plenty more new attractions at the updated museum where the names of donors who supported the project are featured prominently on components, from galleries all the way down to the Sally and Ganahl Walker Admission Desk.

The fingers of Jacob Cura, 4, were black from creating his own cave art in one work area. I love it, he said.

Ethan Friedrich declared himself a pro weaver after only minutes of piecing together simulated plant leaves into fabric on a loom. They made a lot of things out of hide and bones, he said of the primitive cultures featured in one exhibit hed already seen.

Nearby, Aspen Bullinger was processing a fibrous plant called lechuguilla, just as stone-age Texans did, so it could be used to make sandals and other items.

Its really fun, Aspen, 9, said while scraping the plants meat off the fibers with a rock and a bone. It would be a great place for a field trip.

Dad Grayden Bullinger said of the revamped facility, Its not so dated. It seems more modern, like museums youd see in New York or Chicago.

That kind of talk brings smiles to the faces of museum officials and city and county leaders, whod earlier lauded the upgraded facility as a local cultural treasure.

We expect only the best in San Antonio, and the Witte now exemplifies that citywide goal, Mayor Ivy Taylor told more than 100 people on hand for the ribbon-cutting.

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff likened the makeover, which required a partial closure of the museum for more than two years, to a caterpillar becoming a beautiful butterfly. But, referencing the need for continued private and public support, he noted, It takes a little more than the nectar to make this wonderful project work.

Also on hand were Texas first lady Cecilia Abbott, U.S. Reps. Lamar Smith and Will Hurd, and members of the City Council and the Commissioners Court.

Despite rainy weather, officials said more than 3,000 people had visited by early afternoon.

On his way out, Alexander Blessing gave the experience a score of 8 out of a best possible 10.

Asked about those 2 demerits, Alexander, 10, explained, The crowds and the information was kind of overwhelming.

zeke@express-news.net
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An estimated 400 people gathered amid a steady rain to join the 27th Annual San Antonio International Womans Day March and Rally downtown Saturday.

Holding signs and chanting from beneath ponchos and umbrellas, the group stretched two blocks long and marched about two miles through the streets of downtown before circling back to their starting point at Milam Park. Construction workers stopped their work to take pictures, tourists turned from the Alamo to watch, and horns honked.

Mary Kate Smith brought her daughter Bridget, 6, to the march. Her husband is in the military and the family recently moved to San Antonio from South Korea. Im proud to bring my daughter and be around these strong women. You are the company you keep, Smith said.

Smith said she was motivated to march most immediately by the so-called bathroom bill at the Texas Legislature, which would prohibit transgender Texans from using bathrooms tied to their gender identity. Civil rights groups and U.S. business leaders see Senate Bill 6 as discriminatory and a threat to civil rights.

But Smith said there were a host reasons to march.

Theres a lot, Smith said and laughed. Pick one.

Marchers hit on a variety of concerns  domestic violence, pay equity, racism, immigration, the struggles of low-wage workers and families and the rights of the transgender community.

Chants along the way included Black lives matter, Education not deportation, Womens rights are human rights (said by Hillary Clinton as first lady in China in 1995). There were signs to stop racism, signs supporting Planned Parenthood, signs welcoming refugees, signs against President Donald Trump. One read, A Womans Place is Everywhere.

So Many Issues Not Enough Sign, read another.

Roxana Rojas led the crowd in a chant, shouting, Tell me what democracy looks like?

Answer: This is what democracy looks like.

Rojas said she brought some family members with her, so they could see its not just a few people who come out to events such as the march. And she said its important to participate so that elected officials know that people are paying attention to issues such as immigration, the border wall, the global refugee crisis or the bathroom bill.

This is part of letting them know their actions will not go unchallenged, Rojas said. This is us fulfilling our civic duty that will hold people in power accountable. We at least let them know theres a lot of people who are not OK with what is going on.

Sarah Jones said shes an introvert whose previous political involvement included voting and attending the MLK March, an event that draws thousands every year in San Antonio.

She and a friend, though, decided to volunteer at a phone bank for Hillary Clinton the day before the November election  the first time shes done such a thing, and Jones political involvement has been on the increase since then. Thats what got us going, she said. Jones attended the Womens March on Washington on Jan. 21, the day after President Trumps inauguration, and has joined local advocacy groups and hosted postcard parties at her house so people could write to members of Congress.

How do we stay connected? How do we stay involved? she asked.

At the end of the route, as people gathered to hear speakers, archivists from the University of Texas at San Antonio held their own signs: Donate Signs Here UTSA Archives.

Even if theyre wet, well take them, project archivist Leah Rios told people as they traded their posters for small fliers about how UTSA wants to document social and political events and actions in San Antonio. UTSA started gathering protest signs from recent marches and other materials such as buttons, signs, fliers and stickers in January.

Every single march, we hit, Rios said. We think its going to be a busy year.

jhiller@express-news.net

Twitter: @Jennifer_Hiller
Pamela Chevalier-Jensen called the Harris County Sheriffs Office last year to report that her house guests estranged husband had been issuing threats.

But as she held her American bulldog in the doorway of her Houston home Aug. 14, the responding officer fired a gun, striking the 18-month-old dog in the face and sending fragments into Chevalier-Jensens leg.

Both she and her dog, Junah, were injured. She spent the night in the hospital and was stuck with more than $20,000 in hospital and veterinary bills. Her friend moved out.

She felt responsible, said Chevalier-Jensen, 39. We were trying to call to help someone else, and me and my dog ended up getting shot. I dont trust law enforcement anymore.

Because the shooting involved a Texas peace officer, the sheriffs department had to report it to the attorney generals Office. From Sept. 1, 2015, to Jan. 31, 2017, Texas departments reported shooting or killing 238 civilians, 41 of whom, like Chevalier-Jensen, were unarmed, according to reports filed under a groundbreaking 2015 law.

Two of those 41 shootings involved people injured after officers shot at dogs. Records show that the Harris County incident was reported only after a reporter inquired about the incident for this story. The 2015 law was intended to help researchers identify ways to prevent officer-involved shootings  and the two incidents have renewed dog lovers calls for all Texas officers to be trained on canine encounters.

Some large Texas law enforcement agencies, including San Antonio, Austin and Dallas, already have adopted versions of canine training throughout their departments. But neither Houston nor the Harris County Sheriffs Office have done so, though the shooter in Chevalier-Jensens case, Officer Arsolanda Lamothe, had completed a course, state records show.

The shooting of Chevalier-Jensen and her pet remains under investigation, said Thomas Gilliland, a sheriffs office spokesman. In a statement last year, the office initially blamed Chevalier-Jensen for failing to secure her pet. The department said the deputy was aggressively approached by a canine and shot her firearm downward, injuring the dog and Chevalier-Jensen with ricocheting fragments.

The case was described as an unfortunate example of all pet owners responsibility to secure their animals and prevent aggressive interaction with first responders.

In the other incident where an officer injured an unarmed person after targeting a dog, an officer in Balch Springs, a suburban Dallas department, ended up harming a city animal control worker and was disciplined for misuse of force and other policy violations, according to records and interviews.

That incident, which happened Sept. 16, 2015, started when Animal Control Officer Kelly Johnson shot a tranquilizer dart at a pit bull that had been running loose in a residential neighborhood.

The dog then jumped through a broken window of the house where it lived. Its owners were being evicted but werent home and had left a note saying theyd move out by midnight, records show. Not wanting to leave an aggressive dog in a place from which it could easily escape, Johnson called for backup, summoning Balch Springs Police Officer Pedro Gonzalez.

Gonzalez pointed a shotgun into the house, while Animal Control Officers Johnson and Vanessa Forsythe crawled inside through a window, according to footage from Gonzalezs body-worn camera. One officer opened the front door for Gonzalez, and Johnson then chased the dog to a back room, where he and Forsythe cornered it. He was just trying to get away, Johnson later said in a recorded interview. I start to maybe turn, and I just heard, BOOM.

Gonzalez, an 18-year veteran officer, later said the dog attempted to bite Forsythe and was running aggressively when he fired. His blast missed the dog but shattered tile flooring into fragments that pierced Forsythes left foot through her leather boot.

The Constitution protects citizens from illegal searches and seizures, and police generally need permission, a warrant or emergency circumstances to enter a residence. Criminal defense attorney Charlie Baird, who served on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, watched the footage and said the note couldnt have been clearer that people were still living there.

He said the officers decision to enter the house without a warrant to shoot a dog seemed to be a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment.

When asked why his officers went inside anyway, Balch Springs Police Chief John Haber said the home was vacant. Neither the homeowner nor the dogs owner could be reached for comment.

After an internal affairs investigation, Gonzalez received a one-day unpaid suspension and was ordered to take an eight-hour canine encounters class, completed in February 2015. Forsythe was hospitalized, underwent surgery and soon returned to work.

Were lucky because someone could have died, Haber said. There was no one in the line of sight, but (Gonzalez) had no way to tell where the shrapnel was going to go.

Gonzalez, who is the departments spokesman, declined comment. But Haber said Gonzalez has owned up to his mistakes and knew things should have been different. He knows theres a better way.

Twenty-two percent of the states 76,800 licensed peace officers have taken the canine course, which is required only for new hires since 2016, according to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

Charley Wilkison, the executive director of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, said both the number of dog shootings hes heard about  and the number of his 21,000 officer members disciplined in dog shootings  have declined.

Cindy and Mark Boling pushed for reforms after their dog was killed by a Fort Worth police officer investigating a copper theft in 2012. The couple were unloading groceries when their border collie, Lily, was shot on their front porch. Years later, Cindy Boling still habitually searches for stories on canine shootings by cops.

Weve gone from hundreds in a year to maybe one a month, she said. I think we still have a few, and I think we may always have a few.

San Antonio proactively created a three-hour animal encounters class that all city police officers took in 2014 and will retake in 2018, Sgt. J.D. McKay said. All Dallas police officers must take the training, a spokeswoman for that department said.

The Houston Police Department offers the course to veteran officers quarterly, but only requires it for new officers, in accordance with state law.

Wilkison said the training is useful for all officers, who encounter a dog at 1 of every 3 homes. We were being told, over and over, that we misread signs from an animal, Wilkison said. Now, they come away with a changed mindset about knowing what is a danger and whats not. Thats the best the law could hope for.

Pat Burnett, a lead investigator for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Texas, developed an eight-hour canine training course and taught Gonzalez and about 4,000 other Texas officers before retiring in January. He tells officers that even one bad animal shooting can end a law enforcement career, as it did for a deputy indicted for animal cruelty after shooting a dairy farmers dog 70 miles east of Dallas in 2014. The officer permanently surrendered his badge in a plea deal to have the charge dropped.

Forty years ago, a dog was a dog. Now, a dog is a part of the family, and anything we do wrong reflects on our career, Burnett said. Often, theyve never really thought about (shooting) dogs.

Join Point of Impacts email list at www.pointofimpacttx.com and follow the series on Twitter @POI_TX. This project is sponsored by a grant from the Charles Koch Foundation.
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Dinesh DSouza was not impressed.

The conservative author/filmmaker took to social media Tuesday to denounce the recent defacement of fliers advertising his speaking engagement Tuesday at Trinity University.

What a pathetic protest! he tweeted last Tuesday. Come out & debate me. In the best case, you may win; in the worst, youll learn something.

DSouza caught wind of the incident after San Antonio Express-News reporter Lauren Caruba wrote about a campus police report filed by twin brothers Jonah and Manfred Wendt, co-founders of the conservative student organization Tigers for Liberty.

The Wendt brothers distributed about 600 fliers around the Trinity dorms on the night of Feb. 24, and by the next morning, 228 had been returned to the brothers campus suite, all of them covered with negative messages about DSouzas lecture.

Its not often that I agree with DSouza on anything, but hes got a point on this one. While Jonah Wendts characterization of the incident as an act of intimidation seems a bit overblown, its pretty obvious that a small group of people went around and collected fliers that had been left on other peoples doors to prevent students from finding out about DSouzas scheduled appearance.

If you want to challenge DSouzas logic, go to the event and take him on. If youd prefer to ignore him, do that. But dont help him play the free-speech martyr.

Say this for DSouza: He knows a little something about making impactful political statements on a college campus.

Over his three decades in the public eye, he has wavered between striving to be the intellectual heir to William F. Buckley Jr. and settling for the role of the cheap provocateur who lives to get a rise out of people. That internal tension goes back to his days as the editor of the Dartmouth Review, a seminal force in right-wing college journalism in the early 1980s.

When DSouza  a native of India who came to the United States as a teenage exchange student  enrolled at Dartmouth, there was only one undergraduate conservative newspaper in the country. Three years later, there were 100. And the Dartmouth Review was the most notorious of them all.

Under DSouzas stewardship, a Review columnist wrote about his desire to undergo a race change operation so he could take advantage of affirmative action and get into his preferred law school.

During the same period, DSouza complained that native Americans and other minorities get into Dartmouth with SAT scores of 400. It was an absurd exaggeration, but it perfectly aligned with a growing sense of white resentment (which had bubbled to the surface with the 1978 Supreme Court decision in the Bakke medical school admissions case) in the culture.

DSouza and his Review staff hammered the point home with an editorial written in Ebonics, which included this passage: Now we be comin to Dartmut and be up over our fros in studies, but we still not be graduatin Phi Beta Kappa.

On World Hunger Day, he and his staff members held a lobster and Champagne party. At one point, they obtained confidential files of the Dartmouth Gay Student Alliance and published the names of the organizations officers, some of whom had not yet come out to their families.

In a 1982 Burlington Free Press article about the Review, Bruce Davidson, the chairman of the Gay Student Alliance, said, A couple of students had to withdraw because their parents found out. One student named in the article became severely depressed and talked repeatedly of suicide, according to the New York Times.

But DSouza looks back with pride on his Dartmouth Review legacy of outing LGBT students and ridiculing African-Americans. In a 2006 anthology of the newspapers first 25 years, he wrote, (To) confront liberalism fully, we had to become social guerrillas.

DSouza still relishes that role, but he also wants to be taken seriously as a thinker and a change agent. In fact, he takes credit (in a pinned tweet) for helping the country avert disaster in the 2016 election with his anti-Hillary Clinton documentary, Hillarys America.

When DSouza makes wild leaps of logic these days  such as his conclusion that former President Barack Obamas ideology was thoroughly shaped by the absent Kenyan father he met once  his smirk isnt that of the callow social guerrilla who edited the Dartmouth Review. Its the hardened smirk of smug, middle-aged certainty.

ggarcia@express-news.net

Twitter: @gilgamesh470
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DJ Khaled's Summerfest cruise will feature a host of hip-hop stars.

DJ Khaled

The producer has recruited Future, Lil Wayne, Migos and A$AP Rocky to join him and fans on the return voyage from Miami, Florida to the Bahamas from June 30 to July 3.

Pitchfork reports that the "18s and over" cruise will feature a "Meet & Greet Reception," "Themed Parties" and "Partying and mingling up close and personal with the entertainers."

Meanwhile, Chance The Rapper recently revealed that he is "very involved" with DJ Khaled's new album.

The 41-year-old record producer is set to release his 10th studio album 'Grateful' later this year, and although the 'No Problem' rapper is unable to divulge any details because the project is "super top-secret" he says he plays a large part in the making of the record.

When asked about his work on the album, Chance said: "It's actually super top-secret, but I'm very involved in the project and shout-outs to DJ Khaled for coming up on 10 summers."

The 23-year-old rapper also gave insight into what it's like to work with DJ Khaled.

Asked what advice he was given whilst in the studio with the producer, he said: "Love more. That's his thing. Love is key and that's real."
Jasmine Armfield was violently sick in a bucket on her way to her 'EastEnders' audition.

Jasmine Armfield

The 18-year-old actress - who is known for portraying Bex Fowler in the long-running soap - has admitted she almost missed out on the chance to join the popular show because she was struck down with a dodgy tummy on the way to her meeting with television executives.

She explained: "Honestly, I threw up so many times that I didn't think I would be able to go - but I was determined not to give up on the audition.

"I think I ate fish the day before that didn't agree with me, and so on the way to the audition I had my sick bucket in the car! If I hadn't gone, none of this would have happened."

Despite her worrying stomach, the brunette star managed to bag the part but wasn't able to tell anyone about the role until it had been officially announced by bosses.

Speaking to Inside Soap magazine, she said: "I told my school tutor I had an audition for 'EastEnders', which isn't the best idea if you don't end up getting the job! When I found out that I had got it, I couldn't tell anyone as it was all still a secret - so I had to tell my teachers and friends a little porky pie and say that I hadn't got it! They were really surprised and happy when I eventually told them the truth."
Moments ago at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman kept his undefeated record intact while adding the WBC title to his trophy case, defeating previously undefeated champion Danny Garcia via split decision to unify the 147-pound division. Relive all the action in FightHype's round-by-round results!



ROUND 1

Thurman comes out fast and aggressive. Right hand lands for Thurman. Garcia lands a nice 1-2. Right hand lands for Garcia. Thurman lands a jab. Left hand to the body lands for Thurman. Both men throwing big punches. Garcia fires his jab. Left to the body and a left upstairs lands for Garcia. Hard left hook lands for Thurman and a big right. Garcia backs up. Another right lands for Thurman. They trade jabs. HARD right lands for Thurman. Thurman walking Garcia down. Round to Thurman.



Thurman 10 Garcia 9



ROUND 2

Garcia circles as Thurman presses forward. Right hand lands for Thurman upstairs. Counter left hook lands for Garcia. Right to the body lands for Thurman. Now Thurman circles. Good right down the middle lands for Garcia. Thurman lands a left hook. Good right lands for Garcia. Thurman gets in a left. They trade jabs. Looping right from Garcia misses bad. Uppercut lands for Thurman. Left hand lands for Thurman followed by a right. Another right lands for Thurman. Round to Garcia, but Thurman may have stole it in the end on some scorecards.



Thurman 19 Garcia 19



ROUND 3

They trade jabs. Garcia jabs to the body. HARD left hook lands for Thurman and Garcia looks hurt as he doubles over. Straight right lands for Thurman. Another nice lead right lands for Thurman. Garcia digs a left and a right to the body. Thurman fires back. Stiff jab lands for Thurman. Right to the body lands for Garcia. Left hook upstairs lands for Thurman after Garcia lands a body shot. Another lead right from Thurman, but Garcia partially blocks it. They trade on the inside. Round to Thurman.



Thurman 29 Garcia 28



ROUND 4

They trade jabs again to start the round. 1-2 to the body lands for Thurman. Garcia answers with a hard left hook to the body of his own. Uppercut to the body lands for Thurman. They trade jabs. 1-2 from Thurman. Nice 1-2 from Garcia. Good counter left hook lands for Thurman. Stiff jab lands for Thurman. Jab to the body lands for Garcia. Thurman sticking his jab a lot. 1-2 lands for Thurman. Round to Thurman.



Thurman 39 Garcia 37



ROUND 5

Thurman fires his jab and his up on his toes. Right hand lands for Garcia. Jab lands for Garcia. Thurman walks him down. Jab lands for Thurman. Right hand lands for Thurman. Another. Left hook from Thurman just grazes Garcia. Garcia digs some left hooks to the body. Looping right lands for Thurman upstairs. Nice right and a left lands for Thurman. Garcia flurries to the body. Round to Thurman.



Thurman 49 Garcia 46



ROUND 6

Garcia sticks a jab. Thurman doubles up on his jab. Left hook from Thurman lands upstairs. They trade jabs. Short left lands for Thurman. Garcia misses with a 1-2. Thurman lands to the body. Left lands for Garcia. Thurman digs a left to the body. Nice 1-2 lands for Garcia on the head of Thurman. Thurman digs a left to the body. Looping right lands for Thurman. Close round, but I give it to Garcia.



Thurman 58 Garcia 56



ROUND 7

Right to the body lands for Garcia. Thurman lands a straight right to the body. Sweeping left from Thurman is partially blocked. Four-punch combo from Garcia partially blocked, but a couple got in. They trade jabs. Nice right lands for Thurman. They trade rights. Left to the body lands for Garcia. Short right lands for Thurman. Garcia gets a warning for a low blow. Left hook lands for Thurman. Again. Another left hook lands for Thurman. Round to Thurman.



Thurman 68 Garcia 65



ROUND 8

They trade on the inside. Thurman circles on the outside. Left from Thurman grazes Garcia. Garcia swings a left to the body. Left from Thurman touches Garcia. Stiff jab lands for Thurman. Right hand lands for Thurman. Garcia answers with one of his own. Another right from Garcia. Thurman answers with a left and a right uppercut. Round to Thurman.



Thurman 78 Garcia 74



ROUND 9

Garcia digs a right to the body. Now a left to the body for Garcia. Thurman jabs to the body. Jab lands for Garcia. They trade jabs. Uppercut lands for Thurman. Garcia lands a jab. 1-2 from Thurman. Good left to the body lands for Thurman. Another left hook and a right uppercut lands for Thurman. They trade to end the round. Close one, but I give it to Thurman, who seems to be the busier guy in there.



Thurman 88 Garcia 83



ROUND 10

They trade jabs. 1-2 from Thurman. Garcia fires a 1-2. Right to the body lands for Garcia. Short left hook lands for Thurman. Looping right lands for Thurman, but he eats a left to the body from Garcia. Nice counter right lands for Garcia. Double jab lands for Garcia. They trade jabs. Right lands for Garica, but he eats an uppercut from Thurman. They trade at the bell. Round to Garcia.



Thurman 97 Garcia 93



ROUND 11

Thurman showing a lot of movement. Garcia fires his jab. Right to the body lands for Garcia. Jab lands for Thurman. Nice left to the body lands for Thurman. Short left hook lands for Thurman. They trade body shots. Thurman fires his jab and dances away. They trade on the inside. 1-2lands for Thurman. Right to the body lands for Garcia. Close round that I'll give to Garcia, but I can see someone else giving it to Thurman.



Thurman 106 Garcia 103



ROUND 12

HARD right lands for Thurman to start the round. Jab lands for Thurman. Left hook from Thurman grazes Garcia upstairs. Short left hook lands for Thurman. Thurman triples up on his jab as he sticks and moves. Garcia fires a right to the body. Left hook lands for Thurman. 1-2 to the body lands for Thurman. Right lands for Thurman, but he eats a right from Garcia. Garcia flurries to the body. Short right lands for Thurman. Jab lands for Thurman. Uppercut to the body lands for Thurman. Round to Thurman, who raises his hand in victory.



Thurman 116 Garcia 112



Official judges scorecards: 116-112 (Thurman), 115-113 (Garcia), 115-113 (Thurman)



THE WINNER BY SPLIT DECISION...KEITH THURMAN

[ Follow Ben Thompson on Twitter @fighthype ]


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Drug companies spend billions on R&D, which is the lifeline of the pharma industry. According to a report published by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development, it costs about $2.6 billion to develop a new drug and bring it to market.



The success rate of phase I clinical programs is the highest, say 63%, while it is the lowest for phase II trials - i.e. 30%. The phase III trials, which are the longest and most expensive trials to conduct, are said to have a success rate of 58%, according to a new report from the Biotechnology Innovation Organization on 'Clinical Development Success Rates' over the past decade (2006-2015).



Listed below are some of the drug companies, which are expected to report clinical trial results this month. The estimated timing of reporting the Study results are sourced from the companies' latest PRs. The results may be reported in the estimated schedule or may be delayed.



1. Bellerophon Therapeutics Inc. (BLPH)



Bellerophon is focused on developing innovative products combining novel drugs and devices for people suffering from cardiopulmonary and cardiac diseases.



The company's proprietary technology is known INOpulse. Two product candidates are being developed based on this technology - one is for the treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, which is under phase III study, and the other for Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (PH-COPD) and PH associated with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (PH-IPF), under phase II testing.



The phase III program includes a one-year INOvation-1 study and a second confirmatory randomized withdrawal study. An interim analysis of the INOvation-1 study is estimated to occur by the end of 2017 and for the withdrawal study in the second half of 2018.



The results from the two phase II trials of INOpulse therapy - pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (PH-COPD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (PH-IPF) - are expected to be reported this month. (Q1, 2017).



Bellerophon shares are up an impressive 169% year-to-date, and trade around $1.40.



2. Cara Therapeutics Inc. (CARA)



Cara is focused on developing compounds to treat pain, inflammation and pruritus (itch).



The company's most-advanced clinical program is I.V. CR845, which is under phase III trial for postoperative pain and under phase 2/3 trial in dialysis patients suffering from moderate-to-severe uremic pruritus (UP).



Uremic pruritus is a chronic itching in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), for which there are no approved therapies in the United States.



The top line data readout from the phase 2/3 trial of I.V. CR845 is anticipated this month (Q1, 2017) and that of the phase III trial for postoperative pain is expected in the first half of this year.



Shares of Cara have gained 94% so far this year, and trade around $18.00.



3. Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc. (CRBP)



Corbus is focused on developing drugs for rare inflammatory and fibrotic diseases.



The company has only 1 drug candidate, Resunab, also known as JBT-101, which is being explored in multiple indications.



A phase II study of Resunab in Cystic Fibrosis has been completed, and data from this trial are expected this month (Q1, 2017).



The company reported positive results from its phase II study of Resunab in Systemic Sclerosis on November 14, 2016, sending its stock up as much as 76% that day.



Investors would love to see an encore performance from Corbus with the Cystic Fibrosis trial. Will it happen? We'll have to wait and see.



Corbus shares are up 10% year-to-date, and trade around $9.30.



4. Aevi Genomic Medicine Inc. (GNMX)



Aevi is focused on genomic medicine, also known as personalized medicine.



The company's most-advanced product in the pipeline is AEVI-001, a first-in-class mGluR neuromodulator, which is under a phase 2/3 efficacy study in adolescent patients with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) who have genetic disorders impacting the mGluR network.



The top-line results from this study, dubbed SAGA, are expected this month.



GNMX is down over 8% year-to-date, and trade around $4.75.



5. Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (IONS)



Ionis is a pioneer in antisense drug technology. Antisense drugs work by blocking the production of disease-causing proteins altogether, while traditional drug therapies work by interacting with the disease-causing proteins. Since antisense drugs are target-specific, these drugs have the potential to greatly reduce unwanted side effects.



The company has two drugs under phase III development - Volanesorsen for familial chylomicronemia syndrome, and IONIS-TTRR for familial amyloid polyneuropathy.



Familial chylomicronemia syndrome or FCS is a rare inherited condition where the body is unable to digest fats, such as triglycerides, often causing stomach pain and pancreatitis.



Results from the phase III trial of Volanesorsen, dubbed APPROACH, are expected to be reported this month (March).



Ionis shares are up 14% so far this year, and trade around $54.70.



6. Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR)



Nektar is a research-based biopharmaceutical company developing drugs for the treatment of cancer, auto-immune disease and chronic pain.



One of the phase III drugs in the company's pipeline is NKTR-181 a first-in-class, mu-opioid analgesic, for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic low back pain.



The phase III program of NKTR-181 includes two efficacy and safety studies namely SUMMIT-07 and SUMMIT-12, and a 52-week long-term safety study known as SUMMIT-LTS.



The company expects to report efficacy data from the SUMMIT-07 study evaluating NKTR-181 against placebo in opioid-naive patients with chronic low back pain later this month.



Shares of Nektar have gained over 19% year-to-date, and trade around $14.00.



7. Merus B.V. (MRUS)



Merus is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing innovative bispecific antibody therapeutics known as Biclonics.



The company's key drug candidate is MCLA-128, whose potential is being explored in phase I/II trials in breast, colorectal and ovarian cancers.



Interim results from Part 2 of the phase I/II clinical trial of MCLA-128 in breast cancer are expected to be reported this month.



Merus shares are up nearly 40% so far this year, and trade around $29.00.



8. Proteostasis Therapeutics Inc. (PTI)



Proteostasis is focused on discovering and developing a new class of drugs that regulate the Proteostasis Network, or PN in short. The PN consists of more than 1,000 proteins, and diseases like cancer and neurodegenerative diseases can occur if this network is challenged or rewired.



The company's lead drug candidate is PTI-428, an investigational oral treatment for cystic fibrosis belonging to the amplifier class, under phase I testing. Results from this phase I trial are expected this month (Q1, 2017).



Shares of Proteostasis are up more than 10% year-to-date, and trade around $13.55.



9. Ritter Pharmaceuticals Inc. (RTTR)



Ritter is focused on developing novel therapeutics that selectively modulate the gut microbiome.



The company's lead product candidate is RP-G28, under a phase 2b/3 clinical trial for the treatment of lactose intolerance.



Lactose intolerance is a large and underserved market with over 40 million Americans suffering from the condition. Current spending on over-the-counter lactose intolerance aids in the United States is estimated at approximately $2.45 billion, but no product on the market today provides reliable or long-term relief. Globally, over a staggering 1 billion individuals suffer from lactose intolerance.



Data readout from the phase 2b/3 trial of RP-G28 is expected this month (Q1, 2017).



Ritter shares have gained nearly 14% year-to-date, and trade around $3.00.



10. Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (XENE)



Xenon Pharma is focused on the development of novel medicines using its proprietary Extreme Genetics platform.



One of the product candidates in the company's pipeline is XEN801, a topical stearoyl Co-A desaturase-1, or SCD1 inhibitor, being developed for the treatment of moderate to severe acne.



XEN801 is under phase II testing for acne, and top line results from the trial are expected this month. (latter part of Q1, 2017).



Xenon shares are up 11% so far this year, and trade around $8.55.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Although most of the world will mainly remember 89th Academy Awards ceremony for the disastrous announcement of the wrong winner for Best Picture, for many of us here, in India, the highlight was a young man who took to the red carpet for the first time.

After spending weeks rubbing shoulders with Hollywood royalty, the little star  eight-year-old Sunny Pawar, who starred in the Oscar-nominated Lion with Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman  is back home in Mumbai. And someone who can completely relate to him and his family experiencing this new-found fame, is 18-year-old Rubina Ali.

While Sunny was found after a massive search in schools and over 2,000 audition tapes, the eight-year-old star of Slumdog Millionaire Rubina, was plucked from obscurity in 2007 for the role of young Latika and catapulted into the limelight by the film's success as Danny Boyles blockbuster swept eight Oscars at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009.

'Feels good that kids from India are being talked about'

Sunny is being talked about just the way we were, it feels good that more and more children from India are going for the Oscars," says Rubina, who has now grown into a pretty teenager, although traces of the child we saw in Slumdog remain. "And again, he is not a rich kid but a slum dweller like us. It feels great. It is definitely a proud moment for India."

Rubina also shares in common with Sunny, his co-stars Patel and Kidman. I havent seen Lion but I know that Dev and Nicole are part of the film and I have worked with both of them. Now I am very curious to watch the film, says Rubina, who did a commercial with Kidman and Arjun Rampal for a soft drink immediately after the 81st Oscars. Shot in Udaipur, the ad film was directed by Shekhar Kapur. Rubina then jetted around the globe, from Delhi to Hong Kong and Taiwan for fashion and stage shows. In 2009, she also travelled to Paris to promote her biography, Slumgirl Dreaming. That same year, there was some talk that she would be starring in a romantic comedy, Lord Owens Lady, with Anthony Hopkins, but the film never got made.

Memories of Dev Patel and Freida Pinto

While Freida Pinto, who rose to fame with Slumdog, had connected with Rubina once when she was in India, the teenager also has many fond memories of Dev Patel, who she saw with his mother and Sunny at the recently held Oscar ceremony. I saw Dev Patel with his mother; I liked his new look, but he was looking much older. He used to be so cute when we were filming Slumdog. He would take me around in his arms, feed me goodies... I would spend a lot of time with him and Freida. Dev bonded with us kids big time. Freida was very mischievous! We would play indoor games with them and Danny Sir. I had such a great time at the Oscars that I want to go back there. But currently I dont have any offers. People dont know what I am up to... says Rubina, and sighs.

A life-changing event

Eight years have passed and Rubina still cant get over the experience: the Danny Boyle film that turned her life around. She appears extremely excited about the journey and talks about it as if it had happened just yesterday.

My life underwent a complete change. I was living in the slums. Nobody knew me, I would be loitering the whole day with my friends in my colony aimlessly. But after the Oscars, people started recognising me wherever I went. Even now, many people know my name which is a great feeling, she says, and reminisces about the day she was told that she had to fly to Los Angeles to attend the Oscars.

I distinctly remember my father calling up to say that I have to go to the US. I was so thrilled. I was also a bit nervous and scared. I went for shopping and the media followed me. When I sat in the plane and it took off, I was fast asleep but when the plane was landing, I was terrified due to the turbulence and I thought it was going to crash like how they show in movies! When we returned from LA, there were several policemen and bodyguards around us at the airport holding guns... It seems like yesterday. The whole area where I lived in Bandra was jam-packed, there were so many media people chasing us. People were falling all over each other, people were standing on rooftops to catch a glimpse of us and yet photographers continued to click us! says Rubina excitedly.

Help from Jai Ho Trust

Through his Jai Ho Trust, Danny Boyle ensured that Rubina and her co-star, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, were given proper education, housing and were provided for financially.

Every month we are given allowances and they would increase the amount every year...from Rs 7,000 to 8,000 to 9,000. They have given me a flat in Bandra West. They are taking full care of our education, including fees and books. The house will be transferred in my name in few months time as I have already completed 18 years of age, says Rubina.

At the time when she left for the Oscars, she was nine but she was in Class I, studying in an Urdu medium school. The Trust got her enrolled in an English medium school, and with her hard work, Rubina managed to get double promotion, two times. I am still overage for Class XI and I feel bad about it, but at least I reached college... or I would still have been in Class IX. Danny Sir was here last month and he was very keen on knowing about our progress. He was happy to know that now I am in college. He is a great guiding force and keeps telling us as well as the trustees that we should remain focused when it comes to our education and future, she says.

Happy to be the 'Ringa' girl

"Love, fame, respect, I got it all," says Rubina, telling us how people still call her "the 'Ringa' girl in a yellow frock".

She continues, Had Slumdog not happened to me, I would have been nowhere. I wouldnt have got any further education. I would have just wasted my time and my family would have lived a life of penury. Probably I would have got married by now. I was living with my grandmother, I would have continued loitering with my friends. I wasnt going to school then. I would just sit with my friends near the railway tracks, pick up almonds that dropped from the tree. I would have been stuck at that Garib Nagar colony of Bandra East. With the experience, I feel my life has become meaningful and purposeful. People say that the world is a small place  instead I feel that the world is so big that you can explore it endlessly...

Future plans

After acting in a widely acclaimed sleeper hit in her childhood, obviously Rubina dreams of being an actress. Like most teens, however, she is a little confused about what comes next. Next year, she will have to appear for the Class XII board exams.

I want to become an actress and I have told the trustees that I want to take up acting classes. They may talk to Anupam Kher for getting me enrolled in his institute, Actor Prepares. But I am not very sure at this moment because I dont know how many hours I will have to give to the class each day. I live far away, then going to college, taking up extra classes for my Class XII board exams... I am a bit confused now. I would like to complete my graduation for sure. And if acting doesnt work out, then I will take up teaching. I am deeply inspired by the teachers who have taught me and helped me grow in life. But I will first complete my education and then decide, says Rubina.

And no points for guessing the actresses Rubina looks up to: Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone, who have made inroads into Hollywood. They have gone from Bollywood to Hollywood, which is very inspiring. I have already been to Hollywood, so I should aim at what they are doing, says Rubina.

According to Professor Nirja Mattoo, a member of the Jai Ho Trust, the monthly allowance given to both Rubina and Azhar will now be discontinued. They will now be given a lump sum amount to pursue any career, skills or business, and the house, which is currently in the name of the Trust, will soon be transferred in their names as both have turned 18. Both Rubina and Azhar are keen on taking up acting as their career, so we will help them hone these skills. Azhar is also interested in setting up a business in fruits. We will help them set up their future but now their fixed monthly expenses will be stopped, said Mattoo.

Meanwhile...

Lion breakout star Sunny already has his next film lined up. Sunny will star with Demi Moore and Freida Pinto in Love, Sonia which will be out later this year. It's another hard-hitting one, about a young girl's escape from a international sex trafficking ring. However, Sunny's uncle Raviraj feels that the Indian government should step in to help with the family's welfare especially since he has got so much pride to the nation.

Raviraj feels that all the accolades will benefit Sunny only if the Indian government does something for his education and future. We belong to a small caste (sic). Sunny and his siblings' education expenses should be taken care of. The family should be supported," he says. "Sunny is getting proposals from Hollywood and Bollywood and he is interested in doing both. We will start talking to the makers when all the media interactions and celebrations get over."

Says Sunny's mother Vasu, "Sunny grew up watching Bollywood movies. He loved acting and always wanted to be on television. But I used to tell him its a different world. It would be very hard for people like us to get into the industry."

Dev Patel, in an interview with Daily Telegraph, had to say this about Sunny: "Hes our little mascot on this movie (Lion). For him, hed never been on a plane before or seen a Hollywood film and now hes leading this big movie. Hes so beautifully innocent and thats why you get such a beautiful performance from him. Hes just really enjoying it."
New Delhi: In a quest to set a new world record, Air India has operated a flight around the world with an all-women crew ahead of International Women's Day.

The flight departed on 27 February for San Francisco and returned at the Indira Gandhi International airport on Friday after flying across the globe. The aircraft, a Boeing 777-200LR, flew over the Pacific last week on its journey to San Francisco, while the return flight flew over the Atlantic, encircling the globe, Air India said on Friday.

An Air India spokesperson said the airline has already applied for a Guinness World Record and Limca Book of Records for this feat.

Lovely photo of the @airindiain All Women Flight Around the Globe making a record and making women proud. pic.twitter.com/PRuBMVY07J  barkha dutt (@BDUTT) March 5, 2017

Air India is the first Indian carrier to operate on the Pacific route which has reduced the flying time by up to three hours. Apart from the cockpit and cabin crew, check-in and ground handling staff, and engineers who certified the aircraft were all women, Air India said. It added that the Air Traffic Controllers who cleared the departure and arrival of the aircraft were also women. As part of the celebrations on International Women's Day which is observed on 8 March every year, the flag carrier has also decided to operate similar flights on its domestic and other international routes.
A popular bookstore in Delhi has cancelled a discussion on the Foot Soldier of the Constitution, the memoir of activist Teesta Setalvad citing the 'volatile situation' in the capital. The discussion on her recently-released memoir was slated to be held on Monday at the Oxford Bookstore in Connaught Place.

According to a report in The Hindu, the discussion between Setalvad and journalist Hartosh Singh Bal had been organised by The Caravan, Oxford Bookstore and the publisher LeftWord Books. However, on Friday, Sudhanva Deshpande, the managing editor of LeftWord Books, received an email from Oxford Bookstore saying it would be unable to host the event.

Scroll reported that Deshpande received an email from the director of Apeejay Oxford Bookstores Pvt Ltd Maina Bhagat, saying that the date scheduled for the discussion was "uncomfortably close to the forthcoming elections, and that the situation had been further exacerbated by the recent student protests in the city.

The mood in the Capital is very volatile, and I am sure that all partners would not like to entertain the remotest possibility of a disruption by external elements to mar the event in any way, he said in the email.

Setalvad called the cancellation "shocking" and said the bookstore "may have been under some pressure."

The venue for the discussion has been changed to Delhi's Press Club of India.

This development comes in the aftermath of violence erupting on the Delhi University campus as a result of clashes between members of the ABVP and the AISA and days of protests and marches by students of the Delhi University.
New Delhi: Contrary to market perception, India's unemployment rate halved from 9.5 per cent in August 2016 to 4.8 per cent in February this year and among major states, a sharp decline was registered in Uttar Pradesh.

According to the SBI Ecoflash, during August 2016 to February 2017, unemployment rate in Uttar Pradesh registered the maximum decline from 17.1 per cent to 2.9 percent, followed by Madhya Pradesh (10 per cent to 2.7 per cent), Jharkhand (9.5 per cent to 3.1 per cent), Odisha (10.2 percent to 2.9 percent) and Bihar (13 per cent to 3.7 percent).

"We believe this decline is primarily due to the government's efforts in providing new employment opportunities in rural areas," said the report compiled by State Bank of India research team led by Group Chief Economic Advisor Soumya Kanti Ghosh.

The report further noted that the decline was also explained by household demanded/allocated work under MGNREGA, which increased from 83 lakh households in October 2016 to 167 lakh households in February 2017.

Moreover, the number of works completed under MGNREGA increased by a whopping 40 per cent to 50.5 lakh in 2016-17 compared to 36.0 lakh in 2015-16.

Notable increase was registered in the works of anganwadi, drought proofing, rural drinking water, and water conservation and harvesting.

"This is a welcome trend and will contribute greatly for developing rural infrastructure a sine qua non for sustained agri growth," the report said.

In the Union Budget FY18, MGNREGA scheme has been allocated a budgetary resource of Rs 48,000 crore.

During FY2017-18, another 5 lakh farm ponds will be taken up, compared to expected 10 lakh during FY2016-17. This single measure will contribute greatly to drought proofing of gram panchayats.

The unemployment rate was estimated by BSE and CMIE from data collected regarding the employment/unemployment status of all members of 15 years and more of a sample of randomly selected households.
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday condoled the death of an Indian-origin store owner in South Carolina and said the investigation in the case was in progress.

Swaraj also said that she had spoken with the father of Sikh-American Deep Rai, who was shot outside his home in Kent, Washington, and was recovering in a private hospital.

In a series of tweets on attacks in the US on India-origin persons last week, Swaraj said, "I am pained to hear about the killing of Harnish Patel, a US national of Indian-origin in Lancaster, South Carolina. Our Consul has reached Lancaster and met the family of Harnish Patel."

She said the investigation in the case was in progress.

Swaraj also offered her condolences to the bereaved family.

Patel, 43, the owner of a convenience store in Lancaster County, South Carolina, was found dead of gunshot wounds in the front yard of his home on Thursday. Police had said in Patel's killing his Indian ethnicity did not appear to be a factor.

Reacting to the the attack on 39-year-old Rai, Swaraj said, "I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a US national of Indian-origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh, father of the victim."

"He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital," Swaraj tweeted.

Rai was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent, Washington, on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to his home's driveway.

Kent police said an argument broke out between the two men, with Rai saying the suspect made statements to the effect of "go back to your own country". The unidentified man then shot him in the arm.

On the attack on Rai, MaryKay L Carlson, Charge d'Affaires, American Embassy in New Delhi, said she was saddened by the shooting in Washington state.

"Wishes for quick and full recovery. As @POTUS said we condemn 'hate and evil in all its forms'," she tweeted.

Both these attacks come close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year- old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".
Rameswaram (TN): Twenty-four Indian fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Naval personnel on Sunday for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and fishing in the island nation's territorial waters.

"Fifteen fishermen, who were fishing between Katchathivu and Talaimannar, were arrested and taken to Talaimannar," Assistant Director of Fisheries Kulanjinathan said.

Nine others fishing near Neduntheevu were arrested and taken to Kangasanthurai, he said.

The four boats of the fishermen, hailing from this town and Jagadapagttinam village, were seized, he added.
Each year, the Humanities World Report laments that the paltry 6-7 crores annual budget allotted to the Indian Council of Philosophical Research is evidence that the humanities in India 'are inadequately supported'. It then links this lack of financial support to the result that philosophy in India 'is not flourishing'. That's a polite way of putting just how bad things really are. With what is possibly the richest philosophical heritage in the world, we have to assume that a lack of financial support from the government is an incomplete explanation for the profoundly pathetic state of philosophy in India today.

A few weeks ago, while advising a future vice-chancellor about how to best set up a new philosophy programme at an upcoming university, I told him, 'There is no need to offer a standard-model philosophy programme: philosophy in India is a dead discipline.' But after a visit to the ICPR in New Delhi yesterday, I now realise that I was quite wrong.

Philosophy in India is not a dead discipline. Rather, it is the discipline of the undead; of zombies, with the ICPR as their necropolis. Our necropolis, I should say. We philosophers have let this happen. The government's lack of support is not to blame. Sure, the MHRD strongly encourages necrophilia, as a look at the most recent leadership and administrative appointments within this apex-level body clearly evidences. But we could have done something, could have been doing something over the last 40 years that the Council has been (in)active. That's a budget of 250 crores that has been wasted on necromancy, instead of applied to promoting the proper functions of truly living philosophical research, and of philosophy as a public good.

The crucial contributions of philosophy to academia generally and society more broadly are not well understood. To mention a few, the discipline of philosophy preconditions the possibility of the social sciences as such  think of the need for rigorous qualitative research methodologies, dissemination of analytic techniques, understanding the nature of formal and informal fallacies, cultivation of critical thinking, and of course analysis and argument regarding the ethics of public and foreign policy, bioethics, the morality of the market, the scope of rights and duties, and so on and so forth, essential to the progress of disciplines as diverse as law, medicine, political science, journalism, international relations, economics, and even the highly coveted MBA.

If you have noticed a certain stagnation at the realm of theory within several of the other disciplines just mentioned, well, obviously they have their own problems too. But you can also partially attribute that to the zombie apocalypse. For, instead of living up to its obligations as queen of the social sciences and humanities  grounding theories, critiquing practices, influencing policy  philosophy in India has instead tended to spread its epidemic of the undead. Shuffle along, drag your feet, stifle innovation through hierarchy, bureaucratisation, bury vibrancy under files, out with the new, in with the old, the deader the better, and then hide the stench of all this detritus, the graveyards of fallen limbs and hollow souls, with the sweet smell of saffron.

Among other things, the younger generation of philosophers, whose brains have not yet been fully feasted upon by their undead seniors, urgently need to form a new association to collectively evaluate, address, and chart out how to return philosophy to its central position. We are lucky that, unlike in the West, in India there are numerous junior academic positions available around the country. You must ensure that these do not become so many sarcophagi, doubtless their current destiny.

The Humanities World Report may be right to infer that 'the humanities seem to be low on the political agenda' in India. But it is wrong that the problem is one of funding. Unless of course with more money we could hire a skillful army of shamans and exorcists.

The author teaches Philosophy, Political Science, and Law in India and abroad. His most recent books include Hegel's India (Oxford, 2017), and Indian Political Theory (Routledge, 2017).
Srinagar: Burhan Wani's successor Sabzar Ahmad Bhat fled from the encounter site at Tral in South Kashmir on Sunday taking the cover of the darkness and heavy stone-pelting in the area, top police officials said.

The top Hizbul Mujahideen commander took over as the operational chief of the militant organisation in Kashmir after Burhan's death in July.

Sources said that the police had specific information about Sabzar's presence in the area, but he managed to flee from the spot. After the encounter concluded on Sunday morning, local people resorted to heavy stone-pelting. They also snatched the weapon of one of the CRPF personnel near the Tral bus stand that lies in close vicinity of the house of Burhan.

Director General of police, SP Vaid, said that two militants have been killed in the operation that lasted through the night. He identified one of the militants as Aquib Moulvi, a resident of Tral and another one as a Pakistani militant.

Vaid said that Aquib was an A++ category militant and the security forces were looking for him for a long time. He reiterated that the forces had specific information about Sabzar's presence in the area while describing the killing of Aquib as a major achievement for the security forces. Aquib was very important for us. It is a big achievement for the police. He is a local militant whereas Osama is from Pakistan. Aquib was involved in many militancy incidents." About the Pakistani militant, a police official said that they are mostly identified by their code names as the exact identities cant be ascertained.

"The house in which the militants remained holed in was their hideout," Vaid said adding that the police has arrested the house owner as well.

One police official died during the operation while some security personnel including an Indian Army major were injured. "One of our police constables received a bullet injury in the leg whereas an army major was hit in the jaw," Vaid said, adding that the forces, however, maintained a maximum restraint to avoid civilian causalities.

There are reports that the local people continued with the protests even after the incident, and security has been beefed up around the area following the encounter. A senior police official said that Sabzar, who was accompanied by some other militants managed to escape. "The security force personnel had encircled many of the houses, but Sabzar and other militants were holed in some other house," a top official said.

A local police official in Tral said that Aquib is from the Hayna village of restive Tral area and has been associated with Hizbul Mujahideen for over three years. He joined militancy in 2012 at the age of 20 and was a close associate of Burhan.

Vaid said that Aquib was wanted in many cases and has been on the run for a long time. According to sources Aquib was from a poor family and had been active in South Kashmir area. The encounter was carried out on a tip-off by both the Indian Army and local police at Nazneenpur, Hafoo area of Tral, and lies only few kilometres from the local police station.

Police officials said that there are many militants who remain active in Tral area as the adjoining forests provide cover as well as training ground for them. Some of the militants including Sabzar, who have snatched rifles from the forces, have been locally trained in the forest areas. During the height of pro-freedom protests in Kashmir, Tral had remained virtually out of bounds for the forces as not a single security force personnel was spotted near the house of the Burhan or the adjoining graveyard where his funeral was held.

Police officials said that though the operation in Tral was over, search will continue to trace out Sabzar and his associates. "We have started a manhunt for Sabzar and his other associates in the area," a senior police official said.

Sabzar, who also comes from the Tral area, was closely associated with Burhan. Local sources said that like Sabzar many other militants have also been visiting their family members. According to sources, Burhan visited his family members many times before he was killed in an encounter in 2016 at Kokernag area of South Kashmir. His death triggered fierce protests across Kashmir resulting into the loss of over 70 lives.
The 16-hour-long gunfight between security forces and militants has left three people, including a Special Operations Group policeman, dead in south Kashmirs Hayen village of Tral area in Pulwama district. Three security personnel, including an Army major, were also injured in the overnight encounter.

The gunfight started on Saturday evening and was going on until Sunday morning. The bodies of two militants, who were killed in the encounter, have still not been identified. The mopping operation is on.

As soon as the columns of special forces started moving towards the Hayen village, where the militants were trapped, the area witnessed massive clashes between forces and protesters, who wanted to engage forces to provide safe passage to militants in order to save them from being killed.

Video footage circulated on social media showed dozens of people, including women, throwing stones and bamboo sticks at a police vehicle, few hundred metres from the encounter site.

Earlier, Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander who is a close associate of Burhan Muzafar Wani, was believed to be among the militants trapped in the besieged house.

I know two top militants namely Aquib and Usama have been killed. A police constable Manzoor Ahmad was also martyred and a major and three soldiers were injured. Rest I dont know who else was present in the house, SP Vaid, Director General of Police, told Firstpost.

The encounter lasted for a few hours before dusk and throughout the night, intermittent firing was heard by villagers as the police and paramilitary forces were deployed throughout the area to prevent people from coming out of their houses.

The firing was going on throughout the night and it only stopped in the middle of the night before resuming in morning. Every nook and cranny of Tral was filled with forces, Rayees Ahmad, a resident of the area, told Firstpost.

In the night-long encounter, Major Rishi of 42 RR got a head injury. A policeman Gulzar Ahmed (SoG) and a CRPF personnel also received bullet injury.

Aqib Moulvi went to religious seminary before becoming a militant and was associated with Hizbul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani who was killed in July. Wani's death had brought Kashmir to an edge and close to hundred people were killed in the five-month long unrest that saw the state government clamping the worst crackdown in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. The other militant killed has been identified as Usama. He is said to be from Pakistan.

Reports had earlier said that special forces of the Indian Army were deployed to carry out a combing operation in the area. A senior government officer said that though the encounter sites are supposed to have Section 144 imposed, they had imposed curfew restrictions around the town to prevent people from getting closer to the spot.

But despite that, hundreds of people fought with forces to try giving safe passage to militants.

People were hardly deterred by the presence of huge forces and threw stones at them wherever they could to prevent them from reaching the encounter spot, Imtiyaz Shalla, a resident of Hayen village said. A rifle was also snatched from forces personnel near the site.

The forces earlier brought down one portion of the house by blowing it up, where the militants were believed to be trapped. Protests broke out in many parts after the news of militant killings spread. But the police has been on alert to prevent them from flaring up.
The two militants who were killed by the army on Sunday morning near Tral after a dramatic 16-hour shootout had an amazing stock of ammunition. The two kept firing through the night. The longest break was for 30 to 45 minutes.

A very senior army officer expressed amazement at the amount of ammunition they had used. They avoided bursts, firing one shot at a time, he added, but kept at it almost incessantly.

The cordon which was laid around 4 pm on Saturday afternoon, pinned down Aqib, a high-grade militant of the Hizbul Mujahideen, and Usman, a Pakistani of the Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The duo stopped their incessant firing at around 6 am on Sunday. Aqib uploaded a farewell video in whispers around that time.

However, there were still signs at around 8 am that at least one was alive. It was only at about 8.30 am that the army was able to kill the second militant.

IED explosions

The most dramatic moment of the encounter came in the early hours of the morning, when Major Rishi and another soldier sneaked up to the house in which the militants were, to set an IED.

They were apparently spotted, for one of the militants emerged and fired at Rishi. His upper jaw and nose was injured, but the bullet did not pierce his brain. His companion promptly returned fire and the two were able to return. "Rishi is fine," a senior officer said confidently when the encounter ended.

An early attempt to blow up the house with IEDs late on Saturday evening had been only partially successful, leaving a part of it standing. The house was finally brought down on Sunday morning.

However, it was a 'kutcha' house with 'ballis' of wood. So, both militants apparently survived and continued to fire from the debris.

The militants tried to break out of the cordon at around 3 am but could not break the cordon. They were forced to withdraw into the house and continue the firefight.

Tough task

Laying the cordon had been a Herculean task on the previous evening, as it often has been since early 2014. For, once again, people from surrounding villages came rushing to try and prevent the cordon, and to try and let the militants escape.

Large crowds had emerged from about 4 or 5 pm on Saturday afternoon too, when the army tried to cordon the house in the picturesque Shikargah area in the hills east of Tral.

But the congregation of people was blocked by effective deployment of police and paramilitary troops in the area. They fired in the air, forcing the people back. Curfew was then announced, and the CRPF set up roadblocks, while the army began to engage the militants.

The police and the CRPF were in charge of ensuring that people did not get close enough to interfere with the armys operation against the militants.

One policeman, Manzoor Ahmad Naik, was killed during the operation. He belonged to the 11th battalion of the Indian Reserve Police. Another, Gulzar Ahmad of the anti-militancy Special Operations Group, was injured. A stray bullet also hit a CRPF man.

Heavily armed

Militants of this sort are normally armed with four magazines, but this duo seemed to be extraordinarily well stocked. This raises questions about the level of armaments available to militants now. Aqib is rated as a A++ militant.

There were some reports that Sabzar Bhat, who was said to be designated the 'operational commander' of Hizb in the Valley, was caught in the cordon, along with a Pakistani Jaish man. But a very senior army officer confirmed that Sabzar was not there.
I was probably six years old when I experienced my first wild elephants. It was in the Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary. We were on a family picnic at the Deras reservoir there one winters day. After parking my fathers old Fiat under the bamboo that lined the edge of the reservoir, we took a walk around its banks looking for wildlife signs. I shall never get over the awe with which I was struck upon seeing the bucket sized tracks in the soft mud, smaller ones accompanying them and a massive depression right next to the water where an elephant had rolled over and wallowed. Piles of dung lay heaped all over. To imagine that there was a herd of wild elephants there at most a day ago  right where I was standing  was to me, at that age, one of my most imprinting life events.

As soon as I was old enough to wander on my own, I began my career as a young naturalist and wildlife conservationist in these forests on the outskirts of my hometown, Bhubaneswar. These were the forests where I saw my first spotted deer in the wild, my first leopard pugmark, my first jungle fowl and where I logged several hundred hours of elephant watching over years. I had arrived too late in the world to experience tigers here  for they had gone locally extinct in the 1960s, as had the sambar, gaur and wild dogs. The leopard pugmark was of one of the last survivors  for the people of encroaching villages within and around the sanctuary had systematically poisoned out the once healthy leopard population in retaliation for livestock depredation and for the black market in wildlife parts. But elephants were always to be found and in large numbers. Or so it seemed.

Around 2001, the sanctuary had close to 90 elephants living in its small, under 190 sq km expanse. In conservation circles, we had begun worrying about the excessive density and the fact that Chandaka was getting isolated and disconnected from the Mahanadi Elephant Reserve landscape and the Kapilas forests to which herds would seasonally migrate in search of forage and cover. Highways, power plants, a railway track, quarries and factories began cropping up on these forest passages that once connected Chandaka to larger wildlife landscapes of the state. Further, the sanctuary itself was turning into an increasingly hostile environment as protection and management by the Forest Department became abysmal and livestock grazing, timber theft, poaching and habitat destruction became more rampant than ever. Conflict was beginning to rise suddenly on Bhubaneswars outskirts and newspapers were flooded with headlines about crops being destroyed, people getting trampled and elephants getting killed. Between 2004 and 2006, something that had then been unthinkable began to happen. Large herds began abandoning the sanctuary en masse. They were prepared to cross over the four-lane, extremely busy NH-5 just south of Bhubaneswar and head into the unknown forests of southern coastal Odisha that hadnt recorded wild elephants in living memory. On more than one occasion, they blundered into the brackish waters of the Chilika Lake as the rocky, dry hill forests they had chosen to traverse did not contain sufficient water. Some died of exhaustion, some were electrocuted, almost an entire herd got run over by the speeding Coromandel Express and the remnants survive as refugees  in a constant state of conflict with people  to this day.

I continued seeing a large herd of elephants in the Bharatpur Reserve Forest on the outskirts till about 2010-11. Even these vanished as private institutions, gated colonies and industrial estates began closing in. Today, only a few stragglers remain in all of Chandaka and Bharatpur.

About five years ago, the rich agricultural belt on the Mahanadis floodplains around Athgarh began seeing intense human-elephant conflict. The people in this area did have the odd herd and some lone bull elephants passing through occasionally, but they had never encountered resident elephants. They were unprepared and this was unexpected. Out of the blue, a herd of elephants was residing amongst them, taking refuge in small patches of woodland by day and destroying crops after sundown. It was a refugee herd from Chandaka, very likely the old Bharatpur herd. In these five years, they have constantly been making attempts to find suitable habitat  heading towards Kapilas sometimes and back to Chandaka at others, but being forced back by blocked passages and unsustainable habitat into the conflicted landscape of Athgarh where at least food is plentiful in the form of rich crops. They have blundered into the city of Cuttack and multiple times into the Aviation Research Centre air base at Charbatia. I have seen them inside a defunct factory and spent several nights watching the dedicated staff of the Athgarh Forest Division trying  and usually succeeding against impossible odds  in escorting these pachyderms as safely as possible through the human-dominated hell they are so hopelessly stuck in. The elephants  and the forest personnel  are hounded, harassed, abused relentlessly by mobs of people several hundred strong that materialise out of nowhere every time they emerge. This is a classic case with wild animals in human dominated landscapes all over India. As soon as they emerge  be it snake or leopard, bear or tiger  mobs descend upon them to lynch them. Elephants are little too big to lynch, but people compensate by chasing them, throwing projectiles, crackers and in some places hot iron rods and pellets from muzzle-loading shotguns. Usually, the grace and tolerance of Indias largest land mammal  worshipped as Ganesha and supposedly our National Heritage Animal  spares the mobs from what could result in prolific loss of human life. But tolerance wanes and human life does get lost.

District administrations and police departments usually want nothing to do with wildlife and push every wildlife problem to the forest department to deal with. But the forest department is one of very limited resources and powers. It is not empowered for crowd control, for instance, which is of primary importance in any human-wildlife conflict situation.

Recently, my friend and conservation colleague, Cara Tejpal, from the Sanctuary Nature Foundation and filmmakers Karan Tejpal, Isshaan Ghosh and Tiya Tejpal arrived in Orissa to visit the Mahanadi-Athgarh landscape. As we drove around some of the destroyed wilder parts of the Khuntuni range late one afternoon, we came across our herd helplessly surrounded by over 300 people. The tragedy of their being was captured on camera and has now gone viral over the internet as the #GiantRefugees campaign. Adults and children from all over the world, celebrities and the public have been writing to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to act upon this tragedy.

There can be no immediate solutions to this. But a start must be made  and it is high time. For one, a task force needs to be in place immediately looking into corrective measures in the protection and management of Chandaka which has been failed by the State Forest Department through unpardonable neglect. There is a need to review policy decisions pertaining to development of infrastructure in the areas adjoining the sanctuary and connecting it to the larger Mahanadi Elephant Reserve/Satkosia Tiger Reserve and Kapilas Wildlife Sanctuary landscapes. On a more immediate basis, to control the daily harassment of the elephants and to prevent danger to wildlife and human life, the state government must issue standard operating procedures that mandate that any potential human-wildlife conflict situation should require the involvement of the concerned district administration and police department for crowd control while the forest departments do their job. Imposition of Section 144 of the IPC appears as one of the only ways to control mobs from building up and human and wildlife lives being put at risk in such situations. This had been advised by former Member Secretary of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Dr Rajesh Gopal on a more national context but the idea didnt find enthusiastic takers then and nor does it today.

Reviving Chandaka, restoring its contiguity to the larger tiger and elephant landscape of Satkosia-Mahanadi-Kapilas is a very achievable conservation goal  provided the political and bureaucratic will exists.

The story of Chandaka and its refugee elephants should not be viewed as a local issue. It is not. It is a microcosm of the state of wildlife and wildlife habitats across India. The sooner we act, in policy, principle and on ground, the greater the chances that Indias life support systems  her forests, mountains, soil, rivers, oceans, wetlands and deserts  can sustain the burden of our 1.3 billion, ceaselessly growing mass for a little bit longer.

Find out how you can support Sanctuary Asia's Giant Refugees campaign here. Also watch this short video on 'Athgarh's giant refugees':
In the international sport of geopolitics, culture is an underdog that fortune wont favour; the worst kind of underdog, the kind of underdog cinema wont waste its endless numbered minutes on. Culture is in music, it is in fragrance, it is fluid; it belongs to everybody in the moment and nobody thereafter.

Today, the world is in a dark place because people look at each other as shadows of their own political minds. People are not agents of agenda. People are people, with the same dreams for their children, with the same fondness for love, with the same prayers for good health and the same desires of prosperity. That is why, cross-border people-to-people contact is pivotal to world peace, says Lubna Marium, artistic director at Shadhona, a center for the advancement of South Asian culture that works towards the preservation of intangible performative cultural heritage.

In 2001, during the border clashes between the two countries, I was in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. It was then that an image of the decomposed bodies of two Indian troops being carried back to the LOC by the Bangladesh forces was being splashed in the media. In such a situation, I could have easily been the subject of the hatred of those around me but because they knew me personally, they refused to believe what they saw. Unless people reach out to people, perceptions formed by governments wont change, says Lubna, articulating her belief.

She is in India again. Her troupe recently performed at the 43rd annual Khajuraho Dance festival on the invitation of the Ustad Alauddin Khan Sangeet Evam Kala Academy. Except Delhi and Kolkata, the rest of India doesnt understand what Bangladesh stands for, she says. For instance, in villages, where more than 60 per cent of her country still lives, mystic minstrels like the bauls and the boyatis carry forward the spiritual sahaja way of life. Such cultural uniformity binds India and Bangladesh. For example, snake cults were especially important to eastern India and Bangladesh, where for centuries worshippers of the indigenous snake goddess Manasa resisted the competing religious influences of Indo-Europeans and Muslims. In West Bengal and Bihar, festivities to honour Manasa take place on sravan sankranti. This is on the last day of the monsoon month of sravan (usually 17 August) at the Champaknagar temple in Bhagalpur, Bihar, and at the Khedaitola Mela in Nadia district of West Bengal, among other places. In Bangladesh, Manasa and Ashtanaag puja is a month-long affair in the country, where worshippers sculpt statues of the goddess, pierce their bodies and arrange a display of poisonous snakes on the altar. And, as Marium points out, what Bangladesh shares with India isnt limited to mythological folklore.

Sarabhuja is a socio-cultural institution from Rangamati, Midnapore (West Bengal), which has been playing an intrinsic part in the movement for the revival of traditional folk culture since 1986. Sarabhuja and Shadhona have collaborated to identify and strengthen Rai Beshe  the Martial Art of Bengal in Bangladesh. In 1933 an All Bengal Stick Challenge Shield was established in Majampur of Kushtia District, in (the then) East Bengal. Groups from all over Bengal participated in the tournament, including a few enthusiastic English players. Today, lathikhela lacks both form and skill but is practised across the region.

There is a culture that is performed and yet another that is imagined. To take care of the latter, theres Bollywood. Youngsters in Bangladesh speak fluent Hindi, because Bollywood is hugely popular in the country. Jinnah might not have been able to teach us Urdu, but any youngsters can tell you how much they like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Deepika Padukone in chaste Hindi, Lubna reveals.

On one side, the two cultures are sipping along on the same chai. On the other side, within Bangladesh, another badly brewed cultural conflict is coming to a boil. Last July in Dhakas posh pocket Gulshan, which is also where Mariums Shadhona also is, youth was killing youth at the Holey Artisan bakery. As per records, last year close to 600 students went missing from Dhakas top schools and FIRs were lodged by the parents. Nibras Islam, one of the six terrorists who attacked the cafe was one such student. Lately, Marium has been noticing regressive thoughts seeping into the minds of parents, who are now questioning the need for chanting shlokas or lighting brass lamps before the dances. This is disturbing because in Bangladesh, we arent even conscious of somebodys religion. I teach both Hindu and Muslim students and for me, they are one, she says.

Today, the greed for petro-dollars and migration to the Middle-East has brought Pan-Islamic Wahhabism to the forefront. Bangladeshi youth, in awe of the global image of the ISIS, modern weaponry and bold social media threats can get drawn towards the rebranded global image of terror. Earlier, the police was seen handing bamboo sticks to villages to combat attacks by the indigenous Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, especially on minorities. The consumption of western culture through the media and an inability to earn that kind of lifestyle for themselves, combine to create such a situation, Marium explains. This it seems is manifesting itself in the need to be a part of a global mission, even if its a terror mission. The youth is vulnerable and cultivating pride for borderless cultures they are born into is all the more necessary, she feels.

Interestingly, a new book Borderlands: Travels Across Indias Borders by Pradeep Damodaran, contains tales from villages along the north-eastern borders of India. India has a 4,096 kilometre long border with Bangladesh. It is the fifth longest land border in the world, out of which 2217 km lie in West Bengal. The border also passes through Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya. Heres one excerpt that explicates the aforementioned cultural uniformity between India and Bangladesh in a whole new context:

Men and women who intend to go to Bangladesh would sit in fishing boats late at night, with the Indian flag flying and the approach as close to the Bangladeshi border as possible. A boatman from the other side would then arrive at that point and transfer the passengers to his boat. In half an hour or so, the entire activity would be complete. Over the years, Shahjahan had transformed himself into a full-fledged Indian. He had a voter identity card, a ration card, and an Aadhar card. He had voted in several Parliamentary and Assembly elections in the past and claimed to be a communist. On the occasions that he travelled back to Barsila, Shahjahan was careful to not carry any of his Indian identity documents. He claimed to have a separate set of Bangladeshi identity documents that he carried with him when he was visiting the other side of the border. 'If I am intercepted there, I will show them my Bangladeshi identity card. If someone asks me for identity proof in India, I will produce my Indian card,' Shahjahan declared, proudly flaunting both cards for my benefit.

I asked him if he considered himself Indian or Bangladeshi.

Ami Bangla, was his simple reply.
Editor's note: In the run up to International Womens Day on 8 March, we profile little known women in South India who have fought against all odds in their local communities to bring forth change and transformation. While some of these women stand out as shining examples of the power of determination, there are others who must battle misogyny and harassment. With this series, we highlight not just the trials and tribulations faced by women in all walks of life, but also how individual women are triumphing against caste, patriarchy and discrimination. Part three in the series profile IAS officer Smita Sabharwal, known as the 'Peoples Officer' in Telangana for her extraordinary work in Chittoor, Warangal, Vizag and Karimnagar.

Smita Sabharwal, 40, is diminutive in appearance but brooks no nonsense. Hailing from West Bengal and an Army kid, she has 17 years of service as an IAS officer under her belt. And in these, Sabharwal has simply put her head down and worked  earning her the moniker of The Peoples Officer.

Sabharwal arrived in Telangana with a brilliant academic background: All-India topper in ICSE Standard 12 in her batch and one of the youngest to have cracked the UPSC exams, securing the fourth rank in the country when she was just 22. A number of accolades and awards have come her way since, which she diligently and politely turns down.

I have been turning them down because awards and rewards dont excite me personally. I feel that our job is rewarding enough. There are many good institutions that want to recognise our work, but I generally turn them down. I try to keep myself away from the publics eye. I feel it is a personal thing, Sabharwal told Firstpost, when we spoke with her in the run-up to International Women's Day 2017.

As Municipal Commissioner of Warangal in united Andhra Pradesh, Sabharwal launched a Fund Your City scheme, asking residents to participate in building infrastructure in the Maoist hit area. This earned her great goodwill as she built parks, foot over-bridges and traffic junctions with a public-private partnership model.

Next stop was Karimnagar, a poor and backward region of Telangana where she was posted as District Collector in 2011. Sabharwal realised that healthcare and education was in the doldrums in the district. Only 9 percent of deliveries were happening at government hospitals. Sabharwal came up with what is called the 'Amma Lalana' (mothers nurture) scheme whereby government hospitals were cleaned up, staffed and monitored and deliveries and maternal check ups made available free of cost to poor women. Awareness campaigns were conducted to bring more women into hospitals for institutional deliveries. At the same time, Sabharwal installed computers and internet facilities in all hospitals and primary health care centres and monitored them via Skype. Amma Lalana was a health initiative for poor women. Child birth is an unimaginable expenditure  they have to spend Rs 30,000-50,000 if they go to a private hospital. If we give good, clean facilities, people will want to come to government hospitals. Thats the motto of Amma Lalana. Childbirth should be a happy event, not a burden for extremely poor families. We improved sanitation, got good equipment and trained doctors. People responded to that positively. I am happy to say that now the entire state is adopting this model, said Sabharwal.

Education initiatives and her accessibility to people have earned her the title of Peoples Officer. Sabharwal laughs off the epithet. I seriously dont know where it has come from. It is somehow the affection I have got from people and I got this reputation on the field, where I worked in all the districts in Telangana. I was accessible to people. There is never a day that people cannot meet me. As a Collector, I met 200-300 people daily and tracked the problem until it is solved. This has built confidence in people, she says with a smile.

In 2015, misogyny came to roost at Smita Sabharwals doorstep. As she set foot into the newly carved Telangana state Chief Ministers Office as an additional secretary, the first woman officer to get the post in the new state, Outlook magazine wrote an article about her, describing her as eye candy and stating that the junior officer makes a fashion statement with her lovely saris. Sabharwal lashed out at the obvious objectification and dashed off a legal notice to the magazine. Outlook later expressed regret at the article and stated that it was not meant to be derogatory in any way.

Ask Sabharwal though about gender-related issues at the workplace and she brushes them aside. It is completely personal how you take up the role. If you think like a woman and then think like an officer it will be like that. It depends on how we view ourselves. That is very important. As women we must first view ourselves as professionals and then comes gender into that context, she says.

To be honest this is an equal service (IAS), I really cant think of any situation where I fought for being a woman. Its always been an advantage being a woman when we hold important responsibilities like District Collectors (post). When we administer, I feel people respond to you much better. They believe that women are more sensitive and have better understanding and responsibility. For me I feel it is a personal advantage, she added.

Probably the only regret Sabharwal has, is that she missed out on spending time with her children while they were growing up. We generally hear this  if you want to be a good professional then you cant be a good home-maker. We have to choose how we want our lives to be, we cant have both, she argues.

Her words stem from what she views as sacrifices made by women before her generation to make available some basic rights denied to them in their era. I feel that our mothers, grandmothers struggled for many basic things like right to education, work and when to marry. Now they have put us on a very strong platform. Today it is up to us, where we have to take it forward rather than demanding basic rights and protesting, saying that the world is biased. I feel that the world is ready for us only when we think we are ready for the world. I tell my colleagues and peers  'Competence and leadership have no gender'. If you are competent and focused, then no one looks at whether you are a man or a woman, she signs off.

Read parts one, two, four, five and six of the series.
New Delhi: Exuding confidence ahead of the municipal polls, AAP on Sunday claimed people of Delhi were eager to vote it into power to "cleanse" the city and "corruption-ridden" civic administration.

"The BJP-ruled MCD has allowed the city to become filthy by failing in its sanitation job. And, people of Delhi, seeing our work in the last two years, now feel that if AAP wins civic polls, it will clean the city and the corruption in MCD," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters on the sidelines of an event in New Delhi.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led party is making its debut in the high-stakes elections to the MCD which has been ruled by BJP for the last 10 years.

The erstwhile unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi was trifurcated in 2012 into North, South and East Delhi Municipal Corporations. While NDMC and SDMC have 104 seats each, EDMC has 64 seats.

Sisodia was interacting with reporters after inaugurating a pilot project for "24x7 drinking water supply through taps" in Navjivan Vihar area in posh south Delhi.

AAP and the three corporations have lately gone on inauguration spree to make most of the time before the model code of conduct kicks in. The polls are due sometime in April.

"People of Delhi are eager to vote us (AAP) into power. And to clean the garbage, one must pick up the broom," Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra said, alluding to the party symbol.

Sisodia said the pilot project was "nothing short of a dream for us" and now our aim is to replicate it for entire Delhi in phased manner.

Water and sanitation are two major poll planks for the civic polls and AAP, which has attacked the BJP-ruled on sanitation front, is hoping to corner the ruling party to woo voters in its favour.

Navjivan Vihar falls under Malviya Nagar constituency and local MLA Somnath Bharati was present on the occasion.

"We have delivered to you at city government level and now doing as much as we can at the local level. But, further success of our plans would now hinge on municipal administration.

"So, put us (AAP) in MCD also, so that we can deliver to you from top to bottom... We are set to make waves in Punjab and Goa, allow us to serve people in the MCD also. We have the intent and we will chafe the system," Bharati said.

All three AAP leaders drank from a makeshift tap, installed near the venue, to symbolically inaugurate the facility.
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya on Sunday attacked Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, saying that if he cannot get his "favourite" minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati arrested in the rape case, he should at least sack him.

Maurya, whose comments come a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the SP-Congress combine of chanting "Gayatri Prajapati Mantra", also said that BJP would get the tainted Prajapati arrested after results of the polls are declared.

"If Chief Minister Akhilesh ji cannot ensure the arrest of his favourite minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, then he can sack him (Prajapati)," Maurya said in a tweet.

Referring to March 11, the date when the UP assembly election results would be declared, Maurya said the BJP would put Prajapati behind bars after that.

"We would arrest him (Prajapati) after 11 March," Maurya said.

Yesterday, the passport of Prajapati, who is a senior UP government minister was impounded and a look-out notice was issued against him, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused SP-Congress of chanting "Gayatri Prajapati Mantra".

On the directives of the Supreme Court, Uttar Pradesh Police has filed an FIR against Prajapati, a senior SP leader, in connection with separate cases of gangrape and attempt to rape another woman and her minor daughter.
Beyond the campaign blitzkrieg that has overpowered Uttar Pradesh, and arguments tearing through television sets in living rooms, something seems to be brewing against the Samajwadi Party in the Hindi-majority state especially with the polls neariAng the seventh and final phase on 8 March.

Akhilesh Yadav no doubt did a wonderful job of retaining the control of the party and pushing the old-timers including his father Mulayam Singh Yadav out of SPhis campaigns have also been focused on one thing and that is developmentunlike the leaders in the Bharatiya Janata Party, several of whom, occasionally highlighted religion and the Ram Temple issue in order to increase their chances.

In fact, till a few weeks ago, it seemed all was going well for the SP and its alliance partner Indian National Congress. But if media reports are to be believed, the Samajwadi Party has more reasons to worry than it did at the beginning of campaigning in the state. And the one person at the centre of this turn of the tide is Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, a cabinet minister in Yadav government.

Prajapati has been absconding in related to a rape case with his Passport being frozen and a red alert given to all airports.

In Uttar Pradesh, with a history of allegedly shocking rape incidents like the Bulandshahr gangrape and Badaun gangrape, having a rape-accused minister in the cabinet doesn't serve well for Akhilesh Yadav's current government or the poll campaigning. And with the demand to sack Prajapati from the cabinet and for his arrest growing stronger, Prajapati's actions have given the rival parties the very ammo that could tear through the "goodwill" that Akhilesh Yadav has created for his party and himself.

We are not going to get into details as to how Prajapati, a BPL card holder in 2012 managed to accrue assets over Rs 1 crore or but the fact that he attained the cabinet minister rank in Akhilesh Yadav government and also contest the ongoing Assembly election in Amethi despite having five cases of corruption against him (three of which have been withdrawn) is baffling. And that too in the Samajwadi Party, which went through a month-long drama to cleanse itself of "corrupt" elements and "ruffians". Prajapati's conduct and his presence in his cabinet don't speak highly of the party or its president Akhilesh Yadav.

One of the top arguments that Akhilesh Yadav and his supporters presented during the Samajwadi Party family feud was that UP chief minister wanted to clean the party of the ruffians. Either the "SP-family feud" was just a drama for the cameras and his supporters to generate sympathy towards the UP chief minister, or the "corrupt" elements in the party have more control of the party than Akhilesh Yadav could have thought.

It's interesting that Akhilesh Yadav has not been asked questions about Prajapati in the numerous interviews that he has given lately, but he must understand that nothing is more outraging to the public and the media than a government with a rape-accused in its cabinet.

Akhilesh Yadav has much to answer when it comes to Prajapati, whether it was retaining him in the party despite cases of corruption or offering him a ticket to contest the election despite him being accused of rape.

The UP chief minister could also do well to take a few lessons from its alliance partner Congress, which lost Delhi to a young party like Aam Aadmi Party after it failed to generate confidence among the people after the Delhi bus gangrape incident in 2012. Then Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit's remarks on the gangrape didn't do well for the party either, as it lost the election not once but twice.

The BJP's state chief Keshav Prasad Maurya recently claimed that the party will win 303 seats on 11 March. We are not sure how Maurya arrived at the number, but the timing of Prajapati rape case is impeccable, and it would be safe to say that Prajapati has given Maurya at least one right reason to say so. Akhilesh Yadav could also drive inspiration from what transpired in the US in November. The FBI leaks on Hillary Clinton's hacked emails weighed over the sexist remarks of Donald Trump in the US Presidential Election. Akhilesh Yadav's failure to act swift could become the Achilles Heel in his ambitions to be UP's chief minister for a second term.

So far Akhilesh Yadav has not said much except asserting that the law must take its due course. But that is not enough, especially since the behaviour of the UP police in the matter had anything but a positive effect on his government. And by retaining Prajapati in the cabinet, Akhilesh Yadav is only giving more ammo to the BJP, and reasons to the public to doubt his clean image.

But all is not lost for the Akhilesh Yadav as he can still turn this bad situation into a good one. The Prajapati rape case may be an apt time for Akhilesh Yadav to show the public that he is different from what the BJP has been saying about him. If Prajapati is innocent has some of his supporters have been claiming, he should have nothing to fear. As for Prajapati, he must put his party over himself and surrender immediately.

With saffron flags gaining ground in Uttar Pradesh, the last thing Akhilesh Yadav need is the educated liberal youth turning away from him and the party  all for Gayatri Prajapati, a minister with a tainted history.
Lucknow: Bollywood has provided the perfect fodder for witty repartees this poll season in Uttar Pradesh, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi all used dialogues from superhit films like Sholay, Bahubali and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge to launch attacks on rivals.

The first case was the prime minister asking if the SP-Cong tie up was a case of "aa gale lag jaa", referring to a classic 1973 movie; Rahul Gandhi said Modi had set out to be Shah Rukh Khan from DDLJ with his "achhe din" promise but ended up as Gabbar Singh from Sholay. Interestingly, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has been depicted as the main protagonist in the state in spoofs of some Bollywood blockbusters.

The ball was set rolling by Rahul at an election meeting in the Congress pocket borough Raebareli on 17 February, when he termed Modi's promises before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and his alleged failure to keep them by comparing DDLJ and Sholay.

"You must have seen the movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, have you? Do you remember it? In the film there is a promise of achhe din (good days). But after two-and-a-half years, what has come out is Gabbar Singh of Sholay," he had said, referring to the fearsome character modelled on a real-life dacoit by the same name.

The prime minister also made references to films to drive home his point. In Mau, from where mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari is contesting as BSP nominee from jail, Modi had referred to the magnum opus Bahubali when he asked "Katappa ney bahubali ko kyun maara? There is a movie called Bahubali. Katappa, a character in the film, destroyed everything of Bahubali. This man with a stick (referring to BJP's ally Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party election symbol on the dais next to him) has this power. This stick is sufficient. This is the stick of law and will show its power on 11 March," Modi had stressed.

Even earlier, Modi had cited the example of a film Aa Gale Lag Jaa to drive home a point. Targeting the SP-Congress "unusual friendship" which came through after Congress' campaign '27 saal, UP behaal', Modi asked in his inimitable style, "What happened? Aa Gale Lag Ja?"

Rahul, at a meeting in Amethi, had referred to a popular song of the yesteryears: 'Tu na Hindu banega, na Musalman banege  insaan ki aulad hai, insaan banega' to refer to, what he claimed as, the hate campaign of the BJP.

YouTube viewers are also going ga ga over a crisp two-minute video in which Akhilesh Yadav is the Don, Raees and Krissh of the state's politics. These videos sync Akhilesh Yadav's interviews and speeches with dialogues from films in the original voice of the actors. Political opponents are shown in the roles of villains and vamps.

The videos depict the scenario in the country, the recent infighting in the Samajwadi Party and the chief minister's pet projects.

From film-style car chases to jumping off aeroplanes, the videos depict a larger than life image of Akhilesh, the hero.

There is also a video of Mayawati as Mardani on YouTube.

Dimple Yadav, Akhilesh's wife and Samajwadi Party's star campaigner, has also used a popular number from the film Laawaris, - 'Mere angney mein tumhara kya kaam hai', to attack the prime minister over his "adopted son" remark and to

stress that he is an outsider and so has no business in the state.
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik has shot a letter to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, seeking clarification on whether he "justifies" it to "retain" the tainted minister Gayatri Prajapati in his Cabinet.

"A non-bailable warrant has been issued against Prajapati after an FIR was registered against him in rape case. Serious question of constitutional morality and dignity arise on his remaining in the cabinet", the governor said in a letter to the chief minister, seeking his "justification on retaining the minister".

Naik said that as per media reports, a look out notice has been issued against Prajapati fearing that he might flee from the country and his passport has also been impounded. "This is serious in nature with Prapatati being a Cabinet minister", he added.

He said that it has also come to his notice that the chief minister himself has asked the minister to surrender, but he has not done so till now and is absconding. There are apprehensions that he might have fled to some foreign country, he said. The police is searching for the minister and trying to arrest him, the governor said in his letter.

The passport of Prajapati, who is a senior government minister, was impounded on Saturday and a look-out notice was issued against him, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused SP-Congress of chanting "Gayatri Prajapati Mantra".

On the directives of the Supreme Court, the UP police have filed an FIR against Prajapati in connection with separate cases of gangrape and attempt to rape another woman and her minor daughter.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of Bharatiya Janata Party, has given its last big push at the grass root level to mobilise and convert every cadre and supporter into a potential voter at the polling booth in the last phases of polling in Uttar Pradesh.

The penultimate phase of polling in UP was held on Saturday while the seventh and the last phase will be conducted on 8 March.

The result was apparent on Saturday, when the sixth phase of polling was in progress and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was simultaneously conducting his road show at Varanasi and public rally at Jaunpur. Thousands of people participated in these two events, showing a strong support for the saffron party.

It was a replay of the 2014 road show of Modi in Varanasi. In the first four phases of election in UP, there was no visible Modi wave or BJP wave in the state, but during the fifth phase, it gradually started picking up, which gradually reached an apogee just before the sixth phase of polling.

Critics may like to call it a result of BJPs propaganda machinery, but one cannot discount the visible proof in the form of thousands participating in Modi's rallies and road shows, who may or may not be Modi-bhakts.

With the sixth polling phase getting over on Saturday, the focus is on the last phase which will be on 8 March. BJP will sweep in the last two phases, an Uttar Pradesh BJP source said.

In these last two phases, the RSS has given an extra push with a calibrated approach, forgetting any kind of differences with the BJP. Till the second phase of polling in UP, there had been an apparent disconnect between the RSS and the BJP over distribution of tickets in some pockets, which both wouldnt admit."

In the initial stage, there had been some disconnect between Sangh and BJP which occurred over ticket distribution in Varanasi, but now there are no differences. There is a strong consultation mechanism. As a result, there is no communication gap. Implementation of decisions is seamless. The influence of Modi will help BJP to win UP election, like it happened during the Lok Sabha election 2014, an RSS functionary said after much coaxing.

The objective

The RSS functionaries and swayamsevaks (volunteers) who are acting as foot soldiers are tenaciously toiling to mobilise the voters  the supporters of the party at the grass root level and fence-sitters  to polling booths. Under a campaign called Jan Jagran, the Sangh volunteers are ensuring that people come out of their houses and make the trip to the polling booths to use their franchise.

The objective of the Sangh is to extend support and communicate to the voters to cast vote to a party with nationalist ideology, so that a nationalist government could be formed. General election 2014 was an ideal example, when Sanghs push was one of the key factors that helped BJP to achieve a landslide victory. The swayamsevaks of the Sangh and its affiliated bodies are playing the role of a catalyst. They are mobilizing the voters to cast their votes for a nationalist party rather than pursuing them to vote for BJP, an RSS functionary, currently working on ground in UP, said.

The strategy

The Sangh for its functional ease has divided UP into kshetras, prants, etc. There are six prants or regions  Awadh, Kashi, Paschim (western), Gorakhpur, Brij and Goraksha. Each prant has been further categorised into divisions, districts and mahanagars. A Kshetra Pramukh is in-charge of two prants.

According to a state BJP source, the RSS joint general secretary (Sah Sarkaryavah) Dattatreya Hosabale has played an important role in electoral strategy by setting a core team that further coordinated with teams at prant levels towards implementation of the strategy.

The Sangh that prefers to function in a low-key manner has been into multiple roles in election management in its own way  managing booths, conducting meetings in localities to mobilise voters with a focus on those where Hindu voters are in majority, ground-level surveys to take stock of the actual situation, etc. The RSS coordinator appoints foot soldiers and decides what role one should play.

Besides the RSS swayamsevaks, the members and volunteers of the affiliated bodies like Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Swadeshi Jagran Manch, etc are extending voluntary service to meet the objective.

Apart from its core objective, the volunteers also provide feedback from ground to the party, so that further strategies can be chalked out depending on the situation.

Sanghs push to get fence-sitters in BJP fold

The RSS, through its last big push, wants to ensure diversion of non-Yadav backward castes and a section of Dalits into BJPs kitty. The swayamsevaks working in UP believe that non-Yadav backward castes and BSPs Dalit vote bank will be breached by the saffron brigade.

This time, the caste line in UP is going to break. The non-Yadav backward caste voters, who suffered in SP regime, will vote for BJP. Similarly, there are many Dalit fence-sitters, who believe that Narendra Modi would bring the desired change in the lives of this marginalised section. They have started seeing him as their new leader, an RSS functionary, now working with BJP said.

Demonetisation: A non-issue

Demonetisation seems to be a forgotten story now. In fact, the RSS and BJP cadre working on ground opined that the move did not have any negative impact on the common voters, including farmers and labourers.

There is no negative impact of demonetisation on ground and on the voters. Rather, the poor and the farmers, who hardly have any cash in hand, welcomed the move. Demonetisation didnt put an end to the supply of cash and there had been some problems for a short period, but things are back on track. So, the BJP will in no way face the wrath of voters in UP due to note ban. The results of BMC polls in Maharashtra and panchayat elections in Odisha were in favour of BJP, attesting to the fact that people have welcomed the move, said national co-convener of the RSS economic wing, Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Ashwani Mahajan.
The country's largest state-level electoral exercise is drawing towards its business end. But there are no clear winners emerging in the fray. The top brass in all three parties are pulling crowds to rallies. All parties have their own soft spots to hide and save. An exhaustive analysis of the humongous electorate's mood is as futile as it is impossible to truly gauge, and let's accept it: Survey polls in the past also have often been off the mark.

However, the heady mix of politics that the elections in Uttar Pradesh are, they still tempt journalists to attempt to predict that who is running with a clear advantage. They go out in the field, read facts, express opinions, and whip up a conclusion with their own experience of watching closely scores of polling exercises in the world's largest democracy.

In that sense, if veteran journalist Prannoy Roy's prediction and analysis is to be believed, the Bharatiya Janata Party may have a clear advantage in the crucial state Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. As reported in this article, NDTV journalists have given the saffron party a 55 to 65 percent chance of winning the election as compared to Samajwadi Party-Congress's 30 to 40 percent chance of repeating their 2012 sweep. The BSP, according to them, is trailing at the third position with only five to 10 percent chance of winning.

The journalists, however, do offer their predictions with a caveat that the upper caste voters often tend to be more vocal about their views, whereas the backward class  Mayawati's core electoral base  are known to be more reticent voters who often stay silent.

However, that does not mean their opinions are any less fierce, in eastern UP especially, where caste narrative dictates the swing of votes, the Jatavs and other schedule caste voters are clear about where their loyalties lie. And this is what makes predicting the outcomes of a poll even more difficult in the Hindi heartland.

Nonetheless, another well-known face in the journalism fraternity, Rajdeep Sardesai, also came up with his own prediction, even as he adds right at the onset of his article that doing so could be injurious to one's health. Sardesai too is of the opinion that the BJP may be riding on a winning streak this time again.

"Once bitten, not twice shy: Twenty-four years later, I am putting my neck on the line once again and forecasting a likely BJP win in Uttar Pradesh," Sardesai states in his article published in The Hindustan Times. And Sardesai bases his prediction on the simple math that the BJP swept the Lok Sabha polls with a whopping "42 percent of the vote and an astonishing 73 of 80 Lok Sabha seats." Even a "highly unlikely" 10 percent decline in its vote share can still place the saffron party in a position to form the government in the state.

Sardesai also cancels out claims of similarity between the Bihar Mahagathbandhan (Grand alliance) and the UP's SP-Congress combine, stating that unlike Bihar's bipolar contest, UP faces a tough triangular contest. The division of anti-BJP votes (read OBCs and Muslims) between the alliance and Mayawati will only benefit BJP.

Whether this analysis culminates into actual wins for the saffron party will only be clear on the 11 March, when the UP verdict will be out.

However, what is commendable on the part of the saffron party is that despite favourable predictions and massive turn-out at its rallies, it has not committed the mistake of getting carried away with an impression of the Modi wave. Like it did in Bihar, where the loss was a rude shock for the BJP. Conversely, this time in Uttar Pradesh, it has kept up its effort to canvass tirelessly, right from the Terai belt to the corners of rural western UP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself is leaving no stones unturned in wooing voters. In a high-decibel, last gasp effort to canvass before the final face-off, Modi is holding rallies after rallies in eastern UP, dedicating two days and an overnight stay to his Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi.

Modi exudes confidence of a victory as he remarked in Jaunpur on Saturday, "the previous five phases have already ensured an absolute majority for BJP, but you will have the work of giving us a bonus and teaching them (SP, BSP, Congress) a lesson." But that said, the BJP has decided to match every efforts with its contenders in the poll right till the end.
Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold a roadshow on Sunday in support of local BJP candidates, a day after an impromptu tour through the winding streets of the city.

Modi is scheduled to begin his tour today with the roadshow which will commence at 3 pm from the Police Lines helipad where his chopper will land, BJP media convenor for Kashi Prant, comprising several districts in eastern UP, Sanjay Bhardwaj said.

"Traversing through localities like Pandeypur Chauraha, Hukulganj, Chaukaghat and Teliyabagh, he will reach Kashi Vidyapeeth premises where his 'Parivartan Sankalp' (pledge for change) rally is scheduled at 6:30 pm," he said.

Modi had hit the campaign trail on Saturday with an impromptu roadshow while he was on his way to two of the ancient city's most revered temples in the morning. He also held a public meeting late in the evening and later left the city.

The opposition had criticised the roadshow and the Congress even lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging that the show of strength was made without the requisite permission.

He will return to his parliamentary constituency this afternoon for a two-day visit, with less than 48 hours to go before the campaign for Uttar Pradesh Assembly poll's final phase comes to an end.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters, "We were enthralled by the massive crowds that came out yesterday to greet the PM as he travelled several kilometres in an open jeep." He said the turnout was even greater than what was witnessed when Modi had come to the city to file his nomination papers during the 2014 general elections.

"We know that when the PM is among his people, they expect him to provide inspiration through his unparalleled oratory. So today his vehicle is likely to be fitted with a mike so that the people of Kashi get to hear their leader speak," Goyal, a senior BJP leader, said.

After the rally, Modi will leave for the Diesel Locomotive Works guest house where he will stay the night. Before retiring for the day, the Prime Minister will interact with nearly 2,000 prominent citizens drawn from various walks of life at the DLW premises.

On Monday, Modi is expected to visit Ramnagar town across the Ganga and garland a statue of former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri who had spent his early childhood there. Modi is likely to sign off his campaign trail with a huge rally at Rohaniya, a predominantly rural Assembly segment on the outskirts of the city, before boarding his return flight.
Varanasi: "If Varanasi progresses so will we," feels a large chunk of Muslim weavers in this world-famous weaving centre as most of them steer clear of openly criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Their Banarasi sarees having lost sheen post note ban, many of the Muslim weavers are not very happy with the BJP's policies. Besides there are old fault lines that deeply divide the community and the saffron party.

Abdul Rauf, a noted handloom dealer, is disappointed over the Prime Minister's handling of weavers' concerns but says he continues to have hope in him.

Rauf speaks for the city's famous silk weavers belonging to the minority community, many of whom refrain from criticising Modi in a manner one finds in other places.

"Hamare prime minister hain. Banaras taraqqi karega to hum bhi karengein. But BJP wale hume pasand nahi karte. (He is our prime minister.If Vanarasi progresses, then so will we. But BJP does not like us), says Rafiq Ahmed, a septuagenarian trader in Madanpura.

Muslims, who comprise 20 percent of the population in Modi's constituency, appear to be solidly behind the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance in Varanasi, virtually ruling out any serious split in their ranks on 8 March, when the city goes to the polls.

A split in their ranks in 2012 was the major reason behind the BJP's win in all three assembly seats falling in the city.

Asked if they would vote for Modi, whose road show on Saturday passed through some Muslim localities and drew good response, some youths shot back, "How many Muslims have been fielded by the BJP in UP? Zero. We are 20 per cent in the state but not seen good enough even for one of the 403 seats. Why should we vote for him?"

Zubair Ahmed (26) says in a lighter vein that even if some of them vote for the party, nobody will believe them.

He says he knew friends who had voted for the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls when Modi contested from Varanasi. "Our non-Muslim friends laughed when we told them".

Rafiq Ahmed says it has been after a long time that Muslims are united in supporting one candidate (SP-Congress nominees) in Varanasi as they used to be divided between these two parties, who always contested separately.

The combined votes of the SP and the Congress were more than the winning BJP candidates in two of the three seats and it could be a reason that the saffron party has deployed its top leaders, including several Union Ministers, in holding small and big public events targeting different sections of people.
Lucknow: The 'do or die' campaign for the seventh and final phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, covering 40 assembly seats in seven districts, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency, will come to a close on Monday.

The polling in these seats will be held on 8 March.

As the battle for Uttar Pradesh converges on the banks of the river Ganga in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency, all eyes are on the seat as it is increasingly seen as the 'bellwether' for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Top BJP leaders and Union ministers have made a beeline to Varanasi towards the fag end of electioneering, making the poll atmosphere highly surcharged.

The saffron party, which is locked in a tight electoral battle with the SP-Congress alliance and the Mayawati-led BSP, hopes that a good performance in the eastern parts of the state will take it past the majority mark in the 403-member state Assembly.

Modi is camping in Varanasi and holding roadshows, the first after such an exercise during the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

The Prime Minister almost crossed path with Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and his ally Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, when the latter took out a joint roadshow to garner votes for the alliance.

Mayawati, who is eyeing the Muslim voters in eastern Uttar Pradesh, also made whirlwind tours of various constituencies in the run up to the final phase of the state polls.

The three Naxal-affected districts of Sonebhadra, Mirzapur and Chandauli, along with the Assembly segments under Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, will be in prime focus in this phase. Tight security has been put in place in these districts.

The counting of votes polled in all the seven phases of the Assembly polls will be taken up on 11 March.

A total of 1.41 crore voters, including 64.76 lakh females will exercise their franchise in the last phase. 14,458 polling booths have been set up in this phase.

In the 2012 state Assembly polls, out of these 40 seats, 23 went to SP, 5 to BSP, 4 to BJP, 3 to Congress and 5 to others.

The seven districts going to polls in this phase are Ghazipur, Varanasi, Jaunpur, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Bhadoi and Sonebhadra.

In all, 535 candidates, including 40 (BSP), 32 (BJP), 31 (SP), 9 (Congress), 21 (RLD) and 5 (NCP) are in the fray in this phase.

While the maximum number of 24 candidates are from Varanasi Cant seat, the minimum of six candidates are contesting from Kerakat (SC).
Washington: President Donald Trump on Saturday accused his predecessor Barack Obama of "wire tapping" his office in New York just before the 2016 presidential elections and likened the alleged surveillance of his communications to the "Watergate" scandal.

Obama's spokesperson Kevin Lewis rejected the allegations and said the former US president never ordered surveillance on any US citizen.

"A cardinal rule of the Obama Administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice. As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any US citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false," Lewis said.

Trump made the allegations in a series of tweets, but did not provide any evidence to substantiate his claims.

"Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" Trump said.

"Is it legal for a sitting President to be "wire tapping" a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!" he said, claiming that Obama had defied a court rejection to tap his office.

Trump also called Obama a "Bad (or sick) guy!" and compared the alleged tapping of his New York office to the "Watergate", the scandal in the early 1970s which brought down President Richard Nixon.

"How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" he said.

"I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!" Trump tweeted.

Trump also tried to defend Jeff Sessions, the US attorney general facing questions over his meeting with the Russian ambassador to Washington during the 2016 presidential election campaign.

"The first meeting Jeff Sessions had with the Russian Amb was set up by the Obama Administration under education program for 100 Ambs......," he said.

"Just out: The same Russian Ambassador that met Jeff Sessions visited the Obama White House 22 times, and 4 times last year alone," Trump said in another tweet.

Trump's top administration officials have been facing charges of contacts with Russian officials during and after elections.

One of his close aides Gen (rtd) Michael Flynn had to resign following such allegations.
Washington: US President Donald Trump is expected to sign a revised travel ban on Monday, just over a month after his original decree sowed controversy across the United States and chaos at airports, US media reported.

The president will sign the new executive order at the Department of Homeland Security, according to Politico, which cited senior government officials. It was unclear what changes Trump planned to make, according to the publication.

Trump's original 27 January order was widely criticized as amounting to a ban on Muslims, and also for being rolled out sloppily  with virtually no warning to the public or preparation of the agencies tasked with enforcing it.

The order, which temporarily barred people from seven Muslim-majority countries from traveling to the United States for 90 days, as well as all refugees for 120 days and Syrian refugees permanently  triggered worldwide outrage as well as protests in the United States.

It also caused chaos in the first days of its implementation as people arriving at US airports from targeted countries were detained and sometimes sent back to where they came from.

However, the order was halted after two judicial setbacks  a nationwide freeze on Trump's ban by a US district judge in Seattle and a subsequent ruling by San Francisco's Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the suspension.
Denver: From Colorado's state Capitol to Trump Tower in New York and the Washington Monument, hundreds of people rallied for President Donald Trump, waving 'Deplorables for Trump' signs and even carrying a life-size cutout of the president.

Chelsea Thomas, an accountant from Thornton, Colorado, brought her family to the 4 March Trump rally in Denver and the life-size cardboard cutout of Trump. She said the family has taken it with them on camping trips, boat rides and a country music festival.

"It's nice to be surrounded by people who share your morals and opinions," said Thomas, as her son walked back and forth across the grass with a Trump flag.

Supporters at the rallies clashed with generally smaller groups of counter protesters. Six people protesting the rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol and fled, police said.

About 400 people attended the St. Paul event and about 50 showed up to protest it. In Nashville, two people were arrested as protesters clashed with Trump supporters at the Tennessee Capitol. In Olympia, Washington, the state patrol says four demonstrators were arrested Saturday at a rally in support of Trump, KOMO-TV reported. Authorities did not say if the people arrested were pro-Trump or anti-Trump.

The station reports that the demonstrators are accused of assaulting a police officer. In Berkeley, California, people wearing goggles, motorcycle helmets, gas masks or with their face half-covered with bandanas pushed each other, threw punches and hit each other with the sticks holding their sings or American flags.

Near Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach Post reported that people on both sides exchanged profanities. Trump's motorcade briefly

stopped so he could wave at supporters.

In Ohio, Trump supporter Margaret Howe, 57, of Pataskala, said she increasingly fears civil war. "We did not want to have something like this happen," she said, adding, "We came out today because Trump deserves to see he still has people for him. It's just all sad."
PARIS The political committee of French party The Republicans will meet on Monday to discuss the situation of its presidential candidate Francois Fillon, the party said in a statement on Saturday."Given the evolution of the political situation just seven weeks from the presidential election ... the political committee, which includes notably the candidates of the (party) primaries, has been brought forward by 24 hours to Monday March 6," the statement said.

(Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

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BERLIN Germany's Social Democrats (SPD), junior partners in Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition, said on Sunday they would launch a new push to legalise same-sex marriage in Germany, a move opposed in the past by Merkel's Christian Democrats.Thomas Oppermann, who heads the SPD's parliamentary faction, told Der Spiegel magazine his party would raise the issue at the next meeting of the right-centre coalition, a move welcomed by the pro-environment Green party.The issue could help the SPD differentiate itself from Merkel's conservatives as the uneasy coalition partners ramp up campaigning ahead of Sept. 24 national elections.Merkel's Christian Democratic Union and its CSU Bavarian sister party edged ahead of the SPD in the latest poll conducted by Emnid for the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag.The SPD, which saw a surge in the polls after it nominated former European Parliament President Martin Schulz as its chancellor candidate, is hoping to win enough votes to form a new government with smaller allies such as the Green party.Oppermann told the magazine that the party would also press for rehabilitation and compensation of people charged under a law that criminalised homosexuality which was in effect in postwar West Germany until 1969.

One leading conservative lawmaker, Deputy Finance Minister Jens Spahn, is openly gay and also backs same-sex marriage, according to Der Spiegel.Spahn, whom Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble named as a possible future candidate for chancellor, told Bild am Sonntag that he and his partner would like to adopt children."I think we would be good, responsible parents," Spahn told the newspaper. "But unfortunately my party is conservative in the wrong way there."

Katrin Goering-Eckardt, head of the Green party in parliament, said her party would ask for public debate on the issue."For years, we've seen nothing but hot air from the conservatives and the SPD," she said in a statement.German Family Minister Manuela Schwesig, a Social Democrat, said legalising same-sex marriage would mark important societal progress. "It's time for the conservatives to move on this issue. It must stop putting the brakes on modernisation," she said in a statement, citing widespread support for such a move.

The coalition government in 2015 agreed to small changes in same-sex civil partnership rules, but staunch opposition from the conservatives prevented approval of gay marriage.A study by Germany's Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency in January found that 83 percent of Germans supported legal equality for same-sex marriage.Thirteen European countries now recognise and perform same-sex marriages - Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Britain. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Ros Russell)

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NAIROBI Gunmen shot dead a British man in northern Kenya on Sunday after armed herders invaded a private ranch in the Laikipia area, two of the man's neighbours told Reuters. The man was a father of two and a British cavalry veteran who ran a safari company, one of the neighbours said.

There have been a number of violent attacks in the area in recent weeks between local residents and armed cattle herders searching for grazing.

(Reporting by Katharine Houreld; Editing by David Goodman)

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Over 2.3 million people of Indian origin live in the USA. All of them are brown, sandy-coloured or black. And it doesn't matter if Americans in the midwest are mistaking them for Arabs or Muslims or terrorists or whatever. Murder is murder, and prejudice is just that  evil every which way.

Harnish Patel lived in South Carolina, a place linked inexorably to the slave trade. This 43-year-old Indian shop owner, his wife, and their two children were liked and respected by the community and held in high esteem. But that didn't stop him from being shot in cold blood.

Barry Faile, sherrif of Lancaster county, has said there is no evidence of it being a hate crime. What he meant was, there is no graffiti saying "Go back to your country", no crosses burning on his lawn.

I don't believe in coincidences. Two benign Indians, both pillars of their social circle, have been being shot in the same week in the confederate strongholds  it's just not one of those things. It doesn't matter, as I said, if Harnish were called Hidayat. The fact is hate against immigrants is on the rise, and a country like India now needs to raise the ante with Washington. The US needs to go beyond aiding the next of kin  though it's great and is appreciated  by letting President Donald Trump know that there will be consequences.

I am sitting in Delhi, talking to my sister's daughter, who is a US citizen, and asking her how safe it is. And she, for the first time, has a quiver in her voice and she is saying, is it a trend? And that is the scary part. Is the shooting in cold blood of coloured people a codicil to the new administration.

One would like to think not. But there seems to be a subliminal message hovering in the air, that white supremacy is in the ascendancy, and the US offers them first rights and first choice.

I would be the first to agree that Americans are incredibly good people as individuals. They are likeable, honest, and call it like they see it. But they have to wake up to the "them and us" gospel which is going around. This sort of mayhem by gun toting fanatics can spread to other communities, including the African-Americans and the Hispanics who make up a sizeable chunk of the population.

The fact is that Washington can do nothing. The hate mail has been posted, stamped and delivered. How do we get that letter of hateful intent back? Perhaps it is time for Indians living in the midwest to come together for their own sake and seek security for themselves and their families by pooling their resources.

Maybe move out to the West coast. Hurt the midwest cities where it hurts  in the pocket.

Or perhaps New Delhi should step in and turn push to shove with this administration.

When will this end? How many people will be killed before we wake up to the fact that our people, whether on visas or green cards, as students or passport holders or citizens are in the cross hairs. The sheer helplessness of chasing the American dream is turning into a nightmare and the answer is truly blowing in the wind.
Mosul: Iraqi security forces attacked four jihadist-held neighbourhoods in west Mosul on Sunday, including one that houses provincial government offices, the military said.

Iraqi forces launched a major operation to recapture west Mosul, the largest population centre still held by the Islamic State group, on 19 February, pushing into the area from the south.

They have retaken several neighbourhoods from Islamic State since the push began, but their pace slowed recently amid several days of bad weather.

"Federal police and Rapid Response Division forces are attacking Al-Dindan and Al-Dawasa neighbourhoods," a statement from Iraq's Joint Operations Command said. Al-Dawasa includes the Nineveh governor's headquarters and other government buildings. Mosul is the capital of Nineveh province.

"Counter-Terrorism Service forces are attacking Al-Sumood and Tal al-Ruman neighbourhoods, and the advance is still ongoing," another JOC statement said.

The Counter-Terrorism Service and Rapid Response are two special forces units that have spearheaded operations in the Mosul area, while the federal police are a paramilitary police unit.

Islamic State overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes and other support have since regained most of the territory they lost.

Iraqi forces launched the operation to retake Mosul on 17 October, recapturing its eastern side earlier this year before setting their sights on its smaller but more densely populated west.
Tokyo: A helicopter conducting a mountain rescue exercise crashed with nine local officials aboard in Japan on Sunday and at least three people are feared dead, officials and media reports said.

A police helicopter located the crashed helicopter on a snowy mountainside in Nagano prefecture in central Japan, public broadcaster NHK and other media reported.

"We've heard that three people were found in a cardio-respiratory arrest, but six others have not yet been found," an official with the Fire and Disaster Management Agency told AFP.

Officials in Japan normally do not confirm deaths until medical authorities have examined the bodies.

The nine people on board were rescue workers and local government officials who took off for a mountain rescue drill, local reports said.

The official said local police and officials are searching for the six others.

Aerial footage from NHK showed the badly damaged helicopter on the wintry mountainside.
BANGKOK Japan's Emperor Akihito paid his respects to Thailand's late King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Sunday on a visit to Bangkok during which he will also see the new king.Akihito, 83, and Bhumibol, who died aged 88 in October after seven decades on the throne, had a close personal relationship that stretched back to the 1960s and strengthened ties between the two Asian monarchies.Akihito and Empress Michiko, 82, visited the ornate Grand Palace, laying flowers and signing the condolence book. Bhumibol's body will be cremated at an elaborate ceremony towards the end of this year.Akihito was also due to see King Maha Vajiralongkorn, 64, who took the throne in December after the death of his widely-revered father.

Once considered divine, Japan's emperor is defined in the constitution as a symbol of the state and the unity of the people. He has no political power, but his trips often have diplomatic overtones.A key regional concern for Japan has been the rise of China, with which Thailand has forged increasingly strong ties.

On many of Akihito's overseas visits he has sought to soothe the wounds of World War Two, but Thailand allied itself with Japan and did not suffer casualties to the extent of many other Asian countries.

Akihito last visited Thailand in 2006. His visit to Bangkok came at the end of nearly a week in Vietnam and he will return to Japan on Monday. (Writing by Matthew Tostevin; Editing by David Goodman)

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Kuala Lumpur: The Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia on Sunday accused the North Korean ambassador of manipulating the investigation into the murder of Pyongyang's leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother Kim Jong-nam.

The statement by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi came after the Foreign Minister announced the expulsion of North's Ambassador Kang Chol from the country for not issuing an apology over his recent criticisms of the investigation into Kim Jong-nam's assassination, Efe news reported.

"The statements by the ambassador were obviously aimed at manipulating the matter," Zahid said during a meeting with members of the ruling party.

"We have been professional in our probe in terms of interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence, whether it was DNA samples or CCTV footage," he added.

Malaysian authorities have given Kang until 6 pm, on Monday to leave the country.

The measure comes amid escalated tensions between Malaysia and North Korea over the killing of Kim Jong-nam on 13 February at Kuala Lumpur International Airport using the VX nerve agent.

On Friday, Malaysia issued an arrest warrant for Kim Uk Il, an employee of North Korea's Air Koryo airlines who has sought refuge at his country's embassy in Kuala Lumpur, in relation to the crime.

Authorities also sought to interrogate North Korean diplomat Hyon Kwang Song. However, his diplomatic immunity means he cannot be arrested.

Both reportedly went to see off four North Koreans suspected of planning the lethal nerve agent attack on Kim Jong-nam.

So far, the only people detained over the murder are two women  Indonesia's Siti Aisha and Vietnam's Doan Thi Huong  who allegedly rubbed the VX on Kim Jong-nam's face using a handkerchief.

The police believe the four North Koreans recruited the two women, who maintain that they were hired to play a prank on the victim.

The US and South Korea have accused Pyongyang of plotting the murder.

However, Malaysia is yet to point any fingers at Pyongyang over the death, which North Korea claims occurred due to a heart attack.
BEIJING The killing of the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader who had been living in the Chinese territory of Macau may be top news around the world, but for some Macanese legislators at China's parliament it's more a case of Kim Jong Who?Kim Jong Nam was killed on Feb. 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Malaysian police believe he was assaulted by two women who smeared his face with VX, a chemical classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.He had been planning to travel back to the former Portuguese colony of Macau. The story has also been widely covered in Chinese state media, though Beijing, with its close ties to Pyongyang, has had little to say about it so far in public.Macau delegates to China's annual meeting of parliament said they knew little or nothing of the case, and were unwilling to say whether Kim's family was still in Macau or if they were under police protection, underscoring the case's sensitivity.Asked on Sunday about Kim's family, Jose Chui, a cousin of Macau Chief Executive Fernando Chui, first said he didn't understand the question, and then walked away.Asked later in English whether Kim's family was still in Macau, Chui answered: "I have no idea".

"I read (about it) in the newspaper, but I have no information from my sources. I don't think I'm in a position to give you any details."Lu Bo, president of Chinese-language paper the Macao Daily News, initially said he knew nothing of the case. Pressed further, he said: "I'm not interested in it."

Lionel Leong, Macau's secretary of economy and finance, declined to comment.Macau, like neighbouring Hong Kong, sends representatives to the annual meeting of China's largely rubber stamp parliament, which opened on Sunday. They are all carefully chosen by Beijing. Before he was killed in Malaysia, Kim lived quietly in the Asian gambling hub of Macau, avoiding controversy and seemingly relaxed about personal safety, according to sources close to him.

U.S. and South Korean government sources say they believe North Korean agents killed Kim, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.Despite China's ostensible friendship with North Korea, Beijing has been angered by Pyongyang's repeated nuclear and missile tests. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Dominic Evans)

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CATANIA, Italy Almost 1,300 migrants arrived in Sicily on rescue ships over the weekend after crossing the Mediterranean, while a 16-year-old boy died on one of the ships, Italy's Coast Guard said.Italy has seen migrants arriving by boat at a record-setting pace so far this year, with far more people braving the crossing from North Africa this year than in the previous three years, Italian figures showed on Friday.Another 500 migrants were heading to Sicily and expected to arrive in the next couple of days, after being picked up from flimsy boats off the coast of Libya. Proactive Open Arms, which operated one of the rescue ships, also said on Twitter that five migrants had drowned before one of the rescues, but a Coast Guard spokesman could not confirm the deaths.In Catania, on Sicily's east coast, the body of the 16-year-old boy was taken off the Siem Pilot, a Norwegian vessel operating on behalf of European Union border agency Frontex.

"Unfortunately one of the migrants ... died on the Siem Pilot on Friday morning as a result of an illness," the ship's commander, Jorgen Berg, told Reuters. The boy's illness was still unknown, but he had no visible wounds, Berg said. His nationality was not disclosed.There had been 487 migrant deaths in the Mediterranean as of March 2, according to International Organization for Migration, higher than the 425 during the first two months of last year.

Boat migrant arrivals in Italy are up more than 57 percent on the same period last year, according to Italian Interior Ministry figures. About half a million have arrived in Italy since the start of 2014, with a record 181,000 arriving in 2016.Those who have come so far this year have told of increasing violence and brutality in Libya, where rival factions battle for power and people smugglers operate with impunity amid the chaos left by the 2011 overthrow of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

Humanitarian groups say an agreement signed last month between Italy, the EU and the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli is one of the causes for the recent surge in migrant departures. The agreement aims to stop more migrants for setting out for Europe in part by funding migrant camps in run by the U.N.-backed government. (Reporting by Steve Scherer in Rome and Antonio Parrinello in Catania; Editing by Susan Fenton)

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An Indian prime minister will finally be visiting Israel, as Narendra Modi heads to the Holy Land in June or early July, to celebrate 25 years of full diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Although details about the trip are still closely held, India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is already in Israel to prepare the ground for Modi's visit. Doval will be followed by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and minister of state for external affairs, MJ Akbar, in the run-up to the prime minister's visit.

Although there have been plenty of indications over the past two years that India was headed down this road, what is noteworthy about Modi's upcoming trip is that he will go to Israel without a complementary visit to Palestine, as has been the custom in the past. Modi is not the first Indian leader to do this: Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Israel in November 2014 without stopping in Palestine. Yet, in its careful diplomatic balancing act, India sent MJ Akbar to Ramallah in November 2016 without a stopover in Tel Aviv, and it now hosts Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas before Modi's scheduled trip. Additionally, Modi has already visited important Arab capitals such as Riyadh, Doha, and Abu Dhabi that signal no rapid shift in New Delhi's policies regarding the region.

However, the prime minister's departure from custom has irked many and Palestinian ambassador to India, Adnan Abu Alhaija, has regretted India's decision. Domestically too, there is bound to be criticism as the political class is too unimaginative to look beyond a foreign policy whose ossified principles were forged in the quarter century before independence.

However, the status quo has not served India, and Modi's gesture indicates that there may be some new thinking at Raisina Hill. But despite criticism of India's new policy towards Israel under Modi, the prime minister has not actually been bold enough to signal a real shift in policy. Nor is one necessary  the Israel-Palestinian question is not for South Block to resolve. What is required is that New Delhi desist from minor yet constant provocations of Tel Aviv in terms of symbolism and rhetoric.

The fear that a solo visit to Israel by an Indian prime minister would disrupt the fragile regional balance is a bit of self aggrandisement  India has a small footprint in the Middle East and even less in the Fertile Crescent. It does not provide military, economic, or political assistance to either party, and is not an important calculation in their politics. While both the Palestinians and Israelis would appreciate support from New Delhi, they can live without it. India does not have a Middle East policy to speak of; apart from the bland and common goals of promoting national interest, New Delhi neither sees itself as a provider to the regional commons nor does it have innovative ideas to resolve the three-quarter-century old imbroglio.

The importance given to the Palestinian question is largely a figment of the Indian imagination. Several States  the United States and China, for example  engage with both Israel and Palestine on a footing commensurate with their value to Washington or Beijing and yet maintain healthy relationships with other Arab capitals. There is no reason for India to choose a side.

One fear of not doing so is that a pro-Israel position would somehow anger Indian Muslims. This is not entirely unwarranted  the Khilafat Movement is a reminder of how many in India have an eye firmly set on the Middle East. However, treating Israel differently from Palestine does not negate support for an amicable resolution to the Palestinian situation.

There is also an irrational concern that leaning towards Israel may turn off the Arab oil spigot. It is unlikely that Arab nations would engage in such a tit-for-tat over Palestine, or they would have to first excommunicate Egypt and Jordan from their brotherhood! With the availability of Iranian oil again and the possibility of US shale, the Arab stranglehold on their black gold has slipped. Furthermore, the Indian economy now is in a far stronger position to weather an oil shock than it was in the 1970s.

It's also true that Israel maintains clandestine ties with several of the other Muslim and Arab States and in the aftermath of the Iran nuclear deal, Riyadh and Doha were seen drifting closer towards Tel Aviv themselves.

Another worry is that Arab States may strike back at India by ejecting Indian workers in the Gulf who remit some $33 billion back to India. Such a response would not only be mutually destructive but would also require a high degree of cooperation among the various States. It is not to be overlooked that those States also have labour requirements that cannot be immediately addressed.

On the other hand, India relies on Israel for invaluable security cooperation and the two countries have expanded their partnership into other equally beneficial areas such as agriculture and high-tech trade. It makes little sense to jeopardise such an important relationship by antagonising Tel Aviv with ineffectual moral harangues in international fora or a misplaced sense of equivalence between Israelis and the Palestinians. There is no need to hyphenate the two countries.

Indeed, India has itself struggled with the US to dehyphenate itself from Pakistan, and New Delhi would not take it kindly if every US leader who visited India stopped by in Pakistan as well. Israel would hardly feel differently.

While much is being made of Modi's visit as a departure from tradition, the balancing act the Bharatiya Janata Party continues to play belies this accusation. Rather, Modi has jettisoned empty symbolism in favour of genuine relations  for this trip, with Israel, but potentially with both States  that are sustained by mutual worth. This sense of realism may be a welcome first step in India becoming a more mature and engaging partner in its region.
New York: A Sikh rights group has asked US authorities to investigate as a hate crime the attack on a 39-year-old Sikh man amid the Indian-American community's safety concerns after a slew of bias-related incidents in the country.

The Sikh man, identified as US national Deep Rai by Indian officials in New Delhi, was shot in the arm outside his house in Kent, Washington, by a partially-masked gunman who shouted "go back to your own country". The gunman allegedly got into an altercation with Rai before shooting him in the arm.

The Sikh Coalition, along with local community leaders, has asked local, state and federal officials to investigate this shooting as an anti-Sikh hate crime as well as to improve bias prevention laws and organise 'Know Your Rights' forums to build community resilience and reduce the likelihood of future hate crimes.

It said shooting in Kent, that has left Rai injured, follows the larger national pattern of hate violence directed at minority communities across the US in the wake of the presidential election. "Investigating this as an anti-Sikh hate crime is critical, because without our government agencies recognising hatred for what it is, we can't combat the problem," said Seattle-area Sikh community leader, Jasmit Singh.

The Sikh Coalition said the Sikh-American community, which has been an integral part of the American fabric for over 125 years, is estimated to be hundreds of times more likely to suffer hate crimes than the average American, in part due to the Sikh articles of faith, including a turban and beard, which represent the Sikh religious commitment to justice, tolerance and equality.

"While we appreciate the efforts of State and local officials to respond to attacks like this, we need our national leaders to make hate crime prevention a top priority," Sikh Coalition Interim Programme manager Rajdeep Singh said in a statement. "Tone matters in our political discourse, because this a matter of life or death for millions of Americans who are worried about losing loved ones to hate," he said.

Jasmit Singh said said the men from his community have reported a rise in incidents of verbal abuse, "a kind of prejudice, a kind of xenophobia that is nothing that we've seen in the recent past".

He said the number of incidents targeting members of the Sikh religion, are reminiscent of the aftermath of the 11 September, 2001, terror attacks. "But at that time, it felt like the (presidential) administration was actively working to allay those fears,"

Jasmit Singh said, adding that "now it's a very different dimension".

The attack comes close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".

Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gun shot wounds in his yard.
BANGKOK The former Buddhist abbot at the heart of a standoff with authorities at Thailand's biggest temple has been stripped of his monastic rank by the king, the military government said on Sunday.The symbolic step comes more than two weeks after police surrounded the scandal-hit Dhammakaya temple and began searching for Phra Dhammachayo, who is accused of money laundering.The standoff at the temple represents one of the biggest challenges to the authority of Thailand's junta since it took power in 2014. The former abbot has not turned himself in and police say his followers have hampered the search.A document published in the Royal Gazette said King Maha Vajiralongkorn had agreed to the government's request to demote Phra Dhammachayo because he had not turned himself in and had fled from the charges against him."Thus he does not deserve to hold his monastic rank any longer," the document said.

The measure does not mean Phra Dhammachayo has been defrocked as neither the king nor the government has the power to do that. Only a religious council can take such a step.The Dhammakaya temple declined to comment on the measure.

The former abbot faces charges of conspiracy to launder money and receive stolen goods, as well as taking over land unlawfully to build meditation centres.His aides dismiss the accusations as politically motivated. They say that he is too sick to face questioning and that they have not seen him for months.

The Dhammakaya Temple's brasher approach to winning adherents jars on conservatives, who say it exploits its followers and uses religion to make money. The temple says it is as committed to Buddhist values as anyone else. (Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Matthew Tostevin)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Former federal prosecutor Robert Ray said Sunday there is no need for special counsel to look into possible ties between the 2016 Trump presidential campaign and Russian officials.

Ray, in an exclusive interview with Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures, weighed in on the continuing debate, days after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from investigations into the matter over two conversations he had with a Russian diplomat during the campaign, when Sessions was an Alabama senator.

It sounds like this is a political issue. And I think the first question is: unless there were issue of collusion or promises made during the campaign or in the transition with regard to Russian officials, what exactly would a prosecutor be investigating? Ray said.

"I don't think so, he added.

Ray, who served as the Independent Counsel for the Whitewater investigation in the 1990s -- a controversy surrounding real estate investments of Bill and Hillary Clinton -- said there are still intelligence matters related to the subject that need to be addressed.

While an investigation is appropriate, that's something appropriately handled by Congress in the first instance, he said. You don't talk about a special counsel or appointing extraordinary measures, and certainly in this instance there's no reason to think that the Justice Department can't adequately address this if questions regarding the commission of crime are raised. But only in the exception or extraordinary case would you be calling for a special counsel.

Additionally, President Trump on Saturday tweeted that former President Barack Obama had phones at Trump Tower wiretapped just before his victory in November.

Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017

Ray commented on the allegations, saying: "I take that very seriously. The president is the chief executive. He is the Executive Branch. If anybody is in the position to know, President Trump would know."
Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton expressed certainty Sunday that President Trumps accusation about the Obama administration wiretapping Trump's presidential campaign will be included in the Senate Intelligence committees ongoing probe into Russias possible efforts to undermine the U.S. political system.

Weve already begun an inquiry on the intelligence committee into Russias efforts to undermine confidence in our political system, Cotton, a Republican committee member, told Fox News Sunday. That inquiry is going to be thorough, and were going to follow the facts wherever they lead us. And Im sure that this matter will be a part of that inquiry.

Cotton spoke one day after Trump said former President Obama ordered Trump Tower wiretapped and minutes after the White House called for congressional investigations into the matter.

Cotton also said he didnt know whether the Obama administration received the requisite federal court order for such wiretapping, which requires some evidence of a crime.

And he repeated that hes so far seen no proof that the Trump campaign successfully conspired with the Russian government to defeat Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Ive seen no evidence, Cotton told Fox. And, again, I would just say that media reports have gotten pretty far over their skis over this.

Trump has based his wiretap allegation on a recent Breitbart News story and comments by conservative talk-show host Mark Levin, but has yet to provide his own evidence.

The allegation follows ongoing questions about whether Russia was involved in the White House race. The U.S. intelligence committee has said the former Cold War enemy indeed meddled in the race, but found no evidence of vote tampering.

Cotton's remarks were followed by California Rep. Devin Nunes, chairman of the Republican-led House Intelligence committee, who also said his panel will look into the matter.

One of the focus points of the ... committee's investigation is the U.S. government's response to actions taken by Russian intelligence agents during the presidential campaign," he said. "As such, the committee will make inquiries into whether the (U.S.) government was conducting surveillance activities on any political partys campaign officials or surrogates."

However, Califormia Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on that commitee, on Sunday dismissed Trump's wiretap claim.

"For a president of the United States to make such an incendiary charge -- and one that discredits our democracy in the eyes of the world -- is as destructive as it was baseless," he said.

"If the administration truly believes that President Obama illegally eavesdropped on the Trump campaign and wants our committee to investigate the matter, they should join my call on (FBI) Director James Comey to answer any question put to him that is pertinent to the Russia investigation."

Cotton, a Trump supporter who served Army combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, also argued Sunday that Trumps policies are nothing like a pro-Russia agenda, which would include efforts to slash defense spending and halt the production of domestic energy like oil and gas.

Trump, in roughly his first seven weeks in office, has called for a $54 billion increase in Defense spending, ordered the completion of the Keystone XL oil pipeline and vowed to revive the domestic coal industry.
President Trumps accusation that former President Obama tapped his telephones during the 2016 presidential race and his call Sunday for Capitol Hill investigations into the matter received qualified support from the GOP leaders of Congress top intelligence panels.

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., chairman of the House Intelligence committee, indicated strongly that his panel would look into the matter.

One of the focus points of the ... committee's investigation is the U.S. government's response to actions taken by Russian intelligence agents during the presidential campaign," he said. "As such, the committee will make inquiries into whether the (U.S.) government was conducting surveillance activities on any political partys campaign officials or surrogates."

However, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., the head of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, offered a more measured response.

As Ive said since the beginning and have repeated since, the  committee on Intelligence will follow the evidence where it leads," he said. "And we will continue to be guided by the intelligence and facts as we compile our findings.

Over his two terms of office, Obama had a strained relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in large part over problems in Ukraine and Syria.

The issue of whether Russia interfered with the 2016 White House race began to percolate soon after Trump joined the GOP primary in June 2015. Candidate Trump repeatedly praised Putins strong leadership style, including what he considered Putins ability to outmaneuver Obama.

The matter exploded last summer after computers connected to the Democratic National Committee and the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton were hacked.

The U.S. intelligence committee concluded that Russia indeed meddled in the race but found no evidence of voter fraud.

Subsequent revelations about conversations between people associated with the Trump campaign and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak have led to the resignation of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and the recusal of Attorney General Jeff Sessions from any probe into Russian involvement into the U.S. political system, though no proof of wrongdoing has surfaced.

Trump was reportedly furious about Sessions's recusal last week. By early Saturday the president had fired off a series of tweets in which he accused Obama of ordering the wiretaps at Trump Tower, his official campaign headquarters. Trump suggested such an act was tantamount to McCarthyism and rasied the specter of Nixon/Watergate.

Is it legal for a sitting president to be wire tapping a race for president prior to an election? Trump said the tweets. How low has President Obama gone to tap (sic) my phones during the very sacred election process.

Trump based his allegations on a recent Breitbart News story and comments by conservative talk-show host Mark Levin, but has yet to provide his own evidence.

On Sunday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer issued a statement in part saying such reports are very troubling and that Trump wants congressional intelligence committees, as part of their investigations into Russian activity, to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016.

Congressional Democrats, who have called for a special prosecutor into the entire Russian matter, did not support Trumps wiretap claims.

"For a president of the United States to make such an incendiary charge -- and one that discredits our democracy in the eyes of the world -- is as destructive as it was baseless," said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the ranking member on the House Intelligence committee.

"If the administration truly believes that President Obama illegally eavesdropped on the Trump campaign and wants our committee to investigate the matter, they should join my call on (FBI) Director James Comey to answer any question put to him that is pertinent to the Russia investigation."

Schiff spoke at about the same time former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said on NBCs Meet the Press that the part of the intelligence community that he oversaw -- including the FBI -- did not wiretap Trump Tower communications.

Clapper also said he had no knowledge of a request for a FISA, or Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Act, order for a wiretap, which requires at least some evidence of illegal activity.

An Obama spokesman on Saturday denied the allegations, saying nobody in the former administration ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen and that any suggestion otherwise is simply false."

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., a member of the Senate Intelligence committee, suggested Sunday that the wiretapping allegation would be considered as part of the committees larger, Russia-related inquires.

Weve already begun an inquiry on the intelligence committee into Russias efforts to undermine confidence in our political system, Cotton told Fox News Sunday. That inquiry is going to be thorough, and were going to follow the facts wherever they lead us. And Im sure that this matter will be a part of that inquiry.

Cotton also said that he's so far seen no proof that the Trump campaign successfully conspired with the Russian government to defeat Clinton.

Ive seen no evidence, he said Fox. And, again, I would just say that media reports have gotten pretty far over their skis over this.

Fox News Serafin Gomez contributed to this report.
Vice President Pence lashed out at the Associated Press on Saturday for listing his wifes email address in a story about his frequent resistance to public records requests while Indianas governor.

Pence said in a tweet that by publishing his wifes personal AOL email address, the Associated Press violated her privacy and our security. The vice president posted a letter his counsel sent to Gary Pruitt, the AP's president and CEO.

Last night the @AP published my wife's private email address, violating her privacy and our security...  Vice President Pence (@VP) March 4, 2017

When we requested they take it down, they refused. The @AP owes my wife an apology. pic.twitter.com/LdMmnewnWF  Vice President Pence (@VP) March 4, 2017

Lauren Easton, the APs director of media relations, said the news organization removed the email address when they realized Karen Pence still used the account.

PICTURE CATCHES CLINTON READING NEWSPAPER STORY ABOUT PENCE EMAILS

"AP removed the email address from subsequent stories after learning Mrs. Pence still used the account. The AP stands by its story, which addresses important transparency issues, Easton said in a statement.

On Thursday, attorneys for the vice president turned over 13 boxes of emails from his time as governor, the Indianapolis Star reported.

Pence spokesman Marc Lotter said the emails are from government accounts and from Pence's private email account used for government business. That account was disclosed Thursday.

He also said that Pence's attorneys tried to deliver boxes of emails on Jan. 9, Pence's last day as governor. But there was a "lack of clarity" in state government about what to do with them, Lotter also said.

I am very confident our email practices were in compliance with Indianas laws, Pence told reporters Friday in Wisconsin.

He also there is no comparison whatsoever between his situation and Clintons, considering she mishandled classified information and destroyed emails requested by members of Congress and other officials.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump reportedly got into a heated discussion Friday with his top aides about Attorney General Jeff Sessions decision to recuse himself from any investigation into the Trump presidential campaign.

The meeting took place before Trump left for Florida for the weekend and it included chief of staff Reince Priebus, senior adviser Jared Kushner, Trumps daughter Ivanka, chief strategist Steve Bannon, communications director Mike Dubke and press secretary Sean Spicer, Politico reported Saturday.

The basis of the meeting was reportedly to discuss next weeks schedule, which is expected to include Trumps new executive order on immigration. However, the discussion went from planning to Sessions and that is when the conversation got heated.

Trump wanted to know the logic behind Sessions decision to recuse himself. Trump made it clear that he thought the decision was handled poorly and that Sessions should not have recused himself, sources familiar with the meeting told Politico. The person also said Trump addressed White House counsel Don McGahn, who was also in the room, and expressed his displeasure about the decision.

THE WEEK IN PICTURES

There were fireworks, one person briefed on the meeting told Politico.

Priebus, Bannon and Kushner all expressed their own thoughts during the meeting.

The chief of staff was expected to be with Trump during his excursion to Florida. But one White House official told Politico that Priebus stayed in Washington to work on an ObamaCare replacement and the new executive order.

Bannon was reportedly on the way to Mar-a-Lago Saturday for an EO launch meeting, along with Justice Department officials. That group is expected to meet with Homeland Security officials and Trump.

Sessions announced his decision to recuse himself from any existing or future investigations regarding the 2016 presidential campaign Thursday.

Sessions has repeatedly denied meeting with Russian officials or operatives while a surrogate for then-candidate Donald Trump's campaign. He testified during his confirmation hearing in January that he had no communications with Russia during the campaign, an answer he later said was "honest and correct."

He told Fox News Tucker Carlson that his recusal was "not an admission of any wrongdoing" and said that he had acted "exactly correctly" in the matter.

Click for more from Politico.
The FBI is assisting the investigation into the shooting of a Sikh man in suburban Seattle by a man who allegedly told him to "go back to your own country."

Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said Sunday no arrests have yet been made after 39-year-old Deep Rai was shot in the arm Friday night in Kent, but he did not believe anyone was in imminent danger.

"This is a top priority investigation, and we are doing everything possible to identify and arrest the suspect," Thomas said in an email, adding that the city of about 120,000 should "be vigilant."

Rai told police a man he didn't know came up to him Friday night while Rai was working on his car and they got into an argument, with the suspect telling Rai to go back to his homeland. He described the shooter as 6 feet tall and white with a stocky build, police said. He said the man was wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face.

"It is our belief and our opinion based upon the opinion of my investigators that our victim is absolutely credible and this incident did occur exactly as he described, Chief Thomas told Q13Fox.

India's foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, said she had spoken to Rai's father, who told her Rai is out of danger and recovering in a hospital.

Hira Singh, a Sikh community leader, said there have been increasing complaints recently from Sikhs near Seattle who say they have been the target of foul language or other comments.



"This kind of incident shakes up the whole community," he said, adding that about 50,000 members of the faith live in Washington state.

Friday's shooting comes after an Indian man was killed and another wounded in a recent shooting at a Kansas bar that federal agencies are investigating as a hate crime after witnesses say the suspect yelled "get out of my country."

Sikhs have previously been the target of assaults in the U.S. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the backlash that hit Muslims around the country expanded to include those of the Sikh faith. Men often cover their heads with turbans, which are considered sacred, and refrain from shaving their beards.



In 2012, a man shot and killed six Sikh worshippers and wounded four others at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee before killing himself.

Click for more from Q13Fox.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Heavy rains, flooding and mudslides have trapped two dozen Benedictine monks in a secluded monastery perched on the coastline cliffs in Central California.

Food and fuel are being rationed at New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur as the monks try to make the best of the situation, CBS News reported Saturday.

Were not dying of hunger yet or anything like that, Father Robert Hale said.

Asked whether the monks were afraid, Hale added: "We're not supposed to have fear, but we are human beings."

Their only way out is a vehicle with 4-wheel drive. They must wait for breaks in the weather and construction crews to reopen roads to go on supply runs.

One of the trapped monks is convalescing and in deteriorating health, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday. Another was airlifted out after breaking his hip in a fall.

We are stranded, between broken bridges and broken highways, Father Cyprian Consiglio wrote on Facebook Thursday. Our phones do not work. We have limited fuel and even more limited funds. But we are not broken in spirit; we refuse to leave, to give into these storms, while there is still a chance to remain and repair damages.

The monks support themselves by opening the hermitage to visitors for three-day silent retreats.

On a GoFundMe page the monks say they have been unable to receive guests for nearly two months and canceled all reservations for March.

They are raising money to make up for the shortfall and to fix the road leading to the property.

The online campaign has raised $162,000 so far.
Four boys and a girl, ages 7 to 11, have been arrested after trashing a day care center in Southern California and causing $25,000 worth of damage.

The trail of destruction by the pre-teen vandals shuttered the San Pedro Child Development Center for a week, Fox 11 Los Angles reported Saturday. A Haz-Mat team participated in the clean-up.

The youngsters were arrested and the case turned over to the Juvenile Division of the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office, the station reported.

They did some really serious damage and, unfortunately, we found out that theyre very young assailants which just brings another level of heartbreak to this whole thing, said Julie Huerta, president of the Harbor Area YWCA which runs the day care center. The children served by the center range in age from 6 week to 4 years old.

Authorities werent saying how they found out who the vandals were.

The Torrance Daily Breeze reported that one of the kids may have had a key to the facility. The break-in occured Sunday Feb. 26.

Fox 11 reported that tables were overturned, chairs flipped over, obscenities scrawled on walls and ink toner and dry baby formula thrown everywhere.

Workers had to discard large quantities of toys, diapers, formula, food and other supplies.

Parents scrambled to make other arrangements for 63 preschoolers last week when the day care was closed.

It is expected to reopen Monday.

Click for more from Fox 11 Los Angeles.
The search for a woman who allegedly sprayed several Walmart employees with a mysterious chemical that made them sick.

Police say the woman walked into a Walmart in Fountain around 10p.m. Friday and sprayed a store clerk six other employees with the chemical.

Victims then experienced skin irritation and nausea. Several of those employees were hospitalized.

Employees say the suspect also sprayed herself and an empty shopping cart.

The suspect is described as 40-to-50-years old, up to five-feet seven-inches tall, with light brown to blond hair.

Read more at KDVR.com.
Canada will not tighten security at its border to deter people crossing illegally from the U.S. because the numbers are not big enough to raise concerns, an official said Saturday.

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said the issue has not increased to a point where officials will be required to hamper the flow of goods and people moving across the worlds longest undefended border, Reuters reported.

Many people leaving the U.S. for Canada are doing so because of the political rhetoric of the Trump administration, immigration advocates say.

THE WEEK IN PICTURES

Many cross illegally, braving snow and frigid cold in a dash for asylum. They avoid border checkpoints and the risk of being sent back to the U.S. due to a pact dubbed the "Safe Third Country Agreement." It requires the majority of migrants to apply for refugee protection in the first country of arrival.

"We are concerned and we will deal properly with the extra hundreds," Goodale said at a news conference in Emerson, which is located near the North Dakota border. "But the full border deals with 400,000 people moving in both directions every day. It also handles (more than $1 trillion) in trade every day.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Manitoba said at least 183 people walked across the border in frigid temperatures since Jan. 1. Goodale said the pace has picked up and its largely because of Trumps executive order which temporarily banned visitors from predominantly-Muslim nations and expanded immigration enforcement across the U.S.

"The current accelerated rate started in the first week of February and weve been following this very, very closely, Goodale said.

Canadian and U.S. officials are working on a way to handle the influx of asylum-seekers crossing into Canada illegally, according to Reuters. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly is expected to visit Canada later this month for border security talks.

According to the Canada Border Services Agency, more than 1,400 people have made claims at land border ports of entry in the region since November. That's more than all of 2015.

The inundation is keeping the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and their partners busy, forcing them to add manpower along the border. With warmer temperatures approaching in the coming months, resources may be further stretched.

Click for more from Reuters.
A former British Army officer-turned-rancher was shot and killed by tribal herders in central Kenya, authorities said Sunday.

Simon Kipkeu, the police officer in charge of Laikipia County, told the Associated Press that Tristan Voorspuy was inspecting some of his lodges, which had been torched by the attackers, when he was shot 118 miles north of Nairobi.

Kipkeu said Voorspuy's body was recovered next to his horse and witnesses are being interviewed.

Sky News reported that Voorspuy was a co-owner of the ranch and ran horseback safaris for decades with his wife Cindy.

In a message to Sky News Friday, Cindy Voorspuy said: "Archie, my son, is still in the thick of it trying to keep the peace and protecting his herders' cattle, game and staff ... there will be more troubles to come ... Just worry for Kenya."

Once a tourist paradise and one of the two most important conservation areas in Kenya, the Laikipia region has been a tribal battleground for months.

Several Kenyans have been killed and driven off the land by invaders from the Samburu, Pokot and Masai tribes who are heavily armed and use ammunition made in government factories.

The herders have driven tens of thousands of cattle onto Kenyan and foreign-owned ranches, some of which double as wildlife conservation areas. Gunmen are reported to have massacred elephant, lion, buffalo and all manner of other wildlife.

The militia is suspected of close contacts with members of parliament and government figures. The country's president Uhuru Kenyatta has been criticised for failing to intervene ahead of elections in August

Kenya has declared its drought a national disaster and the U.N. humanitarian chief has appealed for assistance for the herders.

Click for more from SkyNews.


Grieving family members of passengers on board missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 said Saturday they will raise funds to resume the hunt for the aircraft.

The Boeing 777 with 239 people on board vanished on March 8, 2014, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, and no one has been able to say what happened to the aircraft, despite a massive $160 million deep-sea sonar search in the Indian Ocean, the largest in aviation history.

What happened to the flight should not go down in history books as a mystery, said Jacquita Gomes, whose husband was a flight attendant on MH370, according to Sky News.

Gomes and other family members are hoping to raise $15 million to fund an initial search north of the previous search area, Reuters reports. They announced the fundraising campaign in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

MH370 SEARCH CREWS RETURN TO PORT AFTER FRUITLESS HUNT ENDS

Australia, Malaysia and China jointly called off the search operation in January.

"We won't start fundraising until we're sure that the governments are not going to resume the search and until the current data has been fully reviewed and analyzed," Grace Nathan, a Malaysian lawyer whose mother, Anne Daisy, was on the plane, said, according to Reuters.

In July 2015 part of the airplane's wing was found on Reunion Island, Sky News reported. So far more than 20 objects either confirmed or believed to be from the jet have washed ashore on beaches in Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa and Madagascar.

Most of the debris has been turned over to French and Australian authorities.

Jiang Hui, whose mother was on the plane, discovered a piece of potential MH370 debris in Madagascar last year.

I thought it was very miraculous and fortunate when I found the piece of debris that day, but I thought it was useless because this sort of searching activity should have been done by the government, she said, according to Sky News.

AF447 SEARCHER RECALLS PAIN OF FAILURE AS MH370 HUNT ENDS

"It should not be us, the family members, who should have been subjected to this pain, to go and face this cruel reality."

A number of theories abound as to the plane's fate, including a fire on board, hijacking or terror plot, rogue pilot action and mechanical or structural failure, Sky News reports.

A final report on the plane's disappearance will be released this year.
As President Trump begins to lay out his policies for the Middle East, he will find a region in chaos -- and impossible choices ahead.

But in an exclusive interview with Fox News, the former vice president of Iraq, Ayad Allawi, said he looks forward optimistically to the president's policies, as he looks back sadly at former President Barack Obamas errors.

Speaking at his home in central Baghdad for the first time since Trump's election, Allawi is now able to open up about Obama's major mistakes, which critics say brought Iraq into turmoil and which Trump will need to address.

America has lost a lot of potential friends here in the region.  and this is something that the new administration has to address.

Obamas principal error, says Allawi, was his disengagement from a country and a region which desperately needed U.S. support. At a time when Iraq couldnt stand on its own, Obama left -- leaving a vacuum for Iran to fill. Irans new influence, he says, is behind much of the bloodshed.

When our American friends left Iraq in 2011 they never laid down the issues that would strengthen the Iraqis to face the challenges ahead -- their sudden withdrawal in 2011 without the necessary preparation left us many problems to face.

Allawi, who also served as interim prime minister in 2014-2015, was very clear about Irans impact.

Its leading to bloodshed, to catastrophes and to wars around the Middle East.It has been a destabilizing factor. Its destabilizing Iraq, its destabilizing Syria  its destabilizing other areas.

This Iranian influence, he said, could be traced firmly back to Obama. In 2010, Allawi won the elections in Iraq, winning the seats, but was pressured by the Obama administration to back down -- in a direct interference with the political system.

Biden came several times here; in fact, he used to come once a week to convince me to withdraw my interest and I told him we are not interested in withdrawing.

Eventually Obama got his way, and Iranian-backed Nouri Maliki stepped in. This is the moment Allawi sees as a turning point for Iraq Today large parts of the army are under Iranian control (via their support for Shia militias) and many state institutions also answer to Iran.

Today another country is also moving into the region  Russia. But Allawi believes Russian President Vladimir Putin can and should be worked with to defeat ISIS.

I dont think we should look at competition here between the U.S. and Russia, but rather as supplementing each other, and this is what I look forward to -- what the new administration will do.

Allawi also doesnt believe the battle against ISIS is the final one.

I can see a lot of problems that will emerge after ISIS is defeated because I always say that not only is the military victory against ISIS enough, it needs to be supported by political gains."

Allawi says he hopes to unite Iraq -- Sunni, Shia and Kurdish -- but acknowledges it wont be easy -- Iraq is engulfed in sectarianism -- and many in the region, not least Iran, thrive on division.

He also hoped for U.S. support moving forward.

We dont want to see more American power here, we dont want to see more American troops here, we dont want to see more Americans being killed here in this country. But we need the political leverage of the U.S. to help Iraq and to develop Iraq."
American cyberwarriors are trying to sabotage North Koreas missile program  but analysts argue over whether the effort has had real results, a New York Times investigation found.

Soon after ex-President Obama ordered the secret program three years ago, North Korean missiles began exploding, veering off course or crashing into the sea, the newspaper said Saturday.

By most accounts, the North Korean missile failures were caused by US sabotage, the Times says. But its also likely many of the missile failures resulted from North Korean incompetence.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un may have been rattled by the US cyber effort. Last fall, he was widely reported to have ordered an investigation into whether the US was sabotaging his countrys missiles.

Kim has said his country is in the final stage or preparations of launching an intercontinental missile that could reach much of the world. It might be a bluff  or it might not.

Obama reportedly ordered the cyber sabotage in early 2014 after deciding that 60 years of US efforts to figure out how to shoot down incoming missiles had not yielded a system that would reliably defend against a missile attack.

Obamas effort is now left to President Trump and his administration. According to a senior administration official, the White House is looking at pre-emptive military strike options, the Times said.

Its also possible the US will move tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea. The weapons were withdrawn about 25 years ago.

Click for more from the New York Post.
When learning of the black women mathematicians who helped the United States win the space race, a tale told in Margot Lee Shetterlys book Hidden Figures, many people have expressed a sense of discovery and joy.

But they also speak of a feeling of loss.

I even met John Glenn with my Girl Scout troop. But I never heard anything about those ladies, and I wanted to know why. Because I was very disappointed, and I was hurt about this, Daisy Howard Douglas, a Westmoreland resident, told Shetterly Saturday as the author took questions after a talk hosted by the Central Rappahannock Regional Library and the University of Mary Washington.

More than 1,000 people turned out, packing Dodd Auditorium. Even after some were allowed to stand and line the walls, people had to be turned away.

Though Shetterly is never sure exactly how many books she signs, she said, she thinks she may have set a record Saturday, possibly signing more than 500 copies.

Riverby Books in Fredericksburg sold its last copy of Hidden Figures Saturday morning, staff said, and Barnes & Noble staff said they had only paperbacks left Saturday afternoon. The 100 copies at the event were sold out almost half an hour before the program started.

Douglas, who decided to wear Senegalese regalia to Saturdays talk, wanted to know why the story wasnt told sooner.

I pride myself on knowing my history. How did that get by me? she said.

During her talk, and again in an interview afterward, Shetterly said that that is the most common question she gets.

I think it is so frequent that I get the question, Why didnt I know this story before, and its followed with that feeling of loss, or anger, Shetterly said. I understand that, because these are the kinds of stories that change your life. You see people doing these amazing things, you internalize it, you normalize it, and it completely changes your inner landscape of what you think is possible.

She continued, And then if you are somebody who grew up without that, and you confront it at a later time, you say, Well geez, what if I had known this growing up? What might I have done if I had imagined it possible? 

So why wasnt the story told before?

Shetterly herself has always known it, remembering Katherine Johnson clearly from events for Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first black womens sorority, to which Shetterlys mother belonged.

There was no cognitive dissonance for me when I heard the words black, female, and scientist and realized that they applied to one person, she said.

In a way, Shetterly said, one reason the story languished for years is the same reason it is such a powerful tale.

The hundreds of segregation-era college-educated black women who helped humankind calculate its way to the moonhired partly because of a push for civil rights, and partly because their labor came cheapwere so remarkable partly because what they were doing was so ordinary: They were just going to work.

Not everyone who was working for the civil rights movement was working in the civil rights movement, she said in response to a man who asked whether there was a message of performance over protest.

They took absolutely every opportunity to exceed expectations, she said.

None of the women were in the position of being the first, or the only, black woman at NASA. They faced barriers, and their persistence took couragebut their jobs were just one part of their lives, Shetterly said.

I think these women are not just role models. Theyre a roadmap, she said after her talk. The women who really rose to the top, one thing they had in common is they did not take no for an answer. Katherine Johnson was told no over and over and over again, that she could not be in the editorial meetings where the research was being done, and she wore them down, like water on a stone, until they let her in.
AMHERSTImagine spinning around and around and around in an office chair and then suddenly standing up.

Most people would feel dizzy and unsteady. But not 8-year-old Emmeline Harris.

Emmeline doesnt have semicircular canals in her inner ear. So what gives most people balance and tells them when they are upright, she doesnt have.

Emmeline spins endlessly on a chair in the living room in her home, located on the Sweet Briar College campus.

Just watching this makes her mother, Megan Harris, feel sick to her stomach.

Emmeline eventually stands up and walks away in a straight line.

We used to do it as a party trick, Harris said. She would just walk away like it was no big deal.

Emmeline was born with a rare genetic disorder called Charge syndrome, which causes a wide range of challenges such as heart defects, airway abnormalities, feeding issues and obsessive compulsive disorder, as well as sensory and balance issues and loss of hearing.

Charge syndrome is so rare1 in every 8,000 to 10,000 births, according to The Charge Syndrome Foundationthat it was difficult for doctors to link Emmelines symptoms to the disorder, making the first year of her life, especially, extremely frustrating.

To date, Emmeline has had 14 surgeries, countless procedures requiring sedation and nearly every type of therapy.

Emmeline has a severe articulation disorder. She loves to talk but becomes frustrated when her family and friends cant understand her, which in turn makes it more difficult to decipher what she is saying, her mother said.

Her most prominent challenges now are balance, OCD and hearing loss. Thanks to a cochlear implant in her left ear, she can hear sounds and voices but in a robotic tone. Eventually, her mother said, she will be 100 percent deaf without the implant.

Harris and her husband, Josh, moved to Amherst three years ago. He is an assistant professor of music at Sweet Briar College, and she works in the student library.

They live in a ranch-style home with no stairswhich are a challenge for Emmeline because of balance issues.

Megan Harris said she holds Emmelines hand and carries her a lot.

Sheri Stanger, director of outreach for the Charge Syndrome Foundation, said people can be quick to make judgments about the intellectual capabilities of those diagnosed with the syndrome, but many of them are very bright and quick to adapt.

They can make things work for themselves, she said. Its amazing how clever they can be.

A FREE SPIRIT

Emmeline has a free spirit. She is goofy, silly and full of sass. Though she is different, she embraces it with fierceness, and her friends are by her side, literally, to help her adapt.

Balance is tough, Megan Harris said. Hiking is hard. She balances completely visually and goes by how her feet feel on the ground.

She said there are moments when Emmeline tries to interact with her peers and play tag with them, but she is always at a disadvantage.

The girls will slow down and take turns holding her hand; they are the sweetest things in the world, she said, referring to classmates at Amherst Elementary School, where Emmeline is in the second grade.

They are being very sweet and understanding with her. Like playing tag and watching all of the other little girls walk while Emmeline runs so she can catch them. Its so sweet yet heartbreaking at the same time.

All children love snow, but it is a really big deal for Emmeline, as she can run and play outside with no fear of getting hurt because of falling.

The worst of this is trying to explain to her daughter when she asks, Why do I fall down all the time?

She is very resilient to try and figure out how to make things work, Megan Harris said. She can adapt.

As her parents are talking about her challenges, Emmeline becomes determined to prove the two wrong by practicing balancing on one leg, giggling the entire time.

Sometimes Emmeline becomes so overstimulated she has meltdowns, Josh Harris said, and it causes her to have difficulty transitioning from one activity to the next.

She is processing so much, and she gets tired, Megan Harris said. She is oversensitive to everything, but her senses are dulled, and she has to work harder to focus, and everything is a little too much.

Stanger, a parent of a 23-year-old daughter with Charge, said it is essential for parents to get their kids involved in the community as much as possible.

The social piece is critical, she said. They may not know how to be social, some deal with anxiety and OCD, behavioral challenges, and most of that stems from sensory issues and communication issues and not being understood.

The more we can get our kids out there and involved in the community, the better the outcome will be.

One of the biggest challenges, Stanger said, is communication. Because Charge kids have vision and hearing loss as well as balance issues and delays in development, some will speak, some will sign and others use a communication device.

When theyre younger, its easier in terms of acceptance, but as they get older, it does become more of a challenge to stay connected to peers, she said.

RAISING FUNDS

In November, the family was approved for a service dog at a cost of $17,000. If that is raised, the family either will receive a golden retriever or Labradoodle from 4 Paws for Ability in Xenia, Ohio. The dogs can be trained to help manage behaviors by calming tantrums, disrupting stimming behaviors, alerting to dangers and giving mobility support.

The family posted to Facebook what they were trying to achieve and were overwhelmed to find they had raised $5,000 in one day. They have raised at least $14,700, with donations flowing in from people they didnt know.

Its been really overwhelming, Josh Harris said. We have been blown away. We are so grateful and thankful for this response.
TODAY is the 100th anniversary of President Woodrow Wilsons second inaugural address, which foretold of the United States coming entrance into World War I.

In this important speech, a month before the United States declared war, President Wilson described his understanding of a just and proper foreign policy and Americas role in relationship to the rest of the world. America still hoped for peace, but was prepared for war. Born in Staunton, Wilson is the last of eight Virginia natives to become president.

The quiz, from the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University in Ohio, provides an opportunity for you to test your knowledge of Woodrow Wilson, his second inaugural address and Americas reason for going to war.

1. What was Woodrow Wilsons given first name?

A. Woodrow

B. Charles

C. Thomas

D. Walter

2. What was Wilsons famous campaign slogan during the 1916 presidential election?

A. He kept us out of war

B. Let us have peace

C. New Freedom

D. New Nationalism

3. Shortly before Wilsons inauguration, what event helped generate immense public support for U.S. entry into World War I?

A. XYZ Affair

B. Sinking of the battleship Maine

C. Zimmermann Telegram

D. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

4. Why did Wilsons inauguration take place in March, instead of January?

A. A disputed election delayed the final results.

B. Bad weather delayed the inauguration.

C. Wilson was recovering from a stroke.

D. The 20th Amendment didnt exist yet.

5. Wilson used his second inaugural address to urge Americans to adopt what policy in regard to the war in Europe?

A. Armed Neutrality

B. Strict Neutrality

C. Neutral Intervention

D. Neutral in thought and action

6. According to Wilsons second inaugural address, which of the following is NOT listed as an American principle?

A. That all nations are equally interested in the peace of the world.

B. That peace cannot securely or justly rest upon an armed balance of power.

C. That governments derive all their just powers from the consent of the governed.

D. That all men are endowed with certain natural rights.

7. Less than a month after his inauguration, Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany, famously saying: The world must be made safe for __________.

A. Mankind

B. All Time

C. Justice

D. Democracy

8. At Wilsons urging, what international peacekeeping organization was created in the immediate aftermath of World War I?

A. League of Nations

B. Geneva Conventions

C. NATO

D. United Nations

9. From 1902 to 1910, Wilson served as president of which academic institution?

A. Harvard

B. Princeton

C. Yale

D. Columbia

10. To this day, Wilson is the only U.S. president with a Ph.D. What was his field of study?

A. Religion

B. Political Science

C. Literature

D. History

Answers: 1-C, 2-A, 3-C, 4-D, 5-A, 6-D, 7-D, 8-A, 9-B, 10-B.

Jason Stevens is a visiting assistant professor of history and political science and an adviser for the Ashbrook Centers Master of Arts in American History and Government program at Ashland University. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.
HEALTH insurance in the United States is a mess, in large part because there are so many different plans.

There are 50 separate state systems, plus D.C., and there are programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, Obamacare, health savings accounts, tax incentives for businesses, free and community clinics.

There is no better description than a car with 13 wheels, and the health-insurance system sure works like one. Just ask most patients, doctors and hospitals.

There are competing views on how to fix the system.

On one side are the free-marketers: Here the government gives the various health-insurance companies free reign to compete for your health-care dollar. The thinking here is that if no longer stifled by regulations (that tend to put the needs of the patient first), the marketplace can now succeed where before it was distorted by those regulations. The pharmaceutical industry, by the way, is a good example of how the free market plays out to the benefit of the industry and the detriment of the patient.

Stressing that it is the patients responsibility to look after their own health, the free marketers view holds that it is likewise the patients responsibility to wade through the thicket of fine-print proposals of the many and varied health-insurance plans the free market would spawn so they can make the best choice for their personal situation.

What if we have large deductibles and a free-market system? If your income is large enough, you might have the advantage of a health savings account. Otherwise, you are paying out of pocket.

Under this system, youll need to shop carefully to get the best bang for your health-care buck. More wading through the thicket of providers to find out who is the best at the best price.

Good luck with that.

The problem is that buying health care is not the same as buying a dishwasher. Any consumer organization can help with the purchase of a kitchen appliance, but finding the right medical provider for you is a whole other kettle of fish.

When people are ill, or think they are, they will look for the best care available and worry about the price later. People dont want to shop around for the best price when theyve just sliced their finger chopping that onion, or when that headache becomes unbearable.

So lets consider the best option here.

Single-Payer System

A single-payer system is where Uncle Sam pays the bills for your medical care.

It already existsfor seniors.

Its Medicare, and seniors love it.

A single-payer system is that car with just the four wheels it needs.

Moving from a complicated system with multiple insurance components to a single payer has certain advantages it:

 Is way less complicated for patients.

 Is way less complicated for providers.

 Is more efficient, especially for billing.

 Will control costs better.

 Will cover every citizen.

Many in Congress, with their insistence on repeal and replacement of Obamacare, are liable to make a very complex system much more complicated. And the fear is that millions of Americans could lose their health insurance or wind up with an inferior, more costly plan.

The effort to repeal is ironic in view of the fact that Obamacare was originally the brainchild of the conservative Heritage Foundation back in the 1990s as an alternative to HillaryCare. The premise was that everyone should get health care, and have to pay for it, with the government mandating that payment by requiring the purchase of health insurance.

Our politicians are neither heartless nor indifferent to the needs of us citizens and our patients. They can prove it by switching to a health-insurance system that is easier, cheaper, covers every citizen, and is already beloved by seniors.

And they can do it now. The power is in their hands.

Jay Brock, M.D., was assistant professor of family medicine at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, before moving to Fredericksburg, where he had a solo practice for more than three decades.

Deborah M. Brock received a doctorate in public policy and administration from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she was acting director of the Wilder School.

Donald Bley, M.D., practiced family medicine at the Pratt Clinic for many years, after which he was site director of the Community Health Care Center of the Rappahannock Region.

Patrick Neustatter, M.D., is a retired family physician, who practiced for 24 years at Pratt Medical Center in North Stafford. He is a regular columnist for The Free LanceStar, and medical director of the Moss Free Clinic.

Wayland Marks, M.D., FACP, has practiced internal medicine and geriatrics here since 1981.
PLANS ARE already well in the works to mark the 400th anniversary of the Aug. 20, 1619, arrivalin Virginiaof the first Africans in the British colonies. It was a pivotal episode in American history that set the stage for what became the abhorrent institution of slavery.

Legislators in Richmond are looking at a commemoration of the event in conjunction with the quadricentennial of the lawmaking body that became the House of Burgesses, which was the forerunner of the Virginia General Assembly. Together, they are described as the oldest continuous law-making body in the New World.

But the arrival of those first Africans truly had national implications that would unfold for centuries to come. Lawmakers in Washington, including Virginias U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, have reintroduced the 400 Years of AfricanAmerican History Act. The legislation was first introduced a year ago in the House by Virginia Reps. Bobby Scott and Don Beyer. Its intent is to establish a commission to arrange nationwide programs and activities while recognizing the arrival, contributions and influence of AfricanAmericans.

The idea in both Virginia and Washington is to convey, definitively, the story of the New Worlds first Africans, from the inception, evolution and abolition of slavery, to racial discrimination and Jim Crow, to the civil rights movement and AfricanAmericans vital influence on the direction of our nation throughout its history.

We feel confident that by the time 2019 arrives, a factually correct story can be told. Today, depending on the source, one finds that either 20 or 50 Africans were aboard that first ship, and that it was either the Portuguese vessel San Juan Bautista, or a Dutch man-o-war.

A version attributed to scholars suggests that the Dutchmen pirated the Africans from the Portuguese ship during a high-seas skirmish and brought them to Jamestown, where they were traded for food.

Still another scenario, this one according to the National Park Service, which gives it some weight, indicates the Africans were taken from the San Juan Bautista by the crew of a British warship, the White Lion, which then brought them to Jamestown.

In any event, those first Africans were apparently placed in indentured servitude since slavery had not yet been introduced. Poor white Europeans also came to the New Worldby their own choiceas indentured servants, meaning they had agreed to work for a specified amount of time in return for their transport.

The enslavement of Africans grew as indentured servitude diminished. Its said that the white indentured servants eventually decided that the menial labor they were forced to endure was beneath them, leaving that work for the growing population of black slaves who were owned and traded as property.

This page of early American history and the ensuing AfricanAmerican experience in the United States presents information that is vital to understanding of our nations development generally.

Doing this right is a significant undertaking. We hope that state and federal officials work cooperatively when necessary to create a commemoration that provides a genuine account of a difficult and heartrending American story.
Nation must deal with illegal immigration

I want to address the question concerning immigrants living in this country on a legal basis or on an illegal basis.

My maternal grandparents came to this country from Ukraine around 1910, through Ellis Island, the legal gateway to America, to start their new lives. They came in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty through the appropriate legal immigration channelsnot over a fence, not smuggled in a small boat, not swimming across a river, not paying thousands of dollars to be hidden under blankets or in trunks of cars.

The point is simple. Some 10 million to 12 million people are living here illegally, and most have been for years. They are hiding under the radar, are paid under the table, take the jobs of legal immigrants with green cards and work-permits and so much more.

Employers throughout the country have encouraged illegal status to take advantage of these people.

Sure, those here illegally are scared; sure, they are worried about deportation. They have only themselves to blame. If they had taken the appropriate steps, most of them would probably be permanent residents or citizens.

Employers should be heavily fined if caught employing illegal people.

Maybe another amnesty, like President Reagan initiated, is one answer.

Immigration problems have been discussed for decades. Action is happening. Legal immigrants have worked too hard to have jobs, housing, benefits and so much more taken away as others disregard our laws, which are on the books to protect all legal American citizens. We should expect no less from Washington. Follow the laws and live free of fear here.

Robert Miller

Fredericksburg
Voter tries out online town hall meetings

I enjoy hearing congressional representatives in person. However, I have decided to stay home and listen to their Facebook town hall meetings for now.

There are two reasons for my decision.

First, recent coverage of 7th District Rep. Dave Brats town hall in Notto-way County revealed that a raucous assembly of demonstrators prevented him from a legitimate exchange with his constituents.

I get ityoure mad, you hate Donald Trump, you adore the ACA and are convinced the federal governments attempts to salvage this failing program are doomed. However, many in the audience did not come to hear your boisterous boos but actually wanted to hear from Rep. Brat.

Second, after seeing the rage expressed at this and other town halls, I am concerned for my safety. If I run afoul of these bullies, will I end up in the crosshairs of a growing wave of hatred? So sign me up for Facebook town halls for now. I need to be informed, and mainstream medias skewed news doesnt do that very thoroughly.

My congressman may not be afraid for his safety, but I am.

Kenyne Killham

Bumpass
Wittman puts district at risk by repealing ACA

I have two questions for our absent representative, Rob Wittman: Where are you? Why do you want to bankrupt our local hospitals?

Congress recessed on Feb. 17; many members went back home to meet with constituents. Not Wittman. He was nowhere to be foundno town hall meetings, no public appearances. He does have time to meet privately with donors, but no time for the people he is supposed to serve.

Of course, he is not alone in hiding from his constituents: Of 238 Republicans in the House, only 19 held town halls while the rest are too cowardly to meet publicly with their constituents.

Of 193 Democratic representatives, an estimated 120 held public town halls.

Wittman has issued press releases telling us how the Affordable Care Act must be repealed. He continues to spread tales about mythical failures of the ACA. In fact, the ACA cut in half the annual increase in medical insurance premiums; reduced the rate of hospital re-admissions; and reduced the rate of uninsured to an all-time low of 9.1 percent.

If the ACA is repealed, between 20,000 and 32,000 people in Wittmans 1st Congressional District will lose the health insurance they were able to afford because of the ACA.

Where will they go for medical care? They will go where they did beforeto the emergency rooms, where hospitals will have to cover the cost of treating uninsured, thereby driving up the cost of everyone elses insurance while cutting into hospitals already-slim profit margins.

Maybe Wittman will not show his face in public because hes afraid of the tens of thousands of people who will suffer because of him.

Joe Schlatter

Heathsville
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WHATS UP The Cherokee County Literacy Association is having a hot dog sale fundraiser on November 12 at 11:00 a.m.2:00 p.m. in the office parking lot at 409 Buford Street. Plates for...

Blacksburg town employees to get bonus of $175 Blacksburg town employees were rewarded for their work Tuesday with a little extra in their holiday bonuses. Blacksburg Town Council unanimously agreed to give most full-time and part-time employees an...

In this region, no one fights alone Traditional rivals Landrum and Liberty presented a $4,700 check at Fridays Blacksburg game from a competitive fundraiser to celebrate Pink Out Week. Students competed to see which school could raise...

Pet Obituary Cameo CamiWard 7/27/2004  10/29/2022

Cameo chose her forever family by walking into their yard June 2006. She loved her cat proof backyard, window and screen porch. Cameo for many years played hide and go...
Legend of Zelda: Breath of Wild is a vast open world game, this quest Link has to free 4 beasts that are around the map. Now you can approach the way you want. The four beasts and their location are Vah Ruta at Zora Domain, Va Rudania at Death Mountain, Vah Medoh at Hebra Mountain and Vah Naboris at Gerudo Desert.

Main Quest: Free the Divine Beast:

Following the different location, there is a short guide below for each beast location and the way to defeat them. Remember there is a huge path to cover, you can also get plateau in between that will help you to extract the region map. It is necessary to meet the elder of each region for the new quest.

Reaching Zora Domain:

For starting the quest at Zora Domain you can start from Kakariko Village. Take north and cross the town Taloh Naeg Shrine. Then further you will find Lanayru Tower. For the river use the paraglider to cross it. There will be enemies in the path, you need to fight them out for moving ahead. Use a scope to have great view of the area. Ahead after reaching the place, you will meet Gruve, he was sent by Prince Sidon. Gruve will give you the location of Prince Sidon that will trigger the quest.

Reaching Getting to Goron City:

This one is located on the north side of Lanayri Tower, you can see that through the map. There are ample of enemies in the path, so you need to check before you are moving ahead. You can also locate a Goron Merchant and shrine quest that will reward you Fireproof Exilirs. This will be needed when you are heading toward Death Mountain. If you are not able to locate path, you can go above Eldin Tower that will help to look a bigger area.

Reaching Rito Village:

For this one take the west of Central Hyrule. You will need to pass Satori Mountain, and cross Jeddo Bridge ahead. Later move west to the Ridgeland Tower and keep moving ahead until you find Tabantha Bridge. Head towards Tabantha Tower. You can climb for a better visual and later move toward Lake Totori. You will find the Rito Village on the left side.

Reaching Gerudo Village:

The Gerudo territory is in the desert area on the west of Great Plateau. It is easy to locate, you have take the path around canyon and you will be able to see Gerudo Canyon Stable. A good landmark is Kay Noh Shrine. On the south go toward the hill and climb up and look for Wasteland Tower. You can climb the tower or just move toward the Kara Kara Bazaar to get info about the Gerudo Town. You have to take a girls outfit to enter it.

This was the end of Legend of Zelda: Breath of Wild Walkthrough Part 4. You can also refer to our Legend of Zelda: Breath of Wild Wiki Guide for more tips and tricks or continues with Legend of Zelda: Breath of Wild Walkthrough Part 5 Defeat Vah Ruta and Vah Rudania.
WARWICK  A mother and four children died in a severe fire early Saturday morning that destroyed their single-family home at 405 Richmond Road.

Authorities said Saturday afternoon that the father and one child of the household escaped, but declined to name any of the family members yet.

At around 12:45 a.m., emergency responders were called to the scene of the three-alarm fire. The first responders arrived within minutes. According to Town Coordinator David Young, at least 16 departments provided assistance throughout the night.

During a press conference at Warwick Town Hall Saturday afternoon, Fire Chief Ron Gates said that initial reports led responders to believe all occupants were out of the house. Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey added that early reports had the fire as having started in the kitchens wood stove, though the origin of the fire hasnt been confirmed.

This is a fire that started from an accidental cause, Ostroskey said.

Gates said that when responders arrived, the house was fully engulfed in flames and two occupants were running down the driveway. The homes windows were already blown out, and the roof was caving in.

At that point, we heard there were more occupants in the house, Gates continued.

While the two occupants who escaped  a father and one child  were transported to the hospital in Keene, N.H. with minor injuries, firefighters tried to control the blaze. They drafted water from Richmond Reservoir, a pond about one-third of a mile away, according to Police Chief David Shoemaker. Warwick has only one fire hydrant, so firefighting proved difficult.

Firefighting water was one of the first challenges the firefighters faced, as well as bitter conditions, Ostroskey said. Gates added that at one point, the firefighters were working in -5 degree weather.

Gates said firefighters didnt have a chance to knock it down.

Ostroskey said five individuals werent able to get out of the house. Their bodies were located, and were transported by the Chief Medical Examiner.

There was nothing we could have done different, unfortunately, said Gates, who grew visibly choked up during the press conference. Other Warwick residents in attendance also grew teary-eyed as the story was told.

Though identities have not been released yet, the news of the fire has shocked Warwick residents.

Its horrific, Warwick resident John Bradford said. Its not something thats easy to wrap your head around.

Our community has suffered a great loss of life, a blow to our spirit that were only beginning to recognize, Young said during the press conference. Its a devastating loss. Well miss them, and well support the survivors.

Some of the children were Warwick Community School students, one attended Pioneer Valley Regional School, and at least one was home schooled, Young said of the four children who perished. He described their mother and father as being very active in town government, and described all the family members as generous, talented and smart.

Young said townspeople have already reached out to provide support for the survivors, offering places to stay. Young and Warwick Community School Principal Elizabeth Musgraves decided to open the school for a few hours tomorrow for teachers, students, parents and other community members to come together and mourn.

Young said he cant remember a tragedy to this magnitude happening in Warwick in his decades living there. Gates added that the incident has been tough on the firefighters too, but both Gates and Young noted how the community has come together during a difficult time.

The way we come together to mourn our loss is uplifting, Young said.

We just always help each other out, Gates said. Our whole town is tremendous that way.

Gates said he may have another fire department cover for Warwick overnight, but said he knows if a tone went out right now, his 12 volunteer firefighters would answer the call.

As for the house, Young described it as a total loss.

Theres not much left of the structure at all, he said.

When reporters were first allowed on scene shortly after 3 p.m., they found only charred rubble and several burnt vehicles. The wood stove was one of the few recognizable structures left in the house.

A white and black wooden sign at the end of the long driveway read The Old Whittemore Farm.

The investigation into the origin and cause of the fire is being jointly conducted by the Warwick fire and police departments and state police assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Office of the Northwestern District Attorney and Code Compliance Office in the Department of Fire Services.

When contacted Saturday evening, Mary Carey, spokeswoman for the Northwestern District Attorneys Office, said the family members identities would be released Sunday at the earliest.
Ann Staley, writer and poet, will review "The Born Frees: Writing With the Girls of Gugulethu" by Kimberly Burge at noon on March 8 at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library as part of the Random Review program.

Born Frees are the first generation to grow up in post-apartheid South Africa. Journalist Burge spent a year in South Africa hosting a creative writing club for young women in the township of Gugulethu, near Cape Town, a town with a troubled history. The group provided a safe space for local girls to meet without fear of judgment, and gave them a creative outlet that allowed them to share issues that mattered to them the most.

Through their writing, readers learn what life is like for many young women in the country and are given a look at their hopes and dreams.

Staley knew she wanted to become a teacher in second grade, when she was inspired by her favorite teacher, Mrs. Winifred Kitchen, who had traveled the world after the second world war, and read to her students for an hour a day from the New York Times bestseller list.

Ann taught high school language arts and creative writing in five public school districts in Oregon, the final one, Philomath High School. She also taught in two community colleges, two public universities, and two private colleges in Oregon. She has published three collections of poetry, the most recent, "Afternoon Sky, Harney Desert," in February 2017. For more about Staley, see her profile on her website, annstaleywriter.com.

Up next: Next month's program, on April 12, will feature "Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel" by Carl Safina. The book will be reviewed by Frank Moore.
bohlah at 5-03-2017 07:13 AM (5 years ago) (m)

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) ransacked the residence of the founder of the Jonathan/Sambo Youth Support Movement (JYSM) also known as Jonathan Youth Vanguard, Mr. George Turnah, carting away several documents before leaving.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) ransacked the residence of the founder of the Jonathan/Sambo Youth Support Movement (JYSM) also known as Jonathan Youth Vanguard, Mr. George Turnah, carting away several documents before leaving.



The country home of Turner, situated in Kolo town, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, a few minutes drive from the former Presidents Otuoke abode, was raided by the officials of the anti-graft agency who were in search of incriminating evidence against the 33-year-old businessman and politician.



However, Turnah, who bagged a Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) award in 2011 during the erstwhile Jonathan administration, was said to have escaped just minutes before the security operatives arrived.



It wasnt particularly clear for what reason the EFCC was after the man popularly known as the godson to Goodluck Jonathan but he was said to have handled several contracts for the Jonathan government and as a former Special Assistant to two former Managing Directors of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).















The country home of Turner, situated in Kolo town, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, a few minutes drive from the former Presidents Otuoke abode, was raided by the officials of the anti-graft agency who were in search of incriminating evidence against the 33-year-old businessman and politician.However, Turnah, who bagged a Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) award in 2011 during the erstwhile Jonathan administration, was said to have escaped just minutes before the security operatives arrived.It wasnt particularly clear for what reason the EFCC was after the man popularly known as the godson to Goodluck Jonathan but he was said to have handled several contracts for the Jonathan government and as a former Special Assistant to two former Managing Directors of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Post Reply I have been reporting on latest news from Nigeria for almost 10 years now. I report on every possible news area I come across, but always ensure my reports are compiled with dignity and fact to uphold my personal values and duty as a journalist Posted: at 5-03-2017 07:13 AM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero
Pakistan Plans to Play Terror Card by Prosecuting Alleged Indian Spy

Sputnik News

09:12 04.03.2017

Pakistan detains Indian citizen which it claimed was Indian RAW agent arrested in Balochistan last year.

NEW DELHI (Sputnik)  Denying the chances of extradition, Pakistan has detained an alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav and will initiate prosecution process shortly.

Sartaj Aziz, the Adviser to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Foreign Affairs, informed the Pakistani Senate that government is not considering any option to hand over Kulbhushan Jadhav to India. Pakistan claimed that Jadhav was arrested in Balochistan after entering the country from Iran while India maintained that he was an Indian Navy officer.

"We have prepared an FIR and a case to prosecute the Indian state actor for (his) involvement in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," said Aziz, as quoted by Dawn.

Pakistan has also shared with the UN Secretary General a dossier that includes details of Kulbhushan Jadhav and his activities. Aziz said Pakistan could share the dossier with other countries too.

"Even after more than nine months of keeping him wrongfully and illegally in custody, the Pakistani authorities have not found a shred of evidence against him," the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in December.

Jadhav was arrested by a Pakistani official last year when he was allegedly in possession of an Indian passport in the name of Mubarak Hussein Patel. Jadhav's family members had met Indian government officials a few times and informed that he had quit the Indian Navy and was running a small cargo transport business, ferrying cargo between two Iranian ports, and had an Iranian visa valid up to June 2016.

 Sputnik

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Military Strikes Continue Against ISIS Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, March 4, 2017  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of 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

Coalition military forces conducted seven strikes consisting of seven engagements in Syria:

-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed a gas oil separation plant.

-- Near Raqqah, five strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed four fighting positions, a vehicle bomb factory and a vehicle bomb staging area.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, a strike damaged a bridge.

Strikes in Iraq

Coalition military forces conducted four strikes consisting of 62 engagements in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:

-- Near Qaim, a strike destroyed an improvised weapons factory.

-- Near Mosul, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and an ISIS staging area; destroyed 21 mortar systems, 13 fighting positions, five heavy machine guns, four medium machine guns and an ISIS headquarters; and damaged five supply routes.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said.

The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and some ground-based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets, officials noted.

Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike, they added. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect. For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said.

The task force does 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.

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'Afghan airstrike' kills 8 civilians, injures 22 in Farah province

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 4, 2017 9:50AM

At least eight Afghan civilians, including four children, have been killed and 22 more injured in a suspected airstrike in the Bala Boluk district of western Farah Province.

Families of the victims said the civilians were hit by an airstrike on Saturday, contradicting a report by the provincial governor spokesman Mohammad Naser Mehri, who said the casualties were the result of a roadside bomb explosion.

Authorities of a local hospital also said those wounded in the incident were taken there for medical treatment, noting that three of them are in critical condition.

Local Tolo news outlet further cited relatives of the victims as saying that all those killed and injured in the attack were civilians  most of the women and children.

According to the report, two army helicopters bombed a "convoy of civilians" as they were evacuating the area due to an ongoing military operation that recently began against militants in parts of the district.

The convoy was reportedly en route from a village in Bala Boluk to a safer place in the violence-hit district when it came under attack.

An official in the Farah Provincial Council was also confirmed the air raid and the number of the casualties, while Defense Ministry spokesman General Dawlat Warizi said an investigation is underway into the incident.

Afghanistan is grappling with insecurity since the 2001 US-led military invasion of the country as part of Washington's so-called war on terror, which removed the Taliban militant group from power.

However, many parts of the country remain plagued by militancy despite the presence of foreign troops.

In recent years, the Daesh terror group has also managed to gain a foothold in the country's east, further complicating Kabul's military operations.

Anti-Daesh offensive

In another development, at least 23 local elements of the Daesh terrorist group were reported killed in separate operations conducted in Zabul and Nangarhar provinces in southern and eastern Afghanistan.

Defense Ministry spokesman Waziri said at least 17 loyalists of the terror group were killed in an operation conducted by the Special Forces in Arghandab district of Zabul.

He added in a Friday briefing that the operations were conducted late on Thursday targeting the terrorists in Malik Khel village of Arghandab.

The official also stated that six Daesh affiliates were killed in an airstrike conducted in Lalpur district of Nangarhar province.

Zabul is among the relatively volatile provinces in southern Afghanistan where the Taliban as well as Daesh terrorists are actively operating in a number of its districts.

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US wages second day of bombings in Yemen, wounding civilians

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 4, 2017 6:19AM

The United States has carried out airstrikes for a second consecutive day against suspected al-Qaeda targets in Yemen, according to the US Defense Department, leaving an unknown number of civilians injured.

The US military conducted over 30 strikes against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula over the past two nights in Shabwah, Abyan and Bayda provinces, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said at a news briefing on Friday.

"This is part of a plan to go after this very real threat and ensure they are defeated," Davis said.

"Make no mistake, while we talk a lot about ISIS (ISIL), AQAP is the organization that has more American blood on its hands. It is a deadly terrorist organization that has proven itself to be very effective in targeting and killing Americans," he added.

The AQAP has taken advantage of the chaos and breakdown of security in Yemen to tighten its grip on the southern and southeastern parts of the crisis-hit country.

Residents in a village in Shabwah province say the American attacks targeted civilian homes and wounded an unknown number of people, including women and children.

Yemeni sources said that eight suspected al-Qaeda militants were also killed in the strikes.

The US has carried out drone strikes against alleged AQAP militants for years, but civilians frequently fall victim to such attacks.

The US drone strikes in Yemen are carried out alongside the Saudi military aggression against the impoverished conflict-ridden country.

Before the beginning of the US-backed Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen back in late March 2015, Houthi fighters and their allies had been gaining significant ground in the battle against al-Qaeda terrorists.

In November 2014, Yemeni popular resistance fighters managed to flush al-Qaeda terrorists out of their traditional stronghold in Radaa, a district in al-Bayda governorate.

However, due to Saudi-led strikes against Houthi fighters in mainly residential areas, al-Qaeda and Daesh terrorists have been bolstered, consolidating their grip in southern Yemen.

The latest American airstrikes come a month after a US raid that killed a US Navy SEAL, injured six American soldiers and led to the destruction of a $75 million military aircraft.

The attack also killed about 30 Yemeni civilians, including 10 women and children.

The White House hailed the operation as a success, but critics said it was a failure since it resulted in the death of civilians and 36-year-old Navy SEAL Ryan Owens.

US President Donald Trump has tried to distance himself from the raid by emphasizing that the operation had been in the works long before he took office.

During his address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, Trump paid tribute to the fallen SEAL, and insisted that the operation yielded valuable intelligence that would "lead to many more victories in the future."

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Trump Accuses Obama Of Wiretapping His Office During Election

RFE/RL March 04, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump has accused his predecessor, Barack Obama, of wiretapping his New York office during the election campaign, but has not provided evidence of the charge.

"Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the [election] victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" Trump wrote on Twitter on March 4.

The tweet was followed within minutes by three more Twitter posts in which Trump asserted without evidence that Obama had his phone calls intercepted and monitored.

"How low has President Obama gone to tapp [sic] my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" one of the tweets said, in reference to the 1972 wiretapping of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington which led eventually to Republican President Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974.

Several hours later, Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis categorically denied Trump's claims.

"Neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance of any U.S. citizen," Lewis said. "Any suggestion otherwise is simply false."

He also said it was a "cardinal rule" of the Obama administration never to interfere in "any independent investigation of the Department of Justice."

Trump's tweets come as his administration once again faces questions over the presidential campaign team's contacts with Russia prior to Trump's inauguration.

Trump's first address to Congress this week was quickly overshadowed by the revelation that Attorney General Jeff Sessions -- one of Trump's earliest supporters -- had met twice with the Russian ambassador.

Sessions never disclosed the encounters during his Senate confirmation hearings, despite direct questions on the subject.

The president defended Sessions on Twitter, saying that one of the meetings was arranged by an educational program run by the State Department.

Trump is spending the weekend at his Mar-A-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. It is his fourth visit there since he was inaugurated in January.

With reporting by Reuters, dpa, and AP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/us-trump- accuses-obama-wiretap-during -election/28350520.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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U.S. Attorney General To Provide Explanation Of Russia Contacts

RFE/RL March 04, 2017

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will provide a written explanation about his contacts with the Russian ambassador during last year's presidential campaign, the Justice Department has said.

Sessions will present his explanation on March 6 to the Senate Judiciary Committee in response to questions posed by committee Democrats, who have demanded to know why Sessions failed to mention his two meetings with Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyak during his confirmation hearing before the committee in January, the department said late on March 3.

Sessions will also present an amended version of his testimony at that time, it said.

Sessions, a former senator from Alabama, said on March 2 that he met with Kislyak in his Senate office two months before the election as well as at an event with other ambassadors at the Republican National Convention in July, but he has not disclosed what they discussed.

Sessions' agreement to respond to questions in writing came after the committee's nine Democrats asked the committee's chairman, Senator Chuck Grassley, to call Sessions back before the committee to testify publicly on the matter.

Grassley rejected that request, saying Sessions already did the right thing by removing himself from the FBI's investigation into alleged contacts between Russian officials and President Donald Trump's campaign.

While welcoming Sessions' recusal decision, some top Democrats have maintained that it did not go far enough and he should resign because he "lied" under oath at the confirmation hearing.

The committee Democrats said Sessions' responses to questions during his confirmation hearing were "at best, incomplete and misleading," and significant questions remain unanswered.

"Given the seriousness of this matter, we do not believe that a written submission to correct the record is sufficient," they said in a letter to Grassley on March 3.

Trump and the Kremlin have both dismissed the Democrats' allegations as a "witch hunt."

Trump called Sessions an "honest man," although he said Sessions could have been "more accurate" in responding to questions from his colleagues.

With reporting by AP and Reuters

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/us-senate-judiciary- committee-wont-ask-session-testify-meeting-with-russian- ambassador-kislyak/28349939.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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EU's Mogherini Urges Kosovo To Ratify Montenegro Border Agreement

RFE/RL March 04, 2017

EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini has urged Kosovo's political opposition to ratify a border-demarcation agreement with Montenegro, the last remaining hurdle before it can benefit from visa-free travel to Europe's Schengen zone.

Mogherini on March 4 met with senior officials in Kosovo's capital, Pristina -- the last stop on her tour of the Western Balkans.

She commended Kosovo's leaders for their "constructive stand" in lowering recent tensions with Serbia.

"It's time to vote for the ratification of the agreement. That would release the visa liberalization for the Kosovo people," she said at a news conference with Prime Minister Isa Mustafa.

Mogherini urged opposition political parties to renounce their political interest "and work together for the reconciliatory path to take the country ahead."

The country's opposition has prevented parliament from voting on the border agreement with Montenegro, and another deal with Serbia that gives more powers to ethnic Serbs in Kosovo.

Relations between Kosovo and Serbia have been tense following a series of incidents over the past months.

Mogherini last month summoned Kosovo's and Serbia's presidents and prime ministers twice to Brussels.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, which is recognized by 114 countries but not by Belgrade.

Mogherini's four-day tour of the Western Balkans covered Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia, Albania, and Kosovo.

She offered reassurance that the European Union's doors remain open for enlargement, although the Western Balkan countries are at different stages of integration into the bloc.

On March 3, Mogherini met with senior Albanian officials and political leaders in Tirana. She reminded them that reforming the justice system and holding free elections were two conditions required for the launching of full EU membership negotiations.

Mogherini's warnings came as hundreds of supporters of Albania's main opposition Democratic Party kept blocking the main thoroughfare in Tirana, saying they don't trust the left-wing government to hold the June 18 parliamentary elections in a fair manner. They want a caretaker cabinet instead.

Albania was granted EU candidate status in 2014.

Earlier on March 3 in Belgrade, Mogherini was met with pro-Russian chants and boos in the Serbian parliament as she called for the integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union.

Far-right Serbian legislators, who favor closer ties with Russia over EU integration, banged on benches with their hands and chanted "Serbia, Russia, we don't need the union!" during Mogherini's half-hour speech.

Tensions are on the rise between Serbia and its former foes Bosnia-Herzegovina and EU member Croatia. Serbia has also refused to recognize the Western-backed independence of its former province of Kosovo, a key condition for Belgrade to be accepted into the 28-member EU.

Although Serbia is formally seeking EU membership, deep divisions remain between those seeking pro-Western integration and those wanting a close alliance with traditional Slavic and Orthodox partner Russia.

Several EU leaders have voiced alarm at various issues in the region, with some blaming Russia for attempting to destabilize the region.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/kosovo- montenegro-eu-mogherini-urges-ratify -border-deal/28350401.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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EU Foreign-Policy Chief Met With Booing By Some In Serbian Parliament

RFE/RL March 04, 2017

The European Union's foreign-policy chief was met with booing and pro-Russia chants in the Serbian parliament when she called for integrating the Western Balkans into the European bloc.

Far-right Serbian lawmakers, who oppose Serbia's bid to joint the EU and favor closer ties with Russia, banged on benches and chanted "Serbia, Russia, we don't need the union!" during Federica Mogherini's 25-minute address on March 3.

Some lawmakers held banners saying, "Serbia doesn't trust Brussels."

"It's not nice to be rude to a lady," Mogherini said after the speech, but added: "It's a matter of politics.... It's about a difficult political environment here and in the region, and it is also about different ways of interpreting the path that Serbia has taken."

Serbia is deeply split between those seeking integration with the West and those wanting a close alliance with Russia, a traditional Slavic ally.

Mogherini told lawmakers that Serbia played an important role in maintaining peace in the Balkan region.

She said that the EU, Serbia, and the Western Balkans were closely joined and needed each other. Their interconnection is particularly important at this "delicate" moment of tensions in both the region and Europe as a whole, she noted.

"You have a great responsibility," Mogherini said. "Serbia has always been on the crossroads of different worlds."

Tensions have recently mounted in relations between Serbia and its former war foes Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia.

Serbia has also refused to recognize the independence of its former province of Kosovo, a key condition the EU has laid down before it will accept Serbia into the bloc.

Political instability also is threatening southern neighbors Macedonia and Montenegro.

"Peace in the Balkans is peace in Europe," Mogherini said at a joint press conference with Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia's prime minister. "We have faced in the recent times -- and we might face in the times to come -- some attempts to put this into question."

Vucic criticized the booing during Mogherini's speech as "not gentleman-like," and insisted that Serbia "remains firmly on the European path."

Mogherini is on a tour of the Balkans that started in Montenegro and will end in Kosovo, trying to reassure the region that the EU remains open for enlargement despite Britain's decision last year to leave the bloc.

Vojislav Seselj, the leader of the far-right Serbian Radical Party, said the chants sent "a clear message that Serbia doesn't want to enter the EU, but wants integration with Russia."

Russia recently declared the Western Balkans to be part of its "sphere of influence," and has taken advantage of growing nationalist sentiment and ethnic frictions in the region to reassert its influence there.

With reporting by AP and Reuters

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/eu-foreign-policy-chief- moggherini-met-with-booing-pro-russia-chanting-in- serbian-parliament/28349983.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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In Chad and Cameroon, Security Council hears of Boko Haram terror and survivors' needs

4 March 2017  The United Nations Security Council is today in Chad, as part of a four-country visit "to shine a spotlight" on the ongoing humanitarian challenges in the Lake Chad Basin region and draw international attention to the plight of about 11 million people.

In the Chadian capital of N'Djamena, the Council met with Prime Minister Albert Pahimi Padacke and visited the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which includes troops from the four affected regional countries  Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria, plus Benin  in the fight against Boko Haram.

"The Security Council welcomed the efforts to fight Boko Haram and encouraged more regional cooperation," according to a Tweet by the Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the UN which has the Security Council's rotating presidency for the month of March and is leading the visit.

Discussions with the Prime Minister also focused on the economic situation in Chad and the importance of women participating in the economy and politics.

Also today, the Council members met with representatives of the UN agencies, funds and programmes and non-governmental organizations working in the country.

They are working to aid the millions of people who, in addition to the security threat from Boko Haram and the fight against the terror group, also face a major food and nutrition crises. Some 2.4 million people are currently displaced in the area, according to UN figures, and more than 7.1 million are severely hungry.

In his conversations with the Council, Stephen Tool, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Coordinator in Chad, detailed the severe challenges in the countries, which include malnutrition, disease and health, sanitation. He noted, however, that "you cannot deal with humanitarian issues without looking at the root causes" which include insecurity, development gaps, lack of education, poor agriculture, and so on.

'That's who we're fighting for'

The Security Council delegation, led by Ambassador Matthew Rycroft of the United Kingdom, had yesterday visited Cameroon, where members met with President Paul Biya and other senior Government officials.

The Council also met with refugees and people displaced by Boko Haram and the forces tracking them.

In a blog post, Mr. Rycroft detailed meeting two young survivors of Boko Haram's violence. The first, a boy who was 13 years old when the terrorist group stormed his village and killed his friends and family. The other boy was about 10 years when he was kidnapped, escaped, and has since 2014 lived in a camp for internally displaced persons.

"They are heroic beyond measures," Mr. Rycroft said. "That's who we're fighting for."

Speaking earlier in the day, Mr. Rycroft outlined his vision for the visit.

"First of all, we came here in order to shine a spotlight on the situation in the Lake Chad Basin.

"We came to hear the individual stories of people involved, whether they are refugees or displaced people or other victims of Boko Haram.

"We stand with the government and the people of Cameroon, and the wider region, in tackling the scourge of terrorism, and in encouraging them to look broadly and deeply at the root causes of the set of crises going on here."

The delegation heads to Niger later today, and is scheduled to continue on to Nigeria tomorrow.

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Spokesman Denies Obama Administration Wiretapped Trump

By Steve Herman March 04, 2017

President Donald Trump's administration has not reacted to a spokesman's denial that former President Barack Obama ordered a telephone tap on Trump during the campaign before last year's U.S. elections.

Obama's spokesman issued a statement after a series of tweets by Trump early Saturday morning alleged that Obama "had my wires tapped in Trump Tower" in New York City before the November 2016 presidential election.

An aide to Obama said Trump's allegations were "simply false."

Trump did not cite any source for his claims, or provide any evidence that electronic surveillance occurred, but he likened the supposed intrusion on his privacy to the Watergate political scandal that eventually led to the 1974 resignation of former U.S. President Richard Nixon.

The scandal began as a series of political "dirty tricks" aimed at the Democratic Party by Nixon's Republicans, and it expanded after a White House official disclosed that Nixon had authorized an extensive monitoring operation at the White House, recording a large number of telephone calls.

No official in the White House during the Obama administration "ever interfered with any investigation led by the Justice Department," said Kevin Lewis, a spokesman for the former president, emphasizing that prohibition was a "cardinal rule."

In a statement, Lewis said neither "President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false."

VOA asked White House officials for a comment on Saturday's developments but did not receive an immediate response. Neither the FBI nor the Justice Department had any relevant statements.

FBI sought warrant

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) permits legal surveillance and collection of information between foreign countries and their agents.

The FBI sought and was granted in October a FISA court warrant for an investigation into suspected ties between Russia and people connected to the Trump campaign, according to two sources and previous news reports.

The Justice Department believed four Americans were "unwitting agents" of Russia; there was "probable cause they had been co-opted, and that was the basis for the warrant" granted by the court, according to a lawyer specializing in national security matters, Bradley Moss, who spoke with VOA.

An earlier similar request by the FBI, wider in scope, apparently had been made to the secret court four months earlier, but was rejected. "That's largely unheard of," Moss said.

Search targeted contributions

The FBI and other federal investigators "follow the facts, and the assumption was this was about money  and that would have gone through Trump Tower," added Moss, who is also the deputy executive director of the James Madison Project, an organization focused on promoting government accountability and reduction of secrecy.

Ben Rhodes, a former top national security aide to Obama, said in a Twitter message directed at Trump on Saturday that "no president can order a wiretap," and added, "Those restrictions were put in place to protect citizens from people like you."

The highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ben Cardin of Maryland, said if the Obama administration did monitor activities at Trump Tower, it would indeed have needed authorization from the FISA court.

"That's why we have the FISA courts," Cardin said Saturday on CNN. "The executive branch cannot act on its own. They must get the consent of a court before they can do those types of activities."

Graham 'very worried'

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, did not endorse Trump's claims but said Saturday that if the Trump campaign was wiretapped in New York, "it would be the biggest political scandal since Watergate."

"I'm very worried that our president is suggesting that the former president has done something illegally," Graham added at a boisterous town hall meeting in Clemson, South Carolina. "I would be very worried if, in fact, the Obama administration was able to obtain a warrant, lawfully, about Trump campaign activity with foreign governments. So it's my job as a United States senator to get to the bottom of this."

It is unknown whether Obama was aware in advance that his Justice Department was pursuing FISA court approvals.

"I certainly expect he would have been advised" at some stage, Moss said.

Meetings with Russian ambassador

It was disclosed earlier this week that Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak met at Trump Tower in New York in December with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and with since-ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn. Flynn was fired after just 24 days on the job when information emerged that he had lied to top officials about the nature of his conversations with Kislyak.

Revelations of the Trump Tower meetings surfaced after Attorney General Jeff Sessions admitted earlier in the week he'd met twice with Kislyak during last year's presidential campaign.

Sessions had failed to disclose those talks during his Senate confirmation hearing. He has since said he would stay out of any federal investigation of alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and is expected to amend on Monday his written testimony response.

White House spokeswoman Hope Hicks said Thursday that the meetings at Trump Tower were intended to "establish a line of communication" between the incoming administration and the Russian ambassador. She added that Kushner also met with representatives of as many as two dozen other countries.

Investigations on the increase

U.S. government officials meet with representatives of foreign governments on many occasions and for many reasons. The Trump administration, however, had denied for months there was any contact between Russian officials and the new president's campaign.

On Friday, the Breitbart News website published a report about conservative radio host Mark Levin's allegation that Obama conducted what he called a "silent coup" against Trump by employing "police state" tactics. Trump's top strategic adviser at the White House, Stephen Bannon, previously had been executive chairman of Breitbart.

Trump's latest claims come as the Trump administration faces mounting pressure from multiple FBI and congressional investigations into contacts between members of his campaign team and Russian officials.

"I still don't know if there's any fire, but there's smoke here," national security lawyer Moss told VOA.

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SA-10 (S-300)

The "3rd Khordad" (Khordad is the third month of the Iranian calendared) air defense system is a notional Iranian stand-in for the S-300 system Russia stalled on providing the Islamic Republic. The 3rd Khordad system, developed and manufactured by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)'s military industries, was seemingly a copy of the Russian S-300, created to mimic the Russian S-300. The SA-10 (S-300) is a highly capable long-range all-altitude SAM. As early as 1994 it was reported that Iran had six SA-10 batteries (with some 96 missiles) on order from Russia. In February 1997 a $90 million sale of 36 missiles to Iran and three older SA-10 SAM systems, made up of components from Russia, Croatia, and Kazakhstan, fell through. On 30 December 2000 an announcement was made in Russia that Iran had informed Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev about Iran's desire to purchase the S-300 anti-missile system. In March 2001 there were reports tha the Russians were close to cutting a deal with Iran on advanced missiles. Itar-Tass reported that Iran would soon close the deal on the Russian Tor-M1, Tor-M1T, and the S-300 surface-to-air missiles.

An $800 million contract to supply Iran with the S-300 missile system was signed at the end of 2007. Moscow was to supply five S-300PMU-1 battalions to Tehran. In December 2007 Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said Russia had agreed to deliver to Iran an unspecified number of advanced S-300 air defense complexes under a previously signed contract. However, Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation said the issue of the delivery of S-300 air defense missile systems to Iran was not a subject of current or past negotiations. Israeli defense sources said in July 2008 that Iran was expected to take delivery of Russian S-300 air defense systems by the end of 2008.

On 01 September 2008 it was reported that Russia may proceed with plans to sell advanced S-300 air defense systems to Iran under a secret contract believed to have been signed in 2005. Commenting on an article in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper saying Russia is using the plans as a bargaining chip in its standoff with America, Ruslan Pukhov, director of Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, said: "In the current situation, when the U.S. and the West in general are stubbornly gearing toward a confrontation with Russia after the events in South Ossetia, the implementation of a lucrative contract on the deliveries of S-300 [air defense systems] to Iran looks like a logical step." Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi denied reports that Tehran had bought S-300 air defense systems from Russia. "Our missile and technical capability completely depends on the efforts of Iranian scientists," he said.

On 22 December 2008 the Russian federal service for military cooperation said in a statement that Russia was not selling S-300 surface-to-air missile systems to Iran. "Reports on deliveries of S-300 systems are untrue," the statement said. An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tel Aviv had received assurances from Russia that it had not started S-300 deliveries to Tehran.

The Maltese-flagged cargo vessel Arctic Sea, officially carrying lumber from Russia to Algeria, was reportedly boarded by a group of eight men on 24 July 2009 and mysteriously disappeared in the Atlantic. It was discovered off Cape Verde on 16 August 2009 by a Russian warship and was towed to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk. Russian and international media was rife with rumors that the Russian-operated ship could have been involved in an arms-smuggling or trafficking operation on a state level, including suggestions that Russia attempted to deliver missiles for S-300 air defense systems to Iran or Syria. Russian investigators said that a through search of the Arctic Sea had been conducted and just lumber registered in the ship's cargo log had been found. "The presence of S-300 on board the Arctic Sea cargo ship is a complete lie," Lavrov told a news conference in Moscow on 08 September 2009.

In September 2010, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree canceling the contract in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1929, which bans the supply to Iran of conventional weapons including missiles and missile systems, tanks, attack helicopters, warplanes and ships. The termination of Iranian contracts, whatever its reasons, dealt a painful blow to the export revenues of Russian arms manufacturers, notably the companies specializing in air defense systems. According to some estimates, the contract for the supply of five S-300PMU batteries could have exceeded $800 million, with compensation payments estimated at $400 million.

Irans Defense Ministry and the Aerospace Industries Organization launched a $4 billion lawsuit against Rosoboronexport in an international arbitration court in Geneva in April 2011. According to Iranian officials, Tehran will withdraw its lawsuit only if Russia fulfills the original contract. Tehran has insisted that the S-300 surface-to-air missile systems do not fall under the UN sanctions because they are considered defensive weapons.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing S-300 deliveries to Iran on 13 April 2015. The document came into force on the day it was signed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russias voluntary embargo on deliveries of S-300 missile systems to Iran is no longer needed due to progress in the resolution of the situation around Irans nuclear program.

"Initially, the decision to suspend the implementation of the contract, which was already signed and came into force, was made in September 2010," he recalled. "It was done in the interests of support for consolidated efforts of the six international negotiators to stimulate a maximally constructive process of talks on settlement of the situation around Irans nuclear program." The minister particularly stressed that "it was done absolutely voluntarily."

The Obama administration expressed concern 13 April 2015 over Russia's possible sale of sophisticated S-300 air defense systems to Iran, after President Vladimir Putin lifted a ban on supplying the advanced surface-to-air missile systems to the Islamic Republic. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the administration had previously made known its objection to Russia's possible sale of S-300s to Iran, and that Secretary of State John Kerry "had the opportunity to raise these concerns once again in a recent conversation" with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Explaining the decision to lift the ban on providing S-300s to Iran, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that given the progress reached between Iran and the six P5+1 world powers (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany) recently in nuclear talks, the rationale for the international embargo on supplying Tehran with S-300s, and Russia's own ban, had "completely disappeared." Lavrov added that the S-300 is "exclusively defensive in nature, not adapted for offensive purposes and will not jeopardize the security of any state in the region, including, of course, Israel."

While Russias proposed sale of the advanced S-300 air defense missile system to Iran does not violate UN Security Council resolutions, the United States needs more details to determine if the sale could violate US sanctions against Iran, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said on 16 April 2015. The transfer of this defensive weapons system [S-300] is not prohibited by UN Security Council resolutions, and we would need to know more about the specific program to determine the impact it would have on US sanctions programs, Earnest said at a press briefing.

US President Barack Obama played down concerns over Russias plans to lift a ban on the sales of S-300 air defense systems to Iran, claiming that the US could bypass the system, if it had to. We have to keep this in perspective. Our defense budget is somewhere just a little under $600 billion. Theirs [Irans] is a little over $17 billion. Even if theyve got some air defense systems, if we had to, we could penetrate them, warned the president.

On 13 April 2015 Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree authorizing the delivery to Iran of S-300. The issue of S-300 air defense systems deliveries to Iran should be elaborated, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS on 23 April 2015. "Since the contract was concluded long ago, naturally that it's impossible to just dust it off in the form it has been preserved," Ryabkov said. "I can say that except adapting the contract for being implemented right now, we should clarify the situation with Irans lawsuit against the Russian side for improper fulfilment of that contract," he said. "We expect the problem to be solved at the bilateral agenda."

The contract to supply Iran with anti-aircraft missile systems S-300 was signed and entered into force, Sergey Chemezov, the head of the state corporation "Rostec" (which includes "Rosoboronexport"), told reporters 09 November 2015. "The contract with Iran on the C-300 went into effect," - he said, without specifying what the modification of anti-aircraft systems will be delivered. "I think that when completed will be the first part (of the contract), Iran will clear to us the claim" - said Chemezov. Previous contract to supply five battalions of S-300 has been signed with Iran in 2007, but the fall of 2010, Dmitry Medvedev, who was then president of Russia, had banned the supply of these systems to Tehran.

Iran will receive the Russian anti-aircraft missiles (SAM) C-300 by the end of the year, which the Iranian calendar ends March 20, 2016. This was announced by Defense Minister of the Islamic Republic, Brigadier General Hossein dehgans 11 November 2015. "The country will receive the Russian system of" surface-to-air "S-300 at the end of the year" - brought him word channel Press TV. Dehgans added that Iran "will get most of the" party of missiles in less than two months. The Minister also said that "Iran has acquired many S-300, as he needs." In addition, he said that the Iranians are currently undergoing training in Russia operating systems.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on 30 December 2015 that delivery of S-300 advanced anti-missile air defense system to Iran had begun. Rogozin told Russian State TV channel two that delivery of the S-300 to Iran was underway. Russian Deputy Prime Minister said that delivery of the advanced air defense system will open up new opportunities for cooperation with Iran in the technical and military as well as other fields.

In a deal that would have been barred prior to the nuclear agreement, Russia began delivering advanced surface-to-air missiles to Iran April 11, 2016. Mehr news agency quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari as saying, "Iran had already announced that despite several times of change in time of delivery the deal is on its path of implementation" and "the first phase of the agreement is implemented and the process will continue."

When Iran took delivery of the missiles in July 2016, it became obvious that a revised contract between Tehran and Moscow was specifically on the purchase of S300-PMU2 model. In the same month, Irans Air Defense Commander Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili announced that S-300 would be fully brought into operation until end of the current Iranian year (March 20, 2017).

Iran got 4 battalions - 1 battalion = up to 6 batteries = up to 48 TELs = up to 192 missiles. The S-300 is a long-range surface-to-air missile system, and can engage aircraft, cruise missiles and theater ballistic missiles. One S-300 battery usually consists of an engagement radar, a low-altitude radar, and up to eight transporter erector launchers (TEL) with four launch tubes each. Each tube carries one surface-to-air missile. A battalion comprises up to six batteries in addition to a command/fire and control post, as well as an extra target acquisition radar unit.

The Iranian Air Defense conducted a test on 03 March 2017 of the Russia-supplied S-300 long-range surface-to-air missile system, evaluating its performance in different combat scenarios. The drill was dubbed Damavand and was attended by senior military commanders and officials. The Russian system was pitted against various aerial targets with small radar cross-section, including a ballistic missile, which the S-300 smashed, according to Air Defense Commander Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili. The Iranian military also ran a simulation of electronic warfare countermeasures to test the ability of the S-300 to lock on targets in difficult conditions.





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Jordan Executes 15 Prisoners, 10 Convicted of Terrorism

Sputnik News

21:54 04.03.2017(updated 01:41 05.03.2017)

Jordan has executed 15 prisoners, 10 convicted of terrorism charges, in the largest mass execution in the country in years.

The prisoners, all Jordanian, were hanged at the Suaga prison near the country's capital, Amman. Jordan lifted a 2006 moratorium on the death penalty in 2014.

A government spokesman said those executed for terrorism offences had been involved in five incidents: the 2003 bombing attack on the country's embassy in Iraq, the 2006 shooting of writer and political activist Nahed Hattar in Amman, the 2006 shooting attack on tourists in Amman that killed a British man, a 2016 attack on security forces in Irbid city, and an attack on intelligence officers in the Baqaa refugee camp in the same year, according to the Petra news agency.

The five not involved in terrorism had been convicted of sexual assaults.

Jordan's King Abdullah II told a UN Security Council Summit in September 2014 that the world must enact a "zero-tolerance policy" on any country, individual or organization found to facilitate, support or foster terrorist groups.

A year ago, Daesh released a video of militants burning alive a Jordanian pilot who had been captured after his plane went down in Syria during a strike against the group. Jordan executed two Al Qaeda prisoners shortly after the video was released.

Samah Hadid, deputy director of Amnesty International's Beirut regional office, called "the horrific scale and secrecy" around the most recent executions "shocking" in a statement on the executions.

"This is a major step backwards for both Jordan and efforts to end the death penalty  a senseless and ineffective means of administering justice. Jordan had for years been a leading example in a region where recourse to the death penalty is all too frequent. There is no evidence that the death penalty address violent crime, including terrorist-related acts. Hanging people will not improve public security."

Jordan has long been accused of looking the other way when confronted with accusations of torture by its security and police services.

 Sputnik

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'Conformity' a keyword as China raises curtain for political high season

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:10, March 04, 2017

BEIJING, March 3 -- China on Friday raised the curtains for its annual political high season, with the top political advisor pledging further conformity to the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core.

Chairman Yu Zhengsheng addressed over 2,000 members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, which convened its yearly session at the Great Hall of the People.

Political advisors should "stick to the leadership of the CPC more consciously, and unite more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core" to implement decisions and policies made by the CPC Central Committee, Yu told his colleagues in a work report.

"The endorsement of Xi's core status last year at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee embodies fundamental interests of the Party and the people, and is of far-reaching importance to China's long-term stability and prosperity," he said at the opening of the annual session.

On Sunday, the National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature, will also begin its yearly assembly. Dubbed colloquially as the "two sessions," the dual meetings set the national agenda for the year and beyond, and make regular yet crucial venues where political and economic developments are reviewed and discussed, and key policies adopted.

Although there are no major government appointments scheduled on this year's agenda, the meetings are the first high-profile national political events held since President Xi was endorsed as the core of the CPC Central Committee last October.

Pledges to conform to the CPC Central Committee with Xi as the core are expected to feature significantly during the meetings, which will run until the middle of the month.

A commentary by China's state news agency Xinhua on Friday said Chinese legislators should actively work to safeguard the authority of the CPC Central Committee with Xi as the core to make sure that the work of the NPC progresses in the right direction.

Yu Zhengsheng, for his part, also underscored that CPC members should sharpen their awareness of political integrity, the overall situation, the core and conformity with the CPC Central Committee with Xi as the core.

He said the CPPCC must work to help pool the whole country's wisdom and strength for targets and tasks to be set at the upcoming 19th National Congress of the CPC slated for the second half of 2017.

Pledges of conformity aside, the economic front also sits high on the agenda. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will announce the nation's gross domestic product target for this year in his government work report.

At a time of slowing global economic recovery and considerable uncertainty in financial markets, observers will be combing through the document line-by-line for nuances in policy development.

Yu said 2017 is an important year for the implementation of the 13th Five-Year Plan, a roadmap approved last year for China's national economy and social development from 2016 to 2020.

China's economy, long a reliable source of global growth, expanded 6.7 percent year on year in 2016 -- a nearly three-decade low -- amid concerns over weak growth momentum in major economies and rising trade protectionism globally, as well as domestic debt overhang, excess capacity and a highly leveraged property market.

Although no official target for this year will be available until Sunday, earlier reports said China has targeted average annual GDP growth of more than 6.5 percent during the 13th Five-Year Plan period.

Such a growth rate is crucial to double GDP and per capita income from 2010 levels by 2020.

With the CPC set to hold its 19th National Congress in Beijing in the second half of the year, stabilizing the economy will be prioritized by policymakers. A Central Economic Work Conference late last year made "seeking progress while maintaining stability" the main theme for economic work in 2017, pledging progress in supply-side structural reform, an economic vehicle proposed at the end of 2015 to resolve structural imbalances in the Chinese economy.

In his report, Yu also mentioned supply-side structural reform, which focuses on five tasks: cutting industrial capacity, reducing housing inventory, lowering leverage, cutting corporate costs and improving weak economic links.

The CPPCC should work to help the nation adapt to and guide itself through its economic "new normal," in order to achieve steady and healthy economic development, he said.

Also on the agenda of this year's two sessions is a draft General Provisions of Civil Law, set to be reviewed and discussed by legislators and political advisors.

Passing of the draft, which protects personal liberties and human dignity, will mark a crucial first step in introducing a civil code, hopefully in 2020.

Legislators are also expected to deliberate a draft decision on deputy elections for the 13th NPC, and draft methods for the election of deputies to the 13th NPC from Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

Other topics at the NPC session include a state budgetary review, and military spending.

China announced a 7.6-percent rise in its national defense budget last year, the lowest growth in six years, breaking a five-year run of double-digit increases between 2011 and 2015.

The increase in 2015 was 10.1 percent.

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China's annual defense budget to rise by 7 percent

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 4, 2017 8:26AM

Beijing says it will increase its defense budget by some seven percent this year in line with its economic development and defense needs amid China's territorial disputes with its neighbors fueled by "outside meddling."

The estimated rise in China's military budget was announced Saturday by the spokesperson of the country's legislature. The exact figure is due to be announced by Prime Minister Li Keqiang in a Sunday address before the opening of this year's parliamentary session.

"We call for a peaceful settlement through dialogue and consultation (of the disputes). At the same time we need the ability to safeguard our sovereignty and interests and rights," said spokeswoman for China's National People's Congress Fu Ying.

"In particular," she added, "We need to guard against outside meddling in the disputes," without elaborating on the source of the meddling.

China is engaged in a dispute with the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam in the South China Sea, where they have overlapping claims of sovereignty over a series of islands and reefs. Beijing is also entangled in a similar territorial row with Japan elsewhere in the East China Sea.

In both cases, the United States has been fueling tensions between China and its neighbors by siding with Beijing's rivals. Beijing has on numerous occasions slammed Washington for intervening in regional issues and deliberately escalating the situation in the disputed waters.

Fu further said its military buildup was purely for defense objectives and represented a force for stability in Asia.

The planned rise in the Chinese defense budget came just days after US President Donald Trump outlined plans to beef up American military forces by raising expenditures by around 10 percent.

In February, Trump reassured visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in February that his administration remains committed to maintaining long-standing US "security" alliance with Japan, especially when it comes to the disputed islands in the East China Sea, known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese.

Trump's pledge of support for Japan angered Beijing, with its Foreign Ministry emphasizing China's maritime rights and sovereignty over the islands in the disputed waters.

Japan-US alliance based on 'Cold War mindset'

In another development, China's envoy to Japan accused Washington and Tokyo of deliberately depicting Beijing as an enemy to justify their efforts to expand their military ties.

"It sounds as if Japan and the United States are purposely taking China as their enemy and saying 'Let's join hands and go at China," said Ambassador Cheng Yonghua on Friday in Beijing, Japan's Kyodo news agency.

The Chinese diplomat specifically slammed the agreement to further enhance US-Japan bilateral "security alliance," describing it as "clearly a Cold War mindset."

He added that such a policy contradicts Tokyo's pledge to improve ties with Beijing.

China has repeatedly warned the US and Japan against direct interference in the region, either through military maneuvers or the so-called freedom of navigation patrols in the regional waters.

Beijing insists that it will do everything in its power to protect China's sovereignty claims in the region.

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China's Defense Budget to Go Up About 7% in 2017

Sputnik News

06:27 04.03.2017(updated 09:13 04.03.2017)

The defense budget of China will increase by around 7 percent this year, as compared to last year's $146 billion, spokesperson of the country's National People's Congress (NPC) has announced.

BEIJING (Sputnik)  The announcement comes amid US plans to boost military and security spending by 10 percent.

"This year, the defense budget will increase by about 7 percent and will amount to 1.3 percent of the GDP," Fu Ying said on Saturday.

She stressed that the budget increase is due to a need to ensure state security and is not a reflection of opposition to other nations.

On Friday, Chinese Lt. Gen. Wang Hongguang, a retired deputy commander of the former Nanjing Military Command, called for a 12 percent increase of the Chinese defense budget in view of US defense spending plans.

"The US defence budget has increased by 10 per cent and we need at least a double-digit increase. The most ideal is 12 per cent," Hongguang said as quoted by The South China Morning Post.

Fu Ying said on Saturday that China is far behind the United States in terms of military capabilities, but is nonetheless strong enough to ensure stability in the South China Sea.

On Monday, the US Office of Management and Budget announced that US President Donald Trump's budget proposal would boost military and security spending by $54 billion, or 10 percent, with a corresponding reduction in all other discretionary spending.

The Chinese military budget is the second largest in the world after that of the US. Last year, China's defense budget increased by 7.6 percent as compared to 2015, which was the slowest growth rate in six years.

 Sputnik

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Malaysia expels North Korean ambassador over Kim's assassination

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 4, 2017 4:6PM

Malaysia has expelled North Korea's ambassador to Kuala Lumpur for criticizing an investigation into the assassination of the North Korean leader's exiled half brother, saying the envoy must leave Malaysia within the "next 48 hours."

Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said in a statement released late on Saturday that he had declared Kang Chol "persona non grata" and that Kuala Lumpur had not yet received an apology over the North's attack on its probe into the case, even though it had demanded one earlier in the week.

"The expulsion of the DPRK [the Democratic People's Republic of Korea] ambassador is... an indication of the government's concern that Malaysia may have been used for illegal activities," the statement said.

Kim Jong-nam, the North Korean leader's half brother, was attacked by two female assailants at the departure hall of Kuala Lumpur International Airport on February 13. The attackers, both of whom have been arrested, wiped some form of toxic liquid over Kim's face. He died en route to the hospital.

Later forensic research and autopsy on Kim's body revealed that the female attackers had wiped the extremely toxic VX nerve agent over the victim's face. The United Nations has declared VX a weapon of mass destruction.

North Korea has censured Malaysia for performing an "immoral and illegal" autopsy on the dead body of "a citizen" of North Korea "bearing a diplomatic passport" without acknowledging the dead man's identity. Pyongyang has also vehemently protested the probe and questioned its validity, claiming Malaysia is in cahoots with its enemies.

In response, Malaysia canceled visa-free entry for North Koreans on Thursday and recalled its envoy to Pyongyang. Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the decision on visa had been taken for "national security reasons."

The Malaysian top diplomat also said his country "will react strongly against any insults made against it or any attempt to tarnish its reputation."

South Korea's police have already claimed that Kim was killed by North Korean agents, an allegation that Kuala Lumpur has yet neither confirmed nor denied. Pyongyang, however, flatly denied Seoul's allegations on February 23.

The assassination of Kim and subsequent developments have soured relations between Malaysia and North Korea, which had warm and full mutual ties, and seem likely to lead to an all-out diplomatic rift.

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France's Fillon under increasing pressure

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 4, 2017 11:27AM

French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon has come under mounting pressure to quit the race for the presidency as top campaign staff and dozens of MPs leave his team after corruption charges were filed against him.

Fillon's chief campaign spokesman Thierry Solere, who is also a parliament member, became the latest figure among the nearly 100 elected politicians to leave his campaign on Friday over growing concerns that he is leading what has been described as a "sinking ship."

The troubled candidate revealed this week that he was to be charged over allegations that he paid his British wife hundreds of thousands of euros from taxpayers' funds for a suspected fake job as his parliamentary assistant. Additionally, he is accused of hiring his children in fake jobs that paid them extremely high salaries while they were students.

However, he has denied the allegations, insisting at a Thursday night rally that he would press on as a presidential candidate. "The French people back me," he has said.

Asked on Thursday what he would do if all elected politicians quit his campaign, he insisted that he would carry on without them.

Fillon has dropped in nationwide polls and appears on his way to be knocked out of the presidential race before the final round by the independent centrist Emmanuel Macron and the ultra-right candidate Marine Le Pen.

Former right-wing minister Nadine Morano, a former Fillon backer, said that the candidate must step down. He cautioned that Fillon was in a "dead end," his presidential chances were slipping away, and that he risked bringing "catastrophe" to the right.

Fillon had vowed that he would step down if charges were pressed against him but he has retracted on his pledge. Instead, he slammed judges and the justice system and censured the workings of the French state this week with growingly inflammatory language, urging his supporters to rise up and "resist."

Meanwhile, the far-right candidate Le Pen has been summoned by judges over the alleged misuse of European Union funds, said her lawyer, Marcel Ceccaldi, insisting that she will not attend the proceedings before the end of the current presidential election campaign.

"Of course she won't go," Ceccaldi stated, as quoted in a Reuters report.

Le Pen is accused of hiring her France-based personal staff, including her bodyguard and chief of staff, in fake jobs as "assistants" at the European Parliament in Brussels using EU funds to pay them.

Le Pen has slammed the probe as a "political plot" against her, stressing that voters will not fall for the tactic.

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UN: Alleged Chemical Attack In Mosul Would Be War Crime

RFE/RL March 04, 2017

The United Nations has warned that the alleged use of chemical weapons in Iraq's Mosul, if confirmed, would be a war crime and a violation of international humanitarian law.

"This is horrible," said Lise Grande, the humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, in a March 4 statement. "There is never justification -- none whatsoever -- for the use of chemical weapons."

Grande's comment comes one day after reports emerged that chemical weapons have been used in the ongoing battle for Mosul between Iraqi government forces and the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. It was not clear which side was to blame.

The UN's World Health Organization (WHO) said on March 4 that 12 people, including women and children, were being treated for possible exposure to chemical-weapons agents in Mosul.

It said four of them were showing "severe signs associated with exposure to a blister agent." The patients were exposed to the chemical agents in the eastern side of Mosul.

WHO said the patients were being treated in Irbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdish region, east of Mosul.

The first indication of a potential use of chemical weapons came on March 3, when the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said seven people -- five children and two women -- had shown symptoms indicative of exposure to a chemical agent.

"If the alleged use of chemical weapons is confirmed, this is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime, regardless of who the targets or the victims of the attacks are," Grande said.

U.S.-backed Iraqi forces on February 19 began a major offensive to dislodge IS militants from the western section of Mosul, almost a month after they forced militants out of the eastern part of the city.

Most of western Mosul is still under IS control despite recent gains on the city's southwestern edge by Iraqi forces.

With reporting by Reuters, dpa, and AP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/iraq-mosul-un- chemical-attack-war-crime/28350281.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Armed militias attack Libyan oil facilities

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 4, 2017 11:0AM

An armed group has attacked two strategic oil terminals in Libya in a fresh attempt to gain a grip over the export of the country's economic lifeblood in its eastern Oil Crescent.

Officials said the armed faction called the Benghazi Defense Brigades (BDB) had entered two major Libyan oil ports at Es Sider and Ras Lanuf late on Friday after pushing back Libyan National Army (LNA) forces loyal to renegade general, Khalifa Haftar, who were in control of the facilities.

Colonel Ahmed al-Mesmari, the LNA spokesman, said Saturday that BDF forces had taken control of the main airfield in the oil port of Ras Lanuf after his forces had to stop their operations against the assailants to avoid major damage to the oil terminals.

At least nine of the LNA forces were allegedly killed and eight others sustained injuries in the clashes.

The spokesman added that al-Qaeda-affiliated militants and operatives had been involved in the Friday attacks on the Libyan oil terminals, which has a potential production capacity of about 600,000 barrels per day.

Meanwhile, the Libyan parliament condemned the assaults and placed the blame on the domestic Libyan warring sides and the foreign countries providing military and financial support for the al-Qaeda terrorist group.

The BDB had carried out a similar attack on the oil crescent in December last year, but were repelled by Haftar's forces.

The armed group consists partly of fighters who were ousted from Benghazi by the eastern-based LNA forces, whose commander, Haftar, has been leading a campaign against Takfiri militants and other opponents for about three years.

The North African country has had two rival governments since mid-2014, when militants overran the capital and forced the parliament to flee to the remote east.

The two governments reached a consensus on the formation of Government of National Accord (GNA) in December 2015, after months of UN-brokered talks in Tunisia and Morocco to restore order to the country. Libya, however, continues to be gripped by political strife and violence.

Haftar dominates a rival administration based in the east that continues to defy the GNA's authority.

Libya has been the scene of increasing violence since 2011, when long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi was toppled from power after a NATO military intervention. His ouster created a huge power vacuum in Libya, leading to chaos and emergence of numerous militant groups.

In addition to political rivalries, the rise of extremism and the presence of terrorist groups in the oil-rich country have also culminated in the deterioration of living conditions, including power cuts, exorbitant prices and security issues.

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Suspected IS Loyalists Execute Pakistani Spy Agency Officer

By Ayaz Gul March 04, 2017

Police and witnesses in central Pakistan say that suspected Islamic State militants have executed a kidnapped officer of the country's prime intelligence agency and dropped his chained body on a busy road before driving away.

Police in the city of Multan, where the rare incident occurred, say they found the body early Saturday morning and it was dressed like detainees at the U.S.-run Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba.

Officials identified the slain man as Umar Mobeen Gilani, saying he was kidnapped nearly three years ago by unknown gunmen in Multan, where he was serving in a counterterrorism unit of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI.

A message inscribed on Gilani's shirt said that "Daesh Pakistan" killed "ISI spy" and mentioned the date when he was kidnapped, according to police officials. Daesh is the Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

An official at the spy agency confirmed to VOA that Gilani was an ISI operative. Requesting anonymity, the official said that a major manhunt is underway in Multan to locate perpetrators of the crime but would not discuss further details.

Stepped-up attacks

The Middle East-based Islamic State terrorist group lately has stepped up attacks in Pakistan.

The deadliest strike took place last month when an IS suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowded Sufi shrine in southern Sindh province, killing more than 90 devotees and wounding over 300 more. The victims mostly belonged to the minority Shi'ite Muslim community.

Multan and adjoining southern districts of Pakistan's most populous Punjab province have traditionally hosted radical Islamic groups, some of which are blamed for extremist and sectarian violence in the country.

The southern region is considered the heartland of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi or LeJ, an outlawed Sunni militant group blamed for deadly attacks against Shiite Muslims.

Some Pakistani officials suspect LeJ members have lately joined hands with IS's regional franchise "Khorasan Province" to promote the Middle East-based terrorist group's extremist ideology in Pakistan-Afghanistan region.

The government, however, insists IS has no "organized presence" in Pakistan and security forces are determined not to allow the terrorist group to establish a foothold in the country.

Officials say that IS is plotting attacks in Pakistan from its save havens in border regions of neighboring Afghanistan.

Pakistan's military has recently launched a new nation-wide counterterrorism operation, which is also tasked to target suspected militant hideouts in Punjab.

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South Korean Businesses Hit by Chinese Backlash Over Missile Defense

Sputnik News

00:54 04.03.2017(updated 00:55 04.03.2017)

Shares of South Korean companies tumbled on Friday after what are perceived to be retaliatory acts by China against the deployment of a US-built missile system outside of Seoul.

South Korea's culture ministry told reporters on Friday that Chinese government officials ordered tour operators in Beijing and beyond to stop selling and advertising trips to the country, just days after Seoul secured land for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system from the Lotte Group.

Lotte, South Korea's fifth-largest conglomerate, experienced disruptions in its Chinese and international websites starting Tuesday night, right after it agreed to provide land to the government to host the US-built missile-defence system. The company believes the disruptions are the result of a cyberattack by Chinese hackers.

While South Korea claims the missile system is meant to protect the close US ally from North Korean nuclear and missile threats, Beijing objects to the deployment, fearing that the technology could be used against China.

Chinese tourism to South Korea has boomed in recent years, boosting the world's biggest duty-free market. Over eight million Chinese tourist arrivals were recorded in the country in 2016.

But on Friday, the share price of duty-free retailer Hotel Shilla Co Ltd ended 13-percent lower, while cosmetics-maker Amorepacific Corp closed at a two-year low, as investors feared China would choke off a key source of tourist dollars.

A majority of top Korean companies rely heavily on Chinese sales. Shares of Hyundai Motor Co slid 4.4 percent Friday, after photos of a vandalized Hyundai car circulated on Chinese social media. Shares of flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co Ltd ended down by 4.8 percent. A spokesman said the airline was disturbed by the reports and was monitoring the situation.

South Korean foreign minister Yun Byung-se said he was reviewing whether the guidance to ban tours to the country violated international norms.

"If such reports are true, it would be an unfair action and very regrettable," the foreign ministry said, as cited by Yonhap News Agency.

According to Professor Wu Xinbo at China's prestigious Fudan University, Beijing's reaction to a missile deployment that he described as "stabbing China in the back" was rightful.

"As a sovereign nation, Korea says its decision to deploy THAAD is out of consideration for national security," Wu told the Global Times. "By the same logic, China has the right to oppose THAAD on the basis of its own national security."

 Sputnik

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Russian Defense Ministry Arctic Expedition Successfully Covers 373 Miles

Sputnik News

10:21 04.03.2017

The Arctic expedition of the Russian Defense Ministry, tasked with testing weaponry and equipment in Arctic climate, has successfully negotiated about 600 kilometers, roughly 373 miles, a little over a quarter of the planned distance, Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Dmitry Bulgakov said Saturday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The expedition is expected to cover more than 2,000 kilometers, traveling from a small village in the Sakha Republic to the Kotelny Island and back.

"The arctic expedition of the Russian Defense Ministry, carrying out research and tests of new and prospective weapons, military and special equipment in the Arctic's harsh environment, has successfully covered about 600 kilometers," Bulgakov said.

Bulgakov noted that over 20 maintenance, repairs and ergonomics tests of various technology have already been carried out.

A range of military vehicles, including snowmobiles, two-unit transport vehicles, special vehicles on low pressure tires on the basis of all-terrain vehicles TREKOL and upgraded two-tier DT-10PM and DT-30PM transporters have been tested.

The expedition is also trying out various devices to measure the depth of ice layers, new water-purifying technologies and medical aid equipment.

In 2013, Russia announced a strategy to increase its presence in the Arctic and to boost the region's development by 2020. In December 2014, Russia unveiled a revised military doctrine that prioritizes the protection of national interests in the Arctic.

 Sputnik

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Syrian Army Lost Contact With Jet Flying Reconnaissance Mission Near Turkey

Sputnik News

22:10 04.03.2017(updated 22:34 04.03.2017)

The Syrian army lost contact with a jet performing a reconnaissance mission near the Turkish border, local media said Saturday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, fighters from Syria's Ahrar al Sham Islamist extremist group claimed to have shot down a Syrian government MiG-21 fighter jet over the Syrian province of Idlib. Syrian government sources later reportedly confirmed that contact had been lost with a low-flying plane over Idlib, but said this was due to technical difficulties.

Contact with the jet was lost and the military is now searching for the pilot, who had ejected, the SANA news agency reported, citing a military source.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has confirmed that a Syrian military plane had crashed in south Turkey's Hatay province.

Media reports said, citing Turkish sources, that the jet was a MiG-23 fighter rather than a MiG-21.

Debris of a crashed Syrian fighter jet were found near the Turkish border with Syria, according to the Hatay province governor.

The pilot apparently had ejected, the governor added.

The news comes amid the nationwide ceasefire in Syria between Damascus and Syrian rebels that came into force on December 30, and has been holding up in general, despite continued reports of violations. The UN Security Council passed a resolution in December supporting the effort.

 Sputnik

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Daesh, Al-Nusra Front Squeezed by Syrian Arab Army, Lose Ground in Syria

Sputnik News

18:47 04.03.2017

Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) and al-Nusra Front continue to lose ground in Syria. Commenting on the creation of a new terrorist coalition, the "Organization for the Liberation of the Levant," in Syria, Russian Ambassador to Syria Alexander Kinshchak told Sputnik that he is convinced that the Syrian Arab Army will finally defeat the terrorists.

Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) has lost about a quarter of its territorial gains in Syria and Iraq in 2016; for its part, al-Nusra Front, also known as the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, maintains control over just 10-12 percent of the Syrian territory, Russian Ambassador to Syria Alexander Kinshchak told Sputnik.

Daesh, Al-Nusra Front Suffer Severe Losses

"Over the last year and a half, a steady tendency has emerged for the illegal armed formations to lose their territories [in Syria] due to successes of the Syrian [Arab] Army which receives efficient support from the Russian Aerospace Forces. While in 2015 al-Nusra Front and its allies help sway over one fifth of Syria, it now holds no more than 10-12 percent of the country," Kinshchak said, stressing that most of al-Nusra Front militants are now located in the Syrian province of Idlib.

However, it's not actually about the numbers, the Russian diplomat says: the most severe blow to the illegally armed formations was dealt last December in eastern Aleppo.

"The area seems to be small but the significance of this victory [in Aleppo] cannot be overestimated," Kinshchak said, "I believe it could be compared to the defeat of the Nazis in Stalingrad."

Similarly, Daesh suffers losses in both Syria and Iraq. The Russian diplomat underscored that by 2017 the terrorist group had lost about a quarter of its territories: the total area under Daesh's control has diminished from 78 thousand square kilometers (30.11 sq. mi) to 60.4 thousand sq. km (23.32 sq. mi).

The Russian ambassador noted that although Daesh still controls large areas in Syria, these are mostly deserts. Furthermore, almost everywhere in Syria the terrorists have been forced onto the defensive.

"According to some estimates, at the moment the legitimate [Syrian] government controls about 35 percent of the country's territory. It's worth mentioning that these are mostly large cities and densely populated areas, which are home to over 10 million people  the majority of Syria's population," Kinshchak underscored.

Will Donald Trump Team Up With Moscow, Damascus in Syria?

Speaking to Sputnik, the Russian diplomat also shared his views regarding the prospects of Russo-American and Syrian-American collaboration in the fight against Islamic extremists.

Kinshak called attention to the fact the Trump administration's Middle Eastern policy has yet to take shape.

"It is encouraging to see that the new US President has publicly emphasized the task of defeating Daesh and other terrorist groups on the ground as one of his foreign policy priorities. However, an 'undated' version of the US foreign strategy has yet to be made public," the diplomat noted.

In this respect it is too early to evaluate the possibility of US-Russia and US-Damascus coordination in the fight against terrorism in the region, he added.

"There is no certainty that the Americans are ready for this," the diplomat remarked.

He referred to the fact that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has repeatedly signaled Damascus's readiness to coordinate joint counter-terrorism operations with the new American administration if it demonstrates commitment to the fight against illegally armed groups on the ground.

Following Trump's win in the US presidential election in November 2016, Assad stressed that Trump could become Syria's natural ally if he delivers on his election promise to defeat Daesh.

"So, we cannot tell anything about what he's [Trump] going to do, but if he is going to fight the terrorists, of course we are going to be ally, natural ally in that regard with the Russian, with the Iranian, with many other countries who wanted to defeat the terrorists," Assad told Portuguese television broadcaster RTP.

Speaking to Belgian journalists in February 2017, Assad reiterated that he believes that the potential military cooperation between Washington and Moscow in the region would be "positive for the rest of the world, including Syria."

Still, the Syrian President remarked that it was too early to make any predictions.

"I think this is promising, we have to wait, it's still early to expect anything practical. It could be about the cooperation between the US and Russia, that we think is going to be positive for the rest of the world, including Syria. So, as I said, it's still early to judge it," he said as quoted by SANA.

According to Kinshchak, Damascus hopes that Washington will correct the previous administration's policy aimed at supporting the "irreconcilable" opposition in Syria.

"It is obvious: you cannot effectively tackle the terror threat at the same time continuing to play dangerous games with radicals from Syria's "irreconcilable" opposition, providing jihadists with money and weapons," the Russian diplomat pointed out.

'Local Peace Deals': Damascus Makes Efforts to De-Escalate Conflict

Commenting on Damascus's counterterrorism efforts, the Russian diplomat highlighted that at the same time the Syrian government tries to diminish hostilities on the ground through local peace deals.

The Syrian government's practice is aimed at restoring peace and order in the country's regions by allowing the "irreconcilable" opposition to flee to Idlib. Those who voluntarily lay down arms are granted amnesty by Damascus.

Kinshchak stressed that such a practice let the Syrian government to de-escalate the conflict in the country step by step.

"As practice showed, the order and normal life have been immediately restored in these pacified regions, allowing [Syrian] refugees to return home," he said.

Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham: New Terrorist Coalition Emerges in Idlib, Hama

However, the Russian diplomat admitted that much remains to be done in Syria to tackle the terror threat.

Kinshchak revealed that currently in the provinces of Idlib and Hama Islamist insurgents are busy creating yet another large coalition of jihadist groups under the banner of the "Organization for the Liberation of the Levant," also known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

This organization was founded on January 28 by al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front and its allies.

Kinshchak noted that the group has been spotted targeting former Islamist fighters who struck an agreement with the Syrian legitimate government and joined the peace negotiations.

"Time will tell what this enmity among the illegal armed groups will result in. In any event, I am convinced that the Syrian [Arab] Army supported by its allies, including Russia's Aerospace Forces, will continue to fight back and will inflict a crushing defeat on the terrorists," he said.

 Sputnik

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Syrian Army Creates Buffer Zone Between Kurds and Turkish Military

Sputnik News

15:03 04.03.2017

The Manbij Military Council has agreed to hand over areas to the west of the strategically important city in the Aleppo province to the Syrian Arab Army as part of a Russia-sponsored deal that will help to create a buffer zone between the Turkish military and the Kurds and allow the Syrian Democratic Forces to focus on the Raqqa offensive.

"The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have reached a deal with Russia to cede control over areas and settlements to the west of Manbij along the contact line with the Operation Euphrates Shield forces to the Syrian Arab Army," the Manbij Military Council said in a statement, released on March 2. A day later, Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy, chief of the Russian General Staff Main Operational Directorate, confirmed this information.

Ankara ostensibly launched Operation Euphrates Shield to push Daesh out of northern Syria and prevent Kurdish militias from creating a single area on the border with Turkey. The campaign was largely focused on liberating al-Bab in recent months, with the Turkish military and Ankara-backed rebels taking the city under control on February 23.

Turkish authorities have repeatedly said that Manbij, a city administered by the Kurds since August 2016, is supposed to be one of the next targets for their campaign in Syria. Raqqa, the de facto capital of Daesh's caliphate, has also been on Ankara's agenda. However, on Monday, Turkish presidential adviser Ilnur Cevik indicated that Ankara planned to stop Operation Euphrates Shield once Manbij is captured.

Abd Salam Muhammad Ali, a representative of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Russia, pointed out that Turkey's military operation risks forcing the Kurds to fight on two fronts, against Daesh in Raqqa and Ankara-backed rebels in northern Syria. This appears to be one of the key reasons that prompted the Kurds to reach an agreement with Damascus.

"An alliance between the Kurds and the pro-government forces is feasible," Ali told RBC. He emphasized that the Kurds are not opposed to the Syrian government or President Bashar al-Assad and are not trying to overthrow him, adding that their primary objective is to make sure that the rights of minorities in Syria are protected under the new constitution.

Abd Salam Muhammad Ali also suggested that Moscow and Turkey have an agreement on preventing clashes between forces loyal to Assad on the one hand and Ankara on the other.

Konstantin Truevtsev, a researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told RBC that Moscow and Damascus will not allow Ankara to capture more territories that are currently administered by the Kurds. Turkey will have to "abandon its plans" to advance deeper into Syria, he added.

 Sputnik

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Syrian Army Presses Offensive Against IS Near Turkish Border

By VOA News March 04, 2017

Syrian news reports say government forces pressed forward Saturday in pursuit of Islamic State extremists in northern Syria, gaining control of 15 more villages near the Turkish border and slowing a rival push against IS fighters by Turkish-backed Syrian rebels.

Monitors from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Syrian offensive, launched after last month's capture of the IS stronghold town of al-Bab, brought government troops within 15 kilometers of the main facility pumping fresh water into nearby Aleppo.

Jihadists cut the main water supply to the war-ravaged city nearly seven weeks ago.

Syrian Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman, speaking Saturday, said the fighting in the past week had forced more than 30,000 civilians, most of them women and children, from their homes.

Most of the refugees headed northeast toward Manbij, where a local administration official told the French news agency AFP on Saturday that 40,000 displaced civilians had arrived in the past week.

'Euphrates Shield'

Turkey mounted its own military campaign in Syria last August, launching its anti-jihadist "Euphrates Shield" offensive just hours after an IS terror strike on a wedding party the southern city of Gaziantep killed more than 50 people and wounded scores of others.

The operation's stated goal is to clear the Syria-Turkey frontier of IS fighters and Kurdish forces by backing the Free Syrian Army with warplanes and artillery. Additionally, largely Sunni Turkey has also sought to ensure that its postwar frontier is clear of thousands of Iran-backed Shi'ite fighters currently fighting alongside the Syrian army of President Bashar al-Assad and its Russian allies.

A separate anti-jihadist force, a Kurdish-led alliance of U.S.-led armed groups known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has pushed Islamic State extremists away from much of the Turkish frontier since mid-2016.

However, strategists have warned that long-standing antipathy between Turkey and Kurdish separatists fighting with the SDF could threaten the future stability of any broad anti-jihadist alliance, as planning continues for an all-out assault on the IS stronghold of Raqqa.

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Taiwan closely monitoring passing Chinese military fleet

ROC Central News Agency

2017/03/04 18:12:21

Taipei, March 4 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said Saturday that a fleet of Chinese military vessels passed through the Taiwan Strait earlier in the day, heading southward along China's east coast, after conducting a military exercise near the Japanese island of Miyakojima.

A destroyer, a supply ship and an escort vessel from China's South China Sea fleet passed through the Miyako Strait, which lies between Miyakojima and Okinawa Island, and into the Taiwan Strait, according to the ministry.

The fleet was traveling west of the median line of the Taiwan Strait and was expected to leave Taiwan's air defense identification zone by Saturday night, the ministry said, adding that it was closely following the ships' movement.

The three vessels were returning from an annual naval and air exercise that was conducted Thursday in an area southeast of Miyakojima, which is approximately 300 kilometers east of Taiwan, the ministry said.

The exercise included drills by a range of fighter aircraft, early warning and air surveillance planes, and Xian H-6 bombers, according to the defense ministry.

It said there was no imminent threat to Taiwan, but the country's authorities would continue to keep a close eye on China's military actions and were prepared to respond, if necessary.

Last December, China's first aircraft carrier the Liaoning and a fleet of escort vessels sailed past Taiwan's east coast and into the South China Sea to conduct training exercises there.

On the return leg in January, the aircraft carrier fleet entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone from the southwest and remained west of the median line of the Taiwan Strait, sailing north to its base in northeastern China.

In response to reporters' questions on the issue, Taiwanese military expert Erich Shih () said it was difficult to determine whether the aim was to intimidate Taiwan.

China more likely was trying to gain maritime navigation experience with its military vessels, he said, adding the targets of the exercises could also have been Japan or American military bases in the region.

(By Lu Hsin-hui and Elaine Hou)

ENDITEM/pc

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Ukrainian army shells several residential buildings in Donesk

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 4, 2017 6:30PM

The Ukrainian army has shelled several residential buildings in the self-proclaimed Donetsk region overnight, local officials say.

Eleven homes were severely damaged during the Saturday attacks and power supply was cut in some areas.

There has been no report of civilians casualties.

Ukraine's Armed Forces also shelled the positions of pro-Russian forces in the self-proclaimed Lugansk region over the past day.

The report comes a day after the Ukrainian army shelled Donetsk water purification plant, damaging some parts of the complex.

Efforts to demine the area nearby the Donetsk water purification plant were indefinitely suspended on Friday due to incessant shelling by Ukraine's military.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine began after political a political upheaval in Kiev in 2014, when a Russia-backed president was deposed from power and a pro-Western government took office.

Donetsk and Lugansk, which are mainly Russian-speaking regions, have witnessed deadly clashes between pro-Russia forces and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations to silence pro-Russia protests there in mid-April 2014. More than 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict so far.

Ukraine has consistently blamed Russia for the conflict, saying Moscow provides funds and weapons to the pro-Russian forces in the east.

Moscow has denied the allegations although it says it would not stand still if the ethnic Russian population in eastern Ukraine becomes subject to the Ukrainian government suppression.

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Danville police on Wednesday released the identities of three of the multiple people arrested last week on West James Street.

Dwight Montel Harris was arrested along with Mariah Leslie Conway and four minors at an abandoned building on the 200 block of West James Street on Feb. 23 by members of the Danville Police Departments special investigations division, with assistance from the Virginia State Police. Conway's name had been released earlier.

A police department news release said open containers of alcohol were on the scene, and all six individuals were found in possession of firearms, some of which police believe were stolen.

Further investigation led Danville police to two more arrests later in the day, Danville Police Lt. Mike Wallace said. Lisa Rene Barley, 24, and Bernard Gene Francis, 46, were arrested after search warrants were served at 122 West James St.

Barley is charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute; Francis is charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Conway, 20, was denied bond Monday in Danville General District Court on charges of possession or transport of a firearm after having been convicted of a violent felony and carrying a concealed weapon, second offense.

Harris, 20, is charged with possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a concealed firearm.

According to an email from Wallace earlier this week, the minors were charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, two counts of possession of a stolen firearm, two counts of possession of a firearm by a juvenile and littering.

Conways next court appearance is in Danville General District Court in April, while Barley, Francis and Harris appearances are set for May in the same court.

The cases against the juveniles will be handled in Danville Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.

Livingston reports for the Danville Register & Bee.
Pittsylvania County Circuit Judge James Reynolds reassured a 16-year-old girl she held no blame in the case that brought her into his courtroom Friday afternoon.

Young lady, you did nothing wrong, he told the girl, who had become the target of a 74-year-old mans advances.

William Allen Leopold Sr. was sentenced to two years in prison on one count of computer solicitation of a minor and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Leopolds attorney, Stacey Allocca, argued her client should receive probation and no jail time for a felony and two misdemeanors, saying twice Leopold had succumb to the temptation from the teenager.

We all make mistakes but Leopold has taken responsibility for his actions, Allocca argued. Leopold pleaded guilty to the offenses in October.

Reynolds disagreed.

That word [mistake] does not describe the conduct here, Reynolds said. A mistake is not sending a young girl a text declaring his love for her.

This is not a court of sin. This is a court of law, Reynolds said, and the law is clear Leopold took advantage of a young girl.

The criminal complaint filed for the case states between October and December 2015, Leopold and the teenage girl sent and received nude photographs of each other.

He was soliciting her  grooming her, Pittsylvania County Commonwealths Attorney Bryan Haskins said in his closing argument.

Why he chose this child, only he knows, Haskins continued, adding Leopold, a married father of two, betrayed his familys trust.

Leopold and the girl attended the same church, Haskins said, adding, He watched her grow up in the church.

The girls mother testified she knew and trusted Leopold. She said her daughter was robbed of her innocence and she has watched her daughter struggle emotionally, academically and socially.

The mother said her family has been blackballed in the community, and rejected by their church.

When Allocca asked the mother if her daughter and Leopold had a consensual relationship, the mother responded No maam, it was not.

My baby will always be a survivor, the mother said.

Allocca and fellow attorney Henry Crider called six people to testify on behalf of Leopold before Reynolds interjected. All conveyed a similar message  Leopold was a kind, reliable man who was well respected in the church and was a good professional.

Lisa Royster has known Leopold for more than 20 years and said she was shocked by the arrest. Silas Ferrell Jr. called Leopold a friendly member of the church family. Both said they had no concern about Leopold being around their children.

Leopold, dressed in a gray suit and glasses, apologized to everyone he hurt in his statement to the court.

I have no one to blame but myself, Leopold said. I vow before God  you will never see me in your courtroom again.

Livingston reports for the Danville Register & Bee.
This session of the General Assembly ended with pay raises for faculty and a smaller bite from budgets than had been anticipated for public colleges and universities.

So there was some good news, said College of William & Mary President W. Taylor Reveley III. But on the whole, it was a session where we had to play a lot of defense.

The legislative season saw efforts to limit tuition, increase scrutiny of finances and curtail some of the autonomy that the schools gained when the General Assembly approved higher-education restructuring more than a decade ago.

At a meeting of college presidents two days after the session ended, Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III, superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute, noted that senior members of the assembly who know us get the concept of decentralization.

Peay suggested an outreach effort before the assembly meets again to acquaint newer legislators with the distinctive strengths of each school under a decentralized system.

Invite them to campus, he said, and show them what this is all about.

While the legislative proposals that worried the presidents were largely unsuccessful, they are not likely to be shelved in this gubernatorial election year  Sen. Frank W. Wagner of Virginia Beach, a candidate for the Republican nomination, called for a tuition freeze on the Senate floor.

A nonprofit advocacy group called Partners 4 Affordable Excellence @EDU, which is chaired by former University of Virginia Rector Helen Dragas, is seeking to push the cost of a degree as a significant issue in the campaign.

Last summer, Dragas disclosed that U.Va. had put together an investment fund worth more than $2.2 billion, triggering some of the legislative proposals aimed at academia.

Under legislation approved by the assembly, public colleges or universities must report annually to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia the value of investments, cash earnings on balances and the use of the earnings (excluding endowment funds).

Also, one of the two top leadership spots on governing boards must be held by a resident of the state of Virginia, a requirement that was promoted as an accountability measure.

It sets a bad precedent, Reveley said of the latter bill as the presidents received a legislative update at SCHEV.

Also adopted was legislation mandating free speech on campus, including for invited guests.

U.Va. President Teresa Sullivan said no provision was made to cover the cost for security that schools would incur for controversial speakers.

She also again questioned legislation allowing the sale of higher-proof grain alcohol in Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control stores. The bill increases from 101 to 151 the proof of neutral spirits and includes a 2022 sunset provision.

But the laws expiration date did not mandate a study of the impact of selling alcohol with no distinctive taste or aroma, said Sullivan, who previously called it basically a date rape drug.

The bill already has been signed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

McAuliffe also has approved legislation requiring community colleges to develop policies for awarding academic credit for state-approved apprenticeship credentials.

The governor has until midnight March 27 to sign legislation. The assembly will reconvene April 5 to act on any vetoes or amendments to the budget bill.

As approved by the assembly, the budget would restore more than $20 million of $76 million the governor cut in higher education funding to address the projected shortfall in the next fiscal year.

The budget also would give a 2 percent raise to faculty, with an additional 1 percent for faculty at eight institutions that did not give raises or bonuses last year.

Those schools are VMI, Richard Bland College and Christopher Newport, James Madison, Radford, Norfolk State and Virginia State universities, and the VSU Extension.

The other schools could give the additional raise with their own money.

Budget language included in the bill would require SCHEV to work with schools to standardize financial aid award letters for clarity, and several bills were passed related to the awarding of academic credit.

The bills require institutions to set policies for awarding credit for American Sign Language courses and dual enrollment courses taken in high school.

Also approved was a 15-member board to oversee a partnership between George Mason and Old Dominion universities for online delivery of degree-completion programs.

The Online Virginia Network Authority would be a political subdivision with a board that would include four members of the House of Delegates, three from the Senate and three appointed by the governor.

SCHEVs director, the presidents of ODU and GMU, and one member appointed by each of the schools governing boards would complete the lineup.

Reveley said after the meeting that he was not referencing any one bill when he observed that schools are unduly regulated in a way that does not recognize that we actually do know what were doing.

Im struck by the fact that much in the same way that nature lays down glacial levels of rocks over time, each year we just get more and more regulations, he said.
Former State Inspector General June Jennings, who was ousted recently by the General Assembly for her offices failure to thoroughly investigate the death of a mentally ill inmate, has been appointed to a new role in Gov. Terry McAuliffes administration.

McAuliffe on Friday appointed Jennings to fill a vacant position as deputy secretary of finance. She will serve under Secretary of Finance Ric Brown and alongside Gina Burgin, another deputy.

The position Jennings is filling had been vacant for months, said Brian Coy, McAuliffes spokesman.

Junes experience as an accountant and state government auditor will make her a valuable asset to the Secretary of Finances office, Coy said.

Deputy secretaries are not subject to the approval of the General Assembly, Coy said.

In February, the General Assembly voted to approve all but one of McAuliffes hundreds of appointees.

Jennings was excluded, lawmakers said, because her office failed to get to the bottom of Jamycheal Mitchells death at Hampton Roads Regional Jail in August 2015. A mentally ill Portsmouth resident, Mitchell lost 46 pounds behind bars and died of extreme weight loss and heart problems.

Jennings maintained that her office did not have the authority to investigate jails.

Del. Robert B. Bell, R-Albemarle, who led the charge for Jennings ouster, disagreed with her assessment, but said even if that was the case, her office should have tried to dig deeper into the medical records kept by the private company that contracted with the jail to provide health care to inmates.

Bell said he wanted Jennings to be replaced with someone more suited to conducting death investigations.

She may be wonderful for other positions, he said from the floor of the House of Delegates in February. But its clear from the evidence in front of us shes not right for this position.

He declined to comment on Jennings new appointment Friday afternoon.

Prior to joining the Office of the State Inspector General, Jennings worked for the Virginia Department of Corrections as inspector general and internal audit director, according to the governors office.

Jennings, a native of Chesterfield County, is a certified public accountant who graduated from Radford University with a bachelor of science in accounting.
History. Whats it good for if we dont learn from it and use the past to understand the present and peer into the future? And what better state in the nation to begin to understand Americas complicated past than Virginia?

In the recently concluded 2017 session of the General Assembly, legislators took a major step toward embracing the commonwealths complicated history of race with passage of two bills to identify historic African-American cemeteries and fund their restoration and ongoing maintenance.

Del. Delores McQuinn of Richmond initially hoped to get about $35,000 from Gov. Terry McAuliffes budget to pay for restoring two historic cemeteries in the Richmond area. What the Assembly wound up doing was even more far reaching.

The state currently pays $5 per grave per year to historic cemeteries for the upkeep of soldiers from the American Revolution and the Civil War. Thats where McQuinn derived her request of $34,875  the East End and Evergreen cemeteries are home to about 7,000 black Virginians, many of them prominent civic and business leaders from the Reconstruction era.

The Assembly, though, decided to provide $150,000 to identify African-American sites and artifacts and created a 12-member state commission to work with the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities in Charlottesville to assist in that task. Thats in addition to the support of first historic black cemeteries that will be continuing item in future state budgets, just like the almost $70,000 annual support for Revolution-era and Civil War graves.

But at the same time Virginia is making such great strides in acknowledging and honoring the historical contributions of African-Americans and in confronting, honestly, the legacy of slavery, there are efforts by well-intentioned but ultimately ill-informed folks to erase from history the past efforts to memorialize the leaders of the Souths rebellion.

In Charlottesville, there are several large statues honoring Virginias military leaders of the Confederacy. The most prominent is a nearly 100-year-old statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee astride his horse, Traveler, in Lee Park, just one block from the Downtown Mall.

Last month, Charlottesville City Council voted 3-2 to spend whatever it takes to remove all such statues from city-owned property. It was the culmination of years of efforts that gained steam following the 2015 massacre of nine black worshippers in Charleston, S.C., by a white supremacist terrorist.

Though a council-appointed commission recommended keeping the statues in place but accompanied by signage and other design elements to give them much-needed historical context, council decided it was better to obliterate any physical trace of this part of history as the way to move past it.

Thats a shortsighted approach, we believe, that ultimately will do more harm than good. History is not the feel-good tales learned in elementary school  its often ugly, brutal, painful, complicated and complex. We move forward as a society when we understand the complex and contradictory motivations of our predecessors. Removing any physical evidence the past because it is painful to deal with does no one any good.

History is part of the DNA of Virginia, the Mother of States. But all history, not just the parts we like.
'You live in Trump country now,' Fla. police say N.C. man shouted during attack on gay men
Oh joy! I, too, can win an AR-15.

A North Carolina gun-rights group is pushing hard for legislation that would allow anyone to carry concealed weapons in North Carolina without a permit.

That means no training is required.

It also means that if I sign a petition favoring this bill, NC Gun Rights promises, I might get that AR-15, brand-new, free and ready for action.

Ill be automatically be entered into the March AR-15 Gun Giveaway.

If you dont know, the AR-15 is a selective fire rifle, a sporting weapon with a muscular military design.

But it is not, as gun enthusiasts will tell you, an assault rifle. It is semi-automatic. It fires one round with each squeeze of the trigger.

Ive been meaning to put one on my Christmas wish list.

But this isnt the only gun bill being considered.

House Bill 251, sponsored by Rep. Kyle Hall, a Republican from King, would allow concealed-carry permit holders to carry their handguns on UNC system and North Carolina community college campuses.

Hall is a 2012 UNC-Chapel Hill graduate who said he was prompted to file the bill by a constituent who was permitted for concealed carry but not allowed bring his gun to classes with him at Appalachian State University.

That means if both bills passed, you wouldnt need a permit OR training for concealed carry AND you could take your gun to English Lit with you, too.

Ive always felt Id be safer in the college classes I teach if I knew my students might be packing heat.

Is this a great country or what?
At a time when Republicans and Democrats find few areas of agreement, its fortunate indeed that they see common cause in a problem as serious as opioid addiction.

On Wednesday, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper unveiled his budget, which includes more than $12 million in community mental-health funds for programs addressing opioid use.

On Thursday, Republicans in the General Assembly, with the support of Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein, sponsored House and Senate versions of the STOP Act, which closely monitors prescription opioids and would devote $20 million for 2 years for community-based addiction treatment and recovery services.

The question for some who are working on the problem in Guilford County was whether these funds would address their most urgent needs.

Weve done a poor job of communicating what we need, said Chase Holleman, Naloxone Program Coordinator for Caring Services, an addiction treatment center in High Point. At age 24, he has experienced the complex problem of opioid abuse as a user, an overdose victim, a survivor in recovery, and now as an outreach coordinator.

Naloxone, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, kept Holleman alive on three different occasions.

But it was detox and rehabilitation that saved his life.

After overdosing in his dorm at UNC-Wilmington, he was kicked out of school with the promise that he could re-enroll if he got treatment. He had sought treatment once before but checked himself out after 14 days.

At the age of 20, I went back to treatment, and something just clicked, Holleman said. At that point, he said, he had been a drug user for five years and a heroin user for two years.

He knows people who have suffered detox alone but said he finds it hard to imagine how he could have endured it without medication and supervision. Today, he struggles to help others who have overdosed find treatment because of the lack of detox facilities in Guilford County.

Holleman got treatment at Fellowship Hall in Greensboro, which has a 28-day program.

I was really lucky to have that opportunity, Holleman said. I consider it to be the gold standard of treatment programs. But you have to have insurance and money on top of that. It would be nice if there were more programs like that for people who didnt have resources.

At Caring Services, he works exclusively with people who dont have resources, and there is literally no detox facility in Guilford County that will take them. The closest is Addiction Recovery Care Association (ARCA) in Winston-Salem, which serves 37 counties with only 67 beds.

Heroin and powerful prescription opioids such as Oxycontin and hydrocodone change brain function and produce a powerful physical addiction that requires increasing amounts of the drug to satisfy. Opiate users need medically assisted detox because physical withdrawal symptoms are so severe. Those who abuse alcohol as well as heroin could die during withdrawal without medical supervision.

Withdrawal is like the worst flu I ever had, times 10, Holleman said. Leg pain, cold sweats, vomiting, insomnia, intense anxiety, major depression and the obsession with getting high again.

What many people dont understand, Holleman said, is that most drug users desperately want to quit.

It wasnt like I didnt want the good things in life, Holleman said. It wasnt like I wanted my life to be consumed with this obsession. I wanted to quit every single day. Id throw my stuff away and swear I was not going to use again. Then Id wake up feeling sick, and Id be alone.

One of the most powerful elements of treatment for Holleman was realizing that he wasnt alone. Seeing others who were living in recovery helped him believe that quitting was possible.

Hollemans job at Caring Services is to form relationships with active drug users at risk for overdose, which includes anyone using heroin or other opiates. People just out of detox, recovery or prison are at eight times the risk of fatal overdose because their bodies no longer can tolerate the amount of the drug they were previously using.

What is sorely needed is recovery support after people emerge from the acute model of care, Holleman said. Like anyone else with a chronic disease, they need follow-up visits and ongoing support.

Many people do emerge from heroin addiction, but they are a nearly invisible population because of the stigma associated with drug use.

Twenty-three million Americans are living in recovery, Holleman said. They are doctors, lawyers, teachers, social workers, elected officials. You know someone in recovery. You just dont know that you know someone in recovery.

Holleman enrolled at UNC-Greensboro and was an early member of the Spartan Recovery Program, which connects students with recovery support services. He earned a bachelors degree in social work and is pursuing a masters degree in social work at UNC-Chapel Hill.

In addition to his work at Caring Services, he provides education and clean-needle exchanges as a member of the N.C. Harm Reduction Coalition.

Both jobs allow me to form relationships with active users and offer resources in a nonthreatening way, Holleman said. People are generally receptive, because its the first time in a long time that anyone has been kind to them.

If they do overdose, or just reach the point where theyre ready to accept help, they have someone to go to. Someone who knows what theyre going through and who made it to the other side.

Holleman said he has been talking with High Point Police Chief Kenneth Shultz about starting a program that has been successful in the North Carolina town of Nashville. The HOPE Initiative allows drug users to receive assistance from the Nashville Police Department without fear of incarceration.

Since the program was implemented last year, 112 people have entered treatment. Sally Randall, who does outreach to drug users as part of her nonprofit Re4Him, also is pursuing the idea with the Greensboro Police Department.

Police and health-care providers in Wilmington, which leads the nation in heroin use, are asking lawmakers to fund Rapid Response Teams, which respond to overdoses and quickly intervene to connect people with treatment. In one Ohio city, 80 percent of those contacted by the teams ended up in treatment, Holleman said.

But for any of these strategies to work there must be treatment facilities available.

City, county and state leaders must work together to ensure that people who want to quit have somewhere to go.
President Donald Trump's 3:35 a.m. tweet yesterday, and those that followed in rapid succession, were so stunning that they required time to absorb.

They sent the mainstream media, and the political establishment, into a frenzy.

Where in the world did this come from? What was Trump talking about?

"Obama had my 'wires tapped'"

"Is it legal for a sitting President to be 'wire tapping' a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!"

"I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!"

"How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!"

Let's understand: This is the sitting president accusing the former president of criminal activity.

A president has no legal authority to order "wire taps" of U.S. citizens.

If Trump Tower, or Trump personally, was wire tapped, a court would have had to grant a warrant requested by a law-enforcement agency as part of a criminal investigation.

Is that what happened? Who knows?

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper says he knows. "I can deny" Trump's allegation, he told "Meet the Press" on NBC today.

Trump offered no substantiation of his explosive allegation. The White House hasn't backed it up. (But it says it wants congressional committees to investigate.) For all anyone knows, Trump's source is Breitbart. Or Infowars. Or God know what.

When the president makes an allegation against a former president, it's necessary to investigate.

What will be the consequences if this allegation is as credible as Trump's "birther" campaign against Barack Obama?

For now, this looks like the most extreme attempt yet to deflect attention from the Russian issue, which has progressed from Trump's flat denial that anyone in his campaign had any contacts with Russians to where we are now.

Trump uses Twitter like the world's biggest spitball. We've got a president who will lodge the most serious charge against a former president with one tweet and then aim at an actor with the next. Or defend his daughter's business interests.

Republican Sen. Ben Sasse made an important statement yesterday:

"We are in the midst of a civilization-warping crisis of public trust, and the President's allegations today demand the thorough and dispassionate attention of serious patriots. A quest for the full truth, rather than knee-jerk partisanship, must be our guide if we are going to rebuild civic trust and health."

Donald Trump is creating this crisis of public trust with his unexplained allegation of criminality by his predecessor as well as the rampant dishonesty of himself and campaign associates regarding their contacts and communications with Russians at a time when the Russians were trying to destabilize our election. This is serious. It demands examination, and I hope that Republican senators, including Richard Burr, will step up and, as Lindsey Graham promised, get to the bottom of it.

We're heading for the bottom in another sense, and it's urgent to find the truth.
This week's column:

A reader named Thomas Hobbs had a lot to say in his recent letter to the editor.

The current finance director for Jamestown should become the new manager, he declared. She is qualified, knows the towns finances and best of all  she is already on staff.

The town would benefit from increasing her salary rather than pay a new manager the stated salary in the manager job advertisement, Hobbs argued.

At 195 words, his letter met our length guidelines. It passed muster for taste and accuracy. It seemed timely and topical.

Problem was, as far as anyone could tell, Thomas Hobbs does not exist.

The phone number he placed on his letter, which he submitted through our website (if he, indeed, really is a he) was the main number for town government in Jamestown. The address he listed (301 E. Main St., Jamestown) is the address for Town Hall. They know him there. Sort of. Thomas Hobbs has requested any number of public documents from the town staff.

If Hobbs name sounds familiar, you may have heard it before in a history class. Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury (April 5, 1588 -Dec. 4, 1679) was an Englishman who is widely considered a founding father of modern political philosophy. He also apparently was the inspiration for Jamestowns Thomas Hobbs, whose email address contains the digits 1588, the birth year of Hobbes with an e.

At any rate, Hobbs without the e has become pretty well-known in his own right, at least at Town Hall  though no one there has ever met or talked to him. Thats because, whenever he files his public records requests  usually pertaining to the hiring, firing and salary of the former town manager  he uses email. Hobbs also has inquired into the salary of the interim town manager and the planning director.

Everybody knows of the name, Jamestown Accountant Manager Sharon Apple says, chuckling. We just dont know who he is.

Not that they havent tried. Town Clerk Martha Wolfe says town staff checked property tax records and water accounts and still couldnt find anyone named Thomas Hobbs. It was very, very strange, she says. I was born here and have lived here all my life and I still dont know a Thomas Hobbs.

They, like me, eventually connected the dots and concluded that they were dealing with a phantom.

In fact, Hobbs has a pending records request that was so complex it had to be loaded onto a CD rather than emailed. (If you must know, it involves correspondence related to the reclassification of the planning directors job description.) Its still waiting for him at Town Hall.

Why waste time honoring the requests of person with a made-up identity?

Because North Carolina law does not require that a person requesting a public record identify himself. If Mickey Mouse asked for something and has filled out the correct forms, Wolfe says, we have to give it to them.

And if Hobbs should ask again? Theyll do the same.

What else are you going to do? Wolfe says. Were trying to fulfill our duties.

The lessons in this?

The town of Jamestown rightly takes public records requests seriously and chooses to err on the side of openness (if only we did in Greensboro ...).

Small-town politics is every bit as interesting as it is in larger cities (sometimes more).

And its better to be sure than sorry if youre in the letters business.

This is one reason the News & Record confirms the identities of letter writers before we publish what theyve written. You never know. (Hobbs wouldnt answer our emails.)

Hobbs has, however, managed to get published in the Jamestown News. The Oct. 18, 2016, letter extolled the folksy charms of Jamestown.

We would visit Town Hall to pay our utility bill, Hobbs wrote, and noticed how town employees would refer to properties not by the street address, but by the first name of the property owner. Sometimes they would cite the previous property owners as well. I learned many Jamestown citizens first names before I met them. Last names came later.

But as it went on, the letter lamented that, as more newcomers moved in, First names became less important to certain citizens as last names became the dominant focus.

Yet again, theres his preoccupation with the town manager. I didnt realize the importance of last names in Jamestown until the recent situation with Town Council and the former manager, the letter says. Another clue to the mystery.

As for the headline on the letter? Whats in a name?
GREENSBORO  Seventeen-year-old Jailene Sharpless was out one night in early December with some friends when they saw other people at a supposedly abandoned building.

Curious, they stopped to check what was happening, but as they arrived, so did police officers. Police rounded up Sharpless and his friends with everybody else near the property.

All were charged with second-degree trespassing  a low-level misdemeanor but an adult criminal charge just the same.

I did not do anything wrong, Sharpless told his mother, Yashama Revels. I dont understand, Mom.

At 17, not many would understand.

North Carolina remains one of only two states that automatically consider people as young as 16 to be adults in all criminal cases.

However, momentum has been building over recent years, in North Carolina and elsewhere, to raise to 18 the charging age for most crimes.

This year, both Greensboro City Council and the General Assembly are discussing changes to the threshold age when juveniles can be charged as adults. Modifications are also being contemplated by New York, the only other state that prosecutes 16- and 17-year-olds as adults.

On Tuesday, members of the N.C. Senate introduced a bill to raise that age. Senate Bill 146 has been moved to the Senates rules and operations committee.

New York state lawmakers are considering two proposals that would raise the criminal age to 18, one that would take effect by 2018 and another by 2020. In New York, defendants can request to be tried as juveniles.

Five states  Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, Texas and Wisconsin  have set the age of criminal responsibility at 17.

Forty-three states and the District of Columbia set 18 as the age at which defendants are charged as adults.

The most recent states to join that group are Louisiana and South Carolina, which last year raised their juvenile age to 18.

People who support a change say there are plenty of reasons to raise the age for adult prosecution.

In juvenile court systems, youths have more access to programs that can turn them around while their minds and decision-making skills are still developing, proponents contend. They have access to their parents, who can advise them.

Sharpless was fortunate. His mother, a hairdresser, had a client in law school who got her in touch with John Powell, the director of the Restorative Justice Clinic at Campbell Law School in Raleigh. Sharpless friends agreed to enter a first-offender program, in which they pleaded guilty to second-degree trespassing. Under the program, if they stay out of trouble for a year, the charges are dropped.

But they are teenagers, Powell said. And they are going to make mistakes.

Prosecutors told Powell that if Sharpless didnt plead to the charge, they would increase it to first-degree trespassing, increasing the potential penalty from 20 days in jail and a $200 fine to 60 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Powell said hed see the prosecutor in court.

The arresting officer couldnt identify who was in the house and the judge summarily dismissed the case as it started.

The reason I took this case is because this is a young black man  when you walk in the courtroom over there, thats what you see, Powell said. This kid was going to get railroaded. It was very obvious to me that he needed help.

And the story is the same for men who fill up the prisons, he said.

Data show that thousands of teenagers have been entered into North Carolinas prison system over the past 20 years, costing the state money and increasing the chance they will offend again, which is called recidivism, experts have said. Studies estimate that the state would save up to $50 million a year by not sending teenagers to adult prisons and from reducing recidivism, authorities say.

Making the change, supported by the executive and judicial branches of the state government, would also come at an expense, said William Lassiter, the deputy commissioner for juvenile justice with the N.C. Department of Public Safety.

We know there is going to be an upfront cost, Lassiter said. The only concern from the legislative branch is, What is it going to cost? 

Juvenile officers are more expensive than adult parole-probation officers because they spend much more time on juvenile cases.

When meeting with clients to discuss a case, juvenile officers spend about 30 times the time their adult probation-parole counterparts do because they work with more than just the client.

A juvenile counselor works with the whole family to find out, What are the systemic problems in a household that cause a child to end up in the juvenile system?  Lassiter said.

Lassiter served on a committee assigned the task of reviewing North Carolina law and determining whether the state should raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to include offenders ages 16 and 17. Like numerous previous reports submitted to the General Assembly, the Juvenile Reinvestment Report, submitted in December, recommends raising the age for juvenile offenders.

It pays to change

Studies in 2009 and 2011 show there would be significant economic benefits to raising the age, according to the reinvestment report.

The report cites the previous studies, which say that moving 16- and 17-year-olds to the juvenile system could save the state up to $52 million.

The savings come from reduced recidivism.

Connecticut and Illinois reallocated money from the adult court system to help pay for the change.

Crimes committed by juveniles are also on a nine-year decline, Lassiter said. As that number has shrunk, so has the budget needed to serve them.

In 2008, the states juvenile justice budget was $173 million. Last year, it was $132 million, he said.

Weve shown the juvenile justice system can save taxpayer dollars, Lassiter said. We need the appropriate resources to come with the change. If you dont have the resources, youre harming every kid in the system.

Tweaking juvenile laws

More than 1,000 juveniles, ages 13 to 17, entered North Carolinas prison system each year until state legislators passed the Juvenile Justice Reform Act in 1998. That law overhauled the legal system serving offenders younger than 16.

The new law required parents to show up in court with their children or face charges of their own. It also required that the defendants go before a judge within 10 days and receive a hearing in 15. It standardized sentencing guidelines for juveniles convicted of crimes. It raised the age for court jurisdiction over runaways and truants to 18.

The law made sweeping changes to how juveniles were handled in court systems.

The changes came about after the General Assembly received recommendations from a task force in the late 1990s, Lassiter said.

The only recommendation not acted on was to raise the age, Lassiter said. There was a 63 percent reduction in detention admissions in facilities.

Theres been an obvious reduction in juvenile crime since passage of the Justice Reform Act, he said.

From 1995 to 1999, Guilford County sent an average of 59 juveniles to state prisons each year, while Alamance County sent 29, Mecklenburg County sent 64 and Wake County sent 75.

As modifications to juvenile justice kicked in, the number of juveniles entering adult prisons dropped.

From 2000 to 2011 , an average of nearly 450 children entered the states prisons annually. Of those, Guilford County sent an average of 29 each year, Mecklenburg 26, Alamance seven and Wake 42.

There was another steep drop in juvenile entries into prisons after 2011. Thats when the Justice Reinvestment Act passed, putting people convicted of misdemeanors in local jails rather than prisons. It also eliminated immediate imprisonment for some parole and probation violations.

In SB 146, legislators have prepared a bipartisan bill with widespread support for raising the age, Lassiter said.

Compromise was essential to getting the bill written, based on recommendations from the Juvenile Reinvestment Report.

Under the bill, district attorneys and law enforcement officials across the state would gain more access to juvenile records, so they could take the records into account when determining what charges to pursue.

That compromise prompted the N.C. Sheriffs Association to support the proposed age change.

Everybody needs some compromises to get to those recommendations, Lassiter said. Since those have been made, we need to keep the bill as clean as possible, based on the recommendations.

The bill also calls for regular juvenile justice training for law enforcement officers. The training would include adolescent development and psychology instructions, relationship building to reduce delinquency, and best practices for handling incidents involving juveniles  arrests, referrals, diversion and detention.

It also establishes a 27-member Juvenile Jurisdiction Advisory Committee, which would develop a plan for implementing the changes to the juvenile justice system. The committee would extend juvenile matters to include 16- and 17-year-olds and come up with a plan that would include costs associated with expanding the system.

The committee would be required to monitor the changes and provide updates on the costs involved.

The bill calls for the change to go into effect on July 1, 2018.

Greensboro council expresses support

Why would you expect a 16- or 17-year-old to be functioning as an adult? Greensboro Councilwoman Sharon Hightower asked. They make stupid decisions. We still make stupid decisions when were older than 21.

Last month, the City Council made raising the age part of its legislative agenda  a sort of wish list of items council members would like to see legislators tackle.

If youre looking at small felonies and misdemeanors, I think we have more opportunity to impact a life positively, Hightower said.

Council members have said they were concerned about people convicted of minor crimes as 16-year-olds being able to find jobs, get accepted at universities or buy houses, Councilman Jamal Fox said.

Why should we continue to hurt their futures? he asked. We all deserve second chances.

Mayor Nancy Vaughan said that as a mother, she knows that 16- and 17-year-olds are not entirely developed.

At 16 and 17, they dont understand the gravity of their actions, she said. There is still a lot of maturing to be done.

Prosecutors on board

In the past, prosecutors have been reluctant to support raising the juvenile age to 18 because of concerns over juveniles committing heinous crimes, according to Guilford County Chief Assistant District Attorney Howard Neumann.

SB 146, the proposal to raise the age. would exclude juveniles accused of the most serious crimes: murder, rape, sexual offense, certain assaults and other grievous offenses. That exclusion helped get district attorneys onboard with the proposal.

There are questions about whether public sentiment toward raising the age has changed since the November 2016 election.

The pendulum was swinging toward being more lenient  incarceration not being the first step of punishment, or even the second step, Neumann said. Theyre trying community resources  to change peoples behavior, so they dont continue to re-offend.

But he wonders if the pendulum will continue to swing.

Its got momentum, and thats whats carrying all of this, Neumann said. The thing thats going to slow it down is that we cant do it overnight.

Suddenly putting 16- and 17-year-olds arrested for breaking laws into juvenile court is going to put a burden on the system  requiring more courtrooms, more judges, more probation officers, more programs.

Even though the cases will come out of the adult courts, they only will be a small fraction of the cases in those courts, Neumann said.
DailyFX.com -

Talking Points

The Chinese Premier did as markets thought he would and said Beijing was aiming for growth of around 6.5% this year

This is even lower than the 6.7% notched up in 2016, but China needs time to reform, cut debt

Consumer price, deficit targets were also as expected

Premier Li Keqiang told the National Peoples Congress in Beijing on Sunday that the government will target slower economic growth this year.

Gross Domestic Product rose by 6.7% in 2016, according to official figures. That was the smallest rise since 1990. However, Beijing will tolerate a slightly lower rate still in 2017 as it seeks to reform the economy and deal with a huge debt build-up. The administration is now aiming at growth of around 6.5% this year Premier Li Keqiang said.

The Chinese government used substantial stimulus to keep the economy motoring at even last years relatively modest pace. Infrastructure investment soared, as did bank lending, despite repeated warnings about the countrys massive corporate debts. Li reportedly said that China will now take further steps to ensure financial-sector safety, including higher vigilance of the shadow-banking sector.

The government also unveiled plans aimed at ensuring every family has at least one wage-earner, even as jobs are cut in Chinas traditional state-owned heavy industries. Beijing reportedly believes that 11 million new city-based jobs will be created in 2017, but that wont be enough to employ the 15 million new workers whom the government believes will enter the labor market.

China will also target an annualized consumer price index rise of around 3% this year, while its budget-deficit target is 3% of GDP. All these benchmarks were broadly as expected by investors, and a Sunday-torpid foreign exchange market didnt react much to Lis words. Of course, it may mull them over anew when trading desks are more fully staffed on Monday.

The Australian Dollar is often the markets favorite liquid China proxy, but didnt move far on this occasion. AUD/USD was steady around 0.75942 as Li spoke and afterward.

Story continues

Sunday stuck: AUD/USD

https://www.tradingview.com/x/VkUjI7IL/

Chart compiled using TradingView

Away from economics, Li also said that China would continue to resolutely oppose and contain independence activities in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Want to know more about financial market trading? Check out the DailyFX webinars

--- Written by David Cottle, DailyFX Research

Contact and follow David on Twitter:@DavidCottleFX



original source

DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets.

Learn forex trading with a free practice account and trading charts from IG.
A small white house beside the Mayo River and an oversized metal building down river belie the import of whats inside: Charlies Soap, the best selling laundry powder on Amazon.com.

The modest buildings, however, characterize the unconventional management and creative thinking fueling the companys success.

Laziness drives us to do way more innovation than anything else, says James Sutherland, flashing a mischievous grin. James is the son of Charles Sutherland, the namesake inventor of Charlies Soap. James and his brothers, Taylor and Morgan, between them hold several vice presidential titles in the family owned enterprise, while their sister Jenny is chairman of the board.

Every improvement we have came from somebody wanting to have more time to waste.

Huh?

Skepticism is quickly quelled by the latest symptom of the companys success: its January purchase of a 120,000-square foot warehouse in Stoneville.

By June, the companys distribution operations and sales workers will join the packaging operations, already in Stoneville, and leave the 30,000 square feet of warehouse space it has rented in Mayodan for nearly a decade. The production and corporate office of Charlies Soap products will remain in Mayodan.

The Charlies Soap Retail Outlet is independently owned by local merchant Ann Stewart and will remain at 105 S. Second Ave.

Growing sales created the need for more space. Charlies Soap is in 80 Lowes Foods locations and about 18 Kroger stores in Roanoke and Raleigh as of last month. A rollout into 230 Food Lion stores began in December.

Whatever theyre doing, its working.

James Sutherland believes that, in addition to the high quality of the product, success stems from the companys emphasis on continuous improvement.

Were looking for efficiency everywhere we can find it, he says.

To motivate employees to find improvements, Sutherland dangles a mighty sweet carrot: Half of the time an employees innovation saves the company, the employee gets to use however he or she sees fit.

If were doing something that takes 30 minutes and if they figure out a way to do it in two minutes, then theyve saved me 28 minutes. Ive told them they can sit on their butts for 14 minutes, if thats what they want to do, but then they have to spend 14 minutes walking around their station looking and really thinking about how to improve things.

He points out two results of this unorthodox incentive plan: a cord dangling from the ceiling that pulls a drop hammer on the floor above, saving a trip upstairs; and a fan made of junkyard finds that keeps workers at a mixing tank cool without cranking up the air conditioner.

How do employees react? Their time management changes, Sutherland says. They want to be considered smart, too. They want to be a building block for the company.

Continuous improvement is emphasized in every area, from the chemistry to the paperwork processing to the production line, Sutherland says.

If it broke down in three months, we want to get four months out of it next time. Were continuously trying to get more and more out of the money that we spend.

A case in point: the new packaging of its soap.

About six months ago, our flagship product went from a plastic jar to a plastic bag, Sutherland said. The plastic bags are more readily recyclable, use less plastic and cut back on our re-ships because they dont break during shipment.

Its our goal over the next two years to change all of our packaging to readily recyclable, he says. Everything now is fairly recyclable, but we want to maximize that as much as we can.

Being green  not so coincidentally the color on all Sutherland product packaging  is good business.

Being sustainable is great from a biological perspective, but from a business perspective, its better, he says. Its cheaper than throwing things away.

The company uses only biodegradable and natural mineral ingredients and eschews fillers that would dilute quality and require disposal.

We dont believe customers need the excess raw materials that companies use to lower the price of their goods, Sutherland says. Crap materials are really cheap, and not just in the monetary aspect. They add residues that can cause harm to users and the environment, and in the long run, harm to the pocket book with harm to machines.

Such a relentless focus on efficiency could create an austere atmosphere, but a walk through the facilities and conversations with the casually dressed employees reveal the opposite.

One employee keeps his custom-built motorcycle, a work in progress, parked inside, and sometimes brings his puppy to work.

Another employee is one of Mayodans volunteer firefighters. Hes the only firefighter whose employer allows him to go on every call.

The companys growth prompts speculation about the future, particularly the potential purchase by a bigger company. This was attempted last summer by an entity Sutherland doesnt want published.

They talked about outright buyouts, partial buyouts, which obviously didnt happen. When asked why, Sutherland replies, When somebody is talking about (purchasing) your ability to work in your field for the rest of your life, they best pay for it.

The opportunity was still flattering and a bit of a thrill.

I got to meet the owner of a large corporation in our market, he says. Hes a titan in business in general. To be able to go head to head with him and explain why we werent willing to be bought out, it was a cool point in our career. We told him, No thank you  were going to do it all on our own. 

That decision is characteristic of Sutherland Products.

It was a reasonable offer, but were not reasonable people, Sutherland says, that mischievous grin flashing again. I dont think he understood where were going to be in the next five years. Its not reasonable to think that growth is going to be here, but we think so.
KERNERSVILLE  A billboard that raised eyebrows was replaced Saturday by one that has some people scratching their heads.

The new 39-word sign, just off Business 40 near the Linville Road exit, reads: Much Ado About Nothing. A social experiment that brought forth those so immersed in their own insecurity that in the mirror they could only see an angry victim of their incorrect interpretation of a silly billboard  Bless their hearts.

Whos going to have time to read that when theyre zooming along? said Molly Grace, who pulled over to read the signs tiny print. Maybe theyll just catch the first bit and think Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing play is coming to town.

But, despite the wordiness, the intent is clear, she said. The sign takes another stab at reinforcing sexism and mocking those who took offense to the original message, she added.

The controversial billboard, posted anonymously in February, originally declared: Real men provide. Real women appreciate it.

The billboard belongs to Whiteheart Outdoor Advertising, and owner Bill Whiteheart said the organization that bought the space does not wish to be identified.

The group has leased the space for 30 days but could stay there longer if they choose to renew.

Grace said the sign doesnt concern her and that its laughable at best.

An experiment typically indicates that you have a trajectory, but what theyve done just seems childish and petulant, she said, referencing the signs wording. I cant believe they spent more money to continue to name call and be mean.

Despite the signs affirmations, she said sexism is not about nothing. She would like to meet with the organizers of the billboard and have a respectful conversation.

In the meantime, Grace and nearly 100 others held a protest last week, creating signs out of sheets that read: Its Time Women Have Real Respect and Real People Respect Each Other.

Grace said theyre not protesting the sign or the individuals who are promoting the message, but instead the antiquated sexist thinking that often goes unnoticed.

The protesters will soon post their own billboard on the highway with the voted-on slogan: People of quality dont fear equality.

So far, they have raised $3,500 and have contacted female graphic designers around the country to design the sign.

Sexism has existed and is still existing around us every day whether that billboard is there or not, Grace said. Mark my words, well be here long after that billboard is gone trying to make a better world for us all.
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Last month at the Conservative Political Action Conference, the new U.S. education secretary, Betsy DeVos, criticized university professors with the charge that we tell college students what to think.

DeVos is gravely mistaken. University professors do not tell college students what to think; we assist college students with learning how to think critically.

Unfortunately, this is what DeVos and her political party fear the most. They recognize that some of the most determined resistance to their policies will originate among critical thinkers, specifically those associated with the nations universities. Thus, the Trump administration wishes to demonize the nations university professoriate and to convince Americans that alternative facts are facts. The notion that university professors tell students what to think is an alternative fact.

Exactly what, then, is the real danger? People like DeVos wish to convince the American people that the modern university science curriculum is telling students what to think about topics such as climate science and evolution. Again, nothing could be further from the truth.

Our university curricula provide students with tools to examine nature objectively. For example, the current scientific consensus is that the Earths temperature has increased since 1980 by 0.55 degrees Celsius (please see the NASA Global Climate Change website at https://climate.nasa.gov/ for more information).

Furthermore, 97 percent of active publishing climate scientists and 18 scientific societies agree that the most likely cause of this temperature increase is human activity. To not teach this material in the university curriculum would be like allowing students to continue to assert that the Earth is flat or that it is the center of the universe.

However, should a student enter our classrooms and insist that the Earths temperature is not increasing, or that the Earth is flat, or that it is the center of the universe, our goal would not be to tell the student that this is wrong but to challenge the student to generate testable hypotheses that falsify that the Earths temperature is increasing, or that the Earth is spherical, or that the Earth resides on the edge of the Milky Way galaxy. Thus the scientific method is antithetical to any sort of authoritarian mode of knowledge acquisition.

The reason that so many of our students agree with the results of modern science is not because we tell them how to think but because modern science has so successfully generated utilitarian knowledge. For example, understanding the rapid increase of multidrug-resistant bacteria would be impossible without evolutionary science. This understanding has life-and-death consequences and would have been impossible to achieve without the education establishment that DeVos so ignorantly decried in her statement.

This kind of thinking should be a wake-up call to the American people. Our democracy is at a dangerous crossroads. If we are to preserve (and I would argue extend) our democratic traditions, we must vigorously resist the kind of anti-intellectualism that is being displayed by the Trump administration. For this reason, I will join the March for Science on April 22. The hour is late and the education establishment may be our nations best hope to preserve rational thought and practice in society.
As a citizen who over the years has sent many letters to my U.S. senators and representatives, I can sympathize with citizens frustrated with lack of response from our congressmen (or women). But, I have found that Thom Tillis especially and Richard Burr have always responded in some form or fashion. All I ever got from our previous senator was an emailed newsletter! Most sent a form letter and some didnt respond at all. I am listed as unaffiliated politically so thats not it. Could it be the lefts propensity to try to drown out or chastise anyone who thinks differently than they do?
South China Morning Post

Alexandre Cerret will never forget the phone call he received three years ago, when what was supposed to be a regular evening turned into a nightmare. He was living in central Paris at the time, waiting for his girlfriend to come home from a night out near the Eiffel Tower. She was late and he was worried. When he finally received her call, she told him that she had been stopped by a stranger as she walked to her car, who then attacked and raped her. Do you have questions about the biggest topic
A young mother of three was in tears recently as she carried three bags of food she received from a Rockingham County food pantry to her car.

Her unemployment benefits had run out, and she was forced to move in with a relative but was told she was responsible for the food for her children.

I didnt know what to do, the young woman said. Now, I can feed my babies.

That is just one of many stories told by representatives of the eight agencies benefiting from the Eighth Annual Countywide Food Drive that kicked off Saturday and will run through April 29.

The annual food drive started earlier than usual this year, Food Drive Chairman Blake Dawson announced last week.

We have moved the date back a month because April is usually a very busy time for schools and a lot of businesses, he said. The earlier start will accommodate school testing and vacation schedules.

Dawson said although spring will is April 8 through 17 this year, most schools and some other participants will probably complete their drives before that.

The goal for the drive will remain at 40,000 pounds, the same as last year.

Although we are concerned about the affect the closings of Miller Brewing Co. and Ball Corp. will have on our local economy, we feel our citizens  and especially businesses and organizations  will step forward to help meet our goal, Dawson said.

This year, Dawson said he hopes more people from across the county are aware of the food drive and new partners will help meet the goal.

The agencies have seen substantial increases in their requests for food already this year, Dawson said, noting statistics indicate one in seven people face hunger every day. Most of those are children.

Educators talk about children coming to school hungry. Families of four share one or two cans of beans for one meal. Parents go hungry so their children can eat. Seniors have to choose between food and medication, Dawson said. These are tales we hear often as we work with our agencies.

The American Red Cross assisted a record nearly 800 families in January, said Ada Wells, who heads up that agencys food pantry. Families can receive food twice a month, but in recent weeks, the agency has had to turn away people or not open on some days because it was out of food.

Joann Henderson represents two Reidsville sites  The Reidsville Soup Kitchen and Men in Christ  on the committee of 100 formed eight years ago when the first food drive was held.

He said the Men in Christ served twice as many people last year.

Other agency representatives said their pantries often so bare, they have to send people home empty-handed.

Every agency has struggled to meet those demands throughout the past few months. We hope to alleviate some of their problems with a good, positive food drive in the spring, Dawson said.

Several local schools, including the ROTC units at Morehead, McMichael and Rockingham high schools, have been involved with the Food Drive since it began seven years ago.

These young cadets have always been a factor in our reaching our goals, Dawson said.

One school held a March Madness competition to encourage students to donate food. On the final day end of the drive, students and staff wore T-shirts supporting their teams. Another had a St. Patricks Day Dance with a canned-good admission fee. Hunger Games was the theme of still another schools efforts.

The number of churches, businesses and organizations also has increased each year, he said.

Many youth groups help sort and count food on the final day.

They also canvass neighborhoods, giving out bags with information tags about the food drive in an effort to help increase collections.

This is a good project for Scout troops and church youth, Dawson said. It teaches them early about helping others by providing services. They also see how fortunate they are in their own lives since most of them dont know the meaning of going without meals or going to bed hungry.
REIDSVILLE  By ruling of Williamsburg Elementary School, a new royal family has risen to the throne.

On Feb. 17 at the annual Valentines Day Dance, the school awarded the newly-ordained Prince Cody Lovelace of kindergarten, Princess Savannah Walker of first grade, King Alex Bryant of fourth grade and Queen Haley Dale of fourth grade for raising the most money in their grade bracket for the schools Student Council.

Prince and Princess rule as the biggest fundraisers for student council among kindergarteners up to second graders. The King and Queen reign as the biggest fundraisers among third to fifth graders.

All the others who raised money are considered part of the royal court and received special certificates.

Theres no donation too small, so we like to recognize every student who collected money and turned it in, said Fifth Grade Teacher Lauryn Thornton.

As the students raised money, each penny they collected counted as one vote with each vote collected in a jar.

While normally the school has two full weeks for collection, students only had about a week and a half this year. Nevertheless, the court was able to raise $1906.

The money raised for student council will in turn go to support the community.

Each year, the council sponsors families around Christmastime, which is the groups largest spending area.

In addition, they take part in Give a Kid a Coat in which students collect coats to donate. Last year, Williamsburg collected the most out of all Rockingham County Schools earning the council a $500 prize.

They also participate in the Goodwill Challenge and Blankets for Buddies and make boxes for soldiers.

The students also continued to gather for a good cause by donating canned food to gain entry to the dance. With about 300 students in attendance at the dance, the Reidsville Outreach Center received a hefty donation.

The annual Valentines Day Dance is a festive affair in the schools cafeteria and gym, giving the students a chance to celebrate their achievement.

They love it, Thornton said. We decorate posters. We decorate in the cafeteria and the gym. The kids get all excited and they dress up. They just look forward to it and I think the parents look forward to it as well.
/ Robert Marchant / Hearst Media

GREENWICH  Families who are part of the law-enforcement community are getting a little extra help in the way of college scholarships.

The Needs Clearing House, a local charity, made a donation to the scholarship fund, and a new partner has also stepped up to provide scholarships to families who are in the emergency services.
GREENWICH  A Greenwich lawyer with a history of litigation involving allegations of improper business practices is being sued again.

Bjorn Koritz, 73, is at the center of one of the longest-running civil cases in Superior Court in Stamford.

In 2009, an insurance executive from Easton, Geoff Chapin, went into a business venture with Koritz to buy and resell distressed real estate properties. Chapin and his company, Ivanhoe Investments, put down $9.1 million in an escrow account which would be used as security for the upcoming business.

Chapin claims in court papers that he was unaware that a consultant working on the business plan, whom he met at Koritzs Greenwich residence, was a convicted felon with a long history of financial crimes. Michael Clott, the consultant who was going by the name of Michael Howard, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for various frauds in 2012 by a federal judge in New York.

Court papers filed by Chapin say Koritz and a now-deceased associate took millions of dollars from the escrow account. A portion of the money was recovered, but $2.2 million is still gone, according to Chapins lawsuit. The case has been scheduled for jury selection April 26. Delays have mounted in part due to health difficulties that Koritz has been experiencing. He is acting as his own attorney.

Another business associate of Koritz has now come forward with plans to sue Koritz. Steve Trygg, a former resident of Darien and Norwalk, says he gave his old friend $57,000 for a business deal last year.

When Bjorn contacted me last fall and expressed an urgent, almost desperate need for money and asked me to help out, I did not hesitate, especially since the promised return was too good to be true. Which it obviously was, Trygg said. The two were friends in their native Sweden before moving to the U.S., and they remained friends in Connecticut.

Trygg said he was contacting law enforcement and planning to file a lawsuit. I now fear I am the victim, Trygg said.

Reached by phone Friday, Koritz said he had done nothing wrong and would repay Trygg. He declined further comment.

Koritz is also being sued by the bank that financed the purchase of his home on a $1.7 million mortgage he took out in 2004. JP Morgan Chase Bank filed a motion to foreclose on his property on Old Mill Road in January. The banks lawsuit also states that the Internal Revenue Service and the Connecticut state tax agency have already placed liens on the property.
* China cutting overcapacity in coal and steel industries

* 5-6 million workers could be affected

* Gov't offering some help for retraining, relocation

* Workers still complain they are underemployed, underpaid

* Protests dropped off last year as security and aid increased

By Sue-Lin Wong

SHUANGYASHAN, China, March 6 (Reuters) - After protests by unpaid coal miners made headlines around the world last year as China's parliament was meeting, a $15 billion assistance fund offered by the ruling Communist Party became a symbol of the government's need to ensure social stability.

As the National Peoples Congress gathers again a year on, the number of protests has dropped sharply and authorities are promising to create more jobs for workers in Chinas northeastern belt, where the employment outlook is more grim than in many other parts of the country.

China is pledging to cut further excess and inefficient capacity in its mining sector and "smokestack" industries this year as part of an effort to upgrade its economy, but the move threatens to throw millions more out of work.

Dozens of coal miners and laid-off workers in Shuangyashan, in northeastern Heilongjiang Province near Russia, said they were underemployed and underpaid, sometimes earning only a fifth of what they used to, despite rising living costs.

They said a heavy police presence was discouraging further mass protests.

"Security has become much tighter since last year's protests, the police are everywhere, watching everything," said Li, 53, who works at the nearby Dongbaowei coal mine.

"The government could owe me one year's worth of wages and I wouldn't protest again. It's just not worth it for us miners," said another worker who said he was owed five months' pay. He also declined to give his full name.

With a twice-a-decade leadership transition looming later this year, Beijing has focused on curbing mass unrest, including the $15 billion fund for retraining, relocating and early retirement of an estimated 5-6 million affected people.

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"We were expecting a lot of possible unrest but it seemed that something happened after Shuangyashan that stopped major waves of protests," said Keegan Elmer of Hong Kong-based China Labor Bulletin (CLB), which tracks workers' strikes in China.

The number of mining protests in China dropped from a high of 37 in January 2016 to 6 in December, CLB figures showed.

So far, China has not released any comparison of its success rates with employment programmes nationwide, and analysts say there is little transparency on how the funds are being spent.

But workers in some other parts of China have similar tales to tell.

In Hebei province, over 2,000 km (1,200 miles) to the south, a 55-year-old former steelworker said he now makes 1,000 yuan ($145) a month, a quarter of his previous salary, as a security guard.

But the man, who only identified himself as Wang, said he was luckier than most.

Other laid-off workers said they had to return to their farms, where they could hope for little more than subsistence.

UNDEREMPLOYED, UNDERPAID

This year, new jobs will be found for half a million steel and coal workers as capacity is cut in those industries, China's labour minister said on Wednesday.

"As overcapacity is cut, we must provide assistance to laid-off workers," Premier Li Keqiang said at the opening of the annual meeting of parliament on Sunday.

But unlike the more affluent south, China's rustbelt has few other jobs to offer, prompting some local governments to offer menial work while state firms keep staff on but pay much less.

Longmay, the state coal producer in northeastern Heilongjiang, received more than 800 million yuan from the new fund last year to help it deal with coal output cuts and reallocating workers to other jobs, according to a government document.

"This isn't a job, at least not a real job," said Peng Jianting, 51, who used to earn 3,000 yuan a month working in a coal mine and now earns 500 yuan as a street sweeper.

The company declined to comment.

In Shanxi province, which accounts for a quarter of China's coal production, the deputy governor says the province's state-owned enterprises owed 5.46 billion yuan in outstanding wages, state news agency Xinhua reported.

"The state sector acts as a semi-safety net. Rather than lay off a lot of workers, they typically will freeze wage increases, so you don't get the same levels of unemployment as you would in other economies when there's a downturn," said Julian Evans-Pritchard, an economist at Capital Economics.

China's official unemployment rate - which only accounts for urban, registered residents - has held around 4 percent for years, despite a slowdown that has seen growth cool from the double-digits to quarter-century lows of under 7 percent.

"The (assistance) fund was never really big enough to cope with the number of workers that has been shed in these sectors," said Evans-Pritchard.

"It doesnt surprise me that a lot of workers arent benefiting from the fund. I think they need to increase the scale significantly.

Media said last year that more than half a million laid-off workers were now driving for ride-sharing services, in line with a government for them to become a part of the "new" economy.

But that option doesn't exist for Wu Yilin, a coal miner in Shuangyashan who moved to an office job after he lost his thumb in a workplace accident.

"We're told to be start our own businesses, but we just become street cleaners instead. You need money, connections to become an entrepreneur. It's not as if everyone can do it." ($1 = 6.8794 yuan) ($1 = 6.8954 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Sue-Lin Wong; Additional reporting by David Stanway and the Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Kim Coghill)
Google has announced a new Chromebook for schools, the HP Chromebook x360 11 G1 Education Edition. It was announced in a blog post by Google celebrating the success of Chromebooks in Swedish schools.

Not a lot of details are available about this model. Google only mentioned a 360 degree rotating hinge with USB-C charging, optional stylus, and an outward-facing camera.

It's likely that the HP Chromebook x360 11 G1 Education Edition is based entirely on the HP ProBook x360 11 G1 Education Edition, which comes with Windows 10 Pro. In that case it should have the same Intel Celeron N3350 or Pentium N4200 processor, 8GB DDR3 RAM, 128GB flash storage and 11.6-inch 1366x768 resolution touchscreen display.

No pricing has been announced yet but it will be available for purchase in mid-April.

Source
Published on 2017/03/05 | Source

Seoul ranks 24th among 87 world cities in terms of the price of renting a home.

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San Francisco tops the list with a staggering W 5,595 per square foot in 2017 Rental Affordability Index released by U.K. property website Nested on Sunday (US$1=W1,132).

In London, the monthly rent for a single person is W2.36 million for a 39 sq.m home and for a family of four W4.49 million for a 74 sq.m home. New York comes second with W5,355 per square foot, followed by Hong Kong (W 4,329), Dubai (W 3,978), and Singapore (W 3,767).

The monthly rent in Seoul is about W76,600 per 3.3 sq.m or pyeong, which means a single person has to pay W905,800 a month and a family of four 1.72 million.

To live in Seoul, a single person will need an annual income of at least W37.48 million and a family of four W71.12 million.

Tokyo came 15th with W 2,530 per square foot and Beijing 29th with W2,066.
Published on 2017/03/05 | Source

Fewer than 40 percent of young people in Seoul are optimistic about their careers, according to a survey by Citi Foundation. Seoul ranked the lowest among major cities around the world when it comes to the ratio of positive outlooks at only 38 percent.

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The foundation conducted the survey among 18 to 24-year-olds in 25 cities including London, New York, San Francisco, Singapore and Tokyo.

It was part of the foundation's "Pathways to Progress" project, which involves an investment of US$100 million "to connect 500,000 young people, ages 16-24, to training and jobs over the next three years".

Respondents in Seoul exhibited despair rather than hope and helplessness instead of ambition.

Asked to compare their generation to their parents', who benefited from Korea's rapid industrialization and economic growth, they said their futures are bleaker.

Only 51 percent of the respondents feel they have more opportunities to succeed professionally, the second-lowest proportion in the poll after Madrid, which has a youth unemployment rate of a staggering 43 percent.

Asked if the situation is difficult for start-ups, 74 percent here said yes, the highest ratio among the cities surveyed. That may be why only 48 percent of youngsters in Seoul dreamed of being entrepreneurs.

Seoul also had the lowest number of people who aspire to become scientists or technology experts to spearhead the fourth industrial revolution at a measly 13.
Deutsche Bank Chief Executive John Cryan attends a news conference in Frankfurt, Germany, January 28, 2016. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Deutsche Bank is looking at "conducting preparatory steps" for a potential $8.5 billion capital raise.

Here's the statement from the bank:

"Deutsche Bank confirms that it is conducting preparatory steps for a potential capital raise of approximately EUR 8 billion and several potential strategic measures. These include retaining Postbank and integrating it with the Banks existing German retail and commercial business and a sale of a minority stake in Deutsche Asset Management via an initial public offering. Implementation is subject to market conditions and approval by the Management Board and the Supervisory Board. At this stage, no decision to proceed has been made."

Earlier Friday, Bloomberg reported that Deutsche Bank was planning to raise more than $10 billion through a capital raise and partial sale of its asset management business.

Deutsche Bank's capital position has long been a topic of discussion on Wall Street, and questions about capital have dominated recent earnings calls. In December, Deutsche Bank said it would pay $7.2 billion to the US Department of Justice, related to its issuance and underwriting of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) and other activities between 2005 and 2007.

John Cryan, CEO at Deutsche Bank, said in an earnings call in February:

"It looks as though we've got a decent foundation, and with a lot of the one-off costs behind us that have been driving these negative overall results for the past couple of years, we're sitting here in early February this year in a very different mood from the one we were in a year ago, feeling a lot more confident and optimistic about the outlook for the rest of the year and actually for the delivery of our overall strategic plan."

Marcus Schenck, CFO at the bank, later said that it would do "everything that is necessary" to hit a 12.5% Core Tier 1 ratio by 2018. Deutsche Bank's core capital ratio was 11.9% at the end of 2016.

Story continues

"We still need to manage two items in parallel, which is the capital buildup until the end of 2018 where we need to be or want to be at least at 12.5%, and we're committed to that and do everything that is necessary. But at the same time, we also want 2017 to be a year where from a profitability point of view we see an improvement."

NOW WATCH: How billionaire hedge fund titan Steve Cohen walked away from the biggest insider trading scandal in history





More From Business Insider


One Integrated Approach to Tax Fairness?

by Tom Yamachika, President, Tax Foundation Hawaii

One of the bills percolating in the legislative miasma this session is House Bill 1586, which is a multi-faceted bill that seeks to change some of the characteristics of our tax system. I recently had a chance to speak with the bills authors, so this week we are taking a closer look at that bill.

On the income tax side, the bill doubles the amount of the personal exemption for income tax, from $1,144 to $2,288. Next, it implements new income tax brackets and rates over a 3-year period. A married couple would start paying taxes at an income level of $17,500, instead of $4,800, once fully phased in. If the couple made the Hawaii median family income of $83,283, the applicable tax rate would be 6.88% as opposed to 8.25% now. In contrast, the highest rate would rise from 8.25% now to 9%. In addition, the bill would place a cap on itemized tax deductions other than charitable contributions, but the cap would be $200,000 for a family, as opposed to the $50,000 that it was in 2015.

We have written before about our numerous and low-hitting tax brackets, which have survived decades with little or no change. The effect of keeping the brackets the same while incomes and the cost of living rise is called bracket creep, and has the effect of taxing the poor deeper into poverty.

In addition, the Foundation has, on many occasions, testified that we can achieve real savings in administrative costs by not dealing with the very poor in our tax system. Tax returns are among the most complicated documents in state government, and if we can get out of processing a hundred thousand of them, we would be looking at serious money savings that could help ease the burden on taxpayers.

To help pay for the lower and middle class relief, the bill would have the State phase down, and eventually quit, payments of transient accommodations tax (TAT) revenue to the counties. The counties now share $105 million of TAT revenue, and have been jockeying for a percentage of collections that would give them about $50 million more. Of course, killing the allocation would be one way of halting the constant squabbling between the state and the counties over how much of the TAT pie will be served to them.

If the TAT allocation goes away, most counties will have little choice but to raise real property taxes. The bills authors fully realize that. In a way, that may give the counties what they have been arguing for. The counties have argued they want a stable, predictable funding source. Real property is about as stable as it gets. It doesnt disappear during an economic downturn as business activity might, and it doesnt require much policing; you can hide income and you can hide some physical assets, but its impossible to hide real property.

Some, notably including the teachers union, have observed that Hawaiis property tax rates are among the lowest in the nation, and have argued that those low rates fuel speculative buying, which somehow leads to a higher cost of living. We were not particularly impressed by that argument, and have taken issue with it before, but note that under this bill, we can expect this supposed problem to disappear because property tax would be ratcheted upward.

In any event, its apparent that some thought has gone into this bill. Brilliance or something less? Well leave it to you to decide. It is at least an attempt to fix various problems in the tax system with more of an integrated approach as opposed to a knee-jerk reaction. The bill is moving forward, and we look forward to the additional discussion that is expected to arise in the coming weeks.

---30---
However, getting around by road, especially in Simbu Province, is punishing. The Highlands Highway  that critical arterial road serving something more than four million people as well as PNGs rich agricultural heartland  is in appalling condition.

Flying into and out of the mountains is easy. Back then it was time-consuming and sometimes disquieting.

To try to condense this experience is ambitious, but it will give you a taste.

TOGETHER with Ingrid, Ben, Becky and Leilani  wonderful to do this together  I spent most of last week in the Papua New Guinea highlands which I had not seen for 50 years.

There are stretches of bitumen but the highway so-called is a disgrace and a huge discredit to the successive PNG government that have allowed this to happen.

And worse is yet to come with the highway as there are dozens of spots where landslides, rock falls, subsidence and pond-sized potholes threaten to close the road for long periods of time.

As Jerry Kapka - owner of Kondo Coffee located out of Chuave  told me, he finds it difficult to sleep at night when the latest $US200,000 consignment of beans has been loaded on to the truck and is making its way to Lae.

And, as bad as the highway is, the feeder roads connecting it to the remoter townships and villages of the highlands are even worse.

Once pretty townships like Goroka and Kundiawa have accumulated a kind of urban ugliness and are crowded with people, four-wheel drives, muddy marketplaces and barricaded trade stores.

The people no longer wear as gras and purpurs  fashion is Melanesian modern  but they are the same people: welcoming, friendly, generous and kind beyond belief.

Those mountains and fast-flowing highlands streams dont change either. They are the constants and every track that bends its way over and around them offers awe at every turning.

At the University of Goroka, the writers under the friendly leadership of lecturer Bomai Witne  he who is also doing so much for his remote Yuri people  had organised to meet us at a marvellous afternoon tea.

We talked of many matters to do with literature but none more important than the establishment of a writers association based in Goroka. I hope our conversation will assist the formation of this group. I know that people like Francis Nii and me are willing to put our shoulder to the wheel to ensure they are successful.

In Goroka, I also met with my mate of half a century ago Terry Shelley.

Now 77, Terry  along with Murray Bladwell in Brisbane  has just ensured that 100 schools in Simbu have been equipped with library books. It was a massive project and  having visited one of those remote schools  I can assure both men that the gratitude knows no bounds. Nor does the continuing need.

Terry  along with his wife, daughter and sons  runs Nowek Ltd, a major local industry concentrating on coffee processing, a thriving winery (strawberries and other local fruits providing the raw materials) and other manufactures.

Daughter Sarah is a candidate for the local seat in Junes national election and shes the type of strong, forthright and intelligent woman who is likely to make a mark in any new government.

The next afternoon  Wednesday  three vehicles from Simbu came for us and we crossed through the Daulo Pass, where we paused for half an hour admiring the view and talking with the local people.

I met a couple of lapuns my age who remembered Bob Cleland and his supervision of that most intricate and tortuous stretch of road. We old men, perhaps finding ourselves a bit surprised to still be alive, take on instant affection for each other.

We travellers purchased fruit and wreaths of flowers from the Daulo people and we laughed together and they sang and danced for us until it was time to go and we processioned through Watabung and Chuave and Mauro and Ku until reaching the Four Square Town (now referred to as K-Town) as the sun was setting.

We checked into our accommodation at Greenland Hotel where I slept a good nights sleep.

I had returned to the place of so many vivid youthful memories - my first time in Kundiawa since 1967.

There will be more of this story. There is so much more to tell.
- By Alberto Abaterusso





McEwen Mining Inc. (MUX) reported 2016 results this week. The Canadian gold and silver producer headquartered in Toronto closed the fiscal year 2016 with EPS of 7 cents (U.S. dollars), a 200% increase on a year-over-year basis. In 2015 the company reported a loss of 7 cents.





The company said that "the net income in 2016 was the result of the strong financial performance achieved" at El Gallo complex mine in Mexico and San Jos? Mine in Argentina.

El Gallo is an open pit mine located in the Sinaloa State of Mexico. Including contractors, the company gives jobs to 350 operators. El Gallo has a life of mine of more than two and a half years and processes approximately 4,500 tonnes of mineral every day.

In 2016 the company produced 55,265 ounces of gold equivalent ounces at El Gallo mine, down 12.7% year over year, at a total cash cost of $524 per ounce of gold equivalent (up 19.1% compared to 2015) and at an AISC of $610 per ounce of gold equivalent on a co-product basis (up 5% on year over year).

The San Jos? mine is an underground mine with life of more than five years. At San Jos? mine McEwen Mining employs 1,400 workers and contractors and processes 1,650 tonnes of mineral per day. The mine is in co-ownership with Hochschild Mining. McEwen Mining owns 49% of the mine.

At San Jos? mine, McEwen Mining Inc. produced 90,264 ounces of gold equivalent ounces, down 1% year over year, at a cost of $760 per ounce of gold equivalent (dowb 12.1% compared to 2015) and at an AISC of $954 per ounce of gold equivalent on a co-product basis (down 14.1% year over year).

In 2016 the company sold 144,048 ounces of gold equivalent, of which 34% were the ounces sold from El Gallo mine and 66% were the ounces sold from the San Jos? mine. The company realized an average price of $1,239 per ounce of gold sold and an average price of $17.03 per ounce of silver sold, up 8.1% and up 13%, respectively, year over year.

Story continues

The company generated net cash flow of $25.2 million from operations, a 61.5% increase year over year thanks to the strong contribution from the San Jos? mine. The Argentinian contributed approximately 70.2% to the company's total 2016 CFO. The cash flow from the Mexican mine decreased by 15.24% from 2015 to 2016.

As of the last quarter of 2016, McEwen Mining Inc. had cash, cash equivalents with no debt and precious metals of approximately $55.2 million.

The company is committed in several projects and exploration activities. One of the projects is the Gold Bar Project, which is located in the central part of Nevada, in Eureka County. The feasibility study indicates an annual gold production of 65,000 ounces at a cash cost of $728 per ounce. The IRRs of the project are 20% according to a gold price of $1,150 per ounce and 30% at an assumed gold price of $1,300 per ounce. The company is waiting for building permits. If everything goes as planned, the mine will start to operate some time in the second quarter of 2018.

At Los Azules in Argentina the company is engaged in exploration activities. Los Azules is a 100% owned open pit copper exploration project located in the San Juan Province (Argentina) adjacent to the border with Chile. The surveys to define the mineral deposit are underway and the company will make another 12,000 metres of drilling in 2017 to 2018.

The company says that "production for 2017 is expected to be 50,000 ounces of gold and 3,300,000 ounces of silver from the San Jos? mine, and 49,700 ounces of gold and 24,000 ounces of silver from the El Gallo mine. Using a silver to gold ratio of 75:1 for the year 2017, this represents projected consolidated production of 144,000 gold equivalent ounces."

The company has 630,239 ounces of gold proved &probable reserves and 14,357,000 ounces of silver proved & probable reserves.

McEwen Mining Inc. is trading at $3.29 per share. The company's market capitalization is $ 985.59 million and the enterprise value is $939.58 million.

The stock is trading at 2.20 times book value and at 101.59 times EBITDA.

The company has 299.57 million shares outstanding, of which approximately 74% are traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

The percentage of shares held by insiders is 25.21% and by institutions is 20.80%.

Among the top institutional holders, the Van Eck Associates Corporation stands out with 43,698,808 shares, approximately 14.59% of the company's total shares outstanding, and valued $127.2 million at Dec. 31.

Investors should pass on this gold stock for one simple reason: It has two producing mines at the moment, El Gallo and Sant Jos?.

At El Gallo mines the company is studying possibilities to expand production and the life of mine through the El Gallo Projects 1 and 2. However, the feasibility studies are too old to be relied on and the company needs to update them with further surveys. Therefore, the existence of proven and probable reserves (P&P reserves) at El Gallo 1 and 2 still cannot be demonstrated by the company.

At Sant Jose the company has defined 412,600 ounces of P&P gold reserves and 72.2 million ounces of P&P silver reserves. If we consider a conversion ratio of 75:1 (75 ounces of silver = 1 ounce of gold), this means that at Sant Jose' the company has proved and probable reserves of approximately 775,300 ounces of equivalent gold that can be extracted and sold over a period of more than five years.

If we divide the current enterprise value of this stock, which is $939.58 million, by 775,300 ounces of gold equivalent, we obtain a value of $1,211.89. This is the value, called EVO, the stock market gives to McEwen Mining's P&P reserves on an ounce-to-ounce basis.

When the EVO is compared to the last price of gold per ounce on the London Bullion Market, $1,227.625, it looks as if the stock is not overvalued by the New York Stock Exchange according to the last share price. But for sure in the gold stock industry you can find other stocks that are cheaper than McEwen Mining Inc. regarding the EVO metric.

Furthermore, in 2016, the company repurchased a total of 558,000 of its own shares at a share price of $1.04 per share. This share price leads to an enterprise value of $297.01 million and to an EVO of $383.09. I wonder if today you can find some other McEwen Mining's peers whose P&P reserves are priced $383.09 or lower by the stock market and have better growth perspectives than McEwen Mining Inc.

Another metric to be considered when deciding to invest in McEwen Mining Inc., is the price per ounce of gold that the company assumed as determination of its P&P reserves. The assumed price per ounce of McEwen Mining's gold P&P reserves is $1,200. This means that the stock will mine at profit when gold is stable, trading well above $1,200.00 per troy ounce. Otherwise, this will negatively impact the company's economics, therefore producing negative repercussion on McEwen Mining's stock price.

Disclosure: I have no position in McEwen Mining Inc.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






Excluding the administrators of local colleges and universities, the highest-paid nonprofit executive in the Tri-Cities region is Dr. David L. Stevens.

Stevens, CEO of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations, made $197,587 in the CMDAs 2014-15 fiscal year. That figure combines his salary and other compensation, such as benefits.

Booth Kammann, former CEO of the Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians, claims the No. 2 spot. Kamman made $167,939 during the organizations 2015-16 fiscal year.

Stevens and Kammann are among seven area nonprofit executives who recently brought in $100,000 or more in combined compensation. If administrators of higher education institutions are included, that number jumps to 20 executives.

As 501(c)(3) organizations  those deemed not-for-profit by the IRS  these groups enjoy valuable tax exemptions. The Bristol Herald Courier used federal tax records of nonprofit organizations, which are available online, to determine which have the highest-paid executives.

David Warren, a certified public accountant in Bristol, Tennessee, who has provided service to a number of local nonprofits, said the reason the public has access to nonprofits tax filings is to allow citizens to see the efficiency of an organization and to track where their donations go.

Essentially, these documents let the public know if its worthwhile to donate to that nonprofit, Warren said.

The Top 7

Of the seven local executives who made $100,000 or more and are not at the helm of a college or university, three of them, including Stevens, work for the Christian Medical & Dental Associations, which has 18,000 members and is headquartered in Bristol, Tennessee. The CMDAs revenue during 2014-15 was about $11.5 million.

Of the remaining five executives, two, including Kammann, work for the Girls Scouts of Southern Appalachians, which serves more than 9,000 girls in 46 counties across Southwest Virginia, East Tennessee and northern Georgia; one works for the Boy Scouts of Americas Sequoyah Council, which is based in Johnson City, Tennessee, and serves 15 counties in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia; and one works for Kingsway Charities, a Bristol, Virginia-based group that has provided medications and supplies to more than 11,000 mission teams serving in 145 countries since 1994.

Heres how the salaries of those seven executives rank:

1. Dr. David L. Stevens, CEO, CMDA: $197,587;

2. Booth Kammann, past CEO, Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians: $167,939;

3. Dr. Gene Rudd, senior vice president, CMDA: $149,963;

4. W. David Page, scout executive, Boy Scouts of America Sequoyah Council: $144,516;

5. Jeffrey Scott Ries, vice president for campus and community ministries, CMDA: $131,371;

6. Mary Ann Blessing, president, Kingsway Charities: $125,774;

7. Suzette Lacy, CFO, Girl Scouts: $117,883.

Compared to the average Bristol resident, nonprofit work is lucrative. On the Virginia side, the median household income is $35,368, according to the latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau. That figure is about $3,000 less than the Bristol, Tennessee, median income.

But the salaries generally fall into the national average range and are tied to revenue and industry standards. According to a 2014 report from The Nonprofit Times, a business publication, those in nonprofit work with the title of CEO, president or executive director made an average of $188,678.

And the organizations with the highest-earning leadership also generally have high revenue. The Girl Scouts garnered $4.5 million in 2015-16; the Boy Scouts, $2.5 million.

Not all nonprofits listed salaries on their tax forms. The form itself asks for salaries higher than $100,000, but some organizations list lower salaries anyway.

The nonprofits that either dont pay employees or didnt list salaries are: Appalachian Sustainable Development, Barter Foundation, Believe in Bristol, Family Promise of Bristol, Paramount Foundation, SBK Animal Control and Theatre Bristol.

Education

As stated earlier, the top salaries listed previously do not include colleges and universities.

Three education executives brought in more than Stevens, the CMDA CEO, and all of them made more than $200,000 in combined compensation: Dr. Gregory Jordan, former president of King University, who earned $625,773; Jake Schrum, president of Emory & Henry College, who earned $372,311; and Joseph Taylor, vice president for institutional advancement at E&H, who earned $248,586.

All three of those salaries represent the 2014-15 year.

During the year that Jordan made more than $600,000, he resigned, after months of calls for his dismissal by many students and a vote of no confidence by two-thirds of the faculty.

The salary of the current president, Alexander W. Whitaker IV, will not be clear until King releases its latest tax form. Whitakers tenure began Aug. 1, 2016.

GuideStar is an organization that collects, organizes and presents information about a wide range of topics related to the nonprofit sector. It releases annual reports, provides information about organizations and uploads nonprofits federal tax forms, like the ones used for this story.

Chuck McLean, senior research fellow at GuideStar, said that when a nonprofit determines its salaries, the IRS has traditionally advised that an organization of similar size and scope in the private sector can be used for comparison.

He said the expertise required at nonprofit hospitals is an example of the need to pay salaries on par with for-profit hospitals.
google waymo

MIT associate professor Iyad Rahwan has asked 3 million people to consider the Trolley problem when it comes to self-driving cars.

The Trolley problem goes like this: a runaway trolley is barreling toward five people on a track who cannot move. But you have the option to pull a lever and send it to a side track where you see one person standing. What would you do?

But as Rahwan puts it, the Trolley problem gets thornier when considering self-driving cars. The first scenario puts the ethical burden on a person. But if a self-driving car is in a lose-lose situation where it must make a choice, were asking a robot in our everyday environment to make the call.

The idea of a robot having an algorithm programmed by some faceless human in a manufacturing plant somewhere making decisions that has life-and-death consequence is very new to us as humans, Rahwan told Business Insider.

Rahwans work highlights the difficulty of assessing what should happen if a self-driving car gets into an accident. Should cars be programmed to act a certain way in dicey scenarios?

The Trolley debate has lingered in the background for quite some time as automakers advance their self-driving car efforts. Rahwan helped bring it to the surface in October 2015 when he co-wrote a paper Autonomous vehicles need experimental ethics.

But the debate arguably got to the forefront of discussion when Rahwan launched MITs Moral Machine  a website that poses a series of ethical conundrums to crowdsource how people feel self-driving cars should react in tough situations. The Moral Machine is an extension of Rahwans 2015 study.

Rahwan said since launching the website in August 2016, MIT has collected 26 million decisions from 3 million people worldwide. He is currently analyzing whether cultural differences play a role in the responses given.

trolley tracks

Story continues

Rahwan admits the debate itself isnt without its flaws. The Trolley problem is purposefully simple so its easier to understand, allowing researchers to really assess peoples psychological processing.

The downside of that is it looks very unrealistic and looks like a situation that would never happen or be very rare, he said.

Still, that doesnt mean these arent questions worth asking, Rahwan said.

They need an answer to this question because, ultimately, its not about a specific scenario or accident, its about the overall principle that an algorithm has to use to decide relative risk, he said.

Some automakers have publicly addressed this question.

Mercedes Benz concept car

In October, Christoph von Hugo, the manager of driver-assistance systems at Mercedes-Benz, said that future autonomous vehicles would put the driver first in a lose-lose situations.

"If you know you can save at least one person, at least save that one. Save the one in the car," he said in an interview with Car and Driver. "If all you know for sure is that one death can be prevented, then that's your first priority."

Following the storys publication, Mercedes said the quote was taken out of context to several publications. A Daimler spokesperson reiterated that stance in an email to Business Insider:

For Daimler it is clear that neither programmers nor automated systems are entitled to weigh the value of human lives, the spokesperson wrote. There is no instance in which weve made a decision in favor of vehicle occupants. We continue to adhere to the principle of providing the highest possible level of safety for all road users.

Rahwan also said it's unlikely engineers will program a specific decision into their algorithms.

"No one is going to build a car that says the life of one child is worth 1-and-a-half adult or something like that. This is unlikely," Rahwan said.

ford driverless car

But automakers should be transparent with their data so independent researchers can assess whether certain self-driving cars are behaving in a biased fashion, Rahwan said. For example, if data shows a self-driving car is disproportionately harming specific people, like hitting cyclists over pedestrians, programmers should revisit their algorithms to see what's going wrong.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration acknowledged in a September report that self-driving cars could favor certain decisions over others even if they aren't programmed explicitly to do so.

Self-driving cars will rely on machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence that allows computers, or in this case cars, to learn over time. Since cars will learn how to adapt to the driving environment on their own, they could learn to favor certain outcomes.

"Even in instances in which no explicit ethical rule or preference is intended, the programming of an HAV may establish an implicit or inherent decision rule with significant ethical consequences," NHTSA wrote in the report, adding that manufacturers must work with regulators to address these situations.

Rahwan said programming for specific outcomes isn't the right approach, but thinks companies should be doing more to let the public know that they are considering the ethics of driverless vehicles.

"In the long run, I think something has to be done. There has to be some sort of guideline thats a bit more specific, thats the only way to obtain the trust of the public," he said.

NOW WATCH: Google's self-driving car has a huge problem





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Freedom of speech is a privilege. We need to treat it that way.

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BEIJING (Reuters) - China will resolutely oppose and contain Taiwan independence, Premier Li Keqiang said in remarks prepared for delivery at the opening of the annual meeting of parliament on Sunday, amid heightened tension between Beijing and the self-ruled island. China is deeply suspicious of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, whose ruling Democratic Progressive Party espouses the island's formal independence, a red line for Beijing, which has cut off an official dialogue mechanism with Taipei. Tsai says she wants peace with China. "We will never tolerate any activity, in any form or name, which attempts to separate Taiwan from the motherland," Li said in a report available before he delivered an annual address to China's top legislature. China will protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity while safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Li said. Defeated Nationalist forces fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war to the Communists. China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, viewing it as a wayward province. In 2014, hundreds of students occupied Taiwan's parliament for weeks in protests known as the Sunflower Movement, demanding more transparency and fearful of China's growing economic and political influence on the democratic island. Chinese jets and warships carried out exercises near Taiwan and into the Western Pacific on Thursday, as Taiwan's defense minister warned of a growing threat from its giant neighbor. Li also said the notion of Hong Kong independence would lead nowhere, and Beijing would ensure that the principle of "one country, two systems" is applied in Hong Kong and Macao "without being bent or distorted". Hong Kong, a former British colony, returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula, granting it extensive autonomy, an independent judiciary and rule of law for at least 50 years. Hong Kong students organized weeks of protests in late 2014 to push for full democracy, but Beijing declined to make concessions. Chinese leaders are increasingly concerned about a fledgling independence movement in Hong Kong. China's parliament last year staged a rare interpretation of the Basic Law, Hong Kong's mini-constitution, to effectively bar pro-independence city lawmakers from taking office there. Communist Party rulers in Beijing have ultimate control over Hong Kong, and some Hong Kong people are concerned they are increasingly interfering to head off dissent. (Reporting by Christian Shepherd; Writing by Michael Martina; Editing by Robert Birsel)
By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - The Syrian army has expanded its control over former Islamic State-held villages in northwest Syria, gaining more territory as it pushes back the jihadists from more pockets in Aleppo province, state media said on Saturday. The army has made steady progress in recent weeks in eastern Aleppo countryside toward the Euphrates River where it now occupies more villages, state-owned Ikhbariyah quoted a military source as saying. The army's gains follow a push to the south and east of the city of al-Bab, which was captured by Turkey-backed rebels late last month. Earlier, rebels said they had thwarted a large assault by the Syrian army and Iranian-backed rebels on their remaining strongholds in the western Aleppo countryside near Rashdeen. By taking Islamic State territory south of al-Bab, the army is preventing any possible move by Turkey and the rebel groups it supports to expand southwards. It is also moving closer to regaining control of water supplies for Aleppo. Islamic State's holdings in northwest Syria have been whittled away over recent months by successive advances by three different, rival forces: Syrian Kurdish groups backed by the United States, the Turkey-backed rebels, and the army. Islamic State's loss of al-Bab after weeks of bitter street fighting marks the group's effective departure from northwest Syria, once one of its most fearsome strongholds, and an area of importance because of its location on the Turkish border. Steady advances since 2015 by the Syrian Democratic Forces -the Kurdish-led alliance of U.S.-led armed groups - had already pushed Islamic State from much of the frontier by the middle of last year and have since then threatened its stronghold in Raqqa. Turkey's entry into Syria's civil war via the Euphrates Shield campaign in support of rebel groups fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army was intended both to push Islamic State from the border and to stop Kurdish expansion there. Separately, clashes broke out for the fourth day between Turkey backed rebel force and the SDF forces west of Manbij which the rebels have vowed to recapture. A group affiliated to the SDF said on Thursday it would hand over villages on a front line where it has been fighting Turkish-backed rebels to Syrian government control, under an agreement with Russia. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said last Tuesday Manbij was the next target of the campaign following the capture of al-Bab from Islamic State. The powerful Kurdish YPG militia, which is the backbone of the SDF, is viewed by Turkey as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group that has waged a three-decade insurgency in Turkey. The YPG helped capture Manbij from Islamic State last year in a U.S.-backed campaign fought under the SDF banner. The YPG has subsequently said it has withdrawn from Manbij. But Turkey continues to assert that the group remains in the city. A U.S.-allied militia in northern Syria said on Thursday it would hand over villages on a front line where it has been fighting Turkish-backed rebels to Syrian government control, under an agreement with Russia. No SDF official was immediately available to confirm if any villages had been handed over to the Syrian government. In the eastern Hama countryside, jets believed to be Russian struck a livestock market in the Islamic state held town of Okeirbat, killing at least 10 people and injuring dozens, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and activists. A Syrian army source, however, said jets targeted a training camp run by Islamic State killed at least 40 militants. Russian jets also hit residential areas of the city of Al Dana in the province of Idlib with at least five civilians killed and a dozen people injured. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Clelia Oziel, Bernard Orr)
There is nothing particularly impressive about Khutahan area under Shahganj assembly segment of Jaunpur except for the fact that until Thursday the BJP had never organised a rally here.

For that matter, except the Samajwadi Party, no other political party could organise a rally here for the past 10 years. Thats because Khutahan is a Yadav-dominated area in Shahganj assembly segment considered loyal to the Samajwadi Party.

To break the SPs hold in the region, the BJP has tactically given the seat to its alliance partner  Soheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP)  that commands loyalty among Rajbhars, who are part of OBC group that is led by Yadavs followed by Maurya (Kushwahas) and the rest.

The tactical alliance the BJP entered into with the SBSP and the Kurmi-dominated Apna Dal has helped BJP open new frontiers in east UP. The BJP is eyeing big gains through the small alliance, a party source told HT.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi address an election campaign rally in Jaunpur on Saturday. (PTI)

Under the seat-sharing agreement, the BJP left eight seats for SBSP and 12 seats for Apna Dal.

Barring five seats, all the seats the BJP left for its alliance partners are spread across the final two phases of the polls.

For the BJP, however, the test is not on the 20 seats the party left for its locally influential OBC-packed allies in east UP.

The alliance would be tested not on the seats where SBSP and Apna Dal are contesting, but on the remaining majority of the 89 seats in the sixth and seven-phase where BJP has put up candidates. The BJP is hoping that the alliance will help to transfer Rajbhar and Kurmi votes to the BJP, a party insider said.

Watch out for crowd profile in BJP rallies in rural areas of Purvanchal. They are largely poor, the kind of voters you expected in a SP or BSP rally that had a markedly better rural connect especially in east UP. Not since 1996 have I seen this kind of voter-connect that Modi-Shah combine has ensured through a concerted multi-pronged strategy that includes tactical alliances, says Rupesh Pandey, a member of BJPs state executive committee.

Not that everything is going well for the alliance. Unhappy with BJP playing the big brother and putting up its candidate even in Rohaniya  a seat traditionally contested by Apna Dal  Union minister Anupriya Patels faction declared candidates in four seats where BJP too has put up candidates.

But, whether by design or default, Apna Dal isnt expected to harm BJP in such seats for different reasons.

Take Rohaniya, part of Prime Minister Modis Varanasi Lok Sabha segment for example. The BJP and its ally Apna Dal both have put up candidates. But, with three Kurmis in fray in this Kurmi-dominated seat, the BJP having put up the lone Bhumihaar in this seat could have it easy.

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The BJP on Sunday moved the Election Commission over remarks by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav asking voters to accept money from other parties but to cast their ballot for the Samajwadi Party.

State BJP vice-president JPS Rathore, in a complaint letter sent to the chief election commissioner, accused Akhilesh of violating the model code of conduct, UP BJP spokesperson Manoj Mishra said.

Earlier on Sunday, the BJP lashed out at Yadav for hurting the dignity of the chief ministers post by making a frivolous statement that voters should accept money from other parties but cast their ballot for the SP.

On Saturday in Bhadohi, the UP CM and SP national president asked voters to accept money from other parties, but vote for the bicycle symbol of the Samajwadi Party.

I (have) heard that voters are being given money. My advice to you is to keep the money with yourself and vote for the bicycle, Akhilesh had said.

Mishra further mentioned another statement of the UP CM made by him in Lucknow, where he had reportedly told mediapersons, My journalist friends, please cooperate with me during the elections. Later, I will reward you.

The BJP spokesperson said that the statement given by Akhilesh indicates that he has already accepted defeat and has started talking about monetary transactions (Len-Den in Hindi).

Earlier, defence minister Manohar Parrikar had been let off with a light rap by the Election Commission when he made a similar remark that he had no problem with people accepting money from other parties to attend their rallies but that they should vote for the BJP.

The EC had also directed registration of an FIR against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for asking voters in Goa to accept money from other parties, but vote for the AAP which was testing its popularity in the coastal state.
Uttar Pradesh Police are on the lookout for Bahujan Samaj Partys (BSP) Ayodhya candidate Bazmi Siddiqui, who is reportedly absconding after being booked in a gang rape case on Saturday.

Siddiqui was booked on the day when non-bailable warrants were issued against UP minister Gayatri Prajapati, who, too, is absconding after a rape case was filed against him.

While six of Siddiquis aides have been sent to judicial custody till March 17 following their arrest, cops have been unable to nab Siddiqui and another accused. On Thursday, a woman in Faizabad had lodged a complaint stating that Siddiqui and seven other men entered her house forcibly on Thursday night, beat her family members and gang-raped her.

Before absconding, Siddiqui talked to some media persons in Lucknow and said, My rivals are worried about the mass support the BSP has received in UP. They are using every kind of trick to defame the party and its leaders. I was not present in Faizabad on Thursday and have been in Lucknow since the polling.

His aides, who are in custody, include Mohammad Parvez, Mohammad Chand, Gaffar, Parveen, Tabrez, and Abdul Rehman.

Anant Deo, senior superintendent of police, Faizabad, said, A police team is conducting raids on the possible hideouts of Siddiqui. We are also looking for his aide Raish.

Police have recorded the statement of the complainant after sending her for medical examination.

Arun Kumar Rai, the station house officer (SHO) of Kotwali police station in Faizabad, said, Police teams are conducting raids in neighbouring districts as well. We have got some important leads and he (Siddiqui) will be arrested soon.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi resumed the second leg of his mega road show on Sunday in the temple town of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, ahead of the final phase of polling in the state on March 8.

A large crowd of supporters and BJP workers eagerly awaited him, as the Prime Minister flew to the Police Lines in a special Indian Air Force chopper from the airport and made way in his bullet-proof car in a convoy to Pandeypur area, from where his second leg of the road show was to commence. Varanasi is also Modis parliamentary constituency.

#WATCH: Day 2 of PM Modi's road show in Varanasi; started from Pandeypur Chauraha,road show will conclude at Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith pic.twitter.com/RIAr5smgEA  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 5, 2017

A number of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders greeted Modi at the helipad and presented him bouquets.

Thousands of people were lined up along the five-km route -- from Police Lines to Kashi Vidyapeeth -- and the enthusiastic crowd occasionally broke into chants of Modi, Modi.

BJP supporters gather along the route of Prime Minister Narendra Modis road show in Varanasi on Sunday. (Sudhir Kumar/ HT Photo)

A huge number of Muslims also turned out at the road show.

Even though Muslims turned out in large numbers as Modis road show passed through their localities, many said the gesture may not translate into votes for BJP candidates in the Prime Ministers parliamentary seat.

He is our Prime Minister. If Vanarasi progresses, then so will we, but the BJP does not like us, said Rafiq Ahmed, a septuagenarian trader in Madanpura.

Muslims appear to be solidly behind the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance, virtually ruling out any serious split in their ranks on March 8, when the city goes to the polls.

A division in Muslim votes in 2012 played a role in the BJPs win in all three assembly seats in the city.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his road show in Varanasi on Sunday. (ANI Twitter)

Asked if they would vote for Modi, some youths shot back, How many Muslims have been fielded by the BJP in UP? Zero. We are 20% in the state but not seen good enough even for one of the 403 seats. Why should we vote for him?

If some Muslims give credit to the Prime Minister for launching developmental schemes aimed at Varanasi and increased cleanliness, there is also lot of resentment over demonetisation, which has especially hit hard the weaving community, comprising mostly Muslims.

Abdul Rauf, a handloom dealer, is disappointed over Modis handling of weavers concerns but says he continues to have hope in him.

With their Banarasi sarees having lost sheen post the note ban, many weavers express their unhappiness with the BJPs policies. Besides there are old fault lines, including the partys Hindutva pitch, that deeply divide the community and the saffron outfit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his road show in Varanasi on Sunday. (ANI Twitter)

Zubair Ahmed (26) says in a lighter vein that even if some of them vote for the party, nobody will believe them.

He says he knows a few friends who had voted for the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls when Modi contested from Varanasi. Our non-Muslim friends laughed when we told them.

Rafiq Ahmed says it was after a long time that Muslims were united in supporting one candidate (SP-Congress nominees) in Varanasi as they were earlier divided between these two parties, who always contested separately.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday sought to ridicule Prime Minister Narendra Modis road shows, saying these were bound to fail like the earlier ones and would lead him somewhere else.

Ek road show kiya, wo fail ho gaya.. Ek aur karne ja rahe hain, wo bhi fail hoga, phir ek aur karenge... Ab road show karte karte kahin aur nikal jayenge... (A road show was done...it failed. He is doing one more... it will also fail and then again a road show will be held...Now he will go somewhere else by doing his road show), Akhilesh said at a poll rally in Sonbhadra.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav addresses an election rally in Mirzapur on Sunday. (PTI)

Akhilesh was referring to PM Modis roadshow in Varanasi on Saturday and the one which was held on Sunday.

The BJP said the one held on Saturday was not a road show and the PM had gone for a darshan in Kashi Vishwanath and other temples.

Attacking the BJP, Akhilesh said that despite his open challenge to the PM to enlist his three years work done for UP, he was yet to divulge them.

People of the state had given the BJP maximum MPs. Which big work have they (BJP) done for you people? They formed their government and got their PM by showing dreams to the people but the people got nothing in return.

On demonetisation, Akhilesh said it ruined the entire country and forced the people to stand in queue.

I want to know from the PM, how many capitalists are pareshan (perturbed) with him. You do Mann ki Baat on radio and TV but when will you do the kaam ki baat, he asked.

You (PM) have visited the entire world, but what have you got for the people here, he added.

Attacking the BSP, Akhilesh said, Though she is my bua (paternal aunt), she is adept at celebrating rakshabandan with the BJP and cautioned people to beware of her party.

In her (Mayawatis) over one-and-a-half-hour speech, people used to sleep in their chairs. She is saying she would not build memorials and parks and do the development work.. who will trust her.. She has installed her own statues while still being alive.

On the SP alliance with the Congress, Akhilesh said, It is the alliance of two youths. It will change the politics of the state and the country. I have forged strong friendship (with the Congress), you all help its candidates also.
Campaigning for the seventh and final phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections on March 8 reached fever pitch on Sunday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modis parliamentary constituency Varanasi remaining the focal point in the endgame.

Modi has been camping in the ancient city for three days  from morning till night  and will stay overnight in Varanasi. Originally, campaigning was to end on Monday, but in Alapur, where BJP president Amit Shah held a rally on Sunday, it will end on Tuesday.

Voting in Alapur constituency, which would have gone to polls in the fifth phase, was moved to March 9 following the death of a candidate.

Chief architects of the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, too have concentrated their campaign in Varanasi region.

Akhilesh targeted Modis road shows in the state at one of his rallies, saying, Who takes a retest? One who fails the first time. Modi jis first road show failed, so he is taking out another road show. The second too will fail and then he will take out one more.

Around the same time, Shah mocked Akhilesh at a rally in Alapur over the rape allegation against SP minister Gayatri Prajapati. The chief minister says he has asked the rape accused Gayatri Prajapati to surrender. Come on, a chief minister is not supposed to ask someone to surrender, his job is to get him arrested. Never mind, when we make the government after March 11, we will drag Gayatri out even if he is hiding in the netherworld.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati dealt with the final phase of campaigning much the way she dealt with the preceding six  at her own pace. She ended the 2017 poll campaign with a Varanasi rally on Saturday and did not address any rallies Sunday and is not expected to do so on Monday either. In her parting shot in Varanasi, Mayawati said, All the temple-going of Modi and Akhilesh wont work.

Modi had a road show and a rally each on Saturday and Sunday in Varanasi. He also had a rally in Jaunpur on Saturday and is scheduled to address one in Rohaniya on Monday.

Rahul and Akhilesh are slated to address a joint press conference in Varanasi on Monday. Both pursued a hectic rally schedule on Sunday. Akhilesh had seven rallies in Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, and Chandauli, while Rahul had three in Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, and Jaunpur.

The final phase of voting has the least number of constituencies among phases  40 seats across seven districts.

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With the heat rising for the final phase of UP assembly polls, scheduled on March 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued his hectic campaign trail to woo voters in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi.

Massive crowds gathered in the temple town for a second day running to catch a glimpse of the Prime Minister as he moved through the citys roads. By nightfall, Modi reached the conclusion point of his roadshow -- Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeet -- where he began addressing a rally.

On Saturday, Modis road show included stops at the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Kaal Bhairav temple, where offered prayers too.

Here are the live updates:

Modi concludes speech and Varanasi rally. The Prime Minister will head to New Delhi now.

8:53pm: With this wish, I ask you to say, Bharat Mata ki Jai

8:52pm: Vote for BJP. Place your vote on the Lotus

8:51pm: The Congress is getting wiped out across the country. Wherever there is a state assembly election, they are being wiped out

8:50pm: The BJP, Congress and BSP are parts of the same thali

8:49pm: Progress is the answer. Progress is the way to employ our youth. Progress is how poor parents can educate and give their children a better life

8:46pm: I have a clear vision for how to develop Purvanchal -- transport, industries, houses, etc

8:44pm: We are laying a pipeline from Gujarat to here to transport gas. We are spending hundreds of crores to improve your lives

8:42pm: I asked the state govt to give me a list, but the sleepy state govt has done nothing

8:40pm: 3 lakh people do not have houses in the state

8:39pm: The poorest of the poor must have a house to live in. A house that has electricity, has a toilet, and other amenities

8:38pm: I want to develop tourism on one hand. But I also want to improve quality of life

8:37pm: When tourism increases, flower sellers will make an earning. Even tea seller will earn

8:36pm: Just like some people want to go abroad, visit Rome, there are people who want to visit Kashi

8:35pm: I want to bring the state forward. And one way is to develop our tourism

8:34pm: Rs 6,000 crore will be released in the next budget

8:33pm: We have already given two instalments of One Rank One Pension amounting to Rs 6,000 crore

8:31pm: But when I got into it, I found everything was a mess.

8:30pm: For 40 years our army has been asking for One Rank One Pension. It was their right. It was my plan to deliver this within the first six months of my government

8:29pm: But people lost in politics have demanded proof of the surgical strike, proof from the army. They do not have respect for those that protect this country

8:27pm: When the surgical strike took place, our army crossed over and reported a successful mission

8:26pm: Earlier people asked, How much money has been lost (in scams and corruption). Now they ask, Modiji, how much has come in (post demonetisation)

8:25pm: When you get cataract, it becomes hard to see. For some politicians, vote and caste is like cataract; it stops them from seeing clearly

8:22pm: You have showed me love and support. I am touched by that

8:21pm: Who has robbed us? Netas, babus have looted this country. I must remove them.

8:20pm: Under our government, honest people neednt fear. In fact, they will praised

8:19pm: After November 8, the country saw who wanted to save dishonest people

8:18pm: Those who have robbed the country for 70 years have to pay back

8:17pm: The area has immense potential; it is full of natural resources. What UP lacks is a good government

8:16pm: I want to bring Purvanchal up to the standards of western UP in terms of development

8:15pm: The state government is reluctant to use the money I (Centre) have been giving. But there is a problem for sure: I ask for a full account of the money. If they move money around, how will they (state govt) give an account?

8:14pm: Banaras could have been a center of attraction for world

8:13pm: Previous governments have only done sporadic work keeping in view election interest in my mind

8:11pm: It is my dream to bring the whole country forward, including Purvanchal. If we do so, it wont take long for us progress

8:10pm: If you look at the country, only some places have progressed. Look at West Bengal, Purvanchal over here. But for a healthy Bharath Ma, like a healthy body, all the states need to do better

8:08pm: My matra has been Sabka saath, sabka vikas (Progress for everyone). But here it is Kuch ka saath, kuch ka vikas (Progress for only some people)

8:05pm: The state government hasnt been doing enough to improve electricity supply by using the Centres money because they dont want Modi to get the credit

8:04pm: It is my dream to transform Banaras

8:02pm: Mark Twain said Banaras is older than history, than heritage

7:59pm: Working for the people of Kashi gives me immense strength

7:58pm: Kasis people broke yesterdays record (of attendance)

7:58pm: Har har Mahadev, Modi says as he begins his speech

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Days after revealing that she got engaged, model-turned-nun Sofia Hayat surprised everybody with yet another post on Sunday. This time she has revealed the guest list for her wedding later this month.

I promise to announce my fiances name on Instagram in the coming week. I will get married to him in the third or fourth week March, Sofia told Hindustan Times.

He (fiancee) is special to me and our love and marriage is sacred. All the Gods including Shiva, Buddha will be part of our marriage. This is a decision made by Jesus in heaven, she added.

Talking about the lesser mortals she plans to invite for her marriage, Sofia said, I will invite my friends Udita Goswami, Ashmit Patel, Rohit Verma and most special - my love Rakhi Sawant. I will call my Big Boss 7 friends Gauahar Khan, Tanishaa Mukherjee, Ajaz Khan, Sangram Singh, Payal Rohatgi, Kushal Tandon, Kamya Punjabi and Eli Avram. I will miss Pratyusha very much.

Sofias also very clear about whom she doesnt want to be part of the ceremony. I dont want trouble makers like Andy to come and disturb my marriage. And no haters like Armaan Kohli. Have no place for them. I will give special invite to my ex Rohit Sharma and his wife. When he comes I will kiss and give tight hug him for his welcome, she said.

Happily engaged! A post shared by Sofia Hayat. (Gaia Mother) (@sofiahayat) on Mar 1, 2017 at 3:09pm PST

A year ago, the former Bigg Boss contestant had said that she is denouncing sex and will never get married. She also said that she is turning into a nun.

On March 1, however, she shocked everybody with a long Instagram post, announcing her decision to get married. Sofia said this is the marriage heavens have been waiting for and added that the cosmic mother has finally been reunited with the cosmic father.

Last year in June, Sofia had announced that she had turned nun and told Times of India in an interview, I will never have sex, get married nor have children. Since I am the holy mother, everyones my children. I have to look after everyone and make sure they know there is no hell. It is heaven that they are living in.

The author tweets at @SwetaKaushal

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British-born author and magazine editor Tina Brown is set to publish The Vanity Fair Diaries in November, a selection of daily diaries that she kept during her eight years at Vanity Fair magazine during her tenure.

The Conde Nast veteran was editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair from 1984 to 1992, when the magazine covered the fall of Princess Dianas marriage to Prince Charles, among other news; and the book is expected to include juicy details on both the magazines inner workings and Browns personal life with husband Sir Harold Evans  a British newspaper editor  and their two children.

Commenting on the upcoming tome, Brown said in a statement: I picked up the diaries for the first time in ages because I was thinking of writing a book about the era...To my astonishment, I found Id already written one. I rediscovered how madcap those days were  how chancy, how new, how supercharged.

The Vanity Fair Diaries is being published by Henry Holt and Company, with Gillian Blake, Holts editor-in-chief, to edit.

Stephen Rubin, Holts president and publisher has described the book as one which will paint an intimate, incendiary portrait of that flashy time  a gilded, giddy decade.

He added: Shell also spill some dirt on some of the flamboyant explosions around her, many of which she ignited herself. This will be a tell-all for the centuries.

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The Centre and states on Saturday agreed on the broad contours of two crucial bills needed to roll out the countrys biggest reform by way of Goods and Services Tax (GST) possibly from July.

The GST Council, headed by finance minister Arun Jaitley, approved the draft Central GST Bill and the draft Integrated GST Bill as vetted by the law ministry.

This clears the deck for the central government to take these two bills to the Parliament for their passage in the ongoing Budget Session, the finance ministry said in a release.

The Bills have incorporated an anti-profiteering provision to ensure that the reduction of tax incidence is passed on to the consumers.

Farmers, however, have been kept out of the GST regime altogether.

Main features

Following are the main features of the two Bills:

 A state-wise single registration for a taxpayer for filing returns, paying taxes and to fulfil other compliance requirements.

Most of the compliance requirements would be fulfilled online leaving very little room for physical interface between the taxpayer and the tax official.

 A taxpayer has to file one single return state-wise to report all his supplies, whether made within or outside the State or exported out of the country and pay the applicable taxes on them.

Such taxes can be CGST, SGST, Union Territory Goods and Services Tax (UTGST) and IGST.

 A business entity with an annual turnover of up to Rs 20 lakh would not be required to take registration in the GST regime, unless it voluntarily chooses to do so to be a part of the input tax credit (ITC) chain.

The annual turnover threshold in the Special Category States for not registering is Rs 10 lakh.

 A business entity with turnover up to Rs 50 lakh can avail the benefit of a composition scheme under which it has to pay a much lower rate of tax and has to fulfill very minimal compliance requirements.

The Composition Scheme is available for all traders, select manufacturing sectors and for restaurants in the services sector.

 In order to prevent cascading of taxes, ITC would be admissible on all goods and services used in the course or furtherance of business, except on a few items listed in the Law.

 In order to ensure that ITC can be used seamlessly for payment of taxes under the Central and the State Law, it has been provided that the ITC entitlement arising out of taxes paid under the Central Law can be cross-utilised for payment of taxes under the laws of the States or Union Territories.

For example, a taxpayer can use the ITC accruing to him due to payment of IGST to discharge his tax liability of CGST, SGST, UTGST.

Conversely, a taxpayer can use the ITC accruing to him on account of payment of CGST, SGST or UTGST for payment of IGST. Such payments are to be made in a pre-defined order.

 In the services sector, the existing mechanism of Input Service Distributor (ISD) under the Service Tax law has been retained to allow the flow of ITC in respect of input services within a legal entity.

 To prevent lock-in of capital of exporters, a provision has been made to refund, within seven days of filing the application for refund by an exporter, ninety percent of the claimed amount on a provisional basis.

 In order to ensure a single administrative interface for taxpayers, a provision has been made to authorise officers of the tax administrations of the Centre and the States to exercise the powers conferred under all Acts.

 An agriculturist, to the extent of supply of produce out of cultivation of land, would not be liable to take registration in the GST regime.

 To provide certainty in tax matters, a provision has been made for an Advance Ruling Authority.

 Exhaustive provisions for Appellate mechanism have been made.

 Detailed transitional provisions have been provided to ensure migration of existing taxpayers and seamless transfer of unutilised ITC in the GST regime.

 An anti-profiteering provision has been incorporated to ensure that the reduction of tax incidence is passed on to the consumers.

 In order to mitigate any financial hardship being suffered by a taxpayer, Commissioner has been empowered to allow payment of taxes in installments.
By Ernest Scheyder HOUSTON (Reuters) - The biggest names in the oil world come together this week for the largest industry gathering since the end of a two-year price war that pitted Middle East exporters against the firms that drove the shale energy revolution in the United States. When OPEC in November joined with several non-OPEC producers to agree to a historic cut in output, the group called time on a fight for market share that drove oil prices to a 12-year low and many shale producers to the wall. Oil prices are about 70 percent higher than they were the last time oil ministers and the chief executives of Big Oil met in Houston a year ago at CERAWeek, the largest annual industry meet in the Americas. The ebullience as both sides enjoy higher revenues will be a welcome relief from the gloom of a year ago, near the depths of the price war. "The oil market has been rebalancing and the powerful forces of supply and demand have been working," said Dan Yergin, vice chairman of conference organizer IHS Markit and a Pulitzer Prize-winning oil historian. "The mood will be different this year." The capital of the U.S. oil industry Houston is emerging from the price war sporting new downtown skyscrapers and the lingering glow from hosting last month's Super Bowl. OPEC's November deal, the prospects for its continuation and rosier investment prospects for the industry will dominate the discussions, with state-run producers and Big Oil both positioning themselves for an upturn in the notoriously cyclical business. Twice as many OPEC ministers as a year ago - plus Russia and India's top energy officials - will be in the capital of the U.S. energy industry. Saudi Arabia's energy minister Khalid al-Falih, who assumed his role last spring and whose country has contributed the largest share of OPEC output curbs, addresses the meeting on Tuesday. Russian Oil Minister Alexander Novak, who was key to bringing non-OPEC countries on board to cut in tandem with OPEC, will speak on Monday Chief executives from five hard-hit international oil producers - BP, Chevron Corp, Exxon Mobil Corp, Royal Dutch Shell and Total - will be listening closely to the ministers' comments to see if those production curbs will be extended past their June expiration. The meeting won't be without simmering tension between U.S. oil producers and OPEC. One of the biggest questions in the oil market is how quickly and how much shale producers will boost output. A sharp rise from the U.S. shale patch could undo the Saudi-led deal to reduce the global oil glut. Shale activity is humming in the hottest U.S. oilfield, the Permian Basin, a 75,000 square mile expanse in West Texas. The U.S. land drilling rig count is up 55 percent in the past 12 months, and many of them are in the Permian. "It's exciting now to see the rig count rising and business activity picking up again," said Peter Boylan, chief executive of Cypress Energy Partners LP, an oilfield service provider with operations in Texas and North Dakota. MORE SPENDING Oil's resurgence isn't confined to America. Already this year, Total and BP have launched multi-billion dollar deals to expand in Brazil and Mauritania, respectively. Better prices could stir a new round of merger activity, according to some analysts. Exxon, which is expected later this year be eclipsed by Saudi Aramco as the world's largest publicly traded oil producer, recently pledged to boost this year's spending by 16 percent to expand operations, especially in shale production. That newfound investment vigor and projections for stronger shale production have kept a lid on the recovery. Oil prices may struggle to breach $60 per barrel, regardless of how much OPEC cuts, if the U.S. keeps increasing production, according to a Reuters poll. U.S. crude futures closed on Friday at $53.33 per barrel. BHP Billiton has boosted investment in its shale operations since last fall, forecasting the sector to become the single largest generator of cash flow for its petroleum business within five years. "We expect a balanced oil market in 2017 for the first time in nearly three years," said Steve Pastor, president of BHP's petroleum business. (Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Gary McWilliams and Simon Webb)
West Bengal police on Saturday arrested two persons from two different bordering districts of the state and seized fake Indian currency notes (FICNs) of Rs 2000 denominations with a face value of Rs 2.92 lakh.

Security agencies have made several seizures of fake new Rs 2,000 notes from West Bengals districts that share border with Bangladesh in the past two months.

These seizures showed circulation of counterfeit notes continued even after the Centres decision to scrap high value banknotes in November last year to purge the economy of black money and fake currency.

A senior police officer of the states Murshidabad district on Sunday said that one Alam Sheikh was arrested from near Dhulian Ferry Ghat area after the cops were tipped off about his arrival from neighbouring Malda with a consignment of FICNs.

The police recovered 100 fake notes of Rs 2000 denominations from Sheikh, a resident of Maldas Baishnabnagar area.

In a separate incident, police arrested one Mukesh Miyan alias Bhutto and sized counterfeit notes with a face value of Rs 92 thousand from him from Maldas Englishbazar police station area. Miyan is a resident of Sarda Pagla Tola village of the district.

Both the accused were remanded to police custody after they were produced before a court on Sunday.

We need to interrogate Alam Sheikh to know how he got the notes and where they were printed, said Murshidabad SP Mukesh.

Significantly, both the arrested persons hail from Maldas Baishnabnagar and Kaliachawk police stations areas, which have earned notoriety for being the hubs of fake currency smuggling. Majority of the people arrested in the past two months with fake notes hailed from these areas.

We believe the notes are being smuggled through the unfenced international border at Kaliachawk and Baishnabnagar, a senior police officer in Malda district said.
DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat says he will mobilise the states resources to push for speedy growth instead of depending on the BJP-led Centre for financial support, once the Congress returns to power.

We are confident of forming the next governmentThis time we will generate our own resources to push for the states development, Rawat says.

He says the decision was prompted by his experience last year when the Centre not only tried to topple his government but also deprived it of the annual state budget for five months.

Rawat says he has a clear vision about how he will mobilise the states resources to facilitate unhampered development. I have already arranged funds so that our employees continue to get their salaries until April, Rawat tells Hindustan Times.

It is quite an achievement at a time when a number of state governments in the country are facing financial crunch.

The real challenge for his government will begin once the Congress is re-elected in the assembly polls, the results of which will be out on March 11, he says.

It will be a big challenge as people will place a huge responsibility on our shoulders by getting us reelected, he says.

The enormous task of fulfilling the peoples aspirations for development will be a far bigger challenge for us than the political crisis we faced when the BJP-led Centre toppled the Congress by foisting Presidents rule on the state, he says.

The move failed to stand in the court of law as my government was reinstated by a Supreme Court monitored floor test in June last year.

Rawat says the Presidents rule was imposed on the flimsy ground of a sting video showing him offering bribes to dissident legislators to save his government. If the Presidents rule failed to stand in the court of law, how can the sting video on the basis of which it was imposed in the state be legally justified? he questions.

The BJP-led Centre ordered a CBI inquiry against me on the ground of a sting video just to harass me.

Rawat says the people of Uttarakhand will give the BJP a befitting reply in the assembly election for its acts of toppling his government, the CBI inquiry against him and for keeping the state deprived of its budget.

Those actions were the assaults on Uttarakhadiyat (the states culture and identity) that my party and I represent.

The people will, therefore, show the BJP its place in the assembly election, says Rawat.

We have a roadmap ready for strengthening the states economy that has helped in reducing forced migration from the hills by 32%. We will resume its (roadmap) execution once we are voted to power.

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The five-day budget session of Delhi assembly will begin on Monday, with lieutenant governor Anil Baijal giving his inaugural address to the legislators.

The session would also usher in a new beginning, with the Delhi assembly streaming the entire proceedings live on social networking site Facebook. The assembly currently provides live streaming of the proceedings to interested news channels through a three-camera set-up, besides webcasting the proceedings through its official website.

In a departure from the past, the government is likely to present the budget at 12 noon on Wednesday. Till last year, the budget used to be presented in the second half post tea break.

Read: Jung over: Delhi L-G Baijal clears third major AAP govt proposal in a month

This will be the first such address by Baijal in the assembly after taking over from Najeeb Jung, in which he will outline the broader priorities of the Delhi government even as the opposition is planning to corner the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government for having failed in delivering on programmes announced in previous two budgets.

This is the third full budget of AAP government, but this comes ahead of the municipal elections. Similar to the previous two, sources said, the focus of the budget is likely to remain on education and health sector, which are likely to get a bulk of the allocation.

The government, however, is unlikely to come up with new tax proposals in the wake of the implementation of the goods and services tax, which will overhaul the indirect tax regime in the country.

The first day of the session would end with the L-Gs address. After a discussion on vote of thanks the next day, budget 2017 is likely to be tabled in the House on March 8. Unlike previous years, the timing of the budget presentation is being changed this year. It would be tabled at 12 noon in the House, an official said.

Leader of opposition Vijender Gupta said that the third budget, which is being called outcome budget, will prove to be a castle in the air as talking big and doing nothing has become the AAP government.

Read: Delhi to get its budget in March, education to be priority for AAP govt

AAP government is promising to present a comprehensive outcome budget this year with a timeline for every scheme. It may sound attractive, but experience shows that the government is in the habit of painting a rosy picture without the backing of a realistic framework. It has miserably failed when it comes to implementation of dream schemes and projects, Gupta said.

The Rohini legislator also accused the AAP government of doing away with giving the statutory notice of 14 days for calling the session to suit its political and administrative convenience.

It is against the rules and convention of the Assembly. Calling the session at such a short notice deprives the opposition of its opportunity to raise questions about functioning of the government and highlighting public grievances, said Gupta, even as sources said the session is unlikely to have any question hour.

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Swaraj India, the political party formed by former Aam Aadmi Party leader and sociologist Yogender Yadav, proposed to place environment related issues in the forefront during its debut Delhi civic elections fight slated in April.

We propose to place environment at the heart of urban governance. This would require a long journey of recovery, reform and redesigning, said Yadav, the partys national president, while launching the vision document on Sunday ahead of the municipal polls.

Read: AAP failed to deliver on education promises made during Assembly polls: Yogendra Yadav

Formed in 2016, this will be the first time the party will fight elections.

The party, which has received its registration certificate from the election commission and is awaiting its symbol, also promised three different election manifestoes for the municipal corporations of Delhi later in March.

In order to make the city garbage-free, epidemic-free and pollution-free, the party has come up with a slogan Saaf Dil, Saaf Dilli and has proposed a series of measures including recovery of tax from non-payers.

We propose to bring a few changes including segregation of waste, CCTV monitoring of every dhalaos (collection points), creation of monsoon readiness task force, blanket ban on open waste burning and diesel gensets among others, he added.

The five-page vision document also speaks of a few other changes such as re-categorisation of colonies by a new valuation committee, recovery of tax dues including from Delhi Development Authority, adopting a citizens charter outlining a timeframe for delivery of key services and online facilities among others.

Read: MCD polls: AAPs second list of 89 candidates has 59 women

Yadav launched a veiled attack on the state government and the three existing municipal corporations claiming that routine and avoidable confrontations between the Delhi government and the lieutenant governor on one hand, and the Delhi government and MCDs on the other hand, have worsened over the past two years leading to chaotic governance.

Asked why citizens would believe in his party, Yadav said: We were a part of AAP. But when we found that the AAP government was not fulfilling its promises, we stepped down. This should generate some trust. In our party we have brought several innovations to keep it clean and transparent which were shadowed by a few other parties.

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Pitching for Aam Aadmi Partys victory in the upcoming municipal elections, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said if his party comes to power in MCD then they will make Delhi comparable to London.

Addressing a gathering at Uttam Nagar, Kejriwal said the BJP-ruled municipal bodies have not been able to keep Delhi clean.

The dates for MCD elections are yet to be announced.

Last time you gave us 67 seats but this time dont even leave the 3 seats. If we win MCD once, we will change Delhi so much in one year that you will compare Delhi to London, he said.

The CM said that people have the misconception that Delhi is not clean due to AAP governments failure. Wherever I go, people have misconception that garbage is not being picked up and there is no cleaning because of Delhi government. It is not our but MCDs responsibility, he said.

Kejriwal said the BJP and Congress have been leading the municipal bodies for the last 20 years without doing anything.

They have looted MCD. MCD collects so much money from house tax, hoarding, parking. Last year, Delhi government gave them Rs 2,800 crore. But where is all this money? Why is Delhi not being cleaned? They make the same road thrice on paper and eat all the money, he said.

Kejriwal said his government has been able to do many things in the last two years which the BJP-run governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have not been able to do in the last 10-15 years.

Before we came to power, the Delhi government had a policy of doing development activity in regularised colonies only. But we changed it. We said it doesnt matter if the colony is regularised or not, people living there are humans and they need water, sewer, power, and road, he said.

Meanwhile, Congress workers led by former Uttam Nagar legislator Mukesh Sharma protested near the venue where Kejriwal was addressing the gathering. As they tried to show black flags, police stopped the protesters from reaching near the crowd. The protesters then burnt effigy of Kejriwal accusing the AAP government of cheating the city residents.

All these inaugurations are an eyewash. Incomplete sewer work is being inaugurated just because of the MCD polls. I got the sewerage work started in the area during my tenure, Sharma said.
A 75-year-old physically disabled man, and his 35-year-old son, were arrested on Saturday for allegedly running a betting racket in southeast Delhis Sangam Vihar.

Three men, who were gambling inside, were also nabbed during the police raid and Rs 15,000 recovered from them.

Police said the elderly man, identified as Ram Snehi Lal, was the kingpin of the racket and he had made his son join him too. According to a senior police officer, Lal claimed to be an astrologer and was running the betting racket from his house in the garb of his astrology practice.

Read more| Delhi: Gambling den run in snooker parlour busted, 9 held

The elderly man often took advantage of his disability to claim innocence during police raids. He was never caught as he used to pose as an astrologer and described people visiting his office as clients, said the senior officer.

Police identified the arrested accused as Lals son Chhote, alleged gamblers Ram Singh, Ravinder, and Shyam Lal Verma.

Police also seized a register in which the father-son duo used to keep a record of their clients and their betting amounts.

Saturdays raid was conducted after the police received information about a betting racket that was being operated from a house near Munna Chowk in Sangam Vihar. The information was then brought to the notice of SHO Upender, who formed a team to raid the house.

Read more| Casino busted, 36 arrested from a south Delhi farmhouse

Around 9.30pm, the raiding police team reached the house and found several people gathered outside Lals hresidenceouse. When Lal was asked to explain why so many people were present outside his house, he tried to mislead the police by claiming that he was an astrologer and the men were his clients.

Police said SHO Upender then told the elderly man that he also wanted his help in resolving some personal problems through Lals experience in astrology. The SHO then asked him certain questions related to astrology. Being a fake astrologer, Lal failed to answer the questions, raising suspicion.

Lals house was then raided and three gamblers were held with betting money. His son was also nabbed for running the racket, the officer added.

Read more| Delhi: Gambling game turns bloody, man murders friend over Rs 180
With two back to back cases of gold smuggling at Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), the customs officials fear a spike in cases as some believe the impact of demonetisation is over.

On Friday, gold worth Rs 60.88 lakh was recovered from a passenger coming from Dubai on an Emirates flight. The man had reportedly hidden the gold in an amplifier.

Thirty-six gold metal strips coated with white materials, concealed in the transformer of an amplifier were recovered. One cylindrical gold metal was also recovered. It was hidden in the magnet of a speaker, said a customs official.

Customs official said that cases of gold smuggling were on the decline after changes in the budget in the 2016-17 financial year. Post demonetisation it stopped for a while.

The money flow has increased and we assume that smuggling will also increase. On Thursday too, a Malaysian national was held with gold worth Rs 66.92 lakh. The passenger was coming from Singapore and was a carrier, the official said.

Over the past few months, customs have witnessed unique concealment techniques from use of diapers to papayas.

According to customs, as they have increased the vigil, smugglers are trying newer tricks to smuggle gold into Delhi. There have been cases of gold stitched in bra, stuffed in the rod of baby walker, tied on thigh guards and waist.

Against 6.6 kg seizure of gold in the 2012-13, the quantity of gold seized in 2013-14 increased to 384 kg and reached on all-time high in 2014-15 with customs officials seizing 574 kg gold. However, it started reducing after that but in 2016, the department seized over 220 kg gold valued at about Rs 60 crore.

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With the summoning of the fifth session  budget session  of the sixth assembly, the fourth session was registered as the longest in the history of Delhi legislative assembly.

The fourth session, which was held in six parts, was prorogued by lieutenant governor Anil Baijal on March 1. The first part of the fourth session was held from June 9 to 11 in 2016.

However, the total number of sittings in the fourth session was two lesser than the first session of the sixth assembly, which was held in 14 sittings of the House in five parts between February to August 2015.

Read: Delhi budget unlikely to have any new tax proposals this year

According to the rules, a session comes to an end if it is prorogued by the lieutenant governor, on recommendation of the Cabinet. Similarly, a new session is summoned by the lieutenant governor on advice of the Cabinet.

The decision of the government to continue with the fourth session in parts and not summoning a separate winter session was criticised by the opposition.

Sources in the government, however, said continuing a session in parts makes it easier for the government to convene the House meeting as it could be done at a short notice. It also doesnt require to be routed through the L-G for summoning them.

Three of the six parts of the fourth session lasted only a day each, and were called to discuss different issues.

In one of the six parts, the ruling party legislators discussed corruption charges against the then lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung in connection with restoring license of a ration shop owner. A legislative panel was also constituted to probe the allegations. All this was happening when the Delhi government and the L-G office were locked in a bitter fight over administrative jurisdiction, an official remarked.

Read: Budget 2017: Pilot waste-to-energy plant at Delhi railway station to operate by June

Sessions have been held in parts in the previous tenures of the Delhi assembly as well. However, none of them were held in more than two parts till the first session of the current assembly, which concluded in five parts.

The second session of the first assembly, however, has the distinction of holding the maximum sittings in one session. Held from March 7 to April 1994, the session concluded in 21 sittings.

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As the Paris Fashion Week autumn-winter shows reach their conclusion, we look at the biggest womenswear trends so far on the catwalk:

Mad hatters

A model presents a creation by French designer Johanna Senyk as part of her Fall/Winter 2017-2018 women's ready-to-wear collection for the label Wanda Nylon during Fashion Week in Paris. (Reuters)

Paris has fallen head over heels for hats.

This week has seen an unprecedented sprouting of headwear on the runways, from turbans to Diors Black Panther leather berets. Wanda Nylon, too, also featured that most French of caps.

The American iconoclast Rick Owens created a whole gallery of mitres, crowns and veils for the contemporary ceremonial of his show, making alien burqa hats from sweatshirt sleeves.

Pascal Millet went for glittery beanies, Faith Connection gaucho hats and borsalinos while Neith Nyers featured woolly elf and flowerpot numbers.

And one could only doff ones cap to Jacquemus for their stylish riff on vaguely Spanish black felt headgear, from jaunty bicorne Picasso monteras to stovepipe 1950s numbers.

Japanese label Undercover appeared to have topped everyone with a procession of wild plumed fascinators until the Andreas Kronthaler blew them away with a punk Statue of Liberty crowned helmet that almost felt as big as the real one.

The turbo-charged Austrian designer, who like his partner Vivienne Westwood is an environmental activist, also concocted a series of headdresses made from rubbish and finished with his take on a sultan-sized Ottoman turban.

Cosmic love

Models present creations by Indian designer Manish Arora. (Reuters)

Forget the jeremiahs who warn of rising populism and division, Indian designer Manish Arora forecasts a stellar future full of cosmic love.

His joyous, spectacular collection promised heavenly bodies aligning in glittering galaxies, and on the runway at least, he delivered. Shooting stars and suns burst from belts, with great meteors swirls of paisley Swarovski crystals on silk and velvet tunics.

Dior too found room for astrological embroidery in its far more austere show, while Issay Miyake embraced the Aurora Borealis in its gorgeously ethereal collection that mixed Shetland wool coats and cloaks with hi-tech sculptural pieces made using baked and steam stretching techniques.

Shiny leather

Models present creations by designer Anthony Vaccarello. (Reuters)

Nothing emphasises the new tailored trend more than the abundance of sharply-cut shiny leather on the podiums.

Very few of the main shows were without the sheen of leather or slinkily cut silks or synthetics.

Anthony Vaccarello wrapped his 1980s Saint Laurent vamps in tight rippling leather outfits and Chloe dusted off a brown patent 1970s mini dress that Mary Tyler Moore might have worn in one of her racier moments.

Lanvin, now under the classy Bouchra Jarrar, went for a full patent black suit while Olivier Theyskens chilled and thrilled with with a full-length black Gestapo-style leather coat. As for Y/Project, it stopped the traffic with a red leather coat and baggy trousers.

A return to sex

Models present creations by American designer Adam Andrascik. (Reuters)

That is how Guy Laroches Adam Andrascik described the return to more tight-fitting clothes that follow and flatter the lines of womens bodies.

Vaccarello laid sexiness on with a shovel at the Saint Laurent show  fittingly held on a building site  skirting very close to the fine line between audacity and vulgarity.

And Rochas designer Alessandro DellAcqua talked about finding the erotic in classic aristocrat style, with bows aplenty to point up the sexual tension that simmered beneath the surface.

Even streetwear-inspired labels like Off-White, which had toyed with the unisex androgynous look, cut its collection close to the body to emphasis the feminine.

Flying fur

A model presents a creation by Belgian designer Dries Van Noten. (Reuters)

Fur  fake and real  purred everywhere on the catwalks from collars, stoles and hand muffs to feathery trousers and skirts.

Young Turks Y/Project made the biggest statement with an all-enveloping coat closed with a bow which even had its own train.

Dutch master Dries Van Noten, in his centenary Paris show, put fur sleeves on velvet coats and Guy Laroche had striking fur stripes across the front and on the sleeve of simple black and grey jackets.

Is over-sized over?

Is it the end for the over-sized androgynous coats, jackets and jumpers that have dominated catwalks for the last 18 months?

It appears so, as even designers who had flirted with the trend have returned to more fitted and feminine fare. With Raf Simons, the Belgium designer credited with creating the style now on the other side of the Atlantic at Calvin Klein, the moody teenager look seems to be ebbing.

It could be time to stop those gorilla sleeves at the wrists.

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With Hollywood rolling out films with Indian backdrops, India has become one of the most preferred locations to shoot global projects. The recently released Lion, which was nominated in six categories at the Oscars this year, is the story of an Indian boy who gets lost on the streets of Kolkata. Major portions of the film were shot in Kolkota. .

We had to capture the essence of the story, and the tale of this boy. I had to get as real as possible, films director Garth Davis told us earlier in an interview

Viceroys House, a love story existing in the era of British rule in India, starring Hugh Bonneville, Gillian Anderson and Huma Qureshi also has been majorly shot in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Another Hollywood film Love Sonia, thats based on human trafficking and stars Freida Pinto and Richa Chadha, has many portions shot in Mumbai.

Ali Fazel and Judi Dench starrer Victoria and Abdul, based on the relationship shared by Queen Victoria and Abdul, a clerk in her government, has also been shot in Delhi and Agra.

Another film based on the novel, The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped in an Ikea Wardrobe, will be shot in Jodhpur. The film that stars Dhanush and Pulp Fiction star Uma Thurman, tells the story of 38-year-old Ajatshatru Oghash Rathod, a fakir from Rajasthan who tricks his village into sponsoring his travel to Paris.

Another Hollywood film, Hotel Mumbai, starring Dev Patel is under production. It revolves around the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

Read @htshowbiz for more

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Twenty-four Indian fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Naval personnel on Sunday for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and fishing in the island nations territorial waters.

Fifteen fishermen, who were fishing between Katchathivu and Talaimannar, were arrested and taken to Talaimannar, assistant director of fisheries Kulanjinathan said.

Nine others fishing near Neduntheevu were arrested and taken to Kangasanthurai, he said.

The four boats of the fishermen, hailing from this town and Jagadapagttinam village, were seized, he added.
Brave is the word SP Vaid, director general of Jammu Kashmir police, used to describe constable Manzoor Ahmed Naik, who was killed in a gun-battle between security forces and militants on Sunday.

Naik, a resident of Dachna, Salamabad, north Kashmir was a part of the special operations group (SOG) of the state police that specialises in counter-insurgency operations.

According to reports, constable Naik played a key role in Sundays encounter by twice placing explosives around the house in which the two militants were holed up and bringing it down. In his second attempt to fit explosives, Naik was fatally shot.

Naik was an outstanding jawan of the SOG (special operations group) and the J-K police, Vaid told the media and expressed sympathy for Naiks family.

Sources close to the family told HT that Naik is survived by his toddler son Arzoo Manzoor and pregnant wife Nasreena Begum and an aged father. His two brothers are unemployed and Naik was the sole bread winner of the family.

In a wreath-laying ceremony in Srinagar, education minister Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari led civil, police and security force officers in paying the last respects to the slain policeman.

Naik was buried in his village and senior superintendent of police, Baramulla, Imtiyaz Hussain attended the last rites ceremony of the martyr.

Naik volunteered for assignment

Naik volunteered on both occasions to place the explosives to bring down the house at Reshipora from which the two militants were firing.

Undeterred by the assault rifle fire, he crawled in and placed charges around the house, a senior officer recalled. The constable came under heavy fire as he started retreating towards his position but managed to escape, they said.

The explosives planted by him, though, brought down only half of the house. This was followed by a heavy exchange of fire which continued till nearly 2 AM.

The situation was tense as people in the nearby locality were protesting and social media was abuzz with rumours to mobilize more people, an officer said.

The firing then stopped and following a wait of two hours, Niak again volunteered to plant explosives to bring down what remained of the house, after an Army Major suffered serious gunshot injuries.

As he charged towards the house this time, he was hit by a volley of bullets from a militant. Despite his wounds, Naik planted the explosives before breathing his last.
The government is unlikely to transfer Uttarakhand chief justice KM Joseph anytime soon, top sources in the law ministry have indicated.

Josephs transfer was recommended by the Supreme Court collegium  a body of Indias senior-most five judges responsible for appointments to the higher judiciary  in May last year.

The government has cleared several transfer recommendations since then, including those of three chief justices from one high court to another.

For the record, ministry officials say the decision on the recommendation is still pending. No final decision has been taken yet, a senior functionary said on Saturday, suggesting that the ministry has neither returned the file to the collegium nor accepted the recommendation.

Justice Joseph joined the Uttarakhand high court in Nainital on July 31, 2014, but reportedly requested for a transfer last year on health grounds due to the weather in the Himalayan state. According to the collegiums recommendation, he was to take charge as the chief justice of the high court at Hyderabad.

Justice Josephs April 21, 2016, judgment setting aside Presidents Rule in the state was a scathing indictment of the Modi government at the Centre that led to the reinstatement of the Harish Rawat government in Uttarakhand.

Last month, collegium member justice Jasti Chelameswar had questioned the decision to not elevate justice Joseph to the Supreme Court. In a two-page dissent note, the SC judge had conveyed his strong displeasure on the collegium overlooking justice Joseph.

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A 33-year-old Jammu and Kashmir policeman, who was to become a father soon, lost his life in his second attempt to flush out militants holed up in a house in Tral in Jammu and Kashmir after miraculously escaping a volley of fire the first time.

Constable Mazoor Ahmed Naik came forward on two occasions after senior officers decided to bring down the house at Reshipora from which the two militants had continued firing on the police, army and CRPF.

Undeterred by blazing fire from assault rifles, the braveheart crawled in the pitch dark and placed charges (explosives used for road construction) around the house, a senior officer recalled.

Senior officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police carry the body of constable Manzoor Ahmad who was killed in an encounter in Tral. (PTI)

The constable came under heavy fire from an AK rifle as he started retreating towards his position but managed to escape, they said.

Koi baat nahi (dont worry), was his nonchalant reply when it was pointed out to him that he would have been killed and that he should not take such risks.

The explosives planted by him, though, brought down only half of the house.

This was followed by a heavy exchange of fire which continued till nearly 2am.

The situation was tense as people in the nearby locality were protesting and social media was abuzz with rumours to mobilise more people, an officer said.

A map showing the location of Tral where the encounter took place. (PTI)

The firing then stopped and following a wait of two hours, Naik again volunteered to plant explosives to bring down what remained of the house, after an Army Major suffered serious gunshot injuries.

As he charged towards the house this time, he was hit by a volley of bullets from a militant. Despite his wounds, Naik planted the explosives on remaining part of the house before breathing his last.

Survived by a four-year-old son Aarzoo, a pregnant wife and two unemployed brothers, the resident of Salamabad in Uri (North Kashmir) was the lone bread-earner for his family.

A J&K Police officer pays tribute to constable Manzoor Ahmad who was killed in an encounter in Tral. (PTI)

He had announced to his senior officer earlier that he was proceeding on leave as his wife was expecting.

Its sad that we have lost a boy whose love for his duty and motherland will not go waste. The supreme sacrifice made by the constable boosts the moral of Jammu and Kashmir Police. I salute the brave heart, director general of police SP Vaid said after the wreath laying ceremony held for the policeman.

Both militants, one of whom was from Pakistan, were killed in the encounter.

One of the militants was a Hizbul Mujahideen operative identified as Aaquib Bhat, popularly known as Aaquib Maulvi, who was active in the area for the last three years.

The other, Saif-ul-lah alias Osama, was a Pakistani terrorist working with Jaish-e-Mohammed.
A policeman and two militants were killed on Sunday in a fierce 18-hour gunfight in south Kashmirs Tral, as people from neigbouring villages threw stones at security personnel to disrupt the counter-insurgency operation.

The overnight exchange in the hometown of militant Burhan Wani, whose killing triggered five months of unrest in the Kashmir Valley last year, left a local militant, Aqib Maulvi, and a Pakistani dead, director general of police SP Vaid said.

Maulvi was a top commander of the Hizbul Mujahedeen, the states police chief said. The identity of the Pakistani militant was being ascertained, sources said.

Police constable Manzoor Ahmed Naik of Uri was also killed in the operation that began at 7pm Saturday.

Read | Constable killed in J-Ks Tral volunteered for operation that claimed his life

As security forces took on the militants holed up in the house of a carpenter in Hafoo area, hundreds of people from nearby 10 villages gathered closed to site and started to protest, eyewitnesses said.

Some of them resorted to stone pelting, forcing security forces to use tear gas and fire in the air, sources said. Some miscreants also snatched the rifle of a CRPF man.

Police downplayed the incident saying it was minor and situation was well under control.

Army chief general Bipin Rawat recently warned civilians against preventing forces from carrying out anti-terror operations or searches, saying such people would be considered accomplices and dealt with accordingly.

But the warning, which came after the army lost at least six men in quick succession, has had little effect.

Stone-pelting in Tral was the fourth time after Rawat spoke on February 15 that locals tried to disrupt an operation.

The Jammu and Kashmir government, too, had advised local youth against running towards the site of a gun battle. It has declared three-kilometer area around an encounter site as a no-go zone in Srinagar, Budgam and Shopian districts.

Protesting locals distract security forces and help militants escape, authorities say.

They seemed to have tried the same on Saturday night as a joint search party of police, the army and the Central Reserve Police Force laid a cordon after they were alerted about the presence of militants in the area.

DGP and IGP of Jammu and Kashmir police along with senior officers carrying the body of constable Manzoor Ahmad who was killed during an encounter at Tral. (PTI Photo)

The gunfight started after the militants opened fire at around 7pm. In the early hours of Sunday, Maulvi called up his father to bid goodbye, sources said. The firing, however, continued well into noon.

A constable with the special operations group, Manzoor Ahmed Naik took the militants head on. The 33-year-old twice planted explosives in the house where the gunmen were hiding.

He was a native of Dachna in Uri and is survived by a pregnant wife and one-year-old son.

Naik was an outstanding jawan of the SOG and the J-K police, Vaid said.

(With PTI inputs)

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An angry mob burnt down a police station partially, torched vehicles and also reportedly looted firearms following a masons custodial death in Barhara village of Bhojpur district, 55 km west of Patna.

The mob turned belligerent after it came to know that Ram Sajjan Tatwa, a mason, who the cops had picked up, following his daughters complaint Saturday evening, had died in police detention.

As soon as the news spread, villagers, reportedly instigated by some local politicians, marched to the Barhara police station on Sunday morning and began pelting stones. One cop sustained head injury, as others scurried for cover.

Smoke billowing out of the Barhara police station building in Ara. (HT photo )

The angry villagers ransacked the police station before setting it afire. They also reportedly looted three police rifles and torched vehicles parked on the police station station campus. The record room of the Barhara police station was gutted in the fire.

Bhojpur district magistrate (DM) Birendra Prasad Yadav, who was leading the mob control operation, told HT, The situation is peaceful now and things are under control. Both the DM and superintendent of police (SP) Kshatranil Singh had rushed to the spot.

Mob torched vehicles parked on the campus of Barhara police station in Ara on Sunday. (HT photo)

Tatwas daughter Nitu Kumari, 16, had reportedly complained to the police that her father used to return home drunk and beat her mother and her. On Saturday, when her mother was not there, Tatwa came drunk and proposed to marry her, the police said.

Acting on her complaint, the police promptly picked up Tatwa, who was in an inebriated condition. The police claimed that Tatwa sustained grievous head injuries in trying to jump out of the police jeep while being taken to the police station. However, villagers claimed that Tatwa was critically injured after cops thrashed him at the police station. He was taken to the sadar hospital, where he died.

Hathkali Kuwar, the mother of the deceased, alleged that the cops thrashed her son and threw him from the rooftop of the two-storey police station.

Efforts to contact Bhojpur SP proved futile.

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Activists on Sunday staged a protest outside the house of actor turned DMK politician Radha Ravi after he compared political rivals to children with disabilities last week.

The speech had triggered an uproar and a petition was also filed against Ravi at the Teynampet police station by members of the December 3 movement, a disabled rights activists group in Tamil Nadu.

We want the police to file an FIR against him under the recently passed Disabilities Act, said vice president Deepak Nathan. The point is not to make just an example of him - though the comments he made, mocking children with cerebral palsy and the like, were awful. But the point is to highlight that our politicians talk about disabilities with contempt.

Ravi made the speech on March 1 at an event celebrating the birthday of DMK working president MK Stalin. In it, he equated PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss and MDMK leader Vaiko to differently-abled children trying to play with regular kids.

Premature babies - the ones who are born in 6 months instead of 10 months - their hands and legs get pulled, and their mouth keeps dripping saliva, he had said, while impersonating them to laughs and cheers from the audience and those on stage, who included MLAs and functionaries of the party.

DMK leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi condemned Ravis speech, saying that the actor, who joined the party in February after leaving the AIADMK, should stop speaking about differently-abled people in a derogatory and mocking fashion. Kalaignar's cadre will not accept this. Having disabilities is indeed a small obstacle. But it is when you're emotionally weak that it is an even bigger obstacle. The differently-abled are people who have broken these emotional barriers."

While Ravi himself has not formally apologised for his speech, Nathan insists that criminal proceedings are the only way to go forward. If he wishes to apologise let him do so in a court of law, where judges can decide on his punishment, he says. For too long Tamil politics and films have insulted people with disabilities and mocked them. It needs to stop.

Further protests in Chennai are planned if an FIR isnt filed against Ravi.

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The lawyer of the woman and her minor daughter who have accused Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prajapati of rape and sexual exploitation, on Sunday said his main concern was that his clients family and witnesses were being threatened.

I am not concerned about the passport or arrest (of Prajapati), my concern is that the victims family and witnesses are being threatened, lawyer M Pracha said.

The lawyers assertion came a day after Uttar Pradesh Police issued non-bailable warrants against Prajapati and six others in connection with the rape charges.

Prajapatis passport has been revoked for four weeks to prevent the absconding minister from attempting to flee the country.

On Friday, police initiated proceedings for a look out notice against Prajapati following reports that he may try to escape abroad to evade arrest.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik has written a letter to chief minister Akhilesh Yadav seeking his stand on the continuation of Prajapati in the cabinet.

Naik said that after issuance of a non-bailable warrant against the minister, his continuation in the cabinet was against Constitutional ethics and norms of democracy.

Referring to media reports, Naik said Prajapati was facing serious charge of sexual exploitation of a woman and her minor daughter and his passport has been suspended for four weeks by the government.

On February 20, Prajapati moved the Supreme Court against its order of registering an FIR against him in the rape case.

Prajapati also sought protection from arrest and recall of the apex courts earlier order.

The apex court had earlier directed Uttar Pradesh Police to file a status report in the case within eight weeks.

A 35-year-old woman has accused Prajapati of raping her when she met him three years ago. He is also accused of taking obscene photos of the woman and threatening to make the photos public and raping her for the past two years.

However, Prajapati claims it was a conspiracy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in order to distract peoples attention from the assembly polls.

It is a conspiracy against me. I dont even know who the lady is. Since the government has ordered such probe, I would accept it gladly, Prajapati had told ANI.

The woman, who hails from Chitrakoot, alleged that she was raped by Prajapati and others for two years on the pretext of getting a position within the Samajwadi Party.
The verdict in the recently concluded civic body polls, seen as a mini-assembly battle, has bolstered the BJP, not just in urban Maharashtra, but also in rural parts of the state.

After successive drought years, the Devendra Fadnavis government has been able to turn around farm output to a six-year high crossing the 150 lakh tonne mark.

Coming on the back of a bountiful monsoon, two government schemes are turning out to be game-changer for the state and the BJP.

Inadequate rain triggered a drought-like condition in the state, bringing down the farm output during 2014-15 and 2015-16 to 83 lakh tonne.

This was when the government accelerated the expansion of its scheme Jalyukta Shivir Abhiyan to conserve water in rural parts by creating small reservoirs.

The scheme helped many farmers, whose rabbi output doubled as the water conserved as ponds increased the groundwater level and retained the moisture level of soil.

According to Groundwater Survey and Development Agency (GSDA), around 90% villages in Maharashtra have their wells recharged, something the state did not see happening since 2009 when it faced drought.

With good rains this year and the water conservation programme, the situation has changed, said Sunil Patil, GSDA director.

The other scheme Fadnavis government introduced was the farmer-consumer weekly markets in major cities, mainly in Pune, Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai.

Through 83 such markers, farmers have sold their produce directly to consumers without paying the 20% surcharge for loading, unloading, weighing and transportation. While the absence of levies has helped farmers earn extra, the consumers too are happy to get fresh produce at cheaper rates.

With the massive victory under him, Fadnavis was ecstatic when he tweeted: This is historic win in a true sense. Our success in ZP elections is remarkable. And the BJP won seats for the first time at many places.

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India has conveyed its deep concerns to the US government over the recent tragic incidents involving Indian-origin people, including Hardish Patel who was shot dead in South Carolina.

Amb @NavtejSarna convyd r deep concerns to US Gov on recent tragic incidents involving Hardish Patel & Deep Rai, the embassy of India in Washington tweeted on Sunday.

Amb @NavtejSarna convyd r deep concerns to US Gov on recent tragic incidents involving Hardish Patel & Deep Rai1/4 @MEAIndia @SushmaSwaraj  India in USA (@IndianEmbassyUS) March 5, 2017

Amb @NavtejSarna underlined need to prevent such incidents and protect Indian community, it said in another tweet.

Amb @NavtejSarna underlined need to prevent such incidents and protect Indian community 2/4 @MEAIndia @SushmaSwaraj  India in USA (@IndianEmbassyUS) March 5, 2017

State Department, on behalf of US Govt, expressed condolences and assured they are working 3/4 @NavtejSarna @MEAIndia @SushmaSwaraj  India in USA (@IndianEmbassyUS) March 5, 2017

Patel, 43, an Indian-origin store owner in the US, was shot dead outside his home on Thursday, just days after an Indian engineer was killed in Kansas in a hate crime shooting that had sent shockwaves across the country.

A 39-year-old Sikh man, Deep Rai, in the US was also shot outside his home by a partially-masked gunman who shouted go back to your own country, in a suspected hate crime.
Depending on the source, the value of Uber has been pegged as high as $66 billion. Recent battles with local governments, competition, new self-driving car companies, and controversies at Uber may have changed this.

In December last year, 24/7 Wall St. reported, based on Privco data that Uber was at the top of its most valuable unicorns list that:

Uber

> Valuation: $66 billion

> Industry: Car service

> Total funding raised: $15.8 billion

> 5-month value change: 5.6%

Valued at $66 billion, Uber is todays the worlds biggest startup success story. The company set out to make hailing a cab as easy as hitting a button on your phone. Since then, it has evolved into a far reaching logistics network that can provide ride sharing and delivery services.

ALSO READ: Beers Americans No Longer Drink

Though many argue the company is dramatically overvalued, big investors are likely banking on an even more evolved future. Using a team of roboticists from Carnegie Mellon University, the company recently rolled out a fleet of driverless cars in Pittsburgh. If the program is successful and can be implemented on a larger scale, it will minimize overhead and dramatically increase profits.

Since then, there has been at least two positive developments. Uber linked up with the parent of Mercedes to develop sell-driving technology. It has also started to test self-driving cars in several places, which include Arizona.

However, Uber has run into major problems within the last week. It has been charged with deceiving local governments, According to The Wall Street Journal:

ALSO READ: Companies With the Best (and Worst) Reputations

Uber Technologies Inc. has for years employed a program that uses data from its ride-hailing app and other tools to evade government officials seeking to identify and block the services drivers, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The program, which Uber calls Greyball, was designed to prevent people from using the Uber app in violation of the terms of service, including law-enforcement sting operations and competitors attempting to disrupt Ubers operations, this person said.

Story continues

And Uber's CEO Travis Kalanick has caused a great deal of controversy. He was caught on video in an unpleasant argument with one of his drivers. And, his company was charged by a former worker, with sexism and bias. Valley Beat summarized the problems:

ALSO READ: Merrill Lynch Analyst Loves These 3 Red-Hot Semiconductor Stocks

An incendiary blog post by former engineer Susan Fowler Opens a New Window. unleashed a firestorm from early investors Opens a New Window. , former employees Opens a New Window. and the media alleging that Uber management fosters sexism, bias and bad behavior. The crisis escalated when an embarrassing video surfaced of Kalanick berating a driver Opens a New Window. .

Some, including 24/7 Wall St. questioned whether he could continue to run the company:

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick found himself in hot water after a video surfaced of him arguing with an Uber driver over lowering fares. Ultimately no chief executive wants to find themselves in this position, especially publicly. The question is whether this is enough for Kalanick to get the boot.

The public outrage from this was very real. Twitter even had a trending hashtag #deleteuber, prompting a fair amount of users to delete the app and convert to competitors. Some were even calling for Kalanick to step down from his position in Uber

ALSO READ: Violence in America: A Survey of All 50 States

Uber and its competition also face hurdles from local governments. According to CNBC:

Uber and Lyft, and others, want hailing a ride to be as common as catching the bus. But their aggressive expansion plans are being stymied in many places in the U.S. by lawmakers because of safety concerns, pressure from taxi companies or a desire to level the playing field for incumbents.

Some methods lawmakers are using to thwart their expansion include introducing requirements on driver fingerprinting, vehicle inspection, insurance, fees, and limits on where drivers can pick up and drop off passengers.

One or two of these problems might not affect valuation. A mountain however, could do great damage

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The Indian Consulate in San Francisco is in touch with local authorities after an attack on a Sikh man in the US state of Washington by a masked gunman who told him go back to your country, an official source in Delhi said on Sunday.

The victim, identified as Deep Rai (39) by the Indian embassy in Washington, survived after being shot at in front of his house on Friday night. This isnt the first such incident. Harnish Patel of Lancaster in South Carolina was killed on Thursday, and an engineer from Hyderabad, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was murdered on February 22 in Olathe, Kansas. Another Indian, Alok Madasani, was injured in Kansas bar shooting.

Rai was working on his car in front of his house in Kent city when he was shot by the man described as white male who had his face partially covered, according to police.

Were early on in our investigation, Kent police chief Ken Thomas said on Saturday morning, according to the Seattle Times.

We are treating this as a very serious incident.

KING5 TV reported that the incident was being investigated as a possible hate crime and police had reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for help.

According to the source in Delhi, the victim is able to walk.

We wish him a speedy recovery and are ready to offer all possible assistance, the source said.

Kent mayor Suzette Cooke has also reached out to the victim.

Sikh community leader Jasmit Singh said: He is just very shaken up, both him and his family... Were all kind of at a loss in terms of whats going on right now. This is just bringing it home. The climate of hate that has been created doesnt distinguish between anyone.

Before the Kent attack, the Sikh Coalition had released an advisory asking the community members to report instances of people saying hateful things about your Sikh identity.

In the aftermath of the Kansas attack, the coalition said: We should not wait until someone gets hurt or killed to report hate incidents.

Kent is about 30km from Seattle and is near the Congressional constituency of Pramila Jayapal, the Indian-origin member of the House of Representatives.

Jayapal tweeted: Thoughts and prayers to family and the entire Sikh community in wake of the horrific shooting. This must be investigated as hate crime.
Leaving behind the data leak episode, the Indian Navy has finally drawn up a timeline for induction of the six French-designed Scorpene submarines and the first two vessels are expected to be commissioned by end of the year.

Top Navy sources said the Kalvari, the first of the highly-advanced submarines, is set for induction by middle of this year as the complex process of integrating it with missiles and weapons system was nearing completion.

The submarines are being built at the Mazagon Dock Ltd in Mumbai with technology from French defence major DCNS under a project called P-75 at a cost of around $ 3.5 billion.

As per the plan, the second submarine Khanderi will be inducted into the Navy fleet by end of 2017 and thereafter each vessel will be commissioned at an interval of nine months.

The submarines are expected to significantly boost Indias naval prowess when China was fast expanding its maritime presence in the Indian Ocean.

In August, over 22,000 pages of top secret data on the capabilities of the submarines were leaked with an Australian newspaper putting the details on its website, triggering apprehensions that the leak may compromise the stealth capabilities of the vessels.

Navy sources, then, had said the document was dated and the Indian submarine had undergone many changes from the initial design, the details of which have been leaked.

The Project 75 has been hit by delays as the multi-billion dollar project was signed by the defence ministry with French firm DCNS in October 2005.

The first four submarines will be conventional while the last two are to be equipped with the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system, which will enable the vessel to stay underwater for longer duration.

All the six diesel-electric attack submarines will be equipped with the anti-ship missile, which has a proven record in combat, besides other weapon systems.

The navy on Thursday had successfully test-fired an anti-ship missile from the Kalvari.

Construction of the first submarine had started on May 23, 2009 and the project is running four years behind schedule.
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj reacted to the attack on an Indian-origin Sikh man in Kent, saying that she has spoken to the victims family and he is now out of danger. Deep Rai (39) was shot at outside his house on Saturday in Washington state by an unidentified gunman who reportedly said, Go back to your country.

I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a US national of Indian origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh father of the victim, Swaraj tweeted on Sunday.

I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai a US national of Indian origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh father of the victim./1  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 5, 2017

He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital. /2  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 5, 2017

In another post, Swaraj said Sardar Harpal Singh said his son had a bullet injury on his arm but was out of danger and is recovering at a private hospital.

IANS reported on Sunday the Indian consulate in San Francisco was in touch with local authorities after the attack.

Rai is able to talk, an Indian government official said. The official said the government was ready to offer all possible assistance to the wounded man.

Rai was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent, Washington, on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to his homes driveway.

The attack on Rai comes is the third suspected hate crimes against Indians in the US within two weeks after Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead at Kansas City bar and a few days later, an Indian-origin store owner in South Carolina was killed outside his home .

The 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed in Kansas when a 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling get out of my country.

Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gun shot wounds in his yard. However, police said in Patels killing his Indian ethnicity does not appear to be a factor.

(With agency inputs)
Two militants and a policeman were killed in south Kashmirs Tral on Sunday in an encounter that began Saturday evening and continued over night.

Director general of the state police SP Vaid told Hindustan Times that one of the militants killed in the encounter was a Pakistani and the other was local.

The local militant was Aqib Maulvi, a local top commander, Vaid said.

The slain cop has been identified as Manzoor Ahmed Naik. He was a native of Salamabad area of Uri.

Manzoor Ahmed was an outstanding jawan of the SOG (special operations group) and the J-K police, Vaid said.

On Saturday night, a joint search party of police and army had started a cordon and search operation in Hafoo area of slain militant Burhan Wanis hometown, Tral, in Pulwama district on specific inputs of presence of militants in the area.

Police had said there were inputs of a top commander named Sabzar Ahmed Bhat being trapped at the site, of which they could be certain only after his body was eventually found.

The security personnel of the cordon and search party came under firing from the house where the militants were trapped and the gun-battle began.

Simultaneously, stone pelting protests had begun in the area to distract the security personnel away from the encounter site.

An INSAS rifle was also snatched away from a CRPF jawan at the main chowk of Tral away from the encounter site.

Police said that last evening there were minor incidences of stone pelting while in the morning the law and order situation was under control.

People running towards a site of gun-battle and pelt stones at security forces to distract them and hamper the counter-insurgency operation has become a cause of worry for the security establishment.

On February 15, army chief General Bipin Rawat warned of harsh measures to those running towards encounter sites and causing difficulties in the operations.

Despite the warning, Kashmiri youth have been flocking to the encounter sites to pelt stones.

The stone-pelting last evening in Tral was the fourth instance of such during a cordon and search operation since Rawats warning.

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Schools across the Kashmir Valley sprang back to life last week to the gaggle of laughter and unshackled mirth of hundreds of children. But the happiest to be back in the classroom after a gap of eight months, marked by unprecedented protests and turmoil, was perhaps Insha Mushtaq.

Dressed in the traditional Kashmiri pheran and sporting dark goggles, the 15-year-old was the quietest of all the students in her New Green Land Educational Institute, Shopian, some 70 km from Srinagar.

But she also had the widest smile, and hugged her classmates the tightest.

Classroom among friends is where I belong, chattered Insha, the teenager blinded by pellets fired by security forces in Kashmirs recent bout of violence, hours after returning from school. I want to study. I cant see now, but I am continuing with it in whichever way I can, she said, sitting amid the warmth of her two-storey family home in Sedow surrounded by mounds of snow. The weather is still cold and bleak in Kashmir, but Inshas mood has considerably brightened following the school visit after months of despair.

She is determined to take her class 10 exams next year, though the lines she writes on her notebooks are unsteady and no more stick to the lines. I cant see what I write, but it does not matter. My teachers can, she said. Photographs of her heavily bandaged eyes had made Insha the global face of Kashmirs pellet woes a few months ago.

It was three days after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter in July that her world turned suddenly black. As protests raged outside, she had opened a window to take a peek when a pellet hit. It exploded hitting her forehead and instantly blinded her.

After several rounds of surgeries in Srinagar, Delhi and Mumbai, Inshas vision has not returned.

Doctors have asked me to keep faith in Allah, she said, as she tip-toed around her home clutching the hands of her mother Afroza Bano.

Increasingly frustrated by the long wait, she jumped with joy when the authorities announced the reopening of all schools last week. Given her frail health and the inclement weather, her parents initially said no. But they relented and brought Insha to the school the next day. Insha attended four classes - Mathematics, Biology, English and Physics - before returning home tired, but exuberant. Her father Mushtaq Ahmad Lone is delighted that the daughter is feeling happy, but has doubts whether she can attend school regularly. I think she will go to school once a week or twice, he said.

Her mother is confident that Inshas love for studies will help her stand on her feet all by herself someday.

Insha is too young to ponder over her future. But she studies since it makes her happy. She likes science and biology and two private home tutors have been reading out lessons to her over the past few months.

Her school, however, finds itself in a bind over the blind student. It is the first time I have come across such a student who was blinded and wants to go ahead with her studies at the school. So only time will say what can be the best way to provide her the best education, said Ashiq Hussain, the school administrator.

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The prime accused in the Malayalam actress molestation case on Saturday told a court in Aluva that he was not ready to undergo a lie-detector test as part of the investigation.

Pulsar Suni submitted before the Aluva First Class Magistrate Court that he was not ready for such a test.

Police had sought the option of lie-detector test after Suni continued to mislead them during his custodial interrogation. But they needed the consent of the accused for carrying out such type of investigation.

He continued to provide conflicting information about the smart phone he had allegedly used for clicking pictures of the actress while she was abducted in a car.

Meanwhile, the court extended the police custody of Suni and his accomplice V P Vigeesh till March 10.

The actress, who has starred in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17 and later escaped in a busy area in Kochi.

Six persons, including Pulsar Suni were arrested by police in connection with the incident that created an uproar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of Make In India and US President Donald Trumps emphasis on Make in America are not contradictory, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan has said.

Pradhan, who was on a two-day visit to Boston, made the remarks while underscoring Indias focus on creating a new energy story using world class technology and cutting-edge innovation.

Prime Minister Modis vision of Make in India and Trumps Make in America are not contradictory, he said.

If we use American technology and innovation in Indias market, then it is not necessary that all components will be made in America. If American technology needs business, then they will have to come to India. We need a good business model and technology in our market. These are not contradictory, Pradhan told PTI in an interview in Boston.

During his stay, Pradhan delivered the keynote address at the 2017 MIT Energy Conference and addressed students at Harvard Universitys Kennedy School of Government and at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

He held talks with top city officials and energy experts, including former US secretary of energy and professor at MIT Ernest Moniz, and professor Henry Lee at Harvard.

Pradhan said energy accessibility and affordability is the Modi governments primary priority.

We have to give clean energy to all our citizens. Our energy basket predominantly has coal but gas and renewables will also be part of our energy mix in future, he said.

He also emphasised that Indias goal to produce 175 GW renewable energy by 2022 and to ensuring energy security requires delivering energy to a large mass of population in a short span, for which self-sufficiency will be critical.

We will need to increase our production. All this we will be able to accomplish when we have technology. Institutions like MIT and Harvard are natural points of innovation and new ideas. We are here to see how we can link this to our market, how we can bring the concept of energy justice as a deliverable, he said.

During his interaction with students, Pradhan said they talked about energy as a commodity and how to make it into a business model that can be replicated across developing nations that have to fulfil energy requirements for its citizens.

On the governments demonetisation move, he said despite attempts at generating a fear psychosis, economic growth has been on track and will improve in the months ahead as a vast majority of the Indian population has supported the governments move to combat corruption and black money.

He also attended a reception hosted for him by the Indian community in the greater Boston area, where he lauded the achievements of the Indian diaspora. He called on the Indian community to contribute to the technological advancement of India.

We need technology, innovation, good business models and processes to take our country to the next level of growth. As the world today becomes a global village, we need the support of the Indian diaspora to realise this dream for our country, he added.
With the Teesta water-sharing pact off the radar for signing, India and Bangladesh are in discussion to ink a comprehensive defence pact during the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasnia to India in April.

Though the discussions on the contours are still going on, what India is eying is a comprehensive defence pact that encompasses training, sale of military hardware and military to military cooperation. India is also willing commit up to 500 million USD in line of credit for military cooperation with Dhaka.

If comes through, this would be Indias highest ever credit line for defence cooperation. For years, India was not keen on giving line of credit for defence hardware purchases, but that policy is changing slowly but steadily.

For India what lends urgency to wrap up a comprehensive pact is Dhakas growing proximity with China on defence matters. Hasina is slated to visit both Delhi and Ajmer. Sources said the discussions for a defence pact is progressing and yet to reach a final shape.

In November last year, Bangladesh purchased two submarines from China, much to the discomfiture of India. And China remains Bangladeshs biggest supplier of military hardware.

During the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Dhaka last year two countries signed pacts amounting to US$ 25 billion in investments in Bangladesh.

But for Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina, going for another major pact is not an easy proposition. The pro-India leader fights criticism is that she is giving too much to India and getting too little in return. Over the years, Hasina walked the extra mile in addressing Indias concerns over insurgency and connectivity. However, New Delhi is unable to sign the much-awaited Teesta water-sharing pact. Bangladesh and India share 54 rivers but none evokes as much passion in Bangladesh as Teesta.

But water being a state subject, the Centre cannot hope to conclude a deal on sharing Teesta water without getting West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on board. Negotiations on Teesta are on for the past 18 years.

As per an agreement of 2011, which was not signed due to opposition from Banerjee, the two sides had agreed to share the rivers water 50:50, the same as the 1996 Ganges water-sharing pact between the neighbours.

Of late, Dhaka is complaining that the flow of Teesta is thinning alarmingly.

Dhaka says that the average flow of Teesta in the last ten days of March, considered a lean season, was 315 cusecs in 2015 compared to 550 cusecs during same period in 2014.

There being not enough water is a complain that even West Bengal raises, while objecting to the water sharing pact.

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The largest habitat of endangered one-horned rhinos in the world, Kaziranga National Park, is the biggest draw among both domestic and foreign tourists coming to Assam.

Therefore any call for a tourist boycott of the park should be something the worries the state government, given its aim to attract more visitors. But Assams BJP-led coalition isnt perturbed by the appeal to tourists to stay away from Kaziranga.

Survival International, a global NGO for tribal peoples rights, wrote to 131 tour operators in 10 countries last week urging them to boycott Kaziranga till the park stops shooting people on sight.

The call came following a BBC documentary Killing for Conservation aired last month, which tried to portray that forest guards in the park had been given license to kill people who appear to be a threat to wildlife.

Incidentally, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had asked the environment ministry last week to ban BBC from filming in forest areas of India for five years for breach of trust and portraying of conservation efforts in India in extremely negative light.

The NTCA had also requested the ministry of external affairs not to renew the visa of Justin Rowlatt, BBCs south Asia correspondent who had filmed the documentary on Kaziranga.

Our job is to protect rhinos, which are our pride, and we will continue doing that by taking hard decisions, if needed. We are not concerned about tourists, Assams forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma told Hindustan Times.

Read | Horns of a Dilemma

She pointed out the boycott call wont have much impact as most visitors to Kaziranga are domestic tourists, who are unlikely to be swayed by the BBC documentary or the appeal by Survival International.

If we are able to do our job and increase the number of rhinos by tackling poachers, tourists would definitely come to Kaziranga, said Brahma while blaming BBC for coming to Kaziranga for filming with a negative intention.

The latest BBC documentary comes after another one on the park in late 2016. Survival International had found faults in the earlier one for not highlighting that guards in Kaziranga are motivated to kill people on sight.

The national park, which is home to over 2400 rhinos, attracts many foreign tourists each year. Last year Britains Prince William and Princess Kate had also paid a highly-publicised visit.

Contrary to speculations in local media that Survival Internationals appeal would impact the number of tourists, resorts near the park feel the boycott call wont affect business much.

Its unlikely to impact business considerably. Foreigners comprise only around 30% of our total clients and they too are likely to take their own decisions rather than agreeing to an appeal by an NGO or tour operators, said Prashanta Sarma, general manager of Iora-The Retreat.

Read | Rhino carcass with horn removed found in Kaziranga, second death this year

Wildlife experts and nature lovers in Assam have also questioned the motive behind the BBC documentary. Some even termed it a pre-planned propaganda carried out with mala-fide intention.

Gun battles between protection force and well-armed poachers occur often and sometimes they result in casualties. Poachers are gunned down even in rhino parks of Africa. Why did Survival International select just Kaziranga for this propaganda? questioned Bibhab Talukar of Guwahati-based Aaranyak.

The exorbitant price for rhino horns in the international market makes Kaziranga a target for poachers. Between 2005 and 2015, 127 rhinos were killed by poachers. Sixty seven poachers had been killed in anti-poaching activities during the same period.

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The Election Commission will be unrelenting in its pursuit of electoral reforms despite the Centres rejection of its two key demands, the poll panels chief Nasim Zaidi has said.

The government had recently rejected the Commissions demands for totaliser machines to deny political parties access to booth level voting patterns, and for powers to countermand polls in case of voter bribery.

We are pursuing this. Its not a question of seeking more powers but ensuring more fairness in elections. We have only two elementsfree and fair elections, chief election commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi said in an interview to HT.

On the countermanding of polls, he said the governments reason for disagreeing is that bribery is a matter of investigation.

We say, so is booth capturing. We say we countermand elections for booth capturing only on the basis of the report of the returning officers and observers. Similarly, we will also countermand elections for bribing voters if we have the reports and reliable evidence, Zaidi said.

The chief election commissioner has also ruffled feathers by taking on political bigwigs, issuing notices for model code violations to defence minister Manohar Parrikar and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal during the ongoing assembly elections.

Under attack from the political class, Zaidi reiterated his demand for collegium system for the appointment of CEC and other election commissioners.

If all political parties are not on board in the selection of election commissionersthere will always be an issue. There might be concerns that A has been appointed by a particular party, etc.

If the opposition is also taken into confidence in the selection of election commissioners, nobody can say that the party does not have faith in A, B or C, he said.

Zaidi however said that the present system has worked well and that all the CECs appointed earlier worked according to legal and constitutional provisions in a neutral way.

The EC has a long list of recommendations awaiting the Centres nod. These include steps to increase transparency in political funding, making bribery a cognisable offence and disallowing candidates accused of heinous crimes, against whom charges have been framed, from contesting elections.

Incidentally, the government had not taken the EC into confidence before announcing the introduction of electoral bonds. The CEC refused to comment on this, saying he was yet to hear from the government on this issue.

Another electoral reform being pushed by the EC is to get candidates to disclose the source of their income that they mention in their affidavits. The suggestion has been turned down by political parties who want only candidates assets and liabilities in the public domain.

The political class is also resisting the attempt to introduce totalisers that can hide voting patterns.

Pushing for a totaliser machine, Zaidi said, At the booth level, voting pattern is known and it is used to intimidate people What we want is: our technology will mix data from 16 machines (so as not to reveal voting pattern).

To the governments stance that the technology will cause inconvenience to political parties for booth management, he said, Protection of our voters, secrecy of our votes must receive precedence over convenience.

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Dying is a messy rite of passage for a Hindu in Rawat Basti area of Bhinder Panchayat Samiti, barely 30 km from here.

The last journey of a deceased has to face many difficulties to reach the cremation ground which is across a river. Pall bearers have to cross the river with the dead body on their shoulders. For much of the year, the Bedach river remains shallow, but crossing it with a dead body and articles for the cremation ritual is a difficult and risky task and remain an obstacle course.

Rawat Basti village has 150 families. They have been demanding a bridge over the river but the government is yet to decide on building one.

Nirmal Jain Sarpanch of Maharaja Ki Khedi Gram Panchayat while talking about the issue said that the there soon

A bridge should be constructed in the area as it will be a big relief for the residents of the village. I had written a letter to the authorities in this but an appropriate action is still to be taken, said Nirmal Jain Sarpanch of Maharaja Ki Khedi Gram Panchayat told HT.

Yashodra Chavda, pradhan of Vallabh Nagar gram panchayat told HT that has instructed block development officer Jitentder Singh Rajavat to survey the affected area and submit a report following which he would petition the government for a bridge. He was optimistic that a bridge could be built in the near future.

Despite the Rajasthan governments claims of developing the villages and making them self sufficient in infrastructure facilities, there are many such villages in south Rajasthan that still lack road networks and electricity connections.
A 34-year-old man was arrested from Nagpur for allegedly sending a threat email to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Urjit Patel on February 23, asking him to quit.

Deputy commissioner, cyber, Akhileshkumar Singh said the police are trying to find out if the suspect -- identified as Vaibhav Baddalwar -- has sent threat emails to any other person. Singh said the email was traced to a cybercafe in Nagpur.

In the email, Baddalwar threatened to kill Patel if he doesnt resign from his post. The accused also threatened to kill Patels family.

The suspect was produced before a magistrate court and remanded to police custody for further probe. He as been booked for criminal intimidation under IPC and the IT Act.

RBIs general manager Vaibhav Chatturvedi approached the Mumbai Police for registering an FIR after Patel received the threat on his personal email address.

The police have not yet been able to establish the motive behind the threat and whether the accused had planned this before.

The Nagpur residents house was searched and he underwent a medical test to find out if he is of mentally stable. The police are also checking if he has a prior criminal record.

Baddalwar was later produced in a Nagpur court which remanded him in police custody till March 6. The accused did his post-graduation abroad and is currently jobless. It is suspected that he sent the mail out of frustration, Singh said adding that an investigation into the matter is on.

(With PTI inputs)
The fear of racial attacks and the uncertainty over short-term visa for skilled workers are two definite concerns for India in Donald Trumps America. But the recent attacks against people of Indian origin in the US left in their wake another conundrum for India in its diplomatic dealings with the country, especially when it comes to offering and accepting consular help.

Consular help  an Indian mission official meeting the person in need with assistance  is sought and granted after verifying his or her nationality.

But the prevailing situation in the US, the media gaze and the political compulsions of the Indian government, makes the normal process a tenuous affair to follow.

The NDA government, which doesnt want to be accused of any inaction, rushed consular officers to the spot though the victims of the attacks in last two cases were American citizens, albeit people of Indian origin.

Three people, one Indian national and two Indian-origin US citizens were attacked in that country recently.

An Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, became the first victim of the hate crime in the US. He was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani at a bar before yelling get out of my country.

It seemed a clear case of hate crime against the Indian national.

Then came to the light the death of 43-year-old Harnish Patel, an owner of a convenience store, in Lancaster County, South Carolina. He was found killed by gunshot wounds in the courtyard of his home on Thursday. Patel was a US national and the county officials are of the view that what had happened looked like a burglary attempt gone wrong and further investigations are on. But India rushed consular officers to the spot.

In a third incident, an Indian-origin Sikh man was shot at in his driveway in Kent in Washington district by a masked assailant who shouted at him to go back to your own country.

The Indian embassy in Washington swung into action and identified the victim as Deep Rai, 39  again an American national.

The situation is tricky for the government. The fabled melting pot that US has been is now seeing attacks on brown-skinned people. Irrespective of their nationality, an Indian origin person is an Indian for most. For the Modi government which takes immense pride in its diaspora  both non-resident Indians and people of Indian origin, the prevailing situation leaves it with not too many options either.

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A Sikh man was shot at in his driveway in Kent, Washington district by a masked assailant who shouted at him to go back to your own country, days after an Indian engineer, Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead at a bar in Kansas.

The masked assailant walked up to the victim, a 39-year-old Sikh who was working on his car in the driveway, had an argument with him following which he shot him on the arm, and told him to return to his country.

A few days ago, an Indian-origin businessman was shot outside his house in South Carolina.

This isnt the first time that Indians have been targeted in the US. Heres a look at attacks on Indians in the US:

2017:

March 2: Harnish Patel, a 43-year-old Indian-origin store owner in South Carolina, US, was shot dead outside his home.

The owner of a convenience store in Lancaster County, Patel was found dead with gunshot wounds in the front yard of his home.

February 22: Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed and friend Alok Madasani was injured when a man opened fire at them at a bar in a Kansas. The alleged shooter, a US Navy veteran named Adam Purinton, thought the two were Middle Easterners and was heard calling them terrorists before telling them to get out of my country.

2016

November 20: Nicki Pancholy, a 41-year-old Indian- American, was attacked in California after her bandana was mistaken for a hijab. The Rajasthani woman has been battling Lupus, which causes hair loss, and wore the bandanna for protection from the sun.

May 30: Davinder Singh, 47, was shot dead at his gas station in Newark, New Jersey. His family described it as hate crime as many Sikhs are mistaken for people from the Middle East because of their turban. His son, Jatinder Singh, told a TV news network, There was no robbery, no struggle, no confrontation. I dont know what else it could be other than a hate crime.

2015

February 26: The Kent Hindu Temple in Washington state was vandalised with several windows broken and the word fear painted on its wall.

February 15: A similar incident had taken place a couple of weeks earlier, when unidentified miscreants sprayed swastika and painted Get Out on one of the walls of the Bothell Hindu Temple in the Seattle Metropolitan area.

2013

July 29: An unknown group of men vandalised a gurdwara in California and spray-painted the word terrorist on its walls.

May 5: An elderly Sikh man was brutally beaten up outside a gurdwara in Fresno, California.

February 26: A Sikh man was shot and injured while driving home from work with his son in Florida. The victim, 47-year-old Kanwaljit Singh recovered from a surgery while his 13-year-old son escaped unhurt.

2012

August 5: An army veteran killed six Sikh men after going on a shooting spree in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

2011

March 6: Two Sikh men were killed by gunmen in Californias Sacramento

2001

September 15: Balbir Singh Sodhi, a gas station owner in Messa, Arizona, was killed just days after 9/11 by a man who was looking for towel-heads to avenge the attacks.
Spurred by Brexit, the first-of-its-kind meeting of Commonwealth ministers responsible for trade, industry and investment is scheduled over two days next week, with London pinning much hope on India and other countries in the group with a combined population of 2.4 billion.

India will not be represented at the meeting titled Agenda for Growth by commerce minister Nirmala Seetharaman, but by the Commerce secretary Rita A Teotia. London-based sources rejected the perception that New Delhi had downgraded it by not sending Seetharaman.

The Theresa May government has often indicated its post-Brexit trade direction by focusing on India and the Commonwealth countries as an alternative to Britain losing access to the European Single Market after leaving the EU.

The meeting is the first major event under the leadership of Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth secretary-general, who took over in April 2016. She has since been the subject of reports accusing her of poor leadership and extravagant expenditure on her Mayfair flat.

One of the largest donors, India reportedly frowned upon attempts to blame Scotlands predecessor, Kamalesh Sharma, for issues facing the new dispensation. The blame-game stopped after it was conveyed that blaming Sharma was tantamount to blaming India.

The meeting, scheduled for March 9 and 10, is convened by the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council and the Commonwealth secretariat, when ministers from over 30 Commonwealth countries are due to consult with business leaders and trade experts.

Scotland said: Current global trade instability remains a priority concern for member states. It is vital that no country is left behind. Our trade experts have identified significant, untapped opportunities which, with the secretariats support, can boost intra-Commonwealth trade from 17% to 25% over the next three years.

New research by the Royal Commonwealth Society revealed that British businesses place India as the fourth priority country for post-Brexit Britain after Australia, Canada and Singapore.

India climbs the rankings to second with businesses in the Midlands, the North, and the South East of England as well as those in Scotland, it said.

According to the Commonwealth secretariat, there is a distinct Commonwealth advantage characterised by shared values, a common language, familiar institutions and similar legal and regulatory systems: This makes two Commonwealth countries trade on an average 19 to 20% more with each other as compared to their non-Commonwealth partners.

Next weeks meeting takes place as countries consider the implications of Brexit on key industries across Commonwealth, and follows on from the Commonwealth Business Forum in Malta in November 2015.

Trade experts at the Commonwealth secretariat highlighted the importance of the British market for many member countries, with Scotland last year pledging support during post-Brexit trade negotiations. Since then, the secretariat said it had assisted more than 15 countries on trade competitiveness.

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 52 independent and sovereign countries, mostly former territories of the British empire. It spans the globe, including both advanced economies and developing countries, in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Americas, Europe and the Pacific.

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Tamil Nadu re-elected a corrupt government led by J Jayalalithaa during the previous assembly elections, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday alleged and called for swift and deterrent punishment to end graft.

In Tamil Nadu, a corrupt government was re-elected... The head of that government, may her soul rest in peace, was convicted by the Supreme Court and fined Rs 100 crore. That government got re-elected only last year, he said.

He said he does not think re-election is a test of good government, it is a test of good politics, good election management.

Responding to questions after launching his book Fearless in Opposition here, he said the BJP returning to power in states like Madhya Pradesh was not unusual and that Congress government got re-elected for three decades after Independence.

He said the Congress was the party of natural governance but has indeed lost its standing.

We must rebuild it... I accept the fact that we are in no major state except Karnataka, he said.

Replying to query on corruption, the former Union finance minister said, Corruption eats into growth and I am not denying that... But how do you put an end to corruption? Graft can be ended only by changing behaviour and by punishing misbehaviour.

You have to change the behaviour and those who continue to behave in a bad manner must be punished quickly... Our legal systems do not punish quickly... If you punish people quickly say within a year or two, you will find that corruption goes down considerably, he said.

If it takes 20 years to punish anyone, people assume that the system is slow, the Congress leader said, adding we must have a swift and deterrent punishment for corruption.

Opposing media trials, he said it was completely opposed Opposing media trials, he said it was completely opposed to the ethics of journalism.

You publish allegations, conduct media trials and pronounce people guilty even before they are charge sheeted in a court of law.

Though media carries out investigation, he said it was scared of people in power.

Those who are in power have the capacity to suppress information coming in the media. A lot of information does not appear in the media as it is suppressed.

But I must say one of the reasons we remain a largely free country is because we have a largely free media, he said.

Chidambaram said it is not that the Narendra Modi government does not have talent. But the problem with this government is... my complaint, quarrel with this government is that decision-making is centralised and that is not good for democracy.

Criticising the Centres demonetisation scheme, he said, You move a mountain to catch a rat and in this case it was a dead rat.
Three RSS activists were injured in an attack allegedly by CPI(M) workers at a village near Koyilandy in the district, police said on Sunday.

The victims, all in their early 20s, suffered injuries in their hands and legs in the attack on Saturday night at Keezhaiyur village and have been admitted to the Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode.

No one has been arrested in connection with the attack, they said.

Kerala has been a hotbed of political clashes between cadres of BJP-RSS and ruling CPI(M), especially in the northern Kannur district.

Both parties have blamed each other for the cycle of violence, which has claimed several lives on both sides.

The RSS office in Kerala was attacked hours after a leader announced a reward of Rs 1 crore for anyone who brought the head of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. RSS sacked Kundan Chandrawat from all organisational posts after his remarks caused an uproar.

In February, an RSS leader was attacked and injured allegedly by CPI-M activists in Kannur district. A saffron activist was hacked to death a month before by an alleged CPI(M) worker in north Keralas Kannur.

(With PTI inputs)
Former UN under-secretary general and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday questioned why the British dont teach their colonial history in schools.

Speaking to British television channel Channel 4 host Jon Snow, Tharoor said there is a historical amnesia about what the empire entailed and detailed how little Britain knew about the colonial atrocities.

Tharoor, who was speaking about his upcoming book Inglorious Empire, said British children from the new generation are not taught that their country financed the industrial revolution and its prosperity from the depredation of the empire.

Britain financed its industrial revolution and its prosperity from the depredations of empire. Britain came to one of the richest countries in the world (India) in the early 18th century and reduced it, after 200 years of plunder, to one of the poorest, he told Snow.

The Congress MP said current relations between India and Britain are about two sovereign nations that have come a long way with Indias economy now as big as Britains. But he insisted that there is a need to be aware about history. If you dont know where youve come from, how will you appreciate where youre going, he said.

Earlier in 2015, Tharoor had argued for reparations from Britain to its former colonies at the Oxford Union debate critiquing Britains role in India.
Pro-women rights groups on Saturday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Motihari district administration to arrest all the six accused in last years murder of Siddharth Raj , as also those behind Thursdays attack on his sister, Shweta Kumari, a key witness in the case, two days before she was to depose in a local court.

Mamta Rani Verma, founder member of Agni Panth, said women groups were angered by the attack on the sister of the deceased. Traumatised, Shweta could not depose in court in her brothers murder case on Saturday.

Shweta, 19, an undergraduate student of the Mahatma Gandhi Central University of Bihar, Motihari, was hit from behind by a speeding motorbike when she was going to write her exams . Earlier, she had survived an attack when a Scorpio tried to run her over. She had previously received threats to stay away from the case.

READ: Murder witness survives attack days before deposition in Motihari court

We will take up the girls cause. If the police fail to arrest the culprits, women will be all over the street. We have planned a demonstration already, Mamta said.

The women groups also wanted the police to correct its supervision report in which it had exonerated a couple of accused in the murder of Shwetas brother. They promised a huge rally on the International Womens Day (March 8).

She said Rajan Sahni, an accused in Sidharths murder, had come up again in Thursdays hit-and-run case.

Shweta, while talking to the media, blamed the juvenile justice board in Motihari for mis-representing her statement to bail out the culprits. However, Prince Raj, Shwetas elder brother, in his statement to the court,has named all the six accused in the murder case.

Prince Pandey, the main accused in the murder case, has also been charged with issuing threats to Shweta and trying to pressurise her to withdraw the case.

Superintendent of police, Jitendra Rana, said that raids were on to arrest the culprits. He assured to provide security cover to Shweta and her family.

Shwetas father, Vinod Thakur, had alleged that one Vishal Dubey, another accused in the murder case, had threatened him on Saturday when he was on way to the juvenile justice board.
After fake currency and terror elements, symptoms of a deadly fungus for wheat is the latest menace to enter India through the Bengal-Bangladesh border.

Wheat on at least 1,000 hectare in two districts have already been affected by the wheat blast disease, that has triggered desperate measures from the Mamata Banerjee government with the agriculture department burning standing crops to contain the menace from spreading to the rest of the country.

In 2016, the fungus entered Asia for the first time, creating havoc in Bangladesh where crops of over 20,000 hectares in six districts had to be burnt. In Bengal it has already spread to Murshidabad and Nadia districts bordering Bangladesh forcing the government to sound a red alert.

This is a serious issue and we are tackling it on war footing to prevent it from spreading. There are definite symptoms of wheat blast. Once infected, there is no way to cure the affected crop. Therefore, the administration is burning the crops as soon as the symptoms appear. We have already identified the areas where the symptoms have appeared. We are awaiting laboratory reports for confirmation, P K Majumder, advisor to chief minister Mamata Banerjee on agriculture, told HT.

We are spraying on the wheat crops as a preventive measure in the areas where there are no symptoms, Majumder added.

A central team of agriculture scientists have already visited the two districts and is closely working with their state counterparts.

I dont think it is wheat blasts. It has never happened in India. One first needs to confirm it, said Gyanendra P Singh, director Indian Institute of Wheat & Barley Research Karnal .

A farmer stands helplessly in the middle of his field staring at the crop that has been set on fire by the government officers. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT PHOTO)

The fungus travelled from Bangladesh. The spores float in the area and it is difficult to contain. Cattle that stray into India from Bangladesh also act as the carriers. Proper compensation is being given to the farmers whose crops are being destroyed, said Majumder.

To keep a tab on the situation, officials at the state secretariat are holding video conferences with district magistrates and agriculture department officials twice daily.

Every year around Bengal farmers cultivate wheat on 5,000 hectares. This year Bengal was expected to have 12 lakh tonnes of wheat production. We planned to double our wheat production in the coming years, added Majumder.

Sources stated that Indias production and export will be largely hampered on confirmation of wheat blast entering the country.

The fungus responsible for the wheat blast disease is known as Magnaporthe oryzae. The disease was first identified in 1985 in Brazil, and thereafter it spread to Bolivia and Paraguay.

In April 2016, it was first detected in Bangladesh. Central and state government cautioned farmers in Bengal and Assam to watch out for the disease spreading in this part of the border.

But in February end, this year symptoms started appear first in Jalangi block, Murshidabad bordering Bangladesh and subsequently in blocks of Nadia district.

Bengal government has deployed combined harvester machines to clear the fields of the standing crops in Nadia district near Indo-Bangladesh border. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT PHOTO)

In Murshidabad district, wheat blast has spread from Jalangi to Domkal, Raninagar-I, Nawda and Hariharpara blocks. So far it has affected wheat production in more than 509 hectares in the district.

Buddhadeb Dhar, deputy director of agriculture of Nadia district said, The outbreak of the disease was first noticed at Jalangi block of Murshidabad. Thereafter, it spread very fast and on February 21 we noticed an outbreak in Nadia. So far wheat production in more than 500 hectares in Tehatta-II & II, Karimpur I & II and Chapra block has been affected.

District administrations has already held meeting with BSF authorities to check entry of food grains from Bangladesh border.

According to international scientists, the consequences of a wider outbreak in South Asia could be devastating to a region of 300 mn malnourished people, whose inhabitants consume 100 million tonnes of wheat each year.

The Asian region produces 135 million tonnes of wheat every year. India is the second largest producer of wheat in the world with 90 million tonnes (mt).
Sixty-year-old Dulal Sheikh of Sonpukur village in Chapra Block in Nadia, barely 8 kms away from the Bangladesh border, stands beside his field full of yellow wheat ripe for harvest clasping his forehead. On the backdrop is a blaze, smoke and cracking sound of his crop burning with government officials spraying kerosene to stoke the flames. At the other end of the adjacent plot, a harvester machine is busy felling the crop. Just about 24 hours ago, Sheikh was unaware that his crop with be razed to the ground and burned.

Safat Ali Sheikh, 52, of Hatkhola village under Chapra Block is facing the same ordeal for his 40 decimal land which the giant harvester cleared in a few minutes. Fending for a family of nine, he and his sons are now at a loss as to how they will manage to run it.

The enemy, however, is invisible. The spores cant be seen with the naked eye. If the fungus attacks a wheat spikelet at one point, it travels upwards and the seeds simply wither away. We have been told by agricultural officers, the fungus seems to spread by air, and quickly spreads to the nearby plants, said Sheikh.

For the Mamata Banerjee government, it is a race against time. While the farmers stand helplessly ruing the disease that struck them with lightening speed from across the border, for the agriculture department officers it is a race to clear the fields and burn the wheat to ensure there are no fungal spores that can travel from Bengal to the wheat bowl of the country in the Hindi heartland.

Read:Deadly wheat blast symptoms enters India through the Bangladesh border, Bengal govt burning crops on war footing

I have heard they are cutting off my crop and setting fire. I dont know what happened. They (government officials) said that I will get compensation. But I dont know when the money will come, said Safat Ali.

I have invested Rs 4000 for 12.5 cottah of land in terms of seed and fertilizers. This is apart from the toil me and my son put in. If everything went well I would have got Rs 6,000 for my produce, which means a profit of Rs 2,000. But now I dont know what will I do, Dulal Sheikh told HT, while the field burnt.

Government officer speaking to farmers in Sonpukur village, Nadia. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT PHOTO)

In Nadia five blocked bordering Bangladesh has been severely hit including Chapra, Tehatta I and II, Karimpur I and II.

Last year, the fungus entered Asia for the first time, creating havoc in Bangladesh where crops of over 20,000 hectares in six districts had to be burnt. In Bengal it has already spread to Murshidabad and Nadia districts bordering Bangladesh forcing the government to sound a red alert.

The HT team visited a number of villages in Chapra I block in Nadia district. The scene was the same at Sonpukur, Hatikhola, Mohotpur, Sikra and other villages near the Indo-Bangladesh border.

On Sunday, I visited a field in one of the villages and saw a couple of spikelets and detected symptoms of wheat blast. After two days I visited again and to my dismay found that 30% to 40% of the entire crop in the plot affected. We are not taking any chance whatsoever. We are calling it wheat blast like disease, since confirmation is yet to come, said Pranab Kumar Hembram, assistant director of agriculture (Chapra block), who was seen with a team of panchayat and government officials running around in the villages since 7 am on Saturday.

Read: Fungus sees wheat crops in Bengal go up in flames as govt controls its spread

The state government has deployed men and machines in the villages including combined harvester machines to chop off the crop, jars of kerosene and spray machines.

On Sunday a notification was issued by the state government. We are felling the crop first and then spraying kerosene and setting the field on fire. We must ensure that all crops and seeds are destroyed. The spores which spread through air has to be contained, said Arun Roy, project co-ordinator and additional direct state agriculture department, who have been sent by the state secretariat to oversee the containment initiative.

Though no government officer would say it on record, they indicated that the farmers would do well to avoid sowing wheat for the next two-three years.

Bengal government has deployed combined harvester machines to clear the fields of the standing crops in Nadia district. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT PHOTO)

Initially, panchayat and government officials faced resistance but were able to convince farmers of dangers of the deadly disease.

Initially there was some resistance among farmers. But we were determined since this is serious issue. We convinced them ultimately, said Mrinal Kanti Tarafdar, sabhapati of Chapra panchayat samity.

But there are gaps in the crop destruction process. Wherever men and machinery are not available, the government is not able to deploy harvesters. The officers are directing the farmers to destroy the crop themselves. The irony is, most of the farmers are so poor that they are not able to afford the required to fell and burn the crops -- an exercise that will deliver an additional financial burden.

The administration is offering Rs 50,375 as compensation for crop destroyed of per hectare. The amount is paltry and we are not sure when the money will be disbursed, said Atiur Khan, a farmer of Sonpukur. He has 17 bigha of land and he has cultivated in 1.5 bigha.

Nadia is one of the most fertile tracts of Bengal with Gangetic alluvial soil flowing from both the Ganges and Padma enriching the fertility of the tract. Agriculture officers pointed out that the district displays a remarkable variety of crop diversity with jute to paddy, wheat to onion, oilseeds to vegetable.

Fortunately, the fungus affects only wheat and, as a result, the fields next to the wheat that are laden with red chilli and onion are safe.
From cursory field clearing process to bewildered farmers, inadequate kerosene to half-finished burning of the affected plots, there are just too many gaps in the suspected control symptoms of wheat blast mission that the Bengal government has undertaken in a war footing mode.

Wheat blast is a deadly disease caused by fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. Symptoms similar to this disease that wrecked havoc in April 2016 in Bangladesh (forcing authorities to destroy standing crops on nearly 20,000 hectares) showed up in two districts of Bengal  Nadia and Murshidabad. Alarm bells rang in Bengal and Delhi and the Mamata Banerjee government ordered destruction and burning of the wheat on about 1,000 hectare in these districts on an emergency basis.

Central government officers visited Bengal and held meetings with us. There is no other way than to burn the crops. Primarily the symptoms look like what blast. We have to contain it because it will be devastating if it spreads. We have pressed in men and materials at the villages. However, it is a huge exercise and some shortcomings may be there. We are trying our best, said Purnendu Bose, state agriculture minister.

A farmer in Nadia shows the remains of his field after government officials set fire . Part of the crop remained unburnt. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT PHOTO)

But a visit to some of the affected fields of Chapra blocks of Nadia district on Saturday by HT team exposed quite a few gaps resulting in some of the affected crops remaining untouched.

Read: Deadly wheat blast symptoms enters India through the Bangladesh border, Bengal govt burning crops on war footing

There seems to be fewer agriculture personnel in the districts who can ensure a fool-proof destruction of each and every strand of the wheat crop. They were visiting the fields, since morning but they dont have enough machines to fell the crops and burn them.

The government employees want the farmers to take the initiative to destroy their harvest. But they were suffering from the shock of the disease and the resultant financial loss. The government has announced a compensation, but it is not adequate to cover our loss. Moreover, we have no idea when the money will be paid to us, said Sixty-year-old Dulal Sheikh of Sonpukur village in Chapra Block in Nadia, situated barely 8 kms away from the Bangladesh border.

Bengal government has deployed combined harvester machines to clear the fields. But the numbers of such machines are far less than needed. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT PHOTO)

They set fire to my field. But a lot of it remains. How will I clear all of it? Who will pay for it? I have already lost the crop, said Dulal Sheikh. The administration is offering Rs 50,375 as compensation for crop destroyed of per hectare.

The scene was the same at Sonpukur, Hatikhola, Mohotpur, Sikra and other villages in Nadia near the Indo-Bangladesh border.

On Saturday, a harvester machine felled more than half the crop on his 12.5 cottah field. But the machine has many fields to work on  Saturday was the deadline set by the government for destruction of the crops  and has to leave.

The government officials present at the spot set fire to the crops, but they had to leave even if half the crop was not burnt. As the HT team found out, merely setting fire to the crop could not ensure their destruction  only the crop ripe for harvest would burn, while the unripe green ones would not.

Goverment officer speaking to villagers in Nadia. There is a need for more officers on the ground to cover all the affected villages. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT PHOTO)

There were unexpected hurdles.

There is not even sufficient kerosene needed to effectively burn the entire crop. The unripe ones dont burn properly and remain. We are therefore seeking the help of the farmers, said an officer on conditions of anonymity.

At some areas authorities are asking farmers to cut the crop and burn it themselves, making a visit later.

The ramifications can be dangerous. Agri experts conceded that if the fungus crosses the borders of Bengal to reach the wheat basket in the Hindi heartland, the effects can be disastrous.

The record books, however, are unlikely to show these gaps. Government officers are recording the culling and burning process  taking a few snaps of the field, the farmers and uploading the information along with the coordinates of the plot on a government website at the end of the day.

Read: Ground Zero: Farmers stare helplessly as govt race against time to contain spread of wheat blast like symptoms

In some fields the fungus, however, may continue to thrive and spread. The disease was first identified in 1985 in Brazil, and thereafter it spread to Bolivia and Paraguay. Last year it spread in six districts of Bangladesh.
For the first time, the state government is giving you a chance to fix the tariff for autorickshaws, taxis, fleet cabs or app-based taxis.

The state-appointed KC Khatua committee  set up to fix tariff formula for black-and-yellow taxis, autos, cool cabs, fleet taxis and app-based aggregators  will soon undertake a statewide online and offline consumer feedback survey.

Commuters will have to fill the feedback form with 25 questions available on the state transport department web portal  transport.maharashtra.gov.in  from Tuesday.

For commuters, this could mean an opportunity to voice their concerns directly to the state government. Prior to this, consumer bodies like the Mumbai Grahak Panchayat (MGP) would represent commuters when auto and taxi tariffs were being fixed.

The committee is conducting survey among all stake holders namely autorickshaw, taxi drivers, consumers and auto-taxi trade unions till end of this month and then response collected in the survey will be analyzed before fixing of the tariff formulae.

The survey form will be available in English, Hindi and Marathi.

The feedback collected through this survey, traffic and transport department will be analysed to frame the tariff fixation formula. We want all stake holders to participate in the process from across the state, said BC Khatua, head of the committee.

Some of the questions in the survey form include: what should be the first stage distance for autorickshaws and taxis for minimum fare in municipal corporations, MMR and other areas? What should be the late-night surcharge on autorickshaw and taxi fare? What should be the timing for charging night fare?

Meanwhile, Mumbai Grahak Panchayat (MGP) has welcomed the state government policy for regulating app-based aggregators. In principal, app-based aggregators were unregulated until now. We welcome the move to regulate them and bring some accountability in their trade. However, we would like to study the policy and then participate in the tariff determination process, said Shirish Deshpande, chairman MGP.

Read

Taxi, auto unions face losses in Mumbai, but still demand fare hike
Following the back-to-back instances of three Higher Secondary Certificate papers being leaked on a social networking app before the exam, the state board has instructed its flying squads  travelling invigilators  to keep a close eye on examination centres.

To prevent a repeat of these incidents during the upcoming papers and the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams, beginning from Tuesday, the board in a meeting with members of flying squads has reiterated that only custodians  those who look after the question papers  and examination centre heads should be allowed to carry mobile phones to the centre.

Flying squads will also visit centres before the exam begins to ensure that supervisors or centre staff doesnt take photos of question papers before handing them to the students.

The divisional board was left red-faced on Saturday when the Secretarial Practice paper was out on a WhatsApp group, minutes before it was handed to the examinees.

The Physics paper too was found circulating between 10:50am and 11:01am. This was just two days after the Marathi paper was leaked online in a similar manner.

Hence, the board is now worried about the SSC exams in which more than 3.87 lakh students will appear from the Mumbai division.

In a recent meeting, the board once again told us to ensure that students or teachers do not carry and use their phones in the exam centre, said Prashant Redij, one of the flying squad members.

At the beginning of the exam itself, we instruct teachers that mobiles and internet access are not allowed to students or staff at the exam centre. Now in light of the recent incidents, we have once again informed them to be strict in its implementation, said Siddheshwar Chandekar, divisional secretary.

Chandekar added that although the rules are in place, there is no way to check each and every staff member and student. Given the large number of students and teachers at the centres, we cannot frisk each one. It would take hours, said Chandekar.

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A Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable shot himself with an AK-47 at the organisations office at Mumbai Central railway station on Saturday at 9.30pm. The constable, Dalbir Singh, was on duty at the time and had been stationed in the Gujarat Mail, which departs from Mumbai Central around 10pm.

We have not yet been able to ascertain why he killed himself. The Mumbai Central GRP unit is currently investigating, said Anup Kumar Shukla, senior divisional security commissioner, RPF, Western Railways.

Singh, a Haryana native, had joined the RPF in 2015. He stayed at the RPF barracks in Bandra (East). An assistant commander will conduct an inquiry, said Shukla.

Singh reached the office, wore his uniform and picked up his service riffle. He was speaking on the phone and it seemed like he was talking to his family members. He was a little upset and after disconnecting the call he shot two rounds in his chest, said Singhs colleague, on condition of anonymity.

The GRP was informed about the incident. They have conducted a panchnama of the spot and recorded the statement of a few eye witnesses.

Constables inside the office rushed him to hospital. Singh died during treatment at Nair hospital. His family members were informed about the incident at his native place after Singh . His father and brother in-law reached Mumbai in the morning, said an RPF officer. A post-mortem was conducted body was handed over to his father.

Read

CISF sub-inspector shoots self at Kalkaji Metro station
To ensure that children belonging to underprivileged sections of the society are not left out of government health schemes, the district administration and health department will repeat a survey of children in Gautam Budh Nagar that they had carried out earlier.

In a recent meeting, district magistrate NP Singh had asked health department officials to ensure that their facilities reach underprivileged children.

It is absolutely necessary that all staff members of the health department are present on duty every day to ensure that government schemes reach the underprivileged. Even if the doctors and nurses have to work overtime to assist the poor, they should do it happily because their work is of extreme importance, said Singh.

He especially stressed on providing vaccinations to children. All children of the district must get the benefits under the National Child Health Programme and there is no shortage of funds for their vaccination and medicines. We must ensure that children who live in slums, under-construction sites, brick kilns or belong to nomadic tribes are also benefited, he said.

Singh also gave orders to complete the survey to ascertain the number of children in the district under the age of five.

These children were left out of the survey last time because they belong to migrant families. This time, they will also be included in the survey to ensure that they get vaccinated, said Singh.

Dr Nepal Singh, vaccination officer of the district health department, said the survey process has already begun and soon children from nomadic tribes will also be provided vaccinations.

A similar survey was carried out six months ago, but these children were not included. This time, the survey will be completed in the next 20 days. We have already begun the vaccination process by identifying these children, said Dr Nepal.

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Close to 4 out of 10 men in Chandigarh are consuming liquor, which is the second highest in the north India, after Himachal Pradesh, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) - 4.

Himachal Pradesh, which is also known as Dev Bhumi, has recorded a little higher percentage (39.7%) than Chandigarh, which has 39.3% people consuming alcohol. For Chandigarh, the NFHS survey has been conducted for the first time.

However, there is substantial rise from the figures of NFHS-3 (2005-06) for HP when only 29.5% of people were recorded as taking liquor. The results for HP and J&K have been released recently.

In NFHS-4 survey the quantity is not being asked. So, it includes both occasional drinkers and regular ones. In HP, there is an easy availability. At a lot of places it is locally made and theres little restriction on brewing. In Chandigarh, there is a liquor vend in every sector. The living standard in the city is also high which contribute to higher number of people consuming alcohol, said Prof Aswini Kumar Nanda, Population Research Centre, Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) Chandigarh.

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is a multi-round survey conducted in a representative sample of households throughout India. The Union ministry of health and family welfare has designated International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) to conduct this survey.

Decline in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi figures

In Punjab, 34 % people reported in NFHS-4 survey that they take liquor, while in NFHS-3 there were 43.4%. Haryana reported 24.5% people, while last time the corresponding figure was 27.7%. Delhi has recorded 24.7%, down from 33.1% in NFHS-3.

Similar is the case for Uttarakhand and J&K. In Uttarakhand, there is decline from 39.1% to 35.2% in NFHS-4.

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has reported least number of people consuming liquor at 10.5% in north India while last time, there were 12.5 %.

Women in Chandigarh have reported highest figure in alcohol consumption though it is marginal at 0.5%, followed by HP and Uttarakhand at 0.3%.

Figures of tobacco use

Chandigarh has 22.5 % men who consume tobacco. Uttarakhand has reported the highest use of tobacco among men at 43.7%, though there is decline from last time.

It is followed by HP where it is 40.5 %, up by 0.5% from the last time.

J&K has 38.2% of men smoking or chewing tobacco, though it has substantially decreased from the last time when it was 52.7%. Haryana too has reported decrease at 35.8%, while in NFHS-3 it was 46.3%.

Among women, Uttarakhand has 2.9% taking tobacco, which is highest in north India, followed by J&K at 2.8% and Haryana at 1.6%. Chandigarh has 0.4 % women in this category.

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Stressing that the safety of residents comes first, the Chandigarh Police have expressed their opposition to the idea of extending the closing hours for citys bars, clubs, discotheques and restaurants the owners of which along with some officials of the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation (CITCO) had been lobbying to get extended beyond midnight.

The administration is unlikely to go against the police departments stance in this case. Some officials of the UT administration, which is drafting its new excise policy that will be out soon, had also been pressing for this, it has been learnt.

In 2015, the timings for closing bars, discotheques and restaurants were brought to midnight from 2am. CITCO, which owns hotels such as Hotel Mountview and Shivalikview in city, has been citing loss in revenues after the decision came into effect.

Some officials have argued that a liberal nightlife bodes well for the modern outlook of the city. The owners of eateries and discotheques claim to have lost much of their business to the neighbouring SAS Nagar and Panchkula where restrictions are not as tough.

For us, the safety of the residents is paramount. We shouldnt compromise on that even if there is loss of a few crore of rupees, UT director general of police (DGP) Tajender Luthra told Hindustan Times.

In the past, the police have been taking a tough stand against these bar and restaurant owners and those officers who have been rooting for extending their timings.

But their stance seems to have toughened after some incidents of crime in the late night hours, especially the one wherein Himachal chief minister Virbhadra Singhs wifes nephew Akansh Sen was run over by a BMW car in Sector 9 last month. A couple of incidents of firing have also taken place at night in the recent days in the city.

Vipul Dua, a city-based hotelier, said, We have lost 30 per cent of our business since this rule came into effect. Weve been taking it up with the administration, but to no avail.

Why not have tougher laws against those drinking and driving and tougher enforcement? What all can you stop in the name of law and order? said Manmohan Singh, another hotelier.

Timing capped in 2015 after HC order

In 2015, the Punjab and Haryana high court had taken a strong exception to the rising crime and accidents late at night and had insisted that the administration must adopt some benchmark for running of hotels and discos. After this, the administration directed that all clubs, discotheques, bars and restaurants must close by midnight against the earlier timing of 2am on weekends.

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The police have booked a mentally unstable man for tearing pages of Guru Granth Sahib at a gurdwara in the Devi Nagar locality of Dera Bassi, 25km from Chandigarh, on Sunday morning.

The accused has been identified as Surjit Singh, 28, of Dera Bassi.

The police said Surjit came to the gurdwara at 6am, tore around 50 pages of the holy book and left. No one was present in the gurdwara when the incident took place.

Granthi Prem Singh found the pages of the holy book torn when he went to the gurdwara. He informed the police and the accused was apprehended. He also confessed to the sacrilege, claimed the police.

Superintending of police (detective) Teja Singh said a first information report has been registered against the accused under Section 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) and 380 (theft in dwelling house, etc) of Indian Penal Code.

Police said the accused was upset after the death of his sister three months ago and was also undergoing medical treatment.

SGPC ASKS GURDWARA MGMTS TO BE ALERT

AMRITSAR: Concerned over a series of sacrilege incidents of Guru Granth Sahib across the state, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Kirpal Singh Badungar has asked gurdwara managements to heighten vigil at the shrines. He also condemned desecration of the holy book at Dera Bassi.

Some anti-social elements are trying to vitiate the atmosphere by orchestrating such acts but the gurdwara managements cannot run away from their responsibility, he said.

We need to be alert and ensure safety of gurdwaras both in cities and villages, said the SGPC chief. He also asked the SGPC members to run an awareness campaign against sacrilege.

Badungar said the SGPC has formed teams to probe the recent sacrilege incidents.
Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir have reached out an agreement to resolve issues relating to the Shahpur Kandi Dam project, proposed to be built downstream Ranjit Sagar Dam (Thein Dam) on the Ravi in Gurdaspur district. The project comes under the Indus Water Treaty, thus helping India utilise its rights on eastern rivers of the basin.

Disclosing this here on Saturday, a state government spokesperson said the agreement was facilitated by the Union ministry of water resources, also a cosignatory in the pact.

Haling the agreement, chief minister Parkash Singh Badal said Punjab had always stood for equitable distribution of water resources between the riparian states and he looked forward to receiving a formal approval from the J&K government soon.

The Punjab team was led by additional chief secretary (revenue & irrigation) KBS Sidhu, while secretary, irrigation, Saurabh Bhagat represented J&K. Negotiations were conducted in the presence of secretary of the Union ministry of water resources Amarjit Singh, while J&K chief secretary BR Sharma and principal secretary to J&K CM Bharat Vyas participated in the discussion through video-conferencing.

Tagged as a national project by the Centre, it was to be built with an estimated cost of Rs 2,285.81 crore (as per April 2008 price level) and is expected to generate 206 megawatt electricity, an official statement said. The project will continue to be implemented by Punjab and its design shall be as agreed by both states. Model studies will be carried out concurrently to ensure J&K gets its mandated share of 1,150 cusecs of water.

Among other decisions, it was decided that Punjab will bear the balance cost on account of compensation for land acquisition in respect of Thein Dam, located nearly 10km upstream the Shahpur Kandi Dam.

Punjab will also share with Jammu and Kashmir 20% of the total power generated at Thein Dam at the mutually agreed rate of Rs 3.50 per unit immediately. This is subject to confirmation of the rates by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, the statement read.

The latest agreement essentially reaffirms the 1979 agreement and also approves the crest levels of 398.40m as agreed between the chief engineers of the two states, said the spokesperson.

A tripartite monitoring team, headed by a member of the Central Water Commission, would be constituted to oversee the work. The Punjab government agreed to pay the pending land acquisition enhancement claims expeditiously as soon as they were approved by the statutory authorities under the Land Acquisition Act, said the spokesperson.

The Punjab government reiterated its commitment to construct the balance 2.3km Ravi canal and siphon for the Kashmir Canal, co-terminus with the construction of the Shahpur Kandi Dam.

All other claims and counter claims would be resolved through the arbitration process. Secretary irrigation KS Pannu and chief engineer Harvinder Singh (retd) were also present.

The two states reached the understanding even as the Permanent Indus Commission is expected to meet later this month to discuss various issues related to the Indus Water Treaty. India had last year decided to suspend talks with Pakistan over the treaty in the wake of Uri terror attack.

The NDA government at the Centre had also decided to exercise Indias rights under the treaty by increasing use of the basin river waters. India has underutilised its share of the river water until now.

(With PTI inputs)
Just the other day, after a slide show by an artist, an earnest young man came to me saying that he wanted a picture with me. Now this does not happen every day and after his friend clicked furiously on the mobile camera, I asked, Why me? He answered, Tuhanu Paash di documentary vich vekehea-sunea hai.

This transported me to 21 years ago when a fresh graduate from the Panjab University Theatre Department said he wanted to interview me for a documentary on poet Paash who fell to militants bullets in 1988 to become a legend. The filmmaker as a young man was Rajeev Kumar (47), who had put his savings and contributions from friends to give a tribute to the revolutionary poet. Support came to him from veteran dramatist Gursharan Singh who bought 100 copies of the film to be distributed abroad.

Rajeev has come a long way since then in his steady journey from Mullanpur Dakha to Mumbai quietly pursuing his dream to portray the other side of Punjab, one of struggle against oppression, while making a living on television production.  I experimented with two short films Nawan Janam and Atu Khoji based on Punjabi short stories by Sarvmeet and Gurmeet Karhialvi.

Once again with support from family and pro-people ideology friends of Lok Kala Manch at Mullanpur. The next venture was Nabar, a farmers fight against illegal immigration agents after his sons murder at their hands. This won the National Award and it is among a handful of Punjabi films to get this honour.

This year his film Chamm, which deals with dalit struggle, has met with acclaim and is headed in shorter version for Cannes coming May to be screened in the 2017 Short Film Corner and full-fledged at the International Film Festival of South Asia at Toronto. And what after Chamm? I want to make a film on a dalit woman protagonist who is twice exploited by the upper castes and men from her own community.

Interestingly, he is also doing his doctorate on Comparative study of Punjabi diasporic and Latin American films. He says his aim is to probe the reasons why Punjabi cinema is so enmeshed in nostalgia and ignores contemporary issues that are crying to be addressed.

Rajeevs friends and comrades have always been his support, including his wife Jatinder Jeetu who heads operations in a reputed television company in Mumbai. We had met in a play production in the university days when she was studying law and acting plays too. She put no career compulsions on me so I can dare to experiment.

(nirupama.dutt@hindustantimes.com)
Fed up of daily scenes of drunkards creating ruckus, three border villages in Pathankot have decided not to allow setting up of liquor vends in the area, around 35 kilometres from the district headquarters.

The panchayats of Khoj Ki Chakk, Muthi and Bhavani villages, situated on the India-Pakistan International Border, have submitted a resolution to the excise department to block allotment of liquor vends in their villages in the coming fiscal. The department earned a revenue of around 1 crore through allotment of liquor vends in the area in 2016 -17.

Women and elderly residents of these neighbouring villages are worried about increasing alcohol addiction among the youth, especially school-going children.

Villagers, especially women, have been facing problems as youngsters under the influence of liquor create ruckus. This has driven us to seek a ban on liquor in our villages, says Ramesh Kumar, sarpanch of Khoj Ki Chak village.

Even schoolchildren are turning habitual drinkers, and a ban on liquor vends in our villages will help them get rid of this bad habit, said the sarpanch.

Ramesh Kumar said following the Supreme Court guidelines, the villages were asked to submit their suggestions on allotment of liquor vends, which gave us the right to reject the opening of outlets in our villages.

Pathankot excise and taxation officer (ETO) Lovjinder Singh said the resolution submitted by the villages had been sent to the Punjab excise commissioner. He said further action depended on the decision of the higher authorities.
A 120-foot-long and 80-foot-wide Tricolour was hoisted on Indias tallest 360-foot flag post at the border here on Sunday. Till now, the Ranchi had the tallest flag mast at 300 feet.

The falg post stands near the retreat ceremony area on the Punjab government land and the 4-crore project was completed by the Amritsar Improvement Trust.

The project was inaugurated by Punjab local bodies minister Anil Joshi at a ceremony attended by officers of the Border Security Force and BJP leaders, including former state chief Kamal Sharma. Officials of the district administration didnt attend the ceremony due to poll code of conduct.

Height of the pole: 360 feet Pole weight: 55 tonnes Flag weight: 100 kg (approx) Flag dimension: 120x80 feet

As the Tricolour was hoisted on the imposing iron mast, it became an instant attraction for the tourists, who took selfies and pictures to capture the flag in the background. Floodlights have been installed around the flag post that will make it visible during the night. The flag will be visible miles away from the border.

Terming this as his dream project, Joshi said he took special permission from the Election Commission for the inauguration. This is the right place to this project as thousands of people come here every day. This will inculcate a feeling of patriotism in their minds, he said.

BSF inspector general for Punjab Frontier, Mukul Goel, said, It is a matter of great honour that the Tricolour has been hoisted on the highest flag post here. We appreciate the effort of the Punjab government. On there was any objection to the project from Pakistan, he said no reservations were received from the neighbouring country. BSF DIG JS Oberoi was also present.

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RANCHI: Renowned economist Jean Dreze on Friday criticised the mandate of having an Aadhaar number for availing of governments welfare facilities claiming that the compulsion was disrupting several welfare schemes instead of making them more effective.

Aadhaar has been made compulsory for a growing number of welfare schemes  midday meal (MDM) is the latest in the list. The government of India has made it mandatory for children to have an Aadhaar number for availing of free lunch facility in schools.

The real purpose of imposing Aadhaar on welfare schemes seems to be to put pressure on people to enrol, a press communique from Dreze said.

It is for the same reason that Aadhaar is now being made compulsory for midday meals  to accelerate the enrolment of children under Aadhaar, the communique added.

In all, around 120 million students in the country are served food under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyans midday meal scheme, said to be the biggest such government-sponsored programme in the world.

The Centre is also working on making all ration shops Aadhaar-enabled and has made it compulsory to have an Aadhaar for availing of public distribution facilities, which is largely affecting below poverty line families across the country, say right to food activists.

The compulsion of enrolling in the Aadhaar scheme to avail of welfare facilities is also in conflict with the Supreme Court directive which said that Aadhaar was only a voluntary facility, highlighted Dreze.

The Aadhaar card scheme is purely voluntary and it cannot be made mandatory till the matter is finally decided by this court one way or the other, the apex court said on September 23, 2016.

Jharkhand-based right to food activist Balram, who goes by one name, said the mandate of linking every beneficiary to Aadhaar was causing major problems in the rural areas since the state and people werent technologically advanced enough to use Aadhaar-based processes without hurdles.

Many beneficiaries of welfare schemes here have been denied facilities in the absence of Aadhaar enrolment. The government is now linking schools and even health facilities to Aadhaar, which will deprive several beneficiaries of the facilities they should be ideally getting, he said.

We are not against technology, but it shouldnt be forced onto people in haste, added Balram.

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Theyve inhabited both sides of the gender divide, and it hasnt been easy crossing the line.

But, as transgender activist Lakshmi Tripathi puts it, Once you discover the woman inside, there is no stopping you.

Trans women are those who were born male, identify as female, and made the switch. In a world full of extraordinary women, we spoke to some of the most extraordinary trans women, ahead of Womens Day.

Madhuri Sarode, a dancer, wife and aspiring mother who loves getting tips on housekeeping from her mother-in-law, is now hoping to adopt and become a mother.

Urmi Jadhav, bullied out of school and failing in confidence until her transition, now helps others navigate this difficult terrain, and hopes that more women will soon begin to embrace trans women as women.

Nayana Udupi, rejected by her father and sent away from home, was so determined to make for herself a life of dignity that she clawed her way out of sex work and is now a marketing executive at a global tech firm.

And Anjali Lama, who journeyed across the gender line and the border, making it to the ramp of Mumbais Lakme Fashion Week from a small town in Nepal.

Amid their struggles, they have celebrated triumphs, found new friends and learnt new lessons as they have shaped their lives as women.

At a time when my family has not yet completely accepted me, my late mothers words are still my greatest comfort, says Lama. She told me that although I was born to her a son, I should not shave my head after her death, because I was now her daughter.

WHEN YOU START FEELING BEAUTIFUL, IT GIVES YOU A DIFFERENT KIND OF CONFIDENCE

Anjali Lama, model, on redefining perceptions of beauty

In February, 32-year-old Anjali Lama became the first transgender model to walk the ramp, strutting down the catwalk during Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai.

When youre a young girl, you look into the mirror sometimes and wonder whether you could be a model. I never had those moments, but I did make it to the ramp, she says, laughing.

Lama was born Nabin Waiba. Growing up in a small town in Nepal with six siblings, she was always volunteering to play the bride during dress-up games and trying to learn how to drape a sari just right.

When she was 18, she moved to Kathmandu for college. It was here that she came in contact with the Blue Diamond Society, an LGBT community group. After all the confusion I had felt about my sexuality and gender, I was finally able to define my identity, and it was like rebirth for me, she says.

In 2005, she transitioned, and in 2009 a Nepalese magazine called Voice of Women thought she would make for an interesting cover.

Called in for a photo-shoot, she realised that she loved being in front of the camera. She loved posing; she seemed to have an instinct for fashion.

Beauty really is about being comfortable in your skin, Lama says. (Arijit Sen/HT PHOTO)

When you start feeling beautiful, it gives you a different kind of confidence, Lama says. Facing the camera for the first time, I thought, maybe this is what I was meant to do.

Soon, people around the world were talking about Nepals first transgender model. But getting work would not be easy. I went to audition shoots and everything would look so promising, but I would never get called back, she says.

Lama was rejected for Nepal Fashion Week thrice and had tried out for the Lakme Fashion Week twice before, but never made it to the final list.

Being a woman gave me the strength I needed to fight these odds as well, she says. I persevered; I did my research. I watched YouTube clips and tried to figure out where I was going wrong. I realised that I was not looking confident enough, so I worked on that. And sure enough I made it to the LFW ramp.

Along the way, she says, she learnt that beauty really is about being comfortable in your skin.

FROM CAST-OFF TO CORPORATE EXECUTIVE

Nayana Udupi, marketing executive, on career and climbing the ladder

Udupi made so many friends at work and became such a people person that she was moved to the marketing department, where she works in vendor management. Three years on, she says her favourite part is when she walks into work in a sari and everyone compliments her.

Born male in Udupi, Karnataka, Nayana Udupi was ridiculed by peers and by her own father, who hated her effeminate ways.

He complained about the way I walked, the way I behaved. He called me a eunuch, in a way that felt derogatory. After finishing high school, he sent me away to the mining town of Kolar to learn how to be a foreman, because he didnt want me in the house. Meanwhile, all I wanted was to be his daughter, she recalls.

She quit that training programme in a year and moved to Bangalore for a pre-university course. She found friends in the transgender community and began to shuttle between Mumbai and Pune, where she transitioned at age 20.

But being a woman alone in the city was tough, she says. I had to resort to begging and sex work to survive. But through it all, I dreamed of a corporate job in a regular office.

She moved back to Bangalore and got an advanced diploma in multimedia design. But no one seemed keen on hiring her. She finally found a job as administration manager with NGO Sangama, which works for sexual minorities in Bangalore. She kept applying to corporations.

To her surprise, she was finally selected by global tech firm ThoughtWorks, which was looking for a graphic designer.

I feel like I have empowered myself and finally made my mother proud as a daughter who leads a dignified life and has a respectable job, Udupi says.

Tina Vinod, diversity and inclusion lead at ThoughtWorks India, says Udupis sheer sense of determination is what impressed the interviewers. We could see the resolve in her to break out from the mould and enter the mainstream, she says.

She made so many friends at work and became such a people person, in fact, that she was soon moved to the marketing department, where she works in vendor management.

Three years on, she says all her colleagues know her and love her for who she is. When I walk in in a sari, she adds, my colleagues always notice and compliment me.

I LOVE BEING THE GOOD WIFE

Madhuri Sarode, wife, dancer and social worker, on marriage

Madhuri Sarode on her wedding day.

Hers was hailed as Mumbais first open transgender marriage, completed with all the rituals, in a temple. On December 28, Madhuri Sarode tied the knot with Jay Kumar Sharma, the man shed been dating for five years, before a gathering of close friends and relatives.

It has been more than a dream come true, she says, grinning. I love wearing sindoor and the mangalsutra. Jay loves it when I wear a sari. I love her in anything she wears, he interrupts, shes my Madhuri Dixit.

Sarode and Jay met on Facebook. I was suspicious at first, she confesses. I kept asking if he knew about my past and he kept repeating that he didnt care much about it. Eventually I fell for him and his charming ways.

When they decided to get married, Jay arrived at her house with two of his sisters to ask for her hand. From picking out invitation cards to hiring wedding photographers, the couple went the whole hog.

His mother, who lives in a village in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, was initially afraid of a backlash from the community, but when they sent her pictures of the wedding, she replied saying she was thrilled to have a daughter-in-law. She will be visiting the couple next month.

I call her every day and she gives me tips on how to run a household, says Sarode, 35, laughing. One of the most important things marriage has taught me is multitasking. I love mundane domestic chores, like pottering around the kitchen. I love juggling my schedule to make sure Im home from my dance classes when Jay gets back from work. Life feels complete.

Up next: Motherhood. The couple plans to adopt soon.

I WISH MORE WOMEN WOULD ACCEPT THAT WE ARE WOMEN TOO

Urmi Jadhav, research assistant, on dealing with harassment and rejection

The thing about women is that they might be more emotional, but they also heal faster maybe because they just have so much more to handle, says Urmi Jadhav. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Urmi Jadhav was raised by her paternal grandmother in a Mumbai chawl, after her mother died when she was two.

All through childhood, she was bullied and harassed for being an effeminate boy. Even my teachers would scold me, she says.

With her grandmother, she had an unspoken understanding. She knew I identified more as female. She would see me putting on kajal, and never stop me, Jadhav says.

Jadhav says she was a good student, even made monitor in Class 7, but the harassment and bullying took a toll.

I started making excuses to skip school. My grades began falling. This has been one of my biggest regrets  that I let it cost me my education.

Jadhav failed her Class 10 exam, dropped out of the system and joined the Hijra community in Mumbai. It was on the streets that I learnt to respect myself, she says.

Four years later, at 20, she joined the NGO Humsafar Trust as an outreach worker. It was there that I began transitioning. The confidence that gave me was very empowering. I met others who had faced physical and sexual abuse and started working to help them. I realised that I was not alone.

One of the most challenging aspects of becoming a woman, she says, is not being accepted as one by other women.

Loving and losing has been another big challenge. It was when I was transitioning that I fell in love for the first time. It was a great feeling, she says. Once, when I was sick, he came to meet me at night, for just a few minutes, because my grandmother was also there. He came back early the next day. Then he confessed that he had spent the night outside my house so that he could meet me first thing in the morning, she recalls.

Their love story ended after six years; he married another girl. It took me months to get over the heartbreak. But it also made me stronger, says the 40-something Jadhav. The thing about women is that they might be more emotional, but they also heal faster maybe because they just have so much more to handle, she says, laughing.

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Bangladesh on Sunday banned extremist Islamist group Ansar Al-Islam blamed for the brutal murders of several secular activists and atheist bloggers in the Muslim-majority country.

A home ministry spokesman said an order was issued banning the militant outfit as the group is involved in anti-state activities which are contrary to peace and order and a threat to public safety and security in the country.

The radical group, which claims links to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, has claimed responsibility for a spate of gruesome murders of secular activists and atheist bloggers in the country that sparked a security crackdown on extremists.

The ban was enforced as members of previously outlawed Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) regrouped under the banner of Ansar al-Islam, the Ministry said.

ABT was banned in May 2015 when one of its leaders was arrested and two members were sentenced to death for the murder of an atheist blogger in February 2013.

The group also claimed responsibility for the 2015 murder of Avijit Roy, an American atheist author of Bangladeshi origin, gay activist Xulhaz Mannan, a magazine editor and bloggers Niladri Chattopadhyay and Nazim Uddin Samad.

It is the seventh radical extremist organisation, whose activities have so far been banned in Bangladesh.

The six other groups already banned are Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), Harkat ul-Jehad al-Islami Bangladesh (HUJI-B), Hizb ut-Tahrir and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT).
Chinas annual defence budget is set to officially cross $150 billion for the first time in 2017, the finance ministry said on Sunday, three times Indias planned defence spending for the fiscal year.

The ministrys statement came hours after the exact figure for the sector was surprisingly not included in the government work report released earlier in the day.

Speaking to the Associated Press, an unnamed official from Chinas finance ministry pegged the defence budget at 1.044 trillion Yuan or $151 billion, a 7% increase from last years outlay. The 7% hike was announced by National Peoples Congress spokesperson Fu Ying. In comparison, in the fiscal year starting April, India plans to spend 3.6 lakh crore rupees or $51 billion.

Even state media reports said on Saturday that the exact figure for the new defence budget is also expected to be released in a budget report the same day (Sunday).

But it wasnt.

No reason was offered as to why the budget wasnt part of the work report  as is the case every year  which was released by Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People to mark the beginning of the annual session of Chinas rubber stamp Parliament, the National Peoples Congress (NPC).

A ministry information officer told AP the exact figure had already been released to the almost 3,000 delegates to the NPC. But he didnt say why it had been withheld from the government budget report, where it usually appears, the news report said.

Beijing would continue to deepen military reforms while upholding the partys absolute leadership over the armed forces, the government work report said.

Chinas defence budget is considerably less than that of the US though the Communist country has the largest armed forces in the world  China defence spending last year accounted for less than a quarter of that of the US.

But the Chinese government has been criticised about not being transparent enough with information about its expenditure in defence sector, which is undergoing a modernisation programme.

Defence analysts say that Chinas actual expenditure on defence could be higher because the official budget doesnt include certain categories of sectoral outlay like arms purchases from abroad

China's military capacity building will be continued. This is the requirement for safeguarding our national sovereignty and security," Fu Ying, NPC spokesperson said.

A rise of about 7% in defence budget is basically in keeping with last year's GDP output," Rear Admiral Yin Zhuo of the People's Liberation Army Navy told the official news agency Xinhua.
Do you beat your wife was a poser in an Islamophobic questionnaire that Muslims wanting to meet a Republican lawmaker were reportedly asked to fill out.

Oklahoma Representative John Bennett asked his constituents taking part in the states third annual Muslim Day on Thursday to fill out the bizarre questionnaire, BuzzFeed News reported.

Adam Soltani, executive director of Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) Oklahoma, was quoted as saying that high school students from Tulsas Peace Academy visited Bennetts office to either meet with him or schedule a meeting.

Soltani said the students were met by a legislative assistant who gave them a questionnaire, telling them it must be filled out in writing.

The nine-part questionnaire included questions such as, Do you beat your wife?

I was distraught when (the students) showed me the questionnaire. I wasnt completely surprised by it because obviously we have been challenging Bennetts hate rhetoric for many years, Soltani said.

Nobody should be vetted with stupid, Islamophobic, hateful, bigoted questions before they can meet with their representative, Soltani said.

Bennett, a former US Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, made headlines in 2014 when he made anti-Islam comments on social media.

He also said there is no difference between moderate and radical Islam.

The questionnaire was written by anti-Islam group ACT for America -- the groups logo and email address were on the sheet of paper.

Bennett confirmed to the Tulsa World that three Muslim students visiting his office as part of Muslim Day were given questionnaires.

Bennett told the newspaper that he did not speak to the students personally.

Responding to the news, the Oklahoma Democratic Party called Bennett an embarrassment to the Oklahoma Legislature.

Why do Republicans continue to turn a blind eye and ignore Bennetts hateful fear-mongering actions? the statement was quoted as saying by The Huffington Post.
A Sikh rights group has asked US authorities to investigate as a hate crime the attack on a 39-year-old Sikh man amid Indian-American communitys safety concerns after a slew of bias-related incidents in the country.

The Sikh man, identified as US national Deep Rai by Indian officials in New Delhi, was shot in the arm outside his home in Kent, Washington, by a partially-masked gunman who shouted go back to your own country.

The gunman allegedly got into an altercation with Rai before shooting him in the arm.

The Sikh Coalition, along with local community leaders, has asked local, state and federal officials to investigate this shooting as an anti-Sikh hate crime as well as to improve bias prevention laws and organise Know Your Rights forums to build community resilience and reduce the likelihood of future hate crimes.

It said shooting in Kent, that has left Rai injured, follows the larger national pattern of hate violence directed at minority communities across the United States in the wake of the presidential election.

Investigating this as an anti-Sikh hate crime is critical, because without our government agencies recognising hatred for what it is, we cant combat the problem, said Seattle-area Sikh community leader, Jasmit Singh.

The Sikh Coalition said the Sikh-American community, which has been an integral part of the American fabric for over 125 years, is estimated to be hundreds of times more likely to suffer hate crimes than the average American, in part due to the Sikh articles of faith, including a turban and beard, which represent the Sikh religious commitment to justice, tolerance and equality.

While we appreciate the efforts of state and local officials to respond to attacks like this, we need our national leaders to make hate crime prevention a top priority, Sikh Coalition Interim Program Manager Rajdeep Singh said in a statement here.

Tone matters in our political discourse, because this a matter of life or death for millions of Americans who are worried about losing loved ones to hate, he said.

Jasmit Singh said the men from his community have reported a rise in incidents of verbal abuse, a kind of prejudice, a kind of xenophobia that is nothing that weve seen in the recent past.

He said the number of incidents targeting members of the Sikh religion, are reminiscent of the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks.

But at that time, it felt like the (presidential) administration was actively working to allay those fears, Jasmit Singh said, adding that now its a very different dimension.

The attack on the Sikh comes close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling get out of my country.

Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gun shot wounds in his yard.
Indians are a valuable community of Kansas and they are welcome in the state, governor Sam Brownback has told Indian diplomats and community members in the aftermath of the killing of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla.

The hateful actions of one man doesnt define us, Kansas governor said.

Brownback said he was ashamed of the killing of Kuchibhotla and the wounding of Alok Madasani last month and it was not characteristic of the state that valued Indians, consul general Anupam Ray told IANS over phone.

The hateful actions of one man doesnt define us, Brownback said.

Ray, who is based in Houston, Texas, has jurisdiction over Kansas state.

He visited the state last week and met the governor, lieutenant governor Jeff Colyer and members of the Indian community.

The state leaders said they are available for the Indian community and will give them whatever help they need, according to Ray.

Ray described as moving his meeting on Thursday with Ian Grillot, the heroic American, who was shot while trying to stop the gunman.

I have not met a person like that in my life, Ray said. A very brave man, he took a bullet for another man.

Grillot represents the best of America, he said.

Ray showed him the tweet by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj that India salutes the heroism he has shown.

Grillot was shot while trying to stop former Navy personnel Adam Purinton, who opened fire at the two Indians after screaming Get out of my country .

According to news reports, the shooter later said that he thought they were Iranians.

After the shooting Consul R. D. Joshi and Vice Consul Harpal Singh from the Houston Consulate General rushed to Kansas to help Madsani and the family of Kuchibhotla.
An Indian summer is nowhere on the horizon, but India is bursting out of almost every nook and cranny of London, where even in the most dull and dreary times, India is part of its everyday life - with connections to its historical sites, food and music.

India-related themes and events are common in Londons academic and cultural calendar but the last week or two has been particularly busy. It promises to be equally busy later as 2017 is billed as the UK-India Year of Culture, with a large schedule of events.

Queen Elizabeth just hosted a lavish reception at Buckingham Palace to mark the UK-India Year of Culture 2017, attended by finance minister Arun Jaitley and a host of celebrities (the usual suspects, a wag said ). The Duchess of Cambridge turned out wearing fashion designer Anita Dongres earrings.

Britain's Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, centre, talks to chef Vikas Khanna during a reception to mark the launch of the UK-India Year of Culture 2017 at Buckingham Palace, in London, on February 27. (AP)

The palace was wrapped in a projection of Indias national bird  the peacock  while inside, the guests were treated to Indian-themed canapes prepared by chefs from Veeraswamy, Londons oldest Indian restaurant on Regent Street.

In cinema halls, it is Gurinder Chadhas Viceroys House that is drawing viewers of British and Indian origin alike. It is evoking mixed reactions: writer Fatima Bhutto called it a servile pantomime, while viewers of the partition generation are leaving the halls in a sullen mood.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has a busy schedule appearing at various events  from Oxford to the London School of Economics to Channel 4  to promote his book Inglorious Empire (published in India as An Era of Darkness), based on his 2015 Oxford Union speech that went viral.

Another Congressman, Manish Tiwari, has just been to the International Institute for Strategic Studies to offer a mid-term review of the Narendra Modi governments foreign policy. It had some interesting points, but journalists were disappointed when it was termed off the record.

A host of Indian writers and publishers are due to appear at the London Book Fair in Olympia from March 14 to 16. Speakers include Amit Chaudhuri, Shrabani Basu and Anjum Anand. The event includes a performance of the Kama Sutra Ballad.

A special dance performance choreographed by Arunima Kumar for Akademi on the steps of Buckingham Palace in London to mark the launch of UK India Year of Culture in London on Monday. (PTI)

The British Film Institute made news with the announcement that it had restored Himanshu Rais 1928 silent film Shiraz (90 minutes long), to be set to music by composer-sitar player Anoushka Shankar. Robin Baker, BFIs head curator, told HT: This is just the tip of the iceberg.

The film is to be shown in the UK and in India as part of the year of culture. The programme includes classics such as Satyajit Rays Apu Trilogy, as well as contemporary films under BFIs New Bollywood theme.

It has been a while since an Indian writer won the Booker Prize or made a splash, but this is about to change with Arundhati Roys much-awaited book The Ministry of Utmost Happiness which will be published by Hamish Hamilton in June.

Indian visitors to London this year, particularly those interested in cultural events, will have much to dig in with a programme of events to rival those of New Delhi or Mumbai or Jaipur  for the first time, the Jaipur Literature Festival will be held in the British Library in May.

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Baloch dissident leader Mir Suleiman Ahmedzai, who holds the title of Khan of Kalat, met Hamid Karzai, former president of Afghanistan, and discussed ways of highlighting alleged human rights violations in Balochistan at international fora.

Ahmedzai, who has been living in Britain since 2006, raised the issue last week at a seminar in the House of Lords, and later told the news media that he would approach India for help. He called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a friend of Balochistan.

Informed sources told HT on Sunday: Karzai is on the same page as Modi on the issue of Balochistan. He has agreed to promote the cause of Balochistan independence and human rights violations there in places where Baloch leaders cannot go.

Ahmedzai tweeted a photo of his meeting with Karzai, which was held on March 1, with the words: KhanKalat expressed grief over terrorist attacks in Afghanistan & said its all happening from the cradle of terror Punjabistan #Pakistan.

He also said: We #Afghanistan people & #baloch work together for our security, freedom, peace, sovereignty and safety.

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Malaysia said on Sunday that its expulsion of North Koreas ambassador was intended to warn Pyongyang that it cannot manipulate the investigation into the killing of the North Korean leaders half brother.

The government on Saturday gave Ambassador Kang Chol 48 hours to leave the country after he refused to apologize for his strong accusations over Malaysias handling of the investigation into the February 13 killing of Kim Jong Nam at Kuala Lumpurs airport.

I think we have given a clear message to the North Korean government that we are serious about solving this problem and we do not want (the investigation) to be manipulated, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quoted as saying Sunday by Malaysian national news agency Bernama.

A timeline of diplomatic developments between Kuala Lumpur and Pyongyang since the assassination of Kim Jong Nam. (AFP)

The death of Kim, the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. Malaysian authorities said Kim died within 20 minutes after two women smeared his face with VX, a banned nerve agent considered a weapon of mass destruction.

North Korea has rejected Malaysias autopsy finding that VX killed Kim. Kang has accused the Malaysian government of trying to hide something and said it colluded with outside powers to defame North Korea.

Kangs expulsion came just days after Malaysia said it would scrap visa-free entry for North Koreans and expressed concern over the use of the nerve agent.

North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia Kang Chol who was declared persona non grata and told to leave the country. (AP File)

Ri Tong Il, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Nations, has said Kim probably died of a heart attack because he suffered from heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Two women  one Indonesian, one Vietnamese  have been charged with murder in the case, although both reportedly say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

Authorities released a North Korean chemist from custody on Saturday due to a lack of evidence to charge him and deported him on the same day. Ri Jong Chol, however, has accused Malaysian police of threatening to kill his family to coerce him into confessing to the crime.

Malaysia is also looking for seven other North Korean suspects, four of whom are believed to have left the country on the day of the killing. Three others, including an official at the North Korean Embassy and an employee of Air Koryo, North Koreas national carrier, are believed to still be in Malaysia.

Malaysias finding that VX killed Kim boosted speculation that North Korea orchestrated the attack. Experts say the oily poison was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons, including VX.

North Korea is trying to retrieve Kims body, but has not acknowledged that the victim is Kim Jong Uns half brother, as Malaysian government officials have confirmed.
Former US president Barack Obama in 2014 launched a cyberwar against North Koreas missile programme but it has failed to make significant gains, according to a leading US daily.

The US still cannot effectively counter North Koreas nuclear and missile programmes, The New York Times reported today following a months-long investigation, based on interviews with officials in the Obama and Donald Trump administrations as well as a review of extensive but obscure public records.

North Koreas threats remain so dangerous that when Obama left office he warned Trump that this would likely be the most urgent problem hed face, the Times said.

Three years ago Obama ordered the Pentagon to increase cyber and electronic attacks against North Korea to try to sabotage its missiles before launch or just as they lift off, the report said.

The programme appeared to be successful, as several of the Norths rockets and missiles failed soon after launch.

Advocates of the US programme claimed success, believing that they had delayed for years North Koreas ability to mount a nuclear weapon on an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and threaten a US city.

Skeptics however said the failures could have resulted from shoddy manufacturing, disgruntled insiders and simple incompetence.

Kim Jong-Uns isolated regime has continued to thumb its nose at the world with a series of missile launches over the years.

It has conducted three successful medium-range rocket launches in the past eight months and two nuclear tests in 2016 in its quest to build an ICBM that could reach the United States.

North Korea is barred under UN resolutions from any use of ballistic missile technology.

The UN Security Council has imposed six sets of sanctions since Pyongyang first tested an atomic device in 2006.

Kim boasted in January that Pyongyang was in the final stages of developing an ICBM in an apparent attempt to pressure the incoming US president. Trump shot back on Twitter, saying, It wont happen.

On February 12 North Korea fired what appeared to be a modified intermediate-range Musudan missile, which landed in the ocean.

The Musudan has a range of 2,500-4,000 kilometers, meaning it could threaten both Japan and US bases on Guam.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the test absolutely intolerable.

Days later, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson pledged that Washington would use the full range of its arsenal, including nuclear weapons, to defend allies Japan and South Korea against North Korea.
The White House budget director confirmed on Saturday that the Trump administration will propose fairly dramatic reductions in the US foreign aid budget later this month.

Reuters and other news outlets reported earlier this week that the administration plans to propose to Congress cuts in the budgets for the US State Department and Agency for International Development by about one third.

We are going to propose to reduce foreign aid and we are going to propose to spend that money here, White House Office of Management Budget director Mick Mulvaney told Fox News on Saturday, adding the proposed cuts would include fairly dramatic reductions in foreign aid.

Mulvaney said the cuts in foreign aid would help the administration fund a proposed $54 billion expansion of the US military budget.

The overriding message is fairly straightforward: less money spent overseas means more money spent here, said Mulvaney, a former South Carolina Representative.

The United States spends just over $50 billion annually on the State Department and USAID, compared with $600 billion or more each year on the Pentagon.

Several Republicans this week on Capitol Hill raised concerns about the planned cuts to the State Department.

I am very concerned by reports of deep cuts that could damage efforts to combat terrorism, save lives and create opportunities for American workers, said US Representative Ed Royce, the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.

A US government website said 20 government agencies plan to award $36.5 billion in foreign assistance programs in more than 100 countries around the world during the current budget year.

Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, tweeted earlier this week: Foreign Aid is not charity. We must make sure it is well spent, but it is less than 1% of budget & critical to our national security.

Mulvaney said the Trump administration will release its budget proposal on March 16. Reuters has reported the administration plans significant proposed cuts in many other domestic programmes.
Turkeys state-run news agency says that rescue teams have found the Syrian pilot who ejected right before his jet crashed in Turkey near the Syrian border.

Anadolu said that the pilot was found early Sunday in an exhausted state and taken to a hospital after a nine-hour search and rescue operation in the rain. He has been identified as a Syrian national but no name was given.

The jet crashed into the countryside in the southern Turkish border province of Hatay on Saturday, with witnesses claiming they had seen the pilot eject before the crash.

Syrian opposition military group Ahrar al-Sham said it had downed the plane.

Anadolu said the search and rescue operation was now over because the plane was a single-person aircraft.
Authorities in South Carolina say deputies answering a 911 call have shot and killed a man who pointed a gun at them.

Sheriff Will Lewis told local media outlets that deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call Saturday in Greenville County, about 30 miles west of Spartanburg, in which the woman who called 911 said her estranged husband was on the porch of the home with a gun.

Lewis said as deputies approached the man, he pointed a gun at them and said, Do you not see my gun? Lewis said deputies had no choice but to shoot the man, who he said died at the scene.

Five deputies who answered the call are on administrative leave while the incident is investigated by the State Law Enforcement Division and the Greenville County Coroner.

The mans identity hasnt been released.
A Sikh man was shot at and wounded in his driveway in Kent, Washington, by a masked assailant who then called out to him to go back to your own country, a variation of the last words Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla heard at a bar in Olathe, Kansas, last month in a hate-crime murder that shook up both the US and India.

The Kent shooting took place at 8:00 pm, according to local police. The assailant walked up to the victim, a 39-year-old Sikh who was working on his car in the driveway. They had an argument that ended with the shooter opening fire, and telling him to return to his country.

The shooter, who wore a mask covering the lower portion of his face, had not been identified till the filing of this report and the local police were reported to have sought the FBIs help in investigating the case, which appeared to be a hate crime.

Were early on in our investigation, Kent police chief Ken Thomas told Seattle Times. We are treating this as a very serious incident.

The victim, identified by Indian authorities as Deep Rai, was shot in the arm and was released from hospital after treatment. He and his family are obviously shaken, as is the community.

There has been many hate-crime attacks against Sikhs in America, with Balbir Singh Sandhu becoming the first victim of a backlash in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks carried out by men from the Middle East.

Sandhu was killed outside his gas station in Messa, Arizona by man who mistook for a Middle-Easterner because of his turban which resembled headgear worn in that region.

Read | Indian killed in Kansas: Hate crimes in US are rising since Trump assumed office

Six Sikhs were gunned down in a gurudwara in Wisconsin in 2013 by a white supremacist. And members of the community have complained of suffering slurs and hateful behaviour all around the country, with some having to relocate to end the harassment.

On Thursday, a 43-year-old Indian-origin store owner in South Carolina, Harnish Patel was shot dead outside his home, although the county sheriff said this may not be a hate crime.

The Sikh community is fighting back by launching efforts to address the problem, which, in part stems from misconceptions about its religion and, in a large part, its identity. The Sikh Coalition is an advocacy group that works with the FBI in fighting this hostility.

While we appreciate the efforts of state and local officials to respond to attacks like this, we need our national leaders to make hate crime prevention a top priority, Rajdeep Singh of the Sikh Coalition said in a statement. Tone matters in our political discourse because this is a matter of life or death for millions of Americans who are worried about losing loved ones to hate.

That was a guarded reference to the divisiveness that has swept the United States since the election of President Donald Trump in November, with an immediate and perceptible rise in attacks against minority communities such Jews, blacks, Hispanics and now Indians and Sikhs.

Kuchibhotla was killed by a man who mistook him for middle-eastern  in fact he allegedly told a bartender who gave him up to the police  he had shot two men from Iran, one of the seven countries on Trumps travel ban.

The second victim was Alok Madasani, who suffered minor injuries, while a third man, a white American, Ian Grillot was shot and wounded badly when he tried to intervene.

Trump denounced the Kansa shooting and all instance of hate-crimes in his maiden speech to the joint session of congress, but, as the Sikh Coalitions Singh said, American leaders need to make hate crime prevention a top priority.
WASHINGTON - How do you lead 13,000 people, including some of the most accomplished scientists in the world, who you once infamously said should be eradicated from the federal budget?

If you're Rick Perry, the new secretary of energy, you get right to the point.

"To be able to come to this agency is an extraordinary journey for me. I still get reminded on a regular basis of something I couldn't remember in a debate on this agency," Perry told employees of the Energy Department on Friday. "But I want for you to know what a powerful advocate you're going to have in that corner office."

Perry, the former Texas governor, reported for his first day of work after his confirmation by the Senate on Thursday on a bipartisan 62-37 vote. In a speech broadcast on YouTube, he explained his change of heart since 2011, when, while running for president, he said in a debate that he'd do away with three federal agencies. It became a famous gaffe when he couldn't remember the name of the third agency - the Energy Department.

After quitting the race and returning to the governor's office, Perry said he had an epiphany while working on a partnership between a Texas university and the Sandia National Laboratories, one of the network of research labs overseen by the Energy Department.

"I had a very cursory knowledge of the Department of Energy prior to that," he said. "Knowing the potential of what we have in front of us and the jewels these labs are gave me a new appreciation."

Perry, who served as governor from 2000 to 2015, moved through the confirmation process without much trouble. While known as a friend of the oil and gas industry, he also helped Texas become the nation's leader in wind power. He said he supports an "all of the above" energy policy.

In his speech, Perry, whose predecessors at energy held doctoral degrees, acknowledged his own academic record made him an unlikely choice for the job. He promised employees he would have an "open door" and encouraged them to share their ideas and give him feedback.

"My lifetime dream was to be a veterinarian, from a very young age. Organic chemistry made a pilot out of me," said Perry, who served as an Air Force pilot after graduating from Texas A&M. "Those of you who are extraordinarily brilliant scientists in those arenas, I admire you greatly."

Ever the politician, Perry couldn't help but offer a little insight into how President Donald Trump came to select him as energy secretary - despite Perry's tough criticism of him in the Republican primary campaign during Perry's second run for president.

"It was a pretty interesting conversation," Perry said. "We had been rivals. I'd said some pretty harsh things about the president. I can assure you one thing, he is a very forgiving man generally."
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In the annual traffic-stopping celebration of Western heritage, hundreds of spectators lined downtown streets Saturday for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo parade.

The route began at Bagby and Walker near City Hall, where the band struck up its first marching tune. Young families crowded together in folding chairs and stood along the edge of the street to score the best view of the oncoming floats.

Native Houstonian Susan Lee brought her 2-year-old daughter Carrie to watch the festivities. Carrie pulled her red Radio Flyer toy wagon behind her.

"She loves to dance and listen to the parade music," Lee said as a mariachi float passed by and Carrie twirled.

The parade included many prominent Houston figures, including Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Mayor Sylvester Turner, both on horseback. Behind them, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, waved to cheering bystanders from a horse-drawn carriage.

The University of Houston Alumni Association and presidential float carried the university's chancellor and president, Renu Khator, and her husband, Suresh, as well as the student body president, Shane Smith.

Michael Jones, a longtime Houstonian, has made a family tradition of the parade, bringing his two children to join the crowd every year.

"We buy them a cowboy hat from the street vendors and make it a fun time, something they'll remember," Jones said. "They love the horses."

Other participants included several city council members, Houston police officers, military personnel who passed out miniature American flags to children, and the "world famous" Cowboy Band.

Competitors in the Rodeo Run made their way along congested sidewalks, occasionally slowing to watch the attractions. One in particular drew the crowd's attention.

Philip Brayton, otherwise known as the "Mountain Man," walked through throngs of people shirtless, wearing a cape made of animal pelts and a matching fur hat.

"I just walk around, greet people, smile, shake hands," Brayton said.

This year marks his 25th year as "Mountain Man." Brayton said he was inspired to portray the character after he retired from his work as a chiropractor.

The parade continued throughout the morning, winding along several blocks until its end on Lamar near the Texas Heritage Plaza. Tickets to the rodeo's carnival were sold to onlookers as the parade trotted to a close.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo kicks off with its first concert March 7.
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An overflow crowd witnessed the 41st annual Liberty-Dayton Chamber of Commerce Awards on the night of Feb. 28 and with it the hilarious comedy of guest speaker Chad Prather of Burleson, Texas.

Filled with anticipation, chamber officials honored their outgoing board and various members for their service during the previous year.

None was as poignant as the recognition given to the Flat Line Cookers, the cooking team of Liberty County EMS, who knocked it out of the park with their steaks and trimmings at last August's Liberty-Dayton 500. The moment was subdued as many were still remembering Craig Ringer who died suddenly Feb. 24.

Ringer was instrumental in buying and cooking the food, leading the cook team through the successful event and rescuing the chamber in a time of need.

Caroline Wadzeck was honored as the 2016 Citizen of the Year for the city of Dayton.

After receiving her Master of Library Science in 1979, she was hired as a librarian in Dayton and helped design the Richter library adding the reading pit and courtyard. In 1988 she was named Teacher of the Year at Dayton ISD.

She served many terms on the Dayton Library Board and the Dayton Classroom Teachers Association.

In 1991 she was hired as an elementary librarian at Barbers Hill ISD, serving there until 2009, the year both she and her husband retired.

She has used much of her time traveling and volunteering for the city. She left on a trip to Ireland the morning after the chamber banquet.

When she is not traveling, she said she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren.

In her spare time, she wrote "The Streets of Dayton: History by the Block." She donated the proceeds from the sale of her book to the Dayton Historical Society where she has become a force in preserving the history of Dayton. She currently serves as recording secretary for the Historical Society and is a curator at the Dayton Old School Museum. She was appointed to the Dayton Enhancement Committee and plays an integral role in the beautification of Dayton.

Wadzeck is an active member of the DAR, secretary of Lakata Club, the Dayton Police and Fire Museum and a member of the First United Methodist Church of Dayton where she sings in the choir. She was recently named Volunteer of the Year at the Dayton Chamber banquet.

Ann Daniel Rogers is the recipient of the Liberty Citizen of the Year for 2016.

A proud Liberty High School Panther, Rogers has served as the unofficial go-to person and producer of many successful reunions for over 50 years, and became a charter member of the Liberty ISD Education Foundation upon its inception.

During the earlier years, she readily shared musical talents as pianist for the Liberty Rotary Club, and as a vocalist in choirs, high school musicals, and little theater productions; and was an avid worker with both the Girl and Boy Scouts when this parent's children were participants.

After personally witnessing a family member's struggle to interpret letters, words, and symbols, she was one of the earliest (if not the first) in the area to begin delving into the misunderstood world of dyslexia. She was further dismayed upon learning how many adults silently suffered with the inability to read or write so she independently sought out and obtained certification as a Dyslexia Teaching Specialist and began to meet this need by tutoring school-aged learners and adults alike, much done without compensation. Though vocations of dyslexia tutor and owner/instructor of a private driving school were a means of supporting herself and her children, one had only to express interest or need, and payment became negotiable.

In the late 1980s, as her own three children were becoming self-sufficient, she began a long career at Hardin ISD as an often-requested kindergarten teacher. Lastly she served as ESL coordinator and became certified in the Irlen Syndrom. She developed and facilitated the district's testing program, and continues to test and tutor when needed on a volunteer basis. Before retiring from Hardin ISD in 2007, she established a personal scholarship for graduating seniors.

During retirement, she became an active member and officer of the Friends of the Library, working on numerous projects and for many years in their Jubilee Bake and Book Sale. Also, as a self-taught "computer guru," she began "piecing together" old computers and accessories and has quietly provided re-built (and often new) computers at no charge to area retirement homes, needy graduating seniors, churches, missionaries in Nepal and the Philippines, just to name a few. This endeavor led to her next offer: to teach free adult computer classes at the Liberty Library as well as writing the accompanying manuals and handouts. These classes continue to be a popular service offered by the Library, at no expense to them or the student.

She has been active in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life and recently voted an Honorary Life Member of the Board of Directors for Bridgehaven Children's Advocacy Center.

Prather later took the stage and with his characteristic humor, provided an entertaining evening for the guests.

Guest speaker Chad Prather's popularity exploded when his humorous video "Unapologetically Southern" went viral.

In 2016, Chad Prather and Fort Worth, Texas comedian Cowboy Bill Martin teamed up to begin the Kings of Cowtown World Comedy Tour. This was his second appearance at the Liberty-Dayton Chamber of Commerce.

"Sometimes we're like the dogs that run in packs-they sleep, eat, fight amongst themselves and allow new members in the pack," Prather said.

Referring to the sleepers, "We'll sit back and be lethargic and let everyone else run the organization regardless of what happens. It's always been done that way," he said.

The eaters, he said, are no better.

"We like to consume whatever is given us. We're good at taking the benefits, while not providing very much of our own.

And every group has misunderstandings and disagreements.

"We'll have squabbles that stop our creativity and inspiration that soon stops our progress."

And adding to the pack is sometimes worrisome.

"We're happy to welcome new members if we're not threatened by them and as long as they're willing to do it our way," he said.

Dogs will do all of those things like their human counterparts until a rabbit runs by, Prather smiled.

"As soon as that rabbit runs by, the sleepers wake up and start chasing, the ones eating will join the run, the ones who are fighting will quit and in unity join the rest of the pack in the hunt and new members can join the pack as long as they're willing to hunt," the comedian said.

"I say to Dayton and to Liberty, find your rabbit, your common goal. As one community, one common goal, find your rabbit and chase that thing. Follow your community leaders and the example and standard they set and support them."
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Tatum MacNaughton sees a reminder on her mirror every day.

"Our lives serve a purpose that is greater than ourselves," reads the sticker.

MacNaughton said she has a heart to serve and was honored Thursday, Feb. 23, with the Volunteer of the Year award from the Crosby-Huffman Chamber of Commerce. MacNaughton has been a realtor for 18 years, which she said has helped here develop a clear vision for Crosby to thrive. She announced she would be seeking public office.

Several community leaders were honored Friday night at the chamber's annual awards banquet.

Citizen of the Year

Chamber President Kim Harris presented Crosby Independent School District Keith Moore with Citizen of the Year award. Moore has had such an impact on the community, Harris said, that he is sometimes known as "the mayor Crosby." Moore, Harris said, exceeded the qualifications for the award and is part of every community organization Crosby has.

Moore took the time to thank his wife, the principals and staff at the school district and board members.

"I want to take it one level further," Moore said. "This district and this community - and I'll include Huffman in this as well, our great neighbors - we're recognizing great parents and great kids and great businesses that support our schools.

"If I'm being recognized, my wife and my staff and my principal and my board members being recognized, again, I say that you're recognizing each other and you're recognizing the businesses, the communities, the parents and everybody else that have really come together to make this a special place."

Nonprofit of the Year

Eastside Veterans Celebration was honored as the Nonprofit of the Year, and the award was presented by Carol and Chuck Thompson, with the Crosby Lions Club, last year's winner.

"The thing about this particular award is that they're not getting paid," Chuck Thompson said. "They volunteer their time, they volunteer their effort, and many cases they volunteer their money."

Eastside Veterans raises money and gathers sponsors to feed hundreds of veterans each year and throw a parade. Eddie Foster, a volunteer with the organization, said they currently are working to raise money to build a veterans memorial in downtown Crosby.

"This is not going to be just a little memorial," Foster said. "This is going to be a big, beautiful memorial for the veterans.

"We just don't think that there's enough done for (veterans), he later added. "And we wanted to make sure that they were fed, and we do a parade for them and we do a big shindig for them every year, and that's what we've been doing the last five years."

Employee of the Year

Last year's recipient, Justin League, presented the Employee of the Year award to Jessica Watkins, with Neighbors Emergency Center, who later said she was too shocked when she received the award to give a speech.

League said he understands what it takes to receive that kind of award.

"I first want to thank the company that this person works for," League said in introduction. "No person can win this without working for a great company that allows their employees to get out and spend countless hours in the community."

Business of the Year

Turner-Chevrolet was honored at the Business of the Year, an award presented by Macie Schubert, of Community Resource Credit Union, last year's winner.

"If all you had to do is buy a business that nobody wanted, hire a bunch of people that really want to work there and put a lot of cash at risk to win this award, I think we're going to try that again," said owner Robert Turner. " We've only been in this community a short period of time - obviously we came here to try and make a positive impact."

David Mendez, general manager at the dealership, vowed to never take the community's trust for granted. He starts every Saturday sales meeting with a prayer, and that prayer is for everyone to win.

"I want everybody to win, not my sales people, but my customers, my community, our dealership, and by the grace of God, our prayers have been answered," Mendez said.
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Draped in American flags and chanting "lock her up," dozens of Houston-area supporters of President Donald Trump gathered Saturday morning in Katy to rally around the new commander-in-chief - even as counter-protesters demonstrated against him.

The enthusiastic gathering at the Fry Road Park and Ride was part of a nationwide series of similar events intended to strike back at anti-Trump sentiment.

"We won," Houston Area for Donald Trump organizer Cooper Jackson said before the event kickoff. "That's a point we're going to try to make."

SAFE SPACE: Texas lawmaker seeks to protect off-work political opinions from retaliation

Bob Holden, a veteran from Willis, came out to stand up to protesters who have vocally opposed the new president.

"Any anti-Trump rally is really a criticism of poor and middle-class working people," he said.

"It is time to stop attacking working class people. Every time they criticize Trump they are criticizing the people who voted for him."

Some in the crowd also came out to oppose mainstream media coverage of the Trump administration.

WALL PROTEST: Mexican lawmaker scales 30-foot fence to troll Trump about border

"You people are absolutely horrible," offered one rally-goer.

Bob Davidson, a former Democrat, drove over from the nearby Energy Corridor to join in with the chanting crowd.

"The reason I'm here is to support these people," he said, gesturing toward more than 75 Trump supporters on the scene. "The media make him out to be a bad person for saying his job is to be for America."

FESTIVAL FEARS: SXSW may alert authorities to international artists playing unofficially

As the rally started gathering steam, Jackson led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem before handing off the megaphone.

One speaker decried newly elected Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez' decision to cut ties with the ICE 287(g) program, a partnership with immigration authorities that trained county deputies to determine the immigration status of jailed suspects and hold those selected for deportation.

Other speakers touched on the 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya; refugees; Trump's proposed border wall; and crimes committed by immigrants. At one point, Jackson asked for a moment of silence in memory of Genesis, a Houston teen killed last month in a satanic ritual by two gang members who were in the country illegally.

As rally-goers dressed in red, white and blue lined up along the side of the road with their Trump signs, a small group of counter-protesters set up shop at an intersection, waving a Mexican flag and toting multilingual signage.

ON VIDEO: Social media spreads recording of Walmart customer taunting employee

Victor Ibarra, a Latinos Inmigrantes Triunfadores organizer known for hauling oversize Trump pinatas to protests last fall, held a "Resist Trump" sign up for passing motorists to see.

"He is attacking our race very often," Ibarra said of the President.

"As an immigrant, I think that we are not all criminals. I think there are more American criminals than Hispanic criminals," he continued.

"We are resisting Trump."

>>>Scroll through the gallery to see how the Texas delegation votes when it comes to Trump's signature issues so far
District Attorney Kim Ogg on Friday filed a brief supporting bail reform in the lawsuit brought against Harris County's misdemeanor judges to change the bail system.

The civil rights lawsuit, filed in federal court, is expected to begin a three-day hearing on Monday about whether the judge should issue an injunction.

Ogg, whose office is not a party to the litigation, filed a four-page amicus brief saying bail reform is necessary and long overdue.

"It makes no sense to spend public funds to house misdemeanor offenders in a high-security penal facility when the crimes themselves may not merit jail time," she wrote in the brief. "These secure beds and expensive resources should be prioritized for the truly dangerous offenders and 'flight risks' who need to be separated from the community."

She came down on the side of attorneys challenging the constitutionality of Harris County's pretrial bail policies who are suing the county and all 16 of Harris County's misdemeanor court judges not for money, but to force change.

The judges and the county are represented by the County Attorney's Office, which has maintained that all of the stakeholders in the criminal justice system are working together but need more time to make reforms.

"We hope that the county will be allowed to continue the process it's been going through to make enhancements to the system," said First Assistant County Attorney Robert Soard. "You can get a sense of how complicated it is because of all the parties involved."

Ogg said the issue is whether defendants charged with minor offenses are being held in the Harris County jail solely because of their inability to pay bondsmen's fees, not because of legitimate concerns about their willingness to appear in court.

"Our primary concern is public safety. We do that by being smart on crime," Ogg said. "When people are charged with minor offenses and do not present significant risks of flight or danger to the community, releasing them on their own recognizance - or with minimal restrictions - is called for by both the Texas and U.S. constitutions."

Tom Berg, Ogg's First Assistant, said the office is not "taking sides" but just explaining that they want to see change.

"These are major changes that we believe are long overdue," he said. Berg noted that the office is also supporting county-funded defense attorneys at magistrate courts that run 24 hours a day with a prosecutor and a judge but no lawyer at that initial appearance. That issue has run into hurdles because of several issues but mostly because of the cost of staffing the initiative.

The nonprofit Texas Fair Defense Project and a Houston law firm, Susman Godfrey and two Washington-based attorneys who are now with a non-profit called the Civil Rights Corps, filed the suit in May on behalf of Maranda Odonnell, a 22-year-old single mother who was jailed in 2015 after being arrested for driving without a valid license only because she could not afford to post bail.

Alec Karakatsanis, of the Civil Rights Corps, said Ogg's position to side with advocacy groups against the county was "extremely significant."

"Leading prosecutors and sheriffs around the country are now condemning the irrational money-based detention system that decides who is free and who is in a jail cell based on who has money in their pocket," he said. "Sandra Bland didn't have money, Robert Durst did. Prosecutors recognize the absurdity in that."

Bland committed suicide while behind bars in Waller County on a misdemeanor charge. Durst, a real estate millionaire, was arrested in Galveston in 2001 after body parts of his elderly neighbor, Morris Black, were found floating in Galveston Bay. He made a $300,000 bail and promptly fled the jurisdiction. He was later caught and tried. He was found not guilty of murder but guilty of bail jumping.

Karakatsanis said the advocacy groups are arguing that hundreds of offenders are not released on personal bonds and are unlawfully jailed for minor offenses like trespassing and shoplifting because they are too poor to be able to afford even nominal bail payments. They are arguing the county's wealth-based pretrial detention system violates the equal protection and due process clauses of the United States Constitution.
In the world according to Elon Musk, haste doesn't make waste - it makes sense. Want to go to the moon? Just do it.

While NASA slowly assembles its big new moon-bound rocket and the capsule that will place astronauts on top of it, Musk and his company, SpaceX, announced last week that they have received down payments for the voyage of a lifetime - a weeklong trip in 2018 that will take a pair of paying customers tantalizingly close to the dusty lunar surface.

In other words, a company that did not exist at the turn of the century was going to beat the agency that created space travel back to the spot of its greatest triumph. By years.

Some will dismiss the private moonshot as a stunt, a wild hare of an idea from the mind of a man obsessed with colonizing Mars. If Musk is crazy, it may be more like a fox than a hare. There's a new president in town with a preference for the private sector, and patience is not his MO.

Musk's announcement, coming a day before President Donald Trump's first address to a joint session of Congress, was widely seen as a shot across the bow of the old aerospace companies and the government agency that has helped keep them in business for decades. For now, Congress is firmly on their side, which it will show again with a new authorization act that could be passed as early as this week. But whether he's talking about electric cars or boots on Mars, Musk always has a plan.

In this case, it could be as simple as two words: Times change.

"You cannot tell commercial companies they have to respect boundary lines," said Eric Stallmer, president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. "There are greater and greater opportunities for exploration that exceed 240 miles from the surface of the Earth."

SpaceX currently is fully occupied in low Earth orbit, launching satellites and sending cargo to the International Space Station. Before it can go to the moon, it has to prove the worthiness of its Dragon 2 capsule and Falcon Heavy rocket, which NASA is funding through the Commercial Crew program so that it does not have to keep payingRussia for station access.

Musk's dreams, however, lie far beyond. If SpaceX can demonstrate prowess as far away as the moon, and if it can do so cheaper than the competition, as it has with satellite launches, who's to rule out a new sort of space race in which aerospace behemoths and relative newcomers jockey for important assignments?

"How can we have this bold vision affordably?" Stallmer said. "That's the question. Musk is audacious and brash. Some people don't like that. But I wouldn't bet against him."

Up to Trump

When it comes to space exploration, visionary plans are never in short supply. The NASA authorization act currently before Congress lays out one more road map for exploration, with the understanding that the nation's space agency will lead the way back to the moon and points beyond. The backbone of its effort is a powerful new rocket, the Space Launch System, and a crew capsule that will sit atop it, dubbed Orion.

Behind the scenes in Washington, however, advocates for the new private space companies such as SpaceX have for months been battling "old space" giants for influence with a White House that shows signs of being open to a more aggressive approach. It was lost on no one that Musk announced his lunar trip only days after NASA's acting director asked his managers to consider adding a crew to the shakedown cruise of the Space Launch System, or SLS, scheduled for 2018.

That request reportedly originated in the White House, aware that NASA was not planning on a crewed mission for SLS until 2022.

SLS/Orion enjoys strong congressional support. Its development and continued use will provide thousands of steady jobs at Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Orbital ATK and Aerojet Rocketdyne - all longtime major contractors - as well as scores of smaller companies. The total development cost, including the first mission, is expected to run about $10 billion. The cost of each subsequent launch is estimated at close to $1 billion.

Ultimately, it will fall on Trump to decide whether to stay the course. If he wavers and Musk can get his ear, SpaceX could find itself in an enviable spot when it comes to official lunar missions. Its capsule and heavy lift rocket promise to be significantly cheaper. But it has no track record with either, and it is unclear whether they are suitable for NASA's ambitious space infrastructure plans.

"The agency intends to pursue the SLS and Orion programs, and indications are that the new administration intends to keep (them) going," said Phil Smith, a space industry consultant with the Virginia-based Tauri Group. "It is important to note that SLS and Orion are government programs, existing because of the desire  to continue forging ahead in human spaceflight. Put another way, these are not competing systems with Falcon Heavy, Crew Dragon or others that may come along. At about $1 billion per mission, there is no way SLS will be considered a competitive launch system."

Therein lies its long-term vulnerability. It is hard to reconcile numerous SLS/Orion missions with NASA's current $19 billion budget, only half of which is used for human exploration. And as the Trump administration rolls out plans for a large increase in defense spending and cuts for discretionary programs, there is potentially less money for human spaceflight, even if the authorization act calls for a slight bump up.

"I think NASA is still stuck in its quagmire of trying to put 10 pounds of potatoes into a 5-pound bag," said Marcia Smith, a veteran space policy expert. "Where all this money is going to come from continues to be the unanswered question. We've been waiting for years to see that problem resolved."

'Not an either/or situation'

If Musk figured his proposed moon flight might appeal to a president frustrated with the cost and pace of exploration, he also knew there would be pushback. The Coalition for Deep Space Exploration, whose membership includes all the old-school aerospace giants, did not respond warmly. "Not realistic," said Mary Lynne Dittmar, who heads the coalition.

"That said, being able to go and do that mission successfully and show it is not a stunt, that would demonstrate great capability," Dittmar said, adding that Musk's moon trip appeared to be a clear attempt to position his Falcon Heavy and Dragon 2 as a potential replacement for SLS and Orion. "If that's true, it misses the point entirely."

Dittmar said the first two missions of SLS/Orion, known as EM-1 and EM-2, are not designed simply to circle the moon but also to demonstrate a robust system that will anchor the development of a full-fledged space infrastructure program. Down the road, she expects numerous private companies to play an important roles.

"This is not an either/or situation," she said.

Even if there is no inherent hostility between newer companies and those long established, there are differing visions of NASA's future. For the past two months, space community insiders in Washington have described an effort within Trump's NASA transition to promote a radical rethinking of the agency's agenda. Recent news reports cited a proposal the team authored that would place private companies at the forefront of plans to go back to the moon within a few years. SpaceX's announcement should fuel such enthusiasm.

Some of the president's space advisers envision a competition for missions between "new space" and "old." Trump friend and all-purpose defender Newt Gingrich has called for "a more aggressive, risk-taking, competitive entrepreneurial approach to space." He chides the old contractors for "soaking up money with minimum results" and praises the new ones for moving quickly.

Those are encouraging words to Musk and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has ambitious goals for his own space company, Blue Origin. But do they matter?

As far as key NASA supporters in Congress are concerned, any discussion of what such companies might be able to do is too future tense and speculative to have great meaning for American space policy. The talk of tension or disagreement among different players in the space industry is just talk, said U.S. Rep. John Culberson, a Republican congressman from Houston who chairs a House subcommittee that oversees NASA's funding.

"There is a broad agreement in the space community and new administration's transition team," Culberson said. "We need to continue full-speed ahead on SLS and Orion, and we need a robust deep-space capability. The commercial sector should provide access to low Earth orbit."

Musk's moon announcement did not hold much sway with Culberson and other important space players as they were putting the finishing touches on NASA legislation spelling out the space agency's long-term mission, which explicitly affirms the key objective of sending humans to Mars and beyond.

The bill endorses SLS/Orion and the commercial providers that are building vehicles to take astronauts to the space station. Those spacecraft were supposed to debut by 2015, but progress has been slow.

The Earth orbit/deep space division of labor has enjoyed a broad consensus in Congress even in the face of a rapidly expanding commercial space industry with growing ambitions. That's one of the reasons space booster Bob Mitchell, president of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, welcomes the new legislation.

"It's important that we have a strong commercial space program," Mitchell said, "but it's incumbent on them to stay focused on the mission that they've been given."

Stallmer's organization bristles at the notion that young commercial companies must simply do as told.

"Musk and Bezos know what their ultimate goal is," he said.

$19.5 billion budgeted

Whatever role the private companies play or seek, Houston's Johnson Space Center will benefit from a rejuvenation of human spaceflight. Besides assuring funding for key programs, the bill directs NASA to study whether the 19-year-old space station could be extended to 2028, offering continuity to a Texas workforce that trains astronauts, studies the medical effects of space travel, and provides mission control to the orbiting research platform. SLS/Orion also will bring more astronauts to town and eventually a new job for mission control.

The NASA bill enjoys widespread support in Congress. It authorizes $19.5 billion for NASA this year, about $200 million more than the agency's current budget. In the current climate of budget uncertainty, the space agency would be thrilled to have it.

"NASA's critical exploration projects are vulnerable to changes in the political landscape," said Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, whose district includes the Johnson Space Center. "We must have a flexible space program, but not one that is knocked off course."

With the new director of the Office of Management and Budget, Mick Mulvaney, calling for deep across-the-board cuts in discretionary spending, the viability of NASA's recommended budget remains to be seen as the government runs up against an April 28 spending deadline. Like all policy bills, the one guiding NASA sets targets and direction but does not actually provide money.

Trump has said relatively little about space exploration. Those involved in it hope it was a good sign that the day after Mulvaney's remarks, the president made a brief nod to their common goal in his first joint address to Congress: "American footprints on distant worlds are not too big a dream."

Musk would be the first to agree with him. And he wouldn't mind if they were his own.
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A congregation of over 3,000 travelers rode onto the ceremonial campgrounds of Memorial Park Friday, the final rest stop of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo trail ride marking the beginning of rodeo season.

The ride started in 1952 as a means of preserving the Texas cattleman tradition. This year's 13 groups ride from all directions, including Louisiana, Mexico and southwest Texas.

"Many of the groups are made up of multi-generational families riding to preserve Western heritage," said Susan Buddeke, a longtime member of the rodeo's Trail Ride Committee.

Spanish Trail riders were the first to arrive at the park, merging onto Memorial Drive around 1:15 p.m. to initiate the incoming parade of wagons. After filing into the park, riders joined family, friends and judges for an awards ceremony.

Spanish Trail veteran rider Joe Cantrell, marking his 40th year as trail boss, was presented with a silver belt buckle by his family. Born in San Angelo, Cantrell joined the Houston Rodeo in 1974.

"This trail ride was great," Cantrell said. "We had real good weather this week. Our group was really small; we only had about 75 people with us. We had about 100 over the weekend."

Cantrell's ride is traditionally a family affair with his sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren spearheading the party each year. His 7-year-old great-grandson Clay was thrilled to be a part of this year's group.

"I ride all the times that I can do it, when you-know-who doesn't keep me away from it: school," Clay said.

A judging team from the Trail Ride Committee, the Junior Rodeo Committee, made up of 17- to 20-year-olds, and the five judging teams that critiqued the rides on their journey were responsible for determining "Best Trail Ride" in each of the three rider divisions: large, medium and small rides.

The quality judges look for most in rides is authenticity. From riders' sunglasses to their cowboy boots, everything must coincide with the traditional garb worn on rides past.

Spanish Trail has won "Best Trail Ride" for the small division in previous years. Cantrell is hopeful they'll win again this year.

The Prairie View group also boasted a member celebrating a trail ride anniversary: Mary Mayfield, known as "Mrs. T." Mayfield awaited her party's arrival with high energy, as it was her 60th year participating in the trail ride.

"I raised my children, my great-grandchildren - my son's 7-month-old premie is out here - and it's just something you can do with the family and bond more," Mayfield said. "I just love it. All the kids I put diapers on are on the wagon. They've got their own children now."

Originally from Louisiana, Mayfield joined the Prairie View trail ride in 1962, five years after the group's formation in 1957. She's known among her family for her cowboy boots, which she has in every color. Her grandchildren now ask to borrow them for the rides.

"I just hope that they carry it on when I'm gone," Mayfield said.

Alongside Mayfield on the Prairie View campsite was a young horseman named Brian, who wouldn't give his last name.

Although many of the horses on the rodeo's trail rides are rescues, Brian and his uncle take the job one step further: over the past several years, they've seized hundreds of abused or neglected animals from their owners alongside law enforcement, then rehabilitated the animals out of their own pocket. The horses are then put up for adoption to ranchers that are able to care for them.

"Some owners just don't care anymore, or they don't have the money. It's a lot of things. We've had so many different incidents: one case, we had a guy that was traveling 10 miles every day to take care of his horse. It just got too expensive, with gas. So he'd go maybe twice a month instead."

They adopted one of their rescues, a Fox Trotter show horse named DJ. Brian's uncle gave her a grooming as another ride came through the park.

"I could put a child on that horse, unhook her and walk off," Brian said. "She wouldn't leave that tree."
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As a scientist who studies the chemistry of the Earth's atmosphere and its oceans, Laurence Yeung depends on the stockpiles of data generated by the federal government, particularly the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Among other tasks, the agency deploys satellites that consistently scan the globe to record shifts in sea surface temperatures, brewing storms and even changes in sea ice conditions.

"These satellite analyses really paint a pretty decent picture of the ocean and are in constant communication with various data centers," said Yeung, an assistant professor of Earth Science at Rice University. "We literally need all of that data."

On Saturday, about 100 librarians, academics, coders and socially minded "hactivists" showed up at Rice's Fondren Library in an effort to protect the federal data that Yeung and other scientists rely on to do their jobs.

Many of them believe that data is threatened because some members of President Donald Trump's administration have downplayed the significance of climate change and have expressed skepticism that human activity plays a major role. Heightening those fears is the fact that some scientific data has become harder to find on certain federal websites while other information has temporarily disappeared. In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture scrubbed animal welfare data, but so far that appears to the be the only verified case of information that vanished for good.

"Librarians like to say, lots of copies make stuff safe," said Lisa Spiro, Fondren Library's director of digital scholarship services and one of the event organizers. "We want to make sure that everyone has continued access to federal data."

Since January, these guerilla archiving events have popped up around the country to scrape federal agency websites, to upload data sets and documents to safe repositories, and to tell the public about the information. On Saturday, there were similar events at Yale, Miami University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Political and necessary

The events are organized by the Libraries Network, the Data Refuge Project and the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative.

The push to save federal data is just one example of scientists becoming more politically active since Trump's election last year. Many plan to participate in marches around the world on April 22. An event in Houston will feature several prominent local scientists.

Still, the Saturday event wasn't overtly political.

Kathy Weimer, head of the Kelly Center for Government Information, Data and Geospatial Services at Fondren Library, said that while recent political maneuvering has heightened the sense of urgency, protecting federal data is a natural extension of the mission of libraries around the country.

Each data rescue event focuses on a different federal government website. The Rice event was aimed at surveying data from the Federal Election Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Air and Radiation and the Office of Water.

Participants were divided into five groups. One worked on data that was "crawlable," meaning it was easy to download and store. Another worked on the more difficult task of rescuing "uncrawlable" data that required coding and serious technical skills.

'Valuable' resources

Carrie Masiello, a professor of Earth Science at Rice, was tasked with reviewing and preserving EPA data that related to removing arsenic from drinking water. Her takeaway?

"The EPA's resources are really valuable," she said. "I was really impressed with the breadth of EPA resources to help people deal with contaminants in their water: information about what you should and shouldn't worry about, information about what the possible solutions are, and information about how to implement solutions cost-effectively."

Jeff Reichman volunteered for the "storytellers" group, which was tasked with finding ways to interpret the rescued data, whether through text, maps or graphics.

"This is what I love to do," said Reichman, founder of January Advisors, a Houston-based technology design, development and consulting firm. "I'm sharpening my skills here. I would be doing something like this anyway if I weren't here."
During the campaign, Donald Trump's now-infamous Mexican "rapists" line drew wide condemnation. Some people, though, including family members of mine, were not offended.

They were willing to overlook his phrasing because, as they argued, we all knew what he meant. He didn't mean all Mexican immigrants, they said. He meant the bad ones. And every now and then, they reasoned, we need a break from the Kumbaya depictions of hard-working immigrants, to talk about the bad ones.

Trump's half-hearted attempt to distinguish the good from the bad helped them rationalize the message.

"They're bringing drugs," he had told a cheering crowd. "They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."

Yes, some are good people. Most immigrants, judging by crime rates, are good people, whether they are Mexican, Canadian or Syrian. Same goes for Texans. And redheads. And plumbers. And Republicans. Most people are good people. That's why lumping them in with the few bad apples does harm.

What kind of harm?

One Houston family found out last week, when Trump's reckless rhetoric became ruthless action.

Jose Escobar wasn't a rapist. He was a 31-year-old manager of a paint company with a clean record and a valid work permit. He's the husband of his middle-school sweetheart, Rose, a native Houstonian who works as a receptionist at Texas Children's. He's the father of two American kids, 7-year-old Walter and 2-year-old Carmen. He came to Houston legally from El Salvador as a teen to join his mother.

But none of that mattered. On Feb. 22, when the Escobars dutifully showed up for a routine immigration appointment, he was told to say goodbye to his wife. He wasn't allowed the same privilege with his children. On Thursday, he was lumped in with "the bad ones" and deported to a country he hasn't seen in 16 years, where he was initially afraid to leave a relative's home for fear of what murderous gangs would do if they got a glimpse of his American clothes.

Deportations should be the fate of dangerous criminals - we can all agree on that. But what did Jose do to motivate the U.S. government to expend limited resources and manpower to arrest, detain and pony up the international airfare to return him to El Salvador? What justifies tearing apart his family, leaving his children fatherless and rendering his wife a single mother?

It wasn't a crime. It was a paperwork error.

And not even Jose's error. His mother wrongly assumed that her child would be automatically included in her own renewal application. By the time Jose realized the problem, the government had begun deportation proceedings. Then he made his own mistake: he trusted an inexperienced lawyer who told him not to show up for a court hearing or he'd surely be deported. In his absence, a judge ordered him removed in 2006.

Detained in 2011

Jose was considered an immigration fugitive and finally detained in 2011. I wrote about the case at the time and was struck by the haggard mini-blinds near the front door of their house outside Pearland. Walter, then 2, had worn them out looking for his dad to come home.

After several months, he did come home, thanks to Rose's tenacity and congressional help. Authorities granted Jose a temporary reprieve under President Obama's policy to prioritize dangerous criminals. Since then, he has lived and worked legally, and checked in with immigration once a year as required.

Then came February's appointment. Rose told me Friday that she had finally explained the situation to Walter. He'd known something was wrong; she'd sent him to school one day with a lunch box but no lunch inside.

The boy asked if his dad was coming home this time, and, despite long odds and what could be a yearslong effort, she assured him he would.

"He goes, 'Am I going to be the man of the house?' I said, 'Yes, Papi.' He says, 'OK, Mami, I'll take care of you, but don't cry anymore.' "

Rose put on a brave face and told him she didn't cry.

"I hear you at night, Mami," he told her.

It broke her heart, she said.

Across the country, families are reporting similar nightmares under President Trump's broadly worded immigration guidelines. Obama, whose administration deported around 2.4 million people, more than any other president, was criticized as well for initially failing to prioritize violent criminals. But Trump's enforcement strategy feigns toughness by unabashedly targeting low-hanging fruit like Jose rather than those who pose actual threats to safety and security.

"I've been practicing for 20 years, and I've never seen immigration policy be this scorched-earth," said Raed Gonzalez, Jose's attorney, adding that past administrations always seemed to have compassion at least with U.S. citizens involved.

"Everybody is at stake right now," he said. "It doesn't exclude anybody."

There was the 22-year-old Mississippi woman brought here as a child from Argentina who was detained after speaking about her fear of deportation at a news conference. There's the woman in Austin who tried to do the right thing by paying off her brother's traffic tickets, only to see her husband arrested instead, apparently because she had provided her own address while submitting payment. And, in a particularly interesting case reported by The New York Times, a good-hearted businessman in Southern Illinois found himself threatened with deportation, prompting many in the mostly white, pro-Trump town to rally in defense of the Mexican immigrant.

Many are cheering

Of course, many are cheering this crackdown. The same old arguments haunt online reader discussions of the Escobar case. We can't let everybody in, they say. No, we can't. We can't get everybody out, either, so shouldn't we prioritize?

What profound societal problem is solved by deporting Jose? Is this the guy you're afraid will car-jack you? Is this a guy you think sits around and collects welfare checks?

Of course not. And actually, depriving the family of its main breadwinner could force Rose into government assistance.

Some blame Jose for not becoming a citizen through his American wife. In fact, Rose said they tried to apply for a green card but were told the process could be risky and might require Jose to live for years in El Salvador.

Some ask why the whole family doesn't just move to El Salvador. Sure, like you'd send your wife and kids to one of the world's most violent countries, so gang-ridden that the U.S. State Department cautions against visiting.

Such arguments won't sway anyone who sits back smugly and thinks: one more foreigner gone. No, I'm not talking to you.

I'm talking to the readers who have maintained a sense of decency in this polarized country. Those who believe our creator fashioned us equal, regardless of birthplace.

The president assured us he'd go after thugs and terrorists, and yes, rapists. He told Congress just the other night that the bad guys were being deported as he spoke.

Instead, his dragnet is turning up people like Jose, and snaring American wives and children in the process.

I don't feel any safer. Do you?
Seventh in a series

Pamela Chevalier-Jensen, 39, called the Harris County Sheriff's Office last year to report that her house guest's estranged husband had been issuing threats.

But as she held her American bulldog in the doorway of her Houston home, the department said the responding officer viewed the animal as aggressive and fired a gun, striking the 18-month-old dog, named Junah, in the face and sending fragments into Chevalier-Jensen's leg.

The Aug. 14 shooting then became the law enforcement agency's focus, and the threat went unreported, Chevalier-Jensen said.

She spent the night in the hospital and remained stuck with more than $20,000 in veterinary bills. Her friend moved out.

"She felt responsible," Chevalier-Jensen said. "We were trying to call to help someone else, and me and my dog ended up getting shot. I don't trust law enforcement anymore."

Because the shooting involved a Texas peace officer, the department had to report it to the state Attorney General's Office. From Sept. 1, 2015 to Jan. 31, 2017, Texas departments reported shooting or killing 238 civilians, 41 of whom like Chevalier-Jensen were unarmed, according to reports filed under the ground-breaking 2015 law.

Two of those 41 shootings involved unarmed people injured after officers shot at dogs. Records show that the Harris County incident was reported only after a reporter inquired about it for this story. The law's intended to help researchers identify ways to prevent officer-involved shootings - and the two incidents have renewed dog-lovers calls for all Texas officers to be trained on canine encounters. A 2016 law requires the course only for new hires.

Some large Texas law enforcement agencies, including Austin, Dallas and San Antonio, already have adopted versions of canine training department-wide. But neither Houston nor the Harris County sheriff's department have done so, though the shooter in the recent Harris County canine case, Officer Arsolanda Lamothe, had completed a course, state records show.

Owners' responsibility

The Harris County shooting of Chevalier-Jensen and her pet remains under investigation, said Thomas Gilliland, a spokesman for the Harris County Sheriff's Office. In a 2016 statement, the department initially blamed Chevalier-Jensen for failing to secure her pet. The statement said the deputy was "aggressively approached by a canine" and shot her firearm downward, injuring the dog and Chevalier-Jensen with ricocheting fragments. The case was described as "an unfortunate example of all pet owners' responsibility to secure their animals and prevent aggressive interaction with first responders."

In the other recent incident where a Texas officer injured an unarmed person after targeting a dog, an officer in Balch Springs, a suburban Dallas department, ended up harming another city worker. He was disciplined for misuse of force and other policy violations, according to department records and interviews.

The Sept. 16, 2015 incident started when Animal Control Officer Kelly Johnson shot a tranquilizer dart at a brindle-colored pit bull who'd been running loose in a residential neighborhood.

The dog then jumped through a broken window of the house where it lived. Its owners were being evicted, but weren't home and had left a note saying they'd move out by midnight, records show. Not wanting to leave an aggressive dog in a place it could easily escape, Johnson called for backup, summoning Balch Springs Police Officer Pedro Gonzalez.

Gonzalez pointed a shotgun into the house, while animal control officers, Johnson and Vanessa Forsythe, crawled inside a window, according to footage from Gonzalez' body-worn camera. One officer opened the front door for Gonzalez. Johnson then chased the dog to a back room, where it was cornered. "He was just trying to get away," Johnson later said in a recorded interview. "I start to maybe turn, and I just heard, 'BOOM.'"

'Could have died'

Gonzalez - an 18-year veteran officer - later said the dog attempted to bite Forsythe and was "running aggressively" when he fired. His blast missed the dog, but shattered tile flooring into fragments that pierced Forsythe's left foot through her leather boot.

The U.S. Constitution protects citizens from illegal searches and seizures, and police generally need permission, a warrant or emergency circumstances to enter a residence.

Balch Springs Police Chief John Haber said his officers were inside because the home "was vacant." Neither the homeowner or the dog's owner could be reached for comment.

But criminal defense attorney Charlie Baird, who served on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, watched the footage and said the note "couldn't have been clearer that people were still living there." He said the officers' decision to enter the house without a warrant to catch a dog seemed to be "a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment."

After an internal affairs investigation, Gonzalez received a one-day unpaid suspension and was ordered to take an eight-hour canine encounters class, completed in February 2016. Forsythe was hospitalized, underwent surgery and soon returned to work.

"We're lucky because someone could have died," Haber said. "There was no one in the line of sight, but (Gonzalez) had no way to tell where the shrapnel was going to go."

Gonzalez, who happens to be the department's spokesman, declined comment. But Haber said Gonzalez has owned up to his mistakes and "knew things should have been different. He knows there's a better way."

Statewide, about 22 percent of the state's 76,800 licensed peace officers have taken the canine course required only for new hires since 2016, according to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. The class is also required for officers who wish to advance in rank. Anecdotally, training advocates say those classes caused dog shootings to drop, though statistics are not kept.

Charley Wilkison, the executive director of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, which has 21,000 members, said he's seen declines both in dog shootings he's heard about - and in reports of members disciplined in dog shootings.

Number dropping

Cindy and Mark Boling pushed for reforms after their dog was killed by a Fort Worth police officer investigating a copper theft in 2012. The couple was unloading groceries when their border collie, Lily, got shot on their front porch. Years later, Cindy Boling still habitually searches for stories on canine shootings by cops.

"We've gone from hundreds in a year to maybe one a month," she said. "I think we still have a few, and I think we may always have a few."

Both the Balch Springs and Harris County shootings prompted no protests and little publicity. But elsewhere, similar incidents prompted public backlash: cyber-attacks, threats to officers and floods of calls for reforms.

In 2013, a warrant officer went to the wrong house and shot and injured Renata Simmons' dog, Vinny, in Leander, a suburban city north of Austin. Soon the small department was flooded with angry phone calls, emails and comments on Facebook and Twitter, Police Chief Greg Minton said. The outcry began on a Facebook page created in the dog's name, "Justice for Vinny," which still has more than 5,300 followers.

"We were getting calls from Germany about what big pieces of crap we were," Minton said. "That's the first time I learned the power of social media."

Cindy Boling offered help and convinced Minton to arrange canine training for all of Leander's 38 officers. Eventually, the vitriol subsided.

Several high-profile dog shootings, including the April 2012 shooting of a barking blue heeler named Cisco by an officer who went to the wrong address to investigate a domestic violence call, prompted the Austin Police Department to provide the training for all sworn officers, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Changing mindsets

San Antonio pro-actively created a three-hour animal encounters class that all city police officers took in 2014 and will retake in 2018, Sgt. J.D. McKay said. All Dallas police officers must take the training too, a spokeswoman said.

Houston Police Department offers the course to veteran officers quarterly, but only requires it for new officers, in accordance with state law, said spokesman Victor Senties.

Wilkison said the training is useful for all officers, who encounter a dog at about one out of every three homes. "We were being told, over and over, that we misread signs from an animal," Wilkison said. "Now, they come away with a changed mindset about knowing what is a danger and what's not. That's the best the law could hope for."

Pat Burnett, a lead investigator for the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Texas, developed an eight-hour canine training course and taught Gonzalez and about 4,000 other Texas officers before retiring in January. He tells officers that even one bad animal shooting can end a law enforcement career, as it did for a deputy indicted for animal cruelty after shooting a dairy farmer's dog 70 miles east of Dallas in 2014. The officer permanently surrendered his badge in a plea deal to have the charge dropped.

"Forty years ago, a dog was a dog. Now, a dog is a part of the family, and anything we do wrong reflects on our career," Burnett said. "Often they've never really thought about (shooting) dogs."

Animal shootings also can lead to costly civil court battles and settlements. In California, four agencies paid a record $1.8 million after fatally shooting three dogs belonging to Hells Angels members in 1998.

A federal lawsuit remains pending in another incident when Austin police shot and killed Julian Reyes' dog Shiner Bock at a storage facility in 2013. Reyes' complaint states Austin police officer Daniel Walsh shot his "companion animal," left it to bleed to death and took the body away without consent, court records show. He is seeking compensation for emotional loss of his dog, as well as changes in policy, training and "increased accountability for future dog shootings."
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA is weighing the risk of adding astronauts to the first flight of its new megarocket, designed to eventually send crews to Mars.

The space agency's human exploration chief said Friday that his boss and the Trump administration asked for the feasibility study to see what it would take to speed up a manned mission; under the current plan, astronauts wouldn't climb aboard until 2021 - at best.

The Space Launch System, known as SLS, will be the most powerful rocket when it flies.

NASA is shooting for an unmanned test flight for late next year. Putting people on board would delay the mission and require extra money. The space agency's William Gerstenmaier said if adding astronauts postpones the first flight beyond 2019, it would probably be better to stick with the original plan.

Under that plan, Gerstenmaier said, nearly three years are needed between an unmanned flight test and a crewed mission to make launch platform changes at Kennedy Space Center.

"We recognize this will be an increased risk" to put astronauts on the initial flight, Gerstenmaier said.

Astronauts are taking part in the study, which will weigh the extra risk against the benefits.

On Thursday, the independent Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel cautioned that NASA needs a compelling reason to put astronauts on the initial flight, given the risk.

The capsule that will carry the astronauts - NASA's new Orion - already has flown on a space demo. Containing memorabilia and toys but no people, the capsule was launched into an extremely long orbit of Earth in 2014 by a Delta IV rocket, and splashed down into the Pacific.
There have been times in Texas history when small-minded meddling by elected officials has hampered, hindered or derailed efforts by the state's colleges and universities to push beyond the regional, to be innovative and far-sighted. To lead.

That's the role University of Texas System Chancellor William H. McRaven sought to play when he announced last year that the System would begin exploring opportunities to establish more of a presence in the state's largest city. Perhaps the native San Antonian should have been aware that thinking big, particularly in the realm of higher education, occasionally makes folks nervous in this state.

He could have recalled Gov. "Farmer Jim" Ferguson, who, before being impeached, vetoed almost the entire budget of the University of Texas because he couldn't oust professors and a president who provoked his ire. He might also have remembered Homer Rainey, the UT president fired by regents appointed by Govs. W. Lee "Pass the Biscuits, Pappy" O'Daniel and Coke Stevenson. Rainey lost his job in part because he refused to fire an English professor who assigned the John Dos Passos novel "USA."

McRaven's misbegotten Houston venture is less momentous than the aforementioned incidents, simply because plans for the 300-acre plot of land UT purchased in southeast Houston never got beyond the conceptual stage. For some reason, though, the chancellor aroused the ire of Gov. Greg Abbott, who demanded that three newly appointed regents, including Houstonian Janiece Longoria, strangle the plan in its conceptual crib. McRaven, a retired admiral who commanded the U.S. Special Operations Command, surrendered. The man who directed the successful raid to kill Osama bin Laden wasn't "Raineyed," but there's no doubt he's been seriously wounded. A leader of his drive and vision deserves a vote of confidence from the regents.

The governor thought small - and so did Houston's legislative delegation. State Sen. John Whitmire and state Rep. Carol Alvarado, both Houston Democrats, worked hard on behalf of the University of Houston, their alma mater, to kill what they considered UT's intrusion into the Bayou City. So did state Sens. Sylvia Garcia and Borris Miles, also Houston Democrats. The lawmakers come away looking provincial, as does UH. The university that takes justifiable pride in its long journey from "Cougar High" to a world-class, Tier I institution under the leadership of Chancellor Renu Khator allowed its insecurities to show.

UH System Board of Regents Chairman Tilman Fertitta took pride in his university's obstinance. "This was a group effort by elected leaders, our board of regents, our administration and supporters to stand our ground against an unnecessary duplication of resources that didn't align with the state's plan for higher education," he said in a prepared statement.

In contrast, Rice University was open to the possibilities that the UT venture represented, as were such far-sighted Houstonians as Patrick Oxford, Gerald Smith and Courtney Johnson Rose, all members of a 18-member Houston Task Force McRaven created to explore the possibilities.

When McRaven first announced his Houston overture, he was intentionally vague about what he hoped to see happen here. Meeting with the Chronicle editorial board last year, he insisted that his blank slate was an advantage. At the same time, he sought to tamp down concerns that he was big-footing his way into town to compete with the undergraduate offerings of UH and other schools in the area.

The task force of civic and business leaders, co-chaired by Carin Marcy Barth and Paul Hobby, took a year to develop what eventually became a proposal for the planning and development of a collaborative institute for data science. It would be - would have been - a research and academic consortium of public and private partners from academic institutions, national laboratories and industry. The areas of particular interest, playing to Houston's strength, would have been energy, health care and education.

The focus would have been the role of so-called Big Data in those three areas, Big Data being the information streaming in from satellites, sensors, RFID tags and GPS-enabled cameras and smartphones.

For the University of Houston, for Rice and for numerous other Houston organizations and institutions, the UT venture would have been an opportunity to collaborate on a fascinating and productive quest. Even though UT's Houston quest is dead, the ambitious plan the task force came up with deserves to be implemented, whether its label is burnt orange or cougar red.

Granted, McRaven could have kept this community and its elected officials better informed, particularly on the land deal that set the plan in motion. He could have worked harder to assure UH that UT wasn't encroaching. As far as Houston is concerned, the chancellor's mistakes are now academic, so to speak.

More pertinent to this community is the message we convey about our openness to big ideas and ambitious plans. Jesse Jones, Dominque de Menil, George Mitchell and Dr. Denton Cooley, among a host of Houston visionaries down through the years, would have said yes, we believe. Unlike Boston, New York and other cities eager to advance the frontiers of knowledge, Houston reverted to the Jim Ferguson, Pappy O'Daniel tradition.
Last week the Houston Chronicle editorial board met with the ambassador from Croatia.

We've hosted ambassadors from New Zealand, Israel, Italy and all over the globe.

It is a routine part of our job to meet with these diplomats - usually to discuss issues like trade, NASA, oil and natural gas. There is no question about the fact that senators, members of Congress and politicians of all types have similar meetings with foreign dignitaries.

The question about Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III is whether he lied under oath about his dealings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. U.S. intelligence officials have described Kislyak as a top spy and spy recruiter.

During a Senate confirmation meeting, Sessions said he, as a campaign surrogate, "did not have communications with the Russians."

That is not true. Sessions had met with Kislyak during the Republican National Convention and in his own senate office.

Sessions, defending his answer, has claimed these meetings didn't count because discussions didn't touch on campaign issues. That's the sort of non-denial denial that voters have come to expect from lifelong politicians.

Despite supposedly doing nothing wrong, Sessions has heeded Republican calls to recuse himself from FBI investigations into the Trump campaign.

But that's not good enough for the 135-plus congressional Democrats who have demanded that Sessions step down. The former Alabama senator was already skating on thin ice. His reputation has long been tarnished by a failed nomination to a federal bench in 1986. Coretta Scott King wrote at the time that Sessions would "irreparably damage the work" of her husband, Martin Luther King Jr.

If Sessions were to resign now, he would be the fourth member of the Trump campaign to be forced out because of a shady relationship with Russia. Former National Security Adviser Michael T. Flynn, former campaign manager Paul Manafort and former policy adviser Carter Page all stepped down from their positions because of questionable connections with Vladimir Putin's Russia. Texas' own U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has claimed that the ongoing scandal surrounding Sessions is little more than a "nothingburger." But if there's smoke, smoke, smoke and smoke, you have to wonder if there's a fire in kitchen.

Was there coordination between the Trump campaign and the Russian government? What did the Trump campaign know about the 21st century Watergate break-in that hit Democratic Party email accounts during the election? Why did Donald Trump push the Republican Party to weaken its platform position on Putin's invasion of Ukraine?

The American people deserve to know the truth. We again reiterate our call for a full, public investigation.

"No one is above the law."

That's Sen. Sessions back in 1999, discussing President Bill Clinton's testimony under oath. That fact is just as true today. But now the issue isn't the president's sexual relations. The issue is treason.
Isolationism

Regarding "Trump steps up media attacks" (Page A1, Feb. 25), President Trump increases his assault on the media, as he tries to control the news by name-calling and threats. Following P. T. Barnum's maxim, he's playing everyone for a sucker and jumbling truth with fables.

Meanwhile, his speech at CPAC espouses the anti-globalist theme by declaring that there isn't a global flag or anthem, and he is representing only our country. Carrying the isolationist sentiment to its logical conclusion, then, ends up with everyone out for themselves, and let the rest go to hell.

Who is he unifying?

Bob Gayle, Houston

Reliable sources

Now President Trump is barring certain news organizations such as CNN and the New York Times from his press conferences just because he doesn't like what they are saying about him even though these stories are backed up by proven facts and reliable sources, which stellar news organizations such as these always do.

Trump also says anonymous sources are unreliable unless they are identified. I guess that means the Watergate scandal involving President Richard Nixon was completely fabricated and totally untrue since the main source of information that triggered that investigation was the anonymous "Deep Throat," whose knowledge about the incident led all the way to Nixon himself and his subsequent resignation as president of the United States.

Anonymous sources are used by the press all the time and are not revealed by name in order to protect the identity and safety of that source. This practice in no way diminishes the accuracy and truth of the story.

Robert Nackman, Houston

Seeking control

President Trump's ego was on display again at the CPAC gathering. He is still in the we-won-the-campaign mode and also blasting the news media. Now he is blocking some news agencies from daily briefings.

It would appear that Trump wants only agencies that he believes will report favorably on him. Criticism of the president is part and parcel of American democracy. Trump's problem with the media does not lie with the news media; I believe it is the fact that Trump has a very big ego, coupled with a very thin skin - not a good combination in a president.

The danger to American democracy is that Trump has crossed the Rubicon and there is no turning back. Other presidents in the future will follow Trump's lead in attempting to control the news and in fact will do so, the First Amendment be dammed.

Gonzalo Martinez, La Porte

Troublesome

Freedom of the press is one of our republic's most cherished institutions. And, yet, one of President Trump's favorite admonitions (at least to his core supporters) is "The media is the enemy of the American people."

We know that the bulk of the "fake news" with which we are bombarded these days emanates from the White House, everything from the Bowling Green Massacre to "the Greatest Electoral College win in history."

In Russia, the life expectancy of reporters who ask the wrong question, write the wrong articles, question the wrong people, can be quite short. Is this our future, too?

Will reporters find themselves in the role of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who vexed Britain's King Henry II to the point that the king reportedly cried out, "Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?"

C. John Turnquist,Magnolia
Yes, Texas, there are bogeymen that aim to harm you. But they don't aim to assault you in bathrooms; with regressive policies that chip away at our quality of life and economic opportunities, they just want to rob you blind. In fact, they've been doing that for years, and they don't discriminate by gender or sex, just income. If you're rich, they hand you tax breaks; if you're middle- or working-class, they disembowel funding for your public services and infrastructure to pay for the tax breaks for the rich. They might throw in some homeowner tax benefits for all, but those are undercut by the loss of basic community services. To cloak their perfidy, they concoct imaginary monsters and distract us with offers of "protection," as with Senate Bill 6, which its sponsors say aims to "protect" women and children. I beg to differ with those state lawmakers: It's not the bathroom where Texas women need protection. Our Legislature is the real threat to our well-being, and the well-being of our families.

The great state of Texas comes in 40th among states in national education rankings in 2017. Although our children - our state's future - are full of potential, the Legislature underinvests in schools and funds them inequitably. This failure connects directly to our shameful claim to the seventh-highest per-capita imprisonment rate. Our Legislature apparently prefers the pay-later approach, rather than invest-now.

Gov. Greg Abbott's rejection of federal funding to expand Medicaid sent federal tax dollars paid by Texans to other states, and it means that Texas has the lowest rate of insured people in the U.S. This underpins the recent doubling of our maternal death rate, to third-world levels, and it means Texans suffer and die from ailments that could have been prevented. That's no imaginary horror. For many Texas families, the bogeyman that has robbed them of basic health services is quite real. So is the loss of reproductive services because of the Legislature's unrelenting assault via restrictive policies and laws that have reduced health-care access for women, especially poor women.

Our child-welfare system is horribly broken (though, fingers crossed that an overhaul may occur). And while we have strict laws against human trafficking, our state offers few services to sex-trafficking victims, nor do we systematically punish the "johns" who exploit them. Last year, Texas officials cut needed special-ed funds. Mental health services are woefully underfunded. The short of it: The state's social safety net is full of holes. Even if state residents don't use some of these services directly, a solid safety net protects the whole community, and this is what needs the Legislature's attention.

So while lawmakers dither or altogether ignore our state's most vital needs, we get distractions like the bathroom bill that Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, is pitching and which has been endorsed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. This bill actively attacks transgender people - denying them the basic right to use a public restroom and opening them to harassment by a newly appointed gender police. Empowered busybodies could demand birth certificates from people in line for the toilet. Who is the bogeyman in this scenario? Those busybodies wouldn't limit their intrusions to trans-people - hair too short (or, if you're a man, too long), gender-ambiguous fashion choices (Goth aficionados, look out), expect nasty questions.

It should matter that there has not been a single report of transgender people attacking cis-women inside or outside restrooms (and if they or anyone did that, the act already is illegal). But 27 transgender people were murdered in 2016, and many more were attacked and harassed just for being themselves. We do have real gender issues in our community, but disguised bathroom predators isn't one.

Texas business leaders know that Kolkhorst's and Patrick's scare tactic will discourage new businesses from coming to our state, and they firmly oppose the bill. This pro-discrimination bill copycats the controversial North Carolina bill, but it has a homegrown pedigree. Houston voters' revocation of the Equal Rights Ordinance in 2015 put this issue on the national stage - with the aim of denying state protection to the LGBT community in jobs and housing, and forcing any one who wants to bring a discrimination suit (including vets and people of color) into the more-difficult-to-navigate federal court.

Under pressure from loss of business, North Carolina is working to repeal its bathroom law. Why would Texas pursue the same outcomes? Only if voters, convinced by Kolkhorst's and Patrick's smoke and mirrors that they are under threat of bathroom bogeymen, press their representatives to endorse it.

The truly scary stuff isn't fake bogeymen, but the real outcomes of our Legislature's mismanagement. That underfunding of public education? It ultimately will slow and turn backward growth of our state's economy. The stubborn refusal to expand Medicaid? Preventable disease and death will mark immeasurable loss of our state's human potential. Methodical erosion of women's reproductive rights? More abortions and more maternal deaths.

We don't need SB 6. We don't need our restroom choices policed. It's clear who the bogeymen are, and they're not in bathrooms. Legislature, we're looking at you.

Gregory is a Houston writer.
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Eight years ago, amid the financial collapse known as the Great Recession, America broke up with its 43rd president with such relief it might as well have dumped his clothes on the White House lawn and screamed from an open window "get out!"

In 2008, at the close of his second term, President George W. Bush's approval ratings had plunged to 25 percent, among the lowest in presidential history next to Harry Truman and Richard Nixon. His would-be Republican successor, candidate John McCain, actively distanced himself from the Bush administration and comedians relentlessly mocked the man.

So during his presidential "afterlife," as his wife calls it, the eight years of America's rebound relationship with cool guy Barack Obama, Bush eased into an existence of purposeful inconspicuousness. He wrote a book, as most past presidents do, learned to paint and said nothing controversial.

He left former aides to defend Bush the legacy and Bush the man. Most of those who worked with him adored him and often were baffled that others didn't.

It would be an exaggeration to say his liberal critics are seeing in him what his closest aides saw all along.

In the first few months of 2017 and amid a book tour that landed him glowing spots on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show" and in People magazine, Bush is getting a reappraisal.

Time helped. So did President Trump.

Some of the rethinking of Bush stems not from anything Bush has said or done but simply from the contrast with Donald Trump, a comparison bolstered by his recent appearances on talk shows and in news segments.

After the "Ellen" show posted a video of the former president joking about his inner "Rembrandt" and learning to paint, viewers flooded the comments with unexpected praise.

"A few years ago I would have rolled my eyes at the (sight) of this man, but 6 weeks of Trump makes W look like a pretty decent guy," one woman wrote. "Perspective is a funny thing."

Added another: "I used to be a big critic of him and still don't agree with much of what he did while in office. But, given who is now in office and how scary 45 is making the world, I've come to actually like this man."

It was an idea comedian Aziz Ansari explored in January during his monologue as host of "Saturday Night Live," the same show that spent years writing unflattering skits of President Bush and has since turned its humor to a new GOP target.

"George W. Bush made a speech after 9/11, and it really helped," Ansari said. "Things changed. ... He said Islam is peace."

The monologue came one day after Trump's inaugural address, which took on a dark and menacing tone, echoing his campaign rhetoric, which was often critical of Muslims and immigrants.

Ansari compared Trump's language to that of Bush in 2001, when he walked shoeless through the Islamic Center of Washington six days after Islamist terrorists flew planes into the Pentagon and World Trade Center, killing thousands of people. Flanked by Muslim men and women, the president delivered a unifying speech that was praised by both parties and skyrocketed his approval ratings.

"It was about basic human decency and remembering why the country was founded in the first place," Ansari said.

And, by his own admission, the comic said he realized he had found himself in a perplexing position.

"What the hell has happened?" he said during the monologue. "I'm sitting here wistfully watching old George W. Bush speeches?' Just sitting there like, 'What a leader he was! ... He guided us with his eloquence!' "

Some of the harshest criticism lobbed at Bush as he left office was about the Iraq War. Bush defended his decision to invade Iraq, even though his administration misrepresented the existence of Saddam Hussein's "weapons of mass destruction."

But some onetime critics, who never would have credited Bush with wisdom, are now looking to Bush for just that. And to a large extent, he has delivered, appearing to criticize Trump in a way he never did Obama.

In an interview with Today's Matt Lauer, for example, Bush defended the news media against Trump's "enemies of the American people" attack.

"We needed the media to hold people like me to account," said Bush. "Power can be very addictive and it can be corrosive, and it's important for the media to call to account people who abuse their power."

"I think we all need answers," he said, when asked about Russia's attempt to intervene in the election through hacking. Asked whether there should be a special prosecutor, he said, "I'm not sure the right avenue to take. I am sure, though, that that question needs to be answered."

Bush later said he didn't intend for his comments to be construed as criticism of Trump.

Joy Behar, the liberal on the daily talk show "The View," noted after Bush's comments that though she was "after" him for eight years, she just might purchase one of his paintings due to Trump.

"The thing about this," she said, "is that Donald has now done something I thought he would never do. I like - I like the fact that George Bush - I like George Bush now, is what I'm trying to say. I'm having trouble saying it."

Most endearing, perhaps, was the open affection for Michelle Obama that Bush has displayed during his book tour ("Portraits of Courage," featuring his paintings of post-9/11 veterans.)

The fondness took flight online last fall when, at the opening ceremony of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., cameras caught Michelle Obama and President Bush in a brief but clearly warm embrace. The New York Times called it "the embrace seen round the world," sharply symbolic at a time of political strife.

"That surprised everybody," Bush said on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Thursday when the host asked about his "good friend" Michelle Obama." That's what is so weird about society today, that people on opposite sides of the political spectrum could actually like each other."

In an interview with People magazine, Bush said: "When I saw her, it was a genuine expression of affection."

Their friendship seemed to remind onlookers that even if they disagreed with Bush the president, there was no harm in feeling warm toward Bush the man.

Or perhaps it was affection by association, the feeling that anyone Michelle Obama seemed to like had to be OK.

According to Bush, it was shared laughs that bonded the two.

"She kind of likes my sense of humor," Bush told People. "Anybody who likes my sense of humor, I immediately like."

And now that the Obamas are entering their own presidential "afterlife," George and Laura Bush have extended a bipartisan invitation for the two couples to join forces in supporting veterans.

"It's going to take them a while to find their footing and figure out how they're going to do what they want to do," George Bush told People. "But if there's a way to be symbiotic, we'll do so."

Mettler is a reporter for the Washington Post's Morning Mix team.
A Houston man received serious injuries early Saturday in a crash about six miles south of Licking on U.S. 63, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

Cpl. Terry Nelson said a southbound 2001 Chevrolet Trailblazer driven by Glen A. Sharp, 52, travelled off the right side of the roadway, struck a culvert and overturned at about 12:48 a.m.

Sharp, who wasnt wearing a seat belt, was taken by ambulance to Texas County Memorial Hospital.

The vehicle was totaled, Nelson said.
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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.
The former president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has just joined Twitter, even though his administration banned the site.

"Follow me at @Ahmadinejad1956, that's me. Peace and love and best wishes," Ahmadinejad says in a video posted to the account on Sunday.

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The conservative leader was president of Iran from 2005 to 2013. His 2009 presidential win was disputed by many who believed the election was rigged.

After widespread protests, many of which were spurred by online social networks  the Green Revolution is sometimes referred to as the "Twitter revolution"  Ahmadinejad's government briefly shut down access to the internet, before implementing filters to block citizens from accessing websites like Facebook and Twitter.

The site, which is still not accessible by most people in Iran, is used by President Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Many Iranians bypass the country's filters by using proxy servers or virtual private networks (VPNs).

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Twitter has yet to verify Ahmadinejad's account.

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the3million - Jane Campbell

Last month saw an event that would have been unheard of in Britain a year ago: over a thousand EU citizens coming together in Westminster to lobby parliament to unilaterally guarantee their rights.

They made history when the Lords voted in favour of amendment 9B - allowing them to live and work in the UK. This was the result of tireless lobbying of countless supporters of the3million and UK nationals in Europe, because neither EU citizens in the UK nor British citizens in Europe want to be bargaining chips. These unsung heroes deserve credit for sharing their stories and urging the Lords to undo some of the damage inflicted by hostile and careless rhetoric about those who found themselves "citizens of nowhere" as a result of the referendum.

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The vote in the Lords restored some much-needed sanity to the debate about EU citizens' rights. It finally gave a public, and a political, voice to three million people who couldn't vote in the referendum and have been feeling speechless ever since. The Lords sent a strong message to Theresa May: people have been struggling with the uncertainty, and leaving their future hanging during the negotiation process goes against the very British principle of fairness. Or, as Axel from the3million Facebook Forum put it as the Lords began their debate, "this afternoon the House of Lords decides whether the three million EU citizens will be treated like humans or whether they are going to be used as negotiation capital during the Brexit negotiations alongside cars from Sunderland and lettuce and tomatoes from Spain."

The amendment isn't perfect - it talks about "legal" rights, which under current Home Office interpretation would exclude stay-at-home parents, carers, disabled and students who don't have private Comprehensive Sickness Insurance. It also has the wrong cut-off date - when Article 50 is triggered - since the Home Office has expressly written that nothing will change for EU citizens until the UK leaves the EU. Therefore the cut-off date cannot be before the withdrawal date.

But the Lords recognised something very important about the need to act now: it is not just about "allowing people to stay," it is about telling people who have made their lives in Britain that they are still part of this country, that this is still their home, and their future. "Whether we've planted trees, given birth to children here, worked, studied or watched the birds, we've all made homes here, and most of us don't have another," writes Dorothea from Germany.

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The government's silence and lack of clarity on the conditions for Permanent Residency have left the door wide open for speculation and discrimination. A recent report that Mrs May is to end rights given to EU nationals under freedom of movement rules caused panic, only to be denied by the government a day later. People are being advised to apply for Permanent Residence "just in case" only to find they are being turned down. Some are even being asked to leave the country immediately under new Home Office regulations for appeals. Suddenly we discover that some people who are not in employment are required to pay for expensive private health insurance. If this is happening while Britain is still part of the EU, what can we expect once Britain has left?

Both Leave and Remain campaigns were in agreement that a unilateral guarantee should be given immediately. All major British Expat organisations support this as they don't want to become bargaining chips either. You can't bargain unless you sincerely mean to carry out the threat.

Baroness Altmann rightly said that this is about "how we leave the EU and in what way we treat the people who are damaged by the decision that we take, through no fault of their own."

The latest group to support the EU nationals' demand to have their rights guaranteed is the cross-party Committee on Exiting the EU who have unanimously agreed that this needs to happen immediately.
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The Volunteer Center of Reno County, a United Way Agency, is a central clearinghouse for volunteer opportunities in Reno County.
Officials yesterday laid out an argument for China to play a leading role in global internet governance as they solicited international support for a new framework based on regulation and order rather than Western values of unfettered access and openness.

Speaking in Beijing, foreign ministry and cyberspace affairs officials unveiled the first cyber policy paper while stating that China would beef up its cyber warfare capacities to defend against foreign threats.

"Cyber attacks, cyber espionage, surveillance have become major issues confronting all countries," said the coordinator for the foreign ministry's cyber affairs division, Long Zhou.

China has long defended its right to impose its own standards in cyber fields such as censorship, data privacy and business regulation in the name of national security.

The new policy paper effectively codifies the Communist Party leadership's claim that countries should wield sovereign authority over all cyber-related matters within their territory.

Describing the internet as rife with subversive thought, religious extremism, pornography, fake news and financial scams, Long said China stands ready to work together with Russia and BRICS partners, as well as other countries, on new governance measures.

BRICS is an organization of large emerging economies grouping Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. China is hosting its annual summit this year as part of efforts to elevate the group's international status.

The new policy paper emerges as the country's leaders have talked up Beijing's desire to be a world leader in economic globalization as President Donald Trump is questioning trade agreements and pushing his own brand of American economic nationalism.

China is seen as sensing an opportunity to bolster its influence and aggrandize its blend of authoritarian politics, strict social controls and limited free market economics. The sovereignty argument has underpinned China's justification for a massive internet censorship apparatus that critics say hampers free speech and open trade.

Chinese officials have pushed the concept at international forums in recent years, arguing that developing countries should join Beijing in demanding a greater say over global internet governance.

Beijing's sophisticated censorship tool, known as the Great Firewall, blocks numerous social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, and the government has broadened police powers to collect personal data for law enforcement.

The officials yesterday extended an invitation to the international community, saying that China, with the world's largest online population and advanced technology, was willing to share its wisdom, experience and resources in governing the internet with other countries.

They said developing nations were especially welcome to study the Chinese model, but that Beijing would not impose its values on countries with different traditions, cultural and national circumstances.

"Every country needs to decide on the balance between freedom and order and we have to respect how each country reaches that decision," Long said

Source: http://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news.php?id=180323
The 2017 Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) shows that the EU is making progress but the gap between top digital players and lower-performing countries is still too wide. More efforts and investments are needed to make the most of the Digital Single Market.

Today the European Commission published the results of the 2017 Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), a tool presenting the performance of the 28 Member States in a wide range of areas, from connectivity and digital skills to the digitisation of businesses and public services.

Andrus Ansip, Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, said: "Europe is gradually becoming more digital but many countries need to step up their efforts. All Member States should invest more to fully benefit from the Digital Single Market. We do not want a two-speed digital Europe. We should work together to make the EU a digital world leader."

Overall the EU has progressed and improved its digital performance by 3 percentage points compared to last year[1], but progress could be faster and the picture varies across Member States (the digital gap  between the most and least digital countries  is 37 percentage points, compared to 36 percentage points in 2014). Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands lead the DESI this year followed by Luxembourg, Belgium, the UK, Ireland, Estonia, and Austria. The top-three EU digital players are also the global leaders, ahead of South Korea, Japan and the United States. Slovakia and Slovenia are the EU countries which have progressed the most. Despite some improvements, several Member States including Poland, Croatia, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, are still lagging behind in their digital development compared to the EU average. Individual country profiles are available online.

The Commission has now presented all the major initiatives part of its Digital Single Market strategy. The European Parliament and Member States are encouraged to adopt these proposals as soon as possible so that Europe can make the most of digital opportunities.

Taking into account the DESI results, the Commission will unveil its mid-term review of the Digital Single Market strategy in May to identify where further efforts or legislative proposals may be needed to address future challenges.

The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) shows:

Connectivity improved, but is still insufficient to address future needs.

76% of European homes can access high-speed broadband (at least 30 Mbps) and in some Member States a significant proportion of these households can already access networks capable of providing 100 Mbps or more. Over 25% of households have taken up a subscription to fast broadband.

Mobile data subscriptions are increasing: from 58 subscribers per 100 people in 2013 to 84 in 2016.

4G mobile services cover 84% of the EU population.

However, this is not enough to address the growing needs for speed, quality and reliability of connections in the future. Internet traffic is growing by 20% annually; and by more than 40% each year on mobile networks. The European Parliament and Council are currently discussing Commission proposals to overhaul EU telecoms rules and to encourage investment in very high-capacity networks to meet Europeans' growing connectivity needs, along with strategic objectives for a 2025 gigabit society. Member States should also redouble their efforts to meet objectives in terms of harmonised spectrum assignment, which now includes the 700 MHz band, so that the next generation of communication networks (5G) can be widely deployed as of 2020. Spectrum coordination in the EU is vital to ensure wireless coverage and new cross-border services. Additionally, municipalities across Europe will be able soon to apply for funding to bring free Wi-Fi to their public spaces under the Commission's WiFi4EU scheme.

The EU has more digital specialists than before but skills gaps remain.

The EU has more graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics than before (19 graduates per 1000 people in their 20s).

There are more ICT specialists in the workforce (3.5% in 2015 as opposed to 3.2% in 2012).

Almost half of Europeans (44%) still lack basic digital skills such as using a mailbox, editing tools or installing new devices.

The Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition, launched in December 2016 as part of the Skills Agenda for Europeis working with Member States, industry and social partners to develop a large digital talent pool and ensure that individuals and the labour force in Europe are equipped with adequate digital skills.

Europeans are getting more digital.

79% of Europeans go online at least once per week, up by 3 percentage points on 2016:

o 78% of internet users play or download music, films, pictures or games.

o 70% of European internet users read news online (64% in 2013).

o 63% use social networks (57% in 2013).

o 66% shop online (61% in 2013).

o 59% use online banking (56% in 2013).

o 39% use internet to make calls (33% in 2013).

As part of its Digital Single Market strategy, the Commission is working to increase trust and confidence in the online world. The new EU rules on data protection will enter into force in May 2018 accompanied by new rules on privacy in electronic communications. The Commission is also working to make more content available on the internet across borders. And, as of early 2018, Europeans will be able to enjoy their films, music, video games, and e-book subscriptions when travelling in the EU. The Commission also proposed to make it easier for broadcasters to make programmes available online in other EU Member States.

Businesses are more digital, e-commerce is growing but slowly.

European businesses are increasingly adopting digital technologies, such as the use of business software for electronic information sharing (from 26% in 2013 to 36% of businesses in 2015) or sending electronic invoices (from 10% in 2013 to 18% of in 2016).

E-commerce by SMEs also grew slightly (from 14% in 2013 to 17% of SMEs in 2016). However, less than half of these companies sell to another EU Member State.

In 2016, the Commission proposed new rulesto boost e-commerce by tackling geoblocking, making cross-border parcel delivery more affordable and efficient and promoting customer trust through better protection and enforcement. It also proposed to simplify the Value Added Tax environment for e-commerce businesses in the EU. These initiatives, once adopted by the European Parliament and Member States, will make it easier for people and companies to buy and sell across borders.

Europeans use more public services online.

34% of internet users submitted forms to their public administration online instead of handing in a paper copy (up from 27% in 2013).

More and increasingly sophisticated services are available online, for example services allowing people to use the internet to inform the authorities about new residence, the birth of a child, and other important events. As part of the eGovernment Action Plan,the Commission will launch a Single Digital Gateway to provide easy online access to Single Market information, an initiative to further digitise company law and corporate governance, as well as an updated European Interoperability Framework.

Background

The DESI is a composite index to measure the progress of EU Member States towards a digital economy and society. As such, it brings together a set of relevant indicators on Europe's current digital policy mix. The DESI aims to help EU countries identify areas requiring priority investments and action, in order to create a truly Digital Single Market  one of the top priorities of the Commission.

Building on the DESI findings and complementing the European Semester, the Commission's Digital Progress Report will give in May 2017 an in-depth assessment of how the EU and Member States are progressing in their digital development and will identify potential steps to help improve national performance in digital.

For more information

Speech of Commission Vice-President Andrus Ansip, presenting the DESI

Q&A

Country profiles

Digital Single Market fact sheet

Advancing Europe's digital future  Digital Headlines

Digital Day in Rome on 23 March 2017
Singapore is a more digitally advanced nation relative to other leading developed countries, according to 52 percent of the 1,000 respondents in Singapore polled for EY's 'Savvy Singapore: Decoding a digital nation' report.

More than half of them (59 percent) also agree that the government is effectively leveraging technology to improve public services.

Privacy is a main concern for Singaporeans. Eighty-one percent of the respondents worry about how organisations collect, store and use data about them, and 75 percent want the government to impress greater controls and transparency.

Nearly half (43 percent) of the respondents call for the government to take a more active role in monitoring online activity too, but 20 percent disagree.

"The Singapore government has been proactively engaging digital technology to better serve the public. While the population holds a positive view of how they are being 'governed' in a digital age, there are still challenges to address and high expectations to be met around affordability, privacy, information usage, transaction security and digital content," said Jonathan Rees, EY Asean Advisory Digital leader

"With high levels of connectivity and concentration of data centres, Singapore must also be extra vigilant of the cyber risk environment. The outlook for Singapore as a Smart Nation is positive, but there is no room for complacency given how digitally well-informed and demanding the population is," he added.

Singapore has a highly device-centric population

The survey also shows that Singapore has a highly device-centric population. More than three quarters (78 percent) of the respondents check their device upon waking up, to the point where 26 percent of respondents' mobile phone usage exceeds five hours daily.

Sixty-eight percent use their phones or tablets everywhere and for everything - from social networking (98 percent) to online research (81 percent) on a daily basis.

They also express an appetite for and acceptance of new digital experience. Twenty-nine percent want to use modern payment methods such as mobile phone tap payments, and 55 percent expressed an interest in purchasing from more online retailers.

With 83 percent of the respondents saying they discover new products and services through online research and almost half (49 percent) conducting digital research while in store, retailers need to be discoverable through search engine optimisation.

Nearly 9 out of 10 respondents (88 percent) also expect websites to be mobile-optimised for viewing and many expect to enjoy the same experience both online and offline.

"Digital experiences are not just about online shopping and e-commerce. For many, the physical shopping journey is becoming a more digitally integrated one. For Singapore retailers, there is a significant opportunity in merging the brick-and-mortar store with digital experiences for a seamless, omni-channel service delivery," Rees commented.

"In response to the relentless pace of digital advances, governments and enterprises must meet the challenges of leading smart transformations to co-create better digital experiences. The service conundrum and opportunity confronting them lie in ensuring consumer privacy and transaction security while delivering high-quality personalized experiences. Organisations must be ready to reset their customer strategies if they want to successfully capitalise on the growth potential of the digital economy," he concluded.

Source: http://www.mis-asia.com/tech/mobile/singaporeans-perceive-digital-advancement-and-e-government-favourably-ey/
Imperial Valley News Center

First Lady Melania Trump Celebrates National Read Across America Day

Washington, DC - First Lady Melania Trump celebrated National Read Across America Day and the birthday of Dr. Seuss by visiting the Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Childrens Health at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Mrs. Trump met with doctors, families, and patients at the hospital and shared the joy of reading with the children.

Mrs. Trump brought a package of Dr. Seusss children books, including her and her sons favorite book, Oh, The Places Youll Go!. She gathered with children in the pediatrics playroom and read to them. Afterward she spoke with them and said, Loving to read early in life has the power to make each one of you a lifelong learner."

"Dr. Seuss has brought so much joy, laughter and enchantment into children's lives all around the globe for generations," the First Lady said. "Through his captivating rhymes, Dr. Seuss has delighted and inspired children while teaching them to read, to dream, and to care.

The First Lady emphasized that as a Nation, we must instill in young readers a lifelong love of learning.

"Education is a great equalizer and nothing can be more critical to achieving empowerment than reading and literacy," said Mrs. Trump.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who's in the Middle East this weekend, announced the launch of a new commission Sunday to boost ties between New York and Israel.

The 22-member New York-Israel Commission will be led by four co-chairs and honorary chairman Mort Zuckerman, the owner and publisher of the New York Daily News and the U.S. News and World Report.

The commission will focus on four areas: culture, economy and trade, education and security. Cuomo sees opportunities to tap into Israel's technology sector, which generated investments totaling $4.43 billion in 2015.

"New York and Israel have always shared a deep cultural, social and economic bond and I am proud that we are working to make our partnership stronger than ever before," Cuomo said. "These individuals will help continue to strengthen our relationship with the Jewish community and reaffirm our commitment to Israel, and I look forward to seeing the impacts of this partnership resonate across the state and the globe for years to come."

Israel is already one of the state's top trade partners. New York exports to Israel generated $4.89 billion of economic activity last year. Aircraft parts, electric machinery and diamonds are among New York's top exports to Israel. In exchange, Israel sends several goods, including pharmaceutical products and plastics.

On education, the commission will look to encourage academic exchanges and research collaboration between New York's public colleges and universities and Israeli higher education institutions. The panel also will support cultural exchanges between Israeli and New York students.

Cuomo's office announced that the commission will host an Israeli food festival in partnership with the state's Taste NY initiative to highlight the cultural ties between the state and country.

The commission will also look to bolster counterterrorism efforts and best practices for combating hate crimes and anti-Semitism.

Malcolm Hoenlein, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations and a co-chair of the commission, said the panel can help expand New York's link to Israel.

"Under Governor Cuomo, New York has shown its unwavering commitment to the Jewish community and this initiative will continue to strengthen both our cultural and economic ties and ensure both partners will grow together well into the future," Hoenlein said.

Cuomo is in Israel for what he's called an "economic development and unity trip." He has a full slate of events planned Sunday. He will return to New York Monday.
Imperial Valley News Center

Editorials Praise President Trumps Joint Address

Washington, DC - Editorials Praise President Trumps Joint Address:

A Grand Slam The Best Speech of His Life  Home Run of a Speech  The Most Impressive Speech

of His Fledgling Political Career  Remarkable

New York Post: President Trump Hit a Grand Slam The Best Speech of His Life and the Most Remarkable Speech in Decades by a Chief Executive to a Joint Session of Congress. President Trump hit a grand slam Tuesday night, with the best speech of his life and the most remarkable speech in decades by a chief executive to a joint session of Congress. (Editorial, Trump Delivered a Grand Slam of a Speech to the Nation, New York Post, 3/1/17)

Arizona Republic: Trumps Best Day in the White House This Man Looked Presidential This was Trumps best day in the White House, because for the first time he expressed a desire to unify the country without baiting his speech with insults for his opponents.  This man looked presidential. (Editorial, The Night Trump Became Our President, Arizona Republic, 3/1/17)

Springfield (MA) Republican: [Trump] Turned Presidential Frequently Hopeful, Envisioning a Brighter Future for America and Americans Donald Trump became president on Jan. 20. Forty days later, he turned presidential. ... He still talked of building a wall on our nation's border with Mexico, and spoke of the ravages of crime and drugs across the land, but he was also frequently hopeful, envisioning a brighter future for America and Americans. (Editorial, Trump Hits Reset Button With Address to Congress, Springfield Republican, 3/1/17)

Minneapolis Star Tribune: Struck an Inspiring, Even Bipartisan Tone What Americans will take away from Tuesdays address is a president who at last struck an inspiring, even bipartisan tone, who asked Americans to be unafraid to dream of American footprints on distant worlds, and of a country where having millions lifted from welfare to work, mothers safe from fear, schools where children learn in peace is not too much to ask. (Editorial, Does Trump's New Tone Signal a Real Shift?, Minneapolis Star Tribune, 2/28/17)

Deseret News: President Donald Trumps Speech Struck a Tone of Unity and Optimism President Donald Trumps speech struck a tone of unity and optimism while advocating for the unique mixture of political positions that fueled Trumps rise to the White House. (Editorial, Pres. Trump's Otherwise Laudatory Speech Missed an Opportunity to Address Entitlement Reform, Deseret News, 3/1/17)

Albuquerque Journal: President Donald Trump Delivered an Optimistic Message to the Nation In a welcome departure from his previous public speeches, President Donald Trump delivered an optimistic message to the nation Tuesday, promising a new era of prosperity, a new approach to immigration, rebuilding of Americas infrastructure, a strengthening of the military, an overhaul of the nations health care system and tax code and, most notably, a new chapter of American greatness. (Editorial, Poised, Disciplined Trump a Welcome Change Of Pace, Albuquerque Journal, 3/2/17)

Omaha World-Herald: [Trump] Stood Up for His Beliefs, But Did So While Striking a Presidential Tone. (Editorial, Trump Shows Presidential Side, Omaha World-Herald, 3/2/17)

Tulsa World: We Congratulate the President On a Good Speech We congratulate the president on a good speech and urge him to use it in his own best interest and that of the nation. (Editorial, Trump's Speech Offers an Opportunity for a New Start, Tulsa World, 3/2/17)

Charleston (WV) Daily Mail: Home Run of a Speech Members of the D.C. punditocracy gave President Donald Trump his due following his home run of a speech before both houses of Congress Tuesday night. (Editorial, What a Difference a Speech Makes, Charleston Daily Mail, 3/2/17)

Lakeland (FL) Ledger: President Donald Trump Delivered the Most Impressive Speech of His Fledgling Political Career President Donald Trump delivered the most impressive speech of his fledgling political career Tuesday night  one that blended familiar policy themes with some new ideas, offered a descriptive assessment of the earthquake that propelled him to victory last November, extended an olive branch to naysayers and recounted a long list of what he sees as his achievements after just 40 days in office. (Editorial, Trumps Theme Evident Without Being Spoken, Lakeland Ledger, 3/2/17)

Toledo Blade: [Trumps] Style Is Direct and Not Eloquent. But It Is Sincere and Powerful. (Editorial, Something Beats Contempt, Toledo Blade, 3/2/17)

Providence Journal: Trump Exceeded Expectations with a Well-Written Speech But even by that standard, Mr. Trump exceeded expectations with a well-written speech that re-introduced, in a less harsh manner, the same themes he has been pounding for more than a year. (Editorial, President Trumps Speech to Congress, Providence Journal, 3/1/17)

Washington Times: Remarkable Speech Donald Trumps remarkable speech to Congress was notable for its tone, the public reaction it engendered and the way it left so may critical listeners speechless. (Editorial, Trumps Second Chance, Washington Times, 3/1/17)
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

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Russian ministers are urging government officials to ban Disneys new live action remake of Beauty and the Beast if it breaches the countrys controversial gay propaganda law.

Culture minister Vladimir Medinsky is facing mounting pressure to assess whether the film, which contains Disneys first ever overtly gay character and love scene, violates a law prohibiting children from material advocating for a denial of traditional family values.

One Russian MP, Vitaly Milonov, of the United Russia party, described the film as shameless propaganda of sin, and asked Mr Medinsky to take measures to totally ban the film if it contains elements of propaganda of homosexuality, according to the BBC.

His colleague, Alexander Sholokhov, said that if the scenes violated the law, the film should be banned from cinemas, while Russian actor Pavel Derevyanko told state-run TV Russia 24: I will not take my kid to this movie.

Following the outcry, Mr Medinsky reportedly pledged to consider whether it breached the law, saying: As soon as we get a copy of the film with relevant paperwork for distribution, we will consider it according to the law.

Beauty and the Beast, a live-action remake of the 1991 Disney animation set to be released on 16 March, contains what the films director described as an exclusively gay moment. The scene involves male character LeFou, who in a side-plot to the main story tries to come to terms with his feelings for the film's male antagonist, Gaston.

 Beauty And The Beast Social - Exclusive Teaser Launch Event with Cast & Crew

Mr Milonov argued the scene may be in breach of Russian legislation passed in 2013, which prohibits the spreading of gay propaganda among minors. The law, which angers human rights activists and the international LGBT community, suggests homosexuality is alien to life in Russia.

It is not the first time the 2017 remake of Beauty and the Beast has provoked anger over its inclusion of a gay character.

Earlier this week, a cinema in Alabama cancelled screenings of the film, saying they would only show family-oriented films so that its customers were free to come watch wholesome movies without worrying about sex, nudity, homosexuality and foul language.
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Brexit could derail the European Unions attempts to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to British MEPs.

Britains decision to leave the trading bloc could have a detrimental impact on the European Carbon Trading Scheme (ETS), which is the flagship policy aimed at cutting carbon emissions across the continent.

The United Kingdom is committed to providing almost 2bn (1.7bn) worth of funding for the scheme, without which it is not yet clear how the system will survive.

Through ETS a cap is placed on total emissions and allowances are provided to member states.

Companies which fall under the remit of the scheme have to hand in an allowance for every tonne of carbon they release. They are allowed to buy and sell these allowances, which are priced to incentivise a reduction in emissions.

Ian Duncan MEP, who is the Conservatives' European spokesman on energy and climate change and also the lead lawmaker on reforming the ETS, said there was a serious risk Brexit could stop the functioning of the scheme, leading to disastrous consequences.

In order for ETS to work a number of funds were created to help Eastern European nations to address the challenges of modernising their Soviet-era energy generators and manufacturing companies.

The UK is one of the major contributors to this fund and after it leaves the finance for this fund will not be there, Mr Duncan told The Independent.

Without it, there is a serious risk not only that the ETS stops functioning post-Brexit, but that the EU loses support for its climate change targets altogether. With Donald Trump in the White House, the consequences of this could be disastrous for global efforts to tackle climate change.

As it stands 10 per cent of allowances that are to be auctioned are transferred to lower-income member states. The UKs contribution to this is approximately 100 million allowances.

Without the UK's input other EU member states would have to cover the costs or run the risk of lower income member states refusing to accept the climate change targets.

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Seb Dance, a Labour MEP for the London region who sits on the European Parliament Committee for the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, said ETS would have to be considered during the upcoming negotiations between Britain and the EU.

I think it, [Brexit], certainly has the potential to derail ETS. There is a huge question mark over what the UKs future contributions will be, Mr Dance told The Independent.

Obviously as these things are determined at a European level as well as a national level there are huge question marks.

Where things are solely European competence, mainly ETS, that question is only that much bigger. There is currently a framework that the UK contributes and its removal from that framework is obviously a point of discussion in the upcoming talks, he added.

The Brexit negotiations could result in Britain staying within the ETS and the Drax Group, an electrical power generation company which has upgraded half of its power station in North Yorkshire to run on sustainable compressed wood pellets instead of coal, is hopeful Britain can remain part of the scheme.

A Drax spokesperson said: Our Government has taken a leadership role on carbon pricing at a European level and, as participation in the EU ETS is not dependent on EU membership, we hope that this situation continues as negotiations around Brexit move forward.
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There are few things more important than fertility in determining a nation's future viability.

Demographers suggest that a country needs a fertility rate of just over two children per woman to hit "replacement fertility" -- the rate at which new births fill the spaces left behind by deaths.

But because of certain cultural and economic forces, only about half of the world's 224 countries currently hit replacement fertility.

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For those that don't, encouraging people to have sex can involve strategies that range from highly explicit to downright bizarre.

Is that Boyz II Men I hear?



Denmark



(Getty Images/iStockphoto (Getty Images/iStockphoto)



If you aren't going to have a kid for your own family, Danes are told, at least do it for Denmark.

No, literally, do it for Denmark.

The small Nordic country has such a low fertility rate -- about 1.73 children per woman -- that Spies Rejser, a Danish travel company, has come up with ingenious incentives to persuade women to get pregnant.

First, it offered to provide three years' worth of baby supplies to couples who conceived on a vacation booked through the company.

Now it has come up with a sexy campaign video titled "Do it for Mom," which guilt trips couples into having kids to give their precious mothers a grandchild.

Russia



Vladimir Putin once brought Boyz II Men to Moscow to rile men up right before Valentine's Day.

Can anyone blame him? As Tech Insider recently reported, the country is experiencing a perfect demographic storm. Men are dying young. HIV/AIDS and alcoholism are crippling the country. And women aren't having babies.

The problem got so bad that in 2007 Russia declared September 12 the official Day of Conception.

On the Day of Conception, people get the day off to focus on having kids. Women who give birth exactly nine months later, on June 12, win a refrigerator.



Japan



Japan's fertility rate has been below replacement since 1975.

To offset that decades-long trend, in 2010 a group of students from the University of Tsukuba introduced Yotaro, a robot baby that gives couples a preview of parenthood.

If men and women begin thinking of themselves as potential fathers and mothers, the students theorized, they'll feel emotionally ready to take a stab at the real thing.

Romania

Picture: (Diana Grytsku/Shutterstock)





The 1960s in Romania were a perilous time for couples.

Population growth flatlined, prompting the government to impose a 20% income tax for childless couples and to implement provisions that made divorce nearly impossible.

The idea was: If you weren't contributing to the communist state by creating future laborers, you had to contribute with dollars instead.

The 1980s weren't much better, however -- women faced forced gynecological exams that were performed by "demographic command units" to ensure pregnancies went to term. When Romanian leadership changed in 1989, the brutal policy finally came crashing down. But at 1.31 children per woman, the fertility rate is still well below replacement.



Singapore



Singapore has the lowest fertility rate in the world, at just 0.81 children per woman.

On August 9, 2012, the Singaporean government held National Night, an event sponsored by the breath-mint company Mentos, to encourage couples to "let their patriotism explode."

The country has also placed a limit on the number of small one-bedroom apartments available for rent to encourage people to live together and, presumably, procreate.

Each year the government spends roughly $1.6 billion on programs to get people to have more sex.

South Korea



On the third Wednesday of every month, South Korean offices shut their lights off at 7 p.m. It's known as Family Day.

With a fertility rate of just 1.25 children per woman, the country takes any steps it can to promote family life -- even offering cash incentives to people who have more than one child.



India



India as a whole has no problem with fertility -- the country's ratio of 2.48 children per woman is well above replacement.

But the number of people in India's Parsis community is dwindling -- it shrank from roughly 114,000 people in 1941 to just 61,000 in 2001, according to the 2001 census.

That problem led to a series of provocative ads in 2014, including one that read "Be responsible -- don't use a condom tonight." Another, geared toward men who lived at home, asked, "Isn't it time you broke up with your Mum?"

The ads seem to be working: By the latest measure, the population has inched back to 69,000.

Italy



(Shutterstock (Shutterstock)



With a fertility rate of 1.43 -- well below the European average of 1.58 -- Italy has taken a controversial approach to encourage citizens to have more kids.

As Bloomberg reports, the country has been running a series of ads reminding Italians that time might be running out and that kids don't just come from nowhere.

"Beauty knows no age, fertility does," one ad said. "Get going! Don't wait for the stork," another said.

Couples haven't responded positively to the guilt trip. Francesco Daveri, a professor of economics at Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, has called the ads a failure.



Hong Kong



With a fertility rate of just 1.18 children per woman, Hong Kong faces the same challenge as many industrialized countries: Without enough young people to replace aging citizens, populations are dwindling and economic growth is slowing.

In 2013, the country proposed giving cash handouts to couples to encourage them to have kids.

The idea took its cue from Singapore, where parents receive a "baby bonus" of about $4,400 for their first two children and $5,900 for their third and fourth.

But in Hong Kong, the plan never came to life.

Spain



Fertility rates in Spain are creeping downward while unemployment is rising: About half of all young people don't have a job. It's the second-highest rate in Europe, behind Greece.

To combat the worrying trends, the Spanish government hired a special commissioner, Edelmira Barreira, in January 2017. Her first tasks are finding the myriad causes of the trend and devising macro strategies to reverse it .

"We have a lot of work ahead of us," Barreira told the Spanish newspaper Faro De Vigo.

Read more:

A tiny California college whose graduates outearn Harvard and Stanford grads is changing how we train students to enter the job market

A psychologist explains how to tell if you're ready for a committed relationship

 You can program this cheap robotic arm to do anything you want

Read the original article on Business Insider UK.  2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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Emma Watson has responded to the controversy that stemmed from a recent Vanity Fair photo shoot by saying: I dont know what my t**s have to do with [feminism].

One image showed the Harry Potter star posing in a cut-out crochet open top and white lace skirt for British fashion photographer Tim Walker.

The photograph of Ms Watson, who is also a feminist campaigner and UN ambassador, prompted a mainly positive reaction on Twitter. Some, however, claimed the image was hypocritical given her feminist stance.

While promoting her new film Beauty and the Beast, she told the BBC: Feminism is about giving women choice. Feminism is not a stick with which to beat other women. Its about freedom, its about liberation. Its about equality.

I don't know what my t**s have to do with it. Its very confusing. Most people are confused. Im always just kind of quietly stunned.

They were saying that I couldnt be a feminist and have boobs.

Ms Watson, who appeared in the magazine to promote her upcoming film, graduated from Brown University in 2014 and became a global ambassador for the United Nations in July that year.

She helped to launch the UN Women campaign HeForShe, which calls on men to advocate gender equality.
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WASHINGTON - When former first lady Michelle Obama walked into a District of Columbia high school classroom, the stunned students erupted in tears. One student even darted out of the classroom to regain her composure before she could sit next to her.

Obama, who still lives in Washington, made a surprise visit Tuesday to Ballou STAY High School to speak with 14 students for two hours. Upon arriving, she hugged each of them before taking her seat in the circle.

"Once she came in, it was an inspirational feeling," said Alliyah Williams, 18. "She was so sweet and warm. She was like a mom."

After visiting the public alternative high school in Southeast Washington, she tweeted "Always love visiting DC schools. Thank you for hosting me today @BallouSTAY. Stories of students #reachinghigher continue to inspire me." The tweet referenced the White House initiative "Reach Higher" she launched to encourage students to continue their education.

"Mrs. Obama had an emotional and heartfelt discussion with the students," Caroline Adler Morales, a spokeswoman for the former first lady, wrote in an email. "There were tears, laughs and lots of hugs."

While the Obamas shared a close rapport with D.C. Public Schools, the relationship with the Trump administration has had a rocky start. Protesters greeted Education Secretary Betsy DeVos when she visited a D.C. school last month. DeVos later criticized teachers, prompting the school to send 11 tweets defending itself.

 Barack Obama spotted on Broadway watching Arthur Miller's 'The Price' with daughter Malia

The previous White House occupants are still D.C. residents, renting a house in the Kalorama neighborhood at least while their youngest daughter finishes high school.

Ballou STAY principal Cara Fuller said she learned of the visit an hour before, although the students didn't know until Obama walked in. Students had been expecting a discussion with new D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Antwan Wilson, so Fuller had selected the students to participate.

Fuller said the students ranged in age from 16 to 23. Four have children, some live in shelters, and others had been expelled from previous schools.

"I think she really just wanted a school and a group of students who are typically counted out to know that they themselves are amazing and wonderful and have the talents that they need to be successful," Fuller said.

Fuller said Obama led an informal discussion, with students asking her how she met the former president and how she survived as first lady. In response to one question, Obama said she has no presidential aspirations, saying that she didn't have the freedom to crack open a window in the White House because of security. Students also asked for her thoughts on Trump.

"They just asked what her thoughts were on the current president and they were deeply concerned about the rhetoric that has been going around," she said.

At one point, a student told Obama of her struggles living in a shelter, and Obama walked the student through steps she could take to achieve her goals. Another student, Williams, told the former first lady she wants to be an anesthesiologist.

"She told me not to let anything get in the way, and she said don't go back and help everyone until you get where you want to be," said Williams, who has a 2-year-old son.

Fuller said one student, 18-year-old Vonte Walker, had never talked about his ambitions in school. Since Obama's visit, he's been telling the staff of his college plans.

"She motivated me," Walker said.

Fuller recalled Obama calling a young mother in the class a "superstar" and listening to a student who said his biggest fear was making minimum wage at 40.

"These are students, students who no one says positive things to you generally, and it was really just to affirm their journey," Fuller said.

(c) 2017, The Washington Post
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A nine-year-old boy has died after suffering a suspect allergic reaction while at school, police have said.

Paramedics were called to Al Hijrah School in Birmingham at around 2:20pm on Friday after the child collapsed, but attempts to resuscitate the youngster failed and he later died in nearby Heartlands Hospital.

It has been reported that teachers were struggling to find his epi-pen to treat the child after he suffered an allergic reaction.

West Midlands Police have launched an investigation into the tragedy and a post-mortem examination is expected to be carried out shortly.

Reports suggest the child suffered an allergic reaction to a fish and chips school dinner, but they could not be verified at the time of writing.

Birmingham City Council, which manages the school, said it is supporting the boys family along with specially trained police officers.

Brigid Jones, the city council's cabinet member for children, families and schools, said on Twitter: "My thoughts are with the family of the young man who tragically died following an incident at school yesterday."

Al-Hijrah is a voluntary-aided Islamic school for four to 18-year-olds, catering for 780 pupils, states the school on its Facebook page.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 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leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters 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 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Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. 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The school was at the centre of controversy in 2014 when it was placed in special measures after an inspection by education standards watchdog Ofsted declared it to be inadequate.

Later in the same year, council officials in Birmingham investigated claims that a trust running the school spent 1 million of public money funding a new school in Pakistan.

There is at present no suggestion that the school is at fault for the child's death.

Colin Diamond, Birmingham Council's executive director for education, said in a statement: We were so sorry to hear about this tragic death and our thoughts are with his family and friends.

"We know the school is doing all it can to support the family through this terrible time and we are working with the school and police as they continue to look into the circumstances."
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As concern grows over Rupert Murdochs 11.7bn bid to buy out Sky, Tom Watson has suggested Labour grandee Gerald Kaufman, who died last week, might have been responsible for turning the media mogul from a youthful left-winger to the dark side.

Mr Watson, Labours deputy leader, wrote a blog post paying tribute to Mr Kaufman, but said the late politician may have changed the course of media history by falling out with the newspaper baron at Oxford University, when both were Labour activists.

The young Murdoch was a self-declared socialist in 1952 when he ran to be secretary of Oxfords Labour Club using the campaign slogan Rooting for Rupert.

He won the election but was prevented from taking office by Mr Kaufman who, as chair of the Labour Club, decided the Australian had broken the rules by canvassing for votes during the election.

Student newspaper Cherwell declared after the election result: Australian ex-journalist, Rupert Murdoch... bombarded Club members with so many plaintive appeals that undergraduate canvassing and socialist majorities hit new highs.

Mr Watson, who uncovered the story while researching his book, Dial M for Murdoch, suggests Mr Murdochs disillusionment with the anachronistic rules of the Labour Club which did not allow for his impressive style of campaigning may have turned the Australian away from youthful idealism to relentless entrepreneurship.

Mr Murdoch, whose father was a well-respected journalist and editor, was assistant editor of the Labour Club newspaper, the Oxford Clarion, during his time there.

His father died the same year as the Oxford election fiasco, prompting the student to take control of his fathers company, News Limited, which he rapidly built into an empire by turning his attention to acquisition and expansion, first in Australia and New Zealand and later in the UK and the US.

In a biography of Mr Murdoch written by William Shawcross, the billionaire media mogul angrily recalled the Labour Club election episode.

F****g Kaufman. He was the same then, a greasy know-all. They found a list I had of people I thought would vote for me that was the evidence against me. There was a kangaroo court. They said I had clearly been canvassing for votes. I was expelled for breaking the rules. Everyone canvassed for votes.

According to the biography, Mr Kaufman declined to give his version of events in response to Mr Murdochs recollection.

Mr Watson said: When I spoke to Gerald about it, he shared the whole story. I felt he was a little anguished about the incident, maybe even regretful. He managed to portray contempt and pity for Murdoch in equal measure.

As owner of newspapers including The Times and The Sun, Murdoch is regarded as having played a key role in the re-election of successive Tory governments in the 1980s and 1990s.

The front page of The Sun famously declared Its The Sun wot won it after John Major saw off the challenge from Labours Neil Kinnock in 1992 following its front page warning headline: If Kinnock wins today, will the last person to leave Britain please turn out the lights?

Sir Gerald Kaufman: Tom Watson says the late politician may have changed the course of media history by falling out with Murdoch at Oxford University (PA)

Mr Mudochs media conglomerate, 21st Century Fox, is bidding to formerly take full control of Sky. He and his family own News Corp as well as Fox through the Murdoch Family trust.

Campaign groups  most notably Hacked Off, which sprung up in the wake of the phone hacking scandal  have called for the bid to be referred to Ofcom on the grounds that the Murdoch family are not fit and proper people to hold a broadcasting licence.

A statement from Hacked Off said: We believe that it is unsafe and contrary to the public interest for a major British broadcaster to be wholly owned and run by those with such a shocking record of governance without proper scrutiny.

Mr Murdochs previous bid to take control of Sky  then BSkyB  fell through in the wake of the damning Leveson Inquiry into the phone-hacking scandal, but his empire has returned for a second bite at the cherry.

In 2014, MPs found that Mr Murdoch exhibited willful blindness to the goings-on at News Corp, concluding that he was not a fit person to exercise stewardship of a major international company.

A petition on 38 Degrees opposing the takeover bid, which describes it as a power grab, has been signed by more than 285,000 people.

It says: Murdoch already has too much influence over our news. This new power-grab would give him even more. The more power Murdoch has, the more he makes politicians listen to him instead of voters.

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Karen Bradley, is due to make a statement to the House on Monday but has said she is minded to intervene because of concerns over broadcasting standards as well as lack of plurality in the British media should the deal go ahead.
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A transformation in technical education will be revealed in next weeks budget, backed up by 500m a year investment, and an aim to create 15 new world class routes of equal value to A Levels to prepare school and college leavers for the changing job market.

The plans involve streamlining an estimated 13,000 technical qualifications down to just 15, and take a major step towards closing the startling productivity gap between the UK and many other leading developed nations, which the Chancellor Philip Hammond has warned is the only sustainable way to improve living standards.

In his speech Chancellor Hammond will say that as the UK prepares to leave the EU, young people must be better prepared to make the most of the opportunities ahead.

The government intends to work with employers and colleges to design new sector-specific pathways, from construction to creative-based design professions, so that young people leave college with the skills, knowledge and expertise that employers want.

The reforms were first set out in Lord Sainsburys review of Technical Education, which the government now intends to implement in full.

Among the recommendations are increasing the amount of training for 16 to 19-year-olds on technical routes by more than 50 per cent to over 900 hours a year, including the completion of a high-quality industry work placement, to begin in 2019.

Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Show all 20 1 /20 Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Singapore Singapore was the top performing country across all three subjects (maths, science and reading) in the 2015 PISA tables. The small Asian country is renowned for its high academic standards and produces excellent results, particularly in mathematics. Pupils here learn maths by what is known as the mastery method, which teaches children how to solve problems as a class and errs away from more traditional recitations of formulae. Singapore selects its teachers from the top 5 per cent of graduates, and teachers are very highly regarded as societal influencers. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Japan Japanese schools came in 2nd for Science, 5th in the world for maths and 8th for reading skills. Japan has one of the best-education populations, with zero illiteracy recorded and strong emphasis on arithmetic and geography. While children around the world typically learn between 26 and 33 letters of the alphabet, Japanese pupils will know 1,006 kanji characters by the time they leave primary school. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Estonia Dubbed the new Finland by some, Estonia has risen rapidly towards the top of the Pisa rankings despite being one of the worlds youngest countries. Estonia spends around 4 per cent of GDP on education. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Taipei Taiwan has been known as a centre for technical excellence for decades and its students perform consistently well in technology, maths and sciences. Education is compulsory from age six, and some 95 per cent of all students continue their education after age 15. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Finland Children in Finland dont start school under age seven, yet consistently produce some of the best results in the world. The countrys education system has a somewhat alternative approach to that of most OECD countries, placing emphasis on playtime and creative learning. Pupils dont sit tests until they reach 16. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Macau Most schools in Macau are private or subsidized. There are only a handful of government or state schools, which tend to teach in Portuguese or have a strong emphasis on pupils learning the language. The majority of schools are also selective grammar schools which focus heavily on languages, mathematics and sciences over vocational subjects. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Hong Kong A former UK colony, Hong Kong education has been closely modelled on the British system in the past,. Education is free and compulsory in primary and junior secondary schools. Independent schools follow the International Baccalaureate, UK or US curricula. The territory participates separately from China (Shanghai, Beijing, Jiangsu, Guangdong) in the Pisa league tables. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education South Korea South Korea has long been one of the worlds top academic achievers, but at the price of very long school days for students. Many start school by 8am, and carry on until late at night at private study clubs. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education New Zealand While the New Zealand school curriculum is not dissimilar to the UKs, children here are not required to start school until age six. The country also has eight state-funded universities offering degrees in a range of subjects. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education China Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Slovenia Slovenia scored highly in this years maths and science results. Basic education for children ages six to 15 is compulsory and free for children in Slovenia. International citizens are taught the Slovenian language at the beginning of school. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Australia Australian Pisa candidates came in 14th place for Science, 15th place for reading and 23rd place for Maths  slipping down in the ranks on previous years. Australia has the third highest number of international students in the world behind the UK and US, despite having a much lower population overall. The school system is split mainly into government state-funded schools, Catholic faith schools and independent fee-paying schools. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education United Kingdom The UK jumped to 15th place for science in this years Pisa tables, up from 21st in 2012. According to the report, teachers in the UK are among the youngest across all developed countries. The total amount spent on British education exceeds that of most other participating countries  and critics argue the education system should provide better results because of this. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Germany Schooling in Germany is governed by individual states, which each have their own education departments and policies. Normally, children begin primary school at age six but secondary school options vary widely. Germany increased its expenditure on educational institutions from primary to post-secondary non-tertiary levels, despite declining enrolments, and teachers have competitive salaries compared to others as a result. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Netherlands Dutch children were found to be the happiest in the world in a 2013 Unicef study. Schools typically don't give much homework until secondary level and students report little pressure and stress. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Switzerland Just five per cent of children attend private schools in Switzerland. Lessons are taught in different languages depending on the region of Switzerland, with German, French or Italian the most common languages of instruction. From secondary onwards students are separated by ability. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Ireland The majority of secondary schools in Ireland are privately owned and managed but state-funded, but there are also state comprehensives and vocational schools. The country performed especially well in Pisa reading tests - coming in fifth place globally. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Belgium Belgian schools came in 15th place for science in this years Pisa table. Schools here are free, and regulated and financed by three separate communities  Flemish, French and German-speaking. Boys in Belgium perform significantly better than girls in school according the latest OECD reports. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Vietnam Education in Vietnam is state run system of public and private schools. The country took part in the Pisa tests for the first time in 2012 and scored higher in reading, maths and science than the UK and US. This is believed to be partly a result of high spending levels on education and hardworking culture instilled in children from a young age. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Canada Education is compulsory up the age of 16 in most Canadian provinces, apart from Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick where pupils must stay on until 18 or when high school diploma is achieved. The education system varies between French and English-speaking provinces. Rex

The Government will also provide maintenance loans similar to student loans for university students to students studying for higher technical education qualifications.

Lord Sainsburys report found that demand for technical qualifications and high skilled technical operatives had increased in recent years and would continue to do so.

The UKs technical education system is weak by international standards. Only 10 per cent of 20 to 45-year-olds hold technical education as their highest qualification, placing the UK 16th out of 20 OECD countries. By 2020, the UK is set to fall to 28th out of 32 OECD countries for intermediate (upper-secondary) skills.

Lord Sainsbury said: The news that the Government is to commit significant investment to the development of technical education should be welcomed by everyone who cares about increasing national prosperity and improving social mobility.

Targeted investment of this type makes economic sense  our international competitors recognised long ago that investing in technical education is essential to enhancing national productivity. But it is also essential if we are to equip people with the knowledge and skills they need to obtain rewarding and skilled employment in the future.
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Britain will "fight back" and not "slink off like a wounded animal" if finishes its negotiations with the EU without striking the deal it wants, the Chancellor Philip Hammond has said.

Mr Hammond told the BBC's Andrew Marr that Britain would "do whatever we need to do" including striking deals and building alliances with the rest of the world, to protect and drive the British economy if it were forced to face a future without a trade agreement with the EU.

Mr Hammond said: "If there is anybody in the European Union who thinks that if we don't do a deal with the European Union, if we don't continue to work closely together, Britain will simply slink off as a wounded animal, that is not going to happen.

Recommended Brexit could render the Budget obsolete

"British people have a great fighting spirit and we will fight back. We will forge new trade deals around the world. We will build our business globally.

"We will go on from strength to strength and we will do whatever we need to do to make the British economy competitive and to make sure that this country has a great and successful future."

It has been suggested that this future might mean a low tax, low regulation, Singaporean style economy. Asked if the UK would cut corporation taxes to attract investment away from the EU, the Chancellor said: "People can read what they like into it. I'm not going to speculate now on how the UK would respond to what I don't expect to be the outcome.

"But we are going into a negotiation. We expect to be able to achieve a comprehensive free trade deal with our European Union partners, but they should know that the alternative isn't Britain just slinking away into a corner."

Appearing later on Peston on Sunday, the Chancellor also faced questions over his article in The Sunday Times, in which he revealed plans to build up 60bn in reserves to deal with problems that could arise from Brexit over the next two years. Jeremy Corbyn yesterday said that the NHS and social care are in crisis and "the money's there" to deal with them. Mr Hammond said the problems with the NHS and social care were to do with an ageing population, and that it would be "reckless" simply to throw more money at it.
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Chancellor Philip Hammond will use Wednesdays Budget to announce that rising tax revenues as a result of a stronger-than-expected economy will be used to build up a 60bn reserve to deal with Brexit-related uncertainty, rather than increase spending on the NHS.

Mr Hammond will announce an extra 1.3bn for social care, but Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has warned that 12bn should be immediately redirected to the NHS, warning that the crisis is happening now.

Appearing on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show yesterday, the Chancellor also warned that the UK would be prepared to fight back and not slink off into the corner if no trade deal with the EU could be reached, and would do whatever it takes to rebuild the British economy.

Recommended Brexit could render the Budget obsolete

Mr Hammond said: If there is anybody in the European Union who thinks that if we dont do a deal with the European Union, if we dont continue to work closely together, Britain will simply slink off as a wounded animal, that is not going to happen.

British people have a great fighting spirit and we will fight back. We will forge new trade deals around the world. We will build our business globally.

We will go on from strength to strength and we will do whatever we need to do to make the British economy competitive and to make sure that this country has a great and successful future.

Mr Hammond warned that while the economy was performing better than expected, there was still a deficit. If your bank increases your overdraft limit you don't want to go and spend every penny in it, he said. Weve got enough gas in the tank to see us through that journey... that seems like a sensible approach.

Mr Hammond also warned that problems in under pressure public services were not all about money, and that issues posed by an ageing population needed more complex solutions.

There is a case for taking a longer term view to fund a service that is linked to the ageing demographic of the population, he said.

In an article for The Sunday Times, Mr Hammond wrote: As we begin our negotiations with the European Union we are embarking on a new chapter in our history.

We need to maintain our commitment to fiscal discipline and to strengthen our economic position as we forge our vision of Britains future in the world.

Meanwhile, shadow Chancellor John McDonnell told Andrew Marr: The independent estimate now on [how much is needed for the] NHS and social care is between 8bn and 12bn.

We believe that the Government now put aside, as is reported, 60bn  increased tax receipts have contributed to this as well  for a crisis in case of Brexit.

The crisis is here now. We should prepare for Brexit but some of that money now needs to deal with the crisis in the NHS and social care.
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In the 1400s, China owned the greatest seagoing fleet in the world, up to 3,500 ships at its peak. (The U.S. Navy today has only 430). Some of them were five times the size of the ships being built in Europe at the time.

But by 1525, all of China's "Treasure Fleet" ships had been destroyed -- burned in their docks or left to rot by the government. China had been poised to circumnavigate the globe decades before the Europeans did, but instead the Ming Dynasty retracted into itself and entered a 200-year-long slump.

Few people in the West realise how economically and technologically advanced China was by the 1400s. The Treasure Fleet was vast -- some vessels were up to 120 metres long. (Christopher Columbus's Santa Maria was only 19 metres.) A Chinese ship might have several decks inside it, up to nine masts, twelve sails, and contain luxurious staterooms and balconies, with a crew of up to 1,500, according to one description. On one journey, 317 of these ships set sail at once.

Under the command of the eunuch admiral Zheng He, the Chinese were routinely sailing to Africa and back decades before Columbus was even born. Yet they did not go on to conquer the world. Instead, the Chinese decided to destroy their boats and stop sailing West.

In the 1470s the government destroyed Zheng's records so that his expeditions could not be repeated. And by 1525 all the ships in the Treasure Fleet were gone.

Why?

Historians have a variety of explanations. The Yongle Emperor was distracted by a land war against the Mongols, a conflict in which the navy was irrelevant, for instance. Others argue that the vast cost of the Treasure Fleet's expeditions far outweighed the actual treasure they came back with.

But Angus Deaton, the Nobel Prize-winning Princeton economist, prefers a different theory. In his book "The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality," he argues that the Chinese burned their boats (almost literally) in an attempt to control foreign trade.

The Treasure Fleet was abandoned at the urging of the political elite inside the Emperor's civil service who had become alarmed at the rise of a newly rich merchant class. "The emperors of China, worried about threats to their power from merchants, banned oceangoing voyages in 1430, so that Admiral Zheng He's explorations were an end, not a beginning," Deaton writes.

(Wikimedia Commons)

China retracted into itself and the industrial revolution sprouted first in Western Europe, three centuries later. China's influence on the world got smaller until the 1600s. And only in the last 10 years or so has China fully caught up with the West.

Over coffee at the World Economic Forum in Davos this year, I asked Deaton if he thought the Treasure Fleet story was newly relevant, given the sudden desire in the US and the UK to withdraw from international free trade agreements in favour of protectionist policies. I also wanted to know whether he thought the fear of trade might also be a function of increasing inequality in the West. When society becomes extremely unequal, elites tend to gain enough power to use the government to secure artificial advantages that shield them from competition.

In other words, are we looking at another Treasure Fleet moment right now, and failing to see the danger of elite-driven rentier mercantilism?

"A lot of inequality comes from that sort of rent-seeking, you know, from going to Washington and saying 'protect my industry, or let me charge whatever I want for pharmaceutical prices, and pass a law which says that everything that's approved by the FDA must be covered by government health schemes,' and that's basically legalised theft," Deaton said.

"So you've got a big number of people in banks, pharmaceutical companies, the military, and so on in the US who are getting fabulously rich by stealing stuff essentially, and I think that pisses off [people]."

"The bank bailout gave hundreds of billions of public money to people who were already probably the richest people the planet has ever seen, right? Now it doesn't make you 'deplorable' if you resent that. I think that's the truth of where inequality is really hurting us. These people are being rewarded for hurting us."

OK, so tracing a direct link from the Treasure Fleet of the 1400s to Trump and Brexit might be a stretch.

But it's more than a little ironic that 500 years after Zhenge He set sail, the Chinese empire is now begging the West to keep trade routes open. The West, meanwhile, wants to put up new barriers. At the same time as Deaton and I discussed the fate of the Treasure Fleet, Chinese president Xi Jinping went on stage at Davos to castigate Trump and the US for being scared of international trade. He used nautical terms to do so:

"If one is always afraid of the sea he will get drowned in the ocean sooner or later. So what China did was to take a brave step forward and embrace the market. We have had our fair share of choking in the water and we have encountered choppy waves. But we have learned how to swim in this process. It has been the right strategic choice ... whether you like it or not the global market is the big ocean you cannot escape from," Xi said.

No doubt Admiral Zhenge He would have approved.

This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author.

Read more:

A tiny California college whose graduates outearn Harvard and Stanford grads is changing how we train students to enter the job market

A psychologist explains how to tell if you're ready for a committed relationship

 You can program this cheap robotic arm to do anything you want

Read the original article on Business Insider UK.  2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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Donald Trump's political career was born amid the fever swamps of the far right. He seized on a favorite conspiracy theories bubbling there -- that then President Barack Obama was not, in fact, born in the United States and therefore was an illegitimate president -- to boost his profile in national politics.

That boost eventually led to his 2016 candidacy. That candidacy led to President Donald Trump. But what never changed is Trump's roots in the conspiracy theory world.

Witness a series of Trump tweets Saturday morning that suggest he was the target of a wire-tapping campaign authorized by President Barack Obama during the 2016 race.

"Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!"

There is, as you likely already guessed, no detail about the alleged wire-tapping included in any of the Trump tweets. Trump's tweets appear to trace back to an article on Breitbart News on Friday headlined "Mark Levin to Congress: Investigate Obama's 'Silent Coup' vs. Trump." That article, based heavily on conservative talk radio host Levin's views, suggest the Obama administration conducted a "silent coup" to keep Trump from the presidency.

Here's the key paragraph:

"Obama administration sought, and eventually obtained, authorization to eavesdrop on the Trump campaign; continued monitoring the Trump team even when no evidence of wrongdoing was found; then relaxed the NSA rules to allow evidence to be shared widely within the government, virtually ensuring that the information, including the conversations of private citizens, would be leaked to the media."

The problem here, of course, is that what Levin -- and Breitbart -- use as evidence for these claims are a series of seemingly unconnected events -- from FISA court requests to Trump joking about the Russia email hack to the release of Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta's emails in the fall. The proof that all -- or any -- of these events are tied together by actual facts as opposed to supposition is not offered.

The idea that Obama's administration authorized -- and was able to get approval for -- the wire-tapping of the opposition party's candidate for president is, frankly, far-fetched. And, if someone is making that claim -- as Trump is now doing -- the burden of proof is on them. If you are going to say there is a grand conspiracy that only you and a handful of others see, you need to offer a step-by-step explanation to the broader public to show why you're right.

It seems unlikely -- given Trump's past pattern of making baseless claims without proof and then simply insisting he is right and no evidence is needed to prove the point -- that any meaningful effort will be made by the Trump administration to connect the dots on this alleged wire-tapping conspiracy.

Here's the thing: Conspiracy theorists see everything as connected. If you doubt them, well of course you do because you're in on it. That's not the standard that we can have for the president of the United States. Proof is required.

The ball is in Donald Trump's court. Short of convincing evidence to back up the wire-tapping claims, the conspiracy theory candidate has become the conspiracy theory president.

(C) Washington Post
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Women and children crossing together illegally into the United States could be separated by US authorities under a proposal being considered by the Department of Homeland Security, according to three government officials.

Part of the reason for the proposal is to deter mothers from migrating to the United States with their children, said the officials, who have been briefed on the proposal.

The policy shift would allow the government to keep parents in custody while they contest deportation or wait for asylum hearings. Children would be put into protective custody with the Department of Health and Human Services, in the "least restrictive setting" until they can be taken into the care of a US relative or state-sponsored guardian.

Currently, families contesting deportation or applying for asylum are generally released from detention quickly and allowed to remain in the United States until their cases are resolved. A federal appeals court ruling bars prolonged child detention.

Recommended Donald Trump seems to admit Mexico will never pay for his border wall

President Donald Trump has called for ending "catch and release," in which migrants who cross illegally are freed to live in the United States while awaiting legal proceedings.

Two of the officials were briefed on the proposal at a Feb. 2 town hall for asylum officers by US Citizenship and Immigration Services asylum chief John Lafferty.

A third DHS official said the department is actively considering separating women from their children but has not made a decision.

HHS and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.

In a statement to Reuters, DHS said: "The journey north is a dangerous one with too many situations where children - brought by parents, relatives or smugglers - are often exploited, abused or may even lose their lives.

"With safety in mind, the Department of Homeland Security continually explores options that may discourage those from even beginning the journey," the statement said.

US Representative Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat whose district includes about 200 miles (320 km) of the border with Mexico, slammed the proposal. "Bottom line: separating mothers and children is wrong," he said in a statement.

"That type of thing is where we depart from border security and get into violating human rights," he said.

About 54,000 children and their guardians were apprehended between Oct. 1, 2016, and Jan. 31, 2017, more than double the number caught over the same time period a year earlier.

Republicans in Congress have argued women are willing to risk the dangerous journey with their children because they are assured they will be quickly released from detention and given court dates set years into the future.

Immigrant rights advocates have argued that Central America's violent and impoverished conditions force mothers to immigrate to the United States and that they should be given asylum status.

Implementing the new policy proposal "could create lifelong psychological trauma," said Marielena Hincapie, executive director at the National Immigration Law Center. "Especially for children that have just completed a perilous journey from Central America."

Hincapie said the US government is likely to face legal challenges based on immigration and family law if they decide to implement the policy.

The policy would allow DHS to detain parents while complying with a 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals order from July 2016 that immigrant children should be released from detention as quickly as possible. That order said their parents were not required to be freed.

To comply with that order, the Obama administration implemented a policy of holding women and children at family detention centers for no more than 21 days before releasing them.

Holding mothers in prolonged detention could also strain government resources, said Randy Capps of the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington-based non-profit.

aYou are talking about a pretty rapid increase in the detention population if you are going to do this," Capps said. "The question is really how much detention can they afford."

Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly last week ordered immigration agents to deport or criminally prosecute parents who facilitate the illegal smuggling of their children.

Many parents who arrive on the US-Mexico border with their children have paid smugglers to guide them across the dangerous terrain.

Reuters
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A local representative in Oklahoma who once called Islam a cancer has issued a series of questions  including Do you beat your wife?  for Muslim constituents hoping to meet him.

Republican State Rep. John Bennetts office distributed the questionnaire as Cair-OK, the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, ran its third annual Muslim day at the Capitol building in Oklahoma City last week. Mr Bennetts office presented the list of questions to three Muslim school students who sought to speak to him at his office.

One of the 18 questions in the form is reported to have read: (The prophet) Mohammed was a killer of pagans, Christians and Jews that did not agree with him... do you agree with his example?

The form invites Muslims to clarify whether they would denounce groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah and whether they believed former Muslims should be punished for relinquishing their faith. They were also asked whether they believed the application of Sharia law should extend to non-Muslims.

The questionnaire drew a swift rebuke from civil rights groups including Cair  the USs largest Muslim rights group which has a 40,000-strong membership in Oklahoma.

Nobody should be vetted with stupid, Islamophobic, hateful, bigoted questions before they can meet with their representative, said Adam Soltani, the executive director of Cair-OK.

Mr Bennett did not return a message courting his response to the questionnaire on Saturday.

In 2014, he made the headlines after referring to Islam as a cancer in our nation that needs to be cut out.

More recently, Mr Bennett came under fire when he posted a news story on Facebook critical of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and added the comment 2 words... firing squad.

He has also referred to Cair as a terrorist organisation.

Its frustrating that Representative Bennett keeps pressing the issue in the way he does, said Anna Facci, government affairs director for Cair-OK, but its not surprising.

Associated Press
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Horror writer Stephen King has taken to Twitter to ridicule Donald Trump with a series of his own conspiracy theories, after the President claimed Barack Obama had wiretapped his offices.

Inspired by the Mr Trump's own dramatic narrative, King imagined a scenario in which Mr Obama had not only installed the wire tap personally, but also stolen ice cream from the White House.

The author also suggested he might still be concealed somewhere in the building.

The tweets were written in the Presidents distinctive style, with words capitalised for emphasis, and included his trademark sign-off,SAD!

Mr King has been a consistently vocal critic of President Trump, using Twitter to accuse the President of suppressing press freedom, tax dodging, and discrimination with the travel ban from Muslim-majority countries entering the US.

The author of cult novels Carrie and The Shining last took to Twitter to write a new horror story in 140 characters in October: one in which there was a man named Donald Trump, and he ran for President.

Mr Trump claimed in a series of explosive tweets on Saturday morning that Mr Obama had wire tapped his New York offices during the election campaign, without citing any evidence to back up the allegation.

The President drew parallels between the alleged surveillance and the 1972 Watergate scandal - in which the Nixon administration was found to have bugged the offices of political opponents - and invited a good lawyer to make a case against Mr Obama.

The Obama administration has strongly denied the allegations.

Obama's spokesman Kevin Lewis released a statement Saturday afternoon refuting Trump's wire-tapping claims, which said: 'A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice.

 Obama spokesman responds to Trump's wiretapping accusations

'As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false.'

However, the statement did not deny that another federal agency may have sought authorisation to listen in on Trump Towers and received it.
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President Donald Trump has appeared to promote conspiracy theories about the Democratic National Committee and Russia.

Mr Trump asked in a tweet: "Is it true the DNC would not allow the FBI access to check server or other equipment after learning it was hacked? Can that be possible?"

He followed that up by asking: "Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, "Tell Vladimir that after the election I'll have more flexibility?"

The DNC reportedly "did not allow" the FBI to examine its hacked computer servers before the intelligence agency issued a report blaming Russia as the culprit.

The FBI repeatedly stressed to DNC officials the necessity of obtaining direct access to servers and data, only to be rebuffed until well after the initial compromise had been mitigated, Buzzfeed reported an FBI statement as saying.

This left the FBI no choice but to rely upon a third party for information. These actions caused significant delays and inhibited the FBI from addressing the intrusion earlier.

Mr Trump jumped on the news, tweeting further doubt about whether Russia was involved.

Donald Trump blames Obama for 'some leaks'

Mr Trump's second tweet is a reference to former President Barack Obama telling then Russian President Dmitri Medvedev in 2012 he would have "more flexibility" after his election to negotiate issues such as missile defence.

It comes after White House officials reportedly said they have no idea where he got his information from when he claimed Mr Obama had wire-tapped his phones during the election.

Mr Trump provided no evidence for his claim.
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President Donald Trump reportedly went into a "ballistic" rant against his senior staff over Attorney General Jeff Sessions stepping aside from investigations into Russia's interference in the presidential election.

Mr Trump is growing increasingly angry at the performance of his senior staff and at the way the Russia investigation is overshadowing his political message, several sources told multiple publications.

He called his inner circle to the Oval Office at the end of last week to talk about this week's schedule, but the meeting became heated when the topic turned to Mr Sessions.

Sources told CNN Mr Trump used "a lot of expletives" and "nobody has seen him that upset".

Other sources told Politico there were "fireworks" during the "robust discussion".

 Trump says he still has 'total' confidence in Jeff Sessions

Mr Trump reportedly thinks Mr Sessions recusal was unnecessary and only served to embolden his political opponents.

Mr Sessions recused himself hours after Mr Trump told reporters he had "total" confidence in him and saw no reason he should stand aside.

He had come under fire for his contact with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak before the election.

Under sworn testimony to senators, he previously said there had been no meetings.

We should have had a good week. We should have had a good weekend. But once again, back to Russia," a senior White House official told ABC News.

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

After the meeting, Mr Trump's chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon did not accompany the president on his trip to Florida, as was previously planned.

It is unclear if Mr Trump told the pair to remain behind or whether they offered and he concurred.

Mr Bannon later travelled to Florida over the weekend to join Mr Trump for dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
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The Keystone XL oil pipeline will not use American steel, seemingly contrary to a Donald Trump election pledge.

The White House has claimed this is due to the language used in a presidential directive, which applies to new pipelines or those under repair.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House spokeswoman, has said it would be difficult for US steel to be used on the Keystone pipeline as it is already under construction.

As recently as last week, Mr Trump had pledged that the Dakota Access pipeline and Keystone would not be built unless American steel was used.

The company responsible for building Keystone, TransCanada, has said the majority of the steel would come from North America, which includes Canada and Mexico.

Soon after taking office, Mr Trump used his executive powers to restart the two pipeline projects that had been blocked by his predecessor, Barack Obama.

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 Keystone pipeline will run from Canada to refineries in the Gulf Coast.

It was commissioned in 2010 and has attracted a range of environmental protests. The pipeline was rejected in 2015 by Mr Obama.
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US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has been accused of going missing in action after the low key release of the departments annual human rights report.

The publication of the report, which is written by overseas diplomatic staff and details human rights abuses around the world, is usually a high profile event in the advocacy calendar.

An occasion normally accompanied by TV appearances by the Secretary of State was instead marked to reporters speaking with an anonymous official by phone.

 Rodrigo Duterte says he 'doesn't give a s*** about human rights' as 3,500 killed in war on drugs

The occasion was slammed by critics, who said the State Department risked been seen by human rights abusers as silent on repression, abuse, and exploitation.

Mr Tillerson made no public appearance at all, not did any of his representatives  unlike the last two administrations.

By phone, the official told Reuters: The report speaks for itself. Were very, very proud of it. The facts should really be the story here.

Mr Tillerson has maintained a low profile since his confirmation, rarely appearing in public, and has apparently avoided much of the scandal that has engulfed much of the administration.

In the introduction to the report, he wrote: Our values are our interests when it comes to human rights [the report] underscores our commitment to freedom, democracy, and the human rights guaranteed to all individuals around the world.

The report does not hold back from its content, extensively critiquing the human rights records of countries such as the Philippines, Russia and Turkey.

But human rights advocates criticised Mr Tillerson for his non-appearance.

Tom Malinowski, assistant secretary for human rights under the previous administration, said in a Tweet that the Secretary was Missing In Action.

He also retweeted a message from Senator Marco Rubio, who said before the report was released he hoped the State Departments head would reconsider not presenting it.

Leading NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) also reacted to the news. Trumps anti-Muslim refugee policy and hinted cuts to foreign aid have heightened concerns that the US wont be a vocal player on human rights issues abroad, said Sarah Margon, Washington Director at HRW.

She added: Secretary Tillersons absence from the State Departments annual human rights report release reinforces the message to governments, rights activists and at-risk minorities that the State Department might also be silent on repression, abuse, and exploitation.

On Twitter, Kenneth Roth, HRWs executive director, said Mr Tillerson feared discussing human rights.

Human rights attacks around the world Show all 10 1 /10 Human rights attacks around the world Human rights attacks around the world China Escalating crackdown against human rights activists including mass arrests of lawyers and a series of sweeping laws in the name of national security. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Egypt The arrest of thousands, including peaceful critics, in a ruthless crackdown in the name of national security, the prolonged detention of hundreds without charge or trial and the sentencing of hundreds of others to death. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Gambia Torture, enforced disappearances and the criminalisation of LGBTI people; and utter refusal to co-operate with the UN and regional human rights mechanisms on issues including freedom of expression, enforced disappearance and the death penalty. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Hungary Sealing off its borders to thousands of refugees in dire need; and obstructing collective regional attempts to help them. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Israel Maintaining its military blockade of Gaza and therefore collective punishment of the 1.8 million inhabitants there, as well as failing, like Palestine, to comply with a UN call to conduct credible investigations into war crimes committed during the 2014 Gaza conflict. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Kenya Extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and discrimination against refugees in its counter-terrorism operations; and attempts to undermine the International Criminal Court and its ability to pursue justice. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Pakistan The severe human rights failings of its response to the horrific Peshawar school massacre including its relentless use of the death penalty; and its policy on international NGOs giving authorities the power to monitor them and close them down if they are considered to be against the interests of the country. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Russia Repressive use of vague national security and anti-extremism legislation and its concerted attempts to silence civil society in the country; its shameful refusal to acknowledge civilian killings in Syria and its callous moves to block Security Council action on Syria. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Saudi Arabia Brutally cracking down on those who dared to advocate reform or criticise the authorities; and committing war crimes in the bombing campaign it has led in Yemen (pictured) while obstructing the establishment of a UN-led inquiry into violations by all sides in the conflict. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Syria Killing thousands of civilians in direct and indiscriminate attacks with barrel bombs and other weaponry and through acts of torture in detention; and enforcing lengthy sieges of civilian areas, blocking international aid from reaching starving civilians. Getty Images

And Rob Berschinski, senior vice president for policy at Human Rights First, said: Its just signalling a lack of basic interest and understanding in how support for human rights reflects whats best about America.

Mr Tillerson, until recently chief executive of ExxonMobil, the largest oil company in the world, has also snubbed a request for a UN meeting over climate change.
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Tony Blair has dismissed a report he is in talks to become an adviser to US President Donald Trump as an invention.

The former Prime Minister was said to have met Mr Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, three times in recent months, including a three-hour encounter in the West Wing of the White House.

The Mail on Sunday reported Mr Blair wanted to become a Middle East peace envoy for the President. It is a role he held for eight years representing the Quartet of powers (the UN, the US, the EU and Russia) seeking to mediate the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, before he stepped down in 2015.

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 ex-Labour leader's office said it did not comment on private meetings.

A statement read: The story in the Mail on Sunday is an invention. Mr Blair has made no such pitch to be the Presidents Middle East envoy.

Neither has he had any discussions about taking such a role or any role working for the new President. He has been working on the peace process for 10 years. He continues to do so. He does so in a private capacity. He will continue to do it in that way. Period.

The Mail on Sunday reported that Mr Blair met Mr Kushner, who is now an adviser to the President, for the first time in September last year. They reportedly met a second time in November after Mr Trumps election win, ahead of the latest apparent encounter in Washington.

The President has put Mr Kushner in charge of brokering a peace deal between the Israelis and Palestinians.

During Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus visit to Washington, Mr Trump suggested his administration would no longer insist on the creation of an independent Palestinian state as part of any peace accord.

While he later expressed his preference for the option, he repeated that he would be satisfied with whatever makes both parties happy.

Former Secretary of State John Kerry had the Obama administrations last word on the conflict, when he said he feared the two-state solution was in peril.
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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has pledged to make the country's smoggy skies blue again and "work faster" to address pollution caused by the burning of coal for heat and electricity.

His words to delegates at the opening of the annual National People's Congress highlight how public discontent has made reducing smog, the most visible of China's environment problems, a priority for the leadership. The 10-day event got underway under a sunny blue sky, thanks to heavy gusts from the north that cleared away the unhealthy grey from the day before.

Protests have increasingly broken out in cities where residents oppose the building of chemical plants and garbage incinerators, as China's middle class grows increasingly vocal in awareness of the dangers of pollution.

In a report to China's ceremonial legislature, Li said that "people are desperately hoping for" faster progress to improve air quality. "We will make our skies blue again," he declared to almost 3,000 delegates in the Great Hall of the People.

Recommended European smog could be 27 times more toxic than air pollution in China

He said the government intends over the next year to step up work to upgrade coal-fired power plants to achieve ultra-low emissions and energy conservation, and prioritise the integration of renewable energy sources into the electricity grid.

Meanwhile, China's top economic official trimmed the country's growth target and warned of dangers from global pressure for trade controls, as Beijing tries to build a consumer-driven economy and reduce reliance on exports and investment.

In a speech to the national legislature, Premier Li Keqiang promised more steps to cut surplus steel production that is straining trade relations with Washington and Europe. He pledged equal treatment for foreign companies, apparently responding to complaints Beijing is trying to squeeze them out of technology and other promising markets.

Li's report set the growth target for the world's second-largest economy at "around 6.5 percent or higher, if possible." That is down from last year's 6.7 percent expansion but, if achieved, would be among the world's strongest, reflecting confidence that efforts to create new industries are gaining traction.

The premier called for attention to the risks of China's surging debt levels, which economists see as a rising threat to growth.

Li announced no major initiatives, but that was widely expected as the ruling Communist Party tries to avoid shocks ahead of a congress late this year at which President Xi Jinping is due to be given a second five-year term as leader. Analysts expect Chinese leaders to use the legislative meeting to emphasise reducing financial risks and keeping growth stable.

At a time of demands in the United States and Europe for trade controls, Li warned China faces "more complicated and graver situations" at home and abroad.

"Both the de-globalisation trend and protectionism are growing," Li said. "There are many uncertainties about the direction of the major economies' policies and their spillover effects, and the factors that could cause instability and uncertainty are visibly increasing."

Chinese leaders have publicly defended free trade in response to President Donald Trump's promises to raise duties on Chinese goods, though Beijing's trading partners complain China is the most closed major economy.

China "may be adversely affected" if Trump goes ahead with "tough policies," but the impact should be limited, said economist Song Lifang at Renmin University in Beijing.

"With China's domestic economy still in the phase of transformation, the tasks for China's economic growth are arduous but with great potential," said Song.

Growth has cooled steadily since 2010 as communist leaders try to develop a consumer-driven economy and reduce reliance on trade, heavy industry and investment.

The latest growth target is in line with those reforms and efforts to create a "moderately prosperous society," Li said.

Chinese leaders have tried to downplay the significance of the growth target and shift focus to improvements in incomes, consumer spending and other factors. But the target is closely watched as a forecast of economic performance, which has repercussions throughout Asia, where China is the biggest trading partner for all its neighbours.

Sunday's report calls for the creation of 11 million new jobs, an increase from last year's target of 10 million, in a possible sign of increased official optimism.

Party leaders have pledged repeatedly to give entrepreneurs, who create most of China's new jobs and wealth, a bigger economic role. But reform advocates complain state companies still control industries from banking to telecoms to energy and benefit from monopolies, low-cost bank loans and other favours.

Li also promised foreign companies equal treatment with their Chinese counterparts under a government development strategy dubbed "China Manufacturing 2025."

That follows complaints by US and European business groups that Beijing appears to be trying to squeeze foreign companies out of promising markets including software and other technology.

Turning to political affairs, Li warned Beijing would not tolerate any movement by the self-ruled Taiwan's popularly elected government towards formal independence.

"We will resolutely oppose and contain separatist activities for Taiwan independence," he said.

A spokeswoman for the legislature told reporters on Saturday that spending on China's military, the world's second-highest after the United States, would rise by 7 percent this year. However, unlike in previous years, no budget figure was released.

Beijing's military spending has grown by double digits almost every year for most of the past two decades.

Associated Press
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Results of a post-mortem examination on the Berlin Christmas market attacker Anis Amri indicate he was a frequent drug user, an Italian official has said.

Amri, who ploughed the lorry into a busy Christmas market on 19 December and was subsequently shot by police, was a frequent user of both cocaine and hashish.

The official said it was not possible, however, to determine whether Amri had used the drugs before the massacre that killed 12 people and injured dozens more.

Amri had fled the scene following the attack, but was later identified after his wallet, identification, phone and fingerprints were found at the crime scene.

The 24-year-old failed Tunisian asylum seeker was killed four days later during a routine stop by police in a Milan suburb.

Investigations confirmed a video of Amri pledging allegiance to Isis that was released by the group following his death to be authentic.

Amri was found to be drug dealing when he was placed under surveillance as a potential terror risk several months prior to the attack, during which officers failed to uncover evidence of extremism.

Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Show all 18 1 /18 Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Several people have been killed after a lorry drove into crowds at a Christmas market in Berlin REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch Berlin Christmas market lorry attack 'At least nine' people have been killed and more than 50 injured. AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Emergency Services rush a Berlin market victim to an ambulance Associated Press Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Police cordoned off the square at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church following the incident REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Rescue workers inspect the lorry that crashed into a Christmas market close to the Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church in Berlin EPA Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Emergency crews inspect the lorry that ploughed into a Berlin Christmas market, killing at least nine people AFP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Fire crews attend the scene of the attack AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Armed police secure the site of a lorry attack at a Christmas market in Berlin REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Crushed debris is visible beneath the wheels of the vehicle REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack An injured man is pushed to an ambulance REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Medics attend an injured person after the lorry attack which killed at least nine and injured more than 50 people AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters examine the lorry which was rammed into a Berlin Christmas market REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack A person is carried into an ambulance REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack View of the lorry that crashed into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing at least nine and injuring at least 50 people AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Rescue workers push a person on a stretcher to an ambulance Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters assess the damage after the lorry rammed the Christmas market, killing 'at least nine', and injuring more than 50 people AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters stand beside a toppled Christmas tree at the site of the suspected terrorist attack in a Berlin Christmas market AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Damaged stalls at the scene of the incident at a Berlin Christmas market where at least nine people have been killed EPA

The Tunisian man had a lengthy criminal history, including armed robbery in his home country and arson in Italy, where he was jailed for four years after arriving in Europe by boat in 2011.

Amris brothers believe he was radicalised during his imprisonment, travelling onwards to Germany where he became part of an Islamist network including two hate preachers who have since been jailed for supporting Isis.
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French presidential candidate Francois Fillon urged his supporters not to give up the fight in the race to the Elysee Palace after his wife hit back at critics in a fake work scandal that has all but ended his campaign.

Speaking in front of a crowd of thousands in Paris, the 63-year-old candidate for Les Republicains party embarked on a last-ditch attempt to save his candidacy, giving what commentators dubbed the speech of his life.

In calling the rally, Mr Fillon aimed to show his opponents he still has a large body of dedicated support in spite of being mired in a weeks-long series of corruption allegations.

Later in the day, he declared during a television interview that he would not withdraw his candidacy, despite growing pressures for him to go.

"Nobody can prevent me from being a candidate," he said, adding that his decision was based on the general interest and that any "improvised candidate" would lead to failure.

Meanwhile, his Wales-born wife Penelope Fillon defended having worked for her husband in her first interview since those claims emerged. Newspaper allegations, that she and the couples children were paid substantial sums for parliamentary aide work they never carried out, have seen Mr Fillon go from clear favourite to third in the polls behind youthful independent Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Mr Fillon and his wife have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and the right-wing candidate slammed the Penelopegate scandal as a political assassination.

Speaking to the Journal du Dimanche, Ms Fillon said: He needed someone that carried out his tasks. If it hadnt been me, he would have paid someone else to do it, so we decided that it would be me."

She said the breaking scandal had felt like being struck by lightning.

This is the worst I have had to live through in my life," she said. "I was so surprised by the violence and hysteria that I have found refuge in my Welsh stubbornness.

I did not believe that I was doing politics. I was working for my husband. My role was to help him interact with his constituency as an elected representative."

On the prospect of her husband stepping down from the presidential race, she said: "I told him that he had to keep going until the end. But the decision will be down to him."

Ms Fillon's words of support for her husband come as senior conservative politicians said they would propose an alternative candidate to Mr Fillon as soon as Monday morning.

Christian Estrosi, a senior Conservative politician and a close ally of former President Nicolas Sarkozy, told BFM TV: In the coming hours, we will propose an initiative.

"We do not have the time to debate who has the most talent. I don't think any of the forty-somethings in our political movement, who have talent, can take on the role to bring us together."

"The easiest thing obviously ... Is the person who came second in the primaries and that quite simply is Alain Juppe, he said.

Mr Estrosi is not the only one to call for Mr Fillon to leave.

The head of Frances centre-right Union of Democrats and Independents (UDI) party, Jean-Christophe Lagarde, also said he wanted Mr Fillon to quit the election race in favour of former prime minister Mr Juppe. He warned that if Mr Fillon did not stand down, it would mean defeat for the conservatives.

Speaking on Europe 1 radio, he said: With Fillon it's a certain failure. This [rally] is an excess because you don't put the street up against the [states] institutions. Even if there are 200,000 people, to win a presidential election you need 20 million people.

In the Olympics when the gold medal winner is disqualified, then its the silver medal holder that takes over.

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

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo also spoke out against the rally saying it was against republican values and she previously urged Mr Fillon to get his dignity back by calling it off.

Even inside the Fillon camp, support seemed to dwindle.

A poll published in the Journal du Dimanche showed more than 70 per cent of French voters want Mr Fillon to withdraw his presidential bid.

The same survey suggests Mr Juppe, who lost to Mr Fillon in the November party primary, was best placed to step in. He received a personal approval rating of 64 per cent compared to 29 per cent for Mr Fillon.

Immediately following Mr Fillons television interview, Mr Juppe announced that he will hold a press conference on Monday morning.

It comes after Mr Fillon's campaign manager Patrick Stefanini announced his resignation  the third aide to quit in quick succession.

Mr Fillon, who is renowned for his reactionary views, also pulled out of an early Monday morning radio appearance that aimed to discuss his campaign.

Europe 1 radio presenter Thomas Sotto tweeted: Francois Fillon has officially cancelled his appearance on Europe 1s morning show tomorrow.

Opinion polls continue to show Mr Fillon would fail to make it to the second round of the election. Instead, centrist candidate Macron is benefiting from a boost in the polls and is consolidating his position to win the election in a head-to-head against Front National candidate Marine Le Pen.

The first round of the French elections will be held on 23 April and all presidential candidates must be formally endorsed by at least 500 elected officials before 17 March.
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Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Germany of "Nazi practices" days after a local authority prevented a Turkish minister from addressing a rally.

Last week, German authorities withdrew permission for two rallies by Turkish residents in German cities amid growing public outrage over Ankara's arrest of a Turkish-German journalist.

The planned rallies were part of a Turkish government campaign to win support among Germany's 1.5 million-strong Turkish community for sweeping new presidential powers going to referendum in April.

"In Germany, they are not allowing our friends to speak," Mr Erdogan said at a rally in Istanbul. "Let them do so. Do you think that by not allowing them to speak the votes in Germany will come out 'no' instead of 'yes'?"

He added: "Germany, you don't have anything to do with democracy. These current practices of yours are no different than the Nazi practices of the past."

 President Erdogan and opposition unite in Turkey rally

Relations between the two NATO partners deteriorated sharply after a failed July coup bid against Mr Erdogan, when Ankara accused Berlin and other capitals of failing to condemn rogue military elements quickly or convincingly enough.

Mr Erdogan, who has been accused by critics of increasingly authoritarian tendencies, has accused Germany of harbouring enemies of Turkey, from Kurdish militants to coup organisers.

He has been sharply criticised in western Europe for mass dismissals and arrests of suspected conspirators, from judges to journalists.

Berlin has demanded the release of a German journalist arrested in Turkey last week, whom Mr Erdogan described as a "German agent".

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

"We will talk about Germany's actions in the international arena and we will put them to shame in the eyes of the world," Mr Erdogan said.

"We don't want to see the Nazi world anymore. We don't want to see their fascist actions. We thought that era was in the past, but apparently it isn't."

Julia Kloeckner, a deputy leader of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, told the German daily Bild Mr Erdogan's Nazi comparison was "a new pinnacle of immoderation."

"Mr. Erdogan is reacting like a stubborn child who can't get his own way," she told the paper.

Ms Kloeckner said Mr Erdogan must apologise for the Nazi comparison: "True statesman do not speak in such terms."
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The seven-year-old girl, who captured the worlds attention for tweeting the horrors of Aleppo, has written a letter to Theresa May, calling on the Prime Minister not to forget the dying children of Syria.

In her letter, Bana al-Abed wrote: I am looking for help for the suffering of the people of Syria. Can you send them medicine, doctors, water and milk?

Have you seen the young children, who are dying because of hunger? I have seen them. They live if we give them only food but no-one cares.

I am very sad. Promise me you will send them food and medicine now please. Dont forget them.

Bana said her mother Fatemeh, who teaches her daughter English and helped her set-up the Twitter account, assisted her in writing the letter.

Her letter comes after the Government scrapped a scheme to provide support and sanctuary to lone children fleeing war in Syria.

The UN estimates that at least 15,000 children are among the more than 300,000 people who have been killed in Syria's six-year-old civil war.

On Sunday, a UN humanitarian agency said 66,000 people have been displaced in northern Syria, where the conflict continues to rage.

Previously, Bana wrote a letter from Aleppo begging Donald Trump for help for Syrian children.

You must do something for the children of Syria because they are like your children and deserve peace like you. I beg you, can you do something for the children of Syria? If you can, I will be your best friend, she said to the US President.

At the end of last month, Bana also wrote a letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin she posted on Twitter, telling them: Please stop the bombing and go to jail now for killing my friends.

Bana and her family were evacuated from war-torn East Aleppo in December, after the city fell back under the control of the Syrian government
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A Syrian pilot whose plane crashed in Turkey has said his plane was shot down, despite the regime's military saying it had crashed due to technical difficulties.

The Syrian airforce pilot said in an initial statement to Turkish authorities his aircraft was shot down on its way to strike rural areas near Idlib, northern Syria, the state-run Anadolu agency.

He had bailed out as his warplane crashed on Turkish territory was found by a Turkish rescue team and is being treated at a hospital in the Hatay region.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli told reporters that the pilot had "a few" broken bones but was not in critical condition.

Asked whether he would be returned to Syria, Mr Canikli said the decision "will be made in the coming days" after the full scope of the pilot's duties and activities had been "clarified".

The 56-year-old pilot said his MIG 23 had taken off from Latakia in Syria.

Ahrar al-Sham released a video claiming to show the plane being shot down with an anti-aircraft gun, but President Bashar al-Assad's military said it crashed due to technical difficulties.

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 Islamist alliance, which controls large swathes of Idlib province, claimed it downed the jet using a 23 millimetre machine gun as it was bombing the countryside in the north-west of the province.

The governor of Hatay province, Erdal Ata, said there had been no violation of Turkish airspace and no intervention by Turkish forces.

Syrian helicopters were shot down for violating Turkish airspace in 2013 and 2015, and a Syrian MIG jet was shot down in 2014 for the same violation.

A Russian military plane was similarly shot down by Turkey for violating airspace in 2015, leading to months of tension between Ankara and Moscow.

Additional reporting by AP
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The official number of civilians killed in the US-led coalitions air strikes in Syria and Iraq has risen to 220 amid fears for up to 750,000 people trapped in Mosul.

Humanitarian organisations have warned that the real total may be far higher, with monitoring group Airwars counting at least 2,400 innocent men, women and children killed in the anti-Isis bombing campaign.

US Central Command, which leaders Operation Inherent Resolve, confirmed 21 civilian deaths in nine new incidents in its latest round of investigations.

We regret the unintentional loss of civilian lives resulting from coalition efforts to defeat Isis in Iraq and Syria and express our deepest sympathies to the families and others affected by these strikes, a spokesperson said.

The deadliest single strike was in Mosul on 13 January, where investigators found eight civilians were unintentionally killed in an operation targeting Isis fighters in a house.

It was unclear whether the report described the same incident reported on the day by residents, who said up to 30 members of an Isis commanders family died when their house was bombed, despite the target not being inside.

During post-strike video analysis civilians were identified near the house who were not evident prior to the strike, Centcoms report said.

 Air strikes destroy Islamic State drone base in Mosul

Several deadly incidents involved strikes on Isis oil trade as part of a high-profile operation to reduce the groups revenue streams.

Three men driving oil tankers were killed in a raid near the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor on 27 November, while the drivers of other destroyed vehicles managed to flee before the bombs hit.

After warning shots were fired to dislodge drivers from the vehicles a number of the trucks scattered, said Centcoms report.

Three of the trucks were subsequently engaged, destroyed, and their drivers presumed killed.

Five more oil tanker drivers were killed in another operation in the same area on 11 December, when they allegedly returned to their vehicles after the warning shots.

In two similar incidents on 7 January, two civilians were killed near As Sawa in Syria, and another driver near Deir Ezzor.

The report said the man survived the initial bombing but was killed by a secondary explosion from one of the oil tankers as he attempted to flee.

The US Department of Defense has hailed the success of the operation targeting Isis lucrative oil industry but the terrorist group is known to force local civilians into involvement, raising the likelihood of further deaths.

Two other civilians were confirmed killed in separate air strikes on the Mosul, where coalition planes are backing an advance by Iraqi government forces that has so far retaken more than half of the Iraqi city.

In pictures: Mosul offensive Show all 40 1 /40 In pictures: Mosul offensive In pictures: Mosul offensive A doctor carries an Iraqi newborn baby at a hospital in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi girls play at a yard of a school in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017alal Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A woman on crutches who is a relative of men accused of being Islamic State militants is seen at a camp in Bartella, east of Mosul, Iraq July 15, 2017. Picture taken July 15, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A displaced girl, who fled from home carries a doll at Hamam al-Alil camp south of Mosul, Iraq July 13, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi federal police members and civilians celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on 9 July 2017 after the government's announcement of the "liberation" of the embattled city. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said he was in "liberated" Mosul to congratulate "the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people on the achievement of the major victory" AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken on 9 July 2017, shows a general view of the destruction in Mosul's Old City. Iraq will announce imminently a final victory in the nearly nine-month offensive to retake Mosul from jihadists, a US general said Saturday, as celebrations broke out among police forces in the city. AFP In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of the Iraqi federal police raise the victory gesture as they ride on a humvee while advancing through the Old City of Mosul on 28 June 2017, as the offensive continues to retake the last district held by Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Smoke billows as Iraqi forces advance through the Old City of Mosul on 26 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district held by the Islamic State (IS) group. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi man wearing the green scarf of the Shi'ite faith kisses an Iraqi Army soldier on safely reaching the Iraqi forces position as Iraqi civilians flee the Old City of west Mosul where heavy fighting continues on 23 June 2017. Iraqi forces continue to encounter stiff resistance with improvised explosive devices, car bombs, heavy mortar fire and snipers hampering their advance. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken from the inside of an Iraqi forces armoured vehicle shows residents walking through a damaged street as troops advance towards Mosul's Old City on 18 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district still held by the Islamic State (IS) group. Military commanders told AFP the assault had begun at dawn after overnight air strikes by the US-led coalition backing Iraqi forces. They said the jihadists were putting up fierce resistance. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi Army soldiers advance in a destroyed street after an Iraqi forces airstrike targeted an Islamic State sniper position 17 June 2017 in al-Shifa, the last district of west Mosul under Islamic State control. IS snipers, as well as car and suicide bomb attacks continue to hinder the Iraqi forces efforts to retake the final district. A series of airstrikes by Iraqi helicopter gunships attempted to hit multiple Islamic State sniper positions in al-Shifa. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier frisks a displaced Iraqi man at a temporary camp in the compound of the closed Nineveh International Hotel in Mosul on 16 June 2017 which was recovered by Iraqi troops from Islamic State group fighters earlier in the year. A screening centre set up in the compound's fairgrounds sees a constant stream of Iraqis fleeing the battle for Mosul, awaiting their turn to be checked by the Iraqi forces who are searching for suspected Islamic State (IS) group members. The small fairground lies at the end of a pontoon bridge across the Tigris recently opened to civilians that is the only physical link between the two banks of the river. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis staying at the al-Khazir camp swim in a river near the camp for internally displaced people, located between Arbil and Mosul on 11 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi government forces drive on a road leading to Tal Afar on 9 June 2017, during ongoing battles to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi policeman carries a poster bearing an image of Mosul's iconic leaning minaret, known as the "Hadba" (Hunchback), on 22 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis stand in line to receive food aid in western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood on 7 June 2017, during ongoing battles as Iraqi forces try to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. Living conditions in Mosul have again deteriorated since the start of the Iraqi government's offensive on the city in October in which they retook a large part of the west of the city. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced Iraqis carry lightbulbs and sacks as they evacuate from western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood as government forces advance in the area during their ongoing battle against Islamic State (IS) group fighters on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) flashes the victory gesture as he patrols in western Mosul's al-Islah al-Zaraye neighbourhood on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi army soldiers from the 9th armoured division on a truck flash the sign of victory as they drive back from Mosul to the town of Qaraqosh (also known as Hamdaniya) Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of Iraqi forces flash the sign of victory on their vehicle as they advance towards Hammam al-Alil area south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi security forces gestures in Hammam al-Alil, south of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi children, one flashing the sign of victory, greet Iraqi army's soldiers from the 9th armoured division in the area of Ali Rash, adjacent to the eastern Al-Intissar neighbourhood of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Peshmerga forces look at a tunnel used by Islamic State militants near the town of Bashiqa, east of Mosul, during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier takes a photograph with his phone as his comrade stands next to a detained man, whom the Iraqi army soldiers accused of being an Islamic State fighter, who was fleeing with his family in the Intisar disrict of eastern Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iranian Kurdish female members of the Freedom Party of Kurdistan (PAK) hold a position in an area near the town of Bashiqa, some 25 kilometres north east of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families, who fled their homes in Hamam al-Alil, gather on the outskirts of their town Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced people walk past a checkpoint near Qayara, south of Mosul, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families who were displaced by the ongoing operation by Iraqi forces against jihadists of the Islamic State group to retake the city of Mosul, are seen gathering in an area near Qayyarah In pictures: Mosul offensive A boy who just fled Abu Jarbuah village is seen with his family at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi child eats a pomegranate upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive People who just fled Abu Jarbuah village sit as they eat at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A couple who just fled Abu Jarbuah village are escorted by Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Women carry a boy over a wall as civilians flee their houses in the village of Tob Zawa, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier and a civilian ride a motorbike as smoke rises behind them, on the road between Qayyarah and Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces, wearing a skull mask, waits at a checkpoint for people fleeing the main hub city of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier sits at a checkpoint in an area near Qayyarah Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi men prepare food portions for Iraqi forces deployed in areas south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi forces celebrate upon the arrival of vehicles bringing food to them Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi childen smoke cigarettes upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces distributes drinks to children in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty

On 4 January a pedestrian was killed when a moving car carrying Isis fighters was hit, and on 14 January, another civilian died when he entered the target zone of a strike on a jihadi mortar team.

An estimated 750,000 civilians remain trapped in the western part of the city, under a blistering ground and air assault driving dire humanitarian conditions.

Centcom found another 10 reports to be non-credible, either through contradictory evidence or insufficient information, while 19 more are still under investigation.

Although the Coalition takes extraordinary efforts to strike military targets in a manner that minimises the risk of civilian casualties, in some incidents casualties are unavoidable, a spokesperson for said.

In each of the incidents, the investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the Law of Armed Conflict, unintended civilian casualties unfortunately occurred.

With the vast majority of strikes hitting territory under Isis control, the true number of casualties and the victims identities are difficult to verify and the US-led coalition is currently auditing its tracking of civilian deaths.

Centcom admitted it was unable to fully investigate all reports of possible civilian casualties using traditional investigative methods, such as interviewing witnesses and examining the site, saying it instead interviews pilots, reviews strike footage and analyses information from partner forces, governments, humanitarian groups, traditional and social media.

All confirmed incidents so far were authorised under Barack Obamas administration, while a similar strategy is expected to continue under Donald Trump.
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A Japanese company tasked with cleaning up Fukushima, the site of the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, has admitted that its attempts to probe the site are failing repeatedly due to incredibly high levels of radiation.

The nuclear meltdown at Fukushima in 2011 was triggered by an earthquake and tsunami which left around 18,000 people dead and more than a million buildings destroyed.

At least 100,000 people living near the plant were forced to leave their homes. High rates of mental health problems and post-traumatic stress disorder have been observed within the displaced population.

It is estimated that around 600 tons of toxic fuel may have leaked out of the reactor during the incident.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), which oversees management of the site, needs to ascertain the location and size of the leakages before the clean-up can begin in earnest.

The radiation levels on the site are far higher than any human could possibly survive, so engineers are using purpose-built scorpion robots with cameras attached to survey the scale of the damage.

Inside the twisted remains of Fukushima nuclear plant Show all 2 1 /2 Inside the twisted remains of Fukushima nuclear plant Inside the twisted remains of Fukushima nuclear plant 6-Fukushima-1-EPA.jpg EPA Inside the twisted remains of Fukushima nuclear plant 6-Fukushima-2-EPA.jpg EPA

The latest attempt to harvest data on Fukushima failed after a robot designed by Toshiba to withstand high radiation levels died five times faster than expected.

The robot was supposed to be able to cope with 73 sieverts of radiation, but the radiation level inside the reactor was recently recorded at 530 sieverts per hour.

A single dose of one sievert is enough to cause radiation sickness and nausea; 5 sieverts would kill half those exposed to it within a month, and a single dose of 10 sieverts would prove fatal within weeks.

 Remote controlled camera reveals hole in Fukushima nuclear plant

This latest blow to Tepcos efforts comes after a number of probes malfunctioned earlier this year.

During another mission in early February, the scorpion crawler stalled after its total radiation exposure reached its limit in just two hours.

In December, the Japanese trade ministry estimated that the total cost of the disaster would be around 20 trillion yen, or 142bn.

Recommended Mutant daisies found near nuclear disaster reactor Fukushima

In the wake of the disaster, an investigation found the accident could have been avoided and that Tepco had failed to meet basic safety requirements.

While the Japanese government has asserted that Tepco will pay for the costs incurred by the disaster, the vast scale of the operation has meant that, in the short term, the Japanese taxpayer has had to foot the bill.
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The travel plans of tens of thousands of airline passengers at the start of the working week have been wrecked as industrial action intensifies across Europe.

British Airways has cancelled 40 flights on Monday because of the first French air-traffic control strike of the year, plus a further six departures because of a week-long stoppage by some cabin crew. Most of the cancellations are between London and French cities, but six flights on the Heathrow-Barcelona link have been grounded, along with services to Milan and the three big Swiss cities, Zurich, Basel and Geneva.

The strike by staff at control centres in Brest and Bordeaux runs until Friday 10 March, with controllers at the south of France centre in Aix-en-Provence stopping work between Tuesday and Thursday.

The air-traffic controllers are taking action over a range of issues, including rostering and pay. They say their counterparts in Germany earn much more for less work.

The French Civil Aviation Authority, the DGAC, has asked airlines to reduce their flight schedule in west and south-west France, affecting many services between the UK and the Iberian Peninsula.

Recommended Mouse spotted on plane costs BA quarter of a million pounds

BA says it will be using larger aircraft, where possible, to help cope with cancellations. It is allowing any passenger booked to fly to or from any French airport, as well as Madrid and Barcelona, to reschedule their flight for the following week without penalty.

The airline also warns: There may also be some disruption on roads and public transport to/from airports on some days so customers should allow extra time for their journeys.

Air France has grounded many more services, mainly domestic flights to and from Paris Orly. Cancellations include 20 flights to and from Toulouse, 12 serving Brest and 10 to and from Bordeaux.

Passengers heading further afield, including to Bilbao, Lisbon and Casablanca may also be affected. In addition, Air France is facing a strike by its own staff on Tuesday.

Ryanair, which flies more passengers in Europe than any other airline, has cancelled 44 flights. But the airlines marketing director, Kenny Jacobs, said: We call on the French Government and European Commission to take immediate action to prevent thousands of European consumers from having their travel plans disrupted by a tiny group of ATC unions going on strike.

"They cannot stand idly by and allow another summer of disruption and travel misery for European consumers to take place."

The UKs biggest budget airline, easyJet, says it expects to cancel between 30 and 40 flights on Monday, which will be mainly on French domestic services.

The stoppage will cost airlines millions of pounds in lost revenue and extra costs.

Passengers are not entitled to cash compensation for delays and cancellations. But airlines must provide meals and accommodation to disrupted travellers, and in the event of cancellations re-book them on the first available flight  even if it is operated by a rival carrier.
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The curious case Dr Watson might have called A Study In Orange, had Sherlock Holmes been hired to unravel Donald Trumps mind (Less a three pipe problem, Watson, more a crack pipe problem), became a bit curiouser over the weekend.

By that I mean a really tiny bit because the plain facts of Trumps election and his first weeks in office leave room for only the most incremental growth.

Like the Ukrainian pole vaulter Sergei Bubka, who kept beating his own world record by the weeniest margin to secure regular bonus payments, each fresh outburst barely raises the lunacy bar. But Trumps accusation that Barack Obama personally had his phone tapped before the election ratchets up the crazy by a perceptible fraction.

With this tweetstorm, unlike earlier ones, the least peculiar aspect was its timing. It might even be taken for a sign of improving mental health.

Traditionally, Trump has gone doolallly on Twitter soon after 3am, which hints at him being driven by all four horsemen of the Trumpocalypse: Insomnia, Ignorance, Confusion and Paranoia.

Yesterday he didnt get going until 5.35am (Mar-a-Lago time). That makes it plausible that he woke early, rather than spent the night working himself into a frenzy. If so, the removal of Insomnia might unbalance the chariot of doom enough to make Trumpageddon a touch less likely.

 Obama spokesman responds to Trump's wiretapping accusations

Unfortunately, all three other horsemen were on parade. So far as Paranoia (about being wiretapped), that doesnt mean the FBI wasnt out to get him over his alleged links to Russia. If the feds suspected him of collusion with a hostile foreign power, they were obviously duty-bound to investigate.

The first show of Confusion came in Trumps claim that Obama ordered the surveillance. As was swiftly explained, a President cannot order a wiretap on a US citizen. You might imagine Trump committing such a blatant abuse of power. But only an addict of Breitbart News, Steve Bannons paradise for conspiracy loons, would think Obama capable of the same.

Trump is such an addict. Breitbart, apparently his primary news source, has been propagating some cobblers about Obama effecting a silent coup, and linking it to an old tale about a Fisa (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance) court refusing an FBI request to tap the Trump Tower hotline.

It remains unknown whether a Fisa court approved a later request. But Trump is confused again if he thinks the answer would help him either way. If there was no tap, his reputation as the dupe of a site catering to people whose credulity is matched only by their malevolence is cemented. If the court did give permission, it must have had prima-facie evidence of him colluding with the Russians. Neither is good for Donald Trump.

Those who like to see method in his madness may see the attack on Obama as a ploy to distract focus from a crisis exacerbated last week by Jeff Sessions false denial of meeting the Russian ambassador. Bless them for that, though how ramping up interest in a Russia story would operate as a smokescreen to obscure the original Russia story is hard to say.

As for accusing the least scandal-ridden president in decades of being another Nixon, you need not be Sigmund Freud to interpret that as projection. If Watergate weighs on Trumps mind, no cigar for guessing the real reason why.

Although his people were quick to crush Trumps claim, Obama is staying shtum. Too smart and too dignified to be suckered into a street brawl with a distempered bare-knuckle fighter, he knows that when youre President, and in a hole, going berserk at the controls of a giant JCB is a misjudgment.

In Trumps failure to comprehend this we find Ignorance chirruping the subtler of its two contributions to the dawn chorus.

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

The cruder one came in familiar form. How low has President Obama gone to tapp [sic] my phones during the very sacred election process, tweeted Trump. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy! This is not Trumps first pee-pee controversy in a Russian context, though a spelling mistake on such a scale  tap is never going to be the tie-breaker in a national spelling bee, now is it?  seems far more unsettling than any voyeuristic taste for golden showers.

Yet that was a trivial show of Ignorance, where the other one is anything but. It may even spell his demise.

Despite a recently stated interest in resolving the present conflict in Crimea, Trump evidently knows nothing about a previous one. Unless he saw something on Breitbart about the Light Brigade having a splendid win, with all 600 returning to camp for tea and crumpets with barely a scratch between them.

His method of dealing with his travails on the Russian front isnt a strategy because that implies forethought. It isnt even a tactic, because that also hints at mental preparation. It is the instinctive reaction he makes whenever hes threatened because he knows no other way. Half a league onward, half a league on, all the Lord Cardigan of Pennsylvania Avenue can do is charge towards the gunfire.

Until now Trumps bespoke take on attack being the best form of defence has worked for him (just about). But until now, he hasnt been President of the United States. In that office, charging towards gunfire looks like either suicidal bravado or suicidal stupidity. Whichever he chooses, if he sticks to this path and if the Russian rifles are firing live bullets, the outcome will be the same.
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Donald Trumps allegation of Barack Obama wiretaps clearly shows that unless someone within the Trump circle removes his access to Twitter immediately, Trump will be the first world leader who committed political suicide by tweet.

George Lewis

Brackley, Northamptonshire

Hammonds vocational plans need to go further

Philip Hammond's proposal to beef up the value of vocational qualifications is to be lauded. But the measures need to go hand-in-hand with protecting artisan income. In the UK skilled, time-served tradesmen are undercut by unqualified cowboys. A simple licencing system, as found in France and other EU countries, making it impossible to engage in economic activity without relevant qualifications would protect both the consumer and industry.

Mark Grey

London

Our Government only finds money when it wants to

I know we are stuck with a right-wing Government and we should not be surprised at anything they do. Yet it is particularly striking that they can decide to double the funding of the royal family in 13 minutes but can only sit on their hands and offer a string of excuses over the state of social care and the health service over many months.

Dennis Leachman

Kingston upon Thames

Do Brexiteers deserve sympathy?

I read with interest Sam Farley's article about the gloating over Cornwall's sudden subsidy cut following the victory of Brexiteers in the EU referendum. I would, however, like to remind Sam that many areas of the UK are due to suffer because of Brexit (whether affluent or not), irrespective of how they voted, and have no champion to advocate a little understanding. Or to put it another way: if I got in my car and drove in such a way as to write off my own vehicle and someone else's (note that last bit), would Sam now advocate that it was me who deserved sympathy for the loss of my car?

Moreover, in a democracy, people play politics. In normal politics, those who make bad decisions get reminded of it years later (just ask Paul Nuttall). Ergo in a democracy, the people get reminded of it years later.

Paul Hurley

Kings Lynn, Norfolk

Theresa May has denounced tunnel-minded nationalism. Excellent  that means that we can stay in the EU then.

John Harrison

Bristol

Its not just fake news we should avoid

Neil Postman, in his 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death, crystallises this dangerously fractured moment in modern human history. George Orwell was afraid of overseers depriving us of information. Aldous Huxley, on the other hand, warned of an onslaught of news, real or fabricated, that reduced its consumers to passivity and egotism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us; Huxley contended that when truth is drowned in a sea of irrelevance, we would become a trivial culture.

Both dystopian views have proven presciently true in these uncertain times. Real facts are deliberately submerged into the swamp bottom of lies and manipulation (Orwellian) by the sea tides of their manufactured alternative cousins. The media (press and social) need to take care that this moment by moment accounting doesnt drown us in its thought-extinguishing momentum (Huxleyian).

Joseph Ting

Brisbane, Australia

The US is forgetting its countrys immigrant roots

My grandfather Albert Joseph Bialek came to the United States from Poland in 1910. Per the Ellis Island website, he boarded the ship Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse in Bremen, Germany (formerly in Prussia). He had just completed his service in the Austrian army. Poland at that time was divided into three spheres of influence by Austria, Prussia and Russia.

Upon being discharged, he returned to his fathers farm. Officers from the Austrian army made an attempt to re-enlist him but tradition dictated that he could remain at home so long as he was sorely needed on the farm. Immediately after the officers departed, Alberts father gave him his brothers travel documents and instructed him to immigrate to the United States. His father knew that war was coming and he didnt want to lose his son to it.

It took me longer to locate my grandfather on the passenger list than it should have because I had forgotten he was travelling under the name Jan and not Albert. Given the fact that Albert entered the United States under the name Jan Bialek and later burned his immigration papers, it is evident he was by definition an illegal immigrant. He went on to become a very hard-working brickmason and law-abiding citizen, raising 12 children with the help of his Polish wife Mary and the rest (as they say) is history.

Just as Cleveland, Ohio is a city of neighbourhoods, so is the United States a country of immigrants. In fact, all the major cities of America at one time served as incubators for immigrants to not only become accustomed to the ways of this country but also to intermingle with each other (often prohibited in their homelands). Its a shame that the inner cities were handed over to the absentee landlords following the Second World War. Just imagine how much stronger and united our country might have been had this unofficial tradition continued.

Gentrification is not the answer. Preventing immigration is not the solution. Intense vetting is acceptable during these challenging times but to unfairly deny one person access to the United States makes us all orphans again.

As a popular song goes: Let me in, immigration man.

Joe Bialek

Cleveland, Ohio

USA

A youth conscription service could work in the UK

Janet Street-Porter is right to suggest that the UK should follow in the footsteps of Sweden and reinstate military conscription. In the light of the Governments plan to scrap housing benefits for young people, this is an idea worthy of consideration. In the absence of affordable housing, shelters and sustenance, the young will be pushed into poverty, hunger, homelessness and crime, reigniting their sense of isolationism, social alienation and possibly extremism, radicalism and terrorism. Those under 21 should be seen as a source of energy, hope, innovation and creativity. In summary, they are the future pillars of society. The May Government must abandon seeing them as burdens on our society.

Munjed Farid Al Qutob

London NW2
A more mature debate about how to respond to the millions of people fleeing the war in Syria has been called for by Minister for International Development Joe McHugh.

After a week witnessing the lives of refugees in Jordan and Lebanon, the minister said it was time to look at a new approach to the crisis.

Mr McHugh was in the Za'atari camp near the Syrian border in northern Jordan - home to about 80,000 people - in what has become a near permanent prefab city in the six years since the civil war began.

The minister also saw a tented village in Mhammaret, north Lebanon, where Concern support 236 Syrians, including 130 children, some of whom work on local farms for three US dollars a day.

In Beirut Mr McHugh spent an hour in Shatila refugee camp and a Trocaire project where about 40,000 mostly Palestinian people live, some of whom are third generation refugees and others more recent arrivals from Syria.

It is a virtual no go area for Lebanese authorities with militias linked to Palestinian factions in charge.

Mr McHugh said the experiences changed his perceptions of what a refugee camp is and that he was struck by the spirit of generosity in both Jordan and Lebanon to those worst affected by the war.

"Let's face it, I'm not going to defend the European Union that we're getting it right or we as a member of the EU that we have all the answers," Mr McHugh said.

"This is the crisis, this is the challenge of a generation and we have to look at new ways of doing things.

"We have to have a very open and honest debate, even by calling it the migration crisis that just sends out a negative connotation straight away.

"Really the way I see it is we have a crisis in terms of numbers but it's how we manage and how we can be a bit more mature about the debate."

Ireland has spent 70 million euro on aid and development in direct response to the Syrian crisis since 2012 through its overseas aid and development agency Irish Aid and by supporting UN agencies and NGOs.

The international community has spent about 4.5 billion euro.

Campaigners have criticised Ireland's commitment to take in 4,000 refugees direct from camps in Lebanon and Turkey and separately from Greece with several million people having fled Syria. Some 760 arrived last year.

Mr McHugh said: "Are we doing enough? We are getting criticised at large by the general public - we need to be doing more, we can be doing more."

But the minister also said: "People in Ireland are very, very open to taking refugees in. There's an openness, a warmth, there's a feeling that this is the right thing to do.

"We have to manage it. If there's already pressures on schools, school numbers, if there's already pressures on local health services the general population want to see extra resources so it's about managing it and doing it in the proper way."
British prime minister Theresa May has vowed to push ahead and trigger Article 50 within two weeks. Stock image

Small businesses will receive a cash boost from the State to help fight Brexit battles, the Sunday Independent has learned.

British prime minister Theresa May has vowed to push ahead and trigger Article 50 within two weeks, starting the formal two-year negotiation process to leave the EU.

Britain is the key trading partner for Ireland's export-focused economy - and firms are already suffering from a decline in the value of sterling.

Now, an export guarantee scheme for small and medium businesses vulnerable to Brexit aftershocks will be introduced before the end of June.

It will provide working capital for those at the cutting edge of the export trade.

The Department of Finance is working with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) - an SME-focused lender - to develop a suitable product for companies looking to expand or diversify into new markets.

The scheme will be available to SMEs with "viable business plans" and will support the working capital needs of companies.

It will be managed by the SBCI, who will partner with "one or more commercial finance providers".

Businesses in the agri-food sector - and those in Border areas - have been particularly hit by the drop in the value of the pound.

Bord Bia has calculated that the fall in the value of sterling following the Brexit vote cost Irish food and drink exporters 570m last year alone.

Overall, trade from this sector to the UK fell by 8pc in 2016, which Bord Bia attributes to weaker sterling.

Cheese exports to Britain, which accounts for half of all Irish cheese exported, showed a double-digit percentage decline, while mushroom exports were also hard hit.

Meanwhile, it has also emerged that as the fallout from the Brexit vote gathers pace, there are plans to provide more international-focused educational opportunities in Ireland.

This is especially aimed at attracting highly skilled foreign professionals with children of school-going age.

The international baccalaureate is often taught at elite and diplomatic schools abroad.

It is offered at second level at St Andrew's College, in Booterstown, Co Dublin.

The International School of Dublin, in Synge Street, also teaches the baccalaureate programme at primary level.

Banks, insurance companies and other major financial corporations are turning their attention to Dublin as an EU base as the UK's departure from the EU gathers pace.

Options for their children's education will be high on the priority list for executives.

In many cases, school fees for offspring form part of an overall remuneration package for many company high flyers.

HR personnel from the companies involved often come to check out the available education, with a focus on the fee-paying sector.

The Department of the Taoiseach confirmed it is examining ways to develop more "international schooling options".

A spokesman said this will enhance the "competitiveness and growth of Irish enterprises and foreign direct investment".

It will also ensure businesses located in Ireland can continue to attract "global talent" to complement domestic supply.

A spokesman also stated the Financial Services minister, Eoghan Murphy, has met with "various stakeholders active in this space".

However, he refused to confirm whether the Government still intends to open a new school specifically geared to teaching the international baccalaureate in Dublin.

Last October, Minister Murphy hinted at such a move.
Most people will have thought about retiring from the hunting field by the time they reach 70, but not David Cosby.

Rarely has he missed a day in the country this season with the Shillelagh & District Hunt and judging by his enthusiasm of late, he has no intention of hanging up his boots anytime soon.

"He is just loved by everyone out hunting - he really is an amazing character," said one of his co-riders during a meet of the pack near Tally Ho Stud, where David was aboard his faithful Irish draught mare Minerva.

Sporting the Ballycreen prefix, which has now travelled the world with their home breds, Minerva is one of the latest additions to what has been a hugely successful line of horses that have given David and his wife Judith much joy as breeders for three decades.

One of Ireland's true gentlemen, David inherited the love for all equines through his parents, Ashworth and Enid Cosby. While living at Stradbally Hall, his mother was a successful breeder and astute judge of Welsh ponies. She was also a keen hunting enthusiast with the Queen's County Hounds in Laois (now Laois Foxhounds), as was his father, and it was here on the hunting field that Ashworth and Enid met in the 1930s.

"I clearly remember hunting also as a child along with my sister Anthea," David recalls. "My father was joint-master for a number of years, following in the footsteps of his own father and those before him. I believe the hounds may have been kennelled at Stradbally Hall at one point."

Successful

To this day, Stradbally Hall continues to have close ties with the hunt, as point-to-points and hunter trials are just a handful of the local equestrian events that take place there during the year. The 550ac estate is also home to the National Hound Show and the Riding Club Festival, as well as the hugely successful Electric Picnic.

Stradbally Hall is now run by Thomas Cosby, son of David's eldest brother Adrian, and his wife Gesa. After he finished school, David's love for hunting continued when he moved to England and he has fond memories of days out with the Fernie, and also whipping in to the local pack of beagles while studying at Cirencester College.

"At one stage, the beagle pack made it into the Guinness Book Of Records for accounting for 87 and a half brace of hare in one season," he remembers.

From there, he did a short stint in the British Army and it was while working in a "stuffy office" in London that he met his future wife, Judith. Born in India, Judith also loved the country life. David proposed unconventionally while milking a cow and they married in 1974.

Various jobs in Ireland and the UK saw them move homes between Devon, Wexford and Kilkenny before finally settling in Wicklow. Their two sons now live abroad.

"Having been brought up at Stradbally Hall, people assume you are born with a silver spoon, but that is certainly not the case," says David. "I have always worked hard throughout my life and I had several jobs managing estates over the years."

It was while working at Mount Loftus in Graiguenamanagh that David and Judith purchased their first mare with a view to building up a small breeding herd.

"We used the money from a tax return and bought a lovely mare by King of Diamonds out of Goresbridge. I remember riding her home bareback."

That mare was Old Grange Lady who appears in the back-breeding of many of their successful broodmares today.

From there, the couple renovated the Old Rectory not far from Mount Loftus and sold it on for profit before purchasing property in Devon. Soon afterwards, David acquired the Irish draught stallion Clonfert thanks to the keen eye of the late Pat Kinsella.

"I had always wanted an Irish draught stallion and although he did not cover that many mares in England, he did prove successful here in Ireland and sired the Class 1 stallion It's The Quiet Man."

On returning to Ireland, Clonfert went on to win at Navan Show and be placed at the RDS, as well as having many fun days out hunting.

During his term in Devon, David was instrumental in setting up the Irish Draught Horse Society of Great Britain and was their first chairman. He is currently President of the Irish Draught Horse Breeders' Association, as well as chairman of the Laois branch.

In 2016, he was recognised for his contribution to the breed by being awarded the Athlone Show National Hall of Fame Award.

Now approaching his 70th year this April, David continues to breed a few Irish draughts each year, as well as sport horses, while also running a busy farm with Judith outside the quaint village of Aughrim in Wicklow.

"It's a little piece of heaven here," he said. "Under the mountain, with spectacular scenery, what more would you want."
Irish courts will have a central role to play when it comes to costly international disputes over privacy law after a stringent new European data-protection directive becomes effective in May next year.

Emerald de Leeuw, an Irish expert on data protection law, said the EU's incoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the biggest change in data protection ever to occur in Ireland.

The directive, which attempts to strengthen and unify data protection laws across member states, has huge significance for Ireland because of the country's growth as a European data centre hub. Ireland hosts data centres for Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Apple.

GDPR is the most significant overhaul of European data-protection regulations in more than 20 years. It enforces rights for EU citizens wherever in the world they are.

Under data protection laws, acquiring consent is the quick way to comply with data protection laws. But GDPR tightens this regime.

It will introduce a much higher standard for consent data controllers need in order to legally handle others' data. Businesses and organisations are going to need "clear and more granular opt-in methods, good records of consent, and simple easy-to-access ways for people to withdraw consent" or they will be found in breach of the regulation.

In the most extreme cases of breaches of the regulation, organisations can be fined 20m or up to 4pc of the total worldwide annual turnover of the preceding financial year, whichever is higher.

"You will find that all the disputes around GDPR will be fought out in Ireland due to the fact that all the multinationals are based here," said De Leeuw, chief executive of EuroComply, an Irish software company that helps firms manage GDPR compliance.

"The European Commission had seen that the directive from 1995 was not really adequate to deal with the world that we currently live in, with Big Data and basically data being the new currency for businesses and consumers alike. They found there needed to be a big regulatory overhaul," she said.

De Leeuw said Ireland's role in the future of GDPR presents a number of challenges, especially around balancing potential conflicts between being a pro-business country and protecting EU citizens' privacy rights. "Ireland is very pro-business. But there could be more enforcement. It's a real challenge for Ireland to make sure that companies are respecting data protection law, while at the same time still making it attractive for them to stay here. So that is a tricky balance."

On the issue of acquiring consent by users, De Leeuw said: "We are in a dangerous situation, where companies are relying heavily on consent to make the processing of the data a lawful activity. But we are living in a world now where you can't be without the services provided by multinationals - you just can't survive, so you don't really have a choice. So consent, in my opinion, often becomes meaningless because you have to consent in order to use the service otherwise they will exclude you."

Companies need to ensure that they have robust policies, procedures and processes in place to ensure compliance, said Leeuw.

"With the risk of heavy fines under the GDPR, not to mention the reputational damage and potential loss of consumer confidence caused by non-compliance, Irish firms must act fast."

Emerald De Leeuw is a keynote speaker at DataSec 2017, Ireland's Data Protection Conference focusing on the new GDPR regime. Find out all you need to know about GDPR compliance at DataSec 2017 on May 3 in the RDS. For tickets see: https://eventgen.ie/dublin-data-sec-2017
More than 250 windfarms power Irish businesses and communities across the all-Ireland energy market (Stock picture)

With the Government in a race against time to avoid a potential 360m fine from the EU for failing to hit renewables targets, 2017 looks set to be a defining year for the country's energy sector.

If Ireland fails to meet a binding target of generating 16pc of energy from wind, solar, biomass and other renewable sources within three years, a penalty of up to 120m will be imposed by the EU for every 1pc the State falls below target.

The clock is ticking down to the 2020 deadline and Minister for Climate Action Denis Naughten is under pressure to implement policies to help avoid or reduce the potential bill facing Irish taxpayers.

Ireland is only halfway towards meeting its targets, with just 8.6pc of energy consumption derived from renewables.

Even in a best-case scenario, experts predict the State will fall short by 3pc, leading to a significant bill.

Minister Naughten has pinned his hopes on three major policy initiatives set to be rolled out in the coming months: a Renewable Heat Incentive scheme for industry; new planning guidelines on onshore windfarms that will likely benefit the capital intensive offshore wind industry; and a new support scheme for renewable electricity.

Ireland is committed to meeting 40pc of electricity demand from renewable resources, 12pc renewables in the heating sector and 10pc in transport by 2020.

But just 22.7pc of the 40pc electricity target has been achieved to date, just 6.6pc of the 12pc heat target has been reached, and only 5.2pc of the 10pc renewable energy transport target has been met.

And even if Ireland gets close to reaching its 2020 targets, the EU plans to move the goalposts again by increasing the EU-wide renewables target to 27pc by 2030, with even greater fines proposed for breaches. The fines, which are set to be applied at a daily rate of 25,000, will then ratchet up at an ever more rapid pace.

The European Commission has highlighted the country's laggard status by ranking Ireland 23rd out of 28 member states for renewable energy.

Ireland is ranked just ahead of the UK on 8.2pc and Belgium on 7.3pc, with Luxembourg on the bottom rung with 5pc. Sweden uses the most renewable energy at 54.1pc.

Critics of the Government's strategy on renewable electricity blame Ireland for having relied too heavily on onshore wind to reach its targets.

Today, more than 250 windfarms power Irish businesses and communities across the all-Ireland energy market. Their total capacity now exceeds 3GW, enough to power almost two million homes. Just over 20pc of our electricity is now generated by wind energy.

However, local opposition to onshore wind farms has spiked to such a degree that an estimated two-thirds of new windfarm projects are hampered by court wrangles.

Three wind farm developments in Clare, Offaly and Wexford are facing legal challenges in three separate High Court cases that are currently ongoing.

But without new onshore windfarms coming on stream in the next three years, the pressure for energy will grow even more intense as the economy grows, and as the IDA becomes more successful at attracting energy guzzling data centres to Ireland.

Ireland is already home to a large cluster of data centres, including Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Apple.

Proponents of offshore wind energy argue that this renewable resource has the capacity to generate far more electricity than its onshore counterpart and has less physical impact on scenery, avoiding many of the problems that have bedevilled onshore windfarms.

Another key argument, which chimes with IDA policy on data centres, is that offshore windfarms will attract investment from multinationals with deeper pockets. Corporate giants such as Denmark's DONG Energy, which is investing 5bn in six regional offshore windfarms in the east Irish Sea, have the funds necessary to drive rapid expansion in what is a capital intensive sector.

"Ireland has the third-largest offshore wind resource in Europe, after Britain and Norway," said Brian Britton, managing director of Oriel Windfarm. "And when you look at what other countries are doing, we are not developing this resource."

Backed by Glen Dimplex founder Martin Naughton, Oriel has a "shovel-ready" plan to build a 330MW windfarm 22km off the coast of Dundalk. Britton, who is chairman of the National Offshore Wind Association, said offshore energy could be the future equivalent of Ireland's "tech and pharma success story".

"We could be building up a new export opportunity to rival our own indigenous resources of agrifood and tourism. And that should be the long-term aim that we have because we have that resource and there is no reason why we couldn't be supplying that energy into Europe. FDI in terms of tech and pharma may not last forever, so we should be looking to offshore wind energy." However, since the Government decided in 2012 to abandon subvention for offshore wind and focus instead on onshore, the wind has been taken out of the sails of the offshore sector.

At present there are five companies involved in developing offshore wind energy projects in Ireland, including Oriel Windfarm, SSE Renewables Codling Wind Park, Dublin Array and Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta.

But the only offshore wind farm constructed is the first phase of the Arklow Bank project, a 500MW project operated by SSE, the parent company of Airtricity. It will be capable of meeting the green electricity demands of over half a million homes.

Full consent has been given for the Codling Park wind farm on Codling Bank on the east coast, between Greystones and Wicklow.

The project is backed by the family of property developer Johnny Ronan and Norwegian billionaire Fred Olsen.

The Dublin Array project, which is being developed on the Kish and Bray Banks between Dublin and Wicklow, has a potential capacity of at least 520MW. Industry insiders say the offshore projects are stalled awaiting a ministerial signature on leases and a State-approved tariff agreement. Such delays are deterring foreign multinationals from seizing Ireland's offshore opportunity, said Britton.

And without price supports for offshore wind and solar energy, the future of Ireland's future energy sector is on standby.

Brexit has thrown another big spanner in the works for Ireland's energy sector, making a bad situation even worse.

Less than a decade since Dublin and Belfast joined forces to form a single electricity market, bolstering the security of the entire island's energy supply, Brexit is putting that at risk.

Although the British government's 12-point Brexit White Paper emphasised the need to avoid disrupting the Irish power market, there are concerns that the planned 286m North-South electricity interconnector could be scuppered.

There is also uncertainty about the security of supply in a post-Brexit world for an island that largely relies on its bigger British neighbour for oil, gas and electricity.

Ireland is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels, the bulk of it imported. Ireland imports 85pc of our energy, at a cost of 5.7bn, or about 15m every day. About 97pc of imports are fossil fuels; oil (56pc), natural gas (31pc), and coal (10pc), according to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. The remainder is electricity (2pc), and biofuels (1pc).

The largest fuel used in our indigenous energy production is still peat - a high carbon-emitting fuel - at 47pc, followed by renewable energy sources at 44pc. The country still relies on three peat-fired power stations for 8.8pc of its electricity requirements. State-owned Bord na Mona, Ireland's biggest peat producer, has vowed to cease peat extraction from existing bogs by 2030 and is transitioning to a sustainable business based on biomass, wind and solar energy.

The farming sector, the single biggest contributor to C02 emissions, is obviously very keen to jump on the renewables boom too.

More than 20,000 acres of land owned by Irish farmers are now believed to be under some form of a solar energy contract as solar energy development companies are chasing the lucrative rural renewables market.

Gas Networks Ireland is in talks with 12 separate farming entities, including one potential co-op in Claremorris, with a view to establishing digesters and purification plants to capture gas from slurry and pump it directly into the national gas network.

"The potential is that 20pc of the gas demand in Ireland could be met by renewable gas by 2030. This could be easily ramped up from feedstocks that are already close to the gas network," said Denis O'Sullivan, commercial director of Gas Networks Ireland.

There is another bright light on the horizon for the energy sector, say experts.

The recently launched Celtic Interconnector project between Ireland and France will allay fears over supply security and possible import levies on UK fuels post-Brexit.

The project will see EirGrid work with French electricity provider Reseau de Transport d'Electricite to develop a potential electricity connection, using cables - 600km long, of which the offshore element would comprise approximately 500km - that would run under the sea. The project would have a capacity of approximately 700 megawatts (MW), enough to power 450,000 households.

A final decision as to whether or not to proceed with construction of the project won't be taken until 2020 at the earliest.

But if successful, it will enable Ireland to be less reliant on its electricity interconnection to Britain, a market which is facing an impending capacity shortage itself.
A director of the recently closed Harold's Cross Greyhound Stadium is to seek an injunction to have the stadium reopened.

Alan Redmond told the Sunday Independent he would argue that proper governance procedures were not followed because there was no board meeting giving directors a chance to vote on the closure.

Redmond, one of four independent directors on the board of the company behind the stadium, acknowledged that Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) representatives would have had enough votes to approve the closure.

He said he was receiving legal advice before making a formal application.

"Harold's Cross is there for 89 years, and hopefully we'll keep it open for another 89 years," Redmond said.

The controversial decision to close the stadium was announced in February, with the IGB saying it needed to sell the land to tackle its legacy debts.

Pickets are being organised four nights a week at Shelbourne Park, where Dublin greyhound racing has been concentrated after the closure of Harold's Cross.

"The decision to cease racing at Harold's Cross was made by the board of IGB and the decision to do so was within its remit," an IGB spokesman said.

Redmond said security staff had blocked him from entering the stadium after the closure, saying he was not on an approved list of entrants.

The IGB spokesman said there had been no conscious attempt to lock out the independent directors, and that security personnel were working from a list of contractors and staff who were to be let in to carry out work.
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When sisters Malindi and Elena Demery from Blackrock, launched Freddy Ireland two years ago, they knew that they were on to a winner -but they had no idea just how fast customers would take to the flattering Italian brand.

"The great thing about Freddys, which everyone loves, is that they fit everyone -they are not just restricted to a size six and they fit all shapes," Malindi (25) said. "When we started we just did low waist and it was constricting to one market from maybe the 16 to 30 age group. Then we had so much interest in doing a higher-waist style that we actually asked the company to produce them and now that is their biggest seller. So last year we did mid-waist and this year we have done high waist and now our market is actually from the ages of about 16 to 60 plus - it has completely expanded."

Freddy Clothing is the brainchild of Italian designer Carlo Freddy and has been well known in Italy for almost 30 years. The brand is famed for its comfort and flattering design, which involves patented technology and produces a push-up and modelling effect on the buttock and thigh areas, thanks to ultra-light silicon membranes in the fabric.

"They are so comfortable. I haven't worn a different brand of jeans now in over three years because they are just unbelievable," Elena (21) said. The Demery sisters are at a unique advantage in terms of brand distribution - they are their own target customers and business has always been in their blood.

Malindi, who has just graduated from IADT in Business and Entrepreneurship, says she always wanted to have her own online business.

"I wanted to have something that was different, not the next Asos.com, but a different product," she said.

Elena is currently studying Business and Management at DIT. "I have always been into fashion and Malindi has always been the business end of things, so we knew that doing something together would be great," Elena said.

And when family friend, Colman Hourihan, introduced them to Freddy, Malindi and Elena knew they had found their brand.

"We saw Freddy and knew they were different," said Elena. "They are not typical jeans. They are super-stretchy, which everyone wants. You want to feel good when you wear your jeans and not like you are bursting out of them."

From that point on, Malindi and Elena threw themselves into the business, working from the basement of their family home, before moving to a premises in Sandyford. Freddy Ireland is now based in a 3,000 sq ft premises in Fashion City, Ballymount, Co Dublin.

"We started off so small and because it was all online and we were running it from home, there were no overheads at the start," Malindi said. "We also didn't take a wage for the first year. We put every cent of profit back into buying more stock because we needed to buy more and more; it was a cycle - we would sell more, earn more, sell more again and have to stock more."

Almost immediately, Malindi and Elena began to see the long-term potential for Freddy Ireland.

"We were always working, certainly during the first year towards the long term, seeing that reward. It was hard, but it is worth it now. Our sales are up 100pc on last year," Elena said.

"We worked from the basement for the first year and the next leap then was to move to a warehouse, so last Christmas we moved up to Sandyford, but we didn't expect to grow as much as we did," Malindi said.

"By the time we got our delivery in, we actually couldn't fit it in the new warehouse. Last spring we had to look for new premises again and decided on Fashion City in Ballymount, which is so good because all of the retailers go up there weekly."

The Demery sisters' diligent work has not gone unnoticed and they recently claimed the 'Best Performance Internationally' award at the annual Freddy Clothing GTM event for the UK - a market which they only launched into over the last year.

Malindi and Elena have also recently renewed their exclusive distribution deal with Freddy Clothing for the Republic and the North for the next five years and have been granted exclusivity for the UK."We are already in 55 shops in the UK and around 50 in Ireland. We have a Freddy shop on the King's Road in Chelsea and we are opening a shop in Cheltenham in April and then hopefully a Dublin-based shop."

Both Elena and Malindi are keenly aware of how beneficial their comfort with and knowledge of social media has been in terms of Freddy's brand visibility as well as the important of online sales.

"Social media has 100pc been the most important tool for us in terms of getting the brand recognition Freddy has now; Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, that is where it is all at," Elena said.

"We watch all of the bloggers ourselves too and have made some really good connections online," Malindi added. "But a lot of the time people have come looking for us because they have seen others talking about Freddy.

"People just love it and if you buy one pair, you'll want the rest. It is just like finding a really nice sweater and wanting to buy them in all the colours available; it is the same with Freddys, you actually feel skinnier in them, more comfortable and more fashionable."

www.Freddy.ie
With its glamorous image, Italy is a country known for its diverse and majestic landscape, steeped in heritage and culture. It is a country divided into 20 regions, each of which has unique traditions and customs.

Some regions have acquired 'special status', granting them independence from the central government both in financial and political matters. The result is an extremely diverse geo-economic landscape. An organisation doing business in Italy will find differences among regions in infrastructure, sectors, and even employment laws.

For Irish companies intent on winning business, there is one clear target where it makes sense to start. The Lombardy region, and its economic centre Milan, are the beating heart of the Italian economy, accounting for some 20pc of GDP. Other hotspots include Piedmont for aerospace and automotive; RegioEmilia for food production; Lazio, and its capital Rome, for the mixed bag of industries that are located close to the seat of government.

Italians are hugely patriotic. 'Made in Italy' is a powerful brand, so launching a foreign consumer product here can prove extremely challenging, unless you have very deep pockets or a clearly differentiated niche offering. The construction and public procurement markets also tend to be dominated by Italian players.

However, there are opportunities for Irish companies in almost every other sector of the economy from medtech, engineering and cleantech to fintech and ICT. Italians are fantastically entrepreneurial and will be drawn to intellectual property (IP) that can open up a new business opportunity or give them an edge over competitors. Not surprisingly then, most Irish companies who are successful in this market are in the B2B space, offering a high level of IP, integrated into a product or solution sold under a local Italian name.

The world's eighth-largest economy, Italy is home to major global heavyweights such as Fiat (part of FCA now), Lavazza; Gucci; Olivetti; ENEL; Generali, Ferrero and Zanussi. So there are plenty of opportunities to sell to the global names. Yet the country also has the EU's highest proportion of SMEs. This fragmentation means that if you're willing to burn shoe leather, you can tap into a market comprising a myriad of smaller manufacturers.

Of course, there are certain do's and don'ts to doing business here and the day-to-day cultural business etiquette must be heeded. For instance, men wearing socks that expose naked leg beneath their trousers are a no-no for business meetings. Likewise, short-sleeved shirts.

Also, don't try to work out the Italian legal system on your own; get the right advice or face losing time and money back-pedalling.

And remember, while Italians enjoy lamenting the standard of their public services, don't be tempted to join in. For one, they regard complaining about their country as a birthright. Secondly, they are usually wrong - their healthcare service, for example, is ranked one of the best worldwide by the World Health Organisation.

If you want to win business here, you'll need good Italian language skills. This is a tactile market, where it's important to meet regularly with customers. Enterprise Ireland's Milan office can help you plan your entry in stages, gradually moving to opening your own sales office when the order book justifies it.

Some 40 Enterprise Ireland client companies have done just that and are reaping the rewards. Italy is Ireland's eighth-largest market worldwide and our fourth-largest for internationally traded services. So pull up your socks, and see you in Milan.

Paul Maguire is Enterprise Ireland Manager for Italy, Morocco and Algeria
Voxpro, the Cork-based outsourcing business which is currently seeking new investment, has committed to opening an office in the Philippines in the next financial quarter.

It is understood that the company plans to employ 300 people at a centre of excellence in Manila, as it moves towards a structure which ensures it can meet the needs of customers in all time zones.

The Cork-based company, which is owned by husband and wife team Dan and Linda Kiely, is currently working with advisers Deloitte to raise up to 30m and has been outlining its ambitious expansion plans to potential investors.

Turnover has grown 80pc at the company in both 2015 and 2016 and it is on track to achieve revenue growth of 67pc this financial year.

The group expects to deliver revenue in excess of 100m in this financial year, up from 60.6m in 2016.

This compares to 33.4m in 2015 and 18.8m in 2014.

It is understood that company is looking at further locations in mainland Europe, Asia and the US and believes its workforce will grow to 3,000 in 12 to 18 months.

An operation is due to open in Bucharest, Romania this month, initially employing 180 people.

The company has also set its sights on Latin America. It hopes to open there next year, initially employing 300 people.

Voxpro believes it will grow operations through new contract wins and expanding services to existing clients.

The company provides multilingual tech support and business outsourcing services.

Voxpro, which was established in 2002 has built up a client list of some of the world's leading tech companies.

They include Google, Nest, and Airbnb. It also services the 8bn online payments firm, Stripe, started by Limerick brothers Patrick and John Collison.

Voxpro has also strengthened its board with the appointment last year of Louise Phelan, Paypal's vice-president of global operations for EMEA, and Aidan O'Shea, Voxpro's managing director, as directors of the group.

Last April, the company said it would expand into the US where it aims to create 500 jobs.

In its most recent published figures, the company said pre-tax profits were 1.8m while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) were 3m, up from 1.1m and giving the business an EBITDA margin of close to 10pc.

It is seeking an investor to take a minority stake in the business and market sources believe the funding will come from outside Ireland.

The company, which started with half a dozen people in Cork city, now employs 1700.
Our face and particularly our smile, is usually what others notice when meeting us for the first time. This includes the shape, colour and straightness of our teeth.

It's no wonder then, with the widespread use of mobile phone cameras and the constant posting of pictures on social media platforms, that people have become more self-conscious than ever before about the appearance of their teeth - something that has resulted in a recent surge in the number of people availing of cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics and teeth-whitening products.

Irish teeth-straightening company, Your Smile Direct, is taking the market by storm. Set up by Graham Byrne and headquartered in the Media Cube in Dun Laoghaire, the company employs 19 staff and is continuing to roll out its disruptive model of bringing cutting-edge orthodontic technology directly to consumers.

"We provide clear cosmetic dental braces or aligners that correct minor to moderate dental concerns such as gaps, overcrowding, rotation or unevenness," says Graham. "Customers enquire online where they are then invited to take a picture of their smile and send it to us so we can quickly tell if they are suitable for treatment. We then send them a home impression kit where they can take an impression of their teeth in the comfort of their own home," he adds.

Once returned, the company provides a digital treatment plan that shows the positioning of their teeth compared to the predicted positioning following treatment. The client can sign up, pay or apply for finance - all online. They will then receive a series of invisible aligners in five days or less. Each of which is specifically designed to meet individual requirements and prescribed by a registered dentist. These are then worn constantly, and only removed for meals and cleaning teeth.

Worn in a specific sequence, these aligners are changed every two to four weeks as the teeth begin to gradually shift into their desired new position. While every case is unique, the length of the treatment is typically between four and six months, depending on the amount of spaces, overcrowding, or rotations that need to be corrected.

While the company's target market is anyone over the age of 15, their typical customers are women aged 18 to 35. Geographically, the UK is their largest market and it was here that Graham first tested and validated his business model.

"We started in the UK but also recently began marketing into France and Spain and next month we will begin targeting Italy and Germany," he says. "We estimate that the overall global market for clear dental aligners is in the region of 6bn a year and growing at a rate of 20pc every year. So there's definitely plenty of potential for us in this space," he adds.

Graham began in sales and IT. Having grown up in Rathfarnham, he was greatly influenced by the achievements of his parents. His mother was a successful saleswoman, while his father was part of a group which led a management buyout of the Irish division of Avery Labels.

After school, Graham completed a degree in commerce in UCD and an MBA in the Michael Smurfit School of Business. From there, he went on to work in sales for a number of well-known IT names such as Dell Computers and Cable and Wireless. He was later headhunted to join Global Crossing and, having moved to London, went on to manage their sales teams. After this he moved to a similar role with MC1 WorldCom (now part of Verizon).

Married by then to Maria and expecting their first child, Graham decided it was time to return to Ireland. Determined to go into business on his own, he set up a Cash Converter network of seven stores before successfully selling the business to Gell Retail. His next venture saw him enter the property market, where he succeeded in accumulating a substantial mixed portfolio of retail, commercial and residential properties.

"That was until the music stopped," says Graham. "After that, I got invited to look after business opportunities in Ireland and Scotland for a global education technology company called Promethean, something I really enjoyed."

In 2015, Graham went in search of minor corrective dental treatment for himself but found the experience both expensive and time-consuming. Researching the market further, he discovered a similar model in the US to the one he has now launched.

"From my own experience, I immediately believed that it would work well in Europe," says Graham. "The first thing I had to do though, was test and validate the model here in Europe. Once I saw that it could work, I then sought out a variety of expert partners including dental laboratories, dental practices, logistics companies and software specialists who could collectively help me scale the business," he adds.

Growth came - and came quickly. Having financed the company initially from his own resources, Graham then partnered with a private equity firm, Capricorn Capital Partners, to help fund the next phase of the company's development. This has included the recent opening of their first Scan Centre, called 'Smile Factory' in Piccadilly Tube Station in London followed shortly afterwards by a second in Manchester. A third is scheduled to open later this month in Paris with a further seven centres in key European cities over the next few months.

"At these Scan Centres, customers get a 3D scan taken of their smile and are then emailed a link to a 3D image of their proposed treatment plan. As they slide across the image, they are able to see the stages of improvement of their teeth over the period of their proposed treatment plan," says Graham. "If someone were to choose to go through the traditional route of multiple visits to their dental practice, this would typically cost around 4,000. We are much quicker and are approximately one third of the price."

Graham explains that all treatments are prescribed by qualified dentists. "What we are doing is taking the dental practice out of the equation not the qualified dentist. Everything we do is through our team of qualified dentists," he insists.

With revenues doubling every month and regular launches in cities across Europe, managing this level of growth remains his greatest challenge. "I love the potential that exists to scale this business. I have been involved in many fast-growth companies in the past but I have never seen anything like this. Our long aim is to become the world's largest and most trusted provider of laboratory-to-consumer dental solutions.".

Graham has succeeded in achieving something most entrepreneurs dream about - disrupting a traditional industry with an innovative business model that is profitable and highly scalable. Now that's something worth smiling about.

Graham's advice for other businesses

1 To scale you must find a partner to help you build the business

If you are intent on growing your business, find a significant partner that can work closely with you to help build scale into your business. Such partners may be in any or all aspects of the business from sales and marketing, to production, logistics, finance and distribution. Having access to these partners make scaling easier and faster.

2 Be careful about concentrating too much on fundraising

Some founders become obsessed with chasing funding. Instead, and where possible, focus your energies on your business and on growing your revenues and profit by offering your clients a great product and service. If you concentrate on being successful, funding will chase you rather than the other way around.

3 Remember that you can't do it all by yourself

No one in business can ever do everything themselves. To be successful, you need to surround yourself with a great team who are committed to growing the business. To achieve that, give them the tools, the responsibility and the trust they need to succeed. Once empowered and engaged, they will help take your business to a whole new level.

Overview

Company: Your Smile Direct

Business: Clear Cosmetic Braces/Aligners

Set up: 2016

Founder: Graham Byrne

No of Employees: 19

Location: The Media Cube, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin

www.yoursmiledirect.com
Officials working in the Revenue Commissioners have an unrivalled capacity to scare the living daylights out of people.

Tax officials have sent letters to 500,000 taxpayers warning them that they are running out of time to declare if they have foreign earnings that they have failed to declare.

The warning relates to a bank account abroad or a pension from outside the State that people are not paying tax on.

Revenue is set to get access to records held on Irish-based taxpayers by tax authorities in other countries.

The move comes after Finance Minister Michael Noonan announced in October's Budget a move to target offshore income and assets which have not been declared to Revenue.

Mainly targeted at large-scale tax evaders, the clampdown is also likely to impact anyone with a bank account in another country or a property that is being rented out, even for part of the year.

It will also apply to those who have a pension from abroad, especially the UK, but do not pay tax on it here.

Revenue said taxpayers are being advised that from May 1 changes are coming into effect for anyone filing a "qualifying disclosure" that relates to offshore matters.

This relates to a tax liability or omission in a previous filing. It can concern property, funds or accounts held abroad.

Changes in the 2016 Finance Act mean the qualifying disclosure option will not be available for people who have failed to declare offshore assets by April 30.

Severe penalties will apply to taxpayers who have not declared or have under-declared their offshore income and assets to Revenue by the end of April.

However, just because a taxpayer receives this letter does not necessarily mean Revenue thinks you have any "offshore" assets or other issues, according to advisory services manager of accountancy body ACCA Ireland, Aidan Clifford.

But for many people, receiving a brown envelope with a harp on it is traumatic. Many taxpayers, especially elderly taxpayers, will be worried by this correspondence.

For those who are tax compliant there is nothing to worry about.

Anyway, it could be that this trawling exercise by Revenue will prove to be an anti-climax.

Only 15 taxpayers have approached Revenue to declare offshore assets since Noonan announced the new hard-line approach on offshore tax evasion last October.

Consult a financial adviser if you are unsure of what to do.
Irish couples could spend thousands of euro more on fertility treatment than they need to should they opt for expensive, yet unnecessary, additional tests and treatments, leading fertility experts are warning.

"Couples who go for IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) desperately want to succeed - so they're slightly vulnerable and slightly open to being financially exploited," said Dr John Waterstone, medical director of the Cork Fertility clinic.

"Some couples will spend thousands extra on additional things which a clinic might suggest will increase the couple's chances of success.

"However, the add-ons may not make a difference to the chances of having a baby. If a couple spends an extra few thousand euro on something they don't need and they are then unsuccessful in conceiving, they would have been better off keeping that money for a second round of fertility treatment."

Couples are already facing bills running into tens of thousands for fertility treatment - before add-ons come into play.

Some of the fertility tests and treatments Dr Waterstone is referring to include tests for immune problems, IMSI (intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection), the placement of embryos in a time lapse incubator, and routine pre-implantation genetic screening.

Couples embarking on fertility treatment should avoid spending money on natural killer cell testing - blood tests which look for signs that a woman's immune system is preventing a pregnancy, according to Dr Mary Wingfield, clinical director of the Merrion Fertility Clinic.

"These tests have not been validated, are not supported by the general medical and scientific literature, and the treatments recommended are similarly not properly tested and may even do harm," said Wingfield.

These warnings mirror those made in a BBC Panorama documentary last November. That documentary found that there was no solid evidence to prove that many of the add-on treatments offered by British fertility clinics work. The programme highlighted cases where patients had spent tens of thousands on fertility treatment and add-ons - but had never succeeded in having a baby.

A round of fertility treatment typically costs between 4,500 and 5,000 in Ireland but that bill could rise to as much as 10,000 if donor eggs are required. As the average number of treatments per couple is around four, a couple could face bills of as much as 40,000. The bill however could be even higher than 40,000 if add-on treatments are bought.

How can I cut down the cost of fertility treatment?

Do your research and know exactly what treatment you need before approaching a clinic.

Before signing up to treatment, find out what the total bill will be for everything you need - and compare that to what other clinics will charge. Most clinics display their prices online. "Before choosing a clinic, look very carefully at what the treatment seems to cost - and find out what add-ons there may be," said Waterstone.

Be aware that some clinics will charge extra for certain treatments while others won't.

For example, about half of the IVF or intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI - another common fertility treatment) treatments given to patients in Cork Fertility involve blastocyst culture - a technique used to maximise the chance of pregnancy, according to Waterstone. "A similar proportion of IVF and ICSI cycles in other units probably also involve blastocyst culture," said Waterstone.

The price charged by Cork Fertility for a round of IVF or ICSI includes blastocyst culture, however, some other clinics charge as much as 1,000 extra for this.

You should also find out where you stand financially with a clinic if you stop or postpone your treatment - and how its refund policy compares to others.

Don't jump into IVF too quickly - more affordable alternatives, such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) or ovulation induction (OII) could be all you need, particularly if your fertility problems are unexplained.

It could also work out cheaper to get treatment abroad. In the Czech Republic, it typically costs about 2,500 for one round of IVF, according to Helen Browne, co-founder of the National Infertility Support and Information Group. Bear the costs of flights and accommodation in mind, however - particularly if you need to return to the foreign country for more treatment. "If you have any side effects when you get back, you can go into a maternity emergency department here - but it is always best to be seen by the consultant who originally treated you," said Browne.

Mind your health

Leading a healthy lifestyle can boost your chances with IVF - and so should keep your costs in check as it could eliminate the need to pay for a subsequent round of treatment.

"Smoking reduces your chances with IVF by at least 20pc," said Wingfield. "Also, if you have a normal body mass index of between 19 and 30 - and are not over or underweight, your chances [of conceiving] will be better."

Of course, a healthy lifestyle could also cut out the need to go for fertility treatment in the first place.

Should you need fertility treatment, getting it sooner rather than later can also help.

"Generally if prospective parents are younger - that is, if women are under 35 and men are under 45, the IVF success rates are much higher," said Wingfield.

Treating problems with the reproductive system early on in one's life - even if one has no plans for a baby at that stage - could also reduce the cost of or need for IVF, according to Browne. "We have come across a lot of cases of people who had endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome in their late teens or early twenties," said Browne. "If their conditions were treated when they had first complained of them, their chances of having a baby later on in their lives would have been better."

Is there cover under the public health system?

Ireland and Lithuania are the only European countries where the public health system offers no cover for fertility treatment. It's over a year since the then Health Minister, Leo Varadkar, said he would make fertility treatments available through the public health system under legislation to be published in 2016. This legislation has not yet been published.

A spokesman said officials are currently drafting it and plan to complete it by the end of June.

Is there any tax relief?

You can claim back a fifth of the cost of fertility treatment, and any drugs you are prescribed, in tax relief. Be sure the practitioner who carries out your infertility treatment is on a register recognised by the Revenue Commissioners, otherwise you won't qualify.

If you receive treatment abroad, you should still be able to get relief, as long as the practitioner is entitled to practise medicine under the laws of the country you have travelled to.

It is also worth joining the State's Drug Payment Scheme before embarking on fertility treatment.

Under this scheme, you will not pay any more than 144 a month for approved prescribed drugs.

Put yourself first

Research the success rate of the clinic you are considering - particularly for people of your age. Ask the clinic the number of live births - rather than pregnancy rates - that arose after treatment in its centre. Get a second opinion if you suspect that a clinic is recommending unnecessary expensive tests. Check if the clinic is regulated and inspected by the Health Products Regulatory Body.

Be sure to choose a clinic which is putting your interests first. There has been an increased commercialisation of assisted reproduction in recent years, according to Waterstone.

"As IVF units become more commercial, to some extent, they're becoming owned by their shareholders - whose main interest is profits," said Waterstone.
Pat McCann of Dalata Hotels has a difficult task in reading the market in the UK with Brexit on the horizon Picture: Maxwells

The Government's help-to-buy scheme could end up costing double its original estimate by the time a review is completed in September - and the tens of millions involved will go to a relatively small number of developers.

Mortgage borrowing surged in January according to figures this week. The relaxation of the Central Bank mortgage rules combined with the Government's new help-to-buy scheme made it easier for more first-time buyers to borrow more to buy a house in what is normally a quiet month.

The number of people approved for a mortgage in January was up 47pc on the same month a year ago, and the average first-time buyer was borrowing around 200,000 - 25,000 more than a year earlier.

The figures really undermine the logic behind continuing with the help-to-buy scheme, even though it only began in January. When it was announced in the Budget last October, it was presented as helping first-time buyers to actually secure a mortgage. However, the relaxation of the Central Bank rules negated the need for this free-money scheme.

The only remaining rationale is that it boosts developers' profits, which will encourage them to build more houses. It has already become a developers' subsidy that is driving up house prices.

In the first two months of the scheme, 55 developers have registered for it and 3,000 people have applied for the 5pc cash back from the State.

That is an average of 10,000 in free cash per applicant which goes straight to the developer.

Applications to the scheme in the first two months could cost around 30m. That is 30m going to 55 developers, and it's only the end of February.

When it was announced, the Department of Finance estimated that the full year cost of the scheme would be 50m. The Department also said it expected 4,000 to 6,000 to benefit from it in a year.

Michael Noonan confirmed back in October that his department would conduct a review on the need for the scheme and its operation, which will be completed by September - a year after it was announced.

Sinn Fein's Pearse Doherty rather colourfully described this process as doing it "arseways", because it involved reviewing the cost after the scheme's introduction and not before. Even if it is scrapped in September, at the current pace, it is on track to cost 100m by then or nearly 2m per developer.

AIB dividend good news but hurdles still remain

Investors in bank shares always get excited when the company says it is going to pay a dividend. In the case of AIB it is particularly good news because the 250m dividend to be paid to ordinary shareholders is its first since 2008.

The bad news is that investors in the bank won't receive very much of it. The state will get 249.75m, and the 80,000 or so ordinary investors will share out about 250,000 between them across their 2.7 million shares. They won't be enjoying any shopping sprees on that.

The good news for taxpayers is that AIB has reached a point in its recovery that it can now pay a dividend and this will ease the path of its IPO which it is hoping to launch this year.

The State is expected to float around 25pc of the bank in an IPO possibly as soon as May but it could be later depending on the appetite from international markets.

The mood music around banks is good but there are still legacy issues that might weigh on the AIB valuation. When it does float, the sale of 25pc might yield between 2bn and 3bn for the Exchequer.

Add on the 6.6bn paid by AIB to the State so far in fees, preference shares buybacks and this new dividend and the State will have got back 8.6bn-9.6bn when the IPO of 25pc is complete. The State would still be sitting on 75pc, which it would hope to gradually sell down in time. A lot has been done to get AIB from the intensive care unit in 2010 to finishing rehabilitation and physio in 2017. It has cut costs, grown new lending, returned to profitability and reduced its impaired loans by 20bn. But before they all start giving "high fives" at Bankcentre in Ballsbridge, there are still some hurdles. An election could delay or scupper the IPO plan.

Remaining impaired loans on its balance sheet remain high at 9.1bn and shouldn't spook prospective investors but might allow them to low-ball the price they pay for their shares. The tracker mortgage debacle across all the banks was appalling and no less so at AIB which has paid out 93m to 2,600 accounts so far and identified another 400 accounts that were not given the correct rate.

Nevertheless, payback time for taxpayers is inching closer.

Dalata's McCann has lot of eggs in Irish basket

Dalata Group chief executive Pat McCann has done quite a job building up the hotel chain. Go into a Dalata hotel, especially under its Clayton brand, and it reminds you of the old Jurys Doyle Hotel Group, which of course McCann ran.

The hotel formerly known as The Burlington (hard to call it anything else) felt very different when it was run by the Hilton group and owned by Blackstone. I was even asked to produce my passport checking into it one time.

But since Dalata took it over, it has recovered that friendly familiarity again.

McCann has effectively rebuilt a genuinely Irish hotel group like Jurys by putting chunks of the old Jurys Group back together. The portfolio includes the likes of the old Jurys in Ballsbridge and the Burlington.

But there is one big difference with the old Jurys business. Dalata has put 80pc of its eggs in the Irish basket. Dalata owns and operates 41 hotels. The old Jurys had just over 30. When Dalata's new room plans are completed, it will have 7,100 rooms. Jurys had around 6,500 to 7,000.

Dalata's revenues last year were 290m. Jurys Doyle's were 253m in 2003, before it started selling off hotels.

Ireland accounts for most of its business, and the UK just 20pc. Ireland accounted for just half of the old Jurys Group revenues as it had 13 hotels in Ireland, 15 in the UK and 3 in the US.

Dalata has more than 20pc of the hotel market in Dublin and Cork and 10pc of the national hotel market. It is a massive play on the Irish economy and tourism sector.

No wonder McCann said last week, that when it comes to expansion in Ireland, they are more or less "done". Instead, he plans to concentrate on the UK market.

The UK market could prove tricky. With Brexit on the horizon, is the economy poised to slide in the next few years or will it kick on? Waiting until the Brexit fog clears might be an option, even a necessity. McCann has got his timing perfectly right in the Irish market. Reading the UK market over the next three years will be a lot more difficult.

Coming out of the recession here, he was able to acquire great assets cheaply, and at a time when the tourism sector was on the cusp of achieving record figures.

But he must be conscious that having hoovered up so many rooms in Ireland, there is that lack of balance to the portfolio.

Having moved so quickly, McCann finally appears ready to pause for breath, with talk of a dividend coming shortly. Profits last year were up 55pc to 44.1m. But he doesn't like to hang around.
One could call it a challenging first week on the job for Comreg's new chairman, Gerry Fahy. The former Vodafone executive's first task was to avoid saying much of anything about what could be a serious threat to Irish citizens' phone bills.

In case you missed it, a host of mobile operators - led by Three and Meteor - have said that they will try to interpret a new EU roaming abolition law so that they don't have to offer the same amount of data when roaming.

It's a point on which the whole pan-European law may sink or swim: can operators get around the new law by withholding data allowances?

Can they do this simply by redefining what their "core" contract is versus a "service benefit" of "all you can eat data"?

The European Commission doesn't think so. After seeing the Irish Independent's report on the matter, it issued a stinging statement demanding that any operator that was thinking of trying a "loophole" to get around providing roaming data should think again.

But it also said that Comreg is the body tasked with monitoring compliance.

The Irish government, when asked about the issue, said exactly the same thing - this is Comreg's area.

But despite incessant calls for the telecoms regulator to clarify the position, Comreg - alone - has opted not to express a view on the matter.

So although we know what Brussels thinks, we have no idea how the law will be interpreted here by the relevant authority.

Might Comreg be saving its counsel for the next joint Oireachtas Committee hearing, the type where its commissioners always look surprised when TDs and Senators scream at them for a shortfall of public engagement on citizens' telecoms rights?

If so, it may not have that relative luxury. This could turn out to be the most important challenge to a pan-European telecoms law in Europe this year.

And on this particular issue, EU politics is closely in attendance.

In more than 15 years writing about telecoms industry issues, I can't remember the European Commission responding as quickly or as forcefully on an Irish telecoms issue as this one.

There are no prizes for guessing why. The Commission is desperately looking to bolster public confidence in European institutions and EU initiatives. It wants to show Europeans the benefits of remaining in the Union. What better way to do this than to remind people that you pay less for your mobile when you're an EU citizen?

So Comreg may have picked an unfortunate time to offer no guidance on an internationally sensitive issue that is being challenged in Ireland. It is, of course, possible that the regulator is waiting for guidance from the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (Berec), a sort of supra-EU authority that sets the ultimate view on the interpretation of EU telecoms legislation.

It's also possible that it's simply waiting for more information from Three.

Or maybe there's been an outage at Comreg. Or a computer crash.

We don't know. The office just won't say anything.

In any event, the issues that have arisen are pretty serious, to Irish and European mobile phone users and to mobile operators.

I wrote extensively last week about the problems it raises for consumers. But it's only fair to recognise the challenges operators face too.

Take Three, which is the operator specifically referring to a redefinition of its data allowances in separate "core" and "benefit" categories. More than any other operator in Ireland, this new law could become very expensive for Three. This is because of its "all you can eat" data allowance. European operators have worked out a ceiling cost of 7.70 per gigabyte (GB) after June when the new EU law kicks in.

From Three's perspective, that means that if an Irish customer were to spend two weeks in Spain and 10GB of mobile data there (which is not hard to do with a family and no local wifi hotspot), it might cost Three up to 77 when that same customer may only be paying 20 per month.

With this in mind, Three had to make a decision - slash its domestic data allowances so it wouldn't get caught out this way or find some other way to restrict roaming allowances.

Realistically, it can't slash its "all you can eat" data offering at home - as this is arguably its single biggest competitive advantage against (in particular) Vodafone.

So it has reached for another route which it believes will give it an equilibrium.

(The European Commission partially disputes this analysis, arguing that there are mechanisms in place that can reduce Three's financial burden if it can demonstrate undue losses.)

It should be pointed out that the amount of roaming data it is offering in its reduced compliment still matches what rivals such as Vodafone or Meteor would give.

That, though, isn't the point.

The point is that this was supposed to be a signature EU law that every ordinary citizen could understand and love: you can use your phone exactly the same way abroad as you can in Ireland.
The dark web is a dangerous, depraved place where almost anything is available for sale. Here's all you need to know about the Dark Web.

1. What is the dark web?

It's a part of the internet that can't be reached with the normal tools we use, such as Google or web browsers. It's not just that it's not indexed - it's actively restricted. As well as requiring special software to get there, this means that what is accessed or found there isn't subject to any kind of regulation or oversight. It's also very hard to trace anyone who operates there. Experts talk about the dark web as a contrast to the 'surface web', which is what you and I use every day in email, social networking and web searches.

2. Anytime I hear about the dark web, it's in relation to crime. Is that a fair representation?

Most of the headlines generated about the dark web come from stories about platforms such as Silk Road, the virtual marketplace notorious for trading in weapons, drugs and hacked accounts. Hackers, especially, use the dark web to sell stolen data such as credit-card details. Drug-dealers use the dark web a lot, too. That said, there are some arguments in favour of the privacy benefits that non-traceable routes associated with the dark web bring. Some journalists and political activists say that they rely on such methods to communicate in oppressive regimes.

3. Is this where a lot of the child-abuse material, also referred to as child pornography, is traded?

Authorities say that while there is child-abuse material to be found on the dark web, much of the worst serial activity is restricted to even more private peer-to-peer networks.

4. Can I or my family just land there by mistake?

No. Typically, you need special software or tools to access it. One of the most common tools used is The Onion Router, or Tor. This creates an encrypted layer between your activity and the surface web, including any tracking software that might try to follow you there. It's easy to download and launch, but slows your whole system down.

5. I sometimes hear reference to the 'deep web'. Is that the same as the dark web?

No. The deep web is everything that sits beneath the surface web, including the dark web. For example, there are billions and billions of gigabytes of data on the internet that, while not restricted, you can't pull up just by doing a Google search because they don't each have an individual web link. An example would be the website of the Courts Service. If you're looking for details on a case, you can enter Highcourtsearch.courts.ie and input details into its search box. But if you do a Google search for the same case, it won't come up. That case is part of the deep web because it's not indexed other than in its own siloed website. But it's still accessible by anyone with ordinary browsing materials.

By comparison, the dark web is a part of the deep web that is deliberately restricted and shut off unless you have specific tools (such as Tor) to get in.

6. What are the proportions of what makes up content material on the dark web?

A recent study by Equifax estimated that file-sharing (29pc) and leaked data (28pc) make up a clear majority of the activity on the dark web. Financial fraud (12pc) comes next, while drugs (4pc) and pornography (3pc) make up a small proportion.

How easy is it for the guards to track activity on the dark web?

It's possible to access marketplaces and see activity, but much harder to track individuals. Irish police won't say much about their activity around the dark web, but US and UK authorities are known to infiltrate marketplaces in an attempt to keep track of what is being traded.

7. How big is the dark web?

Most authoritative analysis suggests that it's not nearly as big as sometimes reported. While there are well over a billion websites on the regular (surface) web, there are estimated to be less than 100,000 sites on the dark web. The Tor Project, which runs Tor, estimates that around 1.5pc of its activity is related to dark web sites. It also recently put its number of daily users at around two million. That's a tiny number of people, in relative terms.
'Patrick and the President' by Ryan Tubridy, with illustrations by PJ Lynch, is published by Walker Books at 12.99

There's something about Ryan Tubridy that seems out of time. When he first bounced onto our TV screens and airwaves, he seemed old beyond his years and went to great lengths to stress that he was RTE's resident "young fogey".

Now that he actually is middle-aged, he has a giddiness that makes him seem positively boyish. This makes it rather difficult to place him.

His silhouette is the sort that you don't see much of these days: all angles and ends. He looks as if he should be standing on a street corner, in an old movie, wearing a trench coat and a slouch hat. "I'm a monochrome person, living in a technicolour world," he says taking a seat beside me.

"I look like I belong anywhere - the 1940s, '50s, or '60s. Anywhere but now."

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Today, our photoshoot stylist has dressed him accordingly in lots of spiffing suits and silk scarves. Holding whiskey glasses and twirling Ray-Ban sunglasses.

He wears a suit well, does our Ryan. I tell him so and he rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "Stop that."

I am here to chat to him about his new children's book, Patrick and the President. It sees him return to his favourite subject - JFK and his historic 1963 state visit to Ireland.

It's been a bountiful source of inspiration - or, perhaps more accurately, obsession - for Tubridy. In 2010, he produced an RTE documentary about the trip, and the following year his book JFK in Ireland: Four Days That Changed a President hit the shelves. "Yes, it's becoming a bit of a Mastermind specialist subject at this stage," he admits. (Somewhat fittingly, we've met at Idlewild bar in Dublin. New York's Idlewild airport was renamed John F Kennedy International Airport in December 1963.)

But this one is different: a children's picture book exquisitely illustrated by PJ Lynch. Tubridy relished working on it because, as he loves to tell anyone who is listening, he is a big kid at heart.

"I love what they love," he says enthusiastically. "I like cartoons and sweets and silly things. I prefer to err on the side of fun rather than seriousness."

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The book came to fruition in a roundabout way - he met with some children's book publishers in London to talk about a different project centring around "two non-human characters inhabiting my head".

They listened politely before telling him to park that idea. Instead, they wanted him to revisit JFK's trip and tell it through the eyes of a child.

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"It comes to life because of PJ's drawings," Tubridy says, of the work of illustrator and Laureate na nOg PJ Lynch. "He makes the past breathe again."

Lynch has played the part of Time Lord and drawn Tubridy, in the guise of a news reporter, into the book's pages. "It's a sort of Where's Wally? and here he is," Tubridy says, pointing at his own illustrated face.

It's more than that too - it's placing Tubridy in the era he's always dreamt of, immortalising him in the version of the '60s that he longs after - picture-perfect but perhaps a little too airbrushed to be entirely real.

As PJ Lynch says, "It was like putting him in a time machine and bringing him back to finally meet his idol."

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This style of historical picture book has done very well recently. In the States, The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa, which tells the story of Ella Fitzgerald's life through the eyes of a cat in a zoot suit named Scat Cat Monroe, sold well.

As research for his book, Tubridy made his way to New Ross to meet people who were still in short pants and school skirts when JFK came to town. "I put my recorder down and asked them to be kids again. They described how the plane came out of the sky like a flying saucer," he says.

Tubs was a child himself when he made his telly debut - at the age of 12 - after writing a letter to The Irish Times complaining about RTE's film output. He appeared on Anything Goes reviewing films, while on Scratch Saturday and Poparama he rated and slated various books.

After studying history and classics at UCD, he started working as a runner and roving reporter in the radio building. In fact, he has spent practically his entire teenage and adult life working within the confines of what he likes to call "Montrosia".

"RTE is a madhouse," he says. "Totally bonkers, but I love it".

The past 12 months have been tumultuous times in RTE, with the Young People's Department outsourced, huge chucks of the lot being sold off, and rumours that everyone and anyone is jumping ship. But Tubridy says that's just part of the organisation's DNA. "It is one of those institutions that lends itself to all sorts of potential catastrophes all the time, to all sorts of potential disaster," he says. "It's always on the brink of disaster but I never worry unduly Everything seems to get ironed out in the end."

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September marks Tubridy's 10th season on juggernaut The Late Late Show. "A lot has happened," he says. "As a host, I have been really good at times and really not so good at other times."

Even after half a century on air, The Late Late Show remains one of the country's favourite topics to give out yards about. Last month, for example, there were two separate Late Late scandals that got the country talking.

The first was the Valentine's Day special. The programme featured 200 "single and salivating men and women" (Tubridy's words) leering at each other and making copious and laboured jokes about 'riding'. Oh, and Linda Martin and Al Porter stalked each other in leathers.

There were more than 300 emails and phone calls complaining and wondering if there was anything holy and good left in the world.

The following week, news that a researcher on the show had reached out to drug dealer John Gilligan - the man widely suspected of being behind the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin - made headlines. When asked if he thinks approaching Gilligan was a good idea, Tubridy switches into PR autopilot. "The Late Late Show has always invited controversial guests on the programme," he begins.

But does he think it's appropriate? "It's not an issue. My comfort with it is not an issue because it isn't happening... I don't have to confront or deal with it because he's not coming on the show. It's not an issue. And that's it."

I ask him if fronting a show which is constantly caught up in criticism and controversy ever gets draining. "But that's what The Late Late Show does - it bothers people. It always has and it always will. It amuses and bemuses; it entertains and baffles people. It baffles me occasionally because it is a conundrum. On one episode, we play with toys"

And on another you play with sex toys?

"I did not play with any sex toys," he says emphatically.

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"Well, you handed out lubricant and packs of condoms," I say.

"I didn't hand them out personally."

"Why didn't you kiss Linda Martin?"

"I didn't kiss Al Porter either. I don't want to kiss 99pc of my guests and I think they'd say the same for me."

Which brings us nicely to the subject of his own love life. Tubridy's last serious relationship was with Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain, the 2005 Rose of Tralee and an academic scientist, with Disney princess eyes and dimples. They dated for five years, shared a house in Monkstown and looked all set up for happily-ever-after. But then things changed.

In interviews, Tubridy talked about how he was a "gobshite with women", and said you would need "the patience of Job and his extended family" to live with him. She said she wasn't ready for children and he told reporters he had no plans on proposing. They announced their separation before Christmas in 2014, via their agent, Noel Kelly, promising to "remain friends".

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So, a few years older and wiser, is he seeing anyone new? "No," he says flatly. "I am not. I'm a busy man. A busy man doing my own thing."

Right, well, are you on Tinder? "No, I'm not on Tinder I can hear laughter echoing around the walls at just the suggestion of it," he says.

But would you like that now? "Like what?" he says, before putting on a mocking voice and chiming "to find a nice girl and settle down".

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No, not that. Just a bit of companionship, maybe? There's a pause.

"Look, if it happens, it happens. But I don't think I would particularly enrich anybody's life."

That strikes me as rather a sad thing to say, and I tell him he's selling himself short. "I think I'm selling myself tall," he laughs awkwardly and brushes the material of his trousers.

Has going through a high-profile break-up made him wary to publicise a new relationship? "But I've never done that," he says emphatically. "Look, I am a private person in a public job. I think that element of my life is for me and I keep myself to myself. Like I said, if something happens - wouldn't that be lovely? But for now, I just march on But thank you for asking," he adds.

We move on. Several years ago, a move to the BBC seemed imminent, with Tubridy filling in for Simon Mayo and Graham Norton during the summer months. "There was a time about four years ago when there was a lot of work on the table and, if I didn't have major commitments, I would have thought about going," he says.

He's referring to his two daughters, Ella and Julia, from his marriage to RTE producer Ann-Marie Power. I presume the death of his father, Patrick, in 2013 must have also jolted him back home? "There are just moments in life when things changed and I found myself re-engaging. You have those moments in your life where you think, 'Okay, I'm back in the room.' For me, it's family first, then work. I think I realised I had a good thing going on here"

Tubridy has tried his hand at many different types of show in RTE - from cameos on fashion shows to The Full Irish and hosting The Rose of Tralee. But everything has been aimed at the lighter end of the telly spectrum.

Given his academic and family background - his paternal grandfather was Fianna Fail TD Sean Tubridy, while his maternal grandfather was Todd Andrews - it's surprising he didn't end up in current affairs.

"Would I want to do a Jon Stewart Show? No. I'm far too polite for it. But I love politics and watch it the way other people watch sport or soap operas."

Enda Kenny's long goodbye has been of particular interest. "Part of you would have sympathy for him. He put his life and soul into the gig I don't think they are handling that leadership battle as elegantly as they could have. I didn't think that was the Fine Gael way.

"When Fianna Fail want a change in leader, there is a rush to the cutlery drawer to see who can get the knife first to plunge it into the back. Whereas Fine Gael used to do it in a much more gentlemanly but this seems like a mess," he says, before adding: "I love it."

The publisher wanders about in the background and talk returns to the book.

The importance of JFK's visit to Ireland - which was still something of a fledgling republic at the time - was seismic. Ireland was defined by emigration and unemployment and there was, to say the least, an acute shortage of glamour.

Suddenly, the most powerful man in the world was touching down, with his milky-white smile and honeyed skin.

He hung out with Dean Martin and Sinatra, was the most powerful man on earth - and, above all, he was one of our own. JFK wasn't just going to Dublin to walk around Trinity College and look at The Book of Kells. He was travelling back to his ancestral home, an old farmhouse in Dunganstown, Co Wexford. "There was the feeling: if he can come from here and go on to the White House, then anything's possible."

The book centres around schoolboy Patrick - who shares the same Christian name as Ryan's late father, Dr Patrick Tubridy. It's also the name of Jackie and John F Kennedy's baby son, who died just three days after he was born.

"It was right after his visit to Ireland," Tubridy explains. "I liked that circle. There was famine, destitution, emigration. Then climb, ascend, pinnacle, White House, return home - bang! Patrick."

Tubridy starts chattering about the 1960s and the States. That vintage Archie comic Americana is a dream-scape for him. "It's everything," he says. "The era, the music, the clothes, the beautiful women and their fashion and style. It was the most extraordinary time. And then JFK."

When I later talk to illustrator PJ Lynch about Kennedy, he is more reserved in his praise. "He was no Lincoln," he says. "But he was Catholic and Irish. And young and glamorous."

But for Tubridy, Kennedy is the embodiment of all the best bits of the 1960s. "He was in the White House with Sinatra floating around, and Marilyn Monroe We had these auld fellas running the world and in comes this movie star, this rock star - and he was Irish! How cool is that?"

Kennedy had a perfect presidential CV - a good-looking war hero from a good-looking (if slightly disreputable) family, with a good-looking wife. A wealthy white man who oozed confidence and looked great on a yacht.

But, as we now know, he was no angel. JFK had a voracious sexual appetite. His infidelity was widely known, and he would chase any and all women - prostitutes, White House interns and movie stars. Once he had slept with them, he was quick to move on.

"But Kennedy could quote Latin and poetry," Tubridy counters. "He had such a mind. And his speeches! His speeches and his words are too good to focus on the other stuff."

Oh, baloney, he didn't write his speeches. His adviser Ted Sorensen did.

JFK's sex life is also something that Tubridy prefers to gloss over. That and the assassination. "So all the interesting stuff, then?" I say.

"The salacious element and the assassination bore me senseless," he insists.

"I don't look at that side of the story with any interest".

To have studied JFK in such depth, and then to overlook a huge element of his character seems strange. Not just from a gossip's point of view, but also from a historian's. Shouldn't we paint Kennedy in the full picture, "warts and all"?

Perhaps Tubridy thinks this is a cliched approach to the subject. Or maybe there are other, more personal, reasons for his reluctance to focus on JFK's personal life.

It's clear that Tubridy thinks there are certain things that should remain under lock and key when you are "a private person in a public job".

'Patrick and the President' by Ryan Tubridy, with illustrations by PJ Lynch, is published by Walker Books at 12.99

Photography: Tony Gavin

Styling: Nikki Cummins

Grooming: Lisa O'Connor

Shot on location at Idlewild bar, Fade Street, Dublin 2, (01) 253 0593
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New York, March 4 (CNA) Former President Ma Ying-jeou () said Saturday in the United States that he does not intend to visit mainland China in the near future and that Washington's reaffirmation of its one-China policy was fundamentally good for the U.S., China and Taiwan.
Stage and screen: Theatre is a lot scarier than TV in front of millions because the audience is there in the room with you and you dont have an earpiece with a producer helping you out. Photo: Helen Maybanks

You can't strictly call it a new direction, because she has acted before. But playing Cleo Morley - "a mortician, but her proper title is anatomical pathology technician" - in the Peter James crime drama Not Dead Enough is a transition for Laura Whitmore, the 2016 Strictly Come Dancing contestant.

"I'm really enjoying theatre life. It's where I started and we've had such a wonderful reception so far," Laura said. She is often asked to sum up Not Dead Enough in 140 characters and her answer is: "It's three bodies, one suspect, no evidence."

The producers describe Not Dead Enough, which opens on April 18, scarily thus: on the night Brian Bishop murdered his wife, he was 60 miles away, asleep in bed. At least that's what he claims. Indeed, and without giving the plot away, Laura Whitmore's character Cleo is central "to the storyline and finding out who the killer is."

Bray native Laura (31), who has presented on MTV, I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and recently hosted the red carpet for the BAFTAs, is dead excited.

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"We're bringing Not Dead Enough to London in a week," said Laura, who lives in London, "but I'm most excited about coming home and opening the show in the Bord Gais Energy Theatre. I don't come home as much as I'd like. So any excuse, I'm on a plane. To be here for nine shows means so, so much to me."

And us "For me, I feel like theatre is going back to basics, relearning a trade. I'm loving every minute of it. Although I'm petrified."

As for the future, Laura said there were a few exciting projects coming up. "I'm constantly auditioning, so we'll see what happens next, but this is keeping me busy until July though."

After that, "there are some very exciting possibilities but I try not to talk about things until I'm actually doing them. I'm just working hard at the moment and learning as much as I can." Laura can remember playing Lady Macbeth in The Helix "about eight years ago and I have to pinch myself that I'm now going to be in a theatre in front of almost 2,000 people", she said, referring to the Bord Gais Energy Theatre in Dublin's Grand Canal Quay.

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"It's a lot scarier than TV in front of millions because they are there in the room with you and you don't have an earpiece with a producer helping you out.

"I've learned the most important thing in life is to do what makes you happy," Laura added.

"You only get to live it once, so better make it worthwhile. I've seen three actresses in the past year who have really taught me a lot," she said, namechecking Michelle Williams in Blackbird on Broadway, Billie Piper in Yerma at the Young Vic in London, and Irish actress Denise Gough who starred in People, Places & Things in the West End and subsequently won the Olivier for Best Actress.

"Such powerful performances from females that you can see acted out live in front of your eyes. Live theatre is something I grew up with.

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"As a kid I used to see plays in the Abbey and the Gate all the time and for those two hours be transported into another world. Theatre has always been in my heart.

"Whether I'm any good is another thing... but I'm giving it everything."
Daphney Sanasie who appeared on the opening night of RTEs First Dates Ireland

First Dates Ireland contestant Daphney Sanasie, who is barred indefinitely from contacting celebrity chef Dylan McGrath, said she's been inundated with requests for dates.

The South African model (26), who featured on the RTE One dating show last year, appeared in court earlier this year with harassment charges against McGrath. She pleaded guilty, was spared a criminal record and was ordered not to contact the chef again.

But the secretary, who lives in Dublin 8, said her high profile court case led to a barrage of romantic proposals - claiming that even some other high profile men contacted her for a date.

"I was not prepared at all for the many, many men who would chase and seek me out afterwards," she told the Sunday World.

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"I'm thinking that men would want to avoid me after i was charged with harassment. It made them want me even more. They even said so!"

"I have had the opportunity to meet dozens and dozens of men, single and in a relationship. Some of the men admitted they were married or in a relationship. Others just lied, but I would find out."

"What was interesting was that men who were well known pursued me. Even though I had been charged and was in the news - it didn't scare them off."

Sanasie first hit headlines after her episode on First Dates aired and producers pulled her follow-up episode after the harassment charges came to light.

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The O'Donohue family, Eamonn and Sharon together with their kids Sarah (14) and twins Alex and Lucy (12)

The family of a man who was killed in a tragic kayaking accident on Saturday has said our whole world has been rocked.

Father-of-three Eamonn ODonohoe died after getting into difficulty while kayaking on Lough Ree in Co Roscommon.

Eamonn (46), who was originally from Palmerstown in Dublin, had been living with his wife Sharon and three kids in Roscommon since 2006.

In a touching tribute to her wonderful husband, Sharon ODonohoe said he was the ultimate family man.

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He was a man who lived for his kids, she told Independent.ie.

He was the best Dad in the world, very family orientated. I dont even know how to describe how good a person he was. He would go out of his way to help anybody, she added.

Sharon met Eamonn back in 1993 while he was working as a teacher. He later went on to study computer training and did lots of analytical work for Bank of Ireland and AIB.

The couple got married in September 1999 and had been together for 18 years.

They have three kids together  Sarah (14) and twins Alex and Lucy (12).

Nobody had anything bad to say about him. He would never do a wrong turn to anyone.

He was a very fascinating person. People were kind of drawn to him because he would always have an answer to any sort of problem. He was quite intelligent and very good at a lot of things.

Sharon said they have been overwhelmed by the support of the local community in Kiltoom, Athlone.

Everybody has been so good, so kind, she said.

A family friend also paid tribute to Eamonn.

"Eamonn was such a lovely man with a passion and love of the sport of kayaking, which he instilled into his three beautiful children. He turned his hobby into a family event.

"He had his own unique way of doing things and was fascinating to be around. We are going to miss him by the river bank. The whole community is devastated by this tragedy."

Cllr Aengus O'Rourke (FF), whose children attend the same school as Sarah, Alex and Lucy said the community is in complete shock.

"You would regularly see them coming and going to school with kayaks on their car. A daily kayak trip would be nothing to the O'Donohue's," he told Independent.ie.

"The community is in utter shock and disbelief. The death of a young man doing what he did best and what he loved is heartbreaking. Our hearts go out to his children, who are friends of my children.

"This has come as a huge shock to us all".

The alarm was raised on Saturday after Mr O'Donohoe went missing between Lecarrow and Hodson Bay at around lunchtime.

His daughter Sarah and wife Sharon called the coast guard after he was an hour late returning.

The Coastguard helicopter from Sligo joined the search and identified him and his kayak in the water.

He was unconscious and was brought by lifeboat to Coosan Point. He was transferred to an ambulance and brought to Portiuncula Hospital in Galway, where he later died.

Sharon said he had kayaked that route so many times but it is not yet clear what happened.

Weather conditions are believed to have been very windy, cold and wet while he was kayaking.

Speaking this morning, Lough Ree RNLI lifeboat helm Stan Bradbury said: "We are deeply saddened to learn that the gentleman did not make it. Our thoughts are with his family at this very difficult time. May he rest in peace."

Gardai have launched an investigation into the incident.

In a statement, gardai said: Following a search a male kayaker in his 40s was discovered in the water near Coosan Point, Athlone at approximately 1.30pm on Saturday."

A post-mortem is due to be carried out on Monday.
Dwindling numbers: Trish McDermott and her son Eamon (6), outside Ballacolla National School, which has lost two-thirds of its numbers. Photo: James Flynn/APX

The ongoing closures of garda stations, post offices and shops have pushed people's sense of isolation to dangerous new levels. Constantly worried about burglaries and attacks, communities are working together to fund CCTV cameras to protect their areas. In the week an elderly man was murdered in a remote corner of Waterford, our reporter travels to the Laois village of Ballacolla and finds a community fighting to survive.

Ballacolla is a village at a crossroads like hundreds of others up and down the country. The parish church, with its small congregation, is the landmark at one side of the cross.

Along another road is the 34-pupil national school and the GAA pitch, and in the middle there are three pubs, each hanging on for dear life, and boasting only a few customers.

There are empty spaces that have opened up in the Laois village, like the gaps in an elderly gentleman's set of teeth.

Expand Close Time at the bar: Trish McDermott and Pat Kavanagh in the Hawthorn Bar, Ballacolla. Photo: James Flynn/APX / Facebook

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The garda station is closed - a white square marks the spot on the building where the garda insignia used to be.

The only sign of the closed post office is a bright green postbox; and now you gaze through the window, where the postmistress used to give out stamps, into a void.

Making matters worse, the last shop in Ballacolla shut its doors a month ago. A sign on the door where it used to be says you can buy crisps and sweets in the neighbouring bar.

As one woman, Mary Cashin, tells me ruefully on the street on a Tuesday afternoon: "When I came to Ballacolla 50 years ago, you could buy everything from a needle to an anchor. Now you couldn't even buy a paper or a postage stamp." The village, best known locally for its successful hurling team, seldom makes the national headlines.

There was a flurry of excitement a few years back, when local people started pretending to fish in the large potholes in the road. They wanted to make a point about the poor standards of road maintenance. The story made the national press.

And the post office, when it existed, was once raided by the notorious Dublin criminal Tony Felloni.

In the village, they also talk about Bono popping into one of the pubs last year while a Communion party was going on, and some of the kids not having a clue about who he was.

On a blustery spring afternoon, peace reigns in the village, but in friendly places like Ballacolla and their surrounds, there is a growing sense of insecurity and isolation, particularly since the closure of the garda station.

Without the post office - and without a single shop - the threads that hold a community together are being slowly pulled apart. It takes great effort to avoid the loneliness that can come when a village loses its heart.

Without a garda station, the farmers who live up quiet country lanes fear that their homes will be broken into and their farmyards raided. The fears of country people across rural Ireland have been heightened this week by reports of the killing of pensioner Paddy Lyons near Lismore, Co Waterford.

The 90-year-old was found slumped in a chair at his home with blood on his face and injuries to his head last weekend. On Wednesday, Ross Outram (26) appeared before Dungarvan District Court charged with the murder of Mr Lyons.

Violent incidents are mercifully rare in the area of Ballacolla, but the village has suffered a spate of burglaries since the closure of the garda station in 2013.

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Michael G Phelan, a local farmer and community activist known as 'The G', says: "I don't think people here will ever forgive the present government for the closure of the post office and the garda station. It happened on their watch."

Not long ago, Ballacolla was the sort of place where local residents could leave the door on the latch, and there was so little traffic that kids could hurl on the street. But now on local farms, there is a big demand for electronic gates amid growing fears about unwelcome intruders.

"The departure of the gardai came not long after the opening of the new M8 motorway, and it left people very vulnerable," says Phelan.

"The burglars were able to come into the area from the motorway, which is only 3km away, and then get away very quickly."

Once the raiders were out on the motorway, blending anonymously with the traffic, they could be in another county in five minutes.

"It was a traumatic experience for people to have their houses burgled," adds Phelan. "Homes were pulled apart and ransacked, drawers pulled out and belongings scattered everywhere."

In local farmyards, raiders targeted farm machinery, quad bikes, power tools, lawnmowers, electricity generators and diesel.

One local victim of one of these raids, who did not wish to be named, tells me: "It's not so much what you lose that makes you upset. It is the feeling that your privacy has been invaded, and knowing that these guys were rooting around in my yard late at night.

"When I was growing up, you never had to worry about that kind of thing happening."

Faced with these raids, local people are turning to security measures that were once only used on busy city thoroughfares like Dublin's O'Connell Street and Henry Street. In the local Hawthorn Bar, they are selling raffle tickets to raise money to install a CCTV camera at the nearby motorway exit on the M8.

That way, they can track the movements of cars in and out of the area. Burglars will not be able to make their fast getaway without being picked up on camera.

The approach is already being used in the nearby village of Shanahoe. Local people raised over 40,000 to install 24 cameras on every approach road to the village, monitoring all traffic in the area 24 hours a day.

Expand Close Dwindling numbers: Trish McDermott and her son Eamon (6), outside Ballacolla National School, which has lost two-thirds of its numbers. Photo: James Flynn/APX / Facebook

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Whatsapp Dwindling numbers: Trish McDermott and her son Eamon (6), outside Ballacolla National School, which has lost two-thirds of its numbers. Photo: James Flynn/APX

Law-enforcement experts can debate whether keeping a station open in a remote place like Ballacolla makes any sense, and whether mobile patrols from other stations in bigger towns are just as useful

But visiting Ballacolla, one gets the sense that the insecurity not only comes from the absence of gardai, but the feeling that the village itself is dying. "There was a sense of security knowing that there was a garda living there," says Noreen Byrne, the driving force of the local Tidy Towns committee.

There is a domino effect in rural villages and towns. When the garda station closes, there are fewer people coming into the village.

The gardai who served in the station, known by older people as "the barracks", played for the local hurling team, and their children went to the local school.

The real hammer blow came with the closure of the post office, however. Older people came from miles around to pick up their pensions, and talk to their neighbours.

While there, they went to the local shop to buy a paper and groceries, and many of them popped into the pub for a drink before heading home.

"The trouble is that you could go into the village now and you would meet nobody," says Noreen Byrne.

"We campaigned to keep the post office open," says Michael G Phelan. "We went to Dublin and met ministers. There were people who were prepared to run the post office, but it wasn't allowed to continue. When it closed, it drained the life out of Ballacolla.

"When the post office closed, I predicted the shop across the road would close as well. And that finally happened a month ago."

And now, in the surviving bars, the publicans worry that the clock is also ticking fast towards midnight.

Transport Minister Shane Ross may argue that his plan to tighten up the drink-driving laws makes sense from a road safety point of view. In metropolitan Dublin, it all seems to make logical sense.

It will mean that drivers could be banned after just one pint, and Trish McDermott - who runs the Hawthorn Bar - fears what the effect will be on her pub if it is implemented.

"People usually just come in for one or two, just to socialise or have a chat. But I worry that they won't come in any more."

Phelan says the new drink-driving law will make older people even more isolated.

"They will be forced to stay at home, and stop coming to the village. The next thing is, they are turning into a recluse."

The days when gardai would use their discretion and turn a blind eye to the moderate drinker tippling marginally over the limit have long gone.

Years ago, some members of the force were not always too steadfast in their implementation of the law, according to local man Pat Kavanagh.

Brandishing a pint of Smithwick's at the bar, he tells me: "I once knew a fella in this village one time, and he gave the guard a lift home - and he was cock-eyed himself."

Kavanagh remembers how the Hawthorn Bar, in a previous incarnation, used to be bustling with life all through the day and into the evening.

The man who used to run the pub also had a grocery store and a drapery, and he even sold guns. Next door there was a bicycle shop, there was a butcher, a hardware shop, wool merchant, and a blacksmith. Phelan says there were five places in Ballacolla where you could buy a loaf of bread, but now you have to go more than 6km to Durrow, Abbeyleix, or the gleaming new services with a Supermac's that has opened on the motorway.

One local woman, who lives on the edge of Ballacolla, tells me: "My 13-year-old daughter used to walk into the village with the dog to pick up the paper. She would meet people along the way and talk. Now there is no reason to do that any more, because the last shop has closed."

During the day-time on the street, hardly anything moves, other than the tractors, trucks and cars trundling through on their way to somewhere else. And the place is even more desolate during half terms and school holidays, when there are no parents and children arriving and departing from the national school.

At one time, there were up to 100 children in the primary school.

In the 1990s, a new classroom was built to meet a perceived demand for places, but the children never came, and classrooms were left empty. There are 34 children in the school now and next year it will be down to 30.

"There used to be more children, because people had bigger families. And there are no new housing developments here to bring in extra people," school principal Ciaran Bergin says.

Like hundreds of other villages across rural Ireland, Ballacolla has struggled to adapt to 21st-century life. But amid all the difficulties and the closure of amenities, there is still a strong community spirit.

Volunteers, who are the backbone of rural Ireland, still raise money for the Tidy Towns, the community alert scheme and the thriving GAA club. The garda station, the post office and the shops may have closed, but the community in Ballacolla, in the face of these challenges, will not give up without a fight.
Local character: Ninety-year-old retired farmer Paddy Lyons, of Ballysaggart, Lismore, who was found dead in his cottage last Saturday and who will be buried at St Marys Church, Ballysaggart, tomorrow. Photo: Paddy Geoghegan

A WATERFORD community gathered in silence tonight to honour a local 90-year-old whose death shocked rural Ireland.

Hundreds gathered in both Lismore and Ballysaggart for the removal of Paddy Lyons to St Marys Church where he had worshipped for so many years.

Friends, neighbours and relatives had vowed that Mr Lyons would be offered a dignified funeral tribute.

From shortly after 1pm, mourners gathered at St Carthages Mortuary in Lismore to pay their last respects to the retired farmer.

Mr Lyons was discovered dead at his Loughleagh home outside Ballysaggart, some 10km from Lismore, on February 25.

Gardai launched a murder investigation after a post-mortem examination on Mr Lyons remains at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) by Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster.

The post-mortem was ordered by Gardai who were suspicious of visible marks to Mr Lyons face and head.

The pensioner was discovered slumped in a chair at his farmhouse home at 5pm after locals became concerned about him when he didnt attend a funeral in the village.

Mr Lyons own funeral was delayed to allow distant relatives to attend from overseas including from the US.

Shortly before 6pm last night, Mr Lyons remains were carried from St Carthages Mortuary and brought by funeral cortege to St Marys Church in Ballysaggart.

The cortege was led by a single Garda patrol car with several mourners walking behind the hearse as it slowly passed through Lismore town.

Mr Lyons coffin was flanked in the hearse by five wreaths of white lilies and roses.

A framed photo of the retired farmer was later placed on top of his coffin.

Such was the size of the crowd that dozens of mourners were later forced to stand outside.

The remains were received by Fr Michael Cullinan.

Mr Lyons will be buried after 11am Requiem Mass today.

Funeral tributes will be paid by Ballysaggart community groups including the GAA, community alert, musical society and IFA.

The farmer was the only child of the late John and Nora Lyons.

He never married and continued to live alone at the family homestead where, until recently, he farmed a 30 acre plot.

Mr Lyons was a well-known character in the village, famed for his love of music and sport.

He was also a familiar figure at local drama events in west Waterford.

Ross Outram (26) was charged with the murder of Mr Lyons before Dungarvan District Court last Wednesday.

Mr Outram of Ferryland, Waterford Road, Clonmel, Co Tipperary was remanded in custody and will appear before the district court again next Wednesday.
Local character: Ninety-year-old retired farmer Paddy Lyons, of Ballysaggart, Lismore, who was found dead in his cottage last Saturday and who will be buried at St Marys Church, Ballysaggart, tomorrow. Photo: Paddy Geoghegan

A Waterford community has vowed to deliver "a dignified and fitting" funeral tribute to retired farmer Paddy Lyons (90), whose death horrified the nation.

Mr Lyons's funeral arrangements had been delayed for several days to allow distant relatives to attend from overseas.

His remains will be removed from St Carthage's Mortuary, in Lismore, to St Mary's Church, Ballysaggart, at 5.30pm today.

His Requiem Mass will be celebrated at 11am tomorrow.

Mr Lyons will be buried in the adjoining St Mary's Cemetery in a plot beside family members and lifelong Ballysaggart friends.

He was discovered dead at his home outside Lismore, in west Waterford, on February 25.

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Gardai launched a murder investigation after a post-mortem examination on Mr Lyons's remains at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) by assistant State pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster last Sunday.

The post-mortem examination was ordered by gardai, who were suspicious of marks to Mr Lyons's face and head.

The pensioner was discovered slumped in a chair at his farmhouse home at 5pm last Saturday after locals became concerned about him when he didn't attend a funeral in the village.

Ross Outram (26) was charged with the murder of Mr Lyons before Dungarvan District Court last Wednesday.

Outram, of Ferryland, Waterford Road, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, was remanded in custody and will appear again before the district court next Wednesday.

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Mr Lyons's remains had been retained at UHW until it was clear that no further pathology or forensic tests were required.

While Mr Outram was entitled to seek a second opinion on the post-mortem examination, he did not exercise this right.

The pensioner's funeral arrangements were then delayed to allow relatives to travel to Ireland from overseas, including from the US. Mr Lyons was the only child of John and Nora Lyons, who both died many years ago. He was unmarried.

He had farmed a 30-acre holding at Loughleagh, outside Ballysaggart, and lived a simple life in his farmhouse cottage.

He did not have a car and depended on neighbours and friends for lifts to get his pension, food and attend social events. Mr Lyons was a familiar figure and took a great interest in local social events, GAA matches, music and drama celebrations and farming rallies.

Tributes to Mr Lyons will be mounted by Ballysaggart GAA, Ballysaggart Community Alert and other groups.

"We want to be able to offer Paddy a dignified and fitting send-off," Councillor Declan Doocey said.

"He was a lovely character.

"People are still shocked and heartbroken at what happened. Now, they just want to show solidarity with Paddy's relatives, neighbours and friends."
The Assembly is to hear personal stories of women who have had abortions this afternoon

A number of advocacy groups will today make their case why Ireland's Eight Amendment should either be repealed or remain.

The Government-approved Citizens' Assembly is hosting its fourth sitting to discuss the Eight Amendment, which restricts abortions.

In total, 17 pro-life and pro-choice will take to the stage in Dublin Castle to make presentations.

During yesterday's session, a woman forced to travel to the UK for a late-term abortion, said Ireland is wrong to "trap" women into carrying foetus' with fatal conditions and has called for an end to the stigma.

The woman said shed skipped excitedly to her 12-week ultrasound scan, before hearing the horrific news her foetus was unlikely to survive birth.

She was one of six women who spoke on anonymous recordings made for the Citizens Assembly.

Each emotional story was played for the 99 members, giving insight into the traumatic journey thousands of Irish women take each year to the UK to seek abortions for varying reasons.

I remember skipping into the midwife, the woman said. She said the baby was quiet and not moving, that some of my blood results were worrying her. A doctor said theyd never seen a baby like ours live past 17 weeks and Id most likely have a miscarriage."

The mother-of-one, desperate to have her impossible little girl, kept returning to the doctor, to see if there was any hope the baby could survive.

And every time he told me she would pass away, the woman said.

By 18 weeks, we got the results which confirmed she had a complete extra set of chromosomes and that variant was fatal. There was no hope.

When I was 24 weeks pregnant, I was thinking how can I still be pregnant when my baby is going to pass away?

Walking into the hospital youd see everyone else with bumps and carrying these car seats with their babies and I realised Id never leave hospital with my baby in a car seat.

My baby would be leaving in a coffin.

The mother said because of the current restriction to abortion in Ireland, she was forced to continue an unviable pregnancy.

And though her blood pressure shot up and she began to show signs of preeclampsia, a potentially-life threatening condition, she was not assisted or given any practical advice to help her.

It made me feel I didnt matter, my life was the same as a non-viable baby, she said.

The woman said it was time Ireland stopped stigmatising women who seek abortions, adding: We arent ogres, or unclean, were your sisters, mothers, nieces. We are every woman.
A CATHOLIC bishop said we hang our heads in shame after a member of the Citizens Assembly from Tuam questioned how the Church could comment on abortion issues after the unearthing of mass baby graves at its former mother and baby home.

The Tuam woman took a defiant and out of the ordinary stance at the Assembly, when she used the opportunity to put the Church on the spot, asking the Bishop of Limerick, Brendan Leahy and National Director for Catechetics, Kate Liffey, exactly why they felt they should speak on abortion after the scandal.

How does the Church expect us to go along with [the Churchs pro-life stance] given the horrific track record the Church and religious orders have when dealing with the most vulnerable, as you call them yourself, the voiceless weak, in our society historically? she asked.

And specifically in light of the recent discovery of the 780 babies bodies thrown into septic tanks in Tuam and coincidentally, Im from Tuam myself.

Chair Justice Mary Laffoy said she didnt know if the question was relevant but the Tuam woman responded it was and the question was allowed.

Its the stance that everyone has a right to life regardless of the situation, she said. How do they correlate the two when the historic track record is, as it stands for itself?

Bishop Leahy, who was representing Catholic Bishops along with Ms Liffey, responded: Were all as shocked about this as everyone else but it brings home to us the key point that a society has to both the born and unborn, welcome them, care for them and protect them.

This is a renewed wake up call to us all. This is essential.

We hang our heads in shame but it brings us back to the fact that this is what we want, to promote a culture that really does care for life before and after birth.

Ms Liffey added that as an ordinary Catholic, that I spent the weekend deeply upset by myself and I spent a lot of time actually reflecting did I want to be here, did I want to speak given that whats been uncovered in Tuam.

I deeply respect where youre coming from but I believe passionately as a Catholic the right to life of the unborn child.

That isnt to diminish in any way what happened in the past, its simply to say this is the question we were asked to look at today and thats why Im here.

A pro-choice mother of a young woman with special needs said she found it offensive that pro-life lobbyists at the Assembly were giving an impression abortion rights campaigners didnt care about disabled children.

Jane Donnelly, from Atheist Ireland, had not been scheduled to speak about her own personal life but did so to counter pro-life comments made during the Assembly.

Today we had the impression people that are pro choice dont care about children with disabilities and we just want to abort them, or we dont love them Ms Donnelly said.

That is not true. I have a child with special needs and I love her dearly, I really love her an awful lot.

I found today a little offensive in that regard because Im still pro-choice and Im not going to take the right of any woman to make that choice.

Its a long difficult path when you have a child with special needs. I didnt bring my baby today because my baby is now an adult but I was there when she woke up at night, the state werent there.

There was nobody else there, her parents were there. All through her childhood and into her young adulthood now, we are the people that are there.

Theres no state agency knocking on my door. They dont care. I hope that they will care but Im not going to sit here and take the right of any woman to go through the journey that I have taken away from her, thats her choice and we should all respect that.

I care and we care for the children with special needs and I love my daughter but I am pro-choice.

The unexpected and emotional comment received an applause from the Assembly after a length day which heard 17 speakers from both sides of the pro-choice and pro-life campaigns.

One speaker included a pro-life campaigner who brought her special needs child to the Assembly.

Sinead McBreen claimed she had been advised to have a termination by doctors in Ireland, but she went on to give birth to her daughter, Grace, who has down syndrome.

When I was pregnant with Grace, whos two-and-a-half and is perfect in every way, we were told 100 per cent she wouldnt survive.

We were pressured to terminate at every appointment. We were made feel foolish to continue with a pregnancy that wasnt going anywhere. They dehumanised her.

I was told get on with my life at home, why continue with this pregnancy. We were told pick a plot for my baby. I continued my pregnancy.

I was told shes one in a million, shes a miracle (for surviving).

Ms McBreen, who accompanied Cora Sherlock, from the Pro Life Campaign, claimed numerous mothers of children with down syndrome had come to her with similar stories and were told their child wouldnt survive. The pressure is there already.

She claimed a mother from Letterkenny, Co Donegal, had contacted her recently to tell her medical pressure was being put on her to terminate her foetus, found to have down syndrome.

Shes been told she can still go for a termination at 20 weeks, she said.

Its frightening. Already this information is being given to mums as it was given to us, so I feel the Eighth Amendment protected Grace and protected me.

We carried on with our pregnancy. If I listened to the nurses, doctors, who said she wouldnt survive...but this is why Im here today.

Theyre beautiful children. She added that she was frightened to see other countries heading down a road where down syndrome children were being aborted.

As a mother it frightens me that people dont want a child like mine. Im proud of the fact our children are cherished and protected.

Colm OGorman, executive director from Amnesty International Ireland, also reacted angrily to the pro-life lobbys handling of the pro-choice-disability issue.

He said that if any pressure had been applied by a doctor to a pregnant woman in Ireland to get an abortion, that in reality this would be a criminal matter.

Mr OGorman added that disability campaigners had already highlighted that they realised women had abortions for a variety of reasons including lack of state support, and that they felt it was vital for disabled women and those with mental health disabilities who may need access to abortion, to be able to do so without discrimination.

He stated that Ireland was unique for the way it celebrates down syndrome and that this was down to the love and care of families who should be respected for the choices they made whatever care path they choose in their circumstances.

Ailbhe Smyth, from the Coalition to Repeal the Eighth, said the historical treatment of unmarried women in Ireland and their babies is not something we are proud of.

From the magdalene laundries to the mother and baby homes and orphanages, women and babies have been punished for being outside of marriage, hidden away, often called fallen women, incarcerated and often abused until the 90s.

This was a history all to sadly reaffirmed by a mass grave of hundreds of small children buried...we are good at burying the truth.

The truth is our laws continue to coerce and restrict pregnant women and treat them as potential criminals.

We cant end violations of womens freedoms as long as the Eighth Amendment remains in our constitution.

The Assembly meets again on the 22 and 23 of April to focus on formulating, agreeing and voting on recommendations to the Oireachtas.

Justice Laffoy said she anticipated this would be challenging and that further experts may need to be called.

The results of the vote will form the recommendations we will provide to the Houses of the Oireachtas.
'So, what do you want to do - have someone beaten up?"

It's a Tuesday afternoon and I'm being guided through a part of the dark web most used by Irish criminals.

"Or are you looking for guns or explosives?"

My guide is Paul Dwyer, one of Ireland's most senior IT security experts. Having seen much of the worst of humanity online in order to help protect clients, he has to keep humour close by to stay sane.

The bit of the dark web we have landed in is called AlphaBay. It's laid out in a friendly fashion like eBay, but its content is deadly.

We look at some guns that are listed for sale in Ireland. We spot an AR-15 automatic assault rifle, The seller, GoblinKing96, is offering it for 3,000.

Expand Close Independent.ie technology editor Adrian Weckler. Photo: Arthur Carron/Collins / Facebook

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GoblinKing96 has a feedback rating of 92. I ask what that is.

"That's his review rating," says Dwyer. "The community dictates how successful somebody is. So if you're going to buy from some guy, you can see his reviews."

I ask to look at some of the review comments.

"Arrived a couple of days early, thanks friend," one says. "Super service," says another.

Just below this listing is another one for an Uzi machine gun with a silencer. And below that is a Mac-11 sub-machine pistol for 1,000 next to listings for C-4 explosives and a set of knuckledusters.

These can all be purchased in the Bitcoin virtual currency which, while tricky for first-time users, is increasingly straightforward as an alternative currency for those who know the system.

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Dwyer isn't at all taken aback.

"There are AK-47s, AR-15s, it's all here," he says. "Look at that last listing there. Three Glocks."

AlphaBay is just one of many 'marketplaces' on the dark web. Almost anything can be bought or sold. Much of it is by order.

"If you want to order to have someone beaten up, you can do that," says Dwyer. "If you want to order something to be stolen like a Rolex watch, you can order to get one stolen. It's a bad town."

It is this element of the dark web - the ability to order specific crimes or actions on demand - that may be one of the most chilling aspects of its rise. It raises the prospect of all sorts of organised illegal activity, from theft and thuggery to stealing dogs or prostitution.

And as any IT-literate PC user knows, it's easy to stay hidden online if you know what you're doing: just pay your (untraceable) Bitcoin and take a chance on delivery of your illicit action.

I tell Dwyer that I don't want to go looking for child-abuse material, another thing the dark web is known for. He says that such materials are mainly traded on peer-to-peer services now, anyway, rather than openly on dark web 'marketplaces' such as AlphaBay.

What we call the dark web is a vast online area that sits below the so-called 'surface web' that is accessible by Google and Internet Explorer. To get to it normally requires the use of specialist internet tools such as Tor (The Onion Router). And because most of it is encrypted and hidden from normal internet access, it's a much more lawless, harsh place than what we normally see on our phones and laptops.

For those who want to use it to source things, there are several 'marketplaces'. The best known of these is probably the infamous Silk Road.

But for Irish criminals, AlphaBay is said to be one of the go-to places for trading and distribution purposes.

The motivation for going there includes searches for drugs and other illegal substances. Less common activities appear to include criminality as a service.

"There are people who offer services such as beating others up, hacking named individuals' accounts," says Dwyer. "Even raping someone. This is a bad place with bad people."

Just how bad it gets was illustrated in a recent criminal case of an Australian man called Peter Scully, jailed last year in the Philippines. From 2011, Scully ran a company called 'No Limits Fun', which produced videos of him raping and torturing young girls. In one instance, he filmed two young girls digging their own grave while they were being sexually abused.

An 11-year-old-girl was subsequently buried, with Scully now convicted of her murder. The court case heard that people from all over the world paid thousands of euro to watch these disturbing videos.

"The stuff that filters from the dark web to the surface web is always of a very extreme, horrific nature," says Dwyer. "It's things like boiling people in acid, all that sort of stuff."

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And pornography? It's here, but not much by way of images and videos, which are all freely available on the surface web. Instead, stolen or hacked pornography passes are what is traded. There are several listed on the AlphaBay site still open in front of us.

"You're buying a porn pass," says Dwyer. "Or you're buying live access to porn. One of the biggest marketplaces is animals and porn. Typically, you might want to watch live animals being killed during porn."

As lawless as it is, the dark web still needs some sort of order to work as a trading marketplace. Sites like AlphaBay use a type of escrow system.

"It gives an element of trust, which is why things like Silk Road are so successful," says Dwyer. "These follow the same sorts of standards."

Ireland is no stranger to Silk Road, the notorious online dark web marketplace that is known around the world for trading in weapons, drugs and hacked accounts.

Right now, there's a major extradition tussle going on over 28-year-old Wicklow man Gary Davis, alleged to be an administrator of Silk Road. He's currently in custody in Ireland awaiting extradition to the US to face trial on charges of conspiracy to distribute narcotics, conspiracy to commit computer hacking and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Facing a potential life sentence, Davis has appealed the High Court decision to extradite him, pleading depression and Asperger's syndrome.

The dark web has turned up in other parts of Irish life, too.

An inquest into the 2016 death of Cork teenager Alex Ryan found that he had ingested a drug called NBomb that was sourced on the dark web, allegedly imported from Thailand. He died at a house party, with several other people also ingesting the drug.

It's not just drugs, weapons or repellent videos that drive the dark web for Irish users. Hacked web accounts, including the most sensitive financial data, are traded online and are available to anyone who goes looking.

This is one area that Dwyer knows well, as his company's business lies partially in protecting corporate clients from hacking attacks and breaches.

Back surfing through AlphaBay, we look at data that appears to be for sale for $5. I ask Dwyer whether this is an individual's data or a dump of it.

"It depends," he says. "With a lot of these guys you can send in requests and say 'here's the name of someone I want, can you get into this person?'"

Just like the listings for guns and drugs, there appear to be scores that each seller has next to their name. One listing says 'vendor level 2, trust level 4'.

I ask what this means.

"That's the review system that they have," says Dwyer. "It's based on the internal algorithms that the websites run off. You're going to trust that guy who has a trust level 4 as he's less likely to scam you or sell you bogus data."

It all seems incredibly slick and organised, far from the anarchic vista one might have about the dark web.

It's also a very lucrative trade. While the size of this black economy has never been quantified, most credible organisations estimate that cybercrime accounts for up to 2pc of any given country's annual gross domestic product (GDP). In Ireland's case, that would amount to a figure in the region of 1bn.

Dwyer has been trying for a while to educate corporate clients about the scale of potentially damaging data and what's available on the dark web.

To do this, he sometimes sits a corporate client down and shows them exactly what level of data is being traded online, often concerning the company's own affairs or clients.

"In one example, we took some banking clients and went online with them to show them how you could buy and the extent to which their data was for sale. Within minutes, we were able to find Russian mafia operating in the Irish cyber market, selling this kind of information. Typically, we know that if you want Irish information, someone like him will either have it or will get it for you. There are go-to guys for stolen Irish information in here. And in many cases, they are harvested from an end user, not a bank."

Dwyer clicks on another screen to show me the type of data that is available with such financial records traded on the dark web. The information we are looking at on-screen comprises a form with a name, date of birth, address, email address, system username and home IP computer address.

With this level of information, Dwyer says, a criminal can defraud someone for weeks without them knowing or being alerted. This is because any sophisticated attacker can now use location information and IP addresses to fool anti-fraud systems into thinking that transactions are coming from their legitimate owner's typical physical whereabouts.

Software is used that makes sure stolen credit-card numbers are used from the IP addresses of other hacked computers close to the address of the card-owner's computer, to escape detection.

"It's not that someone cracks into some corporate database," says Dwyer. "Typically, it may be that the end user clicks on a piece of malware at some stage and it starts recording his information and pushes that information up into a server for the bad guy to have."

This is happening on a wide scale, Dwyer says. Many people simply do not know that their computer has malware on it and is being used to help in such scams.

An associated problem is people's own monitoring habits. Too many of us don't cast a proper eye on our financial and banking statements at the end of the month, let alone check in every week.

This means that any unauthorised usage in between bank statements, if undetected by anti-fraud systems, won't be caught in time.

"They have weeks to use the card before someone's going to cop on," says Dwyer. "The next time the bank knows that the card has been used is when someone reports it. But at that point, it's already been defrauded. The sooner that one of them, or both of them, know that their information is out there, the better."

We don't have to go too far to look for recent victims of mass hackings. Just about every big corporation or retailer has had a run-in of note over the last five years.

At the time of writing, there are still hundreds of millions of Yahoo and LinkedIn users details being bought and sold on the dark web after massive breaches affecting both organisations that were disclosed last year.

In Ireland, a massive hack on the Clare-based company Loyaltybuild, which saw the credit card details of over 70,000 SuperValu customers (and general personal information on 1.1 million people) stolen, was adjudged to be a professional cybercrime operation. The details are presumed to have been sold on, although no arrests were ever made.

Loyaltybuild suffered a near-mortal blow due to the incident, converting a 1m profit into an 18m loss. It also had to let 37 people go in a redundancy plan.

Cumulatively, we know that details, ranging from the generic to the financially specific, of thousands of Irish people are still floating around in databases for sale.

"In crime, the entry level was always based on violence," says Dwyer. "Now all you have to is know the websites."

What about ISIS and terrorism? It's there, says Dwyer, but not in anything like the same quantities as recreational narcotics, weapons or criminal content.

So-called 'peer-to-peer' technologies, hidden even from dark web scrollers, are where much of this subversive activity takes place.

The same can be said for child-abuse imagery.

"Most of the stuff with paedophiles seems to be around peer-to-peer networking," he says. "They don't really use this. To be honest, there's a lot of bullshit out there on this topic. The hardcore guys use peer-to-peer to try and stay even more anonymous."

The dark web has fundamentally changed the shape of the pornography industry, just as the surface web changed it a decade ago, Dwyer says.

"Gone are the days where the man comes in to fix the photocopier. Here, people want to see other people in real life. So there are people all over the world, whether it's men, women, boys or girls, on camera doing whatever they do, and getting paid. Some make a lot of money out of it."

With that - and with some relief on my part - we click the machine's screen off, closing our window into the dark web.

An Garda Siochana won't say much about dark web activity in Ireland. When I call them the next day, they reference cases like Gary Davis and Silk Road, but have little to say about how widely or deeply it is being used in the commissioning of crime in Ireland.

But it's clear that such platforms now exist and are in easy reach of just about anyone who knows how to use a computer and anonymising software such as Tor.

Not everyone thinks that utterly anonymous, untraceable internet systems are a bad thing. Despite the hives of depravity that exist in the dark web, some argue that it provides elements of privacy that are becoming increasingly rare in a monitored, tracked surface web.

The more we read about what the lengths to which US, British, Russian and Chinese security services will go to mine our information, the more it seems like an alternative communication system might work in our lives.

Just like the dark web itself, it's a debate that will probably get bigger very soon.
At the festering flax-dam, the boy Seamus Heaney filled jam-potfuls of jellied specs of frogspawn "that grew like clotted water".

These went to window-sills at home and school until the fattening dots burst into nimble-swimming tadpoles.

But finding how that came about, when the air was "thick with a bass chorus and gross-bellied frogs were cocked on sods", caused him upset.

"Their loose necks pulsed like sails/ Some sat poised like mud grenades". The boy ran from those "great slime kings".

About two dozen kings and queens were gathered in pond turmoil last week in a particular woodland place in Meath where males fought to win females and some might die from exhaustion. Pairs can remain in spawning posture for days, even weeks, before the spawn is shed suddenly, up to 3,000 eggs in one batch. The male simultaneously fertilises them. Spawn floats in mats swelling in water, collecting together from numerous amphibians.

Spawning frogs are considered a significant sign of spring's arrival but in recent years their numbers have fallen considerably and sightings are fewer. This is due to increased land drainage and pollution. Sights such as the youthful Heaney witnessed are not so common. Last year I saw just one which had been attracted to a water source in an old sink.

Irish frogs are of the common genus, rana temporaria, whereas in Britain there are also found marsh (r.ridibunda) and some edible (r.esculinta). The marsh fellow is the biggest in Europe, brown-green with black spots which can be up to five inches in length. The edible one is a sort of refugee with a yellow stripe on its back, the plump hind legs being the portions presented on a dinner plate. Millions of these hind legs, which taste somewhat like chicken, are eaten by the French. I wonder if any were served up in Dublin's fashionable eateries last weekend?

Once, in one such place, I set about seriously infused garlic 'chicken legs' but found the 'bird' required concentrated chewing and gave up, to the amusement of companions who had ordered the food! Most of these frogs are imported from India, I learned.

The poor common frog, having sat out winter in the mud of ditches and ponds absorbing oxygen through its skin, spawns in this month, finding its way to breeding grounds by following the distinctive smell of glycolic acid produced by water algae.

The eggs become tadpoles in two or three weeks like tiny wriggling fish equipped with gills. Gradually the gills disappear and hind legs develop after seven weeks, front ones at 12. But only a small number of juveniles reach maturity as there are numerous predators about, from diving beetles to fish and birds. Mature frogs are themselves also seriously endangered from grey herons, buzzards and foxes.

Toads are larger than frogs but there are none in Ireland except the natterjack (bufo calamita) which runs rather than hops and, during the summer mating season, gives out raucous calls at night which can be heard up to a kilometre away. They may be found in some isolated places in Co Kerry but nobody knows how they got there.
In the middle of last month we were delighted with the weather forecast: snow on higher ground.

Sam the dog is getting old but nothing pleases him more than rolling in snow and this winter had so far yielded little chance to do this.

I was also driving a car, the Citroen C4 Cactus Rip Curl - not really my sort of name anymore - which had the Grip Assist system that is shared with Peugeot and aims to give almost AWD abilities at the turn of a control knob. The snow in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains would be a good test.

The Rip Curl, with its fancy lettering ("Patterned body graphics"), roof fittings suitable for a couple of surfboards and some off-road abilities, is the latest niche, SUV-style vehicle that Citroen seems to be specialising in. The C4 set-up is getting fairly old now and the general comfort level was pretty low. But maybe the surfing generation is so laid-back that they don't care. The C3 we had the week after is a much fresher car, very tasty, crammed with technology and deserves its place in the final seven of the European Car of the Year contest the winner of which will be announced in Geneva tomorrow.

However, both it and the Rip Curl are let down by a poor gearbox which is not precise enough at all. Both also have the Citroen tendency to be too soft a ride which gives a lot of roll going into corners.

But back to the snow. On the way to the Sally Gap, we stopped off at a forest walk, which crosses the making of a lovely river, and parked behind two other cars at the wide entrance. We had our walk, Sam rolled to his heart's content and we headed back to be greeted by a smashed passenger-side window. The car in front had worse; back and front window smashed. The other one had already left, leaving a pile of glass.

Nothing was taken from us, or from the family in front. Their three iPads and two phones were untouched. Either the would-be thieves were just after cash or they just might have been doing it for fun. Anyway, it managed to ruin our day and that of two other families.

It was a cold, cold drive home through the snow with an open umbrella trying to block the swirling snow's assault on our car.

It was a bit Heath Robinson, but let me tell you that Grip Control worked and I would have happily given chase at a fair lick if I had seen our attackers in action. Though perhaps, for all of us, it was best we hadn't. They were just scummy cowards out to wreck people's enjoyment of the countryside.

It was embarrassing returning the car the next day, especially as I thought that the Rip Curl was overcooked. I like the idea of a company partnered with a surfing legend, but it might be a shake of the dice too far. The car first went on sale last July so that perhaps was a better time to see a surfing car. The test model was 25,195. It has all the space and family attributes of the C4 range but with some nice styling and, of course, those Cactus Air Bumps to protect the doors. It can move along at a decent pace; 0-100kmh in less that 10 seconds.

I spent my teenage years in Cornwall and learnt to surf on the local beach, but it is more than 40 years since I have carried a board into the sea.C3 is more my style now and is superbly well-equipped, especially for urban use.

It can even have a camera on behind the rear-view mirror to take photographs or videos of anything in front. I wish someone with one was passing when our window was smashed. The C3 with all the kit comes in at two lattes short of 21k. It's worth looking at.

Maybe you won't have the same problems with the gearbox. It's my only caveat with a sparkling car.
(Left to right) The Duchess of Cornwall, the Prince of Wales, Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh, and Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive for the annual evening reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps at Buckingham Palace, London.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends the Place2Be Big Assembly With Heads Together for Children's Mental Health Week at Mitchell Brook Primary School on February 6, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the Ronald McDonald House Evelina London to open their 'home away from home' accommodation for the families of children treated at Evelina London Children's Hospital.

The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the Ronald McDonald House Evelina London to open their 'home away from home' accommodation for the families of children treated at Evelina London Children's Hospital.

Queen Elizabeth II greets Sir Jeremy Heywood (back to camera) as she attends a reception for female permanent secretaries at The Queen's Gallery on February 21, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool / Getty Images)

It's no surprise that as Britain's longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth has perfected the art of the exit strategy.

While her role requires meeting British citizens and dignitaries around the world, Queen Elizabeth II reportedly has a code for her handlers letting them know it's time to jump into an awkward conversations.

The move?

She simply moves her handbag from one arm to another and her aides know it's time to move things along.

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According to People magazine, if the situation requires emergency intervention, she puts her purse on the ground of fiddles with her wedding ring - in order to ensure she maintains a certain level of decorum without offending the person she's speaking to.

"It would be very worrying if you were talking to the queen and saw the handbag move from one hand to the other. Someone would come along and say, 'Sir, the archbishop of Canterbury would very much like to meet you'," royal historian Hugo Vickers told the mag.

"Luckily, theyd let you down easy."

But not all social situations require a handbag and she is said to have a special buzzer in his office in Buckingham Palace which she presses to let her staff know it's time to wrap things up.

It's a trick she appears to have passed on to granddaughter-in-law Kate Middleton, who reportedly carries a clutch at all times in order to avoid handshakes.

"When the Duchess is at an event, she holds her bag in front of her in both hands when shaking hands might be awkward," etiquette expert Myka Meier told Good Housekeeping earlier this year.

Video of the Day

"Or she can place it in one hand to have the other free. It never gets tucked under an arm or placed on the ground or table. If there's not a stool available, slip it between your back and the back of the chair."
With super bloggers such as Chiara Ferragni, Aimee Song and Julie Sincerely Jules Sarinana amassing up to three million followers each on their personal accounts, the photo sharing platform has never been so appealing to fashion fanatics.

Here are nine lesser known stylish snap-happy people that are worth a double tap:

Who: @LisaOlssonBlog

Followers: 74K

Like her scandinavian contemporaries Angelica Blick, Kenza Zouiten, Fanny Lyckman; Lisa Olsson is Swedish blogger with an insouciantly cool urban sense of style.

Who: @Rocky_Barnes

Followers: 93K

Rachel Rocky Barnes Horowitz has it all; model looks, a dancers frame and an innate sense of bohemian style. The Southern Californians uploads look straight out of a glossy magazine travel spread, with stunning backdrops complimenting her daily posts.

Video of the Day

Who: @NotYourStandard

Followers: 41K

Kayla Seah is a Canadian blogger based in Berlin. Followers can expect plenty of Insta-cliches such as flowers, champagne and baked treats, but the birds-eye view into her enviable wardrobe is worth it.

Who: @Vydia

Followers: 49K

Melbourne blogger Vydia Rishie has developed a cult following, thanks to her polished, modern style. The Australian has a penchant for leopard print and black leather, and is proof that wardrobe staples such as Breton stripes, camel coats and indigo denim are anything but boring.

Who: @MimiElashiry

Followers: 251K

Mimi is a vintage-loving free spirit from Sydney. The 18-year-old has garnered a massive following thanks to her unique, hippy style and happy go lucky attitude.

Who: @OracleFoxBlog

Followers: 286K

Amanda Shadforth is the creative force behind Oracle Fox blog. This stylist and photographer was one of the first bloggers on Instagram to pioneer the deconstructed outfit post - i.e. the clothes and accessories laid out artfully on the floor. This page is worth a follow for the beautiful images of nature and interior decor alone.

Of course, we couldnt forget the Irish Instagram trailblazers.

Who: @ClementineMacNeice

Followers: c. 800

Dublin based stylist Clementine, who cut her teeth dressing on the Voice of Ireland, shares daily snaps of her statement accessories and classic, feminine outfits.

Who: @RetroFlame

Followers: 13K

Flame haired Erika Fox is one of Irelands most prominent bloggers. The West-of-Ireland based stylist has worked with brands nationally and internationally and has honed her vintage-inspired lady like sense of style to a tee.

Who: @LaurenBejaoui

Followers: 7K

Having just completed her Leaving Certificate, Dublin teen and American Apparel model Lauren Bejaoui has her peers hooked with her elegant sense of style that defies her 18 years. This girl is going places.
Supporters of Donald Trump gather for a rally on the state Capitol steps in Denver, Colorado (AP)

The White House is demanding that a probe into Russian interference in last year's US presidential election also examine claims that former President Barack Obama had telephones at Trump Tower wire tapped.

White House officials said they want the congressional committees to determine whether "executive branch investigative powers" were abused in 2016 - a reference to President Donald Trump's claim of wire tapping in a series of tweets on Saturday.

Mr Trump has offered no evidence or details to support his claim, denied by Mr Obama's spokesman.

He made the allegations in a series of tweets claiming he "just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!"

Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said a "cardinal rule" of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered in any Justice Department investigations, which are supposed to be conducted free of political influence.

"As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any US citizen," Mr Lewis said, adding that "any suggestion otherwise is simply false".

Mr Trump compared the alleged activity to behaviour involving president Richard Nixon and the bugging of his political opponents.

"How low has President Obama gone to tapp (sic) my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" he tweeted.

Mr Trump said the wire tapping occurred in October. He ran the presidential transition largely out of Trump Tower in New York, where he also maintains a residence.

The call for an investigation came after c lashes broke out as hundreds of people gathered at sites around the US to join rallies backing Mr Trump.

From Colorado's state Capitol to New York and the Washington Monument, hundreds rallied for Mr Trump, waving "Deplorables for Trump" signs and carrying life-size cut outs of the president.

Police in Berkeley, California, said 10 people were arrested after Trump supporters and counter-protesters confronted each other during a rally that turned violent and left seven people injured.

A dagger, metal pipes, bats, pieces of lumber and bricks were confiscated, police said.

Six people protesting against a rally in St Paul, Minnesota, were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol. About 400 people attended the event, and around 50 showed up to protest.

In Nashville, two people were arrested in clashes at the Tennessee Capitol. In Olympia, Washington, four demonstrators were arrested at a rally in support of Mr Trump, KOMO-TV reported.

Hundreds gathered in rallies at both ends of Pennsylvania to show support for Mr Trump.

In Augusta, Maine, more than 100 people turned out for an event that was supposed to last three hours, but ended early because of freezing temperatures.

In Indianapolis, about 30 Trump supporters rallied at the Indiana Statehouse to denounce what they see as unfair treatment of the Republican.

Trump supporters also turned out in Phoenix. Media outlets said several hundred people participated in the event on a lawn at the State Capitol.

In Texas, Austin police said about 300 people rallied in support of Mr Trump in a gathering outside the Capitol during rain.

Around 200 people rallied in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in a show of support for Mr Trump, and i n Lansing, Michigan, another 200 supporters rallied on one side of the state Capitol while 100 critics gathered on another side.

AP
Detectives in the UK are hunting for two men who abducted a mother and her toddler in broad daylight and raped her in an ordeal lasting up to seven hours.

The woman was with her child on the seafront in Redcar, North Yorkshire when they were forced into a car between 11.30am and 12.30pm on Friday, Cleveland Police said.

They were driven to a different location, where the woman was raped, before being let go around five to seven hours later.

A Cleveland Police spokesman said the woman, in her 30s, and the toddler were near a boating lake when the dark-coloured saloon car drove towards them along a ramp.

Two men got out and made the mother and child get into the back of the vehicle, which was driven to Yearby, on Longbeck Lane, off the A174, where the woman was raped.

Police said the pair were let out of the car on Kirkleatham Lane, between the turn off for Kirkleatham Museum and a bus stop towards Redcar, between 5.30pm and 6.30pm the same day.

The woman and her child ran across the road and towards a wooded area.

The driver of the car is described as white, aged in his late 20s or early 30s, around 5ft 7ins to 5ft 10ins tall, with short, brown hair, of a large build and with the word "love" tattooed across his knuckles.

The car's passenger is described as white, aged in his early 20s, around 5ft 5ins to 5ft 6ins tall, of medium build, clean shaven, with brown hair and a local accent.

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Matt Murphy-King said: "This has been a very traumatic ordeal for the victim and her child.

"Thankfully, incidents of this nature are rare and this is an isolated incident.

"There are a team of detectives working on this investigation and we have increased patrols in the local area.

"Redcar seafront is a busy area and, as a precaution, I would encourage anyone in the local area to be extra vigilant."

Detectives are appealing to anyone who may have seen two men in a dark saloon in the area of the seafront around the time of the incident or who may have seen the men or the vehicle in Yearby the same day.

They are also appealing to anyone who may have seen a woman and child in a distressed state in the area of Kirkleatham Lane on Friday evening.
Iraqi policemen walk during an airstrike against Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

An Iraqi family walks from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul towards Iraqi special forces soldiers during a battle in Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

Displaced Iraqis fleeing their homes carry Mahmud, 9, who was injured in a mortar attack, while Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants, in western Mosul, Iraq March 5, 2017. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

Displaced Iraqis fleeing their homes carry Mahmud, 9, who was injured in a mortar attack, while Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants, in western Mosul, Iraq March 5, 2017. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

A woman cries after crossing from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul to Iraqi forces controlled part of Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

A man cries while carrying his daughter as he walks from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul towards Iraqi special forces soldiers during a battle in Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

A man gestures as he walks from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul towards Iraqi special forces soldiers during a battle in Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

Displaced Iraqis flee their homes, while Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants, in western Mosul, Iraq March 5, 2017. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

Displaced Iraqis flee their homes, as Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants, in western Mosul, Iraq March 5, 2017. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

An Iraqi special forces soldier helps a family carry their child to cross from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul to Iraqi forces controlled part of Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

A man runs from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul towards Iraqi special forces soldiers during a battle in Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

An Iraqi special forces soldier checks men for explosive belts as they cross from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul to Iraqi forces controlled part of Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

Men and woman cry while carrying a child as they run from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul towards Iraqi special forces soldiers during a battle in Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

A man cries while carrying his daughter as he walks from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul towards Iraqi special forces soldiers during a battle in Mosul, Iraq. March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

A man cries while he carries his daughter as he walks from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul towards Iraqi special forces soldiers during a battle in Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

In Pictures: Relief as people cross from Isis-controlled Mosul towards Iraqi soldiers Close

US-backed Iraqi forces launched on Sunday a new push toward the Islamic State-held old city centre of Mosul, on the western bank of the Tigris river, an Iraqi military spokesman said.

Iraqi forces are fighting their way toward the old centre of the city, advancing from the south and the southwest, Brigadier-General Yahya Rasool, spokesman for the joint operations command, told state-run television.

Iraqi forces captured the eastern side of Mosul in January after 100 days of fighting and launched their attack on the districts that lie west of the Tigris river on Feb. 19.

Their advance in western Mosul paused over the past 48 hours because of bad weather. Defeating Islamic State in Mosul would crush the Iraqi wing of the caliphate declared by the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in 2014, over parts of Iraq and Syria.

Expand Close A man cries while carrying his daughter as he walks from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul towards Iraqi special forces soldiers during a battle in Mosul, Iraq. March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic / Facebook

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Whatsapp A man cries while carrying his daughter as he walks from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul towards Iraqi special forces soldiers during a battle in Mosul, Iraq. March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

Rapid Response soldiers, progressing from the south through the Dawasa and Danadan districts, are within a few hundred metres from the government buildings near the old city, a media officer with these interior ministry units told Reuters.

Taking the sites of the provincial council and governorate buildings would help Iraqi forces attack the militants in the nearby old city and would be of symbolic significance in terms of restoring state authority over Mosul.

Expand Close A man cries while carrying his daughter as he walks from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul towards Iraqi special forces soldiers during a battle in Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic / Facebook

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Whatsapp A man cries while carrying his daughter as he walks from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul towards Iraqi special forces soldiers during a battle in Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Picture taken March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

The buildings themselves are destroyed and not being used by Islamic State.

U.S.-trained Counter-Terrorism Service units meanwhile pushed through Tal al-Ruman and the Somood districts, in the southwest, Rasool said.
Mike Pence was the featured speaker at the 132nd annual Gridiron Dinner (AP)

Donald Trump has declared that the media are the "enemy of the people", but his vice president showed he is still willing to joke around with reporters - and poke fun at himself - in a venerable Washington tradition.

Mike Pence was the featured speaker at the 132nd annual Gridiron Dinner, a comedic white-tie affair featuring skits, songs and speeches.

He called the dinner "a light-hearted respite" from bruising Washington politics and dished out a number of jokes, including a dig at the Best Picture blunder at least week's Academy Awards.

"We haven't seen that many shocked Hollywood liberals since November 8," Mr Pence said, recalling Mr Trump's upset Election Day victory.

The president did not attend the dinner, instead spending the weekend at his coastal Florida estate. For more than a century, every president has spoken at the dinner at least once.

While most of Mr Pence's remarks were self-deprecating, he also chastised reporters over what he considered unfair news coverage, seeming to channel his boss, the media critic in chief, by saying "we all just have to do better".

Most of the night was good-humoured, with jabs at Hillary Clinton, White House leaks and the lingering question of Russian influence in the election.

House of Representatives minority leader Nancy Pelosi, who was the featured Democratic speaker, belted out "don't take my Medicare away" during a skit on the main stage.

Standing a few feet away from Mr Pence, she said: "This president has appointed so many people from Goldman Sachs to his cabinet that there's no one left there to listen to Hillary's speeches."

"Does the president know you're here laughing with the enemies of the people?" she asked Mr Pence. "It's okay, Mr Vice President. People here can keep a secret ... unlike at the White House."

She said she was sorry Mr Trump and his wife could not be there but offered a greeting to the first family - in Russian.

Iowa senator Joni Ernst, who gave the Republican address, said her goal was simple: "To make this speech shorter than Mike Flynn's time at the NSA."

She also noted that Mr Pence was "one heartbeat away from being the second most-powerful person in the country" - behind White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Among the Washington names in attendance were former secretary of state Colin Powell, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway and the subject of many jokes, White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

The Gridiron Club was founded in 1885, just after the election of Grover Cleveland. He never attended a dinner, but every president since has been at least once.

Fifteen journalists formed the club and instituted the formal dinner, in modern times held every year at a central Washington hotel in a setting less glitzy and celebrity-studded than its more famous cousin, the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Mr Trump has said he will not attend that event this year either.

Barack Obama attended the dinner three times while in office. George W Bush made it six out of eight years.

AP
A Trump supporter is injured after sides clash at a rally for President Donald Trump at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park in Berkeley Photo: (Dan Honda/East Bay Times via AP)

Hundreds of people gathered at sites around the US over the weekend to join rallies backing President Donald Trump.

From Colorado to California, Trump supporters waving life-size cut outs of the president took to US streets.

Clashes broke out in Berkeley, California where 10 people were arrested after counter-protesters confronted each other in a rally that turned violent and left seven people injured.

Police said a dagger, metal pipes, bats, pieces of lumber and bricks were confiscated.

Meanwhile, six people protesting against a railly in St Paul, Minnesota, were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol.

In Washington, four demonstrators were arrested at a rally in support of Mr Trump.

Expand Close A demonstrator in support of U.S. President Donald Trump (L) scuffles with a counter-protester during a "People 4 Trump" rally in Berkeley, California Photo: Reuters/Stephen Lam / Facebook

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Whatsapp A demonstrator in support of U.S. President Donald Trump (L) scuffles with a counter-protester during a "People 4 Trump" rally in Berkeley, California Photo: Reuters/Stephen Lam

Around 200 people rallied in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in a show of support for Mr Trump, and i n Lansing, Michigan, another 200 supporters rallied on one side of the state Capitol while 100 critics gathered on another side.

Organisers said rallies to support the President were planned in about 50 cities nationwide, including New York, Nashville, Tennessee, Austin, Texas, and Denver, Colorado.

Expand Close Anti-Trump protesters try to take a large piece of wood away from a Trump supporter at a rally for President Donald Trump at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park in Berkeley (Dan Honda/East Bay Times via AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Anti-Trump protesters try to take a large piece of wood away from a Trump supporter at a rally for President Donald Trump at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park in Berkeley (Dan Honda/East Bay Times via AP)

Most rallies were peaceful, but in some cities, counter-protesters attended the events, leading to confrontations.
Japan's ruling party has approved a change in party rules that could pave the way for prime minister Shinzo Abe to become the country's longest-serving leader in the post-Second World War era.

It is a remarkable turnaround for Mr Abe who lasted only a year during an earlier stint as prime minister, in a country that had six premiers in the six years before he returned to office in December 2012.

Analysts say Japan's 62-year-old leader learned from his first term in office, when he focused on divisive issues such as constitutional revision and patriotic education that contributed to his early downfall.

This time, he has made an expansionary economic policy with a catchy name, Abenomics, central to his election message.

"The interesting thing is that formerly Abe did not seem to be interested in economic policy," said Yu Uchiyama, a professor of politics at Tokyo University.

"Abe was a very conservative politician, and he was interested in a more right-wing agenda like constitutional amendment. But right after he got power for the second time, he did not put forth such a right-wing agenda. Instead he introduced and emphasised the economic issue."

That does not mean Mr Abe has given up on goals such as revising the constitution, which was drafted by a US-led occupation force after the war. However, he needs to win over a reluctant public - any amendment requires approval by two-thirds of the legislature and a national referendum.

His Liberal-Democratic Party, at an annual convention on Sunday, rubber-stamped a decision by its leaders last autumn to allow the head of the party to run for a third three-year term, rather than be limited to two.

In Japan's parliamentary system, the ruling party leader generally becomes the prime minister. The change would allow him to stay until 2021, if he can maintain the support of his party and voters, rather than step down in September next year.

Mr Abe, now in his fifth year in office, is Japan's sixth longest serving prime minister. The record-holder is Eisaku Sato, who led the country for more than seven years from 1964 to 1972. He is also the brother of Mr Abe's grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, who was prime minister from 1957 to 1960. If Mr Abe can hold on, he would surpass Mr Sato in August 2020.

Mr Uchiyama said the PM has maintained his hold on power in part by taking advantage of electoral and administrative reforms that strengthened the prime minister's control of his party and the bureaucracy.

AP
New Delhi, Mar 5 (IBNS): Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Sunday said she is pained over recent incidents of hate crime in the US in which two Indian origin people were killed and another were injured.

Indian-origin man, Harnish Patel, was shot dead on Thursday night outside his home in USA in Lancaster under South Carolina.

"I am pained to hear about the killing of Harnish Patel a US national of Indian origin in Lancaster, South Carolina," Swaraj tweeted.

She said an investigation has been started into the incident.

"Our Consul has reached Lancaster and met the family of Harnish Patel. The investigation of the case is in progress," Swaraj posted.

"My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family," she wrote.

In another instance of hate crime, a 39-year-old Sikh man has been injured in a shooting incident in the US city of Kent, media reports said on Sunday.

According to reports, the unknown shooter shouted "go back to your own country" while attacking.

The Sikh man has been identified as Deep Rai, who is a US national.

"I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai a US national of Indian origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh father of the victim," Swaraj tweeted.

"He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital," she wrote.

In the end of February, Indian origin engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in a pub in Kansas city while he was hanging out with friends.

US President Donald Trump just two days before this attack condemned the Kansas attack as hate and evil.


John Currier's company has benefited from the state's regional economic development council process. He's now serving on the other side of the initiative as a member of central New York's panel  one of 10 established by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2011.

Currier, president of Currier Plastics in Auburn, has concerns and questions about a push by some state legislators that would require members of the regional economic development councils to file financial disclosure reports.

Legislation introduced in the Assembly and Senate would adopt the regional economic development councils in state statute. A consequence of the measure would be mandating Currier and other members of the regional councils to abide by the state's Public Officers Law and submit comprehensive financial disclosure forms.

The justification of the bill states that Cuomo "has had the unrestricted ability to appoint the individuals who are responsible for determining the future of the state's economic development. Further, because the individuals who are unilaterally appointed by the governor are not subject to the financial disclosure requirements of the public officers law, there is no means of ensuring that these individuals are serving the best interests of the state, and not engaging in self-serving activities."

The sponsors of the bill believe that by requiring council members to abide by the state's public officers law, they can "ensure that the members are acting in the best interest of the state."

Members of the regional economic development councils are required to abide by a code of conduct and submit annual statements of interest, which outline any potential conflicts of interest that may arise during the committee's deliberations.

Currier, who joined the central New York panel last year, said he signed the code of conduct requiring members to list any affiliations with boards, community groups and companies. If a member is associated with a company or group that has a proposal before the regional council, they must recuse themselves.

For Currier and Tracy Verrier, executive director of the Cayuga Economic Development Agency and the county's other representative on the council, this rule was applied last year.

CEDA had applied for a grant to support a small business incubator in Auburn. (The organization ultimately was awarded a $500,000 grant.) When the council discussed CEDA's application, Currier, who's vice chair of the agency's board, and Verrier had to leave the room.

"I never heard what was discussed," Currier said.

Verrier said they also had to recuse themselves from any discussion about CEDA's application for a separate $500,000 grant to support the Nolan Block redevelopment project in Auburn.

Cayuga County was awarded millions through the regional economic development council process last year. But the Nolan Block application wasn't successful.

"We didn't get that," Verrier said. "I wasn't even able to advocate for it."

Speaking for herself, Verrier said she wouldn't have an issue meeting the financial disclosure requirements. But she acknowledged her situation is much different than someone like Currier from the business sector who's asked to serve on the council.

Verrier's salary information is already public due to tax filings submitted by the organizations she works for  CEDA and the Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce.

Getting Verrier and others from non-profit organizations and the public sector to serve on the councils may not be difficult with strict financial disclosure rules in place. However, Verrier thinks it could affect how many individuals from the private sector choose to participate.

"It's not really that people want to hide anything," she said. "Sometimes folks in business aren't as interested in sharing their financial position with the world."

Currier thinks the level of financial disclosure  if the legislation is approved  would "cross into an invasion of privacy."

"I guess I'm old school," he said. "I never asked my father what he made. I think he would've been shocked had I, so there's certain things  income, those kinds of things  that I look at as kind of personal."

Regional council members aren't paid for their work. There's also this: While the regional council members have some say in the projects, it's more of an advisory role. Verrier said the councils' responsibility is to make recommendations to the various state agencies that award funding through the REDC process.

The councils' share of the decision is 20 percent. The state has an 80 percent stake in the final outcome.

Currier and Verrier understand the calls for more transparency after a former aide to the governor was among those arrested in a corruption case that was, in part, tied to a state economic development initiative, but not the regional councils.

Verrier said she's not aware of any examples of misconduct within the regional council process.

"I don't necessarily agree that they're pointing fingers in the right direction," she said.

If members of the regional councils are required to submit financial disclosure forms, Currier believes it will pose a recruitment challenge. Under such a system, he thinks there won't be many volunteers from the private sector who will be willing to serve if they're forced to disclose personal financial information.

Not having individuals from the business sector on the regional councils, he said, would be detrimental to the process.

"I hope that people like myself from the private sector add something to the discussions," he said. "I certainly think that's why it was set up in that way  that they felt there was some type of private sector-public sector cooperation that would benefit everybody. I'm not sure what the problem is they're trying to fix."

Currier admitted that he has a self-interest in serving on the council, although it's not the type of self-interest described by legislators in their measure. He wanted to join the council to help his community and promote business in the region.

The effort legislators feel would bring more transparency to the regional council system could affect Currier's willingness to serve on the central New York panel.

"This type of financial disclosure just doesn't seem to serve a purpose to me," he said. "If required to do this, I would probably resign my seat."
The final schedule of shooting for Thala Ajith's 'Vivegam' is expected to begin in a day or two in Bulgaria. The film directed by Siva and produced by Sathya Jyothi Films banner on a huge scale, is expected to hit the screens in August 2017.

'Vivegam' is touted to be an international espionage thriller which has been shot extensively in European countries including Bulgaria. Apart from Ajith and Kajal Aggarwal as the lead pair, Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan's younger daughter Akshara Haasan will be making her debut as an actress in Tamil with this film.

Sources reveal that Akshara plays a spy agent in this film and gets caught by an gruesome international mafia gang and Ajith goes on a mission to rescue her. This apparently forms the main plot of this highly anticipated film.

Anirudh Ravichander is rendering the music score for 'Vivegam' while Vetri is in-charge of cinematography. Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi plays the lead villain in the film.
JMC Projects India secures new orders of Rs2,277 crore; Stock gains 2.6% JMC Projects (India) Limited (JMC), a leading Civil Engineering and EPC Company has secured new orders of Rs2,277 crores. The details are as follows: Water Projects in India of... November 04, 2022 | 04-11-2022 2:08 pm

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Nykaa receives shareholders' approval for bonus issue and ESOP; Stock down 1% The Board of the lifestyle retailer FSN E-Commerce Ventures Limited (Nykaa), on October 3, 2022, approved Bonus Issue of Equity Shares in the proportion of 5 (Five) fully paid-up Equity Sh... November 04, 2022 | 04-11-2022 12:03 pm
Who said that your gender needs to define the kind of job you take up? Why cant a husband be a stay-at-home parent while the woman gets the food on the table? Its not just about standing up for womens rights but also about making a strong statement on gender equality. There are countless voices out there that are making a choice every day to break these stereotypical norms that haunt us. It is time that men treat women as their equal halves and give them a fair chance to live their dreams and have a say in their lives because at the end of the day we are all #UnitedByHalf. Heres a list of some badass women who didn't think twice before taking up something they love.

1. Shatbhi Basu

thealternative.in

Breaking gender norms left, right and center, Shatbhi took up the one job that has always been deemed as a mans job- bartending! Today, 53-year-old Shatbhi is not only known as one of the best bartenders in the country but also owns a leading bartending institute called STIR.

2. Prema Ramappa Nadapatti

Allindiaroundup.com

35-year-old Prema Ramappa Nadapatti was working as a nurse, but in 2009 after the death of her husband, she had to quit her job and look for something that would help her provide better for her aging mother and her 11-year-old son. Giving up on the job hunt and succumbing to the building financial pressure, Prema applied to the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC). Little did she know that getting selected in that department would earn her the title of Bangalores first female bus driver.

3. Rajni Pandit

rediff.com

In a society that prefers to keep women inside the four walls of the house to protect them, Rajni Pandit broke all barriers by stepping out and becoming Maharashtras first female Private Detective. She took up her first case in 1983 when she investigated a classmate who was involved in a prostitution racket.

4. Ishita Malaviya

Huck Magazine

Ishita Malaviya is Indias first professional female surfer. She first began surfing in 2007 after befriending a German exchange student. Today, along with her boyfriend Tushar Pathiyan, she runs a surf club named Shaka Surf Club as well as a camp called Camp Namaloha in Coastal Karnataka. Her ambition is to promote the Indian coastline as an international surfing destination. She has not only participated in a number of surfing challenges but has also been a brand ambassador for a surfwear brand.

5. Harshini Kanhekar

blog.mydala.com

She is Indias first and only woman to graduate from Nagpur's National Fire Service College, an all-male college. She had a dream of donning a uniform and when she found out about the fire-fighting course, she did not hesitate to join it. Her bold move initially gave her some nasty hurdles on the way, but today she enjoys immense appreciation and applause.

6. Shanti Devi

Indiatimes

50-year-old Shanti Devi is a mother of eight, living on the outskirts of Delhi and is the only woman truck mechanic in India. She didnt plan to take this up as a profession but her career choice has inspired many others to make bold choices in their lives. Shanti Devi runs an automobile workshop at Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar (SGTN) in Delhi with her husband Ram Bahadur. They also own a tea stall nearby and cater to the hundreds of trucks passing by every day.

Why should anyone be held back from living their dreams because of their gender? Why shouldnt both the genders have an equal say on what they want? It's time we take a strong stand for gender equality and unite for the equal half.

Its time to pledge for half. You can either pledge here or by uploading a selfie with the hashtag #Halfie and #UnitedByHalf.
A septuagenarian paid with his life for refusing to give his son a glass of water in southwest Delhi's Bindapur on Friday night. Many neighbours watched the man being beaten by his angry son, but the few that ventured to intervene had to beat a hasty retreat in the face of a violent response.

Representational Image

Neighbours said that 75-year-old Ram Kumar, who had retired as a lineman with MTNL, was often bullied by his son Chetan, who thrashed him if he did not do the household work in the son's home.

The widower owned two houses in Khushi Ram Park  he lived in one, while the other was occupied by Chetan, whose wife had deserted him.

Because the son frequently fought with his father, not many paid attention when Chetan began beating his father on Friday night.

"We would see Chetan bullying his father every day, and so we did not take things too seriously on Friday," said Payal, Kumar's neighbour at Khushi Ram Park. "But we soon heard sounds of things being broken and then Chetan's daughter ran out screaming for help. We rushed to find out what was happening, but by the time we reached the house, the old man had collapsed."

Police arrested Chetan from his house later in the night. "We have registered a case of murder against him," said Surender Kumar, DCP (South-west).

PTI/Representational Image

Chetan's 14-year-old daughter was witness to the incident. Police claimed that the girl told them that soon after returning home from work at 10 pm  Chetan has been driving an e-rickshaw for the past six months  her father had poured himself a glass of alcohol and asked for some water. Since water supply had been disrupted in the locality for two days, the girl said there was no water at home.

Incensed that his father had not managed to collect water, Chetan walked up to Kumar's house.

"When he started shouting, my grandfather opened the door," police reported the girl as saying. "My father asked for water, but grandfather refused. He said he did have water stored for our use, but would not waste it on father's bad habit."

Unable to control his anger, Chetan picked up stick and started hitting his father. He also punched the old man on the chest and threw him against the wall. The septuagenarian collapsed and died before anyone could intervene.
Families of passengers on board missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on Saturday launched a campaign to privately fund a search for the aircraft.

Flight MH370, carrying 239 people, went missing on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, nearly three years ago, on March 8, 2014.

Australia, Malaysia, and China jointly called off a two-year underwater search for the aircraft in January.

BCCL

Grace Nathan, a Malaysian lawyer whose mother, Anne Daisy, was on the plane, said the familes hope to raise $15 million to fund an initial search north of the previous search area.

"We won't start fundraising until we're sure that the governments are not going to resume the search and until the current data has been fully reviewed and analysed," she said at the campaign launch and MH370 memorial event held at a mall in Kuala Lumpur.

The three governments have said they will resume the search if any credible evidence on the whereabouts of the plane emerges.

BCCL

International experts last year assisted Voice 370, a support group for MH370 next-of-kin, in mounting their own search along the East African coast where debris had been discovered.

"They pinpointed to us accurately where the debris would have made landfall. They've been very helpful both on a personal level and to the investigation," Grace said.

The memorial event, the first held since the search was suspended, featured musical and dance performances, while family members and friends of those aboard made impassioned pleas for the search to continue.

Jiang Hui, whose mother was on the plane, recounted his experience discovering a piece of potential MH370 debris in Madagascar last year.

BCCL

"I thought it was very miraculous and fortunate when I found the piece of debris that day, but I thought it was useless because this sort of searching activity should have been done by the government," said Jiang, who travelled from China to attend the memorial.

"It should not be us, the family members, who should have been subjected to this pain, to go and face this cruel reality."

Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai, who attended the event, said authorities had analysed 27 pieces of potential MH370 debris along the East African coastline, including two new pieces found in South Africa two weeks ago.

The government has also signed several agreements with countries along the East African coastline to coordinate searches for debris, Liow said.
The heart of a teacher from Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) run school is now beating in a 14-year-old girl from United Arab Emirates (UAE).

TOI

Fourty-three-year old Parimal Bhagat, a teacher in SMC-run Nagar Prathamik Shiskan Samiti School at Kosad has given new lease of life to UAE's 14-year-old Khadija Abdullah Obidallah. Bhagat's heart was flown all the way to Chennai's Fortis Malar hospital from Surat1,615 kilometers in just 155 minutesand transplanted into the teenage girl, who was suffering from heart ailment since long.

Bhagat complained of a severe headache on early morning of March 2. Bhagat's wife, Jagruti, applied an ointment to ease the pain. As per the routine, Bhagat was supposed to leave the house at around 7:00 am for his job at Nagar Prathamik School number 285 at Kosad. That day, he did not wake up till 9:00. His parents came to wake him up, but he was not responding to the call.

However, Bhagat was immediately shifted to the BAPS hospital at around 10:30 am. The CT scan and other reports suggested he had suffered severe brain hemorrhage.

Bhagat was declared brain dead on March 3 by the team of doctors at BAPS hospital.

TOI

BAPS hospital contacted the team of Donate Life regarding the brain dead patient. The team members met Bhagat's wife, Jagruti, who was convinced to donate his organs in order to provide a new lease of life to those who are in need.

Donate Life members started their efforts to search the patients matching the profile of Bhagat for the heart transplant. They contacted many hospitals and transplant centres in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, but could not find anyone for the heart transplant.

However, National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) was contacted by the Donate Life. The details of Bhagat was shared to NOTTO and it was found that there was no patient requiring heart transplant in the A+ blood group.

The name of UAE's 14-year-old Khadija was registered at Chennai's Fortis Malar hospital for the requirement of heart.

The heart was successfully transplanted into the teenage girl from UAE by the team of doctors at Chennai's Fortis Malar hospital on Saturday.
New world rankings on urban noise pollution and hearing loss, both which are interdependent, show New Delhi as among the worst hit cities by high decibels.

Indiatimes

The survey that was released on Friday ranks 50 cities across both categories and lists Guangzhou, New Delhi, Cairo and Istanbul among the top with respect to degraded hearing. Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Barcelona also fared poorly. Read more

1. Saudi Police Tortured And Killed Two Transgender Pakistanis For Dressing Like Women In Public

Two Pakistani transgender persons died after being tortured allegedly by Saudi Arabian police in Riyadh for dressing up as women in public.

AFP

Saudi law enforcement agency arrested thirty five transgender people for cross-dressing, a punishable offence in the Middle-eastern country. Read more

2. Muslim Women Swimmers Have Earned The Right To Compete In 'Burkinis' In England

Muslim women swimmers have won the right to race in loose-fitting full body outfits or 'burkinis' while taking part in amateur swimming competitions in England.

Reuters

On a request from the Muslim Women's Sport Foundation, the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) has relaxed its swimsuit regulations to allow women to wear loose-fitting full body outfits. Read more

3. Scientists Finally Solve The Mystery Behind A Panda's Fur, Reveal Why It Is Black And White

It's not unknown that the characteristic markings of black and white on a giant panda have two important functions - communication and camouflage. But why is the fur coloured in two shades instead of one? The mystery that puzzled biologists for the longest time has now come to rest after a breakthrough enabled them to treat each part of the panda's body as an independent area.

Indiatimes

The team of researchers compared different areas of fur across the giant panda's body to the light-and-dark colourings of 195 other carnivore species and 39 subspecies of bears, to which the panda is related. Read more

4. In Somalia, Severe Drought Kills 110 In 48 Hours, While Threatening Millions Across The Country

On Saturday, as a harsh drought engulfs Somalia and threatens the lives of millions, the prime minister announced that 110 people died from hunger in 48 hours in a single region.

Reuters

This was the first death toll announced by Somalia's government since it declared the drought a national disaster on Tuesday. The United Nations estimates that 5 million people in this Horn of Africa nation need aid, amid warnings of a full-blown famine. Read more

5. CBI Ex-Chief A P Singhs Assets May Be Attached In The Money Laundering Case

Former CBI director A P Singh is likely to be booked under the stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and may soon face attachment of his properties by the Enforcement Directorate on alleged money laundering charges. The charges stem from his involvement with controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi.

Indiatimes

In a separate money laundering case registered against him, the meat exporter has already been questioned by the ED on his dealings with the former CBI director and some other public servants. A senior ED official said the agency is in the process of registering a case under PMLA based on "concrete evidence" against Singh who has already been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act by the CBI in February last week. Singh headed CBI from 2010 to 2012. Read more
Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Trusts, called all group employees "inheritors and custodians of the Trusts" and of its belief in making a sustainable change in society.

The charitable trust owns 66 per cent of Tata Sons, holding entity of all companies controlled by the salt-to-software conglomerate.

PTI

"You bring your zeal, your vigour, your integrity and, most importantly, your hard work. It is because of you that we can derive and obtain the opportunity and privilege to serve our community and through that, our nation," Tata wrote in a letter on the occasion of the 178thbirth anniversary of Tata Group founder Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata. The year also marks the 125th year of Tata Trusts, the philanthropic organisation.

Tata Trusts was recently in the news following questions on its governance structure and ambit of power, raised by former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry. Mistry was ousted on October 24, 2016, leading to one of the biggest feuds in Indias corporate history.

AFP

In Jamshedpur, Tata praised the new chairman of the $100-billion group, N Chandrasekaran (popularly known as Chandra). The former CEO of TCSBSE -0.35 % had taken over on February 21.

Tata expressed confidence that Chandrasekaran will take the group as well as the city to a new level of progress and growth, while introducing him to the people of Jamshedpur.

PTI

The group and Jamshedpur city are in safe hands. It is a matter of pride  Chandra being an internal person of the group and having an impeccable record, he said after paying floral tributes at Jamsetji Tatas statue in the city.

"Chandra has an immense record in term of performance and the progress made by TCS under his leadership."
Intense and violent clashes between Russian supported Syrian forces and IS have caused tens of thousands of civilians to flee over the past week from the northern part of the country.

Syrian government forces have launched a violent offensive against IS and seized about 90 villages from the terrorists since mid-January.

AFP

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the government forces' aim is to recapture IS-held Khafsah, which is the main station pumping water into Aleppo. Residents of Syria's second city have been without mains water for 47 days after the terrorists cut the supply.

The fighting over the past week has sparked an exodus of "more than 30,000 civilians, most of them women and children," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said Saturday.

Most of the displaced went to areas around Manbij, under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters backed by the United States that is also fighting ISIS, the monitor said.

An AFP correspondent in Manbij saw dozens of displaced families speeding towards the relative safety of the town on motorcycles and in small buses and cars.

Many of them looked exhausted as they lined up at a checkpoint manned by the Manbij Military Council, the SDF unit that controls the town, to be searched and get permission to enter.

'Difficult circumstances'

Ibrahim al-Quftan, co-chair of Manbij's civil administration, told AFP that as many as 40,000 displaced people had arrived in the town in recent days.

AFP

"The numbers of displaced people here are still rising because of the clashes between the Syrian regime and Daesh (IS)," Quftan said.

"These people are suffering very difficult circumstances."

Manbij is already hosting "tens of thousands of displaced people that fled previous clashes in the area and are living in difficult circumstances," according to Abdel Rahman.

"This will make it difficult (for local authorities) to welcome a new wave of displaced people, given their inability to tend to their pressing needs," he said.

Since civil war broke out in Syria in March 2011, more than half of its pre-war population has been forced to flee their homes.

The northern province of Aleppo hosts tens of thousands of displaced Syrians, many in camps near the border with Turkey.

AFP

Rebel backer Ankara sent its own troops into Syria in August to fight ISIS terrorists as well as Kurdish units in an operation dubbed "Euphrates Shield."

Turkey considers the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which makes up most of the SDF, a "terrorist" group because of its ties to outlawed Kurdish militia in southeast Turkey.

On February 23, the Turkish-backed rebels of Euphrates Shield captured the town of Al-Bab, which had been ISIS's last remaining bastion in Aleppo province.

They have since set their sights on Manbij, with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu this week threatening to bomb YPG fighters unless they leave the town.

'Clear agenda' for future talks

The Observatory on Saturday reported escalating violence and shelling between Euphrates Shield rebels and the SDF.

More than 310,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict broke out with protests against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad, but international efforts at stemming the violence have thus far failed.

AFP

Another round of UN-brokered peace talks ended Friday in Geneva, with the opposition and regime figures agreeing on a "clear agenda" for future diplomatic efforts.

Veteran envoy Staffan de Mistura said he hopes to invite both sides back to Geneva later this month for a new round of talks, which will include the issue of counter-terrorism at the request of Damascus and its ally Moscow.

Russia began its air war in support of Assad's forces in September 2015, helping the Syrian army retake key territory.

Its help was instrumental in the recapture of the ancient desert city of Palmyra from ISIS on Wednesday, and it continued to strike terrorist positions north and east of the city on Saturday, the Observatory said.

ALSO READ: ISIS Fighters Plan To Attack Chinese Cities, They Vow That They Will 'Shed Blood Like Rivers'

AFP

The Britain-based monitor said Syrian government forces were working inside the city on Saturday to clear mines left behind by retreating ISIS fighters.

At least 115 members of pro-regime forces and 283 terror fighters were killed in the more than month-long fight for Palmyra, which has traded hands several times in the war, the Observatory said.
Come and enjoy Read more [...]
Hyperloops may appear to be a far cry from reality, but railway minister Suresh Prabhu has expressed interest in pursuing the futuristic idea of transporting people in travel pods shuttling through a vacuum tube installed on pillars.

fm899

Los Angeles-based company Hyperloop One has announced five new lines in India selected through a global challenge and is now urging people to vote for the first line that should be built in the country.

ALSO READ: Hyperloop One Unveils India Vision, Promises Delhi To Mumbai Trip In Just 80 Minutes

Reuters

The lines include Bengaluru-Chennai (334 km in 20 minutes), which is a passenger and freight corridor that is growing at 15% a year, Mumbai-Kolkata via Chennai (220 minutes), and Mumbai-Chennai via Bengaluru (1,102 km in 50 minutes), which has the potential to boost the capacity of ports in Mumbai and Chennai and create "a Suez Canal like link between the two coasts," according to Hyperloop One.

Prabhu, who was in the city to inaugurate a host of projects on Saturday, said that the ministry was exploring the project. Officials from Hyperloop One met government officials including those from Niti Ayog this week. The railway minister also took part in a programme which discussed Vision for India organised by Musk's company.

ALSO READ: Elon Musk's Hyperloop Picks Chennai-Bengaluru Route For India Debut, 30 Minutes Will Be The Journey Time

fm899

Prabhu said that the railway ministry was looking at increasing speed. "We want to improve the speed of existing trains. We are also working on semi-high speed and high-speed trains also. We will invite global players for 600km so that futuristic technology can be used in India."

Referring to hyperloops, he said, "We will not import technology. The technology will be started in India and developed and made here." Railways already have tie-ups with Japan, Korea, Germany and China for developing high-speed trains and new technology for transport. A press statement from Hyperloop One says that India received the highest entrants when asked to register for the challenge to identify lines. "India led the way with highest registrations and had the most vocal supporters of Hyperloop One on social media."

ALSO READ: Elon Musk's Futuristic Supersonic Train Hyperloop May Just Be Test-Run In Pune

HyperloopUC

Prabhu also said that the next round of investment would come in the transport sector. Encouraged by the online response, Hyperloop One seems to be bullish about India. Shervin Pishevar, executive chairman of Hyperloop One, said in a press release that "India is an extremely important geography for developing Hyperloop networks and reimagining how cities and regions work."
ISIS, who are occupying large areas on the al-Yarmouk refugee camp in Syrias Damascus, executed four Palestinian refugees. They also issued orders to their gunmen to execute any person who raises the Palestinian flag.

Representational image

One of the executed refugees was Mohammad Nassar.

Any person living in ISIS-controlled territories, who raises the Palestinian flag will be executed, the terrorist organisation ordered.

Representational image

In 2015, ISIS fighters occupied large areas of al-Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, in collaboration with fighters of the Jabhat al-Nusra (and al-Nusra affiliated) terrorist organisations.
Two Pakistani transgender persons died after being tortured allegedly by Saudi Arabian police in Riyadh for dressing up as women in public.

Representational image/Reuters

Saudi law enforcement agency arrested thirty five transgender people for cross-dressing, a punishable offence in the Middle-eastern country.

Amna, 35, from Pakistans Mingora area and Meeno, 26, from Peshawar both died in police custody. Apparently the police packed them in sacks and hit them with sticks in prison.

Representational image/AFP

A transgender rights activist, Qamar Naseem, said, Torturing humans after throwing them into bags and beating them with sticks is inhumane.

Saudi authorities raided a Guru Chela Chalan gathering, a Pakistani ceremony celebrated in the transgender community, where they choose their guru or leader. Thirty-five people were arrested.

Representational image/AFP

Naseem also said that 11 people were released after they paid a fine of 150,000 riyals, but 22 are still in police custody. No one is there to save them as the life of a transgender is not of any value to anyone, not even for our own government, he added.
No progress was reported from Saturday's negotiations between the leftist Greek government and the top representatives of creditors, who returned last week to Athens in order to jumpstart talks aimed at achieving a conclusion of the now delayed second review of the Greek program (third bailout) by March 20.
Nearly 50 years after the Biafran War (July 6, 1967  January 15, 1970) which almost destroyed the unity of Nigeria, its agitators have refused to give up the struggle.

This struggle by some Igbo people to secede from Nigeria started when on May 30, 1967, late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, a military officer and politician announced a breakaway of the Eastern Region under the new name Republic of Biafra.

This subsequently sparked the Nigerian civil war also known as the Biafran war. The war was between the then Eastern Region of Nigeria and the rest of the country. The war was fought to reunify the country.

Below are some thing you should know about Biafra and the Biafran war.

1. Meaning of Biafra

Little is known about the literal meaning of the word Biafra. The word Biafra most likely derives from the subgroup Biafar or Biafada of the Tenda ethnic group who reside primarily in Guinea-Bissau. The word Biafar thus appears to have been a common word in the Portuguese language back in the 16th century. Biafra, a secessionist state in south eastern Nigeria is believed to have taken its name from the Bight of Biafra (the Atlantic bay to its south).

2. What caused the war

According to local and foreign war historians the immediate causes of the Nigeria civil war in 1966 included: a military coup (carried out by Maj. Nzeogwu which led to the death of Tafawa Belewa, etc), a counter-coup (led by Gowon, which led to the brutal murder of Aguiyi Ironsi, Fajuyi, etc) and the 1966 anti-Igbo pogrom in the north (persecution of Igbo people living in Northern Nigeria).

3. Over one million people died in the war

The war which lasted for 30 months took the lives of more than one million people. Some died in the battle while others were lost majorly through famine, and hunger. There were over 50,000 casualties of soldiers both from Biafran side and the Nigerian military.

4. The Biafran money

The Biafran money

The Biafran government created the Bank of Biafra, accomplished under Decree No. 3 of 1967. The bank was administered by a governor and four directors; the first governor, who signed on bank notes, was Sylvester Ugoh. They had their own currency different from that of Nigeria. The currency of Biafra had been the Nigerian pound, until the Bank of Biafra started printing out its own notes, the Biafran pound. The new currency went public on 28 January 1968. It is estimated that a total of 115140 million Biafran pounds were in circulation by the end of the war.

The Nigerian Government at the end of the war ordered defeated Biafrans to destroy all their currencies.

5. Their national anthem

Land of the Rising Sun was the proclaimed national anthem of the secessionist state of Biafra, in south-eastern Nigeria. The tune was adopted from Sibelius Finlandia, and written by Nnamdi Azikiwe.

6. The flag

A flag of red, black and green, horizontally, with a rising sun from the Coat of Arms (of the old Eastern Province) in gold in the centre was created by the Biafran Government and raised on May 30, 1967. The design and colours are based on the Pan-African flag designed by Marcus Garveys Union. The eleven rays of the sun represented the eleven provinces of Biafra.

The Biafran flag

The three Pan-African colors on the flag represent:

Red: the blood that unites all people of Black African ancestry, and shed for liberation;

Black: black people whose existence as a nation, though not a nation-state, is affirmed by the existence of the flag;

Green: the abundant natural wealth of Africa.

7. States under Biafra

It constituted the former Eastern region of Nigeria and was inhabited principally by Igbo (Ibo) people. Biafra has been commonly divided into four main tribes: the Igbos, the Ibibio-Efiks, the Ijaws and the Ogojas. The modern-day states that make up Biafra from the eastern region and midwest are: Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Delta, Rivers and Cross River, Igbanke in Edo state and southern part of Benue state. Edo.

8. How they got their arms and ammunitions

The Biafrans, through many of their people abroad, mounted a very strong campaign and propaganda for the recognition of Biafra by the international community and for the purchase of arms and equipment. Biafra was recognised by countries like, Tanzania, Zambia, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Haiti and Cote dIvoire.

However, Britain supplied amounts of heavy weapons and ammunition to the Nigerian side because of its desire to preserve the country it created.

9. How Nigerian military captured Biafran territories back

In March 1968, Onitsha fell to federal troops of the 2nd Infantry Division, after many bloody unsuccessful attempts. In April, Abakaliki was captured, followed in May by the fall of Port Harcourt to troops of the 3rd Marine Commando Division. Aba fell to federal forces on September 4th followed on September 16th by Owerri and Okigwe was taken on October 1st.

10. How the war ended

Biafran forces were finally routed in a series of engagements in late December 1969 and early January 1970. Realising that the situation was a hopeless one, Ojukwu handed over the administration of Biafra to the Commander Biafran Army Maj. Gen. Phillip Effiong. He then fled with his immediate family to Cote dIvoire. Effiong consulted with the Biafra Strategic Committee on the situation and they decided that enough was enough and that the only honorable way out was to surrender. Biafra, on the point of total collapse, surrendered and ceased to exist.
President Muhammadu Buhari did not pretend about certain issues and individuals that annoyed him in 2016.

Every one of my trips can be politically or economically assessed. I recall that the first trip I had was to go to Chad and Niger. The trip was mainly because of Nigerias security.

I have not seen any frivolous journey that I undertook. I understand that the Governor of Ekiti State (Ayo Fayose) said that every trip I make costs Nigeria at least $1m. I do not know how he worked that out. But every trip that I have made, there must be economic and political reasons that justified them. Those who do not see it the way the government sees it have the right not to agree and say whatever they like. But we will try and give them the appropriate reply.



Aisha Buhari

I dont know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room. So I claim superior knowledge over her and the rest of the opposition, because in the end I have succeeded. Its not easy to satisfy the whole Nigerian opposition parties or to participate in the government.

I am sure you have a house. You know where your kitchen is. You know where your living room is, and I believe your wife looks after all of that, even if she is working.

Corruption

The corruption we met at personal and institutional levels was unbelievable. Corruption was turning into a culture. After we came in, people started realising the truth. Nigeria will either kill corruption or corruption will kill Nigeria in the long run. It has not been easy for another party to come in and get things done properly, especially with the new economic reality of $37 per barrel of oil, against the $100 for the period, and there was no savings, no infrastructure on the ground.

Judiciary

On the fight against corruption vis-a-vis the judiciary, Nigerians will be right to say that is my main headache for now. If you reflect on what I went through for 12 years, when I wanted to be the President, I attempted three times and on the fourth attempt, through God and the use of technology, it was possible for Nigerians to elect an APC candidate as President.

I am worried that the expectation of the public is yet to be met by the judiciary with regard to the removal of delay and the toleration of delay tactics by lawyers. When cases are not concluded, the negative impression is given that crime pays. So far, the corruption cases filed by government are not progressing as speedily as they should in spite of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2015 essentially because the courts allow some lawyers to frustrate the reforms introduced by law.

Niger Delta militants

We are trying to speak with their leaders, to know how many groups there are. And, we are also working with the oil companies. The militants engage in sophisticated sabotage, using skills they had gained from training either by the government, or the oil companies, to vandalise installations deep in the sea. We need to understand who the real agitators are, and engage (in dialogue) with them, so that confidence can be restored in the region. The Niger Delta situation is more complex, since the militants have no central command, and some of them are mere extortioners.

Confab report

I advised against the issue of national conference. You will recall that ASUU was on strike then for almost nine months. The teachers in tertiary institutions were on strike for more than a year, yet that government had about N9bn to organise that meeting (National Conference) and some (members) were complaining that they hadnt even been paid. I never liked the priority of that government on that particular issue, because what it meant was that the discussions on what the National Assembly ought to do was more important than keeping our children in schools. That is why I havent even bothered to read it or ask for a briefing on it and I want it to go into the so-called archives.

Indigenous People of Biafra/Nnamdi Kanu

Those looking for Biafra have a tough job. A lot of them that have participated in the demonstrations were not born and didnt know what people like us went through (fighting Biafra) by walking from the northern border to initially Abakaliki, then coming back and starting from Awka to Abagana and to Onitsha. We lost our friends and relatives; about two million Nigerians were killed. They thought it was a joke, so I think they have a problem.

I assure them (Niger Delta militants) that the saying by Gen. (Yakubu) Gowon (retd.) that to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done. In those days we never thought of oil; all we were concerned about was one Nigeria. So, please pass this to the militants that one Nigeria is not negotiable and they had better accept that. Nigerian constitution is clear as to what they should get and I assure them there will be justice.

PDP

I am going to bore you with what we met. I know that I am being accused in the papers of passing the buck, but passing the buck is sometimes absolutely necessary to remind people who take things for granted. When we came in, I screamed to high heavens because I had promised a lot while seeking votes. I asked, where is the savings? There was no savings. There was no infrastructure, power, rails, roads, there was none. What did we spend the money on? I was told (on) buying food and petrol.

Where were the billions going? We conducted a study and found out that the oil marketers were committing fraud on at least one-third of what they were importing, which was about 25 per cent of our foreign exchange. I have bored you with this long explanation because there are things that could be hidden from you by those that have mismanaged the country in the last 16, 17 years.



Boko Haram

I assure all Nigerians and friends of the country, once again, that my administration will not rest on its oars until the ungodly terrorist sect (Boko Haram) is totally eliminated from our country. As peace gradually returns to the insurgency-ravaged north-eastern states, the Federal Government will continue to work diligently to ensure the rapid and full reintegration and rehabilitation of all internally displaced persons, including orphaned children in the region. We will also sustain and strengthen ongoing actions to protect children more effectively from violence, child-labour, child-trafficking, forced marriages and other related offences.

Budget padding



Some bureaucrats removed what we put in the proposal and replaced them with what they wanted. I have to look at the bill that has been passed by the National Assembly, ministry by ministry; to be sure that what has been brought back for me to sign is in line with our original submission.

I am waiting for the 2017 budget to be brought to us in council. Any sign of padding anywhere, I will remove it. They (corrupt people) dont want to reflect on the situation in which we are, economically. They want to live the same way; they simply want business as usual.
The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, was called via Telephone by the Chairperson of the African Union (AU), President Alpha Conde of Guinea, to wish him good health and hopes he recovers soon.

The Presidents Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement, explained that President Conde made the call on behalf of the leaders of member countries of the AU.

Mr Conde then assured President Buhari that all African leaders stand with him in prayers especially at a time like this according to Mr. Femi.

On his part, Buhari thanked Conde for the call and congratulated him on his election as AU chairperson during the 28th ordinary summit of the union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2017.

President Buhari expressed confidence that Africa will witness improved political stability, security and economic growth during Condes tenure.
Former President of the United States of America, Barack Obama has denied allegations that was put up against him of tapping into President Donald Trump phones.



The statement was made known by the spokeman of Obama, Kelvin Lewis, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S citizen.

President Trump had earlier tweeted that he found out that his predecessor had his wires tapped at Trumps tower just before his victory at the polls.

he tweeted saying: How low has President Obama gone to tap my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!.

The U.S President has however given no details to back up the claim.
Governor Ayodele Fayose has publicly given out his number for President Muhammadu Buhari to call him so that he would confirm if the Buhari is truly hale and hearty.

The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari, to speak with him to prove he is hale and hearty instead of shopping for outsiders to speak with.

According to the Governor, if Buhari speaks to him and he confirms that the President is hale and hearty, Nigerians would be more convinced and less concerned about his health status.

Fayose said this in a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi.

Fayose said, If their problem is that they are looking for a credible person who can help them convince Nigerians that all is well with our President, Im their best bet.

Let the president speak with me. If I tell Nigerians that the president spoke with me, Nigerians will believe.

Since they are eager for the president to speak to people; believing in this way to convince Nigerians that their President is hale and hearty, let president Buhari talk to me. I can be reached on 08035024994. I am credible and Nigerians will believe me, he said.

According to him, Nigerians are getting suspicious of all the purported visits to Buhari in London as well as his orchestrated telephone conversations with international figures who Nigerians cannot trust to give a true and unbiased report about the presidents state of health.

He added, They said he spoke to President Donald Trump; despite the hype, Nigerians were skeptical. Then they said he spoke to the king of Morocco; again, Nigerians were suspicious. Before we recovered from that, it is now the AU president that they said President Buhari spoke to.

A president that can speak with outsiders should be able to whisper or wave to his own people. The people gave him the very important platform of President on which he stands today and, therefore, Presidential aides should stop giving the unhelpful impression that Buhari has no respect for the Nigerian electorate.
damngrumpy said: Fascists have no valid issues we fought a world war to get rid of what

we are becoming hell bent to support. Ultra conservatism is a fascist

concept and is worse if not just as bad as socialism in its present form.

Some think the Nazi Movement was left wing because is listed as

National Socialism. Well its right wing communism is the ultimate left

wing series of crazies.

Bannen is an extreme right winger and that can't be papered over. Click to expand...

mentalfloss said: Good.



Free speech is a loaded term and is being used to excuse racism. Click to expand...

Sharia creep IS fascism. Without a clear definition of Islamophobia, what would actually constitute a "hate crime" against them? If you're a Muslim and you're offended by what someone publicly says about the Islamic religion that's not only factually correct but really f*cking inconvenient to the narrative, is that a "hate crime"? What if pop-culture treated Islam and Muslims the way they treat Christians and Jews? Would that be a hate crime?What would your reaction be if right-wing Christians decided that any act against them was a hate crime and tried pushing through special legislation to protect them (and only them)?We also already have judicial precedent in this country regarding what constitutes a hate crime and it involves the offender being part of or a regular contributor to racist groups/web sites. If the offender isn't part of that type of group, then it isn't a hate crime.And what about the definite probability of sectarian violence? Will Muslim on Muslim crime be considered a hate crime if one is Sunni and the other is Shia?The major difference between the fascism of yesteryear and what you perceive to be fascism today is when it came to the Jews, there was no distinction made as to whether they were observant, practicing Jews or simply those who were ethnically Jewish but not necessarily Hebrew. It was ancleansing.Aside from the idiots, most of those who have a problem with Islam don't have a problem with non-Muslim people from the Middle East. Nobody is protesting against non-Muslim Arabs and Persians. And Nobody is suggesting we load Muslims up on railroad cars and ship 'em to camps. All we're really saying is being Muslim doesn't make you any more f*cking special than anyone else. Islam is just as big a joke as Christianity or Judaism or Sikhism or Hinduism or any of the other stupid "isms" that involve worshiping non-existent beings.Believe what you want. Pray to Kthulu or the Flying Spaghetti Monster for all I care. But the moment you try to force me to take your beliefs seriously, I've got a big ol' "go and royally f*ck yourself" sitting on the bench just for you, rarin' to go.If that's fascism, then they've really watered down the definition. Then again, neo-liberal progtards have really watered down the definitions of quite a few words.Muslims aren't a race. Islam is an ideology, not an ethnicity.
Few days after President Donald Trump outlined a boost to the U.S defence budget, China has also announced that it will increase military spending by about seven per cent in 2017.

The scheduled announcement was made ahead of the annual National Peoples Congress (NPC) in Beijing.

China has been modernising its armed forces recently as its economy expands but its announced defence budget remains smaller than that of the U.S.

Some observers however argue that the real figure could be much higher.

According to the BBC, the announcement marks the second consecutive year that the increase in Chinas defence spending has been below 10 per cent, following nearly two decades at or above that figure.

( Channels Television )
Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr Zhou Pinjiang, during a meeting February 6, at his residence in Abuja bared his mind on the vision and strategy to expand the scope of his countrys relations with Nigeria especially in attracting Chinese companies to the country and securing Chinese funding for Nigerias economic development. Below are excerpts of his remarks at the meeting.

I invited some Chinese businesses here (Nigeria). Some of them have been here for more than half a century and they have done very well. And the message I got from them is very encouraging. The investment from China is increasing very fast. I met some businesses, they are doing very well. Im not sure whether you know WIMCO. According to the ranking, WIMCO, though its a Nigerian registered company, the Head comes from China. His company has been here for decades. You see, when I was in the industrial zones in other states, I saw what was happening in China, nowadays and going back to ten years, twenty years. All the machines are busy operating and the workers were very busy. In that factory alone, that industrial park alone, every month, they manufacture 6000 tons of nails. Actually WIMCO employs more than 20,000 Nigerians here. That is why according to the Nigerian business ranking they rank 39th here.

The Lee Group, they told me that even the slippers, out of ten Nigerians, eight are wearing their slippers. And they employed 26,000 Nigerians here. So why are these companies getting stronger and stronger, because I think they know Nigeria very well. Because they have been here for some time and have the Chinese background. They still have their connections and support network in China. So they mix their advantages in Nigeria and China. They act as a good mix. In Lagos we discussed and actually everybody think its a good idea to promote made in Nigeria with China. It would not be a bad idea. As we think of China and Nigeria cooperation, we are working basically on two fronts. One is the major infrastructure development projects, like the railways, highways. So you see last week, the Minister of Transportation announced that the China Exim Bank has cleared 1.275 billion USD concessionary loan to support the Lagos  Ibadan road. And with this clearance of the concessionary loans for Nigeria from China Exim bank, well over 5 billion USD. This concessionary loans, we are working mostly on infrastructural development, Zungeru hydro power and railway Terminus in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and the light rail in Abuja. And last year we completed the Abuja-Kaduna railway. And I know after the visit of my Minister, the Nigerian Minister of Finance kept sending more requests and we send it to Exim bank for consideration. We are all for them and we encourage China  Exim bank to do the assessment of whether we can do it or not for the concessionary loans. The category two, is for the US 60 billion dollars. For 2016 to 2018, a three year timeframe, we have allocated 35 billion USD for all of Africa as concessionary loans. And as Ambassador to Nigeria, I encourage them to do more business with Nigeria. So, we are open on that. I have confidence we can do even more, because both countries have a lot of potential. It will be mutually beneficial for the role of Chinese government. For the concessionary loans we have to provide the subsidy of interest to the Exim bank, because the Exim bank they charge at a lower rate but is good business. So the government has to subsidize the interest to them. So in this part we work very closely with the government. Some say, why do we borrow a lot from them, we say, we are open, because as we see the 35 billion USD will be used during the 3 -year time frame, but its not necessarily for Nigeria, maybe Liberia, Ethiopia, Kenya, but for us its open.

Actually its a decision for Nigeria, to take the initiative. If you send a request, we can see it, if you dont send the request we dont know about it. But in no way are we imposing concessionary loans to any country. Actually you see, frankly speaking every year even to Nigeria, the Chinese government has to allocate around 200 million USD, as taxpayers money, in the budget to subsidize the Exim bank on its loans to Nigeria. What Im saying is, we wish we could do stronger in this area, but its up to Nigeria, you have a choice. But I frankly, honestly talked with the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Budget and National planning, the China Exim bank is in no position to honour every request because to them the financial resources are limited. But I have confidence in this area.

And another thing, Im taking more interest in investment, because you dont have to borrow. And in this area I shall say that the sky is the limit. (There are) huge potentials. You see, its possible, I think it might be right. Last year, more than 1/3 of the foreign direct investment to Nigeria came from The Chinese business, and we got the data from the Chinese side. And the Chinese businesses show strong interest in doing business here. Why? They are not here to help you or anyone. They are here to help themselves. They are for business and Nigeria is attractive for them to do business. And its why they are also keen on the made in Nigeria project with China project. Last year the trade volume between Nigeria and China declined very quickly. Last year, I think its 10.6 Billion USD, 2016, and the year before was 15 billion USD. And in the other year in 2014 it was 18 billion USD. You see it declined very fast. So what is the way forward for the business to work out? They floated this idea to me, that its better for them to turn trade into investment. If we can do investment here, that is a better way to solve the problem of foreign exchange or even the naira issue. The seed of the economic development of China town now as we call it the supply side structural reform. Why do we put so much emphasis on the supply side of the economy? Simple, over capacity of everything. Over capacity on anything, that is Chinas problem. But here we met another supply problem. We can buy everything here, but you wish more products could be made in Nigeria. So even in the economic sense, we think we can work together on this project. And in the political perspective, made in Nigeria is the thing. How soon can this be achieved and it will benefit Africa as a whole. If one day, and I believe that day will come, Nigeria becomes the manufacture centre for Africa and the world, I think it is most credible. You have the population and the location, and the resources. You have all the things. So as we see it, if we could encourage more cooperation in the manufacturing sector in the investment area, then the practical cooperation between China and Nigeria, could be adequate. But if we have to do this, a lot of work has to be done. And I believe the media plays a very important role. So sometimes, according to our experience, the concept, the thinking, the philosophy is very important. In the early stages of the Chinese opening up to the world, not everybody saw it, (FDI), but it was a good thing. We tried very hard to tell our people if the foreign investment, the foreign businessman can make money here, then we can achieve our goals. In the same report we say, you make money, we achieve development. Because they are for business, everybody cherishes friendship but they are for business.

At the end of 1978, China opened its doors to the outside world. Before then the FDI of China was zero, nothing. We had the Cultural Revolution. For 38 years, since 1978, until last year. We have attracted 1.7 trillion USD as FDI. And then even last year, it was 139 billion USD in China. And that means for 38 years we have used 1.7 trillion USD FDI. But now the tide is turning. Why? 2015 was the first time the outbound direct investment surpassed inbound direct investment. So, last year the FDI to China was 139 billion USD and the outbound, 170 billion USD. Back in the 1980s to 1990s, few Chinese businesses had the money to invest in their growth. But now these things are different. The relocation of the labour intensive industry has been happening, because the labour cost is rising very fast in China. They have to relocate to the neighbouring countries in Asia. And as we see, why not Nigeria, why not Africa? It makes sense. That is one thing. You are the expert to tell your people why made in Nigeria is important. Actually everybody knows, the problem is how can you achieve it?

Source: Leadership
While speaking at the 2017 Nigeria Oil and Gas Strategic Conference and International Exhibition in Abuja, the Managing Director of NLNG, Tony Attah, has put the immediate loss of foreign investment due to the delay in the takeoff of its Train 7 plant at $25 billion (N10 trillion), The Guardian reports.

According to the company, another impact will be the potential loss of about 18,000 jobs required for the construction activities of Train 7. Attah emphasised the need to focus on the NLNG model and get moving on the Natural Gas Policy, implement fiscal reforms in joint ventures, production sharing contracts and service contracts as well as embed adequate institutional reforms while ensuring that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) is passed into law without delay.

But the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, said that the Federal Government has initiated gas policy interventions that would move the economy from oil to gas. He disclosed that the country will diversify the gas supply options within Nigeria, to ensure security of supply; extend gas penetration in the domestic market in order to facilitate the growth of the electric power, agricultural, and industrial sectors; gain a presence for Nigerian gas in international markets; and operate a gas industry with a clear division of roles between private and public sectors.

Also, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Kacalla Baru, said about $35.4 billion investment will be required in the gas exploration and production activities, power plants projects, fertilizer plants, virtual pipelines and flare gas commercialization initiatives. The GMD added that $16 billion investment will also be needed in the Free Trade Zones (FTZ) infrastructure development and concessioning, port infrastructure, central gas processing facilities, gas transmission, LPG plants, real estate development, pipe milling and local fabrication yards among others.

Source: EnergyMix
The country home of former Coordinator of the Goodluck/Sambo campaign group, Barrister George Turnah in Kolo, Ogbia Local Government Council of Bayelsa State was weekend invaded y the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The EFCC operatives, numbering about twenty and assisted by armed police and soldiers stormed the home of Turnah at around 5pm on Friday.

It was gathered that while the armed security operatives surrounded the house, the officials of the anti-graft commission broke into the compound in search of the owner.

Turnah, a former Special Adviser on Youths to the Chairman/CEO of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, under the administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was said to have driven out few minutes before their arrival.

The premises were unusually quiet Saturday afternoon as a policeman was sighted outside the gate.

It was gathered that the EFCC operatives ransacked the offices, bedrooms and sitting rooms at the compound.

A security source who spoke anonymously said the operatives came around 5pm and lay siege on the house till 10 pm, adding that they arrived few minutes after the owner of the house left to an unknown destination.

All attempts to get Turnah on his mobile have since prove abortive as his numbers were switched off.

Source: Naijaloaded
Former Attorney-General of Nigeria, Mr. (SAN), has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)of being used by powerful interests.

Adoke, who has been charged by the EFCC for his alleged role in the $1.1bn Malabu scam alongside 10 others, said this in a statement on Friday.

He said, I had informed Nigerians in my previous reactions that I had become a target of these powerful individuals for refusing to allow the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to be used to settle their private business interests and the fact that they had vowed to use their connections in government and with the EFCC to settle personal scores with me.

It is now clear to me that the EFCC is working hands in glove with them and lending its institutional support to this devilish scheme.

The EFCC had on Thursday, charged Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited, Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited, ENI SPA and three Italians for corruptly handing over $801,000,000 to Adoke; a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Dan Etete; Chairman of AA Oil, Mr. Aliyu Abubakar; and Etetes company, Malabu Oil and Gas.

The $801,000,000 was said to be part payment for OPL 245, which is said to hold reserves of about 9.23 billion barrels of oil.

Adoke said instead of the EFCC pursuing the case in the interest of Nigerians, we hear of how the interests of the Abacha family in OPL 245 were not protected or that the records of Malabu with the Corporate Affairs Commission were altered to exclude certain powerful individuals with close links to the EFCC and this administration.

The ex-minister of justice added, I am concerned that the EFCC has continued to allow its investigations/operations in respect of OPL 245 to be micro-managed and/or guided by some non-state actors and powerful families with professed ownership interests in the block.

These non-state actors are hell bent on using state institutions as proxies in their nefarious quest to outsmart each other to the proceeds of Malabus divestment from OPL 245.

The former attorney-general said in a bid to paint him as a corrupt person, the EFCC was fabricating evidence against him.

Adoke said he had taken a loan of about N300m to buy a property in Abuja but the EFCC was twisting facts to make it seem as if the money was obtained from the purported Malabu bribe.

He added, While not going into the merits, it is pertinent to state that I had applied for a Mortgage in the sum of N300,000,000 from Unity Bank of Nigeria to purchase a property from Aliyu Abubakar, a property developer in Abuja. The bank paid the loan sum directly to the developer and when I could not meet up with the repayments or pay the balance; it opted to repossess the property.

( Punch Newspaper)
Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has advised former President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo to follow the foot steps of former Head of State, General Abdusalam Abubakar, who according to him, are working assiduously for the stability of the country and do not see themselves as saints.

Fayose, who is also the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, stated this while answering questions after a visit to Abubakar at his residence in Abuja.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, quoted the governor as pouring encomiums on the former leader for his roles in ensuring stability in the country.

Fayose commended the retired general for the roles he played before and after the 2015 general elections in Nigeria.

In his remarks, Abubakar congratulated Fayose on his election as the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum.

He also said he had been reading about Fayoses activities as a leading opposition figure in Nigeria.

He added that democracy needed a virile opposition to thrive and make progress and commended Fayose for the various developmental projects being executed in Ekiti State.

Asked by reporters if he would embark on such a visit to Obasanjo, Fayose said, Former President Olusegun Obasanjo must take a cue from somebody like General Abdusalam Abubakar who are working for the unity and stability of the country.

He concluded, President Obasanjo must behave like a true statesman. His major weakness is that he does not see anything good in other people or what they do except what he does himself.
The assistant national secretary general of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, Ibrahim Abdullahi ,said he has a solution to end the that the crisis in southern part of Kaduna state.

The Killings have allowed the continous deployment of security forces to the area.

The latest killings occurred on February 20 when unknown gunmen invaded communities in two local governments Jemaa and Kauru, killing at least 14 people.

Mr. Abdullahi said most of the Fulani people involved in the killings were not Nigerians. Similar claim by the state government sparked outrage.

He said, It has to do with foreign nomads coming into the country. There are three or four international grazing routes, most of which passed through Kaduna state.

Two of the routes are from Cameroun down through Lere and Kauru local governments, another one is from Chad Republic that came through southern part of Plateau state down to Zangon-Kataf and there is another one from Niger Republic through Kano/ Katsina down to Kaduna.

Southern Kaduna has been experiencing violent crisis for years now. The latest spell of violence has claimed hundreds of lives.

( Breaking Times)
Nigerian senator, Ibrahim Tsauri says President Buhari can stay as long as he likes outside the shores of the country if he has legally transferred power to the vice president to act in acting capacity.

Senator Ibrahim Tsauri who is a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has given the ground on which President Buhari could be impeached.

The senator who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District between 2003 and 2017 said the president could be impeached if he is confirmed incapacitated, according to The Sun.

He said that: The constitution says that if the President is certified incapacitated, he can be impeached whether he decides to resign or not.

READ ALSO:- Death Rumour: President Buhari Finally Breaks His Silence And Speaks From London; See What He Said

According to him, the president can stay on vacation as long as he likes provided he has transmitted power to the Vice President.

The constitution is there and it clarifies it. If the President leaves the country for anything, he transmits power to the Vice President and Buhari did that and met all the conditions.

The President is out of the country on sick leave and he did what the constitution says he should do. We do not need to bother ourselves about how long the President stays outside the country as long as he transmitted power to the next in command.

That is why you do not even call him Vice President now, you call him Acting President.

READ ALSO:- Presidency Reveals Why Buhari Is Staying Longer In London

But the certification of that incapacitation has to be done by his executive council. If the executive council certifies that the President can no longer perform the functions of a president, which means he is incapacitated, he added.

Source: Naijaloaded
Members of Human Rights Defenders and Advocacy Centre on Friday disrupted business activities at the MTN headquarters at Falomo, Lagos, over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

The protest lasted for over three hours at the telecommunications companys premises, a situation which also affected other businesses in the building as the protesters did not allow vehicular movements into the premises.

The protesters expressed their grievances with placards displaying inscriptions such as Stop xenophobia, Stop the killings and looting, Let peace reign in Africa, Lets show love to one another and Nelson Mandela is our hero.

President of Human Rights Defenders and Advocacy Centre, Queen Rose Ameh, described the attacks on Nigerians and other African citizens as a barbaric attitude towards fellow human beings, urging that an urgent attention is needed to halt the crisis.

She said, Killing of innocent Africans living in South Africa is a barbaric attitude towards our fellow human beings,it happened about two or three years ago. We went to the South African embassy at the time and shut it down.

She described the South African Government as an ingrate because of the role Nigeria and other African countries played during the reign of apartheid in the country.

Ameh urged the Nigerian government to develop its country so that no citizen would have any cause to travel to other African countries to suffer.

( Punch Nigeria )
Empolyees of Nasarawa State has been promised that there will be an increase in their salaries of government, they were also assured that they the lack of fund in the State will soon be over in the state.



This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Haruna Osegba, during a press briefing at the end of January Joint Account Committee of the Ministry.

The Commissioner also said that the sum of 160 million Naira has been approved by the State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, which will be used to settle gratuity of deceased pensioners.

Mr. Osegba also spoke about the issue of percentage payment of emoluments to local government employees, and he also gave an assurance that it would be a thing of the past as the state government is looking to resolve it sooner than later.

He said, With the increase in January allocation, there was a marginal increase of 32 million Naira and Im hopeful that the local government would continue to witness a marginal increase in salary.

What we got in December 2016 was 864,563 million Niara but January allocation to be shared in February is 896,899 million Naira.

With the 32 million Naira, any local government under the category of 70 percent will now collect 72 per cent, while those under 60 per cent will get 62 percent, 50 percent will get 52 percent and 40 percent will get 42 percent.

The commissioner assured that the ongoing construction of 625 bridges and culverts in all the local government and development areas will soon be completed.

( Channels Television )
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a suspect at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, after he was caught with over 26.2kg of ephedrine which he kept in female foot wears. .

The narcotics were detected during the screening of passengers. In another operation, the operatives also arrested two suspects who had just arrived from Cambodia and Sierra Leone with 305g and 1.37kg of cocaine respectively. .

The suspect arrested in connection with the ephedrine seizure, 48-year-old Ogujiuba Zacchaeus, is an electrician, who was on his way to Tanzania. One of the other two suspects  Uchegbu Emeka (33), a textile merchant, allegedly inserted O of cocaine in his anus. .

The third suspect, Emeka Okafor (28), an auto parts dealer, reportedly ingested 1.37kg of cocaine. Emeka said he had lost everything he had due to economic recession and that is why he agreed to smuggle cocaine to Cambodia for N800,000.
It was a sad moment for the Nigeria Police in Niger State as the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Aaron Sunday was killed while he was serving with Kpakungu Division, Minna, by suspected hoodlums in Barkin-Sale area.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Bala Elkana, who confirmed the incident to newsmen in Minna, said incident occured at about 6pm on Friday when the deceased was performing his official duty.

Elkana said that over 13 suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident, adding that the arrested suspects would help police to fish out the rest of the hoodlums.

He said, the command had declared war on hoodlums in Minna, and urged parents to advise their wards to desist from taking the law into their hands.

Any youth caught in the act will be made to face the law; it is high time we stop the madness, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the remains of late Sunday have been deposited at the Minna General Hospital morgue.

The PPRO said that the incident occurred few weeks after late Sunday was promoted to the rank of DSP and was the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) at Kpakungu Division in Minna.

Eyewitnesses who spoke to journalists but pleaded anonymity, said that late Sunday led a police team to quell a disturbance by some suspected hoodlums who invaded a wedding party at Barkin-Sale, when the incident occurred.

He said that someone sent a distress call to the police that some area boys, intoxicated with Indian Hemp and other dangerous drugs, were harassing innocent people at the venue of the wedding party.

The eyewitness said that while the police team was trying to ensure law and order, one of the boys reportedly axed the DSP from behind.

He said that the police officer fell in the pool of his blood and died before reaching the hospital.

(NAN)
British armed forces offered to attempt to rescue nearly 300 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, but were rebuffed by Goodluck Jonathan, Nigerias president at the time, the Observer has learned.

In a mission named Operation Turus, the RAF conducted air reconnaissance over northern Nigeria for several months, following the kidnapping of 276 girls from the town of Chibok in April 2014. The girls were located in the first few weeks of the RAF mission, a source involved in Operation Turus told the Observer. We offered to rescue them, but the Nigerian government declined.

The girls were then tracked by the aircraft as they were dispersed into progressively smaller groups over the following months, the source added.

Chibok is located in Nigerias north-eastern Borno state. Today 195 of the girls are still missing. Those who have managed to escape from their kidnappers have told of a life of torture, enslavement, rape, and forced marriages in captivity.

Notes from meetings between UK and Nigerian officials, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, also suggest that Nigeria shunned international offers to rescue the girls. While Nigeria welcomed an aid package and assistance from the US, the UK and France in looking for the girls, it viewed any action to be taken against kidnapping as a national issue.

Nigerias intelligence and military services must solve the ultimate problem, said Jonathan in a meeting with the UKs then Africa minister, Mark Simmonds, on 15 May 2014.

A document summarising a meeting in Abuja in September 2014 between Nigerias national security adviser and James Duddridge MP, former under-secretary of state at the Foreign Office, shows Operation Turus had advanced to the point where rescue options were being discussed. Minutes from a meeting the following month between Major-General James Chiswell and Jonathan hinted at the frustration felt by those trying to prompt some action from Nigeria.

[President] Jonathan was still focused on platforms. General Chiswell said again we could offer advice on what equipment might make sense and how weapon systems might be best deployed, the October 2014 document stated.

The Nigerian government did not respond to a request for comment. The Foreign Office said: We wouldnt comment on specific operational details, which are a matter for the Nigerian government and military.

Jonathan has drawn criticism at home and abroad for a lack of action and perceived apathy over the kidnappings. The government was slow to mount any response in the weeks after the girls were taken. The governor of Borno, Kashim Shettima, also publicly criticised Jonathan for failing to even call him or any other state official for 19 days after the kidnappings. Jonathan also hit out at the worldwide #BringBackOurGirls campaign, branding it a manipulation of the victims of the attack.

Boko Haram had raided the dormitories of the government secondary school at Chibok. The girls staying there had braved warnings of an attack to sit their final examinations. Boko Haram looted the school and then burned it to the ground. The kidnappings also blighted the lives of the girls from the town who were not taken away, as many have been too scared to continue their education.

In addition to Nigeria, Boko Haram is active in regions of Cameroon, Chad and Niger. According to Unicef, more than 1.3 million children have now been displaced. Some of those taken by Boko Haram have been forced to become child soldiers: one in five suicide bombers in Nigeria are believed to be children, and three-quarters of those are girls.

Source: The Guardian
The secrecy with which the National Assembly has handled its budgets, and the lopsided manner it distributes funds for zonal intervention projects, are unsettling the lawmaking body and putting members on a collision path against the leadership.

Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, had on January 10, challenged the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to make the budget open, disclosing that he and his colleagues, like most Nigerians, had no knowledge of details of the NASS budget.

Such calls have grown in the last week, and have become even more intense in the House of Representatives which for most of last year was at the centre of a devastating budget padding scandal triggered by former appropriation committee chairman, Abdulmumin Jibrin.

Mr. Jibrin accused his former ally and speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, of inserting fictitious projects worth billions of naira into the national budget, an allegation the speaker denied.

Now, members are agitating for the House budget to be made open, and for a more equitable allocation of funds for so-called intervention projects, several lawmakers told reports.

Legislators, many of them principal officers, and administrative offices of the National Assembly, said the budgets of the Senate and the House were known only to the Senate President, the Speaker and the Clerk to the National Assembly.

Its so secret that neither the Senate Leader nor the House Leader knows what is in the (budget), said one source.

The leadership of the House asked members to disregard allegations made by Mr. Jibrin, a source said.

But members believe they dont have what to use to defend themselves before their constituents against Jibrins allegations because they dont know details of their own budget, said the source, providing basis for the call for disclosure to members.

Yet, it appears the lawmakers are not very concerned about the disclosure as much as the agitation for zonal intervention reform.

Several lawmakers told reports that the National Assembly leadership, particularly the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, use the budget to control lawmakers, tactically determining who gets what and when.

Because most of us benefit from these allowances, it is really difficult to speak publicly against the leadership, a member of the House of Representatives said.

Mr. Adekoya said he didnt totally agree the budget was not known to the lawmakers.

He suggested there is possibility for the lawmakers to understand what the details of the budget are, using what they earn and use.

If I am given N2, 000, I should be able to multiply that by 365 days. I know I use AC in my office. We have staff. There are directors and staff who are civil servants, he said.

But the Reps spokesperson, Mr. Namdas, did not gloss over the secrecy around the budget. He said the leadership of the House had promised to disclose the details of the budget not only to members but also to the public.

A source close to Mr. Saraki said it was not as if the Senate President was not ready to disclose the NASS budget.

But a lot of the lawmakers are not well disposed to it because they feel it will expose them to the public, the source said.

Some insiders said many lawmakers do not care about knowing what is in their own budget, and are prepared to also stop the public from knowing, so long as their earnings keep coming.

( Premium Times)
Nokia has released the Nokia 3310 at Mobile World Congress 2017. Hold on, what?

Indeed, thats right, the Nokia 3310 has returned from the dead, 17 years after. The famous phone that was originally released in 2000 has now been renewed.

As Nokia not too long ago launched Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 Android smart devices, the only device that people are speaking of is this vintage wonder, the Nokia 3310.

But how does the new 3310 compare with the old?

Nokia 3310 versus 3310: Design and build

2000: 113 x 48 x 22mm, 133g

2017: 115.6 x 51 x 12.8 mm, 79.6 g.

Slim is definitely in as the 3310 has slimmed down. Nearly half the weight and thickness, but a little bit taller and wider.

But its not only about the weight: the improved Nokia 3310 isnt the chunky monkey that the original old version got.

The Nokia 3310 is still plastic, but its now sleek in red and yellow, or matt in blue or grey. The original was generally blue but often seen in that grey colour as well.

The 2017 Nokia 3310 comes with a removable back cover, so you can remove it, to have access to the battery.

Nokia 3310 vs 3310: Display screen.

2000: 1.5-inch, 84 x 48 pixels, 65ppi, monochrome LCD.

2017: 2.4-inch, 240 x 320 pixels, 167ppi, colour LCD.

The old Nokia 3310 had a glorious 1.5-inch display screen that was monochrome. It was virtually enough to read text messages, make out the digits you tapped in order to play Snake. It was flat, providing great contrast, easy and to the point.

The new Nokia 3310 has a big (by comparison) display screen at 2.4-inches, extending over the top half of the device and curving away to the top. Its also now brilliantly coloured, so the experience is fairly different.

The latest Nokia 3310 is more like feature phones of the mid-2000s, instead of the pure monochrome glory of the old one.

Nokia 3310 vs 3310: Connection.

2000: Dual band GSM 900/1800MHz.

2017: Dual band GSM 900/1800MHz, Micro-USB, Bluetooth, 3.5 mm jack, microSD, FM radio.

In 2000 there were few connectivities. On the base of the device was the DC input to charge the phone, however, there was no Bluetooth, absolutely no Wi-Fi, no nothing.

Luckily, the new Nokia 3310 has shifted with the times a bit more. Theres Bluetooth to link to a headset or even your car, theres Micro-USB for charging  so no need for that big charger.

The option for microSD to increase the storage space, 3.5 mm headphone socket to play music or the FM radio.

None of the two cell phones offers 3G though, this is purely 2G all the way, so its a mobile phone for talking and texting.

Nokia 3310 versus 3310: Camera.

2000: Why would you want a camera on a phone?

2017: 2-megapixel with LED flash.

In 2000 the thought of having a camera on a phone was slightly unusual. Why would you want one? There were no social media networks, the selfie didnt exist and also you d never have been able to publish it anyway.

In 2017, most mobile phones are judged by their cameras. Its the main feature for many, taking the place of the cheap compact camera division with socials media killing the idea of printing photos and making up albums.

The latest 3310 has a 2MP camera, but we believe the experience is not going to worth it. Stay on your smartphone.

Nokia 3310 vs 3310: Battery.

2000: 900mAh removable battery, 55 hrs standby, 2.5 hrs talk time.

2017: 1200mAh removable battery, 31 days standby time, 22 hrs talk time.

The important thing that the old original 3310 was welled known for is battery life. In those days, obviously, you werent playing 3D games, snapping Instagram selfies, as well as playing mp3 music.

You just got the regular text message from a friend or placed a few phone call to arrange a beer parlour get-together. But the battery didnt last for life, it just lasted days.

The brand-new Nokia 3310 battery will almost last forever. With 31 days of standby, youll hardly drain this battery.

This is a cell phone you can probably disappear with for a full week and not need to think about the charger.

Nokia 3310 vs 3310: Cost.

2000: N28,000.

2017: N15,000.

Mobile phones used to be a lot more costly. The Nokia 3310 was just one of the more affordable at N28,000 at that time and SIM cards for 25,000 and for many it was the first cellphone they had, bringing freedom of communication far away from Nitel landlines.

In 2017 you get a lot of smartphone for N28,000 You can get a full-featured entry-level smart device for that money, so its not a surprise that the new 3310 is just N15,000.

The old Nokia 3310 is not offered anywhere in Nigeria if you know any shop still selling the old 3310 please let us know. The new design will be highly available by April in Nigeria.

Source: GSM Basics
The University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH), have called off her 6 months old strike as the new as the new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sunday Ogunduyile assumes duty. The unions which had directed their members to return to work include the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) The suspension of the strike in a communique jointly signed by their leaders after a Joint Action Congress meeting.

The communique was signed by Peter Akindehinde for NASU, Temola Temisan for SSANU and Bobola Bamigbola for NAAT.

In the communique, the unions directed all staff of the institution to resume duties on Monday, March 6, 2017.

According to the new Vice Chancellor, Sequel to the strike embarked upon by the unions on January 25 to press home our demands, we hereby suspend the strike as staff and students are directed to resume on Monday.

This is because some of our demands were met and to honour the new governor, Olurotimi Akeredolu.

The unions began an indefinite strike to press for the resignation of the former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adegoke Adegbite.

They had also demanded adequate funding, urgent facelift of the institution and appointment of a substantive vice chancellor.
Pictured is the Special Intelligence Response Team, IRT, who were deployed by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris,, to Imo State, to track down notorious kidnapper, Henry Chibueze, also known as, Vampire and other members of his gangThe IRT operatives was led by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, in Imo, Abia and Rivers States. 

Vampire who escaped from prison custody on January 27,2017, when some gunmen believed to be his gang members stormed the Owerri High Court in Imo State and rescued him, killing two persons while many others sustained bullet wounds, was killed in a gun duel with the police. Five other members of his gang, were also arrested by the police team.

Gallant Abba Kyari was carried up and praised by his colleagues at the Imo state police command during the display of Vampires corpse and his arrested members. See photos below.

Source: National Helm
The Central Bank of Nigeria said the recent appreciation of the Naira against other currencies was the result of its market monitoring and intervention.

The Acting Director, Corporate Communications of the CBN, Mr Isaac Okoroafor, on Thursday in Sokoto refuted the allegations by Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi on the illegal sales of foreign currencies at ridiculous rates were responsible for the change in forex policy, the PUNCH reports.

Gbadamosi, a Lagos businessman and former governorship candidate, made allegations of racketeering against the CBN and disparity in allocation of foreign exchange to cronies of the present administration.

He further accused the CBN of selling dollars to some people for as low as N3 to a dollar

The CBN, however, released a statement clarifying that the transactions in question were third party transactions like Japanese Yen to the South African Rand or Euros to U.S Dollars.

The CBN also directed banks to file returns on the sale of foreign currencies in dollars to avoid ambiguities and misinterpretations in future.

Okoroafor said also that the appreciation of the Naira was in no way connected to the allegations of Gbadamosi.

He said, I want to state categorically that there is no relationship whatsoever between the allegations by the so-called person that dollar was being sold at 61 kobo and the current appreciation of the Naira.

What led to the appreciation of the Naira includes the following:

The CBN has done its intelligence work on the market and we came to the realisation that much of what was driving the demand on the BDCs and the parallel market was speculation.

We reasoned that since there is a lot of pressure on the two segments from people seeking to buy foreign currencies for BTA, tuition and medical, that if we successfully address that, the pressure will come down.

Also, before now, the level of our reserves was not enough to make us comfortable to really do the kind of intervention that is required.

We decided to do so now because we are a bit more comfortable with our level of reserve.

Okoroafor said that since the new forex policy, the CBN had intervened with about $591m in the market which had led to Naira gaining strength.

He said, Let me also state as proof that when we placed $500 in the market only $370 was taken.

That tells you that the real demand is $370m. When we placed $230m in the market, only $221m was taken.

Anybody who has run afoul of the law, and the security agencies have caught up with him, should go and face his or her case and stop causing confusion amongst participants in the market.

Source: Naijaloaded
Nollywood finest, Rita Dominic won Best Actress in a Drama (Movie/TV Series) for the movie 76 at the African Movies Viewers Choice Award #AMVCA2017, after nearly two decades in the industry.

It is very important that we teach our children the events that helped shaped this country (Nigeria), Rita said while accepting her award on Saturday at the Eko Hotels, venue of the event in Lagos.

She also dedicated the award to the unsung heroines, the Army Wives. 76 also won Best Overall Movie with nominations in 14 categories at the #AMVCA2017.

The movie 76, is a story told from two points of view: that of a young pregnant woman, and that of her husband, a soldier accused of being involved in the 1976 military coup and assassination of General Murtala Mohammed, the then Head-of State of Nigeria.

The event, hosted byNigerias IK Osakioduwa and Minenhle Minnie Dlamini from South Africa, the ceremonys fifth edition made highlights of outstanding achievement in television and film during the 2016, voted on by the general public.
The war against Cyber crime otherwise known as yahoo yahoo, by security agents in Nigeria may take a long time to be won, if the confession of a 25-year-old alleged internet fraudster is anything to go by.

The suspect who simply gave his name as Chidi, disclosed that what people used to know as yahoo yahoo, a term used to defraud unsuspecting and gullible persons, especially foreigners, through the internet, has gone beyond mere conversation and emotional chat.

He disclosed that yahoo plus is the trend in cybercrime world today, as operators have resorted to using fetish means to hypnotize their victims in order to get what they want from them.

In this interview with Crime Guard, Chidi said he ventured into cyber crime eight years ago, after several attempts to gain admission into the university failed.

Unfortunately, five years down the line, he said he could only get himself a Nigerian used vehicle.

As you read this piece, Chidi said he had turned a new leaf, begging those he had defrauded to forgive him.

His sudden change of mind according to him, followed a startling discovery that human parts were being used to prepare concoction that would hypnotise victims.

Hear him:  You may not believe me but it is true. Those who are into yahoo plus use charm to hypnotize their victims. This is because the ordinary yahoo no longer yield the desired result. Our targets are getting wiser and no longer fall prey .

When I noticed that I was not making any headway in yahoo business, I decided to inquire from some of my friends who were in same business but were living better off.

To my surprise, I was made to understand that the in-thing was yahoo plus. I decided to embark on a journey to Benin Republic in the company of Chuks, Odinakachukwu and Chionye.

There, we met a herbalist who told us to buy three live cocks and other items which he used to prepare some concoction for us. After that, we were asked to stand in front of the shrine,while the herbalist chanted incantations that would enhance our success in yahoo plus.

As we left for Nigeria, we were given some concoction which the herbalist said were prepared with human parts. We were asked to put the concoction in our mouths whenever we wanted to type or discuss with our victims.

But when I got home, I became restive. I remembered my mums admonition never to go into anything fetish but to serve the almighty God. I kept the concoction away and watched as events unfolded.

Three months later, one of us Chuks, made 3000 dollars But Odinakachuckwu lost his younger brother who went to use his laptop. The instruction of the herbalist was that no one except him, should use his laptop. Just as we were smarting from that, Chionye lost his girlfriend.

I decided to quit at that point because I did not want anyone to die on my account. I am therefore appealing to those I have defrauded through yahoo yahoo to forgive me, he stated.

When operatives of the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police were contacted, they described Chidis claim as untrue, saying the law does not believe in vodoo.

An operative who spoke on condition of anonymity said the Unit had arrested several internet fraudsters,with their loot refunded to victims.

Source: Naijaloaded
Sales of hides and skins is popular in Borno

In 1957, at the age of 10, Muhammadu Indimi, was working with his father in his hides and skins trading business. He did this until about 1965 at the age of 18. It was the beginning of his business.

2. Fathers loan

Mohammed Indimi received a loan from his father

Indimis father gave him a loan of 100 in 1963, which he invested in the hides and skins business, and which he also used to get some land to farm wheat.

3. Ready-made clothes

Ready made clothes are a booming business

Another business Indimi went into was the clothing business. He states in an interview with Forbes that at the age of 20 he would cross into Cameroon to buy ready-made clothes which he sold in Maiduguri.

4. Flour

The flour business is one many should take advantage of

Indimi shares the interest in the flour business with Dangote. He made his first big profit from the flour business at the age of 26, 50,000. This is a large amount of money now. Back then, it was a fortune which set him on his way to being extremely wealthy.

5. Water pumps

Water pumps contributed to Indimis wealth

Mobile water pumps were next in line for the business-savvy Indimi. He tells the story in a Forbes interview of how he bought mobile water pumps for about $1.3 million and sold them to make a fortune under the Obasanjo administration.

6. Oil

Oil is almost always a source of income for Nigerias billionaires

In 1991, while still in the water pump business, Indimi also moved into the oil business, for which he is known throughout Africa today.

Now we move to Aliko Dangote and the secrets behind his wealth:

7. Apprenticeship

Sani Dangote is Aliko Dangotes uncle and current VP of Dangote Group

Dangote got his first chunk of cash from apprenticeship to his uncle Sani Dangote. Who later gave him money with which he started his business, about NGN 500,000.

8. Commodity trading

Commodity trading is one of Dangotes strengths

Sugar, rice, pasta, salt, cotton, millet, cocoa, textile and vegetable oil are some of the commodities with which Dangote started building his empire.

9. Import license

Dangotes cement is a household name in Nigeria

The importing license Dangote got for cement is one reason he had monopoly on the sale of cement for a very long time.

10. Family relations

Alhassan Dantata

Family wealth is also one reason, Aliko Dangote is wealthy. He is the great grand son of Alhaji Alhassan Dantata, the richest African at the time of his death in 1955.
Nigerian On-Air Personality and controversial character, Freeze has weighed in on the ongoing media brouhaha surrounding actress, Oge Okoye.

Recall that the actress had posted a photo of two dogs on her page and got called out by American actress, Kenya Moore who claimed the dogs to be hers.

In reaction, Oge OKoye took down the photo of the dogs and later, Nollywood actor, Uche Maduagwu on his Instagram page defended the actress saying shse posted the photo online to be sure she was not being swindled by a dog seller.

In reaction to the brouhaha, OAP Freeze took to his Instagram page to warn Nigerians against picking on the actress.

He wrote on his Instagram page:

LEAVE OGE ALONE ! ! !

Instead of judging the pastors and politicians that robbed you blind and left you to starve in penury, you are judging OGE!

Instead of judging the South Africans that are killing your people and looting their property, you are judging OGE!!

Oge, you are a beautiful and talented woman, God is going to do something miraculous in your career this year, in Jesus name!

AMEN!
An Alabama theater owner has placed a ban on the controversial 2017 movie, Beauty and the Beast over fears that his customers may be exposed to the new gay character fused into the movie.

The latest move by the theater comes after some American parents had made public their dissatisfaction concerning the movie which was described as repulsive based on the introduction of a gay character.

Some American parents had vowed not to allow their kids access to the remake of the movie on grounds of indecent exposure.

The Henagar Drive-In Theater owner while announcing the ban on the movie said Disneys move to add its first homosexual character was the breaking point for him adding that his decision is in line with standing firm on the teachings of the Holy Bible.

He added, If we can not take our 11 year old grand daughter and 8 year old grandson to see a movie we have no business watching it. If I cant sit through a movie with God or Jesus sitting by me then we have no business showing it.
Troops of Eight Task Force Division,Nigerian Army, on clearance operations under the auspices of Operation LAFIYA DOLE in Northeast Nigeria had an encounter with Boko Haram terrorists at Chikun Gudu.



During the encounter in northern part of Borno State, the gallant troops neutralised quite a number of the terrorists, while others escaped with gunshot wounds.

According to a statement issued on Saturday by spokesman for the Army, Brigadier General Sani Usman, the troops also captured gun trucks, arms and ammunition, as well as 14 terrorists.

The troops captured two Toyota Gun trucks stolen from Niger Republic Defence Forces, two Toyota Hilux Gun trucks, one of which was taken by the Boko Haram terrorists from 153 Task Force Battalion location sometime back, a 25 HP Yamaha Outboard Engine, two solar panels and five empty Belts of Anti-Aircraft Guns ammunition links.

Others include one Gun bipod, 12 pairs of Boko Haram fighters uniform, five flags, 37 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 84 copies of Holy Quran and 270 books on Islamic literature.

The troops also recovered and destroyed over 70 motorcycles used by the terrorists to launch attacks, three shops stocked with medical supplies, three other shops with provisions and three wooden boats.

They also recovered two Niger Republic Drivers Licenses, two mobile telephone handsets and two Wooden Slates, the statement read.

The statement also revealed that four of soldiers were wounded and have been evacuated to a medical facility where they are receiving treatment.

( Channels Television )
The United Nations Security Council and the Multinational Joint Task Force in NDjamena, Chad have decided to come together to fight against terrorism in the country.



This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Military Public Information Officer, Col. Mustapha Anka.

The United Nation were received by the Commander of the MNJTF, Major General Lamidi Adeosun and other top officials.

Head of the UN delegation, Ambassador Mathew Rycroft, offered partnership to the MNJTF saying the council is impressed with the achievements of the MNJTF.

Rycroft then assured the Commander MNJTF of the councils friendship and partnership.

The run down of the MNJTF was given to the delegation from the UN after which an interactive session followed.

The head of the team noted that with the role being played by the force, there is evidence that mandates would be achieved.

The Force Commander thereafter thanked the members of the Security Council for the honour accorded the MNJTF and their interest in the activities of the force to bring Boko Haram Terrorists to their knees in conjunction with the national operations of the member countries of Lake Chad Basin and Benin.

Those in attendance of the meeting were the Deputy Force Commander, Brigadier General Moussa Mahamat Djoui, the Chief of Staff, Colonel Major Sayed Badje, staff of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Chief of Cells, MNJTF.
The Federal Government of Nigeria have ruled out any form of punishing or deporting South Africans living in Nigeria in retaliation for the xenophobic attacks against Nigerians.

Senior government officials said the President Muhammadu Buhari administration would continue to pursue diplomatic avenues to address the issue.

Specifically, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olusola Enikanolaiye, confirmed to our correspondent that the Federal Government would continue to pursue a diplomatic solution to the problem.

He said, There is no plan to carry out any punitive measures against South Africa, we are pursuing diplomatic means to resolve the issue, we have held series of meetings with the South African authorities and the High Commissioner to Nigeria and we are confident that the problem would soon be resolved.

The Nigeria Immigration Service Public Relations Officer, James Sunday, also explained on Saturday that the agency had not received any directive to target South African nationals for deportation.

He described as false speculation that the NIS would clamp down on citizens of the former apartheid enclave in Nigeria.

Though deportations of irregular immigrants is done from time to time, it is only those who flout visa regulations that are deported; for now, there is no directive to the service to deport or target South Africans in Nigeria, Sunday said.

Meanwhile, the South Africa High Commission to Nigeria has said it was working to verify the alleged threats by Niger Delta militants to attack MTN and other South African companies in the country.

The South African envoy, Amb. Lulu Mnguni, explained that the mission had yet to ascertain the authenticity of the threat.
E arrivata lufficialita, dopo una giornata di voci rincorrenti: per il triennio 2018-2021 sara lemittente Sky a godere dei diritti televisivi per trasmettere, in esclusiva assoluta, le partite non solo delle prossime edizioni dellEuropa League ma anche quelle della massima competizione continentale, la Champions. Un pacchetto da favola per il quale la tv satellitare di Rupert Murdoch avrebbe messo sul piatto unofferta giudicata piu congrua di quella presentata dalla concorrente Mediaset. A dare lannuncio dellaffare concluso e stata la stessa Sky che, in un comunicato, ha spiegato che il nuovo format sviluppato dalla UEFA ci consentira di portare ai nostri abbonati un prodotto rivoluzionario per il calcio europeo in Italia. Per la prima volta la UEFA Champions League e la UEFA Europa League saranno insieme in unesclusiva offerta integrata, che permettera agli appassionati di seguire fino a 7 squadre italiane, mai cosi tante prima dora, impegnate nelle sfide con i migliori club europei.

Sky: Rafforzata leadership

Anche il livello tecnico dellofferta sara altissimo ed e ancora lemittente a rivelare i dettagli: Continueremo a fare innovazione, trasmettendo le partite piu importanti anche in 4K HDR. Questofferta senza precedenti rafforza la posizione di Sky come leader della programmazione sportiva in Italia ed e anche un altro passo importante di sostegno al calcio italiano. Insomma, per i prossimi tre anni, sara unegemonia totale quella della satellitare sul calcio europeo, avendo mantenuto il pacchetto Europa League (gia sua esclusiva) e affiancandola a quello ancor piu appetibile della Champions League ad appannaggio Mediaset dal 2015 al 2018.

Sfida Serie A

Ora la sfida fra i due colossi delle trasmissioni sportive si spostera sui diritti televisivi della prossima Serie A, per la quale si e ancora in attesa di un nuovo bando che, come annunciato dal commissario della Lega, Carlo Tavecchio, avra le stesse caratteristiche del precedente, andato pero a vuoto: solo una delle offerte presentate per i cinque pacchetti, infatti, superava la soglia minima richiesta dalla base dasta. Niente di fatto, quindi, anche in virtu della stessa Mediaset che, in sostanza, ha disertato il bando (giudicato inaccettabile) non presentando alcuna offerta. La battaglia, anche in questo caso, sara sulle esclusive: del resto, dopo essersi vista scivolare via una componente importante come la Champions, sulla Serie A Mediaset dara sicuramente battaglia.
Philippine troops have found the remains of a German hostage who was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the country's south after a ransom deadline lapsed.

Regional military commander Major General Carlito Galvez Jr said marines dug up the head and body of Juergen Gustav Kantner in the mountainous hinterlands of Indanan town in Sulu province, where the militants are holding several foreign and local hostages.
Tori Spelling, Reality TV star of "True Tori", welcomes their fifth bundle of joy, baby Beau, with husband Dean McDermott on March 2, Thursday at 1:48 p.m.

The 43-year-old Beverly Hills 90210 star is at bliss and ecstatic with the new addition to the family. She exclusively shares in an interview with People, "We are over the moon in love with baby Beau."

The new mom is enamored and so are baby Beau's siblings who are all excited to play and take care of their new brother.

Tori Spelling Took To Twitter To Share The Arrival of Baby Boy Beau; Siblings Are All Excited With The New Addition To The Family

Baby Beau joins siblings - Liam 9, Stella 8, Hattie 5, and Finn 4. The actress took to Twitter to show the world how excited the entire family is with the arrival of their son.

"We are so excited to announce the birth of the newest member of the McDermott family!" This she wrote right beside a snapshot of baby Beau's hand. "Please join us in welcoming Beau Dean McDermott."

Pompous Baby Shower Organized For Mom Tori Spelling And Baby Beau

Tori had some pampering and was treated to a pompous baby shower staged at Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles. Celebrity event planner, Mindy Weiss, was hired to organize the grandiose 5-star event fit for royalty. The couple who are celebrating their 10th year of marriage obviously can't seem to contain their excitement and are both very happy with their new baby boy and wanted to share this joy with the world.

While the pregnancy wasn't really planned, they knew this was destined to happen. Tori shared on her website how thrilled and blessed they are to have Baby Beau as the fifth addition to the family. As expected, social media embraced and fell in love with baby Beau like their own.
Elon Reeve Musk, a well-known businessman, engineer, and CEO of Tesla Inc., is also an active Twitter user. In fact, his Twitter account has been Tesla's mouthpiece to inform the public about the electric automaker's upcoming products, plans, and important announcements. On Wednesday, in response to a letter written by a 10-year-old, Elon Musk made another statement on the social media platform telling that the firm will hold a contest for homemade advertisements.

A 10-Year-Old Gives Tesla Marketing Advice Through Letter

Bria, a 10-year-old daughter Twitter user Steven, suggested that Musk should consider running a competition to find the best homemade commercial for Tesla. The winner of the contest, Bria said, should have their advertisement aired on the television and receive something for free, it maybe a year of Supercharging or maybe a Model 3 Easter Egg. Aside from the suggested marketing tactic, the fifth-grader from Michigan also praised Tesla saying that the firm's cars are "the best thing Ive ever seen."

According to MercuryNews, Musk has hinted that Tesla Inc. may have to promote the company as it spreads into new products. The CEO even brags that Tesla has so far spent nothing on advertising and only social media can take the company now. That is why some Tesla fans have posted videos of their electric cars. Some are even producing ads in computer-generated images.

Tesla Will Do Bria's Suggestion

"Thank you for the lovely letter. That sounds like a great idea. We'll do it!," tweeted Musk as a reply to Bria's letter. As reported by NDTV, Bria aspires to be a politician and that she hoped to drive any of the Tesla cars in the future. Aside from the good facts, she also expressed her disappointment over Tesla vehicles because it is not being sold in Michigan. Steven, the father who shared the letter, is a professor at Art Institute of Michigan and works as a journalist in a car website, according to his Twitter account.
BlackBerry Limited's head of corporate development and strategy, Jim Mackey, left the telecommunications company in mid-February. "It is true I left BlackBerry as of Feb. 13," said Mackey in a LinkedIn message in reply to a Reuters inquiry. Mackey did not give any reason and could not be reached for additional comments and suggestions.

BlackBerry's Jim Mackey Mysteriously Left The Company

BlackBerry issued a press release in late 2013 to announce the hiring of Mackey but did not make any announcement regarding his departure. In an interview with Reuters, the Chief Operating Officer of BlackBerry, Marty Beard, refused to comment on this issue. Beard only said that the company had largely completed its software portfolio and that it needed to push hard to win numerous customers and possible partners.

"The next part of it is the channel," Beard said. "You can't do it only directly, you need partners that fill in the gaps." BlackBerry refused its own operating system in order to support Alphabet Inc's Android in late 2015. The company also signed deals later last year to license its security as well as productivity software to three different manufacturers which are now building BlackBerry-branded gadgets.

Jim Mackey's Responsibilities In The Company

According to Fortune, James G. Mackey, commonly known as Jim Mackey worked directly with John Chen, the Chief Executive of BlackBerry. His responsibilities include navigating the purchase and any marketing relationships. Mackey also led a team of 1,000 finance workers with the responsibility of overlooking the company's financial analysis, controls as well as reporting, accounting, business planning and investor relations.

The integration of a string of properties and signing of major partnership agreements are also handled by Mackey. BlackBerry have been integrated into a widespread security software portfolio that is said to be the key to BlackBerry's future. Thanks to Mackey, the destiny of the firm seems to be brighter after losing its market-leading position in handset devices to Apple Inc. and other Android-based devices.
For the longest time, automakers such as Ford and General Motors have dominated the U.S. auto market. Now, things are different as Tesla has been named as the new "America's Best Automaker". With a new ruler comes a new era as Tesla makes Electric Vehicles (EV) the new mainstream models in the market.

Tesla's Climb To The Top

According to a report, Consumer Reports have been saying interesting things about Tesla in the past couple of years. It was mentioned that Tesla's Model S has been reported as the best car the review magazine has ever tested that it even scored 103 over 100 in the rating system. However, Tesla's Model S has also received negative comments after it scored low in a reliability survey. Shortly after the negative comments, Tesla has once again returned to the spotlight by improving its score in the reliability tests conducted late last year.

Tesla, The New Best Automaker In America

According to Fortune, Tesla has been named as the "Best American Auto Brand" this year. Given this fact, it begs the question of what is next for Tesla? The same report stated that Tesla's next challenge is for the automaker to hold on to its position. Tesla will have to focus on safety, reliability, road test, and owner satisfaction in order to do this.

What To Look Forward To From Tesla

Reports stated that the Model 3 is one of the most anticipated products from Tesla. The Tesla Model 3 is expected to enter production later this year and will have a price tag of $35,000 when it arrives. Other details and specifications for the Tesla Model 3 are expected to be announced as its launch date draws closer.

For now, consumers that are in the market for EVs can expect Tesla to satisfy their needs. Thanks to Tesla, EVs have become one of the mainstream vehicle models in the market and it is expected that EVs will only gain more traction from here onwards.
A vehicle emission scandal hit German auto giant Volkswagen in late 2015, after the automaker used special software to deceive the general public that its cars were eco-friendly with minimum-level environmental emissions. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) however proved them wrong by demonstrating that Volkswagen was fraudulent in its claims. The automaker agreed to a US settlement of $22 billion and a recall of millions of vehicles installed with the emission cheat software.

1,200 people might die in Europe



If Volkswagen had thought that financial settlement in the United States and recall of millions of affected cars in the US and Europe would close its cheating scandal, then it got another thought coming. A new study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters on Friday revealed that 1,200 people will lose their lives prematurely in Europe as a result of the automaker's excessive gas emissions, Yahoo News reports.

In a breakdown down of the estimated 1,200 premature deaths, the US is expected to lose 500 lives from Volkswagen's emission fraud. Poland is expected to lose about 160 lives to premature deaths, and France might lose about 84 lives as well. The Czech Republic will lose 72 lives and Italy will lose an expected 55 lives. Austria will also lose 27 citizens and Switzerland will contribute 40 lives to the statistics, while Hungary will add 32 lives and Britain add another 30 live with Romania coming up in the rear with 27 persons to be lost.

Volkswagen will surely suffer more than expected with this emission fraud

Volkswagen had calculated to profit from this dangerous vehicle emission fraud, but it may not have to suffer more than ever anticipated. As soon as the EPA proved its case and Volkswagen agreed to the fraud, its stocks fell through by 40%. Former CEO Martin Winterkorn also stepped down even though he claimed he had no knowledge of the scam, while Mathias Mueller took over as chief executive. Several employees and core engineers were also fired from the company.

The German automaker has agreed to pay $22 billion in compensation to the US, but the European Commission is also asking for financial compensation. The company will also pay affected customers $16,000 per person for the incident, with additional plans to buy back 600,000 affected cars or shell out $16 billion to fix the cars. Over two million of the affected cars will be recalled in Germany and around 900,000 in France. The automaker however announced last month that it fixed 3.4 million affected cars in Europe, out of the 8.5 million cars sold in Europe or a total 11 million sold worldwide.
Microsoft Surface Pro 5 fans were sorely disappointed when the long-awaited device failed to make an appearance at the recent Mobile World Congress. Fortunately, reports indicate that it will launch next month. What's even more exciting is the news that it will come with a Kaby Lake processor.

With the success of the Surface Pro 4, people were high on Microsoft's next 2-in-1 device. However, the 2017 MWC came and went without a glimpse of a new Surface Pro. Recent reports, however, say that the Surface Pro 5 will finally be unveiled in April alongside other highly anticipated devices, the HoloLens and Xbox Project Scorpio. Microsoft will be holding its Windows 10 Creators Update event next month and many believe that the company will use this soiree as the Surface Pro 5's jumping-off point.

There were at least a couple of images leaked earlier which indicate that a Surface Pro 5 is in the works. Both leaks apparently came from Microsoft itself. The first one was an image of the device itself posted on the official French website of Microsoft which had a file name of "win10-feature-surface-pro-5-z". The other one came from Microsoft product designer Toby Fitch whose LinkedIn post showed that he is working on the Surface pro 5. Fitch claimed he and his team are tasked with developing "new speech models with multidisciplinary design approach" for the Surface Pro 5, the HoloLens and Xbox. They are supposedly also working on mixed reality computing.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 was named the best tablet at the 2017 MWC but News4C believes the Microsoft Surface Pro 5 would have taken home the award had it been launched at the event. The main reason why the Surface Pro 5 could've won is its processor. According to rumors, the Pro 5 will come with the new Kaby lake CPU.

The long-awaited successor to the Microsoft Surface Pro 4, which was released back in October 2015, is also rumored to sport a 4K display, 8GB of RAM and up to 1TB of internal memory space. The Surface Pro 5 will also come with USB-Type C ports and a rechargeable Surface Pen.
The unveiling of the new Nokia 3310 was the main highlight of the recently held Mobile World Congress. The legendary phone from 17 years back is now back and is priced at $50.

Pay $3,000 For An Indestructible Titanium 3310

However, reports just came out that a Titanium version of the phone is underway and is set to come out at a whopping $3,000. According to Mirror.co.uk, Gresso, a luxury phone manufacturer has just unveiled the Gresso 3310.

It is their own version of the Nokia 3310. The only thing that is different is that it has a grade 5 titanium body.

It also doesn't sport the new Nokia 3310's plastic body, nor carrying the Nokia 3310 name. With this, reports suggested that it might be possible that the company does not have any license or permission to use the Nokia name.

Improved Battery Life

Recently, the new Nokia 3310 was doubted to have the same durability and strength when compared to the original phone. Because of this issue, Gresso took advantage of the opportunity and made their own version of the phone by giving it a titanium body. This, in turn, made it literally indestructible.

According to Citizen, the new Nokia 3310 performs better compared to the original phone in terms of battery life. Its removable 1,200mAh battery gives the phone up to 31 days of standby time, compared to the 11 days standby time of the old one.

Nokia has clearly incorporated some enhancements to the phone, despite sacrificing a few important features that will surely give a nostalgic experience to its users. Reports suggest that Nokia did this to make the new Nokia 3310 more useful in today's modern world.ed

Some of its most notable extra new features that give it more function are its camera, colored display and thumbnail menu. The popular Snake game is also back and enhanced, as it now has a color display.
"Rick and Morty" has no doubt created a cult following which seem to exponentially grow in number by the hour. Yes, ever since the show was introduced on December 2, 2013, it became a smashing hit to a countless legion of fans hooked to the Back to the Future parody.

Rick And Morty Co-Creator Justin Roiland's Tweet - Just A Joke!

Right about now, a lot of fans are hounding the internet and social media for any news regarding the still unreleased Rick and Morty Season 3. Nothing gets past the radar of the show's fans - especially a tweet from the show's co-creator, Justin Roiland.

The tweet was just a harmless joke coming from Justin but this has stirred ripples of mixed yet strong reactions from fans. Some even left comments saying that this is a "bad joke" or "not funny." Apparently, the reactions were from Roiland's tweet that says "when they find out it's never coming."

There's really nothing more to it than just a way to relieve some stress as a lot of fans are bombarding Roiland and even Dan Harmond on questions as to when Rick and Morty season 3 would be out. He simply said that it's not yet out because it's still in the works.

Taunting And Teasing From Co-Creators Got A Lot Of Rick And Morty Fans Excited And Pissed At The Same Time?

Now, a lot of Rick and Morty fans have been restless and in agony with the "waiting game" as it feels like the taunting and teasing from creators just feed the fire within. Yes, it could have made fans more apprehensive and excited or even busy while waiting, but could the end justify the means in this case?

Rick And Morty Season 3 Still Happening!

There was one rumor that said it would be released Christmas but ended as a false hope for fans. One fan even said it's like they've been waiting forever. With the growing and gnawing sarcasm over seething over social media, the bottom line would be that fans should be less worried now because Mike McMahan even mentioned that they are actually recording episode 301 - so that means Rick and Morty season 3 will be done and out in no time.
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March 5, 1937

The Rambler Chapter of Junior Hi-Y is the name chosen for the newest unit of this organization at the Auburn YMCA. Kenneth Roberts is president. At Wednesday's meeting he announced the following committee appointments: Membership  Leroy Sherman, Norman Chadwick, Kenneth Aitken and Ray Painter Jr. Social  Jim Gallaro, William Bergan, Robert Howe and Jim O'Sullivan. Program  John Brown, Nelson Eldred, William Delaney, Michael Gleason and Robert Coyle. The club will entertain a group of Cortland "Y" Juniors here March 29.

March 5, 1962

(Pictured)

LEADERS FOR 5 YEARS  Miss Patricia Knapp, second right, assistant 4-H agent, presents five-year leader awards (left to right) to Mrs. Arnold Ott, Cato; Mrs. Mary Longyear, Port Byron; Emil Sevier and Arthur Stevenson, Auburn RFD. Awards were made at a leader recognition dinner Saturday noon at Farm and Home Center.

March 5, 2007

Musician/storyteller/author Peggy Lynn is also a self-described mountain woman. The Auburn native has made it her life's mission to use the words of songs, stories and books to spread the history of great women in the Adirondack region. On Sunday, Lynn was on hand at the Cayuga Museum in Auburn, to present Remarkable Women in Song and Story, an hour-long performance of folk tunes, tales, and historical information about women's roles in Adirondack development.

March 5, 2012
Advance directives workshop Tuesday

Hospice and Palliative Care Center will hold a free workshop on living wills and health care powers of attorney at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Hospice & Palliative CareCenter, 101 Hospice Lane. Participants who choose to complete the documents will receive copies, and staff members will explain them. A notary will be available for people who complete the paperwork. A photo ID is required. The workshop is free, but donations will be accepted.

For more information or to register, call (336) 768-3972, ext. 1622 or visit www.gotplans123.org.

Welcome to Medicare workshop March 13

The Shepherds Center of Greater Winston-Salem will have a free Medicare workshop for individuals who are turning 65, or for people who already have Medicare, to learn about the different insurance options available, including Original Medicare, Medicare prescription drug programs, Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage plans. The session will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 13 at the Clemmons Branch Library, 3554 Clemmons Road, Clemmons.

The session is designed to clarify the Medicare sign-up process and educate attendees on how to make smart choices. Trained counselors from the Seniors Health Insurance Information Program will be available to answer general questions.

Registration is required and can be made by calling (336) 748-0217.

Shepherds Center is offering two free computer courses

The Shepherds Center of Greater Winston-Salem will offer Computer ABCs at Goodwill Industries, 2701 University Parkway, from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays from through March 22.

Basic Microsoft Word will be offered at South Fork Community Center, 4403 Country Club Road, from to 2 to 4 p.m. March 13.

The classes are free, but registration is limited to 16 people. To register, call (336) 748-0217.

Shepherds Center programs this week

The Shepherds Center of Winston-Salem will have the following programs this week.

* At 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, Travel Tuesday will meet at 3900 Westport Blvd., Suite F for a 2 p.m. tour of Miracles in Sight. It is is the second largest eye bank in the United States. Transportation is not provided. Pre-registration is required and the tour is capped at 15.

* At 2:30 Wednesday, Wayback Wednesday with retired history professor Paul McGraw, His topic will be Irish-Catholic Issues in American History. McGraw will discuss the reactions and effects of Irish immigration, just in time for St. Patricks Day. The program will be at the center, 1700 Ebert St.

* At 1 p.m. Thursday, the American Red Cross will present a program on disaster preparedness. Agency representatives will explain ways to stay safe during a disaster and what is needed in a disaster-preparedness kit. The program will be at the center, 1700 Ebert St.

The programs are free, but registration is required and can be made by calling (336) 748-0217.

Quality-of-life suggestions continue to be solicited

Senior Services Inc., Forsyth Futures and other local agencies will hold four community meetings to learn more about the quality-of-life perspectives and get views about how the community could improve and be more aging-friendly.

The meetings will be at:

10 a.m. March 13 at the Piedmont Triad Regional Council, 1398 Carrollton Crossing Drive, Kernersville.

3 p.m. March 15 at Doubletree Hotel, 5790 University Parkway.

6 p.m. March 16 at Enterprise Conference and Banquet Center, 1922 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

4 p.m. March 23 at Clemmons United Methodist Church, 3700 Clemmons Road, Clemmons.

To register, call Kristen Perry at Senior Services at (336) 721-6959 or email kperry@senior servicesinc.org.

Yoga for older adults classes begin March 16

The Shepherds Center of Winston-Salem will offer Yoga for the Older Adult at 1 p.m. Thursdays, beginning March 16, at Pfafftown Baptist Church, 4336 Transou Road.

Julie Dunton will be the instructor. She has been teaching yoga for years specializing in restorative and chair yoga, which may help with many conditions from recuperating from injuries to coping with chronic conditions.

The class is designed to improve function, ease pain and stiffness and gain better flexibility and mobility.

There is no charge for the class, but a $2 donation is requested for the instructors time and gas.

For more information or to register, call 336-748-0217.

Shepherds Center, Ardmore Baptist

organize mystery trip

The Shepherds Center of Winston-Salem and Ardmore Journeys, a program of Ardmore Baptist Church, will have a daylong mystery trip on March 20.

The bus will leave the church at 9 a.m. for an unknown destination and return at 5:30 p.m. The cost is $20 and includes lunch. The payment deadline is March 14. Make checks payable to Ardmore Baptist Church and mail to Beverly Whitfield, 2128 Leeds Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27103.

High Point library

to hold Medicare workshop

The High Point Public Library will hold a Medicare Basics for Seniors workshop at 10 a.m. March 22 in the Morgan Community Room, at the library, 901 N. Main St., High Point.

The workshop is part of an ongoing series. Participants will learn about Medicare, including how to properly fill out the required forms.

This event is free and open to the public. No registration is required. For more information, call Mark Taylor at (336) 883-3646 or email mark.taylor@highpointnc.gov.

Dementia caregivers can get support at various meetings

Senior Services Inc. offers support groups for families and caregivers of people suffering from Alzheimers disease or other memory impairment.

The meetings are free and held at various times at the Williams Adult Day Center, 231 Melrose St.

For more information about joining one of the groups, call (336) 724-2155.

Faith in Action seeks volunteers to serve homebound seniors

Faith in Action, a program of the Shepherds Center, needs volunteers to make home visits, provide respite care for caregivers, make minor home repairs and provide transportation services for homebound seniors. Mileage reimbursement and volunteer training are provided.

For more information, call Drea Parker at (336) 748-0217 or email dparker@shepherdscenter.org.

Meals-on-Wheels looking for volunteers

Senior Services Inc. needs volunteers on the third Monday of each month to deliver meals for its Meals-on-Wheels program to elderly, homebound people. The route is in the Silas Creek Parkway/Stratford Road area.

The meal pickup is at Senior Services, 2895 Shorefair Drive. Delivery times average 60 to 90 minutes.

To learn more or to volunteer, call Heather Livengood at (336) 721-6910. Online sign-ups are available at www.bit.ly/1RoZZRg.

Foundations of Faith Community Nursing training offered

The Congregational Nurse and Health Ministry program of the Shepherds Center of Greater Winston-Salem will offer the Foundations of Faith Community Nursing training course April 3-5 and May 1-3.

The course is designed for registered nurses interested in becoming or currently working as a faith-community nurse. Forty contact hours will be awarded upon 100 percent attendance and completion of all educational modules.

The cost is $550 per person, which includes all handouts, two course textbooks, certificate of completion, pin, and lunch and breaks each day.

For registration information, call Lori Carter at (336) 748-0217 or email lcarter@shepherdscenter.org.

Alzheimers support groups available

Alzheimers support groups are held at 11 a.m. on the first Wednesday and at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Williams Adult Day Center, 231 Melrose St.

For more information, call Jean Eastwood at (336) 785-1935 or email jeastwoodbhmsalemterrace@yahoo.com.

Another group meets at 3 p.m. on the second Sunday of the month at Homestead Hills Retirement Center, 3250 Homestead Club Dr.

For information, call Jessica Pollard at (828) 273-3493 or email jdp81691@gmail.com.

The groups are for people suffering from dementia, family members, friends and caregivers.
Prior to the War for Independence, the Anglican Church was designated as the official church of the American colonies. Established by Great Britain, the church was supported by taxation of colonists. This experience served in part to be a motivator for religious freedom to be included in the First Amendment.

The Constitution prohibits Congress from establishing a religion. It is also forbidden to enact laws that would impede the free exercise of ones faith tradition. As with most things in the nations guiding decree, the simplicity of the words can belie the complexity of the meaning, especially when citizens periodically ask: What does that mean?

How far should religious freedom go? Can it be allowed to encroach into the murky waters of discrimination, racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia or any other form of intolerance?

What about claims of conscience? Should religiously affiliated institutions be mandated to provide coverage for contraception in their health-insurance plans if it violates their conscience?

Here I would be inclined to side with the religious liberty argument, assuming the institution is indeed religiously affiliated. But just saying one is religiously affiliated does not suffice.

For example, Acme House of Doughnuts is not a religiously affiliated institution because its proprietor, Wile E. Coyote, self-identifies as Christian. Such institutions are not the equivalent of, say, Catholic Charities.

It is rumored that President Trump is considering an executive order to bar the federal government from punishing people or institutions that support marriage exclusively as the union of one man and one woman.

On the surface, it appears the presidents actions would potentially place the First Amendments religious freedom clause in tension with the 14th Amendments equal protection clause  a constitutional conundrum. Rep. Mike Lee (Utah) has similar legislation in Congress called the First Amendment Defense Act.

Regardless of how ones feels about Lees bill, its hard not to love the name. Who would be against protecting the First Amendment? But that is not what the legislation, or the presidents executive order, would accomplish. It would instead extend powers to the First Amendment at the expense of the 14th Amendment.

From Sept. 17, 1787, when the Constitution was created, to August 1920, when the 19th Amendment was ratified, guaranteeing women the right to vote, the ethos of America stood in tension with itself. A nation conceived on the propositions of liberty and equality for all in theory had truncated that definition to white male landowners in practice. It used the initial draft of the Constitution to legitimize the institution of slavery and deprived the franchise to vote for roughly half the population.

The First Amendment Defense Act, along with the presidents potential executive order, seeks to resurrect dark chapters from the nations past.

When has it worked for America to pass legislation based on othering a group of people? When has the freedom of some been dependent on the subjugation of others?

Since constitutionally protected same-gender marriage hurts no one, the only way to make a plausible argument for the First Amendment Defense Act is to transform the victimizer into the victim.

The freedom of religion within the confines of ones chosen community does not grant immunity when one engages in the public square. Freedom to worship does not mean that my constitutional rights are violated if Im not allowed to exercise those beliefs wherever I go, especially if those doctrines infringe on the liberty of others.

That seems to be the nebulous line that should never be crossed. The First Amendment protects believers and nonbelievers alike. It acts as a safeguard so that no group possesses supremacy. Once the line of supremacy has been crossed so that one group enjoys additional space, the premise of the Constitution has been violated.

The tragic irony is that the misuse of the freedom of religion clause, in this case, is used to justify discrimination. On this basis alone, it is a profoundly un-American exercise.

But those in support of the First Amendment Defense Act have most likely placed more emphasis on individualistic biblical interpretation than constitutional understanding, which renders them unable or unwilling to see the humanity of those who are the objects of discrimination.

This so-called religious freedom is nothing more than an escape hatch to circumvent the Constitution, to act on ones opposition to same-gender marriage unencumbered.

This First Amendment Defense Act is not designed to address religious freedom, but to justify the prejudices of our hypothetical Wile E. Coyote of Acme House of Doughnuts. It would allow him to mask his bigotry under the thin veneer of religious freedom with the assistance of Congress and the president.
WASHINGTON -- Waqas Goraya had planned to move back to his native Pakistan and settle down after his wife finished her postgraduate studies in the Netherlands this month.

Now the idea seems impossible to the social media activist, who paid an enormous price for blogging to raise political awareness and campaign against human rights violations, religious intolerance, and extremism in Pakistan.

Goraya, an IT consultant, vanished in January with four other secular activists in Pakistan -- a group that became known as the "missing bloggers."

Released three weeks later under mysterious circumstances, Goraya won't discuss the circumstances of his disappearance, where he was held, or who his captors were for fear of repercussions for his family and friends in Pakistan.

"Talking about extremism and criticizing the establishment in a country like Pakistan got me in trouble," Goraya told Voice Of America in a telephone interview from the Netherlands, where he returned after his captivity. "That's a no-go area for Pakistan, and no one talks about it."

Not Anti-Pakistan

"There can be confusion, but we've never been anti-Pakistan or anti-Islam or anti-society," said Goraya, who lived in the Netherlands before making a visit to Pakistan last year. "We're not losers sitting in a dark place and just blogging about negative things. That's not the case."

If his captors' goal was to shut him up, it's working, Goraya said. He is too frozen to resume his social media activism, at least for now.

"Abduction is 10 percent of the horror. The other 90 percent begins after you're released," he said. "I'll continue blogging, but it will take some time."

Goraya's wife, Mesha Saeed, said, "Waqas's abduction has jolted us as a family, and we need time to recover from the shock. When Waqas came back, he couldn't sleep for days. He just wanted to see me and our son all the time."

Pressured on all sides, Pakistan has become a dangerous, even deadly place for journalists. It ranks 147th in the World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

"Journalists are targeted by extremist groups, Islamist organizations, and Pakistan's feared intelligence organizations, all of which are on RSF's list of predators of press freedom," the group's website says. "Although at war with each other, they are all always ready to denounce acts of 'sacrilege' by the media."

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International recently wrote an open letter urging Pakistan's government to take concrete measures to protect the lives of bloggers, activists, and journalists.

Security Agencies Suspected

Human rights activists and lawmakers say enforced disappearances, including torture, have become a norm in Pakistan and that the country's security agencies are responsible.

"Human rights activists and NGOs, the broader community, and journalists believe the bloggers were abducted by the Pakistani intelligence agencies," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

"The missing persons are often mistreated and then told upon release that if they speak, there will be retaliation against them or their families or their friends," he added. "I'm not sure if this happened in the bloggers' case."

Pakistan's Interior Ministry and army have repeatedly and strongly denied any involvement in or link to the abductions of bloggers and other activists over the past few years.

"The army or intelligence agencies had nothing to do with the abduction of the bloggers," Major General Asif Ghafoor, director general of the armed forces media wing, said in a statement to VOA.

Pakistani defense analyst Ayesha Siddiqa said the bloggers were "made an example of" because they crossed the line by reporting on sensitive political issues controlled by the powerful military.

"The state doesn't want people to remember the way Balochistan is being run," Siddiqa told VOA. "It's a political problem, essentially, and that's how it should be dealt with, rather than militarily."

Goraya and several friends started their social media activism in 2011 to create "some sort of discourse," he said.

"The turning point in my life was the murder of Salman Taseer, who was killed in 2011 because he demanded to review the blasphemy law," Goraya said. "That was the time I realized, 'We have to speak.' "

Audience Expanded

The sole purpose was awareness. His anonymous blogging through the Facebook page called Mochi quickly grew a huge audience.

After his disappearance, he is pondering new plans for the future. There was a campaign against the bloggers on social media, and some well-known TV hosts blasted them, too. Amir Liaquat Hussain showed content and screenshots from their Facebook pages and labeled them as "blasphemers.'' The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority banned him from appearing on television for spreading hate speech.

"Right now, it looks like I may never be able to go back to Pakistan," Goraya said. "I'll be a marked person due to blasphemy, and it doesn't matter how hard I try to explain myself. They'll not listen to me."

Human rights defenders, social activists, and families of bloggers believe that such blasphemy allegations are aimed at punishing activists for criticizing the government and the military.

"The best way in Pakistan to silence voices is to accuse somebody of blasphemy, and people will come and dispense justice in their own way." Siddiqa said.

-- Written by Madeeha Anwar for Voice Of America
Correspondent of the week

NANCY VARGAS, Winston-Salem

In the same boat

I am mindful of refugees; physical lives threatened with violence, starvation, loss of loved ones and families risking their lives trying to escape to safety. There is no time for them to sit with a full stomach, quiet peaceful surroundings, noticing the light of day.

There may be no ink, no paper to record thoughts and hopes. Maybe there is also no time and no arena for petty arguments, insensitive remarks or weapons of indignity as refugees literally sit and wait in the same boat.

In these dire circumstances, Gods love manifests itself as courage, strength and joy for family members arriving to a safe shore.

Can we imagine being neighbors who seeks to know anothers struggle? Can we imagine assisting them with our skills, resources and compassion? Are we not all refugees sitting in the same boat? Our lives can be snuffed out in an instant by disease or accidents or by turning away from loves capacity to fit us into a life jacket of mercy.

Violent thoughts/actions, soul starvation and the sacrifice of loving relationships for illusions of power, possessions and prestige disconnect us from life-supporting truths. These truths invite everyone to love, welcome, share and be merciful with ones neighbor. We become less fearful and more willing to listen when we choose to love and serve others.

We are all refugees in this life, distracted much of the time from those sitting next to us in the same boat hoping to arrive at a safe shore.

R. ROGER BENNETT, Winston-Salem

Get on board

I have never heard so much bellyaching over anything.

President Trump won the election. He deserves our respect simply for holding the office.

Congress is run by Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate. The American people have rejected liberalism and liberals need to accept that fact and adjust. This is a new day. Were not going back to the age of handouts and special rights.

Any honest person could see that the president gave a wonderful, patriotic speech before Congress and nitpicking it isnt going to change anything. He laid out the path for the next four or eight or 20 years and thats the direction were taking.

Liberals had better get on board or theyll be left behind.

******

C. MICHAEL AND JANE R. THOMPSON, Winston-Salem

Investigation needed

I wish to thank Victoria Loe Hicks for writing  and the Journal for publishing  her Feb. 28 guest column, Sen. Burr at a crucial crossroads on Russia. It is fair, true and above all, compelling.

It is also a message we have less artfully tried to convey to our senior senator.

Sen. Richard Burr has the historic opportunity  and responsibility  to fully investigate President Trumps ties to and potential entanglements with the Russian regime. Those may range from the merely questionable to acts that would put Watergate in the shade. But we will never know if our elected leaders turn a blind eye to the truth for partisan purposes.

We hope and pray that Sen. Burr finds his inner Sam Ervin.

******

EVAN FISHER, Winston-Salem

Teaching values

I want to thank you for printing the Feb. 26 letter Stick to academics, which allows us to see just how thoughtless some members of the community are.

I can remember when conservatives used to complain that teachers werent allowed to impart values to students (even though they did). Now when their values include compassion, this letter writer wants them to stick to the lesson plan.

Teachers have asked that immigration agents not come to schools to take students away. I dont think thats asking a lot. Students have plenty of reasons to feel anxious about going to school, from math tests to bullies. Should they really have to worry that government agents are going to come take them or their friends away? How heartless does someone have to be to plead were a nation of laws to justify scaring children?

When You Write

The Journal encourages readers comments. To participate in The Readers Forum, please submit letters online to Letters@wsjournal.com. Please write The Readers Forum in the subject line and include your full name, address and a daytime telephone number. Or you may mail letters to: The Readers Forum, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102. Letters are subject to editing and may be published on journalnow.com. Letters are limited to 250 words. Letter writers are allowed one letter every 30 days, but writers may respond to Sum It Up every week.

If you would like a photo of yourself included with your letter, send it to us as a .jpg file.

For more guidelines and advice on writing letters, go to journalnow.com/opinion/submit_a_letter.

The Journal welcomes original submissions for guest columns on local, regional and statewide topics. Essay length should not exceed 750 words. The writer should have some authority for writing about his or her subject. Our email address is: Letters@wsjournal.com. Essays may also be mailed to: The Readers Forum, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102. Please include your name and address and a daytime telephone number.
Facebook [corporate website] settled a class-action lawsuit levied against it on Wednesday for its prior practice of scanning private messages to aid in ads. A motion [text, PDF] was filed on Wednesday, subject to court approval, for declaratory and injunctive relief, though it does not discuss specific monetary awards. In pertinent part, the motion states [t]he settlement achieves significant business practice changes, and benefits the settlement class now. Facebook had been searching through its members messages [Courthouse News article] to look for third-party website URLs and used this information to drive a marketing campaign with advertising aimed at individual users interests, which the plaintiffs alleged to be a violation of the Federal Wiretap Act [text] and Californias Invasion of Privacy Act [text]. Facebook contends that it no longer relies upon these practices, although it now informs users that their messages may be scanned to aid in advertising. The settlement would require Facebook to refrain from using this private messaging data, sharing user data with third party companies, and artificially generating likes on third-party websites. Though monetary damages are not specifically mentioned in the motion, the two class representatives can both expect to receive awards of $5,000 each.

Popular social media services and transforming technologies have posed new and unique challenges to rights groups worldwide. In October Amnesty International [advocacy website] released a report [JURIST report] ranking the privacy protection measures taken by the most popular social media websites, finding Snapchat [corporate website] and Skype [corporate website] to be the least private. Earlier the same month the American Civil Liberties Union [advocacy website], along with the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and 50 other interest groups, sent a letter [JURIST report] urging the US Department of Justice [official website] to investigate the increasing use of facial recognition technology. And in September Swiss voters approved [JURIST report] a new surveillance law allowing their national intelligence service broad powers to spy on terrorist suspects and cyber criminals, as well as the ability to cooperate with foreign intelligence agencies.
The Philippines (winter 2014)Western US (fall 2011/2012/2013/2014)Turkey (fall 2010)France/Germany/Denmark/Hollan (summer 2010)Uganda/Tanzania/Kenya (winter 2010)China (fall 2009)France/Italy (summer 2009)South Africa/Lesotho/Mozambique (winter 2009)Southern U.S. (fall 2008/fall 2010/spring 2011)Spain and the Camino de Compostela (summer of 2008)Israel (winter 2008)Eastern U.S. (fall 2007)Great Britain (summer 2007)Venezuela (winter 2007)Japan (fall 2006)Croatia, Serbia, Czech Republic, Poland (summer 2006)Western US (fall 2005)Ecuador (winter 2005)Italy (spring 2004/summer 2009)France (summer 2004/2005/2006/2007/2008/2009/2010/2011/2012/2013/2014/2015/2016/2017/2018/2019)Iceland (summer 2003)Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia (Fall 2002)Minneapolis to Chicago (summer 2002)Bolivia (spring 2002)Scandinavia--Finland, Norway, Sweden (summer 2001)Hes followed the Tour de France seventeen times beginning in 2004 , riding much of each year's route, fully loaded, before or after the peloton and sent out regular reports during the race, also posted here.He has a long-running email list that he sends updates to every few days when he's on tour.You can write him at: george6567@yahoo.com. If you like, he'll add you to his e-list.He spends the rest of the year also on a bike, working as a messenger in Chicago.He's also an independent film enthusiast, attending or working at several major film festivals annually, including Telluride and Cannes. His coverage of Cannes is also included here in May of 2004-2015.For a "Chicago Tribune" article on George see the January 17, 2002 entry of the blog. There is also a "Hollywood Reporter" article posted October 25, 2005, and a "Streetwise" cover story posted on April 17, 2010 and stories in French newspapers the past few summers.(I'm Jeff Potter and I helped George get his blog going. I run OutYourBackDoor.com , where I report on a wide range of everyday, affordable, healthy outdoor action. I also sell some hard-to-find indy culture media and other goodies. Lotsa bike stuff!)
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
FILE - This May 23, 2016, file photo, shows the northernmost boundary of the proposed Bears Ears region, along the Colorado River, in southeastern Utah. President Barack Obama designated two national monuments Wednesday, Dec. 28, at sites in Utah and Nevada that have become key flash points over use of public land in the U.S. West. Utah lawmakers have backed a resolution urging the state to be prepared to sue the U.S. government if Washington leaders don't start handing over federal land to the state. Members of a House natural resources committee on Friday, Feb. 24, 2017, approved the proposal, despite concern from one lawmaker that it could be costly and hurt the environment. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, File)
Honouring veterans, CBRM council meeting highlight this week in Cape Breton

SYDNEY  During this Remembrance Week, we honour our veterans  those who died in battle, those who are still with us, and those who have passed away in the intervening years. Ceremonies to mark the end of the First and Second world wars, the Korean ...
Stuff reports:

Police have recruited a former Navy sailor who killed a stranger with a punch to the head to testify of the dangers of late night bars. Grenville McFarland, 30, was jailed for the manslaughter of Tarun Asthana, who he killed with a blow to the head in November 2013. Police approached McFarland to give evidence to the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority that bars should close earlier to prevent similar tragedies.

This makes my blood boil. The Police are parading around a convicted killer and trying to turn him into a victim, by saying it wasnt his fault he killed someone  it is the fault of the bar that was open late at night.

This is fucking disgraceful.

Why dont they also get a convicted rapist to give evidence that he only raped someone because he had had a few drinks, and hence bars should close earlier to help prevent rape.

But Asthanas mother Yvette said McFarland should take responsibility for his actions rather than blame late night opening hours.

How disgraceful that the victims of this killer, now have to endure the Police parading him around and effectively implying he was not responsible for his actions.

Yvette Asthana said: He has to learn to take ownership for his actions. He absolutely should take responsibility for his actions. I pray that he takes ownership. She said she missed her son every day. Its three years since my boy passed. Tarun was very much a gentleman. Taruns friend Eddie Lo, who works in the hospitality industry, said closing times were irrelevant in Taruns death. Maybe he would have been in a different place, and maybe Tarun would be alive (but) its not about the opening hours, its about New Zealands drinking culture, he said. My professional opinion is very simple. You cant blame alcohol. You blame the choices you make.

Exactly. Thousands and thousands of people enjoy a drink after midnight and dont get violent and dont kill people.

The Police are out of control when it comes to their attempts to force their desire for bar hours on the public. To parade around a convicted killer who blames his crimes on a bar being open is appalling.

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The Herald reports:

A property lawyer and former naval officer has been chosen to fill former Prime Minister John Keys big shoes in Helensville.

Christopher Penk was last night announced as Nationals nomination for the safe seat, which has held by the party since It was established in 1978. 

The son of a law lecturer and a primary school teacher, he attended Kelston Boys High and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Auckland, where he later returned to get his law degree.

After his studies, he joined the Royal New Zealand Navy and later the Australian Navy.

His military career took him to the Pacific Islands, South East Asia and the Middle East, where he helped protect an Iraqi Government-owned oil rig in the Arabian Gulf as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007-08. He also worked as aide-de-camp to Governor General Dame Silvia Cartwright.
Rogers expect North Korea to collapse from within

By Kim Jae-kyoung

SINGAPORE  South Korea must build a nation ruled by law to retool its economy as it faces an economic and political turning point, according to legendary investor Jim Rogers.

In a recent interview here, Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings, said it is time for Korea to wind up old practices such as collusive links between business and politics.

He believes chaebol and state leadership built modern Korea, but now their roles need an overhaul for the country to move forward.

His advice comes as the country reels from its worst political scandal that has engulfed President Park Geun-hye and Samsung Group, the nation's largest family-run conglomerate. Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong was arrested on charges of bribery and embezzlement in connection to the corruption scandal.

"Maybe Korea has gotten to a certain stage," he said. "All of this turmoil  political turmoil and company turmoil  is because Korea has got to an inflection point."

The multimillionaire investor said that to go beyond the inflection point, the country should reform its economic system that is dominated by a few big conglomerates.












By Choi Ha-young



The Ministry of Unification plans to increase payment for North Korean defectors who provide valuable information concerning "national security" to up to 1 billion won ($864,000), ministry officials said Sunday.

The ministry recently drew up a revision bill to significantly raise payment to defectors for information they provide, according to the officials. If raised, it will be the first time for South Korea to increase payment for defectors since 1997.

Those who flee to South Korea in a warship or fighter jet can receive up to 1 billion won, which is four times larger than the current amount, the officials said. Defectors who provide "crucial" information about North Korea are also entitled to the same amount.

Those who defect to the South with a tank, a guided weapon or a plane can receive up to 300 million won, six times larger than the current amount. Defectors with an artillery gun, a machine gun or a rifle will receive up to 50 million won.

The ministry will judge the values of intelligence and weapons by its own standards of credibility and originality.

"The ministry's plan appears to be targeting the North Korean soldiers rather than ordinary defectors," defector activist Kim Seong-cheol, President of North Korea Reform Radio, said.

"After assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the shock is palpable among high-ranking officials based in China. The increased payment will be attractive for them."

In 1983, Lieutenant Lee Woong-pyung from the North Korean Air Force fled to the South in a Mig-19 jet.

In July last year, Thae Yong-ho, ex-deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom, arrived in Seoul. "There are multiple North Korean diplomats in the South, and many are waiting for departure to South Korea," he said in a conference at the National Assembly in January.








A broken mirror reflects a prostitute across the street at Cheongnyangni 588. An urban redevelopment project will soon wipe out the red-light district despite protests from the remaining sex workers and other tenants. High-rise residential and commercial buildings will replace the red-light district which opened nearly 80 years ago. / Korea Times photos by Shim Hyun-chul





Red-light district in Cheongnyangni fading away under redevelopment plan

By Kim Se-jeong

Cheongnyangni 588, a red-light district in Seoul, has had its heyday. At its peak in the 1980s, the district housed some 200 brothels with more than 500 sex workers, and was reputedly the biggest and busiest sex-for-sale area in the capital.

Earlier this month, however, the place was desolate and barren.

Most brothels were dark and empty. Big glass windows were painted with big red Xs and many were broken. Behind one such window were a broken hand mirror, a doll, mascara and an empty water bottle scattered across the floor and on stools once used by sex workers.



Development project driving prostitutes out

The brothel area has long been called just "588," although it is unclear where this name came from. Some historians say it was derived from one of the back alley's address, while others say the area used to have a bus service with that number.

Now the district is counting down its final days.

A redevelopment project will begin later this year  tall luxury buildings will occupy the 41,586 square meters of land  and developers are evicting the women.

The demolition and eviction of the remaining 588 zone will begin next month.

For the prostitutes and pimps but also for other residents there, the eviction, which began late last year, is tough.

Kang Hyun-joon, a senior member of the HanTeo National Union, a sex workers' association, said many were threatened by hired thugs who showed up with iron bars to wreck their workplaces.

Developers also installed surveillance cameras in the neighborhood, as a means of threatening their businesses  prostitution is illegal in Korea and these women can be prosecuted.

Some of the sex worker tenants filed a collective complaint with the National Human Rights Commission against the installment of the cameras, but dropped the case later.

"The demolishers will be back in early March with iron bars to evict them completely," Kang said.

Many sex workers have already left 588  only 40 work in the remaining eight brothels for now.

It's unclear where the evicted sex workers have gone.

"I heard some went to red-light districts in other parts of the country," Kang said. "Others probably went to find jobs at room salons, karaoke bars and massage parlors."

Kang is a former pimp and said he has friends and former colleagues in the industry.

There are officially 44 red-light districts in Korea, according to government statistics for 2016.





A platform shoe is abandoned in an empty brothel.



Resisting eviction notices

The 40 remaining prostitutes carry out protests when they are not working. One place was decorated with a white banner hung from the ceiling, saying: "Developers are pimps and gangsters!"

Some have been joining hands with tenants and small shop owners who don't wish to move out, to hold protest rallies against the redevelopment project in front of the Dongdaemun-gu Office.

The remaining residents will resist the demolition and eviction.

Kang said the sex workers need financial help. "They want support to continue their lives."

He said they didn't receive a penny from the developers, although he acknowledged that because prostitution is illegal the construction firms don't have to give them any money.

But "for these girls," he said, "Cheongnyangni is all they know and where they made a living. It's simply inhumane to evict them like this without any support."

Officials from Dongdaemun-gu Office said the sex workers are eligible to join rehabilitation programs.

And the developers say they have already done enough and will make no further concessions.

"We've paid some money to them on humanitarian grounds," said Lim Byeong-euk, chairman of the group leading the development project. Asked how much compensation had been paid out, he refused to answer.

Under the redevelopment project, they plan to build high-rise residential and commercial buildings by 2020.

The developers received a court order allowing them to demolish and evict the remaining tenants and sex workers beginning next month.





An excavator demolishes a building as part of the Cheongnyangni 588redevelopment project.



Stigmatized but historic

Cheongnyangni 588 has a long history. It started during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation after Cheongnyangni Station was built by the Japanese.

The 1950-53 Korean War paved the way for its success as the station transported countless soldiers in and out of Seoul. During that time, soldiers were the main clients.

Its peak was in the 1980s.

The night-time curfew was lifted in 1982. Quality of life began improving during that time  more people began to drive. In 1988, Seoul hosted the Summer Olympic Games.

Cheongnyangni 588 used to have a reputation for the prettiest sex workers in Korea. Before the Olympics, brothels, with the help of the government, began to have glass windows, an idea borrowed from the red-light districts of the Netherlands. It was part of a beautification effort to make the neighborhood look clean and decent for foreign tourists visiting the city.





Mattress springs are piled in a hole at a demolition site in Cheongnyangni 588.



More areas falling to money

The anti-prostitution law in 2004 made red-light districts illegal. Police crackdowns began, but some, including Cheongnyangni 588, managed to survive.

However, property and land owners eventually succumbed to development money.

"More and more are disappearing with urban development projects," a Seoul Metropolitan Government official surnamed Won said.

It is a combination between business interest by private developers and the public interest to get rid of them by local governments.

A brothel just east of Yongsan Station was wiped out in 2010 for a redevelopment project led by Samsung. Another at Miari in northern Seoul was turned into a residential area. Cheonho-dong in eastern Seoul and Youngdeungpo in southwestern Seoul, the remaining red-light districts, are also fading fast.





A man walks by a brothel that is still open in Cheongnyangni 588. Painting on the wall condemns developers that evicted sex workers by force.






Acting Constitutional Court President Lee Jung-mi walks to the court in Jongno, central Seoul, Sunday.

Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seok

Park's political life hangs in balance

By Lee Kyung-min

Anticipation is running high over the future course of action by President Park Geun-hye, Sunday, with the Constitutional Court's ruling imminent on whether to permanently remove or reinstate the scandal-ridden leader as early as this week.

If the court upholds the impeachment, Park will soon be subject to prosecution questioning as a suspect in the influence-peddling scandal involving her confidant Choi Soon-sil, as she will no longer be immune from prosecution, a privilege she enjoys as a sitting President.

If Park manages to win three votes against impeachment, she will resume state affairs effectively ending her almost three-month seclusion inside the residential office of Cheong Wa Dae.

With eight justices expected to cast their votes, the ruling will be delivered before March 13, when acting court president Lee Jung-mi retires.

On Sunday, six justices review the statement submitted by defense attorneys of Park, claiming that Park arrived late to the central disaster control tower near Cheong Wa Dae as her car could not move due to a parked vehicle, in response to her alleged nonfeasance on the day of the Sewol ferry sinking.

The court upholding the impeachment will bolster the prosecution, as it is the equivalent of recognizing that Park violated both the Constitution and criminal laws.

Questioning Park will be pushed ahead without considering protocol as her status would change immediately from sitting President to private citizen.

The prosecution will then accelerate its investigation given that Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong was indicted on bribery charges involving Choi, coupled with the transitioning of the investigation from the independent counsel team to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.

As the public has continued its months-long demand that Park be put behind bars, the prosecution might seek an arrest warrant for her.

Park, in response, will put enormous efforts into beefing up her defense team to minimize the humiliation and disgrace for becoming one of former presidents to stand criminal trial. After leaving Cheong Wa Dae, she will likely to return to her private residence in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul.

However, the possibility remains that her questioning might be delayed until after the presidential election is held, as to minimize the outcome of the investigation influencing voter sentiment. It is more likely for voters to support a conservative candidate if Park is treated harshly by the prosecution. The National Assembly may also resume discussions on amending the Constitution, the gist of which will be about revising the President's term from the current single five-year term to a four- or five-year term with the possibility of one re-election.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Seung-tae will soon recommend a new Constitutional Court judge to succeed the outgoing acting court president.
By Choi Ha-young





An Hee-jung

An Hee-jung, a presidential contender from the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), is seeing his approval rating falling continuously since he made favorable remarks about the scandal-ridden President Park Geun-hye two weeks ago.

According to a Gallup Korea poll released last week, An's approval rating fell to 15 percent by 6 percentage points from a week earlier.

Regarding President Park Geun-hye's scandal-hit Mir and K-Sports foundations and ex-President Lee Myung-bak's four-river refurbishment project, An, governor of South Chungcheong Province, said on Feb. 19, "I think President Park and Lee had a good will at first, but failed to follow due procedures in pushing for the projects."

In response to criticisms from liberal voters and other presidential hopefuls, he apologized for a stir caused by the comment.

Previously, he was considered as a serious opponent for Moon Jae-in, the leading contender from the DPK. After ex-U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon's drop, An picked up supports from Ban's home turf Chungcheong region and attracted centrist voters. His call for "Grand Coalition" to embrace even the ruling Liberty Korea Party and message for social integration courted to the conservatives.

"Under the circumstance that power transition to liberal bloc appears certain, the DPK supporters backed up An, because he has less opponents outside the party," a political commentator Hwang Tae-soon said.

After the "good will" controversy, they are moving toward Moon. Moon's poll number hit a new high standing at 33.5 percent on Realmeter and 34 percent on Gallup Korea.

"Expectation around An has fallen apart by An's back-and-forth steps," Bae Jong-chan, the chief director of pollster Research and Research, said.

Along with his apologetic remark, he again advocated the alliance with the ruling party as a governance partner to push for reforms. "I am not taking centrist route unscrupulously, but paving a new way for the DPK," he said Thursday, as an effort to clear away ideological suspicions around him.

On Sunday, An recruited three rookie lawmakers  Ki Dong-min, Eoh Kiy-ku and Rhee Cheol-hee  to the campaign team. However, they are nonmainstream faction in the DPK as Bae pointed out.

"To defeat Moon in the upcoming primary, An should gain as much as supports from Jeolla Province and win a landslide victory in Chungcheong Province," Bae said.

However, 44 percent of Jeolla residents are backing Moon while only 8 percent of them are in support of An. As a traditional stronghold of the liberals, the region has considerable party members with strong will to join the primary.

Bae also pointed out strategic misjudgment of An's camp. The team has refrained from negative advertisement against Moon. "Due to the strategy lacking of will for power, the label drags An, that he is proper for after next presidency."
By Kim Hyo-jin



A former National Intelligence Service (NIS) agent's claim that the agency has conducted illegal surveillance on Constitutional Court justices to possibly help impeached President Park Geun-hye is triggering uproar.



Three opposition parties called for a thorough investigation, Sunday, saying if the claim is true, it is a serious challenge to democracy.



Local broadcaster SBS reported Saturday that the NIS had collected information about justices and their proceedings since early this year, citing an unnamed former senior NIS official.



The report came amid expectations that the court will rule on the parliamentary impeachment of Park as early as this week.



The National Assembly impeached Park on Dec. 9 with the support of 234 of 300 lawmakers.



The ex-NIS official reportedly claimed that, quoting one of his former colleagues, the agency had spied on the Constitutional Court, and its activities centered on figuring out the opinions of each justice to predict whether they would uphold the parliamentary impeachment or not.



The one who has taken charge of the mission was a managerial-level agent who had long engaged with spying on the judiciary, according to the ex-agent.



The figure is reportedly the one who was involved in a controversy over the NIS illegal surveillance on Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Seung-tae in mid-December.



Cho Han-gyu, a former president of the Segye Ilbo, unveiled the secret documents made by this agent on Yang during a National Assembly hearing on the influence-peddling scandal surrounding Park and her confidant Choi Soon-sil.



Intelligence gathering for domestic activities is only limited to anti-terrorist, communist, spies and crime ring purposes, according to the NIS law.



Quoting another NIS official, the ex-agent also raised an allegation that the surveillance on the court was made based on the direct order of a high-ranking official of the agency, who is close to former presidential secretary Woo Byung-woo.



"If this is true, it means that the NIS forgot the duty of keeping political neutrality and degenerated into being the president's secret police. That's why people say the agency is causing public concerns," Rep. Park Kyung-mi, a spokesperson of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) told reporters.



"The party will not just wait and see about the allegation of illegal surveillance. We are determined to launch exhaustive inquiry with all possible means."



The People's Party echoed the same voice, noting a possibility of seeking investigation by an independent counsel on the allegation.



"It is a challenge to democracy and to the public. We will clarify if Cheong Wa Dae pulled the strings and pursue every avenue for fact-finding work," party's spokesperson Rep. Chang Jung-sook said.



Moon Jae-in, leading presidential contender of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), urged a prompt prosecutorial investigation.



"If the report turns out true, it is a serious sabotage on state affairs," said Rep. Park Kwang-on, spokesperson of the Moon's camp. "We should check who ordered it, to which level the intelligence was reported, and if they contacted officials at the court for surveillance."



The NIS denied the allegation later in the day, saying "it is groundless accusation."




By Tom Plate



The need for China and the United States to come together in a persistently adult geopolitical two-some has never been more urgent. Gamesmanship must be minimized. Statesmanship must be maximized. Just ask Mr. Ban Ki-moon, career diplomat.



The other night in Los Angeles, Mr Cool-Cautious brought the point home well, as perhaps only someone who had scaled the heights to UN Secretary General could. His venue was a hotel-ballroom where the Pacific Century Institute, which works behind the scenes for peace and understanding between America and East Asia, presented Ban with its 2017 Building Bridges' Award, and Ban returned the compliment with a thoughtful discourse. Now in private life, this workaholic Korean, so respectful of the high office he was privileged to hold for a decade, was thus able to loosen up a bit on a subject dear to his heartburn: North Korea. And what the adoring audience got was a glimpse of Ban at his best.



By now, North Korea has ticked off almost everyone. That recent missile test-shot in the face of our new and unnervingly inexperienced U.S. president unsettled many; the Kuala Lumpur airport assassination operation evidently orchestrated by Pyongyang turned stomachs all over the world. And so Ban laid it on the line: the young DPRK leader Kim Jong Un is pushing his luck big-time.



This was not characteristic Ban, in public at least; and it had bite because the Korean diplomat, only the second UNSG from Asia ever, is known to know China and its leaders as well as anyone not Chinese. On the whole they like him, they respect him, and they supported him.



For his part, Ban understands how they think and why they think it. When poorly informed Western commentators and leaders unctuously pile on the cheap rhetoric and demand that "China do more," as if it could push over unloved but nuclear-armed Pyongyang with a pair of chopsticks, Ban rolls his eyes. But they went wide open when the Xi Jinping government announced the suspension of all North Korean imports, including even coal.



Something new may be up. Beijing looks down on Pyongyang, and the North Koreans have little use for China (except, it seems, to escape to it). But the Chinese Communist Party, not unlike (in the oddest way) our American Tea Party, fears change. Regime collapse on its borders conjures up nightmares of an implosion of Syrian proportions; or of an ominously united Korea (North and South) under Western umbrella (Americans, try to imagine this: Canada goes Communist!). The PRC government is religious on the principle of inviolable sovereignty and beyond skeptical of forced regime change option (Here, Americans should listen more to China).



Even so, some kind of thoroughly worked out China-U.S. approach to Pyongyang could not only promote future stability of the Korean Peninsula; it could prove positively salient for the future Sino-US relationship. China would deserve all the credit in the world if it made a move to close the gap further. The truth is that even when Beijing takes sensible positions, Beijing rarely gets respect. The worst is assumed even if the original intention might well have been otherwise.



President Xi, it seems to me, could fairly complain that his job is tougher than President Trump's. China's population, he could note, is something like 1.3 billion; America's is like 325 million. With four times as many people, Xi may say he has to endure four times as many headaches as Trump, who doesn't even have feisty, self-absorbed Hong Kong screaming in his face. But both do share the common headache of Pyongyang.



The U.S. and China need to work it together better, closer, sooner. What Ban Ki-moon is trying to tell Kim Jong Un is that this looks to become the next chapter in the Korean Peninsula ordeal. His sense is that maybe the time has come to get real.







Tom Plate is the Distinguished Scholar of Asian and Asian American Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.








This is the first in a two-part contribution on Institut Pasteur Korea.  ED.



By Hakim Djaballah



What started as cooperation between Korea and France first saw an agreement on scientific and technological cooperation between Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and Institut Pasteur Paris (IPP) in 2003, followed by an executed 10-year general agreement. Under it, the French should invest 148 billion won and the Koreans 124 billion won. Institute Pasteur Korea (IPK) was launched with a further 30 billion won cash injection from Gyeonggi Province. The cost of the new IPK building was shared between the central government and the province for 20 billion won each.



I arrived 10 years later to find a financially corrupt, troubled, and inept institute with its stakeholders at odds. My journey began between a rock and a hard place. IPP had pushing a diplomatic agenda to renew the 10-year agreement, and felt like a colonial power wanting more for nothing. IPP President Christian Brechot acted like Napoleon on a mission to conquer or save the world in the name of Dr. Louis Pasteur. The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP), on the other hand, demanded a 50 percent reduction in the workforce and self-sufficiency of the bankrupt and inept institute. Its officers put up a barrage of bureaucratic obstacles at every step of the way. Korea failed to demand IPP financial contribution; instead, its officers began the policy of slowly suffocating IPK by reducing its operating budget.



MSIP and Gyeonggi blasted IPK for poor 10-year performance with no tangible results  a first and very unusual public criticism of the outcome of your own doing. Both were represented at the board level and through their spy networks. Not forgetting the daily requests for reports and random audits, it is ironic that their diligent officers could have missed the telltale signs of poor performance. They were, perhaps, playing to the tune of the growing far-right nationalist movement, or merely incompetent.



Unwilling to honor his commitments in Korea, Brechot decides to seek funds elsewhere. I was summoned to Paris to be asked to initiate a trademark dispute over the right to use the name "Pasteur" in Korea, by the Dairy Corp. Pasteur Milk, which merged with the multinational conglomerate Lotte. IPP viewed this as lucrative for both IPP and IPK, since the illegal use of the name began in April 1987. I refused this request but met with Lotte executives in July 2015 to discuss joint education programs.



Brechot's official visit to Korea in December 2014 was met with MSIP slamming its doors on him; a strong intervention from the then French ambassador to Korea, Jerome Pasquier, failed to secure an audience. The former chairwoman of the IPP board of directors, Rose-Marie Van Lerberghe, was dispatched to Seoul in September 2015 but she received the same treatment. A reminder, perhaps, that Korea is not an old French colony and Brechot's international credibility is not what it seems.



The yin and yang remain in full swing with MSIP unable to close this horrific chapter. IPK has undoubtedly failed in its mission and at a taxpayer's cost of over 200 billion won. It has benefited the French more than the home team. Your Chinese neighbors, on the other hand, resolved their sticky situation by closing and nationalizing the failed Pasteur institutes in Hong Kong and Shanghai, respectively. IPP financial commitment to IPK is now well over 230 billion won, more than its entire annual budget. Will IPP honor its financial obligation in Korea?







Dr. Hakim Djaballah is former CEO of Institut Pasteur Korea (IPK). The claim he makes in this column may not represent The Korea Times' editorial consent.  ED.




Prosecution should conclude probe of President



Independent counsel Park Young-soo's team has handed over the records of its investigation of the corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her friend Choi Soon-sil to the prosecution. Although there is still much to be done, it closed its investigation on Feb. 28 after acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn rejected an extension. The independent counsel team will announce the results of its four-month probe today.



The special counsel team made the most of the limited time and has made noticeable headway in getting to the bottom of the irregularities of some key figures linked to the presidential scandal.



The team won much public support particularly after Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Group, was arrested earlier this month on charges of bribery, marking the first time the head of the country's largest chaebol was detained. Special prosecutors did a good job with investigations into the blacklist of anti-government cultural figures, leading to the arrest of former presidential chief of staff Kim Ki-choon and former Culture Minister Cho Yoon-sun. The team also made progress with investigating irregularities at Ewha Womans University, where Choi's daughter had been given favors in admissions and grading.



The special team, however, has faced criticism that it focused too much on probing Samsung. Its biggest shortcoming is that it fell short of investigating the President, who is the central figure in the scandal. The team said in its final briefing that it will book the President and her confidant as suspects of receiving bribes. Its investigation is therefore still largely unfinished, leaving the prosecution with a heavy burden to uncover the full truth behind the President's involvement in the scandal that has led to her impeachment. It also failed to substantiate allegations of Park's dereliction of duty during the day of the Sewol ferry sinking in April 2014, which is one of the grounds for the National Assembly's impeachment of the President.



The special probe team's investigation into the presidential scandal was severely hampered by the President's persistent disruption. Cheong Wa Dae denied entry to investigators who were aiming to get more data prior to a planned questioning of the President, citing security concerns. President Park also refused to be questioned by investigators after she publicly declared a number of times that she would comply with the independent counsel's request for questioning.



There are three things that the state prosecutors need to focus on from now on. First, the prosecution should fully prepare to conclude the investigation into the President and clarify wide-ranging suspicions regarding the nation's first female President once and for all. Second, state prosecutors also have some more work to do regarding former presidential secretary Woo Byung-woo, who is also facing allegations of influence-peddling and personal misconduct. The counsel team requested a warrant to arrest Woo, which the court denied. Finally, the prosecution should expand the bribery investigations to conglomerates other than Samsung.



The Constitutional Court's ruling on the Assembly's presidential impeachment is expected to be announced soon. But the prosecution should not be swayed by this or other political factors, and focus solely on establishing justice through a fair and meticulous investigation.




President Park Geun-hye's state-authored history textbooks continue to spark controversy even after the Ministry of Education downscaled the plan. Internal conflict is escalating at the only school designated by the government to use the textbooks, starting this month.



The entrance ceremony for freshmen at the Munmyeong High School in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, had to be cancelled amid a protest over the school's adoption of the state history textbooks. On the first day of the school year on March 2, some 150 students and parents held a protest demanding cancellation of the designation.



The parents' committee claimed that the school principal had unilaterally applied for the school's designation and filed an administrative suit with the District Court of Daegu demanding that the provincial education office cancel the designation. Some students have even chosen to move to other schools after the adoption of the textbook.



It is unfortunate that the Ministry of Education has wasted time and budget on textbooks that have only been scorned and rejected by schools and students. Park's history textbook plan is one of her most unpopular policies and has been criticized within and outside Korea for her attempt to distort history education. But it is good for the students to come into contact with a range of textbooks so they can compare and think for themselves about how to view certain events in history.



Ultimately, it is not one or two textbooks that shape a student's view of history given the endless sources available to students nowadays on and offline. The quality of teachers and how much they are committed to helping students obtain a balanced knowledge of history are more important.



The ministry has given schools the right to choose among existing and new textbooks, so school principals' rights to choose should be respected. Since Munmyeong High School has chosen the new textbook, parents and students should give the textbooks a chance. The most important factor in deciding whether to keep the new textbooks or not should be what is best for the students. Their opinions should be primarily considered as the high school experiments with the textbook.




By Andrei Lankov



A new item in North Korean markets has recently become all the rage  strawberries. The last two or three years have been marked by a proliferation of green houses, where North Korean farmers produce fruits once unheard of.



The green house industry in North Korea is private, and its emergence was largely enabled by the Kim Jong-un agricultural reforms. Now, farmers can negotiate deals with agricultural cooperatives and rent land where they can erect greenhouses.



Building such a facility is not cheap. Strawberries and melons produced there are still expensive enough to be within the reach of only the top quarter of income earners. One should remember, however the number of people who were able to taste such delicious produce was measured in fractions of one percent, so the improvement is dramatic.



Indeed, when it comes to the economy of North Korea, much good news has emerged recently. In spite of all the talk about floods and droughts, there are no widespread shortages of food any more. Grain prices have been stable for years. There is a lot of construction going on in both Pyongyang and peripheral cities, and even in the remote countryside. North Koreans dress better than ever. At night, North Korea's biggest cities are no longer blanketed by complete darkness  thanks to solar panels there are lights in North Korean houses. North Korea remains the poorest nation in East Asia by a large margin, but is significantly better off than it was 10 or 20 year ago.



Most, if not all of these changes are driven by the unacknowledged but powerful expansion of the private economy. It is the private entrepreneurs who cooperate with farmers to build greenhouses; it is private investors who put their money into construction projects; it is private traders who buy, sell, and transport solar panels which now dot Pyongyang apartments and countryside dwellings.



It is regrettable that American decision makers remain largely ignorant of these changes and still live in a world dominated by grossly-outdated media images of North Korea as a Stalinist dystopia on the brink of economic collapse. Perhaps had they had more opportunities to taste North Korean strawberries, they would become less sanguine about the sanctions against the regime. Indeed, it's remarkable that actual improvements in North Korea's economic situation roughly coincide with the introduction of stringent international sanctions that are designed to drive the economy into a corner, thus creating the necessary conditions for domestic discontent and leaving North Korea's government no choice but to surrender their nuclear capability.



Admittedly, even had such sanctions truly succeeded in undermining the economy, they would not inspire Pyongyang to consider denuclearization. North Korea's decision makers long ago decided that nuclear weapons constitute a vital condition for regime survival. There is little doubt that if they have to decide between giving up their nuclear weapons and ignoring the starvation deaths of countless North Korean farmers, they will sacrifice the farmers, not the bombs. Fortunately, due to the revival of the North Korean economy such a binary decision remains theoretical. The changes of the last half decade demonstrate North Korean leaders can in fact have their cake and eat it too. They can allow private entrepreneurs to generate growth while enjoying advancing their nuclear and missile programs with truly remarkable speed.



All this indicates a true triumph of the market system in a place where most supporters of such a system hate it with a passion. But it also means prospects for the future are less than rosy. North Korea is going to remain nuclear. There is no chance that international sanctions, so spectacularly inefficient, will have the slightest impact on the country's future policies.



Admittedly, developing North Korea is less likely to initiate a nuclear war. Perhaps as long as the new ruling class, now consisting of both ruthless party apparatchiks and bold entrepreneurs, stays in power, North Korea will behave more cautiously than before. After all, easier access to Porsche cars for the rulers, and fresh strawberries for the masses tend to make peoples and nations less bellicose. Nonetheless, it's an uncertain bet. It seems increasingly likely that we will have to live with a nuclear armed, highly oppressive politically, but increasingly prosperous North Korea for years and even decades to come.





Andrei Lankov was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and teaches at Kookmin University in Seoul. Reach him at anlankov@yahoo.com.
YAP founder and CEO Ahn Kyung-hoon introduces the firm's global strategy in its booth set up at Fira Gran Via convention hall in Barcelona, Thursday, on the sidelines of this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC). / Korea Times photo by Lee Min-hyung



By Lee Min-hyung

BARCELONA  YAP, a Korean location-based coupon app operator, is in advanced talks with a group of global IT giants to offer its short-range network technology, dubbed the hybrid beacon, YAP CEO Ahn Kyung-hoon said.

"We are negotiating multiple contracts with five to six global IT and telecom companies to provide our online-to-offline (O2O) commerce platform," Ahn said in an interview on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) here.

The beacon refers to a small hardware device set up at stores, allowing YAP users to get mobile promotional coupons when they enter the shops installed with the company's technology.

In particular, YAP's hybrid beacon takes advantage of ultrasound frequencies, operating even when users turn off their location tracking and Wi-Fi network on their smartphones.

The YAP chief declined to identify the companies it is in talks with.

But it may hold talks with companies including China's big three  Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent  and telecom giants in China and Europe.

"Under the YAP Inside partnership strategy, we are going to expand our platform into 20 to 30 countries no later than the end of this year," he said.

For example, the company could attract a massive number of users by teaming up with a messenger service operator which, in return, could rake in profits through commissions generated from YAP's beacon ecosystem, according to Ahn.

He also expressed confidence in the growth potential of its relatively new business model.

"Commissions we can generate differ from each location," he said. "We have so far focused on the local Korean market, signing contracts with companies such as Starbucks Korea and a series of retail giants operating the nation's dominant convenience store chains, including CU and GS25."

But the time is ripe for global expansion, driven mainly by the company's technological expertise, Ahn said.

The company has secured some 70 patents over its location-based network technologies since it was established in June 2013.

For the past three years, the firm has attracted more than 84 billion won ($72.6 million) from renowned investors, including Hong Kong-based department store giant New World Group and some Seoul-based firms such as DS Investment and gaming giant Smilegate.

"My ultimate goal is to partner with Google, which will allow us to do business targeting 80 percent of people across the globe," Ahn said.

More than 4 million users have downloaded the YAP mobile app since it was released in June 2014.

Users can access discount or coupon information for 1.2 million stores across the nation.

In February 2015, the company exported the platform to Vietnam by partnering with the country's internet giant VNG.

The firm has since expanded into other Asian territories, including China and Hong Kong.

"This year's MWC will be a milestone for us to tap into North American and European markets," Ahn said.
BN Group Honorary Chairman Cho Sung-je speaks during an interview with The Korea Times. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk



By Jhoo Dong-chan

Marine materials supplier BN Group is striving to beef up its presence in the global market with environment-friendly antifouling paint technology.

Antifouling paint coating is applied to ships and offshore structures both in sea and fresh water environments, serving the dual purpose of protecting the structure from deterioration and keeping ships looking good. The related technologies are now at an inflection point.

"BN Chemical, the group's antifouling paint coating affiliate, started developing an environment-friendly marine coating system, which is applied to the underwater hull of ships, as some areas of the United States plans to prohibit port entry of ships coated with cuprous oxide on the hull," BN Group Honorary Chairman Cho Sung-je said.

"Most ships have applied highly concentrated copper oxide on the hull, containing extra biocides such as zinc pyrithione or organic algaecides to cope with slime and weed growth. Those ships won't be able to enter some U.S. ports from next year at the earliest."

In time with the imminent regulatory change, BN Chemical recently introduced BN GreenGuard 655, an antifouling marine coating product without using copper.

While focusing on research and development, BN Chemical suffered deficits for three years, but Cho is confident that the company's eco-friendly coating technologies will yield huge profits if the global shipbuilding industry hits bottom.

"Of course, there are some global competitors in related technologies -- one Japanese and several U.K. rivals," Cho said.

"U.K. suppliers apply ceramic coating technologies, which are very expensive to produce. The Japanese company, in my understanding, uses similar materials and technologies as we do, but we can deliver the final products at 60 percent of the price."

Recognizing the company's excellence in technology, one domestic shipowner company has decided to apply BN Chemical's eco-friendly marine coating product on four ships of its container fleet. In July, it also tested the product on one of its 130,000-ton container ships.

"We will develop sound-reduction coating technologies jointly with the nation's largest shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) from July. It is expected to contribute greatly to reduce noise coming from a vessel's engine room," Cho said.

Graduated from Pusan National University with major in marine engineering in 1966, Cho joined HHI as a manager of the ship design department in 1976 after serving in various post at the nation's first shipyard -- Korea Shipbuilding & Engineering Corporation.

Korea's shipbuilding industry along with HHI led the "Miracle of the Han River" in the 1970s, but Cho said it was regrettable that 90 percent of expensive materials had to be imported from Denmark or Japan to build a vessel.

In September 1978, he built Bu-il Industries, BN Group's parent company and the nation's first marine interior manufacturer, after closely examining machines and equipment used in the production of marine interior parts based on business trips abroad.

After suffering difficulties several years in making quality products and finding clients due to the prevailing distrust in Korean products, Bu-il Industries' success came suddenly and unexpectedly -- it clinched an order to supply interior parts in the construction project of the Busan Subway Line 1 in the early 1980s.

Recognizing high quality of Bu-il Industries' products, orders hit the doors of the firm from both at home and abroad including Japanese Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding.

Encouraged by Bu-il Industries' success, Cho established its affiliates with ambition to not only produce high-quality marine interior products. He set up Sungju Industry, now BN STEELA, in 1989; COSMO, now BN COSMO, in April 1992; and Bu-il Vessel system, now BN BIASCO, in April 1995.

The company also created its overseas unit, BIP USA, in New York in 1998, and built the first overseas factory of BN Group in Suzhou, China, in 1999.

In February 2002, Bu-il Industries and its affiliates launched a group management system under name of BIP Group, which was renamed BN Group in January 2007.

BN Group has grown into a big company with 15 affiliates. Its consumer goods division produced Korean soju YE, a low-alcohol soju made of 100 percent natural aquifer water in 2011.

Since he was elected as Chairman of the Busan Chamber of Commerce & Industry in 2012, Cho has spearheaded various activities to help enterprises in the region.
Union Square Hospitality Group CEO Danny Meyer speaks at a press conference at a Shake Shack store in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, Monday. / Courtesy of SPC Group

By Park Jae-hyuk

Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer has recognized Shake Shack's Seoul restaurant as the world-best for its high-quality ingredients and socially responsible management, during his first visit to Korea, Monday.

"The two Shake Shacks in Seoul are our top performing Shake Shacks in the entire world. One of them is probably among the top three," said the CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) running the restaurant chain, during a press conference at the Cheongdam store in southern Seoul.

The New York-based fast casual restaurant chain has opened more than 120 stores in 13 countries, including the U.K., Japan and the United Arab Emirates. It opened stores here in Gangnam and Cheongdam, both of which are located in southern Seoul.

The CEO said the Korean branch is the only one that can produce hamburgers tasting exactly the same as those made in New York stores. He said the flavors of Korea-made burgers made him feel like he was at home.

"Everywhere else in the world except for Seoul, the hamburger bun is shipped all the way from Pennsylvania to Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Istanbul, Moscow and London," he said.

"But here we finally were able to find a bun, because SPC works so hard and because they are a baking company to begin with. They figured out for the first time ever how to make a bun that is good enough to be called Shake Shack."

The Korean company, which is best known for its Paris Baguette bakery chain, signed a monopoly operation contract with USHG to bring the premium burger chain here and attracts about 3,000 customers on average to the Gangnam store every day.

Meyer attributed Shake Shack's great success in Korea to SPC's socially responsible business philosophy. He met SPC vice president Hur Hee-soo in New York City six years ago and realized the two companies are both dedicated to social contribution.

Established in 1985, USHG has cooperated with non-governmental organizations for relief activities in communities, including offering free meals to needy neighbors. The CEO, who was chosen as one of the 100 most influential people by TIME magazine in 2015, has emphasized "hospitality" as the core value for Shake Shack and USHG.
Michie Robinson is tired.

In the past year, the 43-year-old single mother has worked two jobs in Cayuga County, caring for people with disabilities at Arc of Seneca Cayuga full-time while working part-time at McDonald's. She has also moved three times, from an apartment on Fitch Avenue and a hotel room at the Finger Lakes Inn to a duplex on Janet Street. And now she's considering another move  this time, to her mom's home in Florida.

"I get emotional because it's like I'm ready to leave and go back to Florida, but I don't want to," Michie said. "But I'm up here struggling, and I might as well go where I have some support."

After nearly two decades of moving back and forth between her hometown of Syracuse and West Palm Beach, Florida, Michie settled in Auburn in 2010. Since then, she and her five surviving children  her oldest son, Michael, having been murdered in West Palm Beach when he was 5  have been homeless twice as she struggles to pay the bills.

"I love what I do at Arc and I love what I do at McDonald's because I am a people person," she said. "But I feel like the bad mother of the year because I'm always at work. ... And my kids miss me. They really do."

The ALICE Project

It's stories like Michie's that inspired the United Way to take a closer look at communities and the number of people barely getting by.

In 2015, the United Way of New York State participated in a project to identify the state's "working poor" population. ALICE  an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed  looks at households that earn more than the U.S. poverty level, but less than the basic cost of living for the county.

And in November 2016, the information came out for Cayuga County.

According to the report  which collected data from several organizations, including the American Community Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Census  in 2014, the household survival budget in Cayuga County was $20,064 a year for a single adult (earning $10.03 an hour) and $57,960 a year for two adults, one infant and one preschooler (earning $28.98 an hour). That compares to the U.S. poverty level of $11,670 for a single adult and $23,850 for a family of four.

Based on that information, 13 percent of Cayuga County households fell under the federal poverty level in 2014; another 25 percent earned more than the U.S. poverty level, but less than the county's basic cost of living.

"When you start to look at the ALICE numbers, there's a bigger issue of people who are working and trying to do the right things who are not able to make ends meet," said Karen Macier, the executive director for the United Way of Cayuga County. "What we are realizing is that we're getting a greater population of what we used to term the 'working poor.' ... These are the people who are accessing services, but they're also trying to do the right thing by working and raising their kids."

People like Michie.

By the Numbers

According to Michie  a single mom caring for five children between the ages of 4 and 21  she pays around $2,500 in bills each month: around $650 for her car payment, car insurance and gas; another $450 for cable, gas and electric; $400 to $600 for food and household items; and $950 in rent for a four-bedroom duplex. Her mom pays her cell phone bill, which would cost Michie another $100 a month.

Working between 35 and 40 hours a week at Arc  at $10.12 an hour  Michie earns an average of $1,500 a month, full-time. Part-time, Michie was working an extra 40 hours a month at McDonald's at $9.85 an hour. However, after recently raising her hourly wages to $10.83, the fast food chain cut her hours from 10 to 6 hours a week. Now, instead of earning an extra $400 a month working part-time, Michie makes roughly $260.

Combined, that's around $1,760 a month  before taxes and deductions.

Still, Michie said she does receive some assistance on top of her monthly income. In addition to Medicaid, she receives $735 a month in social security for her youngest son, 6-year-old Sincere Russell, who is in special education due to a speech impairment. She also gets around $600 a month in child support for her 17-year-old son, Tehari Campbell.

"I used to be on food stamps, but they cut me off when I started working part-time at McDonald's," Michie said. "So the days that everything is gone and I'm broke, I will go to the pantries to get food to help me out."

Macier said it's not uncommon for people to lose assistance when they seek additional work.

"Michie took on a second job, but that affected her benefits," she said. "So when somebody is trying to do the right thing and we take all their benefits away, we've not rewarded them in any way and we're not making it any easier for them."

Michie also said she used to receive around $100 a month from Homsite, a non-profit that assists low- and moderate-income families. However, she lost that rental assistance when she sought help from Child Care Solutions late last year, which now pays her oldest son  21-year-old Jahneal Robinson  between $800 and $1,000 a month for babysitting Michie's youngest children.

"(Homsite) is counting my son's babysitting job as part of my income now," she said, noting that Jahneal suffers from systemic lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, which makes it difficult for him to work or live on his own. "Child Care Solutions pays him once a month in subsidized childcare ... from that, he gives me $375 a month to help with the bills."

Bills that now include a nearly $600 outstanding water bill, which Michie said she received in the mail last month.

"I thought water was included in my rent ... but I got a letter in the mail telling me my water bill was past due," she said. "I've been here since July (2016) and I'm just now getting a bill for three cycles."

"I also got behind in my rent because my car broke and I was behind a month in cable," Michie added. "But thank God for my tax return because it helped me get caught up."

After ALICE

Now that the United Way has identified who ALICE is in Cayuga County, Macier said it's time to explore what those numbers mean in the community.

"ALICE is really looking at those individuals who are probably a paycheck away from falling between the cracks ... and we're just starting to get this information out there," she said. "We're going to share it with all of our partners and talk with other organizations within the community on what we do now."

For instance, Macier said the geography and lack of public transportation in Cayuga County puts a large strain on the working poor, who typically need a car to get to and from work.

"If you don't have a car or somebody who's driving you, how do you get your kid to child care? How do you get to work?" she said. "And if the car breaks down, they're making big decisions. There's no safety net for them."

"There's so many people in our community who are working that don't have sufficient resources to make it from paycheck to paycheck," Macier added. "We really need to do a better job to make sure that we're supporting our neighbors. ... And we hope that this is just the first step."
The bar is set very high.

It has to be; the aerialist act wouldnt be quite as thrilling if werent. In the flight from trapeze to swinging trapeze, a higher bar enhances the element of danger. Thats what leaves an audience breathless, but in the new novel The Orphans Tale by Pam Jenoff, the real danger may be outside the circus tent.

The mewling noise came from inside the last railcar.

Sixteen-year-old Noa Weil knew that she might call attention to herself by investigating the noise, and that wouldnt do. Though she was Dutch and the SS wasnt looking for her, she needed to stay hidden; still, she couldnt help but peek. She slid open the railcar door and found something shocking: babies.

Dozens, maybe hundreds of them  some dead, some frozen, some barely breathing. Noa immediately understood that these infants had been torn from the arms of their Jewish parents and, because her own heart ached for the baby the SS had forced her to surrender, she grabbed one of the still-living kinder  and she ran.

Ingrid Klemt had absolutely nowhere to go.

When the SS forced her husband, Erich, to divorce her, she hoped at first that he might leave with her instead. But as a German officer, he couldnt: Ingrid was Jewish, and the SS was stronger than both of them. She had to leave. He sent her away.

Bereft, Ingrid wandered until she found her way to Darmstadt , to the valley where her familys circus had wintered. Going back was dangerous; she hoped  but didnt expect  to find her parents, so she swallowed her pride and asked for asylum with an old friend and competitor. The Circus Neuhoff took Ingrid in, changed her name to Astrid for safety, and gave her a job on her beloved trapeze.

When Peter, Herr Neuhoffs clown, found the blonde girl and the baby in the woods behind the gymnasium, it seemed like providence; the Circus needed another aerialist and this one could be taught, though Astrid hated the too-eager girl. Something about Noas story was wrong, and Astrid didnt trust her.

At least, not until she had to

Okay, you can stop whatever youre doing now. Put your newspaper down and go call everyone in your book group. Youve just found next months pick.

Beginning with a railcar  an object that lends both evil and comfort to this story  The Orphan Train tells a story of friendship and saviors, set in a time when the line between friend and foe was sometimes faint.

That setting alone gives this book a note of justified paranoia, but author Pam Jenoff amplifies it with extra characters that circle the main cast like wolves  or so it seems, as Noas innocence and Astrids knowing take readers along a plot that spins in the air til the end. Gasp.

Aside from that leaves-you-hanging aspect, this is a brutal story, beautifully-written and irresistible to anyone who loves novels, and loves to share and discuss them. For you, The Orphans Tale will soar.
MASON CITY | As recent as a few years ago, a row of aging, nondescript homes stood between those who wanted to walk from downtown Mason City to the community's historic Prairie Style architecture.

Mostly rentals, some were in such disrepair they had been white-tagged as uninhabitable.

It wasn't a good look, but the neighborhood is in the middle of a major facelift due to the combined efforts of two separate projects.

A dozen homes on the 300 block of First Street Northeast are gone, replaced by Good Shepherd's Prairie Place on 1st condo development.

Several other homes were torn down on the 300 block of East State and on North Connecticut Avenue to make room for four architecturally significant homes from the flood-ravaged Oak Park Place neighborhood.

"You (once) had to walk through kind of a dicey-looking neighborhood that that's really changed," said Mason City Development Services Director Steven Van Steenhuyse. "And, I think that's a great thing for the city."

Demolition for the 32-unit condo project, which is managed by Good Shepherd, began in 2015.

The four homes were slated to be demolished as part of the government buyouts of flood-stricken areas.

Community Benefit-Mason City member Robin Anderson said project initially focused soley on the Egloff House, but expanded to include the other three homes as as a way to preserve the significant architecture and revitalize the neighborhood.

"Although it makes no financial sense, I think it certainly made sense for our community to try to save some of this unusual architecture," she said.

Anderson said she's been notified the Egloff House, a two-story International Style home built in 1938, will be added to the National Register of Historic Places.

It's in good company in the neighborhood: about two blocks away, the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Stockman House and Rock Crest/Rock Glen Historic District are also on the Register.

Even though work on the relocated homes isn't finished, Van Steenhuyse already believes the project  and the condos  will have a big impact on transforming the neighborhood for the better.

"Usually what happens is that when one major property improves then it tends to have a catalytic effect on other properties," he said. "I think we're going to see more and more houses in that neighborhood rehabbed or turned back into single-family homes or just fixed up to look nicer."

Another home in the neighborhood, 430 First St. N.E., was rehabbed through the city's Neighborhood Homeownership and Neighborhood Stabilization (NHANS) program.

The program uses Tax Increment Financing dollars to buy, rehab and sell former rental housing.

As for the Egloff House, Anderson said the group hopes to find a tenant.

The target demographics are visiting professionals, medical students or others in need of temporary, quality furnished housing.

The group is still renovating the Egloff House, which needs HVAC, plumbing and electrical repairs, and facilitating the sale of the Tudor.

The other two homes have been sold.

Habitat for Humanity bought the Four Square and a former resident of the limestone cottage, Roxanne Pals, renovated it and has listed it for sale.
Gov. Terry Branstad has repeatedly identified job creation as his top priority. Yet helping Iowans secure employment is apparently not among his goals. Since he was re-elected in 2011, Iowa Workforce Development has lost 27 percent of its workforce. Having hundreds fewer workers makes it difficult for the state agency to fulfill its mission of "providing employment services for individual job seekers."

This governor values only private-sector jobs. While the economy and state revenues improved, he was happy to spend the public's money on tax breaks and incentives for businesses that may or may not create decent-paying jobs. But funding for state workers and the important services they provide was another matter. He has long talked about public workers as a liability.

Though the governor never says how many state workers there should be, he just knows he wants fewer of them.

So when The Des Moines Register recently asked him about state data showing the loss of nearly 2,100 full-time executive branch workers over the last six years, Branstad seemed pleased with himself. He appears to take pride in the closing of 36 unemployment offices, two mental health facilities, the Iowa juvenile home in Toledo, seven DOT maintenance garages and two driver's license stations.

Those reductions have made government "more efficient and more responsive," he said.

What many Iowans see: Child abuse allegations that are not investigated amid the loss of more than 800 workers at the Iowa Department of Human Services; injured prison guards; as few as five state troopers on duty overnight to patrol the entire state; workforce development employees replaced with broken and now-abandoned kiosks.

And the irony and hypocrisy of Branstad's disdain for public workers should be recognized. He has spent decades of his life on the state's payroll. He enjoys a hefty salary, generous pension and fringe benefits. In 2015, he paid his spokesman more than $84,000 annually. Glued to his side is a lieutenant governor who has zero statutory responsibilities while earning more than $100,000 annually, plus travel expenses.

It's those other public workers the governor apparently considers unnecessary. These include the ones who maintain parks, inspect nursing homes, patrol highways, collect child support, track drug overdoses, protect vulnerable people and try to clean up this state's filthy waterways.

Those workers he does not value are the same ones he entrusts to redesign the state's mental health system, make his disastrous Medicaid privatization a reality, keep Iowa in compliance with federal laws, ensure public dollars are properly spent and implement every executive order and bill he signs into law while performing numerous other tasks.

What these and other public workers have heard from the governor during his long tenure at Terrace Hill: You earn too much. Your benefits are too generous. There are too many of you pesky people anyway, and I can't move fast enough to bust the unions representing you.

Although it's difficult to imagine the CEO of a company so intent on publicly disparaging his employees, the CEO of Iowa does exactly that.

Now Branstad is departing Iowa to embark on another taxpayer-financed employment opportunity as the next U.S. ambassador to China for President Donald Trump. Instead of more musings about the supposed value of starving state agencies and services that Iowans rely on, perhaps the governor should simply say thank you to his remaining staff.

This editorial appeared in the Feb. 23 edition of the Des Moines Register.
SpaceX, the upstart company, and NASA, the government agency, both have plans to venture to Mars and orbit the moon. But that doesnt mean theyve launched a new space race.

In fact, NASA has long been SpaceXs most important customer, providing contracts to deliver cargo and eventually astronauts to the International Space Station. And the Hawthorne company will need NASAs technical support to achieve the first of its grand ambitions in deep space.

SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk acknowledged as much last week, shortly after announcing that SpaceX would launch two private, paying individuals on a weeklong lunar flyby in 2018.

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SpaceX could not do this without NASA, Musk tweeted. Cant express enough appreciation.

NASA, on the other hand, has come to rely on SpaceX and other companies for transport to the space station as its funding has tightened. In todays dollars, the agencys budget is about half what it was at the peak of the 1960s, and down from the 1990s.

In the wake of the SpaceX news, NASA issued a statement that said it is changing the way it does business through its commercial partnerships, in part to free the agency to focus on rockets and spacecraft to go beyond the moon into deep space.

The whole idea is that NASA is at the point of a spear, said Howard McCurdy, professor in the school of public affairs at American University. Its like exploration of any terrestrial realm. This is the way the model is supposed to work.

Indeed, the rapid ascent of Musk and other space industry pioneers is validation of the public-private partnership envisioned when Congress passed the Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984.

By the mid-2000s, NASA was signing contracts with the private sector to fill in for its own funding constraints and the impending retirement of the space shuttle program.

In 2006, SpaceX won its first NASA award for $278 million to help develop the companys now-workhorse Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon space capsule. It later received an additional $118 million, and SpaceX contributed a total of about $454 million of its own funds to finish development, according to a NASA report.

We would not be the company that we are today without that early support from NASA.  Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX president

Two years later, SpaceX won a $1.6-billion NASA contract to transport cargo to the space station. The deal came as the fledgling company of about 400 employees was starting to successfully launch the Falcon 1 from an atoll in the Marshall Islands.

It was not just NASAs financial resources and technical support that helped SpaceX, said company President Gwynne Shotwell, but also the agencys trust.

We would not be the company that we are today without that early support from NASA, Shotwell said. We would have made it, but it would have been more of a struggle, it would have taken us longer.

A major milestone for the partnership came in 2012 when SpaceX launched its first NASA cargo load, making it the first private company to send a spacecraft to the space station.

Marco Caceres, senior space analyst at the Teal Group, said the NASA supply missions gave SpaceX almost instant credibility.

Having NASA as an anchor client allowed them to have enough revenue flow so that they could establish themselves and eventually diversify and get some commercial contracts and eventually to be able to get into the military establishment, he said.

Today, SpaceX and Boeing Co. are developing separate crew capsules as part of NASA contracts to transport astronauts to the space station.

SpaceX noted that this NASA program provided most of the funding to develop the Dragon 2 spacecraft, which will make the moon trip. It is planning to conduct the first test flight of the Dragon crew capsule in November, followed by a flight test with humans in May 2018.

Once operational crewed flights to the space station are underway, the company said it would launch its Dragon capsule atop the Falcon Heavy rocket, which was developed with SpaceX funds, for the lunar mission in late 2018.

Other well-known, newer space companies have also recently been awarded NASA contracts, including Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos Blue Origin and British billionaire Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic.

Both of those companies intend to target the suborbital space tourism markets, though Blue Origin has also unveiled plans for a launch vehicle called the New Glenn, which the company has said could lift astronauts to low-Earth orbit or even beyond.

Blue Origin is interested in developing a lunar spacecraft and lander, and eventually, a delivery service for the moon, according to a white paper obtained by the Washington Post that the company sent to NASA officials and President Trumps transition team.

Virgin Orbit, which recently split from Virgin Galactic, is focused on launching small satellites.

NASAs role as a development catalyst has been part of the agencys objectives since its earliest days, said Sean OKeefe, a former NASA administrator and current university professor at Syracuse University.

The idea was to spin that into opportunities for commercial market potential for other discoveries, for those who would build on the knowledge base of what was determined, discovered or invented as a means to overcome obstacles and take it to another level, he said.

Moving human presence deeper into space is going to require the best of NASA and the private sector.  Phil McAlister, NASA division director for commercial spaceflight development

Phil McAlister, division director for commercial spaceflight development at NASA, called the recent advances of the space companies really positive.

Moving human presence deeper into space is going to require the best of NASA and the private sector, he said. Over the last 10 years, he added, NASAs private partners have become more technologically mature and capable.

Its unclear whether NASA will provide any further assistance for the SpaceX moon shot, though Musk emphasized that the agency would have first priority if it wanted to work with SpaceX on a lunar orbit mission.

NASA also has its own plans to fly around the moon with a crew in tow.

Last month, NASA said it would look into the feasibility of putting a crew on the first flight test of its Orion spacecraft and heavy-lift rocket, Space Launch System, in 2019. That mission is set to go around the moon to test maneuvers that would be necessary to eventually go farther into deep space.

While both SLS and Falcon Heavy will have heavy-launch capabilities, they may not necessarily be redundant, said Dava Newman, former NASA deputy administrator and Apollo program professor of astronautics at MIT.

If in the next two years theres two capabilities for heavy-lift, thatd be awesome, she said. Having one system leaves you vulnerable to system failures.

The nature of NASAs mission, and its funding, is up in the air under the new Trump administration, however. The agency is still waiting on Trump to appoint a new administrator, and there has been debate in Washington about whether NASA should go back to the moon or venture ahead toward Mars.

SpaceXs private moon mission could influence that debate, McCurdy said. It certainly complicates the argument that the moon-firsters would like to make.

Both SpaceX and NASA plan flights to Mars. Last year, Musk unveiled plans to colonize the Red Planet, sending up to a million people on more than 1,000 spaceships, stretched over decades. He called for a public-private partnership, but the nature of any collaboration was unclear.

The two entities will team up on at least one launch  SpaceXs first Red Dragon uncrewed mission to Mars, now aimed at 2020, two years behind Musks original timeline.

NASA has more than 50 years of experience with Mars exploration and will provide SpaceX with technical support during the mission, which could include help with data transmission from deep space, flight systems and engineering, and mission design and navigation.

In exchange, NASA is interested in the entry, descent and landing data from the capsule.

SpaceX has started testing some of that supersonic retro-propulsion technology by landing its first-stage rocket booster on floating platforms and on land, a technique that could be important for future Mars landings, said Ellen Stofan, former NASA chief scientist.

NASA has successfully landed rovers on Mars weighing up to almost a ton. The robots have dropped to the planets surface in air bags, using rockets, and with the assistance of cables extended from a sky crane  all methods that are problematic for landing humans.

A human mission would weigh considerably more, somewhere between 10 and 20 tons, Newman said.

It is an order of magnitude greater than weve ever done, she said. We all want to figure out how to get to Mars. And one of the things we need to figure out is to get humans there safely.

samantha.masunaga@latimes.com

@smasunaga
Little Children Dream of God, now in its West Coast premiere at the Road on Magnolia, opens with such an intriguing hook that one is almost tempted to ignore the problems plaguing Jeff Augustins imaginative but deeply flawed play.

In the opening scene, storm-tossed Haitian refugee Sula (Jaquita Tale), some 11 months pregnant (an indication of Augustins mythical intentions), drifts toward Miami in a rubber tire. Such strong and timely stuff bodes well, at least initially.

Sula reaches Miami in the throes of labor and is taken in by crusty Carolyn (Blaire Chandler), a nurse with 11 children, all of whom were begat by none other than God himself (a bizarre plot point that figures, somewhat arbitrarily, into the action). After giving birth to a child who never cries, Sula finds a new admirer in Joel (Hari Williams), the owner and manager of a ramshackle Miami apartment building that hosts refugees, a legacy of Joels philanthropic Haitian father, whose imminent death will leave the future of the building and its tenants in grave doubt.

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But Sula, stalked by her murderous ex (Sedale Threatt Jr.), can never rest easy  and the memories of the dark voodoo rituals she once practiced on her native shores dont help. Augustins various A, B and Z stories encompass Joels elitist cousin (Latarsha Rose), who hires Sula as a nanny, and a gay male prostitute (Jonathan Bangs) who seems thrown into the action purely to add more eccentricity. Then theres the dying Cuban curmudgeon (Jonathan Nichols), another extraneous character who primarily functions as a deus ex machina in a conveniently happy ending.

A supernaturally murky tone, enhanced by Derrick McDaniels excellent lighting design, predominates. Given the right approach, Augustins dramatic perambulations may have retained the power to fascinate. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of a committed cast, director Andre Barrons over-the-top staging never pitches Augustins daring oddity into the credible human context that could make this feverish Dream linger.

         

Little Children Dream of God

Where: The Road on Magnolia, 10747 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood

When: 8 p.m. Thursdays, 3 p.m. Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays; ends April 15

Cost: $34

Info: (818) 761-8838, www.roadtheatre.org

Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

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The art forms of film and theater dont often overlap. With the exception of the occasional adaptation  and the even more occasional filmed play  what happens on stage stays on the stage. Ditto for the screen.

Travis Wilkerson is keen to break down those barriers, along with a few others. The Alabama-born documentarian has created Did You Wonder Who Fired the Gun, an uncategorizably hybrid work that officially goes down as a documentary but in fact serves as many other things: murder inquiry, family confession, race meditation, multimedia stage show, film deconstruction.

The artist is screening the work in this Midwestern college town this weekend at True/False, the prestigious documentary festival that both reflects and sets the tone for the nonfiction film worlds latest trends.

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The story stems from the knowledge the director, who is white, has about his familys past. Or doesnt have. In 1946, Bill Spann, a Southern black man, was killed by Wilkersons gun-wielding great-grandfather S.E. Branch at the latters grocery store. There is little doubt Branch did it, and equally no ambiguity that the crime was eventually expunged without record, let alone prosecution. Needless to say, the incident was almost never discussed in the Wilkerson home.

The artists presentation here distinguishes it from other documentaries with which its classified. As still photos, quotes, archived video footage and other shards of material flash on the screen, the director sits on a stage, laptop open, narrating much of what we see. Because the voice-over is happening in front of us, the feature has an intimate, alive quality, at times uncomfortably so.

Wilkersons piece, ruminative in the way of the recent Oscar nominee I Am Not Your Negro, is founded on a simple question many of us ask about our familes: how can I come from these people?

That leads him down numerous narrative alleys and philosophical cul-de-sacs (sometimes literally, as he shoots a front-seat view down an Alabama road to Phil Ochs ode-to-a-fallen-hero William Moore, from which the films title comes). Theres everything from Rosa Parks little-known history as a feminist activist long before the Montgomery bus boycott to an aunt who went from civil-rights activism to white nationalism over the past half-century. At a key moment on stage Wilkerson reads a letter from her about the Spann murder, describing the constructed, blameless reality shes created as he shakes his head in disbelief.

This isnt a white-savior story. Its a white nightmare story, he says at one point of his exploration.

This condemnation is made even louder by the form Wilkerson chooses. Because the person doing the confessing, and the blaming, is in front of us, it becomes that much harder for the audience to exempt itself.

A single-channel [non-multimedia] movie is a way to remove myself and hide behind the screen, Wilkerson said after the screening. This way I couldnt hide. (He said he hopes to release a version with voice-over built in, for expediencys sake.)

When matters turn political Wilkerson is unflinching: I dont want to give [Southern secessionists] a platform, because white nationalists are in the White House, he narrates. But he mostly hopes to offer his own reckoning with the past. The title is rhetorical, aimed at his family that never bothered to ask the question, and a rebuke to himself, as a filmmaker who had gone most of his 48 years without looking into what happened that fateful day.

At times Wilkerson is even intent on pointing the finger, provocatively, at white people generally for a complicity that allowed such racism to flourish. The Ochs refrain closes with a mea culpa reveal. Did you wonder who had fired the gun?/Did you know that it was you who fired the gun?

Filmed often in a black-and-white palette that paradoxically heightens the color-based differences underlying the film, Gun is a story both highly personal and unfailingly universal. At a moment when Oscar winner Moonlight explores race from new storytelling angles, Wilkerson adds an important voice to the chorus

He said in making the movie he hoped for some kind of justice or closure. But he soon came to the conclusion that wasnt possible. Its shameful; Im embarrassed. Theres no satisfying way to rectify it, he said of the events in the movie.

It doesnt have any restorative justice or power. Its just confession, he added.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 

steve.zeitchik@latimes.com

Twitter: @ZeitchikLAT
Here in California, its easy to feel complacent about rights weve already won, especially access to legal abortion.

Dont relax just yet.

President Trump has nominated a Supreme Court justice who could very well endanger Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision that gave American women power over their own reproductive fates.

He has also vowed to defund Planned Parenthood, which could have devastating consequences for the nearly 1 million California women who receive healthcare from this American institution.

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As my colleague Melanie Mason reported, Planned Parenthoods California affiliates receive about $260 million from the federal government, mostly in the form of Medicaid reimbursements. Exactly none of the money is (or can be) spent on abortion services. Still, Planned Parenthood remains the bete noire and rallying cry for those who  lo these many years after Roe  simply cannot bring themselves to accept that abortion is a constitutional right. If I may borrow an overexposed word, sad!

But California politicians have been seeking creative ways to resist.

Last month, Democratic state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson of Santa Barbara proposed a new license plate, whose proceeds would be dedicated to comprehensive family planning services for low-income men and women, including teenagers and immigrants in the country illegally, the very people who stand to lose so much if Planned Parenthood loses its federal money.

The plates, which would be the subject of a design contest, would say California Trusts Women.

Frankly, this is something the government should protect, said Jackson, who authored the nations strongest equal pay law in 2015. Reproductive choice is a fundamental right thats been reaffirmed in the courts since Roe vs. Wade. This is not just about abortion services. Its also about breast exams, Pap smears, contraception, preventive cancer screening and yes, prenatal care.

Sponsored by NARAL Pro-Choice California, the plate would take its place alongside those celebrating and raising money for the California Coastal Commission, the state Arts Council, firefighters, pet lovers, Yosemite and colleges (only available now for UCLA  sorry Cal).

God, I love California, said Susan Robinson, a retired abortion doctor who lives in Paso Robles, when I called her to chat about the plate. Im so glad I live in this state. Its almost like weve seceded.

::

Jacksons bill is at the beginning of its legislative path, so it will be a while before the plates could become reality .

Once the bill passes and is signed into law, at least 7,500 drivers would have to buy the $50 plates in order for production to start.

There might be some opposition, but Planned Parenthood and abortion rights are popular in California, where voters picked the outspokenly pro-choice Hillary Clinton over Trump by a 2-1 margin, so Jackson is optimistic about the program. I believe well see a significant number of people step forward.

Though we like to think of ourselves as reproductive rights pioneers, in truth Virginia is the first state to come up with a pro-choice license plate: Trust Women, Respect Choice.

It was a response to the states anti-abortion Choose Life license plate, which funds crisis pregnancy centers, clinics that often mislead women about the services they offer.

In Virginia, the proceeds from Trust Women plates will support the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood. They may not be used to provide abortion services.

Fortunately, there is no such restriction in Jacksons proposed bill.

California, no surprise here, is among the handful of states that do not offer Choose Life plates.

In California, we are pro-choice, in our laws and in our Constitution, said Jackson, and thats the message that will be expressed here on behalf of the government.

::

Among reproductive rights advocates, the phrase trust women is something of a secret handshake.

It was a motto of George Tiller, the late-term abortion doctor who was murdered by a Christian extremist in the vestibule of his Wichita, Kan., church in 2009.

At Tillers memorial service, a large wreath with the message Trust Women sat next to a framed photograph of the doctor, who had been the unrelenting target of Fox News Bill OReilly, who told viewers that Tiller destroys fetuses for just about any reason right up until the birth date for $5,000.

Tiller, whose clinic was firebombed and who had also been shot in both arms by an anti-abortion activist in 1993, refused to be terrorized into abandoning his perfectly legal practice.

He would always say women are emotionally and intellectually and spiritually capable of wrestling with complex ethical issues and arriving at the right decision for them and their families, said Robinson, who used to fly into Kansas to work at Tillers clinic. But that doesnt fit on a license plate.

Hes one of my personal heroes, said attorney Gloria Allred, who stood on the sidewalk outside Tillers funeral with dozens of other women to shield his family from protesters, including members of the ubiquitous Westboro Baptist Church.

For her outspoken support of reproductive rights, Allred has often been a target of anti-abortion harassment, as recently as last week in Santa Monica.

Thursday night, she said, at a Planned Parenthood fundraiser at Barker Hangar, she was accosted by a man who told her, Im glad you liberals believe in abortion, because that means there will be fewer liberals.

Allred, who does not back down from a fight (she is representing clients who are suing President Trump on defamation allegations and Bill Cosby on allegations of sexual assault), followed the man to see if he was a paying guest or a crasher. Apparently, he was a crasher, she said, and was escorted off the premises by three police officers.

She told me she owns a trio of older-model cars. She plans to buy California Trusts Women plates for all three.

robin.abcarian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AbcarianLAT

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A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order preventing immigration agents from transferring outside of Southern California an Afghan family that attorneys say had been granted special immigration visas but whose members were detained when they arrived in Los Angeles.

The order, issued Saturday evening, also says the government cannot bar the family members from access to their attorneys.

The father, mother and their three children  ages 7, 6 and 8 months  arrived at LAX on Thursday afternoon for a connecting flight to Seattle, where they planned to resettle, but were detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, according to Talia Inlender, a senior staff attorney with Public Counsel, a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services.

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The family had been extensively vetted and approved for the visas because of the fathers work with the U.S. government, according to a federal court petition filed Saturday seeking release of the family.

In a written statement, Carl Rusnok, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said ICE would fully comply with the March 4 judicial order and all other legal requirements.

In response to a question asking why the family was initially detained, Rusnok said that statement would be the only information provided at this time.

After being detained at LAX for two days, the father was taken to a detention center in Orange County and the mother and three children were taken to a similar facility in downtown Los Angeles.

On Saturday morning, a habeas corpus petition was filed in U.S. District Court on behalf of the family by Public Counsel and the firm Gibson Dunn.

Then, at a brief meeting with the mother, attorneys learned that she and her children were going to be transported to a family detention center in Texas, Inlender said.

Attorneys then filed an emergency motion for a restraining order in federal court to prevent the government from transferring the family out of state.

The names of the detainees have not been released because attorneys have not received approval to make them public and because it could put the family in harms way.

U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton granted the temporary restraining order Saturday evening. It bars the government from transferring the family outside of the Central District of California, which includes much of Southern California.

It shocks the conscience. These are the people we should be putting out the welcome mat for.  Talia Inlender, a senior staff attorney with Public Counsel

Inlender said the father had been employed by the U.S. government in Afghanistan and he and his family had received special immigration visas, or SIVs.

The process for obtaining those visas involves intensive vetting, including interviews, security checks, medical examinations and fingerprints  as well as a finding that the applicant has experienced a serious threat because of his or her work with the U.S. government, according to the petition.

It shocks the conscience, Inlender said in a phone interview with The Times. These are the people we should be putting out the welcome mat for. Theyre putting their own lives and families at risk, and instead of providing them that welcome mat we are detaining them.

The case comes on the heels of President Trumps controversial and hotly contested executive order temporarily restricting travelers from seven mostly Muslim nations  Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen  from entering the United States. The Jan. 27 order did not include Afghanistan.

The travel ban immediately sent airports into chaos, spurred nationwide protests and was challenged in court by multiple civil rights organizations and state attorneys general.

A federal judge in Seattle issued a stay on Trumps order, and a federal appeals court in San Francisco upheld the stay. Trump has said he plans to release a new executive order, possibly as early as Monday, that would thoroughly vet travelers while addressing safety concerns.

A hearing on the familys case is set for Monday afternoon.

ruben.vives@latimes.com

For more Southern California news, follow @latvives on Twitter.

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UPDATES:

1:30 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from ICE and attorneys in the case.

This story was originally posted at 12:05 a.m.
On Tuesday, charter school supporters have their best chance yet to tip the scales and win a controlling majority on the Los Angeles Board of Education.

Three of the seven seats are up for grabs, and charter backers have strong candidates, seemingly unlimited financial resources  with major help from former L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan  and the enthusiastic support of a growing number of charter-school families.

The charter-backed candidates are Kelly Gonez in District 6, incumbent Monica Garcia in District 2, and Allison Holdorff Polhill and Nick Melvoin  both running against school board President Steve Zimmer  in District 4. If they prevail, they could form a majority alliance along with board member Ref Rodriguez, a charter school founder who is not up for reelection.

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That would be a major power shift for a governing body that leans anti-charter but also is required to follow state laws friendly to charter schools rapid growth.

Their votes could move the nations second largest school system from steady, strong charter growth to swift expansion at a time when L.A. Unified is struggling with years of enrollment decline. At the very least, a pro-charter majority on the board could make more space available for charters on district-owned campuses, a longtime goal of charter operators.

Winners of the school board seats also will have extra-long terms, 5  years rather than four, because the city is changing the timing of municipal elections.

Charter critics insist a pro-charter majority could permanently harm traditional public schools and the students they serve. Charter supporters see more charters as a benefit to families, especially those whose children now attend public schools with low standardized test scores. Some of them downplay the potential importance of the current election, as if averse to jinxing their prospects.

We have some very talented candidates on the ballot, and voters who are much more engaged this time around, said Richard Garcia, elections director for California Charter Schools Assn. Advocates, which controls much of the pro-charter campaign funding.

Voter engagement will matter in what is expected to be a low-turnout election.

Garcia and Rodriguez spoke at a February rally with participants from 20 charters, located mostly north and east of downtown, an area where many low-income Latino parents have opted for charters. Organizers said more than 1,000 people took part in the event, which included a march from City Hall to Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights. The charter-parent profile in District 4 is somewhat different, with many middle- and upper-middle-class parents.

Charters are publicly funded, free public schools that in California are managed by nonprofit organizations and are exempt from some rules that govern traditional schools. Most charters are nonunion, and their growth has presented a challenge both to powerful employee unions and the school district, which loses funding tied to enrollment when students leave its schools for charters.

With faster charter growth, L.A. Unified would find itself under increasing financial strain, because of enormous fixed costs from such things as lawsuit settlements, building maintenance, pension debt and retiree health benefits. District officials said they are worried about maintaining programs, including ones for students who are more expensive to educate, such as those with moderate to severe disabilities or serious behavioral issues.

Already, no other school system in the nation has more charters or charter students than L.A. Their increasing numbers are a result not just of their popularity but also of a major push by philanthropists advocating market-driven reform, with increased school choice for parents and accountability based on test scores.

School choice also is a focus of the Trump administrations emerging education plans. In his first speech to Congress, the president said he wanted lawmakers to pass a bill that funds school choice for disadvantaged youth, including millions of African American and Latino children. These families should be free to choose the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school that is right for them.

L.A.s charter-friendly school-board candidates say that they see choice much more narrowly. They oppose for-profit charters as well as vouchers, which are government-funded subsidies that help parents pay for private schools.

They also downplay charter connections, saying that as board members their focus would be on creating and sustaining successful schools of any kind, not just charters. They frequently offer that answer when asked about whether the growth of charters carries potential risks as well as benefits.

The charter association speaks about its hopes for a revamped board in almost identical terms. A recently formed organization with many of the same backers, Great Public Schools Now, also talks about creating successful schools of any kind. It grew out of a confidential plan, initially spearheaded by the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, for rapid and massive charter-only expansion.

Some charter critics say they believe that strategy is still being pursued despite the inclusive messaging.

This school board contest is about whether the civic institution of public education is going to continue to survive, said Alex Caputo-Pearl, president of United Teachers Los Angeles. This years contests are the most crystallized version of the educator and youth advocate against the billionaire-funded candidates.

UTLA, which represents about 32,000 teachers, nurses and counselors, is the biggest campaign contributor other than charter supporters, and it has help from other local unions as well as state and national teacher unions.

In theory, the election results could strengthen the unions leverage. But UTLA is playing more defense than offense, using 80% of its $1.7 million investment to date for Zimmer in District 4, which includes West L.A. and the west San Fernando Valley.

One role of the school board is to evaluate and approve petitions for new charters and to evaluate charter renewals every five years. The vast majority of the time, Zimmer, 46, has voted to approve and renew charters. But he also has stated his desire to limit charter growth, and charter supporters worry he will act more aggressively to do so. Some were angered by his votes against particular charters.

A campaign to defeat Zimmer has spent $1.3 million, while an allied campaign, managed by charter association officials, is spending an additional $1.7 million on the three board races.

The major donor to emerge is Riordan, who gave $1 million to the anti-Zimmer campaign and another $1 million to California Charter Schools Assn. Advocates.

In L.A. County, the charters do much better than the straight schools, said Riordan said in an interview, citing a 2015 Stanford study that is reputable but not universally accepted. Its not necessarily true throughout the state, but in L.A., the charter schools were way ahead.

In an unusual attempt to squeeze Zimmer out of a runoff, charter forces have funded both Melvoin, 31, and Holdorff Polhill, 51. Melvoin taught in Watts for two years through Teach for America after college before earning a law degree in 2014 and working for education-reform groups. Holdorff Polhill was a parent leader at the public schools her three children attended, and served as board president of Palisades Charter High School. Also in the District 4 race and proclaiming independence from special interests is Gregory Martayan, 33, who owns a public relations firm.

In District 6, in the east Valley, charter backers like their chances with Gonez, 28, a charter-school science teacher who also worked in the Obama administration, in part because of her ballot designation as a teacher. That worked well for current District 6 board member Monica Ratliff, who taught fifth grade at the districts San Pedro Elementary, and is leaving the board to run for the L.A. City Council. Gonez has far more money behind her than Ratliff, an independent, ever did.

Those advantages could make things hard for Imelda Padilla, the union-backed candidate in District 6, although the 29-year-old labor and community organizer has some enthusiastic backers both inside and outside the union.

Others running in District 6 include Patty Lopez, 49, who lost her bid for reelection to the state Legislature in November; Araz Parseghian, 37, and Gwendolyn Posey, 47, parents who have volunteered extensively in schools and the community; and animal-rights activist Jose Sandoval, 38.

The teachers union has conceded in District 2, which includes downtown and nearby neighborhoods. Incumbent Garcia, 48, has supported charters and also backed reform measures that the union opposed, such as using test scores to evaluate teachers. But given the extent of their resources, union leaders questioned whether they could defeat Garcia, who has support from some unions and has built a community base.

Two challengers are running against Garcia: veteran Roosevelt High teacher Lisa Alva, 56, and 49-year-old parent activist Carl J. Petersen.

howard.blume@latimes.com

Twitter: @howardblume

Editors note: Times education coverage receives funding from a number of foundations, including one mentioned in this article. The California Community Foundation and United Way of Greater Los Angeles administer grants from the Baxter Family Foundation, the Broad Foundation, the California Endowment and the Wasserman Foundation. Under terms of the grants, The Times retains complete control over editorial content.

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A Riverside sheriffs deputy shot and killed a man Saturday night who the department says evaded deputies and failed to follow their commands.

Deputies from the departments Cabazon station responded to a report of a suspicious person near businesses in the 48600 block of Seminole Road in Cabazon.

When deputies tried to make contact with the man, he ran across the freeway and was found, with the help of a helicopter, on a nearby road, according to a written statement by sheriffs spokesman Sgt. Chris Durham.

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The suspect continued to evade deputies and failed to obey deputies commands, the statement said. Officers attempted to take him into custody and an officer involved shooting occurred.

The statement does not explain what prompted the shooting nor does it say if the man was armed.

Sheriffs officials did not immediately respond to a question asking whether he was unarmed.

The man died at a local hospital. His name has not been released pending notification of family.

As per department policy, the deputy involved in the shooting was placed on administrative leave. In his statement, Durham said the name of the deputy involved in the shooting would not be released at this time.

paloma.esquivel@latimes.com

For more Inland Empire news follow me @palomaesquivel
Its looking like the end of an era in Orange County, and in the world of religious broadcasting.

Trinity Broadcasting Networks ornate headquarters off the 405 Freeway in Costa Mesa could be a thing of the past.

The Christian media network announced Friday that its 6.19-acre property at 3150 Bear St. has been sold to Greenlaw Partners, an Irvine-based commercial real estate firm that was behind the revamp of The Triangle commercial center in Costa Mesa.

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A sale price has not been disclosed, according to the Orange County Register, which also reported that TBN now finds its campus obsolete as the organization grows nationally and internationally.

Representatives of TBN and Greenlaw did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Times Community News on Friday.

TBN acquired the Bear Street property for $6 million in 1996, according to property records. It was assessed at $41.3 million last year, according to the Register.

The campus features a 65,650-square-foot, three-story building constructed in 1979, according to city records. It was first used by Full Gospel Business Mens Fellowship International.

The property has a Costa Mesa general plan designation of general commercial and is zoned for administrative and professional uses.

In 1998, TBN dedicated its building as Trinity Christian City International. In 2014, the flagship property and studio were renamed the Dr. Paul F. Crouch Sr. International Centre in honor of TBN co-founder Paul Crouch, who died in 2013. Crouchs wife, Jan, died in May.

TBN was founded in 1973. It includes more than 30 24-hour networks, making it the worlds largest faith-based television group.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

bradley.zint@latimes.com
For the second time in a month, Berkeley was the scene of violent demonstrations as supporters of President Trump clashed with counter-protesters Saturday on the streets of the city.

At least 10 people were arrested and seven others were injured as a series of disturbances marred what was supposed to be a pro-Trump rally in the famously liberal community.

The unrest underscores the heightened political tensions that have taken hold since Trump took office in January.

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Last month a scheduled appearance by conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos was canceled amid a violent protest on the UC Berkeley campus. That sparked a national debate  in which Trump himself took part  about the line between the right to demonstrate and protecting free speech that some find objectionable.

Saturdays March 4 Trump rally, one of several held across the country, began at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park about 2 p.m.

The Trump supporters marched several blocks but were met by a group of counter-demonstrators, and fights began breaking out, according to Matthai Chakko, a spokesman for the city of Berkeley.

Videos and photos posted on Twitter showed people punching each other and pulling their hair, with one man using an unidentified object to beat another person. Several people in the crowd were pepper-sprayed, including an elderly man.

At least two people, with their faces covered up, could be seen on video trying to set fire to an American flag, while a photo on Twitter showed the bloody face of a man who wore a T-shirt that said Trump is My President.

Amy Leona Masker, a 23-year-old student from Las Positas College in Livermore who was on crutches, was among the counter-demonstrators. She and a fellow student were standing together when they saw the fighting break out.

These crutches came in handy when people started shoving, Masker said.

She and the other student said one of the Trump supporters, who wore a gas mask and had a wooden shield, was one of the pepper-sprayers. They said there were several isolated fights, but when they erupted, people from both sides tried to break them up.

Masker said she came out to support what really is our country.

Nancy Chase, who held a sign reading Grandmothers for Trump, told an SFGATE reporter that she was there to show support for the president in a positive way.

Im not looking for violence, she said. These people just want to fight. They are anarchists in black, and its not what we are about. I just want to stand up for liberty.

David Tomes, another pro-Trump marcher, told the Bay Area newspaper, said this is the most immature and disgusting display of human interaction.

Berkeley Police Officer Byron White said 10 arrests were made: one for resisting arrest, four for assault with a deadly weapon, including a dagger, and five for battery. About seven medical evaluations were made on the scene. None of the injured wanted to be taken to the hospital.

Chakko said among the other items police confiscated at the rally were metal pipes, bats and two-by-fours.

A group of people carrying bricks were detained and the bricks were confiscated, he said.

City and Berkeley Police Department officials said they were aware of the rally and had prepared for it. They said other groups besides Trump supporters and protesters were also at the rally.

The pro-Trump rally was part of a nationwide effort to show support for the president and his America First policies, according to the website of Main Street Patriots, one of the organizers.

With high-profile acts of terrorism at home and abroad, with police shootings in the headlines and police officers dead in the line of duty, the governments first duty to keep the country safe has to be addressed, the groups website states.

City officials express disappointment at the violence.

This is a sad day, Berkeley Councilman Ben Bartlett told reporters, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Were better than this.

Berkeley was not the only city that reported clashes between demonstrators.

Six people protesting a Trump rally in St. Paul, Minn., were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol and fled, police told the Associated Press. About 400 people attended the St. Paul event, and about 50 showed up to protest it. Some other minor scuffles between the dueling demonstrators were quickly defused.

In Nashville, two people were arrested as protesters clashed with Trump supporters at the Tennessee Capitol. The groups at times cursed at each other and made physical contact, which state troopers broke up, NPR affiliate WPLN reported.

Near Mar-a-Lago, where Trump is spending the weekend at his private estate, the Palm Beach Post reported that people on both sides exchanged profanity. Trumps motorcade briefly stopped so he could wave at supporters.

Strong language thrown around at #March4Trump in #berkeley - Jim Templeton of San Francisco, self-described "Europhile" in red Trump hat. pic.twitter.com/cGhJLMoa0m  Aaron Davis (@BaronBavis) March 4, 2017

At least some of the counter-protesters appeared to be members of the so-called black bloc, a group that UC Berkeley officials blamed for many of the problems on campus last month.

The self-described anarchists or anti-fascists have left school and law enforcement officials struggling to cope with their tactics.

The term black bloc was used to describe the tight wedges of black-clad protesters in helmets and masks who appeared in street demonstrations in Germany in the 1970s, confounding efforts to single out, identify and prosecute individuals.

peter.king@latimes.com

ruben.vives@latimes.com

King reported from Berkeley and Vives from Los Angeles.

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UPDATES:

March 5, 8 a.m.: This story has been updated with a quote from Berkeley councilman.

6:45 p.m: This article was updated with a new top and tweaks throughout.

5:55 p.m.: This article was updated with the number of arrests and injuries and comments from a city official.

4:55 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from authorities about the rally.

4:20 p.m.: This article was updated with new details on the march.

This article was originally published March 4 at 4 p.m.
During part of her time in an immigrant detention center in Colorado, Grisel Xahuentitla spent six hours a day passing out trays before meals, scrubbing toilets and scouring showers.

She was participating in a voluntary work program that allows detainees to earn $1 a day to help with the upkeep of the facility.

When you are in there, theres not a lot of options for you, said Xahuentitla, 33, recounting her four-month stay at the Aurora Detention Facility in 2014. Youve got to follow their rules; you got to do what they tell you.

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Shortly after her release, she and eight other former detainees filed a lawsuit against the operator of the facility, GEO Group, alleging the company was unfairly enriched by the program.

Now, Xahuentitlas case could affect up to 60,000 immigrants who were held in the facility over the course of a decade. A federal judge ruled on Feb. 27 that the plaintiffs could move forward with a class-action lawsuit against GEO Group, which operates dozens of private prisons and detention centers across the country.

The company, which contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to operate the 1,500-bed center in Aurora, says it has done nothing wrong, noting in a court filing that such programs are fully authorized by the federal government  and have been for decades.

We have consistently, strongly refuted these allegations, and we intend to continue to vigorously defend our company against these claims, GEO spokesman Pablo Paez said via email.

In his decision, U.S. District Judge John Kane certified two classes of plaintiffs.

One class involves roughly 2,000 people who, like Xahuentitla, participated in the voluntary work program. She also alleges that she was only paid for two of the four weeks she worked in the program.

The other class involves up to 60,000 immigrants who plaintiffs attorneys say were coerced to mop floors, clean windows, wipe down mattresses and clean up dining areas under the threat of solitary confinement, according to court filings.

GEO attorneys in court papers said ICE requires detainees to keep tidy living quarters, but plaintiffs attorneys argued that the work detainees were compelled to perform went far beyond the scope of the housekeeping requirement.

By relying on the free work of the detainees, the plaintiffs attorneys argued, GEO maintains its entire facility with just one janitor on the payroll. They claim the company violated the forced labor provision of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

These immigrants came here to work to make a better life for themselves and their families, said Brandt Milstein, an attorney representing the plaintiffs. Then, when theyre caught doing so and detained, theyre told it was unlawful to work in this country. Then theyre forced to work for nothing in order to pad the profits of a private prison company.

Xahuentitla, an immigrant from Tlaxcala, Mexico, alleges she also was threatened with solitary confinement when she refused to mop a floor. Such work was not part of her duties in the $1-a-day program, she said. The guard never followed through on the threat to put her in solitary, she said.

Xahuentitla now lives in Durango, Colo., and she and her attorney declined to discuss her legal status.

The class-action lawsuit could have significant implications for the company, which stands to lose more now than if the lawsuit had moved forward with just nine plaintiffs. The original complaint sought more than $5 million in damages.

Its wrong to force anybody to work under threat of solitary confinement for no pay; thats just wrong, Milstein said. Society seems to accept it more easily if that person is convicted of a serious crime, like rape or murder. Society should not accept it at all when people are being held only on civil immigration charges.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @AleneTchek

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The U.S. attorneys office was clear in its letter to the Indian tribe and the organizers of the High Times Cannabis Cup  marijuana could not legally be bought, sold, transferred or consumed at the festival this weekend.

Perhaps that letter shouldve been sent to the thousands who attended Saturday as well.



For the record: An earlier version of this article stated that cocaine is a Schedule I drug. It is classified as a Schedule II drug.

Defiance wafted through the air, billowing from bowls, bongs and joints.

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The dry dusty air may have contributed to reddening some eyes, but it was by no means the only culprit. The federal government may have said no marijuana was allowed at the Cannabis Cup, but the directive seemed to have the effect of gravel trying to stop water.

Like water, pot found a way.

Last fall Nevada voters easily passed an initiative to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, but the Cannabis Cup was being held about 45 miles northeast of Las Vegas at the Moapa Paiute Indian Reservation, and thats under federal authority. Hence, the letter from the U.S. attorneys office and the surprises that ensued.

At the Got Meds booth, a Michigan-based medical marijuana dispensary, a woman approached owner Mike Barron and asked what kinds of pot he had for sale while packing a bowl with weed.

You do know youre in violation of federal law right now just by holding that? Barron asked.

The woman looked startled, laughed nervously and backed away.

Barron watched her for a moment until she disappeared into a crowd milling between booths selling T-shirts, food trucks and a group of performance artists. He turned to Dustin Yancey, his store manager who had been selling all manner of bongs  the most expensive being about $200  for much of the morning.

Between customers, Yancey went to the back of the tent and took a hit off his own bong.

Barron said aside from a warning by local tribal police to not buy, sell or use weed, enforcement seemed lax  similar to what might be witnessed a Phish concert.

They keep fighting against marijuana and yet, more places keep legalizing it, Barron said. Its only a matter of time.

Nevada was one of four to legalize recreational marijuana use in November  bringing that total to eight states. There are 28 states that allow marijuana for medical use. For advocates of marijuana, it marked a watershed as they pushed more than half the states to legalize marijuana in some capacity.

The Obama administration did not endorse legalization, but took a largely hands-off approach, reiterating that under federal law marijuana was still a Schedule 1 drug  like heroin  while still leaving states to mostly do as they pleased.

But remarks by recently confirmed U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions brought some fears that there might be a renewed focus by the federal government to crack down on marijuana.

Sessions had said that states they can pass the laws they choose but emphasized it does remain a violation of federal law to distribute marijuana throughout any place in the United States, whether a state legalizes it or not.

Skittish senators in some states where marijuana has been legalized sent a letter to the Justice Department urging for a continuation of Obama-era policies that werent targeting pot, and Sessions has since said he wasnt looking to begin a crackdown. On the other hand, Sessions also said the Justice Department was reviewing the issue.

Cannabis Cup spokesman Joe Brezny said there was a lot of communication between the event organizers, the Moapa tribe, state and county authorities and U.S. Atty. Daniel Bogden to make sure the event complied with the law, given tribal land is under federal jurisdiction and tribal police.

Cannabis Cup organizers didnt believe the letter from Bogden reflected a change in federal strategy toward marijuana under President Trump.

Zero, Brezny said. Im not a Trump administration guy and I would call it that way if I thought it was because of that. I dont see this as anything other than a continuation of the U.S. attorneys office being cautious of public marijuana consumption at a public event.

Trisha Young, spokeswoman for the U.S. attorneys office in Las Vegas, said she would not comment on any enforcement strategies related to the Cannabis Cup.

Organizers said about 10,000 people bought tickets for the festival, which featured a nighttime concert headlined by Ludacris.

The Moapa Events Center was right off Interstate 15, and a stream of cars curled past a gas station and small casino where they parked in a dirt lot. Inside the festival, rows of booths with merchants peddling weed wares tried to keep some of their products from blowing away.

A giant balloon advertising a seed store based in Huntington Beach had to be hauled down by a dozen people after winds got too strong.

If some festivalgoers chose to relax without the benefit of marijuana, several massage booths were available. Throughout the festival, people swayed to music from E-40, Snoop Dogg and Kelly Price.

And it was hard to walk anywhere without seeing a poster, sign or T-shirt featuring a double-entendre. (Just wanted to say high, one sign proclaimed.)

But because the event had to adapt to the letter  informing merchants at the last minute that they couldnt sell marijuana and that it couldnt be ingested  it was supposed to be officially pot-free.

That put a crimp in the cooking competition, in which chefs were supposed to be set up against each other, bracket style, and make dishes infused with cannabis.

Alisha Brown of Las Vegas faced off against Brian Peace, with both making Italian dishes for a panel of three judges who drove from Salt Lake City. But at the last minute, all the cannabis-based cooking oils had to be replaced with regular oils.

Now its essentially a cooking competition, Brezny said.

Peace, who beat Brown to advance to the next round, said the change in plans affected the entire approach to cooking. And both chefs said it removed some of the luster from the event.

Its making progress, Brown said of the march toward pot legalization. I hope we can get to a point where its just not an issue anymore.

Some attendees believed legalization wasnt slowing down and that as more states pass marijuana legislation, it will eventually reach a critical mass.

Phil Russo, who runs a medical marijuana business in Michigan, said he would like to see pot legalized federally to remove the barriers to using banks and allow his patients to use credit cards. With the federal prohibition still in place, banks wont serve marijuana businesses, which has created security headaches for establishments that deal with lots of cash.

But Russo, eating a slice of pizza on a patch of grass near the concert stage as the dry wind kicked up, said momentum is still on marijuanas side.

The states are driving it, he said. I dont think thats going to stop anytime soon.

david.montero@latimes.com

Twitter: @davemontero

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The New York Police Department is investigating a report of possible vandalism at a predominantly Jewish cemetery.

An NYPD spokesman said Sunday that the departments hate crimes division has been notified of headstones found toppled at Washington Cemetery in Brooklyn.

State Assemblyman Dov Hikind tweeted photos Saturday night showing some headstones on the ground. The Democrat says hell go to the cemetery later Sunday to see them.

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There has been a rash of vandalism at Jewish cemeteries and 122 bomb threats called in to Jewish organizations in three dozen states since early January.

Authorities said Friday that Juan Thompson, a former journalist fired for fabricating details in stories, made at least eight of the threats against Jewish institutions nationwide as part of a campaign to harass and frame his ex-girlfriend.

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North Carolinas new Democratic governor and majority Republican Legislature are charging at each other in a constitutional game of chicken over their powers, a confrontation that could shape the recent conservative direction of state policies and spending.

The confrontation continues Tuesday, when the two branches of state government appear for a court hearing before the third.

A panel of three trial judges will gather in Raleigh to hear lawyers for Gov. Roy Cooper dispute attorneys for the state House and Senate leaders over whether new laws are constitutional.

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This is a fight that involves really the three branches of government. Its one of a series of possible contests that we can see as the governor serves his term in office about who is going to make what decisions, High Point University political scientist Martin Kifer said. It also has to do with the pace of policymaking. This isnt speeding things up.

GOP lawmakers passed several provisions that reduced the incoming governors powers during a surprise special legislative session two weeks before Cooper took office Jan. 1. The laws:

require Coopers Cabinet nominees to run 10 state agencies to be approved by the GOP-led Senate.

strip Coopers control over administering elections and gives Republicans control over state and local elections boards during even-numbered years when elections for major statewide and national office are held.

slash Coopers patronage hiring discretion and gives civil service protections to hundreds of political appointees hired by former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory, who narrowly lost to Cooper last fall.

Cooper might not like the increasing number of Republican limits, but hed better get used to it, attorneys for legislative leaders said in a court filing.

The states constitution and legal precedents have created one of the countrys weakest governors, and makes the General Assembly the dominant branch, attorneys for state House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger wrote.

Cooper, who is called the plaintiff because he filed the lawsuit, continues to argue that the Office of the Governor needs less legislative interference and more power to faithfully execute the laws, legislative attorneys wrote. Plaintiff is wrong.

Coopers attorneys contend that if the laws are allowed to stand, the foundational idea of American democracy  that there should be a balance of powers between the competing legislative, executive and judicial branches  are out the window.

The determination of Republican lawmakers to diminish Coopers authority continued last week.

The state House passed along party lines two bills eliminating Coopers ability to choose board members at more than a dozen community colleges. General Assembly leaders would make those appointments instead. A proposed bill would strip Cooper of the ability to fill vacancies on the state District Court, where most criminal and civil cases get heard.
For years now, my neighbors in Santa Barbara have been praying for rain; this season, as we all know, its come, with a fearful vengeance. Roads have been closed across the state, and a celebrated 1,000-year-old tree came crashing down, to join the estimated 100 million trees lost to the drought.

Driving toward Palm Springs this January, I was startled to see snowcaps from central Los Angeles. The downpours have offered relief to thousands who have been suffering through an official state of emergency, but, as Teresa of Avila noted long ago, more tears are sometimes shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones.

A few days ago, news came down that the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge on Highway One, linking San Francisco to Big Sur, had been damaged by the rains and will be shut down for many months, curtailing all access to the promised land of Henry Miller and Aldous Huxley, among many others. (The road to Big Sur also has been blocked by mudslides to the south.) Such world-class resorts as the Post Ranch Inn and the Ventana Inn have had to close their doors for now. At the cathedral of the human-potential movement, the Esalen Institute, 70 people had to prepare to be helicoptered out.

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Just south of Esalen, the Benedictine monks of the New Camaldoli Hermitage, and the workers who support them, have been completely cut off from the world  the winding, two-mile road up to their hilltop monastery having been rendered unusable by boulders and rubble. The phones are down, no supplies can be delivered and no one can get in to repair the road.

Monastics are caretakers of humanity, and in an age ever more convulsed by distraction and acceleration, they offer sanctuaries of slowness and reflection.

On assignment in Japan, I have been following from afar the plight of my close friends in the hermitage, where Ive gone to stay regularly for 26 years. Im worried about 91-year-old Therese, the wise and elegant French Canadian woman whom the monks have been supporting on their property; about Robert and Gabriel and Emanuel, monks well into their 80s, and not always in the best of health; about everyone, in fact  on the property and off  whose livelihoods will be gone if the heavens arent compliant.

In 1996, a brother at the monastery pointed out to me that monks by their nature live on the edge. In trusting to something beyond themselves, theyve given up most earthly safety nets and protection. Three years after he told me this, residents at the Hermitage had to evacuate as it was encircled by fire. In 2008, two more fires threatened their isolated perch, and in both cases a handful of monks and workers stayed behind to brave the flames and preserve their home.

Living in the margins and at the mercy of the elements is part of what makes a monk a monk. The same year my friends saved the hermitage in Big Sur, the beautiful monastery in the hills above Santa Barbara was reduced to ash by a wildfire. Unable to fund a reconstruction, the monks have had to recreate a place of silence along a busy road close to downtown.

Over the decades, Ive watched my friends at the hermitage drive visitors in over back roads when rains closed off the highway, wake up before dawn to bake their much-loved fruitcake, try to master computer skills so they can send out those cakes and handle retreatants needs with greater efficiency.

Yet the real work monks and nuns do is invisible, and incalculable, as they labor round-the-clock so we occasionally need not. As Thomas Merton pointed out half a century ago, monks are countercultural revolutionaries of a kind who choose to cultivate the inner vineyard so the rest of us can step out of the rush now and then and recollect ourselves and what lies deepest inside of us. Monastics are caretakers of humanity, and in an age ever more convulsed by distraction and acceleration, they offer sanctuaries of slowness and reflection where some of us can return to a more human pace.

Across the globe each day, many find their lives overturned by earthquake or hurricane or wildfire. Monks are better equipped than most to see acts of God as something to live with  bracing reminders of the fact that few things last forever. Yet my friends in white robes are also human enough to know pain, to feel loss and to grow shaky in old age. And as with monastic institutions everywhere, theyre running out of full-time brothers, even as more and more of us long to dip our toes into silence for three or four days. If ill health or storms render the remaining monks unable to serve, a significant part of a 1,000-year-old order may be in peril.

As I follow my friends predicament from afar, Im hoping that acts of providence, or just donations from the many in their debt, may save the lives the monks have been brave enough to fashion. If places of sympathy and inwardness and humility disappear, then all of us are lost.

Pico Iyer is the author, most recently, of The Art of Stillness and The Man Within My Head.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
There may yet be an innocent explanation for all the conversations coming to light between Donald Trumps presidential campaign and the government of Russia. But the way Trump and his team have responded to questions about the contacts sure hasnt made them look innocent. Quite the contrary.

It all begins with Trump himself, who bragged in 2013 that he was close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but now claims he has had no contact with Moscow at all  or at least (in a particularly weird denial) that he hasnt made a phone call to Russia in 10 years.

Also suspicious: the Trump aides who secretly inserted a Russia-friendly plank in the Republican Party platform last summer, only to deny later that they had done any such thing.

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Then theres Michael Flynn, Trumps first national security advisor, who discussed U.S. sanctions with the Russian ambassador, then denied it. If Flynn had merely lied to the public, he might still have his job; but he lied to Vice President Pence, so he was fired.

Its not substance that has tripped up Trump and his entourage; its their inability to keep their stories straight.

Last week, it was Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions. I did not have communications with the Russians, Sessions told a Senate committee. Except he did.

And theres Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and advisor, who attended a meeting with Moscows ambassador  a fact the White House neglected to mention until it was reported by the New Yorker.

See a pattern? False or misleading denials, followed by revelations in the media, followed by attempts to explain the denials away  followed by angry tweets from the president blaming it all on the media, the Democrats and leaks.

This is how a low-simmering controversy  in this case, the mystery of Trumps relationship with Russia  turns into a full-blown scandal.

The underlying questions remain important: Is Trumps fondness for Putin more than just a personal quirk? When U.S. intelligence agencies reported that Russia was meddling in the presidential election, why did Trump attack the CIA and defend Putin? Were all those conversations with Russia innocent chats about foreign policy, or evidence of collusion?

But its not the substance that has tripped up Trump and his entourage; its their inability to keep their stories straight.

Its often claimed that in Washington scandals, the cover-up is worse than the crime. Thats not quite right. The reason the cover-up is important is that its easier to uncover than the underlying crime (if there was one). The cover-up is how people get caught. Just ask Flynn. And the cover-up often is what keeps a scandal alive.

Indeed, the president and his top aides already have broken all the traditional rules of scandal management.

Rule one: When theres bad news, get it out fast, and get it out all at once.

Rule two: Dont spend time explaining. (When youre explaining, youre losing, Ronald Reagan said.)

Rule three: Apologize and move on. Voters are often willing to forgive a politician who makes a mistake, but only if he asks their forgiveness.

Apologies, of course, are not Trumps style. His natural reflex has been to denounce the media, blame his political opponents and remind everyone that he won.

This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win, the president of the United States tweeted last week. The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt!

That kind of bluster worked for Trump during the campaign, but its not likely to help him as much now that hes president. He cant even rely on his partys control of Congress to prevent scrutiny.

Some Republicans in the Senate, led by John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Marco Rubio of Florida, are worried enough about a Russian threat to American democracy to insist on a serious investigation.

Last week, several leading House Republicans publicly demanded that Sessions recuse himself, including Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, the second-ranking member of the GOP conference. (McCarthys main job is ensuring that House Republicans keep their majority, including more than two dozen endangered members in districts Trump lost last year.)

And Trump, by publicly attacking the FBI and CIA, has alienated some of the civil servants who already are investigating Russias actions as part of a joint task force  virtually guaranteeing that someone will leak if their findings are suppressed.

Most presidents dont stumble into a full-blown scandal until their second term. That was true for Richard M. Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Trump, however, arrived at the White House with a scandal already brewing  and a well-established record of mendacity. That record, plus the fact that he reacts to new revelations in a way that makes him look so guilty, is why this story isnt going away.

He can rage at the media, Democrats and leakers all he wants. President Trump has brought this problem on himself.

doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com

Twitter: @DoyleMcManus

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
Since election day, children are scared about what might happen to their parents, says Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights of Los Angeles. And parents for their children. We fill out at least 10 guardianship letters every day for [undocumented] parents who fear for their [U.S. citizen] kids if they  the parents  are deported.

Los Angeles has rarely been a more fearful place than it is today. L.A. and Orange counties are home to roughly 1 million immigrants in the country illegally  more than any region except greater New York. Thats not counting the U.S. citizens in mixed-status families  like those American-born children losing sleep at the prospect of losing their mothers and fathers.

Business is off at stores with a predominantly immigrant clientele, Salas says. The possibility of stakeouts by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents has caused thousands of Angelenos to abbreviate their daily rounds.

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With the Trump administration eliminating most of the legal distinctions between law-abiding, productive undocumented immigrants and their violent, convicted counterparts, the entire city is facing a test of character. The question before us, says Rusty Hicks, who heads the L.A. County Federation of Labor, is how do we make this different from 1942, when Japanese Americans were carted away and no one lifted a finger to help them.

Not all of the states many police agencies have made clear that they wont help the feds apprehend immigrants whose only crime is being here.

At CHIRLA, the to-do lists have changed. The organization is now compelled, sometimes hourly, to confirm or deny reports of ICE sweeps. (No, CHIRLA put out the word on the day I interviewed Salas, there arent any ICE agents on the platforms at Union Station today.) But its primary mission is to inform immigrants of their rights and help provide counsel if theyre caught up in the governments deportation machinery.

Through videos and daily live presentations, CHIRLA provides a Know Your Rights seminar. Along with such groups as the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Immigration Law Center and the Labor Federations Miguel Contreras Foundation, it has assembled a network of pro bono and low bono attorneys to represent immigrants in deportation proceedings.

Last weekend, about 600 Angelenos  the majority, presumably, immigrants in the country illegally  attended a Know Your Rights forum convened by State Senate President Kevin de Leon in downtown Los Angeles. County Sheriff Jim McDonnell and LAPD Deputy Chief Robert Arcos sought to assure the assemblage, in McDonnells words, that we focus on behavior, not who somebody is or how he got here.

We know youre suffering from fear, anxiety and distrust of law enforcement, Arcos said. But know that your LAPD is here to protect and serve you. Under any other set of circumstances, it was the most pro forma of assurances, but in this case, one that produced a burst of applause. Both Arcos and McDonnell also implored their listeners to trust their officers, at least enough to report crimes or suspicious behavior  lest crime rates begin to soar.

Not all of the states many police agencies have made clear that they wont help the feds apprehend immigrants whose only crime is being here. For that reason, de Leon has authored Senate Bill 54, which would prohibit police across the state from working with ICE on detention arrests and limit their cooperation with ICE in holding arrestees so the feds can interrogate them on their immigration status. The bill is likely to move through the Legislature later this month.

Among the many words of advice offered by the immigration attorneys who spoke to the crowd at de Leons forum, the one invoked repeatedly was silencio. You have a right to remain silent, said Peter Schey of the L.A. immigrant rights bar. If ICE is at your door, you have a right not to let them in unless they have a court order. Ninety-nine of 100 deportations are due to statements made to agents at the time of the arrest.

Los Angeles will be the primary battleground of the fight to resist the deportation of immigrants (all save those convicted of violent felonies). The state government weighed in as far back as last summer, when it raised to $30 million the amount it devotes annually to immigrant legal aid. It will double down on its commitment to keeping its immigrant residents here if SB 54 is enacted. The citys pledge to its undocumented population goes back all the way to 1979, when the police department forbade its officers to apprehend anyone because of immigration status, or question such status.

Its not as if Californians are clamoring for mass deportations. A USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll from May 2016 showed that 65% of state voters believed that immigrants in the country illegally should be allowed to apply for citizenship, 14% percent thought they should gain legal status but not citizenship and only 16% favored deportation. But President Trumps budget will greatly expand the number of ICE agents, and many of the new hires inevitably will come here.

What happens to the million among us who lack federal documentation  one-tenth of Los Angeles and more, when factoring in their families  will be determined not just by those immigrants, or by ICE, or by the courts and attorneys, but by Angelenos as a whole.

A massive march in defense of immigrants, backed by the Service Employees International Union, is scheduled for May 1. Organizers hope it will combine the mega-turnouts of the immigrant legalization march of 2006 with the womens march of this January. The organizations providing legal assistance  the most crucial determinant in deportation proceedings  need more funding, and some immigrants likely will need physical sanctuary, too.

Cities seldom get a moral test as defining as this one.

Harold Meyerson is executive editor of the American Prospect. He is a contributing writer to Opinion.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
House Republicans, despite stiff political headwinds, are readying an ambitious push this week to begin moving legislation to replace major parts of the Affordable Care Act, a crucial test of their ability to fulfill one of their partys main campaign promises.

The plan marks the first time GOP lawmakers will do this since Obamacare was enacted seven years ago and will provide an early indication of whether President Trump can rally his partys members of Congress, many of whom are anxious about how to repeal and replace the healthcare law.

The legislation could affect health insurance for tens of millions of Americans  not only those with Obamacare coverage, but also people with employer-provided insurance and Medicaid.

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The House legislation  which was being finalized over the weekend, according to GOP officials  aims to fundamentally restructure the system that Obamacare created, which has extended health coverage to more than 20 million previously uninsured Americans.

GOP plans call for scrapping insurance marketplaces that require insurers to offer a basic set of benefits and that provide government subsidies to help low- and moderate-income Americans who dont get health benefits at work to buy health plans.

Republican legislation would lift many requirements for benefits that plans must cover. And it would create a new system of subsidies that are linked to consumers age, rather than their income, according to leaked drafts. That would make insurance harder to buy for millions of Americans, especially low-income working people, outside analyses suggest.

GOP leaders would eliminate taxes that have helped offset the cost of Obamacares coverage expansion, including taxes on medical device makers and insurance companies and on households making more than $250,000 a year.

Instead, Republicans are proposing to tax the health insurance that employers provide their workers. Employer-provided benefits are currently tax-free. The change could cause the price of insurance that many Americans get on the job to go up.

The House plan would phase out hundreds of billions of dollars in federal aid that has allowed many states to expand their Medicaid programs to millions more poor Americans.

House Republicans also want to give states more flexibility to reshape their Medicaid programs, allowing states to potentially limit benefits or require poor patients to pay more for their medical care.

The GOP plan would eliminate Obamacares unpopular insurance mandate, which requires Americans to have health insurance or pay a penalty.

In its place, House Republicans have proposed to allow insurers to charge higher premiums to Americans who let their insurance lapse.

Most of these proposals are deeply controversial, even within Republican ranks. That is a big reason why Republicans have not previously moved forward with a plan to replace Obamacare.

There is not a consensus at this point, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said Sunday on CBS News Face the Nation.

White House officials and senior GOP lawmakers nevertheless are sounding upbeat.

Were putting the finishing touches on our plan, Vice President Mike Pence said in Wisconsin on Friday on a trip with Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to visit House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) in his district.

And House Ways and Means Committee chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas), whose committee could hold a hearing on proposed legislation as soon as this week, said hes confident the president is behind the House plan. There was no mistaking he is exactly on the same page as House Republicans, Brady said.

Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) have suggested Congress could send President Trump legislation as soon as this month, even though Republican leaders as of Sunday had still not released the text of their healthcare legislation.

Obamacare 101: A periodic primer on the Affordable Care Act 

While the Republican-led Congress did pass a bill to repeal large parts of Obamacare, which President Obama vetoed last year, this marks the first time the party will offer a replacement bill and subject it to the scrutiny of congressional hearings and the legislative process.

But the GOP faces mounting opposition from major advocacy groups representing patients, doctors, hospitals and now even businesses, a traditional Republican ally.

At the same time, internal GOP divisions threaten to derail the legislative campaign before it even gets off the ground.

Leading conservatives in the House and Senate have said they will oppose any legislation that does not fully repeal Obamacare, while many Republican senators and governors representing states with major coverage gains have voiced serious reservations about rolling back too much of the existing law.

Conservatives have criticized the House GOP plan as Obamacare-lite, accusing party leaders of replacing one tax-funded government entitlement with another.

Theyre going to have a new tax, a new government subsidy program and a new [insurance] mandate, charged Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who has rallied against the plan with the conservative House Freedom Caucus and influential outside groups such as Heritage Action and the Club for Growth.

Speaker Ryan and Leader McConnell need to stand up to those in the Republican Party who are fighting to retain and repair Obamacare, rather than repeal and replace it, said David McIntosh, president of the free market advocacy group Club for Growth, which is known for backing primary election challenges to wayward Republicans.

Together, the conservatives have the votes to potentially tank the House GOP plan because to pass any healthcare legislation, Republican leaders cannot afford to lose more than 18 votes in the House.

Their margins, especially in the Senate, but also in the House, are thin, warned National Retail Federation vice president Neil Trautwein, a former aid to McConnell.

They have a better chance of getting this out of the House, but its not automatic, even though they are taking draconian steps to get their caucus in line.  And what they are doing with this secrecy and locked rooms isnt helping.

House Republican leaders came under fire last week for only allowing committee members to view drafts of proposed healthcare legislation in a first-floor room of the Capitol that was off limits to Democrats and even Senate Republicans.

Many advocacy organizations are urging House Republicans to slow down and allow more time for independent assessments of the legislation.

To date, the independent Congressional Budget Office, which lawmakers rely on to calculate the effect of proposed bills, has not released an estimate of how much Republicans plans would cost and how many people could lose health coverage.

Making substantial changes to our healthcare system by changing current law would impact tens of millions of our patients, Dr. Nitin S. Damle, president of the American College of Physicians, said in a letter to House committee leaders last week.

Congress therefore must avoid any unintended adverse consequences, the letter said, calling for an open and transparent legislative process.

Under the current GOP plan, the House Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means committees are expected to hold hearings on different pieces of the legislation as soon as this week.

That could allow the full House to vote on an Obamacare repeal bill by as early as the end of the month and send it to the Senate, where a much longer debate is expected.

John Desser, a former health official in the George W. Bush administration and former aide to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), predicted Ryan would rally his caucus and get the 218 votes hell need.

The speaker has lived and breathed health policy for over two decades, and may just be perfectly positioned  to bring together his conference and explain the opportunity they have to get this right to reluctant or recalcitrant members, he said.

But Desser, now a vice president for eHealth, an online insurance marketplace, cautioned that other challenges await.

Getting it through the Senate after that may require the gravity-defying leadership of Mr. Trump and his team, he said.

noam.levey@latimes.com

@noamlevey

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During Californias biggest state budget fights, many of which played out in the shadow of monster deficits, lawmakers clashed mightily over this question: Were the states problems a result of too little cash or too much spending?

Those who believed it was a cash problem seem to have prevailed. But dont be surprised if that victory rings a bit hollow before the end of 2017.

The battles faded after voters made it easier to pass budgets and Californias economy started growing again. Additional dollars came from from two ballot measures, in 2012 and 2016, that imposed a temporary surcharge on the income taxes paid by the states most wealthy residents.

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But relying on taxes paid by high-income earners can be like riding a revenue roller coaster. And when it plunged California deep into budget red ink, fiscal conservatives insisted the lesson was that lawmakers couldnt be trusted to do whats right.

We dont have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem, said former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in his 2005 State of the State address, a phrase borrowed from Republican legislators.

When they suggested a new constitutional amendment to prevent overspending, Schwarzenegger championed a 2005 ballot measure to do just that. Voters, though, rejected it. They also said no to a modified spending restraint in 2009.

Political Road Map: Does the state budget spend more on schools or prisons? 

Fast forward to 2014, when a Democratic governor convinced voters to expand the state budgets rainy day fund. Ive been around long enough to know that the pendulum always swings in California, said Gov. Jerry Brown in a campaign commercial that year. Prop. 2 sets aside money to prepare us for economic storms.

No one ever called Proposition 2 a spending cap, but it certainly has operated like one. After all, more money saved for the future means less thats available to spend now. Last summer, Brown and lawmakers crafted one of their most cautious budgets, stashing away $2 billion more than was legally required.

Because Proposition 2 has rather strict rules for dipping into the rainy day fund, last years decision was tantamount to imposing a rigid cap on spending for last year. The person who can lift that cap this year, the governor, seems unlikely to do so  even after he sounded the alarm this winter on a $1.6-billion budget deficit, the first deficit in four years. That means the eventual solution will come from  surprise  reduced spending.

The real surprise, though, may be the news that landed last week in Sacramento. As it turns out, theres an existing spending cap most people had forgotten about.

A report by the independent Legislative Analysts Office warned budget expenses may be creeping close to the spending limits enshrined in the California Constitution in 1979, and loosened 11 years later to accommodate funding for public schools. The resulting cap has almost always been a lot higher than actual spending levels, but the new analysis suggests a growing economy is quietly taking up the remaining space. Browns team disputes that conclusion, but dont be surprised if the issue ends up in court.

For the Legislatures majority Democrats, the cap issue is likely to linger over budget deliberations in May and June. Most of them were elected in the years since those tense spending cap debates, and could be surprised by whats in store.

john.myers@latimes.com

Follow @johnmyers on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast

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A combative White House refused to back down from President Trumps unsubstantiated assertion that his predecessor ordered the wiretapping of Trump Tower, demanding a congressional investigation into his claims, even as the director of the FBI took the extraordinary step of asking the Justice Department to publicly repudiate the presidents charge.

The statement Sunday by the White House and the appeal by FBI Director James B. Comey, which was confirmed by a Justice Department official, came on the heels of flat denials from former President Obama that he or his staff had authorized any such surveillance, and from the former director of national intelligence, who said no wiretapping had taken place.

The developments added a bizarre new element to the swirl of intrigue surrounding Russias role in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

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The presidents Democratic opponents called the White Houses intimation of wrongdoing by Obama a bid to deflect attention from growing scrutiny of Trump associates ties to Russian officials during the campaign. Trump and the Kremlin have called the investigations into Russian influence a witch hunt.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Tulare) says he will expand an existing investigation to include Trumps allegation. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

At least some Republicans signaled willingness to weigh Trumps allegation. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), the head of the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that an existing investigation by his panel would now also encompass inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political partys campaign officials or surrogates.

Other Republicans expressed more skepticism. If Trump has evidence of wrongdoing by Obama, it would probably be helpful if he gave more information, said Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee But it would also be helpful if he just didnt comment further and allowed us to do our work.

The most striking repudiation came from Comey, who privately asked Justice Department officials to issue a statement rebutting Trumps assertion.

Comey argued that the Justice Department should publicly reject the claim as false because it impugned the integrity of the FBI by raising the specter that agents had broken the law by tapping Trumps phones.

The Justice Department has taken no action on Comeys request.

Mike Kortan, an FBI spokesman, and Sarah Isgur Flores, a Justice Department spokeswoman, declined to comment.

Despite Trumps allegations made on Twitter, the president and his campaign were not targeted in wiretaps, according to current and former U.S. officials. The FBI, however, is investigating Russias meddling in the U.S. election and its potential ties to the Trump campaign or Trump associates, U.S. officials have said.

With authorization from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the FBI has long been permitted to conduct electronic surveillance on Russian officials, suspected operatives and spies in the United States. It was that surveillance that picked up conversations Trumps former national security advisor, Michael Flynn, had in December with the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak.

Getting approval from the court to gather electronic surveillance on Trump or his campaign would require a finding by a judge of probable cause to believe either that they were involved in a crime or that they were agents of a foreign power.

James R. Clapper, Obamas director of national intelligence, said no such warrant was obtained during his tenure to tap the phones of Trump or his campaign. He also said he had no knowledge of evidence that Trumps campaign colluded with the Russians.

Speaking on NBCs Meet the Press, Clapper said that he would have been in a position to know if any surveillance warrant of Trumps headquarters had been issued, and that none had been.

There was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time, as a candidate, or against his campaign, Clapper said.

There was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time, as a candidate, or against his campaign.  Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper

In a statement calling for a congressional inquiry of the former president, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer cited unspecified but very troubling reports of politically motivated investigations by Obamas executive branch, but he did not offer any evidence to back up the claim or say where the reports originated.

The White House statement added that there would be no further comment from Trump or his team on the matter until congressional oversight of Obamas actions had taken place, a stance that appeared designed not only to forestall opponents questions, but also perhaps to head off any further talk  or Twitter commentary  by the president himself.

Trump spent the weekend at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago.

His string of tweets on Saturday, alleging wiretapping and personally attacking Obama as a bad (or sick) guy, seemed to have caught his own staff flat-footed  a pattern that has occurred frequently in his still-young administration, as aides have struggled to publicly parse unsupported Trump assertions without directly contradicting the president.

On Sunday, Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, under extended questioning by ABCs Martha Raddatz on This Week, seemed at a loss when asked how exactly the president had learned of the purported surveillance.

Essential Washington: Updates on the Trump administration and the rest of Washington 

I think hes going off information that hes seen, she finally said, without providing any detail. Although he has access to detailed intelligence briefings, Trump is known to be an avid consumer of reports generated by conspiracy-minded websites and talk shows operating outside the journalistic mainstream.

An article published Friday on the Breitbart News website repeated a claim by conservative radio host Mark Levin about surveillance of the Trump campaign, although it is unclear whether the president was responding to that.

Matryoshkas, traditional Russian wooden nesting dolls, including a doll of President Trump, are displayed for sale in Moscow on March 2. (Alexander Zemlianichenko / Associated Press)

Russias role in the campaign has been a source of concern and confusion for months, beginning with Trumps often-expressed affinity for Russian President Vladimir Putin and continuing apace as the president denigrated the NATO alliance, declared he held Putin and close U.S. ally Angela Merkel in equal esteem, and suggested he would consider accepting Russias 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

Questions over whether Trumps transition team sought to assure Putin that Obama-imposed sanctions would be lifted after the president-elect took office led investigators to pore over phone conversations between Flynn and Ambassador Kislyak.

The national security advisor was forced out last month after only 24 days on the job when it emerged he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about the nature of his discussions with Kislyak.

Russia questions also tripped up Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, who during his confirmation hearingssaid he had not met with any Russians. In fact, he had met at least twice with Kislyak in the summer and fall.

Sessions is to provide amended testimony on Monday in writing.

Amid the burgeoning scandal, even Republicans seemed to be hoping the president would not repeat the wiretap claim in such a seemingly offhand fashion.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said of Trumps claim: Im not sure what it is he is talking about.

Perhaps the president has information that is not yet available to us or the public, he said on CNNs State of the Nation. If the allegation is true, obviously were going to find out very quickly, and if it isnt, then obviously hell have to explain what he meant by it.

Democrats saw an effort by Trump to create a distraction from persistent questions about the Russian role in the campaign. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco called Trump the deflector in chief.

You make up something, then you have the press write about it, and then you say, Everybodys writing about this charge, she said, also on CNN. Its the tool of an authoritarian.

Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), a ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, called Trumps wiretapping claim baseless  but raised the possibility that looking into it could be a way to widen the door to a wider investigation of Russian involvement.

If the White House wanted answers to questions about alleged surveillance, Schiff said in a statement, Comey should be summoned to answer any question put to him that is pertinent to the Russia investigation.

Democrats also signaled they were not ready to let the Sessions statements drop despite his agreement to recuse himself from campaign-related investigations. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) said on ABCs This Week that after seemingly making misleading statements to the Senate Judiciary Committee, the attorney general should make a return appearance to explain himself.

Sessions has not signaled any willingness to do so.

laura.king@latimes.com

@laurakingLAT

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UPDATES:

5:10 p.m.: This article was updated with information about FBI Director James Comeys request that the Justice Department repudiate President Trumps statement.

This article was originally published at 1:05 p.m.
Adam Schiff views documents White House says back Trump surveillance claim By Michael A. Memoli (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press) Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) traveled to the White House Friday to view documents President Trump has said partially vindicate his claim that his predecessor ordered surveillance of him during the campaign. In a statement, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said he was told they were precisely the same materials viewed previously by the committees chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), which Schiff said should now be shared with the full panel membership. Nothing I could see today warranted a departure from the normal review procedures, Schiff said, adding that he could not discuss the contents of the documents, which remain classified. Nunes was shown the documents last week by White House officials surreptitiously, then announced to reporters the next day that he needed urgently to go to the White House to brief Trump about them. Schiff, in his statement, said that the White House has yet to explain why senior White House staff apparently shared these materials with but one member of either [Intelligence] committee, only for their contents to be briefed back to the White House. Schiff also had a brief but cordial meeting with Trump during his time at the White House, a spokesman said. White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters earlier Friday that other Democrats have been invited to the White House to view the materials, which he said would shed light on their investigation. Both the House and Senate Intelligence Committees are conducting separate reviews of Russian interference into the 2016 election; Trump has asked each panel to also probe his own claim that his predecessor engaged in wire tapping of his phones at Trump Tower during the campaign, an assertion that has been denied by Nunes as well as the heads of the FBI and intelligence agencies. Facebook

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Mnuchin regrets plugging The Lego Batman Movie, pledges to exercise greater caution in the future By Jim Puzzanghera Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Friday told a top government ethics official he should not have publicly plugged The Lego Batman Movie  a film in which he has a financial stake  and promised to exercise greater caution in the future. I take very seriously my ethical responsibilities as a presidential appointee and the head of the Department of the Treasury, Mnuchin wrote to Walter Shaub, director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics. On Monday, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) asked Shaub to determine whether Mnuchin had committed an ethics violation last week when he discussed the movie during an event hosted by the Axios news website that aired on C-SPAN2. Read More Facebook

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Rep. Adam Schiff says its too early to consider an immunity deal for Michael Flynn By Associated Press The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee says its too early to consider an immunity deal for President Trumps former national security advisor. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) says that Michael Flynn even discussing possible immunity in exchange for protection from prosecution is a grave and momentous step because of the seniority of his former position. Schiff says the House Intelligence Committee is interested in hearing Flynns story, but there would have to be coordination with the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Justice Department on the terms. The House and Senate intelligence committees and the FBI are investigating Russias meddling in the 2016 election. The investigation includes scrutiny of Flynns ties with Russia. Read More Facebook

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Trump administration admonishes California chief justice over claim that agents are stalking immigrants By Del Quentin Wilber U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions (Mark Wilson / Getty Images) The Trump administration on Friday fired back at Californias top judge, disputing her characterization this month that federal immigration agents were stalking courthouses to make arrests. In a letter to Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, leaders of Trumps Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security objected to her description of federal agents conduct. As the chief judicial officer of the state of California, your characterization of federal law enforcement is particularly troubling, wrote Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, objecting to Cantil-Sakauyes use of the word stalking. They said agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were using courthouses to arrest immigrants in the U.S. illegally, in part, because California and some of its local jurisdictions prohibit their officials from cooperating with federal agencies in detaining such immigrants under most conditions. Sessions and Kelly told Californias top judge that she should consider taking her concerns to Gov. Jerry Brown and the cities and counties that limit local law enforcements involvement with immigration agents. Cantil-Sakauye, a former prosecutor who rose through the judicial ranks as an appointee of Republican governors, said through a spokesman that she appreciated the Trump administrations admission that they are in state courthouses making federal arrests. Making arrests at courthouses, in my view, undermines public safety because victims and witnesses will fear coming to courthouses to help enforce the law, she said Friday. She expressed disappointment that courthouses, given local and state public safety concerns, were not listed as sensitive areas offlimits to agents. Federal policy lists schools, churches and hospitals as sensitive areas. The letter from the Justice Department officials defended the arrests of immigrants at courthouses. By apprehending suspects after they have passed through security screening at courthouses, federal agents are less likely to encounter anyone who is armed, the letter said. The arrest of individuals by ICE officers and agents is predicated on investigation and targeting of specific persons who have been identified by ICE and other law enforcement agencies as subject to arrest, they wrote. Cantil-Sakauye had asked the Trump administration on March 16 to stop immigration agents from seeking immigrants at the states courthouses. Courthouses should not be used as bait in the necessary enforcement of our countrys immigration laws, she wrote in a letter to Sessions and Kelly. Her letter did not say which courthouses had been the location of such stalking, but judges and lawyers in Southern California have complained of seeing immigration agents posted near courts. She said she feared the practice would erode public trust in the state courts. Sessions and Kelly urged Cantil-Sakauye to speak to Brown and other officials who have enacted policies that occasionally necessitate ICE officers and agents to make arrests at courthouses and other public places. Facebook

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Back in the spotlight, Hillary Clinton takes aim at Trumps budget By Evan Halper Hillary Clinton stepped back into the spotlight this week after laying relatively low since the election, and she had some advice for President Trump: Tear up the White House budget plan. Clinton was at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security to bestow an award named in her honor to Colombian leaders who helped bring an end to war in that country and elevate the role of women in the peace process. She spoke of the progress the world has made in advancing womens rights since she spoke forcefully on the issue two decades ago when the U.N. gathered world leaders to address it in Beijing. But she warned that progress is threatened by Trump. We are seeing signals of a shift that should alarm us all, Clinton said. This administrations proposed cuts to international health, development and diplomacy would be a blow to women and children and a grave mistake for our country. Clinton then raised the letter signed by 120 former generals and admirals beseeching the Trump administration not to make the cuts. These distinguished men and women who have served in uniform recognize that turning our back on diplomacy wont make our country safer. It will undermine our security and our standing in the world. A lot has changed since Clinton was on the campaign trail, but some things about her style on the stump havent. She pulled out a favorite line from last year as she began to talk about a study that backed up her point about the damage Trumps budget plan could do. Here I go again, Clinton said to whooping and cheering from an audience of mostly female students, talking about research evidence and facts. Facebook

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Seeking a way forward, Trump increasingly finds himself at odds with his own party By Michael A. Memoli (Evan Vucci / Associated Press ) President Trump won his office in spite of the best efforts of some in his party. Now, the tenuous nature of the bonds between Trump and the GOP are increasingly on public display as the president openly feuds with conservatives and White House officials debate whether to reach out to Democrats in order to restart his domestic agenda. The latest and strongest evidence came Thursday as Trump escalated his political battle against the members of the House Freedom Caucus, the conservative lawmakers who helped block the healthcare bill he backed. Early in the morning, he said on Twitter that the caucus would hurt the entire Republican agenda if they dont get on the team. We must fight them, & Dems, in 2018! he added. It was an extraordinary message, suggesting that Trump might try to back challengers in primaries against lawmakers of his own party  something few presidents have tried, none with much success. Read More Facebook

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Tillerson tells NATO allies to pay more, do more to fight terrorism By Catherine Stupp Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday promised NATO allies that the United States will stand by their side but also expected them to spend more on defense and do more to fight terrorism. Tillerson participated in a day of discussions with foreign ministers from the 27 other NATO member nations, his first with the full roster of allies, who were sent scrambling last week to accommodate the top U.S. diplomat after he said he could not attend the meeting originally planned for early April. The United States is committed to ensuring NATO has the capabilities to support our collective defense. We understand that a threat against one of us is a threat against all of us, Tillerson said. But, he added, as President Trump has made clear, it is no longer sustainable for the U.S. to maintain a disproportionate share of NATOs defense expenditures. The United States is amping up pressure on NATO members to increase their defense spending to 2% of gross domestic product, in line with a 2014 agreement among the alliances 28 member countries to meet the target by 2024. Only five NATO countries meet the 2% threshold. The U.S. spends 3.61% of its GDP on defense, more than any other member of the alliance. Tillerson said that if countries have not met the 2% spending goal by the end of the year, they should at least have a concrete plan that clearly articulates how, with annual milestone progress commitments, the pledge will be fulfilled. Pressure to meet that strict deadline is likely to upset some allies. German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel told reporters before Fridays meeting that he thinks it would be completely unrealistic for Germany to bring its military defense spending up to 2% of GDP. I dont know any politician in Germany who thinks that this would be reachable or desirable, Gabriel said. Germany is increasing its military spending this year to $39 billion, or 1.2% of its GDP. Gabriel rejected the Trump administrations focus on military expenditures, arguing that humanitarian aid and Germanys spending to take in refugees should be considered part of the defense budget. Tillerson also called on allies to take a greater role in the fight against terrorism. NATO can and should do more, he said. Fighting terrorism is the top national security priority for the United States, as it should be for all of us. Tillersons earlier announcement that he would skip the meeting struck a nerve among the alliance members, coming at a sensitive time when tensions between the Trump administration and NATO allies have soared. The schedule change caused an awkward protocol shuffle, with a handful of foreign ministers unable to make it to Brussels. What was supposed to be a two-day meeting was compressed into half of a day. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg tried to cast optimism on the last-minute schedule change, calling it a sign of the strong transatlantic unity and flexibility of our alliance that we were able to find a date. The foreign ministers meeting is crucial because it lays the groundwork for a NATO summit with heads of state in May, which will be President Trumps first overseas trip since taking office. Tillersons day of talks at NATO headquarters in Brussels follows visits from Defense Secretary James Mattis and Vice President Mike Pence, who attempted to dispel fears that the Trump administration will seek to loosen ties with the alliance. Trump called NATO obsolete in an interview published days before his inauguration. He later insisted, during German Chancellor Angela Merkels visit to the White House earlier this month, that the U.S. will maintain its strong commitment to the alliance. Tillerson arrived in Brussels on Friday morning after meeting Thursday in Ankara, Turkey, with that countrys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to discuss terrorism and Syria, though the leaders failed to reach an agreement on how to combat Islamic State. Facebook

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Trump weighs in on Michael Flynns request for immunity President Trumps former national security advisor, retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, is seeking immunity from prosecution in return for testifying to the House and Senate intelligence committees, a congressional aide said. The development was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Gen. Flynn certainly had a story to tell, and he very much wants to tell it, should the circumstances permit, his lawyer, Robert Kelner, said in a statement. No reasonable person, who has the benefit of advice from counsel, would submit to questioning in such a highly politicized, witch-hunt environment without assurances from unfair prosecution. On Friday morning, Trump tweeted his support for Flynns request. Flynn was ousted as Trumps national security advisor last month after news reports disclosed that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about phone conversations with Sergey Kislyak, Russias ambassador to the U.S. The calls were picked up by U.S. surveillance targeting the Russian envoy, and a description of the contents was leaked to the Washington Post after the Justice Department warned the White House that Flynn could be subject to blackmail. Read More Facebook

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Former national security advisor Michael Flynn seeks immunity By David S. Cloud President Trumps former national security advisor, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, has been seeking immunity from prosecution in return for testifying to the House and Senate intelligence committees, a congressional official confirmed Thursday. The negotiations were first reported by the Wall Street Journal. In a statement, Flynns lawyer, Robert Kelner, said Gen. Flynn certainly had a story to tell and he very much wants to tell it, should the circumstances permit. No reasonable person, who has the benefit of advice from counsel, would submit to questioning in such a highly politicized, witch-hunt environment without assurances from unfair prosecution. Trump fired Flynn three weeks into the new administration after news reports disclosed that he had lied to White House colleagues, including Vice President Mike Pence, about his contacts with Sergey Kislyak, Russias ambassador to the U.S. In December, Flynn had telephone conversations with Kislyak in which he discussed sanctions that the Obama administration had recently imposed on Russia to punish Moscow for its interference in the 2016 presidential election. Flynn denied to Pence and other officials that he had discussed the sanctions with Kislyak. So far, the committees, which are investigating Russian interference and whether anyone close to Trump colluded with Moscow, have not taken Flynn up on his offer, the Journal reported. Facebook

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Trump administration appeals Hawaii judges order against travel ban By Jaweed Kaleem The Department of Justice has appealed a Hawaii court order that brought President Trumps travel ban to a national halt. The government has argued that the president was well within his authority to restrict travel from six Muslim-majority countries and put a pause on refugee resettlement. The appeal Thursday to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals came a day after U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson in Honolulu refused to dismiss his temporary block of the travel ban that he issued on March 15. With the appeal, the government is now fighting to reinstate the travel ban in two appeals courts on opposite ends of the country. That increases the likelihood that one of the cases will make it to the U.S. Supreme Court. Earlier this month, the Department of Justice appealed a Maryland district judges order against the travel ban to the U.S. 4th District Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va. Both rulings in Hawaii and Maryland said Trumps executive order discriminated against Muslims. Watson and U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Maryland cited Trumps campaign promises to suspend Muslim travel to the U.S. as proof of his orders anti-Muslim bias. The Hawaii ruling is broader than the Maryland one. It blocks a 90-day pause on travel to the U.S. from nationals of six majority-Muslim countries and a 120-day moratorium on new refugee resettlement. The Maryland ruling only halted the ban on travel into the U.S. by citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The 9th Circuit, which has jurisdiction over nine Western states, is the same court where a panel of three judges denied a government request last month to reverse ruling against the first travel ban by a federal judge in Washington state. Trump, in turn, lambasted the bad court and signed a new executive order on travel on March 6 that was modified in an attempt to survive court challenges. Facebook

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Senate heads for nuclear option if Democrats filibuster Gorsuch nomination By Lisa Mascaro One of the Senates most serious jobs  confirming the presidents choice for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court  has devolved into a game of political chicken. Senators are heading toward an institution-defining showdown next week as Democrats promise to try to block President Trumps nominee, Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, with a filibuster, a rarely seen maneuver for high court appointments. Republicans are threatening to respond by changing long-standing Senate rules to circumvent the 60 votes that would be needed to overcome a filibuster. Instead they would allow confirmation with a simple majority. The outcome has the potential to not only shape the future of the Supreme Court  which has been without a full bench since the sudden death of Justice Antonin Scalia last year  it also could crush one final vestige of bipartisanship in the Senate, altering the upper chamber for years to come. The battle over the Supreme Court seat was always expected to be a partisan affair in todays heated political climate. But the polemics intensified after the Republican majority denied President Obamas nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, a confirmation hearing ahead of last years presidential election. Read More Facebook

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Scalias seat has been vacant longer than any Supreme Court justices in nearly 50 years By Colleen Shalby (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Its been more than 400 days since Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalias death left his seat vacant. With Republicans having blocked a vote on then-President Obamas nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, and with Senate Democrats now making plans to filibuster President Trumps nominee, Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, it could take even longer to replace Scalia. Its not unheard of for a justices seat to remain empty for a considerable amount of time. Pew Research Center did the math and found that the longest gap was 841 days, in the mid-1840s, from the time of Henry Baldwins death to his replacement Robert Griers confirmation. But the last time in recent history that a vacancys duration in this range occurred was after Abe Fortas resigned in 1969. It took 391 days to fill that seat, an interval that ended in 1970 when Harry Blackmun  the justice who authored the courts landmark opinion in Roe vs. Wade  was confirmed. Blackmun was President Nixons third pick to fill that seat. The second-longest vacancy in recent years occurred in 1988. It took 237 days to fill Lewis Powells seat after he retired, with Anthony Kennedy succeeding him. Its been 58 days and counting since Trump nominated Gorsuch. Heres how his waiting time from nomination to confirmation stacks up against the current justices: Elena Kagan: 87 days

Sonia Sotomayor: 66 days

Samuel A. Alito Jr.: 82 days

John G. Roberts Jr.: 23 days

Stephen G. Breyer: 73 days

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: 50 days

Clarence Thomas: 99 days

Anthony M. Kennedy: 65 days If Gorsuch is confirmed soon, he wont start considering cases until the courts new term in October.

And if hes not confirmed? Trump would nominate another successor to Scalia  theres no limit on how many times he can do that. Until Scalias seat is filled, lower courts decisions serve as tie-breakers. Facebook

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Sens. Manchin and Heitkamp become first Democrats to announce support for Gorsuch By David Savage Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota became the first Democrats to say they will vote for Judge Neil Gorsuch and not support the effort to filibuster his confirmation to the Supreme Court. Their announcements came as no surprise. Both are centrists who have to run for reelection next year in states that voted overwhelmingly for Trump. After considering his record, watching his testimony in front of the Judiciary Committee and meeting with him twice, I will vote to confirm him to be the ninth justice on the Supreme Court, Manchin said. I have found him to be an honest and thoughtful man.... I have not found any reasons why this jurist should not be a Supreme Court justice. Heitkamp said she was impressed with Gorsuchs record as a judge. This vote does not diminish how disturbed I am by what the Republicans did to Judge [Merrick] Garland, referring to the GOP-led Senates refusal last year to consider President Obamas choice to fill the seat of the late Justice Antonin Scalia. But I was taught that two wrongs dont make a right, she said. The Republican majority in the Senate needs six more Democrats to join with them if they hope to stop the expected filibuster of President Trumps Supreme Court nominee. It takes 60 votes to end the debate under the Senates current rules. But the 52 Republicans may vote to simply eliminate this requirement if the Democrats stand firm against Gorsuch. On Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to approve Gorsuch on a party line vote and send the nomination to the Senate floor. A final vote is expected April 7. Facebook

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White House invites lawmakers to see intelligence material after New York Times report By Noah Bierman The White House has invited House and Senate intelligence committee chairs to review documents that it says were recently discovered by national security staff that could help determine whether information gathered about American citizens was mishandled. White House spokesman Sean Spicer would not say whether these are the same documents that Rep. Devin Nunes, the Tulare Republican who chairs the House intelligence committee, said he reviewed last week. Nunes has refused to identify his sources. Some saw his disclosure as an attempt to give credence to President Trumps widely refuted claim that President Obama had ordered wiretaps on his phone during the campaign. Nunes said the material he reviewed suggested that intelligence agencies had incidentally collected information about Trump or his associates. He has declined to be more specific or share the information with the committee. But the New York Times reported Thursday, citing unnamed sources, that two White House officials helped Nunes get access to the documents. And now the same information may be provided to other members of the Intelligence committee. In a letter to the bipartisan group of intelligence leaders sent Thursday, White House Counsel Donald McGhan said administration lawyers would supervise the review given the sensitivity of the documents to protect the extremely sensitive intelligence sources and methods. The letter calls on the committee to investigate the possibility that classified information was inappropriately gathered and handled and whether civil liberties of American citizens were violated. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told reporters that he welcomed the chance to review the materials, though he said he would be obligated to share them with the rest of his committee. More troubling to Schiff, he said, was the cloak and dagger stuff and circuitous route that the White House national security staff appears to have used to disseminate the materials in that secret meeting with Nunes. Schiff said White House staff may have been trying to launder information through the committee, rather than simply providing it directly to the president. If that was designed to hide the origin of the materials, that raises profound questions about just what the White House is doing, Schiff said. We need to get to the bottom of whether this was some sort of stratagem by the White House. In a letter to McGhan, Schiff said answering the White Houses questions would require asking intelligence agencies how the information in the documents was gathered. I hope you will confirm to the committee whether these materials are the same as those first shared with Nunes, Schiff wrote. 2:11: This story was updated with staff reporting Facebook

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Trumps team: A network of ties to Russia By Angelica Quintero The FBI is investigating possible coordination between people associated with the Trump campaign and Russian authorities during the 2016 election. The U.S. intelligence community has said it is confident that the Russian government directed hacking operations and intended to interfere with the U.S. election process. Take a look at how some high-profile people have been drawn into the investigation. See the graphic  Facebook

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Former RNC official is first to depart senior West Wing staff By Michael A. Memoli A former top Republican National Committee official and ally of White House chief of staff Reince Priebus will depart her West Wing post in the first significant shake-up of President Trumps senior staff. Politico first reported that Katie Walsh, the deputy White House chief of staff, will leave to take on an advisory position with political groups that were formed to support the presidents agenda from the outside. Walsh had served as chief of staff at the RNC when Priebus was party chair. At the White House, she served in a similar capacity under Priebus, tasked with overseeing the senior staff and the scheduling operation. Though White House officials denied the move was a signal of disharmony within the senior ranks, her departure spoke to issues dogging the new administration  a top-heavy operation in the West Wing and also the inability of the president to sustain the kind of grassroots support for his agenda that proved key to his electoral win. It was abundantly clear we didnt have air cover when it came to the calls coming into lawmakers, and nobody can fix this problem like Katie Walsh, Priebus told reporters later, according to Time. Facebook

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Putin: Read my lips, there was no Russian meddling in U.S. vote By Ann M. Simmons Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto during the International Arctic Forum in Arkhangelsk, Russia, on Thursday. (Sergei Karpukhim / AFP/Getty Images) Calling the accusations lies, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday denied that Moscow meddled in last years U.S. elections. Read my lips, no, Putin said during a panel moderated by CNBC, according to a report on the news agencys website. All those things are fictional, illusory and provocations, lies, the Russian president said. All these are used for domestic American political agendas. The anti-Russian card is played by different political forces inside the United States to trade on that and consolidate their positions inside. Putins comments came as the Senate Intelligence Committee was set to begin a hearing entitled Disinformation: A Primer in Russian Active Measures and Influence Campaigns, which will focus on understanding the method of Russias active disinformation campaign and assess the extent of Moscows interference. FBI Director James Comey confirmed earlier this month that his agency was investigating Russias intrusion into the 2016 poll and whether there was any collusion between Moscow and President Trumps campaign. Read More Facebook

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Trump levels extraordinary threat against GOP conservatives; Ryan says he understands presidents frustration By Noah Bierman House Speaker Paul D. Ryan commiserated with President Trump Thursday after the president launched a Twitter assault on the group of rebellious Republicans known as the Freedom Caucus. I understand the frustration, I share the frustration, Ryan told reporters Thursday, when asked to respond to Trumps threat to campaign against fellow Republicans. Freedom Caucus members, who back limited government and have defined themselves in opposition to the Washington establishment, have been a major headache for GOP leaders. Ever since the Republicans took control of the House in 2010, conservative refusal to back key bills to fund government agencies has forced GOP leaders to negotiate with Democrats for the votes they need. Freedom Caucus members helped lead the charge against former Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio). The caucus was blamed by many Republicans last week for torpedoing the leaderships plan, backed by Trump, to make significant changes to Obamacare. Still, Trumps threat to fight them in the 2018 elections was an extraordinary step. Trump had previously made electoral threats against wayward members of his party, but Thursdays tweet was especially direct, threatening to treat them the same way as Democrats. The Freedom Caucus will hurt the entire Republican agenda if they don't get on the team, & fast. We must fight them, & Dems, in 2018!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 30, 2017 Freedom Caucus members have begun pushing back aggressively. A spokeswoman for the group argued on Twitter that Trump did not have his facts right and that Republican moderates were equally responsible for sinking the healthcare bill. View Twitter post Finding Trump supporters to challenge Republicans in a primary would be hard and could further thrust the GOP into civil war. Trump, despite low poll numbers nationally, remains popular in core Republican districts. Many members of Congress, however, ran ahead of him in their districts in the last election. The president has also suggested he might be open to cutting deals with Democrats, something the White House has discussed but not followed through on. That would also be difficult, given the rancor on the left. Ryan said Thursday that the best path is for Republicans to come together on healthcare and other issues About 90% of our conference is for this bill to repeal and replace Obamcare, and about 10% are not. And thats not enough to pass a bill, he said. What I am encouraging our members to do is to keep talking with each other until we can get the consensus to pass this bill. But its very understandable that the president is frustrated that we havent gotten to where we need to go, because this is something that we all said we would do. Facebook

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Pence casts tie-breaking vote to advance bill that would let states withhold federal funds from Planned Parenthood By Lisa Mascaro Republicans needed Vice President Mike Pence to cast a tie-breaking vote Thursday in the Senate to advance legislation that rolls back rules preventing states from withholding certain federal funds to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. With opposition from two Republican women, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Republicans did not have enough votes with their slim 52-seat majority to advance the bill. Pence, a longtime opponent of abortion, arrived to cast the vote breaking the 50-50 tie  and will be expected to do so later Thursday on final passage. We just saw a historic moment, said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) It is a sad day for the United States Senate. The measure rolls back a regulation finalized at the end of President Obamas administration that explicitly prevented states from denying federal Title X family planning funds to clinics, like Planned Parenthood, that also provide abortion services. Under longstanding practice, no federal funds can be used for abortions, but federal family planning money can flow to the clinics to provide other healthcare services. Some Republican-led state governments had been moving in recent years to choke off Title X funds from any clinics that offered abortion service. The Obama rule sought to prohibit such practices. The bill Thursday, sponsored by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), has already cleared the House. It is part of a series of bills being passed by Congress under the so-called Congressional Review Act, which allows federal regulations put in place during the final days of the previous administration to be undone by simple majority passage. Passage by the Senate later Thursday would send it to the White House for President Trumps signature. Busy day in D.C., but always happy to make time to meet visitors touring the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/4q6JG8wP0E  Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) March 30, 2017 Facebook

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Senate committee narrowly approves Acostas nomination to be Labor secretary By Jim Puzzanghera (Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP) A Senate committee on Thursday narrowly approved R. Alexander Acosta to be Labor secretary, moving to fill one of President Trumps few remaining vacant Cabinet posts. The nomination of Acosta, a law school dean and former Justice Department official, was approved by a 12-11 vote by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. All of the panels Republicans supported the nomination; all of the Democrats were opposed. If confirmed in a full Senate vote, which is expected soon, Acosta will be the only Latino in Trumps Cabinet. A date for the final vote hasnt been set. Read More Facebook

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Follow the money and the trail of dead Russians, expert urges senators By Del Quentin Wilber (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) The Senate Intelligence Committee hearing Thursday into Russian efforts to influence the November elections has been a long history lesson, tracing Moscows decades-long efforts to use misinformation to undermine democracies. But Clinton Watts, of the Center for Cyber and Homeland Security at George Washington University, provided a roadmap to better understanding the Kremlins efforts. He urged senators and the U.S. government to follow the money to figure out how misinformation websites and social media outlets are being funded. While the Russians conducted their hacking in the Internets shadows, their efforts to influence the election was hardly a secret, he said. You can hack stuff and be covert, but you cant influence and be covert, he said. You have to ultimately show your hand. And thats why we have been able to discover it online. The second way to trace Russian influence was more ominous: Follow the trail of dead Russians, he said. There have been more dead Russians in the past three months that are tied to this investigation, he added. They are dropping dead, even in Western countries. Watts didnt finish the thought but was likely referring to a spate of deaths of high-profile Russians, some of which appeared to be assassinations although others appear to have been from natural causes. With the daytime execution of a Russian politician in Ukraine last week, at least eight Russian politicians, activists, ambassadors and a former intelligence official have died since the U.S. election. Facebook

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Russia has stepped up efforts to influence elections, experts tell Senate panel By David S. Cloud (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) Moscow has stepped up its interference in U.S. and European elections, using social media, hacking and other tools to undermine public confidence and to raise doubts about the U.S as an ally, Russia experts told the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday. The committee was taking testimony from experts in Russian propaganda and intelligence operations as part of its investigation into Moscows meddling in the 2016 election. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the top Democrat on the panel, emphasized that in addition to examining the broad topic of Russian efforts to influence the election, the panel also must seek to answer whether President Trumps campaign had contact with Russian officials last year, noting the the FBI has opened its own probe. I will not prejudge the outcome of our investigation. We are seeking to determine if there is an actual fire, but there is clearly a lot of smoke, Warner said. Dr. Eugene Rumer, Director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told the panel that Russian President Vladimir Putin probably viewed Moscows meddling in the U.S. election as an unqualified success. Facebook

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Tillerson meets Turkish officials to seek support for battle against Islamic State in Syria By Umar Farooq Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday met for more than two hours with Turkeys president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as they hoped to shore up troubled relations between their nations. Making his first trip to Turkey, Tillerson became the highest-ranking Trump administration official to hold a face-to-face session with Erdogan, an increasingly authoritarian leader who is also a NATO member and key ally in the fight against Islamic State in Syria. The meeting went longer than planned. Turkey and the United States disagree sharply on how to combat Islamic State: Washington supports Kurdish militias that Erdogan regards as an arm of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which Turkey and the U.S. consider a terrorist organization. Trying to fight against Daesh through terrorist organizations such as ... extensions of the PKK, would be like shooting yourself in the foot, Erdogans senior advisor, Ibrahim Kalin, said ahead of Thursdays meeting. Daesh is a pejorative Arabic acronym for Islamic State. Read More Facebook

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Hawaii judge extends national halt on Trumps travel ban By Jaweed Kaleem Donald Trump in San Diego in May. (John Gastaldo / San Diego Union-Tribune)) The Hawaii federal judge who brought President Trumps revised travel ban to a national halt this month extended his order blocking the bans enforcement. The move Wednesday sets the stage for the Justice Department to appeal to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse the ruling. U.S. District Judge Derrick Watsons original order halting the travel ban was issued March 15, a day before the ban was to go into effect, in the form of a temporary restraining order. At a hearing in Honolulu on Wednesday, federal lawyers asked Watson to either dismiss that order or narrow the restrictions to apply to fewer parts of the travel ban. Instead, Watson said he would turn the order into a preliminary injunction, which has the effect of extending his order blocking the travel ban for a longer period. Watson said he would keep intact the restrictions on the travel ban -- a block of its 90-day moratorium on travel to the U.S. from nationals of six majority-Muslim countries and its 120-day pause on new refugee resettlement. If the Justice Department appeals the case, it will be heard in the same court that upheld a national halt to Trumps first travel ban last month after a Seattle federal judge ruled against it. The administration has already appealed to the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals a Maryland judges more limited March 16 ruling that stopped enforcement of the travel orders country-specific ban. Both the Hawaii and Maryland judges found Trumps executive order to discriminate against Muslims. They used the presidents campaign statements promising to suspend Muslim travel to the U.S. as evidence of the orders anti-Muslim bias. Government lawyers have argued that the president is not singling out Muslims but instead acting within his power to restrict immigration and safeguard national security while better vetting procedures are developed to prevent potential terrorists from entering the U.S. Trump has said hell take the case over the travel ban to the U.S. Supreme Court. Facebook

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Ivanka Trump gets formal White House role, with ethics obligations but no pay By Michael A. Memoli (Brendan Smialowski / AFP-Getty Images) Ivanka Trump is taking on a more formal White House role  with a title but not a paycheck  a move intended to quell ethics concerns raised about her status in her fathers administration. In a statement, the White House noted that the presidents elder daughter already had an unprecedented role in the administration different from that of previous presidential children. She now will take the title of special advisor to the president, and therefore assume the same responsibility to abide by ethics standards that other federal employees have, the statement said. The decision demonstrates the administrations commitment to ethics, transparency and compliance, the administration said. Although Ivanka Trump already had a West Wing office  as does her husband, senior advisor Jared Kushner  she now will have increased opportunities to lead initiatives driving real policy benefits for the American public that would not have been available to her previously, a White House spokesman said. The announcement came on a day when President Trump sought to promote his administrations commitment to empowering women. He delivered remarks at an East Room event that included other top women in his Cabinet, including U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Small Business Administration head Linda McMahon. Ivanka Trump held a roundtable with female business owners earlier, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said. Earlier Wednesday, leading Senate Democrats sent a letter to the Office of Government Ethics raising concerns about the increasing, albeit unspecified position Ivanka Trump had held and the potential conflicts of interest that her government position might trigger with her personal businesses, including a retail clothing brand. The letter from Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) asked the agency whether Trump would be required to divest herself of personal assets or if she could be required to recuse herself from certain functions. Trumps new position was first reported by the New York Times. In a statement to the paper, Trump said she was acting in response to ethics concerns, but noted she already had been voluntarily complying with all ethics rules. Facebook

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Russia inquiry one of the biggest congressional probes in decade, senators say By David Lauter Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), right, and Mark Warner (D-Va.). (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) The Senate Intelligence Committees probe into Russian involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election will be one of the biggest investigations in years and has already involved an unprecedented level of cooperation between Congress and U.S. spy agencies, the panels chairman said Wednesday. At a Capitol Hill news conference, the committee chairman, Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, and its ranking Democrat, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, emphasized the bipartisan nature of the panels efforts, drawing a determined, though unstated, contrast with the partisan dysfunction of a parallel investigation in the House. The committee will go wherever the intelligence leads us, Burr said. And he pointedly refused to endorse White House statements that investigators inevitably will find that there was no collusion between President Trumps campaign and the Russians. It would be crazy to try to draw any conclusions at this point, Burr said. We know that our challenge is to answer that question to the American people, Burr said, referring to the issue of Trumps involvement. Warner said he had confidence in Richard Burr to run a fair investigation and produce a bipartisan conclusion. Warner said Americans should not lose sight of what the investigation is about: An outside foreign adversary effectively tried to hijack the election and favor one candidate over the other. They didnt do it because it was in the best interest of the American people, he said. "[Russian President] Vladimir Putins goal is a weaker United States. The Russian action should be a concern of all Americans regardless of party affiliation, he added. The committee staff already has reviewed thousands of pages of intelligence documents and has begun scheduling interviews with a list of 20 preliminary witnesses, who will be questioned in private before the panel holds public hearings, Burr said. He strongly implied that one of the potential witnesses is retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who was fired from his post as national security advisor to Trump after the disclosure that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence and others about his contacts with Russias ambassador to the U.S. You would think less of us if the committee had not talked with Flynn, Burr told reporters. The witnesses, including Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and advisor, will be questioned when the committee is ready, he said. Facebook

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Justice Department watchdog finds DEA cash seizure program may pose risk to civil liberties By Del Quentin Wilber A Ukiah, Calif., police officer works with a dog to search for drugs or cash in a motorists car on May 14, 2014. (Francine Orr/ Los Angeles Times) The way the Drug Enforcement Administration seizes cash and other assets may pose a risk to civil liberties, the Justice Departments internal watchdog reported Wednesday. The Justice Departments inspector general also determined that the agency does not measure or track how its asset seizure activities advance criminal investigations. Over the last decade, more than $28 billion has been seized through the departments asset forfeiture program. The effort and others in states have generated intense controversy in recent years, with critics contending that many seizures are unfair because some who lose their assets are never charged with crimes. Law enforcement officials, however, say that seizing property and cash is a key tool in disrupting criminal organizations and compensating the victims of crimes. Former Atty. Gen. Eric Holder in 2015 limited how state and local authorities can obtain seized funds by working with federal agents. In its report released Wednesday, the inspector general examined 100 cases in which the DEA seized cash. Eighty-five of the cases involved interdiction at transportation hubs, such as airports or parcel centers. Nearly 80 of those seizures resulted from the direct observation of agents or local police. The inspector general and the Justice Department have raised concerns in the past about such stops and searches, in part, due to the potential for racial profiling. Of the 100 cases, the DEA could verify that only 44 advanced ongoing investigations, led to a new investigation, or resulted in an arrest or prosecution, the inspector general found. When seizure and administrative forfeitures do not ultimately advance an investigation or prosecution, law enforcement creates the appearance, and risks the reality, that it is more interested in seizing and forfeiting cash than advancing an investigation or prosecution, the report said. The inspector general also found that the Justice Department does not provide enough training or require state and local officers working on federal task forces to be trained on asset forfeiture policies. The Justice Department responded in a letter to the inspector general that its analysis was flawed and its sample significantly underreported the amount of seized funds that are ultimately returned. In a statement, Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said, Asset forfeiture is a powerful and effective law enforcement tool, allowing the department to compensate victims, deprive criminals of the proceeds of their crimes, remove the tools of crime from criminal organizations, and deter crime. The department believes that the ongoing public debate about asset forfeiture is healthy, she added, but as outlined in our formal response, we strongly disagree with large swaths of this report and its flawed methodology that failed to address the essential role asset forfeiture plays combating some of the most sophisticated criminal actors and organizations, including terrorist financiers, cyber criminals, fraudsters, human traffickers, and drug cartels. 9:23 a.m.: This story was updated with Justice Department comment. Facebook

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Hoax. Con job. Chinese plot. Trump tweets have bashed climate science for years By Michael Finnegan President Trump signs an executive order Tuesday to rescind Obama administration policies on climate change. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press) As President Trump moved to halt federal efforts against global warming on Tuesday, he avoided an important phrase: climate change. It was the same story during his campaign for president; Trump rarely mentioned it. When he pledged in May to withdraw the United States from the Paris treaty, a pact among nearly every nation on Earth to reduce the carbon emissions that cause global warming, it was one of the few occasions when Trump broached the topic. Trumps muted approach made political sense. To reject science is to risk alienating millions of moderate voters who support action to stop global warming. But before Trump started running for president, he often bluntly attacked climate science. Some highlights from his Twitter feed: Read More Facebook

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Supreme Court rules in favor of merchants who want to advertise credit card fees By David Savage Supreme Court rules on swipe fees (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)) Merchants may soon have the right to tell customers that they will pay a surcharge if they use a credit card rather than pay with cash. The Supreme Court cast doubt Wednesday on laws in California, New York, Florida and seven other states that make it illegal for sellers to impose a surcharge on credit card sales. In a 8-0 decision, the justices said these laws regulate speech and may be challenged as violations of the 1st Amendment. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said these laws do not prevent merchants from offering a discount for those who pay cash. Rather, they simply forbid disclosing that a posted price includes a surcharge of 2% to 3% for using a credit or debit card. Merchants want to pass the fees along only to their customers who choose to use credit cards, he said. They also want to make clear that they are not the bad guys -- that the credit card companies, not the merchants, are responsible for the higher prices. But the ruling Wednesday was only a partial victory for the five New York businesses, including a hair salon and an ice cream parlor in Brooklyn, that sued to challenge the ban on advertising or disclosing surcharges for using credit cards. The U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in New York had upheld the law on the grounds it was a price regulation, not a speech restriction. Roberts and the high court disagreed. What the law does is regulate how sellers may communicate their prices, he said. A merchant who wants to charge $10 for cash and $10.30 for credit may not convey that price any way he pleases. He is not free to say '$10, with a 3% credit card surcharge. But the justices did not strike down the state laws, instead sending the case back to the New York court to decide whether this speech regulation could be justified. Sometimes, laws are used to regulate the words of commercial transactions to prevent buyers from being fooled or confused. Until recently, the major credit card companies had imposed contract restrictions that prevented merchants from disclosing surcharges. But those provisions have challenged and knocked down. That in turn led to new legal challenges against the state laws which forbid sellers from disclosing these surcharges. The case decided Wednesday was Expressions Hair Design vs. Schneiderman. Facebook

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Trumps poll numbers are low. But the people who put him in office say its not time to judge him  yet By Noah Bierman Its been five months since the euphoria of a Donald Trump rally at the local arena brought optimism to this former Democratic stronghold. The snow from a long winter has begun melting into the rocky soil, and the digital sign in a torn-up parking lot blinks hopefully: Warm days are coming. President Trump has yet to deliver jobs or the repeal of Obamacare. But here, in an area crucial to his unexpected election victory, many residents are more frustrated with what they see as obstruction and a rush to judgment than they are with Trump. Give him six months to prove himself, said an information technology supervisor. Give him a year, said a service manager. Give him four years, said a retired print shop owner. Give the man a chance, said Crystal Matthews, a 59-year-old hospital employee. Theyre just going to fight him tooth and nail, the whole way. Read More Facebook

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To fight womans defamation claim, Trump cites the Bill Clinton-Paula Jones case  which the president lost By David Savage President Trump is citing Bill Clintons famous sexual harassment battle in his effort to block a California womans lawsuit claiming Trump lied about groping her in the Beverly Hills Hotel in 2007. Problem is, Clinton lost that bid for legal immunity when the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in 1997 that the chief executive is not shielded from responding to a civil suit regarding his private behavior. Read More Facebook

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House sends Trump bill to kill landmark broadband privacy regulations By Jim Puzzanghera Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sponsored the repeal bill. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) The House voted Tuesday to kill landmark privacy restrictions for Internet service providers and sent the bill to the White House, which indicated President Trump would sign it and invalidate the rules before they go into effect. The measure, approved largely along party lines, repeals tough new Federal Communications Commission regulations that would require broadband companies to get explicit customer permission before using or sharing most of their personal information. The data include health information, website browsing history, app usage and the geographic information from mobile devices. The rules also tighten data security requirements. Republicans, along with AT&T Inc., Charter Communications Inc., Comcast Corp. and other providers of high-speed Internet service, strongly opposed the rules. They argued that the restrictions are tougher than those for websites and social networks that also collect and use the highly valuable consumer data, which companies use to target advertising. Read More Facebook

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U.S. commander says theres a fair chance that coalition airstrike is responsible for civilian casualties in Mosul By W.J. Hennigan Rescuers are still recovering bodies from a suspected U.S. airstrike in the Iraqi city of Mosul. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) The top U.S. general commanding the fight against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria said that the U.S.-led coalition was probably responsible for a blast that killed more than 200 people. If we did it, and I would say theres at least a fair chance that we did, it was an unintentional accident of war and we will transparently report it to you, Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend told reporters Tuesday via teleconference from Baghdad. He made the comments in response to witness reports that an airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition leveled a large apartment block and killed scores of civilians, including women and children, in west Mosuls Jadidah neighborhood on March 17. My initial assessment is that we probably had a role in these casualties, Townsend said. But investigators are still trying to determine whether other factors -- possibly including repeated airstrikes in the neighborhood or an explosive device accidentally or deliberately planted near the building -- could have led to its collapse. The fact that the whole building collapsed contradicts our involvement, Townsend said. The munition that we used should not have collapsed an entire building. So thats one of those things were trying to figure out in the investigative process. Read More Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown calls Trump energy plan a colossal mistake that will galvanize climate change activists By Evan Halper Gov. Jerry Brown. (Gregory Bull / Associated Press) California Gov. Jerry Brown warned that President Trump has just made a colossal mistake in gutting the federal governments effort to combat climate change, which will ignite a response Trump is unprepared to handle. It defies science itself, Brown said in a call to The Times shortly after Trump signed an executive order that aims to bring an abrupt halt to the United States leadership on global warming. Erasing climate change may take place in Donald Trumps mind, but nowhere else. Yes, there is going to be a counter-movement, Brown vowed, predicting Trumps actions will mobilize environmentalists in a way President Obama never could. I have met with many heads of state, ambassadors. This is a growing movement. President Trumps outrageous move will galvanize the contrary force. Things have been a bit tepid [in climate activism]. But this conflict, this sharpening of the contradiction, will energize those who believe climate change is an existential threat. Brown and other big-state governors and mayors are moving swiftly to fill the global leadership vacuum Trump created with Tuesdays directive, which stops short of officially pulling the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord of 2015. I see Washington declining in influence, but the momentum being maintained by California and other states aligned with China and those who are willing to do something, said Brown, who will be traveling to China soon for meetings on climate. There is a growing activism on the part of millions of people who will not stand by and let Donald Trump effectively tear up the Paris agreement and destroy Americas climate leadership and jeopardize the health and well being of so many people. In the face of Trumps retreat on climate, Brown said California will step up its own efforts to push others toward clean energy. We are not fully meeting the challenge of climate change yet, he said. We are doubling down on our commitment. We are reaching out to other states in America and throughout the world and other countries . We have plenty of fuel to build this movement. This is real, Brown said of the threat created by climate change. The nations of the world have recognized it in Paris  I will continue doing my best to work with and rouse the world community, whatever the politicians in Washington do or dont do. Facebook

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Trump orders government to dismantle Obamas climate change policies By Evan Halper  President Trump ordered an abrupt halt to Americas crusade against climate change. (March 29, 2017) (Sign up for our free video newsletter here http://bit.ly/2n6VKPR) President Trump on Tuesday ordered the federal government to retreat from the battle against climate change launched by President Obama, issuing a directive aimed at dismantling the core policies that have made the U.S. a global leader in curbing emissions. The plan unveiled by Trump reflects an about-face for the U.S. on energy, and it puts into jeopardy the nations ability to meet the obligations it agreed to under the global warming pact signed in Paris with 194 other nations. It would shelve the landmark Clean Power Plan that mandates electricity companies reduce their emissions. It seeks to dislodge consideration of climate throughout the federal government, where it has been a factor in every relevant decision in recent years. My administration is putting an end to the war on coal, Trump said. I am taking historic steps to lift the restrictions on American energy to reverse government intrusions and to cancel job killing regulations. Under the order, the government will abandon the social cost of carbon that regulators had painstakingly calculated and begun factoring into their decision on permit applications and rulemaking. Restrictions on methane releases at oil and gas drilling facilities would be eased. Agencies will also stop contemplating climate impacts as they launch into new projects, and restrictions on coal leasing and fracking on federal lands will be lifted. The directive, for which progressive states and environmentalists have been preparing for months, is certain to set off years of litigation and conflicts between Washington and state capitols. Some of the most far-reaching policies Trump is seeking to bring to a halt cannot be canceled unilaterally and require lengthy administrative proceedings. But others he can end with the stroke of his pen. Smoke rises from the Colstrip Steam Electric Station, a coal-burning power plant in Colstrip, Mont., on July 1, 2103. (Matt Brown / Associated Press) Facebook

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A trade war is brewing inside the White House between rival camps By Don Lee Soon after President Trump took office, an executive order was quietly drafted to suspend talks with China on an obscure but potentially far-reaching treaty about bilateral investment. After eight years and two dozen rounds of negotiations, the treaty terms were almost in final form. Pulling out after so much time and effort would send a clear message that the Trump administration meant to take a new and tougher approach to China. But the executive order never even got to the presidents desk. It was quietly shelved, according to sources inside and outside the White House, at the behest of former Goldman Sachs President Gary Cohn, now Trumps top economic advisor. Killing the order was a small victory for a White House faction that supports free trade and the global economy. But it was only an opening skirmish in what promises to be a long and bitter struggle over trade policy that so far is being waged behind the scenes in the Trump administration. Read More Facebook

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Supreme Court reverses death sentence for Texas inmate who could not tell time or name the days of the week By David Savage The Supreme Court set aside a death sentence on Tuesday for a Texas inmate who as a 13-year-old could not tell time or name the days of the week, concluding he should not be executed in light of his mental disability. In a 5-3 decision, the justices reversed the Texas state appeals court that had restored a death sentence given to Bobby James Moore, a 57-year old prisoner who shot and killed a store clerk in a botched robbery in 1980. At issue was whether Moore had a mental disability that would make his execution cruel and unusual punishment under the 8th Amendment. The justices banned states from executing prisoners with a mental disability, but they left states some flexibility to set the standards. But three years ago, the justices faulted Florida authorities for relying almost entirely on I.Q. scores. In the Texas case decided Tuesday, the justices said state judges had ignored ample evidence that Moore had severe mental disability as a child. That evidence was not overcome by the fact that he had adapted well in prison, they said. At 13, Moore lacked the basic understanding of the days of the week, the months of the year and the seasons; he could scarcely tell time or comprehend the standards of measure, said Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. After failing every subject in the ninth grade, Moore dropped out of high school. Cast out of his home, he survived on the streets, eating from trash cans, even after two bouts of food poisoning. After fatally shooting the clerk in the 1980 robbery, he was sentenced to death. The Texas courts reexamined his sentence after the high court abolished capital punishment in 2002 for defendants with a mental disability. A state judge listened to experts and set aside Moores death sentence, But the states criminal appeals court disagreed. Its judges said Moore had demonstrated adaptive strength by living on the streets and carrying out a robbery, and therefore did not qualify as having a severe mental impairment. Ginsburg said the state judges had relied on an outdated understanding of mental disability, and her opinion in Moore vs. Texas said the state court must reconsidere its decision. Justices Anthony M. Kennedy, Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan agreed. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. dissented. While he agreed the states authorities may have used outdated standards, Moore had I.Q. scores ranging from 69 to 79 that show he did not have the significantly sub-average intellectual functioning that would exempt him from the death penalty. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito agreed. Facebook

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The Freedom Caucus roars back to relevance to challenge Trumps agenda and strategy By Lisa Mascaro When House Speaker Paul D. Ryan pulled the plug on the GOPs Obamacare overhaul, lawmakers spilled out of the Capitol basement, angry, frustrated and stunned. But Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), leader of the conservative and rebellious House Freedom Caucus that led the fight against the bill, was uncharacteristically quiet, downplaying his political victory and mulling over the next move. After coming together to battle President Obama and becoming a driving force in the Republican Party, this 30-member-plus bloc of deficit hawks and right-flank conservatives had appeared for a while to be pushed aside by the movement that swept President Trump into office. But after helping defeat the GOP healthcare overhaul, the Freedom Caucus has roared back to relevance as a political power in the Trump era. It has reasserted itself as not just a renegade assemblage of mostly back-bench lawmakers, but as a core block of votes that Trump will need to push past the healthcare debacle to tax reform, budget battles and other issues. These guys saved the Republicans, said Adam Brandon, president of FreedomWorks, a group that organized a North Carolina rally on Monday in honor of Meadows. As beaten and battered as they are, weve got a group thats willing to take the hard decisions. If youre going to drain the swamp, these are the guys who are going to do it. Read More Facebook

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White House stopped Yates testimony about Russian meddling in presidential election, lawyer says By Associated Press A lawyer for former Deputy Atty. Gen. Sally Yates said in letters last week that the Trump administration had moved to squelch her testimony in a hearing about Russian meddling in the presidential election. In the letters, attorney David ONeil said he understood the Justice Department was invoking further constraints on testimony she could provide at a House Intelligence Committee hearing that had been scheduled for Tuesday. He said the departments position was that all actions she took as deputy attorney general were client confidences that could not be disclosed without written approval. The Washington Post first reported the letters. A person familiar with the situation confirmed them as authentic to the Associated Press. The White House called the Post story entirely false. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and part of Trumps transition team, last week announced that the committee was canceling the planned public hearing with Yates and two former Obama administration intelligence officials  the former director of national intelligence, James Clapper, and former CIA Director John Brennan. Read More Facebook

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Did Mnuchin cross an ethical line in plugging The Lego Batman Movie? A senator wants to know By Jim Puzzanghera (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press) A Democratic senator wants to know if Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin committed an ethics violation when he publicly plugged The Lego Batman Movie, a film in which he has a financial stake. A former Hollywood financier, Mnuchin was asked at the end of a question-and-answer session on Friday hosted by the Axios news website to name a movie people should see. Well, Im not allowed to promote anything that Im involved in. So I just want to have the legal disclosure, youve asked me the question and I am not promoting any product, Mnuchin said at the event, which aired on C-SPAN2. But you should send all your kids to Lego Batman,  he said. The crowd laughed. But Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, wasnt amused. Hes asking the U.S. Office of Government Ethics to look into the comments. Read More Facebook

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Venezuela hits back in showdown with OAS, U.S. over democracy By Tracy Wilkinson The Venezuelan foreign minister had harsh words Monday for the regional organization that is considering sanctioning her country for its failure to hold democratic elections. Delcy Rodriguez, the foreign minister, accused the Organization of American States of wanting not to punish Venezuela but to destroy it. Rodriguez appeared at an OAS panel convened in Washington. D.C., after the United States and 13 other of the hemispheres nations united to demand the leftist Venezuelan government free political prisoners and set a date for long-overdue elections. Failure to do so, the 14 countries warned, could trigger a decision to suspend Venezuela from the 69-year-old regional body. OAS Secretary-General Luis Almagro, a former Uruguayan foreign minister, has been especially critical of Venezuelas embattled government. He noted that President Nicolas Maduro canceled both a referendum that could have recalled his government and later regional elections, after the opposition made huge gains in parliamentary voting in 2015. In addition, thousands of people have been arrested for their political beliefs, Almagro said, including opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who has been in jail for three years. But Rodriguez, in a speech to the OAS panel, said Venezuelas revolution continues strong. She accused Almagro of being a stooge of the U.S. government, a lying mercenary who is a traitor to everything a Latin American diplomat should represent. He lacks independence when he voluntarily bows to the wishes of the most powerful nation of this organization -- and becomes its spokesman, Rodriguez said. Although the OAS has often been accused of pro-Washington tendencies, 13 nations in addition to the United States have joined to condemn Venezuela, a significant shift in Latin America away from populist regimes. Other leftist-ruled countries, like Bolivia, have said they will support Venezuela. Rodriguez said the accusations against her government were unilateral, unjustified and biased. She called on the OAS to suspend discussion of Venezuela, but another session was scheduled to proceed on Tuesday -- the same day Maduros Socialist Party is planning big anti-imperialism marches at home. All of the countries most critical of Venezuela, including the United States, say suspension of the oil-rich, Caribbean country from the OAS should be a measure of last resort. Despite its oil wealth, Venezuela is in the throes of an economic and humanitarian disaster, with severe shortages of food and medicine and skyrocketing inflation and homicide rates. Facebook

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Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions criticizes sanctuary cities but offers no new policies By Michael A. Memoli  Decrying the safety risk posed when cities dont cooperate with federal immigration authorities, Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions repeated previous statements that the Trump administration would seek to deny so-called sanctuary cities some federal grant fun Decrying the safety risk posed when cities dont cooperate with federal immigration authorities, Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions repeated previous statements that the Trump administration would seek to deny so-called sanctuary cities some federal grant funds, but offered no new policies. Despite his high-profile appearance at the White House briefing room, Sessions merely reiterated Obama administration policy related to immigration. Justice Department officials said any new measures would be weeks or months in the future. The Obama administration issued instructions last July that required any cities applying for Justice Department grant programs be in compliance with federal law requiring cooperation between local, state and federal agencies with requests from the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Sessions noted that any jurisdiction applying for grants from his department would have to certify that compliance. The Justice Department already has been requiring that, which indicates that police and sheriff departments which currently have Justice Department grants already have been asserting that they are meeting the requirements of federal law. Although many cities have policies that they, or critics, characterize using the label sanctuary, those policies do not necessarily mean they are violating the law. Sessions did say that the Justice Department could in the future institute additional requirements, but announced none. Fundamentally, we intend to use all the lawful authority we have to make sure that our state and local officials, who are so important to law enforcement, are in sync with the federal government, he said. He did offer a warning to jurisdictions considering adopting sanctuary status. The California legislature is considering a proposal to institute the designation statewide; Sessions, though, singled out Maryland for a similar proposal. That would be such a mistake, Sessions said, while noting Marylands Republican governor opposes the change proposed by the heavily-Democratic legislature. Sessions cited a high-profile case in San Francisco where a 32-year-old woman was killed by man who had been previously deported multiple times despite a request by immigration authorities to continue his detention to illustrate the administrations case against such policies. Countless Americans would be alive today and countless loved ones would not be grieving today if these policies of sanctuary cities were ended, Sessions claimed. Facebook

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Devin Nunes plot thickens, as his spokesman concedes he met source for surveillance claim at White House By David S. Cloud The day before the House Intelligence Committee chairman revealed that conversations by Trump transition officials may have been inadvertently picked up by U.S. surveillance, he met with the source of the information at the White House, his spokesman said Monday Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), went to the White House because there was a facility there for reviewing classified information, said Jack Langer, a spokesman for Nunes, who has refused to divulge the identity of his source. Chairman Nunes met with his source at the White House grounds in order to have proximity to a secure location where he could view the information provided by the source, Langer said. The latest news added another twist to a bizarre series of events last week: On Monday, FBI Director James Comey testified before Nunes committee that his investigators were looking at possible coordination during the presidential campaign between Russian officials and people close to Preisdent Trump. Tuesday night, Nunes went to the White House where someone showed him documents related to U.S. intelligence surveillance, according to his statement. On Wednesday, Nunes announced to reporters that he had seen evidence indicating that people close to Trump had been subjects of surveillance during the transition. He then went to the White House, saying that he needed to brief Trump about the revelations. On Thursday, Nunes apologized to committee members for not having shown the evidence to them before briefing the president. Later that day, his spokesman conceded that Nunes did not know for sure that any Trump aides had actually been subject to surveillance, just that their names had appeared in intelligence reports, which could have resulted from other people talking about them. That sequence of events could buttress Democrats claims that the episode last week was a White House ploy to shift attention away from the FBI investigation. Democrats already have been saying Nunes should be disqualified from heading an inquiry into whether Trumps aides had improper contacts with Russia. Nunes statement left several questions unanswered. One is why he would have had to go to the White House unless his source worked there, because members of Congress have access to a secure facility at the U.S. Capitol. Asked to explain Nunes actions, Langer said in an email, The information comprised executive branch documents that have not been provided to Congress. Because of classification rules, the source could not simply put the documents in a backpack and walk them over to the House Intelligence Committee space.  He added: The White House grounds was the best location to safeguard the proper chain of custody and classification of these documents, so the Chairman could view them in a legal way. Last week, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer had dismissed speculation that the White House had supplied Nunes with the information, saying that the suggestion did not pass the smell test. He added, however, that he did not for sure what Nunes had told Trump or where his information came from. After Nunes apologized to members of his committee Thursday and promised to thoroughly investigate the surveillance, several lawmakers said Nunes had promised to provide them the surveillance information he had received. That has not occurred yet. In his first statement last week, Nunes said he was concerned that some Trump transition officials identities might have been improperly revealed in intelligence reports, despite rules requiring them to be kept confidential in most cases. The Chairman is extremely concerned by the possible improper unmasking of names of U.S. citizens, and he began looking into this issue even before President Trump tweeted his assertion that Trump Tower had been wiretapped, Langer said. Whether any officials names actually were unmasked is unclear. The ranking Democrat on the committee, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) has questioned Nunes assertions about improper unmasking. But Schiff noted that he has not seen the documents Nunes claims to have seen. Schiff had no comment on the news that Nunes had seen the documents at the White House. UPDATES 10:20 a.m.: This article was updated with staff reporting. This article was originally published as an Associated Press report at 9:06 a.m. Facebook

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Venezuela in showdown with OAS, U.S. over political prisoners By Tracy Wilkinson The besieged leftist government of Venezuela is under mounting pressure after the United States and 13 of the hemispheres other leading nations demanded the release of political prisoners and other pro-democracy concessions. The Organization of American States, the regions main collective body, has threatened to suspend Venezuela because of what it called the autocratic repression imposed by President Nicolas Maduro. Maduros foreign minister, Delcy Rodriguez, will appear Monday before an OAS panel in Washington to plead her governments case. This comes after members of the Venezuelan delegation stormed out of OAS meetings last week, according to diplomats. OAS Secretary-General Luis Almagro, in a report on Venezuela, noted that Maduro canceled both a referendum that could have recalled his government and later regional elections, after the opposition made huge gains in parliamentary voting in 2015. A Maduro-controlled Supreme Court then stripped the parliament of much of its power. In addition, thousands of people have been arrested for their political beliefs, Almagro said, including opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who has been in jail for three years. The OAS is demanding Venezuela hold elections or risk suspension from the group, a drastic measure. The last time a country was suspended was when the military and right-wing politicians staged a coup against the elected president in Honduras in 2009. Under OAS regulations, a country can be suspended when the democratic order is altered. Venezuela is in the throes of a devastating economic and humanitarian crisis. The oil-rich country has among the highest homicide and inflation rates in the world and suffers from severe shortages of food and medicine. The Maduro government angrily condemned the OAS actions as imperialist interference and vowed to resist. Adan Chavez, brother of the late Hugo Chavez, the socialist strongman who set Venezuela on its revolutionary path, claimed the OAS was plotting a coup against Maduro. Maduro views much of his opposition as right-wing oligarchs who have long repressed the poor. Although the OAS has often been accused of pro-Washington tendencies, it is significant that 13 nations in addition to the United States are united in condemning Venezuela. This marks a shift away from populist regimes in much of Latin America. The Trump administration, which has shown little interest in Latin America beyond Mexico, did issue instructions to diplomats to find ways through the OAS to put pressure on Venezuela, according to people familiar with the matter. Those instructions came despite parallel administration plans to slash funds to the OAS and other multilateral institutions like the United Nations. Trump recently spoke by telephone to the presidents of Chile and Brazil and in both cases discussed Venezuela, the White House said. And he met at the White House with Lilian Tintori, the wife of Lopez, the jailed opposition leader, as she lobbied for her husbands freedom. The Treasury Department earlier this year slapped sanctions on Venezuelas vice president, Tareck El Aissami, alleging he was a major drug trafficker, charges he denied. Were not pushing for Venezuelas expulsion from the OAS at this time, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said late last week. However, we do think the OAS is the appropriate venue to deal with the ongoing situation in Venezuela, he said. Elections are essential to securing accountability, and the Venezuelan people deserve a voice in creating solutions to the myriad economic, political, and social and humanitarian challenges that they face. Facebook

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Trump takes to Twitter to blame GOP hard-liners over healthcare failure By Laura King (Mandel Ngan / AFP-Getty Images) President Trump on Sunday blamed fellow Republicans and two influential conservative advocacy groups for last weeks failure of the GOP healthcare plan. The president had said on Friday that it was the fault of Democrats that House Speaker Paul D. Ryan pulled the measure from consideration rather than putting it forth for a floor showdown that the GOP leadership would have lost. In a Sunday morning tweet, the president appeared to shift culpability to the House Freedom Caucus, a conservative group of GOP lawmakers who were key to depriving Trump and his camp of the votes needed for passage. Democrats are smiling over the bills failure, Trump declared on Twitter. The Freedom Caucus, he said, had saved President Obamas Affordable Care Act with the help of Heritage Action and the Club for Growth, two organizations that had opposed the GOP measure. The chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), declined to engage in any sparring with the White House, instead predicting that a Trump-led Republican effort to overhaul Obamas signature healthcare legislation eventually would move ahead. At the end of the day, the most valuable player will be President Trump, he said on ABCs This Week. Meadows also insisted there had been no conversation about any attempt to force out Ryan, who is being blamed for failing to marshal sufficient support for the measure he had spearheaded. Trump so far has refrained from public criticism of the speaker, but  again on Twitter  he specifically urged followers to watch a Fox News segment on Saturday night, featuring commentator Jeanine Pirro excoriating Ryan and calling for him to be ousted. That gave rise to speculation that Trump would seek to force the speaker to take the fall for the debacle. Read More Facebook

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After the GOP healthcare bill fizzles, Trump blames the Democrats and says he learned a lot about loyalty By Brian Bennett  President Trump addresses the cancellation of a vote Friday on the GOPs plan to overhaul the Affordable Care Act. After failing to land a deal on the healthcare bill, President Trump on Friday blamed Democrats, even though the GOP controls Congress and the White House, and made few overtures across the aisle when pushing the bill. When you get no votes from the other side -- meaning Democrats -- it is really a difficult situation, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office after a revolt by Republican lawmakers forced House leaders to stop a vote in their bid to overhaul the Affordable Care Act. Trump insisted that the current healthcare law, commonly known as Obamacare, will collapse under its own weight, and then Democrats will want to make a deal with the White House. I truly believe the Democrats will come to us, Trump said. In the meantime, Trump is moving his attention to pushing through a tax reform bill, he said. We will probably be going really hard for the big tax cuts and tax reform -- thats next, he said. Trump, who has spent decades negotiating real estate deals and seeing many of them fall through, seemed sanguine discussing the effort he put into getting a healthcare reform bill passed. This was an interesting period of time, Trump said. We learned a lot about loyalty and we learned a lot about the vote-getting process. Trump stopped short of blaming House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and avoided singling out the group of conservative Republican lawmakers, who dug in their heels in opposition. Lawmakers in the House Freedom Caucus that largely stood against the bill are very good people and friends of mind, he said. I was disappointed because we could have had it, he said. Im a little surprised, he said. When asked by a reporter if he would reach out now to Democrats for ideas on how to get a deal, Trump said, No, I think we need to let Obamacare go its way for a little while. Then well see how things go. Facebook

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Tillerson will meet with NATO counterparts, after all By Tracy Wilkinson Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will meet with NATO allies next week in Brussels, a move that could quell controversy over his earlier decision to skip a long-planned summit of the transatlantic alliance. The State Department said Friday that Tillerson added a stop at NATO headquarters in Brussels to a previously scheduled trip to the Turkish capital of Ankara. Tillerson will be in Ankara on Thursday to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other senior Turkish officials to discuss the fight against Islamic State militants in Syria and to reaffirm Turkeys important role in ensuring regional stability, the State Department said. The next day, he will go to NATO, the State Department said. NATO officials were attempting to put together a session with the other 27 allied nations. Earlier this week, news that Tillerson would miss the NATO ministerial meeting set for April 5-6, roiled the alliance. Administration officials said Tillerson would have to be in Washington to attend President Trumps first face-to-face meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 6-7. At the same time, Tillersons aides announced he would be traveling to Moscow the following week. Criticism was swift from European allies but also from several former American diplomats and key U.S. lawmakers, who said the decision raised questions about the Trump administrations commitment to NATO. During his campaign, Trump called the alliance obsolete, although more recently he has voiced support for it while also demanding members spend more money on defense. In response, Tillersons aides said they were exchanging possible alternative dates with NATO to attempt to arrange a meeting in which all parties could participate. It was not yet clear if next Fridays meeting will take the place of the April 5-6 session, which as of late Friday remained on NATOs formal calendar. Diplomats considered the ministerial meeting as especially important because it will lay the groundwork for a May 25 NATO summit of heads of state and government, which Trump has said he will attend. Facebook

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Charter promises Trump something new ($25-billion investment) and something old (20,000 jobs) By Jim Puzzanghera Charter Communications Chief Executive Thomas Rutledge. (Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images) The chief executive of Charter Communications committed in a meeting with President Trump on Friday to invest $25 billion on broadband infrastructure while joining a trend of business leaders touting previously announced job creation at the White House. In the case of Charter  Southern Californias dominant cable-TV and Internet service provider  Chief Executive Thomas Rutledge said he expected to hire 20,000 new U.S. employees over the next four years. Charter had made the hiring promise in 2015 when it was purchasing Time Warner Cable. The new development was the time period in which it will occur. Nevertheless, Trump indicated the job creation was triggered by his election. Read More Facebook

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Threats made against Hawaii judge who ruled against travel ban By Jaweed Kaleem (George Lee / The Star-Advertiser via AP) The Hawaii federal judge who brought President Trumps revised travel ban to a national halt last week has become the target of threats. U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson has received the threats since his March 15 ruling, according to FBI spokeswoman Michele Ernst. Ernst said the FBI is ready to assist but declined to provide more information. The U.S. Marshals Service also said it would not give details. The U.S. Marshals Service is responsible for the protection of federal judicial officials, including judges and prosecutors, and we take that responsibility very seriously, the agency said in a statement. While we do not discuss our specific security measures, we continuously review the security measures in place for all federal judges and take appropriate steps to provide additional protection when it is warranted. Watson, a judge in the U.S. District Court of Hawaii in Honolulu, issued a scathing 43-page opinion against the travel ban the day before it was to go into effect. He wrote that, despite the bans stated secular purpose, Trumps own words marked the executive order as a fulfillment of the presidents campaign promise to temporarily bar Muslims from coming to the U.S. The illogic of the governments contention is palpable, Watson said. In response, Trump said Watsons ruling was terrible and makes us look weak. Trump has vowed to take the travel ban case to the U.S. Supreme Court. An appeal of a separate Maryland federal judges ruling against the travel ban is currently pending in the U.S. 4th District Court of Appeals. Facebook

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House GOP gives up on healthcare bill as Trump suffers first legislative defeat By Lisa Mascaro Unable to muster enough support from his own party, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan again postponed a vote Friday on the GOPs plan to overhaul the Affordable Care Act. The move came at the request of President Trump, who just Thursday night issued an ultimatum that lawmakers should hold the vote regardless of the outcome. It was the second time House GOP leaders had to delay a final reckon
The grandmother of a Mira Mesa military veterans family was sent back to Mexico on Friday, more than two weeks after she was picked up by immigration agents outside her house in unmarked SUVs on Valentines Day.

Clarissa Arredondo, 43, is an unauthorized immigrant, as is her daughter, Adriana Aparicio.

Aparicios husband is a Navy veteran working as a contractor in Afghanistan. The couple has two daughters, 2 and 3, and Arredondo helped take care of them.

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We get together all the time, Aparicio said. We can just be hanging out at her house, singing and dancing with the girls. They love doing that with her. She does their manicures and pedicures. She just spoils them.

Aparicio, 27, said officials told her family that her mom was an enforcement priority.

They consider my mom as a criminal for lying on paperwork to get welfare, Aparicio said, adding that officials said that happened more than a decade ago.

Arredondos case is one of many popping up around the nation as President Donald Trump sets out to redirect immigration enforcement priorities from his predecessors choice to focus on unauthorized immigrants who committed violent crimes.

Trumps administration is casting a much wider net, preparing to expand a border wall with Mexico and staffing up for more enforcement and more removals.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement was not able to answer questions before publication about why Arredondo was targeted. The San Diego Union-Tribune could not locate records of a conviction or violation.

Aparicio had no recollection of her mother using welfare or getting in trouble for doing so. She remembered her mom working three jobs, cleaning hotels, houses and apartments to make ends meet.

I had a happy childhood, Aparicio said. She made sure of that.

When Aparicio was about a month old, Arredondo crossed into the U.S. from Mexico with Aparicio and Aparicios father. Arredondo was 16 years old.

She was a child trying to make a way for her own child, Aparicio said.

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Arredondo left Aparicios father over alcoholism and raised their three children, Aparicio said. Her two brothers are U.S.-born.

Shed take us to work sometimes when she didnt have anyone to watch us, Aparicio recalled. Shes never given up.

Aparicios husband, Bennie Hill, has worked as a contractor in Afghanistan since he ended his seven-year service with the Navy.

His mother, Lt. Col. Marie Pauley, is on active duty in the Army and has been deployed around the world. She said she appreciates Arredondos role as the other grandmother in her grandchildrens lives.

Me being far away, she eases my heart, Pauley said via telephone, speaking in her own personal capacity and not on behalf of the Army. I havent been the good grandmother that can be there all the time. Im trying to live through her.

Shes just incredibly loving, Pauley added. I wish I could be that loving. Im such a military lady. Im a little tough, a little harder. Shes such a great balance of life.

Pauley called Arredondo the backbone of the family.

Shes not a criminal, Pauley said. Thats where Im at. I just feel that shes definitely not in that category, and I think we got it wrong.

She used to be at ease knowing Arredondo was there to help with the granddaughters, she said. Now, both she and her son are struggling to deal with the stress of the situation from far away.

Theres all this worry and stress that he doesnt need, Pauley said. He needs to focus on the job that hes doing for the United States government.

Pauley said shes even considering retiring sooner than planned so that she can come back to help her daughter-in-law in San Diego.

Some, like former San Diego Assemblyman and Marine veteran Nathan Fletcher, worried that President Donald Trumps executive orders would end a protocol that prevented parents, spouses and children of active military and veterans from being deported as long as they have no criminal history.

Arredondo would not have qualified because she is an in-law.

Aparicio is enrolled in former President Barack Obamas deferred action for childhood arrivals program or DACA and has applied for the military and veteran family protection, known as Parole in Place.

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly released a guidance memo for implementing Trumps order that said such parole should be used sparingly.

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The practice of granting parole to certain aliens in pre-designated categories in order to create immigration programs not established by Congress has contributed to a border security crisis, undermined the integrity of the immigration laws and the parole process, and created an incentive for additional illegal immigration, Kellys memo said.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, has since clarified that the policy for military families still exists.

After receiving protection through the Parole in Place program, some military family members may be eligible for green cards, said Maria Chavez, a local immigration attorney.

What Parole in Place does is, it only fixes the fact that the person entered the U.S. without inspection, Chavez said by telephone. Thats the only thing it fixes. If the person went in and out a whole lot or committed crimes, the Parole in Place wont necessarily fix that.

For Aparicio, until and unless she gets a green card, the idea of being separated from her mother is daunting, something her U.S. citizen brothers dont have to deal with.

They can see her, Aparicio said. Im worried because I dont know how much time will pass until I can giver her a hug.

Aparicio is studying to be a nurse, and her next session starts in two weeks. With both her husband and mother far away, she said its going to be hard to manage.

My two most important people have been snatched out of my life, Aparicio said.

kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate
Devyn Bisson had only been in Greece for six hours when the boat arrived.

The Huntington Beach documentary filmmaker had traveled to the Greek island of Lesbos to record a group of lifeguards in their efforts to prevent drowning deaths among Syrian refugees making the perilous journey to Europe.

She didnt have to wait long to start filming.

When the boat reached the Molyvos Beach, Bisson saw about 200 people, mostly pregnant women and children, crammed onboard, on the verge of hypothermia after being in a waterlogged vessel for nine hours in the middle of winter.

It was really hard to watch, she said. It looked like a bunch of walking dead people  they were so cold and so drained.

Ive never cried while filming something. But this was just a speechless kind of moment. It was the first time I had to stop filming and collect myself.

The moment would become the centerpiece of her new film, Lighthouse Molyvos, which will premiere in May at the Lido Theater in Newport Beach.

Bisson, 24, grew up in Huntington Beach, where she surfed and worked as a lifeguard. Although she never dreamed of becoming a Hollywood director, filmmaking was always in the back of her mind  because of surfing.

The whole sport revolves around film, because no one can watch our sport otherwise, she said. You can go to an arena and see whats going on right there, but for surfing, the whole way we communicate the trials and tribulations of catching waves is from film.

She entered Chapman Universitys documentary filmmaking program and started traveling internationally to make short films. In 2015, she completed her first feature-length film, The Wave I Ride, about female big-wave surfers.

I have a ton of adrenaline and Im really addicted to the power of storytelling, Bisson said. Im always looking for the next place where I can say something bold. I dont make films because theres an opportunity in front of me. Im pretty stubborn about the topics, so I wait for that passion to pull at me.

Lighthouse Molyvos became that passion.

In late 2015, Bisson heard that in the midst of the Syrian refugee crisis  months after the photo of a 3-year-old Syrian boy found drowned on a beach in Turkey shook the world  lifeguards with the International Surf and Lifesaving Assn. were massing in Greece to help boats arrive safely to shore.

She immediately knew this story would become her next project.

This was the first time that to my knowledge lifeguards were at the front lines of a worldwide crisis, she said.

So in January 2016, she traveled to Greece with ISLA  a group founded in 2008 by Huntington Beach lifeguards to provide lifeguard training and equipment donations around the world  to document the arrival of boats carrying Syrian refugees to Lesbos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea less than 10 miles from Turkey.

Even though its a short distance to travel, the boats being used made the trip dangerous.

The boats are highly unstable, extremely dangerous, with no backup or anything if theres a breech or pop or anything, said Olin Patterson, co-founder and director of ISLA. And theyd fill these boats up with people [to] well over capacity.

As a result, what should be a two- or three-hour trip could take up to 10 hours. And even if the boat did make it across the sea  many did not  the refugees still werent in the clear.

A big issue was the really dangerous, rocky coastline with swell, waves and currents, Patterson said. Boats would oftentimes come in at night, full speed, with way too many people on board, nobody knowing how to swim, and they would crash.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has estimated that in 2016 alone more than 2,500 refugees drowned while trying to flee to Europe.

The main scene in Bissons film shows the small, waterlogged boat packed with the couple of hundred people crash-landing onto shore. But one of the most powerful shots in the film, she said, is what she calls the lifejacket graveyard  a valley of 800,000 orange lifejackets that refugees wore while crossing the sea.

As Patterson explained, these vests are not flotation devices but cheap imitations stuffed with packing material like Styrofoam. Tests have proved them worthless, he said.

They wrapped these life vests around rocks and threw them overboard, he explained. And theres two to three minutes before water gets into the nooks and crannies of the packaging, and the life vests make you sink even more than if you werent wearing one.

Now that the issue of Syrian refugees has become even more politicized, Bisson discovered that her own understanding of her film had evolved.

Before, my go-to line was that I really loved that this film was made through the point of view of the lifeguards, because its nonpolitical, she said. If youre drowning, were lifeguards. Were not here to look at what your political background is, what your religion is. Were just going to rescue you.

But today she has a much different opinion.

Of course my film is political. Of course its about love, culture, society and race, because thats what being human is, she added. The reason I make films is because I want people to look deeper.

And I dont think that the level of storytelling our society is engaging with is at all parallel with our human capacity to love and give. And until those things match, were not going to be truly engaging with each other.

Caitlin Yoshiko Kandil is a contributor to Times Community News.
Patriotic fervor swept through Laguna Beach on Saturday as the community celebrated the citys 51st Patriots Day Parade.

The annual parade, held the first Saturday in March, showcased a variety of entrants such as civic and community organizations and school bands, including contingents from Laguna Beach High and Thurston Middle schools, and recognized a host of honorees.

This years theme, One America, celebrated the idea that the citizens of our nation and community come from all walks of life, according to the Patriots Day Parade website. Our differences are reflected in the practice of democracy during the election process, the site said.

This years honorees included grand marshals Aria and Makenzie Fischer, sisters who were on the U.S. womens water polo team that won gold during last summers Rio Olympics; Honored Patriot Bob Sternfels, a pilot with the U.S. Army Air Forces who participated in a bombing raid on Hitlers oil fields in Ploesti, Romania, during World War II; Citizen of the Year Douglas Miller, a painter, photographer and musician; Artist of the Year John Barber, who specializes in glass blowing; junior citizens of the year Wyatt Shipp and Madison Sinclair, both seniors at Laguna Beach High; program cover artist Jared Ghetian, a Laguna Beach High senior; and essay contest winner Claire Tigner, an eighth-grade student at Thurston.

The original parade was the brainchild of Emily Ross, a member of the Patience Wright Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, according to the parade website.

Ross wanted a parade that would instill in our youth a love of country and respect for the [American] flag, the website said.

With the help of Laguna Beach Exchange Club President Roy Marcom Jr., Daughters of the American Revolution regent Grace Wethe and Laguna Beach High School music director Karl Koenig, the parade was born.

Daughters of the American Revolution is a nonprofit volunteer womens service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism and preserving American history, according to the organizations website.

Grand marshals for the first parade in 1967 were Walter and Cordelia Knott, founders of Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park.

bryce.alderton@latimes.com

Twitter: @AldertonBryce
Tony Price has lived at the Costa Mesa Motor Inn for nearly 20 years. He says hes seen the good and the bad of whats occurred there.

On Thursday afternoon, just outside the shade of the Harbor Boulevard motels porte cochere, Price oversaw what was likely a first in the propertys history  a full-scale protest, about 100 people strong.

Its a good thing, he said of the event. Let the people know.

The protest served as a public outreach  or outrage, depending on ones perspective  to a pending proposal by the motels owner, Miracle Mile Properties, to demolish the 236-room motel at 2277 Harbor Blvd. next year and turn it into 224 apartments, whose starting rental prices are likely going to be far too high for the motels 50 estimated long-term tenants.

The City Council is scheduled to vote on the matter Nov. 3.

The protest, organized by the Costa Mesa Affordable Housing Coalition, was partially in reaction to Miracle Miles plans not to set aside any of the units for the low and very low income.

Participants chanted and waved at the passing rush-hour traffic. They held signs saying Motel Refugee, I am not a pimp or prostitute, Im no vagrant and City Council should care about our CM poor.

Some tapped on tambourines. Children played on the grass in front of the motel. Others brought their dogs.

From across the street at the Harbor Center, Costa Mesa police kept tabs on the scene.

Costa Mesa Affordable Housing Coalition member and protest organizer Kathy Esfahani was pleased at the turnout.

I think its really exciting, she said. Theres a lot of support. People understand this is an issue.

Esfahani noted how of the thousands of new housing units being proposed and built in Costa Mesa, none of them have been slated for the poor. Rather, she contended, its been a series of too many favors given to developers.

Esfahani and others are hoping to see Miracle Miles new project include affordable units. As of now, it is not. Miracle Mile has said it plans to have units for the moderate income, or about $80,000 a year.

Councilwoman Sandy Genis stopped by the protest, her two dogs in tow. She said she came to see if a rumored counter-protest was going to occur. It didnt.

Of those who did come, it definitely shows that people are concerned about this issue, Genis said.

Newport Beach resident Thomas Peterson, an assistant social-work professor at USC, brought several of his students to the protest.

Were here to support affordable housing for everybody, he said.

One of Petersons graduate students, Corina Perez, added that the situation for those at the Motor Inn is deceptively complicated. The families there  City Hall estimates that about 50 long-term tenants live at the motel  will be forced to relocate.

Such change brings considerable personal turmoil, Perez said.

Theres so much more to it than whats presented on the exterior, she said.

Todd Coleman has lived in the Motor Inn with his wife for the last three years. Coleman, a journeyman carpenter, said he felt the core issue was a lack of adequate rent control measures and how Californias minimum wage doesnt cover basic expenses with rents being what they are.

Lee Doering saw the protest from his Motor Inn room. The 66-year-old former Coast Guardsman has lived there with his wife, Margaret, 55, for about a year and in Costa Mesa for 30 years.

From his vantage point, he said he doesnt see some of the alleged issues at Motor Inn and its environs, like the criminal activity or unsavory characters.

Its a very clean, nice place, Doering said. The problems are down to zero.

He added that he and his wife, however, are on the hunt for another place.

Miracle Mile has told city officials it will give as much as $5,500 worth of relocation assistance to the displaced residents and families following the Motor Inns closure, tentatively scheduled for Aug. 1.

That will not get them housing in Costa Mesa, Esfahani said. She called the deal a ticket out of town.

Price was worried how far the money would take him.

How long is that gonna last? he said.
ITALY

Presentation

Patty Civalleri, author of the upcoming book Florence: A Travelers Guide to Its Gems and Giants, will discuss her favorite historical, architectural and artistic spots in the city.

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Monday at Distant Lands, 20 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena.

Admission, info: Free. RSVP to (626) 449-3220.

MT. WHITNEY

Presentation

REI experts will discuss how to apply for a permit, plan a hiking route and choose proper gear.

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When, where: 7 p.m. Thursday at the REI store in Arcadia, 214 N. Santa Anita Ave.

Admission, info: Free. (626) 447-1062

SAN PEDRO

Tide pool walk

Watch a slide show, then explore the tide pools at Point Fermin on a walk led by staff from the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

When, where: 1-2:30 p.m. Saturday and 3-4:30 p.m. March 12. John M. Olguin Auditorium, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, 3720 Stephen M. White Drive, San Pedro.

Admission, info: Free. (310) 548-7562. Spanish-language presentation offered on March 12.

Please email announcements at least three weeks before the event to travel@latimes.com.
Ruling out a no-spy agreement with any country, President Obama acknowledged Friday that the United States had not reached a deal with Germany to limit U.S. surveillance on its territory.

The U.S. and Germany have been negotiating over mutual rules for intelligence-gathering aimed at each other, but there are still some gaps that need to be worked through, Obama said during a White House news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Merkel characterized those gaps as differences of opinion over issues, for example, of proportionality and the like. Germanys leading news magazine, Der Spiegel, has reported that German officials have pressed the U.S. for an agreement not to spy but have been rebuffed.

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We do not have a blanket no-spy agreement with any country, Obama said. What we do have are a series of partnerships and procedures and processes that are built up between the various intelligence agencies.

The conflict between the two allies stems from revelations last year by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden that exposed U.S. spying on Germany, including the monitoring of Merkels personal cellphone. The disclosures also led Der Spiegel to publish an article in October about NSA operations at the U.S. Embassy in Germany headlined, The NSAs Secret Spy Hub in Berlin.

Obama, who met with Merkel in the Oval Office, said his administration was committed to a U.S.-German cyber dialogue to close further the gaps that may exist in terms of how we operate and to make sure that there is transparency and clarity about what were doing and what our goals and our intentions are.

On Friday, he sought to soothe tension with Germany, an essential ally in many of his foreign policy goals, by reassuring Germans that they were not being targeted by an espionage dragnet.

We have shared with the Germans the things that we are doing, Obama said. I will repeat what Ive said before, that ordinary Germans are not subject to continual surveillance, are not subject to a whole range of bulk data-gathering.

Last month, Der Spiegel reported that NSA documents showed 300 references to Merkel in a database of targeted foreign leaders. In recent weeks, a German member of parliament said Merkel had asked to see the fruits of the NSAs spying on her, but the request had been denied by American officials, according to a representative for the German Interior Ministry. U.S. officials declined to comment.

Some U.S. officials have said it was unwise to target Merkel, but others said German leaders were unsurprising objects of American spying, given the extent to which German and American interests often diverge in international affairs.

As one example, Joseph Wippl, a former senior CIA officer who served in Germany, noted that Germany has a relationship with Russia, and I think it really behooves us to understand that relationship.

In a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce after her meeting with Obama, Merkel said her concerns had not been met.

In a nutshell, the end never justifies the means, and not everything that is technologically feasible should be done, she said.
On a warm day in late fall, hundreds of children, parents and local dignitaries streamed into a once-empty lot in a small town in the mountains of northern Lebanon to celebrate the inauguration of a new park and playground.

Children jostled in an unruly semblance of a line to go down one of the giant inflatable slides brought in for the occasion. Performers dressed as clowns and Winnie the Pooh wove among mothers in hijabs.

There was nothing for families to do here before, said Ali Salah Eddine, head of the local nonprofit, Jeel al Amal, or Generation Hope, which spearheaded the project in the town of Fneideq. Now the whole family can come and bring their children.

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A banner hanging from the half-finished cinder block building next to the park announced that the project was paid for by the United States Agency for International Development.

The project was part of a strategy that the U.S. and other wealthy countries have turned to increasingly in recent years: using development aid as a means to prevent terrorism and violent extremism. The future of that approach is now in question under the Trump administration, which has proposed sharp cuts in foreign aid programs generally.

President Obama delivers remarks in Washington in February 2015 about countering violent extremism. (Jim Watson / AFP/Getty Images)

In early 2015, then-President Obama convened a gathering on countering violent extremism with officials from more than 60 countries.

When people  especially young people  feel entirely trapped in impoverished communities, where there is no order and no path for advancement, where there are no educational opportunities, where there are no ways to support families, and no escape from injustice and the humiliations of corruption  that feeds instability and disorder, and makes those communities ripe for extremist recruitment, Obama told the gathering.

Last year, then-United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon presented a plan for preventing violent extremism, which noted that the problem has reached a level of threat and sophistication that requires concerted action beyond law enforcement, military or security measures to address development, good governance, human rights and humanitarian concerns.

The amount of money the U.S. has devoted to development-based counterterrorism programs is dwarfed by the amount spent on military operations. Of the $1.6 trillion spent fighting terrorism from 2001 to 2014, 6% went to foreign aid and diplomacy, according to a Congressional Research Service report.

USAIDs Office of Transition Initiatives, which carries out development projects in conflict-prone areas  including the park in Fneideq  had a budget of $67 million last year for operations in 13 countries.

Still, the amount devoted to soft counterterrorism has been growing. The Obama administration requested $187 million in the 2017 budget for the State Department to counter violent extremism, more than double the amount in the 2015 budget.

Daniel Aldrich, a professor of political science at Northeastern University who evaluated USAID programs aimed at preventing violent extremism in Mali, called the development-based approach promising, but not straightforward.

I think for a while, USAID envisioned these programs as kind of a silver bullet and I think what we found was a little more subtle, he said.

One issue, Aldrich said, is that its difficult to measure the success of counterterrorism programs in general.

How do we measure what hasnt happened? he said.

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Elizabeth H. Richard acknowledged that difficulty, but pointed to the relative calm that has prevailed in Lebanon amid the potentially explosive circumstances of the past few years as a marker of success.

The fact that the situation in Lebanon hasnt resulted in serious instability as a result of the refugee crisis is due in large part to the efforts of the international community to help Lebanon meet this challenge, she said.

Lebanon has seen an influx of development money in recent years from the U.S. and other wealthy countries concerned about tamping down a potential spread of the violence from neighboring Syria.

The country of about 6 million people is hosting more than 1 million Syrian refugees, a situation that has exacerbated long-standing internal sectarian tensions and created new divisions, according to a statement from the Office of Transition Initiatives.

Lebanon fought a bitter civil war of its own from 1975 to 1990, which led to an extended occupation of the country by Syrian forces. While the Lebanese civil war was largely a conflict between Muslims and Christians, in recent years, sectarian tensions in Lebanon have flared primarily between different Muslim groups, exacerbated by political divisions over the war in Syria.

The powerful Shiite political party and militia Hezbollah  regarded as a terrorist organization by the United States  has sent fighters to support the regime of Bashar Assad in Syria. Meanwhile, Sunni fighters from Lebanon have gone to join the largely Sunni rebels fighting the Syrian regime  including, in some cases, extremist groups such as Islamic State.

Last year, USAID spent $110 million on a range of programs in Lebanon, not all focused on preventing extremism. Projects have included water system improvements in areas where refugees have competed with host communities for resources; solar lighting on roads in areas with security concerns; and a Christmas food market in the city of Tripoli, which saw outbreaks of sectarian fighting in recent years spurred by tensions over the war in Syria.

Countries including Britain, France and Denmark have funded or are exploring their own programs aimed at using development dollars to counter extremism. And the United Nations Development Program spent more than $50 million last year on projects aimed at helping Lebanese host communities cope with the influx of refugees.

Fneideq is a primarily Sunni town in a remote area largely neglected by the central government, and hosts a substantial population of Syrian refugees. (Depending on the regional accent, its pronounced either FNAY-dek or FNAY-de)

With few local employment opportunities, outside of the apple orchards that surround the town, Fneideq is known in the area as a recruiting ground for the Lebanese army. In 2014, a Lebanese army soldier from Fneideq was captured and beheaded by the Islamic State while fighting on Lebanons eastern border.

But the town is also a recruiting ground for militant groups in Syria. In 2015, the son of Fneideqs then-mayor died fighting alongside the Islamic State in Iraq. His father told reporters on national television, I take pride in the martyrdom of my son.

Salah Eddine said he believes programs such as the park and the youth classes his organization runs can help dissuade young people from joining extremist groups.

But Liat Shetret, a senior adviser with the Global Center on Cooperative Security, said that while infrastructure projects like the park can help bring communities together, they dont necessarily help counter extremism.

I predominantly see it as a political opener and a trust-building mechanism, because that same playground could just as easily be used for recruitment purposes, she said.

Still, Shetret said there has been a growing consensus among policymakers in recent years that economic development and security go hand in hand.

That consensus may be on shaky ground under the Trump administration.

President Trump questioned the value of foreign aid while on the campaign trail, and the White House last week proposed deep cuts in the State Department budget to help pay for increases in military spending. The president did not specify which foreign aid programs would be on the chopping block.

Trumps new head of the Office of Management and Budget, Mick Mulvaney, said Saturday on Fox News that the administration planned fairly dramatic reductions in foreign aid, but did not specify which programs would be cut.

The proposed cuts drew immediate criticism from congressional Republicans as well as Democrats.

Since Trump took office, his administration has also reportedly discussed restructuring the countering violent extremism program and renaming it something like countering Islamic extremism.

The White House would not comment on the record to The Times about the potential name change and future funding of development programs aimed at countering violent extremism.

James Carafano, an analyst on security and foreign policy with the conservative Heritage Foundation who served on Trumps transition team, said he does not know the administrations plans for programs to counter extremism abroad. But he expressed skepticism about them.

I have issues with the efficacy of a lot of these programs, whether theyre actually producing results that are measurable, and with the scale, he said. I personally would be OK with cutting a lot of them.

State Department spokeswoman Rhonda Shore, asked about the future funding and direction of the countering violent extremism programs, said only that the budget for this year has not yet been determined, so any comment about it would be premature.

Sewell is a special correspondent.
More than two years after a multi-sided civil war erupted inside Yemen that allowed Al Qaedas local franchise to amass power and seize territory, President Trump has directed the Pentagon to embark on a complicated counter-terrorism campaign.

Trumps decision, just six weeks into his presidency, intends to reverse the largely unchecked expansion across southern Yemen of the group, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

The willingness to expand counter-terrorism operations inside war-torn Yemen was the latest signal that Trump is more willing to defer to military commanders on national security policy than President Obama, who was criticized publicly by three of his four Defense secretaries and privately by uniformed officers for micromanaging the military.

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Over two days this week, armed drones and warplanes conducted more than 30 airstrikes against suspected Al Qaeda positions in three Yemeni provinces, marking the first U.S. attacks in the country since an ill-fated Navy SEAL raid in January that killed two dozen civilians, including women and children, Al Qaeda militants and Chief Petty Officer William Ryan Owens.

The aerial bombardment is expected to continue into the coming week. Trump is also considering granting more latitude to U.S. military commanders to conduct operations in Yemen, including more airstrikes and ground raids.

The militant group is considered by intelligence officials to be Al Qaedas most dangerous affiliate because of its repeated attempts to attack American targets, including the bombing attempt aboard a U.S.-bound airliner over Detroit in 2009 and a failed attack on two cargo planes headed to Chicago in 2010. The group also claimed responsibility for the shooting that killed 12 people at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris in 2015.

No specific threats or plots were being tracked in Yemen, Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said Friday. Rather, he said, the latest strikes were designed to eliminate the Yemeni countryside as a place where they can plot and execute external attacks.

The U.S. military did not specify why the operation kicked off this week. Targets inside Yemen, the Arab worlds poorest nation, have been under surveillance for months.

U.S. intelligence officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly on ongoing operations, said the information on targeting AQAP more aggressively was presented to the Obama administration in their last month in office, but that they deferred to Trump.

Defense Secretary James N. Mattis and Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, presented the strategy to Trump over dinner in his first week in office. The authority was granted to Gen. Joseph Votel, top U.S. commander in the Middle East, to carry out the Jan. 29 special operations raid and airstrikes on a list of targets.

The delegation of authority could be seen as a way for Trump to insulate himself from responsibility when operations go awry.

In an interview Thursday on Fox News, Trump was asked about the January raid on a remote compound in Yakla village that devolved into the fierce and deadly shootout.

This was a mission that was started before I got here, Trump said. This was something they wanted to do.

They came to me, they explained what they wanted to do  the generals  who are very respected, my generals are the most respected that weve had in many decades, I believe, he added. And they lost Ryan.

Later that day, Trump invited Owens widow to his first address to Congress and publicly praised the SEAL as a hero.

James J. Carafano, foreign policy and defense analyst for the right-leaning Heritage Foundation who advised the Trump transition, criticized Obama for micromanaging military decisions but said presidents must be willing to accept accountability.

You can delegate authority but not responsibility, he said. In a sense, you put your personal reputation at risk. So if you delegate authority and then something goes wrong, because you hold the responsibility, the fault comes back on you.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer defended Trumps strategy, noting that Trump relies heavily on input from military leaders, whereas Obama was criticized for nixing their proposals.

He chose these highly qualified individuals because he believes in their expertise and understanding of the issues, Spicer said of Trump.

The Pentagon said military operations in Yemen are being coordinated with President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadis fragile government.

Yemen has been edging toward anarchy since late 2014, when Iranian-backed Shiite Muslim rebels known as Houthis swept in from their homeland in the countrys northwest corner to seize the capital, Sana.

Amid the resulting chaos, the Obama administration closed the U.S. embassy in Sana months later and pulled out special operations forces gathering intelligence and launching drone strikes.

When Houthi rebels appeared on the verge of capturing Aden, the countrys economic hub, Arab coalition forces, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, launched a counterattack in March 2015. By then, the rebels had forced Hadi into exile and controlled much of the country.

Saudi airstrikes, backed by U.S. intelligence and refueling, chiefly targeted the Houthis, not Al Qaeda.

With a relative free hand to operate in Yemen, AQAP has flourished amid the power vacuum, looting banks and raising millions of dollars by extorting companies, imposing taxes and export duties.

Within Yemen, where it is not uncommon to see billboards that read USA kills Yemenis, some see U.S. intervention as likely only to make the situation worse.

What is happening is really and unfortunately painting a dark picture of the coming period in Yemen, which would be protracted insecurity, instability for many years to come, said Muneer Talal, a 46-year-old TV director from the countrys Taizz governorate.

Over the last two years, the Pentagon sporadically launched drone strikes against AQAP leaders, but has struggled to gain intelligence on the inner workings of the group since the U.S. government pulled out of Yemen.

The Pentagon remained concerned about the group because of its proven ability to export attacks.

We have a lot of gaps in our understanding of the organization, a defense official told reporters on the condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to speak publicly about intelligence. But its clear to us what theyre capable of, what its done in the past, and what it continues to clearly telegraph what it would like to do in the future.

The dearth of information prompted, in part, the rare on-the-ground Navy SEAL raid. The intent of the mission was to collect cellphones, laptops and other equipment containing intelligence, and operatives found phone numbers, contact information and data, U.S. officials have said. The captured data, however, is not informing the current military campaign.

Times staff writer Michael A. Memoli in Washington and special correspondent Zaid Ahmed in Sana contributed to this report.

william.hennigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @wjhenn

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It might not be long before the inscription atop Yellowstone National Parks iconic Roosevelt Arch is posted in Interior Secretary Ryan Zinkes new digs.

Its what the new secretary says is his mission for the U.S. Department of Interiors management of federal lands: For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.

Sitting in my office and I am now recognizing the task before me. Im excited about it. Its great to be asked by the president to be his voice on public lands, Zinke said Friday. I look forward to going out in the field and visiting our parks, our refuges and our holdings and just talking to the people. It goes back to the benefit and enjoyment of the people, and I tend to live up to the model.

The Republican from Montana has repeated the statement often since saddling up and riding to work with the mounted National Mall Police on Thursday. He was then greeted by his new staff as a Northern Cheyenne Indian drummer pounded out an honor song at the top of the Department of the Interior steps. It was a dramatic departure from his job as just one vote out of 435 in U.S. House. Zinke is the only congressman from a state so wide it falls just a few miles short of taking up an entire time zone.

It was just two years ago when Zinke was moving into his House office. Hed been a state legislator for a couple terms in the last decade. Before that he was 23-year veteran of the Navy SEALs, where he reached the rank of commander. He served in Iraq.

In President Donald J. Trumps Cabinet of millionaires, Zinke, 55, is tied with Vice President Mike Pence as the least wealthy, by a long shot. Minus his congressional salary, Zinkes non-government worth is about $800,000 and includes a 1938 Cadillac, a Harley Davidson, some family art and some rental properties, most notably in the Montana timber and ski town of Whitefish, where Zinke, a plumbers son, grew up in the shadow of Glacier National Park.

It is impossible to look in any direction from Zinkes hometown without seeing federal land. The local ski resort, Big Mountain, occupies land leased from the Forest Service. There is a tight green stubble on the landscape where a legacy logging industry sawed jobs from federal timber. Theres the national park and to the east of it the Blackfeet Indian Reservation before the landscape flattens into millions of acres of Bureau of Land Management grazing land, punctuated by farm communities founded in the land rush of the early 1900s.

Several battles concerning public lands await the new Interior secretary. In Utah tempers are flaring over the Bears Ears National Monument. The ears are twin buttes that poke from Southern Utahs Elk Ridge. The features are surrounded by canyons, mesas and cliffs that include archaeological sites.

Former President Barack Obama declared the 1.35 million-acre monument before leaving office last year. Utah Republicans, like Rep. Jason Chaffetz have said the they hope President Trump and Zinke eliminate the monument status.

Republicans' stand on Bears Ears cost Utah the nations largest outdoors show, which brought 50,000 visitors to the state and $45 million year. Organizers said they couldnt support a state that didnt support Bears Ears.

Zinke didnt say the monument would be undone, but it might be changed.

I think we should follow the law in that there is no doubt there are areas that should have special protection and a monument is appropriate, Zinke said. But we should work with local communities, we should work with the states. We should follow the law that monuments should be appropriate to the specific areas that deserve that protection. Some of the monuments created in the last administration were popular. They had grassroots support. They had broad support at the state level. And other monuments, especially those that were created late and the actions that were taken late in administration, they do they smell of political agenda rather than gaining consensus. And theyve become viewed in many parts, especially in Utah, as, once again, breaching this bond of trust. And so my task as a secretary is to review all actions that were taken to make sure that we are and advocate for the local voice and advocate for the state and be seen as partners rather than adversaries.

The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument is an example of declaration that worked. The 330,780-acre monument in Northern California was widely supported by the community. Thats the support for a monument Zinke prefers.

A president has never undone a previous presidents national monument. Zinke said theres nothing in the law that prohibits nullification, but theres nothing that clearly allows it, either. But national monuments can be changed.

"Theres no doubt that a president can modify a monument that has been done before. Theres precedent in that, Zinke said. I think what the goal is on monument designation is to make sure you have local, and state, broad support of the people who live there the people who are most affected by the monument. And of course that speaks to what my motto has been and will be: for the enjoyment of the people, which is on the Roosevelt Arch.

Standing Rock and Malheur

If the federal government had better local relations, it would hopefully have fewer protests like the one at Standing Rock, North Dakota, where the Dakota Access Pipeline is to cross beneath the Missouri River. The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge standoff in Oregon is another example where Zinke said things might have been different if public perception of federal land management were different. Federal property was damaged, and in the Malheur standoff someone died. Both incidents cost the federal government millions of dollars that could have been spent on restoration and management, he said.

Going forward, when the public sees a Fish and Wildlife truck, or a BLM truck, I want the public to think about management, Zinke said, Wildlife and land management rather than law enforcement. And I think thats an important distinction. Going forward, again, my biggest task is to restore trust at the local level, and thats being an advocate and making sure people believe they have a voice.

Tribal relations

I think with the tribes, and Ive talked with the tribes extensively before, although as a congressman I had the best relationship with the tribes in Montana, Zinke said. As a secretary now of Interior I have to have the same relationship with all tribes.

I think it stems from three things. One is sovereignty, and sovereignty has to be more than a word. Sovereignty has to mean something. Two is respect. And three is self-determination. And thats making sure the tribes have the tools to shape their own destiny and the authority to do that. As you know, even in the West, tribes are not monolithic, meaning that some tribes are pro-resource, pro-energy, pro-fossil fuels. And other tribes stand staunchly against that. I think it goes back to respect and sovereignty that each tribe in my judgement has to have the authority, the tools to carve their own path. And also from the Department of the Interior is to understand culturally many of these tribes are different, and their path may be unique to them, and I have to respect that.
The Leitrim Design House are delighted to launch a new exhibition of paintings by Brigid Birney on ART WALL on Wednesday, March 8 at 7.30pm.

Colour, light and movement are the essence of this Leitrim artists work.



Her love of nature and being outdoors has been the inspiration behind this exhibition titled Ethereal.

Brigid described this body of work as follows: Ive endeavored to create work for this exhibition that is a feast for the eyes. I observe first, and then paint from memory I describe my work as spontaneous and vibrant, with visions inspired by reality and enhanced with fantasy. My approach to painting is observation based, followed in many cases by painting from memory. This allows me freedom in the application of paint, while at the same time creating a vibrant energy within the painting



Living now in Kinlough, working alongside her children, painting and mothering complement each other. There is no division of roles, no division of time. Her home is a haven of creativity. Brigid has exhibited extensively throughout Ireland and her work has been selected to hang on the walls of well renowned chef Neven Maguires MacNean's House and her new work is continuously displayed in their restaurant, dining room and upstairs gallery. Brigids work is held in many private and public collections including the Office of Public Works and throughout the UK and America.



These very collectible paintings may be purchased simply by placing a deposit and paid off over a number of weeks, making it an easy and affordable way to start your own collection! Come along on March 8 and meet the artist behind the work.



International Womens Day celebrations takes place later on the same evening in The Dock at 8.30pm. Some of Leitrims creative leaders, will be talking about the rich traditions of the County and the people and things that have inspired their creative lives and journeys. March 8 promises to be an evening of inspirational talent from Leitrim not to be missed!

For further information visit www.leitrimdesignhouse.ie. For more more information call 071 9650550.
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I give you this series of early morning tweets from the President of the United States of America, as collated by Taegan Goddards Political Wire:

Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! Is it legal for a sitting President to be wire tapping a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW! Id bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election! How low has President Obama gone to tapp (sic) my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!

These ludicrous accusations are based, apparently, on a conspiracy theory in the far right-wing media. Donald Trump is obviously and desperately trying to deflect attention from the Russiagate controversy swirling around his presidency.

An Obama spokesperson replied:

A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice. As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false.

If we step back, we can consider some of the people who have graced the Oval Office: Abraham Lincoln, Dwight D Eisenhower, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin D Roosevelt, George H W Bush, John F Kennedy, Woodrow Wilson, Barack Obama and then we see this dangerous, complete joke of a President tweeting before hes shaved. The fine world reputation of successive US Presidents as, more or less, wise and sensible people is being trashed by one man who received three million less votes than his competitor.

Im sorry but Americans  you are responsible for this total joke and you need to sort it out. Your reputation as one of the finest nations on the face of the earth has been trashed in two months of the most disgraceful presidency ever. Whether it be ensuring Trump isnt re-elected, and/or reforming the Presidential electoral system, Americans are the only people who own this mess and can do something about it.

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
On 5th March 1770 outside the customs house on Kings Street, Boston, Private Hugh White was talking to some off-duty comrades when a passing Bostonian made a crack about the British soldiers commanding officer  prompting Pvt White to clock the civilian across the side of the head. The off-duty soldiers made themselves scarce, leaving the private to deal with the fast-growing ring of angry Bostonians that soon surrounded him. White backed up against the custom house door  gun raised out of fear of what might happen next. The growing crowd heckled him, daring him to shoot.

Up the street, Captain Preston, commander of the custom house garrison, watched events unfold. The Captain was hoping that the situation would resolve itself naturally but soon the church bells started tolling and more men, many armed with clubs, started showing up and Preston knew it was high-time that he went to get his man. He led a corporal and six privates through the crowd, now numbering 300-400 strong, towards Private White but rather than just pulling the soldier out from the situation he ordered his men to form a semi-circle around him while facing the crowd, guns unfortunately loaded.

A tense 15-minute stand-off ensued that involved the crowd throwing insults and snowballs at the British soldiers. One of those snowballs, inevitably hit the face of the private at the end of the line. He fell to the ground, probably more from slipping on the ice than from the impact of the projectile, but soon jumped back to his feet he fired his gun.

While reports conflict on how long the pause followed the first shot, soon the jumpy soldiers were firing into the crowd. 11 men were hit; five ultimately dying, the rest injured. While a full regiments worth of soldiers were on hand to secure the peace, the crowd continued to grow and was only dispersed once a full inquiry into the incident was promised. The next morning, Captain Preston and his men were arrested.

In the months that followed a fierce debate arose in the press as both radicals and conservatives fought to control the story. Were these innocent boys ruthlessly gunned down by the cruel lobster-backs (as the British soldiers were commonly known) or were they brave soldiers defending their comrade and themselves against vile hooligans who had been spoiling for a fight? It was in these months that silversmith Paul Revere produced his famous plate of the incident, showing a line of stone-faced, disciplined troops firing into an unsuspecting crowd. His piece, titled The Bloody Massacre, did much to influence public opinion across the British Colonies in North America and began to portray the British soldiers as nothing more than part of an occupying army and in time, became cemented in the creation myth of the United States of America.

While the Boston Massacre (as it has come to be known for perpetuity) was a tragic event, it was by no means a massacre in the defined sense. What is more important was how the incident was used to create and drive a narrative of events that were accepted as fact rather than opinion, and which allowed those who wanted to shape the story of the past for their own benefits to do so unchallenged.

This point is even more important today, and we must be careful not to accept the narratives others use without protest or our arguments (and future debate) will be shaped by those narratives. We need to start challenging phrases like Liberal Elites, Take Back Control, Remoaners, Will of the People and Enemies of the State or they will begin to shape the narrative of current events and shape every future debate. Lets not let them become cemented in the creation myth of Brexit Britain. History does not have to be written by the victors.

* Ian Thomas is the pseudonym for a party member. His identity is known to the Lib Dem Voice editorial team.
Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 471st weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere  Featuring the five most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (26 February  4 March , 2017), together with a hand-picked seven you might otherwise have missed.

Dont forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox  just click here  ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging.

As ever, lets start with the most popular post, and work our way down:

1. Which Labour MPs might throw the towel in next? I speculate by Nick Tyrone on NickTyrone.com.

Where could the next by-elections happen?

2. On whether the Lib Dems can pull off the shock win in Manchester Gorton by Neil Monnery on The Ramblings of Neil Monnery.

What circumstances could trigger a massive upset? Neil investigates.

3. The Richmond Park by-eleciton and some local history by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England.

Jonathan looks back to the 70s and 80s for the foundations of local success.

4. On the Lib Dems polling at 23%  in London by Neil Monnery on The Ramblings of Neil Monnery.

Theres everything to play for, says Neil.

5. Labours Brexit divisions widen after Lords vote by Peter Black on Peter Black.

Peter on the trouble in Corbyns paradise.

And now to the seven blog-posts that come highly recommended, regardless of the number of Aggregator click-throughs they attracted. To nominate a Lib Dem blog article published in the past seven days  your own, or someone elses, all you have to do is drop a line to [email protected] You can also contact us via Twitter, where were @libdemvoice

6. Labour shows the problem with a core not strategy by Matthew Green on Thinking Liberal.

Sure, the few Labour voters left love Corbyn.

7. Remainers Diary Day 167 by Jo Hayes on Facebook .

Jo takes apart Theresa Mays speech to the Scottish Tory Conference.

8. Trump horcrux unearthed by Northern Ireland election by Stephen Glenn on Stephens liberal journal.

Arlene has been taking lessons in media management from the guy across the pond.

9. Northern Ireland elections and the political centre by Nick Barlow on What you can get away with.

Some theorising about the political centre and parties of the centre.

10. On only retweeting women of colour in Black History Month by Louise Ankers on From one of the Jilted Generation.

Louise on the lessons she has learned so far.

11. Remainers Diary Day 163 by Jo Hayes on Facebook.

That vote where Labour abandoned the single market and John Major was rubbished by Brexiteer Tories

12. News from abroad by Cicero on Ciceros Songs.

Whats the difference between the media here and in the US?

And thats it for another week. Happy blogging n reading n nominating.

Featured? Add this to your blog post!



<a href="https://www.libdemvoice.org/top-of-the-blogs-the-lib-dem-golden-dozen-471-53516.html"><img src="https://www.libdemvoice.org/images/golden-dozen.png" width="200" height="57" alt="Featured on Liberal Democrat Voice" title="Featured on Liberal Democrat Voice" /></a>

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
THE CANCELLATION of the Askeaton point-to-point could mean losses of up to 1m for the local economy, according to the club responsible for organising the event.

The point-to-point was due to take place on February 13 of this year but was cancelled after the farmer renting the land from the Shannon Group exercised his right in a renewed lease to refuse its use for the fixture.

The Stonehall Harriers had a formal deal with Shannon Development for the past 25 years for use of a Shannon-owned farm in the area. Shannon Developments assets have since been transferred over to the new Shannon Group.

The written confirmation of the old deal shows that the Stonehall Harriers would pay 700 to Shannon Development and adhere to certain conditions to have use of the lands for around six weeks every year, while the renting farmer would have use of it for the rest of the year.

This was subject to change, according to the agreement, and any changes would be put in writing from the Shannon group.

But the point-to-point group claims that it did not receive any written notification about the change in its agreement when the lands changed over to Shannon Properties.

A spokesperson for Shannon Group said: A new lease agreement for the property was signed with a local farmer last year, with the Askeaton Point-to-Point Committee also having been afforded the opportunity to tender for that lease.

Shannon Commercial Properties, as a result of the new lease agreement, does not decide whether or not the point-to-point is held on the site.

The club makes thousands of euro worth of contributions to local businesses, and losses in the tourism and hospitality sector from visitors have also been recognised by Dunraven Arms and the Woodlands House Hotel.

Point-to-point horses become a very valuable commodity in this country, its a huge business, and theres always about eight to 10 people in here from England every weekend looking for a horse, said Stonehall Harriers treasurer Tommy Kelly.

Its an awful lot of money to the economy, at the end of the day. Youre looking at a million of a loss to the Irish economy, easily, he added.

Point-to-point horses regularly fetch hundreds of thousands after a win, when they are scouted by big players in the business.

A four-year-old winner made over 500,000 last week, added Mr Kelly.

Not only does the Askeaton Point-to-Point bring large crowds to the area itself on the day of the race, but there is a huge ancillary industry employed around it, sustaining small farms and local businesses and promoting Askeaton as an integral part of the point-to-point fixtures season, said Independent Cllr Emmett OBrien.

Askeaton and the surrounding parishes have a great history and record of producing high calibre race horses and this point-to-point is crucial to local owners and breeders whose horses are highly sought after from all over Ireland and the UK, he added.
PALLASGREENS Marie Grace is unrecognisable physically but more importantly mentally after her Operation Transformation experience.

On the final episode of this years series, Dr Eddie Murphy, psychologist, put it best when he said: Everyone in the country has fallen in love with you. I think you are amazing.

Mare lost 1st 5lbs in just two months. Her starting weight was 14st 1lbs.

I am definitely much happier, much fitter and much healthier than I would have been. I am gone back to the way I would have been before I lost Michaela. I am just way happier in myself, said Marie, who is married to Fergal.

The couple tragically lost their daughter Michaela over two years ago after Marie was rushed to hospital at six months pregnant. Marie spoke movingly and honestly about the profound effect this had on her.

In one clip Marie and Fergal visited Michaelas grave.

It was about two years since I had been there. I would have gone down after I lost Michaela first but as soon as I got pregnant with Daisy I had it in my head that you are not supposed to go into a graveyard when you are pregnant so I wouldnt go in but Daisy is a year old next week and I still hadnt gone in up to a couple of weeks ago, said Marie.

Her story has resonated with many. A couple drove down from Mayo and one woman travelled from Cork to meet her in N&R Hair Studio, where she works as hairdresser. Before the final 5k run a lady told her she has helped her family.

She was crying her eyes out. She said her daughter lost a baby at the same time as I did. She said they were not ready to deal with it yet. She said they will miss watching me on the television because they could see how much I have changed.

It was lovely but it was upsetting too because she was so upset. She said they barely would have spoken about their loss before they saw me on the television. She said they now are starting to talk about it. If me talking about helps one couple it is great, said Marie.

The mum of Lily Mai and Daisy has also inspired her own community. As part of her training regime Marie started walking five kilometres three nights a week from Knockane GAA Club. And over 100 joined her every night.

We will keep them going as long as people show up. If only myself and someone else turns up I will do it. It is Mondays and Fridays at 8pm and Wednesdays at 7.30pm.

It was lashing rain on Monday and Wednesday of last week and there was over 100. For such a small area it is crazy how many are showing up.

Loads of people have come up to me saying, I have nearly a stone lost and I am following the plan.

One girl, in particular. is thrilled. She said, Please can you keep the walks going on after the show finishes. Whoever wants to show up is more than welcome, said Marie.

She isnt the only one to have lost weight in the Grace household.

Fergal has lost over a stone and 2 or 3 lbs. We would never have got a babysitter before  I wouldnt have bothered going out  where as now we are actually getting one and Fergal comes out running with me.

Going from blonde to jet black for her transformation was a shock to viewers but not to those who know Marie best.

Being a hairdresser Im always changing the colour of my hair, she said.

But the dramatic make-over meant that she passed individuals who she worked with on the show in the corridors of RTE and they didnt recognise her! But everybody agrees it suits her down to the ground.

Another big change was stopping smoking.

I am off them for over eight weeks. It doesnt bother me at all, she said.

Marie says applying for Operation Transformation is definitely one of the best things I have ever done in my life.

It really was and if you asked Fergal he would say the same thing. He keep saying to me, Marie you are like a completely different person.
THE wife and family of a man who was knocked down and killed almost eight years ago have been awarded more than 25,000 in damages.

Lisa OShea sued the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) for mental distress relating to the death of her husband  Tom OShea  in the early hours of September 6, 2009.

Mr OShea, who had been socialising with his wife and a number of friends in Castleconnell, was knocked down as they were being collected by their daughter to go home at around 2am.

His wife, Lisa, received minor injuries in the impact.

The driver of the car who was prosecuted in relation to the collision was stoned on the night and did not have insurance.

The 21-year-old was sentenced to three years imprisonment in February 2012 and was banned from driving for 25 years.

Mrs OShea and other family members sued the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) for damages and on Monday at a sitting of the High Court in Limerick, Mr Justice Henry Abbott, approved a settlement offer of 25,394.76.

Andrew Sexton SC said Mrs OShea has moved forward as best she can since the death of her husband.

He said she has suffered awful mental distress in recent years but has a very supportive family.

Mr Justice Abbott noted that Mr OSheas mother had died in the intervening period and he praised Lisa OShea for the manner in which she has dealt with the tragedy.

Wishing her every happiness and success for the future, he said he hoped the conclusion of the case would help bring some finality to her grief.

He also thanks all of the parties who had helped ensure the matter was brought to a speedy conclusion.

The money is to be divided equally between Mrs OShea and a number of other family members.

Mr Justice Abbott also awarded Mrs OShea her costs.
A TOTAL of 1m is needed to re-open the Black Bridge in Plassey, councillors have been told.

The damage done to the walkway by floods in late 2009, and its closure since then have ensured the bridge has fallen into a huge level of disrepair.

And a study from Limerick City and County Council has shown that a seven figure sum is required to ensure the landmark bridge back open again.

Fine Gael councillor Marian Hurley is now calling on local companies and agencies to help with the fundraising effort to ensure the Black Bridge returns to its former glories.

Although City East members have agreed to donate 50,000 of a special fund for their area to start work to make the walkway safe again, Cllr Hurley says private sector intervention is key.

I will be asking bodies like UL and Waterways Ireland, and other groups we have spoken to in the past, including Clare County Council and our own local authority to all come together, she said.

The former Shannon Development executive feels Failte Ireland and Smarter Travel should also row in behind the initiative.

Its so much a part of the fabric of the area. A lot of people live in the Rhebogue and Plassey areas on the outskirts of the city, and they are so fond of it. Its favourite haunt of anglers, and it would be lovely to see them back on the bridge and carrying on the practice they are used to, she said.

The first-term councillor has been contacted by dozens of people since she was elected, and has a result, set up a database on people to contact.

Cllr Hurley said the Black Bridge is a natural extension to the Canal Bank walkway, opened by Mayor Kieran OHanlon last week.

Opened around 1840, the Black Bridge, which is a protected structure, has always been a popular spot with fisherman and other locals.

But the floods of 2009 saw the bridge almost submerged.

It was as a result of this that the local authority  at the time Limerick County Council  closed the bridge to access.

Fences were erected to prevent public access.

They were removed for a time the year after before the council promptly put them back up when it became clear it was unsafe to cross the river on the Black Bridge.

For more information, and to get involved in the Black Bridge campaign, contact Cllr Hurley at 086 2449297.
Ensuring Euro-Atlantic Security

.

MUNICH  The chasm between Russia and the West appears to be wider now than at any point since the Cold War. But, despite stark differences, there are areas of existential common interest. As we did during the darkest days of the Cold War, Americans, Europeans, and Russians must work together to avoid catastrophe, including by preventing terrorist attacks and reducing the risks of a military  or even nuclear  conflict in Europe.

Ever since the historic events of 1989-1991 changed Europe forever, each of us has been involved in Euro-Atlantic security, both inside and outside of government. Through it all, efforts to build mutual security in the Euro-Atlantic region have lacked urgency and creativity. As a result, the Euro-Atlantic space has remained vulnerable to political, security, and economic crises.

In the absence of new initiatives by all parties, things are likely to get worse. Terrorist attacks have struck Moscow, Beslan, Ankara, Istanbul, Paris, Nice, Munich, Brussels, London, Boston, New York, Washington, and other cities  and those responsible for carrying them out are determined to strike again. Thousands of people have been killed in Ukraine since 2013, and more are dying in renewed fighting today. Innocent refugees are fleeing the devastating wars in the Middle East and North Africa. And Western-Russian relations are dangerously tense, increasing the risk that an accident, mistake, or miscalculation will precipitate a military escalation  or even a new war.

The first step in acting to advance our common interests is to identify and pursue concrete, practical, near-term initiatives designed to reduce risks, rebuild trust, and improve the Euro-Atlantic security landscape. There are five key areas that such initiatives should cover.

- We must reduce the danger of a nuclear weapon being used. Today, the risk of an accidental or mistaken nuclear ballistic-missile launch is unnecessarily high. A starting point for minimizing the threat could be a new declaration by the Russian and US presidents reaffirming that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. This would mirror the joint statement made by former US President Ronald Reagan and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, which was well received in both countries, and marked a new effort to improve relations.

- We must reduce the risks associated with keeping nuclear forces on prompt-launch status, whereby they are ready for immediate launch and can hit their targets within minutes. The United States and Russia should commit to begin discussions on removing a significant percentage of strategic nuclear forces from prompt-launch status at a later date. This, together with the declaration proposed above, would set a strategic direction for reducing the nuclear threat.

- We must reduce the threat of nuclear and radiological materials falling into the wrong hands. As the Islamic State looks for new ways to export terror to Europe, North America, and beyond, it may try to acquire and detonate a radiological-dispersal device, commonly known as a dirty bomb. It is especially urgent that the US, Russia, and Europe lead a global effort to secure the most vulnerable nuclear and radiological materials around the world. In particular, there is an urgent need to cooperate on securing radiological sources. Many facilities using these materials today are vulnerable, but the estimated date for securing them globally is 2044.

- We must reduce the risks of a military confrontation by improving military-to-military communication through a new NATO-Russia Military Crisis Management Group. This initiative should accompany efforts to restart bilateral military-to-military dialogue between the US and Russia. The focus should be on increasing transparency and trust on all sides.

- We must reduce the risk of a mid-air incident leading to a political or military conflict. Increased military activity in areas where NATO and Russia both operate now poses an unacceptably high risk to civilian air traffic. Countries that are active in the Baltic Sea region, for starters, should exchange due regard regulations  the national operating procedures that state aircraft must follow when in the proximity of civilians. Technical support for greater air transparency would also significantly reduce the risk of a mid-air collision.

Europe, the US, and Russia are confronting a range of significant issues today. But none should distract attention from the important goal of identifying a new policy framework, based on existential common interests, that can stop the downward spiral in relations and stabilize Euro-Atlantic security.

The practical near-term steps that we have identified here are the right place to begin. We need to start now.
Mar 4, 2017, 2 PM

This recent discovery, the Zurich 6-rappen stamp from position 98 at left showing a flaw before the plate was retouched, or repaired, is the missing piece to a puzzle that has stumped collectors of Switzerland stamps for almost 175 years. (Image courtesy

Editors Insights  By Donna Houseman

In his recent Unveiling Classic Stamps column, Sergio Sismondo reports the discovery of an important rarity in Swiss philately. The stamp is the missing piece in a philatelic puzzle that has perplexed stamp collectors for many years.

This month, Sismondo continues his ongoing series presenting the history of classic first-issue stamps of the world. This time he lifts the veil on the stamps of the Swiss canton of Zurich and reveals the missing piece of the puzzle surrounding the 6-rappen black.

The backgrounds of the stamps of Zurich have a series of crisscrossed lines, and the stamps have fine red lines that can be either vertically oriented (Scott 1L1-1L2) or horizontally oriented (1L3-1L4). The 6r stamps have been successfully plated, which means that collectors have identified the positions of each stamp on the printing stone.

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Sismondo reports that 1,650 6r stamps of position 98 were printed, and until now, each of the known examples from this position exhibit a retouch of the crisscross background under the ZU of ZURICH. As Sismondo explains, collectors of Swiss philately have assumed that the plate was repaired because of a gap or tear in the background. What perplexed collectors was why no position 98 stamps exist showing the background before the repairs were made.

That is, until recently. Sismondo reveals that Swiss expert and dealer Gottfried Honegger, of Schmerikon, Switzerland, has discovered a stamp from position 98 exhibiting the fault before it was repaired. Sismondo credits Honeggers research skills with bringing to light this Swiss rarity and with solving one of the puzzles that has mystified collectors for almost 175 years.

We salute Honegger for recognizing this discovery and Sismondo for sharing the story.

Scott New Listings Update

Scott new issues editor Martin J. Frankevicz recently described the process of assigning Scott catalog numbers to new-issue stamps of the world and how these listings come to be included in the New Listings Update in Linns Stamp News monthly and the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue.

We revisit this subject from time to time to help collectors understand not only the enormity of this process but also the thinking that goes behind the creation of the listings.

We frequently receive mail, emails, and phone calls inquiring why certain issues are assigned numbers more quickly than others or why stamps of some countries are listed in the update more frequently than others.

Frankevicz answers these questions and explains some of the obstacles he faces in listing stamps of certain countries. It is an arduous task.
Estimados amigos,

Les doy cordialmente la bienvenida a este Blog informativo con articulos, analisis y comentarios de publicaciones especializadas y especialmente seleccionadas, principalmente sobre temas economicos, financieros y politicos de actualidad, que esperamos y deseamos, sean de su maximo interes, utilidad y conveniencia.

Pensamos que solo comprendiendo cabalmente el presente, es que podemos proyectarnos acertadamente hacia el futuro.

Las convicciones son mas peligrosos enemigos de la verdad que las mentiras.

There are decades when nothing happens and there are weeks when decades happen.

You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.

No soy alguien que sabe, sino alguien que busca.

Only Gold is money. Everything else is debt.

Las grandes almas tienen voluntades; las debiles tan solo deseos.

Quien no lo ha dado todo no ha dado nada.

History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.

If you know the other and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.
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Police believe the same man has been robbing women returning to their downtown Manhattan apartments, taking their cash and sometimes punching them in the face, and now they have released surveillance video in hopes the public can help identify him.

The four robberies occurred over 11 days in February, in Chinatown and the Lower East Side. Here are the NYPD's details:

Incident 1: (5 Pct) It was reported to the police that on Friday, February 17, 2017 at 0010 hours, the victim, a 40-year old female was entering her residence located within the vicinity of Henry Street and Catherine Street, when the individual followed her inside the building and demanded money. When the victim refused and started to scream the individual punched the victim in the face multiple times. The victim gave the male $1,485 in cash and the individual fled the location in an unknown direction. The victim was removed to New York Downtown Hospital for her injuries.



Incident 2: (5 Pct) It was reported to the police that on Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 2204 hours the victim, a 28-year old female entered her residence located within the vicinity of Forsyth Street and Eldridge Street, when the individual pushed his way inside the building and grabbed the victim's handbag. The individual removed approximately $50 in cash from the wallet and fled the location in an unknown direction.



Incident 3: (7 Pct) It was reported to the police that on Sunday, February 26, 2017 at 2148 hours the victim, a 45-year-old female was entering her residence, located within the vicinity of Essex Street and Ludlow Street, when the individual grabbed her behind, put his hand over her mouth and punched her in the face. The individual demanded money from the victim and removed approximately $550 from her bag. The individual fled the location northbound on Ludlow Street and the victim was removed to Bellevue Hospital by EMS.



Incident 4: (7 Pct) It was reported to the police that on Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at 2300 hours the victim, a 44-year old female was entering her residence, located within the vicinity of Orchard Street and Broome Street, when the individual followed her inside the building, punched her in the face and demanded money. The victim gave the individual her wallet containing approximately $400 in cash and the individual fled the location in an unknown direction. The victim refused medical attention.

The suspect is described as being about 40 years old and 5'4-5'6" with a medium build and last seen wearing a black jacket and dark knit hat. Surveillance footage from incident #3, on February 28, was released:

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS or for Spanish 1-888-57-PISTA (74782)

The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
Endemic to the Americas, hummingbirds are defined by their small stature and dart-like movements. But when it comes to mating, do these aerial experts keep things equally quick or do they instead take the slow and steady approach?

Given hummingbirds' propensity to congregate around flowers and artificial feeders, one might expect that they're gregarious creatures, but this is far from the truth. In fact, hummingbirds are generally solitary, territorial birds, and most of the time they can be quite aggressive to one another, regardless of sex. "Hummingbirds are mean to everybody," said Kristiina Hurme, a behavioral ecologist at the University of Connecticut.

Hummingbirds typically limit their social interactions to feeding and mating. The breeding season varies between species, but it often coincides with the rain, which causes a spike in the abundance of insects, said Alejandro Rico-Guevara, an ecologist and evolutionary biologist with the University of Connecticut and University of California-Berkeley. This rich source of protein is needed for plumage molting and egg production, as well as feeding chicks. [Photos of Hummingbirds from Around the World]

How hummingbirds go about mating also varies. "Every single species has a special ritual or mating display," Rico-Guevara told Live Science. "And they are super complicated."

Forest-dwelling hermit hummingbirds (those of the subfamily Phaethornithinae) often adhere to a so-called lek mating system, in which males gather in an open area to try to woo females, which visit the males one-by-one. The males, which maintain small territories, start by chirping. This sound is seemingly simple to human ears, but it actually contains layers of complexity when slowed down with computers. "[Hummingbirds] may not only be able to see in high speed but also listen in high speed," Rico-Guevara said.

An impressed female will perch near a singing male, prompting him to perform tricks to further entice her. These alluring moves may include making sounds with his bill, flying around the female, flying side-to-side in front of her, and displaying his tail and his feathers.

Fights among competing males aren't uncommon. Many species have even evolved a kind of beak weaponry  serrated tips that resemble teeth  that aid them in these fights. During these battles, males will try to stab and bite each other, pluck off each other's feathers, and engage in a kind of aerial fencing, Rico-Guevara said.

But, Hurme added, it's not clear if these fights result in serious or fatal injuries because of the speed at which they occur and the fact that the fighting pair will often fly away.

Many other types of hummingbirds don't use a lek mating system. Instead, males will set up individual home ranges that they defend against other hummingbirds. In some cases, a male will leave his home range to find females, but more often than not it's the other way around, with a female wandering into a male's territory after hearing him sing, said Christopher Clark, a biologist at the University of California-Riverside.

When a female arrives, the male will display for her and show her how well he flies. A common move is called the shuttle display, in which the male will hover in front of his potential mate and slowly move side-to-side and up and down, Clark told Live Science.

One of the more spectacular displays is called the courtship dive, a move that only a small fraction of hummingbirds performs (those in the bee hummingbird clade). This dive involves flying high above the perched female and then quickly dive-bombing past her. When at the lowest point of the dive, the male will spread and close his tail feathers, allowing air to flow through them, which causes them to flutter and produce a sound.

"Each species has a unique tail shape with a unique sound," Clark said, adding that there's strong indirect evidence that the sounds are important to females, though it's unclear what type of tail chirps that females prefer most. It's also unknown which physical features (coloration and body size, for example) females find most attractive.

Once a female chooses a mate, she will allow him to climb onto her back; the male will then align his cloaca (waste and reproductive orifice) with hers and transfer sperm. It's a quick affair lasting just a matter of seconds.

Deed done, the pair will go their separate ways, Hurme said, adding that "the males provide no parental carewhatsoever."

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There are some songs that just beg to become embedded in your brain. "It's a Small World." "My Sharona." "YMCA."

Even a die-hard Village People fan is bound to get a little annoyed the 70-millionth time "It's fun to stay at the Y, M, C, A!" screeches through their skull. But why are sticky songs  earworms, as they're known  so hard to dislodge? And what kinds of songs are likely to get stuck in our brains, anyway?

A few disparate studies hold at least some answers. First of all, common earworms seem to share some features, researchers have found. They're songs you've heard a lot (which may be why current radio hits tend to dominate "Top 10 Earworm" lists). They often have repetitive notes or unexpected intervals in timing. They also have distinctive rhythms and pitch patterns. [What Type of Music Do Pets Like?]

"The overall conclusion is that the song has to be quite simple in order to be recalled spontaneously, but also have something a bit unique that makes the brain want to rehearse it over and over," said Kelly Jakubowski, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Music at Durham University in the U.K.

A common phenomenon

Scientists sometimes refer to earworms as "involuntary musical imagery," or INMI. A 2012 study published in the journal Psychology of Music found that about 90 percent of Finnish internet users reported getting a song stuck in their head at least once a week. The more musical the person, the more earworms they were likely to experience, that study found, and that result has been backed up by other surveys. One 2006 paper in the Journal of Consciousness Studies detailed the experience of a pianist and a composer who had almost constant INMI  24/7 earworms, or perpetual music tracks (PMTs).

"I find almost nothing pleasurable about having a PMT [perpetual music track]," the pianist wrote. "Rather, it is quite a distraction most of the time, the kind of thing I wish I could turn off."

The pianist's distaste for earworms extended even to songs that he found most emotive, he wrote  mainly because the most affecting music was also a distraction from real life. People often think that annoying songs are the ones most likely to get stuck in people's heads, Jakubowski told Live Science, but survey results suggest that only about a third of earworms are unpleasant. However, those times when "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" ends up on mental repeat may simply be more memorable than the times when a favorite song becomes an earworm.

"It tends to be a bit of a bias that we have toward remembering those negative experiences," Jakubowski said.

Earworm-ready music

Like it or not, the brain gloms on to recent and frequently heard songs. A 2013 study in the journal Psychology of Music, for example, found that the more familiar the song, the more likely it was to become an earworm. Participants didn't have to think too hard about the music to get it stuck in their heads, as anyone who has started humming along to a grocery-store soundtrack can probably attest: The researchers found that asking study participants questions about the songs, to make them process the music more deeply, did not affect the chance that the music would go full-earworm on them. [Why Do Certain Songs Bring Pleasure?]

Research presented at the 12th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition in 2012 in Thessaloniki, Greece, found that longer notes with smaller intervals of pitch between them made for stickier earworms, perhaps because long notes and limited changes in pitch are simply easier to sing (think "It's a Small World" versus an operatic aria).

Jakubowski's research  published in November 2016 in the journal Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts  did not find the same relationship between long notes, small intervals and earworms, but it did suggest that the easier a song was to sing, the more likely it was to get stuck in people's heads. That research, based on surveys conducted between 2010 and 2013, compared earworms to similarly popular songs that were never cited as earworms. The study found that Lady Gaga was quite the earworm generator, with "Bad Romance," "Alejandro" and "Poker Face" all making the Top 10 list of songs that frequently got stuck in people's heads.

"Having listened to quite a lot of [the songs] when I was doing this study, I did end up with quite a lot of them stuck in my head," Jakubowski said. "Bad Romance" was one of the worst offenders, she added.

These sticky songs had faster tempos than non-earworm songs, Jakubowski and her colleagues found. Earworms were also likely to share pitch patterns that are common in Western music, particularly opening riffs that start out rising and then fall in pitch. Examples include "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and Maroon 5's earworm "Moves Like Jagger."

"Earworm songs are making use of these really quite simple overall melodic patterns," Jakubowski said.

But a dash of surprise seemed to help a song become sticky, too. Within these common structures, the researchers found that earworms tended to have unusual melodic features, like more leaps between pitches than typically expected in a pop song, or larger leaps in pitch. Earworms like The Knack's "My Sharona" and the Beastie Boys' "Intergalactic" are examples of songs with those unusual features, the researchers wrote.

Can't get you out of my head

So why does the brain do this to us? There may be some individual differences in earworm susceptibility, as is suggested by the consistent finding that musicians have songs stuck in their heads more frequently than nonmusicians. The 2012 research presented in Greece found that people with subclinical obsessive-compulsive traits (meaning they do not have the disorder but do have a tendency toward prevarication and worry) reported earworms more frequently than people who were less obsessive-compulsive.

People are more likely to pick up an earworm when they are doing something routine, like jogging or chores, according to 2010 research.

It's not totally clear what's going on in the brain during earworm episodes, but a 2005 paper published in the journal Nature (opens in new tab) found that the auditory cortex  the part of the temporal lobe that processes sound  was involuntarily activated when participants listened to familiar songs in which a section was muted. In other words, the brain was compelled to "fill in the blank" in the missing music. The researchers could even tell the difference between the auditory cortex filling in lyrics, in which case specific auditory association areas that are key to interpreting sounds became active, or imagining instrumentals, in which case more primary, basic sound-processing areas were at play.

Because earworms are involuntary, it's tricky to get rid of them on purpose. For the 2010 earworm study published in the British Journal of Psychology, the researchers asked a dozen people to record their earworm episodes in a diary and found that the more people tried to consciously get rid of an earworm, the longer the song remained stuck in their head. The process of thinking about an earworm to attempt to banish it likely just keeps the tune fresh in the brain, the researchers wrote. However, they added that it might also be that the stickiest, most annoying songs are the ones that people attempt to get rid of, and that those songs are somehow less amenable to banishment than the ones that people happily go on humming.

Original article on Live Science.
A Texas Panhandle town wants to ban people from getting to know animals in a biblical sense.

Officials in Amarillo are weighing an ordinance to outlaw bestiality - sex between humans and animals. Apparently, it's not currently illegal in the city of about 200,000 people.
There will be a range of job opportunities for candidates from Longford highlighted at this weeks Career Zoo, Irelands premier career event. Career Zoo takes place on Saturday, March 11 at the Convention Centre, Dublin.

A number of companies from across the country such as: Jet.com, BMS, Amgen, PTC, Qualtrics, PwC, Aspira, Sanofi Genzyme and Paris-based company, Criteo will be attending Career Zoo looking to fill positions across a number of sectors, such as technology, biotech and professional services.

Speaking in advance of the event, Jackie Slattery, Director of Career Zoo, said: The past 12 months have seen some challenges for employers, but also lots of exciting opportunities.

Across the Atlantic, the new US administration is bedding down, which means there will be greater certainty for employers about economic priorities and opportunities for global growth.

In the wake of Brexit, meanwhile, Ireland will become the sole English-speaking country in the EU. With our excellent track record in sectors such as tech, biopharma and financial services, employers here will be well positioned to capitalise on the opportunities that presents.

Following a year that saw lots of change, its reassuring that employers in Ireland still have plenty of exciting opportunities on offer. In particular, we continue to see growth in demand for skilled STEM-sector roles, such as dev ops, data scientists and bioengineers so we would be encouraging candidates from Longford to come along next Saturday to see whats on offer to them.

Photo: Pictured at the launch of next weeks Career Zoo taking place in the Convention Centre, Dublin. (L-R): Michael Caney, PTC; Aisling Boland, BMS; David Ryan, Jet.com; Mary Mitchell OConnor TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; Jackie Slattery, Director of Career Zoo; Laura Zapala, Qualtrics and Mark Fitzgibbon, Amgen.

Career Zoo is Irelands premier career networking event, taking place twice each year at The Convention Centre Dublin. It attracts leading tech employers and over 7,000 attendees each time.

Career Zoo on March 11, will have approximately 50 employers in attendance, including professional and financial services and biopharma companies, in addition to STEM-sector leaders.

In addition to leading employers, next months line-up will include panel discussions focused on topics such as the Internet of Things (IoT), future tech, machine learning, big data and BioTech. There will also be coding workshops, hacks, a series of talks on promoting diversity in tech and a Game of Threats cyber security workshop.

The sponsors for Marchs Career Zoo are: Jet.com, BMS, Amgen, Criteo, PTC and Qualtrics. Admission to the event is free. To register, go to www.careerzoo.ie.
It was the end of an era recently with the death of Jimmy Farrell, who for a number of decades had been the man to talk with about the emerging telephone network in the county.

Today it is all broadband and fibre optic cable but when communications across rural Ireland was still in its infancy, Jimmy Farrell was a pioneering influence and he did the county and Ireland generally a wonderful service.

He was born in his beloved Graffogue in beautiful Ardagh in November 1920 and one of six children he attended the local Loughill national school and later the Vocational school on Longfords Battery Rd.

As a young man who was obsessed with how things worked and much like a youngster today will marvel at the weird and wonderful world of coding and programming, he was obsessed with how anything mechanical or electrical worked and trying to replicate them. There was an inevitability that he would join the fledging Post & Telegraphs (P&T) service and he did so in 1939 as Europe went to war and his first posting was Lifford in Co Donegal.

A few years later he managed to get a little closer to home with a posting to Mullingar and it proved a crucial move as it was there that he met the love of his life, Fermanagh woman, Lucy McKiernan, and the couple were married in February 1943.

Shortly after they were married the couple moved and set up home on Longford towns Dublin St. There Lucy opened a confectionary store with the wonderful name, The Magnet, and it was located at No 45, which is now the popular Coffee House 45.

Jimmy quickly became involved in many aspects of community life on his arrival in Longford town. He was one of the early promoters and advocates for the Credit Union movement and was one of the founding members of the Longford branch. He rightly believed that it would be a wonderfully empowering force for the community. He also loved greyhound racing and was very involved with the local track.

The many who worked with Jimmy down through the years will remember him as meticulous to a fault and he always stressed that if a job was worth doing it was worth doing right. It was no surprise so that he rose rapidly through the ranks in the P&T and he was later promoted to engineer in Carrick on Shannon and then the post of inspector in Mullingar in 1965.

In the early 1970s there was a further promotion when he was appointed to the post of Engineering Superintendent in Longford and that also saw him develop a HQ on the Ballinalee Rd and what we now refer to as the eircom yard.

In the 1970s the couple purchased No 2 on the Ballinalee Rd, Longford town and Lucy opened her successful Lios Mhuire B&B business which she continued to run until her death in 1985. There is no doubt that part of Jimmy was lost with her passing but he found some solace and new challenges when he returned to his beloved Ardagh in 1986 and there he happily farmed until his peaceful death this February.

Family was a huge part of Jimmys life and together with his beloved wife, Lucy, they raised two daughters, Nuala O'Kane and Ann O'Donnell, both of whom now live in College Park, Longford. They delighted also in the company of their six grandchildren: Damien O'Kane, Bedford, UK; Eamon O'Kane, Ardagh; Fiona McManus (nee O'Donnell), Aughavas, Co Leitrim; Hugh O'Kane, College Park, Longford; Sinead Ryan (nee ODonnell), Cappawhite, Co Tipperary) and Colm O'Donnell, Sandyford, Dublin.

He was a man who set very high standards and always inspired family to be the very best that they could. He had a wonderfully enquiring mind and devoured whatever books he came across. He had a massive wealth of knowledge that spanned the most diverse of subjects. Latter years saw the arrival of seven wonderful great-grandchildren and all came to know a wonderful, man, who was able to offer them a unique view of the past.

For as long as the Leader can remember the late Jimmy Farrell was synonymous with the Farrell Clan, alongside our former colleague, Harry Farrell (RIP) and a handful of other stalwarts. Sadly Jimmy now joins many of them in the Annaly county up above. He was deeply proud of the familys long association with the Annaly dynasty and it was wonderful to see such a large and proud guard of honour from the Farrell Clan members at his Funeral Mass in Ardagh. The family link with the Clan will happily continue as his daughter Nuala is the current Clan secretary.

James (Jimmy) Farrell of Cross, Ardagh, passed away peacefully in his 97th year and was predeceased by his wife, Lucy. His passing is sadly mourned by his loving daughters, Nuala O'Kane and Ann O'Donnell; his sister, Kathleen Kelly (Ballymakeegan, Longford town); his grandsons Damien, Eamon, Hugh and Colm, granddaughters Fiona and Sinead; great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, relatives and friends. His remains reposed at his home in Cross before being removed to St Brigid's Church, Ardagh, for Funeral Mass and Burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.
Longford Chamber of Commerce have confirmed that the Grand Marshal for this years St Patricks Day parade will be popular Longford town army veteran, Michael Tighe from Annaly Park.

He was one of twelve Longford men nvolved in an ambush in what became known as the Siege of Jadotville during the war in Congo.

They were among 154 Irish UN soldiers, who were attacked by a local Katangan force, led by French and English mercenaries.

Despite being outnumbered and outarmed they prevailed for five days until they ran out of food, water and ammunition.

Their Commanding Officer Pat Quinlan negotiated a ceasefire, and the men were taken as prisoners of war for a month.

On their release and subsequent return to Ireland, they were laughed at and treated as cowards.

The incident came to prominence again last year with the release of the acclaimed film Siege of Jadotville, while Michael also released his own book on the period, 'The Tiger of Jadotville'.

The book tells the story of Mr Tighes experience in the Siege of Jadotville as a soldier with A Company 35th Battalion.

He had been sent to the Congo for the second time in his career and it provides a heartfelt account of one mans endeavours for justice.

Mr Tighe was first assigned to the Congo in 1960 with the 32nd Battalion and when he returned less than a year later the landscape had begun to change for the worse. Shortly after, the Longford man found himself at the centre of a bloody conflict when a great battle broke out that became known as the Siege of Jadotville.

Michael Tighe will be a hugely popular Grand Marshal at this years parade.
Lough Ree RNLI lifeboat crew were alerted by the Coast Guard this morning, March 4, when a lone kayaker failed to arrive at Hodson Bay on schedule.

The alarm was raised shortly before 12 noon when the man, who had departed Lecarrow at around 9.30am, had not reached his intended destination.



The lifeboat crew launched within minutes and proceeded to the western shore of Lough Ree, where they began to search the lake.



Working their way northwards towards Lecarrow, they checked all inlets and bays along the route, searching for any sign of the man or his kayak.

The weather at the time was windy and very cold, with persistent rain making visibility poor.



Shortly before 1pm, Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 118 was deployed, while more Lough Ree RNLI crew members launched RIBs made available to them by Lough Ree Yacht Club and Athlone Sub Aqua Club.

The crews proceeded to methodically search the lake, widening the search area across to the eastern shore.



Around 13:40, Coast Guard Rescue 118 sighted an object in the water near the eastern shore at Fat Head. The lifeboat crew quickly reached the area and recovered the casualty from the water.

Oxygen and CPR were administered immediately by the lifeboat crew.



Lifesaving efforts continued throughout the journey back to Coosan Point, where the casualty was transferred into the care of ambulance paramedics and taken to hospital.
The 62nd Longford Association in London Dinner and Dance took place on February 18 last in the Clayton Crown Hotel, Cricklewood.

And, once again there was a large gathering by Longfordians from near and far.

MC for the night Ciaran McGann and vice Chairman of the Association welcomed everyone before introducing Irish dancers from Scoile Rince Ryan/Lavelle all of whom went down a storm.

It seems the atmosphere for the night had been set.

President Frank Gill then spoke about loved ones who were lost during the year and he also invited Father Seamus Connell to give grace before dinner.

After a wonderful meal, the speeches were delivered and the Associations Vice President, Phil Brady give a toast to Ireland.

Special guest on the night included MP Maria Caulfield - public representative for Lewis Sussex.

Her father John hails from Ballinroey, Dring in north Longford and she told those present on the night that she had been a frequent visitor to the area throughout her life.

Chairman of Longford County Council Mick Cahill, then addressed those present and spoke eloquently of a young Aiden Ganly, back in the day.

Aiden Ganly is now the chairman of the Longford Association in London and it was he who rounded the speeches up when he thanked all the guests for their attendance including CEO, Longford Co Council Paddy Mahon and his wife Marie.

Liam Caldwell from the Longford Association Dublin; former TD for Longford/Westmeath Peter Kelly and his wife Maura also got special mention on the night and best wishes were sent to Longford native Martin Skelly who, at that stage, was in the bidding to become the next GAA president.

Congratulations were sent to the Longford Ladies side on their victorious 2016 and the Association will work with Centre Parcs with regards to running a float to promote Co Longford in this years London St Patricks Day Parade.

Sponsors of the night included Paddy Cowan and The Irish World; Horohoe of Horohoe Construction and Frank Kane of LF Solutions Ltd.

Mr Kane was unable to attend last weeks event in London because he was opening his new bar in New york city.

The night ended with some great music, lots of dancing and plenty of chat as all those associated to Co Longford gathered together for what turned out to be a great nights craic agus ceoil.

Also: Clayton Crown Hotel
Family & Parenting, Local News, Crime, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: March 05 2017

The Suffolk County Police Department will be hosting Mothers Against Drunk Driving National President Colleen Sheehey-Church as she speaks with recruits Monday morning.

Suffolk County, NY - March 5, 2017 - The Suffolk County Police Department will be hosting Mothers Against Drunk Driving National President Colleen Sheehey-Church as she speaks with recruits Monday morning to discuss the impact driving while intoxicated has had on her family as well as the efforts of her organization and importance of the role law enforcement plays in fighting this problem.

Sheehey-Church joined MADD in 2005, one year after her 18-year-old son, Dustin, died in a crash involving an intoxicated driver. Dustin was a passenger in a car driven by a teen who was intoxicated by drugs and alcohol as the vehicle crashed into a river. Dustin was trapped inside the vehicle and drowned.

Five years after joining MADD, Sheehey-Church began serving on the organizations National Board of Directors and became National President in 2015.

Sheehey-Churchs presentation is part of an ongoing commitment by the SCPD to lower the number of motor vehicle crashes and crash-related fatalities in the county. Police recruits are trained to recognize signs of irresponsible driving and intercede in order to prevent a crash. In additional to the academic training, the recruits also listen to speakers share their personal stories of how crashes caused by distracted driving or DWI have impacted them in order for recruits to emotionally understand the significance of the role they play in this effort.

In 2016, the department had an 11% increase in tickets issued and a 29.9% decline in crash-related fatalities compared to 2015.

MADD supports enforcement efforts such as those used by the SCPD including frequent and regular use of sobriety checkpoints and other high visibility enforcement programs to detect and apprehend alcohol and other drug impaired drivers.

MADD New York Executive Director Richard Mallow will also be attending the event.

Who: MADD National President Colleen Sheeney-Church

Where: Suffolk County Community College, Brentwood - Sagtikos Building, Van Nostrand Theater

When: Monday, March 6, 2017 at 7 a.m.
As Sahab, the propaganda arm for al Qaedas senior leadership, has released a two-page eulogy for Abu al Khayr al Masri. The US killed Masri in a drone strike in Idlib, Syria in late February. [See FDDs Long War Journal report, Zawahiris deputy sought to unify Syrian rebels.]

Al Qaeda praises Masri as a martyr, saying he was targeted in a crusader raid in Syria.

Masris jihadist journey lasted nearly three decades. During this time he suffered many calamities and tribulations, including the plight of prison. But al Qaeda praises Masri for his toughness and determination to continue on the jihadist path despite these setbacks and his illness.

Eventually, Masri (seen in the dated photo on the right) traveled to Syria, where he joined the fight against Bashar al Assads regime and its associates. (Al Qaeda uses the derogatory word Nusayris to refer to Assads regime and its supporters.)

Once in Syria, Masri was honored to oversee combat operations in the insurgents management and planning rooms. Along with its allies, al Qaeda has established numerous joint operations rooms in Syria.

In 2016, Masri oversaw the rebranding of Al Nusrah Front, the largest paramilitary force in al Qaedas history. He also worked to unify rebel groups in Syria.

According to al Qaedas eulogy, Masri was among the first Arab immigrants in Afghanistan, where he joined the likes of Abdullah Azzam (the godfather of modern jihadism in the 1980s) and Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman (an influential ideologue who recently passed away in an American prison). Al Qaeda says Masri has now joined the company of Taliban founder Mullah Omar (who died in 2013), Mullah Mansour (who served as Omars successor as Taliban chief, but was killed in an American airstrike in 2016) and Abu Hafs al Masri (who was al Qaedas military chief until his demise in late 2001).

Al Qaedas eulogy also highlights Masris relationship with Osama bin Laden, saying the two worked closely together in Afghanistan.

Masri served as al Qaedas representative in meetings with the Islamic Emirate, meaning the Afghan Taliban, according to the eulogy.

This confirms a detail first reported by the Washington Post, which noted that Masri formerly served as chief of foreign relations for al Qaeda, including liaison to the Taliban. The US Treasury Department also said in 2005 that Masri was responsible for coordinating al Qaedas work with other terrorist organizations.

Two al Qaeda branches, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), confirmed Masris death in a joint statement released on Mar. 2. Both AQAP and AQIM remain openly loyal to Ayman al Zawahiri.

Shabaab, al Qaedas branch in Somaila, released its own eulogy for Masri on Mar. 4. Shabaabs command offered its condolences to the emir Zawahiri.

In July 2016, Masri was identified as Zawahiris general deputy. Masri was one of a number of Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ) veterans, including Zawahiri, who have gone on to hold key leadership positions in al Qaeda. Masri was a member of the EIJs elite shura (or consultation) council. The EIJ effectively merged with bin Ladens operation in the 1990s, when the two colluded on a number of terror plots, including the 1998 US Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.

Al Qaedas eulogy repeats the groups pledge to continue waging jihad despite losing its leaders along the way. Al Qaeda has made the same promise after losing key figures in the past.

Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for 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.
Tempers flared Saturday at a community meeting over the opening of a homeless shelter in Crown Heights, with local residents and elected officials repeatedly berating representatives from the city about their plans for the shelter and demanding it be moved.

The hastily-called meeting came weeks after the city quietly announced that in mid-March, it would be opening the shelter at 1173 Bergen Street, just east of New York Avenue. According to the city, the shelter, which will be operated by the homeless services provider CORE Services Group, will house 106 men over 50.

Speaking to a standing room only crowd that swelled to more than 200, representatives from the Department of Homeless Services, the Mayor's Office, and CORE described the planning process for the shelter and repeatedly sought to assure residents that they were taking pains to ensure the shelter creates minimal disruption on the heavily residential surrounding area. They also described their safety plans for the shelter. (The meeting was held at the site of the shelter, which by all appearances is just about complete).

But attendees, many long-time residents of Crown Heights, expressed disbelief at the short notice provided, and broader, deep frustrations at the addition of another shelter in a community district that according to city data already has 15. At last count, there were more than 1200 individuals in shelter in community district 8. (Some residents cited the larger figure of 19 shelters in Crown Heights, which also includes parts of community district 9.)

"This is something we don't need," said Michelle Williams, who lives across the street from the shelter site and has lived in Crown Heights for more than two decades. "Everyone deserves to have a place to live. But we have too many."

This was the issue raised over and overthe distribution of shelters across the city. Residents repeatedly cited the dearth of shelters in several community districts in Brooklyn, in particular noting that there are zero shelters in Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst. They also pointed to the city's October decision to abandon plans to convert a Holiday Inn to a 110-bed shelter in predominantly white Maspeth, in the face of vociferous community opposition, as evidence of a double standard.

One attendee said Crown Heights has acquired the nickname "Shelterville."

Many expressed concern about safety issues, especially for neighborhood children. The Brooklyn United Marching Band, a youth marching band, practices at a church next door to shelter site.

Jenny Scott, 45, who has a daughter in the band, told the crowd she already fears for the safety of her daughter and other children in the neighborhood. "There's already panhandling that's going on, already currently in the neighborhood. I go home now and I'm asked for money. There are gentleman that are on the corners now that getting up early in the morning looking to collect their drugs," she said. "It's not right, it's not fair."

According to a fact sheet provided by the city, the shelter will have six uniformed security officers on duty at all times, in addition to shelter staff. Outreach staff will also conduct regular neighborhood patrols.

One woman suggested that the city put a shelter near Gracie Mansion or elsewhere on the Upper East Side. "They don't have one on Sutton Place," she remarked to Gothamist. She also suggested, sardonically, that the mayor shelter homeless New Yorkers at his home in Park Slope.

City officials were on the defensive throughout the meeting, with residents on numerous occasions shouting them down as they attempted to explain how the shelter will function and broader city policy on homelessness. At one point, police had to remove a man who was angrily demanding a chance to speak from the room. He later returned.

According to the city, the majority of shelter residents will be employed or "employable" men over 50 who have been living in community district 8. Individuals with serious mental illness, substance issues, or records as sex offenders will not be eligible for the shelter. The city said that all potential residents will be screened through intake at Bellevue Hospital. (Attendees expressed skepticism about these claims, jeering "How do you know?" to the promise that there will be no sex offenders and "Yeah, right" to the promise that there will be no individuals with serious mental illness.)

The meeting came on the heels of Mayor de Blasio's announcement of a major initiative to revamp the city's shelter system, with promises to phase out the widely criticized system of cluster site housing, often-dilapidated private apartments the city rents at exorbitant prices to house homeless families. There are currently more than 10,000 individuals living in cluster site apartments. De Blasio's plan also calls for the end of the practice of temporarily sheltering individuals in commercial hotel rooms. There were 6,000 people living in hotel rooms as of October.

To achieve these goals, the homelessness plan calls for the creation of 90 new shelters over the next five years. Under the plan, several new shelters are slated for Crown Heights, though the CORE shelter is not counted among that group. The first new shelter, a 132-bed shelter for families, will open this spring.

Dan Tietz, the chief special service officer at the HRA's Department of Social Services, acknowledged that the city will be increasing the number of shelters in Crown Heights, but said that it also has plans to shutter several local shelters this year. Three sites slated for closure are said to be cluster sites. "We are closing a number of shelters this year where we are unable to provide the kinds of quality of services individuals deserve," Tietz said.

Several local elected officials in attendance, including Council Member Robert Cornegy, State Senator Velmanette Montgomery, and Assembly Members Diana Richardson and Tremaine Wright blasted the city for its handling of the shelter plan. "We've gotta shut this down. Shut it down," Richardson told the crowd, which roared in approval. Richardson said that she had been informed of the shelter's opening two weeks ago. The opening was apparently originally scheduled for March 15th, but the city has now moved back the date to March 22nd. She said the date change had only come after she pointed out that February is a short month.

"We are not anti-shelter. We are anti-disrespect, we are anti-saturation, we are anti-lack of communication. And we're going to shut it down," she said.

While de Blasio stated at the press conference announcing his plan that the city will "ask each community board to do their fair share," his vision focuses on keeping homeless individuals near their communities, which means the new shelters will not be evenly distributed across the city. In neighborhoods with high numbers of people becoming homeless, the shelter bed counts will remain high. According to city data, there are more than 1100 homeless individuals whose last known address is in community district 8, roughly proportional to the number of occupied shelter beds in the district.

"Homelessness is a complex issue that has built up over decades in all five boroughs and will not be solved overnight. To meet immediate capacity needs, in the short term, shelters may be placed in communities that already have a significant number of shelters," Isaac McGinn, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeless Services, told Gothamist.

"This approach will better serve all New Yorkers, including our homeless neighborsby allowing them to remain closer to jobs, schools, houses of worship, and support systems," McGinn stated.



(Raphael Pope-Sussman/Gothamist)

Several attendees attacked the track record of CORE, which was the subject of a highly critical 2012 story in the New York Times that found widespread, serious deficiencies at a federally contracted halfway house operated by the program. (The organization investigated in that article was known as Community First Services, but based on public filings, they appear to be the same.)

Jack Brown III, the president and CEO of CORE, defended the record of his organization, calling the Times article "riddled with inaccuracies" and denying claims that there have have been problems with its contracts. "We have not lost a contract," he said.

Brown declined to speak to Gothamist after the meeting.

Fior Ortiz-Joyner, 42, has been in Crown Heights since 2009 and serves as the president of the Bergen Street Block Association. Ortiz-Joyner, who lives just down the block from the shelter site, said she was going to continue protesting the shelter, but that she wasn't optimistic about the community blocking it.

"At this point, it's a done deal and now we just have to make them accountable and make sure that the crime rate does not go up and our quality of life is not diminished," she said.

"I plan to continue my everyday life and the way that I do things. I just hope it doesn't change the way I feel about the neighborhood as far as it being unsafe."
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Smart City: A Failed Approach to Urban Regeneration for Indian (...)

by Pradeep Nair and Sandeep Sharma

City is not a new phenomenon. Civilisations like Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Indus Valley had a rich culture of urban life. However, not more than ten per cent of the population of these civilisations used to live in cities. (Modelski, 1997) Cities were dependent on villages to meet their everyday needs. They were geographically small and less populated as compared to the modern cities. Urban life was not much different in the cities of these civilisations than that of the cities of pre-industrialisation.

Industrialisation first happened in the 16th century in North-West Europe, specifically in Britain and Denmark. Later on it spread to other parts of Europe and America. By the 20th century it had spread its legs to the African and Asian continents in the form of colonisation. New modes of social and economic life became evident in all parts of the world and this marked the onset of the new age called modernisation.

Modernisation redefined urban life and urbanisation became a mandatory precondition to modernisation. The urban-rural relationship experienced a paradigm shift. The new socio-politico environment put villages at the back-stage. Village resources were drained out to support urban life. A dependency of rural upon urban was created. As a result urbanisation increased rapidly. At present there are such countries in the world where urbanisation has reached to more than 90 per cent. (Geoffrey, 2005) India has 31 per cent of her population living in urban areas with a growth rate of 2.3 per cent per year. (Mani, 2016)

In contrast, Lewis Mumford perceives urban development in a more human perspective by defining it as an integral component of human culture and personality. He consistently argued that the physical design of cities and their economic functions were secondary to their relationship to the natural environment and to the spiritual values of the human community. While arguing on what is a city? Mumford laid out his fundamental propositions about city planning and the human potential, both individual and social, or urban life. He questioned: what shall be the size of a city and how much it shall grow? He opined that the city is like a theatre of social action and everything elseart, politics, education, commerceonly serves to make the social drama more richly significant, as a stage-set, well-designed, intensifies and underlines the gestures of the actors and the action of the play (Mumford, 1937)

Thus the size, density and area of a city are important to effective social intercourse, and they are therefore the most important instru-ments of rational economic and civic planning. But unfortunately during urban planning, in most parts of the world, both geographical and physical limitations were not worked out properly with the assumption that all upward changes in magnitude were signs of progress and thus are good for business. This led modernisation as an approach (to development) less successful to bring about desirable socio-economic changes in the so-called Third World countries.

The Urban Slums

The Smart City Project has nothing special for the urban slums to offer. This project is exclusionary in the sense that it majorly focuses on the technological aspects of urban life. According to the Census of India 2011, about 17 per cent of Indians urban population (13.75 million) lives in slums. Since 2001, the slum population has registered a decadal growth of 37 per cent. These informal settlements are typically considered to be the bad pages of the good book of urban utopia, specifically incongruent with the idea of a smarty city. The current proposal document of the Smart City Project finds meagre mention of the urban slum. It scantly talks about the upgradation of the slum settlements and straightaway fails to explain how and when this upgradation will be carried out. (Chandrashekhar and Venkatesh, 2014) Morpho-logically speaking, for two reasons the slums have to be clustered out if the smart areas have to be built, as promised in the policy documents. First, the Smart City Project has nothing extra to offer; and second, there have been several instances of the governments failure in dealing with land allotment, rehabilitation and providing basic amenities to the slum dwellers. (Aranya and Vaidya, 2014) The Government of Indians policy interventions like the National Slum Development Programme (1997), Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojna (2001), some provisions of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, Rajiv Awas Yojana (2011) and the latest Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) have substantially failed to produce the desired results. In such a situation, the Smart City Project has also to be understood in the light of these flagship programmes.

The city slums are majorly inhabited by the migrated population. They leave their rural hinterland not out of will but because of neo-capitalistic compulsions. These neo-capitalistic compulsions are going to become more serious in the coming time, resulting in increased flux of people from the rural to urban and ultimately making cities more crowded which will put more stress on urban resources and pose challenges to the urban planner. (Plumb, Leverman and McGray, 2007) According to an estimate, the rural-urban migration accounts roughly for a 20 per cent increase in the urban population. But the question is: will the Smart City Project help us to deal with these challenges? Definitely not! The reason being the Smart City Project is not going to create new urban centres. It also is not going to rebuild the small towns which otherwise could have proved to be small check-posts to stop the migration toward big cities; hence the need to solve the problem. (Ranjan, 2014) We cannot stop slums from sprouting with this Smart City Project. This project seems to be a superficial panacea for a real malady. The requirement is to change our mindset toward slums. They are not an instance of deviant behaviour of the urban poor, but expression of a rational response to market realities. They are constructively contributing to the GDP of the city. Their right to shelter and right to basic amenities should be guaranteed constitutionally. The Government of India with other stake-holders at the State and regional levels should assure its implementation; only then can we hope to realise the dream of a slum-free India.

Techno-utopianism

There is a slight difference between technological determinism and techno-utopianism. The first focuses on the machines capability to bring positive and negative changes in human life while the latter paints only a rosy picture of human life surrounded by technologies. The Smart City Project is a case of extreme optimism about technology solving all the problems faced by the urban masses. Arguing against this extreme optimism, Holland (2008) observed that the authenticity of any citys claim to be smart has to be based on something more than its use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). He makes this observation because cities all over the world are beginning to claim that they are smart as they employ ICTs in their day-to-day operations.

He termed this a blind faith on ICTs and suggested that to retain such a lofty title (smart) cities will have to take much risk with technology, devolve power, tackle inequalities, redefine what they mean by smart and empower their citizens so that they can become members of the society capable of engaging in debate about their own environment. The real Smart City might use ICTs to enhance a democratic debate about the kind of city it wants to be and what kind of city people want to live in. (Holland, 2008: 316) He was never in opposition to the use of ICTs; instead he advocated for their more inclusive use.

Techno-utopianism cannot serve the urban poor as promised; instead it will push them to the brink of digital exclusion and social, political and economic marginalisation. The reasons for this could be that the urban slums and poor habitats may hardly get the smart cover at first and secondly the majority of technologies (employed in the smart city) will be out of reach of the urban poor or may have no meaning for them at all. For example, Internet of things is an important ingredient of the Smart City Project in which the gadgets around us communicate to each other through the internet to help us do our everyday chores. Mobile phones, refrigerators, ACs, televisions, motor vehicles, cooking stoves and other household things will be internet-enabled and connected to each other to facilitate our daily life. For better illustration, take the case of how the smart electricity metre will work. The smart electricity metre (internet-enabled) will auto-matically generate an electricity bill and send it to the consumers e-mail address with a link to pay here. The smart electricity metre will be connected to a server and the consumer can check his/her electricity usage online by logging into his/her account. It means that lots of physical infrastructure has to go if this technology is to be opted. But a million dollar question is: how is this technology going to make sense to the urban poor and what strategy is the government going to employ to bring these people into the bracket of digital inclusion?

With all the previously mentioned reasons, the Smart City Project in India will be a failed approach to urban regeneration additionally because the present Smart City Project is mostly based on a top-down approach of making cities smart by ignoring the local needs, requirements and knowledge. In the process of modernising cities, policy-makers and development-planners are literally reliving the dominant paradigm of development. Local participation in making the city dwellers city-smart is an issue scarcely thought over. Since every city has specific developmental needs, a unique culture and different socio-political conditions, there cannot be a centralised model of urban development. It should be very specific and informed by the local conditions and indigenous knowledge, and should provide opportunity for everyone to be a part of the social process of participation and negotiation.

Lack of this will take the project to the same fate as the modernisation endeavour met in the developing world. The cities which the govern-ment aspires to make smart may not be able to sustain the smartness for long and will only contribute to a growing polarisation of the urban life.

References

Aranya, R. and Vaidya, C. (2014), Is India Ready to plan a smart urban future?, Yojana,58: 57-60, New Delhi: Publications Division.

Chandrashekhar, S. and Venkatesh, N. (2014), Planning for smart cities: Where to start?, Yojana, 58: 10-12, New Delhi: Publications Division.

Gilbert, G. (2005), World Population: A Reference Handbook (2nd Ed.), California: ABC-CLIO.

Holland, R. (2008), Will the Real Smart City Stand Up? Creative, Progressive, or Just Entrepreneurial?, City, 12 (3): 302320.

Mani, N. (2016), Smart Cities and Urban Development in India, New Delhi: New Century Publication.

Modelski, G. (1997), Cities of the Ancient World: An Inventory (3500-1200), Washington: University of Washington.

Mumford, L. (1937), What is a City? Architectural Record.

Plumb, D., Leverman, A. and McGray, R. (2007), The learning city in a planet of slums, Studies in Continuing Education, 29 (1): 37-50. DOI:10.1080/01580370601146296

Ranjan, R. (2014), Inclusive Growth Through Efficient Urban Planning, Yojana, 58: 40-42, New Delhi: Publications Division.

Pradeep Nair, Ph.D, is an Associate Professor and Dean, School of Journalism, Mass Communication and New Media, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala.

Sandeep Sharma is presently doing his Ph.D from the Department of Mass Communication and Electronic Media, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala. Before shifting to academics, he worked with Dainik Bhaskar, the Hindi daily, as a Sub-Editor.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Peace on Indo-Pak Border

The good news from the India-Pakistan boundary is that it is calm. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said in an interview that the temperature has come down on the border. This could mean that India and Pakistan seem to be settling down to a relationship which was expected 70 years ago when partition took place.

If this is the case, both countries should cut down on the defence expenditure. We have not introduced the real cut which, at present, is only marginal. Unfortunately, the Defence Ministers statement that India is much better armed than before indicates how much we are still spending on defence. Pakistan, too, has not made any significant reduction in its defence expenditure. This reminds me of the Cold War era when America made the Soviet Union to spend most of its resources on defence. The result was that there was very little left for schools, hospitals and peoples councils.

This led to the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the country got divided into several parts. For example, Ukraine became independent. The Soviet President, Vladimir Putin, has said many a time that Ukraine is a part of Russia. But the independence movement belies his state-ment. Most of the Russian troops are posted on that front.

The effect on Pakistan has been the dilution of whatever democracy exists there. Now the new Army Chief is superior to the elected Prime Minister. The pictures that show Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also depicts that the person in khaki is the real boss. The Pakistan Prime Minister has accepted the arrangement.

Islamabads worry is that the Taliban are using the soil of Afghanistan to attack Pakistan. Islamabad is no longer safe. Every second day one incident of bombing or the other takes place in Pakistan, killing several innocent people. There has been exodus from the secure Islamabad to other parts of Pakistan.

Thanks to UN pressure, China has agreed to declare Hafiz Saeed a terrorist. Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaza Asif has admitted that Pakistan faces danger from terrorists like Saeed who is now under house arrest. This has been a sham so far but the members of the UN Security Council were predominantly for declaring him a terrorist.

Now Islamabad has finally realised that Hafiz Saeed is linked to militancy in some way but it is to be seen how long Islamabad can keep him under house arrest. In fact, in 2008 the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks was placed under house arrest but was freed by a court in 2009. The question before all of us is: should we read too much into Pakistans arrest or take Defence Minister Asifs statement seriously?

The observers in Pakistan are well aware that the action against the Lashkar-e-Taiba chief is not a new step or the most serious measure taken against him over the past two decades. Since 2001, the LeT chief has been in and out of detention at least on five occasions. If, indeed, Pakistan is too serious about the UN list, action against Saeed should have been initiated in 2008 itself when he and the Jammat-ud-Dawa were put on the UN list of terrorists.

The recent action seems to have been timed for the Financial Action Task Forces meeting to be held in Paris where Pakistans terror funding record is likely to come up. Even otherwise, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif must be worried with the decision of US President Donald Trump who has banned travel from seven Muslim countries. For Pakistan, its nationals will be given visa only after a close scrutiny.

Muslims living in America are a worried lot because they could also be sent out if the President decides to include them on the banned list of Muslim countries. In the case of Indian Muslims, there is no apparent danger but the immigration officials may think different and tar them with the same brush. There were sad occasions when top Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan was stripped and the Indian embassy had to intervene to get his entry into the US.

I, too, had a tough time some years ago while entering the US from the West Coast. I had a diplomatic passport but still they insisted on searching me bodily. The immigration official explained that most of my visas stamped on the passport were to Pakistan and Bangladesh. He could not make out why I should be often visiting these countries.

I wish New Delhi had picked up the thread from where it had left off when Nawaz Sharif met Prime Minister Narendra Modi the last time in China. They were reported to have a positive dialogue. But things have not moved further because New Delhi asked Islamabad to ensure that the Pakistani soil would not be used by the terrorists. But then incidents like Uri and Pathankot attacks have falsified the hopes. Now that Pakistan has detained Hafiz Saeed and Defence Minister Asif has admitted of the dangers from terrorists like the LeT chief, the dialogue can probably resume between the two countries. To go forward, India may have to resile its position that it would have no talks unless there was a foolproof guarantee on curbs against the terrorists operation from Pakistans soil.

Probably, India may wait and watch for a while before moving ahead. Even Israel has wished it. Nevertheless, it is in the interest of both India and Pakistan to sit across and thrash out the issues. Pakistan, on its part, should put the Kashmir issue on the backburner for the time being. They should, instead, address the immediate problems of poverty, hunger and unemployment.

The author is a veteran journalist renowned not only in this country but also in our neighbouring states of Pakistan and Bangladesh where his columns are widely read. His website is www.kuldipnayar.com
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Trumps Foreign Policy of Confusion

by Sanjal Shastri

When Donald Trump was elected as the US President in November 2016, foreign policy observers predicted an era of uncertainty. If the first few weeks of President Trump are anything to go by, we will have to expect the unexpected. What do the first few weeks of the Trump Administration have the say about his foreign policy over the next four years? What impact would these have on the US allies? These are questions many around the world have been asking since November 2016.

Trumps election campaign had given glimpses into his potential foreign policy stance. He was clearly up in arms against trade deals like the NAFTA and TPP. He openly welcomed the UKs vote to leave the EU. He wanted Mexico to pay for the wall across the US-Mexico border. He also termed the NATO as an obsolete agency and threatened to relook at the US engagement in the NATO. Most significantly, he openly praised Vladmir Putin, sparking debates of how a Trump-led USA would seek closer ties with Russia. As the President-elect, he broke from tradition, openly criticising President Obamas stance on the UN Resolution against Israel.

Post-January 20, 2017, many expected to see a radical shift in the way US foreign policy is conducted. These predictions have come out to be true so far. Over the past three weeks, we have seen it all. There has been a heated exchange with the Australian Prime Minister over the phone. Trumps tweet, calling for Mexico to pay for the border wall, resulted in the Mexican President cancelling a state visit to the US. His executive order barring citizens from seven Muslim majority countries has sparked angry responses from leaders across the world. A verbal and twitter battle with Iran has led to new sanctions being imposed.

Going by what we have seen so far, is it possible to come up with a rough picture of how US foreign policy under Trump would shape up? Will there be a sift in the way foreign policy is conducted? The answer to the latter question would be more straightforward. As far as the way foreign policy is conducted, Trump has made it clear he does not care much for diplomatic language or protocol. When questioned on the renewed sanctions on Iran, he responded by stating: They arent behaving themselves. One would not expect such language to be used when engaging in foreign policy. Trumps use of twitter to express his views on foreign policy is a clear break from tradition. As a presidential candidate, the use of twitter and the undiplomatic language could have been acceptable. However, Trump has shown his inclination to use twitter to express his opinions even after taking over as the President. A harshly worded tweet resulted in the Mexican President cancelling a planned state visit. Trump has also engaged in a twitter war with the Foreign Minister of Iran. The use of twitter and the harsh language Trump has often used is a clear break from diplomatic tradition and protocol. While this is a very hazardous precedent, we should expect more of it during Trumps presidency.

The more challenging question is: what can we say about Trumps overall foreign policy direction? His handling of the NAFTA and TPP has gone on expected lines. Considering his position on the border wall, one expected differences to crop up with Mexico. The cancelled state visit is a sign of growing differences between the US and Mexico. Over the next few years, one can expect more differences to crop up as Trump goes ahead with his plan to build the wall.

Trumps opposition to the TPP during his election campaign raised quite a few eyebrows in Australia. While some friction was expected between Trump and the Australian Prime Minister, no one would have predicted the showdown Trump and Turnbull had over the phone. If news reports are to be believed, then this would mean significant tensions would emerge between the US and one of its closest allies, Australia.

There is a great degree of uncertainty regarding Trumps approach towards Russia. Though his election campaign hinted at a possible US-Russia detente, the US ambassadors speech in the UN criticising Russias actions in Ukraine has put question-marks over Trumps Russia policy. After taking over as the President, Trump has not given any hints on how he would approach the Russian question. While his election campaign hinted at close ties with Putin, the UN speech sends a different signal.

With regard to Israel, Trumps election campaign promised to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. As the President-elect, he broke all protocol by pushing the Obama Administration to veto the resolution against Israel. When the outcome was not in Israels favour, in another first, Trump took to twitter openly criticising the US stance. After taking over as the President, there has been a growing call from lawmakers, including Republicans, asking Trump to mellow down his stance. Considering the fact that his own partymen are calling for a more watered stance, Trumps hands may be tied with regard to Israel.

More than two weeks after taking oath, there is still no clear picture regarding Trumps foreign policy. We can say with some amount of certainty that tensions are bound to arise with Mexico as Trump pushes ahead with his programme to build the wall. With regard to Russia and Israel, there have been mixed signals. The phone conversation between Trump and Turnbull poses serious questions regarding Trumps strategic thinking. Australia is a vital part of the US security calculations in the Asia-Pacific region. His hardline approach towards Australia throws into question Trumps security calculations.

While the overall picture of Trumps foreign policy position is still not very clear, what is clear is the shift in the way foreign relations is conducted. Protocol and diplomatic language do not feature anywhere in Trumps foreign policy manual. One can expect more twitter outbursts, undiplomatic language and verbal battles over the next four years.

The author is an academic associate at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He regularly comments on issues concerning foreign affairs, extremism and political developments in South Asia and the Middle East. He can be contacted at e-mail sshastri93[at]gmail.com
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > On Release of Innocents after Long Imprisonment

MUSINGS

After twelve years, two innocents and one half-innocent walked out free from the confines of the Tihar Jail, yet not a word of apology and nor a rupee in terms of compensation from the state to the three Kashmiri menHussain Fazili, Rafiq Shah and Tariq Ahmad Dar. They were arrested on charges of plotting and carrying out terror strikes in New Delhi in 2005.

A Delhi court said the police miserably failed to prove charges against them. Of the three accused of plotting and also carrying out the terror strikes, twoHussain Fazili and Rafiq Shahwere acquitted of all charges. Tariq Ahmad Dar, who the police claimed was the alleged mastermind, could not be convicted of conspiracy in the absence of any evidence.

The court said: Even though no charge was framed against Dar for the offences under sections 38 and 39 of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the ingredients of the offences (38 and 39 UAPA) are very much made out... Hence for the reasons recorded above, Dar is found guilty of the offences under section 38 and 39 of UAPA... However, Dar will walk free since he has already served two years more than the 10-year-prison term awarded to him.

This brings me to ask two basics: Shouldnt the state compensate these men for wrecking twelve years of their lives and also that of their families? Also, shouldnt the state dismiss, if not arrest, the police officers who falsely implicated these men?

How easy it is for the police and the agencies to arrest an innocent and heap terror charges on him; with that he sits languishing as an undertrial for years to come. Tortured in that prison hell-hole. Maybe even hanged to death.

I have read at least six books by former prisoners who were arrested on fake charges and lodged in the various jails and prisons of the country. And the tortures inflicted on them by the jail staff and police need to be high-lighted... yes, highlighted every single day, till the guilty cops are arrested and dismissed from service.

Why No Looking into the Prison Hell-holes?

Though big-bodied commissions had been set up to look into the living conditions of the Muslims of the country, yet what seems callous is that theres no looking into the conditions of the imprisoned Muslims.

If the social structure of the largest minority community of the country has to be seriously studied, then the jailed population definitely needs a looking into. It is important to know how the police and agencies treat the imprisoned Muslim. Also, it is essential to know why more and more Muslims are sitting jailedmore in terms of the population ratio. There could be various reasons and aspects to this factor alone. Do not overlook the fact that all those who were charged/arrested under POTA in Gujarat happened to be Muslims, save for one exception.

And above all, why are Kashmiri Muslims treated in the most humiliating of ways? If one were to read journalist Iftikhar Gilanis book, My Days in Prison (Penguin), which is based on the seven months of his imprisonment in the Tihar Jail (he was imprisoned in New Delhis Tihar Jail from June 9, 2002 to January 13, 2003 under the Official Secrets Act) youd realise that a Kashmiri Muslim prisoner faces not just torture but rounds of humiliation. He could be called gaddar (traitor) as Gilani was called. Also, as hed said: the bogus charges they framed against me were enough to see me imprisoned for 14 years ...they even had plans to implicate me in a POTA case.

And if one were to read Kashmiri woman activist, Anjum Zamarud Habibs book, Prisoner No. 100 (Zubaan), the horrors faced by Kashmiri prisoners hold out ...It is a first-person account of the five long years that Anjum Zamarud Habib spent in Delhis Tihar Jail.

Now this Latest Volume from a Former Prisoner

Abdul Wahid Shaikh, a Mumbai-based school teacher, was among the 13 young Muslims arrested for plotting the Mumbai serial train blasts of July 11, 2006. After ten years of brutal torture, he was acquitted in September 2015, while five other accused in the case were sentenced to death and seven to life imprison-ment.

Shaikh wrote a detailed account of his ordeal in Urdu which has just been published by the Delhi publisher, Pharos Media, as Be-Gunah Qaidi (Innocent Detainees).

In this book, Shaikh has dissected the case against each accused and exposed the modus operandi of the police and ATS to fabricate cases and implicate the innocent. He describes in detail, with dates, places and names of officers, how ATS people fabricated the cases, prepared fake documents and forged papers, propped up fake witnesses and panches, hid documents proving the accused mens innocence, procured doctored narco test reports from forensic labs and used extensive third degree torture over months to force the accused to break down and sign confessions written by the ATS. These confessions were in the end used to indict these innocent victims.

The author details the police tactics, torture methods, faking of evidence and threats to the relatives of the accused, so that theyd sign the fake confessions. In fact, one particular aspect that he dwells on is this: desist from signing confessions despite all police pressures and torture because these confessions, which he calls convictions, are finally used to indict and sentence the innocent to death or life imprisonment.

Time To Wake-up!

Shouldnt such books be enough to jolt us! Shouldnt such books be read by the heads of the various Commissions?

The stark truth is that something or every-thing is wrong in the way arrests are made; yet there is no stopping the brutal system wrecking many more lives. Where is the transparency in these arrests? Why should we go only by police hand-outs? Why shouldnt a non-governmental agency be allowed to carry simultaneous investi-gative probes? Why shouldnt the biased and corrupt and ruthless police officers be dismissed from service? Why should the minorities sit in fear of the police and its ways!

In fact, in several Muslim mohallas, anxious parents have told me that even if theres a cracker burst in an adjoining area, the cops will rush towards the Muslim mohallas,looking for our young sons, making arrests. Even if they are released after weeks but their names and addresses are in police records and with that they are picked up again and again ...till we sit ruined.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Why the SP-Congress Alliance is Attractive for the Non-Committed (...)

With the newly-formed SP-Congress alliance making waves in the Uttar Pradesh elections, it is natural for most members and supporters of these two political parties to feel upbeat about the prospects of this alliance. This article, however, is not about them or their taken-for-granted support. Instead this article is about the largely non-committed voters and why they too may be increasingly attracted towards this new alliance.

Let me start by analysing my own thinking, although I am not a voter of Uttar Pradesh, only a commentator on current affairs. I have not been a supporter of either the Congress Party or the Samajwadi Party. Instead I have generally been quite critical of the Congree-led UPA Government in Delhi and the previous Samaj-wadi Party Government in Uttar Pradesh. I am not convinced by the exaggerated claims made by these two political parties regarding the performances of their governments. Both of these regimes did not have proper policies in place. Their implementation record was poor and corruption levels were high.

Despite all this I feel that in the ongoing elections of Uttar Pradesh the SP-Congress alliance should be supported. Of course the best choice for any voter would still be a genuinely socialist party or even an independent candidate of outstanding integrity and ability who shares socialist thinking. However, such alternatives are not really available; but what are available are alternatives with at least some chances of winning. And in this context the SP-Congress alliance increasingly appears to be the best available option for non-committed voters.

This needs to be explained at two levels. First, there is an increasing need to defeat the BJP. Secondly, in terms of defeating the BJP it needs to be explained why the SP-Congress alliance is now a better choice than the BSP.

National unity and communal harmony are very important issues in todays India. It is very important to protect the basic idea that is India in terms of the people of various religions and cultures living together in harmony and with equal rights. This issue has become very important in the Uttar Pradesh elections because of the overall importance of this State in terms of its population of various communities and the special importance of this State in terms of protecting communal harmony in India.

Then there is the additional fact that communal polarisation and violence were instigated here in recent times by some BJP leaders and their allies. Some areas like Muzaffarnagar in Western UP and Gorakhpur in Eastern UP have become flash-points for such instigator-actions and some powerful BJP leaders here have indulged in very inflammatory statements and actions without being restrained by the partys central leadership in any effective way. Instead, some of them appear to have been rewarded and have become more powerful than before. It is in this backdrop, clearly in the larger national interest and more specifically in the interests of peace and harmony, checking the advance of such forces becomes imperative and these elections provide the voters an opportunity to do so.

Secondly, the record of the BJP in terms of economic policies and governance has also been very worrying. Several misplaced policies culminated ultimately in the highly disruptive demonetisation decision which is evidence of a highly distorted thinking on basic issues as well as poor governance. There is no humility even in the middle of serious mistakes and their highly disruptive impact on the common people and their livelihood. Instead, there is growing arrogance and a huge publicity offensive to pass even failures as successes. It is important to check all this and the voters have a chance in these elections to do so.

The second part of the question is: if the non-committal voters reject the BJP, then whom else should they vote for? Leaving aside the odd constituency where a better alternative may be available in the form of an exceptionally capable independent or a candidate of high integrity of a Left party with at least some chance of actually winning, in the overwhelming majority of seats the alternative has to be chosen between the BSP and the SP-Congress alliance.

In earlier years I for one would have chosen the BSP over the SP because of the simple reason that the emergence of political power of the Dalits should be encouraged, but this year there are reasons for making a different choice. First, BSP supremo Mayawati has lost several hard-working grassroots leaders of her party by not being just and fair towards them. Instead of building the party on the strength of such grassroots leaders and activists, this party in its functioning became increasingly captive to money-power.

On the other hand, there are some reasons to hope that Akhilesh Yadav, having broken out of the stranglehold of some seniors, will now take more effective steps to keep away criminal elements from his party. In fact the new alliance, symbolised by the relatively youthful leadership of Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi, has given the hope of a new beginning based on reduction of arrogance and criminalisation on the one hand, and better adherence to constitutional principles of secularism on the other. It is with such hopes that the non-committal voters are likely to be attracted towards the SP-Congress alliance.

The author is a freelance journalist who has been involved with several social movements and initiatives.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > PM Modis Muslim Bashing in UP Elections

As the multi-phased UP Assembly elections progress, PM Modi as the only mascot of the BJPs campaign is becoming more belligerent in his communally polarising rhetoric. Speaking at an election rally on (February 20, 2017) at Fatehpur, the PM, while raising the issue of appeasement of the Muslim minority in the State by the current Samajwadi Party Government, went to the extent of declaring: Ramzan me bijli ati hai to Diwali me bhi ani chahiye; Bhedbhav nahi hona chahiye (If there is electricity during Ramzan then it must be available during Diwali too; there shouldnt be any discrimi-nation.)...Gaon me kabristan banta hai to shamshaan bhi banna chahiye (If there is a kabaristaan (grave-yard), there should be a shamshaan (cremation ground) too in the village.)1

PM Modi was clearly targeting the Akhilesh Government for favouring Muslims over Hindus of UP. Though he did not share any data to prove this serious allegation, the PM wanted to convey to his Hindu audience that the Samaj-wadi Party did not care for Hindu votes and was in power due to Muslim votes, and so naturally he cared for the latter only.

This brash allegation needs serious investi-gation. Modi has been addressing election meetings in UP for almost the last three weeks but never raised this issue. The Fatehpur address showed that he was trying to heighten the pitch for polarisation between the Hindu and Muslim electorate. It also meant that the UP electorate, overwhelmingly consisting of Hindus, had not come out in support of the BJP. So, the bogey of Muslim appeasement and enemy Muslim were being raised. Responding to this development a leading English daily of the country editorially wrote that halfway into the UP campaign, both the PMs choice of examples, and his message, are unfortunate...It neither behoves the PM nor his office.2

Before delving into the ideological background of the PMs Muslim bashing, let us judge this spate of allegations from a common-sensical point of view. Modis argument is that the Akhilesh Government was elected by Muslim voters; so it naturally worked for the interest of its Muslim vote-bank overlooking the demands of the Hindus. While making any final opinion on this issue we have to take into account the following figures: Muslims constitute 19.3 per cent of the UP population whereas Hindus are 79.73 per cent in the State. Out of a total 404 UP Assembly seats Muslims have a share of more than 30 per cent votes in 73 constituencies and 20-30 per cent votes in 70 constituencies. In the last 2012 Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party secured 224 seats. If Modis argument is tested in the light of the above facts and figures, it would be suicidal for any political party in UP to win on the strength of Muslim votes alone and serve the interests of Muslims in the State. It would be sheer illiteracy to claim that 19.3 per cent Muslim voters would elect a government which should win a minimum of 203 seats to rule. The BJPs own list of candidates for the 2017 Assembly elections shows that it does not find Muslims as a significant or deciding factor in the current Assembly elections. It has not nominated a single Muslim candidate for these elections. The myth of Muslim vote-bank is in fact an insult to the Hindu electorate of UP that have often elected non-BJP governments.

The Hindutva bogey of Muslim appeasement has no factual basis, totally disregards common sense but continues to be touted in RSS shakhas and boudhik baithaks. Whatever PM Modi says about Muslim appeasement is the outcome of his being a Hindu nationalist and groomed as a political leader by Guru Golwalkar, the second supremo of the RSS, who is also referred to as the Guru of Hate.

Golwalkar, as early as in 1939, declared that Muslims and Christians of India belonged to foreign races and in order to stay in Hindusthan they must either adopt the Hindu culture and language, must learn to respect and hold in reverence Hindu religion, must entertain no idea but those of the glorification of the Hindu race and culture, i.e., of the Hindu nation and must lose their separate existence to merge in the Hindu race, or may stay in the country, wholly subordinated to the Hindu Nation, claiming nothing, deserving no privileges, far less any preferential treatment not even citizens rights. There is, at least should be, no other course for them to adopt. We are an old nation: let us deal, as old nations ought to and do deal, with the foreign races who have chosen to live in our country.3

The RSS outrightly rejected the idea that Indian Muslims too were part of the Indian nation. The English organ of the RSS, Organiser, on the very eve of Independence (August 14, 1947), editorially chalked out its concept of nation in the following words: Let us no longer allow ourselves to be influenced by false notions of nationhood. Much of the mental confusion and the present and future troubles can be removed by the ready recognition of the simple fact that in Hindusthan only the Hindus form the nation and the national structure must be built on that safe and sound foundation...The nation itself must be built up of Hindus, on Hindu traditions, culture, ideas and aspirations.

Even after Independence its hatred for mino-rities, specially Muslims, continued unabated, in fact, got more focussed. The Holy book for the RSS cadres, Bunch of Thoughts, which is a collection of writings and speeches of Golwalkar (first published by the RSS in 1966) has a long chapter titled as Internal Threats in which Muslims and Christians are described as threat number one and two respectively. He goes on to spit venom against common Muslims in the following words: W

ithin the country there are so many Muslim pockets, i.e., so manyminiature Pakistans...The conclusion is that, in practically everyplace, there are Muslims who are in constant touch with Pakistan over the transmitter...4

While addressing the leading RSS cadres of South India in Bangalore on November 30, 1960, Golwalkar made the following sensational statement:

Right from Delhi to Rampur, Muslims are busy hatching a dangerous plot, piling up arms and mobilizing their men, and probably biding their time to strike from within.5Shockingly, there was no substantiation or proofs offered for such a serious allegation against the whole Muslim community residing in the western Uttar Pradesh (UP). More shocking was that the police of Karnataka or UP did not prosecute Golwalkar for rumour-mongering.

Golwalkars hatred for Muslims was endless. He continued to preach that Muslims

are born in this land, no doubt. But are they true to their salt? Are they grateful to this land which has brought them up? Do they feel that they are the children of this land and its tradition, and that to serve it is their great good fortune? Do they feel it a duty to serve her? No! Together with the change in their faith, gone is the spirit of love and devotion for the nation. Nor does it end there. They have also developed a feeling of identification with the enemies of this land.6

PM Modis bashing of Muslims in the UP elections should not surprise anybody. He may be a PM of a democratic-secular country but has been groomed by the RSS and Golwalkar into a political leader and proudly identifies himself as a Hindu nationalist.7 He is out to implement the RSS agenda of demonising minorities, specially Muslims, the largest minority of the country, in order to prepare ground for the consolidation of Hindus. He represents the greatest challenge to our democratic-secular polity from within. It is unfortunate that Modis long stint with our democratic-secular constitutional set-up has not brought even an iota of change (or secularisation) in the Hindutva perception of PM Modi. The election results of the UP elections in the first half of March 2017 are going to settle the future of the Indian polity. Will Indian democracy survive the attempts to undo it from within? This is a billion-dollar question.

Endnotes

1. http://indianexpress.com/elections/uttar-pradesh-assembly-elections-2017/uttar-pradesh-elections-2017-pm-modi-fatehpur-rally-ramzan-diwali-sp-congress-bjp-no-discrimination-4532942/

2. http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/narendra-modi-diwali-ramzan-up-assembly-elections-2017-4535245/

3. M.S. Golwalkar, We Or Our Nationhood Defined, Bharat Publications, Nagpur, 1939, pp. 47-48.

4. M.S. Golwalkar, Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1996, p. 185.

5. M.S. Golwalkar, From Delhi to Rampur Muslims are conspiring, Organiser, December 12, 1960.

6. M.S. Golwalkar, Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1996, p. 125.

7. http://blogs.reuters.com/india/2013/07/12/interview-with-bjp-leader-narendra-modi/

Shamsul Islam, a well-known theatre personality, is a former Associate Professor (now retired), Department of Political Science, Satyawati College, University of Delhi. For some of the authors writings in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu and Gujarati see the following link: http/du-in.academia.edu/Shamsullslam
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Face of BJPs Diabolical Project

EDITORIAL

While the BJP stalwarts, including PM Narendra Modi, continue their communally polarising campaign in the last phases of the UP Assembly elections, the RSS student wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), has resorted to threats and intimidation against its adversaries among the students. Lately a 20-year-old student of English literature in Lady Shri Ram College has had to face the ABVPs ire. She had changed her Facebook profile picture to her holding a placard that read: I am a student of Delhi University and I am not afraid of ABVP. For this crime she received threats from ABVP activists. Her being the daughter of an Indian Army soldier who had laid down his life in J&K fighting infiltrators did not come to her rescue. As The Indian Express pointed out, the more innocuous of such threats on the social media include a fate worse than Nirbhaya (the December 2012 gangrape and murder victim), advice to just die... She has been further intimidated with calls of being raped.

But such threats have been compounded by attacks on the student, Ms Gurmehar Kaur, from BJP parliamentarians and even Union Ministers. BJP MP Pratap Simha compared her to Dawood Ibrahim saying at least Dawood didnt use his fathers name to justify his anti-national stand. Simhas reaction was to a post by Kaur from May last year, where she had made a case for peace with Pakistan. And Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju tweeted asking: Who is polluting this young girls mind? Meanwhile Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu scented a plot to lead young minds astray.

These are not surprising. The BJP was in the forefront of the attacks on Muslims in Gujarat precisely 15 years ago. While analysing the happenings in that State in March 2002, a noted social scientist, Ashutosh Varshney, has written today in The Indian Express:

A pogrom is defined as a mob attack, either approved or condoned by authorities, against the persons and property of a religious, racial, or national minority. Gujarat 2002 fits this definition well. Dozens of eye-witness stories can be cited. The non-state organisations, most closely allied with the BJP Government, approved of violence. The VHP called it the first positive response of the Hindus to Muslim fundamentalism in 1000 years. The RSS said: Let the minorities understand their real safety lies in the goodwill of the majority, not in laws. Finally, the courts sentenced a Minister in Modis government to jail for leading mobs. In short, it was not a case of the government trying to prevent massacres, but one in which the government looked the other way, and considerable abetting also took place. It was a pogrom.

A political organisation which, while in power in a State, carried out such a pogrom 15 years ago (till date the then State CM, who is now the PM, has not tendered even an apology to the victims) can easily translate such threats, as have been given to Gurmehar, into action now that it enjoys absolute power at the Centre and when such threats have been followed by statements from BJP leaders instigating the ABVP activists issuing these in the social media. This is where the UP elections assume critical importance. An electoral victory for the BJP in that State can only facilitate implementation of its diabolical project in the days and months ahead.

March 1 s.c.
I am offering the solution to a problem most Republicans don't know they have -- that they can be outmaneuvered and thrown on the defensive endlessly, on nearly any issue, because they accept as true Democrat lies about the Republican Party. To correct that misperception and to help the Republican Party get 'back to basics' is why I'm a man on a mission.

A few years ago, after one of my speeches, a man told me "Do you know what your problem is? You're too far ahead of your time!" My efforts to show Republicans how they would benefit from celebrating the heritage of our Grand Old Party have been arduous, but if this were easy someone else would have already done it.

Among my speech topics are Reconciling the Tea Party and the GOP; Barack Obama, the Worst President Ever; Socialism, the new Slavery; Appreciating the Heritage of our Grand Old Party; Returning to the Founding Principles of the United States; The Womens Rights Achievements of our Grand Old Party; Abraham Lincoln, Republican; Frederick Douglass, Republican; Martin Luther King and the Republican Civil Rights Legacy.
Chennai: Former Tamil Nadu DGP Natarajan confirmed that it was Abdul Nazer Mahdani who helped the police to hunt down the forest brigand, Veerappan. In return for his help, Mahdani must have received benefits from the police, he added.

There were indications about Mahdanis role in K. Vijay Kumars recently released book Veerappan: Chasing the Brigand. Mr.Kumar headed the Special Task Force that conducted the Operation Cocoon which killed the bandit.

The police secured Mahdanis help when he was lodged in jail for the Coimbatore blasts in 2003. Veerappans brother was also lodged in the same jail from whom Mahdani came to know that the bandit was recruiting new members to his gang.

Through Mahdani, the police was able to infiltrate Veerappans gang and thus got information on his movements. He was killed on Oct 18, 2004, in Dharmapuri village
SPX Uptrend continues to make New All-time Highs

The week started at SPX 2367. On Monday the SPX rose to 2372, pulled back to 2359 on Tuesday, then gapped up on Wednesday hitting an all-time high of SPX 2401. Thursday and Friday saw the SPX pullback to 2375 before ending the week at 2383. For the week the SPX/DOW gained 0.80%, and the NDX/NAZ gained 0.50%. Economic reports for the week were mostly higher. On the downtick: pending home sales, construction spending, the WLEI and the Q1 GDP estimate. On the uptick: durable goods, consumer confidence, the Chicago PMI, personal income/spending, ISM manufacturing/services, the PCE, plus weekly jobless claims hit a 44-year low. Next weeks reports will be highlighted by monthly payrolls, factory orders and export/import prices. Best to your weekend and week!

LONG TERM: uptrend

Last weekend we noted the weekly RSI was getting into rare overbought territory. It had ended the week at 89.94 and was reaching the typical 90+ overbought reading that comes in third of third waves. This week it ended at 91.63, the highest overbought level since early 2004. Not the last bull market, the previous one. The peak reading of the 2009-2015 bull market occurred in 2010. The peak reading of the 2002-2007 bull market occurred in 2004. Upside momentum is certainly in favor of a continuing bull market.

The long term count remains unchanged. A Super cycle bear market ended in 2009 at SPX 667. A Primary I bull market ended at SPX 2135 in 2015. A Primary II bear market ended at SPX 1810 in 2016. And a Primary III bull market has been underway since then. The first phase, Major wave 1, of the five Major wave Primary III bull market is underway. Major wave 1 is dividing into five Intermediate waves. Intermediate waves i and ii completed in April and June. Minor waves 1 and 2, of Int. iii, completed in August and November. Minor wave 3, of Int. iii, has been underway since then. Still expecting a top around SPX 3000+ between the years 2018 and 2020.

MEDIUM TERM: uptrend

This Minor 3 uptrend started in early November at SPX 2084 and is still underway. It is now into its 4th month, twice as long as either of the two previous uptrends. Also it has travelled more SPX points than either of those two uptrends, and has already gained 15.2% from the November low.

We have been labeling this uptrend with five Minute waves. Minute waves i and ii both completed in December, and Minute iii has been underway since then. Minute i was fairly simple with five subdividing Micro waves. Minute iii appears to be subdividing into a more complex pattern which we will cover below. When it concludes, there should be a Minute iv pullback, and then a Minute v advance to new highs before this uptrend ends. Medium term support is at the 2336 and 2321 pivots, with resistance at the 2385 and 2411 pivots.

SHORT TERM

As noted above Minute iii appears more complex than Minute i. We have labeled Micro waves 1 and 2 at SPX 2282 and SPX 2257 respectively. Micro 3, however, we have subdividing into five Nano waves. Nano waves 1 and 2 completed at SPX 2301 and SPX 2267 respectively. Nano wave 3 may have topped at SPX 2401, with a series of nine smaller waves.

Should the pullback continue and decline into the low SPX 2360s, then it is likely Nano wave iv. If not, the recent pullback, which is the largest since Nano ii, may only be the 10th wave of a 13 wave pattern. Either way the uptrend has further to go before it concludes. Short term support is at SPX 2353 and the 2336 pivot, with resistance at the 2385 pivot and SPX 2401. Short term momentum ended the week above neutral. Best to your trading!

FOREIGN MARKETS

Asian markets were mostly lower on the week for a net loss of 0.4%.

European markets were all higher and gained 3.0%.

The DJ World index gained 0.4%, and the NYSE gained 0.5%.

COMMODITIES

Bonds are in an uptrend but lost 1.1% on the week.

Crude is also in an uptrend and lost 1.2%.

Gold appears to be in a downtrend and lost 2.5% on the week.

The USD is in an uptrend and gained 0.3%.

NEXT WEEK

Monday: factory orders at 10am. Tuesday: trade deficit and consumer credit. Wednesday: the ADP index. Thursday: the ECB meets, export/import prices and weekly jobless claims. Friday: monthly payrolls and the unemployment rate.

CHARTS: http://stockcharts.com/public/1269446/tenpp

https://caldaro.wordpress.com

After about 40 years of investing in the markets one learns that the markets are constantly changing, not only in price, but in what drives the markets. In the 1960s, the Nifty Fifty were the leaders of the stock market. In the 1970s, stock selection using Technical Analysis was important, as the market stayed with a trading range for the entire decade. In the 1980s, the market finally broke out of it doldrums, as the DOW broke through 1100 in 1982, and launched the greatest bull market on record.

Sharing is an important aspect of a life. Over 100 people have joined our group, from all walks of life, covering twenty three countries across the globe. It's been the most fun I have ever had in the market. Sharing uncommon knowledge, with investors. In hope of aiding them in finding their financial independence.

Copyright  2017 Tony Caldaro - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

Tony Caldaro Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Trump Asks Congress to Investigate Obama Over Wiretapping

On Sunday, his press secretary Sean Spicer issued a statement, saying reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling.



President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016.

He added neither the White House or Trump will comment further until such oversight is conducted.



A previous article discussed two reported FISA court requests by the Obama administration last year to monitor Trumps electronic communications - the first in June denied, the second more narrowly drawn, approved in October.



Obamas spokesman lied, saying (n)either President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any US citizen.



Pervasive spying occurred on his watch - targeting foreign leaders, political enemies, whistleblowers exposing government wrongdoing, ordinary Americans, and Trump if hard evidence proves it.



FISA and other courts require probable cause to issue wiretapping authorization. None revealed so far justifies monitoring Trumps communications - no apparent probable cause related to criminal wrongdoing, Russia or for any other reason.



Using executive authority against political opponents is abuse of power. If an inquiry reveals Trumps claim about Obama wiretapping Trump Tower is accurate, potentially he could face charges in a court of law.



On Sunday, deputy White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump is determined to get to the bottom of what happened, adding:



I think hes going off of information that hes seen that has led him to believe that this is a very real potential.



And if it is, this is the greatest overreach and the greatest abuse of power that I think we have ever seen and a huge attack on democracy itself. And the American people have a right to know if this took place.



If Trump already has hard evidence, he should reveal it. His serious accusation requires proof to show its valid.

By Stephen Lendman

http://sjlendman.blogspot.com

His new book as editor and contributor is titled Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.

http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html

He lives in Chicago and can be reached in Chicago at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.



Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to The Global Research News Hour on RepublicBroadcasting.org Monday through Friday at 10AM US Central time for cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on world and national topics. All programs are archived for easy listening.

 2017 Copyright Stephen Lendman - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




ALBANY  New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is traveling to Israel on an economic development and unity trip.

Cuomo left Saturday and will return Monday. He will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, tour Yad Vashem and the Western Wall and attend a security briefing at Jerusalem's Old City Police Headquarters. He'll also host a New York State-Israel Economic Development working lunch with the mayor of Jerusalem.

Cuomo's trip is an effort to attract international business investment. Its aim is to reinforce the historic relationship between New York and Israel and is part of the state's effort to combat anti-Semitism.

In New York City alone, ant-Semitic hate crimes nearly doubled in the past year.
By creating a homelike environment with a small facility and flexibility, The Legacy Assisted Living Facility is full with a waiting list.

Monica Martinez, manager at The Legacy, said all 28 beds are occupied with multiple people waiting for a room. While caring staff is on site 24 hours a day, residents arent fully dependent on staff, which Martinez said appeals to future residents who have their own vehicles and still want to be part of the community in Helena.

The facility is Category A, meaning it provides a basic level of care with personal support. It does not provide memory care or accept Medicaid waivers.

Residents have the choice of a private studio ($3,250-$3,650 per month) or a one bedroom apartment ($3,850 a month). A second person in a room costs an additional $800 a month. According to the 2015 Genworth Financial cost of care survey, the average cost of assisted living in Montana is $3,560 per month, which is slightly lower than the national average of $3,600 a month.

Each suite has an ADA compliant bathroom and kitchenettes with a sink, microwave and refrigerator. The Legacy provides residents with three homemade meals each day, housekeeping and laundry services, daily activities, shower assistance, television and internet, medication management and weekly access to a nurse.

The 20 person staff is able to assist with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, grooming and monitoring medicines. The Legacy also has large common areas, a communal dining room, a salon and jetted tub for residents to use.

The facility opened in May 2016, and quickly filled as the need for long term care in the state is expanding. The percentage of the elderly population in Montana is expected to double between 2010 and 2030 as people are generally living longer and the Baby Boomers approach retirement age. According to the Census, Montana is expected to have the fifth highest percentage of the population over 65. The Legacy currently has residents aged 79 to 101.

The Legacy Assisted Living is located at 624 Ptarmigan Lane. People interested in living at the facility can call 406-442-2045 to set up a tour and health assessment to ensure the facility can meet their needs.
MARTINSVILLE  Fast Track 2017 will be jam-packed with exhibitors.

A total of 132 area businesses and organizations will showcase their products and services at the annual trade show, which opens Tuesday in the former Sears building at the Village of Martinsville shopping center (formerly Liberty Fair Mall).

Its going to be a full house, said Amanda Witt, president of the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the expo.

As of mid-February, all 141 booth spaces had been reserved by approximately 115 exhibitors. Yet people continued to ask the chamber to make room for their businesses and organizations in the show, Witt said.

Interest has definitely been higher this year than in the past several years, although high levels of interest in the show are shown every year, she said.

Rearrangements of the layout now will enable the show to accommodate 150 spaces. Some exhibitors have taken two or more spaces.

Dont call the chamber on Monday and ask to be squeezed in somehow.

Theres no more room, Witt said.

Seventeen exhibitors will participate in Fast Track for the first time this year, she mentioned.

As always, Tuesday will be VIP Night, open only to invited guests from 4-8 p.m. The night is a time for participating businesses and organizations to network and perhaps make deals with each other.

People attending VIP Night are expected to wear business casual clothing, Witt said  basically, no jeans, no shorts and no T-shirts. City police officers providing security during the event will deny entry to anyone wearing such garb, she said.

Also, nobody under 18 years of age will be allowed at VIP Night unless they are working for exhibitors at their booths.

We want to make sure that with VIP Night, we keep that business-to-business feel, Witt said.

Again this year, a featured attraction of VIP Night will be The Taste of Martinsville-Henry County, in which area restaurants and caterers will serve free samples from their menus. Twelve such businesses will be doling out their delights this year.

As they enter the show, visitors will receive cards that the eateries will punch when they serve a person to help ensure there are enough samples to go around.

The public, including people younger than 18, can attend the trade show from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday. Admission will be $2 per person or two cans of food which will be donated to Grace Network for distribution to needy families, Witt said the chamber would rather collect food than money.

Several of the food vendors plan to also participate in the show on Wednesday and hand out samples then, she said.

Fast Track has been so successful over the years that chambers of commerce in other communities have replicated it. However, it remains the largest trade show in the region, officials have said.

If anyone never has visited Fast Track before, now would be a good time to do so, Witt said.

Weve got the best exhibitors around, she said. Weve got such a good variety of businesses and organizations in Martinsville and Henry County, everyone should be aware of them.

Businesses in nearby places that have local customers also participate in the show.

This will be the second year that Fast Track has been held in the former Sears building. Unlike at some past venues, there will be plenty of free parking available in the shopping centers lot.

Still, Witt encourages both exhibitors and visitors to arrive as early as possible to ensure they get a parking space.

We definitely filled that parking lot last year, she said, recalling that vehicles were all the way up to Krogers gas pumps which are far from both the supermarket and the former Sears building.

Lets just pray we have good weather Tuesday and Wednesday so a lot of people are enticed to attend, she continued.

Cold, icy weather has struck during several past shows. One year when the weather was warm, yet stormy, a tornado warning was issued during the show.

The National Weather Services forecast is calling for sunshine on Tuesday and Wednesday, with daytime high temperatures in the 60s and overnight low temperatures around 40 degrees.

Here is the list of businesses and organizations participating in Fast Track 2017 and their booth numbers at the trade show:

S1 - Memorial Hospital of Martinsville & Henry County

S2 - Jones & DeShon Orthodontics

S3 - Martinsville Speedway

S4 - The Eye Site

S5 - AmeriStaff

S6 - Gardner Barrow & Sharpe P.C.

S7 - Carter Bank & Trust

S8 - Everything Outdoors, LLC

S9- Eastman Chemical Company

S10 - West Piedmont Works

S11 - The Lester Group

S12 - S & K Office Products

101 - Charis Transportation

102 - Valley Star Credit Union

103 - Axcess Staffing

104 - Books & Crannies

105 - City of Martinsville

106 - Martinsville Health & Rehab

107 - Martinsville Police Department

108 - Patrick Henry Community College

109 - EMI Imaging

110 - Patrick Henry Community College

111 - EMI Imaging

112 - Patrick Henry Community College

113 - Wild Turkey Federation

115 - Kind Kidz Fun Rentals

201 - Ashbrook Audiology

202 - Martinsville Physical Therapy

203 - Martinsville Electronics

204 - LeafFilter North or North Carolina

205 - The Results Companies

206 - Family Insight

207 - PHCC Culinary

208 - U.S. Cellular

209 - Patrick Henry Community College

210 - Big Idea

211 - Patrick Henry Community College

212 - Disability Rights & Resource Center

301 - Stifel

302 - Collins-Mckee-Stone Funeral Services

303 - Dutch Inn/Quality Inn

304 - GCS Electronics & Communications

305 - Puroclean

306 - Martinsville, Henry-Patrick Counties Realtors Association

307 - The Landmark Group LLC

308 - Henry County

309 - Willies Rack Shack

310 - Chick-fil-A

311 - Kings Grant Retirement Community

312 - Salvation Army

401 - Henry County Public Schools

402 - New College Institute

403 - Henry County Public Schools

404 - New College Institute

405 - First Piedmont Corp.

406 - Martinsville City Public Schools

407 - Martinsville Bulletin

408 - Spencer Penn Centre

409 - Rives Theatre

410 - Furniture Outlet of Ridgeway

411 - Comcast/Xfinity

412- Furniture Outlet of Ridgeway

501 - Blue Ridge Bank, NA

502 - Rising Sun Bread

503 - United Way of Henry County and Martinsville

504 - American National Bank

505 - Martinsville City Public Schools

506 - Fidelity Bank

507 - Piedmont Arts Association

508 - Bassett Physical Therapy

509 - HomeTrust Bank

510 -Bassett Physical Therapy

511 - Kindred Hospital of Greensboro

602 - Casting Logos

603 - Star News

604 - Arconic

605 - Lowes

606 - Lowes- HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams

607 - Assured Comfort/Sleepsafe Beds

608 - YMCA

609 - Jewelers Edge LLC

610 - Tekabyte

611 - Reynolds Homestead

701 - Piedmont Community Services

702 - Blue Ridge Regional Airport

703 - CHILL

704 - Southside Survivor Response Center

705 - Longwood Small Business Development Center

706 - Guy M. Turner, Inc.

707- Friedrichs Family Eye Center

708- Stanleytown Health & Rehab

709 - Boys & Girls Club of the Blue Ridge

801 - Berry Elliott Realtors

802 - American Cancer Society

803 - Martinsville Henry County Coalition for Health & Wellness

804 - Martinsville Mustangs

805 - Triangle Electric Corp.

806 - New Century Hospice

807 - Triangle Electric Corp.

808  SCORE (Senior Corps of Retired Executives)

809 - Triangle Electric Corp.

810 - Debbies Staffing
Names and faces

Morrison-Maierle has made changes on its Corporate Leadership Team. Kurt Keith has been promoted as the companys chief client services officer.

Keith began working at Morrison-Maierle as a structural engineer in 1993. He was made a vice president in 2008 and served on the board of directors from 2008-2012. He will continue to serve as the Buildings Market Group leader while a transition plan is implemented. He received his B.S. in engineering science from Montana Tech and M.S. in civil/structural engineering from Purdue University. He specializes in the management of public and private building design.

Brett Etzel has been hired as Morrison-Maierles new director of information technology. A native of eastern Montana, Etzel and his family will be moving back to Montana from the Seattle area.

He has spent a majority of his career in progressively responsible IT positions with engineering consulting companies. He has a B.A. from the University of Montana and earlier diplomas from the Denver Institute of Technology and the Naval Air Technical Training Center. Etzel is a Microsoft-Certified IT Professional.

***

Tyler Hulse as joined Farm Bureau Financial Services office at 2030 Cromwell Dixon Lane. As an agent and investment specialist, Hulse helps Farm Bureau client/members prepare for the future and protect what matters most to them by providing products and services for families, individuals and businesses.

Prior to joining Farm Bureau Financial Services, Hulse was a claims adjuster in Helena with Mountain West Farm Bureau.

***

Stephanie Bull, a new commercial loan officer at Opportunity Bank of Montana, has more than 15 years of sales and marketing experience, working with small businesses to create marketing plans and budgets and leading teams of sales professionals. She was previously the advertising director of the Independent Record and the marketing manager of the Missoulian newspaper.

She holds a bachelor of science in public relations from Utah State University and a masters in business administration from University of Montana. Bull is a board member of Helena Area Community Foundation, is currently participating in Leadership Helena and Womens Leadership Network.

***

Territorial-Landworks, Inc. a Montana based engineering and surveying rm has opened an office in Helena to service central Montana. Shawn Rowland, RS, MS will serve as the Helena branch manager.

Rowland joined Territorial-Landworks in May 2016, bringing nearly 20 years of environmental consulting experience. He is a graduate of the University of Montana with a master's degree in microbiology and biochemistry. The ofce is located at 123 Harwood Drive in Helena. Rowland can be reached at 406-270-5501 or ShawnR@TerritorialLandworks.com.

***

Helena Industries has announced that Barbara Walsh has been named interim CEO of the Helena-based nonprofit. Walsh has been a financial consultant with the nonprofit for over one year. Prior to her time at Helena Industries, she was the director of finance at Intermountain Childrens Home and has more than 25 years of experience in the accounting and management. She holds a bachelors degree in business accounting from Montana State University in Bozeman.

***

News and notes

QuickBooks classes available

Career Training Institute, 347 N. Last Chance Gulch, is offering a series of QuickBooks training classes. The cost is $99 per class or $325 for the four-class series.

Beginning Quickbooks -- March 10 from 8:30 a.m.-noon. Are you new to QuickBooks? Are you getting by with the basics and now youre ready to learn more? Topics will include a review of the chart of accounts, setting up vendors and customers, reconciling bank statements, entering credit card charges, numerous QuickBooks hints and tips and more.

Intermediate Quickbooks Class I -- March 24 from 8:30 a.m.-noon. For many users, performing common, day-to-day transactions in QuickBooks poses few challenges. The Intermediate I class is designed for people who want to learn how to use some of the more advanced features available in QuickBooks. This class covers in-depth information on using accounts receivable and accounts payable along with other functions available in QuickBooks.

Intermediate Quickbooks Class II -- April 7 from 8:30 a.m.-noon. Similar to the Intermediate QuickBooks I class, the topics covered in this session teach users how to enter uncommon transactions in accounts receivable and accounts payable. The class includes instruction on properly accounting for a line of credit, recording employee purchases and advances, using pricing levels, recording customer down payments, and more.

Quickbooks Payroll April 21 from 8:30 a.m.-noon. Learn more about setting up and processing payroll, accurately setting up 401k and cafeteria plans, plus year end reports and more.

If you are interested in attending classes, contact Career Training Institute at 443-0800.

Guidelines

The IR welcomes reports of hiring, promotions, awards, recognition, learning opportunities and other news from local companies and nonprofits. We accept press releases and photos (digital images at 300 dpi or more are preferred, but we can also use regular photos; we dont guarantee return of these). Email your information to irstaff@helenair.com.

There is no charge for items appearing in the Business Briefcase. Items are run on a space-available basis, and we reserve the right to edit and use information as we see fit.

The deadline is Tuesday at noon to be considered for publication the following Sunday.
Six months after filming was completed at the Big E, Moolicious Farm in Southwick will finally be featured on theTravel Channel's "Food Paradise."

"We were told we were finalists and then they came out and started filming," said Joe Deedy, owner of Moolicious Farm, home of the Moo-Nut, a doughnut filled with soft serve ice cream and topped with an endless variety of sauces and other sweet sensations, as well as an apple fritter stuffed with ice cream, a slice of pie smashed into soft serve ice cream and this past year the blueberry pierogi sundae.

The pierogi, which consists of a Millie's blueberry pierogi, soft serve ice cream, a blueberry sauce and whipped cream, cinnamon sugar and wild blueberry toppings, will be featured on the show's "Feasting at the Fair," episode airing tonight at 8 p.m.

On the Travel Channel website a description of the episode reads: "We're traveling to the fairest of state fairs in the nation. To taste the best of the best, we chow down in the Land of Enchantment, sample old favorites in New England and see what treats are whippin' across people's lips in Oklahoma!"

"We're excited about it. My goal every year is to come up with something that people will love, something different than anything else they've had at the fair," Deedy said after the filming of the segment last year.
clintonpolice.jpg

Betzaida Rodriguez, top left, Delia Rodriguez-Perez, top right, and Sheyla Orengo, all of Springfield, Mass., were arrested Saturday, March 4, 2017, and accused of shoplifting from about 13 stores at Clinton Crossing Premium Outlets in Connecticut. Also pictured are several plastic bags containing hundreds of items of clothing and footwear seized by police.

(Clinton Police Department)

CLINTON, Conn. -- Three Massachusetts women were arrested Saturday following a shoplifting spree at a Connecticut outlet mall in which hundreds of items of clothing and footwear were stolen, police said.



Police investigated the alleged incident at the Clinton Crossing Premium Outlets around 4 p.m. after a store employee reported shoplifting. Police found the women in the outlet's lower level, and their car was located and searched.



Clinton Police said they seized items valued at nearly $10,000, all stolen Saturday from about 13 stores.



Arrested were Betzaida Rodriguez, 31; Delia Rodriguez-Perez, 38; and Sheyla Orengo, 26. The women, all from Springfield, Massachusetts, are charged with larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny.

They're each being held on $5,000 bond.

It wasn't immediately known if they're represented by lawyers.
The Blarney Blowout celebrations in Amherst were relatively tame this year compared to past ones, according to local authorities.

Officials credited public safety efforts, extensive planning, and cold weather for the peaceful day of celebrations.

"It was just a very quiet day--we had one or two arrests, but otherwise everyone had a good time at the concert and everybody went home," said Ed Blaguszewski, Executive Director of Strategic Communications with UMass Amherst.

Police said that out of the 2,200 UMass students who attended the free concert at the Mullins Center, there was only one arrest. A student was taken into custody for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, Blaguszewski said.

There were several disturbance calls but police say those were resolved peacefully.

"The primary goal of providing a safe environment free from any large-scale disturbances was accomplished successfully," said Blaguszewski, in a statement.

Blaguszewski also said that law enforcement observing the day's festivities reported "cooperation, respect and positive communication with students."

While few arrests were made, a number of students did have to be treated for intoxication, said Blaguszewski.

Seven people were treated at the Mullins Center concert by Amherst Fire and UMass Emergency Medical Services, while one had to be taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital for intoxication.

The Amherst Fire Department also transported another intoxicated student from elsewhere on campus, Blaguszewski said.
EAST LONGMEADOW - East Longmeadow police have identified the man who was fatally struck by a car on Shaker Road on Friday.

Sgt. Michael Ingolls of the East Longmeadow Police Department identified the victim as 50-year-old William Conway.

Conway is originally from Connecticut, but had been living in Ludlow, Ingolls said.

The victim was walking on Shaker Road at the time that he was struck and killed by a passing vehicle. He was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene, said Ingolls.

Ingolls further reported that the driver of the vehicle involved in the fatal incident is a resident of Springfield and is cooperating with authorities in their investigation.

No charges have been filed in relation to the incident at this time, Ingolls said.

However, the investigation into Conway's death is ongoing and anyone who may have seen anything or who has additional information about the incident is encouraged to contact the East Longmeadow Police Department by calling (413) 525-5440.
Warwick, Mass. fatal house fire

South Deerfield firemen walk amongst the charred remains of a deadly house fire, Saturday, March 4, 2017, in Warwick, Mass. A mother and four children were killed when flames swept through their rural Massachusetts home early Saturday, fire officials said. Two other family members escaped the fire, which broke in the single-family house. (Kieran Kesner /The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

((Kieran Kesner /The Boston Globe via AP, Pool))

Correction: This story had been updated. The father and his child escaped the fire. There have been conflicting reports on the gender of the child who escaped.

The father and child who escaped a fire that took the lives of five family members Saturday walked nearly a quarter-mile away to get help from the nearest neighbor, officials said Sunday.

"They were able to get out one way, but the rest of the family was not able to get out," said Jennifer Mieth, spokeswoman for the State Fire Marshal's Office. "The nearest neighbors were a quarter-mile away."

As of Sunday afternoon, the names of the mother and her four children had not been released. The family members died during a three-alarm fire on Richmond Road.

Emergency responders reported to the 405 Richmond Road home around 12:45 a.m. The fire was under control as of 9 a.m.

The father and child were taken to a New Hampshire hospital for treatment and have since been released.

Rev. Sean O'Mannion, of Our Lady of Czestochowa, told WCVB News that the father and child were treated for smoke inhalation and then released.

Two of the children who died were altar servers for the church, the television station reports.

Fire officials are still trying to determine the cause of the fire, but said it appears accidental. Authorities said they are also working to determine if the home had working smoke detectors.

Although officials said Saturday that the fire appears to have started near a wood stove in the two-story home, Mieth said Sunday there has been no official determination. The wood stove is one possibility, but no official cause and point of origin has been pinpointed as of Sunday.

Fire officials told the Boston Globe that firefighters had to use water from a pond a half-mile away in order to battle the blaze. The home is located in a remote area.

The newspaper reports cold weather froze equipment at the scene.
A former corrections officer at the Essex County Correctional Facility was sentenced in federal court for her involvement in smuggling suboxone into the house of corrections.

Katherine Sullivan, 32, of Londonderry, New Hampshire was sentenced to 36 months of probation in federal court last week after authorities said Sullivan and another corrections officer smuggled suboxone into the Essex County House of Corrections - Middleton for inmates.

Sullivan was ordered to perform 120 hours of community service and pay a $5,000 fine. She had previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring with inmates to distribute suboxone, a drug used to treat opioid addiction.

Authorities said Sullivan smuggled in the suboxone between October and December 2015.

Another former corrections officer at the facility, 34-year-old John S. Weir of Danvers received the same sentence as Sullivan after his appearance in federal court earlier in the year. He pleaded guilty to conspiring with inmates to distribute suboxone between September and November 2014.

Sullivan and Weir have resigned from their positions as corrections officers.

"The investigations revealed that Weir and Sullivan obtained suboxone strips from sources outside the jail and smuggled the contraband into the facility when reporting for their shifts," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office of Massachusetts. "Inmates receiving the suboxone from Weir and Sullivan then sold the drug to other prisoners inside the correctional facility."
After two semi-final rounds of reading poetry, Chloe Keating waited to hear if she would be among the eight high school students who advanced to the Poetry Out Loud state finals.

The event, held Saturday at the Myrna Loy Center, determined who among this select group received an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., to compete in the national finals. The contest was created by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation and partners with the Montana Arts Council.

But in the end, the judges favored others' recitations. Anaka Ronan, a Helena High School senior, would advance to the national competition through her recitation of Novel by Arthur Rimbaud.

Keating, like the other 17 high-school students in the semi-final round, had sandwiches for lunch in the buildings lobby before returning to the auditorium where they would be greeted with applause and the judges decision that would produce the finalists.

Keating is from Molt, a small community in Stillwater County and west of Billings. She traced her interest in poetry to Mary Ann Brooks, one of her Rapelje High School teachers.

Some of us didnt like it but I ended up loving it, Keating , 15, said.

How poetry relates to everyday things interests her and surprises her too.

My poem, I just fell in love with it because I realized I can do anything I really want to if I just put my mind to it, she said of the poem Fairy-Tale Logic by A. E. Stallings, which she read during the second round of semi-final competition.

It just kind of reminded me of my childhood and how I always wanted to be an actress. Id kind of given up that dream but actually Im glad that I found this poem because it made me realize that I can be an actress if I just put my mind to it.

Being on stage reciting a poem makes her nervous, but she dismisses the anxiety and tells herself its silly.

The best part about it is I feel happy doing it. I feel like Im actually doing something that I want to do.

Joshua Hedrick, a 16-year-old Butte High School junior, finished lunch with a small group of other competitors and paused to talk. His interest in poetry, he explained, was born of a school assignment perhaps a couple of months ago.

I just really found some poems I connected to because a lot of poems connect with the deep human emotions that we never real deal with, like human healing. I thought it was really nice that you could portray that in a classroom in front of your peers and still get a grade for it.

Its so nice to be connected with that emotion in a big group of people that you never really get to in the day-to-day, Hedrick said.

I have a lot of struggle with the facade of being happy in front of people because you dont know them.

When youre really sad inside and you want to say something about how youre feeling, you dont get to because everyone expects you to have a happy life. That part of the poem really connected with me, he said of the first poem he read on Saturday, The Obligation to be Happy by Linda Pastan.

Another theme in the poem that resonated with him was that all that a person may do in life has been done by others, and that even if a person doesnt do something someone else will do it.

So nothing you make is necessarily yours because someone else will make it, he offered.

Its a depressing thought, he explained but added that its still important to create despite that realization.

On stage, he tries to being forth the emotion that comes from within him. Life experiences give him perspectives and allow a measure of confidence and the ability to express those emotions, Hedrick said.

Its a rough journey to get to that point where you can express that type of emotion.

Alleah Jordan, 17 and a senior at Hamilton High School, hoped she too would advance to the finals.

Poetry, she said as she waited for the judges decision, is lovely, its really beautiful.

I feel like you can really capture a moment in poetry. Its important and can give you something that you may know or give you a new experience that you havent known yet in your life.

Shes been writing poetry since middle school when she was 10, she said and added that its important to her.

I think it helps me be a more expressive person, Jordan said.

Jordan and Hedrick advanced to the finals.

The hands of some contestants fluttered like birds and from eyes and expressions poured emotion. But at the conclusion of the final round, Ronan was the chosen one. Claire Parsons, a Hellgate High School sophomore, was second and Clint Connors, a sophomore at Butte High School, third.

Ronan, Parsons and Connors waited on stage for those who wanted pictures as the audience rose to leave.

Afterward, Ronan said her life plan next calls for her to study computer science at Boise State University.

Poetry was suggested through a discussion group fostered by a high school English teacher shortly before this years competition started.

The attraction of poetry is the emotional connection that people can have with it, she said.

I think it helps me sort of evaluate my life. Certain poems are written by people who have experiences, and if you relate to them its easy to take a different perspective on whatevers happening.

Novel was the first poem that I heard when I started looking at poems for Poetry Out Loud, Ronan said.

And I just thought it was funny that it was about this 17-year-old boy. At first, to me, it was about the 17-year-old boy, and he got his heart broken. Because I imagined in that letter that he got from that girl he worshipped she wrote in the first line, we arent serious when were 17.

I thought it was funny and cute and different from the other poems that Id already chosen, Ronan added.
With so much learning content available, exploring only the best stuff on the web is crucial for your time and sanity.

Weve saved you all those hours of painful Google searching with this list of great knowledge sources, inspiring blogs, tools, communities and course platforms that will help you discover fresh ideas or master new skills.

Full Story: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-43-best-websites-for-learning-something-new-2017-3
I am writing to oppose the massive budget cuts that the 2017 Montana Legislature has proposed for skilled nursing homes. While I understand our state budget has limits, the Legislature should not be targeting nursing homes as a way to save money.

At Big Sky Healthcare, we treat everyone with dignity and we love our residents as if they were family. Our patients and staff are not wealthy. In fact, the majority of our patients are on Medicaid and many of our certified nursing assistants make less than $10 an hour.

If the proposed budget cuts go through, our residents and staff will be impacted. We fear we will have fewer staff on shift to take care of patients. This cut will hurt all of us.

Alissa Nichols, Helena

Big Sky Healthcare
The Montana Democrats on Sunday picked musician Rob Quist of Creston as their U.S. House candidate to replace Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

Zinke resigned from Congress Wednesday and will be replaced in a special election May 25. Gov. Steve Bullock set the election for 85 days after Zinkes resignation, although he had 100. Montana wont have a representative in Congress until Zinke is replaced.

The party held four rounds of voting during the special nominating convention at the Best Western Premier Great Northern Hotel in Helena, eliminating the lowest vote-getters each round until someone ended up with more than 50 percent.

Quist defeated state Rep. Amanda Curtis on a vote of 90-69 in the final round; state Rep. Kelly McCarthy of Billings was eliminated after the third round; Gary Stein of Missoula was eliminated and Dan West of Missoula dropped out after the second round; and attorney John Meyer of Bozeman, Lee Link Neimark of Whitefish and Tom Weida of Helena were eliminated after the first round.

Before the voting began, delegates had 30 minutes to give one-minute speeches for the candidate of their choice. Quist, Curtis and McCarthy received the majority of their support, with at least five delegates speaking on each candidates behalf. Most delegates who spoke said the three candidates were most likely to put together the best campaign in 80 days. West had two delegate supporters, and the remaining candidates had none.

The leading candidates were divided on whether political experience would help or hinder their electability. Candidates did agree on several core aspects of the Democratic platform, such as keeping public lands public and fostering an inclusive environment.

Quist, who gained fame in the Mission Mountain Wood Band, hasnt ever held elected office. When announcing his campaign, Quist touted years of public service including serving for 11 years on the Montana Arts Council and as a state ambassador to Montanas sister state in Kumamoto, Japan. He advocated for the Montana Food Bank and received a grant from the Office of Public Instruction to create anti-bullying programs and art programs in public schools.

Quist said hes traveled the state and understands what kind of representation Montanans need. He grew up in Cut Bank and now lives in the Flathead Valley. The musician received an endorsement from former Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who called Quist a political outsider who will stand up for Montana.

While nominating Quist, Rosebud County Committee Vice Chair Jean Dahlman said he has a unique relationship with Montanans and will appeal to independent and Republican voters.

These are the voters we must win over in order to win the general election, Dahlman said.

Dahlman said Quist has already shown hes capable of growing the party. While traveling to garner the support of delegates, he created seven new central committees.

Never have we seen such uncertainty. Voters are alarmed, she said. They are asking for a new kind of leadership.

Kyle Kuntz, a delegate from Blaine County, said Quist was the most electable candidate and will find support from both sides of the aisle.

Quist said hes come to know Montanans without being a career politician, which gave him a broad perspective and ability to represent the entire state.

I ask you to look outside the bubble of Helena to a man who has represented Montana from behind a different kind of microphone, he said.

He spoke to policies he would support, including fixing the Affordable Care Act, funding education, opposing the transfer of public lands and limiting womens reproductive rights, including protecting funding for Planned Parenthood.

The last Democrat to hold the congressional seat was Pat Williams, who served from 1979-1997.

"I hope to get to Congress and have the same impact Pat Williams had," Quist said after winning the nomination.

He added that the election is going to be a sprint, but said Quists are good at sprinting.

"I think, who better than a musician for a campaign like this?" he said. "I think we're really well prepared."

Quist said he has been connecting with Montanans his whole life, and he doesn't think he will have trouble getting people to cross party lines. He said he has had conversations with Republicans, and they agree on 80 percent of the issues.

"I really don't feel like I'm an underdog in this race," he said.

Kevin Hamm, with the Stonewall Democrats, gave an energizing nomination speech for Curtis, which drew applause and cheers from the crowd. He said Curtis, who was defeated by Republican Steve Daines after being nominated to run for U.S. Senate only 50 days before the 2014 general election, has experience in a short and fast-paced election.

She has walked through that fire already, he said. Its time we help the lady take the seat.

Curtis also highlighted the necessity of experience, mentioning her two terms in the state Legislature and the requirement of the nominee to immediately understand and act on federal policy issues. She said shes already been vetted by Republicans during her run against Daines.

She took time out of her speech to issue a general warning to whoever won the nomination, saying they will deal with trackers from the opposition and said the other side doesnt play nice.

Theyll make up lies about you, she said. Theyll give you a tracker who acts as your shadow whose only job is to make you look bad or lose your cool.

If chosen, Curtis promised to have authentic conversations with Republicans and unite people according to the states core values.

This is about more than looking like a Republican, she said. This is about talking to our friends and neighbors.

Curtis ended her speech by acknowledging shes a woman, which she called the elephant in the room. She shamed delegates for suggesting a woman couldnt win right now.

Do you hear yourselves? Did you hear the 10,000 women in Helena? For the record, once and for all, without a doubt in my mind I do think a woman can win right now, she said. I think this is our time more than ever.

Rep. Nate McConnell, D-Missoula, nominated McCarthy and referenced his sponsorship of a bill to prohibit discrimination against the LGBTQ community, even though McCarthy knew the odds werent in his favor.

Like all of us in this room, Kelly wanted the ugly practice of discrimination to end, McConnell said. Kelly knows what courage is.

McCarthy touted his three sessions in the Legislature. Hes built the budget as part of the House Appropriations committee for three sessions and said 80 percent of the legislation he carried last session became law. He said Montana needs to send a representative who understands the nuances of the current political climate.

In this race, legislative experience and national security experience and experience serving our nation matter, McCarthy said.

The majority of the Democratic votes came from county committee people. Gov. Steve Bullock and Sen. Jon Tester each got a vote, and 21 came from the partys executive committee. Another 10 votes came from partner organizations, such as the College Democrats and the Montana Indian Democrats Council.

Republicans will choose their nominee on Monday evening at the Best Western Premier Great Northern Hotel. Unlike the Democrats, the Republicans required each of their seven candidates to put forward a $1,740 filing fee. They also required candidates to get support from 10 committee voters in at least five counties.

All of the 212 Republican voters come from county committees. Candidates include 2016 gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte, state Sen. Ed Buttrey of Great Falls, Dean Rehbein of Missoula, Drew Turiano of East Helena, Rep. Carl Glimm of Kila, Ed Walker of Billings and former Republican chairman Ken Miller.

Gianforte has already launched a statewide advertising campaign for the special election with a 60-second commercial. He said hes already secured enough votes to get the nomination on Monday.

Ron Vandevender, state party chair for the Libertarians, said they will pick their candidate in a convention Saturday in Helena. Candidates include Mark Wicks of Inverness, James White of Helena, Rufus Peace of Livingston and Chris Colvin and Evan Gardner of Kalispell.
BUTTE  A house explosion at 420 Aluminum Street Saturday evening killed one man, according to Butte-Silver Bow police.

The 32-year-old male was found shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday when police went to investigate a report of a house explosion. The mans name has not been released but police say they believe he was the only resident of the house.

BSB Police Captain Doug Conway said Sunday that the windows had been blown out of the house and police found the remnants of an explosive device inside the house. Conway said the resident appeared to have set off the device, but whether it was intentional or not, he couldnt say.

Police found other devices inside the house that looked potentially explosive, so police evacuated neighboring houses and called in a bomb squad from Missoula. The Missoula explosive unit found items they took with them to examine further, said Conway.

Neighboring residents were allowed back into their homes around 1 a.m. Sunday. No one else was hurt.

BSB Coroner Lee LaBreche said the remains of the deceased male are being transported to the state crime lab for toxicology and autopsy results. The mans name will not be released until his family has been notified.
by Aaron Baar , March 5, 2017

A good nights sleep can make you feel like anythings possible. And the mattress plays an important part in that.

In a new campaign, Tempur-Pedic lets people tell their stories of the effect of a good nights rest, with the tagline This Sleep Is Power. The message is intended to illustrate that a good sleep leads to increased energy, enhanced capabilities, and a better waking life, says Craig Johnson, creative director at Hill Holliday, the agency behind the campaign.

Most other mattress brands are focused on the sleep experience itself, not the benefit of what a great nights sleep gives you, Johnson tells Marketing Daily. Were not just selling things like comfort and the blissful feeling you get when you sleep on a quality mattress. To our audience, these things are table stakes. Our customers are looking to sleep as a means of self-improvement.

advertisement advertisement

The campaign, which will be supported by record levels of spending, features nine Tempur-Pedic owners speaking about how sleeping on a Tempur-Pedic mattress at night enables them to do extraordinary things during the day. One spot, for instance, features former Navy SEAL Andy Stumpf, who recently set a record for farthest distance traveled in a wingsuit.

The spot uses a match-cutting technique that connects shots of Stumpf in bed with images of him skydiving. In the spot, Stumpf tells of combat shrapnel left in his body, leaving him with an inability to sleep on his left side without a Tempur-Pedic mattress.

Another spot features Paralympian Michelle Salt, who notes that her body is not like everyone elses, and having a Tempur-Pedic mattress makes a difference in conforming to her needs. Additional spots will feature similarly interesting and inspiring real-life owners, Johnson says.

It was very important to our client that we use real Tempur-Pedic owners for the campaign, Johnson says. The company is passionate about donating mattresses to deserving organizations, including thousands of military recipients. It's an ongoing commitment to delivering life-changing sleep to our nations heroes.

The spots will run on networks such as HGTV, CNN, ABC, NBC, E! and History. In addition to the national television spots, the campaign will feature print, digital, radio and social.
If you are a nineties kid, your Sundays began with watching Shaktimaan, the most famous Indian superhero for many of us. From memorizing the name of Bal Gangadhar Tilak better than history lessons to buying Shaktimaan stickers, the craze was real.

With 'Duck Tales' already set for a release this summer, theres one more nostalgia trip to look forwad to as Shaktimaan might soon be back!

 Youtube

Mukesh Khanna, who played Shaktimaan, recently hinted in an interview that the show might be back on television, "Last week I attended two school functions where I got immense love and kids were hooting loudly for me as 'Shaktiman'. Therefore, I feel the superhero series should be back again and I am trying to bring back the series on small screen. Doordarshan is allowing it but I want satellite channels should come to air the series."

Brb!
DECATUR  A proposal made to the Decatur school board at its Feb. 28 meeting to combine Johns Hill and Durfee magnet schools into one new building has caused a stir in the community, mostly in opposition.

While the board won't take any votes for or against the plan before March 14 at the earliest, and even then will only decide whether to pursue necessary approvals from the Regional Office of Education and the Illinois State Board of Education, people are already reacting.

Kaylynn Gause has attended Durfee Magnet School since kindergarten, and the thought of closing the school, blending its program with Johns Hill Magnet School, or any other option that would change it significantly, makes her unhappy.

We don't want it to be Johns Hill, she said. We don't want it to be any other school. We want it to stay right here for the simple fact that this has been running and so many families are here and people bond. It doesn't matter if the building is old. My dad went here and my grandma used to teach here.

We're a family here, said Kimbyrlee Clark, a sixth-grader. We don't know anyone at Johns Hill. And if you change it all around, it would be different. It wouldn't be the same and people who have been here since kindergarten would feel out of place.

Katelynn Pruitt said a building doesn't have to be replaced just because it's old. This is a good school, she said. I like it here.

The recommendation was driven by the age and inaccessibility of both schools, the oldest in the district. Buildings and grounds director Jim Gortner said Johns Hill (89,761 square feet) was built in 1928 with additions in 1974 and 1986. The student population is 494. Durfee (48,918 square feet) was built in 1925 with additions in 1927, 1951 and 1974. The student population is 390.

The FACES (Facility Advisory Committee for Exceptional Schools) proposal, presented by committee chairman Bruce Jeffery, Sam Johnson of BLDD Architects and Chief Operational Officer Todd Covault, included several points:

Build a new K-8 school on the grounds of Johns Hill Magnet School and combine Johns Hill and Durfee Magnet School students in the new building. When the new building is complete, demolish the existing buildings housing those two programs.

Move forward with installing air conditioning in district buildings without it, with Harris School the first priority due to medically fragile students, followed by Muffley School, then the remaining district schools without air conditioning.

Move sixth grades to middle school programs at Thomas Jefferson and Stephen Decatur middle schools, with necessary building upgrades and licensure considerations for teaching staff.

Perform deferred maintenance work, develop long-range capital plan, establish priorities.

Additional considerations include combining Garfield and Enterprise Montessori programs, prekindergarten programs now in multiple buildings into fewer locations, and continue district-wide facilities planning.

We don't 'go to' Durfee or 'work at' Durfee, said Sara Bodzin, who teaches sixth grade. We are Durfee. We're a family.

There was discussion by the school board on Tuesday that a technology-focused magnet school might not be as necessary today as it once was, now that the district has moved to 1:1 technology. Every student has access to an iPad or MacBook during the school day.

But Bodzin said the school's designation as a technology magnet school is not what makes Durfee unique. Kids learn how to research and find information, analyze and make up their own minds. The technology is the tool they use, not the focus.

If people visited the school and saw what goes on in the classrooms, Bodzin said, they would see how important it is to the students and staff.

Teachers are constantly going out and trying to better themselves, Bodzin said. If you take away this school, you take away my family.

The idea of moving sixth grade to middle school and out of the elementary buildings didn't set well with sixth-graders, either.

Kimbyrlee said she's in no hurry to go to middle school and get lost in the crowd, when she's happy in a K-6 building with younger children.

Emeri Rawls said her older sister, who is already in middle school, tells her that it's easy to get lost in the crowd because there are so many more students in one building in middle school. Emeri said that doesn't sound appealing at all.

FACES was organized in September 2015 and held several meetings with the board and the public to discuss options for addressing concerns in the district. Apart from Johns Hill and Durfee, other concerns included Stephen Decatur Middle School, originally built to be a high school, serves only 300 or so students in a building meant to hold more 1,000, while other buildings are bursting at the seams.

Waiting lists for the magnet programs at Johns Hill and Garfield Montessori, for example, are long, because those buildings are already full. About half of district buildings have air conditioning.

At FACES' final community meeting in September 2016, after the committee had presented a decade-old study done in 2006 and had not prepared any recommendations, board members expressed frustration with the lack of conclusion.

Board members weren't the only ones frustrated. Committee members received a letter dated Sept. 16, 2016, in which they were thanked for their service and told that further participation and meetings were not anticipated.

The last community feedback meeting they had, the general takeaway was that they were starting over, said parent Cathy Riggs, who attended that meeting. They didn't get the feedback they wanted, so they were scrapping the plan altogether, a slap in the face to parents and community members who took their time to come to meetings that they thought would be productive.

"Then they come in at the 12th hour and decide there is action that needs taken? It's all very confusing. It also just confirms critics and parents that won't participate because 'why should I help or work on this when they are just going to do what they want anyway?'

At Jan. 10's regular school board meeting, board member Fred Spannaus asked interim co-Superintendent Bobbi Williams to provide the board an update on the facilities study because the board had not had one since the September session with the committee. Williams said a community survey was under way and a report would be presented after that was complete.

That survey, of 200 households in the district, found that 42.5 percent were in favor of the proposal and 40 percent against, with 17.5 undecided. When the original question was broken down into more details about potential savings on maintenance with a new building, and that a new Johns Hill could be built on the existing site, favorable ratings went up an average 35 percent.

Johns Hill families and staff have spoken passionately about their connection to the Hill, as they call it, and how important that building and location are to their identity. Throughout the FACES process, Johns Hill, and moving or rebuilding that school have been on the top of the agenda.

The building definitely needs something, said Amanda Springer, whose 7-year-old Isabella is in second grade at Johns Hill. The concern is bringing Durfee in. Johns Hill is arts-integrated, where Durfee is technology-integrated. Typically, the arts go (away) first when things happen like that. I don't know if they're talking about keeping separate programs with two magnet schools in one building. We have lots of questions and it's kind of like, 'Where do we go from here?'

Sharon Renfro, another Johns Hill parent and president of the Parent-Teacher Organization, said the location of the school is historic, and the school community has a great fondness for that area, but whether the school is on the hill or on the flat ground below isn't important. Building a new facility on the flat area, which would provide accessibility and more parking, is an idea she could support.

The student body at Johns Hill is diverse, as the school is the site of the district's English as a Second Language program, but one of the very real issues is accessibility for people with mobility issues.

We will be happy to have (the board) address the structural concerns, Renfro said. The fact they're talking about kids having a building they can be proud of and that's structurally sound is good. I hope it will have facilities that match the talent level in our building.

"It's so important that our facilities reflect that we're a fine arts school. We need all those things to help our kids excel.

Durfee Principal Dianne Brandt said she doesn't have enough information to form an opinion at this point, when the proposal has only just been made and so much has to be done before it would become reality.

I'll just keep doing what I'm doing, educating kids, until the very last minute, she said.
DECATUR  The wind chill matched a water temperature of 45 degrees, but you couldn't tell by watching first-timer Logan Allsup.

The 18-year-old senior bounded ahead of his fellow students from Maroa-Forsyth High School plunging into Lake Decatur, and when he emerged on the beach, he was actually skipping.

I'm a cold weather fan, but that was a lot colder than I thought it would be, he admitted with a grin after changing into dry clothes. You can't show it, though, because you gotta be manly about it.

Allsup was one of 40 people representing the Maroa-Forsyth chapter of the National Honor Society and 425 overall who ventured outside their comfort zone Saturday for the 16th Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge to raise money for Special Olympics Illinois.

What a wonderful day at the lake, right? Special Olympian Ashley Cain, 22, of Decatur said to kick things off. Special Olympics is important to me. This is my second family and where I always fit in.

If the Polar Plunge turns participants and spectators into one big happy family, Saturday's sunshine and above-average temperatures put everyone in an even better mood.

Among the happiest was Joanie Keyes, Area 10 director for Special Olympics for Christian, Logan, Macon and Moultrie counties, who said Saturday's event not only attracted a record number of plungers but also raised a record $82,761 same-day total with more money likely to come in before a donation deadline of March 31.

Keyes hopes to reach $94,000. Go to www.plungeillinois.com to give.

The weather really helped us, she said. We also picked a couple of new school teams, such as the Pershing Penguins from Pershing Early Learning Center.

For many contestants, participation is an annual tradition.

Steve Lindsey, 64, who moved to Florida six months ago, even flew home to take the plunge with daughter Courtney Lindsey, 37, of Decatur one more time.

We're OK with sacrificing our bodies for five minutes because it's worth it, Courtney said. We'll get warm again, but (Special Olympians) have to live with their handicaps their whole lives and they're the happiest, nicest people you'll ever meet.

Jackie Francisco, 73, has participated with granddaughter Jamie Harrelson, 20, ever since she was 8 and continues to do so even though she's had to carry oxygen with her the last couple years because of respiratory problems. Both women live in Decatur.

Jamie told me, 'Grandma, I want you to know when you're not here anymore, I'm going to do this for you,' Francisco said as she fought back tears. So of course we're going to go out and get our feet in there at least.

Debra Hunter, 57, hasn't missed a year driving up from Sullivan to do the plunge and in recent years has brought a team from the Moultrie County Beacon, where she works as a sheltered workshop supervisor.

This year's group included one of Hunter's co-workers and four Special Olympians, all wearing feathers on their visors and calling themselves the Beacon Bluebirds.

Probably the most memorable thing about is how your legs go numb as soon as you hit the water, Hunter said. But it's fun and for a good cause.

Among the shorter-term event veterans was Adam Del Rosso, 27, a meteorologist for WAND-TV who said his warm-up strategy for his third time out Saturday was to wear pink shorts and a purple T-shirt featuring a cat with lightning bolts coming out of its paws.

I like to get cold beforehand so the water's less of a shock, Del Rosso said. I'm not sure it really works.

Tutus were a more popular choice in plunge attire, with Danielle Heckwine, 39, of Mount Zion sewing up some for herself and her female compatriots on a seven-member team calling themselves Plunging for Cancer in honor of breast cancer survivor Lori Smalley, 52, of Mount Zion.

First-timer James Moyer, 45, of Macon went with the bare-chested look, save for a sash proclaiming him Irish for a Day.

He said his co-workers at Archer Daniels Midland Co. made it easy to collect the minimum $100 needed to participate and that he likes raising money and doing wild and crazy things.

Perhaps the largest and most successful group of newbies, however, was the Maroa-Forsyth High School chapter of the National Honor Society, aka the "Frozen Trojans," who raised $8,425.

Chapter President Alex Falk, a 17-year-old senior, said the group jumped into the Polar Plunge as a show of support for Nick Scheibly, a Special Olympian and classmate.

Adviser Dan Boynton, 58, a business education teacher, surprised his students by going into the water all the way, dunking his head for good measure.

Ashley Simmons, a 17-year-old junior, said she got her face and hair wet without meaning to after her foot got stuck in the sand and she tripped.

But after helping more than once with a summer bowling tournament for Special Olympians at Spare Times Lanes, Ashley said she was willing to put herself out there Saturday.

It was cold but fun, she said. I like helping with Special Olympics.
Eli Hernandez said he has heard various stories in the Auburn community involving claims of racial discrimination and bias.

He said he has heard from folks who have claimed they were not given fair opportunities for housing, or parents who believed their children were not receiving certain school services. As a member of the Auburn school board and president of the local NAACP chapter, Hernandez said he has seen those types of issues individually addressed, though the trend troubles him.

He wants it to stop. To that end, Hernandez worked with city officials to organize a special meeting of the Auburn City Council this Saturday.

Set to meet in the Auburn High School library, councilors plan to host representatives from various citywide agencies to discuss the ways they are working to promote inclusiveness within their organizations.

"All of us are working to address the issues in many different ways in the many different arenas that we are a part of," said Hernandez, president of the Auburn/Cayuga NAACP. "In other words, uniting our city."

The Auburn City Council voted unanimously last Thursday to schedule the special council session.

Councilor Debby McCormick said invites will also go out to members of the Auburn Police Department, the city's Civil Service Commission, the Auburn Enlarged City School District and Human Rights Commission, among others. Along with talking about current initiatives to limit bias, McCormick said she expects the discussion to review what agencies can do to improve.

"If we're going to have Harriet Tubman's welcoming center and a national park, and if we're going to have people from all walks of life come to Auburn, we have to be ready to welcome everyone," she said.

Planning the session started late last summer, prompted by sightings of swastikas spray-painted on the former Walgreens on Genesee Street, said McCormick, who initially worked with Hernandez and Councilor Dia Carabajal to organize Saturday's session. She said scheduling was difficult to work around everyone's schedules.

The meeting's agenda is still being finalized. Hernandez, who is also a member of the Auburn board of education and attends Diverse Auburn meetings, said the goal of Saturday's session is to allow members of the public to speak directly with city officials during the later portion of the meet.

"We want to hear from the public and the community as to what is going on and then we can tackle it  all of us."
Attorney General Jeff Sessions hasn't been the only member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet to make an incorrect statement to Congress during the process of being confirmed.

As ProPublica points out, four other Cabinet members -- Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price -- also made statements to Congress that were later disproven.

Here's a look at the Cabinet members whose testimony didn't completely sync with the facts:

1. Jeff Sessions

What he said: Sessions was asked by Democratic Sen. Al Franken during his confirmation hearing what he would do if "anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign."

Sessions responded he was not aware of that happening, adding, "I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians."

What really happened: CNN reported that Sessions was a senator and a top Trump surrogate when he met the ambassador twice -- in July on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention and in September when he was a member of the Senate armed services committee.

Sessions has drawn a distinction between his role as a Trump surrogate and his duties as a senator and strongly denied ever discussing campaign-related issues with anyone from Russia.

The attorney general said he plans to submit a "supplement" to the record of his congressional testimony, detailing the meetings he didn't mention.

2. Betsy DeVos

What she said: DeVos said during her confirmation hearing that that she had not been involved in her family's foundation, which has given millions of dollars to Focus on the Family, a conservative non-profit that, among other things, has pushed the benefits of conversion therapy for LGBT men and women.

Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan pointed out that she sits on the board, to which DeVos responded, "I do not."

What really happened: DeVos later said at her confirmation hearing that a "clerical error" is what led to her being listed as an officer of her mother's multi-million-dollar foundation, which made the donations. She was listed as a vice president of the charity for 17 consecutive years, including most recently in the organization's 2014 tax filing.

3. Scott Pruitt

What he said: In his written testimony to Congress, Pruitt said he never used a private email address for business while he was Oklahoma's attorney general.

What really happened: A spokesman for the Oklahoma attorney general's office told Oklahoma City's Fox 25 that Pruitt used his personal email during his tenure in the office. The email was discovered during a public information request.

4. Steven Mnuchin

What he said: In written testimony, Mnuchin denied that his former bank used "robo-signing" to foreclose on homeowners. He wrote, "OneWest Bank did not 'robo-sign' documents."

What really happened: OneWest's foreclosure practices included so-called robo-signings that pushed homeowners into foreclosure without proper review or due process. OneWest was one of many banks that agreed to pay millions to compensate customers.

5. Tom Price

What he said: During his confirmation hearings, Price told senators that the discount he received on a stock he bought was "available to every single individual that was an investor at the time."

What really happened: The Wall Street Journal reported that only 20 people were offered the discount at the time.

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to accurately reflect Franken's question to sessions about Russia.
From left, Saeed Rasool and Imam Haseed from the New Braunfels Islamic Center welcome The Rev. Eric Ritter and Deacon Bill Hartman from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church to the New Braunfels Islamic Center for an ecumenical question-and-answer session on Friday, March 3, 2017.
In the wake of the revelation that a large group of active-duty Marines is under investigation for sharing nude photos of female troops without their consent, a senior congressman is calling on the Marine Corps to take swift and decisive action.

Rep. Adam Smith, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, released a statement Sunday calling the alleged behavior by Marines and Marine Corps veterans "degrading, dangerous, and completely unacceptable."

"I expect that the Marine Corps Commandant, General Neller, will use his resources to fully investigate these acts and bring to justice any individuals who have broken the law and violated the rights of other servicemembers," the Washington Democrat said.

"He must also ensure that the victims are taken care of. The military men and women who proudly volunteer to serve their country should not have to deal with this kind of reprehensible conduct," Smith added.

The investigation was made public Saturday evening by reporter Thomas James Brennan, who reported for Reveal News that members of the private Facebook group Marines United had shared dozens of nude photos of female service members, identifying them by name, rank and duty station. Group members also linked out to a Google Drive folder containing more compromising photos and information, Brennan reported.

A Marine Corps official confirmed an investigation was ongoing, but could not confirm that hundreds of Marines were caught up in it, as Brennan reported. The official referred queries about specifics to Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which did not immediately respond Sunday.

"The Marine Corps is deeply concerned about allegations regarding the derogatory online comments and sharing of salacious photographs in a closed website," Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Ryan Alvis said in a statement provided to Military.com. "This behavior destroys morale, erodes trust, and degrades the individual."

Of allegations are substantiated, active-duty Marines involved in the photo-sharing ring could be charged with violating UCMJ Article 134, general misconduct, for enlisted troops, and Article 133, conduct unbecoming, for officers, Alvis said. If Marines shared a photo taken without the subject's consent and under circumstances for which there was a reasonable expectation of privacy, they may be charged with Article 120, broadcasting or distribution of indecent visual recording, she said.

"A Marine who directly participates in, encourages, or condones such actions could also be subjected to criminal proceedings or adverse administrative actions," Alvis said.

To underscore the significance of the allegations to Marine Corps leadership, both Neller and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Ronald Green released statements condemning the alleged behavior.

"I am not going to comment specifically about an ongoing investigation, but I will say this: For anyone to target one of our Marines, online or otherwise, in an inappropriate manner, is distasteful and shows an absence of respect," Neller said in a statement provided to Military.com. "The success of every Marine, every team, every unit and command throughout our Corps is based on mutual trust and respect."

Green went further, releasing a 319-word statement in the form of an open letter calling the online photo-sharing "demeaning" and "degrading" and adding there was no place for it in the Corps.

"We need to be brutally honest with ourselves and each other. This behavior hurts fellow Marines, family members, and civilians. It is a direct attack on our ethos and legacy," he said. "As Marines, as human beings, you should be angry for the actions of a few. These negative behaviors are absolutely contrary to what we represent. It breaks the bond that hold us together; without trust, our family falters."

Messages Brennan shared with Military.com show that some members of the group responded to his report by threatening him and his family and attempting to publish information about where he lived.

"'Amber Alert: Thomas J. Brennan,'" wrote one user, referring to the child abduction emergency system. "500.00 $ for nudes of this guys girl," wrote another.

Brennan is a former infantry Marine and combat veteran.

This is not the first time the bad behavior of Marines online has captured the attention of Congress.

In 2013, the harassment of civilian women and female troops on several so-called "humor" Facebook pages with Marine Corps members prompted Rep. Jackie Speier, a Democrat from California, to call on then defense secretary Chuck Hagel and then-commandant Gen. Jim Amos to intervene.

But in that instance, Marine Corps leadership opted to address the behavior privately, and on a case-by-case basis. No criminal prosecutions of Marines connected to the Facebook pages were ever publicized.

A later 2014 report on similar behavior resulted in investigations into 12 Marines, according to internal public affairs guidance published by Marine Corps Times.

As the first female Marines join infantry units in the wake of a 2015 Pentagon mandate opening all ground combat jobs to women, it's possible service leaders now feel an additional mandate to quell the online exploitation of female service members by their colleagues publicly and decisively.

"Standup, speak out, and be a voice of change for the better. Hold those who misstep accountable," Green said. "We need to realize that silence is consent--do not be silent. It is your duty to protect one another, not just for the Marine Corps, but for humanity."

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
Camp Lejeune Town Halls Aim to Help Those Exposed to Toxic Water. Heres How You Can Go.

Retired Marine Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger made it his mission to tell the world that if they lived or served on Camp Lejeune...
ANN ARBOR, MI - Jamba Juice and Dickey's Barbecue Pit are opening this spring in the Washtenaw Commons shopping center in Ann Arbor.

The Dickey's Barbecue Pit is one of two future Ann Arbor locations owned and operated by William Kaufman, according to a company statement. The Washtenaw Commons location is set to open next to Blaze Pizza in May, and another location tentatively is planned for the University of Michigan campus.

Kaufman grew up in Ann Arbor and signed a development agreement to return to his hometown and bring the on-site smoked meats and tangy sauces Dickey's Barbecue restaurants are known for.

"I grew up eating Dickey's and I am excited to bring the residents of Ann Arbor their own little bit of Texas-style barbecue," Kaufman said in the statement. "I am most looking forward to opening our campus location to win the hearts of the students of the University of Michigan."

Dickey's Barbecue Pit is a fast-casual concept with around 600 locations in 44 states, according to its website.

Ann Arbor's first Jamba Juice location is opening March 20 in a space next to Pure Sleep, and offering a 15 percent discount on all smoothies and Energy Bowls. A grand opening ceremony is planned for April.

It is the fourth Jamba Juice in Michigan, with other locations inside a Meijer in Shelby Township, in Canton and Livonia.

"We are very excited to bring Jamba Juice to the Ann Arbor community providing some great options," said Kevin Denha of J Mich Group, a franchise partner in the location. "With this opening, I'm excited to bring the benefits of blending to Ann Arbor for those seeking the balance of convenience, taste, quality and nutrition."

The Jamba Juice website shows the Ann Arbor location as "blending soon" at 3500 Washtenaw Ave., Suite F. It will be open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

According to its Facebook page, Jamba Juice is hosting a job fair from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 9. The business is looking to hire for about 20 positions; interested applicants can email careers@jmichgroup.com for more information.

Other tenants at Washtenaw Commons include DXL, Dollar Tree, Life Uniform, T-Mobile, Olga's Kitchen, Visionworks and Fast Signs.
"I am Not Your Negro"

is a vital documentary, a gripping, deeply upsetting essay on the American racial divide. It is a powerful and potent modern history lesson, rooted in the terrible facts of the black experience in America, as observed by self-proclaimed "witness" James Baldwin, who wrote, "The story of the negro in America is the story of America. It is not a pretty story."

Director Raoul Peck uses 30 pages of notes penned by Baldwin in 1979. The writer and social critic - who succumbed to cancer in 1987 - never published the work, which focused on the assassinations of his friends and fellow civil rights activists Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Medgar Evers. They're read in voiceover in a low rumble by an almost unrecognizable Samuel L. Jackson, foregoing the nasal, grandstanding tones we recognize in deference to a gravely serious topic.

All the better to capture the most eloquent, incisively reasoned expression of anger and frustration you'll likely ever hear. Peck assembles archival footage of Baldwin's speeches and television interviews, cutting in troubling imagery of violent American protests from eras of black-and-white and color TV, from the riots of the 1960s to the 2014 conflicts in Ferguson, Missouri. The filmmaker employs no commentary from modern voices, sticking with Baldwin's adroit perspective - the assertion being, very little has changed in the fundamental reality of the country's racial division.

Even if you know this assertion to be true, it doesn't make the Oscar-nominated "I am Not Your Negro" any less sobering.

The film's success in acutely conveying its intent derives from Peck's careful curation of Baldwin's voice and perspective. Baldwin's emotions and reasoning are complex, but expressed with great clarity. For Baldwin, it's impossible to separate the broad observations of a society in conflict from personal experience. He expresses no warmth towards the United States, having spent many years writing in Paris before moving back to New York City to be near his family. While away, the stress of inequality and segregation was alleviated. Upon his return, he ended up bearing a great burden as his work as a novelist, essayist, poet and playwright afforded him the profile to be a vocal leader of the Civil Rights Movement.

His burden is profoundly expressed in Jackson's voice, with Peck's pictures, via footage of Baldwin himself speaking. All of this becomes a patchwork of 70 years' worth of racial discord - exquisite and detailed when observed up close, overwhelming when you step back and try to fit the whole of it into your peripheral vision.

In one archival scene in which Baldwin is part of an interview panel on Dick Cavett's talk show, a white professor attempts to cover Baldwin's assertions with a philosophical umbrella: Are we not all one race - the human race? he essentially asks. Baldwin's reply is acidic, proclaiming such an approach to be idealism, when the situation must be viewed through a pragmatic lens. There is the dream of a perfect America, and there is America in reality. "I am Not Your Negro" is reality. Life is, not in the least, but a dream.

FILM REVIEW: "I am Not Your Negro"

4 stars (out of 4)

MPAA rating: PG-13 for disturbing violent images, thematic material, language and brief nudity

Director: Raoul Peck

Run time: 93 minutes
PLYMOUTH, MI - A clerk has left her post amidst criticism for an anti-Muslim message posted on Facebook.

Linda Langmesser "resigned and retired" as of Friday, March 2, Plymouth City Manager Paul Sincock confirmed in an email. About employees, the city does not release more information, he said.

Efforts to reach Langmesser on Sunday were not successful.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the country's largest Muslim civil rights group, had pushed Langmesser to prove she did not post the message or resign.

Written in Langmesser's name, the comment accused a former Muslim White House staffer of being untruthful because it is "part of their culture."

"She is nothing but trouble and needs to be sent back so she can profess her love to the Koran," read the message, according to a screenshot acquired by WXYZ-TV, Channel 7.

The message, since deleted, was in response to a story in The Atlantic written by Rumana Ahmed, who left her position with the National Security Council after President Donald Trump signed an executive order restricting travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. "I knew I could no longer stay and work for an administration that saw me and people like me not as fellow citizens, but as a threat," Ahmed wrote.

Langmesser told WXYZ her Facebook account had been hacked.
DURAND, MI -- Dozens of teddy bears were dropped off in support of Natalie, a 22-month old child currently being treated at the University of Michigan Hospital.

The teddy bears were given as gifts Saturday during a vigil at Trumble Park in Durand, as more than 40 people gathered to share their well wishes.

"I hope that it allows people to speak out," said Emily Hartwick, the vigil's organizer. "The first moment they hear something is happening, people can just speak up and it doesn't get to a point where a child is in critical condition fighting for their life in the hospital."

As people gathered, they each grabbed a candle. A moment of prayer was collectively given, and the child's paternal grandmother spoke out in thanks of Durand's support.

Shannon Hart, a Durand resident and Natalie's grandmother, said child abuse has to stop. More and more, she said she hears of stories of this happening.

"All the prayers that we can give to her are definitely needed. She's been through a rough time. It's not just her," Hart said. "People have to start paying attention and notice the signs. Call the authorities or call whomever. Keep trying until there is a resolution."

Derrick Wardell Mason III, 27, was arraigned Friday, March 3 in Shiawassee County District Court on a single charge of first-degree child abuse, days after the child's mother appeared in front of a judge.

Abigail Rae Springs, 19, of Durand also faces one charge of first-degree child abuse following a March 2 court hearing. Springs and Mason are being held in Shiawassee County Jail on $500,000 bonds.

Police started an investigation Feb. 15 after the mother took the child to Sparrow Hospital with injuries before she was transferred to University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor.
IONIA, MI - U.S. Rep. Justin Amash visited Ionia Middle School for his fifth town hall of the year on Saturday, March 4.

Amash, R-Cascade Township, began the town hall by saying that he prides himself on keeping in touch with his constituents and is glad to host events like these.

"I believe people have valid concerns and we might disagree, but that's okay," he said. "I have to represent everyone."

About 150 people filled the IMS Watt Auditorium, and many of them had questions concerning the Affordable Care Act and the Republican plan to replace it.

Here are six main takeaways from Amash's town hall:

1. Amash condemned Sessions' actions, said lawmakers should be held to a higher standard

On Thursday, Amash joined other congressmen in calling for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from investigations into Russian interference with the 2016 presidential election.

Amash opened his town hall by repeating that point.

"You can't have an attorney general heading up an investigation who is possibly the subject of that investigation," Amash said.

As far as perjury goes, Amash said there has to be a deeper look into the intent of Sessions' original statement before that can be determined. If it's proven that Sessions did intentionally lie, he should step down, Amash said.

2. He had divisive ideas about what the healthcare system should be

Amash began the town hall talking about how the replacement for the Affordable Care Act must be transparent and available to the public, saying that he won't support a bill that "keeps people in the dark."

Even among backlash from the audience, Amash remained steadfast in his belief that less regulation and more flexibility is the key to a better healthcare system in the United States.

He said a healthcare system with a market-based approach allows for maximum flexibility for consumers and agrees with the Republican's plan to create health savings accounts with a sort of "back-up" funding system for people in emergency situations, such as those in Flint.

3. Federal government should be less involved in schools

Amash spoke against federal involvement in public and private schools.

"I think that there are problems with federal involvement and its actually harmful to public schools," Amash said. "I don't think you should have a standardized system coming from the federal government."

He said that things like Common Core that are pushed by the federal government are a detriment to public school students because every community is different.

"I think we should have as much choice as we can when it comes to education," he said.

Amash split the crowd when talking about funding for public and private schools. He thinks that taxpayers should be able to choose which school or district their money goes to.

4. Amash said he wants President Donald Trump to disclose his business ties

In response to an audience question, Amash said that Trump should be more transparent than he currently is about his business ties.

While Amash said he is concerned about the president's business ties, Amash thinks there are other ways that Trump can disclose that information without releasing his tax returns.

But, that doesn't mean Amash doesn't want Trump to release them, he said.

"If necessary, I would ask for his tax returns," Amash said.

5. Congress needs to look at EPA oversight of the Great Lakes

On March 3, just a day before Amash's town hall, an early budget proposal from Trump's administration slashed by 97 percent the Environmental Protection Agency funding that pays for Great Lakes pollution cleanup.

An audience member said that Michigan cannot afford for the funding to be cut. Amash agreed, but he said that the budget cuts could allow for the Great Lakes states to step in and regulate the lakes at a statewide level.

"We need to analyze what the cuts are that are being proposed and look at what a proper level of funding is," Amash said.

6. Amash said he will work to build bridges between political parties

Throughout the town hall meeting, Amash told his constituents that he tries his hardest to work for all of them, not just for those that vote Republican, and encourages his fellow congressmen to do the same.

"Why is it always a team?" Amash asked. "Shouldn't we be more concerned with policies and what's best for our country? I'm getting tired of all the partisanship. We need to work together."

Amash said he will support the president when he is right, but won't hesitate to disagree with him when he's wrong.

"My duty is to support and defend the constitution and protect people's rights," he said. "Let's try to have honest, rational discussions."
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- As he walked around Calder Plaza, Jerry Wildron hoisted a sign that read "Let's Back Our President."

"It seems to be all over the news how much resistance he's getting," said Wildron, of Fruitport.

"I believe Trump is our president. I believe in the (election) system," he said. "I think we ought to give him a break."

Wildron was in good company Saturday, March 4 as the rallied in support of President Donald Trump at the March 4 Trump event at Calder Plaza.

Nearby at Rosa Parks Circle, another group of hundreds gathered for what essentially was an anti-Trump rally titled March 4 America.

The two groups never clashed and earlier had made an agreement to stay out of the way of each other.

At the pro-Trump rally, Wildron said he believes Trump supporters simply haven't been as vocal as their counterparts, but figures there's just as many backing the president's views.

Several members of the Michigan Patriots Coalition, dressed in camouflage and carrying rifles, stood at the perimeter of Calder Plaza to offer protection for the Trump supporters.

Audra Lemons, who organized the March 4 Trump rally, said threats had been made over social media against the rally.

She said the rally was simply a way to show their support for the president.

"We're proud of our president," she said."He's not all the bad things some people are calling him."

"And we want Trump supporters to know they're not alone," she said.

At Rosa Parks Circle, Mark Petz of Newaygo came carrying a molded donkey on a post he called the "Moscow mule."

The mule had the face of President Trump.

Petz said he wanted to make a point about allegations of Trump having improper connections to Russia.

"This is all about needing an independent investigator," he said.

Cy and Georgann Berg of Rothbury showed up to voice their support for the Environmental Protection Agency and their fears that it could be diminished under Trump.

"The idea it's going to disappear under the Trump administration just rips my heart out," he said.
"If you drive a car, I'll tax the street

If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat

If you get too cold I'll tax the heat

If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet"

-- from "Taxman" by The Beatles

You might think that the topic of taxes is boring, but if you delve into it, you'll find a lot of surprisingly interesting tidbits. (The thought of a tax refund coming your way after you apply various deductions and credits can also be rather exciting.) Here are 15 fascinating things you probably didn't know about ancient and modern taxes.

2500 B.C.: Taxes are nothing new. Tablets from Mesopotamia dating back to 2500 B.C. record taxation in a society where taxpayers often had to produce a cow or sheep with which to pay their tax bill.

Urine and beards: Throughout history, all kinds of things have been taxed, ranging from urine in ancient Rome (it was used in laundering) to beards under King Henry VIII.

Windows: Between 1696 and 1851, there was a tax on windowsin England. It was meant to be progressive, hitting wealthier taxpayers harder as they were likely to have homes with more windows. The tax worked better in rural areas than in urban ones, where poor people lived in tenements with many windows that proved costly -- leading lots of windows to be boarded up.

$3.3 trillion: That's the total sum that Americans paid in 2016 in federal taxes -- to which you can add $1.6 trillion in state and local taxes, for a total of nearly $5.0 trillion. That's about 31% of the nation's total income. It might seem steep, but that's because it includes taxes for Social Security, Medicare, excise taxes (on items such as gas, cigarettes, alcohol, airfares -- and indoor tanning services). The U.S. government is expected to take in about $3.6 trillion in 2017.

Six billion hours: In her 2016 report to Congress, National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson criticized the complexity of the U.S. tax code, noting: "IRS data shows that taxpayers and businesses spend about six billion hours a year complying with tax-filing requirements. To place this in context, it would require three million full-time employees to work six billion hours, making 'tax compliance' one of the largest industries in the United States."

10 million words: Folks at The Tax Foundation have noted that as of 2015, the federal tax code and regulations totaled more than 10 million words -- that's more than nine times the length of the entire 7-book Harry Potter series.

$255: Congress has repeatedly cut the IRS's budget (shrinking it by 17% and 13,000 workers since 2010 as of last year), but that's much less fiscally sound than you might assume it is: Per Nina Olson in a previous report to Congress, "In FY 2013, the IRS collected $255 for each $1 it received in appropriated funds from the federal government." It would make more sense to beef up IRS funding, to bring in far more dollars owed to the U.S. government.

30%: The IRS has a whistleblower reward program, whereby someone who reports suspected tax evasion that leads to the recovery of tax revenue can receive up to 30% of the total taxes, interest, and penalties collected by the IRS.

57%: As of 2011, about 56% of tax returns were prepared by a paid preparer.

60%: A 2014 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that returns prepared by paid preparers (the majority of whom were not enrolled with the IRS) had higher error rates than returns prepared by taxpayers themselves -- 60% vs. 50%. (It's worth noting that some of their errors are due to receiving incorrect information from their clients.)

27: Of the 500 companies in the S&P 500, 27 reported paying no income tax in 2015, despite reporting profits. This can happen when a company relocates its headquarters abroad, in a low-tax nation, or if it employs any of a number of legal accounting strategies. The companies included General Motors, Hewlett-Packard, Ventas, American Airlines Group, United Continental Holdings, and Xerox.

1 in 200: Most working taxpayers face odds of having their tax return audited of roughly half a percent -- or about 1 in 200. Those with steep incomes or no income at all face higher odds. Here's a little more detail on that:

Income Percent of Total Returns Percent Audited in 2015 All tax returns 100% 0.84% No adjusted gross income (AGI) 1.76% 3.78% $1 to $24,999 38.51% 1.01% $25,000 to $49,000 23.23% 0.50% $50,000 to $74,999 13.13% 0.47% $75,000 to $99,999 8.42% 0.49% $100,000 to $199,999 11.15% 0.64% $200,000 to $499,999 3.08% 1.54% $500,000 to $1 million 0.48% 3.81% $1 million to $5 million 0.21% 8.42% $5 million to $10 million 0.01% 19.44% More than $10 million 0.01% 34.69%

94%: During the 1950s and early 1960s, the top tax bracket was between 91% and 94%. It's worth keeping this in mind when some argue that our economy needs low tax rates to prosper. That period of sky-high top rates also featured a growing middle class, economy, and stock market.

April 24: Last year, April 24 was known by some as "Tax Freedom Day," and Tax Freedom Day is likely to fall on or near that date again in 2017. What, exactly, is Tax Freedom Day? Well, the folks at The Tax Foundation explain that it's "the day when the nation as a whole has earned enough to pay the federal, state, and local tax bill for year." The foundation adds: "[E]ach state's total federal, state, and local tax burden varies greatly. Tax Freedom Day arrives earliest in Mississippi (April 5), Tennessee (April 6), and Louisiana (April 7). On May 21, Connecticut will be the last state to reach Tax Freedom Day this year, while New Jersey (May 12) and New York (May 11) trail closely behind."

74%: According to an ABC News/Washington Post poll released in mid-January, 74% of voters, including 49% of Trump supporters, said that the president should release his tax returns. He's the first president to not do so in 40 years. (Except, perhaps for President Ford, who instead released 10 years' worth of tax data.)

A little Googling can turn up even more fascinating tax facts -- such as these weird state taxes. Read up on tax deductions and credits, too, to be fascinated by how much you might be able to shave off your tax bill.

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Selena Maranjian owns shares of Ventas. The Motley Fool recommends General Motors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Lansing resident Melissa Mackey was concerned about U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop's position on the Affordable Care Act, so when members of his staff hosted office hours in February, she showed up.

Joining more than 300 other constituents of Michigan's 8th Congressional District, Mackey called upon Bishop, R-Rochester, to come to the district in person and take constituent questions in a town hall format. She didn't consider it a partisan protest, but rather an issue of letting her representative know where she stood.

"I'm not a die-hard Democrat -- I have voted both ways in my life -- but it's more feeling like we need to be heard," she said.

In the weeks following President Donald Trump's inauguration, political activism throughout Michigan and the rest of the country has spiked. The day after his inauguration, local women's marches popped up in cities all over the state, and since then, people discontent with the status quo have taken to Congressional town halls, office hours and in-district staff appearances to let their federal elected officials know.

Although much of the focus has been on Congressional Republicans -- Bishop and fellow Republican Reps. Fred Upton, Bill Huizenga, Tim Walberg, Jack Bergman, Dave Trott and John Moolenaar have all seen protests in their districts -- Democratic representatives have noticed increased political participation, too.

A spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Twp., said his office has gotten nearly seven times more calls post-2016 election than in the past, as well as increased interactions in person and on social media. And U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn, said she has "never seen the level of interest or intensity that we are witnessing now."

It's a trend that some Michigan experts see continuing into the foreseeable future.

"I don't think there's any reason to expect that it will calm down," said Matt Grossmann, director of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University.

Showing up to speak out

Recent political activism regarding attending Congressional town halls and office hours can in many cases be tracked to Indivisible, a group started by former Congressional staffers who published a guide for using advocacy as a means to protest Trump's policies.

Since then, local Indivisible groups have popped up across Michigan and throughout the country, and grassroots organizers have organized rallies and protests around in-district appearances from members of Congress or events hosted by Congressional staff.

The swell of protest has drawn some comparisons to the early days of the Tea Party movement, which began in earnest shortly after then-President Barack Obama's election in 2009.

Grossmann said it's normal for an opposition party to be more motivated to participate in the political process, but what makes the recent demonstrations unique is the turnaround time -- while initial protests against Obama's tax policies and other items on the president's agenda began in April 2009, protests against Trump and his policies began the day after his inauguration.

Usually, the president experiences a "honeymoon period" following an election where approval ratings are higher, said Michael Heaney, an assistant professor of organizational studies and political science at the University of Michigan. That hasn't happened in Trump's case, he said, in part because of Trump's divisive comments on women, immigrants and other minority groups.

Heaney said he could see the current political activism last at least until the 2018 election, where midterms could determine whether protesters succeeded in drawing back some of Trump's more controversial policies in Congress or if they succeeded in electing more progressive officials.

That said, he noted that the country would also benefit if the opposing sides can begin to work towards compromise.

"What I would view as a success is moving past the bitter, partisan dialogue about issues they disagree about," Heaney said. "In the last 10 years or so, we've really forfeited our ability to talk about difficult public problems. We have to try to find middle ground solutions and compromise with the people we disagree with."

How lawmakers are responding

In response to the increase in political participation, many members of Michigan's Congressional delegation have hosted in-district events, or are planning to.

U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Cascade Twp., has held several town halls already this session -- on Twitter, he's stuck up for the importance of town halls, noting members of Congress "must be willing to engage with the people we represent -- unscreened and unfiltered."

Other Michigan members of Congress have hosted public forums as well, or have held in-district listening sessions with specific groups of constituents. Tom Wilbur, spokesperson for Upton, R-St.Joseph, recently said Upton "feels it's much more constructive and beneficial" to hold smaller sessions with a wide variety of people to discuss issues and specific legislation.

Another option that's been used by many of Michigan's members of Congress is the tele-town hall, which are periodical phone calls to lists of interested constituents.

Had a great teletown hall last night. Had the opportunity to discuss needed health care reforms, my efforts to protect... Posted by Rep. Paul Mitchell on Thursday, March 2, 2017

"The authentic feedback we are getting about these events has been positive, because it gives thousands of constituents an opportunity to hear the Congressman speak and ask questions from the comfort of their home," said Kelli Ford, Bishop's spokesperson. "Congressman Bishop takes real questions, from real constituents, that give an accurate portrayal of what we are receiving during any given tele-townhall event."

Many participants in recent protests have decried the use of town halls, alleging it is not an accurate portrayal of what an actual town hall should be. Jen Judd, co-founder of ProKzoo in Kalamazoo, recently said it's important that "any politician is able to be face-to-face with a dissenter" and have a dialogue.

Depending on how many people are on a tele-town hall phone list, it can occasionally take between 10-15 minutes to dial everyone in, Shaun Thompson, chief government public and client affairs officer at Tele-Town Hall, LLC: "It is a roll-out process -- we can't just snap our fingers and have 60,000 constituents on the line," he said.

As for people complaining of not getting calls, Thompson -- who said his company works with hundreds of members of Congress and state lawmakers throughout the country, including Michigan -- said every number on the list is guaranteed a dial, but noted local phone networks can be overwhelmed and fail to connect some calls in the case of a large tele-town hall.

"I think that tele-town halls, to some extent, are being cast in an unfair light," he said. "We're as careful as we can be about not overwhelming local phone switches, but unforeseen things can happen."

Moolenaar, R-Midland, said in a recent statement that he's made it a priority to be available to constituents: "I have held 26 listening sessions, including three this year, to meet with residents and hear their concerns. I had multiple meetings last week with activists in my district. As I mentioned in those meetings, I am planning a district-wide listening session in April."

Dingell said her goal moving forward is to be as accessible as possible and listen closely to constituents on issues that matter to them.

"People want to talk, to meet, get information, vent and ask questions more than I have ever witnessed," she said. "When we are in session, my goal is to hit every part of the district in the days that I home - to go to labor halls, business groups and universities, to meet with civil rights groups, seniors, young people, civic and charitable groups and to go to public places like farmer markets to be accessible."
HOMER, MI - Arianna Quan, Miss Michigan 2016, visited Homer Elementary School Thursday in honor of March is Reading Month.

The visit also coincided with the school's commemoration of the March 2 birthday of Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel.

Quan read a Dr. Seuss book from the school library to students in preschool through fourth grade. She also answered questions from the students.

Quan's visit was sponsored by Citgo's "Fueling Good Program." Citgo also provided books given to all students in kindergarten through second grades.
Spectrum Health Muskegon ICC

The Spectrum Health Integrated Care Campus in Muskegon. Two physicians will be joining the practice at 427 Seminole Road in Norton Shores. (Photo courtesy of Spectrum Health).

(Spectrum Health)

NORTON SHORES, MI -- Spectrum Health Medical Group Internal Medicine is expanding in Norton Shores with the addition of two physicians to the area practice.

The practice at 427 Seminole Road previously housed only primary care doctors but is expanding to include the two internal medicine physicians.

Dr. Daniel A. Farrell and Dr. Erlund Larson integrated into the practice and the change was effective Wednesday, March 1.

Dr. Herbert F. Miller said in a statement the practice is pleased to have the two doctors join SHMG Internal Medicine.

"We are committed to greater access and improved medical outcomes for patients, all while providing the same compassionate care right in here in Norton Shores," Miller said.

The practice has moved to the second floor of 427 Seminole Road and the office will have onsite lab testing.

Community members are invited to tour the new office space at an open house Thursday, March 16 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

David Ottenbaker, Spectrum Health Medical Group associate chief medical officer, said in a statement the medical group is looking forward to further caring for patients and their families along the Lakeshore.

"Spectrum Health is dedicated to providing timely and convenient access to care throughout the region," Ottenbaker said. "We are proud to expand our team in the Muskegon community ."

Farrell and Larson both specialize in internal medicine and are certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Farrell received his medical degree from Wayne State University. He completed his residency at Spectrum Health Butterworth Campus.

Larson received his medical degree from University of Michigan Medical School. He completed his residency at University of North Carolina Hospitals.

Both physicians come to Spectrum Health from Mercy Health in Muskegon.

Tabetha Tenney, PA-C is also joining the practice. She earned her Master of Physician Assistant Studies at Grand Valley State University and is a member of the Spectrum Health Medical Group.
SAGINAW, MI -- The non-profit heading up the renovation of the old Saginaw News building announced the project is expected to have a spring 2018 grand opening.

According to a press release from SVRC Industries, construction on the $19.8 million mixed-use development, which includes a new indoor-outdoor, year-round farmers market, is expected to begin within the next two months.

The non-profit is slated to close on the property at 203 S. Washington Ave. around mid-April, the press release states. The delay in closing came from the project's demolition, remediation and tax credit process, according to the release.

"Without the support and generosity of local foundations, businesses and individuals this project certainly would not be where it is today," SVRC Industries CEO Dean Emerson said. "We are both fortunate and very grateful."

Although the grand opening won't be until spring 2018, the Downtown Saginaw Farmers Market is expected to move into the SVRC Marketplace Pavilion by late summer 2017.

Until then the Downtown Saginaw Farmers Market, which will rent space from SVRC Industries, will open their season on May 26 at 507 S. Washington Ave., the release states.

SVRC Industries purchased the old Saginaw News building, which sat vacant since 2009, for $500,000 in December 2014 and announced plans to renovate the structure.

The project, called SVRC Marketplace, is a partnership between the Saginaw Downtown Development Authority, the Downtown Saginaw Farmers Market group and SVRC Industries.

The redevelopment plans include a "food hub" and processing center, a 37-stall indoor farmers market, a food court and demonstration kitchen, 24 "mini retail" booths, a coffee counter, several retail spaces for lease, large commercial areas for lease and a lounge and ballroom on the third floor.

Outside the building will be a pavilion covering 48 vendor stalls where the Downtown Saginaw Farmers Market is expected to move late summer 2017.
SAGINAW, MI -- Four people were taken to an area hospital Saturday afternoon after a Hummer H3 collided with a car at an intersection, jumped a curb and crashed into a home on the city's West Side.

All four people transported suffered no apparent major injuries, police on scene said. No one in the home was injured.

The Hummer left a roughly 7-by-4-foot hole in the foundation of the home in the 1500 block of Maine Street and caused a natural gas leak.

Police on scene said gas was shut off to the home shortly after.

The incident began shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday, March 5, at the intersection of Vermont and Maple streets when the Hummer collided with a car and traveled roughly 250 feet before coming to a rest at the residence, police said.

Police believe the driver of the Hummer was suffering from a medical issue at the time of the incident.

A man who resides at the home said he was watching television with his son when he heard a loud bang and felt the house shake.
Valerie Rueda Paris Rueda

Valerie Rueda poses for a portrait with a photo of her son, Paris Rueda, in Saginaw on Wednesday, March 1, 2017. Rueda was the first homicide victim in Saginaw County. He was shot and killed in Buena Vista township on Jan. 2, 2017.

(Heather Khalifa | MLive.com)

BUENA VISTA TWP, MI -- A grieving mother is asking community members to come forward with information about her son's homicide.

Valerie Rueda said her son, Paris Rueda, was shot as he left her home in Buena Vista Township on Jan. 2.

Rueda said her son had just put his family in the car and came back into her home to say goodbye.

"He told me he loved me and walked out the door," she said.

Moments later, she heard gunshots and found her son down, outside. He'd been shot.

Paris Rueda became Saginaw County's first homicide of the year.

'How many lives this affects'

Rueda would like people in the community to speak up if they have information about her son's death.

"We have all of these mothers that don't have justice and they don't have justice because no one is speaking up," she said. "There are so many hurt mothers who have to go to sleep wondering if they are going to get justice. Wondering, when they are out in public, if they are looking in their child's killer's face."

Her son's death now affects her everyday actions, she said.

"People don't understand that when something like this happens, how many lives this affects," she said. "I wouldn't wish this on any mother. As parents, we are not supposed to be burying our kids, our kids are supposed to bury us."

Rueda described her son as a great father.

"He had three daughters, was very respectful and had a very good spirit," she said. "He'll never be able to go on field trips with them and go to proms and watch them graduate. They'll never get that. That was stolen from them."

She also described him as a person who helps others and recalled when he helped save a man in a crash but refused to accept an award he was honored with by Saginaw Township police.

Police officers bought award to the visitation the day before to his funeral, Rueda said.

'Time to take our communities back'

Buena Vista Township Police Detective Sgt. Greg Klecker said his department is working to get the culprit or culprits off the street and behind bars.

Klecker said whoever is behind the homicide showed no concern for innocent bystanders.

"This guy's girlfriend and baby possibly witnessed his death," Klecker said.

Klecker encouraged witnesses to come forward and take back their communities.

"You're going to be effective when members in your community band together to stop crime," he said. "We need more people to step up with information."

Rueda agreed.

"We have people in our communities and they're afraid to talk," she said. "It's time to take our communities back."

There needs to be better communication between police and citizens, Rueda said.

"They need to have the confidence that if they do call the police with information, that they will be protected," she said.

Klecker mentioned that witnesses can report crimes anonymously to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-422-JAIL (5245), or by coming to him personally.

"They can come and talk to me confidentially," he said.

Rueda, who has a degree in mortuary science and works at an area funeral home, said it's different being on the receiving end of the condolences.

"I pray that God continues to give me the strength, because that's the only thing that's holding me together," she said.

"The only thing."
It can rightly be said that America is "going green" right before our eyes. Since 2012, residents in eight states have legalized the sale of recreational, adult-use marijuana. The number of states that have legalized medical cannabis also eclipsed the halfway mark last year, with 28 in total by year's end.

Legal sales of pot are soaring as well. According to cannabis research firm ArcView, North American legal pot sales rose by 34% to $6.9 billion. ArcView continues to expect compound annual growth in marijuana of roughly 30% per year, while investment firm Cowen & Co. is forecasting up to $50 billion in legal sales by 2026 -- good for a 23%-plus compound annual growth rate over the next decade.

This new survey should make the pot industry (and marijuana stocks) happy

What's behind this exceptional growth rate, you ask? Look no further than the rapidly changing opinions of the American public. An oft-cited poll from Gallup showed that favorability toward the idea of a nationwide legalization hit 60% in 2016, representing an all-time high. By comparison, just 25% of those polled in 1995, the year before California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis, wanted to see pot legalized nationally.

However, a newly released survey (link opens PDF) from the independent Quinnipiac University really demonstrates just how strongly the American public wants to see marijuana legalized, and how certain they are that state's rights should prevail.

In particular, Quinnipiac's survey focused on three key questions. First, concerning medical marijuana, a staggering 93% of respondents suggested that medical cannabis should be legal if prescribed by a doctor, compared just 6% who opposed the idea.

Second, when asked whether marijuana should be made legal throughout the United States, 59% of respondents were in favor compared to only 36% who opposed the measure. The dissenters were Republicans (61% oppose, 35% in favor) and voters over the age of 65 (51% oppose, 42% in favor), otherwise every other party, gender, education, age, and racial group listed in Quinnipiac's survey supported its nationwide legalization.

Finally, Quinnipiac asked survey takers if they agreed with the following statement: "The government should not enforce federal laws against marijuana in states that have legalized medical or recreational marijuana use." A whopping 71% agreed with this statement as opposed to 23% who disagreed. It should be noted that there were no dissenting groups in this third question.

In other words, the American public wants to see more liberties for recreational and medical marijuana, as well as no federal intervention. Such a scenario would be utopian for pot businesses and marijuana stocks, which would be allowed to flourish without the threat of federal intervention.

The Trump administration may swim against the tide

Unfortunately, Donald Trump's administration recently signaled that it's only partially paying attention to the desires of the public. While Trump seems firmly committed to reserving states the right to decide if medical cannabis should be legal, White House press secretary Sean Spicer has signaled that the federal government will be more active in enforcing federal laws than the previous administration.

Understandably, there's a lot of gray area left to be hashed out when it comes to "enforcing federal laws." Spicer and the Trump administration haven't exactly been forthcoming with regard to defining what that means. It could entail simply beefing up enforcement on regulations in the eight adult-use states to ensure that pot remains out of the hands of minors. Then again, it could involve federal raids and/or the federal government shutting down the recreational weed industry altogether. Such actions would clearly go against what a majority of Americans would like to see, based on the Quinnipiac poll results.

Any sort of step-up in federal enforcement would almost certainly be bad news for the pot industry and investors who've been hoping to ride the rapidly growing wave of legal marijuana sales. Remember, nearly every publicly traded marijuana stock is already losing money, therefore any tightening in recreational laws would further hamper their efforts to run sustainable businesses. Mind you, this comes on top of the tax disadvantages and the inability to access basic financial services that most cannabis businesses are currently dealing with.

What remains to be seen is whether marijuana has strong enough to support at the grassroots level to coerce politicians in Washington to soften their stance. The Quinnipiac poll shows that Republicans clearly don't favor marijuana's expansion, but if enough constituents suggest that they'll switch their votes to another candidate come mid-term elections, it may incite some sort of response and reaction in Washington. The question that we can't answer right now, and what could have the future of marijuana stocks hanging by a thread, is whether that grassroots support is strong enough.

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If productivity and nostalgia are weighed, the scales would be tipped in favour of the former. The new Nokia 3310 leverages nostalgia but lacks productivity quotient. HMD Global, which markets the phone that has been brought back from the dead after 12 years, loses out to its adversaries on many levels, especially in India where it plans a rollout in April-June .

Firstly, Nokia 3310 runs only on 2.5G networks. It loses out on the telecom users who are fast switching from 2G to 4G or 3G to 4G networks. India has 350-million-plus feature phone users slowly migrating to smartphones. Thats a contingent too huge to ignore.

At the launch event in Barcelona last week, HMD Global portrayed the phone as detox phone  meaning a phone that will help one keep off digitally-intrusive mediums such as Internet. A detox phone further shrinks the potential user base.

Back in 2000s, the Nokia 3310 was the most sought-after phones in the market. It must be noted that most mobile phone users then came from metros. That cant be said now. A sub-optimal feature phone with limited Internet connectivity and miniscule app support doesnt act in favour of Nokia 3310. In the age of Facebook, Twitter and selfies, Nokia 3310 may just be relegated to a phone that doubles up as a music player or a serve as back-up phone for emergencies at best.

Also, for about Rs 4,000  the price at which Nokia 3310 may sell  a device which is good enough to satiate the needs of first-time smartphone buyer can be satiated.

A successful relaunch, however, can thrust brand Nokia back into the pecking order of handsetmakers. Over the past few years, Nokia lost out the smartphones frenzy launched by Samsung and now being carried on by Chinese companies like Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo.

Its attempts to resuscitate by forging partnerships with Microsoft for Windows-based smartphones and later with a bare-basic Android OS smartphone fell flat. The Samsung blow was too hard to recover from.

Overall, Nokia 3310 has a big mountain to climb. While the nostalgia may help it win some consumers, it is unlikely that the new Nokia 3310 will become a phone to swear-by. If you judge by yardsticks of the 2000s, the new Nokia 3310 may become a victim of its own image.
Rabbis installation at Keneseth Israel will get a boost of student creativity
After working to acquire leasehold and minerals, the founders of EnCore Permian will try their hands at exploring on their own leases and producing their own minerals.

J.D. Smith and Josh Lorenz, who previously formed and operated PetroLima LLC, have formed EnCore backed by $200 million in equity agreements and a private capital partner that manages $8 billion.

It was a natural progression, to grow and have success in one area to try another area, Smith said in a phone interview. Its a career move.

The company already owns operated assets in Martin and Howard counties in the Midland subbasin and Pecos County in the Delaware subbasin. Smith said the company is seeking land to create a blocked-up position to allow for long laterals. Funds have been allocated for those acquisitions and for drilling activity.

The challenge has always been to find the deal  finding the opportunity, first, and second, making the trade, said Smith, who serves as EnCores chief executive officer.

Despite the strong demand for Permian Basin acreage and the resulting high prices, Smith said he still sees opportunities, and the company is looking forward to working with operators on acquisitions, swaps and trades.

Wed trade acre for acre  they need this acreage, we need that acreage.

He said it may help that he and Lorenz are Midlanders with established connections through PetroLima.

In their search for acreage, EnCore will be aided by its proprietary asset identification software, Mineral Scout, which was designed by the companys Nicholas Tallant.

Mineral Scout takes all the myriad factors in looking for oil and gas acreage and it basically tells us where not to look, Smith said. The Permian is a really big basin and its real important to whittle that down.

Smith stressed that, despite the use of Mineral Scout, we definitely have the human factor at work.

. Patrick Cohn serves as EnCores Houston-based chief financial officer. The companys roster includes land, legal and technical professionals who come from companies ranging from Legacy Reserves Operating L.P. to ConocoPhillips, Plains Exploration & Production, Lone Star Oil & Gas, to Jefferies & Co. investment banking. The initial round of equity will be used to support adding additional staff, he said.

The softwares use of big data and sophisticated data means our group is getting the most efficient landman time out there, Smith said.

He said he and Lorenz had just concluded a meeting that means we might be drilling real quick, perhaps in the second quarter of the year, while a longer-term drilling plan will come later in the year.
Michael Hubbard moved to Midland in 2011 to teach at Midland College. He teaches oil and watercolor painting and also serves as director of the colleges McCormick Gallery. Originally from Michigan, he went to school in Savannah, Georgia, and Washington State. Hubbard is also an active artist who exhibits his own work in solo and group shows throughout the country, most recently at the Hartnett Gallery in Rochester, New York. He and his wife, Jennifer, are also busy these days with their 1 1/2-year-old son.

MRT: Whats been your proudest achievement in art?

Hubbard: In art, every time I finish a new big project, its my proudest achievement -- until I start on the next project.

MRT: What would you say is your best quality and why?

Hubbard: My creativity and sense of humor allow me to constantly look at the world around me in new ways and keep some amount of hope for the future.

MRT: What is the best thing you cook?

Hubbard: Grilled cheese.

MRT: Who is real-life hero and why?

Hubbard: This is always a tough question. There are so many people I admire, all for entirely different reasons. For real-life hero, today Im going with musician Joan Jett. Shes tough, self-assured and nurturing of younger generations of artists.

MRT: What book do you always recommend?

Hubbard: Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino.
First of all, your MISD Board of Trustees would like to thank all of those who attended one or more of our community meetings conducted these past two weeks to learn about and provide feedback on our proposed school board governance materials -- all which are designed to transform the performance of this district and include our proposed student outcome goals, goal progress measures and theories of action regarding how those goals may be achieved in the next three years and beyond.

We would also like to thank all who have gone to MISDs website, reviewed these materials and provided their feedback online. If you have not already done so, please go to www.midlandisd.net and under the School Board tab, select 2017 Board Goals and Constraints to access the documents and provide your comments at www.midlandisd.net/feedback. While we recognize that it is unlikely that any such proposed plan of action can ever achieve unanimous approval, we are very encouraged by the communitys positive response thus far and are very grateful for the expressions of support. We are also thankful for the districts teaching and learning staffs work on this project and the feedback we have received from teachers, principals and other MISD staff members regarding all these matters.

In the next three weeks, we will be reviewing all of the thoughts expressed by those instructional leaders, as well as those expressed by community members, with a goal of finalizing all of these governance items at our meeting scheduled for March 20. Once so finalized, it is our goal that these matters be utilized as part of a coordinated effort to transform student outcomes in this district.

As we tried to make clear during our presentations, we firmly believe that student outcomes do not change until adult behaviors change, and the work on these governance materials is an effort by your board of trustees to model that behavior for ourselves. The student goals we propose will not only challenge our district and require adult behavior change, they are also specific, measurable, results-focused and time-bound. Once adopted, an important part of our role as your board of trustees will be to monitor progress and provide you timely and transparent reports on how we are progressing on achieving these goals and adhering to the theories of action we propose to achieve them.

These materials will also be provided to each permanent superintendent applicant, and I am excited to report to you on that search process. But before doing so, I would like to take this opportunity to express the boards profound gratitude and appreciation for the academic leadership of our interim superintendent, Rod Schroder, who graciously agreed to come out of retirement to help us this school year.

A key component of the plan to transform this district is the implementation of professional learning communities on all our campuses, and we are currently in the second year of a three-year phase-in of that instructional process. Simply put, PLCs empower teachers, working in subject-matter teams, to decide for themselves how they are to teach students, how they are going to assess whether students are learning the material, what they are going to do when a student has not yet learned it to ensure that they do so and, just as important, what they are going to do for a student who has learned the material so that their learning may continue.

While implementation of PLCs began before Rods arrival, he has been an enthusiastic and data-driven leader and advocate for their potential to dramatically improve student outcomes. We believe his ability to speak with credibility on that topic based on his previous experience and his accompanying track record of success at Amarillo ISD utilizing this instructional process has been invaluable. His advocacy of that process and his promotion of adopting a growth mindset for every student and no-excuses philosophy in improving student outcomes has been a blessing for our district. And for this we will be forever grateful.

As for the search for a permanent superintendent, the firm of Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates has been hired to conduct a nationwide search for our next superintendent. Their three-person search firm team consists of three former superintendents with outstanding track records of success as superintendents. Rick Berry is the former superintendent of Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in the Houston area and Nola Wellman is the former superintendent of Eanes Independent School District (Westlake High School) in Austin. Their districts are two of the highest- performing in Texas. The third team member is Peter Flynn, who had a 34-year successful track record as superintendent in districts located in Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa and Pennsylvania.

Their first job will be to meet with students, teachers, principals and staff members; PTA members; business organizations; nonprofit, philanthropic and faith-based organizations; and a diverse mix of community organizations and individuals to develop a profile of the qualities, characteristics and skill set that this community is seeking in the next superintendent. Those meetings have already begun, but there are some scheduled for Monday through Wednesday.

Meanwhile, everyone is invited to participate in either of the following two public meetings: 7 p.m. Tuesday at Bowie Elementary and 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at MISDs Administration Building. The results of that work will be reflected in a leadership profile to be presented to the board on March 21.

Once finalized and approved, the search firm team members will utilize that profile and their organizations extensive network to advertise the position and actively recruit those who fit that profile. The goal is to narrow the candidates to five or six, interview them the third week in April, narrow those down to three and conduct a second round of interviews the last week in April.

After preliminarily identifying the preferred finalist, board members will conduct additional due diligence on that candidate, including a site visit to their current school district and community. The goal is to complete this process and announce the finalist on May 8, formally appoint that person by May 30 and have that person begin work as our next superintendent no later than July 1.

For additional information on our superintendent search, go to www.midlandisd.net and then click on Superintendent Search under Quick Links.

And finally, your Board of Trustees would like to thank this community for your encouragement, support and, most importantly, your willingness to help in all of these efforts to make transformative change. We are excited about the future of MISD, and we look forward to telling superintendent candidates about this wonderful community and the remarkable opportunity that it offers to the right person who seeks to make a game-changing difference in the lives of the children in our community.
When Steve Alvin and his business partners decided to open a new restaurant on North Leroux Street, they wanted to make a statement. La Vetta Ristorante Italiano, with its airy interior and Italian classics, brings a fresh taste and a modern look to the downtown area.

We wanted to bring something new to downtown and the building owner wanted to do something new with the building, Alvin said. We wanted to change the attitude downtown a bit from the burgers and bars that are so prevalent down here.

The downtown area is getting more tourists and visitors from the valley that are looking for something more than the dark college bar and a burger, he said.

Tucking a full-sized restaurant into what once was happy hour favorite San Felipes was a bit of a trick, Alvin admitted. The existing kitchen was so tiny that there wasnt much room for food prep. In order to make things work, Alvin and his partners had contractors install an area in the basement of the building, where food could be sliced, diced, chopped and layered before being sent up to the kitchen via a dumbwaiter.

Everything we make is fresh or imported frozen fresh, Alvin said.

Pasta for ravioli and lasagna is made in house. Pasta for the spaghetti and linguine is imported fresh and frozen. The tomatoes and olive oil are imported, but the sausage and meat are locally sourced. Both the chicken and beef are raised without antibiotics and free-range. The fish is line-caught, which means no nets to catch or choke other sea life. The lobster is delivered fresh from Maine.

You wont be able to get any of these dishes at any other restaurant in town, said executive chef Dylan Tobin. I made these recipes specifically for this restaurant. When you have good, quality ingredients, you want a good product.

Tobin is a self-trained chef who has worked at a number of restaurants in town. He trained as a chef in Italy for eight years before working his way up to an executive chef in Flagstaff. He said the kitchen at La Vetta presented an interesting hurdle, but his trust in his chefs is well founded and the system has been working very well.

One of Tobins favorite dishes is the cioppino, a soup with a spicy tomato seafood broth, shrimp, clams, mussels and cod.

Alvin and his La Vetta business partners also have plans for Maloneys next door. They just havent decided what kind of restaurant they want to put in.

Alvin, who is also a co-owner of the Horsemans Lodge and Northern Pines restaurants, followed his father into the restaurant business.

I really got into this business for the customers and the employees. I love making food for people and making people happy, he said. I love the daily challenge of a restaurant. Its never the same day twice and if you have a bad day, theres always tomorrow.

Tobin agreed, You can really make someones day with one dish.
An electrical fault may have caused a Saturday morning fire at a Far East Side furniture store, the Madison Fire Department said.

Several pieces of furniture in the back of the Slumberland Furniture Store, 2201 East Springs Drive, were on fire and set off alarms around 9 a.m., Fire Department spokeswoman Lori Wirth said.

When fire crews arrived, the building was filled with smoke, Wirth said, which made it difficult for firefighters to locate the source. Firefighters had to follow the sound of water from the sprinkler to find the flames.

Firefighters extinguished the fire within two minutes of locating the source, Wirth said.

After the fire was put out, smoke conditions remained dangerous, Wirth said. Because of the size of the open space  around 50,000 square feet  available fans were not sufficient to ventilate the building.

An airboat shared by the Fire Department and Dane County was brought to a loading dock area at the rear of the building and the fan was used to help ventilate.

A damage estimate was not available.
The Sauk County case against a man allegedly caught in the act of an August burglary is just the tip of the iceberg, according to several law enforcement officers familiar with the matter.

It was really one of the better investigations that Ive been a part of in 25 years of law enforcement, said Columbia County Detective Lt. Roger Brandner.

Officers from multiple agencies had been tailing Mark D. Goad, 53, of Madison, for days before he was captured in the act of an alleged burglary at a Reedsburg tavern. Investigators say they now have evidence tying Goad to 15 burglaries in a six-county area.

Pattern emerges

In early August, detectives said they noticed similarities between burglaries reported in multiple jurisdictions. The details were shared in crime alerts sent to law enforcement agencies statewide.

The burglaries typically occurred around the same time in the middle of the night. The burglar would cut power to the business phone and security system, eliminate outdoor lighting, and seemed to have used a special solution to eliminate DNA and fingerprint evidence.

We started noticing a pattern entry point and tool mark impressions, Brandner said.

Agencies coordinated to have their officers document the license plates of any vehicles spotted driving during certain times of night. Using that data, the Lake Mills Police Department zeroed in on Goad as a potential suspect.

The Madison man made headlines in 2011 when he was tied to dozens of sophisticated burglaries in Dane and Rock counties. Goad was arrested for those crimes after a foot chase in which he allegedly jumped from a second-story hotel room in an attempt to escape officers.

Investigation fast tracked

Once local agencies identified Goad as a suspect in the August burglaries, they knew they were potentially dealing with someone who was crafty and might use extreme measures to escape.

That was why with this investigation, we tried to fast track it as much as possible, said Columbia County Detective Sgt. Ben Oetzman.

Tailing Goad wasnt easy, said Lodi Police Chief Scott Klicko. Without giving themselves away, investigators had to follow him along back roads between Madison and Lodi, where his was the only vehicle.

Klicko said officers even followed Goad to the Minnesota border, and stopped him for an alleged traffic violation when he returned to Wisconsin. The stop allowed them to get eyes on Goad, and confirm that it was still him driving the vehicle.

On Aug. 21, investigators alerted Reedsburg police that Goad had been in their area, potentially to scope out his next heist. Officers spotted Goad after 3 a.m. wearing a ski mask and black clothes, crouched near the back entrance of a local bar with a bag of tools, according to a criminal complaint.

He was wearing an ear bud connected to a police scanner, which Brandner said was intended to monitor local police chatter. It didnt help him because investigators already were wise to that tactic, and had been using alternative means of communication.

After his arrest, in which officers allegedly were forced to use a Taser on Goad multiple times, investigators used location data from his cell phone to tie him to prior burglaries. They even compared reflective material on his shoes to the reflections shown on surveillance videos to tie him to one crime scene, Klicko said.

Case delayed

Investigators are preparing to refer charges against Goad in relation to 15 burglaries throughout Columbia, Dodge, Juneau, Jefferson, Sauk, and Rock counties, Oetzman said.

After his August arrest, Sauk County prosecutors charged Goad with burglary, possession of burglary tools, criminal damage to property, and resisting an officer. The case has been delayed because four attorneys have withdrawn from Goads case. His next court date is May 9.
MERIDEN  When shopping for a location to turn the region into the city that feeds itself, Trifecta Ecosystems turned to a former silversmith shop on the third floor of 290 Pratt St.



Armed with a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, the four partners that make up Trifecta Ecosystems in Glastonbury have already brought aquaponics to the ARC of Meriden-Wallingford on Research Parkway, where people with disabilities grow strawberries, jalapeno peppers, Swiss chard, and microgreens.



The 8,000-square-foot space at the Meriden Enterprise Center on Pratt Street will soon house 3,500 square feet of vertical farming space and a research and development area with the help of some renovations and $70,000 in lighting. In addition to commercial farming, Trifecta Ecosystems mission is to share its technology, said partner Eric Francis.



Were looking to be in multiple cities across the state, Francis said. We looked at this space two years ago and were glad it was still open.



Aquaponics combines three features to allow urban farmers to grow in small space without pesticides. The technology uses an aquarium or tank. That water is pumped into nearby shale rocks. Fish waste is broken down into nutrients and feeds the vertical roots of plants.



This location allows us to do vertical farming and sell systems to schools, Francis said. This will be a mixed use, with farming, research, an open area for light manufacturing, to bring schools in on field trips, workshops, a pop-up restaurant and farm-to-table events.



Francis and the other partners, Spencer Curry, Kieran Foran and Andrew Ingalls, have developed aquaponic systems for people with developmental disabilities in Bristol and in other cities. The group is focused on education and technological research and outreach activities, a STEM curriculum to share with students and other groups of unlikely farmers, including ex-convicts and drug addicts, for whom farming has been shown to be a therapeutic aid to recovery.



The belief is that as more people gravitate to city centers combined with a steady decrease in available farming land, there need to be innovative ways for people to grow food.



Francis grew up in Durham and attended Thomas Edison Middle School. He later went on to study business management and worked in construction. He met two of his partners at an event for entrepreneurs in Hartford sponsored by the Social Enterprise Trust and teamed up on the grant application.



Trifecta Ecosystems received help from the city, which recently received its own grant to study innovative uses for its transit-oriented district, the half-mile radius near the train station. Trifecta Ecosystems is already part of the food and health component.



Part of the interest in the grant application is going to be culinary related, said Harry Schwartz, a local chef, and member of the citys innovation team. I see this as part of the grant application. It will be interesting to the school systems. Kids grow their own food in their school systems and cover, nutrition, education and wellness. When you get that kind of energy you got to fertilize that.



Trifecta Ecosystems worked closely with the city to obtain the required permits to rebuild the empty space and hope to have construction completed in May.



Everybody says our state has issues, Francis said. I treat it as an opportunity. Manufacturers plant a seed and it grows. Meriden has a lot going for it. They made it easy for us. We think food is a good way to attain innovation. We look forward to working with Meriden schools.



City Economic Development Director Juliet Burdelski welcomes the young company and its innovative mission.



Hes a young entrepreneur, Burdelski said about Francis. They had some success in aquaponics and hes expanding and likes Meriden. It was the right match at 290 Pratt St.



mgodin@record-journal.com (203) 317-2255 Twitter: @Cconnbiz






Economic theory can admittedly be simultaneously boring and incomprehensible at times, but is critical to our understanding of the functioning of markets, businesses, and consumers. Its concepts inform the structure and actions of governments and central banks, improve policies and social services, and enhance job markets. From the most rudimentary barter systems of trade centuries ago to the complex, multifaceted transactions common in the world today, economic concepts are essential to social progress and opportunity.

Few people have ever contributed as much to our understanding of economic theory as Kenneth J. Arrow, who recently passed away at the age of 95. Dr. Arrow taught at the University of Chicago, Stanford, Harvard, and other elite institutions. He also served on the staff of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisors and in other important advisory capacities. He was already legendary by 1972, when he was among the first recipients of the Nobel Prize in Economics, and his groundbreaking work continued for decades thereafter.

While still a graduate student and before I was born, Dr. Arrow developed one of his most well-known ideas, his impossibility theorem. Essentially, the theorem says that in situations where there are multiple options, there is no process whereby the options can be satisfactorily placed in order through collective decision making (such as majority voting). Thats oversimplified and the theory is more complex than I have space to describe, but suffice it to say that it opened up the academic field of social choice theory and questioned the sustainability of majority rule societies under very general and reasonable conditions.

Several of Dr. Arrows contributions involve translating relatively straightforward ideas into mathematical proofs which can then serve as the foundation for further work by other economists, mathematicians, and other social scientists. For example, he was among the first economists to describe a learning curve whereby experience can increase productivity.

He also developed key aspects of some of the most basic tools in use by economists such as relationships between supply and demand and equilibrium. He built on the ideas of earlier economists such as Leon Walras in describing markets, deriving equations to explain the interactions of producers and consumers. This work formed the basis for Dr. Arrows Nobel Prize for pioneering contributions to general economic equilibrium theory and welfare theory.

In later years, Dr. Arrow looked at information as an economic variable, how the market encourages innovation, and the problems of attempting to redistribute wealth through price controls. His work in describing the market for medical care and health insurance helped shape policy including the Affordable Care Act. My personal favorite was his work on the limits of organization, which I often cite (though not exactly correctly) as mathematical proof that I am incapable of keeping a neat workspace.

He was an impressive intellect whose creative ideas formed the basis for research in fields ranging from social science to finance and beyond. He taught at the most prestigious universities and won awards and accolades from far and wide. A number of later Nobel Prize winners in Economics and other fields credit Kenneth Arrow, tracing portions of their work back to his ideas (and several were his former students). Through his sisters marriage, he also ended up in a family of noted economists, including fellow Nobel Laureate Paul Samuelson and his nephew, former Treasury Secretary Robert Summers.

Dr. Arrow not only knew his economics, but also was well versed on virtually every subject you can imagine. Few before or since have contributed more to our understanding, and he was one of the truly great minds of the past century. Even so, he was known for his kindness. I remember all of my encounters with him fondly, including the first one in the late 1970s or early 1980s which, by a strange set of circumstances, ended up with us being at Beach Blanket Babylon in San Francisco (which is somewhat like Esthers Follies in Austin). I never got accustomed to calling him Ken, and it was always a pleasure to listen to him on any subject. His noted nephew recently said that he knew more about everything than most know about anything. That just about says it all. In his gentle manner, he had a profound impact on all of our lives, and we are so much the better for his remarkable intellectual journey.

Dr. M. Ray Perryman is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Perryman Group (www.perrymangroup.com). He also serves as Institute Distinguished Professor of Economic Theory and Method at the International Institute for Advanced Studies.






Beverly Walker doubts that the governors plan to abolish the state Parole Commission will add efficiency to a sluggish system, and she suspects it would make qualifying for parole even more difficult.

Her husband, Baron Walker, 43, has been imprisoned for nearly 22 years on a 60-year sentence for two armed bank robberies. Since 2011, he has been eligible for parole under Wisconsins old sentencing format, which allowed inmates to petition for release after serving one-fourth of their time.

Baron Walker has met required conditions for behavior and all programming that has been recommended, including a high school equivalency degree and vocational training, according to a 2015 report from the Parole Commission. He now lives in the minimum security Oakhill Correctional Institution, where the primary focus is to prepare offenders for release into the community.

You take full responsibility for your crimes and for the harm you have caused the victims and others. You have engaged in a considerable amount of positive growth and maturity during this incarceration, the report stated.

Despite that, the commission concluded that Walkers criminal history  including a previous stint in prison  and the severity of his crimes means serving additional time for punishment is warranted.

Its horrible that were not together, reunited, by now because hes met the requirements of the law he was sentenced under, said Beverly Walker, of Milwaukee, who has been a single mother to their five children, who now have six children of their own.

Gov. Scott Walker is proposing to abolish the Parole Commission and put the decision about whether to release thousands of parole-eligible prisoners into the hands of a gubernatorial appointee. Walker spokesman Tom Evenson said the change would streamline the parole process.

The Parole Commission has operated short-handed during Walkers tenure; the eight-member board currently has five vacancies.

It just seems like everything is stagnated when it comes to parole-eligible inmates already, so its hard to tell if eliminating the commission is going to help this process move forward or not, Beverly Walker said.

Under the Republican governor, the commission has released far fewer offenders than it did under his predecessor, Democrat Jim Doyle. One inmate advocate, the Rev. Jerry Hancock, said cutting funding for parole considerations even more could make a broken and unfair system worse.

Parole plan raises questions

An international parole expert said if adopted, Wisconsins system would be a very unique setup and one that could be less fair to parolees and more prone to political influence.

In my history in criminal justice of 30-something years  Ive never seen a situation where they limited the decision-making to one person, said Monica Morris, chief administrative officer of the Association of Paroling Authorities International, a Huntsville, Texas-based group that helps develop research-based parole policy.

In my opinion, that is too much power to give to one person, Morris added. The whole concept of a parole board is you have two or three or five or seven (people) where you have a deliberative process where people are making a collaborative decision.

Cecelia Klingele, a UW-Madison law professor, said she cannot imagine how one person could give fair and full consideration to the significant number of people who are currently parole eligible.

Department of Corrections spokesman Tristan Cook said about 3,000 people are serving parole-eligible sentences in Wisconsin but he did not know how many of those are currently eligible for release.

While no inmate is entitled to parole, they do have a legal right to fair assessment of their case, said Klingele, who specializes in criminal justice administration and community supervision.

Walkers two-year budget calls for closing the Parole Commission on Jan. 1 and moving its duties to the DOC. That would save an estimated $1.8 million over two years, including elimination of 13 positions, Evenson said. Decisions on whether to grant paroles would be handled by a director of paroles appointed by the governor, he said.

Evenson said the proposal is a common sense change since the chairperson of the Parole Commission, who makes the final decision on releases, is already a gubernatorial appointee.

Parole board members generally have set terms and can be removed only for cause, creating at least some political independence, said Morris, who served under three governors during her 12 years on the Florida Parole Commission.

Putting the board under the purview of the DOC, she said, could reduce some of that independence.

I would not want  the people that are holding the key to be included in the decision-making process, Morris said. What if they have an incentive to keep them in or an incentive to let them out?

No breakdown on

old-law

offenders

According to data from the Wisconsin DOC, 1,002 paroles were granted between July 2011  when Kathleen Nagle, Walkers first pick to lead the Parole Commission, took office  and the end of 2016. The DOC database does not disclose what proportion of offenders were old-law prisoners and which were sentenced more recently.

About half of the paroled offenders, or 491, participated in earned release programs, which include the Wisconsin Substance Abuse Program and the Challenge Incarceration Program, Cook said. Both Cook and Evenson emphasized that under earned release, offenders length of sentences do not change; time in custody is cut and converted to time outside of prison under supervision of a probation or parole agent.

Another 141 offenders had reached their mandatory release date, meaning the DOC was legally obligated to parole them, according to department data.

Under the old law, inmates were eligible for parole after serving one-fourth of their sentences and had to be released under most circumstances after serving two-thirds of their sentences  factors that judges kept in mind prior to 2000 when sentencing offenders.

In 2000, Wisconsin enacted Truth in Sentencing, in which judges tell criminal defendants up front how much time they will serve in prison and how long they will be on extended supervision after being released from prison.

Advocates for parole-eligible inmates had mixed reactions to Walkers proposal to kill the Parole Commission.

Hancock, director of the Prison Ministry Project in Madison and a former prosecutor, accused Walker of refusing to grant the fair hearing that sentencing judges promised to old-law prisoners, calling it cruel, inhumane and immoral.

David Liners, state director of Wisdom, a statewide faith-based group, said it is unclear whether the changes would speed up or slow down parole considerations for old-law inmates.

It is very hard to imagine that they will deal with parole requests more efficiently with less people, Liners said.

However, leaving the decision within the DOC could avoid the bureaucratic nightmares that some inmates encounter in qualifying for release, he said. Some old-law inmates have said they cannot access programming ordered by the Parole Commission because the DOC does not make it available to them.

Instead of abolishing the commission, Hancock said, the Legislature should determine which parole-eligible offenders  some of them already working outside prison walls  would be safe for release, possibly saving taxpayers millions a year.

Rate of parole unclear

An analysis by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism shows the Parole Commission granted 11.9 percent of parole petitions in 2016  a number that had been in the single digits for four and a half years. That includes inmates who petitioned more than once in a year.

Whether Wisconsin is typical of other states in its parole release rate is unclear. Wisconsin did not report parole numbers in the most recent U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance report.

Even so, it is nearly impossible to compare state correctional systems because of variations in how such data are reported, according to a 2015 investigation by The Washington Post and The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news outlet that reports on criminal justice issues.

But the investigation did find one common theme: Many states are deeply cautious about releasing inmates, even those who pose little danger and whom a judge clearly intended to go free.

In the past, the DOC defended the slowing pace of paroles for old-law prisoners, saying those who have not been released earlier have committed the most serious crimes. A DOC report on parole-eligible prisoners as of 2014 found that 73 percent were incarcerated for forcible rape, homicide or non-negligent manslaughter.

Days from parole, offender told no

Adan Castellano, an old-law inmate, was 17 years old in 1993 when he and six others were involved in the beating of two teens they suspected of being members of a rival gang. One boy, who was determined not to be a gang member, was killed.

Castellano was convicted in Racine County Circuit Court of reckless homicide and other counts and was sentenced to 45 years in prison. After being locked up for 24 years, Castellano  now 41 years old  is a model prisoner, according to his parole report. Considered a low risk to the public, Castellano has earned the opportunity to work for a landscaping company in the Madison area.

You entered the system at a young age, turned your life around, completed programming, satisfied all owed obligations, saved money for release, secured an approved release plan and demonstrated success at multiple minimum community custody sites with work release, Parole Commission member Danielle LaCost wrote.

She recommended that Castellano, currently housed at the fenceless Oregon Correctional Center, be released Jan. 24.

However, as one of his first orders of business, Walkers newly appointed interim Parole Commission chairman, Douglas Drankiewicz, on Feb. 1 rejected that recommendation. He wrote that Castellano needed to serve more time in part because of the nature and severity of the crime (the senseless taking of an innocent life).

Lupe Castellano of Waukegan, Illinois, who was 1 year old when her brother was sent to prison, said the parole denial was devastating to Adans nieces and nephews, four siblings and especially his mother.

Its been really hard on my mom, she said. Especially to know that she was finally going to have her son home  and to have it taken away like that.

She said eliminating the Parole Commission would probably result in fewer paroles because it would be impossible for a single official to track the progress of thousands of inmates.

Your life would be in one persons hands, she said.

Liners said many old-law inmates and their families complain that they are repeatedly denied parole even after demonstrating evidence of rehabilitation and little risk of re-offending.

The reason they (inmates) are given so often is because of the severity of the crime or due to insufficient time served, Liners said. These things always harken back to the original crime, and thats the one thing these guys cant change.

In my history in criminal justice of 30-something years  Ive never seen a situation where they limited the decision-making to one person, Monica Morris, APAI administrator
Contributed / Contributed

DERBY  Griffin Hospitals Healthy U program and The Valley Senior Services Council will host a series of four talks on caregiving this spring at the hospital, 130 Division St., Derby.

The series will focus on caregivers for seniors, especially those of the sandwich generation, who are caring for a senior loved one while still managing work and care of their children, however the series will share information and resources that are beneficial to anyone caring for another person.
Saratoga Springs

Police are investigating an armed bank robbery at the Adirondack Trust Co. branch on the corner of Route 50 and Northline Road.

A white man dressed in black with a dark bandana covering most of his face entered the bank around 12:45 p.m. and immediately approached the bank tellers with a knife, demanding money, according to the Saratoga Springs Police Department. He climbed over the bank counter and took an undisclosed amount of cash out of two drawers.

The man left the bank and headed northeast down Northline Road on foot, then proceeded north on Old Ballston Ave, police said. He was last seen running into the woods between Old Ballston Ave. and Old Post Road.

The area is being searched by teams from the ground and air by Saratoga Springs Police Deparment, Saratoga County Sheriff's Office and state police.

Anyone in the area at the time who may have information helpful to investigators is encouraged to call 584-1800.
When County Judge Jay Knight pushed Item No. 22 on the Liberty County Commissioners Court agenda to the bottom, one could sense there was about to be some drama - and there was.

Commissioners pondered, quizzed, squirmed a little bit, but eventually voted 3-2 to support the creation of the first Municipal Management District (MMD) in the county. Knight broke the tie with Commissioners Boo Reaves and Leon Wilson voting for the measure and Commissioners Greg Arthur and Mike McCarty voting against. With the expected growth to the county coming sooner rather than later, it won't be the last.

This is an MMD, not a MUD, as was previously reported.

A recent report to the 85th Texas Legislature by the House Committee on Special Purpose Districts clarified the definition of a MMD.

"Municipal Management Districts or 'Improvement Districts' or 'MMDs' have been used since the 1980's as a means to allow commercial property owners to work together to supplement City and County services and improvements," the report said.

It is not a taxing entity for single households, but for commercial purposes only.

Furthermore, they fall under the guidelines of Chapter 375 of the Texas Local Government Code and Chapter 49 of the Texas Water Code. MMDs are subject to all of the general laws relating to local governments such as the Open Meetings Act, Public Information Act, and the ethics and conflict of interest laws applicable to public officials.

The report also said they are subject to the continuing oversight of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), including organizational filing requirements, audit requirements, and ethics standards.

Management districts are administered by a board of directors consisting of area commercial property owners or their appointed agents appointed initially by the Legislature. Directors serve four-year staggered terms. As the terms of the initial board members expire, subsequent board members are appointed by the municipality or county governing body based on recommendations from the remaining board.

Developer Trey Harris with Colony Ridge has made it clear that his intention for the money is to provide additional fire, police and amenities for his communities that may not be able to be funded adequately by the county considering the size of the development. An estimated 79,000 new residents are expected to be added to the county in the next seven years just from the Colony Ridge development alone based on what is already there.

"With the district being able to capture that sales tax, with large retailers like Walmart, HEB, Home Depot, I can offer them tax incentives to build inside the district in Liberty as opposed to them building in Montgomery or Harris counties which are a stone's throw away," Harris told commissioners.

There will be competition for that retail and Harris hopes to sway it away to help Liberty county and the school district.

Harris told commissioners by 2021, just as the Grand Parkway is opening, he will have hundreds of million dollars of retailers there to support the population.

"Because Harris and Montgomery counties are so close, I will need the ability to attract those businesses to Liberty county and that will give us a distinct advantage," he told commissioners.

The bill does not provide any reimbursements for Harris County or Colony Ridge, but does allow for services for the district.

"I could just let it sit in a big pile, but it doesn't benefit me, the district or nearby residents," he said.

The district is limited on what it can spend its money.

"There's no downside for the district to the county. It is a way for me to offer you some help in providing services for the customers in that district," the developer said.

The district will encompass approximately 5,000 acres, 500 of which will be commercial only.

Ricky Brown, county tax assessor-collector, said the county collects a meager $300-$500 per year for land in the area, but if you add a home to that property, it kicks the number up considerably.

"Then if we're able to collect additional revenue through commercial development, it could be even more," he said.

The fast growth is already overwhelming the Cleveland Independent School District and county services, particularly in law enforcement.

"We are growing at a rate of 18 percent this year alone," said Cleveland ISD Board President Chris Wood, who was present at the meeting.

"We've added more than 800 new students to our rolls this academic year," he said - enough to fill a new, large elementary school. That amount of students costs the district some $25 million in additional funds, the board president said. Wood predicted the district was facing the prospect of building another 30 schools in Cleveland ISD just to keep up with the growth.

"Either those services [fire, police, roads] are going to be paid for by the district or by the residents of the county," Wood said.

"The way school funding works, we are always behind the eight ball."

Wood said rooftops don't fund education. The state pays approximately about $5,000 per pupil. Even if a single home produced $5,000 in taxes (which it does not), if the household has more than one student, the district is already short what it takes to educate those students.

"What really funds things is commercial," Wood said. "What we need as a district if we have any hope of keeping up is commercial within our district. I see that as a benefit to the district and the county to be able to attract that to Liberty, especially since we're competing with Harris and Montgomery counties," he said.

Knight made it clear that the commissioners' voice in the MMD is only a piece of the puzzle.

"The county does not vote to establish these, ours is only a letter of support from us and that's all," he said.

The vote for the resolution is still a far cry from being a slam dunk for developer Trey Harris and his partners in the Colony Ridge development, but without it, the measure would have faced certain doom.

The Plum Grove City Council will meet to discuss whether they will offer a resolution of support letter for Harris. The developer was confident that he would receive that vote. If he does, that letter and one from the county commissioners will be forwarded to the state representative and/or state senator who will file the bill for the creation of the MMD. The measure would then be voted on by both bodies of the legislature. Knight said it would simply be a matter of housekeeping for the House and Senate if local entities are behind the MMD.

"I'm sure we will have another one of these on the agenda for next week-a Municipal Utility District (MUD)," Knight promised. The county judge hinted that the developer of the River Ranch subdivision in Dayton might be the next on the list for one of the development tools.

"I still had questions," said Pct. 2 Commissioner Greg Arthur. "I wasn't totally against it."

He and Pct. 1 Commissioner Mike McCarty were apparently waiting for a representative from the Texas Association of Counties who was a no-show to the meeting.

"They [the developer] are going to be doing a lot of work down there before the county ever sees any revenue [off the MMD]," Arthur said concerned about the added responsibilities to the county for additional work.

"The things that I did like was this will at least pay for some of those responsibilities once they begin to take in revenue," Arthur said.

According to Knight, the school district receives about 52 percent of the pie and the county receives 28 percent and the remainder is divided up amongst the hospital district and others.

"This shows incentive by the county to bring in large, viable business like a Super Walmart or H-E-B," the county judge said. "These are ways to bring it in," Knight said.

The judge pointed out that it was their responsibility to be proactive.

"Some folks don't like the development he has out there," he said, "but this is a way we can help him change it."

Asked about whether it was a tough decision to make in breaking the tie, the judge said it was easy.

"When it's all said and done, we took it before the city of Houston or Harris County did and so it will help enhance the quality of life for our people," he said.
Submitted

Fourteen Coldspring FFA members traveled to Austin to celebrate 100 years of Agricultural Education at the Texas State Capitol on Feb. 23.

The Smith-Hughes Act, which established vocational classes in public education throughout the country, was passed into law on Feb. 23, 1917. To honor this day, Texas FFA members spent the day participating in various activities at the Capitol.
LAKE MILLS  Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner had to bang a gavel several times to bring order to a raucous crowd at a town hall meeting Saturday.

But the gathering didnt draw the level of protests that have accompanied other recent town hall meetings by Republican lawmakers across the country.

Sensenbrenner, of Menomonee Falls, and about 200 constituents gathered in the Lake Mills Community Center for one of two town meetings he held on Saturday. The other was in Delafield, and another is planned Sunday in Juneau. Sensenbrenner has held more than 40 such gatherings since Jan. 1.

While Sensenbrenner spoke and others asked him questions, attendees held signs reading agree or disagree as a way to make their positions known without disruption. But the meeting was not without its share of commotion.

Sensenbrenner banged a gavel on a folding table when cheering or booing disrupted his responses.

Question topics ranged from climate change to health care and from military spending to Social Security, but most of Sensenbrenners answers circled back to the federal governments fiscal responsibility and deficit reduction.

He told the crowd:

Environmental protections should not become so restrictive on businesses that they cut jobs.

The Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, is not economically sound and will crash and burn.

Military spending will be more successfully negotiated by President Donald Trump.

Social Security, along with other entitlement programs, should be redeveloped to cut back spending.

As Sensenbrenner answered questions on the most controversial topics, specifically the Affordable Care Act and the Trump administrations alleged involvement with Russia, some members of the crowd booed or jeered.

Ann Tharp, who moved to Lake Mills from Madison more than a year ago, said she attended Sensenbrenners town hall meeting because she wanted to make sure he was still standing by Trump. Tharp said it wasnt a fair town hall because most of the comments and questions had a liberal bias.

I think that a lot of people were going from one town hall to another to say the same things, Tharp said.

Sensenbrenner called the names of constituents who indicated on a sign-in slip that they wanted to ask a question. The topic of the question was not indicated on the slips.

Russia was on the minds of many attendees amid reports of Russias efforts to interfere with the presidential election and Trumps alleged ties with the country.

Sensenbrenner said he is outraged by any foreign nations interference with another nations elections, but he does not believe Russias involvement had any impact on the results of the election.

I have yet to find a person who changed their vote from Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump because Vladimir Putin told them to, Sensenbrenner said.

Many Republican members of Congress have avoided town hall meetings since Trumps election but Sensenbrenner has a history of holding town halls  he said he has averaged about 100 every year since taking office.

Just because there are controversial issues that come up is no reason for me to discontinue that, he said. I think people should be able to come and have a two-way conversation with their elected officials.

People who disagree with me, I think, are entitled to have an explanation of why I take the position I do.

Some legislators have opted for telephone town halls  including U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh. While telephone town halls can reach thousands of people at once, critics say handlers vet and screen questions.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, has not held a town hall this year.
AUSTIN -- Former Midlander Michael Williams has been named vice chair of the board of directors of Texas Aspires, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works in partnership with education, business and community leaders to improve education.

Williams, former Texas Education Commissioner, has served on the board since the nonprofits inception last year, according to a press release from the nonprofit.
Glam American actresses Emma Stone and Dakota Johnson adorned their pricy Oscars ceremony gowns and handbags with golden Planned Parenthood pins in the shape of the group's logo.

I believe there should be truth in virtue signaling. But bloodied miniature forceps would have clashed with the Givenchy and Gucci outfits worn by the abortion giant's pinup gals.

Since President Trump's reinstatement of the so-called "Mexico City policy" barring taxpayer funding of international nongovernmental organizations that perform and promote abortions, Hollywood progressives have turned up the volume on their abortion radicalism - and opened their wallets.

Golden Globes winner Tracee Ellis-Ross plans to hock 10 massive, red-carpet rings and donate the proceeds to Planned Parenthood. Pop songstress Katy Perry chipped in $10,000. The author of the "Lemony Snicket" children's book series, Daniel Handler, and his wife showered the peddler of harvested fetal organs with $1 million.

"We've been very fortunate," Handler explained, "and good fortune should be shared with noble causes."

"Noble?"

That's not how outspoken health professional Obianuju Ekeocha, an African-born biomedical scientist who grew up in Nigeria and now lives and works in England, sees it.

"The Africans are grateful for the Mexico policy!" she wrote me. Are you listening, Tinseltown?

In response to a campaign by Western feminists and liberal European governments called #SheDecides to raise global funding for abortions, Ekeocha published a bold and informative YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsOwsIxJcLo) excoriating elitists hellbent on funding and terminating unborn children in Africa - in defiance of how Africans actually feel about abortion.

Ekeocha noted that a recent Pew Research Center survey on global attitudes about abortion found that the vast majority of those polled in Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, and Nigeria believe the practice to be "morally unacceptable."

Ekeocha actually traveled to African neighborhoods and interviewed women about the "noble cause" of elitist abortionists.

Catholic nuns, Muslim schoolgirls, millennial-age young women and elderly grandmothers all made their position clear:

"No to abortion!"

"We love babies, so we do not support abortion."

"We don't need any safe abortion as not[h]ing is safe in killing."

Beneath their costumery of progressive benevolence, liberal Hollywood "helpers" and global do-gooders exhibit a cold indifference toward the actual wants and needs of their supposed beneficiaries in the Third World. They're raising hundreds of millions for abortions, not for food, water and education.

This, Ekeocha accurately diagnoses, is "cultural imperialism."

And, remember, it's marinated in racist eugenics: Margaret Sanger founded Planned Parenthood in 1916 "to stop the multiplication of the unfit." It would be "the most important and greatest step towards race betterment." In an essay included in her writing collection held by the Library of Congress, Sanger urged her abortion clinic colleagues to "breed a race of thoroughbreds." Nationwide "birth control bureaus" would propagate the proper "science of breeding" to stop impoverished, nonwhite women from "breeding like weeds."

Planned Parenthood activists blanketed the Third World with population-control propaganda preaching "the fewer, the merrier" and "Why carry more burdens?"

Outside of the privileged Hollywood bubble, Obianuju Ekeocha speaks for millions in condemning the butchers, predators and enablers of Planned Parenthood.

"They have not helped or furthered the cause and well-being of women in any way at all both in the developed countries and also in the developing countries," she told me. "Yet, they continue to get enormous funding from many western governments and also most unfortunately they get the support of celebrities like Emma Stone and Dakota Johnson who choose to be blinded by extremist (liberal) views that portray the killing of unborn babies as a women's right, progressive, health care, reproductive justice."

Take off your glittering abortion pins and open your minds.

"The truth is that abortion in all its forms is an abhorrent practice. Most people in Africa understand this very well," Ekeocha passionately explains.

"Whether a pre-born baby is killed in a back alley clinic or in an air-conditioned PP clinic, the killing of an unborn child is always barbaric. This is the one lesson we can teach Emma Stone, Dakota Johnson and all the other celebrities who are falling over themselves to support an abortion giant whose only legacy is that of death."

Michelle Malkin is host of "Michelle Malkin Investigates" on CRTV.com. Her email address is writemalkin@gmail.com.
The world is watching as President Donald Trump lurches into motion, and for many, the early signs suggest a blend of hubris and incompetence  creating chaos in the nations most elevated executive office.

For those inclined to panic, I would ask, to what halcyon days are you yearning to return? The resuscitation of our nations economy may, in fact, require the knockabout approaches of our bumptious new leadership. Many in Trumps Cabinet have little or no government experience, but they bring a business skill set that will translate into income and jobs for many people.

The challenges they face have been years  and many administrations  in the making.

In a world of Keynesian thinking, in vogue for more than 60 years, moving an economy to higher output requires spending in excess of income, usually financed by lending to the private sector. Borrowing costs are reduced to encourage more borrowing and more spending on investment products that yield positive returns. But if the private sector doesnt snap up the bait, governments can step in to be both the borrower and spender. And step in they did.

To motivate that higher output when the Great Recession hit in 2008, borrowing rates were pushed down to a minimal level in the U.S. and a negative rate in the eurozone. We (the lender) will pay you (the borrower) to borrow. So please do so, and please spend the funds on something to create output and jobs.

Its a tempting offer, but it didnt have the intended effect. Corporate borrowing did occur, but the spending on physical or intellectual property did not. Instead, corporations have been stockpiling cash.

Alas, the funds have been primarily used to support corporate stock prices via dividends or stock buybacks. Another use has been corporate buyouts to reduce competitive pressures on prices and profits.

Businesses muted response to cheap money suggests there are impediments to putting that money to work. For Trumps CEO-oriented administration, regulatory barriers are the cause, and this view is buttressed by the accumulating data on the cost of regulation. For example, the Competitive Enterprise Institute puts the annual cost of regulatory barriers at $14,678 per household, or 23 percent of the average household income.

Reduction in regulation has therefore become a top agenda item for the Trump administration, which has instituted a 2-for-1 rule. Each new regulation requires jettisoning two others for a net of -1.

We can track the number of rules, but more important are the effects of those rules on business entry and growth. To that end, the Census Bureau keeps statistics on death and birth rates of enterprises in America. Not surprisingly, the birth rate of enterprises has been falling for 40 years, and has especially nose-dived since 2008.

In absolute terms, the birth of business enterprises is not just declining but has sunk to a level below the death rate. The number of businesses in America has been on the absolute decline since 2008.

For an actual startup, it takes thousands of hours of billable attorneys fees to properly navigate all the relevant regulations. For most, this is unaffordable.

In my mind, I have a vision of Michael Dell producing computers in his dormitory room and delivering them from the trunk of his car. From there, he went on to become an industrial giant. You have to start somewhere, but it seems innovation like his is no longer an innocent opportunity.

So, yes, the Trump nominees will have missteps, but I will take their government on-the-job training any day as compared with those steeped in how to promulgate regulations.

Lew Spellman is professor of finance in the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.
I was shocked that the city of Madisons insurance carrier, Wisconsin Municipal Mutual Insurance Company, settled the lawsuit brought by the family of Tony Robinson against Madison Police Officer Matt Kenny for $3.35 million, the largest settlement in a police action in Wisconsin history.

I was disappointed WMMIC settled the case over the objections of Madison Police Chief Mike Koval and Officer Matt Kenny. The insurance company did not even involve Officer Kenny in the settlement discussions.

Madison City Attorney Michael May has taken great pains to explain that neither the city nor Kenny could legally prevent the insurance company from settling the lawsuit over the fatal shooting of Robinson by the officer in 2015. But I find it incredible the city could not do more to protect its police department and the officer.

This settlement will have a lasting, negative impact on the city, its police department and Kenny. The officer had been exonerated in an independent investigation by the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation and in an internal investigation by the Madison Police Department. Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne found no cause to pursue any prosecution against Kenny. In contrast, the insurance company now casts a shadow on those determinations and denies Kenny the opportunity to prove his innocence.

Settling this lawsuit casts more doubt on our relationship with our police officers. The settlement will further demoralize the police officers who serve us. According to Chief Koval, this settlement will have a chilling effect on recruitment. Madison Mayor Paul Soglin correctly observed that the way the case was concluded leaves the public and all local governments still struggling to understand how police officers are to proceed in dangerous situations when confronted by individuals who are impaired by substance abuse or mental health issues.

The city owes the public more information as to its role in the settlement. WMMIC is a mutual insurance company made up of and governed by its members. The city of Madison is one of its members. WMMICs members elect a board of directors. According to its website, WMMICs board of directors is chaired by Eric Veum, the risk manager of the city of Madison. The remaining members of the board were appointed from other municipalities such as Dane County, Waukesha County and Eau Claire.

I find it noteworthy that WMMIC, which is governed by a board of directors appointed by its municipal members and chaired by Madisons risk manager, would settle Madisons highest profile lawsuit for a record amount of $3.35 million without consulting the city  and over its objections.

Settling this important lawsuit in this manner is bad public policy. The city should explain its actual role in that settlement as opposed to explaining its legal rights under the insurance policy. The city could have and should have done more for Officer Kenny.
Gilberto was the kind of student I saw in my office all the time when I was the assistant principal of KIPP Camino Academy, a public charter school in San Antonio.

He was out of class almost every day due to conflicts with other students, yelling at teachers, not doing his work and other infractions. When Gilberto ended up with me, I would talk to him, call his parents and issue a punishment such as suspension  that often kept him out of the classroom.

I thought I was helping Gilberto learn about the consequences of his actions, but when I analyzed the discipline data at the end of the year, I had an unpleasant realization.

Gilbertos name, along with about 10 other KIPP Camino Academy students, filled the spreadsheet where I kept track of the kids who were referred to me. After scanning the columns, I realized the same small group of children were coming in and out of my office, day after day.

At KIPP, we make a promise to all children who walk through the door that we will help them reach their full academic and personal potential. It was not acceptable that Gilberto, and the other kids on my list, were missing school and jeopardizing their academic potential due to behavior issues. I knew we could do better.

Thats why I was excited to learn about a different approach to student discipline called Restorative Justice during a class for my administrative credential at Trinity University. Rather than just punishing kids, RJ focuses on holding students accountable for their actions so they can learn from their mistakes and change their behavior.

I began trying RJ strategies at KIPP Camino Academy on a pilot basis with our fifth-graders in 2014. Every afternoon, we held restorative circles, where students who broke rules came together with their teachers to build relationships and work out consequences.

The restorative circles had a positive impact, and referrals began to decline. During our pilot year of Restorative Justice, suspensions among fifth-graders decreased by 67 percent.

Based on this initial data, when I became the principal of KIPP Camino Academy in 2015, our staff agreed to send a cohort of teachers to a summer training at the Institute for Restorative Justice and Restorative Dialogue at the University of Texas so they could come back and train the rest of our staff.

Two years later, Restorative Justice is the norm for how we respond when students violate our code of conduct. Through daily restorative circles, students and teachers work together to identify what happened and determine a logical consequence for the action (e.g., when a student waves scissors around, he or she is not allowed to use scissors for a few days). To avoid students missing out on valuable learning time, KIPP Camino Academy reserves suspension and expulsion only for multiple infractions or actions that jeopardize safety.

And the best part of Restorative Justice? It works. Suspensions have been reduced by 47 percent at KIPP Camino Academy this school year and the overall school climate is more positive and focused on learning. Weve stopped the revolving door, and students such as Gilberto, now spend more time learning in the classroom and less time sitting in the office or suspended at home.

Due to the positive impact of RJ, all six KIPP San Antonio schools are now implementing some restorative strategies, and we anticipate that this will continue to grow over time.

We believe in Restorative Justice because every single student in San Antonio deserves the chance to learn how to navigate conflicts and get along with others, both in the classroom and on the playground. Its a lesson we all need if we are to build the future we want for our city and for the nation.

Juan Juarez is the school leader at KIPP Camino Academy.
When you see a mighty Texas live oak tree, you probably dont think of the tiny acorn that started it. Likewise, most of us go through our daily routines of using our smartphones, shopping safely online or taking medications our doctors prescribe without dwelling too much on where these advances first came from.

In many cases, the answer is that these things started with research done at universities. In fact, without innovations out of Texas research universities, that lightweight battery that allows you to carry around your smartphone, the online encryption that provides peace of mind for shopping online and many pharmaceuticals that today save countless lives wouldnt exist.

The seed corn for each of these modern necessities is whats called basic research. And, just as with the oak, over years and decades, something that began small, often with one persons curiosity, got transformed into something tremendous  innovations that drive whole sectors of our economy and improve lives.

Even in the private sector, research and development capitalizes on discoveries that sprouted at universities and publicly funded labs. Most people know that companies need universities to help prepare the people they hire for skilled jobs. Similarly, they lean on universities to provide those first seeds for research innovation.

Here in Texas, our Legislature is currently weighing a budget with significant cuts for public universities and research. Nationally, too, research funding is under new scrutiny. As our elected leaders look at priorities, its more important than ever that those of us in universities demonstrate how the education and basic research we provide help fuel progress for the state and the nation.

For example, in the wake of a series of anthrax attacks that killed Americans shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, University of Texas at Austin researchers engineered an antibody that could help in future attacks. As a result of their research and a partnership with a private company, the world now has a new drug to prevent and treat inhalation anthrax.

Even research that can sound ridiculous often leads to needed advances. For example, a marine scientist on the Gulf Coast puts red drum fish on treadmills. But the special tanks in his lab make it possible to learn how oil in the water affects one of Texas most sought-after fish. Its information that anglers, the tourism industry and local fisheries need when events such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill happen.

Astronomers at Texas A&M University and UT Austin are developing instrumentation now for a new telescope more sensitive than anything in existence, allowing us to see the outer edges of the universe. This matters in the state thats home to NASA, where weve all seen how new technologies in the space sciences can lead to unexpected applications and broader benefits. Practical tools and the inspiration that comes from exploring new frontiers can, and often do, go hand in hand.

If you didnt know all this was happening here in Texas, youre not alone. It is one reason UT-Austin opens its campus every March for an event called Explore UT, when the people of Texas, from schoolchildren to seniors, are invited to experience university life firsthand. This happened last Saturday. Its a way to pull back the curtain on the story of basic research.

We dont know which ideas will lead to the next transformative breakthrough, only that some will. Research also helps us understand more of the world around us, something just as critical for our progress.

Linda Hicke is dean of the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin and chair of the March event Explore UT.
Lets be clear. The reason the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is in the cross hairs of the GOP Congress is that it is successful. It is indeed caught up in the general desire to gut the larger package of safeguards embodied in the Dodd-Frank Act, but there is special place in its critics ire for this agency.

Which is to say that if this is what swamp-draining looks like, it bears a striking resemblance to business as usual  Wall Street, not Main Street, having the ears of Congress and the White House. A Texan, U.S. Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas, is leading the charge. He is chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.

Weakening, not eliminating, the CFPB is likely the more achievable goal  and we wouldnt be surprised if this isnt billed eventually as improving consumer services.

But heres how that might look: It will cease to be an agency with independence of action. A federal appeals court has already ruled that its head can be fired at the presidents will, but that might be overturned by a higher court.

It could become a commission  like the Federal Elections Commission, terminally tied at 3-3 along partisan lines, which means no campaign finance regulations get enforced because the GOP side of that equation is ideologically opposed. The upshot: a bureau with no teeth. These teeth could be given to other agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission. But dont bank on it.

How effective is the CFPB? As of July, the bureau had returned $11.7 billion to consumers  $3.6 billion in direct restitution and $7.7 billion in reductions in principal, canceled debt and other relief. It had, by that date, dealt with nearly 1 million complaints and helped more than 27 million consumers. As a result, credit card companies, credit reporting firms, student loan outfits and other financial services have vented to Congress and to President Donald Trump.

The rationale for weakening the bureau is to make it accountable, and to free Wall Street and the banks to compete and better serve us. But the nation has gotten a good look at an unloosed Wall Street and financial sector. The 2008 meltdown, along with the bailing out of too-big-to-fail firms, was not pretty. It is what gave rise to Dodd-Frank, signed by President Barack Obama in 2010, and to the CFPB.

As with Obamacare, Congress might find that the deed it contemplates is not nearly as popular as supposed. And the replace part will be more tricky than the repeal (or defang) part.
Re: Different circus, Your Turn, Jan. 29:

I found the message in this letter rather disconcerting.

Comparing Donald J. Trump and his followers to monkeys is disparaging  to the monkeys.

Carlos Valle, Jr., Laredo

Unacceptable

The worms are already out of the can and, like the genie, cant be put back in.

From the start, President Donald Trump has modeled unacceptable behaviors apparently without censure, thereby giving permission for others to follow suit. The attacks on Jews and other non-Christians, immigrants, non-Anglos, LGBTs, the disabled and anyone different will not stop just because Trump says a few words against these attacks.

Trumps unapologetic behaviors during the campaign and even after the election have set the stage and given approval for the public to act in the same manner.

Problem is, those who disapprove of Trumps behaviors and actions also have permission to act in an unacceptable manner.

Judy Hummel

Gator diplomacy

I believe I have the perfect solution concerning building a border wall, and, it will cost almost nothing. Stock the Rio Grande with alligators. Then when that is done, put appropriate signage on both sides. It will only take a little time and the problem(s) will be solved.

Curt Branson

Be proud, S.A.

Five tornadoes  count em, five. More than $100 million in damages, not counting the many heritage trees destroyed. Thousands of homes without power for days, and hundreds, maybe thousands, displaced and with no home to go back to.

A true disaster. But wait. No rioting or looting. No protesting. No screaming for the federal government to come and save us. Even the temporary shelter was closed because everyone found a friend or relative to stay with. Can this be possible? In San Antonio, it is possible. No matter the race or religion or socioeconomic standing, the great people of our city always come together in times of need. What a great place to live! We should all be proud!

Jerry Montalbo
A Madison police officers fatal shooting of an unarmed biracial teen has resulted in a civil rights settlement of over $3 million.

Most civil cases settle, in part because the exhaustive fact-finding leading up to a trial gives both sides a look at the range of possible jury verdicts, and in part because mature people who know their way around the courthouse know that, within that range, anything can happen in a trial. Settlement generally connotes parties coming together to compromise and resolve their disputes in a way that is not ideal for either side, but palatable for both.

So why does the Tony Robinson settlement ring more like a declaration of war than a truce?

The Madison police union called the settlement outrageous and tantamount to throwing [Officer Matt Kenny] under the bus. The Wisconsin police union stated this settlement only serves to further cast a pall over [Kennys] devotion and service to the community, and that of the dedicated men and women of the Madison Police Department.

The Madison Police Department emphasized it had no hand in the settlement, characterizing it as a business decision. Kennys family expressed dismay at the settlement, saying a portion of the community wishes to vilify and denigrate [Kenny] by labeling him a racist murderer.

But such extreme positions ignore the realities of our justice system. We should not fall prey to such polarizing rhetoric, or join in it.

As has been pointed out in the statements of the union and the Kenny family that multiple preceding investigations cleared Kenny. Those investigations meant that, regardless of the outcome of the civil rights case, Kenny was at no risk of punishment from the criminal justice system for being a murderer, and he was likewise at no risk of losing his badge for being an inadequate cop. But the police department and district attorney have cleared every officer in every fatal shooting, every time, and these decisions in this case confer no guarantee the city would have won a civil trial.

A jury would not have had to label Kenny a bad man or even a bad cop to determine that his use of the deadliest weapon in his arsenal was excessive when he shot an intoxicated, unarmed teen seven times. As the judge noted in the days prior to settlement, a reasonable jury might have disbelieved Kennys explanation for the shooting. The judge wrote: The gunshot evidence and the dash cam video undermine aspects of Kennys story: the distance from which he fired undermines his claim that he was in close combat or imminent danger when he fired.

It is for this reason the case settled, and the city should accept the result as the reasonable alternative to an unpredictable jury verdict. Anyone who claims to know for sure who would have won the trial is a fool.

Going forward, there is an ever-mounting need for hard looks. Following the East Side shooting of a mentally ill man last summer, District Attorney Ismael Ozanne explained that it was the 15th officer-involved shooting in which [he has] had to make a decision in over the past six years, and that mental health issues have been present in far too many of them. This is a fact we cannot ignore if we hope to learn from each incident to hopefully prevent the loss of other lives.

Few police officers are deranged and dangerous, racist and narcissistic, and irreconcilably foolhardy, and those officers must be dealt with swiftly and thoroughly through inter-departmental discipline, or through the criminal justice system when appropriate, because those officers will always put good citizens and good officers in harms way.

But, there are also police officers who are, to their core, good officers and good people, but who, on one occasion or another, use more force than is reasonably necessary. There should be no shame in embracing this truth. As police forces go, Madison has an excellent one. But policing is challenging work, and its asking too much to demand perfection in every single encounter. It is not asking too much to seek accountability and transparency when potentially avoidable tragedies occur, and transparency and accountability are not less valuable when they come via private lawsuits in the civil justice system.

All of us carry auto liability insurance  not because we believe we will commit criminal acts with our vehicles, and not because we believe we are inept drivers, but because we know were only human and we might make an error behind the wheel. An insurance company does the right thing when it makes a reasonable decision to compensate someone for an injury suffered at the hands of its insured without dragging the liability fight out to its bitter end, where it would be more painful and more expensive for all involved.

Why are the Madison Police Department and the police unions acting like a rational decision to accept a compromise is somehow dishonorable? We can support our police officers  and we do  without rejecting the obvious truth there is room for improvement in policing. Supporting police with open eyes is the most honorable thing to do.
Zimbabwes President, Emmerson Mnangagwa has set his sights on fixing the countrys economy. Khuluma Afrika has seen exclusive detailed documents which reveal the methods, strategy, and targets of the new government.

Impeccable sources told Khuluma Afrika that the document, titled agenda for the recovery of the Zimbabwe economy, is a summary of the direction which the country intends to take, as well as the techniques to be employed.

In his inauguration speech, Mnangagwa highlighted the need to fix Zimbabwes economy and alleviate dire poverty and cash constraints in the short term, while aiming to improve the standards of living and creating a comfortable environment for peace and prosperity.

The document, identifies macro-economic stability as the first item on the agenda.

Stabilise the currency by ensuring foreign currency is made available to productive Industries in terms of the Priority List advised by RBZ, restore normal banking and foreign exchange, balance public finances and restructure and repay external and local debt. Engage support of the IMF and other institutions through a programme similar to the Lima process started in 2014.

The agenda aims to Review public finances by realigning pay and headcount to affordable levels, restructuring failing parastatals, eliminating subsidies, broadening the tax base, and indexing pay to retain regional parity ,provide social safety nets or transition support as necessary to facilitate buy-in to reform.

On improving the investment climate, the government will implement a stable, predictable, well governed, business friendly and transparent policy environment, grounded in rule of law. Place particular stress on fair competition, contracts and property rights, and proportionate and non-discriminatory regulation. Review legislation that impedes labour market flexibility or discourages formal employment. Focus on both foreign and domestic investment.

During Mugabes reign, indigenisation was a hot topic that scared investors away, and was often implemented amid immense confusion. According to the document, Mnangagwa will base economic empowerment policies primarily on investment, employment and job security rather than ownership of foreign assets, which may deter investment and harm the economy. Use conventional taxation, levies or royalties to support social programmes. As soon as possible, provide a statement of unambiguous legal obligations, but suspend implementation and hold a thorough review of policy options to develop more domestic production without deterring foreign direct investment.

On infrastructure, the new government, will, initiate a carefully prioritised and affordable infrastructure programme by accessing finance and technical assistance from international financial institutions following re-engagement and renormalisation of international relations. Develop capacity and encourage the adoption to undertake successful public-private joint ventures using clearly articulated legal instruments and modern project finance techniques so as to not burden state finances with the debt burdens.

While aiming to Systematically improve Zimbabwes World Bank ease of doing business rank (in 2017, Zimbabwe is ranked at 159 of 190 countries) and commit to place Zimbabwe in the top three in Africa by 2023. Appoint a high-level fixer with Presidential authority to deliver and eliminate inefficiency.

Zimbabwes land reform which became violent in 2000 was largely responsible for the food shortages, currency runs, and massive inflation that hit the country, leading to a total collapse in 2008.

During the inauguration, Mnangagwa committed to compensating white farmers, and mentioned the need for effective land tenure. He also promised that he would not reverse the land reform program.

On land tenure, the document says, the government will, Introduce a system of land tenure that creates bankable and freely transferrable property rights, such as 99 year leases. Resolve conflicts over land title by fair and lawful compensation of those who were unfairly dispossessed. Begin a consultative process as soon as possible.

While they will, Encourage new models of farming based on private investment, engaging farming expertise, and co-operation to secure economies of scale with the overall goal of raising farming productivity. Use the command agriculture philosophy to bring fallow or abandoned land into high productivity use but withdraw unsustainable subsidies and rely on the private sector and markets.

And, Increase local productivity by providing various support measures to Bona Fide local Manufacturers such as Financing ,taxation incentives and Local content rules .

The government also intends to, Optimise the tax regime to allow profitable businesses to thrive and pay tax, based ona larger pie rather than a larger slice or a smaller pie. Ensure total burden (tax, royalties, rents, charges etc) is not deterring business and reducing income. Ensure taxation is applied to Formal and Informal Sectors . Diversify and redistribute the tax base to rely more on households. Provide taxation incentives for new Employment and Make double taxation agreements to help foreign investment.

While, they intend to Invest in schools, universities, and vocational training. By offering a stable and credible political and economic environment, make it attractive for skilled diaspora or qualified foreign nationals to return and start businesses or otherwise participate in the recovering economy.

Mining, which has become another hot issue in the country, since former President Mugabe made wild claims to the effect that $15 Billion USD in diamond revenue was missing.

The documents seen by Khuluma Afrika, state that, the government will explore, develop and expand with transparency. Secure a greater return for the people on Zimbabwes natural resource endowment by underpinning property rights, ensuring risk-taking investment 29 November 2017 is rewarded and by improving the incentives for exploration and development. Improve governance and accountability through setting out on the path to joining the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

Mnangagwa, who was sworn in on Friday has promised a lean cabinet, and warned civil servants to pull up their socks. His cabinet currently consists of just two ministers, one for finance and the other for foreign affairs.

Since coming to power, the cash crisis has lessened, with black market rates for the US dollar to EcoCash falling by nearly half. Some banks have started dispensing US Dollar bills, leading to cross-rates of the bond note to USD falling.

Khuluma Afrika was told that Mnangagwa has already set the ball running on the agenda.

Breaking News via Email
ZIMBABWE will this week open the Beitbridge Border Post to receive without conditions more than 3 000 of its citizens most of whom crossed the border illegally into South Africa and have requested that they be sent back home in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Lovemore Matuke told Sunday News in an interview on Friday that the country was going to open the border post this week to receive more than 3 000 citizens from the neighbouring country.

Hovever, he could not reveal the exact day. He said all logistics with their South African counterparts were being made to allow even those without the requisite papers to pass through.

We are going to open the Beitbridge Border Post to allow for the passage of the countrys citizens back into the country. We have more than 3 000 who have requested to be sent back home.

As you know the South African side of the border is closed too, but we have made arrangements that they be allowed to pass.

We are therefore saying even those without the required papers should not be afraid. No one is going to be arrested. We dont want them to use illegal channels to come back because we want to account for everyone in the wake of Covid-19.

The Government has put everything in place to ensure they are catered for, said Deputy Minister Matuke.

He said some of them were of no fixed abode in South Africa and were living a cat and mouse life with that countrys law enforcement agents while others were doing odd jobs which have been cut off by the novel pandemic with South Africa last week extending its lockdown period by two more weeks.

The first phase was for three weeks.

The Deputy Minister said they have created space at the National Social Security Authoritys (Nssa) Beitbridge Hotel in readiness for the arrival of the migrants from South Africa where those returning will be isolated and tested for the disease.

He added that the Government will, through the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, provide the necessary supplies during their stay at the identified hotel.

Deputy Minister Matuke said he would be touring facilities that have been set to host the countrys citizens that have chosen to return home from neighbouring countries in the wake of a regional lockdown caused by Covid-19.

We have people coming from Botswana who are housed at Hillside Teachers College, Bulawayo Polytechnic and some at Plumtree High School. I will be touring those places to get an appreciation of their safety to handle the numbers.

Government and its partners will also be providing for them in terms of food and other provisions, he said.

Asked on street children, destitutes and mental patients littering the streets of the countrys urban areas, Deputy Minister Matuke said in most areas those have been taken care of.

We have taken street kids to various childrens homes while mental patients have been taken to psychiatric hospitals. We are, however, receiving reports that some are running away from the homes we have put them but our security forces are on the ground to enforce the lockdown and make sure no-one exposes themselves to the pandemic, he said.

Deputy Minister Matuke said the Government was working to capacitate childrens homes that have absorbed the street kids.

He said vulnerable households have started receiving the $180 amounts the Government promised, hinting that the process was delayed by the vetting process.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwean Embassy in Namibia has also requested all Zimbabwean nationals who have been affected by the lockdown and wish to travel back home to register their names tomorrow and on Tuesday. However, unlike those in South Africa, those in Namibia are required to have valid travelling documents and national identity cards and they would meet their own travelling costs.

A letter written by the Consular Department says those that want to travel would go through Zambia where there is a possibility of a 14-day quarantine at the Zambian border before proceeding to Zimbabwe.

There will also be a mandatory 21-day quarantine upon arrival in Zimbabwe, reads part of the letter by the Consular Department. We are, however, receiving reports that some are running away from the homes we have put them but our security forces are on the ground to enforce the lockdown and make sure no one exposes themselves to the pandemic, he said.

Deputy Minister Matuke said the Government was working to capacitate childrens homes that have absorbed the street kids.

He said vulnerable households have started receiving the $180 amounts the Government promised, hinting that the process was delayed by the vetting process.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwean Embassy in Namibia has also requested all Zimbabwean nationals who have been affected by the lockdown and wish to travel back home to register their names tomorrow and on Tuesday. However, unlike those in South Africa, those in Namibia are required to have valid travelling documents and national identity cards and they would meet their own travelling costs.

A letter written by the Consular Department says those that want to travel would go through Zambia where there is a possibility of a 14-day quarantine at the Zambian border before proceeding to Zimbabwe.

There will also be a mandatory 21-day quarantine upon arrival in Zimbabwe, reads part of the letter by the Consular Department.

 SundayNews

Breaking News via Email
A BODY, believed to be that of a woman reported missing along with her uncle, was discovered on Monday, 17 October.

The body was found in a river near the Golden Highway, south of Joburg.

Police spokeswoman Sergeant Roxanne Gibb said the Eldorado cops and the police divers removed the body from the Klip River.

It had washed up on rocks underneath the Golden Highway Bridge.

While conducting a search, the vehicle of the missing woman was found abandoned along the bridge, she said.

The search started at her last known location.

The victim was reportedly performing prayer rituals at the river last Thursday.

Gibb said divers were continuing the search for the man who went missing with her.

Last Thursday, Monica Solwandle reported her partner Thulani Mayixhale (38) and his niece, Asisipho, missing.

It has not been confirmed if the body is Asisiphos as the family has not yet identified it.

The car they were travelling in as well as the family dog, were found near the river with some of their clothing.

Their dog Virgo, who was with them when they went missing, was guarding the car.

Monica told the SunTeam that during their search in the area, they noticed a lot of izangoma performing rituals along the river.

Monica said she approached a sangoma and asked if the two were in the water.

He went to the river, threw a silver coin in and said he did not see them in the river, she said.

On Saturday, the sangoma said something horrible happened to them but it is being made to look like they are in the river, she said.

 Daily Sun

Breaking News via Email
Animal art: Variation in bower decorating style among male bowerbirds Amblyornis inornatus PNAS. Geographically varying bower styles may be a culturally transmitted trait, like human art styles.

Rise and fall of Adeptus is perfect parable of Wall St hype FT

Why the IRS Just Raided Caterpillars Peoria Headquarters AgWeb

NASA Data Show Californias San Joaquin Valley Still Sinking NASA (guurst). Groundwater pumping causes the California Aqueduct to sink, reducing its capacity by 20%.

8 out of 10 patient-advocacy groups have conflict-of-interest problems, study finds Minnesota Post (PU).

Mystery solved: Addiction medicine maker is secret funder of Kennedy-Gingrich group STAT

European Parliament votes to end visa-free travel for Americans The Independent (Re Silc). A non-binding resolution.

Protect rights at automated borders Nature

Brexit

Fillons faltering campaign threatens to shatter French right FT

Dutch Green-Left Party tackles Geert Wilders, one door at a time Deutsche Welle

Syraqistan

Health Care

Big Brother Is Watching You Watch

Managing Political Risk ProMarket. From January, still relevant.

Trump Inherits a Secret Cyberwar Against North Korean Missiles NYT

Trump Transition

2016 Post Mortem

Arkansas Teachers: Request Your Copy of A Peoples History and Lessons Zinn Education Project (guurst).

The Amateur Historian Who Uncovered Irelands Mass Grave of Babies Daily Beast

Class Warfare

Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools cancel class on Day Without A Woman News & Observer

City of Rod Democracy. On Drehers Benedict Option.

A surprising percentage of people report hearing voices of characters in stories even when they arent reading Business Insider

Philosopher Daniel Dennett on AI, robots and religion FT. I read the paper version of FT Weekend over dinner, and it was a lot more interesting than the Sunday Times. Sorry, Arthur!

The Tiny Robots Will See You Now IEEE Spectrum

Antidote du jour (via):

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Lambert here: Readers know Im skeptical of #TheResistance branding, since if Neera Tanden is a resistor, how meaningful can it be? Nevertheless, the small-scale assemblies described here  the only numbers Im seeing are 900 to dozens are interesting, not least because they dont seem to have been infiltrated by monomanaical Clintonite bores ranting about Russia. Of course, take popular assembly to an extreme and you have dual sovereignty and parallel government (Gene Sharp Non-Violent Method of Protest and Persuasion #198). The Jacobins did OK with that, until they didnt; ditto the Bundy family.

By Sarah Lazare, a staff writer for AlterNet. Originally published at Alternet.

One thing that is very clear under the Trump administration is that we do not have the luxury of remaining in our silos and organizing around individual issues, Manzoor Cheema, a Raleigh, North Carolina-based organizer with Muslims for Social Justice and Project South, told AlterNet. Attacks are happening across the board against immigrants, refugees, Muslims, black communities, workers and Jews.

Cheema is one of countless organizers across the country working to pull off large popular assemblies to empower and connect the communities caught in the crosshairs of this multi-pronged assault. With roots in the U.S. Black Freedom movement, Latin American encuentro and left formations across the globe, such forums appear to be gaining steam, as growing crowds cram into packed community meetings to plot out strategies for resistance. While the issues and tactics may vary, organizers from across the country emphasized to AlterNet that the aim is to fortify independent social movement infrastructure to enable a broader and more effective fightbackand determine the needs of the most-impacted communities during this harrowing political moment.

In Los Angeles alone, at least 10 popular assemblies since November have drawn crowds ranging from 900 to dozens. Weve gotten together to discuss the current political moment and to remind folks that they are not alone, and there are other people who will be working and struggling with them, Armando Carmona, spokesperson for the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, told AlterNet in January. Out of those assemblies, there have been mobilizations, know your rights workshops and other convenings to discuss neighborhood defense committees.

These formations are part of a larger ecosystem of resistance to Trumpism that continues to build on a large scale, as millions around the world take to the streets, stage direct actions and use their bodies to resist the ongoing spike in immigration raids. With this whole political crisis going on, reaction isnt enough, said Reed Ingalls, an organizer with the Seattle Neighborhood Action Coalition, one of numerous bodies that has been organizing popular assemblies in districts across the city since election night. Right now the aim is building support, mutual aid and community power. The basic idea is, lets start helping people get organized and lets do it neighborhood by neighborhood, connecting to where people live and connecting to issues theyre facing.

Growing Deeper

While some popular assemblies are connected to regional organizations like the Atlanta-based Project South, others are springing up independently. People are building new mechanisms of community power, David Abud, regional organizer from the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, told AlterNet. This is coming from an understanding that there will continue to be state violence against our communities. The state isnt going to be the one to stop that violence coming to us; we are the ones that will be able to stop it.

For Cheema, whose organizing of Peoples Movement Assemblies (PMAs) is informed by Project South, it is critical to create meaningful spaces that center people most impacted by oppression and injusticean aim that takes significant leg work.

We have what we call an anchor coalition that launched the PMAs in North Carolinas triangle area, he explained. It was founded on May Day of 2016 by 15 organizations that are led by workers, people of color, latinxs, Muslims and Jews. Groups in the mix include Black Workers for Justice, Muslims for Social Justice, Jewish Voice for Peace, Fight for 15 and United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers (UE) Local 150.

Our first assembly in December was led, organized, convened and facilitated by these organizations, said Cheema, who noted that the PMAs provide translation and free childcare. We are very particular that the leadership should rest with the communities most impacted by the struggles were highlighting. At the same time, the meetings are open and transparent.

Out of that meeting, we developed working groups that will sustain the process and maintain the focus of the assembly, continued Cheema. Since December, the coalition has organized three more PMAs attended by at least 100 people each.

An announcement for a January PMA in Raleigh addresses local and national issues, proclaiming, Trump has appointed corporate and Wall St. executives and enemies of the working class and oppressed peoples to his cabinet, wealthy elites that hate the very people their departments are designed to safeguard. The right wing in Raleigh is trying to maintain their control of the governors office and has made power grabs altering control in many state departments.

According to Cheema, there is still work to be done to center the people most impacted by these trends. We recognize that we need to do focused outreach to impacted people, which we call growing deeper. At the last PMA we were reflecting on the need to reach people who are impacted but dont have resources, and might not have transportation.

My understanding is that, since Trump, there is a bigger interest in the PMA model to build stronger coalitions and networks across the country, he added. But this movement is not geared towards getting Democrats elected. We need independent structures rooted outside political parties in the grassroots, where people hold accountable whoever is in power.

From Alabamas Black Belt to Zapatista Autonomous Zones

While the current iteration of Raleigh PMAs may be new, the model stems from deep-seated traditions.

There is a history here, said Kali Akuno, the co-director of the Mississippi-based group Cooperation Jackson and an organizer with the nationwide Malcolm X Grassroots Movement. Akuno, who has been organizing popular assemblies in Jackson, underscored that the history of the mass meetings tradition really goes back to slavery. Here in Mississippi, right after the Civil War, you had these well-organized and planned popular assemblies among formerly enslaved black people to spread information, spread news, try to find family and recreate community. That tradition and memory lived on into the 1950s and 60s, particularly around Freedom Summer.

Project South looks to mid-1960s Black Freedom organizing in Alabama, led by the Lowndes County Freedom Organization and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during Jim Crow. The effort focused in Alabamas Black Belt, where white plantation owners maintained socio-economic control over black residents, many of whom they employed as sharecroppers. When black residents in Lowndes County began organizing against near-total suppression of the African-American vote, many faced retaliation in the form of evictions from white landowners. Organizers held mass meetings and erected tent cities to house the newly homeless, an infrastructure that lasted two years and included community defense against white supremacist violence.

At the age of 85, Nellie Nelson, a former sharecropper in Lowndes County, told journalist Connor Sheets in 2016, I was very interested in the mass meetings because I wanted to learn all I could and do all I can because we needed better assistance here in Lowndes County and we needed to get together.

But organizers also look beyond U.S. borders, including to the Sixth Pan-African Congress Congress held in Tanzania in 1974, as well as the Zapatista Movement for National Liberation, which launched an offensive against the Mexican government and the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994. The Zapatistas, who continue to organize and hold territory in Chiapas, Mexico, built community assemblies into their political tradition from the outset, as a form of self-governance and aotonomy for historically oppressed indigenous communities.

Meanwhile, World Social Forums date back to 2001, when people from across the globe gathered in Brazil to stage an alternative convergence to the World Economic Forum, a gathering of the global capitalist elite. Inspired by the Latin American encuentro, social forums have since been organized locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, including in Iraq, which held its first social forum in 2013 under the banner of Another Iraq is Possible with Peace, Human Rights, and Social Justice. Some of the first PMAs in the U.S. took place at such gatherings, including the 2006 Border Social Forum in El Paso, Texas/Ciudad Juarez.

Project South began escalating its efforts to organize Southern Movement Assemblies in the immediate aftermath of the so-called Arab Spring, and the organization cites public assemblies at Tahrir Square as a source of inspiration. Groups at the helm of this resistance in Egypt, including the April 6th movement, today are aggressively persecuted and hunted by the regime of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, with the backing of the United States. Nonetheless, Project South notes that Tahrir Square constituted an important site of resistance, writing: The government suspended communications services, but people used other methods and set up medical tents, cultural events and political discussions.

The 2012 launch of the Southern Freedom Movement was inspired, in part, by the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina on Gulf Coast communities. After witnessing and experiencing the disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the inability of movement to respond effectively, Southern leaders initiated regional strategies to build stronger infrastructure to ensure capacity to respond to growing crises on every frontline, writes Project South.

Project South co-directors Stephanie Guilloud and Emery Wright told AlterNet over email that, since 2008, there have been at least 400 Peoples Movement Assemblies across the United States. Organizations across the South facilitate what we call Frontline and Community Assemblies at the local level, they explained.

In the lead-up to the sixth Southern Movement Assembly in October of last year, anchor organizations that are part of the Southern Movement Assembly organized a dozen frontline Assemblies across the South, organizing formerly incarcerated people in Alabama, young people in Atlanta, and rural folks across the Black Belt, Guilloud and Wright continued. Project South and the other anchor groups expect that number to increase, possibly double, this year. Assemblies will be taking place throughout the summer and early fall.

How Do We Fight Our Way Out of This?

PMAs have played a critical role in connecting currently and formerly incarcerated people with each other and movements on the outside. In 2011, Montgomery, Alabama, hosted the the Formerly Incarcerated Peoples Movement Assembly, described by the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance as a historic gathering committed to three shared strategies to challenge key areas of the prison industrial complex including discrimination in employment, shackling of women prisoners during labor, and voting disenfranchisement after time served.

Kenneth Glasgow is an organizer with The Ordinary People Society and the Free Alabama Movement, which is led by incarcerated people and coordinated last Septembers national prison strike to end slavery in America. He told AlterNet that people across Alabama have continued to organize PMAs related to the criminal justice system and the drug war. This includes assemblies led by formerly and currently incarcerated people and their families, which is accomplished via conference calls and going inside prisons.

We put out questions and get feedback on what we need to address them, when and how, Glasgow said of the PMA structure. Once we do that, we are able to do some kind of action. Usually it is some kind of rally, march or protest to address that particular issue. Weve been to prisons to protest and been in front of the Department of Corrections to hold marches and rallies.

It was at such a PMA in January that the Free Alabama Movement decided to launch a boycott of Aramark, a leading distributor of food to prisons, and Corizon, a key medical company that profits from prisons. PMAs work so well because theyre simple, he said. People come up with questions. We answer those questions with solutions. Everyone has a buy-in and a tie-in.

According to Glasgow, who lives in the town of Dothan, Alabama, PMAs across the state and southern region have grown tremendously since Trump was elected. People are really scared and want to get involved and get engaged.

The PMAs are gaining steam as people across the country experiment with new formations. Ayako Maruyama and Kenneth Bailey work with the Design Studio for Social Intervention in Boston. Since November, their organization has created a Social Emergency Response Center, modeled after natural disaster emergency response centers, but designed to respond to the current political crisis. The space, open to all, provides opportunities for communal food sharing, collective healing, political discussion, political art creation, film screenings, radical library perusing and music. We need ways to train civil society to address social emergencies as part of our civic practice, said Bailey.

Akuno underscored that it is a constant struggle to build popular assemblies, keep them functioning, keep them vibrant, keep them responsive to the issues of the day and keep them from being sectarian vehicles. When done right, when done at its best, I think assemblies are the most profound tools of bottom-up, participatory democracy that holds the interests of the communities, unlike any other vehicle I have ever worked with.

Right now they are critical because so many people in our society are socially oriented towards being individuals and being individuated, he continued. This breeds an atmosphere and political culture where there is no solidarity. But solidarity is an absolute must right now. An assembly is a practical way to build solidarity and ask questions like, How do we resist, how do we fight our way out of this and what is our program to create the future we want?
Kyle Busch Motorsports reveals driver lineup, switch to Chevrolet for 2023 Chase Purdy will drive full-time for the team and Jack Wood will be part of a rotation with Kyle Busch on a second truck.
An innovative evening seminar will take place in the Anner Hotel, Thurles, County Tipperary on Monday, March 6, at 8pm to promote the value of rural Ireland and all the services available.

The seminar titled Expand Your Horizons 2017, is jointly organised by Teagasc and the National Rural Network (NRN).

Speaking in advance of the Expand Your Horizons event, Donal Mullane, Teagasc regional advisory manager for North and South Tipperary said: All those living and working in rural Tipperary are welcome to attend, and will benefit from the information provided and the valuable networking opportunity with service providers to rural communities. The event will foster increased dialogue and information sharing in rural areas.

The central focus of this event is the provision of information for rural dwellers who wish to explore new possibilities for improved economic and social development for their own lives and for the betterment of their community.

The Expand Your Horizons, seminar series will have particular relevance for those interested in diversifying their farm, considering a new on-farm or off-farm enterprise, retraining for a new job or applying for funding opportunities under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

Teagasc and the National Rural Network (NRN) have brought together other rural based organisations and these will be exhibiting on the night. These include: the Local Action Group, the Local Enterprise Office, Teagasc, the NRN, MABS, ETB, Citizens Information, Mental Health Ireland, Failte Ireland and Banking representatives.

These stakeholders will be on hand to provide a flavour of the opportunities they offer and the role they play in contributing to the viability of rural areas.

National Rural Network Project Director Seamus Boland said: Many rural dwellers are dependent on agriculture and should be made aware of the services available in their locality to assist them to become economically and socially sustainable.

The Thurles event is one of 28 evening seminars, taking place across the country.

To see locations and dates for the Expand Your Horizons events visit www.nationalruralnetwork.ie or www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/ or email info@nationalruralnetwork.ie.
Fine Gael councillor Marie Murphy has described the opening of the Burncourt Water Treatment Plant as a great days work for all the people of the Galtee/Vee Valley area.

"The Clogheen councillor said the opening of the multi-million euro Water Treatment Plant was a just reward for the enormous patience and resilience of the people of the Galtee/Vee Valley for several decades and the persistence of local public representatives over the last number of years.

She said - "This scheme has already made a difference to the everyday lives of so many people. 'Boil-water' notices in Skeheenarinky that had been in place since September 2009 were finally lifted last November. Previously, affected customers were unable to use the mains water supply for drinking, food preparation or brushing teeth."

She said this state-of-the-art Treatment Plant should result in improved water quality for all residents in a catchment area that includes Skeheenarinky, Burncourt, Ballyporeen, Clogheen Rural and Cahir Rural.

"Since my election to the County Council in 2009, I have prioritised this issue and kept it at the top of the agenda for major capital investment in the area. I am delighted to see that my efforts have come to fruition. Thanks are due to all the local authority officials past and present who helped in any way", she said.

Irish Water and Tipperary County Council marked the official opening of the Burncourt Water Supply Scheme which will deliver a high quality and reliable water supply for over 3,500 local customers whilst also supporting current and future development in the area.

The new water treatment plant in Burncourt was developed as part of a 15.2 million investment by Irish Water in South Tipperary, which also included the upgrade of the Fethard Water Supply Scheme.

Minister of State for Housing and Urban Renewal, Damien English opened the new scheme and unveiled a plaque at the new water treatment plant.
(NaturalHealth365) Scientists and medical professionals have long been concerned about the advent of superbugs  bacteria that have mutated in order to become resistant to antibiotics. Troubling new research has emerged showing that antibiotic residue can be found in a significant portion of the seafood imported from China  meaning that evidence of this growing threat can now be found on your dinner plate.

To learn how antibiotics make their way into imported shrimp, tilapia, salmon, and tuna  and to find out how to reduce your risk of exposure  keep reading and share this news to help save lives.

American trade organizations sound the alarm on contaminated seafood

According to the Southern Shrimp Alliance, a trade organization of American shrimp producers, the United States is currently awash in fraudulently labeled and unsafe seafood. A surprising 80 percent of the seafood eaten in America is imported, with much of it coming from Asian countries. In fact, in 2014 the U.S. imported $2.9 billion worth of seafood from China alone, making it the third largest exporter to this country.

Unfortunately, many of Chinas laws regulating seafood are either lax or difficult to enforce, leading to rampant health violations and low standards  and to the presence of unsafe substances in Chinese seafood destined for American markets. To make matters worse, food consumers can expect little protection from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)  which only inspects between 1 and 2 percent of the incoming seafood.

However, last year the FDA did take some action to stem the tide of tainted seafood. (We can only imagine how bad it must be for the FDA to take any action at all)

FDA issues an import alert on Chinese seafood

In June of 2016, the FDA released an import alert calling for the detention of several types of aquacultured fish  including shrimp and eels  originating from the Peoples Republic of China. The alert was triggered by an FDA study that found that 25 percent of all Chinese seafood had traces of chemicals prohibited for use in seafood in the U.S.  including unapproved drugs and dangerous food additives.

Researchers found nitrofurans  a group of antibiotics  in shrimp in amounts above 1 ppb, or parts per billion. The antibacterial compound malachite green was found in dace, eel and catfish in concentrations ranging from 2.1 ppb to 122 ppb. An antiseptic dye, gentian violet, was detected in eel and catfish at 2.5 ppb to 26.9 ppb, while fluoroquinolones, a class of broad-spectrum antibiotics, were found in catfish in amounts ranging from 1.9 ppb to 6.5 ppb.

Gentian violet, malachite green and nitrofurans are prohibited in seafood in both the United States and China  yet the FDA maintains that residues continue to appear in Chinese seafood. All three compounds have been found to be carcinogens, while fluoroquinones have researchers worried because they can increase microbial resistance in human pathogens.

In another disturbing study conducted from 2006 to 2011, researchers found that 43 percent of samples of Chinese seafood contained multidrug-resistant strains of bacteria.

How do chemical residues get into the fish?

It is a common practice in China to funnel waste from pigs into ponds where fish are being raised. In pigs that are receiving antibiotics, up to 90 percent of the drug can pass undigested through the urine and feces  and from there into the fish and shrimp. The filthy condition of the water often results in the need to treat fish with large amounts of veterinary drugs  leading to still more antibiotic overload.

One of the drugs making its way into fish is colistin, an antibiotic which has fallen into disfavor because of its kidney toxicity  but one that is still sometimes used as a last resort for multi-drug-resistant bacteria.

However, it may not be effective for long. Scientists recently discovered a colistin-resistant gene  one that can turn bacteria into superbugs  in patients, food and environmental samples in more than 20 countries  testimony to the pervasiveness and consequences of antibiotic residue.

And, wild-caught Chinese seafood is not necessarily any safer than the farmed variety. Many of Chinas major fishing areas are extremely polluted with heavy metals, industrial waste and chemical fertilizers.

Trans-shipping is an international shell game

Making the problem worse is the fact that China participates in trans-shipping, the act off shipping fish through other countries on its way to the Western Hemisphere. By using disposable import companies that can be easily dissolved, unethical exporters can cut out tariffs and avoid close inspection.

According to Bloomberg.com, Chinese producers often use Malaysian companies to sneak shrimp into the United States. In an attempt to alleviate the problem, the FDA issued an import alert last April allowing its district offices to detain and test all imports of shrimp and prawn from Peninsular Malaysia.

How to protect yourself from toxic seafood

To avoid buying Chinese seafood, make sure to carefully read all labels to determine the country of origin. Be wary of phrases such as prepared in, packed in, or imported by  all of which could indicate the fish was raised in one location and processed in another.

It is also a good policy to choose fresh fish over frozen, and smaller fish over large  which tend to have smaller accumulations of toxins in their bodies.

When it comes to avoiding antibiotic residue in fish, your best bet is Alaskan salmon, which can be obtained here.

Interesting to note, Alaska doesnt allow salmon farming and the pollution of Alaskan rivers is forbidden by state charter. In other words, Alaskan salmon is, by definition, wild-caught and much less likely to be contaminated.*

In addition, Alaskan salmon offers exceptional health benefits. Long-chain fatty acids such as EPA and DHA in wild-caught salmon can cut risk of cardiovascular disease, reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, support healthy artery function, lower triglycerides and moderate blood pressure.

Editors note: Vital Choice is a trusted source of fast home delivery of the worlds finest wild seafood and organic fare, harvested from healthy, well-managed wild fisheries and farms. {Its my personal favorite and, yes, your purchase does help to support our operations  at no additional cost to you}

*By the way, Vital Choice has done 6 rounds of testing for radiation contamination from 2012  2016 and their fish has produced clean test results.

References:

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_33.html

https://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1418351-why-you-should-beware-of-seafood-from-china

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2016-12-15/how-antibiotic-tainted-seafood-from-china-ends-up-on-your-table
(Natural News) A recent poll on YouGov BrandIndex is showing a negative correlation between Starbucks brand perception before and after they announced a plan to hire refugees, and it should be cause for alarm for the coffee giant.

On January 29, 2017, Starbucks CEO Howard Schulz announced that the company would implement a five-year plan to hire 10,000 refugees worldwide. The stance was in protest against President Donald Trumps then travel ban on refugees from certain countries already outlined by the Obama administration. The announcement caused outrage and concern among many Starbucks customers, some of whom called for a boycott. People all over the country took to social media to express just how upset they were about the announcement.

The biggest issue raised among people that weighed in was that an American company was being so quick to come to the aide of refugees, but it felt as if American citizens, particularly veterans, were being ignored. Ultimately, Starbucks felt the pressure and issued a second statement to explain to Americas military veterans that the company also had a plan to employ them.

If Starbucks thought this would blow over, they were sadly mistaken. Since the January announcement, consumer perception levels have fallen by two-thirds as measured by YouGov BrandIndexs Buzz score. The perception tracker measures if respondents have heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, through advertising, news or word of mouth, was it positive or negative. The recent responses show only 24 percent of consumers polled saying they would consider patronizing Starbucks, while two days before the announcement, the results were at 30 percent, the highest proportion in almost a year.

YouGov conducts surveys of about 4,800 people each week day as a representation of the U.S. population, and they say that theres reason to believe the backlash will impact the chains bottom line. (RELATED: Get all the news Google is trying to hide at Censored.news)

It appears Schulz has not learned his lesson that mixing liberal political agendas and coffee does not work out well, or perhaps he is just too cocky to care. Who can forget the failed Race Together stunt where Starbucks encouraged its baristas to write the phrase on cups for customers to start a discussion on race? And there was the uproar caused when Starbucks stripped all Christmas themed images from their cups to promote inclusiveness back in 2015.

Whether or not this decline in positive public opinion or potential loss of revenue will affect Schulzs refugee hiring plan remains to be seen. Most of us know the best way to get action out of a company is to hit them where it hurts  their bottom line  and that appears to be happening right now.

Sources:

Zerohedge.com

Finance.Yahoo.com

Nola.com

Zerohedge.com
Sunday, March 05, 2017 by: Lance D Johnson Tags: Burger King , deforestation , soy plantations This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author

(Natural News) Tropical rain forests are being deliberately burned to the ground and cleared away by hundreds of thousands of acres to make way for soybean plantations. Brazil and Bolivia have been hit the hardest. Animals such as the sloth, mighty jaguar, and giant anteater are disappearing in record numbers.

According to a new investigative report by Mighty Earth, fast food chain Burger King sources their animal feed from these soy plantations, which are responsible for the disappearance of approximately 1,729,738 acres of beautiful Bolivian and Brazilian rain forest land. Between 2011 and 2015, Bolivias lowland forests and the Brazilian Cerrado have been burned down by local farmers to make way for Burger Kings top two suppliers of soy. The mass burning also releases tons of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. (RELATED: For more investigative reports, see RealInvestigations.News.)

Burger Kings suppliers, Bunge, and Cargill, are responsible for tearing up rain forests

Burger King, owned by Brazilian investment firm, 3G Capital, wont disclose their sources, but thanks to satellite imaging, aerial drone footage, supply chain mapping, and rigorous field research, investigators have been able to document the well-planned forest burning operations that have made way for the soy plantations.

Commodities data, provided by the Stockhold Enterprise Institute, reveals that Burger King is buying their soy directly from Bunges soy fields, which have taken over the forest floor of the Brazilian Cerrado.

Sharon Smith, a tropical forests manager at the Union of Concerned Scientists, rebuked Burger King: Burger King is one of the worlds largest fast food companies, but consistently ranks last in the industry when it comes to environmental protection policies. The fast food giant needs to follow its competitors like McDonalds and demand that its suppliers are not destroying tropical forests as part of their business model.

Deforestation in Brazil is now outpacing that of the Amazon. In 2015, 1.5 million hectares of land were cleared away in Brazil. In 2016 another 2 million hectares of beautiful rain forest went up in smoke. As it stands, more than half of the natural vegetation has been cleared away in the Brazilian Cerrado. In Bolivia, the pace of deforestation has gone from a steady 667,000 hectares per year in the early 2000s to approximately 865,000 hectares each year, as of late. Theres no stopping the carnage.

Mighty Earths CEO, Glenn Hurowitz, spoke out against Burger King in a statement. The connections are quite clear. Bunge and Cargill supply Burger King and other big meat sellers with grain. McDonalds, Subway, and KFC are not perfect but theyre doing a hell of a lot more to protect the forests. If Burger King does not respond immediately to people who want to know where their food comes from, then people should shop elsewhere.

Cargill also exerts major influence over Burger King, sponsoring their convention in 2015 and padding Burger Kings wallet with a five figure donation to their McLamore Foundation in 2014. Cargill plays a major role in supplying Burger Kings poultry, which will soon come out of a new Philippines poultry processing plant. Soy is the main food used to fatten up the livestock. Under pressure from investors, Cargill stressed they would like to reduce incidences of deforestation by 50 percent by 2020. They hope to eliminate deforestation from their supply chain altogether by 2030.

One can only wonder: will there be any forest left by then?

Follow more news about the fast food industry as FastFood.news.

Sources include:

TheGuardian.com

Trase.Earth

MightyEarth.org
Strategically lined up, side-by-side, anti-Trump demonstrators gathered in Ocean Beach Saturday with one mission: to spell out the word "IMPEACH" on the sand.

At the "March 4 Impeach," the group stood on Dog Beach in OB, in a human formation that spelled out the word. The message was directed at President Donald Trump.

The demonstration was inpispired by a recent, similar gathering at a beach in San Francisco where demonstrators spelled out "RESIST!!" on the sand.

According to the March 4 Impeach event page on Facebook, the gathering was meant to call attention to the possibility of impeaching Trump.

Sandy Goble, who walked in the Womens March in January, attended the gathering in Ocean Beach. She told NBC 7 she is frustrated with the current administration for a number of reasons, and that she doesnt know where to begin to list them all.

Ive been quiet and very upset with whats going on, Goble said. The Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for not doing more to investigate the obvious Russian ties.

Frank Gormlie, a long-time Ocean Beach local and business owner, shared the same sentiments as Goble.

Were calling for an investigation into Trumps violations of the Constitution and his Russian connections. We think that by spelling out the word impeach, that people are willing to come out and demand that action, he explained.

We dont believe in the ban, we dont believe in the wall, and we support equal rights for everyone -- regardless of gender, race, religion, said Jessica Jones, another demonstrator. Were here to show each other, and the world, that there are like-minded people out here who dont support whats going on."

Lori Saward, Founder of Indivisable San Diego, said the idea to spell the word "Impeach" originally started out as an art project for the anti-Trump group, OB Resist. Indivisible San Diego Central wanted to help, so they joined in the efforts.

Were a border city. We stand with our immigrants, and we stand as a city that is inclusive, Saward told NBC 7. Thats why we came together to show that solidarity. We are for all people.

In stark contrast to the impeachment movement in Ocean Beach, two pro-Trump rallies also happened in San Diego on Saturday.

Supporters of Pres. Trump organize SD march by Embarcadero #@nbcsandiego Anti Trump rallies also going on in SD pic.twitter.com/ttoIc2yBx6  Katia Lopez-Hodoyan (@KatiaNBC) March 4, 2017

Elizabeth Torphy, from Orange County, drove to San Diego for the pro-Trump event downtown.

Wearing a shirt that read "Make America Great Again," she told NBC 7 that, as a Trump supporter, she wants her voice heard.

Supporters of Pres. Trump organize SD march by Embarcadero #@nbcsandiego Anti Trump rallies also going on in SD pic.twitter.com/ttoIc2yBx6  Katia Lopez-Hodoyan (@KatiaNBC) March 4, 2017

There are so many pro-Trump supporters out there, and we need to be heard. I want our voices to be heard," said Torphy. "I say, My vote, my voice. And thats what I mean, my voice counts.

That just shows you that the resist movement is so sweeping and huge that people are unhappy and feel that the country is going in the wrong direction, Lori Saward said in response to the pro-Trump rallies.

If they feel the need to have a Trump rally, when they already have the Presidency, the House and the Senate, then I dont understand why they need to rally, she said. Theyre obviously feeling the pressure from so many Americans that are shocked still that [President Trump] won the election.
Residents from a Concord apartment building on Saturday traveled to Hillsborough demanding that their landlord fix their homes allegedly riddled with mold and cockroaches.

Folks claim the landlord has continued to raise rent prices by $300 on a monthly basis but failed to pay any attention to the laundry list of alleged transgressions, which also includes claims of water damage and mildew.

Members from the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment joined the residents and stood outside of the landlord's Peninsula home flashing signs that read "No More Slum Conditions" and "Stop the Rent Increase."

Maria Valdarama, who has lived in the apartment complex for six years, says the lack of repairs to mold and water damage present health issues for her young children.

Someone inside of the landlord's home spoke with the residents and advocates through the door, but no one came outside to directly meet with the group.

NBC Bay Area has reached out to the landlord but has yet to receive a comment.
Quick-thinking U.S. National Park Service officers on Saturday helped prevent a tourist's trip to San Francisco from turning into a complete nightmare.

Gina Tomaine, who hails from Philadelphia and was enjoying her first day in the city by the bay with some friends, parked her rental car near Baker Beach. After taking a peak at the Golden Gate Bridge from the sand, she returned to the car to find the passenger window smashed in and her purse snatched.

"I had left my purse and put a jacket over it, but I shouldn't have left it in the car at all," Tomaine said. "I guess someone had seen us pull up and broke the window while we walked down to the beach."

Fortunately for Tomaine, national park officers jumped in to help right away.

"(An) officer came and he chased the person that he thought might have stolen (the purse) because there had been kind of suspicious people casing the parking lot," Tomaine said.

A subsequent police chase ended with the suspect crashing his car into a nearby tree near 26th Avenue and El Camino Del Mar. The suspect managed to escape on foot, but the woman's purse was recovered from the car without anything missing.

"It was a pretty incredible first day in San Francisco," Tomaine said. "We're very, very lucky for the parks officers and how much they helped us out. We're really grateful for that. Even though that happened, we had a happy ending."
China will raise its defense budget by about 7 percent this year, a government spokeswoman said Saturday, continuing a trend of lowered growth amid a slowing economy despite regional tensions over the South China Sea and other issues.

Total defense spending would account for about 1.3 percent of projected gross domestic project in 2017, said Fu Ying, spokeswoman for the legislature. She was speaking at a news conference on the eve of the opening of the body's annual session.

The precise figure will be provided by Premier Li Keqiang in his address to the National People's Congress on Sunday morning.

Fu reiterated China's contention that its military was purely for defense and constituted a force for stability in Asia.

"We advocate dialogue for peaceful resolutions, while at the same time, we need to possess the ability to defend our sovereignty and interests," Fu said. "The strengthening of Chinese capabilities benefits the preservation of peace and security in this region, and not the opposite."

Depending on the final figure, this year's budget could mark the third consecutive year of declines in defense spending growth rates, even while some outside observers say those figures don't account for all military spending. The budget grew by 7.6 percent last year and 10.1 percent in 2015.

That trend reflects "the new normal, an acknowledgement that Chinese growth is plateauing as a whole," said Alexander Neill, a senior fellow for Asia-Pacific security for the International Institute for Strategic Studies based in Singapore.

While the slowing economy may preclude a spending spree similar to past years, when growth rose by double-digit percentages each year, there's no doubt China will continue to add high-tech weaponry according to its long-term strategy, Neill said.

Seeking a more streamlined fighting force, China plans to complete the cutting of 300,000 military personnel by the end of the year, shifting the emphasis away from the land forces and toward the navy, air and rocket units.

Still, the increase of about 67 billion yuan ($9.7 billion) would push the total defense budget past the 1 trillion yuan ($145 billion) mark for the first time. The percentage increases do not track in U.S. dollar figures because of variations in the exchange rate.

China's defense budget is expected to rise to $233 billion by 2020, almost twice what it was in 2010 and four times what Britain spends, according to a study released in December by IHS Jane's. By 2025, China would outspend all other states in the Asia-Pacific combined, the consultancy predicted.

The defense budget has for years been the world's second largest, although it still lags far behind the U.S. President Donald Trump has asked for a 10 percent increase in U.S. defense spending this year, adding $54 million to the budget that topped $600 billion last year.

China points out that, as a developing country with a population of 1.37 billion, its defense spending per capita is a fraction of those of other nations. Fu also said the percentage of GDP China spends on defense is below the 2 percent the U.S. calls on NATO allies to spend.

The relatively modest spending increase reflects both China's steady, if not spectacular economic growth, and a security outlook that has changed little in recent years, said Tang Yonghong of the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Xiamen University in southeastern China.

"China's defense budget is formulated on the basis of its own needs and the domestic economic situation. Beijing isn't much concerned about the reaction from the international community," he said.

China has been spending heavily on technologies, allowing it to project power far from shore, including aircraft carriers, long-range bombers and its first overseas military base located in the East Africa nation of Djibouti.

Along with defending China's frontiers, the self-governing island of Taiwan remains a military priority for the 2.3 million-member People's Liberation Army, the world's largest standing military. Beijing has never renounced its vow to use force to take control of the island it considers its own territory, and tensions have risen since the election last year of independence-leaning Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.

Beijing has also come under criticism for militarizing man-made islands in the South China Sea, which China claims virtually in its entirety.

Fu turned those accusations back on the U.S., saying the strategically vital waterway through which about $5 trillion in trade passes each year was basically calm.

"As to how to the situation develops in future, that depends on U.S. intentions. American actions in the South China Sea have a definite significance in terms of which way the winds blow," she said.
From Colorado's state Capitol to Trump Tower in New York and the Washington Monument, groups of hundreds of people rallied for President Trump on Saturday, waving "Deplorables for Trump" signs and even carrying a life-size cutout of the president.

The March 4 Trump demonstrations were held around the country, and supporters clashed with generally smaller groups of counter protesters.

Six people protesting the rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol and fled, police said. About 400 people attended the St. Paul event, and about 50 showed up to protest it. Some other minor scuffles between the dueling demonstrators were quickly defused.

In Nashville, two people were arrested as protesters clashed with Trump supporters at the Tennessee Capitol. The groups at times cursed at each other and made physical contact, which state troopers broke up, WPLN reported.

Near Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach Post reported that people on both sides exchanged profanity. Trump's motorcade briefly stopped so he could wave at supporters.

In Berkeley, California, the "March 4 Trump" rally started as a peaceful gathering, but grew violent when a supporter of President Donald Trump punched an attendee of the counter protest. At least ten were arrested, police say, and three were injured.

In San Diego, California, anti-Trump demonstrators gathered in Ocean Beach and stood in rows to spell out "IMPEACH" on the sand.

In Ohio, Trump supporter Margaret Howe, 57, of Pataskala, said she increasingly fears civil war.

"We did not want to have something like this happen," she said, adding, "We came out today because Trump deserves to see he still has people for him. It's just all sad."

Outside the state Capitol in Denver, hundreds gathered, listening to speakers including former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo on the West Steps facing the mountains. Many in the crowd held American flags or wore red, white and blue and held signs with messages like "Veterans Before Refugees."

Chelsea Thomas, an accountant from Thornton, Colorado, brought her family to the rally  along with a life-size cardboard cutout of Trump. She said the family has taken the cutout with them on camping trips, boat rides and to a country music festival.

"It's nice to be surrounded by people who share your morals and opinions," said Thomas, as her son walked back and forth across the grass with a Trump flag. A group of counter protesters gathered nearby, separated from the rally by police tape. They chanted "No Trump. No KKK. No fascist USA" and held signs with messages like "Your vote was a hate crime."

Hundreds gathered in rallies on both ends of Pennsylvania to show support for Trump.

Supporters waved signs and flags and listened to speeches during Saturday's "Spirit of America" rally in Bensalem's Neshaminy State Park in eastern Pennsylvania's Bucks County.

"They love their country, and they love what Donald Trump represents, which is about making America first," organizer Jim Worthington said. "We are here to meet and make sure all Americans are prospering."

In northwestern Pennsylvania, the Erie Times-News reported that about 100 people gathered at a square in downtown Erie for a similar demonstration. "We've got to get the whole country united behind this man," said Richard Brozell, 75, who along with his wife braved the mid-20s temperatures and stiff wind chill to attend

In Augusta, Maine, more than 100 people turned out for the event that was supposed to last three hours, but ended early because of freezing temperatures. In Miami, supporters continued a rally while sipping espressos outside a Cuban restaurant, the Miami Herald reported.

At a North Carolina rally, speakers said the dishonest media and left wing politicians were bordering on sedition in their opposition to the Republican president. Some men were seen walking through the Raleigh crowd carrying a Trump flag as well as a Confederate flag. Gathered just behind the rally was a handful of protesters, some of whom blew air horns in an attempt to disrupt the event.

"We're gonna take our country back, and we're gonna establish borders and have legal immigration and law and order," said Cherie Francis, of Cary, North Carolina. "And if you're against all that, then you should be afraid."

In Indianapolis, about 30 Trump supporters rallied at the Indiana Statehouse to denounce what they see as unfair treatment of the Republican.

A local organizer, 61-year-old Patty Collins, of Indianapolis, said Trump's critics "aren't giving him a chance."

One attendee held a sign saying, "The silent majority stands with Trump." Some passing cars honked in support. Others shouted disapproval.

Trump supporters turned out Saturday in Phoenix. Media outlets reported that several hundred people participated in the Phoenix event held on a lawn at the State Capitol. Some participants wore pro-Trump shirts. A small group of protesters also were on hand.

In Texas, Austin police say about 300 people rallied in support of Trump in a gathering outside the Capitol during rain. One of the organizers, Jennifer Drabbant of Austin, said there have been so many protests against Trump that she and others wanted to show there are people who support him.

In Lansing, Michigan, about 200 Trump supporters rallied on one side of the state Capitol while 100 critics gathered on another side. At one point, the president's fans shouted "get on the bus" and "go back to Mexico," The Detroit News reported.

"Agree with President Trump or not, he is our president, and I think what I see happening in D.C. and with the Democrats  it can't stand," said Gary Taylor, 60.
Chicago police are warning residents about four armed robberies that took place in less than two hours early Saturday at businesses on the city's Northwest Side.

In each incident, two men entered the business, displayed a handgun and stole money, according to an alert from Chicago police, who later released surveillance images of the offenders. [[415431593, C]]

The suspects then fled the scene in a dark-colored sport utility vehicle, authorities said. [[415431663, C]]

The four robberies occurred as follows:

in the 6500 block of W. Belmont Ave. at 2:07 am.

in the 3200 block of W. Diversey Ave. at 2:55 am.

in the 4300 block of W. Irving Park Rd. at 3:15 am.

in the 3000 block of N. Pulaski Rd. at 3:41 am.

Anyone with information on these incidents is asked to contact detectives at (312) 744-8263.
Austin police say about 300 people have rallied in support of President Donald Trump in a gathering outside the Texas Capitol during rain.

The Austin American-Statesman reports some in the crowd Saturday afternoon toted umbrellas and wore rain gear while carrying signs of support for Trump. Some of the marchers waved U.S. flags.

One of the organizers, Jennifer Drabbant of Austin, said there have been so many protests against Trump that she and others wanted to show there are people who support him.

Participants walked from Wooldridge Square Park to the state Capitol for a rally that began with a prayer and then featured pro-Trump speeches.
Dallas police say two men fatally shot a 30-year-old man in the 7200 block of Ferguson Road on Saturday.

Jerell Dilworth was found dead from apparent gunshot wounds at 11:39 a.m. March 4, police said.

Capital murder warrants have been issued for Jacolby Hill, 21, and Ashton Hill, 23.

Police said they identified the suspects through witness testimony and evidence. The men are not in custody and their whereabouts are unknown.

A light-colored car was seen leaving the shooting scene at a high rate of speed, police said.

Anyone with information about the the location of these men is asked to call 9-1-1 or Detective Derick Chaney at 214-671-3650. Please refer to report #050039-2017.

See the official arrest warrant documents below.

[[415701443, C]]
About 200 Trump supporters gathered at Southlake's Liberty Park on Saturday to hold a "Spirit of America" rally.

Those who attended the rally, that coincided with similar rallies held across the country today, said the event was a show of support for President Donald Trump and a response to recent anti-Trump protests.

"Over the last eight years, I've got to where I didn't recognize my country," said Seth Fuller, a Mansfield resident.

Similar rallies were held in Colorado, Washington, Florida, New York, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and elsewhere on Saturday, and some saw clashes with smaller groups of counter-protesters.

Six people protesting the rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol and fled, police said. About 400 people attended the St. Paul event, and about 50 showed up to protest it.

In Nashville, two people were arrested as protesters clashed with Trump supporters at the Tennessee Capitol. In Olympia, Washington, the state patrol says four demonstrators were arrested Saturday at a rally in support of Trump, KOMO-TV reported. Authorities did not say if the people arrested were pro-Trump or anti-Trump.

Near Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach Post reported that people on both sides exchanged profanity. Trump's motorcade briefly stopped so he could wave at supporters.

In Southlake, another Trump supporter said the rally was an opportunity to gather with people who held similar views.

"I think it's important to just be with other like-minded people to kinda realize that you're not alone," said Renisa Bodine, a Lantana resident. "And that other people feel just as strongly as you do about your freedoms and about what's going on."
Suggestions about donning powdered wigs and jailing Patrick Henry? There were both.

A joke about John Adams supplanting his cousin Samuel to become a famous "brewer patriot?" Check.

Legislation jailing for up to two years any Texas delegate breaking from previously agreed-upon protocol during said convention? Senators not only approved it, some pushed for locking "faithless delegates" away longer.

The idea is for 34 legislatures, representing two-thirds of the 50 states, to bypass Congress and call for convening a convention to draft constitutional amendments and limit Washington's power through things like a federal balanced budget rule and term limits. Texas has actually approved 16 calls for such conventions in the past, though the last one came in 1978.

Sen. Brian Birdwell, a Granbury Republican who sponsored the "convention of states" bill, tried earnestly to keep the discussion from going too haywire. His colleagues ignored him and endorsed felony charges for convention delegates who advocate for "unauthorized" constitutional changes that could spark a "runaway" convention. Fines weren't enough, it was argued, because liberal troublemakers like filmmaker Michael Moore would be happy to pay them for anyone torpedoing Texas' carefully laid conservative plans.

When Dallas Democratic Sen. Royce West suggested that, if it had been left up to the states, slavery might still be legal, Birdwell seized on the fact that he is white and West black: "Whether your melanin or my melanin, you will find no greater defender of your right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Otherwise, much energy was devoted to keeping Texas' call similar enough to lump together with "convention of states" proposals previously approved either in 28 other states or in eight others, or both, depending on how you count.

That united national front against federal overreach might not even stretch as far as neighboring Arkansas, though. The state Senate there passed its own call for a convention backing amendments outlawing abortion and gay marriage.

Of course, actually convening an assembly to crack open the Constitution and uncap the White-Out is about as easy to imagine as the Dallas Cowboys skating their way to a Stanley Cup. But at least no Texas senators are facing jail time for "going rouge" during last week's debate.

Here are two top issues to watch this week in Texas politics, one that will spark another round of emotional debate, and another expected to sail to bipartisan approval.

------

`BATHROOM BILL' BATTLE BEGINS

The fight over Texas' hottest-button bill finally has a start date. A proposal barring transgender Texans from using the public bathroom of their choice is being heard Tuesday by the Senate State Affairs Committee.

The committee should eventually approve the measure to the full Senate, but getting even this far took longer than expected given just how much Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has supported it. The bill isn't necessarily behind schedule, though, since Gov. Greg Abbott declined to make it a legislative priority -- failing to exempt it from state rules barring the Legislature from passing legislation until after the 60th day of the session next week.

Business groups oppose the measure, worried about the uproar and boycotts that rocked North Carolina after it approved a similar measure last year. And even if it clears the Senate, the proposal isn't a slam-dunk in the House, where Speaker Joe Straus says it could sap Texas' economic growth.

------

POLICE BULLETPROOF VESTS

The Senate Criminal Justice Committee on Monday hears West's proposal to create a grant program helping police forces purchase bulletproof vests for their officers. Funding would be administered by the governor's office and forces statewide could apply for it, similar to a police body camera grant program created last session.

Patrick, who oversees the state Senate, has been a leading advocate on this issue. He vowed before session to ask for $20 million to provide heavily fortified vests for 40,000 police officers on regular patrol around Texas, and the Senate's draft state budget actually earmarks $25 million.

AP-WF-03-05-17 1421GMT

Outlandish debates are something of a Texas Senate specialty, but the three-plus-hour discussion that ended with endorsing a national convention to rewrite the U.S. Constitution at times resembled a political sideshow.

Suggestions about donning powdered wigs and jailing Patrick Henry? There were both. A joke about John Adams supplanting his cousin Samuel to become a famous "brewer patriot?" Check.

Legislation jailing for up to two years any Texas delegate breaking from previously agreed-upon protocol during said convention? Senators not only approved it, some pushed for locking "faithless delegates" away longer.

The idea is for 34 legislatures, representing two-thirds of the 50 states, to bypass Congress and call for convening a convention to draft constitutional amendments and limit Washington's power through things like a federal balanced budget rule and term limits. Texas has actually approved 16 calls for such conventions in the past, though the last one came in 1978.

Sen. Brian Birdwell, a Granbury Republican who sponsored the "convention of states" bill, tried earnestly to keep the discussion from going too haywire. His colleagues ignored him and endorsed felony charges for convention delegates who advocate for "unauthorized" constitutional changes that could spark a "runaway" convention. Fines weren't enough, it was argued, because liberal troublemakers like filmmaker Michael Moore would be happy to pay them for anyone torpedoing Texas' carefully laid conservative plans.

When Dallas Democratic Sen. Royce West suggested that, if it had been left up to the states, slavery might still be legal, Birdwell seized on the fact that he is white and West black: "Whether your melanin or my melanin, you will find no greater defender of your right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Otherwise, much energy was devoted to keeping Texas' call similar enough to lump together with "convention of states" proposals previously approved either in 28 other states or in eight others, or both, depending on how you count.

That united national front against federal overreach might not even stretch as far as neighboring Arkansas, though. The state Senate there passed its own call for a convention backing amendments outlawing abortion and gay marriage.

Of course, actually convening an assembly to crack open the Constitution and uncap the White-Out is about as easy to imagine as the Dallas Cowboys skating their way to a Stanley Cup. But at least no Texas senators are facing jail time for "going rouge" during last week's debate.

Here are two top issues to watch this week in Texas politics, one that will spark another round of emotional debate, and another expected to sail to bipartisan approval.

BATHROOM BILL' BATTLE BEGINS

The fight over Texas' hottest-button bill finally has a start date. A proposal barring transgender Texans from using the public bathroom of their choice is being heard Tuesday by the Senate State Affairs Committee.

The committee should eventually approve the measure to the full Senate, but getting even this far took longer than expected given just how much Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has supported it.

The bill isn't necessarily behind schedule, though, since Gov. Greg Abbott declined to make it a legislative priority -- failing to exempt it from state rules barring the Legislature from passing legislation until after the 60th day of the session next week.

Business groups oppose the measure, worried about the uproar and boycotts that rocked North Carolina after it approved a similar measure last year. And even if it clears the Senate, the proposal isn't a slam-dunk in the House, where Speaker Joe Straus says it could sap Texas' economic growth.

Dozens of North Texas families are planning to travel to Austin on Monday to lobby for transgender rights. [[415430713,C]]

POLICE BULLETPROOF VESTS

The Senate Criminal Justice Committee on Monday hears West's proposal to create a grant program helping police forces purchase bulletproof vests for their officers.

Funding would be administered by the governor's office and forces statewide could apply for it, similar to a police body camera grant program created last session.

Patrick, who oversees the state Senate, has been a leading advocate on this issue. He vowed before session to ask for $20 million to provide heavily fortified vests for 40,000 police officers on regular patrol around Texas, and the Senate's draft state budget actually earmarks $25 million.
A mother from Arizona is devastated after her daughter disappeared two weeks ago near the Sunset Cliffs area of San Diego.

What was supposed to be a short vacation for 30-year-old Amanda "Mandy" Cruse, has turned into her familys longest nightmare.

Cruse was last seen at five in the morning, on Feb.19 near Sunset Cliffs.

It was very dark at that time of the morning, said Rosemarie St. Michael. It was rainy and very windy because of the storm on the 19th and that Sunday.

Cruse's family confirmed she had made the trip down to San Diego during Presidents Day weekend. She left Scottsdale early Saturday morning and made it to San Diego in the afternoon.

She checked into the Cabrillo Inn & Suites in the afternoon, then headed to the Sunset Cliffs to take pictures on her cellphone of sunset.

The next morning, she left the hotel before 4:30 am.

Her family said surveillance footage on Monaco Street showed that Cruse had parked her car at 5:02 a.m. She put her backpack and purse in the back seat, locked the car. She also left her cell phone in the car.

Rosemarie, Cruse's mother talked to neighbors on the block, looking for answers.

Were trying to figure out why...its a big why," she said.

She is a free spirit, Rosemarie said. She is very independent. She travels a lot, she goes on her own and this trip was really planned for October but shes spontaneous. She had never been to San Diego."

Detectives with the San Diego Police Department have opened a missing persons investigation.

Investigators are not considering the case suspicious at the time.

Anyone who has information on Cruse's whereabouts are asked to contact their local police department.
The "March 4 Trump" rally in Berkeley on Saturday was advertised as a peaceful gathering, but violence broke out before the start of the actual event, and ended in 10 arrests.

A rowdy crowd gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park. Supporters and detracters of President Donald Trump, including members of the national group By Any Means Necessary, were joined by a large number of police officers, clad in riot gear.

At first, people toted signs, chanted slogans and got into heated debates. Before long, Trump supporters were fighting counter-protesters and getting in their faces to show support for the president.

People wearing goggles, motorcycle helmets, gas masks or with their face half-covered with bandanas were pushing each other, throwing punches and hitting each other with the sticks holding their signs. They also pepper sprayed one another, set off smoke bombs and fireworks, and set fire to American flags and "Make America Great Again" caps.

Heated 'March 4 Trump' in Berkeley Ends in Arrests, Injuries

Tito Mena of Stockton attended the rally hoping for a productive discussion between people from both sides of the political aisle.

"We have a right in America to speak our opinions and speak our voice even if some others might think it's wrong," he said. "As long as you're not causing harm to others, I will uphold the right for everyone to speak."

Mena's wishes were crushed. Police officers, who were forced to intervene in several fights, arrested almost a dozen people during the tense rally. They pinned a man to the ground and restrained him when he began to chase after someone with whom he had been fighting, according to social media.

They also took away a man, dressed in shin pads, a helmet and a sweatshirt that said "Basket of Deplorables," from the crowd at the Civic Center Plaza. Officers took away a shield and stick that he was carrying, placed him in handcuffs and ushered him into what looked like an unmarked police cruiser.

Hillary Clinton coined the controversial phrase, while speaking at an LGBT for Hillary Gala in New York City on Sept. 9, 2016. She referred to Trumps supporters  the so-called "Basket of Deplorables"  as "racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic."

The skirmishes led to at least three injuries. Officers were caught on camera helping a man, who was bleeding profusely from what appeared to be a head wound.

Videos show Trump protesters chanting, "No Donald Trump, no KKK, no racist, fascist USA," while his backers countered, "Build the wall." Members of the feuding groups were also heard singing the National Anthem and others hurling obscenities at Trump.

Asked whether or not the rally accomplished anything, Melanie Lawrence of Berkeley said the East Bay city "will continue having a reputation for being full of crazy people who love politics."

The 2 p.m. rally was one of dozens planned nationwide to show support for the new president. But it is the only one in the Bay Area and is one of three expected in California.

By 3:30 p.m., marchers had taken to the streets, snarling traffic on Allston Way en route to their next stop  UC Berkeley.

The protest prompted the brief closure of the downtown Berkeley BART station.

Saturday's protest comes about a month after a rioting crowd forced UC Berkeley officials to cancel a speech by controversial alt-right speaker, Milo Yiannopoulos.

NBC Bay Area's Christie Smith and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
A man was killed in a police shooting Saturday at a Carl's Jr. restaurant in downtown Los Angeles.

Officers received a radio call about 12:30 p.m. about a man armed with a pipe at Broadway and Olympic Boulevard, said Officer Liliana Preciado of the Los Angeles Police Department's Media Relations Section.

They first tried to subdue the man with a Taser and then a police shooting occurred, Preciado said.

The suspect, described only as a man in his 50s, was taken to a hospital where he died, she said.

No officers were injured.

A man dressed in all white was apparently arguing with the man shot by police prior to the shooting, witness Bryce Marshall said.

"I've never seen anyone killed in front of me. It was pretty intense," he said.

The man dressed in all white left before talking with officers. The LAPD is hoping to track him down.

The area was shut down for an investigation by the LAPD Force Investigation Division, she said. Officials are interviewing witnesses who captured part of the incident on cell phones.

NBC4's Rick Montanez contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump turned to Congress on Sunday for help finding evidence to support his unsubstantiated claim that former President Barack Obama had Trump's telephones tapped during the election. Obama's intelligence chief said no such action was ever carried out.

Republican leaders of Congress appeared willing to honor the president's request, but the move has potential risks for the president, particularly if the House and Senate intelligence committees unearth damaging information about Trump, his aides or his associates.

Trump claimed in a series of tweets without evidence Saturday that his predecessor had tried to undermine him by tapping the telephones at Trump Tower, the New York skyscraper where Trump based his campaign and transition operations, and maintains a home.

Obama's director of national intelligence, James Clapper, said nothing matching Trump's claims had taken place.

"Absolutely, I can deny it," said Clapper, who left government when Trump took office in January. Other representatives for the former president also denied Trump's allegation.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said without elaborating Sunday that Trump's instruction to Congress was based on "very troubling" reports "concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election." Spicer did not respond to inquiries about the reports he cited in announcing the request.

Spicer said the White House wants the congressional committees to "exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016." He said there would be no further comment until the investigations are completed, a statement that House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi took offense to and likened to autocratic behavior.

"It's called a wrap-up smear. You make up something. Then you have the press write about it. And then you say, everybody is writing about this charge. It's a tool of an authoritarian," Pelosi said.

Spicer's chief deputy, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said she thinks Trump is "going off of information that he's seen that has led him to believe that this is a very real potential."

Josh Earnest, who was Obama's press secretary, said presidents do not have authority to unilaterally order the wiretapping of American citizens, as Trump has alleged was done to him. FBI investigators and Justice Department officials must seek a federal judge's approval for such a step.

Earnest accused Trump of leveling the allegations to distract from the attention being given to campaign-season contacts by Trump aides with a Russian official, including campaign adviser Jeff Sessions before he resigned from the Senate to become attorney general. The FBI is investigating those contacts, as is Congress.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., said in a statement that the panel "will follow the evidence where it leads, and we will continue to be guided by the intelligence and facts as we compile our findings."

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that the committee "will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political party's campaign officials or surrogates."

The committee's top Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, said Trump was following "a deeply disturbing pattern of distraction, distortion and downright fabrication."

The office of House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., referred questions to Nunes, while a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said McConnell would not tell the Senate committee how to do its work.

Trump said in the tweets that he had "just found out" about being wiretapped, though it was unclear whether he was referring to having found out through a briefing, a conversation or a media report. The president in the past has tweeted about unsubstantiated and provocative reports he reads on blogs or conservative websites.

The tweets stood out, given the gravity of the charge and the strikingly personal attack on the former president. Trump spoke as recently as last month about how much he likes Obama and how much they get along, despite their differences.

"How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" he tweeted, misspelling 'tap.'

Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said Saturday that a "cardinal rule" of the Obama administration was not to interfere in Justice Department investigations, which are supposed to be conducted free of outside or political influence.

Lewis said neither Obama nor any White House official had ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. "Any suggestion otherwise is simply false," Lewis said.

Trump has been trailed for months by questions about his campaign's ties to Russia. Compounding the situation is the U.S. intelligence agencies' assessment that Russia interfered with the election to help Trump triumph over Hillary Clinton, along with disclosures about his aides' contacts with a Russian official.

Clapper appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press," Sanders and Earnest were on ABC's "This Week," Pelosi commented on CNN's "State of the Union" and Cotton was on "Fox News Sunday."
The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County has extended the boundaries of a rabies alert in the Kendall area Saturday after a second raccoon tested positive for the disease.

The Florida DOH confirms a second raccoon, which was killed by a car in the Kendall area, has tested positive for rabies.

Officials say second rabid raccoon identified in Miami-Dade since 2001 and the second confirmed rabid animal this year in the county. The first came earlier this week when a rabid raccoon attacked a veterinarian and his pet.

The rabies alert lasts 60 days and includes these boundaries:

SW 72nd Street (Sunset Drive) to the North,

SW 128th Street to the South,

SW 87th Avenue to the East,

Florida Turnpike to the West.

DOH officials say an animal with rabies could infect other wild or domestic animals that have not been vaccinated against rabies.

Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions:
Five people were injured and several buildings were damaged in a seven-alarm fire in Queens, authorities said.

The fire started late Saturday at an Ace Caribbean Market on Liberty Street in Richmond Hill and quickly ravaged 13 buildings, the FDNY said. Eight of the buildings were severely burned, fire officials said.

The cold, windy weather caused the fire to spread, said FDNY Chief of Department James Leonard. The fire isn't believed to be suspicious.

Five people  two firefighters and three civilians  were injured, fire officials said. One was taken to an area hospital, and two others refused medical attention. A 60-year-old woman was taken to Jamaica Hospital with minor smoke inhalation, police said.

Displaced residents crowded into a nearby Kennedy Fried Chicken, watching in awe as smoke wafted out of charred windows.

Authorities say 40 residents have been displaced and are all being taken care of by the Red Cross. The organization provided financial assistance to eight families, including 23 adults and eight children, as well as food, clothing and blankets for all.

About 250 firefighters and emergency medical service employees were at the scene, fire officials said.

Shattered glass and ice covered the streets along Liberty Avenue. Light peeked through the window openings onto caved-in roofs, mangled awnings, and charred debris piled at least six feet high.

Traffic was shut down along Liberty Avenue in both directions, and A train service was halted between Rockaway Boulevard and Lefferts Avenue early Sunday morning. Service resumed with delays just before 7 a.m., with southbound trains skipping 111 Street.

FDNY officials say the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
125 YEARS AGO

1892: A large number of prospectors - more than ever before - are headed for the Grand Canyon hoping to personally Strike it Rich somewhere in the layers in that great canyon.

Contractors are on the grade at Ash Fork and putting all the men and horses they can get to work.

J. H. Grigsby has leased The Roach Lunch Counter at Winslow.

Dont fail to see the Flagstaff Souvenir Spoons made of Arizona silver at the Jewelry Store of Cook & Lee. Price $3.00

Steam was gotten up for the first time in the boiler of the Coconino Lumber Company on Saturday.

There will be a meeting of the Cattlemens Association of Coconino County at Babbitt Bros. Hall on Monday the 7th. Every stockholder is required to be present.

T. J. Coalter has leased the dining room of the Bank Hotel to the well-known caterer M. E. Sheppard. It now has the handsomest and most convenient dining room in the town of Flagstaff. He solicits a fair share of business and especially desires families and parties.

M. Salzman is selling out! The entire stock of everything including groceries, clothing and gents' furnishings goes. There are great bargains in every department. No Job Lots, just in quantities to suit the purchaser. Wire-ware will be given away with each purchase.

February precipitation was unusually great. About 7 inches fell in Flagstaff.

100 YEARS AGO

1917: The property owners of Flagstaff have voted for the sewer bond with a big majority 143 to 70. The sum may not be sufficient of and by itself but is a nucleus for the old property which will be paying a profit in this new time. We shall find an end for those who complain of overflows etc. who may now find redress from the city. Our streets will be drained and the general sanitary conditions will be improved.

The Elks Building Committee has been diligently working on their new building and now believes it is in a position to get active on their brick and stone, two story building in the spring. The upper floor will be used for Lodge, Club and Banquet rooms. Plans for the lower floor will depend upon market conditions.

Governor Campbell has refused to sign a bill exempting from inheritance tax half the estate of the late Percival Lowell saying that it is a constitutional violation. An attempt to bypass his refusal failed in the Senate by a few votes.

The Go to Church Movement filled most of the churches in Flagstaff to their capacity. It was something of a revelation as to what could be done with the result exceeding expectation.

Judge George W. Hance arrived from Camp Verde Tuesday evening reporting it was necessary to make the trip by team and that Cherry Creek Hill roadway was in places filled with 8 feet of drifting snow. There has been no mail service to or from Camp Verde for several days.

Mrs. Mary Superant who has a most excellent reputation as a caterer has taken charge of the Weatherford Cafe and will make it one of the popular eating places in town.

The City Council has resolved to enter into an agreement with the Forest Service for a piece of land to become a City Park.

75 YEARS AGO

1942: You should have a manual for Civilian Defense. For your free copy, call at the Good Will Finance Co. They have a limited number of copies available.

Everyone who has completed the 20-hour First Aid training is urged to meet at Emerson School Friday night at 7:30 to be assigned to their units.

Old paper to be recycled into pulp is being collected at Bob Mitchels Garage, 122 E. Aspen.

Bicycle repair. Tires, Tubes and Parts for all makes. Western Auto Supply. Ph. 109

Sale of Defense Stamps jumped in the short month of February to $2656.25 against $2050 in January. Post Master George Babbitt.

The Coco-Cola Bottling plant was broken into Thursday night and robbed of $60 plus $20 in checks. So far no arrests have been made. Under Sheriff, Pete Michelbach.

A complete liquor license was approved Thursday by John Duncan, State Superintendent of Liquor License and Control for the selling of liquors including mixed drinks and packaged liquor. at the Saguaro Club located east of Flagstaff. The license was transferred from Jim Turpin at the Canyon Trading Post at Grand Canyon.

Eddie Turner formerly employed at the Monte Vista in the Tap Room is now with the Post Office as a carrier.

Details of the sugar rationing program, scheduled to go into effect about March 17, have been received by local school authorities, who will be in charge of the distributing of rationing books.

The March 15 deadline for filing your income taxes for 1941 is rapidly approaching. Alex Johnston, auditor in charge of the local branch of the Arizona Tax Commission, reminds everyone that those who are in need of assistance should contact him as soon as possible at 113 East Aspen.

On display at Babbitts window this week is a group of Pastel felt Brewster Hats selected by Mrs. Marie Callens, Head of Ladies ready-to-wear.

H. 50 Tues. l. 2 Thurs. Rain Sat. & Sun. 0.32

50 YEARS AGO

1967: The roof of the city library at 212 W. Aspen is sagging from the snow load and is closed until further notice. City crews are working on the problem.

A transient is being held for vagrancy, drunkenness and disorderly conduct. He was found in a burning building half a mile west of the Naval Ordnance Depot where he had started a fire in an old stove without sufficient clearance. It was a stone building and the fire was extinguished before it spread to the surrounding forest.

A flight instructor with Wrights Flyte Service and his student narrowly escaped death when their plane was forced to land on Highway 79 South due to engine trouble in the Piper Cherokee. It narrowly missed a Semi- truck as it skidded to a halt.

The Flagstaff City Council voted to participate in Community Radio Watch a program designed to encourage citizens, especially those who operate two-way radios, to support the police in the efforts to maintain law an order. Drivers of radio-equipped vehicles can serve as eyes and ears for the police through-out the community. There is no cost to the city except for forms and postage.

My bike is the best in the block and mommy didnt buy it. She got it with S & H Green Stamps from our local grocery store.

The February Dry Spell broke a 79 year old record. Theres been no measurable precipitation since a quarter-inch fell on January 25. Flagstaff Airport office records show that this past February was the first in 79 years that had no measureable moisture.

H. 58 Tues. L. 22 Thurs. Still no rain.

25 YEARS AGO

1992: Drug sniffing dog finds $4 - $6 million pot stash. Just east of Walnut Canyon a semi was stopped early Monday morning on speeding and lane drifting violations. The driver was unable to produce the correct papers when asked for them by the arresting officer. A search of the truck was conducted and officers with a drug sniffing dog arrived. Soon the dog discovered underneath the crates of bell peppers, squash and cucumbers were 20 pound bales of pot wrapped in colorful paper. The produce was unloaded and given to charity. DPS Lt. Jim Gerard.

The rebuilding of Butler Avenue east from the Milton intersection is on hold. While digging a tunnel under Milton the soil was discovered to be entirely saturated with oil near the location of an old gas station. This has added greatly to the cost of the project and the contractor is renegotiating with the city.

On Wednesday low-flying Cessna 150 struck a high standing power line nose first and fell into the I-40 median near Ash Fork. It seems to have been flying low trying to avoid an upper fog layer. The Missouri couple aboard perished in the impact. There were no other injuries. Coconino County Sheriff Deputy Raul Osequeda.

Truck stop owners Agbert M. & Yogini Christie at a truck stop east of Ash Fork were both murdered Thursday night. They lived in a trailer on site and were found there by Sheriff Joe Richards. The murder was reported by Lloyd Jones who said the murder was done by a driver of a red pickup truck who fled the scene. Further investigation lead to the dismissal of this claim and Jones was arrested.

H.51 Fri. L. 28 Fri. Clear all week. Fire danger is low.
Six people who fled police on foot in the Lincoln Tunnel, forcing the south tube to close for about a half hour, have been arrested, police said Saturday.

A New Jersey state trooper tried to stop a minivan in Newark, but the driver didn't stop and officers followed it to the Lincoln Tunnel, Trooper Lawrence Peele said.

Port Authority police saw the minivan enter the tunnel at a high speed, officers said. When it stopped at the request of police near the New York side of the tunnel, all six occupants got out and fled on foot, police said.

Multiple witnesses on Twitter reported seeing the vehicle flying into the tunnel and blowing past tolls, with police cars following.

Two suspects tried to hide behind other vehicles and were captured, police said. The other four were arrested about 100 feet from the New York exit, police said.

All six suspects, who were between the ages of 20 and 26, were charged with criminal possession of stolen property and reckless endangerment, police said. One was also charged with possession of a controlled substance and a hypodermic needle, police said.
An autistic teenager was left on a bus overnight as the driver and a monitor lied about dropping him off, police said Saturday.

The teenager was discovered Friday morning on the parked bus in a company garage, about 10 hours after he was supposed to have been dropped off at his New Rochelle home, police said.

He appeared to be in good health and was reunited with his mother.

The driver, Laikhraj Prashad Persaud, of the Bronx, and the bus monitor, Iakua Heywood, were charged with reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child.

The boy was supposed to be dropped off at his house at 9:30 p.m. on Thursday by a First Student Inc. bus after attending an event in New Rochelle, police said. When he didn't return home, his mother reported him missing.

Heywood told police she saw the boy exit the bus and enter his house, police said. Officers launched an exhaustive search including K-9s that lasted hours.

GPS later showed that the bus didn't stop at the boy's home and officers went to the garage in Mount Vernon where the child was found, police said.
Helen Marshall, the former borough president of Queens, has died. She was 87.

Marshall died in hospice care in Palm Desert, California, her daughter told Newsday.

Agnes Marie Marshall said her mother "loved Queens and always did everything she could to take care of everybody."

Helen Marshall was the borough's first black president. She served from 2002 to 2013. She had a long career in politics, as a State Assembly member and City Council member. In 1969, she founded New York City's Langston Hughes Library.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said she was bighearted, dynamic and brave. Queens Library President Dennis Walcott said Queens Library would not be the world-class system it is without her.
A teen girl was hit and killed by a vehicle driven by an off-duty New Jersey State Police Trooper, prosecutors said Sunday.

The high school freshman, identified as Theresa Di Falco, was found unconscious on Central Avenue in Westfield about 8:30 p.m. Saturday and pronounced dead at the scene.

The Union County prosecutor said Falco was hit by a service vehicle driven by an off-duty New Jersey state trooper.

Falco was "a really well loved and well liked kid," said Betsy Laskaris, who knew her family.

Jonathan Saminski, who went to school with Falco, said she was taking part in a scavenger hunt that started at his home.

He said that speeding was a common problem on the street.

An investigation is ongoing.

Grief counselors would be available at Westfield High School on Monday, principal Derrick Nelson said.

Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to call Sgt. Jose Vendas at the Prosecutor's Office at 908-358-3048 or Westfield Police Lt. Jason McErlean at 908-789-6068.
A mother and four children were killed after a fire tore through a home early Saturday morning in Warwick, Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts State Fire Marshal's Office said the blaze started at about 12:45 a.m. at a one-family home on Richmond Road and quickly reached 3-alarms.

According to Chief Ron Gates from the Warwick Fire Department, the fire likely started in a wood stove. By the time crews got to the home it was fully engulfed in flames.

Windows were blown out, the roof was caving in, we didnt have a chance to knock it town, Gates said while holding back tears at a press conference on Saturday.

Warwick Fire Chief Ron Gates gives details on the fire that killed a mother and her four children.

The small town has no fire hydrants and officials say firefighters had to draw water about a half mile from the scene. The father and one child were able to escape the fire, but crews were unable to save the mother and remaining four children. They were taken to an area hospital for treatment, according to Massachusetts State Police spokesman David Procopio.

"It's heartbreaking," Procopio said. "It's a fairly remote area. They are in the process of searching for victims and collecting evidence."

David Young, Warwick's town coordinator, told The Recorder newspaper of Greenfield that a mother and four children had been among the missing and that three of the children attended public schools in the small Franklin County community. State officials did not immediately confirm the number of children missing.

Young said little was left of the home after the fire. At least 16 fire departments from the area helped battle the blaze.

Warwick Fire and State Police assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal are investigating the exact cause of the blaze.

Warwick is a small town in Franklin County in northwestern Massachusetts. The incident is truly devastating for the town with a population of 900.

Our community has suffered a great loss of life, a huge blow to our spirit that we are only beginning to realize, Young said.

According to the State Fire Marshal, all twelve firefighters in the department knew the family and are mourning the loss.
Police arrested a 71-year-old woman accused of stabbing another driver during a road rage incident last year.

Mary Craig was arrested at her Philadelphia home Friday and charged with assault, possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony and reckless endangerment.

The initial incident occurred on the 10000 block of South DuPont Highway on November 20, according to investigators. Police say Craig stopped her vehicle at a traffic light on South DuPont Highway southbound and Evans Road. Craig and her female passenger then got into a verbal altercation with another female driver and her passenger, a 36-year-old woman, who were stopped at the light, police said.

Police say Craig and her passenger exchanged profanities and obscene hand gestures with the other driver and her family at the red light. Craigs passenger then allegedly got out of the vehicle and approached the 36-year-old victim who began to exit her vehicle as well. Craigs passenger then began to attack the 36-year-old, police said. As the two fought, Craig got out of her car as well and began to stab the victim in the upper torso, according to investigators.

Craig, her passenger and the victim then went back into their own vehicles and drove away from the scene. Police say the victim realized she had been stabbed as she continued driving. The victims daughter pulled into a home on South DuPont Highway and called 911. The victim was taken to the hospital and treated for her injuries.

Craig was arraigned and released on $46,000 unsecured bond. Police have not yet revealed whether Craigs passenger has also been arrested or identified.






Philadelphia Police honored a slain officer on the two-year anniversary of his death. A vigil and balloon release were held Saturday on the 1700 block of N. 17th Street for Sergeant Robert Wilson III.

Wilson, a 30-year-old father, was killed on March 5, 2015 when two men attempted to rob a North Philadelphia GameStop store. Wilson was inside the store in full uniform buying his son a birthday gift when two armed robbers entered and announced a holdup.

The officer got into a shootout with the two gunmen, diverting gunfire away from store staff and customers. Wilson was struck six times by gunfire and later died from his injuries.

Two men, 29-year-old Carlton Hipps and 25-year-old Ramone Williams, are charged in Wilsons murder.




The U.S. Post Office will dedicate the Kuhn Drive post office in Chula Vista in honor of fallen San Diego police officer Jonathan J.D. De Guzman.

De Guzman was fatally shot while conducting a routine traffic stop in Southcrest last July. His partner, Wade Irwin, was also shot but survived.

An immigrant from the Philippines, De Guzman joined the force in 2000. He served on the departments elite gang suppression team and on the SWAT Team.

In 2003, De Guzman survived a stabbing while on duty, and was awarded a Purple Heart by the department for his valor. Zimmerman said that even after that incident, De Guzman eagerly returned to the force and his passion to protect the public never wavered.

Congresswoman Susan Davis proposed the legislation to designate the post office to De Guzman in September and was signed in to law in December.

The ceremony will take place on Monday and the building will then be known as the Jonathan J.D. De Guzman Post Office Building. Congresswoman Susan Davis and San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman both plan to attend the event.

De Guzman was a husband and father of two.
If you feel like it's been an unusually wet few months this year, you're right.

Now that the month of February is in the books, NBC7 Meteorologist Jodi Kodesh said, San Diego is well above its average rainfall for the rain season, which starts October 1.

San Diego hasn't had an ongoing rainfall average this impressive in over a decade.

Kodesh said that San Diego measured 11.62 inches of rain from October 1 through the last day of February. Normal rainfall for that time period is 7.36 inches, meaning San Diego is 4.26 inches above average.

This is good news for California and San Diego, according to Jeff Stephenson, the Principal Water Resources Specialist for the San Diego County Water Authority.

The state can be in a drought condition, but we really arent in a drought condition, Stephenson said.

One of the reasons the San Diego County Water Authority has declared the San Diego region out of the drought is because San Diego has diversified its water supplies.

We have the desalination plant, recycled water, and imported water from the Colorado River and some from Northern California, he said.

According to Stephenson, most of San Diego Countys 24 reservoirs are about half full right now. Three of them are close to capacity, and the rest are typically used for imported water.

Despite the record-breaking rainfall, he said its still important to conserve.
As Seen On
Alec Baldwin's absence didn't keep "Saturday Night Live" from getting political in this week's cold open sketch. Since much of the news cycle this week focused on President Donald Trump-appointed attorney general Jeff Sessions' possible contact with a Russian ambassador prior to the November election, it made sense that "SNL" set its sights on Sessions.

In what was both an homage to Academy Award-winning film "Forrest Gump" and a straightforward takedown of Sessions' flip-flopping on whether he'd taken meetings with Russian officials, Kate McKinnon presented a hapless, racially insensitive version of the attorney general trying to explain himself to largely uninterested strangers. The sketch takes us to a familiar place: a bus stop bench, where sits a friendly Southern man offering chocolate to strangers.

"My name is Jeff. Jeff Sessions," he says. "I'm the attorney general of the whole United States."

Real-life Sessions recused himself Thursday from leading the investigation into the Trump team's Russia contacts after it was revealed he had met with a Russian ambassador twice prior to the November election. Sessions had denied in a Senate hearing that he had interacted with Russian officials prior to the election.

As NBC News reports, Sessions has agreed to submit amended testimony and respond to senators' questions over his contacts with Russia's ambassador.

Saturday's "SNL" also offered a critique of the muted responses to Trump's actions from prominent Republicans. A trailer for a movie about the one GOP hero who isn't afraid to publicly stand up to Trump left a little to the viewer's imagination.

"Weekend Update" anchors Michael Che and Colin Jost covered the week's biggest news stories, including one that broke just Saturday morning: President Trump claiming  without providing any evidence  that the Obama administration had wiretapped Trump Tower prior to the election.

A spokeperson for former President Obama refuted that any White House official ever ordered surveillance on a U.S. citizen but did not say whether surveillance of Trump Tower was conducted by legal means.

It was unclear where Trump received the information, but the surveillance allegation was raised Friday in an interview on Fox News and in conservative media reports.

"Weekend Update" also welcomed guests Donald Jr. and Eric Trump (Mikey Day and Alex Moffatt), who were there to address concerns about their father's involvement in the family business interests.

Musical guest Father John Misty performed "Total Entertainment Forever" and "Pure Comedy" from his forthcoming Sub Pop album "Pure Comedy."
Prince Georges County, Maryland, fire crews found a body inside a burning home early Sunday morning, according to fire officials.

Crews from Capitol Heights were called to the 5900 block of Crown Street on Sunday, March 5 at 9 a.m. They found a 1  story home with smoke showing.

While one crew worked to put out the fire, a second crew searched the interior and found the body of a person, who has not been identified.

Police and fire investigators are searching for a cause of the fire and the reason for the death. An autopsy will be performed.

The fire caused $55,000 in damages, according to fire officials. There was no working smoke alarm inside the house.

There were no other injuries.
Prince George's County police are searching for a man who was part of an officer-involved shooting in Capitol Heights, Maryland.

Police were called to the 900 block of Kayak Avenue for a report of a fight, police said. When they arrived, a victim said he had been robbed.

An officer spotted a man who matched the robber's description, and the man ran away from the officer, police said.

During the pursuit, the officer and suspect exchanged gunfire. The officer was not hurt, police said.

Police said it's unclear if the man was struck. They continue to search for him.
A shoplifting suspect fatally stabbed a security guard in the Burlington Coat Factory store in Woodbridge, Virginia, Saturday before fleeing the scene, according to Prince William County police.

Two loss prevention employees at the Burlington Coat Factory at 2700 Potomac Mills Circle confronted Jamel Carlos Kingsbury, 35, who they observed shoplifting inside the store, police said.

After the guards confronted Kingsbury when he exited the store, a struggle ensued, and Kingsbury stabbed one of the guards and fled on foot, according to police. Prince William County police arrived to the store at Potomac Mills Mall about 2:30 p.m. and searched the area but could not find Kingsbury.

The guard who was stabbed, Larry Donnell Drumgole, 44, was taken to a hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries, police said. The second employee involved in the encounter was not injured.

Kingsbury is described as a a black man who is 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighing 190 pounds and has black hair and green eyes.

Kingsbury was also involved in a "domestic related call" Saturday morning, police said.

No further information was immediately available.

Anyone with information on Kingsbury's whereabouts is asked to contact police at 703-792-6500 or Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS.
A Massachusetts man is facing several charges after police say he impersonated a police officer while carrying a firearm in Tyngsborough.

Police arrested Kevin Lessard, 45, of Dracut for impersonating a police officer, unlawful possession of ammunition, and carrying a dangerous weapon on Saturday afternoon.

Officers said they were initially called to Pawtucket Boulevard, near the Vesper Country Club, for a report of a vehicle with flashing lights pulled over behind another vehicle. When they arrived at 3:26 p.m., officers found a red Ford Crown Victoria with a New Hampshire license plate and white flashing lights in the rear window.

Police said the way the vehicle was positioned was consistent with police tactical procedures when conducting a traffic stop.

The car had broken down on the side of the road and Lessard told the woman he would standby and wait with her until a tow truck arrived.

As the arriving officer exited his cruiser, Lessard walked toward him and the officer ordered him to stop.

When asked if he had any identification or a firearm, police said Lessard replied that he was indeed carrying a firearm.

Police said after detaining Lessard, they found a loaded 9mm handgun in his pants pocket with seven rounds of ammunition. They also recovered a retractable police-style baton and a black holster.

This was a very dangerous situation. In this case, we have a suspect armed with an illegal handgun and a police-style baton, acting like a police officer, with lights on his vehicle, Tyngsborough Police Chief Richard Howe said. Thankfully, our officers arrived quickly and ensured that no one was harmed.

Lessard was taken into custody and ordered held without bail pending his arraignment Monday in Lowell District Court.

Police want to know if anyone else had similar interactions with Lessard. If so, they are urged to contact Tyngsborough Police.
The New Hampshire State Troopers are searching for man on the loose after escaping from prison.

Christopher Plaisted-Comeau left a housing unit in Manchester, New Hampshire this morning and did not show up at work that day.

He is currently serving a two year sentence for reckless conduct.

Plaisted-Comeau is a 6 foot tall man with red hair and blue eyes. He weighs about 195 pounds.

Anyone with information is asked to contact their local police or reach out to the New Hampshire State Police.
The woman who was killed Saturday when a large tree fell on top of her car in Andover, Massachusetts, has been identified.

Massachusetts State Police say 58-year-old Elizabeth Roszkowski of North Reading had been driving with her husband in a Toyota Camry on Route 125 when the tree fell.

When crews arrived, both victims were trapped inside the vehicle. After being rescued, both husband and wife were rushed to Lawrence General Hospital where Roszkowski later died.

Her husband, whose name has not yet been released, remains hospitalized with serious life-threatening injuries.

Police say the crash remains under investigation but fire officials said the tree was completely rotted at the base and strong winds knocked it over.
The Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus was hit with a ransomware attack, locking 16 Democratic senators and their staff out of their computer network.

The attack was discovered on Friday morning; at the time of publishing, the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus website was still down and displayed an error establishing a database connection message. The same error displays when trying to view each Democratic senators website.

Officials from the caucus have been in contact with law enforcement to investigate the incident and are working with Microsoft to restore the IT system, according to a written statement text-messaged to reporters and obtained by The Hill. It was sent via text, since the caucus could not use its email. There is currently no indication that the caucus system was targeted or that any data has been compromised.

The Senate Democratic offices were open on Friday, but no one could access data or use the network. It was likely a really a productive day.

When the attack first hit the news on Friday, an FBI spokeswoman told NBC that the agency was looking into whether it had been called in. But by Saturday, the FBI's Philadelphia field office told CNN that it is investigating the cyber attack. An FBI spokeswoman said, At this time, were only aware that the PA Senate Democrats are affected.

Networks for state's governor, Republican senators not affected

Republican Pennsylvania senators have their own separate network, which was reportedly not affected. The computer systems for the states governor, also a Democrat, are also separate and unaffected.

While it is not uncommon for in-the-spotlight victims to decline to reveal the ransom demanded, Pennsylvania Democrats spokeswoman Stacey Witalec also would not tell NBC if the data was backed up or if the attackers identified themselves.

When asked if the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus intended to pay the unknown ransom amount, Witalec said, At this point we are working with Microsoft to see where were at.

Pennsylvanias attorney generals office is also looking into the ransomware attack, which it claimed to take very seriously.

Despite the continual flow of news related to ransomware, government and local agencies, police departments, transit systems, hotels, universities, hospitals and even cities' surveillance networks are still falling as victims of such attacks. Bad guys continue to profit, and there is no indication that the ransomware situation will do anything other than get worse.

As Lucian Constantin pointed out, dont back up to an external drive always connected to your computer. He suggested, The best practice is to use what some people call the 3-2-1 rule: at least three copies of the data, stored in two different formats, with at least one of the copies stored off-site or offline.
Representative from Gypsy Council speaks on behalf of travellers

SILCHESTER villagers turned out in force on Tuesday evening at a special meeting to discuss a travellers site under construction without planning permission in the village.

A total of 238 people attended Silchester Village Hall for the Silchester Parish Council extraordinary meeting, chaired by its chairman Simon Mahaffey.

The Little London Road site, at RG7 2PP, is partly situated in and next to a Site of Special Scientific Interest, next to Pamber Forest and adjacent to sewage treatment works.

Mr Mahaffey emphasised the aim was to concentrate on the planning issue.

He said: Im also aware when travellers move they are accused of every problem in that community and thats not fair and I will not tolerate it.

Confirming a retrospective planning application for the site, Gypsy Council representative, Joseph Jones said: The gypsy liaison officer told me there are approximately 24 families on the waiting list and nothing has been done to provide more sites since they were sold off.

One villager queried why the travellers had not bought the land and then applied for planning permission as the rest of the village do. Other villagers called for the site to be restored to its ecology and national importance,

My concerns are if you take trees down, surely thats criminal damage? said one.

However, Hampshire county councillor Keith Chapman said it was a civil, rather than criminal, matter.

Concerns also included tipper lorries entering and leaving the site, a flood zone, and for the ecology, including any pollution of local waterways. Archaeological finds had recently been made in Pamber Forest and the excavator, Reading University, had been notified.

Travellers at the meeting, one of whom said he was born in Tadley, said they had no-where to go. We grew up on the side of the road and no-one here can read or write, said one.

We dont want the same for our children.

I have a sick child at Great Ormond Street hospital. I cant be pushed from pillar to post, thats why Ive put all my savings into this land.

The travellers also offered to repair damage to any verges in the village caused by their vehicles and pointed out donations towards legal costs might be better put towards a judicial review into the borough-wide lack of travellers sites.

Silchester villager John Saltmarsh appealed to villagers to consider that the travellers community included 25 children, likely to attend the village primary school and not to transmit antagonism and stress to them.

Mr Mahaffey said the travellers had moved on to the land on February 18 and 19 and started work to create 13 plots.

A High Court injunction obtained by the borough council was served at the site on February 21.

A motion was passed by the parish council to support action to prevent and remove unlawful works on the site and a show of hands revealed villagers overwhelmingly in favour.

The parish council and Mr Mahaffey were praised at the meeting for their handling of the issue.
Worries cash from village housing scheme allocated to Kingsclere

AN ASHFORD Hill parish councillor has raised concerns that money from a housing development is being allocated to neighbouring Kingsclere.

Parish councillor Ros Wilson said at a recent meeting of Ashford Hill with Headley Parish Council that an unspecified amount of money from a 35-house development opposite Ashford Hill Primary School, has been allocated to Kingsclere.

That actually should be coming into our village, said Mrs Wilson.

Hampshire county councillor Keith Chapman (Con, Calleva and Kingsclere) said the allocation of developers funds was decided by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.
Pramod Thomas By

Express News Service

KOCHI: sitting at the head office of Geojit Financial Services in Kochi, C J George, one of the pioneers in the stock-broking industry in India, says he became an entrepreneur by accident. My interests were in academics.

While I was pursuing my doctorate in finance, I accidentally started this company. Once I was in it, I tried hard to grow the company. Theres no short cut to success. Only hard work and determination will give you sustainable success.

Geojit was founded as a partnership firm by George and Ranajit Kanjilal in 1987. Later, in 1993, Ranajit Kanjilal retired from the firm. The company celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this year.

George hails from Pothanikkadu village in Ernakulam district. An early riser, hes up by 5 am and sets out for a one-hour morning walk. He reads at least a dozen news papers  both English and Malayalam. He also finds time to read business journals and magazines.

I have been very much interested in reading since my school days. Reading helped me a lot in my professional life and also the business. During weekends, I find time to read books. When I get a new book I just navigate through first 15 pages of the book. Then I decide should I complete it or not. Now I am reading The Ivory Throne: Chronicles of the House of Travancore by Manu S Pillai and Changampuzha Park by Malayalam writer Sethu, says George.

He likes to spend time with his family (wife Shiny, sons Jones and Jyothis) as often as he can. His other interest is watching comedy shows on television. I watch movies on flights, he says. The family is planning a north Indian vacation soon.

Travelling is another liking of George. He admires Paris the most. It has an open culture. Though it is the capital of fashion, it is intellectually vibrant. On the streets of Paris, we can see high-level discussions going on various subjects, he says.

On being asked about new-generation business leaders, George says that there are some who have a passion for what they do. But, many are becoming entrepreneurs with the objective of selling the company. I have some serious doubts about it, he signs off.

KOCHI: sitting at the head office of Geojit Financial Services in Kochi, C J George, one of the pioneers in the stock-broking industry in India, says he became an entrepreneur by accident. My interests were in academics. While I was pursuing my doctorate in finance, I accidentally started this company. Once I was in it, I tried hard to grow the company. Theres no short cut to success. Only hard work and determination will give you sustainable success. Geojit was founded as a partnership firm by George and Ranajit Kanjilal in 1987. Later, in 1993, Ranajit Kanjilal retired from the firm. The company celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this year. George hails from Pothanikkadu village in Ernakulam district. An early riser, hes up by 5 am and sets out for a one-hour morning walk. He reads at least a dozen news papers  both English and Malayalam. He also finds time to read business journals and magazines. I have been very much interested in reading since my school days. Reading helped me a lot in my professional life and also the business. During weekends, I find time to read books. When I get a new book I just navigate through first 15 pages of the book. Then I decide should I complete it or not. Now I am reading The Ivory Throne: Chronicles of the House of Travancore by Manu S Pillai and Changampuzha Park by Malayalam writer Sethu, says George. He likes to spend time with his family (wife Shiny, sons Jones and Jyothis) as often as he can. His other interest is watching comedy shows on television. I watch movies on flights, he says. The family is planning a north Indian vacation soon. Travelling is another liking of George. He admires Paris the most. It has an open culture. Though it is the capital of fashion, it is intellectually vibrant. On the streets of Paris, we can see high-level discussions going on various subjects, he says. On being asked about new-generation business leaders, George says that there are some who have a passion for what they do. But, many are becoming entrepreneurs with the objective of selling the company. I have some serious doubts about it, he signs off.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The recent changes made by Canada in its Temporary Foreign Workers Programme have made it difficult for Indian companies to send employees to their Canadian units on short-term visas, India has informed Canada.

Raising the issue with visiting Canadian officials, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said this impacts services trade. In response, the Canadian officials have said they will take necessary steps to ease the movement of professionals.

The issue was raised at a meeting between Canadian Minister of International Trade Francois-Philippe Champagne and Sitharaman in Delhi on Friday.

She discussed the importance of the ease of movement for intra-company transfers on short term visa for filling in certain crucial and specialised activities, the commerce ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The Indian side cited certain examples and said that a few companies here which have made investments in Canada are finding it difficult to source key employees from India as intra-company transferees.

The Canadian minister assured that a number of steps have been taken to facilitate the ease of movement for professionals into the North American country, said the commerce ministry statement added.

Champagne said that under the Global Skill Strategy Programme, visa applications for high-skilled technicians, professors and researchers will be disposed of within two weeks time.

Similarly, for professionals visiting for less than a year, a fast-track process is being set up, the statement said, adding that this will be extended on a priority basis to companies which have invested in Canada.

Both the ministers also agreed to expedite the conclusion of bilateral investment promotion and protection agreement and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

The two countries are negotiating CEPA, under which duties will be eliminated or significantly reduced on goods.

NEW DELHI: The recent changes made by Canada in its Temporary Foreign Workers Programme have made it difficult for Indian companies to send employees to their Canadian units on short-term visas, India has informed Canada. Raising the issue with visiting Canadian officials, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said this impacts services trade. In response, the Canadian officials have said they will take necessary steps to ease the movement of professionals. The issue was raised at a meeting between Canadian Minister of International Trade Francois-Philippe Champagne and Sitharaman in Delhi on Friday. She discussed the importance of the ease of movement for intra-company transfers on short term visa for filling in certain crucial and specialised activities, the commerce ministry said in a statement on Saturday. The Indian side cited certain examples and said that a few companies here which have made investments in Canada are finding it difficult to source key employees from India as intra-company transferees. The Canadian minister assured that a number of steps have been taken to facilitate the ease of movement for professionals into the North American country, said the commerce ministry statement added. Champagne said that under the Global Skill Strategy Programme, visa applications for high-skilled technicians, professors and researchers will be disposed of within two weeks time. Similarly, for professionals visiting for less than a year, a fast-track process is being set up, the statement said, adding that this will be extended on a priority basis to companies which have invested in Canada. Both the ministers also agreed to expedite the conclusion of bilateral investment promotion and protection agreement and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. The two countries are negotiating CEPA, under which duties will be eliminated or significantly reduced on goods.
By Express News Service

AAP-led Delhi government will present its budget for 2017-18 from Monday. The five-day Budget session will begin with the address of newly-appointed Lt Governor Anil Baijal, his first after assuming office last December. The session will also see a first in the form of an outcome Budget, where the government will put out the expected outcome of expenditure under specific heads.

The opposition BJP has also geared itself up to corner the government over its unfulfilled promises. It has accused the government of building castles in the air. Like last year, education and health sectors are likely to take a big chunk of the Budget with around 25 per cent of the total allocation likely to be set aside for education. According to the sources, departments will see a major cut in budget allocation.

The government has woven beautiful dreams in the pre-budget addresses. This is in keeping with its old practice as reflected in the last two budgets, Leader of the Opposition Vijender Gupta said.

The government is also likely to allocate Rs 350 crore as Swaraj Fund in the Budget, although it has not been able to use an equal amount under the same head as the proposal to constitute mohalla sabhas still awaits the Lt Governors approval.

The proposal to create these hyper-local bodies, with the stated objective of decentralizing governance, still awaits the nod of the Lt Governor. All development work was to be implemented through participation of public at grassroot level. A fund of Rs 253 crore was earmarked for it. During his second budget speech last year, allocation of Rs 350 crore was earmarked for it. But till this day the mohalla sabhas have not seen the light of the day. The government promised participatory budget is nowhere to be seen, Gupta said.

AAP-led Delhi government will present its budget for 2017-18 from Monday. The five-day Budget session will begin with the address of newly-appointed Lt Governor Anil Baijal, his first after assuming office last December. The session will also see a first in the form of an outcome Budget, where the government will put out the expected outcome of expenditure under specific heads. The opposition BJP has also geared itself up to corner the government over its unfulfilled promises. It has accused the government of building castles in the air. Like last year, education and health sectors are likely to take a big chunk of the Budget with around 25 per cent of the total allocation likely to be set aside for education. According to the sources, departments will see a major cut in budget allocation. The government has woven beautiful dreams in the pre-budget addresses. This is in keeping with its old practice as reflected in the last two budgets, Leader of the Opposition Vijender Gupta said. The government is also likely to allocate Rs 350 crore as Swaraj Fund in the Budget, although it has not been able to use an equal amount under the same head as the proposal to constitute mohalla sabhas still awaits the Lt Governors approval. The proposal to create these hyper-local bodies, with the stated objective of decentralizing governance, still awaits the nod of the Lt Governor. All development work was to be implemented through participation of public at grassroot level. A fund of Rs 253 crore was earmarked for it. During his second budget speech last year, allocation of Rs 350 crore was earmarked for it. But till this day the mohalla sabhas have not seen the light of the day. The government promised participatory budget is nowhere to be seen, Gupta said.
By ANI

HYDERABAD: Two Muslim women from Hyderabad were divorced over WhatsApp and e-mail by their husbands, who live in the United States.

The two ladies, Syeda Hina Fatima and Mehreen Noor, who were married to two brothers have registered a police complaint against their in-laws who reportedly threw them out of the house. The sisters, who have not received any documents, say this is not valid under the Islamic law.

My husband put 'Talaq Talaq Talaq' as his WhatsApp display picture and messaged same saying everything is finished. He said this is how it is done these days. How can it be done on WhatsApp? The notice came to my house, but I rejected, Mehreen Noor told ANI.

Mehreen Noor got married to Usman Qureshi, a senior analyst at Seven Heaven Medical Agency, in 2015. Her sister-in-law Heena Fatima, who is married to Usmans elder brother Syed Fayazuddin, was divorced in a similar manner six months ago.

I am pregnant and he gave me divorce which is not possible because one cannot give divorce to a pregnant woman, Fatima said.

Fatima lodged a complaint against her husband Fayazuddin and his parents six months back after he sent her divorce papers from the US.

Several women have filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking the quashing of the triple talaq practice.

The Centre has also told the top court that it is against gender injustice.

However, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board has defended the practice, saying it is better to divorce a woman than kill her.

The rights bestowed by religion cant be questioned in a court of law, it said.

HYDERABAD: Two Muslim women from Hyderabad were divorced over WhatsApp and e-mail by their husbands, who live in the United States. The two ladies, Syeda Hina Fatima and Mehreen Noor, who were married to two brothers have registered a police complaint against their in-laws who reportedly threw them out of the house. The sisters, who have not received any documents, say this is not valid under the Islamic law. My husband put 'Talaq Talaq Talaq' as his WhatsApp display picture and messaged same saying everything is finished. He said this is how it is done these days. How can it be done on WhatsApp? The notice came to my house, but I rejected, Mehreen Noor told ANI. Mehreen Noor got married to Usman Qureshi, a senior analyst at Seven Heaven Medical Agency, in 2015. Her sister-in-law Heena Fatima, who is married to Usmans elder brother Syed Fayazuddin, was divorced in a similar manner six months ago. I am pregnant and he gave me divorce which is not possible because one cannot give divorce to a pregnant woman, Fatima said. Fatima lodged a complaint against her husband Fayazuddin and his parents six months back after he sent her divorce papers from the US. Several women have filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking the quashing of the triple talaq practice. The Centre has also told the top court that it is against gender injustice. However, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board has defended the practice, saying it is better to divorce a woman than kill her. The rights bestowed by religion cant be questioned in a court of law, it said.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: No wind can beat the Grand Cherokee as it majestically sways across the bumpy 25-acre circuit at Kunjunikara near Aluva. The instructor who takes the Express team for a ride on this all-power luxury XUV as part of the Camp Jeep programme organised here, means business. He gives them the real taste of the Cherokee as it takes an adventurous ride on seven types of terrains at the circuit.

To test its traction capabilities, the auto transmission Grand Cherokee, passed through an extremely tough terrain.

Then it maneuvered the 20 step stair and similar number of descending steps. It seemed like a cakewalk. Another 62 degree steep ascend followed by a descend testing down the hill to check its holding capability was just another day in the office for the three litre V6 diesel powered engine. With 570 NM torque and 243 BHP power, there was nothing that the Grand Cherokee seemed not to cross over. With higher approach angle and wheelbase, the SUV never took a beating even as it faced steep declines. To endure rocky conditions, the driver needs only to change the mode to rocky condition.

The SUV was also tested through axle twisting trenches. Whether it is rough terrain or plane land, comfort inside Cherokee was commendable.

However, it is the Wrangler which is suited for the hardcore off rider tag with it look and driving capability. We had conducted Camp Jeep in five cities before arriving in Kochi.

After Kochi, Bengaluru will be the next venue.  Our aim is to showcase there is nothing impossible for Grand Cherokee and Jeep Wrangler compared to similar displacement SUVs available now, an instructor said.

Jeep will soon open a new showroom at Kochi.

KOCHI: No wind can beat the Grand Cherokee as it majestically sways across the bumpy 25-acre circuit at Kunjunikara near Aluva. The instructor who takes the Express team for a ride on this all-power luxury XUV as part of the Camp Jeep programme organised here, means business. He gives them the real taste of the Cherokee as it takes an adventurous ride on seven types of terrains at the circuit. To test its traction capabilities, the auto transmission Grand Cherokee, passed through an extremely tough terrain. Then it maneuvered the 20 step stair and similar number of descending steps. It seemed like a cakewalk. Another 62 degree steep ascend followed by a descend testing down the hill to check its holding capability was just another day in the office for the three litre V6 diesel powered engine. With 570 NM torque and 243 BHP power, there was nothing that the Grand Cherokee seemed not to cross over. With higher approach angle and wheelbase, the SUV never took a beating even as it faced steep declines. To endure rocky conditions, the driver needs only to change the mode to rocky condition. The SUV was also tested through axle twisting trenches. Whether it is rough terrain or plane land, comfort inside Cherokee was commendable. However, it is the Wrangler which is suited for the hardcore off rider tag with it look and driving capability. We had conducted Camp Jeep in five cities before arriving in Kochi. After Kochi, Bengaluru will be the next venue.  Our aim is to showcase there is nothing impossible for Grand Cherokee and Jeep Wrangler compared to similar displacement SUVs available now, an instructor said. Jeep will soon open a new showroom at Kochi.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: Czech Republic last year saw a fifty per cent increase in the number of Indian tourists visiting the country than previous years, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Czech Republic Milan Hovorka said on Friday. He was speaking on the sidelines of the inaugural function of VFS Global Services Visa Centre here.

Last year, around 66,000 Indian tourists visited the country. We hope the number will touch one lakh soon. With the opening of new visa centre in Kochi, we expect more visitors will come to our country, said Hovorka.

He added that Czech Republic had become a centre of attraction for tourists from all countries.

By mid-2017, around 16 visa centres will become operational in India. We also plan to set up a visa centre at Thiruvananthapuram by the time, he said.

The official revealed that a sister-city agreement was in the offing to attract tourists to both the countries.

As part of showcasing our countrys destinations, we have asked filmmakers of the Hindi film industry to shoot parts of their movies at tourist places of Czech Republic. This will boost the tourism prospects of the country, he said.

Kochi Mayor Soumini Jain, Chief Operating Officer of VFS Global Vinay Malhotra attended the inaugural function.

With the new visa centre functional in Kochi, people will not have to travel to Chennai, Delhi or Bengaluru to collect visa. They will be relieved, said Jain.

KOCHI: Czech Republic last year saw a fifty per cent increase in the number of Indian tourists visiting the country than previous years, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Czech Republic Milan Hovorka said on Friday. He was speaking on the sidelines of the inaugural function of VFS Global Services Visa Centre here. Last year, around 66,000 Indian tourists visited the country. We hope the number will touch one lakh soon. With the opening of new visa centre in Kochi, we expect more visitors will come to our country, said Hovorka. He added that Czech Republic had become a centre of attraction for tourists from all countries. By mid-2017, around 16 visa centres will become operational in India. We also plan to set up a visa centre at Thiruvananthapuram by the time, he said. The official revealed that a sister-city agreement was in the offing to attract tourists to both the countries. As part of showcasing our countrys destinations, we have asked filmmakers of the Hindi film industry to shoot parts of their movies at tourist places of Czech Republic. This will boost the tourism prospects of the country, he said. Kochi Mayor Soumini Jain, Chief Operating Officer of VFS Global Vinay Malhotra attended the inaugural function. With the new visa centre functional in Kochi, people will not have to travel to Chennai, Delhi or Bengaluru to collect visa. They will be relieved, said Jain.
A Sharadhaa By

Express News Service

Sruthi Hariharan seems to be in a happy place right now. The actress who is currently shooting for Prakash Jayarams Tarak with Darshan is all excited to get back to Mollywood, where she began her film journey.

According to the latest buzz, she will be joining the cast of Solo, a bilingual film to be made in Malayalam and Tamil, which will also see director Bejoy Nambiar and actor Dulquer Salmaan working together for the first time. Shooting for the film had started last November and Sruthi is the new entrant.

Sruthi Hariharan

The actress, who did a screen test, will join the sets sometime in mid-March.

Sruthi started her career in the south with a Malaylam film Cinema Company, and later established herself in Kannada and Tamil industries. Ask the actress about the Bejoy-Dulquer film and she cant contain her glee: Coming back to this industry after 5 years, I couldnt have asked for more. The picture looks bigger and better.

Bejoy Nambiar was always on Sruthis wishlist, and another director on it is Rajeev Menon. Being a ardent fan of director Bejoy, I had watched his film Wazir first day-first show. His body of work is interesting... I dont know if I should go as a fan or as an actor. But I am certain to be star-struck, she says.

The actress is equally happy to be working with Dulquer. He has made his mark with his acting talent, she says.

Sruthi will start on a short schedule. It is going to be a new experience, to be working with such a professional team, she says. Going by the interactions I have been having with team, I am already kicked about starting shoot, she says.

Sruthi Hariharan seems to be in a happy place right now. The actress who is currently shooting for Prakash Jayarams Tarak with Darshan is all excited to get back to Mollywood, where she began her film journey. According to the latest buzz, she will be joining the cast of Solo, a bilingual film to be made in Malayalam and Tamil, which will also see director Bejoy Nambiar and actor Dulquer Salmaan working together for the first time. Shooting for the film had started last November and Sruthi is the new entrant. Sruthi HariharanThe actress, who did a screen test, will join the sets sometime in mid-March. Sruthi started her career in the south with a Malaylam film Cinema Company, and later established herself in Kannada and Tamil industries. Ask the actress about the Bejoy-Dulquer film and she cant contain her glee: Coming back to this industry after 5 years, I couldnt have asked for more. The picture looks bigger and better. Bejoy Nambiar was always on Sruthis wishlist, and another director on it is Rajeev Menon. Being a ardent fan of director Bejoy, I had watched his film Wazir first day-first show. His body of work is interesting... I dont know if I should go as a fan or as an actor. But I am certain to be star-struck, she says. The actress is equally happy to be working with Dulquer. He has made his mark with his acting talent, she says. Sruthi will start on a short schedule. It is going to be a new experience, to be working with such a professional team, she says. Going by the interactions I have been having with team, I am already kicked about starting shoot, she says.
Swati Sanyal Tarafdar By

Creativity knows no bound. An artist may find muse amidst the most mundane stuff; it can even be a teaspoon of instant coffee powder. And with some enthusiasm and sincerity, one can make an occupation out of it.

Gurgaon-based Amita Dutta, who is hearing impaired by birth, is one such artist, for she never let her impairment break her journey towards her dreams. The 45-year-olds innovative coffee paintings have found homes in the hearts and living rooms of many; her monochromatic pictures have got her accolades, a stable career, and the best entrepreneur award from the President in the category of hearing-impaired persons in 2012.

She communicates using her fingers and her mother-in-law, Deep Dutta, modulates the message. She feels painting with coffee is almost like painting with water colours, and basics remain the same.

Water is added to coffee powder in varying proportions to get hues of different intensity. Coffee is sticky and follows its own way. Also, one has to wait at every step for drying, otherwise the picture will crumble, crack or develop fungus, says Deep, interpreting Amitas message.

A painter working with coffee has to be very patient. It is literally back-breaking because the artist has to stand or stoop while painting. Probably these are the reasons why painting with coffee has not picked up so enthusiastically by art lovers, she says.

Amita, who chose painting as a medium of expression in 2008, got the reward for her hard work in the form of admiration. From writers to painters, corporates to homemakers, students to celebrities, government officials, chief ministers and governors, everyone praised her. Even if people dont buy the paintings, they admire her work, says Deep, who has remained her guiding angel since the day Amita entered her house as a bride 25 years ago.

Amita learned painting and arts from Savitri Polytechnic in Gurgaon, in 2008, and came across the painting technique using coffee in one of its weekly workshops. The uniqueness of style and ingredient caught her fancy, and innovation met coffee painting in Amitas hands. She experimented with various techniques and media and crafted a new art form for herself.

I am proud that she has given a new shape to the basic techniques learnt in the workshop. It has evolved in an imaginative and beautiful way in her work. She has surpassed her alma mater, says Deep.

Amita also uses glass colour, home-made dough, and ceramic powders for outlining the patterns, and then fills them with colours and coffee.

Amitas story of success is also the story of her mother-in-laws conviction. Her experiences with her hearing-impaired son helped her understand Amitas predicament.

She was aghast to find that her parents had given up on her. Even the principal had expelled her from school, when she was in Class IX, with the excuse that she would bring disrepute to the school if she failed in board exams, Deep says.

She taught American sign language to Amita to help her communicate. She made her study and take board exams through the National Institute of Open Schooling, and also encouraged her to complete a three-year course in interior designing so that she could lend a hand in the family-owned interior decoration and furniture business.

Amita now holds exhibitions, and also works for corporate organisations on commission. Being creative and unique was the mantra, says Deep.

They unanimously agree that thinking out of the box, keeping it unusual, and catering to peoples choices have helped Amita create her identity despite all her challenges.

Deep is happy today as Amita has turned out to be an independent and confident woman taking decisions for her art, family, and business. She is a good manager and exceptional in crisis management. I may be her strength backstage, but ultimately she is the doer, Deep says.

Giving a message to all going through a low phase in life, Amita says: You need to be who you are. Nature has so much to offer. You just need a little imagination, creativity, and willingness to push your boundaries, and not feel defeated.

Creativity knows no bound. An artist may find muse amidst the most mundane stuff; it can even be a teaspoon of instant coffee powder. And with some enthusiasm and sincerity, one can make an occupation out of it. Gurgaon-based Amita Dutta, who is hearing impaired by birth, is one such artist, for she never let her impairment break her journey towards her dreams. The 45-year-olds innovative coffee paintings have found homes in the hearts and living rooms of many; her monochromatic pictures have got her accolades, a stable career, and the best entrepreneur award from the President in the category of hearing-impaired persons in 2012. She communicates using her fingers and her mother-in-law, Deep Dutta, modulates the message. She feels painting with coffee is almost like painting with water colours, and basics remain the same. Water is added to coffee powder in varying proportions to get hues of different intensity. Coffee is sticky and follows its own way. Also, one has to wait at every step for drying, otherwise the picture will crumble, crack or develop fungus, says Deep, interpreting Amitas message. A painter working with coffee has to be very patient. It is literally back-breaking because the artist has to stand or stoop while painting. Probably these are the reasons why painting with coffee has not picked up so enthusiastically by art lovers, she says. Amita, who chose painting as a medium of expression in 2008, got the reward for her hard work in the form of admiration. From writers to painters, corporates to homemakers, students to celebrities, government officials, chief ministers and governors, everyone praised her. Even if people dont buy the paintings, they admire her work, says Deep, who has remained her guiding angel since the day Amita entered her house as a bride 25 years ago. Amita learned painting and arts from Savitri Polytechnic in Gurgaon, in 2008, and came across the painting technique using coffee in one of its weekly workshops. The uniqueness of style and ingredient caught her fancy, and innovation met coffee painting in Amitas hands. She experimented with various techniques and media and crafted a new art form for herself. I am proud that she has given a new shape to the basic techniques learnt in the workshop. It has evolved in an imaginative and beautiful way in her work. She has surpassed her alma mater, says Deep. Amita also uses glass colour, home-made dough, and ceramic powders for outlining the patterns, and then fills them with colours and coffee. Amitas story of success is also the story of her mother-in-laws conviction. Her experiences with her hearing-impaired son helped her understand Amitas predicament. She was aghast to find that her parents had given up on her. Even the principal had expelled her from school, when she was in Class IX, with the excuse that she would bring disrepute to the school if she failed in board exams, Deep says. She taught American sign language to Amita to help her communicate. She made her study and take board exams through the National Institute of Open Schooling, and also encouraged her to complete a three-year course in interior designing so that she could lend a hand in the family-owned interior decoration and furniture business. Amita now holds exhibitions, and also works for corporate organisations on commission. Being creative and unique was the mantra, says Deep. They unanimously agree that thinking out of the box, keeping it unusual, and catering to peoples choices have helped Amita create her identity despite all her challenges. Deep is happy today as Amita has turned out to be an independent and confident woman taking decisions for her art, family, and business. She is a good manager and exceptional in crisis management. I may be her strength backstage, but ultimately she is the doer, Deep says. Giving a message to all going through a low phase in life, Amita says: You need to be who you are. Nature has so much to offer. You just need a little imagination, creativity, and willingness to push your boundaries, and not feel defeated.
Ritu Sharma By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh polls have kept Prime Minister Narendra Modi so busy that he has not embarked on a foreign tour since November 2016. His first travel abroad this year is expected in June, to Moscow.

This huge gap is at odds with his initial whirlwind trips across the globe.

After that his next big trip will be to Israel. He will be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the country bringing Indias stand on the controversial Israel-Palestine issue to the fore.

In 2016, Modi visited 18 countriesmore than one every month. In 2015, the figure was 27, amounting to more than twice a month.

After assuming power in June 2014, he travelled 10 times abroad; more than once in six monthsa total of 55 foreign visits since he took over.

Modi will be attending the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia in June this year.

NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh polls have kept Prime Minister Narendra Modi so busy that he has not embarked on a foreign tour since November 2016. His first travel abroad this year is expected in June, to Moscow. This huge gap is at odds with his initial whirlwind trips across the globe. After that his next big trip will be to Israel. He will be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the country bringing Indias stand on the controversial Israel-Palestine issue to the fore. In 2016, Modi visited 18 countriesmore than one every month. In 2015, the figure was 27, amounting to more than twice a month. After assuming power in June 2014, he travelled 10 times abroad; more than once in six monthsa total of 55 foreign visits since he took over. Modi will be attending the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia in June this year.
By Online Desk

AMBEDKARNAGAR (UP): Ruing the Uttar Pradesh government's failure to arrest its rape-accused minister Gayatri Prajapati, the BJP on Sunday listed sending the minister "behind bars" as one of the first task if it forms the government in the state.

Addressing an election rally here, BJP chief Amit Shah said, "As soon as the BJP forms the government in UP on March 11, we would search (Gayatri Prasad) Prajapati even from the hell and send him to jail."

Prajapati holds transport department portfolio in Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's Council of ministers, but is facing arrest following a Supreme Court order to lodge an FIR against him for his alleged role in a rape case.

Shah also alleged that the rape-accused minister campaigned for the Samajwadi Party for nearly six days, and even exercised his voting rights on February 27.

"But, the police was not able to do anything. On the other hand, the CM appealed to Gayatri to surrender. The job of the police is to hold the criminal by the collar and send him behind bars," said Shah amid a thunderous applause from the crowd.

He added, "Akhilesh claims that 'kaam bolta hai' (actions speak). But, the reality is that UP tops in crime against women and here 'karnama bolta hai' (misdeeds speak)."

Shah also pointed out to the crowd that it was on the apex court's order that the FIR was lodged against Prajapati.

In reply to various parties ridiculing the PM's 'acchhe din' (good days) slogan, the BJP chief said, "Hear this loud and clear, UP's 'acchhe din' would begin from 1 pm on March 11 as soon as the BJP would form its government in UP."

(With PTI inputs)

AMBEDKARNAGAR (UP): Ruing the Uttar Pradesh government's failure to arrest its rape-accused minister Gayatri Prajapati, the BJP on Sunday listed sending the minister "behind bars" as one of the first task if it forms the government in the state. Addressing an election rally here, BJP chief Amit Shah said, "As soon as the BJP forms the government in UP on March 11, we would search (Gayatri Prasad) Prajapati even from the hell and send him to jail." Prajapati holds transport department portfolio in Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's Council of ministers, but is facing arrest following a Supreme Court order to lodge an FIR against him for his alleged role in a rape case. Shah also alleged that the rape-accused minister campaigned for the Samajwadi Party for nearly six days, and even exercised his voting rights on February 27. "But, the police was not able to do anything. On the other hand, the CM appealed to Gayatri to surrender. The job of the police is to hold the criminal by the collar and send him behind bars," said Shah amid a thunderous applause from the crowd. He added, "Akhilesh claims that 'kaam bolta hai' (actions speak). But, the reality is that UP tops in crime against women and here 'karnama bolta hai' (misdeeds speak)." Shah also pointed out to the crowd that it was on the apex court's order that the FIR was lodged against Prajapati. In reply to various parties ridiculing the PM's 'acchhe din' (good days) slogan, the BJP chief said, "Hear this loud and clear, UP's 'acchhe din' would begin from 1 pm on March 11 as soon as the BJP would form its government in UP." (With PTI inputs)
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: The ruling Samajwadi Party, already on the back foot over the Gayatri Prajapati imbroglio, is now finding itself under immense pressure from various quarters to nab the tainted Minister. The Minister is an accused in a case of gang-rape and molestation.

Governor Ram Naik shot off a letter to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday asking him how the minister was still continuing to be a member in his cabinet. Raj Bhawan sources said that Naik sought the state governments reasons to retain the tainted Transport Minister in cabinet even when he was booked under various sections of the IPC and against whom POCSO Act had been invoked.

Tightening the noose around Prajapati, Amethi district administration suspended Lekhpal Ashok Tiwari, a close aide of the Minister and a co-accused in the gang-rape case. State authorities also initiated letters of suspension to the respective departments of other two accused, Chandrapal and Rupesh. Chandrapal is a head constable at security headquarters in Lucknow and Rupesh works in the Secretariat.

State Director General of Police Javeed Ahmad said that police were making all out efforts to arrest the absconding Minister. Senior police officials said that cops were conducting raids on all possible hideouts in Lucknow, Kanpur, Unnao and Amethi to trace the minister who went absconding a day after casting vote in his constituency Amethi on February 27.

Meanwhile, close on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modis Gayatri Prajapati Mantra jibe on Saturday, BJP chief Amit Shah said on Sunday that sending the accused minister behind the bars was one of the first tasks BJP would achieve after coming to power in the state. He was addressing an election rally in Ambedkarnagar in Uttar Pradesh.



Echoing Shah, state BJP chief Keshav Maurya said in a Tweet that if the UP Chief Minister was not able to catch hold of his favourite absconding minister, he could at least sack him from his cabinet.

UP BJP general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak also joined the diatribe against Prajapati by saying that Akhilesh Yadav was providing protection to the rape accused minister on one hand and making tall claims during his election meetings on the other hand.

In the last couple of days, non-bailable warrants were issued against the absconding Minister and six other persons. His passport was impounded and a look-out notice was issued against him. On the directives of the Supreme Court issued on February 17, Uttar Pradesh police had lodged an FIR and invoked POCSO Act against Prajapati in connection with separate cases of gang-rape and attempt to rape another woman and her minor daughter the next day.

LUCKNOW: The ruling Samajwadi Party, already on the back foot over the Gayatri Prajapati imbroglio, is now finding itself under immense pressure from various quarters to nab the tainted Minister. The Minister is an accused in a case of gang-rape and molestation. Governor Ram Naik shot off a letter to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday asking him how the minister was still continuing to be a member in his cabinet. Raj Bhawan sources said that Naik sought the state governments reasons to retain the tainted Transport Minister in cabinet even when he was booked under various sections of the IPC and against whom POCSO Act had been invoked. Tightening the noose around Prajapati, Amethi district administration suspended Lekhpal Ashok Tiwari, a close aide of the Minister and a co-accused in the gang-rape case. State authorities also initiated letters of suspension to the respective departments of other two accused, Chandrapal and Rupesh. Chandrapal is a head constable at security headquarters in Lucknow and Rupesh works in the Secretariat. State Director General of Police Javeed Ahmad said that police were making all out efforts to arrest the absconding Minister. Senior police officials said that cops were conducting raids on all possible hideouts in Lucknow, Kanpur, Unnao and Amethi to trace the minister who went absconding a day after casting vote in his constituency Amethi on February 27. Meanwhile, close on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modis Gayatri Prajapati Mantra jibe on Saturday, BJP chief Amit Shah said on Sunday that sending the accused minister behind the bars was one of the first tasks BJP would achieve after coming to power in the state. He was addressing an election rally in Ambedkarnagar in Uttar Pradesh. Echoing Shah, state BJP chief Keshav Maurya said in a Tweet that if the UP Chief Minister was not able to catch hold of his favourite absconding minister, he could at least sack him from his cabinet. UP BJP general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak also joined the diatribe against Prajapati by saying that Akhilesh Yadav was providing protection to the rape accused minister on one hand and making tall claims during his election meetings on the other hand. In the last couple of days, non-bailable warrants were issued against the absconding Minister and six other persons. His passport was impounded and a look-out notice was issued against him. On the directives of the Supreme Court issued on February 17, Uttar Pradesh police had lodged an FIR and invoked POCSO Act against Prajapati in connection with separate cases of gang-rape and attempt to rape another woman and her minor daughter the next day.
Harpreet Bajwa By

Express News Service

CHANDIGARH: The tallest national flag in the country measuring 360 feet was hoisted on Sunday at the Attari-Wagah joint checkpost in Punjab. Earlier, the record was held by the one in Ranchi which is 293 feet high. The new flag can be seen from Lahore in Pakistan.

The flag is 120 feet in length, 80 feet in breadth and is hosted on a pole which is 360 feet high. The concrete base is 30 feet in length and another 30 feet in breadth. The foundation has been designed in such a way that the flag will be able to withstand high velocity winds up to 180 km an hour, said sources.

Punjab Local Bodies Minister and senior BJP leader Anil Joshi hoisted the flag. The contract for maintenance of the flag has been given to a private company for three years, he said.

Joshi said that the flag will be an attraction for the tourists who visit the Attari border to watch the Beating the Retreat ceremony.

The cost of the project, borne by the Amritsar Improvement Trust, was around Rs 3.6 crore. This all-weather flag based on motorized mechanism will be lowered only in case of wear and tear.

Pakistan Rangers have already objected to the installation of the flag and conveyed the same to the BSF, said sources.

CHANDIGARH: The tallest national flag in the country measuring 360 feet was hoisted on Sunday at the Attari-Wagah joint checkpost in Punjab. Earlier, the record was held by the one in Ranchi which is 293 feet high. The new flag can be seen from Lahore in Pakistan. The flag is 120 feet in length, 80 feet in breadth and is hosted on a pole which is 360 feet high. The concrete base is 30 feet in length and another 30 feet in breadth. The foundation has been designed in such a way that the flag will be able to withstand high velocity winds up to 180 km an hour, said sources. Punjab Local Bodies Minister and senior BJP leader Anil Joshi hoisted the flag. The contract for maintenance of the flag has been given to a private company for three years, he said. Joshi said that the flag will be an attraction for the tourists who visit the Attari border to watch the Beating the Retreat ceremony. The cost of the project, borne by the Amritsar Improvement Trust, was around Rs 3.6 crore. This all-weather flag based on motorized mechanism will be lowered only in case of wear and tear. Pakistan Rangers have already objected to the installation of the flag and conveyed the same to the BSF, said sources.
By Express News Service

MUMBAI: The Opposition Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday made it clear that the crop loan waiver would be their prime demand during the budget session of Maharashtra legislature starting March 6.

Leaders from the two parties also called on Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao in the evening to push the demand.

The Shiv Sena too said that it was firm on its demand of complete crop loan waiver, even as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reiterated the government's stand that the farmers need to be financially empowered before going in for the crop loan waiver to make the step more effective.

"We firmly believe that empowering farmers would help them to come out of the vicious cycle of crop loans in the long run. This is the sustainable and long-term solution. We have taken several measures in that direction. We would like the Opposition to join hands with us to solve the problems plaguing the state," Fadnavis said, while addressing the media after the customary tea party on the eve of assembly session.

Opposition leaders also made it clear that it would not be possible for them to bring the no-trust motion due to lack of numbers.

"Looking at the dip in CM's credibility, we appeal to them to face the trust motion once again," leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said, while addressing the media on Sunday.

Shiv Sena ministers addressed a separate press conference after CM Fadnavis addressed the media. Senior Sena leader and environment minister Ramdas Kadam demanded that the government should bring in an amendment to open up state cabinet meetings for journalists and Lokayukta to bring in transparency in the state government's decision-making.

He, however, made it clear while replying to a query that all the Shiv Sena ministers had kept their resignation letters away. It may be recalled that Kadam had said a few days back that he and a few other ministers were carrying their resignation letters.

MUMBAI: The Opposition Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday made it clear that the crop loan waiver would be their prime demand during the budget session of Maharashtra legislature starting March 6. Leaders from the two parties also called on Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao in the evening to push the demand. The Shiv Sena too said that it was firm on its demand of complete crop loan waiver, even as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reiterated the government's stand that the farmers need to be financially empowered before going in for the crop loan waiver to make the step more effective. "We firmly believe that empowering farmers would help them to come out of the vicious cycle of crop loans in the long run. This is the sustainable and long-term solution. We have taken several measures in that direction. We would like the Opposition to join hands with us to solve the problems plaguing the state," Fadnavis said, while addressing the media after the customary tea party on the eve of assembly session. Opposition leaders also made it clear that it would not be possible for them to bring the no-trust motion due to lack of numbers. "Looking at the dip in CM's credibility, we appeal to them to face the trust motion once again," leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said, while addressing the media on Sunday. Shiv Sena ministers addressed a separate press conference after CM Fadnavis addressed the media. Senior Sena leader and environment minister Ramdas Kadam demanded that the government should bring in an amendment to open up state cabinet meetings for journalists and Lokayukta to bring in transparency in the state government's decision-making. He, however, made it clear while replying to a query that all the Shiv Sena ministers had kept their resignation letters away. It may be recalled that Kadam had said a few days back that he and a few other ministers were carrying their resignation letters.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Public interest litigation (PIL) cannot be used as a "weapon to challenge financial or economic decisions", the RBI has told the Delhi High Court opposing a plea against the surcharge on credit and debit card transactions.

The plea has alleged that the surcharge levied by the banks and the financial institutions on credit and debit card transactions was "illegal" and "discriminatory".

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has urged a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal to dismiss the PIL.

"The decisions are taken by the RBI in exercise of its administrative/statutory powers and in public interest.

"The issues in the writ petition pertain purely to the economic policy of the state and the challenge to the same at the instance of a public-spirited person cannot fall within the parameters of PIL, as has been laid down by the Supreme Court from time to time," the RBI submitted.

The response of the federal bank came on the PIL filed by advocate Amit Sahni who alleged that though Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation move was beneficial, the decision to levy surcharge on credit and debit card transactions was "highly unfortunate".

"The issue raised in the present petition almost affects everyone operating a bank account," the plea said, adding that the "unlawful, unequal and arbitrary treatment is visible in the payment of petrol charges through credit and debit cards".

The lawyer said that levying surcharge is not only illegal and discriminatory but it also promotes circulation of black money.

The RBI, however, refuted the petitioner's contention and said that it has neither violated any fundamental right or any legal right of the petitioner or any citizen of India.

NEW DELHI: Public interest litigation (PIL) cannot be used as a "weapon to challenge financial or economic decisions", the RBI has told the Delhi High Court opposing a plea against the surcharge on credit and debit card transactions. The plea has alleged that the surcharge levied by the banks and the financial institutions on credit and debit card transactions was "illegal" and "discriminatory". The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has urged a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal to dismiss the PIL. "The decisions are taken by the RBI in exercise of its administrative/statutory powers and in public interest. "The issues in the writ petition pertain purely to the economic policy of the state and the challenge to the same at the instance of a public-spirited person cannot fall within the parameters of PIL, as has been laid down by the Supreme Court from time to time," the RBI submitted. The response of the federal bank came on the PIL filed by advocate Amit Sahni who alleged that though Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation move was beneficial, the decision to levy surcharge on credit and debit card transactions was "highly unfortunate". "The issue raised in the present petition almost affects everyone operating a bank account," the plea said, adding that the "unlawful, unequal and arbitrary treatment is visible in the payment of petrol charges through credit and debit cards". The lawyer said that levying surcharge is not only illegal and discriminatory but it also promotes circulation of black money. The RBI, however, refuted the petitioner's contention and said that it has neither violated any fundamental right or any legal right of the petitioner or any citizen of India.
By PTI

VARANASI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today mocked at UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi as "delicate" people incapable of taking hard decisions while pitching himself as a grassroots leader who can develop the state.

Addressing a public meeting in his parliamentary constituency, Modi said the SP and the BSP are two sides of the same coin with the former being A (Akhilesh) SP and B (Bahujan) SP.

Taking potshots at the Congress over its run of losses in the recent polls, he said one day, research would be done to find out if it once existed, as it is "disappearing from everywhere."

While Akhilesh has inherited his political powers from his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, Gandhi has got it from "so many of his forefathers", Modi said while using a local term, 'ghelua' (what comes free of cost) for the two leaders.

"They are such delicate people who cannot take hard decisions. They think what if they lose what they got. I have not got anything in inheritance.

"Whatever I have got is due to the blessing of the people of Kashi. I can take hard decisions to rid the country of its problems. I have the courage to do so," the Prime Minister said.

Demonetisation, he said, has brought the SP, BSP and the Congress on the same side in its opposition while the country was supported it.

Modi presented himself as the one who will take up the job of developing the state, especially the eastern parts which are going to polls on March 8, if the BJP is voted to power.

Reaching out to small traders who are in significant numbers here, he said they would not be touched by his government's drive against corruption as the politicians and 'babus' have looted the country all these years.

Accusing the SP government of "bias" in its welfare programmes, Modi said it believed in 'kuchh ka saath, kuchh ka vikas' (support of a few, development of a few) while he believed in everybody's development as in 'sabka saath, sabka vikas'.



Targetting his rivals, he said like people suffering from 'motiabind' (Cataract), the SP and Congress suffered from 'votebind' as "they can't see anything unless they see them in

the context of votes."



"As people suffering from cataract can see only after undergoing a surgery, these leaders can see things only when they see votes," Modi said.



He charged the SP Government with putting obstacles in the way of implementing central schemes aimed at UP's development and accused it of deliberately slowing the projects he had brought to Varanasi, the constituency which he represents in the Lok Sabha.



Harping on the development plank, Modi said he had prepared the blueprint of the eastern UP's development as he sought votes for the BJP and cited his government's thrust on developing roads, rail lines and industry in this part of the state to make his point.



Forty seats will go to the polls on March 8, bringing an end to an almost a month long seven-phase elections. Counting of votes is scheduled on March 11.



"All of my government's schemes are aimed at developing the eastern region of the country. The central government is giving a lot of money to the state but it cannot spend. Its problem is that I seek account of their expenditure," he said.



Accusing the state government of corruption, he said it must stop and suggested it was the tainted money that had made the SP, BSP and the Congress oppose demonetisation.



"The country is on the one side and they are on the other. They used to attack each other but joined hands when I made the (demonetisation) announcement at 8 P M on November 8," he said.



It is a matter of pride for the people that "there is no taint on me and my government," he said, citing corruption cases during the UPA government.

Earlier in the day, wearing a beige full-sleeve kurta and sporting a red and white chequered 'gamcha' around his neck in typical Benarasi style, Modi kicked off the second day of his poll campaign in his Lok Sabha constituency.



The Prime Minister's roadshow, which the BJP termed as the "official", unlike the one yesterday when he travelled in an open-top vehicle to two of the city's most revered temples, began around 4.45 PM, almost two hours behind schedule.



A huge crowd greeted him with "Modi, Modi" chants as his vehicle moved out of the Police Lines helipad, where he had reached in a chopper from the Babatpur airport.



Moving at a snail's pace, it took around 45 minutes for his cavalcade to reach the Pandeypur Chauraha, which is less than a kilometre from the helipad.



Modi did not deliver any speech as he passed through the lanes along the nearly five-km-long route of his cavalcade, which were chock-a-block with men, women and children. The crowd included supporters wearing the BJP cap and carrying the party's flag. People were seen on rooftops and verandahs of buildings.



At Hukulganj, about a kilometre from Pandeypur Chauraha, a number of women stood with baskets full of flower petals which they showered at the Prime Minister's cavalcade. Modi responded by throwing the flower petals back at the crowd.



Five Assembly segments fall under Modi's Lok Sabha seat which he had won in 2014 by a huge margin of 3.71 lakh votes. The BJP holds three of the five Assembly segments.

VARANASI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today mocked at UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi as "delicate" people incapable of taking hard decisions while pitching himself as a grassroots leader who can develop the state. Addressing a public meeting in his parliamentary constituency, Modi said the SP and the BSP are two sides of the same coin with the former being A (Akhilesh) SP and B (Bahujan) SP. Taking potshots at the Congress over its run of losses in the recent polls, he said one day, research would be done to find out if it once existed, as it is "disappearing from everywhere." While Akhilesh has inherited his political powers from his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, Gandhi has got it from "so many of his forefathers", Modi said while using a local term, 'ghelua' (what comes free of cost) for the two leaders. "They are such delicate people who cannot take hard decisions. They think what if they lose what they got. I have not got anything in inheritance. "Whatever I have got is due to the blessing of the people of Kashi. I can take hard decisions to rid the country of its problems. I have the courage to do so," the Prime Minister said. Demonetisation, he said, has brought the SP, BSP and the Congress on the same side in its opposition while the country was supported it. Modi presented himself as the one who will take up the job of developing the state, especially the eastern parts which are going to polls on March 8, if the BJP is voted to power. Reaching out to small traders who are in significant numbers here, he said they would not be touched by his government's drive against corruption as the politicians and 'babus' have looted the country all these years. Accusing the SP government of "bias" in its welfare programmes, Modi said it believed in 'kuchh ka saath, kuchh ka vikas' (support of a few, development of a few) while he believed in everybody's development as in 'sabka saath, sabka vikas'. Targetting his rivals, he said like people suffering from 'motiabind' (Cataract), the SP and Congress suffered from 'votebind' as "they can't see anything unless they see them in the context of votes." "As people suffering from cataract can see only after undergoing a surgery, these leaders can see things only when they see votes," Modi said. He charged the SP Government with putting obstacles in the way of implementing central schemes aimed at UP's development and accused it of deliberately slowing the projects he had brought to Varanasi, the constituency which he represents in the Lok Sabha. Harping on the development plank, Modi said he had prepared the blueprint of the eastern UP's development as he sought votes for the BJP and cited his government's thrust on developing roads, rail lines and industry in this part of the state to make his point. Forty seats will go to the polls on March 8, bringing an end to an almost a month long seven-phase elections. Counting of votes is scheduled on March 11. "All of my government's schemes are aimed at developing the eastern region of the country. The central government is giving a lot of money to the state but it cannot spend. Its problem is that I seek account of their expenditure," he said. Accusing the state government of corruption, he said it must stop and suggested it was the tainted money that had made the SP, BSP and the Congress oppose demonetisation. "The country is on the one side and they are on the other. They used to attack each other but joined hands when I made the (demonetisation) announcement at 8 P M on November 8," he said. It is a matter of pride for the people that "there is no taint on me and my government," he said, citing corruption cases during the UPA government. Earlier in the day, wearing a beige full-sleeve kurta and sporting a red and white chequered 'gamcha' around his neck in typical Benarasi style, Modi kicked off the second day of his poll campaign in his Lok Sabha constituency. The Prime Minister's roadshow, which the BJP termed as the "official", unlike the one yesterday when he travelled in an open-top vehicle to two of the city's most revered temples, began around 4.45 PM, almost two hours behind schedule. A huge crowd greeted him with "Modi, Modi" chants as his vehicle moved out of the Police Lines helipad, where he had reached in a chopper from the Babatpur airport. Moving at a snail's pace, it took around 45 minutes for his cavalcade to reach the Pandeypur Chauraha, which is less than a kilometre from the helipad. Modi did not deliver any speech as he passed through the lanes along the nearly five-km-long route of his cavalcade, which were chock-a-block with men, women and children. The crowd included supporters wearing the BJP cap and carrying the party's flag. People were seen on rooftops and verandahs of buildings. At Hukulganj, about a kilometre from Pandeypur Chauraha, a number of women stood with baskets full of flower petals which they showered at the Prime Minister's cavalcade. Modi responded by throwing the flower petals back at the crowd. Five Assembly segments fall under Modi's Lok Sabha seat which he had won in 2014 by a huge margin of 3.71 lakh votes. The BJP holds three of the five Assembly segments.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: Two militants and a policeman were killed in a fierce gun battle at Tral in south Kashmir which lasted for nearly 12 hours.

One of the militants was a Hizbul Mujahideen operative identified as Aaquib Bhat, popularly known as Aaquib Maulvi, who was active in the area for the last three years. The other militant, Saif-ul-lah alias Osama, was a Pakistani terrorist working with Jaish-e-Mohammed, official sources said.

A police constable, Manzoor Ahmed Niak of Uri, was also killed after he took on the militants head on during the operation which began at 7 PM last night and continued till 6.30 AM, officials said.

A holed-up Bhat had called his father in the wee hours of the morning and bid his final goodbye to him, they said. He was a local resident and his ancestral house was at Hyena in Tral area itself.

Security forces had received an input about the presence of two militants in the residence of a carpenter after which police, army and CRPF threw a cordon around it.

The first contact was established with the militants at around 7 PM and after that there was an intermittent exchange of fire.

Tral town, which had shot into prominence because of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani, was tense and people had started pouring on to the streets to try and provide an escape for the holed-up militants.

Stones were hurled at the security forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations but the situation was brought under control by police and CRPF who chased the mob away, officials said. Strict restrictions were imposed in the area over the movement of people.

During these clashes, some of the miscreants snatched an INSAS rifle of a CRPF official.

An Army Major identified as R Reshi suffered a bullet injury and was rushed to the base hospital where his condition was stated to be out of danger now.

SRINAGAR: Two militants and a policeman were killed in a fierce gun battle at Tral in south Kashmir which lasted for nearly 12 hours. One of the militants was a Hizbul Mujahideen operative identified as Aaquib Bhat, popularly known as Aaquib Maulvi, who was active in the area for the last three years. The other militant, Saif-ul-lah alias Osama, was a Pakistani terrorist working with Jaish-e-Mohammed, official sources said. A police constable, Manzoor Ahmed Niak of Uri, was also killed after he took on the militants head on during the operation which began at 7 PM last night and continued till 6.30 AM, officials said. A holed-up Bhat had called his father in the wee hours of the morning and bid his final goodbye to him, they said. He was a local resident and his ancestral house was at Hyena in Tral area itself. Security forces had received an input about the presence of two militants in the residence of a carpenter after which police, army and CRPF threw a cordon around it. The first contact was established with the militants at around 7 PM and after that there was an intermittent exchange of fire. Tral town, which had shot into prominence because of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani, was tense and people had started pouring on to the streets to try and provide an escape for the holed-up militants. Stones were hurled at the security forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations but the situation was brought under control by police and CRPF who chased the mob away, officials said. Strict restrictions were imposed in the area over the movement of people. During these clashes, some of the miscreants snatched an INSAS rifle of a CRPF official. An Army Major identified as R Reshi suffered a bullet injury and was rushed to the base hospital where his condition was stated to be out of danger now.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today condoled the death of an Indian-origin store owner in South Carolina and said the investigation in the case was in progress.

Swaraj also said that she had spoken with the father of Sikh-American Deep Rai, who was shot outside his home in Kent, Washington, and was recovering in a private hospital.

In a series of tweets on attacks in the US on India-origin persons last week, Swaraj said, "I am pained to hear about the killing of Harnish Patel, a US national of Indian-origin in Lancaster, South Carolina. Our Consul has reached Lancaster and met the family of Harnish Patel."

She said the investigation in the case was in progress.

Swaraj also offered her condolences to the bereaved family.

Patel, 43, the owner of a convenience store in Lancaster County, South Carolina, was found dead of gunshot wounds in the front yard of his home on Thursday. Police had said in Patel's killing his Indian ethnicity did not appear to be a factor.

Reacting to the attack on 39-year-old Rai, Swaraj said, "I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a US national of Indian-origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh, father of the victim."

"He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital," Swaraj tweeted.

Rai was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent, Washington, on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to his home's driveway.

Kent police said an argument broke out between the two men, with Rai saying the suspect made statements to the effect of "go back to your own country". The unidentified man then shot him in the arm.

On the attack on Rai, MaryKay L Carlson, Charge' D' Affairs, American Embassy here, said she was saddened by the shooting in Washington state.

"Wishes for quick and full recovery. As @POTUS said we condemn 'hate and evil in all its forms'," she tweeted.

Both these attacks come close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year- old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".

NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today condoled the death of an Indian-origin store owner in South Carolina and said the investigation in the case was in progress. Swaraj also said that she had spoken with the father of Sikh-American Deep Rai, who was shot outside his home in Kent, Washington, and was recovering in a private hospital. In a series of tweets on attacks in the US on India-origin persons last week, Swaraj said, "I am pained to hear about the killing of Harnish Patel, a US national of Indian-origin in Lancaster, South Carolina. Our Consul has reached Lancaster and met the family of Harnish Patel." She said the investigation in the case was in progress. Swaraj also offered her condolences to the bereaved family. Patel, 43, the owner of a convenience store in Lancaster County, South Carolina, was found dead of gunshot wounds in the front yard of his home on Thursday. Police had said in Patel's killing his Indian ethnicity did not appear to be a factor. Reacting to the attack on 39-year-old Rai, Swaraj said, "I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a US national of Indian-origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh, father of the victim." "He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital," Swaraj tweeted. Rai was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent, Washington, on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to his home's driveway. Kent police said an argument broke out between the two men, with Rai saying the suspect made statements to the effect of "go back to your own country". The unidentified man then shot him in the arm. On the attack on Rai, MaryKay L Carlson, Charge' D' Affairs, American Embassy here, said she was saddened by the shooting in Washington state. "Wishes for quick and full recovery. As @POTUS said we condemn 'hate and evil in all its forms'," she tweeted. Both these attacks come close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year- old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".
Ejaz Kaiser By

Express News Service

RAIPUR: Anti-liquor protests in Chhattisgarh have now spread beyond the capital Raipur with people, activists and the opposition holding demonstrations in 19 of the 27 districts during the past two weeks. The Raman Singh government has decided to sell liquor through its retail outlets after March 31, which saw people campaigning against the move, aiming to set-up liquor shops in residential areas.

Thousands of demonstrators have united to organise a series of protests that gathered momentum in different districts in Chattisgarh and saw extensive participation by women, who outnumbered men, in over 250 demonstrations. Chattisgarh police have booked 800 people who were in the forefront of the anti-liquor campaign.

The women particularly are up in arms opposing the governments move to shift liquor shops from highways to residential and populated areas from April 1. This comes after the Supreme Court order on December 15 prohibiting liquor shops within 500 metres of the highways.

The main opposition Congress, Ajit Jogis Janta Congress Chhattisgarh party and even some top leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have repeatedly voiced their concern and demanded that prohibition should be imposed in the State.

As per the new excise policy of the fiscal year 2017-18, the State government will not hold any auctions for liquor licenses, selling it through its own government-corporation administered retail outlets. The Chhattisgarh Excise (Amendment) Ordinance 2017 in this regard was tabled in the Assembly on March 2.

The government stated that the new policy will put a check on illegal sales and the black market for liquor sold by middlemen and brokers. A 11-member committee under the excise secretary has been constituted to study the prospects of liquor sale under the governments supervision and about banning liquor in the state.

The officials police are intimidating the protesters. The government is violating Article 47 of the Constitution which clearly puts obligation on the state to improve public heath and endeavour to prohibit intoxicating drinks or drugs that are injurious to health, said Mamta Sharma, a petitioner who has challenged the State through PIL against selling of liquor through the government-owned stores.

The high court has issued a notice to the government, and the next hearing has been scheduled for March 21.

RAIPUR: Anti-liquor protests in Chhattisgarh have now spread beyond the capital Raipur with people, activists and the opposition holding demonstrations in 19 of the 27 districts during the past two weeks. The Raman Singh government has decided to sell liquor through its retail outlets after March 31, which saw people campaigning against the move, aiming to set-up liquor shops in residential areas. Thousands of demonstrators have united to organise a series of protests that gathered momentum in different districts in Chattisgarh and saw extensive participation by women, who outnumbered men, in over 250 demonstrations. Chattisgarh police have booked 800 people who were in the forefront of the anti-liquor campaign. The women particularly are up in arms opposing the governments move to shift liquor shops from highways to residential and populated areas from April 1. This comes after the Supreme Court order on December 15 prohibiting liquor shops within 500 metres of the highways. The main opposition Congress, Ajit Jogis Janta Congress Chhattisgarh party and even some top leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have repeatedly voiced their concern and demanded that prohibition should be imposed in the State. As per the new excise policy of the fiscal year 2017-18, the State government will not hold any auctions for liquor licenses, selling it through its own government-corporation administered retail outlets. The Chhattisgarh Excise (Amendment) Ordinance 2017 in this regard was tabled in the Assembly on March 2. The government stated that the new policy will put a check on illegal sales and the black market for liquor sold by middlemen and brokers. A 11-member committee under the excise secretary has been constituted to study the prospects of liquor sale under the governments supervision and about banning liquor in the state. The officials police are intimidating the protesters. The government is violating Article 47 of the Constitution which clearly puts obligation on the state to improve public heath and endeavour to prohibit intoxicating drinks or drugs that are injurious to health, said Mamta Sharma, a petitioner who has challenged the State through PIL against selling of liquor through the government-owned stores. The high court has issued a notice to the government, and the next hearing has been scheduled for March 21.
By PTI

JAUNPUR: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today accused the Uttar Pradesh government of not undertaking any developmental works in the state, "despite UP getting the highest share of funds from the Centre".

Addressing an election rally here, Rajnath said, "Despite UP getting the highest share of funds from the Centre, no developmental work has been undertaken in the state."

Taking a jibe at CM Akhilesh Yadav, Singh said, "UP CM had promised 24-hour power supply in the state. But, the administration is such that there is no power supply, yet people are getting the electricity bills."

Attacking SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Union Home Minister said, "Till a few days back, SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav was attacking the Congress, but his son has now entered into an election alliance with the Congress. SP has for the first time entered into a poll pact with a political party, which it has been opposing throughout its life."

In a lighter vein, Singh remarked, "A cot (khaat) is meant for sleeping, and not for holding meetings (apparently referring to Rahul Gandhi's khaat sabha)."

Rajnath also mentioned that father (Mulayam) has punctured the cycle, while uncle (Shivpal) has broken the chain of the cycle.

"During the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the country's economy became robust, but the Congress has brought it down," he remarked.

Commenting on the BSP, Rajnath said, "The health of the elephant has deteriorated, as earlier the elephant used to eat Peepal leaves. But, now it has started eating currency notes."

The 'do or die' campaign for the seventh and final phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, covering 40 assembly seats in seven districts, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency, will come to a close tomorrow.

The seven districts going to polls in this phase are Ghazipur, Varanasi, Jaunpur, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Bhadoi and Sonebhadra.

JAUNPUR: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today accused the Uttar Pradesh government of not undertaking any developmental works in the state, "despite UP getting the highest share of funds from the Centre". Addressing an election rally here, Rajnath said, "Despite UP getting the highest share of funds from the Centre, no developmental work has been undertaken in the state." Taking a jibe at CM Akhilesh Yadav, Singh said, "UP CM had promised 24-hour power supply in the state. But, the administration is such that there is no power supply, yet people are getting the electricity bills." Attacking SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Union Home Minister said, "Till a few days back, SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav was attacking the Congress, but his son has now entered into an election alliance with the Congress. SP has for the first time entered into a poll pact with a political party, which it has been opposing throughout its life." In a lighter vein, Singh remarked, "A cot (khaat) is meant for sleeping, and not for holding meetings (apparently referring to Rahul Gandhi's khaat sabha)." Rajnath also mentioned that father (Mulayam) has punctured the cycle, while uncle (Shivpal) has broken the chain of the cycle. "During the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the country's economy became robust, but the Congress has brought it down," he remarked. Commenting on the BSP, Rajnath said, "The health of the elephant has deteriorated, as earlier the elephant used to eat Peepal leaves. But, now it has started eating currency notes." The 'do or die' campaign for the seventh and final phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, covering 40 assembly seats in seven districts, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency, will come to a close tomorrow. The seven districts going to polls in this phase are Ghazipur, Varanasi, Jaunpur, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Bhadoi and Sonebhadra.
Santwana Bhattacharya By

Express News Service

On the day of the sixth and penultimate phase of polling in UP, Varanasis Baba Vishwanath got the biggest vote. The high and mighty of the land were at his feet, seeking his blessings to win the mandate of this election.

On Saturday, India displayed itself as a cacophonous, marigold-wrapped democracy in the streets of the holy of ancient imagination. Competitive cavalcades carried the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister and his ally, the vice president of the oldest party of the land, and a former Chief Minister, each spewing their last-mile political messaging.

Voters in Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Mau, Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Ballia came out to exercise their franchise in the sixth phase of the election but the attention of Narendra Modi, Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi and Mayawati had already moved on to the final phase on March 8.

Modi was an early starter as he ignored his security personnel to reach out to the people of his constituency with a massive road show.

Akhilesh Yadav teamed up with his wife Dimple Yadav and his new buddy Rahul Gandhi to do a me-too road show. Not to be left behind, Mayawati addressed a mammoth rally around the same time. Modi topped up his parade with a widely televised visit to Baba Vishwanath and his other avatar, the Kaal Bhairav.

With the election poised for a photo-finish, the claimants to power were eager for a little assistance from divinity, but Mayawati was an exception on this count.

Taking no chances, Modi will stay in Varanasi for three days. The angst among local BJP workers that their favourite candidate was not given the party ticket is said to have evaporated in the PM's presence.

Till now, it seemed like the Congress had an edge. Not anymore; Modiji is here and we will win," said a BJP supporter.

On the day of the sixth and penultimate phase of polling in UP, Varanasis Baba Vishwanath got the biggest vote. The high and mighty of the land were at his feet. It has not been an easy election. If Modis road show attracted huge crowds so did the parade of Akhilesh-Rahul.

Mayawatis rally, mostly peopled by women, seemed to outnumber both. However, that Akhilesh and Rahul had to mount what looked like a copycat show and make a copycat visit to the Vishwanath temple made theirs a jaded affair.

It added to the overall confusion no doubt. Also because, the Congress, like last time, complained to the Election Commission that the PM was breaching the model code of conduct. His road show did not have the permission.

The days excitement showed also how bitter and closely fought the UP contest is.

On the day of the sixth and penultimate phase of polling in UP, Varanasis Baba Vishwanath got the biggest vote. The high and mighty of the land were at his feet, seeking his blessings to win the mandate of this election. On Saturday, India displayed itself as a cacophonous, marigold-wrapped democracy in the streets of the holy of ancient imagination. Competitive cavalcades carried the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister and his ally, the vice president of the oldest party of the land, and a former Chief Minister, each spewing their last-mile political messaging. Voters in Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Mau, Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Ballia came out to exercise their franchise in the sixth phase of the election but the attention of Narendra Modi, Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi and Mayawati had already moved on to the final phase on March 8. Modi was an early starter as he ignored his security personnel to reach out to the people of his constituency with a massive road show. Akhilesh Yadav teamed up with his wife Dimple Yadav and his new buddy Rahul Gandhi to do a me-too road show. Not to be left behind, Mayawati addressed a mammoth rally around the same time. Modi topped up his parade with a widely televised visit to Baba Vishwanath and his other avatar, the Kaal Bhairav. With the election poised for a photo-finish, the claimants to power were eager for a little assistance from divinity, but Mayawati was an exception on this count. Taking no chances, Modi will stay in Varanasi for three days. The angst among local BJP workers that their favourite candidate was not given the party ticket is said to have evaporated in the PM's presence. Till now, it seemed like the Congress had an edge. Not anymore; Modiji is here and we will win," said a BJP supporter. On the day of the sixth and penultimate phase of polling in UP, Varanasis Baba Vishwanath got the biggest vote. The high and mighty of the land were at his feet. It has not been an easy election. If Modis road show attracted huge crowds so did the parade of Akhilesh-Rahul. Mayawatis rally, mostly peopled by women, seemed to outnumber both. However, that Akhilesh and Rahul had to mount what looked like a copycat show and make a copycat visit to the Vishwanath temple made theirs a jaded affair. It added to the overall confusion no doubt. Also because, the Congress, like last time, complained to the Election Commission that the PM was breaching the model code of conduct. His road show did not have the permission. The days excitement showed also how bitter and closely fought the UP contest is.
By ANI

VARANASI: : After putting up a massive road show in Varanasi yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to hold a roadshow here again on Sunday ahead of the last phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls on March 8.



The Prime Minister will embark his roadshow from Pandeypur Chauraha around 3 p.m. to MG Kashi Vidyapeeth.



Prime Minister Modi's roadshow today will cover a much wider area during which the party candidates are also expected to accompany him.



The BJP had won three of the five assembly seats from here in 2012 whereas the Samajwadi Party had won the remaining two.



Meanwhile, Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi is also not leaving any stone unturned to ensure their popularity amongst the voters.



Rahul who also held a joint road show with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will address three rallies in Sonbhadra, Mirzapur and Jaunpur.



On the other hand, Akhilesh will address a rally in Robertsganj city at 10:45 .m. which come under Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.



Earlier on Saturday, wooing the electorate in his constituency, Prime Minister Modi asserted that he has made Kashi his 'Karya Kshetra' so that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can regain the pride of the region, which has lost its shine under the current Samajwadi Party (SP) Government.



Expressing full confidence in his party's chances in the state polls, the Prime Minister said that even if he had not visited Kashi, his own constituency, BJP would have emerged victorious, however, he still wanted to come and address the people as they were close to his heart.



"Back in 2014, I could not visit Varanasi as the Election Commission did not allow me to carry out a rally. Since then I have always wanted to come and speak to you. Kashi for me is not a political area, but I wanted to work here because I wanted to bring back its lost heritage," the Prime Minister said.



However, Rahul who was also present here yesterday firing a fresh salvo against Prime Minister Modi, Akhilesh charged the former with having the capability of confusing buttermilk with bhaang.



"Prime Minister Modi at times describes juice as water, Pineapple as coconut, coconut water as juice. Be careful friends, hope it doesn't happen that when you drink 'butter milk', the Prime Minister calls it ' bhaang'," Akhilesh said while addressing an election rally here.



The seventh-phase of Assembly polls is scheduled to take place on March 8, in which as many as 46 constituencies covering seven districts of Uttar Pradesh will cast their vote.

VARANASI: : After putting up a massive road show in Varanasi yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to hold a roadshow here again on Sunday ahead of the last phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls on March 8. The Prime Minister will embark his roadshow from Pandeypur Chauraha around 3 p.m. to MG Kashi Vidyapeeth. Prime Minister Modi's roadshow today will cover a much wider area during which the party candidates are also expected to accompany him. The BJP had won three of the five assembly seats from here in 2012 whereas the Samajwadi Party had won the remaining two. Meanwhile, Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi is also not leaving any stone unturned to ensure their popularity amongst the voters. Rahul who also held a joint road show with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will address three rallies in Sonbhadra, Mirzapur and Jaunpur. On the other hand, Akhilesh will address a rally in Robertsganj city at 10:45 .m. which come under Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh. Earlier on Saturday, wooing the electorate in his constituency, Prime Minister Modi asserted that he has made Kashi his 'Karya Kshetra' so that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can regain the pride of the region, which has lost its shine under the current Samajwadi Party (SP) Government. Expressing full confidence in his party's chances in the state polls, the Prime Minister said that even if he had not visited Kashi, his own constituency, BJP would have emerged victorious, however, he still wanted to come and address the people as they were close to his heart. "Back in 2014, I could not visit Varanasi as the Election Commission did not allow me to carry out a rally. Since then I have always wanted to come and speak to you. Kashi for me is not a political area, but I wanted to work here because I wanted to bring back its lost heritage," the Prime Minister said. However, Rahul who was also present here yesterday firing a fresh salvo against Prime Minister Modi, Akhilesh charged the former with having the capability of confusing buttermilk with bhaang. "Prime Minister Modi at times describes juice as water, Pineapple as coconut, coconut water as juice. Be careful friends, hope it doesn't happen that when you drink 'butter milk', the Prime Minister calls it ' bhaang'," Akhilesh said while addressing an election rally here. The seventh-phase of Assembly polls is scheduled to take place on March 8, in which as many as 46 constituencies covering seven districts of Uttar Pradesh will cast their vote.
Abhijit Mulye By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena nominee is all set to become the Mayor of Mumbai as the BJP on Saturday announced it would not enter the race, putting to rest speculations of a fierce contest between them for the post after a fractured verdict in the BMC polls.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday made it clear that the BJP would not field its candidate in the election for any of the posts in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), giving Shiv Sena a chance to have a complete hold on the civic body. The Shiv Sena has welcomed the BJPs decision and thanked Fadnavis for respecting the sentiments of the people.

According to senior Sena leader Anil Parab, Vishvanath Mahadeshwar will be Shiv Senas candidate for the Mayors post and Hareshwar Worlikar is Deputy Mayor nominee.

Fadnavis also announced that the government would appoint an addituonal Upa-Lokayukta to ensure transparency in the conduct of BMC. He stated that a committee of three retired bureaucrats would be formed to invite recommendations to ensure increased transparency in all the local bodies across the State.

The BJP shall act as transparency guards in the BMC, Fadnavis said. The Shiv Sena had won 84 seats while the BJP won 82 in the recent BMC elections.

The NCP has condemned the decision. BJP has fooled the voters of Mumbai. Both the BJP and the Shiv Sena do not have a clear mandate. We would have appreciated if the BJP sat in the opposition, city NCP president Sachin Ahir said.

State Congress president Ashok Chavan interpreted the decision as the CMs attempt to save his own seat rather than an attempt to build transparency. Fadnavis has let down the people of Mumbai. He has literally given the keys of treasure of Mumbai to those whom he had accused of looting it, he said.

With the decision, the Shiv Sena would be under a moral obligation to continue supporting the State government even while its actions in the corporation would constantly be under scanner. The decision has also put a full stop on speculations of a mid-term poll. It has caressed Shiv Senas ego by giving them a free hand in the BMC.

This might also have another angle to it wherein the Shiv Sena might be compelled to support the BJP in other local bodies across the State.

The opposition, which is demoralised in the wake of one of the worst defeats in the local body elections in rural Maharashtra was solely banking on the possibilities of the Sena pulling out of the government during the budget session.

The next Mayor will be elected during the first meeting of the new House on March 8. Saturday was the last day for filing nominations for the post.

(With PTI inputs)

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena nominee is all set to become the Mayor of Mumbai as the BJP on Saturday announced it would not enter the race, putting to rest speculations of a fierce contest between them for the post after a fractured verdict in the BMC polls. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday made it clear that the BJP would not field its candidate in the election for any of the posts in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), giving Shiv Sena a chance to have a complete hold on the civic body. The Shiv Sena has welcomed the BJPs decision and thanked Fadnavis for respecting the sentiments of the people. According to senior Sena leader Anil Parab, Vishvanath Mahadeshwar will be Shiv Senas candidate for the Mayors post and Hareshwar Worlikar is Deputy Mayor nominee. Fadnavis also announced that the government would appoint an addituonal Upa-Lokayukta to ensure transparency in the conduct of BMC. He stated that a committee of three retired bureaucrats would be formed to invite recommendations to ensure increased transparency in all the local bodies across the State. The BJP shall act as transparency guards in the BMC, Fadnavis said. The Shiv Sena had won 84 seats while the BJP won 82 in the recent BMC elections. The NCP has condemned the decision. BJP has fooled the voters of Mumbai. Both the BJP and the Shiv Sena do not have a clear mandate. We would have appreciated if the BJP sat in the opposition, city NCP president Sachin Ahir said. State Congress president Ashok Chavan interpreted the decision as the CMs attempt to save his own seat rather than an attempt to build transparency. Fadnavis has let down the people of Mumbai. He has literally given the keys of treasure of Mumbai to those whom he had accused of looting it, he said. With the decision, the Shiv Sena would be under a moral obligation to continue supporting the State government even while its actions in the corporation would constantly be under scanner. The decision has also put a full stop on speculations of a mid-term poll. It has caressed Shiv Senas ego by giving them a free hand in the BMC. This might also have another angle to it wherein the Shiv Sena might be compelled to support the BJP in other local bodies across the State. The opposition, which is demoralised in the wake of one of the worst defeats in the local body elections in rural Maharashtra was solely banking on the possibilities of the Sena pulling out of the government during the budget session. The next Mayor will be elected during the first meeting of the new House on March 8. Saturday was the last day for filing nominations for the post. (With PTI inputs)
Ankur Sharma By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: A desperado couple who came to Delhi in search of opportunities orchestrated one of the worst cases of human trafficking by beating the countrys top intelligence agencies to bring in more than 4,000 girls and women to feed the citys prostitution racket.

Starting as small-time operators, their modus operandi, however, acquired such sophistication that they were able to avoid detection by the intelligence agencies, which followed the terrorist trail across the Bangladesh-Nepal border.

This they did by ditching the traditional border route and turning inward, in the process building up almost a national network of supply across Andhra, Bengal, Rajasthan and Karnataka.

The couple  Afaq Hussain and wife Saira Begum  have thus changed the vector of female trafficking in India as the flesh trade smugglers are finding it difficult to get women into Delhis GB Road brothels in which over 5,000 girls and women work.

While piling miseries on their hapless victims, the couple built up an empire of wealth and opulence worth Rs 250 crore spanning Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur in over 10 years. They own huge properties, possess expensive cars and have sent their kids to prestigious schools. They own a farmhouse, residential units in prime areas and shops in commercially-important locations. Their cars include brands such as Audi, Toyota and Honda. To fool people and their kids, they posed around as owners of two companies, which was only on paper.

Saira was originally from Hyderabad and Afaq came from Moradabad, UP. They came to Delhi for work. Afaq started working as a contractor and would get Rs 3,000-Rs 4,000 per month.

He came in contact with Saira at Kotha no. 58, GB Road. Afaq was impressed with the kind of money Saira was making from her racket and he offered to marry her, which led to their informal Nikah in 1999. That was the beginning of a flourishing trafficking business and they purchased their first Kotha on GB Road in 2003, which was worth Rs 40 crore. Most of their victims were minors belonging to poor families and brought to Delhi on the promise of lucrative jobs, sightseeing, and even on the pretext of marriage.

Once in Delhi, they were sold at GB Road for Rs 1-2 lakh. The victims were thrashed, confined, intoxicated and kept starved to force them into prostitution.

The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police recently filed a chargesheet against the two in the Tiz Hazari court. The chargesheet, which Express accessed, runs into 3,895 pages, almost four times larger than the one filed in the Nirbhaya gang-rape case.

The chargesheet has statements of 126 people on record, including almost a dozen victims. Police have so far arrested 10 people, including Afaq and Saira, their two managers, one driver, four Naikas and one henchman. A senior crime branch official said, a supplementary charge-sheet will be filed soon and more arrests will follow.

The victims had heart-rending stories to tell. Nita, 18, (name changed), from Bengaluru got engaged to a 24-year-old man named Romesh. The mother allowed her to leave the city as the man promised her daughter a good life. But as soon as she came to Delhi, she realised that she had been trapped into flesh trade.

Later, she discovered that the man who had promised to marry her was actually an agent.

In another case, Rani, 17, from Bengal was brought to Delhi on promise of better life. An agent developed familiarity with her and took her to GB Road on the pretext that the place was famous for great food. The girls were paid 10 per cent of the price at which they were sold, while those who managed the trade at different levels earned handsome amounts.

The pecking order was Rs 30,000- Rs 40,000 for the Naikas or managers, and Rs 40,000- Rs 2,00,000 for the agents per deal.

NEW DELHI: A desperado couple who came to Delhi in search of opportunities orchestrated one of the worst cases of human trafficking by beating the countrys top intelligence agencies to bring in more than 4,000 girls and women to feed the citys prostitution racket. Starting as small-time operators, their modus operandi, however, acquired such sophistication that they were able to avoid detection by the intelligence agencies, which followed the terrorist trail across the Bangladesh-Nepal border. This they did by ditching the traditional border route and turning inward, in the process building up almost a national network of supply across Andhra, Bengal, Rajasthan and Karnataka. The couple  Afaq Hussain and wife Saira Begum  have thus changed the vector of female trafficking in India as the flesh trade smugglers are finding it difficult to get women into Delhis GB Road brothels in which over 5,000 girls and women work. While piling miseries on their hapless victims, the couple built up an empire of wealth and opulence worth Rs 250 crore spanning Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur in over 10 years. They own huge properties, possess expensive cars and have sent their kids to prestigious schools. They own a farmhouse, residential units in prime areas and shops in commercially-important locations. Their cars include brands such as Audi, Toyota and Honda. To fool people and their kids, they posed around as owners of two companies, which was only on paper. Saira was originally from Hyderabad and Afaq came from Moradabad, UP. They came to Delhi for work. Afaq started working as a contractor and would get Rs 3,000-Rs 4,000 per month. He came in contact with Saira at Kotha no. 58, GB Road. Afaq was impressed with the kind of money Saira was making from her racket and he offered to marry her, which led to their informal Nikah in 1999. That was the beginning of a flourishing trafficking business and they purchased their first Kotha on GB Road in 2003, which was worth Rs 40 crore. Most of their victims were minors belonging to poor families and brought to Delhi on the promise of lucrative jobs, sightseeing, and even on the pretext of marriage. Once in Delhi, they were sold at GB Road for Rs 1-2 lakh. The victims were thrashed, confined, intoxicated and kept starved to force them into prostitution. The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police recently filed a chargesheet against the two in the Tiz Hazari court. The chargesheet, which Express accessed, runs into 3,895 pages, almost four times larger than the one filed in the Nirbhaya gang-rape case. The chargesheet has statements of 126 people on record, including almost a dozen victims. Police have so far arrested 10 people, including Afaq and Saira, their two managers, one driver, four Naikas and one henchman. A senior crime branch official said, a supplementary charge-sheet will be filed soon and more arrests will follow. The victims had heart-rending stories to tell. Nita, 18, (name changed), from Bengaluru got engaged to a 24-year-old man named Romesh. The mother allowed her to leave the city as the man promised her daughter a good life. But as soon as she came to Delhi, she realised that she had been trapped into flesh trade. Later, she discovered that the man who had promised to marry her was actually an agent. In another case, Rani, 17, from Bengal was brought to Delhi on promise of better life. An agent developed familiarity with her and took her to GB Road on the pretext that the place was famous for great food. The girls were paid 10 per cent of the price at which they were sold, while those who managed the trade at different levels earned handsome amounts. The pecking order was Rs 30,000- Rs 40,000 for the Naikas or managers, and Rs 40,000- Rs 2,00,000 for the agents per deal.
Trilochan Sastry By

We had several Assembly elections this year and look forward to the results on March 11. Besides, municipal elections were also held in Maharashtra. What are some of the important issues that are covered in the media? Who wins, what coalitions were successful, the leaders and their campaigns, the speeches, how voters from different castes and religions voted, and what were the election issuesare some of the important aspects covered and are essential to democracy. It will be discussed in the media and at homes, restaurants, dhabas and seminars.



However, a few basic questions remain. People want change or, rather, they want better governance. This is why we often see ruling parties changing from election to election.

This is perhaps why there is a general trend of increase in voting percentages today compared to a few years ago. But will we get better governance? Can we expect better performance from the government if we merely change the party in power? For instance, we saw this desire for change in the recent presidential election in the US. We see it around the world in various elections. India is no different.



What new type of representatives does this throw up? Indian data shows that the percentage of candidates with criminal records is still high in a state like UP. It remains between 12 per cent and 20 per cent. This cuts across party lines.

Unfortunately, the percentage of winners with criminal cases is much higher than that. Datas over the last decade show that the chances of someone with a criminal record winning the polls doubles compared to candidates with a clean record. So voters are either not aware of the criminal record, or do not care about it.



Largely, wealthy people continue to contest polls, with few from the lower economic sections. Wealth is good but the question remains: Whose interests do the wealthy represent? Demonetisation once again brought black money in elections back into focus. It is worth noting that not one powerful person was arrested in this issue. In private, politicians say that the spending limit of `40 lakh is unrealistic. It is up to the Parliament to amend the law.

Meanwhile, nothing prevents any party from publicly stating that they will not use black money. Parties dont appeal to ordinary voters to give small contributions or publicly take a stand to strongly support public funding of polls.



Campaigns are framed by political party strategists. The issues raised rarely reflect the real expectations of people from the government. Several surveys have shown that voters top priority is employment. They also want essential public services such as clean drinking water, good roads, transport services and so on. But election speeches do not raise these issues. It is often a slanging match with each party making personal attacks on the leaders of the other parties. What democracy do we get if elections are not fought on issues of importance to voters?



Finally, can we get positive change if all the political parties remain largely the same? Nearly all successful parties are one-person or one-family dominated. They are responsible for giving tickets to candidates. The major change we see is between one generation and the next. While this is welcome, it is not enough. We continue to see a significant number of candidates with criminal records.



Today, elections are very competitive and this leads to each party spending more money, making all sorts of election promises and putting down each other. Issues are raised to catch voters attention rather than address peoples concerns.

Social media, meanwhile, sees an exponential increase in partisanship with some using abusive, violent language and threats. So the atmosphere is getting worse. The basic question here is: If each party works for its own power at the expense of others, then who is working for the country and its people?



While we celebrate the good aspects of todays democracy, we need to correct some of its ills. The fiercely competitive nature of politics, the pursuit of power at all costs and the use of money power are disturbing trends. The persistence of criminal elements in politics is unacceptable.



At the same time, all is not lost. There is an underlying public demand for good politics and good governance. The younger generation is perhaps more demanding and expect concrete results from government. But the ordinary voter does not have much say in shaping democracy, except through his or her vote.

Some structural solutions are needed that will curb money power, ban people with dubious criminal records, prevent parties from giving tickets to such people, make funding transparent and parties democratic. The real purpose of elections is not merely to throw up winners. It is to install a government that will provide good governance.trilochans@IIMB.ernet.in

We had several Assembly elections this year and look forward to the results on March 11. Besides, municipal elections were also held in Maharashtra. What are some of the important issues that are covered in the media? Who wins, what coalitions were successful, the leaders and their campaigns, the speeches, how voters from different castes and religions voted, and what were the election issuesare some of the important aspects covered and are essential to democracy. It will be discussed in the media and at homes, restaurants, dhabas and seminars. However, a few basic questions remain. People want change or, rather, they want better governance. This is why we often see ruling parties changing from election to election. This is perhaps why there is a general trend of increase in voting percentages today compared to a few years ago. But will we get better governance? Can we expect better performance from the government if we merely change the party in power? For instance, we saw this desire for change in the recent presidential election in the US. We see it around the world in various elections. India is no different. What new type of representatives does this throw up? Indian data shows that the percentage of candidates with criminal records is still high in a state like UP. It remains between 12 per cent and 20 per cent. This cuts across party lines. Unfortunately, the percentage of winners with criminal cases is much higher than that. Datas over the last decade show that the chances of someone with a criminal record winning the polls doubles compared to candidates with a clean record. So voters are either not aware of the criminal record, or do not care about it. Largely, wealthy people continue to contest polls, with few from the lower economic sections. Wealth is good but the question remains: Whose interests do the wealthy represent? Demonetisation once again brought black money in elections back into focus. It is worth noting that not one powerful person was arrested in this issue. In private, politicians say that the spending limit of `40 lakh is unrealistic. It is up to the Parliament to amend the law. Meanwhile, nothing prevents any party from publicly stating that they will not use black money. Parties dont appeal to ordinary voters to give small contributions or publicly take a stand to strongly support public funding of polls. Campaigns are framed by political party strategists. The issues raised rarely reflect the real expectations of people from the government. Several surveys have shown that voters top priority is employment. They also want essential public services such as clean drinking water, good roads, transport services and so on. But election speeches do not raise these issues. It is often a slanging match with each party making personal attacks on the leaders of the other parties. What democracy do we get if elections are not fought on issues of importance to voters? Finally, can we get positive change if all the political parties remain largely the same? Nearly all successful parties are one-person or one-family dominated. They are responsible for giving tickets to candidates. The major change we see is between one generation and the next. While this is welcome, it is not enough. We continue to see a significant number of candidates with criminal records. Today, elections are very competitive and this leads to each party spending more money, making all sorts of election promises and putting down each other. Issues are raised to catch voters attention rather than address peoples concerns. Social media, meanwhile, sees an exponential increase in partisanship with some using abusive, violent language and threats. So the atmosphere is getting worse. The basic question here is: If each party works for its own power at the expense of others, then who is working for the country and its people? While we celebrate the good aspects of todays democracy, we need to correct some of its ills. The fiercely competitive nature of politics, the pursuit of power at all costs and the use of money power are disturbing trends. The persistence of criminal elements in politics is unacceptable. At the same time, all is not lost. There is an underlying public demand for good politics and good governance. The younger generation is perhaps more demanding and expect concrete results from government. But the ordinary voter does not have much say in shaping democracy, except through his or her vote. Some structural solutions are needed that will curb money power, ban people with dubious criminal records, prevent parties from giving tickets to such people, make funding transparent and parties democratic. The real purpose of elections is not merely to throw up winners. It is to install a government that will provide good governance.trilochans@IIMB.ernet.in
T J S George By

K Chandrasekhar Rao is without doubt the most devout chief minister in the country today. No one gives as much space and attention to temples, sages and priests as he does; he had a seer sit and thus sanctify the new chief ministerial chair in the new chief ministerial house in Hyderabad before he himself occupied it. During the agitation for Telengana, he had vowed to present gold ornaments to as many as five temples. Two weeks ago he fulfilled one of the vows by donating 18.85 kilograms of gold ornaments worth Rs 5.45 crore to the holy Tirupati temple.

Faith is a sustaining force in India. We should be grateful for that because it encourages us to be good. Leaders with faith in the divine can be expected to bring a degree of fair play and justice to their leadership responsibilities. Faith enjoins those in power to be guided by the principles of nishkama karma, action without expecting rewards, the central message of the Bhagwad Gita.

But to what extent is this principle honoured in practice? Faith has also become a force that leads to considerable hypocrisy these days. This is true of all religions as a cursory glance will show. Buddhism, the ultimate creed of renunciation and peace, has been an instigator of violence in Sri Lanka and Thailand. Christianity has a provision for Confession. Many go to the priest, confess their sins in holy privacy, carry out the priests instructions for absolutionthen go back to life and commit the same sins. A dip in the holy Ganga purifies the devout Hindu. How many of those who are thus purified remain purified after they return to their everyday life? Religion demands that its followers be righteous. Since religion is man-made, it provides ways for man to appear righteous without necessarily becoming so.

Chandrasekhar Raos devotion is beyond question. The problem is that he wants the public to pay for his private faith. The gold ornaments he offered at Tirupati should have been financed by himself and his family. Instead, he made the very first meeting of the Telengana cabinet pass a resolution authorising the states Common Good Fund to pay for the gold he offers to temples.

Two issues arise from this mixing of personal interests with public exchequer. The first is the morality of Raos donations even by the scripture in which his faith is anchored. The other is the political fallout of an act that revives memories of similar moves by less credible devotees.

The moral issue that Raos munificence raises is simple: Can the Lord be pleased only with such ostentatious offerings? The answer is simpler: Kuchela pleased the Lord with nothing more than a handful of beaten rice. The poverty-stricken man was reluctant to go to his childhood friend who had become the king of Dwaraka. Pushed into it by his wife, Kuchela was overwhelmed by Krishnas love and hospitality. He forgot to say a word about his poverty. But the Lord knew everything and Kuchela returned home to find his hut transformed into a mansion.

It is sincerity of the heart that matters. When desire overtakes devotion, everything changes. Kubera did tapas for 10,000 years hanging upside down in water to force Brahma make him the lord of wealth. Brahma did not appear. But gods had their own obligations. When Kubera continued his tapas, this time standing on one leg in the middle of panchagni, Brahma had to oblige him. Chandrasekhar Raos devotion is akin to Kuberas, minus the upside-down and the fire.

His golden gift also recalls the munificence of Janardhana Reddy, the erstwhile Karnataka minister who was jailed for corruption (there can be no comparison between the political personalities of Rao and Reddy because Chandrasekhar Rao is not identified with corruption and pending cases as is Janardhana Reddy). In 2009, Reddy offered a 30-kilogram diamond-studded golden crown worth Rs 42 crore to Tirupati. Those figures offer some interesting sidelights. Compared to Raos 5.45 crore, Reddys 42 crore looks massive. But compare the 42 crore with the Rs 550 crore Reddy spent on his daughters wedding last November. Compare Raos own 5.45 crore with the Rs 50 crore he spent on his luxury bungalow. Our netas want to buy even their blessings on the cheap.

Janardhana Reddy had kept a replica of the crown at home, wearing it occasionally, for he believed he was a descendant of Krishnadevaraya, emperor of the Vijayanagara empire. Tirupati temple officials thanked Chandrasekhar Rao by comparing him to Emperor Krishnadevaraya. How unique is our democracy: It turns elected leaders into emperors.

K Chandrasekhar Rao is without doubt the most devout chief minister in the country today. No one gives as much space and attention to temples, sages and priests as he does; he had a seer sit and thus sanctify the new chief ministerial chair in the new chief ministerial house in Hyderabad before he himself occupied it. During the agitation for Telengana, he had vowed to present gold ornaments to as many as five temples. Two weeks ago he fulfilled one of the vows by donating 18.85 kilograms of gold ornaments worth Rs 5.45 crore to the holy Tirupati temple. Faith is a sustaining force in India. We should be grateful for that because it encourages us to be good. Leaders with faith in the divine can be expected to bring a degree of fair play and justice to their leadership responsibilities. Faith enjoins those in power to be guided by the principles of nishkama karma, action without expecting rewards, the central message of the Bhagwad Gita. But to what extent is this principle honoured in practice? Faith has also become a force that leads to considerable hypocrisy these days. This is true of all religions as a cursory glance will show. Buddhism, the ultimate creed of renunciation and peace, has been an instigator of violence in Sri Lanka and Thailand. Christianity has a provision for Confession. Many go to the priest, confess their sins in holy privacy, carry out the priests instructions for absolutionthen go back to life and commit the same sins. A dip in the holy Ganga purifies the devout Hindu. How many of those who are thus purified remain purified after they return to their everyday life? Religion demands that its followers be righteous. Since religion is man-made, it provides ways for man to appear righteous without necessarily becoming so. Chandrasekhar Raos devotion is beyond question. The problem is that he wants the public to pay for his private faith. The gold ornaments he offered at Tirupati should have been financed by himself and his family. Instead, he made the very first meeting of the Telengana cabinet pass a resolution authorising the states Common Good Fund to pay for the gold he offers to temples. Two issues arise from this mixing of personal interests with public exchequer. The first is the morality of Raos donations even by the scripture in which his faith is anchored. The other is the political fallout of an act that revives memories of similar moves by less credible devotees. The moral issue that Raos munificence raises is simple: Can the Lord be pleased only with such ostentatious offerings? The answer is simpler: Kuchela pleased the Lord with nothing more than a handful of beaten rice. The poverty-stricken man was reluctant to go to his childhood friend who had become the king of Dwaraka. Pushed into it by his wife, Kuchela was overwhelmed by Krishnas love and hospitality. He forgot to say a word about his poverty. But the Lord knew everything and Kuchela returned home to find his hut transformed into a mansion. It is sincerity of the heart that matters. When desire overtakes devotion, everything changes. Kubera did tapas for 10,000 years hanging upside down in water to force Brahma make him the lord of wealth. Brahma did not appear. But gods had their own obligations. When Kubera continued his tapas, this time standing on one leg in the middle of panchagni, Brahma had to oblige him. Chandrasekhar Raos devotion is akin to Kuberas, minus the upside-down and the fire. His golden gift also recalls the munificence of Janardhana Reddy, the erstwhile Karnataka minister who was jailed for corruption (there can be no comparison between the political personalities of Rao and Reddy because Chandrasekhar Rao is not identified with corruption and pending cases as is Janardhana Reddy). In 2009, Reddy offered a 30-kilogram diamond-studded golden crown worth Rs 42 crore to Tirupati. Those figures offer some interesting sidelights. Compared to Raos 5.45 crore, Reddys 42 crore looks massive. But compare the 42 crore with the Rs 550 crore Reddy spent on his daughters wedding last November. Compare Raos own 5.45 crore with the Rs 50 crore he spent on his luxury bungalow. Our netas want to buy even their blessings on the cheap. Janardhana Reddy had kept a replica of the crown at home, wearing it occasionally, for he believed he was a descendant of Krishnadevaraya, emperor of the Vijayanagara empire. Tirupati temple officials thanked Chandrasekhar Rao by comparing him to Emperor Krishnadevaraya. How unique is our democracy: It turns elected leaders into emperors.
By Express News Service

VISAKHAPATNAM: Two youngsters died while two others are in a critical condition after their car rammed into a tree in the Visalakshi Nagar locality of Visakhapatnam in the wee hours of Sunday.

The accident occurred at around 3.30 am, according to local people. The victims hail from Naidu Thota, Daspalla Hills, and Madhurwada localities.



According to the police, the car was speeding from the Beach Road towards the National Highway. The accident took place after the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle at BVK college in Visalakshi Nagar. While two persons died on the spot, the two injured were shifted to hospital. They condition is said to be critical.



The impact of the accident was such that police and fire department officials had to work for two and a half hours to cut through the wreckage. Police did not rule out the possibility of the driver being drunk.

VISAKHAPATNAM: Two youngsters died while two others are in a critical condition after their car rammed into a tree in the Visalakshi Nagar locality of Visakhapatnam in the wee hours of Sunday. The accident occurred at around 3.30 am, according to local people. The victims hail from Naidu Thota, Daspalla Hills, and Madhurwada localities. According to the police, the car was speeding from the Beach Road towards the National Highway. The accident took place after the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle at BVK college in Visalakshi Nagar. While two persons died on the spot, the two injured were shifted to hospital. They condition is said to be critical. The impact of the accident was such that police and fire department officials had to work for two and a half hours to cut through the wreckage. Police did not rule out the possibility of the driver being drunk.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Brushing off the Oppositions demand that Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac step down to take responsibility for the budget leak, Culture Minister A K Balan said on Sunday the only question the lapse had raised was that of propriety.

Not a single paper of the budget was leaked, Balan said.

Soon after the budget presentation on Friday, the UDF had petitioned Governor P Sathasivam, alleging a violation of the oath of secrecy by Isaac, as the budget was leaked from the Ministers office.



Not a single paper was leaked. The budget is replete with references to MT (writer M T Vasudevan Nair). Can you show a single line concerning MT in the papers that came out? What came out was a press release that should have been released after the presentation. So its only a question of propriety, Balan said on the sidelines of a function here. It was unfortunate the press release was made public before the end of the presentation, he said.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Brushing off the Oppositions demand that Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac step down to take responsibility for the budget leak, Culture Minister A K Balan said on Sunday the only question the lapse had raised was that of propriety. Not a single paper of the budget was leaked, Balan said. Soon after the budget presentation on Friday, the UDF had petitioned Governor P Sathasivam, alleging a violation of the oath of secrecy by Isaac, as the budget was leaked from the Ministers office. Not a single paper was leaked. The budget is replete with references to MT (writer M T Vasudevan Nair). Can you show a single line concerning MT in the papers that came out? What came out was a press release that should have been released after the presentation. So its only a question of propriety, Balan said on the sidelines of a function here. It was unfortunate the press release was made public before the end of the presentation, he said.
By PTI

RAMESWARAM: Eight fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on the charge of fishing in the island waters, a fisheries department official said.



One of the arrested fishermen allegedly attempted suicide today.



The arrest of the eight fishermen from Nagapattinam district is the third such detention by the Lankan Navy this week. A total of 61 fishermen are now in Lankan custody.



Nagapattinam Joint Director of Fisheries Amala Xavier said the group of eight fishermen from Akkarapettai had put out to sea in a mechanised boat on March 1.



The fishermen were apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy around midnight yesterday, he said.



As the Lankan Naval personnel turned down the fishermen's plea to let them go, 35-year-old Sarath allegedly broke a glass bottle in the boat and swallowed the pieces, he said.



The fisherman had been admitted to a government hospital in Triconamalee in Eastern Sri Lanka, he added.



On March 2, 18 fishermen -- nine from Nagapattinam district, four from Rameswaram and five from nearby Pamban -- were arrested in three batches and their boats impounded by Sri Lankan Navy at different points in the Palk Bay.



Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami had shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the second this week, seeking his intervention to secure the release of all the arrested fishermen.



He had said the arrests of fishermen was creating a "sense of panic and unrest among" the community in the state.



Palaniswami said the fishermen's right to life and livelihood and right to carry on with fishing in the waters of the Palk Bay were "continuously being infringed upon by Sri Lanka."



Hours after the detention of 13 fishermen on March 2, Palaniswami had written to Modi seeking his intervention.



Meanwhile, fishermen in Pamban continued their strike for the second day today, demanding the release of their colleagues arrested on March 2.

RAMESWARAM: Eight fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on the charge of fishing in the island waters, a fisheries department official said. One of the arrested fishermen allegedly attempted suicide today. The arrest of the eight fishermen from Nagapattinam district is the third such detention by the Lankan Navy this week. A total of 61 fishermen are now in Lankan custody. Nagapattinam Joint Director of Fisheries Amala Xavier said the group of eight fishermen from Akkarapettai had put out to sea in a mechanised boat on March 1. The fishermen were apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy around midnight yesterday, he said. As the Lankan Naval personnel turned down the fishermen's plea to let them go, 35-year-old Sarath allegedly broke a glass bottle in the boat and swallowed the pieces, he said. The fisherman had been admitted to a government hospital in Triconamalee in Eastern Sri Lanka, he added. On March 2, 18 fishermen -- nine from Nagapattinam district, four from Rameswaram and five from nearby Pamban -- were arrested in three batches and their boats impounded by Sri Lankan Navy at different points in the Palk Bay. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami had shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the second this week, seeking his intervention to secure the release of all the arrested fishermen. He had said the arrests of fishermen was creating a "sense of panic and unrest among" the community in the state. Palaniswami said the fishermen's right to life and livelihood and right to carry on with fishing in the waters of the Palk Bay were "continuously being infringed upon by Sri Lanka." Hours after the detention of 13 fishermen on March 2, Palaniswami had written to Modi seeking his intervention. Meanwhile, fishermen in Pamban continued their strike for the second day today, demanding the release of their colleagues arrested on March 2.
By PTI

PUDUKOTTAI (TAMIL NADU): Two persons, including a participant, were gored to death and at least 56 others injured during a jallikattu event at Thiruvappur in the district here today, police said. The other deceased was a spectator, they added.

Some of the injured were treated by a mobile medical team, while the others were treated as outpatients in a hospital and discharged.

The bull-taming sport was held as part of a temple festival. It is being held at various places in the state after the Tamil Nadu Assembly, on January 23, unanimously passed an amendment bill, clearing the path for the bull-taming sport to be conducted without any hindrance.

Usually, jallikattu is held as part of the Pongal festivities. However, it could not be held during Pongal this

year due to a Supreme Court ban.

PUDUKOTTAI (TAMIL NADU): Two persons, including a participant, were gored to death and at least 56 others injured during a jallikattu event at Thiruvappur in the district here today, police said. The other deceased was a spectator, they added. Some of the injured were treated by a mobile medical team, while the others were treated as outpatients in a hospital and discharged. The bull-taming sport was held as part of a temple festival. It is being held at various places in the state after the Tamil Nadu Assembly, on January 23, unanimously passed an amendment bill, clearing the path for the bull-taming sport to be conducted without any hindrance. Usually, jallikattu is held as part of the Pongal festivities. However, it could not be held during Pongal this year due to a Supreme Court ban.
SV Krishna Chaitanya By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Environmentalists have criticised the Tamil Nadu government of remaining indifferent towards the Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA) even as the Centre issues a draft notification for the third time in the last three years.

By the latest notification, 135 villages in Tamil Nadu have been identified as ESA.

A senior official in the Department of Environment said the State government had placed its objections to Madhav Gadgil report in 2011 and the stand remained the same even for Kasturirangan committee report, which was flawed. Many ecologically non-sensitive areas are being included in ESA classification and ecologically sensitive areas are being left out.

However, environmentalists say there is no justification on the part of the government for choosing to be dormant on the issue. The government, so far, has not submitted its formal reply to any of the past notifications.

Even the State forest department has expressed its dissent. Several forest officials posted in Western Ghats wildlife circles, who spoke to Express, said the government should not be irresponsive. This is a very sensitive issue involving several socio-economic factors. The government should demarcate its ecologically sensitive areas suiting the States needs, they said and added that Tamil Nadu forest cover was well protected under more stringent laws and there was no need for such a notification.

Mac Mohan, the Coimbatore-based environmentalist, said the government had not even conducted a public hearing. Frankly, the forests and the buffer can be protected under the existing laws. In fact, Tamil Nadu constituted a Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA) which is a regulatory authority for 31 taluks in nine districts falling in the Western Ghats of the State. However, the State government should respond and take a stand on the issue considering the sensitivity of the matter.

Yes, complete prohibition of mining, thermal power plants, red category industries and large townships in ESA is a welcome move and will go a long way in conserving the Western Ghats, which is the lifeline for southern India, he said.

Interestingly, the Centre claimed that meetings were convened with Members of Parliament of the Western Ghats region on August 11, 2016. Except for Kerala, other States raised no major objections and had informed that demarcation of an ecologically sensitive area was in an advanced stage of completion.

The Nilgiris MP C Gopalakrishnan said he will study the notification and take up the matter with the State government. Parliament members from Tirunelveli, Erode, Pollachi, Coimbatore and Madurai constituencies, all having endemic populace living in the fringe area of the ghats, refused to comment.

Though the Centre in the draft notification has assured there will be no displacement or dislocation of local people living in habitations within the ESA demarcated in the Western Ghats and practising agriculture and plantation activity due to the provisions contained in the notification, farmers think otherwise. Kerala was the first State to undertake the demarcation of ESA. It had recommended an area of 9993.7 sq.kms, which is over 3,000 sq.km less compared to 13,108 sq.km recommended by the High-Level Working Group headed by Kasturirangan.

In the fresh draft notification, the Union environment ministry, under section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, has notified 56,825 sq.km of the area which is spread across six States, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, as the Western Ghats ESA.

In Tamil Nadu, the Centre has identified 6,914 sq.km, including 135 villages as ESA.

CHENNAI: Environmentalists have criticised the Tamil Nadu government of remaining indifferent towards the Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA) even as the Centre issues a draft notification for the third time in the last three years. By the latest notification, 135 villages in Tamil Nadu have been identified as ESA. A senior official in the Department of Environment said the State government had placed its objections to Madhav Gadgil report in 2011 and the stand remained the same even for Kasturirangan committee report, which was flawed. Many ecologically non-sensitive areas are being included in ESA classification and ecologically sensitive areas are being left out. However, environmentalists say there is no justification on the part of the government for choosing to be dormant on the issue. The government, so far, has not submitted its formal reply to any of the past notifications. Even the State forest department has expressed its dissent. Several forest officials posted in Western Ghats wildlife circles, who spoke to Express, said the government should not be irresponsive. This is a very sensitive issue involving several socio-economic factors. The government should demarcate its ecologically sensitive areas suiting the States needs, they said and added that Tamil Nadu forest cover was well protected under more stringent laws and there was no need for such a notification. Mac Mohan, the Coimbatore-based environmentalist, said the government had not even conducted a public hearing. Frankly, the forests and the buffer can be protected under the existing laws. In fact, Tamil Nadu constituted a Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA) which is a regulatory authority for 31 taluks in nine districts falling in the Western Ghats of the State. However, the State government should respond and take a stand on the issue considering the sensitivity of the matter. Yes, complete prohibition of mining, thermal power plants, red category industries and large townships in ESA is a welcome move and will go a long way in conserving the Western Ghats, which is the lifeline for southern India, he said. Interestingly, the Centre claimed that meetings were convened with Members of Parliament of the Western Ghats region on August 11, 2016. Except for Kerala, other States raised no major objections and had informed that demarcation of an ecologically sensitive area was in an advanced stage of completion. The Nilgiris MP C Gopalakrishnan said he will study the notification and take up the matter with the State government. Parliament members from Tirunelveli, Erode, Pollachi, Coimbatore and Madurai constituencies, all having endemic populace living in the fringe area of the ghats, refused to comment. Though the Centre in the draft notification has assured there will be no displacement or dislocation of local people living in habitations within the ESA demarcated in the Western Ghats and practising agriculture and plantation activity due to the provisions contained in the notification, farmers think otherwise. Kerala was the first State to undertake the demarcation of ESA. It had recommended an area of 9993.7 sq.kms, which is over 3,000 sq.km less compared to 13,108 sq.km recommended by the High-Level Working Group headed by Kasturirangan. In the fresh draft notification, the Union environment ministry, under section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, has notified 56,825 sq.km of the area which is spread across six States, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, as the Western Ghats ESA. In Tamil Nadu, the Centre has identified 6,914 sq.km, including 135 villages as ESA.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The rising number of detention of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy is sharpening the response from Tamil Nadu government, with the Chief Minister charging the Centre with not putting enough pressure on the island government to stop the harassment.

In the latest string of detentions, 32 fishermen and five boats were detained in three batches by the Lankan navy on Saturday and Sunday. It is reported that a fisherman attempted to swallow a broken glass out of fear and mental stress [which] indicates the desperate situation, said Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in his latest letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.



There have been six such apprehensions in just four days since Thursday, which has taken the total number of fishermen in Lankan custody to 85 and fishing boats to 128.

From requesting and urging the Centre as he did in previous letters, Palaniswami criticised the Centre of not doing enough to bring about a lasting solution. One such was the comprehensive project to convert mechanised trawlers to deep sea long liners and create related infrastructure to reduce the fishermens dependency on fish resources in the Palk Straits.



Based on [Centres] advice, the first batch of fishermen have also been trained in deep sea long liner fishing operations. But despite our repeated requests, neither has the package of Rs 1,650 crore been approved nor does there seem to be adequate pressure built up on Sri Lanka to desist from day to day harassment and arrest of our fishermen, the Chief Minister said in the letter.

In effect, charged Palaniswami, the fishermen from the State have been left at the complete mercy of the Lankan Navy, which picks them up at random, incarcerates them for months together, and fails to return their boats for years together despite commitments made in the talks which take place from time to time.



Citing examples from around the world, including South-East Asia in the neighbourhood, where countries that share maritime boundaries work out a solution through diplomatic channels so as to allow the fishermen to continue to go about their livelihood without harassment, he said There is no reason why a similar arrangement cannot be put in place between India and Sri Lanka.

CHENNAI: The rising number of detention of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy is sharpening the response from Tamil Nadu government, with the Chief Minister charging the Centre with not putting enough pressure on the island government to stop the harassment. In the latest string of detentions, 32 fishermen and five boats were detained in three batches by the Lankan navy on Saturday and Sunday. It is reported that a fisherman attempted to swallow a broken glass out of fear and mental stress [which] indicates the desperate situation, said Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in his latest letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. There have been six such apprehensions in just four days since Thursday, which has taken the total number of fishermen in Lankan custody to 85 and fishing boats to 128. From requesting and urging the Centre as he did in previous letters, Palaniswami criticised the Centre of not doing enough to bring about a lasting solution. One such was the comprehensive project to convert mechanised trawlers to deep sea long liners and create related infrastructure to reduce the fishermens dependency on fish resources in the Palk Straits. Based on [Centres] advice, the first batch of fishermen have also been trained in deep sea long liner fishing operations. But despite our repeated requests, neither has the package of Rs 1,650 crore been approved nor does there seem to be adequate pressure built up on Sri Lanka to desist from day to day harassment and arrest of our fishermen, the Chief Minister said in the letter. In effect, charged Palaniswami, the fishermen from the State have been left at the complete mercy of the Lankan Navy, which picks them up at random, incarcerates them for months together, and fails to return their boats for years together despite commitments made in the talks which take place from time to time. Citing examples from around the world, including South-East Asia in the neighbourhood, where countries that share maritime boundaries work out a solution through diplomatic channels so as to allow the fishermen to continue to go about their livelihood without harassment, he said There is no reason why a similar arrangement cannot be put in place between India and Sri Lanka.
Pran Nevile By

I have witnessed the transformation of Imperial New Delhi with all its grandeur, peace and prosperity into the capital of the most populous democracy, and then emerging as a commercial and industrial hub.

The bewildering diversity has added a new dimension to the character and persona of the city.

Shekhar yadav

But at the same time, the population explosion, crumbling infrastructure, increasing pollution, lapses of civic administration, confusing political scenario and the failure of governance present an extremely grim picture of the city, also dubbed by some as an unliveable place. The city is now estimated to have crossed the 20 million mark. Gone are the days of family planning and its slogan, Hum do, Hamare do, the two offsprings norm.

The ever-growing clusters of slums present a challenge to the civic authorities. There are also unauthorised colonies housing nearly 25 per cent of citys population. These are a stumbling block to the citys planning but are shielded by politicians hunting for votes.

In such a scenario, governments announcement to give `6,000 aid to every pregnant woman may serve as an inducement to produce more children, adding to the exploding population. Government will have to lay down specific terms and conditions for its entitlement. With fake currency, government will have to take steps to handle fake pregnancy cases.

I think instead of helping pregnant women through prize money, a better way to use funds would be to establish better facility maternity centres across Delhi. Surprisingly, I have not come across any comments on this scheme offering `6,000 in the media, either by government supporters or opponents.

I have witnessed the transformation of Imperial New Delhi with all its grandeur, peace and prosperity into the capital of the most populous democracy, and then emerging as a commercial and industrial hub. The bewildering diversity has added a new dimension to the character and persona of the city. Shekhar yadavBut at the same time, the population explosion, crumbling infrastructure, increasing pollution, lapses of civic administration, confusing political scenario and the failure of governance present an extremely grim picture of the city, also dubbed by some as an unliveable place. The city is now estimated to have crossed the 20 million mark. Gone are the days of family planning and its slogan, Hum do, Hamare do, the two offsprings norm. The ever-growing clusters of slums present a challenge to the civic authorities. There are also unauthorised colonies housing nearly 25 per cent of citys population. These are a stumbling block to the citys planning but are shielded by politicians hunting for votes. In such a scenario, governments announcement to give `6,000 aid to every pregnant woman may serve as an inducement to produce more children, adding to the exploding population. Government will have to lay down specific terms and conditions for its entitlement. With fake currency, government will have to take steps to handle fake pregnancy cases. I think instead of helping pregnant women through prize money, a better way to use funds would be to establish better facility maternity centres across Delhi. Surprisingly, I have not come across any comments on this scheme offering `6,000 in the media, either by government supporters or opponents.
Kanu Sarda By

NEW DELHI: Keeping in view the health of women who develop complications in the later stages of their pregnancy, the Centre is mulling over to amend the law prohibiting abortion of foetus and increase the legal limit for termination from 20 weeks to 24 weeks.

The much-awaited Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) (Amendment) Bill, that contemplates the extension of the legal limit for abortion, has reached its final stages and is under consideration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Once it gets the Cabinet approval, it will be presented in the Parliament. The step will also put an end to the litigations filed by women with complicated pregnancy.

The court has always come to the rescue of women who face health complications in their pregnancy, but strictly adhere to the advice of the panel of doctors to examine the foetus. In one such case, earlier this week, the court did not permit a women to undergo abortion as the medical board advised against it, opining that the foetus was suffering from down syndrome which is not harmful for the mother or the child. Down syndrome is a congenital disorder which causes intellectual impairment and physical abnormalities.

The MTP (Amendment) had been prepared after taking suggestions from doctors, health activists and patients who went through the litigation battle to seek relief.

Another reason for the Centres push for this bill is to provide relief to women with disabilities, rape survivors, victims of incest and single (unmarried, divorced, widowed) women. Under such circumstances, the foetal abnormalities are detected after the existing gestation limit of 20 weeks. Some countries, including the US and the UK, allow termination till 24 weeks.

Under the MTP Act, a woman is allowed abortion within the first 12 weeks of her pregnancy, provided a registered medical practitioner diagnoses any grave danger to her physical and mental health. If the foetus is between 12 and 20 weeks old, then the procedure requires permission from two medical practitioners.

The Act also allows abortion if the foetus is diagnosed to be born with severe abnormalities.

Last year, the Supreme Court permitted a rape survivor to terminate her pregnancy at 24 weeks, beyond the permissible 20-week limit prescribed under the MTP Act on the ground that continuing the pregnancy could greatly endanger her physical and mental health.

NEW DELHI: Keeping in view the health of women who develop complications in the later stages of their pregnancy, the Centre is mulling over to amend the law prohibiting abortion of foetus and increase the legal limit for termination from 20 weeks to 24 weeks. The much-awaited Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) (Amendment) Bill, that contemplates the extension of the legal limit for abortion, has reached its final stages and is under consideration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Once it gets the Cabinet approval, it will be presented in the Parliament. The step will also put an end to the litigations filed by women with complicated pregnancy. The court has always come to the rescue of women who face health complications in their pregnancy, but strictly adhere to the advice of the panel of doctors to examine the foetus. In one such case, earlier this week, the court did not permit a women to undergo abortion as the medical board advised against it, opining that the foetus was suffering from down syndrome which is not harmful for the mother or the child. Down syndrome is a congenital disorder which causes intellectual impairment and physical abnormalities. The MTP (Amendment) had been prepared after taking suggestions from doctors, health activists and patients who went through the litigation battle to seek relief. Another reason for the Centres push for this bill is to provide relief to women with disabilities, rape survivors, victims of incest and single (unmarried, divorced, widowed) women. Under such circumstances, the foetal abnormalities are detected after the existing gestation limit of 20 weeks. Some countries, including the US and the UK, allow termination till 24 weeks. Under the MTP Act, a woman is allowed abortion within the first 12 weeks of her pregnancy, provided a registered medical practitioner diagnoses any grave danger to her physical and mental health. If the foetus is between 12 and 20 weeks old, then the procedure requires permission from two medical practitioners. The Act also allows abortion if the foetus is diagnosed to be born with severe abnormalities. Last year, the Supreme Court permitted a rape survivor to terminate her pregnancy at 24 weeks, beyond the permissible 20-week limit prescribed under the MTP Act on the ground that continuing the pregnancy could greatly endanger her physical and mental health.
Ankur Sharma By

NEW DELHI: The unbridled greed of a conniving couple, the sexual exploitation of thousands of innocent girls and a change in the traditional trafficking route through Nepal and Bangladesh in favour of domestic procurement from the repellent ratatouille of a prostitution racket.

A Terrible Two in the Capital trafficked over 4,000 girls from all over India into Delhis infamous GB Road brothels and made over Rs 250 crore from their misery and squalor.

The gang leaders, with whom the law finally caught up, owned luxury cars, farmhouses, homes, and commercial property all over Delhi

For the first time, a nationwide prostitution racket evaded intelligence surveillance on the Nepal-Bangladesh route, which is constantly watched for terror trail

A desperado couple who came to Delhi in search of opportunities orchestrated one of the worst cases of human trafficking by beating the countrys top intelligence agencies to bring in over 4,000 girls and women to feed the citys prostitution racket.

Starting as small-time operators, their modus operandi, however, acquired such sophistication that they were able to avoid detection by the intelligence agencies, which followed the terrorist trail across the Bangladesh-Nepal border.

This they did by ditching the traditional border route and turning inward, in the process building up almost a national network of supply across Andhra, Bengal, Rajasthan and Karnataka.

The coupleAfaq Hussain and wife Saira Begumhave thus changed the vector of female trafficking in India as the flesh trade smugglers are finding it difficult to get women into Delhis GB Road brothels in which over 5,000 girls and women work.

While piling miseries on their hapless victims, the couple built up an empire of wealth and opulence worth Rs 250 crore spanning Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur in over 10 years. They own huge properties, possess expensive cars and have sent their kids to prestigious schools.

They own a farmhouse, residential units in prime areas and shops in commercially-important locations. Their cars include makes such as Audi, Toyota and Honda. To fool people and their kids, they posed around as owners of two companies, which was only on paper.

Saria was originally from Hyderabad and Afaq came from Moradabad, UP. They came to Delhi for work. Afaq started working as a contractor and would get Rs 3,000-Rs 4,000 per month. He came in contact with Saira at Kotha no. 58, GB Road. Afaq was impressed with the kind of money Saira was making from her racket and he offered to marry her, which led to their informal Nikah in 1999.

That was the beginning of a flourishing trafficking business and they purchased their first Kotha on GB Road in 2003, which was worth Rs 40 crore. Most of their victims were minors belonging to poor families and brought to Delhi on the promise of lucrative jobs, sightseeing, and even on the pretext of marriage. Once in Delhi, they were sold at GB Road for Rs 1-2 lakh. The victims were thrashed, confined, intoxicated and kept starved to force them into prostitution.

The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police recently filed a charge-sheet against the two in the Tiz Hazari court. The charge-sheet, which The Sunday Standard has gained access to, runs into 3,895 pages, almost four times larger than the one filed in the Nirbhaya gang-rape case.

The charge-sheet has statements of 126 people on record, including almost a dozen victims. Police have so far arrested 10 people, including Afaq and Saira, their two managers, one driver, four Naikas and one henchman.

A senior crime branch official said, a supplementary charge-sheet will be filed soon and more arrests will follow. The victims had heart-rending stories to tell. Nita,18, (name changed), from Bengaluru got engaged to a 24-year-old man named Romesh.

The mother allowed her to leave the city as the man promised her daughter a good life. But as soon as she came to Delhi, she realised that she had been trapped into flesh trade. Later, she discovered that the man who had promised to marry her was actually an agent.

In another case, Rani, 17, from Bengal was brought to Delhi on promise of better life. An agent developed familiarity with her and took her to GB Road on the pretext that the place was famous for great food. The girls were paid 10 per cent of the price at which they were sold, while those who managed the trade at different levels earned handsome amounts.

The pecking order was Rs 30,000-40,000 for the Naikas or managers, and Rs 40,000-2,00,000 for the agents per deal.

NEW DELHI: The unbridled greed of a conniving couple, the sexual exploitation of thousands of innocent girls and a change in the traditional trafficking route through Nepal and Bangladesh in favour of domestic procurement from the repellent ratatouille of a prostitution racket. A Terrible Two in the Capital trafficked over 4,000 girls from all over India into Delhis infamous GB Road brothels and made over Rs 250 crore from their misery and squalor. The gang leaders, with whom the law finally caught up, owned luxury cars, farmhouses, homes, and commercial property all over Delhi For the first time, a nationwide prostitution racket evaded intelligence surveillance on the Nepal-Bangladesh route, which is constantly watched for terror trail A desperado couple who came to Delhi in search of opportunities orchestrated one of the worst cases of human trafficking by beating the countrys top intelligence agencies to bring in over 4,000 girls and women to feed the citys prostitution racket. Starting as small-time operators, their modus operandi, however, acquired such sophistication that they were able to avoid detection by the intelligence agencies, which followed the terrorist trail across the Bangladesh-Nepal border. This they did by ditching the traditional border route and turning inward, in the process building up almost a national network of supply across Andhra, Bengal, Rajasthan and Karnataka. The coupleAfaq Hussain and wife Saira Begumhave thus changed the vector of female trafficking in India as the flesh trade smugglers are finding it difficult to get women into Delhis GB Road brothels in which over 5,000 girls and women work. While piling miseries on their hapless victims, the couple built up an empire of wealth and opulence worth Rs 250 crore spanning Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur in over 10 years. They own huge properties, possess expensive cars and have sent their kids to prestigious schools. They own a farmhouse, residential units in prime areas and shops in commercially-important locations. Their cars include makes such as Audi, Toyota and Honda. To fool people and their kids, they posed around as owners of two companies, which was only on paper. Saria was originally from Hyderabad and Afaq came from Moradabad, UP. They came to Delhi for work. Afaq started working as a contractor and would get Rs 3,000-Rs 4,000 per month. He came in contact with Saira at Kotha no. 58, GB Road. Afaq was impressed with the kind of money Saira was making from her racket and he offered to marry her, which led to their informal Nikah in 1999. That was the beginning of a flourishing trafficking business and they purchased their first Kotha on GB Road in 2003, which was worth Rs 40 crore. Most of their victims were minors belonging to poor families and brought to Delhi on the promise of lucrative jobs, sightseeing, and even on the pretext of marriage. Once in Delhi, they were sold at GB Road for Rs 1-2 lakh. The victims were thrashed, confined, intoxicated and kept starved to force them into prostitution. The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police recently filed a charge-sheet against the two in the Tiz Hazari court. The charge-sheet, which The Sunday Standard has gained access to, runs into 3,895 pages, almost four times larger than the one filed in the Nirbhaya gang-rape case. The charge-sheet has statements of 126 people on record, including almost a dozen victims. Police have so far arrested 10 people, including Afaq and Saira, their two managers, one driver, four Naikas and one henchman. A senior crime branch official said, a supplementary charge-sheet will be filed soon and more arrests will follow. The victims had heart-rending stories to tell. Nita,18, (name changed), from Bengaluru got engaged to a 24-year-old man named Romesh. The mother allowed her to leave the city as the man promised her daughter a good life. But as soon as she came to Delhi, she realised that she had been trapped into flesh trade. Later, she discovered that the man who had promised to marry her was actually an agent. In another case, Rani, 17, from Bengal was brought to Delhi on promise of better life. An agent developed familiarity with her and took her to GB Road on the pretext that the place was famous for great food. The girls were paid 10 per cent of the price at which they were sold, while those who managed the trade at different levels earned handsome amounts. The pecking order was Rs 30,000-40,000 for the Naikas or managers, and Rs 40,000-2,00,000 for the agents per deal.
By PTI

DHAKA: Bangladesh today banned extremist Islamist group Ansar Al-Islam blamed for the brutal murders of several secular activists and atheist bloggers in the Muslim-majority country. A Home Ministry spokesman said an order was issued banning the militant outfit as "the group is involved in anti-state activities which are contrary to peace and order and a threat to public safety and security in the country."

The radical group, which claims links to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, has claimed responsibility for a spate of gruesome murders of secular activists and atheist bloggers in the country that sparked a security crackdown on extremists. The ban was enforced as members of previously outlawed Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) regrouped under the banner of Ansar al-Islam, the Ministry said.

ABT was banned in May 2015 when one of its leaders was arrested and two members were sentenced to death for the murder of an atheist blogger in February 2013. The group also claimed responsibility for the 2015 murder of Avijit Roy, an American atheist author of Bangladeshi origin, gay activist Xulhaz Mannan, a magazine editor and bloggers Niladri Chattopadhyay and Nazim Uddin Samad.

It is the seventh radical extremist organisation, whose activities have so far been banned in Bangladesh. The six other groups already banned are Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), Harkat-ul-Jehad-al-Islami Bangladesh (HUJI-B), Hizb ut-Tahrir and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT).

DHAKA: Bangladesh today banned extremist Islamist group Ansar Al-Islam blamed for the brutal murders of several secular activists and atheist bloggers in the Muslim-majority country. A Home Ministry spokesman said an order was issued banning the militant outfit as "the group is involved in anti-state activities which are contrary to peace and order and a threat to public safety and security in the country." The radical group, which claims links to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, has claimed responsibility for a spate of gruesome murders of secular activists and atheist bloggers in the country that sparked a security crackdown on extremists. The ban was enforced as members of previously outlawed Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) regrouped under the banner of Ansar al-Islam, the Ministry said. ABT was banned in May 2015 when one of its leaders was arrested and two members were sentenced to death for the murder of an atheist blogger in February 2013. The group also claimed responsibility for the 2015 murder of Avijit Roy, an American atheist author of Bangladeshi origin, gay activist Xulhaz Mannan, a magazine editor and bloggers Niladri Chattopadhyay and Nazim Uddin Samad. It is the seventh radical extremist organisation, whose activities have so far been banned in Bangladesh. The six other groups already banned are Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), Harkat-ul-Jehad-al-Islami Bangladesh (HUJI-B), Hizb ut-Tahrir and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT).
By Associated Press

AMSTERDAM: A diplomatic rift between Turkey and key European nations deepened Sunday as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany of "Nazi practices," days after a local authority prevented a Turkish minister from addressing a rally.

Meanwhile, at an election campaign event in Amsterdam, Dutch right-wing populist Geert Wilders also resorted to extreme-right comparisons, calling Erdogan an "Islamo-fascist leader."

The diplomatic tension has been rising in recent days amid Turkish plans to have government ministers to address rallies in Germany and the Netherlands in support of an upcoming constitutional referendum that would give Erdogan new powers.

Speaking in Istanbul, the Turkish president fanned the flames with a stinging verbal attack.

"In Germany, they are not allowing our friends to speak. Let them do so. Do you think that by not allowing them to speak the votes in Germany will come out 'no' instead of 'yes?'" Erdogan said. "Germany, you don't have anything to do with democracy. These current practices of yours are no different than the Nazi practices of the past."

On Thursday, Turkey's justice minister cancelled a meeting with his German counterpart after local authorities in south-west Germany withdrew permission for him to use a venue to hold a rally near the French border that was part of a campaign to get Turks in Germany to vote "yes" in the referendum.

Turkey's economy minister, Nihat Zeybekci, was due to speak at two events in western Germany on Sunday. There are about 1.4 million people in Germany who are eligible to vote in the Turkish referendum

Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern, in an interview with German weekly newspaper Welt am Sonntag, said it is time to pull the plug on long-stalled moves to bring Turkey into the EU.

"We shouldn't just temporarily suspend the accession talks with Turkey but end them," Kern said. "We can't continue to negotiate about membership with a country that has been steadily distancing itself for years, during ongoing access talks, from democratic standards and principles of the rule of law."

The Dutch government is investigating whether it can halt a rally being planned for later in the week at which Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is reportedly due to speak.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Dutch broadcaster NOS on Saturday that his government "is looking at all legal avenues to prevent such a visit." Rutte said the proposed constitutional changes take Turkey, an aspirant European Union member state, "in a less democratic direction."

"We believe that Dutch public space is not the place for political campaigns of other countries," Rutte wrote earlier in a post on his Facebook page.

Wilders, whose Party for Freedom is lagging only slightly behind Rutte's VVD party in polls before March 15 elections for Parliament's lower house, said he would go further if he were in power.

"I think that coming here to advocate a change of the Turkish constitution that will only strengthen the Islamo-fascist leader Erdogan of Turkey more than Parliament, Turkish parliament, is the worst thing that could happen to us," Wilders told reporters at a campaign event.

Wilders said that if he were Dutch prime minister, "''I would call the whole Cabinet of Turkey 'persona non grata' for a month or two, not allowing them to come here."

Kern, however, pointed out that totally cutting ties with Ankara wouldn't be in EU interests. An EU deal with Turkey, which also is a NATO member, has significantly cut the number of migrants crossing into Europe.

"We should realign the relationship, without the illusion of EU membership," Kern said. "Turkey is an important partner in security matters, on migration and on economic cooperation. Turkey has stuck to all of its commitments resulting from the refugee deal in any case. We should build upon that."

AMSTERDAM: A diplomatic rift between Turkey and key European nations deepened Sunday as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany of "Nazi practices," days after a local authority prevented a Turkish minister from addressing a rally. Meanwhile, at an election campaign event in Amsterdam, Dutch right-wing populist Geert Wilders also resorted to extreme-right comparisons, calling Erdogan an "Islamo-fascist leader." The diplomatic tension has been rising in recent days amid Turkish plans to have government ministers to address rallies in Germany and the Netherlands in support of an upcoming constitutional referendum that would give Erdogan new powers. Speaking in Istanbul, the Turkish president fanned the flames with a stinging verbal attack. "In Germany, they are not allowing our friends to speak. Let them do so. Do you think that by not allowing them to speak the votes in Germany will come out 'no' instead of 'yes?'" Erdogan said. "Germany, you don't have anything to do with democracy. These current practices of yours are no different than the Nazi practices of the past." On Thursday, Turkey's justice minister cancelled a meeting with his German counterpart after local authorities in south-west Germany withdrew permission for him to use a venue to hold a rally near the French border that was part of a campaign to get Turks in Germany to vote "yes" in the referendum. Turkey's economy minister, Nihat Zeybekci, was due to speak at two events in western Germany on Sunday. There are about 1.4 million people in Germany who are eligible to vote in the Turkish referendum Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern, in an interview with German weekly newspaper Welt am Sonntag, said it is time to pull the plug on long-stalled moves to bring Turkey into the EU. "We shouldn't just temporarily suspend the accession talks with Turkey but end them," Kern said. "We can't continue to negotiate about membership with a country that has been steadily distancing itself for years, during ongoing access talks, from democratic standards and principles of the rule of law." The Dutch government is investigating whether it can halt a rally being planned for later in the week at which Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is reportedly due to speak. Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Dutch broadcaster NOS on Saturday that his government "is looking at all legal avenues to prevent such a visit." Rutte said the proposed constitutional changes take Turkey, an aspirant European Union member state, "in a less democratic direction." "We believe that Dutch public space is not the place for political campaigns of other countries," Rutte wrote earlier in a post on his Facebook page. Wilders, whose Party for Freedom is lagging only slightly behind Rutte's VVD party in polls before March 15 elections for Parliament's lower house, said he would go further if he were in power. "I think that coming here to advocate a change of the Turkish constitution that will only strengthen the Islamo-fascist leader Erdogan of Turkey more than Parliament, Turkish parliament, is the worst thing that could happen to us," Wilders told reporters at a campaign event. Wilders said that if he were Dutch prime minister, "''I would call the whole Cabinet of Turkey 'persona non grata' for a month or two, not allowing them to come here." Kern, however, pointed out that totally cutting ties with Ankara wouldn't be in EU interests. An EU deal with Turkey, which also is a NATO member, has significantly cut the number of migrants crossing into Europe. "We should realign the relationship, without the illusion of EU membership," Kern said. "Turkey is an important partner in security matters, on migration and on economic cooperation. Turkey has stuck to all of its commitments resulting from the refugee deal in any case. We should build upon that."
By Associated Press

VIENNA: Austria was among the first countries in Europe to put out the welcome mat when waves of people fleeing war and poverty reached the continent. Now, its focus is showing them the door.

Parliament is set to pass a law stripping pocket money, food and shelter from those denied asylums, potentially leaving them on the street. The interior minister proudly touts figures showing Austria as the European Union's per-capita leader in expelling those rejected.

Austrian courts are toughening up too. On Thursday, eight Iraqi men were sent to prison for up to 13 years for the gang rape of a German woman on New Year's Eve more than a year ago.

Lawyer Andreas Reichenbach, who defended one of the men, said the stiff sentences were a signal to migrants that "when they come to Austria, that such behaviour won't be tolerated."

In Germany, where during the height of the influx Chancellor Angela Merkel insisted "we will manage," the government now considers some areas of Afghanistan "safe," and has started returning failed asylum-seekers to those regions. Additional tough measures have followed Berlin's deadly Christmas market attack by rejected Tunisian asylum-seeker Anis Amri and gains by the nationalist Alternative for Germany party.

The pro-migrant attitudes that once led thousands of Austrian volunteers to turn out with food, shelter and advice to the first asylum-seekers are still heard some places, but they appear outnumbered.

"We have to keep welcoming those who have nowhere else to go," said Marlis Bosch. "We in Austria have more than enough to share."

A survey of 10 EU member countries last month showed 65 percent of the 1,000 Austrian respondents favoured stopping all immigration from Muslim nations. Only Poles scored higher  at 71 percent  on Britain's Royal Institute of International Affairs survey. But anti-migrant sentiment in Poland has been fueled by the government. Not so in Austria.

Former Chancellor Werner Faymann urged Austrians to deal generously with migrants as late as fall 2015, even as his government worked to secure its borders. But he was forced out last year after migrant policies threatened to tear apart his government coalition after he took a harder line.

His successor, Christian Kern, has found little choice but to stay tough  or risk boosting the right-wing Freedom Party and its message that migrants are overwhelmingly behind the kind of crimes the eight Iraqis were convicted of Thursday.

Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hofer, who advocates a tough line on migrants, was narrowly defeated in December in Austria's presidential election. Polls continue to show his populist party with the most voter support.

But Kern's Social Democrats have almost caught up since he took office less than nine months ago and continued hardening the country's migrant policies.

Also gaining support on a tougher migrant stance is the centrist People's Party, the Social Democrats' coalition partner. Party member Sebastian Kurz, Austria's foreign minister, is advocating setting up North African holding camps for would-be emigres from there.

The Austrian government plans to stop all support for those whose asylum requests have been rejected  including meals, shelter and a monthly allowance of 40 euros (about $40). If Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka has his way, those refusing to leave will also pay high fines and end up in compounds until they are forcibly deported.

The coalition's majority in parliament means that approval of the draft law is virtually certain.

Still, some members of Kern's Social Democratic party have joined with human rights advocates who say its passage could lead to increased misery for thousands and a possible rise in crime.

"Families with children, or the sick, all could end up on the street from one day or the other," warns Christoph Pinter of the U.N. refugee organisation UNHCR.

Sobotka shrugs, reflecting Austria's sharp about-turn on migrants.

"Who is contravening the law  me or those who do not leave the country?" he asked reporters. "My responsibility is enforcing the law."

VIENNA: Austria was among the first countries in Europe to put out the welcome mat when waves of people fleeing war and poverty reached the continent. Now, its focus is showing them the door. Parliament is set to pass a law stripping pocket money, food and shelter from those denied asylums, potentially leaving them on the street. The interior minister proudly touts figures showing Austria as the European Union's per-capita leader in expelling those rejected. Austrian courts are toughening up too. On Thursday, eight Iraqi men were sent to prison for up to 13 years for the gang rape of a German woman on New Year's Eve more than a year ago. Lawyer Andreas Reichenbach, who defended one of the men, said the stiff sentences were a signal to migrants that "when they come to Austria, that such behaviour won't be tolerated." In Germany, where during the height of the influx Chancellor Angela Merkel insisted "we will manage," the government now considers some areas of Afghanistan "safe," and has started returning failed asylum-seekers to those regions. Additional tough measures have followed Berlin's deadly Christmas market attack by rejected Tunisian asylum-seeker Anis Amri and gains by the nationalist Alternative for Germany party. The pro-migrant attitudes that once led thousands of Austrian volunteers to turn out with food, shelter and advice to the first asylum-seekers are still heard some places, but they appear outnumbered. "We have to keep welcoming those who have nowhere else to go," said Marlis Bosch. "We in Austria have more than enough to share." A survey of 10 EU member countries last month showed 65 percent of the 1,000 Austrian respondents favoured stopping all immigration from Muslim nations. Only Poles scored higher  at 71 percent  on Britain's Royal Institute of International Affairs survey. But anti-migrant sentiment in Poland has been fueled by the government. Not so in Austria. Former Chancellor Werner Faymann urged Austrians to deal generously with migrants as late as fall 2015, even as his government worked to secure its borders. But he was forced out last year after migrant policies threatened to tear apart his government coalition after he took a harder line. His successor, Christian Kern, has found little choice but to stay tough  or risk boosting the right-wing Freedom Party and its message that migrants are overwhelmingly behind the kind of crimes the eight Iraqis were convicted of Thursday. Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hofer, who advocates a tough line on migrants, was narrowly defeated in December in Austria's presidential election. Polls continue to show his populist party with the most voter support. But Kern's Social Democrats have almost caught up since he took office less than nine months ago and continued hardening the country's migrant policies. Also gaining support on a tougher migrant stance is the centrist People's Party, the Social Democrats' coalition partner. Party member Sebastian Kurz, Austria's foreign minister, is advocating setting up North African holding camps for would-be emigres from there. The Austrian government plans to stop all support for those whose asylum requests have been rejected  including meals, shelter and a monthly allowance of 40 euros (about $40). If Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka has his way, those refusing to leave will also pay high fines and end up in compounds until they are forcibly deported. The coalition's majority in parliament means that approval of the draft law is virtually certain. Still, some members of Kern's Social Democratic party have joined with human rights advocates who say its passage could lead to increased misery for thousands and a possible rise in crime. "Families with children, or the sick, all could end up on the street from one day or the other," warns Christoph Pinter of the U.N. refugee organisation UNHCR. Sobotka shrugs, reflecting Austria's sharp about-turn on migrants. "Who is contravening the law  me or those who do not leave the country?" he asked reporters. "My responsibility is enforcing the law."
Niral Sharma By

Online Desk

In a suspected hate crime incident, A 39-year-old Sikh man, Deep Rai was shot and wounded outside his house by a partially- masked gunman who shouted "go back to your own country". Deep was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent, Washington when the stranger approached. While the Kent police said that the Sikh man sustained "non life-threatening injuries", there have been several cases in the past when Sikhs, who have often been the targets of hate crimes in the US, have even lost their lives.

The first person to be victimized by hate crime in the United States after the 9/11 terrorist attacks was not a Muslim. He was a Sikh, Balbir Singh Sondhi, who was shot dead at his petrol filling station in Arizona. Sondhi was mistaken for a Muslim because of his turban. As reported in CNN, the assailant said that he wanted to "go out and shoot some towel-heads" for the actions of Osama bin Laden.

Now with President Donald Trumps travel ban plans on citizens from Muslim-dominated countries, Sikhs in the US are a worried lot. Although Sikh migration to the country began more than 130 years ago, turban-wearing followers of the faith are routinely mistaken for Muslims, and taunted with calls like Osama! and turban heads.

Not just this, in one of Trump's campaigns, an Indian-origin Sikh was mistaken to be a Muslim supporter on the flyers.

Facebook | SikhChannel840

Gurinder Singh Khalsa featured in the ad is a resident of Fishers city in Indiana who had immigrated to the US from India. "I am not Muslim and I am not supporting Trump," he was quoted as saying to WTHR TV channel.

With new travel rules (if implemented), the community fears a spike in cases of abuse in general and harassment at security check-ups in particular.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screenings have become a big issue for Sikhs in America

The Sikh Coalition, a volunteer organization, founded in response to 9/11, has received over 700 TSA complaints through their mobile app called 'Flyrights' since 2012.

Also read: Stalkers video of Indians in US Fuels hate sentiment

Tanvir Singh, a 40-year-old Sikh American driver at the Seattle-Tacoma airport, says he and his family have faced frequent public humiliations and unwarranted screenings at airports. He says he has missed flights at least six times due to unfettered TSA screening and search practices. I have been searched so many times that my family does not want to fly with me. My kids even refused a trip to Disneyland, Tanvir Singh told the New Indian Express.

Once while returning from Canada, his family was searched for six hours at the border protection line. The TSA agents refused to allow my wife to buy milk for my six-month-old son and did not even provide water for my four-year-old daughter, who began vomiting during this screening.

On another occasion, Singh was searched and sent through the screener multiple times at the airport before a flight from Washington DC to Los Angeles. I was then sent to a room with six to seven agents. One of them tried to touch my turban. The turban is one of the five articles of faith worn by an initiated Sikh. I requested them to allow me to remove my turban myself, yet the agents removed it while laughing at and mocking me. I missed the flight and ended up spending 14 hours at the airport.

Tanvir Singh said people in his community have been weary of travel checks even before the Donald Trump order. Many of my friends do not want to travel anymore even for a short distance. We are made to wait for hours and hours.

While Trumps travel ban order is temporarily suspended and the revised executive order is expected to be signed next week, the community fears that increased security checks at airports will see a surge in cases of abuse and humiliation.

Wanda Sanchez Day, an attorney associated with United Sikhs, a civil rights organisation, said, We condemn the ideas embodied in the executive order issued by Donald Trump on January 27, 2017. It is a setback to progress that has been made on civil and human rights in the United States.

The torment of Sikh community is not limited to airports. There have been hate crimes against them in several US cities. However, according to a survey by the National Sikh Campaign, a non-profit organisation, 60 per cent of Americans didn't know about their existence.

According to the Sikh Coalition, the community is hundreds of times more likely than their fellow Americans to experience hate crimes. There had been over 175 Anti-sikh hate crimes since 2001, it said in a report.

In January 2016, 68-year-old Gurucharan Singh Gill, who was working at a liquor store in California, was stabbed to death in broad daylight. "The local community members feel that Gill was attacked because of his skin colour and identity," Lieutenant Mindy Casto, Fresno Police Department was quoted telling a news agency.

In another incident which took place in December 2015 in Fresno, a 68-year-old man was hit by a car while he was waiting to go to work. The assailants reportedly emerged from the vehicle to attack the man and yelled, "Why are you here?"

In a suspected hate crime incident, A 39-year-old Sikh man, Deep Rai was shot and wounded outside his house by a partially- masked gunman who shouted "go back to your own country". Deep was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent, Washington when the stranger approached. While the Kent police said that the Sikh man sustained "non life-threatening injuries", there have been several cases in the past when Sikhs, who have often been the targets of hate crimes in the US, have even lost their lives. The first person to be victimized by hate crime in the United States after the 9/11 terrorist attacks was not a Muslim. He was a Sikh, Balbir Singh Sondhi, who was shot dead at his petrol filling station in Arizona. Sondhi was mistaken for a Muslim because of his turban. As reported in CNN, the assailant said that he wanted to "go out and shoot some towel-heads" for the actions of Osama bin Laden. Now with President Donald Trumps travel ban plans on citizens from Muslim-dominated countries, Sikhs in the US are a worried lot. Although Sikh migration to the country began more than 130 years ago, turban-wearing followers of the faith are routinely mistaken for Muslims, and taunted with calls like Osama! and turban heads. Not just this, in one of Trump's campaigns, an Indian-origin Sikh was mistaken to be a Muslim supporter on the flyers. Facebook | SikhChannel840Gurinder Singh Khalsa featured in the ad is a resident of Fishers city in Indiana who had immigrated to the US from India. "I am not Muslim and I am not supporting Trump," he was quoted as saying to WTHR TV channel. With new travel rules (if implemented), the community fears a spike in cases of abuse in general and harassment at security check-ups in particular. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screenings have become a big issue for Sikhs in America The Sikh Coalition, a volunteer organization, founded in response to 9/11, has received over 700 TSA complaints through their mobile app called 'Flyrights' since 2012. Also read: Stalkers video of Indians in US Fuels hate sentiment Tanvir Singh, a 40-year-old Sikh American driver at the Seattle-Tacoma airport, says he and his family have faced frequent public humiliations and unwarranted screenings at airports. He says he has missed flights at least six times due to unfettered TSA screening and search practices. I have been searched so many times that my family does not want to fly with me. My kids even refused a trip to Disneyland, Tanvir Singh told the New Indian Express. Once while returning from Canada, his family was searched for six hours at the border protection line. The TSA agents refused to allow my wife to buy milk for my six-month-old son and did not even provide water for my four-year-old daughter, who began vomiting during this screening. On another occasion, Singh was searched and sent through the screener multiple times at the airport before a flight from Washington DC to Los Angeles. I was then sent to a room with six to seven agents. One of them tried to touch my turban. The turban is one of the five articles of faith worn by an initiated Sikh. I requested them to allow me to remove my turban myself, yet the agents removed it while laughing at and mocking me. I missed the flight and ended up spending 14 hours at the airport. Tanvir Singh said people in his community have been weary of travel checks even before the Donald Trump order. Many of my friends do not want to travel anymore even for a short distance. We are made to wait for hours and hours. While Trumps travel ban order is temporarily suspended and the revised executive order is expected to be signed next week, the community fears that increased security checks at airports will see a surge in cases of abuse and humiliation. Wanda Sanchez Day, an attorney associated with United Sikhs, a civil rights organisation, said, We condemn the ideas embodied in the executive order issued by Donald Trump on January 27, 2017. It is a setback to progress that has been made on civil and human rights in the United States. The torment of Sikh community is not limited to airports. There have been hate crimes against them in several US cities. However, according to a survey by the National Sikh Campaign, a non-profit organisation, 60 per cent of Americans didn't know about their existence. According to the Sikh Coalition, the community is hundreds of times more likely than their fellow Americans to experience hate crimes. There had been over 175 Anti-sikh hate crimes since 2001, it said in a report. In January 2016, 68-year-old Gurucharan Singh Gill, who was working at a liquor store in California, was stabbed to death in broad daylight. "The local community members feel that Gill was attacked because of his skin colour and identity," Lieutenant Mindy Casto, Fresno Police Department was quoted telling a news agency. In another incident which took place in December 2015 in Fresno, a 68-year-old man was hit by a car while he was waiting to go to work. The assailants reportedly emerged from the vehicle to attack the man and yelled, "Why are you here?"
By AFP

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has expelled North Korea's ambassador, giving him 48 hours to leave the country in a major break in diplomatic relations over the airport assassination of the half-brother of Pyongyang's leader.

Kim Jong-Nam was poisoned February 13 with deadly nerve agent VX. North Korea has not acknowledged the dead man's identity but has repeatedly disparaged the murder investigation, accusing Malaysia of conniving with its enemies.

"The ambassador has been declared persona non grata" after Malaysia demanded but did not receive an apology for Pyongyang's attacks on the investigation, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Anifah Haji Aman said.

"Malaysia will react strongly against any insults made against it or any attempt to tarnish its reputation," he said in a statement released late Saturday.

Ambassador Kang Chol failed to present himself at the ministry when summoned and "is expected to leave Malaysia within 48 hours," the statement added. The expulsion deadline expires 6 pm on Monday.

Arch-rival South Korea has blamed the North for the murder, citing what they say was a standing order from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill his exiled half-brother who may have been seen as a potential rival.

The foreign ministry said the expulsion is "part of the process by the Malaysian government to review its relations" with North Korea, which before Kim's assassination were unusually cosy.

"North Korea must learn to respect other countries," Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Sunday.

The expulsion shows "we are serious about solving this problem and we do not want it to be manipulated," he added.

On Sunday evening, a senior government official who did not want to be named said Kang was still in the country and was expected to leave on a flight to Beijing on Monday.

The diplomatic spat erupted last month when Malaysian police rejected North Korean diplomats' demands to hand over Kim's body.

Kang then claimed the investigation was politically motivated and said Kuala Lumpur was conspiring with "hostile forces".

Malaysia summoned Kang for a dressing-down, with Prime Minister Najib Razak saying the ambassador's statement was "diplomatically rude".

Malaysia issued a February 28 deadline for an apology, but "no such apology has been made, neither has there been any indication that one is forthcoming."

Malaysia has also recalled its envoy to Pyongyang and cancelled a rare visa-free travel deal with North Korea.

Police are seeking seven North Korean suspects in their probe but on Friday released the only North Korean arrested for lack of evidence.

After Ri Jong-Chol was deported, he claimed police offered him a comfortable life in Malaysia for a false confession, saying the investigation was "a conspiracy to impair the dignity of the Republic (North Korea)".

Two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- have been charged with murdering Kim Jong-Nam, with airport CCTV footage showing them approaching the heavyset 45-year-old and apparently smearing his face with a cloth.

Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later. Swabs of the dead man's face revealed traces of VX nerve agent.

North Korea had few friends even before the assassination, but the fallout from the killing looks set to further isolate the nuclear-armed state.

Malaysia formally established diplomatic relations with North Korea in 1973 and opened an embassy in Pyongyang in 2003.

It has provided a conduit between Pyongyang and the wider world in recent years, with Kuala Lumpur serving as a discreet meeting place for talks between the regime and the United States.

A recently released report by a UN Panel of Experts reviewing compliance with sanctions against Pyongyang identified a front company run by North Korean intelligence out of Malaysia, selling military communications equipment to Eritrea, with suppliers in China and an office in Singapore.

Up to 1,000 North Koreans currently work in Malaysia and their remittances are a valuable source of foreign currency for the isolated regime.

North Korea imports refined oil, natural rubber and palm oil from Malaysia, which buys electrical and electronic items, chemicals as well as iron and steel products from North Korea.

Last week Malaysia's trade minister Mustapa Mohamed said the spat would have no impact on Kuala Lumpur as trade with the reclusive country is "insignificant".

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has expelled North Korea's ambassador, giving him 48 hours to leave the country in a major break in diplomatic relations over the airport assassination of the half-brother of Pyongyang's leader. Kim Jong-Nam was poisoned February 13 with deadly nerve agent VX. North Korea has not acknowledged the dead man's identity but has repeatedly disparaged the murder investigation, accusing Malaysia of conniving with its enemies. "The ambassador has been declared persona non grata" after Malaysia demanded but did not receive an apology for Pyongyang's attacks on the investigation, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Anifah Haji Aman said. "Malaysia will react strongly against any insults made against it or any attempt to tarnish its reputation," he said in a statement released late Saturday. Ambassador Kang Chol failed to present himself at the ministry when summoned and "is expected to leave Malaysia within 48 hours," the statement added. The expulsion deadline expires 6 pm on Monday. Arch-rival South Korea has blamed the North for the murder, citing what they say was a standing order from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill his exiled half-brother who may have been seen as a potential rival. The foreign ministry said the expulsion is "part of the process by the Malaysian government to review its relations" with North Korea, which before Kim's assassination were unusually cosy. "North Korea must learn to respect other countries," Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Sunday. The expulsion shows "we are serious about solving this problem and we do not want it to be manipulated," he added. On Sunday evening, a senior government official who did not want to be named said Kang was still in the country and was expected to leave on a flight to Beijing on Monday. The diplomatic spat erupted last month when Malaysian police rejected North Korean diplomats' demands to hand over Kim's body. Kang then claimed the investigation was politically motivated and said Kuala Lumpur was conspiring with "hostile forces". Malaysia summoned Kang for a dressing-down, with Prime Minister Najib Razak saying the ambassador's statement was "diplomatically rude". Malaysia issued a February 28 deadline for an apology, but "no such apology has been made, neither has there been any indication that one is forthcoming." Malaysia has also recalled its envoy to Pyongyang and cancelled a rare visa-free travel deal with North Korea. Police are seeking seven North Korean suspects in their probe but on Friday released the only North Korean arrested for lack of evidence. After Ri Jong-Chol was deported, he claimed police offered him a comfortable life in Malaysia for a false confession, saying the investigation was "a conspiracy to impair the dignity of the Republic (North Korea)". Two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- have been charged with murdering Kim Jong-Nam, with airport CCTV footage showing them approaching the heavyset 45-year-old and apparently smearing his face with a cloth. Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later. Swabs of the dead man's face revealed traces of VX nerve agent. North Korea had few friends even before the assassination, but the fallout from the killing looks set to further isolate the nuclear-armed state. Malaysia formally established diplomatic relations with North Korea in 1973 and opened an embassy in Pyongyang in 2003. It has provided a conduit between Pyongyang and the wider world in recent years, with Kuala Lumpur serving as a discreet meeting place for talks between the regime and the United States. A recently released report by a UN Panel of Experts reviewing compliance with sanctions against Pyongyang identified a front company run by North Korean intelligence out of Malaysia, selling military communications equipment to Eritrea, with suppliers in China and an office in Singapore. Up to 1,000 North Koreans currently work in Malaysia and their remittances are a valuable source of foreign currency for the isolated regime. North Korea imports refined oil, natural rubber and palm oil from Malaysia, which buys electrical and electronic items, chemicals as well as iron and steel products from North Korea. Last week Malaysia's trade minister Mustapa Mohamed said the spat would have no impact on Kuala Lumpur as trade with the reclusive country is "insignificant".
By Associated Press

JOLO (PHILIPPINES): Philippine troops have found the remains of a German hostage who was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the country's south after a ransom deadline lapsed.

Regional military commander Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. says marines dug up the head and body of Juergen Gustav Kantner late Saturday in the mountainous hinterlands of Indanan town in Sulu province, where the militants are holding several foreign and local hostages.

President Rodrigo Duterte apologized to Germany and Kantner's family after government forces failed to rescue him during his nearly four months of captivity.

About two dozen Filipino troops were wounded in clashes that also killed 16 Abu Sayyaf gunmen in efforts to find and rescue Kantner, who was seized from a yacht off Malaysia's Sabah state in November.

JOLO (PHILIPPINES): Philippine troops have found the remains of a German hostage who was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the country's south after a ransom deadline lapsed. Regional military commander Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. says marines dug up the head and body of Juergen Gustav Kantner late Saturday in the mountainous hinterlands of Indanan town in Sulu province, where the militants are holding several foreign and local hostages. President Rodrigo Duterte apologized to Germany and Kantner's family after government forces failed to rescue him during his nearly four months of captivity. About two dozen Filipino troops were wounded in clashes that also killed 16 Abu Sayyaf gunmen in efforts to find and rescue Kantner, who was seized from a yacht off Malaysia's Sabah state in November.
By Associated Press

KENT: A Sikh man said a gunman approached him as he worked on his car in his suburban Seattle driveway and told him to "go back to your own country" before shooting him in the arm, authorities say.

Police in the city of Kent are searching for the shooter and have contacted the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. It comes after an Indian man was killed and another wounded in a recent shooting at a Kansas bar that federal agencies are investigating as a hate crime after witnesses say the suspect yelled: "get out of my country."

"With recent unrest and concern throughout the nation, this can get people emotionally involved, especially when (the crime) is directed at a person for how they live, how they look," Kent police Cmdr. Jarod Kasner told The News Tribune of Tacoma.

India's foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, identified the victim on Twitter early Sunday, saying, "I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a U.S. national of Indian origin."

She said she had spoken to Rai's father, who told her Rai is out of danger and recovering in a hospital.

Rai told police that a man he didn't know came up to him Friday night and they got into an argument, with the suspect telling Rai to go back to his homeland. He described the shooter as 6 feet tall and white with a stocky build, police said. He said the man was wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face.

Sikhs have previously been the target of assaults in the U.S. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the backlash that hit Muslims around the country expanded to include those of the Sikh faith.

Male observant Sikhs often cover their heads with turbans, which are considered sacred, and refrain from shaving their beards. The faith comes from South Asia's Punjab region.

In 2012, a man shot and killed six Sikh worshippers and wounded four others at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee before killing himself.

The Sikh Coalition, a national civil rights group, asked local and federal authorities to investigate the shooting in suburban Seattle as a hate crime.

"We're early on in our investigation," Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas told the Seattle Times on Saturday. "We are treating this as a very serious incident."

Hira Singh, a Sikh community leader in Kent, said Sunday that the news was a shock to him.

"This kind of incident shakes up the whole community," he said.

He said there have been increasing complaints recently from Sikh community members who say they have been the target of foul language or other comments.

About 50,000 Sikhs live in Washington state, with most in the Puget Sound region, he said.

"It was disheartening to see it happening here in my community," Satwinder Kaur said. "Kent is a very diverse community. We haven't seen a hate crime happening at this level."

Kaur said she had arranged for Kent's police chief to talk to the community Saturday about their concerns on immigration and the role of local police officers. After the shooting, the meeting turned into a question-and-answer session about the crime, she said.

"When someone says 'Get out of my country,' it's a hate crime, there's no question," Kaur said. "The community has been shaken up."

KENT: A Sikh man said a gunman approached him as he worked on his car in his suburban Seattle driveway and told him to "go back to your own country" before shooting him in the arm, authorities say. Police in the city of Kent are searching for the shooter and have contacted the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. It comes after an Indian man was killed and another wounded in a recent shooting at a Kansas bar that federal agencies are investigating as a hate crime after witnesses say the suspect yelled: "get out of my country." "With recent unrest and concern throughout the nation, this can get people emotionally involved, especially when (the crime) is directed at a person for how they live, how they look," Kent police Cmdr. Jarod Kasner told The News Tribune of Tacoma. India's foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, identified the victim on Twitter early Sunday, saying, "I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a U.S. national of Indian origin." She said she had spoken to Rai's father, who told her Rai is out of danger and recovering in a hospital. Rai told police that a man he didn't know came up to him Friday night and they got into an argument, with the suspect telling Rai to go back to his homeland. He described the shooter as 6 feet tall and white with a stocky build, police said. He said the man was wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face. Sikhs have previously been the target of assaults in the U.S. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the backlash that hit Muslims around the country expanded to include those of the Sikh faith. Male observant Sikhs often cover their heads with turbans, which are considered sacred, and refrain from shaving their beards. The faith comes from South Asia's Punjab region. In 2012, a man shot and killed six Sikh worshippers and wounded four others at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee before killing himself. The Sikh Coalition, a national civil rights group, asked local and federal authorities to investigate the shooting in suburban Seattle as a hate crime. "We're early on in our investigation," Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas told the Seattle Times on Saturday. "We are treating this as a very serious incident." Hira Singh, a Sikh community leader in Kent, said Sunday that the news was a shock to him. "This kind of incident shakes up the whole community," he said. He said there have been increasing complaints recently from Sikh community members who say they have been the target of foul language or other comments. About 50,000 Sikhs live in Washington state, with most in the Puget Sound region, he said. "It was disheartening to see it happening here in my community," Satwinder Kaur said. "Kent is a very diverse community. We haven't seen a hate crime happening at this level." Kaur said she had arranged for Kent's police chief to talk to the community Saturday about their concerns on immigration and the role of local police officers. After the shooting, the meeting turned into a question-and-answer session about the crime, she said. "When someone says 'Get out of my country,' it's a hate crime, there's no question," Kaur said. "The community has been shaken up."
NEW YORK: A Sikh rights group has asked US authorities to investigate as a hate crime the attack on a

39-year-old Sikh man amid Indian-American community's safety concerns after a slew of bias-related incidents in the country.

The Sikh man, identified as US national Deep Rai by Indian officials in New Delhi, was shot in the arm outside his home in Kent, Washington, by a partially-masked gunman who shouted "go back to your own country". The gunman allegedly got into an altercation with Rai before shooting him in the arm.

The Sikh Coalition, along with local community leaders, has asked local, state and federal officials to investigate this shooting as an anti-Sikh hate crime as well as to improve bias prevention laws and organise 'Know Your Rights' forums to build community resilience and reduce the likelihood of future

hate crimes. It said shooting in Kent, that has left Rai injured, follows the larger national pattern of hate violence directed at minority communities across the United States in the wake of the presidential election.

"Investigating this as an anti-Sikh hate crime is critical, because without our government agencies recognising hatred for what it is, we can't combat the problem," said Seattle-area Sikh community leader, Jasmit Singh. The Sikh Coalition said the Sikh-American community, which has been an integral part of the American fabric for over 125 years, is estimated to be hundreds of times more likely to suffer hate crimes than the average American, in part due to the Sikh articles of faith, including a turban and beard, which represent the Sikh religious commitment to justice, tolerance and equality.

"While we appreciate the efforts of state and local officials to respond to attacks like this, we need our

national leaders to make hate crime prevention a top priority," Sikh Coalition Interim Program Manager Rajdeep Singh said in a statement here. "Tone matters in our political discourse, because this a matter of life or death for millions of Americans who are worried about losing loved ones to hate," he said.

Jasmit Singh said the men from his community have reported a rise in incidents of verbal abuse, "a kind of

prejudice, a kind of xenophobia that is nothing that we've seen in the recent past." He said the number of incidents targeting members of the Sikh religion, are reminiscent of the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks.

"But at that time, it felt like the (presidential) administration was actively working to allay those fears,"

Jasmit Singh said, adding that "now it's a very different dimension."

The attack on the Sikh comes close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my

country".

Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gunshot wounds in his yard.

NEW YORK: A Sikh rights group has asked US authorities to investigate as a hate crime the attack on a 39-year-old Sikh man amid Indian-American community's safety concerns after a slew of bias-related incidents in the country. The Sikh man, identified as US national Deep Rai by Indian officials in New Delhi, was shot in the arm outside his home in Kent, Washington, by a partially-masked gunman who shouted "go back to your own country". The gunman allegedly got into an altercation with Rai before shooting him in the arm. The Sikh Coalition, along with local community leaders, has asked local, state and federal officials to investigate this shooting as an anti-Sikh hate crime as well as to improve bias prevention laws and organise 'Know Your Rights' forums to build community resilience and reduce the likelihood of future hate crimes. It said shooting in Kent, that has left Rai injured, follows the larger national pattern of hate violence directed at minority communities across the United States in the wake of the presidential election. "Investigating this as an anti-Sikh hate crime is critical, because without our government agencies recognising hatred for what it is, we can't combat the problem," said Seattle-area Sikh community leader, Jasmit Singh. The Sikh Coalition said the Sikh-American community, which has been an integral part of the American fabric for over 125 years, is estimated to be hundreds of times more likely to suffer hate crimes than the average American, in part due to the Sikh articles of faith, including a turban and beard, which represent the Sikh religious commitment to justice, tolerance and equality. "While we appreciate the efforts of state and local officials to respond to attacks like this, we need our national leaders to make hate crime prevention a top priority," Sikh Coalition Interim Program Manager Rajdeep Singh said in a statement here. "Tone matters in our political discourse, because this a matter of life or death for millions of Americans who are worried about losing loved ones to hate," he said. Jasmit Singh said the men from his community have reported a rise in incidents of verbal abuse, "a kind of prejudice, a kind of xenophobia that is nothing that we've seen in the recent past." He said the number of incidents targeting members of the Sikh religion, are reminiscent of the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks. "But at that time, it felt like the (presidential) administration was actively working to allay those fears," Jasmit Singh said, adding that "now it's a very different dimension." The attack on the Sikh comes close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country". Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gunshot wounds in his yard.
By Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa's state security minister said Sunday the government is considering a move to regulate social media in an effort to curb the proliferation of what he described as "false" information.

"The false narrative in the social media, it's one of the challenges that South Africa faces," David Mahlobo said at a press conference in Pretoria.

Mahlobo acknowledged that such a move would likely draw a wave of criticism and fears of stifling human rights, but added that "even the best democracies ... regulate" social media.

"Regulation is the way to go," the 45-year-old minister said, adding that the planned measures would also go after misleading photoshopped images. "We will actually be discussing how do we regulate it."

South Africa's move to curb the spread of misinformation comes amid efforts by Facebook, Google, and a group of international media to stymie the spread of fake news.

Facebook announced in mid-January it was introducing new measures to take down "unambiguously wrong reports" being shared on the social media platform.

Google said in late January it took down 1.7 billion ads last year as part of its fight against "bad ads, sites, and scammers" that tricked people, and Google, by pretending to offer real news but instead took people to promotional pages.

The South African parliament has also for the past two years been considering a bill that would criminalise cyber-facilitated offences.

South Africa is ranked among some of the freest media environments on the continent.

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa's state security minister said Sunday the government is considering a move to regulate social media in an effort to curb the proliferation of what he described as "false" information. "The false narrative in the social media, it's one of the challenges that South Africa faces," David Mahlobo said at a press conference in Pretoria. Mahlobo acknowledged that such a move would likely draw a wave of criticism and fears of stifling human rights, but added that "even the best democracies ... regulate" social media. "Regulation is the way to go," the 45-year-old minister said, adding that the planned measures would also go after misleading photoshopped images. "We will actually be discussing how do we regulate it." South Africa's move to curb the spread of misinformation comes amid efforts by Facebook, Google, and a group of international media to stymie the spread of fake news. Facebook announced in mid-January it was introducing new measures to take down "unambiguously wrong reports" being shared on the social media platform. Google said in late January it took down 1.7 billion ads last year as part of its fight against "bad ads, sites, and scammers" that tricked people, and Google, by pretending to offer real news but instead took people to promotional pages. The South African parliament has also for the past two years been considering a bill that would criminalise cyber-facilitated offences. South Africa is ranked among some of the freest media environments on the continent.
By AFP

KHARTOUM: A prominent Sudanese rebel group has released 127 prisoners it had captured in fighting with government forces, most of them soldiers, the military said on Sunday.

The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) had captured the prisoners in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states, where the group has been fighting Sudanese government forces for years.

The released prisoners include 109 soldiers and 18 civilians, army spokesman Brigadier Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami said in a statement.

"The Sudanese army recognises this as a positive step towards achieving peace in the country," he said.

Ethnic minority rebels in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan have been fighting government forces since 2011, accusing President Omar al-Bashir's Arab-dominated government of politically and economically marginalising the two regions.

Fighting in the two areas and in Darfur have left tens of thousands of people dead and displaced millions.

Khartoum announced a unilateral ceasefire in June 2016 in all three conflict zones, which it extended by six months in January.

UN officials say that for years the Blue Nile and South Kordofan have been no-go areas for aid officials, leaving thousands of people without access to humanitarian relief.

KHARTOUM: A prominent Sudanese rebel group has released 127 prisoners it had captured in fighting with government forces, most of them soldiers, the military said on Sunday. The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) had captured the prisoners in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states, where the group has been fighting Sudanese government forces for years. The released prisoners include 109 soldiers and 18 civilians, army spokesman Brigadier Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami said in a statement. "The Sudanese army recognises this as a positive step towards achieving peace in the country," he said. Ethnic minority rebels in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan have been fighting government forces since 2011, accusing President Omar al-Bashir's Arab-dominated government of politically and economically marginalising the two regions. Fighting in the two areas and in Darfur have left tens of thousands of people dead and displaced millions. Khartoum announced a unilateral ceasefire in June 2016 in all three conflict zones, which it extended by six months in January. UN officials say that for years the Blue Nile and South Kordofan have been no-go areas for aid officials, leaving thousands of people without access to humanitarian relief.
By Associated Press

BEIRUT: Five months of multi-sided clashes in Syria's crowded northern battlefield have displaced some 66,000 people, a U.N. humanitarian agency said Sunday, a day after the U.S. bolstered Kurdish-led forces with a deployment of armored vehicles amid preparations for a push toward the Islamic State group's de facto capital.

Besides the autonomous Kurdish-led forces, Turkish, Syrian government and Syrian opposition fighters have all been jostling for territory formerly held by the Islamic State group near the Turkish-Syrian frontier.

The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, led by the Syrian Kurdish PKK party, are the current front runners in the race to Raqqa, the IS capital. They are now stationed eight kilometers (five miles) north of the Euphrates River city and supported by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and a deployment of some 500 U.S. special forces operators. The Pentagon has said they are working in an advisory capacity.

But Turkey, a U.S. ally through NATO, says the PKK is an extension of the Kurdish insurgency inside its own borders and has classified the party as a terror organization. It has objected strongly over the SDF offensive and vowed, too, to throw the Kurdish-led forces in Manbij  the SDF's westernmost flank  back over the banks of the Euphrates. This would disrupt the Raqqa campaign.

There are Turkish forces stationed in al-Bab, 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of Manbij. The threats prompted the SDF to ask Russia and the Syrian army to establish a buffer between Manbij and al-Bab.

With uncertainty building, the U.S. deployed a number of armored vehicles to its allies in Manbij, the Syrian Kurdish Rudaw news agency reported Saturday.

Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. John Dorrian confirmed the deployment on Twitter. He said it was mean to "deter aggression and keep focus on defeating ISIS," another acronym for the Islamic State group.

Dorrian added the deployment was there to guarantee that the Kurdish elements of the SDF have left Manbij. Turkey says they have not.

The Syrian military, meanwhile, has driven east of Aleppo to draw a front with the Turkish-backed Syrian opposition forces south of al-Bab, blocking their route to Raqqa. Government forces, backed by Lebanese Hezbollah militants and Russian airpower, have moved quickly in the direction of IS-held al-Khafseh, on the banks of the Euphrates.

Al-Khafseh is home to the main water station for Aleppo, Syria's largest city. Government forces are 13 kilometers (8 miles) away, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.

The U.N.'s OCHA agency said that the Turkish and Syrian opposition campaign to capture al-Bab from IS militants displaced 40,000 residents. They captured the town on Feb. 23, after starting operations in November.

The office said another 26,000 residents have been displaced in fighting around Manbij, held by Kurdish-led forces, and al-Khafseh, held by IS militants. Al-Khafseh is home to the main water station for Aleppo, Syria's largest city.

In other news, a Syrian search-and-rescue group reported a bomb blast in the opposition-held town of Azaz, north of Aleppo, killing at least eight people. Azaz is 50 kilometers (31 miles) from al-Bab.

The Observatory said an IS sleeper cell was responsible for the blast.

The militants carried out a suicide car bomb attack in the nearby town of Sousian on Feb 24, killing at least 60 people. Most of the victims were civilians who had gathered seeking permits to return to al-Bab, a day after it was liberated from the extremist group.

BEIRUT: Five months of multi-sided clashes in Syria's crowded northern battlefield have displaced some 66,000 people, a U.N. humanitarian agency said Sunday, a day after the U.S. bolstered Kurdish-led forces with a deployment of armored vehicles amid preparations for a push toward the Islamic State group's de facto capital. Besides the autonomous Kurdish-led forces, Turkish, Syrian government and Syrian opposition fighters have all been jostling for territory formerly held by the Islamic State group near the Turkish-Syrian frontier. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, led by the Syrian Kurdish PKK party, are the current front runners in the race to Raqqa, the IS capital. They are now stationed eight kilometers (five miles) north of the Euphrates River city and supported by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and a deployment of some 500 U.S. special forces operators. The Pentagon has said they are working in an advisory capacity. But Turkey, a U.S. ally through NATO, says the PKK is an extension of the Kurdish insurgency inside its own borders and has classified the party as a terror organization. It has objected strongly over the SDF offensive and vowed, too, to throw the Kurdish-led forces in Manbij  the SDF's westernmost flank  back over the banks of the Euphrates. This would disrupt the Raqqa campaign. There are Turkish forces stationed in al-Bab, 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of Manbij. The threats prompted the SDF to ask Russia and the Syrian army to establish a buffer between Manbij and al-Bab. With uncertainty building, the U.S. deployed a number of armored vehicles to its allies in Manbij, the Syrian Kurdish Rudaw news agency reported Saturday. Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. John Dorrian confirmed the deployment on Twitter. He said it was mean to "deter aggression and keep focus on defeating ISIS," another acronym for the Islamic State group. Dorrian added the deployment was there to guarantee that the Kurdish elements of the SDF have left Manbij. Turkey says they have not. The Syrian military, meanwhile, has driven east of Aleppo to draw a front with the Turkish-backed Syrian opposition forces south of al-Bab, blocking their route to Raqqa. Government forces, backed by Lebanese Hezbollah militants and Russian airpower, have moved quickly in the direction of IS-held al-Khafseh, on the banks of the Euphrates. Al-Khafseh is home to the main water station for Aleppo, Syria's largest city. Government forces are 13 kilometers (8 miles) away, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group. The U.N.'s OCHA agency said that the Turkish and Syrian opposition campaign to capture al-Bab from IS militants displaced 40,000 residents. They captured the town on Feb. 23, after starting operations in November. The office said another 26,000 residents have been displaced in fighting around Manbij, held by Kurdish-led forces, and al-Khafseh, held by IS militants. Al-Khafseh is home to the main water station for Aleppo, Syria's largest city. In other news, a Syrian search-and-rescue group reported a bomb blast in the opposition-held town of Azaz, north of Aleppo, killing at least eight people. Azaz is 50 kilometers (31 miles) from al-Bab. The Observatory said an IS sleeper cell was responsible for the blast. The militants carried out a suicide car bomb attack in the nearby town of Sousian on Feb 24, killing at least 60 people. Most of the victims were civilians who had gathered seeking permits to return to al-Bab, a day after it was liberated from the extremist group.
By Associated Press

PALM BEACH: The White House demanded on Sunday that Congress investigate whether former President Barack Obama abused his executive powers in connection with the 2016 presidential election.

President Donald Trump levelled that claim on Saturday when he accused his predecessor of tapping telephones at Trump Tower. But Trump offered no supporting evidence, a spokesman for Obama denied the claim as "simply false" and lawmakers in both parties asked for proof.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement Sunday that reports "concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling."

"President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016," Spicer said.

It was unclear what reports Spicer was referring to, and what prompted Trump to make the allegation.

Spicer ended the statement by saying that neither the White House nor Trump will comment further "until such oversight is conducted."

In a series of morning tweets Saturday, Trump suggested Obama was behind a politically motivated plot to upend his campaign. He compared the alleged events to "Nixon/Watergate" and "McCarthyism!" And he called Obama a "Bad (or sick) guy."

The Watergate break-in during the Nixon administration led to President Richard Nixon's resignation and the conviction of several aides. Republican Sen. Joe McCarthy's reckless and unsupported charges of communist infiltration in the federal government during the 1950s gave rise to the term "McCarthyism."

After Trump's well-received speech to Congress on Tuesday, the tweets reflected the president's growing frustration with the swirling allegations about his advisers' ties to Russia, which are under FBI investigation, and his team's inability to overcome them. Trump lashed out at his senior team during an Oval Office meeting Friday, according to one White House official.

The White House did not respond to questions about what prompted the president's accusations that Obama had tapped his phones.

Presidents cannot legally order wiretaps against U.S. citizens. Obtaining wiretaps would require officials at the Justice Department to seek permission from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which is shrouded in secrecy.

Trump said in the tweets that he had "just found out" the information, though it was unclear whether he was referring to a briefing, a conversation or a media report. The president has in the past tweeted about unsubstantiated and provocative reports he reads on blogs or conservative websites.

The morning tweets stand out, even for the perpetually piqued Trump, given the gravity of the charge and the strikingly personal attack on the former president. Trump spoke as recently as last month about how much he likes Obama and how much they get along, despite their differences.

Trump contended that the wiretapping occurred in October at Trump Tower, the New York skyscraper where he ran his campaign and transition. He also maintains a residence there.

"How low has President Obama gone to tap my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" he tweeted, misspelling 'tap.'

Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said a "cardinal rule" of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered in Justice Department investigations, which are supposed to be conducted free of political influence.

"As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen," Lewis said, adding that "any suggestion otherwise is simply false."

Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that Trump was making "the most outlandish and destructive claims without providing a scintilla of evidence to support them."

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., urged Trump to explain what he knows about the wiretapping allegations, "ideally to the full public, and at a bare minimum to the U.S. Senate."

Trump has been trailed for months by questions about his campaign's ties to Russia. The questions have been compounded by U.S. intelligence agencies' assessment that Russia interfered with the election to help Trump triumph over Hillary Clinton, along with disclosures about his aides' contacts with a Russian official.

Those disclosures have already cost retired Gen., Michael Flynn, his job as national security adviser and prompted calls from Democrats for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign.

On Thursday, Sessions withdrew from overseeing the FBI probe after acknowledging he did not disclose his campaign-season contacts with Russia's ambassador to the United States when asked during his confirmation proceedings. Sessions, a U.S. senator at the time, was Trump's earliest Senate supporter.

The Sessions revelations deepened the president's anger over what he sees as his team's inability to get ahead of the Russia allegations.

In the Oval Office meeting Friday shortly before departing for Florida, he angrily told senior advisers that what had the potential to be a good week following his address to Congress had been overtaken by the Russia controversy, according to a White House official who insisted on anonymity in order to discuss the private meeting.

The president's allegations may be related to anonymously sourced reports in British media and blogs, and on conservative-leaning U.S. websites, including Breitbart News. Those reports claimed that U.S. officials had obtained a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to review contacts between computers at a Russian bank and Trump's New York headquarters.

The Associated Press has not confirmed these contacts or the investigation into them. Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon is a former executive chairman of Breitbart News.

PALM BEACH: The White House demanded on Sunday that Congress investigate whether former President Barack Obama abused his executive powers in connection with the 2016 presidential election. President Donald Trump levelled that claim on Saturday when he accused his predecessor of tapping telephones at Trump Tower. But Trump offered no supporting evidence, a spokesman for Obama denied the claim as "simply false" and lawmakers in both parties asked for proof. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement Sunday that reports "concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling." "President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016," Spicer said. It was unclear what reports Spicer was referring to, and what prompted Trump to make the allegation. Spicer ended the statement by saying that neither the White House nor Trump will comment further "until such oversight is conducted." In a series of morning tweets Saturday, Trump suggested Obama was behind a politically motivated plot to upend his campaign. He compared the alleged events to "Nixon/Watergate" and "McCarthyism!" And he called Obama a "Bad (or sick) guy." The Watergate break-in during the Nixon administration led to President Richard Nixon's resignation and the conviction of several aides. Republican Sen. Joe McCarthy's reckless and unsupported charges of communist infiltration in the federal government during the 1950s gave rise to the term "McCarthyism." After Trump's well-received speech to Congress on Tuesday, the tweets reflected the president's growing frustration with the swirling allegations about his advisers' ties to Russia, which are under FBI investigation, and his team's inability to overcome them. Trump lashed out at his senior team during an Oval Office meeting Friday, according to one White House official. The White House did not respond to questions about what prompted the president's accusations that Obama had tapped his phones. Presidents cannot legally order wiretaps against U.S. citizens. Obtaining wiretaps would require officials at the Justice Department to seek permission from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which is shrouded in secrecy. Trump said in the tweets that he had "just found out" the information, though it was unclear whether he was referring to a briefing, a conversation or a media report. The president has in the past tweeted about unsubstantiated and provocative reports he reads on blogs or conservative websites. The morning tweets stand out, even for the perpetually piqued Trump, given the gravity of the charge and the strikingly personal attack on the former president. Trump spoke as recently as last month about how much he likes Obama and how much they get along, despite their differences. Trump contended that the wiretapping occurred in October at Trump Tower, the New York skyscraper where he ran his campaign and transition. He also maintains a residence there. "How low has President Obama gone to tap my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" he tweeted, misspelling 'tap.' Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said a "cardinal rule" of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered in Justice Department investigations, which are supposed to be conducted free of political influence. "As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen," Lewis said, adding that "any suggestion otherwise is simply false." Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that Trump was making "the most outlandish and destructive claims without providing a scintilla of evidence to support them." Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., urged Trump to explain what he knows about the wiretapping allegations, "ideally to the full public, and at a bare minimum to the U.S. Senate." Trump has been trailed for months by questions about his campaign's ties to Russia. The questions have been compounded by U.S. intelligence agencies' assessment that Russia interfered with the election to help Trump triumph over Hillary Clinton, along with disclosures about his aides' contacts with a Russian official. Those disclosures have already cost retired Gen., Michael Flynn, his job as national security adviser and prompted calls from Democrats for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign. On Thursday, Sessions withdrew from overseeing the FBI probe after acknowledging he did not disclose his campaign-season contacts with Russia's ambassador to the United States when asked during his confirmation proceedings. Sessions, a U.S. senator at the time, was Trump's earliest Senate supporter. The Sessions revelations deepened the president's anger over what he sees as his team's inability to get ahead of the Russia allegations. In the Oval Office meeting Friday shortly before departing for Florida, he angrily told senior advisers that what had the potential to be a good week following his address to Congress had been overtaken by the Russia controversy, according to a White House official who insisted on anonymity in order to discuss the private meeting. The president's allegations may be related to anonymously sourced reports in British media and blogs, and on conservative-leaning U.S. websites, including Breitbart News. Those reports claimed that U.S. officials had obtained a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to review contacts between computers at a Russian bank and Trump's New York headquarters. The Associated Press has not confirmed these contacts or the investigation into them. Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon is a former executive chairman of Breitbart News.
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON: The FBI will help investigate the shooting of a Sikh man who said a gunman approached him as he worked on his car in his suburban Seattle driveway and told him "go back to your own country," authorities said Sunday.

Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said no arrests have yet been after the victim was shot in the arm Friday night about 20 miles south of Seattle but that he did not believe anyone was in imminent danger.

"This is a top priority investigation, and we are doing everything possible to identify and arrest the suspect," Thomas said in an email, adding that the city of about 120,000 should "be vigilant."

It comes after an Indian man was killed and another wounded in a recent shooting at a Kansas bar that federal agencies are investigating as a hate crime after witnesses say the suspect yelled "get out of my country."

Hira Singh, a Sikh community leader, said there have been increasing complaints recently from Sikhs near Seattle who say they have been the target of foul language or other comments.

"This kind of incident shakes up the whole community," he said, adding that about 50,000 members of the faith live in Washington state.

India's foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, identified the victim on Twitter early Sunday, saying, "I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a U.S. national of Indian origin."

She said she had spoken to Rai's father, who told her Rai is out of danger and recovering in a hospital.

Rai told police a man he didn't know came up to him Friday night and they got into an argument, with the suspect telling Rai to go back to his homeland. He described the shooter as 6 feet tall and white with a stocky build, police said. He said the man was wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face.

Sikhs have previously been the target of assaults in the U.S. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the backlash that hit Muslims around the country expanded to include those of the Sikh faith. Men often cover their heads with turbans, which are considered sacred, and refrain from shaving their beards.

In 2012, a man shot and killed six Sikh worshippers and wounded four others at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee before killing himself.

The Sikh Coalition, a national civil rights group, asked local and federal authorities to investigate the shooting in suburban Seattle as a hate crime.

"It was disheartening to see it happening here in my community," Satwinder Kaur said. "Kent is a very diverse community."

Kaur said she had arranged for Kent's police chief to talk to the community Saturday about their concerns on immigration and the role of local police officers. After the shooting, the meeting turned into a question-and-answer session about the crime, she said.

"When someone says, 'Get out of my country,' it's a hate crime, there's no question," Kaur said. "The community has been shaken up."

WASHINGTON: The FBI will help investigate the shooting of a Sikh man who said a gunman approached him as he worked on his car in his suburban Seattle driveway and told him "go back to your own country," authorities said Sunday. Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said no arrests have yet been after the victim was shot in the arm Friday night about 20 miles south of Seattle but that he did not believe anyone was in imminent danger. "This is a top priority investigation, and we are doing everything possible to identify and arrest the suspect," Thomas said in an email, adding that the city of about 120,000 should "be vigilant." It comes after an Indian man was killed and another wounded in a recent shooting at a Kansas bar that federal agencies are investigating as a hate crime after witnesses say the suspect yelled "get out of my country." Hira Singh, a Sikh community leader, said there have been increasing complaints recently from Sikhs near Seattle who say they have been the target of foul language or other comments. "This kind of incident shakes up the whole community," he said, adding that about 50,000 members of the faith live in Washington state. India's foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, identified the victim on Twitter early Sunday, saying, "I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a U.S. national of Indian origin." She said she had spoken to Rai's father, who told her Rai is out of danger and recovering in a hospital. Rai told police a man he didn't know came up to him Friday night and they got into an argument, with the suspect telling Rai to go back to his homeland. He described the shooter as 6 feet tall and white with a stocky build, police said. He said the man was wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face. Sikhs have previously been the target of assaults in the U.S. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the backlash that hit Muslims around the country expanded to include those of the Sikh faith. Men often cover their heads with turbans, which are considered sacred, and refrain from shaving their beards. In 2012, a man shot and killed six Sikh worshippers and wounded four others at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee before killing himself. The Sikh Coalition, a national civil rights group, asked local and federal authorities to investigate the shooting in suburban Seattle as a hate crime. "It was disheartening to see it happening here in my community," Satwinder Kaur said. "Kent is a very diverse community." Kaur said she had arranged for Kent's police chief to talk to the community Saturday about their concerns on immigration and the role of local police officers. After the shooting, the meeting turned into a question-and-answer session about the crime, she said. "When someone says, 'Get out of my country,' it's a hate crime, there's no question," Kaur said. "The community has been shaken up."
By Associated Press

PORTLAND: Republican leaders in Maine and Utah are asking President Donald Trump to step into uncharted territory and rescind national monument designations made by his predecessor.

The Antiquities Act of 1906 doesn't give the president power to undo a designation, and no president has ever taken such a step. But Trump isn't like other presidents.

Former President Barack Obama used his power under the act to permanently preserve more land and water using national monument designations than any other president. The land is generally off limits to timber harvesting, mining and pipelines, and commercial development.

Obama created the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine last summer on 87,500 acres of donated forestland. The expanse includes part of the Penobscot River and stunning views of Mount Katahdin, Maine's tallest mountain. In Utah, the former president created Bears Ears National Monument on 1.3 million acres of land that's sacred to Native Americans and is home to tens of thousands of archaeological sites, including ancient cliff dwellings.

Trump's staff is now reviewing those decisions by the Obama administration to determine economic impacts, whether the law was followed and whether there was appropriate consultation with local officials, the White House told The Associated Press.

Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage is opposed to the designation, and says federal ownership could stymie industrial development; and Republican leaders in Utah contend the monument designation adds another layer of unnecessary federal control in a state where there's already heavy federal ownership.

The Utah Legislature approved a resolution signed by the governor calling on Trump to rescind the monument there. In Maine, LePage asked the president last week to intervene.

Newly sworn-in Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has said he'll fight the sale or transfer of public lands. But he also believes states should be able to weigh in. The National Parks Conservation Association has vowed to sue if Trump, the Interior Department or Congress tries to remove the special designations.

"Wherever the attack comes from, we're ready to fight, and we know the public is ready to fight if someone comes after our national parks and monuments," National Parks Conversation Association spokeswoman Kristen Brengel said.

In Maine, the prospect of undoing the designation is further complicated by deed stipulations requiring the National Park Service to control the land and a $40 million endowment to support the monument, said Lucas St. Clair, son of Burt's Bees co-founder Roxanne Quimby, who acquired the land.

Three of the four members of Maine's congressional delegation want the monument to stand to avoid reopening a divisive debate in towns surrounding the property. One of those three is Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

"Rather than re-ignite controversy in a region that is beginning to heal and move on, I hope we can allow the monument to continue to serve as one important part of a multifaceted economic revitalization strategy which is already underway," said independent Sen. Angus King.

Utah Republicans, however, appear to be ready for a scrap. Rep. Jason Chaffetz raised the issue when he met with Trump and he asked the House Appropriations Committee to cut funding for the monument.

"Not one elected official in Utah that represents the Bear Ears region supports the designation of a national monument. With the stroke of a pen, President Obama, having never visited the area, created a monument the size of Delaware, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C., combined," he said.

In the region near Maine's Mount Katahdin, both supporters and many opponents want to see the monument work. They hope it will help revitalize the economy.

Millinocket Town Council Chairman Michael Madore once described the park as a "foolish dream." Now, he says, "We have accepted it as part of our landscape. Until such time as it's overturned, we're going to work with the people who're involved with it to help the local economy."

PORTLAND: Republican leaders in Maine and Utah are asking President Donald Trump to step into uncharted territory and rescind national monument designations made by his predecessor. The Antiquities Act of 1906 doesn't give the president power to undo a designation, and no president has ever taken such a step. But Trump isn't like other presidents. Former President Barack Obama used his power under the act to permanently preserve more land and water using national monument designations than any other president. The land is generally off limits to timber harvesting, mining and pipelines, and commercial development. Obama created the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine last summer on 87,500 acres of donated forestland. The expanse includes part of the Penobscot River and stunning views of Mount Katahdin, Maine's tallest mountain. In Utah, the former president created Bears Ears National Monument on 1.3 million acres of land that's sacred to Native Americans and is home to tens of thousands of archaeological sites, including ancient cliff dwellings. Trump's staff is now reviewing those decisions by the Obama administration to determine economic impacts, whether the law was followed and whether there was appropriate consultation with local officials, the White House told The Associated Press. Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage is opposed to the designation, and says federal ownership could stymie industrial development; and Republican leaders in Utah contend the monument designation adds another layer of unnecessary federal control in a state where there's already heavy federal ownership. The Utah Legislature approved a resolution signed by the governor calling on Trump to rescind the monument there. In Maine, LePage asked the president last week to intervene. Newly sworn-in Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has said he'll fight the sale or transfer of public lands. But he also believes states should be able to weigh in. The National Parks Conservation Association has vowed to sue if Trump, the Interior Department or Congress tries to remove the special designations. "Wherever the attack comes from, we're ready to fight, and we know the public is ready to fight if someone comes after our national parks and monuments," National Parks Conversation Association spokeswoman Kristen Brengel said. In Maine, the prospect of undoing the designation is further complicated by deed stipulations requiring the National Park Service to control the land and a $40 million endowment to support the monument, said Lucas St. Clair, son of Burt's Bees co-founder Roxanne Quimby, who acquired the land. Three of the four members of Maine's congressional delegation want the monument to stand to avoid reopening a divisive debate in towns surrounding the property. One of those three is Republican Sen. Susan Collins. "Rather than re-ignite controversy in a region that is beginning to heal and move on, I hope we can allow the monument to continue to serve as one important part of a multifaceted economic revitalization strategy which is already underway," said independent Sen. Angus King. Utah Republicans, however, appear to be ready for a scrap. Rep. Jason Chaffetz raised the issue when he met with Trump and he asked the House Appropriations Committee to cut funding for the monument. "Not one elected official in Utah that represents the Bear Ears region supports the designation of a national monument. With the stroke of a pen, President Obama, having never visited the area, created a monument the size of Delaware, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C., combined," he said. In the region near Maine's Mount Katahdin, both supporters and many opponents want to see the monument work. They hope it will help revitalize the economy. Millinocket Town Council Chairman Michael Madore once described the park as a "foolish dream." Now, he says, "We have accepted it as part of our landscape. Until such time as it's overturned, we're going to work with the people who're involved with it to help the local economy."
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UN agencies supporting Kenyans in drought-hit areas

New York, Mar 3 : Some 2.7 million people in parts of Kenya are in urgent need of water and sanitation following the onset of a severe drought, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Friday announced, noting the UN's support for what the Government is calling a national disaster.





(Posted on 04 March 2017, 1667785165 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/world-news.php  (Posted on 04 March 2017, 1667785165 173O212O198O32)

UNICEF is working in Kenya to support the Governments efforts, alongside the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and other partners, according to a press release.Our efforts should not only alleviate the current suffering brought about by this emergency, but should also aim to build the resilience of families and the capacity of local governments to deal with future droughts and other calamities, the Representative of UNICEF in Kenya, Werner Schultink said.In addition to the need for water and sanitation, some 1.1 million children are food insecure, the UN agency said.UN efforts of support include dispatching 12,000 cartons of ready to use therapeutic foods for the severely-malnourished children, for example.The President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, recently declared the drought a national disaster and has called for international support.UNICEFKenya/2017/SeremSource: www.justearthnews.com
Kansas killing: U.S. prosecuting it as hate crime, says Jaishankar

Washington D.C. [USA], Mar. 4 : Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar, presently on a visit to the United States, on Friday expressed confidence about Trump administration's endeavour to bring the perpetrator of the Kansas shooting to justice.





(Posted on 04 March 2017, 1667785166 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/india-news.php  (Posted on 04 March 2017, 1667785166 173O212O198O32)

"It is a very tragic event which took place in Kansas, which obviously featured in many of our discussions. What we heard from very high levels, cabinet levels, was that one, we should regard this as an act of an individual, two, the American justice system was at work to bring the perpetrator of this act to justice. It is being prosecuted as a hate crime," Jaishankar said during a media conference at the Indian Embassy in Washington."What we have seen in the last few days whether it has been the White House statement or the President's own reference when he spoke to the Congress or what the Speaker said after we met or the fact that the House of Representatives observed a moment of silence. From almost everybody that we met and perhaps also the people whose responsibility did not directly deal with this, we heard expressions of deep sorrow, deep regret and a sense that we should really treat this as an individual act and the American system, American society as a whole was very much against it," he added.Jaishankar also said they have conveyed to the new administration that Indian partnership is important for the growing American economy to stay competitive.When asked about discussion held with the Trump administration over the H1B visa issue, the foreign secretary said the issue was discussed in a number of meetings with administration officials as well as the Congress.During the meetings, the Indian side conveyed that the HIB was a category of trade and services which actually helps the American economy."If the Trump Administration's intention is to bring back American companies to America and attract more foreign investment in America therefore there will be more growth then it is important that growing America remains competitive. So, there actually will be a growing need for this partnership," he said.The foreign secretary held meetings with a number of senior U.S. administration officials including Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly, National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, House speaker Paul Ryan along with meetings with senior member of the Congress.The foreign secretary also interacted with American business through the US-India Business Council.Jaishankar's four-day visit to the U.S. was aimed at sensitising the Trump administration about India's concerns over the security of Indian nationals in the U.S. following a possible cut in H1B and L1 visas.This is his second visit to the U.S. since the election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the U.S.
Four-laning along Chadigarh-Kullu highway to ease travel

New Delhi, Mar 4 : The union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways announced on Saturday that the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has awarded the contract for four-laning of Nerchowk-Pandoh including Pandoh bypass section in Himachal Pradesh.





(Posted on 04 March 2017, 1667785167 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/more-news.php  (Posted on 04 March 2017, 1667785167 173O212O198O32)

The four-laning will cover a stretch of 26 km along the National Highway 21 (NH21).The road widening is expected to improve the connectivity for travellers between Chandigarh and Kullu-Manali, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways,Image: MORTH India Twitter
UP Polls: Dimple Yadav joins Akhilesh-Rahul in mega road show

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) , Mar. 4 : Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday held a road show in Varanasi on the sidelines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit.





(Posted on 04 March 2017, 1667785167 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/india-news.php  (Posted on 04 March 2017, 1667785167 173O212O198O32)

Political heat picked up in Varanasi as Akhilesh's wife Dimple Yadav joined in the medga road show, which witnessed a huge crowd cheering for both the leaders.The Samajwadi Party-Congress road show began from 'Kachehri chauraha' area and will culminate at the 'Girjaghar chauraha'.Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati also held a rally at Jaunpur where Prime Minister Modi also addressed a rally.Prime Minister Modi arrived in Varanasi this morning and offered prayers at Kashi Vishwanath temple after a massive road show.He also visited the Kaal Bhairav temple before leaving for Jaunpur where he held an election rally."Uttar Pradesh's voters have already given majority to BJP. We will form government in Uttar Pradesh, will waive loans of small farmers," he said.Mayawati, while holding a rally on the outskirts around Rohaniya said, "BJP and Samajwadi-Congress are competing for second and third places in Uttar Pradesh."Security forces have been deployed in large numbers to stand guard over the high-profile rallies.The results of the elections, along with those in four other states, will be announced on March 11.
PM Modi capable of confusing buttermilk with 'bhaang': Akhilesh on 'coconut juice' gaffe

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) , Mar. 4 : Firing a fresh salvo against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday charged the former with having the capability of confusing buttermilk with bhaang.

Dimple Yadav joins CM Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi's roadshow in Varanasi #uppolls2017 pic.twitter.com/Z5TCVObTvM  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 4, 2017





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"Prime Minister Modi at times describes juice as water, Pineapple as coconut, coconut water as juice. Be careful friends, hope it doesn't happen that when you drink 'butter milk', the Prime Minister calls it 'bhaang'," Akhilesh said while addressing an election rally here.Akhilesh also charged the Prime Minister with spreading lies and making false promises during his electoral campaign.The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's remarks were a reference to the infamous coconut juice gaffe episode, when Prime Minister Modi pointed out to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi that coconuts contain water and not juice.The Congress Party denied that Rahul had ever mentioned the words 'coconut juice' and brandished video footage of his election rally as evidence.Addressing a crowd of supporters after an hour-long road show, Akhilesh said, "The BJP is spreading lies, while we are talking about development, and giving laptops to students."Continuing his tirade against the Prime Minister, Rahul too attacked the former for his 'false promises'."Modi promised solar lights, free internet and four-lane roads. He promised to clean the Ganga and Kashi. Has any of this happened? No, he hasn't fulfilled even a single promise," Rahul said.Both Akhilesh and Rahul jointly led a mega road show in the temple city of Varanasi earlier in the day in a last gasp effort to swing voters in their favour ahead of the seventh phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi also held a mega road show in Varanasi.He also offered his prayer at the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple.
Indian, Malian ministers hold first ever joint commission meeting

New Delhi , Mar. 4 : Minister of State for External Affairs, M.J. Akbar visited Mali from March 2 to 3.





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During his visit, the minister co-chaired the first ever Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) between India and Mali along with the Foreign Minister of Mali Abdoulaye Diop.The discussions reviewed the bilateral engagement between the countries in various sectors like agriculture, energy etc and laid out areas of future co-operation, particularly in security and technology, according to a statement.The statement added that both parties expressed satisfaction at the enhancement of bilateral relations and progress achieved in implementation of outcomes from the visit of Vice-President Hamid Ansari to Mali in September last yera.Akbar reiterated India's commitment to Mali's geographical and ideological integrity and assured India's support for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.On his part, Diop thanked India for its assistance of USD 0.5 million for the reconstruction of the world heritage of Timbuktu. India would be hosting the largest exhibition of Timbuktu manuscripts titled "When Taj Mahal meets Timbuktu" later this year.Both parties identified terrorism as a grave threat to peace and prosperity and agreed to co-operate at a bilateral, regional and multi-lateral level to combat this menace. Both sides also exchanged views on issues of common interest such as UN reforms, development issues, South-South co-operation and promotion of renewable energy.Both sides were pleased at the outcome of the first JCM and agreed to hold the next meeting of the JCM at a mutually convenient date in 2019.Minister Akbar's visit would be followed by a series of high-level visits from Mali to India.
Union Minister Kushwaha condemns PM Modi's road show in Varanasi

New Delhi , Mar. 4 : Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's road show in Varanasi, Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha on Saturday asserted that the former did not do the right thing by taking out a road show.





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"Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is already leading in Uttar Pradesh and I feel that Prime Minister shouldn't have done a road show in Varanasi, it's just an assembly election then why to make it so big," Kushwaha told ANI."I don't felt right on the part of PM Modi doing a road show and making it so grand. I think this decision taken by BJP and Modi was not right," he added.Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi held a huge road show atop an SUV in Varanasi followed by his visit to the Kashi Vishwanath and Kaal Bhairav temples to offer his prayers.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the rally cautioned the opposition to refrain from politicizing the surgical strikes by the Indian Army last year."We are so proud of what our forces did. It was done after elaborate planning and is being talked about world over. Sadly, there are some people who are so driven by political considerations that they want to question our armed forces. Those who question surgical strikes- come to Jaunpur and ask the families of the martyrs. Why politicise issues of national security," Modi said at rally here.Varanasi will be the most keenly watched constituency that will vote on March 8.Key contenders from BJP, Samajwadi Party-Congress and BSP will be battling it out for hot seat in the state.BSP chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav along with Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi are also holding their high-octane rallies in the holy city.
Kim Jong-nam murder: Malaysia expels North Korean ambassador

Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], Mar. 4 : Malaysia on Saturday expelled North Korean Ambassador Kang Chol and issued a notice asking him to leave the country within 48 hours.





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The envoy was expelled after his continuous criticism of the local investigations into the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.According to Anadolu news agency, Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said Kang had been declared "persona non grata" in Malaysia, after the ambassador failed to turn up for a Saturday meeting with ministry officials to explain his recent statements which belittled Malaysia's efforts in probing the killing.Aman said Kang's failure to attend the meeting followed a lack of written apology on behalf of North Korea as demanded by the Foreign Ministry previously."Pursuant to my instructions, he [Kang] was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to meet with the Deputy Secretary General for Bilateral Affairs of the ministry, today at 6.00 pm [1000GMT]. However, neither the ambassador nor senior officials of the embassy was in a position to be present at the ministry," said Aman."For this reason, the ministry has via a diplomatic note sent to the embassy this evening, informed the North Korean government that the Malaysian government has declared Kang as Persona Non Grata,"said Aman, adding that Kang was given time to leave the country within 48 hours from 6 p.m. local time.Aman said Kang's explusion was part of the government's review of bilateral ties with North Korea, as instructed by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi last week.Earlier, Kang had alleged that the conduct of the investigation into the death of Kim Jong-nam indicated that the Malaysian government had something to hide and that Malaysia had colluded with outside powers to defame his country.
Over 10 mn households gave up LPG subsidy on PM Modi's appeal: Dharmendra Pradhan

New Delhi , Mar. 05 : Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said more than 10.5 million households have given up their Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) subsidy on the appeal made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.





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The minister said people gave up their subsidy after Prime Minister Modi appealed to those who could afford the cooking gas to leave their subsidy."More than 10.5 million households gave up their LPG subsidy. This will help the government to provide subsidy to the needy," said Pradhan while speaking at Harvard Kennedy School in the United States.Emphasizing on the government's goal to provide subsidy to the poor, the minister talked about the Centre's initiative for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in LPG subsidy.Pradhan also said after the success of DBT in LPG, the government is planning to use the same in Kerosene."At one point of time, the government thought subsidy should be for the poor, for the downtrodden, but how do we do it. We have created a gateway which is known as PAHAL, Hindi name for DBT," said Pradhan.The minister also enlightened the students with another initiative of the government to create a subsidy movement in India."JAM trinity: Jan Dhan Account, Aadhaar number and Mobile, is a new weapon to create targeted subsidy movement in India," he said.Earlier in the day, while speaking at the 2017 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Energy Conference, Pradhan said despite demonetisation India will continue its momentum and achieve an eight percent growth in 2017."Last November, we demonetised 85 percent of our currency in circulation and even after that India's GDP continues to grow. According to recent data, growth for the September-December quarter stood at 7 per cent," he said.
Russia likely to ban Disney 'Beauty and the Best' for 'gay propaganda'

London [U.K.], Mar. 05 : Russia is mulling upon banning Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' movie, due to a subplot in it showing a man discovering himself as gay.





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The subplot in the movie shows a character, Josh Gad's LeFou, discovering that he is gay.Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky has ensured that checks will be carried out to ascertain that the movie does not oppose the country's laws against "spreading gay propaganda among minors," the Telegraph quoted the BBC as saying.An MP, Vitaly Milonov, has also called for a government screening of the movie a day before its official release, in order to let ministers decide whether to permit it for a general release.The film's director Bill Condon, last week, in an interview to a magazine revealed the movie's 'gay moment.'Beauty and the Beast, starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, is scheduled to release in the UK on March 17.
Shiv Sena mocks PM Modi's roadshow, says party lacking CM candidate

New Delhi , Mar. 05 : Mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Varanasi roadshow, the Shiv Sena on Sunday said it is funny that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not have a chief ministerial candidate.





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"It's quite funny that a national party like the BJP, which is ruling in many states, does not have a chief ministerial candidate or a face for UP and hence they have to depend on Prime Minister Modi for every small and big elections. In his own constituency, he had to conduct a roadshow," Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande told ANI.Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Modi, Kayande said the former is threatened of the Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's partnership and is thus resorting to all this."May be, somewhere the Prime Minister feels threatened with the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance and hence, the BJP and Prime Minister is overdoing it," she said.Prime Minister Modi yesterday offered several litres of milk, Ganga jal and flowers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple and performed aarti at the sanctum sanctorum during a break in his road show.Wooing the electorate in his constituency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday asserted that he has made Kashi his 'Karya Kshetra' so that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can regain the pride of the region, which has lost its shine under the current Samajwadi Party (SP) Government.Expressing full confidence in his party's chances in the state polls, the Prime Minister said that even if he had not visited Kashi, his own constituency, BJP would have emerged victorious, however, he still wanted to come and address the people as they were close to his heart."Back in 2014, I could not visit Varanasi as the Election Commission did not allow me to carry out a rally. Since then I have always wanted to come and speak to you. Kashi for me is not a political area, but I wanted to work here because I wanted to bring back its lost heritage," the Prime Minister said.
The Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition notes with alarm the continuing spread of lighted billboards in Arizona ("Bill to allow illuminated billboards goes to House," March 1). Whether they are "digital" or LED boards, or illuminated in the old-fashioned way with floodlighting, or even un-lighted, FDSC concurs with groups such as Scenic Arizona that billboards erode the truly unique day (and, if lighted, night) character of Arizona's world-renowned landscape and night sky scenic resources.
Shah Rukh Khan "working to grow chest hairs" to play Wolverine

Mumbai, Mar 5 : Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan said he is working to grow chest hairs to play the role of Wolverine on screen while replying to a tweet of one his fans amid the buzz that the Indian actor is suited for the role after Hollywood's Hugh Jackman retires.





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A fan uploaded a write up on Twitter explaining the reason on why the actor should play the role of Wolverine.Hair on the chest ladyneed hair on the chest!! Working on it though. Love Hugh Wolverine., Shah Rukh Khan said in a reply on Twitter.Recently during an interaction with a television journalist, Hugh Jackman said that Shah Rukh might fit in for the role of Wolverine.Hugh said: I think Ill be fine with it. I hope other people play it. May be Shah Rukh Khan could play it.The comic book series is so good because you have so many people interpreting this role. I think there are six origin stories. I will be really interested to see how I feel about it. I want it to be really great. But I dont want it to be that much better than me. Just a little bit is fine, he added.Hugh Jackman has been playing the role of Wolverine on screen for last 17 years and he has announced that he would be seen to play this character for the last time in Logan.The film has hit the screen on March 3 in United States.(Writing by Souvik Ghosh)
Emma Watson reveals her 'Beauty and the Beast' fear

Washington D.C. [USA], Mar. 5 : Emma Watson has recently revealed about the moment when the 'Beauty and the Beast' fairy tale turned into a nightmare for her.





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The 26-year-old said that she feared she would end up with a broken foot while shooting the dance scenes in the movie as her co-star Dan Stevens was performing on stilts, Contactmusic reportedShe recalled: ''Dan was essentially wearing steel-capped stilts. I was slightly terrified my foot was going to get broken or we were going to end up in a heap on the floor. So it had an extra edge to it.''The film, which also features Kevin Kline, Emma Thompson, Ian McKellen, Ewan McGregor and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, will release in India on March 17.
CII asked to prepare a report on infrastructure development and investment roadmap for North Bengal

Bagdogra, Mar 5 : North Bengal, which is endowed with bounties of nature, could emerge as one of the most preferred tourism hubs in the country, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, told a CII team here on Sunday.





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Parrikar was accompanied by S S Ahluwalia, Minister of State for Agriculture and Parliamentary Affairs.The CII team was led by Anand Mittal, the Vice Chairman of CII North Bengal Zonal Council.Not only is the region surrounded by countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal, it also serves as a corridor to the North East India, Bihar and South Asain countries, he said, adding that development of Bagdogra airport will play a very important role in the development of the region as a whole.The Centre will do everything to upgrade the airport, the Defence Minister told the CII delegation.Parrikar also said the Centre has already laid a special focus on North Bengal the strategic location of which is immense. The Bagdogra airport will play a very important role in the overall development of the region, he said.Ahluwalia, who is a local MP, asked CII to prepare a report on infrastructure development and investment roadmap for North Bengal.The Centre will extend all-out cooperation for the development of North Bengal, said the Defence Minister, who was here to inaugurate a model school in Darjeeling.
Assam govt. to provide financial assistance to rejuvenate state film industry

Guwahati, Mar 5 : The Assam government will provide financial assistance of Rs 50 lakh for reopening of cinema halls which have already been shut down in the state.





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Similarly, an amount of Rs 25 lakh will also be provided to cinema halls which need repairing of its building for creating a good viewing ambience.Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced this while speaking at the closing ceremony of Chalachitram, a heritage short film competition organized by Chalachitram in association with Department of Cultural Affairs, Assam government and Directorate of Film Festival, Govt. of India at Rabindra Bhavan on Sunday.Stating that cinema reflects the philosophy of life, reality and expectations of the society and plays an important role in transforming society, Sarbananda Sonowal recalled the contributions of Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla, Bhabendra Nath Saikia, Jahnu Baruah and Manju Bora in taking the Assamese cinema forward.Sonowal further added that the cinema industry in Assam is plagued with various problems and the Govt. is preparing a roadmap to strengthen its infrastructure to give it a major fillip.He also commented that Assamese films are best in all respect and can compete with the Indian and world cinema if backed with proper infrastructure.Sonowal also called upon the film makers of the state to highlight the contributions of the legendary personalities of Assam to carry forward a message to the society.The Assam CM also urged the film fraternity to guide the Government on the initiatives required to be taken for ameliorating its present condition.Sonowal also distributed prizes of the short film competition titled Our heritage, our pride in the programme.Pride of Assam bagged the best short film award in this competition. He also released a souvenir published to mark the occasion.Director, Directorate of Film festivals, Union government, Senthil Rajan, eminent film makers Vijaya Jena, Manju Bora, Commissioner and Secretary, Cultural Affairs Department, Govt. of Assam Preetom Saikia, Secretary of Chalachitram Bhagawat Pritam were present among others in the programme.(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
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Graduate students Mingde 'Jack' Zheng and Joseph Sherba have developed a novel, microfluidic platform for monitoring electroporation and molecular delivery at the single cell-level as part of a collaborative re-search team led by Professors Jeffrey Zahn and David Shreiber in the Department of Biomedical Engineer-ing and Professors Hao Lin and Jerry Shan in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, in Piscataway, NJ. Electroporation is a widely used, safe, non-viral approach to deliver foreign vectors into many different cell types. When a cell is exposed to an electric field of the appropriate strength, the membrane undergoes reversible electrical breakdown, where tran-sient pores form in the membrane, which allows molecular transport into the cell. The controlled intracellu-lar delivery of biomolecules and therapeutics enables the ability to study and engineer fundamental cellu-lar processes and has therefore been a major focus in biomedical research and clinical medicine. According to BioMarket Trends, the electroporation market currently represents the second largest segment of the total, ~$200 million transfection technology market in terms of revenues, behind lipid based technology.

Consumers in the market include those in biomedical research in academic and industry labs and biotech-nology and life science companies who aim to express specific molecules in a variety of cells. In addition, there is increased interest in using transfection technology clinically, especially with the advent of CRISPR technology for gene editing.

Successful cell transfection represents the rate-limiting step in numerous biomedical research and bioproduction workflows including: cell based therapies, RNA interference screening, and stem cell re-search. The challenges include variable and poor transformation efficiency, especially with hard-to-transfect cell lines such as primary cell lines and stem cell lines. One of the traditional bottlenecks to elec-troporation has been obtaining efficient delivery without compromising cell viability. Successful electro-poration involves the optimization of a wide range of electric field and buffer parameters that are affected by the cell type and molecular payload to achieve an ideal balance of the efficiency of transfection (how much is delivered) with the damage produced (how many cells are damaged or die). Protocols are often identified through costly trial-and-error, and can vary significantly from lab-to-lab and application-to-application. The Rutgers interdisciplinary research and development team are focusing on translational re-search in developing next-generation electroporation technology for high-efficiency delivery into cells with superior viability.

The novelty of this report is the impedance detection of membrane permeabilization in a continu-ous flow environment at unprecedented sensitivity, an accomplishment not previously reported in litera-ture. By monitoring changes in the electrical characteristics of individual cells when exposed to short, high-strength electric fields, the team was able to identify when a cell has become permeabilized and deter-mine the conditions which led to molecular delivery while preserving cell viability. This technology will ex-pedite the transfection process by eliminating trial-and-error electroporation protocol development in a safe and effective manner across cell types and applications.

The micro-electroporation platform was realized following extensive theoretical modeling. The team de-signed and fabricated a microfluidic device consisting of a converging microfluidic 'electroporation zone' and a set of electrodes capable of both pulsing the passing cell in transit and sensing the degree of cell membrane permeabilization. The electroporation microchip is integrated with a custom-built LabVIEW al-gorithm that continuously monitors the channel for the entrance of a cell into the electroporation zone. Upon detecting a cell, a prescribed electrical pulse is applied to the cell and the electrical signal is monitored for changes in membrane permeabilization, which ultimately determines the therapeutic payload poten-tial.

A widespread parametric study was performed by altering both the electric field strength and pulse duration and electrically measuring the membrane impedance response immediately following pulse application. The degree of membrane permeabilization was dependent on the intensity of the pulse appli-cation, with a significant increase in permeabilization occurring at a pulse duration of 0.8 to 1 ms. This trend was also verified by optically monitoring the delivery of a fluorescent probe, propidium iodide, which is im-permeant to cells with intact membranes but is transported into the cell upon compromising the mem-brane via electroporation. Cell viability trends were also shown to be dependent on the strength and dura-tion of the pulse being applied.

Moving forward, the Rutgers team looks to continue the development of this technology into a "smart", autonomous system that is capable of using these electrical signals to create a flow-through, feedback-controlled, single cell-level electroporation platform. Improvements in transfection efficiency will allow electroporation-based cellular transformation approaches to become more commonplace and supplant viral based approaches. They envision a product line comprised of a base equipment docking sta-tion and software that applies the electric pulses and monitors permeabilization in real time using disposa-ble "chips" for cell handling and microfluidics. The end result will be a product line that is easy to use, re-producible, and robust, which will open up a wide range of applications by basic research laboratories, de-velopment and production laboratories in the biotechnology sector, and ultimately clinical entities inter-ested in direct gene editing or transfection for transplantation and cellular therapies.
New Delhi: The government-owned Air India is looking to raise short-term loans worth over Rs 3,000 crore to partly fund acquisition of four Boeing 787 planes.



It plans to induct these four planes  part of the 27 aircraft order placed with the Boeing Inc in 2006  between July and October this year.



Currently, the national carrier has 23 B787-800 planes in the fleet besides other types of Boeing and Airbus planes. To fund the purchase of four more Boeing 787 aircraft, the airline is looking for banks and financial institutions to arrange bridge financing or short term loans for a period of 15 months.



The bridge finance would be up to "$470 million (approximately $117.500 million per aircraft) for partly financing acquisition of four B787-8 aircraft," as per an Invitation of Offer document.



At the current dollar-rupee exchange rate, $470 million translates to little over Rs 3,100 crore.



For availing the short term loan, the national carrier would provide the aircraft as security. The loan amount would be repaid after it concludes a Sale and Lease Back (SLB) arrangement.



Under SLB arrangement, the seller of an asset leases it back from the purchaser for a long term.



There would be no government guarantee for the loan, Air India has said in the document.



According to the document, Air India has sold 21 planes of the 23 Boeing 787 aircraft that are currently in operations and took them back under SLB arrangement.



The SLB of the two remaining planes, which were delivered to the airline between November 2106 and January this year, is under process.



Back in 2006, as part of fleet expansion plans, Air India placed orders with Boeing for 68 aircraft  27 Dreamliners, 15 B777-300ERs, 8 B777-200LRs and 18 B-737-800s.



Of these, Boeing has already delivered 61 planes to the the airline. Apart from four B787-8s, remaining three B777-300ER are scheduled to be delivered early next year.
New Delhi: India and Pakistan will hold parleys on various aspects of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in Lahore on March 20 and March 21.



The meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) will take place nearly six months after New Delhi decided to suspend talks on the pact in view of the Uri terror attack by Pakistan-based outfits.



The meeting is being held as the IWT, 1960 makes it mandatory to hold parleys under the pact at least once in a fiscal.



Indias Indus water commissioner and MEA officials will be part of the Indian delegation for the annual meeting.



The last meeting of the PIC was held in May 2015 in New Delhi. India had on Friday downplayed its participation in an upcoming meeting in Pakistan to discuss sharing of Indus river water, saying it does not amount to resumption of government- level Indo-Pak talks. The dialogue was stalled following the terror strikes by Pakistan-based terror groups.



Declaring that blood and water cannot flow together, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held a meeting in September to review the treaty in the backdrop of the terror strikes, including the Uri attack.



After the meeting, officials had announced that the government has decided to suspend further talks and increase the utilisation of rivers flowing through Jammu and Kashmir to fully exercise Indias rights under the pact.



The commission, which has officials from both the countries as its members, was set up under the treaty to discuss and resolve issues relating to its implementation.



It is mandated to meet, alternately in India and Pakistan.
New Delhi: After nearly 20 years, indigenous manufactured INSAS rifles will be finally 'retiring' from the army and replaced by an imported assault rifle which will be manufactured in the country later.



The Indian Small Arms System (INSAS), which was inducted in the army 1988, is likely to be replaced with deadlier assault rifles of higher caliber (7.62x51), official sources said.



The sources said that as many as 18 vendors, including some Indian companies having a tie-up with a foreign arms manufacturing firm, have sent in their consent to replace nearly two lakh such rifles used by the army along the borders and in counter-insurgency operations.



The reason for phasing out of INSAS, as cited by experts, was that it was not effective at long range and at best, it could only maim the enemy.



The sources said that 7.62x51 assault rifles have already been introduced in the Pakistani army which purchased them from Heckler and Koch, one of the world's leading small arms manufacturers based in Germany.



The proposal for procuring the new assault rifles was in pre-Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) stage and expected to be completed by the year end after putting the process of purchase of these weapons on a fast track.



The sources said that emphasis was being laid on arming the Special Forces of the army in the Northeast as of now and the proposal will come up before the Defence Acquisition Committee (DAC) soon.



After the new weaponry for the Special Forces aimed at helping them in close-combat situations, the focus will shift to procurement of the assault rifles and replace the INSAS, the sources said.



The foreign vendor would also be required to participate in Transfer of Technology (ToT) so that there is no dearth of ammunition and maintenance of the assault rifles in the country. These weapons can kill the enemy up to an effective strength of 500 metres.



The conceptualisation of the INSAS began in early 1980's before it was finally handed over for production to Ichapur Ordnance Factory in West Bengal. In 1993, the design of the rifle was changed before being introduced in the army in 1996.



The rifle was put to use during the 1999 Kargil war.
Security forces on Sunday gunned down two militants who were holed up inside a building in Tral, the hometown of slain militant commander Burhan Wani in south Kashmirs Pulwama district. A policeman was killed and three security personnel, including an Army major, were injured in the 15-hour gunbattle.The encounter had started at around 6pm on Saturday security forces laid a cordon in Hayuna village after police and Army suspected that two operatives of the Hizbul Mujahideen were hiding there.Police had earlier said that security forces received an intelligence input about the presence of militants in the village of Tral. A joint column of the Army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir police cordoned off the area and started a search operation to flush out the militants.Photo: Qayoom KhanWhen the search party was zeroing in on a suspected house, the militants lobbed grenades and opened fire and the security forces retaliated.Late on Saturday, a fire broke out in the upper story of the building where the militants were holed up, but the exchange of fire continued through the night.
The prime accused in the Malayalam actress molestation case on Saturday told a court in Aluva that he was not ready to undergo a lie-detector test as part of the investigation.Pulsar Suni submitted before the Aluva First Class Magistrate Court that he was not ready for such a test.Police had sought the option of lie-detector test after Suni continued to mislead them during his custodial interrogation. But they needed the consent of the accused for carrying out such type of investigation.He continued to provide conflicting information about the smart phone he had allegedly used for clicking pictures of the actress while she was abducted in a car.Meanwhile, the court extended the police custody of Suni and his accomplice V P Vigeesh till March 10.The actress, who has starred in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17 and later escaped in a busy area in Kochi.Six persons, including 'Pulsar' Suni were arrested by police in connection with the incident that created an uproar.
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Filmmaker Prakash Jha says his new film production Lipstick Under My Burkha, which has been denied a certificate by the censor board, offers a shock value to those with an outdated mindset.The film chronicles the secret lives of four women of different ages in a small town in India as they search for different kinds of freedom.The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on February 23 refused to give a certificate to the film for its sexual references and use of abusive words, among other reasons.Talking about it, Jhan said: "Lipstick Under My Burkha is a beautiful film. It brings down the shallow and oppressing rules of our society, which says women can't speak about their fantasies. They are used to viewing life from a male point of view and CBFC's letter shows only that."Directed by Alankrita Shrivastava, the film has won awards at film festivals and will be traveling to festivals in Miami, Amsterdam, Paris and London."While the other countries are accepting this liberty in a new way and reaching to a new level, this has brought a shock to their outdated thinking in our country. What they don't understand is that by refusing certificate to a film they can't oppress this thinking," Jha said.He is happy that the "certificate denial has raised the debate"."It is a good thing that people are questioning and a healthy debate is going on. The first purpose is fulfilled now the second objective will be accomplished after its release," said Jha.About the film's impending release, he said: "We have already applied in the Tribunal (Film Certification Appellate Tribunal) and soon we will be getting a clear picture of the situation. We are eagerly waiting to release the film."The film features Konkona Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak, Aahana Kumra and Plabita Borthakur in lead roles along with Sushant Singh, Vikrant Massey, Shashank Arora, Vaibbhav Tatwawdi and Jagat Singh Solanki.Also see: If You Try to Silence a Film, Then Be Prepared to Face the Backlash, Says Lipstick Under My Burkha Director
Clarification: My seniors encouraged me to be CM face but I prefer as "Voice of Arunachal" at Centre. People's love for me is for MP not CM. https://t.co/ISLE4ythrS
Chennai: Tamil Nadu re-elected a "corrupt government" led by J Jayalalithaa during the previous Assembly elections, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday alleged and called for swift and deterrent punishment to end graft.



"In Tamil Nadu, a corrupt government was re-elected... The head of that government, may her soul rest in peace, was convicted by the Supreme Court and fined Rs 100 crore. That government got re-elected only last year," he said.



He said he does not think re-election is a test of goodgovernment, "it is a test of good politics, good election management".



Responding to questions after launching his book "Fearless in Opposition" here, he said the BJP returning to power in states like Madhya Pradesh was not "unusual" and that Congress government got re-elected for three decades after Independence.



He said the Congress was the party of "natural governance" but has "indeed lost its standing".



"We must rebuild it... I accept the fact that we are in no major state except Karnataka," he said.



Replying to query on corruption, the former Union finance minister said, "Corruption eats into growth and I am not denying that... But how do you put an end to corruption? Graft can be ended only by changing behaviour and by punishing misbehaviour."



"You have to change the behaviour and those who continue to behave in a bad manner must be punished quickly... Our legal systems do not punish quickly... If you punish people quickly say within a year or two, you will find that corruption goes down considerably," he said.



If it takes 20 years to punish anyone, people assume that the system is slow, the Congress leader said, adding "we must have a swift and deterrent punishment for corruption".



Opposing media trials, he said it was completely opposed to the ethics of journalism.



"You publish allegations, conduct media trials and pronounce people guilty even before they are charge sheeted in a court of law."



Though media carries out investigation, he said it was "scared" of people in power.



"Those who are in power have the capacity to suppress information coming in the media. A lot of information does not appear in the media as it is suppressed."



"But I must say one of the reasons we remain a largely free country is because we have a largely free media," he said.



Chidambaram said it is not that the Narendra Modi government does not have talent. But the "problem with this government is... my complaint, quarrel with this government is that decision-making is centralised and that is not good for democracy."



Criticising the Centre's demonetisation scheme, he said, "You move a mountain to catch a rat and in this case it was a dead rat."
New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju has been the controversys favourite child from the very beginning of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.



Recently, post-Ramjas College fracas, he was in the news for asking who was polluting Gurmehar Kaurs  Lady Shri Ram College student who took on ABVP on social media  mind.



In a no-holds-barred interview to CNN-News18s Arunima, Rijiju clears the air, and most of the controversies his remarks have generated in the past few years. Here are the excerpts:



Question (Q): Have you become more vocal after becoming a minister?



Answer (A): You have to understand your responsibility if I am not a minister, can I act as a minister? I have to secure the nation



Q: But things like speaking out on this nationalism debate, your other collegues are not as vocal as you.



A: Which other colleagues?



Q: Like Rajnath, Hansraj Ahir, and even ministers on the defence ministry side?



A: I am what I am speaking out. I have always been like that. You see all my speeches when I was in the opposition. You will realize I was more vocal then. I was more nationalist in terms of being more vocal when I was an opposition MP. I speak less now because I am a minister.



Q: Is it fair to say that Kiren Rijiju has become the new Sakshi Maharaj of BJP?



A: In what terms?



Q: In the sense that earlier every time you would think of a BJP MP who would go all out in speaking about the national flag, or the jawans or national pride or nationalism, we would think of a Yogi Adityanath or a Sakshi Maharaj, now we think of Kiren Rijiju?



A: No no I am not talking of religious things. Do you think I am speaking of something to do with religion?



Q: Yes that is true, you are not. I remember you said in that Shekhar Gupta interview that you dont generate controversy, you say what you feel and controversy is generated.



A: I dont generate controversy for myself. I speak my heart out. I speak clearly. I speak the truth. I speak out my mind. When you dont speak, people will not judge. But when you speak, people debate, discuss, dissent. I would want complete openness, discussion and dissent. For democracy to thrive there should be these three.



Q: Your wife is from lady Shri Ram College. So when you spoke about Gurmehar Kaur, who is also an LSR student, was there a discussion at

home?



A: I never spoke about the young girl.



Q: But you did say that her mind is being polluted. Who is polluting her mind, you asked?



A: Yeah I am talking of the left.



Q: But you are also saying that the girl is not acting on her own.



A: Thats right, but I am not talking about the girl herself, I am talking about those... There are some people who are trying to influence her.



Q: But sir, you are saying that she is not capable of thinking for herself?



A: You mean to say that people get knowledge from birth itself?



Q: She is twenty



A: So she has been influenced. You dont get knowledge from birth.



Q: Was there any discussion at home?



A: I didnt discuss this. Why will I discuss a twenty-year-old student? We discussed the left politics

(Later, Rjiju says, My wife asked me, why are you talking about this student?

I dont know why some people in the media have so much fascination about anti-India slogans or those who raise slogans against India. Does this make quality news?



Q: Do you think anti-national slogans, or coverage of such slogans has gone up in your government?



A: Yes, because there is no other way to stay relevant. They have been voted out. The only way to come back to relevance is to disrupt.



Q: So, you see a conspiracy?



A: Conspiracy by the leftists.



Q: Conspiracy by the Leftists and Congress Party alike or just the leftists?



A: Congress is a party which has no ideology. They will try to make their presence felt by jumping onto the bandwagon By joining nay protests. This is not a battle between Congress and BJP. It is a battle between far leftists and the nationalists.



Q: And you have positioned yourself on the nationalist side of the divide?



A: I am born nationalist. I was born in the border area. I have been raised in a particular way. I am a born nationalist. That is my mindset. Our home town and villages were under Chinese occupation for sometime in 1962 war. So we have been brought up in a particular manner.



Q: Coming back to congress. You have been attacking them on social media and other platforms like no other leader



A: (Interjects) because they attacked me before the parliament session on that power scam. The power project was started by the Congress-led government. Everything was done by Congress government. In my time, some panchayat leaders came to me for some recommendations and Congress targeted me



Q: Is that the only reason why



A: Yes.



Q: Only reason why you are so upset with Congress?



A: When they targeted me, that time I had declared that I will hit back.



Q: Your critics will point out that in 2009, you resigned from BJP, went and joined Congress.



A: Where is the proof? There is a process to join Congress party. There is a membership (form) where is the proof?



Q: But did you make a comment after resigning from BJP that you had some kind of an arrangement with Congress?



A: It was a political understanding with the chief minister.



Q: Mr. Khandu?



A: yes.



Q: Can you elaborate what this understanding was?



A: The BJP MLAs were supported by Mr. Khandu.



Q: And you became the political advisor to the chief minster?



A: I did not accept it. The only return favour I took was that the CM supported the BJP MLAs.



Q: So you were never in any capacity advising Dorji Khandu?



A: He appointed me but I refused.



Q: So in between 2009 and 2012-13



A: (Interjects) why are we discussing this when I didnt join Congress?



Q: Because your critics are attacking you



A: When I have not joined Congress party, where is the question?



Q: So you were with no party between 2009 and 2012?



A: I was taking a break.



Q: There is a Shilong Times report that I am quoting where you are quoted to have said that BJP cant do much from Arunachal Pradesh.



A: It was that time. If you are not in power what can you do? For economic development, you need to be in power. If you are in opposition, you can fight but you cannot grant, you cannot do.



Q: How is your relationship with Congress party in Arunachal Pradesh now?



A: Where is Congress party now? They are finished. All of them have joined BJP.



Q: Ninong Erring?



A: He is the only one left now.



Q: Is he a good friend?



A: I have no enmity with anybody.



Q: I want to bring to your notice the first controversy you generated as a minister which was on beef. Why did you have to clarify that you and your family dont eat beef?



A: Who made that comment?



Q: You first said that everyone is free to eat what they want and then clarified that you dont eat beef



A: So? Where is the U-turn?



Q: Were you forced to clarify?



A: No who has clarified?



Q: Didnt you say, I and my family dont eat beef?



A: Yes. So, it is a factual statement.



Q: But why did you have to make that statement? What you eat is your business.



A: I have not taken any U-turn, neither have I tried to justify anything.



Q: Did newspapers misquote you? Because they said Mr. Rijiju has said that beef eating is a way of life in Arunachal Pradesh.



A: It is a reality I am not saying anything which is not true.



Q: After that newspaper report, you were quoted as saying beef eating may be a reality in Arunachal Pradesh, but my family and I.



A: It is not a statement. It is a fact.



Q: If you were not in BJP, would you still have to say this?



A: I did not say it It is the media who said it. I did not make this comment for media. Some local people asked me and media picked up my reply and made it news.



Q: Just to clarify the context in what context was this comment made to local people in AP?



A: The local people, some press people were there and they asked that some minister has commented that if you eat beef you have to go to Pakistan.

So I said no You have the freedom under the constitution of India. I gave no example that if I eat beef, or if anyone eats beef in your locality or in your own community, that is your freedom. But dont eat beef or slaughter an animal in an area where deep sentiments are attached. In India, each locality has its own food habit etc. Yes this is no controversy, media blew up the story... I did not make it.



Q: Is it an irony that you, a Buddhist, has become a face of a Hindu nationalist party as BJP is known as?



A: No. I am not making any religious comments here. Is there any religious connotation to what I say? I speak as a nationalist. I am a nationalist.



Q: Have you always been this agitated about like in school, college or law faculty, did you get this agitated on questions of nation? Or is this a recent phenomenon because of the times that we live in?



A: No no earlier, I used to get agitated much more. I used to get more agitated if I saw any one saying anything against India. But now after becoming a minister I dont speak as much. Earlier, I used to if anyone in my village or school said anything against India, we used to thrash that person. Here people are not very touchy about it but in north east they are. If you say anything anti-India in our place, in Arunachal, people get very upset.



Q: One more criticism that I heard was that Mr. Rijiju, in person, is very easy going, he is a good man, someone said but to rise in the party, he is being forced to say so much on social media. They are saying, in BJP, if you dont show yourself as an ultra-nationalist, you cannot rise.



A: Who said so?



Q: I cannot name the person



A: They dont know my strength. They dont know how much people in Arunachal love me. Those who dont have grassroots support will say such things. I have come thus far on the basis of love and affection of people of Arunachal, my party and my prime minister.


A senior BJP leader, who has worked for long in Varanasi, makes an interesting observation. He says that if the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance works in all honesty, the BJP's road to success in Varanasi can get very tough. Asked to explain, the BJP leader says, Muslims and Yadavs together make a very formidable combination on all the seats, especially, the urban ones. If the two segments remain intact with the alliance, things can go against the BJP.

A senior Congress leader camping in the city for three days says that in the past, the BJP had always, at the end of the day, been able to polarise the elections in its favour. Therefore, this time around, we are trying hard not to let it become Hindu vs Muslims, the leader says.

Therefore, the challenge for the BJP, and most importantly Prime Minister Modi himself, is to ensure the BJP's dominance in the region. An effort is to capitalise a lot on 'Brand Modi' and that's the reason why top brass of the BJP stormed Varanasi. Beyond victory or defeat in the state, results from Varanasi and the region would be keenly watched and debated later on.

Bihar elections last year had been a bitter pill for the BJP. Will UP be a sweetener? The results will be known on March 11. But before that, the Prime Minister is ready to face his biggest challenge.

For believers of the Hindu religion and mythology, Kal Bhairav is the ultimate protector. In Varanasi, the deity is identified as Nagar Kotwal. Literally translated, Kotwal means a police officer. In the case of Kal Bhairav, the deity is the mythical protector or law enforcer of Varanasi.But on Saturday, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Kal Bhairav temple for the first time since his election as an MP from this eastern UP city, the symbolism and concerns of the BJP top brass, including Modi himself, were evident. After all, there is no harm in seeking divine intervention when the electoral battle for Uttar Pradesh is being billed as a referendum on demonetisation and PM Modis image halfway through his tenure.The question, therefore, arises  why is Varanasi and the region comprising just 40-odd Assembly seats going to the polls in the final phase on March 8, so important? The seat, after all, is crucial enough to ensure that all top BJP leaders from Modi to party chief Amit Shah and at least a dozen Union Ministers, RSS leaders, strategists and election managers storm this VVIP constituency.Are the ground realities for the BJP much more tough and complex as compared to the positive perception that has been created around it in this election? The realities can be understood thus  despite being the parliamentary constituency of the Prime Minister and giving his Cabinet three Union ministers, the party's Vidhan Sabha performance has been poor show. While minister Mahendra Nath Pandey is from Chandauli, Manoj Sinha is from Gajipur and Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal is an MP from Mirzapur. Chandauli is also the home district of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the party swept the region. In 2012, it could get just four seats  Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Cannt and Mungra Badshah in Jaunpur.Out of 40 seats that go the polls in the seventh and final phase, Jaunpur and Varanasi districts together constitute 17. Out of the four seats which the BJP won in 2012, only Varanasi South and Cannt can be termed as safe seats. These have been going the BJP way since the 90s. Varanasi North has been a swing seat for the party.For the Yadav-Muslim alliance not to be that strong, the BJP hopes for a counter-polarisation and is also banking on long-drawn in-fighting between rival sections of the Congress party in the district. The symbolism of Modi's visits to temples, including the Kal Bhairav shrine, might just be a subtle attempt at revoking a larger Hindu identity. Akhilesh and Rahul too had been smart to visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple on the very same day and keep their campaign more or less focused on the issues of development and Kaam Bolta Hai.Out of eight seats in Varanasi, the alliance has three seats. This includes the Congress stronghold of Pindra, from where party MLA Ajay Rai is contesting again. The Samajwadi Party has Rohaniya and Sevapuri seats, while the BSP has MLAs from Ajagara and Shivpur. No doubt that when compared to 2012 statistics, both the BJP and the alliance are equally pitted against each other.Apart from 17 seats in Varanasi and Jaunpur, there are seven in Gajipur, four in Chandauli, five in Mirjapur, four in Sonbhadra and three seats in Sant Raivdas Nagar. As of now, compared to the BJP's four seats, the Samajwadi Party has 23, while the Congress has three MLAs in the region. Five seats are with the BSP, while others had won five.An important factor of this is also the Kurmi backward caste card. Anupriya Patel-led Apna Dal is basically a Kurmi-dominated, caste-based party. While Anupriya had been working hard in this region of Varanasi and Mirzapur division, infighting within her own party and the formation of a new front under her mother has supposedly weakened her party's grip in the region.When asked, BJP MP from Gorakhpur Mahant Adityanath tried to downplay the concerns. Anyone is a PM or minister later and a party worker first. Since it is an election and we are taking it seriously, every worker is devoting his time and energy for the cause, he says.Congress state spokesperson and Varanasi native Kamlakar Tripathi, however, claims, The BJP is highly anxious. The alliance is giving their leaders sleepless nights. It's not only the battle for UP. Modi ji's is probably more keen on saving his honour in his own parliamentary constituency.When, in 2014, the BJP decided to field Modi from Varanasi, several agendas were in mind. One, of course, was to silently emphasis Modi's Hindu image and his connect to Ganga, a strong symbol of Hindu religious and cultural identity. Politically, it was also aimed at long-term strategy to give the BJP a strong launchpad in the east from where both eastern UP and Bihar could be influenced.The stakes are really high. As one of the disgruntled MPs of the BJP says, Somewhere between Bihar and Delhi lies Uttar Pradesh.
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday condemned the Centre's decision to make Aadhar cards mandatory for availing the mid-day meal scheme and accused it of snatching the rights of the poor.



"Now even infants (0-5 years) will need Aadhar cards? aadhaar card for mid-day meals and ICDS? Shocking! 100 Days' Work also not spare. Instead of helping the poorest of the poor, the downtrodden and our favorite children, why are their rights being snatched away?," Banerjee said in a tweet.



"In the name of Aadhaar, privacy is being lost and there is extortion. Why is this Govt so negative? As a nation, we must condemn this," she said.



Cook-cum-helpers working under the scheme as well as student beneficiaries will now be required to have an Aadhaar card to avail the facility following the HRD ministry mandate in a move to link the Aadhaar number with subsidy schemes related to school education.



The Department of School Education and Literacy(DSEL) under the Human Resource Development ministry has decided to give a window till June 30 to those who do not have an Aadhaar card yet.
Rampur: Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan on Sunday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he was camping in Varanasi as if he was a "nukkad neta" and accused him of virtually transforming the city into the country's capital.



A day after the Prime Minister held a roadshow in his constituency, the UP minister charged that the "entire Union government has been shifted to that city and Varanasi has been virtually transformed into the capital of the country".



"The Prime Minister has been camping in Varanasi as if he happens to be a nukkad neta (a leader addressing corner meetings)," Khan, who is known for making controversial remarks against the Prime Minister, told reporters here last night.



"Even then the BJP is not going to win a single seat there and it would be enough achievement for the outfit if it could save the security deposits of its nominees," he said.



A host of Union ministers and top BJP leaders led by Amit Shah have been camping in the city to lead the party's campaign for the last phase of UP polls.



On the crowd gathered for the Prime Minister's road show, Khan said, "Modiji's road show saw the presence of 400 policemen and that lasted for a short duration.It is unfortunate that in early days people used to shower flowers on Modi but the latter was seen throwing flowers on the crowd".



Asked about the Prime Minister describing Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's works as 'karname' the cabinet minister said, "You consult Oxford dictionary and you will come to know that

'karname' is used for good works".
Taking a jibe at CM Akhilesh Yadav, Singh said, "UP CM had promised 24-hour power supply in the state. But, the administration is such that there is no power supply, yet people are getting the electricity bills."

Commenting on the BSP, Rajnath said, "The health of the elephant has deteriorated, as earlier the elephant used to eat Peepal leaves. But, now it has started eating currency notes."

: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday accused the Uttar Pradesh government of not undertaking any developmental works in the state, "despite UP getting the highest share of funds from the Centre".Addressing an election rally in Jaunpur, Rajnath said, "Despite UP getting the highest share of funds from the Centre, no developmental work has been undertaken in the state."Attacking SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Union Home Minister said, "Till a few days back, SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav was attacking the Congress, but his son has now entered into an election alliance with the Congress. SP has for the first time entered into a poll pact with a political party, which it has been opposing throughout its life."In a lighter vein, Singh remarked, "A cot (khaat) is meant for sleeping, and not for holding meetings (apparently referring to Rahul Gandhi's khaat sabha)."Rajnath also mentioned that father (Mulayam) has punctured the cycle, while uncle (Shivpal) has broken the chain of the cycle."During the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the country's economy became robust, but the Congress has brought it down," he remarked.The 'do or die' campaign for the seventh and final phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, covering 40 assembly seats in seven districts, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency, will come to a close tomorrow.The seven districts going to polls in this phase are Ghazipur, Varanasi, Jaunpur, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Bhadoi and Sonebhadra.
Thiruvananthapuram: Three RSS activists were injured in an attack allegedly carried out by CPI (M) workers at a village in Kozhikode, police said on Sunday. Police have arrested one CPI (M) activist and identified nine others.



The victims, all in their early 20s, suffered injuries in their hands and legs in the attack last night at Keezhaiyur village and have been admitted to the Medical College Hospital.



Swords were reportedly used to attack the RSS activists, and police cited some local issue as the primary reason.



Kerala has witnessed a series of political clashes between cadres of BJP-RSS and ruling CPI(M), especially in the northern Kannur district, over a long time.







Both parties have blamed each other for the cycle of violence, which has claimed several lives on both sides.






After a grand roadshow through the city of Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was overwhelmed by the support shown by the people of the state.

Taking a dig at the potholes in the state, he alleged that the ruling government in the state was indulging in kuch ka saath kuch ka vikas.

He said the state has a huge potential but is lagging behind due to an unfavourable government in the state.

As it happened.

Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here.
                 11       pic.twitter.com/DWkTPbRiQL  Keshav Prasad Maurya (@kpmaurya1) March 5, 2017

Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik has written to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav asking reasons for retaining rape accused Gayatri Prajapati in his Cabinet.Non-bailable warrants against Prajapati and six others were issued by police on Saturday, while the ministers passport was impounded and a look-out notice issued against him.Police had said raids were also being conducted in Lucknow, Kanpur and Amethi to trace 49-year-old Prajapati, who is absconding after being booked following a Supreme Court directive.The rape case has come as a major embarrassment to the ruling Samajwadi Party, which has tied up with the Congress to keep the BJP at bay on ongoing elections.At an election meeting in Jaunpur on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said, "In this country, when we do something good, we chant the Gayatri Mantra. But, the SP-Congress alliance is chanting the 'Gayatri Prajapati Mantra'."A case has been lodged against him (but) the chief minister went to campaign for him while he (Gayatri) was present there...Now, the police cannot trace him," Modi said."A daughter is seeking justice and the chief minister is shielding the gunehgaar (guilty)...What bigger blot can there be than this that in Uttar Pradesh when a buffalo goes missing, the government runs to find it."But, a girl is crying for justice and the police and chief minister are sleeping...Such a government needs to be punished," he said, reminding voters that they have got an opportunity to perform the "pind daan" (last rites) of their "tormentors".On Sunday, BJPs state chief Keshav Prasad Maurya asked Akhilesh to sack his favourite minister if he could not get him arrested.Official sources told PTI that a Letter of Cancellation (LC) will soon be opened against Prajapati and all airports have been alerted to prevent the SP leader from fleeing the country.A letter of cancellation is a technical term used for alerting immigration authorities about any possible move by a suspect to leave the country.Whenever passport of the suspect comes for immigration clearance at any exit point of the country, the computer screen warns the official to not let the person leave.The UP Police registered an FIR against Prajapati, who continues to elude them, for allegedly gang-raping a woman and molesting her minor daughter with his aides.(With PTI inputs)
Mumbai: A day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paved the way for the Shiv Sena to install its Mayor in BMC, the warring ally on Sunday hinted there is no threat to the stability of the BJP-led coalition government.



"We have now kept aside the resignation letters which we were carrying in our pockets," Shiv Sena leader and Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam told reporters in Mumbai.



Interestingly, it was Kadam who had said the ministers of his party were carrying resignation letters in their pockets, after the Sena president Uddhav Thackeray broke the alliance with the ruling BJP ahead of the BMC polls last month.



When asked if the Fadnavis was still on "notice period" as announced by the Sena leadership in run-up to the elections, he said, "only Thackeray can answer this query."



Sena is the junior partner of the BJP in the Central and state government. The apparent thaw in Senas aggressive stand vis-a-vis the BJP came a day after Fadnavis announced the BJP will not field its nominees for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mumbai in the Mayoral election, scheduled this week.



The CMs announcement of the BJP virtually relinquishing prominent civic posts paved the way for Sena to install its Mayor in the countrys richest civic body.



Sena has been demanding Mayors post by virtue of its numerical strength at 84 in BMC, just two more than BJP.



Sena had also claimed support of at least four Independent corporators. However, given the hung verdict, both the Sena and the BJP could not reach the magic figure of 114 seats needed to rule the 227-member civic body on their respective strength.



In an indication of rapprochement, senior Sena leaders attended a press conference addressed by the CM at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai.
Dhaka: Bangladesh on Sunday banned extremist Islamist group Ansar Al-Islam blamed for the brutal murders of several secular activists and atheist bloggers in the Muslim-majority country.



A Home Ministry spokesman said an order was issued banning the militant outfit as "the group is involved in anti-state activities which are contrary to peace and order and a threat to public safety and security in the country."



The radical group, which claims links to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, has claimed responsibility for a spate of gruesome murders of secular activists and atheist bloggers in the country that sparked a security crackdown on extremists.



The ban was enforced as members of previously outlawed Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) regrouped under the banner of Ansar al-Islam, the Ministry said .



ABT was banned in May 2015 when one of its leaders was arrested and two members were sentenced to death for the murder of an atheist blogger in February 2013.



The group also claimed responsibility for the 2015 murder of Avijit Roy, an American atheist author of Bangladeshi origin, gay activist Xulhaz Mannan, a magazine editor and bloggers Niladri Chattopadhyay and Nazim Uddin Samad.



It is the seventh radical extremist organisation, whose activities have so far been banned in Bangladesh.



The six other groups already banned are Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), Harkat ul-Jehad al-Islami Bangladesh (HUJI-B), Hizb ut-Tahrir and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT).
The commission said DNA analysis of selected remains confirmed the ages of the dead ranged from 35 weeks to 3 years old and were buried chiefly in the 1950s, when the overcrowded facility was one of more than a dozen in Ireland offering shelter to orphans, unwed mothers and their children. The Tuam home closed in 1961.



The report found that the dead children may have been placed in underground chambers originally used to hold sewage. Corless said she found records stating that the sewage systems were used until 1937, when the home was connected to a modern water supply.

The investigators, who are examining the treatment of children at a long-closed network of 14 Mother and Baby Homes, said they still were trying to identify "who was responsible for the disposal of human remains in this way."

A mass grave containing the remains of babies and young children has been discovered at a former Catholic orphanage in Ireland, government-appointed investigators announced Friday in a finding that offered the first conclusive proof following a historian's efforts to trace the fates of nearly 800 children who perished there.The judge-led Mother and Baby Homes Commission said excavations since November at the site of the former Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, County Galway, had found an underground structure divided into 20 chambers containing "significant quantities of human remains."Friday's findings provided the first proof after decades of suspicions that the vast majority of children who died at the home had been interred on the site in unmarked graves. That was a common, but ill-documented practice at such Catholic-run facilities amid high child mortality rates in early 20th century Ireland.The government in 2014 formed the investigation after a local Tuam historian, Catherine Corless, tracked down death certificates for nearly 800 children who had died as residents of the facility  but could find a burial record for only one child."Everything pointed to this area being a mass grave," said Corless, who recalled how local boys playing in the field had reported seeing a pile of bones in a hidden underground chamber there in the mid-1970s. The site of a mass grave for children who died in the Tuam mother and baby home, in Tuam, County Galway (File photo/ AP)The government's commissioner for children, Katherine Zappone, said Friday's findings were "sad and disturbing." She pledged that the children's descendants would be consulted on providing proper burials and other memorials."We will honor their memory and make sure that we take the right actions now to treat their remains appropriately," Zappone said.A decommissioned septic tank had been "filled with rubble and debris and then covered with top soil" and did not appear to contain remains, the report said. But excavators found children's remains inside a neighboring connected structure that may have been used to contain sewage or waste water.The commission's finding that most of the remains date to the 1950s corroborates Corless' collection of death certificates. It also dispels a popular argument that bones seen at the site might predate the orphanage's opening, when the building was a workhouse for the adult poor, or even be from people who died in the mid-19th century Great Famine.Labour Party lawmaker Joan Burton said the Tuam orphanage's dead may have been interred "without normal funeral rights, and maybe even without their wider families having been made aware." She called on the Catholic Church to provide more assistance to investigators.The Bon Secours Sisters order of nuns, which ran the home until its closure, said in a statement that all its records, including of potential burials, had been handed to state authorities in 1961. It pledged to cooperate with the continuing investigation.Corless criticized the Bon Secours response as "the usual maddening nonsense. They must apologize and take responsibility for what happened there."She called on the nuns to promise explicitly to help the state organize proper marked burial places for every dead child once each set of remains could be identified."That's the least that can be done for them at this late stage," she said.
Tehran: Iran's hardline former president Mahmud Ahmadinejad became the latest leader to join Twitter on Sunday, despite having been instrumental in getting it banned from the country.



Ahmadinejad's first tweet from his personal account was a video in which he called on people to follow him at @Ahmadinejad1956.



"In the name of God Peace be upon all the freedom loving people of the world," he wrote in English.



Despite the service being blocked for ordinary citizens, many of Iran's top officials tweet regularly, including President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.



Even the office of supreme leader Ali Khamenei maintains accounts in several languages.



Iranian users -- who get round the restrictions using privacy software -- were quick to point out the irony that Twitter was banned following mass protests against Ahmadinejad's re-election in 2009.



The protests, which followed accusations of election-rigging, were considered the first time in the world the service was used to promote and organise demonstrations, and earned the nickname "The Twitter Revolution".



Twitter and other social media sites would go on to play a significant role in protests around the Middle East during the so-called "Arab Spring" in the following years.



Ahmadinejad, who was president from 2005 to 2013, has been pushing for a return to frontline politics in the run-up to the presidential election in May.



However, his erratic and insubordinate style saw him fall out with the conservative establishment during his time as president, and Khamenei advised him last year against running again.


Malaysia expelled North Korea's ambassador on Saturday, giving him 48 hours to leave the country as a diplomatic row deepened over the assassination of the half-brother of Pyongyang's leader.Kim Jong-Nam, 45, was poisoned on February 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport with VX, a nerve agent so deadly that it is classed as a weapon of mass destruction.The dramatic killing has sharply soured relations between Malaysia and North Korea, which has not acknowledged the dead man's identity, vehemently protested the murder investigation and accused Kuala Lumpur of being in cahoots with its enemies.Arch-rival South Korea has blamed the North for the murder, citing what they say was a standing order from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill his exiled half-brother who may have been seen as a potential rival."The expulsion of the DPRK (North Korea) Ambassador is...an indication of the government's concern that Malaysia may have been used for illegal activities," Malaysia's foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday."The ambassador has been declared persona non grata" after Malaysia demanded but did not receive an apology over Pyongyang's attack on its investigation of the case, the statement added."He is expected to leave Malaysia within 48 hours."The row erupted last month when Malaysian police rejected North Korean diplomats' demands to hand over Kim's body.Ambassador Kang Chol reacted by saying that the investigation was politically motivated and that Kuala Lumpur was conspiring with "hostile forces".Malaysia then summoned Kang for a dressing-down over his accusation, with Prime Minister Najib Razak describing the ambassador's statement as "totally uncalled for (and) diplomatically rude".Malaysia also recalled its envoy to Pyongyang and has cancelled a rare visa-free travel deal with North Korea, putting the skids under once cozy ties.The rift widened on Thursday when a senior North Korean diplomat leading a delegation to Kuala Lumpur reiterated Pyongyang's assertion that Kim had died of a heart attack, dismissing the use of a nerve agent.The foreign ministry statement said that on February 28 the government had already issued Pyongyang a same-day deadline for a written apology over Kang's accusations."No such apology has been made, neither has there been any indication that one is forthcoming," it added. "For this reason, the Ambassador has been declared Persona Non Grata."Kang's expulsion order came the same day that the only North Korean arrested over the assassination denounced Malaysia's probe as "a conspiracy to impair the dignity of the Republic (North Korea)".Ri Jong-Chol, who was released and deported on Friday due to lack of evidence, said that police had offered him a comfortable life in Malaysia in return for a false confession.Ri's release came days after two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- were charged with murdering Kim Jong-Nam.Airport CCTV footage showed the women approaching the heavyset 45-year-old and apparently smearing his face with a cloth.Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later. Swabs of the dead man's face revealed traces of VX nerve agent.
I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai a US national of Indian origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh father of the victim./1  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 5, 2017

He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital. /2  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 5, 2017

New York: A 39-year-old Sikh man in the US has been shot outside his home by a partially-masked gunman who shouted "go back to your own country", in a suspected hate crime that comes just days after the killing of an Indian engineer in Kansas.ALSO READ | Rights Group Calls For Hate Crime Probe Into Attack on Sikh The Sikh man, identified as US national Deep Rai, was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent, Washington, on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to his home's driveway.Kent police said an argument broke out between the two men, with Rai saying the suspect made statements to the effect of "go back to your own country". The unidentified man then shot him in the arm.Reacting to the incident, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, "I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a US national of Indian-origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh, father of the victim.""He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital," Swaraj tweeted.The victim described the shooter as a six-foot-tall white man, wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face. Kent police are looking for the gunman. Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said while the Sikh man sustained "non life-threatening injuries", they are treating this as a "very serious incident". Rai is able to talk, an Indian government official said.The official said the government was ready to offer all possible assistance to the wounded man. Authorities are investigating the shooting as a suspected hate crime, according to the Seattle Times.Consulate General of India in San Francisco is in touch with local authorities who are ascertaining the nature of the crime, the Indian official said.Kent police have launched an investigation into the case and reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies."We're early on in our investigation," Thomas said.Kent Police Commander Jarod Kasner said the incident is getting attention from the Sikh community and others."With recent unrest and concern throughout the nation this can get people emotionally involved, especially when (the crime) is directed at a person for how they live, how they look," Kasner said.The incident is the latest in a series of troubling cases where members of the Indian community have been targeted in apparent hate crimes.It comes close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gun shot wounds in his yard. However, police said in Patel's killing his Indian ethnicity does not appear to be a factor.
Washington: US President Donald Trump's accusation that his predecessor Barack Obama had his "wires tapped" in Trump Tower before Election Day is "simply false", Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said on Saturday.



"A cardinal rule of the Obama Administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice," Xinhua news agency quoted Lewis as saying in a statement.



"As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any US citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false," said Lewis.



Trump claimed in a tweet storm on Saturday morning that Obama had wiretapped Trump Tower before his election victory, but offered no evidence.



Trump said: "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!"



He also called Obama a "bad, or sick, guy".



"Is it legal for a sitting President to be 'wiretapping' a race for President prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!" Trump added in subsequent tweets.



"I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!"



The President then compared the alleged surveillance of his communications to Watergate -- the scandal in the early 1970s that brought down Republican President Richard Nixon after he ordered a break-in of the Democrats' Washington headquarters.



However, Trump did not immediately provide evidence that Obama was responsible for surveillance on his property, the Hill newspaper reported.



Moments earlier, Trump had also linked Obama to Attorney General Jeff Sessions's meetings last year with Russia's ambassador to Washington.



"The first meeting Jeff Sessions had with the Russian Amb was set up by the Obama Administration under education programme for 100 Ambs," he tweeted.



Sessions on Thursday said he would recuse himself from any investigations into Russia's links to Trump's team, after massive outrage over the revelations that he met Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice during the campaign, then denied doing so during his confirmation hearings.



Trump also blasted Obama for meeting Kislyak 22 times and tweeted: "Just out: The same Russian Ambassador that met Jeff Sessions visited the Obama White House 22 times, and 4 times last year alone."



Trump's team has sought to push back on accusations of ties with Russia by pointing out instances of Democrats meeting Kislyak, according to the report.



Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was ousted last month after revelations that he misled top White House officials about the nature of his conversations with Kislyak.


A Sikh rights group has asked US authorities to investigate as a hate crime the attack on a 39-year-old Sikh man amid Indian-American community's safety concerns after a slew of bias-related incidents in the country.The Sikh man, identified as US national Deep Rai by Indian officials in New Delhi, was shot in the arm outside his home in Kent, Washington, by a partially-masked gunman who shouted "go back to your own country".The gunman allegedly got into an altercation with Rai before shooting him in the arm.The Sikh Coalition, along with local community leaders, has asked local, state and federal officials to investigate this shooting as an anti-Sikh hate crime as well as to improve bias prevention laws and organise 'Know Your Rights' forums to build community resilience and reduce the likelihood of future hate crimes.It said shooting in Kent, that has left Rai injured, follows the larger national pattern of hate violence directed at minority communities across the United States in the wake of the presidential election."Investigating this as an anti-Sikh hate crime is critical, because without our government agencies recognizing hatred for what it is, we can't combat the problem," said Seattle-area Sikh community leader, Jasmit Singh.The Sikh Coalition said the Sikh-American community, which has been an integral part of the American fabric for over 125 years, is estimated to be hundreds of times more likely to suffer hate crimes than the average American, in part due to the Sikh articles of faith, including a turban and beard, which represent the Sikh religious commitment to justice,tolerance and equality."While we appreciate the efforts of state and local officials to respond to attacks like this, we need our national leaders to make hate crime prevention a top priority," Sikh Coalition Interim Program Manager Rajdeep Singh said in a statement."Tone matters in our political discourse, because this a matter of life or death for millions of Americans who are worried about losing loved ones to hate," he said. Jasmit Singh said said the men from his community have reported a rise in incidents of verbal abuse, "a kind of prejudice, a kind of xenophobia that is nothing that we've seen in the recent past."He said the number of incidents targeting members of the Sikh religion, are reminiscent of the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks."But at that time, it felt like the (presidential) administration was actively working to allay those fears," Jasmit Singh said, adding that "now it's a very different dimension."The attack on the Sikh comes close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gun shot wounds in his yard.
At a circular booth in the middle of the Trump International Hotel's balcony restaurant, President, President Donald Trump dined on his steak  well-done, with ketchup  while chatting up British Brexit politician Nigel Farage.A few days later, major Republican donors Doug Deason and Doug Manchester, in town for the president's address to Congress, sipped coffee at the hotel with Rep. Darrell Issa, R-California.After Trump's speech, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin returned to his Washington residence  the hotel  and strode past the gigantic American flag in the soaring lobby. With his tiny terrier tucked under an arm, Mnuchin stepped into an elevator with reality TV star and hotel guest Dog the Bounty Hunter, who particularly enjoyed the Trump-stamped chocolates in his room.It's just another week at the new political capital of the nation's capital.The $200 million hotel inside the federally owned Old Post Office building has become the place to see, be seen, drink, network  even live  for the still-emerging Trump set. It's a rich environment for lobbyists and anyone hoping to rub elbows with Trump-related politicos  despite a veil of ethics questions that hangs overhead."I've never come through this lobby and not seen someone I know," says Deason, a Dallas-based fundraiser for Trump's election campaign.For Republican Party players, it's the only place to stay."I can tell you this hotel will be the most successful hotel in Washington, DC," says Manchester, adding that he would know because he has developed the second-largest Marriott and second-largest Hyatt in the world. Manchester says Trump's hotel will attract people based on its location near the White House and Congress, the quality renovation and the management team.Then there's also the access.Although Trump says he is not involved in the day-to-day operations of his businesses, he retains a financial interest in them. A stay at the hotel gives someone trying to win over Trump on a policy issue or political decision a potential chit.That's what concerns ethics lawyers who had wanted Trump to sell off his companies as previous presidents have done."President Trump is in effect inviting people and companies and countries to channel money to him through the hotel," said Kathleen Clark, a former ethics lawyer for the District of Columbia and a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis.She said the "pay to play" danger is even greater than it would be if people wanted to donate to a campaign to influence a politician's thinking. Spending money at a Trump property "is about personally enriching Donald Trump, who happens to be the president of the United States."The White House strongly disputes there's any ethical danger in Trump's business arrangements.Trump can see his hotel from the White House. When a Fox News interviewer mentioned that to him recently, Trump responded, "Isn't that beautiful?" But while the interviewer pointed out that he can see the property from his desk in the Oval Office, Trump said, "I'm so focused on what I'm doing here that I don't even think about it."Still, Trump couldn't resist the short trip over there for dinner on his only weekend night out in Washington since becoming president.A reporter for the website Independent Journal Review was tipped off about Trump's dining plans and sat at a table near him. He noted the president's dinner fare and companions, who also included daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Trump adviser Jared Kushner.On other nights, the posh hotel is the kind of place where on a mid-February evening, you could bump into Trump television personality Katrina Pierson having cocktails with Lynne Patton, a former Trump Organization executive who's now working at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Trump campaign and inauguration hands Tom Barrack, Boris Epshteyn, Nick Ayers and Rick Gates are among the many who have stayed there in recent weeks.Rooms start at above $500 most nights, according to the hotel's website and a receptionist. That's up hundreds of dollars from when the hotel first opened, not long before Election Day. Patricia Tang, the hotel's director of sales and marketing, declined to answer questions about how business is going.The hotel has become a staging area for big political events.Eric and Donald Trump Jr. posed for dozens of selfies with admirers the hotel that bears their name before attending their father's White House ceremony in late January to announce Judge Neil Gorsuch as the president's pick for the Supreme Court.Deason ran into the Trumps and fellow Texas donor Gentry Beach while at a meeting at the hotel that day with Trump's campaign adviser Rudy Giuliani. During inauguration week, when Trump himself repeatedly visited, the hotel was "literally the center of the universe," Deason said.Last Tuesday, as Trump gave his first address to Congress, lobbyists and politicos watched the four large flat-screens above the bar, two tuned to Fox news and two to CNN. In what hotel staff said was an effort to avoid some of the obvious politics of the place, the TVs were muted, so people followed along on their own devices.As Trump wrapped up, applause rose through the lobby and bar. Mnuchin waved to admirers gathered in the bar as he strolled through after Trump's speech.Mnuchin is one of the New Yorkers working in Washington who call it home during the week. White House economic adviser Gary Cohn is another. Linda McMahon, who heads the Small Business Administration, also has been staying there.Administration officials "have been personally paying a fair market rate" for their accommodations, White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said.Even Trump's closest friends pay to stay.Billionaire Phil Ruffin, Trump's partner for his Las Vegas residential tower, said he shelled out $18,000 per night while he was in town for the inauguration, which he said surprised him since he'd given $1 million to Trump's inauguration committee. Ruffin says he lightly complained about the high rate to the president."He said, 'Well, I'm kind of out of it.' So I didn't get anywhere, didn't get my discount," Ruffin recalled.Trump's continued ownership of his hotel and other businesses has spawned lawsuits and ethics complaints, but so far no action on any of them. One accommodation Trump says he is making on the ethics front is to donate profits from foreign governments that spend money at his hotels.Last week, Kuwait's ambassador, Salem Al-Sabah, and his wife hosted a reception in the hotel's presidential ballroom, in what was one of the first known instances of foreign money changing hands with the hotel division of the Trump Organization since he became president. A spokeswoman for the Trump Organization did not respond to questions about whether the money from the Kuwait Embassy has been or will be donated.Mnuchin attended.
UPDATE: Liberty University said Tuesday night Timothy Adams was a 35-year-old Army veteran who lived in Cortland, Ohio.

Adams drowned while in Indonesia on a Global Studies intenrnship.

"Private opportunities to gather and remember Timothy were made available for students but there are no plans for a public ceremony on campus at this time," the university said.

MARCH 4: Liberty University said it was notified Saturday a student drowned while in Indonesia.

Timothy Adams, who was there completing a Global Studies internship, was swimming in the ocean with others when they were caught in strong currents, the university said in a news release.

Adams helped to save others before he was swept away, LU said. Authorities conducted a search-and-rescue mission; they could not save him, but they recovered his body.

Our deepest sympathies go out to Timothys family and friends, LU President Jerry Falwell Jr. said in the release. All who knew and loved Timothy are in our hearts and prayers. Timothy was clearly living as a Champion for Christ. By all accounts, his death was simply a tragic accident.
Return to Paradise

Sunday Newsday spoke with Benoit about his film, Opia, and he explained that he has been a fan of film for as long as he could remember, although it was not originally the main focus of his career. In his mid-20s he attended the Toronto Film School and specialised in video editing. When he returned to TT he worked with a few production companies, with a focus on television, and did editing and videography for television shows and corporate videos.

He started his own company, Normal Normal Films, in 2010 and made music videos for artistes like Queen Omega (Jeneile Osborne), Devon Matthews and for his band which played with Anti-Everything. He said he pre-planed most productions and would oversee them himself, detailing the process from start to finish.

While working for clients he decided to focus on making a feature film and has been working on a documentary on skateboarding in Trinidad and the wider Caribbean. Skateboarding is another of his passions.

But it his second film that is currently commanding his attention.

Opia, which means spirits of the dead or ancestors in the Taino language is about the last days of paradise on our (TT) tiny island before the arrival of the Spanish. He said it is not a traditional film and was difficult to classify, though he called it a drama/history/adventure/action film.

It has a lot to do with the misinformation most people have about indigenous people of the island. He spent two years in extensive research and wrote a script which he dreamed up but tied in with actual historical events. He wanted to create a more relatable personal tale about what it would have been like for First Peoples.

The film, he said, is about new beginnings and new becomings and a certain disconnection from the normal traditional style of life and being involved with nature.

Benoit explained that it is about struggle and people and the artistic focus is on cosmic consciousness and a deeper connection to spirit and nature before being influenced by Western civilisation.

And it as strange to see that the least known cultures that we have investigated or that would be the primary focus of our knowledge is the ones of inhabitants of where we live. I found that was very strange that living in Trinidad and not being able to get an actual accurate description of what kind of life and what kind of traditions the people had, he said.

He explained that when people hear the term Amerindian they think of a collective but not an individual who had preferences, likes, cares and fears, or someone that they can relate too.

Benoit said his interest was in a story where this land was at peace and the only time he could find that was before the arrival of the Spanish. He believes the history before Christopher Columbus is biased by mainstream intellectuals and the average person only receives anecdotal accounts from colonisers.

He said our understanding of that intricate society which had deep religious cultures and was scientifically, technically and medically advanced is very basic, as the details have been lost in the course of history. He explained and for the First Peoples they did not see themselves as disconnected individuals but connected to spirit and nature and consciousness.

Conversely, he said, people tend not to want to see themselves as one consciousness and one people due to Western stylised living.

Evidence has found that this was not always the mindset of the people in the Caribbean. And its hard not to see why when the surroundings and the natural flora and fauna is so beautiful and you are able to appreciate nature in such a setting here. The weather is almost perfect. So one can only imagine without any daily life and hustle and bustle of modern day living, how peaceful and lovely it would have been to reside on an island like this a hundred years ago when it was still untouched. For his cinematography he tried to capture the nature as pristine as possible. The film features two main characters, a male and a female Amerindian, who are on separate journeys and self-motivated adventures. The male is Coqui, named after a musical frog in Puerto Rico, who has a premonition for the fate of his people and is driven to seek out someone for a higher understanding of the vision - an island shaman. He leaves his village and his people for the first time. Coqui will be played by Benoits brother Francois.

The female character sets out on a journey to find medicine to save one of her elders. Her name is the symbol for dreamer and she feels lost between the waking and sleeping world and gives equal value to both. She will be played Jasmine Jones.

As to the locations for the film, Benoit said the majority will be shot at best kept secret spots which are not necessarily known to people other than hikers. They chose to go as remote as possible to give the feeling of isolation while not putting the actors in any danger.

Benoit said he wanted to showcase the serenity of the island to remind people of where they live.

You dont have to go far to see the beauty and magic of a place we call home. He pointed out that there has not been a lot about Caribbean history and culture in mainstream film and now was a good time for Opia. The casting is 75 percent complete and he will be doing some casting calls in the next few months.

The cast is will be playing both tribal people and the Europeans/ newcomers. As Benoit will be telling a personal story about the Amerindians, he will also be telling a more human story about Columbus, showing him after he was stripped of his titles, disenchanted but still striving.

He said there are tentatively six to eight months of filming left and they are waiting for the rainy season to do some shooting.The film is feature length and could run for two and a half hours.

Benoit plans to start screening to an audience that will most connect with it - TT and the Caribbean - and then as wide an international audience as wide as he can get. He hopes that by watching this film people will get a better idea of this countrys history, see what may have been overlooked in the past and what can be uses to move forward in the future.

The trailer for Opia can be viewed on the Normal Normal Films Facebook page.
NO APOLOGY

In fact, Liverpool, unfazed by fresh criticisms about the selection, stressed he had no intention of apologising to the Hindu community or his detractors in other spheres of national life.

No, I am not apologising, Liverpool declared in a Sunday Newsday interview. When I make calypsoes, I dont make them for groups. I sing calypsoes. If they do not understand calypsoes, that is their business. Calypso is for intelligent people. The veteran calypsonian said child marriage had nothing to do with one race, group or religion, but was a worldwide phenomenon that needed to be properly ventilated. He maintained the song was not directed to any individual or organisation.

I am not talking about any particular person, he said. I just used Sat Maharaj (Secretary General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha) because he is the link to that in Trinidad and Tobago. A popular selection in the runup to last Sundays National Calypso Monarch competition at the Dimanche Gras show, Learn From Arithmetic addressed the topic of child marriage, referencing the Hindu communitys stance on the issue.

The song, at specific junctures, made mention of Sat Maharaj, with its tagline, 75 cyah go into 14. The issue, which formed the crux of the Marriage Bill 2016, was debated on Friday in the House of Representatives. Maharaj has openly condemned the song, saying that Liverpool, a 50-year veteran of the calypso artform, has misrepresented the Hindu community.

The outspoken Hindu leaders condemnation of the song has since triggered a barrage of criticism from other quarters. In the Parliament on Friday, Princes Town MP Barry Padarath said the song fuelled misconceptions about child marriages in the country. Padarath specifically took issue with the fact that the song neglected to mention other religious groups such as Christians as well as civil marriages that had no minimum age requirement.

If it is Hindus that the calypsonian is asking that 75 cant go into 14, can we also ask the same of the Catholic community in the interest of fairness? Padarath questioned.

Also on Friday, Liverpools former university colleague Dr Errol Benjamin, in a letter to the editor, said Learn From Arithmetic seemed flawed in terms of message and style. Benjamin commented that the central mathematical impossibility of 75 not being able to go into 14 with its overt sexual overtone seemed an oversimplification of a complex ageold cultural practice to merely its physical/sexual component.

What of child marriage between children or child marriages entered into for economic considerations, some bordering on share survival? Benjamin asked.

Benjamin also observed that, in terms of rendition, what seemed intended to be sexual innuendo, turned out to be much less so in its explicitness, reducing its subtlety, exacerbated further by references to margarine and oil with their obvious sexual connotations. Benjamin said the song conjured a distinct sense of an explicit conversation on the block in which the participants are salivating over the impossibility of a 75-year-old attempting to go into a 14-year-old girl. Yesterday, political analyst Dr Indira Rampersad, in a separate newspaper column, wrote that Liverpools song was flawed on several counts, including attire for the presentation.

Chalkie dons the garb of a graduand, a student, yet proceeds with his lesson in arithmetic with flipboard and marker in the role of the teacher/educator that he is, not of a student, she wrote. Rampersad also suggested that the child marriage message may have very well been lost in the punchline 75 cyah go into 14. Therefore, Chalkies chorus, which sent women a-giggling and senior males a-frowning, was not one revolving around the child marriage controversy but rather one which focused on older mens impotence. Meanwhile, All Trinidad General Workers Trade Union leader, Nirvan Maharaj, in adding his voice to the raging debate, called on Liverpool to apologise to both the Hindu and national community. It was indeed shocking that one of the best calypsonians, a master of the artform, respected and acknowledged as an objective thinker and one for whom I have the greatest respect, would have descended into the realm of pure bias and subjectivity and stereotyped an entire community contrary to the facts in the matter of the child marriage issue, Maharaj said in a statement.

Maharaj said Liverpool failed to say that several large Hindu organisations such as the Vedic Community and Chinmaya Mission, had supported the Government and the changes to the Marriage Act to raise the legal age of marriage to 18.

Chalkdust failed to say to the national community that several other religious leaders, Islamic, for example, came out and were just as vociferous as Sat Maharaj and even more so at times concerning the Marriage Act, he said. Why did Chalkdust leave out certain leaders of the Muslim community, the Orisha and certain Christian denominations who also had the same views of Sat Maharaj, but attacked Mr Maharaj, giving the impression that it was him alone and several members of the Hindu community who had issues with the Child Marriage Act? But speaking to Sunday Newsday, Liverpool, a headliner at the Kalypso Revue, denounced his naysayers, saying: All of them should compose one (song about child marriage). I wish all of them, Errol Benjamin, Barry Padarath and Indira Rampersad could compose one. Saying he was shocked and disappointed by the fallout surrounding the song, Liverpool said it was clear that some people still do not understand the artform.

I am not even studying Sat and I am not responding to Sat. I was not even thinking of Sat, he said of the song. You have to understand the artform. I wanted people to understand the issue of child marriage but I was not talking about Sat personally.

Sat was just the link, thats all.

Thats calypso and the audience has to understand the issue? The veteran calypsonian also lashed out against a Newsday editorial, last week, which, he said, misrepresented the song. The editorial had described the song as a thinly-veiled personal attack (against Sat Maharaj) under a fig leaf of current affairs. That is a biased editorial, Liverpool said. I did not attack any race.

I did not attack anybody in my calypso.

I attacked an issue. I did not attack any race. They have no sense. Liverpool said calypsonians have long referred to politicians, dignitaries and other office holders in their work.

We have sung about kings, queens, governors, (Arthur Andrew) Cipriani (late labour leader and politician) and Butler (legendary labour leader Tubal Uriah Buzz) Butler. So, who is Sat Maharaj? he asked.

We sing calypsoes on all kinds of people.

There is no bias in that. You take an issue and if you call a person name, people think calypsonians are biased. They are not. They think issues. Chalkdust said. But nobody is biased against anybodys race or religion. When Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) sang about the Queen of England, you think he had anything personal issue with her? Liverpool asked.
I want legacy of godliness

And, in the next months, on July 16, he retires but will continuing his service to people as a civilian.

Newsday caught up with the Commissioner at the Santa Cruz Green Market, last Saturday, where he was being honoured by the Outfit International Socalypso Band.

You dont ever retire from doing good. We are soon to launch a Library at the Port-of-Spain prison, using an area that was condemned on Death Row, Stewart said yesterday at the Green Market, Santa Cruz where he was honoured by Outfit International Socalypso band.

The Childrens Art Foundation and Wishing for Wings Foundation are sponsoring the prison library.

On his stewardship as Prisons Commissioner Stewart used Christian ideology (and without naming a specific programme) to explain that during his tenure his aim was to shed light into darkness and break curses.

He defended his brother in the protective service, Acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) Stephen Williams who was criticised for saying the country needed divine intervention to help solve crime.

Imagine the Commissioner of Police talk about God and people chastise him. I dont understand why people in Trinidad and Tobago so bad....so much to love here.

People have to change their language, said Stewart.

He belted out a verse from the the Mighty Snipers song, Portrait of Trinidad. Trinidad is my land and of it I am proud and glad. But ah cyah understand why some people does talk it bad, he sang.

On retirement, Stewart will be succeeded by Deputy Prisons Commissioner Cecil Duke. But Duke will only be in the post for about a month as he is due to retire on August 31, Independence Day.

Stewart said the only thing he wants to leave after his retirement is a legacy of godliness.

On the case of the 2015 jailbreak at the Port-of-Spain prison, Stewart said the inquiry now lies with the Public Service Commission.

Under Regulation 90, I am unable to view the findings at this stage. Although it happened under my tenure. It is now in the hands of the Public Service Commission.

I hope it (breakout) never happens again, Stewart said.

On July 24, 2015, three prisoners, Allan Scanny Martin, Hassan Atwell, and Christopher Monster Selby shot their way out of the Port-of-Spain prison. PC Sherman Maynard was killed during the break-out, and prison officer Leon Rouse was shot and wounded.

Selby eventually surrendered to the police. Martin was killed during a shoot-out with law enforcement and Atwell was murdered while hiding in Port-of-Spain.

Acting Prison Superintendent Wilbert Lovell, Prison Officers II Lancelot Duntin and Mervyn Pierre have been suspended pending the completion of the investigation.
Sat: No State funds for Baal Vikaas

Addressing Chowtaal Sammelan celebrations at the Maha Sabhas headquarters, St Augustine, Maharaj told devotees: Many of you may ask, Who is funding this festival? But I will begin by telling you who are not funding. The Ministry of Education and the State. They are not giving us a single penny to run this festival. He said the childrens festival, which has been in existence for the past 31 years, was not being funded by the taxpayers.

It is funded by you, the parents and the well-wishers of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha and in recent years, by the Republic Bank of Trinidad and Tobago. The bank has provided funding for the festival for the past nine years.

The Baal Vikaas Festival, a compulsory programme for all of the 43 schools under the Maha Sabhas jurisdiction, showcases the talents of the students in the fields of singing, dancing, and music.

Maharaj said the initiative formed part of the teaching and learning process.

The principal and teachers are all here with their children, teaching them how to be disciplined, how to perform on stage and now the children have become masters in mass communication, he said.

Maharaj said previously the students would have been shy to perform on stage but now they face the camera and grab the microphone. He said learning was not limited to book knowledge but included values and exposure to the aesthetics.

Maharaj said the Maha Sabhas schools were successful because of its anchorage in this kind of setting. In his address, chairman of the Baal Vikaas Committee Ramlogan Palloo told the audience that Education Minister Anthony Garcia would face stern opposition from Hindu organisations if schools were being targeted for participation in Carnival events such as the annual National Carnival Schools Intellectual Chutney Soca Monarch.

During the recently-concluded Carnival season, Garcia had complained about the lack of participation by Hindu schools in the National Carnival Schools Intellectual Chutney Soca Monarch competition.

But Maharaj had said SDMS schools were being unfairly targeted, arguing that the decision to play the steel-pan/tassa and sing soca/chutney/calypso music in school was a parental choice.

He said it was not a decision which can be foisted on students and their parents by the Government and a minister.

Aldrin Ramgoolam, general manager, Information Technology Management Division, Republic Bank, said no culture can survive in isolation.

We believe that when we promote these traditions, we spread positive awareness through our nation and to the world at large and we believe that our children are at the very heart and soul of our people, he said We are proud to be part of something that preserves our culture through the cultivation of the minds and talents of our children.
9 rescued as boat sinks off Grenada

The boat, the MV Persia II, left Port-of-Spain on Thursday and made its first call in Grenada offloading cargo there. On Friday morning, the vessel set sail for Kingstown, St Vincent when it developed a leak and began to sink about nine miles off the coast of Grenada.

The nine-member crew were saved by the Grenada coast guard which made the rescue in choppy waters and amid strong winds.

Dry goods, valued in EC dollars, including grocery supplies for the month earmarked for hundreds of Vincentians were lost at sea.

According to St Vincent reports, every item sunk with the vessel at about 7.45 am on Friday.

Captained by Nicaraguan Hermongenes Watt, the MV Persia II began to take in water in rough sea conditions.

The nine-member crew made attempts to activate the pumps but they malfunctioned.

The captain radioed an emergency and the Grenada coast guard responded, but the coast guardsmen could not save the vessel which had taken in too much water by the time they had arrived.

They rescued the captain and crew and took them to Grenada.

Peter Oliviere of St Vincent-based Island Wide Shipping, which owns the vessel, in one report thanked the Grenada coast guard for their rescue.

Island Wide Shipping is thankful to the coast guard of Grenada for saving all the lives of the crew members on board.

Island Wide Shipping is in the process of notifying customers who lost cargo as a result of this unfortunate incident.

The management and staff thanks all those who have sent messages, called or visited in this time of sadness, he said.

Island Wide Shipping closed for business yesterday and will reopen tomorrow. St Vincent and the Grenadines Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Saboto Caesar, reacting to incident, said the MV Persia II had served the islands agriculture sector for many years with a high level of efficiency. In a Facebook post he said, We are saddened by its destruction at sea earlier today. Vincentians, some of them customers, also posted comments on Facebook. Cassandra Bruce wrote, All my groceries gone.

This is not good news at all. Definitely (the vessel) served quite faithfully throughout the years. In another post, Ollivierre McFee said, I know thats a loss that all traffickers are going to feel, especially those who lost their stuff today. Real sad news. The MV Persia was built in the 1940s and had a cargo capacity of 247 tonnes. For more than 20 years, the vessel transported ground provisions and vegetables from St Vincent and other islands to Trinidad and Tobago weekly. Traders on-board bought dry foodstuffs, mattresses and small appliances in Trinidad to sell in Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Be like Roy

Show founder and storyteller Paul Keens-Douglas told the audience that this years show was dedicated to Greaves memory.

Greaves was a performer in Talk Tent in his popular role as the loud mouthed Roy together with his stage wife Gloria played by Dawn Henry. The two characters also featured in a number of television skits tackling parenting issues in dysfunctional family setting.

At the Talk Tent opening Keens-Douglas said that they shared many moments of joy with him and he was there with them in spirit.

So heres for Hal. A number of the performers either mentioned Greaves during their sets or included him in their pieces. Pierrot grenade Felix Edinborough described him as a very dear friend and noted how he helped peopled in Sea Lots and would talk to gang members.

A man of integrity.

Whatever little good we can do let us do it like Roy, he said.

Avion Crooks in her piece as a snack vendor mentioned Roy as one of her customers and all of the things he enjoyed eating.

Ke e n s - D o u g l a s during his set said locally people are hearing a lot about values and are swamped by talk of it. He said people cannot buy values at Hi Lo (now Massy Stores) and said there is a need to go back into the culture for this. He pointed out that Greaves was one of the people who tried to make a positive change and though he is gone he is not forgotten.

He described him as a storyteller, community worker and a change maker.

He played an audio of Greaves delivering a humorous story about why women can laugh at men but not vice versa.

Keens-Douglas also performed a short piece in honour of Greaves.

Greaves, a peacemaker, father figure and activist in Laventille, died October last year from a heart attack. He was 55. Following his death he received a litany of tributes including from Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams, media personalities, religious leaders and the arts community.
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The tracking tags utilized by conservationists are now being used by poachers to kill the endangered animals they're meant to save, according to a new report published in Conservation Biology. Scientists use tags equipped with GPS or radio transmitters to study animals' behavior, migration, and more. The technology has been a major boon to conservation efforts. But, as biologist Steven Cooke tells the BBC, "there are many ways in which this process can be corrupted." And with the illegal animal trade being worth an estimated $18.4 billion per year, poachers and hunters have a major incentive to do just that, the Times reports.

Someone tried to hack GPS collar data for Bengal tigers in India, according to the report. And there are stories of hunters targeting tagged wolves in Yellowstone National Park. Meanwhile, recreational fishers in Minnesota asked the government to make fish tracking data publicly available since it was publicly funded. And tracking data was used to kill tagged sharks that were being studied and acting as early warnings for beach-goers in Australia. But the tags, which can give animal locations in near real-time, are also being abused by animal-lovers, who use the data to get closer to animals for photographs, interrupting their natural behavior or worse. Researchers say the lack of security for tag data needs to be addressed both by the manufacturers of the tags and the scientists using them. (Read more poaching stories.)
Malaysia says its expulsion of North Korea's ambassador was intended to warn Pyongyang that it cannot manipulate the investigation into the killing of the North Korean leader's half brother, reports the AP. The government on Saturday gave Ambassador Kang Chol 48 hours to leave the country after he refused to apologize for his strong accusations over Malaysia's handling of the investigation into the Feb. 13 killing of Kim Jong Nam at Kuala Lumpur's airport. "I think we have given a clear message to the North Korean government that we are serious about solving this problem and we do not want (the investigation) to be manipulated," Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quoted as saying Sunday by Malaysian national news agency Bernama.

Kang's expulsion came just days after Malaysia said it would scrap visa-free entry for North Koreans and expressed concern over the use of the nerve agent in Kim's murder. Authorities released a North Korean chemist from custody on Saturday due to a lack of evidence to charge him and deported him on the same day. Ri Jong Chol, however, has accused Malaysian police of threatening to kill his family to coerce him into confessing to the crime. Malaysia is also looking for seven other North Korean suspects, four of whom are believed to have left the country on the day of the killing. Three others, including an official at the North Korean Embassy and an employee of Air Koryo, North Korea's national carrier, are believed to still be in Malaysia. Two womenone Indonesian, one Vietnamesehave been charged with murder in the case. (Read more Kim Jong Nam stories.)
Cursive writing is looping back into style in schools after a generation of students who know only keyboarding, texting, and printing words longhand, reports the AP. Alabama and Louisiana passed laws in 2016 mandating cursive proficiency in public schools, the latest of 14 states that require cursive. And last fall, the 1.1 million-student New York City schools, the nation's largest public school system, encouraged the teaching of cursive to students, generally in the third grade. "It's definitely not necessary but I think it's, like, cool to have it," said Emily Ma, a 17-year-old senior at New York City's academically rigorous Stuyvesant High School who had to learn it on her own. Penmanship proponents say cursive is just a faster, easier way of taking notes. Others say students should be able to read cursive, such as, say, a letter from Grandma. And still more say it's a good life skill to have, especially when signing your name.

New York state Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis drew the line on the cursive generation gap when she encountered an 18-year-old at a voter registration event who printed his name in block letters. "I said to him, 'No, you have to sign here,'" Malliotakis said. "And he said, 'That is my signature. I never learned script.'" It's hard to pinpoint exactly when cursive writing began to fall out of favor. But cursive instruction was in decline long before 2010, when most states adopted the Common Core curriculum standards, which say nothing about handwriting. Third-graders at P.S. 166 in Queens beamed as they prepared for a cursive lesson this past week. The 8-year-olds got their markers out, straightened their posture, and flexed their wrists. Then it was "swoosh, curl, swoosh, curl," as teacher Christine Weltner guided students. Norzim Lama said he prefers cursive to printing "'cause it looks fancy." Camille Santos said cursive is "actually like doodling a little bit." (Read more cursive stories.)
The White House demanded on Sunday that Congress investigate whether former President Obama abused his executive powers in connection with the 2016 presidential election, reports the AP. President Trump leveled that claim Saturday when he accused his predecessor of tapping telephones at Trump Tower. But Trump offered no supporting evidence, a spokesman for Obama denied the claim as "simply false," and lawmakers in both parties asked for proof. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement Sunday that reports "concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling."

"President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016," Spicer said. It was unclear what reports Spicer was referring to, and what prompted Trump to make the allegation. Spicer ended the statement by saying that neither the White House nor Trump will comment further "until such oversight is conducted." In a series of morning tweets Saturday, Trump suggested Obama was behind a politically motivated plot to upend his campaign. He compared the alleged events to "Nixon/Watergate" and "McCarthyism!" And he called Obama a "Bad (or sick) guy."
A University of Hawaii professor is working to get an entire curriculum at the university taught in Hawaiian to supplement the language courses taught to children across the state, reports AP. About 3,000 students in preschool through high school are involved in Hawaiian language immersion programs statewide, associate professor Larry Kimura told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald. "We're trying to convince our statethe University of Hawaii is part of the statethat we need to continue Hawaiian native education at the college level as well," Kimura said. He said having college courses such as math and chemistry taught in Hawaiian would benefit students and help make Hawaiian one of two official languages of the state.

Kimura discussed his plans this week at the He Olelo Ola Hilo Field Study, a two-day gathering of people from around the globe who are trying to save indigenous languages. Attendees visited Hawaiian language immersion classes on Monday and Tuesday to learn how they can incorporate the Big Island programs into their own schools. They learned how to deal with "new conceptsin a language that has been sleeping for quite a while," said Kimura. "It's not only about traditional things," he added. "The hardest thing is understanding how our traditions and laws are going to transition into today." (Read more Hawaii stories.)
Kent shooting: In a month, 4th hate crime incident against Indians reported in US Now, a Sikh man shot!

Los Angeles : Hate crimes in US have been on rise against Indians. In an another incident, a 39-year-old Sikh man has been shot and wounded outside his home by a partially - masked gunman in Kent city of Washington. The man also shouted "go back to your own country" before shooting the Sikh man, now identified as Deep Rai by Indian officials in New Delhi.

The suspected hate crime incident comes just days after an Indian engineer was killed in Kansas and another NRI was murdered in South Carolina yesterday. Rai was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent when he was approached by a stranger, who then got involved in an argument ending in the shooting incident.

The shooter is still absconding but has been described as a six-foot-tall white man, wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face by the victim.

According to Kent police Chief Ken Thomas, We are still looking for the accused; the Sikh man has sustained "non life-threatening injuries" but we are treating this as a very serious incident.

Read Also: Hate crime against Indians in US: Now, NRI businessman Harnish Patel shot dead in South Carolina

Indian government officials have offered all possible assistance to the wounded man.

Consulate General of India in San Francisco Venkatesan Ashok is in touch with local authorities while Kent police have launched an investigation into the case reaching out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.

The incident is getting attention from the Sikh community and others as several members of the Indian community have been targeted in apparent hate crimes.

Just last month 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed in a hate crime incident when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".

Then in the first week of March, an NRI Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was murdered by unidentified assailants.

Also, in New York an Indian Ekta Desai faced racial abuse when she was returning home in a metro.

No wonder there has been a fear among the Indian community following the tragic deaths and incidents.
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I beg to differ with Mr. Pierce's viewpoint on the initiative process in Arizona. What Mr. Pierce is suggesting is that the citizen initiative process is flawed because:

1. outside groups can collect signatures and get an initiative placed on the ballot

2. that rural voters do not have an equal say on initiatives

3. that there is no oversight of the process

In response:

1. They still have to collect the signatures from registered Arizona voters- so if we aren't interested in their issue we don't have to sign.

2. Rural voters do have an equal say - one vote per person -- sorry if there are more voters in Maricopa and Pima counties, but in a democracy majority rules.

3. Every signature has to be counted and verified as a registered voter in Arizona by the recorder's office to get on the ballot.

This is all part and parcel of the movement currently underway to limit the rights of American citizens to participate in their government. The citizen initiative process is the last way that we have to limit the power of our "representatives" when they will not address our interests. Making the process more restrictive is just another way of keeping control.

We don't need a legislature stripping power from the voters to protect us from "outsiders" and "bad" initiatives. What we need is protection of our rights and legislators who do not put their own agendas first. The citizen initiative process does not need fixing, our legislators do.

LINDA WEBB

Flagstaff
New York:

A 43-year-old Indian-origin store owner in the US has been shot dead outside his home, just days after an Indian engineer was killed in Kansas in a hate crime shooting that had sent shockwaves across the country.



Harnish Patel, 43, the owner of a convenience store in Lancaster County, South Carolina, was found dead of gunshot wounds in the front yard of his home on Thursday, coroner and police officials said.



Patel closed his store and drove in his silver minivan to his nearby home where authorities believe he was confronted by his killer. The store is about 6 km from his house, The Herald reported.



He had locked up his nearby store less than 10 minutes before he was found dead, police said.

Read | Kansas Shooting: US House Speaker urges people to 'stand together,' condoles death of Indian techie



Patel was found in the yard a few minutes before midnight, according to a statement from the Lancaster County Coroners Office.



Lancaster County police received calls at 11:33 PM after people called 911 to say that they heard screaming and gunshots.



Sheriff Barry Faile said the Indian ethnicity of Patel does not appear to be a factor in the crime.



I dont have any reason to believe that this was raciallymotivated, Faile said.



Friends and customers were in shock and were visiting Patels home to offer condolences to his family.

Read | Hate crime in US: Democrat urges Attorney General to combat rising incidents





Who would do anything like this to him, as good as he is to everybody, Nicole Jones, a frequent customer at Patels store, told WBTV.Jones and other friends said Patel was not always worried about the bottom line of his business.If you didnt have the money, hed let people have food, Jones said.Mario Sadler, another customer and friend, said Patel had offered him jobs before and did anything he could to help out in tough times.Hes watched my kids grow up, which is why its painful. From day one hes been amazing, just awesome, and I just dont understand the sense behind it, Sadler said.

Read | Kansas shooting, Trump's policies compound woes of Indians living in US

Dilipkumar Gajjar, a close friend of Patel and the owner the ABC store next to the Speedee Mart, said Patel came over to this country to better his familys life, and did that.

Patels death comes close on the heels of the shooting in Kansas of a 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani at a bar before yelling get out of my country.The shooting last month had sent shockwaves across the Indian-American community with people expressing concerns over their safety in an enviornment of xenophobic and racist rhetoric in the country.US President Donald Trump had condemned the Kansas shooting. He had said America stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms.

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshow on Saturday in Varanasi was deemed as a 'show of strength' in his own parliamentary constituency.

The 7 km long roadshow started from BHU passing through many streets and localaties of Varanasi reached to Kashi Vishwanath temple where he performed 'Aarti.'

But when his convoy reached to Madanpura area of Varanasi, he saw some Muslim men holding flowers for him. He then got his car stopped and accpeted the flowers.

Later, another group threw a shawl to him which he caught in air and put on his head with a cheerful face.

Earlier, Modi had refused to wear a skull cap and the act was crticised by opposition and his other rival leaders.

Also Read: PM Modi in Varanasi: 'We want to transform people's lives in next 5 years'

Later in a interview Modi clarified his act and said, "My job is to respect all communities, respect the values of all communities but I have to accept my own values. I live with my values. Hence, I don't bluff people by wearing a cap, or getting clicked."
New Delhi:

Union minister Upendra Kushwaha said on Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi shouldn't' have held a road show in Varanasi as the BJP is already in the pole position in the ongoing assembly elections in politically-prized Uttar Pradesh.



Modi held a roadshow in the holy city and also addressed BJP workers later in the evening.



However, his cabinet minister was of the opinion that the Prime Minister should not indulge himself in such events during the assembly elections as it is not appropriate for his high-profile office and he should address rallies only.

Read | PM Modi's roadshow in Varanasi: Saffron sea as thousands throng on streets



"I will like to tell my friends in the BJP that it is not appropriate for a Prime Minister to hold a road show. It is proper for a PM to hold rallies but not a road show," Kushwaha, who is the chief of the Rashtriya Lok Samta Party, a BJP ally, said in a statement.

Read | UP polls 2017 : PM Modi leads roadshow in Varanasi, prays at historic temples



His comments hinted at unease between the BJP and some of its junior partners and sources said discontent is not limited to the Bihar-based party.



Kushwaha's party was keen on contesting a few seats in Uttar Pradesh as a BJP ally and had joined hands with some small parties in the state after the saffron party ignored its wish. He, however, claimed he withdrew from the contest on the request of Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Varanasi:

Lusty slogans resonated through the narrow lanes and flag-waving supporters cheered heartily as top leaders of major contenders for power in Uttar Pradesh descended on this ancient temple town in a last gasp effort to swing the voters in their favour.

Leading the virtual parade of the top guns was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who turned his visit to the famous Kashi Vishwanath and Kal Bhairav temples into an impromptu roadshow, a day ahead of the one planned for tomorrow.

Before beginning the roadshow through the winding streets of the city, Modi also paid floral tributes at the statue of Hindutva ideologue Madan Mohan Malviya at the Banaras Hindu University, in moves loaded with symbolism in a campaign which saw BJP revive the divisive talk of Ram temple and the PM seemed appealing to religious sensibilities by his graveyard and crematorium remark.

Modis roadshow came on a day when the sixth phase of polling in 49 constituencies, including Gorakhpur and Azamgarh in the state was underway.

BJP leaders feel that the hours-long event, broadcast live on most of the regional TV news channels, will help their cause when the 40 remaining seats go to the polls in the final phase on March 8.

Slogans like Subah Banaras, sham Banaras; Modi tere naam Banaras and Modi, Modi greeted Modi as he waved from an open top vehicle covered with marigold.

ALSO READ | PM Modi in Varanasi: 'We want to transform people's lives in next 5 years'

The only other time Modi held a roadshow here was in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls after he picked Varanasi as one of his seats. The BJP swept the 2014 polls in Uttar Pradesh, winning 73 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats, along with its ally Apna Dal.

Down in the dumps in the politically crucial cow belt state for the last 15 years before its spectacular performance in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP, which has not declared its chief ministerial candidate for UP, is banking on the personal charisma of Modi to catapult the party back to power again.

Samajwadi Party president and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who is seeking a second successive term in office after stitching an alliance with Congress, in wilderness in the state for a long time, also led a roadshow with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi through the city, but not before he had paid a visit to the Kashi Vishwanath temple of Lord Shiva, the presiding deity of Varanasi.

Amid chanting of shlokas, Akhilesh, sporting the red Samajwadi Party cap, was seen kneeling at the temple and seeking the blassings of the priests.

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Varanasi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that he chose Varanasi over Vadodara as he wanted to restore the ancient temple town to its former glory.I had won the Lok Sabha polls from Vadodara in my home state and Varanasi. I chose Varanasi as I wanted to restore the lost glory of the oldest city in the world, he told a town hall gathering in his constituency, seeking to strike a chord with the voters of election-bound Uttar Pradesh.

The Prime Minister began his speech with throaty chants of Har Har Mahadev, an incantation to Lord Shiva which has also been the traditional form of greeting for residents of this ancient city.

Reaching out to his constituents who will vote in the last of the seven-phase assembly elections on March 8, Modi spoke his first few lines in Bhojpuri, the local dialect, and expressed his delight over getting an opportunity to visit the temples of Kashi Vishwanath, the presiding deity of the city, and Kaal Bhairav, who he referred to as Kashi Kotwal (the custodian of Kashi).

Apparently peeved at the Congress demanding registration of an FIR against him for Saturday's roadshow in Varanasi, Modi recalled how permission was denied for his rally run-up run up to the Lok Sabha elections when he was the BJPs prime ministerial nominee.

Also Read: UP Polls 2017: Slogans resonate through Varanasi as Modi, Akhilesh hold power shows in last effort to woo voters

Modi said being a small worker of BJP apart from the local MP and Prime Minister, he had the right to interact with people of his constituency. I am a small BJP worker besides being the Prime Minister and an MP. I am pained by the memory of election officials in the city depriving me of an opportunity to hold a rally during the Lok Sabha polls. Permission for the rally was granted at the last moment. I wonder what might have been the compulsion for the election officials to take such a decision.

"Assembly elections are a festival of democracy and I availed of this opportunity to interact with the people of my parliamentary constituency by travelling in an open vehicle on my way to holy temples, Modi said.

Also Read: If not skull cap, Modi accepts shawl, flowers from Muslims during roadshow in Varanasi

The district administration had refused to give permission for the rally in a crowded locality of the city during the Lok Sabha elections of 2014. Senior BJP leaders including Amit Shah and Arun Jaitley had sat on a dharna in protest. Earlier in the day, the Congress approached the Election Commission seeking registration of an FIR against Modi for the roadshow, alleging it was held without due permission from the poll panel or the local authorities.

Referring to the importance of Varanasi, also called Kashi, Modi said, During my tour of the US, I happened to visit Boston and I was told that they had a street which they fondly called Kashi, and the people there commonly referred to those in the teaching profession as guru.

The Prime Minister referred to a slew of measures undertaken by his government for the facelift of Varanasi and mocked Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for doubting his commitment to improving living conditions in the city.The formation of a BJP government in the state is a certainty now, he asserted.

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New Delhi:

Railways will preserve a portion of the 19th century-era Jubilee Bridge over the Hooghly riverin a specially-designed open air museum, in what is billed asa first-of-its-kind conservation exercise in the country.

Decommissioned since April 2016, the rail bridge in Kolkata will be dismantled and a significant section of itwill be re-assembled at the open air museum for public displayas well as for educating engineering students.

Opened for traffic on February 16, 1885, the Jubilee Bridge, one of the oldest bridges in the country, is an engineering marvel with a riveted cantilever truss structure and fitted with unique cast iron pendulum bearings.

Also Read: Indian Railways Ministry in talks with top six global companies for launch of high speed trains

While it may not be possible to preserve the whole bridgedue to river navigational channel issues, relocation of atleast part of it to an open air museum is worth considering for preservation, said a senior Railway Ministry official responsible for rail heritage preservation.

Eastern Railway has been instructed to identify asuitable place near Kolkata to develop the museum in Kolkata. This will be the first such museum, the official said. According to the plan, one span/girder of this iconic bridge along with bridge plates and other unique items likependulum bearings will be mounted in the museum.

Creation of the museum is part of an ongoing exercise being undertaken by the Railways to preserve and showcase rail heritage properties including bridges, locomotives, buildings across the country.

So far about 100 buildings, bridges and structures have already been identified by the Railways as heritage assets. The Railways is creating a digital repository for allrail heritage structures including bridges and buildings.

The Jubilee Bridge was opened in the golden jubilee yearof the reign of Queen Victoria. After serving more than acentury, the Jubilee Bridge connecting Naihati and Bandelstation has been decommissioned in April 2016.
New Delhi:

Alia Bhatt is beaming over the news of Karan Johar becoming a father and has sent out the most adorable wish to the new daddy.

Karan became the father of twins, a father and a daughter, through surrogacy.

While KJo shared the news with his fans on micro-blogging site Twitter with an official statement, Alia retweeted his tweet and stated that now she has a brother and a sister.

Alia wrote, "Finally I can say I have a younger brother AND sister!!!!!! So so so happy soo much love to give uff bursting with joy!!!!!"

Finally I can say I have a younger brother AND sister!!!!!! So so so happyaiaiai soo much love to give uff bursting with joy!!!!! https://t.co/HCMkoR5JWL a Alia Bhatt (@aliaa08) March 5, 2017

A

Isn't this sweet?

On the other hand, Varun Dhawan too expressed his excitement about the same and asserted that Karan is going to be a great father.

He tweeted, "Karan your the best human being I know and Im sure you will make the best dad.Can't wait to meet these lil munchkins".

Karan your the best human being I know and Im sure you will make the best dad.Can't wait to meet these lil munchkins https://t.co/iDl4XswvRG a Varun Badri Dhawan (@Varun_dvn) March 5, 2017

Varun and Alia have always shared a deep bond with Karan Johar who has been their mentor since their debut in Bollywood.

Both the actors ventured into showbiz with KJo's 2012 release 'Student Of The Year'.

And now the trio has once again collaborated for their upcoming release 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania'.

The movie is slated to release on March 10.

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Lucknow:

The BJP on Sunday moved the Election Commission regarding remarks of UP CM Akhilesh Yadav asking voters to accept money from other parties but to vote for the SP.UP BJP spokesperson Manoj Mishra said state BJP vice-president J P S Rathore, in a complaint letter sent to the Chief Election Commissioner, has accused Akhilesh of violating the model code of conduct.

Earlier on Sunday, BJP lashed out at Yadav for hurting the dignity of the Chief Ministers post by making a frivolous statement that voters should accept money from other parties but cast their ballot for the SP.

On Saturday in Bhadohi, the UP CM and SP national president asked voters to accept money from other parties, but vote for the bicycle symbol of the ruling Samajwadi Party.

I (have) heard that voters are being given money. My advice to you is to keep the money with yourself and vote for the bicycle, Akhilesh had said.

Mishra further mentioned another statement of the UP CM made by him in Lucknow, where he had reportedly told media persons, My journalist friends, please cooperate with me during the elections. Later, I will reward you. (Patrakar mitro chunaav mein aap hamara sahyog kariye baad mein hum aapko puraskrit karenge).

The BJP spokesperson said that the statement given by Akhilesh indicates that he has already accepted defeat and has started talking about monetary transactions (Len-Den in Hindi).

Earlier, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had been let off with a light rap by the Election Commission when he made a similar remark that he had no problem with people accepting money from other parties to attend their rallies but that they should vote for the BJP.

The EC had also directed registration of an FIR against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for asking voters in Goa to accept money from other parties, but vote for AAP which was testing its popularity in the coastal state.

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New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday expressed sadness over yet another incident of hate crime in US involving Indian citizen.



A 39-year-old Sikh man in the US was injured when an unidentified person shot him outside his home and allegedly shouted go back to your own country on Saturday night.



Reacting over the news, EAM Swaraj said, I am sorry to know about attack on Deep Rai a US national of Indian origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh father of the victim.

US Envoy to India Marykay Carlson has condemned the attack, "Saddened by shooting in Washington. As US Pres said we condemn "hate and evil in all its forms."

He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital, she added.

Read | US hate crime: Another Indian shot by stranger, says was told to go back to your own country

Earlier in a statement MEA said that the ministry is in touch with local authorities: CGI San Francisco is in touch with local authorities who are ascertaining the nature of the crime. The Sikh gentleman is able to talk. We wish him a speedy recovery and are ready to offer all possible assistance.



The Sikh man was working on his vehicle outside his home in the city of Kent in the Washington state on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to the driveway, the Seattle Times reported.



Kent police said an argument broke out between the two men, with the victim saying the suspect made statements to the effect of go back to your own country. The unidentified man then shot him in the arm.



The victim described the shooter as a six-foot-tall white man, wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face.



Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said while the Sikh man sustained non-life-threatening injuries, they are treating this as a very serious incident.

Read | Indian techie's body brought to Hyderabad from Kansas

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Chennai:

Discussions by the Railway Ministry with top six global companies for the launch of very high speed trains in India that can travel at a speed of 600kms per hour was in the advanced stage, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhusaid on Saturday.

"We called for six top global companies who have technology that can travel beyond the 350km/hour speed. These trains can travel upto 600kms/hr speed. We called them and we told them that we will develop with you", he told reporters on the sidelines of a conference.

"Six companies have come forward and the talks are inadvanced stages". If they could manufacture such high speedtrains, the county would also be able to export it, he said. Prabhu was here to take part in the Tamil Nadu Business Leaders Conference organised by CII.

Also Read: India set to showcase its might in freight movement by running trans-continental container from Dhaka to Istanbul

To a query on the timeframe for the launch of such hightrains, Prabhu said "it may happen in 10 years. These are newareas which we are working on".

On the launch speed trains, he said "Japanese companiesare investing almost Rs one lakh crore into high speed railways."

On the investments taken up by his Ministry, he said,"including the Rs 8.50 lakh crore proposed to be invested, weare investing an additional amount of Rs 85,000 crore for dedicated freight corridor project. We expect that to becompleted in 2019. In the last two years, contracts has beenissued, tenders have been finalised", he said.

On developing the railway network in the country, he said, the Ministry has undertaken a vision plan for Railways 2030.

"For the first time we are preparing a strategic plan toinvest and decide on how railway network should bedeveloped.", he said.

Earlier, Prabhu unveiled a series of initiatives at theRailway Station including launch of fifth and sixth trackline between Moore Market Complex-Basin Bridge junction, dedication of free wi-fi service at Chennai Egmore Station,double discharge platform at Mambalam Railway Station, and also an elevated booking office at Kodambakkam railway station.

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New Delhi/Srinagar:

Indian security forces have killed two militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Tral after an overnight encounter. According to reports, of the two militants killed one is top Hizbul Mujahideen and another one is a Pak national. A J&K Police constable has lost his life in the encounter. A

It was speculated that the Burhan Wani's successor Sabzar Ahmad Bhat was trapped in TralA and his capture was the objective of the encounter. However, the news has not be confirmed yet.A

Officials sources said special forces of the Army were deployed to carry out a combing operation in the area in south Kashmir.



The gunfight broke out late evening after security forces cordoned off the house and is still continuing.



The J&K police constable has been identified as Manzoor Ahmed, officials said.



The body of a Pakistani militant has been recovered and search is on for others, they said.



Curfew has been clamped in this area, 10 km from here, as protesters had gathered near the encounter site. A CRPF jawanas rifle was snatched by them, they said.



Half of the house was brought down by the security forces but militants were still firing on them.



The poster boy of banned Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit, Burhan Wani, belonged to this area.

(With Inputs from PTI)

Update:A

#Out of two terrorists killed in Tral encounter, one of them is a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander and the other is a Pakistani national

#We have killed 2 terrorists, one of them is a Pakistani. it was a joint op by J&K police and security forces: SP Vaid, DGP Law and Order





Srinagar: Wreath laying ceremony of Constable Manzoor Ahmed who lost his life in an encounter with terrorists in Tral pic.twitter.com/DSrXJRSwXF a ANI (@ANI_news) March 5, 2017



#10:15AM:A

Tral (J&K) encounter: Two terrorists have been gunned down by security forces, operation ends. combing underway

#9:40AM

Tral(J&K) encounter: 3 security personnel including an Army Major have also been injured.

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Jaunpur:

Samajwadi Party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a 'thug' (con man), apart from accusing him of lying to the people to form his government.

"He (PM) is a thug (con man), who lied to the people to form his government. You should beware of him now," said Yadav addressing a rally at Jaunpur for party candidate Paras Nath Yadav, contesting from the Malhani assembly seat.

Yadav said there was no difference between what his party said and what it did."We fulfil what we say. Whenever there is any instance of atrocity against people, the SP has been with them and will always be there," he said adding that after forming the government, his party would fulfil all the promises made in its manifesto.

He claimed his party's government gave maximum employments to the youth and the ones who could not get jobs were given unemployment allowances.

"Only SP can ensure all round development of the state. You all should go and vote for the SP so that it can form the next government," Mulayam added.

Except for his brother Shivpal Yadav, who is contesting from Jaswant Nagar (Etawah) and daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav, who is in fray from Lucknow Cant, Mulayam did not campaign for any other candidate of the party.

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New Delhi:

In a shocking incident, Hussain Qureshi, a New York-based Indian techie has divorced his wife in Hyderabad via WhatsApp following family disputes.

Mehreen Noor, the woman who has been divorced said that her husband put aTalaq Talaq Talaqa as his WhatsApp display picture & messaged same saying everything is finished

Mehreen Noor got married to Usman Qureshi, a senior analyst at Seven Heaven Medical Agency in 2015. Her sister-in-law, Heena Fatima, who is married to Usmanas elder brother, Syed Fayazuddin, went through a divorce in a similar manner six months ago.

Husband said this is how it is done these days. How can it be done on WhatsApp? Notice came to house,but I rejected: Mehreen Noor #Hyderabad pic.twitter.com/p0nTgxjLh6 a ANI (@ANI_news) March 5, 2017

aaHusband said this is how it is done these days. How can it be done on WhatsApp? Notice came to house, but I rejectedaa, alleged Mehreen Noor.

The two women, who staged a protest outside their in-lawsa house, tried to enter the house but were pushed out by their father-in-law Hafeez. Meanwhile, several women have filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking the quashing of the triple talaq practice.

However, girlas mother has to say that this is not the right way to give talaq. Husband should be present in front of the wife and say the words personally. Also, there should be a gap of 40 days between every utterance of talaq. She further informed that the man sent the divorce notice to them and set the triple talaq as his DP.

However, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has defended the practice, saying it is better to divorce a woman than kill her. aThe rights bestowed by religion canat be questioned in a court of law,a it said.

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Varanasi:

Tension erupted in the city on Saturday when hundreds of Samajwadi Party workers claimed the Prime Minister Narendra Modis roadshow in Varanasi earlier in the day was taken out without due permission and gheraoed the Town Hall ahead of his rally scheduled inside.



The Congress has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission over the unauthorised roadshow of Modi and urged the SP, its alliance partner for Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, to do likewise.



Trouble began around 6.30 PM, minutes after a joint roadshow of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and his wife and SP MP Dimple Yadav crossed the Maidagin locality, a stones throw from the Town Hall.

Read | PM Modi in Varanasi: I want to restore temple town's former glory



A section of SP workers, who had come out on the streets in large numbers and were walking beside the leaders vehicle, dispersed and headed towards the Town Hall, surrounded the premises and started raising slogans, sending police and administrative officials in a tizzy.



Some of the officials rushed to pacify the agitated SP workers, while others got busy preventing the BJP activists, who had begun to gather to attend the PMs rally, from picking up a quarrel with the other side.



The workers of the BJP and the SP had clashed barely two hours ago, while the roadshow of Rahul, Akhilesh and Dimple was crossing the Chukaghat locality.



The SP workers raised slogans alleging that Modi was scheduled to simply visit and pay obeisance at two temples but he ended up taking out a roadshow, travelling in an open vehicle, in a virtual show of strength in his parliamentary constituency though no permission had been sought for the same from the administration.

Read | Slogans resonate through Varanasi as Modi, Akhilesh hold power shows in last effort to woo voters



The SP workers relented after being requested by the officials that they do not obstruct the Prime Ministers rally and lodge a formal complaint, if they had any grievances.



Meanwhile, a written complaint was lodged by the district unit of the Congress with regard to Modis roadshow.



District Congress president Praja Nath Sharma has submitted a written complaint before the EC underscoring that the PMs roadshow had been taken out without obtaining due permission, UPCC spokesman Kishore Varshney told PTI over phone.



Sharma has also urged the SP to lodge a similar complaint before the poll panel. We hope our alliance partner will heed the suggestion, he added.

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Mumbai :

A constable with the Railway Protection Force allegedly shot himself at the Mumbai Central terminus in the city on Saturday night.

Dalbir Singh (23) was taken to the government-run KEM Hospital and his condition was critical, an official of the Government Railway Police said.

Singh, posted at RPF chowky at Mumbai Central, shot himself in the chest with his service rifle, the official said.

The reason for the act was yet to be ascetained, he added.

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New Delhi:

Irritated due to the increasing number of girl dropouts in government schools because of lack of menstrual hygiene, two class 11 students have taken upon themselves to educate underprivileged girls about the issue. Saranya Das Sharma and Aamiya Vishwanathan of Shri Ram School in Moulsari in New Delhi have come up with 'Project Sashakt' to educate underprivileged girls in schools across Delhi-NCR as well as provide them with biodegradable sanitary napkins to combat the burgeoning problem of menstrual waste.

"I read that girls actually have to leave school becausetheir schools don't have facilities and they themselves can'tafford basic products like pads," Saranya told PTI. Having started the project only in September 2016, Saranya and Aamiya have already collaborated with several NGOs to distribute year-long supply of pads to girls in two schoolshere - Earth Saviour's Gurukul and Nirmal Sewa School.

They have taken to social media to promote theirinitiative with a Facebook page, besides relying onword-of-mouth to spread the news. On their visits to the schools, they realised while awareness drives for sanitation were catching momentum acrossthe country, the topic of menstrual hygiene continued to be swept under the rug.

"Most girls know woefully little about their own bodies and its functions," says Saranya. To address this aspect of the problem, they conductworkshops on menstrual hygiene, before handing over thesanitary napkins.

"We start with teaching these girls how they can use and dispose sanitary napkins. Then we talk to them about basichygienic practices like bathing and washing hands," says Aamiya.

They also interact with the girls extensively to get familiar with the quintessential taboos associated with the issue. "We also address taboo subjects and explain why theyshould not be ignored and teach them about the infections thatcan occur and how they can treat them," says Saranya.

Narrating a "ridiculous" story they were told, she says, "One of the girls said her mother had asked her not to enterthe temple while she was on her period because that would bebad for her brother!" To ensure that medical facilities are easily accessible to the underprivileged girls, Amiya and Saranya also coordinate with the schools to locate the nearest doctors and provide the girls with a list of the same.

"Once the initial workshop is done, we personally deliverthe first set of pads to the girls. Then, we either send outboxes on a monthly basis or leave the right amount behind for the schools to distribute later," says Aamiya.

While they have already made their first few deliveries tonearly 200 girls across the city, they hope to increase their reach to 1,000 girls and 20 schools by the end of 2017.

"We hope to reach out to as many girls as we can. We havealso decided to visit the schools where the supplies have beenmade to monitor the progress," says Saranya.

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New Delhi:

The ripples of the Delhi University violence that stoked a debate on free speech in India, have now reached foreign shores.Largely critical of RSS-affiliated ABVP, a large number of students, studying in USA, UK and across Europe, have come out in solidarity with the DU.

As a mark of resistance, they have changed their profile pictures on Facebook -- a step that LSR student Gurmehar Kaur had taken, igniting a nation-wide debate on free speech.A series of events have been lined up across continents -- in Oxford, Columbia University, Durham University and University of Trier in Germany to lodge protest against the DU fracas.

"In Solidarity with the students of Delhi University, who have bravely resisted the fascist forces at their gates, and their valiant teachers who, despite being dragged through the streets, beaten and bruised, stood their ground to protect the universal values of democracy.

"Separated by time and space, we could not be there when you they were attacked. But history connects us," says a joint statement put out by these students, mostly enrolled in MPhil and Masters courses.

Debojit Thakur, a research scholar in University of Trier and one of the organisers, said the objective of these events was to stand behind those fighting "back home".

"We-in our individual capacities as students, researchers and academicians and also as a collective of sorts-want to reiterate that they are not alone in this struggle to reclaim academic spaces," he said.

As part of the initiative, university staff and students are photographing themselves with solidarity posters and messages and posting them on all available social media platforms.

The issue figured in the ongoing Oxford Radical Forum, described as a "festival" of radical ideas and Culture, while a talk has been organised on the same at Columbia University tomorrow.

A march will also be organised in the Durham University to condemning the alleged rape threats to Kaur and to highlight the need of spaces for free speech and political dissent.

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New Delhi:

A widow has a right to enjoy the property purchased by her husband in her name in the manner she wants and her daughter and son-in-law cannot lay claim over it, a Delhi Court has held.

The observation was made while deciding the case in favour of a 65-year-old woman who had moved the court against her daughter and son-in-laws refusal to vacate a portion of the house and challenging the right of the elderly over the property in north-west Delhis Shastri Nagar.

Lajwanti Devi wanted the portion of the property given to her daughter and son-in-law in 1985 for their personal use but they refused to vacate.

Also Read | DA case: Delhi court seeks CBI response on transfer plea by Ajay Chautala

The court, which perused the facts of the case, expressed anguish that the widow who had allowed the couple to use the premises due to the close relationship, was compelled to rush to the court after they declined to vacate it.

Additional District Judge Kamini Lau, while holding the woman as the owner of the house, noted that the property was purchased by the womans husband in 1966 in his wifes name to provide her a secure life after his death and her daughter and son-in-law were only having permissive possession of the house and they could not be allowed to defeat her right.

Lajwanti Devi, a Hindu widow, has a right to enjoy the property purchased by her husband in her name, in the manner she wants..., the court said, directing the couple to vacate the house within six months and pay damages to her.

It asked them to pay Rs 10,000 per month to the aged woman from the time of institution of the suit in 2014 and Rs 10,000 per month from the date of the judgement till the handing over of the possession of the property to her along with interest.

The couple claimed in the court that the woman has no right over the property as it was solely purchased by her husband and as she was not the owner of the house, she had no right to file the suit.

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Kabul:

An Afghan official corroborated that a district police chief was killed when his vehicle was detonated by a bomb in northern Faryab province.

Karim Yuresh, spokesman for the provincial police chief, said Sunday that a sticky bomb had been attached to the car of Nasim Qateh, chief of the Almar district.

Another policemanwas wounded in the explosion Saturday evening, he said.

TheTaliban claimed responsibility for the attack. In a separate incident, Yuresh said a local securityforces commander, Murad Shamal, was also killed when insurgents attacked a police checkpoint in Faryab province.

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HARTFORD  State lawmakers on Tuesday will hold a public hearing on a bill that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Connecticut.

The bill, spurred in part by the decision by Massachusetts voters to legalize weed in the state, would legalize recreational personal use and place a tax on retail sales. Only people over 21 years old would be able to purchase pot.
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WASHINGTON  So far, President Donald Trumps plan to restore American manufacturing amounts to threats and promises to CEOs, and a pledge to end the American carnage of rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation.

But although Connecticut has long struggled with such a backdrop, political, business and labor leaders prefer to focus on the new manufacturing reality taking the place of the old.

Trump met last week with CEOS and car-manufacturing execs, coupling promises of less regulation and dramatic corporate-tax-rate reductions with threats to impose a very major border tax on U.S. manufacturers who export jobs.

For Connecticut, Trumps vision of industrial decline and what it takes to get offshore jobs back in the U.S. arguably is out of date. Nothing Trump has said suggests any understanding of advanced manufacturing exemplified by the states aerospace and defense industries  United Technologies, Sikorsky and Electric Boat, among them  and their supply chains.

And the presidents threats to break up or significantly rewrite NAFTA and other trade deals rings hollow in a state where 23 percent of jobs  518,300 total  are tied to trade, according to Business Roundtable data.

If he gets us into a trade war, Connecticut is in a lot of trouble, said Rep. Jim Himes. As in so much else, the world is so much more complicated than Trump thinks it is.

Toward new manufacturing

Part of the disconnect is that Trumps jobs pitch is aimed at the Rust Belt states of the Midwest and Pennsylvania, and the coal-mining region of West Virginia and Kentucky. All these states have suffered decades of industrial decline and ultimately won the election for Trump.

In Connecticut, the effort to revitalize manufacturing and replace closed-down factories has come in fits and starts. Despite progress, Bridgeport and parts of the Naugatuck Valley still bear the scars of a bygone industrial age with very little to replace it.

Manufacturing employment statewide in December 2016 stood at 159,500, up slightly over the previous year but a far cry from 296,500 factory jobs that existed in Connecticut in 1990, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

The problem in manufacturing may be less about the availability of jobs than the gap between those jobs and the skills necessary to take them.

Im very interested in expanding job opportunities in Connecticut, but it should be real  not about optics, said Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn., who has pushed for technical education at Naugatuck Valley Community College and elsewhere to train workers for advanced-manufacturing job openings. It should be about educating the workforce, not protectionism and entering into trade wars.

Ultimately, Esty said, good jobs over time are not achieved in a tweet.

Students in programs at NVCC and Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport learn how to read blueprints and do precision measurement. They also master the all-important skill of computer numerical control, which guides the increasingly robotic process of 21st Century production.

Several studies show that nationwide, some 300,000 openings exist in manufacturing for machinists and CNC operators  even though robots in many instances have replaced the massive number of assembly line workers of days gone by.

Fighting words

Trumps threats about the high cost of the F-35 stealth fighter jet  with its Pratt & Whitney engines  has sent shivers through the workforce and management of the company controlled by United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington.

Any talk about canceling that program directly threatens Connecticut jobs, said John Harrity, president of the Connecticut State Council of Machinists that represents some 10,000 active and retired workers at Pratt & Whitney, UTC Aerospace Systems in Windsor Locks, and Electric Boat in Groton.

Many aspects of Connecticuts economy defy the Trump dystopian view. Unlike many areas in the nation, Connecticut has benefited from globalization. And depressed industrial cities like Norwalk and Stamford have recreated themselves as white-collar financial service hubs.

Were integrated into the world economy; were not a cul de sac, said Chris Bruhl, CEO of the Stamford-based Business Council of Fairfield County. The low-tech jobs left Connecticut 50 to 75 years ago. Were now all about maximization of trade.

Nationwide, the jobs picture is not as bleak as Trump describes it. President Barack Obama left office on Jan. 20 with an unemployment rate below 5 percent and 11 million jobs created on his eight-year watch.

And even though many of Trumps critics give the new president high marks for effective use of the bully pulpit, the U.S. remains at a disadvantage with Mexico and China over wage scales.

Can he scare a number of execs like he did with Carrier? said Himes, referring to Trumps cajoling of the UTC-owned Carrier Corp. that saved about 700 jobs in Indiana. Of course he can. But in the long run, you cant defy gravity. Its fanciful to say Trump can alter the laws of physics and economics.

dan@hearstdc.com; @danfreedma
An Upstate NY community is reeling after a well-known liquor store owner was beaten to death with a wine bottle last week during a robbery of the store.

Police say Charlotte Lahr, 46, of Greece, was attacked and killed by Kevin Quander, a 59-year-old parolee from Rochester. The Democrat & Chronicle reported that Quander robbed the South Ave. Wine and Liquor store just before 5 p.m. on Thursday.

Rochester police found Lahr's body on the floor of the shop with trauma to her head and upper body. First responders attempted CPR and first aid, but Lahr was pronounced dead on the scene.

Quander was arrested around 11:20 a.m. on Friday, and charged with first-degree murder and first-degree robbery.

A criminal complaint filed against Quander said he "repeatedly beat the victim about the head and face with a wine bottle, causing her death."

He was also reportedly armed with a knife, The D&C reported.

The entire crime was reportedly captured on surveillance video, and Quander's fingerprints were recovered at the scene.

Quander is currently on parole for a first-degree burglary conviction in 2007. He was released on Jan. 12, 2017. He has three prior felony convictions, including one out of state.

At his arraignment Saturday morning, Quander pleaded not guilty to murder, and was ordered to be held without bail, WHEC-TV reported.

People who knew Lahr described her as kind and beautiful, and said she made everyone at her liquor store feel welcome, the D&C reported. Lahr had owned the building and business since 2013.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with costs of Lahr's funeral.

Watch the WHEC-TV video report below.
IDC sees widespread adoption of cognitive systems and artificial intelligence (AI) across a broad range of industries will drive worldwide revenues from nearly $8.0 billion in 2016 to more than $47 billion in 2020. According to a new Worldwide Semiannual Cognitive/Artificial Intelligence Systems Spending Guide from International Data Corporation (IDC), the market for cognitive/AI solutions will experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 55.1% over the 2016-2020 forecast period.

Near-term opportunities for cognitive systems are in industries such as banking, securities and investments, and manufacturing, said Jessica Goepfert, program director, Customer Insights and Analysis at IDC. In these segments, we find a wealth of unstructured data, a desire to harness insights from this information, and an openness to innovative technologies. Furthermore, the value proposition of cognitive systems aligns well with industry executives chief priorities. For instance, cognitive technologies are being used in the banking industry to detect and combat fraud  consistently a top industry pain point. Meanwhile, in manufacturing, executives cite improving product quality as a top initiative. In this case, cognitive systems recognize and know how to respond to dynamic fluctuations in product specs by adapting the production to stay within quality targets.

The industries that will invest the most in cognitive/AI systems in 2016 are banking and retail, followed by healthcare and discrete manufacturing. Combined, these four industries will generate more than half of all worldwide cognitive/AI revenues in 2016, with banking and retail each delivering nearly $1.5 billion. Healthcare and discrete manufacturing will deliver the greatest revenue growth over the 2016-2020 forecast period, with CAGRs of 69.3% and 61.4%, respectively. Education and process manufacturing will also experience significant growth over the forecast period.

Nearly half of all cognitive/AI revenue throughout the forecast will go to software, which includes both cognitive applications (i.e., text and rich media analytics, tagging, searching, machine learning, categorization, clustering, hypothesis generation, question answering, visualization, filtering, alerting, and navigation) and cognitive software platforms, which facilitate the development of intelligent, advisory, and cognitively enabled solutions. As both the largest and fastest-growing category, cognitive applications spending is forecast to reach $18.2 billion in 2020. Cognitive/AI-related services (business services and IT consulting) represent the second largest revenue category while hardware revenues (primarily from dedicated purchases of servers and storage) will grow nearly as fast as software with five-year CAGRs of more than 60%.

Hottest AI technologies:

1. Natural Language Generation: Producing text from computer data. Currently used in customer service, report generation, and summarizing business intelligence insights. Sample vendors: Attivio, Automated Insights, Cambridge Semantics, Digital Reasoning, Lucidworks, Narrative Science, SAS, Yseop.

2. Speech Recognition: Transcribe and transform human speech into format useful for computer applications. Currently used in interactive voice response systems and mobile applications. Sample vendors: NICE, Nuance Communications, OpenText, Verint Systems.

3. Virtual Agents: The current darling of the media, says Forrester (like Amazon Alexa), from simple chatbots to advanced systems that can network with humans. Currently used in customer service and support and as a smart home manager. Sample vendors: Amazon, Apple, Artificial Solutions, Assist AI, Creative Virtual, Google, IBM, IPsoft, Microsoft, Satisfi.

4. Machine Learning Platforms: Providing algorithms, APIs, development and training toolkits, data, as well as computing power to design, train, and deploy models into applications, processes, and other machines. Currently used in a wide range of enterprise applications, mostly `involving prediction or classification. Sample vendors: Amazon, Fractal Analytics, Google, H2O.ai, Microsoft, SAS, Skytree.

5. AI-optimized Hardware: Graphics processing units (GPU) and appliances specifically designed and architected to efficiently run AI-oriented computational jobs. Currently primarily making a difference in deep learning applications. Sample vendors: Alluviate, Cray, Google, IBM, Intel, Nvidia.

6. Decision Management: Engines that insert rules and logic into AI systems and used for initial setup/training and ongoing maintenance and tuning.

7. Deep Learning Platforms: Currently primarily used in pattern recognition and classification applications supported by very large data sets. Sample vendors: Deep Instinct, Ersatz Labs, Fluid AI, MathWorks, Peltarion, Saffron Technology, Sentient Technologies.

Deep Instinct is the first to apply deep learning to cybersecurity. They claim superior zero day attack production for endpoints and mobile devices.

Mumbai-based Fluid AI was founded in 2008, by two brothers Abhinav Aggarwal and Raghav Aggarwal, with a belief that the power of artificial intelligence can be used across industries, sectors and use cases. They have about a staff of 50 now. Fluid AI offers machine learning driven decision making for various business operations, and on the other it is creating virtual customer assistance for firms with a physical presence.

AI Driven Operational Decision Making

The AI technology uses genetically evolving neural networks to create over 100,000 iterative models from the data sources given to us by the clients. It studies the data pattern which arises from the model evolves accordingly and improves feedbacks whenever the market conditions change. says Abhinav.

The company offers a Plug and Play artificial intelligence system, which can be installed in any system. It connects to hundreds of data sources within and outside the server and gives the suggestions based on the previously collected data.

8. Biometrics

9. Robotic Process Automation: Using scripts and other methods to automate human action to support efficient business processes. Currently used where its too expensive or inefficient for humans to execute a task or a process. Sample vendors: Advanced Systems Concepts, Automation Anywhere, Blue Prism, UiPath, WorkFusion.

10. Text Analytics and NLP:
The US has implemented revolutionary new technologies as part of nuclear modernization. These will vastly increase the targeting capability of the US ballistic missile arsenal. This increase in capability is astonishingboosting the overall killing power of existing US ballistic missile forces by a factor of roughly threeand it creates exactly what one would expect to see, if a nuclear-armed state were planning to have the capacity to fight and win a nuclear war by disarming enemies with a surprise first strike.

The US Navy has quietly added a new super-fuze to the warhead that dramatically increases the ability of the Navy to destroy hard targets in Russia and other adversaries.

The new super-fuze dramatically increases the capability of the W76 warhead to destroy hard targets, such as Russian ICBM silos.

They estimate that the super-fuze capability is now operational on all nuclear warheads deployed on the Navys Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines. The new fuze has also been installed on warheads on British SSBN.

As a consequence, the US submarine force today is much more capable than it was previously against hardened targets such as Russian ICBM silos. A decade ago, only about 20 percent of US submarine warheads had hard-target kill capability; today they all do.

Before the invention of this new fuzing mechanism, even the most accurate ballistic missile warheads might not detonate close enough to targets hardened against nuclear attack to destroy them. But the new super-fuze is designed to destroy fixed targets by detonating above and around a target in a much more effective way. Warheads that would otherwise overfly a target and land too far away will now, because of the new fuzing system, detonate above the target.

The probability of destroying a fully hardened Russian target with the super-fuzed W76-1/Mk4A warhead atop an American submarine-launched ballistic missile is about 86 percent now versus 50% before.

The surprise to Nextbigfuture was that the land based silos had any survivability from a full nuclear launch. The general assumption that I had was that only the submarine part of the triad had survivability or the air based nukes if the planes could into the air during the first minutes of early warning.

According to the Federation of American Scientists, an organization that assesses nuclear weapon stockpiles, as of 2016, Russia possesses 7,300 total nuclear warheads, of which 1,790 are strategically operational. This is in large part due to the special bomber counting rules allowed by the treaty which counts each strategic nuclear bomber as one warhead irrespective of the number of warheadsgravity bombs and/or cruise missiles carried by the aircraft. The figures are, by necessity, only estimates because the exact number of nuclear weapons in each countrys possession is a closely held national secret.

Russia is setting up nuclear trains again. The Soviet Union had the rail system for a nuclear shell game but it was deactivated in 2005. Russia also has trucks for moving around nuclear weapons. The new nuclear rail system will enable launch from anywhere on the tracks. They will not have to get to special launch locations. China also appears to be adopting rail and tunnel systems for protecting their nuclear weapons.

Nextbigfuture thinks Russia and China are depending upon hardened silos for only a tiny fraction of their operational nuclear deterrent. Shifting from 50% chance of a one shot kill to 86% does not matter that much because the key is knowing where the nuclear weapons are or being able to find and take out mobile submarines, planes, rail and trucks.

The tilted ellipse in the left upper corner of Figure 3 depicts the spatial distribution of incoming warheads at the time the super-fuze measures its altitude. In this particular case, the orientation of the ellipsoid indicates that the errors leading to a miss at the target are mostly due to a mix of small discrepancies in the velocity and direction of the warheads when they are deployed from the rocket upper stage outside the atmosphere. The orientation and dimensions of this ellipse are well known to a ballistic missile designer, so the altitude measurement can provide information that leads to an estimate of the distance from the lethal volume above the target.
The people of South-east and South-south have unanimously called for a restructuring of Nigeria to ensure proper balancing of the various interests.

The calls for restructuring of Nigeria to ensure all citizens of the country are equal did not start today. Over the years, some people from the South-east, South-west, and South-south among others, have consistently agitated for a system that would be beneficial to every part of the country.

Some of the stakeholders at the meeting include Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena; Elder statesman and Ijaw National Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Major. General Ike Nwachukwu (rtd), Alabo Tonye-Douglas, Senator Ewa Henshaw, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, Chief Guy Ikokwu, Prof. G.G. Darah, Dr. Steve Oru, Chief Albert Horsfall, and Uche Okwukwu.

Speaking at the meeting, Clark said: We are light years away from the kind of country our founding fathers bequeathed to us. At independence in 1960, the Richards Constitution spelt out what Nigeria should be  a Federal Republic with three regions  North, East and West as the components.

According to him, Each of the regions is equal and each is allowed to develop at its own pace. Whatever resources you have in your region, you take 50 per cent and the remaining 50 per cent is sent to the centre, which is further shared between the centre and the regions. That was the country we knew.

Today, Clark said: The reverse is the case. We complain of xenophobia in South Africa, what do we have in Nigeria? A situation where some groups of Nigerians speak and others listen but cannot speak, which means we dont have a country.

The revered Ijaw leader canvassed for an egalitarian society where everyone would be equal because the country does not belong to one person, saying, This country belongs to all of us. He however, expressed hope that the meeting of the leaders would bear good fruits.

Nwodo, who also spoke at the meeting, condemned the alleged marginalisation of the Igbo race in Nigeria. He expressed belief that the marginalisation of the region angered the youths of South-east to keep agitating for the creation of the state of Biafra.

According to him, Our children are agitating. Our children dont want to be part of this thing anymore because they feel that we are second class citizens and because they feel that their parents are incapable of standing out for them. They want the Biafra because most of us who are their parents have seen war before and we know that to unleash war in this country is the worst thing any one of us can bring about.

We think that in the African continent, our size is our asset. We think we have built a brotherhood over the years since 1960, we cannot break it if can mend it. Consequently, we have to put our heads together and find a federal structure, a constitution structure which gives every part of this country satisfaction. In weeks, months, the socio-cultural organisations will come together, put heads together to seek an end to this impending catastrophe.

Our father (Edwin Clark) has touched some of the fundamental point, but I just want to tell him that we must not be sleeping in the same bed but we are dreaming the same dream

We aspire to have a Nigeria where the every part of this country feels a sense of belonging; we aspire to have a Nigeria where the people of Nigeria participate in crafting the constitution by which they are governed. We aspire to have a Nigeria in which those coming after us will enjoy a better standard of living than we enjoy in our time.

Nwodo said: It is important to us, that in democracy we must reflect the thinking of the people. Our governance must be a reflection of our aspirations, wishes and our desires. We are not politicians, to become a member of National Executive of Ohaneze Ndigbo, you must dispossess yourself of any political colouration.

So, I can speak on behalf of all the Igbos, who are in all political colouration. You in the press already know that we feel discriminated. We do not feel that we are equal members of this federation, and I have enunciated the characteristics before.

We belong to the country but every region of this country has more than five states but we are the only one that has five states. When I listen to the speeches of Emir of Kano about an agreement to keep us down because we went to war, I wonder when the war will ever end and when that agreement will be reviewed.

All the security services of this country none is headed by an Igboman. We are not Chief of Army Staff, we are not Chief of Naval Staff, we are not Chief of Air Staff, we are not head of immigration, we are not head of Customs, we are not head of state security service, we are not head of national intelligence agency, we are not inspector General of Police, we are not head of Federal Road Safety, we are not head of civil defence. Consequently, the average Igboman feels not trusted enough to be put in charge of security services in our country.

I dont want to talk about the infrastructure because it appears that there have been such a cumulative neglect that the rest of Nigeria is now becoming like an Igbo land in terms of the inability to move through our roads comfortably, the Ohaneze leader added.
Ahead of the closure of Abuja Airport, Arik Air has released a new schedule for its Kaduna operations.

Ahead of the closure of Abuja Airport, Arik Air has released a new schedule for its Kaduna operations.The new schedule will be operated for six weeks when the Abuja Airport is closed to traffic.From March 8, 2017, flights into Abuja will be diverted into Kaduna Airport. The airline disclosed this in a statement yesterday in Lagos.Also, the airline has announced a special promotional fare that will enable passengers buy a-one-way ticket to any destination in Nigeria from N16, 000.The promotion, which runs from March 6 to 20 March, 2017, is to acknowledge and appreciate the loyalty of the airlines highly esteemed customers that have stood with the airline for over a decade of operation. To enjoy this offer however, customers are advised to buy their ticket on or before March 20, 2017, while the last date for travel is March 31, 2017.A statement from the airline added that tickets can be purchased at any Arik Air City Office, Airport Ticketing Office, online at www.arikair.com or the Arik Mobile App.Commenting on the latest promotion, Arik Airs Chief Executive Officer, Captain Roy Ilegbodu said: This is an exciting time for both staff and loyal customers of Arik Air. The new management has ensured stability of operations over the last three weeks with improved on-time-performance.Captain Roy, who further disclosed that Arik passengers would be greeted with many more amazing customer centric engagements in the months ahead, disclosed that management is working hard to expand coverage.He said, Arrangements have been concluded to return five of the grounded aircraft back to service shortly and this will enable us add more flights to our network. We therefore welcome back our loyal customers and promise them a great flying experience.Arik Air will be operating three daily flights between Kaduna and Lagos and one daily flight between Kaduna and Accra, Ghana during this period. Other destinations to be serviced by the airline from Kaduna are Port Harcourt, Ilorin, Sokoto, Gombe, Yola and Enugu, which will have one daily flight each.
The Chairman of the African Union, President Alpha Conde, on Friday called President Muhammadu Buhari on the telephone to wish him speed...

The Chairman of the African Union, President Alpha Conde, on Friday called President Muhammadu Buhari on the telephone to wish him speedy recovery from his ailment.A statement issued by the presidential media aide, Femi Adesina, said Conde called Buhari on the telephone on to wish him good health and speedy recovery.The statement issued on Saturday quoted the Guinean leader as saying that he called President Buhari on behalf of leaders of AU member countries.Conde reportedly assured his Nigerian counterpart that all African leaders stand with him in prayers at a time like this.The statement reads: While thanking Conde for the telephone call, Buhari used the opportunity to congratulate him on his recent election as AU Chairperson during the 28th Ordinary Summit of the continental body in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2017.President Buhari, who could not attend the AU Summit, wished his Guinean counterpart a successful tenure.He also expressed confidence that Africa will witness improved political stability, security and economic growth during Condes tenure.
Tony Blair has had no discussions about working for US President Donald Trump, his spokesman said Sunday after reports that the former Bri...

Tony Blair has had no discussions about working for US President Donald Trump, his spokesman said Sunday after reports that the former British prime minister sought to become his Middle East adviser.According to The Mail on Sunday newspaper, Blair met with Trumps son-in-law and key aide Jared Kushner last week to discuss taking a role with Trump.The weekly tabloid said Blair had met Kushner three times since September.A spokesman for Blair initially said: Im not going to comment on private conversations.But a statement on his website later said: The story in The Mail on Sunday is an invention.Mr Blair has made no such pitch to be the presidents Middle East envoy. Neither has he had any discussions about taking such a role or any role working for the new president.It continued: He has been working on the peace process for 10 years. He continues to do so. He does so in a private capacity. He will continue to do it in that way.After leaving office in 2007, Blair was the envoy of the Middle East Quartet until 2015.The group comprises the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States.Blair was prime minister from 1997 to 2007, winning three general elections but his role in leading Britain into the war in Iraq has badly damaged his legacy at home.However, he has been making more interventions in British politics since leaving his Middle East role.Last month he urged Britons who support the European Union to rise up and persuade Brexit voters to change their mind about leaving the bloc, in a high-profile speech.Blair wrote an article in The New York Times newspaper on Friday where he called for a centrist new coalition that is popular, not populist, in order for liberal democracy to survive and thrive in the face of rightist populism.BLAIR
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged former president Olusegun Obasanjo to disclose donations made to hi...

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged former president Olusegun Obasanjo to disclose donations made to his presidential library.The group called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to propose a bill seeking to regulate fundraising to presidential libraries.In a statement on Sunday, Timothy Adewale, SERAPs senior staff attorney, said the bill when signed into law would ensure transparency in such donations.Adewale said Osinbajo should work closely with the national assembly to ensure the speedy passage of such bill into law.We urge Acting President to propose a bill that would specifically regulate and bring transparency to any future presidential library fundraising process, and make public disclosure of major donations towards the establishment of any such library mandatory, the statement read.The proposed bill would give Nigerians a better view of major donations going to presidential libraries, and provide access to information as to whether donors gain any special Aso Rock influence.The bill would minimise the potential for a quid pro quo, influence-peddling; and help to build trust and confidence among a citizenry that already questions the ethics of elected officials.Proposing bill that would provide information to Nigerians and allow them to know those who help pay for presidential libraries is not only a matter of public interest but also crucially important to enhance transparency, accountability and strengthen this governments anti-corruption efforts.Its unfair to Nigerians for a sitting or former president to raise an unlimited amount of money for a presidential library and not to have the obligation to publish information on the major contributors.SERAP said without openness and transparency, potential donors may seek to use library donations as a means to secure political favours.It said the proposed bill should include a requirement to disclose details about each contributor, total value of each contribution, the source(s) of the contribution, and the date of each contribution.The bill should also prohibit the making of a contribution through a corporation or other legal entity that may be used to conceal the identity of the person actually providing the contribution, it read.Former President Olusegun Obasanjo would serve public interest by making a voluntary disclosure of every single donation, particularly large donations, to his newly launched presidential library.This would contribute to greater openness, something that the presidential library seeks to promote about the work and achievements of Obasanjo while in government.On Saturday, the Olusegun Obasanjo presidential library was officially commissioned in Ogun state.The launch of the library was part of activities to mark Obasanjos 80th birthday.The library was incorporated in November 2002 as a not-for-profit organisation.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), at the weekend invaded the home of George Turnah, former coordinator of ...

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), at the weekend invaded the home of George Turnah, former coordinator of the Goodluck Jonathan/Namadi Sambo campaign organization.The mansion, with a gold-plated fence, is located in Kolo community in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa State.The EFCC agents were accompanied by armed soldiers and mobile police, who kept watch as they ransacked Kolo Creek Villa owned by Turnah, a godson to ex-President JonathanOffices, wardrobes, bedrooms and sitting rooms at the mansion were thoroughly checked for about five hours.The operatives reportedly broke into rooms that were locked and at the end, took away some documents and chequebooks belonging to Turnah.It was gathered that the agents narrowly missed the 33-year-old lawyer. He drove out of his compound minutes before the agents arrived.Turnah is a law graduate from the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU).He was a former special assistant on youths to the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) during the Jonathan administration.Jonathan conferred on him the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) award.Married to Timi Jennifer Turnah, he is the Group President of the Celtic Pride Group of Companies, a conglomerate of firms, based in Abuja.
Henceforth, HIV positive persons across the country will access free treatment. Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said...

Henceforth, HIV positive persons across the country will access free treatment.Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said the treatment of HIV will no longer favour a selected few.He spoke at the official flag off of the Central Dissemination of the 2016 National Guidelines for HIV Prevention Treatment and Care in Abuja.According to him, anyone who tests positive to HIV is automatically eligible for free treatment.He said: From this day henceforth, everyone who tests positive to HIV is automatically eligible for treatment and this applies to everyone with equal emphasis, child, man and woman, pregnant or not.We are duty bound to offer antiretroviral drugs as prevention to all persons who are at a high risk of contracting HIV Infection.From today forward, all persons on treatment are entitled to at least one viral load test per year.He added: We will place greater emphasis on differentiated systems of care that are adjustable to the individual needs of the patient and today we hopefully bring to an end the argument over deeply divisive Option B and Option B+ saga.The 2016 guidelines is by todays standard, cutting edge, its recommendations are audacious, unambiguous and unapologetically pro-patient.Ehanire said Nigerias response to HIV was not a failure as being reported.I disagree completely with them, not because I am compelled to disagree but because nothing is happening around us that suggest that our HIV programme is a disaster, he said.Chief Executive Officer Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria Dr. Patrick Dakum, said that the rate of infants infected with the virus through pregnant mother- to- child transmission had dropped drastically.Dakum said less infants exposed to HIV in the country were born positive compared to previous years.He stressed the needs for Nigeria, which currently has the highest figure of infected infants in the world, to join other countries in recording zero level of pregnant mother- to-child transmission of HIV since the prevention method was long and known.
A group known as Concerned Nigerians says it will embark on a protest if President Muhammadu Buhari does not return to the country on or b...

A group known as Concerned Nigerians says it will embark on a protest if President Muhammadu Buhari does not return to the country on or before March 19.On January 19, Buhari left the country on a 10-day medical vacation to the United Kingdom and handed over power to vice-president Yemi Osinbajo.But in a statement on Saturday, Deji Adeyanju, on behalf of the group, said though Buhari fulfilled the constitutional requirements of handing over to Osinbajo, he created a constitutional dilemma by carrying out official functions by speaking with presidents of other countries.He said during the period he has been in the UK, Buhari has communicated with very few people.Today  March 4th, 2017  marks 45 days of President Muhammadu Buharis absence from his office as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and from the country as a whole on a medical vacation in the United Kingdom. During this period, he has not made any public appearances and has only clandestinely communicated with very few people, the statement by Adeyanju read.On February 13, 2017 in a capacity as President of Nigeria, he spoke to President Donald Trump of the United States with respect to bilateral relations between the two countries.On Thursday March 2nd, 2017 again in a capacity as President of Nigeria President Buhari spoke to the King of Morocco with respect to bilateral relations between the two countries as well as Moroccos application to become a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).These actions, as well as President Buharis continued vacation, constitute a constitutional dilemma capable of destabilising the country.To this end, we urge President Buhari to return to the country on or before the 60th day after which he left the country (15 days from today) failing which we will begin a series of peaceful processions across the country.He said the protests would draw attention to the public on the dilemma created by Buharis continued absence from office and his insistence on performing official functions while away.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, on Saturday, revealed that one of its leaders, Henry Emomotimi Okah, curre...

There are hundreds of Nigerians in South Africa, who are serving various prison sentences or awaiting trial. From reports available to us, many of these unfortunate Nigerians are subjected to xenophobic attacks, as they were regularly singled out for harassment, on account of their nationality or arbitrarily isolated in solitary confinement, by the South African prison officials.



Henry Emomotimi Okah is a Nigerian, who is currently serving term at Korkstad Prison in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Province of South Africa. The accounts of a few individuals who have been privileged to visit him in prison are gory and unsavoury.



He is permanently locked up in solitary confinement; a Korkstad Prison policy, which is based purely on xenophobia and jungle justice.



The grim reality is that Henry Okah and many of his fellow compatriots in South African prisons are dying in prison. We therefore call on the Nigerian parliamentary delegation to find time to also visit various prison facilities in South Africa where they will indeed, be confronted with the real victims of xenophobia in South Africa, it said.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, on Saturday, revealed that one of its leaders, Henry Emomotimi Okah, currently serving jail term, was dying at Korkstad Prison in the Kwa-Zulu Natai Province of South Africa. MEND is alleging that he is locked up in solitary confinement based on xenophobia and jungle justice. The group, in a statement by its spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, declaring support for the recent resolutions of the National Assembly and House of Representatives to engage the South African Parliament over the renewed spate of xenophobic attacks on foreigners in the country, particularly Nigerians, said: The grim reality is that Henry Okah and many of his fellow compatriots in South African prisons are dying in prison.MEND statement read in part:
In 2014, Former President Goodluck Jonathan blocked the British armed forces from rescuing nearly 300 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko...

In 2014, Former President Goodluck Jonathan blocked the British armed forces from rescuing nearly 300 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram.GUARDIAN UK reports that in a mission named Operation Turus, the RAF conducted air reconnaissance over northern Nigeria for several months, following the kidnapping of 276 girls from the town of Chibok in April 2014.A source privy to the mission said, The girls were located in the first few weeks of the RAF mission.We offered to rescue them, but the Nigerian government declined.''The girls were then tracked by the aircraft as they were dispersed into progressively smaller groups over the following months''Nigeria under Jonathan shunned international offers to rescue the girls. The country however, welcomed an aid package and assistance from the US, the UK and France in looking for the girls, it viewed any action to be taken against kidnapping as a national issue.Nigerias intelligence and military services must solve the ultimate problem, said Jonathan in a meeting with the UKs then Africa minister, Mark Simmonds, on 15 May 2014.
The BoT Chairman of the PDP, Senator Walid Jibrin, has hit back at ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent criticism of the party.

The BoT Chairman of the PDP, Senator Walid Jibrin, has hit back at ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent criticism of the party.Obasanjo had earlier proclaimed that the PDP is dead, following his exit from the party.Whether you believe it or not, today PDP is sunk and gone. May the fortune of Nigeria never sink like that of the PDP," he'd said.Reacting to his comments during the weekend, Jibrin said: Having left the party on his own, Chief Obasanjo should leave the PDP alone to sort itself out. Nobody forced him out of PDP, so we can only wish him the best in whatever he is doing.I do not see any point in his harsh comments about a party he is no longer a part of. We bear Chief Obasanjo no grudge and we dont want to believe that he still bears any grudge against the PDP.The BoT chair who spoke by phone said the PDP can never die.He added that steps are being taken to resolve the leadership crisis rocking the party.
The federal government has dubbed the 2015/2016 report of Amnesty International (AI) as lacking conformity to standards.

The federal government has dubbed the 2015/2016 report of Amnesty International (AI) as lacking conformity to standards.This is particularly so on evidence gathering, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement by its spokesperson, Mr Clement Aduku.Government wondered why the report failed to condemn the atrocities committed by terrorist groups in Nigeria, and why Amnesty did not deem it fit and proper, in line with best practices, to subject its report process to wide consultations and in-depth engagement.Such omission made the scenario captured in the report itself to totally lack conformity to both local and international standards, government said.He stated that the AI should be aware that Nigeria was a law-abiding state governed by democratic norms enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).The federal government does not, and will not condone, the brazen and needless display of lack of regard for constituted authority by any unlawful groups.Accordingly, no persons or group of persons will be allowed to destabilize the peace, stability and security, or jeopardize the unity and sovereign existence of NigeriaNo matter how highly placed and the level of external support such individuals or group of persons enjoy, he warned.The ministry noted that where terrorists have unleashed their dastardly acts, legal means and measures are usually deployed by affected countries to counter violent extremism.Nigeria should therefore, not be unduly pressured or pilloried for taking similar measures in defence of its national security, he said.Even if AI does not deem it fit to report on the atrocities committed by violent groups, the government of Nigeria will ensure that the culprits are brought to book, it stated.Citing the case of the Shitte leader in Nigeria, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, which AI pronounced on, government said: The conduct of the El-Zakzaky movement is one that cannot be tolerated by any progressive democratic government.The AI, in dabbling into Nigerias legal and judicial system, did not give due credence to the Federal Governments appeal filed against the decision of the lower court for El-Zakzaky to be released.The ministry also reiterated that the agitation for a sovereign State of Biafra was unacceptable and detrimental to the peace, unity, stability and development of the Nigerian State.It stated that the scenario captured and the report itself lacked conformity to both local and international standards on evidence gathering.Nonetheless, if any security personnel are found to have flouted the rules of engagement, or acted unprofessionally, such officers would be punished in accordance with the provisions of the law.Nigeria remains committed to the freedom of expression and association, peaceful assembly and protest within the confines of the law, it stated.It stated that the right of Nigerian and culture must be respected on the issue of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTI).On LGBTI, the inviolability of the enactment of the National Assembly and the sovereign right of Nigerians expressed through their religious-cum-ethical values and cultural rights must be respected by all, he stated.The Ministry reminded AI and all other human rights groups, that the victims of the despicable activities of terrorist groups deserve sympathy from all, including national and international non-governmental human rights groups.He stated that the morale of the security forces undertaking the difficult task of risking their lives and sacrificing their comfort to keep Nigeria safe and united must not be dampened.
Nigeria is not happy at the non-repatriation of its stolen funds running into millions of dollars stashed in foreign banks. Foreign Affa...

Nigeria is not happy at the non-repatriation of its stolen funds running into millions of dollars stashed in foreign banks. Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama speaking at the high level segment of the 34th Human Rights Council held in Geneva, Switzerland declared that the non-restitution of the funds back to Nigeria is affecting the socio-economic rights of the people to investible funds which should be used for development.The non-release of the funds is also affecting the anti-corruption drive of the government which has placed the fight against corruption as one of its priorities, Sarah Sanda, media aide to the minister, quoted him as saying.He thanked donor agencies and humanitarian organisations for their assistance to internally displaced persons and refugees fleeing the war against Boko Haram in Nigeria and countries in the Lake Chad regionThe Minister said that the fighting capacity of Boko Haram had been degraded and defeated with the take-over of Sambisa forest, the strong hold of the terrorists.He said that the only seemingly challenge now is some sporadic isolated acts of terror often using young girls as human bombs.Onyeama also briefed the council on Nigerias prison reform programme and the clean-up of Ogoniland.He said that the clean-up demonstrated national and global concern over the effects of pollution on the lives of the people of that area and the ecosystem.He added that the step is a clear demonstration of corporate responsibility and cooperation between transnational corporations and the government.He said that the measure had ensured the right to clean water for the indigenous population who could not fish or farm due to water and soil pollution.Nigeria is currently a member of the council (2015-2017) having served two times previously (2006-2009 and 2009-2012).It was elected the third President of the Human Rights Council from June 2008-June 2009.Nigeria is also seeking re-election into the 47 member council for the 2018 to 2020 term.The re-election bid is important as it will avail the country the opportunity to continue to defend its interest whenever there is negative interference to contemporary human rights developments in the country.In January this year, Prof. Itse Sagay, Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, warned that Nigeria risked losing another $550 million recovered from the Abacha family to the U.S.He said this was contrary to the earlier promise made by the U.S. to return money to Nigeria.Sagay said the amount represented a separate tranche from the earlier $480 million forfeited to the U.S. following a court judgment in August 2014.He said that the stringent conditions for repatriation given by the countries in which some of the nations stolen wealth was stashed contradicted the earlier promises made.Sagay decried the stringent conditions and other uncooperative attitude of the countries in possession of the stolen funds.He told the News Agewncy of Nigeria (NAN) Out of the Abacha loot for instance, Switzerland seized over 505.5 million dollars between 2004 and 2006.The UK recovered 2.7 million dollars from Alamieyeseighas account in London in 2005.Alamieyeseighas home and other real estate as at 2005 was estimated at over 15 million dollars, Sagay said.The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had also called for the unconditional return of Nigerias looted fund.Dabiri-Erewa, who noted that asset recovery was different from asset returning, decried the uncooperative attitude of the countries where the stolen funds were stashed.America has over 400 million dollars that have been officially recovered as stolen funds from Nigeria.But America is keeping the funds; they are telling us about technicalities; they are saying we recovered doesnt mean we can return.According to her, the person who steals is just as guilty as the person who keeps stolen funds.
Some Nigerians have commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its current fight against corruption.





Some Nigerians have commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its current fight against corruption.They said in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the exercise was making impact, most especially the commissions arrest of former public officers. Dr Fredrick Fasehun, founder and President of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), lauded the EFCC for beaming its searchlight on finances of some individuals that had once held public offices.Fasehun said the arrest of the former Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Andrew Yakubu, and the recovery of 9.8 million dollars and 74, 000 pounds from his home, was a breakthrough.Fasheun, who is also the National Chairman of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), also commended the final forfeiture of over N66 billion linked to the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke to the Federal Government, as ordered by the Court.The UPN chairman urged the agency to continue the anti-corruption fight, but cautioned it against selective arrest.EFCC has a lot to do by bringing to book those it thinks have undermined the constitution of this country and looted the treasury, he said. Similary, Dr Yunisa Tanko, National Chairman, National Conscience Party (NCP), commended the agency for its fight against corruption, but advised that it should deploy scientific means of investigating and recovering money allegedly siphoned from various treasury across the country.He also advised the agency to ensure timely arraignment and prosecution of anybody found to have looted the treasury. Tanko, who is also a member of the National Peace Committee, however, said that arrests of some public office holders were long-overdue, and implored the anti-graft agency to beam its searchlight on all nooks and crannies of the country.He said this had become imperative because in spite of the anti-corruption drive of the present administration, Nigeria still ranked high among the corrupt countries in the world. While commending the EFCC for the anti-corruption fight, Tanko, however, said that a cross section of people in the country believed that the commission was still being selective in its operations.EFCC has a lot to do to earn the respect of the society because people still see them as acting out the masters script, he said.Mr Saminu Abdullahi, a trader, also commended the commissions fight against graft, but described its manner of arrest of suspects as crude.Abdullahi also said that in spite of the agencys best efforts and capacity to track down offenders, it lacked the modern technique of operations.He advised the EFCC to exercise its discretionary powers within the ambit of the law, without violating human rights in its operations. He also urged Nigerians to support the Acting Chairman of the commission,Mr Ibrahim Magu, to succeed in the commissions anti-graft war. We must all support the patriotic efforts of the Acting Chairman of the EFCC,Ibrahim Magu, at tackling corruption, so far. I also am appealing to the Senate to confirm his appointment to enable him to do more, the trader said. Mrs Abigei Nze, an Accountant, also lauded the EFCC for doing  a good job, so far, especially its arrest of highly-placed former public officers. Nze said but for the bold operations of the EFCC, the nation would have been consumed by corruption.
The Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has denied being behind moves to establish a new party called Advanced Peo...

The Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has denied being behind moves to establish a new party called Advanced Peoples Democratic Party, APDP.Some media reports have suggested that the faction has applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for registration.Sources were quoted as saying the faction took the decision because it has become apparent that the court-recognised national chairman, Ali Sheriff, is not genuinely ready for reconciliation.A report by The Nation on Friday quoted INEC spokesperson, Nick Dazang, as saying that the APDP is one of 70 new parties seeking registration.However, the spokesperson of Makarfi group, Dayo Adeyeye, said on Sunday his faction was not behind the newly proposed party.We state clearly and without ambiguity that the National Caretaker Committee of the PDP is not in anyway involved in the plans to register any party by the name APDP or any other party for that matter, he said in a statement.He also said It is unthinkable that the faction, which enjoys the support of all the recognised organs of the party will contemplate such a move.Mr. Adeneye, however, hinted that some individuals within his factions PDP may be behind the proposed new party.We however acknowledge and recognize the rights of party members to seek alternative platform to actualize their political dreams which is an inalienable right guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he said.Several lawsuits filed by the two PDP factions after its May 21, 2016 national convention in Port Harcourt led to the recognition of Mr. Sheriff as the authentic chairman by the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, two weeks ago.The Makarfi faction said it has appealed to the Supreme Court.Despite the Appeal Court ruling, Mr. Adeyeye in his statement said the National Caretaker Committee is the one holding leadership power in the Party in trust for the millions of Party faithfuls who instituted the Committee at the National Convention.Whatever decision that will be taken on the PDP brand shall be taken by the owners of the party, i.e the party members at a properly constituted national convention, and not by a few individuals no matter how highly placed.For the records, no decision has been taken that the PDP should be abandoned and a new party formed out of the current structure. At least, no such proposal is before the National Caretaker Committee as at this moment, he said.Mr. Adeyeye expressed the belief that the issues before the Supreme Court would be resolved on the side of truth, and justice will be served in the interest of peace.The spokesperson added that with the political solution as the alternative dispute resolution being suggested by some highly placed individuals and groups in the party, albeit without prejudice to the Appeal before the Supreme Court, we will like to appeal for calm among all Party members and allow the reconciliation efforts to move forward.
Pressure is mounting on the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, to step down and w...

Pressure is mounting on the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, to step down and withdraw all cases instituted against the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party.This, according to an investigation, is the immediate fallout of the intervention of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the crisis and his parley with PDP governors and other party stakeholders on the way out of the crisis that has torn the party into two.Multiple party sources told The Nation that top PDP members have been advising Makarfi to relinquish his position and to allow Sheriff organise the national convention that will give birth to a new leadership for the party as recently agreed by stakeholders.The proposal for Makarfi to step down, sources said, was broached at interactive sessions between party chieftains and the recently constituted reconciliation committee during the week.Present at the meetings were PDP governors who are the backbone of support for Makarfi.Embedded in the deal is the appointment of the former Kaduna State governor as chairman of the convention committee.Sheriff has repeatedly said that he will step down once the national convention takes place.It is also proposed that the reconciliation committee will harmonize the structures of the two factions as a way of ensuring that delegates for the planned convention represent all interests and factions.The PDP Reconciliation Committee is headed by Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, who said during the week that the solution to the PDP crisis lies in adopting a political approach.He said the committee is prepared for such an approach.He gave no details.The committee also comprises Senator Ibrahim Mantu as deputy chairman and Senator Joshua Lidani as secretary.Sources said yesterday that pressure on Makarfi to step down is part of the effort.The Nation learnt that an earlier plan to have both Sheriff and Makarfi quit may have been jettisoned following what some sources described as superior arguments at subsequent parleys.It was gathered that the need to avoid violating the recent court judgements, as well as avoiding having to enthrone another caretaker committee, largely informed the new move.In addition to stepping down from his position as head of the controversial caretaker committee of PDP, Makarfi and his faction are expected to withdraw all pending cases in court, especially the appeal against the recent ruling of the Court of Appeal which pronounced Sheriff as the authentic chairman of the party.'While it is unclear whether the former Kaduna State governor is agreeable to the proposal, sources suggest that some of his backers, including the PDP governors and members of the partys Board of Trustees (BoT), may have bought into the idea as the best way out of the PDP crisis.It is true that Makarfi is being talked into agreeing to step down and allowing Sheriff to conduct the proposed convention that will usher in a new leadership for the party, one source said.The new leadership however, as agreed by stakeholders, must be all embracing and non-factional. It has also been agreed that both factions will contribute equally to all committees and other logistics that will lead to the said convention.The initial idea that both leaders should quit was shelved following the emergence of superior arguments against it. In the process of finding a lasting peace to the crisis in PDP, many meetings have been held. Many will still be held until we achieve our aim which is to resolve all differences and put PDP back on the right track.Those opposed to the initial idea warned that anything we want to do must not contravene any law of the land or any subsisting court judgement. It was also observed that having the two of them leave office will warrant the enthronement of another leadership structure, be it caretaker committee or whatever. This is another thing we want to avoid.It was also gathered that on the strength of the last Court of Appeals judgement stakeholders are of the opinion that it is better to allow Sheriff conduct the convention under strict moderation by the partys reconciliation committee and other stakeholders.Another party source said: it was reasonably argued and agreed upon by our leaders that it may be in the best interest of the party to allow Senator Sheriff remain in office to conduct the convention and usher in a new leadership that will be all encompassing, for our party.We realized there is no need to create a vacuum or a new body that may again be faulted by the law of the land, thereby leading to another crisis.And since the last judgement endorsed Sheriff, it is safe to work with him towards achieving our aims of a clean slate and a new beginning for PDP. Sheriff himself is willing to leave and give way to a new leadership. He has promised to conduct an all inclusive convention where he will not be seeking re-election.Party chieftains who do not want to be named confirmed that the new deal is in continuation of Jonathans proposed political solution which has been embraced by all the PDP governors and the majority of the partys leading chieftains, including members of the BoT and the partys national assembly caucus.Meanwhile, it is expected that the state executive committees of the two factions will have to be harmonized by the reconciliation committee before the planned convention.This, sources according to sources, is to prevent any controversy over the status of delegates going to the convention from the various states.It is actually the issue of how to handle the fictionalised state executive committees that is the biggest challenge now.Dont forget that nearly all the states across the country have factional leaderships supporting either Makarfi or Sheriff. It is how well we are able to harmonise these that will determine how easy the new deal will sail through.However, the spokesman for the Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye has denied reports that former President Goodluck Jonathan asked Makarfi to step down.Its not true that former President Jonathan asked Makarfi to step down for Sheriff to conduct a convention. What convention is Sheriff going to conduct? Adeyeye said by phone yesterday.I spoke with Makarfi this morning (Saturday morning) and he would have told me if its true that former President Jonathan asked him to step down.Sheriff cant organise any convention because he is not his own man. He is being controlled by external forces clearly outside the PDP so he cant convince nobody of any genuine intention to organise a convention.The former minister of state for works said the caretaker committee and all the critical organs of the party are determined to pursue the cross appeal against Sheriff pending before the Supreme Court.But he said this is without prejudice to the ongoing reconciliation efforts being spearheaded by Dr. Jonathan.He said:We have resolved to pursue our case at the Supreme Court to a logical conclusion. This is without prejudice to the ongoing reconciliation efforts.If we eventually resolve the matter amicably, then we move forward from there. But it would involve all the critical organs and all stakeholders within the PDP.We want people to realise the fact that this is not a personal battle of any individual in the party. Its a collective struggle that must be seen to a logical conclusion, Adeyeye said.
The Northern Professional Initiative, NPI, has lashed out at former President, Olusegun Obasanjo for declaring that the Peoples Democratic...

The Northern Professional Initiative, NPI, has lashed out at former President, Olusegun Obasanjo for declaring that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is dead.Recall that the former President over the weekend in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital had said the fortunes of the PDP sunk when he left the party.Obasanjo had said, We were controlling 30 out of the 36 states. When Ahmadu and I left, the fortune of the PDP began to sink.Whether you believe it or not, today PDP is sunk and gone. May the fortune of Nigeria never sink like that of the PDP.But NPI, in its reaction said Obasanjo is not God and cannot pronounce anything dead or give guarantee of life.In a statement by its President, Mallam Abdullahi Gazali, the Northern group stressed that Obasanjos undemocratic actions were responsible for the death of the former ruling party.According to NPI, It is very characteristic of former President Obasanjo to see himself as being the hero and messiah in any environment he finds himself.But as far as his comments about the PDP is concerned, we want to remind him, one more time, that he (Obasanjo) is not God, and it is not in his place to pronounce death or give guarantee of life.Everyone knows that Obasanjo left no room for internal democracy to thrive within the PDP when he reigned as president and self-anointed himself as the leader of the party.If truly, the PDP is dead and buried, then let no one be left in doubt that Obasanjo is both the executioner and undertaker of the political party that was once hugely generous to him.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday directed the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to inject N2 billion into each of the 12 new...

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday directed the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to inject N2 billion into each of the 12 new universities established by the Federal Government in 2011.Buhari, who spoke as a visitor to the maiden convocation of the Federal University, Wukari in Taraba, said that the amount was to fund critical infrastructure in the institutions.Represented by Dr Bello Kumo, the Director Academic Standards in the National Universities Commission (NUC), the President also directed that each of the institutions should be given additional N2.5 billion in the next two years.The amount was in addition to the normal N1 billion funding contained in the 2017 fiscal provision. He said that his administration was ready to support research, training and retraining of staff of the Federal Government-owned tertiary institutions in order to fulfill their mandates of teaching, research and community service.Buhari warned, We will not condone corruption and lawlessness in administering the funds that are injected for the development of your institutions. In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof Abubakar Kundiri, thanked the President for approving massive special TETFund intervention for the development of key infrastructure in our university.Kundiri said that the university had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Colorado, Wolverhampton and Manchester to position it as a formidable stronghold of scholarship and research. He said that the agreement would promote collaborative effort in research, staff training and exchange programmes. The highlights of the event was the investiture of the Ona of Abaji, Dr Adamu Baba Yunusa, as the Chancellor of the University.The university also conferred honorary Doctorate Degrees on retired Lt.-Gen. T. Y. Danjuma, the Ona of Abaji and the Aku Uka of Wukari, Dr Shekarau Angyu, for their respective roles in the development of Nigeria.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Diaspora Affairs, has explained why the President is yet to ...





Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Diaspora Affairs, has explained why the President is yet to comment on the recent xenophobia attack against Nigerians residing in South Africa.Speaking during an interview with Osasu Igbinedion of TOS TV Network, Dabiri-Erewa said, Mr. President did not speak on the recent xenophobia attack because the presidency is working even in his absence. The Foreign Affairs ministry will in due course do what it is expected. Let us leave diplomacy to the diplomats. Let the system workThe Nigerian government has made it clear to South Africa this xenophobic attack is unacceptablePresident Zuma too hasnt said anything yet on this xenophobic attack South Africa government is not showing enough political will to end this. The South African government needs to educate its people to know the role Nigeria played in their freedom. Last time out, the South Africa government did nothing, no prosecution, no compensation and it is happening again.''This is the 7th attack on Nigerians with the last one in 2015. The last attack in 2015 was incited by the King of Zulu with his comments. This time around, politicians are behind this, saying Nigerians are taking your jobs and women too. We have huge presence in South Africa in all facets of live. There is a particular Nigerian barber who is so good, you will not want another to cut for you.There are criminals in South Africa but they should not attack Nigerians doing legal business. We dont have a problem with South Africa punishing Nigerians who commits crime. Nigerians are angry but we shouldnt go down low by destroying MTN, Shoprite etc. Our youths, students should not destroy or attack MTN, Dstv etc. thats not whom we areThe African Union must step into this and resolve this, because Xenophobia is an African problem and we must solve it by ourselves Europe, America are driving us away and yet African is driving Africans away.
BRIDGETON -- A Cumberland County grand jury indicted 21 people Wednesday who were arrested during Operation That's All Folks -- which targeted a drug and gun trafficking organization.

The investigation spanned several months and the arrests were made from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4. Authorities seized nine handguns, one rifle, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, prescription drugs and $12,428.

The 21 individuals were indicted for drugs and weapons charges.

The following individuals were indicted:

- Tamora Richardson, 29, of North 4th Street, in Vineland, was charged with conspiracy to possess drugs, conspiracy to sell a firearm and selling a firearm. He was held in the Cumberland County Jail in lieu of $75,000 bail.

- Juan Velazquez, 26, of North East Avenue, Vineland was charged with conspiracy to sell a firearm and selling a firearm. He was held in the Cumberland County Jail in lieu of $85,000 bail.

- Markese T. White, 27, of North 2nd Street, in Millville, was charged with unlawful possession of weapons, unlawful selling of firearms, possession of drug paraphernalia and drug possession with intent to distribute.

- Gerald Butler, 27, of South 2nd Street, in Millville, was charged with conspiracy to possess drugs with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of a handgun, unlawful selling of firearm, drug possession, drug possession with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm during a drug offense and possession of drug paraphernalia.

- Ashley Neal, 29, of South 2nd Street, in Millville, was charged with drug possession and drug possession within 500 feet of public housing.

- Adam Yurdock, 23, of North 2nd Street, in Millville, was charged with possession of a firearm while committing a drug offense, drug possession, drug possession with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm during a drug offense and possession of drug paraphernalia.

- Kenneth Harden, 30, of Barbara Terrace, in Millville, was charged with conspiracy to possess drugs with the intent to distribute, drug possession and possession with intent to distribute. He was held in the Cumberland County Jail in lieu of $75,000 bail.

- Rafael Gonzalez, 22, of South 2nd Street, in Millville, was charged with possessing a firearm while committing a drug offense, drug possession, drug possession with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia.

- Antwaun Coursey, 23, of Pampylia Avenue, in Bridgeton, was charged with possession of a handgun without a permit and conspiracy to sell a firearm.

- Shamar Cotto, 22, of Gould Avenue, in Bridgeton, was charged with unlawfully selling firearms and unlawful possession of weapons. He was held in the Cumberland County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

- Andrew Harris, 29, of Wheaton Avenue, of Millville, was charged with conspiracy to possession drugs with intent to distribute.

- Joshua D. Phillips, 32, of South 2nd Street, in Millville, was charged with conspiracy to possess drugs.

- Krista J. Rinaldo, 32, of Cedar Street, in Millville, was charged with conspiracy to possess drugs.

- Thomas Baker, 41, of Peek Avenue, in Millville, was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, criminal attempt and weapons distribution.

- Terri Simon, 41, of Battle Lane, in Millville, was charged with conspiracy to possess drugs.

- Kayla M. Groff, 26, of Pleasant Drive, in Millville, was charged with conspiracy to possess drugs and released on a summons.

- Christopher J. Applegate, 34, of Route 77, in Elmer, was charged with conspiracy to possess drugs.

- Kevin J. McCarthy, 26, of Dolly Drive, in Vineland, was charged with conspiracy to possess drugs.

- Michael Crist, 27, of Main Street, in Dividing Creek, was charged with conspiracy to possess drugs.

- Tiffany L. Parker-Alexander, 29, of South 4th Street, in Vineland, was charged with possession of a stun gun. She was also arrested for outstanding warrants from Vineland Municipal Court for $1,501 and Pennsville Municipal Court for $550.

- Shane Berry, 23, of Brown Street, in Millville, was charged with conspiracy to possess drugs.

Involved in the investigation was Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Bridgeton Police Department, Cape May County Prosecutor's Office, Cumberland County Sheriff's Department, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office, Millville Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Vineland Police Department and Cape May County Mainland/Island Tactical Teams.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Policing.jpeg

Newark residents shared feedback about policing and public safety in the city through a series of community surveys that began Saturday. (Courtesy of Ryan Haygood)

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NEWARK -- City residents aired their frustrations and highlighted their hopes for the Newark Police Department on Saturday, filling out surveys as part of an effort to launch a community conversation around reforming the police force.

About 20 residents trickled into the Training, Recreation, and Education Center on Ludlow Street in the afternoon, quietly filling out a questionnaire about their perceptions and interactions with police and where they'd like to see change.

The surveys are part of reforms agreed to in the consent decree between the city and the Department of Justice after a 2014 federal probe uncovered civil rights abuses by police. The review found a "pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing," in the Newark police, including illegal stops and arrests, and excessive force.

"The entire community could benefit from a sort of asset-based interaction between young people and officers, meaning it is not in reaction to something bad," Robert Clark, executive director of the nonprofit Youth Build Newark, said after he filled out his survey. "There needs to be more opportunities for police/community interactions that are not negative."

The surveys were organized by city officials, the police division's independent federal monitor and New Jersey Institute for Social Justice. Saturday was one of five opportunities residents will have to fill out the surveys. They will also be available online at www.newarkpdmonitor.com.

Two neighbors who declined to give their names because they said feared for their safety, said their biggest concern was not enough policing in their South Ward neighborhood to curb drug deals on the streets.

"It's getting worse, it's not getting better," said a 60-year-resident after filling out her survey. "Every time you don't clean up the drug dealers, it's ruining the quality of life for everybody. It's not right."

Naazir Jackson, 35, a firefighter who also runs the Rising Stars Youth Academy, said the city's push to hire police officers who live in Newark is a good step and helps establish an immediate link between the officer and the community. "(Neighbors) will say 'I remember him,' when he was little; they're proud," he said. "It helps a lot."

The city has 1,052 sworn police officers and 297 civilians.

Police officers were also surveyed late last year during their training on the consent decree and more than 600 other Newark residents, representing a sample size of the city, were surveyed by phone. Business owners, students, recent detainees and commuters will also be surveyed, according to the federal monitoring team.

"There's no one community, there's groups of community. We wanted to capture the full spectrum," said Michael Buchanan, a member of the federal monitoring team .

He added the surveys were a way to capture a snapshot of the police department's relationship with the community and see how those perceptions change -- or don't change -- over the next five years of reform.

The results of the surveys will be released throughout the year in the federal monitor's quarterly reports.

"The police are making themselves open to feedback and we as residents have to take responsibility for giving it," said Khaatim Sherrer El, 35.

Community survey events will take place the next four Saturdays:

March 11: Bethany Baptist Church, 275 West Market Street, Noon to 2 p.m.

March 18: West Side Park Community Center, 600 South 17th Street, Noon to 2 p.m.

March 25: Ironbound Community Corporation, 25 Cortland Street, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

April 1: La Casa de Don Pedro, 23 Broadway, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook.
ORANGE -- The trip from Philadelphia to an abandoned home in Orange last year was probably the hardest one Lee West said he will ever have to make.

The father, who said he works as a police officer and assistant pastor, made the 90-minute drive to see the burned, vacant home on Lakeside Avenue where his 19-year-old daughter Robin's remains had been found.

"We had to just be close to that place," said West, who came to Orange with Robin's brothers. "It was just important for us to be there and to see it."

Lee's daughter, who lived in Philadelphia but often traveled to Essex County, was reported missing on Aug. 31, 2016. Authorities say they discovered human remains in the empty Orange home when firefighters responded to a blaze at the property on Sept. 1. It took several weeks to identify those remains as West's, they said.

"Our hearts are broken," Lee West said. "She loved her family. She was just a caring and giving person. She had a smile that could light up a room."

After months of suspicion that West's death might be linked to those of two other women killed in Essex County late last year, authorities Monday announced charges against 20-year-old Khalil Wheeler-Weaver, of Orange, in her murder. Wheeler-Weaver has been indicted on charges alleging he killed three women - West, 32-year-old Joanne Browne of Newark, and 20-year-old Sarah Butler, a college student from Montclair - and attempted murder of a fourth woman.

"It was just hard," West said of finding out that his daughter might have been only one of the victims of an alleged serial killer. "It's hard to even know what to say."

Authorities have released only a few details about the killings. All three women were reported missing. Browne's body was found on Dec. 5 inside a vacant house on Highland Avenue in Orange. Butler's was found on Dec. 1, buried under leaves and debris at the Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange.

The indictment against Wheeler-Weaver also indicates he has been accused of taking a woman from Elizabeth to an undisclosed location on Nov. 15, torturing and sexually assaulting her. The 34-year-old woman survived the attack, authorities said.

Wheeler-Weaver has pleaded not guilty to the killings of Browne and Butler, and is scheduled to be arraigned on the additional charges against him on March 13.

Lee West said his family has never met Wheeler-Weaver, and he still does not know many of the details surrounding his daughter's death.

"Our biggest question is why," he said. "And, also...why was my daughter set on fire? Why did he go that far with her?" West pointed out that his daughter was the only one of Wheeler-Weaver's alleged victims whose remains were destroyed.

Robin West's other family members, including her mother, two step parents, five brothers and one sister, could not immediately be reached for comment. They are all still trying to recover from her tragic end, Lee West said.

"It's just so senseless."

Lee West said his family is now preparing for another tough trip back to Essex County, this time to see the man accused of killing his daughter.

"We are just trying to get our minds set for March 13," West said of Wheeler-Weaver's anticipated arraignment.

"I don't know what I would say to him. ... I'm not quite there yet, at that forgiving stage."

Staff reporter Noah Cohen contributed to this report.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
WEEHAWKEN - Six people were arrested Friday night after leading police on a car chase through Lincoln Tunnel and then attempting to flee on foot, Port Authority Police said.

Bashawn Hood, 24, of Atlantic City, Tabatha M. Harris, 23, of Camden, Edwin Andino, 26, of Millville, Dominique V. Hannon, 24, of Millville, Ashley Lynn Cenneno, 26, and Jaquan D. Marshall, 20, were arrested and charged with possession of stolen property and reckless endangerment. Authorities did not identify the driver.

Hannon is also charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic needle, police said.

The pursuit began on the western spur of the New Jersey Turnpike in Newark around 7:28 p.m., when a 1999 Mercury minivan failed to stop for a motor-vehicle violation, police said.

New Jersey State Police continued to follow the minivan, carrying all six occupants, when it drove at high speeds into the tunnel and began hitting other cars, police said. Port Authority Police told the driver of the minivan to stop over a PA system.

The car stopped but the occupants began to run on foot; some tried to hide behind other cars and were arrested by police, Port Authority spokesman Joseph Pentangelo said. Four others kept running despite the moving traffic and were caught 100 feet from the New York exit, he said. No was injured in the chase.

The south tube of the tunnel was closed temporarily Friday but reopened shortly afterward.

It wasn't immediately clear who was representing the six people arrested.

Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook.
TRENTON - Less than a week after a swastika was found sprayed across a painting of the Puerto Rican flag in Trenton, members of the community came together with one overriding message.

"We are organized, we are unified and we will mobilize," Pastor Jose Rodriguez of the Puerto Rican Civic Association said to the group of people who gathered in Trenton Saturday.

The rally came only days after a swastika was found on a door bearing an image of the Puerto Rican flag, which had been painted there last weekend by community members. The door was part of a vacant building, but the group of community artists said they had gotten permission to paint a mural on the door from the owner of the building.

Rodriguez said many residents in San Juan are painting doors around the city to show support for people who are struggling under an economic crisis in Puerto Rico. Community members in Trenton wanted to show solidarity, Rodriguez said.

Shortly after the swastika was discovered the owner of the building, Thomas Tyler, admitted to putting it there.

"I didn't want no Puerto Rican flag," Tyler told Fox 29.

On Saturday, Rodriguez said he wanted to tell the community that they belong in Trenton.

He led the group in a prayer and told them they will stay strong in the face of racism.

"We are passionate people," he said, "not just about our community, but our culture."

Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman
TRENTON -An ongoing battle against year-old drug charges has morphed into something much larger, Ed "NJ Weedman" Forchion said after a court hearing Saturday.

"I feel like a political prisoner," Forchion said Saturday, speaking from jail just a day after he was charged with witness tampering.

It's the second arrest in a year for Forchion, a well-known marijuana advocate, who was first charged with selling the drug in April.

Mercer County prosecutors have said a confidential informant told police he bought drugs from Forchion on multiple occasions at Forchion's Trenton eatery.

Forchion has adamantly denied the claims and has posted the name of the man he believes to be the informant on social media.

Late last month a judge ruled to keep the identity of the informant private and Friday, a week after the ruling, Forchion was arrested at his girlfriend's Parsippany-Troy Hills home for witness tampering.

During his first court appearance Saturday, Forchion told the municipal court judge that he has a right to face his accuser, referencing the informant.

"But apparently Ms. Katz doesn't think so," he added, referring to Mercer County Assistant Prosecutor Stephanie Katz, who is handling both the drug and witness tampering cases.

Forchion released a statement after his appearance Saturday, reiterating his argument that he's a political prisoner and implying that his most recent arrest was unjust.

"(I am) persecuted with this imprisonment by Assistant Prosecutor Katz because she has no case or credible witness," Forchion said.

Hundreds of people took to Facebook to show their support for Forchion on Friday.

His girlfriend, Debi Madaio, was not at her home Friday when Forchion was taken into custody, but she said that she received a frantic call from her daughter about police outside the house demanding that she let them in.

Madaio then called police The officers eventually called a judge for a warrant and went into her house, Madaio said.

Once inside, officers took Forchion into custody and also took Madaio's pitbull, named Buzz, from the home, she said. Madaio said Saturday that she hasn't gotten the dog back and doesn't know where it's being held.

Forchion will be back in court Tuesday for a detention hearing, during which a Superior Court judge will decide whether to release him from custody.

Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman
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By Ted Sherman | NJ Advance Media

David Samson, the former chairman of the Port Authority, faces sentencing Monday on bribery charges in connection with a scheme to force United Airlines to schedule a non-stop flight for his sole benefit. Samson wanted the airline to fly from Newark Liberty International Airport to South Carolina, where he had a second home.

The one-time state attorney general and high-power attorney admitted he abused his power to coerce one of the nation's largest airlines into putting the money-losing route into service, by withholding approval of a critical new maintenance facility at the Newark Liberty, which is operated by the Port Authority.

In a series of pre-sentence legal briefs filed last week with U.S. District Judge Jose Linares, the U.S. Attorney's office provided new details on the bizarre scheme that could put Samson, 77, in prison for as many as 24 months.

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(Brian Donohue | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Rest Period

Samson and his wife owned a horse country estate in Aiken, S.C., they called "Rest Period," which refers to the break in play during a polo match. After Samson bought the home, an interior designer told Augusta magazine he "decorated the entire house from floorboards to ceilings with 18th- and 19th-century French and Italian antiques."

Long before becoming Port Authority chairman, Samson would often travel to the home on a Continental Airlines' non-stop route between Newark Airport and Columbia, just a short drive to Aiken. However, Continental Airlines (which later merged with United Airlines) discontinued the Newark/Columbia route for business reasons in 2009, forcing Samson to fly from Newark to Charlotte in North Carolina, a far longer drive to Aiken.

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Samson with Gov. Chris Christie. (Tony Kurdzuk | Star-Ledger file photo)

The Chairman

In early 2011, Samson, a friend and mentor to Gov. Chris Christie, was appointed by the governor to serve as chairman of the Port Authority board.

While the board itself was responsible for approving the Port Authority's budgets and certain transactions and expenditures, including large leases, the chairman wielded much power. It was Samson's responsibility to decide which items would be placed on the agenda for a vote by the full board. The commissioners could only approve those items that were on the formal agenda.

Federal prosecutors said Samson's ability to control the agenda gave him the ability to kill or delay Port Authority transactions, even those that were not controversial.

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(Ed Murray | Star-Ledger file photo)

The Hanger

In 2011, United, the largest carrier at Newark Liberty, went to the Port Authority seeking to lease a tract of land for the construction of a wide-body aircraft maintenance hangar, said prosecutors. The facility would allow the airline to perform maintenance on its fleet of wide-body aircraft at Newark, rather than doing the work elsewhere--costing the airline time and money.

United met with the Port Authority's Aviation Department to negotiate an agreement for the lease of three acres of land.

But before the agreement could be finalized, it had to be approved by the Port Authority board. And the only way that was going to happen was if Samson placed the agreement on the agenda.

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(Andrew Miller | For The Times of Trenton)

Flight of fancy

Meanwhile, prosecutors said Samson, after becoming chairman, already was looking to have United Airlines reinstate his favorite non-stop flight to Columbia.

They said on Feb. 18, 2011, Samson had a phone conversation with Jamie Fox, a friend and lobbyist who was then serving as a consultant to United (and would later be appointed by Christie as state transportation commissioner.)

Fox immediately sent off an email to a United vice president after the call: "Fyi. Samson has home in columnbia [sic], sc and has asked me repeatedly about flight from newark."

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(Pixabay | Stock photo)

The dinner

On Sept. 13, 2011, Samson had a dinner at Novita, an Italian restaurant in New York, with four United executives--including airline CEO Jeff Smisek and a key vice president responsible for United's interactions with the Port Authority. Also present was Bill Baroni, the Port Authority's deputy executive director, and Fox.

Prosecutors said during the dinner, there was discussion of certain of United's priorities for Newark Airport. However, the talk soon turned from business to a purely personal request by Samson.

"He described that Continental formerly had flown a nonstop route between Newark Airport and Columbia Airport," prosecutors said in their brief to the court. And he asked Smisek to consider reinstating that nonstop route.

They said while the CEO was not familiar with the route, he told Samson that United "generally stopped flying routes because they were unprofitable." Still, he promised that United would look into the Newark/Columbia Route.

The following day, Samson got in touch again with Fox. "I only want you to be happy-and me too, of course, about the Columbia, SC flight," he said in a message.

Prosecutors said Fox assured him that he was "on it."

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(Manuel Balce Ceneta | AP file photo)

Dancing to the tune

According to the legal brief filed by prosecutors, Samson continued to talk about how serious he was about obtaining the Newark/Columbia Route from United, and how he relished the hunt.

A short time after the dinner at Novita, Fox told Samson that Jeff Smisek (above) had instructed another senior-level United executive "to take a second look at Columbia."

"Good," said Samson. "I hope they dance to my tune---let me know if there's a way to keep the pressure on this issue: it will save me a lot of heartache."

The U.S. Attorneys office said Fox worked to have United reinstate the Newark to Columbia Route.

But despite his efforts, United was reluctant to schedule a flight it was certain was going to lose money. Finally on Oct. 18, 2011, Fox learned that United appeared unlikely to reinstate the route. He sent an email to Samson.

It is not looking good, he said. But Fox assured the Port Authority chairman the quest was not over: I am going up the ladder, he said.

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(John Munson | Star-Ledger file photo)

'I hate myself...'

Shortly after the email exchange between Fox and Samson, the Port Authority's Aviation Department submitted the hangar agreement to the Office of the Secretary of the Port Authority, which is responsible for preparing the board agenda. The proposal went on the agenda for the Port Authority board's Nov. 15, 2011, meeting.

Samson saw the draft board agenda on Nov. 1, 2011, according to prosecutors. The next day, he followed up with Fox, asking if there was "any news" on the Newark/Columbia Route. Fox responded that he would be flying to Chicago to visit with United and that the route was on his list of items to discuss. Samson, in a reference to the hanger project on the board agenda, emailed back: "In the meantime, I am reviewing current board agenda items of interest."

"One on newark airport [sic] I think coming up," Fox acknowledged.

"Yes, it's already off this month's agenda: I hate myself," said Samson.

On Nov. 9, he pulled the hangar agreement from the board agenda.

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(Mel Evans | AP file photo)

No more dinners

The day before the Port Authority board meeting, Samson learned United was not going to bring back the flight to Columbia. "very, very disappopinted [sic]- no more dinners with Smisek," complained Samson.

The day after the board meeting, prosecutors said Fox emailed another high-level United executive, saying he was "worried about Samson [sic] view of company."

Prosecutors said Fox and the airline executive had a series of phone calls in the wake of the meeting, discussing Samson's anger with United's lack of action on the Newark to Columbia route. They said the consultant told the airline that reinstating the route was important for United's relationship with the Port Authority. Airline executive agreed to become involved personally in evaluating the reinstatement of the Newark to Columbia Route.

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(John Munson | Star-Ledger file photo)

Making the deal

As the next board meeting approached, on Dec. 7, 2011, Samson emailed Fox again and said he had instructed the removal of the hanger agreement from the next board agenda as well.

"Let me know if/when remedial action is appropriate," he wrote.

But prosecutors said Fox had gotten word that there might be movement on the chairman's request.

"I think it would be a good time to put back on the agenda," he wrote.

"Will do," Samson wrote.

The hangar agreement was put back on the December board agenda, and the item passed unanimously.

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(Gene J. Puskar | AP file photo)

The Chairman's Flight

After talking with United, Fox emailed Samson that "it worked" and that United had called to discuss how to get it done.

"Finally have their attention," he said. "Having item off/on this week worked."

After the December meeting, United agreed to put into service a Newark to Columbia route.

Prosecutors said because it was being created solely for Samson's convenience, the airline checked to see what days he preferred to travel. Samson said he wanted to depart from Newark Airport on Thursday evening and to return on Monday morning.

In accordance with his wishes, United initiated weekly flights from Newark Airport to Columbia Airport, departing at 6 p.m. on Thursdays (with a returning flight the same night) and from Columbia Airport to Newark Airport departing at 6:20 a.m. on Mondays (after a flight down to Columbia Airport the evening before).

He celebrated by referring to the route as the "Chairman's Flight."

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The route was never well-traveled.

Prosecutors said the average number of passengers on the flights was 24, less than half of the 50 seats on the plane.

In January 2013, Samson exchanged emails with a friend who was flying from Newark to visit him in Aiken. When the friend told Samson there were only 17 people on the flight, Samson responded "that's crowded."

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(Michael Dempsey | The Jersey Journal)

.m

In March 2014, as prosecutors continued a barrage of subpoenas of the Port Authority in the wake of the Bridgegate scandal, Samson, who was under fire over contracts with the agency that benefited his politically connected law firm, abruptly resigned as chairman of the agency.

In a two-sentence statement, Samson said only: "Over the past months, I have shared with the governor my desire to conclude my service to the PANYNJ. The timing is now right, and I am confident that the governor will put new leadership in place to address the many challenges ahead."

Within days of his leaving, United cancelled the chairman's flight.

Prosecutors said the route lost approximately $945,000 before it was grounded.

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Justin Walder with David Samson. (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Guilty

Last July, Samson, accompanied by his attorney, Justin Walder, entered the federal courthouse in Newark to plead guilty to one charge of bribery in connection with the Columbia flight.

United--which was not criminally charged--agreed to pay a fine of $2.25 million and pledged to institute "substantial reforms" to its compliance program. Its CEO, Jeff Smisek, was already out, resigning in September 2015 with the two other top-ranking executives who had met with Samson to have dinner at Novita, following an internal investigation by the company.

Fox was criminally charged as well, but illness put his case in limbo and he died in February.

Defense attorneys have not disputed that Samson tried to game the system. His simple aim was to secure a more convenient travel schedule, a benefit that he had been told United and other airlines often afforded to other public officials like himself," they wrote in court filings. "David had no conception of what the economics of reinstating the flight were, nor did he foresee that it could result in a loss to United.

But the U.S. Attorneys office, in response, said Samson abused his power in a "stunning and audacious" manner.

By stalling consideration of a carefully-negotiated lease that was important to the business of the Port Authority and United Airlines, Samson pressured United to institute service that made it possible for him to fly non-stop from Newark to Columbia, South Carolina on Thursday evenings and to return to Newark on Monday mornings," they wrote.

They said there were few instances in which public officials have had the moxie to demand something so grand.

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Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
By Robert Barchi

Rutgers University students by the thousands have staged several peaceful protests in recent months to express their concerns over what they expect to be dramatic changes to immigration policy.

The university shares those concerns and is now in the forefront of a national grassroots movement to preserve the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

In short, DACA provides renewable temporary periods of deferred action from deportation as well as eligibility for a work permit to undocumented individuals who were brought to this country as young children, have been growing up as typical neighborhood kids and are today a common part of the fabric of virtually every community in America.

Under DACA, which was established by an executive order signed by President Obama in 2012, protections are available only to young people who come forward and in good faith provide their personal information and disclose their identities to the federal government. Those individuals, so-called "Dreamers," must meet strict criteria regarding how they came to this country and how they have lived in this country. No one who has been convicted of a serious crime is eligible for deferred action status.

By June 2016, four years after the DACA program was created, 845,000 young people had made application for temporary protections. Nearly 90 percent of the applicants nationwide, or more than 741,000 people, had been approved.

A year later, DACA's protections are threatened. They are fragile, at best.

A temporary solution would be to enact the BRIDGE Act, legislation that would extend DACA's protections while comprehensive immigration reform is developed. The BRIDGE Act has broad and bipartisan support. Its cosponsors are Republicans and Democrats, liberals, moderates and conservatives. BRIDGE Act sponsors include U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Diane Feinstein (D-CA), Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

As Graham, who was not a DACA supporter in 2012 and is not a supporter of DACA today, noted upon introduction of the BRIDGE Act:

"I do not believe we should pull the rug out and push these young men and women - who came out of the shadows and registered with the federal government - back into the darkness. Our legislation continues to provide legal status to them for three years as Congress seeks a permanent solution. These young people have much to offer the country and we stand to benefit from the many contributions they will make to America."

We agree.

In January I began to invite students to write letters to their members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate voicing their support for the BRIDGE Act. In a little more than two weeks, more than 18,000 letters have been sent from students in 45 states. University leaders from across the country have joined our effort.

Support for the BRIDGE Act grew quickly in response to President Trump's first executive order ending the refugee program, banning travel from seven majority Muslim countries, and revoking visas.

Although that executive order was enjoined by the federal courts and a new executive order has been issued, the future of DACA is uncertain. As long as those protections are the product of executive fiat, the future of those protections will always be subject to whim and at constant risk of being revoked and repealed.

Cultural and ethnic diversity are essential elements of our identity and a particular strength of Rutgers as a public research university. Like similar institutions around the country, we value and rely upon the contributions that all our students, faculty, staff and researchers from every background and place of birth, make to the richness of our academic community.

The students who will define our future and the faculty and researchers who make breakthrough discoveries in the sciences and the humanities know that academia is by its nature international, and we must be vigilant to protect and advocate for the free exchange of ideas on our campuses and around the world.

No matter where one stands on the legality or the propriety of DACA, the senate sponsors of the BRIDGE Act are right; it is indisputable that extending protections for these young people is a matter of fairness and equity.

In America, we keep our word.

Robert Barchi is the president of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.

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By MICHAEL REAGAN

Maybe I'm channeling Donald Trump.

Or maybe he's been reading my columns - or my mind

All I know for sure is that when he gave his great speech to Congress last Tuesday night he did exactly what I suggested he should do that morning in my column in The Hill - stop being Donald Trump.

Quoting my father, I wrote that there comes a time when the president-elect has to become the president - and then start acting like one who represents the whole country, even his enemies.

I said the president should be a conservative, make conservative appointments and run a conservative government.

But I also suggested that he immediately stop catering only to his base and tell us in his speech where he wants to take the country and how he plans to take us there.

President Trump did all that and much more in his widely applauded speech Tuesday night, which was a great turning point for his administration to move forward on his agenda.

By spelling out his core goals, and asking the House and Senate to create the legislation to put them into place, Trump proved to Congress he wants to lead.

On Tuesday night he set the cornerstone for his administration's agenda.

Like Trump Tower, he now has to begin rebuilding and rehabilitating America from the infrastructure up.

Many of our bridges and roads are in shambles. We take off and land at airports that would shame a Third World country.

In Studio City, Ca., not far from my house, a 90-year-old pipe burst and caused a sinkhole that swallowed cars but thankfully no people.

President Trump is absolutely right to want to throw a trillion public and private dollars at the crumbling infrastructure of the country - the more private the funding, the better.

He is also absolutely right to want to rebuild and build-up our military after eight years of neglect by the Obama administration.

As my father used to say, we fought four wars during his lifetime - none of which were fought because America was too strong.

President Trump understands that. So does Secretary of Defense James Mattis.

So does his disgruntled fellow Republican, Senator John McCain, who'll someday applaud the president if he stays on course to rejuvenate the Army, Air Force and Navy.

The president's signature campaign issue, enforcing and reforming our awful immigration policy, will face a huge political fight and a lot of compromising.

He'll need to find the area where we can all come together. Nobody is going to get 100 percent of what they want, so everyone - including the president's base -- has to be willing to give a little.

President Trump's other aims - lowering taxes on people and corporations, cutting regulations on businesses and repealing and replacing ObamaCare - are goals conservatives have been dreaming about for years.

He has a real chance of accomplishing many of his goals and the goals of conservatives in the next 200 days, but he can't do it alone.

He's going to need the advice and help of thousands of people.

So if I could give one more bit of advice to President Trump, which comes from a placard that was on my father's desk, it is, "There's no telling what a man can accomplish or where he could go if he doesn't worry about who gets the credit."

My father knew it's never about taking credit, Mr. Trump, it's all about getting things done.



EDITOR'S NOTE: Michael Reagan. Michael Reagan is the son of President Ronald Reagan, a political consultant, and the author of "The New Reagan Revolution" (St. Martin's Press). Send comments to Reagan@caglecartoons.com. Follow @reaganworld on Twitter.
By Jeff Tittel

The one area that the Trump Administration is moving on in a methodical way is in dismantling 45 years of environmental protections. Trump has signed a series of executive orders to weaken protections for clean water and climate change. He has even removed environmental oversight for pipelines, while approving Keystone XL and Dakota Access.

Now Scott Pruitt has been confirmed to lead the EPA, which is an agency he wants to get rid of. When Trump first came into office, he froze $1 billion in EPA programs and now he is going to cut $2 billion more in funding. Now that the Republicans in Congress are going in lock step with his plans, Trump's actions are an even bigger threat to the environment.

In the short time he has been in office, Trump already initiated his attack. First he signed an executive order to get rid of President Obama's Climate Action Plan. Then he threatened millions of acres of wetlands and streams by signing an executive order to eliminate the Waters of the United States rule.

In New Jersey, our state waters are protected under the state Clean Water Act, but we will still see more pollution and flooding into important drinking water sources the Delaware River and Ramapo River. Congress even helped Trump sign a law to allow coal mine waste to be dumped directly into streams.

Pruitt is an anti-environmental zealot whose job is to dismantle the EPA agency he is supposed to head. As Oklahoma's Attorney General, he sued EPA 14 times against their rules and got the information from his lawsuits from the oil and gas industry.

Pruitt even lead the fight with the Tea Party states and New Jersey to sue against the historic Clean Power Plan, which will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts. He also sued the EPA against the Mercury and Air Toxics Rule, which will reduce pollution and improve public health. Now he won't recuse himself from dealing with any of the rules that he's suing against, which is a major conflict of interest.

Trump, Pruitt and a Republican controlled Congress is a triple threat for the environment. Congress could even pass legislation overturning the law that prevents toxic dumping in our waterways or increasing fracking and oil drilling on public lands and off our coasts. They have already voted to repeal the Antiquities Act that was passed by President Teddy Roosevelt to protect established national monuments.

In the past, they tried to roll back protections under the Clean Water Act and tried to prohibit states from having rules stricter than the federal government weakening protections for our clean water and air. They could even get rid of tax incentives on clean energy, while limiting regulations on greenhouse gas emissions. Now with Trump as president, all those bills that President Obama blocked will be signed by Trump.

The last time there was someone as opposed to the EPA as Pruitt leading it was Anne Gorsuch Burford. She weakened superfund sites and tried to push hazardous waste incinerator ships off of our coast. Anne was the first Cabinet member who faced a charge for contempt of Congress when the Democrats were in control and she was forced to resign.

Now with this Congress, there will be no oversight on an EPA administrator who is trying to gut the EPA. Trump even nominated Burford's son, Neil Gorsuch, to be a Supreme Court Judge, who may even share the same anti-regulatory values.

Trump cutting EPA funding will have serious consequences for New Jersey since half of the DEP's budget comes from the federal government, including $188 million in operations. This would mean New Jersey would loose funding to deal with stormwater, mitigate climate change, and retrofit lead pipes.

There will be no one to protect our coasts from flooding, no one left to make sure polluters are not violating the law, or anyone to make sure there is no dumping toxic chemicals in our air and water, and on our land. The DEP could even have to cut staff who are responsible for implementing the Clean Water Act, causing a huge hole.

The Edison lab could also loose 450 jobs. With all these rollbacks on regulations and public health, people will be more people will be sick from pollution and getting cancer, but they won't have health insurance if the Affordable Care Act is repealed.

We fought 45 years ago for Congress to create the EPA and now we will fight all over again to keep the EPA in place. Now more than ever we must stand up for clean air, clean water and action on climate change. We must stand up and fight for our environment like we did since the first few Earth Days. It will be up to us to protect our planet from Trump and Pruitt. That is why we need to come together and march in Washington D.C. on April 29th for the People's Climate March.

Jeff Tittel is director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.
Sofia Vergara stars in director Anne Fletcher's action-comedy 'Hot Pursuit,' shot in New Orleans. She currently faces a right to life lawsuit filed on her frozen embryos' behalf in the 24th Judicial District Court in Gretna, which last month moved to New Orleans federal court. (Sam Emerson / Warner Bros.)(Sam Emerson / Warner Bros)
The Internment order article from Sunday the 19th brought back many memories for me also. I immediately recognized the picture from the Tule Lake prison camp. However, I believe that picture was from the nearby and smaller town of Newell, Calif.

I spent many a summer there in the early 1960s as a child growing up. My grandparents owned a little country store there that had at one time been the officers' quarters of the internment camp. Many local folks had lived through that time and I learned firsthand of that particular WWII history. In fact, I have a small revolver that a Japanese American had hidden in the walls of those barracks shown in the Daily Sun picture. My grandfather found it as a fireman when responding to a fire.

I cannot begin to understand the difficulty or the decision process which led President Roosevelt to intern (a polite word for imprison) American citizens. I can only hope that no segment of American citizens will ever again be rounded up, held captive, or segregated for any reason in our country.

CRAIG BAIN

Flagstaff
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.
Doris DeVivo wanted to honor her late husband, Frank. And she wanted to see a glimpse of what he went through more than 70 years ago as a prisoner of war.

Doris DeVivo, 90, and her granddaughter Mackenzie Schnitker, 29, both of Council Bluffs, traveled to Japan in December, touring the area where Frank toiled in a copper mine for almost a year as part of more than three years in captivity during World War II.

My husband never wanted to go back to Japan. I dont know if he wouldve wanted to now, Doris DeVivo said of the trip. I had mixed emotions. It was very emotional for me.

Frank DeVivo was captured during the Battle of Corregidor. He spent more than three years in captivity, first in prisoner camps in the Philippines before spending the final months in the copper mine.

Doris DeVivo and Schnitker made the 13-day trek in early December, flying from Omaha to Dallas to Tokyo. The trip is part of a reconciliation effort sponsored and paid for by the Japanese government. The program has been ongoing for almost a decade and, with many of the POWs in poor health or dead, was opened up to widows.

Plus, we could take a caregiver, Doris said of her granddaughter. I was the oldest one on the trip. And my granddaughter was the youngest. Everything was first class all the way. We had something to do every day.

Pat Holder, the DeVivos daughter, said she was happy to see her mother go to Japan.

For her to make that trip was quite the thing, she said.

Like his wife, Frank DeVivo was a Council Bluffs native.

He joined the Army as an 18-year-old in 1940 before the U.S. entered World War II. He was sent to the Philippines, where he was stationed on the island of Corregidor.

Nearby, a battle raged during the early months of 1942 as Japanese Imperial forces invaded the Philippines. Bataan fell in April of that year. That ended organized opposition by U.S. forces against Japan.

But Frank DeVivo and many other troops remained on Corregidor.

The island was turned to rubble on the surface, while American soldiers survived for a month in the labyrinth of tunnels and caves below after the fall of Bataan.

Finally, 10,000 U.S. and Filipino troops under the command of Lt. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright surrendered after being cut off entirely from supplies and aid from the U.S. In May 1942, they were captured by the Japanese.

Extremely cruel, Frank DeVivo told The Nonpareil in July of 2003. We had four young fellows who escaped, and when they were recaptured, they were tied up for four days and nights by their thumbs. When the four days were up, the Japanese made us watch while they executed them. I still think about them quite often. You never get over that kind of stuff.

DeVivo signed up with four other young men from Pottawattamie County who were also captured by the Japanese and died of malnutrition, dysentery and pneumonia in a prison camp.

Frank was the only one that survived and came home, Doris DeVivo said.

The soldier bounced around from camp to camp in the Philippines before boarding a hell ship  named for the depraved living conditions  that took him to Japan in January of 1945, where he labored in a copper mine in Sendai, north of Tokyo, his wife said.

He said it was cold; he said they never wouldve made it another winter, she said.

In 2003, Frank DeVivo said men were forced to stand in piles of coal with no room to sit down or sleep and with no food until they reached Japan.

There was one good memory though, he told The Nonpareil, and that came on Sept. 11, 1945. In the months prior to the wars end, the Japanese had been under orders to execute all American prisoners of war. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki changed those plans. Arrangements had been made for the prisoners to be handed over to the U.S. Marines.

We had no idea where we were going, he told The Nonpareil. We thought they were taking us to be executed. Then all of a sudden, a squad of Marines surrounded us.

Frank DeVivo was legally blind from malnutrition and weighed only 100 pounds when he was rescued. His wife said he came home on the U.S.S. Garrard.

He returned home to Council Bluffs in October of 1945. When he left home, Doris was a 13-year-old who lived in his neighborhood. They connected upon his arrival after war, and the pair married in February of 1946.

Frank worked for Union Pacific for 32 years before retiring in 1981. They have four children, 10 grandchildren and 1 great grandchildren.

While in Japan, Doris DeVivo and Schnitker toured Tokyo. They were part of a group that answered questions about their loved ones and the war to university students. They attended an event for outgoing U.S. ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy. In Yokohama they visited the burial site of American POWs.

And they went to Sendai.

The grounds were there, but the camps were all gone, Doris DeVivo said.

Doris DeVivo was thankful for the trip.

I just cant get over it. Its hard to explain, why they would do it. Theyre one of our best allies now, she said. We went as goodwill ambassadors. The people were all real nice. They treated us real well.

Frank DeVivo suffered from diabetes and had heart conditions toward the end of his life. The blindness from malnutrition damaged his sight.

He died in his sleep on Dec. 1, 2012.

Nobody really knows what they went through, his wife said. Frank came back; he did pretty good. But he had nightmares forever.

 Nonpareil archive material was used in this story.
LEWIS  The sign outside the door in big bold red letters that U.S. Sen. Joni Ernsts visit Saturday to the Armstrong Research Farm in rural Lewis was not a legislative forum.

Ernsts speech, given to about 60 people for the Wallace Foundations 26th Annual Meeting that morning, covered finding solutions to rural Americas present challenges.

During her presentation, Ernst detailed the committees she is currently on in the Senate and an ongoing battle to deregulate what she considered farm killing rules set forth by the federal government.

Specifically, Ernst said the Waters of the United States environmental rule, which is now being rescinded by through executive action by President Donald Trump, was burdensome and hamstrings Iowans.

The rule, which stemmed from two Supreme Court decisions during President Barack Obamas administration, clarified the scope of federal jurisdiction regarding waterways and bodies regulations.

Everyone has banded together to say enough is enough, Ernst said. We want to protect the environment but want to make things easier for farmers as well.

Ernst added the rule was a prime example of the federal government and bureaucracy overshadowing the needs of the people.

Other points Ernst made was growth in renewable energy, which Iowa has embraced over the years with a marked increase in wind and solar energy production.

A strong focus in Ernsts speech regarded the lack of skilled labor in Iowa, specifically in rural areas. Ernst cited the absence of shop classes in modern high schools has led to a drain on technical knowledge. Many southwest Iowa high schools, however, do offer vocational training classes.

Education is critical. Our kids are not learning hands-on, practical skills, she said. If we want southwest Iowa to survive, we need to grow those jobs.

After her speech, Ernst did not take any questions from those in attendance but did meet with reporters for a joint interview.

When asked about recent efforts to repeal and possibly replace the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare, Ernst said the promise recently elected officials made of undoing the health care act must be kept.

Families with higher premiums or the care is so expensive, they choose not to be seen by a provider, she said. Being covered is one thing, but having a usable policy is another.

Premiums have gone up about 25 percent across the country, most notably in Arizona with an average of 115 percent. Most who get insurance on the exchange receive federal aid.

According to a 2016 study by the Urban Institute, policies sold on the exchange totaled approximately 10 percent less than the typical employer-provided plan.

Regarding Trumps recent budget proposal, which includes a marked increase of $54 billion on defense spending, Ernst said it was up to Congress to approve that, but she agreed with some of Trumps ideas.

I believe he has a good handle on the agencies, and the bump up for the Department of Defense is a step in the right direction, she said.

The U.S. currently spends around $600 billion on defense annually, more than the seven next largest nations combined. Several organizations, including the Environmental Protection Agency and other domestic departments, face dramatic cuts.

Ernst was continuing on her next stop in her 99 county tour of Iowa for 2017. She plans to hold town hall meetings soon in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines.

 The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Four area school districts received what was left of former Farraguts Community School Districts funds.

Dr. Lane Plugge, Green Hills Area Education Agency administrator, said the funds were handed out to the districts of Shenandoah, Sidney, Hamburg and Fremont-Mills following the official closure of Farraguts books.

Roughly $1,261,190 of that given away came from Farraguts general funds, with an additional $201,000 from categorical funding. Plugge said the general funds were distributed based on land each district gained when Farraguts boundaries were disbursed.

Sixty-five percent of the district was awarded to Shenandoah, which then received $693,964. Sidney received 24 percent of the district and $256,233; Hamburg, 7 percent, $74,734; and Fremont-Mills, 4 percent, $42,705.

Categorical funds were distributed based on the percentage of students each district received following Farraguts dissolution.

Plugge said Shenandoah received 67.7 percent of students, therefore receiving $136,382. The Sidney Community School District picked up 29 percent, resulting in $58,420. Fremont-Mills obtained 2.20 percent or $4,431 and Hamburg, 1.10 percent, $2,215.

Plugge said once all the Farragut bills were paid, the only deficit was in the districts nutritional fund, which had a $52,000 negative balance.

The more than $1 million that remained in Farraguts account surprised Plugge and area superintendents. However, those leftover funds had nothing to do with Farraguts dissolution.

Cash was never the problem at Farragut. Farragut exceeded its spending authority several years in a row, Plugge said. There were also two times the School Budget Review Board excused Farraguts spending authority.

One year, the SBRC forgave $700,000 in spending authority, and then, within the next year, they were in the hole again with spending authority.

Farraguts authorized budget report showed that in FY2012, they were negative $385,302. The following years showed a similar story: FY2013, negative $511,482; FY2014, negative $803,010; FY2015, negative $93,177.

On top of that, Plugge said Farragut officials failed to meet some structural requirements and curriculum requirements.

Youve got cash, and then youve got spending authority. Spending authority is an equity issue so every student in the state can receive the same education, he said.

Plugge explained that at its core, spending authority is designed to create an equitable playing field for the states school districts so they are spending roughly the same amount of money per student, whether its a relatively tiny school in College Springs or a relatively huge school system in Des Moines.

It is a formula based on weighted enrollment, which determines how much money schools can spend on salaries and other operational expenses, many of which are relatively fixed in budgets.

Spending authority in Page and Fremont County has been around $6,591 per student over the past few years.

Sidney Superintendent Gregg Cruickshank said the Sidney district received $243,316.46 in unreserved (no strings attached) revenue and budget authority in the General Fund, and $58,420.69 of revenue and budget authority in the General Fund that is categorical (strings attached) for programs such as English language learners, at-risk and dropout prevention, talented and gifted, 4-year-old preschool program, teacher mentoring, class-size reduction, early literacy, Iowa Core curriculum and professional development.

He added the district received $15,884.04 for the Activity Fund, in which some of that money has restrictions based on the designated activity to which the money is assigned and some is unrestricted.

Cruickshank said how their district will spend the funds will be discussed during the March regular Sidney Board of Education meeting.

It is a welcome boost to the budget; however, how it is used must be thoughtfully considered, since it is a one-time source of additional revenue and authority, Cruickshank said.

Hamburg Superintendent Dr. Mike Wells said the money they received was placed in their general fund to help improve their unspent balance.

Basically, we will save it for a rainy day, said Wells.
Editors Note: The Dodge Connection is an ongoing series of articles tracing the history of Gen. Grenville M. Dodge, one of Council Bluffs most famous residents, as well as the varied connections of Dodge and the Dodge family members to the residents and businesses in the Omaha-Council Bluffs community.

One of the most important events in Council Bluffs history took place in August of 1859. This was when the future president visited the small village, and while here he was introduced to a young surveyor, Grenville M. Dodge.

In 1909, to honor the 50th anniversary of this historic occasion, Lincoln Park was dedicated. To further commemorate this historic occasion, a monument was also planned.

Very shortly after the parks dedication, a proposition to erect a monument to honor President Abraham Lincoln was made public. The proposition, which originated with the Council Bluffs Chapter of the D.A.R., moved one step closer to reality when M.F. Rohrer and Leonard Everett donated land to the city for such a statue. The spot chosen was Lookout Point at the entrance to Lincoln Park.

The proposals possibilities and the likelihood of seeing the proposal to fruition was discussed when the committee gathered in the office of Gen. G.M. Dodge with the D.A.R. represented by Mrs. Thomas Metcalf and Mrs. Charles M. Hart.

It was deemed advisable to organize a separate society to be known as the Lincoln Memorial Association, which was done immediately. Dodge was elected as president; Mayor Thomas Maloney, first vice president; Mrs. Metcalf, second vice president; Mrs. C.M. Hart, secretary; and Theodore Laskowski, treasurer.

Rohrer; Edward P. Schoentgen; Councilman Chris Jensen; Fred E. Cox; City Engineer S.L. Etnyer; A.C. Graham, chairman of the Park Board; Mrs. Drayton Bushnell and Mrs. S. L. Etnyre were appointed to an appropriate committee on the estimate and design by Dodge.

The newly formed association was to be at the call of the president, which was to be issued as soon as the committee on estimates and design was prepared to make its report.

The D.A.R. worked quickly to finish the project to coincide with the 41st reunion of the Army of the Tennessee scheduled to be held in Council Bluffs in 1911. They met their goal, and the Lincoln shaft was dedicated in October 1911.

Gen. Frederick Grant, a son of President U.S. Grant, was present for the dedication and gave his reminisces of two meetings between his father and the great emancipator, Abraham Lincoln, both of which he witnessed.

Dodge spoke on his friendship with Lincoln and when he was first introduced to him. Lincoln happened to have some old friends  W.H. Pusey, Thomas Officer and Mr. Bates  living in Council Bluffs.

I had just returned from my survey of the rail line west of the Missouri River and was camped just north of Council Bluffs near Crescent. Mr. Lincoln heard from one of his old friends of my explorations and surveys and that I was in the city, and, as he was greatly interested in building the great Pacific road, he sought me out. We sat on the porch of the Pacific House and engaged in conversation. He extracted a good deal of information from me, in fact he shelled my woods, Dodge said.

Dodge shared this reflection: While in Council Bluffs, Mr. Pusey, Mr. Bloomer and other citizens brought Mr. Lincoln to this spot, and he stood where we are standing now. It was a clear day, and he viewed the Missouri Valley from Florence to Bellevue and across to Omaha City, which had just been started.

In 1863, when Dodge was in command of the district of Corinth, Tennessee, he was called to the executive mansion to meet with the president to aid him in determining the initial point of the Union Pacific. Dodge and Lincoln had similar views, and on November 17, 1863, the President decreed that the road should start on the western boundary of Iowa.

Council Bluffs owes a huge debt of gratitude to Dodge. If not for his initial meeting with Lincoln and his continued friendship with the president, the southern route for the transcontinental railroad might have been chosen over the northern route.

If that had happened, the city would not have grown as fast and prospered as it did.
OMAHA  A construction project beginning Monday will shut down a section of Interstate 480 in Omaha for about 3 months and reroute traffic into Council Bluffs.

The work on the southbound I-480 ramps to eastbound I-80 and southbound U.S. Highway 75 will start Monday at 10 p.m., the Nebraska Department of Roads said.

Also, the southbound lanes of I-480 will be resurfaced from about Dewey Avenue south to the I-80 interchange. That work will be done each night from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. The lanes will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The ramps are scheduled to reopen and the resurfacing work is to be completed before the College World Series first pitch in mid-June, officials said.

Beginning July 5, the northbound lanes of I-480 will be resurfaced during the overnight hours, officials said, with that work also lasting about 3 months.

Roads officials said southbound traffic on Highway 75 will be detoured east on I-480 just north of Dodge Street into Council Bluffs and onto southbound I-29. Motorists will follow southbound I-29 to westbound I-80 back into Omaha and then take Highway 75 (Kennedy Freeway) south.

The ramp closures are needed for bridge-deck repair work, roads officials said. The work will include a 3-inch asphalt overlay and protective membrane layer, replacement of bridge approaches and remodeling of bridge abutments, officials said.

Cramer and Associates Inc. of Grimes was awarded the contract for the ramp work  $9.8 million. The resurfacing project contract  $5.9 million  went to Omni Engineering of Omaha.
Partisan politics derailed a variety of water-quality ideas last year, leaving Iowas waterways to degrade another year.

But there appears to be a light at the of the tunnel, as the Iowa Legislature has made progress on two similar bills  House Study Bill 135 and Senate Study Bill 1034  that have cleared early hurdles in Des Moines.

Take HSB 135, for example, proposed by Rep. Chip Baltimore, R-Boone.

The measure attempts to raise funds for water-quality initiatives by diverting $232 million over 13 years from the states infrastructure fund to a conservation program under the Iowa Department of Agriculture and creating a revolving loan fund that incentivizes public and private entities teaming up to improve water quality.

Rather than allow the divide between Republicans and Democrats or urban and rural Iowans to derail this critical topic, the Legislature appears to have found a way to work together.

The House Agriculture Committee advanced Baltimores bill by an 18-5 vote, notable in that some Republicans and Democrats voted for it, while a few members of both parties voted against it.

We spend a lot of time, especially in water quality, pointing the finger at each other: Whos to blame? Whose problem it is? Whos going to pay for it? Baltimore told the Cedar Rapids Gazette. Its time that we start to change that conversation to say that water is important to all of us. We need to work together to make sure that we identify what our problems are, come up with solutions and work together.

Obviously, bipartisanship hasnt always been a calling card for this session. Republican majorities in both the House and Senate forced through controversial collective bargaining reform without a single Democratic vote after using an arcane rule to end debate on the topic.

But were encouraged to see the two parties working together in pursuit of a solution to conserve and protect Iowas water, one of the vital natural resources necessary for the states future success.

Environmental activists and some lawmakers argued during testimony before a committee that the bill didnt go far enough to clean up Iowas waterways or hold polluters accountable.

That may be end up being the case, but, regardless, theres a positive to be taken from these developments. The Iowa Legislature appears poised  finally  to do something to address and reverse the ever-worsening condition of the states rivers, streams and lakes.

We endorse this endeavor because the alternative  doing nothing, a course of action lawmakers had perfected on water-quality initiatives in recent years  has done nothing but make the situation worse.
The timing is perfect for St. Patricks Day, as Mallorys Gastro Pub and Cafe hosts its grand opening on March 17.

Mallorys is located at 402 and 404 N. Dewey St. Owner Nickolas Seevers has always had an interest in restaurants and is looking to bring his vision to North Platte.

We are a trifecta restaurant, Seevers said. Weve got a coffee shop, sandwich shop and Irish bar and pub all in one building, with an Irish-inspired menu with a twist of different flavors.

Seevers said he saw a need for a pub with an Irish name and theme.

Mallorys is named after my little sister, Seevers said. We saw a need for an Irish pub in North Platte. There wasnt one in a predominantly Catholic town.

Originally from Montrose, Colorado, Seevers said he wanted to capture the essence of being somewhere else.

We wanted a place where you walk in, you dont feel like youre in North Platte anymore, Seevers said. You feel like youre someplace else, downtown Lincoln or downtown Denver.

The core of the menu is the homemade food.

Weve got a phenomenal chef, Steph Hopson, who has created the entire menu from a scratch basis, Seevers said. We have 21 signature sauces, all homemade.

The coffee is single-origin and has a bit of a bite with a slightly acidic taste, Seevers said.

The restaurant had a soft opening on Feb. 22, and the pub will open sometime next week.

Were still training and perfecting our menu, Seevers said. Weve got an online menu and ordering system thats coming out soon, and we offer delivery to the entire city, as well as catering.

The pub will offer something unique as well.

Well have Guinness on draft, the only place in town that actually has Guinness on draft, Seevers said. Thats kind of a big deal for us.

At 27, Seevers is young but has a long history in the restaurant business.

Restaurant is my passion, my lifeblood, Seevers said. I worked for Chuck Lalanne, I was a partner out at the Lakehouse and have been in the restaurant business for quite a few years now.

The cafe side of Mallorys is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the menu includes frittatas and breakfast burritos. For lunch there are hot and cold platters, pizza and classic sandwiches such as the BLAT, the Muffuletta, the Cubanini and the Brat Banger.

To order for delivery, call 308-221-6000.

This story has been corrected to reflect that Mallory's will have its grand opening on March 17.
A group of North Plattes Kiwanis Club members gathered around the large, stand-alone griddle in the First United Methodist Church kitchen, pouring pancakes in Mickey Mouse shapes.

But though they laughed, they also hurried because 8 to 9 a.m. is the busiest hour at the Kiwanis annual pancake feed, a North Platte staple since 1952.

The members expected about 850 ticketholders to attend the pancake feed. All funds raised go into the Kiwanis general fund, helping sponsor projects like playgrounds, local arts and youth activities.

Throughout the feed, volunteers also circled the tables in the churchs gym offering coffee, juice and more pancakes. About 30 volunteers came from each of the Kiwanis Clubs two groups, said Tim Hall, event co-chair. Members of high school Key Club chapters  the high school sister club to Kiwanis  also came to volunteer.
Scouts Rest Ranch becomes Deadwood for a murder mystery

The barn at Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park filled with 60-65 people Saturday night, all trying to learn who murdered Mitch Maverick.

The barn stood as a mock Deadwood, South Dakota saloon, and the murder mystery was created for a Habitat For Humanity fundraiser. Many guests in the mock Deadwood Saloon wore 19th-century regalia, many of which rented and at least one purchased for the occasion. At the door, guests learned their characters name and role, and after a chuck wagon dinner, spent the evening chatting, asking and listening to try and solve the murder. They each received $500 of fake money, which could be used for actions such as bribing and blackmailing, said Ali Abler, who helped organize the event. A bar with old-fashioned soda and a cash register from the time period was also set up, as piano played in the background.

Maverick had traveled to Deadwood from the east for the tournament and won, Sheriffs Marshal Danton  portrayed by Bill Wonch  told the crowd about two hours into the event. Shortly after winning, the lights went out and Maverick was shot dead.

Many guests heckled, hooped and hollered as the marshal revealed his investigation. Among evidence that Danton collected was a revolver, a list that revealed Maverick may have cheated in the tournament and papers indicating the saloons owner was going broke. Guests, who stayed in character through the event, wrote who done it on pieces of paper before the murderer was revealed at its end at 9:30.

Ceceila Lunesford had always wanted to put on a murder mystery, but learned how much it takes to host and dropped it, she said. When her husband Jon learned of Saturdays event, she researched the story and characters, and even purchased a dress for the event.

This is very out of our comfort zone, Jon said with a laugh. The couple said they had so much fun, they hope to participate in similar future events.

In the end, guests learned that Mavericks murderer was Montgomery Money, the saloon owner who was going broke, portrayed by Spencer Parmelee. The event raised more than $2,000 for Habitat for Humanity.
Former Secretary of Agriculture always had to be busy working, his wife said

OMAHA  Clayton Yeutter treated everyone he met with the same level of respect  be it the head of state or the barista at Starbucks.

He was warm and always genuine, said Cristena Bach Yeutter, his wife of 21 years.

Yeutter died at his home in Potomac, Maryland, on Saturday after a four-year battle with colon cancer. He was 86.

The Eustis, Nebraska, native served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under President George H.W. Bush beginning in 1989. Prior to that, he served as U.S. trade representative under President Reagan, leading negotiations of what was then the U.S. Canada Free Trade Agreement, which later became NAFTA. By 1991, he became chairman of the Republican National Committee, though a year later he was back with Bush as a counselor to the president.

Even in the last few years, as he endured surgery and round after round of chemotherapy, Yeutter continued to be active in promoting agriculture, global trade and the sustainable use of water.

In June 2015, Yeutter and another former Ag Secretary, Dan Glickman, co-wrote a commentary in The World-Herald that said the U.S. can solve the water challenges facing agriculture through research.

In recent years, he served as a senior adviser at the international law firm Hogan Lovells in Washington, D.C., a position he retired from in December 2015.

He always had to be working, needed to stay busy, Cristena said. If he didnt, I think it would have driven us both crazy.

Yeutter had been bed-ridden since Monday. This summer, during an especially tough round of chemo, hed started writing his own obituary. In it, he wrote: Clayton Yeutter moved as seamlessly among high level positions in both the public and private sectors as has anyone in the U.S. in the post-World War II period. He did so while maintaining the respect and cooperation of friend and political foe alike.

Cristena said though he was always generous, her late husband was proud of his accomplishments and wanted to be remembered as a public servant.

As word of his death spread Saturday, many offered condolences that said Yeutter was just that.

Gov. Pete Ricketts tweeted: Clayton Yeutter was a fierce advocate for Nebraska ag producers.

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., issued a statement: Whether it was in Lincoln, Washington, or halfway around the world, Clayton was a Nebraska statesman through and through. His humility, integrity, and dedication to public service made our state proud.

Another tweet, from Ronnie Green, chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said: America and Nebraska lost a giant last night, and I lost a dear friend and mentor. Rest in peace Clayton P. Yeutter. Exceptionally lived.

In March 2015, Yeutter made a $2.5 million gift to his alma mater, UNL, to establish a new international trade and finance institute.

There is more need today for prepared college graduates than ever before, as trade is a prime mover in the U.S. economy, he said at the time.

A long-time friend, former Rep. Doug Bereuter, R-Neb., said Yeutter absolutely excelled in everything he did.

Yeutter graduated No. 1 in his College of Agriculture class in 1952 and later served as a faculty member teaching ag economics. He enlisted in the Air Force during the Korean War, but later enrolled in the NU law school, graduating No. 1 in his class in 1963.

His career in government began as chief of staff for then-Gov. Norbert Tiemann. Yeutter was one of a group of young, ambitious staff members known as the whiz kids, a group that included Bereuter, Bob Barnett, who founded his own law firm in Washington, D.C., and Jim Hewitt, who became a prominent attorney and historian in Lincoln.

Yeutters career also included a stint as president and CEO of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Bereuter said Yeutter was a man with absolute integrity, someone who was committed to his country and well-respected for it.

He was a remarkable person, Bereuter said Saturday. Everyone who knew him will miss him greatly.

Another long-time friend of Yeutters, Lincoln businessman Duane Acklie, told The World-Herald in an interview before Acklie died in September 2016, that Yeutter never left the farm. In their weekly phone conversations, the two UNL alums talk would always turn to issues like crop prices and land values.

When he was getting his doctorate (in ag economics), he was still farming in Eustis, Acklie said. Hed go to the university all week, and leave on Friday night, work on the farm, and then drive back on Sunday night.

Cristena said though he loved the farm, her late husbands passion was trade. In his last few years, he worried that the national attitude toward trade had turned negative.

As he aged, Cristena said she watched Yeutter become more patient, especially after the couple adopted their three girls. He and Cristena married in 1995 and adopted three children. He had four children during a 40-year marriage with his first wife, Jeanne, who died in 1993.

The second time around, he really learned how hard raising a family can be, Cristena said. I think he found a new appreciation for being a father.

As the girls grew up, he took time to play with them, even sitting for tea parties with a pink feather boa wrapped around his neck and clip-on earrings dangling from his ears.

He was messy, too, Cristena said  always out puttering in the yard only to come in looking as if hed rolled in dirt. That was a joke in their house  when the chemo rarely left him nauseous, Cristena used to say his strong stomach came from all the dirt he ingested as a farm kid.

He always kept his sense of humor, Cristena said, even on the days when the cancer treatments took his strength.

He was a fighter and his smile was always there, she said.

Doctors told him four years ago that hed live maybe half a year to a year with his prognosis. At that time, he typed out an email to a long list of friends, telling them hed be gone within the year.

He didnt tell Cristena he was going to send it. She wouldnt have let him.

I knew hed end up outliving several people on that list, she said. I knew hed keep fighting.

Yeutter is also survived by his children Brad of Lincoln, Gregg of Omaha, Kim Bottimore of Vienna, Virginia, Van of Chevy Chase, Maryland, and Victoria, Elena and Olivia, all of Potomac, as well as nine grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on April 8 at The Fourth Presbyterian Church, 5500 River Road, Bethesda, Maryland. A reception will immediately follow in the Upper Room of the church. Private burial will be at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.

Contributions may be directed to the University of Nebraska Foundation for the support of the Clayton Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance.
Ivy Tech Community College campuses in Northwest Indiana have been working with high schools and career centers in the region to apply their Early College model to career-focused educational pathways. This approach is a win-win for students: they learn skills valued by employers in our labor market, while also earning industry certifications and college credits that put them on a fast track to college completion.

A great example of this is Merrillville Career Consortiums partnership with Ivy Tech in their Culinary Arts program. Students have the opportunity to work toward a one-year degree that is also a head start on a two- or four-year degree for students who wish to pursue it. The program started with 36 students last year and more than 40 students have signed up already for the next enrollment period. Students enroll in classes including basic food theory, sanitation, baking, preparing soups and sauces, customer service and first aid. An immediate win for students is the opportunity to obtain technical certificates in culinary arts and ServSafe, the latter a nationally recognized credential in food handling. Such credentials and certificates are prized by employers, so students with the right education and credentials are immediately more competitive in the job market.

Students in the program are passionate about their chosen field and the opportunities it presents. Im pursuing Culinary Arts because Ive never seen anyone upset while eating food! Diana Banks said. Fellow student Jacqueline Garza likes to quote American chef Thomas Keller, who said A recipe has no soul; you as a cook must bring soul to a recipe. Banks and Garza are second-year students who are making plans for further education in culinary arts following high school.

The Merrillville program has caught the attention of Speros Batistatos, president and CEO of the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority.

I support career-focused education, especially programs that support our regions restaurant and hospitality industry, he said. We need well-trained workers to deliver a first-class customer experience for our residents and visitors, and in the production of goods for the global marketplace.

Patti Tubbs, culinary arts educator at Merrillville High School, is also excited about the program and the students, noting how much she enjoyed the cooking classes she took in high school. But Tubbs noted that things have changed in a positive way since then.

Now students have the opportunity to learn not only how to cook, but also how to apply these skills to careers in the hospitality industry, including nutrition, food science, hospitality management and marketing, Tubbs said. With Merrillville schools working together with Ivy Tech, students can see a real purpose for the classes. The courses are no longer just an elective, but an introduction to a career, added Tubbs.

Often the greatest challenge facing educators is getting people to understand what Early College can do to benefit students, parents and our regions employers. Early College means earning cost-free college credit while acquiring valuable skills for a career in Northwest Indiana. This is a winning formula for all involved.
Northwest Indiana smoke shop owners fear a $1 per pack tax hike that passed the Indiana House of Representatives will snuff out a lot of the business they get from Illinois, and potentially put some of them out of business.

Smoke shops are clustered along the state line in Hammond, Whiting, Munster and Dyer to take advantage of Indiana's lower cigarette taxes, which lure many Illinois smokers across the border for cigarette runs. A carton of Marlboro Reds is about $60 in Northwest Indiana as compared to $120 or $130 in Chicago, where more than $6 in taxes are slapped on every pack.

Mo Ghazneh, who works at Cheap Tobacco On Ridge 2, in Munster, is concerned that half the store's business could disappear. Indiana's cigarette tax rate will end up being a few cents higher than Illinois's cigarette tax, and Will County just south of Chicago doesn't have the extra state and local taxes smokers pay in Chicago.

Ghazneh estimates cartons potentially could end up being $5 to $10 cheaper in Will County, both because of the Indiana tax increase and because Indiana has a state-set minimum price on cigarettes whereas Illinois does not.

"We're literally directly on the border," he said. "People come to Indiana for gas and cigarettes. If you raise cigarette taxes and gas taxes, it's going to be a ghost town. It's going to be a ghost state."

High cost of smoking

The increased cigarette tax still would have to pass the Indiana Senate and be signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb to become law. But it has political momentum because it is part of a road-funding bill that is a priority for Republicans in the legislature they dominate.

As part of that bill, the Indiana House also approved a 10 cent per gallon gasoline hike, in addition to an extra $15 in registration fees and a $150 fee per year for electric vehicles. The plan is to raise $1.2 billion a year to improve the state's roads and bridges. Indiana's gas taxes would end up being about 10 cents per gallon higher than Illinois' state gas taxes, but would still be at least 40 cents cheaper per gallon than in Cook County after all the local taxes are factored in.

House Bill 1001, co-sponsored by State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, also adds $1 to the state's existing $0.99 cigarette tax to cover health care costs related to tobacco use. That move would free up funds for road construction that currently are spent on maladies related to smoking.

And those costs are steep, estimated by the American Lung Association to be $15.90 in health care expenditures for every pack of cigarettes sold in Indiana.

Indiana estimates smoking costs the state $3 billion a year in medical expenses, including $589.8 million covered by Medicaid. The habit kills 11,100 Hoosiers each year, according to the Indiana Tobacco Quitline, but about 22.9 percent of adults in Indiana and 15.1 percent nationally still smoke.

Cheap cigarettes, cheap gas

Customers at Sam's Smoke Shop, in Whiting, have been complaining a lot about the threatened $1 per pack tax hike, according to Karen Garza, who works behind the counter there.

"It's a big jump," she said. "This is Indiana, not Illinois. Everything keeps going up except the wages."

Garza still thinks customers will come even if they have to pay nearly $8 a pack for Newports or about $7 a pack for name brands like Camel. Many come from Illinois to get cigarettes, gasoline and groceries, since Indiana does not tax most grocery items.

"People say they'll quit when it goes up, but they always come back," she said.

Indiana smoke shops along the Indiana/Illinois state line make up a significant chunk of the retail space on commercial corridors like Calumet Avenue. Muayad Hamad, who works at Oasis Smoke Shop in Hammond, estimates there are at least a dozen smoke shops within a mile.

"It's going to affect us big time." he said. "We're right on the state line. From what they're saying, Will County will be cheaper, so a lot of business will stay there. This is our business. This is our life. People live off of this.'

Illinois customers who live within walking distance will continue to come, but those with cars will likely head to Will County to stock up on cartons, Hamad said.

"People come here for the cheap cigarettes and the cheap gas," he said. "Once the gas and cigarette taxes go up, we're not going to see those guys."

Luke Oil CEO Tom Collins Jr. said his Hobart-based gas station chain supported efforts to increase road funding, but expected that gas stations along the border could see a 60 percent decline in their business after losing "many Illinois customers that will find other, cheaper options for their fuel purchases."

Regressive tax?

Demand for cigarettes  which are highly addictive  is steady even when the price goes up, Micah Pollak, Indiana University assistant professor of economics said. Academic research suggests an increase from $6 a pack to $7 a pack would cause overall cigarette sales to fall by about 6 percent to 7 percent.

However, other Northwest Indiana businesses could suffer if fewer Illinois residents cross into Northwest Indiana to purchase cigarettes, Pollak said. They won't stop to fill up their gas tanks, eat or spend money at other local stores.

But taxes on goods like cigarettes, gasoline and gambling tend to be politically popular, even though they're "extremely regressive," adversely affecting the poor more than the wealthy, Pollak said.

"If the typical smoker smokes a pack a day, then this tax increase will cost the typical smoker around $350 more per year," he said. "This amount represents a significantly larger portion of the budget for a low income household than a high income household, and as a result places a larger financial burden on poor households. There is also some evidence that smoking is more prevalent among lower income households, which would amplify this effect."

More smokers vaping

Cigarette prices have gone up so much over the years that generics, which now cost $4.68 a pack, are the second top-selling brand after Newport at Smoke City in Hobart, manager Becky Griesse said. Customers object every time there's a price hike, and the store is barely eking out any profit from cigarettes, making most of its money from higher-margin items like hookah and smoking accessories.

"Everybody hates it," she said of the tax hike.

Nearly 30 percent to 40 percent of smokers who shop there have switched over to vaping because it's so much cheaper, Griesse said. The vaping e-liquid equivalent of 120 packs of cigarettes sells at Smoke City for $50. The same amount of name-brand cigarettes would cost about $360.

She believes as many as 70 percent to 80 percent of Smoke City's customers eventually could switch over to vaping to save money.

"But it's only a matter of time before they tax that (as much), too," she said.
Golden Times would like to say thanks to Debbie and her assistants at the Towne Center in Merrillville. On Feb. 21, they set up a lovely room for us to have our cruise presentation for members who will be joining our Royal Caribbean cruise in September.

Joellen (Travel Hut) and Katie (RCCL Rep) did a wonderful job answering questions for 60 guests who were in attendance. If you are interested in joining us on the cruise, please call Fritzie at 219-322 or Pat W. at 219-838-0032 for more information.

Our trips for this year are going quite well and our membership has increased to 584 at this time. We hope our members will join us on other activities that are planned. Thanks for being a part of our Golden Times Seniors.

Upcoming Events

 Tuesday, March 7/14/21: Pinochle at the Highland Elks on 45th Street, Highland. Cost is $10 for 3 sessions. Doors open at 11 a.m. Call Yvonne at 219-808-1517 or Doc at 708-474-7435.

 Thursday, April 13: General Meeting at Towne Center, 7250 Arthur Boulevard, Merrillville. Meeting is at 1 p.m. Call Pat Holman at 219-865-2745 or Doc at 708-474-7435 to let them know you will be attending.

 Sunday, April 23-29: Diamond Tours to Lancaster, Pennsylvania and the Dutch Country, $635 per person, double occupancy. Call Fritzie at 219-322-8042. There is still room on this trip.

 Tuesday, May 9: "My Fair Lady" at the Civic Opera House. There are a few spaces left on the second bus. Cost is $69 per person. Lunch is on your own. Call Barb at 219-844-1090.

 Thursday, May 11: "Cabaret at Theatre at the Center in Munster. Cost is $32 per person. Show is at 2 p.m. Call Judy at 219-365. Purchase tickets by April 20. Last day for checks is April 14.

 Tuesday, June 13: Shipshewana trip, $30 per person. Call Pat at 219-838-0032.

 Final Payment for Bettendorf, Iowa gambling trip is due before April 1. Call Barb at 219-844-1090.

In order to become a member of Golden Times, please contact Pat Perry, 9204 West 190th St., Lowell, IN 46356 or call her at 219-696-7078. Membership dues for 2017 are $7. Checks are payable to Golden Times. Include name/address/city,state,zip code/home phone/cell phone/date of birth/emergency number (Important in case of emergency on trips).
GARY  Ron Cohen and Jim Lane joined the Indiana University Northwest history faculty in 1970.

Cohen came from the West Coast and Lane from the East Coast.

Neither of them knew anything about the history of Gary or the Calumet Region.

Two others on the staff, Neil Betten and Ray Mohl, were researching the early history of Gary at the time. Their research turned into the book "Steel City: Urban and Ethnic Patterns in Gary, Indiana."

"They started the idea of doing the history of Gary. Fairly quickly we decided we were sitting on a gold mine here and not only Gary," Cohen said.

Lane, hired to teach urban history, decided he wanted to make Gary a part of the course. He also had an interest in labor history, steelworkers and ethnic groups.

The more the two began to delve into Gary and the Region's history, the more impressed they became.

"Here I am in Gary and it had this fascinating history of the Gary school system," said Cohen, who met family members of William Wirt.

"I got this collection of Wirt material and brought it back to the office. Jim started doing the same thing," Cohen said. "We started filling our offices with stuff."

Lane began writing columns for the local newspaper, which turned into his book "City of the Century." He collected oral histories as well and began publication of his series of Steel Shavings, magazines that tell the history of a Region community or time, often told by the people he or his students had interviewed.

"What we wanted to do, both of us, was to discover ways Gary was unique and ways it was symbolic of other cities as well," Lane said.

The two continued to research and collect "stuff," mostly records businesses, schools or churches were ready to discard. For five years their collections were in their classrooms.

Then, they said, IUN announced it was going to build a new library. The two persuaded the university to provide space for their growing collection. The university agreed, and the Calumet Regional Archives was born.

"While were were both focusing on Gary, we chose to call it the Calumet Regional Archives so we could expand throughout Northwest Indiana," Cohen said.

After the library was constructed, the two made a concerted effort to collect items they felt would be valuable for the archives. While there is some competition with local historical societies and historical museums, they persuaded many groups to deposit their historical documents at the archives, including receiving the paper and photographs from the original Gary Historical Society.

They are also the home to the office furnishings of longtime former U.S. Congressman Ray Madden, who served the Region for 34 years.

"We cooperate very closely with local historical societies," said Lane, adding the network of Regional historians are familiar with each other's collections.

Cohen emphasized, that while he would like people to bring their historical "stuff" to the archives where it will be professional preserved, it is most important for Region residents not to throw away something they may believe has historical value.

In 1982, Stephen McShane was hired as the first and only archivist. McShane works to locate historical collections to add to the archives, processes the materials to protect and preserve them and works with the public, which is welcome to come to the archives to see what is available for research.

Materials contained in the archives, which has outgrown its original space and crept into other areas of the library, range from early church records to businesses to family histories from throughout Northwest Indiana, particularly Lake and Porter counties.

A list of materials available for public view is on the archives website at iun.edu/~cra/ and while the materials are available to the public, they cannot be checked out of the facility. Any research must be done at the archives. McShane said because he is the only full-time employee, it is best for someone wanting to do research to call or email him first to set up a time at smcshane@iun.edu or 219-980-6628.
VALPARAISO  Eric Zosso carried the torch as part of Indiana 2016 Bicentennial celebration last year, but he has no idea who nominated him for the honor.

Yet the Air Force reservist from Valparaiso is thankful for the experience, and said the honor of being a torchbearer in Porter County in October 2016 was really cool and kind of humbling.

Zosso and other torchbearers were at the Porter County Museum for a look back at Porter Countys bicentennial celebration Thursday evening.

Megan Telligman, the museums communications and interpretation coordinator, said the event served to put a nice cap on 2016.

Visitors could try on jackets worn by the torchbearers and have their photos taken with a replica torch.

Modeled after the Olympic torch relay, the Indiana torch relay passed through all 92 counties and covered 3,200 miles over five weeks in September and October 2016.

Lorelei Weimer, of Indiana Dunes Tourism, said Porter County has bragging rights for having the youngest torchbearer and for having the most torchbearers of any county in the state  55.

If someone got nominated, we wanted them to be a part of it, said Weimer.

At the event, Don Weber posed with the replica torch while his wife, Mary Ann, took a photo.

The Webers daughters  Elizabeth Weber, of Fishers, Indiana, and Mary Paul, of Floyds Knobs, Indiana  were both torchbearers in the torch relay.

Theyre both runners, said Don Weber, of Hebron. They run where you and I wouldnt drive.

The event also featured a display of artifacts from Indianas 1916 centennial, including a copy of The Vidette-Messenger newspaper announcing the centennial celebration, and a program and photos from the centennial event.

The Porter County Museum owes its existence to the centennial celebration, said Telligman. Porter County residents brought artifacts to display at the library for the 100-year anniversary of the state, yet many never picked up their contributions when the celebration was over.

As a result, the Porter County Museum was born with the items that people left behind, including a melodeon  a type of antique piano  a replica birch bark canoe and commemorative pennants, Telligman said.

Christina Matoski, of Valparaiso, relived her experience as a Porter County torchbearer by trying on a jacket and hefting the torch for a photo.

I was very humbled by being picked, said Matoski. I was tearing up when I saw the torch. My whole family was there to watch me. Who wouldve thought that lil ol me would get to do something like this?
MERRILLVILLE  In his last act as head of the county Democratic party, indicted Lake County Sheriff John Buncich cast a tie-breaking vote Saturday to name James Wieser, a Schererville attorney, as his successor.

Indiana Democratic party rules require the chairmen to cast any tie-breaking votes in the election for chair. The vote was 305-305, according to a 3:38-minute Facebook video posted at 12:33 p.m. Saturday by Lake County Councilman Jamal Washington.

Waves of boos and applause cascaded through the crowded SS Helen and Constantine Church in Merrillville as Buncich announced his vote for Wieser over Lake County Commissioner Mike Repay, D-Hammond, 41. Leading up to his announcement, Buncich was interrupted several times by an agitated crowd that, for the most part, had been there for hours at that point.

"My decision does not have any bearing on liking one person over another," Buncich said, as one person in the crowd can be heard saying 'Come on!'

"I know, I know what you're saying, OK, that this is a decision that has to be made," Buncich continued. "I have the highest respect ... Yes, I do, Yes I do. ... for Jim Wieser and Mike Repay. With that, I'm going to name James Wieser as your chairman."

In the video, Buncich said there's never been a tie for chairman to his knowledge.

Wieser did not respond to a phone call requesting comment Saturday.

Lake County Auditor John Petalas, who ultimately lost his re-bid for secretary to County Councilwoman Christine Cid, D-East Chicago, said in his 39 years as a precinct committeemen, he's never seen any caucuses quite like Saturday.

"Votes have been challenged but never have I seen where one so raucous, so loud. People booing and yelling," Petalas said.

Petalas said Weiser is "going to have his hands full" trying to pull the divided party together, but added he thinks Wieser is up for the job.

Buncich took over the party's reins in 2014 after Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott stepped down, but his leadership role was called into question when a federal grand jury indicted him Nov. 18 on allegations he solicited and received campaign contributions and bribes from towing firms seeking his approval to do business with county police. Buncich is pleading not guilty and awaiting trial.

Wieser, 69, a Schererville attorney, has been a party adviser for decades and serves as counsel for the county election board. Wieser served on the Highland Town Council and Lake County Council more than three decades ago. Repay has served as one of county government's chief executives for four years and ran unsuccessfully for chairman two years ago.

Michelle Fajman, the county's elections director, won the position of vice chairwoman over Gary City Councilwoman Lavetta Sparks Wade. Peggy Katona won out over Tammi Davis for the position of party treasurer.

Lake County GOP

For Lake County Republicans, Dan Dernulc won re-election as his partys chairman on Saturday over Douglas Wright, precinct committeeman from Gary and a former police chief.

Dernulc said the remaining positions went unchallenged. Dana Dumezich won the position of vice chair; Andy Qunell won the treasurer position; and Leann Angerman will serve as secretary.

LaPorte and Porter counties

Jim Kimmel was selected to succeed outgoing LaPorte County Democratic Party chairman John Jones, who served in the position for eight years. Each of the other three elected ran unopposed, he said.

Kimmel said the GOP election sweep in the state and President Donald Trump's landslide victory to the nation's top office in November was "a wake-up call" for Democrats in Northwest Indiana.

"We need to take every election  city, council, state  more serious. We need to find the best candidates for office and then stand behind them in support," Kimmel said.

Carol McDaniel won her re-bid for vice chair; Gail Cains, co-director of the LaPorte County Voter Registration office, was voted to serve as secretary; and Sean Fitzpatrick, of Michigan City, who lost in last years general election when he ran for county coroner, will serve as treasurer for the party.

The Porter County Republicans re-elected Michael Simpson as county chairman and Victoria Gresham as vice chair, according to the organizations website. Krista Tracy, who previously served as the party secretary, will now take on the role as treasurer. Bryan Waisanen was voted in as secretary.

Outgoing LaPorte County Republican Chairman Mike Gonder could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Porter County Democrat Chair Jeff Chidester could not be reached for comment Saturday.
A winner of Gayatri GaMarsh Memorial Awards for Literary Excellence, Sonnet Mondal is an Indian poet, who hails from the City of Joy. Young and ambitious, Sonnet derives inspiration from his surrounding. He is also the Editor-In-Chief of The Enchanting Verses Literary Review, a bi-yearly magazine. In a chat with IBNS correspondent Sudipto Maity, Sonnet discusses poetry and why Dylan's Noble wasn't justified. Excerpts:



Tell us a bit about yourself.

It is indeed tough to speak about myself, as we are not able to see into ourselves until we close our eyes. And when we open our eyes again, we tend to forget whatever we saw about our inner self. Still, if I have to say  I see myself as a person who writes, writes out of curiosity, writes out of hunger, writes out of love and for whom poetry is the best medium of writing when it comes to expressing those thoughts which cannot be depicted through direct and exact sentences.

When did you start writing poetry? When did you decide to pursue it seriously?

I started in 2005 and to be honest I was not so serious about it till 2010.



Do you remember the first poem you wrote? How old were you?

My first poem was My Western Friend. I was 15 then.



Coming to the language, have you always written in English?

Yes. Language is nothing but a cluster of sounds which help us to express ourselves, and I believe, one should articulate in the language in which he feels most comfortable.



Who or what inspired you to take up poetry?

My surroundings and the urge to enjoy the inconclusive.



What's the best piece of advice you have received so far, as far as poetry is concerned?

Not to make it too obvious. Sometimes you have to tell and sometimes you have to show leaving room for thoughts to flourish.



What do you do when you are not writing?

Watch movies, comedy videos, listen music and read.



What is The Enchanting Verses Literary Review about? Talk us through it.

The Enchanting Verses Literary Review is a bi yearly poetry magazine that is a decade old now. Our contributors range from veterans in the field of poetry to youngsters. We have a long list of contributors whose creations and contributions are considered vital to contemporary English poetry. More can be found at www.theenchantingverses.org



Who are the three persons you would love to perform your poetry for/ you would love to have in the audience. (Can be any one, living or dead)

Rabindranath Tagore, William Wordsworth and William Shakespeare.



So the Nobel created a lot of buzz last year. Do you think Dylan's prize was justified?

I should not be someone, to talk about justification because, its responsibility lies with the people who are accountable for this award. But, as far as my point of view is concerned song-lyrics and poetry are two completely different things. And, if Dylans Nobel was intended for poetry, then he is not a good fit compared to many living masters in the field.



For my last question, If not a poet, what would you have become?

Musician more particularly a drummer.
GARY  About 70 people turned out Saturday to meet with Northwest Indiana Democratic lawmakers on key state and local issues  including the states takeover of the Gary school corporations finances and pending legislation that gives police more leverage in dealing with disruptive protesters.

The 12 p.m. town hall meeting at Glen Theater in Gary included state Reps. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, Charlie Brown, D-Gary; Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago, and state Sens. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago, and Eddie Melton, D-Merrillville.

About a dozen audience members spoke at the meeting, including Rachele Rugy-Bernard, a teacher with the Gary schools for 21 years, who asked how the states takeover of the districts finances will impact teacher pay.

Whats going to happen to my paycheck  and believe me, all my colleagues would like to know, too, said Rugy-Bernard, adding that the last time she received a raise was 11 years ago when the teachers went on strike. I make less money now than I did over 10 years ago.

Delayed payrolls are among the many finances issues facing the Gary school corporation, which is operating with an $8.5 million deficit in the current budget year on top of $101 million in debt. The Indiana Senate last month approved a state takeover of the districts finances by appointing an emergency manager to resolve the corporations late vendor payments, its operating deficit and massive debt burden.

Melton said a recent request was made to the state to fund the rest of the school years payroll because the district will just not have the $1.5 million. Melton said much of the districts problems are due to past fiscal mismanagement, he said, but the states mandated tax caps, low tax collection, and the explosion of charter schools have had quite the impact, too.

We understand this is a very difficult time, a very difficult situation, Melton said.

Saturdays town hall event  held at Glen Theater, 20 W. Ridge Road  drew more of an audience than previous years, lawmakers said.

So we're going to pay a lot of money to find out whether something is constitutional or unconstitutional? I mean, it is unconstitutional. People have a right to demonstrate.

Many lawmakers on Saturday often noted the Democratic party are in the minority  both at the state and now the federal level with President Donald Trump's new administration.

"We've got to come together. The power rests in the hands of the people," Smith said.
Gary residents have the dubious distinction of living under the highest property tax rates in the state.

A Times survey of data released by the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance shows Gary's property owners face a tax rate of more than $7.20 per $100 assessed valuation this year.

A review of the rest of the state's 92 counties shows Gary is well above the second-highest rate, which is in the shadow of Notre Dame's Golden Dome, where South Bend property owners are to be taxed at $5.98 per $100 assessed value.

High tax rates normally translate to unwelcome high tax bills.

Griffith Town Councilman Rick Ryfa said he and other town council members worked hard during last year's budget sessions to keep its public spending so low that the town hall's tax rate is dropping nearly 1 percent.

"People need to know that," he said.

However, Ryfa said their good work is masked by county government, Griffith schools, library and other taxing districts whose spending is pushing Griffith's total tax rate up 8 percent over last year.

The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance's tax bill calculator indicates Griffith's rate increase would add $92 to a homestead with an assessed value of $100,000.

The calculator indicates Gary's new tax rate will add about $10 to a homestead with an assessed value of $100,000.

Although Gary's tax rate shot up by more than 23 percent over last year, the average Gary homeowner's tax bill increase is muted by the state's circuit breaker system, which caps homestead taxes at 1 percent of assessed value.

Tax rates = spending divided by assessed value

The state calculates tax rates by dividing the amount of money local government units plan to spend in a given year by the total assessed value of real estate within each county, municipal, school and special taxing district.

The average tax rate of all 118 taxing districts in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties is $2.64 cents per $100 assessed value.

The communities of Michigan City, LaPorte and LaCrosse had the highest tax rates in LaPorte County. Most of the rates in that county are down this year.

Porter County's tax rates are in decline in 27 of its 30 city, town and township taxing districts. Hebron, Valparaiso, Chesterton and Portage had Porter County's highest rates.

Outside of Gary, Lake's other city, town and township taxing districts will have tax rates ranging from $5.40 per $100 assessed value for a small section of Lake Station, to $1.70 per $100 assessed value in unincorporated St. John Township.

Residents of Gary and other high tax rate cities are protected by the state's circuit breaker system, which caps the maximum bill they can receive.

Mike Wieser, director of finance for the Lake County Auditor's office, said, "Sometimes when you speak of tax rates it means absolutely nothing to their tax bills. Gary's bills will be the same as last year, if their assessed value is the same."

Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson said the circuit breaker system "is a good deal for taxpayers but a nightmare for governmental entities. You will find that Gary and its (associated government) units lose much more revenue to the circuit breaker tax caps than any other community in the state."

Wieser said he has yet to calculate the impact the circuit breaker system will have on local government this year, but in 2016 Gary was denied $62.2 million they might have collected in property taxes.

Overall, the circuit breaker system shielded property owners from having to pay $98.7 million in 2016 taxes to all of Lake's county, township and municipal governments.

Wieser and Edward Gholson, chief deputy of the Calumet Township assessor's office, said the 23 percent jump in Gary's property tax rate this year reflects a $100 million drop in the city's assessed value because of a lack of growth in commercial and industrial market value, a drop in the Majestic Star Casino's value and the city taking large numbers of abandoned parcels off the tax rolls.

Tax rates must rise if a community's assessed value falls and local government doesn't reduce spending sharply.

Heather Garay, Hammond chief financial official, said city officials have budgeted to spend less than the amount the state would allow them to collect, but the city's tax rate rose because its assessed value also declined.
VALPARAISO  The city's police department is seeking high school students who represent good citizenship and have an interest in a law enforcement career to participate in its annual Junior Police Academy.

The Junior Police Academy consists of 13 classes, on designated days. High school juniors and seniors currently enrolled in a Porter County high school are eligible.

Students learn about the day-to-day activities of the Valparaiso Police Department. Some of the topics presented include traffic enforcement and traffic crashes; crimes against young people; physical tactics; K-9 and SWAT education and teen drug use.

Space is limited. Applications are available at the Valparaiso Police Department, 355 S Washington St. All completed applications, including a signature from a parent, should be returned to the Valparaiso Police Department. Additional information about the academy can be found on at valparaisopolice.org (Community Relations Division Page) or by contacting Academy Coordinator Chris Allison at 219-462-2135 or by email at callison@valpopd.com. Additional information is also available on Junior Academys Facebook page.

To be eligible for the academy you must be a Porter County high school student. Applications must be returned to the Valparaiso Police Department by Wednesday March 15 at 5 p.m. Applications are also available at Valparaiso High School.
Officials in Gary and East Chicago may soon begin new programs governing towing of vehicles within those communities.

Gary could soon start a pilot program that Councilman Herb Smith Jr., D-at large, hopes will bring more consistency to how towing is handled in the city. Smith said he hopes the City Council can vote on instituting the program later this month.

Smith said he wants to bring the city's towing policies "into the 21st century" and make sure that consistent information is provided to residents.

Smith said he has been hearing from residents about towing problems for years, including a lack of information about the charges associated with the towing of vehicles.

He said he wants a system in which residents who believe their vehicles are towed can go to their computer or smart phone and determine if their vehicle was towed, the location where it was towed and the fees to recover it.

In addition, Smith said he wants to require all towing companies operating in the city to display the fees on signs posted at their business.

He said also wants to make sure the fees being charged fall somewhere in the middle of what is being charged elsewhere in Lake County. Right now, Smiith said there is a wide variance in the fees.

Smith said under the pilot program, a management firm would be hired to direct the program and establish the website that residents can visit if their vehicle is towed.

If the pilot program is successful, Smith said officials would then go out for bid for a management company to run the program on a long-term basis.

East Chicago looks to address parking on city lots

In East Chicago, towing company representatives were called to a meeting last week to discuss a policy designed to try to address illegal parking at lots cleared by the city. The meeting followed a pilot program in which a towing company installed signs and patrolled the lots.

At the meeting, East Chicago Chief of Staff Emiliano Perez said officials were seeking guidance on the best way to deal with the illegal parking at these lots

Perez said the city owns hundreds of empty lots in East Chicago, many created after derelict buildings were knocked down in the past few years. Once the buildings are removed, Perez said the lots are landscaped and regularly cut by the city.

The problem is that a number of people are using these lots to park as well as perform car repairs, which can create environmental problems and other issues, he said. Along Michigan Avenue, Perez said, there also have been problems with tractor-trailers parking on the empty lots.

Initially, Perez said city officials were considering breaking the city up into zones when it came to towing vehicles from the empty lots. The five companies that do work for the city could then rotate among the zones on a regular basis.

Perez said Thursday, however, that it may be better to just include towing at these lots in with the regular towing policy where each company covers the entire city on a rotating basis.

He said at least one more meeting will be held with the towing companies before a final policy is drafted. Another decision to be made is the amount people parking illegally at the lots will be charged. Perez said officials are considering charging people parking illegally at these lots more than what is charged for a regular tow.

Perez said the city will probably be posting warning signs at each of the lots containing fee information. The signs also may contain an identifying mark tied to the lot location. The identifying mark would let dispatchers know exactly where the illegally parked vehicle is located as well as where people owning the vehicle can find it after it is towed, Perez said.

He said the pilot program revealed the mere posting of a sign itself deterred people from parking at the lots. Perez said no final decision has been made when it comes to the policy, but he expects it to be ready within about 30 days.
VALPARAISO  After four years of planning and some setbacks, the Aurora View project will move forward.

Porter-Starke Services and Housing Opportunities recently received $635,000 in funding and $497,342 in rental housing tax credits from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority.

"This is a step in the right direction to provide affordable housing in our community," said Rocco Schiralli, president and CEO of Porter-Starke Services.

The $6 million project will include renovating 15 units already owned by Porter-Starke on Valparaiso Street and the new construction of eight townhomes on Vale Park Road just east of the five-points roundabout. The 15 units have served chronically mentally ill residents for the last 15 years. The townhomes will serve as permanent housing for previously homeless families.

Missing from the project was 31 units in two buildings initially to be constructed between Valparaiso Street and Valley Drive. That portion of the project was killed in October when the Valparaiso City Council rejected rezoning the 3.7 acres. The units would have served low-income and homeless residents.

Caroline Shook, executive director of Housing Opportunities, said the construction of the townhomes will bring some relief to the county's need for affordable housing. The agency operates 30 units in Portage and 20 units in Michigan City. Shook said there is still a need for 215 permanent supportive housing units in Porter County.

The units will be available for rent to families who have been homeless. At least one adult in the household must have a chronic disability.

"When they get in, they will never have to move again," Shook said, adding they will pay rent based on their income.

Shook said the Aurora View project has been four years in the making.

"Porter-Starke and Housing Opportunities got together because we share many of the same clients. We started exploring options. We just got together, realized we needed more house and asked ourselves what are we going to do about it," Shook saud.

Schiralli said the renovations for the 15 existing units will not only be for updating and aesthetics, but also to make them more energy-efficient.

Schiralli and Shook said the grant program was extremely competitive, with only 16 of the 60 agencies applying receiving funding. The tax incentive is Section 42 tax credits offered through the Internal Revenue Service. The credits are usually purchased by large companies and used over a 10-year time period.

Construction on the project should begin in spring 2018.
VALPARAISO  Valparaiso University will host the 2017 Jazz Fest April 38 with performances by talented artists, including local performers as well as CALJE (The Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble) and the Victor Wooten Trio featuring Dennis Chambers and Bob Franceschini.

Featured Jazz Fest Events:

Local high school bands and the Valparaiso University student jazz combo  6 p.m. April 3, Harre Union Ballrooms. Admission is free.

Valparaiso University Jazz Ensemble and Ballroom Dancers, featuring vocalist Maura Janton Cock  7:30 p.m. April 4, Harre Union Ballroom. Sponsored by the Valparaiso University music department and the Valparaiso Concert Association. An evening of classic jazz standards from the '40s, '50s, and beyond. Tickets cost $15 for the general public; $10 for seniors and non-Valpo students; and are free to Valpo students, faculty, staff and card-carrying members of the Valparaiso Concert Association.

Local high school bands with special guest performance by the Valparaiso University Faculty Jazz Trio  6 p.m. April 5, Harre Union Ballroom. Admission is free.

Valparaiso University Jazz Ensemble featuring special guest Mark Colby, tenor saxophone  7:30 p.m. April 6, Harre Union Ballroom. Directed by Jeffrey C. Brown. Tickets cost $10 for the general public; $8 for seniors and Valpo retirees and alumni; and are free to Valpo students, faculty and staff.

Victor Wooten Trio featuring Dennis Chambers and Bob Franceschini  8 p.m. April 7, Harre Union Ballroom C. Tickets cost $25 for the general public; $20 for seniors and Valpo retirees, alumni, faculty and staff; and $10 for Valpo students.

CALJE (The Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble) featuring Papo Santiago, vocals  8 p.m. April 8, Harre Union Ballroom. Tickets cost $25 for the general public; $20 for seniors and Valpo retirees, alumni, faculty and staff; and $10 for Valpo students.

Tickets are available at valpo.edu/union or by visiting the Harre Union Welcome Desk. Online tickets are available now and in person beginning Tuesday.
Hoosiers are all-too familiar with the figurative sound of clinking as legislators annually kick the can of long-term infrastructure funding down our pothole-ridden state highways.

The Indiana House recently made an effort to stop the futile game by passing a long-term revenue plan for improving and maintaining our vital state road infrastructure.

Now it's in the hands of the Indiana Senate, and they would do well to remember the bumpy road traveled to get this far and the cost of not completing the journey.

In particular, Indiana Senate President David Long said last week that the House-approved gas tax and other hikes to pay for highway infrastructure likely will face a bumpier road in the Senate.

Long acknowledged he agrees the state must raise about $1 billion annually to meet the needs of long-term highway and road bridge funding.

But he said the Senate is not yet committed to House Bill 1002's plan, sponsored by Valparaiso Republican Rep. Ed Soliday, to raise fuel taxes by 10 cents per gallon, pave the way for possible tolling on interstate highways and shift all gasoline sales tax revenue to roads.

"How we pay for this is still very fluid," Long said. "We really haven't had much of a chance to weigh in on the actual specifics."

Long also said he's skeptical of a bill that would hike the cigarette tax by $1 per pack to cover $300 million in revenue that would be shifted from the gas tax to roads.

While state senators can and should consider any ways of improving the road funding plan, they should take care not to allow long-term road funding to stall into yet another year of inaction.

The Indiana Legislature has taken far too many detours in recent years when it had an opportunity to adopt comprehensive funding.

The Indiana Senate has the ability  and responsibility  to change that this legislative session.
MUNSTER  The Community Civility Counts campaign that launched in the spring of 2015 as a joint partnership between the Gary Chamber of Commerce and The Times Media Co. continues to earn recognition.

Editor & Publisher, a magazine and website that covers the North American newspaper industry, recently named The Times of Northwest Indiana one of the 10 Newspapers That Do It Right for 2017. E&P spotlighted the growth of the civility initiative that has included the development of a logo, a hashtag #CivilityCounts, a Facebook page, a civility pledge on The Times opinion page and essay and drawing contests for children.

In recent months, The Times Media Co. has also won the Associated Press Media Editors Innovator of the Year Award and a Lee Enterprises Presidents Award for the Community Civility Counts initiative.

In the E&P article about The Times, the writers specifically cited 2016 as beginning with a high point for the initiative when the Indiana Senate unanimously approved a resolution commending the group for delivering an awareness campaign to remind everyone about the need for civility and treating each other right. That resolution was authored by Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago, and supported by all 50 Senate members from both political parties.

The following week, the Indiana House of Representatives approved the same resolution authored by Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary.

Bob Heisse, editor of The Times Media Co., said in the E&P article that the legislative support, including a standing ovation in the Indiana Senate, was a big boost for us and directly led to the first World Civility Day held in April of 2016.

Held at the Majestic Star Casino ballroom in Gary last spring, the first World Civility Day drew a sell-out crowd of 300 people from Indiana, nine other states and three countries to hear the keynote address by Dr. Clyde Rivers, World Peace ambassador, special representative from Interfaith Peace-Building Initiative to the United Nations, and Ambassador at Large from Burundi, Africa.

The only problem we had last year was that we couldnt have younger people there because it was at a casino, Heisse said in the E&P article. This year, we decided to get away from the casino and expand World Civility Day into something that has workshops, takeaways and an evening event.

The second World Civility Day begins at 8:30 a.m. April 13 at the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond and features eight workshops ranging from civility in the workplace and in politics to cyber bullying in the classroom. Rivers returns to talk about World Civility Day Ambassadorship beginning at 8:45 a.m.

That evening Community Civility Counts awards program will be held at Avalon Manor in Merrillville.

Click here for special hotel rates.

In recognizing The Times Media Co. for the Community Civility Counts partnership, E&P also cited the Civility in the Classroom component that began as a pilot program last spring at Lighthouse College Prep Academy in Gary. Summer Moore, Times digital and audience engagement editor, worked with a team of teachers to build on the pilot program that this year has been expanded to a year-long, curriculum-based program at both Lighthouse and Steel City Academy in Gary.

Moore and teachers involved in Civility in the Classroom program at the two Gary charter schools will present one of the workshops at the second World Civility Day.

Other newspapers recognized by E&P this year included the Albany (N.Y) Times Union; the Albuquerque (N.M) Journal; the Ledger-Enquirer from Columbus, GA; the Oklahoman of Oklahoma City; the Petosky (Mich.) News-Review; the Quad-City Times of Davenport, Iowa; the Rockford (Ill.) Register Star; the San Antonio (TX) Express-News and Straits Times from Singapore.
Srinagar, Mar 5 (IBNS): An encounter is underway between suspected militants and security forces in Tral of south Kashmiras Pulwama district, police said.

After receiving inputs about the presence of some militants the army and SOG of Jammu and Kashmir Police laid a siege in Hafoo Nazneenpora village Saturday evening.

As soon as they approached the suspected house, the militants hiding inside opened heavy fire, said the official.

The forces returned the fire, triggering an encounter.

Earlier forces called off operation in Shopian town after militants managed to escape from the encounter site.

(Reporting by Saleem Qadri)
The Trump administration has put states like California on notice: Even though voters across the country have legalized recreational marijuana, federal law still reigns supreme.

Im definitely not a fan of expanded use of marijuana, new Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently said. States, they can pass the laws they choose. I would just say it does remain a violation of federal law to distribute marijuana throughout any place in the United States, whether a state legalizes it or not.

Sessions remarks come on the heels of White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer telling reporters, I do believe you will see greater enforcement of federal marijuana laws. When you see something like the opioid addiction crisis blossoming in so many states around this country, the last thing we should be doing is encouraging people, Spicer added.

If the Justice Department moves to revive the mid-2000s war on state-legal marijuana, they can expect a bigger fight than any presidential administration has ever seen.

A February Quinnipiac poll found Americans overwhelmingly oppose federal interference in states where marijuana is now legal. You can bet residents and Congressional delegations from states that have legalized recreational marijuana over the last four years  including Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Nevada, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia  wont remain quiet in the face of raids or crackdowns. Particularly since many of those state governments have already grown to rely on, or are looking forward to, marijuana-related revenue boosting state budgets.

Consider Colorado: The state just wrapped up its third year of collecting taxes and fees on recreational pot. According to tax data, the combined state revenue from Colorados marijuana industry has set a new record each year since implementation: $52.5 million in FY 2014-15, $85 million in 2015-16 and $127 million in 2016-17. While those figures include a 2.9 percent medical marijuana tax, the bulk of the money Colorado receives comes from a 10 percent sales and 15 percent excise tax on retail pot.

Recreational marijuana has also created 18,000 jobs in Colorado alone. Denvers industrial real estate market is thriving. Pueblo County even has a pot-funded college scholarship program. It is a very real industry sector in these states now, Taylor West, deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, tells me. And theres no evidence of buyers remorse on the part of voters.

The California voters who overwhelmingly passed Proposition 64, which lets adults buy and possess up to one ounce of cannabis for recreational use, probably arent feeling remorseful about that decision either. California is going to sell an ungodly amount of retail pot once it starts issuing licenses (the deadline for that is Jan. 1, 2018). And those sales are going to produce a windfall for the state as well.

Before the election, the Legislative Analysts Office found Prop. 64 tax revenues could range from the high hundreds of millions of dollars to over $1 billion annually. In addition to money coming in, the LAO found the state might also save tens of millions of dollars annually  primarily related to a decline in the number of marijuana offenders held in state prisons and county jails.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa, is part of the newly formed Cannabis Caucus in the United States Congress. Rohrabacher and a bipartisan group of his colleagues also recently re-introduced The Respect State Marijuana Laws Act, which would prevent the federal government from going after marijuana users and businesses who are complying with their states laws.

The Trump administration has paid lip service to federalism by suggesting that legislating social issues should be left up to the states. If the argument for letting states decide doesnt extend to respecting state marijuana laws, then its lip service and nothing more.

Mike Riggs is a reporter at Reason magazine and Reason.com.
With the regions leading air-quality watchdog facing criticism over a string of high-profile releases of hazardous substances into Southern California neighborhoods, government regulators have eagerly pointed to what they consider an environmental enforcement success: hard-won progress in cleaning up a suburban metals-processing plant that for years emitted a potentially cancer-causing carcinogen also known as chromium-6.

Through monitoring and other actions stretching back almost a decade, the South Coast Air Quality Management District  whose jurisdiction spans Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties  warned and cited Hixson Metal Finishing for violations and ultimately secured millions of dollars in emission-control upgrades.

The more than half-century-old defense industry supplier, located in a mix of apartments, condominiums and other industrial properties about a mile from the coast in Newport Beach, has sharply reduced releases of hexavalent chromium, or chromium-6, and this year implemented a plan to comply with emission standards in the future.

But what an AQMD spokesman describes as one of the most regulated chromium hexavalent facilities in the region remains a continuing source of anxiety for some living near the facility. Residents worry about the long-term effects on their health, potential harm to property values, and complain that regulators and a tortured bureaucratic machinery took too long to force corrective measures after the emission concerns were first identified.

Depending on your point of view, the Hixson saga stands as an example of government working as it should to protect the public or a cautionary tale about the uneasiness that can endure for communities after extended battles to control and clean up releases of hazardous substances.

Recently, such controversies have swirled around state and regional regulatory responses to a major natural gas discharge in northern Los Angeles Countys Porter Ranch; lead contamination of thousands of east Los Angeles homes from releases by the former Exide Technologies battery-smelting plant; and high levels of chromium-6 from metal-finishing businesses found in Paramount.

When a facility cuts emissions and returns to compliance, its not uncommon for community backlash to continue and even strengthen, said Joe Lyou, president and chief executive of the Los Angeles-based advocacy group Coalition for Clean Air.

A level of distrust between the community and regulators, and the community and the facility frequently lingers, said Lyou, the governors appointee to the AQMD governing board. Theyre going to look skeptically at any claims being made about compliance.

Air-quality overseers and company officials believe theres plenty to celebrate in the Hixson case.

Today, after spending $8 million on modern pollution-control equipment and on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars in fines, Hixson is in good standing with the AQMD.

Hixsons investment in cleaner emissions was as a result of our activities, said AQMD spokesman Sam Atwood.

Company president Douglas Greene said the firm worked with several parties over the years to implement state-of-the-art air-pollution controls.

We made stellar progress, Greene said. We worked with the AQMD and environmental engineers, designers to get permitting and install pollution controls for not just chromium-6, but any element we produce.

DOES ANYBODY CARE?

Kathy Taylor, who owns a condo about a block southwest of the Hixson plant, was among a couple hundred residents who attended a June 2015 town hall meeting held by AQMD to discuss the facilitys emissions. As she recalled it, Hixson officials deflected any blame and appeared evasive, particularly when it came to questions about health and safety.

Air-district officials held a second public meeting in February 2016, but Taylor and other residents interviewed claimed they didnt received notices of the meeting. Some complained that repeatedly reached out to AQMD officials after the 2015 town hall to inquire about a promised follow-up meeting, but were met with silence.

Does anybody care? Taylor said.

Atwood said mailers in English and Spanish were sent to residents before the first meeting, and residents were notified of the second meeting through fliers, newspaper advertisements and AQMDs website, among other ways.

He said in an email to the Register that the AQMD fulfilled its duty to the public in the Hixson case, and the plant is now closely monitored and regulated.

Hixson Metal Finishing president Douglas Greene downplayed any health concerns. He said hes worked at metal-processing facilities for nearly three decades and is healthy.

Anecdotally, I just dont see my workers being sick or my colleagues in the metal business being sick, Greene said.

MOVING AT A SPEED THAT SATIFSIES THE STATE

Landlord Paul Schwartz says he first encountered Hixson Metal Finishing several years ago.

He came across a public record indicating Hixson, which is adjacent to his Newport Villa Apartments complex, was working with the state Department of Toxic Substances Control to address soil contamination on its land, Schwartz said. His fear was that the hazardous material would leech onto his.

I was very upset to say the least, he said.

The chemical perchloroethylene, traditionally used as an industrial degreaser and in the dry-cleaning business, was detected in Hixsons soil and potentially its groundwater. Another chemical trichloroethene, commonly used as an industrial solvent, was also found.

After failed attempts to resolve the issue with Hixson alone, Schwartz hired a lawyer and two environmental experts, one who specializes in soil and one in air quality, he said.

To date, he said he has spent $100,000 on legal and environmental advice and testing to ensure his property is contaminant-free.

Douglas Greene said his workers are moving as quickly as possible to clean up soil at the Hixson property. State officials say hazardous-waste levels have greatly diminished and full remediation of soil contamination is expected to be completed in 2020.

Further, analysis by the state Department of Toxic Substance Control indicates there is no risk from the contamination on Hixsons property to the workers at the plant or residents at the Newport Villa Apartments, officials say.

Schwartz acknowledged the state has come down harder on Hixson over the last few weeks by issuing a deadline for clean-up efforts. But he wishes the process moved faster. According to the law, they are moving at a speed that satisfies the state, he said.

Official concerns about potential Hixson-related pollution arose well before Schwartz engaged the company and regulators.

In the mid-1990s, a California law required facilities such as Hixson that treat onsite-generated hazardous waste to prepare and submit an environmental assessment checklist to the state.

After receiving Hixsons paperwork, state toxic-control officials conducted a follow-up inspection and determined additional investigation was needed.

By 2002, Hixson entered into a corrective action consent agreement with the agency to negotiate remedies to concerns about soil-contamination.

State regulators say it took several years to hammer out details on the scope of work that would be required of Hixson and submit a final work plan to clean up the soil. They also said Hixson was initially uncooperative, adding to the delays.

In 2010, the state toxic control agency installed water and soil-sampling equipment at Newport Villa Apartments. And in recent years, Hixson has been using vacuum-like devices to suck contaminants out of soil on its property.

Sometimes it takes awhile for data to be analyzed and sometimes when facilities are not always cooperating it obviously sometimes takes awhile to get reports (out,) said Irena Edwards, a state toxic control agency official in charge of the Hixson case.

Lyou, of the clean-air advocacy group, said hazardous-waste cleanup projects can take years, in part because regulators must obtain samples of the contamination, pinpoint the exact location of clean-up and formulate complex remediation plans.

And the process can become more sluggish and frustrating when regulators drop the ball, are overwhelmed by other work or when a emitter intentionally drags out its responses, he added.

The system is structured in a way that its inherently dysfunctional, Lyou said.

WHATS AHEAD?

As of January, Hixson fully adopted its mandated risk-reduction plan, which centered on requiring Hixson to make substantial capital improvements to the plant.

Bruce Greene, Hixsons environmental health and safety manager, said the company had been planning to upgrade the several-decades-old production lines before AQMD ordered the company to do so.

The emissions scrubber systems now sitting on Hixsons roofs, all up and running, are an amalgamation of the companys original design and feedback from the AQMD, said Douglas Greene. One of the systems, he added, is capable of almost completely capturing chromium-6 molecules out of the air stream as the molecules work their way through the scrubber.

Atwood, of the AQMD, said the risk-reduction agreement requires ongoing compliance with air-quality rules and permit conditions. Air-quality monitors  inside the facility and adjacent to the facility  remain in place, Atwood said in an email to the Register. Those monitors will remain in place for at least a couple more months, he added.

All of that was news to her, said Taylor, the condo owner who lives near the plant. She says she feels her mixed-use, semi-industrial neighborhood is a forgotten part of an iconic Southern California beach town.

Julio Ceja, another longtime resident, said several phone calls and social media messages to AQMD requesting updates after the initial 2015 town hall meeting on Hixson issues went unanswered. Atwood reiterated that residents are regularly alerted to community meetings through all channels, among them the media, the agencys website, and newspaper ads.

Still, like Taylor, Ceja said hes unhappy with the process and left with a nagging sense that neighborhoods like his may not get equal attention from regulators. If this was a wealthy area, he said. They would care about these people.

Contact the writer: lleung@scng.com
Irvine-based Pendulum has bought a 156,305-square-foot office building at 5 Peters Canyon in Irvine for $41.7 million. The three-story property is between The Market Place and The District. Tenants include Medata, Black & Veatch, TRI Pointe Homes and Starwood Hotel & Resorts. The building was sold to Pendulum by K.C. Scheipe and Adam Edwards, both managing directors at Eastdil Secured in Irvine.

NAI Capital in Irvine has completed the $13.5 million sale of Triangle Terrace senior living apartments in Orange. Steve Heri, Steve Gim, and James Lampman represented the buyer, Reiner Communities, and seller, Orange Senior Housing, in the transaction. The 75-unit building at 555 S. Shaffer in Orange was built in 1985. The property sits at the eastern entrance to Hart Park.

A two-story, creative office building at 26840 Aliso Viejo Parkway has sold for $11.8 million. At the time of the sale, the property was 30 percent occupied with two tenants. The 33,915-square-foot building recently underwent $1 million in exterior and interior renovations. The buyer, Seabreeze Management Co., a property management company, was expanding and looking for an owner-user opportunity. They will occupy the remaining vacant space and the entire second floor for a total of 23,916 square feet. The seller was Irvine-based Kelemen Caamano Investments, which acquired the building in 2015. Kelemen Caamano Investments was represented by Rob Rader of Wind Water Realty, also of Irvine. Seabreeze Management Co. was represented by Brett Lessman and Will Tober of Hughes Marino.

New ventures

Irvine-based Brandywine Homes and Newport Beach-based Integral Communities have broken ground on Riverdale, a gated residential community that will offer 131 detached single-family homes in Long Beach. Grading on the development, near the Bixby Knolls Shopping District, is expected to begin this month. A grand opening is slated for August. Riverdale, the companies said in a statement, will offer floor plans with three and four bedrooms. Home sizes will range from 1,900 to 2,250 square feet. Prices are expected to start in the low $600,000s. The gated community includes a clubhouse with a meeting room, Junior Olympic-size pool and spa with cabanas, outdoor dining areas, and tot lot. Near the Riverdale project, Brandywine is planning to develop a 3.3-acre city park named after Dr. David Molina of Long Beach-based Molina Healthcare.

People in Real Estate

Tom Myers has been promoted to regional vice president for Ware Malcomb, an Irvine-based design firm. Myers will continue to oversee Ware Malcombs Commercial Architecture group in addition to becoming a member of the firms executive team. Myers joined Ware Malcomb in 2004 as a director of commercial architecture in the Irvine office and was promoted to principal in 2007.

Jim Schuchert joins SRS Real Estate Partners as senior associate in the Newport Beach office as part of the firms National Net Lease Group. Schuchert joins SRS from Matthews Real Estate Investment Services.

NAIOP SoCal, an organization for developers, owners and investors of office, industrial, retail and mixed-use real estate, has added new members to it 2017 board. They are: President Lance Ryan, Watson Land Co.; President-Elect and Sponsorship Chair James V. Camp, Rockefeller Group; Vice President and Sponsorship Vice Chair Jeff Moore, CBRE; Treasurer and Real Estate Challenge Adviser Pamela L. Westhoff, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton; Secretary and Chair Rob Antrobius, Prologis; Programs and Education Liaison Alison Vukovich, LBA Realty; and Past President Kevin Jennings, Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Milestones

Burgin Construction  North Tustin was one of five companies to receive the inaugural Built Clean Awards. BuildClean specializes in dust control solutions for residential remodeling contractors.

Coming Up

The Interior Designers Institute will host an open house from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. Visitors will have an opportunity to hear from design students, graduates, and faculty, tour the campus, and see state of the industry technology, student display galleries and graduate projects. The institute is at 1061 Camelback St., Newport Beach. RSVP online at idi.edu or email contact@idi.edu or call 949-675-4451.

The California Lodging Investment Conference (CLIC) will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. March 9 at the Hilton Irvine/Orange County Airport, 18800 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine. CLIC focuses exclusively on the California Hotel market. For registration information, go to cliconference.com/registration.

Commercial Real Estate Women, Orange County (CREW-OC) will host its sixth Annual SPIRE Awards ceremony Wednesday, March 29. The event will be held at The Samueli Theater, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Call 714-556-2122 for more information. For reservations, crewocspireawards.com.

The real estate briefs are compiled by contributing writer Karen Levin and edited by Samantha Gowen, business editor at the Register. Send related items to sgowen@scng.com. Allow one week for publication. High-resolution photos also can be submitted.
SANTA ANA Eighteen of the top jazz musicians at the Orange County School for the Performing Arts knew the performance had to be their best.

The musicians  who make up the Ambassador Jazz Orchestra  were opening Thursday night for the Marine Corps Jazz Orchestra, which was visiting the school for the first time as part of a California tour.

But before the joint evening concert, the students went through a sort of musical boot camp with the Marines.

I told my students to expect them to be stellar, said Dan St. Marseille, director of the high schools Music Conservatory and coordinator of Jazz Studies. Military bands have the finest musicians in the world.

Alex Guru listened to that advice.

We had to do our research to know what level we had to be ready to play at, the 16-year-old Laguna Niguel resident said.

The Marine Corps Jazz Orchestras high school visit was part community outreach, to show a softer side of the Marine Corps, and a demonstration that the Few and the Proud have full-time musicians. The band is scheduled to perform Sunday at the Santiago High Performing School of the Arts in Corona and at the University of Redlands on Monday.

The orchestra  the premiere jazz ensemble of the Marine Corps  is made up of 18 musicians selected each year from U.S. Marine Corps bands nationwide. Some come from the world-renowned U.S. Marine Drum & Bugle Corps, The Presidents Own U.S. Marine Band and from U.S. Marine Corps Field Bands.

As the evening started, the student orchestra led off with Affluencia, by Bill Cunliffe, and waited for the critique during the master class portion of the evening.

Its a really unique piece, said Dominic Diaz, 16, of Tustin. When people think of jazz, they think of bass and swing. Whats unique here is that its a modern composition.

It brings out a lot of enthusiasm, Maxime Dulor, 15, of Lake Forest, added.

Gunnery Sgt. Ken Ebo, leader of the Marine orchestra, said he noted that energy from the students earliest notes.

These musicians are really good, he said. They played together and were in tune. It was really pleasing to the ear.

After the students played, Ebo, a trombonist, tossed out helpful hints  how to make the sound more vibrant, the timing better and the music more sophisticated.

He also shared some funny stories from past orchestra performances  like the time a Marine musician was not fully dressed for the performance.

Ebo said the Marine  who had forgotten to bring his uniform socks  used black shoe polish to cover his bare ankles. The story drew roaring laughter from the students and school staff.

Ebo, 48, told the group that just as the Marine Corps warrior spirit is defined by its code of honor, courage and commitment, music demands that same dedication. Each day, he told them, he practices at least four hours.

We practice because we know this is a perishable skill, he said. Music can go away. It doesnt matter how talented you are. If you dont put it to practice, its unrewarded genius.

Ebo also explained that while all Marines are trained to fight, there are other options for jobs.

After completing a masters degree in music at the University of South Carolina, Ebo said he wanted a full-time professional job as a musician. His father was a Marine. He knew of the military bands reputations, so his choice to join in 1995 was easy.

I wanted more stability and I wanted to be part of something greater than myself, he said. The challenge of being a Marine musician is that we have two jobs. Every Marine is a rifleman. We all go through boot camp and combat training. Any musician can be called for service.

Competition is stiff. Of the 18 members of the Marine Corps orchestra, Cpl. Madeline Young, 25, is the only woman in this years group. Her father was a jazz musician, she said, and she loves music.

Joining the Marine Corps and making the cut for the band has changed her life, the Iowa native said. Based at Perris Island, S.C., Young said she has an opportunity to see the world.

And being the only woman in the ensemble doesnt faze her.

I dont think of myself as the only woman, I think of myself as a sax player, she said. Its one of the coolest experiences Ive had in my life.

Dulor was intrigued by Ebos description of a Marine musicians life.

The Lake Forest teen has been playing piano since he was 5 and started playing trombone four years ago.

Is boot camp hard? he asked Ebo.

Boot camp is hard work but its not as hard as playing the trombone, Ebo replied with a smile.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@scng.com or on Twitter:@lagunaini
BANGKOK  The government of Malaysia declared North Koreas ambassador persona non grata on Saturday and gave him 48 hours to leave the country, a major break in diplomatic relations after the airport assassination of Kim Jong Nam, the half brother of North Koreas leader.

The decision to expel Ambassador Kang Chol came after he failed to appear at Malaysias Ministry of Foreign Affairs as requested. Earlier, Kang had ignored a request to apologize for several inflammatory statements, including questioning the police finding that Kim was murdered with a banned nerve agent.

It should be made clear  Malaysia will react strongly against any insults made against it or any attempt to tarnish its reputation, Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said in a statement announcing the expulsion order.

Kim, the elder half brother of North Koreas leader, Kim Jong Un, died on Feb. 13 less than 20 minutes after two women wiped poison on his face as he prepared to check in for a flight at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The women, one from Indonesia and one from Vietnam, have been charged with murder.

The police are seeking seven North Korean men in the case, including two believed by the authorities to have taken refuge at the North Korean Embassy. South Korea has accused the North Korean government of masterminding the attack.

Kang, using unusually blunt language for a diplomat, had said that North Korea cannot trust the Malaysian police investigation. He charged that it was politically motivated and accused Malaysia of colluding with outside powers to defame North Korea.

Kang referred to Kim Jong Nam only by the name on the passport he was carrying, Kim Chol, and sought to have his body handed over to the embassy before an autopsy could be performed. He subsequently challenged Malaysias finding that Kim had been killed with the nerve agent VX, a highly toxic chemical weapon known to be in North Koreas arsenal but banned under international conventions.

The Foreign Ministry had set a deadline of 5 p.m. last Tuesday for Kang to apologize for his statements.

Almost four days have passed since the deadline lapsed, the foreign minister said in his statement. No such apology has been made, neither has there been any indication that one is forthcoming. For this reason, the ambassador has been declared persona non grata.

Anifah noted that police had released a North Korean man arrested in the case, Ri Jong Chol, for lack of evidence on Friday. He said it was proof that the investigation is conducted in an impartial, fair and transparent manner, as befits a country that practices the rule of law.

Declaring an ambassador persona non grata is one of the harshest measures a country can take short of breaking off diplomatic relations. Malaysia had previously recalled its ambassador from North Korea for consultations and there was no indication when he might be sent back.

Some Malaysians have questioned why the country has an embassy in North Korea, given that there is little trade between the countries and few Malaysian tourists venture there.

On Thursday, Malaysia announced that it would end its practice of allowing North Koreans to enter without a visa, effective Monday.

About 1,000 North Koreans live and work in Malaysia, where they can help bring in foreign currency for their isolated country, which has struggled economically under international sanctions.
Numerous commentaries from both the political left and right have expounded the parlous state of the Democratic Party. And, to be sure, the Democrats have been working on extinguishing themselves in vast parts of the country, and have even managed to make themselves less popular than the Republicans in recent polls.

Yet, in the longer term, the demographic prospects of a Democratic resurgence remain excellent. Virtually all of the growing parts of the electorate  millennials, Latinos, Asians, single women  are tilting to the left. It is likely just a matter of time, particularly as more conservative whites from the silent and boomer generations begin to die off.

But, in politics, like life, time can make a decisive difference. Its been almost a decade since the Atlantic proclaimed the end of white America, but Anglos will continue to dominate the electorate for at least the next few electoral cycles, and they have been trending to the right. In 1992, white voters split evenly between the parties, but last year went 54 percent to 39 percent for the GOP.

Identity politics vs. social democracy

To win consistently in the near term, and compete in red states, Democrats need to adjust the cultural and racial agenda dominating the resistance to one that addresses directly the challenges faced by working- and middle-class families of all races. This notion of identity politics, as opposed to those of social class, is embraced by the progressives allies in the media, academia, urban speculators, Hollywood and Silicon Valley, since environmentalism, gender and race issues do not directly threaten their wealth or privileged status.

The rise of identity politics, born in the 1960s, has weakened the partys appeal to the broader population, as Columbia University humanities professor Mark Lilla argued in a November New York Times column. But most progressives, like pundit Matthew Yglesias, suggest that there is no other way to do politics. To even suggest abandoning identity politics, one progressive academic suggested, is an expression of white supremacy, and she compared the impeccably progressive Lilla with KKK leader David Duke.

This hurts the Democrats as they seek to counter President Donald Trump. Americans may not be enthusiastic about mass deportations, but the Democratic embrace of open borders and sanctuary cities also is not popular  not even in California. And while most Americans might embrace choice as a basic principle, many, even millennials, are queasy about late-term abortions.

Democrats also need to distance themselves from the anti-police rhetoric of Black Lives Matter. Among millennials, law enforcement and the military are the most trusted of all public institutions. Rabid racial politics among Democrats, notes Lee Trepanier, political science professor at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan and editor of the VoegelinView website, is steadily turning white voters into something of a conscious racial tribe.

Finally, Democrats have now embraced a form of climate change orthodoxy that, if implemented, all but guarantees that America will not have a strong, broad-based economic expansion. The economic pillars of todays Democratic Party may thrive in a globalist, open-border society, but not many in the more decidedly blue-collar industrial, agricultural or homebuilding industries.

Toward a transracial populism

To appeal to the middle and working classes, the Democrats need to transcend cultural avant-gardism and embrace a more solid social democratic platform. Inequality and downward mobility have grown inexorably under both parties, which is why Bernie Sanders, and his eventual mini-me, Hillary Clinton, essentially ran against the Obama administrations economic record.

On immigration, they dont have to embrace Trumps misguided views, but they should seek policies that dont displace American workers. High-tech oligarchs may love H1-B visas that allow them access to indentured foreign geeks, but replacing middle-class IT workers with these foreign workers seems certain to alienate many, including the majority of white, college-educated people who voted for Trump. In contrast to oligarch-friendly Clinton, Bernie Sanders questioned both open borders and H1-B visas.

Sanders key plank  a single-payer, Canadian-like health care system  also could appeal to many small businesses, consultants and the expanding precariat of contract workers dependent on the now imperiled Obamacare. Critically, both health care and economic mobility priorities cross the color line, which is crucial to spreading social democracy here.

The key remains embracing growth and expanding opportunity. A pragmatic and work-oriented form of social democracy, as seen in Scandinavia, could be combined with a growth agenda. The Nordics may preen about their environmental righteousness, but their economies depend largely on exploiting natural resources  wood, iron ore, oil  as well as manufactured exports.

Opposing Trumps plan to expand opportunity and bring jobs back to the country just to spite the president may not play so well in the long run. Most Americans may disapprove of Trump, the person, but they seem far more open to his policies, and are more optimistic than under the far more popular Obama. Trumps defense of popular entitlements and infrastructure spending should garner some Democratic approval.

Rather than resist and posture in megadollar glitter, Democrats would be better served by developing their own middle-class-oriented growth program. This would be nothing unique for Democrats, and was central to the policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and, most recently, Bill Clinton. If Donald Trump gets sole credit for a massive infrastructure expansion and a robust economy in the face of hyperpolarizing resistance histrionics, then the timeline for a Democratic resurgence could be put off for a decade or more.

Joel Kotkin is the R.C. Hobbs Presidential Fellow in Urban Futures at Chapman University in Orange and executive director of the Houston-based Center for Opportunity Urbanism (www.opportunityurbanism.org).
President Trumps war with the press is apparent  just read any number of headlines from the New York Times, Washington Post or CNN, or listen to the president speak any given day.

Journalists, particularly those in the largest and most venerated news outlets, seem to be on a crusade against the newly inaugurated president while the president seems hellbent on destroying their credibility.

Neither of these approaches is particularly good for a free society that relies upon a free press. Yet, at this moment in American history, the battle is simultaneously disconcerting and necessary; frightening and cathartic; and frustrating and perhaps uplifting.

President Trump is popularizing a feeling that large numbers of Americans have felt about media. This has been a particularly strong sentiment among Republicans who have claimed for decades that the medias treatment of progressives and Democrats is far more favorable than that of conservatives and Republicans.

Over the years, the angst toward media by those who lean to the political right has only worsened and there has not been much in the way of reform by the press. It has led to segregated perspectives  where conservatives flee in droves to more favorable news outlets.

Journalists  and major media outlets  need to take some time for introspection and realize that we, too, are part of the problem. Its not all President Trump. The stories we choose to cover, how we cover issues, the headlines we write, the op-eds we publish, the balance in perspective offered and the word choices we use are all part of this discussion.

Of course, the president too shares blame. President Trump has made a reputation and gained popularity  and rightful criticism  for his loose-lipped approach and use of hyperbole. There is no excuse for some of his rhetoric. Trump may detest some of the coverage of his administration, but that doesnt justify trying to undermine First Amendment rights to cover the nations government.

The problem is, however, a mutual war between the president and the media only leads to a more divided nation where people read, listen or watch the news that most conforms to their worldview. It also leads to the disintegration of the Fourth Estate where average people truly do not know what news to believe.

While we in media have decided to become activists instead of observers, Trump has used our work as a rallying cry to unite his party behind him  many people not inclined to support him otherwise  because he has identified a common enemy: media. Its a shrewd political maneuver and our industry ought to take note.

Theres nothing wrong with President Trump pointing out instances of bias or dishonesty in the press. Media must be held accountable too.

But the White House should never be the arbiter of which media outlets are right and wrong, fair and unfair, acceptable and unacceptable. That goes against the grain of the Constitution, which establishes the press as the peoples check on the government; if we lose that, we lose democracy.

Now is the time, though, for us, as an industry, to reflect and provide the service we are meant to provide the public: objective, unbiased news. Thats the best way we can serve our fellow Americans.
Image: Google Maps

Guwahati, Mar 5 (IBNS): Paresh Baruah led United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) and Meghalaya's outfit group Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) have planned to carry major explosions and attack on security forces in Lower Assam and Garo hills.

A top source of Intelligence Bureau (IB) said that, both outfit groups have jointly planned to trigger a series of explosions in Assam and Meghalaya and also attack security personnel.

The IB source further said that, the outfit groups plan to use professional criminals and carriers to carry explosives and to plant IEDs, bomb.

After intercepting telephonic conversation between two top leaders of ULFA (I) and GNLA, IB officials managed to find out the biggest planning of the outfits.

The source said that, IB has already informed the Union Home Ministry and police, home departments of both states and other security agencies about the militants plan.

"It is a concern issue that militant groups had used professional criminals and carriers for their activities," the IB source said.

Meanwhile, Assam Police ADGP Pallav Bhattacharya said that, security has been beefed up in Guwahati and other parts of the state following the IB input.

"An ULFA group has been trying to enter in Guwahati and to trigger explosions in the city. We have launched massive operation at all suspicious areas in and out of the city," the top Assam cops said.

On the other hand, security forces on Sunday recovered a powerful IED from Upper Assam's Charaideo district.

Following a tip-off, police and army jointly launched operation at Dabluhabi area near Charaipung under Sonari police station and recovered the IED from a house owned by Ghanakanta Gogoi, who also was apprehended.



(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)


LAGUNA BEACH  Retired B-24 bomber pilot Major Bob Sternfels said he was surprised to be selected as the Honored Patriot for Saturdays Laguna Beach Patriots Day Parade.

There are other people that did so much more than I did, the 96-year-old Air Force veteran said. Somehow, it appears my story was enough.

That Sternfels is surprised might, in itself, come as a surprise to many.

According to military historians, Sternfels Ploesti Raid mission in 1943 was one of the most heroic air raids in military aviation history. It would also be the mission that would ground many of Nazi Germanys planes. Some say it was the beginning to the end of World War II.

Sternfels was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Silver Star.

This man is a survivor and thats a tribute to his skills as a pilot, said retired Marine Col. Charlie Quilter, president of the Patriots Day Parade and a decorated fighter pilot who served in the Marine Corps in Vietnam, Bosnia, Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom. His is an extraordinary story of courage, skill, and survival in the face of daunting odds. I think of what it took to become a major commanding a squadron only 2 1/2 years after enlisting as private. He virtually was the last pilot standing.

Sternfels on Saturday was cheered as part of the 51st annual Patriots Day Parade.

Its a feather in my cap, Sternfels said. Im honored to be recognized.

The parades other honorees included grand marshals Aria and Makenzie Fischer, sisters on the gold-winning U.S. Womens Water Polo team at the Rio Olympics; Citizen of the Year Douglas Miller; Artist of the Year John Barber, who specializes in glass blowing; and junior citizens of the year Wyatt Shipp and Madison Sinclair, seniors at Laguna Beach High School. Jared Ghetian, a Laguna Beach High senior who designed the parade brochure cover and essay contest winner Claire Tigner, an eighth-grader at Thurston Middle School, were also honored.

Sternfels, who lived in Laguna Beach for 40 years, now lives in Laguna Woods. Despite his historic achievements, he says his military career started simply by just helping out.

They taught me when I grew up, that I should help wherever I could, Sternfels said, recalling enlisting in 1942.

I enlisted two weeks after Pearl Harbor, he said. I had heard pilots were pampered. When I got to Africa, I realized that wasnt the case. The first thing I was given was a shovel. It turned out, I had to build a foxhole.

The year 1943 was not a good one for American Armed Forces in Europe in World War II, said Quilter, a military aviation historian.

Sternfels became part of an inexperienced aircrew rushed into combat in North Africa. Pilots with just a couple hundred flying hours were piloting four-engine bombers against Nazi Germanys highly skilled air defenders, Quilter said.

Ploesti, in Romania, was the site of nine oil refineries critical to the Nazi war machine. On Aug. 1, 1943, Sternfels was among 178 bombers that took off for the region.

We took off from Africa 20 miles south of Benghazi and were supposed to drop bombs on oil refineries Hitler was using as one of his main sources for aviation fuel, Sternfels said. It was the only place that manufactured gasoline at high octane rating for plane fuel. It was a very vital target.

The mission, dubbed Operation Tidal Wave, involved every bomber available. To increase bombing accuracy, pilots had to fly much lower than normal.

It was a terrific amount of logistics that had to be covered, Sternfels said. Normally, they didnt bomb at that altitude rate. We were in enemy-controlled territory in about two hours. But they had spotters along the way and knew where we were.

Sternfels and the other pilots were instructed not to use radios. When the planes arrived, they split into two groups with several sections each. A group consisted of 80 planes. Each plane was assigned a target.

By the time Sternfels piloted his B-24 bomber, named the Sandman, over his target, the refinery had been hit and was spewing smoke and fire.

I saw three smoke stacks standing right in my path, Sternfels said. I was only 300 feet above sea level and I banked to my left. If I had dipped my wing, I would have hit the smoke stack.

On the mission, 440 American airmen were killed and another 220 were captured or missing. Fifty-three B-24s were destroyed and another 55 were damaged.

One of the most dramatic photos of the war shows a B-24, Sternfels Sandman, emerging out of the dense smoke of the burning refineries.

I was part of the solution, Sternfels said looking back at the mission. It was very costly for us but we finally knocked it down. Germany was denied the ability to put adequate airplanes in the sky. They had more airplanes in the airfield then in the sky.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@scng.com or on Twitter:@lagunaini
BERKELEY  Supporters of President Donald Trump clashed with counter-protesters in Berkeley during a rally Saturday in support of the president.

People wearing goggles, motorcycle helmets, gas masks or with their face half-covered with bandanas pushed each other, threw punches and hit each other with the sticks holding their signs or American flags.

Video of scattered fights showed smoke bombs being thrown at the crowd and at least one man pepper-spraying a brawling group. Paramedics helped at least two men, one seen bleeding from the head and the other with cuts on his face.

Berkeley Police officers in riot gear arrested at least one person at the rally that attracted hundreds of pro-Trump supporters and opponents at a park less than a mile from the University of California, Berkeley campus.

Last month, chaos erupted at the university when protesters of an appearance by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos set fires, smashed windows and hurled explosives at police.

This is the most immature and disgusting display of human interaction, David Tomes, a pro-Trump marcher draped in a Dont Tread on Me flag, told the San Francisco Chronicle. The yoga studio owner said he has been targeted for his political beliefs.
The White House doubled down Sunday on Donald Trumps contention that President Barack Obama tapped the then-candidates phones during the 2016 election campaign, calling for Congress to probe potential executive-branch abuses of power.

Meanwhile, FBI Director James B. Comey asked the Justice Department this weekend to publicly reject Trumps assertion that Obama ordered the wiretapping, senior U.S. officials said Sunday, The New York Times reported. Comey has argued that the highly charged claim is false and must be corrected, they said, but the department has not released any such statement.

Comey, who made the request Saturday, has been working to get the Justice Department to knock down the claim because it falsely insinuates that the FBI broke the law, the officials said.

A spokesman for the FBI declined to comment. Sarah Isgur Flores, spokeswoman for the Justice Department, also declined to comment.

Comeys request is a remarkable rebuke of a sitting president, putting the nations top law enforcement official in the position of questioning Trumps truthfulness. The confrontation between the two is the most serious consequence of Trumps weekend Twitter outburst, and it underscores the dangers of what the president and his aides have unleashed by accusing the former president of a conspiracy to undermine Trumps administration.

Trump relied on conservative media sources, notably Breitbart News, to make his explosive statements on Twitter about Obama, a person familiar with the situation said. In officially stepping up their concerns, the White House again produced no evidence to back up allegations of illegal activities that Obama has denied.

Reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement on Sunday.

Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016, Spicer said.

A spokesman for Obama said Saturday that Trumps claims were simply false, while lawmakers urged the president, if he had evidence of a wiretap, to make it public or at least disclose it to relevant Congressional committees.

Trump kicked off the furor with a series of four tweets early Saturday.

Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory, Trump wrote on his personal Twitter account. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!

The president, who regularly has access to classified information and intelligence briefings, relied on a Breitbart News report for his information about the alleged wiretap, according to the person.

Breitbart, the media outlet previously run by White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon, published a story Friday outlining actions supposedly taken by the Obama administration to monitor Trump Tower in New York during the campaign. The story, which claimed the moves were aimed at undermining Trumps candidacy, referenced commentary by radio host Mark Levin that made similar claims.

Cardinal Rule

Neither Breitbart News nor Levin cited independent reporting to back up the assertions.

A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice, Kevin Lewis, a spokesman for Obama, said in an emailed statement on Saturday. As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false.

Ben Rhodes, Obamas former deputy national security adviser, also denied Trumps claims on Saturday. No President can order a wiretap, Rhodes wrote on Twitter in a response back to Trump. Those restrictions were put in place to protect citizens from people like you.

Trump is spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida and will return to Washington Sunday afternoon.

After recent news stories highlighted a number of meetings between Trump associates and Russian government officials during the 2016 election, Trump has trained his Twitter account on top Democrats, seeking to highlight their actions instead. On Friday he sent tweets deriding previous contacts between Moscows envoy to Washington and Democrats including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California and Chuck Schumer of New York, the top Democrat in the Senate.

For a QuickTake on the Trump-Russia saga, click here.

Comparing Obama to former President Richard Nixon during the 1970s Watergate scandal, Trump took his on-and-off feud with his predecessor to a new level in missives to his 26 million followers.

Is it legal for a sitting President to be wire tapping a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!, one tweet said. How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!

The tweets were issued two days after Attorney General Jeff Sessions said hed recuse himself from any investigations into possible ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

Crisis of Public Trust

Trumps flurry of tweets sparked further concern by some in Congress, who called on the president to be more forthcoming about his wiretapping accusations.

Senator Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican who has been a Trump critic, said Saturday that Trumps allegations suggest that even if Obama wasnt involved, a court may have seen sufficient evidence to authorize a wiretap  a potentially groundbreaking development.

Any legal wiretapping would have been initiated by intelligence agencies, with court approval required under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or by a federal judge as part of a criminal investigation. According to federal law, a FISA court approving a wiretap of Trumps home or offices would have had to find probable cause that the facility was being used on behalf of a foreign power, or that Trumps associates were involved in espionage.

Such a wiretap could have been obtained without Obamas involvement, if intelligence agencies determined  and got a court to agree  that Trump or his associates were acting on behalf of a foreign government. Trump has denied colluding with Russia, saying he has no links to the country.

FISA Court Order

If it was with a legal FISA court order, then an application for surveillance exists that the court found credible, Sasse said in a statement. The president should ask that this full application regarding surveillance of foreign operatives be made available.

The U.S. is in the midst of a civilization-warping crisis of public trust, and the presidents allegations today demand the thorough and dispassionate attention of serious patriots, Sasse said.

Representative Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence committee, said Trump had no evidence to support his spectacularly reckless claims.

No matter how much we hope and pray that this President will grow into one who respects and understands the Constitution, separation of powers, role of a free press, responsibilities as the leader of the free world, or demonstrates even the most basic regard for the truth, we must now accept that President Trump will never become that man, Schiff said in a statement.

Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, said on Fox News Sunday that he had not seen any evidence of either a FISA or FBI wiretap of the Trump campaign.

Russias Role

Pelosi reiterated her calls for an independent investigation into the Trump campaigns ties to Russia. The Deflector-in-Chief is at it again, Pelosi wrote on Twitter. An investigation by an independent commission is the only answer.

The New York Times in October said the FBI was investigating Russias possible role in the U.S. campaign, and said agents had scrutinized advisers close to Trump for any connections to Russian financial figures. The newspaper, in an Oct. 31 story, said the FBI pursued the possibility of a secret channel of email communication from the Trump Organization to a Russian bank. The Times said the FBI came to doubt such a channel existed.

Levin, a former Reagan administration aide, highlighted news stories by the Times and other media outlets in asserting Thursday that the Obama administration put the Trump campaign under surveillance. The question is: Was Obama surveilling top Trump campaign officials during the election? Levin asked. We absolutely know this is true.

Breitbarts follow-up referenced Levins claims and outlined a number of published news accounts, dating back to June 2016, about alleged actions taken against Trump by intelligence agencies under Obama.

Sergey Kislyak

Democrats and some Republicans have called for further scrutiny into links between the Trump team and the Russian government during the 2016 election. Lawmakers from both parties called for Sessions to recuse himself after news reports showed that he met with the Russian ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak, twice last year, after denying meeting with Russian officials during his Senate confirmation hearing. Top Democrats called for Sessions  who said the meetings were not campaign-related  to resign.

News reports found that other Trump associates, including Carter Page, an energy consultant and foreign policy adviser, had met with Kislyak during the 2016 campaign, contradicting previous statements by the campaign. U.S. intelligence agencies previously determined that Russia directed cyber attacks to meddle in the U.S. election, benefiting Trump.
TOP O.C. SWIMMERS AND DIVERS TO WATCH

Christian Hockenbury, Mater Dei: The uncommitted senior doesnt have Grant Shoults to duel this spring, but he should be fast after a strong water polo season. And the faster he goes, the more his college stock will rise for both of his sports.

Simon Lamar, Sonora: The junior is back with the Raiders after taking a year off, and he could be fun to watch in the 500-yard free. He clocked a 4:21.97 in in early November.

Justin Nguyen, Fountain Valley: The USC-bound senior returns as the defending CIF-SS Division 1 champion in the 100 free and 100 back. He is also exciting on the relays.

Trent Pellini, Dana Hills: The senior appears poised for a strong season. He blazed a 54.74 in the 100-yard breaststroke in December. He also clocked a 20.95 in the 50 free.

Colten Young, Crean Lutheran: The Princeton-bound senior diver just wins. He is seeking a fourth consecutive section title and a third straight state crown.

Contact the writer: dalbano@scng.com
The pickup trucks pulled up to the Child Saving Institute in Omaha with an unusual donation: 1,141 teddy bears.

But the Jan. 3 delivery was more than a sweet, cuddly gift for kids served by the organization. It was also Hal and Deb Hodges tribute to their son, Will, who would have turned 23 that day. Will had suffered from depression and, four months earlier, died by suicide.

When grieving friends and relatives asked what they could do, Deb suggested they donate teddy bears  which could then comfort children, some of whom may be suffering from abuse.

As a 9-year-old, Will himself was the victim of a sexual assault, his parents say, and he also witnessed an assault on his sister, Julia, then 5.

His depression and eventual suicide, the Hodges family says, resulted from that early horror.

Both children received counseling. But Will always felt guilty, the family says, for not protecting his little sister, even though the abuser was 13 and much bigger.

Will hid a lot of his emotions or bottled them up, said Julia Hodges, a college freshman who agreed to speak about the childhood assault for this article. Numerous times he would cry and tell me how sorry he was that he let this happen, that he should have stopped it and that he didnt deserve to live.

She told him repeatedly it wasnt his fault.

For a long time, she said, he was absolutely the best big brother. She called him Willie, and he called her Munchkin.

He was a good student at Fort Calhoun High School, and as a junior he qualified for the state wrestling meet. He worked as a cook at the Surfside Club, which serves up fish and chicken along the Missouri River.

As a young adult he had become an apprentice plumber for a local company. He attended emergency medical technician classes at Creighton University, passing his national-registry EMT exam on the first try.

Like his father, grandfather and others in his family, Will was a Ponca Hills volunteer firefighter. The fire station is the center of life and the site of community activities in the hilly unincorporated community of about 1,000, less than 15 minutes north of downtown Omaha.

In spite of Wills outward signs of stability, his last few years were difficult. He was drinking more and had talked about suicide.

Whether or not there were other reasons, his parents and his sister are adamant that it all relates to what happened when he was 9.

Said Julia: I think it had everything to do with that.

For 13 years, two families have been affected by what occurred on Aug. 9, 2003.

Friends had offered to watch Will and Julia overnight at the friends home. That night, the couples son sexually assaulted 5-year-old Julia in a bedroom.

Deb Hodges found out about it three days later from Julia, who said the boy had hurt her. After the Hodges family reported the matter to a physician and authorities were notified, the young teens parents took him in for questioning by Douglas County Deputy Sheriff Brenda Wheeler.

He admitted to the sexual penetration of the girl. When Wheeler asked whether he had sexually abused anyone else, he said yes: Will, earlier that summer.

Will had denied that, so the deputy separately asked him again if the 13-year-old had abused him. Will became so distraught, she recalled in a recent interview, that he could barely speak.

But when she repeated what the older boy had described to her  oral sex  Will wept and said yes, it had happened.

The older boys case was adjudicated in Douglas County Juvenile Court, where he formally admitted to sexually assaulting Julia. (Wills reticence and emotions led prosecutors to limit the assault case to the sister, with Will listed in court records as a witness.)

On March 18, 2004, Judge Douglas Johnson ordered a sex-offender evaluation of the boy, by then 14.

The judge made note in his written order of the boys use of fear and manipulation of the very young victims and ordered that he have no contact with Julia and Will, or with any children younger than 10 unless with adult supervision.

The judge ordered the boy to remain under probation and to take part in individual and family therapy.

On March 22, 2006, the judge ordered that the jurisdiction of the court was terminated.

Local criminal records show he has had no other arrests on sex-related offenses.

The Hodges family, especially after Wills death, is still hurting.

Hal repairs cars for a living. Deb is a registered nurse, but works full time as a paraprofessional at Ponca Hills Elementary School.

They recall the joy of young Will playing in the creek behind the cedar-sided house that Hal built. The boy collected toads, salamanders and frogs, had a pet turtle and loved the outdoors.

After the assaults, the couple made sure the children received counseling. Early therapist evaluations, copies of which the family provided to The World-Herald, note that Will is very upset that he did not protect his sister from the assault.

A therapist wrote of Will, who was entering fourth grade: At this time, patient is having some difficulty understanding that he was not in control of the situation and that it was not his fault.

The daughters early treatment included drawing a picture of her abuser and throwing wet, wadded-up paper towels at it.

The son reacted at times with anger, his parents said, ripping his clothes and tying them in knots.

Other times, he seemed to do better. In confirmation class, the Rev. James Rasmussen recalled, Will was likable and fun-loving, with a generous spirit. He was serious about learning about God and the Bible.

In recent years, Will received counseling off and on. Starting with his senior year in high school, he began angrily ripping his clothes again.

Julia said she still is affected by what happened, and has occasional nightmares, flashbacks and panic attacks. She has a therapy dog in her dorm room.

But through counseling, she said, she has learned: This is something we can conquer. We are survivors.

Will, she said, never got to that point. And in the two years before his death, he got worse, especially after drinking. He seemed to be pushing his family away.

Clare Duda, in his 25th year as an elected Douglas County Board member, said residents of the rural, rolling Ponca Hills long have supported one another in times of need.

Theres a real sense of neighborliness and community out here, said Duda, a third-generation landowner with a 900-acre farm. A lot of the families go back to homesteaders.

The Hodges family, too, has long-term ties, dating at least to the 1920s, when Hals grandfather owned a dairy farm.

Dudas son, James, grew up with Will Hodges, though they drifted apart during high school. On Sept. 12, James Duda, in the Army in Louisiana, urgently contacted his father  something was wrong with Will.

Friends had seen an ominous Facebook post. Will wrote that he was the black sheep of his family and that I never wanted to be born.

He designated who should receive his dog and coin collection, and implied what was soon to happen.

No one could of stopped it, it was inevitable, he wrote. Im sorry to those I love.

He made no specific reference to the assaults he and his sister endured at 9 and 5  only that he was sorry for the pain he was now inflicting.

Deb Hodges got a call at home. She ran down the blacktop lane and across Ponca Road to the rental home where Will was living.

She found her sons body next to his rifle.

Joel Sacks, chief of the Ponca Hills Volunteer Fire Department and a 42-year veteran, was among those who responded. He had known Will since he was born.

I knew he had been fighting a few demons, the chief said, but I didnt know to what extent.

Though Will worked hard and partied hard in recent times, Sacks said, he was a well-liked and promising young firefighter who had earned his EMT rating and was learning to start IVs.

Wills body was transported, and the chief saw the Ponca volunteers standing around with blank stares. He said he realized then that, for the time being, his department was in effect out of service.

The nearby Irvington and Fort Calhoun departments agreed to cover any Ponca Hills emergencies until after the funeral.

Three days after Wills death, the truck bay at the fire station was cleared out for the service. People filled all 300 chairs, and more than 100 others overflowed outside.

Ponca volunteer firefighters stood at attention in their dress uniforms.

Various members of the Hodges family have served in the Fire Department since it was founded 52 years ago. The death was a loss to the family of volunteers too.

In his sermon, Pastor Rasmussen addressed Wills internal fight, using his high school sport as an analogy.

Wrestling is a difficult sport, the pastor said, especially when you face an opponent that is relentless and strong.

Will, he said, had wrestled with difficult problems off the mat, including chronic depression. He had a loving family who got him counseling, Rasmussen said, but Will ultimately lost his battle.

Duda, a former Ponca volunteer fire chief, called the service one of the most difficult things emotionally that Ive run across in a long time.

That included the traditional last call for a deceased firefighter.

Ponca Hills Firefighter and EMT Will Hodges has answered his last alarm, a dispatcher intoned. Rest in peace. Well take it from here.

On Feb. 25, the department posthumously named Will its rookie of the year. And the honor was permanently renamed the Will Hodges Rookie of the Year Award.

When the teddy bear campaign began in the fall, a large inflatable bear was set up in front of Hal and Deb Hodges home.

Stuffed bears kept coming, far more than the family expected  100, 200, 500 and then more than double that  from friends, relatives and even strangers in other states. The couple decided to deliver them to the Child Saving Institute on Wills birthday.

The number of teddy bears was beyond belief, said Peg Harriott, the institutes president and CEO. We had never received such a large gift like that.

The Child Saving Institute, 125 years old in Omaha, provides a haven and healing for thousands of young victims of family crisis, neglect and abuse. CSIs mission is responding to the cry of a child.

Deb picked the institute for the donation because she learned it counseled victims of childhood sexual assault.

The Hodges children had received counseling elsewhere, and Hal and Deb say that for whatever reasons, Julia benefited better from counseling than Will did. The couple want to make others aware of what they see as a gender difference in the way some girls and boys recover from sexual abuse.

Lisa Blunt, a child and family therapist by profession and now CSIs chief operating officer, says the couple have a point.

Speaking in broad generalities, the therapist said, Girls are able to express their feelings and grieve differently than boys do. When girls experience a tragedy like this, they can be sad and angry and upset, and people accept that sadness from girls.

Society conditions boys, she said, not to show emotion.

Gene Klein, executive director of Project Harmony in Omaha, founded in 1996 to support victims of child abuse, agreed that educating people about how boys can react differently is important.

Regrettably, he said, some people dont think sexual abuse happens with boys, though new statistics indicate it happens to about 10 percent in each gender.

We think boys can fight it off, Klein said. Theres a stigma that boys can protect themselves  they can fight or hit or run.

In general, he said, the more educated and informed parents are about abuse, the more likely they are to help prevent it. Parents, he said, need to talk about sexuality with their children long before they reach age 13 to 15.

There is good news. The National Childrens Alliance said in January that because of more awareness and better treatment, child sexual abuse is declining.

Since the 1990s, the alliance says, we have seen almost a 50 percent decline in the occurrence of child sexual abuse as reported by numerous sources.

Brenda Wheeler, who retired last year as deputy sheriff after a career that included 14 years investigating child sexual assaults, said childrens reactions to sexual abuse often depend on their personalities.

Every child and every person is different, she said. All of these cases are horrible, and anytime anyone touches a child inappropriately, its a disturbing thing.

What was unusual about the Hodges case and the assault of Julia, Wheeler said, was that Will was in the room and saw it happen.

The deputys job ends with the prosecution. But Wheeler said she heard from the mother for a while after that and knew the family was reeling. After having no contact for years, Wheeler said, she was shocked and saddened to learn recently of Wills suicide.

The then-young offender, it turns out, apparently was victimized himself. Wheeler said that in her 2003 interview with him, he told her he had been abused by a baby sitter who touched his genitals. But the ex-deputy said most child victims dont become offenders.

The childrens alliance agrees, saying that 20 to 25 percent of cases handled by childrens advocacy centers around the country involve former child victims under 18 who then abused another child.

As for teens who offend, the alliance says research has shown that with treatment, only 3 percent repeat their offenses.

The mother of the long-ago abuser said her son made a serious mistake when he was young and deeply regrets it.

The World-Herald isnt naming him because of his age at the time. His mother, who agreed to speak, said he completed RSafe  a child sex abuse therapy program of Lutheran Family Services  and hasnt had a recurrence.

She said she wasnt aware until later that her son himself had been sexually abused.

Hes a good citizen, trying to get on with his life, she said, adding that what happened has followed him around. ... Hes a good kid  a good man now.

She and her husband, the mother said, lost all the mutual friends they had shared with the other family.

As part of her sons treatment, she said, he wrote two letters of apology. She showed electronic copies of the 2005 letters, in which he wrote that what happened was his fault, not Wills or Julias.

What happened next is unresolved.

The offenders mother said she had heard from her sons counselor that Hal and Deb refused to look at the letters.

Deb said the letters were never offered. She wishes her family had received them, but says they never were offered. I really do think that would have helped.

The two families once were close, but a deep rift remains. They never speak.

Hal and Deb Hodges said they hope some good can come from speaking publicly.

They also hope that people realize suicide is the result of an illness: depression.

People who are happy, Deb said, dont take their lives.

Blunt, the CSI executive and therapist, said its clear from the familys actions that Hal and Deb felt a need to do some good after experiencing so much sadness.

That family has so much pain, Blunt said, and yet they are giving to others and thinking how to make the situation better for others. Thats pretty powerful.

Also powerful are the words of Julia Hodges, 19, who said she would like someday to gain closure by asking her abuser how he could have done such a thing. She wants to see for herself whether he is remorseful and has changed.

That, she said, wouldnt make everything OK. Will is gone. But people can change, she said, and she can only hope thats the case.

Will cant forgive him, Julia said, but I could forgive him.
LINCOLN  This has been Deuel County Deputy Michael Hutchinsons typical week behind a windshield for much of the past year:

Two 70-mile round trips to physical therapy in Sidney, Nebraska; a 200-mile round trip to North Platte, Nebraska, for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and, occasionally, orthopedic and routine checkups; 110 total miles to and from Holyoke, Colorado, for occupational therapy; and sometimes a 220-mile round trip to Scottsbluff, Nebraska, for pain management, and 320 miles to and from McCook, Nebraska, to see a spinal specialist.

Last week Hutchinson  who doesnt travel comfortably, because of gunshot injuries suffered in an ambush 15 months ago  added a 320-mile trip to Lincoln from his home near Chappell to testify in support of a bill in the Nebraska Legislature that would prohibit cities or counties from canceling health insurance coverage for law enforcement officers and other first responders who are assaulted in the line of duty.

No officer who suffers a life-changing, traumatic injury should have to worry about how his family is going to be taken care of, Hutchinson said during a Judiciary Committee hearing on Legislative Bill 444.

In December 2015 Hutchinson was jumped and shot four times at close range in Big Springs, Nebraska, while attempting to serve an arrest warrant on a man out of jail on an attempted first-degree murder charge in Colorado.

Although Hutchinsons medical bills from the near-deadly assault have been paid by the countys workers compensation insurance carrier, he subsequently lost family health insurance provided through the county because he wasnt working at least 30 hours a week.

Hutchinson, 53, and his wife, Karyl, had no insurance coverage if, for example, they were injured around their home or in an accident driving to a doctors appointment.

Hutchinsons insurance situation attracted national attention. Deuel County Board members ultimately provided Hutchinson with a one-time $1,500 stipend to pay for insurance through the Affordable Care Act. That money ran out last month, and now the couple pay $177 monthly out of pocket for coverage through the ACA marketplace.

State Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont, who introduced LB 444, said she plans to make it her priority bill.

It is important that we protect those brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day in order to protect us, Walz said. This is something that needs to happen now and not be kicked down the road.

The bill initially addressed only law enforcement officers assaulted while on duty but was amended before the Friday hearing to include firefighters, paramedics and emergency medical technicians.

Walz said the bill would permit cities or counties to cancel the coverage if the officer or other first responder did not return to his or her job within 12 months. The provision was included to ensure that small towns or counties are not under great financial burden for long periods of time, she said.

Police and firefighter organizations support the bill.

Jim Maguire, president of the Nebraska Fraternal Order of Police and a Douglas County deputy, said the bill plugs a hole in insurance coverage typically provided by small or rural cities and counties.

This is the least we can do for the family of assaulted first responders, Maguire said. At a minimum, if you are assaulted you should not have to lose your health insurance.

The majority of Omaha-area law enforcement agencies  such as police departments in Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue and La Vista, and sheriffs offices in Douglas and Sarpy Counties  have policies covering those who are injured on duty. Walzs bill would not affect these agencies. Papillion police officers, however, would benefit from the bill.

Darren Garrean, president of the Nebraska Professional Fire Fighters Association, said there have been an increasing number of assaults nationally on first responders.

Garrean said he has been punched and held at knifepoint at the scenes of fires.

The Police Chiefs Association of Nebraska sent a letter in support of the bill.

Representatives of the states cities and counties said they were neutral on the bill, but asked for clarifications.

Larry Dix, executive director of the Nebraska Association of Counties, said counties typically provide health insurance for employees, who pay a share of the premium. Dix said he assumed that assaulted first responders and their employers would continue to share the cost of the premium.

State Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha said it may not be possible for injured first responders to pay a share of insurance costs.

I just want the obligation clear to counties, Dix said.

State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln said she was surprised that some first responders who put their lives at risk for others lose their health insurance if not able to work while recovering from an assault. Its shocking to me, she said.

Hutchinson choked up occasionally while describing his assault, injuries and recovery. He continues to suffer from chronic pain in his back and right hip, and has not been cleared to return to work.

Im still trying to heal, he said in an interview after the hearing.

He said it was seven days after his last hospital stay, in May 2016, when he received a letter telling him that he would no longer have health insurance. Hutchinson fell off Deuel Countys group health insurance plan after the county switched to a third-party provider and it was noted that he wasnt working at least 30 hours a week.

Hutchinson unsuccessfully petitioned County Board members to not drop the coverage, although they eventually provided the stipend.

We were vilified by some people in the community for asking for perceived special treatment, Hutchinson testified. The stress was incredible. ... I had nearly given my life for those same people who now acted like paying for health insurance was an unbearable burden.

Hutchinson said his job was to protect and serve.

I believe the job I have done and my record speaks for itself, he said. Guaranteed health insurance for one year is not too much to ask.

The committee took no immediate action on the bill.

Hutchinson said he is slowly making progress in his recovery. At the start of a day he is able to lift his right leg into a car as he gets into a vehicle. By the end of the day, however, he has to grab the leg and pull it in.

And I just cant get past the pain, he said.

Hutchinson said he is uncertain if he will return to law enforcement.

Theres part of me that says Id like to go back, he said, but theres another part of me that says its taken its toll on you, and you might need to do something else.
Srinagar, Mar 5 (IBNS): In a 14-hour- long gunfight, two militants and a policeman were killed in Hafoo Nazneenpora village of Tral in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Sunday, police said.

During fierce gunfight army major, two soldiers and a CRPF trooper were wounded in the gunfight that started last night.

An official said that two bodies of militants were recovered from the site of the encounter.

Their identity was not immediately established.

The policeman of Special Operation Group wing was identified as Manzoor and Ahmad of Salamabad Uri.

The encounter started after the army and SOG of Jammu and Kashmir Police laid a siege in Hafoo Nazneenpora village on Saturday evening following inputs about the presence of some militants .

As soon as they approached the suspected house, the militants hiding inside opened heavy fire, said the official.

The forces returned the fire, triggering an encounter.

Earlier forces called off operation in Shopian town after militants managed to escape from the encounter site.



(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
Want a business degree from a Big Ten school?

How about an urban university with Fortune 500 companies nearby?

Or a Jesuit institution with small classes and a tight-knit alumni network?

Nebraska offers all three, a trio of fully accredited business schools that complement each other but also compete for students, faculty and dollars.

The latest competitive move comes this summer, when the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business Administration occupies its new $84 million home at 14th and Vine Streets, just down the block from Memorial Stadium.

That brings to $175 million the amount spent on new buildings for UNL, Creighton University and the University of Nebraska at Omaha business schools since 2010.

In this day and age, if you had Ben Graham teaching investments but you did not have the facility that reflected the quality of the educational content, I think you would find that you would have at least the perception that maybe its not all that good, said Anthony Hendrickson, dean of Creightons Heider College of Business.

Graham  whose most famous student is billionaire Omaha investor Warren Buffett  taught from the 1930s into the 1950s at Columbia University but, if he were alive today, might be at home at the gleaming business school buildings in Omaha and Lincoln.

UNLs business college competes mostly with other Big Ten schools, with land-grant universities and other large public universities, said Kathleen Farrell, interim business dean.

Theres a little danger in trying to be too competitive within the (NU) system, she said. Were recruiting in each others backyard.

But what were really trying to do is figure out whats the best match for a student so they can be successful. I dont want to recruit a student who would be more successful at UNO than at UNL.

Taken together, she said, the three Nebraska business colleges provide great opportunities for our students.

UNO business Dean Louis Pol said the states high-quality business schools not only benefit students but also Nebraska and its cities.

In some ways, we dont recruit all the same students, and what happens to the students after they graduate, I think, is different, too, he said. Since 2014, more than 90 percent of UNOs business graduates have remained in the Omaha area.

That means weve added more than 2,200 degree holders to this metropolitan area in just three years, Pol said. Thats a pretty significant contribution to the economy and to the community in general.

The communities, in turn, have helped the schools quest for modern facilities.

Creighton Heider Colleges home is the $55 million Harper Center, with a lead gift from the late Charles M. Mike Harper, who was CEO of ConAgra Foods. A later $5 million renovation opened part of the building for the business college, and alumnus Charlie Heiders major donation gave the school its name.

The lead donor for UNOs $34 million Mammel Hall was Omaha businessman Carl Mammel, co-founder of a successful employee benefits company and an early investor in Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Fellow Berkshire shareholders Bill and Ruth Scott and others also were major donors.

Omaha businessman Howard Hawks, a UNL alumnus and member of the Board of Regents, was lead donor for UNLs new building. Donde Plowman, the business dean during the successful fundraising campaign for the new building, became executive vice chancellor earlier this year.

The existing 99-year-old building in Lincoln is too small for the school and lacks flexibility, said Farrell, who plans to apply for the permanent deans job when a search begins this summer.

Right now, the current building has very minimal study space, no breakout rooms for small groups, she said. The main thing is that the (new) space is going to allow us to really create more of a community for our students. The goal is to have students come to the building and take classes and stay, study, hang out together.

Other Big Ten business schools have built new facilities in the last 10 or 15 years, she said. Now UNL will have a new building, alongside its lower tuition and freshman enrollment policy. Some other Big Ten schools limit the number of business majors and require students to take initial classes before joining the business college.

Farrell said the Nebraska schools compete to some degree for students, but UNLs size and public university status are clearly different from both UNO and Creighton. Were still downtown, but downtown Lincoln looks a lot different from downtown Omaha.

UNLs overall faculty mission of research, teaching and service is in place at the college, she said.

The business faculty also includes teaching specialists, known as professors of practice, who devote 80 percent of their time to teaching and most of the rest to public service. Research faculty devote 40 percent of their time to research, 40 percent to teaching and 20 percent to service.

Research and teaching standards are high, Farrell said. Theyre just high-performing people. A lot of the best researchers are some of our most solid teachers as well.

The UNL school is the states oldest, dating to May 1913, when the NU Board of Regents created the School of Commerce within the College of Arts & Sciences.

Three years later the school became one of the founding members of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, now the main international accrediting body.

The Nebraska Legislature established the College of Business Administration in 1919, when it had 423 students.

The next year, Creighton organized its business school. Its move from the 1960-era Eppley Building to the Harper Center in 2013 coincided with a decision to increase enrollment from about 600 undergraduates to about 1,000, plus 400 graduate students, and increasing full-time faculty from 42 to 62.

Thats where we want to be, Dean Hendrickson said. As a private institution, were not accepting everybody. We dont have the capacity for that.

As a result, job offers for Creighton business grads outnumber the graduates. So many employers say, Cant you produce more? Wed like to hire more,  he said.

But that small size, and the individual attention that goes with it, is part of Creightons value proposition, Hendrickson said, in exchange for higher tuition. Students and professors get to know one another, making valuable connections for later in life.

Classrooms are purposely small, he said, with the largest classes 40 students and some courses capped at 25, with possibilities for customized programs of study. Graduating in four years is part of the deal.

Creighton has a traditional campus environment but benefits from being in a midsized city that offers substantive internships, he said. You can take advantage of all the robust business opportunities in Omaha. You cant get that in a Manhattan, Kansas, or Ames, Iowa, or Columbia, Missouri.

Creightons faculty does good research but gives a priority to teaching, Hendrickson said. The faculty ... have consciously decided not to be a scholar focused only on research. Theyve come to Creighton to work with students on an individual basis and to be with smaller groups of students in the classroom.

He said theres not much overlap in student recruiting with UNO. About 80 percent of Creightons business students come from outside Omaha and often are choosing Creighton over other Jesuit schools or private schools in the Midwest.

After graduation, he said, theres a value proposition in being a Creighton alum. Students realize that theyre connected to an alumni network, and that opens doors.

He said its difficult to find a business graduate who has not gone to work immediately after graduation, unless they are headed to graduate school, with starting salaries averaging $50,000. At the depths of the latest recession, in 2009, the placement rate dropped to 94 percent.

The Jesuit presence also is important to some students and their families, he said, shown through a required ethics course and values that faculty members bring to their students.

As for facilities and UNL opening its new building, Hendrickson said, I think everybodys on the same level.

UNOs business college had a unique opportunity to be part of Aksarben Village, a new commercial and residential district.

We realized we should be right up front in the urban neighborhood, Dean Pol said. Now dormitories are under construction just across the street, so business students will be able to jump out of bed and come to class.

UNOs tuition is the lowest of the three, and some students save money by living at home.

Students graduate with an average debt of $13,000, Pol said. Were not one of those horror stories. We never were, and we never will be. It just doesnt cost that much to go here; even if youre borrowing for everything, your exposure here is not incredible.

The lower cost doesnt mean less value, he said.

What happens to these students that go to this institution? Pol said. Do they get employment? Do they get placed in graduate school? I think all three of our institutions are probably doing pretty well on that front.

About 91 percent of UNOs business students are employed at graduation.

The colleges growth pattern has Pol raising $15 million for an addition, plus $10 million for program support. Already, faculty members are sharing offices, and classrooms are nearly filled to capacity.

At the former location, the 1975 building now known as Roskens Hall, I thought we had plateaued in some ways, Pol said. In size and also in terms of our entrepreneurial spirit, the idea that we needed to change and we need to change fast enough.

Now collaboration science, a behavioral science laboratory, an honors program and other efforts fit the new buildings up-to-date style, he said. Research is expanding and the college graduates 100 more students a year. Scholarships are up from $40,000 in 1998 to $750,000 in the 2015-16 academic year.

Still, UNO retains its identity of commuter students, part-timers and non-traditional students, with transfer arrangements with Metropolitan Community College and other schools.

Its a churn of students, Pol said.

In 1952 John Lucas founded a college of business at what was then Omaha University, serving as dean until 1965.

The first masters degree students graduated in 1968, the year it joined the NU system. The business program received AACSB accreditation in 1965, followed by the accounting accreditation in 2013.

The college has what Pol calls intellectual diversity  students who are the first in their family to attend college, foreign students, students from families laden with graduate degrees and others.

Youve got a real nest of ideas, and if youre skilled as a faculty member then you design a course that maximizes the value that students get out, he said. Class sizes are somewhere between Creighton and UNL.

Pol said the college is becoming adept at anticipating change. Were educating students for jobs that dont exist. We have to enable our students to compete for that job based on general principles, keeping up with changes in industry as much as we possibly can.

Turning out new graduates helps the businesses that have hired UNO students for decades, Pol said. While they might not be the president or the CEO, maybe theyre the CFO. Maybe theyre the director. Maybe theyre part of a large team that does some incredibly valuable work.

Corrections: The names of UNL's Center for Actuarial Science Excellence and Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics were incorrectly reported in a previous version of this story. Additionally, the number of undergraduate majors in UNL's business college was incorrectly reported.
Employees of CQuence Health Group collected cash and food donations equivalent to 6,232 cans of food during the companys annual food drive  an average of 35 items per employee  and donated them to six local food banks and food pantries.

The food and money are donated in individual communities throughout Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and South Dakota. Internally, employees from different geographic teams compete; the area team with the highest number of donations wins the Golden Can Award.

This year, the team from the Des Moines area won, collecting the equivalent of nearly 1,032 food items. The funds they raised were donated to the Food Bank of Iowa.

Other fundraisers, donations, other charitable efforts in the Midlands include:

Pancake breakfast: Hillcrest Health Services will hold a pancake benefit for Parkinsons Nebraska at Hillcrest Country Estates Grand Lodge, 6021 Grand Lodge Ave. in Papillion, from 8 to 11 a.m. March 18. The Pancake Man will serve food for a freewill donation. For more information, go online to hillcresthealth.com.

Nominations sought: The Salvation Army is seeking nominations for the 2017 D.J.s Hero Scholarship Awards. The award, named for the late D.J. Sokol, salutes Nebraska high school seniors for commitment to others and to their community. Other criteria: courage to act independently and ability to overcome challenges/adversity. Nominations must be postmarked by March 9. Honorees receive a $10,000 college scholarship and will be recognized at the D.J.s Hero Awards Luncheon on May 9 at CenturyLink Center Omaha. Proceeds from the luncheon benefit Salvation Army programs for children and families. Forms are available at most Nebraska high school guidance offices, online at SalArmyOmaha.org or by calling 402-898-5909.

 The Earth Day Omaha Coalition is accepting nominations for Earth Day Omahas Friend of the Environment Awards, with new categories added to recognize the growing number of organizations and individuals in the Omaha metro committed to environmental issues. In addition to recognizing an individual and a non-profit organization, the three additional categories in the 2017 nominations are business, youth and lifetime achievement. Nominations are open until April 7 and can be submitted at the Earth Day Omaha website, earthdayomaha.org. Award winners will be announced at the Earth Day Omaha event on April 22.

Autism benefit: The University of Nebraska at Omahas local chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association will host its third annual UNOs Got Talent at 7 p.m. April 6 in the Milo Bail Student Center on UNOs campus. The event will showcase the talent of UNOs students, with the top three entries taking home cash prizes. All proceeds from the event will go to the Autism Society of Nebraska. Donations also can be made online at orgsync.com/81784/forms/241180.

Rodeo fundraiser: The Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team will benefit from a fundraising rodeo March 17-18 in McCook, Nebraska. The event is open to the public. It will be at the Kiplinger Arena at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. Money raised through admission fees and the sale of concessions and team merchandise will be used for scholarships for rodeo team members and to help offset travel and general operating expenses of the team.

Funds available: The Monogram Loves Kids Foundation will award $240,000 to charitable organizations that sponsor programs benefiting children and their families in the eight regional areas in which Monogram does business, including Harlan, Iowa. Registered 501(c)3 public organizations interested in applying for these grants, which will range from $500 to $10,000, should go online for details to monogramfoods.com/values/mlkf to access the application form. Applications are due May 31.

 The Pottawattamie County Community Foundations 2017 community grant application period is open through March 31. Application procedures can be found online at www.ourpccf.org. Community grants of $500 to $2,500 are available to nonprofit and governmental entities for projects and programs in Pottawattamie County, Iowa.

Grant awarded: African Culture Connection has received an $8,000 grant from the Lincoln Financial Foundation in support of the 2017 ACC In-School Residency Program. African Culture Connection will teach African culture and history through authentic dance, music and drumming, and arts/crafts in 10 Omaha Public Schools. Working with cooperating teachers, ACC will connect their African arts lessons to the curriculum in relevant content areas and facilitate hands-on learning experiences for students.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb.  Thirteen CPI students from Grand Island Senior High got a little out of their comfort zone, picking up paint brushes and painting the residential hallways at Hope Harbor.

The students are part of Jamie Kueblers seventh-period CPI English class, studying various career pathways during the morning at either the Career Pathways Institute on Adams Street or at Central Community College-Grand Island campus.

Kuebler said the students are enrolled in a full gamut of pathways, including construction, manufacturing, automotive, welding and drafting. Weve got a little mix of everything, he said.

Kuebler said the Hope Harbor project had its genesis when he challenged students in both his morning and afternoon English classes to decide what help they would like to provide to people in the community. The first thing students did was brainstorm. Students said some people who might need assistance could include single parents, refugees, homeless senior citizens, soldiers and veterans.

He then asked students to come up with the top two or three groups they would like to help. From that list, they started researching to find organizations that were already set up to help specific people.

Students learned there is more than one organization in Grand Island working with the homeless, or different segments of the homeless population, including the Salvation Army and Hope Harbor. He said he then started reaching out to different organizations to see if there was work the students could perform for them.

Kuebler when he talked with Liz Mayfield, executive director for Hope Harbor, she told him of a project that the organization had wanted to do for a long time, but could never find enough manpower to get it accomplished: getting the hallways painted.

Hope Harbor provided the paint, the rollers, the brushes, plastic drop cloths and paint roller trays to do the job. Kuebler believes Hope Harbor got some of the residents to do taping for the trim areas prior to the students arrival.

Kueblers job was to figure out a time when he could bring the students in his afternoon class to Hope Harbor to do the painting. That ended up being Thursday afternoon, the final day for third quarter and the last day of classes before the start of spring break.

Kuebler decided the best way to do the job was to separate the students into three groups that would work in different locations in the relatively narrow upper-level hallways, which twist and turn as they lead residents to the bedrooms/living quarters in Hope Harbors transitional shelter.

Kuebler asked Mayfield how many square feet of hallway space needed to be painted, and Mayfield replied she had never tried to measure it. As a result, Kuebler scheduled the students in his English class to work for two hours, with the promise that he would schedule additional time until the painting is completed.

This is kind of our kickoff event, said Kuebler, who explained he also divided the his morning and afternoon English into smaller groups to help organizations that work with the other groups of people they named during their brainstorming sessions. He has two groups who will be working with the Central Nebraska Humane Society. Some students will be installing shelves or ledges on walls that shelter cats can use to climb around and get some exercise. Others will be repairing some of the metal enclosures that house shelter dogs.

Also, some students will be preparing care packages that will be sent to soldiers through the auspices of the American Red Cross. He said one student reached out to the Literacy Council of Grand Island and discovered the organization needs desks that would fit in its offices where adult tutors teach adult immigrants and refugees how to read, speak and write English.

Some students worked with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Grand Island during a recent fundraiser, Kuebler said. About five students have gone to the Salvation Army on several occasions to help serve meals.

Other students are helping the Justin and Heather Caspersen family, who lost their home to fire on this past Christmas morning. As the Capersens work toward getting their house rebuilt, Heather Caspersen revealed that she would like to use some of the wood that was undamaged from the fire to help build a dining room table. As a result, several students will be working on that project.

Some CPI automotive students will be doing auto body work to replace the grill, headlights and other exterior parts that were fire-damaged on a vehicle that was sitting outside the home when it burned.

The idea behind this is were trying to find authentic things for students to do, said Kuebler, who noted the service learning projects also meet curriculum standards for his English classes. He said research covers reading skills, while portfolios that students can present to potential employers cover writing. He said he also will have students make presentations on their projects to CPI Coordinator Dan Phillips and GISH Principal Jeff Gilbertson, covering the speaking requirement.

While Kuebler said CPI students are good tactile learners, that does not mean they are experts at wielding a paintbrush. Although it varies by individual, some people who are professional painters are able to work all day long with getting little or no paint on their hands.

But that was not the case for Joel Cardenas or Juana Reynoso, both of whom had paint on their hands. For that matter, Kuebler had lots of paint on his hands, as well as paint on a sleeve covering his upper arm. Neither manufacturing, which is Cardenas pathway, nor drafting, which is Reynosos, prepared them to be expert painters.

But the main thing is to get the paint evenly applied on the walls, with Reynoso saying everyone was doing a good job on that score, She noted that Hope Harbor had picked out a light shade of paint for the hallways she was painting. Reynoso said she thought that shade helped brighten up the hallways and make them a little more cheery.

Reynosos other service learning project is helping with fundraisers for Big Brothers Big Sisters. She noted she already has helped with one fundraiser, Glamorous Generosity, which lets high school girls buy used formal dresses that they can wear for prom. The sales generate money for Big Brothers Big Sisters while allowing girls to get dresses at very affordable prices.

Cardenas said his second project will be installing the shelves or ledges for cats to climb on while they are being sheltered at the Humane Society. He noted the service project already had given him more knowledge about the work done by Hope Harbor. Cardenas said he might be more likely to volunteer as an adult because of the service learning he has done as part of Kueblers English class.

Kuebler, listening in to those comments, noted that almost every community has people in need.
A woman who was taken in critical condition from a house fire in southeast Omaha was stable at a hospital Saturday, police said.

Firefighters found the woman Friday night in an interior hallway in the single-story house at 3708 S. 16th St.

Police and Fire Department spokesmen had not released her name or age Saturday night.

The house, with a value estimated at $15,200, was a total loss, according to the Fire Department.

There was no smoke detector in the house, fire officials said.

The blaze was reported at 8:15 p.m. Friday, and heavy flames roared at the street side of the house, the officials said. The house was cluttered, and it was difficult for firefighters to maneuver, they said. The victim was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center.

The fires cause was still under investigation.
Jonathan Renteria changed career paths last year when Donald Trump  then running for president  vowed to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and deport undocumented immigrants.

They were moves that the 21-year-old U.S. citizen  who was born in California into a family that had immigrated illegally to escape drug cartel violence  thought would spark division in the United States and hurt his own family.

So he changed majors: At the University of Nebraska at Omaha he had studied entrepreneurship and innovation on a full-ride scholarship; his adviser noticed his good grades in political science and his average grades in business.

I walked out of that meeting and changed my major, Renteria said. I was going into business to help myself and my family; instead, I decided to go into politics to help my friends and my community.

He graduates this fall and has law school on his mind. His mother, who became a U.S. citizen in 2005, is close to fulfilling a dream of buying her own home, and his younger brothers are in college and high school.

Were not just trying to be successful for ourselves; we are trying to be successful for our parents and make them think it was worth it for them to come here and build a life.
On a shelf in her closet sits a notebook thats key to everything critical in this 26-year-olds life.

There is contact information for her lawyer, her employer, her parents, her university scholarship. There are numbers of bank accounts, credit cards. Instructions on what to do with her 2013 Toyota Corolla.

Call it a preparedness plan. Fatima Flores-Lagunas put it together recently in case of arrest and deportation.

Right now the political science major is in the U.S. lawfully, under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. But President Donald Trump has not ruled out an end to the Obama-era program that shields from prosecution more than 750,000 young people brought to the U.S. illegally by parents.

Born in Mexico, Flores-Lagunas is not at all at ease leaving the U.S. home shes built with her parents the past 20 years. She wishes she could sit down and talk with the president. Were all human beings at the end of the day.

Still, she wants to be responsible and has created the checklist to help a trusted friend or relative handle her affairs if she should be apprehended.

Her older sister has done the same, only her focus is on her child.

Flores-Lagunas said she wants to be optimistic, and is pouring her efforts into school and helping other immigrants.

But I realize whats going on, and whats going on is uncertain.
Kolkata, Mar 5 (IBNS): At least 11 persons were injured as a speeding minibus hit an Ola cab near Rasbehari crossing under Tollygunge Police Station limits in south Kolkata on Sunday, reports said.

According to reports, a Kalitala to Howrah Station bound minibus suddenly lost its control and crashed into an app-based taxi, waiting at a traffic signal, near Rasbehari crossing.

One woman passenger of the cab and at least 10 passengers of the minibus were injured in the mishap and were rushed to M.R. Bangur hospital nearby.

Police have seized the bus, while its driver and conductor are absconding.

Meanwhile, a wedding-party bus reportedly overturned and fell into a roadside canal at Nayagram area in West Bengal's West Medinipur district on Saturday midnight, leaving at least 25 passengers injured.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)
TECUMSEH, Neb.  Two weeks ago, safety concerns expressed by local workers at the high-security prison here led Johnson County Board members to request a meeting with the warden of the Tecumseh State Prison.

Employees and their families were concerned about staff security, and worried that inmates were gaining the upper hand at the 960-bed prison, according to Scotty Gottula, the chairman of the County Board.

Theres talk out here in the community that the place is a time bomb, Gottula said.

The warden, Brad Hansen, discussed conditions at the 16-year-old prison and reported that all was going well, according to the official minutes of the Feb. 21 meeting.

Nine days later, a group of 40 inmates defied commands to return to their cells, causing prison staff to retreat. That touched off a seven-hour disturbance that left two inmates dead, several inmates injured, and part of a housing unit burned and vandalized. Its left state corrections officials again scrambling to explain how inmates had taken over part of the states highest security prison, leading to death and destruction.

State Corrections Director Scott Frakes  hired 25 months ago to turn around an agency plagued by staffing problems, prison overcrowding and the mistaken early release of hundreds of inmates  said that such serious and horrific incidents are sure to raise questions.

But, Frakes said, the Tecumseh facilitys latest violent outburst  which will be investigated by state and federal prison authorities  had more to do with a few inmates making horrible choices than mismanagement or long-running staffing problems at state prisons.

We will not know exactly what happened or why for some time, as an investigation like this is complex, Frakes said at a press conference Friday.

Across the country, he added, prison systems are seeing more violence, disrespect and defiance from inmates.

To be sure, some upgrades and improvements have been made at Tecumseh since a Mothers Day riot in 2015 left two inmates dead and caused $2 million in damage. But the state prison system, and Tecumseh in particular, still suffers from serious staffing problems.

The number of unfilled jobs at the rural prison is the highest in the state, with 53 vacancies. That means corrections staff are asked to work overtime to fill shifts, sometimes with little prior notice, which saps worker morale, state union officials say.

The amount of overtime hours worked at Tecumseh and the turnover rate for security forces is virtually unchanged from May 2015, when the prison last erupted in violence. Despite stepped-up recruiting efforts and recent increases in starting salaries, the overall number of job vacancies at the Department of Corrections as of Dec. 21  137  was higher than it was when the 2015 riot broke out.

Two prison employees were injured in that melee at Tecumseh. Inmates took over two housing units, trapping 20 staffers for up to six hours. Security staff at the prison are still working 12-hour shifts ordered in the wake of the emergency.

It was described as the states worst prison uprising in decades.

Staffing problems contribute to such prison uprisings, according to a California-based authority on jail and prison uprisings.

When youre short-staffed, you suffer, said Richard Lichten, a retired lieutenant with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Office, who led 100 responses to jail disturbances.

Security duties such as searching cells and gathering intelligence on planned disturbances can be neglected when understaffed, Lichten said.

Being short-staffed can also slow the response to a disturbance, he said, because emergency response teams have to be assembled from other prisons, sometimes a distance away.

Frakes acknowledged Friday that if the vacant posts at Nebraska prisons could be filled, you would have additional resources to assist.

As it was, 95 emergency response team members were called to Tecumseh on Thursday. Many had to rush in from Omaha and Lincoln, each an hours drive away. Then, those corrections officers and State Patrol troopers had to suit up in riot gear and organize a plan to take back a prison.

Thursdays disturbance at Tecumseh was reported about 1 p.m., and the emergency response teams moved in about 4:30 p.m.

That seems like an awfully long time, said Lichten, the authority on riot response.

But a leading authority on prison disturbances, and someone who has worked on emergency preparedness with Nebraska prisons, said given the rural location of the Tecumseh facility, the response was probably as fast as possible.

Overall, prison disturbances are unpredictable, even in the best-run and -staffed facilities, said Jeffrey Schwartz, a Campbell, California-based consultant.

You can do everything right and still end up in tragedy, Schwartz said. All you can do is reduce the odds.

That can be done, he said, by operating a prison as professionally and thoughtfully as possible, and by training for an emergency.

Those two things are being done here, but this is a business that comes with a substantial amount of risk, he said.

Schwartz acknowledged that the warden at Tecumseh, Hansen, is a longtime colleague and a friend. Hansen, he said, is well versed in emergency response, and has been working hard to address staffing problems there.

But when asked if its a good idea to locate maximum-security prisons in rural areas, Schwartz answered with an emphatic no.

Cultural and racial differences between staff and inmates can lead to problems, he said, and its harder to hire enough staff in rural areas  a problem that has plagued Tecumseh.

Workers at Tecumseh had been scheduled to vote Friday on a new schedule designed to ease the 12- to 16-hour shifts yet allow workers who want to supplement their paychecks by working overtime to do so.

That vote has been postponed to this Friday.

Theres been a lot of tension out there, Mike Marvin, head of the Nebraska Association of Public Employees, said of the constant demand for overtime.

But Frakes said employee turnover at Tecumseh has eased somewhat in recent months, and violence against the staff  which saw a 57 percent increase in 2016  is trending back downward.

Theres no minimizing that two inmates died Thursday, but he said that the response to the disturbance was much quicker than in 2015, which led to a quicker resolution. Staff were able to exit without injury, and able to isolate the disruptive inmates in one-half of a housing unit, limiting the scope of the uprising and vandalism.

Frakes said he understands when some state lawmakers, and local officials, question whether the agency is making improvements, given the repeat of violence at Tecumseh.

Progress has been slowed by the staffing problems and incidents such as those at Tecumseh, he said, but there has been significant headway in improving programming and better identifying which inmates can be released early on parole.

There are issues in this agency that took 10 years to develop. They arent going to be fixed in two years, unfortunately, he said. Weve still got a long ways to go.

Gottula, the Johnson County Board member, said he still needs more convincing of that.

Its just the same thing as last time, he said. They dont have it under control again.

Recent prison uprisings outside of Nebraska

State Corrections Director Scott Frakes said Nebraska is not alone in seeing major disturbances in its prison system.

Good statistics on uprisings are not available, according to Jeffrey Schwartz, a California-based authority on preparing for such incidents.

But there have been several disturbances in recent months:

Sept. 7, 2016

Holmes Correctional Institution, Bonifay, Florida

More than 400 inmates in the 1,100-inmate facility ransacked a dorm in a possible escape attempt. There were no serious injuries.

Sept. 9

Gulf Correctional Institution, Wewahitchka, Florida

Several hundred inmates housed in multiple dorms rioted. One inmate was injured.

Sept. 10

Kinross Correctional Facility, Kincheloe, Michigan

There were no injuries to staff, but the total cost of staff overtime, repairs and moving prisoners added up to nearly $900,000.

Jan. 9, 2017

Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, Shirley, Massachusetts

A fight among inmates spread to 47 inmates, who vandalized tables, computers and security cameras after taking over a housing unit at the maximum-security prison for three hours. Pepper spray was used to retake the unit. There were no injuries.

Feb. 1

James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, Smyrna, Delaware

One correctional officer was killed, and 27 inmates and two employees were taken hostage. State police stormed a housing unit to end the standoff.

Feb. 6

Kern Valley State Prison, Bakersfield, California

A fight among four inmates spread to 125 prisoners, sending five to the hospital. Nonlethal weapons were used to quell the uprising. Officers recovered seven inmate-made weapons.

World-Herald librarian Sheritha Jones contributed to this report.
A former senior-level intelligence official flatly denied that President Donald Trump or his campaign aides were wiretapped using intelligence authorities during the 2016 election, just minutes after the White House  offering no evidence  called for an investigation into Trump's claim that then-President Barack Obama had ordered such surveillance.

Speaking on NBC News on Sunday morning, former director of national intelligence James R. Clapper Jr., who served in that post in the Obama administration, denied that a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) wiretap was authorized against Trump or his campaign during his tenure.

"There was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time as a candidate or against his campaign," Clapper said on "Meet the Press."

He added that he would "absolutely" have been informed if the FBI had received a FISA warrant against Trump or his campaign.

"I can deny it," Clapper continued.

The unusual and blunt on-the-record statement came shortly after the White House issued a statement doubling down on the explosive accusations Trump leveled against Obama on Twitter on Saturday.

The president tweeted that he "just found out" that Obama had "wires tapped" in Trump Tower before the election, comparing it to "McCarthyism."

"Is it legal for a sitting President to be 'wire tapping' a race for president prior to an election?" Trump continued in another tweet. "Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!"

In a statement, White House press secretary Sean Spicer cited "reports" of "potentially politically motivated investigations" during the 2016 campaign, calling them "troubling." He did not disclose which reports the White House was basing its claim on.

"Reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling," Spicer said. "President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016."

"Neither the White House nor the President will comment further until such oversight is conducted," the statement added.

Congressional committees in the House and the Senate are probing suspected Russian efforts to undermine the 2016 election as well as any contacts between Russian officials and the Trump campaign.

Trump's Saturday morning tweet storm may have been prompted by the comments of a conservative radio host, Mark Levin, which were summarized in an article on the conservative website Breitbart. The Breitbart story was circulating among Trump's senior aides on Friday and Saturday.

A spokesman for Obama on Saturday said the former president never authorized a wiretap of Trump or any other American citizen.

The White House's escalation of Trump's claims were kept at arm's length by congressional Republicans appearing on Sunday morning news broadcasts.

When asked about Trump's allegations, Senate Intelligence Committee member Tom Cotton, R-Ark., declined to comment on the president's tweets but said he has "seen no evidence of the allegations."

"Whether that's a FISA court application or denial of that application or a resubmission of that application, that doesn't mean that none of these things happened. It just means we haven't seen that yet," Cotton added, speaking on Fox News Sunday.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said he is not aware of evidence to back up the president's claim.

"I have no insight into exactly what he's referring to," Rubio said on "Meet the Press." "The president put that out there, and now the White House will have to answer for exactly what he was referring to."

Obama's allies were more blunt, denying flatly that the former president had ordered a wiretap of Trump's campaign.

"This may come as a surprise to the current occupant of the Oval Office, but the president of the United States does not have the authority to unilaterally order the wiretapping of American citizens," said former Obama White House press secretary Josh Earnest.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told "Meet the Press" that Trump is "in trouble" and acting "beneath the dignity of the presidency."

"The president's in trouble if he falsely spread this kind of information," Schumer said. "It shows this president doesn't know how to conduct himself."

Earnest added that Trump was attempting to distract from the controversy involving contacts between his campaign aides, including now-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Russian officials.

"We know exactly why president Trump tweeted what he tweeted," Earnest added. "Because there is one page in the Trump White House crisis management playbook, and that is simply to tweet or say something outrageous to distract from a scandal. And the bigger the scandal, the more outrageous the tweet."

Appearing on ABC's "This Week," White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders repeatedly said that the president's allegation was worth looking into.

"He's asking that we get down to the bottom of this, let's get the truth here, let's find out," Huckabee Sanders said. "I think the bigger story isn't who reported it, but is it true. And I think the American people have a right to know if this happened, because if it did, again, this is the largest abuse of power that, I think, we have ever seen."

Asked whether Trump truly believes Obama wiretapped him, Huckabee Sanders deflected.

"I would say that his tweet speaks for itself there," she said.

Clapper's comments referred only to whether Trump campaign officials had been wiretapped. But their conversations could also have been captured by routine surveillance of Russian diplomats or intelligence operatives.

U.S. monitoring of Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, for example, caught his conversations with Trump adviser Michael Flynn during the campaign. Flynn went on to become Trump's national security adviser, but he was forced to resign last month after admitting that he had misled other senior Trump officials about the nature of those conversations.

The FBI and the National Security Agency also have obtained intercepted communications among Russians officials in which they refer to conversations with members of the Trump team, current and former U.S. officials have said.

On the broader question of apparent Russian interference in the 2016 election, Clapper urged congressional investigators to attempt to settle the issue, which he said has become a "distraction" in the political sphere.

The intelligence community found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government  at least until the end of the Obama administration, the nation's former top spy said Sunday.

"We had no evidence of such collusion," Clapper said on "Meet the Press."

He added a caveat: "This could have unfolded or become available in the time since I left government."

Whether there was any collusion is a key question fueling a wide-ranging federal probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign.

On Jan. 6, the U.S. spy agencies collectively released a report concluding that Russia carried out cyberhacks and other "active measures" with an intent to help Trump and harm the campaign and potential presidency of Hillary Clinton. The report, Clapper pointed out, included "no evidence" of collusion with the Trump campaign.

But the investigation by the FBI, the NSA and the CIA continues. The Senate and House intelligence committees also are conducting investigations.
Nebraskas reasonable, limited and cost-effective mandatory minimum sentences for major crimes dont need repealing.

They need protecting.

Omaha State Sen. Ernie Chambers Legislative Bill 447, up for floor debate at the Capitol, would repeal the states mandatory minimum sentences for all offenses but rape and child molestation.

These are the criminals LB 447 would give Nebraska judges the option to put on probation instead of requiring at least a minimum prison stay:

People possessing or making child porn. People using firearms to commit crimes. Drive-by shooters. Predators enticing children online. People who assault pregnant women. People who assault law enforcement officers, health care workers or prison guards. People committing hate crimes. Felons with firearms. Meth, heroin and cocaine dealers. And people dealing drugs near schools.

These arent non-violent drug users who pose little threat. These are the people Nebraskans pay taxes to keep behind bars.

Nebraska police officers, sheriffs, troopers and prosecutors have stated firmly that LB 447 would harm public safety.

Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson and Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine made that point clearly in a Midlands Voices column that ran Feb. 26. They wrote:

Removal of the mandatory minimum terms would have a detrimental effect on public safety by potentially allowing the some of the worst offenders to return to Nebraskas communities in a shorter period of time or avoid prison entirely.

Chambers argues that judges would exercise discretion and imprison the criminals who deserve it. But the bulk of Nebraskas judges arent beating down the Capitols doors for repeal. Brad Ashford, a former state senator whose brother is a judge, has defended Nebraskas mandatory minimums as necessary tools to get really bad guys off the street.

Ashford, as chairman of the Judiciary Committee in 2009, succeeded in getting the Legislatures approval to add gun crimes to the list of offenses requiring mandatory minimums.

Chambers offers the argument routinely made by defense attorneys that mandatory minimum sentences pervert justice by encouraging innocent people and others to accept plea deals. But plea deals must be entered into freely to be accepted, and the courts have robust authority to correct those found to be coerced.

Chambers also is trying to sell new senators and those worried about the states large budget hole the mistaken idea that mandatory minimum prison stays are stuffing Nebraskas prisons.

Nebraskas prisons are indeed crowded, but inmates serving mandatory minimum sentences arent a key contributor to the crowding, a review by the Council of State Governments found. The annual percentage of inmates imprisoned on crimes with mandatory minimum sentences is between 2 and 5 percent, state prison officials report.

One reason Chambers has targeted mandatory minimum sentences is that the mandatory minimum part of a prison sentence is ineligible for good time, Nebraskas flawed, dessert-first prison management tool Chambers designed that halves most criminal sentences before they start.

Nebraskas mandatory minimums work. They target the bad actors who should be in prison without overburdening taxpayers.

Senators should reject LB 447 and make sure the people who commit vile crimes spend at least some time behind bars.
What I heard from President Trump in his speech Tuesday night was a greatest-hits compilation of campaign promises he has no earthly way to keep.

Dying industries will come roaring back to life, he vowed. Gleaming new roads, bridges and airports will magically materialize. Health care will be better, cheaper and available to all. Terrorism, crime, poverty and even drug addiction will cease to plague our soon-to-be-great-again land.

What I didnt hear was anything to reassure the nation that its fate is in competent hands.

Trumps speech won praise for being presidential, but only from those grading him on an absurdly generous curve. It should not be remarkable that the highest elected official of the richest and most powerful nation on earth managed to get through an hour-long speech without foaming at the mouth. Two-bit banana republics set a higher bar.

I do give Trump credit for one laugh-out-loud funny line: The time for small thinking is over. The time for trivial fights is behind us.

This high-minded sentiment came from a man who used his appearance at the National Prayer Breakfast to taunt Arnold Schwarzenegger about his ratings as Trumps replacement on The Celebrity Apprentice.

And there was one truly genuine and unforgettable moment: The sustained ovation for Carryn Owens, the widow of Navy SEAL William Ryan Owens, who was killed in the Trump administrations first counterterrorism operation, a raid in Yemen.

But what else could anyone take seriously? Certainly not the presidents basic premise that he inherited a nation in dire straits.

Unemployment as of January was 4.8 percent. Violent crime is near historical lows nationwide, though a few cities, including Chicago, are tragic exceptions. What once was a flood of undocumented migrants coming across the border from Mexico has become a trickle. And through a combination of vigilance and good fortune, we have not suffered a major attack by terrorist groups on U.S. soil since 9/11.

Much of Trumps speech, then, was devoted to solving problems that do not actually exist. He wants to give huge tax cuts to corporations as a way of creating jobs. He is forming a Justice Department task force on crime. He swore for the umpteenth time to build a great, great wall along our southern border. And he called for the strictest possible vetting of visa applicants from countries afflicted by terrorism  which is what already takes place.

The closest the president came to actual substance in the speech was in discussing health care. Unless you were listening very carefully, you probably just heard Trumps usual its-gonna-be-awesome description of what replaces the Affordable Care Act: reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time provide better health care. This imaginary program probably washes and waxes your car, too.

But House Speaker Paul Ryan surely noticed that Trump used the phrases tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts  both of which are elements of the framework Ryan supports as a starting point for a replacement program. The problem for Ryan is that both Democrats and conservative Republicans reject his approach, so the kind words from the president may not matter.

After reportedly suggesting in an off-the-record lunch with television anchors that he might propose a version of comprehensive immigration reform, with some sort of legal status for the millions of law-abiding undocumented immigrants, Trump did nothing of the sort. In fact, he went back to demonizing the undocumented as dangerous criminals, announcing a new victims-services office infelicitously named VOICE  Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement.

Trump said he wants an America not burdened by our fears  after spending an hour stoking those fears. Even when he uses his indoor voice, he doesnt sound much like a president.
Forced conversion or spreading disease: What led to killing of an American in Andaman Island

How a well-oiled conversion factory tried to convert the Sentinelese people to Christianity

Who is Jesus Wilfredo Encarnacion, the American who wanted to join Lashkar

American economist says India's GDP growth appears solid

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, March 5: Noted American economist Steve H Hanke has said that India's economic growth for 2016-17 is appearing 'solid' because the GDP figures did not take into account adverse impact of demonetisation on informal economy.

"India's growth is only solid b/c it ignores the adverse effect of #demonetisation on the massive informal economy," Hanke, an American applied economist at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, said in a tweet.

The Indian government had last month pegged GDP growth at a higher-than-expected 7.1 per cent for the current fiscal despite note ban. The Central Statistics Office had put the growth rate for October-December -- the quarter in which the government banned 86 per cent of the currency in circulation -- at 7 per cent, compared to 7.4 per cent in the second quarter and 7.2 per cent in the first quarter.

India's growth was higher than China's 6.8 per cent for the October-December period of 2016. The growth numbers were better than those projected by the RBI (6.9 per cent) and international agencies like IMF (6.6 per cent), OECD (7 per cent) in view of demonetisation.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development had in February last year projected the country's economy to expand at 7.4 per cent in 2016-17.

Buoyed by higher-than-expected GDP growth, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has also said a 7 per cent expansion in third quarter belies exaggerated claims of note ban impact on rural economy.

PTI
How the numbers add up in UP: This is what BJP's win percentage was

Amit Shah: BJP's UP government first task will be to arrest Gayatri Prajapati

India

pti-PTI

Ambedkarnagar, March 5: Ruing the UP government's failure to arrest its rape-accused minister Gayatri Prajapati, the BJP on Sunday listed sending the minister "behind bars" as one of the first tasks in the event of forming government in the state.

Addressing an election rally here, BJP chief Amit Shah said, "As soon as the BJP forms the government in UP on March 11, we would search (Gayatri Prasad) Prajapati even from the hell and send him to jail." Prajapati holds transport department portfolio in CM Akhilesh Yadav's Council of ministers, but is facing arrest following a Supreme Court order to lodge an FIR against him for his alleged role in a rape case.

Shah also alleged that the rape-accused minister campaigned for the SP for nearly six days, and even exercised his voting rights on February 27. "But, the police was not able to do anything. On the other hand, the CM appealed to Gayatri to surrender. The job of the police is to hold the criminal by the collar and send him behind bars," said Shah amid a thunderous applause from the crowd.

He added, "Akhilesh claims that 'kaam bolta hai' (actions speak). But, the reality is that UP tops in crime against women and here 'karnama bolta hai' (misdeeds speak)." Shah also pointed out to the crowd that it was on the apex court's order that the FIR was lodged against Prajapati.

In reply to various parties ridiculing the PM's 'acchhe din' (good days) slogan, the BJP chief said, "Hear this loud and clear, UP's 'acchhe din' would begin from 1 pm on March 11 as soon as the BJP would form its government in UP." He also told Akhilesh that one needs guts and spine to bring development to a state like Uttar Pradesh.

PTI
Nightlife and increasing number of bars/pubs:

The neighbourhood, which once used to be green and serene, has now become noisy and unsafe for the residents. Some have to cope up with the loud music and drunken behaviour till the early hours of the morning.

Residents raise their voice:

The residents are also complaining about drunken revelry on streets, sale of drugs and prostitution in the area.

Even the traffic congestion add to their woes:

Thousands of people flock to Indiranagar and park their cars in the neighbouring areas, leading to traffic congestion

Against noisy neighbours

The noise pollution and increasing traffic, which are having an impact on the entire city, are affecting the quality of life of the Indiranagar residents. The noise also disturbs students studying for their exams.
How the numbers add up in UP: This is what BJP's win percentage was

BJP banks on Modi to overcome SP-Congress in Varanasi

India

pti-PTI

Varanasi, March 5: Varanasi is not turning out to be the cakewalk the BJP might have hoped for its Assembly candidates in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency.

Factors like consolidation of opposition votes and well-entrenched rival candidates against BJP's perceived fumbling in picking its nominees have come together to make contests close in this high-profile seat.

BJP President Amit Shah might have dismissed opposition's suggestions that multiple public events by Modi here besides deployment of a number of union ministers and top party leaders in campaigning is indicative of "desperation" in his ranks but it is clear that his party is going out of the way to ensure a good saffron show.

"I am a little critical. There is an excess effort from the BJP and people can feel it. Everybody has a role and stature and I think it (Modi's numerous events) diminishes the prime minister's chair," said Ashok Kumar Upadhyay, a professor in Political Science Department of Banaras Hindu University.

He, however, told PTI that the overdrive may end up helping the saffron party by winning over floating voters who are guided by the "wave". The BJP had won three of the five seats falling in the Varanasi parliamentary constituency in 2012 and has changed two of the three winners this time round.

Neelkanth Tiwari is making his electoral debut replacing seven-time MLA Shyamdev Roy Chaudhari in Varanasi South seat and Saurabh Srivastava takes the baton from his mother Jyotsana Srivastava in Varanasi Cantonment.

Both changes have not gone down well with sections of party cadres. The party leadership has worked overtime to placate Chaudhari, well-regarded for his affability and accessibility, with Shah reaching out to him.

The change in Cantonment has invited allegations of dynasty politics as the Srivastava family has long held the constituency and even Saurabh Srivastava's late father was an MLA before his mother stepped in his shoes.

In Varanasi North, Muslims are in substantial numbers and have rallied around the Samajwadi Party-Congress candidate and former MLA Abdul Samad Ansari. Ravindra Jaisawal of the BJP had won from here by a narrow margin and the combined votes of the two alliance partners has made matters difficult for him.

PTI
Kolkata/Malda, Mar 5 (IBNS): Acting on a tip off, police on Saturday late night arrested a man from Rathbari area in Malda district of West Bengal and recovered fake Rs. 2000 notes with a face value of 92 thousand rupees from his possession, officials said.

According to reports, nearly 45-year-old Mukulesh Mian alias Bhutto, a resident of Kaliachak in the same district, was nabbed with these fake notes from Rathbari area at around 10 pm. on Saturday.

"We have charged the man under IPC sections 489B (Using as genuine, forged or counterfeit currency-notes or bank-notes) and 489C (Possession of forged or counterfeit currency-notes or bank-notes) and we are quizzing him to know more about his involvement with FICN (Fake Indian Currency Notes) trafficking racket," a senior official of Malda district police told IBNS.

However, the middle-aged man was produced in a local court on Sunday and was remanded to police custody for further interrogation.

Few days earlier, five men were held with Rs. 2000 fake notes worth 56.74 lakh rupees from Kolkata's Kidderpore area.

After starting probe into the matter, police booked more three persons from Bagnan area in Kolkata's neighbouring Howrah district in connection with the case and busted their fake currency printing unit at Bauria area in the same district.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)
BJP pulls out of BMC mayor race, Shiv Sena hints at Fadnavis Govt now being safe

India

pti-PTI

Mumbai, March 5: A day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paved the way for the Shiv Sena to install its Mayor in BMC, the warring ally on Sunday hinted there is no threat to the stability of the BJP-led coalition government.

"We have now kept aside the resignation letters which we were carrying in our pockets," Shiv Sena leader and Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam told reporters here. Interestingly, it was Kadam who had said the ministers of his party were carrying resignation letters in their pockets, after the Sena president Uddhav Thackeray broke the alliance with the ruling BJP ahead of the BMC polls last month.

When asked if the Fadnavis was still on "notice period" as announced by the Sena leadership in run-up to the elections, he said, "only Thackeray can answer this query."

Sena is the junior partner of the BJP in the Central and state government. The apparent thaw in Sena's aggressive stand vis-a-vis the BJP came a day after Fadnavis announced the BJP will not field its nominees for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mumbai in the Mayoral election, scheduled this week.

The CM's announcement of the BJP virtually relinquishing prominent civic posts paved the way for Sena to install its Mayor in the country's richest civic body. Sena has been demanding Mayor's post by virtue of its numerical strength at 84 in BMC, just two more than BJP. Sena had also claimed support of at least four Independent corporators.

However, given the hung verdict, both the Sena and the BJP could not reach the magic figure of 114 seats needed to rule the 227-member civic body on their respective strength. In an indication of rapprochement, senior Sena leaders attended a press conference addressed by the CM at Sahyadri Guest House here.

PTI
Centre doing nothing to stop harassment of fishermen: TN CM instrongly worded letter

India

oi-Anusha

Chennai, March 5: In his first letter on Tamil Nadu fishermen to the centre, Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisamy has accused the government of India of leaving fishermen at the mercy of Sri Lankan navy. The letter heavily criticises the union government of not doing enough to apply pressure on the Sri Lankan government prompting it to desist from harassing Tamil Nadu fishermen.

The 2-page letter points out to how the Sri Lankan navy goes about arresting Indian fishermen who venture into the sea. The letter highlights that 32 fishermen and 5 fishing boats have been apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy in three incidents on MArch 4 and 5. "The government has neither approved the package of Rs 1650 crore nor does there seem to be adequate pressure built up on Sri Lanka to desist from day to day harassment and arrest of our fishermen as they go about pursuing their traditional occupation of fishing," the letter said.

It may be noted that this is the first time Edappadi Palanisami has written a bitter letter to the centre. The last time such a letter was sent to the centre, J Jayalalithaa was the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. The letter clearly is an indication of Palanisami attempting to woo the people of Tamil Nadu by proving that Jayalalithaa's style of administration is continuing in the newly formed government.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Sunday, March 5, 2017, 17:54 [IST]
Congress slams move to link Aadhaar to midday meal scheme

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Mar 5: The Congress today criticised the NDA government's move to link midday meal scheme benefits with Aadhaar card, saying the decision should not be "forced" on children.

The Human Resource Development ministry had announced that cook-cum-helpers working under the midday meal scheme as well as student beneficiaries will now be required to have an Aadhaar card to avail the facility.

"The government should not deprive the children of the benefits of the scheme by making the Aadhaar card mandatory for availing its benefits. We demand that it should not be forced on them," AICC secretary Bhakta Charan Das said at a media briefing here.

Midday meal scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme to boost the universalisation of primary education by increasing enrolment, retention and attendance in primary and upper primary classes.

Das claimed that there are some 12 crore children enrolled countrywide under the scheme and that there right to have nutritious food in adequate quantities should not be "taken away".

As per guidelines, cooked meals are to be provided with 450 and 700 calories and 12 gm and 20 gm protein contents for primary and upper primary schoolchildren, respectively.

PTI
Court holds writ by Hindu petitioners in Gyanvapi case maintainable: What does this mean

WATCH | Varanasi declared as first ever SCO tourist and cultural capital

Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri case: Court asks mosque management to file objections to plea for carbon-dating of 'Shivling'

On camera: Varanasi folks in panic as 'ghost in white' goes for a walk on rooftops

Varanasi to light up for Deep Deepavali, a festival of lights that is not Diwali

Huge crowd as Narendra Modi resumes roadshow in Varanasi

India

oi-Lisa

Varanasi, March 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday resumed the second leg of his road show in Varanasi with large crowds of supporters and BJP workers thronging the streets.

The five-km road show began at Pandeypur Square and wound its way through Chaukaghat, Teliabagh, Maldahiya and Patel Chowk to culminate at the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith.

More pictures from Shri @narendramodi's Janta Darshan in Varanasi today. pic.twitter.com/zYbRi0DgVx  narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) March 5, 2017

Thousands of supporters thronged the route along which Modi went. The supporters were carrying BJP flags and shouting 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi', they waved at PM, who acknowledged their greetings and waved back at them.

People turn out in large numbers as PM @narendramodis cavalcade moves on the streets of Varanasi pic.twitter.com/4GoQMApgLO  narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) March 5, 2017

The PM is scheduled to go to Diesel Locomotive Works late evening where he is to engage in a discussion with select 5,000 intellectuals of the city. He is also to address a public rally in Rohaniya on Monday.

Varanasi, which is PM's parliamentary constituency, and some surrounding districts will go to polls on March 8 which is the seventh and last phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

People from all walks of life have joined the event. Here are a few pictures from the PM's Jan Darshan. pic.twitter.com/8okZGtf3g7  narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) March 5, 2017

PM's road show ridiculed

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday sought to ridicule PM Narendra Modi's roadshows saying they all are bound to fail like the earlier ones and would stray the PM 'somewhere else'.

Will Muslims vote for BJP candidates?

Muslims turned out in large numbers as PM Narendra Modi's roadshow passed through their localities here but the goodwill gesture may not translate into votes for BJP candidates in his parliamentary seat.

Is Varanasi really difficult to win for BJP?

Some political analysts believe that Varanasi is not turning out to be easy the way the BJP may have hoped for its Assembly candidates in Modi's Lok Sabha constituency. Factors like consolidation of opposition votes and well-entrenched rival candidates against BJP's perceived fumbling in picking its nominees have come together to make contests close in this high-profile seat.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Sunday, March 5, 2017, 18:58 [IST]
Rajnath Singh wanted to join Indian Army, but couldn't; know why

Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Make in India, Make for the World, says Rajnath Singh

Manohar Parrikar: Bagdogra airport to function 24-hours a day

India

pti-PTI

Jalpaiguri, March 5: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday said the Bagdogra Airport near Siliguri would soon function for 24-hours a day.

The Defence ministry has no objection to the Bagdogra Airport functioning for 24-hours a day, Parrikar told reporters here when asked whether the Defence Ministry would give permission to night landing of flights at the airport.

At present flights are not allowed to take off and land in the Bagdogra Airport at night. The civilian side of the Bagdogra airport is operated by the Airports Authority of India but the airport is under the control of Defence ministry.

Earlier in the day the Defence minister inaugurated a inaugurated the Ramkrishna Shiksha Parishad Model School building at Darjelling and also visited the famous Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.

Darjeeling MP and Union Minister of State for Agriculture S S Ahluwalia was present during the inauguration the school building.

PTI
Modi to hold roadshow in Varanasi today

India

pti-PTI

Varanasi, Mar 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold a roadshow here on Sunday in support of local BJP candidates, a day after an impromptu tour through the winding streets of the city. Modi is scheduled to begin his tour on Sunday with the roadshow which will commence at 3 PM from the Police Lines helipad where his chopper will land, BJP media convenor for Kashi Prant, comprising several districts in eastern UP, Sanjay Bhardwaj told.

"Traversing through localities like Pandeypur Chauraha, Hukulganj, Chaukaghat and Teliyabagh, he will reach Kashi Vidyapeeth premises where his 'Parivartan Sankalp' (pledge for change) rally is scheduled at 6.30 PM," he said. Modi had hit the campaign trail here yesterday with an impromptu roadshow while he was on his way to two of the ancient city's most revered temples in the morning. He also held a public meeting late in the evening and later left the city.

The opposition had criticised on Saturday's roadshow and the Congress even lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging that the show of strength was made without the requisite permission. He will return to his parliamentary constituency this afternoon for a two-day visit, with less than 48 hours to go before the campaign for Uttar Pradesh Assembly poll's final phase comes to an end.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters, "We were enthralled by the massive crowds that came out yesterday to greet the PM as he travelled several kilometres in an open jeep." He said the turnout was even greater than what was witnessed when Modi had come to the city to file his nomination papers during the 2014 general elections. "We know that when the PM is among his people, they expect him to provide inspiration through his unparalleled oratory. So today his vehicle is likely to be fitted with a mike so that the people of Kashi get to hear their leader speak," Goyal, a senior BJP leader, said.

After the rally, Modi will leave for the Diesel Locomotive Works guest house where he will stay the night. Before retiring for the day, the Prime Minister will interact with nearly 2,000 prominent citizens drawn from various walks of life at the DLW premises. Tomorrow morning, Modi is expected to visit Ramnagar town across the Ganga and garland a statue of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri who had spent his early childhood there. Modi is likely to sign off his campaign trail with a huge rally at Rohaniya, a predominantly rural Assembly segment on the outskirts of the city, before boarding his return flight.

PTI
Munde corners Sena-BJP with online campaign

India

pti-PTI

Mumbai, Mar 5: A day after Bharatiya Janata Party opted out of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation mayoral race, Nationalist Congress Party MLC Dhananjay Munde on Sunday launched an online campaign to "expose" the opportunistic politics of the saffron allies (Sena and BJP).

Munde, who is also the leader of opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council, started the campaign with hashtag #DoYouRemember aimed at cornering both the Sena and BJP who indulged in mudslinging against each other during the recently concluded polls but called it a truce ahead of mayor's election scheduled for March 8.

[Also read: Suicide abetment case can't be quashed on settlement ground:HC]

"My point is very clear in this campaign. The language used by the BJP and the Shiv Sena leaders against each other during the BMC polls was indecent and harsh. "With CM Fadnavis paving way for Shiv Sena mayor in the BMC... it is nothing but engaging into some kind of arrangement with the party (Sena). It is the same party with which BJP was fighting fiercely a few weeks back," Munde told PTI on Sunday.

"Through this campaign, I want to expose and point out the hollowness in their big talks," said Munde. Munde has not only tagged Fadnavis but also BJP and Shiv Sena in his online campaign. He has also uploaded the relevant newspapers clippings during the electioneering days.

PTI
Now BSP candidate in UP accused of rape

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The BSP's candidate from Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh has been booked along with 6 others on charges of rape. Bazmi Siddiqui and 6 others were booked on rape charges by the police on Saturday.

In the complaint it was alleged that Siddiqui and his men had forcibly entered a house in Faizabad city and raped the woman. They are alleged to have beaten up the family members and took turns in raping the woman.

Faizabad SSP Anant Dev told PTI that five of the accused men have been arrested and police teams were conducting raids to locate and arrest Siddiqui and one of his aides.

It may be recalled that UP minister Gayatri Prajapati has also beem accused of rape. He is currently absconding and a look out circular has been issued against him.

OneIndia News
Tuesday is now No Meeting Day in Haryana and officers to be with people on Friday

Punjab: Pages of Sikh holy book found torn

India

pti-PTI

Derabassi, March 5: Pages of a holy Sikh book were today allegedly found torn in a gurdwara at Devi Nagar village here, about 25 km from Chandigarh, leading to tension in the area.

A 28-year-old villager has been arrested and a case under relevant sections, including 295 A (deliberate and malicious act, intended to outrage religious feelings) registered against him, police said.

'Granthi' Prem Singh found the pages of the religious book to be torn this morning when he went to the gurudwara to pay obeisance, police said.

After he raised an alarm, police reached the spot to investigate the matter. Heavy police force was deployed to prevent any untoward incident.

"In our probe, we found that a local, Surjit Singh alias Polla, was involved in this incident," Derabassi SP Jaskaran Singh said here.

The SP said the accused was upset after the death of his sister three months ago and was also undergoing medical treatment. Notably, several incidents of alleged desecration have taken place in different parts of Punjab.

This was one of the major issues raised by the AAP and the Congress in their campaigns ahead of the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections.

PTI
RBI governor gets threat mail, sender held in Nagpur

India

pti-PTI

Mumbai, Mar 5: Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel allegedly received a threat mail asking him to quit the job from a 37-year-old man, who has been arrested from Nagpur, police said on Sunday.

The RBI Governor received the email on February 23 in which the sender threatened to harm Patel and his family if he did not quit, a police official said. Patel forwarded the email to a senior RBI officer, who in turn approached the cyber cell of Mumbai police and lodged a complaint.

During investigation, police found that the email was sent from a cyber cafe in Nagpur. A team from the Mumbai police's cyber cell then went to Nagpur and arrested the accused, identified as Vaibhav Baddalwar, on Friday. "We have arrested the accused from Nagpur in connection with the threat mail to the RBI Governor," Deputy Commissioner of Police, cyber cell, Akhilesh Singh said.

An offence was registered by police under Indian Penal Code section 506(2) (criminal intimidation) in the case. Police claimed that the accused admitted to having sent the mail. Baddalwar was later produced in a Nagpur court which remanded him in police custody till March 6.

The accused did his post-graduation abroad and is currently jobless. It is suspected that he sent the mail out of frustration, Singh said adding that an investigation into the matter is on. The RBI spokesperson did not offer any comments in the matter.

PTI
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Kolkata, Mar 5 (IBNS): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday condemned the killing of two Indians in the US.

She urged the Indian government to take up the matter with Washington.

"Two more shocking killings of Indians in the US. GOI must take this up with the US Govt on an urgent basis," the Chief Minister tweeted.

Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Sunday said she is pained over recent incidents of hate crime in the US in which two Indian origin people were killed and another were injured.

Indian-origin man, Harnish Patel, was shot dead on Thursday night outside his home in USA in Lancaster under South Carolina.

"I am pained to hear about the killing of Harnish Patel a US national of Indian origin in Lancaster, South Carolina," Swaraj tweeted.

She said an investigation has been started into the incident.

"Our Consul has reached Lancaster and met the family of Harnish Patel. The investigation of the case is in progress," Swaraj posted.

"My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family," she wrote.

In another instance of hate crime, a 39-year-old Sikh man has been injured in a shooting incident in the US city of Kent, media reports said on Sunday.

According to reports, the unknown shooter shouted "go back to your own country" while attacking.

The Sikh man has been identified as Deep Rai, who is a US national.

"I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai a US national of Indian origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh father of the victim," Swaraj tweeted.

"He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital," she wrote.

In the end of February, Indian origin engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in a pub in Kansas city while he was hanging out with friends.

US President Donald Trump just two days before this attack condemned the Kansas attack as hate and evil.


Two militants killed in Tral encounter

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Security forces have gunned down two terrorists in an operation at Tral, Jammu and Kashmir. The operation that began at 6 pm on Saturday has ended.

One policeman has has been martyred in the encounter. An Army major and a CRPF personnel were also injured in the encounter that broke out on Saturday night. Security forces killed the militants in the encounter which took place at Shikagarh, Tral in Jammu and Kashmir.

The house in which the militants were hiding was demolished by the security forces. Reports suggest that the militants from the Hizbul Mujahideen included Sabzar Bhat who is Burhan Wani's successor. Another militant has been identified as Aqib.

Intelligence inputs were received about the militants hiding at a house in Tral. The encounter was launched at 6 pm on Saturday by the Army, CRPF and police. However a law and order problem erupted when locals came to the sight and pelted stones at the security forces. One of the locals hit an assistant sub-inspector and snatched his AK-47 rifle before disappearing. The local magistrate then imposed Section 144 which prohibits the assembly of four or more persons at a place.

OneIndia News
UP assembly election campaign: Bollywood tadka adds zing to political speeches

India

pti-PTI

Lucknow, Mar 5: Bollywood provided the perfect fodder for witty repartees this poll season as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi used dialogues from superhit films Sholay, Bahubali and DDLJ to launch attacks on rivals.

The classic case was that of the Prime Minister asking if the SP-Cong tie up was a case of "Aa Gale Lag Ja", referring to a movie by that name while Rahul Gandhi said that Narendra Modi had set out to be SRK of DDLJ with his "achhe din" promise but ended up as "Gabbar" of Sholay.

Interestingly, the ruling Samajwadi Party's star campaigner Akhilesh Yadav has been depicted as the main protagonist in the state in spoofs of some Bollywood blockbusters. The ball was set rolling by Rahul at an election meeting in the Congress pocket borough Rae Bareli on February 17 when he termed the Prime Minister's promises before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and his alleged failure to keep them by referring to the iconic 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayange' and Gabbar Singh of 'Sholay'. "You must have seen the movie 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge', have you? Do you remember it? In the film there is a promise of 'achhe din' (good days). But after two-and-a-half years what has come out is Gabbar Singh of 'Sholay'," he had said referring to the fearsome character modelled on a real-life dacoit of the same name.

The Prime Minister also made references to films to drive home his point. In Mau, from where mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari is contesting as BSP nominee from jail, Modi had referred to the magnum opus 'Bahubali' when he asked "Katappa ney bahubali ko kyun maara".

"There is a movie called Bahubali. Katappa, a character in the film, destroyed everything of Bahubali. This man with a stick (referring to BJP's ally Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party election symbol on the dais next to him) has this power. This stick is sufficient. This is the stick of law and will show its power on March 11," Modi had stressed. Earlier too, Modi had cited the example of a film "Aa Gale Lag Jaa" to make his point. Targeting the SP-Congress "unusual friendship" which came through after Congress' campaign '27 saal, UP behaal', Modi asked in his inimitable style, "What happened ... Aa Gale Lag Ja?"

PTI
UP election: PM addresses poll rally in Varanasi, bats for development of Purvanchal

India

oi-Lisa

Varanasi, March 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed a poll rally in Varanasi. He addressed the poll rally after concluding his roadshow which had attracted a huge crowd.

He began his speech by thanking the people of Varanasi by saying that they had broken Saturday's record. He added that the love and affection of the people inspires him to serve people more. He said that Mark Twain had said Banaras is older than history and older than tradition. He said Kashi is a unique place. He said that, "Our aim is of a Banaras that is modern yet retains its heritage."

He also attacked SP Government by saying, "The government focused on quick-fixes and short term development." He said the state government should have been happy that the PM was funding the underground cabling work, but they created impediments."

While talking about BJP's main objective he said that, "Our mantra is 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas' but SP, BSP and Congress believes in 'Kuch Ka Sath, Kuch Ka Hi Vikas'." He added that he aims for balanced growth in India and he wants that the eastern part of India has to scale new heights of development. He said that western part of India is very well developed while east and north east has lagged behind.

He added, "This land of Uttar Pradesh, this part of the state is blessed with very talented people. The potential for development is immense." PM asked his crowd, "Shouldn't corruption come to an end? It's been so many years since we attained freedom but a small section misused their power and position."

The PM upped the attack on the SP, the BSP and the Congress for not even being capable to allow people get benefits of programmes launched by the central government. He added that, "I want to tell all honest citizens- no one will ever trouble you. He said honest will be respected."

He talked about how the situation has changed in India since his government was formed in 2014. He said, "Earlier the question being asked would be- what money was lost (in the scams), now the question is- Modi Ji what has come back."

The PM while talking about the successfully conducted surgical strike said that, "It is sad that driven by politics, some people wanted proof of surgical strikes and were asking did any Indian soldier die." Slamming dynasty politics, he said, "I have inherited nothing. Whatever I have got is from the people of Kashi." He also listed how programmes and projects launched by his government are slowed down by the Akhilesh's government.

He said, "We wanted to build a ring road but the state government did not cooperate and kept obstructing that. They did not cooperate." He talked about his plan for developing the country and said, "Every Indian should have his or her own home by 2022. It is sad that so many years after independence also people do not have homes." He added that his plan is to provide medical facilities to people of Varanasi so that they don't have to go to Lucknow or Delhi for treatment.

He concluded by requesting people to ensure that in the last phase of the election there is record turnout of voters. He said that he wanted that democracy should be strong by people taking part in the election process.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Sunday, March 5, 2017, 20:57 [IST]
UP governor raps Akhilesh over rape accused minister

India

oi-Anusha

Lucknow, March 5: The Governor of Uttar Pradesh Ram Naik pulled up Akhilesh Yadav for allowing rape accused leader, Gayatri Prajapati, to continue as minister. In an official communication to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, the governor asked why the gang raped accused was given a spot in his cabinet.

"His remaining a minister in the cabinet and no action being taken against him raises serious questions on democratic sanctity, constitutional integrity and morality," said a letter from the Governor's House.

The controversial minister is also Samajwadi party's candidate from Amethi in the ongoing assembly polls. Gayatri Prajapati has been on the run ever since the Supreme Court asked the Uttar Pradesh police to take action against him. Prajapati is accused of being involved in the gangrape of a woman who had to knock on the doors of the Supreme Court after the Uttar Pradesh police refused to initiate action or even register a case.

While the BJP and the BSP have been taking digs at the SP for allowing a gang rape accused minister to contest int eh elections and accused the party of shielding him, a non-bailable warrant has been issued against him and his passport has been impounded.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Sunday, March 5, 2017, 17:39 [IST]
Dharmendra Pradhan: Make in India and Make in America complementary

International

oi-PTI

Boston, March 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Make In India' and US President Donald Trump's emphasis on 'Make in America' are not contradictory, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan has said.

Pradhan, who was on a two-day visit to the city, made the remarks while underscoring India's focus on creating "a new energy story" using world class technology and cutting-edge innovation. Prime Minister Modi's vision of 'Make in India and Trump's 'Make in America' are not contradictory, he said.

"If we use American technology and innovation in India's market, then it is not necessary that all components will be made in America. If American technology needs business, then they will have to come to India. We need a good business model and technology in our market. These are not contradictory," Pradhan told PTI in an interview here.

During his stay, Pradhan delivered the keynote address at the 2017 MIT Energy Conference and addressed students at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He held talks with top city officials and energy experts, including former US Secretary of Energy and now a professor at MIT Ernest Moniz and Professor Henry Lee at Harvard.

Pradhan said energy accessibility and affordability is the Modi government's primary priority. "We have to give clean energy to all our citizens. Our energy basket predominantly has coal but gas and renewables will also be part of our energy mix in future," he said. He also emphasized that India's goal to produce 175 GW renewable energy by 2022 and to ensure energy security requires delivering energy to a large mass of population in a short span, for which self-sufficiency will be critical.

"We will need to increase our production. All this we will be able to accomplish when we have technology. Institutions like MIT and Harvard are natural points of innovation and new ideas. We are here to see how we can link this to our market, how we can bring the concept of energy justice as a deliverable," he said.

During his interaction with students, Pradhan said they talked about energy as a commodity and how to make it into a business model that can be replicated across developing nations that have to fulfill energy requirements for its citizens.

On the government's demonetisation move, he said despite attempts at generating a "fear psychosis", economic growth has been on track and will improve in the months ahead as a vast majority of the Indian population has supported the government's move to combat corruption and black money.

He also attended a reception hosted for him by the Indian community in the greater Boston area, where he lauded the achievements of the Indian diaspora. He called on the Indian community to contribute to the technological advancement of India.

"We need technology, innovation, good business models and processes to take our country to the next level of growth. As the world today becomes a global village, we need the support of the Indian diaspora to realise this dream for our country," he added.

PTI
Hateful actions of one man don't define us; Indians are welcome in Kansas: Governor

International

ians-IANS

By Ians English

New York, March 5: Indians are a valuable community of Kansas and they are welcome in the state, Governor Sam Brownback has told Indian diplomats and community members in the aftermath of a bias killing of an Indian there.

Met with India's @anupamifs. The hateful actions of one man don't define us-KS welcomes & supports Indian community. pic.twitter.com/xRf6F7ZVYy  Sam Brownback (@govsambrownback) March 2, 2017

Brownback said he was ashamed of the killing of Srinivas Kuchibhotla and the wounding of Alok Madasani last month and it was not characteristic of the state that valued Indians, Consul General Anupam Ray told IANS over phone.

"The hateful actions of one man doesn't define us," Brownback said. Ray, who is based in Houston, Texas, has jurisdiction over Kansas state. He visited the state last week and met the Governor, Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer and members of the Indian community.

The state leaders said they are available for the Indian community and will give them whatever help they need, according to Ray. Ray described as moving his meeting on Thursday with Ian Grillot, the heroic American, who was shot while trying to stop the gunman. "I have not met a person like that in my life," Ray said. "A very brave man, he took a bullet for another man."

Grillot "represents the best of America," he said. Ray showed him the tweet by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj that "India salutes the heroism" he has shown.

Grillot was shot while trying to stop former Navy personnel Adam Purinton, who opened fire at the two Indians after screaming "Get out of my country".

According to news reports, he later said that he thought they were Iranians. After the shooting Consul R. D. Joshi and Vice Consul Harpal Singh from the Houston Consulate General rushed to Kansas to help Madsani and the family of Kuchibhotla.

IANS
US condemns attack on Sikh man

International

ians-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, March 5: The US embassy here on Sunday condemned the attack on a Sikh man who was injured in firing by a gunman in Washington. "Saddened by the shooting in Washington. Wishes for quick and full recovery. As @POTUS (President of the US) said, we condemn 'hate and evil in all its forms'," MaryKay Loss Carlson, Charge d'Affaires at US Embassy, tweeted.

The 39-year-old Sikh, who was hit in the arm, survived the Friday night attack, the third shooting of an Indian-origin man in the last 10 days. The victim, who has not been named, was working on his car in front of his house in Kent city of Washington state when the gunman described as white, opened fire at him, the police said.

[Also read: Sikh man shot at in Seattle after being told to go back to his own country]



On Thursday night, Indian-origin businessman Harnish Patel was shot dead outside his home at Lancaster in South Carolina. The incident happened after Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead at a bar in Kansas city on February 22.

IANS
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All rights reserved.

One News is a registered trademark

of One News Page Ltd.
Kolkata, Mar 5 (IBNS): Kolkata-Uttar Loksabha Youth Congress under the leadership of General Secretary Sri Karmakar marched with a giant rally in the name of "Kendra-Rajya Janbedna Maha-Padyatra" on Sunday.

The movement aimed to protest against the Centre and the state governments.

The party said issued like demonetization and pointing out the deaths to the physical assault to the opposition leader of a state inside the Vidhan Sabha, and in front of the Speaker himself were the main objectives and the issues of the movement.

"We also reflected and tried to spread widely the actual face of the BJP and it's sponsored leaders related with profession like "child-trafficking" with the name of Lord Rama in the mouth, and also against the highest ever price hike of the non-subsidised cooking gas (LPG) within the nation till date, and also reflected our protest strongly against the Chief Minister of the state for promoting the TET-Scam like any thing and putting the lives of the victims even in question for the lifetime," Preetom Karmakar,Secretary,West Bengal Pradesh Youth Congress said in a statement.

Among the leaders were present Rakesh Singh, Congress Youth Leader, Ajay Gupta, Congress leader, Preetom Karmakar, Rohan Mitra, Ajmal Khan, Sahdab Siddiqui, all secretaries of Pradesh Youth Congress, and many other Congress and Youth Congress leaders like Rabi Rajak, Nand Kishore and many others.
Washington, Mar 5 (IBNS): The US Embassy in India on Sunday condemned the attack on a Sikh man in Kent city.

Mary Kay Loss Carlson, Charge d'Affaires at US Embassy, tweeted: "Saddened by shooting in WA. Wishes for quick and full recovery. As @POTUS said we condemn 'hate and evil in all its forms'."

In another instance of hate crime, a 39-year-old Sikh man has been injured in a shooting incident in the US city of Kent, media reports said on Sunday.

According to reports, the unknown shooter shouted "go back to your own country" while attacking.

The Sikh man has been identified as Deep Rai, who is a US national.

Rai received injury in his arm and has been released from hospital following treatment.

He has reportedly described the shooter as six-foot-tall white man with a mask covering the lower half of his face.

This comes after Indian-origin man, Harnish Patel, was shot dead on Thursday night outside his home in USA in Lancaster under South Carolina.

In the end of February, Indian origin engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in a pub in Kansas city while he was hanging out with friends.

US President Donald Trump just two days before this attack condemned the Kansas attack as hate and evil."

Image: MaryKay Loss Carlson Twitter page
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Im tired of politics, I just want to talk about my art, I sometimes hear artistsand musicians, actors, writers, etc.say. And I sometimes see their fans say, you should shut up about politics and just talk about your art. Given the current onslaught of political news, commentary, scandal, and alarm, these are both understandable sentiments. But anyone who thinks that art and politics once occupied separate spheres harbors a historically naive belief. The arts have always been political, and all the more so during times of high drama and tension like the one we live in now. We can look, for example, to John Miltons Paradise Lost, Jacques-Louis Davids Death of Marat, or Pablo Picassos Guernica, just to mention three particularly striking historical examples.

The political acts of avant-garde artists like Picasso in the 20th century were as much revolutions in form as in content, and we begin to see the most radical statements emerge in the teens and twenties with Dada, Surrealism, and other modernisms: sometimes explicitly political in their orientationspanning the gamut from anarchism to fascismsometimes more subtly partisan.









This period was also, perhaps not coincidentally, the Golden Age of the arts journal, when every movement, circle, and splinter group in Europe and the U.S. had its own publication. For many years now, Princeton Universitys Blue Mountain Project, a joint effort from scholars, librarians, curators, and digital humanities researchers, has archived complete issues of several such journals, and weve featured a couple notable examples in previous posts.

Now we direct your attention to the full online library, where youll find issues of Poesia (top), published by F.T. Marinetti between 1905 and 1920. This magazine represents the transition from Italys engagement with an international Symbolist movement to an increasingly nationalist Futurism and features the work of Marinetti, Alfred Jarry, W.B. Yeats, Paolo Buzzi, Emilio Notte, and James Joyce. Below Poesia, from the other side of the spectrum, we see the cover of a 1920 issue of Action, a literary and artistic magazine associated with Individualist Anarchism, and featuring work from writers like Andre Malraux, Antonin Artaud, and Paul Eluard, and artwork from Demetrios Galanis and Robert Mortier, to name just a few.

Not every avant-garde arts journal had a clear ideological mission, but they all represented aesthetic programs that strongly reacted against the status quo. The artists of the so-called Vienna Secession broke away from Association of Austrian Artists to protest its conservatism. Their journal, Ver Sacrum, further up, joined the flowing, intricate, and passionate designs of Art Nouveau and German Jugendstil artists, who created the look of the Weimar Republic and the Jazz Age. Contributors included Gustav Klimt, Koloman Moser, and Josef Hoffmann.

Sometimes avant-garde journals reflected political conflicts between warring factions of artists, as in the example of Le coeur a barbe: journal transparent, produced by Tristan Tzara as a response to the attacks on him by Francis Picabia and Andre Breton about the future of the Dada movement. Other publications aimed to expand the boundaries of national culture, as with Broom, above, a self-proclaimed international magazine of arts and literature a sumptuous journal that introduced American audiences to the European avant-garde. Whatever their stated mission and implicit or explicit slant, its fair to say that the radical art published in avant-garde journals between the turn of the century and the end of the 1920s did everything but stand on the sidelines.

You can view  and d0wnload  more avant-garde magazines at Princetons Blue Mountain Project.

Related Content:

Download All 8 Issues of Dada, the Arts Journal That Publicized the Avant-Garde Movement a Century Ago (1917-21)

Download Alfred Stieglitzs Proto-Dada Art Journal, 291, The First Art Magazine That Was Itself a Work of Art (1916)

Extensive Archive of Avant-Garde & Modernist Magazines (1890-1939) Now Available Online

Josh Jones is a writer and musician based in Durham, NC. Follow him at @jdmagness
By Heather Wisner

One recent stormy night, Andrea Parson flung herself into the role of seductress, clawing at the air and laughing maniacally while a scrum of her NW Dance Project coworkers hoisted her sideways above their heads.

Resident choreographer Ihsan Rustem observed from the sidelines, making notes for the dancers as they rehearsed his new version of "Carmen," which will open March 16. It comes with a twist, of the French variety: Rustem has set this famous tale of passion, betrayal and death in a hair salon and adjacent barbershop, using those centers of feminine and masculine vanities as a backdrop to the drama.

"I started out inspired by '50s Harper's Bazaar silhouettes, 'The Stepford Wives' - it was born out of those characters," Rustem says. "I thought, 'What do they do? They go get their hair done.' And I thought, 'It's a nice setting for a guys' side and a girls' side.' "

In the rehearsal, sections of movement hinted at the story: Parson, as Carmen, lured three men toward her as if she were pulling them on leashes, then nuzzled one of them nose-to-nose as he lifted and lowered her toward his chest. On one side of the room, the company's women preened in front of imaginary mirrors; on the other, the men poked critically at each other's scalps. In the center, Lindsey McGill took a hair dryer on casters out for a spin.

In this contemporary ballet, which will be danced in sneakers rather than pointe shoes, the seductive Carmen becomes entangled with both Don Jose (here called DJ, played by Franco Nieto) and Escamillo (here called Eli, played by Elijah Labay). DJ dreams of taking over the barbershop and settling down with Michaela (McGill) until Carmen arrives and foils everyone's plans.

But she might not be so much bad as misunderstood. "Carmen loves life, she loves drama, and she's very passionate," Parson says in defense of her character. "She's not just evil; a lot of it is play. She plays on people's fears and insecurities."

By the end of the piece, adds Rustem, "I want to feel bad for her. ... I want people to relate to her, to relate to love."

Because he is based in Switzerland for much of the year, Rustem prefaced this trip to Portland with a flurry of preparatory emails, character dossiers and Pinterest pictures for the dancers, set designer Luis Crespo and costume designer Michelle Lesniak, a former "Project Runway" winner.

Rustem wanted the piece to look timeless, so while the checkerboard floors and bright-yellow beehive hair dryers of Crespo's set might evoke certain eras, they aren't meant to represent one in particular. Nor are Lesniak's costumes. "She took my silhouette from the '50s - I gave her pictures of these fabulous oversized dresses in hot pink and yellow," Rustem says, but while she kept that shape, she ditched the color scheme and went with white neoprene instead.

The work's musical catalyst will be Rodion Shchedrin's percussive "Carmen Suite," which Rustem knows well from his time dancing to it in another modern reimagining of "Carmen," British choreographer Matthew Bourne's "The Car Man" (which was set in a garage and took the film "The Postman Always Rings Twice" as its inspiration). For his own "Carmen" -- his sixth work for the company -- Rustem says he started with over-the-top characters, then stripped them back to reach the essence of the story, which he describes as "the sex, the power struggle, the power play, the domination." And viewers are as likely to relate to those as they are to the salon setting.

"People will come and get what's going on," he says. "Sometimes people don't go to contemporary dance because they think, 'I'm not going to get it.' The story is riveting. The characters are strong and bold. I think there's something for everyone."

NW Dance Project performs "Carmen" in a bill with "Visible Darkness," Patrick Delacroix's new work about injury and recovery, based on experience with recovering from a severe brain injury.

--Heather Wisner, for The Oregonian/Oregonian Live

***

"Carmen," NW Dance Project

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, March 16-18

Where: Newmark Theatre, 1111 S.W. Broadway

Tickets: $34-$58, nwdanceproject.org or 503-828-8285
Tesla

Robots are used extensively on the assembly line at the Tesla auto plant in Fremont, California.

(Tribune News Service)

FREMONT, Calif. -- Tesla CEO Elon Musk has a vision for his factory: A Fremont auto plant buzzing with a high-speed choreography between parts and robots churning out 500,000 cars next year.

That's nearly six times the current rate of production -- the factory produced about 84,000 vehicles last year -- but Musk says the company can meet its aggressive goals.

"Probably not a lot of people will believe us about this, but I'm absolutely confident that this can be accomplished," Musk told shareholders last year, saying the modern automobile factory could be redesigned and become 10 times more efficient. "We're basically going to design a factory like you'd design an advanced computer."

Skeptics question whether Tesla can meet its goals, but the company's growth may hinge on the quick, mass production of its new, lower-cost sedan, the Model 3. Tesla received nearly 400,000 reservations in the weeks following the Model 3's unveiling last year.

Musk said last month during the company's earnings call that the Model 3 would begin production in July, ramping up to 5,000 per week by the end of the year. The company declined to say how many Model 3s in total would roll off the line this year.

Barclays analysts are predicting Tesla will not ship a Model 3 this year.

"Tesla is highly unlikely to announce a delay until it absolutely must," analyst Brian Johnson wrote. "Thus we may need to wait until the summer to learn about a delay."

Tesla says Model 3 on track for volume production by September

Producing a half-million vehicles at the Fremont factory next year would make the plant among the most productive in the world. That's more cars than Tesla has ever built.

The company has an ambitious plan to build 4.6 million square feet of manufacturing and office space, essentially doubling the factory size.

Worked aim toward reaching that goal is underway at the sprawling factory in Fremont, which for decades was operated by NUMMI, a defunct auto manufacturing company that was jointly owned by General Motors and Toyota. A series of small projects worth about $5 million has begun, according to building permits filed with the city of Fremont.

Tesla submitted plans in January for a $2.8 million expansion of its north paint shop, according to public records posted on BuildZoom, a website tracking construction permits. In recent months, Tesla also has filed another 30 permits for $2 million more in improvements -- including a range of repairs to heating and air conditioning units, water lines and stamping buildings. Tesla shut down production for a week last month to reconfigure the plant for the Model 3.

Fremont community development director Jeff Schwob said city staff meets with Tesla weekly, and it plans to meet more often as construction picks up later this year.

"It's been a constant and fluid process," he said, adding that he expects the next six months to be busy.

The company's master strategy "could be anywhere from a 5- to 20-year plan, depending on how things go," he said.

The company's production goals would top peak output at the former NUMMI plant, which set a record with 428,632 vehicles produced in 2006, according to a history of the plant filed with permitting documents. Tesla took over the plant in 2010.

In Musk's vision, Tesla will reinvent the way it makes cars and eventually become the world's leading manufacturer. A Tesla spokesman declined to comment on specifics about the factory, but referred to previous public statements from company executives.

The company has reassigned engineers to redesign the plant layout and the manufacturing process, Musk said in last month's earnings call. More robots are on the way.

Tesla has purchased Grohmann Engineering, a German company specializing in automating factory lines. Tesla envisions the engineering group as a key to new, highly automated production.

"You really can't have people in the production line itself. Otherwise you'll automatically drop to people speed," Musk told investors last year. "There's still a lot of people at the factory, but what they're doing is maintaining the machines, upgrading them, dealing with anomalies. But in the production process itself there essentially would be no people."

The company has also added capacity to build batteries and other parts at its new so-called gigafactory in Nevada.

Musk said Tesla learned painful lessons from mistakes made in the Model X production, which lagged more than a year behind schedule. Tesla's other cars, the Model S and the Roadster, also missed production deadlines.

Some factors remain outside of Tesla's control, including the reliability of parts suppliers. Many pieces of automobiles come from outside vendors, making specialized parts for the Model S, Model X, and now the Model 3.

T.R. O'Neill, senior analyst for Ascendient, said suppliers -- providing everything from tires to brakes to computer components -- need to cooperate for Tesla to meet its goals. Auto parts companies have been skeptical about Musk's ambitious schedule.

O'Neill believes Tesla will produce a limited number of Model 3s this year.

Musk said the company has improved the quality of its suppliers, the result of launching three vehicles and building a small but passionate client base.

Rebecca Lindland, senior analyst at Kelley Blue Book, said Tesla could reinvent production for the automobile industry.

Much of modern automobile production is already automated, but Lindland said there are ways to squeeze more robots into the process. A vehicle with a simpler design and fewer parts can speed up production time, as well. Manufacturers analyze every step of the process to smooth out delays in the assembly line.

"I'm never going to say something's impossible, especially with Elon Musk," Lindland said, "but at the same time, it's an unbelievably complex process."

-- Tribune News Service
Film Film-Disney-Gay Moment

Luke Evans stars as Gaston and Josh Gad as Le Fou in Disney's new, live-action remake of "Beauty and the Beast." Even before it opens, the movie has generated controversy over reports that Gad's character is gay.

(Laurie Sparham/Disney via AP)

Controversy continues to swirl in some quarters around Disney's new, live-action "Beauty and the Beast" movie. A remake of the 1991 animated classic, the new version stars Emma Watson (the "Harry Potter" movies) as an empowered Belle and Dan Stevens ("Downton Abbey") as the sensitive-on-the-inside Beast.

But it's another character who has generated controversy. Josh Gad (the voice of Olaf in Disney's "Frozen") plays LeFou, sidekick to the dashing Gaston (Luke Evans.)

Director Bill Condon ("Dreamgirls") got the chatter going when, in an interview with Attitude magazine, Condon said that the character of LeFou was gay, and that "Beauty and the Beast" would include that.

From the Attitude interview:

"LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston," reveals Condon.

"He's confused about what he wants. It's somebody who's just realising that he has these feelings. And Josh makes something really subtle and delicious out of it. And that's what has its payoff at the end, which I don't want to give away. But it is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie."

Later, in a USA Today story, Gad clarified that the script didn't specify that LeFou was gay, though he was "really proud" to play the role. And Condon commented, "I think (LeFou's sexuality) has been a little overstated."

In the USA Today story, Condon added:

"To me, I have to say my heart sinks a little (that we're talking about this moment)," said Condon. "I like the idea of it coming as this surprise, and I hope people don't know where it's coming."

Nevertheless, there's been considerable commotion about a gay character apparently being featured in a Disney film. Though "Beauty and the Beast" doesn't open until March 17, evangelist Franklin Graham has already called for a boycott of the movie.

As Time reports, Graham took to Facebook to share his opposition to "Beauty and the Beast." From the Time story:

"They're trying to push the LGBT agenda into the hearts and minds of your children--watch out!" Graham wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday. "Disney has the right to make their cartoons, it's a free country. But as Christians we also have the right not to support their company. I hope Christians everywhere will say no to Disney."

Even Russia is getting into the act. As Variety reports: "The Russian government is coming under pressure to ban Disney's live-action movie 'Beauty and the Beast' for allegedly contravening a 2013 law that prohibits 'gay propaganda' aimed at children."

-- Kristi Turnquist

kturnquist@oregonian.com

503-221-8227

@Kristiturnquist
shomurase.jpg

A striking image from graphic artist Sho Murase

SEATTLE - When six of the seven founders took the Emerald City Comicon stage Friday for Image Comics' 25th anniversary panel, there was the predictable roasting of Jim Lee, the lone absentee.

Amid the R-rated anecdotes, there were echoes of Larry Marder's prescient quote when he first heard the seven illustrators were abandoning Marvel Comics to strike out on their own:

"You guys are going to do so much damage."

And there was a potent tribute from panel moderator Robert Kirkman:

"I have to speak for the modern creative community: I wouldn't have had the opportunity I've had if it wasn't for these guys," said Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead.

"My kids have the opportunity to grow up and be complete pampered (jerks), and that's because of you guys."

Yet the line that captured the mood at Emerald City, the Northwest's premier comic convention, arrived courtesy of Rob Liefeld.

Asked by Kirkman to explain, once again, why the seven artists - Todd McFarlane, Jim Valentino, Marc Silvestri, Erik Larsen and Whilce Portacio among them - stamped "Image" on the flag flying over their independent studios, Liefeld recalled Andre Agassi's 1990 ad campaign for Canon.

Original art from Jenn Ravenna

"We drew the best pictures in the industry," Liefeld said. "I just kept coming back to: We're 'image.' We broke through because of the best images in the business.

"Image is everything."

That's not always the best of news at Emerald City. Through the throng of Norse gods, Galactic stormtroopers and Dothraki horse lords walked a doughy exhibitionist in a red Speedo with a box over his head.

That haunting image followed me home.

But the power of art and illustration was the controlling theme of the Image Comics panel, and the highlight of the interaction at almost every level of Emerald City.

As McFarlane said Friday, artists, not writers, had to lead the 1992 defection from Marvel that freed creators to take control of their own work.

A panel from Jason Brubaker's graphic novel, "Remind"

"It had to be artists who made this move," argues McFarlane, who was living in West Linn at the time. The best writers can script several comics each month, he maintains, and the best writers would have hedged their bets by turning in a monthly Iron Man or X-Men script.

Because artists are hard-pressed to draw more than one comic a month, McFarlane says: "We literally forced you to buy our books. Spawn #1? No one knew who the character was. But if you wanted to buy my art, you had to buy Spawn."

As Silvestri recalls, "We had a lot of hard-core detractors, professionals, who told us we were going to fail."

But Liefeld concedes there were minimal risks for seven of the industry's most popular artists: "Todd was like, 'If we screw up, DC will take us.'"

Twenty-five years later, Marvel has recovered nicely, if only with cinema box-office receipts; Image Comics is headquartered at Montgomery Park in Portland; and Emerald City Comicon draws 90,000 to the Washington State Convention Center.

Unlike Wizard World Portland, which is painfully unfocused and overpriced, Emerald City is still in its ascendancy.

Lynne Yoshii's Wonder Woman

And the marvelous access to images at the con more than compensates for the parking hassles, the Wifi problems, and the skin-tight cosplay mistakes.

For Emerald City 15, ReedPOP, the show promoters, moved Artists' Alley to the 6th floor of the convention center.

The results were impressive. Dark Horse Comics, another pacesetter in publishing creator-owned material, was well represented in the two sprawling rooms.

But I was especially drawn to artists such as Sho Murase, Jenn Ravenna, Jason Brubaker and Lynne Yoshii, whose original art and prints illustrate this piece.

Those images followed me home, too.

-- Steve Duin

stephen.b.duin@gmail.com
Guwahati, Mar 5 (IBNS) : Meghalaya police on Sunday came close to nab a most wanted criminal of Assam and Meghalaya for several kidnapping and extortion cases, but he managed to escape.

According to the reports, a police team of North Garo Hills had launched operation in the hills area.



William Sangma had managed to flee after seeing a police team, who checked vehicle at Thapa Darenchi area in the hill district.

On seeing the police team, the most wanted criminal had suddenly turned his vehicle to a roadside field and managed to flee along with his three aides, North Garo Hills district SP Dalton P. Marak said.

When he turned his vehicle to the roadside field, the police personnel fired warning shots at them but they managed to escape leaving their vehicle behind, the top police official said.



Police recovered one Chinese made carbine, a M-16 rifle magazine, one 7.65 mm pistol magazine, several rounds of live ammunition, camouflage uniforms from the abandoned vehicle.



Meanwhile, Meghalaya police launched massive operation along the all suspected areas to nab Sangma and his aides.



On the other hand, the Meghalaya police has contacted with their Assam counterpart after the incident.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
1eudaly.jpg

Portland City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly speaks at a Feb. 2, 2017 rally in support of her proposal to require landlords to pay rent relocation fees to tenants.

(LC-)

I am a third-generation Oregonian who has provided housing to those in the Portland area for over 30 years. I also rented apartments in my youth and have worked for various property management companies and property owners since. I think I have a good handle on being a landlord in Portland.

Apartment rents have flattened after a cycle of rising rents. Vacancies are rising mainly in the urban core, in part because of heavy new construction. Currently there are over 10,300 units under construction, with 25,600 more proposed. When these apartments hit the market, the vacancy rate will adjust upward, meaning more vacancies, which will affect rent rates even more.

Restrictions make it hard for us to do our jobs. Rent control will restrict the ability to replace roofs, update plumbing and electrical systems ... things the city of Portland seems unable to do with its public schools. Rent control will make it difficult to pay ever-increasing property taxes (this year mine came in about $70,000), insurance, power and water/sewer rates. We also have to pay for tenant damage, which usually is not recovered beyond the deposit held. And we have other catastrophes to deal with, which includes fire and flooding.

Restrictions also have a negative effect of making it harder for tenants on the fringe to find a place to live. How? Criteria is tightened, deposit amounts are raised. Landlords do not want to rent to someone who could potentially cause extensive and expensive damage or violate their lease. If a landlord's hands are tied more and more, the Police Bureau is called upon more and more, creating even more expense for our city.

Landlords are carrying the burden of the city's inability to find solutions to house the homeless and to rovide enough affordable housing for low-income residents.

Kim Yeager, Milwaukie
Every legislative session seems to have a key phrase, a mantra bouncing around the walls of the capitol like a lobbyist. At various times over the past decades, the list has included "school funding," "tax reform" and "First Lady."

This year's hot phrase is "PERS fix," a solution to the $22 billion unfunded liability in the state's Public Employees Retirement System. Without one, we'll have a steady explosion of state and local government pension payments extending longer than a decade, depleting all other government activities in a state with classrooms more crowded than Times Square on New Year's Eve and counties in which calling 9-1-1 produces a recorded invitation to try again later.

It would be great to have a PERS fix that prevented that.

Unfortunately, there is no such fix.

There are adjustments to PERS that could be made - plausibly should be made - and which could survive legal challenge. But all together, they make only a dent - estimated anywhere from $2 billion to $6 billion of the $22 billion - and will have their main effect well down the road, because even baby boomers have to die sometime. Whatever happens, state and local PERS payments are likely to continue to increase.

Quick dramatic solutions don't exist. States can't go bankrupt, and cities in Oregon - unlike places like California or Michigan - can't go bankrupt either. Closing down PERS and putting up a "Moved - No Address" sign also won't work.

Most of the system's obligations are to already retired workers, and the state can't legally change the terms they worked under during their careers. That was the flaw in the legislature's PERS "Grand Bargain" of 2013, later largely thrown out by the state Supreme Court.

For current workers, the state can only change things going forward, not benefits already earned - and still being earned up until any new rules go into effect. Setting up an entirely new system for newly hired workers - the only ones for whom it would be legally possible - wouldn't have a major effect until well after global warming has set in.

Among the possible options is directing the 6 percent of salary going to PERS to the system's general fund instead of employees' personal funds, although that could apply only to future earnings. New rules could require the 6 percent to be paid by the employee instead of the employer, although some labor contracts would then require a pay increase to cover the difference. Some costs could be kicked down the road by bonding, an idea that can itself be toxically controversial.

"If everything in government is complex, PERS is at the top of the list," says Sen. Richard Devlin, D-Tualatin, longtime co-chair of the Joint Ways and Means Committee. "I really just don't think there's a silver bullet out there."

All the easy steps have already been taken, says Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, vice-chair of the Senate PERS work group, yet doing nothing could produce a "catastrophic collapse of the system," particularly local governments and school districts.

If somehow both houses make their way through the dizzying maze of PERS issues and find a proposal, it still might not be enough. There would need to be something to lure Democrats and public employee unions.

"It can't happen by itself," projects Tim Nesbitt, a former union leader, adviser to former Gov. John Kitzhaber, consultant on the issue to the Oregon Business Council and columnist for The Oregonian/OregonLive. "It has to be part of a tax package. It's got to be more than balancing the budget. It has to have new K-12 and higher education investments."

And, presumably, an agreement by the business lobby not to support a ballot box campaign against the new revenue.

But even that deal might not be enough.

"I think the package is probably even bigger than that," envisions Knopp. "I don't think you get a revenue package without significant cost controls, plus maybe a transportation package."

And maybe the state assisting local governments and schools with their increased payments.

So after navigating the complexity of PERS, legislators might still need to find their way through several other equally convoluted issues, like players working through rising levels of a video game. It could produce the grandest of grand bargains - or a catastrophic collapse.

And at the center would be a PERS problem not exactly fixed but somewhat eased.

But also at the center would be a realistic look at Oregon's finances, at what Oregonians want to do and how they plan to pay for it.

For decades, Oregonians have insisted they could vote themselves tax cuts without affecting services, and that they could vote for appealing ideas - from prison expansion to stronger high school programs - and just figure the money would come from somewhere. When budget crises erupted - with the approximate frequency and predictability of rain - the problems were blamed on temporarily bad economies.

Now we have a strong Oregon economy and a bad state budget. Something needs to change - hopefully before the economy does.

It's time for some realism: about PERS and the rest of our financial situation, and about what we want and how we'll pay for it.

We may not get to call it a Grand Bargain.

But it would be grand.

David Sarasohn's column appears on the first and third Sundays of the month. He blogs at davidsarasohn.com.
New Delhi, Mar 5 (IBNS): Responding to a summary of discussions at a Global Roundtable on Inclusive Innovations held in Rashtrapati Bhavan as part of the week-long Festival of Innovation on Sunday, the President said innovation has a strong linkage with development. Particularly, grassroots innovation of which India has a long tradition is important in alleviating the day-to-day problems of human lives.

A healthy eco-system can harness the innovative potential of the population.

The President said he is optimistic about the prospects of inclusive innovation in our country, however there are few concerns.

Education is the seed of a nations destiny. Without a strong foundation of education, ability of communities to benefit from other infrastructural resources for development remains limited. There is need for empathetic stress on inclusive innovation in our learning modules in education.

The President said many central institutions of higher learning  about 86 of them - have opened innovation clubs. These clubs search for inclusive innovations in the hinterland of their institutions spread the innovations developed; invite innovators to classrooms or labs to understand their motivation, and identify unmet needs of society and try to address them through their projects. Reciprocity and responsibility must become an inalienable part of learning exchanges between the formal and the informal sectors. He urged educational planners and thinkers to consider transformation of the pedagogic approach towards learning.

The President said the role of science and technology in leveraging inclusive innovations is evident when we see the pivotal contributions made by the Indian Space Research Organization. Early investment in science and technology has given us rich dividends. We need to continue providing impetus to science education and research in our institutions.

The President said developing an innovation culture is crucial. The INSPIRE-MANAK programme of the Department of Science and Technology envisages the mobilization of one million ideas from half a million schools at the rate of two ideas per school. This initiative will help build a spirit of creativity and ingenuity amongst young students. To make grassroots innovations more inclusive, we need a strong mechanism for dispersal and quick adoption of ideas. Many public-sector scientists do not charge any cost for the time used in validating and value-adding grassroots innovations. Many intellectual property firms also do the same. The concept of Technology Commons used by National Innovation Foundation allowing fellow community members to use innovative ideas of others for non-commercial purposes has also helped in wider dissemination of innovations. These positives should continue unabated.

The President said the benefit of innovation will accrue when an idea gets converted into a useful product. For that, a strong environment for starting new enterprises is necessary. Micro-venture finance and not just micro finance will help usher in entrepreneurial undertakings at the grassroots. We should simultaneously think of popularizing the in situ incubation model of innovation enterprises.

Earlier in the day, the Gandhian Young Technological Innovation (GYTI) Awards 2017 were conferred as part of the Festival of Innovations. The GYTI Awards is an initiative to foster youth driven innovations across India and are instituted by the Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions (SRISTI) with support from the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).

GYTI Awards 2017 received 2,715 nominations from 308 Institutions & Universities belonging to 27 states and 2 Union Territories across 54 different subject disciplines. This year 22 innovations were selected for award and another 17 for appreciation. Under the BIRAC-SRISTI program, 15 GYTI awardees in medical and biotech innovations category will receive a grant of Rs 15 lakhs, to further develop their prototypes/proof of concepts. Another 100 students/others, for grassroots innovations and/or socially relevant solutions get a grant of Rs 1 lakh.

The second day of the Festival of Innovations also witnessed discussions on topics such as incubation and acceleration models for innovative start-ups, incentives for innovation in public policy and programmes as well as social innovations for large scale societal change.
Guwahati, Mar 5 (IBNS) : Guwahati city police on Sunday arrested four poachers from Garbhanga forest area, outskirts of the Assamas capital city.

Guwahati city police Commissioner Hiren Nath said that, the poacher gang was hiding at the area.



Following a tip-off, police and forest department had jointly launched at the forest area and arrested the poacher gang hailing from neighbouring Meghalaya.

The arrested poachers were identified as Quet Kurba, Don Dorjonai, Bul Marbaniang and Twal Jana.



Security personnel had recovered two DBBL and two SBBL guns, several rounds ammunition, night stay equipments, rations in possession from them.

During the preliminary interrogation, the poachers revealed that, they had came to the forest area to kill wild jumbo.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
The Midland Downtown Business Association will host a Meet Your Merchants event from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, March 11.

During this event, customers will have an opportunity to meet store owners, find out about their businesses, discover new things about the community and have fun at the same time.

Following is a list of the participating businesses and special offers during the event.

 Coyer Candle Co. (129 Ashman): Sip, Snack, Shop + Save! Coffee and snacks, a coupon for $2 off a $10 purchase. Free tiny canvas class for kids throughout the day.

 Mr. Moustaches Phone Repair (124 Townsend): 50 percent off all in-stock Tempered Glass screen protectors.

 Rays Bike Shop (301 McDonald): Hourly flat tire repair clinic. Bring your bike for a free safety inspection.

 Little Forks Outfitters (143 E. Main): New styles from KEEN Footwear. Register to win a free pair of KEENs Newport H2 sandals, and receive a free gift with each KEEN purchase.

 Imagine That! Local Artists Co-op (147 E. Main): Sample goodies while watching demonstrations by talented artists.

 Lil Pear Tree (222 E. Main): WIOG will broadcast live to kick off its new Flower Petal Jewelry. Sample Cheeky Cheesecake and Live Oak Coffeehouses coffee.

 Pizza Sams (102 W. Main): Enjoy any large one-item pizza for $9.99 plus tax.

 MI Float (213 E. Main): Stop by MI Float for great music and special giveaways.

 Heather n Holly (228 E. Main): Sample over 50 unique sweets. Purchases made during the event will receive a 10 percent discount. Enter to win a gift basket.

 Michigan Brew Supply (126 Townsend): Join owners Matt and Nicole for a home brewing demonstration. Theyll talk about making great beer at home.

 Ways to Wellness (122 W. Main): Come in and experience the stores philosophy, Think Well, Live Well, Be Well, with product demonstrations and free mini events.

 Mercato di O&V (230 E. Main): Receive a sample bottle of flavored olive oil or balsamic vinegar free with the purchase of any regular size bottle.

 Grape Beginnings Winery (244 E. Main): 20 percent off merchandise, $2 off menu items, and three complimentary wine samples.

 Neptune Photography (135 Ashman): Meet with the photographer and get 15 percent off all senior, family or childrens portrait bookings.

 Peel n Pare (121 E. Main): The stores 40-year celebration continues with Michigan made treats including Cherry Republic, Sleeping Bear Farms and Traverse City Cherry Coffee. Specials all day.

 Gift of Hope Boutique (135 Ashman): Enjoy Haitian coffee while shopping. View the organizations mini film series introducing the women who make the stores products and the impact of each purchase in their lives.

 Ace Hardware (419 E. Main): Buy two get one gallon of Valspar Optimus, Clark+Kensington, Aspire and Ace Royal paint. Mix and match colors and finish. Free high-5 with purchase.

 Happy Pretty (132 E. Main): See the new spring introductions from favorite brands including Bella Notte, Linneas Lights, Sugar Paper and Margot Elena. Enjoy 10 percent off a purchase of $30 or more.

 Andreas Closet (134 W. Main): Get the first pick of the new spring merchandise. The store will also host its first indoor sidewalk sale. Every qualifying purchase will earn people money to spend on their next purchase.

Visit www.downtownmidland.com for event information or call (989) 837-3330.
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Are Midland County food establishments providing safe food in a healthy environment? Or, should residents be concerned about conditions as they dine in county eateries?

An influx of new restaurants in recent years has prompted the Daily News to look into conditions at county food establishments. Beginning in April, the Daily News will be collecting reports from the Midland County Health Department to provide readers with a monthly report including serious violations along with photos of each establishment.

The MCHD licenses and inspects more than 270 fixed food service establishments within Midland County each year. The MCHD is required by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) to inspect those establishments once every six months. However, MCHD registered sanitarians Greg Price and Bob Wolfe, along with sanitarian Alan Bloch, conduct inspections for each establishment once every five months. Both schools and seasonal food establishments are exempt from the twice yearly inspections and only require annual inspections.

The trio works for the Midland County Environmental Health Department, a division of the Midland County Health Department. Price, Wolfe and Bloch perform a variety of duties in an effort to promote and protect the publics health through: health promotion, disease prevention and protection of the environment.

Price began with the MCHD in 2013 and leads current efforts to promote the food program while also promoting other programs including onsite well and septic, swimming pools, body art, long-term water monitoring and other true generalist job duties. He acts as the standardized food trainer, has been nominated as director of the Northern Michigan Environmental Health Association and is currently an associate member of Michigan Association of Local Environmental Health Administrators.

Prior to working for Midland County, Price worked as a registered sanitarian for the Mid-Michigan District Health Department in Gratiot County from 1999 to 2013. He earned a masters of science degree from Central Michigan University in 1992 with a double major in earth science and geography along with a double concentration in environmental analysis and land use planning.

Wolfe graduated from Ferris State University in 1993, achieving a bachelors of science degree in industrial and environmental health management. Since then, his duties have included inspections and investigations of water and sewage treatment systems, body art facilities, campgrounds, public swimming pools and food service facilities. Along with those duties, he has taught food service education classes, provided consultation services about environmental topics, operated a small construction business and small family farming operation. He began with the county in 2002.

Foodborne illnesses

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year roughly 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die. These illnesses and deaths cost Americans billions of dollars each year due to medical expenses and loss of productivity.

The food industry and government collaborate to ensure that food provided to the public is safe. This shared responsibility extends to ensuring that consumer expectations are met and that food is unadulterated, prepared in a clean environment and honestly presented.

MCHD inspections

Individual inspections take anywhere from 45 minutes to three hours, depending on the size of the establishment.

Inspections are more educational in nature than enforcement driven, Price said. Our department strives to correct violations during the inspection process.

Food inspections fall into three categories: routine; citizen complaints; or a foodborne investigation.

Routine inspections focus on five categories, or foodborne illness risk factors:

 Food from unsafe sources

 Inadequate cooking

 Improper holding temperatures

 Contaminated equipment

 Poor personal hygiene

Routine inspections cover the operations, food handling, facility, hygienic practices and related aspects of a food establishment. Ideally, any violation would be corrected at the time of inspection. Each inspection has environmental sanitarians looking for three types of violations: core; priority; and priority foundational. The MDARD defines each as:

 Core violations  ... usually relate to general sanitation, operational controls, sanitation standard operating procedures, facilities or structures, or general maintenance.

 Priority violations  ... whose application contributes directly to the elimination, prevention or reduction to an acceptable level, hazards associated with foodborne illness or injury and there is no other provision that more directly controls the hazard. These violations have a quantifiable measure to show control of hazards such as cooking, cooling and handwashing.

 Priority Foundation violations are  ... items that require the purposeful incorporation of specific actions, equipment or procedures by industry management to attain control of risk factors that contribute to foodborne illness or injury, such as personnel training, infrastructure or necessary equipment. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a seven-step process that a food producer or establishment can use to develop an effective food safety plan. The HACCP process establishes the procedures used, identifies critical control points and aids in the development of effective control measures.

If immediate correction is not possible, a follow-up evaluation must be conducted within 30 days when a priority or priority foundation violation is found, or a substantial number of core violations are cited but not corrected during the routine evaluation.

Even local health departments are required to undergo periodic audits. In an effort to regulate local health departments, the MDARD comes in once every three years to conduct an audit and evaluate three years of evaluation reports, enforcement procedures and policies.

New food establishments

Another important duty for the MCHD is licensing of new food establishments.

Before an eatery may open its doors to the public, it must be licensed by either the MDARD or MCHD.

Those the MCHD must inspect and approve include:

 Restaurant, cafeteria, grill, cafe, delicatessen

 Bar, brewpub, tavern, nightclub

 Rental hall, theater, commissary, catering kitchen

 Doughnut shop, lunch counter, sandwich shop, soda fountain, coffee shop

 Catering truck

 Temporary food service stand at a festival, event, flea market

 Vending machine

 Special transitory food unit

The MDARD is responsible to license:

 Retail grocery, convenience or party stores

 Bakery, fish market, butcher shop, candy store, produce market

 Food warehouse, distribution center, transfer station, public cold storage facility

 Dairy processing/manufacturing

 Bottled milk, cheese, butter, yogurt

 Large or small food processing plants

 County fairgrounds during the fair

Reporting a foodborne illness

Anyone suspecting they have gotten sick from food eaten at a restaurant or grocery store may call the Midland County Environmental Health at (989) 832-6679 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You will need to provide the following information: Name, address, phone number (you will remain anonymous to the restaurant), name of restaurant, location/address of restaurant (it must be in Midland County), date of suspect meal, specific information about the foods you believe made you sick, three day food eating history, and when your symptoms began and what they were.

Those who would like to receive an inspection for a specific food establishment may submit a Freedom of Information Act request to the Midland County Department of Public Health. The Freedom of Information Act is a law that gives you the right to access information from the government. It is often described as the law that keeps citizens in the know about their government. To download an FOIA request, visit http://bit.ly/2mtrHVK

For anyone seeking more information about food health, visit the Midland County Health Department Food Safety page at http://bit.ly/2m9nQft
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Its not every day that one hears the folk song Boil Them Cabbage Down played on the saxophone in the hallway of an elementary school.

But that was one of many sights and sounds at Plymouth Elementary School on Thursday night as Plymouth celebrated becoming the first authorized International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme World School in the Midland Public Schools district.

Parents, grandparents and friends crowded the schools gym, library and main hallway for the PYP Exhibition, in which fifth graders shared what theyve learned through the PYP curriculum. The entire grade was divided into teams of three or four students who collaborated on a project based on a passion or world issue. Each group worked with a community mentor, which this year included parents, family members, a police officer, current and retired teachers, paraprofessionals and high school students.

For Nala Jones, Grace Riddle and Connor Callan, the passion was music. Their Music & Change exhibit, like most other exhibits Thursday night, had a presentation board which explained their projects lines of inquiry and presented facts and statistics as well as quotes from musicians as different as Bob Marley and Aaron Copland.

An added feature was the chance for attendees to pick a song from a list that included not only Boil Them Cabbage Down but also London Bridge and Surprise Symphony. Listeners were invited to fill out a card indicating how the snippet of music played by the student made them feel. One visitor asked how the students felt.

I feel happy when I play, Jones said.

In the gym, Aniston King explained why she and classmates Ava Keit, Conner Church and Neil Santos picked Animal Abuse as their topic.

We all have a really big passion about animals, King said.

The teams lines of inquiry were What animal abuse is, How we can stop animal abuse and The impact of humans on animal abuse.

As part of their research, the group went to the Midland County Humane Society to find out more, and they plan to raise funds for the organization in coming weeks.

Another group tackled stereotypes.

A lot of people have been stereotyped, Perez said. We all felt very strongly about it.

While acknowledging that its a big problem, Perez expressed hope that our small change can influence others.

Prominently featured on her groups presentation board was a quote from 20th century novelist and playwright (and Michigan native) Edna Ferber: A closed mind is a dying mind.

Other teams tackled a wide variety of other topics, including Elderly and Arts, Homelessness, Sports Injuries, Video Games, Law Enforcement, Dangers of Tech, Obesity and Battle with Hunger.

A team that examined the ABCs of Autism offered bookmarks with the phrase, Being unique is better than being perfect.

Before the large group of guests dispersed to examine the exhibits and chat with students, Plymouth Interim Principal Margaret Doan described the lengthy process for becoming a PYP school. Plymouth is one of four MPS elementary schools that began the process in 2013 and saw the implementation of the PYP framework through the course of two full school years.

Evaluators visited Plymouth in early 2016 and the authorization came through last spring.

Teachers continue to improve their practice by collaborating weekly as a grade level and with our PYP coordinator to reflect on their teaching and student learning. Units of inquiry are never static, they are constantly changing, living documents to reflect best practice and match the student need during that school year, Doan said.

PYP Coordinator Ellen Flegenheimer-Riggle praised the students as risk-takers, thinkers and inquirers.

We all learned from you. Your enthusiasm was contagious. You should be very proud of your accomplishments, she said.

Doan said the exhibition was a celebration of the PYP journey that the fifth graders began as second graders. Its a celebration of how their thinking has changed and how they have become empowered to make a difference in both the local and global community.
Guwahati, Mar 5 (IBNS) : Security forces had apprehended two militants of Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam (MULTA) and Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) in Assam on Sunday.

According to the reports, Assam police and army had jointly launched operation in northern Assams Sonitpur district and nabbed a MULTA militant.

Security personnel had recovered one 12.7mm rifle in possession from him.

On the other hand security personnel had nabbed a KLO militant from lower Assam and recovered one revolver, live ammunition from him.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Sen. Jim Stamas recently announced that Michigan residents can download a free copy of the Michigan Taxpayers Guide 2017 by visiting the senators website.

The guide, which is a reference for the 2016 tax year, is designed to help residents prepare their state tax returns.

When Michigan families fill out their tax returns or pay their property taxes, it is important that they have accurate and thorough information, said Stamas, R-Midland. As a service to the residents of the 36th Senate District, I am pleased to offer a useful taxpayer guide at no cost on my website. I encourage constituents to use this resource to help take some of the confusion out of filing state tax returns and paying property taxes.

The booklet contains information on Michigans income tax, property taxes and tax credits. Included is a year-long listing of important property tax dates and deadlines as well as copies of the most commonly used tax forms. The guide also features addresses, phone numbers and email information for obtaining state agency tax assistance.

Stamas said that the guide is meant as a resource and not as a substitute for Michigan Department of Treasury tax instruction booklets.

Free copies of the Michigan Taxpayers Guide 2017 may be downloaded by visiting www.SenatorJimStamas.com/Publications

Also on Stamas publications page, visitors can download copies of the Michigan and U.S. constitutions and information on a variety of issues, including senior rights and veterans benefits.
Republicans of America and in particular U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, when are you going to wake up to the fact that the person elected president by a minority of the voters is hazardous to the health of this country and should be removed from office before he can hurt any more people?

President Trump thinks he knows everything when he knows nothing. He is incapable of functioning in the office in which he sits. No other organization in this country would allow someone with no experience to assume the highest position in that organization.

Trumps behavior is reminiscent of what a dictator does to assume authority: rail against other people in a vile and inaccurate way, trample the truth with statements that are unsubstantiated, call the press his enemy, saying the press is inaccurate and fake when their research identifies and challenges his falsehoods, pick a minority or minorities (Jews in Germany, Muslims, Latin Americans, immigrants, refugees and African Americans) as scapegoats for the problems of the country, while offering no valid solutions for the countrys problems. Offering catch phrases like Make America Great Again when America is already great.

The loss of jobs is not the fault of trade. Technologies that render some industries or companies as non-competitive are a bigger source of job loss than trade or location of plants overseas. More Trump falsehoods. Companies are constantly looking for ways to reduce costs and improve productivity so they can make products more affordable for us. More and more manufacturing processes that can be automated with fewer workers will continue to be implemented.

The solution is not to prevent U.S. companies from putting plants overseas where they sell their products or to prevent them from sourcing parts overseas. The solution is to continually educate and train U.S. employees for the jobs that are and will be available in continually changing industries. Right now there are shortages in the number of people in the skilled trades: welders, HVAC experts, electricians, plumbers, pipefitters, carpenters, concrete workers, and many others. In the future the demand for these workers will increase with retirements of existing workers. The need for computer literate jobs will continue to increase. Sometimes education and training must be accompanied by relocation of workers to regions that have jobs. Companies and the government can both help in education, training and relocation aid.

Banning immigrants or refugees because of race, religion or country of origin is completely against the foundation of our country. Unless we are native Americans, we are all immigrants. Immigrants come to this country to have a better, safer life with more opportunity. They want to work and often start in jobs that Americans dont want like in construction, agriculture, food service, lawn care that dont pay very well, but are better than what they left behind. For immigrants of the past, the initial generation worked in hard jobs to allow their succeeding generations to benefit from public education available to all that would qualify them for greater jobs.

Trumps record so far in international relations is a train wreck. Somehow he thinks he can tell the rest of the world what to do like the bully that he is. Well, so far he has upset China, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East countries (with his Muslim phobia), while buddying up with Russia, who our Intelligence agencies have established as interfering with our election process and who has one of the most corrupt dictatorships in the world. Russia has a territorial expansion objective to recreate the Soviet Union, invading Crimea and Ukraine and lurking on the borders of eastern European countries.

Trump does not support NATO? What does Russian President Vladimir Putin have on Trump? Probably enough to get him impeached if not arrested for treason. When the White House staff is instructed to tell the FBI to try to down play the Russian election interference and reports of Trumps Russian associations, the Congress better believe our intelligence services and investigate Trump with the same energy they investigated the bogus Bengazi and email fake news.

Does Moolenaar want the truth or is he willing to hide the truth to stay in favor with Trump and his Republican handlers? Will he support the impeachment of Trump? Or will he wait for Trump to do irreversible damage to our country?

Moolenaar needs to stand on the stage in the Grace A Dow Library auditorium, face to face with all of his constituents, and answer any question the audience wants to ask unscreened. This is in contrast to his staged phone town hall which was no more than a screened list of his Republican database who were robo-called the day before and told to call in to the secret town hall the next day. There was no publicity of the existence of this phone call in the Midland paper or any other media. The only way I found out was to go to Moolenaars office and ask why I was not informed. Then I was put on the list.

I listened to the phone forum with questions screened and presented by a narrator. It was clear from the questions that this was a total Republican group. There were no tough questions, and Johns answers were nothing more than Republican party line or of no substance. When questioned on an Affordable Care Act replacement, John had no details. His answer was that the replacement would be a good plan. Really? Is he so eager to repeal the Affordable Care Act that he has no replacement plan? Get real. Republicans have no plan and Moolenaar is willing to risk 20 million people losing their insurance just to eliminate anything President Obama supported.

Oh, I forgot, Moolenaar was the state senator who voted against the Michigan Medicaid expansion covering more than 500,000 people that Gov. Rick Snyder and Sen. Jim Stamas supported because he said it would not be financially sustainable. In fact the first three years were free to the state and after that the state only had to come up with 10 percent of the cost, with 90 percent being paid by the federal government. I implored Moolenaar in a town meeting to put peoples welfare over party loyalty, but he voted against it. Fortunately it passed without him because enough Republicans cared about the health of Michigans residents.

Moolenaar needs to answer for his support of the malevolent dictator Trump and Republican objectives, his desired repeal of the Affordable Care Act, the weakening of Dodd-Frank, the lack of concern for our environment and the denial of scientifically proven climate change that is being accelerated by mans fossil fuel combustion, the disregard for the majority of Americans who want expanded background checks on all weapon sales and do not want guns in schools, bars and restaurants, parks, government facilities, and any other public places.

Public education is a foundation of our society that U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos-led interests would weaken by the formation of private, for profit charter schools that are not held to the same standards as public schools and who are given support of government dollars for a product that is not accountable. What is Moolenaars opinion on education? Public education for all or private education for those who can pay while undermining public education?

Moolenaar has a lot of explaining to do to his constituents. Trump apologizing and trust me, we will figure something out is not acceptable. Does he support a Muslim ban? Does he want to deport 3 million Latin Americans? Does he want to prevent immigration of refugees, residents of non-European countries, non-Christians?

Moolenaar needs to put himself on the stage live and answer these questions for constituents and the media, or he will be hounded until he does.

Ron Parmele is a resident of Midland.
On Feb. 28, the agriculture subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee held a Farm Credit Administration [FCA] Oversight Hearing.

Remarkably, it was the first public questioning of FCA leaders  and how they regulate the nations biggest agricultural lender, the $240-billion Farm Credit System (FCS)  by the subcommittee in 19 years.

In the intervening, unchecked decades, System banks more than doubled their lending (from $106 billion in 2005 to $236 billion in 2015), increased their share of U.S ag debt by half (from 23.3 percent in 2000 to 40.4 percent in early 2016), and rose to dominate ag lending: 16 of todays top 20 American ag lenders are System members.

Another FCS lender is about to join that club.

Beginning last summer, three System associations  AgStar Financial, the huge lender in Minnesota and western Wisconsin; Badgerland Financial, the FCS lender in Wisconsins southern half; and 1st Farm Credit, the lender in western and northern Illinois  have worked to create a single association that would stretch from east of St. Louis to north of St. Paul.

If the not-yet-public plan is approved by association borrowers-owners in a very quick, hoped-for April vote, the resulting $18-billion lender would be named Compeer Financial.

It would also largely unnecessary, says Bert Ely, a banking consultant that writes Farm Credit Watch, a fact-filled, monthly analysis of the FCS for the American Banking Association.

Part of all these merger deals seems to be one-upmanship among System bankers, explains Ely in a March 1 telephone interview. Another part is that these mergers enable CEOs to pay themselves much bigger salaries.

Millions in the case of the proposed, three-way upper Midwest deal.

Im very skeptical, however, that any system merger leads to greater lender profits or better lender service.

Ely would know; hes been analyzing and writing about the Farm Credit System since before its mid-1980s crack-up and subsequent government bailout. Recently hes seen System banks balloon into something bigger and richer than Congress ever envisioned.

The Systems credit line has increased and increased to now where one member can borrow up to $1.5 billion, he relates. What farmer do you know borrows $1 billion? Clearly, it isnt meant for farmers or ranchers.

Recent System lending proves Ely correct. In the last decade, several FCS banks loaned money to various non-farm businesses and corporations  including Verizon, the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain, and a car wash, according to an April 2016 Washington Post story  whose tenuous ties to agriculture seem to be the forgotten uncle of great grandmas adopted half-sister.

All this rule-stretching, claims Ed Elfmann, the vice president of Congressional relations for the American Bankers Association (ABA), violates the Systems taxpayer-supported mission and allows System lenders to unfairly compete against commercial banks in local, regional and national ag lending markets.

Even worse, I think, offers Elfmann, Farm Credit has doubled its lending in the last 10 years with virtually no oversight and no controls. How will it hold up if the farm economy continues to flag?

System bankers quickly note that their balance sheets are solid, at least for now.

What they dont talk about, however, is how their special status as a Congressionally chartered lender  and what Elfmann and Ely both say is lax oversight by both the Farm Credit Administration and Congress  allows System banks to pick big winners in Big Ag and Big Agbiz.

Given the size of most of todays System loans, opines ABAs Elfmann, can taxpayer-subsidized financing be justified for any of these massive borrowers?

Thats a good question for the tight-fisted, Trump-bowing Congress to address in 2018 Farm Bill hearings.
PRIOR LAKE, Minn.  Glynn Crooks is the commander-in-chief of his Prior Lake house.

He does paperwork inside an oval-shaped room, seated at a desk inspired by the woodwork of a British Navy ship. And he can gaze at the same Rembrandt Peale portrait of George Washington, hung above the fireplace, just as many U.S. presidents have done before him.

Crooks, a passionate collector of U.S. presidential memorabilia, has built a replica of the White House Oval Office, complete with the classic four curved doors.

"I don't have to get permission to sit here," he said with a smile. "And I don't have to give it up in four years."

Crooks is a retired tribal leader and member of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, which owns and operates Mystic Lake Casino. He was the vice chairman of the tribe for 16 years and retired in 2012.

As a tribal leader and representative of the Shakopee tribe, Crooks is invited to the White House for special events, often donning Sioux Indian traditional regalia at many official ceremonies.

"I presented a peace pipe to Vice President Nelson Rockefeller," said Crooks, pointing to a photo on the wall of that exchange in 1976 to commemorate the American Bicentennial.

On that trip, Crooks bought a plate decorated with President Gerald Ford's face. That was the start of a vast presidential memorabilia collection spanning the walls and displayed in rows of glass cases inside Crooks' museum-style home.

Each grouping reflects his presidential encounters at White House events, along with photos, documents and artifacts that span the past four decades. A large Presidential Seal decorating a wall catches the eye around every corner.

"The presidency has fascinated me since I was a little kid," Crooks said. "He is the most powerful person in the world."

Crooks has met Ford, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton. He's attended several inaugurations, including those of Bush, Obama and, most recently, Donald Trump. He paid his respects at the funerals of Ronald Reagan and Ford.

"Glynn has friends in lofty places," said longtime friend Bernie Mahowald. "He was a great representative of his tribe."

While at the White House to attend Obama's first Governors' Ball, "someone came up from behind me and patted me on the back," said Crooks. "It was the president. He looked so fit and trim."

Crooks is bipartisan in his presidential passion. He honors Ronald Reagan, his favorite Republican, with his own room. The walls are covered with posters from "Hellcats of the Navy" and other Reagan movies as well as a massive eye-catching photo of Ronald and Nancy Reagan dressed to the nines attending a White House event.

Another section is devoted to Kennedy, Crooks' favorite Democrat, with photos of the glamorous president and first lady on the beach and even Barbie-size dolls of Jack and Jackie in formal attire.

Crooks, a Navy Vietnam veteran, pays patriotic tribute to all the military branches, including a life-size mannequin dressed in an Army uniform and ready for action. Crooks organizes, arranges and decorates each space himself. "I dust every one of the cases," he said.

Historic workspace

The real Oval Office is in the West Wing, and it's where the president works, and meets with staff and heads of state.

In 1909, William Howard Taft expanded the office space in the center of the West Wing, modeling it after the White House's original oval-shaped Blue Room. Today the West Wing is not open to public tours  visiting it requires a special invitation from the White House.

In 2003, Crooks decided to bring the spirit of the Oval Office from Washington, D.C., to his own home on the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux reservation in Prior Lake. So he tapped his friend Mahowald, of Mahowald Builders in Savage, to help fulfill his vision.

"I laughed when he told me he wanted to build a replica of the Oval Office," said Mahowald. "He said he was going to bring a tape measure and take photos the next time he went there."

But Crooks didn't have to. He found the room's measurements online.

The reproduction Oval Office is part of a 2,000-square-foot, two-story addition on the Crooks home.

The main floor is what Crooks refers to as the "West Wing," with two hallways packed with presidential memorabilia guiding you to the main event  the commander-in-chief's light-filled work space.

To get it right, Crooks did extensive research, using historical books with photos and other resources. He hired O'Keefe Design Associates from Prior Lake to draw up the plans. The construction took nine months, with the curved doors, crown molding and trim posing the biggest craftsmanship challenges, said Mahowald.

Each president can change the decor of the Oval Office, from the draperies to the oval-shaped area rug. Crooks has re-created the design sensibility from primarily the Ford and Reagan administrations.

He's hung reproductions of historic Oval Office paintings, such as the Abraham Lincoln portrait by George Henry Story.

Then Crooks mingles his own pieces, including American bald eagle sculptures, which "stand for strength and wisdom," he said.

The custom-made desk is a replica of the famed Resolute, which was crafted from timbers of the H.M.S. Resolute  a British Navy ship. "It even has the door that little John-John played with," said Crooks, referencing the iconic photo taken during the Kennedy administration.

Next to the desk, the president's flag and the U.S. flag bring a patriotic spirit to the space. "Nixon had military flags  so I did that, too," said Crooks.

Crooks' Oval Office has even had its own 15 minutes of fame. About 10 years ago, HGTV sent a crew to Prior Lake to film a segment for a series about unusual rooms and houses.

Crooks is proud of his participation at many White House official events, his memorabilia collection and his authentic facsimile of the Oval Office.

He often hosts open houses, fundraisers, holiday parties and even invites local school groups to tour his "West Wing."

"This is the closest some kids will get to the White House," said Crooks, who is single and has an adult son.
NORMAL  Normal is bringing in an expert witness Monday to help lay out its case about the Metro Zone.

Former Mayor Paul Harmon will speak at the Normal City Council's 7 p.m. meeting on the fourth floor at Uptown Station as the council discusses what to do next about the tax-sharing zone, which has driven a wedge between the town and the city of Bloomington.

"Mayor (Chris) Koos has asked Mayor Harmon to provide some background on the history of the Metro Zone, as Mayor Harmon was Normal's mayor when the agreement was negotiated and executed," according to a memo from City Manager Mark Peterson.

The city and town have been at loggerheads about the zone for months, but tensions escalated Feb. 27 when the Bloomington City Council voted 7-2 to pull out of the arrangement effective Dec. 31, 2016, because the city said it favored the town by $1.2 million per year and by $7 million over its 30-year life.

Normal officials have claimed the city can't unilaterally terminate the agreement and that the decision is the latest in a series of moves showing Bloomington considers itself Normal's competitor rather than a partner. Normal wants to suspend the agreement a year and continue negotiating a new deal.

"It was a simple model ... share the investment, share the risk, share the reward," Peterson wrote of the zone, which was created in 1986 to help build infrastructure near the nascent Diamond-Star Motors plant  later Mitsubishi Motors North America and now Rivian Automotive.

The zone stretched from Wal-Mart on Market Street in Bloomington to the Crossroads Center and what is now Rivian. Normal has claimed it gave up a significant amount of sales tax revenue by helping bring an additional Wal-Mart to that zone.

In response to the decision, "staff is expecting the council to discuss ways in which the town can address the $1.2 million budget shortfall," Peterson wrote.

"Further, the council has indicated its desire that the staff undertake a review of all existing intergovernmental agreements between the town and the city of Bloomington to ensure all of those agreements are in the best interest of the town of Normal," according to the memo.

According to a spreadsheet provided by Peterson, those 48 agreements cover a wide variety of initiatives, from joint agencies including Connect Transit and the Bloomington-Normal Convention and Visitors Bureau to simple day-to-day operations including waste disposal and maintenance of traffic signals.

Koos has said that mutual aid, which allows police and fire personnel from each city to respond to calls in the other, is not in danger.

Its like a spouse saying, 'I want a divorce, I dont want to talk about it and Im keeping all the assets, but are you available next week for dinner and a movie? Koos said previously of Bloomington's approach to the zone.

When asked if litigation is an option the town might consider, Koos said Wednesday, "Were going to be deliberative on our process on this and look at all our options. He had ruled out the possibility last week.

Bloomington officials have said the city was free to leave the zone because the agreement had no expiration date, and they've been negotiating with no end in sight.

It's hard to believe that a difference of opinion on a single issue would threaten everything that we have achieved together, said Mayor Tari Renner.

McLean County State's Attorney Jason Chambers last week referred to the Illinois attorney general's office questions about whether the Bloomington City Council acted improperly by discussing dissolving the zone in executive session. City officials claimed that was warranted because the issue could lead to litigation  one of the subject areas state law allows in closed-door meetings  and Renner alleged Koos threatened a lawsuit during discussions in 2014.

Koos declined Thursday to comment on Renner's allegation.
BLOOMINGTON  United Way of McLean County's current fundraising campaign has struggled mightily, but that's not the case with neighboring United Ways.

The reason for the difference is unclear.

"A lot of counties have a different portfolio of companies," said United Way of McLean County President David Taylor.

Michael Stephan, president of Peoria-based Heart of Illinois United Way, said comparisons among United Ways is difficult because each community and United Way is different.

Still, United Way of McLean County's annual fundraising campaign has declined from a high of $4.6 million in 2008 to $3.5 million in the 2015-16 campaign to $1,640,403 in the 2016-17 campaign as of Thursday.

Sixty-four human services programs  run by agencies such as the Community Health Care Clinic and PATH (Providing Access To Help)  rely on United Way money for support. Money from United Way helped about 36,000 people in McLean County last year.

"It's a different campaign from previous years," Taylor said Thursday.

First, local employment is down. "That accounts for part of the decline," he said.

Second, some employers and employees are taking a different approach to charitable giving.

For example, "State Farm has changed their giving mechanism," Taylor said. "They are not running a traditional (United Way) campaign where employees pledge a specific amount. It's a real-time donation."

That's why United Way is adjusting to raising money throughout the year rather than relying on a traditional fall-winter workplace campaign. "We are trying to adapt to new realities and new giving in McLean County," Taylor said.

Donations from State Farm and its employees  which sometimes account for about half of the United Way McLean campaign total  are down as employees are being allowed to designate a number of nonprofits, not just United Way.

"Our employees, agents and customers come from all walks of life, with differing viewpoints on a variety of topics," State Farm spokeswoman Missy Dundov said in January. "We recognize their desire to contribute to organizations which represent their voices and we work hard to help that happen."

But other United Ways are increasing their workplace campaigns, even as they engage in more creative fundraising.

Taylor clarified "Workplace campaigns will continue to be an emphasis. We're looking at that in addition to creative fundraising." Taylor said he didn't have a number of workplace campaigns because some campaigns are ongoing.

As to creative fundraising being done elsewhere  such as an obstacle course race in Macon County  Taylor said "I think any of those things are definitely under consideration."

"Community leaders are working on a strategic plan, not only on fundraising, but on 'What is our role in the community? How can we adapt to changes?'" Taylor said. "Our goal is to have it unveiled in late spring."

Here's how neighboring United Ways are doing:

Heart of Illinois United Way

Heart of Illinois' annual campaign, which ended Jan. 31, raised $11,042,893, Stephan said. While that's less than the $11.6 million raised a year earlier, it marked the third straight year that Heart of Illinois  which supports 85 human services programs in Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Stark, Marshall and Putnam counties  raised more than $11 million.

Stephan said he was pleased, "especially with what's going on in our community," referring to layoffs at Caterpillar.

Caterpillar provided a dollar-for-dollar match of employee and retiree contributions, with the total coming to $5.6 million, Stephan said. A year earlier, the total was $6.8 million.

"We continued to expand our base of support to make up that difference," he said. "We have a strong campaign cabinet that goes into the community and cultivates relationships."

"This past year, there were 20 new corporate gifts and 23 new employee campaigns and 57 organizations increased their contributions to United Way by 10 percent or more," Stephan said. "The business, civic and labor leaders from our community know that Heart of Illinois United Way is the best investment for their charitable dollars."

A challenge grant, sponsored by three major employers, matched new or increased contributions, helping to expand United Way's base of support, Stephan said.

"Most of the money we raise is from our workplace campaigns and I see that continuing," he said. "But there is no entitlement. If we're blessed to be the one campaign at the workplace, we need to show that we are the best investment for their charitable dollars."

Young professionals have been courted as potential donors through an initiative that began eight years ago, he said.

United Way of Champaign County

Champaign County United Way  which supports 41 programs in Champaign and parts of Piatt, Ford and Douglas counties  raises money all year but concentrates its efforts on the fall and winter, CEO Sue Grey said.

"Over the last four to five years, we have been relatively flat," raising $3.2 million to $3.5 million, Grey said.

So far, the campaign has raised more than $3 million and Grey projects that $3.2 million will be raised by spring.

"Our (230) workplace campaigns have been consistent," she said. In addition, the number of donors who give $500 or more has increased, accounting for $2 million of the Champaign County total.

Champaign County United Way also rents 60 acres of farmground, with cash from crop sales supporting food programs, such as Meals on Wheels.

United Way of Decatur & Mid-Illinois

United Way of Mid-Illinois  which supports 50 programs in Macon, DeWitt, Moultrie and parts of Piatt and Shelby counties  began its campaign in September and will finish at the end of March, said Executive Director Debbie Bogle.

"Our campaign goal is $1.6 million and we are on target to exceed that goal by a small amount," she said. Last year's goal also was $1.6 million and was surpassed by about $2,000.

"We have about 200 employee campaigns and we are looking at increases," Bogle said. "We are focusing on the workplace campaigns more than ever. We want sustainable growth."

Meanwhile, Mid-Illinois does special fundraising events, including a Ride United bike race, an obstacle course race and a Dine United fall restaurant fundraiser.

Streator Area United Way

Streator Area United Way's fall 2016 campaign had a goal of $265,687 and raised $269,736, Executive Director Margaret Hogan said.

"Last year (fall 2015), we raised about $300,000," she said. "This year was a little bit harder with St. Mary's Hospital closing and with one of our factories laying off some people. But we still made goal. We did a program called Expand the Donor List and it worked to a point."

United Way of Livingston County

Livingston County's year-round campaign is concentrated on fall and winter and has a goal of $197,000, Executive Director Deb Howard said.

The campaign has raised more than $130,000 and Howard is confident the goal will be reached. About $195,000 was raised a year ago.

"Some donations are down so we're doing a little more fundraising," Howard said. "We're looking to add employee campaigns."

United Way of Logan County

Logan County United Way's traditional fall fundraising campaign has grown to a year-round effort as businesses do workplace campaigns at different times, said board member Patti Becker.

"Our goal was $100,000," Becker said. "We're at about $85,000 but we anticipate additional dollars from companies having campaigns later."

While campaign totals have been flat the past couple of years, Becker wants to raise more money by having more workplace campaigns and attracting more volunteers.
This letter is in support of Ray Ropp and his reelection as a Normal Township Trustee. Agriculture is very important to our community and state, and Ray will represent the Normal Township and agriculture with integrity and passion.

He is a fourth-generation farmer and agribusiness man (Ropp Jersey Cheese) and will add diversity in this position. Ray is a graduate of NCHS, the University of Illinois and has contributed significant leadership to the McLean County Farm Bureau, Land of Lincoln Purebred Livestock Association, the McLean County 4-H Fair and clubs, the Illinois Milk Producers Association, the U of I Alumni Association and Rotary. He and Carol have hosted many local and international groups on his farm. Ray will represent the best for the Normal Township and our communities.
LGBT couples and single parents could soon have a harder time with the adoption process in South Dakota. A new adoption bill passed in the state's Legislatures will give protection to agencies that deny kids to same-sex couples and single moms or dads who are willing to adopt or foster.

Members of the House from South Dakota voted on Senate Bill 149 with a 43-20-7 tally. Last month, senators also voted on the bill favoring the protection of adoption agencies by a 22-12 vote, according to Washington Blade.

The bill doesn't explicitly say adoption agencies can deny LGBT and single parents from adopting or fostering. It does, however, allow for adoption agencies, especially religious institutions, to decide based on their faith, beliefs and moral judgment.

Groups in support of LGBT are crying foul over the legislators' decision as it puts religious beliefs as a priority over the children's welfare. Many LGBT couples and single people can qualify as good parents and this bill is a discrimination against them, according to the ACLU.

The Child Welfare League of America, through Christine James-Brown, also criticized the legislators for approving the bill, via Argus Leader. What would happen to the 300 children waiting to be adopted and the 1,000 other kids abused or neglected in South Dakota's foster care system?

Republican Rep. Steven Haugaard, however, does not think the bill will impact the system negatively, citing it is actually "proactive and pre-emptive," according to Crux Now. "It's not going to impact or negatively affect the good work that they've done for decades," the representative said, referring to religious adoption agencies.

It's now up to Gov. Dennis Daugaard to either sign or veto the bill and proponents in support of LGBT parents hope Daugaard favors them as he had done in the past with other anti-LGBT bills. A spokesperson for the governor told the press he has made no decision yet. South Dakota laws allow the signing or vetoing of the governor to take place within five days after passing the bill.
Mumbai, Mar 5 (IBNS): Actors Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan on Sunday congratulated filmmaker Karan Johar on becoming a father to twins-Roohi and Yash.

Alia tweeted: "Finally I can say I have a younger brother AND sister!!!!!! So so so happyaiaiai soo much love to give uff bursting with joy!!!!!"

Varun posted: "Karan your the best human being I know and Im sure you will make the best dad.Can't wait to meet these lil munchkins."

Varun and Alia will be seen next in 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania' which is produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions.

In fact, Johar was the one who launched both these actors together with his directorial venture 'Student Of The Year'.

Johar on Sunday announced that he has become father to twins-a boy and a girl-through surrogacy.

He has introduced his children to the world as Roohi and Yash.

Johar tweeted: "I am ecstatic o share with you all the two most wonderful additions to my life, my children and lifelines; Roohi and Yash."

He wrote: "I feel enormously blessed to be a parent to these two pieces of my heart who were welcomed into this world with the help of the marvels of medical science."

According to media reports, the children were born last month at Masrani Hospital in Mumbai where actor Shah Rukh Khan's third child AbRam was delivered by a surrogate mother.
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told health experts Friday he believes the move to regularize marijuana sale and make pot legal is going to protect young people. When it comes to other illicit drugs like opioid and heroin, however, the prime minister expressed he is against the plans to decriminalize this.

Trudeau met with health experts and first responders in Vancouver to discuss drug overdose and death tolls. He made his stance clear as legislators are expected to pass a bill on legalized marijuana this summer.

"Right now we know that young people have easier access to marijuana than just about any other illicit substance," Trudeau said, per Toronto Sun. If pot is legalized, then the government will be able to regulate and control its sales. "It will bring that revenue out of the pockets of criminals and put it into a system where we can both monitor, tax it and ensure that we are supporting people who are facing challenges related or unrelated to drug use," the prime minister added.

Legislators, however, also proposed expanding the legalization of drugs but it looks like Trudeau won't allow this to happen. "We are not planning on including any other illicit substances in the move towards legalizing and controlling and regulating," he said.

His statement comes as Vancouver was recently granted $10 million by the federal government for its war on drugs. The region declared it was in a state of emergency last spring as the number of drug overdose cases continue to rise.

Trudeau said he expects the money will be used for improving crisis centers and facilities, as well as adding training for workers responding to drug overdose cases, according to CTV News. Some 922 people died last year due to opioid overdose in this part of Canada. About 116 deaths due to overdose from illicit drugs were logged for January 2017 alone.
After an unforgettable win for Best Picture at the recent Oscars, the child actors of the movie "Moonlight" have gone back to school like regular kids. Deep inside, however, seventh graders Alex Hibbert and Jaden Piner know their lives have changed.

Twelve-year-old kids Hibbert and Piner both attend the Norland Middle School in Miami, Florida. On their return to school, they were warmly greeted by the community and got another red carpet treatment.

"It was a different feel, everybody was saying congratulations and everything and it felt wonderful," Piner said, according to NBC Miami. The boys had a local press conference arranged by their drama teacher, Tanisha Cidel, who was also in the movie.

"My phone is blowing up," Hibbert said, per WSVN. The boys were also honored by their school for Black History Month.

Hibbert and Piner played best friends Chiron and Kevin in the movie. "Moonlight" dealt with Chiron's coming-of-age, as he realized he's gay.

The movie filmed in the boys' Liberty City neighborhood which few people have seen about Miami with its hotels and glamorous lifestyle. "It shows that Liberty City is not really a bad place and you can't judge it by the news," Hibbert said.

"Moonlight" is the very first movie for both boys. When they auditioned, they did not expect it will become something big enough to bag Best Picture at the Oscars. The film beat eight other contenders, including "La La Land," the heavy favorite.

"I want the parents to understand that if your child has any talent or shows an interest in the arts, take it seriously," their drama teacher told the audience at the press conference, referring to the boys' success. Hibbert has actually bagged a role in a drama series for Showtime, which he will shoot in the summer.

Have you seen "Moonlight" and did you like it? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
Iran's President Rouhani welcomes Azerbaijan's Aliyev, hails ties as 'brotherly, strategic'

03/05/17

Source: Press TV

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has hailed relations with neighboring Azerbaijan as "friendly, brotherly and strategic," saying they share close views on regional issues. Tehran-Baku ties "have made considerable progress in the past three years," Rouhani said at a joint news conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev who arrived in Tehran Sunday for a one-day visit.





Iran's President Hassan Rouhani (R) welcomes his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev

Tehran - March 5, 2017 (Photo by IRNA)

President Rouhani also said the two Muslim countries view terrorism as a major threat, and share common views on the need to fight terrorists in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere. "We see terrorism, which is unfortunately rooted in the Wahhabi and Salafi ideology, as a big threat to the region and believe the roots of this ideology need to be dried up," the president said.



"On the issue of Syria and Iraq, we share common views and hope efforts by Iran, Turkey and Russia will bear fruit," Rouhani said, adding the ultimate solution for Syria has to be political.



"Iran believes the territorial integrity of countries must be respected and regional problems resolved through political means and dialog."



Aliyev said political relations between Iran and Azerbaijan were "excellent" while economic cooperation between the two countries had made considerable progress.



His visit to Tehran is the third in the past three years during which he met with President Rouhani eight times, Aliyev said, adding cordial bilateral ties are rooted in cultural, historical and religious commonalities.



"These visits show relations between the two countries are progressing proudly."





Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev (L) and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani

at a joint news conference in Tehran on March 5, 2017. (Photo by IRNA)



Bilateral trade grew 70% in 2016 following the implementation of bilateral agreements, Aliyev said as he cited 18 MoUs signed in recent years.



"Today, two more documents were signed which is a good basis for strengthening relations," he added.



Aliyev also hailed Iranian firms for investing in Azerbaijan, citing Iran's stakes in Shah Deniz which is Azerbaijan's largest gas field in the Caspian Sea as well as oil drilling operations.



Rouhani said Iran is ready for swapping oil and oil products with Azerbaijan. He also touched on transit cooperation, saying their recent completion of a rail road linking the Iranian city of Rasht to Astara in Azerbaijan had marked an important step in this regard.





Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev meets Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamanei

Tehran - March 5, 2017. (Photo by IRNA)



In their talks, the two sides also discussed cooperation on environmental issues as well as the Caspian Sea legal regime. The sea is shared by Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.



"Legal issues in the Caspian Sea require the consensus of the five countries. In this context, cooperation, consultation and negotiation between Iran and Azerbaijan is very important," Rouhani said.



Aliyev said Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the South-North Corridor, which stretches from the Indian Ocean to Russia, China, Central Asia and East Europe.



He also thanked Tehran for its efforts to resolve the Karabakh dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia.



Iran has repeatedly announced readiness to mediate between the two sides. Rouhani said the Islamic Republic believes all regional problems, including the Karabakh conflict, should be resolved thorough dialog.



Related Article:

Azerbaijan and Iran launch rail link



Concurrent with the visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Tehran, the 10-kilometer Astara (Iran)-Astara (Azerbaijan) railway line project began its trial operation successfully on Sunday. With the commissioning of this railroad as well as the completion of Rasht-Astara railway line project, the Islamic Republic of Iran will be connected to Europe's rail network via Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan will get direct access to the Persian Gulf.
Imprisoned Iran-Born Swedish Resident Refusing Food and Water in Desperate Bid for Justice

03/05/17

Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran

President Rouhani's Officials Ignore Jalali's Wife's Letters



Ahmadreza Jalali with his wife Vida Mehrannia and their children

(source: facebook)



Iranian-born Swedish resident Ahmadreza Jalali is protesting his detainment in Iran since April 2016 without charge and denial of access to due process by refusing food and water.

"On Thursday (February 23) Ahmadreza's relatives in Tehran visited him in prison and said he had lost a lot of weight and was in a bad mental state," Vida Mehrannia told the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. "He also has chest and kidney pains."

Jalali stopped eating food on February 15, 2017 and shifted to a dry hunger strike on February 24.

Officials within the administration of President Hassan Rouhani have meanwhile not responded to letters from his wife, Vida Mehrannia, demanding justice for her husband.

"A month ago (January 2017), I wrote a letter to Hassan Rouhani and asked for his help," said Mehrannia. "For the sake of an innocent citizen behind bars, I asked him to look into the unjust treatment Ahmadreza has received and to investigate Judge (Abolghasem) Salavati's death threats. I haven't gotten a response yet."

"Is this justice? I also wrote to the judiciary's Human Rights director Mohammad Javad Larijani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif," she said. "None of them have replied to me."

Jalali has been repeatedly denied lawyers of his choice and told by his interrogators and the presiding judge before the start of his trial that he will be sentenced to death.

"Judge Salavati rejected Ahmadreza's first lawyer, Mr. Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabaee (prominent human rights lawyer)," Mehrannia told the Campaign.

"Then, four months ago, the court accepted Ahmadreza's new lawyer, Ms. Zeinab Taheri, but now that we are getting close to the date of the trial, Judge Salavati is saying he won't accept her either, and Ahmadreza has to find yet another lawyer," she said.

"Judge Salavati rejected Jalali's lawyer and demanded that the lawyer be changed or a public defender would be imposed by the court," she added. "Jalali said he would not change his lawyer and that if his lawyer was not permitted to attend the trial, he would not show up in court either."

"What could all this mean other than the fact that Ahmadreza is innocent?" said Mehrannia. "They have nothing on him and they just want to take away his ability to defend himself in court."

"Ahmadreza had no choice but to go on a hunger strike to make his voice heard," she told the Campaign.

Salavati is infamous for imposing harsh sentences in politicized cases.

In interviews with the Campaign, several lawyers have criticized Salavati for ignoring arguments by the defense in court and bowing to the demands of the prosecution, especially in cases in which the arresting authority was the Revolutionary Guards' Intelligence Organization.

Salavati has presided over many cases against dual nationals, including Amir Hekmati, Saeed Abedini, and Jason Rezaian, who were released in January 2016 in a prisoner swap deal with the US.

He is also the presiding judge in current cases against dual nationals including against Iranian-American Siamak Namazi, his father Bagher Namazi, and British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

In all these cases, the victims have been held without due process and under unclear or unannounced charges, and denied full and proper legal representation.

"We kept quiet for nine months and didn't say anything about Ahmadreza's detention because we thought he would go free, as the authorities kept saying he would," Mehrannia told the Campaign. "But we've had enough of all this injustice."

In April 2016, Jalali, who lives in Sweden with his wife and two children, was officially invited by Tehran University to speak about his knowledge and experience as a disaster medical response expert.

On April 24, 2016 he was arrested by Intelligence Ministry agents and held in solitary confinement in Evin Prison's Ward 209 where he was interrogated for seven months.

The charges against Jalali have not been publicly disclosed.

The Judiciary's ongoing imprisonment of dual nationals contradicts Rouhani's repeated calls for expatriates to return to Iran. The growing number of arrests also reflects hardliners' efforts to prevent the engagement with the West that the Rouhani administration has sought to encourage.

Iranian-British dual citizen Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, sentenced to five years in prison in September 2016, has been held since April 2016; Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi, held since October 15, 2015 and his father, 80-year-old Bagher Namazi, held since February 2016, have both been sentenced to ten years in prison; Iranian-American Robin (Reza) Shahini, held since July 2016; has been sentenced to 18 years in prison, British-Iranian Roya Saberi Nobakht, held since October 2013, has been sentenced to seven years; and Iranian-Austrian dual citizen Kamran Ghaderi, held since January 2016, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Iranian-American Karan Vafadari, held since July 2016, has not been sentenced yet.
French Economy Minister calls for normalization of banking ties with Iran

03/05/17

Source: Press TV

France has called for "normalization" of banking ties with Iran to improve economic relations between the two countries.





French Economy Minister Michel Sapin (L) with his Iranian counterpart Ali Tayebnia

Tehran, March 4, 2017



French Economy Minister Michel Sapin said relations between Iran and France have considerably developed over the past few months, adding: "Financial circuits however need to be normalized. It's our aim, our will-even if it can't be done in a day." Spain made the statements after meeting his Iranian counterpart Ali Tayebnia in Tehran.



"We can't work on developing our economic relations if we don't also normalize our banking relations," he said.

The French official then added that trust must be built "to allow companies - if they so wish - to have financing channels that are safe and efficient."



French and other European companies have returned to Iran since the signing of the nuclear deal between Iran and P5+1 group of countries in 2015 which led to the partial lifting of international sanctions in January last year.



Despite the deal, international banks have not yet reestablished financial circuits with Iran, fearing reprisals from the US which has maintained some economic sanctions against Iran.

"France's big banks are international banks. They work around the world including in the US. It is therefore normal that they worry about respecting American rules with regards to their American activities... I can't blame them, but they need to rebuild trust...We can work with them to understand the rules and find good reasons to work towards developing our relations," Sapin said.

France, a leading economic, political partner

Spain also held talks with Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.



During the meeting, Zarif said Iran is seeking to develop relations with France and added Iran viewed France as a leading economic and political partner.





Iranian FM Javad Zarif (R) & French Economy Minister Michel Sapin

Tehran, March 4, 2017



The Iranian foreign minister also said holding Tehran-Paris joint economic commission was a significant move in expansion of bilateral ties and the two sides were determined to take steps in this direction.



For his part, the French minister said as part of the nuclear deal between Iran and P5+1, France would put in its hard efforts to make the deal succeed.



"Many of the economic agreements between Iran and France like those in automotive and aerial industries have already been accomplished," he said.



During Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's historic visit to Paris in January last year, Iran and France signed a series of basic trade deals worth billions of dollars. France's plane maker Airbus, the multinational integrated oil and gas company Total, and automobile manufacturers Peugeot and Renault have already signed deals with Tehran.
A letter from the city of San Bernardino asking President Donald Trump to help with city issues is proving contentious for some in the city.

The Evening with the Mayor community meeting hosted Tuesday at Faith Bible Church drew dozens of people to hear the scheduled updates on public works, public safety and more from Mayor Carey Davis and other officials  and dozens of others upset by a letter they think disregards the communitys desires.

The letter, which was signed by all of the citys elected policy makers but not discussed publicly before it was mailed, asks Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions for help with crime and illicit drugs  including marijuana, which majorities in California and in San Bernardino voted in November to allow.

We were there to ask questions and to provide testimony, said Ivan Aguayo, one of the organizers of the group that spoke out at the meeting. People in the city are feeling a lot of distress.  Young people feel that marijuana is being scapegoated and its being used as a tool to bring in folks who are from the Trump administration into this community to play a role that a lot of us find frightening, especially those who are undocumented.

Specifically, Aguayo and others said many require marijuana for medical reasons and that the strings of federal help could include deportations of undocumented immigrants living in the city.

When Davis didnt directly address those complaints, attendees agree, things escalated.

In fact, said resident Cassie Levy, they got downright ugly.

I have no problem with people in a public forum making a statement about something they agree with or disagree with in the city, Levy said. At the end, they were yelling profanity at him. We were in a church environment. They were just in general not acting like intelligent adults who really, really want to deal with an issue.

Aguayo acknowledged that some people  not him  lost their temper, but said that came out of frustration with not being answered.

Those attending the meeting to oppose the letter included members of Cal State San Bernardinos Students for Quality Education as well as others who heard about the plans on social media, Aguayo said.

City Attorney Gary Saenz spoke about the citys marijuana plans earlier in the meeting  reiterating that the city doesnt intend to spend scarce resources implementing voter-approved Measure O, which provides a regulatory scheme to replace the previous ban, until theyve gotten clarity on a pair of lawsuits seeking to overturn the measure. And City Manager Mark Scott told them afterward that the letter would be discussed at Mondays City Council meeting, attendees say.

But speakers wanted to hear from Davis, who told them at Tuesdays meeting that this wasnt the time or place for their objections.

We just want a meeting with him, Aguayo said. I think we need, as young leaders, to sit down with the mayor and find out why he did this and if he realizes how real the effects are on young people.

Davis staff said he was not available. In an earlier interview, Davis said the letter was intended to garner resources to help with the citys violent crime  as Trump offered to do in Chicago  and that he felt marijuana was one cause of that crime.

Davis also said that he didnt consider marijuana to be a focus of the letter, although it does ask for help fighting illicit drug and marijuana trafficking.

Councilman Benito Barrios said last week that, although he signed the letter, he hadnt noticed that language and he opposed it because he thought marijuana was helpful and supported by San Bernardino voters.
As the number of cyber threats continues to grow, a team of Inland students is preparing to take them on.

Moreno Valley schools began offering a cyber security class at Valley View and Canyon Springs high schools in fall  the first time its done so.

About two dozen students are learning how to protect their computers, phones and other electronic devices from hackers. The courses involve learning complicated computer languages and practicing on virtual networks, said Chris Lorenz, who teaches the class at Valley View, in the Moreno Valley Unified School District.

In the past five years, more schools have begun to offer cyber security classes or clubs, Lorenz said. Schools from Riverside and Redlands are among those that his team has competed against.

These guys are the future in terms of educating people on cyber security, he said. Our goal is to teach them about it so they can prevent it.

Some of his students are also part of a school team that has competed against other schools and recently took first place in the girls division of National Youth Cyber Defense Competition California round.

Lorenz, who also teaches TV and video production, said state education officials suggested the district launch the program as part of an effort to increase science, technology, engineering and math courses, also known as STEM fields.

The school competition is sponsored by the United States Air Force Association, which through the Cyber Patriot program, aims to encourage more students to enter the field.

Suspected Russian hacking of the Democratic National Committee during the presidential election has heightened the awareness of the issue.

Two members of Valley Views team, Sarah Alvarado, 18, a senior, and Leah Alvarez, 15, a sophomore, said theyve learned to improve computer security by setting up firewalls, defending against malware and creating stronger computer network protection protocols.

Both said they hadnt thought much about computers before starting the class, Now they realize how important cyber security is.

Basically, your whole life is on your phone, your tablet, your laptop, Alvarado said. If you have that security, youll feel safe going on the internet.

They found the competition grueling. It involved six hours of securing operating systems and other complicated tasks. They almost quit after the first round in fall, but found their confidence growing as they entered their sixth competition in January.

I was more in the zone, Alvarez said. It was more chill.

Lorenz said the program started with an after-school club two years ago. Last fall came the Cyber Security 1 class. He had experience in the field as a former Federal Aviation Administration employee before he became a teacher about two decades ago.

Lorenz and teacher Donna Woods at Canyon Springs coordinate and sometimes teach classes together with an overhead computer screening linking them.

Students who study cyber security in college can enter the work force with salaries of $95,000 to $125,000 a year, Lorenz said.

Alvarado said shes already taken what shes learned from class to advise her mother on how to keep her phone safe from hackers.

I got more interested in computers than I thought I was, she said. I wouldnt mind having a career in cyber.

Reach the reporter:

951-368-9558, ighori@scng.com or @ImranGhori1 on Twitter
The search for Noah Abbott, 2, who has been missing since Thursday when his familys car crashed into the California Aqueduct in Hesperia, ended Saturday, March 4, after sheriffs divers were unable to find the boy, sheriffs officials say.

The crash left his mother, Christina Eileen Estrada, 31, and one his brothers, Jeremiah Robert Abbott, 3, both of Hesperia, dead and injured another brother, Elijah Estrada, 10.

Elijah has been released from the hospital and was home with his family, according to a San Bernardino County sheriffs news release.

Authorities continued to investigate why the Hesperia familys car crashed into the aqueduct near Main Street and Escondido Avenue on Thursday evening.

Beginning about 8:30 a.m. Saturday, divers searched the aqueduct south of the Main Street bridge, the news release states. Divers faced zero visibility in the water, and about 2 p.m. they left the aqueduct due to unsafe conditions caused by water and current pressures returning to full flow.

Since Thursday night, divers covered approximately 2.5 miles of the 7-mile aqueduct, from north of the Main Street bridge south to Maple Avenue, according to the news release. A sheriffs helicopter assisted.

Deputies would continue to patrol the roadway that runs parallel to the aqueduct, the news release states.
Chennai, Mar 4 (IBNS): Tamil superstar Rajinikanth's film Baasha which was released in 1995 re-released in a digital format last Friday.

The film was written and directed by Suresh Krissna.

Baasha is a Tamil film with Rajanikanth and Nagma in the lead roles that revolves around the life of an auto driver (played by Rajanikanth).

The digital format is having 70mm film in contrary to the previous 35mm.

Both wife and daughter of Rajanikanth were present at the premiere.

Actor Dhanush who is incidentally son-in -law of Rajinikanth expressed his happiness at the release tweeting on Friday.

"After 22 years .. same excitement," Dhanush posted.

(Writing by Souvik Ghosh)
One man was injured and two men displaced by a structure fire in Norco on Saturday, March 4, according to a Cal Fire/Riverside County fire news release. It was not clear if the injured man was one of the two men displaced.

The fire was reported at 1:36 p.m. in the 1000 block of Carriage Drive in Norco, less than a mile east of Interstate 15 and Sixth Street.

Firefighters arrived to find smoke and fire visible from a single family home with the garage engulfed in flames, the news release states. They contained the fire in about 30 minutes.

The injured man was hospitalized with smoke inhalation.

Fire officials called the American Red Cross to help the two men left homeless as a result of the blaze.

UPDATE: How Norco community is helping victims of house fire
Debate is needed

Re: Does America have a free-speech problem? [Opinion, Feb. 28]: Free speech is in the spotlight recently as opinions vary and the emotions escalate. The article asking for these letters used the example of Milo Yiannopoulos speech being canceled at Berkley, but ignores him also being refused by CPAC. The omission of information may show the writers bias. Is that where the trouble begins? I may agree or disagree, but Milo or a Press-Enterprise writer has the right to say or not say whatever they want. I choose if I want to hear it, pay for it, or just go elsewhere for information. This has caused the readers to be as divided as the press outlets.

The trouble I see is when elected officials force their own opinion on the constituents they represent. They shut down the listening part of speech which causes the constituents to do so also. Debate is needed. Ideas need to be shared. Willingness to listen openly and then speak viewpoints respectfully is needed. We will never all agree, and thats what makes us think and grow. You use your own personal values and thoughts to form your ideas. Open discussion is critical.

 Bill Braun, Corona

Indoctrination

Free speech has become nothing more than a myth. What we have now is controlled, approved speech and the control is in the hands of liberal educators and indoctrinated students and young people. The idea of banning the use of some words or opinions suggests a move toward a totalitarian state. Rules that prohibit recording of a professors public statements smack of hidden agendas. Safe zones where speech can only be the acceptable is nothing short of bizarre. The press contributes by avoiding using words that might be offensive to some.

It takes only a few students or people to voice an objection to a word or an idea to have it banned. We seem hell-bent on becoming a society that never has to suffer an offensive word or thought. The First Amendment establishes our right to free speech. Why would we need such an amendment if all speech was unoffensive? We not only have the right to offend but also the duty to be offended. Who would want a society so thought-controlled? Only those who have been raised to believe life should be free of all injury, perceived or real, and the ultra-liberal and socialist educators that wish to control them.

 Larry Palmer, Norco

Free speech requires honesty

Free speech is a valuable right, guaranteed by the Constitution. However, that right is greatly abused. It cannot be used to maliciously harm or defame others. It cannot be used to promote a political view in the classroom. It cannot be used to spread lies or incite riots or civil unrest. This type of speech has no place in society. Free speech should be civil and never abuse the rights of others. It should be the peaceful process of expressing your view in comparison to someone elses view. Everyones view should be considered and respected.

That is not what we have today. Liberals want to shout down any opposing view. They want to deny any speaker on campus that does not support their liberal view. They want liberal professors to be allowed to promote their liberal ideas in the classroom.

These thing are happening right now and go against free speech. All views should be allowed to be heard, whether in public or on campus. You dont have to listen or attend their rally but you should allow them to speak. However, liberal professors are being paid to teach a specific subject. That does not give them the right to indoctrinate their students with their liberal views. That is not part of their job and should never be allowed.

But most importantly, free speech should be honest and never include blatant lies. Lying has become the norm in the current political debate. This is the ultimate abuse of free speech. It is blatantly used by liberal politicians and the left-wing press. This needs to stop or the freedom of speech becomes meaningless and we cannot believe anyone.

 Glen Chaffin, Corona

Alexander will be missed

Re: Activist Evelyn Alexander dies at 78 [News, Feb. 28]: Thank you for publishing the very nice tribute to Evelyn Alexander. She was, indeed, dedicated to making the city of San Bernardino a better place to live.

However, there is an error in this article that I believe needs to be corrected. Evelyn and I were classmates at St. Bernardines High School (class of 56) and St. Bernardines was NOT an all-girls school at that time! From its beginning in 1924 until 1957, it was a vibrant, scholastically-oriented co-ed high school, with award-winning football and basketball teams.

Evelyn and I planned many joyous class reunions over the years, and the guys were always well represented. Knowing Evelyn as well as I did, she would not want this mistake to go unnoticed. I will miss her.

 Marjorie Flathers, San Bernardino

Legalize it

Re: San Bernardino wants Trumps help with these city issues [News, Feb. 13]: I am disgusted by our mayor asking Donald Trump for help against marijuana. Doesnt Mayor Davis know Californians voted to legalize marijuana in this state? Trump, of course, will probably help him.

Our president has shown hes all for states rights when they limit rights of individuals, but when they expand them federal laws trump state laws. Heres a news flash for Mr. Davis and Mr. Trump: Marijuana is safer than alcohol, cigarettes, opioids and even Tylenol. A number of deaths from overdoses of even water have happened throughout history, but no one has died from Marijuana. There is also no evidence marijuana is a gateway drug or that it destroys brain cells. Dont criticize it, legalize it.

 Joseph Chastain, San Bernardino

Get over it: Trump is president

Re: Not My Presidents Day protesters: No ban. No Wall. California welcomes all [News, Feb. 20]: Its time to face the facts and move on. On a day designed to celebrate and honor the past presidents that have served this country, many Americans gathered to protest and insult the very position they are supposed to be respecting.

Whether you like him or hate him, voted for him or not, Donald Trump is currently the president of the United States. This means that if you are a citizen of the United States, he is, in fact, your president, and its time protestors start accepting that and behaving accordingly.

The system that the Founding Fathers put in place resulted in Trump being elected. No amount of protesting or complaining will change that fact. While these protestors do have a right to be heard, their protests will inevitably do little to stop Trumps actions. These protests become wastes of time that only succeed in distracting us from honoring the leaders that established this once-great nation.

 Jared Huff, Chino Hills

Pence contradicts Trump

Re: White House signals possible crackdown on recreational cannabis [News, Feb. 23]: Who are we supposed to believe? President Donald Trump or Vice President Mike Pence and the various cabinet members?

According to this article, once again Trumps statement of what the United States will do in a certain situation has been contradicted by Pence or a cabinet member either shortly before or shortly after Trump spoke.

This time it was about whether the U.S. will use the military to enforce immigration laws and to round up and deport illegal immigrants. Trump said yes and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said no.

 Elizabeth Kerr, Ontario

Old Hollywood vs. new

Yes, I boycotted the Oscars. I watched They Were Expendable to remind myself what male movie stars were like during World War II. Clark Gable was a waist gunner on a B-17. Jimmy Stewart lead B-17s over Germany. Eddie Arnold was decorated at Tarawa. Lee Marvin was wounded at Saipan. And of course, Audie Murphy. The list goes on.

The pretty boys of today wouldnt get caught dead in uniform. I promise I will boycott any actor or director that badmouths President Trump, America, Jesus Christ or our way of life.

Liberal Hollywood celebrities are unworthy of the sacrifices that our men and women in uniform make on a daily basis.

 Michael A. Pacer, Pomona
For Bryan Simmering, a recent trip to Joshua Tree National Park was nearly 30 years in the making.

I was 27 when (rock group U2s) Joshua Tree came out. And I decided I have to go there one day, he said, looking at the small lake formed by Barker Dam in the national park as large as Rhode Island.

This place really exceeded my expectations, he said. I thought we would come up here and breeze right through this  it is an amazing place.

The California desert national park has been a draw for some time and even saw record attendance last year. This year could see even more visitors, as March 9 marks the 30th anniversary of the release of U2s album of the same name  The Joshua Tree. In May, the Irish rock group U2 begins touring to celebrate the anniversary and comes to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on May 20 and 21.

 Related story: 5 cool facts about U2s The Joshua Tree on its 30 anniversary

Making the trek to the desert could be something uber fans do this year as did David Smith, Joshua Tree National Park superintendent, years ago.

The album drew me and my classmates (at UC Berkeley) down from college to the images evoked from that amazing piece of music, Smith said in a recent interview. The 30th anniversary tour will certainly influence more people to visit the park this year, Smith said, but didnt offer an estimate of how many.

Last year, the park saw a record 2,505,286 visitors, up nearly 200 percent from 2006. And it reflects the third straight year the park saw more visitors. Last years visitation count was nearly 24 percent more than 2015.

By comparison, visitation at Yosemite National Park has increased 163 percent from 2006 to 2016, while Death Valley National Park increased 174 in that 10-year period.

 Photos: Joshua Tree National Park sees steady tourism increase

Ironically, the Joshua tree photographed for the album cover was closer to Death Valley National Park than Joshua Tree National Park. The spot, near Darwin, is in the Mojave Desert of Inyo County. The tree collapsed and died sometime around 2000, according to George Land, public information officer for Joshua Tree National Park.

Another famous desert spot, north of the National Park along Highway 62 in Twentynine Palms, is the eight-room Harmony Motel. The small overnight stop invokes U2 in its advertising. Flyers in the lobby read Pop Legends U2 stayed at the Harmony, why not U too!

The motel, now owned by South African native Nalini Ash Maharaj, who said she didnt know the group stayed there when she purchased the property in 2004.

But soon after acquiring the property on the western edge Twentynine Palms, a former owner told her about the stay by the pop culture legends.

I was shocked, Maharaj said. It was an amazing connection.

 Related story: 7 songs that didnt make the cut for U2s The Joshua Tree

The album came out while she was a student at South Africas University of Durban  Westville, Maharaj said, It spoke to me.

The groups support for the liberation of people of color in South Africa dovetailed with her own political leanings and those of her many student friends, she said. And once apartheid ended, the band continued to support the African continent in the fight against AIDS, she said in the courtyard of the small motel at 71161 Twentynine Palms Highway.

The association with U2 is one of the reasons some stay at the motel.

For two New Zealand-born sisters, the U2 association was a factor in the decision to stay there, said Jo Bennett, 29, who now lives in London.

 Map: Notable stops U2 made while shooting The Joshua Tree album cover

We try to meet each other half-way once a year, said Kate Bennett, 33, who lives in Auckland, N.Z. Its an 11-hour flight for each when they fly into LAX. Both women have a passion for deserts.

While Joshua Tree National Park got special recognition 30 years ago with U2s fifth studio album, there are other links to the music industry as well.

According to park officials,

 Album-cover designer Gary Burden, and rock n roll photographer Henry Diltz, used the National Park as a backdrop for several artists including the Eagles, America and Mama Cass Elliot.

 Miley Cyrus was photographed at Barker Dam.

 Gram Parsons was illegally cremated in the park by his road manager.

 Rita Coolidge, Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen have appeared at the park for charity events.

But its not just the music connections that bring people here.

On a visit to the park last month, Tyler Lappetito, 33, was hiking to the Hemingway rock formations.

A summer resident of Petersburg, Alaska, where he is a fisherman, and a winter vacationer in Los Angeles, Lappetito said he visited the park for the first time in 2009.

Its now part of my winter routine, he said.

And despite the crowds on some of the more popular trails and rock formations, for some, like 62-year-old Marina del Rey resident John Abdo, thats no deterrent.

I can feel like Im away from everything when I get to the top, he said.
REDLANDS >> The Redlands chapter of the American Association of University Women this year celebrates its 70th anniversary of working to empower women to take action and be leaders in their communities.

Established on April 15, 1947, the local chapter follows the model of the national organization, which touts itself as the nations leading voice promoting equity and education for women and girls. Established in 1881, the AAUW has chapters throughout the nation, and its members examine and take positions on the fundamental issues of the day in education, politics and other social issues.

Locally, AAUW is looking to keep its group active for the next 70 years. And one way to do that is by promoting the group at community-related functions held here year-round, including its annual STEM Conference for Eighth-Grade Girls.

This years camp at the University of Redlands marked the 23rd anniversary of the event. On Tuesday, more than 600 future STEMinists from Redlands and Yucaipa took part in the all-morning activity. The goal of the annual camp is to expose girls to careers in science, technology, engineering and math, and inspire the leaders of tomorrow.

This day should be a beginning for you to start thinking about your future and the amazing things you can accomplish, Marilyn Shankar, chair of this years STEM conference, told the girls during welcoming remarks.

The STEM conference brings women from Southern California and beyond to Redlands to speak about their professions in various fields. It was actually the STEM conference that inspired Shankar, a retired scientist, to join AAUW.

I think one of the biggest comments weve heard is that they (the girls) think they can do anything, she said. That self-motivation is what really, I think, keeps it going, and it empowers us to keep this going because it means something to them.

Past conference speakers include women who attended the STEM conference when they were in the eighth grade, including Samantha Rorick, who participated in the event as a Cope Middle School student. On Tuesday, she addressed dozens of girls with her talk, From Cope 8th Grade to Interning at NASA.

Being a part of AAUW, said Shankar, was always something I wanted to do, and when I retired I had more time to do it.

The group hosts its own social activities throughout the year and partners with local colleges and universities to encourage women to run for office through its Elect Her program.

Im a retired lawyer and the reason why I joined (AAUW) was because I had been dealing with other peoples problems as a divorce lawyer, said Kathryn Brown, an AAUW member and speaker coordinator for this years conference. Its such a supportive and friendly group. And I enjoy doing positive things like the STEM conference that make a difference.

AAUW sends close to 1,250 letters to girls to pique their interest in participating in the conference. Organizers, however, can accommodate less than half that number. Still, the group hopes to reach out to those looking for career ideas as they move forward in their education.

It is that idea that delighted students from all schools participating, including first-timers from Inland Leaders Charter School in Yucaipa.

This is important to host because girls need to know there are other opportunities for them and encourage them not to be afraid to go into those careers, said Stacey Wassif, a ILCS educator. STEM is not a boys game and we need to let these girls know that they are so capable of doing something like this and are strong problem-solvers.
In the early 1860s, there was heated debate in California as to whether it should be a free or slave state.

Charles W. Piercy, assemblyman from San Bernardino County, which at that time covered what is now western Riverside County as well, was firmly on the side of the Union. Daniel Showalter was an assemblyman from Mariposa County who was on the southern side in that debate.

This difference of opinion would have tragic consequences.

Piercy was born in Iowa in 1833. In 1852, at the age of 19, he joined a party coming to California. He first settled in El Monte, but, when the Mormon settlers who founded the city of San Bernardino were called back to Utah, he came to San Bernardino to buy and sell the land and assets they left behind. In 1859, after the county sheriff resigned after two weeks in office, Piercy was appointed to fill the position. Piercy then resigned in 1860 to run for Assembly.

According to Marcus Katz, the first merchant in San Bernardino, Piercy and his group were sharp shrewd political tricksters. In the 1860 election, a Piercy supporter was the election official in the Temescal precinct. He supposedly kept the polls open for three weeks and allowed votes to keep being cast whenever he got the word that Piercy was falling behind. Needless to say, Piercy won the election.

Just a few months after joining the Assembly, during a vote on secessionist issues, Piercy felt he was insulted by Assemblyman Showalter. Piercy challenged Showalter to a duel, though dueling was illegal in California.

Showalter also came to California in 1852 and settled in Mariposa County. According to Walter Earl Pittmans book, Rebels in the Rockies, Showalter was noted for hard drinking and combativeness.

The duel took place May 25, 1861, about three miles west of San Rafael, in Marin County, near the residence of Charles Fairfax. The weapons were rifles at 40 yards. Both men missed their first shot. Showalter demanded another round. Piercy missed once again but Showalters second shot hit Piercy and killed him instantly.

Showalter went into hiding.

According to Pittman, in November 1861 he was leading a party of southern supporters east to join the Confederacy when they were captured by federal forces. They were imprisoned for a while, then released after signing an oath of loyalty to the United States. Showalter ignored his oath and went to Texas, where he fought, leading to his promotion to lieutenant colonel. As a leader he wasnt very successful, being drunk when he should have been commanding his forces in battle. He was finally removed from his command. Showalter went to Mexico after the war and managed a hotel in Mazatlan. He died in 1866, still not yet 40, as a result of a bar fight.

Piercy was buried in the Lone Mountain Cemetery in San Francisco. According to northern California newspapers, his coffin plate read: Charles W. Piercy, aged 26 years. He sleeps an honorable sleep. Later, when San Francisco evicted all cemeteries from its boundaries, Piercys body was moved with thousands of others to Colma. Its no longer known exactly where his body rests.

If you have an idea for a future Back in the Day column about a local historic person, place or event, contact Steve Lech and Kim Jarrell Johnson at backinthedaype@gmail.com.
There are the little things, such as the afternoon tea thats offered.

There are the obvious things, such as the accents.

Its the British who landed in Temecula recently, though were not talking about the Beatles as somebody joked. No, we are talking 12 members of the Royal Air Force Falcons parachute display team that dropped by the Temecula Vet Center to share joint military experiences, if not exercises.

The Brits are here annually in the winter to train in Lake Elsinore and Perris, known far and wide for their parachuting. Its just a little stormy in England this time of year, which is why it makes sense for the Brits to come and train here annually for a month in November and February, even if were having stormier weather than usual.

They stay at a hotel in Temecula, a place that brags about its sunshine to tourists. Asked why he likes coming here, Corporal Dominic Hodge, who has been to Southwest Riverside County four times, says, We come for training and the weather.

Another thing he likes is how friendly we are to the military. Hodge says when paratroopers visit a coffee shop and wear military gear, they are often warmly greeted by the locals, many thanking them for their service.

The paratroopers, attired in blue Royal Air Force T-shirts, visited with the vet centers director, retired Army colonel Sam Mack, and his staff, including Trooper the service dog.

For most of the gathering, they sit around a conference table in a room decorated with the U.S. flag, the California flag, the flags of the branches of our military, and other patriotic stuff.

The Brits were duly impressed.

They also thought highly of the services at the center, which opened in 2009 and is located at 40935 County Center Drive. Mack estimates more than 400 locals come by at least once a month, either for direct help such as counseling groups and navigating the bureaucracy to get the benefits they earned, or to just simply hang out and watch TV or chat.

Repeatedly, the Brits said their country has a similar issue to the United States, with a number of veterans unfortunately ending up on the streets.

The United Kingdom has a much smaller military than the United States, the Brits thought they were sent on fewer and shorter overseas deployments than U.S. service personnel.

Our country has a larger military that sends military members off on longer deployments. Mack says the center helps veterans adjust to their return to civilian life, one of the things the British visitors said they would bring up when they are interviewed on a military radio show when they return.

The visitors being Brits, somebody had to ask if any of them had ever met the Royal Family. One said he briefly trained with Prince Harry and mentioned what a good guy he was.

The Royals are one thing they have that we dont, for better or for worse.
From Colorados state Capitol to Trump Tower in New York and the Washington Monument, groups of hundreds of people rallied for President Trump on Saturday, waving Deplorables for Trump signs and even carrying a life-size cutout of the president.

The March 4 Trump demonstrations were held around the country, and supporters clashed with generally smaller groups of counter protesters.

In Berkeley, California, Trump supporters fought counter-protesters during a march in support of the president. People wearing goggles, motorcycle helmets, gas masks or with their face half-covered with bandanas are pushing each other, throwing punches and hitting each other with the sticks holding their signs.

Six people protesting the rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol and fled, police said. About 400 people attended the St. Paul event, and about 50 showed up to protest it. Some other minor scuffles between the dueling demonstrators were quickly defused.

In Nashville, two people were arrested as protesters clashed with Trump supporters at the Tennessee Capitol. The groups at times cursed at each other and made physical contact, which state troopers broke up, WPLN reported.

Near Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach Post reported that people on both sides exchanged profanity. Trumps motorcade briefly stopped so he could wave at supporters.

In Ohio, Trump supporter Margaret Howe, 57, of Pataskala, said she increasingly fears civil war.

We did not want to have something like this happen, she said, adding, We came out today because Trump deserves to see he still has people for him. Its just all sad.

Outside the state Capitol in Denver, hundreds gathered, listening to speakers including former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo on the West Steps facing the mountains. Many in the crowd held American flags or wore red, white and blue and held signs with messages like Veterans before Refugees.

Chelsea Thomas, an accountant from Thornton, Colorado, brought her family to the rally  and a life-size cardboard cutout of Trump. She said the family has taken it with them on camping trips, boat rides and a country music festival.

Its nice to be surrounded by people who share your morals and opinions, said Thomas, as her son walked back and forth across the grass with a Trump flag. A group of counter protesters gathered nearby, separated from the rally by police tape. They chanted No Trump. No KKK. No fascist USA and held signs with messages like Your vote was a hate crime.

Hundreds gathered in rallies on both ends of Pennsylvania to show support for Trump.

Supporters waved signs and flags and listened to speeches during Saturdays Spirit of America rally in Bensalems Neshaminy State Park in eastern Pennsylvanias Bucks County.

They love their country and they love what Donald Trump represents, which is about making America first, organizer Jim Worthington said.  We are here to meet and make sure all Americans are prospering.

In northwestern Pennsylvania, the Erie Times-News reported that about 100 people gathered at a square in downtown Erie for a similar demonstration. Weve got to get the whole country united behind this man, said Richard Brozell, 75, who along with his wife braved the mid-20s temperatures and stiff wind chill to attend

In Augusta Maine, more than 100 people turned out for the event that was supposed to last three hours, but ended early because of freezing temperatures. In Miami, supporters continued a rally while sipping espressos outside a Cuban restaurant, the Miami Herald reported.

At a North Carolina rally, speakers said the dishonest media and left wing politicians were bordering on sedition in their opposition to the Republican president. Some men were seen walking through the Raleigh crowd carrying a Trump flag as well as a Confederate flag. Gathered just behind the rally was a handful of protesters, some of whom blew air horns in an attempt to disrupt the event.

Were gonna take our country back and were gonna establish borders and have legal immigration and law and order, said Cherie Francis, of Cary, North Carolina. And if youre against all that, then you should be afraid.

In Indianapolis, about 30 Trump supporters rallied at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis to denounce what they see as unfair treatment of the Republican. A local organizer, 61-year-old Patty Collins, of Indianapolis, said Trumps critics arent giving him a chance.

Trump supporters turned out Saturday in Phoenix. Media outlets reported that several hundred people participated in the Phoenix event held on a lawn at the State Capitol. Some participants wore pro-Trump shirts. A small group of protesters also were on hand.

In Texas, Austin police say about 300 people have rallied in support of Trump in a gathering outside the Capitol during rain. One of the organizers, Jennifer Drabbant of Austin, said there have been so many protests against Trump that she and others wanted to show there are people who support him.

In Lansing, Michigan, about 200 Trump supporters rallied on one side of the state Capitol while 100 critics gathered on another side. At one point, the presidents fans shouted get on the bus and go back to Mexico, The Detroit News reported.

Agree with President Trump or not, he is our president, and I think what I see happening in D.C. and with the Democrats  it cant stand, said Gary Taylor, 60.
A two-day forum to review the prices of medicines on the NHIS Medicines List has ended in Accra. The annually convened stakeholder forum reviews and adjusts prices of medicines the NHIA pays to its service providers.



The review is to ensure that prices the NHIA pays for medicines on the NHIS Medicines List reflect market and economic realities.



Medicines constitute a big part of NHIAs expenditure with almost 50% of its total claims spending going into medicines for the 2015 year. It has been argued that an efficient medicines supply chain would translate to cost savings for the NHIS.



Director of Pharmaceutical Services at the Ministry of Health, Mrs. Martha Lutterodt, who chaired the forum on behalf of the Health Minister at last Wednesdays program, announced that as part of the drug procurement processes, the Ministry is adopting the framework contracting model to bolster efficiency in the countrys procurement of medicines which will subsequently help drive down prices.



She underscored the importance of the event as an annual statutory requirement that sought to create a platform for dialogue on the prices of medicines in order to determine realistic prices for medicines as this has a direct correlation with the sustainability of the NHIS.



The NHIS is a national asset and belongs to all of us therefore we must ensure that the prices they pay for medicines are realistic as it impacts directly on the sustainability of the scheme. The scheme remains vital to families in both urban and rural areas and must be safeguarded she said.



The Director of Provider Payment at the NHIA, Anthony Gingong, in his remarks emphasized how the NHIA valued the cordial relationship it has with its stakeholders and the need for regular and timely review of medicines on the NHIS and their prices.



Acknowledging the contributions of stakeholders in the Medicines List review process, Mr Gingong stressed the NHIAs commitment to continue working with the stakeholders in the pharmaceutical supply chain to ensure quality medicines are accessible and affordable to the Scheme.



A technical committee has been constituted to finalize the document, taking note of all suggestions made at the stakeholder meeting after which a report will be presented to the NHIA Management for onward delivery to the Minister of Health for approval.



The NHIS has 517 different formulations of medicines on its list for all conditions covered under the Schemes benefit package.



The Stakeholder meeting brought together representatives from the Ministry of Health, Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, Ghana National Drugs Program, Ghana Medical Association, Society of Private Medical and Dental Practitioners, Food and Drugs Authority, Chamber of Pharmacy and a host of other agencies.





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.

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Some commercial sex workers are at the throat of government claiming the 2017 budget read by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta in parliament does not directly address problems in their business.



We were expecting the government to remove taxes on the importation of condoms so that more people will get interested in the prostitution business, president of prostitutes in Kumasi exclusively told mynewsgh.com.



It is discriminatory that the budget captured head porters and left us, meanwhile, the work we do is more difficult than them.We all need government assistance to carry our work



If government announces free condoms for us, that one alone will make our work easier without fear of contracting any sexual transmitted diseases and also it will attract clients



They told mynewsgh.coms Kwabena Danso-Dapaah legalizing their work will help government to develop the nation through their taxes.



The President of the whores Association stated that they are about two thousand across the Ashanti Region alone.



They have therefore appealed to President Nana Akufo-Addo to heed to their concern by initiating a free distribution of condoms and also legalize prostitution so the work will be safe for them.

Source: mynewsgh.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.

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Kerala, Mar 5 (IBNS): US-based Malayam filmmaker Jayan Cherian has hit out at CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) Chairman Pahalaj Nihalani on social media after the latter refused to give certification to his film "Ka Bodyscape", citing the reason of promoting "homosexuality" in the film and depicting a Hindu god in poor light.

Jayan uploaded a snap of the letter received from CBFC on Facebook that contains the denial for certification.

"It is official, Mr. Pahalaj Nihalani put the final nail in my coffin!" he added to his post.

The letter reveals that CBFC has refused to certificate the film citing the reasons like "homosexual relationship", "nudity accentuating vital parts of male body (in paintings), and "abusive language".

CBFC even objected the portrayal of Lord Hanuman in "poor light as gay" which they think would disrupt the law and order situation in the country.

The film revolves around three young people, Haris who is a gay painter, Vishnu- a kabaddi player and Sia-an activist who do not want to conform to the feminine principles and want to live a free spirited life.

Before this film, CBFC refused to give certification to a Hindi film Lipstick Under My Burkha produced by Prakash Jha terming the film to be "lady oriented film."

However FTII Chairman Gajendra Chauhan has supported the refusal of certification by CBFC and told media: "I would like to appreciate Censor Board and revising committee that they stopped the film from showing. I got to know that Lord Hanuman has been shown in a derogatory manner. I object."

(Writing by Souvik Ghosh)
Donald Trump has made an extraordinary new allegation against Barack Obama, claiming that his predecessor had his phones tapped during the 2016 election campaign.

The US President made the accusation in a flurry of Tweets, claiming that Obama had his wires tapped in his Trump Tower residence, but did not offer any further evidence or clarification.

In his initial Tweet, Trump declared: Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!

In follow-up Tweets peppered with his favoured exclamation marks, he accused Obama of personally tapping his phones after being turned down by a court, and called him a bad (or sick) guy.

How low has President Obama gone to tapp (sic) my phones during the very sacred election process, he said, without producing anything further to back the claim up.

Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017

Is it legal for a sitting President to be wire tapping a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017

Id bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017

How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017

Kevin Lewis, a spokesman for Barack Obama, has responded to the claims in a statement, denying them outright and saying that it was outside the powers of the former president to order such a wiretap. He said:

President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any US citizen. A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice.

It is claimed that the Department of Justice wire-tapped a number of reporters and editors at news agency AP in the lead-up to last years election.

Source: NY Times.

Photo: Mark Wilson / Getty.
Earlier this week, Disney announced that the upcoming Beauty And The Beast will feature their first ever homosexual character, thereby taking the gay subtext of many of the studios films and turning it into actual text.

The character is Josh Gads foppish villain LeFou, who serves as sidekick to Luke Evans rugged Gaston, and has a lot of very confusing feelings for him, a number of them involving pashing.





LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston, explained director Bill Condon, of the films extremely chaste-sounding bromance.

The decision to portray LaFou as a gay man has already caused some controversy  a drive-in theatre in rural Alabama is straight refusing to show it  but today, there are reports that the film may end up banned in Russia.

It seems Disney has run afoul of the countrys federal law for the Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating for a Denial of Traditional Family Values, otherwise known as the gay propaganda law.





Approved by the State Duma in 2013, this highly controversial policy seeks to prevent minors from being exposed to homosexuality, based on the premise that it will distort their ideas on family values and turn them gay.

Conservative MP Vitaly Milanov, a supporter of the 2013 law, recently penned a letter calling the film shameless propaganda of sin, and has urged culture minister Vladimir Medinsky to hold a screening of the film for officials.

As soon as we get a copy of the film with relevant paperwork for distribution, we will consider it according to the law, Medinsky said, adding that measures will be taken to ban it if elements of homosexuality are uncovered.

At present, the film is set for release on March 16 in Russia.

Source: BBC News.

Photo: Disney.
A crash is slowing Sunday traffic on I-83 in York.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the crash occurred around 2:02 p.m. today in the southbound lane of I-83 just south of Exit 21 to U.S. Route 30 East and Arsenal Road.

There is a lane restriction.

For more traffic information, follow live traffic updates, accident reports and road closures below from PennDOT, Total Traffic Network and other Twitter sources.

Get a look at conditions on local roads -- via PennDOT traffic cameras -- anytime here on PennLive. For Pennsylvania Turnpike updates and possible travel delays visit the Turnpike website here.

Tweet us at @pennlive with any incidents you see on your commute or send a submission to submissions@pennlive.com.
New York, Mar 5 (Just Earth News): Hundreds of thousands of people in South Sudan will starve unless relief workers gain access to needy populations and more funding is raised, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator on Saturday warned after meeting malnourished children who fled the raging conflict in the country.

Coordinator on Saturday warned after meeting malnourished children who fled the raging conflict in the country.

Stephen O'Brien, who is also the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, travelled to Ganyiel, Southern Unity state, considered one of the most violent areas in the fight for political control of the country.

Among the people he met was a starving boy whose grandmother carried him through waist-high swamp to get away from the fighting. His parents are apparently missing.

"1000s similar. Horrendous, O'Brien wrote on social media, posting a number of photos of people who had fled the fighting and sexual violence.

Humanitarian partners, such as the International Red Cross, are setting up clinics directly in the swamps to reach more people, he noted. Some people with nothing to eat survived by chewing on water lilies.

Millions of people prevented from receiving aid by parties to conflict. Immoral, unlawful and unacceptable. We need access now, O'Brien has said.

He is in South Sudan to see first-hand the critical humanitarian situation and the response which his agency, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), is assisting.

The UN declared a famine in parts of South Sudan on 20 February, increasingly blaming the lack of food and the collapsing economy on the rival forces of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition backing Riek Machar.

A formal declaration of famine means that people have already started dying of hunger.

About 100,000 people are facing starvation, and an additional one million are on the brink of a famine, according to the UN. The total number of food insecure people is expected to rise to 5.5 million at the height of the lean season in July if nothing is done to curb the severity and spread of the food crisis.

The situation is worsened for the 3.4 million Sudanese, some of whom O'Brien met on Saturday, who have been displaced and separated from their families.

Humanitarian organizations have appealed for $1.6 billion to provide life-saving assistance and protection to some 5.8 million people across South Sudan in 2017.

O'Brien came to South Sudan from Kenya and previously, from Yemen. He is next scheduled to visit Somalia.

Photo: UNICEF/Sebastian Rich

Source: www.justearthnews.com
A technician prepares gold bars for delivery in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Oct.8, 2012. With commodity prices on the rise, attendees at the world's largest annual gathering for the mining industry are expected to be cheerier than they were last year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Kamran Jebreili
Workers install 20-inch epoxy-coated pipes on the Mariner East 2 pipeline in the rolling hills of Washington County, Pa., February 16, 2017. They can lay 2,000 to 3,000 feet per day. Read more

One of the 50 people in a town meeting hall  so crammed he had to stand  asked how many of his fellow citizens wanted to form a group to express their safety concerns and demand answers from the company that planned to plant a new natural gas liquids pipeline. Almost everyone shot a hand toward the ceiling.

Activists in Thornbury and West Goshen Township, Chester County, two of the 18 towns in the pipeline's path, have hired attorneys and have sent notices to municipal officials that they are invoking an infrequently used statute that allows private citizens to sue companies for alleged violations of town ordinances.

Eric Friedman, who attended last week's Thornbury meeting, urged township officials to enforce local zoning ordinances that he says the Mariner East 2 pipeline project would violate.

Friedman, president of the Andover Homeowners' Association, said the pipeline route would take away legally guaranteed open space. Residents have notified officials that if they didn't act by March 12, the homeowners might resort to the courts.

West Goshen resident Tom Casey is leading those accusing Sunoco of violating a township ordinance that requires a certain distance between pipelines and occupied buildings. Township officials there face the same deadline.

Residents in both townships have submitted draft complaints to their governments.

Sunoco officials said they would have no comment on the litigation threats.

Residents in at least one other town, Middletown Township, Delaware County, have said they would like to pursue similar litigation, and residents in other towns could follow, Friedman said.

The pipeline would carry natural gas liquids, such as propane, from the Marcellus Shale to Marcus Hook, near the Delaware border.

Municipal officials along the pipeline corridor for Mariner East 2 and PennEast, a separate project by another company to transport Marcellus Shale products to Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, have signed resolutions opposing the projects. Some are considering or have passed additional ordinances specifically to regulate pipelines.

James Raith, chairman of Thornbury's Board of Supervisors, said at the town's meeting Wednesday that the township would look into the alleged ordinance violations and were prepared to go to county court to defend their laws.

David Brooman, a lawyer representing West Goshen, said Sunoco was "in clear violation" of township code.

Township officials sent Sunoco a letter dated Feb. 9 saying the planned placement of a valve along the pipeline was in a residential zone. The code allows such structures only in industrial zones. In a response two weeks later, company officials "said they would not be complying with local zoning," Brooman said. "They threatened to sue the township."

He said he planned to meet with township supervisors Wednesday to discuss their options. Sunoco spokesman Jeffrey Shields said the company's letter conveyed to the township that the valve site was a public-utility facility that was exempt from local zoning ordinances.

However, state law specifies that the company must pay legal fees only if a suit is brought by a municipal government.

"We're hopeful that the township and the Board of Supervisors will do the right thing, will step up and bring the lawsuit on the residents' behalf," said Joanna Waldron, an environmental lawyer at the Doylestown firm Curtin & Heefner, who sent the letters to West Goshen and Thornbury.

Sunoco officials say they are complying with the agreement. The company "intends to meet all of its obligations," they said, and they will "vigorously defend this action" before the commission.
New York, Mar 5 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Security Council is on Saturday in Chad, as part of a four-country visit ato shine a spotlighta on the ongoing humanitarian challenges in the Lake Chad Basin region and draw international attention to the plight of about 11 million people.

In the Chadian capital of N'Djamena, the Council met with Prime Minister Albert Pahimi Padacke and visited the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which includes troops from the four affected regional countries  Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria, plus Benin  in the fight against Boko Haram.

The Security Council welcomed the efforts to fight Boko Haram and encouraged more regional cooperation, according to a Tweet by the Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the UN which has the Security Council's rotating presidency for the month of March and is leading the visit.

Discussions with the Prime Minister also focused on the economic situation in Chad and the importance of women participating in the economy and politics.

Also on Saturday, the Council members met with representatives of the UN agencies, funds and programmes and non-governmental organizations working in the country.

They are working to aid the millions of people who, in addition to the security threat from Boko Haram and the fight against the terror group, also face a major food and nutrition crises. Some 2.4 million people are currently displaced in the area, according to UN figures, and more than 7.1 million are severely hungry.

In his conversations with the Council, Stephen Tool, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Coordinator in Chad, detailed the severe challenges in the countries, which include malnutrition, disease and health, sanitation. He noted, however, that you cannot deal with humanitarian issues without looking at the root causes which include insecurity, development gaps, lack of education, poor agriculture, and so on.

'That's who we're fighting for'

The Security Council delegation, led by Ambassador Matthew Rycroft of the United Kingdom, had yesterday visited Cameroon, where members met with President Paul Biya and other senior Government officials.

The Council also met with refugees and people displaced by Boko Haram and the forces tracking them.

In a blog post, Rycroft detailed meeting two young survivors of Boko Haram's violence. The first, a boy who was 13 years old when the terrorist group stormed his village and killed his friends and family. The other boy was about 10 years when he was kidnapped, escaped, and has since 2014 lived in a camp for internally displaced persons.

They are heroic beyond measures, Rycroft said. That's who we're fighting for.

Speaking earlier in the day, Rycroft outlined his vision for the visit.

First of all, we came here in order to shine a spotlight on the situation in the Lake Chad Basin.

We came to hear the individual stories of people involved, whether they are refugees or displaced people or other victims of Boko Haram.

We stand with the government and the people of Cameroon, and the wider region, in tackling the scourge of terrorism, and in encouraging them to look broadly and deeply at the root causes of the set of crises going on here.

The delegation heads to Niger later on Saturday, and is scheduled to continue on to Nigeria tomorrow.

Photo: Lorey Campese/UK Mission

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Mali, Mar 5 (Just Earth News): According to the International Organization for Migration, internal displacement in Mali can be resolved by the end of 2017, but only if there is no resurgence of communal violence or armed conflict.

IOM is calling on all groups in Mali to help foster a stability and peace to avoid further displacement and encourage the return home of those still displaced.

Over 500,000 people have been displaced by the armed rebellion in northern Mali and the ensuing military coup in January 2012. A further 31,000 people were displaced in 2016 due to communal violence, which has now abated.

The total number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) across the country is now 44,762 individuals (7,980 families), according to the Commission on Movement of Population (CMP) of the National Directorate for Social Development of the Ministry of Solidarity and Humanitarian Action.

The majority (61 percent or 27,250) of the displaced are still in the north. They are mainly located in Gao (7,760), Menaka (10,381) and Tombouctou (9,109).

IOM and its humanitarian partners are assisting with the return and reintegration of the remaining IDPs in the north and other parts of the country. The number of displaced people returning home will continue to increase, if there is no further insecurity to prevent them from doing so.

The situation remains fragile and unpredictable from a security point of view. If there is no re-occurrence of armed conflict or community violence spurring further displacement, and with the right humanitarian assistance to the displaced and host communities, I am confident that, at the end of 2017, internal displacement will be a thing of the past, said Bakary Doumbia, IOM Mali Chief of Mission.

Numbers have already decreased by over ninety percent, he added.

IOM will redouble its efforts to provide support to displaced people spontaneously returning home to safe areas through the provision of return assistance. It will also continue community stabilization activities, including rehabilitation of damaged houses, provision and distribution of core relief items, promotion of social cohesion, provision of training and promotion of youth employment, psychosocial assistance, and income generating activities. These activities, supported by the peace initiatives in the affected areas, are designed to foster peaceful coexistence among the population.

Following the 2012 crisis and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, IOM, in close collaboration with the government, launched its Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) to provide up-to-date information on movements and the needs of IDPs and returnees.

While still providing technical support, IOM handed over the management of the DTM to the government in November 2015 - transferring the data collection process and analysis to the National Directorate for Social Development (DNDS), whose staff had supported DTM field operations from the outset.

DTM activities are now carried out in coordination with IOM and are funded by USAIDs Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), the Government of Japan, the European Commission Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection Department (ECHO), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).

Photo: IOM

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Written by Sal Farrajota and Hughan Seary.

Whats old is new again. In Australia and New Zealand, the common Honda CT110 Postie bike is a familiar sight and sound. Used in both countries by the local postal services, theyve been buzzing along footpaths and dropping off mail for the best part of 30 years.

In Australia, second-hand examples of the common Postie are a popular option for a cheap runabout, given their robust nature and ease of riding.

A birthday gift to owner Sal by the generous legends at Ellivo Architects, this particular 2003 Honda CT110 was enjoying farm life after its retirement from daily post delivery. $800 later and it was heading back to the Ellaspede shop in Brisbane for a new lease on custom life.

Being an Architect and co-founder of The Artificial Design Studio, Sal has an interest in custom design and bespoke items so the little red Honda was destined for some custom work.

Having met one of the Ellaspede Directors years prior at University, Sal knew it was a perfect opportunity to collaborate with other designers, so he got in touch to get wheels in motion on the little one-ten.

Being so common, naturally there are a large number of previous CT110 custom examples getting around, but it wasnt until Sal noticed the previous Ellaspede EB008 build that The Artificial Postie really gained direction.

During initial discussions with Ellaspede about the build direction a vintage 125cc Honda tank was dug out and ended up providing the perfect starting point for the build and colour inspiration.

With some incredible character already, the tank patina was left intact to reference some old on what would otherwise be a relatively new fit and finish.

The strip down began with the frame modifications and tank mounting being the first port of call. The frame was seam welded and shortened at the rear before any excess frame holes were welded up.

Tank and seat mounts were fabricated to suit the new tank and seat layout. Fabrication continued with a custom seat pan, front guard, modified headlight brackets and various other mounts.

The stock headlight was retained on a lowered stock mount, while the remaining lights and indicators were replaced with smaller aftermarket items. New handlebars, mirrors and an Ellaspede Ninja Star Licence Plate Holder also made their way onto the build.

Factory brakes were checked and rebuilt where necessary, along with the front forks, which also gained new fork boots to complete the refresh. The gearing has been modified for city streets via a new chain and sprockets.

Hondas original motor was still within spec and after some paint and polish now breathes through an aftermarket filter, rebuilt carb and polished intake. Gases exit via a low mount custom stainless system and turbo muffler.

The usual bolts, bearings and brackets were cleaned and replace where necessary throughout to complete the mini makeover.

Sals favourite part about the build? The integration of the old fuel tank and the new custom seat really transform the entire bike into something unique.

And we definitely agree. It makes the bike look a little more motorcycle like with the current tank setup, while still retaining everything thats great about Hondas little hero.

Between returning to city work from farm life and the vintage patina tank we feel like Sals CT110 is a great little example of whats old is new again. Proof that sometimes a little character adds more than the sum of some new parts.

[Ellaspede  Facebook Instagram | Photos by AJ Moller]
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By now some Americans, at least one or two, are aware that there is little that terrifies Republicans more than the people they are elected and paid to represent. That level of fear likely matches Republicans absolute disregard for the U.S. Constitution except for the 2nd Amendment. State-level Republicans used to cherish the 10th Amendment, but the chatter that the Trump administration is going to punish states that voted to decriminalize recreational marijuana use puts that hypocritical Republican adoration of states rights to rest.

Since Trump lucked out and got to move into the White House, Republicans at all levels have combined their hatred of the Constitution, particularly the 1st Amendment, and fear of the people into some unconstitutional actions; namely, punishing people for exercising their right to gather peaceably for a redress of their grievances. It was just reported by Marc Belisle that a couple of weeks ago a United States Senator took the next logical tyrannical step and threatened to arrest a constituent for asking for a town hall meeting to allow the people to air their grievances. Seriously, this is exactly what Trump and the GOP meant when they promised to make America great. Many people, and it is many people, comprehend that what the Trump Republicans are doing is making America fascist after 239 years as a representative democracy.

The United States Senator, a frightened Republican named Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, is sick and tired of his constituents requesting a town hall gathering to do what constituents have been doing as of late; ask why Republicans are on a tear to break the government and eliminate services the people are paying for. Apparently, Johnson has been missing in action in Wisconsin despite his people pestering him to come and talk about what the Hell Republicans are doing to them. In fact, the Daily Cardinal reported that Johnsons constituents have gone to very creative lengths to lure their Senator to interact with Wisconsin voters. In one case:

Roughly 500 constituents gathered at what was termed an empty chair town hall for Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., at the First Congregational Church in Madison Wednesday night.

Of course the purpose of an empty chair town hall was to make a point that the Daily Cardinal was more than happy to report; that Senator Johnson has been missing in action because he is frightened senseless of not just the people, but his own constituency. The Cardinal reported his absence (empty chair) at the town hall likely so Johnson would read or hear about it and feel a sense of anything but anger. But it was anger in Johnsons Senate office that boiled over when they issued a cease and desist letter on official Senate stationary to a weary constituent threatening them with arrest by the Capitol Police for having the temerity to make phone calls to Johnsons Senate office requesting that their Senator do his job and meet with his constituents. The letter said:

Dear _________

This Cease and Desist letter is to inform you that any further communication from you to U.S. Senator Ron Johnsons office can only be done in writing. This means that you are not to call or visit any of Senator Johnsons staff or any of his offices at any time.

Our office has done all that we can to assist you with your concerns. This letter acts as written notice of our expectation for you to discontinue your unwarranted telephone calls and office visits.

If you fail to comply with this notice, then we will have no other alternative but to contact the United States Capitol Police and report your noncompliance.

Sincerely,

Ron Johnsons staff

U.S. Senate

Now first; the idea that the U.S. Capitol Police can, or will, do any arresting of one, or any, of Johnsons constituent(s) living in Wisconsin, or anywhere for that matter, for calling their Senate representative isnt even bizarre or absurd; it is nothing short of plainly batshit insanity. There is no such thing as a law against a constituent contacting their congressional representative; no matter how often or how annoying hearing the voice of the people may be. One thing is crystal clear, though; this idea of threatening a constituent with arrest, although shocking, is the new normal since Trump got to move into the White House and institute militant authoritarian responses to everything, but especially an Americans expression of democracy.

As Mr. Belisle rightly noted, it is a glaring display of Trumps and Republicans outright contempt for democracy and Americans who try to exercise it. It is the GOPs new normal and an alarming sign that tyrannical authoritarianism is rampant among Republicans now that they have a happy fascist living in the White House.

The Wisconsin constituent is likely unafraid, and equally unimpressed, by Johnsons show of tyranny because they are just a minuscule fraction of the millions of Americans who have deluged their congressional representatives offices nationwide with an unprecedented volume of calls on a range of issues. The phone calls are in addition to angry constituents jamming town halls since Trump moved in the White House to express their outrage over Republican threats to eliminate the Affordable Care Act and gut the EPA, Social Security and Medicare.

Johnson may be the first U.S. Senator to threaten a citizen with arrest for exercising their constitutional right to express their grievances, but he is not the first Republican to take action to punish expressions of democracy. In at least ten Republican-led states lawmakers are attempting to criminalize peaceable protests; a move that is counter to the 1st Amendment and thus patently unconstitutional.

In Arizona recently Republicans in the state senate voted to give law enforcement authorization to seize protesters personal property and assets if someone among the masses commit an untoward act. All it would take is one idiot breaking a storefront window, even by accident, to allow law enforcement to punish all participants and organizers by arresting them and seizing their personal assets. Fortunately for Arizonans with a belief they have a Constitution guaranteeing their right to protest, Arizonas house failed to follow the senate and defeated the fascist legislation.

These incidents all go to substantiate the earlier statement that Republicans are terrified, and plainly hate, the Constitution and democracy nearly as much as they do the people they are elected to serve; not intimidate or threaten with arrest for calling or visiting their senators office, or seizing their assets because some moron threw a brick through a stores window during an otherwise peaceful protest. In Senator Ron Johnsons case, he may be the first to actually threaten a constituent with arrest for reaching out to seek a redress of their grievances, whatever they may be, but he is not remotely alone among Republicans facing the wrath of the people.

Besides being American citizens and constituents, they are people who are not going to be intimidated by any authoritarian tyranny. Not because they are social conservatives or liberals, but because they are real Americans and patriots who know what will happen if they are prohibited from exercising their Constitutional rights; and that horrifies Republicans more than any batch of online petitions or fundraising efforts or Democrats giving fiery sermons or storming the Senate to drop some kind of bombs. Bombs dont frighten Republicans, but angry Americans, however, terrify them senseless and incite them to further tyranny.
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One of the factors that may have thrown Donald Trump into a very bad mood this morning beside a Breitbart headline was apparently the decision by Jeff Sessions to recuse himself, which led to a Trump meltdown on Friday in the Oval Office before he left for Florida.

According to The Washington Posts Robert Costa,

Trump left WH in a fury on Friday, fuming about Sessionss recusal and telling aides that Sessions shouldnt have recused himself  Robert Costa (@costareports) March 4, 2017

President remarked to staff that Sessions/WH/DOJ should have done more to counter Sessions story, that it was bull, per aides familiar  Robert Costa (@costareports) March 4, 2017

Politico reports that one person briefed on events said There were fireworks while ABC News reports that a senior White House official said Trump went ballistic.

That scene is easily imagined given the highly visible examples we have witnessed of Trump meltdowns.

More and more Donald Trump is coming to resemble an unhinged Adolf Hitler in his bunker waiting for somebody to save him from the consequences of his own decisions.

The truth is, this scene and its consequences could have been easily avoided if Donald Trump had listened to the very sensible critics who opposed the appointment of Jeff Sessions in the first place.
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The President of the United States did not tap Donald Trumps phone. I mean, thats just ridiculous, Senator Al Franken said, after bursting out in spontaneous laughter at President Trumps ridiculous accusation against former President Barack Obama.

Watch Franken burst into laughter over Donald Trump not understanding how a FISA warrant works on ABCs This Week:

Sen. Franken: "The President of the United States did not tap Donald Trump's phone. I mean, that's just ridiculous." pic.twitter.com/SX1oJ4dhSF  Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 5, 2017

Frankens reaction is pretty much everyones reaction, as the Trump administration cant even manage to produce an iota of evidence to back up yet another of Donald Trumps wild accusations.

WH spox Sarah Sanders says Trump has the seen the "very real potential" of Obama wirtetapping his phone but offers no evidence  Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 5, 2017

What does it mean to have seen potential? Is that like when Donald Trump claimed to have watched thousands and thousands of people in New Jersey (a heavy Arab population, he later explained) cheering on TV as the World Trade Centers crumbled to the ground on 9/11, when in fact this never happened?

They have seen potential but have no evidence. I suspect that means Donald Trumps paranoid mind offered up the potential, and they will start a witch hunt to find evidence to back it up, like they do under an autocratic leader. Oh, wait, too late  Trump already called for a witch hunt into Obama. Like an autocratic leader.

A FISA warrant has to be applied for, and a President doesnt get FISA warrants. Someone should check to see if THIS president isnt getting them, since he seems so hellbent on believing its the way things are done.

The real issue here is what is on these wiretaps that Trump is so worried about. Because even if there are no taps on Trump Tower or Trump himself, every time someone in Trumps camp speaks to a Russian spy/intelligence target, they are probably being recorded.

This would be a Trumps fault, not an Obamas fault.

If you dont want tapes or transcripts of your discussions with Russian spies to become public, you shouldnt pick a fight with the entire U.S. intelligence gathering community and the entire fourth estate. This would be obvious to anyone who didnt operate like a thug. Its called the most basic diplomacy.

But the fact that the intelligence community is so concerned with Trumps ties to Russia that it is dropping intel with the press because Congressional Republicans have refused to step up to the plate to support an independent investigation of Putins hold over Trump is not Obamas fault.

Again, this is Trumps fault. The Russian communications will come out, no matter how many fingers Trump points from his corner. And they will reveal the truth about this president and how he got into office.



Image: Screengrab from ABCs This Week
Counting of votes in seven assembly seats across six states underway, BJP leads in four | Twitter founder Jack Dorsey apologises to employees after mass lay off | Eknath Shinde visits Sharad Pawar in hospital | 'Had clear-cut objective to harm Hindus': Court on ex-AAP councillor's role in 2020 Delhi riots | Doctor booked for rash driving in Cyrus Mistry car accident case
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Former President Obamas Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said on Meet the Press Sunday morning, There was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president, president-elect, candidate or campaign.

Watch here:

Former DNI Clapper on @MeetThePress: There was no wiretapping mounted against the president or his campaign https://t.co/thrhL9wfoE  NBC News (@NBCNews) March 5, 2017

Clapper said he would have known about a FISA court order on something like this, and there was not one to his knowledge. This was a specific and narrow denial, but it still quashes Trumps wild accusations.

Clapper was the Director of National Intelligence from 2010-2016.

What Clapper is not saying is what every person who speaks to foreign intelligence targets should already know, and that is that they are probably being monitored. Thus, when one speaks to them, one is being monitored.

Trump supporters are already calling Clapper a liar (he was accused of lying under oath by Representative Justin Amash and Senator Rand Paul, who said he belonged in prison for lying under oath  see Jeff Sessions lying under oath for the irony), but in doing so they are pulling a Glenn Beck. Donald Trump made an accusation against the Obama White House with no evidence, and he is now demanding that Obama prove a negative.

Demanding that someone prove your accusations are false, which you based on nothing, is the oldest set-up in the book, and a trick often relied upon by conspiracy artists.

Donald Trump just asked Congress Sunday morning to investigate his unfounded and wild accusations against President Obama while they are looking into Trumps contacts with Russia.

The facts are that all intelligence agencies agree that Russia interfered in the U.S. election and wanted to help Donald Trump win. A virtual whos who of Trumps close confidants have had contact with Russia during the campaign, and several of them have already been caught lying about it, notably Trumps Attorney General, who lied about it under oath.

The Trump White House needs evidence before accusations. That is how this is supposed to work, otherwise Trump is operating like a dictator, going on witch hunts against people he perceives to be against him, with no facts or evidence to support his paranoia.

Image: Screengrab, James Clapper, Meet the Press NBC
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A member of the House Intelligence Committee is calling the Trump administrations bluff on their claim that Obama wiretapped them by demanding to see Trumps evidence.

In response to Press Secretary Sean Spicer tweeting the White Houses demand for a congressional investigation into Trump, Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) tweeted:

Ok @PressSec, as a member of the committee onto which you've dumped this mess, I look forward to seeing your evidence pic.twitter.com/X7g0bsBL2D  Jim Himes (@jahimes) March 5, 2017

Trump is trying to distract Congress and investigators from his Russia scandal by throwing an imaginary Obama scandal in their direction. Trumps demand for an investigation comes with no evidence. The Presidents evidence remains nothing more than a story on Breitbart.

Why should Congress waste their time on an investigation when the Justice Department is capable of doing their own investigation? Trump is throwing this empty allegation at Congress to throw them off the scent of the real story. The fact that the White House would engage in such diversionary tactics only serves to add volume to the growing questions about what this White House is hiding.

Blaming Obama isnt going to get Trump out of this mess, and at least one important member of Congress is already calling the White Houses bluff.
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The White House press secretary sent a statement minutes ago to PoliticusUSA that President Trump is requesting that Congress look into President Obama while they are investigating Russias interference in the U.S. election and the Trump campaigns constant contact with Russia.

Reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling, the statement began.

These reports of Obama ordering wiretapping on Trump came from the far-right website that was run by Trumps Chief Strategist, Steve Bannon. Trump then accused President Obama of ordering the wiretapping.

There is no actual evidence or report that exists to suggest that the wiretapping, if it exists, of Trump was ordered by Obama. Presidents cant order wiretaps.

President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016.

Neither the White House nor the President will comment further until such oversight is conducted.

So the President wont comment on his Russia scandal until Congress investigates President Obamas fictional ordering of wiretapping on Trump, for which Trump has zero evidence.

The difference between the actual Russia scandal surrounding Trump and his conspiracy theories about President Obama is reality. A spokesperson for former President Obama categorically denied Trumps wild and without evidence accusations yesterday.

What Donald Trump is doing is trying to stir up a witch hunt against Obama, to cover for what is on those tapes, if they exist.

As Malcolm Nance said yesterday on AMJoy, Trump is acting buggy, This is what happens when a target starts getting buggy because he knows that hes caught.

The Trump White House can only hope and pray that they are right, and President Trump says no more about this. Unfortunately for him and for his entire team, Trump cant stop himself from tweeting. Just hours ago this morning he tweeted more crazy attempts to impugn Obama with his own actions, and ended up accusing President Obama of acting as a President while he was President. Saturday, Trump was in such a state of nerves that he declassified a warrant against his own people if indeed he is being wiretapped.

A FISA warrant must certify that the target of the proposed surveillance is either a foreign power or the agent of a foreign power and, in the case of a U.S. citizen or resident alien, that the target may be involved in the commission of a crime.

There is ample evidence that Trump campaign officials, many of them, had contacts with Russia during the campaign. This evidence has led Michael Flynn to resign already, just weeks into the Trump administration, and has led to AG Jeff Sessions recusing himself from overseeing the Russia investigation.

Donald Trump is getting nervous and desperate.
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Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) Chair of the House Intelligence Committee has announced that he will investigate President Trumps claim that former President Obama wiretapped him.

Here is the statement from Chairman Nunes:

You may remember that Chairman Nunes is the same member of Congress who threatened reporters with a congressional investigation if they asked Russia and Trump. Nunes has also claimed without a shred of evidence that there is nothing to the Trump/Russia scandal.

Devin Nunes is one of the biggest Trump defenders and enablers in Congress, so of course, he is going to try to distract from the real issue of the Trump campaigns possible collusion with Russia by sending his committee off on a wild goose chase to find proof that Obama wiretapped Trump.

While many Republicans in both the House and Senate are telling the White House that they are on their own on Trumps wiretap allegation, the rats who are trying to use their power to keep the Trump ship from sinking are starting to reveal themselves to the American people.

What is interesting is that even among Trump Congressional defenders, no one as of yet has echoed his call for a separate investigation into whether or not Obama wiretapped him. Trump appears to be on his own on this one, but people like Rep. Nunes are trying to use the bogus wiretap claim to muddy the waters on the real issue of potential Trump collusion with Russia.

The Trump presidency is taking on water, and it is going to take more than a few rats with buckets to keep it from going under.
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Republican strategist Rick Wilson has a notorious dislike for President Trumps special brand of ignorance. After Trump accused President Obama, without evidence, of personally abusing his power to spy on Trump, Rick Wilson pointed out just how stupid that accusation really is.

If President Obama had wanted to use the government to get Trump, he could have easily leaked his tax returns. You know, the super secret tax returns Trump refuses to provide to the American people even though every other modern presidential candidate has done so.

Wilson wrote,  1/ What would have hurt Trump more? Having the FBI/NSA/CIA got to FISC to beg for warrants that may or may not have borne fruit 2/ Or having the IRS leak Trumps tax returns? You do the math.

2/ Or having the IRS leak Trump's tax returns? You do the math.  Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) March 5, 2017

If President Obama were like Trump, he might just have done such a thing.

But President Obama did not operate like Trump. Under President Obama, Loretta Lynch stepped aside after she spoke to former President Bill Clinton on a tarmac, because of the investigation into Hillary Clintons emails. This happened not because it was forced, although conservative media made much of this brief interaction while now justifying the Trump campaigns constant private chatter with Russians during the election, but because the Obama White House operated to strict codes of ethics and standards.

This is an acknowledged fact about the Obama White House, and no matter how often Trump tries to paint Obama with his own brush, Trump is the person who has operated like mafia thug throughout his entire adult professional life, not Obama.

If Obama had wanted to get Trump, he wouldnt have wasted time on wiretaps

 and then held on to them until after the election. This literally makes no sense.

President Obama is not nearly as taken with Trump as Trump is with him, and while Trump tried for years to bring down President Obama over Trumps failure to read a birth certificate, Obama is not a petty man.

That doesnt mean Obama doesnt love this country  and yes, he did make sure Trump couldnt silence this investigation. He did that because it was the right thing to do for western democracy, and he couldnt trust Congressional Republicans to be patriots.

But Obama is also a smart man, and if he had wanted to take Trump down using the powers of his presidency, he could have easily  and with much less chance of being caught- leaked the tax returns.

Former President Barack Obama is somewhere laughing right now. Donald Trump is playing thug, and President Obama is far, far too intelligent for that.
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Things went wrong for Trump when Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) was asked about the existence of transcripts confirming the Trump campaigns communications with Russia. Instead of answering that there are no transcripts, Cotton refused to discuss them.

Video:

https://youtu.be/ibopl5ugvMI

Transcript via Fox News Sunday:

BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRIS COONS, D-DE., FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: There are transcripts that provide very helpful, very critical insights into whether or not Russian intelligence and senior Russian political leaders, including Vladimir Putin, were cooperating, were colluding with the Trump campaign at the highest levels to influence the outcome of our election.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: As a member of the intelligence committee, sir, is that true?

COTTON: I would prefer not to discuss what transcripts may or may not be available because that would reveal what we do and do not know, and our capabilities of knowing those things. And I would just leave it at that.

WALLACE: But you stand by your statement that youve seen no evidence of collusion?

COTTON: I do.

Chris Wallace tried to help Cotton clean up his answer with the follow-up question, but Cottons answers dont add up. It would be much better for Trump and the Republican Party if Cotton would have answered that there are no transcripts. The Senator from Arkansas answer that he wouldnt talk about whether or not transcripts existed was an admission that transcripts do exist.

It is possible for Cotton to say that nothing he has seen suggests collusion, because he may not have seen the transcripts yet. Thus, Tom Cottons answers raise more questions than they answer.

If transcripts didnt exist, Republican defenders of the President, like Sen. Cotton, would be all over television decrying the claim that there are transcripts.

Fox News and Cotton screwed Trump by basically confirming the existence of transcripts.

Even when Republicans and their friendly media outlets try to tamp out the Trump/Russia, they always end up starting a new blaze.
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Remember when President Obama talked to the Russian President as President? Trump thinks he finally has the goods on President Obama!

Just hours after accusing President Obama of wiretapping him, even though as President himself Trump should know that Presidents cant just order a FISA wiretap, Trump accused Obama of secretly communicating with Vladimir Putin while he was President.

Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, Tell Vladimir that after the election Ill have more flexibility? @foxandfriends, the Republican President wrote on Twitter this morning.

Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, "Tell Vladimir that after the election I'll have more flexibility?" @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2017

Bingo, Obama was acting like a President when he was President! ZOMG, busted.

While Trump seems to pick things out from tinfoil land with no basis in fact most of the time, this time we have a winner because President Obama did get caught on camera telling outgoing Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he would have more flexibility regarding talks over a proposed missile defense system after the 2012 election.

But the thing is, while that was awkward, President Obama was President at the time.

So see, Obama wasnt undermining the U.S. President, that is to say, Obama wasnt undermining himself.

Nor were the Russians trying to help President Obama get elected, like they did for Trump. That Trump doesnt see these obvious problems with his theory is problematic.

Obama was simply stating a political truth that is none too savory but still a fact  and that is, politicians have to be careful during election season.

This wasnt actually a secret communication because, again, it was caught on tape by reporters. But when youre desperate to deflect and you tried to troll President Obama for 8 years, its a tough thing to get over.

Lastly this morning, Trump tweeted yet another conspiracy theory, just asking questions you know like he did with the birth certificate for 8 years:

Is it true the DNC would not allow the FBI access to check server or other equipment after learning it was hacked? Can that be possible?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2017

Yes, the DNC reportedly did cause a delay in the FBIs investigation into the Russians hacking them for the purpose of helping Donald Trump get elected. Why Trump is bringing that up is anyones guess, since its only going to spur more talk about how he knew that the Russians were hacking the Democrats certainly after he was briefed on this fact, even though he lied about that in public.

But the investigation was done without the DNCs server, and it found  and all U.S. intelligence entities agreed- that the Russians hacked the Democrats.

Looking at this now and realizing that at least the New York faction of the FBI had Trump/Putin rogue moles or activists who were assisted by Republican Representative Jason Chaffetz in dumping inaccurate and misrepresented Clinton email scandal news days before the 2016, the DNCs alleged reticence to share their server with the FBI might make a little more sense.

The President will be heading back to D.C. after yet another weekend in Florida.

Trumps obsession with President Obama is at this point uncomfortable. Trump is still playing like a child, pointing fingers at Obama when he gets caught doing something he shouldnt be doing. This reflexive blaming of Obama for his own bad policies and decisions is way past the normal blame the other guy, and not for things where this would make sense  like the economy or a war the previous president got us into. New policies and decisions, like the botched Yemen raid, are not the fault of the previous President no matter how desperate Trump is.

And Trump is pretty desperate right now, because apparently he just realized he was wiretapped and he is very, very freaked out about what they know.

They know enough, sources tell me. Just a heads up.
Nearly 13 percent of registered voters in South Carolina have already cast ballots for the 2022 general election after the state opened up no excuse early voting to all for the first time. More than 438,000 votes were in as of the end of Thursday, which was the 10th day of early voting, according to statistics from the South Carolina Election Commission. Read more13% in SC have already cast ballots with new early voting
Julien Mellon, a tour guide in New York City whose dream amount of money is $20 million, is shown on the job. He would buy a beautiful home but have enough left to spend $100,000 a year. Alex Wroblewski/The New York Times
New York, Mar 4 (IBNS): Few days after Kansas shooting that claimed the life of an Indian engineer, another Indian-origin man, Harnish Patel, was shot dead on Thursday night outside his home in USA in Lancaster under South Carolina, according to media reports.

Patel was a businessman- a store owner- in Lancaster.

According to a media reports, Harnish was shot dead near his house after closing his shop at night which was few kms away.

Lancaster County Police said that they received call at 11.33 PM when some people dialled 911 after hearing the shouts and scream.

This is the second time within a short span that Indian origin people were attacked and killed in US.

In the end of February, Indian origin engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in a pub while he was hanging out with friends.

However local officials refused to call the attack on Patel having a racial motive.

I do not have any reason to believe that this was racially motivated, County Sheriff Barry Faile told media on Friday.

Nicolo Jones, a frequent customer to the shop owned by Harnish, told WBTV: Who would do anything this to him, as good as he is to everybody.

US President Donald Trump just two days before this attack condemned the Kansas attack as hate and evil.




The Nexx Level Sports Center, planned to be built in Irmo, would host major sports tournaments weekly, and is projected to bring $51 million in spending to the area in the first five years, if developers can line up the financial support needed to build it. Read moreProposed Columbia area sports complex seeking financial commitments from county, state
At the northeastern tip of the Grand Strand lies a hidden sanctuary  an undeveloped maritime forest and beach in an area where nearly every acre of oceanfront land has been converted to condominiums, hotels and residential subdivisions. The soon-to-be designated state heritage preserve is c Read moreCommentary: Saving Waties Island is South Carolina conservation at its best
The oft-told story of a frog perishing in a pot as the water slowly warms and then cooks him is not actually based in fact; the metaphor persists because it describes something that is true: We are less aware of change that occurs gradually than when it happens all at once. Read moreEditorial: Referendums based on slow evolution: Berkeley, Dorchester aren't so rural anymore
By Press Trust of India: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today claimed his two-year-old government has done what the BJP dispensation in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh failed to do in 10-15 years.

While campaigning for the upcoming MCD elections in Uttam Nagar, he tried to woo the residents of unauthorised colonies, saying, "Sewer, proper roads, water and electricity were only in regularised colonies. After coming to power, we ensured that unauthorised colonies also get basic amenities."

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"We have also sent a proposal to the central government for regularisation of unauthorised colonies. The issue is pending before the Delhi High Court," Kejriwal said.

He said his government delivered on the promises he made two years ago while campaigning for the Delhi Assembly polls.

Meanwhile, a few residents of the area led by former Congress MLA Mukesh Sharma showed black flag to Kejriwal during his public rally there.

People raised slogans against the Chief Minister and burnt his effigies, alleging the work which began four years ago was not yet completed.

Kejriwal retaliated, saying "the BJP governments is Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh failed to accomplish in 10-15 years what we have done in two years".

"We promised we would reduce power and water rates by half, we did it," he said.

Delhiites are only paying Rs 1,370 for 400 units of electricity, whereas in Gujarat it costs Rs 2,700. In Uttar Pradesh, it is Rs 2,600 for 400 units and people in Mumbai need to pay Rs 4,000 for the same, he added.

Appealing to people to vote for AAP in large numbers, he said, "We do not have money to contest election. You (public) have to help us. One person should tell 100 people to vote for the AAP. We have to clean Delhi.

"Give all 272 seats to AAP. You have seen the Congress and the BJP. Both are corrupt. Only AAP works for you."

In Delhi, there are three municipal bodies ?- north, south and east corporations ?- which has a total number of 272 wards will go to polls in April.

The BJP has been managing the civic bodies in the national capital.

--- ENDS ---
Appearing on FOX News Sunday with Chris Wallace this morning, Senator Tom Cotton splashed cold water on the report that the Obama administration was granted a FISA court warrant this past October giving counterintelligence permission to examine the activities of U.S. persons in Donald Trumps campaign with ties to Russia. This after a June 2016 request for a FISA warrant was supposedly denied. He hasnt seen any evidence supporting the report, he said. That doesnt mean that it didnt happen, he added, it means that he hasnt seen evidence of it yet. He declined to support President Trumps allegations on the point via Twitter yesterday (video below).

I take the carefully scripted denials of spokesmen for Obama and Obama aides themselves as evidence supporting the report. Moreover, the flood of leaks apparently deriving directly or indirectly from law enforcement/intelligence sources also seems to me to lend credence to the report. As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, however, Senator Cotton is also in a position to know the facts. His caution on the point must be taken into account.

In a sane world, the proposition that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians and the underlying theme that the Russian government preferred Hillary Clinton would have to contend with events that belie it. President Obama couldnt wait to accommodate Putin and actually adopted policies that aligned with Russias in the Middle East. Russia can thank Obama for its new prominence in the Middle East. It was Obama himself who asked Russian President Dmitri Medevedev to deliver the message to Putin that he would have more flexibility to accommodate Putin after the 2012 election. Hillary Clinton served as Obamas fool in the Russian reset and related matters.

Senator Cotton captures the point in a quotable quote: If you want to know what a pro-Russia policy would look like, Chris, here are some elements of it. Youd slash defense spending. Youd slow down our nuclear modernization. Youd roll back missile defense systems. You would enter a one-sided nuclear control arms agreement. And youd try to do everything you could to stop oil and gas production. That was Barack Obamas policy for eight years. Thats not Donald Trumps policy.
Rita Dominic won Best Actress in a Drama (Movie/TV Series) for the movie 76 at the African Movies Viewers Choice Award #AMVCA2017, after nearly two decades in the industry.

It is very important that we teach our children the events that helped shaped this country (Nigeria), Rita said on Saturday at the Eko Hotels, venue of the event in Lagos.

She also dedicated the award to the unsung heroines, wives of Nigerian soldiers.

76 also won Best Overall Movie with nominations in 14 categories at the #AMVCA2017.

The movie 76, is a story told from two points of view: that of a young pregnant woman, and that of her husband, a soldier accused of being involved in the 1976 military coup and assassination of General Murtala Mohammed, the then Head-of State of Nigeria.

The event, hosted by Nigerias IK Osakioduwa and Minenhle Minnie Dlamini from South Africa, the ceremonys fifth edition, made highlights of outstanding achievement in television and film during the 2016, voted on by the general public.

Here are the winners at the AMVC Award night:

Trailblazer Award

Somkele Idhalama

Best Make Up Artiste (Movies/TV series)

Oloibiri  Hakeem Onilogbo Ajibola, Perekeme Odon

Best Costume Designer

76  Pat Egwurube

Best Art Director

76  Pat Nebo

Best Sound Editor (Movies/TV series)

Vaya

Best Picture Editor (Movie/TV series)

Oloibiri  Nnodim Chigozie, Paula Peterson

Best Lighthing Designer (Movies/TV series)

93 Days  Elliot Sewape

Best Cinematographer

Happiness is a Four Letter Word  Lance Gewer

Best Documentary

Alison

Best Short Film or Online Video

Cat Face

Best Actress in an M-Net original comedy series

Deborah Anugwa  Hustle

Best Actor in an M-Net comedy series

Samuel Ajibola  The Johnsons

Best Actress in an M-Net original drama series

Meg Otanwa  Hush

Best Actor in an M-Net original drama series

David Jones David  Hotel Majestic

Best M-Net original comedy series

The Johnsons

Best M-Net original drama series

Tinsel

Best Indigenous Language TV series/movies (Swahili)

Zilizala

Best Indigenous Language TV series/movies (Hausa)

Yaki Da Zuciya

Best Indigenous Language TV series/movies (Yoruba)

Somwhere in The Dark  Abiodun Jimoh, Jumoke Odetola

Best Indigenous Language TV series/movies (Igbo)

Amoye-Bu-Onye

Best Soundtrack/ Original Score

The Encounter  Michael The Truth Ogunlade

Best TV series

Jenifas Diary

Best Writer

Vaya

Best Supporting Actress

Ebele Okaro  Four One Love

Best Supporting Actor In A Drama (Movie/TV series)

Rotimi Salami  Just Not Married

Best Actor in a Comedy

Imeh Umoh Bishop  The Boss is Mine

Best Actress In Comedy

Funke Akindele

Best Movie East Africa

Kati Kati

Best Movie West Africa

Oloibiri

Best Movie South Africa

All About Love

Best Actress in a Drama (Movies/TV Series)

Rita Dominic  76

Best Actor in a Drama

Sambasa Nzeribe  Slow Country

Best Overall Movie

76

Best Director

76  Izu Ojukwu

(NAN)

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Nigerias ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, is enmeshed in deep internal wrangling in no fewer than 10 states of the federation.

The crises, many of which involve state governors and federal lawmakers, erupted few months after the 2015 general elections.

The crises are caused by allegations of financial misconduct, anti-party activities, ambitions, maladministration, among others by party faithful.

Some of the crisis have also led to the suspension or expulsion of key members and officials of the party at the state level.

Unless the crises are tackled, the electoral chances of the party may be threatened in the states, come 2019.

Bothered by the development, the national secretariat of the APC recently announced a plan to set up a peace and reconciliation committee to intervene and resolve the crises ahead of the April non-elective national convention of the party and the 2019 general elections.

The APC spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, told PREMIUM TIMES that the committee would look into all the cases and make recommendations to the leadership.

The committee will nullify actions taken by the state chapters that are inconsistent with the constitution of the party.

So, people should exercise restraints and wait for the committee to wade into the crises. They have the opportunity to state their cases and should not take laws into their hands, the spokesperson said.

Some of the APC state chapters battling with crisis include Gombe, Plateau, Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, and Ogun.

GOMBE

The APC in Gombe has not known peace since it lost the gubernatorial election to the PDP in 2015.

The crisis began during the 2015 primary election. The party broke into two factions with one led by Magaji Doho and the other Karu Ishaya.

They are backed by two prominent leaders  former governor and now senator, Danjuma Goje, and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and also a senator, Usman Nafada.

Both had joined from the PDP.

When all efforts to resolve the crisis failed, the national secretariat of the APC, in September last year, set up a caretaker committee headed by Lawan Shettima to run the party. The committee was asked to oversee the affairs of the party for a three-month renewable period.

However, some members of the factions have refused to cooperate with the committee.

BAUCHI

The political hostility is this north-eastern state is very fierce. Most federal lawmakers and other federal government officials from the state, notably the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, are up in arms against the state governor, Mohammed Abubakar.

The governor is accused of poor utilisation of bailout funds from the federal government to the state, non-payment of workers and pensioners, and offering appointments to PDP members while APC members are being removed.

In August, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who is from the state, led a delegation to separate meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC national leadership in search of solution to the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party.

During a visit to the national secretariat of the party, the two groups clashed, with some supporters of the lawmakers chanting bamu so, bamu so indicating they do not want the governor.

The opposition has allegedly sent jitters down the spine of the governor who feels his second term is being threatened.

Already, the crisis has consumed two members. In January, the senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, Ali Wakili, and a member of the state House of Assembly representing Lere/Bula Constituency, Aminu Tukur, were controversially suspended from the party.

BORNO

In Borno, the governorship ambition of Abu Kyari, the senator representing the northern senatorial district, has put him on collision course with Governor Kashim Shettima. The rift is threatening to divide the party.

Messrs. Kyari and Shettima served as commissioners under then governor Ali Sheriff. Mr. Kyari also served as Chief of Staff to Mr. Shettima in the latters first term.

But the governor, who many believe is eyeing the northern senatorial seat in 2019, appears not to be comfortable with the ambition of his former ally.

To neutralise Mr. Kyaris ambition, Mr. Shettima was said to have initiated moves to draft the senator representing the central senatorial district, Baba KakaGarbai, into the governorship race to succeed him.

ONDO

Although the APC won the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State, it did so as a divided house.

Prior to the election, which was won by Rotimi Akeredolu who was sworn in on Friday, many members of the party were disenchanted.

The disenchantment spread to the national level prompting a national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, to call for the resignation of the national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, over his (Oyegun) alleged ignoble role in upholding the primary election that produced Mr. Akeredolu.

Crisis also broke out in the party in August when the state chairman, Isaac Kekemeke, was removed for allegedly being directed, mandated and financially empowered and or fortified by the National leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to work for a particular aspirant, one Olusegun Abraham, as the preferred sole aspirant of the party

Mr. Kekemekes deputy, Ade Adetimehin, was appointed in his place as acting chairman while a three-member disciplinary committee was appointed to investigate the allegations against him. Also, some party members led by Olusola Oke left the APC for AD in anger.

Even after he was sworn in as governor, Mr. Akeredolus statement has shown that the crisis may not end anytime soon. The governor accused an unnamed senator of the party of from his state of working against his gubernatorial ambition and said he no longer considers the senator a member of the APC.

OGUN

In Ogun State, the crisis appears to be provoked by ambition. The senator currently representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Olamilekan Adeola, is at loggerheads with the governor, Ibikunle Amosun, over the governorship seat.

Mr. Adeola is aspiring to contest the governorship election in 2019, but the governor, who will round off his second term in office, is said to be opposed to the senators ambition to succeed him.

Mr. Adeola, popularly called Yayi, is an ally of Mr. Tinubu. He was a two-time member of the Lagos State House of Assembly and a former member of the House of Representatives where he chaired the Public Accounts Committee.

Messrs. Adeola and Amosun fell out politically in 2015 when the former wanted to return to Ogun State to contest the senatorial election to represent the western senatorial district but was allegedly blocked by the governor.

The governor was said to have pleaded with Mr. Tinubu to prevail on him (Mr. Adeola) to drop his ambition. Mr. Adeola was subsequently offered a ticket in Lagos State to contest the election. This paved the way for the governors candidate, Gbolahan Dada, to pick the ticket to represent the Ogun West Senatorial District.

KOGI:

The APC in Kogi State is in crisis, no thanks to the disagreement between the governor, Yahaya Bello, and some high-ranking politicians in the state.

In June last year, members of the APC in the National Assembly from the state, House of Assembly members, members of the partys executive in the state and other prominent leaders of the party at a meeting accused Mr. Bello of engaging in anti-party activities.

They also accused the governor, who assumed office six months earlier, of appointing more PDP members into his government than APC members.

They held the view that the Kogi people had suffered more under Mr. Bello than at any other time.

They subsequently set up an 11-member disciplinary committee chaired by the senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye, to review the allegations against the governor, and report back within seven days.

Members of the committee included three former senators from the state, Mohammed Ohiare, Abubakar Abdulrahman and Nicholas Ugbane, as well as APC chairman in Kogi, Haddy Ametuo.

While no report has been publicly presented, the rift between the governor, who has stated that his opponents are resisting his transformation of the state, and other party leaders continue.

PLATEAU

The crisis in the Plateau State chapter of the APC has been a recurring one.

The first crisis emanated from the nomination of Solomon Dalung as minister. Mr. Dalung had a rift with the state governor, Simon Lalong, over some pre-election matters which were in court.

There was also the issue of petition by some members calling for the expulsion of a former Minister of State for Information and Communication, Ibrahim Nakande. Mr. Nakande had been removed as the zonal secretary of the party and replaced with Muhammad Zakari.

In February, the party erupted in crisis again. Some member of the state executive committee of the APC rose against the chairman, Letep Dabang, accusing him of insincerity in appointments, personalization of the party, unaccountability for party funds and hijacking all contributions made to the party. The allegations were contained in a letter signed by 19 out of the 23 executive members, to the state governor.

NIGER

In Niger, there is uneasy calm in the ruling APC following the feud between the governor, Sani Bello, and some federal lawmakers.

David Umaru representing the Niger East senatorial district and Aliyu Abdullahi of the southern senatorial district are reportedly in conflict with the governor.

The crisis in the chapter became noticeable early last year when the senators and 10 members of the House of Representatives from the state shunned the flag-off of the local government council elections.

The lawmakers were not happy over the manner the APC candidates for the elections emerged. They were said to be angry that Mr. Bello single-handedly picked the candidates without consulting them.

KADUNA

Perhaps, none of the crises in others states is as old as that of Kaduna State.

The festering crisis is majorly between the governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and the senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani.

Mr. Sani had shown interest in the governorship election in 2015 but was asked by some political gladiators to step down for Mr. El-Rufai. He therefore sought election into the senate and won.

That was to be the beginning of the hostility between the two political gladiators and which has unsettled the state chapter of the APC.

Mr. Sani explains that the fight is not personal, but more ideological, particularly the way our people are treated and governance is going on.

At another forum, he said Perhaps, it (fight) has to do with the fact that we came from different backgrounds.

But in his narration, Mr. El-Rufai, said, Shehu Sanis first anger was that the list of commissioners came out and none from his list.

In a state where there are 10,000 PhDs that I have in my data base, I am going to take a diploma holder and make him commissioner just because he is Shehu Sanis man. I dont operate like that.

He contested the APC primary and defeated the candidate I supported (General Sani Saleh) and after the primaries. I dont owe Shehu Sani anything.

KANO

In the neighbouring Kano State, the crisis in the APC has refused to abate. Already, the party has been factionalised in the state with Haruna Doguwa leading a faction and the other led by Abdullahi Abbas.

The major cause of the crisis is the face-off between Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and his predecessor and now serving senator, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Interestingly, both have been political soulmates for years. When Mr. Kwankwaso served his first term as governor between 1999 and 2003, Mr. Ganduje was his deputy. Both of them also paired again between 2011 and 2015. Mr. Ganduje was the only deputy governor in the country who succeeded his principal in 2015.

But all is not well between them though the feud is not about the governorship seat.

Mr. Ganduje has repeatedly made moves to undermine the influence of his erstwhile boss by sacking some of the latters loyalists, from his administration.

In May last year, the national headquarters unsuccessfully waded into the rift.

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The Nigerian government has formally declared the Shiite Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, a security threat and compared it to the Boko Haram whose insurgency has caused the death of about 100,000 people since 2009.

The government stated this in its formal rejection of the 2015/2016 annual report of Amnesty International, AI, which accused the countrys security and military forces of extreme human rights violations and brutal response to security concerns, such as the Biafra agitation, Boko Haram insurgency and Shiites movement.

The Nigerian military had earlier rejected the report.

In the AI report published in February, the global rights watchdog accused Nigeria of unlawful killings, detention and inhumane treatment of pro-Biafra campaigners, civilians in the north-east and members of the IMN, including its leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, as well as clampdown on freedom of speech.

But in a statement shared at the weekend, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs questioned the credibility of the AI report and insisted both IMN and pro-Biafra activists were national security threats, and accusing the former of terrorism.

The Ministry wishes to point out that the case of Mr. El-Zakzaky, which Amnesty International pronounced on, is a high and national security issue.

The activities of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and the El-Zakzaky movement in particular are reminiscent of Boko Haram which has become a menace and security concern not only to the Nigeria, but also the Lake Chad Basin region and the entire world. The activities of the El-Zakzaky movement is one that cannot be tolerated by any progressive democratic government.

The ministry noted that the government had appealed the December 2016 court ruling that Mr. El-Zakzaky be released unconditionally.

The IMN leader and his wife have been in detention without trial since December 2015 when the military killed hundreds of his followers for denying the Army chief, Tukur Buratai, right of way in Zaria, Kaduna State.

While no solider is being prosecuted for killing or ordering the killing of the hundreds of Shiites, the Kaduna State government has since proscribed the IMN.

President Muhammadu Buhari and the federal government have always claimed their inaction on the Shiite killings was because the Kaduna State government was investigating the matter.

While the Kaduna government and now the federal government have accused the Shiite group of carrying out violent actions and being an insurgent group, the IMN have accused top Kaduna and federal government officials of pursuing a Sunni-led clampdown on them.

On the Amnesty report on the Biafran agitation, the foreign ministry said the agitation for a sovereign State of Biafra is unacceptable and detrimental to the peace, unity, stability and development of the Nigerian state.

The scenario captured and the report itself lacked conformity to both local and international best standards on evidence gathering, said the ministry.

In its clampdown on Biafran agitators, a leader of the pro-Biafra IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has remained in detention and is being tried for treason by the government.

Nonetheless, the government expressed commitment to safeguarding citizens rights to freedom of expression and association, and that security personnel found to have flouted rules of engagement would be appropriately dealt with.

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Multinational oil giant, Shell, set up an Intelligence network made up of some of Europes top spies which gathered information on some of the top actors involved in the infamous Malabu oil scam during the negotiations leading to payment of $1.1 billion for OPL 245, an investigation by UK-based Finance Uncovered has revealed.

The network made up of former members of UKs MI6 spy agency, including Guy Colegate and John Copleston, gathered information which they circulated within Shell.

Mr. Copleston, a former British Intelligence attache, was hired as Shells strategic investment adviser. He and his partner, Mr. Colegate, designated Shells business adviser, performed tasks that fell into Shells business apparatus.

It was not clear whether Mr. Copleston worked directly with the Shell Intelligence Network Committee, SINC, a tightly knit group of ex-intelligence experts, set up by Ian McCredie, a respected spy, that had direct access to the companys head office at The Hague.

Finance Uncovered said it tried to reach Mr. McCredie without success and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by him.

The investigation also revealed more intrigue surrounding the movement of $800 million out of the original $1.1 billion paid by Shell and Italian giant, Eni to Dan Etete, a former petroleum minister, after the Goodluck Jonathan administration used the Nigerian government as a conduit in the transfer of slush fund.

Within days of receiving the money from Shell and ENI, the Nigerian government instructed that the $1.1bn to be transferred to BSI Lugano, a Swiss bank. The Swiss account is believed to be owned by Dan Etete, a convicted felon, who had jointly set up Malabu oil, a fictitious company with the purpose of coveting OPL 245, considered one of Nigerias richest oil block with an estimated 9 billion barrels of crude.

British investigators are asking questions about how such huge transfer was allowed to sail through. UK money laundering law required banks to flag such transfers involving politically exposed persons, as Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs).

It was strongly suggested to Finance Uncovered that JP Morgan raised a SAR immediately it received the instruction for the transfer and wouldnt have gone ahead with it without the approval of UKs Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca).

Sources with knowledge of SARS told Finance Uncovered that UK authorities allowed the transfer to go through for one of three reasons: they saw no problem with it, they allowed it because the Nigerian government then under Goodluck Jonathan saw no corruption in the transfer and little could thus be done to obtain evidence for a freezing order, or they deliberately allowed the transfer so they could track it with the aim of obtaining intelligence.

The transfer immediately ran into difficulties soon after it was approved by JP Morgan. Swiss bank, BSI Lugano rejected the payment because of Mr. Etetes criminal past.

JP Morgan also attempted to transfer the money via a Lebanese bank, which also refused to touch the money.

Two weeks later, the money was transferred into Malabus account in Bank PHB and Zenith bank.

Italian investigators claimed that kickback might have been paid to Mr. Jonathan. The former Nigerian leader has, however, denied he received any gratification from the deal.

Next month an Italian court will decided whether some of Shell and Enis executives should face criminal charges for their role in the deal.

In Nigeria, investigators have already filed corruption charges against Shell and Eni, as well as their officials allegedly involved in the scandal. Corruption charges have also been filed against Mohammed Adoke, who as Nigerias then Attorney General authorised the transfers to Mr. Etetes account, as well as Mr. Etete.

Aliyu Abubakar, a man who received about $500 million of the money from Mr. Etete and who is believed to have acted as a middle man for several others including Mr. Jonathan, also faces corruption charges.

An application by the EFCC asking that OPL 245 return to the federal government was also granted by the court, although is being contested by Shell and Eni. The two oil firms have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the deal.

EDITORS NOTE: This story has been updated to reflect the up to date findings by Finance Uncovered.

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Poultry farmers in Ilorin have commended the Federal Government for banning importation of poultry products.

The farmers, who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ilorin on Sunday expressed their delight as demand for chicken and other poultry products increased following the ban.

A poultry farmer, Samuel Ishola, whose farm is located in Olunlade, a suburb of Ilorin, said that he witnessed a rise in demand of broilers unlike few years back when he resulted into begging people to buy.

Mr. Ishola said the government had done well to encourage poultry farmers as the ban on importation of chicken had forced a huge number of customers to patronise them.

Since the ban on importation of turkey, I now witness a huge crowd that is now interested in my broilers every day.

We the poultry farmers benefit a lot from that government policy as we feel encouraged and enjoy the way our customers now settle for the domestic chicken instead of opting for the imported, he said.

Another farmer, Leke Ayoola, described the ban on imported chicken as a blessing as every poultry farmer now had a market as demand increased for the livestock product.

Ayoola said he was forced to increase his poultry pen due to high patronage by the customers, adding that he extended his poultry farm to meet up with customers demand.

Before, I use to raise like 200 to 300 broilers; but now Im happy that I have like 400 to 500 broilers inside my poultry pen and I have customers that always come for it.

I sell to hotels, restaurants, private individuals as they now prefer to buy the home- raised boilers. They have come to appreciate freshness, he said.

Another farmer, Iyabo Ahmed, in Kangu area said most poultry farmers in the country were encouraged to do more, as they commended the initiative of the government in prohibiting importation of chicken.

Though there are some financial challenges but we still try to make things work for our customers, she said.

Ahmed said the harsh weather was one of the major challenges faced by farmers during the hot season because the poultry birds did not adapt easily to heat.

She, however, called on the government to encourage students, unemployed graduates at all levels on agricultural practice.

Ms. Ahmed said agriculture would rescue Nigeria from recession.

(NAN)

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The Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has added a twist to the health saga of President Muhammadu Buhari, declaring that a chance to speak with him would clear the doubts over the Presidents health condition.

Mr. Fayoses comment is contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, which was made available to journalists on Sunday.

The statement came on the heels of reports of the Presidents recent phone conversations with the President of the African Union as well as the King of Morocco.

Mr. Buhari also on Sunday placed telephone calls to a former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, and Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello

The president is presently in the United Kingdom where he is said to be resting and recuperating under medical supervision.

Mr. Fayose noted that instead of speaking with foreign leaders, he would offer to speak with the President to put an end to any doubts.

I advise the President to speak with me for the purpose of convincing Nigerians that he is hale and hearty instead of looking for people outside the country to convince Nigerians, he said.

If their problem is that they are looking for a credible person who can help them convince Nigerians that all is well with our President, Ayo Fayose is their best bet.

Let the president speak with me. If I tell Nigerians that the president spoke with me, Nigerians will believe.

The governor said Nigerians were already suspicious of all the purported visits to Buhari in London as well as his orchestrated telephone conversations with international figures who, Mr. Fayose said, could not be trusted to give a true and unbiased report about the presidents state of health.

Since they are eager for the president to speak to people; believing in this way to convince Nigerians that their President is hale and hearty, let President Buhari talk to me. I can be reached on 08035024994. I am credible and Nigerians will believe me, Mr. Fayose said.

They said he spoke to President Donald Trump; despite the hype, Nigerians were sceptical. Then they said he spoke to the king of Morocco; again, Nigerians were suspicious. Before we recovered from that, it is now the AU president that they said President Buhari spoke to.

A president that can speak with outsiders should be able to whisper or wave to his own people.

The people gave him the very important platform of the President on which he stands today and, therefore, presidential aides should stop giving the unhelpful impression that Buhari has no respect for the Nigerian electorate.

Presidential Spokesman Femi Adesina, when reached by PREMIUM TIMES, declined to comment on Mr. Fayoses request.

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Home Ministry's Department of Public Safety issued a notification in this regard on Sunday after the law enforcing agency sent a letter to the ministry seeking a ban on the organization.

By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: Bangladesh government has banned the extremist organization Ansar al-Islam. Home Ministry's Department of Public Safety issued a notification in this regard on Sunday after the law enforcing agency sent a letter to the ministry seeking a ban on the organization.

The notification said activities of the organization are contrary to country's peace and order. Activities of the organization have already been considered as a threat to public safety, added the notification.

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Ansar al-Islam, which claimed itself Bangladesh wing of al-Qaeda and claimed the responsibility of killing bloggers, is actually the renewed version of Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) with new name.

Ansarullah Bangala Team which took birth in 2007 was working as a platform for the believers of al-Qaeda in Bangladesh. At first, the group was involved in study circle and internet propaganda, but started killing bloggers in 2013. The militant group first came into light after killing blogger Rajib Haider in capital's Pallabi on February 15 of the same year. Later, they divided into different groups and got operative. So far, the group has claimed responsibilities for 9 murders including bloggers, publishers and students, teachers.

The current government had earlier banned Ansarullah Bangla Team on May 25, 2015 and Hizb ut-Tahrir on October 22, 2009.

Ansarullah later became affiliated with AQIS that eyes establishing Shariah law in the country.

Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden's successor, Egyptian ideologue Ayman al-Zawahiri, announced the formation of AQIS in September 2014 to carry the group's fight to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and with a special focus on Rakhine state of Myanmar.

The US government blacklisted AQIS as a "foreign terrorist organization" and its leader, Indian-born Asim Umar, a "specially-designated global terrorist" in a statement issued on June 30 last year.

The previous BNP-Jamaat government outlawed Shahadat-e-al Hikma on February 9, 2003, Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB) on February 23, 2005, and Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami (Huji) on October 17, 2005.

Police have arrested a number of top leaders of the outfit, but its alleged operations chief Maj (sacked) Syed Ziaul Haque and spiritual leader Tamim al-Adnani have remained traceless.

The group made the first claim on May 3, 2015 after their supporters hacked to death six targets, including blogger Ahmed Rajeeb Haider and science writer Avijit Roy.

The spiritual leader of Ansarullah Bangla Team (now Ansar al-Islam), Jasim Uddin Rahmani, was arrested on August 12, 2013 for inciting jihad at mosques. Later, he was removed from the post of chairman of Markazul Uloom Al-Islamia Madrasa's management committee at Basila in Mohammadpur.

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On December 31, 2015, Rahmani was sentenced to five years in prison for inciting the murder of Rajeeb Haider, while two of his followers to death and four others to different jail terms for their involvement in the murder that took place on February 15, 2013.

Ansar al-Islam earlier extended support to Harakah al-Yakin or Faith Movement, a like-minded Rohingya-based militant group that attacked three border outposts of Myanmar as part of their armed jihad on October 9.

In a public statement issued on December 15, al-Qaeda urged the Muslim youths of Bangladesh to join the fight to avenge the persecution against Rohingyas.

Its members are campaigning against the indigenous peoples of the country's CHT region terming them terrorists. They incited further attacks on the Hindus of Nasirnagar in Brahmanbaria last year during a discussion on Dawahilallah, an open forum of AQIS.

With Ansar al-Islam, total seven organizations have been banned for militant activities and religious extremism in the country.

The six other banned outfits are Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), Harkat ul-Jehad al-Islami Bangladesh (HUJI), Sahadat-e Hikma, Hizbut-Tahrir and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT).

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Also read:

Al Qaeda offshoot claims the killing of gay editor in Bangladesh

Bangladesh bloggers' killing solved: Two radical Islamic groups identified

--- ENDS ---
The Federal University Wukari in Taraba has promised to offer automatic employment to all the16 graduating students of the institution that came out with first class degrees.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Abubakar Kundiri, who disclosed this during the maiden convocation of the institution on Saturday in Wukari, also said that those who were willing to pick up the appointment, would similarly be trained up to their third level degrees.

He said that the decision of the university in this direction was to encourage others to work hard to attain such heights and also to develop quality manpower for the new institution.

In his remarks at the occasion, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Abubakar Abdulrasheed, commended the decision of the university to engage the services of the best graduating students.

Represented by Ibrahim Yakasai, the Head of Public Affairs of the Commission, the Executive Secretary said that the NUC would continue to support the institution in its manpower development.

Also in his valedictory, the best graduating student, David Adashu, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, pledged to represent the good image of institution.

He also enjoined his fellow graduands to remain calm in face of difficulties, seize the opportunity to do good, celebrate every achievement and give back to their communities, no matter how little.

(NAN)

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The Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has denied being behind moves to establish a new party called Advanced Peoples Democratic Party, APDP.

Some media reports have suggested that the faction has applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for registration.

Sources were quoted as saying the faction took the decision because it has become apparent that the court-recognised national chairman, Ali Sheriff, is not genuinely ready for reconciliation.

A report by The Nation on Friday quoted INEC spokesperson, Nick Dazang, as saying that the APDP is one of 70 new parties seeking registration.

However, the spokesperson of Makarfi group, Dayo Adeyeye, said on Sunday his faction was not behind the newly proposed party.

We state clearly and without ambiguity that the National Caretaker Committee of the PDP is not in anyway involved in the plans to register any party by the name APDP or any other party for that matter, he said in a statement.

He also said It is unthinkable that the faction, which enjoys the support of all the recognised organs of the party will contemplate such a move.

Mr. Adeneye, however, hinted that some individuals within his factions PDP may be behind the proposed new party.

We however acknowledge and recognize the rights of party members to seek alternative platform to actualize their political dreams which is an inalienable right guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he said.

Several lawsuits filed by the two PDP factions after its May 21, 2016 national convention in Port Harcourt led to the recognition of Mr. Sheriff as the authentic chairman by the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, two weeks ago.

The Makarfi faction said it has appealed to the Supreme Court.

Despite the Appeal Court ruling, Mr. Adeyeye in his statement said the National Caretaker Committee is the one holding leadership power in the Party in trust for the millions of Party faithfuls who instituted the Committee at the National Convention.

Whatever decision that will be taken on the PDP brand shall be taken by the owners of the party, i.e the party members at a properly constituted national convention, and not by a few individuals no matter how highly placed.

For the records, no decision has been taken that the PDP should be abandoned and a new party formed out of the current structure. At least, no such proposal is before the National Caretaker Committee as at this moment, he said.

Mr. Adeyeye expressed the belief that the issues before the Supreme Court would be resolved on the side of truth, and justice will be served in the interest of peace.

The spokesperson added that with the political solution as the alternative dispute resolution being suggested by some highly placed individuals and groups in the party, albeit without prejudice to the Appeal before the Supreme Court, we will like to appeal for calm among all Party members and allow the reconciliation efforts to move forward.

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Mixed reactions have continued to trail President Muhammadu Buharis prolonged absence from Nigeria.

The presidency had announced on January 19 that the president was proceeding on a 10-day vacation and a routine medical checkup in the United Kingdom.

In a letter sent to both arms of the National Assembly, the President said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo would act as president pending his return.

But the president, who could not make it back to the country on February 6, transmitted another letter to the Senate requesting extension of time to complete his medical tests in London. In that letter, he did not fix a date of return.

In a chat with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, Nigerians expressed divergent opinions over the presidents absence and acting president Yemi Osinbajos performance thus far.

Bayo Adeyinka, a public affairs analyst, said, I dont miss Buhari, and truth be told, Id rather hope that he extends his vacation. We are doing much better in his absence.

A lecturer at the Department of Mass Communication, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Ebony Oketunmbi, said he was indifferent to Mr. Buharis absence from Nigeria.

Im indifferent to the presidents absence, he told PREMIUM TIMES in a chat.

For Isiaka Kehinde, that the world has become a global village means that the president is next door to Nigerians.

Mr. Kehinde, who served as aide to former minister of FCT, Jumoke Akinjide, noted that the acting president is doing fine, too.

You can only miss what you dont have. In this world described by McLuhan as a global village, I see PMB being in the next door to us. More so that his able Vice is not found wanting, there is no cause for missing PMB, he said.

How many of us even see him in person when he is around? he added, rhetorically.

Wasiu Sadare, publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Oyo State, said, Of course, I love him as a person as this informed the decision to work for his victory at the 2015 presidential election.

Mr. Sadare added that the president has not disappointed Nigerians, considering the rot he met on ground when he took over the mantle of leadership.

As the president of my country, he has not disappointed considering the magnitude of rot he inherited in the system and what he has been doing to fix the problem. We thank God for a capable Vice President in Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and I wish him the very best, he said.

The Oyo APC spokesperson, however, said that he misses the president and prays for his quick return to the country always.

I miss our president and I pray he comes back healthier and stronger soonest to continue the task of rebuilding the country. May his enemies and those of the country not succeed in their evil wishes, he said.

Akeem Olatunji, on his part, said the presidents absence is not being felt by the people, noting that things had been faring better since he left the country.

It seems PMBs absence is not being felt by Nigerians because the economy went bad under his watch while he appeared to be bereft of Ideas, he said.

Mr. Olatunji, who is also the spokesperson of Accord Party in Oyo State, said it may not be necessary for the president to return to Nigeria any time soon.

I think the economy and government activities are faring better in his absence, hence it may not be all that necessary for him to come home now.

Temitope Oyetomi, on his part, said, If Buhari were here, he wont do more than Osinbajo is doing. Id say Osinbajo is giving Buhari a 100% representation. The President can therefore enjoy his vacation as much as he pleases.

Whenever he chooses to return, he would be welcome, he added.

Since he left Nigeria for check-up abroad, Mr. Buhari, whose true state of health remains unknown, had been rumoured to have died, especially among young Nigerians on social media.

But presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, on several occasions debunked such rumour, stressing that the president was fine.

The President wants Nigerians to know that he appreciates their prayers; he appreciates their concerns and their goodwill, Mr. Adesina said while addressing state house correspondents in February.

He (president Buhari) has added that there is really no cause to worry, he added.

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The Governor of Ekiti State has complained about the deployment of a new Commissioner of Police and Director of State Security Services to the state, alleging that the change was a plot to thwart the next years governorship election.

Also, the Ekiti Unity Agenda, a group of political elders, also joined the governor in condemning the changes, alleging that it portends a sinister motive on the part of the Federal Government.

In a statement by Idowu Adelusi, the governors Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Fayose condemned the removal of the two security heads in the state without his knowledge describing the action as undermining his office as governor.

Mr. Fayose said as the chief security officer of the state, he was supposed to be contacted if anything like that would take place.

He said he was never opposed to the two security agencies performing their legitimate functions, yet in removing and re-posting of officers, respect should have been accorded constituted authority.

A Governor was elected and not appointed. But if those already posted from Buharis state have come to do some Fayose hatchet job in the state, they should have a rethink, he said.

Ekiti is very peaceful, nobody should come and destabilise this state. These are issues and steps taking ahead of 2018 governorship election. The federal government should not do anything funny.

In their statement, the Ekiti Unity Agenda said the new police commissioner and SSS director were from the same state.

We view the redeployment of former Commissioner of Police in Kogi, Abdullah Chaffe, an indigene of Katsina State with concern, the statement quoted the Ekiti Unity Agenda as saying..

We also note with consternation the redeployment of the Director of Department of State Service (DSS) Mr Abdulfata Mohammed, another indigene from Katsina State.

Ekiti Elders Unity Agenda believes the posting of the two men from President Muhammadu Buharis home state cannot be a mere coincidence considering the role of Governor Ayodele Fayose as leading voice of the opposition in the country.

We have every sense of belief to suspect that their postings are to actualise some sinister agenda and to gag officials of the state government and probably heat up the polity to prepare ground for an emergency rule.

Why is Ekiti the only target of reposting of security chiefs? Is it only Katsina indigenes that are in the police and DSS? The Commissioner of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, had barely spent three months in the state, so why the rush in redeploying him when the state is enjoying peace and crime-free?

They warned that should there be any crisis in the state, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the Director General of the SSS, Lawal Daura, should be held responsible.

We see this as the beginning of a new plan to destabilise the state and indiscriminate arrest of members of the opposition and have decided to come out to speak on behalf of other true sons and daughters of Ekiti, the statement noted.

Reacting to the allegation, Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Mishood, told Premium Times that the allegation was wrong, malicious and a distraction.

He said the police is non-political and the posting of commissioners of police had nothing to do with politics.

To the IG, positing of commissioners of police is a routine exercise, Mr. Moshood said.

The election is still far away and the posting of a police commissioner now would have nothing to do with an election.

He also said although the police would not want to join issues with the governor, there was a need to point out that when commissioners of police are moved, it offers them the opportunity to operate in areas of their competences and better performance.

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed that the former Ogun State Governor, Olusegun Osoba, played a major role in the establishment of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library.

Mr. Obasanjo stated this on Saturday at the commissioning of the library, which was part of activities marking his 80th birthday held in Abeokuta.

The former Nigerian leader said Mr. Osoba as governor of Ogun State approved the large expanse of land on which the library is built; and at a subsidised rate. But for that gesture, the project may not have come to fruition, he said, thanking Mr. Osoba.

Mr. Obasanjo also commended ex-military head of state, Abdulsalam Abubakar, who released him from prison.

Mr. Obasanjo was imprisoned by late military dictator, Sani Abacha, over a phantom coup. He was released by Mr. Abubakar who emerged military ruler after the death of Mr. Abacha.

The ex-Nigerian leader also said Mr. Abubakars administration cleared him of all any involvement in the phantom coup which made it possible for him to contest the presidential election in 1998.

Mr. Obasanjo said the library was the fulfilment of the vision he had in 1988 to collect vital materials of the civil war (1967-1970).

He described the library as a centre of knowledge and one that would sustain culture and encourage tourism.

The former president commended the Board of Trustees and the management of the library, saying without them the library wouldnt have been possible.

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ATLANTIC CITY  Bob Hazard sat on a 34-foot Buddy Davis center-console fishing boat Saturday, hoping to sell it and other boats made by the Egg Harbor Group.

And Jim Whitman, of Mays Landing, was on that same deck as part of his mission to look at boats, and dream about them, at the Progressive Insurance Atlantic City Boat Show.

There was a healthy inventory of prospects on hand for people on both sides of the sales desks at the Atlantic City Convention Center.

John Pritko, the show manager, counts close to 550 boats on display this year  a healthy recovery from a boat total that dropped near 150 in post-recession 2010.

Pritko, of the National Marine Manufacturers Association, hoped that growing fleet of shiny, snazzy boats would draw 40,000 or more people to a show that started Wednesday and ends 6 p.m. Sunday. Last year, about 36,000 attended.

Hazard, also of Mays Landing, is vice president of sales at Egg Harbor Group. He said the show is working for a company that builds nine brands of boats in Egg Harbor City, including Ocean Yachts and Egg Harbor Yachts.

Traffic is up, and business is up, said Hazard, who travels to shows from New England to Florida to promote these local products.

Whitman was admiring a Buddy Davis boat on sale at a show discount of $320,000. Hes the owner of a 22-footer thats nothing like this, but boat shows and big dreams go together.

Maybe one day, down the road, he said, asked if hes looking to upgrade. Still, nothing like this.

Across the floor of the show, which sprawls over almost 500,000 square feet, Rodney Antonioli said he has been finding customers for the World Cat boats he sells.

The 3.5 percent sales tax is happening, said Antonioli, whose brand is sold at Pier 47 Marina in Wildwood. Antonioli said his prices range from $160,000 to $250,000, and people were buying.

Rick Traber opened Pier 47 about 32 years ago. He has come to the boat show ever since. He uses it to promote his 150-slip marina, boat-rental and service business, and he sells boats.

He also took the opportunity to put a help-wanted ad on one of his signs, although as of Saturday afternoon, he hadnt found the right candidate  yet.

Adam and Amy Mednick are boat-show regulars. They live in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, and they make a weekend out of the trip. Saturday, they stayed at the Sheraton Atlantic City and planned to head out for drinks and dinner at two local spots.

Lets see, what didnt I buy? the husband asked, holding a custom-built fishing rod in one hand and two bags of stuff in the other. I got the rod, some tackle, pieces and parts for the boat. This is a great show.
Rick Sinderbrand and his wife had a blowout fight, and he had left the house.

The former Margate resident believed communication broke down between them.

I wanted to pull out a written card with a statement on it with what I wanted to say, said Sinderbrand, 59, who now lives in Thousand Oaks, California.

Sinderbrand took matters into his own hands  ones holding a smartphone  and developed an app. Sinderbrand isnt the only person from South Jersey creating an app. Its no Silicon Valley, but South Jersey has cultivated a group of locals and natives who have entered the world of application development.

Sinderbrands app is called iSaid uSaid, which provides content cards in the form of texts meant to steer arguments back in the right direction.

Texts will be sent from one partner to another, ranging from emotions like We can definitely talk in a calmer tone to more stern texts, like, The kids are not supposed to hear what they just heard.

Its a concise way of having a dialogue without anxiety running hot, Sinderbrand said.

But does iSaid uSaid hinder couples from communicating with their own words?

Sinderbrand doesnt think it replaces the natural conversation with relationships but, instead, can be of assistance to them.

The understanding from what Ive asked people is that they can sort of narrow (arguments) down with less said being better, and then opening communication, Sinderbrand said.

In this region,app developers create iPhone and Android apps for local companies.

Sight 2 Site Media, located in Atlantic City, is one of those companies.

Starting more than 10 years ago, Sight 2 Site was originally geared toward web development and marketing for companies in the area. But when iPhones became so common, the company switched to more app development.

I pretty much realized that tech was going to take over and users were going to start using apps as oppose to browsing internet or websites, said Tim Janicki, president and chief media developer at Sight 2 Site.

In the past five years, the company has developed 10 to 15 apps.

One of the websites and companies Janicki and his team have helped create was Kroobit.com, a local version of Groupon that offers deals in local restaurants.

Another app is for Pecora.com, a company that offers sealant and weatherproofing solutions. Their Pecora Corp. Sealants and Coatings Calculator app helps estimate the amount of coating and sealant needed for a certain project.

Both apps are free in the iTunes app store and for androids on Google Play.

The point of the services is flexibility in platforms for both businesses and their customers, Janicki said.

You dont want to just build an app. You want to have a tool to increase productivity, and thats kind of how we look at it with our clients. They all want to move that way, Janicki said.

And for this region?

Theres a big market in this area for companies, whether its the startup or existing companies in Cape May and Atlantic County that are stuck in old ways. We show them they can be like Macys or Nike: Theres no reason you cant be doing everything industry leaders are already doing.
As Rabbi David Weis, of Beth Israel in Northfield, learned of the series of threats against Jewish institutions throughout the nation, he knew hed need to have an open dialogue about it with his synagogue community.

But he wasnt worried.

People are safe, he said. People just want to be comforted, I think people are frightened. They need their rabbi to tell them that theyre going to be safe here.

Weis held a Shabbat service Friday night to discuss the recent threats, which include more than 100 bomb threats phoned into Jewish organizations in several states since the beginning of January. A former journalist fired for fabricating details in stories was arrested in connection to at least eight of the threats.

This is a profoundly disturbing set of circumstances the Jewish community finds itself in, and frankly America finds itself in, Weis said.

Whats most important in a time like the present is true integration and understanding from all people about whats going on and how to come together to combat it.

Several Jewish community centers have been the target of threats in recent months. One was directed at a Jewish center in Cherry Hill last week, and in Philadelphia, hundreds of headstones were knocked over at Mount Carmel Cemetery, a Jewish cemetery.

Jack Fox, CEO of the Milton & Betty Katz Jewish Community Center in Margate, said safety has been increased at the facility, and officials have long been prepared for any kind of threats.

The JCC, which welcomes both Jewish and nonJewish members, has never had a situation with threats in the past, he said.

I have an obligation to protect the safety and security of the people who are walking through the doors of the JCC, Fox said. Im always going to be concerned about being vigilant about their protection.

Fox and John Rios, the JCCs chief financial officer and chief safety officer, said the security and safety of the facility has stepped up, but the center has been prepared for these kind of events for a long time.

The center has been working with other agencies to help prevent and combat any danger, Fox said.

I dont want people to be alarmed about it. I want people to be confident that were doing everything we can to make it a safe and secure place, Fox said. But we need their help, too.

John Rios, the JCCs chief financial officer and chief safety officer, said the communitys anxiety is noticeable. But the JCC has been communicating actively with its members.

Fox, like Weis, mentioned the importance of bringing together all types of groups to discuss hate, to foster a better understanding of the problem.

We need to bond together in the community, including all segments of the community, Fox said. We have to work together to make better understanding.

While the threats can be alarming to the public, Weis said this type of anti-Semitism is not normal for todays America. This is a time of more tolerance and integration, he said, and the community should not begin to think threats and attacks are the new norm.

Being vigilant, however, must be the new norm, he said.

People behind threats just want to be a disruptive voice. If we allow them to disrupt our daily life, they win, Weis said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Funeral arrangements have been announced for Harold Whitey Swartz, 80, a longtime Atlantic County firefighter, historian and photographer and collector, who died Thursday.

Services will take place Saturday, March 11, at the Church of St. Mark and All Saints, 429 S. Pitney Road in Galloway Township, according to Swartz's obituary. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to noon, and services will follow immediately.

Arrangements are by the Wimberg Funeral Home, 211 E. Great Creek Road, Galloway. For condolences or directions, see wimbergfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, the obituary said.

Swartz had been hospitalized with an infection before he died, his family said.

He spent 56 years as a member of the Atlantic County firefighting community, including 31 years with the Pleasantville Fire Department and 24 years as the Atlantic County fire marshal. During that time, he became well-known for his work in the community, his photography and dedication to preserving firefighting history.

His dedication to all things firefighting bloomed into the Firefighters Museum of Southern New Jersey, with one of the most extensive collections of firefighting equipment in the state. His collection includes the first Atlantic City firetruck.

Swartz is survived by his wife, Joy, three sons, Robert, John and Harold Jr., nine grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
For U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd, sticking to the status quo is an effective way to deal with a new  and tense  administration still trying to establish itself in the White House.

While constituents around the country hammer Republican lawmakers at town-hall meetings, LoBiondo has opted to set up personal, face-to-face meetings with concerned South Jersey residents, arguing the calmer tone is more effective in hearing both sides of political arguments.

The face-to-face meetings and personal phone calls are part of LoBiondos long-standing policy to listen to his constituents, he said.

Its just a better atmosphere than a town hall with 1,000 people, LoBiondo said. I spend hours a day calling people back directly. Im not doing anything different than Ive ever done.

Lobiondo also said the size of the 2nd Congressional District makes it difficult to host a town hall.

The district includes all of Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem counties, as well as portions of Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Ocean counties.

U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur, a Republican whose 3rd Congressional District represents most of Burlington and part of Ocean counties, will hold a town hall 6:30 p.m. Monday at Waretown Volunteer Fire Company Station 36.

Several groups of protesters have marched outside LoBiondos Mays Landing office over the past several weeks. The main issues surround President Donald Trumps promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and immigration policies.

LoBiondo, who previously advocated and voted for repealing the legislation when former President Barack Obama was in office, has said he will not vote to repeal the ACA without a replacement ready to go.

(Republicans have) talked in generalities, but there hasnt been a document that I can look at and review, he said. Weve been promised that there will be a replacement without people getting kicked to the curb.

Concerns over the ACA, commonly called Obamacare, are nothing new for LoBiondo.

He said there was a spike in calls and outreach when the law was first proposed seven years ago. Most of those calls were from people who did not want the legislation to pass.

Now, the congressman is seeing an influx of calls asking him to reconsider his position on the law.

In the last week, LoBiondo has had more than 40 meetings scheduled with groups of concerned citizens. He has had more than 50 meetings total since Feb. 17.

Patti Nivens, of Woodstown, Salem County, has helped organize rallies in front of the offices of LoBiondo and U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Bob Menendez, both Democrats.

Before Trumps election, Nivens said the most political thing she had ever done was change her registration from Republican to Democrat to vote for Barack Obama in the 2008 primary.

Once I got over the shock and disgust that Donald Trump was elected, I felt I wanted to get involved, she said. We had about 150 people including an imam from a mosque in Atlantic City who brought some worshippers, and at the end of the meeting there was a joint prayer/singing session with Muslims and others, which was pretty powerful.

After the rally, Nivens said, she was contacted by LoBiondos office to schedule a meeting.

She came away from that meeting satisfied and is scheduled to host another one March 24.

While many dont agree with me, I do believe the small group meetings have an impact, she said. I felt that the congressman heard us and was able to speak to us on his views. Since Im so new to all of this, I learned a lot that I didnt know and I came out of the meeting feeling very positive.

Nivens added she thinks a town hall can be a negative if it turns into a shouting match. However, she still would like to see one, to get a look at how many people show up to protest Trumps policies.

Listening to concerned residents isnt the only thing LoBiondo has had to do in the past month and a half.

The start of Trumps presidency is nothing like the other two presidential transitions he has witnessed from his seat in Congress, LoBiondo said.

Theyve gotten off the blocks a lot faster, he said. Theyre still learning how to get through some things. Its a process.

But despite the sometimes rocky start to Trumps presidency, LoBiondo is satisfied with the presidents proposals to move the country forward  particularly when it comes to military spending, investment in infrastructure, and continued reform of the Veterans Administration.

The congressman sits on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

We need to acknowledge that (infrastructure) is a problem, he said. The Obama stimulus (from 2009) was a disappointment.

On defense, Lobiondo said, he was happy to hear about the presidents pledge to invest an extra $54 billion into the military. Thirty-three billion of that was promised by President Obama, who never delivered on it, he said.

LoBiondo was critical of Trump in response to reports that he wants to drastically reduce maritime security spending.

Whomever is advising President Trump that the (Coast Guard) Service could do more with even less is detached from the facts and reality on the ground, he said.

Last week, however, LoBiondo spoke with Defense Secretary James Mattis and came away in awe.

I really think the Department of Defense will be put back on track, he said.
Bani J and Gauahar Khan were at their ethnic best at Mandana Karimi's sangeet ceremony.

By India Today Web Desk: Bigg Boss 9 finalist Mandana Karimi, tied the knot with longtime boyfriend Gaurav Gupta in a court marriage on January 25. She is had a star-studded Sangeet ceremony on Saturday and is all set to get married to Gaurav in a formal wedding ceremony today.

Bani J and Gauahar Khan at Mandana Karimi's Sangeet. Photo: Yogen Shah

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Her Sangeet ceremony was attended by Bigg Boss 10 finalist Bani J and her friend Gauahar Khan. Mandana was recently seen partying with Bani and Gauahar in video shared by Bani on Instagram. Bani slayed it in a in a olive-mustard skirt sari with a olive miltatry jacket, while Gauahar was at her traditional best in a purple and golden dress.

Thank you Masabi for my fabulous mehendi outfit.#mangoesgupta #friendslikefamily #bro #mehendiceremony ???????? A post shared by Mandanakarimiofficial (@mandanakarimi) on Mar 4, 2017 at 9:16pm PST

Also read: Bigg Boss 9 finalist Mandana Karimi ties the knot with boyfriend; breaks the news on Twitter

Bride-to-be Mandana looked stunning in a beautiful pink and green outfit designed by Masaba Gupta. The Iranian beauty posted a pic with Masaba and thanked her for the fabulous outfit.

Mandana Karimi and Gaurav Gupta with socialite Salima Surani at their Sangeet ceremony on Saturday. Picture courtesy: Instagram/eye.salima

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SEA ISLE CITY  As schools in the region have closed over the years, the decision to repurpose or demolish them often is fraught with nostalgia and costs.

Some buildings are transformed for other public uses, while some are torn down to make way for new structures.

As Sea Isle weighs its options for its former elementary school on Park Road, Mayor Leonard Desiderio said, he will be especially mindful of public input.

Many of the people who come to Sea Isle City or live in Sea Isle City went to this school, he said.

The school, which closed in 2011 due to declining enrollment, is situated opposite the bay and takes up an entire city block.

Its one of the most valuable pieces of property on the island, Desiderio said.

In 2012, the school was used as the municipal building and police station after Hurricane Sandy flooded the previous City Hall. Desiderio said the building had to be retrofitted to accommodate a jail, courtroom and city offices, work that included knocking down walls and installing several safety features. Since the new City Hall opened in 2015 on JFK Boulevard, the school building has served as a recreation center for residents, offering fitness classes and open gym time.

Desiderio said the property will be maintained for recreational use, but just how is still in question. City Administrator George Savastano said the city has contracted Garrison Architects to do a conceptual study on what the future of the site will be.

Of course, cost is No. 1. And what taxpayers want, Desiderio said.

Several smaller school buildings in South Jersey have been preserved for public use. In Egg Harbor Township, the former Cardiff School on Spruce Avenue serves as a county family services center. Margates Union Avenue School is now City Hall.

Others have been demolished, such as the Rittenberg School in Egg Harbor City, which closed in 2011 after a new middle school was built. The building was demolished, and private senior housing was built in its place.

Egg Harbor City Mayor Lisa Jiampetti said it came down to money.

The main reason was because it wasnt ADA-compliant, and in order to make it ADA-compliant, it would have been more costly than building a new school, Jiampetti said.

She said the developer, Conifer, couldnt repurpose the building either, due to its age.

You had to start fresh. It lacked a heating system. It was not updated at all. It was ancient. There was no way the developer was ever going to use that ever, she said.

Conifer and Egg Harbor City entered into a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement that has generated more than $60,000 per year in revenue for the city. In addition, the agreement helped the city fulfill its affordable-housing requirements, Jiampetti said.

She said the school, which was the citys high school at one point, was well-loved by the residents and efforts were made to preserve historic aspects of the building.

Desiderio said Sea Isles school building has good bones, so repurposing it is still on the table. Whats not an option, he said, is selling the land.

This building has so much potential, and were fortunate to be able to have this land and this building at this time, he said.
BEACH HAVEN  Surflight Theatre has been a venue for drama, and that appears to continue.

Steve Steiner, the theaters former artistic director, said Saturday he had planned to announce Monday the bankrupt theater has been sold to a buyer who plans to reopen it as a theater this summer.

But he got a spoiler on his own ending when a former volunteer sent an email announcing the sale and reopening, and the Asbury Park Press picked up on it.

Because the news was out, Steiner told The Press of Atlantic City on Saturday the buyer is Al Parinello, the former owner of a South Jersey radio station, WJSE-FM. Parinello is a Broadway producer, including of the long-running musical The Fantasticks.

Steiner said hes extremely confident the show will go on this year, three years after the Surflight last hosted plays.

Ill be the producing artistic director, and away we go, he said.

The formal announcement is set for Monday at the Museum of New Jersey Maritime History, also in Beach Haven.

Mayor Nancy Taggart Davis plans to be there and is scheduled to meet with Steiner and the buyer after the announcement. So are members of the boroughs Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.

And while Davis said shed be thrilled to see the Surflight up and running again, she added she does have some reservations about celebrating just yet.

Ive been working hard to get a theater back in town, and Ill be very happy if it does work out, she said. She emphasizes the borough has no financial obligations in this. We want a theater, and well do what we can to make it successful.

Davis has met with Steiner before, and she confirmed the buyer has a deal with TD Bank, the owner after the bankruptcy. She said her qualms come from Surflights status as a key part of the historic district, the jurisdiction of the towns Historic Preservation Advisory Commission.

The historic (commission) wants to preserve the theater, and they dont want to make any concessions to allowing it to be demolished if the theater fails, Davis said.

Jeanette Lloyd, who heads that commission, agreed any possible demolition discussion is her big worry. The Surflight already closed in bankruptcy once, and commission members dont want to see the theater disappear if its not an immediate hit.

The positive part about (the news) is that everyone in town is relieved its going to open up, she said. But, Lloyd added later, There are little hiccups in that.  I hope that it is successful and none of this comes true.

The Maritime Museum was founded by Deb Whictcraft, a former Beach Haven mayor. She knows the Surflight has almost seven decades of history, but lately that history has hit lots of twists.

I certainly wish the buyers well, but I hope  theyre not underestimating what its going to cost to restore it, she said. It would be a good thing not just for Beach Haven but for the entire (Long Beach) Island. Im just cautiously optimistic, but well all find a lot more out on Monday.
Give administration time

Some may think that the dissention in the country is a repudiation of the new president or his goals. I do not.

I believe that President Trump is suffering from political growing pains and as of this writing hasnt got a viable Cabinet. As a result, disloyal forces in the bureaucracy, opposed to his agenda, are still in place.

I urge all those who supported his candidacy to give his administration time to accomplish what they wanted: lower taxes, jobs, less regulation, pride in America, and a president who actually believes in American excellence.

I know that some mistakes will be made and a dishonest, discredited media will ill-report successes and denigrate progress. Leftists, liberal Democrats, the media and those who believe in open borders will make a lot of noise  maybe even ignore Islamic terror when it inevitably strikes  and continue to violate the will of voters at the paid expense of the Democratic Party, ACLU, Black Lives Matter supporters, George Soros and other organizations. But they cannot deter the fed-up citizens who elected this president and want to give him a chance.

Robert S. Viola

Somers Point

Obama unfairly criticized

Regarding the Feb. 15 letter, History wont be kind to Obama presidency:

The writer accuses President Obama and his administration of committing a host of scandals. Not agreeing with some of the presidents actions does not make those actions scandals. Some of those so-called scandals were not even guided by Obama. One example, Obama was not responsible with what happened in Benghazi, Libya.

Two of the writers claimed scandals concerned me. One is that Obama said we are no longer just a Christian nation. Obama is correct. We are not a theocracy. The Constitution makes that clear. We are a nation of many religions and non-believers.

The second issue is the accusation of Obama denigrating all cops because of a few bad apples. I recently heard Obama address that issue in an interview. Obama told the interviewer that when he addressed incidents of police killing unarmed men and boys, no matter how profanely he made it perfectly clear that he was 100 percent behind police officers, and that he admired and respected the hard work they do, people only heard the part about his concerns about rogue cops.

During those police incidents, he spent as much time speaking of his appreciation of police officers as he did of his concern about those that crossed the line. But people hear only what they want to hear.

Eddie E. Hicks Sr.

Galloway Township

Trump, Christie disgraces

I notice that President Trump likes to use the word disgrace often. Gov. Chris Christie also uses it often. Both these individuals only use the word when they dont get what they want. Well, the public in general has an opinion about disgrace.

Both of these politicians have lied continually to the people of this state and country. Thats a disgrace. They have appointed people who are disgraceful. Anyone with absolutely no experience or knowledge should not be put in charge of any major department. Its a case of the blind and stupid leading the same. Not only is this a disgrace but it will probably lead into a very bad place, ruin the economy, perhaps involve the nation in a world war, and kill Americans abroad. This is a disgrace.

We foes of Trump and Christie have allowed a small group to decide an election that could have an effect that might possibly end this country as we know it. This is a disgrace.

The discussion and investigation surrounding the election and the people involved is a total disgrace. Americans didnt elect an emperor, they elected a supposed leader. Like Trump University students, people have been bamboozled. The mid-term elections are coming.

James K. Aumack

Cape May

Too busy to protest

The left is probably wondering why conservatives are not out there protesting. The answer is simple. Conservatives have jobs and are working.

Ted Hesser

Mays Landing
U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo had strong words Saturday for President Donald Trump in response to reports Trump wants to drastically reduce maritime security spending.

Whomever is advising President Trump that the (Coast Guard) Service could do more with even less is detached from the facts and reality on the ground, the 2nd District Republican wrote in a statement.

LoBiondo is a senior member of the House Coast Guard and Maritime Security Subcommittee.

A Business Insider story states Trumps budget proposal could include as much as $1.3 billion in Coast Guard cuts.

The potential effect on Air Station Atlantic City and the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May are not known yet, LoBiondos news release said.

Let me be absolutely, 110 percent clear  if President Trump seeks to reduce operations and Coast Guard personnel at Air Station AC or TRACEN Cape May, I will do everything in my power, rallying my colleagues in the New Jersey delegation and across Congress, to sink his misguided and dangerous plan, LoBiondo said.

Trump is expected to give his budget proposal to Congress later this month.

LoBiondo has been critical of the Republican Trump administration in the past.

On Thursday, he called for U.S. Attorney Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from investigations into Russian meddling in the U.S. election.

We cannot defend our homeland and continue critical security missions without the U.S. Coast Guard. It is as simple as that, LoBiondo wrote.

The men and women of the Coast Guard are doing an outstanding job, stretching the limited resources they receive now to keep our waters and ports safe, LoBiondo wrote in his statement. From traditional search and rescue to maritime security and drug interdiction, there is no other dedicated or capable force as the U.S. Coast Guard.
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.




Seema Kumari married her husband in a hospital, after he met with an accident in Muzaffarpur.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: Weddings happen in all kinds of exotic places, but have you heard of one taking place in a hospital? That's precisely where Seema Kumari exchanged vows with her groom, who lay on a bed during the ceremony, on Friday.

The wedding had been scheduled to be held today. So why was the ceremony advanced?

The groom, Lalji Kumar, had met with a serious road accident on March 1, after returning to Muzaffarpur from Delhi - where he works for a private company. At that point, wedding preparations were in full swing.

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Lalji's right leg was fractured, and he was hospitalized.

When Seema learned of the accident, she rushed to his side. After taking care of him for a couple of days, she said she didn't want to return home, and insisted on marrying Lalji on the very same day. It was a courageous demand.

Seema's and Lalji's families initially expressed shock, but soon relented. And a wedding that was unique in more ways than one, was celebrated in the presence of family members, and other patients.

READ ALSO | From video invites to drones, Maharashtra BJP chief's son's wedding is straight out of a Karan Johar movie

--- ENDS ---
This educational program, devoted to the professional development of young radiologists, has been created on the occasion of the 90 th anniversary of Bracco, in continuity with the company's long-lasting commitment to support the diagnostic imaging community.

"I am particularly proud to partner with the ESR for this important educational program," said Fulvio Renoldi Bracco, Head of the Business Unit Imaging at Bracco Imaging. "For decades, we have been supporting the development of the radiological community with continuous efforts in education. This year, on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of Bracco, we are confirming our commitment to the values that have been at the core of our attention: education for the talents of the future and development of the radiology profession," he added.

"I am very happy that Bracco and ESR share a common vision of radiology education, and this convergence of ideas, and joining of forces, will open up the world of international education for a new generation of young radiologists," said Prof. Paul M. Parizel, ECR 2017 and ESR President said.

With the "Bracco Fellowships" program, which will be coordinated by the European School of Radiology (ESOR), Bracco will provide 90 grants that will be used to support the training of young radiologists with high leadership potential at leading healthcare centres.

About Bracco Imaging

Bracco Imaging S.p.A., part of the Bracco Group, is one of the world's leading companies in the diagnostic imaging business. Headquartered in Milan, Italy, Bracco Imaging develops, manufactures and markets diagnostic imaging agents and solutions that meet medical needs.

Bracco Imaging offers a product and solution portfolio for all key diagnostic imaging modalities: X-ray Imaging (including Computed Tomography-CT, Interventional Radiology, and Cardiac Catheterization), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS), Nuclear Medicine through radioactive tracers, and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. The diagnostic imaging offer is completed by several medical devices and advanced administration systems for contrast imaging products in the fields of radiology.

The Company operates in more than 100 markets worldwide, either directly or indirectly, through subsidiaries, joint ventures, licenses and distribution partnership agreements. With an on-going research covering all key modalities, Bracco Imaging has a strong presence in key geographies: North America, Europe and Japan operating through the Joint Venture Bracco-Eisai Co. Ltd. The Company also operates in Brazil, South Korea, and China through the Joint Venture Bracco Sine Pharmaceutical Corp. Ltd.

Operational investments have been made in order to achieve top quality and compliances with a sustainable eco-friendly production. Manufacturing activities are located in Italy, Switzerland, Japan, China, and Germany.

Bracco Imaging is an innovative Research and Development (R&D) player with an efficient process oriented approach and a track record of innovation in the diagnostic imaging industry. R&D activities are managed in the three Research Centres located in Italy, Switzerland, and USA.

To learn more about Bracco Imaging, visit www.braccoimaging.com.

About ESR and ESOR

Founded in 2005, by merging the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) and the European Association of Radiology (EAR), the European Society of Radiology (ESR) is an apolitical, non-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening and unifying European radiology.

With more than 69,300 members across the globe, it has grown to become the largest radiological society in the world and hosts one of the biggest and most innovative scientific meetings in Europe, the European Congress of Radiology, in Vienna each year.

The Society works closely with national radiological societies across Europe and further afield, while establishing relationships with major international organisations from other related fields. It also monitors developments on the EU level which could have an impact on research and practice in radiology, with the best interests of the patient as its overriding goal.

The European School of Radiology (ESOR) is an institution, fulfilling the mission of the European Society of Radiology (ESR) in the field of education. One of its main goals is to assist in harmonising radiological education in Europe. With its wide range of activities ESOR additionally aims to raise standards in the field of scientific radiology, to extend and coordinate teaching resources worldwide and to help young radiologists to achieve the knowledge and skills to fulfil tomorrow's requirements. ESOR is celebrating its 10th anniversary on the occasion of ECR 2017.

To learn more about the ESR and its activities, visit www.myesr.org

Press contact:

Roberto Cattaneo

Bracco Imaging Media Relations

mediarelations.imaging@bracco.com

+39-02-21771

Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/474743/Bracco_90th_Anniversary_Logo.jpg

Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/474742/ESR_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Bracco Imaging S.p.A.
Beehive has become the first peer to peer lending platform to set up offices in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and become officially authorised and regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA).

(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/474113/Fintech_and_Peer_to_Peer_Lending_Infographic.jpg )

The new regulation is a first for the region and could catalyse growth of the fintech industry. Not only will it ensure clear governance for fintech businesses but will also provide added protection and peace of mind for peer to peer retail investors. Its introduction is particularly timely as peer to peer lending, also known as lending based crowdfunding, is becoming an increasingly important route for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to access finance. Global peer to peer lending is forecast to reach more than USD $300 billion by 2020.

Beehive was launched in Dubai in 2014 by serial entrepreneur, Craig Moore, aided by Rick Pudner, former Group CEO of Emirates NBD.

Craig Moore, Beehive Founder and CEO, said:

"We're delighted to be regulated by the DFSA. This regulation reinforces Beehive as one of the fintech leaders in the region and we feel this greatly expands the opportunity to further help SMEs and the wider economy."

The UAE has been quick to embrace the fintech revolution occurring in the region and has championed innovative new business models which can help the economy. Regulation is another important step towards the UAE's vision of becoming a fintech hub, attracting talented financial innovators and entrepreneurs. It also follows up the recent launch of the FinTech Hive accelerator programme in DIFC, which will pioneer financial technologies.

The new regulatory framework and the DIFC Authority's focus on building a flourishing fintech ecosystem was a key motivation behind Beehive's decision to set up offices in DIFC.

Salmaan Jaffery, Chief Business Development Officer for the DIFC Authority, commented: "I'd like to welcome Beehive to the DIFC. Their presence reinforces how the DIFC is leading the way in the region for innovation and developing the fintech sector. We are sure that Beehive will prosper here, thanks to our unrivalled ecosystem and world class regulation."

Rick Pudner, Beehive Chairman, added:

"Peer to peer lending is going from strength to strength and has become a valid alternative for SME funding in the Middle East. This is an exciting time for fintech in the region and it's great to see regulators getting behind innovative business models that can have a positive impact on the economy."

Since launch, Beehive has registered almost 4500 investors, who have successfully funded in excess of AED 75 million across more than 150 SME funding requests.

About Beehive: Beehive website

Launched in November 2014, Beehive, the UAE's leading online peer to peer lending platform, facilitates flexible Sharia compliant financing solutions for established SMEs seeking finance from AED 100,000 for up to 3 years. Beehive directly connects businesses looking for finance with a crowd of investors, creating mutually beneficial partnerships for growth.

Individual investors can invest from as little as AED 100 into any business listed on the platform. Beehive undertakes thorough due diligence on each business listed on the platform and facilitates the finance agreement between the business and investors, charging a small percentage fee of the finance amount.

About Peer to Peer Lending:

Peer-to-peer lending is founded on (loan based) crowdfunding principles and refers to investors directly investing into businesses via an online platform. This process is more streamlined and efficient and operating costs are reduced versus conventional financial institutions. As a result, peer to peer lending gives businesses faster access to low cost finance and investors better returns on their money and diversified risk.

For more information, email: marketing@beehive.ae

SOURCE Beehive P2P Limited
LONDON, March 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

This is an opportunity to meet us at the International Franchise Expo in Mexico and find out more about business opportunities in educational franchising.

The Helen Doron Educational Group, an international leader in children's educational programs, announced today that it has increased its presence in Latin America with the addition of a new franchisor, Miguel Candia, in Jalisco, Mexico. "Finding the right people to join our community of educational entrepreneurs strengthens our global brand," said Anne Gordon, Vice President, Customer Business Development. "We are pleased to welcome Miguel Candia to our international network of EFL franchisors. We believe this new franchise operation will act as a catalyst for growth in Mexico and all of Latin America."

(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/472456/Helen_Doran_Education.jpg )



Candia, a qualified lawyer, is optimistic about the future of his newly opened franchise, anticipating strong interest from the local community. "Helen Doron English will give our children a passport to their future with tools to be able to communicate all over the world," he said. Joining the team on the pedagogic side is Gabriela Palomera, a trained psychologist and experienced Helen Doron teacher.

Building on the company's recent expansion in Mexico, Helen Doron Educational Group will attend the International Franchise Fair, Mexico City taking place from March 9-11, to introduce its business model to entrepreneurs looking for educational franchising opportunities. "Having established a firm foothold in Mexico, Peru and Ecuador, we are now looking to expand our reach to other countries in the region," said Gordon.

Meet the Helen Doron Educational Group at Stand #1338 at the International Franchise Expo, taking place at the World Trade Center in Mexico. For further information on business opportunities in education, visit http://www.helendorongroup.com.

Helen Doron Educational Group - Breaking New Boundaries in Children's Education

Founded in 1985 to teach children English as a Foreign Language, the Helen Doron Educational Group has more than 900 learning centers and kindergartens in 35 countries worldwide. Helen Doron's innovative and proven methodology is the creative inspiration behind the company's flagship franchise, Helen Doron English, along with Helen Doron Kindergartens, MathRiders, and Ready Steady Move! To date, the Group has taught more than two million children to speak English, master maths, experience nature, and learn through movement. The Group seeks franchisees and business partners to expand its rich educational content and continue breaking new boundaries in children's education. For more information, see http://www.helendorongroup.com.

Carlos Bedoya

LATAM Representative of Helen Doron

carlos_sales@helendorongroup.com

+57-3007791847



SOURCE Helen Doron Educational Group
SYDNEY, March 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

PM Automotive Group, a leading automotive retailer consisting of 12 franchises, has selected Real Asset Management's (RAM) software to improve the fixed asset accounting processes across its numerous sites. It decided that due to the accelerated growth of the company, it would benefit from implementing a specialist solution to replace the spreadsheet system that it had in place previously.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/327800LOGO )



The group was established in Melbourne, Australia in 1912 and has been operating in its local community for over 100 years. Established as one of the oldest and most highly respected motor vehicle retailers in the country, it offers its customers the opportunity to buy new or used vehicles across 8 brands. It now has 10 franchises in Victoria and two in the Australian Capital Territory, with further growth planned across the country.

PM Automotive Group moved from a spreadsheet-based process to RAM's software to improve the accuracy of data and to ensure a detailed audit trail is kept. Shaun Palipane, Group Accountant at the company states, "We are growing quickly which is leading to an asset base that is more complex to manage. As such, implementing a specialist system was the right move. Using spreadsheets had its limitations, the level of control that we required was not there and it was open to human error."

The group has assets across a number of locations which made establishing a clear understanding of depreciation costs by site a key objective. Moving over to RAM's software has allowed the group to apply a consistent approach to asset management across all areas, which will make reporting simpler and ensure that information for each site is collated and accessible to authorised users.

"We have developed an excellent working relationship with RAM," Palipane concludes. "Negotiations were smooth and professional and the implementation team has proved extremely helpful. Everybody at RAM is more than happy to help whenever we have queries."

Real Asset Management is a leading provider of Fixed Asset Management and Maintenance software across Oceania. Some of its recent clients include the Unitec Institute of Technology, Cohen Group and Lowes Petroleum.

Real Asset Management (RAM) is a leading provider of fixed asset management and logistics software & services. Over the last 30 years, its products have been implemented by more than 3,000 organisations in over 70 countries.

With offices across the world, servicing customers in Australia/New Zealand, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and the Americas, RAM offers a range of products and consultancy services that enable organisations to effectively track, maintain and account for their assets. Its Series4000 solution offers facilities management, maintenance management, asset tracking (utilising mobile apps/barcodes/RFID) fixed asset and lease accounting, and tax reporting.

For further information, please contact:

Richard Exley

Real Asset Management Software Pty Ltd

Tel: +61-(02)-9274-8828

Email: rexley@realassetmgt.com

Twitter: @RealAssetMgt



SOURCE Real Asset Management Software Pty Ltd
MOORESVILLE, N.C., March 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Madvapes, a leading retailer in electronic cigarettes and producer of premium e-liquids, has successfully registered 86 e-liquid products to comply with the European Tobacco Products Directive (TPD).

Madvapes has developed strong partnerships with international testing laboratories and has invested significant resources and capital into the registration process. Madvapes is a strong believer in quality assurance and produces e-liquids to high standards. As part of the process, the company's e-liquids were subjected to rigorous testing requirements at an independent laboratory and detailed ingredient disclosures were provided to the EU Commission. Madvapes has now received registration numbers from the EU DG Health and Food Safety Department who administer TPD compliance procedures for these products.

Registration enables Madvapes to continue to sell a select number of proprietary brands as well as third-party brands where it has distribution agreements within key European markets. Madvapes has a growing retail footprint in Germany with locations in Frankfurt and Russelheim with more locations planned to open soon as well as a location in Dublin, Ireland. In addition to its US retail footprint, Madvapes distributes e-liquids in USA, Germany, United Kingdom and Ireland.

"We are excited about this step in developing strong brands around the globe. The experience registering with TPD is a great precursor for working with the FDA through the outlined PMTA process. Our goal is to provide our customers around the globe with high-quality, great tasting products," Mark Kehaya, Madvapes Chairman comments.

Madvapes mission is to help those seeking an alternative to Tobacco with products, education and services, it caters for consumers new to vaping as well as seasoned vaping enthusiasts. Madvapes carries a comprehensive range of vaping products and e-liquids in its stores which are spread across the Eastern States of the USA and Texas.

About Madvapes

Madvapes is a Mooresville, NC based corporation, distributes electronic cigarettes, e-liquids, mods, parts and accessories. Madvapes has one of the largest retail footprints in the U.S., including a franchise offering, and has a growing European footprint. Established in 2009 and a leading authority in Electronic Cigarettes, Madvapes is an advocate for consumer product education, safety and regulatory governance.

For more information, please visit: Madvapes.com

CONTACT: Madvapes, [email protected]

SOURCE Madvapes

Related Links

http://madvapes.com


If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Hyderabad, March 1 : In a tragic incident, a woman died of shock on learning about her husband's death in a road accident, soon after delivering a baby.

S. Somesh (30), a police constable died in a road accident in Nalgonda town of Telangana on February 26. Police said he lost control of the motorbike he was riding and hit the divider, resulting in his death.

As Hemalatha was pregnant and had gone for delivery to her parents' house in Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, she was not informed about the accident.

After she delivered a male baby in a private hospital, the relatives informed her that Somesh was dead. This caused her huge shock and led to her death.

The couple already had a two-year-old daughter.

With the two children losing their parents, the families plunged into a gloom. The heartbreaking scene brought tears to people.
Beijing, March 3 : It would be dangerous for China if it adopted an arrogant attitude towards India and ignored its increasing competitiveness in the manufacturing sector, a Chinese daily said on Friday.

An editorial in Global Times said India's growing might in its manufacturing sector means stiff competition and more pressure on China.

It said that despite demonetisation slowing the Indian economy, the touted growth of 8.3 per cent in the manufacturing sector was quite an achievement.

"There has been a lot of discussion about whether India's higher-than-expected economic growth of 7 per cent from October to December 2016 is authentic and reliable. Meanwhile, less attention is being paid to bright points in the country's economy. What cannot be overlooked is the increasing competitiveness of the manufacturing sector in India."

"India's January exports to China soared 42 percent year-on-year was overlooked by most Chinese analysts, but it will be a very dangerous venture if China adopts an arrogant attitude toward India's increasing competitiveness."

"Although (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi's demonetisation move put a dent in India's economic momentum, the country's manufacturing sector still grew 8.3 per cent in the third quarter of the country's fiscal year. This is a great achievement for India, even if the growth figure may be exaggerated as some analysts suggest."

"Manufacturing development in a large country like India means more pressure on China. The increasing competitiveness from India's manufacturing sector is a issue of strategic importance and deserves more attention."

The daily said it would be premature to say if India could replace China as a manufacturing giant.

"It is not easy to form a complete industry chain from screw to commercial airliner in a short time, increased competitiveness from Indian-made products should be closely watched."
New Delhi, March 3 : Actress Alia Bhatt, whose father, veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt received death threats over WhatsApp, says she had nothing to worry about and now everything is in control.

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday arrested one person, who issued death threats to Mahesh Bhatt, his wife Soni Razdan and daughter Alia.

"Honestly, I would not like to talk about that much because now everything has been solved. Everything is in control," Alia said at a press conference of her forthcoming film "Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya" here on Friday.

"The only thing I can say is that I am really thankful to the Uttar Pradesh Police and Mumbai police, and of course my father as I didn't have anything to worry about from my side. I think nobody should get this (death threats). Not only celebrities, all human beings should not get these threats," she added.

Mahesh Bhatt lodged a complaint at the Juhu police station in Mumbai about extortion-cum-death threat against himself, wife Soni and Alia from an "unknown person" on Wednesday night.

Later, Mumbai police's Anti-Extortion Cell contacted the Uttar Pradesh Police Special Task Force (STF) which swung into action and zeroed in on the suspect -- identified as Sandeep Sahu.

Mahesh Bhatt said the caller demanded Rs 50 lakh, failing which he would eliminate his wife and Alia.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI) Activist Teesta Setalvad, a session on whose book has been cancelled by Oxford Bookstore, today hit out at its management, terming it as an act of "self-censorship".

The popular bookstore here has cancelled the session that was scheduled to be held tomorrow, citing "volatile" situation in the city in the wake of back-to-back student protests.

advertisement

"It appears to be an act of self-censorship. There was absolutely no need for it. It is sad that such things are happening in the capital of the country. We are dealing with forces that cannot tolerate dissent of any kind, particularly political dissent," Setalvad told PTI.

She said that the book had a "fantastic release" in Mumbai and sessions on it were held in Varanasi and in the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi.

In a mail to LeftWord Books, the publisher of her latest memoir Foot Soldier of the Constitution, Oxford Bookstore had raised the spectre of "disruption" by "external elements" to justify the cancellation.

"We feel that while March 6 is too uncomfortably close to the forthcoming elections, the situation has been further exasperated by the recent student protests in the city.

"The mood in the capital is very volatile, and I am sure that all three partners -- LeftWord, Caravan and Oxford Bookstore -- would not like to entertain the remotest possibility of disruption by external elements to mar the event in any way.

"Under the circumstances we have no choice but to express our inability to host the event at this point of time," the mail from the Oxford management, shared by theatre artist Sudhanva Deshpande on social media, reads.

When contacted, the Oxford management said it would not issue any public statement on the issue.

The session, that will also feature news magazine The Caravans political editor Hartosh Singh Bal, will now be held in the Press Club of India tomorrow.

Bal also criticised Oxfords decision in a series of tweets, saying that backing out of a book discussion is about crawling without being "asked to bend".

"Lets not blame the Right or the govt, cowardice cannot be justified by evoking a threat that has not been made (sic)," he wrote. PTI SBR/TRS SMN

--- ENDS ---
Varanasi, March 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the temple town of Varanasi on Saturday for his road show amid huge enthusiasm from his supporters here in his parliamentary constituency.

Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah and other senior leaders were present to greet him when he arrived at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in a special Indian Air Force chopper.

After a brief interaction he moved in his bulletproof car in a cavalcade to a guest house.

Thousands of people were lined up along the routes of Modi's road show, ahead of the March 8 polls here.

A minor scuffle between Samajwadi Party (SP) and BJP workers took place outside the Singh Dwar of the BHU from where the Prime Minister will start his road show.

At another point, SP workers erected a stage in the middle of the route road and the police had to forcefully remove it before deatining seven SP workers.
New York, March 5 : Social media giant Facebook has launched its much hyped "fake news" crackdown initiative in the US, tagging as "disputed" the stories that are deemed false by fact checking organisations, the media reported on Sunday.

The new feature uses non-partisan third-party organisations like Snopes and Politifact to assess the factual accuracy of stories reported as fake by users.

On its help centre page, Facebook has added a question "How is news marked as disputed on Facebook?" However, the section noted that this feature is not yet available to everyone.

It is unclear how many people currently have access to the "fake news" debunking feature, rt.com reported.

The new tool was first revealed by users on Twitter, who shared screenshots which identified links to sites known to produce misinformation.

Facebook had introduced a solution to false stories last December amid outcries that so-called fake news influenced the outcome of the US presidential election.

Thus, the technology giant partnered with fact checkers that are signatories of the journalism non-profit Poynter's International Fact Checking Code of Principles and included ABC News, FactCheck.org,Snopes and Politifact, the report said.

Stories flagged by Facebook users as 'fake news' are passed on to these fact checkers for verification. If the fact-checkers agree that the story is misleading, it will appear in News Feeds with a "disputed" tag, along with a link to a corresponding article explaining why it might be false.

These posts then appear lower in the news feed and users will receive a warning before sharing the story.

Similar efforts are planned in Europe amid threats from the European Union to reduce on the spread of misinformation. The social networking site recently revealed fact checking partnerships in Germany and France ahead of respective elections in each country.
Damascus, March 5 : The injured pilot of Syrian fighter jet, which crashed near Syrian-Turkish border, was found by Turkish rescue team on Sunday morning.

The fighter jet crashed in central Antakya, 35 km from the Syrian border, on Saturday night after the pilot lost control over it, Xinhua news agency reported.

The pilot escaped after ejecting safely but was injured on landing. He was found in southern Hatay province after a nine-hour search.

The pilot was found exhausted, 40 km from the wreckage of the jet.

A Syrian opposition group, Ahrar al-Sham, claimed that it shot down an aircraft belonging to the Syrian government on Saturday.

The plane was allegedly bombing Idlib province in northern Syria.
Dhar (Madhya Pradesh), March 5 : A couple and their two sons were killed in a road accident on Sunday when the motorbike they were riding was knocked down by some vehicle in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.

Shobharam, 40, of Ghatabillod in Dhar district, his wife Kala Bai, 35, and sons Ayush, 12, and Akash, 10, were killed on the spot when a vehicle hit their motorbike on the Indore-Ahmedabad national highway. The family was going to Pariyal, Sadalpur police station chief Ramesh Chandra Awasiya told IANS.

According to Awasiya, Shobharam's motorbike was hit twice by some bigger vehicle, after which its driver sped away.

The four bodies have been to the hospital for the post-mortem examination, and the police are looking for the offending vehicle, Awaidiya said.
Varanasi, March 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday resumed the second leg of his mega road show in this Uttar Pradesh temple town as a large crowd of supporters and BJP workers eagerly awaited him.

The Prime Minister first flew to the Police Lines in a special Indian Air Force chopper from the airport and made way in his bullet-proof car in a convoy to the Pandeypur area, from where his second leg of road show was to commence.

The five-km road show would be from Police Lines to Kashi Vidyapeeth.

A number of local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders greeted Modi at the helipad and presented him bouquets.

Thousands of people were lined up along the routes of Modi's road show and the enthusiastic crowds occasionally broke into 'Modi, Modi' chants.

Varanasi is also Modi's parliamentary constituency.
Kolkata, March 5 : After the arrest of a father-son duo for allegedly using their nursing home as "safe house" for trafficking children, a couple was arrested from West Bengal's South 24-Parganas district on Sunday for facilitating such trafficking.

"Shyamal Baidya and his wife Sabitri were arrested from South 24-Pargana's Shibanipur on Sunday morning for allegedly working as go-between in multiple newborn child trafficking cases," said an officer from Falta police station.

According to the police, the couple was connected with many nursing homes in the city where these illegal dealings took place.

The accused couple, however, said they were not directly involved and claimed the child trafficking deals took place through several city doctors.

Baidya said he has given away the names of those involved in the case to the police.

"I am not aware of everything but I have told police that people used to come to the hospitals through the doctors. The doctors also brought illegitimate children from unmarried couples to the hospitals," he said.

"I have given the names of doctors who I know are involved in this case, including a doctor who practises in the Sealdah area," he added.

Meanwhile, Harisadhan Khan and Prabir Khan, who were arrested on Friday for using their nursing home as a "safe house" for trafficking children, have been sent to 12 days in police custody, the police said.

The father and son, who own the Falta-based "Jiban Deep" nursing home, were arrested based on the information gleaned from some suspects in the trafficking case.

Three babies, aged between three to six months, were recovered from a bush near Falta on November 29, prompting the police to begin the investigation.

This is the third child trafficking racket busted in the state in the past couple of months.

A number of doctors, hospital owners, nurses and attendants have been arrested by the state police's CID in November-December last year after the racket in trafficking newborn children was unearthed in North 24-Parganas district's Baduria town.

Last month, another sensational case came to light in northern West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district where six people were arrested by the CID.

The arrested were physician Debasish Chanda, government official Mrinal Ghosh, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Juhi Chowdhury, child adoption centre Chairperson Chandana Chakraborty, who is also a primary school headmistress, and two of her aides Sonali Mondal and Manas Bhowmick.
New Delhi, March 5 : A south Delhi neighbourhood on Sunday began getting round-the-clock potable water through taps in a major project that a minister said will be implemented across the national capital.

A first in Delhi, the pilot project was started at Navjeevan Vihar, a part of the larger and thickly populated Malviya Nagar area.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Water Minister Kapil Mishra inaugurated the project.

Mishra pointed out that not getting potable water in taps was one area which divided Indian cities from the rest of the developed world.

"It may be a small step but what we have done today bridges the gap between Delhi and other major cities of the world," he said to applause from residents gathered in large numbers.

"Getting running and potable water through taps is an indicator that Delhi is on the path of becoming a world class city," Mishra added.

This scheme would soon be implemented all over Delhi, he said.

The minister said Delhi had been divided into 1,010 units. Each unit would be isolated and fixed in order to provide every household with round-the-clock drinking water.

Mishra pointed out how Indians, after returning from cities like London or Singapore, would never fail to mention that they could drink straight from the taps there -- unlike in India.

It was Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's dream that Delhi should also embrace this idea, Mishra said.

Sisodia said maintaining the project would be a challenge unless the project was spread across the city.

Delhi Jal Board supplies drinking water to most residential and commercial areas through taps but for only select hours.

In other parts of Delhi where there is no water network, water tanks supply water.

Mishra said the Delhi government was determined to bring into its water network the entire city - be it slums, unauthorized colonies or the middle and posh areas.
Kathmandu, March 5 : Three Indians were arrested, in two separate incidents, with a huge cache of drugs in Nepal's Hetauda city on Sunday, police said.

The cache of hashish and marijuana are said to be valued millions in market.

Police in Hetauda, while conducting a regular security check up on Sunday, discovered 125 kg hashish, packed in 217 plastic packets, in the roof of an Indian-registered vehicle. The vehicle's occupants, Merja Shah and Mithlesh Sahani, both Indian nationals, were arrested.

Both the Indian nationals took approval to visit Nepal for three days but were returning within a day after loading the hashish.

Superintendent of Police Basanta Kumar Lama said they were tipped off about the consignment, which was loaded on the vehicle in Dhading district, close to the capital, and reached Hetauda to its way to India's Raxaul.

"The discovered hashish is valued at (Indian) Rs 3.1 million in market," said Lama.

In the other incident, 62 kg of marijuana was found in an another Indian truck also heading back to Raxaul and driver Manoj Kumar Yadav arrested.

Yadav, in his statement to police, has admitted of loading the marijuana on the way to Hetauda to smuggle it into India, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Bamdev Gautam. The discovered marijuana is valued at (Indian) Rs 400,000.

Police in Hetauda has arrested 14 Indian nationals and seized eight vehicles in past three months for carrying contraband drugs to India.

Nepal is an easy market for Indian drug users, particularly hashish and marijuana, due to open borders and easy availability of the narcotics.
Varanasi, March 5 : The historical city of Banaras (Varanasi) needs a complete, modern makeover and "it is my dream" to achieve this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Sunday.

"Earlier governments did only tidbits (of development work) for Banaras with an eye on short-term electoral gains. But these tidbits won't help Banaras. The city needs a complete, modern makeover and it is my dream to turn this city into a modern world-class city," said Modi, addressing a huge gathering at Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth here at the conclusion of his road show.

Modi said people of Banaras can make it the city the world imagines it to be "only if some impediments are removed".

He said that if earlier governments had given proper attention, Kashi (another older name for Varanasi) could have become an attraction for the world.

"People would have yearned to visit Banaras at least once," he said.

Singing paeans to the city, Modi said Banaras is older than history and traditions, proverbs and maxims.

"Banaras is not a city, it is a living heritage. Every Indian considers Banaras as his own," he said.
Varanasi, March 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday resumed his mega-show in Varanasi culminating in a rally where he hit out against the opposition while singing paeans to the historic city of Banaras and promising to turn it around into a modern world class metropolis.

His resumed five-km road show began at Pandeypur Square and wound its way through Chaukaghat, Teliabagh, Maldahiya and Patel Chowk to culminate at the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, where Modi addressed a huge gathering.

"Earlier governments did only tidbits (of development work) for Banaras (the older name for Varanasi) with an eye on short-term electoral gains. But these tidbits won't help Banaras. The city needs a complete, modern makeover and it is my dream to turn this city into a modern world-class city," he said.

He said that if earlier governments had given proper attention, Kashi (another older name for Varanasi) could have become an attraction for the world.

"People would have yearned to visit Banaras at least once," he said.

Singing paeans to the city, Modi said Banaras is older than history and traditions, proverbs and maxims.

"Banaras is not a city, it is a living heritage. Every Indian considers Banaras as his own," he said.

Targeting political rivals Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday termed the two "galua", which he said in the local dialect meant those born with a silver spoon.

"The (Uttar Pradesh) Chief Minister (Akhilesh Yadav) and his new-found friend (Rahul Gandhi) are galua. They have got everything in inheritance, they are born with a silver spoon," Modi said.

"These people born in affluence are weak... they can't take tough decisions because they can't take pains. Only the one who has come from the grass root can take tough decisions," he said.

Modi, who began his speech by chanting "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Har Har Mahadev", cited the surgical strikes and demonetisation to underscore that the government should be capable of taking tough decisions.

He also took a jibe at the opposition, saying their motto is "kuchh ka sath, kuchh ka vikas" (selective association, selective development).

"There is fertile land and hard working people but there is no good government," he said.

The Prime Minister said the central government is ready to provide required funds for development of the region but the state government must be able to properly account for the expenses.

Modi said Uttar Pradesh would become the "number one" state in the country only after Poorvanchal is developed.

He said that electricity is something required by every household in this modern age but the Samajwadi Party government refused to take electricity from the Centre.

Earlier, the Prime Minister first flew from the airport to the Police Lines in a special Indian Air Force chopper. He then made his way in a bullet-proof car in a convoy to the Pandeypur area, from where the road show commenced.

Thousands of supporters thronged the route along which Modi went. Carrying BJP flags and shouting 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi', they waved at Modi, who acknowledged their greetings and waved back at them.

On Monday, Modi will address a public rally in Rohaniya before returning to New Delhi late in the evening.

Polling in Varanasi, which is also Modi's parliamentary constituency, and some surrounding districts will be held in the seventh and last phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections on March 8.
My Google search landed an article from the CBC News, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, in my inbox. Since my Google search zooms in on Egyptian topics only, the headline Id rather die than go back there, caught my attention.

The article revolves around an Egyptian gay manlets call him Tarek, seeking asylum in Canada. Tarek, a graduate from the University of Manitoba, is now on a work permit in Canada. Tareks Egyptian passport will expire in June, and he would like to speed up his immigration process to avoid deportation that may be imminent once his passport becomes void.

To do just that, Tarek has amassed all his documents and presented his case with evidence that proves hed rather die than go back to Egypt to face the ordeals that gay men face in Egypt. Facing deportation, I would have done just that: collected the necessary verification that corroborated my case and highlighted my pain and misery.

At the same time, I agree with Tarek that gay men are looked upon with disdain in Egypt and am fully aware of how they are treated. I sympathize with him and concur that, if he wants to live a normal life as a gay man, he is better off in Canada.

However, a few clarifications need to be addressed. First, He will be forced to go into the army, is one reason why Tarek dreads going back to Egypt. The Egyptian law stipulates that every male gets drafted, a compulsory military service; this means that Tarek is no better or worse than all the males of his age group in Egypt. Does this give all such males the right to seek asylum elsewhere or is Tarek any better than the rest?

In Egypt, students postpone drafting until they graduate, and a mandatory military service for a university graduate like Tarek is only one year, not three as mentioned in the article. He may also be allowed to avoid drafting if he is a single son, the son of an officer or conscript who died in battle, physically challenged, or the older son of a deceased father. At the same time, dual citizens are not expected to serve.

The other matter is that Tarek can renew his passport at the Egyptian Consulate in Ottawa; he neednt return to Egypt for that though I dont see his return as an issue; after all, he lived there all his life. This may alleviate the worry with regard to deportation until his immigration papers are finalized.

Also, according to the article, Tarek hasnt come out yet as a gay man, and he did not tell anyone but his father, who told him to keep silent about it. However, to him the publicity gained from publishing his dilemma in the Canadian media surpassed his need to keep it quiet. He must have thought carefully of the ramifications of such a move.

Im simply reiterating Tareks case, but Im more interested in how western media perceive the conduct of other nations and impose western standards on them.

Not in defence of but in acceptance of reality, I ask the western world, which has finally deemed same sex relationships as a right, to realize that it may take decades for other countries to accept changes in religious beliefs, social standards, and norms. It is not an easy goal and will definitely be fought against tooth and nail, so lets be more realistic here.

In fact, it took the West until recently to accept gays and their rights, but now that it is fait accompli in the West, the rest of the world must follow suit. When a change in what has been the norm for years is ratified, immediately the western media are horrified that the same is not implemented around the world. It is as though the West knows best. Well, it doesnt, and what may apply in the West may not suit the rest of the world.

I agree that human rights issues are universal matters; citizens of the globe should all be treated fairly. Fair enough, but deep-rooted and ingrained lifestyles are not easy to shake off. I suggest to western media not to rush the world into accepting their standards and imposing their ways. Its more complicated than that.

Both Canada and the US had a draft system at one point or another that was abolished since. That doesnt mean that other countries should do away with drafting; they may rely on such a system to face their own hardships be it war or terrorism.

Marijuana has been decriminalized for medicinal and other purposes in many states and provinces in both Canada and the US, but I doubt it will be legalized in many other countries at least for now.

Common law status, same sex marriage, and western liberalism work for the West, and the West perceive such matters as a symbol of modernity and equality, but other nations have the right to choose what fits their needs and their peoples.

Yes, change has come to the West but after a history of slavery, imperialism, and bigotry, so, West, let the world live the way it chooses. Dont demand what is unreasonable or at least what may fit you and not others. Give the rest of the world a break.

What fits the goose rarely fits the gander.
By Press Trust of India: Kalburgi (Ktk), Mar 5 (PTI) The Centre should immediately talk to US President Donald Trump to stop growing number of alleged hate crime incidents against the Indian community in that country, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said today.

"Central government should immediately speak to American President and take steps to stop such things, or else this may lead to international crisis in the days to come," he told reporters here, when asked about the attack on 39-year-old Sikh-American Deep Rai, who was shot outside his home in Kent, Washington, and recovering in a private hospital.

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This has come close on the heels of the hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country". Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gun shot wounds in his yard.

However, police said in Patels killing his Indian ethnicity did not appear to be a factor. PTI KSU BN SMJ

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi, March 5 : A 19-year-old student of Jamia Millia Islamia here died after coming in contact with a high tension wire while taking a selfie above a stationary goods train near Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station.

Police said the incident occurred on Saturday evening when the deceased, Mohammad Ayyub, a resident of Old Delhi area, had visited Nizamuddin area to attend a relative's marriage.

"Ayyub and other relatives, after attending the marriage function, came to the rail tracks around 6.30 p.m., where they found a stationary good trains. Ayyub climbed on top of the train to take a selfie and came in contact with high tension live wire overhead and died on the spot," a senior police officer said.

His relatives later informed the police about the incident, the officer added.

"His family members were informed about his death and his body was handed over to them on Sunday after a post-mortem examination. His last rites were performed at Nizamuddin graveyard," the officer added.

He was a First Year student and is survived by his parents, brother and sister.
New Delhi, March 5 : BJP MP from northwest Delhi Udit Raj, along with Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot on Sunday distributed free helping aids to hundreds of physically challenged people here.

Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Pal Gurjar also took part in the programme.

The camp witnessed distribution of total 1,402 aids, including 74 hearing-related aids, 106 smart kits, 24 blind sticks, 85 motor-driven tricycles, 459 hand-driven tricycles, 372 crutches, 97 wheel chairs, and 59 walking sticks, among others.

In the programme, Raj addressed the problems of physically challenged people, which they face in getting registered to receive the benefits provided to them by the government under different schemes.

The BJP MP requested fellow ministers to accelerate the process to remove the loopholes in the system.

He said that the central government was fully dedicated to the cause of supporting and empowering the specially-abled section of society.
Bengaluru, March 5 : The temporary suspension of premium H1-B visa processing by the US administration would delay their issue to the Indian IT firms too but is not a major imperdiment, said industry's representative body Nasscom on Sunday.

"The temporary suspension of premium H-1B processing will create some process delays for the companies - Indian and American -- but is not a significant impediment," said the National Association of Software Services and Companies (Nasscom) in a statement.

The US government has decided to suspend from April 3 premium processing of H1-B visas, which allowed some companies to jump the queue. Any company could get an H-1B visa in 15 days by paying $1,225 as an additional premium for processing their application as against 3-6 months in the normal course.

"The temporary move will not be an impediment for the $110 billion exporting software industry," said Nasscom, but noted it will delay issue of H-1B visas to Indian IT firms by six months.

The suspension came even as New Delhi pressed for a fair and rational approach on the matter from a trade and business perspective.

Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and Commerce Secretary Rita Teotia had told US officials and lawmakers in Washington to treat the visa issue under trade and services and not as an immigration matter.

Nasscom said: "Any change in the visa regime puts pressure on the Indian IT firms as they may result in their operational costs rising and shortage of skilled techies for the outsourcing industry."

"We will take up the issue with the US embassy in India to ensure the movement of our professionals is not hit by process issues," it added.

The US market contributes about 60 per cent of the export revenue for the Indian software sector, led by TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL and others.
Bagdogra (West Bengal), March 5 : Late night landing facility for civil aircraft may begin shortly at Bagdogra Airport in northern West Bengal, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said here on Sunday.

The minister, who was on an official visit to northern West Bengal, told media persons at the airport that the government has taken a number of steps to upgrade the airport.

Parrikar said Bagdogra - a town in Darjeeling district - was of significant importance as it was the gateway to the NorthEast, Bhutan and Nepal.

He said Bagdogra Airport would have 24-hour commercial flight operation as early as possible and assured that late night landing facility for civil aircrafts at Bagdogra Amay Abegin shortly.

He said the ministry was also looking into extending the terminal area and the project would be taken up if the required land was available.

The Defence Minister met representatives of Confederation of Indian Industry as also Aeight commercial operators including Indigo and Spicejet which operate from Bagdogra.

Earlier, he inaugurated the new building of Ramakrishna Shiksha Parishad (RKSP) Higher Secondary School at Darjeeling.

The school building, constructed with funding from the centre, has come up under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

Parrikar, who was accompanied by Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Lok Sabha member from Darjeeling S.S. Ahluwalia, said that the central government has already laid a special focus on north West Bengal, the strategic location of which is immense.
ULLs Professional Land and Resource Management class values future technology to assist in the success of students after graduation. To equip students for their career, technology is provided with hands-on experience. Professor Oliver Buster Leblanc requested professional landman and TotaLands Media Production Specialist Matt Castille demonstrate TotaLand, software used internationally by landmen. Castille will speak at the Professional Land and Resource Management class at the University of Lafayette Louisiana (ULL) on March 8 at 5:30 p.m. Highlighting the importance of organization skills needed as a landman, Castilles speech will include the necessity of utilizing leading-edge technology to gather data, view important details, and update data on various devices, then provide compiled data to clients.

I look forward to sharing technology with students that make the landmans job easier and more efficient, said Castille.

Working in groups to complete their master project, ULL students are researching titles for various tracts of land in Lafayette Parish, among other projects. Castille will assist students in this project by having them utilize TotaLands software to input data and create an Ownership Report. The students hands-on software training will provide valuable experience in using TotaLands database system, used by many companies.

TotaLand Technologies started 10 years ago to provide a software solution to eliminate paperwork for landmen and electronically manages leases, drafts, status reports, LPRs, among other reports. TotaLands clients expand nationally and internationally.

TotaLand Technologies is a wholly owned subsidiary of C.H. Fenstermaker & Associates, L.L.C. Fenstermaker is a highly diversified, multi-disciplinary consulting firm. TotaLand is led by President Alan Day who is also CIO of Fenstermaker.

For more information, contact TotaLands Marketing Specialist Michele Day at 337.552.7880 or email mday(at)totaland(dot)com.
Reservoir Creative co-founders Jamal Farley and Amyn Kaderali We couldn't be more excited to launch our new San Francisco headquarters. The Bay Area is the hub of innovation, technology, and creativity and we relish the opportunity to collaborate with our inspiring clients to make some really great content.

Reservoir Creative, one of California's premiere commercial video production companies, announced today the opening of two new offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Founded by award-winning filmmakers Jamal Farley and Amyn Kaderali, Reservoir Creative is best known for creating exceptional television and web advertising for clients such as New Relic, Lending Club, VenueNext, Mommy's Bliss and ACLU. A full-service production company, Reservoir specializes in collaborating with their clients and crafting original and memorable commercial content from start to finish.

"We couldn't be more excited to launch our new San Francisco headquarters," noted Jamal Farley. "The Bay Area is the hub of innovation, technology, and creativity and we relish the opportunity to collaborate with our inspiring clients to make some really great content."

Based in Los Angeles for the past fourteen years, director and company co-founder Amyn Kaderali explains "the benefits of having offices in both Northern and Southern California are tremendous because we can double the depth of the talent pool we bring aboard to make these projects as professional and artful as possible."

Companies looking to showcase their products or services with professionally-made and original video content for their digital marketing campaigns are encouraged to visit Reservoir Creatives previous projects at http://www.reservoir-creative.com.

About Reservoir Creative

Reservoir Creative is a professional commercial video production company located in the heart of San Francisco and Los Angeles, California. The full-service agency creates exceptional, compelling commercial content for TV and the web.

Company co-founders Jamal Farley and Amyn Kaderali bring years of experience. Specializing in tv commercial production and video marketing, Jamal and Amyn set out to create a space where the client's needs and vision are front & center.
Depo International, a prominent court reporting firm focusing on legal videography, remote depositions, global scheduling and court reporting, is expanding operations to cover global needs for litigation support services. For those individuals who need stenographic court reporting services, Depo International provides prompt and flawless materials by working with talented court reporters around the globe. Stenographic court reporters have been in higher demand than ever before, but the company is effectively supporting international markets with their network of valuable reporters.

Depo International has the ability to work both across the United States and around the globe. Some of the services offered on an international basis include SuperFast delivery, an online repository, interpreters, online scheduling, realtime group chat capabilities, mobile audio and video conferencing, realtime text to iPads and video streaming, scanned, searchable and linked exhibits, and expedited capabilities. As a prominent member of the WBENC, this certified women-owned business has a history of providing efficient and precise materials for clients after legal hearings and depositions.

Now providing global coverage, individuals who need assistance with court reporting or legal videography can garner the benefits of working directly with a talented and experienced court reporter like those at Depo International anywhere, anytime. With offices in Las Vegas, Chicago and Minneapolis, the company has been recognized as the Trial Lawyers' Choice nationwide for providing exemplary litigation support services for more than 40 years.

Depo International carries out their business in accordance with the National Court Reporters' Association constitution and bylaws. Their ethical business practices ensure that the highest level of legal and moral standards are observed in all relationships with clients and in their communities.

Depo International provides a broad range of services for court reporting, specializing in depositions, hearings, arbitrations and courtroom proceedings. They make scheduling hassle-free by providing digital online access 24/7. Depo International also provides an in-house video studio, multiple camera shots, state-of-the-art equipment, CLVS certified videographers, and video transcript synchronization services.

To learn more about their services, please visit: http://depointernational.com/
The National People's Congress will also approve China's defence budget, which will cross $150 billion for the first time. Officials said this year's budget would rise by about 7 per cent.

By Ananth Krishnan: China's annual government work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang to Parliament on Sunday signalled a boost to China's defence capabilities and singled out navy patrols on the high-seas for the first time as an operational priority, amid China's expanding presence in the Indian Ocean.

Li's annual work report to the opening session of the National People's Congress also announced a lower 6.5 per cent GDP growth target for the coming year, besides listing key economic reforms with a focus on restructuring and a push to combat pollution, amid other policies. The GDP target was slightly less than last year's 6.5-7 per cent figure, with growth in 2016 at 6.7 per cent.

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The NPC will also approve China's defence budget, which will cross $150 billion for the first time. Officials said this year's budget would rise by about 7 per cent. While Sunday's budget unusually did not mention the exact figure for the first time, Finance Ministry officials told the Associated Press the proposed figure was 1.044 trillion Yuan or $151 billion.

On Saturday, the NPC's spokesperson said the budget would increase "by about 7 per cent", which would take spending past 1 trillion Yuan for the first time. The budget last year was 954 billion Yuan or $146 billion at the then exchange rate.

"We will continue to deepen reforms in national defence and the armed forces," Li told the Chinese Parliament in his annual address. "We will strengthen maritime and air defence as well as border control and ensure that important operations related to countering terrorism, safeguarding stability, international peacekeeping and providing escort in high seas are well organised."

Analysts said much of the hike is likely to go to the PLA Navy as it expands its global footprint. Li's specific invoking of "escort in high seas" underlined this perception, elevating it as an operational priority.

The work report in the past two years did not mention the navy's high-sea escort missions, officials said. In 2014, the work report said "the armed forces must resolutely carry out their mission of providing disaster relief, countering terrorism, maintaining stability, keeping peace, providing escort and handling emergencies, and actively participate in and support economic development."

Yin Zhuo, a rear admiral and a senior researcher at the PLA Navy Equipment Research Center, told the Party-run Global Times that "in order to protect China's territories and overseas interests, China needs two carrier strike groups in the West Pacific Ocean and two in the Indian Ocean. So we need at least five to six aircraft carriers," he said.

A separate budget report said the government will "support efforts to deepen the reform of national defense and the armed forces, with the aim of building a solid defense and strong armed forces that are commensurate with China's international standing and are suited to our national security and development interests."

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Also read:

China launches new cruise ship tour in South China Sea

China ready to do a deal with India for concessions in Tawang?

China announces about 7 per cent hike in defence spending

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: Ahmedabad, Mar 5 (PTI) A clerk has been dismissed for "violation" of service rules, days after he hurled shoes at the Gujarat Minister of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja.

Gopal Italia, posted at the office of Dhandhuka taluka Sub-Divisional Magistrate under Ahmedabad collectorate at the time of the incident, has been dismissed for violating the Service Rules, a top official of the collectorate said today.

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The incident had occurred on March 2 outside a public entry gate of the Gujarat Assembly building in Gandhinagar, when Italia shouted "down with corruption" and flung the shoes at the minister who was about to address the media. However, he missed the target.

According to the official, Italia was sacked directly as he is a "fixed-pay" employee and not a regular grade staffer with the state government.

"State government has dismissed Italia for violating service rules. Since he was a fixed-pay employee working at Dhandhuka SDM office, Italia has been dismissed directly instead of being put under suspension," he said.

In January, Italia was arrested by the Ahmedabad crime branch for allegedly impersonating a police constable to call up the deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel.

He allegedly circulated audio clips of the conversation on various social media platforms.

Italia had purportedly told Patel that a recent ordinance to strengthen the liquor prohibition law in the state has failed to serve the purpose, as it has ended up in increasing the price of liquor in the dry state. PTI PJT NSK

--- ENDS ---
CHICAGO  Old favorites are getting new life under the Golden Arches.

Last month, McDonalds rolled out two new sizes of Big Macs  the Grand Mac and the Mac Jr.  and a few weeks ago, it added to its annual Shamrock Shake offer with four new mint-flavored drinks. Other riffs on menu staples are being offered in regions around the country, including the Sriracha Big Mac, garlic fries and Chicken McGriddles.

The strategy behind the introductions is a smart one if it works, observers say. It allows the worlds largest burger chain to entice new customers and convince old ones to buy more, while keeping costs low and limiting complications in the kitchen.

If you look at our past, we were probably too focused on leaning on new products, said Lance Richards, McDonalds vice president of menu strategy. Now were celebrating the menu items that are uniquely McDonalds. And we think there are huge opportunities to do more of that across the menu.

Since CEO Steve Easterbrook took the helm almost two years ago, the company has focused on improving the quality rather than the quantity of its menu items, but bringing more customers in the door has been a challenge.

McDonalds needs to entice more customers without going out on a limb to create a flashy new menu item that may not sell, said restaurant consultant Dan McGowan.

A great hostess walks a step to a step-and-a-half in front of the guest. If they get three or four steps ahead, youll have people standing around in the middle of the restaurant looking around saying, 'Whered she go?,' McGowan said. Its the same thing with the menu. If you are three or four steps ahead, you might lose them.

Adding too many new menu items can also bog down a kitchen while workers get used to constructing a new sandwich or using new ingredients.

You dont want to give employees a whole new binder on how to assemble a sandwich, McGowan said. They know how to make a Big Mac.

Timing is especially important at quick-service restaurants like McDonalds, which aim to deliver orders in less than two minutes and get most of their business from a drive-thru.

When it comes to menu additions, McDonalds is a little more sensitive (than other restaurants) because you have 70 percent of your customers coming through the drive-thru, said John Gordon, principal at Pacific Management Consulting Group. You can have a little bit of relaxed service times in the dining room, but if youre in the drive-thru, things can get a little dicey.

With the Big Mac, McDonalds is hoping that adding more sizes will bring in more customers.

McDonalds clientele tends to skew older, Gordon said, and the burger chain has had trouble luring millennials away from better burger rivals like Five Guys. By adding a snack size Mac Jr. for those lighter eaters and a Grand Mac with more meat for heftier appetites, McDonalds can entice a wider range of customers to try the sandwich that first came onto the menu 50 years ago.

McDonalds has said the Mac Jr. and the Grand Mac are available for a limited time but it hasnt said how long theyll last.

Richards said he likes the idea of keeping the Grand Mac and Mac Jr. as limited-time offers and bringing them back at a certain point every year as it does with cult favorites like the McRib and Shamrock Shake.

Richards said that McDonalds will have a balanced approach to menu innovation going forward, trying some new things as customers demand and also adding to already-popular areas of the menu, like chicken sandwiches and breakfast.

Breakfast is a unique place for us in the marketplace but a lot of people can come after us, he said. The burger chain is looking to expand its coffee brews and flavors and put a bigger focus on specialty coffee, he said.

The Shamrock mint-infused line is intended to be a shot in the arm to McDonalds McCafe brand, which CEO Easterbrook has called a big priority this year. Beyond the Shamrock Shake, which has been around since 1970, McDonalds is adding a hybrid chocolate-mint shake, a Shamrock Chocolate Chip Frappe, Shamrock Mocha and Shamrock Hot Chocolate. Because of the shakes strong following in its annual six-week run-up to St. Patricks Day, the mint flavor being available in a number of new drinks will likely stimulate more repeat orders from Shamrock lovers but also some new orders from customers who dont tend to order the shakes, McGowan said.

A good new item stays in the lanes of your menu but is unique enough to draw new customers in, he said.
Haven't seen the story you submitted in Creature Feature yet? Keep looking! Submissions are being used in the order they have been received.



Hodor and Molly are two amazing Saint Bernards who are dearly loved and adored. Molly figures herself a Georgia peach, sweet as can be. Her owners, Max and Alethea Roach, got her when she was 4 months old in Georgia. Now, she is 3.



Molly was never a dog who cared much for toys, but then she has four little children in the family, so she has lots of playtime.



She eats Purina dog food, and she likes a cracked egg on top of it. It makes her feel special being the dog that she is, because Molly and Hodor belong to Max Roach, the headmaster at Rivermont Collegiate in Bettendorf. Now and then, they find themselves attending, too.



Molly sleeps in Max and Alethea's bedroom in her own big doggy bed. She admits she is a big baby, but then so is Hodor. They wouldn't have it any other way.



Max drove to North Carolina to get Hodor from a Saint Bernard rescue. Hodor was so happy he got a home and all the love any dog could handle.



Hodor got his name from "Game of Thrones." He was a star right away, famous and all. Hodor is 1 now, and he has been with the family for a few months. He loves his Purina dog food, but he thinks he loves people food more.



Hodor loves chewing on sticks. He loves rawhides, too, because they're good for his teeth.



The two have a big yard to run in. Hodor gets to sleep in one of the children's bedrooms, in his own doggy bed.



These Saint Bernards have a personality to match their size. When I met them, Hodor sat right in front of me, leaning against me. I loved this. Molly also was very near.



Then we come to Midnight Ninja. I never did spot this cat, but he was around somewhere. He was a birthday gift for one of the boys on their fourth birthday. He has been with the family now for six years. He likes to go to the basement and look out the windows, checking out all the creatures who may walk by.



He likes to play with Nerf balls and hair elastics. He also likes Purina, and he sleeps wherever he wants. You wouldn't even know he is around  he has lots of space to hide. I don't think he has made it to school yet, but then being such a cool cat, there's no hurry.

Hodor and Molly were expecting a litter of puppies around Christmas. There will be little Saint Bernard puppies to join in for Creature Feature!
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI) The Congress today criticised the NDA governments move to link midday meal scheme benefits with Aadhaar card, saying the decision should not be "forced" on children.

The Human Resource Development ministry had announced that cook-cum-helpers working under the midday meal scheme as well as student beneficiaries will now be required to have an Aadhaar card to avail the facility.

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"The government should not deprive the children of the benefits of the scheme by making the Aadhaar card mandatory for availing its benefits. We demand that it should not be forced on them," AICC secretary Bhakta Charan Das said at a media briefing here.

Midday meal scheme (MDMS) is a centrally sponsored scheme to boost the universalisation of primary education by increasing enrolment, retention and attendance in primary and upper primary classes.

Das claimed that there are some 12 crore children enrolled countrywide under the scheme and that there right to have nutritious food in adequate quantities should not be "taken away".

As per guidelines, cooked meals are to be provided with 450 and 700 calories and 12 gm and 20 gm protein contents for primary and upper primary schoolchildren, respectively. PTI IAS KUN

--- ENDS ---
Thirty-something Natalie Anderson, of Davenport, is a refreshing paradox between a marketing executive whose workaday world is intense, fast-paced and competitive; it stands in contrast to her growing passion in the practice of the alternative health disciplines of Reflexology and Reiki (ray-kee).

Natalie is a Quad-Cities native who grew up in Bettendorf. Her background began at Wartburg College where she was a business major concentrating in marketing and was a self-described goal-driven "non-hugger." But as time passed she found the pressures of the business world began to weigh on her, and she realized she needed to find some way to decompress. Enter Reiki.

Reiki, as described at Reference.com, ... is a healing technique from Japan that alleviates stress and promotes relaxation. Reiki practitioners run their hands just above a person's body in their energy field. The belief is that life force energy surrounds all living things and, if it is left unbalanced, it causes illness and stress."

The gentle alternate practice of Reiki was a sharp difference to her chosen career path, but the more she learned and studied it, the more she found it personally beneficial.

Then work and relationship stress began to wear on her, and it was suggested she try massage, but she wasn't comfortable with a stranger touching her whole body. Instead she began to explore the alternative of Reflexology.

After reading an article about it in Radish Magazine, she sought training at the Omaha School of Massage and Healthcare where, studying under Claire Marie Miller, she became a Certified Integrative Reflexologist. She is also certified in both the "Holy Fire II" and Usui (yoo-soo-ee) Master Practitioner levels of Reiki.

The more she experienced these disciplines, the more she felt drawn  if somewhat sheepishly at first  to sharing its comforts with others. Her first "client" was her brother, who was in high school at the time and facing big life decisions like which college to attend, choosing a major, and all thats related to that process.

From there, she began her practice by traveling to her clients' homes or offices. About a year ago, she opened an office in shared space in Be Well QC, a small business incubator focused on providing health and wellness options in The District of Rock Island. Since then, she estimates her client base has increased five-fold and range in age from 30-somethings through those in their 60s. Most of her clients come to her seeking stress relief and relaxation and as an alternative to full body massage. Others seek assistance with physical health issues.

For those unfamiliar with Reflexology, the University of Minnesota's web site defines Reflexology as "... the application of appropriate pressure to specific points and areas on the feet, hands or ears. Reflexologists believe that these reflex points correspond to different body organs and systems, and that pressing them has a beneficial effect on the person's health."

My own foray into Reflexology sprang from chronic foot pain. After a course of physical therapy the pain was was mostly resolved, but I wanted to see if I could overcome it completely. I saw Natalie interviewed on Paula Sands Live, and I remembered the mother of my elementary school best friend practiced Reflexology and my friend swore by it. Being somewhat at the end of my rope  and not a little skeptical  I decided I had nothing to lose and contacted Natalie for an appointment.

When I arrived at her office, Barefoot Place, in downtown Rock Island, I was ushered into a dimly lit room equipped with a padded table and restful music playing softly in the background. Removing only my shoes and socks, I was treated to a warm, scented foot bath while Natalie massaged pressure points in my hands. A few minutes later, I moved to the table where she applied varied degrees of pressure to specific areas on the bottom of my feet. All in all, it took approximately an hour, after which Natalie told me what I could immediately expect from the treatment (which varies from client to client). Throughout the session, everything was thoroughly explained as treatment progressed, and all my questions were answered as they came up.

Lo and behold, and somewhat to my surprise, the Reflexology treatment, combined with my PT exercises, gave me complete and total relief, and for the first time in about 5 years I was pain free.

Natalie stresses both of these methods are intended to complement traditional medicine and not replace it.

Natalie also explained that Reflexology practitioners mostly work on the feet because although pressure points are also located in the hands and ears, the feet provide more "real estate" with which to work. In other words, the feet are larger and the nerves are not as closely compacted, making it easier to isolate them for pressure application. However, clients seeking help with issues such as sinus congestion usually benefit most from ear stimulation.

Most impressive is Natalie's Zen-like approach to her own life which naturally overflows into her application of Reflexology and Reiki with her clients. Completely the opposite from the fast-paced world of marketing, her approach with her clients is low key and supportive. She does not push her clients into making additional appointments. Instead, she advises them that they will "know" when they need to return. I really liked that.

Natalie also practices what she preaches. She receives Reflexology treatments regularly from a practitioner in Bettendorf.

If you think Reiki or Reflexology might be something you'd like to explore, you can contact Natalie at natalie@barefootplace.com or 563-349-3074.
DAVENPORT  "We got your back, Mr. President," was the main message organizers of A Positive Rally in Support of Donald Trump say they wanted to get across to a crowd of more than 200 people.

The rally, sponsored by Main Street Patriots, was among 60 events held nationally and four in Iowa, according to local organizer Jeanita McNulty.

It was held at Davenport Guns, 3701 Mississippi Ave. and included plenty of information about Second Amendment rights to bear arms.

It also included testimonies from women supporting President Trump, including gun-club owner Jeanelle Westrom, and Dana Huss, of Northside Baptist Church, in Davenport.

Military veteran Jeff Godines, of Davenport, also discussed his concerns about military readiness and President Trump's hopes and plans to restructure it.

The rally included a life-size cardboard cut-out of President Trump, and about a dozen anti-Democrat posters hanging on warehouse walls. "Hail to the Chief" played out over the loud speakers to open the program.

Benjamin and Joshua Huss, sons of Mrs. Huss and the Rev. Joseph Huss, performed the National Anthem and led the Pledge of Allegiance, and closed the ceremony by singing "America the Beautiful."

The event was designed to display support for President Trump, said guest emcee Jeff Kaufmann, Iowa Republican chairman.

It also was done without any protester interruptions, he said.

He cautioned the audience from becoming too complacent. "We have to guard against that," Mr. Kaufmann said,

Audience members were provided post cards to write messages of support for President Trump.

"Presidents have different styles," Mr. Kaufmann said. "President Trump's been doing exactly what he said he was going to do," but has been treated differently than past presidents, including Barack Obama, he said.

He also criticized media coverage, focusing mostly on the editorial board of the Quad City Times, which reportedly called Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a decorated combat veteran, a coward.

Mrs. Huss reminded people to respect the office of the president no matter who is in it.

"We don't vote for perfect people," she said. "We vote for who we think can keep moving the country forward."

Mrs. Huss, representing Concerned Women for America, bases her decisions on issues such as when candidates believe life begins, and on religious freedom issues. Traditional marriage stances and respect for the flags of America and Israel also contribute to her choices.

Bill Harlan, of East Moline, pointed to a "Trump" sign he was holding, and said "my man," as a reason he attended the rally, referring to President Trump. His nephew Patrick Harlan opposed U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Moline, in Illinois' 17th Congressional district in the last election.

Accordion player Lee Ann Carlson treated participants to a rousing "Happy Days are Here Again," as they left the rally.
It began in a conversation among three friends several months ago. One was a volunteer at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Davenport which is celebrating its 175th anniversary as a parish this year. When she started listing some of the events being considered for the occasion, one member of the group suggested having the Genesius Guild present a play.

He opined that the guilds recent production of Antigone, a classic exploration of the tension between individual conscience and the law, might make a good addition. From there, it was a quick and easy step to T.S. Eliots Murder In the Cathedral, a celebrated verse drama about the assassination of Thomas Becket in 1170.

Becket is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. The play had first been staged at the Cathedral in the 40s by church members and again in 1991 by the guild. An agreement was quickly made, one which gave me a final directing assignment.

Trinity agreed to support the project and Iowa Humanities joined as a presenting sponsor. Since the play is a sizable, off-season undertaking for the guild, it was decided to repeat the production in four other communities.

Besides the attraction of re-staging one of its more important works, there was also the possibility of using the performances as a means of raising contributions for the Genesius Guilds ongoing endowment drive.

So it is that, this Friday at 7 p.m., I will be introducing the work to its initial audience at the Trinity Cathedral, and later at presentations at Wesley United Methodist in Muscatine; St. Johns Lutheran in Rock Island; First Congregational in Moline, and St. Pauls Lutheran in Clinton. Eliots play can be presented on stage, it seems more at home in a church setting.

As rehearsals enter their final week, I am struck again by Eliots mastery of form and language. He has wedded the structure of Greek tragedy to liturgy, from offertory to sacrifice. He searches through Beckets final actions for his true motives and gives the archbishop's murderers an opportunity to justify themselves.

The guild employs its usual mix of seasoned and beginning actors in the performance, including one veteran, Melita Tunniucliff, who appeared in the 1991 cast. Her son, Phillip, is also in the play, a work in which his grandfather, Phillip, appeared some 70 years ago in the initial Trinity production.

The challenge for all actors lies in adjusting the action to five different chancel areas, and delivery to as many different acoustic environments. It was a heady adventure for us 25 years ago and it will be so again.

Becket's story is one worth the telling. He and King Henry II became fast friends on their first meeting and enjoyed a boisterous relationship of luxury and high revelry. Becket was proud and intelligent and so loyal to the king that he was made chancellor of the realm and left in charge in London when Henry was fighting in his French possessions.

In order to curb the dominant power of the church in England, Henry appointed his reliable ally, Becket, archbishop of Canterbury when the presiding prelate died. The Pope agreed, despite the fact that Becket had never been invested as a priest. That was quickly done on June 1, 1162. He was ordained a bishop the next morning and made archbishop that same afternoon.

But Beckets allegiance shifted to the church at once, refusing to submit any of his ecclesiastical authority to the kings court, something he had advocated as chancellor. In a rage, Henry asked Is there no one to rid me of this meddlesome priest? Four knights were, and the deed was done on December 29, 1170. It was the greatest scandal of the Middle Ages; one for which Henry had to do public penance

Eliot bases his play of an eyewitness account of the murder, but he encases it in a drama of stirring emotion and arresting thought. Its a challenge, but its fun to do and worth seeing.
By Press Trust of India: Washington, Mar 5 (PTI) Couples who choose to not have children are stigmatised for their decision, even by complete strangers, according to a new study which offers the first known evidence that parenthood is seen as a moral imperative.

US adults are increasingly delaying the decision to have children or forgoing parenthood entirely, yet evidence suggests that voluntarily child-free people are stigmatised for this decision, researchers said.

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Leslie Ashburn-Nardo, an associate professor at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) in the US, studied this bias against those who choose to not have kids.

"Whats remarkable about our findings is the moral outrage participants reported feeling toward a stranger who decided to not have children," Ashburn-Nardo said.

"Our data suggests that not having children is seen not only as atypical, or surprising, but also as morally wrong," she said.

The findings are consistent with other studies of backlash against people who violate social roles and other stereotypic expectations. When people violate their expected roles, they suffer social sanctions.

Given that more and more people in the US are choosing to not have children, this work has far-reaching implications.

"Having children is obviously a more typical decision, so perhaps people are rightfully surprised when they meet a married adult who, with their partner, has chosen to not have children," Ashburn-Nardo said.

"That they are also outraged by child-free people is whats novel about this work," she said.

Participants read a vignette about a married adult person and then rated their perceptions of the persons degree of psychological fulfilment and their feelings toward the person.

The vignette varied only in terms of the portrayed persons gender and whether they had chosen to have children.

"Consistent with many personal anecdotes, participants rated voluntarily child-free men and women as significantly less fulfilled than men and women with children," Ashburn-Nardo said.

"This effect was driven by feelings of moral outrage - anger, disapproval and disgust - toward the voluntarily child-free people," she said.

"Other research has linked moral outrage to discrimination and interpersonal mistreatment," Ashburn-Nardo said.

"Its possible that, to the extent they evoke moral outrage, voluntarily child-free people suffer similar consequences, such as in the workplace or in health care," she said. PTI MHN MHN

--- ENDS ---
BBC One and HBO have commissioned Shibden Hall, a brand new eight-part drama series produced by Lookout Point.





Set in West Yorkshire in 1832, Shibden Hall was created and written by Bafta-winning Sally Wainwright. It is the story of the landowner, Anne Lister. Returning after years of exotic travel and social climbing, Lister determines to transform the fate of her faded ancestral home in Yorkshire by marrying well and reopening her coal mines. However, Lister lived her life like a man and plans to marry a seriously wealthy woman.



Every part of the story is based in historical fact, recorded in the four million words of her diaries that contain the most intimate details of her life, once hidden in a secret code that is now broken.



Anne Lister is a gift to a dramatist. She is one of the most exuberant, thrilling and brilliant women in British history, and I cant wait to celebrate her, Wainwright said. Landowner, industrialist, traveller, mountaineer, scholar, would-be brain surgeon and prolific diarist, Anne returns from years of travel to her ancestral home, determined to restore it to its former glory, and determined to marry Ann Walker. Its a beautifully rich, complicated, surprising love story. To bring Anne Lister to life on screen is the fulfilment of an ambition Ive had for 20 years. Shibden Hall is a place I have known and loved since I was a child. Im also delighted to be working with Faith Penhale again and the wonderful team at Lookout Point after our collaboration on To Walk Invisible, and of course thrilled to be working with the BBC and HBO.



Piers Wenger, controller BBC Drama Commissioning, added: The originality and ambition of the writing in Shibden Hall is Sally Wainwright at her boldest and best. In dramatising the life and loves of Anne Lister, Sally might just have found her most complex and uncompromising female character yet and Im so proud that they will be making their home BBC One.



The 8x60 series will be directed by Sally Wainwright, produced by Lookout Point for BBC One, and co-produced with HBO. Executive producers are Sally Wainwright, Faith Penhale for Lookout Point and Piers Wenger for BBC One. The series will start filming in Yorkshire next year.
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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/06/2017



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FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS!

Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!

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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

star Nick Viall has started his overnight fantasy suite dates, but there is still more to come on the 21st season.Nick, a 36-year-old former software salesman from Wisconsin, sent Corinne Olympios packing during a Rose Ceremony in Brooklyn, NY, after visiting her family in Miami, FL.Although Nick loved Corinne's aggressive, confident and fun nature, his relationships with the other women were simply stronger.With Corinne gone, three bachelorettes remain in the running for Nick's heart: Rachel Lindsay Vanessa Grimaldi and Raven Gates In the latest episode, Nick enjoyed his first fantasy suite date with Raven. The couple soaked in the beautiful snowy landscape via helicopter ride, drank and played darts with locals in a pub, and then watched the Northern Lights from inside a cozy little log cabin.During their fantasy suite date, Raven confessed to Nick she was in love with him, and her declaration of such love was one of the sweetest Nick has ever heard in his life.Nick's eyes welled up with tears when Raven was expressing her deepest feelings, so she thought he reciprocated them. Raven revealed to Nick she only had sex with one person in her life -- seemingly her ex-boyfriend of two years -- and never said, "I love you," to a man before, not to mention she's also never had an orgasm.Nick's bond with Raven appears strong, but he also has a connection with Rachel, who captured Nick's attention on Day 1 and won the First Impression Rose, and Vanessa, who was the first girl Nick really opened up to this season.Nick therefore has some very tough decisions to make when it comes to which woman could be his future wife and partner in life. Nick has said countless times he is taking this process very seriously and truly hopes it works out for him in the end. After all, Nick was rejected on two different seasons of ette and failed to fall in love with the girl he dated on Bachelor in Paradise, Jennifer Saviano Bachelor Nation is unsure whether Nick will fall deeply in love and/or proposes at the end of his journey on the show, but it's clear he's considering an engagement since he asked each woman's father for permission during the hometown dates.It's clear, however, Nick and Rachel do not end up together since ABC recently announced her as ette's Season 13 star . She confirmed that Nick "let her go" and she did not quit but it was "his loss."So when does Nick decide to eliminate Rachel, and who will be his Final 2 bachelorettes? And will Vanessa or Rachel be the last woman standing at the end of it all?Nick revealed in his People blog that he sends Rachel home after their overnight fantasy suite date in Finland. He called it his "hardest goodbye yet."And, according to Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone, Nick rejects Raven in favor of Vanessa at the final Rose Ceremony. Vanessa therefore receives his final rose -- and a Neil Lane engagement ring!As for the current status of Nick and Vanessa's romance, Reality Steve claims they are still happily engaged. I guess Nick's fourth attempt at finding love on a reality dating series truly was the charm.Below is the list of bachelorettes who are still in the running for Nick's heart: Vanessa Grimaldi , a 29-year-old special education teacher from Montreal, Quebec, Canada Rachel Lindsay , a 31-year-old attorney from Dallas, TX Raven Gates , a 25-year-old fashion boutique owner from Hoxie, AR
The Deadpool 2 teaser gives us a glimpse of the naked butt of actor Ryan Reynolds, among other cool things.

By India Today Web Desk: The teaser of Deadpool 2 is here and boy, does it tease.

Deadpool, starring Ryan Reynolds, as the titular character, became the surprise hit of 2016. It was a (not) superhero film with an anti-hero made on a small budget (when compared to superhero flicks) and above all, it was R-rated i.e Adult-rating, Indians!

But Deadpool managed to make an enormous Rs 5,225 crore (US $783 million) from a budget of Rs 388 crore (US $ 58 million). That is thirteen times the budget!

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Now, the makers of the much-anticipated Deadpool 2 have dropped a teaser for fans all over the world and it has, in the following order, 1. a dig at Superman, 2. the butt of actor Ryan Reynolds and 3. a cameo by comic-book legend and creator of X-Men, Spider-Man, The Avengers and Deadpool, Mr Stan Lee.

Last but not the least, an old man dies because Deadpool is too busy wearing his skintight costume inside a phone booth while the classic John Williams-scored theme from Superman plays in the background.

Deadpool proved than an R-rated (adult) movie based on a comic book character could also be profitable if made with a lot of heart and sincerity. Since then, the demand for adult comic book-inspired films have grown. In fact, the recent Wolverine film Logan, which has received great reviews so far, is also R-rated.

ALSO READ: Logan Movie Review

Deadpool 2 is scheduled to release in American theatres on March 2. The Indian release date has not been announced yet.

Watch the teaser of Deadpool 2 here:

ALSO SEE: From 2000-2017, remembering Hugh Jackman's journey as Wolverine

WATCH: Hugh Jackman on Shah Rukh as Wolverine and his love for Virat Kohli

--- ENDS ---
This is it, bulldogsthere are eight weeks until graduation. For the seniors graduating in May, this is the final countdown to the rest of you
Saath Nibhaana Saathiya's Gopi and Jaggi aka Devoleena Bhattacharjee and Mohammad Nazim are having a great time in Singapore.

Devoleena Bhattacharjee and Mohammad Nazim are having a geat time in Singapore. Picture courtesy: Instagram/devoleena and khilji_nazim

By India Today Web Desk: Saath Nibhaana Saathiya's actors Devoleena Bhattacharjee and Mohammad Nazim are shooting an important sequence in Singapore. While shooting, these TV stars are having a ball of a time and their shoot pics will compel you to pack your bags and head to the island city.

Devoleena in Gopi Bahu avatar in Singapore. Picture courtesy: Instagram/devoleena

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Saath Nibahana Saathiya is all set to take a leap. Yes, you heard it right. Yet another leap. Gopi will come to know that she had given birth to twins along with Vidya, but she wasn't aware as the maid stole her son and ran away.

Hahah pareshan hogyi hai yeh mujhse bohot ????????? !! #singaporediaries #wegonnakillit #newbeginnings #2moredaystogo #SNS #starplus #goodtimes?? A post shared by Rohit Suchanti ??? (@rohitsuchanti06) on Mar 3, 2017 at 6:14pm PST

Rohit Suchanti, who has earlier worked in shows like Warrior High and Sasural Simar Ka will be playing Gopi's long lost son. Rohit has started shooting with Devoleena and has shared some fun pictures with the actress.

In between shots!!??? #suchacutie #adorablegirl #misssingaporeuniverse?? #loveposing!! On screen girlfriend ?????? A post shared by Rohit Suchanti ??? (@rohitsuchanti06) on Mar 3, 2017 at 4:53am PST

Model and Miss Universe Singapore finalist Nutan Rai will be playing Rohit's love interest in the show. Nutan is a trained nurse and has been a part of Miss Singapore Beauty Pageant 2014 and Miss Universe Singapore 2016.

Dont just Exist.Live !!??????????? #beachlover #waterbaby #sand #playfull #instapic A post shared by Devoleena Bhattacharjee (@devoleena) on Mar 4, 2017 at 8:26am PST

Devoleena seems to be enjoying a lot at the Singapore beaches. She recently shared pic on Instagram where she is lying on the beach and playing with the sand and captioned it, "Dont just Exist. Live! #beachlover #waterbaby #sand #playfull #instapic."

Flying ????????????#shootingtime #saathnibhanasathiya #punjabiboy #BIGDADDYsoon#Allahterasukarhai????????? A post shared by mohammad nazim Actor (@khilji_nazim) on Mar 3, 2017 at 5:32pm PST

Jaggi aka Nazim is having great fun and his picture against a dinosaur at the Garden By The Bay is a proof.

Nothing's better than a work-vacation.

Theres a Million fish in the Sea.But I am a MERM@id !!??????? A post shared by Devoleena Bhattacharjee (@devoleena) on Feb 27, 2017 at 8:40am PST

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: Malda (WB), Mar 5 (PTI) A man was arrested after fake currency notes of the face value of Rs 92,000 were seized from his possession here.

Acting on a tip-off the police last evening arrested a man, identified as Mukuleswar Mian (50) from the Rathbari area of the town.

Mian was carrying fake notes of the face value of Rs 92,000. The notes were of the denomination of Rs 2000, Inspector-in-Charge of English Bazar Police Station Purnendu Kundu said.

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The police was interrogating Mian to find out from where he got the fake notes, Kundu said.

A man was arrested with fake currency notes of the face value of Rs 2 lakh from in Dhulyan in neighbouring Murshidabad district yesterday.

The man was identified as Alam Sheikh, a resident of Malda district.

On March two five persons were arrested with counterfeit currency notes having face value of over Rs 56,74,000 while trying to purchase a mobile phone in Kolkata. PTI COR RG PS

--- ENDS ---
A look back on all of our reporting of the Delphi murders since 2017
Uttar Pradesh Minister Gayatri Prajapati is on the run as police are looking for him in a case of gangrape of a woman and molestation of her daughter.

By Prabhash K Dutta: Uttar Pradesh Minister Gayatri Prajapati is on the run as police are looking for him in a case of gangrape of a woman and molestation of her daughter. The FIR was registered after the Supreme Court ordered the UP Police to do so.

The apex court will hear the matter tomorrow. The Minister-on-the-run is expected to field a battery of lawyers in the Supreme Court to get a stay on the non-bailable warrant issued against him.

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On the other hand, the UP Police are doing their homework to attach his properties if he continues to evade arrest and does not appear for questioning.

GAYATRI PRAJAPATI: A BPL CARD HOLDER TILL 2012

Gayatri Prajapati has a very interesting history in politics. His is the story of rags to riches via politics in a span of less than five years.

Till 2012, Gayatri Prajapati was a BPL card holder. He won his first Assembly election in 2012 after four unsuccessful attempts.

Gayatri Prajapati shot to fame after defeating Amita Singh of the Congress in Gandhi family's pocket-borough of Amethi. Since then he is known for his proximity with Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and brother Shivpal Yadav.

A year later, first-time MLA Prajapati was inducted into Akhilesh Yadav's ministry, apparently at the behest of Shivpal Yadav under his own tutelage as MoS for Irrigation.

Five months later in July 2013, Gayatri Prajapati was elevated as the MoS (Independent Charge) and given mining department. In January 2014, Prajapati was given another promotion and made a cabinet rank minister in-charge of mining department.

TAINT OF CORRUPTION

One year later in January 2015, Lucknow-based activist Nutan Thakur moved the Lokayukta, for the second time in two months, with documentary proof sought under the RTI Act to register complaint against Gayatri Prajapati for amassing illegal wealth.

Other complainants, who had approached the Lokayukta in December 2014, withdrew their complaints saying that they did not have proof against Prajapati. Nutan stood firm.

Incidentally, Nutan's husband Amitabh Thakur, an IPS officer, also had a run-in with the SP leadership. He accused Mulayam Singh Yadav of threatening him with dire consequences for his activism.

Nutan told the Lokayukta about a mining syndicate, which was allegedly headed by Gayatri Prajapati. Nutan Thakur also gave documentary details of companies allegedly floated by Prajapati after he became minister.

ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT ORDERS CBI PROBE

While, Lokayukta gave Gayatri Prajapati a clean chit in the case of disproportionate assets, the Allahabad High Court ordered a CBI inquiry into illegal mining which he allegedly ran.

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Akhilesh dropped him from the ministry after court's order amid rising friction in his family and the Samajwadi Party. Gayatri Prajapati was branded as Prateek Yadav--Mulayam Singh's second son--loyalist in the family.

The CBI inquiry is still on against alleged irregularities in the mining department under Gayatri Prajapati.

GAYATRI PRAJAPATI'S FAMILY

Nutan Thakur informed the Lokayukta office about the properties held by Prajapati's wife Maharaji, daughters Sudha and Ankita, sons Anurag and Anil. Assets were allegedly bought in their names after October 2013.

Gayatri Prajapati's son Anil is the director of Life Cure Medical Centre - a multi-specialty hospital at Pratapgarh in Amethi. Anil also heads Shuhag Exports Limited based at Indrajeet Kheda, Amethi and Decent Constructions based out of Amethi.

Nutan also gave details of properties that Prajapati allegedly bought in the names of his staff including drivers and domestic help.

The allegations of Nutan Thakur were substantiated by the Income Tax department's reply to the Lokayukta confirming that Gayatri Prajapati's driver acquired assets of worth Rs 77 lakh in two years without filing an IT return.

Prajapati allegedly also made his sons directors of nearly a dozen companies floated by him after he became minister in the Akhilesh government.

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The list of companies includes MGA Hospitality, Kahana Build Well, MGA Colonisers, MSA Infra Venture, Daya Builders Private Limited, MSGA Enterprises, MGM Agro Tech, Excel Built Tech and MSG Realtors.

NOW, THE GANGRAPE CASE

While the election campaign was in full swing in Uttar Pradesh, the Supreme Court ordered the police to file an FIR against Gayatri Prajapati and six others on the complaint of a woman.

The woman alleged that she was repeatedly gangraped and her minor daughter molested. According to her complaint, the gangrape was first committed in October 2014 and her ordeal continued till July 2016.

After the apex court order, Prajapati and six others were booked under the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act on February 18.

While police have said that the UP Minister is hiding, Gayatri Prajapti cast his vote in Amethi, when it went to polls on February 27-- nine days after the rape case was registered against him.

Two days ago, the police issued an alert to all the airports asking the authorities not to let Gayatri Prajapati fly out of the country. His passport has been temporarily revoked and a non-bailable warrant has been issued against him.

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ALSO READ

Gayatri Prajapati: Gangrape case witness alleges attempt to murder in hospital

Airports, exit points across country on alert for absconding rape-accused SP minister Gayatri Prajapati

Smriti Irani: Either Akhilesh is incompetent or he is protecting rape-accused minister Gayatri Prajapati

ALSO WATCH | Gangrape accused Samajwadi Party MLA Gayatri Prajapati missing since February 27

--- ENDS ---
An unidentified man enters the grounds of the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, March 4, 2017.

Malaysia on Saturday declared North Koreas ambassador persona non grata and said it was expelling him for publically criticizing a Malaysian investigation into the assassination of Kim Jong Uns half-brother.

The foreign ministry gave Ambassador Kang Chol 48 hours to leave the country, a deadline that is set to expire at 6 p.m. Monday (local time) according to a statement from Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman. The ministry also barred Kang from re-entering Malaysia.

The move to further downgrade bilateral relations with North Korea following the Feb. 13 assassination of Kim Jong Nam at a local airport happened after Ambassador Kang Chol failed to show up Saturday night at the Malaysian foreign ministry, where officials had summoned him for a 6 p.m. meeting, the minister said.

Kangs expulsion came about because North Korea did not meet a deadline on the evening of Feb. 28 to respond to a Malaysian demand for an apology over the envoys critical remarks, Anifah indicated.

On Tuesday, a senior representative of the ministry and other foreign affairs officials met with a high-level delegation that had been sent from North Korea, and demanded that Pyongyang provide a written apology for the criticism made by its ambassador, according to Anifahs statement.

Almost four days have passed since the deadline lapsed. No such apology has been made, neither has there been any indication that one is forthcoming. For this reason, the Ambassador has been declared Persona Non Grata, Malaysias top diplomat said.

This status is the most serious form of disapproval that the country can apply to foreign diplomats, he said, adding it was also often used to express displeasure at the conduct or policies of the sending State.

The minister also sent North Korea a warning.

It should be made clear  Malaysia will react strongly against insults made against it or any attempt to tarnish its reputation, he said.

Diplomatic note sent

At around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, an unidentified official from the Malaysian foreign ministry was seen by reporters delivering an official letter to the North Korean embassy informing Pyongyang that Malaysia was expelling Ambassador Kang.

Officials at the embassy did not pick up phone calls from BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service, and none appeared at the embassys gate, outside which reporters had gathered, to comment on Malaysias expulsion of the ambassador.

The announcement followed Malaysias deportation a day earlier of a North Korean man, Ri Jong Chol, after he was released from police custody for lack of evidence as a suspect in Kims assassination.

Malaysian authorities have arrested and charged an Indonesian woman and a Vietnamese woman as suspected assassins, and have identified seven other North Korean citizens wanted for questioning by police in the case.

The seven include Hyon Kwang Song, 44, a second secretary who is stationed at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

On Friday, two senior Malaysian officials told BenarNews that the government was weighing the possibility of declaring both Hyon Kwang Song and Ambassador Kang persona non grata in connection with Kims assassination.

After Saturdays announcement, the government could also declare the second secretary persona non grata if the North Korean embassy failed to respond to an earlier request by Malaysia that Hyon Kwang Song assist local police with the investigation, another senior Malaysian official who is close to the case told BenarNews.

Experts praise move

On two occasions since Kim Jong Nam died in the attack in which his assassins poisoned him with a banned nerve agent, according to Malaysian police, Pyongyangs ambassador appeared before reporters to question the integrity of the investigation.

He also accused Kuala Lumpur of colluding with hostile forces to malign North Korea  an obvious reference to South Korea.

U.S. and South Korean officials have blamed North Korean agents for masterminding Kims murder, according to Reuters.

I think it is the right time that the Malaysian government took the persona non-grata action. The North Korean ambassador was seen as attempting to interfere with the police investigation and gave press statements that were slanderous against Malaysia, Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani, a professor of international relations at Universiti Utara Malaysia, told BenarNews late Saturday.

The criticism leveled against Malaysia by the ambassador challenges the sovereignty of the country, commented Azmi Ibrahim, a professor of geo-politics.

The allegations had violated diplomacy norms and were expressed publicly through media and not through diplomatic means. In order to defend the dignity of the country and to avoid further accusations, the decision of expulsion matches the outspokenness of the ambassador, Azmi told BenarNews.

So far, the diplomatic fallout from Kims assassination has seen the Malaysian government recall its ambassador to Pyongyang and cancel a policy allowing North Koreans to enter Malaysia without a visa.

The decision to scrub the policy is an indication of the governments concern that Malaysia may have been used for illegal activities, Anifah Aman said in his statement Saturday.

The ministry issued a separate statement earlier in the day, in which it rejected allegations insinuating that Malaysia had not complied with U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions against Pyongyang, by allowing two North Korean-controlled companies to use a Malaysian front company to sell battlefield radio equipment in violation of those sanctions.

Malaysia categorically rejects any such insinuation and highly values the important work being carried out by the UNSC Sanctions Committee regarding North Korea, the ministry said, responding to allegations contained in a story broken by Reuters.

Malaysia was fully cooperating with a panel of Security Council experts and had provided it with required responses to its queries, the ministry added.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
After the Vietnam War (1959-75), thousands of Vietnamese took to the sea fleeing persecution by the new communist government. Three women, now resettled overseas, describe the horrors of that perilous journey.

Nguyen Thi Hoa Huong, escaped in 1989, now living in the United States:



"The space [in the boat] was large enough only to sit. Once in a while, I was able to straighten out my legs, but not to lie down. I will never forget that. After sailing for seven days on the Pacific, the boat met with a huge storm. It tore the boat apart. Only the body of the boat remained. The head and the tail of boat were detached, torn away."

"The captain moved everyone to the middle of the boat. At the time, as the storm continued for several days, [we thought] that death was very close, that we had a 90 percent chance of death. The boat now was floating aimlessly without an engine. Our food supplies were exhausted in the days that followed, and people began to starve. There was only a small amount of water left, and we shared it with each other."

"There were screams because of the sudden death of loved ones. People began to pass out because they were exhausted. I was among those people. I was unconscious, unaware of anything. I remember that people around me were saying the last rites for me, so that if I died, God would be with me and I would go peacefully."

"The boat kept floating aimlessly like that until luck came to the 100 people on that boat. The U.S. 7th Fleet was undergoing exercises in the Pacific and they came to our rescue. They took us on board. Women and children were taken to the emergency room because they were so exhausted and near death."

"One thing the people on that boat will never forget is the Americans. They cured us, took care of us until we were well enough, and then took us to Thailand. It was the Banatnikhon camp. I lived there for almost nine years."



Le Thi Sen, now living in the United States, was attacked by pirates on her sea voyage:



"We encountered pirates on our journey. They lowered a dinghy from their ship to come to our boat, and they raped the women and young girls. They intended to sink our boat. We had to give them all of our money and jewelry. After the pirates left, [we] sailed for a while, then saw a Malaysian oil tanker."



"If we hadn't seen it, we probably would have drowned, because that night the wind and the current were very strong, and our boat was small, like a small fishing boat. There were 126 people on board, lying next to one another. Many children became seasick. They vomited. Their eyes were all white. [We] thought they were dead."



Kim Lien, escaped in 1979, now living in Belgium:



"It was rainy and windy at sea. [We] reached many islands, but [they] did not allow us to stay. We met a lot of ships, but they didn't rescue us. We sailed for 13 days until we saw a boat that was anchored at sea. Because it was night, we thought it was an island. Next morning at 8 oclock, we saw it was a ship, an oil cargo ship anchored there, in the ocean. We tried to get near to ask for help, but they did not rescue us. The captain ordered his crew to weigh anchor."

"Because this ship was huge, its propeller created big waves and drew our boat to the propeller. The propeller blades hit our boat twice, turning the boat upside down. Everyone was thrown overboard because the boat broke apart."

"The boat emerged again, half up and half down. People who knew how to swim, swam toward the boat because it was not completely submerged. They clung to it. The strong ones went to rescue people who did not know how to swim and brought them to the boat. We clung to the boat."

"The ship that sank our boat left for half an hour and then returned. This ship carried the Libyan flag. I saw them lower two dinghies to rescue us. They rescued us after 11 people were drowned. Of 68 people on the boat, eleven died, and only three bodies were retrieved. Eight bodies were carried away by currents. My daughter was among those."



Original reporting in Vietnamese by Thanh Quang. Vietnamese service director: Diem Nguyen. Translated by Thuy Brewer. Executive producer: Susan Lavery. Edited by Luisetta Mudie and produced by Sarah Jackson-Han.


Russian opposition political activist and anticorruption campaigner Aleksei Navalny stopped in Russia's Republic of Tatarstan on March 5 in an early tour ahead of his campaign for Russia's presidency in 2018. At a news conference in Tatarstan's capital, Kazan, Navalny said "money and more powers" should be given to the semiautonomous region. The activist arrived in Kazan while on his way from Ufa, the capital of another semiautonomous Russian region -- the Republic of Bashkortostan. After opening election-campaign facilities in both Ufa and Kazan, he now has six such offices throughout Russia. Navalny announced in December 2016 that he would run for president in March 2018, but Russian authorities say he will be barred from public office as he has been convicted of financial crimes in two separate trials. Navalny says the court verdicts were politically motivated punishment for his opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin. (RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service)
Russian opposition political activist and anticorruption campaigner Aleksei Navalny said that, if elected president, he would support more self-rule for the semiautonomous Tatarstan region. Speaking in an interview with RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service in Kazan, the Tatar capital, Navalny said on March 5 that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been gradually limiting powers previously given to Russia's regions. Making a stop in Tatarstan as part of his early campaign tour ahead of the country's presidential election in 2018, Navalny also commented on the March 3 decision by Russia's Central Bank to revoke the licenses of three banks -- Tatfondbank, Intechbank, and Ankor Bank -- in which the regional government is a majority stakeholder. He suggested the decision may be tantamount to collective punishment for Tatar officials, who had earlier made statements critical of moves to curtail their decentralized powers.(RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service)
At least five members of the Afghan security forces were killed early on March 5 when their checkpoint was attacked in northeastern Kunduz province, an Afghan official said.

A large group of Taliban fighters attacked the post near the city of Kunduz, provincial police chief General Abdul Hamid Hamid said.

Meanwhile, 18 insurgents were killed and three injured in the Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

"The key terrorists killed in the operation were involved in planning and implementing several terror attacks in Kunduz province," said the statement.

A district police chief was also killed when his vehicle was blow up by a bomb in the northern Faryab province. Another policeman was injured in the explosion in the evening on March 4. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

In another incident in Faryab province, a local security forces commander was also killed when insurgents attacked a police checkpoint.

Afghan forces now face mounting pressure from a resurgent Taliban amid record casualties and mass desertions as the militants escalate attacks across the country.

Based on reporting by AP


More than 1,000 demonstrators came out in the Belarusian city of Brest on March 5 to protest against a law on "social parasitism" that obliges nonworking people to pay a tax.

While chanting against the legislation, the crowd also called on President Alyaksandr Lukashenka "to go away," as they marched across the city's central streets.

A correspondent with RFE/RL's Belarus Service reports that a group of anarchists were also present at the peaceful protest.

The law, which is reminiscent of Soviet-era legislation, is aimed at combating what Lukashenka has called "social parasitism."

It imposes a special tax -- equivalent to more than 200 U.S. dollars -- upon Belarusians who work less than half of a calendar year and do not sign up at the country's labor bureaus.

The law exempts registered job-seekers, homemakers, subsistence farmers, and those working in Russia.

Lukashenka has ruled Belarus for more than two decades, quashing political opposition, civil society groups, independent media, and other forms of dissent.


Over the past five years, Iranian officials and state media have touted the "indigenous" ingenuity in the Islamic republic's mass-produced Mohajer-6 combat drone, which Russia has deployed in its war against Ukraine.

But a new investigation by Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, has found that electronic components underpinning Tehran's production of the Mohajer-6 are far from homegrown.



The Mohajer-6 drones contain components produced by companies from the United States and the European Union, both of which have sanctions restricting the export to Iran of such technology that can be used for both civilian and military purposes  dual-use technology.

The presence of these components in the Mohajer-6 does not mean their producers are in violation of U.S. or EU sanctions, and RFE/RL does not have evidence that this is the case.

The investigation also found Mohajer-6 components produced in China, including a real-time mini-camera made by a Hong Kong firm that said it was "very sorry" that its products were being used in war.

At least one major foreign-produced component of the Mohajer-6 has previously been identified by reporters in a Mohajer-6 recovered from the battlefield by the Ukrainian military: an engine made by the Austrian manufacturer BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, a subsidiary of the Canadian company Bombardier Recreational Products.

But Ukrainian intelligence assesses that the Iranian combat drone contains components from nearly three dozen different technology companies based in North America, the EU, Japan, and Taiwan, the Schemes investigation has found. A majority of these companies are based in the United States.



A Schemes reporter who personally inspected the foreign-made drone parts identified components produced by at least 15 of these manufacturers.

These include parts made by the U.S. technology firm Texas Instruments, which said in a statement that it does not sell into Russia or Iran and complies with applicable laws and regulations.

To identify these components, Schemes reporters examined parts of the Mohajer-6 drone that the Ukrainian military shot down over the Black Sea near the Mykolayiv region coastal town of Ochakiv. They also reviewed Ukrainian intelligence records on the sources of these components.

The drone also contains a microchip bearing the logo of a California technology company and a thermal-imaging camera that Ukrainian intelligence says may have been produced by a firm based in Oregon or China.

Both Western officials and experts on illicit technology transfers say Iran has built a broad, global procurement network using front companies and other proxies in third countries to obtain dual-use technology from the United States and the EU.

"Exporters will look at the request coming from the [United Arab Emirates] or another third country, and they'll think that they're selling to an end user based there, when really the end user is in Iran," Daniel Salisbury, a senior research fellow with the Department of War Studies at King's College London, told RFE/RL.

In September, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions specifically targeting Iranian companies that Washington links to the production and transfer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Russia for deployment in its war on Ukraine. Fighting rages with no sign of an end more than eight months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked invasion on February 24.

"Non-Iranian, non-Russian entities should also exercise great caution to avoid supporting either the development of Iranian UAVs or their transfer, or sale of any military equipment to Russia for use against Ukraine," U.S. Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in a statement announcing the sanctions.

Chinese Cameras, California Chips

Development of the Mohajer-6, the latest model in a series of drones Tehran has used since the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, began in 2017, while mass production began the following year. During a ceremony commemorating the Islamic Revolution, then-Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami said that the new tactical drone could perform surveillance, reconnaissance, as well as help destroy targets.

Hatami extolled what he described as the drones domestic design, a portrayal echoed in later reports by Iranian media.

"The homegrown drone was made through cooperation among the army, Defense Ministry, and Quds Aviation Industries," the English-language Tehran Times quoted an Iranian military official as saying in July 2019.

The dismantling of the Mohajer-6 drone recovered by the Ukrainian military shows that the UAV is packed with foreign components.

One of these parts is a bright-orange real-time mini-camera produced by the Hong Kong-based company RunCam Technology. Documents seen by Schemes show that Ukrainian intelligence has also identified RunCam as the producer of the camera, which likely assists in remote guidance of the drone.

Founded in 2013, RunCam is involved in the development and production of so-called "first-person-view" real-time cameras. "Our users are our friends," the company's website states. The site says that RunCam has two authorized Iranian dealers.

Reached by Schemes for comment about the use of its camera in the Iranian drone deployed by Russia in its war on Ukraine, RunCam said in an e-mailed response: "We are very sorry to know that RunCam's products were used in warfare. RunCam is specialized in producing products for model aircraft hobby. We never contact any customer related to military."

The provenance of the Mohajer-6 drone-s thermal-imaging camera is more difficult to determine. A Ukrainian intelligence assessment reviewed by Schemes indicates it could be the Ventus Hot model produced by Sierra-Olympic Technologies, based in the U.S. state of Oregon, but that it also resembles a cheaper analog available for sale by the Chinese company Qingdao Thundsea Marine Technology.

Qingdao Thundsea Marine Technology said in an e-mailed statement that the company did not "have any business with Iran," because "it will affect our business." The company said it specializes in marine services and is not involved in manufacturing. It also said that it did not have a single successful order for its online advertisement of the thermal-imaging camera resembling the one recovered from the Iranian drone.

Sierra-Olympic Technologies did not respond to a request for comment on the possible use of its thermal-imaging cameras in Iranian combat drones in time for publication.

Microchips recovered from the drone also featured the logos of the California-based company Linear Technology Corporation and its parent company, the Massachusetts-based semiconductor company Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI). ADI did not respond to an e-mailed request for comment on the possible use of its technology in the Iranian combat drone.

Schemes reporters also observed among the components of the Iranian drone a voltage step-down converter produced by Texas Instruments. The company said in an e-mailed statement that it "does not sell into Russia, Belarus, or Iran."

"TI complies with applicable laws and regulations in the countries where we operate, and does not support or condone the use of our products in applications they weren't designed for," Texas Instruments said.

Schemes reporters also saw several components produced by the California-based technology manufacturer Xilinx, whose parent company is the multinational semiconductor company Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), also based in California.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, one of these Xilinx components was integrated into a video data-link module located in the wing of the Mohajer-6 that helped carry out attack missions.

"This module transmits information from the board to the missile head. That is, guidance for the missile. With the help of this module, it was possible to guide the missile to the target," a Ukrainian military intelligence representative told Schemes.

AMD did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

'No Authorization'

Previous media reports about the components of the Mohajer-6 drone, including by CNN, have shown evidence that its engine was produced by the Austrian manufacturer BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, whose parent company is the Quebec-based Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP).

The Canadian company responded to the reports on October 21, saying in a statement that it "has not authorized and has not given any authorization to its distributors to supply military UAV manufacturers in Iran or Russia."

"As soon as we were made aware of this situation, we started an investigation to determine the source of the engines," BRP said. .

But Schemes reporters found that the authorized Rotax distributor listed on the Austrian manufacturer's website advertised itself as a Rotax aircraft engines distributor for Iran as recently as December 2020.

The distributor, the Italian company Luciano Sorlini S.p.a., has posted multiple magazine advertisements on its websites in which it describes itself as a Rotax distributor for numerous countries. Prior to January 2021, Iran was listed among these countries.

The Rotax website also lists a Tehran-based company -- MahtaWing -- as an official service center for its engines. The company, known in Persian as Mahtabal, conducts repairs of Rotax engines, including the Rotax 912 iS, the engine that was found in the Mohajer-6 combat drone recovered in Ukraine.

BRP said in an e-mailed statement on November 4 that while Luciano Sorlini S.p.a. is the appointed distributor of Rotax aircraft engines in Iran, "since 2019, no Rotax engines have been sold in Iran, and we will not sell any engines to Iran moving forward."

The Canadian company said it had "internal controls" that "significantly" restrict the sale of its products for military purposes.

"For example, the sale of any BRP product to operators with any military activity in Iran, Turkey, and Russia is strictly prohibited," BRP said. "We conduct our business in compliance with all EU, Canadian, and U.S. applicable regulations."

BRP described the Iranian company MahtaWing as a "local service center" that "offers maintenance services for previously sold aircraft engines."

Shahriar Siami of RFE/RL's Radio Farda contributed to this report.
Iraqi forces have attacked four Islamic State-held areas in Mosul, the latest push in a battle that has displaced more than 45,000 people since it began in October last year.

Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) said on March 5 that the Federal Police and Rapid Response Division forces were attacking the Al-Dindan and Al-Dawasa neighbourhoods, while Counterterrorism Service forces were attacking the Al-Sumood and Tal al-Ruman neighbourhoods.

An Iraqi commander said troops were moving toward the local government complex in Mosuls western side, held by Islamic State (IS) militants, amid the "heaviest" clashes since the start of the new offensive more than two weeks ago.

Major-General Haider al-Maturi told the Associated Press news agency that IS militants dispatched at least six suicide car bombs, which were all destroyed before reaching the troops. He added that militants are moving from house to house and deploying snipers.

Iraqi troops launched a fresh offensive early on March 5 in the Al-Dawasa neighborhood. They are now about 500 meters away from the government complex, al-Maturi said.

The Nineveh governors headquarters and other government buildings are located in Al-Dawasa. Mosul is the capital of Nineveh province.

West Mosul is the largest urban population center still held by IS militants, followed by Raqqa in Syria and Tal Afar, which is located between Mosul and the Syrian border.

The Iraqi Army is also advancing through the desert surrounding the city, in an attempt to cut it off from Tal Afar, farther west.

The Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen TV televised live footage showing thick black smoke covering the sky during a heavy exchange of fire.

Thousands Displaced

U.S.-backed Iraqi forces began a major offensive on February 19 to remove Islamic State militants from the western section of Mosul, almost a month after they forced militants out of the eastern part of the city.

Iraqi forces launched the operation to recapture Mosul on October 17, retaking its eastern side in January before moving on to the smaller but more densely-populated west.



They paused their advance over the past 48 hours because of bad weather.

Most of western Mosul is still under IS control despite recent gains on the city's southwestern edge by Iraqi forces.

The fall of west Mosul, which was captured by IS fighters in the summer of 2014, would mark the fall of the self-declared capital of IS militants caliphate in Iraq, announced by leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi from a mosque in the city in 2014.

Meanwhile, at least 45,000 people have been displaced from western Mosul during recent fighting there, the International Organization for Migration said on March 5.

The UN organization said that 45,714 individuals or around 7,619 families have been displaced from western Mosul since February 25, days after U.S.-backed Iraqi forces started a major offensive.

More than 200,000 people are currently displaced as a result of the operation to recapture Mosul, while more fled but later returned to their homes.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, dpa, and AFP




By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI) Union Social Justice and Empowerment minister Thaawarchand Gehlot today said the Centre is concerned and keen for the welfare of the persons with disabilities.

He distributed the aids and assistive devices to over 800 differently-abled people at a camp organised in Rohini here under the governments Assistance to Disabled persons for purchasing or fitting of aids or appliances (ADIP) scheme.

advertisement

Speaking on the occasion, Gehlot said that the government is concerned and keen for the welfare of the persons with disabilities, and the distribution of free aids and assistive devices to such persons was a step in this direction.

The camp was organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in collaboration with the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO).

A total of 894 people with different kind of disabilities were given 1402 aids and assistive devices. PTI PLB SMJ

--- ENDS ---
Kyrgyzstan's opposition Ata-Meken (Fatherland) party has named its detained leader, Omurbek Tekebaev, as the partys candidate for the November presidential election.



The decision was made at an extraordinary Ata-Meken congress held in the capital, Bishkek, on March 5.



Tekebaev, a former parliament speaker and one of the main opponents of Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev, is currently being held at the State National Security Committees detention center on allegations of bribe-taking and fraud.



Supporters of Tekebaev believe the criminal investigation against him is aimed at preventing him from running for president.



Atambaev has defended Tekebaev's arrest, saying that it was not politically motivated.



Delegates at the Ata-Meken party congress decided to hold rallies across the country and call for Tekebaev's release.



Kyrgyzstan is expected to hold its presidential election on November 19.



Atambaevs term will end on December 1.



So far, Tekebaev and three other politicians, including two former prime ministers, have been named as candidates.

With reporting by Ulan Eshmatov from RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service
The detention of Omurbek Tekebaev, the leader of Kyrgyzstan's Ata-Meken party, has provided opponents of President Almazbek Atambaev and his Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) with a fresh rallying point.

The country's presidential election is scheduled for November and Atambaev is constitutionally prohibited from running, so this promises to be the most contested presidential election in Kyrgyzstan's 25-year history.

That makes Tekebaev's detention not only a political issue between his party, other opposition parties and Atambaev and his ruling SDPK, it also makes it an election issue in a country that has already seen two presidents chased from office by protests.

What just happened in Kyrgyzstan and why did it happen? Where could this lead Kyrgyzstan, a country still credited with being the most democratic in Central Asia?

These were some of the questions addressed in a Majlis, or panel discussion, organized by RFE/RL.

Moderating the discussion was RFE/RL Media Relations Manager Muhammad Tahir.Joining the Majlis from Bishkek was Medet Tiulegenov, assistant professor of international and comparative politics at the American University of Central Asia. Also from Bishkek, Ryskeldi Satke, a researcher and freelance journalist who has written for many media outlets, including Al-Jazeera and The Diplomat, took part in the conversation. I'm always rooting for Kyrgyzstan, so I said a few things also.

Tekebaev was taken into custody by the State Committee for National Security early on February 26 when he arrived at Bishkek's Manas International Airport.

According to Satke "a political fight between the Ata-Meken faction and the president's circle, including the president himself" was at the center of Tekebaev's detention.

Previously Amicable Relations

Tekebaev and Atambaev were once allies, part of the interim government that took over when former President Kurmanbek Bakiev was ousted in April 2010. They maintained amiable ties until last summer when Atambaev started pushing for a referendum to make changes to the constitution. The referendum took place in December and the amendments were passed.

Tekebaev was an author of that constitution and a provision in the text prohibited amendments until 2020.

Satke recalled: "There were a number of accusations since last year and the referendum was one of those issues where the Ata-Meken faction was disagreeing with the president's versionsince then this political rivalry escalated."

It did indeed escalate into what Tiulegenov called a "war of kompromatsa form of a wider deeper struggle, which happened in the wake of constitutional changes."

Over the course of the last half-year, Tekebaev and Atambaev have exchanged accusations about how each has acquired material wealth. Tekebaev was returning to Kyrgyzstan after visits abroad, one of which was to Cyprus where he collected what his Ata-Meken party said were documents linking Atambaev to cargo aboard a plane that crashed near the Manas airport in late January.

'Second Wave' Of A Power Struggle

The reason for detaining Tekebaev was the recent appearance of a video in which Russian businessman Leonid Maevsky claimed that he gave Tekebaev $1 million in late 2010 in order to acquire a stake in Kyrgyzstan's largest mobile phone operator, MegaCom.

Tiulegenov said, "The question many people are asking [is] why this person comes out almost seven years after all these events."

And Tiulegenov reminded us that Tekebaev is not the only member of Ata-Meken who is currently detained.Three other Ata-Meken members were arrested in November in connection with an offshore company that had links to MegaCom.

Tiulegenov suggested, "Maybe you can view it as a second wave of struggle by Atambaev to consolidate his power" recalling that Atambaev, "using the same tactic, using law enforcement agencies he controls as the president, opened up various criminal cases [against] the Ata-Jurt party."

Ata-Jurt was a party packed with former officials from the Bakiev administration. They were naturally opponents of the government that replaced Bakiev after he was chased from power. Ata-Jurt won the most seats (28) in parliament in the 2010 elections. As Tiulegenov explained, some of the parliamentary deputies from Ata-Jurt "were arrested or criminal cases were opened against them, and now Ata-Meken comes [into a similar situation]."

A Time Of Uncertainty

Moving forward, Satke pointed out that the detention of Tekebaev did not spark large protests and as a single issue is probably not sufficient to ignite the sort of passionate demonstrations Kyrgyzstan has seen in previous years. But Satke added that there are many perennial issues that could easily be added to opposition protests, including, among others, poverty, corruption, and chronic unemployment that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of Kyrgyz citizens working as migrant laborers.

Satke also mentioned that "protests in the province of Naryn have been going on for quite a while over electricity rates, winter was harsh this year and many were complaining that electricity is too expensive them."

The Bakiev government's decision to hike utility rates in the winter of 2009-10 was the first issue to bring people out onto the streets. By the time protests hounded Bakiev from office in April 2010, this issue was practically forgotten, replaced by a dozen other complaints.

The run-up to the November election in Kyrgyzstan is already looking a lot like the elections when Askar Akaev was president (1991-2005). Back then, prominent opposition leaders often also found themselves in legal entanglements months ahead of important ballots and election campaigns became part party politics and part courtroom battles.

Tiulegenov said the fact that Atambaev must step down and cannot ever again be president is likely playing a role in the events surrounding the Ata-Meken party and Tekebaev. "It poses kind of a security dilemma to safeguard yourself after stepping down from the presidential position."

Tiulegenov summed up the uncertainty of the coming months by noting, "We don't have, unfortunately, a lot of experience with what ex-presidents may do."

The discussion looked at these issues in greater detail and made some comparisons between what is happening now in Kyrgyzstan and crises in the country in the past.

An audio recording of the Majlis can heard here:

Listen to or download the Majlis podcast above or subscribe to the Majlis on iTunes.




Nigerian pirates have released seven Russian sailors and one Ukrainian sailor after they were kidnapped early last month on the cargo ship the BBC Caribbean, Russian news agencies reported on March 5.

Citing a human rights activist in Crimea, Russian news agencies said that the sailors had been released after talks between the owners of the ship and pirates.

The sailors were at a Frankfurt airport and would return home next week, the Interfax news agency reported, quoting activist Pavel Butsay from Sevastopol.

Butsay told the TASS news agency that a ransom was paid but did not disclose the sum.

The BBC Caribbean cargo vessel belongs to the German Briese Schiffahrts cargo company. It was attacked in Nigerias waters on February 5.

Security experts say the seas off the coast of Western Africa are some of the world's most dangerous, with pirate ships often seizing oil tankers and holding sailors for ransom, Reuters reported.

Based on reporting by Reuters, TASS, and Interfax
Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti says he is in constant contact with international security authorities to ensure stability in Kosovo as more ethnic Serb police officers in the north of country resigned.



Kurti said on November 6 after a rally by ethnic Serbs in the streets of North Mitrovica that the security situation in Kosovo was threatened by various criminalized individuals and groups, but said that during his time in office, we have made great progress in the fight against crime and corruption."



He added that the rule of law goes hand in hand with peace and security and cannot be threatened, adding that authorities do not distinguish criminals on the basis of ethnicity, but only on the basis of their criminal acts."



When asked about the decision on November 5 by the Serbian List party to leave Kosovo's institutions, Kurti repeated his call that Kosovo Serbs refrain from doing so.



"I once again I invite all Serb citizens of our country to not abandon institutions, not to resign, not to leave their jobs, because there would be less service for the people," he said.



Kurti has blamed Belgrade for seeking to destabilize Kosovo by supporting the ethnic Serbs in their boycott of state institutions.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on November 5 that the withdrawal of Kosovo Serbs from Kosovo institutions "is not a solution to the current disputes" and it has the potential to further escalate tensions.



A statement from the U.S. Embassy in Kosovo released to RFE/RL's Balkan Service late on November 6 said the United States agrees with the European Union that the recent developments around relations between Kosovo and Serbia "are of great concern and put important progress achieved in the EU-facilitated Dialogue at risk.



"The Kosovan Serbs' withdrawal from Kosovan institutions is not a solution to the current disputes and has the potential to further escalate the tensions on the ground," the statement added. "All involved must take steps to reduce tensions and ensure peace and stability on the ground."



The Serb officers who resigned on November 6 submitted written resignations to the police station in North Mitrovica. One of the policemen told RFE/RL that the officers only submitted their resignations in writing but had not yet turned in their uniforms and weapons. However, he said this will follow in the coming days.



Numerous media outlets reported that the police officers took off their uniforms as part of the wider Serb movement to withdraw from institutions in Kosovo touched off by a move to implement a mandate on the conversion of vehicle license plates.



A statement from the Kosovar police force said it was aware that Serb police officers had abandoned their posts and that some have handed over police equipment.



The rally by ethnic Serbs in North Mitrovica on November 6 came a day after Serbs there said they would quit their posts in state institutions to protest against the use of license plates issued by Pristina.

Following a meeting of Serb political representatives in the north of Kosovo on November 5, the minister of communities and returns, Goran Rakic, said he was resigning from his post in the Pristina government.



He told reporters that fellow representatives of the Serb minority in the north had also quit their jobs in municipal administrations, the courts, police, and the parliament and government in Pristina.



Rakic said they would not consider returning unless Pristina abolishes the order for them to switch their old car license plates, which date to the 1990s when Kosovo was a part of Serbia, to Kosovo state plates.



Addressing the rally on November 6, Rakic accused Kosovo government authorities of not respecting international law and agreements negotiated in Brussels.



Rakic has called on the protesters "not to fall for provocations and to continue the fight with peaceful and democratic means."



The license-plate measure took effect on November 1, and Kosovo authorities said enforcement would be gradual.

The U.S. Embassy statement reiterated the U.S. position that the Kosovar authorities should extend the process of converting vehicle license plates and suspend any punitive actions until the license plates issue can be resolved through dialogue.

Many ethnic Serbs in Kosovo refuse to recognize the countrys independence from Serbia, which it declared in 2008.



The European Union has told Kosovo and Serbia that they must normalize ties if they want to advance toward membership in the 27-nation bloc.

With reporting by dpa, AP, and AFP
"The past isn't dead," goes American novelist William Faulkner's famous aphorism. "It isn't even past." As Russia looks back on the fateful events of a century ago, when a pair of revolutions overthrew a tsar and installed Bolsheviks, liberal politician and Yabloko party candidate for the 2018 presidential election Grigory Yavlinsky sees both warnings and opportunity in the turmoil of 1917.



In a contribution for RFE/RL's Russian Service titled Back To February, Yavlinsky argues that, between the abdication of Russian Tsar Nicholas II in February 1917 and the Bolshevik seizure of power in October, Russia took a "detour" into a 100-year "dead end."



Russia's historical path, Yavlinsky says, was disrupted by the October coup and the January 1918 dispersal of the Constituent Assembly that had been elected to determine the form of the country's future government.



"Since that time, Russia has not had a legitimate government," Yavlinsky writes.



The February Revolution came about, Yavlinsky argues, because the monarchy had rejected political modernization and because whole swaths of a dynamically changing society -- former serfs, the emerging bourgeoisie, the growing working class -- had no opportunities to influence political processes.



"The main reasons for the fall of the autocracy are well known -- the slow pace of reforms, the inability of the authorities to cope with change, the transformation of autocratic power into an obstacle to the modernization of the country and the government. Autocracy rejected political modernization and was hopelessly left behind by historical developments.... And with that, it lost its legitimacy. Does this sound familiar?"

The Road Not Taken



Despite these crises and the pressure World War I, however, the country's leaders in the summer of 1917 found a potential way out. Nicholas II abdicated in favor of his brother, Grand Duke Michael Aleksandrovich. Michael, however, refused to take the throne without the consent of an elected Constituent Assembly.

Like most of the political elite at that time, Michael anticipated that the assembly would write a new constitution that would create either a constitutional monarchy or a republican form of government. Most importantly, Yavlinsky argues, the Constitutional Assembly would ensure the perpetuation of the government's legitimacy.



"The Constituent Assembly is the main signpost on the historical highway the country should have taken in February 1917," Yavlinsky writes.

Instead, however, the Bolsheviks seized power and disbanded the assembly, establishing an illegitimate government and pushing Russia on a "bloody, tragic, and ultimately futile path."



"What were the consequences? The fragmentation of the country. Civil war. Political repressions. The deaths and expulsions of millions of people, including the political, scientific, business, and creative elites of our country. The country's losses were staggering. In the first 35 years of Bolshevik rule (1917-53), they amounted to more than 50 million dead, including the 26.6 million who died in the 1941-45 war with Germany and its allies."

'Lies And Violence'



Yavlinsky goes on to argue that the current government of President Vladimir Putin is the direct heir of this illegitimate regime, or, to use Yavlinsky's phrase, it has an "organic, genetic connection to the Soviet-Bolshevik system" based on "lies and violence, the key Bolshevik instruments of maintaining control over the country."



"The authoritarian-corporatist regime that has solidified over the last quarter-century relies on Bolshevism as the foundation on which today's policies are built. Bolshevism is the root of today's endless government lies, its contempt for private initiative and the right of private property, its cynicism, and its indifference to human well-being."



This is why the government is urging Russians to maintain -- in Putin's words -- "national calm and reconciliation" in marking the 100th anniversary of the 1917 events and the 80th anniversary of Josef Stalin's 1937 purges.



Moreover, Yavlinsky adds, reconciliation "without the exposure of evil is tantamount to the justification of evil and a clear indication of a conscious readiness to resort to evil at any moment."

Other Choices



The current authoritarian government does its utmost to make sure no one in the public realizes that there are other choices for Russia besides either authoritarianism or revolutionary chaos, Yavlinsky argues.



He says an honest appraisal of 1917 would make that clear -- which is why the government is avoiding that at all costs.



"They want the public to be unable to realize that authoritarianism is a dead end and that the country needs a modern, vital state and modernized social relations. They want the public to be unable to see that the real, historical Russia is not some mythical Rus of the time of Prince Vladimir or Ivan the Terrible, but rather a European state that all its history has been longing for and desperately in need of democratic legitimacy."



The longer Russia goes without an honest assessment of the origins and legacies of the Soviet system, the harder it will be to actually make one, Yavlinsky says. Continued authoritarianism means further degradation of the system and the ruling elites, as well as increasing tensions produced by the gulf between the state and the people. This situation, he warns, is fraught with the possibility of a repeat of 1917, "the seizure of the state by...fanatics and terrorists, followed by uncountable misfortunes and human tragedies."


Syrian state media say government troops have gained ground and widened their control over villages formerly held by Islamic State (IS) militants in the northern part of the country.

State-owned Ikhbariyah TV on March 4 quoted a military source as saying troops are making steady progress in pushing IS fighters out of cutoff areas in Aleppo province and are moving toward the Euphrates River.

Government forces, supported by Russian air strikes, have recaptured about 90 villages since mid-January from the IS fighters.

State news agency SANA quoted a military source as saying the army took 15 villages on March 4 alone.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces have advanced to 13 kilometers away from IS-held Khafsah, the water-pumping station for Aleppo, where residents have been without mains water for 47 days.

The Observatory said on March 4 that "more than 30,000 civilians, most of them women and children," have been forced to flee the fighting during the past week.

Government forces report they are advancing to the south and east of the strategically important town of al-Bab, which was captured from IS by Turkish-backed rebels on February 23.

Experts say one of the goals of the government offensive is to prevent the Turkish-backed fighters from extending their gains southward.

An estimated 300,000 people have been killed and millions of others have been displaced since the Syrian civil war started in 2011 between government forces and rebels opposed to the rule of President Bashar al-Assad, leading to a massive migrant crisis across Europe.

The conflict was later joined by the Islamic State fighters -- opposed by both sides -- which has served to complicate matters further.

Turkey and the United States support the main opposition forces, while Russia backs Assad's government.

Government troops, U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters and Turkey-supported rebels have separately made grounds against IS in recent weeks, steadily driving them out of areas they have held for more than two years.

IS seized large portions of Syria and northern Iraq in an offensive in 2014.

The militant group is accused of numerous atrocities, and has claimed responsibility for major terrorist attacks in Europe and elsewhere.

U.S.-backed forces have made major gains against IS fighters in Iraq as well, and are currently battling to liberate all of Mosul from IS fighters.

With reporting from Reuters and AFP
U.K. officials say Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will visit Russia in the coming weeks, but they said he would not drop his tough line on Moscows involvement in Syria and Ukraine.

The prime minister [Theresa May] and the foreign secretary have made clear that our policy towards Russia is to engage but beware, and the visit is entirely consistent with this approach, a U.K. Foreign Office spokeswoman said on March 4.

The date for the meeting will be confirmed later, she said.

Johnson will meet with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the Foreign Office said. It will be the first visit by a U.K. foreign secretary to Russia since 2012

Discussions will focus on the U.K.-Russia relationship and current international issues including Syria and Ukraine, where we continue to have significant differences. This is not a return to business as usual, and the foreign secretary will continue to be robust on those issues where we differ, the spokeswoman said.

Johnson has regularly criticized Russia, particularly over its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is supported by Moscow.

Johnson has also opposed easing of sanctions against Russia for its illegal annexation of Ukraines Crimea region and its support of separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Based on reporting by The Guardian, Politico, and TASS
Nestle Egypt aims to invade the markets of Africa this year and expand in its existing markets in the Arab countries and the Gulf area to benefit from the weakness of the Egyptian pound.

Nestle Egypt CEO and chairperson Yasser Abdul Malak said that the company aims to boost its exports by 30% to reach EGP 1bn, up from EGP 700m in 2016.

He added that the company plans to invest EGP 250m this year to increase the production capacity in order to meet the external needs of the market, noting that increasing production will allow for more exports, along with being one of the main factors to curb production costs, which rose significantly after the pound flotation.

Abdul Malak pointed out that Libya represents the best export markets for the companyaccounting for 40% of its exportsfollowed by the Middle East countries, including Lebanon, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.

He said that the European Union and the United States of America, as well as African markets, account for 20% of the total annual exports of the company.

He added that the local market needs to increase the size of the agriculture industry and improve the quality and efficiency of agricultural products entering the industry, so that they raise their competitiveness in foreign markets.

He noted that raising the volume of manufacturing needs more scientific research that demonstrates the markets needs of raw materials and the quality of these materials, as well as their ability to meet the needs of production plants in line with the tastes of consumers abroad.

Nestle Egypt intends to inject EGP 1bn of new investments over the next five years to increase domestic production; most notably Nescafe and chocolate, he explained.

Moreover, he stated that the increase in exports is a move that aims to make the best benefit of the decision to float the pound and the depreciation of the EGP against the USD.

Abdul Malak said that the flotation is not a long term opportunity, which is why the company is trying to use the window in the best way possible.

He added that the market will go back to normal and costs will rebound again within the coming two years.

He pointed out that the company expects its sales to decline in the local market this year, noting that the sales, however, will be of more value after raising the prices.

He said that the company seeks to improve the quality of the nutritional value they provide to consumers, while continuing to pump more investmentsespecially with the company s success in achieving average growth rates of 15%.

Nestle Egypt owns two factories for food and packaging of mineral water in 6th of October City and Banha, with over 3,000 employees.

Abdul Malak said that the company aims to expand in the manufacturing and distribution of instant coffee. The Egyptian market is showing strong indications that consumption is growing, which pushed us to buy Caravan Foods Bonjorno Cafe, he explained.

Abdul Malak said that Egypt is one of the best investment countries in the Middle East, supported by a good work environment and a new investment law that contains good incentives for investors.

He added that the Egyptian market needs a legislative framework that is applied on local investors and foreign investors, as foreign investors observe the market and evaluate the performance of local investors before taking the decision to invest.

He praised the current governmental economic reform measures to control the rhythm of the market and attract more foreign and domestic investment.

He pointed out that the current investment law under review by the Egyptian Ministry of Industry is good compared to previous ones with more incentives.

Preliminary indications of the law show mechanisms to reduce the time and effort to finalise the procedures for investing,

registration, and insurance, as well as legal intervention and arbitration.

Abdul Malak explained that the Ministry of Industry gave the opportunity to companies in all fields to express their views regarding the law and expressed willingness to change points according to companies suggestions.

He added that the chambers of commerce have also cooperated in this regard.

He noted that the company aims to expand in childrens products and increase the nutritional valueespecially as 30% of children in Egypt suffer from iron deficiency.

Nestle Egypt has two factories: one in the 6th of October City for the production of Mage, CERELAC, and Nesquik, as well as the repackaging of Nido and Nescafe. The second factory is located in Banha, which produces and packages mineral water brands, including Pure Life and Baraka.

Abdul Malak pointed out that the company had to raise its prices in the past period due to a hike in production costs, as it imports large amounts of input raw materials, prices of which surged after the flotation of the pound.

He predicted that it will again have to raise prices in the coming periodas the market is volatilecalling for a mechanism to secure raw materials to avoid shortages.

He noted that local manufacturing and stimulating private sector expansion is a major factor in cutting down production costs.

It is noteworthy that global sales of Nestle exceeded $90bn in 2016.
By Press Trust of India: New York, Mar 5 (PTI) Parents take note! Hand sanitisers may do more harm than good, warn scientists who found that these alcohol-based, scented products may tempt young kids to swallow the substance - leading to serious consequences such as stomach pains, nausea and even coma.

Exposure to sanitisers have resulted in adverse health effects like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting among children, scientists said.

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Researchers from US Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention have identified serious consequences, including apnea, acidosis and coma in young children who swallowed alcohol-based hand sanitisers.

To characterise paediatric alcohol hand sanitiser exposures in the US, data reported by poison centres among children aged 12 years during 2011 to 2014 were analysed.

Hand sanitiser exposures were defined as a poison centre call reporting an exposure to either alcohol hand sanitiser exposure or a non alcohol sanitiser product.

Calls reporting co-exposures to other agents were excluded to minimise confounding effects.

The study found that majority of intentional exposures to alcohol hand sanitisers occurred in children aged 6-12 years.

During 2011?2014, a total of 70,669 hand sanitiser exposures in children aged 12 years were reported, of which 65,293 were 92 per cent alcohol exposures and 5,376 were 8 per cent non alcohol exposures.

These data also indicate that, among older children, exposures occur less frequently during the summer months.

The reason for this seasonal trend is unknown but might be associated with flu season or more ready access to hand sanitisers during the school year, researchers said.

The recommendations provided by the researchers included, hand washing with soap and water.

Increasing awareness of the potential dangers associated with intentional or unintentional ingestion of alcohol hand sanitisers.

"Caregivers and health care providers need to be aware of the potential risks and dangers associated with improper use of hand sanitiser products among children and the need to use proper safety precautions to protect children," researchers said. PTI APA MHN MHN

--- ENDS ---
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APEX, N.C.  Grocery list in hand, Anne Yeager chuckled and hesitated at first when asked how long she has been shopping at Publix Super Markets.

I hate to tell you, because that might tell my age, she said as she walked down an aisle of a new Publix grocery store in a retail development called Publix Pointe in Apex, N.C., a suburb southwest of Raleigh.

Fifty years, easily, Yeager said, as her husband, Gresham Yeager, pushed the grocery cart a few steps behind her.

The Yeagers are formerly of Florida, where Publix dominates the grocery landscape, but they have called North Carolina home for the past 15 years. The Apex store, which opened Feb. 8, is the fourth Publix to open in suburban Raleigh in the past three years.

The profitable Publix chain, based in Lakeland, Fla., is expanding northward and westward, bringing its Key lime pie, crunchy fried chicken, submarine sandwiches and reputation for top-notch customer service  including courtesy clerks who take customers groceries to their vehicles  to new markets, including the Richmond region.

The new store in Apex, plus two in nearby Cary, offer a glimpse of what Richmonders can expect when Publix comes to a grocery market some analysts say is over-stored with too many supermarket options.

Publix is on track to open at least 12 stores in the Richmond area during the next few years. And the chain has said it plans to add locations aggressively here and elsewhere in Virginia.

Ten of the 12 local stores will be in former Martins Food Markets sites that Publix is buying and renovating.

The others are being built from the ground up.

One is under construction in the new Nuckols Place retail center at Nuckols and Twin Hickory roads in western Henrico County. The other is slated to be part of a proposed shopping center at Mechanicsville Turnpike and Brandy Creek Drive in Hanover County.

Publix has not provided specific opening dates for the Richmond-area stores, but the companys website indicates a summer 2017 opening for stores at Nuckols Place, The Shoppes at CrossRidge, John Rolfe Commons and White Oak Village.

***

Anne Yeager said she has other supermarket options, including a Whole Foods Market and a Harris Teeter, but she prefers Publix because the produce is always fresh and the customer service exemplary, even if the prices are a little higher than the competition.

I like the variety, the seafood department, the meat department, you name it, she said. And everybody is so helpful, not that they arent in the other stores, too, but they are extremely helpful here.

Publix stores typically range from 28,000 to 61,000 square feet. The Richmond-area stores announced so far will range from 49,000 to about 67,000 square feet.

In comparison, Walmart Supercenters typically are about 182,000 square feet, while Wegmans and Kroger Marketplace stores range from 100,000 to 120,000 square feet.

Freshness is a Publix differentiator when it comes to fruit, vegetables and other produce, said Alan Steele, a 32-year Publix employee who is produce retail coordinator for the chains division in Charlotte, N.C.

We get deliveries six to seven days a week, Steele said.

That guarantees our freshness. Right now, its coming out of Atlanta, because that is where our distribution is from.

The produce is not all U.S.-grown but is jet fresh, he said, flown to distribution centers soon after being picked.

Any customer in doubt about whether a fruit or vegetable is at peak flavor can ask for a sample, Steele said.

We will sample anything, he said. If you dont like it, we dont want you buying it.

Publix does not have a customer loyalty-card program like other chains, but the stores do run weekly BOGO (buy one, get one) specials.

During opening week at the Apex store, for instance, BOGO specials included Birds Eye vegetables, Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad packaged pasta meals, Haagen-Dazs ice cream products, 24-ounce packages of large shrimp, Snack Factory pretzel crisps, Frenchs ketchup, Perdue chicken breasts and chicken nuggets, plus more.

The stores bakeries make bread daily, boasted Ashley Mayes, an eight-year employee who is bakery manager at the Apex store.

Our Italian five-grain is probably one of the best breads we have. Its mixed in the store, so extremely local, she said.

Another customer favorite are the birthday cakes made in-store and topped with buttercream frosting.

It uses real butter. We aerate it every single day, so its nice and light and fluffy. Its not a heavy icing, Mayes said.

Publix has other services designed to make mealtime easier for customers.

Hankering for one of the chains famous submarine sandwiches for lunch or dinner? You can avoid the wait at the deli counter by using the Publix mobile app to order the sandwich, which will be prepared a few minutes ahead of your scheduled arrival time and left in a warming tray.

Cant decide what to make for dinner tonight? The Publix Aprons program, which started in 1999, gives consumers some help with in-store cooking demonstrations for meals that take about 30 minutes to make.

Publix also has done some of the legwork, with the items needed to make the meals conveniently stocked together in food display cases near the Aprons station.

Our motto is, bring your family back to the table, said Publix meals specialist Steph Arpey. We put out two new recipe cards a week, so we are here seven days a week demonstrating so we can show folks how easy these recipes are to prepare. We also give you a chance to taste it before you buy it.

If youre planning a special birthday or graduation party and want to get your cake and trays of finger food all in the same place, the Publix Aprons event planning service can handle the catering.

The stores full-service pharmacies have a program that provides certain medications free to customers with a doctors prescription. The drugs available through that program include some commonly prescribed blood pressure medications; antibiotics; metformin, which is used to treat Type 2 diabetes; and Montelukast, an asthma drug.

***

One way Publix has kept its customer service culture through the years of expansion beyond its Florida roots is through the chains employees and managers.

The only way to become a store manager is to already work for the company.

And Publix is the largest majority employee-owned company in the U.S., according to the National Center for Employee Ownership.

Store manager Denny Pena stood in the vestibule of the Publix store in Apex with outstretched arms as he welcomed a steady stream of customers on the Feb. 8 opening day.

Pena started with Publix in Hialeah, Fla., when he was 17. He was a bagger and front-end service clerk.

He has been with the company 28 years, including 10 years as a store manager. The Apex store was his first time opening a new store.

I remember my bosses always talking to me about all the benefits Publix had and the opportunities that we all had to be anything that we wanted to be, Pena said.

They molded us. They mentored us, he said. Thats exactly what Mr. George wanted to do with every single associate.

In order for me to move up, he invested in me. ... Its our culture  to promote from within. Publix doesnt hire anybody from outside to be a manager. Its something that is earned.

Mr. George is George W. Jenkins, who founded Publix in 1930. Jenkins worked for the Piggly Wiggly grocery chain before leaving to open his own store.

Jenkins, who died in 1996, was known for his emphasis on customer service, a legacy the chain continues. The 10-member board includes three Jenkins family members and a fourth by marriage.

When Pena says our culture, he also is speaking as an owner.

He is one of the estimated 179,000 employees who hold shares in the company, as of Feb. 7. The chain has about 191,000 workers. Employees who have been employed with Publix continuously for a year are eligible to buy company stock.

By giving employees ownership, Jenkins fostered a sense that everyone had a stake in seeing that the customer experience was superior.

Today, the company is run by President and CEO Randall Todd Jones Sr., who took over last year when former CEO Ed Crenshaw retired after 42 years, including serving as CEO since 2008. Jones was named president in 2008.

Publix is one of the most respected and one of the most successful retail chains in the whole country, said Jeffrey Metzger, publisher of Food World, a trade publication that follows the supermarket industry in the Mid-Atlantic.

They have dominated Florida for almost 80 years and continue to expand their market share there. ... Over the past 20 years, they have also moved northward at a slow pace, Metzger said.

Clearly, Publix is going to make a presence in the Richmond marketplace, Metzger said.

Its going to be very interesting to see how they compete in a very over-stored market, he said.

***

In the Richmond market, Publix will face competition on price and convenience from operators and market leaders Kroger and Walmart, both of which have more locations and offer online grocery ordering with at-store drive-up pickup.

Publix also will face market newcomers: no-frills Aldi, which has opened nine stores in the Richmond area since April 2015; and Lidl, on track to open a handful of stores in the region this summer.

Where Publix excels is customer service, said Steven P. Kirn, a lecturer in the Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He teaches retailing management and has been a Publix customer.

Publix has registered its Where Shopping is a Pleasure slogan with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

On the service side of things, not on price, they kind of own the market. They certainly own the Florida market, Kirn said.

Service and loyalty, cleanliness, staffing. They are a good operation, he said.

If you buy a 59-ounce cardboard box of orange juice, theres somebody there bagging it for you and saying, Do you want me to take this out to the car for you?... Its that level of service, Kirn said.

Or its the thing that when you go through the store, look at the shelf facings, he said. You wont find a lot of holes. All the canned goods, pasta, what have you, are all pulled forward so that all the shelves are nice and neat and stocked.

The floor is sparkling. Cleanliness is huge in terms of how people feel about groceries, Kirn said.

***

Can Publix re-create that kind of company loyalty in a competitive market such as Richmond?

They think they can, Kirn said.

I would think the Richmond market has a kind of southeastern sensibility where that sort of loyalty can be very powerful, he said.

But in the supermarket world, location is key, he added.

Its the number one reason why people choose to shop at a particular store, Kirn said.

They basically have kind of saturated Florida where they have almost 800 stores, he said. If I want to go to a Winn-Dixie, I have to drive past three Publix stores to get there.

Jones, the Publix CEO, has his work cut out for him, said Burt P. Flickinger III, managing director of New York City-based consulting group Strategic Resource Group.

He inherited a company that has been competitively complacent, because Publix in its legacy state of Florida has faced less capable, under-capitalized competitors like Winn-Dixie, Flickinger said.

In the Richmond market, Publix will face a food fight probably unlike any it has ever experienced, Flickinger said.
"We have been working to better understand the facts of these situations and, importantly, both the intent and impact of these events on members of our community," the provost says.
Indian Ambassador to the United State, Navtej Sarna conveyed deep concerns to US authorities over the recent tragic incidents, which involve the shooting of Deep Rai, who is now out of danger, and the fatal attack targeting businessman Harnish Patel.

By Smita Sharma: Indian Ambassador to the United States, Navtej Sarna, has raised the issue of the recent attacks on Indian-origin people in the country, with the US State Department.

Sarna conveyed deep concerns to US authorities over the recent tragic incidents, which involve the shooting of Deep Rai, who is now out of danger, and the fatal attack targeting businessman Harnish Patel.

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The two attacks came against the backdrop of last month's Kansas bar shooting, in which an Indian techie, Srinivas Kuchibhotla lost his life and another Indian was injured.

In both, the Kansas bar shooting and the attack on Deep Rai, the gunmen are reported to have yelled out statements asking them to return to their countries.

Ambassador Sarna, while taking up the issue, underlined the need to prevent such incidents and to protect the Indian community in the US.

The State Department, on behalf of the US government, expressed condolences over the incidents and assured that they are working with all agencies concerned to ensure speedy justice.

Also read

Third attack on an Indian in 10 days in US: All you need to know about 'climate of hate'

Another Indian killed in US, businessman Harnish Patel shot dead near his home

--- ENDS ---
ROANOKE  One night last summer, a man whose property borders Grayson Highlands State Park saw a flash of light at a nearby power pole. He watched his lights flicker and dim, but the power never went out.

The next morning, he found an explanation for the momentary electrical malfunction in his backyard: A large black bear with scorched hair was lying dead at the base of the pole, Appalachian Power spokeswoman Teresa Hamilton Hall said.

Its unclear what electrocuted the bear. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries officials told the homeowner that the bear might have come in contact with something on the pole, though an Appalachian employee could not determine what exactly the bear touched, Hall said. None of the equipment on the pole was damaged.

That bear was one of two found dead after interacting with Appalachian equipment, to Halls knowledge. The other was found in 2015, after a customer lost power to a cabin he owns in Meadows of Dan in Patrick County.

But in remote areas of Southwest Virginia  like Whitetop Mountain and Glade Spring in Washington County  workers have been finding bears handiwork for years. In those regions, employees have found gnawed and clawed-up power poles, some damaged so severely, the poles are nearly in two by the time they are discovered.

Appalachian Power spent $9.34 million, or $2,750 each, to replace 3,400 damaged poles throughout its coverage area in 2016. The company does not currently track poles damaged by bears, however, so its unclear how much of that cost can be attributed to ursine wildlife.

Last summer, the company announced a new initiative to inspect and maintain the 600,000 power poles in its service area over the next 10 years. In addition to helping the company better maintain its electrical equipment, it could also help explain unexpected power outages in areas where bear populations are growing, Hall said.

So many times when we have power outages, its a squirrel or its a hawk or its a black snake, she said. But with more bears in urban areas, it could one day be, Oh, its a bear.

Jaime Sajecki, head of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Black Bear Project, said she hears about bears being electrocuted only occasionally.

Its unclear why the bears might choose to climb the poles, some of which rise 35 feet. But Sajecki said the bears could be attempting to reach the poles transformers, tricked into thinking the equipment contains buzzing insects.

If you have a transformer on your pole, if you put your ear to it, you hear it humming, Appalachian line crew supervisor Steven Montgomery said. The transformer makes the pole vibrate some, so the bear thinks that the pole is more like a tree and has bugs in it.

Sajecki said its far more common for electrical workers to find scratches and bite marks on poles, as they provide bears with a way to mark their territory and send messages to other bears.

When youre a bear, the higher you make the mark on a tree or a pole or whatever, that shows other bears that youre that big, Sajecki said. Theres bears that overlap home ranges, so theyre constantly leaving messages on whos there, whos dominant. Theyre a really good way to broadcast your message.

In the past, Sajecki said shes told power companies to use heavy-duty plastic  the kind used to line dump trucks  or metal flashing to keep bears away from the poles.

Some companies also have left a damaged pole standing and putting the new one next to it. Bears will usually continue to use the old pole as their scratching post, Sajecki said.

Appalachian Power senior utility forester Kevin Sigmon said the utility has found its own method for protecting poles from bear damage: drain pipes. The company fits corrugated plastic piping, cut in a spiral, around poles and then fits the spiral pieces together to make a solid covering.

The company first used drain piping as a bear guard about six years ago, when Sigmon and other employees found about two dozen damaged poles.

In that case, the poles were in an area that could only be reached on foot. Rather than drag heavy pipes through miles of forest, Appalachian hired a company to airlift the pipes to the site.

Sigmon said he hopes the new inspection initiative will give the company more insight into where bear guard installations would be most effective.
Everybody talks about the weather.

And when youre a meteorologist, the small talk comes with a lot of big questions.

Why was this winter so warm?

How bad is this hurricane season going to be?

What was up with that storm last night?

And this timeless greeting: It must be nice having a job where you can be wrong 90 percent of the time ...

Of course, Richmonds meteorologists have strong motivation to get it right.

Virginia is in one of the few regions of the world where a forecaster can expect to deal with the threat of snow, tropical storms and tornadoes on an annual basis.

We remember the names Isabel and Gaston, and days like Aug. 6, 1993, when tornadoes ripped across the region.

Some events are so captivating, weather glossary jargon becomes our water cooler talk: Derecho. El Nino. Polar vortex.

The men and women who forecast this areas weather understand that fascination and, occasionally, that fear.

Between the bright lights of television studios and the glow of monitors at the National Weather Service in Wakefield, about a couple dozen trained meteorologists keep a 24/7/365 vigil on storms and snow and just how warm it will be for your picnic on Saturday.

And were just as curious about our weather forecasters as we are about the weather itself. For WWBT morning meteorologist Andrew Freiden, his most frequently asked question is: What time do you wake up?

The answer: 2:33 a.m., Freiden said.

It takes passion to get through the early alarms and the math-laden meteorology courses. For many, the calling comes at a young age.

Youll find a generation of forecasters who were captivated by the brutal snowstorms of the late 1970s. Many recent meteorology graduates started following weather during the constant barrage of hurricanes in the 1990s, or were inspired by the late Bill Paxtons character in the 1996 movie Twister.

For some, the passion simply started by staring out the back door at a vivid thunderstorm on a sultry summer night.

Dont be surprised to find the Hurricane Sandy generation of meteorologists in university lecture halls of the 2020s and 2030s.

For Freiden, his interest in weather started with outdoor adventures in childhood, but the career path took a longer route.

I wasnt one of those meteorologists who always knew he was going to be in the weather business, he said. It didnt really become a thing until I went to college and started exploring careers.

Broadcast meteorologists may be the most visible members of the field, but forecasters have vital jobs all across the public and private sector: the National Weather Service; environmental quality and emergency management agencies; universities; the U.S. military; aviation; shipping; energy; and, yes, The Weather Channel.

Weather forecasting wouldnt be where it is without Doppler radar, computer models and storm-tracking vehicles. But theres more to it than technology.

Experience come at the price of a few busted forecasts.

A meteorologist who is new to this region quickly becomes familiar with the stubborn ways of the cold air wedge.

Computer models continue to improve, but they usually can be outperformed by a seasoned and observant human.

Usually.

Once you get confident, thats when Mother Nature burns you, Freiden said. Youve got to be smart and humble. Theres always more to learn and more ways to look at the atmosphere.

Instead of simply looking for reasons why a certain weather event will occur, a good forecaster will try to find evidence that might hold it back.

The forecaster that looks at things from all possible angles is the one thats most successful, Freiden said.

Uncertainty is unavoidable. Even if meteorology conquers chaos theory and becomes an exact science, theres always the human element.

At conferences and workshops, weather experts and social scientists now are pondering how to make weather forecasts clearer and more useful.

How is probability of precipitation interpreted by the public?

Should different outlets use consistent map colors for weather alerts?

Whats the right way to convey a hurricane warning to a complacent part of the coastline without causing panic?

Meteorologists arent the only ones with questions. You have them, too.

We all learn a bit more when we listen to each other.

So lets talk.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI) Amar Pratap Singh, the former CBI chief who has been booked by the agency, today claimed he was being "targeted" for his personal equations with controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi and said he would welcome a fair and impartial inquiry in the case by the probe agencies.

His statement came on a day when media reports claimed that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) would soon begin a process of attaching his properties in connection with its probe into an alleged Prevention of Money Laundering case registered against Qureshi.

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"I have read the newspaper reports. It appears I am being targeted, but am not sure of the reasons why," Singh said in a statement here.

Strongly denying the charges levelled against him by the CBI which had registered a case against him last month and carried out searches at his residence, Singh, who was the CBI Director from 2010 to 2012, said "I welcome any CBI and ED investigation and sincerely hope that they will be fair and impartial.

"I shall be fully cooperating with any such investigation," Singh, a 1974-batch IPS officer, said.

The CBI has named Singh along with Qureshi and others in an FIR registered in February for allegedly favouring the meat exporter after receiving a complaint from the ED.

The former CBI chief had said that the messages had been in public domain "for over three years".

"Income Tax and Enforcement Director have not added anything further. None of the purported messages sent through BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) pertain to the CBI investigations. They are mostly personal and innocuous in nature as between friends," he had said immediately after his house was searched by the CBI.

Enforcement Directorate chief Karnal Singh had alleged that in the course of investigation in a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) case against AMQ Group of companies owned by Qureshi, it had transpired that the businessman was acting as a middleman for some public servants. (More) PTI SKL ARC

--- ENDS ---
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Pakistan, which had objected to India flying the flag so close to the international border, fears the mast could be used by India to spy on its land.

By Manjeet Sehgal: India on Sunday hoisted the tallest tricolour in the country at the Attari border. The 360-foot tall flag is high enough to be spotted from Lahore in Pakistan.

Hoisted on a 110-meter high mast, the flag is 120-foot long and 80-foot wide. The weight of the flag pole is 55 tonnes, and an estimated Rs 3.50 crore rupees have been spent on this project by the Punjab government.

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Before this, the title of the tallest national flag in India belonged to a 293-foot-high tricolour that was hoisted in Jharkhand's Ranchi.

PAKISTAN OBJECTS

Interestingly, Pakistan is not happy with India's decision to hoist the tricolour at the international border.

Sources said the Pakistan Rangers had also conveyed their resentment to the Border Security Force (BSF) and had asked them to install the flag away from the border.

Pakistan on Thursday had again raised an objection to the flag being flown at the IB, calling the act a violation of international treaties.

Pakistan authorities apparently fear that India could use the mast to spy in Pakistani land by installing cameras on the flag pole.

INDIA: NOT VIOLATING ANY TREATY

However, Indian authorities had made it clear that the flat was being installed 200 metres before the zero line and was not a violation in any manner.

"Not to my knowledge. It is our national flag and nobody can stop us from hoisting it on our soil," said Anil Joshi, a minister in the Punjab government, who hoisted the flag on Sunday.

The decision to install tallest tricolour at the Attari border was taken by the Amritsar Improvement Trust. The foundation stone of this flag was laid in April last year, by Joshi.

The tallest tricolour promises to be yet another another attraction at the Attari-Wagah international border, which already sees thousands of Indians pouring in daily to witness the flag lowering ceremony.

Also read: Burj Khalifa lights up in Tricolour to celebrate India's Republic Day

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: exercise

Jammu, Feb 28 (PTI) Troops of Indian and Oman armies were today given security briefing ahead of their second joint exercise "Al Nagah-II 2017" in Bakloh belt of Himachal Pradesh.

"Initial orientation and security briefing were carried out. It also included the training aspects and area familiarisation," PRO Defence, Jammu, Lt Col Manish Mehta said.

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The 14-day joint exercise will begin tomorrow in the Dhauladhar Ranges at Bakloh.

"This is the second joint military exercise between the two countries which have a history of extensive cooperation in defence arena. The first one was held in Oman in January 2015," he said.

The PRO said the participating troops for this exercise have been drawn from one infantry battalion each from the Indian Army and the Royal Army of Oman.

About 60 troops from both countries will participate in the exercise, he added.

"The aim of the exercise is to build and promote bilateral army-to-army relations and enhance interoperability while exchanging skills and experiences," Mehta said.

The Indian troops have undergone extensive training on rock craft, slithering, counter-terrorism or low intensity conflict operations in addition to tactical drills of close cordon and house intervention drills to fulfil the mandate of the joint exercise, he said.

The vast experience and expertise gained by Indian troops in counter-insurgency operations holds special importance for the Royal Army of Oman. The conduct of the joint exercise would therefore set the stage for greater defence cooperation between the two nations, the Lt Col said. PTI AB GVS

--- ENDS ---
Kalluri allegedly posted some comments on social media about the transfer of 6 IPS officers, which have been termed as "unnecessary" in the notice issued by the DGP.

By Press Trust of India: Controversial IPS officer SRP Kalluri has been issued show cause notices by the Chhattisgarh DGP office for his comments on the social media and attending a private function in Jagdalpur without taking permission.

Kalluri, in a separate letter, has also been asked not to leave the state police headquarters here, where he is posted, without the permission of Director General of Police A N Upadhyay.

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"The show cause notices and the letter were issued to the officer late last evening," a senior official posted at the police headquarters here said today.

Last month, Kalluri, who was then Inspector General of Bastar range, was transferred and posted at the state police HQ.

One of the show cause notices has been issued referring to his "unnecessary comments" on social media regarding the recent transfers of SPs in Bastar region.

"In February 2017 the state government released a new social media policy and such act of posting in social media is prohibited. Therefore, your (Kalluri) act is against the policy. Please reply within three days as to why disciplinary action should not be taken against you," said the notice.

Another notice said that, "It has been learnt that on March 2, 2017 you took part in a programme of a private motors firm at Jagdalpur."

"The circular issued by the General Administration Department clearly states that a government officer should not take part in such private programmes," the notice said.

The officer's presence at the event is a violation of the circular, it said, while seeking Kalluri's reply on the issue within three days.

Notably, Bastar Superintendent of Police R N Dash and Sukma SP Indira Kalyan Elesela were also present at the same programme in Jagdalpur district headquarters on March 2.

Elesela, a 2011 batch IPS officer, reportedly made a controversial statement on human rights activists at the event.

On March 3 evening, the state government transferred six IPS officers, including Dash and Elesela.

In the backdrop of their transfers, Kalluri allegedly posted some comments on social media, which have been termed as "unnecessary" in the notice issued by the DGP.

Also read: Chhattisgarh CM praises Kalluri's contribution in Bastar

--- ENDS ---
Dinnington residents and councillors who are appealing for the police station to be reopened

PRESSURE continues to mount on police chiefs to reopen a police station in the town where a teenage girl was found stabbed to death on a footpath.

More than 700 people have signed an online petition calling for Dinningtons cop shop to reopen and more officers on the beat.

It follows the murder of 16-year-old Leonne Weeks, whose body was found off Lordens Hill in Dinnington on January 16, and the killing of Steven Fretwell in Laughton in December.

The site closed last year because it didnt make sense financially to keep it open, according to the force.

But resident Tim Wells set up the petition for reopening, claiming it would reduce crime in the area and allow police to be more proactive.

Mr Wells, of Victoria Street, said: Since the closure of the station, crime appears to have increased in the area and we have had two recent murders, something that was unknown of previously.

Whats happened recently has obviously had an effect and weve got a lot of support.

I think people will feel more secure and if they feel the police care then it will put their minds at rest.

Its like an insurance policy for the community - hopefully people wont have to use the police but I think it gives the public confidence and reassurance that the police are there if they need them.

The petition also calls for more police officers in the town in the hope of clamping down on crime and antisocial behaviour.

Mr Wells said axing the role of police and crime commissioner would free up funds for South Yorkshire Police to reopen the Dinnington site.

He said: I calculated that for a community our size - with a population of 25,000 - we should have six police officers per shift.

The main issue weve got is that when people are in danger, who do they turn to? If the officers have to come from Maltby, there is a chance the criminals could get away before they arrive.

Mr Wells said he understood the current police station on Laughton Road was out-dated but said a new one should be built on the site if a revamp was too expensive.

He said: They could probably use the site and get a police station near enough built and bring it in on the back of a lorry and slot it in place.

It could be a model for the rest of Rotherham.

Rotherham district commander Chief Supt Rob Odell said funding cuts had led to a reduction in officers across the county - not just in Dinnington.

He said the police station had been very old and inefficient to run.

To put improvements into the building would just not be worth the money, he said.

What we have got to do is consolidate our buildings and resources for financial efficiency in response to budgetary constraints. We would rather lose a building than members of staff.

Once the petition reaches 1,000 signatures, campaigners will present it to South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings and chief constable Stephen Watson.

A charity dance event in memory of teenage murder victim Leonne Weeks brought in 90.

Fitness instructor Jules Donaghy organised the 90-minute clubbercise session at Dinnington High School on Saturday.

The money raised will go to Leonnes family.

Shea Heeley, also from Dinnington, appeared in court last month charged with the teenagers murder.
They did some really serious damage and, unfortunately, we found out that theyre very young assailants which just brings another level of heartbreak to this whole thing, said Julie Huerta, president of the Harbor Area YWCA which runs the day care center. Teachers, she said, were shocked when they arrived for work.Tables were overturned, chairs flipped over, powdered formula spilled, fire extinguishers all discharged ,obscenities scrawled on walls and ink toner and dry baby formula thrown everywhere. Large quantities of toys were destroyed. A small fire was set in the infants area. Services of a hazmat team were required. The Los Angeles Port Police recovered a number of items that were taken from the scene. As result of their vandalism the San Pedro Child Development Center with 63 preschoolers served was closed for a week. It is expected to reopen Monday. The center is seeking monetary donations to help replace the many supplies that were lost or had to be thrown away. The case was turned over to the Juvenile Division of the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office.
Local witnesses said the blast took place after one of the boys landed on an unexploded shell lying in a nallah near the Pazalpora Army camp in Sopore.

By Ashraf Wani: Three people sustained injured after a mysterious blast near an Army camp in Pazalpora Hardshiva village of Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district on Sunday, police said.

According to local witnesses, the blast took place after one of the boys landed on an unexploded shell lying in a nallah near the Pazalpora Army camp.

The injured - identified as Saahil Rashid Lone, Aakash Reyaz Bhat and Shakir Hussain Dar - were shifted to SDH Sopore. Saahil was later shifted to SMHS Srinagar for advanced treatment.

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According to a police official, investigation is underway to find out whether it was a grenade blast or not.

ALSO READ | J-K: Terrorist killed in encounter with security forces in Baramulla district

2 militants killed by security forces in gunfight in Kashmir's Sopore

Kashmir encounter: 2 militants, 1 policeman killed; operation underway

--- ENDS ---
The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday bid a tearful adieu to Constable Manzoor Ahmed Naik, who was martyred in the Tral encounter.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: It was a tearful adieu as the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday gave Constable Manzoor Ahmed Naik, who was martyred in the Tral encounter, a final salute.

Top officers, including DGP JK police SP Vaid and IG Javed Geelani, were amongst those who shouldered the weight of the constable's mortal remains after the guard of honour.

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The DGP told India Today " The Tral encounter was a successful operation in which two top terrorists were gunned down. Unfortunately we lost one of our fine boys from SOG (Special Operations Group)."

MANZOOR'S FAMILY

Manzoor is from Salamabad, Uri. He is survived by his wife Nasreena, who's expecting their second child. He also has a four-year old son.

Manzoor was the only earning member of his family. His two brothers, Abdul Rashid and Nisar Naik, are both unemployed.

His sister, Zareena Banoo, is a widow. His father, who's 70 years old, will now live with the burden of never seeing his son alive. Naik's mother died a few years ago.

JOINT OPERATION IN TRAL

After J&K police received specific information about a group of militants hiding in the Hafoo Nazneepora area of Tral town in south Kashmir, security forces launched a joint operation.

42 Rashtriya Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Special Operations Group (SOG), closed in on the hiding militants. The insurgents opened indiscriminate fire.

Naik was hit, and succumbed to his injuries.Three other security personnel, including an army major, were injured in the encounter

J&K POLICE TOPS LIST OF GALLANTRY MEDAL WINNERS

The J&K Police topped the list of winners of the President's Police Medal for Gallantry this year, accounting for 32 of the 100 medals awarded on Republic Day.

The Home Ministry said 597 police medals were awarded this year, 85 per cent of which went to police officers from lower ranks.

ALSO READ | Tral encounter ends, top Hizbul Mujahideen commander killed: 10 things you need to know

ALSO WATCH | J-K: Fierce gunbattle between militants, security forces in Tral

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: Mumbai, Mar 5 (PTI) Karan Johar has become a single father of twins - a baby boy and girl - who were born through surrogacy and his friends and colleagues from Bollywood have expressed their happiness for the filmmaker.

Johar, 44, has named his daughter Roohi and son Yash, after his late father Yash Johar.

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"I am ecstatic to share with you all the two most wonderful additions to my life, my children and lifelines; Roohi and Yash. I feel enormously blessed to be a parent to these pieces of my heart who were welcomed into this world with the help of the marvels of medical science," Johar said in a statement.

The "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" director says it was an emotional but well thought out decision which he has taken considering all the responsibilities and duties that come with being a parent.

"In order to arrive at this decision, I have prepared myself mentally, physically, emotionally and logistically to ensure that my children get all the unconditional love, care and attention from me and mine. I have submitted to the fact that my children are my world and priority."

Johar says his work, travels and social commitments will have to take a back seat after the arrival of his kids and he is prepared for that.

"By the grace of God, I have the most caring and supportive mother who will be an integral part in the up-bringing of her grandchildren and of course, friends who are family," he says.

Thanking the surrogate, the filmmaker says he is eternally grateful to her as she has fulfilled his "lifelong dream and provided a warm, loving and nurturing environment to my children before bringing them into this world."

Celebrities including Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt and Farah Khan showered their blessings on the new parent and the twins.

"Finally I can say I have a younger brother AND sister!!! So so so happy! So much love to give uff bursting with joy," Alia tweeted.

Priyanka wrote, "Congratulations @karanjohar so happy for you. May Yash and Roohi always have a beautiful healthy life. Much love always."

Farah posted, "Glad you took my advice seriously @karanjohar Best thing to happen to you... And theyll be the youngest people you hang out with so alls good." (MORE) PTI JCH SSN RDS SHD SHD

--- ENDS ---

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By SA Commercial Prop News





Companies selling unused land will now have to pay tax on the proceeds, which the South African Revenue Service (SARS) regards as income.

Paying a hefty tax bill on such sales could retard the development of land, property and tax analysts warned Monday, 30 May 2011.

They said a landmark judgment delivered earlier this month by the Supreme Court of Appeal would have profound tax consequences for landowners and property developers.

The Supreme Court of Appeal ruled against chemicals company AECI, which had formed an asset realisation company, Founders Hill, to develop and sell its land.

Founders Hill sold a large portion of land in Modderfontein, Johannesburg, for housing purposes. SARS taxed the proceeds of the sale as income.

The judgment overturns longstanding principles in the income tax laws where the proceeds of property sales were regarded as capital in nature and not taxed.

Property economist Erwin Rode said the judgment could have a long-term effect on the property sector and retard development of land because of the scarcity of funding.

Francois Viruly, of the University of Cape Town's department of construction economics and management, said: "Developers have always been aware of the risk of turning the proceeds of the sale of an asset into income. This is what happens when a developer crosses the Rubicon."

Prof Viruly said the judgment would have an effect on companies planning to embark on largescale projects that involved selling land and property.

David Green, MD of Pace Property Group, said the effect of the judgment was that there was no point in companies forming realisation companies in future. "The judgment certainly takes away the motivation."

Johan Troskie, a director at audit, accounting, tax and advisory firm Mazars, said the appeal court had overturned longstanding principles in income tax law. "The court has destroyed any case put forward by taxpayers that a realisation company was formed to sell property for a capital amount," he said.

AECI said yesterday it was "evaluating its options". Having lost its appeal against a Tax Court decision, its only recourse now was the Constitutional Court.

Acting on legal advice, AECI formed Founders Hill in 1993, to which the Modderfontein properties were sold with the intention of reselling them for housing.

In the Tax Court, SARS contended that Founders Hill had changed its intention and "crossed the Rubicon". It had started to trade in the land it had acquired from AECI - and those profits were therefore income.

The Tax Court found in Founders Hill's favour, holding the company had not crossed the Rubicon. SARS subsequently took the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal, which held that a company that acquired assets for the purpose of selling them had traded in those assets.

Troskie said: "What the court said is that the use of a realisation company will ensure that the proceeds of a sale are capital in nature in limited circumstances, for instance where they are owned by different people, or where there is a need to protect assets from the original holder."

Tim Desmond, a partner in the tax and commercial department at law firm Garlicke & Bousfield, said the judgment would affect legal advisers' approach to realisation companies.

"It was widely thought that the case law established a general rule that allowed for realisation companies," he said.
Here are 3 things to think about for Kansas mens basketballs opener

The No. 5 Jayhawks are opening their season Monday. Its the start of their run to try and defend their national championship this past season.
"The hateful actions of one man doesn't define us," said Kansas Governor Sam Brownback.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Indians are a valuable community of Kansas and they are welcome in the state, Governor Sam Brownback has told Indian diplomats and community members in the aftermath of a bias killing of an Indian there.

Brownback said he was ashamed of the killing of Srinivas Kuchibhotla and the wounding of Alok Madasani last month and it was not characteristic of the state that valued Indians, Consul General Anupam Ray told IANS over phone.

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"The hateful actions of one man doesn't define us," Brownback said. Ray, who is based in Houston, Texas, has jurisdiction over Kansas state.

He visited the state last week and met the Governor, Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer and members of the Indian community. The state leaders said they are available for the Indian community and will give them whatever help they need, according to Ray.

Ray described as moving his meeting on Thursday with Ian Grillot, the heroic American, who was shot while trying to stop the gunman.

"I have not met a person like that in my life," Ray said. "A very brave man, he took a bullet for another man."

Grillot "represents the best of America," he said.

Ray showed him the tweet by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj that "India salutes the heroism" he has shown.

Grillot was shot while trying to stop former Navy personnel Adam Purinton, who opened fire at the two Indians after screaming "Get out of my country".

According to news reports, he later said that he thought they were Iranians.

After the shooting Consul R. D. Joshi and Vice Consul Harpal Singh from the Houston Consulate General rushed to Kansas to help Madsani and the family of Kuchibhotla.

Also read:

How a suspected hate crime in Kansas shattered the American dreams of a Hyderabad engineer

US embassy condemns Indian-origin engineer's killing in Kansas City bar shooting

Indian killed in Kansas bar shooting: Donald Trump behind murder, says Srinivas Kuchibhotla's family

--- ENDS ---
San Diego Countys office glut may be coming to an end, thanks largely to the acceleration of the co-working trend.

The JLL brokerage found that 45 percent of last years newly rented downtown office space went to WeWork and other tenants that take large blocks and cut them up into monthly subleases.

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The 111,619 square feet leased last year to such firms lowered direct vacancy by nearly one percentage point and left the overall downtown direct vacancy at 11.3 percent, its lowest in at least nine years, according to CoStar Groups year-end count. (Counting subleases, the year-end rate was 13.3 percent.)

The significance of this drop is that developers typically start thinking about building new office space when the vacancy drops below 10 percent. The downtown vacancy rate reached a peak of 17 percent in 2011 before starting to fall back to todays levels.

Co-work space typically offers a range of leases, from drop-in memberships for workers who wish to mingle and attend social and educational events to startups, consultants and branch offices that need temporary space for major projects.

The space usually includes a variety of setups  private single-person cubicles, several desks in an private office, assigned and first-come, first-served workspace. Shared space includes food service, game areas and conference and meeting rooms.

Monthly costs can range from $50 for social memberships to $500 or more for private offices.

Richard Gonor, executive vice president for JLLs San Diego office, said co-work demand reflects the collaborative work habits of the growing millennial workforce.

With the change in technology, employees are becoming mobile and everybodys talking about the virtual office, Gonor said. So co-working is really something thats being driven, not only by the number of the younger population thats starting up new companies.

Traditional companies have joined the co-working trend as well, because they need to remain flexible, Gonor said.

He said the co-working amenities reflect a changing design approach to all office, not just co-working.

It starts with creating less of a commodity office building and designing something that creates a unique space, Gonor said. Were seeing more design trends toward residential hospitality type of designs.

This approach is particularly successful in historic and architecturally distinctive buildings.

Those are the types of environments these co-working groups are attracted to, he said.

But WeWork occupies 88,000 square feet on five floors of the 24-story San Diego Union-Tribune Building at 600 B St. And it has designed the floors with amenities fit for a cool 1920s brick warehouse converted to offices.

Co-working spaces predate WeWorks arrival late last year. The original concept offered executive offices where tenants rented individual rooms and shared a receptionist, coffee bar and a board room or conference room.

Joseph Bonin said he and a partner bought a two-floor, 11,000-square-foot building on Murphy Canyon Road in 2009 and today rent 100- to 200-square-foot private offices to 37 tenants with about 50 workers and executives. There are no spaces set aside for co-working or short-term use in SmartSpace, but the walls are filled with artwork and double as an art gallery.

Bonin said he is searching for additional locations elsewhere in the county where tenants would like work near their homes to cut down on commuting. Some co-working spaces may be included, but he said his market is professional tenants who work in private and dont want the distraction of open office planning, coming and going of short-term tenants and fun and games  a free for all, as he called it.

Michel Cohen, a Mexican financial adviser who moved to San Diego seven years ago, said he bought a 30,000-square-foot building at 550 W. B St. for $9 million and opened Downtown Works in September. About 40 companies with 150 workers have moved into the 15,000-square-foot first phase, and another 3,000 square feet will be opened in several months. The rest of the building houses Cohens family company and California International Business University, a Danish business school. Other locations are being sought outside downtown.

The most important thing is not the space, its the community, Cohen said. To run a co-working (space) successfully, you really have to be there 24/7, have a mentor, help with funding. Its not only providing the space  thats easy, anyone can do that. The difficult part is the community.

Another co-working space opening this year is Level Office, a 65,607-square-foot building at 1111 Sixth Ave.

Bill Bennett, the companys Chicago-based founder, said he bought the building for $12.3 million last year and hopes to open the first phase in June. The company operates 14 locations in 10 cities, and the San Diego site will be its first in California.

Professional growth in San Diego is very high, he said, adding that purchasing buildings eliminates the profit margin that would otherwise go to another property owner. San Diego is so much more reasonable a market than San Francisco or Los Angeles, Bennett said. Its got some very, just incredible things happening in the downtown, so we like what we see.

The building will feature a roof deck where tenants can socialize. Beer is on tap and there will be an iPad-connected coffee maker. But ping pong, foosball and other games common to some co-working spaces are not planned at Level Office.

Its not professional in our view, he said. Its not frat-like. This is a more professional community.

While co-working is helping to drive down vacancy rates, JLLs Gonor and the other co-working executives did not expect anyone to start constructing major new office space anytime soon.

Theres 11 to 12 percent vacancy and theres a handful of projects proposed for construction, Gonor said. But they all need an anchor tenant to kick off the construction. We may see one or two of those break ground in 2017, but I think for the time being, this demand is going to be continued to be met in the existing buildings.

Bennett said co-working appeals to startup companies whose founders cannot predict the growth rate accurately enough to sign a long-term lease.

What I look at in terms of downtown San Diego is the rents that are available dont justify new construction, even though the occupancy is getting to the point historically where it would, he added.

He guessed that an office developer will decide the time is right in about two years to start a project but then not finish it for another three years.

I think were half a decade or a decade away from significant new office supply product in downtown San Diego, he said.

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WeWork, the nations largest coworking landlord, has opened in downtown San Diego  in the same building as the Union-Tribune at 600 B St.

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roger.showley@sduniontribune.com; (619) 293-1286; Twitter: @rogershowley
Seventy years ago, Lancaster, Ohio, drew the attention of Forbes magazine, which celebrated the prosperous town and its Anchor Hocking glass factory as models of free enterprise. This is America, the magazine declared. Lancaster is also where San Diego journalist Brian Alexander grew up, and when he went back to see how his hometown has fared after all these years, he found a different American story for a different American time. Globalization, corporate raiders, low wages, a heroin epidemic  its all part of a devastating downturn documented in Alexanders new book, Glass House. Fellow author Beth Macy (Factory Man, Truevine) says the book should be required reading for people trying to understand Trumpism, inequality, and the sad state of a needlessly wrecked rural America.

Brian Alexander book event: Friday, 6 p.m., at West Grove Collective, 3010-B Juniper St., South Park. (619) 795-3780 or westgrovesouthpark.com

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john.wilkens@sduniontribune.com; (619) 293-2236
In a series of speeches over the past week, President Donald Trump has sketched in broad details a push to spend an extra $54 billion on the armed forces in 2018.

Thats about 10 percent above this years Pentagon budget and 3 percent over former President Barack Obamas forecast for 2018 funding. But GOP hawks sprang on the proposal as too little, too late and Democrats squared off to fight Trumps plan because it raids environmental and foreign aid coffers to pay for it.

Defense analysts contacted by the Union-Tribune insist that the armed forces need help after nearly five years of slimmer Pentagon budgets following the so-called 2011 sequestration deal between the White House and Capitol Hill. But they also cautioned that it takes years, often decades and not months, to build new weapons, and Congress ultimately controls the national security purse strings, not Trump.

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The bottom line is that if Trump cant convince eight Democratic senators to agree to his budget there will be no increase at all in defense spending, said Loren Thompson, the chief operating officer of the nonprofit Lexington Institute and an expert on military procurement.

Military spending has gotten caught up in a struggle for power between our two major parties. Whether we win a war, whether troops die unnecessarily, none of thats being considered because of squabbles between Republicans and Democrats.

In testimony submitted to the House Armed Services Committee on Feb. 7, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines painted a dire picture of readiness after four years of lower funding.

The Army said that its overstretched, with 182,000 soldiers spread over 140 global locations  including 5,000 fighting the Islamic State in the Middle East; 8,000 more in Afghanistan; 33,000 in Europe facing off against a resurgent Russia; another 80,000 in the Pacific region, including 20,000 in South Korea.

If given more cash, the generals vow to spend it to recruit, train and retain personnel; reorganize combat brigades and better wed them to Army National Guard units; expand Army programs deeper into cyberspace; and repair infrastructure deficiencies at 33,000 facilities worldwide.

Some funds would be earmarked for a longer procurement push to purchase new long-range missiles, improve electronic warfare capabilities, convert Stryker troop transports into tank killers, revamp anti-aircraft defenses and install a system on armored vehicles to protect against a new enemy shoulder-fired projectiles.

But none of that will be bought in a year.

We need to put this into perspective, said Lexingtons Thompson. The Army is receiving a grand total of one tank per month. If you look at what the Active and Reserve units need in funding, its only about two days of federal spending.

The Army needs $3.6 billion for new helicopters  less than what Americans spend celebrating St. Patricks Day, Thompson said. The bill for the Armys new tanks and tracked vehicles  $2.3 billion  is about what civilians spend inside tattoo parlors every year. But Thompson remains pessimistic about Congress fully funding the Armys requirements.

Like the Army, the Marine Corps remains heavily deployed overseas. In 2016, nearly 70 percent of the Marines operational units served abroad  23,000 troops in the Pacific region alone.

Back home, the Corps reported a $9 billion backlog in infrastructure repairs because Quantico has poured funding into unit readiness  buying spare parts, fuel, ammo and gear to sustain deploying personnel.

The Corps claims that four out of every five aviation units lack the jets and helicopters they need, so a bulk of new funds would go to fix or replace aircraft and return grounded pilots to the sky. Tilt-rotor MV-22 Osprey and KC-130J refueling aircraft and their crews also have reached unsustainable deployment levels and must be rested, according to the Marines.

Trumps 2018 spending hikes wont cure more chronic problems, such as the Corps aging Amphibious Assault Vehicle and Light Armored Vehicle fleets. The typical AAV is more than four decades old; an LAV is 26 years old.

The Marines also want Congress to buy more amphibious warships for the Navy. The current inventory of 31 is seven short of the nations requirement, according to the Corps.

The Navy wants to spend an extra funds on mending vessels and aircraft currently languishing in depots and shipyards. Admirals complain of low stocks of critical spare parts, fleet-wide shortfalls in ordnance and aging shore facilities that need $8 billion in crucial repairs.

With half of its crews unable to sustain combat operations, Air Force leaders say that they will spend the extra dollars to grow the size of the service  recruiting and retaining more than 1,500 pilots and twice as many mechanics.

They also want to continue developing the B-21 Raider long-range strike bomber, modernize existing B-52 and B-2 bombers and field more advanced F-35A fighters and KC-46 Pegasus refueling tankers.

Long-term projects include replacing or fixing the services strategic nuclear bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles; expanding space operations such as the incoming missile alert system and communication satellites; and forging closer relationships with private sector firms to close the cyber-needs gap and beef up Americas digital defenses.

The U.S. Coast Guard, a military force that falls under Homeland Security oversight, was left out of the spending plans.

Trumps Office of Management and Budget plans to cut $1.3 billion of funding from Coast Guards 2018 budget  more than 10 percent of its annual spending. It likely means axing the Coast Guards ninth National Security Cutter and delays buying icebreakers  vessels Navy admirals contend are vital strategic assets they need to perform arctic operations.

The greatest acquisition challenge facing the Coast Guard right now is the race for heavy icebreakers, said Joe Kasper, spokesman for Rep. Duncan Hunter, an Alpine Republican on the House Armed Services Committee But the Coast Guard also has a readiness shortfall no different than what the Marine Corps is experiencing or any one of the other service branches.

Its not the Navy that will have the ice-breaking mission, its the Coast Guard. And its not the Navy that will stop cocaine and dangerous foreign nationals traveling our waterways or coastline, its the Coast Guard. And as the Navy pivots elsewhere, the Coast Guard will be even more critical for U.S. national security. And as Trump builds the wall on the southern border, its going to push more migrants and smugglers to the water  and the only entity there to stop all of it is the Coast Guard.

Military Videos  On Now D-Day paratrooper from Coronado jumps again in France  at age 96 On Now Remembering war's fallen, one name at a time On Now In Ramona, an airplane and an aviator provide living lessons on World War II 1:43 On Now Video: Navy's newest vessel sails into San Diego and a new future in surface warfare On Now Video: U.S. Navy files homicide charges over warship collisions On Now Stopping Marine hazing On Now Video: U.S. Navy Air Crew Grounded After Creating Vulgar Sky Drawing On Now Navy says Asia Pacific ship collisions were avoidable On Now Hundreds of recruits get sick at Marine boot camp On Now Cutler Dawson Talks Navy Federal

cprine@sduniontribune.com
Los Angeles police fatally shot a man who was wielding a pipe outside a fast-food restaurant in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, authorities said.

The shooting occurred about 12:30 p.m. outside the Carls Jr. restaurant near the intersection of Broadway and Olympic, according to Liliana Preciado of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Officers attempted to use Tasers but, after that proved ineffective, ultimately fired at the suspect, Preciado said. The man was transported to a hospital, where he died, according to police.

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Police did not release the identity of the deceased or the officers involved in the shooting. No other information was immediately available.

This post will be updated as more information becomes available.

victoria.kim@latimes.com

For more California news, follow me on Twitter @vicjkim

UPDATES:

4:00 p.m.: This story was updated with additional information about the circumstances leading up to the shooting.

This article was originally posted at 2:50 p.m.
Recently, 29 Ramona High School Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets participated in a Navy Damage Control (DC) Trainer exercise at Naval Base San Diego.

While standing knee deep in icy cold water and being blasted from multiple leaks in pipes above, they were challenged, as a team, to quickly stop the sinking of their ship.

This was the coolest NJROTC event I have ever experienced, said Cadet Jacob Powers, Ramona NJROTCs commanding officer.

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The Damage Control Simulator was built to resemble a U.S. Navy ship so that training could be as realistic as possible.

Donning fire helmets and boots, and using wood wedges and pipe patches, small repair locker teams were dispatched throughout the vessel to stop the water. Adding to the overall simulation was the constant communication from the ships command element and use of emergency lighting.

The DC trainer is a unique Navy education event and is only available every other year for cadets, said retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Bradley Davis, Ramona Highs senior naval science instructor, referring to the cadets as fearless.

The NJROTC student leadership program receives great support from the Navy and is a popular elective class at RHS, Davis noted.
Man 5 foot 2 Had a knife Two women with him

Police have released photos of three people wanted after an assault with a knife on Monday, February 13 near Spadina Avenue and Wellington Street West. A man and two women got out of a taxi without paying. The driver followed them demanding to be paid. The police release says the man produced a knife and pressed it against the drivers stomach. He also threatened the cabbie, prompting him to retreat to his vehicle. The man is described as approximately 52 with facial hair on his chin, average build, wearing a black toque, black hoodie, and black winter jacket. The first woman is described as 52, 22-25, with a very thin build, and messy, long, black hair, wearing a blue jacket. The second woman is described as 56, 25-30, with a medium build. She was wearing a blue jacket and red toque.

OVERNIGHT STABBING

Police are also sorting out a stabbing somewhere along Spadina Ave. between Queen West and Adelaide West. The victim, a man, was found around 6 a.m. Sunday with serious wounds to his legs at Adelaide but cops feel the attack may have occurred further north.

THREE NABBED FOR STREET ROBBERY

Three teens, one 18 and two 16, are charged with street robbery in Scarborough in recent days. The oldest is Bender Mohammed. The other two may not be named because of their age. The charges include robbery against Mohammed and robbery with a weapon, and wearing a disguise with the intent to rob. One minor also faces a charge of failure to comply with a recognizance.
Karan Johar is now a father to twins, Yash and Roohi. Johar has named them after his own parents.

By India Today Web Desk: Last night, news broke that Karan Johar has become a father to twins born from surrogacy.

Today, Karan Johar took to Twitter to officially announce the birth of his children, Yash and Roohi. And guess what? Their names are a tribute by Karan Johar to his own parents.

While the baby boy Yash has been named after his deceased father late Yash Johar, the baby girl Roohi's name is an anagram of Karan's mother's name Hiroo.

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According to a report in the Times of India, civic officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation confirmed the babies' births on Saturday. The babies were delivered at Andheri's Masrani Hospital on February 7.

It was this very hospital where AbRam, the third child of Shah Rukh Khan was born, also via surrogacy.

In his statement, Karan Johar wrote that his "work, travels and social commitments" would take a back seat and that he is prepared for that.

"I am eternally grateful to the surrogate who has fulfilled my lifelong dream and provided a warm, loving and nurturing environment to my children before bringing them into this world. She will always remain in my prayers," Karan wrote.

Here is Karan Johar's full statement:

I am ecstatic to share with you all the two most wonderful additions to my life, my children and lifelines; Roohi and Yash. I feel enormously blessed to be a parent to these pieces of my heart who were welcomed into this world with the help of the marvels of medical science.

This was an emotional yet well thought out decision which I have taken after considering all the responsibilities and duties that come with being a parent. In order to arrive at this decision, I have prepared myself mentally, physically, emotionally and logistically to ensure that my children get all the unconditional love, care and attention from me and mine. I have submitted to the fact that my children are my world and priority. My work, travels and social commitments would have to take a back seat and I am prepared for that. By the grace of God, I have the most caring and supportive mother who will be an integral part in the up-bringing of her grandchildren and of course, friends who are family.

I am eternally grateful to the surrogate who has fulfilled my lifelong dream and provided a warm, loving and nurturing environment to my children before bringing them into this world. She will always remain in my prayers.

Finally, a big thank you to Dr. Jatin Shah for his guidance and support and for being like a family member through this wonderful and exciting journey.

ALSO READ: Karan Johar becomes father to twin babies

ALSO READ: Tusshar Kapoor becomes father to a baby boy, through surrogacy

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ALSO READ: Everybody knows what my sexuality is, says Karan Johar on being gay

WATCH: Losing virginity at 26 and other explosive confessions from KJo's book, An Unsuitable Boy

--- ENDS ---
Despite preferring to fight for social justice and other priorities behind the scenes, Myrtle Cole has somewhat reluctantly emerged as one of San Diegos most important leaders in recent years.

After several years working as a campaign strategist and policy consultant for other local politicians, Cole became the first black woman to serve on the City Council in 2013 and then became the first black woman to attain the pivotal post of council president in December.

The council president, who sets the councils agenda and doles out committee assignments and chairmanships, is essentially the second most powerful politician in the city behind Mayor Kevin Faulconer.

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RELATED: Cole selected San Diego City Council president

Her recent milestones continue a long string of trailblazing achievements by Cole, who was the second black woman to serve on Tucsons police force and the first black cheerleader at both her junior high school and high school.

God put me here for a reason  to be first, she said.

But even with that track record, the 67-year-old moderate Democrat said last week that she never aspired to be a politician and has only recently begun to embrace the role.

It was not on my bucket list to be a City Council member, said Cole, who won her council seat in a special election after Councilman Tony Young resigned and Democrat Party leaders struggled to find someone to replace him. But the door opened and I was obedient.

Cole said she preferred working out of the limelight, wiping tears from the eyes of the politicians she was counseling. She said the transition to being in the public eye was hard, especially when opponents would attack her at campaign forums.

I think I cried almost every night when I came home from forums because I am a perfectionist, I know what I want to do and I know how to do it, she said. I was not used to the pushback and the negativity I received. But it made me a little bit stronger and more determined.

Cole focused primarily on bringing jobs and affordable housing to her Southeastern San Diego district after getting elected, but was thrust into the spotlight after winning a showdown with Councilman David Alvarez for the council president seat three months ago.

Her battle with the more liberal Alvarez pitted labor unions against each other and prompted local environmental groups to lobby aggressively against her.

Cole said last week that she was frustrated by such opposition, which she attributed to misperceptions about her.

I dont want to say thats ridiculous, but Im a strong supporter on climate issues and Im going to support whatever David is doing as chair of the Environment Committee  whatever he brings to council, said Cole. Im an environmentalist and a social activist. I believe they just didnt know me.

Cole said the misperceptions could stem from her focus on other priorities, such as public safety, infrastructure, economic development and creating more quality jobs.

But Cole got off to a rocky start as council president with many of those who had opposed her, when she selected Republicans to lead many of the councils most prominent committees, including Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods.

Additional controversy stemmed from her not including on that committee any council members representing communities in the southern part of the city, where relations between residents and the police have been the most strained.

Rev. Shane Harris, president of National Action Network San Diego, said last week that hes still frustrated by Coles committee appointments but that hes open to giving her a chance.

She had a real opportunity with some of the committees, especially the public safety committee, to appoint leaders south of Interstate 8 that are struggling with racial profiling and other issues, he said. She instead appointed people who are averse to police reform and could kind or care less about racial profiling.

RELATED: Cole criticized for public safety selections

But Harris said hes been impressed by Cole since then.

I have had a slight change of heart, he said. I think that she is turning it around and trying to find ways to turn it around.

Cole lobbied to revive the long-dormant Citizens Advisory Board on Police/Community Relations to foster robust collaboration between residents and police, and she devoted most of the councils Feb. 27 meeting to a racial profiling study conducted by San Diego State University.

She has also scheduled a council forum on homelessness for March 20 and promised to schedule a similar forum on the citys affordable housing crisis this summer.

Shes now trying to use her platform to bring some different dynamics that havent been there before, Harris said. Shes showing signs of improvement.

Harris said last weeks long hearing on racial profiling was a big step for Cole, who had to apologize and retract comments she made last summer condoning some forms of racial profiling because she said blacks frequently shoot blacks.

But he stressed that Cole will ultimately be judged by her accomplishments as council president.

At the end of the day, it will be about what she will actually get done, he said. She is trying to do things that create a different conversation, but shes got to put the action behind those words.

Cole said shes confident the city will achieve many of its goals under her leadership, which she compared to the woman she is replacing, retired Councilwoman Sherri Lightner.

Sherri wasnt there to rise to another seat  she just wanted to get things done, said Cole. I just want to make sure everyone has a voice on the City Council.

Before running for office, Cole worked for multiple council members, including John Hartley, Charles Lewis and Tony Young.

She moved to San Diego in the 1970s after leaving the Tucson police force in hopes of joining a department here because of the milder climate. With no opportunities available, she eventually became a police officer for the San Diego Community College District.

She left that job in the mid-1980s to become an academic advisor at National University, and then went into managing political campaigns.

Cole said she plans to run for re-election next year and stay on the council until term limits force her out in 2022.

A self-described workaholic and policy wonk, Cole said she has few hobbies outside of going to the gym and some traveling. She spent Thanksgiving in Atlanta with her brother and sister.

Cole lives with her 14-year-old dog, a Pomeranian Yorkie, in Redwood Village. She has no children.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick
The rich tradition of conflict between San Diego policymakers and the city attorney may be alive and well, if decidedly more low key than in the past.

The recent dust-up between Councilmen Chris Cate and Scott Sherman and City Attorney Mara Elliott has hardly resembled some of City Halls memorable high-volume drama.

Like when Mayor Bob Filner crashed a City Attorney Jan Goldsmith news conference, or when the Filner, before he was banished, sought to slash the attorneys budget.

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Or like the clashes between City Attorney Mike Aguirre and Mayor Jerry Sanders, replete with tough reports and harsh words in public.

The Cate-Sherman/Elliott dispute may look tame by comparison  it was carried out via press releases  but in part it involved a territorial struggle that had been central to the previous conflicts.

Over the past few weeks Elliott approached the council to see if the members wanted the city to join amicus curiae briefs on two high-profile legal matters: against President Donald Trumps refugee travel ban and in favor of a Virginia transgender students effort to use boys restrooms.

Chicago asked San Diego to join the former and San Francisco made the request on the latter. The council voted for the city to sign on to both cases.

On the travel ban, Sherman was the lone no vote, his objection being the city should focus its resources on municipal issues.

On the transgender case, Sherman again was the lone no vote. Cate did not cast a vote, but immediately accused Elliott of bringing in divisive DC politics and also adding that she should focus on city issues. His release did not mention that earlier he voted in favor of opposing the travel ban.

He further accused her of breaking her vow not to use the position for political reasons and someone went so far as to dig out a quote for his release, in opposition-research style, from a Union-Tribune interview when as a candidate she discussed that.

Shermans statement contained some of the same talking points, sans a quote from the U-T.

Both made clear they they strongly support the LGBTQ community, but that this wasnt about that.

Elliott responded that she was required by the Rules of Professional Conduct to bring such a request to her client, the City Council, to decide. To not do so would be playing politics, she added. She pointed out the council has taken action in the past to protect the rights of transgender people.

She also could have added that predecessors have brought such friend-of-the-court brief requests to the council. The most recent apparently was in October, when the council joined Miamis effort to go after predatory lenders who that city contended were responsible for home foreclosures and, by extension, blight.

Theres often been an uncomfortable relationship between the San Diego city attorney and council and/or mayor. Sometimes, its because of personalities. But its also because the city attorney is an elected official and the inhabitant of the office has latitude in defining the parameters of the job.

On one level, this dispute seems odd because Elliott takes a more traditional view  as the attorney for the council and city government. Others have considered it more of a peoples attorney and a government watchdog.

On another level, the conflict seems inevitable. Elliott suddenly has become one of the highest-profile Democrats in a Democratic town, swept into office just last November by an overwhelming majority of voters. The Republican power structure is nervously eying her for the future. Elliott faced a well-funded Republican who was the local GOPs top election priority  and walked away with a 13-point citywide victory.

Sherman and Cate are Republicans and at least the latter has been mentioned as a possible candidate for mayor in 2020. Theyve been elected in districts that each cover a little more than 10 percent of the citys population.

Faulconer on the sidelines

One unusual aspect about these decisions on which lawsuits to join is that Mayor Kevin Faulconer doesnt get to vote, or veto the council action.

Call it a quirk of the citys strong-mayor form of government. The mayor not only attends the closed-door litigation discussions but he chairs them. While he has his say, only the nine council members get to vote.

This is an odd predicament for the Republican mayor who otherwise has great control over the city and significant leverage with the council on other matters through his consensus-building, political alliances and veto power.

Democrats have a 5-4 majority and it takes six votes to override a veto. While partisan lines are blurred on many issues, that split on the council can give the mayor confidence in his rarely used, or publicly threatened, veto.

This all is a mildly interesting footnote, at best. The mayors inability to force the issue on whether the city joins an amicus curiae brief probably isnt something that keeps him awake at night.

But they want him in the game

Faulconer, the most-watched Republican in the California these days, didnt have to do much to make a splash at last weekends state GOP convention in Sacramento. Showing up was pretty much enough.

Kevin Faulconer says he isnt running for California governor. Republicans hope he will anyway, was the headline on a Sacramento Bee story.

Faulconer remains a favorite of some party members as a candidate for governor and a frequent cause for speculation by some pundits, even though he has said repeatedly he wont run. Theres several reasons why his name continues to come up. Bee columnist Dan Walters mentions one of them:

The list of potentially viable Republican candidates virtually begins and ends with San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, but he has not shown any overt interest in running.

Heres another reason: Some in Faulconers inner circle, however, believe its too early to write him off as a 2018 gubernatorial candidate, wrote the Bees Christopher Cadelago.

Tweet of the Week

Goes to Phil Diehl (@phildiehl), Union-Tribune staff writer.

Reporter on phone: I love a good sinkhole as much as anybody. Where is it?
Hundreds gathered beside San Diego Bay Saturday to support President Donald Trump, one of several March 4 Trump rallies that spanned the nation in a show of solidarity to counter the numerous anti-Trump marches that have filled streets since the election.

As many as 500 people attended the rally at Embarcadero Marina Park South, according to estimates by San Diego police and organizers. A long list of speakers took a stage set up on a green lawn where men and women wearing red Make American Great Again caps stood and cheered for nearly three hours. Similar-sized crowds were reported at other locations across the United States, including Washington, D.C.; Palm Springs, Fla.; St. Paul, Minn.; and Austin, Texas.

Counter-protesters also made appearances, both at the rally and at a separate march in Ocean Beach. There were no arrests.

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At the pro-Trump rally, participants returned again and again to the idea of solidarity, pumping each other up to give the president support and counter the messages of his detractors. Some of the loudest cheers went to the words spoken by Michael Shifrel, known as Myke Shelby or just New York Myke, a retired paratrooper and owner of San Diego Harley-Davidson.

He urged those on the lawn to back up Trump, plain and simple.

You get out there and work. We gotta make sure he has an army behind him, Shifrel said.

1 / 12 Trump supporters rally at Embarcadero Marina Park on Saturday in San Diego, California. Police estimated about 500 people at the rally. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 12 Trump supporters cheer during a rally at Embarcadero Marina Park. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 12 Trump supporters rally at Embarcadero Marina Park on Saturday in San Diego, California. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 12 Agnes Gibboney, who said her son was killed by someone that was in the country illegally, speaks to Trump supporters during the rally. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 12 Trump supporters rally at Embarcadero Marina Park on Saturday in San Diego, California. Police estimated about 500 people at the rally. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 12 Trump supporters rally at Embarcadero Marina Park on Saturday in San Diego, California. Police estimated about 500 people at the rally. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 12 Trump supporters (foreground and left) confront protesters (background) attending a rally. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 12 Trump supporters dance during a rally at Embarcadero Marina Park on Saturday. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 12 Trump supporters dance at a rally at Embarcadero Marina Park on Saturday. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 12 Trump supporters rally at Embarcadero Marina Park. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 12 Patti Siegmann (middle), who said she was a leader for a group called the 49th district for President Donald J. Trump, speaks to Trump supporters during the rally. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 12 Trump supporters rally at Embarcadero Marina Park. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)

In the audience, Elisa Brent  wearing a big Trump pin she purchased while attending the presidents inauguration  nodded along with the speakers. An organizer of the recall effort for former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, Brent said she simply doesnt buy the talk about Russia interfering in the November election or the notion that Trump mistreats women.

I think the whole Russia thing is just a setup from the Obama administration. I dont believe any of it, Brent said.

As to how Trump treats women, she knows what people tell her who have met him in person.

One of my friends was on The Apprentice, and she said he was a total gentleman, so I dont buy it, Brent said.

Immigration was another repeated rallying cry. Brenda Sparks, the well-known Oceanside mother whose son, Eric, died after being hit by a vehicle driven by an unauthorized immigrant in 2011, urged the crowd not to be swayed as the president pushes a more aggressive immigration agenda. Sparks, who met with the president during his campaign, said the families of those illegals who are deported can visit their loved ones south of the border.

I have to die to visit my son, she said, drawing applause from the crowd.

A small group of counter-protesters, many wearing bandannas over their faces, shouted back at the stage while standing behind a banner that said No Ban, No Wall, Sanctuary for All and International Socialist Organization. While there were some heated words between the two sides, the smaller group eventually left the area.

Similar counter-protests popped up at other locations but, other than scuffles, confrontations were largely confined to heated words. One flare-up occurred in St. Paul, where six protesters were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol and fled.

Earlier Saturday, an estimated 500 to 600 anti-Trump protesters created human banners, spelling out Resist! at Dog Beach and then marched to the Ocean Beach Pier, where they spelled out Impeach! One participant put the crowd at about 1,000.

The idea for the oversized message came from a similar event in San Francisco, said one of the organizers, community activist Mike James.

We dont want any possibility of this being swept under the rug, James said. We feel Congress is stonewalling on the issue of the Russian ties and we believe it should be fully investigated.

Many Trump detractors were quick to point out on social media that the rallies to support Trump on Saturday were smaller than those that have protested the president, including the massive Womens March which, according to a Police Department estimate, drew 30,000 to 40,000 marchers to the streets of downtown San Diego.

The difference in scale did not bother Amy Sutton of San Marcos, the single mother of three who organized the local pro-Trump event.

You know, we dont have George Soros funding, she said, referring to the investor who has given millions of dollars to liberal causes. This is basically a grass roots organization coming together and this is a trial run today. Were going to make this big, and were not going to be the silent majority anymore.

Before the rally began, a smaller group of presidential supporters marched from nearby Ruocco Park to the Embarcadero.

Staff writer Kristina Davis and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Health Playlist On Now Video: Why aren't Americans getting flu shots? 0:37 On Now Video: Leaders urge public to help extinguish hepatitis outbreak On Now San Diego starts cleansing sidewalks, streets to combat hepatitis A On Now Video: Scripps to shutter its hospice service On Now Video: Scripps La Jolla hospitals nab top local spot in annual hospital rankings On Now Video: Does a parent's Alzheimer's doom their children? On Now Video: Vaccine can prevent human papillomavirus, which can cause cancer 0:31 On Now 23 local doctors have already faced state discipline in 2017 0:48 On Now EpiPen recall expands On Now Kids can add years to your life

paul.sisson@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1850

Twitter: @paulsisson
At 16, Sandra Albrektsen was already working in the crime analysis unit of the San Diego Police Department, and by 24, she had graduated from the police academy.

This week, she was honored for her promotion to assistant police chief, one of few women to break through a brass ceiling into the top ranks of law enforcement.

Once I left the academy and drove out of the station for the first time on my own, there was no doubt in my mind, Albrektsen said. This is the only person I could have ever been.

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Hosted by the San Diego Police Foundation, the annual Women in Blue luncheon pays tribute to women who have made their mark on the law enforcement profession, which is still considered a nontraditional career path for females.

Three women were recognized Wednesday: newly promoted Albrektsen, Roxanne Cahill, a police dispatcher administrator, and Aida Vasquez, a supervisory agent with Homeland Security investigations  an arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

Roxanne Cahill began her career as a 911 dispatcher in 2000. She was promoted regularly, and in 2013 became a police dispatch administrator.

When the department was hit with a dispatcher shortage, it was Cahill they charged with filling the ranks. Department officials said under her leadership, dispatcher vacancies have been nearly eliminated and attrition is low.

The first job Aida Vasquez got with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was an entry level administrative position. She worked her way up the ranks, and was eventually named a Supervisory Special Agent.

In 2015, she began overseeing the Human Trafficking Group, where she and other agents work to identify and rescue victims and hold traffickers responsible.

Were doing work thats meaningful and its important, and this is someones life, Vasquez said in a video shown at the award ceremony. And when you take someone out of a situation like that, like we have, its amazing. Itll bring tears to your eyes.

San Diego police Chief Shelley Zimmerman delivered the keynote address at the luncheon, held at the Marriott Marquis.

Addressing a number of young women in the audience, she said, Aim high and consider a career in law enforcement. It is a profession that I have found to be deeply meaningful and completely fulfilling.

When Albrektsen went through the police academy in 1990, she was one of only three or four women training to be San Diego police officers. The next academy class in 2017 will have seven women.

Across the nation, only about 13 percent of police officers are women. In San Diego, that percentage is a bit better. Of 1,834 officers, 290 are women  about 16 percent.

Department officials have said recruiting more women is a priority. But its also a challenge, Albrektsen said.

Especially, with young children at home, she said. Whos going to pick up from school, who do you get to babysit while youre working graveyards from nine at night to seven in the morning?

Those become very real organizational nightmares for families.

Albrektsen remembers all too well juggling overnight shifts while her husband worked days before her young son started school. (Hes a teenager now.)

In her 34-year career, including her time with crime analysis, Albrektsens done just about everything there is to do at the department. She was a community relations officer, she has investigated sex crimes and child abuse. She has worked at the academy, and internal affairs and in field training. And now she is an assistant chief.

I dont think theres much left, she said with a laugh.

And although Albrektsen herself hasnt experienced it, she knows from her many discussions with women officers across the country that a stigma against female officers still exists.

Some have had partners who didnt want to work with them. Others said extra officers would respond when a woman was assigned to a call because they didnt trust her ability.

While Albrektsen can empathize, she said she has always felt supported by her department.

I think SDPD has been very progressive, she said. I feel lucky this is where my life took me, because not every place is like it.

Of about 14,000 police agencies across the country, only about 220 are led by women, according to the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives. In San Diego County, there are two female police chiefs  Chief Zimmerman in San Diego and Chula Vista police Chief Roxana Kennedy.

Albrektsen hopes to see the number of women in law enforcement continue to grow, but acknowledges more needs to be done to show women, especially young women, that law enforcement is a viable career path for all.

I think youre seeing a change in dynamic, she said, a readiness to say it has nothing to do with gender and everything to do with your ability and performance.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com
As if the delivery of the membership pitch from AARP was not enough, now this, an invitation to join the ultimate retirement association.

You know youre cresting the hill (and looking over it) when a glossy brochure shows up in your mailbox with a beautiful photograph of a park-like setting below the headline: YOUR GUIDE TO LEGACY PLANNING.

Yes, burial on the layaway plan is now the lasting achievement of ones legacy.

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Personally, Im going to gather rose and raspberry buds while we may and, as the poet says to his coy girlfriend,

Old Time is still a-flying;

And this same flower that smiles today

Tomorrow will be dying.

A rose  the Great Again award  to the bull stock market and the winter storms that have filled North Countys 401(k)s and lakes.

Nothing is forever, of course, but for now were in the money.

If the rain makers remain bullish, Lake Hodges could swell up and spill over the dam, a historic sight that North County greets with crowds on Del Dios Highway smiling as if theyd just won the Powerball lottery.

There may not be any scientific connection between the heaven-sent glut of water and the stock markets surge past 21,000, but California, especially the desert where wildflowers are expected to bloom with nuclear intensity, is looking great again.

Maybe that guy in the White House is onto something.

A raspberry bud  the Awkward Handoff award  to Supervisor Kristin Gaspar and her staff for failing to notify Planning Commissioner Peder Norby, preferably in person, that Gaspar was, as is her right, appointing a replacement.

According to Norby, he was going to a commission meeting last month when a reporter asked him for a reaction to his dismissal. News to him. As he quickly found out, it was true.

Shortly after Gaspar was elected to represent District 3, Norby, who has served on the commission for both Pam Slater-Price and Dave Roberts, sent Gaspar a letter indicating his acceptance of whatever decision she would make about his seat.

About this time, you might recall, I wrote an open letter to Gaspar suggesting that retaining Norby, who tends to be a general plan literalist (read: anti-sprawl), would give Republican Gaspar cover with progressives in her district.

When it came down to earth-shaking votes on, say, the huge Newland Sierra project in Twin Oaks Valley next to the Golden Door, Gaspar would be able to say to her anti-sprawl constituents that she had not shut out that side of the debate between growth and quality of life.

Instead, Gaspar elected to appoint Michael Edwards, a highly experienced San Diego attorney and former planning commissioner well-grounded in land use.

In the end, Gaspars choice may work out perfectly well. You cant say Edwards is a novice. He could help Gaspar navigate the byzantine world of development in unincorporated areas.

When I texted Gaspar to ask her about the awkward dismissal, she had no ready explanation except a possible misunderstanding related to Norbys December letter. She went out of her way to say there was nothing personal.

I have always spoken well of Peder, she said, and did go to bat for him when certain members of the Encinitas council wanted to end a downtown (consulting) contract with him.

As for Norby, a genial Carlsbad resident, he holds no grudge. He emphasized his gratitude for the opportunity to serve the county for some eight years.

A rose  the From Russia With Love award  to Attorney General Jeff Sessions for throwing Darrell Issa a lifeline after the North County congressman got way over his skis on liberal TV.

On the Feb. 24, Issa sat for an interview on Real Time with Bill Maher, an irreverent HBO talk show. Issa, who has been on the program before, presumably wanted to blunt criticism over his refusal to take the abuse of angry constituents at a Vista town hall meeting.

Issa went with the flow of the conversation with Maher, agreeing that a special prosecutor could be in order to investigate Russian influence on the Trump campaign. Issa also sided with the widely held view that Sessions, a Trump political surrogate, had a conflict of interest and should recuse himself.

That was breaking ranks in Trumpian circles, Issa tried to clarify, but damage was done.

Last weeks bombshells  Sessions had not told the truth about his own Russian contacts; he voluntarily recused himself from any Russia-related presidential investigation  gave Issa the perfect opportunity to say in mournful tones, I told you so.

You can hear the relief between the sorrowful lines in his statement.

The news breaking overnight reaffirms what I called for in an interview last Friday that we need an independent review by a credible third party and that Attorney General Sessions should recuse himself from any investigation into Russia. We need a clear-eyed view of what the Russians actually did so that all Americans can have faith in our institutions.

Democrats like Juan Vargas and Scott Peters are having a field day calling for Sessions to resign from the office for which he was confirmed days ago.

Thrilled as the impotent Dems are, however, no one is as happy as Issa, who gets a two-fer.

He not only demonstrated to liberals in his purple district that he has a basic sense of fairness about how fishy (caviarish?) behavior from Republicans should be investigated, he can refute any criticism that he was disloyal to Trump and possibly his most trusted adviser, Sessions.

Well played, sir.

Or as the old saying goes, sometimes its better to be lucky than good.

logan.jenkins@sduniontribune.com
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  Brazils economic woes are forcing officials in Rio de Janeiro to cut back at least one anti-violence program ahead of the Olympic Games in August.

Public Safety Department head Jose Mariano Beltrame told state legislators Monday that his departments budget has been cut 32 percent.

That means theres not enough money to expand police pacification units in the violence-wracked Mare complex of 15 shantytowns near Rios international airport. The units were to have been completed before the start of the Olympics.

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The program is aimed at pushing out drug trafficking gangs that ruled the slums for decades.

The U.S. consulate in Rio said Tuesday that it has changed its policy regarding visits by its staff to the citys shantytowns.

U.S. government personnel must now obtain permission from the consulates security office before traveling to pacified areas, it said in a security message for U.S. citizens. Visits to non-pacified slums are prohibited.

The consulate said the police pacification program succeeded in bringing some measure of community policing.

But despite the police presence, criminal elements are present in many neighborhoods and gunfire can take place without warning, the consulate said, adding that U.S. residents and visitors in Rio de Janeiro who visit pacified favelas could be placing themselves at risk.

In a separate development, the Rio de Paz anti-violence group said its new music education center in the Jacarezinho slum was hit by some 40 shots fired from heavy caliber weapons on Monday.

The building was empty at the time and no one was hurt.
It was 3:30 a.m. when Emma Sanchez kissed her husband goodbye as he left for work one June morning. As Michael Paulsen took the couples three children back across the U.S.-Mexico border, Sanchez went back to bed. Hours later, she woke up to an empty two-story house in the outskirts of Tijuana.

The couple has followed the same routine for a decade. Deported to Mexico in 2006, Sanchez has lived on her own in Tijuana while Paulsen and their three young sons, all U.S. citizens, live in Vista.

Their separated, cross-border lives form part of the national debate over U.S. immigration policy. Activists point to the human cost of U.S. policy that can keep families apart, while critics say the families could stay together if they choose to live in a place where the parents have legal status.

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In the first half of 2014, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported 22,088 unauthorized immigrants who claimed to have at least one U.S.-born child, according to the agencys most recent data. Experts and activists estimate that hundreds of these parents live in Tijuana.

The degree to which the family unit and women and children have become the (immigration) flashpoint is without precedent, said Ev Meade, director of the Trans-Border Institute at the University of San Diego. Historically, weve never had a situation where families have been separated like this.

Unauthorized immigrant parents were a key element of a plan by Obama to provide deportation relief to as many as five million people. While his plan would not have affected parents such as Sanchez, who have already been deported, it wouldve offered legal protections to parents who remain in the country illegally.

There were about five million children under the age of 18 living with at least one unauthorized immigrant parent between 2009 and 2013, according to a January report by the Migration Policy Institute. An estimated four million of these children were U.S. citizens.

A Supreme Court deadlock in June let stand a lower court decision blocking Obamas executive action.

Critics of Obamas plan say immigrants who knowingly cross the border illegally do not have a right to be in the United States in the first place, where they take resources and employment opportunities from other Americans. Deportation is the rightful punishment for those actions, they argue.

ICE officials said 97 percent of the immigrant parents deported in 2014 met at least one of the agencys enforcement priorities. That included people with previous criminal convictions and previous deportations, according to ICE.

The topic has emerged as a major issue in this years presidential election, with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton advocating for immigration reform, including the unification of mixed-status families, and Republican nominee Donald Trump calling for a larger wall separating the United States and Mexico, and greater accountability for those who immigrate illegally.

Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said the term family reunification has been appropriated by people who voluntarily decide to break immigration laws and then turn around and say theyre entitled to equitable relief of the consequences of their own behavior.

Were talking about people who simply feel that they want their children to have a better life and are willing to break our laws to get it, he said.

If a parent is deported, it would make sense for that individual to take their child with them, he said. Legalizing the millions of unauthorized immigrants in the United States would likely create an incentive for millions more family members to cross the border illegally, he said.

Sanchez acknowledges that she illegally immigrated to the U.S., but says her punishment was too severe.

I understand that Im unauthorized and I know I did something wrong that went against U.S. law, but Im not a criminal, she said. I havent committed any serious offenses such as robbery, murder or prostitution.

10-year banishment

Sanchez entered the United States illegally in 2000. Before that, she had attempted to illegally come through the San Ysidro Port of Entry, but agents turned her away.

She met Paulsen in Vista shortly after arriving in 2000. He noticed her at the bus stop in front of the body shop where he worked as a mechanic. Paulsen didnt know a word of Spanish at the time, and the two used an acquaintance as an interpreter. The couple married just one month after they met, in a civil ceremony in Vista.

Sanchez was filing paperwork for legalization in 2006 when she was summoned out of the country, to an appointment with immigration authorities at the U.S. consulate in Cuidad Juarez. Authorities told her she would be prohibited from returning home to Vista for 10 years, despite the fact that Paulsen, 51, is a U.S. citizen and a Marine veteran.

Immigration law at the time stipulated that applicants seeking legal status must return to their country of origin. But once an applicant who had been living in the United States without permission left the country, they were automatically barred from re-entering for at least three years, sometimes for up to a decade.

My whole world came crashing down. I felt as if I was floating, as if it wasnt true. You go into shock. You cant believe that in one minute theyre destroying your life, your family, Sanchez said in Spanish from her home in Tijuana. She told her husband they should divorce.

I thought to myself, how are we going to live like this, me in Mexico and my husband in the United States?

During her first three months in Mexico, Sanchez stayed with her three sons in the popular resort town of Los Cabos, where a brother worked as a physician. Her oldest child, Alex, was 5; Ryan 3; and Brannon, two months.

But Paulsen wanted to be closer to his family. He rented Sanchez a house in Tijuana, where she has lived with her sister and nephew for a decade. Though at first Paulsen contemplated moving to Tijuana, he said employment opportunities in Mexico were meager, and crossing the border every day for work wouldve been too difficult.

In Vista, Paulsen and the boys rent a home with Sanchezs mother. They rent out an additional room to an acquaintance. Family photos, many of them including Emma, line the walls. Paulsen makes the 80-mile drive every weekend to the home in Tijuanas Villa Fontana neighborhood. He missed only a few weekends after having open heart surgery in December 2013, the result of a genetic condition.

He pays two rents on a mechanics salary, more than $50 in weekly gas money and groceries to sustain both households. Sanchez rarely leaves her home, saying she fears crime in the neighborhood. She sells crafts from her stoop a few times a week and paints in her free time.

I tell people, Ive got to go see my wife, she lives in another country. Its hard, Paulsen said. Id like to one day come home and say, honey whats for dinner? I want to do that one day.

Mixed-status families may consist of two unauthorized parents and U.S.-born children; one unauthorized parent and one U.S.-born spouse and child; or one unauthorized parent and child and U.S.-born siblings, among other cases.

Typically, a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident can petition for their spouse to receive a green card or permanent residence. Children over age 21 can petition on a parents behalf, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Sanchez, banned from the U.S. for 10 years because of her prior deportations, in June fulfilled this time requirement, and is eligible to apply for re-entry.

The boys lived and were educated in Mexico until the age of 5  Sanchez and Paulsen said health and educational resources for U.S.-born children living in Mexico were minimal and felt their sons were entitled to public education in the U.S., where they were born.

Although I see them on the weekends and during breaks from school, I know that Im absent during their illnesses and for their day-to-day activities. I know that they need me and that Ive been absent during the most important times of their lives, Sanchez said.

Dreamers moms

Many deported mothers in Tijuana have found support from an organization called Dreamers Moms. Yolanda Varona, a former El Cajon resident of 17 years, founded the organization along with another deported parent, Robert Vivar.

Varona was deported in December 2010 after it was discovered she was living permanently in the United States but only had a tourist visa.

Her Tijuana group, mostly women, meets once a week, in a small location known as The Bunker. The modest space also acts as a meeting point for deported U.S. veterans, who often collaborate with the mothers to bring attention to their situation.

We dont want to go back as undocumented individuals. The goal of this group is to return legally with our kids. To go back and live better than before, Varona said.

The womens stories are diverse, and complex. Some women, like Varona, were apprehended at ports of entry, while others say estranged spouses reported them to authorities. One woman said she went to Tijuana on her own to escape domestic violence. Another said she was deported after authorities raided her home and apprehended her and her partner on suspicion of selling drugs. She alleges she was unaware that her significant other, the father of her two children, was selling drugs. She was released from jail a few days after her arrest and was then deported. Her children, both U.S. citizens, live with her in Tijuana.

Some of the mothers say theyve found it difficult to assimilate to life back in Mexico.

Its been a constant battle of emotions. At times sadness, content but not happiness. Its very hard to be here in our country. I lived in the U.S. for 13 years. So coming back was really difficult, said Monserrat Galvan, who was deported nearly five years ago.

She has not seen her U.S.-born daughters, ages 13 and 11, since then. They reside in North Carolina with their father, Galvans ex-husband.

To supporters of stronger immigration law enforcement, the issue isnt about whether mothers should be separated from their children.

Deported parents can and should take their children and families back to their home countries with them, and many do, said Jeff Schwilk, of San Diegans for Secure Borders. Those who choose not to take their children home with them when they are lawfully removed from the U.S. are committing child abandonment and a form of child abuse. All family reunification should take place in the parents home country.

Meade, director of the Trans-Border Institute at USD, said a likely presumption is that deportations of parents harm the family unit. But circumstances like these can make other parts of the family stronger, he said.

The flip side to that is that communities accommodate to this, and extended families become much stronger, because they need to be stronger. Cousins, aunts and uncles have a much stronger presence in these peoples lives, he said. Just because people are deported doesnt mean that mixed-status families are somehow disintegrating. I think thats a bad assumption. And theres no evidence for it.
Tral happens to the hometown of Burhan Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen commander whose death sparked violent protests in Kashmir last year.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Two terrorists and a policeman were killed today in an encounter in Tral in South Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Tral happens to the hometown of Burhan Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen commander whose death sparked violent protests in Kashmir last year.

Police sources said that the encounter between militants and security forces which started late on Saturday evening ended after 15 hours, however, combing operation was still underway.

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Sources said two policemen ,two CRPF personnel and an army major were also injured in the gunfight. They are being treated at army hospital in Srinagar.

HERE'S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW Top Hizbul Mujahideen(HM) commmander Aaqib Maulvi was killed along with Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) terrorist Osama in Tral area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district. on Sunday. Aqib is from Awantipura. The operation exposes the tie-up between different terror groups: in this case, the nexus between the HM and JeM to take on security forces in valley. Both terrorists were holed up in a residential area. The house was partially blown up with a powerful IED to neutralise the terrorists. Following specific information received by JK police about a group of militants hiding in the Hafoo Nazneepora area of Tral town in south Kashmir, security forces launched a joint operation. 42 Rashtriya Rifles, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Special Operations Group (SOG), closed in on the hiding militants, the insurgents opened indiscriminate fire. A Special Operation Group (SOG) policeman identified as Manzoor Ahmad Naik was martyred and three security personnel, including an army major, were injured in an encounter with militants. Terrorist created a smokescreen, conveying to their sympathisers to get locals to stone pelt forces conveying that HM commander was trapped with the other militant. As the result of the smokescreen, the forces initially faced resistance as they marched towards the encounter site to cordon the village. They encountered severe stone-pelting at several places. One miscreant hit an Assistant Sub-inspector, and snatched his weapon before disappearing into the crowd. A separate operation is on to recover the weapon. The CRPF called in reinforcements after facing resistance. The protest was quelled. The operation ended this morning.

Also read:

Kashmir encounter: 2 militants, 1 policeman killed; operation underway

Tral encounter: 3 militants killed, search operation underway

Burhan Wani aide trapped in encounter with forces, Section 144 imposed in Tral

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One policeman has suffered injuries in the gun-battle which started when security forces were sanitising the area where militants were holed up since Saturday evening.

By Ashraf Wani: Firing has resumed near the encounter site in Tral of South Kashmir. One policeman has suffered injuries in the gun-battle which started when security forces were sanitising the area where militants were holed up since Saturday evening.

Earlier today, security forces had ended 15-hour long operation killing several militants.

Two terrorists and a policeman were killed in a fierce gun battle in the Tral area in South Kashmir's Pulwama district in South Kashmir on Sunday morning. Several security personnel, including a major, were reportedly injured.

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The deceased Jammu and Kashmir police constable has been identified as Manzoor Ahmad Naik.

The terrorists who have been killed have been identified as top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Aqib Maulvi - who's from Awantipura - and Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorist Osama.

TIE-UP BETWEEN TERROR GROUPS EXPOSED

The operation exposes the tie up between different terror groups - in this case, the nexus between the Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Muhammad to take on security forces in the Valley.

Both terrorists were holed up in a residential area. The house was partially blown up with a powerful IED to neutralise the terrorists.

Officials from the security forces have said some militants had escaped.

Earlier, three militants were killed in an operation carried out by security forces near Shikargah Tral on Saturday evening.

Sources said at least two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, including the aide of slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani - Sabzar Bhat - were believed to be trapped in the encounter.

"Aaquib and another militant killed and combing operations are underway. We lost one of the SOG boys," said DGP SP Vaid.

Vaid added that a top commander was also gunned down in the encounter.

With inputs from Kamaljit Sandhu

Also read:

Tral encounter: 3 militants killed, search operation underway

Burhan Wani aide trapped in encounter with forces, Section 144 imposed in Tral

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By Press Trust of India: Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 5 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today termed the Centres decision to make Aadhaar cards mandatory for availing mid-day meal scheme as "absurd" and said it should be withdrawn immediately.

"The decision is absurd and strange," Vijayan said in a Facebook post tonight.

It is difficult to understand the motive behind the HRD Ministrys decision, the Chief Minister said.

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The decision is aimed at ensuring transparency and effectiveness. The noon meal schemes are given to children studying in schools.

To ensure transparency and efficiency why is there a need for Aadhaar? he asked.

Pointing out that providing meals to children was the responsibility of the government, he said the move will only help create hurdles for the noon meal scheme, which benefits about 10.03 crore children.

The Union HRD Ministry has made it mandatory for all students availing free mid-day meals to provide proof of Aadhaar cards, or apply for one before June 30.

Apart from students, cooks-cum-helpers working at mid-day meal centres need to compulsorily have the unique identification.

The Ministrys move is in line with the Centres mandate to link Aadhaar with subsidy schemes. PTI UD ROH ANB

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By Press Trust of India: Hyderabad, Mar 5 (PTI) A local BJP MLA today said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should not attend a meeting organised by the CPI(M) here on March 19.

Raja Singh, who represents Goshamahal constituency in the city, also appealed to the Telangana Government and the state Police not to grant permission to the meeting.

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The Left party is holding the meeting to mark the culmination of its five-month long "Mahajana Padayatra" which took off on October 18 last year from Ibrahimpatnam in Ranga Reddy district. Its main agenda is to secure social justice and comprehensive development.

In a video message today, Singh alleged the RSS and BJP members are being targetted and killed in Kerala.

"The Kerala CM is visiting Hyderabad and he is going to address a public meeting at Nizam College Grounds here on March 19. Our Hindu brothers are being killed in that state and how can we remain silent when the CM of that state is visiting Hyderabad. I will see to it how that meeting will happen," Singh said.

He clarified that he didnt have any problem with the CPI(M) or CPI holding the meeting.

"...The Chief Minister (Vijayan) should not attend...I will stop the meeting if that CM comes here," Singh said.

Requesting the state government and the police not to grant permission to the upcoming meeting, he said, "If the permission is granted, I too should be allowed to hold a parallel meeting at the same venue." PTI VVK NSK JMF

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After 33-years, Mavelikara judicial magistrate recently issued directive asking the CBCID to arrest absconder Sukumara Kurup who faked his death on January 22, 1984.

By Bijin Jose: Thirty-three years on, the mystery surrounding the man who faked his death to claim insurance money worth Rs 8 lakh continues to baffle the Kerala Police.

Sukumara Kurup, who has become hardwired on the psyche of every Malayali over the years, is known for the infamous Chacko murder. Kurup, who was 38 then, has been absconding, leaving the police on tenterhooks for over thirty years.

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Now, after three decades has come the arrest warrant issued by the Mavelikara first class judicial magistrate. The Crime Branch of CID (CBCID) to arrest Sukumara Kurup and produce him before the court. The arrest warrant was issued in December 2016.

Incidentally, this is not the first warrant against him, the Kerala Police has issued similar warrants against Karup in the past.

The case, the longest in the judicial history of Kerala, has inspired several films and literature over the years.

THE MURDER MYSTERY

On January 22, 1984 a bystander noticed a burning ambassador car in a field in Kunnam area in Mavelikkara of Alappuzha district. Soon after spotting the car he alerted the locals, who rushed to the spot. To their utmost shock the man on the wheels was charred to death.

The deceased was initially identified as Kurup, who had faked the identity of the man on the wheels.

But, police team that conducted the investigation found out the real identity of the deceased. The post-mortem revealed that it was not Kurup's body.

Investigation officers said that forensic examination of the body revealed that there was no trace of charcoal in the respiratory organ. Victim's stomach exuded a stench of poison. The body was planted, police officials said.

THE IDENTITY OF DECEASED

Police got suspicious about Kurup plotting a murder.

While police became sure that the deceased was not Kurup, the family of the victim took note of a news report of a murder.

Initially, they did not suspect foul play as the victim was in a habit of staying out of home for days. But, the news report made them lodge missing complaint for Chacko.

Kerala Police swung in to action and launched a massive man hunt for Kurup. But, he was never found.

Ever since Kurup went missing, the Kerala Police have searched him across the length and breadth of the country. They were informed about his presence in Maharashtra, Bihar, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

HOW WAS MURDER PLOTTED

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Police records say that the murder was plotted by Kurup, who was working as an executive with a marine petrol company in Abu Dhabi.

Kurup was 38-years-old when he committed the crime. He scripted the crime along with his brother Bhaskara Pillai and driver Ponnappan.

Kurup hatched the conspiracy inspired by a crime of embezzlement that took place in Germany in the 1980s. Investigation officials involved in the case maintain that it was a crime motivated by absolute greed and a desire to live an extravagant life.

The murder was committed for appropriating insurance claim.

THE EXECUTION OF CRIME

Investigations revealed that before murdering Chacko, Kurup and his aides went looking for a dead body that matched his physical traits from a cemetery. However, since they were unable to find a body matching his physical characteristics, they started looking for people who resembled Kurup.

On January 21, 1984, Kurup and his aides found a man that looked like him near Hari Theatre in Karuvatta. They offered him a lift in their vehicle and later offered him a spiked drink. Police said that the unfortunate victim was identified as Chacko.

After Chacko lost his consciousness, Pillai allegedly strangled him and took him to his residence. At Pillai's residence, the trio undressed Chacko and burnt his face to distort his identity. His body was later taken to the field and placed in the driver's seat of the ambassador car that was set ablaze by the accused.

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THE VICTIM AND ACCUSED

Chacko had married a year before he was brutally murdered by Kurup and his aides. His wife Santhamma, who was pregnant, reportedly underwent several hurdles to seek justice for her husband.

After the murder, Kurup's wife lost a high-paying job and she along with her children were ostracised. She worked as a nurse in Abu Dhabi. Kurup's brother Bhaskara Pillai after serving life term went on to stay in Cheriyanadu.

In 2010, Kerala Police kept a vigil outside Kurup's house during the wedding of his son with a hope to arrest him. However, Kurup never came for the wedding. His family no longer lives in Cheriyanadu and residents have no clue about their whereabouts.

Sources said that Kurup was last seen near Santa Cruz airport, Mumbai in 1990. He reportedly sent letters from an address to his relatives.

Arrest warrant against Sukumara Kurup.

(With inputs from Revathi Rajeevan)

Also read: Kerala: 3 RSS workers hacked by CPI-M activists, 1 arrested

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Also read: Kerala: How cult of political violence became new normal in God's own country

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By Press Trust of India: Washington, Mar 5 (PTI) Lancaster county authorities in the US have suggested that the killing of a 43-year-old Indian-origin store owner there may not be a hate crime.

Harnish Patel, 43, the owner of a convenience store in Lancaster County, South Carolina, was found dead of gunshot wounds in the front yard of his home on Thursday.

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The County Sheriff has pointed out that this may not be a hate crime, sources said.

"Local authorities are investigating. We will remain in touch with them," they said.

"Consulate General of India, Atlanta, is in touch with the family. It is deputing a consular official to meet the family and offer condolences and any required assistance. It is also in touch with the local community organisation of expat Indians, including those from Gujarat," they added.

In New Delhi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, "I am pained to hear about the killing of Harnish Patel, a US national of Indian-origin in Lancaster, South Carolina. Our Consul has reached Lancaster and met the family of Harnish Patel."

She said the investigation in the case was in progress.

Swaraj also offered her condolences to the bereaved family.

There have been a series of attacks on Indian-Americans in the US in recent weeks.

A 39-year-old Sikh man was shot outside his home on Friday by a partially-masked gunman who shouted "go back to your own country".

Last month, 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country". PTI LKJ NSA

--- ENDS ---
Press Release

March 4, 2017 STATEMENT ON MY FAKE SUICIDE SPREAD BY PRO-DUTERTE FAKE NEWS WEBSITES To paraphrase Mark Twain, fake news about my supposed attempted suicide have been greatly exaggerated. These have been spread in fake pro-Duterte news sites and reinforced by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez's statement that I should be detained in a mental hospital instead of the PNP Custodial Center. These fake "alternative fact" news are making the rounds and being encouraged by Duterte's lapdogs, such as Speaker Alvarez, in order to condition the minds of the people that the worst can happen to me while in detention at the PNP Custodial Center, without any fault of the Duterte regime because I supposedly already lost my mind after my arrest. My body may be incarcerated by the Duterte regime, but they cannot take away my soul and my soundness of mind. I continue to work as a Senator of the Republic, despite the limitations the Duterte regime has imposed on me as its political prisoner in order to stifle opposition and dissent against his murderous and incompetent government. However, because of these fake news as reinforced by Duterte's sycophants and lapdogs in government and social media, I no longer feel secure in detention, despite being guarded by the PNP Custodial Unit here in Camp Crame. Let us remember Jun Pala. Given the capacity of this President for assassinating his political opponents as revealed by none other than his Davao Death Squad right-hand man, retired SPO3 Arturo Lascanas, I definitely do not feel secure and safe inside Duterte's prisons. If I die inside Duterte's prisons it is not because I committed suicide, but it is because the President has finally ordered me killed. In the unfortunate event that I die in prison, you all know who my murderer is. I have never been more determined to continue the fight against this murderous, incompetent, and corrupt regime, and I continue to look forward to the day when the barbarity and tyranny of this regime no longer reigns over our nation, and I am finally freed from prison. This is why I will never contemplate suicide. Life still has so much to offer me after this personal test that God has made me undergo, to humble myself before our Lord and our people so that I can serve Him and our people better. Naglipana pa po ang mga death squad ng Pangulo, kabilang na ang mga pumatay kay Mayor Espinosa na noon ay nasa loob mismo ng kulungan katulad ko, ngunit siya ay nagawa pa ring patayin ng mga pulis sa utos ng Malacanang. Kaya nga kinatatakutan ko na baka ako ay "ma-Espinosa" dito sa loob ng PNP Custodial Center, at papalabasin nilang ako ay nag-suicide. Ito lamang po ang dahilan ng pagpapakalat ng mga fake news na ito at mga sinabi ni Speaker Alvarez na ako ay nasisiraan na ng bait. Wala po akong sakit, at buo ang aking pag-iisip. Kaya po walang dahilan na ako ay mamatay sa sakit o magpatiwakal dahil sa lungkot. Inaasam ko pa po na masaksihan ang pagharap ng rehimeng ito sa Dambana ng Hustisya, at ang kasunod nito ay ang pagbibigay hustisya sa libo-libong mahihirap nating kababayan na kanilang walang-awang pinagpapatay nang walang paglilitis.
"Coco" visits Leila in Crame

Coco was eyeing a stray cat through the slit of a steel gate in the custodial center of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame.

Sen. Leila M. de Lima called after her 6-year-old Japanese Spitz, who visited her for the first time on Saturday. Coco is De Lima's favorite out of all her dogs. She has 13 of them, of various breeds.

Except for the time a cat passed by, and after he has looked around the compound where De Lima is being detained for nine days now, Coco followed his beloved owner wherever she went.

Also among De Lima's visitors on Saturday were her former colleagues in the Cabinet of the Aquino administration--Julia Abad, Bro. Armin Luistro, and Dinky Soliman. Former President Benigno S. Aquino III, himself, visited his former Justice Secretary earlier on Thursday.
Group Captain Kabadwal (extreme right), Group Captain Upadhyay (third from the right), AVM AP Singh (fifth from the right) and Commander Raturi (second from the left) with the NFTC team and the LCA Tejas in the background.

By Jugal R Purohit: In a country where the Army struggles for a reliable, home-made rifle, building a proven fighter jet goes beyond being ambitious. What if the ambition bears actually fruit?

For a long time, many have lived with that excitement for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. Efforts to get a ride on board to see its actual performance was said to be such an outlandish proposal that most would laugh it off.

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However, earlier this month, at the 'Aero India 2017' conducted by Defence Ministry in Bengaluru, I was informed to 'kit up for the ride'.

It was in the first half of February 17. It was close to noon when I found myself on that coveted rear seat inside the digitised cockpit of KH T 2009. In the seat ahead was my flight commander, Air Vice Marshal AP Singh, Principal Director Test Flight at the National Flight Test Centre (NFTC). AVM Singh has to his credit over 4700 flying hours spent flying more than 30 different aircraft. Days before our flight, he had flown with Indian Air Force's (IAF) boss, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa. Singh, having completed physical checks on the exterior, initiated the indigenous digital Flight Control System (FCS) - a programmed internal scan which ascertains if the aircraft is 'ok' to fly. With the onset of the FCS, the machinery within moved hard seeking to impress the software. That achieved, 'Tejas 3 was good to go' said the controller. It took barely 10 seconds and a speed of 120 nautical miles per hour to lift off, powered by the imported GE F404 F2J3 engine. Early into the flight, AVM Singh offered me the control - a sign of confidence, not in his co-pilot but in the aircraft. He guided me as we, over 30 minutes, climbed six kilometres from the ground (Tejas can operate up to 15km/50,000 feet), underwent aerobatics pulling up 'g' of over 5. "Are you ready for some negative 'g' Jugal? " asked AVM Singh over the radio. I replied in the affirmative. With a stroke of the joystick, we were flying inverted. For the next 15 seconds, we pulled up to negative 1.5 'g'. "It is the more unsettling of the two, that is why I asked you before getting into it," Singh remarked upon landing. I was also briefed about the sensors and other applications on board.

What was the point in flying a journalist and why now?

Chairman of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Dr S Christopher answered this question when he said, "When foreign manufacturers can bring their jets in our country and fly our civilians and despite us having our own aircraft if we keep people away, it gives rise to a stigma. We are looking to export the LCA since many countries have exhibited interest and by allowing our own civilians, our journalists to fly, we are showing that we are open and confident of what we have achieved".Apart from the IAF chief, even the Vice Chief flew the Tejas at the Aero India 2017. On the condition of anonymity, a senior officer said, "It is a pilot's aircraft. It has the right power, the right drive for the role envisaged for it. We however need to ensure the quality of support and maintenance going forward".

India Today journalist onboard Tejas. India Today journalist onboard Tejas.

Responding to this, Dr Christopher said, "Once the series production will start, increased private sector participation will be seen and issues of product quality and support will get addressed". He however voiced his concerns. "The number of people we have as designers are less and given how many aircraft development programmes are on, there is a huge need of manpower. Lastly, we need long term funding. We must believe we will succeed and without suspecting us, if funding is smooth, we will deliver," he added.

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In the years to come, the LCA Tejas of varying configurations will replace the eight squadrons of MiG21 in the IAF. Why stop at eight, however? The research and development community is confident that with assured funding and correct resource allocation, LCA Tejas could well evolve into something more than that a mere replacement of the MiG21s. Is the IAF listening?

TEAM TEJAS SPEAKS OUT

CD Balaji, Director Aeronautical Development Agency:

Our journey has been exciting, painful, and consisted of brickbats largely. To never give up is what I have realized. Last January, we took the LCA Tejas to Bahrain Air Show and with that began journey of change of mindsets. A lot of international press took interest and wrote good about the aircraft. From an earlier era when coverage of the Tejas comprised of negative feelings, today I see a change.

Air Vice Marshal AP Singh, NFTC

The part which makes Tejas stand out is that being our own design, we with our experience of Russian aircraft like the MiG, Sukhois and western ones like the Jaguars, Mirage 2000 have been able to pick the best from both designs and make it a happy mix. Needless to say this project sees the designer and users driven by national passion.

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Group Captain A Kabadwal, Engineering National Flight Test Centre (NFTC)

The difference between us and the west is that they have been way ahead of us and we had to start from scratch. Even when we chose to start, we chose a big step. Many challenges have been ironed out. Our safety record is very impressive and a result of the stringent conditions we impose. We have had 3500 flights without a major accident Our is a cohesive team and most of us know each other for over 15-17 years and that helps. Few people understand why LCA Tejas is so important - it is our own technology and newer weapons and sensors can be easily integrated but if you try doing it on a foreign aircraft, the result will not be as satisfying.

Commander GD Raturi, NFTC

We are also developing the naval version of the LCA which is a different aircraft with multiple newer systems. This aircraft has to land on a moving carrier deck and several newer technologies have been developed for it. Final stage of integrations and tests is currently on.

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Group Captain Himanshu Upadhyay, NFTC

The current version of Tejas is fully combat capable. It has eight hard points, a laser designation pod to identify and track the target area whether day or night, drop tanks for fuel (each with 1200 litres capacity) and 500 kg bombs, 250 kg bombs, beyond visual range missiles and it can take in both Russian and western stores such is the integration capability of LCA Tejas. Currently we also have a self protection suite which means any incoming missile can be detected and counter measures can be taken. We need to improve ranges, sensors, qualities, weapons, radars, jammers, gun facility etc which is being addressed in the upgraded version.

Mahesh Babu, Scientist ADA

We have developed flame retardant material for the pilot's jumpsuit so that even if there is a fire in the cockpit, the pilot can remain relatively secure. Same goes for the gloves. The G suit is currently imported. A pilot's gear also includes a helmet for communication, a knife, a life preserver unit also, aircraft approved boot. We have also developed cold weather pilot suit.

Also read:

Indigenous jet Tejas to fly past Rajpath for first time this Republic Day

Tejas makes its first appearance at Republic Day parade: Here's why Pakistan is worried

--- ENDS ---
Press Release

March 4, 2017 GORDON CONDEMNS KILLING OF VOLUNTEER DOCTOR IN LANAO DEL NORTE Senator Richard J. Gordon strongly condemned on Friday the murder of a volunteer doctor who had been deployed to Lanao del Norte under the government's Doctors to the Barrios program. Expressing his outrage, Gordon stressed that Dr. Dreyfuss Perlas' murder should be solved immediately and his killers brought to justice for their crime. "I strongly condemn the killing of Dr. Perlas who was a humanitarian worker. I urge the authorities to immediately solve his killing so that the perpetrators would be brought to justice. I am outraged that a doctor who is serving the community is killed like this," he said. Gordon also commiserated with the slain doctor's bereaved family, expressing his deepest sympathies for the loss of a dedicated health officer. "I commiserate with the family of Dr. Perlas. He was a good man and a dedicated doctor who was not afraid to serve even in areas where no one dares to work. Rest assured that his killers will not be able to evade the long arm of the law," he said. Dr. Perlas, 31, was shot dead while riding his motorbike in Barangay Maranding Annex by still unidentified suspects on Wednesday night. Perlas came from a medical mission in Sapad town and was on his way home to Barangay Maranding in Lala municipality where he was renting a house when he was shot around 7 pm. The doctor was rushed to the Lanao del Norte Provincial Hospital in Kapatagan town, but was declared dead on arrival. Perlas, a native of Aklan, also served as a volunteer doctor for the Philippine Red Cross team during the Zamboanga Siege in 2013. The doctor reportedly chose to stay in Lanao del Norte even after his contract ended three years ago. He also reportedly belonged to the 30th batch of the Department of Health's "Doctors to the Barrios" program. The said program provides quality health care service to depressed, marginalized, and underserved areas through the deployment of competent and community-oriented doctors. Perlas was once a medical retainer of the 35th Infantry Battalion before the unit was transferred to Jolo, Sulu. He finished his undergraduate degree at the University of the Philippines Los Banos in 2006 and completed Medicine at the West Visayas State University in 2011.
Press Release

March 4, 2017 626 'Doctor to the Barrios' slots unfilled, nalagasan pa--Recto Only one in three slots in the government's Doctor to the Barrios (DTTB) program was filled in 2015 and 2016, raising calls in the Senate to make the program's incentives more attractive to lure more physicians to rural practice. Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto revealed that of the 946 DTTB available slots in 2015 and in 2016, the Department of Health managed to recruit only 320 doctors in both years. Because one DTTB physician is assigned per town, the implication therefore is that 626 low-income municipalities, and millions of their residents, were deprived of medical services for lack of takers, Recto said. One of the doctors to the barrios was Dr. Dreyfuss Perlas, who served in Sapad, Lanao del Norte until he was gunned down by still unknown assailants in nearby Kapatagan town 7:30 p.m. of March 1. "Konti na nga lang, nalagasan pa," Recto said, noting that despite aggressive recruitment by the DOH, there were only a few takers for what is seen as a hardship post that pays P56,000 a month. When asked by Recto during last year's budget hearing why they were having a hard time filling DTTB slots, DOH officials cited "unattractive pay" and "the desire to undergo further training" as main reasons cited by those they were trying to recruit. Recto urged the DOH to revisit the "benefits package" for the program, which is a lynchpin in the government's move to increase doctors' presence in poor areas. But to guarantee a steady supply of doctors, Recto said the government may have to "infuse more incentives" into the medical scholarship program being run by the DOH, "by making it at par with what cadets at the Philippine Military Academy and Philippine National Police Academy get." "If taxpayers are spending P2.5 million to produce one PMA graduate, why can't we spend the same in training future surgeons?" Recto asked. Recto has been advocating for the "expansion and institutionalization" of DOH's medical scholarship program. He said the attractive package for future MDs can be included in his "One Town, One Doctor" bill, in which government will choose one medical student scholar per town - on the condition that when he becomes a doctor, he will go back to his town to serve for four years. "In short, this is a 'galing sa bayan, tungo sa bayan' scheme of producing doctors. We pick from among the town's best and brightest, finance his medical studies, and when he becomes a doctor, he repays it by serving his own people," Recto said. And while the doctor is doing his mandatory four-year community service, another bright young student from the same town starts medical schooling so that there will be a replacement after four or five years, Recto explained. "If we're facing a lack of rural doctors, this is one way to guarantee supply," Recto said. "This is one investment with a high social ROI." According to experts, the country's public health system is grappling with a shortage of 60,000 doctors. As result, six out of 10 Filipinos die without seeing a doctor. Under Recto's "One Town, One Doctor" bill, the DOH-administered scholarship will cover "tuition, laboratory, miscellaneous fees, and all school fees; textbooks, supplies and equipment; clothing and uniform allowances; traveling, subsistence and living expenses." To qualify, an applicant must belong to the upper 30 percent of a graduating class of any pre-Med course and have been accepted to medical school. If no one from a town qualifies for the program, the allotted slot may be assumed by a scholar coming from another town in the same province. The scholar, however, upon getting his license to practice will have to serve in the town which provided the slot.
Press Release

March 5, 2017 Recto: US State report right on "weak prosecutions, slow court procedures" In this divided nation, there will be disagreements on certain conclusions in the US State Department's human rights report on the Philippines. There should be no discord, however, on one passage in the report, which is true and incontrovertible: on our nation being plagued by "a weak and overburdened criminal justice system notable for slow court procedures, weak prosecutions, and poor cooperation between police and investigators." We have long been aware of that, and we have long pleaded guilty to that charge. The said report merely reiterates a crisis we have long been grappling with. Our law enforcement system is plagued by logistical shortfalls and manpower shortages. The PNP is almost 50,000 men short of what is ideally required. They lack 18,000 long firearms and 3,000 patrol vehicles. Our prosecutors are saddled by the same problems. Some 1,700 vacancies remain unfilled, burdening each of the 2,000 in service with an average punishing load of 500 cases. Public Attorneys Office lawyers fare worse, with each of these underpaid, overworked public defenders attending 5,000 clients per year. Like prosecutors, they soldier on in spartan offices, where equipment and support staff are scarce. Our courts are slowed down by vacancies in judgeships. To cite a few: Of the 367 Municipal Trial Courts, only 289 have judges filled. A fourth of 1,229 Regional Trial Courts either have no judge or have yet to be organized. At any given time, the judiciary has a backlog of 600,000 cases. The last stop in the justice system is congested as well. The almost 20,000 inmates in eight Bureau of Corrections prisons are housed in cells which have an average congestion rate of 215 percent. Over at the BJMP, its 463 jails have a congestion rate of almost 500 percent, with each of the 116,000 inmates squeezed into less than one square meter of cell space. With all this squalor, it is no wonder that jail conditions have incubated crime empires whose tentacles breach prison walls and reach all nooks of the country. Drug war or not, we need to fix the problems of our justice system. These are preexisting ills we must all solve. The strong foundations of our democracy stand on how strong our justice infrastructure is.
A fire at the Walnut Creek BART Station Saturday evening forced authorities to evacuate hundreds of passengers from a stalled overhead train and temporarily shut down service between Rockridge and Pleasant Hill.

The fire, which was reported at about 5:55 p.m., burned in a vault containing electrical equipment at the Walnut Creek Station, said Capt. George Lang of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
A boy who made his way alone across the U.S. border last year to escape extreme domestic abuse in Honduras has been locked up in a Northern California juvenile hall for nearly a year, even though he has no criminal record and has been granted asylum.

The boy, 14, should be in foster care rather than in jail, lawyers working to free him argue. In custody, they say, he receives little treatment for the severe trauma he has suffered, a condition thats been made worse by his indefinite detention. During his 11 months in jail, much of it spent alone in his cell, he has repeatedly tried to harm himself and has lashed out at times, causing staff in the facility to douse him with pepper spray or bind his wrists and ankles.

The boy, who is being detained at the Yolo County Juvenile Detention Facility in Woodland, is not being named by The Chronicle because of his age, mental health condition and the jeopardy he faces as an asylee with an uncertain future. In a petition challenging his detention as unlawful that is expected to be filed in the coming weeks in U.S. District Court, the teen will be referred to only by his initials, G.E.

Officials involved with the Honduran boys case, including the federal Administration for Children and Families and its Office of Refugee Resettlement, declined to comment, citing confidentiality protections for minors.

Beth Gabor, Yolo Countys public information officer, said the countys contract with the federal government prohibits local officials from discussing specific cases, but said in an email: All children placed with the county by ORR, including the child that is the subject of this inquiry, are provided services in close coordination with ORR.

Gabor added that federal law requires the refugee agency to continue to detain a child even after he or she is granted asylum, until a safe placement that takes into consideration all of his or her social, behavioral and mental health needs can be located.

Michael Macor/The Chronicle

Since President Trump took office promising to build a great, great wall on the southern border, attorneys representing the most vulnerable of immigrants living in the U.S. without authorization  children entering the country alone  remain on heightened alert. Directives issued in the first month of the new administration signal a greater push for deportation and detention, but given the haphazard rollout, consequences for youths like G.E. are unknown.

Cecilia Candia, a staff attorney with San Franciscos Legal Services for Children who visits the teen weekly, is building the case for G.E.s release. She said the boy, who was ecstatic about being granted asylum in January after being assured it would mean his imminent release, is now in despair after seeing his new legal status get him nowhere.

On the outside, myself and others have been working really hard, but he doesnt see any results, so its really difficult, Candia said. Hes feeling really hopeless.

G.E. was 13 when he was apprehended in March 2016 trying to enter the country alone at a Texas border crossing. His asylum case documented severe abuse by parents and caregivers in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital.

The refugee resettlement office determined that the boy had no identifiable relatives in the United States and placed him for a month in one of the agencys shelters. But his repeated attempts to harm himself and run away led to placement in the locked facility in Woodland. Last April, Legal Services for Children screened him and found he was eligible to apply for asylum.

Candia and a social worker from her agency spent a month visiting with the boy to build trust before even beginning to obtain the facts of his case.

Because he was so traumatized it took months to get a basic idea of what had happened in his life, Candia said. He was unable to talk about it. He would shut down and start crying, hed turn to the wall and stop talking about it.

Michael Macor/The Chronicle

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 155,000 children have crossed the nations southern border alone in the last three years, the majority of them fleeing violent gangs, poverty and domestic abuse in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Nearly a fifth of the unaccompanied children who arrived last year were age 12 or younger, according to the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

The agency, which handles unaccompanied minors care and custody, looks for the least-restrictive settings for those youths, and 98 percent are placed within a network of 100 shelters in 11 states. Typically, they are released to relatives within about a month. A small fraction of the children, those who are found to have a criminal history or who pose a flight risk or a danger to themselves or others, are placed in locked facilities.

In Northern California, unaccompanied minors are housed at two shelters in Solano and Contra Costa counties, and 30 beds are reserved for them in the Yolo County juvenile hall. That facility is the only locked setting for unaccompanied minors in the state.

Holly Cooper, co-director of the Immigration Law Clinic at UC Davis, says unaccompanied minors have few legal remedies, and, like G.E., can find themselves indefinitely detained. But she said G.E.s case is particularly disturbing because he remains locked up despite facing no criminal charges and no pending deportation order.

We dont believe that his confinement is constitutionally or legally justified, she said.

Michael Macor/The Chronicle

On Jan. 10, G.E.s asylum case was approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, granting him legal immigration status and rights that can lead to permanent residency and eventual citizenship. His advocates assumed that meant he would be let go and placed in foster care, either locally or through the federal system. Instead, he remains jailed with no prospect for release.

A Feb. 20 memo from Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly singles out unaccompanied alien children, suggesting that their parents often exploit the countrys goodwill and encourage human smuggling. In a departure from past immigration enforcement practices, under the new directive, parents living in the U.S. illegally who step up to retrieve the children will be subject to criminal prosecution and deportation.

Cases like G.E.s, where there are no relatives or sponsors to take him in, also remain subject to heightened scrutiny. A Jan. 31 memo sent to all immigration court judges points to the possibility of fast-track proceedings that could frustrate legal challenges to detention and deportation, immigrant rights attorneys say.

Like the Muslim ban, the policies are rolled out so quickly and seemingly with so little thought about the ripple effects, that its unclear to us exactly how this will affect unaccompanied minors, said Lindsay Toczylowski, executive director of Immigrant Defenders Law Center in Los Angeles, a nonprofit representing more than 500 unaccompanied minors each year. But our suspicion is that all these policies are putting an absolute emphasis on deportation, detention and enforcement that we believe will have a negative impact on our clients.

Against this backdrop, a growing number of advocates have joined the case for the Honduran boys immediate release, among them a ranking state foster care official and immigration attorney Cooper of UC Davis and her law students.

They say they have been impressed by G.E., who is initially shy during visits, but loosens up over card games and magic tricks. He has spent so much time alone in a cell that he has written 80 pages of an autobiography and has powered through the Spanish-language versions of Harry Potter and the Twilight book series.

Ive talked with the youth, and my impression is it must be really hard to be a young boy coming of age in a locked facility, in a foreign country, when youve had to flee your country for your life, said Rochelle Trochtenberg, ombudsperson for the California Department of Social Services. Im going to do everything in my power to get him out and to make sure that hes in a loving stable home that he deserves given the trauma hes been through.

Trochtenberg said staff in the Yolo juvenile hall dont have the necessary training and expertise to provide the care the teen needs. This is a child who should be in foster care  the challenge is whos going to take responsibility to make sure hes going to be cared for and loved.

To be sure, Candia said, her clients behaviors related to his trauma have made his housing more challenging for his current caretakers.

He has behavioral issues in this jail which are directly related to his mental health, Candia said. Hes hypervigilant, he reacts very strongly to perceived threats, hes always in that fight-or-flight response.

In September, the county arranged for a psychologist who did not speak Spanish to evaluate G.E., she said, but her client declined to meet with the mental health professional. Candia said that nonetheless, the psychologist recommended in a brief letter that the boy be sent to a locked-down psychiatric facility.

That conclusion, which his lawyers dispute, together with the juvenile hall staffs input, has made the foster care system reluctant to take him on, Candia said.

But the teens advocates say in an appropriate foster home, with access to therapy and mental health services, G.E. could thrive.

I tell him I do have hope that youre going to get out, she said, and Im not going to stop fighting until you do.

Karen de Sa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kdesa@sfchronicle.com
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At least 10 people were arrested and many others bloodied and bruised as a Berkeley rally supporting President Trump turned violent Saturday when fistfights broke out between marchers and counterprotesters, and crowds of masked anarchists joined the fray.

This is a sad day, Berkeley Councilman Ben Bartlett told reporters. Were better than this.

The rally, one of several pro-Trump events held across the United States, began at 2 p.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park. Thats less than a mile from the UC Berkeley campus where a violent protest Feb. 1 forced the cancellation of a speech by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos.

The fighting Saturday started even before the event began, with people throwing punches, swinging signs and tossing smoke bombs. Hundreds of people filled the park, with anarchists and counterdemonstrators far outnumbering what rally sponsors estimated were 60 to 75 Trump supporters.

By 3 p.m., the self-proclaimed anarchists were dominating the crowd. Dressed all in black and wearing cloth bandannas over their faces, they stopped traffic as they marched from the park through downtown with the smaller mix of Trump supporters and counterprotesters. In the park, people opposed to Trump threw eggs and burned both American flags and the red Make America Great Again Trump campaign hats.

Kiki Valenzuela, a sophomore at Berkeley High School, was at the rally to protest Trump. She wore a short-sleeved shirt reading liberal elite and said she was excited for her first taste of activism. But when the crowds became violent, with people beating each other until they bled, the 16-year-old became scared and ran to the perimeter.

Its weird to see the (Trump) supporters in my city and my town, she said. Its the first time for me, and its kind of scary and dangerous.

BART service to downtown Berkeley was suspended for a time due to what transit district officials described as civil disturbance.

This is the most immature and disgusting display of human interaction, said David Tomes of San Rafael, a pro-Trump marcher with a Dont Tread on Me flag draped around his shoulders and an American flag in one hand. The 49-year-old said he owns a yoga studio in Petaluma and has been targeted for his political beliefs.

Trump supporter Jared Malan, 27, wore civilian fatigues and gripped an American flag as he stood at the park Saturday afternoon, silently watching the bouts of shouting and sign burning.

Malan said most of the Trump supporters left soon after the violence started.

It got pretty heated. There were a few brawls, he said. When we went for the march we were followed. A lot of people were attacked.

Malan said Trump wasnt his first choice for president but that he appreciated some of those around him, like Vice President Mike Pence.

At this point in time, we agree with the stance Trump has made on a few important issues, he said.

Demonstrators on each side carried signs that either decried or proclaimed support for Trump. The lighthearted tune of an ice cream truck played from a megaphone even as the fights broke out.

The rally quickly devolved into a melee of shouting, shoving and punching. People tossed blue and white smoke bombs, scorching the grass, and a woman fired pepper spray into the crowd.

Protesters had planned to go from the park to the UC Berkeley campus, but because of the troubles only marched in a loop from the park to Shattuck Avenue and back. Shocked residents who had been enjoying their sunny Saturday afternoon stared blankly at the display. Other people held up signs reading, Whats your ZIP code? and I am a local.

Nancy Chase, who is retired and a Trump supporter, held a sign reading Grandmothers for Trump.

I am here to show support in a positive way, she said. Im not looking for violence. These people just want to fight. They are anarchists in black, and its not what we are about. I just want to stand up for liberty.

By 5:30 p.m. the rally had wound down as people wandered away from the park. Berkeley police arrested 10 people during the event, said city spokesman Matthai Chakko.

While there were complaints that police did not act quickly to break up the fistfights and other attacks, city officials said there were concerns that if police became involved too quickly, the violence could have escalated.

The goal was to work quickly to identify and arrest anyone specifically involved in criminal activity, Chakko said. We also made an attempt to intercede during acts of violence.

Officers arrested five people on suspicion of battery and four on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, Chakko said.

One of those nine was arrested on suspicion of possessing an illegal dagger, which he did not use.

Officers also confiscated metal pipes, bats, two-by-four pieces of wood and bricks. Members of the group that brought the bricks were detained but not arrested, Chakko said.

Kat Mclain, 25, of San Francisco was walking the perimeter of the protest at around 4:30 p.m. She said she came to the event because she wanted to talk with the pro-Trump demonstrators but was disappointed as the afternoon devolved into violence.

I wanted to hear about why people are supporting him, she said. I thought it would be fun and interesting. Its sad what it became.

Lizzie Johnson and Jenna Lyons are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com, jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @lizziejohnsonnn, @JennaJourno

Trump supporters rally nationwide

From Colorados state Capitol to Trump Tower in New York and the Washington Monument, groups of hundreds of people rallied for President Trump on Saturday, waving Deplorables for Trump signs and even carrying a life-size cutout of the president.

Its nice to be surrounded by people who share your morals and opinions, said Chelsea Thomas, an accountant from Thornton, Colo., who brought her family to the March 4 Trump rally in Denver  and the life-size cardboard cutout of Trump.

Supporters at some of the rallies clashed with groups of counterprotesters. Six people protesting the rally in St. Paul, Minn., were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol, police said. In Nashville, two people were arrested as protesters clashed with Trump supporters at the Tennessee Capitol. And in Olympia, Wash., the state patrol said four demonstrators were arrested.

Near Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach Post reported that Trumps motorcade briefly stopped so the president could wave at supporters.

Source: Associated Press
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Its been nearly 40 years since the late George Davis rounded up cooks in San Franciscos African American community to preserve their culinary traditions with an annual community potluck.

At the 37th annual Black Cuisine Festival in the Bayview, the community continued the tradition Saturday, gathering in a neighborhood thats become one of the few remaining bastions of black culture in a city with a dwindling African American population.

Organizers expected a couple of thousand to stop for the daylong food fest and cooking competition at the new senior center on Carroll Avenue named after Davis, a longtime force behind expanded services for elders in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhoods.

Davis wife and three daughters led the charge in organizing this years effort as they checked in meals and set up the area for the judges before the hungry crowd arrived.

Lola Davis-Pratt, the oldest daughter, scurried around the center in an African print apron Saturday, alongside her sisters.

Dad was concerned and made sure that it was a forefront that the food be a part of our history, said Davis-Pratt, 52. Black cuisine has to continue. The next generation has to know thats why they call it soul food.

The yearly event raises money for senior services in the neighborhood, luring donors with the promise of fried chicken, oxtails, ribs, macaroni and cheese, corn bread and more.

Outside the center, in a couple of dozen tents, food was offered to anyone who purchased a meal ticket ranging from $5 to a $50. The smell of barbecue ribs wafted through the air as one booth played the Jackson 5 song Ill Be There.

The younger generation reflected on the community cooks who started the event.

Charlene Armstrong-Brown and her daughter, Wanda Materre, wore matching T-shirts with a photo of Armstrong-Browns mother.

She won every year, Armstrong-Brown said. She was famous for her potato salad.

Latoya Pitcher, raised in the Bayview, walked through the tents carrying her 10-month-old son in a wrap, pushing a stroller with her 2-year-old son and keeping a close eye on her 6-year-old daughter, who walked beside her. Pitcher said her grandmother used to compete in the dessert category and was known for her peach cobbler and pear pie.

Im here to show my kids how to participate in community events, how to engage with community members, said Pitcher, an IT analyst for Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

Pitcher, like many festival visitors, was a descendant of southerners who brought their style of cooking with them during the Great Migration from the South, seeking opportunity and acceptance as they fled 20th century Jim Crow laws.

Her grandfather, civil rights attorney Alex L. Pitcher Jr., moved to the Bay Area from Louisiana, she said. He worked on the groundbreaking Brown vs. Board of Education case that desegregated American schools. In San Francisco, he tried to combat gentrification of the Fillmore and the Western Addition, she said.

San Francisco had a black population of about 13.4 percent in 1970, according to the census. The most recent 2010 census places that population at about 6 percent.

Cuisine is a good way to support the community, but Pitcher said theres more work to keeping the culture alive.

For us to preserve the culture and to combat gentrification is for us to become financially literate and politically engaged, she said. We need to learn how to love each other first and support each other.

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
Madhuri Dixit Nene took to Twitter today to share a throwback photo featuring her and her sons, Arin and Raayan.

By India Today Web Desk: Back in 1999, the dhak-dhak girl of the nation, Madhuri Dixit married an US-based doctor and became Madhuri Dixit Nene. And thus, broke a trillion hearts.

Madhuri Dixit, considered the most beautiful, the most talented Indian film heroine by, surely, more than one generation, is now seldom seen in movies but her halo over public consciousness persists.

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The actor became mother to two beautiful sons, first in 2003 when Arin was born, and then in 2005, when Raayan was born.

Madhuri today took to Twiiter to share an old photo of herself along with her sons Arin and Raayan. The two munchkins are seen atop a white horse. Madhuri looks at them lovingly and the sum-total cuteness of the photo will just melt your hearts.

Have a look:

Our journeys in life start early... pic.twitter.com/yfWYT5DFBK Madhuri Dixit-Nene (@MadhuriDixit) March 5, 2017

ALSO READ: Karan Johar becomes parents to twins, thanks to surrogacy

ALSO SEE: KJo to SRK, Bollywood celebs who became parents through IVF

WATCH: Madhuri Dixit discusses marriage, acting and Bollywood with Deepika Padukone

--- ENDS ---
Former Oakland Mayor Jean Quan and her physician husband, Dr. Floyd Huen, are turning their talents from politics to pot  and not with the greatest of results.

The couple are partners in a medical marijuana dispensary looking to be licensed in San Franciscos heavily Asian American Outer Sunset.

Its important that Asian Pacific Americans and other minorities take positions of leadership within the cannabis business community to bring greater diversity to the industry, Huen said in a statement.

If the city approves its license, the dispensary at 2505 Noriega St. would be the latest branch of the Apothecarium, a high-end medical marijuana outfit founded six years ago in the Castro. The clubs owners also operate in Las Vegas and have approvals for new branches in the Marina neighborhood and in downtown Berkeley.

From the looks of things, however, approval of the Outer Sunset club  where Quan and Huen would be co-owners  is no sure thing. In fact, if Thursdays community meeting at the Taraval Police Station to pitch the proposal is any indication, the outcome could be as bad as Quans losing 2014 bid for re-election.

Huen was shouted down by an overflow crowd worried that the dispensary will bring crime into the neighborhood. It got so raucous that the session had to be shut down.

This is a beachhead for bringing recreational marijuana to the Sunset, and we dont want it sold in our neighborhood, said Valerie Schmalz, one of those who showed up at the meeting.

Unfortunately, the meeting was hijacked by a small group of conservative activists who prevented me from speaking, Huen said in his statement to us. But he added, I believe in free speech and access to health care, and will continue fighting for both.

For her part, Quan has been advocating for medical marijuana for years. As a member of the Oakland City Council, she wrote that citys dispensary legislation back in 2004.

But she said the driving force behind the dispensary application in the Outer Sunset is mainly my husband. You need to talk to him.

Huen has a practice as a gerontologist but told us he has been moonlighting as a medical adviser to the Apothecarium for several months.

And in his own practice, he said, he has been prescribing medical marijuana for chronic pain, cancer and diabetes since 1996. Now, as part owner of the planned dispensary in the Sunset, he said he is especially interested in providing bilingual and culturally sensitive services that collaborate with traditional Asian medical practitioners.

As for why they arent setting up shop in their hometown of Oakland, where both Quan and Huen have been politically active for years?

We didnt want there to be the appearance of a conflict of interest. said Eliot Dobris, a spokesman for the Apothecarium.

Pothole politics: It doesnt operate a single transit line, but Oakland has created its own Department of Transportation, complete with a staff of 270 and a new, $203,179-a-year director.

Most of the staffers are already working for the city and will be shifted to the new department from other agencies, such as Public Works. But the startup still comes with costs  getting it up and running has taken $1.5 million.

Mayor Libby Schaaf says its money well spent.

Oaklands streets need transformation, and they also need a champion to fight for them, Schaaf said in announcing the hiring of Ryan Russo to head the new department, which will be known as OakDOT.

Russo is now with the New York City Department of Transportation, where he has held senior positions under both Mayor Bill de Blasio and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. It was Bloombergs foundation, Bloomberg Associates, that led a nationwide search to fill the Oakland job.

Russo said he was excited about Schaafs vision for the city.

OakDOT is being bolstered by $350 million in Measure KK street funding approved by voters in November. Schaaf says it will not only resurface the citys pothole-pocked streets, but also redesign them to provide new opportunities for walking, biking (and) increasing access to transit stops and stations.

The idea is to create more parking-protected bike lanes like one put in along Telegraph Avenue, or spaces like Latham Square, a downtown plaza that used to be a street.

If Russos work in New York is any indication, Oakland residents are likely to see more traffic lanes shrink to make way for bikes, more bus stops, and various steps to make for slower  and thus safer  traffic.

Or, if youre behind the wheel of a car, more backups.

Shock wave: Caltrain officials are scrambling to pull together a Plan B to make up for the $647 million in electrification money they may lose thanks to the change at the top in Washington.

So far, however, about the best they can come up with is to enlist tech bosses like those in the Silicon Valley Leadership Group to lobby the administration and Congress  and perhaps to turn to a red state for help.

Caltrain officials dont want to say anything publicly, but their best ally appears to be Utah, where the factory that would build the rail lines new electric cars is located  and which would gain 1,500 jobs in the deal.

They also hope the Silicon Valley tech titans who are heading to Washington this month to talk tax reform with the Trump administration will help sell the need for the money.

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao hit the brakes on the big Caltrain project after all 14 Republicans in the California congressional delegation asked that the government first audit the states high-speed rail effort. Republicans are hoping to kill the bullet-train project, which would need an electrified line up the Peninsula to make it all the way to San Francisco.

Some Republicans say it wouldnt be a tragedy if the Caltrain funding went away for good.

Why should the federal government pay for that? Theres more billionaires in Silicon Valley than anywhere else, GOP Rep. Devin Nunes of Tulare told reporters last week.

Youre not going to get me to feel too bad for one of the richest places on the planet not having a train, Nunes said.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX-TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross
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Bike sharing got off to a slow start in San Francisco, but its about to explode, with two startups vying to take on Bay Area Bike Share, which itself is embarking on a major expansion with $49 million in funding from Ford Motor Co.

Bay Area Bike Share is operated by Motivate, a New York City company that runs programs in 10 other metropolitan areas including New York, Chicago, Boston and Washington.

The bikes are designed for quick trips around town. Users can check out a bike from one docking station and return it to any station. In San Francisco, they can buy a membership for one day ($9), three days ($22) or one year ($88). Users can take an unlimited number of 30-minute trips during the membership period. If they dont return the bike to a station within 30 minutes, they will incur overtime charges up to $7 per half hour.

Kitty Steinborn of San Jose picks up one of the baby blue bikes to get from the Caltrain station in San Francisco to her once-a-week teaching job at the University of the Pacific dentistry school a mile away. I love being a hip 61-year-old biking to work in a skirt and tights even in the rain, she said. Only twice in two years was there no bike at the station or a slot to return it to the rack near the school. On those occasions, she had to use another station and was late for work.

The Bay Area program began in 2013 with about 700 bikes and 70 docking stations in San Francisco, San Jose, Palo Alto, Redwood City and Mountain View. Use in the latter three cities was so low that the program was discontinued.

Today, there are 300 to 350 bikes and 43 stations in San Francisco. San Jose has 130 bikes and 20 stations.

A study published on the website Priceonomics last week compared San Franciscos bike share program with those in five other big cities, all operated by Motivate. It ranked the programs on factors such as bikes per 1,000 residents, bike stations per square mile and trips per bicycle per day. In all three categories, San Francisco ranked last or next to last after Seattle, whose program is being shut down.

San Francisco is often thought of as a bicycle mecca. But when it comes to bike sharing, so far the city lags far behind other successful systems, the report said.

Paul Chinn/The Chronicle

Priceonomics says it makes money by helping companies turn their data into content marketing that performs. It did the ride-sharing report for its client Spin, which wants to start a bike sharing business in San Francisco.

Heath Maddox, who manages the bike-sharing program for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, called the report fake news. It is literally a spin piece to try to make what they want to do better than what we have done.

Maddox disputed some of the reports numbers. A report published by the Transportation Research Board said that for the year that ended Aug. 31, 2015, San Franciscos bikes were used 2.5 times per day on average.

The Priceonomics report initially said that for the year ended Sept. 30, 2016, San Franciscos bikes were used less than once, or only 0.8 time per day. After a call from The Chronicle, Spin rechecked its numbers and revised that to 1.7 times per day.

To calculate bikes per capita, Rohin Dahr of Priceonomics said it relied on Wikipedia. That entry vastly overstated the number of bikes in San Francisco.

No matter how you crunch the numbers, San Franciscos program is small for a city its size. It was started as a pilot program with public funds, but there was no money to expand it. New Yorks Citi Bike program, started around the same time but with major funding from Citibank, now has about 10,000 bikes.

We think San Francisco is a fantastic town for bike share, said Dani Simons, a spokeswoman for Motivate. She said the Priceonomics study is irrelevant because with the expanded program, San Francisco will have the most bikes per capita of almost any city in the world.

Paul Chinn/The Chronicle

Thanks to Ford, the Bay Area program will begin expanding this spring. By the end of next year, it expects to have a total of 7,000 bikes and 550 to 700 stations in San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Emeryville and Berkeley. San Francisco alone will have about 4,500 bikes.

The program, and the bikes, will be rebranded Ford GoBike. The new bike made a cameo appearance in Fords Super Bowl commercial this year.

Ford is very interested in people perceiving them as a mobility company, not just a car company, Simons said. In September, Ford bought San Francisco commuter-shuttle startup Chariot.

Motivate hopes to find secondary sponsors that could advertise on the programs app or stations, but not on the bikes. The expansion will get no taxpayer dollars.

Today, San Franciscos program covers only 3 square miles of downtown San Francisco. After the expansion, it will encompass 23 square miles  almost half the city. It will be concentrated in the northeast quadrant, and wont go on hills where the grade exceeds 7 degrees.

Motivates contract with San Francisco and other participating cities gives it exclusive rights to operate a bike share program on public rights of way, with certain exceptions. Exclusivity is a provision that some cities have granted in exchange for us to agree to (certain) provisions, Simons said. For example, it agrees to rebalance bikes around the city so they dont congregate in one place, and to make sure they are in safe working order.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

That exclusivity is being challenged by startups such as Spin and Bluegogo. They want to do station-less or free-range bike sharing, which lets users leave a bike almost anywhere and find and unlock it with a smartphone app.

In China, station-less bike sharing has attracted so much capital, and dumped so many bikes on crowded city streets, that its creating a backlash.

Bluegogo, a Chinese company, raised $58 million last week, bringing its total funding to $88 million; SpeedX, a Chinese bike maker, is an investor and supplier, said Ilya Movshovich, the companys U.S. vice president.

Bluegogos plan to drop hundreds of bikes on San Francisco sidewalks without permission enraged city officials. The company changed its plan, and is now operating out of 15 private parking lots with just under 200 cobalt-blue bikes. The company hopes to let riders drop them off at public bike racks in the future, and even offered to pay for more racks, Movshovich said. The cost is 99 cents for every 30 minutes, with no membership required.

Bluegogo got a business license Jan. 24, but the city says it still needs a permit to operate a retail sales or service business on private parking lots, Movshovich said.

Derrick Ko, a former Lyft product manager who co-founded Spin, said he is talking with city officials about starting a station-less bike sharing operation in San Francisco. The local startup, which has not announced any funding, has close to 1,000 orange bikes, which it plans to begin rolling out this month in launch cities that Ko wont name.

Maddox said the citys transit agency is working with Supervisor Aaron Peskins office on legislation that would create a new permit for station-less bike share programs that will include conditions to protect the public.

Most people agree that San Franciscos current system is too small to be viable. When you have citywide systems, which San Francisco does not yet, the thing that is most important to broad adoption is density. I think there is potential for it to be hugely popular if it is expanded properly, said Chris Cassidy, a spokesman for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

Daniel Menzies, who lives on Treasure Island and commutes into the city by bus, uses bike share to get to his job as ... a bike courier. He keeps his own bike locked up overnight at an Embarcadero BART Station facility because its safer than keeping it at home.

What would make bike share better, he said, is more stations. I think there should be one on every city block where its practical. It would be so convenient people would have to find reasons not to use it.

Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender
In a courtroom in San Franciscos Hall of Justice, 102 prospective jurors squeezed into worn wooden seats, taking care to avoid the broken ones. They represented the mix of ages, races, sexual orientations and income levels that typifies their melting-pot city.

But another reflection of San Francisco stood out: Only four were black.

This pool, assembled last month, wasnt unusual. The shrinking of the African American population in big cities like San Francisco  which saw a decline from 12.7 percent to 5.7 percent between 1980 and 2015  is prompting growing concern that black defendants are being denied their right to a trial in front of a jury of peers.

Its not uncommon that youll walk into a felony trial with an African American client and turn around and see anywhere from zero to maybe three African Americans in the whole jury pool, said San Francisco Deputy Public Defender Manohar Raju, who manages the offices felony unit.

The chances of someone of the same race as your client getting onto the jury is pretty small, he said, which is a problem in terms of the jurys ability to understand your clients reality.

In a six-month span in 2016, attorneys with the public defenders office said they counted at least six trials in which not one prospective juror was African American.

If this is a problem, there are no easy answers. In San Francisco, 39 percent of suspects booked into jail last year  and 51 percent of defendants represented by public defenders  were black. But courts are not required to ensure that a defendants race is reflected in a jury. And a defendant challenging the composition of a jury must prove that the prosecutor or judge intentionally discriminated against a racial group during jury selection.

Some defense attorneys and others, though, are pushing for the justice system to take a first step by studying the issue, tracking the race, gender, age and sexual orientation of jurors.

This month, state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, introduced SB576, which would require jury commissioners to collect demographic data from all prospective jurors  information that would be publicly available.

Ive seen firsthand the impact that the racial composition of a jury can have, said Wiener, a former deputy city attorney and city supervisor. In order to address this challenge, we need to have good data. Lets collect that data, see how deep the problem is and then we can move forward with a solution.

Some counties in California already collect such information in some form  Contra Costa County, for example, began collecting jury data for two months each year in the early 2000s  but most do not.

In San Francisco, the Superior Court draws from Department of Motor Vehicles and voter registration records to fill jury pools, said Ann Donlan, a spokeswoman for the courts. She declined to comment on jury diversity and on why the court does not collect demographic data, but said, It has always been the courts goal to have a jury selection process that is fair and inclusive.

Max Szabo, a spokesman for the district attorneys office, also declined to discuss the makeup of juries and the effort to study it, but said, We continue to pursue data-driven solutions to enhance fairness in the criminal justice system.

Mason Trinca/Special to The Chronicle

Wieners bill comes at a time when racial disparities in jails and prisons, and in the way police use force, have drawn increasing scrutiny from advocates, researchers and the general public.

Defense attorneys say these disparities may be exacerbated by jurors influenced by stereotypes. Raju said some jurors may not empathize with a black defendant whose background is different from theirs.

There are a lot of people in certain neighborhoods who walk around with a weapon, not because they want to hurt someone but because they are genuinely afraid, he said. Theyve seen their cousins and friends getting killed, and people who grow up in those communities understand that. But if you havent grown up in that kind of community, a lot of the assumptions that people bring in are that if youre carrying a knife or if youre carrying a gun, youre instigating, youre intending to hurt someone.

Raju said attorneys in his unit have represented several clients who spoke of feeling more inclined to take a plea deal after they saw the makeup of the jury pool and concluded they wouldnt get a fair trial.

The makeup of a jury can mean the difference between a conviction and an acquittal, according to a 2011 university study published in the Quarterly Journal of Economics that looked at 10 years of felony trials in Floridas Sarasota and Lake counties.

Mason Trinca / Special to The Chronicle 2017

In cases with no African Americans in the jury pool, black defendants were convicted at an 81 percent rate and white defendants at a 66 percent rate. When a jury pool included at least one black person, the gap in conviction rates was closed, with black defendants convicted 71 percent of the time and white defendants 73 percent of the time.

Race matters in a courtroom, said Samuel Sommers, a Tufts University psychology professor who studies how race relates to perception and judgment. There is nothing about taking an oath as a juror that renders us immune from the biases that affect us on a daily basis.

He said the constitutional requirement that a jury pool be drawn from the community leaves open a question: What do you do when youre part of an underrepresented group thats living in that community?

San Francisco Deputy Public Defender Kwixuan Maloof said that in one murder case in 2010, a jury with a single African American member could not come to a consensus on a verdict for a black defendant, forcing a mistrial. But a second group with no black jurors convicted him after prosecutors refiled charges.

When Maloof questioned the panel members informally after the trial, he said, they seemed fixated on the way the defendant presented himself in court and his speech, particularly the way he kept pronouncing heroin as heron.

It was like they lost focus on the issue, Maloof said.

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Those pushing for the collection of jurors demographic data say the real challenge will be finding solutions to the racial disparity.

Hiroshi Fukurai, a UC Santa Cruz sociology professor and author of the book, Race and the Jury, said one area of attention is likely to be the rate at which people fail to show up for jury service. He said courts may need to offer more incentives, as many people in less wealthy communities work hourly jobs and cant afford to fulfill their civic duty.

An ACLU study of a sampling of Alameda County jury pools, conducted in 2010, found that African Americans represented 18 percent of the jury-eligible population but accounted for 8 percent of those who showed up. Latinos made up 12 percent of the population and 8 percent of the jury pools.

Historically, Fukurai said, some courts have set quotas for jurors who fit a similar ethnic and racial background to the defendant. For centuries, Jews charged with crimes in England could demand that half the jury be composed of fellow Jews, while Northeastern U.S. states used such split juries for cases involving Native Americans until the end of the 19th century.

Under the law, todays courts have the authority to ensure that juries are racially representative of the community, Fukurai said  if they have the will. He said such an act could be as simple as judges granting defense motions to replace a nonrepresentative jury pool with a new one, or drawing prospective jurors from specific ZIP codes.

A law is something that is alive; its not static, Fukurai said. It depends on the history, situation, reality. ... The courts reflect the social milieu. They should be in the position to take into consideration the importance of race in trials, especially for racially sensitive cases.

Another option is to draw from a wider list of potential jurors, using such records as utility bills, instead of relying on voter registration and DMV records, said Oscar Bobrow, a Solano County deputy public defender who worked with Wiener on the data-collection legislation.

The questions raised by the loss of black jurors in San Francisco were underscored in a high-profile case last year. Michael Smith, a 23-year-old black man, was charged with resisting BART police officers who had taken him and his pregnant girlfriend to the ground after receiving a false report that Smith had a gun.

Ultimately, a jury with no African Americans acquitted Smith of four criminal counts and couldnt agree on four other charges that prosecutors later dismissed. After the verdict, San Francisco teacher John Mayhew, who is white, said he believed the case was rife with racial undertones that many of his fellow jurors failed to comprehend.

Mayhew said black students he had taught had told him of their fear of police. And he said he understood the historical significance of Smiths situation: In 2009, an unarmed BART rider, Oscar Grant, was fatally shot by a transit agency officer after being taken to the ground at Fruitvale Station in Oakland.

I dont think too many people on the jury fully understood the context of the case, Mayhew said in an interview.

Somebody had to speak up for this African American man, but there were no African Americans on the jury, he said. Michael Smith was lucky. But there are not a lot of other people who are willing to step into the shoes of somebody else.

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo
At least two Hayward police officers were on paid leave Sunday after shooting a man suspected of shooting another man and a 17-year-old girl over the weekend, police said.

The incident unfolded around 11:30 p.m. Saturday when 911 callers reported two people shot in front of a home on the 27000 block of Mandarin Avenue, police said. When officers responded, they found the suspected gunman in the street and fired at him when he confronted them with a firearm, police said.
Everyone I know who has rented out a room or an in-law unit on Airbnb has a horror story. There were the Russians who ignored their hosts no-smoking rules and were still contentedly puffing away in their basement room when the owners returned home, overstaying their welcome and refusing to leave. There was the French couple who stuffed so many used baby wipes into the toilet of their guest cottage that the sewer line clogged, leading to an extremely unpleasant eruption in the bathroom of the main home, which required the hosts to spend thousands of dollars on cleanup and repairs. There was the absent-minded guest who left the shower running in the hosts vacation house after locking up and leaving, and by the time a caretaker visited the property days later it looked like a flood-ravaged home in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

And then there was the young, mentally disturbed woman who was looking not just for a room to rent for a few days but for someone to take care of her. The woman rented a room in the home of my friend Cindy Alwan, a freelance fashion designer in Berkeley who makes ends meet by renting her oldest sons room on Airbnb when hes away at college. When Alwan spoke with her guest, the woman would often break down crying. After her stay was over, she appeared again on Alwans doorstep, barefoot and wearing nothing but a coat. Do you want to go out to dinner? she asked Alwan, who declined the invitation.

Its like she wanted to connect with a family, Alwan said. I felt so bad for her, but I didnt know what to do.

The situation grew stranger when the young woman found the key to a neighbors backyard cottage that was also listed on Airbnb and made herself at home. The hosts later found her, naked in bed, and when they asked what she was doing there, she got up and left.

An Airbnb customer service representative expressed shock when informed about the odd incident, telling Alwan and her neighbor that it was a first for the company and offering to change the locks on their doors. You want to have faith in humankind, Alwan said. Most times people are usually fine. But sometimes theyre not.

And when theyre not, their presence in your home suddenly looms large and intrusive. Airbnb spokesman Nick Papas told me company horror stories are very rare. Weve booked over 170 million guest arrivals so far  and the overwhelming number of those are positive experiences for everyone involved.

Airbnb markets itself in expansive terms. Its more than just a platform for commercial transactions, Airbnb global strategist Chris Lehane insists, its an earth-shaking movement with the power to democratize capitalism and help solve the economic inequality crisis. Lehane, a sharp-elbowed political operative who honed his skills in the embattled Clinton White House, has become an aggressive evangelist for the short-term rental giant, building clubs in more than 100 cities around the world to help fight opponents who see the company as a Godzilla eating up the urban housing market.

Ill have more to say on the politics of Airbnb in my Tuesday column. But today I want to focus on the $30 billion startup  a valuation that makes Airbnb worth more than global hotel chains like Hyatt  as a social phenomenon.

Most tech startups get dazzled by their own hype, but Airbnb has raised marketing to mystical new levels. Chip Conley, a former communications guru for the company, announced that it was only a matter of time before Airbnb won the Nobel Peace Prize. I kind of laughed  I thought he was out of his mind, Brian Chesky, the 35-year-old co-founder, told business journalist Brad Stone. And then suddenly you hear stories and youre like, Were not completely crazy after all.

Chesky and his stunningly wealthy young business partners are the subjects of a new book by Stone, The Upstarts, as well as one by Fortune magazines Leigh Gallagher, The Airbnb Story. Gallaghers breathlessly adulatory book tells the story of how Chesky and company created not just a tourist booking exchange but a mission. And what is that higher purpose? Its bringing together people from all over the world.

Belong anywhere was Airbnbs new mantra, Chesky announced in 2014. It meant venturing into neighborhoods that you might not otherwise be able to see, staying in places you wouldnt normally be able to, bunking in someone elses space, Gallagher explains.

Smoothing world travel in this age of borders and fear and suspicion does indeed seem like an enlightened corporate mission. And Airbnb is only too happy to advertise all the happy hosts and guests whose lives have been enriched by logging on to the platform. But lets not get too misty-eyed here. Putting aside the commercial landlords who are Airbnb hosts, I suspect the great majority of those who advertise rooms in their homes do so out of pressing economic necessity, not out of some desire to broaden their horizons by inviting complete strangers into their homes.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Everything is for sale in todays global marketplace  not just our labor, but our most intimate spaces, our havens from a heartless world. If tourists are allowed to belong anywhere  even in your bedroom and bathroom  then where do you belong? Airbnbs corporate visionaries refuse to acknowledge this, but their mission is not just about belonging, its about displacement.

There is nothing sharing about a commercial transaction. You share your home on Airbnb only in the sense that you share your wedding ring, if you pawn it, with whoever buys it.

This accounts for the strangeness of the Airbnb visit for most hosts and guests, even when it doesnt devolve into madness or clogged toilets. Aside from the larger issue of uprooting people from their homes so landlords can turn them into Airbnb hotels, theres a kind of psychic displacement that occurs in the Airbnb transaction.

We now belong anywhere, and therefore nowhere.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist David Talbot appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Email: dtalbot@sfchronicle.com
Like everyone else in California in this winter of travel bans and deportation orders, I cannot avoid President Trump. He makes me fear what is about to happen. And because I am teaching my usual survey course on 19th century U.S. history at Stanford, my fears are specific. Donald Trump has conjured up Anthony Burns. Now Anthony Burns haunts me. He may soon haunt California.

Like most of todays immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, Burns committed no crime beyond wanting to be free to earn his daily bread, but in doing so he violated the law.

Burns was a black man who by fleeing north broke the law. His arrest crystallized the conflict over slavery. Maybe he can clarify our current condition in California.

Burns was a Virginia slave who escaped to Massachusetts. Literate, he wrote his brother telling him he was safe, but the letter was intercepted and traced to Boston. His owner demanded that Boston authorities enforce a federal law  the Fugitive Slave Act  and in 1854 Burns was arrested. When an antislavery mob led by a Unitarian minister, Thomas Higginson, attacked the federal courthouse and a deputy died in the melee, Massachusetts called out the militia to send Burns back into slavery. Officials marched Burns through Boston to the ship that would carry him into bondage. Along the route, the buildings were draped in black. American flags hung upside-down, and church bells tolled. As a member of the Whig Party wrote, We went to bed old-fashioned conservative Whigs and woke up stark mad abolitionists.

Most Whigs became Republicans, who claimed the Fugitive Slave Act turned citizens of free states into slave catchers. A majority of Republicans tried to make the act unenforceable. They found clever ways to do so.

Those who supported the send ing of Burns and others back to slavery said the law must be obeyed. They feared for the integrity of their country, which was splitting apart. Such anxiety over the fate of the republic needs to be taken seriously. It runs deep in the history of the United States. Donald Trump has tapped into it.

But this fear must also be examined. This anxiety is usually subterranean, and it does not always run pure. Nativism and racism often taint it. The vast majority of those we would expel have lived among us for years. If they had committed ordinary crimes, the statute of limitations would have expired. But for living among us and working for us and with us, they are criminals.

Thats why, this winter, Anthony Burns resonates.

The slave catchers who seized Burns had the law on their side. Those who tried to free him broke the law. Burns was a criminal, but his crime was inseparable from his seeking liberty and paid labor. What was praiseworthy for a free white man was criminal for an enslaved black man. This does not seem to be the kind of issue that is settled by arguing that the law must be obeyed. Neither does our current question of arresting and deporting those whose crime is illegally crossing the border to work and support their families.

We are largely on our own here. In moments of crisis, our institutions have often proved feeble. The courts usually protest after the fact. Corporations, in the 19th century and today, are in the business of making money, not seeking justice. Universities, at least research universities, are no different. I work for one. They will talk beautifully, but when federal funds are at stake, I would not want them protecting my back.

In teaching my survey course  moving through slavery, the Indian Removal Act, and the virtual pogroms waged against Chinese immigrants  I recognize our talent for repentance. Most of us now see these actions as shameful. Boston abolitionists were ashamed, and they eventually bought and freed Burns even as they recognized the problem went beyond one sympathetic victim.

Repentance is easy. The hard thing is stopping what we will regret before it happens. That was the issue that Republicans faced in the 1850s, and many acted to subvert enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act. They did so in state legislatures, in elections and in the street.

Anthony Burns is more than a specter from our past; he is someone who lives among us and passes us on the streets. Republicans, once mobilized to save Burns, have become the party whose president would order his arrest, but this time she would be a Latina or a Muslim.

Our reaction to her appearance, far more than tweets or executive orders, will be a defining moment. As in the 1850s, we have begun a journey to a potentially very dangerous place. What we will do, in California and nationally, matters more than what the president does.
Americas private prison industry was in decline for the best of reasons.

With crime at historic lows, and many states finally beginning to roll back harsh sentencing laws, there was less need for the services of private prisons.

The endless chorus of horror stories about corruption and abuse at private prisons was also starting to have an effect on the industrys fortunes.

Government officials were growing skeptical about the wisdom of spending taxpayer money on private prisons for other reasons, too.

In a memo last summer ordering the Department of Justice to begin phasing out the federal governments use of private prisons, then-deputy Attorney General Sally Yates noted that private prisons consistently underperform government facilities on crucial metrics.

The Office of the Inspector General had released a report concluding that, compared with similar government facilities, private facilities had a 28 percent higher rate of inmate-on-inmate assaults and more than twice as many inmate-on-staff assaults per capita.

With the overall population of federal prisoners declining, there was no reason  either economic or moral  for the federal government to continue using these facilities.

Then along came Jeff Sessions.

Unwilling to acknowledge inconvenient incarceration facts, President Trumps new attorney general ordered the Bureau of Prisons to yank the order phasing out the use of private prisons.

In a memo released Feb. 23, Sessions said Yates order changed the long-standing policy and practice, and impaired the Bureaus ability to meet the future needs of the federal correctional facility.

He directed the bureau to return to its previous approach of contracting with for-profit jails and detention centers.

Stocks in private prison companies extended their rally. Shares in CoreCivic Inc. (previously known as the Corrections Corporation of America), for example, have skyrocketed by as much as 140 percent over their pre-election day value.

If that sounds odious, it is. The purpose of prison should be to punish and rehabilitate offenders, not to create returns for shareholders who wish to extend their profits for as long as possible.

The reversion to a reliance on private prisons is shameful, said Rep. Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles. The presidents decision to scratch the plan to phase out private prisons reflects a base-level misunderstanding.

Private prisons create a profit motive where none should be present. They also encourage susceptible politicians to pursue destructive policies.

This is why the most alarming portion of Sessions memo is his statement about future needs.

In order to create those returns for their shareholders, private prisons need product  also known as prisoners or detainees.

One obvious possibility for private prison companies to expand their customer base would be finding business opportunities in the Trump administrations promise to deport more immigrants.

The majority of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees are held in privately owned facilities.

Investors in prison facilities in Arizona and Texas have already seen their bond holdings soar. CoreCivic has also suggested it sees a business opportunity.

Trumps executive orders appear likely to significantly increase the need for ... detention bed capacity that we have available in our existing real-estate portfolio, as well as an increased demand for our detention facility design, development and facility maintenance expertise, said CoreCivic President and CEO Damon Hininger on a Feb. 9 earnings call with investors.

We dont need more private prison facilities. We need comprehensive immigration reform and rehabilitative services for offenders.

It is cruel and immoral for the federal government to provide more customers for private prisons, and there is a tremendous human cost in expanding this kind of detention. Trump promised to bring back more American jobs  but these jobs are a bad bargain.

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By Press Trust of India: Kolkata, Mar 5 (PTI) Mauritius plans to connect Kolkata and Hyderabad when its airline gets permission to operate in more Indian cities.

"Kolkata and Hyderabad are the two new cities for which we plan connectivity. Currently, we are allowed only for four cities and we are flying from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai," Air Mauritius manager, India and South Asia, Vinith G told PTI today.

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"So far we are unable to connect with these cities (Kolkata and Hyderabad) due to bilateral restrictions and we are planning to initiate dialogue with India," he said.

Bilateral connectivity negotiations is held once in two years.

Currently only Air Mauritius links Indian cities with the island country.

Meanwhile, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) country manager Vivek Anand said demonetisation had affected tourist flow by 10 per cent in the last three months. However, that countrys tourism department was looking at double digit growth for the current year.

Last year 83,000 Indians had visited Mauritius accounting for seven per cent of the total tourist inflow to the island country. It conducted five B2B roadshows in Indian cities, which ended with Kolkata today to promote tourism of the country. PTI BSM KK AYP

--- ENDS ---
While immigration and the wall have sparked an angry political debate, Mexico is primed for a huge buildup of renewable energy resources and of its electric grid, which will yield huge benefits on both sides of the border.

The imminent expansion of solar and wind deployments in Mexico is a boon for U.S. equipment manufacturers and service companies eager to expand the renewable energy boom into new markets.

Plans to increase electric transmission links between the U.S. and Mexico would mean Californias rapidly expanding solar generation can be exported south during periods of low power demand in the state.

This has got to be good news to Gov. Jerry Brown, who three years ago signed a climate change pact with Pedro Joaquin Coldwell, Mexicos secretary of energy. Brown now can build upon bilateral ties with Mexico on the energy front even while the climate change-denying Trump administration pursues its immigration and border wall initiatives.

Solar manufacturers in America are elated at the prospect of surging renewable energy development in Mexico, the worlds 15th largest economy.

Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, said, Many of our companies, across the supply chain, are poised to help Mexico meet its expanding solar demand.

Gerry Cauley, the head of the North American Electric Reliability Corp., an organization of electric grid operations that oversees the reliability and security of the power system, quietly traveled to Mexico six times over the past 18 months with technical teams to discuss the future of the electric grid within Mexico and its further integration with the power system serving the United States and Canada.

They have great, aggressive goals, Cauley said.

Those goals are allied with robust efforts to create a new, national market for electricity in Mexico that will reward investors and energy users.

Its a real big promise and commitment made to the citizens of Mexico, Cauley said.

Cauley predicted that within two decades electricity flows between Mexico and the U.S. will be as strong as the robust energy exchange today between Canada and our country.

The United States imported 68.5 million megawatt-hours of electricity from Canada in 2015 and we exported 8.7 million megawatt-hours of electricity there, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In comparison, we imported 7.3 million megawatt-hours from Mexico and exported 392,000 megawatt-hours to our southern neighbor.

There is a tremendous amount of work to connect within Mexico, Cauley said. He pointed out that lower Baja California is an energy island, under-supplied with electricity that is expensive.

Mexicos grid modernization, assisted by U.S. companies, is already well under way, including a $1.7 transmission project linking wind-rich Oaxaca with Mexico City.

Guillermo Zuniga, commissioner of the Mexico Energy Regulatory Commission, said his country plans to increase its solar power generation 25-fold in coming years, potentially surpassing all the solar generation now deployed across California, and expand its wind generation five-fold.

We are a big economy, we are a big country and we have big energy needs, he said.

Electric sector business and policy leaders are increasingly focused on those needs, despite the turmoil of Mexican American relations in the Trump era.

Together, we are much more reliable, Cauley said. As wind and solar come on, there is a great opportunity for two-way exchanges.

Martin Rosenberg is editor in chief of the Energy Times and organizer of the Renewables Rush executive energy conference in San Francisco on April 5. Learn more at http://energyevents.penton.com/renewablesrush2017.
Rallies and protest events are a part of political life in the Bay Area. Heres a roundup of whats happening in the next few days.

Wednesday

Day Without Women strike: The organizers behind the Womens March on Washington are calling for a general strike to show what a day without women would look like.

Womens demonstration: A gathering to promote womens rights on the day of the womens strike. The event is from 5 to 9 p.m. at Frank Ogawa Plaza, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland. www.facebook.com/events/1289337677802574.

Town hall: For International Womens Day, join womens advocates to speak about womens rights and the disparate challenges women still face. The event is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the World Affairs Auditorium, 312 Sutter St., Suite 200, San Francisco. Tickets available at www.worldaffairs.org/event-calendar/event/1696.

Thursday

Discussion on executive orders: UC Berkeley law professors will discuss the scope of the presidents authority on executive orders, such as one calling for a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. The event is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the World Affairs Auditorium, 312 Sutter St., San Francisco.

Discussion on climate change: Hosted by the Lamorinda Democratic Club, the discussion will focus on local effects and actions. The event is from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Lafayette library, 3491 Mount Diablo Blvd.

Friday

Standing Rock march: A march and rally calling for President Trump to meet with tribal leaders before continuing work on the Dakota Access Pipeline. The event is from 5 to 9 p.m. outside the San Francisco Federal Building, 90 Seventh St.

March 13

Postcard party: A campaign to send 1 million postcards to President Trump on issues including womens rights, religious freedom, immigration and economic security. The event is from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Booksmith, 1644 Haight St., San Francisco. RSVP to the Postcard Party at Booksmith event page on Facebook.

March 14

Anti-Trump rally: Members of the tech community are expected to rally on Pi Day in protest of President Trump. The rally is from 2 to 6 p.m. at 250 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto.

March 15

Call for secure elections: A meet-up with the San Francisco Elections Commission, 6 p.m. at City Hall, Room 408, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place.
RALEIGH, N.C.  Deadly encounters between police officers and motorists have lawmakers across the country thinking drivers education should require students to be taught what to do in a traffic stop.

A North Carolina bill would require instructors to describe appropriate interactions with law enforcement officers. Illinois passed a similar law recently, and another awaits the Virginia governors signature. Mississippi, New Jersey and Rhode Island also are considering them.

Many lawmakers want to make police interactions more transparent and improve community relations, in particular with people who feel unjustly targeted or mistreated because of their skin color.

Most dont pretend to legislate exactly how drivers should react, leaving the details to be worked out by state law enforcement or education and drivers license agencies. The 2017 Rules of the Road for Illinois, published in February, could provide a model, making detailed suggestions about proper driver behavior.

The goal here is to reduce what could be a tense situation that can be very stressful on both sides, said Dave Druker, spokesman for the Illinois Secretary of States Office, which oversees licensing 2.2 million new and veteran drivers annually.

The overall message? Use a common-sense approach and dont be confrontational, Druker said.

Robert Dawkins, state organizer of the police accountability group Safe Coalition NC, said it could help young drivers control their emotions at traffic stops. But he said North Carolina needs companion legislation so that police officers can understand to control their emotions as well, and be trained that racial profiling is unlawful.

Dawkins said that even drivers who have been taught to show all kinds of respect could be vulnerable if an officer sees their hands move from the steering wheel: I make a quick movement, that that quick movement can result in me losing my life, he said.

Law enforcement officers worry about exactly the same situation: When motorists reach under their seats to get a drivers license, officers have to consider whether theyre reaching for a gun, said Eddie Caldwell, executive director of the North Carolina Sheriffs Association, whose organization has strongly endorsed the North Carolina legislation.

The Illinois guidelines, now included in expanded form in driver licensing materials, encourage drivers to avoid this situation by keeping both hands clearly in sight on the steering wheel until the officer instructs them otherwise.

Gary D. Robertson is an Associated Press writer.
KENT, Wash.  The FBI will help investigate the shooting of a Sikh man who said a gunman approached him as he worked on his car in his suburban Seattle driveway and told him go back to your own country, authorities said Sunday.

Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said the department is investigating the shooting as a hate crime. He said no arrests have been made after the victim was shot in the arm Friday night about 20 miles south of Seattle but that he did not believe anyone was in imminent danger.

This is a top priority investigation, and we are doing everything possible to identify and arrest the suspect, Thomas said in an email, adding that the city of about 120,000 should be vigilant.

It comes after an Indian man was killed and another wounded in a recent shooting at a Kansas bar that federal agencies are investigating as a hate crime after witnesses say the suspect yelled, Get out of my country.

Hira Singh, a Sikh community leader, said there have been increasing complaints recently from Sikhs near Seattle who say they have been the target of foul language or other comments.

This kind of incident shakes up the whole community, he said, adding that about 50,000 members of the faith live in Washington state.

Indias foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, identified the victim on Twitter early Sunday, saying, I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a U.S. national of Indian origin.

She said she had spoken to Rais father, who told her Rai is out of danger and recovering in a hospital.

Rai told police a man he didnt know came up to him Friday night and they got into an argument, with the suspect telling Rai to go back to his homeland. He described the shooter as 6 feet tall and white with a stocky build, police said.

The Sikh Coalition, a national civil rights group, asked local and federal authorities to investigate the shooting as a hate crime.

Phuong Le is an Associated Press writer.
WASHINGTON  Four days after Donald Trumps surprising White House victory, the liberal organization Credo Action fired off a frantic warning to its 4.6 million anxious supporters.

Their worry wasnt the new president. It was his opposition.

Democratic leaders have been welcoming Trump, the email said. Thats not acceptable. Democratic leaders need to stand up and fight. Now.

Amid a national surge of anti-Trump rallies and boycotts, liberals have begun taking aim at a different target: their own party.

Over the past few weeks, activists have formed several f organizations threatening a primary challenge to Democratic lawmakers who offer anything less than complete resistance to the Republican president.

Were not interested in unity, said Cenk Uygur, the founder of Justice Democrats, a new organization thats pledged to replace every establishment politician in Congress. We cant beat the Republicans unless we have good, honest, uncorrupted candidates.

While party leaders have urged Democrats to keep their attacks focused on Trump, the liberal grass roots sees the fresh wave of opposition energy as an opportunity to push their party to the left and wrest power from longtime party stalwarts.

The intraparty pressure is reminiscent of the Tea Party movement, where conservative activists defeated several centrist Republican incumbents. Their efforts reverberated through the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections, forcing candidates to the right on economic issues.

Uygurs group says theyve already found 70 possible candidates who will refuse corporate campaign donations while running for Congress  challenging elected Democrats if needed. Those people are now going through candidate training.

Democratic officials from more conservative states worry that those primary contests will result in the party holding even less power in Washington.

Even without primaries, the party faces a challenging political map in 2018. Republicans will be defending just eight Senate seats, while Democrats must hold 23  plus two filled by independents who caucus with them. Ten of those races are in states Trump carried in November.

Lisa Lerer and Nicholas Riccardi are Associated Press writers.
1 Deadly fire: A mother and four children were killed early Saturday when flames swept through their home in the small Massachusetts town of Warwick, officials said. Two other members of the family escaped the fire, which broke out around 12:45 a.m. The names of the victims were not immediately released. Fire chief Ron Gates said the house was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. A preliminary review indicated the fire may have started in a wood stove in the kitchen. The town has no fire hydrants, and firefighters had to draw water about a half mile from the scene.

2 Airport guns: U.S. airports have been breaking records for the number of passengers in the past few years. Meanwhile, the Transportation Security Administration has been breaking records for the number of guns that security officers find on passengers and in their carry-on luggage. Last year, TSA agents seized 3,391 guns, a 28 percent increase from 2015. On Feb. 23, agents at various airports found 21 guns in a single day, breaking the previous one-day high of 18 firearms found on June 4, 2014. TSA officials wont speculate about whether the record-setting pace of firearm seizures is the result of more passengers traveling by air, improved screening methods or both.
Modi had hit the campaign trail here yesterday with an impromptu roadshow while he was on his way to two of the ancient citys most revered temples in the morning. He also held a public meeting late in the evening and later left the city.

By Press Trust of India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold a roadshow here today in support of local BJP candidates, a day after an impromptu tour through the winding streets of the city.

"Modi is scheduled to begin his tour today with the roadshow which will commence at 3 PM from the Police Lines helipad where his chopper will land, BJP media convenor for Kashi Prant, comprising several districts in eastern UP," said Sanjay Bhardwaj.

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"Traversing through localities like Pandeypur Chauraha, Hukulganj, Chaukaghat and Teliyabagh, he will reach Kashi Vidyapeeth premises where his Parivartan Sankalp (pledge for change) rally is scheduled at 6.30 PM," he said.

Modi had hit the campaign trail here yesterday with an impromptu roadshow while he was on his way to two of the ancient citys most revered temples in the morning. He also held a public meeting late in the evening and later left the city.

The opposition had criticised yesterdays roadshow and the Congress even lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging that the show of strength was made without the requisite permission.

He will return to his parliamentary constituency this afternoon for a two-day visit, with less than 48 hours to go before the campaign for Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls final phase comes to an end.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters, "We were enthralled by the massive crowds that came out yesterday to greet the PM as he travelled several kilometres in an open jeep."

He said the turnout was even greater than what was witnessed when Modi had come to the city to file his nomination papers during the 2014 general elections.

"We know that when the PM is among his people, they expect him to provide inspiration through his unparalleled oratory. So today his vehicle is likely to be fitted with a mike so that the people of Kashi get to hear their leader speak," Goyal, a senior BJP leader, said.

After the rally, Modi will leave for the Diesel Locomotive Works guest house where he will stay the night.

Before retiring for the day, the Prime Minister will interact with nearly 2,000 prominent citizens drawn from various walks of life at the DLW premises.

Tomorrow morning, Modi is expected to visit Ramnagar town across the Ganga and garland a statue of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri who had spent his early childhood there.

Modi is likely to sign off his campaign trail with a huge rally at Rohaniya, a predominantly rural Assembly segment on the outskirts of the city, before boarding his return flight.

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Also read:

Uttar Pradesh Assembly election: Ahead of final phase of polling, Varanasi provides a fitting finale

Uttar Pradesh Assembly election: A divided Muslim front can translate into a BJP win

Uttar Pradesh election: Modi's official roadshow in Varanasi today, says Piyush Goyal

--- ENDS ---
From Colorados state Capitol to Trump Tower in New York and the Washington Monument, groups of hundreds of people rallied for President Trump on Saturday, waving Deplorables for Trump signs and even carrying a life-size cutout of the president.

The March 4 Trump demonstrations were planned around the country, and supporters clashed with groups of counterprotesters. Six people protesting the rally in St. Paul, Minn., were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol and fled, police said. About 400 people attended the St. Paul event, and about 50 showed up to protest it. Some other minor scuffles between the dueling demonstrators were quickly defused.

Near Trumps Florida retreat, Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach Post reported that people on both sides exchanged profanities. Trumps motorcade briefly stopped so he could wave at supporters.

Outside the state Capitol in Denver, hundreds gathered, listening to speakers including former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo on the West Steps facing the mountains. Many in the crowd held American flags or wore red, white and blue and held signs with messages such as Veterans before Refugees.

Chelsea Thomas, an accountant from Thornton, Colo., brought her family to the rally  and a life-size cardboard cutout of Trump. She said the family has taken it with them on camping trips, boat rides and a country music festival.

Its nice to be surrounded by people who share your morals and opinions, said Thomas, as her son walked back and forth across the grass with a Trump flag. A group of counterprotesters gathered nearby, separated from the rally by police tape. They chanted No Trump. No KKK. No fascist USA and held signs with messages like Your vote was a hate crime.

In Augusta, Maine, more than 100 people turned out for the event that was supposed to last three hours, but ended early because of freezing temperatures. In Miami, supporters continued a rally while sipping espressos outside a Cuban restaurant, the Miami Herald reported.

At a North Carolina rally, speakers said the dishonest media and left-wing politicians were bordering on sedition in their opposition to the Republican president. Some men were seen walking through the Raleigh crowd carrying a Trump flag as well as a Confederate flag. Gathered just behind the rally was a handful of protesters, some of whom blew air horns in an attempt to disrupt the event.

Were gonna take our country back, and were gonna establish borders and have legal immigration and law and order, said Cherie Francis of Cary, N.C. And if youre against all that, then you should be afraid.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI) The Public Works Department of the Delhi government has dropped its proposal for constructing two tunnels that were aimed at easing traffic congestion on Mathura Road and other nearby roads.

The decision was taken after a feasibility study found that the two proposed tunnels fall within a 100-metre radius of the protected monument Purana Quila and another historical structure near the Delhi High Court.

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These tunnels were to be constructed at T-Points on Mathura Road-Bhairon Marg and Shershah Road to ease congestion of traffic coming in from Ring Road, in view of the ITPO constructing a Convention Center at Pragati Maidan.

PWD has now decided to explore other options to construct tunnels in nearby areas so that they wont come up near historical monuments.

"During the departments study, it was found that two proposed tunnels are falling within 100 metres of protected Purana Quila and historical structure near Delhi High Court.

"In view of this, we have dropped tunnel proposal and are exploring other options to shift proposed tunnels to other nearby sites," a senior government official said.

As per rules, there is ban on construction activity within 100 meters of protected monuments.

An official said that the central government was funding these tunnels and PWD has been given the task of constructing them.

India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) has planned to construct a Convention Centre at Pragati Maidan and proposed tunnels would have catered to motorists going there. PTI BUN BSA

--- ENDS ---
By India Today Web Desk: Sikh man shot at in Kent, Washington State. Shooter Shouted 'Go back to your country'

A 39-year-old Sikh man in the US was injured when an unidentified person shot him outside his home and allegedly shouted "go back to your own country."

Kashmir encounter: 2 militants, 1 policeman killed; operation underway

A militant and policeman were killed in a gun battle in Nazneen Pora Tral in South Kashmir's Pulwama district in South Kashmir on Sunday morning.

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Sakshi Malik lashes out at Haryana government for not delivering on promises

The Haryana Government had announced a financial award of Rs 2.5 crores as well as a government job for Sakshi after her Rio feat.

Director Karan Johar becomes father to twins

Bollywood director Karan Johar is said to have become the father of twins, a boy and a girl, through surrogacy.

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By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: The Padmini palace, located inside the historical Chittorgarh Fort, was at the receiving end of an act of vandalism by some men who broke the mirror work there. The Fort, situated in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh district and the folklore surrounding it, had been at the centre of attention after the attack on film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and his unit during the making of the movie Padmavati in Jaipur and the subsequent brouhaha.

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A few days back, Karni Sena had issued a warning seeking the removal of the mirrors there. The fringe outfit claimed Padmavati had committed Jauhar (an act of killing self) to protect the Rajput honour and vehemently refuted that Allaudin Khilji had seen Padmavati's face through a mirror or there was any romantic liaison between the two . The outfit claimed mirrors were not in existence during Padmavati's era and had come into being much later.

A police complaint has been registered against unknown persons by Archaeological department officials.

The Karni Sena had indulged in violent protest against the crew of the movie Padmavati and its shooting. They claimed historical facts were distorted and characters of Padmavati and Khilji were portrayed in a manner which hurt Rajput pride. The outfit claimed it had information the script of the movie contained dream romantic sequence between Allaudin Khilji and Padmavati, an assertion refuted by Sanjay Leela Bhansali Production unit.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Also read: Padmavati row: Karni Sena wants film title changed, Sanjay Leela Bhansali says issues resolved

--- ENDS ---
Tamil Nadu Health Minister Vijaybaskar attacked OPS saying that the rebel AIADMK leader is raising these allegations just for his political survival.

By Pramod Madhav: Tamil Nadu Health Minister Vijaybaskar has condemned the way O Panneerselvam has raised claims of suspicion over the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and has released a statement to clear the doubts, "I reject all the allegations made by him, stock and barrels," he said.

Vijaybaskar also made the information about the specialists, who treated Jayalalithaa, public. "Experts from AIIMS Delhi, experts from Christian Medical College Vellore, Dr Stuart Russell of John Hopkins Hospital New York, USA (through video conference), Dr Ravi Mehta from Bangalore Apollo, Dr Shamin Sharma, a team led by Narendra Reddy from Hyderabad, team led by Dr Dwivedi from Tata Memorial Hospital from Mumbai, were consulted and they also visited Amma in the hospital. Over and above this team, the government of Tamil Nadu through G.O. (D) No. 1368 (dated 30.9.2016, H and FW) appointed a team of five specialist doctors to monitor the medical treatment given to Hon'ble Amma," he added.

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Vijaybaaskar also said that OPS, chief secretary and the health secretary were given a daily briefing about Amma's health, every day by 11 am.

The health minister also shot back at OPS saying that the rebel AIADMK leader is raising these allegations now just for his political survival.

He even called OPS as the first culprit in the suspicions that are being raised. "As Iong as Panneerselvam was in power, he had no doubts about the treatment being given to Amma, but soon after the deprivation of power, he was disoriented and started raising doubts about the treatment," commented Vijaybaskar.

Vijaybaskar alleged that OPS is mentally sick, being out of power.

Interestingly, the health minister is the second prominent leader to attack OPS in just one week.

Also read: Rajya Sabha Deputy Speaker Thambidurai questions OPS for raising doubt over Jayalalithaa's death

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By Press Trust of India: Nobel citation

New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI) Nearly a month after child rights activist Kailash Satyarthis Nobel citation was stolen from his home here, the police suspect the accused might have destroyed it assuming it was "just a piece of paper".

Three persons were arrested on February 12 in connection with the theft of the Nobel replica, the citation and other valuables from Satyarthis Kalkaji home in southeast Delhi.

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While the Nobel replica and other stolen items were recovered, the citation has not been found yet and the police say they have "no leads" on it.

"We suspect that they might have thrown it away or destroyed it completely thinking it to be a piece of paper," said a senior police officer.

The officer said the three accused have not accepted stealing the citation during their interrogation so far, but the police is treating the case as "still open".

"The three accused, who were arrested, do not know the value of the citation. There is no possibility of them having hidden it somewhere so that they can reap profit by putting it in the market after few years," he said.

Earlier, the police reconstructed the routes the accused could have taken when they fled from Satyarthis residence.

The accused had told police they had thrown away the items that were of "no use to them" in some bushes near DDA flats in Kalkaji.

Those leads were studied but there was no trace of the citation even as Satyarthis stolen shawl was found.

The police also questioned hundreds of morning-walkers and ragpickers on the route allegedly taken by the accused but could not find any clue about the missing citation.

Satyarthi won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. He shared the honour with Pakistans child rights activist Malala Yousafzai.

Satyarthi had presented his Nobel medal to President Pranab Mukherjee in January, 2015. The original medal has been preserved and is now on display at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum. PTI SLB TIR SRY

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Ivan Pierre Aguirre/STR

For one West Texas city, the proposition may be simple: Take a contract to work on Donald Trump's border wall with Mexico and give up any work with the city.

An El Paso city councilman is pushing the idea of prohibiting the city from awarding any kind of contract to a vendor or company working on the proposed wall. The issue will come up Tuesday during a regular meeting of the council.
By Press Trust of India: Jammu, Mar 5 (PTI) The BJP today accused the previous NC-Congress government of abandoning the Shahpur Kandi dam project and said the work on it was resumed after the PDP-BJP dispensation "regularly" raised the issue with the Centre.

"The previous NC-Congress government abandoned the Shahpur Kandi dam project. The recent signing of an agreement on the prestigious venture between the governments of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir is a historic development which will add to irrigation facilities and power generation," state BJP General Secretary Narinder Singh told reporters here.

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"Since the project was going to be more beneficial to Jammu region, the previous Valley-centric governments did not show any interest in it, which is very unfortunate and highly condemnable," he said.

The construction of the project, located in Punjabs Gurdaspur, was taken up in May 1999. The work was, however, stalled in 2014 following dispute between the two states.

"Upon completion, the mega project is going to benefit the rural population of Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu region," he said.

Singh said the inking of the agreement with the help of the Union government is also reflective of the concern of Prime Minister Narendra Modi toward accelerating the work on newly commissioned projects and resume all such important projects which came to halt during the tenure of the previous governments in the state.

"After formation of a coalition in the state, our government and the BJP had been regularly raising the issue of Shahpur Kandi project with the NDA government at the Centre and finally succeed in getting the work started again," he said.

Singh said that as per the agreement, water will be reaching up to Samba district through canal and boost the irrigation facilities.

"It will also provide 20 per cent of the electricity, which will be a great respite for the consumers, particularly the farmers," he added. PTI AB GVS

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The government of India is in touch with the family of Indian-origin businessman Harnish Patel, who was killed on Thursday night. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has termed attacks on Indians as 'tragic' incidents.

By Press Trust of India: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today condoled the death of an Indian-origin store owner in South Carolina and said the investigation in the case was in progress.

Swaraj also said that she had spoken with the father of Sikh-American Deep Rai, who was shot outside his home in Kent, Washington, and was recovering in a private hospital.

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In a series of tweets on attacks in the US on India-origin persons last week, Swaraj said, "I am pained to hear about the killing of Harnish Patel, a US national of Indian-origin in Lancaster, South Carolina. Our Consul has reached Lancaster and met the family of Harnish Patel."

She said the investigation in the case was in progress. Swaraj also offered her condolences to the bereaved family.

Patel, 43, the owner of a convenience store in Lancaster County, South Carolina, was found dead of gunshot wounds in the front yard of his home on Thursday. Police had said in Patel's killing his Indian ethnicity did not appear to be a factor.

Reacting to the the attack on 39-year-old Rai, Swaraj said, "I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a US national of Indian-origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh, father of the victim."

"He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital," Swaraj tweeted.

Rai was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent, Washington, on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to his homes driveway.

Kent police said an argument broke out between the two men, with Rai saying the suspect made statements to the effect of "go back to your own country". The unidentified man then shot him in the arm.

On the attack on Rai, MaryKay L Carlson, Charge dAffaires, American Embassy here, said she was saddened by the shooting in Washington state.

"Wishes for quick and full recovery. As @POTUS said we condemn hate and evil in all its forms," she tweeted.

Both these attacks come close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year- old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".

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A labiaplasty can be rejuvenating, suggested Debra Johnson, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), in a press release on a newly issued report from ASPS.

The statistical report found a 39 percent increase in labiaplasty, a surgical procedure that typically involves the removal of part of the labia minora. In some cases, the procedure is performed to remove discomfort, but often it's for cosmetic reasons.

"As cosmetic procedures become more common, we are seeing more diversity in the areas of the body that patients are choosing to address," said Johnson in the release. Now patients have ongoing relationships with their plastic surgeons and feel more comfortable discussing all areas of their body that they may be interested in rejuvenating."

Over 17 million cosmetic procedures were performed by plastic surgeons across the United States in 2016, a 3 percent increase from last year.

The most popular procedure continues to be breast augmentation, while nose jobs and liposuction are not far behind.

Its not just labiaplasty gaining popularity in the nether regions; buttock augmentation through fat grafting grew in popularity by 25 percent. Within a cultural context populated by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Nikki Minaj, the increase seems fitting.

Snapchat appeared to influence the popularity of certain procedures as well. Johnson implied that the resurgence of facelifts this year may be related to the popularity of apps and filters that change how we can shape and shade our faces.

Click through the above slideshow to see the most popular plastic surgery procedures of the year.

Read Michelle Robertsons latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.
VIENNA  Austria was among the first countries in Europe to put out the welcome mat when waves of people fleeing war and poverty reached the continent. Now, its focus is showing them the door.

Parliament is set to pass a law stripping pocket money, food and shelter from those denied asylum, potentially leaving them on the street. The interior minister proudly touts figures showing Austria as the European Unions per-capita leader in expelling those rejected.

Austrian courts are toughening up too. On Thursday, eight Iraqi men were sent to prison for up to 13 years for the gang rape of a woman on New Years Eve more than a year ago.

Lawyer Andreas Reichenbach, who defended one of the men, said the sentences were a signal to refugees that when they come to Austria, that such behavior wont be tolerated.

In Germany, where during the height of the influx Chancellor Angela Merkel insisted we will manage, the government now considers some areas of Afghanistan safe and has started returning failed asylum-seekers to those regions. Additional tough measures have followed Berlins deadly Christmas market attack by rejected Tunisian asylum-seeker Anis Amri and gains by the nationalist Alternative for Germany party.

The pro-refugee attitudes that once led thousands of Austrian volunteers to turn out with food, shelter and advice to the first asylum-seekers are still heard in some places, but they appear outnumbered.

We have to keep welcoming those who have nowhere else to go, said Marlis Bosch. We in Austria have more than enough to share.

A survey of 10 EU member countries last month showed 65 percent of the 1,000 Austrian respondents favored stopping all immigration from Muslim nations. Only Poles scored higher  at 71 percent  on Britains Royal Institute of International Affairs survey.

Former Chancellor Werner Faymann urged Austrians to deal generously with refugees as late as fall 2015, even as his government worked to secure its borders. But he was forced out last year after migrant policies threatened to tear apart his government coalition after he took a harder line.

His successor, Christian Kern, has found little choice but to stay tough  or risk boosting the right-wing Freedom Party. Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hofer, who advocates a tough line on refugees, was narrowly defeated in December in Austrias presidential election.

George Jahn is an Associated Press writer.
1 Refugee crisis: A ship belonging to a Spanish nongovernmental advocacy group has saved 250 migrants in danger of capsizing near the Libyan coast. Proactiva Open Arms spokeswoman Laura Lanuza said Saturday that the organizations boat rescued the African migrants from two small rubber vessels that were at risk of being overwhelmed by the sea. They were transferred to an Italian coast guard ship, which had alerted the NGO to the whereabouts of the migrants. Lanuza said the ship, a converted fishing boat, has rescued around 2,000 migrants so far this year.

2 Defense spending: China will raise its defense budget by about 7 percent this year, a government spokeswoman said Saturday, continuing a trend of lowered growth amid a slowing economy. Total defense spending would account for about 1.3 percent of projected gross domestic project in 2017, said Fu Ying, spokeswoman for the legislature. While the slowing economy may preclude a spending spree similar to past years, when growth rose by double-digit percentages each year, theres no doubt China will continue to add high-tech weaponry, said Alexander Neill, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies based in Singapore.
By Press Trust of India: Hyderabad, Mar 5 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governor E S L Narasimhan inaugurated the newly constructed residential quarters for officers and staff members of Raj Bhavan here today. A total of 152 flats have been constructed in an area of 2.70 acres for officers and staff members of Raj Bhavan.

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"The unique feature of the buildings is that the entire power supply is through roof-top solar system erected on each building, while water conservation has been taken care through provision of rain water harvesting pits and bore recharging pits," an official release said.

Apart from the residential quarters, a school building, community hall and barracks for security staff are also being constructed in the Raj Bhavan premises which are expected to be completed in two months time, it said. The foundation for the residential quarters was laid on February 17 last year and the construction was completed in 13 months, the release said.

The entire project was designed with a concept to provide green cover in an area spread over 20 per cent of the total premises, it said.

The original Raj Bhavan quarters constructed in 1956 with load-bearing structures and lime concrete became dilapidated and unusable.

Therefore, new quarters were required to be constructed for the officers and staff members working in Raj Bhavan, the release said.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali, Home Minister Nayani Narsimha Reddy were among those present at the inauguration, the release added. PTI VVK GK

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The RBI Governor received the email on February 23 in which the sender threatened to harm Patel and his family if he did not quit.

By India Today Web Desk: Nagpur Police today said that they have arrested a 37-year-old man for sending a threat mail to Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel asking him to quit the job.

The RBI Governor received the email on February 23 in which the sender threatened to harm Patel and his family if he did not quit, a police official said.

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Patel forwarded the email to a senior RBI officer, who in turn approached the cyber cell of Mumbai police and lodged a complaint.

During investigation, police found that the email was sent from a cyber cafe in Nagpur.

A team from the Mumbai polices cyber cell then went to Nagpur and arrested the accused, identified as Vaibhav Baddalwar, on Friday.

"We have arrested the accused from Nagpur in connection with the threat mail to the RBI Governor," Deputy Commissioner of Police, cyber cell, Akhilesh Singh said.

An offence was registered by police under Indian Penal Code section 506(2) (criminal intimidation) in the case.

Police claimed that the accused admitted to having sent the mail.

Baddalwar was later produced in a Nagpur court which remanded him in police custody till March 6.

The accused did his post-graduation abroad and is currently jobless. It is suspected that he sent the mail out of frustration, Singh said adding that an investigation into the matter is on.

The RBI spokesperson did not offer any comments in the matter.

With inputs from PTI

Also read: Cautious RBI to disclose only 'verified' figures on post-demonetisation deposits

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p1 murphy ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE FOREST AVENUE

Jay O'Donavan greets District Attorney Bill Murphy before the start of the St. Patrick's Day in 2001.

(Staten Island Advance)

On March 13, 1983, the grand marshal at the St. Patrick's Parade was then-District Attorney William Murphy.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Jody Haggerty and his Jody's Club Forest certainly epitomized St. Patrick's Day and the Staten Island parade. But there are a host of other Irish Islanders who made their mark on the Great Green Way called Forest Avenue, and on Staten Island.

Although not exhaustive by any means, the list includes many Irish politicians.

It's impossible to say who heads the list so we won't. But who'll ever forget the lavish St. Pat's gatherings held on the morning of the parade in the West Brighton home of then-District Attorney Bill Murphy -- himself a parade grand marshal in 1983.

Hundreds -- perhaps thousands! -- paraded through the Murphy home. In the front door and out the back. And, no doubt, the D.A. knew them all.

One of them was that gentle Irishman who also was a councilman -- Jay O'Donovan (served 1983-2001). His favorite line -- "You owe me lunch" -- always brought chuckles, and no doubt quite a few lunches that were never really owed.

Jay was grand marshal in 2001.

Assemblywoman Betty Connelly and husband Bob were mainstays at the parade, and Murphy's house before. Betty served in the state Assembly for 27 years and was the first woman to hold the position of Speaker Pro Tempore.

You'll never visit Forest Avenue on parade day and not find our current D.A., Mike McMahon, holding court. You found him there when he was a community activist, a local attorney, a councilman and a congressman.

Another Irishman -- Dan Donovan -- headed Staten Island's crime fighters as D.A. from 2004 to 2015. Prior to that, he was deputy BP, and now is is our U.S. congressman.

John Lavelle (served 2001-2007), who headed up the Democratic Party and also was a state assemblyman, was a Jody's regular.

John Murphy, the congressman who served from 1963 to 1981, always sported a bold green sweater as he marched way back then.

Bob Connor was borough president back in 1965 through 1977. He was then appointed deputy assistant secretary of the Navy by Jimmy Carter and pretty much lost touch with Staten Island.

Other Irish BPs were Charles McCormick (served 1914-1915), Matthew Cahill (served 1922) and John Lynch (served 1922-1933).

So, although Staten Island's fabric is made up largely of the rich history of Italians, the Irish did make their mark -- on Forest Avenue and beyond.
Saturday Night Live cast member Beck Bennett impersonated Vladimir Putin, while Kate McKinnon stole the show as Attorney General Jeff Sessions. (SNL)

STATEN ISLAND, NY-- In its first live episode in three weeks, Saturday Night Live came back with a bang, thanks to Kate McKinnon's impression of Jeff Sessions.

"Hello. My name's Jeff. Jeff Sessions. Would you like a chocolate?" McKinnon asks, in her spoof as the attorney general in a Forrest Gump-like bus stop.

In the skit, a handful of strangers (played by Octavia Spencer, Leslie Jones, Kyle Mooney, Aidy Bryant and Beck Bennett) sit down in succession next to Sessions.

"Being in the government is so fun," he says. "You meet so many nice people. Like this, this is my best good friend Kellyanne. She ain't got no legs," Sessions, as Gump says, showing the photo that went viral of President Trump's top aide Kellyanne Conway kneeling on the couch and looking at her phone while presidents of historically black colleges and universities take a photo with the president.

The photo became a running joke on the episode, with McKinnon, acting as Conway, kneeling and checking out her phone in different locations between sketches including on the floor, on a newsdesk and in front of a piano.

This isn't the first time McKinnon stole the show. The comedian has also been praised for her performances on SNL as Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton.

In Saturday night's skit, McKinnon as Sessions tells one stranger who sits on the bench next to her: "Democrats want me to resign. I just gotta prove to everybody that I don't have any ties to the Russians whatsoever."

This past week, Sessions recused himself from investigations into possible Russian involvement in the U.S. election, following reports that he met with the Russian ambassador twice last year.

SNL cast member Beck Bennett impersonated Vladimir Putin. The shirtless Bennett appeared as one of the strangers on the bench, noting: "This meeting never happened."

"I wasn't going to remember it anyway," Sessions says, bumping fists with Putin.

Actress Octavia Spencer, who was nominated recently for an Oscar for her role in last year's Hidden Figures, hosted the show.

"It's a dream come true to be here," said Spencer, who squealed with excitement, as it was her first time hosting the show.

In her opening monologue, she made light of the Best Picture Award fiasco at the recent Academy Awards, joking, "Did y'all watch the Oscars? I mean, how insane was that? How crazy was it that I didn't win?"

Spencer also joked about people getting the movies Hidden Figures, Fences and Moonlight confused.

"So many people have been coming up to me saying, 'I loved Hidden Fences!' ... I get it, there were three black movies at the Oscars this year. And that's a lot for Americans. So if you're going to get confused anyway, I thought I might as well make some money off it. That's why I produced Hidden Fence Light."

"Weekend Update," co-anchors Michael Che and Staten Island's own Colin Jost joined in the fun with some political jokes revolving around the president--as well as his sons.

"President Trump said that his budget will help enlarge what he calls a 'depleted military,' " Che says, referring to Trump's proposal of a $54 billion increase in the Department of Defense budget. "Depleted military? In relation to what, the Death Star?"

President Trump's sons Eric (Alex Moffat) and Donald Jr. (Mikey Day) also made there way into a skit. Mike Day as Donald Jr. talked about his new business ventures while feeding Eric (Moffat) Cheerios. It also showed Eric struggle to open a Capri Sun juice box.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Yanira and Jorge of Port Richmond are worried about their children.

But they have different worries than most parents. The couple, who would only be identified by their first names as they are undocumented immigrants, worry about their children's fate if they are deported.

"Who can take care of my kids?" Yanira said.

The couple does not have family nearby in case their children are able to stay in the country.

The couple were among more than 50 concerned immigrants and community allies who gathered together on Saturday at Faber Park in Port Richmond to learn about their rights.

The community assembly was hosted by La Colmena, Partnerships for Parks and the Legal Aid Society.

Cousins Virginia and Gerardo of Port Richmond came to the assembly to gain insight, information and preparation.

"We are scared," Gerardo said. "About everything."

Virginia explained she has two children and she is mostly nervous for them.

"You're nervous because your child can stay here, but you can't," she said.

Margarita Sanchez, president of the board of La Colmena said that the assembly helps people get to know others in their community and the event brings both immigrants and supporters together.

"It's a lot of people from different neighborhoods to support the immigrants," Sanchez said.

The Legal Aid Society gave a presentation to speak about everyone's civil rights and to offer tips to immigrants. They explained several executive orders that were already signed and also explained unsigned executive orders that may be signed in the future that could affect immigrants.

The The Legal Aid Society offered the following advice:

Those who can be removed or reported are: Non-citizens, those who entered and overstayed their visa and those who entered without inspection.

Most common ways to get removed are: being arrested, traveling in airports or buses, if at a work site, immigration comes to your homes, or if you file an application with an immigration service.

If stopped by police, you do not have to give your immigration status. You cannot lie, but you have the right to remain silent.

Do not carry false documents or carry papers from another country.

If stopped by the police or immigration, carry or memorize your immigration lawyer's phone number, community service organization number or consulate's number.

Do not sign anything without knowing what you are signing.

If you do not understand what the person is saying, ask for an interpreter.

A representative from the NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs also spoke to the immigrants and supporters. For more information about Mayor de Blasio's message to immigrants, you can go to their website at www1.nyc.gov.
120.jpeg

(NYPD)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- A Stapleton teen was caught with a loaded gun after threatening a man at a West Brighton bodega Friday morning, police said.

At around 9:45 a.m., Derrick Boone, 17, and another male suspect were in front of the Family Deli Grocery at 1138 Castleton Ave. when Boone simulated a firearm in his front hoodie pocket toward the 19-year-old victim in the store, according to an NYPD spokesman.

The other male suspect, who has not been apprehended, displayed a knife and told the victim, "come outside," police said.

Police then canvassed the scene and the victim picked out Boone, who tried to flee on foot, the spokesman said.

Police then arrested Boone and removed a loaded firearm from his waistband, police said.

Upon further investigation, the .22 caliber firearm was loaded with seven rounds of ammunition, had a defaced serial number, three attachments and a high capacity magazine, police said.

Boone, of Broad Street, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm and resisting arrest, police said.

Police Offices Martino and Spataro from the 120th Precinct chased down the suspect and recovered the gun, according to the department's Twitter page.

#120pct Po Martino & Spataro chase down suspect and recover loaded gun in #WestBrighton. Great work! #onelessgun pic.twitter.com/4G099dP1xP  NYPD 120th Precinct (@NYPD120Pct) March 3, 2017

On Sept. 20, Boone was arrested on robbery charges after he and another male forcibly took an iPhone from a person outside Curtis High School, police allege.

The incident occurred less than a month after Boone allegedly committed a burglary in Port Richmond, according to court documents and Advance records.

Boone and two accomplices entered a Jewett Avenue home through a rear window at about 2 p.m. Aug. 28 and removed electronics and other items from a 45-year-old victim, police said. Witnesses reported seeing three males flee from the house with backpacks containing more than $1,000 worth of electronics and other items, according to an NYPD spokesman.

Boone fled from police at the time of the incident but was later arrested, according to court records.

He faces charges of grand larceny, petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property in connection with the burglary, court documents state.

Both cases are still pending in Criminal Court.
With rising hate crimes in the US after Donald Trump became president, a Sikh youth being the latest victim, a rights group has demanded probe into the incidents.

By Press Trust of India: A Sikh rights group has asked US authorities to investigate as a hate crime the attack on a 39-year-old Sikh man amid Indian-American community's safety concerns after a slew of bias-related incidents in the country.

The Sikh man, identified as US national Deep Rai by Indian officials in New Delhi, was shot in the arm outside his home in Kent, Washington, by a partially-masked gunman who shouted "go back to your own country".

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The gunman allegedly got into an altercation with Rai before shooting him in the arm.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS CAMPAIGN

The Sikh Coalition, along with local community leaders, has asked local, state and federal officials to investigate this shooting as an anti-Sikh hate crime as well as to improve bias prevention laws and organise Know Your Rights forums to build community resilience and reduce the likelihood of future hate crimes.

It said shooting in Kent, that has left Rai injured, follows the larger national pattern of hate violence directed at minority communities across the United States in the wake of the presidential election.

"Investigating this as an anti-Sikh hate crime is critical, because without our government agencies recognising hatred for what it is, we cant combat the problem," said Seattle-area Sikh community leader, Jasmit Singh.

'SIKHS INTEGRAL PART OF AMERICAN FABRIC'

The Sikh Coalition said the Sikh-American community, which has been an integral part of the American fabric for over 125 years, is estimated to be hundreds of times more likely to suffer hate crimes than the average American, in part due to the Sikh articles of faith, including a turban and beard, which represent the Sikh religious commitment to justice, tolerance and equality.

"While we appreciate the efforts of state and local officials to respond to attacks like this, we need our national leaders to make hate crime prevention a top priority," Sikh Coalition Interim Program Manager Rajdeep Singh said in a statement here.

"Tone matters in our political discourse, because this a matter of life or death for millions of Americans who are worried about losing loved ones to hate," he said.

Jasmit Singh said said the men from his community have reported a rise in incidents of verbal abuse, "a kind of prejudice, a kind of xenophobia that is nothing that weve seen in the recent past."

'HATE CRIME REMINISCENT OF 9/11 AFTERMATH'

He said the number of incidents targeting members of the Sikh religion, are reminiscent of the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks.

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"But at that time, it felt like the (presidential) administration was actively working to allay those fears," Jasmit Singh said, adding that "now its a very different dimension."

The attack on the Sikh comes close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".

Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gun shot wounds in his yard.

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Dalbir Singh was taken to the government-run KEM Hospital and his condition was critical, an official of the Government Railway Police said.

By Press Trust of India: A constable with the Railway Protection Force allegedly shot himself at the Mumbai Central terminus yesterday.

Dalbir Singh (23) was taken to the government-run KEM Hospital and his condition was critical, an official of the Government Railway Police said.

Singh, posted at RPF chowky at Mumbai Central, shot himself in the chest with his service rifle, the official said.

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The reason for the act was yet to be ascetained, he added.

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1 of 1 View Caption

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune The Dalai Lama speaks at the Huntsman Center at the University of Utah Tuesday June 21, 20
There are growing calls to make it easier for pet owners in the ACT to be able to flee from domestic violence.

Domestic violence advocacy groups and animal welfare organisations are calling for more animal friendly emergency refuges as well as emergency accommodation for pets while their owners are seeking new housing.

Rainbow Paws president Natarsha Lawrence with foster dog Austin. Credit:Jay Cronan

Domestic Violence Crisis Service (DVCS) reports an average of two families per month seeking emergency accommodation due to domestic violence who also have pets.

While DVCS is able to accept families with small animals into emergency accommodation, long-term refuges are unable to accept pets, with many forced in boarding kennels or RSPCA shelters.
China's Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday called for economic growth this year of "about 6.5 per cent or higher, if possible", slightly more modest than last year's target of 6.5 to 7 per cent. Actual growth last year, according to official data, was 6.7 per cent.

Delegates leave the Great Hall of the People after attending the opening session of the annual National People's Congress in Beijing. Credit:ANDY WONG

At the meeting of the National People's Congress, China addressed issues such as pollution, debt and foreign policy.

China set a slightly lower economic growth target for this year as the country's lawmakers began their annual meeting on Sunday. The new target, while only a bit lower than last year's, continues a long streak of China trying to dampen expectations as the country grapples with thorny problems such as the maturing of its economy, its considerable industrial overcapacity, a growing debt load and pernicious pollution problems.

Even with the slight drop in projected growth, many economists argue that China's annual target remains too ambitious and is adding to the country's long-term problems. But Mr Li defended the target.

"The projected target for this year's growth is realistic," Mr Li said in a report issued on Sunday before legislators convened. "An important reason to stress the need for stable growth is to ensure employment and improve people's lives."

In a separate report issued to the legislature, the National Development and Reform Commission, which helps steer the economy, said the growth target was meant to reassure the public at an anxious time. Later this year, the Chinese Communist Party will have a leadership shake-up, and officials have said that stability is essential.

"This rate of growth is conducive to fostering healthy public expectations," the commission report said. China, it added, was "facing complex and volatile" conditions this year.

Since the global financial crisis in 2008 and 2009, China has rapidly expanded debt to stimulate the economy and to make sure it hit fairly ambitious targets for growth. Reformers have called for lower targets that would not require so much debt to achieve.
The former owner of a 22-room Toorak mansion that once sported the highest price tag in the suburb will have to return home from Paris to fight his tax battle.

Iron ore magnate Socrates Vasiliades is fighting a near $30 million tax bill that is associated with his alleged earnings and business investments while working as a commodities trader in Australia.

The mansion on Towers Road at the centre of a $30 million tax battle.

As part of the case, the Australian Taxation Office has frozen the $18.5 million in sales proceeds from his former abode on Towers Road, Toorak, which was offloaded to Sarah Lew, daughter of billionaire rag trader Solomon Lew, in 2014.

In the years ahead of the sale, the owners reportedly knocked back two $25 million offers, holding out for $30 million.
Supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles have poured big money into cutting prices to fend off challenger Aldi, but have not paid enough attention to service levels and the appearance of stores, a pricing expert says.

Woolworths has spent about $1 billion on reducing prices over the past two years, and Coles' owner Wesfarmers invested more into price last quarter than it ever had.

The price cuts were not enough to put their prices within a cooee of US chain Costco, according to investment bank Morgan Stanley.

But Christoph Petzoldt, partner and managing director at pricing consultancy Simon-Kucher, said price was not the be-all and end-all.
Australian CEOs meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Sydney last month. The Export Council of Australia in 2016 asked 913 companies about the ease of doing business overseas and found China, India and Indonesia were regarded as the most difficult of the popular markets. "As a business community, Australia appears not to be interested in Asia, even less in Indonesia," laments the Australia Indonesia Business Council in a recent submission to a parliamentary inquiry. Thomas Lembong, a highly respected former trade minister who is now the head of the Indonesia Investment Co-ordinating Board, says there is tremendous opportunity for Australia and Indonesia to work together in sectors such as marine tourism. Credit:Irwin Fedriannsyah "Too many of us fear the unknown, the little we know makes us uncomfortable. The stories of corruption and red tape makes Indonesia a daunting challenge. Add to that our risk-averse boards, who would rather get a safe 10 per cent return from Canada than chance a 15 per cent from Indonesia."

Writing about trade and investment between Australia and Indonesia can feel a bit like Groundhog Day. The word used to describe the relationship inevitably contains the prefix "under". Former trade minister Andrew Robb in 2015 said the relationship was "undercooked". "Indonesia itself is forecast to become the fourth biggest economy in the world within 15 to 20 years, yet our trade and investment relationship is grossly undercooked," former trade minister Andrew Robb said in 2015. His successor Steve Ciobo the next year called it "underdone".

"Australia and Indonesia's trade and investment relationship is underdone despite us being large, G20 economies in close proximity," Steve Ciobo told Parliament in March 2016. New Zealand, another close neighbour, is an analogy often made. More than 12,000 Australian companies do business with New Zealand, investing $86 billion across the ditch. The contrast with Indonesia is stark. Only about 250 Australian companies operate here and just $11 billion is invested. 'Too uncertain, too difficult'

Despite Indonesia's population of 250 million and its burgeoning middle class, Indonesia is only Australia's 13th largest trading partner overall. "While there have been very positive statements from ministers and business associations (including the Australia Indonesia Business Council) about economic potential and the need to work together, the reality of large-scale investment by Australian companies may be trending otherwise," the Australia Indonesia Business Council wrote in its submission. "Several large Australian companies have recently expressed views that Indonesia is too uncertain and too difficult to be a priority for their investment." The submission did not name names but BHP Billiton said it was selling its majority stake in the IndoMet Coal project in Indonesia last June to focus on "more attractive" growth projects. "There is an urgent need for demonstrable investment success in Indonesia by Australian companies," the submission says.

Promising signs The death of the Trans-Pacific Partnership  Donald Trump emphatically tore it up on his first day in office  places renewed emphasis on the bilateral trade relationship. This week Ciobo will lead a delegation of 120 Australian businesses to Indonesia. Promotional material encourages Australian businesses to explore opportunities to invest in Indonesia and then use that partnership as a springboard into the emerging ASEAN Economic Community. Indonesian President Joko Widodo also made it clear that trade and investment were the primary focus of his trip to Australia last weekend.

It was a whirlwind visit but President Jokowi, as he is popularly known, set aside an hour to meet Australian CEOs in Sydney. The takeaway was unequivocal: "Indonesia is open for business." Greta Nabbs-Keller from the University of Queensland says that for years Indonesia has ranked poorly by world standards on both the World Bank's ease of doing business surveys and Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index. "Since his inauguration in 2014, however, Indonesia's 'infrastructure president' has worked to improve the investment climate for foreign capital," she writes for the Australian Institute of International Affairs. "Bureaucratic red tape has been reduced, business licensing has been expedited and the need to continually renew company registration certificates has been ameliorated." One of President Jokowi's hobby horses is an ambitious program to develop "10 new Balis" across the archipelago.

More than 1 million Australians visit Indonesia every year but the overwhelming majority go only to Bali. (Humiliating surveys have indicated many Australians are even oblivious to the fact Bali is part of Indonesia.) Indonesia has identified 10 new tourist destinations for development  including Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Lombok and Labuan Bajo in Flores  and is keen to attract Australian investment and visitors. "The opportunity for Australia is fantastic, if we get our heads out of Bali and learn more about Indonesia and how we can help," says Raymond La Fontaine, one of the Australian CEOs who met the President last weekend. 'Fantastic' opportunity La Fontaine is the founder of Marine Industrial Developments, which plans to build a network of marinas throughout the archipelago to attract tourism to pristine, remote areas.

It has started building a 400-berth superyacht marina on the island of Indah Gili Gede off Lombok, which La Fontaine estimates would add $US300 million ($395 million) to Lombok's yearly GDP. La Fontaine asked President Jokowi for his government's support in the establishment of new regulations to support the creation of marinas. (Current regulations deal with ports but not marinas.) "I got a clear impression that [President Jokowi] was not as impressed in seeing more hotels in Bali being built as he is in seeing other parts of the Indonesian archipelago being invested in for tourism," La Fontaine says. La Fontaine dreams of doing in Indonesia what Queensland developer Keith Williams did for the Whitsundays. "I'm very passionate about Indonesia as a surfer and a sailor. Our mission is all about putting money back into Indonesia."

Thomas Lembong, a highly respected former trade minister who is now the head of the Indonesia Investment Co-ordinating Board, says there is tremendous opportunity for Australia and Indonesia to work together in sectors such as marine tourism. "It's crazy right, the largest archipelago in the world and we have pretty much next to no marine tourism," Lembong says. "Whereas Australia's strength in yachting and boating make it a natural leader to develop such a sector." Free-trade deal At the conclusion of his two-day visit President Jokowi and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull committed to concluding a free-trade deal by the end of the year. This is significant. "It will be the first trade agreement Indonesia has in 10 years with another country," Lembong says.

Six rounds of negotiations have now been conducted with both sides. Both sides have reportedly made ambitious claims but there is good humour between the negotiators. "We have reason to believe the negotiators will produce a ground-breaking document, going where no conventional free-trade agreement has dared to go before, " says the Australia Indonesia Business Council president Debnath Guharoy. Progress has already been made. Indonesia will lower its tariff on Australian sugar to 5 per cent and in return Australia will eliminate tariffs on pesticides and herbicides coming from Indonesia. Jokowi told Turnbull the key issue in concluding the trade agreement was the removal of trade barriers for Indonesian products including paper and palm oil. There was also a breakthrough on live cattle export, the most conflicted area of the trade relationship.

Live cattle trade tensions In its submission to the parliamentary inquiry, the National Farmers' Federation said Indonesia's self-sufficiency goals had caused consternation amongst Australian producers through changing rules regarding weight limits, breeder stock and live cattle imports. Tensions over the live cattle trade have dogged the two countries. The industry is still haunted by a temporary export ban imposed by Australia in 2011 following footage of cattle being mistreated in Indonesian abattoirs. The number of live cattle imports was abruptly slashed in 2015 as Indonesia attempted to move towards self-sufficiency, blindsiding exporters. Indonesia has also recently imposed new trade rules that require 20 per cent of imported cattle to be for breeding and allow cheap buffalo meat from India, which has increased competition for Australia.

Last weekend Turnbull announced the countries had agreed to extend import permits for live cattle from four months to one year. There was also an increase in weight limit from 350 kilograms to 450 kilograms alongside an increase in the age limit. "I have been told by the industry that the specification of new weight and age ranges means more opportunities than ever before," Ciobo says. Long way to go Lembong says the agreements on sugar and live cattle represent meaningful progress but there is still a long way to go. "Indonesia has improved from ranking 106 to ranking 91 in the World Bank's ease of doing business index," he says. "But it is still a lousy 91 out of 180 countries. I think deregulation and rationalising and modernising regulation is almost a cost-free way to grow the economy."

Guharoy believes Australia needs to rethink its preference to export to Indonesia rather than invest in the country. He is fond of telling the parable of the Japanese, who at the end of World War II were the most hated people in occupied Indonesia. "Today, they are among the most loved," Guharoy says. The reason? Japan is the second-largest foreign direct investor in Indonesia after Singapore. "The world's biggest Honda motorcycle factory is in Indonesia," says Guharoy. "Japan created jobs, it improved quality of life." Guharoy says that for 30 years Indonesia has pleaded with Australia to assist it with breeding cattle. "We have been too busy nursing the false notion that helping Indonesia raise cattle locally would slaughter our cattle exports to them. This is nonsense," he says. "More than 80 per cent of households can't afford our premium product. Doesn't it make sense to own half a cow rather than no cow?"

Last year Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce announced the first shipment of Australian cattle had arrived in South Kalimantan as part of a three-year cattle breeding project. Too little, too late? Guharoy celebrated the move but worried it was too little, too late. "All of these years the Indonesians have suspected that we just want their money; we don't really want to help them. We can continue as we are for as long as we can, buying and selling but not investing. Loading
Sit down. Take it easy. Perhaps even a stiff drink. It's time to discuss Tony Abbott's return to power. Sounds silly, you say, given that the polls, the press and the pundits don't take the so-called Mad Monk seriously. But they might all be wrong. It's still possible that Malcolm Turnbull will be knifed by the very bloke he backstabbed nearly 18 months ago.

For the scene is now set for a merciless and bloodthirsty civil war. It will be very hard for Turnbull to survive the carnage.

That's a shame, because Turnbull is one of the most decent blokes in public life. However, as can be the case with genuinely decent people, he has not been very effective at his job. He has failed to impose any political or philosophical dominance on his party or set out any coherent governing agenda for the nation. Labor  a party that barely registered a pulse a few years ago  is leading the government by as much as 10 points. No wonder government morale has been exceptionally low.

Since entering politics in 2004, Turnbull has endured the criticism from the right that he is not a conservative. That's true. And yet during his brief tenure, he has kept Abbott's tough border-protection and anti-terror laws and toughened still the Coalition's opposition to a parliamentary vote on same-sex marriage. "Labor lite" his government is not.
Australians are paying almost four times more than the best international prices for a range of prescription drugs, as 6 per cent of patients delay or forgo necessary medication due to cost.

A report recommending changes to drug prices on the taxpayer-funded Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme says $1.2 billion in potential savings to the health budget have been missed in just the past four years, while recommending changes to restrictions on pharmacy locations and rules to allow pharmacists to administer vaccinations and issue prescription repeats.

The Grattan Institute report calls on the Turnbull government to supplement the PBS price disclosure system, in place since 2007, with a benchmarking against drug prices paid internationally, as exists in Canada, New Zealand and the European Union.

Currently drug companies are required to disclose how much they charge pharmacies for drugs outside patents over 12-month periods. The government calculates the average price after discounts and reduces the amount it pays for each drug accordingly.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says "masses of evidence" exist to support a reduction to some penalty rates by the Fair Work Commission, saying the changes will see more businesses open on Sundays and public holidays, and lead to job creation.

Following days of criticism of the Coalition's response to pay cuts for workers in retail and hospitality, Mr Turnbull used a visit to a solar farm project in Queensland on Sunday to back in the move, in concert with Treasurer Scott Morrison and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.

"We support the decision, we accept the decision, we recognise it was a careful decision and we respect it as decision of the independent umpire and there's masses of evidence to support it," Mr Turnbull said.

"The point about about the decision of the Fair Work Commission, which was very carefully considered, is that it will generate more jobs, more employment ... that will be a very significant benefit for the economy.
By Press Trust of India: Thane, Mar 5 (PTI) Police have seized Rs 1.36 crore in scrapped currency notes here and detained five persons, an official said today.

A team of police officials kept a vigil at the Upavan Lake area and nabbed five persons who were carrying Rs Rs 1.36 crore in demonetised notes, said DCP (Zone-V) Sunil Lokhande.

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The five were detained and the currency was seized, he added.

With this, the police in the last one week have seized Rs 3.52 crore in defunct bills and detained a dozen persons. PTI COR RSY PTP

--- ENDS ---
Muslims want to impose Sharia law because they "hate Western society," Australia needs a "strong" leader like Vladimir Putin and the government must stop "blackmailing" parents into vaccinating their children, Pauline Hanson has told the ABC.

In the wide-ranging television interview, Pauline Hanson also backed Fair Work's cuts to penalty rates, warned her support for the Turnbull government's company tax cut plan is not guaranteed and urged rogue Coalition MP George Christensen not to defect to her One Nation party.

In her first appearance on the ABC's Insiders program, the Queensland senator also conceded her infamous 1996 warning that Australia was in danger of being "swamped by Asians" had not come to pass.

Senator Hanson - who will spend the next week in Western Australia as One Nation seeks to make gains at next weekend's state election - used the interview to ratchet up her attack on Islam and its followers, making no distinction between radical and moderate adherents of the religion.
Perth: Pauline Hanson has stood by her praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying she admires him because he shows strength of leadership.

The One Nation leader, in Perth to campaign ahead of the March 11 state election, again questioned Russia's involvement in the MH17 airline atrocity.

"I do not like to see any lives lost by any crash or that, but can you tell me honestly, do you know for sure that you know he (Mr Putin) was actually the one who did it?" she asked reporters in Perth.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had said earlier in the day that Mr Putin and the stranglehold he had on his country should not be admired, pointing out Russia was subject to international sanctions over its role in shooting down the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, killing 298 people including 38 Australians, and for invading Ukraine.
Sarah Jessica Parker has received an invitation from the Russian ambassador to meet in further proof that 2017 is shaping up to be one very strange year.

The invitation came about after the Sex and the City actor posted a meme on Instagram on Thursday as a joke in response to the controversy surrounding meetings the US attorney general Jeff Sessions had with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

The meme, which has been gaining traction online, shows Parker in character as Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw typing into her laptop to ponder whether she was the only person who hadn't been speaking with the Russian government. The meme is a riff on one of Carrie Bradshaw's signature sayings, "I couldn't help but wonder..."
Wendy Favorito knows only too well the cost of seeing a specialist doctor. Having lived with arthritis since the age of six, the mother of two sees a rheumatologist up to five times a year to manage the symptoms of her condition.

A 15-30 minute consultation costs her $96 out-of-pocket each time. The initial consultation fee for her doctor would be $160.

Wendy Favorito with her children Gabriella, 11, and Zachary, 13. Credit:Katherine Griffiths

Despite spending more than $370 a month on private health insurance for herself and her family, the insurer does not cover this expense.

New research shows Mrs Favorito is not alone. Many Australians are paying hundreds of dollars to see a specialist who may unbeknown to them, and without any justification as to why, charge five times more than their peers.
Newsflash everybody: Hank Jongen is not the boss of Centrelink.

And the public servant who has acted as front man for the "robo-debt" crisis engulfing the nation's welfare system is not in charge of the Centrelink's giant parent department, Human Services, either.

Yes, it's easy to get that impression when Mr Jongen is introduced in a TV or radio interview as "the general manager" of Centrelink or the Department of Human Services.

It makes it look or sound like the person at the top, or close to the top, a real decision maker, is fronting the media to defend those decisions, being accountable.
A pilot who crash landed a small plane into a Tumut paddock has had a lucky escape, managing to walk away without major injury .

It is understood the light aircraft had engine troubles soon after the pilot took off on Saturday afternoon. The Canberra-based man emerged from the impromptu landing visibly unharmed, although experiencing back injuries.

Footage taken after the landing shows a man in shock beside the wreckage as bystanders comfort him and examine the self-built aircraft.

The 54-year-old pilot was taken to hospital in a stable condition, suffering non-life threatening spinal injuries and a pelvic fracture.
The NSW government is investigating how its own agencies handled the case of a 27-year-old mother before she was accused of drowning her young son in the Murray River.

The body of the five-year-old boy was pulled from the river at Moama on Saturday. His nine-year-old brother remained in a serious condition in hospital on Sunday night following the incident.

Police allege their mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, held both their heads underwater, but the older boy managed to escape.

The boys' grandparents are furious at government agencies, believing they failed the family and could have done more in the lead up to the tragedy, said Dale Brooks, a lawyer for the family.
The horrific overdose deaths of two young men from the Hunter region after they were "cooked from the inside" have prompted fears about the possible re-emergence of killer synthetic drugs.

Both men died on Thursday following separate long and violent psychotic episodes during which their core temperatures rose to fatal levels, one to more than 42 degrees.

They were also known users of methamphetamine, and are believed to have used the drug in the days leading up to their deaths, but authorities believe toxicology tests and autopsies could show they succumbed to a substance other than ice.

"I know it's the old message, but this really shows that people have absolutely no idea what they are taking; and it could well be killing them," one senior detective told Fairfax Media.
He started by impersonating her. Amanda's abusive ex-partner would intercept her emails and text messages and send replies to her bosses to sabotage her at work.

Then he started stalking her, lying in wait for her in the carpark outside the large retail chain where she worked as assistant manager, and making threats to her colleagues.

NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman said 73 per cent of criminal cases in the District Court were resolved with a guilty plea. Credit:Louie Douvis

The stress became overwhelming. Amanda, not her real name, took out an apprehended violence order against her former partner and went on sick leave.

"He impersonated her and told her manager she was on an overseas holiday," said Amanda's lawyer, Kimbah Pengelly.
A top source within the Forum for Awareness of National Security (FANS) that organised the Jamia event said the body has decided to take the debate on nationalism and the instant divorce practice along with other issues of national significance to AMU

The RSS-affiliated body is ready to take the triple talaq issue for an open debate at AMU.

By Siddhartha Rai: After Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia found itself in the eye of a social media storm last month over a triple talaq debate with BJP leader and varsity alumnus Shazia Ilmi allegedly barred from speaking, the RSS-affiliated organisers are ready to take the contentious issue to Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh Muslim University.

A top source within the Forum for Awareness of National Security (FANS) that organised the Jamia event said the body has decided to take the debate on nationalism and the instant divorce practice along with other issues of national significance to AMU. The idea seems to be to keep alive a raging nationwide debate on freedom of expression.

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"I welcome this step. Why should an RSS body not discuss triple talaq, or why not at AMU?" Ilmi told Mail Today. "Why aren't leftist and secular champions of minorities clarifying their views on this? Women are a minority within the minority community of Muslims. Their fate should not be abandoned to these pseudo-intellectuals who otherwise claim to be enlightened and rationalists, but become harbingers of obscurantism in this case. The nexus between the left, seculars and orthodox mullahs is pretty clear."

WHAT IS THE FORUM ALL ABOUT

Ostensibly an NGO, FANS has senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar as its chief patron and is one of the numerous front organisations through which the Sangh is believed to carry on its propaganda work.

Another sensitive campus that the organisation has decided to focus on is the Hyderabad Central University. The institution hit the national headlines after PhD student Rohith Vemula committed suicide following alleged persecution by university authorities at the behest of right-wing students in 2016. His death drew criticism to the Narendra Modi government and the then HRD minister Smriti Irani in an incident that saw a smash-mouth debate between students and prominent personalities from different ideologies. Also, Hyderabad has long been considered a significant Muslim seat of culture in the country.

ALL TO BREAK THE LEFTIST-SECULAR DOMINANCE

According to FANS functionaries, the central idea behind organising such debates and seminars is to break the "leftist-secular" dominance from within. "So far the RSS has been represented by such hardliners as the VHP and Bajrang Dal, but we are trying to give this image a makeover. Now we want that secularists and those who swear by the rights of Muslims in India must come forward and clarify their position on triple talaq," said a top functionary of FANS.

The instant divorce practice has been barred by more than 20 Muslim countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.

"Those who will help us raise the issue of triple talaq will be doing the nation and women of the country a great service," said Indresh Kumar.

Another tactical shift that the FANS initiative represents within the broader RSS thought is the shift towards inviting such people and intellectuals from among the community who are working against the triple talaq practice and those who have a certain degree of acceptance among Muslims, irrespective of their ideological or political leanings.

"We had invited Shabana Azmi for the last seminar in Jamia," said a FANS member. "Though she could not make it - she wrote a mail to us citing her engagements - she did write to us a couplet of Kaifi Azmi, whose name so many secularists swear by. She quoted Kaifi Azmi: 'Koi to sood chukaiye, koi to zimma le, us inkalab ka jo aaj tak udhar sa hai' (Someone own up to the revolution that looms like a debt even yet)."

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Also read

Vishwa Hindu Parishad calls Jamia Millia Islamia a 'refuge for anti-nationals'

Jamia does a Ramjas: BJP leader Shazia Ilmi not allowed to speak on triple talaq

--- ENDS ---
When Jo-Jo's opened 37 years ago, I Got You by Split Enz was the number one single in Australia and Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen was the premier.

And while times have changed, Jo-Jo's remained  until now, with the iconic Queen Street Mall restaurant closing its doors for the final time.

Stefan Ackerie is closing the doors on his iconic restaurant Jo-Jo's in the CBD. Credit:Renee Melides

Marking the closure of his restaurant on Sunday night, hairdressing king Stefan Ackerie said he created the cafe to drive traffic for his hair salon.

Jo-Jo's originally opened as a small cafe in 1980 to service clients of Mr Ackerie's hair salon and grew to become one of the CBD's best-known and longest-lasting eateries.
Spencer Howson is back doing what he does best: informing and entertaining south-east Queenslanders each morning.

However, the former 612 ABC radio host has traded the spoken word for the written word, as the brains behind a new daily news email for Brisbane Times.

Sign up for Spencer Howson's daily email The Gateway here

Launching on Monday, March 6, the new email  titled The Gateway  aims to summarise everything an informed Queenslander needs to know to embark upon their day.
Apple has temporarily stopped buying cobalt mined by hand in Congo, while it continues to deal with problems relating to child labour and harsh work conditions.

A Washington Post investigation last year detailed abuses in Congo's artisanal cobalt supply chain, showing how miners  including children  laboured in hazardous, even deadly, conditions. Amnesty International and other human rights groups also have alleged problems. Earlier this week, British broadcaster Sky News published an investigation that alleged continued problems in the cobalt supply chain.

A boy carries a bag used to transport cobalt-laden dirt and rock at a mineral market outside Kolwezi, Congo. Credit:Michael Robinson Chavez / The Washington Post

The Post connected this troubling trade to Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Company, a Chinese firm that is the largest buyer of artisanal cobalt in Congo and whose minerals are used in Apple products.

Last year, Apple pledged to clean up its cobalt supply chain, but the technology giant said it wanted to avoid hurting the Congolese miners by cutting them off. Mining provides vital income for hundreds of thousands of people in what is one of the world's poorest countries.
Melbourne Airport's profit margins from car parking shrank 11 per cent in 2015-16, but at 59 per cent remain high enough to have helped the airport rake in more parking revenue than any other in Australia.

The airport made $135.5 million from car parking in 2015-16, $79.9 million of which it pocketed as profit. According to a new report by Australia's competition watchdog, Tullamarine makes an average annual $3000 profit from each of its 25,900 car spots and achieves such high profit margins because of a lack of competition.

The airport has also increased its car parking by more than 50 per cent in the past 10 years.

"I think unquestionably all the airports including Melbourne have consumers largely over a barrel," said Rod Sims, the chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Washington: The White House doubled down on Sunday on Donald Trump's contention that former president Barack Obama tapped Mr Trump's phones during the 2016 election campaign, calling for Congress to probe potential executive-branch abuses of power.

Mr Trump relied on conservative media sources, notably Breitbart News, to make his explosive statements on Twitter about Mr Obama, at least one White House source familiar with the situation said.

In officially stepping up their concerns, the White House again produced no evidence to back up allegations of illegal activities that Mr Obama has denied.

"Reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement on Sunday.
Jakarta: One of Indonesia's top trade officials has questioned whether "artificial" trade barriers are preventing Australia importing more palm oil, pulp and paper and wood products as the two countries negotiate a free trade deal to be concluded this year.

In an exclusive interview with Fairfax Media ahead of this week's Australian trade mission to Indonesia, Thomas Lembong said President Joko Widodo had been "revolutionary" in changing Indonesia's historical mindset of "insecurity and fear of globalisation".

However, Mr Lembong, the chairman of Indonesia's Investment Co-ordinating board, said Indonesia had to acknowledge that its regulations  which "change very frequently and often with no prior notice"  were a big obstacle to investment and a big source of complaints for foreign and domestic investors.

During his visit to Australia last month, President Jokowi, as he is popularly known, said he had conveyed to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull some of the key issues in the free trade deal. The first was the removal of trade barriers  both tariffs and non-tariffs  for Indonesian products such as paper and palm oil.
Dublin: Sinn Fein, the main Catholic nationalist party in Northern Ireland, won its greatest number of legislative seats ever after a snap election this weekend, creating a virtual tie with its Protestant rivals and throwing nearly two decades of peaceful power sharing into turmoil.

The election comes at a time of increased polarisation and fears that Britain's planned exit from the European Union could lead to customs and security checks along the border with Ireland, economic strife and a return to sectarian conflict. Never before has the Protestant majority, which has used its status to shape social policy and defeat a ballot on merging with Ireland, been so threatened politically.

Sinn Fein leader Michelle O'Neill stands in front a mural of republican hunger striker Bobby Sands after holding a post election press conference at Sinn Fein headquarters. Credit:Getty Images

Sinn Fein gained 10 seats, winning 27 of the 90 available posts in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Its rival, the Democratic Unionist Party, mostly made up of Protestants who support remaining a part of Britain and which previously had a majority, won 28 seats.

Under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brought an end to the decades-long sectarian strife known as the Troubles, Catholics and Protestants share governance of the region, along with the British government. The two parties must now form a new government within the next three weeks or else return to a period of "direct rule" from Britain.
Istanbul: A Syrian air force pilot who bailed out as his warplane crashed on Turkish territory has told Turkish authorities his aircraft was shot down on its way to strike rural areas near Idlib, according to state-run Anadolu news agency.

The 56-year-old pilot, identified by Associated Press as Muhammad Sufhan, was found by a Turkish rescue team after a nine-hour search and was being treated at a hospital in the Hatay region. He said his MiG-23 had taken off from Latakia in Syria. He parachuted before the jet crashed.

The Dogan news agency said the pilot, who crashed his plane on Sunday, had been found around 40 kilometres from the wreckage. He was first taken to a gendarmerie base and then to hospital.

The hospital spokeswoman gave no details of his condition.
Mosul: Holding babies on their hips and all the possessions they could carry, thousands of tired and hungry residents streamed out of Mosul on Saturday as the Iraqi army pushed deeper into the Islamic State-held side of the city.

Heavy rain had transformed the barren landscape outside Mosul into a sea of mud, and cold gusts of wind lashed the families as they sank, shoeless, ankle deep into the mud. Sons propped up their elderly mothers, grandparents were pushed through the sludge in wheelchairs. Young girls stoically dragged along bags half their size.

Leaving at daybreak, more than 2000 civilians had made it to a disused bus terminal in the village of Athbah by noon, security officials at the site estimated. More than 45,000 people have been displaced from western Mosul, the International Organisation for Migration said on Sunday.

As citizens flee the west, the United Nations World Health Organisation revealed that 12 people from the east were being treated for suspected exposure to chemical agents.
Washington: The 39-year-old Sikh man was working on his car in his driveway in Kent, Washington, just south of Seattle, in the US, when a man walked up wearing a mask and holding a gun.

According to a report in the Seattle Times, there was an altercation, and the gunman - a stocky, 182-centimetre-tall white man wearing a mask over the bottom part of his face - said "Go back to your own country" and pulled the trigger.

Authorities are investigating the shooting as a suspected hate crime, the newspaper reported.

The victim, whose name hasn't been released, was shot in the arm at about 8PM on Friday and suffered injuries that are not life-threatening, the newspaper reported. The man who shot him is still on the loose. Kent Police have reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies for help.
Three RSS workers were hacked, allegedly by CPM workers in Kozhikode.

By Revathi Rajeevan: Three Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activists were attacked, allegedly by more than 10 Communist Party of India (CPI-M) activists in rural Kozhikode on Saturday.

One CPI-M activist has been arrested. The others involved, who are absconding, have been identified.

The victims have been hospitalised following the attack. Sources said that the attack was motivated by local political rivalry.

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This development comes just a days after an RSS leader from Madhya Pradesh held Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan responsible for the killing of its members in the state, announced a reward of Rs 1 crore for his head.

Kerala has always witnessed political murders, and the RSS-BJP and the CPM have lost several of their cadres. Last month, the death of BJP leader Santhosh was the eighth murder to have occured after the Vijayan government took over in May 2016.

Also read:

Kerala: How cult of political violence became new normal in God's own country

Kerala: 4 BJP workers injured in blast near RSS office in Kozhikode

RSS man who announced Rs 1 crore bounty on Kerala CM's head relieved of duties

--- ENDS ---
Istanbul: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Germany of behaving as in Nazi times in cancelling political meetings of resident Turks that were due to be addressed by Turkish officials.

German authorities withdrew permission last week for two rallies by Turkish residents in German cities amid growing public outrage over Ankara's arrest of a Turkish-German journalist.

The planned rallies were part of a Turkish government campaign to win support among Germany's 1.5 million-strong Turkish community for sweeping new presidential powers going to referendum in April. The German authorities cited security concerns.

"Germany, you have no relation whatsoever to democracy and you should know that your current actions are no different to those of the Nazi period," Mr Erdogan said at a rally in Istanbul on Sunday.
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of:

Francois Roger Rene-Bois

B.k.a. Roger

Born: 18 May 1948 in Francois, Martinique.

Died: 1 March 2017 on Saint-Martin.

He worked as a chef in numerous restaurants and hotels on the island. And later as a taxi driver in cab 105.

He leaves to mourn his:

Wife: Aida Francia Emilio Rene-Bois

Son: Leeo Rene-Bois

Daughters: Maryse Agastin

Lalee Rene-Bois

Leela Rene-Bois

Brothers: Jean-Joseph

Frederick

Raphael

Sisters: Josette

Ginette

Suzanne

Aunt: Edith Cafe

Adopted daughter: Altagracia Gibbes

Sister-in-law: Deysi Emilio

Brother-in-law: Raphael Jose

Nieces and nephews: to numerous to mention abroad

Cousins: to numerous to mention abroad

Friends: to numerous to mention

Godchild: Caroline Gibbes

7 Grandchildren

He was related to the Families: Rene-Bois, Emilio, Gibbes, Linerol, Mongin, Hospice, Souchette, Hauteville, Lagin, Barnebougle and Narece.

Special thanks to: the family Emmanuel and Angele Dormoy.

The family would like to thank the Doctors and Staff of the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital, Dr. Larochaix, Dr. NDem, physical therapist Yves Andrillon, the nurses and aides of the SSIAD and Eric Ambulance.

A wake will be held on Monday, March 6, 2017, at his home in Concordia next to the Car Wash from 6:00 pm.

A service will be held on Wednesday, March 8, 2017, at the Catholic Church in Marigot. The viewing is from 11:00 am - 12 pm. Service commences at 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm.

The body will be flown to Martinique where the funeral service will be held on Thursday, March 9, 2017, at the LEglise Paroissiale. Service commences at 4:00 pm.

He will be laid to rest at the cemetery in Francois, Martinique.

If in our time of bereavement we may have forgotten to mention anyone, friends or family, please accept our sincere apologies.
So far no therapy offered yet to 2-year-old child that was heavily affected during pregnancy.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The parents of Baby Polanco Oliver Vincent Arrindell aka Bolo and his wife Basilla Polanco contacted SMN News on Sunday quite frustrated because he is stuck with his young child that is partially handicapped due to negligence from the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) during his wifes pregnancy and delivery in April 2015. Arrindell said he left St. Maarten on January 15th, 2017 after he went to some media houses to expose what he has been going through since the birth of his child.

Arrindell said shortly after his story was published the Minister of Health cabinet intervened in order for him to travel to the Netherlands for his child to continue treatment. He said on January 15th, 2017 his family departed St. Maarten and ever since then they have been staying in a hotel that has no kitchen facilities for him to prepare a meal for his child. Arrindell said that even though he is now in the Netherlands his son has not been receiving the necessary therapy, instead, the doctors in the Netherlands have been sending him for more testing.

However, his main plight is that he and his family are stuck in a hotel and he is not able to prepare proper meals for his sick son. He said that he is obliged to prepare his child meals in a tea-pot and that he has to take water from the bathroom unless he buys bottled water. Can you imagine, we are making soup, porridge, and coffee in the same pot for our son, this is a hotel and there is nothing here for us to cook, even the water we have to take from the bathroom pipes if we dont have bottled water.

Arrindell said that while the Minister cabinet intervened in order for him to travel to the Netherlands no proper arrangements were made for him and his family, especially his sick son who was supposed to begin therapy. He said when he left St. Maarten he was given a phone number to contact USZV representative (Trans-Care) but the officials there told him that USZV refused to pay for him to get an apartment where he lives normally and take care of his son in a hygienic way. USZV told me that when I reach the Netherlands I have to register the child in the Netherlands in order for the Netherlands to take over the expenses of the childs medicare. Arrindell said when he tried to register the child he was told that he could not register because he does not have a living address since he is staying in a hotel. He said he contacted Trans-Care and they were told that USZV has refused to finance the expenses for an apartment.

Arrindell said he was in the same situation when he went to Colombia with his child for further medical treatment, he said he and his family had to stay in a hotel for three months, while in the Dominican Republic he was able to secure an apartment there.

Going back in time Arrindell said that his wife, the mother of three children, has some medical issues with her pregnancy and she was supposed to receive treatment during her pregnancy in order for the child not to be affected. However, SMMC missed the wife laboratory diagnosis and did not give her the required therapy and as such his son developed severe jaundice within 3 days. He said his son was born on April 16th, 2015. Shortly after he was sent to Curacao where the child underwent a complete blood transfusion and then they traveled to the Dominican Republic and Columbia for further treatment.

The devastated parents told SMN News on Sunday that their son will have lifetime effects from the negligence of St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) and while his family is doing their best to cope with the situation they are placed in, they are having more trouble every day because SMMC has not taken the financial responsibility, although they have admitted to have committed medical errors, and USZV have them begging to provide the funding for his son to receive proper medical care.

Arrindell also told SMN News that he retained the services of a local attorney to go to the hospital for medical malpractice and negligence. He said since he is the Netherlands he also sought the services of another law firm to go after SMMC because he cannot continue with the inhumane treatment he has received over the past two years. People have to understand that my son will never be able to perform like any normal child, he is not able to use his hand and he is almost two years old, he cannot walk as yet and ever since I am in the Netherlands we are in a hotel, without proper food, facilities and most of all my son is not receiving any treatment.

SMN News contacted the Director of USZV Glen Carty who is currently off island. Carty said he does not have all the information on the Arrindell case but promised to consult with his staff on Monday in order to respond to the allegations made by the Arrindell family.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee will meet in a session on March 6, 2017.

The Central Committee meeting has been set for Monday at 3.30 pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of General Affairs will be present.

The agenda points are:

1. Draft National Ordinance amending the Sanctions National Ordinance to implement recommendation 6 of the Financial Action Task Force to implement without delay the restrictive measures and some technical legal adjustments (IS/354/2016-2017 d.d. 3 January 2017) (ZJ 2016-2017-099)

2. Draft Ordinance amending the National Ordinance material civil service law containing regulations concerning the organized consultations on the status of public servants (IS/974/2015-2016 d.d. 25 July 2016) (ZJ 2015-2016-089)

3. Draft Ordinance amending the Constitution because of the expansion of the circle of eligible voters for Parliament (IS/015/2016-2017 d.d. 21 September 2016) (ZJ 2016-2017-097)

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.
By Press Trust of India: By Kunal Dutt

New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI) The citys Safdarjung Hospital has entered its platinum jubilee year and the administration has planned a huge infrastructure revamp, including construction of two major blocks.

The hospital started its journey in 1942 as the 100th Station Hospital and was set up for treatment of injured American soldiers of the allied forces during World War II.

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"It is a matter of great pride that we have reached the platinum jubilee of this institution. And in May, we will be completing 75 years.

"A huge infrastructure upgrade will augment facilities at this overburdened hospital so that we can better serve people," hospitals medical superintendent, A K Rai said.

Situated in the heart of the city next to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), it started as a 150- bedded hospital and was constructed under the supervision of Col Robert P Williams, who was General Stilwells staff surgeon.

Spread over 47 acres, in these seven decades, it has grown from military barracks to an over 1,500-bedded hospital and offers affordable healthcare to patients streaming in from all parts of the country.

"Our Emergency and Superspecialty Block is nearing completion. There are a few logistical issues, but we hope to open it by April end. Also, once this new emergency block is ready, the old emergency (casualty) block will be demolished to make way for a new Mother and Child Block.

"And once the mother and child block shifts there, its old block will be demolished to make an orthopaedic centre. Similarly, other parts of the campus will be redeveloped in a phased manner so that patient care does not suffer and we grow along," Rai told PTI.

Asked if there are any celebrations lined up to mark the platinum jubilee of its foundation, he said, "No funds have been earmarked" specifically for it.

"Unlike AIIMS, which is an autonomous institution, we are funded by the Centre and our priorities are healthcare and infrastructure upgrade. We do not have funds at the moment to commemorate 75 years," he said.

AIIMS marked its diamond jubilee last year with much fanfare and a host of events were held to mark the occasion.

Purpose-built close to the citys lone airstrip, the Willingdon Airfield (now known as Safdarjung Airport), it came to be called by people as the American Hospital and salvaged many lives during the raging war, according to archives.

After independence, the government dedicated it to the people and named it after Safdarjung, the Mughal general Abul Mansur Mirza Muhammad Muqim Ali Khan, a fine connoisseur of art, culture and education.

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"We have many first to our credits and the first centre for nuclear medicine started here. The first few batches of AIIMS picked up the first lessons in clinical skills here. We may not have any plans to mark the platinum jubilee, but we have indeed much to be proud of," Rai said. (MORE) PTI KND ZMN SRY

--- ENDS ---
When photography was invented in France in the 1820s, some artists predicted  even feared  that it would in time take the place of painting. That didnt happen, but photographers around the world consistently have recorded images that reveal...
90% of customers have power restored after Saturday outages

As of 10 a.m. Sunday, 6,100 customers in the South Bend area remained without power. Most will be restored Sunday, but some won't be until Monday.
A 39-year-old Sikh man in the US was injured when an unidentified person shot him outside his home and allegedly shouted "go back to your own country."

By India Today Web Desk: A 39-year-old Sikh man in the US - identified as Deep Rai - was injured when an unidentified person shot him outside his home and allegedly shouted "go back to your own country."

The Sikh man was working on his vehicle outside his home in the city of Kent in the Washington state on Friday, when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to the driveway, the Seattle Times reported.

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Kent police said an argument broke out between the two men, with the victim saying the suspect made statements to the effect of "go back to your own country."

The unidentified man then shot him in the arm.

The victim described the shooter as a six-foot-tall white man, wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face. Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said while the Sikh man sustained "non life-threatening injuries", they are "treating this as a very serious incident."

RAI IS OUT OF DANGER, SAYS SUSHMA SWARAJ

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said she had spoken to Rai was out of danger.

"I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai a US national of Indian origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh, father of the victim. He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital," she tweeted.

Swaraj also expressed her condolences to the bereaved family of Harnish Patel, an Indian-origin American who was killed earlier this week. She added that the Indian Consul had reached Lancaster, where Harnish lived, and met his family.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted, "Two more shocking killings of Indians in the US. GOI (Government of India) must take this up with the US Govt on an urgent basis."

And US Ambassador to India MaryKay Loss Carlson said she was saddened by today's shooting.

"Saddened by shooting in WA. Wishes for quick and full recovery. As POTUS (President of the United States) said we condemn "hate and evil in all its forms," she tweeted.

INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED

Kent police have launched an investigation into the case and reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, the report said.

"We're early on in our investigation," Thomas said. Kent Police Commander Jarod Kasner said the incident is getting attention from the Sikh community and others.

"With recent unrest and concern throughout the nation this can get people emotionally involved, especially when (the crime) is directed at a person for how they live, how they look," Kasner said.

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Meanwhile, officials sources have said that the Consulate General of India in San Francisco is in contact with the local authorities who are ascertaining the nature of the crime. Sources said that Rai is able to talk . The Consulate General of India has wished him a speedy recovery and assured every possible assistance.

INDIANS TARGETED IN APPARENT HATE CRIMES

The incident is the latest in a series of troubling cases where members of the Indian community have been targeted in apparent hate crimes.

It comes close on the heels of the tragic shooting in Kansas last month of 32-year old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was killed when 51-year old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani before yelling "get out of my country."

Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gun shot wounds in his yard. Jasmit Singh, a leader of the Sikh community in Renton, said he had been told the victim was released from the hospital.

He said the victim and his family are "very shaken up." "We're all kind of at a loss in terms of what's going on right now, this is just bringing it home. The climate of hate that has been created doesn't distinguish between anyone," he said.

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Singh said that men from his community have reported a rise in incidents of verbal abuse, "a kind of prejudice, a kind of xenophobia that is nothing that we've seen in the recent past."

He said the number of incidents targeting members of the Sikh religion, are reminiscent of the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks.

But at that time, it felt like the (presidential) administration was actively working to allay those fears," Jasmit Singh said adding that "now it's a very different dimension."

'INVESTIGATE SHOOTING AS A HATE CRIME'

Advocacy group The Sikh Coalition said it calls upon local law enforcement officials to investigate this shooting as a possible hate crime.

Various rights groups and ethnic Indian organisations are reaching out to people of the community asking them not to succumb to fear and immediately report any incident of hate crime or violence to law enforcement authorities.

The Indo-American Democratic Organization strongly condemned Kuchibhotla's tragic killing, saying "the circumstances around this horrible crime are incredibly troubling which includes but not limited to: unprovoked violence in a public venue, racial slurs, and a senseless attack against innocent members of the public."

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It also called on local elected leaders to express outrage over the "unacceptable and appalling" situation and publicly commit to doing what they can to prevent and call out hate crimes across communities.

It said it will continue to "represent the best interests of the local South Asian American community against the rise of any and all hate crimes and we join in partnership with many other organisations and civic leaders who stand for a more just, safe and equitable country."

India Civil Watch, a collective of Indian-American activists and professionals, called on Indian-Americans to not succumb to fear in the wake of incidents like Kuchibotla's murder.

The community must get organised in broad coalitions with others who intend to defend immigrant and minority rights, it said.

"This is also a moment for Indian communities in the US to reflect, take stock, and prepare for the oncoming weeks and months of struggle against a rising tide of racism and xenophobia," it added.

(Inputs from PTI)

Also read:

Another Indian killed in US, businessman Harnish Patel shot dead near his home

Get out of here: Indian-origin girl faces racial abuse in US

US embassy condemns Indian-origin engineer's killing in Kansas City bar shooting

WATCH | Indian-origin girl shares video of man racially abusing her in New York

--- ENDS ---
Luxembourg, March 5, 2017 (SPS) - Deputy Minister for Europe, Mohamed Sidati, has affirmed in an interview with Euronews Chanel the standoff in Guerguerat occurred because Morocco violated the cease-fire by crossing the wall and tensions had been growing, but that should not mask the root of the problem which is the Western Sahara conflict.

Below is the text of the full interview:

Euronews: Mr Mohamed Sidati, Polisarios European representative, thank you for joining us. We have seen an escalation of tension in Guerguera. The new Secretary-General of the United Nations has demanded that both sides withdraw from this disputed territory. The situation has since calmed down. Is this another case of Morocco and the Polisario Front flexing their muscles in the face of the status quo? 

Mohamed Sidati: The standoff in Guerguerat occurred because Morocco violated the cease-fire by crossing the wall. Tensions had been growing, but that should not mask the root of the problem which is the Western Sahara conflict.

Euronews: But the new leader of the Polisario, Brahim Ghali, said that all options were open.What options is he referring to?

Mohamed Sidati: We expressed the frustration of the Sahrawi people. President Ghali insisted that we should opt for the peaceful route.

Euronews: Lets now talk about another battle, the economic one which could affect Europe. The EU Court of Justice set a precedent. in December when it ruled that the free trade agreement between the European Union and Morocco could not be applied to Western Sahara , without the consent of the Sahrawi people. How do you think this decision will affect the Polisario Front?

Mohamed Sidati: For us, it is a very important decision, and our message to Europe is to respect the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union. On one hand, it is clear that the agreements between Morocco and the EU cant be applied in Western Sahara. This territory has a distinct, separate status, as it is on the path towards decolonisation. On the other hand, the representative of the Sahrawi people is the Polisario Front. 

Euronews: So the Polisario intends to launch legal proceedings against any European business that operates in Western Sahara without its consent. Will they be asking for compensation?.

Mohamed Sidati: As we have said before, the past is the past, but many are involved in the plundering of natural resources and the wealth of Western Sahara. In this case, we are willing to go to court and more importantly, we want the European Union and European companies to apply the law otherwise we will use justice as a weapon.

Euronews: One last point: Europe is concerned by the decision of the Court of Justice of the EU. For example, amid mounting pressure from members of the European Parliament, the legal service of EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini is seeking solutions to include the territory of the Sahara in The Fisheries Agreement with Morocco without undermining the peace process. 

Mohamed Sidati: This agreement, just like all the others, is not applicable to the Western Sahara and if the Eurpean Union wants to focus on this region, I think they should first negotiate with the Polisario Front.

Euronews: Thank you, Mr Mohamed Sidati. (SPS)

062/090




24 Indian fishermen and four trawler boats have been taken into custody by the Sri Lankan Navy.

By Akshaya Nath: As many as 24 Indian fishermen and four trawler boats have been taken into custody by the Sri Lankan Navy.

This brings the total number of Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lanka in the past week to 50. The Sri Lankan government now has 85 fishermen and over 136 trawlers in its custody.

In today's arrest, 15 fishermen from Rameshwaram were arrested - and two of their trawlers confiscated - near Talaimannar in Sri Lanka.

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As well, nine fishermen from Pudukkotai were arrested near Jaffna, and two trawlers taken away.

The fishermen will soon be presented before a Sri Lankan court.

WIDESPREAD ANGER

The continuous arrests just ahead of the St Antony's Feast festival in Katchatheevu, which will be held on March 11 and 12, have caused widespread disappointment and anger among fishermen.

"In the last one week 50 fishermen have been arrested and these arrests just ahead of the Katchatheevu festival is questionable. Also, after the fourth round of talks that happened in January between the two countries on the fishermen issue, they had said that there won't be any more arrests and now a series of arrests have taken place. The two countries are silent about it also. No one cares for the fishermen," said Emerald, a fishermen leader from Rameshwaram.

EMERGENCY MEETING

In fact, the fishing community is all set to have an emergency meeting, in which the main agenda would be to boycott the St Antony's feast festival citing the arrests.

Jesudas, a fishermen whose trawler is in the Sri Lankan government's custody said, "These trawlers are very expensive and are source of our livelihood. The state and the central government should do the needful to retrieve them for us. Without the boats, we don't have a life."

These fishermen have already been appealing to the Union and state governments to help secure the release of those arrested, as well as the trawlers in Sri Lankan custody. They're planning a road roko on March 6.

ALSO READ | Eight fishermen from Tamil Nadu's Pudukkottai arrested by Sri Lankan officials

--- ENDS ---
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St. Vincents Medical Center is looking to the future  and planning to be in Bridgeport for years to come.

Last month, St. Vincents notified its staff a merger or sale was possible at a future date, but on Friday hospital officials said no deal is on the horizon. The state Department of Public Health last week confirmed no paperwork has been filed to that effect.

St. Vincents Medical Center has provided quality health care to the residents of greater Bridgeport since 1903. We are committed to our mission of delivering compassionate care and having a vital presence in our community, said Dianne Auger, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at the hospital, in a statement. Given the rapidly evolving health care landscape, at some point in the future, we believe it may be best for St. Vincents to explore strategic alignments with a local or regional health system so that we can continue to best serve our community.

It should be noted that we are not currently in negotiations to do so, Auger continued. We want to assure the members of our community that our 3,700 associates and medical staff are privileged to continue the legacy of the Daughters of Charity who arrived in Bridgeport to found St. Vincents Hospital, and we plan on doing so far into the future.

St. Vincents is the top employer in Bridgeport.

Were the hospital to pursue a sale or merger, it would join a long list of state medical centers that have joined forces or been acquired in recent years. Its status as a Catholic hospital could mean further complications, as recent examples in New Haven and Waterbury have shown.

St. Vincents Health Services is owned by Missouri-based Ascension Health, the largest nonprofit and Catholic health system in the U.S. Though its the only Ascension hospital in the region, it has taken steps to gain advantages of larger regional groups, such as Yale New Haven Health Services and Western Connecticut Health Network, which includes Norwalk, Danbury and New Milford hospitals.

In September 2014, five Connecticut health care systems, including St. Vincents and Derbys Griffin Hospital, announced the formation of the Value Care Alliance, which was planned to improve purchasing power and share best practices, according to a state report on the arrangement.

Waterbury merger scuttled

Some recent mergers have proven more complicated than others. In 2011, St. Marys Hospital agreed to a merger with crosstown Waterbury Hospital, with each institution seeking relief from long-running financial woes. The plan, which won enthusiastic support in the states fifth-largest city, would have brought construction of a new, jointly run hospital that officials hoped would revitalize the downtown.

The plan fell apart over a number of stumbling blocks, particularly around womens health care. As a Catholic hospital, St. Marys follows the religious directives of Catholic Health Services, which prohibit some procedures commonly offered elsewhere. These include abortion and contraception, but also tubal ligations and vasectomies.

A combined hospital that followed the religious guidelines, which St. Marys required as a condition of a merger, would have left Waterbury and surrounding towns without a hospital that could offer those services, which brought objections from the state and womens advocacy groups.

After more than a year of talks, the hospitals finally dropped the plan. Waterbury Hospital has since sought approval to be acquired by Prospect Medical Holdings, a for-profit health care company, while St. Marys in 2015 agreed to become part of Trinity Health, a Catholic health care organization with operations in 21 states.

For St. Vincents, a potential conversion to a for-profit hospital from its current nonprofit status would require approval of the states attorney general and Department of Public Health. New ownership that would maintain nonprofit status would require approval from DPH and its Office of Healthcare Access.

Successful move

In New Haven, around the same time Waterbury Hospital and St. Marys were in talks on a merger, Yale New Haven Hospital and the Hospital of St. Raphael, a Catholic facility, announced plans for a merger of their own. Yale New Haven Health System, which also operates Bridgeport Hospital and Greenwich Hospital, proposed to maintain separate campuses for the two facilities.

The acquisition, which became official in 2012, required approvals that reached all the way to the Vatican, said Vin Petrini, a spokesman for Yale New Haven Health Services. And though it falls under the Yale umbrella, the St. Raphaels campus continues to abide by the religious directives.

The properties proximity makes the arrangement work, Petrini said. The campuses are about six blocks apart, so this is a relatively unique arrangement, he said.

The Connecticut Hospital Association said the current integration trend is likely to continue. Health care is undergoing a transformational shift that requires hospitals to find new ways to operate more efficiently while improving access to care and value for patients, said Michele Sharp, CHAs vice president of communications, in a statement.

Integration is one way hospitals can achieve economies of scale; it enables them to have the ability to do more and provides opportunities for savings. Hospital integration has been increasing in Connecticut and across the country. We expect this trend to continue.

hbailey@ctpost.com; 203-330-6233
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The smell of leather is unmistakable inside the Kims Riverside home.

The basement is filled with stray stacks of Italian leather, the latest line of Theikona handbags and several industrial sewing machines at which sisters Aerim and Lindsey are often seated crafting new samples or refining a design.

Its a fitting environment for a studio where the business owners dreamed up the idea to start their own fashion brand. One time, I showed my friend this bracelet I made from leather scraps lying around, Lindsey Kim said. He didnt understand how it was possible for me to just make something over the weekend. Once he came and saw the place, he said it made a lot more sense.

Greenwich raised

Born in South Korea, Aerim and Lindsey Kim were raised mostly in Greenwich. Their mother worked in fashion for a time, and they grew up seeing her drawings and enjoying the arts. But designing was for a long time just a hobby for them, according to Lindsey Kim.

I never thought of it as a profession, Aerim Kim added. None of our friends were in the arts really, so it never even occurred to me you could do fashion as a living.

As a senior at Greenwich High School, she made plans to attend New York University and study international relations.

The summer before heading off to college, everything changed. She saw her sister Lindsey, who is a year younger, preparing her portfolio to apply for Parsons School of Design and realized she wanted to go, too.

It was too late to apply for that fall semester, but she withdrew from NYU and took a chance at an interview for Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, in London. She was accepted and attended that school for a year before joined her sister at Parsons. Students there are required to take classes across the spectrum before choosing a focus of study, the Kims said. After a rigorous first year, Lindsey Kim settled on studying menswear while her sister opted for womenswear.

They paired their studies with numerous internships, including at Armani Exchange, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Urban Zen. After graduation, Lindsey Kim was hired by Calvin Klein, where she still works designing mens knits. Meanwhile, Aerim Kim freelanced for a slew of places, such as JCrew, Victorias Secret and Skin Clothing, where she first worked with organic cotton and helped launch a sportswear brand that got picked up by Barneys.

Doing their own thing

Working in large corporations made her miss doing more creative projects, Aerim Kim said, and in 2014 the sisters discussed launching their own brand. Theikona, a luxury leather handbag and accessories company, was born in 2015 and they produced their first line last fall.

They chose to enter the handbag market, partially because it imposes fewer barriers to entry than clothing, but also because they felt they could offer something unique.

We felt the handbag industry had grown stale and the silhouettes were boring, Aerim Kim said. There wasnt a lot of variety.

The Kims rejected the markets favor for square-shaped bags and instead designed sleek trapezoid and hexagon clutches, triangular purses that double as backpacks and several rounded silhouettes that feature similar geometric lines. They still offer some handbag staples, like totes, but the Kims preference for the unusual is clear.

They interrupt each other with excitement when showing off their more innovative designs and details, such as mixing leathers, brightly colored vegetable tans and intricate leather etching. They hope their Bali-inspired designs, seen on both their spring lines bags and jewelry, will make a splash as their travels provide much of their design inspirations.

Theikonas fall and spring lines diverge in their designs to keep the brand fresh, Aerim Kim said, but central to their venture is supporting sustainable handbag manufacturing in the United States.

The latter part makes the former seem easy. Weve seen a lot of garment factories closing in the United States and moving overseas, she said. And there are very few handbag factories left here. We want to support those.

Convincing a factory to work with them when they couldnt promise massive numbers of units was an almost insurmountable hurdle, but its proved worthwhile, she said.

I love that I know the owners of the factories we use, Aerim Kim said. And if something comes up, I can just call them or drive over to the factory.

Theikona means divine icon

Most designers labels include their name, but, in a recurring theme, the Kims decided to do it differently. In a quest for the perfect moniker, the sisters raided libraries for dictionaries and books on Greek mythology.

Their research lead to mashing up of theos, meaning divinity, and eikona, which stands for icon. Combined, the words form Theikona, or divine icon. Their first, simple logo thus appears as a capital letter T surrounded by a square and circle, intended, they said, to evoke Asian culture where the shapes represent earth and heaven.

Traveling to the island of Bali inspired the sisters recent spring line as well as a second, crazier logo, which includes the brand names first letter woven into a dragons jaws.

For now, Theikona products can be found online and in an AHAlife Brooklyn boutique. The Kims are hoping to form partnerships this year that will lead to their bags and accessories being sold in more stores.

For more information about Theikona, visit its website at www.theikona.com.

MBennett@greenwichtime.com, 203-625-4411; Twitter @Macaela_
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy spouts rhetoric about the urgency to make progress in finding a fair system for funding Connecticuts schools. Unfortunately, his 2018-19 school funding proposals will take Connecticut backward in its struggle to adequately and equitably fund education.

A brief refresher on Connecticuts funding formula, the Education Cost Sharing Formula (ECS): ECS is a foundation formula similar to that of many other states. It establishes a foundation amount, the amount of money necessary to educate a child with no special needs, then adjusts for poverty by adding a certain weight to that amount, and adjusts for the number of students in a district. It then uses a measure of town wealth to determine the state and local shares of the amount for each district. While a foundation formula is inherently sound, ECS has numerous flaws. The foundation amount was never based on the actual cost of educating a child, nor does the poverty weight reflect the true added cost of educating students living in poverty. Connecticut removed the weight for English Language Learners from the formula in 2013, though there is a recognized additional cost to educate these students. There was never a weight in the formula to account for the additional cost of educating students with disabilities. The measurement of town wealth is also skewed.

These flaws drove CCJEF, in 2005, to commission an education adequacy cost study to determine the true cost of education in Connecticut. Over the past 30 years, more than 50 cost studies have been conducted in 35 states. They have formed the basis for genuine school finance reform in many of these states. National studies show that school finance reform has had a significant positive effect on academic and life outcomes, especially for poor children.

Then-mayor Malloy was a founding member of CCJEF when it commissioned the cost study. In 2007, Malloy and the rest of the CCJEF steering committee presented their proposal for reforming Connecticuts school finance system, based on that cost study.

What a difference 10 years and millions of dollars worth of donations from charter school lobbyists make. Now, Gov. Malloy rejects the notion of a cost study and instead proposes changes to ECS that not only are not supported by any evidence, but explicitly contradict reality.

According to Malloys OPM Secretary, Ben Barnes, cost studies are spurious and instead education funding should be determined by the amount of support that the state would like to place in its K-12 system.

In other words, education funding, according to Malloy, should be based on our leaders political whims rather than on what kids need.

Here are some examples of Malloys 2018 school funding whims, which, as CCJEF and others point out, will reduce overall k-12 funding in Connecticut.

Malloy proposes reducing the ECS foundation amount from $11,525 to $8,999 for 2018 and thereafter, while increasing per pupil funding for charter schools from $11,000 to $11,500. As CCJEF points out, in 2007-08, the ECS foundation amount was $9,687.

Since 2007-08, Connecticut has seen an increase in ELL students, students with disabilities and students living in poverty. In fact, the number of children who qualify for free (not reduced) lunch has grown 10 percentage points statewide. In some districts, the increase in need is startling. In Windham and New Britain, there was a more than 20 percent increase in students qualifying for free lunch. New mandates such as the Common Core and teacher evaluations further increase the cost of education. Yet Malloy proposes reducing foundation below the 2008 level.

Malloy proposes changing poverty measure from free and reduced priced lunch (FRPL) eligibility to Husky A eligibility. While FRPL is not an accurate measure of poverty, Husky A eligibility is just as bad. As CCJEF notes, undocumented immigrants are not eligible for HUSKY A, thus would not be counted. Connecticut Voices for Children calculated that 24 percent of children living in poverty do not receive HUSKY A and thus would also be excluded. Moreover, Malloy seeks to limit HUSKY A eligibility even further, purging more children from the ECS poverty measure. Worse still, Malloy proposes reducing ECS poverty weight from 30 percent to 20 percent, for apparently no reason at all.

These are only a few examples of the ways Gov. Malloy is seeking to restrict funding for Connecticuts schools. To learn more, read CCJEFs testimony at http://bit.ly/2mjdmKy and Connecticut Voices for Childrens analysis at http://bit.ly/2lHm9To. Then call your legislators and demand that Connecticut conduct a new cost study to ensure that education funding is based on reality, not the governors whims.

Wendy Lecker is a columnist for the Hearst Connecticut Media Group and is senior attorney at the Education Law Center.
By Press Trust of India: Chennai, Mar 5 (PTI) Tamil Nadu today protested the "escalation" in apprehension of its fishermen by Sri Lanka and said the Centre did "not seem to put adequate pressure" on Colombo regarding the matter.

In a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister K Palaniswami referred to the arrest of 32 Indian fishermen by the Lankan authorities in the last few days and said these incidents were causing hardship and mental agony to the fishermen community.

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"This sharp escalation in harassment and apprehension of our fishermen, especially at a time when they are getting ready for the much awaited Katchatheevu festival, is causing considerable hardship and mental agony to the poor, innocent fishermen," the letter read.

A fisherman, who was about to be apprehended by the Lankan authorities, "attempted to swallow broken glass out of fear and mental stress, thereby endangering his life", Palaniswami said, adding that this highlighted the "desperate situation in which the Indian fishermen have been placed".

Tamil Nadu has been repeatedly urging the Centre to sanction a comprehensive project for conversion of mechanised trawlers into deep sea long-liners and create the infrastructure to resolve the issue, he said.

On the Centres advice, the first batch of fishermen has also been trained in deep sea long-liner fishing operations, the chief minister noted.

"But, despite our repeated requests, neither has the Rs-1,650 crore package been approved by Government of India nor does there seem to be adequate pressure built up on Sri Lanka to desist from day-to-day harassment and arrest of our fishermen," Palaniswami wrote in the letter to Modi.

The fishermen peacefully go about their activities "in the waters in which they have enjoyed the customary rights to fish for several centuries", he added.

"Tamil Nadus fishermen appear to have been left at the total mercy of the Sri Lankan Navy, which picks them up at random, incarcerates them for months together and fails to return their boats for years together, despite commitments made during talks," the letter read.

The chief minister also called for the retrieval of the Katchatheevu islet, ceded by India to Sri Lanka in 1974.

Citing examples, including in South-East Asia, he said countries have arrived at workable diplomatic arrangements in which, two sides continue to fish without any harassment and interference.

"There is no reason why a similar arrangement cannot be put in place between India and Sri Lanka," added Palaniswami.

Noting that currently, there were 85 fishermen and 128 fishing boats in Lankan custody, he urged Modi to direct the External Affairs Ministry officials concerned to take concrete action through diplomatic channels to secure their release. PTI SA APR RC

--- ENDS ---

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A young man is fighting for life after he was stabbed near an east London Tube station.

Police and paramedics raced to Cranbrook Road, near Gants Hill station, at about 2.40am on Sunday where they found a man in his 20s suffering from stab injuries.

He was rushed to an east hospital where he remains in critical condition, Scotland Yard said.

Cranbrook Road was closed both ways for almost 12 hours after the incident, as motorists were warned to avoid the area.

Pictures posted on social media show a large police cordon in place as forensics officers carry out investigation work.

A Met Police spokesman said no arrests have been made.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, or has information that may assist the police investigation, should contact Ilford CID via 101 or by tweeting @MetCC.

To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit the crimestoppers-uk.org website.
A mother was raped after she and her toddler were forced into the back of a car in North Yorkshire, police said.

The woman was with her toddler near to a boating lake on the seafront in Redcar on Friday when they were allegedly bundled into the rear of a dark-coloured saloon vehicle by two men.

Cleveland Police said the suspects got out of the vehicle and forced the pair into the rear of the car between 11.30am and 12.30pm.

They drove along Turner Street to Yearby on Longbeck Lane off the A174, where the woman was allegedly raped.

Later that day, between 5.30pm and 6.30pm, the woman and child were forced out of the vehicle on Kirkleatham Lane, between the turn off for Kirkleatham Museum and the bus stop towards Redcar.

Horrific attack: A mother and her toddler were forced back into a car near to Redcar seafront / Google Maps

They fled across the road and towards a wooded area.

The first suspect, who was driver the car, is described as a white man, aged in his late twenties or early thirties, around 5ft 7' to 5ft 10' tall.

He is of large build, with short, brown hair and has the word 'love' tattooed across his knuckles.

The second suspect, the passenger in the car, is described as a white man, aged in his early twenties.

He is around 5ft 5ins to 5ft 6ins tall, of medium build, clean shaven and with brown hair. He had had a local accent.

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Matt Murphy-King, of Cleveland Police, said: This has been a very traumatic ordeal for the victim and her child. Thankfully, incidents of this nature are rare and this is an isolated incident.

He said a team of detectives were working on the investigation and had stepped up patrols in the area.

DCI Murphy-King urged anyone with information to come forward and asked those spending time near the seafront to be extra vigilant.

Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to call Cleveland Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 orwww.crimestoppers-uk.org.
A violent thug has been jailed after she threw a woman with learning difficulties to the ground and stole her cash in an unprovoked attack at an ATM in north London.

Tracey Robinson, 46, mugged her 30-year-old victim at a cash point in Seven Sisters Road on January 23 this year.

The victim, a woman with learning difficulties, had just withdrawn money from the ATM when she was wrestled to the ground by Robinson, Blackfriars Crown Court heard.

Her attacker snatched the money from her hand and left her lying on the pavement.

The victim suffered minor injuries and was badly shaken up after being grappled with, police said.

Robinson, of no fixed address, was jailed for 16 months on Thursday, March 2, after pleading guilty to one count of robbery.

DC Marcus Johnson of Islington CID said: This was an unprovoked attack on a vulnerable female for no other reason than financial gain.

Had it not been for the early guilty plea the victim would have had to attend court and recount her traumatic ordeal.
A couple from west London who want take their sick baby to a US hospital for potentially life-saving treatment have raised more than 180,000.

Postman Chris Gard, 32, and Connie Yates, 31, from Bedfont, are trying to raise 1.2million to pay for treatment for seven-month-old Charlie, who suffers from a rare genetic condition.

They have set up a GoFundMe page which shows that over 184,000 has been raised from more than 10,000 donations.

However the couple are embroiled in a High Court battle with Great Ormond Street Hospital, and a judge is to decide whether they will be allowed to take Charlie to the US, or whether doctors should withdraw life-support treatment.

Parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard with Charlie / PA

Doctors at Great Ormond Street say Charlie, who was born on August 4 last year, should move to a palliative care regime.

On Friday Mr Justice Francis examined preliminary issues in the case at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court.

He said issues would be fully analysed at a hearing in early April, adding the case was tragic.

He heard that Charlie, who was born on August 4 2016, has a form of disease called mitochondrial depletion syndrome, which causes progressive muscle weakness.

A barrister representing doctors at Great Ormond Street gave some detail of the boy's difficulties.

Charlie Gard suffers from a form of mitochondrial disease that causes progressive muscle weakness / PA

Katie Gollop QC said Charlie could not cry and was deaf.

She said doctors thought that withdrawal of life-support treatment would be in Charlie's best interests and told the judge: "The hospital's position is that every day that passes is a day that is not in the child's best interests."

Ms Gollop said Great Ormond Street specialists had considered the type of treatment Charlie's parents wanted him to have in America and decided against it.

Barrister Sophia Roper, who represents Charlie's parents, told the judge: "His parents believe that he is in much better shape than the hospital does."

Mr Justice Francis heard that a US hospital had agreed to accept Charlie as a patient if treatment could be paid for.

Charlie's parents are currently embroiled in a High Court battle with Great Ormond Street / PA

Charlie's fundraising page says the a new pioneering treatment available, called nucleoside bypass therapy, could potentially repair Charlies mtDNA and help it synthase again by giving him the compounds that his body isnt able to produce.

A spokesman for Great Ormond Street Hospital told the Standard: Charlie has a very rare and complex disease, for which there is no accepted cure.

Charlie was very unwell when he was admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital and has remained under 24-hour care on our Intensive Care Unit.

"But his condition has continued to deteriorate and we now feel we have exhausted all available proven treatment options.

We cannot imagine how hugely distressing this is for his family. We continue to support them in every way we can, while advocating, what we believe, is best for Charlie.
A n amateur photographer from the US has released a series of fascinating photographs capturing life in London during the 1960s and 70s.

The extraordinary photos show iconic landmarks such as Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace as well as scenes from everyday life in the capital.

The roads seem almost empty compared to todays heavy traffic and the advertisements include Wrigleys chewing gum and Embassy cigarettes long before tobacco billboards were banned.

Sohos busy Berwick Street can be seen filled with market stalls selling fruit and vegetables while another photo shows Camdens Good Mixer pub which later counted Amy Winehouse and Britpops Oasis and Blur among its drinkers.

Piccadilly Circus in June 1966. / Richard Friedman

California-based Richard Friedman, 73, took the photos during three visits to London as a young man in 1966, 1973 and 1977.

He said the last time he visited London was 2002  more than two decades after his previous visit  and said a lot had changed, so many new buildings and so much more expensive.

He added: These pictures weren't intended as art, but more to document where I was and when.

Interest in them started after I put some of them up on my website and later on Flickr. Perhaps it's nostalgia for times past.

Berwick Street Market in Soho in June 1966. / Richard Friedman

The same thing happened when I started taking pictures of Berkeley, where I moved in 1968 from New York City.

I think what's going on is that even though many people had cameras in the 60s and 70s, and took lots of pictures, very few knew what to do with them and even fewer put them up on websites.

Today, however, everyone is a photographer with a digital camera in their phone, and are documenting their lives - however trivial - on sites like Instagram.

When I was taking pictures, one had to be frugal and choose what to photograph in a meaningful way.

Coming home from a trip with 50 rolls of 36 exposure film meant a great expense in processing all those images. Very different from today where you can shoot a few thousand images in just a few minutes. Not sure that's really an advantage.

He said if he had a message for young photographers today it would be: Take the time to record the world immediately around you, the places you go to every day, your neighbourhood, where you work. And save them.

Because in 25 years or so it will all be different. And you'll regret not being able to see all that you've missed and can't remember.
A hugely popular theatre bookshop in Fitzrovia is set to close after almost 200 years following a major hike in rent.

Samuel French Theatre Bookshop, on Fitzroy Street, plans to set up new offices in Euston and go online-only after its landlord propsed a rent increase of at least 200 per cent.

Almost 5,000 people have signed a petition demanding the bookshop is saved, while actor Sir Derek Jacobi has also spoken out in support.

The Last Tango in Halifax star told the Camden New Journal: It is quite unique, it will be dreadful to lose it.

Over the course of my career I have often been there and found it an incredible resource when you are looking for plays, both modern and almost extinct ones.

They are always very helpful  as a theatrical resource, it is second to none. London theatre is possibly the best in the world and Frenchs serves it. There is a clear link between the support Frenchs gives to the theatre industry, and Londons tourist trade. It must be saved, for the good of all.

Supporter: Derek Jacobi said the shop is an 'incredible resource' (Stuart Wilson/Getty ) / Stuart Wilson/Getty

A Samuel French bookshop has existed on various sites around London since 1830 but moved to its present location in 1983.

Managing Director Douglas Schatz said: It is with a very heavy heart that we announce the closure of our bookshop in April  were extremely sad to see it go and send a huge thank you to all the staff and customers from all over the world whove supported the shop through the years.

However, we are also very excited about the future of Samuel French, with the growth of our online shop, our innovation in digital play reading, the forthcoming relaunch of our Acting Edition play texts and our expanding catalogue of new authors.

He added that the bookshop was "very touched" by the petition's "huge expression of support".

It calls for the bookshops status as a community asset of cultural importance to be acknowledged.

However, it wrongly addresses Camden Council as the decision-maker. Councillor Abdul Hai, Cabinet Member for Customers, Communities and Culture at Camden Council, said: Im disappointed to hear that the Samuel French bookshop is to close as it has been such a popular cultural resource for people for so many years.

But contrary to what has been suggested by the online petition, Camden Council is not the landlord for the building, and as such has no control over the rent rates that are being charged nor the decision to close.

A spokesman for landlord the Linton Group told the Standard: Linton Group are disappointed that Samuel French has decided to close the bookshop on 52 Fitzroy Street after its longstanding business history.

Linton Group always support their tenants businesses to the best of their abilities, as it is important to Linton to promote independent and small business for which central London property prices can prove out of reach.

However it is important that the group takes into consideration changing market conditions which has led to a necessary review of the rates at 52 Fitzroy Street. We wish Samuel French well in their new endeavours and hope the new tenants will bring a fresh dimension to the street.
L ondon is home to more Islamic terrorists than anywhere else in the UK, a new study has revealed.

Since 1998, some 43 per cent of terrorists arrested for Islamism-related offences in the UK have come from the capital.

East London is home to 50 per cent of London-based offenders, who mostly came from the boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham and Waltham Forest.

The second most common region was the West Midlands where 18 per cent of offenders lived, and the bulk of these people came from Birmingham.

The study also revealed that the amount of all terrorism cases in the UK has almost tripled in the last five years, while Islamist-related offences have doubled between 2011 and 2015.

The report, published by the Hannah Stuart and the Henry Jackson Society, identifies all Islamism-inspired terrorism convictions and suicide attacks in the UK between 1998 and 2015.

According to the society, there were 264 convictions between 1998 and 2015 involving 253 British or foreign nationals.

Some 72 per cent of those committing offences are British nationals, 47 per cent are in full time work or education and 76 per cent have been known to the authorities.

Ms Stuart, a fellow at The Henry Jackson Society, believes this poses "particular challenges for the authorities".

She said: "Our security services will be particularly concerned that the major threat continues to be home grown - and that females are playing an ever increasing role in terrorism.

Such a high concentration of offenders in London and Birmingham will also focus the minds of policy makers when it comes to deciding where to target our counter-terrorism efforts."

The role of women in terrorism has also trebled, from four per cent in the years 1998 until 2010, to 11 per cent in 2011 until 2015.

The most common age for an Islamic terrorist was 22, a third of women offenders were 22 and the average age overall was 26.8 years old.

In general those who carried out terror attacks were aged between 14 to 52 years old.

Ms Stuart added: "As we continue to improve our policing of Islamism-inspired terrorism - the prevalent national security threat of our age - we should be aware that the vast majority of UK-based terrorists do not act alone.

"This research shows that the overwhelming majority are part of wider networks, formed online and in person, with family and friends - and most have been radicalised here in the UK."
B ritain will fight back and not slink off like a wounded animal if it does not get the Brexit deal it wants, Chancellor Philip Hammond has said.

In some of his toughest talk yet ahead of the UK triggering Article 50 negotiations, he said Britain would do whatever we need to do in the event of leaving the EU without a trade agreement.

Mr Hammond refused to speculate on whether the UK would slash business taxes to attract investment away from the EU if no deal was reached.

Speaking during an interview on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show, he said: If there is anybody in the European Union who thinks that if we don't do a deal with the European Union, if we don't continue to work closely together, Britain will simply slink off as a wounded animal, that is not going to happen.

Mr Hammond with Ukip leader Paul Nuttall and Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, who also appeared on the show / PA

"British people have a great fighting spirit and we will fight back. We will forge new trade deals around the world. We will build our business globally.

"We will go on from strength to strength and we will do whatever we need to do to make the British economy competitive and to make sure that this country has a great and successful future."

Asked if this meant the UK would slash business taxes to attract investment away from the EU, the Chancellor said: "People can read what they like into it. I'm not going to speculate now on how the UK would respond to what I don't expect to be the outcome.

"But we are going into a negotiation. We expect to be able to achieve a comprehensive free trade deal with our European Union partners, but they should know that the alternative isn't Britain just slinking away into a corner."

He also indicated that the UK would pay any Brexit bills it owed to the EU.

During the interview, Mr Hammond was asked if he would publish his tax return ahead of the 2017 budget this week.

But he told Marr he had "no intention" of doing so.

He said: "Just for the record my tax affairs are all perfectly regular and up to date.

"But this demonstration politics isnt helping to create a better atmosphere in British politics."
One Jammu-Kashmir Police constable was killed and an Army major and CRPF personnel were injured during the ongoing encounter between security forces and militants in Shikargah, Tral in South Kashmir's Pulwama district.

By India Today Web Desk: Three militants, one Jammu-Kashmir Police constable was killed and an Army major and CRPF personnel were injured during the ongoing encounter between security forces and militants in Shikargah, Tral in South Kashmir's Pulwama district.

According to reports the house where the militants were hiding has been demolished by the forces. The identities of the militants hasn't been revealed yet

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However, at least two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, including the right hand man of slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, Sabzar Bhat, were believed to be trapped in the encounter, sources said. The other militant has been identified as Aqib, sources said. Both Sabzar and Aqib are locals from Pulwama's Awantipora area.

THE ENCOUNTER

The encounter started at around 6 pm when the security forces recieved an intelligence input that some militants were hiding in a house in Tral. Soon enough, the Army, CRPM and police officials were deployed to cordon off the area.

As the news about the encounter spread in the area, a law and order problem erupted, with civilians pelting stone at the forces.

One miscreant hit an assistant sub inspector and snatched his AK-47 rifle before disappearing into the crowd. A separate operation is on to recover the weapon.A top officer told India Today, "Security forces were stopped by civilians. Resistance was shown. We had to rush in reinforcement. An ASI of CRPF was injured his weapon snatched by (the) belligerent crowd."

A local magistrate then imposed section 144, which forbids free assembly of more than four people, in the area. Mobile network in Tral have also been restricted as the encounter rages on.

Government authorities fear that if the two Hizbul militants are gunned down, there may be a repeat of last year, when large-scale protests engulfed the Valley following the killing of Burhan Wani.

(With inputs from Kamaljit Sandhu)

Also read

Burhan Wani aide trapped in encounter with forces, Section 144 imposed in Tral

WATCH | Tral encounter: 3 terrorists killed, Hizbul commander Sabzar Bhat trapped

--- ENDS ---
T ony Blair has denied claims he discussed working for Donald Trump during a secret meeting at the White House.

The former Prime Minister met the US presidents son-in-law and key adviser Jared Kushner at the White House last week, according to the Mail on Sunday.

It was claimed by the newspaper that Mr Blair was seeking to become the presidents Middle East peace envoy and had met Mr Kushner three times since September.

But a spokesman for Mr Blair said the story was an "invention" and that he had made no such "pitch" to the White House.

"Mr Blair has made no such 'pitch' to be the president's Middle East envoy," the spokesman said.

"Neither has he had any discussions about taking such a role or any role working for the new president.

"He has been working on the peace process for 10 years. He continues to do so. He does so in a private capacity.

"He will continue to do it in that way. Period."

Mr Blairs spokesman had earlier refused to be drawn on the claims, saying: Im not going to comment on private conversations."

Donald Trump: We are fighting the phoney, fake news

After leaving Downing Street, the former Labour leader took the role of Middle East envoy for the EU, US, Russia and the UN.

He stepped down from the position in 2015 after almost eight years in the role.

Following Mr Trump's victory in the election, Mr Blair admitted that the result was an "earthquake" but that his success was a "reality" that politicians in the West had to come to terms with.

After Prime Minister Theresa May invited the new president to make a controversial state visit to the UK, he said he did not criticise her for "reaching out" and that it was important that the two leaders built a strong relationship.
The Tral encounter has exposed important facets of the modus operandi of terrorists

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: The Tral encounter has exposed important facets of the modus operandi of terrorists, who are trying to channel Over Ground Workers (OGW) to take on security forces.

A top Jammu and Kashmir police officer told India Today that terrorists were trying to create a smokescreen, and incite locals to target forces during operations.

Rumour mills were generated by militant sympathisers and OGW, to make people believe that former Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Sabzar Bhat was one of the two terrorists trapped, he said.

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The terrorists' agenda was to get locals to pelt security personnel with stones.

ENCOUNTER IN BURHAN WANI'S HOMETOWN

Top HM Commander Aqib Maulvi was killed on Sunday morning along with Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorist Osama in Tral area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district. Tral is infamous for being the hometown of Hizbul Mujahideen poster boy Burhan Wani, who was killed in an encounter with security forces last year.

Aqib is being named as an A-category militant.

A Special Operation Group (SOG) policeman - identified as Manzoor Ahmad Naik - was martyred. Several security personnel, including an army major, were injured in the encounter.

The counter-terror operation also exposes a tie-up between different terrorist groups: in this case, the nexus of the HM and the JeM in the region to take on security forces in valley.

Both terrorists killed today were holed up in a residential area. The house was partially blown up with a powerful IED to neutralise them.

SECURITY FORCES FACE RESISTANCE

J&K police sources said messages saying top HM commander Sabzar was trapped by heavy firing, and requesting the people of Tral to come out and counter forces, were doing the rounds on social media.

A top source further said "We knew that a smokescreen was being created. Mobile network was put off to prevent rumour-mongering."

The news also generated huge speculation on Facebook platforms. Sabzar was appointed the Commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen after the killing of Burhan Wani. However, within days, Zakir Musa replaced Sabzar as the new commander.

As the result of the smokescreen, the forces initially faced resistance as they marched towards the encounter site to cordon the village. They encountered severe stone-pelting at several places.

One miscreant hit an Assistant Sub-inspector and snatched his weapon, before disappearing into the crowd. A separate operation is on to recover the weapon.

The CRPF called in reinforcements, and the protest was eventually quelled. Section 144 was ordered.

A top officer in CRPF told India today " Security forces were stopped by civilians. Resistance was shown. We had to rush in reinforcements. An ASI of CRPF was injured, and his weapon snatched by the belligerent crowd. CRPF launched a separate operation to recover the weapon."

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ALSO READ | Kashmir encounter: 2 militants, 1 policeman killed

ALSO WATCH | J-K: Fierce gunbattle between militants, security forces in Tral

--- ENDS ---
"As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any US citizen," said Obama's spokesperson.

By Indo-Asian News Service: US President Donald Trump's accusation that his predecessor Barack Obama had his "wires tapped" in Trump Tower before Election Day is "simply false", Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said on Saturday.

"A cardinal rule of the Obama Administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice," Xinhua news agency quoted Lewis as saying in a statement.

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"As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any US citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false," said Lewis.

OBAMA WIRETAPPED TRUMP TOWER: TRUMP

Trump claimed in a tweet storm on Saturday morning that Obama had wiretapped Trump Tower before his election victory, but offered no evidence.

Trump said: "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!"

He also called Obama a "bad, or sick, guy".

"Is it legal for a sitting President to be 'wiretapping' a race for President prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!" Trump added in subsequent tweets.

"I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!"

The President then compared the alleged surveillance of his communications to Watergate -- the scandal in the early 1970s that brought down Republican President Richard Nixon after he ordered a break-in of the Democrats' Washington headquarters.TRUMP HAS NO EVIDENCE TO HIS CLAIMS

However, Trump did not immediately provide evidence that Obama was responsible for surveillance on his property, the Hill newspaper reported.

Moments earlier, Trump had also linked Obama to Attorney General Jeff Sessions's meetings last year with Russia's ambassador to Washington.

"The first meeting Jeff Sessions had with the Russian Amb was set up by the Obama Administration under education programme for 100 Ambs," he tweeted.

Sessions on Thursday said he would recuse himself from any investigations into Russia's links to Trump's team, after massive outrage over the revelations that he met Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice during the campaign, then denied doing so during his confirmation hearings.

Trump also blasted Obama for meeting Kislyak 22 times and tweeted: "Just out: The same Russian Ambassador that met Jeff Sessions visited the Obama White House 22 times, and 4 times last year alone."

Trump's team has sought to push back on accusations of ties with Russia by pointing out instances of Democrats meeting Kislyak, according to the report.

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Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was ousted last month after revelations that he misled top White House officials about the nature of his conversations with Kislyak.Also Read

Trump administration seeks sharp budget cut to climate agency

Trump administration might separate mothers, children at Mexico border

From the magazine: How to deal with Trump

Donald Trump lashes out at FBI for failing to stop leaks to media

--- ENDS ---
Addressing a huge gathering in Varanasi, Prime Minister Modi said he believed in "sabka saath, sabka vikaas", but Congress, SP and BSP have different culture of politics that says 'kuch ka saath, kuch ka vikas'.

By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the ruling Samajwadi Party, Congress and BSP for having a different culture of politics that says 'kuch ka saath, kuch ka vikas'.

Addressing a huge rally in Varanasi, Prime Minister Modi said, "Our motto is sabka sath sabka vikas, but Congress, SP, BSP have different culture of politics that says kuch ka saath kuch ka vikas."

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Modi, who started his speech quoting Mark Twain said Benaras is older than history and older than tradition, criticised the successive state governments for not doing anything to develop Poorvanchal.

Our motto is sabka sath sabka vikas, but Cong, SP & BSP have different culture of politics that says kuch ka saath kuch ka vikas: PM pic.twitter.com/E6fDPPYfJw ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 5, 2017

He said his government is ready to provide funds for the development of the region, but the state government must be able to properly utilise it. PM Modi also added that the state would become the number one state in the country only if Poorvanchal is developed.

Complete makeover of Banaras

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Banaras needs a complete, modern makeover and that it is his dream to achieve that.

"Earlier, governments did only tidbits (of development work) for Banaras with an eye on short-term electoral gains. But, these tidbits won't help Banaras. The city needs a complete, modern makeover and it is my dream to turn this city into a modern world-class city," Modi said.

He said that if earlier governments had given proper attention, Kashi could have become an attraction for the world.

"People would have yearned to visit Banaras at least once," he added.

PM Modi accused the Akhilesh government of misrule and said Uttar Pradesh needs a corruption-free government for growth.

"My rivals are afraid of carrying out development work, because they believe Modi will take the credit," PM Modi said.

Modi went on to say that SP, BSP and Congress have always spoken against another, criticised each other, have been involved in 'tu-tu mein-mein,' but they all banded together on a single issue.

"When I came on air on November 8 (the day demonetisation was announced), they all came together. But they came together, because they were all in the same sinking ship," he said.

Talking about surgical strikes, Modi said the Opposition parties do not even trust our jawans.

"Our opponents that they want proof of surgical strikes. They dont even trust their Army jawans. They ask so many from other side of the borders were killed. How come nobody from our side died," he said.

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While on OROP, he said he wanted to pass the one-rank-one-pension proposal within six months of taking power, but once he took office, he realised there were no records on the proposal.

Polling in Varanasi will be held in the last phase of the UP Assembly election on March 8.

WATCH THE VIDEO:

Also read: Will Uttar Pradesh have hung Assembly: What trends suggest since Modi became PM

Is Shatrughan Sinha's dig at hardly working leaders an attack on 'hardworking' Modi?

Uttar Pradesh election: Modi invokes Mark Twain in Varanasi, says Benaras older than history

--- ENDS ---
I am 63 years old. If I take care of myself, it isnt unreasonable to think I could live another 20 years. In three or four years, Ill be looking at retirement. Lets say, after doing the math, it looks to me I would be more comfortable if I had just an extra $5 a day when I retire.

So with granddaughter Maddie in hand, I head to my local bank. I explain my $5 problem, and ask my banker for a loan, a small one, just $5 a day which amounts to about $1,800 a year.

My banker looks over my paperwork and seems willing to loan the money. The banker asks, So, Greg, how do you intend to pay this loan off?

I say, I cant. Thats why I am here. I need that extra $5 a day to live on. The banker looks puzzled until I say, But I have a co-signer who will pay it off when I die.

Who is that? the banker asks.

Well, it is Maddie, I say. I brought her with me. Maddie, say hello to my banker.

The banker smiles and lets Maddie take a Hersheys Kiss out of a small crystal bowl on the desk.

I say, Maddie is six years old, just had her birthday in January, and she loves her PopPop, so I know when I am gone one day, she will pay you back.

Maddie chimed in, I have $7! Five from my grandma she gave me on Valentines Day and two more from the Tooth Fairy! But I am saving all that money for when we go to Great Wolf Lodge!

The banker had seen enough. Knowing I was digging a hole I could never climb out of, the answer was no. The banker said I was foolish to think a six year old could or should ever be expected to co-sign for a debt I could never pay.

OK, so I made that story up. You already knew that, yet this happens every single minute of every single day for every single American, and yet, we the people seem completely disengaged with this pending crisis.

Our national debt is right at $20 trillion dollars. We currently borrow one million dollars a minute to run our country, and like me (in my fabricated story), we have no plans to pay this money back. Instead we just pass it along to our grandchildren, knowing they will be paying for their own government, and will never be able to pay for theirs and ours!

So, how much is $20 trillion? Well, it is too big to describe, but if every American paid $1 a day toward the national debt, which would be around $300 million a day we would be paying off, it would take over 200 years to get it to zero! And thats at $300 million a day, and with no interest payments!

Why is there no conversation in Washington about this? Because there are no answers in Washington. Over the years I have asked that question to Mike Johanns, Ben Nelson, Chuck Hagel, Deb Fischer and Adrian Smith. Control spending, improve the economy they say, but really, they dont have the answer, yet every day we borrow another billion and a half dollars to pay Americas bills.

So how many zeros are in $20 trillion dollars? The answer is 535 zeros. Four hundred thirty-five of them serve in the House of Representatives and another 100 serve in the United States Senate.

I am mad at every one of them for allowing this insanity to go on. Why did I want to borrow $5 a day in my homespun story above? That is exactly the amount the government borrows on your behalf every day. Your share of the national debt will increase $5 today and another $5 tomorrow. We  you and I  will pass that debt on to Maddie, a six year old who has $7 she is saving for herself.

There is no end in sight, because the 535 zeros in Washington have no vision as they look out only as far as the next election, staying busy trying to gain or regain political power for their party, and both parties share in this financial insubordination. The Democrats love to spend and worry little about the debt. The Republicans love to talk about smaller government and balanced budgets, but do nothing to make it happen.

So, do I have a right to be mad at the 535 zeros in Washington because they are financially mistreating my granddaughter Maddie? (My banker knew that was a crazy idea, so why cant Washington get it?)

Would like to hear your views. Greg.awtry@starherald.com
After grand response from the residents of Varanasi yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held another roadshow today as Uttar Pradesh gears for the last phase of Assembly election. Modi also addressed a rally in the city to launch a scathing attack on the SP and Congress.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Sunday roadshow in Varanasi (PTI photo)

By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed his might in his own parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, which will vote on March 8, yesterday with a massive roadshow.

However, questions were raised over the show of strength with the Congress moving the Election Commission.

The Congress complained that Modi's roadshow was held without necessary permission from the Varanasi administration.

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The Election Commission has even sought a reply from the District Magistrate of Varanasi regarding Modi's roadshow.

The BJP today said that yesterday's event was not an official roadshow of PM Modi, who was on his way to Kashi Vishwanath temple and Kaal Bhairav temple while people just joined him on his way.

Modi's roadshow today started from Police Line and ended at MG Kashi Vidyapeeth, where the Prime Minister addressed an election rally.

HERE ARE THE UPDATES FROM THE DAY:

An archaeological survey may one need to be carried out to discover if there ever was a Congress party in India, Modi says.

My vision is clear: There should be no shortfall in irrigation for farmers, education for the children, income for the youth and in healthcare for the elderly.

The Centre is ready to provide the money for development, but the Uttar Pradesh's SP government refused to take our help, Modi says.

When tourists come to the city, he says, everyone from tea shop owner to the hotel owner benefits.

Modi is focusing heavily on bringing tourism to Varanasi and improving the city's tourism infrastructure.

Modi reiterates his promise from yesterday, says he wants to bring 24x7 electricity to Varanasi.

On OROP, Modi says I wanted to pass the one-rank-one-pension proposal within six months of taking power. However, once I took office, he adds, I released there were no records on the proposal.

Yet there were people who questioned the strikes, they wanted proof about the attack, they questioned how such a strike could be carried without a single casualty on our side, Modi says, adding, are these the kind of questions that should be asked?

But the attack was so strong,the PM continues, that the enemy had to answer.

Now talking about surgical strikes, Modi says Indian jawans went to the jaws of death, but they wanted to destroy the enemies of India.

Modi targets UPA, talks about the various scams allegedly perpetrated under the Manmohan Singh government.

The honest have nothing to fear, but those who have looted the country will not be spared, Modi continues.

Modi goes on to say, SP, BSP and Congress have always spoken against another, criticised each other, have been involved in 'tu-tu mein-mein,' but they all banded together on a single issue. When I came on air on November 8 (the day demonetisation was announced), they all came together. But they came together, because they were all in the same sinking ship.

Continuing his attack on the SP, Modi says Uttar Pradesh has a lot of potential, but doesn't have the right government.

I dream of bringing Varanasi and Purvanchal on par with western cities, Modi says.

I believe in "sabka saath, sabka vikaas", Modi says. But, he continues, SP follows the slogan "sabka saath, kuchka vikaas."

My rivals are afraid of carrying out development work, because they believe Modi will take the credit, the prime minister tells the crowd.

'Our Benaras is older than history, older than tradition,' Modi says, quoting Mark Twain.

'I can't thank the people of Varanasi enough, you have broke yesterday's record,' Modi tells the gathering.

Begins rally address by naming local BJP leaders from Varanasi who are contesting in the UP polls and those who have been involved in the party's campaign.

Prajapati is a UP minister, who has been underground for the past week. A non-bailable warrant has been issued against him and questions are being raised over why he is still a minister in the Akhilesh Yadav government.

Keshav Prasad Maurya addresses the rally, criticising the Samajwadi Party-led Uttar Pradesh government over the Gayatri Prajapati issue.

PM Modi arrives on stage as his rally at the Vidyapith begins.

Modi's roadshow reaches its end point at Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith. The prime minister will address a rally here shortly.

Rivals, meanwhile, are continuing to take potshots at Modi and the Varanasi event. Congress's Ajoy Kumar, commenting on the prime minister's plan to stay overnight in the temple city, said it shows the restlessness of Modi and the BJP. "But (the roadshow) won't help," Kumar added.

The cavalcade has crossed over half of the distance Modi plans to cover. It has reached Teliabagh.

The roadshow has now reached Chaukaghat, the third major spot along the five-kilometer route.

"PM Modi's road show in Varanasi is a violation of MCC (Model Code of Conduct) and will affect free & fair polls; EC must take appropriate action in this regard," Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati said.

First it was Congress, which opposed Modi's Saturday event. Now the BSP has come out in criticism against the ongoing roadshow.

As PM Modi's road show proceeds through Varanasi, crowds shout, "Har-har Modi, ghar-ghar Modi".

The prime minister's cavalcade has entered Hukulganj.

"Ek roadshow kiya, wo fail ho gaya... Ek aur karne ja rahe hain, wo bhi fail hoga, phir ek aur karenge... Ab roadshow karte karte kahin aur nikal jayenge... (A roadshow was done... it failed. He is doing one more... it will also fail and then again a roadshow will be held...Now he will go somewhere else by doing his roadshow)," Yadav said at a rally in Sonebhadra .

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, meanwhile, took a swipe at the roadshow, saying it is bound to fail.

Having crossed Pandeypur Chauraha, Modi is now making his way to Hukulganj.

Modi can be seen waving at the crowds and even throwing flower petals at them.

The prime minister is being protected by at least three security rings. The outer ring is manned by local policemen while SPG personnel are providing close proximity security.

In scenes reminiscent from Saturday, supporters lining the cavalcade's path can be heard chanting 'Modi, Modi'.

Prime Minister Modi has begun his roadshow, even as reports come in that the event has caused a massive traffic jam in the temple city.

Click here to Enlarge Supporters line the streets of Varanasi (ANI photo)

"Ye kisi kisam ki desperation ka bhi sanket deta hai. Ye kaisa desperation hai? (The roadshow is also an indication of a kind of desperation. What kind of desperation is this?" Sinha commented.

BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha, who earlier slammed star campaigners in cryptic tweets , has taken another dig, this time directly targeting Modi's Varanasi show of strength.

The roadshow was supposed to begin at 2pm, but Modi is running a full two hours late.

Modi's cavalcade, surrounded by safari suit-clad SPG men, is making its way to the starting point of the roadshow.

A number of local BJP leaders greeted Modi at the helipad and presented him with bouquets.

Modi has landed at the Police Lines helipad in Varanasi.

PM Modi is scheduled to cover around five kilometers in over four hours.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshow route.

--- ENDS ---
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Updated at 5:11 a.m. Monday

PARIS  General Motors is selling its unprofitable European car business to the French maker of Peugeot, marking the American company's retreat from a major market and raising concerns of job cuts in the region.

With the 2.2 billion euro ($2.33 billion) deal announced Monday, GM is giving up brands  Opel in Germany and Vauxhall in Britain  that have given it a foothold in the world's third-largest auto market since the 1920s. They have not, however, made a combined profit in 18 years despite multiple turnaround efforts.

For the once-struggling PSA Group, which makes Peugeot and Citroen cars and has just recently reshaped its own business, the acquisition will turn it into Europe's No. 2 automaker after Volkswagen.

Carlos Tavares, the CEO of PSA, said the deal was "a game-changer for PSA."

GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra said it was a "win" for both sides. "This was a difficult decision for General Motors but we are united in belief that it is the right one," she told reporters in Paris.

Britain's vote to leave the European Union, which caused a plunge in the pound, weighed on the decision. "Without Brexit, we would have reached the breakeven goal" at last in 2016 for the European business, Barra said.

PSA will join with French bank BNP Paribas in the purchase, which foresees taking over 12 manufacturing facilities that employ about 40,000 people, according to a joint statement by the companies.

Executives insisted that no job cuts are currently foreseen, and that PSA will respect all existing agreements with workers.

General Motors Co. will keep its manufacturing center in Turin, Italy. GM and PSA will continue to collaborate on electric car technologies and maintain existing supply agreements on some Buick models.

Shares in PSA were up 3.4 percent at 19.46 euros, suggesting investors find the terms of the deal broadly advantageous for the French company.

The purchase marks a major turnaround for PSA, bailed out just three years ago by Chinese investors and the French state. CEO Tavares, recalling PSA's "near-death experience," said he hopes to parlay his success to similar savings at Opel, cutting costs through scale and better use of factory capacity.

For GM, the agreement indicates that Barra decided to focus on profits over market share.

Asked whether the arrival of the Trump administration played a role in GM's decision to sell, Barra said GM looked at "the changing landscape from a regulatory, a geopolitical and customer preference standpoint" before making a decision.

GM could redirect the money it has been spending in Europe toward new products and services, such as self-driving cars and ride-hailing services, as well as pension obligations and an ongoing share buyback program.

Western Europe is the No. 3 auto sales market, behind China and the U.S. Opel and Vauxhall last year sold just under 1.2 million vehicles, amounting to only 5.6 percent of the market, according to GM. GM has recently shown a willingness to pull out of unprofitable regions  it abandoned Russia in 2015 as that country's economy fell into recession.

The deal, subject to regulatory approval, is expected to be completed at the end of this year.

The move will see PSA make 5 million cars a year and would give it access to technology and a larger scale to spread out engineering and other costs. The companies said they expect annual savings of 1.7 billion euros by 2026  and Tavares repeatedly insisted that those savings would not necessarily depend on job cuts.

Amid uncertainty over Brexit, Vauxhall appears most vulnerable, and its 4,500 jobs.

The leader of the Unite union in Britain said in a statement Monday it will focus on trying to persuade the new management that it makes sense to continue "building in Britain."

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey insisted there is a role for government as well, as "the uncertainty caused by Brexit is harming the U.K. auto sector."

Factory closures are a concern in Germany as well, especially in an election year.

German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries and the governors of three German states said in a statement Monday that PSA made a series of commitments regarding "locations, employment and investments."

PSA executives held talks with unions before finalizing the deal, and a council representing Opel workers said Monday that it obtained guarantees for factories and jobs.

The price for Opel is relatively small because of a big pension contribution for Opel's underfunded plan. GM, which may take a 4.5 billion euro writedown on the deal, will keep most pension plans.

Krisher reported from Detroit. Danica Kirka in London and Kristen Grieshaber in Berlin contributed.

_________________________

Our previous story, from Reuters, posted at 6:04 p.m. Saturday

PARIS and LONDON  France's PSA Group is set to announce a deal to buy Opel from General Motors on Monday after striking an agreement with the U.S. carmaker and winning the blessing of its board for the acquisition.

The maker of Peugeot, Citroen and DS cars said on Saturday it would hold an early Monday press conference with GM, at which the transaction is expected to be presented after Reuters reported that a deal had been struck between the two automakers.

By acquiring Opel, the French group will leapfrog rival Renault to become Europe's second-ranked carmaker after Volkswagen by market share. Between them, PSA and GM Europe recorded 71.6 billion euros ($76 billion) in revenue and 4.3 million vehicle deliveries last year.

The tie-up was approved on Friday by the PSA supervisory board, on which the French government, Peugeot family and China's Dongfeng are represented as shareholders, one source with knowledge of the matter said.

Spokespeople for PSA and Opel declined further comment.

The two carmakers, which already share some production in an existing European alliance, confirmed last month they were negotiating an outright acquisition of Opel and its British Vauxhall brand by Paris-based PSA, sparking widespread concern over possible job cuts.

In their jointly issued invitation to a Paris press conference at 0815 GMT on Monday, PSA and GM gave no indication of its subject. Separate briefings for the German press and Opel unions are expected to be held the same day.

Sources close to the talks had reported progress on Thursday after the carmakers narrowed differences on a near-$10 billion Opel pension deficit and other issues. GM's European arm recently posted a 16th consecutive year of losses.

The negotiations had encountered problems over GM demands that a PSA-owned Opel be barred from competing against its own Chevrolet lineup in markets including China, they said.

But the "non-compete" issues were finally resolved as GM agreed to inject "substantially more" into the pensions than the $1 billion to $2 billion it had initially offered, another person said. The sources declined to give further details.

Detroit-based GM, which came close to selling Opel to Magna in 2009, has faced investor pressure to offload its struggling European arm and focus on raising profitability rather than chase the global sales crown currently held by VW.

After fending off 2015 merger overtures by Fiat Chrysler with support from her board, GM Chief Executive Mary Barra agreed to target a 20 percent minimum return on invested capital and pay out more cash to shareholders.

For PSA, the Opel deal caps a stellar two-year recovery under cost-cutting CEO Carlos Tavares, who said on Feb. 23 he would apply the same methods to Opel if the deal went through. PSA averted bankruptcy by selling 14 percent stakes to France and Dongfeng in 2014, to match a diluted Peugeot family holding.

The acquisition offered an "opportunity to create a European car champion" and quickly exceed 5 million annual vehicle sales, Tavares told analysts as he presented full-year earnings. PSA also expects savings of up to 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) from the tie-up, sources have said.

Tavares also told his board that PSA would redevelop the Opel lineup with its own technologies to achieve rapid savings, according to people with knowledge of the matter. ($1 = 0.9416 euros)

Additional reporting by Edward Taylor in Frankfurt.

___________________________

Our earlier story, from Reuters, posted at 12:51 p.m. Friday

PARIS  France's PSA Group struck a deal with General Motors to buy the U.S. carmaker's loss-making Opel division, two sources with knowledge of the matter said.

The board of PSA, maker of Peugeot and Citroen cars, approved the deal on Friday with an announcement planned for Monday, one of the sources said.

Spokespeople for PSA and Opel declined to comment.

The two carmakers, which already share some production in an existing European alliance, confirmed last month they were negotiating an outright acquisition of Opel and its British Vauxhall brand by Paris-based PSA, sparking widespread concern over possible job cuts.

Earlier on Friday, Opel managers had adjourned a town hall meeting with workers until Monday morning, saying they could not yet discuss details of the planned acquisition.

PSA boss Carlos Tavares said last week a full acquisition of Opel offered an "opportunity to create a European car champion" and quickly exceed 5 million annual vehicle sales. The French carmaker also expects savings of up to 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) from the tie-up, sources have said.

Additional reporting by Edward Taylor in Frankfurt.
UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has taken a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's back-to-back roadshows in Varanasi. Akhilesh has called these roadshows failures.

By Press Trust of India: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today sought to ridicule Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshows saying they all are bound to fail like the earlier ones and would stray the PM "somewhere else."

"Ek roadshow kiya, wo fail ho gaya... Ek aur karne ja rahe hain, wo bhi fail hoga, phir ek aur karenge... Ab roadshow karte karte kahin aur nikal jayenge... (A roadshow was done... it failed. He is doing one more... it will also fail and then again a roadshow will be held...Now he will go somewhere else by doing his roadshow)," said Akhilehsh while addressing a poll rally at Sonebhadra.

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Akhilesh was referring to PM Modi's roadshow in Varanasi yesterday and the one which was to be held today. The BJP has said the one held yesterday was not a roadshow and the PM had gone for a "darshan" in Kashi Vishwanath and other temples.

WHAT ELSE AKHILESH SAID: THINGS TO KNOW Attacking BJP, SP chief Akhilesh said despite his open challenge to the PM to enlist his three years' work done for UP, he is yet to divulge them. "People of the state had given the BJP maximum MPs. Which big work have they (BJP) done for you people? They formed their government and got their PM by showing dreams to the people but the people got nothing in return," Akhilesh said. On demonetisation, Akhilesh said it ruined the entire country and forced the people to stand in queue. "I want to know from the PM, how many capitalists are 'pareshan' (perturbed) with him. You do 'Man ki baat" on radio and TV but when will you do the 'kaam ki baat'," he asked. "You (PM) have visited the entire world, but what have you got for the people here," Akhilesh added. Attacking the BSP, Akhilesh said, "Though she is my 'bua' (paternal aunt), she is adept at celebrating rakshabandan with the BJP and cautioned people to beware of her party." "In her (Mayawati's) over one-and-a-half-hour speech, people used to sleep in their chairs. She is saying she would not build memorials and parks and do the development work... who will trust her... She has installed her own statues while still being alive," Akhilesh Yadav said. On the SP alliance with the Congress, Akhilesh said, "It is the alliance of two youths. It will change the politics of the state and the country. I have forged strong friendship (with the Congress), you all help its candidates also".

--- ENDS ---
The Romeros  variously known as Los Romeros, the Romero Guitar Quartet and, unofficially, as The Royal Family of the Guitar  have been a classical music institution since 1960. Thats when Celedonio Romero, a 1957 immigrant to the United States from Francos Spain, founded the ensemble with his then-teenage sons Celin, Pepe and Angel.

Angel left the quartet in 1990; Celins son Celino took his place. When Celedonio died in 1996, he was replaced by Angels son Lito. Thats three generations in what is, in a sense, the family business.

On Saturday night the Romeros drew a big crowd to the main auditorium of Washington Universitys 560 Music Center, as they made their seventh appearance since 1984 under the auspices of the St. Louis Classical Guitar Society.

There was some confusion with the printed program, which required constant verbal revision as the concert progressed. (From what was said from the stage, its a problem theyve been having a lot recently.) Perhaps that was a factor in what was, overall, an uneven performance.

The Romeros started with a seamless performance of the Preludio from Ruperto Chapi y Lorentes 1897 zarzuela La Revoltosa. Next, Pepe played a pair of delicate solo works, Arroyos de la Alhambra, by Angel Barrios (1882-1964) and Joaquin Turinas beautiful Fantasia Sevillana, with elegant finesse.

The three others then returned to the stage for what should have been a showpiece, a suite from Georges Bizets Carmen. It was unaccountably messy, with missing notes and clinkers marring the performance.

That led to the conclusion of the first half, the Introduction and Fandango from Luigi Boccherinis Quintet No. 4 in D major for Guitar and Strings, as arranged by Pepe. It was well-played, if lacking some of the spirit the piece demands.

The second half was more successful, as if their collective energy was restored during the intermission. It opened with the full quartet in two pieces by Manuel de Falla, also arranged by Pepe, the Millers Dance from The Three-Cornered Hat and the Danza espanola No. 1 from La Vida Breve, both spirited and engaging.

Celin took a solo turn next, with the Preludios No. 3 and No. 1 by Heitor Villa-Lobos.

Then Celino played his grandfather Celidonios Fantasia cubana, in a highly satisfying rendition that showed off his technique. Celino and Lito shared the spotlight brilliantly for Enrique Granados Danza espanola No. 2, arranged by Pepe.
Toyota's newest sedan has had more names than a small-town phone book.

The 2017 Yaris iA began life as the 2015 Mazda2. However, when that new 2 debuted in late 2014, Mazda decided not to sell it in the U.S. So, Toyota said (I'm paraphrasing here), "Hey Mazda, if you're not going to sell it stateside, can we?" And Mazda said, "Sure!"

So, for the 2016 model year, the Mazda2 that was sold here in the states got a different grille and a different name: Scion iA.

But wait!

About 20 minutes later, Toyota decided to euthanize the entire Scion brand, announcing in February 2016 that Scion, alas, would be going the way of the rotary dial phone. That created an awkward situation.

Toyota had a deal with Mazda to sell the Mazda2 stateside as the Scion iA, but no longer had a Scion brand with which to sell it. Complicating matters further, Toyota already had a sub-compact car: the Yaris.

Problem: What to do with the Scion iA.

Solution: Rename it again.

Meet the 2017 Toyota Yaris iA, which, in fact, shares no DNA whatsoever with the Toyota Yaris hatchback. The hatch really is a Toyota. Yaris iA is a rebadged Mazda2.

Ahhh, but as Shakespeare said, "a Mazda by any other name would still drive as sweet." (If Bill wants to squawk at me for misquoting him, tell him to get in line.)

Although iA accelerates leisurely  nearly 9 seconds to 60 mph with its 106-hp, 1.5-liter, naturally aspirated four  everything else is right: point-and-shoot steering, sharp handling, civilized ride, surprisingly quiet cabin. iA drives like the Mazda it is. That is to say, very well.

It's also well equipped. For $16,815, every iA includes air, rear-view camera, low-speed forward-collision warning with auto braking, cruise, power locks, mirrors and windows, Bluetooth, USB and auxiliary audio inputs and smartphone-compatible 7-inch display with Pandora, Aha and Stitcher. Navigation is a dealer-installed option.

The only factory option is a $1,100 six-speed automatic. It's excellent but, having sampled both, we prefer the six-speed manual. It boasts a silky shifter while providing more engine-rev control, not to mention more fun. In 125 miles, more highway than surface streets, we got 38 mpg.

Inside, decor is attractive and the infotainment screen is easy to use via a center-console knob and a few buttons. Interestingly, the display's touch-screen functions are inoperable when the vehicle is in motion, so make friends with the knob.

Room is fine up front, leg room close in back.

iA's big-mouth grille is a matter of taste, to be sure, but those seeking a sharp-handling, high-mileage, well-equipped new car for the price of a used car won't do better than this Mazda ... uh, we mean Scion ... uh, we mean Toyota Yaris iA.

Dan Wiese is a freelance automotive writer. He is a regular contributor to the Post-Dispatch and to AAA Midwest Traveler magazine's online Web Bonus. You can email him at drivingwithdan@gmail.com
Tipsy Goat

Bakers  Emily Lamb and Mallory Newbern

Ages  Lamb, 23 and Newbern, 25

Family  Lamb lives with her boyfriend Matt Pieroni and dog Winston, a Lancashire heeler; Newbern lives with her fiance Clayton Stewart and dog Dexter, a boxer mix

Homes  Tower Grove and Florissant

What they make  A delicious assortment of macarons made with locally sourced ingredients, including some Missouri wines and beers.

How to buy  Order for $2 apiece at tipsygoatstl.com or at select venues including Tower Grove Farmers Market and a special St. Patricks Day pop-up on March 18 at Carondelet Bakery, 7726 Virginia Avenue, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Drunk goats?  We both liked goats, and we both liked wine, said Mallory Newbern. Yeah, maybe because theyre kind of like dogs, said Emily Lamb. Wait, wait  I dont know if there really is a reason. This sounds crazy. Newbern agreed, but nonetheless for (perhaps alcohol-induced) reasons, the duo often joked about tipsy goats and then one day when they decided to launch a small baking company in June, Lamb said, It was just the obvious name. Fair enough.

Midwest macarons  Youd think that the bakers gravitated toward the French treat when they met at Forest Park Community College in their baking and pastry program. But the school didnt teach macaron-making. And they havent honed their skills at their day job, both work making baked goods for Baileys Restaurants in the commissary on South Grand. So why macarons? They look really pretty, like Easter eggs, and I think you can just focus on the flavor, Lamb said. She admits that the shells are temperamental, requiring precise temperatures in and outside of the oven to prevent cracking, but the results are worth the aggravation.

Signature macaron  The Tipsy Goat is made with semisweet chocolate ganache and Chambourcin wine from the Montelle Winery in Augusta. All of their eggs come from Lambs uncles farm, Collins Farm in Dittmer. Its really important to us that we get as much as we can from local farms. We want to support them as much as possible, Lamb and Newbern said finishing each others thoughts.

Masters of one  We wanted to get really good at one thing before we moved on to add other items, said Lamb. By day the women work making breads and pastries, as well as some pastas and ice creams, but Tipsy Goat is where they get to experiment. So far, they say the macaron is full of challenges. Among their favorites are their St. Louis salute to gooey butter cake and the Chubby Hubby made with semi-sweet chocolate ganache and Schlafly oatmeal stout, with a peanut butter center and pretzel crust on top. For St. Patricks Day expect to sample the Tipsy Leprechaun made with Baileys liqueur buttercream and Guinness chocolate ganache, that should be fun, Newbern said. Theyll have six varieties for the holiday including Missouri Blackberry, Lemon Cheesecake and Salted Caramel.
The estranged wife of former Vice President Joe Biden's youngest son, Hunter Biden, claims he squandered the couple's money on drugs, alcohol and prostitutes since the couple separated in 2015.

In a court filing last week, Kathleen Buhle Biden asked a Washington, D.C. judge to order Hunter Biden to stop spending the couple's remaining assets.

"Throughout the parties' separation, Mr. Biden has created financial concerns for the family by spending extravagantly on his own interests (including drugs, alcohol, prostitutes, strip clubs, and gifts for women with whom he has sexual relations) while leaving the family with no funds to pay legitimate bills," wrote Rebekah Sullivan, a lawyer for Kathleen.

The New York Post reported this week that Hunter Biden, 47, is dating Hallie Biden, 43, the widow of his late brother, former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, who died of brain cancer in May 2015. In a statement to the Post, Hunter Biden said the pair was "incredibly lucky" to have found love and support from one another during a difficult time.

Sarah Mancinelli, an attorney for Hunter Biden, declined to directly address the allegations.

"Hunter and Kathleen have been separated for some time and are in the process of finalizing a divorce," Mancinelli wrote in an email. "Hunter loves and admires Kathleen as a person, a mother, and a friend. He hopes their privacy can be respected at this time."

Kathleen Biden filed for divorce in December and is seeking sole custody of the couple's 16-year-old daughter, the youngest of their three children. A status hearing is scheduled for March 30.
Tucked away in a third-floor storage area in the Post-Dispatch building on Tucker Boulevard are 22 nondescript brown boxes containing more than 60,000 sheets of paper.

They are emails from the administration of former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt that came from a Sunshine Law request and subsequent lawsuit filed by this newspaper, the Associated Press and the Kansas City Star.

Last month, an editor and I went on a quest to find them.

The author and subject of many of the emails, former Blunt chief of staff Ed Martin, had applied to become a member of the Missouri Supreme Court and I wanted to peruse the old emails to find ones Martin had written about current Chief Justice Patricia Breckenridge.

On Thursday, I thought about the boxes of emails again because of two actions thousands of miles apart.

First, the California Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in a public records case that should have massive implications for public accountability in the digital age. The case involved a citizen who had filed a request for San Jose City Council members emails related to a development eight years ago. Officials refused to turn over records that had come from personal email accounts, even if they dealt with public business. The California court said they couldnt do that.

A city employees communications related to the conduct of public business do not cease to be public records just because they were sent or received using a personal account, Justice Carol A. Corrigan wrote for the court.

The lawsuit was filed just a few months after the state of Missouri delivered the Blunt emails to the Post-Dispatch. Thats how long the debate over government officials use of private email accounts has been going on.

In last years presidential election, of course, much ado was raised over Democrat Hillary Clintons use of private email as the Secretary of State. Republicans, including current Vice President Mike Pence, called for a full federal investigation of Clintons bypassing of public email accounts. Its no small irony, then, that the second email shoe to drop on Thursday involved Pence.

The Indianapolis Star uncovered that Pence, too, used a personal email account for public business while he was governor of Indiana. In the greater pantheon of email controversies, lets be clear: Because of the national security implications, Clintons use of private email as secretary of state is a much more serious matter than Pences use as a governor.

But when it comes to public accountability in the digital age, this is also true: neither political party has any high ground upon which to stand.

Any reporter who has covered politics for any amount of time knows that nearly every politician at every stage of government, from Board of Aldermen to the governors mansion, uses private email for some public business. We know this because reporters regularly communicate with politicians as sources using their private emails.

But when reporters  or citizens  seek information like that sought in the California case that is produced on private phones or campaign devices, public officials often put up road blocks to gathering the records.

This is bad for democracy.

The paper trail is often all citizens have after a governmental decision is made to be able to understand why their public officials acted a particular way, and if elected officials are allowed to hide behind private email accounts, then it limits transparency in government.

In Missouri, as in many states, the Sunshine Law hasnt kept up with technology. These days, thats tough to do. Reports out of Washington indicate some members of the administration of President Donald Trump have reverted to using phone apps in which texts disappear after they are sent, to protect themselves from leak investigations.

In the nearly nine years since the Blunt emails were delivered, government at the highest levels in Missouri has become much more secretive than it was then, both under Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, and now under the tightly protected administration of Gov. Eric Greitens, a Republican.

Todays email trail is even harder to track. It would behoove the cause of public accountability if lawmakers of both parties agreed to use the public email systems paid for by taxpayers, while also updating the laws meant to protect us from those who wont.
ST. LOUIS  Bessie Arnold said it was her sister, Doletha Hudson, 54, who was killed Friday morning by what police say was a hit-and-run driver.

Arnold, of Newport News, Va., said Hudson was walking to a bus stop when she was hit and killed. The driver did not stop, according to police.

"I know we all have to go someday but the thing that is getting to me is how she went," Arnold said. "I just think that was really really sad of what he did to her.

Images from the scene of death have circulated on social media. Arnold said her sister's body was dismembered.

Police said Friday afternoon that a suspect, 21, had been taken into custody. Police have not released his name or Hudson's. Arnold wants justice.

"I wonder how he would feel if someone did that to someone in his family," she said.

The death occurred on the 4200 block of Natural Bridge Avenue at about 11:50 a.m. Friday, St. Louis police said. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

The vehicle was later recovered in the 3000 block of Whittier Street.

Hudson, who was disabled, has three adult children and four grandchildren, according to her sister. She was the second-oldest sibling of nine children. Hudson has two brothers and two sisters who live in St. Louis. Hudson's two daughters live in Florida and her a disabled son lives in a group home in Ellisville, Miss.

"He's not going to understand that his mother is gone," Arnold said. Hudson took trips to the group home to see him periodically, she said.

Arnold said Hudson was displaced by Hurricane Katrina, which flooded her home. Arnold took her sister in after the flood.

"She was an all-around loving person," Arnold said. "She made a lot of friends in St. Louis."

Hudson's body will be transported back to Brookhaven, Miss., to be buried. The family has set up a GoFundMe campaign.

A witness to the accident, Adi Faras, 45, a manager at the M & A Market at 4231 Natural Bridge Avenue, said he saw the vehicle that struck the woman traveling at high speed.

He said he thought the woman killed was a customer of his.

Robert Adams, 54, of St. Louis, came upon the scene after the accident when police were roping off the area.

"It was awful and terrible," Adams said. "She was gone in an instant just crossing the street."

He said he couldn't shake what he saw.

A candlelight vigil will be held by family and the community on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at the corner of Natural Bridge Avenue and Labadie Avenue.

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story had an incorrect spelling of the victim's first name. The story has been updated.
Two brothers have been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the shootings of a St. Louis fire captain and his female passenger in Soulard early on Feb. 6.

Charges were filed Saturday against James Hartman, 23, of the 6000 block of Arsenal Street, and his brother, Ryan Hartman, 33, of the 10000 block of Lenor Drive in St. Louis. Each faces two counts of each charge. They are being held in the St. Louis Justice Center in lieu of $750,000 cash-only bail.

According to court documents, a man 30, a captain in the St. Louis Fire Department, and a woman, 26, were inside a parked vehicle in the 2500 block of South Seventh Street. A blue Infinity approached and the driver of the Infinity turned the lights off and continued to approach. The passenger of the Infinity then exited the car, approached the victims car and fired multiple shots. The woman was struck in the back. The man was injured in the hand, shoulder, knee and back. Both were taken to hospitals.

Cellular phone records, bank records and multiple surveillance videos were used to identify the Hartmans. Authorities did not reveal a motive.

The fire captain was released from a hospital after two days, according to Fire Department Capt. Garon Mosby. He is currently on personal leave while he recovers. There was no information on the condition of the woman.
A Belleville man was charged Saturday with stabbing a dog, whose body was discovered earlier this week by a city sewer worker.

Craig Smith Sr., 55, faces a felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals, according to the Belleville police Facebook page.

Police attributed Smith's arrest to the "outpouring of help from the community and the diligent efforts by detectives."

The dog was discovered Wednesday morning in a wooded area in the 400 block of Catawba Avenue, according to Belleville Police Capt. John Moody. It had been stabbed numerous times, and there was evidence of strangulation.

The female dog was a pit bull mix and was well fed, police said. She did not have a collar or a microchip, but her description appears to have helped police track down her accused killer.

The dog was black with white coloration under her chin, stomach area and paws. The nails on her paws were painted yellow and pink.
PORTLAND, Ore.  In the days after President Donald Trumps election, thousands of teenagers across the nation walked out of class in protest. Others rallied to his defense.

It was an unusual show of political engagement from future voters who may alter the nations political landscape in 2020  or even in 2018s midterm elections.

A new survey of children ages 13 to 17 conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research with the permission of their parents finds that U.S. teens are almost as politically disillusioned and pessimistic about the nations divisions as their parents. The difference? They arent quite as quick to write off the future.

Eight in 10 feel that Americans are divided when it comes to the nations most important values, and 6 in 10 say the country is headed in the wrong direction.

Nyles Adams, 14, of New York City, was in kindergarten when Barack Obama was sworn in as the nations first black president. Nyles, the grandson of Trinidadian immigrants, remembers watching the inauguration on TV and talking with his mother about the particular significance of Obamas election for Nyles black, immigrant family.

Now, with Trump as president, Nyles feels the countrys best days are behind it, and the nation will be worse off. Yet like 57 percent of his peers, he is still optimistic about the opportunity to achieve the American dream.

Sometimes it does get you down, but I try not to focus on it too much because I see myself as someone who despite all the odds that are against me, Im still going to prevail, Nyles said.

That youthful optimism is hard to crush. While rates vary by race, 56 percent of all teens surveyed believe the countrys best days are ahead, compared with the 52 percent of adults in an AP-NORC poll conducted in June 2016 who said the nations best days were behind it.

But as with adults, the poll reveals deep divisions along familiar lines.

Just a quarter of teens say they have a lot in common with people of different political views. Three in 4 already have a party preference, including 29 percent who say theyll be Democrats, 23 percent Republicans and 24 percent independent or another party. Less than one-third have a favorable impression of Trump, but only slightly more think well of Hillary Clinton.

Elijah Arredondo, a second-generation Mexican-American from La Habra, Calif., disliked both major party candidates but is now worried about his family under Trump.

His mother signed up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, which Trump has promised to dismantle and replace.

I feel like anyone can achieve the American dream, but for some people its a lot harder for them to do, so these things help people, he said.

Caroline Millsaps, 16, of Garner, N.C., describes herself as a liberal Democrat and says climate change and womens rights are her top political concerns. Last year, she took time away from her busy competitive dance schedule to attend two Bernie Sanders rallies with her mother.

Like 40 percent of teens surveyed, she feels she has a moderate amount in common with people of different political views.

I always watch Fox News to get a different perspective, and I have some friends who support Trump and so Ill ask them, What is your opinion on this? Caroline said. I try to see both sides of the situation and see which side fits my view best.

Caroline talks about politics daily with her parents, and that has strongly influenced her views.

Nearly 40 percent of teens surveyed said they did the same at least weekly and, like Caroline, those talks seem to sway them. A majority of respondents said they agreed with their parents political views most of the time. Only 3 percent disagree most of the time.

Sophie Svigel, 17, attends a private Christian school in Dallas and identifies herself as a conservative Republican. She talks to her Republican parents about politics and almost always agrees with them, but she is also heavily influenced by her faith-based school, she said.

I feel like a lot of the bad things that are going on are not really spoken of and are hidden, she said. I feel like the politicians and people in politics speak very vaguely about the problems that were facing.

That cynicism echoes in the AP-NORC poll. Just 16 percent of teens think the federal government is doing a good job promoting the well-being of all Americans, and not just special interests. Fewer than 2 in 10 teens surveyed think the federal government is doing a good job representing most Americans views.

Jessi Balcom, of Bend, Ore., has tried to fight that cynicism by pouring her energy into delivering food to homeless people and engaging in open-minded debate with those whose politics are different from hers. Nine in 10 teens say they have participated in civic activities such as volunteering or raising money for a cause.

Its not you versus me, its us versus the problem, and the problem isnt other people, said Jessi, 17, a Green Party supporter.

There are a lot of really big problems that we need to solve, but I think that getting angry is the worst thing that we can do, she said. It doesnt matter what side of politics theyre on, conservative or liberal. I dont want to hate anyone.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI) Capital markets watchdog SEBI may be among Indias most powerful regulators today but there was a time when people used to introduce its former chief U K Sinha as Chairman of SBI -- a similar sounding acronym but of State Bank of India. "At the start of my tenure at SEBI, people would introduce me as the chairperson of SBI, the State Bank of India (the country?s largest bank with a far flung branch network). Today, you go to a small village in India and they know SEBI," says Sinha, who retired as SEBI Chairman last week after a six-year tenure -- the second largest in nearly three decades of existence of the regulatory body. Sinhas remarks are part of a detailed case study on the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) done by Professor Suraj Srinivasan of the Harvard Business School.

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The study titled Securities Exchange Board of India: Developing and Regulating India?s Capital Markets has been done by Suraj along with research associate Radhika Kak.

According to the study, Sinha was reflecting on his past five years as the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) when he made these remarks. "It was February 2016 and he had just been appointed by the Government of India to a second term as the Chairman of SEBI," it noted.

While SEBI as a regulator has made significant strides over the past decade, it was during Sinhas tenure that its powers increased manifold including for bringing to book entities guilty of insider trading and fraudulent investment activities such as illicit collective investment schemes.

SEBIs tough actions against several large corporates even prompted some in recent years to call the regulator a dragon and of acting like an activist.

Days before demitting office, Sinha told a press conference that SEBI was justly "harsh" with those threatening the integrity of markets and he was not "shy" to say so. Regulators seem to have faced dilemma of being addressed differently mostly on account of lack of awareness about their roles. Some time back, officials had reminisced that there were occasions when people used to ask whether Competition Commission of India (CCI) was into conducting some kind of competitive examinations.

"As of end-March 2015, more than 900 resource persons had conducted a total of 24,000 workshops across the country.

Partly due to this program, SEBI came to be better recognised nationally," the study said. Sinha, a former IAS officer, also had the second longest tenure as SEBI Chairman after D R Mehta who served at the helm from 1995-2002. Sinhas last three predecessors had three-year tenures each and another senior officer Ajay Tyagi has taken over from him as the new SEBI Chairman with a three-year tenure. PTI RAM BJ MR

--- ENDS ---

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Serious question of constitutional morality and dignity arise on his remaining in the cabinet, Governor Ram Naik wrote in his letter to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

By Press Trust of India: Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik today shot a letter to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, seeking clarification on whether he "justifies" it to "retain" tainted minister Gayatri Prajapati in his cabinet.

"A non-bailable warrant has been issued against Prajapati after an FIR was registered against him in a rape case. Serious question of constitutional morality and dignity arise on his remaining in the cabinet", Governor said in a letter to CM seeking his "justification on retaining the minister".

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Naik said that as per media reports, a look-out notice has been issued against Prajapati fearing that he might flee the country and his passport has also been impounded.

"This is serious in nature with Prapatati being a cabinet minister", he added.

He said, it has also come to his notice that the chief minister himself has asked the minister to surrender but he has not done so till now and is absconding. There are apprehensions that he might have fled to some foreign country, he said.

The police are searching for the minister and are trying to arrest him, the governor said in his letter.

On Saturday, the passport of Prajapati, who is a senior UP government minister, was impounded and a look-out notice was issued against him, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Samajwadi Party-Congress of chanting "Gayatri Prajapati Mantra".

On the directives of the Supreme Court, UP Police has filed an FIR against Prajapati, a senior SP leader, in connection with separate cases of gangrape and an attempt to rape another woman and her minor daughter.

ALSO READ:

Gayatri Prajapati: BPL card holder till 2012, millionaire in 4 years, and now, gangrape accused

Airports across country put on alert for absconding rape-accused SP minister Gayatri Prajapati

Gangrape case: Non-bailable warrant issued against UP minister Gayatri Prajapati

Smriti Irani: Either Akhilesh is incompetent or he is protecting rape-accused minister Gayatri Prajapati

ALSO WATCH

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI) AAP will make Delhi look like London if voted to power in the upcoming municipal polls, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today, promising to clean up the national capital.

He claimed his two-year-old government has done what the BJP dispensation in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh failed to do in 10-15 years.

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"In the assembly polls you gave us 67 seats but this time do not leave any such gap. If we win the MCD polls, we will spruce up Delhi and make it look like London within a year," he said.

While campaigning for the upcoming MCD elections in Uttam Nagar, he sought to woo the residents of unauthorised colonies, places that lack basic amenities.

"We have also sent a proposal to the central government for regularisation of unauthorised colonies. The issue is pending before the Delhi High Court," Kejriwal said.

The AAP chief said his government delivered on the promises he made two years ago while campaigning for the Delhi Assembly polls.

Meanwhile, a few residents of the area led by former Congress MLA Mukesh Sharma showed black flag to Kejriwal during his public rally there.

People raised slogans against the Chief Minister and burnt his effigies, alleging the work which began four years ago was not yet completed.

Kejriwal retaliated, saying "the BJP governments is Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh failed to accomplish in 10-15 years what we have done in two years".

"We promised we would reduce power and water rates by half, we did it," he said.

Delhiites are only paying Rs 1,370 for 400 units of electricity, whereas in Gujarat it costs Rs 2,700. In Uttar Pradesh, it is Rs 2,600 for 400 units and people in Mumbai need to pay Rs 4,000 for the same, he added.

Appealing to people to vote for AAP in large numbers, he said, "We do not have money to contest election. You (public) have to help us. One person should tell 100 people to vote for the AAP. We have to clean Delhi.

"Give all 272 seats to AAP. You have seen the Congress and the BJP. Both are corrupt. Only AAP works for you."

In Delhi, there are three municipal bodies -- north, south and east corporations -- which will go to polls in April.

The BJP has been managing the civic bodies in the national capital. PTI PPS SBR GVS

--- ENDS ---

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A driver doing more than 200km/h on the Waikato Expressway was one of 11 drivers busted speeding on the highway.

Our Waikato roads can be safe but it is a challenge for us to keep them safe when we have speed statistics that just defy logic, says a post on the Waikato Police Facebook Page.

Speaking to one of our highway patrol staff, he tells me that he had clocked 11 drivers doing speeds in excess of 130 km/h.

The maximum speed clocked on the expressway was more than 200 km/h by a car travelling south to Hamilton.

This was a professional man in his late 30s from Auckland and while the officer was speaking to the driver his radar locked onto another car travelling in the opposite direction at a speed of 184 km/h.

A Huntly unit got that driver who was a forbidden driver so his car was impounded.

Both of these drivers are now suspended from driving for 28 days and will be facing hefty fines in court one day.

Come on drivers! These speeds lead to crashes which means injury and death. You dont want to be that person and you dont want us turning up at your family home with that sort of bad news.
There was one very miserable German backpacker weeping and there were two other women crying with joy. Feelings were running wild in a Tauranga CBD travel agency.

It was the saddest thing and the most beautiful thing, says Julie Commerer, who with her daughter Jess Bidois watched the whole drama unfold.

And it made me very, very proud to be a New Zealander.

And centre stage in this real-life drama was an emotional rock, a problem solving all-round nice person, Flight Centre consultant Julie Morgan-Hughes. Why did I do what I did? Why wouldnt you?

The sad and beautiful thing at Flight Centre in Devonport Rd played out like this.

This young German wandered up to my desk, says Julie Morgan-Hughes.

It was Johanna Schmidt, a 20-year-old backpacker from Kappeln in the very north of Germany on the Baltic Sea. Even Germans dont know its there. Shes joking and happy now. But it was a far cry last Saturday afternoon. She was weeping and carrying on, says Julie Morgan-Hughes.

She needed to get to Brisbane today, right now. I didnt know why her travel was so urgent. She was crying and I was trying to rebook her existing ticket, which was for a week out.

But 15 minutes into their discussion the German was inconsolable. I didnt want to upset her anymore, says Julie Morgan-Hughes. I thought someone may have died.

The Suns Julie Commerer says Julie Morgan-Hughes looked like a nice person, a listener. Because then the tourist just blurted it out.

She was desperately homesick, had been for three weeks, she missed her family and she needed to go homeright now. And she was also homeless. Johanna had been backpacking for five months on her own, five months through Australia and the last two weeks road-tripping between Napier, Gisborne, Taupo, Rotorua and Tauranga.

Brave, yes, says Julie. But there are a lot of nasty people out there and I wouldnt want my children doing it. Even though there are good people out there too  people like Julie.

That was my problem, says Johanna. No-one to lean on and rely on. A friend would have made it so much easier. And she was missing her family  her Mum and Dad and her brother and sister. Just the basics  like not having to wear shoes in the shower and Mums fresh cooked meals. Johanna says she got to the point she believed the universe didnt want her travelling any more.

And I didnt mind admitting when I arrived at the Flight Centre, I was desperate.

When Julie Morgan-Hughes found an earlier flight it would have cost Johanna another $358, which she couldnt afford. Another flood of tears. She said she had nowhere to stay, all the local hostels were full, as were the hostels at Auckland Airport. And even the cheapest of hotels were beyond this backpacker.

So we have a 20-year-old homesick, homeless and broke backpacker with a week to kill before her scheduled flight home.

Up steps the Flight Centre consultant. I said to her: This may sound a bit random, but you are more than welcome to come and stay at my house, says Julie Morgan-Hughes. Beyond the call of duty even at Flight Centre. Thats the dramatic moment the flight deck at the Flight Centre stopped dead, the moment heads turned and the moment tears were shed.

It just made me cry even more, says Johanna.

She asked the consultant why she was doing this. You dont even know me.

Its the Kiwi way love, the consultant explained to the desperate tourist. Welcome to New Zealand. Bring your bags and stuff here, I finish at four oclock and you can come home with me.

So from being destitute and desperate, the young German had a warm bed, food and people who cared.

Thats when I told Julie she was gorgeous, says the Suns Julie Commerer. It made us extremely proud to be Kiwis. Everyone in the office was saying: Aww, thats beautiful. She was just so warm and sympathetic.

Dont worry, joked Julie Morgan-Hughes. She will be doing the vacuuming.

Again we ask Julie why, what prompted the offer? Well, I suppose if my children were halfway across the world and stuck, I would like to think someone was kind and offered them a place to stay.

But maybe not in Germany, says Joanna.

People would not be as helpful. They would rather duck and not be responsible for someone elses problem. They wouldnt want to get involved.

Offering up free digs and meals is not part of Julie Morgan-Hughes job description, but extending a compassionate hand to waifs and strays is quite normal. We have had exchange students for 11 years. So everyone at home was fine.

And Johanna has fitted right in, says Julie Morgan-Hughes. She was reading bed-time stories to my daughter last night. She is just like part of my family.

The kids seem to like Johanna and Johanna likes the kids. There was even Wiener schnitzel for dinner last night  an ideal antidote for homesick Germans. I told my parents I am no longer homeless and my mother just about cried. They are very grateful.

Johanna, who has finished high school and a gap year, is headed home to university and to tell stories about a far off country where it doesnt matter how stuck you are, people are willing to help.

New Zealand rocks, says one grateful Johanna Schmidt.
The challenge has been issued and the NZ Zealand Police have accepted.

And now police are challenge the NZ Fire Service, St Johns, NZ Defence Force, Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Red Cross to take up the Burpees for Babies Challenge.

Plunket is challenging New Zealanders to get creative this National Childrens Day (today) by doing five burpees for under-fives. Burpees for babies asks people to do five burpees, video their effort and load it to Facebook asking five other people to donate to Plunket and do the same.

Burpees for babies aims to raise money for Plunkets community services as part of its Raise a Bundle campaign. The campaign will run for the month of March and aims to raise $10,000.

So far Wellington Mayor Justin Lester, The New Zealand Police and Les Mills Lower Hutt have said they will put their fitness to the test to raise funds for Plunket.

Get involved:

Unsure what to do? Watch the Plunket team do the challenge here

Search the hash tag #BurpeesforBabies on Facebook or go to Plunkets Facebook Page for some inspiration.

Burpees for babies step-by-step guide:
The Mt Maunganui team has managed to hold off a late charge from their challengers to take a strong victory at the Oceans 17 event, held this weekend at Main Beach in Tauranga.

While they were the favourite team to win going into the final day after establishing an early lead on Thursday, a late charge by many athletes meant nothing was guaranteed until the final race held earlier today.

Omanu Surf Life Saving Club, from just down the road, managed to finish in second while Waihi Beach Surf Life Saving Club and Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club finished in third equal, meaning it was a hugely successful weekend for Surf Life Saving New Zealands (SLSNZ) eastern region.

Rounding out the top five, also from SLSNZs eastern region, which runs from Hot Water Beach in Coromandel to Midway Surf Life Saving Club just south of Gisborne, was the team from Whangamata who were only one point away from also finishing in third.

The top northern region team from Red Beach near Auckland finished in sixth equal with Maranui from the central region, showing how talent exists all around the country in the under-14 category.

Oceans 17 event manager Scott Bicknell says this was probably one of the best Oceans events ever held here in Tauranga and paid credit to everyone who took part for allowing that to happen.

Firstly, a huge congratulations to the Mt Maunganui team for taking the win but also a big congratulations to all the athletes who took part. They did an awesome job out there all weekend and played hard but fair.

But of course we couldnt have run the event without the dedicated and hard-working group of volunteers and officials. They have worked incredibly hard all week to pull this event off and to be honest, I think its one of the best weve had, so thats a real credit to them.

Bicknell also says conditions all weekend were almost perfect with sunny, warm and dry conditions all weekend, with a reasonable amount of surf each day to keep things interesting.

The next major event on the Surf Life Saving New Zealand sport calendar is the Surf Life Saving New Zealand Nationals, set to be held in two weeks time from March 16-19 at New Brighton beach in Christchurch. Spectators are welcome to watch the event and spectator entry to the event is free.

Oceans 17 top 5 points:
By Press Trust of India: Rajkot, Mar 5 (PTI) A Mumbai-based woman was today arrested for her alleged involvement in a plan to kill a Jamnagar-based businessman, police said.

The plan was allegedly hatched by Anees Ibrahim, brother of fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim, they said.

"We have arrested a woman from Jogeshwari in Mumbai with a pistol. We have also brought four others for questioning from Mumbai to Rajkot," Rajkot Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) Inspector, H M Gadhvi said.

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The woman has been booked under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 511 (punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment) of IPC, said the officer.

The arrest comes over a week after police apprehended Dawood gangs sharp-shooter Ramdas Rahane and three others from here on February 25.

Rahane and three others were held when they were on their way to Rajkot from Mumbai to kill the businessman on a "supari" (contract killing) allegedly given by Anees, police had said.

They said Anees, who is believed to be in Pakistan, allegedly gave contract to kill the businessman Ashfaq Khatri, to Rahane and others for Rs 10 lakh. PTI KA PD NRB SMJ

--- ENDS ---
President Donald Trump delivered his first address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday -- a sober, restrained oration that earned praise for him and momentum for his agenda.

By the end of the week, the warm fuzzies were gone and Trump's White House was on the defensive about alleged contacts with Russia during the presidential campaign.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions was revealed to have met with Russia's ambassador to the United States, twice. This contradicted his testimony during a Senate confirmation hearing. Sessions recused himself from any Justice Department investigations into the Trump campaign.

Other topics in the cartoons: replacing Obamacare, the "Trump bump" in the stock market, increased military spending and rising anti-Semitism.

This week's cartoonists: Chan Lowe, Dana Summers, Drew Sheneman, Scott Stantis, Jack Ohman, Walt Handelsman, David Horsey and Phil Hands of Tribune Content Agency; Tom Toles of Andrews McMeel Syndication; and Darrin Bell, Jeff Danziger and Nick Anderson of Washington Post Writers Group.
Juvenile7.JPG

Inmates, including 16- and 17-year-olds spend 23 hours a day inside cells like this one at the Segregation Housing Unit. A federal judge ordered the jail to stop housing teenagers in solitary confinement.

(Filed with court records)

This post has been corrected to reflect the following: The original editorial incorrectly said Onondaga County was moving juveniles incarcerated at the Justice Center Jail to the Hillbrook Detention Facility in response to a federal judge's order to end solitary confinement of teens at the jail. While the ruling put an end to solitary confinement, it did not require teens to be moved to Hillbrook. That move had been in planning between the sheriff and couny executive since January, said a spokesman for County Executive Joanie Mahoney.

Thanks to a federal judge, 16- and 17-year-old youths being held at the Onondaga County Justice Center jail no longer can be put into solitary confinement. Judge David Hurd's order is temporary while a class-action lawsuit over the practice proceeds, but the jail ought to take the court's not-so-subtle hint and end this barbaric punishment permanently.



The descriptions of conditions in "the box" were hair-raising enough, but photos published by Syracuse.com drove home the point. Youths were being confined to a 7-foot-by-9-foot cell for 23 hours a day; allowed one hour of "recreation" in a barren cage; forced to endure taunts and harassment from adult inmates; deprived of reading materials and schooling; and isolated from meaningful human interaction with their jailers or peers held in solitary.



Holding 16- and 17-year-olds in such harsh conditions can do lasting psychological harm to them while doing little to moderate their bad behavior, say experts for the plaintiffs. In the corrections community, the prevailing winds are blowing firmly the other way. President Barack Obama banned solitary confinement of juveniles in federal prison. Gov. Andrew Cuomo created a special state prison to house 16- and 17-year-olds. Even New York City's notorious Rikers Island has ended "disciplinary segregation" for inmates 21 and under.



In short, Onondaga County is an outlier. If we were the betting sort, we'd bet the county is going to come out on the losing end of this federal lawsuit.



Two years ago, Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney agreed to end solitary confinement for juveniles at the county-run Jamesville Correctional Facility. That only shifted the problem to the downtown jail, run by Onondaga County Sheriff Gene Conway. The county planned to quickly move two of the 29 teens incarcerated there to the Hillbrook Detention Facility for juveniles, with the rest to follow.



A more permanent solution lies in the hands of the state Legislature. New York and North Carolina are the only two states that automatically treat 16- and 17-year-olds as adults in the criminal justice system, no matter how minor their offenses. This puts teens into lockups with adults, where they are at greater risk of sexual assault, injury and suicide, according to data cited by the governor.



In his 2017-18 budget, Cuomo proposes "raising the age" of criminal responsibility to 18, except for violent crimes, and providing appropriate education, mental health treatment and probation to youths. The aim should be to set nonviolent juvenile offenders on a path to becoming productive adults, rather than all but ensuring they end up in jail again or unable to find a job due to their criminal history. Raising the age is the humane thing to do.



There are some who feel young offenders get what they deserve, in jail and in life. This is not only cruel; it is short-sighted. No child should be treated in this way. Meanwhile, the costs of treating nonviolent juvenile offenders as adults in the criminal justice system pile ever higher for individuals, families, communities and society.
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- An Upstate New York man is accused of pouring gasoline on his wife and setting her and their Schenectady home ablaze just before dawn Saturday.

The woman, Elizabeth Gonzalez, 48, of Elmer Avenue, was listed in serious condition at the burn unit of Westchester Medical Center, Schenectady police said.

The incident started sometime before 5:50 a.m. with a domestic dispute at 146 Elmer Ave. between Gonzalez and her husband, Antonio Bargallo, 71, of Schenectady, police said.

Police were called to the scene to find the house on fire and discovered Gonzalez in the area with burns on her body.

She was taken to Ellis Hospital, then to the Westchester burn unit.

Bargallo is in custody and police said that charges are pending.

Update on Schen. fire: Husband allegedly poured gas on wife, lit her & house on fire, police say. She was airlifted, is in serious condition pic.twitter.com/bX9wSmPHVv  Robert Downen (@RobDownenChron) March 4, 2017

Reached late Saturday afternoon, police spokesman Sgt. Matt Dearing said the suspect may not be arraigned until Sunday morning, due to weekend court schedules.

Several neighbors nearby said they did not know the couple well, though the couple has lived there for several years.

Members of the police department's detective division and evidence technician unit and the Schenectady Arson Task Force continue to investigate.

Neighbor: Scene on Elmer Street, where police say a man set his wife on fire, was "out of a horror movie."https://t.co/MGqPbUPKn8  CBS 6 Albany - WRGB (@CBS6Albany) March 4, 2017

-- Times Union, Albany, N.Y.
A panel of expert professionals from the television, film and theatre industry are set to arrive in Cambridge in anticipation of A Festival of New Writing on 9  11 March, next week. Ten original plays by Cambridge students have been selected from over 50 submissions, to be staged and reviewed by this panel of prolific writers, directors and special guests. Here is your chance to meet a selection of the judges.

Chips Hardy

Greg Williams

Chips Hardy is an alumnus of Downing College, where he studied English. Hes currently a Global Creative Director in advertising, but has written for television, film and theatre, as well as novels and stand-up material. His work includes  amongst other things  a TV drama series called Gentlemen and Players, the childrens series Helping Henry, a television drama with Maureen Lipman and a British Comedy Award for his work with Dave Allen. He is currently consultant producer and co-writer on the BBC1 and FX drama series Taboo, which stars his son Tom Hardy (Olivier and Academy Award nominee).

Tanya Ronder

Catherine Ashmore

Originally trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Tanya Ronder has worked on high profile adaptations for the theatre including Liola by Pirandello and Dara by Shahid Nadeem (National Theatre); Macbett by Eugene Ionesco (RSC); Filumena by Eduardo De Filippo and Blood Wedding by Lorca (Almeida). Table, her first original play, was the inaugural production at the Shed/Temporary Theatre at the National Theatre. Her second, Fuck the Polar Bears, premiered at the Bush Theatre. Ronder is under commission from the National Theatre to create a modern version of Gorkys Vassa, and is developing a new play with director Rufus Norris, working title The Wedding. She is also developing, along with co-writer Deborah Bruce, an original drama series Big Amy, with the BBC and a new series for Playground Productions, working title The Screw.

Susan Everett

Sally Brockway

Susan was an illustrator before turning to film. She won the Carl Foreman Screenwriting Award, in association with BAFTA, and went to film school in America, gaining experience in script development within the industry in LA. An award-winning short story writer and novelist, Susans credits as a screenwriter include Hinterland and A Mind to Kill. She was nominated in the Writer category of the RTS Yorkshire Awards for her episode of Hinterland, and the series went on to win Best Drama at the Welsh BAFTAs in 2016. Susan is currently working on a 3-part true crime drama for TV. She has several features in development, and has directed four short films, including Mother, Mine, which screened at over 80 film festivals and won 16 international awards. As well as writing, Susan has years of experience as a script editor, consultant, mentor and tutor, including lecturing at the Northern Film School, Leeds, where she originally did an MA in Scriptwriting.

David McDermott

David McDermott

After reading English Literature at Sussex University, David trained on the Royal Court Young Writers programme, and has since amassed a prolific body of work as a creator and writer of television drama. Not only was he on the core team of writers for Emmerdale 2008-2015, but he has achieved several notable prizes for his writing, including Best Episode Digital Spy Audience Award in 2014, and Best Exit Episode at the British Soap Awards in 2009. In 2015, he presented the Berlin Literature Festival. Recently, he has moved on to writing political and historical drama, including work for production company Ink Factory London (The Night Manager), and is currently based in Berlin working on three political thrillers for television in the UK and US. His interest in politics also once extended to a job as Tony Blairs speechwriter  though hed rather not mention that! David is very pleased to be joining to the festivals judging panel for the second time.

A Festival of New Writing returns to Downings Howard Theatre, Thursday 9th-Saturday 11th March 2017.
A Chinese megaproject in Sri Lanka has encountered violent resistance from angry local residents who fear forced eviction from their land. This popular resistance puts at risk almost $5 billion in investment that the Chinese government estimates will be attracted to the planned industrial zone over the next 5 years.





Last July Sri Lankas Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade announced that China had requested 15,000 acres of land to establish a special economic zone (SEZ) next to the Chinese-financed and -constructed Hambantota Port. Proponents of the SEZ estimate it to be capable of generating up to one million jobs.





This request was accepted by the Sri Lankan government. In exchange for a 99-year lease on this land as well as an 80 percent stake in Hambantota Port by Chinas state-owned China Merchants Port Holdings, Sri Lanka will receive USD 1.1 billion in debt relief from the Chinese government.





For China, Hambantota Port  which was constructed by China Communications Construction Co., with financing worth over USD 1 billion from China Exim Bank  is an important asset on its 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, as it is strategically located close to the key east-west shipping trade route and complements another major China-invested port under development at Gwadar in Pakistan on the other side of India.





Hence even though Hambantota Port and the nearby Mattala Rajapaksa International airport, which was also constructed with financing from China Exim Bank, have been criticized as white elephants due to their underutilization, China has a long-term strategic interest in ensuring the economic viability of these projects. The Hambantota SEZ may be seen as a means to ensure Hambantota Port (and Mattala Airport) will indeed become a commercial center of the economy. Already, even without the SEZ, Hambantota Port has managed to attract business from car carriers from congested ro-ro facilities in Colombo and Chennai and is considered a transport hub for the southern Indias small car manufacturing industry. With the SEZ, shipping through the port is expected to significantly increase.





For the government of former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa which originally agreed to the deal, the Chinese construction and financing of Hambantota Port and Mattala Airport represented a much-needed short-cut for the country to obtain advanced infrastructure, especially following the recent end in 2009 of the countrys devastating decades-long civil war.





The current President Maithripala Sirisena had suspended the Chinese projects when he came into office, owing to the need to investigate alleged irregularities in the agreements signed with China, but he eventually allowed these projects to proceed. The Sirisena government is facing a major debt crisis, and the USD 1.1 billion in debt relief from the lease of Hambantota Port will help reduce the countrys debt burden, which currently stands at approximately USD 64 billion, of which USD 8 billion (pre-debt relief) is owed to China.





In December 2016, a delegation to China led by former president Rajapaksa warned that Chinas plans for the SEZ threatened to trigger social unrest, as the planned concession of 15,000 acres means that many villagers would need to be evicted from their homes and many farmers kicked off their land, which could provoke a less than favorable local response which may boil over into full-on protests. To avert possible protests by the local community, the former president recommended that China revert to its original plan of constructing a smaller 750 acre SEZ.





The Sri Lankan government and their Chinese counterparts will have to minimize local resistance by reassuring the people that the project will have no adverse impact on sovereignty, land rights, and the environment.

On January 8, 2017, former president Rajapaksas warning came to pass when violent protests erupted during the official launch of the construction of the SEZ. The protestors were driven by fears of forced evictions as well as suspicions that Hambantota will become a Chinese colony. As Wade Shepard recounts:





When discussing where the land would actually come from to build this industrial zone, the Sri Lankan government was quick to claim that it would not be taken from the local elephant and bird sanctuaries, or from any operating stone quarries, or from the area that was previously reserved for a housing development for government officials, or even from the land earmarked for the port to expand. It soon became clear to the locals that the only land left for a development of this scale would be their villages and farms, which they depend on for their livelihoods.





The fears among the protesters that Hambantota will become a Chinese colony have also grown over time. As Shepard points out, many of the development projects in Hambantota, which originally began as Sri Lankan national projects that were merely financed with Chinese money, have gradually turned into de facto Chinese enclaves.





Critics may point to the 24,710 acre Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ) in Laos as a warning of what may happen at Hambantota. Signed as a 99-year lease by the Laotian government to the Hong Kong-registered Kings Romans Group in 2007, the GTSEZ has become a semi-lawless zone where gambling  prostitution, and other illicit trades flourish.





While the GTSEZ and other Chinese SEZs in Laos were nominally established to improve the economic conditions of the Laotian people, Sebastian Strangio notes that the GTSEZ has effectively become a small China country where most of the workers in there are from China or Myanmar, and clocks are turned to Beijing time, an hour ahead of Laos. Most shops refuse to accept payment in local currency, the Laotian kip. Indeed, given its special status, the zone is entirely outside the control of provincial authorities.





Greater transparency may hence be needed on the part of the Chinese and Sri Lankan governments to reassure the local community that the proposed Hambantota SEZ will not become a Sri Lankan version of Laos GTSEZ. This is important as continued public opposition may turn the proposed Hambantota SEZ into the Sri Lankan version of the suspended Myitsone Dam project in Myanmar.





The construction of the controversial Myitsone Dam was suspended by the government of Myanmar in 2011 following local resistance that emerged from a range of concerns, including its location near an active seismic fault line, the impact of flooding on local residents and a general lack of transparency in a project viewed as a resource grab by Beijing.





This turned out to be very costly for China Power Investment Corporation (CPI), the Chinese state-owned enterprise that was to have constructed the Myitsone Dam, as well as its financial backers including China Three Gorges Corporation and China Development Bank:





China had invested at least 700 million yuan in the project by the time it was halted  Interest on loans for the project ran as high as 300 million yuan a year and CPI also had to spend tens of millions of yuan on equipment maintenance and other expenses.





While CPI and the Chinese government had expected the new government led by Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy that came into office in March 2016 to lift the suspension and resume construction of the Myitsone Dam, the government is still considering the impact of the proposed dam on local residents, and could heed local demands for the project to be officially cancelled.





To avoid a similar fate for the Hambantota SEZ, the Sri Lankan government and their Chinese counterparts will have to minimize local resistance  not with violence, which will inflame the opposition  but by reassuring the people that the project will have no adverse impact on sovereignty, land rights, and the environment. Conversely, ignoring such concerns will likely fuel popular resistance against the project.




Selwyn student Lola Olufemi is running for the uncontested position of Women's Officer in the upcoming CUSU/GU Election. The Cambridge Student asked each candidate why there were running, and for a comment on their manifesto's key policies.

"I ran because I've been engaged with the Women's Campaign since by first year and have seen it's incredible potential to enact change, provide a space for women and non-binary students to exist free from institutional oppression and to learn about feminist activism and organising.It's a community but it's also a strong force that refuses to be silent or palatable, even when the university demands that of us. I think there is a lot to be done in order to make women and non-binary students feel like Cambridge is as much ours as our male counterparts  from feeling safe on campus, to expanding reading lists and curriculums, providing a network of support between women and non-binary students and academics. I see the role as continuing the work of previous women's officers who have used the it to tackle misogyny, racism and transphobia head on and wanted to a part of this legacy.

"The most pressing issue right now and one of my most important manifesto points is helping to analyse and increase transparency about how the university deals with sexual assault. This is pertinent because the university is releasing a sexual assault policy very soon. I want to collect testimonials from the undergraduate body and present a paper or art piece about the process of establishing a comprehensive sexual assault policy and historical silence around sexual assault in higher institutions.

Voting for the election opens at 9am on Tuesday 7 March and closes on Friday 10 March at 5pm.
Cardiff Metropolitan University has recently issued a Code of Practice on using Inclusive Language, which advises that certain words should be avoided.

Instead the Code promotes the use of gender-neutral terms which also embrace cultural diversity. Consequently, words such as forefathers, housewife and sportsmanship have been listed as words that should not be used.

According to the Code the aim is To promote an atmosphere in which all students feel valued. It therefore advises that students and staff should avoid making assumptions and generalisations based on stereotypes or ones cultural background.

An example was replacing Christian name with first name.

Other ways to create an inclusive and tolerant atmosphere include disability and age awareness, and taking care when using language relating to sexuality and relationships.

They advise using the term wheelchair user rather than wheelchair-bound to evoke a sense of empowerment.

The guidance includes 34 words and phrases that should be avoided, although it does add that people should not feel too anxious about the language they use.

Cardiff Metropolitan University has since been condemned for these attempts at suppressing free speech by academics such as Dr Joanna Williams, a lecturer in higher education at the University of Kent and author of Academic Freedom in an Age of Conformity.

This comes in the wake of spikeds survey regarding the restriction of free speech at HE institutions in the UK, which concluded that 90% of UK universities have restricted free speech in some way.

Yet equally concerns have been voiced by students about cultural appropriation and potentially offensive language. Students at Cambridge University complained when catering staff named dishes Jamaican stew and Tunisian rice.

A spokesperson for Cardiff Metropolitan University commented in light of allegations that the University is undermining free speech.

The University is committed unreservedly to the principle of academic freedom within the law. It is also committed to providing an environment where everyone is valued and treated with dignity and respect. These two commitments are cornerstones of academic life at the University.
Google last week released its E2EMail encryption code to open source as a way of pushing development of the technology.

Google has been criticized over the amount of time and seeming lack of progress it has made in E2EMail encryption, so open sourcing the code could help the project proceed more quickly, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.

That will not stop critics, as reactions to the decision have shown, he told LinuxInsider.

However, it should enable the company to focus its attention and resources on issues it believes are more pressing, King added.

Google started the E2EMail project more than a year ago, as a way to give users a Chrome app that would allow the simple exchange of private emails.

The project integrates OpenPGP into Gmail via a Chrome extension. It brings improved usability and keeps all cleartext of the message body exclusively on the client.

E2EMail is built on a proven, open source Javascript crypto library developed at Google, noted KB Sriram, Eduardo Vela Nava and Stephan Somogyi, members of Googles Security and Privacy Engineering team, in an online post.

E2EMail Unwrapped

The early versions of E2EMail are text-only and support only PGP/MIME messages. It now uses its own keyserver.

The encryption application eventually will rely on Googles recent Key Transparency initiative for cryptographic key lookups. Google earlier this year released the project to open source with the aim of simplifying public key lookups at Internet scale.

The Key Transparency effort addresses a usability challenge hampering mainstream adoption of OpenPGP.

During installation, E2EMail generates an OpenPGP key and uploads the public key to the keyserver. The private key is always stored on the local machine.

E2EMail uses a bare-bones central keyserver for testing. Googles Key Transparency announcement is crucial to its further evolution.

Google Partially Benefits

Secure messaging systems could benefit from open sourcing the system. Developers could use a directory when building apps to find public keys associated with an account along with a public audit log of any key changes.

Encryption key discovery and distribution lie at the heart of the usability challenges that OpenPGP implementations have faced, suggested Sriram, Nava and Somogyi in their joint post.

Key Transparency delivers a solid, scalable and practical solution. It replaces the problematic web-of-trust model traditionally used with PGP, they pointed out.

Google announced end-to-end email encryption almost three years ago, and no product or solution ever materialized, said Morey Haber, vice president of technology at BeyondTrust.

With this announcement, Google is making good on the promise of a Chrome extension that would seamlessly encrypt Gmail end-to-end, he told LinuxInsider.

Since Google decided to open source the project, the technology will not remain proprietary for Chrome and Gmail, Haber added. Instead, Google no longer is working on this project, and the community will own the work and any potential derivatives.

This could be viewed as coming clean on a 3-year-old promise, or the release of a market perceived vaporware project. In either case, the techniques being used might spur some other innovation for similar messaging-type solutions, added Haber.

Last Ditch Effort

Googles decision to drop E2EMail and release it to open source might be the companys way of saving face, suggested Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.

The best-case scenario is that sharing the project might inspire other developers and possibly improve security in general, he told LinuxInsider.

I think, like a lot of Google projects, Google lost interest in this one, Enderle continued, and putting into open source is a way of at least allowing others to benefit from the effort. It is better than just shuttering the effort and archiving the work in a private repository.

The impact of Googles decision to open source the project is difficult to assess, noted King.

Google has admitted that the issues surrounding end-to-end email encryption are far more complex that it originally assumed, so the code it has released is far from fully baked, he said.

That makes its actual value hard to determine, King added, but bringing additional eyes and energy to the effort could help it progress more quickly.

Solutions Still Needed

About half of the email that traverses the Internet does so unencrypted, although that may not be the case for messaging and social media apps, suggested BeyondTrusts Haber.

Basic implementations of technology like this can be used to secure everything from banking statements to password resets, he said.

Although Googles project never materialized into a product, the ideas and methodologies are good examples to learn from.

It will help educate people on techniques and potentially failed projects related to end-to-end encryption, Haber said, but in the end, there are big problems to solve with key management and SHA1 collisions that researchers and security engineers should be focusing on.
Elon Musk is wasting no time. In 2018, his spaceflight agency SpaceX plans to fly people around the moon through the Falcon Heavy rocket and on board the Dragon V2 crew capsule.

The news came from Musk himself, who last Feb. 27 announced that SpaceX had been approached to fly two private citizens on a trip around the moon late next year. The passengers, the CEO said, had already provided a significant deposit for the said moon mission, which was likened to the Apollo mission that brought astronauts to the lunar surface.

But how likely is this urgent moonshot to happen within Musks timeframe?

Mission Details

In the second quarter of 2018, the mission will fly the two unnamed passengers, which will undergo health and fitness testing as well as spaceflight training this year. The trip around the moon is anticipated to last one week.

The spacecraft is projected to be launched from the Kennedy Space Centers Launch Complex 39A, the same launch pad deployed by NASA for its Apollo missions. The spacecraft, according to Musk, will be autonomous that no specially trained astronauts will be required on board.

For the deep-space mission, the capsule will potentially be upgraded for improved communications. It is expected to involve a skimming on the lunar surface instead of an actual landing, with the spacecraft traveling a bit into deep space before going back to Earth in its projected 400,000-mile journey.

Feasibility And Success

For experts, plenty of things should go right in order for SpaceX to meet the mission timeline and successfully launch the moonshot.

Wayne Hale, a former manager of NASAs space shuttle program, said it could be extraordinarily difficult and extraordinarily dangerous to undertake Musks task even with modern space capabilities.

I think their schedule is so aggressive as to not be believable, Hale told Space.com, who added that while he wishes them well, he is glad that no taxpayers money is involved in the mission.

Both the Falcon Heavy rocket and Dragon V2 spacecraft are still in pre-launch: the former has its maiden flight scheduled for the summer, while the latter remains in development. SpaceX has not had the success of launching any manned mission, Hale noted.

The missions to bring astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) that SpaceX inked with NASA, too, involve Falcon 9 and not Falcon Heavy rockets.

For space policy and SpaceX veteran Phil Larson, however, challenging does not necessarily translate to impossible.

The moonshot getting moved to 2019 would remain historic, and a couple of months delay would not drastically alter the magnitude of the mission, Larson explained.

He went further that while Musk has the tendency to set ambitious timeframes, SpaceX has a track record of getting things done, including becoming the first private firm to launch a capsule Earth orbit and return it to the planet in one piece back in 2010.

In several orbital missions, SpaceX also managed to land the first stage of the Falcon 9 in its goal of developing reusable rocket technology.

Just last February, NASA and SpaceX successfully launched cargo toward the ISS, blasting around 5,500 pounds of supplies and research equipment into the space lab. The event was the first commercial launch to be carried out from the historic LC-39A.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Its not your ordinary high school venture.

Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, California, had an early investment of $15,000 for Snap Inc., the maker of Snapchat. Back then it was a messaging app that was just getting popular with teens.

Fast forward to 2017, the Catholic schools investment in Snaps initial public offering is now worth a whopping $24 million.

No Accident

An investment in small technology companies may yield little or no return, as very few technology products pass the market test and achieve a popularity that goes from a niche group to the mass market. This makes it very unlikely for investors to make a lot of money in tech startups, noted Forbes.

However, its not entirely possible to rake in so much moolah.

Saint Francis astounding windfall was the result of patience that has its roots in 1990, when it established a development fund to raise cash for the school. Parents and alumni bankrolled the funds and set their sights on technology stock.

Part of the fund goes to scholarships awarded to children from less affluent families in the area, as tuition in the school is at more or less $17,000 per year. A huge chunk of its 1,760 students come from families that are well-to-do, including one who made the Snap deal possible.

Barry Eggers, founding partner at the venture firm that led Snaps first investment round, had the bright idea of involving Saint Francis in the deal five years earlier. His children already loved Snapchat then.

They were sitting around the kitchen table one day and they were all on their cellphones laughing, Eggers of Lightspeed Venture Partners said. They said Dad, have you seen this app, Snapchat?

His daughter, he added, now uses the app 30 times a day.

Life-Changing For Communities

This news broaches the idea of investment firms allotting a share for schools, charities, and other causes that most need the funds.

In Silicon Valley and places with lots of tech ventures and entrepreneurial activities, investors can reach out to local schools and institutions and potentially include them in some deals, Eggers recommended.

Saint Francis, however, may be a hard act to follow since it takes long-term commitment. The institution needs to adopt a program and cant consider it a one-time deal, he added.

Snaps IPO is among the most curiously followed for a tech company since Twitters own IPO back in 2013. Its New York Stock Exchange debut is a crucial point for the company, often viewed as a threat to other social platforms Facebook and Twitter.

Snap saw its shares surging to 44 percent on the first trading day, although critics are quick to cite signs of impending trouble such as the decline in active everyday users.

This week, NBCUniversal had reportedly invested $500 million in the IPO as part of a strategic investment and partnership. Its seen as one among different bets of the Steve Burke-led company in the digital media space, including a $400-million investment in BuzzFeed and $200 million in Vox.

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Two partial human skulls discovered in China may have belonged to the mysterious cousin of the Neanderthals, the extinct ice age humans known as Denisovans.

The Denisovans And Neanderthals

The Denisovans and Neanderthals are known to have a common ancestor that had split from the modern human lineage. In a 2016 study, researchers found nuclear DNA evidence suggesting that this split may have happened 765,000 years ago.

Discovery Of The Denisovans

The Denisovans have only been known from bits of DNA taken from a partial finger bone found in the Denisova Cave in Altai Mountains in Siberia. In 2010, researchers from the ancient DNA laboratory of Max Planck Institute in Germany yielded a complete genome of what was previously an unknown type of human using a bit of pinky from a growing girl.

That sliver of bone served as the first evidence of the Denisovans, a distinct branch of the Homo family tree that mated with both the Neanderthals and modern humans and whose genes continue to live on today among modern Europeans, Asians, and the Melanesians of Papua New Guinea.

The Denisovans are believed to have walked in the lands of Asia with tools as sophisticated as the ones made by humans more than 100,000 years ago.

Few Tangible Evidence

Besides the pinky nub of a young girl, three molars found in the same cave in Siberia also point to the existence of the Denisovans. Since the discovery of the Denisovans, however, researchers have only discovered few tangible evidence that can help prove these archaic humans existed.

New Ancient Skulls From China May Have Belonged To Denisovans

Now, the newly discovered fossils from China estimated to be between 105,000 to 125,00 years old are being suspected to be new evidence of the Denisovans. The bones called "archaic Homo" emerge as prime candidates that show what these extinct human relative may have looked like.

In a paper published in the journal Science, Zhan-Yang Li, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, and colleagues avoided using the word Denisovans in their report but noted that the bones could have belonged to a new type of human or an eastern variant of the Neanderthals.

"Some features are ancestral and similar to those of earlier eastern Eurasian humans, some are derived and shared with contemporaneous or later humans elsewhere, and some are closer to those of Neanderthals," Zhan-Yang Li and colleagues wrote in their study.

Despite that the paper did not mention the Denisovans, other researchers think the bones may have belonged to them. Maria Martinon-Torres, from University College London, said that the skulls definitely fit what could be expected from a Denisovan.

The paleoanthropologist said that the fossils have something with an Asian flavor that is closely related to the Neanderthals.

"This would be the combination that one would expect based on the ancient DNA analysis of Denisovans, who were closely related to Neanderthals," said Katerina Harvati, a Neanderthal expert from the University of Tubingen in Germany, who is not involved in the research.

Because the investigators have not yet taken DNA from the skulls, the possibility these belonged to the Denisovans remains a speculation.

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NASA has revealed that an asteroid flew by so close to Earth this week it was within the ring of satellites. The U.S. space agency also said that the rocky body was discovered just six hours before it made its close approach.

Flew By Inside Ring Of Geosynchronous Satellites

In a statement released on March 2, the Center for NEO Studies (CNEOS) of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory revealed that the small near-Earth object measuring less than 10 feet across safely passed Earth on Thursday, March 2 at a proximity so close it flew by inside the ring of geosynchronous satellites, which orbit the Earth 22,300 miles above the surface.

At its closest approach, asteroid 2017 EA was 20 times closer than the moon. It eventually moved into the daytime sky and can no longer be observed using ground-based telescopes.

"Designated 2017 EA, the asteroid made its closest approach to Earth at 6:04 a.m. PST (9:04 a.m. EST / 14:04 UTC) at an altitude of only 14,500 kilometers (9,000 miles) above the eastern Pacific Ocean," the statement read.

Detected 6 Hours Before Closest Approach

The celestial body was first detected just six hours before it made its closest approach by astronomers working at the NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey. Scientists observed the object using several other observatories before its closest approach.

The asteroid was only tracked for one day but researchers now know its orbit quite accurately. Computations made by researchers at CNEOS show that the asteroid will not get this close to Earth again for at least a hundred years.

Monitoring Near-Earth Objects

CNEOS computes high-precision orbits for near-Earth objects such as asteroids and comets to predict close approach of NEOs to Earth. Its Sentry impact monitoring system conducts long-term analyses of possible future orbits of potentially hazardous celestial bodies to search for possibilities of impact over the next century.

Not Earth's First Close Brush With An Asteroid This Year

The close flyby is not the first to happen this year. In January, NASA revealed that an asteroid about the same size as the Chelyabinsk meteor that struck Russia in 2013 flew by Earth at a distance equivalent to about half of the distance between the moon and our planet. Astronomers discovered the space rock dubbed 2017 AG3 two days before it flew by.

Earth had another close shave with a previously undetected space rock that month. Asteroid 2017 BX passed by at a proximity 30 percent closer to our planet than the moon. The bus-sized space rock was detected just two days before it flew by.

Likelihood Of Dangerous Asteroids Colliding With Earth

Reports of a close brush with asteroids may raise public concern since space objects colliding with Earth may potentially cause damaging consequences. The meteor blast over Chelyabinsk, for instance, hurt more than 1,000 people.

Scientists, however, claim that most of the big asteroids that are likely to cause global catastrophe when they hit Earth have already been discovered and the likelihood of these dangerous celestial bodies colliding with the planet over the next 100 years is just less than 0.01 percent.

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Using small patrol boats, the IRGC has approached at high rates of speed certain American vessels transiting the Persian Gulf, and sometimes those boats have refused to withdraw until warning shots were fired by the Americans, following upon visual warnings, sirens, and attempts at radio contact. But the latest incident was of a different type, involving the Iranian Navy instead of the IRGC and taking place in the Gulf of Oman, on the other side of the Strait of Hormuz.

US military officials described the incident as unprofessional but stopped short of calling it dangerous. They reported that an Iranian Frigate had come within 150 yards of an American surveillance ship, which was tasked with monitoring missile activity in the region. The new US president, Donald Trump placed the Iranian regime on notice in early February, following the test launch of an Iranian ballistic missile, the first of its kind since Trump took office but evidently the seventh since the conclusion of nuclear negotiations.

It is not clear whether the surveillance ship was specifically targeted for a provocative encounter by the Iranian Navy, but this would be in keeping with the defiant tone that the regime has struck in response to the Trump administrations warning. In the second half of February, both the IRGC and Irans traditional armed forces carried out multi-day military exercises, during which high-ranking officers suggested that they were ready prepared for war and capable of defeating enemies such as the United States.

Whether or not Iranian officials believe such claims or are merely attempting to present an image of strength to domestic and regional audiences, the close encounters have certainly be used as a basis for Iranian propaganda, with some broadcasts on state television having claimed that Iranian vessels forced the withdrawal of their American targets instead of vice versa. Furthermore, the IRGCs use of small patrol boats, often approaching US warships in groups, is reportedly intended to demonstrate the swarm tactics by which the Iranians claim that they could defeat much better armed and more technologically advanced American Navy ships.

However, the US is well aware of these tactics and has reportedly prepared for them, both by changing how ships in the region are outfitted over the years and by conducting very recent drills simulating the would-be Iranian swarms. On Thursday, Business Insider reported upon one such training exercise that had been carried out in Floridas Choctawhatchee Bay.

The article indicates that this drill, designated Combat Hammer, was made more imperative by the fact that Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen had used a small boat in a suicide attack, killing two individuals on a Saudi Navy vessel. But the American drill reportedly confirmed what military experts had already determined, namely that attack helicopters on Navy warships would be highly effective at engaging and destroying swarms of small boats in the event that Iranian activities exceeded mere provocations and turned into actual attacks.
The president emphasized that people are voting for Nicaragua and by doing so they are also voting for peace. | Read More
The Iranian leadership is certainly aware of these trends, although it cannot be said with certainty that they recognize a connection between confrontational Turkish and Arab activities on the one hand and the revision of American policy on the other. But it fairly clear that Tehran is keen to undermine any notion that there is more unity among Irans adversaries than among its allies or even its own internal political factions.

In its reporting on an interview that Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif recently gave to Etemad newspaper, Iran Front Page News indicated that he had attempted to spin the narrative about Februarys Munich Security Conference in order to reflect negatively on the stability of Western alliances, and thus positively on Irans prospective position in the world. The European Union is in its hardest political situation in recent decades, Zarif said before blaming US President Donald Trump for attempting to exploit a chaotic Europe. Zarif also speculated that the supposed chaos would actually benefit Europe instead, by allowing it to pursue bilateral relations with individual nations instead of with the European Union as a whole.

But Zarifs narrative is at odds with much of the earlier reporting about the Munich Security Conference, which took place from February 17th to the 19th. Iran News Update previously highlighted some of that reporting, specifically that which emphasized the large number of critical remarks that had been delivered about Irans regional and global role. Naturally, some of those remarks came from Trump administration delegates and other familiar adversaries of the Islamic Republic, but others came from sometimes-partners like Turkey, and the overall tone of the commentary was both stronger and more consistent than in previous years.

Specifically, delegates from several countries described Iran as the worlds leading state sponsor of terrorism, as well as blaming it for an ongoing increase in sectarian tensions throughout the region. In light of this, a recent editorial in the American Thinker claimed that the Munich conference, far from exhibiting a new atmosphere with regard to Western relations, marked a major turning point in global attitudes toward the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The article also indicated that there is at least some public acknowledgment of this among Iranian policymakers and experts. It pointed to another editorial, this one published in a supposedly pro-reform Iranian newspaper al-Sharq, which said that the collective attitudes at the Munich conference represented a new formation of old enemies, and one that Tehran should prepare to confront.

Whether acknowledging the existence of an increasingly unified front in the international community or not, much of the Iranian establishment seems to be committed to responding to its adversaries with threats and attempts at intimidation. This was highlighted by recent, multi-day military drills conducted separately by the Iranian Navy and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Both demonstrations were accompanied by hardline rhetoric suggesting readiness for war with the United States  a state media talking point that has been the subject of other types of propaganda, as well.

As an example, the Associated Press reported upon an animated film that is currently entering wide release in Iran under the title Battle of the Persian Gulf II. A sequel to a film about the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, this new release is an anti-American fantasy that depicts a self-described Iranian revolutionary modeled after IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Suleimani leading a handful of Iranian naval vessels to victory over a much larger American fleet, following an attack on Irans nuclear infrastructure.

The AP quoted the films director as saying its message was, if you fire one bullet against Iran, a rain of hot lead will be poured on your forces. Such commentary is highly reminiscent of that which has been delivered by officers in the same IRGC that is clearly being praised by the film. At the end of three days of exercises last week, General Mohammad Pakpour, the head of the IRGC ground forces, said that the US and its allies should expect a strong slap in the face if it underestimates Irans military capabilities. Another commander, Hassan Abbassi, suggested that he would personally be capable of raising a guerilla army from among the Iranian expatriate population in the US.

The APs report on the Battle of the Persian Gulf II suggested that such a provocative film might have seemed out of date several months ago, before President Trump had taken office but after the Iran nuclear agreement, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action took effect. But as many have observed since that time, Iranian rhetoric, especially coming from such acknowledged hardline entities as the IRGC, had not diminished as a result of expanded diplomatic relations between Iran and its chief Western adversary. In fact, by some accounts that rhetoric intensified to compensate for the perceived retreat in the nuclear field.

But many Western policymakers feel that Irans ratification of the JCPOA was not a retreat so much as it was a reorientation of short-term tactics. An editorial that appeared in Forbes on Thursday provided yet another critical examination of the JCPOA, naming several unresolved issues  both nuclear and non-nuclear  that will have to be taken up by the Trump administration as it clarifies its policies with regard to the Islamic Republic.

Among the issues given emphasis by Forbes was the duration of the JCPOA and associated agreements. The article took issue with the very fact that Iran was permitted to continue any nuclear enrichment capabilities under Among the issues given emphasis by Forbes was the duration of the JCPOA and associated agreements. capabilities under the deal, but it also stated that the issue was made worse by suns et clauses that allow Iran to install more uranium enrichment centrifuges after 10 years and expand its stockpile of uranium after 15, potentially leading to a situation in which the countrys clerical regime can break out to the development of a nuclear weapon almost immediately.

Forbes acknowledges that it is not yet clear how the Trump administration will handle the ongoing implementation  or possibly the attempted renegotiation  of the JCPOA. But it also suggests that the nuclear agreement itself is not the only thing that will be addressed by whatever means the White House comes up with. The Forbes editorial says that nuclear negotiations failed to impose restrictions on Irans ballistic missile program, and that the deals sanctions relief led Tehran to fill the coffers of the Revolutionary Guards and increase financing for its intrusive activities in the region.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reports that expanded nuclear enrichment is not the only threat presented by the short-term focus of the nuclear agreement and the UN resolutions that accompanied its implementation. The report notes that the US Office of Naval Intelligence has warned that Iran can be expected to rush to purchase warships, submarines, and missiles as soon as a ban on weapons sales to the Islamic Republic is lifted in 2020.

Such warnings are no doubt justified in part by Tehrans ongoing empowerment of the IRGC, by the militarist rhetoric that is on display in such state-approved media as Battle of the Persian Gulf II, and by statements from such figures as Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the commander of the Iranian Navy who suggested that recent military demonstrations were a preface to the dispatch of Iranian fleets to various waterways in the Middle East and beyond.

These sorts of promises of force-projection underscore some of the reasons why other countries in the region have either preceded or followed the Trump administrations assertive policies in order to demonstrate unity of purpose in confronting an increasingly bold Iranian threat. It seems now that some of these countries are responding to Irans shows of force with their own, as evidenced by an AP report on wide-ranging military exercises that were conducted this week in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

The Emirates previously spurred Irans anger by publicly blaming Iran for the escalation of the conflict in Yemen, where fellow Arab powers have contributed to a Saudi-led coalition whose mission is to push back the Iran-backed Houthi militants and prevent the growth of Iranian influence on the Arabian Peninsula. Irans English-language propaganda network, Press TV reported that the Iranian Foreign Ministry had responded to the UAE by once again denying Irans well-known contributions to the Houthi cause while attempting to assign blame solely to Saudi Arabia and its allies for the crisis in Yemen.

Middle East experts have characterized Irans un-acknowledged mission in Yemen as the creation of a Hezbollah-like proxy force. While the Iranian military is a long way from being able to present a serious offensive threat to the United States and its allies, Irans adversaries are currently tasked with not only preventing the growth of that military but also with preventing the growth of terrorist networks centered in Tehran.

Opponents of the Iranian regime, such as the National Council of Resistance of Iran, have given the Trump administration a great deal of credit for taking initial steps in this direction, as by starting the process that could lead to the IRGC being designated as a terrorist organization and blacklisted in order to limit the financial resources that it can contribute to foreign proxies. Meanwhile, would-be members of an anti-Iranian alliance are taking their own actions against such proxies.

Last year, it was widely reported that the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council had added Hezbollah to their lists of terrorist organizations. And on Thursday, the Christian Science Monitor reported that although Hezbollah had grown in recent years, partly through its contribution to the Syrian Civil War on Irans behalf, the state of Israel was preparing for the possibility of increased hostilities, and building stronger deterrents against a possible Hezbollah-initiated war.

The mutual containment efforts by the Jewish state and its Arab neighbors can be viewed as indicators that the broadly unified opposition to Irans militarism is creating numerous, and sometimes unexpected global partnerships.
Described as a major turning point as to what the future may hold for Tehran, participants at the conference made it clear that the balance of power in the region and around the globe has shifted significantly against the regime in Iran.

The state-run Sharq daily wrote on its front page, an editorial saying, A new formation of old enemies against our country has established, and we are alone faced with a global alliance. In such conditions Iran must decrease the military confrontation possibility, tone down the propaganda and make room for overt and covert diplomacy, all aimed at breaking this alliance.

The state-run Jamaran website wrote, The strategic management of Irans policies in the region must be returned to the Foreign Ministry. An example is Irans embassy in Baghdad, which is considered to be one of the most important for the regime, and is, allegedly, under the control of Irans Revolutionary Guards Quds Force since 2003.

In his article for The American Thinker, Heshmat Alavi, political and rights activist focusing on Iran writes, These remarks make it undisputable how terrified Iran is of the rocky road ahead. And the road ahead is being described in Iranian circles as the post-Munich era, foreshadowing a decline in Irans influence and harsh days ahead for the regime.

Alavi writes, The regional balance of power will undergo major changes, and Iran is terrified of not only being on the wrong side of history, but of suffering major setbacks. Senior Iranian officials are issuing warnings for decision-makers to accept the new reality and focus their efforts on sidestepping any provocative actions that can provide excuses or pretexts by rivals. This is one major reason Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei has remained relatively silent in the past month.

That U.S. president Donald Trumps recent round of sanctions following the January 29 ballistic missile test, is a major concern to Iran. Regime analysts predict further measures by the new White House, as Congress will fully back such action. Republicans and Democrats find common ground on punitive measures against Tehran.

It is common knowledge that Iran benefited extremely from Obamas eight-year tenure, especially the unprecedented access Tehrans lobbies enjoyed to the White House. On the other hand, many voices advocating a firm approach on Iran are now considered very close to President Trump and his national security team. To this end, Khamenei understands quite well that unpredictable developments await. Just as international sanctions and fear of an explosive society becoming completely restless forced Iran to the negotiating table, with Trump at the helm in the White House, rest assured that Khamenei will have very limited options. Tehran will to some extent attempt to further test Washingtons limits, such as the recent military drills and testing of advanced rockets, or generals making remarks such as Iran being ready to give U.S. a slap in the face. This practice is also aimed at lessening the costs resulting from any possible future negotiations with the West, according to Alavi. Senior Iranian regime officials are now indirectly encouraging the Supreme Leader to refrain from provoking new tensions, and to enter into new talks when possible.

However, at this years Munich Security Conference, efforts to engage with the international community and regional countries, backfired significantly, resulting in further global and regional isolation for the regime in Iran. The harsh reality that Obamas golden era is over, along with the proceedings in Munich, will have major impact both internationally, as well as on domestic affairs.
It's been two months since East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome became the face of city-parish government. She has spoken to civic groups, unveiled Police Department policy changes and doled out awards to heroic citizens.

But Broome has yet to name the person who will oversee city government's intricate workings on a day-to-day basis, the leader who she will need to trust at all times and who will be her stand-in when she is preoccupied. The importance of choosing a quality chief administrative officer cannot be overstated, say those who have held leadership positions in past administrations.

Broome said she has interviewed as many as 10 people for the job, and an Advocate public records request revealed more than 100 people have applied thus far. The mayor-president said Feb. 27 that she expected to announce her choice within two weeks.

But on Friday, she said she still has not extended a job offer to anyone.

"I will tell you that recently, I've come across some people who I think could fulfill the role, but have I solidified that one person? No, I have not," she said. "So the clock is ticking and I am fervently at work trying to close the chapter on this."

Trying to be the mayor-president without a hand-picked chief administrative officer has not been easy, Broome said. Former Mayor-President Kip Holden's Chief Administrative Officer William Daniel, who Broome has kept on an interim basis, has been helpful, she said.

But until she finds her own person, Broome described the late hours involved while she pulls the double duty of being the mayor-president and handling some operations of government that would normally be left to a chief administrative officer.

"I really need a CAO so that I can focus more on some of the goals that I've established," Broome said. "I've been doing quite a bit."

Some applicants have sent in resumes from the city-parish's job posting, which started being advertised on Jan. 17, and others have submitted materials after seeing the job ad on the International City Managers Association website. But Broome is not bound to pick from people who have applied in the traditional route.

She has reached out to friends and organizations that she's been involved with around the country as she has sought applicants, and Broome said that's how she found some of the people she has interviewed, while she found others from applications.

"It would certainly be preferable to her, I'm sure, if she had her right hand person there now," said Walter Monsour, a former chief administrative officer for past mayor-presidents Holden and Pat Screen. "But clearly she hasn't found that person yet and I don't think she should be rushed into it if she hasn't found that person."

+5 BR mayor-elect Sharon Weston Broome launches search to replace police chief, CAO Mayor-President-Elect Sharon Weston Broome said Thursday that she has started searching for replacements for two longtime fixtures of outgoing Mayor-President Kip Holden's administration.

Monsour and other former chief administrative officers described the rare combination of traits that makes a successful candidate. Organizational skills, administrative skills, communication skills, trustworthiness, task management and leadership abilities are just some parts of the equation. Chief administrative officers also need boundless energy and optimism.

"As the leader of the staff, the chief administrative officer cannot afford to become depressed or overwhelmed," said Mike Futrell, also a former CAO under Holden. He described working through hurricanes Gustav and Ike and the difficulties of the BP oil spill. "They have to have the strength of character to carry on and inspire the rest of the staff to carry on."

The chief administrative officer also has to be politically savvy and persuasive enough to convince a majority of the 12-member Metro Council to buy into the mayor-president's ideas when they need council approval. Futrell described the role as being the linchpin between the mayor and the Metro Council.

"Council members understand that they're not going to agree on everything, but above all, they understand that person is honest and has an open line of communication," said James Llorens, who was an assistant chief administrative officer in Holden's administration.

And given the close relationship between the Metro Council and the CAO, former Mayor Pro Tem Mike Walker said he's surprised Broome has not hired someone yet.

"I find it different," Walker said. "The mayor-president should have somebody in mind, when they get elected, quite frankly. Or soon thereafter."

Broome said she hopes to hire someone with experience working in city government, but that she does not have a preference about whether the person is local or comes from another state. The Baton Rouge Area Chamber has also encouraged Broome to hire someone with experience as a city manager, or extensive private sector experience.

Former RDA executive Walter Monsour joins CSRS Inc. Walter Monsour, who stepped down recently under fire over funding and his salary as head of 

BRAC President and CEO Adam Knapp said the chamber is particularly hopeful that Broome will hire someone who emphasizes the upkeep and cleanliness of the parish. Knapp said that means a CAO who will make sure city agencies, particularly the public works departments, stay on top of maintenance and champion eliminating blight.

Futrell commended Broome for holding a national search, saying the job ads reached him where he is now the city manager for South San Francisco. Llorens said, though, that whoever takes the job needs to have a good baseline understanding of the problems that Baton Rouge is facing, which might best come from someone who has at least lived here in the past.

About 25 percent of the 102 applicants that The Advocate reviewed were from other states as near as Texas and Mississippi and as far as Minnesota and Colorado. But many applicants in that pool lacked the government experience Broome might be looking for, with professional backgrounds that included consultants, lawyers, teachers and more.

One name that could fit the bill is Jacques Molaison, who was Jefferson Parish's chief operating officer under former Parish President John Young. Molaison is now a senior assistant parish attorney in Jefferson, and said he sees a lot of parity between his parish and Baton Rouge.

But Molaison said he has not received a response to his application from Broome's administration, though he has kept checking to make sure the job ad is still online.

Another applicant was Jason Redmond, who was a political adviser for U.S. Sen. John Kennedy and was Kennedy's communications director while he was state treasurer. April Hawthorne, a Baton Rouge planning commissioner and former legislative assistant for Broome, also applied. "I believe my 20-plus years of experience in both government and politics would be an asset to the new administration and help move Baton Rouge forward," said Redmond. Hawthorne did not return a message Friday.

Though Daniel has continued to serve as interim chief administrative officer, he did not apply for the job in Broome's administration. Daniel said his goal was to help Broome during her transition, but that he understands that mayors want their own CAO's and that Broome would want someone new.

"Given the quality of William Daniel and his knowledge and ability, it takes a lot of the pressure off the mayor to make that decision in a slow and careful way," said former Mayor-President Tom Ed McHugh. "What a blessing it was for her to have William to hold it together until she can find a person who fits what she's looking for."
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Hunger strikes of this kind are a long tradition in Iranian prisons, but there has been a notable increase such protests in recent months, as well as a backlash by Iranian authorities against activities that seem to be garnering a high degree of sympathy from the general population. In January, the Iranian activist Arash Sadeghi ended his 71-day hunger strike after protests and social media activities in support of his cause convinced the regime to grant temporary release to his wife and fellow activist, who had been summoned to begin a prison sentence on the basis of a fictional story that authorities had found in a personal notebook confiscated from her home.

In lieu of further concessions, the regime isolated some other political prisoners who had begun hunger strikes around the same time, in order to reduce the likelihood of their becoming a cause for the public to rally around. Furthermore, some political prisoners have been threatened with reprisals if they refused to end their protests.

This appears to be the case, for instance, with Alireza Jalali, who like Shahini, appears to have been targeted for arrest and prosecution solely on the basis of his status as a dual national. Jalali was living in Sweden when he was invited to give a talk at Tehran University regarding his medical profession, but he was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence in April and then held in solitary confinement and interrogated for seven months.

According to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Jalali began his hunger strike on February 15 and stopped consuming fluids as well as solid food nine days later. In an apparent act of retaliation, the Iranian judiciary then blocked a lawyer that had previously been accepted to handle his case, and it has blocked all of Jalalis subsequent choices of representation. The notoriously hardline Judge Salavati, who has also handled the cases of other recently imprisoned dual nationals, has also reportedly threatened Jalali with a predetermined death sentence.

Jalalis relatives have attempted to write to government officials including the President Hassan Rouhani, but they have received no replies. Rouhani, regarded by some Western policymakers as a moderate when he was elected in 2013, has repeatedly encouraged dual nationals to return to Iran, saying that they would be in no danger from the government. But the arrests of people like Shahini and Jalali, along with the Rouhani administrations inaction on their cases, shows the falsity of such claims.

Rouhanis moderate credentials were called into question by some critics of the regime, like the National Council of Resistance of Iran, as soon as he was elected. And these critics have been joined by international human rights organizations in calling attention to undiminished domestic abuses throughout his term in office, which is set to end after his bid for reelection this year.

While existing political prisoners continue to face pressure from regime authorities and the self-imposed dangers of long-term hunger strikes, the ranks of those political prisoners continue to swell with new arrests. These arrests target religious and ethnic minorities, known activists, and anyone perceived as advocating for pro-Western social trends or the soft overthrow of Irans clerical regime.

The NCRI reported on Friday that two women and two men had been arrested in the cities of Tehran and Urmia, apparently on the basis of their Christian faith. Meanwhile, the International Campaign reported that a Kurdish civil activist named Farzaneh Jalali had been arrested by the Intelligence Ministry in absence of a warrant and had been held without charge since February 23. Another report by the same source notes that a former activist, Majid Asadi, who had previously served a four year sentence until 2015, has been detained in Evin Prison since February 21, also without charge and following a similarly warrantless arrest.
It's a crowd that rarely comes to a standstill, but a sombre silence filled Thoroughbred Park on Sunday in memory of Canberra track work rider Riharna Thomson.

The young rider died on Friday from critical head injuries sustained after a fall at the race track.

An emotional start to race day as Thoroughbred park remembers track rider Riharna Thomson Credit:Rohan Thomson

In a statement read at Canberra's Black Opal Stakes on behalf of Ms Thomson's family, race chaplain Reverend Colin Watts thanked the racing community for the "beautiful respect, support and love given to us in the past week."

"It was clear to us that you all love and respected Riharna," the statement read. "Your show of support meant so very much to us in this extremely difficult time."
Vicinity Centres is considering replacing some of its cleaning contractors with robots in a bid to automate and save costs, according to one of the company's non-executive directors, Wai Tang.

In a roundtable discussion ahead of International Women's Day, Ms Tang said disruption and volatility in the sector had led to many changes.

Vicinty Centres, which manages shopping centres around the country, had recently started trialling whether robots could be used to clean its centres.

But such a move, if it was formally implemented, would "displace many jobs", she said.
Australian farmers are not the owners of the mineral wealth beneath their land. Credit:Dean Sewell Russell Edwards Drummoyne Here I am in the USA watching the pilot episode of Star Trek. Tell them to beam you up, Gladys; the Spit Bridge Tunnel will never be built in a hundred reruns of Liberal Party election promises.



John Kingsmill Fairlight Forme prime minister John Howard speaking at the CEDA lunch last Friday. A former colleague of mine who lived in (what was then) Harbord often referred to "our side of Sydney". I said to him one day "I've suddenly realised you don't mean "our side of the Harbour Bridge", you mean "our side of the Spit Bridge", don't you?"

"Certainly not", he said. "I mean our side of Pittwater Road". The Spit Bridge, a lift bridge that spans across Middle Harbour may be replaced by a tunnel. Credit:James Brickwood Steve Cornelius Brookvale Exhaust chimneys in Mosman? I can hear the NIMBYs already. Ray and Lyn Swift of Warramanga, with their Caravan and 4WD. Credit:Graham Tidy

Tim Schroder Gordon Howard's misinterpretation of the reasons for Trump and Brexit John Howard is allowing his own bias to get in the way of an objective assessment ("Howard sees two key factors behind America's choice", March 4-5). He desperately, like many on the Right, want to reignite the "culture wars". He allows this desire to lead to a substantial misinterpretation of the reasons for Trump and Brexit. He also dismisses the underlying economic causes for both. In the case of Trump, it is no accident that he won "swing" states where there had been a disproportionate impact of de-industrialisation from globalisation of capital, for whom lack of jobs and lack of hope was strongest. In the case of Brexit, those areas of England which voted most strongly to leave, were those areas where former blue-collar workers were suffering most from the Thatcherite de-industrialisation and globalisation. In both cases there was an underlying xenophobia. In neither case was "political correctness" or "identity politics" anything more than a minor side issue for voters. So-called "political correctness" is a fixation of the ageing Right. "Identity politics" vs class analysis is the subject of internal debate on the political Left. Despite the desire of Howard, Abbott et al, to reopen the "culture wars", I'm afraid that neither debate is at the forefront in the minds of most voters.





Paul Pearce Bronte Former Prime Minister Howard's rant against 'political correctness' is laughable. He has for years promoted a stifling political correctness on the Right. Its elements are painfully familiar. Patriotic correctness: we live in an exceptional nation, the greatest on earth, and all critics are 'on every side but Australia's'. Plutocratic correctness: the rich are heroes, who have only themselves to thank, and all attempts to achieve greater fairness reflect the 'politics of envy'. Punitive correctness: the poor are shameless shirkers, who have only themselves to blame, and they must be hunted back to work. Prudential correctness: the welfare state, and all public goods and services, must be residualised, so that people are forced back to self-help. Pugnacious correctness: we must prepare for infinite warfare, and arm ourselves to the teeth, and anyone with doubts is 'soft on terror'. Primeval correctness: everything was better, long ago. It is Howard's long-cherished hallucination that people are prevented from saying any of this by the iron heel of left-wing political correctness. He must be deaf and blind. You can hear right-wing political correctness spouted all day on trash radio, and read the same stuff churned out daily by the hireling scribes of one ultra-wealthy press baron.





Douglas Newton Wollstonecraft

Truth suffers in a world lacking integrity

Elizabeth Farrelly has drawn attention to the similarity of world views held by Andy Warhol and Donald Trump ("Blame Andy Warhol, the man who paved the way for Donald Trump", March 4-5). Both men promulgate the dangerous delusion "truth is whatever you say it is". The truth of reality is a paradox. On the one hand truth is what we affirm on the basis of evidence irrespective of whether it suits our convenience. Without truth we cannot choose authentically and we cannot love. On the other hand truth is something for which we have to search. Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk and spiritual writer cautioned: "even when we are acting with the best of intentions and imagine that we are doing great good, we may actually be doing tremendous material harm and contradicting all our good intentions. There are ways that seem to men to be good, the end whereof is in the depths of hell." When truth is not based on evidence we are vulnerable to the evils of demagoguery and patriarchism. We need all the help we can get from artists and politicians of integrity. Mark Porter New Lambton

Water more vital than love for farmers So we need to hug a farmer ("Hug a farmer, they've saved our bacon", March 4-5). Better still, since they rely entirely on a supply of fresh water to provide us with their bounty, why not give them the assurance that, weather and climate change permitting, they will always have that available to them? So, dear Gladys, why are CSG, subsiding coal mines or other destructive and one-off extractive methods likely to destroy our aquifers still legal in NSW? Do you own shares in a company? Are you being blackmailed? Are these largely foreign-owned companies holding your children to ransom? They're doing just that to ours. Rodney Falconer East Lismore Your lead article "Agriculture drives national growth" detailed significant increases in a wide range of agricultural products in 2016, which in turn have provided a valuable boost to Australian exports. A significant contributor to the higher yields will have been down to the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide in recent years. The benefit to plant growth of this trace gas is frequently overlooked.



Mike Cuming Carlingford Don't get me wrong. I'm as grateful as anyone that the rebound in agricultural exports has "saved the economy". In fact, at more than $23 billion they have now reached levels achieved in recent years by the higher education sector through the delivery of teaching programs to fee-paying international students. But we are still waiting for the Herald to exhort its readers to "hug an academic".



Roy Green Turramurra

Monster truck madness Monster trucks don't only put a squeeze on parking in apartment buildings, Jimmy Thomson ("Monster trucks put a squeeze on parking", March 4-5). We've noticed how car parks are much tighter, at beaches and in shopping centres, with "crew" or dual cab utes taking far more space than is fair. Put a bull bar and tow bar on them and they need two car parking spaces in a tandem setup. Add a dual-axle caravan, increasingly common with grey nomads, and you have a mobile traffic jam with rigs almost as long as semis, clogging the roads outside Sydney, and all the towns along the coast.





Karen Joynes Bermagui

Wit might cut through Rosemary O'Brien's letter on cheerleaders, "I don't give a toss..." (Letters, March 4-5) was the first time in 15 years I've agreed with her. With a belly laugh, to boot. Could I encourage Rosemary to address the issue of torture and rape on Manus, Nauru and onshore detention centres with her witty portrayal. Sadly, not just another first-world issue to tackle. Perhaps our Immigration Minister and his henchmen might respond more readily to satire than to choosing mercy. Ken Silvester Engadine Damned obsolescence I have the opposite problem to Garry Linnell, where two of my aged items have become obsolete ("The Lemon Age, when nothing lasts forever  or even a year", March 4-5).

I bought a mobile phone 10 or more years ago, still works beautifully, but with the 2G network closing in April I have been told, by SMS, that I have to buy a new phone. Why? It still takes calls, so I think they should be giving me one for free. My vacuum cleaner, similar age, works perfectly, but they don't make the filter any more, so once again I have to spend money on a new one that I don't want. I am wondering about spares for my AWA, 34-year-old three-in-one? Still works.



Robert Pallister Punchbowl Kennett blots copybook Whichever side of the 7 West/Amber Harrison fiasco one subscribes to, it beggars belief that a person of the status of Jeff Kennett, as an effective and responsible champion for those with depression, would weigh into the debate with his vitriolic and inappropriate remarks ("New twist in Seven West  Harrison legal spat", March 4-5)."

Mr Kennett, you sir, are a poor excuse for a role model.



Barry Miller Bundanoon Roberts continues to play with courage Thank you, Andrew Webster, for your article about Ian Roberts and the other former players involved in Mardi Gras ("Outspoken Roberts still taking hits", March 4-5). Roberts was a courageous, tough player for his clubs and his country for many years, and has shown at least as much courage and leadership off the field ever since. Paul Parramore Sawtell Doctor writes legibly

I was so bad at English when I was at high school that my parents had me tutored in this subject for the Leaving Certificate (Letters, March 4-5). Clearly it was money well spent as it enabled me to enter medical school and eventually write sufficiently well to be occasionally published on the Letters page. Craig Lilienthal Wollstonecraft Work choices Enjoy your Sunday day of rest, Nan Howard (Letters, March 4-5). Just relax while the dairy farmers tend to the cows supplying your milk; the journalists gather and collate the items for your Monday paper. Then you can watch the news, where there's bound to be a report on a traumatic incident and the work of police, paramedics, or the fire and rescue service in dealing with it.



Joan Brown Orange Baird's jackpot
There is a wealth of wisdom in the notion the first thing to do when seeking to exit a hellish hole is stop digging.

However, the custodians of much of the nation's wealth seem intent on unwisely digging themselves ever deeper into a pit of public and parliamentary opprobrium, to the ironic extent that they risk helping bring on the very royal commission they've been seeking to avoid.

A royal commission into the banks is in the public interest. Credit:Paul Rovere

The banks would have us all believe that evidence, much of which has emerged as a result of investigations by The Age, of wrongdoing in their companies is the result of a few "bad apples". That is rubbish.

As we argued last year as the evidence against the banks mounted, it is in the national interest to institute a royal commission into the probity of the culture and conduct of such economically and socially pivotal financial institutions.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has slapped down Pauline Hanson for showering praise on Russian strongman Vladimir Putin and likening the federal government's child vaccination programs to a "dictatorship".

Issuing rare criticism of the One Nation leader, Mr Turnbull said Mr Putin's Russia was responsible for the "shocking international crime" of shooting down the MH17 airliner  killing 298 people, including 38 Australian citizens  and was not worthy of the Queensland senator's admiration.

His comments came after Ms Hanson questioned the well-documented evidence of Russia's involvement in the attack, and suggested Mr Putin could not be held accountable because he did not "push the button".

"I respect the man. He is very patriotic towards his country, the people love him, he is doing so well for the country. So many Australians here want that leadership here in Australia," she told the ABC's Insiders program.
However, Russias alliance with Iran has often seemed to be on shaky ground, according to various analysts.

The Sputnik report quotes Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying that the collaboration between the two countries is a result of Moscows calculations of its own interests, and has nothing to do with either friendly or adversarial gestures toward other countries like the United States.

On one hand, such commentary seems to suggest that Russia cannot be expected to change its behavior toward Iran in order to accommodate any other player on the global stage. But on the other hand, the same remarks could be interpreted to mean that Russias current behavior toward Iran could change, being based on a circumstantial alignment of their interests and not on any sort of ideological commitment to friendship between the two countries.

Such a change is either anticipated or hoped for by various analysts who have pointed to the possible divergence of Iranian and Russian interests in their most closely watched area of collaboration, the Syrian Civil War. And this possible divergence was essentially the main focus of a report published by Bloomberg on Thursday regarding the negotiations currently taking place in Geneva over the future of Syrian crisis.

That report pointed out that the Western-backed representatives of the Syrian rebels in those negotiations, called the High Negotiations Committee, had specifically called upon the Russians to recognize the destructive role of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and either break away from its current alliance or take steps to rein in its partner.

Russian airstrikes in the civil war, which began in 2015, have largely been carried out in support of ground operations that were either supported or led by Irans Revolutionary Guards and its local militant proxies. Those activities were widely criticized for focusing on moderate rebels instead of ISIL forces, and were credited with turning the tide of the conflict in favor of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.

But since the non-ISIL rebels were pushed back with the recapture of such strongholds as Aleppo, the Iranian and Iranian-backed forces have reportedly thwarted virtually all attempts to enforce a lasting ceasefire  a fact that has been eagerly highlighted by the High Negotiations Committee in the current diplomatic talks. Tehran and the Revolutionary Guards have been blamed for violations of previous ceasefires, and they publicly demanded additional concessions from the Syrian rebels before allowing refugees safe passage out of Aleppo.

Bloomberg quoted Salem al-Muslet, the chief spokesman for the HNC as saying, Iran never wants any solution in Syria, the way they act on the ground shows that they want this war to continue. Indeed, the apparent neglect of ISIL has been characterized as part of an Iranian strategy to partition the region into Sunni and Shiite enclaves, with Tehran leading the latter in a struggle for dominance of the Muslim world.

This is, of course, at odds with a Russian position that has been described as more flexible and as allowing for limits on the power of the Assad regime, which is increasingly viewed as a puppet of the Iranian forces that saved it from overthrow. If Russia regards this as a serious divergence of its interests from those of the Islamic Republic, it could undermine the alliance between the two countries, and could also change Moscows calculations as it tries to resolve what Bloomberg describes as a situation of being torn between its traditional partners, Assad and Iran, and its potential partners in the fight against Islamic State  Turkey and the US.

And the resolution of this situation has bearing on more than just the fight against ISIL. The dissolution or downgrading of the Iran-Russia alliance could also make Russia an ally, or at least less of an obstacle to the United States as it revises its foreign policy and becomes more assertive toward the Islamic Republic under President Trump.

While campaigning for office, one of Trumps major foreign policy talking points was his claim that the nuclear agreement pursued by his predecessor was one of the worst agreements ever negotiated and that he would cancel or renegotiate it. Following through on this exact promise would be difficult given that the agreement was the product of multi-party talks. But if Russia becomes more amenable to the Trump administrations positions on the deal, the only serious obstacle remaining among the negotiating parties would be China.

Three other members of the P5+1 group of nations, namely Britain, France, and Germany, are poised to present the White House with options for how they can tighten enforcement of the existing agreement without directly undermining it, according to Fox News. The same report notes that various opponents of the Iranian regime are also urging the Trump administration to take aim at other areas of Iranian behavior, which are not directly related to the nuclear agreement. But of course these activities could be expected to be more effective if they were supported by a broad range of international powers, and especially if that coalition included parties like Russia that have recently supported Tehran.

With regard to the nuclear agreement itself, it is still not entirely clear what course of action the Trump administration is going to take, or whether all of the USs traditional allies will support that course of action. On Thursday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and other US officials met for the first time with Yukiya Amano, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is in charge of enforcing the nuclear deal. But the Washington Times reports that both sides of those discussions have so far remained silent about their contents.
Something curious has happened to the fashion industry in the last few years: So-called modest fashion has started to take off.

Designers and retailers are producing clothing that's often a little longer and slightly looser and tends to have a higher neckline.

Models walk the runway at the Anniesa Hasibuan during New York Fashion Week. Credit:Frazer Harrison

That's good news for an eager generation of young women who want to look great while respecting their religious values.

Burberry, DKNY, and other brands have released special Ramadan collections, timed to coincide with the Muslim holy month. Uniqlo sells a line from British designer Hana Tajima described as fusing "contemporary design and comfortable fabrics with traditional values." And last month, an event billed as the first "modest fashion" week was held at the Saatchi Gallery during London Fashion Week.
In 2015, Australia was rocked by another horrifying crime of intimate partner violence when Gold Coast man Lionel Patea brutally murdered his ex-partner, Tara Brown. Brown had just dropped the pair's daughter off at childcare when Patea chased her down in his car, ran her vehicle off the road and  while she was trapped in the upturned wreckage  proceeded to viciously beat her with a metal plate. Brown was taken to hospital with six skull and face fractures and died 24 hours later. She was only 24 years old.

Last week, Patea pleaded guilty to murder on the first day his trial. He has been sentenced to life in prison. It seems like a fairly open and shut case, sadly reflective of the state of affairs in which men's violence against women in Australia results in the murder of at least one woman weekly. And yet, in a reprehensible letter intended for Brown's family, Patea wrote "The questions that haunts us all (is) how such a tragedy like this could ever have happened."

Patea could offer no answers except to say, "I can't clarify it for myself either."

How can a person accept responsibility for a crime in which they knowingly slaughtered not just another human being but someone with whom they shared a child and yet still wonder how a "tragedy" like this could have occurred?
Having grown up with both parents holding engineering degrees and encouraging her love of science and maths, Isabella Juriya knew what she wanted to study at uni from an early age.

But the 17-year-old had a moment of doubt when she looked around at all the male faces on her first day at Sydney University.

"At orientation for my engineering course, my little group had 20 people and three were girls," Ms Juriya said.

"It was disheartening at first because you look around the room and start to think, 'I don't know if I'm supposed to be here'.
Thousands of Australians have downloaded instructions on how to make a 3D printed gun from an American website called Defense Distributed, according to its managing director Cody Wilson.

Mr Wilson, 29, is an anarchist once named one of the most dangerous men in the world because of his attempts to disseminate information showing how to make a printable and untraceable gun.

NSW is the only state in Australia where it is an offence  punishable by 14 years imprisonment  to possess a digital blueprint to make a 3D gun. The 2015 legislation bans storage in the cloud, on a computer, mobile phone or storage device, within or outside NSW.

Last week 27-year-old Sicen Sun, a gaming enthusiast, was the first person to be charged under this legislation after he allegedly attempted to sell an imitation 3D printed Glock pistol for $1 million. Police allege they found a range of imitation weapons in his Waverley unit.
Residents at a new housing estate near Cranbourne have been without any phone, internet or mobile communications since November, and have just found out they are unlikely to be connected for another eight weeks.

That means residents will have spent seven months without fixed connections because NBN Co has had to re-route an eight kilometre cable to accommodate roadworks and "blockages".

Residents of Belmond Estate, and local MP Anthony Byrne - angry over a lack of mobile, internet or fixed connections. Credit:Meredith O'Shea

"The delays in connecting NBN services at Belmond Estate in Clyde have been due to additional civil works having to be completed before services become operational," an NBN Co spokeswoman said.

"We apologise to residents for the frustration and inconvenience this has caused and reassure them that this matter has been prioritised. We expect services to be available in May."
Electricity bill shock has become a distant problem for residents in Soren Hermansen's hometown in Denmark. It is far more likely they will receive a cheque in the mail for their power on Samso Island.

The island is carbon neutral and runs on renewable energy, with power and profits flowing back into the community.

Renewable energy advocate Soren Hermansen - "conservative in thinking but progressive in development". Credit:Penny Stephens

Now Mr Hermansen travels the world championing community-owned power generation methods.

Most recently he was in Victoria discussing with local communities how they can harness the power of the sun, wind and other renewable sources.
Owners who leave properties vacant will be slugged with a new tax under a Victorian government push to free up more housing for sale and reduce rents.

The new vacant residential property tax is expected to raise about $80 million over four years, coming into force on January 1.

The tax is among a suite of changes the government has announced to make housing more affordable, including scrapping stamp duty for first home buyers on properties worth up to $600,000.

The government will launch a $50 million program to co-purchase properties with first home buyers in which the government would retain an equity share.
Police are searching for a man who abused and attacked a woman on a bus in Melbourne's north.

The victim, a woman aged in her 50s, boarded the route 555 bus from Reservoir train station about 4.45pm on Tuesday.

Police are searching for a man who abused and lunged at a woman on a bus. Credit:Cathryn Tremain

She sat near the back of the bus, before an unknown male in his 20s approached her and began abusing her.

He approached her several more times and began lunging at her before she pushed him away.
The state government has been accused of a 'cash grab' over plans to tax property owners within the Scarborough Beach revitalisation zone who want to develop their land.

The state government and City of Stirling have committed $48 million and $53.4 million respectively to the $100 million revitalisation of a 1.6 kilometre strip along the northern suburb's beach front, due to be completed in 2018.

Deputy leader Liza Harvey has previously described the development as WA's future jewel in the crown, with a beachside swimming pool and new bar and retail precincts expected to double visitors to the area.

Although funding for the project has been fully committed, the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority is seeking to establish a development contributions plan that would charge around 1650 property owners in the 'development zone' an estimated total of $44 million.
Dramatic footage of police pursuing a man in an allegedly stolen luxury car has been released after the driver crashed into another vehicle and a light pole.

The helicopter vision showed a man in a Jaguar driving erratically near Desmond Place in Rivervale around 4pm on Saturday.

A police spokesman said a police vehicle activated its lights and sirens but the vehicle failed to stop, instead travelling through several southern suburbs including Lathlain, Carlisle, Welshpool, Bentley and Victoria Park.

"Police Air-wing followed the stolen vehicle from above," he said.
An Afghan family of five that had received approval to move to the United States based on the father's work for the US government has been detained for more than two days after flying into Los Angeles International Airport, a legal advocacy group said in court documents filed Saturday.

A federal judge in Los Angeles on Saturday evening issued a temporary restraining order to prevent the mother and children from being transferred out of the state. The order, by Judge Josephine L. Staton of the US District Court for the Central District of California, arrived as they were about to be put on a plane to Texas, most likely bound for a family detention centre there, lawyers said.

Demonstrators at Los Angeles International Airport protest President Trump's travel ban in January. Credit:AP

The scene at the airport was "chaotic, panicked, it was a mess," said Lali Madduri, a lawyer with the firm Gibson Dunn, which is representing the family pro bono. "The whole time the children are crying, the woman is crying. They can't understand what's going on."

The father had arrived Thursday with his wife and three children, ages 7, 6 and 8 months, on Special Immigrant Visas, according to the lawyers' habeas corpus petition filed in court Saturday. Those visas were created by Congress for citizens in Iraq and Afghanistan who have helped the US military or government by working, for example, as drivers or interpreters. Such work often makes Iraqis and Afghans targets in their home countries.
Just as he obsessed over the crowd size at his inauguration and upward of 3 million fictional illegal voters, Trump's mammoth ego cannot take the daily drumbeat of attacks and accusations. When adversity strikes - as it did with new allegations concerning Attorney-General Jeff Sessions, who was forced to recuse himself from any campaign-related investigation - he becomes unhinged and paranoid. He can stick to a teleprompter speech for an hour, but soon reverts to form. The owner of a 30th floor apartment in Trump Tower which was available on Airbnb faces a penalty of $1,310. Credit:Sasha Woolley 2. Trump is panicked A variation on the first possibility would be that Trump correctly realises the intelligence community has a good deal more information on what contacts his associates had with Russians than he does. A New York Times story last week confirmed that the intelligence community also has intercepts of Russian officials discussing their contacts with Trump associates. Trump, under this theory, is panicked. An exaggerated, unsupported claim from a right-wing provocateur and gadfly, Mark Levin, that Trump was directly wiretapped is enough to set him off into a Twitter frenzy. As they said about Richard Nixon, even paranoids have enemies.

The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Moscow where Donald Trump stayed in 2013. Despite saying he wanted to build a Trump tower in Russia, Trump never completed a deal in the country's booming but volatile real estate market. Credit:AP 3. Trump creates distractions Another explanation is that Trump, as he does when things go wrong (the Sessions recusal, disarray on tax and health-care legislation, accusations about his foreign holdings), deliberately creates distractions. He'd rather the media chatter about whether he is sane than focus on the need to obtain his taxes to determine what connections he and his family have to Russia. (Recall that last week a story surfaced that Donald Trump jnr was paid handsomely for a speech in France for a pal of the Putin oligarchs.) 4. Trump could be right, sort of And finally, it is possible that he is right that Trump communications were under investigation - but only up to a point. We go back to a story from late October 2016 in which FBI officials allegedly investigated a connection between computer servers owned by the Trump Organisation and the Russian Alpha Bank.

The New York Times reported that there could be an "innocuous explanation" for 2700 so-called look-up messages sent from Alpha servers to Trump's. This does not necessarily mean the FBI or anyone else was "wiretapping" Trump Tower, but we have yet to find out the extent of its investigation and whether, for example, the FBI discovered additional ties between Trump associates and Kremlin allies. Apart from the server story, news reports have suggested, as a Time magazine story did, that "as major banks in America stopped lending him money following his many bankruptcies, the Trump conglomerate was forced to seek financing from non-traditional institutions. Several had direct ties to Russian financial interests in ways that have raised eyebrows." Trump denies he has any ties to Russia. "I can tell you, speaking for myself, I own nothing in Russia. I have no loans in Russia. I don't have any deals in Russia," he said recently, leaving open the possibility that he and/or his sons have ties to Russians operating outside Russia. After Trump's Twitter outburst, some lawmakers, such as Republican Senator Ben Sasse, chose to take him "seriously" - that is, calling for proof of his claims. Others argued that his accusations only underscored the need for a definitive, independent investigation conducted by either a commission with subpoena power or a special prosecutor named by the Deputy Attorney-General (Sessions, who is recused, could not do so).
Bentley at 2017 Geneva Motor Show - Ultimate Performance Meets Exquisite Luxury

 Worlds fastest four-seat cars  the Continental Supersports Coupe and Convertible  make their motor show debuts

 Bentleys bespoke division introduces Bentayga Mulliner, the ultimate luxury SUV

 Limited Edition Mulsanne Hallmark Series by Mulliner also makes global debut

 Flying Spur flagship the W12 S makes motor show debut

CREWE, England - March 5, 2017: Bentley is showcasing its unique breadth of capabilities at this years Geneva Motor Show  from exquisite off-road luxury to extreme on-road performance. There will be five exciting new Bentley models on the brands stand in Hall 1, including the Continental Supersports Coupe and Convertible which are being unveiled to the public for the first time.

A top speed of 209 mph (336 km/h) and a 0-60 mph time of 3.4 seconds

(0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds) make the new Continental Supersports the worlds fastest and most powerful luxury four-seat car.

Also on stand is its soft-top sibling, the Continental Supersports Convertible, the fastest four-seat convertible in the world. Open to the elements, the Convertible despatches the sprint to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.9 secs) on its way to a 205 mph (330 km/h) top speed.

Bentleys personal commissioning division, Mulliner, is showcasing two all-new models at the Swiss expo, which will redefine the benchmark for automotive luxury. Making its global debut is Bentayga Mulliner, the new flagship Bentayga model which reaches new heights of interior cabin luxury.

A special one-off example of the Bentayga Mulliner will be on the Bentley stand in Geneva, featuring a unique inlay to the front fascia depicting the stunning Monte Rosa mountain range in exquisite hand-crafted marquetry created by the artisans at the Home of Bentley in Crewe.

Bentley will also be unveiling the highly exclusive Mulsanne Hallmark Series by Mulliner  a limited edition inspired by the finest precious metals and luxury materials used by the very best jewellers. This limited edition is available across the Mulsanne range, and is the ultimate statement of luxury from Bentleys flagship model. Silver and Gold versions of the fifty-model series will be made available to customers.

Meanwhile, the flagship to the four-door Flying Spur range, the W12 S, is also making its motor show debut in Geneva. The newest Flying Spur model is the first four-door Bentley to have a top speed in excess of 200 mph, and offers a more sporting experience for owners looking for increased power, torque and responsiveness
if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi...
First, let's relegate President Donald Trump's first address to the joint houses of Congress to the dustbin of what might have been.

To those still wondering if the presidents highly praised speech marked a turning point in his nascent presidency, the answer is no, definitively so, now that we have Saturdays pre-dawn tweets revealing that the current president believes the prior president tapped his phone. The FBI may have used its wiretap authority but a president doesn't have any such thing. An Obama spokesperson has issued a blanket denial and no sensible person thinks Obama would do that. We are past the point of asking whether he means what he says.

Apparently relying on a Breitbart article, Trump wrote: "How low has President Obama gone to tap my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!"

For all our hopes and dreams, Trump is unable to conduct himself other than as someone building casinos or hosting The Apprentice who projects his faults on to others whom he would fire if he could. He says Obamas listening in on him because Trump would listen in on his enemies if he could. We saw this during the campaign when he projected his weaknesses on to Lyin Ted, Little Marco and Ben Carson, then an incurable sociopath, now a Cabinet Secretary.

One theoryexcuse, actuallyof Trumps meltdowns are that they happen, mostly over the weekend, when hes home alone. But for this one he was at home, with company, at Mar a Lago with staff, his newest Cabinet member, Wilbur Ross and his family. Theres Melania who doesnt talk all that much but must be a good listener. Ivanka is a stabilizing force and while its the Sabbath, she is a stones throw away from his apartment at her cottage on the grounds. I wonder if, along with the millions Donalds father gave him, he ever tell his son the time-honored wisdom that everything looks better in the morning.

Even to Trumps legions of detractors, it was comforting to believe that his five weeks in office had somehow elevated him, that Dad, despite much evidence to the contrary, was taking charge and that everything would be alright. But a father of our country Trump is not to be. Look what it took, being chained to a teleprompter in the well of the House, for Trump to spend an hour as a credible commander-in-chief. It will be a year before he is again in the collective line of sight of Senators, his Cabinet, Generals with their medals, Supreme Court Justice in their black robes, and Ivanka, whom he promised he would be on his best behavior.

It now seems inevitable. After a spate of normality, Trump will always return to his petri dish, stew for a bit, and end up lashing out at every perceived threat while blaming everyone but himself for his troubles. Its not that Attorney General Jeff Sessions told a whopper before the Senate Judiciary Committee, its that hes the victim of a witch hunt. Its not that the only person close to him who hasnt talked to the Russians is Tiffany, its that hes being persecuted for trying to make friends with Vladimir Putin. Want to know when its a crime to talk to the Russian Ambassador? Since Sessions dissembled over it while under oath, Lt. General Michael Flynn lied to the vice president while he had to know he was being taped, and since Putin became a shirtless horse-riding idol and John McCain, Meryl Streep, the president of Australia and now the former president of the United States became the new presidents punching bags.

One unfortunate outcome of the overdone praise for the speech to the half of the country adamantly anti-Trump could have been Trump luxuriating in the moment. If normal meant high Nielsens and huzzahs from the failing New York Times, then normal it would be, undercutting their position that hes a menace. But he didnt choose normal and perhaps Trump is not to be blamed. His impulses, once on his own, are reactive, immediate, and not fully volitional. There is a word for this. I cant write it.

While Trump insisting that the press is making up stuff and causing him grief, particularly on Russia, the press, if anything, treats every article like a moonshot that has to be fail-safe correct. Trump trails lies like breadcrumbs, and never corrects his own. Other than a mistaken bulletin that a bust of Martin Luther King had been removed from the Oval Office, immediately corrected by the reporter but milked by the administration as an example of fake news to a fare-thee-well, the mainstream press goes to great lengths to get nothing wrong.

On the other hand, Trump is often wrong, but never takes back anything. He said it stopped raining when he rose to give his Inaugural Address. It started raining. He said that more people were there than at Obamas Inauguration. Not close. That millions of people cheated at the ballot box, that crime is soaring, unemployment vastly higher than calculated, that coal miners will have jobs if theyre allowed to dump runoff into streams. False, false, false, false. When challenged, its always thats what people told me. Yes, the same folks who told him Obama was born in Kenya.

On the one hand, it's only been five weeks. On the other, it's been five weeks and our respite thinking it's going to get better has come and gone. When Nixon talked to portraits in the middle of the night, it was near the end. Trump is openly striking out against enemies real and imagined in the middle of the night to the point of calling his predecessor sick and we are only at the beginning. He hasnt begun to feel the pressure of the office.

Perhaps Trump is not to be blamed. His behavior is purely reactive, not mediated by thought or tempered by a spouse, a daughter, or an aide. He believes he doesnt need help but oh, does he ever. There is a word for this but Im not going to use it.

Theres a word for us and I will use itgullible, easily conned, wanting to trust to the point of incredulity. After the Friday Night Madness, it is time to get over the illusion that a speech means we will be alright. We wont.
She comes back from wherever she has been, sitting in the back seat of a police car. What time is it? she says.

The deputy glances into the rearview mirror. Hes seen the scars on her wrists, seen correctly that they are recent. Ten oclock, he says, youve had a big night. This is San Diego, which she knows because she used to live here, and thats where we know her from, going back a lot of years. Shes been in Reno since January. The deputy has a friendly way about him, but she is pretty sure they arent friends. The handcuffs, for one thing.

Here is something she knows: the provocation tonight was not drugs or alcohol. Nothing manufactured comes into it. Tonight was purely rage. Pounding on the door of a wrong house, looking for an old boyfriend, then an argument, then pounding on the woman who answers it. The argument rolls from the doorway onto the sidewalk where the woman who answered the door is smashed into the cement and spends the next two days in the hospital. It does not help Katies case that the victim is pregnant.

Later, Katie recalls what she knows about the events of the eveningwhich is pretty much only what the deputy tells herwithout seeming to take sides, as if the actors in the story were strangers to her, behaving strangely. In her versionif you can call not remembering anything a versionthe kindness of the deputy is more important than the injuries to the victim.

***

The jailhouse for women is half an hour or so east of town. The deputy does not leave until he is sure that the jailers understand that she is a suicide risk. Consequently, protective custody. Protective custody is not as friendly as it sounds. She is handcuffedone handto a railing in the wall and told to undress. She is a beautiful woman, but running out of canvas for new tattoos. Hidden beneath the tattoos are the scars. Who knows how many? Most of them would have been invisible by now anyway. She has been cutting herself since she was 14. The charges against her are felonies for now (but will be dropped later to misdemeanors), bail is $30,000.

She hesitates taking off her fundamentals and a short, stocky guard snaps at her. Stop fuckin around. Katie tells herself to stay quiet, to stay patient. They want her quiet.

She is given a garment to wear that resembles a throw rug, rectangular in shape, connected by Velcro straps over her shoulders. The protective custody outfit is one-size-fits-all and it slides open when she moves. On the other hand, you cannot hang yourself with a throw rug.

Katie is taken to a small, square room. Padded walls and floor, a hole in the ground for a toilet, with bars across the top to keep the inmates from reaching in. A very strange place, protective custody. The toilet is flushed from outside by the guard. The room is uncomfortably cold but Katie says nothing. She lies on her back in her cold, padded room and sings a song, Poppa Can You Hear Me?

Wide awake, wondering again what time it is.

***

The door to the room is just a door, solid, no bars, with a narrow window at the top and a slot further down where tortilla chips, a dinner roll and tiny cups of water are passed through. And toilet paper. You have to ask for toilet paper, you have to ask the guard to flush the toilet. It is a tenet of the justice system of course that you are innocent until you are proved guilty, but as Katie observes, Nobody in here is not being punished.

A psychologist appears on the other side of her door and asks a series of questions, bending down to the food slot for the interview. The interview lasts two minutes. A checklist of questions the psychologist has obviously memorized. It is humiliating, being someones chore.

How are you feeling? Are you going to commit suicide?

The correct answers are Okay and No, and in a little while Katie is promoted to the psych ward. Time moves at some unknown speed.

The new room is larger. Bars, five beds, one other inmate. A tiny, angelic-looking 20-year-old Filipino woman/child who could be mistaken for 16. Katie, relieved to be out of protective custody, nods hello.

The cherub says, I let him f- me in the a, I could not s- for three days. Katie is no stranger to descriptive language but is momentarily lost for words.

He gets this restraining order against me, the girl says, and then he calls me up to come over to f- him, and I come overthis happens again and again, and still I goand then when he gets sick of me and I wont leave he calls the police, and they come take me in because he got a restraining order.

The woman/child walks around to another part of the cell and tells the story again. It begins, Three days I cant s- because I let him Down the hall a woman is singing the ABC song and somewhere else a woman is screaming and kicking the door in her cell.

Katies roommate lies down on one of the beds and seems to go to sleep. And then, with her eyes closed, it starts again. For three days, she says, I cant s-

Down the hall the pounding and screaming stops, and in the quiet thats left she hears a thin voice singing, ABCDEFG

Her roommate is back on her feet. He call me up when he want to f- me, and then he get sick of me and when I wont leave he calls the cops. You know what I let him do? I let him

And Katie nods along with the story again, reminding herself to stay quiet, to be patient. Whatever this is, it cant last forever.

The soprano down the hall finishes up: Now I know my ABCs, what in the world do you think of me?

***

Katie is moved again, into a holding cell. There is a phone on the wall, a directory of bail bonds companies. The first two ask if she is prepared to make full payment (10 percent of the bond, in this case, is $3,000) and when she suggests $500 now and maybe a hundred a week, they hang up. On the third call she wises up and agrees to pay the full amount practically before the operator is done saying hello. She says, Do you take credit cards? And she is out.

She walks from the police station out into the night. Still cold, her hair is wet from a shower she was offered before she left. A man from the bail bond company is there to pick her up and take her back to the office to sign the paperwork.

It is eight oclock at night. She sits still, looking out the window, still quiet and afraid to draw attention. She tries to remember the fight that the deputy told her about, but nothing comes. She remembers he was very sweet, but the time before that is lost.

And fresh from jail, with that piece of her lifeof herselfstill missing, she rides back into the world with a bail bondsman, from one bedlam to another, wondering what will be missing next.
TIJUANAAfter a long day of driving and livestream reporting from the narco hotbed of Guerrero state, Cecilio Pineda Birto took his dusty car to a local carwash in the sleepy little riverside town of Pungarabato on Thursday evening.

There, while Pineda was resting in a hammock and waiting for his newly washed car, two men opened fire on him then fled the scene on a motorcycle with the murder weapon in hand.

But the closest witnesses to the attackthe carwash attendantswere not questioned by authorities, as they immediately went into hiding, state attorney general Xavier Olea Pelaez said.

First responders were unable to revive the journalist, who had reported for local and national media outlets like La Voz de Tierra Caliente and El Universal. He was soon after pronounced dead, just past 7:30 p.m.

Pineda covered the crime beat and had made a name for himself as a fearless journalist working to keep his community informed, often livestreaming on-the-scene reporting to his more than 31,000 Facebook followers, as he did on Thursday, just hours before his death.

That afternoon, while driving along a Guerrero highway, cellphone in hand, he complained in a livestream about the local and state governments inaction, corruption, and collusion with dangerous and organized criminalsas he so often did.

His target in what would be his final video was Raybel Jacobo de Almonte, a criminal more commonly known as El Tequilerothe subject of an ongoing, statewide, months-long, failed manhunt. More specifically, he spoke out against the authorities and public officials who are believed to grant Almonte official protection and collude with his criminal underlings.

Even the hitmen for El Tequilero  have revealed his location, Pineda said, referring to the feared criminal organization known as Los Tequileros. The government does not want to arrest them, even though they know exactly where they are.

They know where El Tequilero is. They know who El Tequilero is with right this moment. And the hitmen are informing on where the safe houses are. But, still, no, even with that information they are refusing to go after them, he said while driving, sharing a combination of common knowledge and news he had gathered in the course of his reporting.

I understand, he said, expressing sympathy for some of the authorities who were refusing to act. Only those of us who have survived attacks or kidnappings and have been threatened understand the situation.

The former mayor of Pungarabato, where Pineda was murdered, was ambushed on a highway and executed last July after announcing that he had been threatened repeatedly by organized crime. His driver and one other civilian were killed in the ambush, and two federal police escorts also were injured.

Pineda often denounced threats of violence against him and his family. And, in fact, had himself narrowly escaped with his life a year and a half ago when armed men broke into his home, threatening his pregnant wife and young son while the reporter happened to be away.

In the nearby city of Taxco de Alarcon, the journalist Francisco Pacheco Beltran was gunned down in front of his home on a Monday morning last April. He too had gone after authorities and criminals alike.

In Pinedas final reports, he reminded the guerrerenses of the widespread collusion of state authorities with El Tequilero, which has created an atmosphere of crisis. Nearly 100 schools closed their doors last week across the state, joining dozens that have remained shuttered for weeks, in protest against the impunity the authorities have allowed El Tequilero and the violence affecting daily life in Guerrero.

Im just telling you what I know, and what Ive heard, and the information that Ive gathered, Pineda said, while reminding his audience that local mayor-turned-state-congressman Saul Beltran Orozco of Mexicos ruling PRI, or Institutional Revolution Party, has personal and provable ties to El Tequilero.

The prominent politician was among those in attendance at the party for El Tequileros sons baptism, Pineda reminded his viewers, referring to a video filmed in 2014 during the celebration in San Miguel Totolapan.

In the video, Orozco, who at the time was the town mayor, can be seen seated at a table with El Tequilero chatting with one of the states most wanted men.

A half-dozen men stood guard holding machine gunscuernos de chiva, or goats horns as they are known colloquially because of the curved magazines of the AK-47s. The mayor-turned-congressman grabbed the microphone, as the video shows, to personally thank the wanted man, whom he called my friend El Tequi.

Yet, despite this irrefutable evidence, Orozco still insists that he does not know the drug gang leader, and he continues to enjoy political protection while claiming hes the one being persecuted.

***

On the coast of Guerrero state in the once internationally popular resort of Acapulco, which has been declared among Mexicos five most violent cities year after year, dozens of journalists and community members held a protest Friday to mourn Pinedas loss and demand increased safety in the state. They pinned a large black ribbonthe symbol of losson the door of the prosecutors office.

But as Pinedas corpse was delivered to the city of Iguala on Friday, the country at large was reminded of the complicated reality of life in Guerreroand indeed life in several of Mexicos most drug-war-torn states.

Iguala made international headlines in 2014 as the site of the disappearance and all but certain mass-execution of 43 rural teaching students, bringing Guerrero into the spotlight as a state where officials of the highest authorityfrom local and state police, to the mayor and the governors officehave been proved to be allies of organized crime.

The scandals surrounding the failed investigation into what happened to the students, who the government claims were mass-incinerated in a garbage dumpan investigation which independent forensic specialists resoundingly declared had been sabotaged by the Mexican governmenthave not yet faded from memory.

But the tragedy has left no real lasting impact on the countrys political class, and has become little more than a minor blemishone of manyon President Enrique Pena Nietos record.

In Guerrero, in the final weeks of 2016 as the supposed manhunt for El Tequilero was under way, autodefensas or self-defense militias formed to combat the Tequileros. Such groups have become common in other central Mexican cartel hotbeds, like neighboring Michoacan, where hundreds of citizens have taken up arms in recent years to combat two faces of the same criminal coin: the authorities, and the cartels.

In January, during a march through the town of San Miguel Totolapan, community members dressed in white and with covered faces demanded peace, lambasting the authorities protection of and collusion with El Tequilero.

The names of the wanted criminals and the cities in conflict often change, but this story stays the same, and continues to play out predictably, over and over again, in Mexicoa country that human rights observers and activists have labeled a failed narco state.

And unfortunately for those tasked with informing the public, their enemies clearly will stop at nothing to silence them. Last year became the most dangerous on record for journalists in Mexico since the start of its decade-long drug war in 2006, with an average of one journalist killed each month over the course of the year.

But this is not a new phenomenon, and, in fact, since 2006 more than 80 journalists have been killed in direct retaliation for their important work in Mexico.

Dozens more also disappeared or were killed, but press protection organizations often count only those whose murder can be directly, unequivocally, linked to their work.

Two weeks ago, a reporter in Colima, Carlos Alberto Garcia, was ambushed by armed men and peppered with bullets, taking three fatal shots to the chest. He, for example, will not be included in this years final tally, which will likely follow the same upward trend observed in recent yearsa trend toward impunity and official inaction.

Juan Vazquez, a spokesman for press freedom organization Article 19, lamented Pinedas reproachable murder in a telephone interview on Friday, as well as that of the Colima journalist his organization will not be able to include in the tally, as there is no clear line between his reporting and his death.

These cases cannot continue to be met with more impunity, Vazquez said. We will continue to demand that the government take action to guarantee the safety of journalists in Mexico, and to work to improve the conditions that make Mexico one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist.

Mexicounlike Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan, which are also very dangerous countries for journalistsis not a country that recognizes that it is engaged in any official war, Vazquez noted. But our situation is very unique, in that we are certainly at war, however unrecognized.

The pillar of democracy, the right to a free press, is being denied in Mexico, Vazquez said. When a journalist is killed, it silences the truth. And the more journalists are killed, the less free truth can be.

This leaves the countrys people uninformed about their reality. And without that information, Mexico becomes a silence zone, with an uninformed public that stops asking questions and demanding their rights, Vazquez noted.

Noticias Tierra Caliente lamented the loss of their fallen colleague after reporting on the news, and said they will always remember Pineda.

Even if it was dangerous, he kept the people informed, the outlet wrote in a statement. He was the best journalist in Tierra Caliente.

May he rest in peace.
It was the kind of moment musicians dream of.

Kinan Azmeh had just debuted a new composition, The Fence, The Rooftop, and the Distant Sea, a duo with him on the clarinet and Yo-Yo Ma on the cello, at the Elbphilharmonie, the soaring new concert hall in Hamburg, Germany.

It was the first time he had performed a duet with Ma, probably the most famous classical musician in the world and something of an international goodwill music ambassador.

From there, Azmeh flew to Beirut, Lebanon where he was set to perform Mozarts Clarinet Concerto.

But when his plane landed, Azmeh switched on his phone and saw that the United States had just banned travel from seven majority Muslim nations into the United States, including Azmehs home country of Syria.

Azmeh didnt know if he would be able to fly home to New York, where he has lived for the past sixteen years, arriving a week before 9/11 in order to study at Juilliard.

I wanted to be in the lions den, he said earlier this week, sitting in his cramped but comfortable apartment in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, where old concert posters and ancient wooden horn instruments line the walls, explaining how he ended up tens of thousands of miles from home. And then the city sucked me in.

The apartment is in one of the opening scenes of a The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, a new documentary from Oscar-winning director Morgan Neville.

The film traces how Ma, who achieved the limelight as a seven-year-old cello prodigy, performing for the likes of President Kennedy and Johnny Carson, has spent the last two decades of his life attempting to create a music that blends western classical music with traditional instruments from around the world, like an Indian tabla, or an oud, or an Iranian kamancheh.

Azmeh joined the group five years ago when a few members reached out to him because they needed a clarinetist for an upcoming concert, even though he had met Ma years before when the famed cellist, someone who performed in front of President Kennedy when he was only seven, showed up in the wee morning hours at a Brooklyn loft party.

He said, Hey, Ive heard of you, Azmeh recounted

The Manhattan Project of music one of the players calls it earlier in the film, which traces the stories of a half-dozen of the fifty or so members of the ensemble as they bring long-forgotten ways of playing to a wider audience.

None of the stories highlighted however are quite as compelling as that of Azmehs, a Syrian who plays an instrument unknown in traditional Arabic music. He took up the clarinet as a boy in Damascus. He was a left-hander murdering the violin, so his father wrote a note to the editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica and asked for suggestions.

They wrote back actually, and suggested either the piano or the clarinet. But to me music was always about travel, and I knew I couldnt travel very easily with a keyboard, so I picked up the clarinet.

That notion of travel though has grown more and more complicated throughout Azmehs career.

Moving to New York as the city reeled from the worst terrorist attack on domestic soil, Azmeh suddenly had to go register at the local police station. And every time after that he flew back to New York Citywhich was often, since he is a touring clarinetisthe was shunted aside at JFK airport for extra questioning.

It happens every time. Every time. They used to call it random. They dont call it random anymore. Its okay though. You go into this little room where you see all your friends from Pakistan, from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, and Sudan. The list expands or shrinks depending on the political moment.

But as he waited to perform in Beirut, it felt different. Although Azmeh is a green card holder, the situation seemed to be changing every time he looked down at his phone.

Would he be allowed to go back home? Or even board a plane? His parents still lived in Damascus, but that was impossible, not just because of the security situation in Syria, in which a civil war has left close to half a million people dead and forced half of the country to flee, but because Azmeh is an outspoken opponent of the regime he feared that he could be arrested and made an example out of.

While he was in Beirut offers of helped poured in, from fellow musicians, from New Yorkers, from fans. There were offers of places to stay, legal help. He followed along from Beirut as Americans flocked to airports for spontaneous protests.

It was incredible to watch, this demonstration of values outside of JFK, and then the flip side was what happening at immigration control, he said. I am sure many of the people there, the majority probably, werent affected by the ban, but they were standing up for values they believe in.

Azmeh isnt alone in finding himself suddenly with shaky status in regards to his ability to practice his craft in the United States.

The Oscar-winning Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi for a moment seemed as if he would be unable to attend this years Academy Awards ceremony, but once the travel ban was lifted declined to attend in protest.

Hala Kamil, a Syrian refugee and Subject of Oscar-Nominated Documentary, Watani, was likewise briefly barred from coming to the US for the ceremony but did later attend.

Museums around the country have said that the ban would affect their ability to put on exhibitions, and even artists living in the US, like Shahpour Pouyan, an Iranian artist living in New York who has two pieces hanging at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, recently said that he feared he would be unable to travel to two group shows overseas later this year.

When it became time for Azmeh to return to the States, the travel ban had been lifted. But a new sense of precariousness settled in, one even worse than in the days after 9/11.

His plight was mentioned in a report on the BBC, and once he was home, Azmeh read the comments on the story. Who cares? read one. Someone can be a suicide bomber and a clarinetist. Worse was the realization that with a single signature, someone can change your life.

If comments like that are jolting for anyone, they are entirely antithetical to the spirit of Silk Road, which was designed to show what kinds of creative possibilities there are when cultures collide.

It is the kind of project that it is easy to be cynical about, with its Putamayo-inflected melting pot grab-bag conception of culture.

But it is also hard to not recognize that whatever the Silk Road Ensemble stands forthe free movement of ideas and people across continentsbecame more important after 9/11, and has grown in even greater importance in these days of border walls and executive orders. They are a group that is scattered all over the world. At a moment they could become an impossibility.

Although the group insists that what they do is apolitical, that their project began before this era of terrorism fears and travel bans, it is hard not to notice a statement slip through every now again.

At an event to promote the movie at Grand Central Station earlier this week, a half-dozen of the musicians gathered to play a couple of songs for the press, among them a Mexican march and Syrian wedding tune that Azmeh arranged.

Afterwards, as members of the press played with an interactive computer game that allowed them to stand on an instrument from the ensemble to hear it played, Azmeh, between interviews with dozens of outlets, said he was disappointed with how the morning had turned out. He had hoped they would play in the middle of the station, one of the busiest in the world, not stuck behind rope for members of the media. Would commuters stop and listen, or would they rush through on their way to work? Even though he was fairly certain it would be the former, he wanted to test it out.

Thats the real challenge. Can you keep an audience and hold an audience in a place like this? Thats what I thought this would be.

No matter. New business called. Although Azmeh just got back from Hamburg and Beirut, he is leaving again soon for Berlin and Brussels and a few more shows in Hamburg, a tour that will take him out of the country for most of the month of the March and that concludes with a Silk Road Ensemble concert in Abu Dhabi. It is likely he could find himself stranded again.

If I leave the US, I dont know what is going to happen. Right now I know I can come back. But what happens next week. This is in the minds of everybody. How do you deal with that? My decision is I am going to continue doing what I am doing, and you know what, I am going to deal with it when whatever happens next happens. If I am stopped from coming home I will have to think about what to do next.

I try to put things into perspective, Azmeh added. Yes, I managed to come back, yes, but there are so many families whose lives have been shattered.

You realize you are not alone in this. This little story of mine, I put it in the perspective of what many people are going through. Think of all the Syrians of the last six years who were not only barred from going home but they lost their families and their homes. When I think of what happens to me it is nothing in comparison. That gives me some strength. This is only a tiny piece of a much bigger puzzle.

The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble premieres on HBO on March 6 at 8 PM.
ACCRA, Ghana  At the end of a globetrotting career that took U.S. civil-rights pioneer and author W.E.B. Du Bois from his home in America to Germany, the Soviet Union, China, and many other countries, he travelled to Ghana in 1961. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghanas first president, had invited him to help write the Encyclopedia Africana. Renouncing his U.S. citizenship, Du Bois became a citizen of Ghana and lived there until his death in 1963he died on the eve of the civil-rights march in Washington, D.C., where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his I Have a Dreamspeech and where Roy Wilkins of the NAACP announced Du Boiss death from the podium.

Du Boiss final home, a sleepy bungalow in a leafy enclave of Accra, Ghanas capital, still stands. The tombs of Du Bois and his second wife, Shirley, sit next to his former home, which is today a tiny, modest museum at the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Center for Pan-African Culture.

The museum features hundreds of books Du Bois brought with him to Ghana. Their titles reflect his eclectic background: British Slavery and the Abolition, The Mark of the Oppressor, Into China, Time in New England, History of the Jews in the United States and American Novels and Stories of Henry James. Glass cases feature Du Boiss graduation robes from Harvard; notebooks from 1905 covered with his even script; an 1868 photo of his father faded into sepia; scrolls that were gifts from China (Du Bois, who joined the American Communist Party in 1961, met and admired Mao Zedong); an 1884 photo with his high school class in Great Barrington, Massachusetts; and other memorabilia.

Scholar, author, civil rights pioneer and activist, and co-founder of the NAACP, William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was born on February 23, 1868, in Great Barrington, a small western Massachusetts town that is a long way from west Africa. After graduating from Fisk University in Tennessee, he earned a second bachelors degree at Harvard University. In 1895 he became the first African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard. He went on to write 17 books, including the seminal The Souls of Black Folk, in which he introduced the idea of twoness. (A new edition of the book was published last month by Restless Books during Black History Month). Du Bois described this double-consciousness as two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. Those strivings and ideals led him across the Atlantic to spend his last days in Ghana.

Du Bois was a leader in the pan-African movement that sought solidarity between all people of African descent. He was a major influence on Nkrumah, especially after they met at the 1945 Pan-African Congress in Manchester, England. In 1947, Nkrumah led Ghana to break free from Britains colonial rule, making it the first African country to win independence. Ghana will celebrate its 60th anniversary as an independent nation on March 6.

In his poem Ghana, which is dedicated to Nkrumah, Du Bois wrote:

I went to Moscow; Ignorance grown wise taught me Wisdom; I went to Peking: Poverty grown rich Showed me the wealth of Work I came to Accra.

Here at last, I looked back on my Dream; I heard the Voice that loosed The Long-looked dungeons of my soul I sensed that Africa had come Not up from Hell, but from the sum of Heavens glory.

B.S. Ato Keelson is the director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Center in Accra. In an interview, he spoke about the relationship between Ghana and Du Bois, who dreamed of coming back to Africa, his ancestral land, says Keelson; Du Bois influence on Africa; and the cross-fertilization of ideas between Ghana and African American leaders.

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.

What influence did Du Bois have on pan-Africanism?

For us in Ghana, we see Du Bois as somebody who blazed the pan-African scene in Africa. Before independence, we had some Ghanaian pan-Africanists but they were not so prominent in activism. When Dr. Nkrumah, our first president, met Du Bois in the 1945 Pan-African Congress, he had the vision to help liberate the people of Africa. They got so much attached to each other. Dr Nkrumah invited Du Bois to Ghana to come and stay here.

For us, Du Bois being in Ghana became an eye opener. He was able to work with Nkrumah on a number of pan-African initiatives in Africa. He didnt stay that long but even in that short time he was very influential for us, not only in Ghana but all of Africa. Those leaders who attended the Pan-African Congress became leaders of their countries, such as Jomo Kenyatta [Kenyas first president] and Nkrumah. That influenced them to work hard to deliver their people from shackles of colonialism. They found Du Bois an inspiration.

What led Du Bois to settle in Ghana?

When Nkrumah came back to Ghana after the Pan-African Congress, he was always in contact with Du Bois. After gaining independence, Nkrumah needed people to help him to push pan-Africanism. He said the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked up with total liberation of the African continent. He needed Du Bois to help push this agenda through. He invited Du Bois in 1961. Du Bois had problems in the U.S. with renewal of his passport. When he came to Ghana, Nkrumah accepted him as a Ghanaian and Du Bois naturalized as a Ghanaian. He accepted Nkrumahs invitation because he had the intention of helping Africa liberate itself from colonial rule.

Nkrumah didnt just look at Ghana. He supported most of the African countries to gain independence. The light had been lit by Du Bois and Nkrumah and it was a matter of course that other countries follow. Certainly it was through Du Boiss influence.

What progress has been made toward the vision of pan-Africanism?

Partially the vision has been achieved. There were major landmarks that had to be reached. First was the independence of African countries. That has been achieved. The second was unification of the African continent as one group. That was started with Organization of African Unity followed up with the African Union [a union that includes all 55 countries on the continent.] There were stumbling blocks here and there because we had different groups having different visions. So it was difficult for the African Union to be well-focused. Nonetheless, at least the AU exists. Its not so strong as we expected but its working. The other component is the economic emancipation of people. That has not been achieved to a large extent. But the first major hurdle was independence of the African continent, and that has been achieved.

In the museum, there are photos of African American leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and writer Maya Angelou visiting Ghana and meeting Nkrumah . What did coming to Ghana mean for African American leaders?

Du Bois is held so high in terms of pan-Africanism, and the struggle for independence and liberation of the black race. His presence in Ghana alone is something that Africans in the diaspora cherish. So any time they come, they want to come to the Du Bois Center to see his legacy. That is very important for us. The other part is the work that Nkrumah has done. His influence on the independence struggle and independence of African countries is one that gives Ghana that pedigree. People who come to Ghana want to see where Du Bois stayed and died.

The majority of our visitors are African Americans. Ghanaians dont know so much about the Du Bois Memorial Center. We are trying to sensitize people in Ghana to cherish the achievements of Du Bois and Nkrumah.

Nkrumah gave Du Bois this house as his residence. What is the history of the Du Bois Memorial Center?

In 1963, Du Boiss wife was still in Ghana because she was a close friend of the Nkrumah family until the 1966 coup d'etat, which toppled Nkrumahs government. Nkrumahs wife was Egyptian. After the coup, she took Du Boiss wife to Egypt. Du Boiss wife continued to China because [W.E.B.] Du Bois had links to China. She went to China and died there in 1972.

Within that period, Du Bois house was ransacked. Most things were taken away. Du Bois came with a lot of books and regalia. We were able to salvage some of them. Not all, but some of them. In 1985, some Pan-Africanists in Ghana realized when diasporan Africans come to Ghana they cant see the tomb of Du Bois. Du Bois was buried along the walls of Osu Castle, which was the seat of government at the time. It was such a security zone that they couldnt see the tomb. These Pan-Africanists asked the president for help to relocate the tomb. Du Bois had wished that he be buried in front of his house. This request was made to the government of former president Jerry Rawlings. The body was re-interred in a specially designed tomb in front of his house. After the tomb was put in, the center was set up.

[Shirley Du Boiss remains were eventually recovered from China and sent to Accra where they are interred alongside her husband.]

Amy Yee is an award-winning journalist who has written for The New York Times, The Economist and NPR. She is a former correspondent for the Financial Times based in India and New York. Follow her on Twitter at @amyyeewrites
Shortly after September 11, 2001, then President George W. Bush spoke directly to Muslims. We respect your faith, he said, calling it good and peaceful. Terrorists, he added, are traitors to their own faith, trying, in effect, to hijack Islam itself.

Recently, TODAYs Matt Lauer reminded Bush of his words. I understood right off the bat, Matt, that this was an ideological conflictthat people who murder the innocent are not religious people, Bush explained.

Those words epitomize an important, but controversial question: is someone who acts violently in the name of a faith truly a member of that faith? According to recently highlighted data from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI)which focuses primarily on Christian responses to that yes/no questionpotential answers may result in a double standard. Christians are more likely to say that other Christians acting violently are not true Christians, while failing to provide the same latitude for Muslims.

But how closely does this represent the reality? When I asked Christian theologians the why behind that simple survey, the answers wereperhaps surprisinglymore complicated and diverse.

According to PRRI, 50 percent of Americans in general say that violence in the name of Islam does not represent Islam75 percent say the same of Christianity. The numbers shift, however, the more specific the demographic gets, creating the alleged double standard. White mainline Protestants (77 percent) and Catholics (79 percent) reject the idea that true Christians act violently, with 41 percent and 58 percent respectively being willing to say the same of Muslims.

White evangelicals stand out the most, having what PRRI calls the larger double-standard87 percent disown Christians who commit violent acts, with only 44 percent willing to say the same about Muslims.

Many, however, believe that Christians who commit acts of terror are overlooked in the Westthat terrorist is a biased word used only of non-white violent acts done in the name of Islam.

Early in February, the White House issued a report of 78 terror attacks the Trump administration says were ignored by the media. The list was widely dissected by the press and pundits, with news outlets challenging the claims (listing their own coverage as proof), taking the metaphorical red pencil to the lists many clear spelling errors, and noting the conspicuous absence of attacks by professed white Christians. Notably, the list did not include the recent attack on a mosque in Quebec, as CNNs Jake Tapper pointed out.

Understandably, most people are unlikely to associate willfully with anyone who acts horribly in the name of a faith they love. When terrorist attacks do occur, faith representatives frequently waste little time in denouncing them (PRRIs double standard) but not all are sure that these open repudiations represent the reality.

Reverend Susan Thistlethwaite, professor of theology at the United Church of Christs Chicago Theological Seminary, for example, believes there is value in calling violent actors by their chosen faith.

Christians who commit terrorists acts in the name of their religion are, of course, Christian terrorists, she says. This does not mean that Christianity is only a violent religion, but it has been complicit in horrific and systemic violence across history, from the Crusades to the Inquisition to the Nazis, and todays Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis.

She believes it is important that Christians face the issue honestly. Christians dont get a hall pass to go innocently through the bloody history of what has been done by Christians in the name of Christianity over time. It is absolutely critical that Christians not turn away from the Christian theological elements in such religiously inspired terrorism.

The same goes for Islam, she says.

When Muslims commit horrific acts in the name of their religion, I do not think they cease to be Muslims. She recognizes that Muslims who distance themselves from ISIS might say, Thats not Islam, but she believes it is more complicated than that.

I know many thoughtful Muslims who know they need to dig deeply into their own faith in order to look at the temptations to violence, such as thinking you are doing the will of God when what you are really doing is using Islam in order to gain political power.

Daniel Kirk, pastoral director at Newbigin House of Studies, agrees that violence does not negate ones Christian or Muslim status.

Each religion and every religious text holds potential for harm as well as good. Acts of violence can be, and often are, religious expressions. It is critical that we recognize the human component involved when religious communities shape behavior. If we deny the religious component we misinterpret the action and lose our opportunity to respond to it appropriately.

When shooters (or potential shooters) like Dylan Roof, Benjamin McDowell, Robert Doggart, and Robert Dear, identify themselves as Christians, many might hope to rescind their membership or say it was never valid, but others, like Kirk, believe that approach is problematic.

Unless a person is being intentionally deceitful, someone who claims to be acting on the basis of religious fervor should be treated as an adherent to that religion. I do not get to judge whether or not a person is really of their faith. As a Christian I can only try to persuade other Christians as to why certain behaviors are incompatible with the Christian faith.

Others believe that the difference between Christians and Muslims is more distinctthat the religion of Jesus rejects violence, but that Islam does not.

The alleged double-standard claimed by the PRRI survey essentially dissolves when we consider the example and teachings of the respective founders, Jesus and Muhammad, says evangelical professor Paul Copan, Pledger Family Chair of Philosophy and Ethics at Palm Beach Atlantic University. Jesus repudiated violencethat is, the unjust use of forcedone in his name.

By contrast, Muhammad himself engaged in violent, ruthless actions during his career, he adds. He taught such ruthlessness as normative in the Quran.

While agreeing with the larger results of the survey, Copan says the discussion has layers, noting particularly the role of Christians in the military whoassuming they have a just causemay have to kill. They are in a different situation. It is also possible, he says, for misguided Christians to act violently (and therefore, unjustly), even if it is contrary to the faith.

When it comes to Islam, he adds that hes known plenty of gracious, hospitable Muslims who repudiate violence done in the name of Islam by screening off any violent texts of the Quran, though he cant say that violence in the name of Islam is inconsistent with the faith.

Evangelical J. Robert Douglass , associate professor of theological studies at Winebrenner Theological Seminary, takes a cautious approach to the question, recognizing that both faiths have sacred texts that could be understood violently.

My understanding of the Christian faith does not permit violence in the name of Christ, he says. However, I am not prepared to say that a person who acts in a way contradictory to the teachings of Christ is excluded from being a Christian. He recognizes that there are complications behind violence, like ignorance, manipulation, and mental illness.

If behaving in opposition to the teachings of Christ kept one from being a Christian, I could not consider myself one.

He admits that due to competing factions in Islam with varying interpretations vying for authentic representationsome advocating violence and others peacethe question is more difficult to answer definitively.

Both the Bible and the Quran have passages that advocate violence, at least within particular historical contexts, says Douglass. He says he doesnt find a sizable faction within Christianity that is still explicitly advocating the legitimacy of violence in a manner that we presently see in Islam, but since Christianity had a historical head start, perhaps in 500 or 600 years this will no longer be true for Islam either.

Other theologians readily reject the face value of a faith label attached to an act of violence, agreeing with Christians or Muslims who say, Thats not my faith.

Greg Boyd, senior pastor of Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, Minnesota and an outspoken pacifist, finds himself taking a very different stance, saying that anyoneChristian or Muslimwho acts out in violence is not truly a part of those faiths.

Jesus made ones commitment to refrain from violence, and to instead love and bless ones enemies, the precondition for being considered a child of your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:39-45). Though followers of Jesus are never allowed to judge another persons heart or salvation, Jesus teaching rules out killing another human for any reason, let alone doing so as an act of terror in his name!

While the Quran allows Muslims to take the lives of others under certain conditions, he adds, these conditions rule out murdering innocent people to install terror in others (6:151). I therefore side with the majority of Muslims who do not consider Islamic terrorists to be true Muslims.

The briefest dive into this conversation about religious identity quickly reveals an undeniable mosaic of views. Andperhaps to the surprise of someit should be noted that the flipside of this conversation among Muslims may result in conclusions similar to these Christian perspectives.

If someone claiming to be Christian commits an act of violence in the name of Christianity, says Harris Zafar, National Spokesperson for Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, it certainly cannot be my place as a Muslim to decide whether or not that person is a true Christian. He sees that as the burden of his Christian friends, though he does believe violence contradicts the teachings of Christianity.

And to be honest, he adds, the same holds true with regards to a Muslim. As a Muslim, if I were to look at those Muslims who commit horrible acts of violence and terrorism and say they are not real Muslims, Im committing the no true Scotsman fallacy.

The goal of Islam is not to judge others, he says, noting that the Prophet Muhammad saw such actions as a sin.

Instead he would focus on highlighting all of the teachings of Islam that this person is violating. And Muslims who commit acts of terror can certainly call themselves Muslims if they would like, but I can easily illustrate the fundamental teachings of Islam that they are starkly violating.

Islam, says Zafar, calls its adherents to stop that injustice and unite people together through a bond of humanity and mutual respectnot to divide people with injustice or violence.

Undeniably, this is a conversation and debate with years of life left in it. The diversity of opinion belies the reality: there is no such thing as a single or simple Christian perspective on how to understand violence and religiosity.

It was former president and self-professed Christian, Barack Obama, for example, who once offered a similar sentiment to that of Bush. When asked in a CNN town hall why he wouldnt use the words radical Islamic terrorist, he said didnt want to lump these murderers with the worlds billions of peaceful Muslims.

There is no doubt that these folks think and claim that they are speaking for Islam, he said, but I dont want to validate what they do. If you had an organization that was going around killing and blowing people up and said, Were on the vanguard of Christianity. As a Christian, Im not going to let them claim my religion and say, youre killing for Christ. I would say, thats ridiculous.
The New York Times recently published a column by Gehad el-Haddad  the spokesman for the global Islamist group The Muslim Brotherhood  penned from the confines of his Egyptian jail cell, in Tora. What follows is my reply.

Dear Gehad,

Assalaamu alaykum peace be upon you,

I shall not begin this letter by asking if you are well. I was sentenced to five years in the very same jail that holds you now. I know what solitary confinement does to a persons mind, body and soul. Worse, I know first-hand the torture that is practised in Egypts dungeons, which you may have witnessed before you were confined to your solitary cell. I know that you are not well. But you know too that inna maal-usri yusra with the hardship comes ease. This too, shall pass.

I read your letter published in the New York Times with mixed feelings. At once it brought back painful memories of my time as a prisoner in Mazra Tora. During those days I used to walk with your murshid al-aam, the leader of your group, Dr. Muhammad Badei around the cell block in the desert sand as he told me stories of his youth. Your previous spokesman, Dr. Essam el-Erian, showed me incredible generosity, regularly hosting me in his cell during Ramadan as we broke our fast together. I say mixed feelings because my thoughts have changed significantly since those difficult days, and I genuinely hope that yours do too.

Gehad, the last time we met was in May 2013 at then Prime Minister David Camerons country house, Chequers. There too was William Hague, then our foreign secretary. You came in your official capacity as the spokesman for the Egyptian President. The Freedom and Justice Party, your groups political wing, had won the elections after Hosni Mubarak was overthrown. From prison to power, the Muslim Brotherhoods President Mohamed Morsi was now running Egypt. Cameron wanted my counsel regarding your government. It seems so strange now to think of it, how people can rise and fall so fast. David Cameron is no longer Prime Minister due to Brexit, and Morsi is again imprisoned while you languish unjustly in solitary confinement since President Sisi took power.

Upon meeting you then, I remember feeling optimistic about you personally, though not your group. You were at the forefront of a small band of modernisers within the Brotherhood. I left that meeting thinking that if democracy was allowed to mature in Egypt, your group would have lost the next elections to a more secular party just as eventually happened to your affiliate Hizb al-Nahda in Tunisia, and this could have empowered your modernising message even more so among your rank and file. And so I was hopeful that in the long run your message would resonate over the more conservative message of your leader, Dr. Badei. But then general Sisi orchestrated his coup.

Democracy is a process. I understand that. Yours was a legitimately elected government. But as I argued in this BBC HARDtalk interview, just as you were democratically elected, the people had a democratic right to hold you and your Islamism to account. Sisi had no legal authority to oust you. He should have simply waited until the people removed your group peacefully, which they would have done anyhow. Within a year of The Brotherhood coming to power, Egypt witnessed the largest demonstration in its history against Islamist rule, against your rule. Egyptiansof all faiths and noneuniformly rejected your Islamist vision. And this is where I take issue with your letter to the New York Times.

You only present half the story.

Yes, you are not terrorists. There you are correct. And I promise you that, just as I have done with my own former group  the more extreme Hizb ut-TahrirI will resist any moves to list your group as terrorists in any secular democratic country. Your views deserve the light of day not because I agree with them, but because I believe sunlight to be the best disinfectant. You are not terrorists, but it is disingenuous to argue that your Islamist ideology does not contribute to the intolerant atmosphere from which jihadists are able to recruit. Your group may not sit at the start of a conveyor belt that ends at ISIS, but your fiddlers certainly play the mood music to which jihadists dance.

Let me get some basic definitions out of the way first. Islam is a religion. It suffers from the same denominational, sectarian and doctrinal disputes as most other religions. Whereas Islamism is the desire to impose any version of Islam over society. And where jihad traditionally means holy struggle, Jihadism is the use of force to spread Islamism. Most Muslims, as you know, are not Islamists. Even in Egypt, when you won the elections, only 24 percent of the pubic voted for you in the first round. Those Muslims who did not vote for you are still Muslims, except of the non-Islamist sort. Islamists can be further divided into the political, like your group; the revolutionary, like my former group Hizb ut-Tahrir, and the militant, who are the jihadists. But all Islamistsby definitionshare the basic, heterodox idea that a version of Islam must be imposed on society; they merely differ on how to achieve this.

And here is where your argument that The Muslim Brotherhood is inspired by the values of social justice, equality falls apart. You and I both know this is not true. While at least 15 percent of Egypt is Coptic Christian, your group does not believe that non-Muslims have the right to be heads of state. In 1997 your previous leader Mustafa Mashhur went so far as to state publicly that non-Muslim Egyptians would be expected to pay the Jizya, a medieval religious head-tax.

Nor does your leadership believe women have the right to be heads of state. The previous regime had introduced an amendment to Article one of the Egyptian constitution that would have allowed women and Christians to run for any political position, including the presidency. It defined the Egyptian state as a civic one and removed reference to Islam as the religion of the state. Your members walked out of the legislative chamber in protest. The Brotherhoods record in parliament has amounted to trying to control what people watch, what they wear and what they read. Your groups full slogan is: "God is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. The Qur'an is our constitution. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of God is our highest hope. Lets not kid ourselves. None of this fits the bill of social justice and equality.

And though The Muslim Brotherhood is not a terrorist organisationagain, I will resist this categorisation unless evidence to the contrary is shown to meeven your New York Times letter conceded that your group has spawned violent offshoots. Let us start with the most famous of them all, a man who also hailed from Mazra Tora prisonSayed Qutb and his infamous jihadist manifesto: Milestones. As you know, Qutb is the direct theopolitical inspiration behind al-Qaeda, but he was first a member of your group. Even your leader Dr. Badei told me during those long walks together in Tora that he personally smuggled Milestones out from jail on Qutbs behalf so that it could get published.

In your letter you admit that The Muslim Brotherhood has acted as an incubator for jihadism, yet you deny any responsibility for this. You ignore completely the history of your tanzeem al-sirri, secret jihadist paramilitaries that The Brotherhood once cultivated. Your defence is that jihadists found no permanent home for violence among your group, which is why they eventually branched off on their own. This is little comfort. It is akin to certain virulently anti-Muslim activists in the West who wish to ban the Quran trying to deny that their words provide the mood music to which neo-Nazis dance. You cannot have it both ways. If anti-Muslim rhetoric is dangerous because it acts as a backdrop to violence against Muslims, then Islamist rhetoric is dangerous because it acts as a backdrop to jihadist violence.

This is not an argument for silencing speech. It is an argument for using more speech to condemn bigotry in all its forms. The only way forward is to condemn any form of Muslim or non-Muslim supremacism. The desire to ban the Quran and the desire to impose the Quran are two ends to a lit fuse that can only end in explosions.

I am prepared to concede that your group is less extreme than most other Islamist groups, and you are certainly better than all jihadist organisations. Again though, this does not get us very far. Your shorter slogan is the rather simplistic but dangerous Islam huwa al-hal, Islam is the solution. As long as you still believe in implementing any version of Islam over society, your dispute with the jihadists will simply be about the how. But you are not God. Yours is only ever but one reading among a plethora of possible ways to read scripture. As a Muslim, my problem with all Islamists is over first principles, not means. Whichever way you come to power, you all still wish to impose a version of Islam over the rest of us. This is otherwise known as theocracy. Theocracy is wrong in principle. Regardless of how you bring it about, it is unjust in essence. It is the antithesis to the social justice you claim. And the only reason some in the WestI call them the regressive leftally with you over this is because they harbour toward you a bigotry of low expectations. They dont even see you as their equals, else they would hold you to the same standards they hold their Bible-Belt to. For us Muslims, you represent our very own Quran-belt. You should be legally tolerated, but civically challenged.

Truth is, you are further from identifying the problem than you may know. While Islamism must be intellectually terminated, Islam today must be reformed. Yet you havent even got past your Islamism. And here is the difference between Muslim reformers and apologists. A Muslim reformer will start by acknowledging a doctrinal problem. An apologist will pretend that the problem is merely tactical. A reformer will proceed to candidly highlight the problem among their community. An apologist will try to minimise the problem among their community. A reformer will go on to suggest solutions to these problems. An apologist will insist that the solution lies in the very source that caused the problem in the first instance. A reformer will insist that the state not take sides in religious disputes, otherwise known as liberal secularism. An apologist will insist that the state take their side in religious disputes. A reformer will value free speech over blasphemy, individual rights over communal identity and heresy over orthodoxy. An apologist will value dogma over dissent. A reformer will distinguish scripture from science, while an apologist will subject science to scripture. A reformer will believe that Muslim supremacists pose a grave danger to us all today. An apologist will believe that by criticising Muslim supremacists, reformers pose that danger.

I am prepared to accept that perhaps youas an individualbelieve in our reform. You may go much further on your own were you to be given a chance. And that hope for you will always remain open in my heart. That said, to pretend that The Muslim Brotherhood is positioned where you are is nothing but denial and deception. It is unhelpful for everyone involved, and is ultimately an exercise in futility. You cannot reform something if you first do not acknowledge that it suffers from a problem. And you are not accepting the problem if you continue to insist that your group values social justice and equality. You may, but your group certainly does not. So that must be your starting point, my dear brother. Speak as a reformer who rejects theocracy in principle, and accepts that Islam today needs reform. Do this and you will gain this former prisoners lasting support and gratitude.

Meanwhile, please send my salutations to your leader, and my friend, Dr. Muhammad Badei. Sharing a cell with someone bonds a man across divides, in ways that are hard to articulate. And so I bid you farewell with the prayer he used to repeat to me during our prison days together:

Farraj Allahu annka, may God release you soon.

Wassalaamu alaykum

Your brother,Maajid Nawaz
Whats a person to do if they think the president is a disaster and his party is bent on amassing unprecedented power? They might take a page from the playbook of Aaron Burr. Yes, that Aaron Burr, the damn fool who shot Alexander Hamilton. Faced with just such a situation, Burr didnt vent his spleen in angry speeches or pamphlets (the equivalent of ranting on social media today). Thinking nationally, he acted locally, focusing laser-like attention on the race for seats in the New York legislature. In so doing, he pioneered campaign techniques still used today, and helped topple a president.

The year was 1800. The president: brilliant, crotchety John Adams. His Federalist party brandished the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts to crush dissent. Congressmen and editors loyal to the Democrat-Republican party, commonly called Republicans, were locked up for criticizing the president and his policies. Burr and other Republicans feared that an Adams victory would lead to unbridled tyranny.

Unlike Alexander Hamilton, Burrs first response in such times was not to write impassioned tracts. He once described himself to his wife as a grave, silent sort of animal. But his silence did not signal inaction. The Philadelphia Aurora wrote of Burr, While other men are debating, he resolves; and while they resolve, he acts.

In those days, presidential electors were chosen by state legislatures. With New England likely to support Adams, and the South backing Virginian Thomas Jefferson, Burr realized that New Yorks 12 electoral votes could provide the margin of victory. The upstate districts were largely balanced between Federalists and Republicans, so it would all come down to the election for state representatives from the New York City area. Win those seats, and Republicans would control the legislature, chose the electors, and perhaps pick the president.

While Hamilton was a visionary statesman, Burr was a pioneer in the art of politics. Seizing the opportunity, he assembled a dream team of candidates that included former governor George Clinton and General Horatio Gates, who had won the Battle of Saratoga. It took all his charm and persuasiveness to convince these heavy hitters to run for the state legislature, but they gave his ticket a luster the Federalists could not match. He then unleashed a dazzling array of innovative practices to defeat the Federalists. He created a political organization that ran from a central committee down to the ward level. He virtually invented the idea of a ground game, dispatching volunteers (Burrites) door to door to determine who was on their side, and to get out the vote on election day. He threw open the doors of his house to campaign workers, offering them bed and board. He sent German speakers into German neighborhoods to canvass for votes. He even took to the streets himself to press the flesh. A Federalist newspaper, The Daily Advertiser, wondered how a wouldbe vice president could stoop so low as to visit every corner in search of voters. These techniques are all commonplace today, but were virtually unheard of before Burr put them into practice.

The result was a Republican triumph. We have beaten you with superior management! Burr gloated to a Federalist friend. New Yorks electoral vote was secure for Thomas Jefferson, and the victory garnered Burr the number two spot on the ticket.

The campaign that followed was one of the wildest in American history. Vicious attacks and dire predictions were the order of the day. The Connecticut Courant opined that if Jefferson was elected, Murder, robbery, rape, adultery, and incest will all be openly taught and practiced. But Aaron Burr had already pulled the rug out from under the Federalists. New Yorks electoral votes turned out to be just enough to give the race to the Republicans. Due to a quirk in the Constitution, Jefferson and Burr tied in the Electoral College, and it took 33 ballots in the House of Representatives before Jefferson emerged the victor. But Adams and the Federalists were out, and Burr had made it happen. The party of Jefferson would hold the White House for a quarter century.

State legislatures no longer select members of the Electoral College. But they do make rules about voter eligibility and draw the boundaries of congressional districtscritical in determining the outcome of House and Senate elections. Anyone setting out to change the balance of power would do well to direct their energies here. It might not be as thrilling as planning mass protests or penning angry rants, but following Burrs example could prove more effective in the long run. After all, he was not one to throw away his shot.

Rick Beyer is the author of the new book Rivals Unto Death about Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. He lives in Lexington, Massachusetts.
Beyond the hair, a magical mess of salt-and-pepper tendrils, and beyond the confetti-cannon theatrics lies the hinterland of Wayne Coynes mind: a place brimming with creativity. Its easy to envision the Flaming Lips frontman as a far-out caricaturea cross between Doc Brown and Jeffrey Lebowskiand in some ways, he is. His hippie-dippie conviviality is nothing short of charming. But he is also a tireless worker; a fount of creativity whos been at the helm of 27 albums, 18 EPs, and one sci-fi feature film over the course of his 34-year career.

The Flaming Lips 17th studio album, Oczy Mlody, marks a return to the psych-pop sound that made them a household name in the late-90s and early aughts. Its title, roughly translating to eyes of the young, is taken from the Polish translation of the Erskine Caldwell novel Close to Home, and its music sees the Lips at their catchy, sonically audacious best.

The Daily Beast caught up with Coyne from his Oklahoma City compound to discuss the bands latest and how the liberal red stater is coping with Trumps shock election win and chaotic month-plus in office.

The narrative surrounding Oczy Mlody is that its a return to the Lips more pop-oriented, accessible fare like Yoshimi. After giving it a few spins, I sort of agree.

Well, yeah, I totally understand that. We freely explore whatever it is were interested in, and sometimes that can be a 6-hour song or a 24-hour song, and we know that those things are not meant to be part of this wider audience that we have. Were lucky that we can get away with that, and this type of record is one that we love to make as well. We dont pick and choose that much. Things start to happen, and we follow the flow.

How have you managed to stay together for, whats it been, 34 years? There have been famous marriages that lasted 72 days. Thats damn impressive.

In the beginning, you dont know what youre doing. Being younger with full testosterone, anxiety, and not knowing what youre going to do, that can be chaotic for groups to stay together. Were lucky that we were doing so much stuff then that our personalities didnt clash. But as you get older into your thirties, your personalities start becoming more pronounced, and I think thats why bands stop doing stuff. The things that you used to tolerate, as you get into your mid-thirties you say, You know, I hate you! I dont want to be around you anymore. You see that a lot with groups that started young.

You seem like a chill, freewheeling guy. Are you the glue holding this thing together? Its kind of my personality, I think. I come from a big family and love the chaos. Steven [Drozd] is from a big, chaotic musical family in that same way, so our personalities are mostly whats happening within the Flaming Lips, and the other stuff are things that weve attracted to us because of those outsized personalities. But the rest of it is dumb luck. Nothing overly bad has happened to us that would make us not able to keep doing it, and overwhelming success can be a big mindfuck on people, too. Weve been pretty lucky that its always been about the music, the records, and well figure out how to make money as we go.

The Lips recorded Oczy Mlody off and on over the course of four years, right?

As we were working doing things wed always stumble upon little magical moments, and mess with it. Its sort of dumb luck. Even now, we have four or five things that were working on. Some are boring, some are fun, and some were stuck on, but you just go with it. The way Ill work is, instead of making one song and then you put that away and work on another song, sometimes Ill combine three songs Ive been working on into one song. Music really invites two or three different dimensions. Music can hold all that. Sometimes, I think movies and television struggle with that, but music gets into a part of your brain where you welcome complexity, and like that its flowing around in a way that you didnt expect.

Miley Cyrus is featured on the album, and the Lips also released an LP with her, Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz. Thats a relationship that initially left some Lips purists scratching their heads, but now it seems to make more sense.

We had worked with Kesha before then [on 2012 (You Must Be Upgraded)], so we were leaning to do stuff like that anyway. We already liked Mileys music, too. And, in around 2013, she was becoming the world-famous, controversial Disney star gone fuckin freaky. We liked that. We dont really know our position in the universe that well, either. To us, its hard to say, OK, Miley is this way and the Flaming Lips are that way. It never felt like, Hey man, this is gonna be weird! It always felt like we were being stimulated, doing new things, and that we were being absorbed in her world and her in ours. Its all up to her, too. We have nothing to lose by doing something freaky with Miley Cyrus, and she has everything to lose doing something freaky with us. Shes really amazing, though. To be around her is good times, so I can see why it looks like worlds colliding, but it really feels like the same world when youre inside of it. The Lips live shows have always been pretty psychedelic. What role do psychedelics play in your creative process?

For me personally, I just cannot function in that way doing anything. I wouldnt drink or be on anything when were together doing our music, and if Im creating on my own, rarely would I want to be on anything. The only time I want to be on something is when were just going to be out there talking to people and having funthose are the only drugs Ill ever do. But Im taking the drugs mostly because Im too intense, otherwise I literally would work all the damn time. Sometimes Im having a conversation with someone and half of my mind is still thinking about a painting or a song Im working on, and I dont want that. I want to be absolutely with you here. The drugs I am taking are to allow me to be more in the moment and not another part of my mind. But I dont need to take anything. Im absolutely into it all the time. Youd want to take some drugs when youre around me because youre like, dude, youre too into this shit.

President Trump is dominating the news these days. Are the Lips planning a protest song, like you did on At War with the Mystics? No. We slightly did that on At War with the Mystics when Bush was re-elected, and we dont regret that. [Trump] is on there too. And thats not even ironic, its just, My god, these are the times we live in. Popularity is a motherfucker. But no. I dont really think music does that anyway. I dont think people standing there singing songs about politics does anything. Sometimes it makes for great songs, but they dont really affect politics in that way. And I discourage that in people.

What about the 1960s? You dont think music played an important role in that countercultural movement?

Not if you look at what really happened. I think in the romantic, Oliver Stone version of reality, but thats not what really happened. I was born in 1961 and was around when Robert Kennedy got assassinated. My older brothers, who pretended to be very involved in politics and all that, said, Fuck it, Im going to give up and just do drugs now. Fuck it. And I remember my mother saying, Thats not going to work. You have to stay involved. We need you more now. I remember people saying, Woodstock stopped the Vietnam War, and its just not true. It was Nixon that stopped the warnot Woodstock. And Im not saying it doesnt make for an occasionally great song, but I dont think music is gonna do anything to change Donald Trump. If music could do that, there wouldnt be a Donald Trump now. There couldnt have been any more opposition to Trump than there was prior to him being elected, and he was still elected. Its like, if you broke your arm and you went to the hospital and someone sang you a song, and someone asked, Did that help you? youd say no. If you were hungry and went to a restaurant and they sang you a song, and someone asked, Did that help you? youd say, Well, Im still hungry but that was a pretty cool song. Songs are just songs. They dont do work. People would rather sing a song because its fun. And Republicans dont like music.

What about Ted Nugent?

[Laughs] Well, yes.

Youre a liberal guy. How are you coping with Trumps election?

Im involved as much as I can be in my local government, where you really do have an absolute say if youre involved enough. On the morning after the electionwe went to sleep at about 4 oclock in the morning pulling the covers up, trying to stave off the doom that, oh, Donald Trump is the president nowwe woke up in Oklahoma City, and there were seven or eight things on the ballot. Oklahoma City is a slightly more progressive city because of some of the things I was urging people to vote on. Yes, Donald Trump is the president, but things were slightly better. Ive never waited for the president to tell me what to do or how to live. Im gonna live my life. If its against the law, well, we should change those. Im not waiting for someone to tell me its OK.

Maybe its the last time well ever see someone like a Barack Obama. We should have worked harder when we had him and gotten involved because of his inspiration, but we didnt. He became president and we said, Good. Youre in charge. Im gonna go do my shit that has nothing to do with politics. We all acted like, well, we got you elected and now were free of responsibility. You could see that. The Democratic Party would only become very much alive when it was time to re-elect him, and then it didnt.

You dont seem all that worried about President Trump. Well, I think my level of worry was always there anyway because the world is a chaotic fuckin weird place. We recently played in Paris [at Bataclan] where the attack was, and that happened under Barack Obama. The world is always in chaos and its always both normal and fucked up at the same time. We live in the most Republican state there is now. Were counted before the election starts as already being Republican, even though within the structure of all the communities its a lot more diverse, but I dont know. Im as worried as you could be, but I was also worried before he was there. I also dont give him that much power. I dont give a fuck. Im not going to let him tell me how to live, and if we see that hes doing something wrong, we should go and do something about it. We shouldnt just make a joke about it or talk about it like its the weather. Every time we make a joke about him and spend time talking about him, he gets more popularlike he did all during the election. All wed talk about with Hillary was, well, hope she wins, and all youd talk about the next 23 hours of the day is how ridiculous Donald Trump is.

Youve been critical of Kanye Wests connection to the Kardashians. Do you feel reality television is dumbing down society?

I dont think it does any of that. I think you can be entertained by the Kardashians and still think Donald Trump is an idiot, and you can be entertained by the Kardashians and still think some of the things that Kanye West says are stupid. You could like Kanyes music and still think some of the rants he goes on are idiotic. It can be complicated. Everything is so available and so convenient, and news goes 24 hours a day even if there isnt any news, so if you dont have news youre going to run that Kanye story, even though its stupid, just because theres nothing to talk about. Were all at the mercy of consumption. There can only be so many deaths in 2016 that we can care about. As Ive said before: David Bowie died. Why didnt Trump die?

We did lose an unbelievable amount of musicians and actors last year. Many millennials felt like, between the deaths and the election, it was perhaps the worst year of their lives. We see how much everybody gets those news alerts on their phones, too. Whenever something happens, everybody is alarmed to it, so I think everyone is more hyper-aware of whos died today and what else there is to talk about. We had an idea that David Bowie was in decline for a while. It didnt surprise me that he died, but it did affect me. You dont have to consider that hes dead until hes dead though, and then it is quite sad. Prince was probably the only one of all those that seemed like, Oh fuck? He seemed like a Superman. You never knew how old Prince was. He ran around and looked like he always did, and you never considered that he was addicted to painkillers or anything. Of all of them, his was the most shocking. I thought it was a hoax at first. Did it make you think about your own mortality?

Well, Im 56 and Ive considered it a bunch anyway. Everybody considers it when they enter their late 40s and you start to take stock in how you can battle back against things youve done badly, and whats in your favor. Im lucky. I dont really have anything overly wrong with me or anything. Im probably healthier now than I was when I was 25. You think about your decline, but Im not worried about itat least not at the moment!
Secretary of Education and Amway billionaire Betsy DeVos recently expressed her concern about the practice of higher education in the United States. In a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, DeVos accused faculty members of trying to indoctrinate students saying: The faculty, from adjunct professors to deans, tell you what to do, what to say, and more ominously, what to think.

The concern that education and educators have the power to manipulate young minds is nothing new. Ever since the Athenians put Socrates on trial for the charge of corrupting the youth governments have wondered about the potentially subversive influence of teachers on their students. Others have been more selective; one passage in the New Testament is concerned about the corrupting effects of gender, proscribing that women not teach men. Even in colonial America people were generally suspicious of academics, who, it seemed to them, didnt really contribute to society in the way that, say, farmers did.

At certain points in history concerns about intellectuals have translated into policies and legislation that imprisoned instructors, restricted education, and banned certain sources of knowledge.

In 360 CE, Julian, a successful general and scholar, was proclaimed Augustus by his troops and became emperor of the Roman Empire. The empire had effectively been Christian since the reign of Constantine roughly half a century before, but Julian wanted to return the Roman Empire to the pagan religion and ideals of its founders. Julian was a believer in widespread cultural tolerance and grew up Christian but in 351 he converted to paganism. Christian sources tell us that Julian didnt persecute Christians but he did prohibit them from teaching the classics. If they want to learn literature, they have Luke and Mark: let them go back to their churches and expound them. With a couple of exceptions, Christian teachers now had to focus on teaching the New Testament, a move that effectively ended the careers of many.

Julians scheme didnt outlaw Christianity but it did tightly control who could educate the future leaders of Roman society. By controlling education and expelling those who did not support his reforms, Julian was able to affect the shape of society. As lauded historian Peter Brown has argued, the same thing happened in 13th-century China, when the Confucian mandirinate drove Buddhism out of the ranks of educated elites.

Religious authorities, in particular, have had a tough time with the seemingly audacious claims of scientists. We all know the stories of Galileo, but 16th-century mathematicians who challenged the nature of continua (straight lines and shapes, to you and me) also faced considerable opposition. Not only were they, as Amir Alexander has shown, drawn into heated debates with Euclidean mathematicians, they were censored by Jesuit authorities and driven out of Italy. The subject matter was, quite literally, infinitesimally small, but the stakes were enormously high.

The best known incidents of expulsion and academic censorship are the 1933 civil service laws in Germany that effectively purged the academy of Jewish and left-leaning faculty; Stalins purge of the Academy of Sciences in 1937; and Joe McCarthys anti-communist witch hunts in the 1950s. In situations of political unrest academics often choose to leave centers of learning because they fear persecution or censorship. This only benefits less tyrannical regimes: when the Huguenots were expelled from France in 1685 they took their intellectuals with them to the Prussian court at Brandenburg.

To an extent, though, DeVos is correct: all education is formative. Thats the case whether we are talking about kindergarten, a museum, or a university. Just deciding what to teach in history classes reveals an implicit assessment of the kinds of events and people that are more or less important for our understanding of our past and ourselves. For most of the modern period, history classes focused on great leaders and important battles. History meant political and military history and focused almost exclusively on white men and their accomplishments. In the past fifty years the task of history has changed; scholars have come to the realization that social history matters and that if we want to understand who we are now we should also study the voices and experiences of slaves, women, people of color, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups.

So, yes, education has implicit bias, and its precisely because of that bias that most educators provide space to question everything. Just because classes and faculty have curriculum, syllabi, and implicit (or sometimes explicit) ideological bias does not mean that academics tell people what to think. Most classrooms and lecture halls are spaces in which students are encouraged to challenge the status quo. Full disclosure: Im an academic myself and I explicitly tell students that I am more interested in getting them to think than in what they end up thinking. In this respect Im completely ordinary. So far as I can tell every one of my friends and colleague-acquaintances at other institutions does the same thing, because the purpose of higher education is to teach people to think for themselves.

This is not to say that I wouldnt like to force students into retaining certain information; policies on submitting late assignments, for example. Faculty can only raise an eyebrow at DeVoss assessment of the power of individual professors. Tell students what to do and say? one colleague told me, I can barely get them to follow the syllabus.
An image search for Erica Morini returns a veritable life album of the violinist posing with her beloved Stradivarius violin. As she ages through the years, her instrumentand the look of contentment and tenderness on her face as she glances down at itstays the same.

It was a portrait like this that hung in the New York City apartment where Morini lived out her last years.

She may have retired twenty years earlier, but she kept the Stradivarius violin that had been her closest companion for most of her life nearbylocked up in the china closet. Her friends pleaded with her over the years to find a more secure location for the violin worth $3.5 million. But Morini didnt listen.
The White House is doubling down on President Donald Trumps unsubstantiated claim that then-President Barack Obama had him wiretapped during the campaign.

And on the Sunday shows, White House officials and allies presented zero new evidence to corroborate those eye-popping assertions. Instead, current and former administration officials struggled to make sense of the string of early-morning tweets the president fired off on Saturday, when Trump charged that Obama was a [b]ad (or sick!) guy engaging in McCarthyist tactics.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders took the first shot at it, appearing on ABCs This Week to try to defend Trumps allegation that then-President Barack Obama ordered the FBI to wiretap him and his team in Trump Tower (which Obama would not have been able to dodomestic wire-tappings for counterintelligence purposes have to be approved by the 11-member Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and the White House isnt part of the process).

Sanders didnt clarify where the president was getting his information.

Look, I think he is going off of information that hes seen that has led him to believe that this is a very real potential, Sanders said on ABCs This Week. And if it is, this is the greatest overreach and the greatest abuse of power that I think weve ever seen, and a huge attack on democracy itself. And the American people have a right to know if this took place.

Sanders cited reports from The Guardian, the BBC and others, which purported to detail the FBIs attempts to seek a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) Court order to keep tabs on transactions between individuals close to the Trump campaign and Russian banks. None of those reports indicate Obama was involved in the process. That theory likely made its way to Trump via a Breitbart story summarizing conservative radio host Mark Levins speculation that Obama has launched a silent coup against Trump.

Even if all of the reporting on this is correct, the White House is misreading it, as Cato Institute senior fellow Julian Sanchez explained in a piece for Just Security.

Sanders defense of her boss followed a statement from White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer early Sunday morning doubling down on the unsubstantiated claim that Obama ordered wiretapping of Trumps team. The White House did not provide evidence beyond the presidents initial tweetsinstead asking Congress to investigate the possibility of wrongdoing by the Obama administration.

Reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling, Spicer said. President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016.

Spicer added that neither the White House nor Trump will comment further until such oversight is conducted. Obama denied through a spokesman that his White House ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen.

Regardless, Sanders did her best to argue that the presidents allegations were grounded in fact.

I think the bigger story isnt who reported it, but is it true, Sanders said. And I think the American people have a right to know if this happened because if it did, again, this is the largest abuse of power that I think weve ever seen.

On NBCs Meet the Press, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper flat-out denied that the FISA court authorized surveillance of Trump Tower, but didnt clarify if the FBI and Justice Department sought such authority. Clapper, who once misled Congress about the National Security Agencys surveillance capabilities before the revelations by Edward Snowden, said he would have been aware of a FISA court order of this magnitude.

There was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time as a candidate or against his campaign, Clapper added.

Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, however, took the opposite stance, speculating that it was likely the FISA court that authorized surveillance of Trump associates, but noting he didnt have direct knowledge either way.

The story is likely to dominate headlines for the next weeka narrative that could undermine the White Houses efforts to gin up support for a new version of the travel ban and for its Obamacare replacement plan. The administration is expected to release both of those this coming week. But the presidents charges that Obama conspired to monitor his campaign communications will undoubtedly consume the publics focus.

And those charges are also confusing for his Republican allies on the Hill.

It would probably be helpful if he gave more information, Republican Sen. Susan Collins, a member of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee, said on CBS Face the Nation. But it also might be helpful if he just didn't comment further and allowed us to do our work.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, also a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on CNNs State of the Union that he does not know what Trump is talking about, speculating whether the president has information that is not yet available to us or to the public.
1

Erdogan Slams Germany for Nazi-Like Actions

HE WENT THERE
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Top Democrat Wants Flynn to Testify

NOT OVER YET
Phillip Woolard

Ashley Cahoon Brian Jackson



Lieutenant Russell Davenport

Beaufort County Sheriff's Office

On 03-02-2017, Investigators with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office Drug Unit arrested Phillip Gray Woolard, 32 years of age, of 345 Betsy's Elbow Road in Washington, Brian Scott Jackson, 29 years of age, of 4807 Long Ridge Road in Pinetown, Ashley Cahoon, 24 years of age, of 4807 Long Ridge Road in Washington. They were charged with Possession of Heroin and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.Their arrest stemmed from a traffic stop and K-9 Elza alerting on the vehicle. Investigators conducted a search of the vehicle and found wax paper bags containing heroin residue, numerous used syringes, a bottle cap containing cotton and heroin residue.Woolard and Jackson were confined in the Beaufort County Detention Center under a $10,000.00 secured bond. Cahoon was confined in the Beaufort County Detention Center under a $5,000.00 secured bond.
So, as expected, the Hollywood "feel-good" movie La La Land was named Best Picture of 2016.

No, wait, wait. It didn't win. Instead, the smaller film Moonlight was named Best Picture.

A mistake -- a very human mistake -- had been made.

The Moonlight team was stunned. The La La Land folks were gracious. And social media exploded.

Accountant Brian Cullinan of PwC apparently made the mistake of handing presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway the wrong envelope, perhaps because he was tweeting a picture of Emma Stone backstage with her Best Actress Oscar.

Cullinan should be fired, some said on Facebook and Twitter and other sites. Others wanted more, although death by firing squad is not an option in California. Ultimately, Cullinan wasn't fired, but he no longer will hand out envelopes at the Academy Awards. No doubt it is a punishment that doesn't sit well with the judgmental social media world.

Truly, Cullinan's mistake was careless and caused great distress in the movie world. But it was a mistake. No one died. Hollywood didn't collapse. The Earth kept turning.

We know about mistakes. Boy do we know about mistakes. Just the week before, The Eagle carried an incorrect headline saying President Donald Trump had named Gen. H.R. McMaster to replace Vice President Mike Pence. Oops. McMaster actually replaced the fired Michael Flynn as National Security Adviser. Making the mistake worse was that it was at the top of the front page, there for everyone to see at first glance.

It was an embarrassing and careless mistake. It should not have happened and as soon as the error was discovered, The Eagle editor posted an apology and explanation online and ran the same post prominently on the front page the next day.

Still, many people went bonkers. The Eagle was excoriated on social media. The editor's phone was so inundated that she couldn't keep up with the calls and her inbox quickly filled to capacity.

We deserved the criticism. What we didn't deserve is the very incorrect claim that the mistake was made on purpose, an attempt to demean President Trump, to dismiss his presidency. Even after the apology and clarification was made, people still claimed the anti-Trump bias.

There are any number of examples of similar mistakes -- many people cited the "Dewey defeats Truman" headline in the Chicago Daily Tribune in 1948 -- some on a similar scale, others of lesser import. They all have something in common: Someone goofed. Maybe several someones, as was the case in The Eagle's Pence mistake.

We all make mistakes, probably just about every day. Thankfully most are on a much smaller scale, but mistakes nevertheless. Oftentimes the mistakes go unnoticed, but when they are caught they usually are easy to correct.

Most times, we accept the humanness of the mistake and the person or people making it. More and more, though, mistakes have become fodder in the culture and political wars that divide this nation. The chasm of that divide only gets wider with every "mistake."

We have become quick to pounce on errors, assigning the worst of motives to mistakes. We see evil intent in the mishaps of others, particularly by those with whom we don't agree.

A case in point is the photo of top Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway sitting with her legs under her on a couch in the Oval Office. As soon as it appeared, people who neither have been nor ever will be in that room demanded that Conway be fired for "desecrating" the sanctity of the room.

A few weeks earlier, in the earliest days of the new administration, Conway was attacked for "plugging" Ivanka Trump's shoes in response to a flap over Nordtrom's dropping the first daughter's line of footwear. Of course, she shouldn't have done so and the White House said she had been "counseled" about the error. Still, those who supported anyone but Trump went ballistic. Conway should be fired! She should be arrested and tried for breaking the law! She should be required to wear flat heels from now on! Well, maybe not that, but still.

When did we become so judgmental? When did we start viewing each other with such skepticism and hostility.

Mistakes happen. No one likes making them, but we all are human. We aren't perfect.

When mistakes are made, it is fine to point them out -- politely, please -- and give the person or people who made them a chance to apologize and correct them. And then let's move on.

Another mistake will be waiting soon enough.
Most Americans get their healthcare through a managed care organization, but nearly no one truly knows the ins and outs of the health insurance program they have. Managed care organizations are plans that insurance companies set up as a framework for healthcare benefits, and the idea behind managed care is to drive behavior that minimizes costs for benefits providers while also giving plan participants financial incentives to control their healthcare expenses. As a healthcare consumer, you'll likely have to deal with a managed care organization as a participant. As an investor, you can profit from the efforts that insurers take to make their managed care organizations as financially efficient and lucrative as possible.
Plan your week ahead in SE Iowa with these local events

Your guide to getting off the couch and out the door this week in Southeast Iowa.
Allison Borgschulte has a thing for marbles.

Big. Small. Machine made. Handmade.

The swirls of color. Intricate patterns within patterns. Strings of luminous glass molten hot then stretched and wrapped around and around into perfectly symmetrical balls of wonder.

Marbles are the Lincoln artisans inspiration and portal to the colorful world of kaleidoscopes.

Borgschultes specialty is stained and fused glass kaleidoscopes -- designed to accentuate the attributes of each artistically hand-crafted marble.

***

Later-born baby boomers, Gen Xs and Ys no doubt grew up with cardboard tubes lined with angled mirrors and capped compartments of confetti-sized plastic bits and paper.

But the kaleidoscope didnt begin as a childrens toy.

The kaleidoscope is attributed to Scottish physicist Sir David Brewster, who, in a quest to understand the polarization of light, invented the marvelous tube. Brewster patented his creation in 1816, and detailed the devices scientific attributes and amusements in his 174-page paper, Treatise of the Kaleidoscope.

Brewster intended the kaleidoscope to be a scientific tool, but also noted that it would be of great value "to all the ornamental arts" as a device that creates an "infinity of patterns," as well as a means of rational amusement.

The name kaleidoscope, comes from the ancient Greek words kalos (beautiful, beauty); eidos (form, shape); and skopeo (to look to, to examine). Literal translation: observation of beautiful forms.

Two hundred years after the approval of Brewsters patent, the kaleidoscope remains an object of amusement and an artistic masterpiece.

Yet, Brewster never got rich from his creation.

However, Charles Busch did. An immigrant from Prussia, Busch (he later dropped the c in his name) was a rope maker by trade. Using microscopes to inspect the fibers in his ropes, he became quite enthralled with the magnifier.

His enthusiasm for the microscope led him to study the construction of telescopes, of kaleidoscopes, and to become a most expert photographer, according to the Brewster Society.

Credited with starting the kaleidoscope fad in the United States, Busch made them by the thousands. From 1873-74 he was granted four patents modifying and improving the magnificent images seen within. Busch used liquid-filled ampules as viewing objects. He modified the kaleidoscope chambers so different items could be placed inside for viewing, and added an outside wheel to the front to alter the background.

By the mid-20th century, kaleidoscopes went from parlor amusement to childrens toys.

The 1970s brought a kaleidoscope renaissance, as artists transformed the looking tube both inside and out, from toy to art form.

According to The Kaleidoscope Book: During the 80's and 90's the kaleidoscope revival flourished as leading artists started to experiment with both the interiors and exteriors of the scopes. The exteriors were made of new materials such as hand-blown glass, alabaster and ceramics. They were also made from odd things like grown gourds, wine and beer bottles and even used Harley Davidson motorcycle parts. Scope exteriors were also made to resemble things like animals, light houses, cars and even the Chrysler Building.

Modern artists also altered the interiors of the scope, experimenting with polarization and polyangular mirror systems for the first time since Brewster did in the early 1800's. They also improved upon Busch's liquid-filled ampules. Other new ideas were utilized such as curved reflective mirrors and complicated mirror arrangements, tapering mirrors and putting multiple mirrors inside a single scope.

Cozy Baker, aka The First Lady of Kaleidoscopes, was at the forefront of this renaissance. She was author of six kaleidoscope books, curated the worlds first kaleidoscope exhibition and founded the Brewster Society for kaleidoscope enthusiasts.

Baker rediscovered the kaleidoscope in 1982 while on tour with "Love beyond Life: Six Ways to Triumph over Tragedy," her book documenting her journey from grief following the death of her youngest son.

Baker picked up her first kaleidoscope from a Nashville, Tennessee, gift shop. On her plane ride home to Maryland, Baker pointed the tube out the window and watched the dancing images within.

It was during my search for the other half of the rainbow that I found my first kaleidoscope, Baker recalled in the prologue of her 1985 book, Through the Kaleidoscope. Rainbows have always intrigued me  I pondered where the other half of the rainbow could be hidden.

She found it in the kaleidoscopes she collected by the hundreds. At the time of her death in 2010, Baker, 86, had more than 1,000 kaleidoscopes filling more than 10 rooms in her Maryland home.

The kaleidoscope changed more in 25 years, from 1975 to 2000, then it had in the past 150 years, according to The Kaleidoscope Book. While the technological improvements were important, it was the craftsmanship that really set the modern scope apart. Mostly the modern scope is characterized by its beauty, both inside and out. Kaleidoscopes became works of fine art during this era.

***

Enter Borgschulte.

The Bellevue native attended the Kansas City Art Institute, focusing on drawing and painting.

A lecture by Jason Pollen, head of the institutes Fiber Department, introduced her to the versatility of fiber, and she expanded her artistic repertoire to the fibers she crafted, colored and wove into one-of-a-kind creations. She spent years working at I.E. Handmade Fiber Art and Design Studio, in Bonner Springs, Kansas, occasionally exhibiting her work in Kansas City.

Just down the street was a little marble shop -- Moon Marble Company. The store with its marble artists and multitude of marbles fascinated her.

So when the fiber art studio closed shop, Borgschulte gravitated to Moon Marble. The marble shop hired her as the companys graphic artist and webpage designer.

I had no idea how to build a website," she said. "But I loved the work of graphic design. They sent me to community college to learn how to build a website.

Over the past 11 years, shes built four websites for Moon Marble.

Over the years she has marveled at the art of marbles.

Even mass produced, machine-made marbles can look good through a kaleidoscope, Borgschulte said. But the most awe-inspiring are the handcrafted marbles of true artists.

I collect their work with awe and wonder at the miraculous worlds they are able to capture in a sphere, Borgschulte wrote on her web page. I began fantasizing about how a kaleidoscope might enrich my collection as it would allow me to view my marbles in a whole new and ever-changing way. This led to me taking up the craft of kaleidoscope making.

In 2011, Borgschulte, her husband, Jerry, and daughter, Lucy, moved to Lincoln. Borgschulte continued to work remotely for Moon Marble. Then when son Jack was born, she took a break from the world of work, focusing on her children. She spent her free time weaving and painting her fibers, making wearable art that was sold at museum gift shops, galleries and specialty stores.

In 2012, Borgschulte, who was looking for a new creative outlet and some adult conversation, bought a Living Social coupon for a stained glass class at Lincolns Architectural Glassarts.

And she was hooked.

Her first stained glass project, a gem-filled tree, sparkles in her dining room.

When she returned to Moon Marble, she experimented with making kaleidoscopes.

I bought books to get the basics," she said. "Then I taught myself."

Before kaleidoscopes, she made stained glass boxes.

"Thats how I learned to make forms, Borgschulte said, holding up a Harry Potter-inspired Chocolate Frog Box she made for her husband.

Her basement studio is a glass lovers' fantasy. Kaleidoscopes of all shapes, sizes and configurations fill a giant table.

For the most part, Borgschultes kaleidoscopes come in three sizes, with a variety of two and three mirror systems. Small differences in the angle of the mirrors and the number of surfaces reflected upon give completely different images in the scope.

The key to kaleidoscopes is precision, she said. A 45-degree angle will give you a four-point star, she said holding aiming the marble end of the kaleidoscope toward the sunlit window. A more acute angle of the mirror  a 36-degree angle  gives you a 10-point star.

And an error as small as one-eighth of an inch can ruin the whole thing.

I strive for as much variety and potential imagery as possible, she said.

Borgschulte collaborates with marble artists -- creating kaleidoscopes designed on the outside to complement the marble from the outside, and produce the most dazzling reflected images on the inside. Using different glass, wire and a palette of fusable glass powders, first, paint and gems, she designs the kaleidoscope exteriors to reflect the sense of outer space, celestial bodies, windswept prairie and remote wetlands.

With handcrafted marbles selling anywhere from $145 to $375 a piece, Borgschultes creations (which include the marble) top out at about $565.

Understanding that puts her work out of the price range of your average art show/museum store shopper, she also has lesser priced four-inch kaleidoscopes made with simple stained glass and machine made marbles. At $30 to $35 each, they are marketed to children and kaleidoscope newcomers.

The challenge is to buy marbles from artists that I think are interesting  and finding something that works in a kaleidoscope, she said.

Not every marble creates mesmerizing designs. And some marbles that may not look all that interesting on the outside can offer brilliant images through the mirrored reflections of a kaleidoscope.

I like the experience of playing around with different mirror systems and see what you get in different ways, Borgschulte said. The challenge is the mirror system. It is right for the marble? I want to show off the other artists work to the best advantage.

There are not a lot of marble kaleidoscope makers. But people who view these kaleidoscopes experience marbles in whole other ways.
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The demand for products made in Connecticut extends well beyond state and national borders.

While President Donald Trump speaks often of disadvantages he says hamstring American companies participation in the global marketplace, Connecticuts exporting economy has emerged from the Great Recession in relatively robust condition. Recent headwinds in the global economy have tamped down growth, but business leaders and state officials are optimistic about the long-term forecast for the states exporters.

When you consider the challenges of the economic downturn and a slow recovery, exports have been relatively strong, said Pete Gioia, economist for the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. And theres good potential for growth.

Major demand abroad

Since the last downturn, commodity export totals have consistently surpassed or hovered around $16 billion. In comparison, exports totaled close to $14 billion in 2007.

Aerospace firms propel Connecticuts business abroad. That sector accounted for some $6.7 billion in exports in 2015, the most recent year for which exporting data is available. That total more than doubled the sum for the second-largest exporting industry, industrial machinery.

Stratford-based helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky, which is a Lockheed Martin subsidiary, generated 37 percent of its revenues from international customers in 2016. Black Hawk helicopters, which are mostly made in Stratford, rank among Sikorskys most popular exports. About 30 militaries have ordered those aircraft, with clients including the armed services of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sweden and Mexico.

Our products are used around the world, said Steve Callaghan, Sikorskys vice president of strategy and business development. And its not just aircraft sales, but we also provide parts. We believe there will be continued demand for Black Hawks and other increasing international opportunities.

Connecticuts five largest trading partners are France, Germany, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and Mexico. In comparison, Canada, Mexico, China, Japan and the United Kingdom ranked in 2015 as the top importers of all U.S. goods.

Connecticut is the only state to count France as its top exporting partner, with Canada or Mexico topping most lists.

France leads state exports largely because of demand from aerospace giant Airbus. In 2015, Airbus spent nearly $17 billion in the U.S. on parts, components, tooling and services. Of that total, it spent about $5.6 billion in Connecticut.

Airbus works with a number of suppliers in Connecticut, including Pratt and Whitney, Hamilton Sundstrand and Kamatics. The bulk of the companys Connecticut business relates to specialties such as propulsion systems and engineering. Pratt & Whitney, for instance, produces engines for the A320 aircraft.

For us, Connecticut is a very strong partner, said Pierre-Laurent Mace, Airbus head of North American procurement. Connecticut has a rich heritage of aerospace talent and a very long industry in the aerospace supply chain. Its a state that produces a lot of advanced technology and complex products.

Challenges

Mirroring a national trend, the states exports dropped 4 percent in 2015. The strength of the U.S. dollar and supply slowdowns contributed significantly to the drop, state officials said.

We feel the decrease is not structural, but more related to a time lag, said Beatriz Gutierrez, executive director of the state Department of Economic and Community Developments business development office. Theres been a production backlog for the supply chain in aerospace. As that clears up, we think well get back to the next level of growth.

In addition to the surging dollar, exporters also have to reckon with fluctuations in consumer demand and political developments abroad. Regulatory obstacles can also impede companies progress in overseas markets.

The barriers to entering international markets can be formidable for small businesses. To expand access, DECD since 2011 has administered grants from the Small Business Administrations State Trade Expansion Promotion program.

DECD has awarded about $1.5 million since the programs launch. The 350 grant awards help to cover a range of expenses, including trade shows and trade missions. With those funds, Connecticut companies have participated in medical and industrial technology trade shows in Germany and air shows in the United Kingdom and France.

For many of our clients, this is their first time doing business abroad, Gutierrez said. I would say the biggest thing is getting educated, understanding the culture and what the regulations are. The protections that exists in the U.S. will not necessarily be in place in another market.

State Rep. William Tong, D-Stamford, who also co-chairs the states Commission on Economic Competitiveness, wants the state to more aggressively promote itself abroad as a maker of high-quality goods with an educated and productive workforce. Tong went on a trade trip last year to Taiwan, traveling with a delegation that also included Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman. Taiwanese officials encouraged the opening of a Connecticut trade office in their country, he said.

There are other states like Pennsylvania that are there right now, pushing to try to find deals and customers, Tong said. We need to get out there and throw elbows for our companies. I dont know that as a state weve always done that well because I dont think theres a strong enough partnership between public and private sectors in promoting that trade agenda.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott
WOODBRIDGE  Susan Stone listened politely as Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., outlined the steps they hope to take to protect Jewish congregations from hate crimes and violence.

Ultimately, she didnt like what she heard Thursday.

There are two terms you did not say, Stone told Murphy and DeLauro at Congregation Bnail Jacob in Woodbridge, whose membership includes families from Ansonia, Derby and Shelton.

One is white supremacists. Thats what this is, Stone said about the more than 60 bomb threats that were called into Jewish community centers in the U.S. and Canada over four days in January and February, according to the JCC Association of North America.

The other term is education, Stone said. We have a president (Donald Trump) that wants to abolish public education, but thats where you get tolerance and understanding.

House Republican Leader Themis Klarides, whose district includes Derby, Woodbridge and Orange, condemned the anti-Semitic acts before a standing-room-only crowd in the temples library.

These attacks and promised assaults on our Jewish community, both in Connecticut and across the country, cannot be tolerated, Klarides said. We have seen a dramatic rise in bomb threats and vandalism of Jewish grave sites in recent months and it has created a disturbing pattern.

Thursdays forum, which included clergy and members from several area congregations, was chaired by Rabbi Joshua Ratner, who oversees the Jewish Community Relations Council in Woodbridge.

Judy Diamondstein, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, asked Murphy and DeLauro what federal funds are available to upgrade security at the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven in Woodbridge.

The JCC was evacuated Jan. 31 after a bomb threat was called in to the facility.

The campus needs things like bullet-proof windows to make sure everyone is safe, Diamondstein said. But as scary as it is to be told, Theres a bomb, or Theres going to be a bloodbath, weve gotten hundreds of postcards from children and adults in various church groups who wanted to send their love.

Stone was unswayed by Diamondsteins remarks.

Love got the Jews exactly nowhere in the Holocaust, she said. We have to fight this.

In response to Diamondstein, Murphy and DeLauro said there is money available from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice that can help pay for security upgrades at non-profit agencies and religious centers.

Murphy and DeLauro pledged to bring that funding back to Connecticut.

Were looking at 64 incidents of anti-Semitism in 27 states, including two here in Woodbridge, DeLauro said. There has always been an ebb and flow to these types of incidents, but they have been increasing in the past year, along with the rise of groups with hate in their hearts.

Eighth-graders from Ezra Academy in Woodbridge also attended the event. One of the students, a young boy, asked DeLauro what people could do on a local level.

Use your own contacts and networks, all of us, to make phone calls and write letters to members or Congress, including Republicans, DeLauro told him. Letters and calls to district offices get action.

Thursdays dialogue was comforting, said Samantha Hass, 13, who attended the meeting with her mother, Laura Hass, the Ezra Academy president-elect.

They were talking to us and we were able to ask questions and we were able to give our opinion, Samantha Hass said.

Hass, an Ezra Academy student, was one of the schoolchildren evacuated from the JCC of Greater New Haven after last months bomb threat. Students were ushered onto buses and taken to a nearby school.

I had heard (that) other threats had been called to people in other states, Hass said in a phone interview from her familys home in Orange. There was a realization that everything is everywhere because I was part of it.

Murphy said the Trump administration wants to shut down a unit that investigates acts of domestic terrorism, including hate crimes, to instead focus on terrorists affiliated with Islamic extremists.

We will fight that, Murphy said, adding there are Republicans of good faith in Congress and we can work with them.

The bi-partisan condemnation of anti-Semitism is also evident in Hartford, Klarides said.

The hatred that drives these people cannot be ignored, she said. We must all remain vigilant and strengthen our regard for the safety of all Americans.
Social media has fundamentally changed the way that many companies communicate with and market to their target demographics. For the travel and hospitality sector, in particular, the rise of the Internet and the increased popularity of social channels has altered travel marketing. From the way that travelers research potential destinations to the activities that they participate in once they arrive, the new ways that consumers use social media to make purchasing decisions has influenced tourism marketing from start to finish. Here are five ways tourism has been impacted.

1. Travel research transformed

The most profound effect that social media has had on the tourism industry to date is the democratization of online reviews. Todays travelers go online to research their future travel destinations and accommodations. When booking travel, 89% of millennials plan travel activities based on content posted by their peers online.

Related: 3 Low-Cost Marketing Strategies To Grow Your Travel Startup

From social sharing sites such as Instagram to crowd-sourced review sites such as TripAdvisor, people are browsing the Internet for travel inspiration and validation from their peers. There, they can easily find other travelers photos, check-ins, ratings and more. This easy-to-attain, real guest feedback serves to preview the in-person experience that the destination has to offer from a viewpoint other than that of the brand. As you might assume, this social media content is tremendously accessible and influential, and it can serve to either put off potential guests or inspire them to book.

2. Rise in social sharing

People have always loved sharing photos and videos taken of their travels. What social media has done is to facilitate and expand peoples ability to share travel experiences with a wider audience than ever before. Over 97% of millennials share photos and videos of their travels online, building an influential web of peer-to-peer content that serves to inspire potential guests.

This trend hasnt gone unnoticed. Many hotels and resorts have turned to running social contests and campaigns to ensure that they get some credit for their guests social activity. Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants used guests wedding photos instead of staged, professional photographs to market their wedding venues. The campaign encouraged guests to take photos, tag them with the hashtag #KimptonWeddings  and ultimately to create user-generated content for the brand that was free, authentic, and repurposed across its marketing channels.

Related: 10 Tips Marketers Can Learn From the Travel Industry

3. Enhanced customer service

Customer service and satisfaction have also been transformed as a result of social media. The vast majority of brands have a social media presence that is being used to become aware of and, when necessary, to provide help to unsatisfied or confused customers. The companies that respond to complaints in a sincere and genuine manner develop a strong reputation among current and potential customers. American Airlines and JetBlue are particularly adept at addressing flight issues and providing a human touch to otherwise frustrating experiences.



When Twitter users contact a brand, more than half expect a response. If they are reaching out with a complaint, that number rises to almost 75%. Responding to complaints and questions helps to humanize your brand and to indicate to current and future customers that they are valued.



Additionally, customer success representatives should be intentional with their companys social media interactions. Social media can serve as a social listening tool to find out information about your guests. Are they visiting for an anniversary or a special occasion? Listening to customers through social media can help your brand create an exceptional experience that is sure to delight your guests.

4. Reshaping travel agencies

Social media has also had a major impact on the travel agency model. The availability of information and ease of self-service booking have forced travel agencies to adapt from a brick-and-mortar model to a more digital one. Travel agencies are not obsolete -- they are still responsible for 55% of all airline bookings, 77% of cruise bookings, and 73% of package bookings. But many agencies have shifted their focus from in-person to online experiences as they adapt to new technology and market trends.

Agents working with millennial travelers should take into account the generations preference for experiences over materials. Instead of trying to upsell them on flight upgrades and lodging, consider presenting unique experiences guaranteed to create a lasting memory (and to inspire a great Instagram post.) While travel agencies may struggle to remain relevant as self-booking options increase, their advantage is that many travelers still prefer the personal touch.

Related: 4 Ways Travel Brands Should Use Instagram to Connect With Millennials

5. Changing loyalty programs

As most marketers know, acquiring new customers is far more expensive than retaining existing ones. Loyalty programs have become a core piece of the travel business model, and social media has had a massive impact on how hotel loyalty programs are constructed. Many customers understand that the opinions that they share with their individual networks have tremendous influence. As a result, these guests feel entitled to compensation for the positive word-of-mouth marketing that they are doing for a brand. More than 25% of millennials that participate in loyalty programs are very likely to post about a brand in exchange for loyalty points.



With the availability of technologies that allow mention and hashtag tracking across social media channels, it is easier than ever for hotels to discover passionate guests and to reward them accordingly. Integrating social media sharing and posting can be worked into existing tier loyalty programs to encourage brand promotion across social media platforms. When loyal guests share the easy the redeem perks and benefits offered by a brands loyalty programs on social media, other guests see that the benefits are attainable -- and desirable -- and they will be more incentivized to participate.



Social media has altered the landscape of marketing in the leisure and hospitality industry. Most travelers determine their travel plans based on reviews and social media shares, making online customer service a crucial part of building a positive brand reputation. The prevalence of social media has disrupted traditional customer service models -- for hotels and travel agencies alike. By curating positive reviews and encouraging social shares, hospitality brands can leverage social media to build positive brand awareness, increase brand loyalty, and display just how much their accommodations and activities have to offer.

Related:

How a Coffee Startup Chose its Crowdsourced Logo

How Retail Industry can Survive in the Online World

6 Personal Branding Rules to Being Popular and Profitable



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
NORWALK  For nearly three years, few people even acknowledged the house at 17 Quintard Ave.

Located in a quiet residential neighborhood, the unassuming house was largely left alone.

It had been untouched and empty since Pivot House Ministries sold the property to Pennsylvania-based Firetree, Ltd., in July 2015. So, until August 2016 when physical changes became apparent and a note to neighbors informed them of Firetrees planned September opening, few had anything to say about the property.

Now, the city and the nonprofit are preparing for a legal battle as the house still sits unoccupied, shrouded in controversy nearly half a year after the first resident was supposed to move in.

Obviously this is going to be a legal issue and the city is going to be vigorously defending our position that its a nonconforming use, but we really cant go much more into that because itll be played out in the courts, Mayor Harry Rilling said last week.

Neighbors raise concern

Firetree was well on its way to opening the facility, having completely renovated the property over the summer, when neighbors and community members began protesting its use as a rehabilitation center for federal prisoners.

In August, fewer than three weeks before Firetree was set to open, City Hall was inundated with complaints from neighbors via email, phone and walk-ins, ultimately leading to town officials taking a closer look at Firetrees intended use for the property and stalling the opening.

Less than two weeks from the facilitys proposed opening and with 11 employees on its payroll, Firetree, Ltd. finds itself unable to receive the final sign-off on the final permit that would allow it to obtain a certificate of occupancy for the newly refurbished property, Firetree attorney George Bishop wrote in an Aug. 18 email to Sally Johnson, the mayors executive assistant, in hopes of scheduling a meeting with Rilling.

After a number of phone calls to various city departments, Firetree, Ltd. discovered that the final approval needs to come from Norwalk Zoning and Planning. And now, Firetree, Ltd. has been informed by Michael Wrinn of Norwalk Zoning and Planning, that there is a possibility he may not provide the necessary final approval despite that: (1) plans for the facility were stamped, signed and approved by zoning in June of 2015; (2) Firetree, Ltd. fully disclosed to zoning (among a number of other Norwalk city departments) over a year ago, a full list of programs and services that Firetree, Ltd. would provide at its faclity; and (3) Firetree, Ltd. submitted a letter to zoning, co-signed by Firetree, Ltd. and Pivot Ministries, representing that Firetree Ltd.s facility would provide program and services identical to those provided by Pivot House.

Firetree applied for its certificate of occupancy in January, and on Feb. 8 the city declined the application, the final piece needed for Firetree to open.

Buildings use in dispute

While city officials and Firetree have been mum on the topic since talks of a lawsuit surfaced in February, Michael Wrinn, the citys acting director of planning and zoning, said in August it appeared Firetree had proposed a different use of the building than city officials had originally believed, an assertion with which representatives from both Pivot Ministries and Firetree, Ltd., adamantly disagreed.

Based on that letter, it says transition back to functioning society, or something along those lines, and it was also guided by the Department of Corrections  thats their placement method, Wrinn said. So I dont see that as being strictly drug rehab.

Records at Norwalk City Halls Planning and Zoning Office indicate Firetree was in touch with the city long before it ever purchased the property at 17 Quintard Ave. Emails from 2014 show the nonprofit sought clarification from the city as to whether or not theyd be allowed to continue using the property as it had been used by Pivot House before they even made an offer on the property.

In a letter dated March 10, 2014, zoning inspector Aline Rochefort wrote the zoning regulations concerning the property in a letter to Firetree.

The current zoning of the above parcel is B Residence. A zoning permit and CO were issued in 1976 for a change of use to a drug rehab center. There are no open zoning violations that we are aware of.

In a letter to city attorney Liz Suchy dated March 13, 2014, she wrote the same, adding, a new zoning permit could be issued for the same use.

City officials have not backed down from the statement that the facility could continue to be used in the same capacity as Pivot House, but maintain they do not believe Firetrees intended use is the same.

Firetree in court

The battle with Norwalk wont be the first time Firetree has gone to court over a disputed use of a property where they planned to open a halfway house. The organization has gone to court in Pennsylvania and New York for similar issues.

In 2012, a U.S. District Court judge tossed out a case in which Firetree accused the town of Colonie, N.Y., of violating its constitutional rights by revoking its zoning verification. Firetree had wanted to build a 36-bed halfway house for federal prison inmates.

Firetree has also gone to court in its home state of Pennsylvania over similar facilities.

In Norwalk, halfway houses are allowed by special permit in C Residence zones provided they have no more than 12 persons with no less than 250 square feet of living area per person. They are not permitted if they are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections. Connecticut has a Department of Corrections, but the federal entity involved in the halfway house is the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

Firetrees website still lists the Norwalk Pavilion Residential Reentry Center with a September opening. According to the website, the facility will be open to all eligible referrals will be males and females age 18 and older who have an association with the criminal justice system. Referrals into the program are directed through Federal Bureau of Prisons. The listed phone number for the facility is not connected.

If it opens, the Reentry Center will offer life skills classes, individualized assessment and comprehensive medical screening, a client monitoring system, case management, a goal-oriented program plan and home plan assistance, personalized Continuum of Care plan, community-based support services, chemical dependency education resources, internal and external recreation programs, community service and direct payment of court costs, fines and restitution, the website states.

In an email dated Sept. 2, the organization expressed optimism that the issues can be resolved.

Firetree Ltd. is working with the city of Norwalk to amicably settle the issues surrounding 17 Quintard Ave., wrote Amy Ertel, Firetree vice president and spokeswoman. We are optimistic that we will be reach a solution that is satisfactory for the parties involved.

Robert Koch contributed to this report.

kkrasselt@scni.com; 203-354-1021; @kaitlynkrasselt
WASHINGTON - Two days after the presidential election, a Russian official speaking to a reporter in Moscow offered a surprising acknowledgment: The Kremlin had been in contact with Donald Trump's campaign.

The claim, coming amid allegations that Russia had interfered with the election, was met with an immediate no-wiggle-room, blanket denial from Trump's spokeswoman. "It never happened," Hope Hicks told the Associated Press at the time. "There was no communication between the campaign and any foreign entity during the campaign."

In fact, it is now clear it did happen.

The past few days have brought a growing list of confirmed communications between Trump campaign aides and Russian officials, with each new revelation adding to a cloud of suspicion that hangs over the White House as critics demand an independent investigation.

Trump's team has offered various explanations for the meetings: Some encounters, they have said, were brief, no more than casual, polite introductions. Others involved the routine diplomacy common for officials surrounding a candidate for the nation's highest office.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was an early Trump campaign adviser, said his two interactions with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, first reported this week by The Washington Post, came in his role as a senator, not as a campaign surrogate.

It is unclear why the White House has consistently denied contacts with Russian officials if the meetings that took place were innocuous.

As a result, the confirmations of the encounters have trickled out through a series of news stories that have proved increasingly damaging to the Trump administration, with some Trump associates appearing to shift their accounts over time.

Already, Michael Flynn was forced to resign as national security adviser as a result of his post-election contacts with Kislyak. This week, the White House confirmed that those conversations included a brief meeting alongside Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, at Trump Tower in New York in December. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Friday termed that discussion merely a "courtesy meeting."

Sessions has now recused himself from oversight of any investigation of Trump's ties to Moscow and is facing calls to step down as a result of his statement, during his January confirmation hearing, that he had not had any contacts with the Russians.

More News Trump, Russia and the limits of misdirection

On Friday, Sanders dismissed the brewing questions. "The big point here is the president himself knows what his involvement was, and that's zero," she said.

Nevertheless, the recent revelations have made the post-election comments from the Russian official newly relevant.

Those comments came from Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who told the Interfax news agency in November that "there were contacts" with Trump's aides.

"Obviously," Ryabkov said, "we know most of the people from his entourage."

As the Trump campaign rejected the assertion, other Russian officials said any communications would have been routine and offered to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign, as well - a contention denied at the time by a Clinton aide.

Nearly all of the contacts that have emerged so far were with Kislyak, the affable Russian ambassador in Washington who is known as a consummate networker.

Kislyak appears to have worked to cultivate a relationship with the Trump campaign, starting his outreach even before Trump was thought likely to win the GOP nomination.

In April, Kislyak popped up at the Mayflower Hotel, where he was seated in the front row at one of Trump's first major foreign policy addresses. During the speech, Trump offered a forceful promise that he would seek better relations with Russia.

"I believe an easing of tensions and improved relations with Russia - from a position of strength only - is possible, absolutely possible," he said.

The event's host, Dimitri Simes, president of the Center for the National Interest, a foreign policy think tank, said Kislyak was one of four ambassadors who attended as guests of his group. Simes said he introduced Trump and Kislyak in a receiving line at a reception before the event, which was also attended by Sessions and Kushner, among other Trump aides.

Simes, who is Russian American and favors warmer relations with Moscow, said it is common practice for foreign diplomats to try to get to know important advisers, like Sessions, to presidential candidates. "Let me put it more bluntly: They would be derelict in their duty if they didn't try to get to know him," Simes said.

Kislyak was also in attendance at the Republican National Convention, where he briefly met Sessions after a July 18 Heritage Foundation event attended by dozens of diplomats.

Two days later, Kislyak met with Trump advisers Carter Page and J.D. Gordon after a convention-related Global Partners in Diplomacy event at Case Western Reserve University.

In an email, Gordon said he briefly spoke to Kislyak in a group of diplomats there and also at an evening reception. Gordon called it a "brief, informal conversation," during which he repeated public Trump statements about improving relations with Russia.

Page also confirmed his interaction with Kislyak at the event to MSNBC on Thursday. Last month, he told PBS that he had held "no meetings" with any Russian officials during the campaign.

Those meetings at the Republican convention came as questions about Trump's stance on Russia started to seriously enter campaign trail conversation.

At the time, some GOP delegates were questioning an amendment to the party platform that had been quietly engineered the previous week and appeared to shift party policy in a direction Moscow would appreciate. A provision supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian-backed rebels had been softened, and it was unclear whether the Trump camp had played a role.

Then-campaign manager Paul Manafort, who previously was a paid adviser to a pro-Russian Ukrainian president, told NBC in August that the change "absolutely did not come from the campaign."

But this week, Gordon, the Trump campaign adviser, offered a different explanation. He said he had advocated for the change, believing it to match Trump's views. In an email, he said he had consulted about the matter with "campaign policy colleagues" before arriving in Cleveland.

Page's participation in the July meeting came 13 days after he drew scrutiny for a July 8 speech he delivered in Moscow in which he was critical of U.S. foreign policy.

Page has denied holding substantive meetings with Russian officials during that trip but told The Post in September that he briefly met and shook hands with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich after his address. Page told MSNBC on Thursday that he held "no material discussions" during the trip.

Russia's alleged interference in the U.S. election exploded as a public issue a few days after Page and Gordon met with Kislyak. On July 22, WikiLeaks posted thousands of emails hacked from the Democratic National Committee, causing recriminations in the party on the eve of its national convention.

Rather than condemning the possible intervention in the election by a foreign power, Trump playfully called on the Russians to hack Clinton's private server and locate emails she had deleted. "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing," he announced at a July 27 news conference.

Sessions met with Kislyak in his office on Capitol Hill on Sept. 8, as U.S. officials were growing more concerned about Russia's role in the election.

He said Thursday that the meeting came in his role as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, noting that it was one of many such meetings he took with diplomats.

Sanders, the White House spokeswoman, told reporters Friday that suspicions about the meeting were "pretty unfair" given that Sessions's senatorial duties put him in touch routinely with diplomats.

But a survey by The Post of all 26 members of the committee showed that Sessions was the only one to meet with Kislyak in 2016. And a Polish diplomat who met with Sessions in late spring said he did so at Sessions's request, at least in part because of Sessions's role with Trump.

"I was aware that Sessions was a senator and at the same time somebody close to Donald Trump. I just wanted to hear what he wanted to say - any message, communication, questions," said Ryszard Schnepf, who was ambassador at the time and has since retired. He declined to say what he and Sessions discussed, except to say the issues would have been "of interest to a senator at the same time as [a surrogate] for somebody who is running for president."

In a brief interview last month, Kislyak told The Post that he had also had communications with Flynn prior to the election. He declined to detail them. "It's something all diplomats do," he said.

- - -

The Washington Post's Greg Miller contributed to this report.
WILTON  With federal protections for transgender students under threat, public school officials here are looking to send a message of inclusion and support for those struggling with gender identity.

Superintendent Kevin Smith said the school district is working to foster a safe, comfortable environment for such students in Wilton.

This is a hot button issue for many communities, Smith said. We take clear steps to promote and ensure the safety of all of our students.

As individual concerns arise, the school building administrators work with the students and families to develop plans designed to meet their respective needs.

Last week, President Donald Trump revoked federal guidelines that allowed transgender students to use bathrooms corresponding with their gender identity. The following day, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed an executive order protecting that right for transgender students, sending a memo to every public school superintendent in Connecticut that outlined the states anti-discrimination laws.

Wilton High School has two gender-neutral bathrooms on the first and second floor. The bathrooms, which are unmarked and centrally located for easy access, have worked out well thus far, principal Robert ODonnell said.

Our charge is to support the individual needs of all students and make sure that each and every Wilton High School student feels welcome here in each facet of the program, ODonnell said. So we do support this executive order. It essentially has been our approach to working with and for transgender students.

A majority of transgender people who came out or were perceived as transgender while in school experienced some form of mistreatment, including verbal harassment (54 percent), physical injury (24 percent), and sexual assault (13 percent), according to the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, the largest survey examining the experiences of transgender people in the U.S.

And nearly 40 percent of transgender adults attempt suicide in their lifetime, which is about nine times the attempted suicide rate in the U.S. population.

For Matthew Brush, a 20-year-old transgender man from Wilton, the support of family and friends has made his transition a positive experience for the most part.

Brush is entering his final semester at the University of Connecticut as a human rights and womens, gender and sexuality studies double major.

I know people whove been kicked out of their homes. I know people who are living out of their cars because their family wouldnt accept them. I know people who were cut off and flat out kicked out of the house, Brush said. So I feel really fortunate to have had the support that I had, especially at such a young age. I really had to advocate for myself a lot, but I was believed for the most part, which is something that a lot of people might not have.

Brush said hes always been more on the masculine side, in terms of gender presentation, and didnt experience any resistance from his parents while growing up. He got to be whatever girl he wanted to be, he said, but didn't realize he was transgender until he started meeting other people who had similar experiences during his freshman year of college.

In the first month of classes, he called his father, Matthew, and told him he was transgender and wanted to start taking hormones.

I cant say that it was a complete surprise. He has been on this journey for a long time, his father said. But it was like a huge relief that what he was feeling was a thing and there are people who feel that way who can be comfortable with it and live a congruent, authentic life.

And the biggest message to other parents of transgender children is to listen to them and support them, he added.

Kids do better when they have engaged, loving parents. Period, he said. Maybe there can be a sense of loss, but you still have a life ahead ... So I just took it as life has always been an adventure with this kid; it's just going to be a little different than I expected.

While Vincent Rauccio, 19, said his family has yet to accept his coming out two years ago as a transgender man, he has found support from like-minded people he met at Wilton High School. Brush was one of them, and he remains a source of comfort and encouragement, Rauccio said, especially since he plans on transitioning too.

It feels very nice to be in a place where people accept who you are and be around people who understand you more and are willing to listen to you and see you as you, he said.

My dad has made it explicit to me that he will never call me by the name that I prefer. My brothers just dont pay attention; they dont want to face it so they just ignore it ... And my mom, she loves me a lot and she tries her best to mean well, but shes still set in her ways a lot. She talks a lot to her church friends and shell do things a lot that I find offensive, he said. So, getting to where I want to be has been a very hard and slow, painful process and Im still working on it now.

The biggest road block, Rauccio said, is not having health insurance. Without it, he can't begin his transitioning process  not even officially changing his name.

Its very slow rolling. Im making sure all of my other health factors are in check before I figure out where Im going as far as transgender transitioning, he said. Its like a snail going over a log, like a tree. I wish I could go around it, but its like I have to go straight up.

SKim@hearstmediact.com; 203-354-1044; @stephaniehnkim
Three men were arrested in a shooting Lincoln police say was part of an ongoing dispute between two groups of people.

The investigation goes back to a drive-by shooting last May near Second and C streets. Prosecutors at the time charged Shantrell Hickey, 21, of 1600 S. Folsom St., with aiding and abetting attempted first-degree assault for allegedly driving a Chrysler Pacifica involved in the May 2 shooting.

Court documents say he posted bail in August.

Hickey was arrested again Friday evening for his alleged involvement in a Feb. 21 shooting. Also arrested on suspicion of accessory to a felony were Jaun Taylor, 21, and Christopher Boyd, 26, all of Lincoln.

Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister said the investigation is ongoing, but police were called to the Super C at 21st and G streets just before 8 p.m. on Feb. 21 on a report of about six shots fired.

Ten .22-caliber shell casings were found in the parking lot, according to a search warrant.

No one was injured.

Surveillance video captured the two vehicles that were involved  a Jeep and a Mercury Grand Marquis.

Taylor and Boyd were contacted Friday afternoon while driving the Marquis in the 2000 block of West O Street, the chief said.

Officers believe Hickey shot at the Jeep while sitting inside the Marquis.

Police are investigating whether the shooting is related to a similar incident that happened at 19th and A streets in January.

Police were called to the intersection just before 10 p.m. after at least 13 residents called to report hearing six to 10 gunshots. Officers found six .223-caliber shell casings on A Street and three 9mm bullet casings north of A Street, the warrant says.

Multiple witnesses told police they saw two people shooting at each other.

"This was a highly volatile incident," Bliemeister said of the shootings, adding that the arrests of Hickey, Taylor and Boyd will make Lincoln a safer place.

The investigations into both shootings are ongoing and police are attempting to identify all the people who were in the Jeep.

Hickey was cited on suspicion of discharging a firearm at a vehicle, use of a firearm to commit a felony, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and four counts of attempted first-degree assault.

He pleaded no contest to the May shooting on Jan. 18 and is scheduled to be sentenced March 22.
One of the great mysteries of modern life is this: While there are more ways than ever to keep in touch with those we love, somehow it is never enough.

My husband and I live hundreds of miles from our children and grandchildren, from our sisters, my brother, from our nieces and nephews, and from great friends who seem more like family.

We all try to stay in touch as best we can. We phone, leave messages, send photos and videos. We email, text, FaceTime and Facebook. We exchange cards in the mail for Christmas and birthdays and other important occasions.

But somehow, the more I hear from them, the more I want to hear. And the more I say to them in a text or email or on the phone, the more I long to say.

Occasionally, if never often enough, we get to visit in the flesh. We look into each others eyes. Touch each others faces. Smell each others necks. Tell the same old stories. And laugh at the same old jokes.

It is heaven. Or as close to it as we seem to get on this Earth. But still, its not enough.

For the record, such visits can also be thoroughly exhausting, and make us wonder, briefly, what were we thinking?

But recovery is usually fairly quick, and we find ourselves hoping for another visit soon.

Love doesnt make any of us perfect. But it can make all of us, miraculously, more lovable.

One of the ways I like to stay in touch with people I love is to listen closely to a story from one of them, then repeat it (with permission) to another. Usually, its a story about one of my grandchildren. I share such stories judiciously with those Im sure will appreciate it.

Recently, for example, my daughter texted this story about her 5-year-old, Henry:

Today, out of the clear blue, Henry said, Mama, when youre arguing about something, do you ever back down? I said, Sure, I think sometimes you have to. Why? And he said, I never back down!

Great story. I had to share it. So I told it first to my husband, who loves all of the grandkid stories. Then I thought, who better to share it with than my brother, Joe, who was born blind with cerebral palsy and has never backed down from anything in his life?

So I called Joe. No answer. He lives in South Carolina, three time zones away from me. I left a message. Two hours later, when hed still not called back, I called my sister, who lives about an hour away from him.

Im worried, she said. Hes sick, bad congestion. He told me an hour ago he might go to the ER to get checked. And now hes not answering my calls.

She had phoned the hospital. No record of his being there.

Call him again, I said. Then call the hospital. If hes not there, call the police.

Ill call you back, she said.

Ten minutes later, she did.

Hes in the ER, she said. Theyre admitting him. Hes dehydrated. Theyre giving him fluids, and plan to release him tomorrow. Thats all he knows. They wont tell me anything. I told him to call me, if he can, after hes admitted. And Ill go down there tomorrow.

It was midnight. Too late for me to get a call through to him.

If he calls you, I said, tell him Ill call him tomorrow. Let me know what you find out.

I will, said my sister.

Weve been down this road before, she and I, with our brother. She is always the one to take the lead, God bless her.

But I will follow up tomorrow. Ill call and keep calling until I reach my brother. Ive got a great story to tell him about his great-nephew, Henry.

In our family, as perhaps in yours, we never back down from arguments. Unless we have to.

And we never, ever, no matter what, back down from love.

Sharon Randall is a syndicated columnist. Contact her at P.O. Box 777394, Henderson, NV 89052 or at via her website at www.sharonrandall.com.
Progress made on CPNRDs flood control project

The Central Platte Natural Resources Districts board viewed time-lapse footage of the progress being made on the Upper Prairie/Silver/Moores Flood Control Project during its February meeting.

Jesse Mintken, assistant manager, reported that Van Kirk Brothers Construction of Sutton began the project in mid-January, with excellent progress given the moderate winter weather. The projects detention cells, located about five miles west of Grand Island at the former Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant site, are currently under construction. The overall footprint will be 540 acres.

Equipment for this major construction includes four scrapers that hold 20 cubic yards, two excavators, four dump trucks that hold 30 cubic yards, a bulldozer and a road grader. Soil excavated from both cells will be spoiled on site.

Mintken said the north detention cell, located on Airport Road is nearly complete. An additional 71,500 cubic yards has been excavated to form this cell. The southern portion of Phase I consists of about 815,000 cubic yards. It is located at Capital Avenue and Schauppsville Road.

Periodic seeding and mulching will take place to ensure that permit requirements are met and that proper erosion control measures are implemented. If the weather cooperates, the contractor expects Phase I work to be complete by the end of May.

Mintken said Phase II is expected to be constructed this coming summer, along with a levee system located at the northwest corner of Grand Island. The bid letting on that portion of the flood control project will take place in mid-spring.

Nebraska Soybean Board seeks local leaders

The Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) is seeking soybean farmers to serve on its board of directors and to represent fellow soybean farmers and the industry.

The election is conducted by mail-in ballot in July for Districts 5 and 7. Soybean farmers who reside in counties that are up for election in 2017 will receive ballots and candidate information regarding NSBs election process via direct mail. The at-large position on the board is open to all soybean farmers in Nebraska and will be elected by the NSB directors at the July meeting.

The election districts and counties are:

-- District 5  Cass, Johnson, Lancaster, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee and Richardson counties.

-- District 7  Adams, Buffalo, Clay, Franklin, Hall, Kearney, Nuckolls and Webster counties.

-- At-large  All counties in Nebraska.

Candidates must be residents of Nebraska, residents of the district in which the election is being held, soybean farmers for at least the previous five years, be 21 years of age or older, and have submitted a NSB candidacy petition.

Farmers may obtain an NSB candidacy petition by contacting NSBs executive director, Victor Bohuslavsky, at (402) 432-5720. Candidates must complete the petitions, collect the signatures of 50 soybean farmers in their district, and return petitions to the NSB office on or before April 15.

If you have questions regarding the election process, contact Bohuslavsky at the phone number above. For more information about the Nebraska soybean checkoff, visit www.nebraskasoybeans.org.

Nebraskas layer industry growing

Nebraskas poultry layer numbers during 2016 averaged 8.84 million, up 15 percent from the year earlier, according to the USDAs National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The annual average production per layer on hand in 2016 was 291 eggs, down two percent from 2015. Nebraska egg production during the year ending Nov. 30, 2016, totaled 2.57 billion eggs, up 12 percent from 2015.

Total number of chickens on hand (excluding commercial broilers) on Dec. 1, 2016, was 10.7 million birds, up 13 percent from last year.

The total value of all chickens in Nebraska on Dec. 1, 2016, was $41.6 million, up 13 percent from the year before. The average value per bird of $3.90 was unchanged from Dec. 1, 2015, to Dec. 1 of last year.

All layers in Nebraska during January 2017 totaled 8.81 million, up from 8.27 million the previous year, according to the USDAs National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Nebraskas production during January totaled 229.6 million eggs, up from 184.1 million in 2016. January egg production per 100 layers was 2,606 eggs, compared to 2,226 eggs in 2016.

Nebraska cattle on feed down slightly

Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.45 million cattle on feed on Feb. 1, according to the USDAs National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was down slightly from last year.

Placements during January totaled 540,000 head, up 10 percent from 2016. Fed cattle marketings for the month of January totaled 450,000 head, up 3 percent from last year. Other disappearance during January totaled 10,000 head, down 5,000 head from last year.
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order instructing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers to go back to the drawing board on the Waters of the U.S. rule, or WOTUS,.

Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., praised the Trump adminstration for listening to the concerns of farmers and ranchers.

Smith said when the Obama administration finalized WOTUS in 2015, Smith introduced the House resolution to block the rule using the Congressional Review Act, or CRA. The Senate version of the resolution passed both chambers of Congress but was vetoed by President Obama.

You cant tell me a bureaucrat in Washington can do a better job ensuring water quality than those who use and benefit from our water every day, Smith said.

Since the rules introduction, Nebraskans have expressed deep concerns about federal agencies having control over the water puddles and irrigation ditches on their properties, he said. Local officials have told me about infrastructure projects, such as cleaning and widening a drainage ditch, which have been needlessly delayed due to WOTUS red tape.

His (Trump) order to reset WOTUS is a victory not only for farmers and ranchers, but for all Americans eager for regulatory relief, Smith said.

Smith is the founder and co-chairman of the Modern Agriculture Caucus.

Steve Nelson, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau and speaking on behalf of Common Sense Nebraska Coalition, said Trumps WOTUS reset was a victory for Nebraskas farmers, ranchers, homebuilders, small businesses, counties and landowners.

He said the Common Sense Nebraska Coalition has long called for a common-sense approach to this rule and President Trump delivered that by putting the concerns of citizens ahead of government bureaucracy and federal overreach.

Nelson said Common Sense Nebraska is a diverse, Nebraska-based coalition consisting of organizations and entities that have united in response to the EPAs WOTUS rule.

The EPAs unconstitutional water rule will die and Nebraskas farmers and ranchers wont shed a single tear, added Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb. This is excellent news for the rule of law and Nebraska agriculture.

Like Smith, Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, also joined Trump at the White House for the signing of the executive order to roll back the WOTUS rule.

Over the past four years, Ive sounded the alarm about the harmful effects

WOTUS would have on all Nebraskans, Fischer said. The American dream of owning a home would have been out of reach for many more families, due to the higher costs associated with these regulations. Taxpayers would have seen increased costs for road maintenance, and ag producers would have faced expensive permitting requirements.

Earlier this year, Fischer and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa., introduced a resolution that expressed the need to vacate the Obama administrations WOTUS rule.

Fischer has worked on additional legislative efforts to stop WOTUS. Last Congress, she helped introduce the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, which would have required the Obama administration to consult states and stakeholders before imposing federal regulations on state-owned water resources.

In the past, the courts have expressed questions about the legality of WOTUS. In October 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued a stay blocking the implementation of WOTUS nationwide.

In January 2017, the Supreme Court decided to take up the dispute over which courts have jurisdiction to hear challenges to WOTUS.
Mid-Plains Center appoints Derr as vice president/COO

Ariel Derr has been appointed vice president/chief operations officer of Mid-Plains Center for Behavioral Healthcare Services Inc. in Grand Island.

Derr will be joining Mid-Plains Centers Executive Team and will oversee the centers operations, filling the vacancy of departing Drew Schreiber.

She has worked at MPC in various leadership roles for eight years, most recently as the clinical director/outpatient therapist in its outpatient therapy program, where she ha supervised seven licensed mental health practitioners. She currently provides therapy for children and adults addressing their mental health and substance abuse issues.

Previously, Derr was team lead and a therapist for MPCs day treatment program.

Mid-Plains Center is a nonprofit, COA-accredited mental health organization that has provided Central Nebraskans low-cost, professional therapy, and mental health services for more than 45 years. It has expanded in the last 10 years to include a full range of behavioral services capable of providing prevention, treatment, crisis intervention, placement and aftercare services. For more information, contact Corrie Edwards at (308) 395-1044.

McDermott named development director for Make-A-Wish

Marion McDermott of Kearney, originally from Grand Island, has been named director of development for Greater Nebraska by Make-A-Wish Nebraska.

McDermott has three years of experience as the president/CEO of the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce and nine years as the executive director of the Ogallala/Keith County Chamber of Commerce.

She is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organizational Management, a professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

McDermott can be reached at mmdermott@nebraska.wish.org or (308) 234-6612.

Sherman named HR/marketing coordinator at Mid-Plains

Amanda Sherman has been promoted to human resource/marketing coordinator at Mid-Plains Center for Behavioral Healthcare Services Inc. in Grand Island.

Sherman will be filling a position previously held by Josh Pycha.

She has been a billing specialist in payroll in MPCs Finance Department for the past year.

Mid-Plains Center is a nonprofit, COA-accredited mental health organization.

Woodruff certified in Early Learning Guidelines

Jeanne Woodruff, a teacher at First Presbyterian Preschool in Grand Island, has received her Early Learning Guidelines Certificate.

Woodruff has an associates degree in early childhood education and has worked at the preschool for 17 years. She has attended all the early learning guidelines seven domains, science, mathematics, language & literacy development, health and physical development, approaches to learning, social and emotional development, and creative art.

The Nebraska Early Learning Guidelines are based on research and evidence about child development and practices that result in the best outcomes for young children ages 3-5.

First Presbyterian Preschool can be reached at (308) 382-2947 and is now accepting enrollment for the 2017-2018 preschool year.

Brooks attends early childhood workshop

Ruth Brooks, a staff member at First Presbyterian Preschool in Grand Island, recently attended a certification course in early learning guidelines and approaches to learning offered through Early Childhood Training by the state of Nebraska.

Brooks has an associate degree in early childhood education.

The workshop provides information to support young childrens learning with key elements, including initiative, curiosity, reasoning and problem solving. The framework of this domain is language development, expressive language, persistence, attentiveness, reasoning and problem solving.

Gowlovech named 2017 Mother Bonzel Award winner at St. Francis

Jacy Gowlovech was presented the 2017 Mother Bonzel Award recently during a ceremony in the CHI Health St. Francis Chapel.

The award is presented annually to honor a St. Francis employee for volunteerism in the community.

Gowlovech, who works in oncology at the St. Francis Cancer Treatment Center, is described by her co-workers as a natural volunteer, who has a strong faith that she lives every day.

She and her daughter, Ashley, recently took part in a mission trip to Guatemala to build homes and distribute wheelchairs. Gowlovech is also very active in her church, especially helping with the youth.

At St. Francis, Gowlovech was selected as a mentor for the Grow Our Own nursing program where she gives of her time to sponsor and work with high school students in the program.

Other Mother Bonzel Award nominees included: Jodie Reeh, social work/care management; Stefanie Balcom, lab; Darla Cleveland, oncology; Carla Swanson, floor 4; and Darrel Skeet Cobb, main ACC courier.

Reed receives major award from Century 21

Sheila Reed, a sales associate with Century 21 Da-Ly Realty in Grand Island, has been presented the Century 21 Presidents Producer Award.

The annual award is bestowed upon those sales affiliates that earn the Century 21 Centurion award and the Century 21 Quality Service Pinnacle Producer award in the same calendar year.

The Centurion Producer award honors Century 21 System sales affiliates that earn $225,000 in sales production or 65 closed transaction sides within the calendar year.

To earn the Century 21 Quality Service Pinnacle Producer Award, a sales affiliate must receive completed customer surveys for at least 30 percent of their transactions from Jan. 1 to Oct. 31, with an average survey score of at least 95 percentage or better, for two consecutive years.

Wagner joins Central Catholic foundation

The Grand Island Central Catholic Development Foundation announces it has hired Betty Wagner as its executive assistant.

Wagner previously served as the superintendents executive assistant at Grand Island Public Schools.

Her experiences in the education field will guide her in the GICC Foundation Assistants position. Betty is an accomplished professional that brings incredible value to our team, Brenda Branstiter, foundation director said. Her knowledge, as well as her ability to handle projects and build relationships, are great assets.

Betty and her husband Ronald have lived in the Grand Island area since 1978. They have three grown children, and eight grandchildren.
Paul Steinbeck, a 1998 graduate Grand Island Senior High, has authored a book titled Message to Our Folks: The Art Ensemble of Chicago.

The book, published in mid-February, tells the story of the avant-garde jazz group, The Art Ensemble of Chicago, which stayed together from 1966 to 2010.

Steinbeck, who got his bachelors degree from the University of Chicago and his masters and Ph.D. degrees from Columbia University, has written numerous scholarly articles during his academic career about The Art Ensemble of Chicago. It is a group that he first learned about as an undergraduate student at the University of Chicago.

Steinbeck said his his book will appeal to not only academia, but the general public, too.

I believe the scholars will still get something out of it, Steinbeck said. I tried to make the book about telling stories about the Art Ensemble, telling the entire history from the 60s to the present time, even before the 60s because I offer biographies of each of the musicians, their upbringing, and their musical influences in childhood and early adulthood.

If you enjoy the history of music in Chicago, or the music in Chicagos African-American community, if you enjoy learning about jazz, or all these different things, you can get something out of the book, Steinbeck said.

Steinbeck took up trumpet as a fifth-grader at Newell Elementary. He continued playing the trumpet at Walnut Middle School and Grand Island Senior High. He said Norm Sodomka, who taught band at Walnut, was a great trumpet player and his biggest musical influence when he was young.

While he was in high school, Steinbeck also taught himself how to play electric bass, or bass guitar, so he could be part of a rock band.

When he enrolled the University of Chicago, Steinbeck discovered a jazz ensemble that he wanted to join as an undergraduate student.

The director, Mwata Bowden, happened to know some of the Art Ensemble musicians and he encouraged me to listen to the bands recordings, in particular so I could emulate the style of the Art Ensembles bassist Malachi Favors, he said.

I started checking out their recordings and a little while after that, I actually met Malachi Favors in a grocery store in Chicago. Ive just been listening to them ever since, getting to know the guys and studying their music.

Favors, who was born in Mississippi, passed away in 2004 at age 76.

Steinbeck said Bowden, a University of Chicago instructor in improvisational jazz, also wanted him to learn how to play acoustic bass. Bowden believed the acoustic bass was a more fitting instrument for most jazz than the bass guitar. Steinbeck learned how to play bass from Chicago bassist Harrison Bankhead.

He (Bankhead) is a fantastic player, Steinbeck said. Hes been around since the 80s. I studied with him around 2000, 2001, 2002. Hes probably my primary teacher on acoustic bass. A lot of our lessons were just sort of hanging out and talking about music.

I always loved going to Harrisons house or showing up at his gigs and getting to play on that instrument, because it was really Malachi Favors instrument that he (Bankhead) had discovered in some barn in Italy back in the 70s, Steinbeck said. It was really great just to be able to touch that instrument and have that connection.

The original members of The Art Ensemble were saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell, trumpeter Lester Bowie and bassist Favors. In 1967 they were joined by saxophonist Joseph Jarman and drummer Phillip Wilson, who eventually dropped out of the group.

Steinbeck said Mitchell, Bowie, Favors and Jarman traveled to Paris in 1969, where they began using the name, the Art Ensemble of Chicago. While in Paris, the group added drummer Don Moye as a member.

The Art Ensemble of Chicago is an avant-garde group in many more ways than just music, Steinbeck said.

They did all kinds of creative stuff. These guys were young musicians in the 60s when there was a lot of creativity in the air. The did start exploring face paint and costumes that represented music and cultures from all over the world. They also did theatrical sketches in their concerts; they would sometimes recite poetry to musical accompaniment.

They put it all together on stage. It was really quite spectacular to behold, Steinbeck added.

These guys, instead of just playing one saxophone, they would play eight saxophones, a bunch of clarinets and flutes, Steinbeck continued. They had gongs and bells and drums from all over the world. They would have hundreds of instruments on stage. They could really create some interesting sounds and textures.

The Art Ensembles free jazz influenced how other musicians played and composed music, Steinbeck said. But they also influenced how musicians did business.

By the 1970s, the Art Ensemble was touring the world  but the musicians soon realized they did not need to tour year round: They could tour for a few weeks or a few months and make enough money to live on for the rest of the year, or even a couple of years.

Steinbeck said when members of the Art Ensemble were not touring, each had additional bands or side projects.

The Art Ensemble used cooperative economics, where all the money it earned went back into the business of the Art Ensemble, he said. They spread those economics approaches and business practices to all their side projects over the years.

While Steinbeck said his day job is an assistant professor of music at Washington University in St. Louis, he continues to play bass and also composes music. He said his compositions are influenced by the avant-garde/free jazz music of the Art Ensemble.

Some of that influence comes not just from study, but personal contact. That was the case when he lived in New York City from 2002 to 2008, which allowed him to do some projects with Joseph Jarman, one of the original members of the ensemble.

Steinbecks recordings include:

 Live at Tavern of Fine Arts, as part of the STL Free Jazz Collective.

 Time Space, as part of a trio with James Hagerty and Shane Robles.

 The End of the New with the Damian Espinosa Trio.

 Three CD recordings as a leader: Sun Set, Three Fifths and Nine Ways.

He also appears on stage for live performances in St. Louis and often returns to Chicago for similar performances.
City and county officials feel the public was unable to voice its concerns on a potential post office relocation last week and hope to provide the public with a proper forum.

The Hall County Board of Supervisors will have a public forum on the relocation at its meeting on Tuesday. The forum will be from 11 a.m. to noon. More time will be given if people wish to speak beyond the allotted time.

I dont believe that the postal people ... listened to the people from downtown and the area, Supervisor Gary Quandt said. We want a forum so that people have a voice. We will set up a forum where they can give comment or provide a letter that the county board will package and forward to the proper representatives  senators, congressmen or the postmasters.

The U.S. Postal Service announced at a meeting last Tuesday at the Grand Island Public Library that it is considering relocating the post office from downtown to the distribution center on Old Potash Highway. Those attending the meeting were told that what they said would not be entered into the public record and that they had to write a letter to the Postal Service to voice their concerns.

County board Chairwoman Pam Lancaster said she and Quandt initially thought the Postal Service would provide a forum.

When that (forum) didnt take place quite like we anticipated, then someone needed to step forward and allow people input and an avenue to get it to the proper people so that they can understand how devastating this (post office relocation) will be for our downtown business district and others who live nearby, Lancaster said.

She said she and Quandt are spearheading the forum because they represent the downtown districts.

Lancaster and Quandt said they aim to host the forum and send letters as quickly as possible because the Postal Service plans to make its decision by April 1.

Mayor Jeremy Jensen said he is 100 percent totally against the post office relocation. He absolutely agrees with Lancaster and Quandt that Grand Islanders voices were not heard last Tuesday.

It was kind of a smash-and-dash, Jensen said. The public meeting turned into a public announcement and them hurrying out the side door. I wasnt very happy with it. I thought they should have stood there and listened to the concerns of our citizens. Instead, they made an announcement saying that, if you dont like this, to send them a letter. I thought it was completely unprofessional.

Local officials are also concerned about safety and traffic issues if the post office is moved to the distribution center.

If you take the people who are going downtown and you take that away from there and put it across that bad intersection of Old Potash Highway and Highway 281, he said, its an unsafe environment driving that far out.

Jensen said he cannot think of a worse place in town to relocate the post office. He said it does not make sense and there is nothing good about the location besides the fact that the Postal Service owns the distribution center.

When you look at the socioeconomics of where people live, a lot of those folks who walk to the post office live in that neighborhood and walk because they have to, Jensen said. You stick it out on Old Potash Highway, and youve got the dangerous piece of that intersection. I think we need to be sensitive to those folks and try to accommodate them.

Like Jensen and Quandt, City Administrator Marlan Ferguson said one of his primary concerns is the safety risk. He said the Old Potash Highway and Highway 281 intersection is one of the busiest and most high-risk intersections in the city.

Ferguson said the intersection of North Road and Old Potash Highway is also seeing increased traffic due to the expansion of Shoemaker Elementary School to the west and the development of Copper Creek Estates subdivision to the south of the school.

When asked if the city had any plans to expand the Old Potash Highway and Highway 281 intersection, Ferguson said there is a current project to do some concrete work and some work on the lanes.

We had planned, if the half-cent sales tax would have passed, to widen out that intersection and make it into two turning lanes, he said. We wont have the time, money or resources to do anything with the intersection today, let alone if they move out there.

Ferguson said city officials have not discussed whether the city would install sidewalks near the distribution center to accommodate the move. He added the city council may consider adopting a resolution opposing the post office relocation.

Jensen said he is writing a letter to the Postal Service on behalf of the people of Grand Island to voice his disapproval of the proposed post office relocation. But he wondered if it will even matter to the federal government.

The federal government is going to do what they want to do, Jensen said. I hope Im wrong, but if their mailbox fills up, is it really going to have an effect, or have they already made the decision and are just doing this as a courtesy? I am hopeful that they look at the big picture and say, We want to be good community partners in this, and this is not something that is wanted, and are willing to look at alternatives.

Lancaster said she welcomes the opportunity to work with the city in discussions about the post office relocation. Quandt agreed with Lancaster.

This is one of those topics where government and businesses are going to have to work together to find a solution, Quandt said. I believe the city and the county will work together to come up with something that will work good for the citizens of Grand Island.
Last summer, the Republicans on the City Council and Mayor Chris Beutler, a Democrat, clashed over the citys budget, a battle that involved some name-calling and ended up in court.

The mayor and some Democrat council members called the Republicans' alternative budget fiscally irresponsible, short-sighted, short-termed and short-funded."

Republicans said the mayor was not transparent and intentionally cut the council out of any meaningful budget-building decisions.

Both sides blamed the other for the budget stalemate.

In the end, Lancaster County District Court Judge Robert Otte validated the mayors interpretation of the budget process.

Now the Lincoln City Council has asked the volunteer citizen Charter Revision Commission to look at the budget process, particularly the veto provisions and the budget that results when there is a stalemate.

The citizen charter revision commission will hold a public hearing Wednesday at 7 p.m. to hear citizen and council member views on the budget process.

Budget history, process

Last summer's budget veto was the first since Lincoln voters approved the strong mayor form of government more than 60 years ago.

The Lincoln charter gives the mayor the job of producing a budget proposal. Then the council weighs in on that plan during the summer.

Former Councilman John Spatz said, in his experience from 2007-2011, the council did not help build the city budget. The administration  department heads and the mayor  created the budget proposal during the winter and spring months.

The council then weighed in at the end of the process, acting as a check and balance on the mayors plan, Spatz told fellow charter revision commission members during a recent meeting.

Council members who want to have a long-term impact  for instance, by reducing the tax levy or putting more money in parks  need to start a year earlier, rather than go line-by-line at the end of the budget process, said Spatz.

It is very difficult to make substantive changes at the end of the process, he said.

But current Republican council members want to be part of that earlier budget-building process, current Councilman Roy Christensen confirmed.

Thats what most citizens expect, he said.

Typical veto scenarios

While the charter commission may look at the role of the council in the budget process, it is expected to focus on the veto process.

A survey of other strong mayor cities in the Midwest, with similar populations, indicated these typical budget veto scenarios.

* Mayor has line-item veto to reduce or eliminate specific spending items. The city council either overrides or sustains the individual vetoes. That document becomes the citys budget.

The city of Omaha and Nebraska state government grant the mayor or governor line-item veto power. Lincoln's charter does not.

* Mayor can veto an entire budget, which is Lincoln's process.

In some cases, the mayors original budget proposal becomes the final budget if the council fails to override the veto. That is the case in Lincoln and is the dominant fallback position for cities across the country, according to James Brooks, with the National League of Cities.

In other communities, the current year budget becomes the budget for the coming year if the council fails to override the veto.

In some cases, the previous year's budget continues until the council and mayor resolve their differences.

This would not work in Lincoln because state law requires cities to hand in an annual budget to the state by a specific date and requires a property tax rate to be set by a specific date.

Some cities prohibit vetoes on budget items relating to auditing or investigating the executive branch. And sometimes debt service is automatically adjusted to meet the payments required for outstanding bonds when there is a budget stalemate.

Arguments on budget fallback positions

There are arguments against two of the potential results when the mayor and council fail to reach agreement.

Returning to the previous year's budget is harmful to government operations, some would argue. That previous years budget doesnt take into consideration salary hikes, required as a result of labor negotiations, or health insurance cost increases, or emergencies that crop up, such as the current emerald ash borer disease expected to arrive in Lincoln in the next year or two.

Others would say returning to the mayors proposed budget gives the mayor too much power. There is no incentive for the mayor to compromise when his plan becomes the final budget.

In addition, returning to the mayors original proposal puts something in place that never received a legislative vote, Councilwoman Cyndi Lamm argues. This is the only time a mayor can use a veto to put something new into law and undercuts the council's legislative power. Generally, vetoes stop something from becoming law, she notes.
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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 4 2017

The government has called on domestic business players to invest in the Indian Ocean region to benefit from abundant untapped business opportunities as well as help boost exports.

Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) head Thomas Lembong expects businesspeople to work on potential partnerships with prospective counterparts during the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Business Forum on March 6.

One of the most realistic ways to jack up exports of some commodities is to invest in respected countries, Lembong said Friday during the press conference on the event. Investments could be in the form of warehouses, trading firms or factories, these will be the spearhead to open market access.

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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 4 2017

In a country where poor infrastructure strongly limits connectivity, reducing distances for the delivery of primary goods may be a real shortcut.

With this in mind, the government has ordered that all future coal-fired power plants in mining regions be constructed as mine-mouth plants to slash distribution and transportation costs, while also decreasing the electricity supply costs (BPP).

In its latest electricity procurement business plan (RUPTL), the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has ordered state-owned electricity firm PLN to convert all projects for regular coal power plants in coal-rich regions into mine-mouth power projects.

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WASHINGTON -- Among the many unintended legacies of Barack Obama, one has gone largely unnoticed: the emergence of a novel form of resistance to executive overreach, a check-and-balance improvised in reaction to his various presidential power grabs.

It's the revolt of the state attorneys general, banding together to sue and curb the executive. And it has outlived Obama.

Normally one would expect Congress to be the instrument of resistance to presidential trespass. But Congress has been supine. The Democrats in particular, approving of Obama's policy preferences, allowed him free rein over Congress' constitutional prerogatives.

Into that vacuum stepped the states. Florida and 12 others filed suit against Obamacare the day it was signed. They were later joined by 13 others, making their challenge the first in which a majority of states banded together to try to stop anything.

They did not always succeed, but they succeeded a lot. They got Obamacare's forced Medicaid expansion struck down, though Obamacare as a whole was upheld. Later, a majority of states secured stays for two egregious EPA measures. One had given the feds sovereignty over the generation and distribution of electricity (the Clean Power Plan), the other over practically every ditch and pond in America (the Waters of the United States rule).

Their most notable success was blocking Obama's executive order that essentially would have legalized 4 million illegal immigrants. "If Congress will not do their job, at least we can do ours," said Obama. Not your job, said the courts.

Democrats noticed. And now with a Republican in the White House, they've adopted the technique. Having lost control of Congress, they realize that one way to curb presidential power is to go through the states. They just did on Trump's immigration ban. Taking advantage of the courts' increased willingness to grant "standing" to the states, Washington state and Minnesota got a district court to issue an injunction against Trump's executive order and got it upheld by the 9th Circuit. Where the ban died.

A singular victory. Democratic-run states will be emboldened to join together in opposing Trump administration measures issuing from both the agency rulings (especially EPA and the Department of Education) and presidential executive orders.

Is this a good thing? Regardless of your party or policy preferences, you must admit we are witnessing a remarkable phenomenon: the organic response of a constitutional system in which the traditional barriers to overreach have atrophied and a new check-and-balance emerges almost ex nihilo.

Congress has allowed itself to become an increasingly subordinate branch. Look at how reluctant Congress has been to even consider a new authorization for the use of force abroad, an area in which, constitutionally, it should be dominant. Look at today's GOP Congress, having had years to prepare to govern, now appearing so tentative, almost paralyzed. "Many Republican members," reports the Washington Post, "are eager for Trump to provide clear marching orders." The president orders, Congress marches -- that is not how the Founders drew it up.

Hence the state attorneys general rise to check the president and his functionaries. This is good.

Not because it necessarily produces the best policy outcomes. It often doesn't.

Not because judicial grants of standing are always correct. The 9th Circuit, in effect, granted Minnesota and Washington standing to represent the due process rights of Yemeni nationals who've never set foot in the United States -- an imaginary harm to states that presupposes imaginary rights for Yemenis.

And not because it's necessarily good for the judicial system to acquire, through this process, yet more power. This really should be adjudicated by the elected branches. Problem is: Congress has abdicated.

Nonetheless, the revolt of the AGs is to be celebrated. It is a reassuring sign of the creativity and suppleness of the American Constitution, of its amphibian capacity to grow a new limb when an old one atrophies.

This is, of course, not the first time the states have asserted themselves against federal power. There was Fort Sumter, 1861, when the instruments employed were rather more blunt than the multistate lawsuit. All the more reason to celebrate this modern device.

I'm sure conservatives won't like many of the outcomes over the next four years, just as many liberals deeply disapproved of the Obama-blocking outcomes of the recent past.

The point, however, is not outcome but process. Remarkably, we have spontaneously developed a new one -- to counter executive willfulness. There's a reason that after two and a half centuries the French are on their Fifth Republic and we are still on our first.
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Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang  Sat, March 4 2017

Authorities in Central Java have revealed that drug smugglers are being more creative with the methods they employ to move drugs in and out of the province.

Recent smuggling attempts include mixing substances into jenang dodol (traditional fudge), putting drugs in the soles of shoes and even hiding small quantities of drugs inside peanut shells.

One smuggler was caught hiding drugs in a lavatory on board a bus. In another case in January last year, officers uncovered a shipment of 97 kilograms of drugs hidden inside a power generator sent from China to Central Java.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 4 2017

The deputy head of the House of Representatives special committee (Pansus) on the election bill, Yandri Susanto, has rejected criticism from several parties over planned working visits to Germany and Mexico.

He denied the claim that the working visits, which are reportedly being conducted to obtain background information on election laws in other countries, had no urgency in relation to the deliberation of the bill.

He also disagreed with critics who argued that learning about other countries electoral systems could be conducted without carrying out working visits to the locations.

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Linkedin Marzuki Darusman and Makarim Wibisono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 4 2017

The government of France, Indonesias Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, and Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil may appear to have little in common, but today we salute them all for having risen to the challenge, each in their own way having struck a blow in championing human rights.

As founders of the Association For International Human Rights Reporting Standards (FIHRRST) AISBL we are only too well aware of the difficulties encountered by those trying to ensure that human rights really are respected.

Too often, it seems, financial goals or political ideals take precedence and it takes courage to make a stand and say human rights are not negotiable.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 5, 2017

Jakarta adds another site to its long list of cultural heritage sites across the city as Mbah Priok memorial site in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, was inaugurated as a cultural heritage site by the citys governor on Saturday.

The memorial site once held the grave of Islamic figure Mbah Priok who was venerated for his efforts to disseminate the religion of Islam during Dutch rule. Several disputes happened in the past between the heirs of Mbah Priok and state port operator Pelindo II when the operators intended to demolish the site for the expansion of Tanjung Priok port.

Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama signed an inscription, which read that Mbak Priok memorial site would be protected and treated as a cultural heritage site. Ahok added that the administration would turn the site into a religious attraction.

According to the Islamic leaders here, up to 15,000 pilgrims visit the site every week. That indicates huge potential for tourism, Ahok said.

The administration plans to build supporting facilities, such as a cafeteria and mosque. However, the plan was still in the early discussion phase and would need further preparation from the administration.

The inauguration took place just several days before Ahok was scheduled to take another campaign leave ahead of the second round of the citys gubernatorial election. However, Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta) has yet to announce the exact date of the campaign period. Previous reports stated it would start on March 7. (kkk/dmr)
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Linkedin Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Batam  Sun, March 5, 2017

After a three-month investigation, Riau Islands Police have named Makruf Maulana, head of the provinces Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), a defamation suspect for posting a meme that was perceived as insulting the police.

The meme, which was posted in a WhatsApp social media group, allegedly aimed to make a joke out of a case in which the police foiled a plan to bomb the State Palace.

He is now a suspect although we have not detained him since he has cooperated all this time, Riau Islands Polices special crimes unit head Sr. Comr. Budi Suryanto said on Sunday.

The police will soon wrap up its investigation before sending Makrufs dossier to the local prosecutors office.

Makruf, who has been charged with online defamation, which carries a maximum sentence of six years in prison, once again maintained his innocence, saying that he never intended to insult the police.

But, I am not afraid. Serving prison time is not a new thing for me, said Makruf who revealed that he had previously been detained in the early 2000s for his involvement in a rally. (ipa)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 5, 2017

State-owned lender Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) and private lender Bank Tabungan Pensiunan Nasional (BTPN) plan to hire more Laku Pandai agents this year to boost Laku Pandai transactions.

Laku Pandai is a branchless banking program initiated by the Financial Services Authority (OJK) for banks to facilitate customers without having to open physical branches.

BRI corporate secretary Hari Siaga said on Saturday that it aimed to have 135,000 Laku Pandai agents, an increase from 84,500 in 2016, and to see them use its BRILink mobile app.

Our target is to see BRILink agents not only use EDC [Electronic Data Capture] for transactions but also the BRILink mobile app, Hari said on Saturday as quoted by Kontan.

(Read also: OJK invites more players to join branchless banking program)

BRI recorded 98 million transactions throughout last year, rising more than fourfold from 2015.

Sumatra made up for the most transactions with 36 percent, followed by Java with 21 percent and other regions in the eastern part of Indonesia with 32 percent.

Meanwhile, BTPNs compliance director, Anika Faisal, said the bank would also increase the number of its Laku Pandai agents this year through its BTPN Wow program.

As of 2016, BTPN Wow has 171,000 agents with a total of 2.9 million customers, Anika said on Friday.

Anika, however, did not go into detail regarding the number of new Laku Pandai agents that it targeted, only saying that it would focus on farmers, fishermen and informal sector workers. (yon/tas)
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Linkedin Eileen Ng (Associated Press) Kuala Lumpur  Sun, March 5, 2017

The families of those on board missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 launched efforts Saturday to raise at least US$15 million to fund a private search as they marked the third anniversary of the plane's disappearance.

Malaysia, Australia and China suspended a nearly three-year search in the southern Indian Ocean on Jan. 17 after it failed to find any trace of the plane. The jet disappeared March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.

Jacquita Gomes, whose husband was a flight attendant on the plane, said families have no choice but to take matters into their own hands by raising the money.

"What happened to MH370 is a mystery, but it should not go down in the history books as a mystery. Everybody wants answers," Gomes said at a three-hour remembrance event at a shopping mall near Kuala Lumpur.

Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said in a speech at the event that a final report with information and analysis on what happened to the plane based on available data and evidence would be released this year. He didn't say when.

He said authorities would step up efforts to comb for plane debris along the African coast. So far, Liow said, 27 pieces of debris have been found, including two new pieces found off Africa about two weeks ago. He said that three pieces of debris have been confirmed to be from Flight 370, and that five more are "almost certain" to be from the plane.

More than 30 family members from Malaysia, Australia, China, India and France went on stage and spoke about the urgency to find closure. They released eight white pigeons and shouted "Search on." (ipa)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 5, 2017

National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia says it will take firm action against a passenger who joked about having a bomb on board and caused a long delay in takeoff for a flight from Makassar, South Sulawesi, to Jakarta on Friday.

Garuda Indonesia vice president of corporate communications Benny S. Butarbutar said on Saturday that the aircraft crew and aviation security officers immediately combed the plane after the man, identified only as HI, repeatedly claimed that he had a bomb in his carry-on bag.

(Read also: Garuda flight delayed for six hours over bomb joke)

The incident delayed departure by more than five hours and flight GA 611 finally left Makassar at 1 p.m.

HI later underwent questioning at Sultan Hasanuddin International Airports police station and was not allowed to re-board the plane.

Garuda Indonesia had to pay compensation all 211 passengers for the flight delay.

We hope that passengers will be more cautious about what they say, especially in mentioning bombs, after this incident, Benny said as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com. (vny/hwa)
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Linkedin (Associated Press) Bangkok  Sun, March 5, 2017

Japanese Emperor Akihito arrived in Bangkok on Sunday to pay his respects to the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, following a week-long trip to Vietnam aimed at winning support against Chinese expansionism.

The monarchies  two of a handful remaining in Asia  have maintained close ties. Bhumibol first visited Japan in 1963, touching off a decades-long friendship with numerous visits back and forth, most recently a visit by Akihito to Thailand in 2006.

Akihito, accompanied by his wife, Empress Michiko, was to lay wreathes and sign a condolence book at the Grand Palace in Bangkok before meeting with King Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, who ascended the throne after the death of his widely revered father in October.

The emperor's two-day visit to Bangkok comes as Thailand tilts closer to China, Japan's main rival in East Asia.

Thailand and Japan have traditionally enjoyed close relations, unburdened by the legacy of World War II that has complicated Japan's relations with other Asian countries. After a brief struggle, Thailand formally became Japan's ally through much of the war, suffering little of the destruction wrought on others like China, Myanmar and the Philippines.

But following a 2014 coup, Thailand's Western allies cut back on assistance, pushing the country's ruling military junta closer to Beijing.

"The visit is symbolic of Japan's interest in boosting Japanese-Thai relations at a time when China seems to enjoy favor in Bangkok," said Paul Chambers, research director at the Institute of Southeast Asian Affairs.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 5, 2017

Special forces personnel will secure King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Sauds Bali vacation, a high rank military official has said.

Of course snipers will be readied, as well as anti-terror and bomb squad personnel, said the 9th regional military command (Kodam IX Udayana) commander, Maj.Gen. Kustanto Widiatmoko, as quoted by tempo.co on Saturday. He refused to give details on where the security personnel had been deployed.

In terms of sea security, Kustanto said personnel had also been readied 1 mile off the beach behind Saint Regis Hotel where King Salman and his entourage would stay for the next six days. We have prepared six ships for security patrol on the waters, he said.

King Salman arrived at Ngurah Rai International Airport at 5:53 p.m. local time.

As many as 2,500 personnel from the police, military and local administrations with different security responsibilities are readied to secure the visit, said Kustanto.

Separately, Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Petrus Reinhard Golose said 878 police personnel would be provided throughout the kings visit. In the first layer, security will be provided by the Saudi Royal familys security force and the Presidential Security Detail [Paspampres]. We [the police and other personnel] will handle security in the second and third layer, said Petrus. (mrc/ebf)
What happened exactly is hard to say  maybe he got sprinkled with fairy dust  but President Donald Trump was not just OK in his first speech to a joint session of Congress. He was superlative. He was better even than his gifted predecessor and, in his unifying, uplifting tone, his directness, his sense of sympathy, his focus on the relevant and his evocative delivery style, he said much that needed to be said.

The subjects were many, and an alert teacher would hardly be handing out top grades on every utterance, but here was someone using reality, not political correctness, as a guide on tough questions. Crime, for instance, is a real problem in our inner cities. Murder jumped up significantly a couple of years ago. In a place like Chicago, thousands get shot every year. A foremost answer is good policing, and whats crucial is respect and help for those who do it.

Trump got that right, just as he was on target that too many of our schools are not getting the job done. If children are trapped in one that simply is not performing, let the parents put their children in a school that does work. It is known as school choice. Public programs facilitating it are especially crucial for the poor.

Our tax system is crazy, especially that part of it aimed at businesses. Our European cousins may flunk in many departments but they are smart enough to keep business taxes down so that businesses can compete better and flourish to the publics benefit. Trump showed that he gets it that jobs will be generated by corporate and other taxes coming down and that this is a lot better for the human good than welfare that is ever-less affordable.

How about the Food and Drug Administration? Its there largely to save us from harm or getting killed but has itself killed through laggardness. As has been documented by Henry Miller, a physician and Hoover Institution fellow who worked at the FDA for years, the bureaucrats overdo caution in admitting new drugs to market. They thus protect themselves from castigation if something goes amiss but deprive Americans of a means to save their lives. Trump made it clear in the speech that he wants to fix this, and its about time.

Trumps immigration plan is not just to deport those here illegally after theyve committed crimes. As he made clear in the speech, he wants to go further in admitting legal immigrants on the basis of merit. Yes, many low-skill immigrants do a great deal of good, but many struggle. It is just as compassionate to admit those with high skills as it is to admit those with low skills, and in a high-tech society, they can contribute massively instead of costing us massively.

Here was not a speech focused only on such issues, but also on how we Americans are in fact united on standing up against the horrors of anti-Semitism and racism. It was an emotional evening during which those in attendance poured out their hearts for a woman whose husband had given his life for his country. Trump reminded us of our inventiveness as a people, the ways in which we have done so very, very much and spoke of how we still have so much to do.

Too often, Trump has done himself in with small-mindedness or juvenility on top of whats best about him. But on this occasion, everything about him seemed a step up the ladder from where he had been. No, many steps up the ladder.

Please, Mr. President, keep it up, and please, Congress, work with him, and please, critics, give credit where credit is due.
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 5, 2017

The Jakarta chapter of the General Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta) has officially declared that the incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidayat should take leave during the campaign period from March 7 to April 15.

The campaign requirement for the runoff is regulated under the new commission's decree, KPU Jakarta head Sumarno said.

"I have signed the decree," Sumarno said at Borobudur Hotel, Central Jakarta, on Saturday.

(Read also: KPU Jakarta officially announces Ahok, Anies to compete in the runoff)

Sumarno said that the decision was based on Law No. 10 of 2016 concerning regional elections, which required any incumbent candidate to take leave during the campaign period.

The commission would be prepared to deal with any opposition from any party which disagreed with this requirement, he said.

"This is the era of democracy. If any party disagrees, they could undergo a legal process," he said.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) secretary general Hasto Kristianto said that the candidate pair would comply with KPU's decision.

"If KPU Jakarta requires that the pair take leave, they have agreed to follow it," he said. (dmr)
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Linkedin (Associated Press) Fort Kent, Maine  Sun, March 5, 2017

More than a dozen mushers departed Saturday amid a cacophony of barking dogs and cheering spectators for a 250-mile dash across the wilderness of northern Maine.

The Irving Woodlands Can-Am Crown, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, takes dog sled teams through forests and over hills near the Canadian border. The grueling course is tough enough to serve as qualifier for the 1,100-mile Iditarod across Alaska.

"We cross one mountain to the other. You just feel like you're climbing them, never descending them," Martin Massicotte said in French, which his wife translated for him.

The seven-time winner from St. Tite, Quebec, was among more than a dozen mushers who will make their way to Portage Lake and then to the town of Allagash before looping back to Fort Kent by Monday morning. There is a combined purse of $44,000 for the 250-mile race, along with two shorter races.

Each race is different.

The temperature plummeted to minus-38 during the first Can-Am Crown, and winner Andrew Nadeau, of Sainte-Melanie, Quebec, had 6- to 7-inch icicles dangling from his beard at the finish line. A year later, the temperature soared to 61 degrees, and the race had to be cut short at 200 miles.

This year, there has been recent record-breaking warmth in New England, but there is still 2 feet of snow on the ground in the woods in northern Maine.

High temperatures in single digits Saturday and in the teens Sunday should be perfect for the mushers and their dogs, said Beurmond Banville, race spokesman.

Massicotte works in the paving business when he is not mushing. While he has won seven times, the competition is fierce and victory is never a sure thing, he said.

His most memorable moment came three years ago, when he broke Nadeau's record of four victories with a comeback on the last stage to win by a mere 1 minute, 5 seconds. In 2008, he was down to eight dogs but managed to overtake Don Hibbs 15 miles from the finish.

"I do not remember winning any of these races easily," he said.
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Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan  Sun, March 5, 2017

The Indonesian Military (TNI) has issued a dead or alive arrest warrant for one of its members, who is allegedly involved in a drug syndicate that was recently uncovered by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) in Medan.

The Bukit Barisan Military Regional Command (Kodam) and the Medan Military Police Detachment (Denpom) have ordered their members to arrest First Sgt. Habibie, who fled after BNN officers raided his house.

As of today, we are still hunting him down, [we will catch him] dead or alive. The TNI never compromises with members involved with drugs, Bukit Barisan Military Command Col. Edy Hartono told The Jakarta Post recently.

Habibie has been pursued by the military police following a raid by the BNN on Wednesday.

During the raid, BNN personnel were involved in a cross fire with drug dealers from Aceh on Jl. Medan-Binjai Km 10.5, Deli Serdang regency, North Sumatra.

A drug dealer identified as Rizwan, 37, of Aceh, was killed in the firefight when BNN officers strafed his car.

The officers also arrested six other persons suspected of being drug dealers from another car they strafed. The six were identified as Hendra Saputra, Zakaria, Maulana, Safrizal, Andri and Saiful, all from Aceh.

(Read also: BNN shoots dead drug trafficker in Medan)

After their arrest, members of the group told authorities that Habibie was involved in the drug syndicate.

The BNN then raided Habibies house on Jl. TB Simatupang, Medan, but he had already fled.

From the syndicate the BNN seized 46.9 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine or sabu as it is locally known, 3,620 ecstasy pills and 445 happy five pills.

Edy said that he hoped to capture Habibie alive to find out if other military members were also involved in drug dealing.

Thats why we want to have Habibie captured alive so he will be able to tell the whole story, said Edy, adding that Habibie was currently assigned at the Denpom of the Kodam Bukit Barisan Medan.

He asserted that Habibie would be dismissed from the military without honor and sent to prison once arrested, adding that many military personnel had been dishonorably discharged for illegal drug trafficking.

In the last two months, according to Edy, 68 other military personnel assigned to Kodam Bukit Barisan had been dishonorably discharged, mostly because of drug cases.

He added that in the near future 140 others would be dismissed for the same reason.

He said various initiatives had been carried out to detect personnel involved with drugs, including routine urine tests. We want the military to be free of drugs, he said.

Kodam I Bukit Barisans Denpom commander Col. Cpm Yusri Nuryanto said he was angry to find out that one of his men was involved with drugs, saying that it tarnished the TNIs good image.

For this we will hunt him down [and capture him], dead or alive, Yusri said.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 5, 2017

The next person to head oil and gas giant Pertamina could be an internal figure or someone from outside the company, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno has said.

Rini said the ministry had proposed candidates to the President, but no decision had been made. Please be patient. We will definitely announce [the names], Rini told a press briefing in Jakarta on Friday, tribunnews.com reported.

Several people reportedly made it onto the governments short list, namely Pertamina upstream director Syamsu Alam, acting president director Yenni Andayani, processing and petrochemical megaproject director Rachmad Hardadi, commissioner Edwin Hidayat Abdullah and vice president commissioner Arcandra Tahar, who is also deputy energy and mineral resources minister.

(Read also: Rivalry that divided Pertamina put to end)

Meanwhile, non-Pertamina figures include state-owned plantation PT PTPN Holding CEO Elia Massa Manik, state electricity firm PLN president director Sofyan Basir and State-Owned Enterprises Ministry expert staff member Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

Rachmad and Arcandra refused to comment on the matter.

The government dismissed Pertamina president director Dwi Soetjipto and deputy Ahmad Bambang in February following months of conflict and assigned Yenni to be the acting president director.

It should have appointed the new CEO after a 30-day period, which elapsed on Friday. However, the government has decided to postpone the appointment for another 30 days and prolong Yennis tenure.

[The tenure] has been prolonged because there has been no decision by the board of commissioners [on the new CEO] yet, commissioner Edwin said. (prm/tas)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 5, 2017

Transjakarta patrol officer, Susilo Purwanto, was attacked by several people in corridor 4, serving Jl. Tambak, Central Jakarta, to Matraman, East Jakarta, on Friday evening after banning a motorist from entering the bus lane.

Transjakarta spokesman, Wibowo, said that at 8 p.m., Susilo reproved a motorist who tried to pass the bus lane.

The motorist beat up Susilo and threatened him. He reported the incident to the patrol coordinator, Wibowo said in a statement on Saturday.

Less than 30 minutes after the attack, six to seven people, who were riding motorcycles, attacked Susilo.

The attackers were trying to hurt him by using a bayonet, but other officers were able to prevent that violent attempt.

The attackers also broke the cell phones of people who were trying to record the attack.

Susilo is currently hospitalized at Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital, Central Jakarta, as his head and eyelids were injured and he suffered from shortness of breath after the attack, Wibowo said.

He added that Transjakarta reported the incident to the Central Jakarta police office. (cal/dmr)
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Linkedin News Desk (Associated Press) New York  Sun, March 5, 2017

BC-US--March 4 Trump,7th Ld-Writethru/918

Eds: Adds details from rally in Berkeley, California. With AP Photos.

Trump supporters declare pride in president, slam opponents

The Associated Press

From Colorado's state Capitol to Trump Tower in New York and the Washington Monument, groups of hundreds of people rallied for President Trump on Saturday, waving "Deplorables for Trump" signs and even carrying a life-size cutout of the president.

The March 4 Trump demonstrations were held around the country, and supporters clashed with generally smaller groups of counter protesters.

In Berkeley, California, Trump supporters fought counter-protesters during a march in support of the president. People wearing goggles, motorcycle helmets, gas masks or with their face half-covered with bandanas are pushing each other, throwing punches and hitting each other with the sticks holding their signs.

Six people protesting the rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol and fled, police said. About 400 people attended the St. Paul event, and about 50 showed up to protest it. Some other minor scuffles between the dueling demonstrators were quickly defused.

In Nashville, two people were arrested as protesters clashed with Trump supporters at the Tennessee Capitol. The groups at times cursed at each other and made physical contact, which state troopers broke up, WPLN reported.

Near Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach Post reported that people on both sides exchanged profanity. Trump's motorcade briefly stopped so he could wave at supporters.

In Ohio, Trump supporter Margaret Howe, 57, of Pataskala, said she increasingly fears civil war.

"We did not want to have something like this happen," she said, adding, "We came out today because Trump deserves to see he still has people for him. It's just all sad."

Outside the state Capitol in Denver, hundreds gathered, listening to speakers including former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo on the West Steps facing the mountains. Many in the crowd held American flags or wore red, white and blue and held signs with messages like "Veterans before Refugees."

Chelsea Thomas, an accountant from Thornton, Colorado, brought her family to the rally  and a life-size cardboard cutout of Trump. She said the family has taken it with them on camping trips, boat rides and a country music festival.

"It's nice to be surrounded by people who share your morals and opinions," said Thomas, as her son walked back and forth across the grass with a Trump flag. A group of counter protesters gathered nearby, separated from the rally by police tape. They chanted "No Trump. No KKK. No fascist USA" and held signs with messages like "Your vote was a hate crime."

Hundreds gathered in rallies on both ends of Pennsylvania to show support for Trump.

Supporters waved signs and flags and listened to speeches during Saturday's "Spirit of America" rally in Bensalem's Neshaminy State Park in eastern Pennsylvania's Bucks County.

"They love their country and they love what Donald Trump represents, which is about making America first," organizer Jim Worthington said. "... We are here to meet and make sure all Americans are prospering."

In northwestern Pennsylvania, the Erie Times-News reported that about 100 people gathered at a square in downtown Erie for a similar demonstration. "We've got to get the whole country united behind this man," said Richard Brozell, 75, who along with his wife braved the mid-20s temperatures and stiff wind chill to attend

In Augusta Maine, more than 100 people turned out for the event that was supposed to last three hours, but ended early because of freezing temperatures. In Miami, supporters continued a rally while sipping espressos outside a Cuban restaurant, the Miami Herald reported.

At a North Carolina rally, speakers said the dishonest media and left wing politicians were bordering on sedition in their opposition to the Republican president. Some men were seen walking through the Raleigh crowd carrying a Trump flag as well as a Confederate flag. Gathered just behind the rally was a handful of protesters, some of whom blew air horns in an attempt to disrupt the event.

"We're gonna take our country back and we're gonna establish borders and have legal immigration and law and order," said Cherie Francis, of Cary, North Carolina. "And if you're against all that, then you should be afraid."

In Indianapolis, about 30 Trump supporters rallied at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis to denounce what they see as unfair treatment of the Republican. A local organizer, 61-year-old Patty Collins, of Indianapolis, said Trump's critics "aren't giving him a chance."

Trump supporters turned out Saturday in Phoenix. Media outlets reported that several hundred people participated in the Phoenix event held on a lawn at the State Capitol. Some participants wore pro-Trump shirts. A small group of protesters also were on hand.

In Texas, Austin police say about 300 people have rallied in support of Trump in a gathering outside the Capitol during rain. One of the organizers, Jennifer Drabbant of Austin, said there have been so many protests against Trump that she and others wanted to show there are people who support him.

In Lansing, Michigan, about 200 Trump supporters rallied on one side of the state Capitol while 100 critics gathered on another side. At one point, the president's fans shouted "get on the bus" and "go back to Mexico," The Detroit News reported.

"Agree with President Trump or not, he is our president, and I think what I see happening in D.C. and with the Democrats  it can't stand," said Gary Taylor, 60.(dan)
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Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi and Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 6 2017

The official announcement of the gubernatorial candidates in the head-to-head runoff slated for April 19 was marred by the absence of incumbent candidate pair Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidayat, as the two men had left because the event started late.

The event, which was held by the Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta) in the Borobodur Hotel in Central Jakarta was scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m., but by 8 p.m. the organizers had yet to begin proceedings, the Ahok-Djarot team claimed that they had been at the hotel since 7 p.m.

We believe the organizers were unprofessional. We really appreciated KPU Jakartas invitation so we came on time and missed several events that we could have attended this evening, Djarot said in a press conference elsewhere at the hotel.

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Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 6 2017

As preparations advance, the government expects to sign a loan agreement on the Patimban deep-sea port project with its Japanese counterpart by the middle of this year. Such a move will allow the development of the new infrastructure to commence in January next year.

The environmental impact analysis (Amdal), one of the toughest parts of the preparatory phase, was issued at the end of February on schedule, Transportation Ministry director general for sea transportation Antonius Tonny Budiono said.

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Linkedin Retno LP Marsudi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 6 2017

For the first time in its 20-year history, the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) will organize a Leaders Summit on March 7, themed Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for a Peaceful, Stable and Prosperous Indian Ocean.

As the chair of IORA for 2015-2017, Indonesia will host the summit and assemble the leaders of its 21 members and seven dialogue partners for the proposed theme. The IORA Leaders Summit is of great relevance to national, regional and global interests. Indonesias leadership among the Indian Ocean littoral states in IORA therefore matters.

The area surrounding the Indian Ocean are home to approximately 2.7 billion people. It is an immense, rich and highly diverse region. It is the main shipping lane for 70 percent of the worlds oil and natural gas as well as the source of one-third of fish caught worldwide.

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Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung, West Java  Mon, March 6 2017

As part of its expansion strategy, jewelry company PT Hartadinata Abadi will focus on developing its wholesale business in the eastern part of the country while developing an e-commerce platform to support its existing operations.

Learning from its partnership with jewelry wholesalers in Kalimantan over the past five years, the company believes that there is great potential in eastern Indonesia as a result of unique consumer habits.

Jewelry is part of the culture during wedding and childbirth [celebrations] for people in eastern Indonesia. They are more interested in buying heavier [jewelry] made of higher carats, president director Sandra Sunarto said recently in Bandung, West Java.

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A government body can't block the media from reporting on one of its public meetings because its leader doesn't like the coverage he thinks it will get.Nor can it list an item on its public agenda, remove the item until the audience leaves the room, and then discuss it once the public has vacated the space.Yet the state's Military Affairs Commission did both those things - and more - in early February, flouting North Carolina's Open Meetings Law. And as a result of those (probably) illegal actions , the General Assembly is considering new legislation that would add legal penalties to what has been rather toothless transparency laws.At its Feb. 7 meeting, the military commission was slated to hear a presentation from retired physicist John Droz. Droz is a critic of state laws forcing utilities to purchase renewable energy and an opponent of the placement of large wind-powered generation plants in areas that could interfere with some military operations.Droz's presentation was listed on the commission's agenda, which was emailed to members but neither posted on the commission website nor listed with the Secretary of State's office (additional transparency no-nos). In fact, the meeting itself wasn't "noticed" to the general public in advance.Carolina Journal learned of the meeting, and our Dan Way attended to observe the presentation. Droz was to discuss (among other things) security concerns related to the closeness of the massive Amazon Wind Farm near Elizabeth City to a large military radar installation in Virginia that tracks aircraft and boats coming to the United States from Central America - some of them carrying illegal drugs and other contraband.But when Droz was ready to offer his presentation, the commission chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Bud Martin, and Larry Hall, the new secretary of military and veterans affairs, balked. They didn't want Way to report on the meeting or two other members of the public who were observing the proceedings to talk about what happened in the room.Outside the meeting room, Hall told Way he didn't want a single media outlet covering the presentation, and that it would be rescheduled, possibly at a larger space where more reporters could attend.Outrageous. Hall, if anyone, should understand the state's Open Meetings Law. Until December, he was the Democratic leader in the state House, and the General Assembly drafts and passes laws related to government transparency.It got worse. After Hall, Way, and the two other attendees departed, Martin let Droz make his presentation to the commission, quite aware that only the members and Droz witnessed and discussed the materials.Shenanigans like this are why governments are expected to hold their proceedings in public, and why meaningful laws are needed to ensure that transparency.The Military Affairs Commission flunked that test. Several media experts we talked to said the spirit if not the letter of the law was violated.The good news is, some lawmakers are taking this issue more seriously than their predecessors have. They're backing legislation that would make it a crime to violate open meetings or public records laws.Sens. Norm Sanderson, R-Pamilco, and Bill Cook, R-Beaufort, have co-sponsored Senate Bill 77. It would make a violation of those transparency laws a misdemeanor, carrying a fine of up to $200 and a jail sentence of as much as 20 days. Sanderson cited the situation involving CJ and the Military Affairs Commission as part of the inspiration for the bill.Good. As noted media attorney John Bussian told us, North Carolina hasEveryone should applaud reasonable steps to strengthen those laws, and punish public officials who knowingly keep the public in the dark about the operations of our government.
SAN DIEGO -- Who knew that so many people cared so much about what happens to illegal immigrants?

For eight years, I tried to get readers and colleagues to see what activists and immigration attorneys quickly figured out: Barack Obama was the most anti-immigrant president since Dwight Eisenhower, who loaded more than 1 million Mexicans onto railroad cars in 1954's "Operation Wetback." Obama established quotas, eliminated law enforcement discretion and pressured local cops to enforce federal immigration law. All that helped him deport roughly 3 million people, divide hundreds of thousands of families and dump thousands of abandoned U.S.-born kids into foster care.

No one listened. Liberals were protective of Obama, but conservatives were just as protective of their false narrative that a Democratic president wanted an open border.

Now, the world of immigration enforcement is upside down.

Liberals have rediscovered their outrage at the mistreatment of the undocumented -- even though Trump is, for the most part, simply following Obama's deportation blueprint.

The New York Times recently implied otherwise by reporting that Trump would enforce immigration law "more aggressively" and "find, arrest and deport those in the country illegally, regardless of whether they have committed serious crimes."

In other words, Trump is likely to do pretty much what Obama did in swiftly removing juveniles, battered wives, ice cream vendors and traffic code violators.

Meanwhile, the same conservatives who charged that Obama wasn't doing enough are now applauding Trump for going above and beyond -- when, in reality, the new president is mimicking the old one.

Apparently, this includes repeating the same mistakes. Obama tried to be both tough and compassionate by pushing the narrative that he was removing the bad illegal immigrants and keeping the good ones. This approach only creates more confusion, and it never works.

Here's why. The immigration debate is about human beings. And human beings are a complicated bunch.

Moreover, everything about the immigration debate is complicated -- why these people left their home countries, the circumstances under which they came to the United States, whether they committed crimes once they got here or whether we should treat as a criminal offense the infraction of overstaying a visa or crossing the border without proper documents.

You can't just wade into that river of complexity and neatly separate undocumented immigrants into "good" and "bad."

On the one hand, Obama created Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to protect so-called Dreamers who were brought here as children. Obama described them as "Americans in their hearts, their minds, in every single way except one -- on paper." But he also said that his administration was removing "people who are dangerous, people who are gang-bangers or criminals."

Now Trump is playing the same game. Even though he is rankling supporters by breaking his campaign promise to "immediately terminate" the executive action allowing Dreamers to remain in the United States under certain conditions, the president now calls these young people "incredible kids" and pledges to deal with their fate with "great heart." At the same time, Trump -- who also campaigned on the promise of removing the "bad hombres" -- has maintained his hard line against what he considers the undesirables in the illegal immigrant population.

"On the border and throughout our country, we're getting the bad ones out, the bad people, gang members, drug lords, in some cases, murderers," Trump said Tuesday during an interview on Fox News.

Further muddying the waters, on the same day, Trump reportedly said once again he was open to the idea of legalizing millions of undocumented immigrants.

So, pray tell, how do you tell a good illegal immigrant from a bad one?

This is how cynical politicians do it: When they need to appear tough, they'll say that "criminals" include people who merely re-entered the United States after being deported because their kids were on this side of the border. Or those who used fake Social Security numbers to clean toilets even though they would never receive benefits. When elected officials want to be seen as compassionate, they'll change their tune and shrink the ranks of "criminals" to include only dangerous felons guilty of murder, assault, rape, armed robbery and other serious offenses.

People say our immigration system is broken. True enough. But the really bad news is that something that many folks see as a remedy -- our deportation policy -- is just as broken.
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Linkedin Veeramalla Anjaiah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 6 2017

Prior to becoming Indonesias seventh president in 2014, Joko Jokowi Widodo was a small furniture trader in his hometown Surakarta, Central Java. He studied forestry at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, having no experience in foreign policy before becoming president.



However, Jokowi, the former mayor of Surakarta (2005 -2012) and Jakarta governor (2012-2014), announced a major shift in Indonesias foreign policy direction on Oct. 20, 2014, the first day of his presidency.



He said all Indonesians must work hard to turn Indonesia into a maritime nation. In less than one month, during the East Asia Summit meeting in Myanmars capital Naypyitaw in November 2014, Jokowi unveiled his historic Poros Maritime Dunia (Global Maritime Axis) doctrine.



According to Jokowi, the world has witnessed a tectonic change in global and regional power relations in the 21st century, thanks to the rise of China and other Asian countries.



Indonesia realizes that a substantial transformation is taking place in the 21st century. The center of gravity of the geo-economic and geo-political world is shifting from West to East. Asian countries are on the rise,

the President said in his speech in front of global leaders ranging from the then US President Barack Obama to Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang.



As the worlds largest archipelagic state with its strategic location at the cross roads of the Indian and the Pacific Oceans, Jokowi said, Indonesia must assert itself as the World Maritime Axis.



As a maritime country, this position opens opportunities for Indonesia to develop regional and international cooperation for the prosperity of the people, Jokowi said.



This new doctrine, which extends Indonesias sphere from being ASEAN-centered to a much bigger Indo-Pacific region, mainly focuses on trade, infrastructure, security and a bigger role for Indonesia in regional and global diplomacy.





Jokowis doctrine has five main pillars. They are:



1. Rebuild Indonesias maritime culture. As a country that is made up of 17,000 islands, the nation must realize that its future is largely determined by how it manages the surrounding oceans.



2. Indonesia will maintain and manage sea resources with a focus on establishing sovereignty over sea-based food products.



3. The country will prioritize infrastructure and maritime connectivity development by building sea tolls and deep sea ports while also improving the shipping industry, logistics and maritime tourism.



4. Through maritime diplomacy, Indonesia must end the sources of conflict at sea, such as fish thefts, violation of sovereignty, territorial disputes, piracy and pollution.



5. As a country that is the bridge between two oceans, Indonesia is obligated to build its maritime defense power.



One key objective of Jokowis doctrine was to build a sea toll (through upgrading port infrastructure), which will enhance inter-island connectivity that can boost economic activities within the country. If this is achieved, it can transform Indonesia into a maritime regional hub.



Another key point of Jokowis doctrine was to upgrade Indonesias maritime defense power, by adding more patrol boats and battle ships.



Indonesia is obligated to build its maritime defense power. This is necessary not only to secure its maritime wealth and sovereignty but also to take responsibility for safeguarding navigation safety and maritime security, Jokowi said.



Jokowis maritime doctrine, which is bold and unprecedented, is vital for the countrys future. On one side, it revives the Indonesian economy, enhances trade and transforms into a major maritime power. It puts Indonesia at the center-stage of two maritime worlds, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.



People from outside Indonesia may ask why Indonesia is now focusing on maritime affairs.



As the worlds largest archipelagic state with 17,000 islands, Indonesia has 6 million square kilometers of maritime area under its jurisdiction, two-thirds of Indonesias territory is water.



In the past Indonesia was a respectful maritime power for more than 800 years. The famous Sriwijaya kingdom (8th to 12th century) was a maritime power on Sumatra, while Majapahit kingdom (13th to 15th century) was another maritime power on Java.



Maritime life is part and parcel to Indonesian society. It can not be separated. That is why Jokowi wants to revive Indonesias glorious history by turning it into a major maritime power.



Jokowi strongly believes in the famous slogan jalasveva jayamah (in the ocean we triumph).



Jokowi has special interest in the Indian Ocean; he put it as a priority in his agenda for regional cooperation in his election manifesto. He wants Indonesia to play a bigger role in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).



As a chair of IORA, Indonesia has brought new direction to IORA with an emphasis on regional cooperation and has elevated the normal annual ministerial meeting to a summit of heads of government/state. For the first time, Indonesia will host an IORA Summit in Jakarta on March 7 (Tuesday).



Indonesia is strongly committed to peace and stability in the Indian Ocean.



Through IORA, we have a responsibility to ensure that our region remains stable and peaceful, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said some time back.



We want the Indian and Pacific Oceans to remain peaceful and safe for world trade instead of being battlefields for natural resources, territorial conflicts and maritime supremacy, Jokowi said.



Echoing a similar view, Indonesias maritime expert and former diplomat Hasyim Djalal described the Indian Ocean as the future of the world.



I personally feel that the Atlantic Ocean was the ocean of the past, the Pacific Ocean is the ocean of the present and the Indian Ocean is the ocean of the future, Hasyim wrote in The Jakarta Post recently.

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Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani and Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Bali  Mon, March 6 2017

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia loves the sea.

The 81-year-old ruler, the first Saudi Arabian monarch to visit Indonesia in nearly 50 years, is enjoying the sea breeze, soft white sand and sparkling blue water of Geger Beach, Nusa Dua, just a few steps away from his hotel, the luxurious St. Regis Bali Resort.

The king and his large entourage, along with nearly 500 tons of luggage, arrived in Bali on Saturday afternoon after a three-day state visit to Jakarta and a brief trip to neighboring country Brunei Darussalam.

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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie and Agus Maryono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Cilacap  Mon, March 6 2017

Amid mounting criticism of the countrys failing deradicalization efforts, the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) has admitted that more than 400 former members of terrorist groups have not been registered with any deradicalization programs.

Only 184 former terrorists in 17 provinces have attended such programs, which are not compulsory for convicts or ex-convicts, allowing their deep-rooted extremist values to persist, despite serving prison time.

There are two deradicalization programs conducted by the BNPT, in communities and in penitentiaries, in which we target terrorist inmates, amounting to 250 people who are currently serving sentences in 77 prisons, BNPT deputy chairman for prevention, protection and deradicalization Maj. Gen. Abdul Rahman Kadir said in Sleman, Yogyakarta.

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Linkedin Veeramalla Anjaiah (The Jakarta Post)  Mon, March 6 2017

Indonesia is not a turn the page and do the work type of a country. It has always been a country that wants to go the extra mile to introduce new things and make concrete achievements. Whenever it organizes an international event or summit of global leaders, Indonesia always tries to come up with new ideas, strategies and action plans.

Tuesdays Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Leaders Summit in Jakarta is yet another example of Indonesias strategic leadership role. It will be the first-ever summit held since IORAs formation 20 years ago.

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 were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. -- Thomas Jefferson, Jan. 16, 1787, in a letter to Edward Carrington.

Donald Trumps campaign and the manner in which he has conducted himself since he was sworn into office makes one thing alarmingly clear: He intends to keep repeating statements that have been shown to be false.

Its no wonder that Trump is at war with the media.

Were only an editorial board in the middle of the country, but we have something to say:

Too often Trump is an enemy of the truth.

Consider his repeated claim that the United States is afflicted with a high crime rate. In his inaugural address he talked of carnage. Last month he told a group of sheriffs that the murder rate was the highest it's been in I guess 45-47 years."

Not true. Not even close.

The rate of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter in 2015 was 4.9 per 100,000 inhabitants. Thats lower than the rate in 1970, which was 7.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, and its lower than the peak rate of 10.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1980. Nationally, the overall crime rate is half of what it was in 1991. The rates of overall crime have fallen for 14 years in a row.

Trump occasionally cherry picks an accurate statistic, but he uses it to mislead. Its true that Chicago is experiencing a horrendous murder spree. But Chicago is an outlier, as Inimai Chettiar and Ames C. Grawert of the Brennan Center for Justice pointed out. Last year, Chicago alone accounted for almost half of the total urban increase in killings. Again, the murder rate is less than half the peak rate in 1980.

Trump also repeats falsehoods about voter fraud. Last month he told U.S. senators that thousands of people were bused in to vote illegally in New Hampshire. Bogus. New Hampshires Republican former attorney general Tom Rath tweeted: Let me be as unequivocal as possible  allegations of voter fraud in NH are baseless, without any merit  its a shame to spread these fantasies.

Trump has claimed repeatedly that millions of votes were cast illegally in the presidential election. This claim also is baseless. All 50 states have certified their results with only a few scattered cases of fraud.

Back in the gatekeeper era of news it took big investments and payrolls for organizations to transmit news and information; they fired people for getting things wrong. Now anyone can reach a worldwide audience, and some sources purposefully put out false information.

Americans need to put in extra effort to separate fact from fiction, and the president is making the job harder.

But we have faith. As Jefferson also said in his letter in 1787:

I am persuaded myself that the good sense of the people will always be found to be the best army. They may be led astray for a moment, but will soon correct themselves.
Lego Ideas allows fans to design their own Lego sets and the latest design to be picked to become reality is particularly baller  it celebrates the women of Nasa.

Celebrate the pioneers, encourage the next generation. Happy Intl. Day of Women and Girls in Science! #womeninscience #girlsinscience pic.twitter.com/m2TVOqSAiM  Lego NASA Women (@LegoNASAWomen) February 11, 2017

Science writer and editor Maia Weinstock was the creator of the set and shes understandably thrilled to see her design come to life.

THANK YOU to all who supported this project Having @LEGO bring your vision to kids everywhere is a dream come true  and you helped!! pic.twitter.com/JELmB8OZyz  Maia Weinstock (@20tauri) February 28, 2017

Lego Ideass marketing manager Lise announced the winner and described the project as a way for Maia to celebrate accomplished women in the STEM profession, in particular those who have made a big impact through their work at NASA.

So, lets meet the five amazing women who are going to be immortalised in Lego form.

Katherine Johnson is a physicist and mathematician who worked at Nasa  you might also recognise her from the movie Hidden Figures where she is played by Taraji P Henson.

Wishing the best to #HiddenFigures tonight. These are the stories that need to be told! #Oscars pic.twitter.com/87BsEohdqn  Lego NASA Women (@LegoNASAWomen) February 27, 2017

Mae Jemison was the first African-American woman to travel in space when she made the trip in 1992.

Margaret Hamilton is best known for her work on the software for the Apollo space mission.

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." Margaret Hamilton, computer science pioneer #WednesdayWisdom pic.twitter.com/QjWc5IHP4x  Lego NASA Women (@LegoNASAWomen) February 8, 2017

Nancy Grace Roman is an astronomer who was one of the first female executives of Nasa and has been dubbed the Mother of Hubble thanks to her work that contributed to the Hubble telescope.

"I am glad I ignored the many people who told me I could not be an astronomer." Nancy Grace Roman https://t.co/iIAU6aCOMw #WednesdayWisdom pic.twitter.com/JwMXgft1Po  Lego NASA Women (@LegoNASAWomen) January 18, 2017

Sally Ride was a physicist and astronaut who became the first American woman in space in 1983.

"If we want scientists and engineers in the future, we should be cultivating the girls as much as the boys." Sally Ride #wednesdaywisdom pic.twitter.com/cxluonwSxn  Lego NASA Women (@LegoNASAWomen) January 5, 2017

People are pretty excited to get their hands on the set (whether its for their kids or themselves).

I need to buy this for my daughter.

And son can play with them when he's older. https://t.co/chPAkX1f1e  Claire Goverts (@ClaireGoverts) February 28, 2017

I play with Legos with my son everyday. Excited to add these to our collection! https://t.co/25jhtZlRXM  Allison Bogart (@AllieBBogart) February 28, 2017

It really is an ace celebration of some seriously impressive women.

About freaking time. Children (girls & boys) need to see that a women's place is wherever the hell she chooses it to be. https://t.co/abiPv7U0n8  mildly facetious (@cadmus_photo) February 28, 2017

Representation matters! Excited to see LEGO celebrating the accomplishments of women in space & aeronautics professions with @LegoNASAWomen. https://t.co/34lzPdFGI0  Cecilia W.S. Leung (@CelestialCess) February 28, 2017

Designers at @Lego_Group are already planning the set's ultimate look and feel. I'll share updates as I'm able, here and on @LegoNASAWomen.  Maia Weinstock (@20tauri) February 28, 2017

Lego set designers are already working hard to bring Maias idea to life, which is likely to hit shelves late 2017 or early 2018.
We now officially live in a post-truth world where fact and fiction are, sometimes, a bit blurred. But surely that shouldnt apply to proven scientific facts, right?

Well not quite. It appears the science-based facts we so often love to use, sometimes as a figure of speech, are not really facts when you look at it from a different perspective.

Confused? Dont be.

Matt Brown, a writer, journalist and a former editor of scientific manuscripts, gives the low-down on some of the science facts that really arent what they seem. Be prepared to have your mind blown.

1. Nothing can travel faster than light

(Sara Mulvanny/Everything You Know About Science is Wrong)

Since Einstein, weve known that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. Its not just that light can move pretty darn fast  roughly 300,000km (186,000 miles) every second  but also that, fundamentally, the laws of physics do not allow anything to surpass that speed.

That said, there are a few cheats we can employ to get around this limit. Under the right conditions, a wheezing tortoise can outpace a beam of light. It all depends on the medium.

If were talking about deep space, where theres little to get in the way, light will zip along faster than you can possibly imagine.

This is true not just of the light we can see with our eyes, but also X-rays, gamma rays, radio waves and other forms of radiation. Stick something transparent in front of the light, and we can clip its heels.

2. The Great Wall of China is the only man-made object visible from the moon

(Sara Mulvanny/Everything You Know About Science is Wrong)

This well-known nugget dates back much further than you might imagine.

Writing about Hadrians Wall in 1754, the English antiquarian William Stukeley observed: This mighty wall of four score miles (129 km) in length is only exceeded by the Chinese wall, which makes a considerable figure upon the terrestrial globe, and may be discerned at the Moon.

It was pure speculation, of course, but, as with so many false facts, it has that ring of plausibility. Everyone knows the Great Wall of China is a preposterously impressive structure  it must surely be visible from the Moon? Well, its not. Not without a telescope, anyway.

The Great Wall of China is, on average, around 6m (19.6ft) wide. The Moon is, on average, 370,139km (230,000 miles) away from the Great Wall of China.

Think about those numbers for a second and you soon realise that the landmark is nowhere near thick enough to be seen from the Moon. Standing on the lunar surface, youd do well to make out China, never mind its Great Wall.

3. Water boils at 100C and freezes at 0C

(Sara Mulvanny/Everything You Know About Science is Wrong)

As we all know, water freezes at 0C (32F) and boils at 100C (212F). Or does it? Well, yes, but only under very, very specific conditions.

Boiling and freezing points are fickle things. They change with altitude or, more accurately, pressure.

If you are lucky enough to own a penthouse in the Burj Khalifa (the worlds tallest building at around 828m (2,717 ft)), yet still humble enough to make your own pasta, youd find your pan of water boiling around 97C (206F). Move your kitchen to the top of Mount Everest, and you can achieve a gentle simmer at a mere 70C (158F).

Its worth noting that the effect of altitude on boiling point is a real factor for many people.

The 50,000 citizens of La Rinconada in Peru, for example, perch some 5,100m (16,728 ft) above sea level. The water in their kettles boils at 83C (181F). The two million inhabitants of La Paz, the administrative capital city of Bolivia, must settle for tea at 88C (190F). Such differences matter when preparing food.

4. Everest is the worlds tallest mountain

(Sara Mulvanny/Everything You Know About Science is Wrong)

The one thing every schoolchild learns about geography is that Mount Everest is the worlds tallest mountain.

As facts go, its as unassailable as the mountain would itself be to the typical schoolchild. Yet, like with so many other science facts, it depends how you measure and define.

Everests height is usually given as 8,848m (29,029 ft). That measurement is the height of its summit above sea level.

But what if a mountain carries on beneath sea level? Thats the case for Mauna Kea, a volcano that crowns the main island of Hawaii. Take a look on Google Earth and its clear that much of this volcano is beneath the waves. Measured from the seabed to its summit, Mauna Kea would top 10,200m (33,465 ft).

Were the oceans ever to recede, then this giant would, by all measures, be the tallest peak on Earth.

5. Hair and nails continue to grow after death

(Sara Mulvanny/Everything You Know About Science is Wrong)

The notion that hair and nails continue to grow beyond death is a common one, perpetuated in Gothic horror stories, a thousand B-movies and, most recently, The Walking Dead. So is it true?

Rigorous clinical trials would have a hard time winning ethical approval, and no-one has done a controlled study, but nobody needs to. The idea of any part of the body continuing to grow after the heart has stopped is nonsensical. For any tissue to grow, its cells must divide and multiply.

This needs energy in the form of glucose, with a side serving of oxygen to drive the process. If your heart isnt beating, then your blood isnt circulating; if your blood isnt circulating, then no fresh oxygen is reaching your extremities.

Without this oxygen, cells cant divide; your hair and nails cannot grow.
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Dr. Paul Theobalds editorial is well-said and spot-on to the person I know and respect ("Republican Party has abandoned Nebraska," Feb. 9). My disappointment arises from the attribution of sole responsibility for Americas ills on the Republican party.

To be honest, both parties have made significant contributions to the financial and political crippling of the American people. Many conservative thinkers are consistently concerned with the common welfare of all people not just the "top 2 percent."

I oppose the Keystone XL pipeline because of eminent domain. Any decision made to re-allot private land for public use must fully meet the standard of enhancing the common welfare of the people. The Keystone XL pipeline clearly does not meet that criteria. Using eminent domain for corporate purposes is counter-intuitive to both law and common sense. There is no quid pro quo that can make this type of process less detestable. Any public official supporting this pernicious process should become anathema to us.

I cannot agree that rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution ever be considered distractions. Supporting constitutional rights must be a priority if, in America, order, predictability and safety will prevail as must serious consequences for those who behave irresponsibly.

I do not have the answers, nor do the pundits and media types. It seems easier to criticize than contribute, harbor grudges instead of offering help, injure rather than heal. We need to remember that America is a great country because of its citizenry, not because of its leadership. God bless America.

Timothy Sharer, Wayne
Sens. Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse got it wrong when they voted to confirm Betsy DeVos for Education Secretary and Scott Pruitt for head of EPA. DeVos was not qualified and will work to undermine public schools to the detriment of our society. Perhaps even worse, Pruitt sued the EPA 13 times while he was in his previous job as Oklahoma Attorney General. We now know that Pruitt colluded with the fossil fuel industry to bring those lawsuits.

We know that Pruitt went to great lengths to avoid and delay disclosure of these emails until after the vote on his confirmation as head of EPA in the Senate. We also know that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused a request to delay the vote on Pruitt's nomination for a few days until after the release of Pruitt's emails which should have been reviewed and considered by the Senate. Clearly, Pruitt and the Republican majority wanted to hide this important information. Fischer and Sasse went along with this railroad job. Fischer and Sasse need to be reminded that they represent the people first rather than the Republican party. I miss the old swamp.
Nebraskas cigarette tax hasnt changed for 15 years. At 64 cents per pack, we have one of the lowest in the nation. However, this isnt because we havent tried.

Another bill to increase the tax on tobacco products has been introduced by Sen. Sara Howard, and I hope this times the charm. Tobaccos been costing Nebraskans far too much for far too long; health care spending directly related to tobacco use totals $795 million every year. A $1.50-per-pack tax increase as Sen. Howard has proposed has the potential to cause a great decline in smoking, saving $493 million in long-term health care costs.

The biggest benefit of this bill, however, would be to the health of Nebraskans. Its proven that a meaningful tobacco tax increase can prevent youth from smoking, and encourages current smokers to quit. Abstaining from tobacco is beneficial to everyones health. Just five years after someone stops smoking, their risk of mouth, throat, esophagus and bladder cancers is cut in half.

I, as an American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network advocate and high school student, would like to thank Sen. Howard for considering Nebraskas health. I see the impact tobacco has on the well-being of my community and peers every day and understand what it is like to lose a loved one to the habit. I hope that Legislature takes this opportunity now to positively influence the future of every Nebraskan, smokers and non.

Brooklyn Larimore, Bellevue
The Madras High Court bench here has ordered a headmistress of a government school to uproot prosopis juliflora trees in 2,400 sqft as a punishment for instigating a girl student to file a false sexual harassment complaint against three teachers.

Prema, Headmistress of SSAM Government Higher Secondary School in Ramanathapuram district, to wreak vengeance on the three teachers for sending representations to authorities about her poor quality of teaching, instigated the girl to file a false complaint against them.

The teachers, who were transferred based on the complaint of the student, sought the high court's direction to set aside the transfer orders.

Justice S Vaidhyanthan, after holding in-camera proceedings, found that with ulterior motive, the headmistress instigated the girl to lodge complaints against the teachers resulting in their transfer.

"The job of a teacher was equivalent to that of a sculptor, who shapes a stone into a a beautiful sculpture. Her duty is to shape the students as good citizens. Because of involvement of reckless and unprincipled reprobate like the headmistress, the teachers lost their reputation in the society."

He said that transferring skilled teachers on false charges was detrimental to students and the headmistress should remove prosopis juliflora trees in a 2,400 sqft area as a punishment and she should be transferred to a far off place.
One policeman was killed and three other security personnel were injured on Sunday in a gunfight in Kashmir's Tral town.

The injured included an Army Major, according to police sources.

The gunfight broke out late Saturday in Tral, 10 km from Srinagar after security forces cordoned off a house where around five top Hizbul Mujahideen militants were holed up, the sources said.

Special forces of the Army were deployed to carry out a combing operation in the area, as protesters gathered at the spot. Curfew has been imposed in this area, the sources added. Hizbul Mujahideen's Burhan Wani belong to the area.

(With inputs from agencies)
They discovered her Yukon near the river, a trail of blood outside, a handwritten note inside.

I'm sorry. This is the only way. I'll be with you and the kids always, although you can't see me, trust in your heart.

The Boyd County sheriff and his deputy followed the blood drops 100 feet to the Missouri River, where they found a pair of womens socks at the edge of the water.

But they didn't find Amy Heiser.

Sheriff Chuck Wrede had been waiting at the courthouse for her earlier that day, Sept. 26, when the 37-year-old Heiser was scheduled to report for sentencing. The mother of three was facing prison time that week for felonies in three counties -- drugs, weapons, sexual assault -- and when she didn't make it to her first court hearing, the search for Amy Heiser was on.

It would continue for more than 45 days.

'Everybody helps what they can'

She was a small woman, and they had ground to cover.

The Sunshine Bottom boat landing in Boyd County reaches into the river across from South Dakota, between the Fort Randall Dam upstream and Gavins Point Dam downstream, near Yankton, South Dakota.

This is wild and remote country, 10 miles northeast of Lynch, the nearest town. Police radios often don't work in the bottomland, but officers are familiar with the terrain.

When you live along the river, recovering bodies is a way of life, said Knox County Sheriff Don Henery, who had been expecting Heiser in his courthouse the day after she disappeared. But it never gets any easier.

The hunt for Heiser started immediately. By that first afternoon, more than two dozen people were scouring the river bank.

The next day, more than 30.

And they kept coming for weeks, officers from several counties and multiple agencies and the state Game and Parks Commission and the Santee Sioux Tribal Police Department, looking for Heiser, or her body, alongside a team of loyal volunteers.

Thats the way the community is built, said Carl Weeder, who opened up his riverside cabin to give the search party a place to eat their meals, use the bathroom and access his internet. Everybody helps what they can. Theres no selfish attitude around here.

Neighbors and businesses donated use of their jet-skis and side-by-side utility vehicles. Airboat operators arrived from the Fremont area. Region 24 Emergency Management brought its communications trailer.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers even agreed to lower the Missouris level -- releasing less water out of Fort Randall, more out of Gavins Point -- to better expose anything tangled in the trees.

A dive team from Yankton searched the river. Cadaver dogs from Brookings County, South Dakota, searched its banks. The State Patrol and private pilots searched from above.

It was kind of heart-wrenching, said pilot Mike Hoffman. That things are so bad for this girl that she decides to go do this to herself, that she decides to go in the river.

Hoffman grew up in Spencer and was a defensive tackle for the Cornhuskers on two national champion teams. He returned to Boyd County a few years ago with his wife, Jacky, to take over the family windsock business.

As a boy, Hoffman had watched his father, Gary, get asked to try to find bodies in the Niobrara and Missouri, or cars that went off the road, or seniors who wandered away.

Now the sheriff's department asks Mike Hoffman for help, too. He didn't hesitate when it wanted him to try to find the missing woman.

It was intriguing, to be honest with you. Thats probably a little why I helped out.

Hoffman and his father fired up their planes -- a Cherokee 6 and a Piper Cub -- and logged about 10 hours flying the river, looking for shapes or colors that stood out.

Timing was important. The sunlight and cloud cover had to be right for them to see deep enough into the water. When Hoffman thought he spotted something, he'd use a police radio to direct the search party on the ground.

But it always turned out to be a phantom. A log, or a shadow.

Hoffman didn't know Heiser, but he did know her parents were often at the river, waiting for an answer to their most important question.

So he wasn't worried about the $100 an hour his family was spending to put a plane in the air.

Were an interesting community. I think there are times when we might not always agree, but on something like this, everyone comes together.

Darold Wickersham was at a coffee shop when Sheriff Wrede called that first day. They were down at Sunshine Bottom, the sheriff said, and they had a communication problem.

Wickersham is on the 911 Board for Boyd and Holt counties. He was instrumental in getting the Region 24 trailer to the landing to give officers a way to talk to each other, he said.

But even after that, he walked the bank from sunup to sundown. The retired farmer knew the missing woman; she'd once worked with his wife at the phone company.

And I knew her mom and dad, he said. I wanted closure for them.

Once, Wickersham thought he saw a body in his binoculars. He directed a Game and Parks boat to the area but it turned out to be leaves snagged on a branch.

The search stretched on through October. A friend of Heisers started an online fundraiser to pay for more boats and planes or, if necessary, arrangements. Amy needs to be found and brought home to rest, she wrote. She is a fun and a kind soul.

Heisers family gathered at the landing -- parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters. Her disappearance was hard on them on more than one level.

A small-town rumor mill runs pretty fast, and there were a lot of rumors that we were hiding her, said her oldest brother, Heath Wilson. That kind of crap makes a person pretty mad when you think you just lost your sister.

The number of volunteers would rise and fall, but Boyd County officers kept returning to the river. At one point, Sheriff Wrede slipped off the bank, landed on a rock and tore off the top of his kneecap.

It went clear to the meat, he said. It took nearly two months to heal.

He hobbled around after that. But he kept looking. They'd tested the blood they found leading from the Yukon, and it was Amy Heiser's, Wrede said. The longtime lawman -- he started his career as an O'Neil police officer in 1978 -- needed her body to close the case.

In late October, the State Patrol met with Wrede and Knox County Sheriff Henery. The troopers said she was dead, and we had a whole bunch of clues that pointed that way, Wrede said. But both of us said, 'Hey, until a body comes up, she isn't dead.'

And she wasn't dead.

Behind the wall

Amy Heiser was found hiding two counties and more than 80 miles from Sunshine Bottom.

But she wasnt found easily.

On Nov. 11, Wrede's office took an anonymous tip: Heiser was at Ron Olson's, outside of Coleridge.

The Cedar County sheriff and his chief deputy searched the farmhouse for 45 minutes. They found Amy Heisers credit cards, and Amy Heisers prescription pill bottles, and what they believed to be Amy Heiser's clothing, and a tote with Amy Heisers belongings.

Olson told them Heiser had dropped off her stuff and that she wasn't there, according to court documents.

The Cedar County officers weren't buying it. Sheriff Larry Koranda pointed out he'd heard a phone during the search, and he'd read a text message from Olson telling Heiser to hide because the cops were coming.

Chief Deputy Chad Claussen asked Olson, who had been caught trying to sell methamphetamine in 2014, how many years he could face if convicted for a probation violation.

Fifty, the 47-year-old Olson told him.

Claussen asked Olson: What good would it do to your kids if you spent the next 50 years in prison?

After that, according to court documents, Olson told them Heiser was in the bathroom.

Already searched up there, Claussen said.

Behind the paneling, Olson told him.

I pulled on the panel and it barely moved, the chief deputy wrote. I pulled again and I was able to get it loose from the wall  There was a naked female located behind the access panel.

He drew his Taser, but also gave her a towel to cover herself.

A $50,000 search

Justice caught up with the woman behind the wall. In Boyd County, she received 20 months for sexual assault, and faces a new charge of felony failure to appear.

She received 36 months from Holt County for possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, and 20 months to 40 months for possession of methamphetamine.

And a judge in Knox County gave her a year for possession of a deadly weapon by a fugitive.

Knox County Sheriff Henery had always considered the possibility she was still alive, he said. I call 30-some years of experience a hunch. I told everybody from the beginning that she's not dead until I see a body. That was step one, to take care of the obvious.

On Nov. 28, Heiser was booked into the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women in York. She's scheduled for release in 2022.

Her lawyer, Rodney Smith, has appealed her convictions to the Nebraska Court of Appeals. He and Heiser decided not to comment on the search or her case, he said in an email.

Heiser and two brothers were born in Texas but moved to Nebraska when they were young, after their parents divorced, said her oldest brother, Heath Wilson.

Their mother remarried and raised their growing family in northeast Nebraska, in Niobrara and Page and Lynch, where Heiser went to high school. And became a victim of her own making, he said.

Mom and Dad had five kids, and all of us turned out all right except for her.

He wants to be clear here: His sister never contacted her family while she was missing, he said. They believed her body was in the river. So they celebrated when they learned she was alive, but they were angry, too.

My opinion, we were happy she wasn't dead, but we weren't happy being lied to, thinking she did that to her kids -- they all thought she was dead -- and to her husband, her parents; we all thought she was dead.

Sheriff Wrede still has questions. If Heiser did park her Yukon at Sunshine Bottom that day in late September, how did she get to Cedar County? Olson was charged with two felonies, but did anyone else help her? Who else knew she was hiding?

He's investigating, he said, though he wouldn't say if more charges are coming.

The longtime lawman had never seen anything like this. Nothing like a suspect's suspected suicide on court day. Nothing like his community's effort to find one of their own.

He's added up the rough cost of the search: $48,000 for the 2,400 hours authorities and volunteers logged looking for Heiser; $1,600 in aircraft fuel; $1,300 to keep the boats and other vehicles running; and at least in $300 in food.

Will his county get any of it back?

He laughed. We arent thinking we are.

He laughed again when asked if the search party felt duped by Heiser.

They arent very happy about it.

But they're not necessarily angry, either.

'You've got to search like it's real'

The community that pulled together to find Heiser hadn't questioned their work, even if some had doubted the tale told on the riverbank -- with the note, the blood, the socks -- in September.

A lot of people who knew her said, 'Shes not in the river; shes smarter than that,' said Mike Hoffman, the pilot.

Weeder, who yielded his cabin to the search party, went down to the river to see for himself but couldn't tell whether she truly disappeared.

He realized that didn't matter. What do you do? You've got to search like it's real.

Which is why volunteers like Wickersham spent their time working the water, even if they were trying to see something that was never there. He felt like he was part of something bigger, he said, something good.

So many people were willing to spend their time, he said. It was wonderful.

And it was even better, in the end, that they hadn't found Heiser near Sunshine Bottom. It meant she was alive.

Nobody wants to see someone commit suicide, no matter how much they screwed their lives up, said Sheriff Henery.

Hoffman, who spent hours searching from the sky, will admit he was hoping he wouldn't find anything. He was pulling for her.

It sounds weird, but youre searching for a dead body, and it turns out she got another chance, he said. I was happy, to be honest with you.
The 26-year-old man, who was arrested from Lucknow for allegedly trying to extort money from Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has been sent to police custody till March 10 by a local court.

Sandeep Sahoo had allegedly called Bhatt many times, introducing himself as gangster Babloo Shrivastav, alleged former aide of Dawood Ibrahim, and demanded Rs 50 lakh from him.

He threatened to kill Bhatt, his wife Soni Razdan and their daughter Alia Bhatt if he did not meet his demand, police said.

After Bhatt filed a complaint, police traced the caller's whereabouts and informed the Special Task Force of Uttar Pradesh Police which arrested Sahoo from Lucknow.

He was brought to the city and produced before a court on Saturday which remanded him to police custody till March 10, said Senior Inspector Vinayak Vast of the Anti-Extortion Cell of Mumbai Crime Branch.

Sahoo allegedly told the police during interrogation that he had visited Mumbai sometime ago and tried to find work in Bollywood. He had sent WhatsApp messages to Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and a few others seeking help, he told police.
The Election Commission on Sunday issued directions to Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of the five poll-bound States of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Manipur to ensure foolproof security arrangements for vote-counting on March 11.

The Election Commission has already issued instructions regarding storage and safety arrangements for EVMs, appointment of counting staff and counting agents, along with counting procedures.

The Commission had several rounds of video-conferences with the CEOs and ROs of the five states to take first hand inputs on the preparedness of the counting arrangements. Giving details of the security mechanism set-up, a senior Election Commission officer said that the commission was not leaving any stone unturned for a fair and transparent counting arrangements at all the 157 counting centres viz., Punjab (53), Goa (2), Uttar Pradesh (75), Uttarakhand (15) and Manipur (12).

The Election Commission has taken feedback from all political parties and candidates, based on which these additional instructions have been issued with a view to further bolster security arrangements to tackle both general as well as situation-specific exigencies and ensure a smooth counting process in a transparent manner.

The Election Commission has instructed all the CEOs and District election officers to make the arrangements and undertake counting process cautiously, step by step and without undue haste so as to make them foolproof, the EC officer added.

The instructions include proper barricading arrangements to be ensured inside each of the counting hall with weld wires-mesh to segregate the counting agents from the counting personnel and EVMs etc. as per the Commissions instructions.

In each of the counting halls, proper arrangement for videography should be made to record the general happenings in the counting hall for effective monitoring of the counting process as per the Commissions instructions. There has to be effective barricading from the strongroom door up to the counting hall door made in such a way that EVMs of each constituency should go to its respective counting hall only, and shall not criss-cross each other.

The CEO shall personally monitor and ensure that all the counting arrangements are done as per the instructions of the Commission.
Banarasi, a tea seller, got the surprise of his life on Sunday as Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi dropped by for a cuppa at his stall in this remote area of Uttar Pradesh.

Rahul too was in for a surprise. He met Priyanka there, not his sister but the daughter of the tea seller.

The Congress leader was on an election tour of the Sonebhadra region when he decided to stop over for a cup of tea.

It was around 1.30 pm when Rahul's cavalcade stopped in front of the tea stall in the Duddhi block headquarters, around 80 km from the district headquarters.

According to eyewitnesses, the Gandhi scion stepped out of his vehicle and asked for a cup of tea.

Banarasi and his wife Manju were pleasantly surprised to have such a visitor. But they soon opened up and an interaction ensued.

Rahul, while taking sips of his tea, asked Banarasi's daughter what was her name. When the 14-year-old girl replied "Priyanka", he burst into laughter. "You are my sister," he told her.

Rahul also enquired about the well being of the couple.

After finishing his tea, Rahul had a brief interaction with the crowd which had gathered there and also posed for selfies with some.
Nearly two decades after a murder was committed over plucking of tamarind in Karnataka, the Supreme Court awarded life imprisonment to two men.

Families of two brothers had been quarreling "every now and then" over property and plucking of tamarind that led to the murder of the elder sibling's son in 1998.

The trial court in Karnataka's Shimoga district had acquitted four members of one of the families in 1999 due to lack of evidence after which the police had filed an appeal in the high court.

In February 2006, the high court convicted three of them on the charge of murder and awarded life term to them while proceedings against the fourth accused were abated owing to his death.

The high court's verdict was challenged in 2006 by the three convicts in the Supreme Court which upheld the jail term and abated the proceedings against one of them as he died during adjudication of the case.

A bench of Justices N V Ramana and P C Pant directed M G Shivaraj and H Shivappa, who were out on bail, to surrender forthwith before the trial court to undergo the jail term.

The apex court noted that prior to the incident in March 1998, the families had a dispute over plucking of tamarind and the issue had calmed down after the intervention of neighbours.

Later, victim Basavaraj was attacked by his uncle and three others when he and his sister were returning home. He succumbed to the injuries while undergoing treatment.

The victim's father had lodged a case against his younger brother and three others after which a charge sheet was filed against them in the trial court.

While upholding the high court's judgement, the apex court said, "We find no force in this appeal which is liable to be dismissed."
Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj has reached out to the families of two Indian victims of suspected hate crime shootings in US. Harnish Patel, Indian-origin store owner in the US was shot dead outside his home while Deep Rai, a 39-year-old Sikh man was injured when a unidentified man shot him on the arm.

The Minister, further, took to a social networking site to inform that Deep Rai had a bullet injury on his arm and is currently out of danger.

He (Deep Rais father, Sardar Harpal Singh) told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital, the minister tweeted.

Condoling the death of Harnish Patel, Swaraj said that the Indian counsul had reached Lancaster and met the victims family.

43 -year-old Harnish was found dead of gunshot wounds in the front yard of his home on Thursday. It is suspected that Patel was confronted by the killer while driving back home from his store, just 6 km away.

Deep Rai, on the other hand, had been shot by a partially- masked gunman who shouted "go back to your own country".

Both the incidents comes just days after an Indian engineer, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was killed in Kansas last month when a 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton fired at him and his friend Alok Madasani. This time, too, the attackers yelled, "get out of my country".
"There is none more sincere a love than the love of food," the legendary playwright George Bernard Shaw had once said. Similar to some extent, Taiwans Master Chef Hugo Wang fell in love with India, its food and sweets in general and decided to stay here to merge into the shades of Indian culture.

Keeping both the Taiwanese culture that he was oriented with since birth and the Indian culture he was soaked into later, Hugo wants to serve India with his confectionery delight blended with exotic flavours of the two Asian culinary giants.

Hugo was certified as a Master Chef, specialised in sushi cuisine, in 2013 and now located in New Delhi, serving the Indian foodies from past one-and-half year.

The most beautiful thing about India is that people here respect traditions a lot. Theyre so humble. Theyll ask you to try their food, flavours and cousins. And, they all love sweets, Hugo said in an interview to thestatesman.com.

Certified with Hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP standards), Hugo started an exclusive food chain Moon of Taj here in Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi with the idea of imbibing Indian traditions.

Hugo's one-of-its-kind desserts include Taiwanese Fruit Tart and Taiwanese Nougat that are exclusively available only here in the whole world. Blending the Taiwanese and Indian food aesthetics, Hugos Moon of Taj offers light sugary and healthier sweets for Indians to exchange on cultural gatherings.

Hugo was the first Taiwanese to graduate from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad and during that period (2011-14) he attended a lot of Indian weddings that introduced him to the Indian cuisine and sweets.

Sweets symbolises celebration here. I tried a lot of sweets here during the weddings and saw how people gifts their loved ones sweets to mark the celebration, he said.

However, the sweets here are very different to the sweets we eat there in Taiwan. Here people want more sugary, glittery and colourful that harms the human body in a long run. So when I was planning to start the Moon of Taj, I wanted to keep five basic principles in mind  exclusivity, less sugary, containing dry fruits, nice packaging, and hygiene.

When asked about the idea behind the name Moon of Taj, the 36-year-old chef cum food technician said, They allow you to watch Taj Mahal in the night on five days in a month, which is on full moon night, and two nights before and two after the full moon. So I witnessed that moment and it was so charming that I fell in love with the country.

Hugo was first introduced to the culinary by his grandmother at an early age. Our family owns a successful breakfast chain in Taiwan, which is renowned for assorted range of baozi, steamed buns with assorted fillings. It was through her initial guidance that I learnt to identify all kinds of breads, spices and herbs.

After completing his graduation from IIM Ahmedabad, he returned to Taiwan, worked as a Sushi chef for a while, and later earned the title of Master Chef in 2013.

Revealing why he chose Delhi over other cities in India, Hugo said: Delhi offers a blend of different cultures and communities. It signifies variety and a fusion of civilisations at the same time. Punjabi, South Indians and Jains are living here all together in harmony and people from other parts of the city also come here now and then for various reasons. Also, there come foreigners from different parts of the world.

When asked if hes planning to open new branches in other parts of the country, Hugo said, No, I love Delhi. This is the place my wife chose for me. Its going fine so far, though we may shift to a bigger place to serve other parts of the country and the world.

In the midst of the ambience highly influenced by the Taiwanese culture, Hugos sweet shop had a miniature Tricolor-flag. Hugos favourite dessert is Kheer, he named his son Vishnu, has faith in Indian gods and loves to spend time with local chaps here.

Watching the spirit of the humble Taiwanese and tasting his tarts and nougats filled with rich and authentic flavours and fruits-fillings, no one can resist trying. To try is to believe, Hugo concluded, referring to his desire to make people here celebrate their happy moments with his exclusive and one-of-its-kind desserts.
Universally are they hailed as soldiers par excellence, having proved their worth on battlefields in several theatres. Yet for all their gallantry they are unable to cut through the red-tape to which the Indian Army remains tethered.

It is of little consequence if the personnel creating complications for veterans of the 1962 war in receiving their pensions wear a uniform or civvies; it amounts to a national disgrace and adds to a long list of pensioners plagues that have not been sorted out by a government ready to condemn as anti-national anyone who does not deem military heroes just a step short of the saints eulogised in the scriptures.

In specific focus is the plight of elderly veterans who settled down in Lohitpur and other towns of Arunachal Pradesh  age has taken its toll, they find it difficult to return to their native places in Nepal, but since rules mean rules they cannot be paid their pensions anywhere else.

That makes a mockery of the mantra of digitisation revolutionising the manner in which sarkari business is conducted. It is not just a question of pensions, even health-care facilities are denied to them even though many risked life and limb defending Indian soil against aggression.

The problem is not new. When the attention of Pranab Mukherjee was drawn to the tangle during a visit to Pokhara last November, the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Services had waxed eloquent: The ex-servicemen are the foundation pillars of the friendship between Nepal and India.

The Indian government and Indian Army are proud of the Gorkha soldiers and ex-servicemen. I, on behalf of the Government of India assure you that the government will never step back in its efforts for the welfare of its ex-servicemen.

Today 32,000 Gorkha soldiers are serving in the Indian Army. Those words were reassuring for the 126,000 Gorkha pensioners living in India, particularly those too old to keep travelling to Nepal to complete formalities.

The issue now is whether Manohar Parrikar will initiate remedial action  or will he join some of his ministerial mates who accord little importance to the words of the President.
The agitation for reservation of Jats in jobs and education has resumed again after a lull. The Jats, Jat Sikhs, Tyagis and Bishnois are seeking reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota. Last year, exactly at this time Haryana was rocked by violence with the agitators taking to the streets. Bitter memories of the large-scale violence in 10 districts of Haryana last February are still fresh in the minds of the people. As many as 30 people were killed, 200 injured and government and private property worth hundreds of crores of rupees damaged during arson and looting in February 2016.

If there is trouble in Haryana it will affect Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Delhi. Now many other communities like the Kapus , Jats, Patidars and even Brahmins seek quota. In the case of Jats there has been a reduction in land holding and fewer jobs. In the case of Patidars, the demand for quota was to do away with reservation itself. The Marathas also are in the same category.

The opposition parties in Haryana including the Indian National Lok Dal and the Congress  have given their support, asking the Khattar government to fulfil the promises it had made to the Jat community. The Khattar government had assured that that the OBC reservation would be doubled from the present 10 per cent.

Why do the Jats need reservation as politically, financially and socially they do not need it? They are mostly farmers and now live in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. They number about 82.5 million. In Haryana alone there are about 6.2 million Jats while Rajasthan has about 10 million followed by Punjab with 7.2 million and UP with 6.8 million. Over the years they have become dominant in these states. They own land and rural banks. For instance, in Haryana out of the 90 MLAs at least 30 are Jats. Without their support no government can survive in the state. Most of the chief ministers have been Jats. They call the shots in politics and governance in these states.

It is not only Haryana Jats but also those from other states like UP and Rajasthan who have come together to seek reservation. Despite their dominance, the Jats want quota not because their caste is backward but because they cannot get jobs. This is particularly the grouse of the youth. This is identical with the demand from the Patel and Maratha youth who are also seeking quotas.

Ironically, the BJP came to power on non-Jat votes but installed a Punjabi and a novice at that as its chief minister in 2014. The non-Jats oppose the Jat reservation. Haryana chief minister Khattar has been struggling to run the government during the past two years facing agitations from the Jats.

The AIJASS resumed its stir from January 29. Yashpal Malik, a self-appointed leader of the Jats mobilised support from several states including Haryana and Delhi at a dharna near Jantar Mantar in the capital this week. They also plan to stop paying electricity and water bills and farm loans.

The timing of the resumption of the Jat agitation on January 29 needs to be noted. The reason could be to politically hit the BJP in UP where elections are going on. Several districts in Western UP like Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzzafarnagar, Bulandshahar, Meerut, Baghpat etc, have a large population of Jats and polarisation of these votes will hurt the BJP in the ongoing UP polls. Politicians from all parties are playing vote bank politics. The Punjab High Court had stayed the 2014 decision of the Haryana government in July 2015. In 2014, the then Congress chief minister B S Hooda had announced 10 per cent quota for Jats and other four castes including Jat Sikhs, Ror, Tyagi and Bishnoi under the Special Backward Classes category. This meant that the total reservation stood at 67 per cent, much above the 50 per cent limit set by the Supreme Court.

The National Commission for Backward Classes had in the past come out with specific reasons against the inclusion of Jats in Haryana in the OBC list . This was overruled by the Manmohan Singh government through a notification in March 2014, promising a special quota for Jats over and beyond the 27 per cent reservation for the OBCs in jobs and education. It was the Supreme Court which quashed the decision stating that caste alone could not be the criterion for determining socio-economic backwardness.

So what is the way out ? The Modi government does not want reservation for any category. In fact the RSS thinking is that the people will be weary of reservation if more and more categories are included and there will come a stage when they will say there is no need for reservation at all. This could come at a much later stage but that is what the RSS and the BJP hope. It is true that the framers of the Constitution provided reservation for the SC and ST. The government may again oblige Jats but there is need to review the list of costs and sharpen the definition of creamy layer and make corrections, if necessary to meet the aspirations of the various sections.
The British colonial ideology was constructed on racist terms and the underlying argument behind their racist ideology was that British rule conferred the benefits of a superior civilization to Indians whose lives were mired in illiteracy, poverty, superstition, and strife. So, all their accomplishments in the areas of government and law, education, city planning and architecture, among others, primarily served to mark out the British Raj as a moral, civilized and civilizing regime. The following quote from Tory politician, Lord Randolph Churchill, captures not only the British imperial hubris but also the overt racist beliefs behind the British colonial rule in India:

Our rule in India, is, as it were, a sheet of oil spread out over a surface of, and keeping calm and quiet and unruffled by storms, an immense and profound ocean of humanity  and it is our task, our most difficult business, to give peace, individual security and general prosperity to the 250 millions of people  to bind them and to weld them by influence of our knowledge, our law, and our higher civilization, in process of time, into one great, united people  That is our task for India. That is our raison detre in India. That is our title to India.

The British colonialists had to create a vision for the Raj for Indias past as well as its future. Without such a grand vision they could not justify their rule to themselves, much less shape an efficient bureaucratic system in a foreign land. One major category that the British applied to define India was the notion of Oriental despotism. This overarching term had major implications for the British colonizers for enacting laws for India because it meant that India had no laws. Hence Indians had to be taught to be law-abiding people. The other category the British used to define Indians was that they were corrupt and given to extortion and mendacity. As Lord Cornwallis had boldly proclaimed, Every native of Hindustan, I verily believe, is corrupt. By establishing despotism, lying and chicanery as the norm of Indian behaviour, the British reaffirmed their moral superiority over their Indian subjects. Sir Francis Younghusband, who led the British force into Tibet in 1904, explained the British colonial ideology thus: No European can mix with non-Christian races without feeling his moral superiority over them  It is not because we are any cleverer than the natives of India, because we have more brains or bigger heads than they have, that we rule India; but because we are stronger morally than they are.

In the realm of governance, many British legal scholars found ample justification for Britains authoritarian rule over the Indian subcontinent, arguing that the exercise of rule in India could not always be applied within the bounds of English law because Indians were culturally and racially different. In Georgie Porgie, Rudyard Kipling argued: You will concede that a civilised people who eat out of china  have no right to apply their standard of right and wrong to an unsettled land. For Kipling, the men who run ahead of the cars of Decency and Propriety, and make the jungle ways straight, cannot be judged in the same manner as the stay-at-home folk. Thus, for Kipling, the British colonialists were men of a special breed who had the divine responsibility to bring about civility, law and order in a nation marked by chaos, lawlessness, and corruption, where normal standards of morality simply could not be applied. Kipling and British colonialists of his ilk laid down the ideology of the British Raj, which was racist, arbitrary, and amoral. It was based on expediency and designed to create a permanent schism between the colonizer and the colonized.

While the British could not give Indians the substance of their English law, which they deemed impractical for India, the British thought they could at least bring its spirit. The underlying assumption was that by doing so the British could fulfill their avowed civilizing mission in India. James Fitzjames Stephen, legal member of the Viceroys Council from 1869 to 1872, summed up the notion of the moralization of English law in colonial India:

The establishment of a system of law which regulates the most important parts of the daily life of the people constitutes in itself a moral conquest more striking, more durable, and far more solid, than the physical conquest which rendered it possible. It exercises an influence over the minds of the people in many ways comparable to that of a new religion  Our law is in fact the sum and substance of what we have to teach them. It is, so to speak, a compulsory gospel, which admits of no dissent and no disobedience.

In order to implement an imperialist ideology in India, the British focused with unrelenting fervor on the education of Indian subjects. Indian students were taught not only English literature but they were also persuaded into believing the inherent superiority of the English race. Gauri Viswanathans seminal work, The Masks of Conquest: Literary Study and British Rule in India, shows quite forcefully how the British education system in India, whose ideas came from Thomas Babington Macaulay and William Bentinck, was rampant with thoughts about inequality of races and cultures that were propagated in the Indian classroom as part of the curriculum and pedagogy. Thomas R Metcalf indicates in Ideologies of the Raj that while English literature was not a part of the English curriculum, the British colonialists ensured that their Indian subjects got exposed to the high culture that the English literature supposedly represented as part of their grand plan to civilize the culturally inferior Indian subjects.

The British succeeded in propagating an imperialist ideology not only by direct domination and physical force of their Indian subjects, but they also utilized other persuasive means to maintain the hegemonic processes of British colonial power. Edward Said reminds us in Culture and Imperialism that at the most visible level there was a physical transformation of the imperial realm, which involved the reshaping of the physical environment, or administrative, architectural, and institutional feats such as the building of colonial cities (Algiers, Delhi, Saigon). These massive projects, whether designing and building new cities, museums or roads, were undertaken by British colonialists solely for the purpose of leaving a lasting legacy of the civilized British culture with their Indian subjects, which would subsequently become an integral part of their colonized mind and collective memory.

So, in essence, British colonizers devised a system whose purpose was not only to ensure the effective reinforcement of their racist ideology, which propagated the superiority of their culture and race over Indians, but also maintained intellectual power to dominate their Indian subjects and to deny them the same rights and privileges on the basis of cultural and racial differences, which the British enjoyed in their own country.

(To be concluded)

The writer is Professor of Communication Studies, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles.
The village I was born in and where I lived till completing school formed part of an area of 24 Parganas district where Vaishnavism was a dominant belief. The area abounded with temples of Lord Krishna, each having an idol with a different name. For instance, the idol of our village temple was named Shyamsundara. Similarly, there were temples dedicated to Radhaballhava, Gopinath, Madanmohana and so on.

The festival of Holi was celebrated with great fervour throughout the area when fairs, puppet shows, exhibitions, etc. were organised centring round the temples. Another speciality of Holi in the area was that it was celebrated on different days for each idol, beginning from the full moon day. Thus we had our Holi on the second day from the fullmoon while Radhaballhava had it on the fifth day.

The holiday for Holi was, however, observed in all schools as per the official calendar. This created a problem for us for we had either to bunk school on the day of our Holi or forgo the celebration in favour of school. An attempt was once made to persuade the school authority into keeping the school closed on our Holi day. Our confidence came from the fact that as many as three teachers of the school were residents of our village including the Headmaster himself who was my uncle. Of the other two, one was Ishan Babu, a stern and reserved man, older than my uncle and held in high regard by him.

A week ahead of Holi that year, boys from our village floated the idea in the school and tried to muster support of both the students and that section of the teachers who were friendly with us. Although nobody disliked the idea of having an extra holiday, none offered any help in the matter either.

Finally, five of us went to the Headmasters room and placed our proposal to him. He asked for the ground on which we were making the demand and sent us back to our classes assuring that he would think over it. Next day, we were informed that our demand could not be met for it would result in more holidays in the school than permitted besides setting a bad precedent. Information reached us shortly afterwards that it was Ishan Babu who spiked our guns by advising the HM against the extra holiday.

From that moment, Ishan Babu turned into a traitor in our eyes and we resolved to avenge the betrayal by spraying an indelible black liquid on him when he would set out for school on Holi day. It was decided that one group would stop him and show respect by putting abir on his feet. Another group, coming from the rear, would toss a lot of abir up in the air to turn the place murky. Using this cover, the liquid colour would be sprayed on him from a big syringe. There would be a second shot of abir to facilitate the escape of the marksman while the group offering him respect would pretend innocence!

Next day in school, one of us innocently inquired from a teacher how black liquid could me made indelible. The teacher in jest suggested that coal tar be diluted in methylated spirit and kerosene oil added to it to get the desired liquid. The concoction was prepared and on the day of our Holi, two groups lay in wait outside Ishan Babus house with the marksman hiding behind a tree. As he walked up the path, the operation began and was neatly executed. We fled the scene while he stood still for a few minutes, stunned and perplexed, his kurta wet and black. But instead of going back home, Ishan Babu proceeded to the school. We assembled in the local club, proud of our success. Some said that after this, the school would be forced to remain closed on our Holi day from the next year. Everything went on well till the afternoon when our uncle returned from school and informed our parents of what we had done. My cousin and I were subjected to repeated interrogation, all for the purpose of finding out who was involved in the mischief. Both of us denied having knowledge or involvement in the act but failed to convince anybody.

Next morning, uncle took us to Ishan Babus home holding each of us by the ear. He asked us to seek his mercy by falling at his feet. As we did so, Ishan Babu asked me who was responsible. I claimed ignorance as did my cousin. We learnt afterwards that everyone in the group was similarly questioned and that they all pleaded innocence. However, the marksman had to ultimately confess after a heavy beating at home when the secret was leaked. It remained a mystery who betrayed him.

Our family shifted to Kolkata once I finished school. My connection with the village gradually diminished and snapped completely after our share in the ancestral property was transferred. Many years later, while accompanying mother to the Kali temple located in that part, I saw a very old man sitting on the floor of the temple. Despite the ravages made by time, I didnt mistake Ishan Babu and went up to him. He lifted his face and tried to recognise me as I touched his feet.

Who is it? he asked looking at me. His eyesight had failed and was leaner. I disclosed my identity and enquired about his health. He was so happy to meet me and embraced me with great affection. He talked to my mother also and quipped that she was bypassing Shyamsundara by paying visit to goddess Kali alone! He lamented that many families like ours had migrated from the village and none of the old boys visited the place any more.

Once the puja was over, we prepared to return home and sought leave from him. He gazed at me for some time with his dim blank eyes.

Come to your village during the next Holi. We have no school now and you can spray as much colour on me as you wish! Bring your friends also. I wish to see all of them. Only, dont use coal tar this time! A faint smile played on his lips as he gently raised his hand, part by way blessing and part to bid us goodbye. I realised that after so many years the stain of the colour once thrown at him had stuck permanently on us while he had washed it out.
Aggressive policies and tough talk from President Donald Trump have caused a swell of fears among Nebraskas immigrant communities.

Both documented and undocumented immigrants are calling attorneys over rumors of increased enforcement, rumors of loss of protections, anxiety over travel bans, fear of deportation and planning for childrens care if their parents are detained.

There is a lot of fear, a lot more than is warranted. Its like you shoot a gun and dont hit anybody, but everybody is afraid, said Bassel El-Kasaby of Kasaby & Nicholls, Nebraskas largest immigration-focused law firm.

Even people who are not affected are afraid. Ive gotten calls from people who are permanent residents, naturalized citizens, who because of all the rumors circulating are worried about traveling outside the country, El-Kasaby said.

The fears are being flamed, he said, by Trumps hard-line stance on immigration, coupled with news stories such as the detention of Daniela Vargas, a 22-year-old woman brought to the United States by her parents at age 7, who had registered under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and lived in Jackson, Mississippi.

And coverage of arrests like that of Romulo Avelica-Gonzales, who was picked up recently as he dropped his 13-year-old daughter off at school in Los Angeles. The girl, one of four siblings born in the United States, recorded her father's arrest from the backseat of the family car and later posted it online.

Homeland Securitys Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a statement saying the father was picked up because of past criminal convictions, including a 2009 drunk-driving charge.

Despite the fears, Nebraska has not seen a large uptick in the number of detentions or deportation cases, immigration attorneys say.

El-Kasaby believes part of the reason is that immigration enforcement authorities based in Nebraska already have a full workload. Ramping up enforcement, he said, would require finding new beds for detentions and hiring more agents to make the arrests.

The Omaha Immigration Court already has a long backlog, with hearings scheduled out to 2019 and 2020, said Ivan Velasco Jr., another Omaha immigration attorney.

Velasco said the unpredictability of the Trump administration on policy setting has both attorneys and their clients on the edge of their chairs.

When the executive orders came out there were things changing literally by the hour, sometimes by the minute, he said. I still every day obsessively check the news multiple times.

A week into his presidency, Trump issued an order barring citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States for 90 days, refugees for 120 days and Syrian refugees indefinitely.

A court blocked the move and Trump has pledged to release an updated version of the order.

He also has ordered more aggressive enforcement of the nations immigration laws.

While enforcement has yet to drastically change in Nebraska, Velasco said, the publicity and the way Trump has gone about ordering changes has caused waves of fear to ripple through Nebraskas immigrant community.

Barack Obama deported more people than previous presidents, but Donald Trump announces it. He talks more about it in the news. Because of that, people are more afraid, Velasco said. Also, the administration is a lot more vague about what is going to happen and a lot more alarmist.

For the first time in nearly two decades of practicing law, Lincoln attorney Tim Sullivan is getting regular calls from parents seeking to have parental powers for their children signed over to friends or family in case the parents are deported.

Lincoln attorney Seth Feltons phone has been ringing regularly, with clients, the majority of which came to the United States as refugees, interested in becoming naturalized citizens and ensuring their immigration and work-permit papers are in order.

And the fear isnt good for Nebraskas economy, said Blanca Mejia, executive director with the Latino Community Betterment Corp., an economic development group in Omaha.

People who are afraid dont invest, buy cars or homes, and eat out less. Instead, they hoard their money, she said.

It affects the small businesses, because people arent spending, Mejia said.
It is early days to speculate whether the Russian connection will turn out to be Donald Trumps Watergate. The surfacing or the drip-drop of damning evidence has prompted comparisons this week with the Watergate affair that eclipsed President Richard Nixon.

The US Presidents address to the joint session of Congress, however mildly reassuring, has been overshadowed by revelations that his attorney-general, Jeff Sessions, had twice spoken with the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, during the presidential election campaign.

Not to put too fine a point on it, the interaction with Moscows man in Washington marked the Republican candidates acquiescence in the Kremlins meddling. The President has advanced a strained defence of an embarrassing truth  This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win. They lost the election and now they have lost their grip on reality.

Even his attempt to draw a parallel with the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, who was photographed in 2003 enjoying a drink with the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has been readily binned as out of context. Such diversionary tactics must rank as a convoluted exercise in self-deception.

The contrived defence would have seemed hilarious were it not for the profound implications. Most particularly, Sessions meetings with the ambassador have contradicted his own sworn statements to Congress during his confirmation hearing.

The attorney-general claimed on Thursday that he had met the ambassador in his capacity as a Senator, not as a campaign surrogate. That fine distinction doesnt alter the fact that electoral overtures had been advanced to Russia. The attorney-general now wants to recuse himself from an investigation into Russian-backed hackers interference.

This is self-explanatory and President Trumps putting up a brave face on his weekend visit to Florida chimes oddly with Sessions playing on the back foot. As Nancy Pelosi, the House minority leader, has remarked, Everybody knew that there was something completely out of order that was going on.

There are two facets to Sessions plea for recusal. First, it is an admission that something extraordinary had happened. The recusal appeal has been made by a surrogate of the candidate and for the communication with the Russian government.

Both Trump and Sessions were acutely aware that they were hacking the system. The other aspect is the possibility of perjury, which is punishable by law. Trump has consistently denied business or political ties with Russia but has also been loath to criticise Putin and has raised the prospect of reviewing sanctions against the country.

The plot has thickened and America knows less than a fraction about the election-eve coordination. Well and truly has the 45th President of America succeeded to a depleted inheritance.
Sudan has more than twice the number of pyramids youll find in Egypt. I know  I couldnt believe it either, and had to see for myself. Mention Sudan and most travellers will admit to dismissing it as a war-torn stretch of bland desert  plagued by the genocide and refugee crisis in Darfur and the ongoing civil war in the new Republic of South Sudan following a north-south split in 2011. Yet most of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office map of the country is a lovely shade of (safe) green.

But the promotion of African antiquities isnt a priority for Omar al-Bashir, president of Sudan since his successful military coup in 1989. Its up to travellers to take the initiative. Indeed, with Egypt still recovering from a huge slump in visitors following a series of high-profile air crashes, Sudan makes the ideal alternative  with the added bonus of zero crowds or touts.

I leave the rickshaws and yellow taxis of Khartoum, the capital, to drive north on a slick belt of Chinese-built, tarred road towards Soleb  an ancient town of tombs and pyramids that is home to the Temple of Soleb, one of the best-preserved temples left in Sudan. Here, on the west bank of the Nile river, not a single fence bars me from entering.

Theres no guard posted at an admission booth and  best of all  Im completely alone. Shards of the far past crumble all around me: towering columns, arches and walls all carved with cartouches. Built by Pharaoh Amenhotep III in the 14th century BC, and dedicated to Egyptian Supreme God Amun, it was visited by none other than sickly child-king Tutankhamun. He inscribed his name on of one the Prudhoe Lions that once guarded the entrance  now missing from the site, as it sits in the British Museum.

I follow the processional path leading from the Nile into the belly of the temple and there, high above my head (which indicates where the sand level would have been when it was rediscovered in 1844), are the names of those first Victorian archaeologists to explore the site, chiselled into the walls. But why is it here? From 3,100 to 2,890 BC, Egyptian pharaohs sent their army south along the Nile in search of gold, granite for statues, ostrich feathers, and slaves.

Reaching as far south as Jebel Barkal  a small mountain north of Khartoum  they built forts, and later temples, along the route to demonstrate their dominance over the Nubians.

The conquered region came to be known as the Kush and the Kushites adopted all aspects of Egyptian culture, from gods to glyphs. But when the Egyptian empire collapsed in 1,070 BC, the Nubians were free. However, the religion of Amun ran deep and 300 years later Alara, King of the Kush, spearheaded a renaissance of Egyptian culture, including the construction of their own pyramids. Now believing themselves the true sons of the God Amun, Alaras grandson Piye invaded the north to rebuild the great temples, and for nearly 100 years Egypt was ruled by the Black Pharaohs.

At the peak of their reign, under the command of famous Kushite King Taharqa, their territories stretched all the way to Libya and Palestine. The crown of the king bore two cobras: one for Nubia, the other for Egypt.

The last great burial site of these royal Black Pharaohs was at Meroe, an ancient city on the east bank of the Nile. Its a nine-hour drive from Soleb, but well worth it: here, there are more than 200 pyramids, grouped across three sites. I wake at dawn and, with my guide Hitam, pace across the empty dunes towards the northern site, where 43 Unesco-listed pyramids lie scattered along a ridge.

The honeyed sunlight slides down their sandstone pinnacles as it rises, and the only other people are archaeologists excavating during the cooler morning hours. Two Egyptian eagles soar overhead, silhouetted on the sand, as I stand looking across the wide plain. Notice anything strange on the stones? asks Hitam. I scan the bases. Thats an elephant, I say, surprised. And look here: giraffe and gazelle, he continues, pointing to different blocks. Its proof this area was once covered with lush grasslands. The fertile alluvial soil allowed the Kushites to grow barley and sorghum.

On others are scrawls made by General Kitcheners soldiers (he of the Your country needs you posters). They passed by en route to the bloody Battle of Omdurman, fought to avenge the death of General Gordon, who was killed fighting a Sudanese revolt against the British in 1898. By 300 AD the Kush Empire was in decline.

Dwindling agriculture and increasing raids from Ethiopia and Rome spelled the end of their rule. Christianity and Islam followed, and prayers to Egyptian God Amun faded from memory. Time may have weathered the outer stones, but as I stood alone in silence in the burial chapel that morning, running my fingers across the well-preserved hieroglyphs, I marvelled at the realisation I was touching the same grooves Kushite workers chiselled all those aeons ago.

The legends of the kings and queens live on  and their wish of immortality will be granted if tourists continue to support travel to Sudan, which is so much more than desert.

The Independent
Carrasco-Zelaya, who was in the country without legal permission, drove drunk and hit and killed 34-year-old Margarito Nava-Luna on April 17. Police say the two were coworkers and had been drinking at a west Omaha bar before Nava-Luna was hit. Police, who stopped Carrasco-Zelaya shortly after Nava-Luna was hit, said Carrasco-Zelaya's blood-alcohol content measured nearly three times the legal limit to drive.
One policeman was killed and three security personnel, including an army major, were injured on Sunday in a gunfight in Kashmir's Tral town.

Police said intermittent firing exchanges still continued, even though the house which the militants had used as a fortified bunker was demolished.



Syed Javid Mujtaba Gillani, Kashmir Inspector General of Police (IGP) has refuted rumours that curfew had been imposed in Tral.



After the fierce gunfight started on Saturday evening, protestors clashed with the security personnel to disrupt the operation.



"As the security forces closed on the hiding militants, they came under heavy automatic gunfire which was returned, leading to a gunfight," a police officer said, adding that some top militants active in south Kashmir areas were among the trapped militants.
A non-bailable warrant (NBW) has been issued against Uttar Pradesh transport minister Gayatri Prajapati, who is the prime accused in a gang rape case and is absconding for the past few days.



Police said that non-bailable warrants have also been issued against six other accused in connection with the same case.



Raids have been conducted at various places, including a factory manufacturing incense sticks in Kanpur, to try and locate the minister.



A lookout notice has also been issued against Prajapati to ensure that he does not fly out of India to escape the law, an official told IANS.



Vigil has been stepped up on the porous Indo-Nepal border, which police apprehend could be used by the minister to give them the slip.



Prajapati is contesting the ongoing state assembly elections on the Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leaders have been attacking Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on the issue and alleging that the free run of the minister was an example of 'jungle raj' in the state.



BJP's state President Keshav Prasad Maurya had on Friday alleged that the Chief Minister was giving shelter to the tainted minister.



Retorting to the accusations, Yadav had asked media persons to come with cameras to see if Prajapati was holed up in his residence, as alleged by the opposition. He had also urged the minister to surrender. This, opposition said, showed how patronising Akhilesh Yadav was towards the minister, also a close associate of his father Mulayam Singh Yadav.



"The fact that the chief minister cannot even get a rape accused arrested shows how weak and helpless the state government is," said BJP state General Secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak.



While the Congress and SP leaders are publicly not saying anything on the Gayatri Prajapati episode, they admit in private that the issue has snowballed into a major embarrassment for them in the middle of a crucial election.



"We can't say this in public, but the whole issue, especially after the Supreme Court ordered lodging of an FIR against Prajapati, has put us in a tight spot," a senior Congress leader told IANS.



Prajapati is also accused of patronising the illegal mining mafia when he was the mining minister and a probe has been ordered by the Allahabad High Court in this matter.


A 39-year-old Sikh man in the US has been injured after an unidentified person shot him outside his home and allegedly shouted "go back to your own country."

The man was working on his vehicle outside his home in Washington state on Friday, when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to the driveway.

Kent police said an argument broke out between the two men, with the victim saying the suspect made statements to the effect of "go back to your own country." The unidentified man then shot him in the arm.

The victim described the shooter as a six-foot-tall white man, wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face.

Kent police chief Ken Thomas said while the Sikh man sustained "non life-threatening injuries", they are "treating this as a very serious incident."

Kent police have launched an investigation into the case and reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, the report said.

"We're early on in our investigation," Thomas said.

Kent Police Commander Jarod Kasner said the incident is getting attention from the Sikh community and others.

"With recent unrest and concern throughout the nation this can get people emotionally involved, especially when (the crime) is directed at a person for how they live, how they look," Kasner said.

The incident is the latest in a series of troubling cases where members of the Indian community have been targeted in apparent hate crimes.

It comes close on the heels of the tragic shooting in Kansas last month of 32-year old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was killed when 51-year old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani before yelling "get out of my country."

Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gun shot wounds in his yard.

Jasmit Singh, a leader of the Sikh community in Renton, said he had been told the victim was released from the hospital.

He said the victim and his family are "very shaken up."

"The climate of hate that has been created doesn't distinguish between anyone," he said.

Singh said that men from his community have reported a rise in incidents of verbal abuse, "a kind of prejudice, a kind of xenophobia that is nothing that we've seen in the recent past."

He said the number of incidents targeting members of the Sikh religion, are reminiscent of the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks.
Do you beat your wife? This was a poser in an "Islamophobic" questionnaire that Muslims wanting to meet a Republican lawmaker were reportedly asked to fill out.

Oklahoma representative John Bennett asked his constituents taking part in the state's third annual 'Muslim Day' on Thursday to fill out the bizarre questionnaire, BuzzFeed News reported.

Adam Soltani, executive director of Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) Oklahoma, was quoted as saying that high school students from Tulsa's Peace Academy visited Bennett's office to either meet with him or schedule a meeting.

Soltani said the students were met by a legislative assistant who gave them a questionnaire, telling them it must be filled out in writing.

The nine-part questionnaire included questions such as, "Do you beat your wife?"

"I was distraught when (the students) showed me the questionnaire. I wasn't completely surprised by it because obviously we have been challenging Bennett's hate rhetoric for many years," Soltani said.

"Nobody should be vetted with stupid, Islamophobic, hateful, bigoted questions before they can meet with their representative," Soltani said.

Bennett, a former US Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, made headlines in 2014 when he made anti-Islam comments on social media.

He also said there is no difference between moderate and radical Islam.

The questionnaire was written by anti-Islam group ACT for Americathe group's logo and email address were on the sheet of paper.

Bennett confirmed to the Tulsa World that three Muslim students visiting his office as part of Muslim Day were given questionnaires.

Bennett told the newspaper that he did not speak to the students personally.

Responding to the news, the Oklahoma Democratic Party called Bennett "an embarrassment to the Oklahoma legislature".

"Why do Republicans continue to turn a blind eye and ignore Bennett's hateful fear-mongering actions?" the statement was quoted as saying by The Huffington Post.
Elise Sieverts filmmaking has led her back to Nebraska for the 2017 Omaha Film Festival. Her film, "Fall Repeat" will run at Village Point Cinema on Saturday (March 11) during the 2:15 p.m. block of short films.

"Fall Repeat" showcases what one may compromise for the sake of ambition while exhibiting the harmony of dance and music. The film features original music by Jessica Coffman and Giacomo Lamparelli and cinematography by Thomas Taugher.

Sievert, a graduate of Lincoln Pius X High School, hosts a Podcast called "Nothing Shines Like Dirt" and was recently cast as a series regular in "Greenport," a pilot written by Tony Spiridakis. She has also worked opposite Jonathan Kite ("2 Broke Girls") in the series "UDrive Me."

Sievert credits her dance education for leading her to filmmaking. She grew up performing with the Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company and graduated from Butler University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance.

I'm looking forward to reconnecting with artists and filmmakers in my home state.," she said.

"All art brings people together and I truly believe in the power of story telling to connect and expands one's horizon. Films from the female view point are vital and I am doing my best to use art to make them seen," she said.

She is the daughter of Darrell and Shiela Sievert of Lincoln. Shiela Sievert teaches Geography and Family and Consumer Science at Pius X High School.
Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D, Brooklyn) led a press conference this morning to discuss the desecration of Washington Cemetery in Brooklyn, one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in the world. The Assemblyman was alerted last night about the vandalism and was immediately in touch with the police to make certain that the matter was being investigated. Members of Hikinds staff immediately met with the police and the local Shomrim.

More than 40 headstones were overturned, said Hikind. Its heartbreakingnot just to the loved ones of those who are buried here, but to all of us. Is there anything more cowardly than desecrating a cemetery in the middle of the night?

Anti-Semitism exists, but we dont have to tolerate it, and we wont. I can promise you that. I met with the police this morning at the cemetery, the top brass from Brooklyn South, and I see that this matter is being taken very seriously. When the criminals who did this are caught, we will demand and expect real justice.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
[COMMUNICATED CONTENT]

For the past few years, battei midrash that were once empty on Purim night have been filled to capacity, as thousands of men in Eretz Yisrael streamed in to join a special Purim Kollel, for at least an hour of Torah learning, in an intense, Shavuos-night atmosphere. The tefillas rabbim that follows has been compared to Neilah on Motzaei Yom Kippur.

Recently, a young talmid chacham from Yerushalayim, who is now in New York fighting for his life, requested of a visiting friend, Lets bring this idea to America; give battei midrash here a taste of the experience! And so this year we are taking this important initiative all over the world!

Maran Harav Chaim Kanievsky, Maran Harav Aron Leib Steinman and Harav Matisyahu Salomon, among many others, have given this project their enthusiastic endorsement. The Purim Kollel is quickly turning into a movement, as ever more shuls are signing up  in Eretz Yisrael, Europe, South Africa, the USA and Canada.

In addition, the Har Nof Kollel is organizing a Purim Partners program: Everyone who registers for the Purim Kollel in chutz laAretz is invited to submit his (or another persons) name and specific needs for tefillah in the powerful tefillas rabbim that will be held in Yerushalayim on Sunday night, Shushan Purim.

Together we will make this a truly elevated Purim! To sign up  and, if you choose, to partner with an avreich in Eretz Yisrael by having your matanos laevyonim be given to him on Purim  call 718-210- 9737 or email [email protected]
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Friday that shes never met with the current Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak.

Not with this Russian ambassador, no, Pelosi told POLITICOs Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer during a Playbook interview, when asked whether she had ever met with the Russian envoy.

But a file photo from Pelosis 2010 meeting with Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev shows Kislyak at the table across from Pelosi  then House speaker  and Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). Medvedev had been in the country for a meeting with President Barack Obama a day earlier and stopped in on Capitol Hill to meet with congressional leaders as well.

Asked to square Pelosis comments with the photo of the meeting, a spokesman said Pelosi simply meant she never had a solo meeting with Kislyak.

(Source: Politico)
President Donald Trump is telling advisers and allies that he may shelve, at least temporarily, his plan to pursue a deal with Moscow on the Islamic State group and other national security matters, according to administration officials and Western diplomats.

In conversations with diplomats and other officials, Trump and his aides have ascribed the new thinking to Moscows recent provocations. But the reconsideration of a central tenet of his foreign policy underscores the growing political risks in forging closer relations with Russia, as long as the FBI investigates his campaign associates connections to Moscow and congressional committees step up their inquiries into Russias meddling in the 2016 election.

The controversy has already led to the firing of Trumps national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who misled officials about his contacts with the Russian ambassador, and to calls by Democrats for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign after he failed to disclose his own meetings with the envoy.

Trumps new skepticism about brokering a deal with Moscow also suggests the rising influence of a new set of advisers who have taken a tougher stance on Russia, including Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and new national security adviser H.R. McMaster. During his first meeting with National Security Council staff, McMaster described Russia  as well as China  as a country that wants to upend the current world order, according to an administration official who attended the meeting.

Michael McFaul, who served as President Barack Obamas ambassador to Russia, said that while Trump has been open about wanting warmer relations with Russia, he hasnt picked people to the best of my knowledge at senior levels that share that view.

European allies also have been pushing the Trump administration not to make any early concessions to Russia. To bolster their case, European officials have tailored their rhetoric to appeal to Trumps business background, including emphasizing the risks of negotiating a bad deal, rather than more nuanced arguments, according to one Western diplomat. Given Trumps America First mantra, foreign officials emphasize how U.S. standing in the world could be diminished by making concessions to Russia instead of focusing on the importance of the U.S. and Europe sticking together to counter Moscow.

Trump, who spoke favorably about Russian President Vladimir Putin throughout the campaign, is said to have shown interest in a broad deal with Russia that could address cooperation in fighting the Islamic State, nuclear arms control agreements and Russias provocations in Ukraine. But in recent days, the administration has signaled that the moment for such a deal may not be right.

In an Oval Office meeting last week, Trump told advisers that Russias recent violation of a Cold War-era arms control treaty was among the complicating factors. In February, the Trump administration accused Russia of violating the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty by deploying a cruise missile.

A White House official confirmed the discussion, saying that Trump believes the treaty violation is making a diplomatic and security agreement with Russia tougher and tougher to achieve. Top administration officials have also echoed that message in conversations with some allies, according to diplomats.

The president and his advisers have yet to settle on a formal approach to Russia and discussions about how to proceed are still in early phases, a second White House official said.

The officials and Western diplomats insisted on anonymity in order to discuss private discussions and deliberations.

Trump has been trailed by questions about his possible ties to Russia for months. Hes taken an unusually friendly posture toward Russia, praising Putins leadership and, at times, appearing to echo Kremlin positions on Ukraine and other matters. Hes also repeatedly said that it would be better for the U.S. and Russia to have a stronger relationship, particularly in fighting terrorism.

While Trump has continued to talk about a detente with Russia since taking office, there have been some signs of his administration taking a more traditional approach.

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley hit Russia hard last month over its actions in Ukraine, saying U.S. sanctions imposed after Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014 will remain in place until the peninsula is returned to Ukraine. Trump also sent letters to Eastern European leaders, who worry Russia might set its sights on their borders next, underscoring his commitment to their security.

Your support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine is important for our shared goal of enhancing European and regional security, Trump wrote to the Estonian president in a letter dated Feb. 15 and obtained by The Associated Press.

Trump has insisted that he has no nefarious connections or financial ties to Russia. Hes also said hes not aware of any contacts his campaign advisers had with Russia during the 2016 campaign, a period in which U.S. intelligence agencies assess Russia was interfering with the election to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Still, the suggestions of wrongdoing have followed Trump to the White House, in part because of his own teams missteps. Flynn was fired for misleading Vice President Mike Pence and other top White House officials about the nature of his conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, even as the FBI was interviewing Flynn about those contacts.

This week, Sessions acknowledged that he had contacts with Kislyak during the campaign. He said the discussions happened in his capacity as a U.S. senator and he was not misleading a Senate panel when he volunteered that he had no contacts with Russians as a Trump campaign surrogate.

After the disclosures, Sessions said he would recuse himself from any Justice Department investigations related to Russia and the campaign. Democrats are demanding a special prosecutor to oversee such investigations.

Trump, in a news conference after Flynns firing, suggested the firestorm could hamper his ability to make a deal with Russia.

It would be unpopular for a politician to make a deal, Trump said. It would be much easier for me to be so tough  the tougher I am on Russia, the better.

(AP)
The cabinet on Sunday 7 Adar approved an additional NIS 52.3 million to the biannual yeshiva budget for torah study. As per coalition agreements with Shas and Yahadut Hatorah, the government budgets NIS 477 per month for each talmid and NIS 857 for an avreich, and this is without a ceiling as to the number of persons continue learning.

As the yeshivos continue to grow, the budget has to be increased, now standing at NIS 224 million annually.

Meretz party leader Zahava Gal-On decried the allocation, using Facebook to her message out. Responding was Knesset Finance Committee Chairman MK Moshe Gafne, who stated the amount paid simply represents adherence to coalition agreements, nothing more.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
The New York Police Department is investigating a report of possible vandalism at a Jewish cemetery.

An NYPD spokesman says Sunday the departments hate crimes division has been notified of headstones found toppled over at Washington Cemetery in Brooklyn.

Assemblyman Dov Hikind tweeted photos Saturday night showing some headstones on the ground. The Democrat says hell go to the cemetery Sunday to see them.

The incident is the latest in a wave of anti-Semitic incidents across the country, including other cemetery desecrations in St. Louis and Philadelphia.

There has been a rash of vandalism at Jewish cemeteries and 122 bomb threats called in to Jewish organizations in three dozen states since early January.

Authorities said Friday that Juan Thompson, a former journalist fired for fabricating details in stories, made at least eight of the scores of threats against Jewish institutions nationwide as part of a campaign to harass and frame his ex-girlfriend.

(Yehuda Eckstein  YWN)
The New York Police Department says no evidence of vandalism has been found at a predominantly Jewish cemetery where more than 40 tombstones were toppled over.

The NYPD says after consultation with the management of the Washington Cemetery in Brooklyn, it was determined the 42 tombstones came down as a result of a number of factors. Those include long-term neglect or lack of maintenance, as well as environmental factors such as soil erosion.

There has been a rash of vandalism at Jewish cemeteries and 122 bomb threats against Jewish organizations in three dozen states since early January.

Authorities said Friday that Juan Thompson, a former journalist fired for fabricating details in stories, made at least eight threats against Jewish institutions nationwide as part of a campaign against his ex-girlfriend.

Following statements from Washington Cemetery personnel that the discovery of downed headstones last night was not an act of vandalism, Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D, Brooklyn) issued the following statement:

When I received a call from the Boro Park Shomrim that something had occurred at Washington Cemetery, I immediately sent a staff member who met with the police. Then early this morning, I visited myself. I was joined by other elected officials, community leaders, NYPD investigators and numerous reporters. We all saw the same thing.

More than 40 headstones were overturned. These stones were all in the same section where barbed-wire had been cut. Despite the fact that there are thousands upon thousands of graves stretching over many blocks, this was the only section where gravestones had been turned over. This area is less than 5% of the total cemetery grounds.

So strong winds hit this section and left the other ones alone? I find that hard to believe. Something is definitely not kosher.

(AP / YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Former House Democratic leader asked about wind farms near military installations, open-meetings violation by commission



N.C. Senate committee approves Larry Hall on Thursday for post of secretary of military and veterans affairs.

After weeks of ducking constitutionally mandated Senate confirmation hearings, a contrite Larry Hall appeared under subpoena before the Commerce and Insurance Committee on Thursday, answered questions at length, and was approved unanimously for recommendation to the full Senate for confirmation as secretary of military and veterans affairs.Hall, clad in a cherry red Marine Corps League blazer, said after the vote on the first of Gov. Roy Cooper's Cabinet secretaries to have confirmation hearings after passage of a law in December requiring a path many states follow.The process had been snarled in rancor between Democratic and Republican committee members, frustration with Hall for refusing to appear, and a lawsuit filed by Cooper attempting to prevent his Cabinet appointees from testifying. Some said the standoff had created a constitutional crisis over separation of powers.In the end, Hall was subpoenaed, showed up for the fourth scheduled hearing, and won over the committee.Hall said of the separation of powers issue after the hearing.between the governor's position that a confirmation hearing was unlawful, and the Senate's insistence he appear, Hall said.he said.Cooper's lawsuit is scheduled to be heard in court next week.Sen. Ralph Hise, R-Mitchell, said after the hearing.on schedule, Hise said, warning,for Hall.Hall was sworn-in under oath, and gave an opening statement about his service in the Marines, his family's military history, his father's being "my role model and my hero" as an Army Airborne soldier, and other biographical information. A court reporter took down testimony.During questioning by Sen. Floyd McKissick, D-Durham, about what he would bring to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Hall said every veteranthat must be fulfilled by providing them with all services to which they are entitled, but may not be aware.He said he wants to help homeless veterans, those without insurance, veterans needing mental health counseling, and those trying to start or improve businesses. He said North Carolina has 87,000 veteran-owned businessesHall told Senate Majority Leader Harry Brown, R-Onslow, retaining military bases is a top priority. Making sure they have the road and utility improvements to serve both their needs and the community is vital.Hise, seated just feet away from the table where Hall was sitting, surrounded by military veterans, many wearing hats and other regalia, was among those asking the most pointed questions during the hearing.He wanted to know if Hall was the nominee for the secretary post and whether he was now serving in that capacity. Cooper has contended he hasn't nominated any Cabinet members yet.Hall said. That is the ordinary deadline for Cooper to submit nominations to the Senate. Republican senators say that provision does not apply because Hall was named to a vacancy appointment while the General Assembly was not in session, so they can hold confirmation hearings without Cooper's notice.Hall confirmed he began serving while the General Assembly was not in session, was fulfilling duties of the job, and lamented thatHe said he skipped past hearings because his legal understanding of the court case didn't require his attendance. He came to Thursday's hearing because of the subpoena, and, as a lawyer and officer of the court, not wanting to be held in contempt.by the governor or his staff, Hall said.Sen. Bill Cook, R-Beaufort, asked Hall's opinion about massive wind farms threatening radar operations and national security at military bases in North Carolina and Virginia, particularly the Amazon Wind Farm near Elizabeth City that prompted a letter from General Assembly leaders to the federal government.Hall said. Modifications have been made, he said, data is being generated, and that will be used to determine whether the wind farms should expand and tower heights raised.Cook asked Hall about a Military Affairs Commission executive committee meeting at which a presentation about military issues including the Amazon Wind Farm was to be presented. He wanted to know if the meeting violated state open meetings law, and whether Hall intended to follow those laws in the future.Hall had objected to a Carolina Journal reporter attending the meeting. Commission Chairman Mabry "Bud" Martin pulled the item from the agenda for a future date, but allowed it to be put back on the agenda when the reporter and members of the public who were there for that one item left.Hall admitted the meeting was not legally advertised, and that was a primary reason for wanting to delay the presentation because no action at the meeting would be valid due to the lack of notice. Holding the meeting later as an advertised session would make action binding, and enable more people to be invited, he said.But no discussion about legal notices occurred during that meeting. A CJ investigation discovered that violation, which Military Affairs Commission members did not confirm until days afterward.Hall said as a result of that meeting the agency has tightened its legal notice policy and put its future meeting schedule on both its website and the Secretary of State's website.
Families planning to travel abroad on their Easter holidays are being warned to turn up early for flights or ensure they check in online in plenty of time. Failure to do so may result in them bumped off their flight due to overbooking.

Days can be shaved off your cherished family holiday with only minimal compensation.

Omid Azizi-Torkanpour of flight compensation agency Flight Reclaim says: Overbooking is one of the most difficult complaints to deal with. It just should not happen. Restaurants do not book more diners than they can accommodate, so why should airlines?

Airlines say they overbook their flights because many passengers do not turn up

Airlines say they overbook their flights because many passengers do not turn up. EasyJet, for example, says it overbooks by one or two passengers per flight.

Wizz Air, which also overbooks, says this reduces the number of seats flying empty and enables more passengers to travel.

Passengers who have been bumped from flights say the process is stressful and the compensation inadequate. Compensation ranges from 125 (107) in Europe for delays of less than two hours to a maximum of 600 on long-haul flights.

EasyJet passenger Cameron Russell, a victim of overbooking, found it difficult to claim even statutory compensation. The design engineer, who works in France, was returning from a visit to the UK on a plane from Bristol to Toulouse.

He says: I tried to check in online the morning of the flight. But the website informed me that my check-in was unsuccessful and instead I should check in at the airport.

I arrived at the airport and went to the bag drop desk to check in and was told the flight was full.

He later tried to claim compensation but was told he was not eligible. When contacted by The Mail on Sunday, easyJet paid it immediately and apologised.

Cameron adds: It feels like easyJet makes it difficult to claim this type of compensation. He missed a day of work and had to use a days leave. He says the compensation was not enough for the inconvenience.

EasyJet claims that denying boarding through overbooking happens rarely and it always asks for volunteers to fly later before forcibly bumping people.

EasyJet claims that denying boarding through overbooking happens rarely and it always asks for volunteers to fly later before forcibly bumping people

Although being bumped is partly a matter of bad luck, Azizi-Torkanpour says there are steps you can take to try to avoid it.

Big groups, such as stag parties, are the most vulnerable, he says, so booking separately could help. An early online check-in is likely to minimise the chance of being denied a seat. If you cannot do this, turn up early at the airport as in some cases the airline will simply bump the last people who arrive.

All overbooked passengers are entitled to statutory compensation under European Union law if a flight departs from any EU airport or if it arrives at an EU airport and is operated by an EU airline. Compensation varies elsewhere.

TRAVEL MONEY Most credit and debit cards charge around 3 per cent for foreign transactions and withdrawals. To cut costs you could opt for a specialist card with reduced overseas fees or consider a prepaid currency card which typically offer better rates and no extra fees. FairFX is offering This is Money and MailOnline readers a free MasterCard prepaid card, which usually costs 9.95.

As well as cash, bumped passengers should be offered an alternative flight or a refund of any part of the ticket that has not been used.

If you want to fly as soon as possible, the airline must also provide care and assistance while you wait for the flight. This means food, drink, communications and accommodation if you stay overnight.

If you volunteer to be bumped you must agree compensation with the airline, but if you do not volunteer, the compensation is set by statute.

Get a letter from the airline confirming you have been denied boarding. You have a right to receive this document and without it you may find it difficult to claim compensation later.

Azizi-Torkanpour says: Many people do not get this letter. Make sure you have it before leaving the airport. There are more details of the compensation process on the Civil Aviation Authoritys website. Visit caa.co.uk.

You may also be able to claim on travel insurance, but not all policies include this. Check that yours covers denied boarding.

Insurance expert Kevin Pratt at comparison website MoneySupermarket says: Your airline will not compensate for losses you suffer as a result of being late to your destination, such as car hire and hotel costs. Claim on your insurance for these.
This list is not comprehensive. Municipalities are listed as they appear on the criminal complaint. For more information, visit www.journaltimes.com/gallery.

Alex A. Bane, 1500 block of Albert St., Racine, throw or discharge bodily fluids at public safety worker.

Cecilia L. Biddle, 5800 block of N. 38th St., Milwaukee, prostitution, sexual contact.

Dane A. Bieniek, 700 block of N. Rochester St., Mukwonago, battery, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments.

Koven Blakey, 1300 block of 60th St., Kenosha, burglary of a building of dwelling.

Ebony D. Bowie, 4700 block of N. 32nd St., Milwaukee, issuance of a worthless check.

Ricky L. Brown, 5300 block of 16th St., Racine, bail jumping, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, disorderly conduct, dangerous weapons on school premises and carrying a concealed weapon.

Jeffery L. Burnette, 4000 block of Knoll Place, Racine, attempting to flee or elude a traffic officer, and bail jumping.

Sarah Carvajal, 1600 block of Mead St., Racine, bail jumping, retail theft, intentionally take.

Joseph C. Coles, 2500 block of Orchard St., Racine, criminal trespass, domestic abuse assessments, battery, armed robbery with use of force, operating a motor vehicle without owners consent, disorderly conduct, false imprisonment, and use of a dangerous weapon.

Jessica N. Collier, 3200 block of Packer Drive, Racine, theft from a business setting.

Terrell D. Cunningham, 3300 block of Victory Ave., Racine, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments.

Levi W. Davis, 3200 block of Republic Ave., Racine, battery by prisoners, and disorderly conduct.

Selena Deleon, 1900 block of State St., Racine, obstructing an officer.

Christopher D. Earvin, 1000 block of Geneva St., Racine, possession of marijuana.

Larry Ellison Jr., 4000 block of Erie St., Racine, attempt first degree intentional homicide, recklessly endangering safety, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Jamie L. Ford, address unknown, Racine, criminal damage to property.

Susan A. Funk, 100 block of Seventh St., Racine, battery to emergency rescue worker, and resisting an officer.

Renee M. Galligan, 900 block of Grand Ave., Racine, child neglect resulting in bodily harm.

Sabino A. Garcia, 1900 block of Mead St., Racine, disorderly conduct.

Calvin E. Gibson, 1300 block of S. Memorial Drive, Racine, possession with intent to deliver cocaine.

Esmeralda E. Gonzalez, 1000 block of Villa St., Racine, bail jumping, and possession of marijuana.

Jarrel Gordon, 5400 block of 16th Ave., Kenosha, burglary of a building or dwelling.

Sean J. Graham, 1100 block of W. Lawn Ave., Racine, possession of a controlled substance.

Devon S. Hairston, 7200 block of Kinzie Ave., Mount Pleasant, obstructing an officer, and bail jumping.

Lushious L. Hand, 1600 block of Prospect St., Racine, attempt first degree intentional homicide, recklessly endangering safety, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Darius Harris, 900 block of Hamilton St., Racine, battery, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments, and obstructing an officer.

David A. Hemer Jr., 15900 block of Durand Ave., Union Grove, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and bail jumping.

Xavier M. Hernandez, 30 block of Riverside Drive, Racine, substantial battery and disorderly conduct.

Tre D. Hibbler, 1800 block of Thurston Ave., Racine, battery, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments, and bail jumping.

John A. Hunter IV, 1600 block of Phillips Ave., Racine, attempting to flee or elude a traffic officer, criminal trespass, obstructing an officer, and manufacture/deliver cocaine.

Danny E. King, 500 block of 16th St., Racine, manufacture/deliver heroin with intent to deliver/distrubite a controlled substance on or near a park, manufacture/deliver heroin, possession with intent to deliver/distribute a controlled substance on or near a school, possession of marijuana, and maintaining a drug trafficking place.

Irma J. King, 500 block of 16th St., Racine, manufacture/deliver heroin, possession with intent to deliver/distribute a controlled substance on or near a school, and maintaining a drug trafficking place.

David J.M. Kroll, 300 block of Edwards St., Burlington, theft by acquisition of a credit card.

Rebecca L. Kuntz, 500 block of Eighth St., Racine, disorderly conduct.

Donald J. Kurdas, 4100 block of Erie St., Racine, forgery.

Kelly R. Lockridge, 1600 block of Russet St., Racine, battery, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments, obstructing an officer, bail jumping, and possession of a controlled substance.

Ruben J. Lugo, 2100 block of Romayne Ave., Racine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, and bail jumping.

Anthony Z. Martin, 1600 block of 52nd St., Kenosha, operate a motor vehicle while revoked.

Dangelo D. McGlorn, 1100 block of Main St., Racine, burglary of a building or dwelling.

Jeffrey J. McWhorter, 2900 block of Waterview Circle, Racine, strangulation and suffocation, battery, and disorderly conduct.

Tyler J. Mohrbacher, 5800 block of Embassy Drive, Mount Pleasant, battery, and disorderly conduct.

Michael D. Morgan Sr., 2600 block of W. Linwal Lane, Milwaukee, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments.

Dillon R. Morrison, 1600 block of Holmes Ave., Racine, possession of marijuana.

David J. Murphy, 500 block of Tippecanne Trail, Elkhorn, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments, and battery.

Brandon D. Neal, 1300 block of Buchanan St., Racine, operating a motor vehicle without owners consent.

Juan M. Ordaz Ibarra, 600 block of Foxtree Circle, Burlington, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

Alex R. Palacios, 3200 block of Hickory Grive Ave., Racine, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, and disorderly conduct.

Charlotte N. Robinson, 4800 block of Indian Hills Drive, Mount Pleasant, delivery of schedule I, II or III narcotics.

Patrick A. Robinson, 3300 block of W. Custer Ave., Milwaukee, possession with intent to deliver or manufacture marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Florentino Rodriguez, 1700 block of Virginia St., Racine, telephone harassment, graffiti, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments.

Bettina N. Sanders, 400 block of Chicago St., possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and child neglect.

Najee I. Sherrod, 700 block of 10th St., Racine, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments.

Michael J. Stulo, 2800 block of Crossridge Drive, Racine, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments, and criminal damage to property.

Robert W. Tuttle, 1700 block of Warwick Way, Mount Pleasant, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, and bail jumping.

Alvin S. West Jr., 2000 block of 12th St., Racine, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, and operating with prohibited alcohol concentration.

Warren R. Whitehead, 1500 block of N. Marshall St., Milwaukee, first degree reckless homicide.

Marlon G. Williams, 2400 block of Anthony Lane, Racine, criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, use of a dangerous weapon, strangulation and suffocation, domestic abuse assessments, burglary-commit battery on a person, and battery.

Aaron J. Wilson, 2000 block of Domanik Drive, Racine, possession of synthetic cannabinoid.

Daryll A. Winkler, 3600 block of Wright Ave., Racine, manufacture/deliver cocaine, and attempting to flee or elude a traffic officer.

Joshua P. Witt, 800 block of 12th Ave., Union Grove, disorderly conduct, and obstructing an officer.

David M. Ynnocencio, 1600 block of Howe St., Racine, substantial battery, disorderly conduct, and criminal trespass.

Alex M. Zychowicz, 100 block of S. River St., Waterford, burglary of a building or dwelling, receiving stolen property, and bail jumping.
Sir Philip Greens Arcadia Group has struck a deal to pay tens of millions of pounds into its pension fund to help plug a near 200 million deficit.

The news may help fend off a fresh barrage of attacks on the billionaire over Arcadia, just days after he settled a long-running dispute over the BHS pensions black hole. MPs had been thought to be preparing a fresh broadside at Green.

Arcadia, wholly owned by Greens family, has doubled payment into the scheme from 25 million a year to 50 million, Sir Philip said.

Greens Arcadia Group has struck a deal to pay tens of millions of pounds into its pension fund

Speaking exclusively to The Mail on Sunday this weekend, he added: The company has signed a new contribution arrangement with trustees and has already started payment of an additional contribution over and above the previous 25 million a year.

The group has been in the cross-hairs of MPs investigating BHS, and was cited as an example of an unaccountable private company in a recent report by the Work and Pensions Committee, chaired by Greens chief tormentor Frank Field.

Until now Green has refused demands from MPs to give details of how he would tackle the Arcadia deficit, and the case had threatened to become a fresh battleground between them.

Arcadias scheme has 11,000 members, including staff at TopShop, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge. Because Arcadia is still a trading company the deficit did not pose the immediate threat to pensioners that the deficit at BHS did.

But the BHS debacle had focused public attention on the state of pensions across Greens retail empire.

Green sold BHS in 2015 to former bankrupt Dominic Chappell. The business closed last year leaving the hole in the pension scheme wider than ever

But Green said Arcadia is a profitable business adding: At close of business last night we had 110 million of net debt, many hundreds of millions of substantial assets and strong cash flow.

The terms have been agreed and signed off with the Arcadia pension fund trustees as part of the revaluation of the schemes financial position that takes place every three years. It is understood that The Pensions Regulator is aware of the new payment schedule.

The news that Green has taken steps to plug Arcadias deficit came just days after he agreed to pay 363 million to rescue the BHS pension scheme, after more than six months of talks with the regulator.

Green sold BHS in 2015 to former bankrupt Dominic Chappell. The business went bust last year leaving the hole in the pension scheme wider than ever, and Green was facing a legal demand from regulators to help fill the gap.

MPs are nervous because pension deficits are ballooning after a fall in yields on gilts  bonds issued by the Government  left a widening gap between pension promises and what funds could deliver.

The last published figures for Arcadias pension fund, released last summer, showed a deficit of 190 million.
Britain has to stop leaning on the consumer to prop up its economy and the Chancellor must use his Budget this week to take some dramatic steps to help us do that.

Last week saw yet another batch of figures showing households borrowing ever more money to fuel consumption. Credit card debt for example has hit 66 billion.

Consumer borrowing is showing signs of easing, but it is still rising at 10 per cent a year and is essential to our recent economic growth. But we cannot keep expecting our addiction to shopping to bail out the economy.

Philip Hammond has some head room in his Budget, thanks to recent strong tax receipts

The single most important change needed is an improvement in British productivity. A British worker takes five days to produce what a French or German worker produces in four.

This is not a reflection of hard work but of the levels of skills, technology and infrastructure in our business and economy. So we need the Chancellor to invest  in skills and education, in infrastructure and in the incentives to business investment.

The Chancellor has some head room in his Budget, thanks to recent strong tax receipts and there are some clear immediate priorities, such as softening the business rates blow to small firms and acting on social care.

But many expect the Chancellor to hold back on other major steps, keeping some powder dry to cope with any problems caused by Brexit. He should not.

Boosting productivity and infrastructure in the UK are essential to our prosperity, whatever the outcome of the Brexit talks. It will never be too early to start.

Future: Boosting productivity and infrastructure in the UK are essential to our prosperity

This will cost money and may even require the Chancellor to delay the date when the public finances will balance. Even so he should have the courage to spend.

We can depend on Government investment and, yes, perhaps borrowing to build a productive modern economy  or we can keep treading water by maxing out our credit cards.

The Government looks set to scrap its controversial appeals process for business rates  a system that would have meant thousands of appeals being rejected out of hand.

It is a small victory for those including The Mail on Sunday who have campaigned against the current state of the rates system.

A complete review is needed, but so are some immediate measures. My own favourite suggestion (made by Virgin Start-Up last week) is to set a revenue threshold on rates under which no company with a turnover of less than 300,000 a year should be liable to pay business rates at all.

Go on Chancellor, you know it makes sense.
James Murdoch will oppose any attempt by regulators to force him to spin off Sky News as a condition of clearing his proposed 11.7 billion merger of 21st Century Fox and Sky, say sources close to the deal.

Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said on Friday she is minded to order an investigation by media regulator Ofcom because of concerns about competition and broadcasting standards.

But sources said Murdoch, chief executive of Fox and chairman of Sky, is determined to fight against any pressure to hive off Sky News into a separate company.

The split means the power of James Murdochs news interests to support each other commercially is reduced

A split was agreed by News Corporation when it made a bid for Sky in 2011, but it abandoned its approach after revelations of phone hacking led it to close The News of the World.

Since then News Corporation has been divided up. Fox and the newspaper businesses  including The Sun and The Times  are now in two separate companies.

The split means the power of Murdochs news interests to support each other commercially is reduced, prompting Murdoch to believe he can hold on to Sky News under the new deal.

Fox is expected to argue that the publics consumption of news has changed dramatically since the last bid so fears for media plurality are now groundless.

Fox and Sky notified the European Commission on Friday of the planned deal.

Bradley has a fortnight to rule whether to refer the deal to UK regulators while competition authorities in Brussels have 30 days to make a preliminary decision.
Trade unions representing thousands of workers at Vauxhall factories in Britain said this weekend that they are looking to engage constructively with Vauxhalls new owners.

French group PSA, the owner of Peugeot and Citroen, will announce tomorrow that it has signed a deal to buy General Motors European division which includes the Vauxhall business in the UK.

The agreement will be unveiled at PSAs Paris head office on the Avenue de la Grand Armee, named after Napoleons army.

Trade unions are looking to engage constructively with Vauxhalls new owners.

A spokesman for Unite the Union said they had set out their position when they met up with PSA Group bosses two weeks ago, and that the group seemed union-friendly.

While Vauxhalls Ellesmere Port and Luton sites seem safe in the short-term as PSA has pledged to honour existing commitments, there are fears that cost-cutting will lead to factory closures either in the UK, Spain, or Germany, and PSA might wish to retain its sites on the European mainland.

Vauxhall directly employs 4,500 staff with 7,000 more working in the supply chain and around 20,000 in Vauxhall dealerships.

It was Britains sixth biggest car maker last year, accounting for 118,182 vehicles out of a total UK production of 1.7 million, and is the second-biggest selling brand in the UK after Ford.

The PSA Group announcement tomorrow will come a day before the opening day of one of the car industrys biggest annual events, the Geneva Motor Show.

The bulk of General Motors European operations are under the Opel brand, which is understood to have changed its plans for Geneva. Automotive analysts at IHT Markit said Opel was now going to introduce the first car out of the PSA-Opel co-operation, its Crossland X at the show. The model had not previously been scheduled to make its debut there.

Opel said the car is a convincing statement of how the fruitful collaboration between the two brands has resulted in a great product.
How does the boss of German grocery chain Aldi plan to cope with Brexit? Simple: buy British. In fact, Matthew Barnes, chief of Aldi UK, hopes to cast off the German tag altogether. Aldi UK, he claims, is the most British supermarket on the high street.

Our British credentials speak for themselves, he declares boldly. Were a hell of a lot more British than weve ever been.

'Seventy-seven per cent of sales through our tills are British products  up from a quarter a decade ago. Im very confident thats up there with the highest, if not the highest, in the sector.

Best of British: Aldi is the most British supermarket on the high street

He warms to his theme. Our lamb is British all year round  we dont import any. That takes a huge amount of work to get to that point and its a great example where weve gone a step further than anybody to be British, he says.

What is more, he argues, it is the focus on buying British that will help Aldi keep up the pressure on its rivals.

While other supermarket boardrooms are battling with rising prices from overseas suppliers  due to the fall in the value of the pound  Barnes says he can keep prices lower because of his commitment to British products.

One of our responses to Brexit is that we want to buy more than ever in sterling. In my view that is common business sense. The challenges we face as a country on Brexit also come with big opportunities for us to become more self-sufficient when it comes to food, he says.

It is an uncompromising challenge to his larger rivals. Barnes warns of the toughest year ever but says he can keep up his price advantage.

There has been a concerted effort from big supermarkets to close the gap on us and an awful lot of rhetoric. But I can sit here in front of you now and tell you: I wont allow anybody to challenge me, our price gap is still far higher than 15 per cent.

Matthew Barnes, chief of Aldi UK, says seventy-seven per cent of sales are British products

And I will never let that price gap close, says Barnes, sitting in his Atherstone, Warwickshire, head office.

Barnes said he has already seen signs in the reams of data collected by his firm that the position for the Big Four  Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda and Morrisons  is worsening.

Our price advantage over some of the larger chains is up to 30 per cent, he suggests.

I think the price gap will increase this year. I believe it already has from what we have seen over the past two months. From our internal measures and from online databases that scrape the internet every day, thousands of times.

We see an awful lot of price activity at our competitors and it is in an upwards direction, he said.

The executives punchy assessment of his companys rude health will confound predictions by some City analysts that Aldis growth would soon slow.

But Barnes has some other advantages. Owned ultimately by a private German family, Aldi is free from the burden of City shareholders and their short-term demands.

Aldi finally seized the position of fifth largest food retailer in January, overtaking the Co-op

If our profits have to go down to maintain that price differential, then they will and well invest accordingly, he says.

The early effect of the Brexit-related sterling drop is already tempting more customers than ever through the doors of his 700-strong chain  and doubtless also close rival Lidl  as shoppers scramble for ways to cut back spending.

The Big Four  and notably the traditionally low-priced Asda  continue to face the dizzying effects of Aldis relentless focus on quality and price.

I dont think theres a huge amount of skill just selling things at a low price. But to do it with market leading quality, thats the skill and the challenge and thats what we do better than anybody. We are forensic about how we do that, he says.

Aldi buyers achieve this by focusing all their efforts and volumes on 2,500 product variants  including just 70 brands  within their 1,200 square metre stores. The product range could be 20 times as large in a hypermarket.

The chain rarely discounts, preferring to focus on everyday low prices, and contracts with suppliers tend to be designed around long-term relationships even on products like fresh fruit where other retail corporations buy seasonally.

The numbers which mark out Aldis ongoing success speak for themselves. Sales rose 12.4 per cent in the 12 weeks to January 29, an acceleration of growth on last year which has confounded predictions that growth at the business would begin to slow this year.

The latest surge saw Aldi finally seize the position as fifth largest food retailer in January, overtaking the Co-op. It is now behind only Tesco, the UKs largest grocer, Sainsburys, Asda and Morrisons.

Barnes insists there was no celebratory champagne at head office where the Spartan decor and ultra-efficient warehouse provide an insight into the mindset of the firm.

Aldi rarely discounts, preferring to focus instead on everyday low prices

Meanwhile, the 22-strong board have been at the company since day one. Barnes himself joined in 1997 as a graduate trainee with a 26,000 a year salary  now 42,000 for new graduate starters.

After a year learning the ropes in stores, he became an area manager  a role that would have taken years to attain at any other retail group.

Weve had the strongest start to a year in years. Well see growth continue in very strong double-digit terms and we are confident, particularly from what we have seen in February, that sales will only increase in pace.

The company wants another 300 stores by 2022  a target that looks increasingly likely to arrive early. Barnes said the board has already approved 260 of those new sites.

I think weve been a breath of fresh air in the market and forced competitors to re-evaluate

He adds there are 600 towns in Britain still without an Aldi store and the companys growth in the South is still in its infancy. He says adding some stores to relieve crowded ones nearby has caused analysts to ponder the companys store-by-store performance.

But Barnes says this is essential and what he calls required cannibalisation.

Sales at stores open at least a year, a preferred method of measuring business health among retail analysts, are still positive.

How soon before Aldis relentless growth causes something  most likely one of his larger rivals  to break? The pie is only so big and we will continue to take customers from the other supermarkets.

I think weve been a breath of fresh air. I think weve forced our competitors to re-evaluate the returns theyre making  there is a realignment going on and customers are benefiting, he says.

As for that characterisation as German, Barnes is bemused. There must be a reason why the media loves to write that? But it just isnt an accurate description, he says.

Though, he admits in one regard, the German parentage shows up in one area: company cars for managers tend to be Audis or Mercedes.
President of the CBI Paul Drechsler has given a chilling vision of the future for businesses if Britain fails to reach a deal with the European Union before we quit.

In his speech to City grandees at Mansion House last week, Drechsler highlighted three examples of possible crises. But these only skimmed the surface.





The CBI provided the Mail on Sunday with litany of potential pitfalls for Britain without a trade deal, and we explain why they matter.

CBI boss Paul Drechsler gives 10 ways Britain will lose without a deal with the EU

1. Imagine you're a small cosmetics firm in Stockport and shops in France sell your products. Without an EU office it's illegal for those French shops to sell your products. A loss for you and for them

Every cosmetic sold in the EU is required to have an address on its packaging, showing where the person who takes legal responsibility for the item is based. That address must be in the EU. Without a trade deal UK addresses will not qualify.

2. Imagine you're a German tourist in Edinburgh and you use a credit card to pay for a hotel. No deal? The German bank may not be able to make that payment, disrupting business in both countries.

New rules on transferring personal data across borders  which includes credit card transactions  are being introduced in the EU next year. The UK will need its own deal to show its data protection rules are adequate.

3. Imagine you're a chemicals company in Leeds and you have systems that track your ingredients from Poland. You'll face delays and higher costs getting supplies, hurting your Polish customers too.

The chemicals sector in the EU must conform to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals rules to ensure firms register what materials they use.

The CBI argues that even if the UK adopts exactly the same rules, more bureaucracy will be involved in trading with the EU and businesses will also face tariffs on their trade. The CBI said one chemical company had estimated it would face '1,500 different tariffs'.

A florist in Southampton who imports from the Netherlands, will need new paperwork and customs checks when the UK leaves the EU, meaning delays at ports in Rotterdam.

4. Say you're a Spanish technology firm in Newcastle. If your British customers want products you don't have in stock, you won't be able to get them sent straight from Spain.

The products will have to be shipped to somewhere in Newcastle first to remove new export paperwork, extending order times and needing new storage facilities.

Products traded outside the EU must have VAT papers attached. Firms will need to remove this before sending items to consumers.

5. A florist in Southampton who imports from the Netherlands, will need new paperwork and customs checks, meaning delays at ports in Rotterdam.

This would mean fewer of your flowers arrive in good condition.

6. Imagine you're a Welsh manufacturer making half the parts of a machine to be assembled in South Korea. Currently, that product counts as local content for EU trade. Without a deal the whole product will be subject to new tariffs on export to the EU.

The EU has a trade deal that means a product counts as 'local' if 60 per cent is made in the EU or South Korea. Without a trade deal the product would not count as local and would face tariffs. The Welsh firm may no longer be an attractive partner for the South Korean company looking to export to Europe

7. If you are an automotive company in England, selling cars into Europe, unless there is a trade deal, you will have to get your new cars tested and certified twice, once in the UK and once in the EU, creating costs and delays for consumers on both sides.

The UK's Vehicle Certification Agency provides testing and certification, which licenses them for sale throughout the EU. Without a new deal, simultaneous licensing will no longer be possible.

A dairy in Northern Ireland sells milk to a processing plant in Dublin that makes infant formula for China. Without a deal this may not be allowed for sale in China

8. Imagine you're an asbestos firm in Edinburgh, whose European clients pay you for services in the UK and Portugal. Without a trade deal you may no longer have automatic accreditation to provide your services on the Continent.

The UK Accreditation Service provides certification for a range of firms including laboratories, health and safety management and more. Accreditation from UKAS allows certified firms also to provide services to the EU. Without a trade deal, this would no longer be possible.

9. A dairy in Northern Ireland sells milk to a processing plant in Dublin that makes infant formula for China. Without a deal this may not be allowed for sale in China

It may no longer be recognised as meeting a European standard.

10. Imagine you're a life sciences company in Reading, selling the medicines you design to the UK and the EU. Without a deal your products will have to be tested and certified separately for the UK and the EU, creating potential delays for patients.

Pro-Brexit campaigners argue the CBI has hugely exaggerated the issues. However, CBI president Paul Drechsler has described the approach of Article 50 as a rollercoaster: 'Any minute now... we'll drop into the twists and turns of negotiations.'
Banks are booking hundreds of millions of pounds in income from zero per cent balance transfer credit cards  years before they get it.

The income boosts paper profits instantly, and can be used to meet required capital levels and justify payment of dividends.

The practice is required by accounting standards, but some fear it may be stoking a credit bubble, as banks boost profit figures in the short term with products that will not bring in cash until 2020.

Banks account for income from such deals by estimating the likely return from the cards over their lifetime, usually seven years

Consumer credit figures from the Bank of England show borrowing soared late last year. And while data out last week showed the rate of new borrowing easing off a little to 10 per cent, it is still edging closer to the peak of 202 billion seen before the financial crisis.

In January, unsecured lending, excluding student loans, stood at 194 billion, or more than 7,000 for every household in the country.

In particular, the growth in zero interest credit card transfers is ringing alarm bells in the City.

Banks account for income from such deals by estimating the likely return from the cards over their lifetime, usually seven years. They then divide that by the number of months the card is to be held, and book that as monthly income.

Bankers said that while this was standard practice, risks are rising, as the interest-free periods have more than doubled in recent years.

The ability to forecast income accurately is greatly diminished the further out in time you look, one source said. Loans with longer interest-free periods tend to perform less well as a result of the forecasting difficulty.

And there are fears that banks may be paying staff bonuses for selling the cards  staff who might not be around when issues arise.

Lloyds Banking Group, which wants to expand aggressively into consumer credit, offers a Halifax-branded card charging nothing for 43 months.

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said last month he was considering a crackdown on ballooning levels of consumer borrowing

Sainsburys Bank offers 42 months interest-free, while other banks offer 41 months at zero per cent. After those periods the rate reverts to 18.9 per cent a year, or even higher. Back in 2010, 18-month cards were the best sellers.

Lloyds said: International accounting standards require us to recognise both up-front balance transfer fees and interest on balance transfer products over the life of the account.

We lend responsibly, with strict affordability testing. There are no colleague sales incentives.

The bank recently bought credit card specialist MBNA. Its consumer finance lending grew 9 per cent in 2016, it said last month.

Sainsburys Bank said: We take our responsibility as a lender of consumer credit seriously and have strict processes in place to ensure we lend appropriately. Our accounting practices are in line with industry standards.

Britons have debts of 66 billion on credit cards, with estimates suggesting up to a third is held on zero per cent balance transfer cards.

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said last month he was considering a crackdown on ballooning levels of consumer borrowing. Carney said the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Banks Financial Policy Committee may order banks to tighten standards.

He told MPs: The first stance is to ensure the standards are appropriate and there is not that slide from responsible to reckless.

In 2014 the Financial Policy Committee stepped in to rein in banks when it was felt mortgage borrowing was spiralling out of control. It limited the number of loans that banks could provide which were more than 4.5 times a borrowers income.

Sainsburys offers 42 months interest-free, while other banks offer 41 months at zero per cent

The Bank has preferred in recent years to target specific sectors that may be overheating, rather than increase interest payments for all borrowers by raising its base rate.

Surging consumer borrowing has been a key reason why the growth in the UKs gross domestic product  a measure of economic activity  has been so strong since the EU referendum vote in June last year.

Some banks have pulled away from the credit splurge, criticising offers of unsecured loans to borrowers at rates of less than 3 per cent.

Nathan Bostock, chief executive of Santander UK, said: When you see that the cheapest unsecured loans are below standard variable mortgage rates you see a level below the long-run cost of credit.

Secure Trust Bank announced earlier this year that it was pulling out of unsecured loans altogether.

The strong growth in GDP since June is slowing, data out last week indicated, with purchasing managers indices suggesting GDP growth in the first quarter of the year was 0.4 per cent, down from 0.7 per cent in the last quarter of 2016.
This Saturday is the 17th anniversary of the bursting of the dotcom bubble, the stock market correction that saw share values plummet  triggering the collapse of a host of internet-based companies.

For hundreds of thousands of UK investors who had been persuaded to buy technology-focused funds by top investment houses powerful marketing campaigns, the savaging of their portfolios proved financially catastrophic.

Last weeks successful flotation of mobile phone app Snapchat  a company that has never made a profit  has been seen by some experts as an indication of dotcom bubble Mark II.

The flotation of Snapchat has been seen by some as an indication of dotcom bubble Mark II

Yet some fund managers believe the case for holding technology stocks remains robust. They argue that the internet has transformed the way we shop and do business, turning the likes of Google owner Alphabet and Microsoft into some of the worlds biggest firms by value.

One fund investing in internet-focused companies is Pictet Digital. With 685 million in assets, it is managed from Pictet Asset Managements Geneva base by Sylvie Sejournet and Nolan Hoffmeyer.

Its record is impeccable. Over the past five years, it has returned 155 per cent, which compares well with the average for tech and telecoms funds (107 per cent) and the FTSE All-Share Index (57 per cent).

The 49-stock fund predictably holds most of the big listed tech firms, such as Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft and Twitter. But it is not just a holder of leading technology brands.

Among its portfolio are a number of unfamiliar firms, such as Medidata Solutions, a leader in helping pharmaceutical groups facilitate the clinical testing of drugs. Zendesk, a Californian supplier of customer service software, is another key holding.

The 49-stock fund predictably holds most of the big listed tech firms, such as Amazon

Hoffmeyer says the fund has about 400 firms worldwide to choose from, though most are based in America. Stocks are eligible for inclusion only if they pass a purity ratio. In simple terms, more than 20 per cent of revenue must be derived online.

Once stocks overcome this hurdle, the managers apply quantitative and qualitative tests to see if it is fit to include in the fund.

Quantitative analysis includes looking at how pure its revenues are (the more online-centric it is, the higher score it gets), how quickly shares can be sold and the share price volatility.

The fund run by Sylvie Sejournet and Nolan Hoffmeyer has returned 152 per cent in five years

Qualitative work embraces the strength of the business franchise and the credibility of the management.

Each company in the portfolio is scored weekly and if it drops, it is in danger of being sold.

The fund has an advisory board of three independent experts who help to identify emerging digital trends. One is Antoine Blondeau, co-founder of artificial intelligence specialist Sentient.

With most technology firms priced at a premium, some observers reckon we could be heading for another 2000.

But Hoffmeyer says: Digital companies are increasingly in a position to generate stronger revenues. Of course, we constantly look at valuations  they are important to our screening process. But we are nowhere near another 2000.
Independent oversight of Wisconsins judges and court commissioners is at risk in Gov. Scott Walkers proposed new state budget.

The governor, citing potential but unspecified administrative efficiencies, has asked the state Legislature to remove the independent standing of the Wisconsin Judicial Commission and instead put it, and its budget, under the jurisdiction of the state Supreme Court.

The commission is charged with investigating complaints against state judges  and that includes Supreme Court justices. Each year, the Judicial Commission reviews 400 to 500 complaints against judges and court commissioners and, if it finds probable cause of misconduct, either issues a warning or seeks disciplinary action from a three-judge panel.

The panels recommendations go to the state Supreme Court, which is the ultimate arbiter in deciding whether a judge or commissioner is reprimanded, suspended, censure or removed from office.

It is of note that in the past decade, the Judicial Commission has alleged misconduct against sitting high court justices three times  one of which resulted in a Supreme Court reprimand against Justice Annette Ziegler for failing to avoid conflict of interests when she was a circuit judge in Washington County. Ziegler had presided over nearly a dozen cases involving a West Bend Bank when her husband was on the board of the bank.

In perhaps the most notorious case, the Judicial Commission recommended action against Justice David Prosser for allegations that he placed his hands on the neck of Justice Ann Walsh Bradley during a heated argument. Seven justices were present at the mini-melee and after Prosser called on them to recuse themselves because they were witnesses, the high court couldnt reach a decision because it lacked a quorum.

Suffice to say that such pesky complaints by the Judicial Commission would probably dwindle if the Judicial Commission was placed under the control of the high court itself. Instead of a judicial watchdog, the Judicial Commission would lose its independence, and its teeth, and become a cozy lapdog for the court.

But the Legislature doesnt have to listen to us  they should listen to the Commission itself. Earlier this month, the nine-member Judicial Commission urged lawmakers to oppose Walkers proposed change.

The proposed budget degrades the independence of the Judicial Commission by transferring the budgeting and position authority over the Commission from the Legislature to the Supreme Court, commission executive director Jeremiah Van Hecke warned.

It should also be noted, the Judicial Commission is not made up of a partisan left-wing cabal operating out of some cellar in the City of Madison: five of the commissions members were appointed by Gov. Walker. The other four were appointed by the state Supreme Court.

They see what we see  that putting the commission under the aegis of the high court would not only jeopardize fair and even-handed judicial oversight, it would pose real conflicts of interest for both the Supreme Court and the commission members.

The Legislature should pull this proposal from the budget and keep the oversight of Wisconsins court as free and independent as practicable.
Sir,



I am not sure whether the devil has ordained Swaziland as his pulpit of deceit but judging from the number of false prophets mushrooming in this country, one is forced to conclude that the devil has anointed Swaziland as his source of false prophets.



Hardly a month goes by without one seeing new faces declaring themselves as prophets or prophetesses of some sort.

Since the emergence of these new trendy churches which go by the stylish names of ministries, we have also seen a rise in the number of people claiming to be prophets. This is now worrying.



In particular, I would like to respond to a story that appeared in the Times of Swaziland on February 6, 2017- titled `No Headache For Finance Minister Until 2019  prophet.

I will summarise the prophecy by one Prophet Simon Fana Ngwenya of Chosen Family Church.



Ngwenya claims that God has chosen him as the countrys prophet. No surprises there.

Many have claimed as much.

Do you remember the Mthethwa guy who also claimed to be the countrys chosen prophet?



This one also said God has commanded him not to marry, only to appear in the media shortly afterwards with a woman as his wife.

Apostle Prophet Ngwenya in his good prophecy also says this country will have enough money from now until the year 2019.



Here, I can guess Ngwenya has some privy knowledge about SACU-receipts, which may be coming Swazilands way. I see nothing prophetic here.

The newspaper also quoted Ngwenya said: God has told him to inform the country that no harm would ever come to Swaziland without him knowing. He said God had told him that he would reveal to him things before they happened.

Here, Mr Ngwenya, you will be held to your own words.



If the Lord has really said this to you, very well but if you are also one of the run-of-the-mill-prophets who are busy deceiving themselves and others while getting rich in the name of the Lord, the curse of dragging the name of the Lord in mud is upon you.

The newspaper also said, Swaziland will not be asking for much from other countries from now on. Ngwenya stressed that three years from now there will be no more poverty in the country.

He said God had told him that the country would have a lot of rain until April and that he had confirmed to him that the drought was over.

Ngwenya said the Minister of Agriculture would not have to worry about food security.



What a relief to NGOs like World Vision, UN, WFP, FAO and the Taiwanese embassy, which have become the real to many starving Swazis!

Swazis in the south are starving because of the drought. Their crops have dried up as a result of the scorching sun. Where is this abundant rain prophet Ngwenya is talking about? Is the drought over in the areas of Lavumisa and others?

According to the newspaper, Ngwenya assured that the country would not be taken by any surprises as God had made him the countrys prophet. Amen Mr Ngwenya. May it be so.

The prophet Jeremiah lived at a time like this, before the fall of the kingdom of Judah.



There were many false prophets who were prophesying and deceiving the people of Judah.

In particular, there was one prophet known as Hananiah who prophesied lies in the name of the Lord and made people relax.

They continued dabbling in sin, instead of repenting.



False prophets are dangerous because, while they enjoy basking under the glory of being called Gods prophets, at the same time they make the people believe lies and not to repent.

In Judah, while the prophet Jeremiah was conveying Gods true word about the pending destruction and a call to repentance from the young to the old citizen in the kingdom, false prophet Hananiah, on the other hand, was also busy prophesying lies about coming prosperity and false peace, contradicting the true Word of God by Prophet Jeremiah.



As expected, the people who were more inclined to sinful life rejected the message of prophet Jeremiah. From the king, down to the man on the street, all rejected Jeremiahs prophesy of pending doom and a call to repentance.

They trusted the lies of prophet Hananiahs false prophesies.



This was despite that God Jehovah had warned, in Jeremiah 23:21-22, that, I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil ways and from the evil of their doings.



BB Nkosi

MBABANE
MBABANE  Inyatsi Construction will soon create job opportunities for over 5 000 people.



This follows the companys signing of a contract with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport for the MR3 road.

The contract is worth E760 million.



The road to be built is a freeway from the Manzini traffic lights, joining Lot 2 of the Sikhuphe/ Manzini road, at Mafutseni.

The two-lane road spans 13.2 kilometres.



The road is a dual carriageway infrastructure with five bridges.

It also includes service roads on both sides of the road and it will join the current freeway project from Mbadlane to Mphandze.

This section of the project is being funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Swazi Government.



The company is in the process of completing construction of the Mphandze/Mbadlane road where it works in a joint venture set-up with a company called Sadeem Al Kuwait.

According to Derrick Shiba, Inyatsis Business Development Executive, the project will span 36 months from March 30, 2017.

The process of filling vacancies will resume from the end of April 2017.



We are looking at hiring labourers, people with trade skills, such as carpenters, electricians, concrete hands and junior foremen up to senior foremen, said Shiba in an interview with the Times SUNDAY.

He said the company would give priority to indigenous Swazis.



Our priority is getting the skills from communities along the road construction corridor. If we do not get them from there, we will then consider people from all over the country, he said.

He said the employment of people from the local community would be undertaken with the assistance of the areas traditional authorities.
MAFUTSENI  The countrys dual system of governance is confusing and must be changed.



The electorate must have power to recall non-performing parliamentarians.

Who ensures that the Constitution is adhered to and respected?



These are some of the suggestions and questions posed by a gathering of over 100 potential voters who convened at the Mafutseni Royal Kraal yesterday.

This was during the civic education exercise conducted by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC).



This is where participants engaged in an open debate on various political and developmental issues with EBC officials.

The countrys leadership structure is dual in that it combines both traditional and modern structures of governance.

Both structures have equal power.



Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini is the current head of the Executive arm of government, which usually takes instructions from the traditional structures.

The above issues transpired at a vibrant event that was attended by over 100 people yesterday.



Ncumbi Maziya, Commissioner of the EBC and Elliot Mkhatshwa, a retired unionist and member of the Swazi Democratic Party (SWADEPA), were the centre of attraction as they tackled each other on various political issues.

This happened during the question-and-answer session that came after the EBC had delivered a session on how to choose and elect the right candidate.

Mkhatshwa, a member of the local community, was the first person to speak among residents, after EBC officers had completed the civic education exercise.



He asked the EBC team: How will you ensure that women vote for other women in the elections? How will conflict in the dual system of governance be corrected?

On the first one, Commissioner Maziya said the EBCs civic education process, which would continue until elections in 2018, was themed at emphasising the importance of voting women to Parliament.



He said there was a Bill being piloted that would ensure that women got voted into Parliament, even in the event that at least 30 per cent of them were not elected from an election process.

He also said the problem of women not voting for each other was global and hoped that Swazis would eventually change and vote for women.



On the issue of the dual system, he said this was a constitutional issue that could be corrected through a constitutional process if Swazis decided that there was a need. Other speakers at the vibrant and well-attended meeting questioned the EBC on why it was impossible for the electorate to recall parliamentarians who fail to perform to expectations.



This is folly because when they die, we go to the polls to elect another candidate but we have no control once we elect them into the House, said one speaker.
Lesotho monarch requests Swazi Kings intervention in political turmoil

MBABANE  Representatives of His Majesty the King, as chairperson of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) met Basotho King Letsie and Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili.



The consultative meeting took place in Lesotho about two weeks ago.

It came at a time when there was potential turmoil once again, in the mountainous kingdom, caused by the instability on the Basotho governments leadership.

The meeting discussed various issues pertaining to security and stability in that country, among other issues.



His Majesty was represented by his special envoy Prince Hlangusempi, Minister of Economic Planning and Development.

The minister confirmed this when contacted by the Times SUNDAY.



He said the meeting had been initiated by the Basotho king. He invited our king for a meeting and since His Majesty could not make it, he sent us to represent him, he said.

The prince asked not to get into details of the meeting. The talks were very confidential and details of the meeting may not be discussed in the media, he said.

However, he said the issue of security of Lesotho was on the agenda.



Prince Hlangusemphi was part of a delegation made up of Mgwagwa Gamedze, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Mbongeni Simelane, Private Secretary to the King.

In an interview, Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze also confirmed the trip to the troubled kingdom of Lesotho.



He said the meeting they had took place behind closed doors. The minister said the Swazi delegation was able to meet the King of Lesotho and Prime Minister Mosisili.

Contacted for comment, Vincent Mhlanga, Chief Officer at the Kings Office, asked not to comment on the issue.



I am aware that there was a delegation sent by the King to Lesotho but I was not part of the delegation. I cannot, therefore, be in a position to comment, he said.

The meeting took place just days before the Lesotho parliament passed a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Mosisili, a vote that effectively removed him from office.



Mosisili, of the Democratic Congress (DC) party, has headed a coalition government since a snap election in 2015, which had been called in an effort to end Lesothos prolonged power struggles.

The coalition has recently become fragmented and last Wednesday, parliament voted in favour of replacing Mosisili with Monyane Moleleki, whose Alliance of Democrats party split from the DC last year.

Completely landlocked by South Africa, Lesotho is one of the worlds poorest countries and its economy is heavily dependent on its immediate neighbour.
Soon after his first bid for state schools chief failed, the then-Beloit School District superintendent threw his support behind another public-school advocate, the soon-to-be state superintendent.

"It was an honor to compete with someone I've admired for many years in the recent primary, who has the experience and priorities that we need in our next state Superintendent," Lowell Holtz said in a February 2009 statement, backing Tony Evers, who would go on to win that year's general election and another one four years later.

Now, Holtz is challenging Evers  this time in the general contest as the conservative choice who opposes Evers on key policies amid a remarkably different educational landscape. Republicans and conservatives now control every level of government, the state's spending on taxpayer-funded school vouchers for private schools has increased and the state's teachers union no longer plays an influential role in funding and supporting Democrats.

Holtz's path began in an elementary school classroom in rural Minnesota, included a stint on a police force in Whitewater and traveled to five elementary principal and school district superintendent positions across Wisconsin. He was fired from his first administrative job  as a principal in Cambridge  and in his last one clashed with School Board members in suburban Whitnall, where Holtz was criticized for not immediately notifying parents about a district worker accused of soliciting sex from a minor.

He also received a state and national award for his work as an elementary school principal in Peshtigo, and as superintendent he quickly cured a stalemate between a district and its teachers union in contract negotiations.

Still a supporter of creating a fair system of measuring both private voucher schools and public schools, Holtz has now made school voucher expansion a centerpiece of his campaign and touted the absence of his signature on a 2012 petition to recall Gov. Scott Walker. And he has reversed his previous support for the Common Core State Standards, a change he ties to the governor's reversal.

"Common Core was basically sold as a Corvette and it didn't take long to realize it was a manure spreader," Holtz said in an interview with the Wisconsin State Journal.

Now retired, Holtz says his experiences teaching and working in a number of school districts of various sizes and demographics make him a superior choice to Evers at a time when Wisconsin has been labeled as having the largest gap in academic achievement between black and white students in the nation.

Holtz said the Department of Public Instruction, which the state superintendent oversees, should be providing support teams in schools and their neighborhoods to help teachers and encourage parents to be involved in their schools and reduce the amount of time teachers and administrators must spend recording data.

Evers, in a statement, said more equitable funding for schools and engaging school communities are key to shrinking achievement gaps. He said he will "continue to work with the legislature to ensure education is a priority" in the new state budget.

If the primary results are any indication, Holtz has an uphill climb. Evers took 69 percent of the vote in a three-way race. Holtz  mired in a controversy over allegations he proposed getting out of the race in exchange for a guaranteed, taxpayer-funded, $150,000 state job  received 23 percent.

Holtz's dismissal divides Cambridge

Holtz's first job as a school administrator began in 1989 as an elementary school principal in Cambridge and ended with the school district's board members unanimously voting not to renew his contract six years later  a matter the State Journal characterized at the time as dividing the community.

School Board president Mark Sewell said at the time that Holtz was dismissed for poor job performance, but Holtz maintains it was because he took seven weeks of paternity leave during the school year to be with his newborn son.

Before they voted to fire Holtz after a nearly 10-hour School Board meeting, Cambridge School Board members said while he had an "aptitude for dealing with kids" and had "substantial parental support," Holtz also had problems with communication and "human relations problems," according to minutes of a Feb. 27, 1995, closed board meeting.

"The board, after hearing all of the testimony, much of it very damning, deliberated for three and a half hours before voting 6-0 to (fire) Holtz," Sewell wrote in a March 23, 1995, letter to the State Journal. "Do you really think that a superintendent or school board would spend countless hours, divide the community, and incur blazing media attention because a principal asks for six weeks off to be with his newborn child? Testimony at the hearing clearly indicated that Holtz was a poor administrator and had been so for many years."

But the School Board paid Holtz a $50,000 settlement after Holtz won an initial finding of probable discrimination from the state Equal Rights Division.

"It was painful but it was a struggle that had to be gone through so men could (have equal rights to paid leave)," Holtz said in the interview. "By no means is that a reflection of that school district."

Lois Swain, who was on the School Board at the time, said she could legally not talk about the circumstances that led to Holtz's departure  including why she voted to fire him  but said she supports him against Evers. Other board members could not be reached for comment, were deceased or did not respond to requests for interviews.

"I liked Lowell a lot," Swain said. "I thought he was a good elementary school principal."

Peshtigo to Whitnall

By the time Holtz settled with the Cambridge School Board, he was principal of an elementary school in Peshtigo  a job that earned him a state Principal of the Year award in 1999 from the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators and a national distinguished principal award from the U.S. Department of Education.

In 2002, he was hired as the Palmyra-Eagle School District superintendent by board members.

"At that time we were negotiating an annual contract with the teachers and we had not been successful in getting a contract with the teachers, and after he came we got a contract," former Palmyra-Eagle School Board member Bob Oleson said. "We opened school without a contract with the teachers and he was able to get us a contract in the first semester."

Oleson said Holtz came to the district at a time when it was "evolving" in handling the diverse backgrounds of students there and was able to "bring the district back together."

But the board's happiness with Holtz eventually diminished, he said, and after four years Holtz left to become the superintendent in Beloit, where he worked for three years.

First run for state superintendent

Holtz resigned from Beloit to make his first run for state superintendent. After not making it through the primary, and applying for other positions, Holtz was hired in 2010 as superintendent of the Whitnall School District, a five-school district in suburban Milwaukee.

He has said he retired to mount a campaign for state superintendent, but an email released amid two weeks of controversy surrounding the race indicates Holtz may have been losing support among board members.

"My board went from 5-2 in my favor to 4-3 against with the last election. A very tough group to work with. Anyway, the bottom line is that I officially retired from the district last night," Holtz wrote in a Jan. 12, 2016, email.

Holtz said last week the board was a liberal-leaning board and was difficult to work with.

"I can tell you I am endorsing Tony Evers for state superintendent," former Whitnall School Board president LuAnn Bird said. "I worked with Lowell for a number of years while he was here at Whitnall. But I just feel that Tony has a better grasp of managing an organization and how to be fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars."

Quin Brunette, School Board vice president, said his opinion of Holtz diminished after Holtz's handling of a 2013 incident in which the district's food services director was arrested (and later convicted) for using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime and Holtz did not release information to the public for at least two weeks.

Holtz said he waited to tell the public until the police wanted to release information. He said he held a community meeting about the matter after a journalist reported the arrest.

Proposal to leave race

In the days preceding the Feb. 21 primary, Holtz became embroiled in controversy after opponent John Humphries released a document to reporters showing Holtz had sought a $150,000-per-year job on a three-year contract with the Department of Public Instruction if Holtz dropped out of the race and Humphries won in April, and he offered the same to Humphries if he dropped out of the race.

Bird said she wasn't surprised.

"I was the board president so I worked very closely with him for a couple years, so it didn't surprise me that he would try that," Bird said.

She also said Holtz gave no indication as superintendent that the district should not be matching curriculum to the Common Core academic standards.

"It's interesting Dr. Holtz now is running against Common Core, when we spent a lot of money and time researching and implementing and never once in open session or in a workshop did he say anything bad about it," Brunette said.

Holtz said he encouraged implementation in order to be measured accurately against other school districts because the state test is aligned to Common Core.

But Bird also said the school district improved its academic offerings while Holtz was superintendent.

"We are doing some amazing things in our classrooms  the most innovative practices out there based on research," she said. "Under his leadership that all got started."
Beaver County preparing for robust Election Day turnout

As the Nov. 8 midterm election approaches, nearly 114,000 people are registered to vote in Beaver County.
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Lyon, France

Jose Evrard's left-wing credentials were impeccable. His great-uncle Victor, he recounts with pride, was a French communist executed by the Nazis; his father worked in a coal mine; Evrard himself was a card-carrying French communist for 36 years.

So the former postal worker is the least likely person one would expect to see basking in adulation at a congress of France's far-right National Front.

Yet there he was, in a grey suit and patterned tie, sharing the stage where party leader and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen would later reduce followers to tears vociferating against immigration and the European Union.

To cries of "Bravo!" from the audience, Evrard recounted his pendulum swing  from communist organizer to star convert for the populist Le Pen.

"We are no longer seen as carriers of plague," Evrard said. "At markets, our presence is welcome."

To jump from election front-runner to president, Le Pen needs legions of voters to similarly cross the Rubicon and switch camps.

Polls suggest her core supporters should be enough to put her top in the first-round vote on April 23. But Le Pen won't win the decisive May 7 runoff unless large numbers break with past voting habits and, like Evrard, abandon traditional, even life-long, allegiances.

Converts like Evrard are valuable to the National Front because they lend weight to its argument that old-school French politics, the left-right duopoly of post-war France, is collapsing. The party plays up their example to show that it has become more acceptable to vote Le Pen since she won 18 percent of the ballot in 2012, placing third in the presidential election's first round.

Looking to rally voters of all stripes, Le Pen speaks of a new landscape pitting "patriots" against "globalists"  the Paris political elite she accuses of surrendering France's power and sovereignty to European bureaucrats and opening it to culture-destroying mass immigration.

"We enlist all patriots from the right or left to join us," Le Pen thundered at the congress where she launched her 144-point platform in February. "Elected officials or simple citizens, wherever you come from, whatever commitments you made, you have a place at our side."

Evrard and other converts were given stage time at the two-day gathering in Lyon. Showcasing people who abandoned Le Pen's political enemies to join her serves the National Front's strategy of "detoxification," its effort to rid the party of its image as a home for racists and neo-fascists.

The strategy has included Le Pen sidelining her father, Jean-Marie, to distance the party from the cantankerous ex-foreign legionnaire who founded the FN in 1972 and his repeated court convictions for minimizing Nazi atrocities.

Supporters in Lyon said they now feel more comfortable showing their National Front colors.

"I never dared tell my parents that I voted FN," said Mireille Dumas, a retired beautician, referring to the party by its French acronym. She said she used to avoid discussing her politics with clients for fear of losing their business.

"I voted in secret," she said. "Now I'm happy to have been freed, because we can talk about it."

She and her husband, Thierry, were among those who sought out Evrard for selfies and handshakes after his speech, as they might a TV celebrity. Thierry Dumas said he, too, was a card-carrying communist from 1976-1982. He switched his vote to the FN in 1988 and became a party member in 2010.

If Le Pen wins in May, he said, it will be "only because (other) people will have trodden this path."

Evrard said it took him 13 years to complete his journey from one political extreme to the other. Having quit the French Communist Party in 2000, he says he walked into a National Front office in 2013 and said, "I want to take part in the fight, so I have come to ask for membership."

He stood as a National Front candidate and beat a communist rival in 2015 local elections.

Ideologically, the gulf between far-left and far-right isn't as unbridgeable as it might outwardly seem, he argued. In the National Front, Evrard said he has rediscovered values drilled into him by his left-wing family  "notions of sovereignty, independence, the defense of the Tricolor flag and all of that"  but also faced hostility from former comrades.

"It's hard when you have been a (communist) member for a long time," he said. "You feel the looks saying, 'traitor,' 'phony' and what not, because people don't accept that you can change ideas."
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From Colorado's state Capitol to Trump Tower in New York and the Washington Monument, groups of hundreds of people rallied for President Trump Saturday, waving "Deplorables for Trump," signs and carrying a life-size cutout of the president.

The March 4 Trump demonstrations were planned around the country, and supporters clashed with generally smaller groups of counter protesters. Six people protesting the rally in St. Paul, Minn., were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol and fled, police said. About 400 people attended the St. Paul event, and about 50 showed up to protest it. Some other minor scuffles between the dueling demonstrators were quickly defused.

Near Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach Post reported that people on both sides exchanged profanity. Trump's motorcade briefly stopped so he could wave at supporters.

In Ohio, Trump supporter Margaret Howe, 57, of Pataskala, said she increasingly fears civil war.

"We did not want to have something like this happen," she said. "We came out today because Trump deserves to see he still has people for him. It's just all sad."

Outside the state Capitol in Denver, hundreds gathered, listening to speakers including former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo on the West Steps facing the mountains. Many in the crowd held American flags or wore red, white and blue and held signs with messages like "Veterans before Refugees."

Chelsea Thomas, an accountant from Thornton, Colo., brought her family to the rally  and a life-size cardboard cutout of Trump. She said the family has taken it with them on camping trips, boat rides and a country music festival.

"It's nice to be surrounded by people who share your morals and opinions," Thomas said. A group of counter protesters were separated from the rally by police tape. They chanted "No Trump. No KKK. No fascist USA" and held signs with messages like "Your vote was a hate crime."

In Augusta Maine, more than 100 people turned out for the event that was supposed to last three hours, but ended early because of freezing temperatures. In Miami, supporters continued a rally while sipping espressos outside a Cuban restaurant.

At a North Carolina rally, speakers said the dishonest media and left wing politicians were bordering on sedition in their opposition to the president. Some men were seen walking through the Raleigh crowd carrying a Trump flag and a Confederate flag.
West Palm Beach, Fla.

President Donald Trump on Saturday accused former President Barack Obama of tapping his phones at Trump Tower the month before the election, taking to Twitter to call his predecessor a "bad (or sick) guy."

Without offering any evidence or providing the source of his information, Trump fired off a series of Twitter messages claiming that Obama "had my 'wires tapped.'" He likened the supposed tapping to "Nixon/Watergate" and "McCarthyism."

A spokesman for Obama said any suggestion that the former president had ordered such surveillance was "simply false."

Trump's aides declined to clarify whether the president's explosive allegations were based on briefings from intelligence or law enforcement officials  which could mean that Trump was revealing previously unknown details about an investigation  or on something else, like a news report.

His decision to lend the power of his office to such a charged claim against his predecessor  without offering any initial proof  was remarkable, even for a leader who has repeatedly shown himself willing to make assertions that are false or based on dubious sources.

It would have been difficult for federal agents, working within the law, to obtain a wiretap order to target Trump's phone conversations. It would have meant that the Justice Department had gathered sufficient evidence to persuade a federal judge that there was probable cause to believe he had committed a serious crime or was an agent of a foreign power, depending on whether it was a criminal investigation or a foreign intelligence one.

Former officials pointed to long-standing laws and procedures intended to ensure that presidents cannot wiretap a rival for political purposes.

"A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice," said Kevin Lewis, a spokesman for Obama. "As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen."

But a senior White House official said that Donald F. McGahn II, the president's chief counsel, was working on Saturday to secure access to what the official described as a document issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court authorizing surveillance of Trump and his associates. The official offered no evidence to support the notion that such a document exists; any such move by a White House counsel would be viewed at the Justice Department as a stunning case of interference.

It has been widely reported that there is a federal investigation, which began during the 2016 presidential campaign, into links between Trump associates and the Russians. That issue has dogged Trump for months.

In one message, which Trump sent from his Palm Beach, Fla., estate at 6:35 a.m., the president said he had "just found out" that his phones had been tapped before the election. Trump's reference to "wires tapped" raised the possibility that he was referring to other electronic surveillance.

Two people close to Trump said they believed he was referring to a Breitbart News article, which aides said had been passed among his advisers. Mark Levin, a conservative radio host, had also embraced the theory in a push against what right-leaning commentators have been calling the "deep state."

The Breitbart article claimed that there was a series of "known steps taken by President Barack Obama's administration in its last months to undermine Donald Trump's presidential campaign and, later, his new administration."

Ben Rhodes, a former top national security aide to Obama, said in a tweet directed at Trump that "no president can order a wiretap" adding, "Those restrictions were put in place to protect citizens from people like you."
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Albany

Expectations were not high when Dan McCoy became the Albany County executive.

Many dismissed him as a lightweight who had lucked into the job. He was perceived as a machine candidate, a throwback to Albany's legendary political system. He had been, after all, the guy who held Dan O'Connell's old role.

But we underestimated McCoy. We overlooked his compelling biography and the shrewdness that fueled his rise. McCoy has grown into his job, for sure, but he was always more thoughtful and serious than was assumed.

More Information Contact columnist Chris Churchill at 518-454-5442 or email cchurchill@timesunion.com See More Collapse

For evidence, look at his two-year campaign to help poor defendants get a fair shake in court. No politician around here has taken on a more important cause.

"I want everyone to be on the same playing field when they walk into a courtroom," McCoy told me last week. "I want everyone to have the same opportunity, poor or rich."

McCoy has been pushing statewide legislation, crafted in his office, that would shift the cost of providing indigent legal services from counties to the state. The bill is needed because many counties can't afford decent representation. Public defenders are often overwhelmed by crushing caseloads.

The result is nobody's idea of justice. Too often, the poor go to jail on circumstances under which the wealthy would walk. It's a mockery of American values.

McCoy's bill, which also would have made more people eligible for indigent defense, sailed through the state Assembly and Senate last year. It had bipartisan support, because criminal-justice reform is backed by thinking people across the political spectrum  from Charles Koch to Bernie Sanders.

But Gov. Andrew Cuomo vetoed it, a scorn-worthy move.

McCoy is again pushing hard for the bill's passage. Ask him why he has invested so much effort in the legislation, and he'll probably mention Kalief Browder.

You know about Browder, right?

Accused of stealing a backpack, the 16-year-old from the Bronx spent three years in Rikers, including two years in solitary confinement, waiting for a trial that never came. Browder was eventually released but never recovered. Two years ago, he jumped from a second-floor window with a cord wrapped around his neck. He was 22 when he died.

"That just shouldn't happen in this country," said McCoy, adding that he began working on his legal services bill shortly after reading about the teen. Browder was much like many of the people McCoy grew up around.

McCoy's biography is little known. He grew up poor in a Second Avenue duplex near Hoffman Park, often relying on the very county services he now oversees. The neighborhood continues to shape him, he said.

By way of example, McCoy said that at one point growing up, his family's power was shut off because there was no money to pay the bill. The neighbors hot-wired electricity into the apartment.

"That's what people did for you," McCoy said. "It was a community, and that's what Albany means to me. It made me who I am."

McCoy, now 47, went to Albany High and joined the military soon after. He returned, became a firefighter and found politics, rising to lead Albany County's Democratic committee and its legislature. He was elected to his current job in 2011 and easily re-elected four years later.

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Never the smoothest speaker, McCoy can walk into one paragraph and exit another. Barrel chested and broad shouldered, he sometimes looks like Barney Rubble in a suit and tie. He's not going to win many road races.

But if you underestimate McCoy, you are making the same mistake as the high school guidance counselor who told him he was best suited for a job on the Freihofer's assembly line.

None of this is to say that McCoy has been a perfect county executive. If you read this column regularly, you know that.

But he deserves credit when it's due  for pushing for a fairer justice system, fighting for safer oil trains, advocating for public housing residents hurt by pollution and, more than anything, remembering where he came from.

In fact, if Democrats nationally want to return from their self-induced political oblivion and reconnect with blue-collar voters, they should find more candidates like the Albany County executive.

"I'll always fight for the underdog," McCoy said. "I owe it to the neighborhoods I grew up in and ran around in."

Listen to McCoy talk about his love for his city and something becomes obvious: He's in the wrong job. Mayor would be a better fit.

Here's betting that job will one day be his.

cchurchill@timesunion.com  518-454-5442  @chris_churchill
Since Assembly elections were called on the 2nd of March, Sinn Fein members from right across Tipperary have travelled in large numbers to Co. Antrim to help our comrades in their election campaigns.

This election is of importance to Sinn Fein who accepted the recommendation of former Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness that power sharing structures are no longer functional and that the DUPs record in government is unacceptable.

Serious concerns around actions during the last Assembly has been the main reason why an election was inevitable.

The DUP used the petition of concern (veto) 81 times to prevent Sinn Fein & other partys proposals from being implemented. This veto system was extremely excessive and prevented Sinn Fein from implementing its policies.

Sinn Fein Assembly leader Michelle O Neill has called for the veto clause to be dropped but this proposal has been rejected by DUP leader Arlene Foster. There are also serious allegations liked to former First Minister Arlene Foster around the RHI heating initiative.

There are also major concerns around the sale of the Northern Ireland Nama portfolio named Project Eagle which was the single biggest property deal done under NAMA.

The DUP & Sinn Fein are the most unlikely coalition partners but must share power as part of the Good Friday Agreement. The GFA is now 18 years old and political circumstances in Ireland & Britain have changed considerably since.

With the impending Brexit looming, the island of Ireland will now have a EU -UK border. Northern Ireland voted to Remain in the EU and its our position that Ireland must receive special status in Brexit negotiations, there must be no return to a hard border.

The Good Friday Agreement & subsequent agreements must also be respected in any Brexit deal, including the option for Northern Ireland to re-join the EU as part of a United Ireland. This would be in the case of a United Ireland Referendum passing in the near future, much like the reunification of Germany after the Berlin Wall was taken down.
RECENTLY, THE HEAVIES OFFERED $100,000 TO RAISE KANSAS CITY PROPERTY TAXES OVER THE NEXT 40 YEARS!!!

According the the Missouri Ethics website, the Heavy Constructors Association Industry Advancement Fund chipped in with a cool $100K on March 1st and comprise nearly one third of the support for the "Progress KC" (GO BOND campaign PAC) in the current fundraising cycle.

Quick follow-up for Sunday morning regarding thethat deserves at least one mention amid a dearth of real reporting in the otherwise completely broken local news cycle.To wit . . .Remember that our blog community wasRight now we wanted to highlight an aspect of this effort that deserves attention . . .They aren't doing this out of the goodness of their heart, this coalition of construction dudes stand to earnfrom the infrastructure and rebuilding jobs that come out of this effort . . . Even if those projects move along at a snail's pace. The prospect of taking the lion's share of a proposed $800 Million effort is well worth the $100K gamble.Sadly, construction gigs rarely benefit urban core communities because City Hall has done an abysmal job at encouraging minority hiring.Even worse, while municipal Democracy is mostly a pay-for-play endeavor . . . The timing of this big money endorsement from some of the biggest companies in Kansas City should reveal to taxpayers that supporters of GO BONDS are heavily invested in winning voter approval no matter the rising costs passed on to local home owners.You decide . . .
IS OLATHE DOOMED TO BE THE "METH TOWN" OF JOHNSON COUNTY OR CAN THE ENCLAVE REDEEM ITSELF???

International controversy and fear recently focused on a Kansas City metro suburb that's now struggling to shake off the negative perception and establish an identity in the aftermath of alleged hate killing.Here's a typical headline from local news that acknowledges the problem:While some newsies report theThe reality is that this part of the metro isn't "growing increasingly diverse" . . . It's simply growing and confronting real world problems along with tragically negative perceptions . . .To wit . . .All of the typical problems of the fading middle-class confront this community as more and more Americans are forced to confront an identity in the aftermath of consumerism, steady incomes and/or good public schools . . . But that's not to say that a new vision of the suburbs isn't possible.A rebrand for Olathe is about more than a few horrible public service or tourism ads . . . A genuine attempt at rebranding and redemption must involve a real effort to find a vision for a community beyond the lowest rent suburb amongYou decide . . .
These days, its easy to feel like the world is a depressing place where nothing good ever happens. Bombs explode, wars trundle on, politics gets more polarized, and the future looks as black as can be. No wonder we wake up each morning reaching for the Xanax.

But not everything has to be a non-stop horror show of mind-numbing misery. In the shadows of the natural world, far away from where headline writers prying eyes can glimpse them, a number of animals have been undergoing a remarkable resurgence. Even as we devastate the environment in places like Indonesia and China, we humans have gradually been helping select species tiptoe back from the edge of extinction. Desperately need proof that not everything is doom and gloom? Look no further.

10. The Giant Panda (No Longer Endangered: 2016)

The giant panda is the poster boy for endangered animals. Literally. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) use an image of a panda in their logo. Know what else the giant panda is? Not even close to going extinct. As of September 2016, the most-famous endangered animal on the planet is no longer actually endangered.

When the WWF first picked the panda for their logo in 1961, the species had nearly vanished. Although a handful of wild pandas remained, they were so rare conservations had no idea how many were actually left. It took decades to reverse their decline. First, poaching had to be cracked down on, before some douchenozzle hunter could blow away the last panda in the hope of making a quick buck. Second, a whole load of wildlife reserves had to be set up to protect their habitat. China today has 67 panda reserves, protecting 14,000 square kilometers of habitat.

Thanks to all this effort, panda populations have been growing at an encouraging rate. By 2004, there were around 1,500 living in the wild. Fast forward to today, and that number is over 2,000. While the giant panda is still on the vulnerable list, it is thankfully no longer teetering on the brink of extinction.

9. Chatham Petrel (No Longer Endangered: 2015)

90 percent of you just saw the name Chatham Petrel and said something along the lines of Whaaaaaa? The remaining ten percent are from New Zealand and know exactly what were talking about. A bird species native to the remote Chatham Islands, an archipelago some 650 kilometers east of Wellington, the petrel is found nowhere else on Earth. And thats a problem, because the Chatham Islands have a new kid on the block: the broad billed prion.

If you dont know the prion already, its the kind of hipster-bird that likes to rock up in a neighborhood, scoop up all the affordable property, and probably open a craft beer joint or two. But while human hipsters doing this merely breed resentment, the prion leaves the petrel nowhere else to go but the grave. With its nesting sites stolen, the petrel dies. It dies so hard that, in 1995, its population numbers dropped to a mere 600.

Thankfully, New Zealands birders are nothing if not inventive. Faced with this looming petrelgeddon, they simply gathered the birds up, took them to a new island without prions, and left them there to get on with it. As of 2015, the petrels numbers were sufficiently restored to downgrade it from endangered to vulnerable.

8. Louisiana Black Bear (No Longer Endangered: 2015)

Its not often that we celebrate the survival of a murder machine that could tear us limb from limb, but the Louisiana Black Bear is different. For one thing, its a unique subspecies thats celebrated as the state animal. For another, it also gave us a template for childrens plush toys for decades to come. The Louisiana Black Bear is where we got the name teddy bear from.

This is thanks to a now largely-forgotten incident involving President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1902, Roosevelt decided he was gonna shoot a black bear in rural Mississippi. Roping in an expert bear killer named Holt Collier, who had killed over 3,000 bears, the President set off on a hunt that lasted a stupid amount of time. With Roosevelt unable to find a bear, his assistants eventually got hold of an injured one, tied it to a tree, and invited the President to shoot it. Roosevelt refused, saying it was unsportsmanlike.

When news of the incident reached the capitol, a cartoonist for the Washington Post drew an image of the President refusing to shoot an adorable, fluffy little creature. The public went nuts for the image, leading to sales of toys based on it. The teddy bear was born.

Nonetheless, the Louisiana bear itself nearly went extinct. In 1992, only 150 remained in the wild. Two decades of conservation efforts have since boosted the population to over 700.

7. Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel (No Longer Endangered: 2015)

In 1967, the Federal Government passed something known as the Endangered Species Preservation Act. The first legislation of its kind in the US, the act required states to list animals in danger of dying out and make some kind of effort to save them. Consisting of 77 animals, the original list read like a roll call of the nearly-dead and dying of Americas fauna. Near the very top of it sat the Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel.

A large gray squirrel, the fox squirrel had been led to the brink of extinction by intense logging and overhunting. By the time it was protected in 1967, its range had dropped to 10 percent of what it had once been. Its survival chances werent helped by the fact that its habitat was almost entirely on private land, and stretched over 3 different states (Maryland, Delaware and Virginia). If theres one thing harder than herding cats, its getting home owners in three different states to turn their lives upside down just to save a tree-based rodent.

Yet thats exactly what happened. After nearly five decades of concerted effort, fox squirrel numbers had bloomed to over 20,000. They now inhabit 28 percent of the peninsula, and are expanding all the time.

6. Steller Sea Lion (No Longer Endangered: 2013)

On the cold, rocky shores of western Alaska, lives one of Americas greatest native creatures. The Steller Sea Lion is a huge beast, a gigantic mess of blubber and fur bigger and blubberier than even yo momma. Able to range down as far as central California  a distance we decided is best expressed as a lot  its a species that is impressive in every sense of the word. Yet it wasnt always this way. As recently as 1990, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was convinced the steller sea lion was about to go extinct.

At the time, the Steller Sea Lion population had been hit hard by centuries of hunting, repeated environmental disasters, and crashes with trawler ships (which hit them hard enough to turn them into mulch). It also seemed unlikely theyd ever recover. When an animal lands on the NOAA Fisheries endangered list, it generally only comes off by actually going extinct. Prior to 2013, only one species had ever recovered enough to be removed, when the North Pacific gray whale unexpectedly bounced back in 1994.

Well, to that small list, we can now add the Steller Sea Lion. In 1979, there were only 18,000 left. By 2010, there were over 70,000. With the population growing by over 4% each year, it seems likely that the Steller Sea Lion has now been permanently saved from extinction.

5. Arabian Oryx (No Longer Endangered: 2011)

The Arabian Oryx has the dubious distinction of being the only animal on our list to have actually gone extinct. In 1972, some nameless jerk took his rifle and shot the last one, killing the entire species stone dead. And that was it for the grand, stately beast that had once ruled the vast desert wastes of the Arabian peninsula.

Or, at least, it should have been. But, for once, fate was smiling on a dying species. As the population dwindled, a few ultra-rich princes in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi had taken a handful of the beasts to keep as curiosities in their royal collections. At the time, this probably seemed like a total douche move to those trying to preserve the wild population. But with all wild oryx dead, having a few spare in captivity no longer seemed such a bad idea. In 1982, Oman created a special reserve to get these oryx breeding again. Fast forward to today, and there are now over 1,000 oryx living in the wild.

It probably helped that the oryx was a symbol of ancient significance on the Arabian peninsula. Long used for their ability to smell water from several kilometers away, it was seen as a matter of regional pride to revive the noble creature. We doubt this wouldve been the case if it had been the Arabian Fartworm that wound up going extinct.

4. Lake Erie Water Snake (No Longer Endangered: 2011)

The turnaround in the fortunes of the Lake Erie Water Snake is nothing short of incredible. In 1999, it was considered so endangered that the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed it as on the brink of extinction. By 2011, a mere 12 years later, its population had rebounded enough to remove it from the list altogether. Thats such a crazy-quick recovery that we almost feel like a mistake mustve been made somewhere.

Native to Lake Erie (duh), the Lake Erie water snake has the double-misfortune of living near wasteful humans, and looking like a nightmare monster that people instinctively want to kill. Honestly, the number one reason the FWS listed for its plummeting population was humans seeing it, freaking out, and killing it with anything they had to hand. Yet, despite looking like something that comes crawling out a newly-opened vault in the final act of a horror film, the Lake Erie water snake is actually pretty harmless. Just dont go putting anything dangling and sensitive in their mouths and you should be fine.

3. Gray Wolf (No Longer Endangered: 2011)

So now we come to probably the most-controversial cast member in our little eco-review, the North American gray wolf. A proud creature that roams the back forests of the USA, the gray wolf was placed on the endangered list way back in the 1970s, and stayed there for the next 35 years. In 2011, the US FWS announced that the wolf had rebounded, with over 5,500 now living in the contiguous United States. It was at this point that things really began to heat up.

The declassification of the gray wolf was contingent on the FWS reclassifying eastern gray wolves as a separate species. However, a scientific study claimed that there was no evidence to back this up. Things grew quite heated; to the extent that an argument about species sub-classifications can ever be said to get heated (like, were pretty sure blows werent exchanged).

This scientific spat aside, its beyond doubt that the gray wolf has seen something of a resurgence. Once hunted almost to extinction, they are now finally creeping back into the forests of the USA.

2. Brown Pelican (No Longer Endangered: 2009)

From the point of view of the Brown Pelican, the entire mid-20th century was little more than a protracted attempt by human beings to kill all its relatives off as quickly as possible. As pesticides became more and more common in the US, farmers and government workers began spraying just about everything that moved with DDT. Harmful to humans, DDT was nothing short of an apocalypse for brown pelicans.

The poor birds ate poisoned fish, got sick, and died with alarming rapidity. Those that survived started laying eggs with thin, useless shells. These shells cracked at the slightest movement, killing the unborn chicks inside. As a direct result of this global pesticide party, the brown pelicans population numbers went into a tailspin. By 1970, they were endangered.

Thankfully for humans and pelicans alike, the use of DDT became pretty taboo by the mid-70s. Eventually, the US banned it altogether, with the sole exception of using it to combat malaria. Its habitat no longer coated with poisonous chemicals, the brown pelican was able to rebound. Finally, in 2009, the FWS removed it from the endangered list altogether.

1. Indian Rhino (No Longer Endangered: 2008)

A few centuries ago, life was looking pretty sweet for the Indian rhinoceros. The great beast roamed the entire north of the subcontinent, from modern Pakistan to Bangladesh, via Bhutan. They numbered in the hundreds of thousands, if not the millions. They were big, impressive, and seemingly unstoppable. Then, in the early years of the 20th century, big game hunters decided theyd make perfect trophies. Within 70 years, this once-robust population had been reduced to a mere 600.

Come 1975, the rhino was extinct in Bangladesh and Bhutan, and going that way in India. It was only by a phenomenal effort that the decline was stopped before they were wiped out altogether. Habitat protection and anti-hunting laws were beefed up, and heavy penalties brought in for any poachers caught trying to bag themselves a rhino. For a while, things were tough. But, eventually, they began to improve. By 2008, the rhino population was back at 3,000. Not exactly staggering, but a heck of a lot better than 600.

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The submission of binding offers for the acquisition of National Banks insurance arm appears to be just a matter of days

The submission of binding offers for the acquisition of National Banks insurance arm appears to be just a matter of days, if not hours, following the rejection by the European Commissions Directorate-General for Competition of Greeces request to suspend the sale.

Sources spoke on Thursday about the tabling of binding bids by four candidate buyers on Friday. In any case, this will be done by March 10 for the transaction to be completed by the end of the month, according to schedule.

The management of National Bank has completed the presentation of Ethniki Insurance to the four suitors, from an original short list of five investors. They are three Chinese groups (Fosun, Gongbao and Wintime), plus a joint bid by Greek-American fund Kalamos, in cooperation with the Intercontinental fund, the Exin group and Greek insurance firm Kanellopoulos-Adamantiadis. The fifth candidate, US fund Apollo, did not turn up for the presentation.

The course of the sale will be determined by the price the four candidate buyers are prepared to offer. Ethnikis valuation puts the price of 100 percent of its shares at between 800 million and 1 billion euros, without this being the starting price in the tender.

The sale has already been delayed as the restructuring plan of National Bank provided for its completion within 2016.

Read more here.

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
Greeces lenders should not ask Greece to implement more austerity measures, French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said

Greeces lenders should not ask Greece to implement more austerity measures, though the country must implement reforms to help the economy, French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said on Friday, after a meeting with Economy Minister Dimitri Papadimitriou in Athens.

"We cannot ask Greece for more measures and austerity. However, reforms must be completed to benefit the economy and competitiveness and to boost employment, mainly for small and medium-sized businesses which constitute the backbone of Greek entrepreneurship," he said.

Sapin welcomed the efforts of the Greek government, saying it was the first time he saw a strong will and ability on Greeces side for reforms in the country.

"The policy followed has already had positive results, the targets have been exceeded on a fiscal level and everything indicates the country will soon enter a path of growth," he added.

Surpassing difficulties and entanglements

The French minister stressed the need for Greece to return to the international markets and said his country will help in surpassing any difficulties and entanglements. Sapin told Papadimitriou the French business community in Greece has faith in the countrys abilities and intends to develop and invest further to help the economy.

On his side, Papadimitriou recognised France as an important ally for Greece during the crisis and thanked Sapin for his support.

"The government remains committed to the structural reforms the country needs," he said during the meeting and briefed the French minister on the governments efforts to attract investments and reverse the unemployment trend.

He also discussed the need to increase Greek exports to France and improving bilateral trade relations.

"Were working to help the economy recover and employ all necessary growth tools that will take the country out of the vicious circle of recession," he added.

Read more here.

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Greeces largest tourism business association (SETE) aims to make the country one of the top 10 tourist destinations worldwide, its chief Andreas Andreadis said on Friday at the Delphi Economic Forum, taking place at European Cultural Centre of Delphi.

SETE has submitted a road map for the Greece of 2021 to all relevant authorities so that the number of visitors to our country can reach 35 million and revenues 19 to 20 billion euros, he said at the event.

Asked if tourist arrivals would increase if the country left the eurozone, Andreadis said it would be a disaster and described this view as silly.

If Greece returns to the drachma we will have millions of tourists but Greeks will be [living] in a ghetto, behind a wall that will separate them from the tourist areas, in the logic of the Caribbean. It would be an absolute disaster, he stressed. Our aim is for visitors and locals to live well together.

He also rejected the view that the bailout programs are responsible for the situation the country is in and said that the problem is the lack of a national plan, the vision.

Look towards the future

Whoever thinks the memorandums are to blame for the situation were in is deluding his or herself. The memorandums must be implemented to put things in some kind of order, he said, adding that the country needs to look towards the future.

Growth and prosperity will come when Greeks form a vision for tomorrow, he said, adding that the successful implementation of this vision is in our DNA.

The head of SETE also estimated growth will come from the service sector, noting tourism will help other sectors recover, such as real estate, agricultural production, transport, energy etc.

Greece will not be saved with the third, fourth or tenth memorandum. It will be saved with a vision, he said and added that "the vision is for Greece to emerge as the best tourism destination worldwide."

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The Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is in Greece since last Tuesday as he accepted the invitation of the Greek Minister of Tourism Elena Kountoura. After meeting the Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and the Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Mr. Rifai spoke at the workshop organized by the Ministry of Tourism under the title Destination Greece  365 days.

Greece is a succes story in tourism during the last 2-3 years, especially if we consider the special conditions and challenges the country had to face on all levels, he stated to newmoney.gr.

Mr Rifai added that for an outside observer, with the geopolitical conditions in the wider region, the economic crisis and the refugee issue, he would expect Greece to go from bad to worse. Instead of that, there was an increase of arrivals on a percentage higher than the world average.

For Mr. Rifai what happened was a miracle as ther ewas the necessary political will as well as the positive impression around the world that Greece is a place where human rights are respected and regardless of the countrys problems. The Greeks turned the problem into an advantage for the tourism image of the country by projecting the Greek hospitality.

Mr. Rifai underlined the fact that there is no competition in the area when it comes to tourism, as the more people come to the Mediterranean, the more will come to Greece eventually. For the Secretary-General, the greatest asset for Greece is its people, as they make the visitors feel welcome.

The negative aspect of the country for Mr. Rifai is the low confidence Greece has demonstrated, as it should make more fuzz about its successes instead of what hasnt been done yet.

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Speaking on the margins of his visit to Ukraine, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel issued the following statement on the situation in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM):

The escalation of the political situation in the FYROM is very alarming. The political stagnation threatens to set the country further back on its path to integration with the European Union.

President Ivanov is refusing to grant a mandate to the opposition leader to form a government, although the latter has gathered the necessary parliamentary majority behind him. This contravenes democratic principles and the European values that the country has undertaken to uphold. President Ivanov should reconsider his decision and correct it in the interests of the people of his country.

Germany supports the clear messages conveyed by the High Representative, my friend Federica Mogherini, to political decision-makers and representatives of civil society from the FYROM in Skopje yesterday.

I call on all those in Skopje who hold political responsibility to act responsibly even in the currently heated political atmosphere, to moderate their statements, and to do everything they can not to damage relations between the ethnic groups.

We firmly support the countrys further integration with the European Union, and very much regret that the unresolved question on the countrys name has prevented faster progress on the path to such integration for years now. This has certainly played a significant role in the current escalation of the situation. There must be immediate movement on this issue.

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If President Donald Trump is to fulfil his inauguration pledge to eradicate radical Islamic terrorism he will soon have to decide who he is going to do this with, Financial Times notes in the following article:

"The battle to retake Mosul, the northern Iraqi city that Isis seized in a lightning strike in 2014, is well under way. US special forces are operating alongside Iraqi elite units and aligned with Kurdish peshmerga and Iraqi Shia militia backed by Iran. The decision now is about how to recapture Raqqa, the Isis stronghold in north-east Syria. That means deciding between two antagonistic US allies: Nato partner Turkey; and Syrian Kurdish militia known as the Peoples Defence Units (YPG).

Not just the territorial defeat of Isis in its cross-border jihadi caliphate hangs on Mr Trumps choice. The future of the Kurds, a stateless people spread over Syria and Iraq, Turkey and Iran, hangs in the balance too.

On the campaign trail last year, Mr Trump praised Kurdish forces, saying they had proven to be the best fighters and the most loyal to us. This has raised Kurdish hopes. Iraqi Kurds, already self-governing and endowed with oil riches inside their Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), want America eventually to bless their separation from a Shia-dominated Iraq they believe will never share power. The Syrian YPG, to which the US provides air cover, is seeking better weapons and political support for home rule inside Syria.

The Syrian Kurdish fighters became a legend, after defeating an Isis that then seemed unstoppable, at the ferocious siege of Kobani on the Turkish border in 2014-15. A narrative of their pluck and courage, and the fierce exploits of their women combatants  an aesthetic gift to the media  combined with an unmatched battle record against Isis to make them almost indispensable allies to the US.

Turkeys fears grew in tandem with this Kurdish success, in particular that territorial advances by the Syrian Kurds across its southern border would embolden Turkish Kurds to push for self-rule on their side of the frontier. Ankaras hostility is sharpened by the YPGs affiliation to the Kurdistan Workers party (PKK), with which Turkey has been at war almost continuously since 1984.

Yet even though Turkey is a Nato ally, its neo-Islamist government, dominated by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is not in the strongest position.

Dedicated to toppling Bashar al-Assads regime in Syria and playing a lead role in the formerly Ottoman Arab lands swept by turmoil after 2011, Turkey for five years permissively allowed jihadis as well as mainstream Syrian rebels to transit and base in their territory. Despite a string of Isis bombings from Istanbul airport to an Ankara railway station, Turkey only last summer took the fight to the jihadis. Yet the circumstances of this will not necessarily encourage President Trump to ditch the YPG and team up with Turkey against Isis to take Raqqa.

Turkey sent troops into north-west Syria last August, alongside some 3,000 so-called Free Syrian Army rebels, clearing Isis from 98km of border. Its primary objective was to prevent YPG fighters crossing the Euphrates river to link up their two eastern cantons with Afrin, the territory they control in the west. To do this, Mr Erdogan needed a green light from President Vladimir Putin, whose Russian air force was helping Mr Assad to recapture eastern Aleppo. For some rebels, Turkey in effect siphoned off defenders of the oppositions last great urban stronghold, changing the course of the war by switching sides to Russia.

Turkeys reliability in Syria, for anything except its determination to halt Kurdish advances, is therefore in question. Throughout most of this savage and shape-changing conflict, Syrias Kurds have held more of their countrys border with Turkey than the Turks  and the stretches they control have been better policed against jihadi marauders. Along with some 5,000 Syrian Arab tribal militia, they can field 30,000 fighters, already pressing down towards Raqqa.

Unless Turkey were to commit divisions of its army  severely weakened by the purges that followed last Julys abortive coup against Mr Erdogan  it will not match the Syrian Kurds. Its Free Syrian Army force and Islamist proxies probably amount to 3,000 to 5,000 fighters. It has taken them three months to more or less capture the north-west town of al-Bab from Isis. Ankaras proposal for the much bigger fight for Raqqa is, once again, more about blocking the YPG. Ankara doesnt just want to prevent the two Kurdish cantons east of the Euphrates river uniting with the one on the west, writes Cengiz Candar, a veteran Turkish analyst of Kurdish affairs, it wants to also separate the two cantons in the east.

When Syrian Kurdish momentum spilled over into Turkeys Kurdish heartland in 2015 the PKK, in its militarist overconfidence, played into the hands of Mr Erdogan, who needed a nationalist drum to beat to consolidate his increasingly autocratic power. But that was before President Trump arrived with his heat-seeking anti-Isis policy. He must now choose between what would appear to be a limited, less than convincing Turkish operation  called Euphrates Shield  and the Kurdish-spearheaded push already under way  dubbed Euphrates Wrath.

Source: Financial Times

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The inquiry was launched last year after allegations appeared in the French media

LafargeHolcim (LHN.S) said one of its cement plants probably paid protection money to armed groups in Syria to keep the factory running in the war-torn country.

The embarrassing disclosure follows an internal investigation and highlights the dilemmas companies face when working in conflict zones. French prosecutors are also investigating the cement groups activities in Syria.

It appears from the investigation that the local company provided funds to third parties to work out arrangements with a number of these armed groups, including sanctioned parties, in order to maintain operations and ensure safe passage of employees and supplies to and from the plant, the worlds biggest cement maker said in a statement.

It said it could not establish the ultimate recipients of the money and declined to say how much money had been paid in 2013 and 2014.

In hindsight, the measures required to continue operations at the plant were unacceptable, the Swiss company said. It is setting up a new ethics and risk panel and further steps designed to boost regulatory compliance.

A judicial source in France told Reuters prosecutors were looking into the companys comments and could widen their investigation, but no decisions had been taken yet.

The inquiry was launched last year after allegations appeared in the French media.

French newspaper Le Monde reported in June that Lafarge, which merged with Switzerlands Holcim in 2015, had paid taxes to Islamic State to continue operating.

Two human rights group said in November they had filed a legal complaint in Paris against Lafarge, saying some of its work in Syria may have made it complicit in financing Islamic State and in war crimes.

Designated terrorist organizations

LafargeHolcim had issued a statement in November denying it had financed designated terrorist organizations.

Lafarge owned a cement factory in Jallabiya in northern Syria, between the IS stronghold of Raqqa and the town of Manbij. The company repatriated its expatriate staff in 2012 due to fighting in the region, which came under IS control in 2013.

Fewer than 30 employees from the original workforce of 240 were on site when the plant eventually closed in September 2014.

LafargeHolcim on Thursday said the deteriorating political situation in Syria had posed very difficult challenges for the security and operations of the plant and its employees.

It said the site was an important source of employment in the region and played a vital role in supplying Syria with essential building materials.

Shutting down the operations while we were providing basic goods to civilians and had several hundred people making a living from our operations was a difficult decision and one that we considered very seriously, a LafargeHolcim spokesman said.

Once the decision to close had been taken in 2014, we acted responsibly to remove our personnel from the site as quickly as possible.

LafargeHolcim said it did not expect the case to have a material financial impact on the company.

Source: reuters.com

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Birgunj ICP likely to be ready by March

Construction of Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Birjung is likely to be completed by March.
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The Bank ABC Group recently announced a new management structure that aims to accelerate the execution of its growth strategy and continue the momentum towards a more consistent and value driven operating model to better serve the needs of its clients.



The key objectives of the new structure are to reinforce the integration of the groups units, which span 18 countries across five continents; to strengthen the management and structure of the wholesale banking business; and to simplify and align the operation of the senior management team, the bank said.



Sael Al Waary has been appointed as the deputy group chief executive officer (Deputy Group CEO) of the bank and will lead the effective execution of the banks global strategy. He will interface with group functions and businesses in all geographies. The CEOs of Bank ABCs subsidiary banks and other units across the banks network will report to him.



Paul Jennings is appointed CEO of Bank ABC for Europe and America, in addition to his current functions as managing director for Bank ABC in the UK. He will report to the Deputy Group CEO and oversee the two centres. He will also leverage the synergies in the bank's business between the Europe and America, as well as from the Mena countries.



With a focus on strengthening the management of Bank ABC Wholesale Banking business globally, Jonathan Robinson has been appointed group head of wholesale banking and will report to the Group CEO. Wholesale Banking will encompass two main business pillars; namely, Wholesale Coverage and Wholesale Products, working in close partnership with the Financial and Capital Markets businesses, to deliver the best client experience possible across the Banks network and deepen its client wallet share, the bank said.



Recognising the importance of Group Treasury and Financial Markets and the need to have close collaboration with Wholesale Banking, Finance and Risk, Christopher Wilmot, group head of Treasury and Financial Markets will report directly to Group CEO.



The group chief financial officer Brendon Hopkins will have responsibility for the group balance sheet management, a new function created to set policy and strategic plans for capital, liquidity and portfolio allocation and management in close collaboration with Risk and the Corporate Treasury. Continuing to report to the Group CEO, Hopkins will also add responsibility for managing M&A and Investor Relations within the ambit of Group Strategy.



Another change from a governance perspective is to recognise the importance of compliance in todays banking environment. Sharon Craggs, group head of compliance, will therefore report directly to the Group CEO. Also, Banco ABC Brasil will continue to report to the Group CEO.



Dr Khaled Kawan, Bank ABCs group chief executive officer, said: The new structure is in line with best market practice and is targeting an organisational model that is simpler and more coherent. Our aim is to deliver a structure that can be easily understood by our clients, staff, regulators and other stakeholders, while bringing greater purpose to our overall strategy to grow the bank.



Bahrain-based Bank ABC is a leading international bank operating from presences across Mena, Europe, Asia, US and Brazil and provides innovative wholesale financial products and services that include corporate banking, trade finance, project and structured finance, debt capital markets, syndications, treasury products and Islamic banking. It also provides retail-banking services through its network of retail banks in Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria. - TradeArabia News Service






Bahrain's Ministry of Works and Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning has started work on expansion of the King Faisal Highway to ensure the smooth flow of traffic and ease congestion.



An additional U-turn lane is being built at the Bahrain Financial Harbour (BFH) intersection as part of the ministry's plans to reduce bottlenecks at vital junctions across the kingdom.



As per official statistics, a total of 822 vehicles use the BFH U-turn per hour on average during rush hours - that is a vehicle per 93 seconds approximately, said the ministry in a statement.



Scheduled to be complete within three months, the additional U-turn is expected to bring the rate from 93 seconds to 74 seconds per vehicle and ease the traffic on King Faisal Highway, it stated.



The expansion comes following directives issued by HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister.



An executive committee, chaired by HRH the Crown Prince, approved 11 projects as part of a short-term plan, said the statement.



Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam bin Abdulla Khalaf pointed out that the ministry had already launched a mega road network strategy which would last 3 to 5 years as part of efforts to upgrade the infrastructure, being a key pillar of Bahrains economic and urban development.



The King Faisal Highway will undergo further revamp with the expansion of the Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Highway to include four lanes on each direction and the development of the intersections to ensure the smooth flow of the traffic, it added.-TradeArabia News Service


QInvest, a leading investment bank in Qatar, said it has acquired a key plot of land on South Boulevard in Charlotte, North Carolina, US, to develop an upscale 200-unit, multifamily apartment complex covering 165,000 sq ft, in conjunction with a GCC investor.



The necessary regulatory approvals have been received and the project is already well underway, with completion expected in August next year, said a statement from the Qatari bank.



This acquisition represents the first in a series of investments planned by QInvest into the fast-growing US multifamily residential space, it stated.



QInvest is structuring an investment solution to cater for demand from investors looking to gain exposure to the sector in the US market, it added.



On the acquisition, CEO Tamim Hamad Al Kawari said: "We are excited to be investing in this project. The city of Charlotte has excellent investment fundamentals and we expect this development to yield highly attractive risk-adjusted returns."



"This investment also represents an important milestone for QInvest as we look to expand our presence in the multifamily real estate market. The sector is performing strongly and we anticipate making additional investments in similar transactions in the near future as we continue to optimize our real estate portfolio and maximize value for our shareholders and clients," he added.



Craig Cowie, the head of real estate at QInvest, said the US multifamily real estate market is experiencing its seventh consecutive year of strong fundamentals.



"Since 2006, there has been a marked decline in home ownership in the US and cyclical and structural trends have led to an ever-growing demand for multifamily space. In the last five years, the number of individuals renting property has increased by 5 million whilst the number of homeowners has fallen by 900,000," noted Cowie.



"The long-term growth prospects for the multifamily sector are therefore very promising, and we expect the market will remain undersupplied as a growing domestic population continues to fuel demand," he added.



QInvest said it is working with market leading partners to deliver this project. The local partner and developer, Bainbridge Companies, is a best-in-class developer of multifamily properties on the east coast of the US.-TradeArabia News Service
Art Marine, one of the Middle Easts largest 360 regional leisure yachting enterprise, concluded its successful participation at the 25th edition of the Dubai International Boat Show showcasing over Dh100 million ($27.2 million) worth of boats, said a senior official.



Art Marine is a preferred Middle East dealer of the Italian Ferretti Group, world leader in the design, construction and sale of luxury motor yachts.



With on the ground operations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Egypt, Art Marine continuously strives to offer a 360 yachting experience.



During the show, Art Marine alongside the Ferretti Group showcased the latest in the Ferretti Yachts line, the new FY550 which makes its Middle Eastern debut.



Art Marine CEO Gregor Stinner said: "Bringing all of Ferrettis brands of Yacht into our companys portfolio couldnt have come at a better time. The region and in particular the UAE, is emerging as the focal point of the leisure marine industry with an increasing number of Ultra High Net Worth Individuals looking to buy super yachts above 40m."



Stinner said the new yacht will cater to the requirements of the broader clientele due to this yacht being a competitively priced, fly-bridge model with four social areas, a submersible swim platform, tender garage, bow area seating and the latest in navigation technology.



Another boat making its debut at the Dubai International Boat Show is the FSD 195 from Ferretti Security and Defence, the Ferretti Group Division fully dedicated to the Defence and Security sector, he added.



The FSD 195 has a 60 ft long hull which can exceed 50 knots for more than 400 miles. Its debut comes close on the heels of its appearance at IDEX/Navdex exhibition in Abu Dhabi.



At the boat show, Art Marine along with the Ferretti Group displayed its wide range of boats including FSD 195; Riva 27, 33, 76, 88; Custom Line Navetta 33; Ferretti Yachts 550 (which made its debut) and CRN (the Ferretti Group brand dedicated to custom made super and mega yachts from 40 to 90 metres).



Having already successfully introduced the Riva and Custom Line brands across the region, with numerous deliveries under their belt and a healthy order intake for 2017, Art Marine will now look to increase its presence across the region through its Marina Management Division, which currently has 8 marinas under management with a further three marinas coming online during 2017, remarked Stinner.



Ferretti Groups unrivalled reputation for producing state-of-art and luxurious yachts, in conjunction with Art Marines expanding regional footprint, cements our relationship with the group which has been in place since 2013, he added.



Stefano De Vivo, CCO of Ferretti Group, said, This years Dubai International Boat Show has been a huge success and represents an opportunity for us to meet our clients from the region as well as showcase the latest in innovation and design represented within our brands."



"Our relationship with Art Marine, our dealer for UAE, Oman, Qatar, Egypt and Jordan, has proven to be a successful one and we look forward in continuing to work with one another into the future," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
A delegation from Expo 2020 Dubai has set out on a GCC Roadshow starting in Oman to discuss with business leaders in five countries how their companies can maximise opportunities from the first World Expo in the Arab world.



The roadshow began with a meeting in Muscat, Oman, with Omani officials, highlighting how the Expo will offer wide-ranging opportunities for Omani businesses of all sizes.



The trip to Oman marks the beginning of a wider GCC Roadshow with the Expo 2020 Dubai team also visiting Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in the coming months.



Manal AlBayat, vice president of business development and integration at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: This is an Expo for our entire region  a region that is bursting with youthful talent, ambitious entrepreneurs, innovative minds and world-class corporates, who can both contribute and benefit.



In 2017 alone, we expect to award over 140 contracts, worth over Dh11 billion. Many of these contracts are for goods and services of particular relevance to Omans business community, as well as the wider GCC region.



As part of our commitment to spreading the opportunities associated with the Expo as far as possible, we have developed a procurement process that is simple, transparent and inclusive.



Most tenders going to market are announced via an online portal, and as we continue to sign up 200 plus participants for the Expo, they will also be able to use the portal for their tendering requirements, offering registered suppliers access to a much larger market and even greater range of opportunities.



We encourage all businesses to register on our procurement portal for the chance to benefit from the many opportunities that Expo 2020 Dubai will offer on our journey to 2020 and beyond.



For the first time in World Expo history, 70 per cent of the anticipated visitors to the Expo will arrive from outside of the host nation. Already the largest source market for tourists to Dubai, GCC visitors will form a significant proportion of the many millions expected to experience Expo 2020 Dubai between October 20, 2020 and April 10, 2021.



AlBayat added: When the Expo gates open to millions of visitors in October 2020, the eyes of the world will be on us. This is our chance to showcase our regions culture and achievements and provide a platform for us to connect with the world, and the world to connect with us.



Through our GCC Roadshow, we are calling on as many businesses from across the GCC as possible to be part of the journey and join us in delivering a truly exceptional World Expo, AlBayat said.



Expo 2020 Dubai will also be a valuable platform for showcasing national branding and a strong opportunity for GCC countries to promote their national attractions and innovations for tourists travelling to the region for Expo. It will be the first World Expo held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region.



The trip also included a meeting at the chamber of commerce, attended by more than 100 senior representatives from both larger corporates and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from a number of sectors, including construction, hospitality, food and beverages, steel, copper and local crafts.



Attendees were given an overview of plans for Expo 202 Dubai, as well as an update on progress to date. The meeting then focused on the specific opportunities available in the build-up of Expo, the six months of the event itself, and the legacy phase, which will see the site transformed into a thriving ecosystem for the industries that will shape the future of the regional economy.



The delegation also met representatives from Riyada, the sultanates authority for SMEs, and the Artisans Authority, to discuss the specific opportunities that the expo offers for small business owners, entrepreneurs and craftsmen, as well as the ongoing efforts that are being made to enhance their integration into Expo 2020 Dubais supply chain.



Highlighting Expo 2020 Dubais support for SMEs, AlBayat said: SMEs are a vital contributor to the regional economy, in terms of both GDP and employment. They are also agile and innovative and for these reasons, we at Expo are committed to enhancing their integration into the Expo supply chain as much as possible.



For example, we have put in place flexible commercial terms including 50 per cent advanced payment for goods and materials and 25 per cent for services to help mitigate potential risks and enable SMEs to bid competitively. In June 2016, we announced that 20 per cent of direct and indirect spend for the expo, representing Dh5 billion in contracts, will be awarded to SMEs.



We have also recently launched our licensing and merchandising programme, which will see us look to develop 5,000 types of expo-branded products, the first of which will be on sale before the end of this year. We are particularly looking to work with talented artisans on this programme, of which we know there are many in Oman. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase local crafts to an international audience.



To date, more than 13,000 vendors and suppliers from 121 countries are registered on the Expo 2020 Dubai eSourcing Portal, of which 66 per cent are SMEs.



To find out more about upcoming opportunities for participation in the tender process, visit: https://esource.expo2020dubai.ae - TradeArabia News Service


Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the Bahrain-based major aluminium smelter, kicked off its first plant-wide Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) Week of 2017 under the theme Believe It to Achieve It, today (March 5).



The campaign was launched to further strengthen Albas commitment to safety and boost awareness on the proper use of tools, equipment and pedestrian safety, the company said.



Commenting on the campaign, Albas chief executive officer Tim Murray said: Alba continues to keep safety as its number one priority and the Believe It to Achieve It campaign will continue to enforce our belief that a zero injury work environment is possible.



The campaign is in line with Albas CEO Expectation Safety Tomorrowland for 2017 programme and will feature many safety visits by Albas top officials to various areas of the plant as well as safety awareness sessions on the chosen topics. - TradeArabia News Service
Zain Group, a leading mobile telecom provider in the Middle East and Africa, has announces a joint venture with YOYO, an innovative digital startups in Turkey, to bring its car sharing club model initially to Bahrain.



The project will be later expanded across the Zain regional footprint and the Mena region, said a statement.



It is forecasted that the total car sharing market globally could reach as high as $30 billion in 2020, fulfilling the prediction of Ford executive chairman Bill Ford who is quoted as saying: The future of transportation will be a blend of things like car sharing, public transportation, and private car ownership.



The agreement was signed during a ceremony at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, attended by Zain Group CEO Scott Gegenheimer; Zain Bahrain general manager Mohammed Zainalabedin; Emre Gurkan, Zain Group chief strategy and development officer; and Berkman Cavusoglu, co-founder and CEO of YOYO.



YOYO is a vehicle sharing club in which registered members, via an app on their smartphones, are easily able to reserve and use vehicles as they require, even for an hour or as long as they require.



The way the YOYO service works is that a customer can select a vehicle from any location in the city in which the service is available and reserve it for any time period. Doors of the hired vehicle are unlocked by the customers membership card or mobile application, with the vehicles keys found inside. The members can return their cars to another parking station and leave the cars by locking again from their smartphones without any hassle.



From Zains perspective, this joint venture of participating in the fast growing shared economy vertical, underlines the companys culture of innovation as it looks to bring new and appealing services to the region. Zain believes the ease-of-use of the YOYO application and the logistical convenience of the service it provides are key differentiators that will drive its success across the region, it said.



Gegenheimer said: We are enthusiastic about delivering new business models to our customers and to the region in general, and we look forward to our customers in Bahrain having the first experience of this compelling new service.



Gegenheimer continued: It really is a special case when a service can be delivered that makes peoples lives easier, while at the same time having a positive social impact on issues such as pollution and congestion. We already have a successful agreement in place with Uber, and we believe this latest arrangement with YOYO has every potential for rapid adoption across our markets and beyond.



Zainalabedin said: Zain Bahrain is determined to offer its customer the latest in digital services that improve their livelihoods and their mobile experience. We believe the Bahrain community will welcome the YOYO car sharing service, and we are excited by the impending launch of this service to our customers. Zain Bahrain is keen to play its role in maintaining the Kingdoms leading position in the regions telecommunication sector.



Cavusoglu said: We believe momentum for car-sharing services is gathering pace all the time, and for us this is a perfect opportunity to expand into new markets such as the Middle East. For the last three years, we have been very heavily focused on younger demographics of people aged between 25-35, and now we are keen to also explore foreign markets and move into the B2B space. We feel our joint venture with Zain Group will help us achieve both of these strategic objectives, and we are obviously very excited to be partnering with a telco with the reach and reputation that Zain possesses.



YOYO already counts over 20,000 members in Turkey, who use the service regularly, with more than 200 unique reservations being registered every day. The car-sharing customer base is forecast to grow to be nearly 15 million in Europe by 2020, with there being nearly 240,000 shared chartering vehicles across the continent by that time, the statement said.



The joint venture with YOYO builds on the programs launched under Zains Digital Frontier and Innovation (ZDFI) initiative, which was established in 2014. ZDFI is charged with launching Zain into the digital space with the view to growing the company through new innovative business streams, which add to the companys financial viability and market capitalization.



ZDFI focuses on the areas of innovation; digital services; corporate venturing; and smart cities, with the ultimate aim of Zain becoming a regional innovation trendsetter.  TradeArabia News Service


Oman Air continues to ensure that its community initiatives improve the life of Omani citizens by offering a 50 per cent discount to individuals travelling from families that come under the social insurance programme and their accompanying person.



This also includes those with special needs who may be travelling for medical treatment and study purposes.



Working in close co-ordination with the Ministry of Social Development, Oman Air aims to deliver a range of projects which provide assistance to eligible citizens to assist them in achieving their full potential.



Paul Gregorowitsch, chief executive officer of Oman Air, said: "At Oman Air we have expanded the range of our community initiatives to support eligible individuals reach their full potential and achieve a rewarding and balanced life. We have also provided vital backing for a range of educational, cultural and sporting initiatives which not only help to improve the lives of individuals, but also make an important contribution to the economic and social well-being of the sultanate.



Dr Khalid Abdul Wahab Al Balushi, senior manager government relations, added: Oman Airs support for the work of the Ministry of Social Development stems from its endeavours to support the community to deliver a positive, long-term impact within our less advantaged communities.



Oman Air has a record of providing sustained support for people with special needs. For example, the airline partnered with the Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises and the Al Raffd Fund to run a workshop in Muscat. Here, the importance of providing financial backing for students with special needs was emphasised, the availability of practical and financial support was outlined and students learned about the significance of economic independence.



Meanwhile, educational CSR initiatives have seen Oman Air partner with aircraft manufacturer Airbus to jointly host 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 forces 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.



Oman Air has managed to increase its contribution to Omans GDP in 2016 to close to RO900 million ($2.3 billion) as per the latest studies of Oxford Economics. In addition, Oman Air was awarded Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year at the Aviation Business Awards in 2015. - TradeArabia News Service


A passenger on board an Oman Air flight from Muscat to Jakarta during the flight today, the airline said in a statement.



"Oman Air confirms with regret that a guest had passed away on flight WY0849 from Muscat to Jakarta today. For privacy purposes, we are unable to share any further details. Oman Air expresses its heartfelt condolences to the aggrieved family members," the airline said in a statement.



"The safety and well-being of our guests are of utmost priority. And we thank all the guests aboard the flight for their understanding and cooperation," it said. - TradeArabia News Service


Cases filed against 12 alleged in TIA gold smuggling case

Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has registered cases of organised crime against 12 persons, including those arrested red-handed in the latest biggest haul of gold.
Early Childhood: Increase the enrollment of four year olds in pre-kindergarten from current 22 percent to 55 percent.

K-12 Schools: Improve the high school graduation rate from current 85.6 percent to 91 percent.

Higher Education: Increase the percentage of adults with higher education degrees from current 38.7 percent to 55 percent.

Contact: Ford Porter

Ford Porter govpress@nc.gov

RALEIGH: In his budget to the legislature, set to be presented tomorrow, Governor Roy Cooper will announce an ambitious and forward-thinking education plan to make North Carolina a "Top 10 Educated State" by 2025.Governor Cooper's plan aims to move North Carolina into the top 10 ranked states in the following categories by 2025:said Governor Cooper.Cooper's budget will lay out a full agenda in each of the three categories to begin with work of achieving these goals including investments in NC Pre-K, Smart Start, and public school funding, as well as innovative scholarship ideas to help make higher education more affordable.Last week, Governor Cooper announced a multi-year investment to raise teacher salaries to first in the Southeast in three years and at least the national average in five years. The plan includes an average 5 percent raise this year and another average five percent next year. Gov. Cooper's budget proposal would also give teachers a direct annual stipend of $150 to offset out-of-pocket expenses for classroom supplies.
Gold smuggling via TIA: CIB submits case to govt attorney

The Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police has identified two persons as the owners of a huge cache of gold that was seized from the Tribhuvan International Airport on January 5.
Construction of Jomsom bridge gathers pace

Construction work on Jomsom bridge has finally gathered pace after the Indian embassy directed the contracting company to complete the project within a few weeks.
Vivek Katju

India and Pakistans Indus Waters Commissioners are expected to meet later this month in Pakistan, though the dates of the meeting have not been announced as yet. Indias decision to allow the commission to meet could only have been taken with a nod from Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. Does it connote a softening in the hard but appropriate approach he had adopted towards Pakistan after the Uri attack in September last year? Besides, will this meeting have a bearing on the impasse that has developed between the two countries in resolving their differences over the Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project (KHEP) and Pakistans objections on the Ratle project on the Chenab?

During the recent Punjab Assembly election campaign, Modi asserted that India would use all the water assigned to it under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). In actual terms, it means using the full potential of the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers, which are assigned to India in the treaty. In so doing, he became the first Prime Minister to refer to the IWT in these terms and that was correctly taken to be part of Indias post-Uri terrorist attack aggressive approach towards Pakistan. Importantly though, these assertions in themselves did not, in any way, mean abrogating the treaty or a departure from any of its provisions.

Clearly, Modi exercised care in formulating the remarks he personally made on the IWT. The comments attributed to Modi in a briefing meeting on the IWT that was held eight days after the Uri attack went beyond what Modi has said himself on the treaty. Sources told the media that Modi had made it clear that blood and water cannot flow together and that the Indus Waters Commissioners could only meet in an atmosphere free from terror. All this obviously sought to convey the impression that Pakistan should not take Indias commitment to the IWT for granted.

Major terrorist attacks against Indian army installations took place after the Uri attack, though since General Qamar Bajwa took over as Pakistan army chief after the retirement of General Raheel Sharif in November last year terrorist attacks have abated and provocations along the Line of Control and the International Border have also come down. However, there is no indication that Pakistan has done a rethink on the pursuit of low-intensity war against India. In these circumstances, the permission given to the Indus Waters Commissioners to meet indicates that particularly the remarks attributed to Modi in the wake of the Uri attack were part of the domestic political management exercises that successive Indian governments have undertaken after major Pakistani terrorist strikes. The twists and turns that Indian governments take as part of such political management only reinforce Pakistani prejudices about Indias lack of stamina.

The question now is will India show stamina in insisting that the provisions of the IWT be adhered to in the settlement of differences over KHEP and the Ratle project? This is especially when by agreeing to the meeting of the Indus Waters Commissioners India is respecting the treaty. Article VIII (5) mandates that the commission shall meet at least once a year, but also when requested by either commissioner. The background to the KHEP and the Ratle project disputes as well as Indias hitherto forceful and correct stand were given by this writer in these columns on January 9 this year.

Over the past two months, the World Bank has attempted to resolve the impasse that threatens the IWT. Its new CEO, Kristalina Georgieva, visited Pakistan in end January and India last week. In Pakistan she met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his colleagues. Predictably, they maintained that KHEP and the Ratle project violated the IWT and insisted on the convening of a Court of Arbitration to resolve the dispute. However, the World Bank pausing the untenable dual track approach it undertook continues to seek to find a way that the two countries will accept and then formally move it under the bilateral dispute resolution mechanism envisaged by the treaty.

In this context, the Banks official media release of Georgievas discussions in Pakistan on KHEP and the Ratle project is revealing. It states, Maintaining a neutral role as a Treaty signatory the World Bank in December announced a pause in the separate processes initiated by India and Pakistan under the IWT to allow the countries to consider alternate ways to resolve their differences. It invoked the spirit of the treaty and cautioned, Pursuing concurrent processes could make the treaty unworkable over time.

The fact is that no extent of obfuscation can hide the mess that the World Bank has made in handling Indian and Pakistani differences over KHEP and the Ratle project. Neutrality cannot imply avoidance to make a determination that under the IWT provisions, the Indian request for a neutral expert to go into these differences was correct and the Pakistani demand for a Court of Arbitration was not sustainable. If the treaty were now to become unworkable because of current differences, then the onus for the failure would lie not only on Pakistan but on the World Bank too. This would be ironic, for the Bank played a principal role in the making of the IWT.

Pakistani media reports indicate that it is not interested in the commissioners trying once again bilaterally to find a resolution to differences on KHEP and the Ratle project. This may be mere posturing or a way of putting pressure on the World Bank to seek concessions from India on the design of the project and the volume of water in the KHEP reservoir. Re-engaging Pakistan bilaterally on the current differences is in keeping with Indias overall emphasis on direct talks between the two countries on all outstanding issues. However, while doing so it is not only essential not to concede ground on the position that India has taken on substantive issues but also to insist that it would be without prejudice to its position on the neutral expert.

Pakistan has mismanaged its water resources. As Tilak Devasher notes in Courting the Abyss, his recent excellent study of Pakistan, Pakistan has become a water-scarce country from a water-abundant one in 1947. It is in danger of becoming an absolute water-scarce country by 2035. Instead of taking steps to ameliorate its water situation, it blames India for denying its share of the waters under the IWT. However, as Devasher reveals, Rao Irshad Ali, chairman of Pakistans Indus River System Authority, repudiated these charges. He told the Pakistan Senate in July 2015, Reports in media about India getting more water is propaganda.

The writer is former Foreign Secretary
New Delhi, March 4

The Opposition today joined a protest march of students here against what they called a bid to curb freedom of speech and expression in academic institutions. They also attacked the government and accused it of fascist politics.

The Opposition parties said they would raise the issue in Parliament.

A large number of students walked from Mandi House to Parliament, raising slogans against the alleged violence by BJPs student body ABVP at the Ramjas College on February 22.

The protesters were joined by CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI National Secretary D Raja, Janata Dal Chief General Secretary and national spokesperson KC Tyagi, Yogendra Yadav of Swaraj India Party and professors of Delhi University (DU) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

D Raja attacked the BJP, saying these fascists (BJP) never believed in democracy. It is our country and we have to fight against these fascist and dictatorial forces, he said.

They have no respect for constitutional morality. We cannot expect it from ABVP and BJP. We will ask government what they want to do with the student community.

You are not just students, you can vote. You have the right to decide who should rule. We will continue our fight against fascist forces for the sake of our country, Raja said.

Sitaram Yechury said the issue would be raised in Parliament. Whatever you decide, its your right. No one can take it away from you. You are the future. You will have to decide tomorrow the kind of nation you want.

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid, accused of seditious speech, also slammed the government. He said Today, fascist politics based on lies is going on in the nation. M Venkaiah Naidu (Union Minister) is saying they will bring Azadi slogan under sedition law. These are the people who say why students indulge in politics, they should study. They should first shut down their student wing ABVP, Khalid stated.

The government does not have any problem with politics, but they just cant tolerate politics of resistance, politics of dissent, he added.IANS
New York, March 5

A 39-year-old Sikh man in the US has been shot outside his home by a partially-masked gunman who shouted go back to your own country, in a suspected hate crime that comes just days after the killing of an Indian engineer in Kansas.

The Sikh man, identified as US national Deep Rai, was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent, Washington, on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to his homes driveway.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The Kent police said an argument broke out between the two men, with Rai saying the suspect made statements to the effect of go back to your own country. The unidentified man then shot him in the arm.

Reacting to the incident, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a US national of Indian-origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh, father of the victim.

I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai a US national of Indian origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh father of the victim./1  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 5, 2017

He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital. /2  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 5, 2017

He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm.

He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital, Swaraj tweeted.

On the attack on Rai, MaryKay L Carlson, Charge dAffaires, American Embassy here, said she was saddened by the shooting in Washington state.

Wishes for quick and full recovery. As @POTUS said we condemn hate and evil in all its forms, she tweeted.

The victim described the shooter as a six-foot-tall white man, wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face. Kent police are looking for the gunman.

Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said while the Sikh man sustained non-life threatening injuries, they are treating this as a very serious incident.

Rai is able to talk, an Indian government official said.

The official said the government was ready to offer all possible assistance to the wounded man.

Authorities are investigating the shooting as a suspected hate crime, according to the Seattle Times.

Indias Consulate in San Francisco is in touch with local authorities who are ascertaining the nature of the crime, the Indian official said.

The Kent police have launched an investigation into the case and have reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.

Were early on in our investigation, Thomas said.

Kent Police Commander Jarod Kasner said the incident is getting attention from the Sikh community and others.

With recent unrest and concern throughout the nation this can get people emotionally involved, especially when (the crime) is directed at a person for how they live, how they look, Kasner said.

The incident is the latest in a series of troubling cases where members of the Indian community have been targeted in apparent hate crimes.

It comes close on the heels of the tragic hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling get out of my country.

US President Donald Trump had condemned the Kansas shooting. He had said America stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms.

Last week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gunshot wounds in his yard. However, police said in Patels killing his Indian ethnicity does not appear to be a factor.

Jasmit Singh, a leader of the Sikh community in Renton, said the victim and his family are very shaken up.

Were all kind of at a loss in terms of whats going on right now, this is just bringing it home. The climate of hate that has been created doesnt distinguish between anyone, he said.

Singh said that men from his community have reported a rise in incidents of verbal abuse, a kind of prejudice, a kind of xenophobia that is nothing that weve seen in the recent past.

He said the number of incidents targeting members of the Sikh religion, are reminiscent of the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks.

But at that time, it felt like the (presidential) administration was actively working to allay those fears, Singh said, adding that now its a very different dimension.

Rights group calls for hate crime probe

Advocacy group the Sikh Coalition said it calls upon local law enforcement officials to investigate this shooting as a possible hate crime.

Various rights groups and ethnic Indian organisations are reaching out to people of the community asking them not to succumb to fear and immediately report any incident of hate crime or violence to law enforcement authorities.

The Indo-American Democratic Organisation strongly condemned Kuchibhotlas tragic killing, saying the circumstances around this horrible crime are incredibly troubling which includes but not limited to: unprovoked violence in a public venue, racial slurs, and a senseless attack against innocent members of the public. It also called on local elected leaders to express outrage over the unacceptable and appalling situation and publicly commit to doing what they can to prevent and call out hate crimes across communities.

It said it will continue to represent the best interests of the local South Asian American community against the rise of any and all hate crimes and we join in partnership with many other organisations and civic leaders who stand for a more just, safe and equitable country.

India Civil Watch, a collective of Indian-American activists and professionals, called on Indian-Americans to not succumb to fear in the wake of incidents like Kuchibotlas murder.

The community must get organised in broad coalitions with others who intend to defend immigrant and minority rights, it said.

This is also a moment for Indian communities in the US to reflect, take stock, and prepare for the oncoming weeks and months of struggle against a rising tide of racism and xenophobia, it added.

AGPC condemns attack

The American Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (AGPC) has condemned the attack and offered to help the US administration to generate awareness about their religion.

Incidents of mistaken identity have happened in the USA recently and some of the Sikhs have become victims of this. The American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC) offered the US administration all help to generate awareness about the Sikh religion, AGPC coordinator Dr Pritpal Singh said.  PTI/ANI
New York, March 4

Days after the killing of an Indian engineer in an apparent hate crime, an Indian-origin businessman who was well-liked in his neighbourhood was shot dead outside his home in Lancaster, South Carolina, on Thursday night.

Harnish Patel, 43, had closed his shop at 11.24 pm and barely 10 minutes later was shot dead outside his house, according to media reports.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Patels death comes two days after President Donald Trump had condemned as hate and evil the killing of Srinivas Kuchibhotla. He was shot dead in a pub the previous Wednesday in Olathe, Kansas, by a white man who screamed, Get out of my country.

Officials in Lancaster said they did not believe that Patels killing was a bias crime and that investigations were continuing, according to The Herald.

I dont have any reason to believe that this was racially motivated, County Sheriff Barry Faile said on Friday.

Patels store was near the Sheriffs office and deputies often frequented the store.

Faile said on TV that Patel was a great family man and a friend. The station said that Patel is survived by his wife and child in elementary school, who were at home when he was killed.

People had created an impromptu shrine outside Patels Speedee Mart store by leaving balloons and flowers in his memory, the station said. Investigators believe he drove from the store directly home, where he was confronted by his killer when he got out of the vehicle, a police statement said. The store is between 3-4 miles from the house.

In the February 22 Kansas incident in which Kuchibhotla was killed, another Indian, Alok Madasani, who was with him at a bar, and an American, Ian Grillot, who tried to stop the shooting, were shot and injured.

A white Navy veteran Adam Purinton, 51, was arrested and charged with murder. He had reportedly said that he had shot two Iranians after shooting the Indians. WSOCTV said that in Lancaster there was a lot of anger over the killing of Patel, who was considered an important member of the community and a kind person who treated his customers as friends and helped law enforcement.

A tearful customer, Nicole Jones, said when someone didnt have money, Patel gave them food. I would have no idea who would do this to him as good as he is to everybody, she said. A store employee, Keira Baskin, said that he only wanted the best for his employees and his family.  IANS
There is still one month left for the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradeshs border town of Tawang but Sino-Indian verbal skirmishing is already getting into high gear. China had won the last round of jostling between the two countries over the Dalai Lama. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as part of his tough guy diplomacy had nudged the Dalai Lama to visit Mongolia as a counterbalance to Beijing's spreading tentacles in the neighbourhood. In the end it didn't come off. Mongolia had to promise China it would never again pull off such a caper. Declassified Chinese documents show the driving forces for the 1962 conflict were anchored in Tibet, especially the Dalai Lamas exile to India. Despite extreme Chinese sensitivity to the Dalai Lamas public engagements (it has forced many world leaders to call off their engagements with the Tibetan leader), India has enjoyed the better of the exchanges.

The junior minister for bytes in all seasons, Kiren Rijiju, is on home ground when he speaks about Arunachal Pradesh. But he is either unaware of recent history or is simply playing to the gallery when he said the Dalai Lamas forthcoming visit to Tawang is part of a behavioural change you are seeing. India is more assertive. For the record, this is the sixth time the Dalai Lama is visiting Arunachal. Previous governments had ignored Beijing's fulminations and held international meets where the Dalai Lama was the chief guest.

This consistent Indian policy of permitting the Dalai Lama to move freely within the country has left China resigned to registering token protests. If the current Indian government is more assertive as suggested by Rijiju, it should try to turn the corner on the border dispute. The Chinese have thrice hinted at a swap  this entails China and India giving up their claims to Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin, respectively. As both countries are yet to achieve a level of trust to start discussing territorial swaps, they must strive to keep a lid on emotions. Beijing too ought to realise that after its hold on Masood Azhar, it is hardly well placed to raise objections on the Dalai Lamas social engagements.
Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, March 5

Blaming the bureaucracy for its alleged lacklustre response to the public representatives over development works, BJPs MP from Karnal, Ashwini Chopra on Sunday backed the unhappy MLAs of the party.

Ruling out a change of guard in the state, he also stood by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and said the latter has a clean image.

Chopra claimed that there were six MPs who also held a meeting over the bureaucracy issue.

He said these MLAs are not against the party but have resentment over non-cooperation by bureaucracy regarding some development works, which would be resolved.

The MP also blamed bureaucracy for allegedly creating hurdles in the development of the state and urged the CM to keep a check on their functioning.

These MLAs have raised the issue in front of the high command, so that they can be heard. Even I had raised this issue of non-cooperation of bureaucrats earlier, Chopra said.

I was also called for the meeting of MLAs and MPs, but could not attend it due to prior engagements, he said.

Showing his support for the CM, Chopra denied the possibility of any change of guard in the state and said it was not easy to change Chief Minister in Haryana as Khattar has a clean image and no allegation of corruption could be levelled against him.

Chopra expressed ignorance over the issue of ownership of Gwal Pahari land in Gurugram. Maintaining that the Congress itself was a divided house with its leaders busy burning effigies of each other, he said they cannot question BJPs unity.

The MP refuted the allegations of neglecting his constituency and stated that he has been visiting various parts regularly. He said he will soon hold meetings to address peoples grievances.

On the SYL issue, he claimed that nobody is above the Supreme Court and Haryana will get its share of water. He claimed that the BJP will win the UP polls with a thumping majority. The countrys political scenario would change after March 11, he said.
Tribune News Service

Karnal, March 5

The district administration, along with Sagga village residents, today worked towards normalising the situation in the village, which had turned tense on the night intervening Friday and Saturday following an altercation between Dalit and upper-caste communities over a marriage ritual.

A Dalit groom was stopped from performing ghurchari reportedly by some upper caste youths in the village, which had led to stone pelting. A cop and several others had sustained injuries in the incident.

SDM Yogesh Kumar, along with DSP Vivek Choudhary, involved the residents to convince members of both communities to maintain peace and harmony since morning today. Late in the evening, both groups agreed to resolve the matter. However, heavy police force was still deployed in the village to keep vigil and avoid any untoward incident.

Sombirs marriage was to be solemnised on Saturday. On the wedding eve, his family members took out the ghurchari procession in the village. Some upper caste youths asked them to stop the procession. The situation turned tense as Dalits opposed the demand.

The situation was brought under control with the intervention of Deputy Commissioner Mandeep Singh Brar and SP Jashandeep Singh Randhawa.

We are making efforts to normalise the situation in the village. Both community members have assured us that they would not take the law into their own hands, said the SDM. The groups were ready to talk on a common platform to sort out the issue and efforts were being made for the same, he added.
Dry landslide blocks Daram River in Baglung

A dry landslide has blocked the Daram River at Manewa in Righa VDC-7 of Baglung district, forming a huge lake, on Sunday.
Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Mahendragarh, March 5

Hostel inmates of Central University of Haryana (CUH) today called off their two-day strike following written assurance from the authorities about the acceptance of their demands, including removal of three hotel wardens for allegedly misbehaving with them.

Sources said all wardens had resigned, but the authorities were yet to accept their registrations in the wake of NAAC teams inspection from Monday. The authorities had also withdrawn a warning notice issued to the protesting students either to end their agitation or face action.

The stalemate came to an end in the wee hours today when the Proctor along with some teachers approached the protesting hostellers staging a dharna near the VCs residence in support of their demands.

Initially, the authorities were not willing to give in writing about the acceptance of our demands, but they have to bow down to our firm stand. Around 2.30 am, the Proctor promised us in writing to remove the wardens, round-the-clock availability of ambulance with driver, regular appointment of a medical officer and no action against agitation students, said a hosteller.

He also accused the universitys security guards of misbehaving with the protesters when they were staging a peaceful dharna near the VCs residents last night. Some of the guards tried to scare them away with an intention to get the agitation ended, he added.

The hostellers had boycotted the convocation and continued their protest yesterday in support of their demands.

They had alleged the wardens misbehaved with them when they urged them to provide the university ambulance to help Sourabh who suffered serious injuries in a road mishap on Thursday night when he was coming back to the hostel on a motorcycle.

Vice-Chancellor RC Kuhad said that written assurance had been given to the hostellers about the acceptance of their demands. It is not possible to replace the wardens immediately in view of NAAC teams visit. We have sought names of three other teachers from the hostellers for the wardens after March 8, he added.
Tribune News Service

Solan, March 5

Leader of the Opposition PK Dhumal, today said the state government was patronising various mafias including forest, mining, land,liquor, drug, etc, and rule of law was not visible anywhere.

Addressing a district level Mafia hatao Pradesh bachao rally at Ganj Bazar here he said illicit trades were proliferating. Sensing the gravity of the situation, the BJP was convening 100 rallies across the state as mere issuance of statements condemning such activities was not enough. He said the law and order situation was going from bad to worse and the police had failed to trace those who affixed ISIS posters at Subathu while an ISIS operative had been nabbed from Kullu. Large scale liquor and drugs were being seized from various parts of the state due to their widespread availability.

In an apparent rebuke to the district BJP which had not erected any banner or poster stating, Mafia hatao pradesh bachao slogan, Dhumal said since it was adopted as a slogan for such rallies by the party it should be prominently displayed, adding that it was important to disseminate this message to the masses so that the corruption prevailing in the state government can be exposed.

Castigating the state government, he said sand and cut stones from Paonta Sahib were smuggled to Dehradun, Punjab and Haryana while the locals who were lifting these minerals for their own use were imposed heavy monetary penalties and their vehicles were being impounded. He said the shortage of cement had hit various development works.

Dhumal said the state government was delaying foundation stone laying ceremony of the prestigious IIM Dhaulan Kaun building where the Prime Minister was slated to convene a rally as forest clearance of a section of the earmarked land was not being secured.

He lauded the Prime Minister Modis initiative of granting special status to the state and liberal financial support of Rs 72,000 for a span of five years.

He said forest mafias had axed 1,402 trees in the home turf of the Forest Minister and 480 trees had been illegally cut in CMs own constituency but the culprits were left scot free. The honest field officials were being victimised by being transferred while corruption was proliferating.

Dhumal castigated the government for delaying the detailed project reports (DPRs) of 61 national highways approved by the union government.

He lauded former Prime Minister AB Vajpayee for granting a 10-year tax holiday to the industry but said it was curtailed by the Congress government which failed to protect states interest.

MP Shimla Virender Kashyap, MLAs Dr Rajiv Bindal, Dr Rajiv Sehzal, Govind Ram and KL Thakur were among those present on the occasion.
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 5

North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), an organisation of NRIs, has strongly condemned the shooting of a 39-year-old Sikh man by a gunman, who allegedly told him to go back to his own country in the Kent city of Washington state.

NAPA executive director Satnam Singh Chahal, while condemning the shooting, said the incident had evoked anger among the Sikh community in the United States after the shooting.

Sikh Americans are playing an important role in the overall development of the United States and this community is a well-wisher of mankind across the globe. But it is unfortunate that there seems to be no end to attacks on the Sikh community in the United States. We are living under the shadow of fear and insecurity in the country.

He sought a high-level FBI probe into the shooting and urged the local, state and federal officials to investigate the shooting as an anti-Sikh hate crime.

He said the shooting in Kent city in Washington state shared similarities with the deadly shooting in Olathe, Kansas, on February 22, and follows the larger national pattern of hate violence directed at minority communities across the United States in the wake of the presidential elections.
Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 5

A police constable and two militants, including a close associate of slain commander Burhan Wani, were killed in a fierce gunfight which continued for more than 12 hours and ended on Sunday morning in south Kashmirs Tral sub-district. An Army officer and a policeman were also injured in the encounter.

The gunfight took place at Haffoo village in Tral, 40 km from Srinagar. The firefight erupted on Saturday evening immediately after the security forces cordoned off the village following specific information about the presence of militants inside a house, two senior police officials said.

The two militants were killed during the fierce nightlong gunfight in which one police constable was also killed and a Major and a policeman were injured.

IGP, Kashmir, SJM Gillani said one of the two militants killed in the gunfight had been identified as Aqib Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Trals Hayuna village, which borders Haffoo. He was categorised as A-plus-plus in police records and was among the most wanted militant commanders in the region.

Bhat, who operated under the codename Zeeshan and had joined militancy in 2013, was a close associate of former militant commander Burhan Wani, whose killing in a gunfight last year had triggered a long unrest in the region.

The IGP said the second militant is possibly a foreigner whose identity was being confirmed. As per the information we have, he is Saifullah, alias Usama, a foreigner, Gilani said. The officer said both militants were killed on Sunday morning.

The gun battle was severe and deafening blasts resounded through the night, several local residents said. Even as the fierce gunfight raged at Haffoo, protesters from adjacent localities surrounded the village and attempted to disrupt the counter-insurgency operation by clashing with security personnel to help the militants escape.

The police constable killed in the gunfight was identified as Manzoor Ahmad Naik, a resident of north Kashmirs Uri sub-district. The constable was killed this morning when he was hit by bullets fired by a militant under the debris of the house brought down by the blasts. Naik was part of the polices counter-insurgency unit.

Ops to continue till all ultras killed: DGP

Srinagar: Director General of Police (DGP) Shesh Paul Vaid on Sunday said the counter-insurgency operations would continue till all militants were killed in the Kashmir valley. The counter-insurgency operations will continue till all militants are killed in the Kashmir valley. We will bring peace to the Valley, the DGP told reporters after paying tributes to a police constable who was killed in an encounter in Tral. We have killed two militants in the Tral encounter. One of them is a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander while the other is a Pakistani national, the DGP said.  TNS
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 5

The Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, a representative organisation of the Gujjars and Bakerwals, today called for a special census of the tribal communities, including nomadic and semi-nomadic sects living in hilly terrains of the state, to get their exact population ratio.

The demand was raised today during a seminar organised to discuss the issues of the tribal population.

During the seminar, Gujjars and Bakerwals expressed concern over the exclusion of a large chunk of their population in the last Census in view of the tribal migration.

The programme was organised to discuss the issue related to the census and tribal development. It was presided over by noted scholar Javaid Rahi, who is also the president of the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, and attended by a number of people from the community, including youth and students.

Rahi, in his presidential address, said the census played a key role in policy formation which ultimately added to the overall development of a tribe or community. He said when the last Census was held in the state in 2011, a large chunk of the tribal community, mainly nomads, had migrated to the upper reaches and had been reportedly left out in all phases of the census.

He appealed to the Union Government to undertake correct enumeration of the tribe. He urged the government to introduce a new column of Nomadic or Shelterless Category in the Census Performa.

As per the 2011 Census , the tribal population constituted 11.9 per cent of the total population of the state, he said, adding that the Gujjars were not satisfied with the data released by the Registrar General of India.

The speaker said that in the 2011 Census, around 6 to 8 lakh nomadic, semi-nomadic and shelterless Gujjars and Bakerwals had not been enumerated as the Central Government had made no arrangements to transport/send the enumerators to the upper reaches, where the migratory tribes lived.

We appeal to the Prime Minister to intervene and direct the Registrar General of India to conduct a special census of the Gujjar and Bakerwal nomads in Jammu and Kashmir and include them in the National Population Register under a special and exclusive programme, Rahi added.

Those who also spoke during the event included Nazir Wasal, Farooq Trabi, Javaid Bajad, Khadam Kohli, Shierf Chechi, Barkat Dedhadh, Gulzar Bajran and Kallu Gheghi.
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 5

One policeman and two militants were killed in a fierce gun battle at Tral in south Kashmir, which lasted for nearly 12 hours.

One of the militants was a Hizbul Mujahideen operative identified as Aaquib Bhat, popularly known as Aaquib Maulvi, who was active in the area for the last three years. The other militant, Saif-ul-lah, alias Osama, was a Pakistani terrorist working with the Jaish-e-Mohammed, official sources said.

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A police constable, Manzoor Ahmed Niak of Uri, was also killed after he took on the militants head-on during the operation which began at 7 pm last night and continued till 6.30 am, officials said.

A holed-up Bhat had called his father in the wee hours of the morning and bid his final goodbye to him, they said. He was a local resident and his ancestral house was at Hyena in Tral area itself.

Security forces had received an input about the presence of two militants in the house of a carpenter, after which the police, army and CRPF threw a cordon around it.

The first contact was established with the militants at around 7 pm and after that there was an intermittent exchange of fire.

Tral town, which had shot into prominence because of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani, was tense and people had started pouring on to the streets to try and provide an escape for the holed-up militants.

Stones were hurled at the security forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations but the situation was brought under control by the police and CRPF who chased the mob away, officials said. Strict restrictions were imposed in the area over the movement of people.

During these clashes, some of the miscreants snatched an INSAS rifle of a CRPF official.

An Army Major, identified as R. Reshi, suffered a bullet injury and was rushed to the base hospital where his condition was stated to be out of danger now.  PTI
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 5

Minister for Education Altaf Bukhari, state police chief SP Vaid and other senior officers participated in a wreath-laying ceremony today to pay homage to the police constable.

Constable Manzoor Ahmad Naik, a resident of Uri sub-district of north Kashmir, was killed in a gunfight in Tral earlier today. A wreath-laying ceremony was held in District Police Lines, Srinagar.

Education Minister Altaf Bukhari led civil, police and security forces officers and jawans in laying floral tributes to the slain constable, a police spokesman said.

Among those who presented wreaths and flowers included DGPSP Vaid, CRPF IG(Operations) Zulfikar Hassan and IGP(Kashmir) SJM Gillani.

Meanwhile, separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani on Sunday paid tribute to the two militants killed in a gunfight in Tral.

CM expresses grief

Srinagar: CM Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday paid tributes to police Constable Manzoor Ahmad Naik, killed in the Tral gunfight, and conveyed her sympathies to his family. The Chief Minister said the state police had remained at the forefront of maintaining peace and order in the state, for which it has given a lot of sacrifices. She wished speedy recovery to the injured personnel.  TNS
New Delhi, March 5

Activist Teesta Setalvad, a session on whose book has been cancelled by Oxford Bookstore, on Sunday hit out at its management, terming it as an act of self-censorship.

The popular bookstore here has cancelled the session that was scheduled to be held tomorrow, citing volatile situation in the city in the wake of back-to-back student protests.

It appears to be an act of self-censorship. There was absolutely no need for it. It is sad that such things are happening in the capital of the country. We are dealing with forces that cannot tolerate dissent of any kind, particularly political dissent, Setalvad told PTI.

She said the book had a fantastic release in Mumbai and sessions on it were held in Varanasi and in the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi.

In a mail to LeftWord Books, the publisher of her latest memoir Foot Soldier of the Constitution, Oxford Bookstore had raised the threat of disruption by external elements to justify the cancellation.

We feel that while March 6 is too uncomfortably close to the forthcoming elections, the situation has been further exasperated by the recent student protests in the city.

The mood in the capital is very volatile, and I am sure that all three partnersLeftWord, Caravan and Oxford Bookstorewould not like to entertain the remotest possibility of disruption by external elements to mar the event in any way.

Under the circumstances we have no choice but to express our inability to host the event at this point of time, the mail from the Oxford management, shared by theatre artist Sudhanva Deshpande on social media, reads.

When contacted, the Oxford management said it would not issue any public statement on the issue.

The session, that will also feature news magazine The Caravans political editor Hartosh Singh Bal, will now be held in the Press Club of India tomorrow.

Bal also criticised Oxfords decision in a series of tweets, saying that backing out of a book discussion is about crawling without being asked to bend.

Lets not blame the Right or the govt, cowardice cannot be justified by evoking a threat that has not been made (sic), he wrote.  PTI
KV Prasad

Tribune News Service

Varanasi, March 5

The importance of this ancient city on the banks of the Ganga is never lost in the cultural and spiritual lives of people, but this seat of learning and eastern region of UP holds a key to unlock the political fortunes of the next government.

By Wednesday, denizens across 40 seats in six districts will bring down the curtains on this long-drawn seven-phase polling to elect members to the 403-strong UP Assembly.

Tomorrow evening, all the chief gladiators from the big threeBharatiya Janata Party, Samajwadi Party-Congress combine and Bahujan Samaj Party will be beating the retreat hoping the intensity of high-pitched campaign since Saturday would cast the magic spell on the voter.

That Prime Minister Narendra Modi expended so much energy into the campaign, choosing to spend the last three days in his Lok Sabha constituency, led to an interpretation it is no cakewalk. Of the eight Assembly constituencies in the district, the BJP is facing opposition largely from within.

Denial of renomination to seven-time MLA Dada Shyamdeo Chaudhury (Varanasi South) galled workers no end, is a case in point. People were abuzz with talk how PM Modi on seeing Dada when he reached Kashi Vishwanath temple clasped his hand and took him along. Will it work as a balm? With loyal workers lying low, the BJP imported workers in bulk from Gujarat and elsewhere to make up this drag.

BJP chief Amit Shah offered a different spiel, maintaining that as a responsible political leader, Prime Minister is spending time with his constituents. Nothing more should be read, he said, chiding as opposition-inspired those asking whether Modi is here because BJP feels unsettled.

The SP-Congress sense a big breach in the BJP wall of support built during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The combined vote share of SP-Congress in the 2012 Assembly should be enough to see its candidates through, but no two elections are the same.

In every poll, the BSP demonstrated its committed voter base. In UP it is said, a BSP candidate starts with 20 plus per cent vote and all a candidate needs is to draw other castes to make it first-past-the-post.

In a largely dominant issueless election, campaigning this time is reduced to hurling of abuses, raising contentious issues to kindle passion and a bucket list of promises not kept. The outcome of the last two Assembly elections shows eastern UP is the icing on the cake  in 2007, the BSP won 35 of 60-odd seats, including some of those in phase 6 and the SP took 39 seats.
Dust in our eyes

The cutting edge of political debate among the mighty countries today is the relationship between power and mother earths health.
Varanasi, March 5

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday mocked at UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi as "delicate" people incapable of taking hard decisions while pitching himself as a grassroots leader who can develop the state.

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Addressing a public meeting in his parliamentary constituency, Modi said the SP and the BSP are two sides of the same coin with the former being A (Akhilesh) SP and B (Bahujan) SP.

Taking potshots at the Congress over its run of losses in the recent polls, he said one day, research would be done to find out if it once existed, as it is "disappearing from everywhere.

While Akhilesh has inherited his political powers from his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, Gandhi has got it from "so many of his forefathers", Modi said while using a local term, 'ghelua' (what comes free of cost) for the two leaders.

"They are such delicate people who cannot take hard decisions. They think what if they lose what they got. I have not got anything in inheritance.

"Whatever I have got is due to the blessing of the people of Kashi. I can take hard decisions to rid the country of its problems. I have the courage to do so," the Prime Minister said.

Demonetisation, he said, has brought the SP, BSP and the Congress on the same side in its opposition while the country was supported it.

Modi presented himself as the one who will take up the job of developing the state, especially the eastern parts which are going to polls on March 8, if the BJP is voted to power.

Reaching out to small traders who are in significant numbers here, he said they would not be touched by his government's drive against corruption as the politicians and 'babus' have looted the country all these years.

Hitting out at the Akhilesh Yadav government, Modi said, 30 lakh families in Uttar Pradesh need houses. The Centre asked the state for a list of such families, but they are sleeping and couldn't make a list. How will they make houses?

The Centre provides the state government money run hospitals, but I am sorry to say they are not even able to utilise those funds, he said.

The PM said it is sad that those driven by politics wanted a proof of surgical strikes.

Our motto is sabka sath sabka vikas, but Congress, SP and BSP have different culture of politics that says kuch ka saath kuch ka vikas, Modi said.

"Earlier governments did only tidbits (of development work) for Banaras with an eye on short-term electoral gains. But these tidbits won't help Banaras. The city needs a complete, modern makeover and it is my dream to turn this city into a modern world-class city," said Modi at the conclusion of his roadshow.

Modi said people of Banaras can make it the city the world imagines it to be "only if some impediments are removed".

He said that if earlier governments had given proper attention, Kashi (another older name for Varanasi) could have become an attraction for the world.

"People would have yearned to visit Banaras at least once," he said.

Singing paeans to the city, Modi said Banaras is older than history and traditions, proverbs and maxims.

"Banaras is not a city, it is a living heritage. Every Indian considers Banaras as his own," he said.  Agencies
Our Correspondent

Jaipur, March 5

Two suspected Pakistani spies were arrested from Barmer and Jodhpur district on Saturday evening, Rajasthan Police's Intelligence Security Wing (ISW) claimed on Sunday.

Satram Maheshwari of Chohtan in Barmer district and Vinod Maheshwari of Jodhpur are suspected of having passed on details of Indian military actions and deployment as well as some documents to Pakistan's agencies, the wings Additional DG, UR Sahu, said on Sunday.

The officer claimed that Satram Maheshwari came to India with Pakistans LT visa in 1973 and became an Indian citizen in 2009. He brought his relative Vinod Maheshwari in 2015.

Indian agencies began investigating the alleged espionage after they were found to be in touch with officials of Pakistans agencies in 2016. Satram Maheshwari was trying to return to Pakistan.

Police and military were now questioning the two men.
New York, March 5

A 39-year-old Sikh man was injured when a masked gunman opened fire at him in front of his house in US Washington state after telling him go back to your own country. This is the third incident involving Indian victims in the past 10 days.

The Sikh man, identified as US national Deep Rai, was working on his vehicle outside his home in Kent on Friday when a stranger, described as a white male, walked up to him. Kent police said an argument broke out between the two, with Rai claiming the suspect made statements like go back to your own country. The unidentified man then shot him in the arm.

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In a series of tweets, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said: I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a US national of Indian-origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh, father of the victim.

He told me that his son had a bullet injury in his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital.

MaryKay L Carlson, Charge dAffaires, American Embassy in New Delhi, said she was saddened by the shooting. Wishes for quick and full recovery. As @POTUS said we condemn hate and evil in all its forms, she tweeted.

The victim described the shooter as a six-foot-tall white man, wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face. The Kent police are looking for the gunman.

Kent police chief Ken Thomas said while the Sikh man sustained non life-threatening injuries, they were treating this as a very serious incident.

Rai is able to talk, an Indian government official said. The official said the government was ready to offer all possible assistance to him. Authorities are investigating the shooting as a suspected hate crime, according to the Seattle Times.

Indias Consulate in San Francisco is in touch with local authorities who are ascertaining the nature of the crime. The Kent police have launched an investigation into the case and have reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. Were early on in our investigation, Thomas said.

The National Sikh Campaign, a rights group, said the community must get organised and proactively fight hate by reaching out to our fellow Americans.  Agencies
Lucknow, March 5

Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik on Sunday shot a letter to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, seeking clarification on whether he justifies it to retain tainted minister Gayatri Prajapati in his cabinet.

A non-bailable warrant has been issued against Prajapati after an FIR was registered against him in rape case. Serious question of constitutional morality and dignity arise on his remaining in the cabinet, Governor said in a letter to CM seeking his justification on retaining the minister.

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Naik said as per media reports, a look out notice has been issued against Prajapati fearing that he might flee from the country and his passport has also been impounded.

This is serious in nature with Prapatati being a cabinet minister, he added.

He said, it has also come to his notice that the Chief Minister himself has asked the minister to surrender but he has not done so till now and is absconding. There are apprehensions that he might have fled to some foreign country, he said.

The police is searching for the minister and trying to arrest him, the governor said in his letter.

Yesterday, the passport of Prajapati was impounded and a look-out notice was issued against him, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused SP-Congress of chanting Gayatri Prajapati Mantra.

On the directives of the Supreme Court, UP Police has filed an FIR against Prajapati, a senior SP leader, in connection with separate cases of gang-rape and attempt to rape another woman and her minor daughter.  PTI
Vandana Shukla in Chandigarh

Cattle as a wealth-source have never really figured in our scheme of planning, though occasional noises are made over a variety of reasons. Thats why while cows and buffaloes make the headlines, the other quadrupeds in the same category are simply ignored. For instance, the camel.

A research at National Center for Biotechnology, US National Library of Medicine, says camel milk is the closest to human mothers milk. Camel milk is different from other milks...having low sugar and cholesterol, high minerals (sodium, potassium, iron, copper, zinc and magnesium, and vitamin C). The milk is considered to have medicinal characteristics as well. It has called for a systematic review aimed at determining and reporting nutritional values and medicinal characteristics of camel milk in children. The milk has emerged to have potential therapeutic effects in autism.

Closer home, a large population of the lactose-intolerant can benefit as more evidence of camel milks healing powers emerges from clinical tests. Says Dr N V Patil, Director, National Research Centre on Camel, Bikaner: The camel was never treated as a milk producing animal in India. We have clinical proof of its magical medicinal qualities: we secured approval for standardization for production of camel milk. Now its over to government to create farmers co-operatives to pasteurize it in smaller processing units, fix its selling price and to create distribution chains.

The lack of government concern has led to a steep decline in the number of camels in the country. Today, India has only 4 lakh camels -- down from 10 lakh in 2008. Of the five states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, UP and Bihar, about 80% of them are found in Rajasthan, largely bred by the Raika community of pastoralists. They have lost their traditional way of life; grazing lands have disappeared, mechanized farming has taken away male camels role as draught animals -- the beast of burden. The Raikas have fought a legal battle for years to protect their right to graze camels in forest lands. Social hostility towards their nomadic traditions is another cause. Keeping a camel has now become costly for the nomadic tribes; and camels are lost to parasitic diseases or are sold off to butchers.

Demand & supply

About over 18 lakh tons of camel milk is produced globally to meet the burgeoning demand in the European Union and US. For its medicinal qualities, the UN declared camel milk as a superfood in 2006. In India, SARAS, the milk cooperative from Rajasthan, introduced camel milk in the past, but had to close down soon because of the high production cost, unattractive packaging and lack of awareness among consumers.

Camels are not tampered with genetically or hormonally, they produce only 4-5 litres a day  as against 40 litres that cows or buffaloes do. The milk plants are designed to handle large volumes, the experiment of Saras thus failed.

Ray of hope

While camels were dying in Rajasthan, an anthropologist came to research camels and the pastoral peoples lives and fell in love with the community of Raikas. Ilse Kohler Roleffson, also a veterinarian, author of Camel Karma, set up Lokhit Pashu-Palak Sansthan (LPPS), in Sadri, Rajasthan, with her associate Hanwant Singh to protect the source of livelihood of the Raikas. In 1990s when she came to study nomads, India had the third largest population of camels. She had since been playing an activists role, helping the Raikas fight for its pastoral rights and looking after their camels as a vet.

People come to us with their autistic children from Chennai, Chandigarh and Gurgaon, but we are helpless in shipping small quantity. Only if people in towns can organize themselves with demand that meets logistics, we can ship milk says Ilke.
Harvinder Khetal

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.  Marcus Aurelius

Earlier this week, when I arose one morning earlier than my usual time and stepped out for some work, I woke up to some precious sights from my old student days: the blush of dawn painting the sky in a shy hue; the hue romancing with the slight nip in the air; the air still fresh and light, being free from the heaviness of the days pollution; the light of the sun not yet piercingly bright; bright young children headed to schools and colleges and universities.Sigh! It takes me to that not-so-rosy picture that has come to fore from some dark crevice: that of 20-year-old Gurmehar Kaur who has been forced to forego her college these days due to frightening trolls and threats.

Hope the import of the fact that shes a daughter of our own nation, that shes our own free-thinking national, and not an unwelcome, suspect immigrant in Trump land, dawns on the trolls and tormentors. Its the morning of her life, that carefree time, beautifully described by Thomas Moore:

In the morning of life, when its cares are unknown,

And its pleasures in all their new

lustre begin,

When we live in a bright-beaming

world of our own,

And the light that surrounds us is

all from within.

Lest the light that surrounds her from within dims into the duskiness of twilight, we need to support our daughter, as also all others facing a similar fate in our land on whose horizon (the line at which the earth's surface and the sky appear to meet) seem to lurk dark and opaque forces. Let us broaden our horizon (the limit of a person's knowledge, experience, or interest) by being inclusive rather than divisive, by being calm rather than tumultuous. When that dawns (become evident to the mind) on us all, specially the fanatics, would be the day.

I am reminded of my trip to the land of the morning calm, South Korea. As we drove down from the Incheon airport to Seoul, the horizon (skyline or range of vision) was marked by the breathtaking vista of the clear and calm waters of Yellow Sea on one side and the East China Sea on the other. Beyond the horizon, on the east, is Japan, the land of the morning sun. As we neared Seoul, the spellbinding Bukhan mountain came into view, completing the tranquil scenery.

Interestingly, tranquility takes me to the common greeting for hello in Korean. They greet each other with annyeonghaseyo, and bending forward in humility. The literal meaning of the word is "Are you at peace?" (annyeong stands for peace, tranquility, good health; haseo is are you). So different from the salutations that usually include morning/day all over the world. For example: Good morning (England), Suprabhaat (India), bom dia (Portuguese), buenos dias (Spanish), bonjour (French), guten morgen (German), and buongiorno (Italian).

Our two-night stay at the picturesque Buddhist temple nestled in the hills near Seoul, with a gentle stream running through it was equally enchanting. Whether larks or owls, we all got up at cockcrow (dawn, the first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise, when the rooster crows) to attend the session of meditation, followed by yummy vegetarian fare cooked by the Buddhist nuns.

By the way, isnt it interesting that chronotypes (a person's natural inclination with regard to the times of day when they prefer to sleep or when they are most alert or energetic) have metaphors of birds? Larks are morning persons, the early risers and owls are people who have difficulty in believing in the proverb early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

It is said that one out of ten persons is a lark, up and about early in the morning. The owls comprise around two in ten. They cant hit the bed till long past midnight. They would have heard their moms admonish them umpteen times thus: Get up! Half the day is gone. Its 10 0clock! even as they slunk lower into their bedcover for a little longer.

The rest of us are hummingbirds, ready for action both early and late. Almost all animals have daily cycles of activity known as circadian rhythms (biological processes recurring naturally on a 24-hour cycle, even in the absence of light fluctuations) that roughly follow the cycle of day and night. That is why a rooster crows at the crack of dawn. It has an internal body clock that helps it anticipate sunrise.

But lark or owl or hummingbird, we need to anticipate trouble and troubled times that are likely to follow if Gurmehar Kaurs are oppressed and suppressed. We definitely need to broaden our horizon.

hkhetal@gmail.com
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, March 5

Social activist JP Baduni today accused industrial units at the SIDCUL of not hiring 70 per cent of their workers from Uttarakhand. Baduni, an office-bearer of the Civil Society of Uttarakhand, an NGO, said the units at the Integrated Industrial Estate of State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited (SIDCUL) are bound to adhere to the norm.

He said ND Tiwari-headed state government, while giving tax concession and other sops to industrialists investing in the state, had ordered them on November 19, 2005 to provide employment to local people. But industrialists are not adhering to this clause, he said.

Baduni said despite their repeated communiques to the Labour Commissioner, SIDCUL manager, Chief Ministers office and the Labour Minister, no action had been taken against the erring firms. A massive protest would be held by the end of this month in the wake of no action. The Civil Society of Uttarakhand will meet the officials concerned on March 18 and 19 for necessary action.

The SIDCUL phase 1 and 2 were established to boost industrial investment as well as employment opportunities for local youths in technical and non-technical segments. However, even 11 years after the issuance of a government order, a majority of industrial units are not giving employment to local youths on one pretext or the other. Of 9.68 lakh unemployed youths, five lakh have got themselves registered at employment exchanges across the state in the past five years. The employment office in Haridwar has provided jobs to 71 youths so far while the number of unemployed people is one lakh, said Baduni.

Brahmachari Vivekanand, another office-bearer of the Civil Society of Uttarakhand, said successive state governments had failed to make the industrial units adhere to the order. It speaks volumes of the double standards of political parties as both Congress and BJP, in their manifestos, had promised to provide employment to a member of each family, he said. When they cant ensure the mandatory 70 per cent hiring of local people in the private industrial units, how will they provide employment to lakhs of youths after coming to power again, questioned Brahmachari.

Members of the NGO also raised the issue of misuse of the Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Self Employment Scheme wherein banks and the Tourism Department, instead of helping poor people, were providing financial aid to who file income tax returns and earn lakhs of rupees. The NGO demanded a probe into it. Explanation should be sought from the District Magistrates, tourism officers and bankers of all 13 districts, Baduni added.
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 5

The police today arrested a woman and her paramour in connection with the murder of her husband and father-in-law. The accused have been identified as Deepika Rana and her friend Yogesh Arora.

SSP Sweety Agarwal, while addressing mediapersons, said the bodies of two men were found in a car in Kuanwala under Doiwala police station two days ago. The police, during investigation, found that Deepika had lodged a missing complaint of her husband Rajesh Rana and father-in-law Prem Singh Rana at Raipur police station. She stated they had left for Bulandshahr early morning on March 3 but didnt reach Bulandshahr till late night. The car, in which the bodies were found, was registered in Deepikas name.

The SSP said Deepika was brought to police station for questioning. During interrogation, she confessed to having murdered the two in connivance with with her friend Yogesh and two others. The victims were strangulated to death. The accused also stabbed them as they wanted ensure their death. They dumped the bodies in a car at Kuanwala before escaping from the spot, the SSP said. They wanted to set the bodies on fire but couldnt succeed.

According to Sweety Agarwal, manhunt is on to arrest two others  Dabloo and Babloo. The police will release their sketches soon.A total of six teams, led by SP City Ajay Singh, SP Rural Shweta Chaubey, ASP Crime Tripti Bhatt and SOG in-charge SI Ashok Rathore were made to crack the case.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) shouts traditional Banzai (long life) cheers with lawmakers and members of his ruling Liberal Democratic (LDP) Party during its annual convention in Tokyo on Sunday.

Japans ruling party approved a change in party rules that could pave the way for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to become the countrys longest-serving leader in the post-World War II era. AP/PTI
Dhaka: Bangladesh on Sunday banned extremist Islamist group Ansar Al-Islam blamed for the brutal murders of several secular activists and atheist bloggers in the Muslim-majority country. A Home Ministry spokesman said an order was issued banning the militant outfit as the group is involved in anti-state activities which are contrary to peace and order and a threat to public safety and security in the country. The ban was enforced as members of previously outlawed Ansarullah Bangla Team regrouped under the banner of Ansar al-Islam, the ministry said. PTI
EC not to call international observers for local polls

The Election Commission (EC) has said it will not call international observers for monitoring local level polls slated for May 14.
BERKELEY/LANSING, March 4

Supporters of Donald Trump clashed with counter-protesters at a rally in the famously left-leaning city of Berkeley, California, on a day of mostly peaceful gatherings in support of the US president across the country.

At a park in Berkeley, across the bay from San Francisco, protesters from both sides struck one another over the head with wooden sticks and Trump supporters fired pepper spray as police in riot gear stood at a distance.

Some in the pro-Trump crowd, holding American flags, faced off against black-clad opponents. An elderly Trump supporter was struck in the head and kicked on the ground.

Organisers of the so-called Spirit of America rallies in at least 28 the country's 50 states had said they expected smaller turn-outs than the huge crowds of anti-Trump protesters that clogged the streets of Washington and other cities the day after the Republican's inauguration on January 20.

"There are a lot of angry groups protesting and we thought it was important to show our support," said Peter Boykin, president of Gays for Trump, who helped organise Saturday's rally in Washington.

In many towns and cities, the rallies did not draw more than a few hundred people. At some, supporters of the president were at risk of being outnumbered by small groups of anti-Trump protesters who gathered to shout against the rallies.

In Berkeley, the total crowd of both supporters and detractors numbered 200 to 300 people, police spokesman Byron White said. Three people were injured in the clash, including one who had teeth knocked out, and police made five arrests.

One Trump supporter who took part in the violence came equipped with a baton, a gas mask and a shield emblazoned with the American flag.

White said police did break up fights between the two sides.

"We've made a number of arrests, it's one of those things where we monitor the situation and take action as necessary," he said.

The violence comes a month after mask-wearing protesters at the University of California, Berkeley, shut down a planned speech by a provocative far-right commentator by lighting fires and smashing windows.

On Saturday, smaller skirmishes broke out in other parts of the country.

In Minnesota, 400 Trump supporters packed the state capitol rotunda in St. Paul and were met by a smaller group of counter-demonstrators, according to the Star Tribune. Scuffles erupted and six counter-protesters were arrested, the newspaper reported.

In Nashville, Tennessee, Trump supporters and counter-protesters cursed at each other and occasionally made physical contact, but state troopers broke up the fighting, according to the city's public radio station.

Most rallies appeared to take place without any disruption or violence, like one outside the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing.

"How can anyone be disappointed with bringing back jobs? And he promised he would secure our borders, and that's exactly what he's doing," said Meshawn Maddock, one of the organisers of the rally which drew about 200 people.

Brandon Blanchard, 24, among a small group of anti-Trump protesters, said he had come in support of immigrants, Muslims and transgender people, groups that have been negatively targeted by Trump's rhetoric and policies.

"I feel that every American that voted for Trump has been deceived," Blanchard said.

More than 200 supporters of the president rallied in downtown San Diego.

"After this, I think people will take the hint," said former US Marine David Moore, 42, a participant in the rally. "Its okay to voice support for the president and the country." In Palm Beach, Florida, where Trump is staying this weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort, the president's motorcade stopped and Trump stepped outside his car to wave at a crowd of dozens of supporters. A smaller group of protesters stood across the street.

In New York, about 200 people demonstrated their support for the president in front of Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan. In Washington, about 150 people marched from the Washington Monument to Lafayette Square in front of the White House to show their support for the president.  Reuters
Damascus, March 5

The injured pilot of Syrian fighter jet, which crashed near Syrian-Turkish border, was found by Turkish rescue team on Sunday morning.

The fighter jet crashed in central Antakya, 35 km from the Syrian border, on Saturday night after the pilot lost control over it, Xinhua news agency reported.

The pilot escaped after ejecting safely but was injured on landing. He was found in southern Hatay province after a nine-hour search.

The pilot was found exhausted, 40 km from the wreckage of the jet.

A Syrian opposition group, Ahrar al-Sham, claimed that it shot down an aircraft belonging to the Syrian government on Saturday.

The plane was allegedly bombing Idlib province in northern Syria. IANS
Tehran: Iran said there had been progress in talks with Saudi Arabia on allowing citizens of the Islamic republic to join this years Haj pilgrimage, despite some remaining issues. Iranians were barred from attending last years Haj after the two countries severed diplomatic ties and failed to agree on security measures. Talks have been ongoing since an Iranian delegation travelled to Saudi Arabia on February 22. Last year marked the first time in nearly three decades that Iran was barred from the pilgrimage. AP
Washington, March 5

US President Donald Trump today questioned Barack Obamas secret conversation with Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev in 2012 as he continued his tirade against his predecessor, a day after he accused him of wire tapping his office before the presidential elections.

Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, Tell Vladimir that after the election Ill have more flexibility? Trump tweeted, apparently referring to a hot-mic conversation between Obama and the then Russian President Medvedev in 2012 before his second term.

Facing flak over his top administration officials alleged contacts with Russian officials during and after elections, Trump yesterday accused Obama of wire tapping his office in New York just before the 2016 presidential elections and likened the alleged surveillance of his communications to the Watergate scandal.

Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! Trump had said, without providing any evidence to substantiate his claims.

How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy! he said.

Obamas spokesperson Kevin Lewis rejected the allegations as simply false and said the former US president never ordered surveillance on any US citizen. Meanwhile, NBC reported that senior US officials had no clue about Trumps allegations of wire tapping at the Trump Tower.  PTI
Paris, March 5

A senior politician from embattled French presidential candidate Francois Fillons conservative camp said on Sunday that several party heavyweights were about to issue a statement calling for former prime minister Alain Juppe to replace him.

Once the frontrunner, Fillon is mired in a scandal over his wifes pay, and his campaign has been in serious trouble since he learned last week that he could be placed under formal investigation for misuse of public funds.

He is under growing pressure as party leaders prepare a crisis meeting for Monday to discuss the situation ahead of a March 17 deadline when all presidential candidates must be formally endorsed by at least 500 elected officials.

After a string of resignations among advisers and backers, the 63-year old former conservative prime minister is banking on a rally of supporters in Paris on Sunday to show his detractors that he remains their best hope to win the presidency.

In the coming hours, we will propose an initiative, Christian Estrosi, a close ally of former President Nicolas Sarkozy, told BFM TV, adding that it would be before Monday morning.

We do not have the time to debate who has the most talent. I dont think any of the forty-somethings in our political movement, who have talent, can take on the role to bring us together.

He said the initiative would come in the form of a statement led by himself and other heavyweights in the Republicans party including Xavier Bertrand and Valerie Pecresse.  Reuters
Washington, March 5

US President Donald Trump has asked Congress to investigate the allegations of him being wiretapped by his predecessor Barack Obama before the 2016 elections, the White House on Sunday said, terming the reports very troubling.

President Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the Congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement.

Spicer said reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the November election are very troubling.

Neither the White House nor the President will comment further until such oversight is conducted, Spicer said a day after Trump alleged that Obama had ordered for his wiretapping at the Trump Towers just before the presidential elections.

The allegations, which has created a political storm in the US, has been denied by Obamas spokesperson Kevin Lewis.

A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice. As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any US citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false, Lewis has said.

Trump made the allegations against Obama in a series of tweets yesterday, but did not provide evidence to substantiate his claims.

He also likened the alleged surveillance of his communications to McCarthyism and Watergate, the scandal in the early 1970s which brought down President Richard Nixon.

Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! Trump said.

Is it legal for a sitting President to be wire tapping a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW! he said.  PTI
Washington, March 5

President Donald Trump is expected to sign a revised travel ban on Sunday, just over a month after his original decree sowed controversy across the United States and chaos at airports, US media reported.

The president will sign the new executive order at the Department of Homeland Security, according to Politico, which cited senior government officials.

It was unclear what changes Trump planned to make, according to the publication.

Trump's original January 27 order was widely criticised as amounting to a ban on Muslims, and also for being rolled out sloppily  with virtually no warning to the public or preparation of the agencies tasked with enforcing it.

The order, which temporarily barred people from seven Muslim-majority countries from traveling to the United States for 90 days, as well as all refugees for 120 days and Syrian refugees permanently  triggered worldwide outrage as well as protests in the United States.

It also caused chaos in the first days of its implementation as people arriving at US airports from targeted countries were detained and sometimes sent back to where they came from.

However, the order was halted after two judicial setbacks  a nationwide freeze on Trump's ban by a US district judge in Seattle and a subsequent ruling by San Francisco's Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the suspension.  AFP
Beirut, March 5

Twin Islamic State suicide attacks killed 15 people on Sunday in Syrias northern province of Aleppo, where the jihadists have faced simultaneous assaults in recent weeks, a monitor said.

One attacker detonated a car bomb near the IS-held town of Deir Hafer, killing eight fighters with regime forces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

IS claimed responsibility for the attack saying it, was carried out by fighter Abu Abdullah al-Shami, with an explosive-laden vehicle.

Deir Hafer lies on a key road linking Aleppo city to the IS-controlled town of Khafsah, which holds the main station to pump water into Aleppo, and further east to the jihadist groups de facto capital Raqa.

Residents of Aleppo city have been without mains water for 48 days after the jihadists cut the supply.

Today, Russian and regime warplanes bombarded IS positions in support of Syrian troops, which had advanced to 11 kilometres from Khafsah, the Observatory said.

The United Nations today said 26,000 people had fled the fighting since late February, while the Observatory said as many as 30,000 had been displaced.

In a second attack, IS said a fighter detonated his suicide belt in the rebel-held town of Azaz, also in Aleppo province.

The Observatory said the suicide attack in the town killed seven fighters and wounded several others, some of them in critical condition.

In January, a massive tanker truck bomb ripped through a market in Azaz, killing 48 people and wounding dozens, the Observatory said.

It was suspected that IS was behind that attack.

Syrias conflict broke out in March 2011 with protests against President Bashar al-Assad, but has morphed into a complex conflict that has killed more than 310,000 people.

Air strikes on the northwestern province of Idlib today killed six people, including five members of the same family, the Observatory said.

The raids on the town of Kafranbel also wounded 21 people.  AFP
Gachhadar urges parties to take part in elections

Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik Chairman Bijay Kumar Gachhadar has urged all the parties to use the local elections scheduled for May 14 as an opportunity.
Ginger farmers rue sharp decline in sales

Ginger farmers in the district have complained about a sharp decline in sales of the spice due to oversupply.
The median payout on earthquake insurance claims in Oklahoma since 2010 is $3,960, according to a Tulsa World analysis of government data.

Companies paid out $5.1 million on claims statewide from 2010 through 2016. They have collected $211 million in coverage premiums from consumers.

Of 1,800 damage claims filed, 292 have received payments. That is an approval rate of about 3 in 20 claims. Denied claims total 1,337 (about 3 in 4 claims), and another 171 remain open (about 1 in 10).

About 269,000 earthquake policies are on the books in Oklahoma.

State insurance officials note that earthquake policies are written to protect against catastrophic losses, not minor damage, which they say accounts for the claim payout and approval figures.

The data are being collected on an ongoing basis by the Oklahoma Insurance Department as part of an industrywide survey. The Insurance Department provided the latest data  current through 2016  to the Tulsa World at the newspapers request.

Oklahoma experienced three of its five strongest earthquakes in 2016, including the state-record 5.8 near Pawnee in September. There also was a 5.1 near Fairview in February and a 5.0 near Cushing in November.

In the immediate aftermath of the Pawnee quake, 423 claims were filed. Of those, 296 were denied, 52 received payments and 75 remain open. The payouts total $253,100.

After the Cushing quake, policy holders filed 108 claims, of which 30 have been denied, eight have been paid and 70 are still open. The payouts total $90,300.

The Fairview earthquake yielded five claims, each of which was denied.

The most expensive quake in Oklahoma remains the magnitude-5.7 near Prague in 2011. Policy holders filed 338 claims, with 118 paid and 220 denied. The payouts totaled $1,669,100.

The Worlds analysis of the individual quakes took into account not only the date of each temblor but also the ensuing two days.

Studies still place Oklahoma firmly at risk for damage from earthquakes despite a depressed energy market and stricter oil and gas industry regulations that have significantly reduced wastewater disposal volumes, which have been linked to induced seismicity.

Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak in June declared the quake insurance market to be noncompetitive, meaning rate increase requests must be submitted to the Insurance Department for approval or denial. Doak holds the option of challenging a rate change he deems inappropriate.

He encourages consumers with quake-related questions to contact their insurance agents or call his departments consumer assistance hotline at 1-800-522-0071. He has an earthquake policy on his own property and cautions those who dont that they are self-insuring 100 percent of any temblor-related losses.

He previously discussed touring uninsured structures with significant damage after the Prague sequence in 2011.

And I suspect some of those folks filed bankruptcy and walked away from their homes, Doak said.

Insurers often impose a moratorium on purchasing earthquake insurance after a strong earthquake to separate one quake from another. Kelly Dexter, assistant commissioner of communications for the Insurance Department, said she is unaware of any current moratoriums.

Many companies pause the sale of policies for no more than 60 days within a 100-mile radius of the epicenter of a 5.0 or higher quake, according to the Insurance Department. Oklahoma hasnt recorded a quake above 4.0 since November.

There were 623 quakes of magnitude-3.0 or greater in Oklahoma in 2016, a 31 percent reduction from 2015s record of 903.

The U.S. Geological Survey on Wednesday released its one-year earthquake hazard forecast, determining that about 3 million people in Oklahoma and southern Kansas live in an area with significant potential for a damaging quake induced by human activity.

The study places the Cushing-to-Pawnee area as being in the greatest risk in Oklahoma, assessing a 10 percent to 12 percent chance of a damaging quake this year.

The forecast comes three months after Stanford University research found that the chance of exceeding a magnitude-5.0 in Oklahoma in 2017 is 37 percent. The study noted that the probability should significantly decrease with cutbacks in wastewater injection volumes, but one of the studys co-authors told the Tulsa World the state still is almost certain to have at least one damaging quake in the next five years.
The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma is expanding a program designed to provide food to middle and high school students.

Since the start of the year, the agency has opened five new school-based food pantries, bringing the total to 20.

The hope is to open three more by midsummer.

The food pantry programs offer shelf-stable foods that are available to the students as needed. Councilors or teachers refer students to the program when food insecurity is identified.

This provides a place where they can get healthy, nutritious food and do it discreetly in a safe environment, said John McCarthy, director of community initiatives with the food bank.

The pantries are stocked with about 50 percent fruits and vegetables and the rest being grains and proteins; students are encouraged to take a similar ratio when selecting foods.

We like for the kids to go into the pantry and choose the stuff they are going to eat instead of handing them a bag with items that arent their favorite things and would just go to waste, McCarthy said.

The school pantries are part of the food banks Food for Kids program. The largest part of that program is the Backpacks for Kids initiative where 5,000 elementary students identified as chronically hungry take home backpacks full of food on Fridays.

The backpacks are filled with small entrees and fruit cups that the kids are able to open and eat themselves, so that if a parent isnt available to cook for them they still have access to food.

As that model was expanded into higher grades it didnt work as well, in part because of the calories needed by older kids.

Staff with the food bank decided to try out the school-based food pantry model, starting with two schools in February 2015.

The majority of the participating schools are in Tulsa County, but recent expansions have included schools in Osage, McIntosh, Muskogee, Cherokee and Rogers counties.

Weve noticed  that there are counties in fairly great need that for whatever reason we seem to not be doing an equitable job of getting food into those counties, McCarthy said.

Further expansion of the program will look at getting food into the schools in those under-served counties, McCarthy said.

More than 200 students use the program each month. When the siblings, children and parents of those students are taken into account, the program impacts nearly 900 people each month.

The food bank distributes between 300 and 600 pounds of food to each participating school every month.

The Union Alternative School opened its pantry in September.

Tammy Garcia, school counselor, said that without the program many of her students would not have dinner during the week or meals on the weekends.

We want to take away any barrier that would keep a student from learning or being successful, she said.
See the complete series: tulsaworld.com/veterans

Kevin Kimbrough survived 13 months of combat in Vietnam and the related post-traumatic stress disorder that plunged him into a dozen years of self-medicating with alcohol and drugs.

Between 2013 and early 2015, he even survived a major stroke and the amputations of both of his legs.

But two years at the Oklahoma Veterans Center in Talihina has left him battered and bruised, and two months ago, on the brink of death.

His sister, who moved halfway across the country to see to his care, has had enough. Shes transferring him to a state veterans home in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where the patient-to-aide ratio is a fourth of what it is at Talihina.

Were all gonna die. Kevins gonna die. But its gonna be on Gods time  not because you neglected him or failed to do your job! said Molly Kimbrough.

One state lawmaker is assisting top executives at the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs with legislation to relocate the vets nursing home at Talihina to a larger city nearby because of two high-profile, questionable deaths in the last five months.

Those state officials have focused their public comments and concerns on local staffing challenges and the age and design of the converted, 1921 tuberculosis sanitorium on the outskirts of a remote, tiny town in the Ouachita Mountains.

But health-care workers from the highest to lowest levels of patient care at multiple ODVA-run nursing homes for veterans say the problems are in no way limited to Talihina  theyre systemic.

In a Tulsa World investigation, sources provided detailed accounts and documentation of systemwide reductions in medical and nursing staff, outsourcing of lab work and one-size-fits-all, top-down medical directives and policy changes. All the corners being cut and administrative decisions are driving out staff dedicated to the mission of veteran care and are compromising patient care and safety, sources say.

The Tulsa World verified the identities and clean state license histories of the workers and agreed to protect their identities because they fear retaliation by superiors.

Consistently, those who work directly with patients cited as the root of their concerns the centralized decision-making by ODVAs top, new leadership  career military leaders without nursing home or long-term-care experience  and cover-ups and patient-blaming when mistakes, injuries and unnatural deaths occur.

I dont think its a Talihina problem, said a high-ranking staffer. The system is sick and it starts from the top down.

The individual added: There are deaths the public isnt even aware of and there have been a lot more near-misses  lab work not done in a timely fashion or not at all; one nurse having to pass meds to 50 people within one hour of a meal; three aides to feed, toilet and clean 50 patients on a unit. When you spread people that thin, bad things are going to happen. And its veterans who are suffering.

Died a horrific death

The Tulsa World began its investigation after the Oct. 3 death of Vietnam veteran Owen Reese Peterson, who was found with maggots in his body and later died from sepsis.

State officials have said Peterson needed a morphine pump for pain management but couldnt get one because the center didnt have a medical doctor on staff at the time. Insiders say he died a slow, horrific death over the course of two months.

His room was on the second floor, where theres a time clock. You could get off that elevator to clock in or out and there was a terrible smell, a terrible odor. And it was him, a worker said.

That worker, who has many years of experience in long-term care, said Peterson should have been moved into hospice care to receive the kind of medication needed to make proper wound care possible for nurses. The worker didnt attend to Peterson personally but has spoken to those who did and has seen photos.

By the time he left that facility, he didnt have any skin down his shoulders, all the way down his backside and the back of his legs. He had decubitus ulcers (pressure sores or bedsores)  thats from not turning or repositioning a patient. Those that are not treated spread and tunnel and spread throughout the body, causing sepsis and infection throughout the body, the worker said. He didnt have many baths. They would just sponge off his front. And they couldnt change the dressings or his sheets, so they would just reinforce the dressings with new on top of old and then slip pads in between him and the bed.

Before the funeral home or outside investigators arrived, staffers disposed of his mattress and cleaned his body in a shower room to eliminate evidence of his true condition, the worker said.

ODVA stalled for weeks the release of its completed, internal investigative report into Petersons death despite the Oklahoma Open Record Acts requirement to provide prompt, reasonable access to public records. Provided Thursday, the heavily redacted, six-page document states that Peterson had open wounds with gnats about him constantly and concludes that a nurse practitioner and assistant administrator should have submitted their resignations. Both are still top-ranking employees at the home.

Another questionable death occurred in January when 70-year-old Leonard Smith of Sapulpa, an advanced dementia patient, choked to death and then was found with a plastic bag lodged in his throat. He was living in the locked-down special needs unit at the Talihina center.

Residents and health-care workers provided the Tulsa World accounts of other deaths at Talihina during the past two years they say were non-natural.

Those include the drowning of a resident in a motorized wheelchair in one of the propertys ponds; a man who fell, cracked his head open and bled out in front of fellow patients after being induced to dance with a visiting group of line dancers; an unattended man who died after falling out of his wheelchair and cracking his head on the pavement on one of the centers patios; and the sudden death from a burst abscess of a man whose symptoms had been misdiagnosed by medical staff onsite.

She played God

The Tulsa World requested a list of clinical care staff at the Talihina center, which has the capacity for 175 patients. ODVA provided a database with 152 names. But local workers say that 24 of the names are individuals who no longer work at the facility and another nine havent shown up for work in weeks but still have their names listed on schedules, falsely inflating staffing levels.

Numerous veterans and their family members say the lack of adequate staffing has had serious consequences for those living there.

Kimbrough, the double amputee and Vietnam vet, suffered a broken arm in the facility on New Years Eve, when nurses and patient aides were especially scarce, his sister said.

Because they were so short, someone from another floor had to help him, and he was not put in his wheelchair properly. When that happens, he tends to slide and that left arm, which he cannot move at all, dangles. He ran into a door jamb, Molly Kimbrough said. This never would have happened if they had let me take him home for the holiday weekend, but they have a rule that says you cant be gone overnight more than 12 nights a year. So he had to wait for his 12 days to start over on Jan. 1.

She said doctors at the local hospital where her brother was first taken misdiagnosed the location of the break in his arm as being in the lower half. He was left to languish at the veterans center in agony, unable to drink much or eat because of pain.

After a nurse noticed Kimbrough had stopped breathing, he was transported to the Jack Montgomery VA Hospital in Muskogee, and his sister was called.

They got him stabilized enough and that night, they brought in a portable X-ray and determined that the break in his arm is actually about an inch and a half below his shoulder  in his upper arm  in the humerus, she said. Two days later, the nurse practitioner at the hospital tells me if I have family to call them because this is end of life. He is in complete kidney failure because he only had 20 ounces of fluids in six days.

They gave me the name of a mortuary.

After out-of-state family gathered in Muskogee, another doctor determined that Kimbrough had been prescribed too much pain medication and also treated him with IV antibiotics.

In three days, you would not believe the difference, she said.

Seeing her brother so close to death was the final straw for Molly  she and other family members immediately began looking for another nursing home for Kimbrough. But two recent mishaps during van transports are also high atop her list of reasons.

Last summer, Kimbrough suffered serious pressure wounds after being left in the same position in his wheelchair in the back of an ODVA van on an all-day round trip to Claremore and Tulsa. In a separate ODVA van ride, he was transported in a wheelchair with no safety belt.

They had taken him to Jack Montgomery hospital for a post-surgical checkup, his sister said. On the way back to Talihina, when they are in Eufaula, he tells the two drivers, Please slow down. Im slipping out of the chair. They told him, Oh, youll be fine. He fell out of the chair. Instead of stopping, they turn around and go back 40 minutes to Jack Montgomery for help with him on the floor of the van, she said.

Other patients cases raise questions, too.

Tom Crowson, 60, was a U.S. Army special operations paratrooper from 1979 to 1982 and came to live at Talihina just over two years ago. He, like Kimbrough, is considered 100 percent service-connected disabled.

In late 2015, he was diagnosed with Charcot foot syndrome, a complication of diabetic neuropathy that can have destructive effects on the foot and ankle. Then late last summer, his specialist told him he needed a cast and boot to help prepare for surgery.

My foot was shifting and turning. All of the bones were out of position, Crowson said.

He needed a referral to a specialized clinic to outfit him with the cast and boot, but the doctor at the center departed abruptly. The only staff person remaining who could provide him the referral was a nurse practitioner.

After Crowson was told the nurse practitioner had received notes from his attending nurses, asking about the status of his referral, he sought answers.

I asked her twice when I saw her in the hall, I said, Wheres the referral for my foot? Im in a lot of pain.  Crowson said. I told her she had signed off on the (nurses) notes, and she said, I sign a lot of things, I dont read everything. 

Finally, when a new doctor was hired to serve as medical director at Talihina, Crowson finally got the referral, but the months-long delay had serious consequences.

When the new doctor got here on Dec. 7, he put in the referral and I had it the next day. But from September to December, my foot deteriorated to the point that when I went back to see (the specialist) he recommended amputation and said, It just went too long without being supported enough to be rebuilt, Crowson said. I was angry about the fact that she was the only person here and she played God, and Im not the only one she has played God with. She made a decision  she intentionally did not pick up the telephone to get my foot worked on with the boot and cast.

Crowson said he filed an official grievance, and the states investigator found in his favor. He was told the investigative report was being sent to the ODVAs central office and the Oklahoma Medical Board, but he has no way of knowing whether thats true.

As for his foot, Crowson got a second opinion from a Tulsa specialist who thinks there is still a chance it can be saved through surgery. But everything is on hold again, for a new reason.

After a series of calamities, I finally got to Tulsa and a doctor there said he could operate on it as long as I didnt have foot ulcers. Now Ive got two ulcers. He wont operate on it, Crowson said.

As veterans, they were promised

so much more

Honorably discharged veterans with at least one day of active-duty service are eligible to reside in one of Oklahomas seven state-run veterans homes. Applicants are admitted by priority of earliest wartime service, with World War II-era vets given the highest priority.

Currently, 1,363 of the 1,423 available beds are filled. Of those, 295 served during WWII, 283 during the Korean War, 599 during Vietnam and 42 during the Gulf War.

Kimbrough, now 67, was drafted into the Army when he was 18 years old. He was sent to Germany but soon volunteered to serve in Vietnam. He ended up in the 1st Battalion, 11th Infantry, delivering ammunition by truck to U.S. troops in Quang Tri province  sometimes over the South Vietnamese border into North Vietnam.

He was exposed to Agent Orange and suffered shrapnel wounds after his convoy took on friendly fire from a 155-millimeter cannon.

For 10 years, I was picking shrapnel out of my inner legs, he said. I think about it every day  just being over there. I never got any mental health, and I never wanted to talk about it. It hurts to remember it. It hurts my mind.

Kimbrough returned from war a totally different person than the Catholic school kid with a happy, secure home life. His sister said he got healthy and came back to his family in 1984, and the whole clan has been tight-knit ever since.

I had lived in California and Arizona for decades, but when he lost his first leg, I moved here to take care of him, she said. After the stroke and the second leg was amputated, it was too much. If I could take care of him at home, I would, but I have multiple sclerosis. Some days, I feel like Ive had a stroke, and my legs dont work.

The siblings remember Peterson from smoking together on a patio at the Talihina home. His death haunts them.

Everybody called him Pete. He was a nice man, Molly said. That didnt happen overnight! As veterans, they were promised so much more  and they deserve it.

Kimbrough said the bottom line is the state needs to close this place down or get more staff.

I like all the nurses and aides I have, but there is not enough help, he said. Id be dead if I didnt have Molly. Shes very outspoken and she comes at least every other day. She looks out for me, she loves me. Not everybody has a Molly.

New cuts, new policies

A Tulsa World analysis coming Monday will show high employee turnover during the last two years and a rapid crackdown on overtime pay in the last half of 2016 across the states veterans nursing home system.

And, internal documents provided by sources show ODVA just reduced the number of medical providers  doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners  by a net of three or four, effective Jan. 1.

ODVA spokesman Shane Faulkner confirmed the cuts and explained the changes in response to the Worlds request.

The staffing levels were decreased based upon a decision to prospectively operate in accordance with long-term-care regulations rather than those of an acute-care facility, Faulkner said. In accordance with these regulations, a physician is required to see a resident at least once every 60 days after admission. There has not been a fiscal analysis performed on what the cost savings are due to the new staffing levels.

He also revealed ODVA leaders contemplated eliminating staff medical providers from the veterans homes altogether.

Due to the doctor shortage in Talihina, we were considering going with a consortium of doctors who provide services to long-term-care facilities on a contract basis across the agency, Faulkner said If we had incorporated this, it would have been an approximate $2 million savings. However, upon discussing this with other states that do not have on-site providers, we came to the conclusion that our doctors should have greater familiarity with the residents rather than merely a brief monthly visit.

Multiple health-care workers spoke of the central administrations new medical directives to the homes, including a new 1,200-page policy and procedure manual that took effect the same day it arrived in September.

Workers said it appears to be an unlicensed, generic policy manual borrowed from a private company, with a host of items in direct conflict to state laws and federal nursing home statutes and guidelines.

One of the policies is about IV dopamine infusions, which are only done in ICUs in hospitals. Another policy said patients have a right to smoke in their rooms, which could be extremely dangerous around oxygen and could possibly get us shut down by federal inspectors, a staffer said.

It says we will not discriminate on the basis of race, etc., and veteran status  and we have to discriminate on the basis of veteran status. It has a generic wound care policy. Two or three steps, not definitive nursing home policy. Theres also no chest pain protocol. Every nursing home has to have one.

In late November, the ODVAs clinical care director, whose background is in nursing, sent an email forbidding the use of routine doctors orders. These are commonly used in long-term-care settings to ensure patients promptly receive things like oxygen, breathing treatments, Tylenol, over-the-counter cough medicine and laxatives, workers said.

She overrode every doctors medical orders in all seven homes. Thats practicing medicine without a license, one worker said. And patients can wait hours and hours, sometimes overnight, to get something simple  even for a headache.

A Tulsa World analysis found 62 percent of ODVA staffers in 2014 no longer work there. Every worker interviewed for this story said what keeps them from joining the legions who have already quit is their commitment to serve this special patient population.

I cry at the end of almost every shift, one staffer said. I want to quit, sometimes I think I must quit, but I feel I would be abandoning my patients.

Veterans homes historically higher

in quality

Dr. William Martin worked at Talihina from 2006 until his retirement in 2016, and he had previously worked at the Ardmore and Sulphur veterans homes.

He said ODVAs new leadership took a hands-off approach to patient-care providers from the get-go. Gov. Mary Fallin appointed retired Maj. Gen. Myles Deering as executive director of the ODVA and as state secretary of veterans affairs in February 2015. He soon brought on retired Col. Doug Elliott to oversee the seven veterans nursing homes and five claims offices.

Martin said the agencys previous director would attend the site medical directors quarterly meetings to hear any issues or concerns, but Deering never had.

Then ODVA shut down the doctors longstanding practice of holding those meetings, which included mortality and morbidity reviews of adverse events in the state veterans homes. Martin said peer reviews encourage transparency about mistakes and learning from those mistakes and making improvements moving forward.

When they first took over, Deering was scheduled to speak to us for 90 minutes at our April 2015 meeting. He never showed up. He never called. No explanation was ever given for that. That was our introduction, Martin said.

Im only aware of him coming to Talihina one time (before Martin left), and that was upon the retirement of the centers administrator. He never came to me or any of the other doctors, and never talked to the nurses. He strictly talked to administration. That was a surprise and a change to me. If you really care about patient care, you might talk to the people who do it.

Deering is out of the office recovering from knee surgery and unable to comment. But his spokesman Shane Faulkner was asked to respond to claims that Deering is out of touch with doctors and nurses at the centers.

Faulkner said Deering meets quarterly with the center administrators, who are not medical personnel.

He stays engaged with the centers constantly talking with administrators, Faulkner said. To say he is out of touch is far from what is happening.

Martin said during his final year with ODVA, he never met Doug Elliott, and that during his two or three visits to Talihina, he only spoke with the site administrator.

It seemed that they were more distant. My feeling is that the governor or the Legislature or both want to downgrade the centers and make them into private nursing homes that are contracted to care for the veterans, Martin said.

The thing that made us different than a regular nursing home is that we have doctors on staff, we had labs, we had our own pharmacy and physical therapy right there. Not all of the state centers do, but we had a 50-bed dementia unit. Many of the veterans we admitted would have died anywhere else because regular nursing homes dont have those things right there.

Martin said it is a farce for state leaders to suggest that Talihinas most recent difficulty in recruiting or retaining a doctor was unique or extraordinary in any way.

All of the centers have had trouble over and over, especially in maintaining medical staff, and that is because of the wide gap in what you can earn in a private setting versus the state veterans centers, Martin said. Its all being made out to be about Talihina, but how did we get such good inspections in 2014 and 2015 and all of a sudden were so terrible?

So many of the decisions are being made 200 miles away  and by folks who are very ready to criticize  when some of the decisions being made at the top are causing the patient care issues that are happening in the centers.

He added, If its all about money and the state is going bankrupt, then just be honest about it.

See the complete series: tulsaworld.com/veterans
OKLAHOMA CITY  Fans of President Donald Trump waved signs and flags Saturday at the Oklahoma Capitol in a show of support and pride for the 45th president.

The Trump rally, which mirrored other gatherings across the nation, comes a little more than a month after the president took office. One of the speakers, state Sen. Ervin Yen, told the crowd that he has heard people say Trump isnt their president.

Well, theyre wrong. Donald Trump is my president, just like our previous president was our president, said Yen, R-Oklahoma City. Why? Because were all Americans. These people who say Donald Trump is not their president, they can fix that. They dont have to be here in America, do they?
Hansapur folk risking life and limb

Locals of Jabune Village in Hansapur-1, Pyuthan, have been compelled to take risks due to the lack of safer means to cross Rapti River.
This week Murder Uncovered is vowing to name names in the 1991 murder of 12 year old Leanne Holland.

Schoolgirl Leanne Holland wanted to be the next Kylie Minogue  a dream that ended with her brutal murder in 1991.

The vivacious 12-year-old was living with her father, sister and her sisters boyfriend, Graham Stafford, near Brisbane when she disappeared on September 23. Three days later her battered body was found in bushland 8km from her home.

Stafford was convicted of Leannes murder and in 2006, after nearly 15 years behind bars, was released on parole. His conviction quashed in 2009.

Graham Stafford is either Australias most innocent man, wrongfully convicted of a crime he didnt commit. Or everyone has been fooled.

Now, Murder Uncovered can finally reveal what happened to little Leanne Holland, presenting new evidence that changes everything.

Police commissioned an extensive review of the case, its contents never released to the public. Murder Uncovered has the review. It began with 16 key suspects for Leannes murder and at the end, only one remained. Murder Uncovered will name that man.

This is the story of a young girl whose life ended brutally. And of Graham Stafford, who maintains his innocence for Leannes murder in what has become one of the most controversial cases in Australian criminal history.

And for the first time in two decades we hear from the original detectives, Leannes best friend, a key suspect in the murder and a key witness.

Murder Uncovered is a breakthrough investigative crime series that will blow wide open some of the worst, most infamous cases of killings and crimes in Australian criminal history.

Featuring award-winning journalist Michael Usher, each episode will examine a different case that enraged and engaged the country, presenting new evidence, major breakthroughs and fresh leads that will have you questioning everything.

Just when you thought you knew it all

Wednesday 8 March at 9pm on Seven.
Happy Valley screenwriter Sally Wainwright has a new drama series, jointly commissioned by the BBC and HBO.

Shibden Hall is described as a remarkable and unlikely love story, set in the complex, changing world of Halifax  the cradle of the industrial revolution  just as its all kicking off.

Set in West Yorkshire in 1832, Shibden Hall follows the epic story of the remarkable landowner, Anne Lister. Returning after years of exotic travel and social climbing, Anne determines to transform the fate of her faded ancestral home, Shibden Hall, in Halifax.

To do this she must re-open her coal mines and marry well. But this isnt just another Regency romance. Charismatic, single-minded, swashbuckling Anne Lister  who walked like a man, dressed head-to-foot in black, and charmed her way into high society  has no intention of marrying a man. True to her own nature, she plans to marry a woman. And not just any woman: the woman Anne Lister marries must be seriously wealthy.

Every part of Annes story is based in historical fact, recorded in the four million words of her diaries that contain the most intimate details of her life, once hidden in a secret code that is now broken.

The 8 part will explore Anne Listers relationships at home with her family, her servants, her tenants and her industrial rivals, who will use any dirty tricks they can to bring her down. At its heart is her relationship with her would-be wife, the wealthy heiress Ann Walker. It has all the warmth, wit, humour and complexity that audiences have come to associate with Sally Wainwrights writing.

Creator, writer and director Sally Wainwright says: Anne Lister is a gift to a dramatist. She is one of the most exuberant, thrilling and brilliant women in British history, and I cant wait to celebrate her. Landowner, industrialist, traveler, mountaineer, scholar, would-be brain surgeon and prolific diarist, Anne returns from years of travel to her ancestral home, determined to restore it to its former glory, and determined to marry Ann Walker.

Its a beautifully rich, complicated, surprising love story. To bring Anne Lister to life on screen is the fulfillment of an ambition Ive had for 20 years. Shibden Hall is a place I have known and loved since I was a child. 

Piers Wenger, Controller BBC Drama Commissioning, says: The originality and ambition of the writing in Shibden Hall is Sally Wainwright at her boldest and best. In dramatising the life and loves of Anne Lister, Sally might just have found her most complex and uncompromising female character yet and Im so proud that they will be making their home BBC One.

The 860 series will also be directed by Sally Wainwright, produced by Lookout Point for BBC One and HBO.

It will start filming in Yorkshire next year.
Health staff obstruct polio vaccination in many districts

In a sheer violation of the peoples constitutional right to access health services, health professionals on Saturday hindered the polio vaccination drive of the government in many districts.
Local polls for giving democracy a boost

Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel has said elections are necessary for safeguarding the major political achievements of the past decade.
GPU stalwart NVIDIA is making its biggest salvo ever, and it's AMD's worst nightmare. The US-based tech giant this week unleashed the graphics card beast out of hell, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti. Nvidia officially unveiled the gaming beast during the big GDC 2017 event.

As mentioned earlier by hardware tech specialist AnandTech, NVIDIA has now unleashed the graphics card beast of 2017. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is much faster than both Pascal champions in the GTX 1080 and Titan X, and best of all, it priced at the very reasonable price tag- $699.

The Santa Clara, California-based company has now opened up pre-orders on the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti. Additionally, there will also be AIB partner cards on offer, with both ASUS and MSI teasing them.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti: The Gaming Beast

For a quick look, the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti can rock a whopping 11GB of next-generation GDDR5X memory, making it the fastest VRAM known to mankind. The GeForce GTX 1080 Ti has an 11Gbps-capable GDDR5X, which much higher up than 10Gbps GDDR5X used on GTX 1080 and Titan X. It also the world's first GPU to feature Micron's next-gen G5X memory.

The GPU stalwart specifically designed the new GeForce GTX 1080 Ti to handle almost everything the modern world can throw. These include 4K gaming, 5K gaming, DX12, HDR and even immersive virtual reality tech. For only $699, this new GPU is offering a Titan X beating performance, something not seen before. The new GTX 1080 Ti is also much faster than the TITAN X Pascal, NVIDIA's $1,200 GPU that was primarily designed for doing extensive works on artificial intelligence and deep learning field.

Some of the highlights of the new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti are the following:

Massive Features for Massive Performance, this allows new GPU to deliver up to 35 percent faster performance than the GeForce GTX 1080 and up to 78 percent faster than the GTX 1070.

Next-Gen Memory Architecture, this allows the new GeForce GTX 1080 TI to deliver the most effective memory bandwidth of any modern gaming GPU on the planet and yet with some plenty of room for overclocking.

Meticulous Craftsmanship, which allows the GTX 1080 Ti to runs as cool as it looks due to superior heat dissipation, courtesy of a new high-airflow thermal solution with vapor chamber cooling. Its power architecture feature an innovative seven-phase power design with 14 high-efficiency dualFETs, making it the best in the world.

Advanced FinFET Process, which based on the industry's cutting-edge FinFET process, allows the new GeForce GTX 1080 Ti to deliver a dramatic increase in performance and efficiency.

Support for Advanced Graphics Technologies, these include 4K gaming, virtual reality technology, NVIDIA G-SYNC TM HDR and NVIDIA GameWorks TM .

As for the competition, at this time the high-end video card market is NVIDIA's to command, the company has currently the world's most powerful GPU, no doubt about that. Archrival AMD doesn't offer anything competitive with the GTX 1070 and above. As a result, the new GTX 1080 Ti will remain unchallenged for a long period time until AMD comes out with a much powerful product.

For now, the strategy for AMD here is to focus and work on Vega, but the fight will be tough for AMD. They need to come out with a much superior product or lose the grounds to NVIDIA.

Pricing And Availability

Based on the posted information at NVIDIA's official website, the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti preorders on Nvidia.com will start on March 2 and will be available everywhere (gaming stores) on March 10.

Additionally, the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti-based graphics cards, which include the NVIDIA Founders Edition, will be made available across 238 countries and territories, starting March 10.

NVIDIA GeForce Partner Network, which includes EVGA, Gigabyte, Galaxy, ASUS, Colorful, Gainward, MSI, Innovision, Palit, 3D, Zotac and PNY, are also teasing the new GPU.

In addition to the big NVIDIA announcement, the company is also giving away 108 1080 Ti cards to its GeForce Experience community. Joining is easy, gamers only need to download GeForce Experience 3.0., and winners of this GeForce GTX 1080 Ti giveaways will be informed via email on March 7.
Contact: Daniel Keylin

Daniel Keylin daniel_keylin@tillis.senate.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, chaired a joint House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing to welcome the American Legion members visiting Washington, D.C. to give their legislative presentation. Senator Tillis was filling in for Chairman Johnny Isakson (R-GA), who recently had back surgery and is recovering at his home in Georgia.said Senator Tillis.Since being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014, Tillis has made helping veterans a top priority. In the 115th Congress, Senator Tillis has introduced the bipartisan BRAVE Act that would support job creation for America's veterans as well as the Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act that would create a center of excellence within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to better understand the health effects associated with burn pits and treat veterans who become sick after exposure.During his first two years as a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, Tillis worked across the aisle and with the VA Secretary to implement the MyVA Breakthrough Priorities and advance proposals to reform the VA, expand education and job opportunities for veterans, and had several of his bipartisan proposals signed into law.
Madhav Nepal asks govt to stand strong for polls

CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has asked the government to remain firm on its decision to conduct local level polls in time.
Major parties prepare to get out on the hustings

As the Madhes-based parties continue to call for not holding local level elections without amending the constitution, major parties are gearing up for their nationwide campaigns.
An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam 2018-19 will provide readers with an overview of the fundamentals of investing and conducting business in Vietnam....
Washington is engulfed by a dizzying flurry of contradictory statements and rampant speculation over whether federal authorities wiretapped Donald Trumps telephones during last years presidential campaign. VOAs Michael Bowman reports, the White House is demanding ongoing investigations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election be expanded to probe whether the FBI spied on Trump at the behest of the Obama administration.
Officials in Afghanistans troubled northern Kunduz province say an overnight insurgent attack has left at least six national security force personnel dead.

Provincial police chief General Abdul Hamid Hamid told media Sunday a large group of insurgents stormed a security outpost near the provincial capital, also called Kunduz, causing the fatalities.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed its fighters also overran the outpost and seized weapons and other equipment there.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Interior Ministry said airstrikes in the provinces Imam Sahib district late Saturday killed at least 18 Taliban insurgents, including three key commanders.

The dead militants were involved in planning and implementing several terrorist attacks in Kunduz province," according to a statement issued in Kabul.

The insurgents have stepped up attacks on government forces around the country as springtime is arriving in Afghanistan amid fears of more violence this year.

Chief Afghan presidential advisor Homayun Qayoumi has acknowledged unprecedented losses insurgents inflicted last year in Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, or ANDSF.

It (the Taliban) looks more of an organized army fighting Afghanistan, and actually that is why the level of casualties in 2016 ended up to be much higher than the prior decade, the advisor said at a public talk in Washington last Friday while highlighting challenges facing the Afghan government.

ANDSF lost nearly 7,000 personnel while battling the Taliban last year.

The insurgent group controls or influences several districts in Kunduz and in neighboring northern provinces that border Central Asian states.

Last month, an American airstrike killed the Talibans commander for Kunduz, Mullah Abdul Salam, dealing a major blow to the insurgency.

Under Salams leadership, the Taliban briefly capturedKunduz in late 2015 in an embarrassing setback to the U.S.-trained Afghan security forces.

In another development, officials in northern Faryab province have confirmed Taliban insurgents assassinated a district police chief late Saturday.

A provincial police spokesman said a bomb attached to the slain police officers vehicle also seriously wounded another security officer.
Bahrain's parliament on Sunday approved a constitutional change allowing military courts to try civilians, the kingdom's latest rollback on reforms made after its 2011 Arab Spring protests that likely will stoke an ongoing government crackdown on dissent.



Activists warn the amendment will allow an undeclared state of martial law on the island near Saudi Arabia that's home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. Loyalists of Bahrain's rulers call the change necessary to fight terrorism as the persistent low-level unrest that followed the 2011 demonstrations has escalated recently in tandem with the crackdown.



The island's 40-member Consultative Council, the upper house of the Bahraini parliament appointed by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, voted for the measure Sunday. Their approval came less than two weeks after the 40-seat Council of Representatives, the parliament's elected lower house, passed it with little opposition.



The bill revises a portion of Bahrain's constitution by removing limitations on who military courts can try.



Bahrain is a predominantly Shiite island ruled by a Sunni monarchy. Government forces, with help from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, crushed the 2011 uprising by Shiites and others who sought more political power.



In the wake of the protests, military courts tried hundreds of defendants. A government-appointed investigation after the protests criticized the use of the courts, saying they were employed "to punish those in the opposition" and raised "a number of concerns about their conformity with international human rights law."



"This came from the Bahraini king and for him to sign off on this amendment means that he is personally approving the new repressive measure and all the consequences it will have," Sayed Alwadaei, the director of advocacy at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, said in a statement. "The responsibility for this de facto martial law lies at his feet."



Bahrain's government did not respond to a request for comment about the constitutional change. During the council's session Sunday, Justice Minister Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa told lawmakers the amendment was necessary as military judges are ``best placed'' to deal with ``irregular warfare.''



"If militias and armed groups are committing terrorist acts targeting innocent lives and property, as well as receiving elements of combat training, we must confront them ... and stop their threats to peace and security," he said.



This is not the first step away from reforms Bahrain made after the protests. Already, the kingdom has restored the power of its feared domestic spy service to make some arrests.



Since the beginning of a government crackdown in April, activists have been imprisoned or forced into exile. Bahrain's main Shiite opposition group has been dismantled. Independent news gathering on the island also has grown more difficult.



Meanwhile, a series of attacks, including a January prison break, have targeted the island. Shiite militant groups have claimed some of the assaults. Bahrain on Saturday accused Iran's Revolutionary Guard of training and arming some militants.



In January, Bahrain executed three men found guilty of a deadly bomb attack on police. Activists allege that testimony used against the condemned men was obtained through torture.



The executions and increasing crackdown have been linked by activists to the end of U.S. President Barack Obama's administration and the start of Donald Trump's.



Under Obama, the U.S. held off on finalizing a multi-billion-dollar deal for F-16 fighter jets amid American concerns about human rights issues in Bahrain. Since Trump took office, there has been growing speculation in Washington that the deal might be pushed through.



"In a year where the new Trump administration is dismissing human rights from its foreign policy to Bahrain and the Gulf and preparing to sell arms without conditions, this is a dangerous sign of things to come," Husain Abdulla, the executive director of the group Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain, said in a statement.
British Islamist terrorists are getting younger and an increasing number had no prior convictions or previous criminal records before carrying out an act of terrorism or being arrested in the later stages of planning attacks, according to a major report to be published this week in London.

The rising proportion of militants who are so-called clean skins, previously unknown to the authorities, has jumped sharply, posing a growing challenge for Britain's security services as they scramble to try to prevent acts of terrorism, says the report's author, Hannah Stuart, an analyst at The Henry Jackson Society, a British research group.

Between 1998 and 2010 more than three-quarters of Islamist terrorists were known to British authorities in one way or another well before their arrests, 48 percent had come under surveillance by Britains domestic intelligence agency MI5. But the number of terrorists known to authorities has plunged between 2011 and 2015, the proportion known to MI5 more than halved.

More women radicalized

Aside from the growing number of "clean skins" in the ranks of British militants plotting terrorist acts, the 1,000-page report analyzing Islamist terrorism in Britain since 1998 to the beginning of last year finds there has been a surge in the number of women joining jihadist groups or radicalizing.

The report states, Eighteen women have been convicted of terrorism offenses ranging from supportive offenses such as assisting an offender to serious attack-related offenses such as attempted murder. More than half of the female cases involved behavior that was supportive of men with whom they have a family or personal relationship, or was accepted by the trial judge as subordinate to that of their partner and co-accused.

Women accounted for four percent of Islamist-related offenses between 1998 and 2010, but 11 percent between 2011 and 2015.

The report, one of the most comprehensive of its kind in Europe, says the terrorism threat the country faces continues to be from home-grown militants rather than from militants infiltrated into the country or recruited from the ranks of recent refugees or migrants. According to the study, 72 percent of Islamism-related offenses in Britain were carried out by British nationals or people who held dual British nationality.

Our security services will be particularly concerned that the major threat continues to be home grown, and that females are playing an ever increasing role in terrorism, says Stuart. She and other researchers scoured court transcripts and media reports as well as other sources to analyze 269 individual convictions or suicide bombings and all of the nearly 400 terrorism offenses recorded between 1998 and early 2015.

The number of Islamism-inspired terrorism offenses in Britain nearly doubled between 2000 to 2015, according to the report.

Poverty and segregation factors

Another key finding from the study includes the highlighting of a connection between poverty and radicalization, upending a conventional view that has increasingly taken hold that Islamist terrorists are disproportionately educated and middle class.

About 38 percent of terrorists were unemployed, while 76 percent came from neighborhoods with above-average deprivation. The report says 48 percent of British-based offenders were people living in the most deprived 20 percent of neighborhoods nationally, commonly referred to as highly deprived.

A crucial finding is that militants come from highly segregated and heavily Muslim areas, raising new questions about integration. A high concentration of bombers or those convicted of terrorism-related offenses came from segregated districts in London and Birmingham. A tenth of all Britains Islamist terrorists come from just five local authority districts in Birmingham, the most populous British city outside London.

Forty-three percent of those convicted of Islamist-related terrorism came from London and half of those most came from just three of the capitals boroughs in east London, Tower Hamlets, Newham and Waltham Forest.

During the period studied the most common age for an Islamic terrorist was 22. The Henry Jackson researchers found that 52 percent of Islamist offenders had Southern Asian ethnic backgrounds, and were most commonly British Pakistani.

Last month, a senior British counter-terror official, Max Hill, warned that Britain is facing a level of threat from terrorists not seen since the Irish Republican Army bombings 40 years ago. He said jihadist strategists were planning indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians and that the country is facing an enormous ongoing risk which none of us can ignore.

Hill expressed anxiety about the imminent return of hundreds of British jihadists who have been fighting for jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq and warned British teenagers as young as 14 years-old are being radicalized by extremist videos and hate speech online.
The killing of the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader who had been living in the Chinese territory of Macau may be top news around the world, but for some Macanese legislators at China's parliament it's more a case of Kim Jong Who?

Kim Jong Nam was killed on Feb. 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Malaysian police believe he was assaulted by two women who smeared his face with VX, a chemical classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.

He had been planning to travel back to the former Portuguese colony of Macau. The story has also been widely covered in Chinese state media, though Beijing, with its close ties to Pyongyang, has had little to say about it so far in public.

Macau delegates to China's annual meeting of parliament said they knew little or nothing of the case, and were unwilling to say whether Kim's family was still in Macau or if they were under police protection, underscoring the case's sensitivity.

Asked on Sunday about Kim's family, Jose Chui, a cousin of Macau Chief Executive Fernando Chui, first said he didn't understand the question, and then walked away.

Asked later in English whether Kim's family was still in Macau, Chui answered: "I have no idea."

"I read [about it] in the newspaper, but I have no information from my sources. I don't think I'm in a position to give you any details."

Lu Bo, president of Chinese-language paper the Macao Daily News, initially said he knew nothing of the case. Pressed further, he said: "I'm not interested in it."

Lionel Leong, Macau's secretary of economy and finance, declined to comment.

Macau, like neighboring Hong Kong, sends representatives to the annual meeting of China's largely rubber stamp parliament, which opened on Sunday. They are all carefully chosen by Beijing.

Before he was killed in Malaysia, Kim lived quietly in the Asian gambling hub of Macau, avoiding controversy and seemingly relaxed about personal safety, according to sources close to him.

U.S. and South Korean government sources say they believe North Korean agents killed Kim, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.



Despite China's ostensible friendship with North Korea, Beijing has been angered by Pyongyang's repeated nuclear and missile tests.
Morcha leaders seek to derail programme

Local leaders of the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha are campaigning in Saptari to build a force to obstruct the CPN-UMLs Mechi-Mahakali campaign.
China's top economic official trimmed its growth target and warned Sunday of dangers from global pressure for trade controls, as Beijing tries to build a consumer-driven economy and reduce reliance on exports and investment.

In a speech to the national legislature, Premier Li Keqiang Li promised more steps to cut surplus steel production that is straining trade relations with Washington and Europe. He pledged equal treatment for foreign companies, apparently responding to complaints Beijing is trying to squeeze them out of technology and other promising markets.

Li's report set the growth target for the world's second-largest economy at "around 6.5 percent or higher, if possible." That's down from 6.7 percent expansion last year but, if achieved, would be among the strongest globally, reflecting confidence that efforts to create new industries are gaining traction.

Li called for attention to the risks of China's surging debt levels, which economists see as a rising threat to growth. He announced no major initiatives, but that was widely expected as the ruling Communist Party tries to avoid shocks ahead of a congress late this year at which President Xi Jinping is due to be given a second five-year term as leader. Analysts expect Chinese leaders to use the legislative meeting to emphasize reducing financial risks and keeping growth stable.

At a time of demands in the United States and Europe for trade controls, Li warned China faces "more complicated and graver situations" at home and abroad.

"Both the de-globalization trend and protectionism are growing," Li said. "There are many uncertainties about the direction of the major economies' policies and their spillover effects, and the factors that could cause instability and uncertainty are visibly increasing."

Chinese leaders have publicly defended free trade in response to President Donald Trump's promises to raise duties on Chinese goods, though Beijing's trading partners complain China is the most closed major economy.

China "may be adversely affected" if Trump goes ahead with "tough policies," but the impact should be limited, said economist Song Lifang at Renmin University in Beijing. "With China's domestic economy still in the phase of transformation, the tasks for China's economic growth are arduous but with great potential."

Growth has cooled steadily since 2010 as communist leaders try to develop a consumer-driven economy and reduce reliance on trade, heavy industry and investment.

The latest growth target is in line with those reforms and efforts to create a "moderately prosperous society," Li said.

Chinese leaders have tried to downplay the significance of the growth target and shift focus to improvements in incomes, consumer spending and other factors. But the target is closely watched as a forecast of economic performance, which has repercussions throughout Asia, where China is the biggest trading partner for all its neighbors.

Li acknowledged concerns about the rising dangers of debt, though he said the financial system is stable.

"We must be fully alert to the buildup of risks related to non-performing assets, bond defaults, shadow banking and Internet finance," said Li.

Banking and securities regulators already have said their priority this year is reducing risk and watching financial industries more closely following a 2015 stock price collapse and warnings investors are engaged in a dangerous new bout of speculative trading.

Beijing's reliance on repeated infusions of credit to prop up growth since the 2008 global crisis has driven up debt, prompting concern it could trigger a banking crisis or drag on the economy.

Total debt owed by local Chinese governments, companies and households has soared from the equivalent of 150 percent of annual economic output before 2008 to about 260 percent. Regulators have begun trying to hammer out deals to reduce debt loads at state companies but private sector economists say they need to move faster.

Economists have warned setting a growth target too high could force Beijing to resort to stimulus spending, setting back efforts to reduce reliance on investment and debt.

Sunday's report calls for creating 11 million new jobs, an increase from last year's target of 10 million in a possible sign of increased official optimism.

Li promised to eliminate 50 million metric tons of steel production capacity. That would help to reduce the flood of Chinese exports that is depressing global prices and prompting complaints by Washington and Europe that thousands of jobs are in danger.

Li also promised to eliminate 150 million tons of coal production capacity. He didn't mention other industries such as aluminum in which China's trading partners complain excess capacity supported by government subsidies is distorting global markets.

Li promised "equal opportunities" and "fair rules" to private companies in the state-dominated economy. He promised changes including cutting taxes for the smallest businesses and simplifying the process of registering up a private company.

Party leaders have pledged repeatedly to give entrepreneurs, who create most of China's new jobs and wealth, a bigger economic role. But reform advocates complain state companies still control industries from banking to telecoms to energy and benefit from monopolies, low-cost bank loans and other favors.

Li also promised foreign companies equal treatment with their Chinese counterparts under a government development strategy dubbed "China Manufacturing 2025."

That follows complaints by U.S. and European business groups that Beijing appears to be trying to squeeze foreign companies out of promising markets including software and other technology.

Turning to political affairs, Li warned Beijing would not tolerate any movement by self-ruled Taiwan's popularly elected government toward formal independence.

"We will resolutely oppose and contain separatist activities for Taiwan independence," he said.
A British daredevil known for his vertigo-inspiring online videos chronicling his climbs up buildings and construction cranes was interrogated by Dubai police over his recent ascents in the sheikhdom, authorities said Sunday.

James Kingston's interrogation comes as the city-state has fashioned itself as an extreme-sports haven, whether that means tourists skydiving over the man-made Palm Jumeirah archipelago or professionals base-jumping off of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.

But those adrenaline-seeking activities have the blessing of the city's rulers, unlike people like Kingston, whose most-recent video saw him shimmy over a fence at an active construction site in downtown Dubai in broad daylight while offer a running commentary.

Kingston told The Associated Press in a message Sunday that he had been detained and released hours later, without elaborating. That's after he wrote online Saturday that "four undercover agents plucked me from my hotel room earlier today with no warning.''

The state-owned newspaper Emarat Al Youm quoted Dubai police Brig. Gen. Salem Khalifa al-Rumaithi on Sunday as confirming police had "summoned'' Kingston over recent climbs in the sheikhdom. Al-Rumaithi said Kingston previously had been arrested in 2014 after climbing to the top of the Princess Tower in Dubai Marina, which at over 400 meters (1,300 feet) is the second-tallest building in Dubai.

Dubai police later issued a statement to the AP saying Kingston "was not arrested, but was asked to sign a statement that he will not attempt to perform such stunts in Dubai.''

"Kingston's dangerous stunts on buildings in Dubai violated Dubai's strict regulations prohibiting such activities,'' the statement said.

British Embassy officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the AP.

Kingston's detention is the second major incident involving stunts on Dubai's skyscrapers. In February, Dubai police contacted a Russian model who posted images online of herself, holding onto only a man's hand, dangling out over the side of 300-meter (985-foot) Cayan Tower.

"These pictures certainly attract huge numbers of hits on social media. But the risk involved makes them highly questionable,'' the state-owned The National newspaper later opined. "Is fleeting social media fame really worth risking your life for? Does it set a good example for others?''

For Kingston, the climbing sees him earn money from selling T-shirts and posters commemorating his stunts, and he's also written a book about his exploits.

But it may be a bit more than financial. While on top of a Dubai crane in his most-recent video, Kingston stopped to look out on the glittering Burj Khalifa.

He said, "I would love to stand on top of that: Goals.''
Thirteen boxes of emails from Vice President Mike Pence's term as Indiana governor have been turned over to state government, about two months after an earlier attempt didn't work, a spokesman said.

Attorneys for Pence delivered the emails Thursday to be archived for public review as required under Indiana law, The Indianapolis Star reported.

The emails are from government accounts as well as Pence's private email account used for government business, spokesman Marc Lotter said. That AOL account was disclosed Thursday.

"It's been expressed to us that a lot of what's in those boxes, if not everything, we already have. But we haven't verified that," said Stephanie Wilson, a spokeswoman for the new governor, Eric Holcomb.

Lotter said attorneys for Pence tried to deliver boxes of emails January 9, his last day as governor, but they returned to the law firm with them because of a "lack of clarity [about] what to do'' with the emails.

Pence said Friday that he had "fully complied" with Indiana law. Critics, however, said emails from Pence's private account should have been disclosed earlier.

"We shouldn't be accidentally discovering that officials from the governor down to school board members are conducting public business on private communication channels," said Gerry Lanosga, an Indiana University professor and past president of the Indiana Coalition for Open Government.
Four top European leaders hold talks Monday on the future of the European Union, at a time when it faces multiple crises that are sparking doubts about its very existence.

Hosted by French President Francois Hollande at the iconic Versailles palace outside Paris, the dinner meeting that brings together German, Italian and Spanish leaders comes amid heated discussion about how to move forward the deeply troubled European Union in the face of Brexit, rising nationalism and an EU-skeptic Trump administration in Washington.

Those issues will be hashed out during a broader EU summit March 25, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the Rome Treaty that lay the now-crumbling foundations for the future bloc.

The EU is in a very dangerous situation.It could collapse, said analyst Philippe Moreau Defarges, of the French Institute for International Relations, in Paris, echoing the concerns of a number of other experts and politicians.

Last week, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker offered a framework for the broader European discussions, laying out five possible paths for the 28-member bloc, soon to be 27, with the departure of Britain. They range from even tighter integration, to the idea of a multi-speed Europe, with groups of willing countries moving ahead in specific areas like defense.

Yet like many other issues, EU members cannot agree on the options, and the limited-attendance Versailles meeting may not have much impact. All four leaders are in a weakened position, starting with host Hollande, who has only weeks left in his presidency.

Its not a political meeting, its a sentimental and emotional meeting to say, This European Union is very important and we must save it, Defarges said. Even if they agree on something practical, they dont have the capacity to implement it.

In Brussels, the two EU leaders also are in a fragile position.European Council President Donald Tusks bid for a second term this spring is opposed by his own Polish government, although many member states support it. Jean Claude Juncker, who heads the EU executive arm, says he will step down in 2019.

Speaking to the European Parliament last week, Juncker urged governments to stop Brussels-bashing, stop EU-bashing.

But doing so may prove challenging, and the bloc's problems may deepen depending on the outcome of key elections in several member states.

Populism a threat

In France and the Netherlands, far-right, anti-EU parties are leading in the polls. The results are particularly crucial when it comes to France, whose post-war coal and steel pact with Germany lay the foundations for the future bloc.

Far-right National Front head Marine Le Pen, favored to win the first round of French presidential elections in April, calls for renegotiating Frances relationship with the EU and holding a "Frexit" referendum if that fails.

In the Netherlands, far-right candidate Geert Wilders has pledged to leave the euro and the EU. Both populists favor closing their national borders and rejecting the kinds of global trade agreements the EU supports.

One of the top EU champions, Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel, also faces rising populism and a tough election year, although her key Social Democratic rival, Martin Schulz, is the former EU parliament head and also pro-Europe.

Within the bloc, there are also deep divisions over what kinds of reforms are needed. Several Eastern European and Balkan nations oppose creating a "multi-speed" Europe, fearing they will be left behind.

We categorically declare ourselves against the creation of the so-called core of Europe and the rest, the periphery, Bulgarias interim Deputy Prime Minister Denitsa Zlateva said last week.

The four leaders meeting in Versailles support the concept.

There needs to be a multi-speed Europe, agreed analyst Moreau Defarges, offering the example of the euro currency, embraced by some but not all EU members. The problem is are these four countries able to create a European hard core? My feeling is no.

Whatever reforms EU members do agreed on will inevitably take time.Juncker has set out a starting calendar of 2019, by which time Britain presumably will have quit the bloc. That is too slow, some say.

Europe needs to go much more quickly and much more strongly, Guillaume Klossa, founder of Europa Novaa think-tank told Frances Journal du Dimanche.

What kind of deal the EU strikes with Britain will also be key. A so-called hard Brexit without any trade deal between the two sides, would be deeply damaging, many say.

It would be a disaster, Moreau Defarges said, for the European Union and for Britain.
Local police and the FBI continue to look for the white male who shot a Sikh man after telling him to "go back to your own country" in a Seattle, Washington (state) suburb Friday.

The victim had been released from the hospital Sunday, but wishes to remain anonymous and has not made any public statement after being shot in his own driveway in the town of Kent.

Local Sikhs, however, quickly came together over the weekend to work on increasing awareness and understanding of their community. And the larger community of Kent has expressed their solidarity as well.

"We have been getting so much appreciation, love, amazing support from the community. Everybody is rallying behind us," Satwinder Kaur, a Sikh, candidate for Kent city council, and longtime local resident, told VOA.

"People are scared. But...we are not going to let this crime bring us down. We're going to continue educating people. And we are going to talk about our culture and our community," she said, speaking from her car as she drove to the local Sikh temple to speak on upcoming community outreach programs.

The town of Kent, which recorded a population of just over 125,000 according to 2015 census data, is about 15 percent Asian, including South Asians. Kent, just south of Seattle in the Northwestern state of Washington, boasts diversity, claiming its school district speaks 138 different languages.

The shooting of the Sikh man in Kent comes just one week after an Indian-American was fatally shot in Kansas City. Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, died of the wounds he sustained when a man allegedly opened fire in a crowded bar in suburban Kansas last Wednesday. Another Indian and an American who tried to intervene were injured in the incident.

The Kansas City Star quoted a witness as saying a man shouted Get out of my country before shooting at the Indian men.

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, the backlash against Muslims across the U.S. at times also included members of the Sikh faith. Followers of the Sikh faith, a monotheistic religion that originated in northern India, are often confused with Muslims.

Over the past year, the number of incidents of anti-Muslim (whether actually Muslim or simply perceived as Muslim) violence has risen dramatically, according to a report released by Georgetown's Bridge Initiative (in December).

Despite growing unease among American-South Asians as anti-immigrant rhetoric and hate crimes increase, Satwinder says that for her and the town of Kent, focusing on the local is what is important.

"We will just need to be more vigilant, more aware, stay in close touch with our authorities at the local level - that's what you can do. We can't really wait on our administration right now," she said.

"There's no hope there, I think."
We cant sleep at night because its hard to breath and our eyes are watering, says Yunis Mohammad Hassan, a father of three, outside his Mosul home in the Noor area.

On Tuesday, a bomb hit his neighbors house releasing rancid-smelling white smoke, sickening the family and people in the surrounding area.



It was one of at least four similar attacks in the past 10 days, prompting international organizations to warn that Islamic State militants could be using chemical weapons against civilians in eastern Mosul.



Police confirm the bomb and another that hit a home in the nearby Mishraq neighborhood the same day contained homemade chemical poisons. Victims among the 15 people treated in the West Emergency hospital in Irbil say they are from Garage Shmel and Zahoor, two other east Mosul neighborhoods.

The International Committee of the Red Cross says testing is not yet conclusive, but symptoms of the hospitalized patients suggest the weapon was mustard gas. Two victims are in critical condition and at least five are children.

The United Nations says if these attacks are confirmed they would constitute war crimes. Local police play down the incidents, stressing most of the injuries were minor.



If IS had powerful chemical weapons they would be using them to attack soldiers, says Brig. Gen. Watheq al-Hamdani of the Ninewa Police, the provincial police authority in Mosul. IS is currently defending its last stronghold in Mosuls western side fiercely, unleashing barrages of car bombs, sniper fire and mortars on Iraqi forces.



The bombs police investigated, adds al-Hamdani, contained chlorine gas, a poison that, like mustard gas, can cause respiratory problems, blistering burns, and other symptoms.



Families



At the hospital, Natham Hamads wife and five children are being treated for some of the most severe injuries the attacks caused.



The doctors say they may get better, then again get worse, says Hamad of his two sons, 11 and 12 years old. His two-month-old baby is in stable condition. We dont yet know if they will ever recover entirely.

Locals say conflicting information and constant coughing, watering eyes and other health problems have families worried about their long-term health.



We all have the same problems from the poison, says Hassans wife, Abeer Ahmed Ibrahim.

A small crowd gathers under an awning near a bombed house, taped off with an orange plastic strip that reads: Danger, do not enter in English and Arabic. The neighbors complain bitterly about the lack of comprehensive local health care in Mosul.

We are suffering so much from this gas, says Hassan. I go to the clinic every day, but there is no medicine.



Symptoms Delayed



Many people that came in contact with the bombsites say their symptoms developed later.



Its not necessarily something that will affect you right away, says Dr. Johannes Schad of the ICRC, explaining some victims escaped the initial release of poison fast enough to protect themselves, but days after returned to clean their houses, developing symptoms hours or days later, consistent with mustard gas poisoning.



Amid the chaos of the war with IS that has displaced more than 200,000 people in less than five months, identifying patients is difficult for Iraqs already strained health care system, according to Schad.



Residents in Mishraq, where a bomb exploded Tuesday and set a house on fire in addition to emitting foul-smelling gas, say after two-and-a-half years of Islamic State rule followed by months of war, fearing more poison bombs is almost unbearable.





Five days after the house was destroyed, standing near the bomb still induces a metallic taste in the mouth.



I could see the fire from my room where I was studying, says Ahmed Dorite, 19, a student with a glass eye from a mortar attack on his area in December. Two other young men in the neighborhood, also named Ahmed, died in that attack. And you could smell it immediately.



Islamic State Threat

Primary school teacher Wissam Araf Rashid says, "About three weeks ago Islamic State threatened to attack us with chemical weapons. In a hospital room with his wife, Zaina, he adds, At first we didnt believe it.



And then they did it, says Zaina.



And despite the relative weakness of the alleged chemical weapons, analysts say they could complicate Iraqi and coalition forces' battle for the remainder of western Mosul in the coming weeks and months.



ISIS has entrenched itself it west Mosul, using cellars and caches, as well as rounding up population to be used as human shields, says Yan St-Pierre of the Berlin-based security firm MOSECON. In such an instance, chemical weapons don't need to be extremely developed or used via highly technical means, but simply used as part of traps and ambushes.
Anti-India protests erupted in Indian-controlled Kashmir following a fierce gunbattle in which two rebels and a counterinsurgency policeman were killed, police said Sunday.

Government forces, acting on a tip, encircled a civilian home in southern Tral area overnight, said police chief S.P. Vaid. He said fighting erupted after militants hurled grenades and fired automatic rifles to break the security cordon.

Two militants and a policeman working with counterinsurgency unit were killed, he said. At least three other security officials, including an army officer, were wounded.

No rebel group immediately issued any statement.

As the fighting raged, clashes erupted between government forces and villagers who tried to march to the site of the fighting in solidarity with militants.

Troops fired shotgun pellets and tear gas to stop the rock-throwing protesters. No injuries were reported.

Rivals India and Pakistan each administer a portion of Kashmir, but both claim the disputed Himalayan territory in its entirety. Most people in the Indian-controlled portion favor independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Rebels have been fighting against Indian rule since 1989. Since then, more than 68,000 people have been killed in the armed uprising and ensuing Indian military crackdown.
President Donald Trump has made headlines with his swift action on immigration and vows to deport those living in the U.S. illegally who have a criminal past. Now any immigrant charged or convicted of any offense, or even suspected of a crime, has become an enforcement priority for federal authorities.

The stricter policy has brought new attention to a labyrinth of an immigration system where simply deporting someone is never a simple or time-efficient task. Months, if not years, can pass. In the end, if the case is lost, the immigrant may find him or herself on a bus or plane heading back to his or her home country.

But what exactly happens between the time someone is taken into custody and when they leave the U.S.? Some basics on the court and deportation process:

EXPEDITED REMOVALS

Under current policies, immigrants who are detained within 100 miles of the border and who have been in the country less than 14 days can be deported immediately, without being processed through the immigration courts. If an individual caught along the border makes a claim for asylum, he or she will have their claim reviewed by an asylum officer with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. If the claim is approved, the individual goes through the immigration court process. If not approved, that person joins the other immigrants caught along the border who are usually immediately returned to their home countries, often within a few days, either by bus or plane.

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly has suggested expanding the expedited removal rule to immigrants in the country illegally who can't prove they've been living in the U.S. continuously for at least two years.

IMMIGRATION COURT

The first step in immigration court is a preliminary hearing, during which a judge considers any claims to asylum or other requests to cancel the deportation, said Stephen Legomsky, a former senior counselor to previous Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson. If the case can't be resolved quickly, the judge schedules a full-hearing date. Immigrants can ask the judge if they can be released on bond while their case is pending.

"The (individual) hearing itself is a little bit like a trial, where each side can present evidence and witnesses," said Legomsky, who is now an emeritus professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis.

But months or even years could pass before the full hearing takes place. According to the Executive Office for Immigration Review, more than 534,000 cases, including deportations, asylum applications and bond reviews, are currently pending on immigration court dockets nationwide.

Because immigration court hearings are civil proceedings, immigrants are not guaranteed legal representation, notes Angelique Montano, an immigration attorney at the Quan Law Group in Houston.

APPEALS PROCESS

The immigration judge usually makes a ruling at the conclusion of an individual hearing. Either side can appeal a ruling not in their favor to the Virginia-based Board of Immigration Appeals, part of the U.S. Department of Justice. Some common grounds for appeal can include arguing the immigration judge misinterpreted the law or evidence was not reviewed properly.

"That can add on four months or more to the case," Montano said.

All immigrants, including those who were allowed out on bond while their cases were pending, will be held in custody until their appeals are resolved.

The appeals court's decision is usually final, but in some situations, the case can be reviewed by the U.S. Court of Appeals that has jurisdiction over the state where the removal proceedings took place, Legomsky said.

RETURN TO HOME COUNTRY

Once all appeals are exhausted, deportation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, may take several days or several weeks, depending on what country an immigrant is from. Difficulty in obtaining the required travel documents from the home country could cause additional delays.

ICE Air Operations uses commercial and charter flights to deport immigrants.

Mexican immigrants ordered removed from the United States travel on domestic flights to cities along the border such as San Diego and Brownsville, Texas, according to ICE. Immigration officials then bus them to the U.S.-Mexico border. Sometimes the immigrants are bused across the border and sometimes officials watch them walk across back to Mexico.

In cities closer to the U.S.-Mexico border, immigrants from Mexico are usually transported by bus to the border because it's more cost effective than transporting them by plane, said ICE spokesman Greg Palmore.

Immigrants from Central and South America and the Caribbean are usually flown on charter flights, according to ICE. Charter flights are also scheduled as needed for immigrants being returned to Europe, Africa and Asia. According to a 2015 report by Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General, ICE Air Operations paid an average of $8,419 per flight hour for these various charter flights.

In fiscal year 2016, ICE deported individuals from 185 countries. Most were from Mexico (149,821), followed by Guatemala (33,940) and Honduras (21,994).

IMMIGRANTS CHARGED WITH CRIMES

Immigrants who are determined to be in the country illegally after being arrested for a crime usually must complete their sentences before ICE takes them into custody on immigration charges.
A group of Iraqi archaeologists who visited a historic site in the eastern part of war-torn Mosul to document its destruction by so-called Islamic State (IS) claim to have discovered an ancient palace beneath the ground which is 2,500 years old.

Last month, a group of archaeologists from Iraqs Antiquities Department visited the site known as "Jonah Shrine" to conduct a damage assessment after ISs withdrawal from the area. The group was astonished to find several relics that they claim belong to a king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire who ruled from 669 to 681 B.C.



We discovered a big marble cuneiform inscription of King Esarhaddon, a stone sculptures of Assyrian goddess, pieces of famous wall decoration, and most amazingly the statue of a winged bull. The discovery took us by surprise, archeologist Layla Salih, who led the group, told VOA.



She added that IS fighters have dug tunnels deep into the ground and possibly found some relics.



The pieces we found are big and there is a great possibility that IS stole the smaller pieces that were easy to transport, Salih said.



The shrine is considered one of the most prominent archeological sites in Mosul and is said to have housed the tomb of Prophet Jonah, a key figure in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.



It also hosted an Assyrian temple believed to have been built around 1300 B.C. and a mosque that was built about four centuries ago during the Ottoman Empire.



The unique history of the shrine and collection of the buildings in the site attracted many Christian and Muslim tourists to visit over the years.

IS destroyed and stole

IS captured it in July of 2014 and destroyed it with explosives. The destruction of Jonahs Shrine and other cultural sites sparked global outrage and criticism.



The need for action is paramount. Iraqi cultural sites, like Jonahs Tomb in Mosul, Assyrian Palaces, churches and other monuments, are being destroyed and looted, the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said in a statement. The statement added that pillaged goods from these cultural sites would be trafficked illegally into international markets.



After Islamic States withdrawal from the area last month, Iraqi forces went to the site to protect it from further destruction.



Zuhair al-Jbouri, a spokesperson of the National Mobilization Forces told VOA the entire site has been razed to the ground by IS fighters.

IS has not only demolished this valuable shrine, but it has also dug several tunnels under it in search for artifacts, Zuhair al-Jbouri said.



But Iraqi archaeologists are excited about the new discovery of an ancient palace and believe that the site would be more attractive for potential tourists in the future. They said more surveys would be planned and conducted to further explore the area.



We saw the incredible artifacts only in the tunnels, but I can imagine a professional excavation can lead to even more amazing discoveries, Iraqi archeologist Salih told VOA.



Further study needed

She said continued instability has impeded efforts of archeologists to conduct a comprehensive survey of the historic site to unveil new findings.



The first major discovery in the site was in 1989. But since the 2003 U.S. invasion, Mosul has been unstable and archeologists have refrained from further investigating these historic places, she added.



Salihs team are also concerned that continued fighting between IS and the Iraqi forces in nearby neighborhoods of Mosul could further damage the site.



The tunnels are dug unprofessionally and continue to collapse from bombing. The last time I went again to further investigate the site I was not able to enter one of the tunnels as it was filled with rubble, she said.



Salih said Iraqs Antiquities Department considered removing the pieces to prevent their further damage, but the artifacts are not easily transportable due to their size and lack of security in the area.



My only hope is that these valuable pieces stay untouched for the time being. The site has no security protection and it is available for anyone to enter. They can easily be destroyed or stolen.

Iraqi archeologists are hopeful that future excavation of the site will unveil new facts about the ancient palace and will provide a better window in to the past in terms of how art was viewed and appreciated thousands of years ago.

For that to happen they demand local authorities safeguard the site and provide it with adequate security to prevent its further destruction amid continued fighting in the surrounding areas.
Japanese Emperor Akihito paid his respects to the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Sunday, arriving in Bangkok following a weeklong trip to Vietnam aimed at winning support against Chinese expansionism.

The monarchies - two of a handful remaining in Asia - have maintained close ties. Bhumibol first visited Japan in 1963, touching off a decades-long friendship with numerous visits back and forth, most recently a visit by Akihito to Thailand in 2006.

Akihito, accompanied by his wife, Empress Michiko, laid wreathes and signed a condolence book at the Grand Palace in Bangkok. He was to meet later with King Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, who ascended the throne after the death of his widely revered father in October.

The emperor's two-day visit to Bangkok comes as Thailand tilts closer to China, Japan's main rival in East Asia.

Thailand and Japan have traditionally enjoyed close relations, unburdened by the legacy of World War II that has complicated Japan's relations with other Asian countries. After a brief struggle, Thailand formally became Japan's ally through much of the war, suffering little of the destruction wrought on others like China, Myanmar and the Philippines.

But following a 2014 coup, Thailand's Western allies cut back on assistance, pushing the country's ruling military junta closer to Beijing.

"The visit is symbolic of Japan's interest in boosting Japanese-Thai relations at a time when China seems to enjoy favor in Bangkok," said Paul Chambers, research director at the Institute of Southeast Asian Affairs.

China frightens many in Southeast Asia with expansionist policies in the South China Sea. But China's claims do not clash with Thai territorial waters, paving the way for friendly relations.

The 83-year-old emperor is Japan's constitutional head of state, a role symbolic rather than political. However, his trips often serve to bolster relations with nations friendly to Tokyo.

The emperor's itinerary has been packed with visits across Southeast Asia, a move aimed at shoring up a regional bulwark against China. Vietnam, which has sparred with China over territorial waters, rolled out the red carpet for Akihito's visit last week. In January 2016, the Japanese imperial family visited the Philippines, which also has disputes with China, paying its respects at a World War II memorial.
Nepali worker handed 4-yr jail in Malaysia

A Nepali migrant worker has been sentenced to four-year in prison on the charge of trying to steal a gold chain from a local woman Malaysia.
I am the most presidential person you will ever see, says a man in a dark suit and red tie, sounding much like President Donald Trump. He's sporting Trump's characteristic hairdo, but exaggerated, resembling more of the teased bouffant style popular in the 1960s.

The audience at this performance in Washington laughs at this fake Trump, who adds, Millions of women marched after my inauguration, one day in office, and I have already managed to get more middle aged women off the couch than Michelles (Obama) get up and move campaign did in 8 years!He looks at his cellphone as two women beside him sing, tweet, tweet.



These are the Capitol Steps, a Washington political satire comedy group, which for 35 years has been poking fun at political officials, including 5 past presidents.And now, with a new chief executive in town, the group has created fresh skits and songs for their performances, which are held mostly in Washington.

We take an existing song and put new words to it, explains Elaina Newport, a founding member of the group, who helps write the material.Well try to have a good pun and find something that makes fun of the politician.

Seeking the spotlight



Instead of being offended, Newport says most politicians think its funny, and want to show the public they have a good sense of humor.



She recalls that George H.W. Bush, president from 1989-1993, was an especially good sport. We went to the White House to perform and we were being careful not to do anything that would offend him, Newport says.After the show he came up on stage and said I know you have more songs about me.I want to see them.Another time, she says, he got on stage and sang with us.



But one U.S. senator actually got mad, she says and laughs, because we didnt have any songs about him in the show.



Newport points out that the jokes are not meant to be mean.



We could do most of the songs right in front of the person that theyre about, she says. Weve always had a tradition of being bi-partisan, getting everybody.

That includes Hillary Clinton, whose Capitol Steps portrayal responds to her email scandal by singing, Im not indicted and Im so excited, to the catchy music of the 1982 Pointer Sisters hit, Im So Excited. Former president Bill Clinton is depicted wearing a hat and dark sunglasses, and saying he never asked for wifes email because I was too afraid that shed ask me for mine.



A confident, bare-chested Russian president, Vladimir Putin, dances across the stage singing Putin on a Blitz, instead of Puttin on the Ritz.



Laughter and applause

The political humor found a receptive audience.



I think that we just need to sit back and laugh about it every now and then, says Mary Tomei, a high school student from New York.



A little more irreverence would do the country good. It helps to laugh at yourself, agrees Bob McCunney from Boston.



Besides giving audiences a good laugh, Newport hopes the Capitol Steps can help ease tensions in a very politically divided America. "I think political satire can make us all relax and get along better, and even if you disagree with the person sitting next to you at the show, you can laugh at the same jokes.
Nigerian pirates have released seven Russian and one Ukrainian sailors after they were captured last month on the cargo ship the BBC Caribbean, Russian news agencies reported on Sunday, citing a human rights activist in Crimea.

The sailors were released after talks between the owners of the ship and pirates.

Interfax news agency quoted human rights activist Pavel Butsay, in the city of Sevastopol, as saying the sailors were at a Frankfurt airport and planned to return home next week.

Butsay told TASS news agency that a ransom was paid but did not reveal the sum.

Security experts class West Africa's waters, especially off Nigeria where many pirates originate, as some of the world's most dangerous, with attackers often targeting oil tankers and holding hostages for ransom.
Philippine troops have found the remains of a German hostage who was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the country's south, vowing Sunday to rescue more than 30 other captives and crush the ransom-seeking extremists.

Marines dug up the head and body of Jurgen Gustav Kantner late Saturday in the mountainous hinterlands of Indanan town in Sulu province, where the militants are holding at least 31 other foreign and Filipino hostages, said regional military commander Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr.

The 70-year-old Kantner was seized from his yacht with his female German companion off Malaysia's Sabah state in November. Kantner's companion was fatally shot on the yacht, which was later found in the southern Philippines, according to the military.

The couple had survived a kidnapping ordeal off Somalia in 2008.

"Once again, the command is sending its deep regrets to the family for not being able to rescue Mr. Kantner on time," Galvez said. He repeated a pledge to rescue other hostages and crush the Abu Sayyaf.

President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman, Ernesto Abella, said the government "will leave no stone unturned in squarely addressing the evils of extremism and plain banditry."

"Rest assured these mindless acts will not go unpunished," Abella said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned Kantner's killing as an "abominable act." The Abu Sayyaf circulated a video of the beheading online.

Duterte has said Filipino forces tried their best but apologized to Germany and Kantner's family after troops failed to rescue him in his nearly four months of jungle captivity in Sulu, a poor Muslim province 590 miles (950 kilometers) south of Manila.

About two dozen Filipino troops were wounded in clashes that also killed 16 Abu Sayyaf gunmen in efforts to rescue Kantner. After he was beheaded, troops intensified ground assaults and airstrikes.

On Sunday, marines killed four Abu Sayyaf militants in an assault near Sulu's Maimbung town. At least 10 other militants were killed in a separate clash Friday that also wounded 18 troops near Patikul town, said Sulu's military commander, Col. Cirilito Sobejana.

An intelligence report seen by The Associated Press said the militants behind Kantner's abduction and killing included Abu Sayyaf commander Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan and his nephew, Mujil Yadah, who was also allegedly involved in the 2015 kidnappings of a Norwegian, a Filipina and two Canadians from a yacht club in the south. The two Canadians were separately beheaded last year.

According to the report, the other kidnappers of the German included Moammar Askali and Idang Susukan. Askali, a young militant, insisted that Kantner should be killed on schedule as they had threatened to do, but others wanted to wait longer to get a huge ransom, which was last pegged at 30 million pesos ($600,000), the report said.

The Abu Sayyaf, which has more than 400 fighters, has been blacklisted by the Philippines and the United States as a terrorist organization for kidnappings, beheadings and bombings.
Philippine soldiers have found the remains of a German man who was beheaded by Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf militants last week, a military official said late on Saturday.

Both the head and body of Jurgen Kantner were recovered while the troops were conducting combat, search and retrieval operations in Indanan town in the remote southern province of Sulu, Colonel Cirilito Sobejana told reporters

Kantner's remains would be kept in a hospital morgue in Sulu while documents were being prepared to transport the body, said Sobejana, commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu.

The Philippines and Germany have condemned Kantner's killing by the militants who posted a video of the murder after a deadline for a $600,000 ransom passed.

The 70-year-old German, who had been held on the small southern island of Jolo, had appealed for help twice in short video messages, saying he would be killed if a ransom was not paid.

President Rodrigo Duterte has apologized to Germany for failing to save Kantner while insisting that ransoms should not be paid.

The Philippine military has vowed to bring Kantner's killers to justice and to continue operations to free other hostages held by Abu Sayyaf, which had raised tens of millions of dollars from piracy and ransom payments.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the government "will leave no stone unturned in squarely addressing the evils of extremism and plain banditry."

"Rest assured these mindless acts will not go unpunished," he said in statement.
A New York man was being held without bail on terrorism charges after federal authorities said he was prepared to strap on a bomb and sacrifice himself for jihad and persistently tried to join the Islamic State or another extremist group in Syria.

Elvis Redzepagic, 26, was charged Saturday with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Police on suburban Long Island arrested Redzepagic on Feb. 2 on a minor, unrelated charge, and he told them: "I'm going to leave this country, and I'm going to come back with an Army  Islam is coming," according to a federal court complaint.

His lawyer, Mildred Whalen, noted that Redzepagic is a citizen and had cooperated with law enforcement.

"We will be working with his family in the hope that the court and the government will see that what he needs is counseling and support, not imprisonment," she said in an email.

Authorities have prosecuted a number of people accused of trying to join the Islamic State group and other militants in recent years, though in some cases, the accused haven't actually succeeded in traveling overseas.

Redzepagic "was persistent in his efforts" to join Islamic militants in civil-war-ravaged Syria, making it to Turkey in 2015 and Jordan last year and even getting to the Syrian border, said William F. Sweeney, assistant director in charge of the FBI's New York field office.

Redzepagic, who lives in Commack, told authorities after his arrest that he'd become a devout Muslim while in Montenegro, in the Balkans, and believed a cousin was a battalion commander in Syria for the Islamic State or the group once known as the Nusra Front, according to the court complaint. The latter group  now called the Fatah al-Sham Front, and also known at times as Jabhat al-Nusra  is an al-Qaida affiliate.

No one immediately responded to phone or email messages to Redzepagic's relatives.

After telling his cousin he wanted to join him, Redzepagic went to Turkey in July 2015 and aimed for Syria. He got cab rides to the border, then directions to a border wall manned by the military, followed by instructions to try to cross instead by making a two-day trip through the woods, the complaint says.

He'd been willing to put on a bomb and sacrifice himself, he told authorities after his arrest, though he told them at another point he just wanted to "feed the children" in Syria. But frustrated that he didn't getting more help crossing the border, Redzepagic returned to the U.S., the complaint says.

"Since I got back from Turkey from trying to perform jihad and join Jabhat al-Nusra the CIA has been bothering me," he wrote to a Facebook contact in October 2015, the complaint says. "It's annoying but I out smarted them."

The CIA declined to comment Saturday on the case.

He also told various Facebook contacts that "I just don't like this country," apparently meaning the U.S., and that "jihad is the best for u," according to the complaint.

"There will come a time where people will only know to say Allahu akbar," he wrote in one message, using the Arabic phrase for "God is great," says the complaint.

Redzepagic went to Jordan last August to try again to get to Syria, but Jordanian officials stopped him and asked why he wanted to go there. He said he wanted to study Arabic, the complaint says.

It says he then told the same to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials, who found he had electronic files about jihad. He said he'd downloaded them two years earlier, the complaint adds.

It's not immediately clear whether he remained on federal authorities' radar between then and his arrest in February. Long Island police notified federal authorities about the arrest, and although he was released without bail on the minor charge, he willingly continued talking to federal agents and let them scrutinize his phone, laptop and Facebook account, the complaint says.
Police in a Seattle suburb were looking for a gunman who shot a Sikh man in the arm and told him to "go back to your own country," the Seattle Times reported.

The victim  a 39-year-old man who observes the Sikh faith  told police that he was working in his driveway about 8 p.m. Friday when the unknown man came up to him, the Times reported. Male observant Sikhs often cover their heads with turbans, which are considered sacred, and refrain from shaving their beards. The faith comes from South Asia's Punjab region.

An argument ensued, and the suspect told him to go back to his homeland, the victim said. The victim told police the man then shot him in the arm, the newspaper reported.

The victim told police that the shooter is 6-foot-tall, white and has a stocky build. The victim said the man was wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face.

Kent police told the newspaper that the agency has contacted the FBI and other law enforcement agencies about the incident.

"We're early on in our investigation," Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said Saturday. "We are treating this as a very serious incident."

Jasmit Singh, a leader of the Sikh community in the nearby suburb of Renton, said he had been told the victim was released from the hospital, the Times reported.

"He is just very shaken up, both him and his family," Singh told the newspaper. "We're all kind of at a loss in terms of what's going on right now, this is just bringing it home. The climate of hate that has been created doesn't distinguish between anyone."

Sikhs have previously been the target of attacks in the United States. After the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, the backlash that hit Muslims across the country expanded to include Sikhs and their faith as well, with some assuming the sight of a long beard and turbaned head can only mean one thing.
South Korean lawmakers are preparing to consider legislation awarding nearly $900,000 (1 billion won) to North Korean defectors with classified information about the reclusive Pyongyang government.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on the legislation Sunday, saying the amount was a fourfold increase over what was currently being paid to defectors with senstive information.

The report said the legislation was aimed at persuading more North Korean elites to switch sides. The Ministry of Unification said the bill would also increase rewards for equipment  including vessels and other military hardware  brought by defectors.

There was no immediate response to the report from the North Korean government.

Yonhap quoted a ministry source as saying the reward hike from the $217,000 currently offered by the Seoul government "reflects the rise in consumer prices since 1997," the last time the reward bounty was adjusted.

"One of the biggest reasons why North Koreans are hesitant about defecting is because they are fearful of making a living after they come to South Korea," the insider said.

The report also quoted an unnamed North Korean defector as saying the increased reward would most likely encourage influential North Koreans to consider "betraying" their homeland, which Yonhap noted has become a "rogue state" in the eyes of the international community.
The White House has called for congressional committees probing Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election to also look at whether the Obama administration abused "executive branch investigative powers."

The statement comes a day after President Donald Trump alleged, without offering any evidence, that former President Barack Obama ordered a telephone tap on Trump during the campaign before last year's U.S. elections.

An aide to Obama said Trump's allegations were "simply false."

Trump did not cite any source for his claims, or provide any evidence that electronic surveillance occurred, but he likened the supposed intrusion on his privacy to the Watergate political scandal that eventually led to the 1974 resignation of former U.S. President Richard Nixon.

The scandal began as a series of political "dirty tricks" aimed at the Democratic Party by Nixon's Republicans, and it expanded after a White House official disclosed that Nixon had authorized an extensive monitoring operation at the White House, recording a large number of telephone calls.

No official in the White House during the Obama administration "ever interfered with any investigation led by the Justice Department," said Kevin Lewis, a spokesman for the former president, emphasizing that prohibition was a "cardinal rule."

In a statement, Lewis said neither "President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false."

VOA asked White House officials for a comment on Saturday's developments but did not receive an immediate response. Neither the FBI nor the Justice Department had any relevant statements.

FBI sought warrant

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) permits legal surveillance and collection of information between foreign countries and their agents.

The FBI sought and was granted in October a FISA court warrant for an investigation into suspected ties between Russia and people connected to the Trump campaign, according to two sources and previous news reports.

The Justice Department believed four Americans were "unwitting agents" of Russia; there was "probable cause they had been co-opted, and that was the basis for the warrant" granted by the court, according to a lawyer specializing in national security matters, Bradley Moss, who spoke with VOA.

An earlier similar request by the FBI, wider in scope, apparently had been made to the secret court four months earlier, but was rejected. "That's largely unheard of," Moss said.

Search targeted contributions

The FBI and other federal investigators "follow the facts, and the assumption was this was about money  and that would have gone through Trump Tower," added Moss, who is also the deputy executive director of the James Madison Project, an organization focused on promoting government accountability and reduction of secrecy.

Ben Rhodes, a former top national security aide to Obama, said in a Twitter message directed at Trump on Saturday that "no president can order a wiretap," and added, "Those restrictions were put in place to protect citizens from people like you."

The highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ben Cardin of Maryland, said if the Obama administration did monitor activities at Trump Tower, it would indeed have needed authorization from the FISA court.

"That's why we have the FISA courts," Cardin said Saturday on CNN. "The executive branch cannot act on its own. They must get the consent of a court before they can do those types of activities."

Graham 'very worried'

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, did not endorse Trump's claims but said Saturday that if the Trump campaign was wiretapped in New York, "it would be the biggest political scandal since Watergate."

"I'm very worried that our president is suggesting that the former president has done something illegally," Graham added at a boisterous town hall meeting in Clemson, South Carolina. "I would be very worried if, in fact, the Obama administration was able to obtain a warrant, lawfully, about Trump campaign activity with foreign governments. So it's my job as a United States senator to get to the bottom of this."

It is unknown whether Obama was aware in advance that his Justice Department was pursuing FISA court approvals.

"I certainly expect he would have been advised" at some stage, Moss said.

Republican Senator Ben Sasse called Trump's allegations serious, and said if he was illegally tapped, the president should explain what sort of tap it was and how he knew about it.

Representative Adam Schiff, the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Trump was making "the most outlandish and destructive claims without providing a scintilla of evidence to support them."

Meetings with Russian ambassador

It was disclosed earlier this week that Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak met at Trump Tower in New York in December with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and with since-ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn. Flynn was fired after just 24 days on the job when information emerged that he had lied to top officials about the nature of his conversations with Kislyak.

Revelations of the Trump Tower meetings surfaced after Attorney General Jeff Sessions admitted earlier in the week he'd met twice with Kislyak during last year's presidential campaign.

Sessions had failed to disclose those talks during his Senate confirmation hearing. He has since said he would stay out of any federal investigation of alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and is expected to amend on Monday his written testimony response.

White House spokeswoman Hope Hicks said Thursday that the meetings at Trump Tower were intended to "establish a line of communication" between the incoming administration and the Russian ambassador. She added that Kushner also met with representatives of as many as two dozen other countries.

Investigations on the increase

U.S. government officials meet with representatives of foreign governments on many occasions and for many reasons. The Trump administration, however, had denied for months there was any contact between Russian officials and the new president's campaign.

On Friday, the Breitbart News website published a report about conservative radio host Mark Levin's allegation that Obama conducted what he called a "silent coup" against Trump by employing "police state" tactics. Trump's top strategic adviser at the White House, Stephen Bannon, previously had been executive chairman of Breitbart.

Trump's latest claims come as the Trump administration faces mounting pressure from multiple FBI and congressional investigations into contacts between members of his campaign team and Russian officials.

"I still don't know if there's any fire, but there's smoke here," national security lawyer Moss told VOA.
Syrian news reports say government forces pressed forward Saturday in pursuit of Islamic State extremists in northern Syria, gaining control of 15 more villages near the Turkish border and slowing a rival push against IS fighters by Turkish-backed Syrian rebels.

Monitors from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Syrian offensive, launched after last month's capture of the IS stronghold town of al-Bab, brought government troops within 15 kilometers of the main facility pumping fresh water into nearby Aleppo.

Jihadists cut the main water supply to the war-ravaged city nearly seven weeks ago.

Syrian Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman, speaking Saturday, said the fighting in the past week had forced more than 30,000 civilians, most of them women and children, from their homes.

Most of the refugees headed northeast toward Manbij, where a local administration official told the French news agency AFP on Saturday that 40,000 displaced civilians had arrived in the past week.

'Euphrates Shield'

Turkey mounted its own military campaign in Syria last August, launching its anti-jihadist "Euphrates Shield" offensive just hours after an IS terror strike on a wedding party the southern city of Gaziantep killed more than 50 people and wounded scores of others.

The operation's stated goal is to clear the Syria-Turkey frontier of IS fighters and Kurdish forces by backing the Free Syrian Army with warplanes and artillery. Additionally, largely Sunni Turkey has also sought to ensure that its postwar frontier is clear of thousands of Iran-backed Shi'ite fighters currently fighting alongside the Syrian army of President Bashar al-Assad and its Russian allies.

A separate anti-jihadist force, a Kurdish-led alliance of U.S.-led armed groups known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has pushed Islamic State extremists away from much of the Turkish frontier since mid-2016.

However, strategists have warned that long-standing antipathy between Turkey and Kurdish separatists fighting with the SDF could threaten the future stability of any broad anti-jihadist alliance, as planning continues for an all-out assault on the IS stronghold of Raqqa.
U.S. President Donald Trump says he "will be proven right" in his accusation that former President Barack Obama wiretapped his telephones at Trump Tower in New York.

The publisher of the Newsmax Media website, Christopher Ruddy - a friend of Trump's - wrote Sunday the president told him "This will be investigated. It will all come out. I will be proven right."

Ruddy said he has never seen Trump this angry in a long time.

The president accused Obama Saturday of bugging his phones a month before the November vote as part of the Obama administration's probe into alleged Russian meddling in the election.

Trump has not shown any evidence to back up his claim.

Obama's Director of National Intelligence James Clapper calls the charge simply false.

"There was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time, or as a candidate or against his campaign," Clapper told NBC's Meet the Press.

Democrats are dismissing the Trump charges of spying as absurd and desperate.

"The president is in trouble," Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on Meet the Press. "If he falsely spread this kind of misinformation, that is so wrong. It's beneath the dignity of the presidency. . .it shows this president doesn't know how to conduct himself."

The top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, Senator Mark Warner, told CBS's Face the Nation he was "surprised" by Trump's accusation. "To make that type of claim without any evidence is, I think, very reckless."

Some Republicans were not as quick to blast the president, but are still skeptical . Senator Marco Rubio said on NBC Trump "will have to answer as to what exactly" he was referring to in making the claim that his phones were tapped.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton of the Intelligence Committee told Fox News the wiretap charges will be a part of the investigation into alleged Russian election interference and Trump campaign contacts with Russian officials.

Under U.S. law, a president cannot order someone's phone to be wiretapped. He would need approval by a federal judge and would also have to show reasonable grounds to suspect why a citizen's telephone calls should be monitored.

U.S. intelligence has concluded Russia hacked into the computer of Clinton campaign chief John Podesta, with the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks then releasing thousands of his emails in the weeks before the election. It was apparently part of a Russian effort to help Trump beat Democrat Hillary Clinton in the presidential election.
PM urges Morcha not to obstruct UMLs programme

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged the Madhesi Morcha not to obstruct the Mechi-Mahakali campaign being organised by the main-opposition CPN-UML.
President Donald Trump is expected to sign a new executive order on immigration Monday after a federal appeals court blocked his earlier order.

U.S. news reports say Iraq would no longer be a part of the list of Muslim-majority countries affected by a temporary ban on immigration and resettlement of refugees.

Trump's original order signed January 27 covered not only Iraq, but Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

The ban caused chaos in airports around the world as immigration officials tried to figure out if it also affected travelers with green cards and pre-approved visas.

An appeals court upheld a federal judge's ruling suspending the Trump travel ban, questioning whether it is constitutional.

The administration argued the president has the authority to protect the U.S. from potential terrorism.

Although the president plans to make an amended executive order, the White House is still challenging the appeals court ruling, and legal experts say the entire matter could wind up before the Supreme Court.

Former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff told VOA he hopes the president will come up with an order that makes sense without getting people who shouldn't be caught in the net.

Obviously the first one was overbroad. Ideally we would get...a rule that is carefully targeted on people that are high risk, potentially being foreign fighters, without collecting people that are dual-citizens or may even be able to come to the U.S. that ought to be able to come without impediment, Chertoff said.
Islamic school students hoped to meet last week with a state representative at Oklahoma's capitol during Muslim Day, designed to combat hate rhetoric and hate legislation.

Instead, in the office of one representative, the students were asked to answer several written questions, including "Mohammed was a killer of pagans, Christians and Jews that did not agree with him. Do you agree with this example?"

The students from the Peace Academy in Tulsa did not meet Thursday with Republican Representative John Bennett, who has compared Islam to "a cancer in our nation that needs to be cut out."

Another question Bennett asked on Muslim Day, was "Do you beat your wife?"

Bennett confirmed Friday what happened in his office through an email he sent to The Tulsa World. According to the newspaper, Bennett said the questions were based on the Quran and other Islamic texts.

"Nobody should be vetted with stupid, Islamophobic, hateful, bigoted questions before they can meet with their representative," said Adam Soltani, the executive director of Oklahoma's chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations - CAIR.

"The only way to see a change in our state is to engage our elected leaders and ensure the Muslim voice is heard," Soltani said.

Oklahoma's Democratic Party said in a statement "Bennett's continued unprofessional leadership is its own 'cancer' on the Oklahoma Legislature..."

CAIR's Muslim Day activities at the capitol included handing out an educator's guide to Islamic religious practices, a pamphlet outlining rights and copies of the U.S. Constitution.
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Universal Postal Union Letter Writing Competition

The Royal Gibraltar Post Office in association with the Department of Education invites entries for the 2017 Letter-Writing Competition on behalf of the United Nations Universal Postal Union.

The Competition is open to pupils attending school in Gibraltar who are aged 9 to 15 years at the time of writing.

The theme for 2017, which is the 46th year of the competition, is:

Imagine that you are an advisor to the new UN Secretary General; which world issue would you help him tackle first and how would you advise him to solve it?

Previous Winning entries as well as rules and entry forms are available on the Royal Gibraltar Post Office website www.royalgibraltar.post

Copies of the rules and entry forms are also available via the schools.

The prizes that will be awarded for the local stage of the competition are as follows:

1st Prize - a trophy and 300

2nd Prize - a certificate and 200

3rd Prize  a certificate and 100

The winner will then represent Gibraltar at international level in the United Nations Universal Postal Union main competition for 2017.

The winners of the international competition will be presented with Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, with the Gold medal being presented at the United Nations Universal Postal Union headquarters in Berne, Switzerland. The international winner is invited to attend the presentation with all expenses paid.

In addition, a number of Special Mention Certificates and gifts are awarded to other meritorious entries.

In 2016, Miss Anna Grech from Westside Comprehensive School received a Special Mention Certificate and a number of other prizes. This was the first time a student from Gibraltar achieved such a high position in the competition.

ENTRIES MUST BE SUBMITTED VIA THE SCHOOLS BY NO LATER THAN MIDDAY ON FRIDAY 31 MARCH 2017.
GHA Backs GADS Launch of Dementia Friends

The Gibraltar Alzheimers & Dementia Society (GADS) has announced the creation of Dementia Friends, an organisation which aims to change our communitys perceptions of dementia and to raise better understanding and a greater awareness of the disease in the community.

Dementia Friends Gibraltar was officially launched at a packed event in the Mediterranean Rowing Club on Thursday, an initiative which was backed by the Ministry for Health and the Gibraltar Health Authority.

At the launch, GADS chairperson, Daphne Alcantara, said the Society wants to create a long term commitment and a community in which people living with dementia feel more understood and included in our society. There was also a special presentation by Ms Philippa Tree, a Senior International Officer of the Alzheimers Society UK. Ms Tree will also brief staff from the GHA, the Care Agency and Social Services during her stay on the Rock.

Dementia Friends Gibraltar wants people of all ages and from all walks of life to understand a little more about dementia and to turn this understanding into action to improve the lives of people affected by dementia. Actions can range from being patient in a queue, because you have understood that people with dementia may struggle to recognise coins, to helping someone find the right bus; every action counts. Sometimes, these everyday tasks are made difficult because of the limited understanding of dementia. No action is too big or too small and, when combined, can lead to a step change in how society responds to dementia.

Mrs Alcantara said: There are over 400 people diagnosed with dementia in Gibraltar, a number which is growing every year. We want to change the way people think, talk and act about dementia, and to get a far greater involvement from all sectors of society, not just the government, to ensure that people living with dementia feel properly integrated in our community. We want to tackle the lack of understanding that means many people with the condition experience loneliness and social exclusion - no one should face dementia alone!

Gibraltar is a small place and we are confident that if we all pull together, change can be achieved and we can all help improve the lives of those living with dementia in Gibraltar."

Minister for Health, Care and Justice, the Hon Neil F Costa MP said he was delighted with GADS initiative to launch Dementia Friends Gibraltar. We are extremely pleased to support the excellent initiative by GADS to encourage greater public participation and involvement in the common effort to ensure that people living with Dementia receive the best care possible and are made to feel an integral part of our community. Dementia is one of the greatest challenges facing modern industrialised societies and the Gibraltar Government is sensitive to the needs of this sector of the community. We have a long-term political responsibility to ensure that the right policies, public investments and systems are in place to ensure elderly persons and others who may be living with this disease obtain the right medical and professional care and support.

The recent opening of the excellent Bella Vista Dementia Day Centre and the forthcoming inauguration of the new Dementia residential facility with 52 bed capacity, which will be opening its doors in April 2017, reflect our staunch commitment to provide the best possible care for a vulnerable section of our population. It is also worth noting that all furniture within Elderly Residential Services facilities will be replaced with Dementia friendly fixtures and fittings.

Dementia Friends Gibraltar is modelled on the UK body set up by former Prime Minister David Cameron to raise the profile of this disease across Britain in 2012.

Dementia Friends Gibraltar has also set up its own website www.dementiafriends.gi
Photo: Ed Miller/Sony Pictures

Wolves are really hard to handle on set and depict onscreen  just ask the diminishing direwolves of Game of Thrones. So perhaps we can forgive Outlander for omitting a scene in season one where Claire would have been attacked by  and fought off  a pack of wolves. During a panel at Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle this weekend, Caitriona Balfe revealed the reason why we never saw that scene, even though, according to her co-star Sam Heughan, it was originally in the script. The problem, she said, was that during an earlier scene that same season, we nearly killed an actor with some dogs.

The exorcist-happy Father Bain, she explained, was supposed to have a scene where he is beset upon by a pack of dogs, one of which bites his leg. Claire offers to treat the wound, warning Father Bain of infection, but the priest refuses, limping away. He later uses this against Claire during the witch trial, claiming the attack was orchestrated by her, and interpreting her warning as a witchs curse. But when it came time to simulate actor Tim McInnerny being attacked by dogs, He actually got attacked by dogs, Balfe said. It was quite horrific. No wonder, then, that the producers thought an even more dramatic attack scene might be too risky. They were like, Were nixing the wolves, Balfe said. So what did you miss seeing onscreen? After Claire is tossed out of Wentworth Prison by Black Jack Randall, she is stalked by a lone wolf and manages to kill it with her bare hands, before the rest of the pack shows up. Its one of Claires most bad-ass moments, and fans of the book series were shocked it didnt make the show. Its such an amazing thing to read it, but you cant do it in reality, Balfe said. I would have loved to.

You should have done the wolf, Heughan teased her. I think that would have been kind of fun. Id like to see you fight a wolf.

You know, I think I could take down a wolf, Balfe grinned. Perhaps well have to settle for a shark instead, for season three!
Police rescue 3, arrest abductors after gunfight

A gunfight between police and a group of criminals in broad daylight on Saturday ended in successful release of three persons from the clutches of a group of kidnappers. Four abductors were arrested.
Politics of agreement

One of my great uncles was frustrated with everybody taunting him for overworking his petite wife; she did not have even an ounce of flesh between her skin and bones.
Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years.
For the first time, the Waco-McLennan County Library is taking its regular childrens story time from behind library bookshelves and out to different areas throughout the city with a new collaborative spring break program.

Following a roving concept, Library on the Go starts at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday through Friday and offers a chance for children of all ages to explore Waco by reading with their favorite librarians and doing activities at different venues.

Our idea is we give people an opportunity to see the great things Waco has to offer with the familiarity of the story-time structure, community services librarian Jessica Emmett said. They get to see the librarians they already know and love, but they get to go experience things they might not go to otherwise.

The idea started as just a way to help teach others about what the library has to offer and connect others to the city, said Sarah Freeland, the Central Library branch manager and one of the Library on the Go coordinators.

On Tuesday, children can visit the Art Center of Waco, 1300 College Drive, to hear a fun story and make a piece of art. Wednesday takes them to Miss Nellies Pretty Place, 2602 N. University Parks Drive, for a chance to read and play outdoors.

Thursday, the children will be back inside for story time with Waco police, getting the chance to see the inside of the Waco Police Department. And Friday, children can learn what life was like when Texas became a brand- new state by visiting East Terrace House, 100 Mill St., with the Historic Waco Foundation.

A different environment

I think its wonderful. Its becoming more and more important, or at least more recognized, by schools and educators: the importance of coming to a gallery and being in the museum environment, said Meg Gilbert, the operations manager for the Art Center of Waco.

We are a little bit isolated and were thankful the library thought of us, because people who might go to a library downtown or in Woodway or whatever may not come up here. Itll be a different environment.

Emmett said she hopes Library on the Go also will remind parents and students that the library is a place they can visit for educational purposes, even when school is closed.

Hopefully, if you dont have the means or opportunity to travel because maybe your parents dont get spring break, maybe theyll have one day where they can take you to do something fun and free and maybe learn something at the same time, Emmett said.

The librarians also hope this will help keep attendance up during an era when so much can be found a click away, they said.

Traditional library use, thats definitely dropping, but in its place comes computers or other things, Emmett said. Libraries have tried to be proactive in finding out, What is the need people have of libraries and how can we meet those things? These extra educational opportunities we can provide is what makes going to the library unique to Googling (things) yourself.

With the effort to increase literacy, Emmett said social literacy is decreasing in the digital age and programs like Library on the Go can help change that.

The great thing about public libraries is, no matter who you are or what your status is, you get the same level of service when you come in here, Emmett said.

The Waco-McLennan County Library also will have other activities for teens and adults throughout the week, including a Capture the Flag contest at Cameron Park and a Waco Photo Walk.

For more information on upcoming events, visit http://calendar.wacolibrary.org.
The Texas A&M Forest Service awarded a $200,000 grant to the Oglesby Volunteer Fire Department for the purchase of a new firefighting vehicle.

The grant was through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.

The new vehicle is a 2017 water tender, equipped with a 3,000-gallon water tank and a 20-gallon foam tank.

We are proud to receive this dual-service tender that is built to fight fire and carry water, Oglesby VFD Fire Chief Mark Luckie said. Our community has a few water hydrants, but the piping isnt adequate enough to be able to hook up and pull water in case of a fire.

The new tender has a portable drop tank that will hold 3,000 gallons of water that will be useful during structure fires and for mutual aid, Luckie said.

We dont usually deploy a drop tank but we requested it as part of the tender equipment, just in case we would ever need it, the fire chief said. We had just received the tender and drop tank and were called to an industrial fire in McGregor. We were glad to have the drop tank available. Having more water was very beneficial with that type of fire.

Luckie said the vehicle can serve in multiple roles but its primary purpose is supplying water when needed.

For more information on programs offered by Texas A&M Forest Service, visit www.texasfd.com.
Retired Waco Police Chief Brent Stroman (center) was recognized by the Longhorn Council of the Boy Scouts of America with the Silver Eagle Award for Community Service, presented at a Feb. 9 luncheon. In addition to his long career of service with the Waco Police Department, Stroman served in numerous capacities as an adult Scout leader, including organizing the Waco Police Explorer Post and serving as assistant scoutmaster for Troop 497. He is pictured with previous recipients of the Silver Eagle Award, former Waco Mayor Virginia DuPuy (left) and Wilton Lanning.
U.S. Rep. Bill Flores was elected in 2010 as part of a mighty backlash against the Democratic establishment. Now that the tables have turned to the GOPs favor, he finds himself trying to thread a needle in a polarized time.

Flores, R-Bryan, has been receiving an earful from progressive constituents angry about the election of Donald Trump, whom Flores has mostly supported. In emails, social media posts, calls and visits, they have voiced fears that the Republican Congress and administration will turn Obamacare recipients out in the cold, trash environmental protections and rip apart families and communities with mass deportations.

Flores has made no secret of his plans to roll back key parts of Obamas legacy in favor of conservative policies. He has often tweeted with the hashtag #maga, a reference to Trumps Make America Great Again slogan.

Still, he said he hopes to find some common ground with some constituents and legislators to the left of him, staking out positions that distinguish him from politicians to his right.

In a Feb. 24 interview with the Tribune-Herald, Flores depicted himself as a responsible policymaker wanting to develop a health care plan that would preserve the coverage gains under the Affordable Care Act. A longtime champion of the oil and gas industry who wants to roll back Obama-era environmental regulations, he acknowledged climate change and pledged support for research into renewable sources of energy. And, departing from some GOP immigration hardliners, Flores said he wants to create a path to legalization for unauthorized immigrants and opposes a continuous wall along the Southwest border.

My views on immigration, I think, are pretty forward-leaning compared to where they think I am, he said in the interview, after a long day of meeting with concerned constituents in Bryan-College Station, Austin and Waco.

Some people think Im a Neanderthal because I support the Trump administration. But there is room where Im not on the same page as the Trump administration. And there are some areas where they think the Trump administration is, but theyre really not. Theres a lot of propaganda and rhetoric coming out.

Flores, an oil exploration executive and accountant, unseated longtime U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, in 2010. He is starting his fourth two-year term representing District 17. In that time, Flores has gained a profile in the House as immediate past chairman of the influential Republican Study Committee and a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Flores positions on many issues are close to those of House Speaker Paul Ryan, including on the plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The plan would preserve certain elements of Obamacare, including allowing young adults to stay on their parents insurance and requiring insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions, while eliminating the requirement to have insurance.

Flores said in the interview that those covered by Obamacare will have a gradual transition over a couple of years, and he said he is confident that the uninsured rate will not increase to pre-Obamacare levels.

Nonprofit leader pleased

Dr. Roland Goertz, president of Wacos nonprofit Family Health Center, said he was extremely pleased to hear Flores commitment to preserving gains in the rate of the insured. For his clinics mostly low-income patients, the uninsured rate has dropped from 32 percent to less than 27 percent since the Affordable Care Act started, he said.

But he said the Republican plan remains nebulous.

Im really unsure how theyre going to shift the costs and pay for everything, he said. I dont have any doubt theres a good intention, but the devils in the details. My belief is that they dont have it ironed out yet.

Meanwhile, Flores position on immigration is within the mainstream of Republican legislators, focusing first on border security, followed by a path to legal status for unauthorized immigrants and citizenship for those who came here as children. Flores said current unauthorized immigrants should have to pay a fine and should not be immediately eligible for citizenship. That goes too far for some immigration hardliners in the GOP.

One challenge weve had is anytime someone brought up an immigration solution like the one I laid out, youd have some far-right person yell out amnesty, even though theres no amnesty in what I said. The people who committed a crime would have to pay for the crime, Flores said.

Sarah Pierce, an associate policy analyst at the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute, said the last major push for comprehensive immigration reform was in 2013.

As time goes on, problems with the immigration system have become more severe, Pierce said. I think theres a recognition on both sides of the aisle that something needs to happen.

She said the chance of another push may depend on Trump, whose stance on dealing with existing unauthorized immigrants appeared to shift toward legalization.

Flores said Trumps leadership is needed on the issue.

Hes modulated his rhetoric, especially when it comes to Hispanic immigrants, so I think were in a better position to wrap our arms around this, Flores said. It would be helpful if he would say, I want Congress to sit down and come up with a solution. I dont want to deport anyone but the criminals and drug dealers and people trying to abuse our domestic programs. 

The following is a condensed and lightly edited version of the Feb. 24 interview.

Q What do you make of Donald Trumps performance so far?

A About 90 percent of what hes done has been really good. Its the other 10 percent that has really hurt his administrations credibility. I will say this: I do think its getting better. The good thing that the administration has done is to set up an office of congressional relations. . . . Ive been able to go down to the White House and say, here are the kudos I have for you, here are areas where weve gotta change direction. One of the things talked about was the refugee executive order. It was the right thing to do, but the rollout was terrible. I mean it was the Keystone Cops. I asked him point-blank, have you learned anything? He said, Oh yeah, we learned a lot.

Q Why (ban travel from) those seven countries? Why not other countries that have actually supplied terrorists to the U.S.?

A Heres the situation. We have more refugees coming from those countries than anywhere else, because theyre coming from disrupted states. Second, our vetting program has some material deficiencies. Theyre repairable for the most part. Third, there is no central government in those states. Lets say you have person come in from Syria. They might not have identification. We have no way to reach back into the Assad administration to identify them, to see if they have a criminal record. We dont have that issue with Saudi Arabia, where the bulk of the 9/11 terrorists came from. . . . There are 40-plus majority Muslim countries in the world. We dont have risks with the rest of them.

Q I wanted to ask you about immigration, since you said a lot of people get you wrong on that. To begin with, we heard a lot of talk in the campaign about a wall. Does the Southwest border need a wall from Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean?

A No. We need border integrity. Border integrity is a physical barrier where a physical barrier makes sense, where its feasible to have one. The bulk of the Texas border doesnt represent an area where a wall is feasible.

QBig Bend?

A Yeah, Big Bend (is infeasible). I mean, go south down the Rio Grande Valley. The only place to build a wall is the middle of the river. It doesnt make sense. The best place to do it, because of the way it snakes around, is to come inland and build it straight across, and then you cut off parts of Texas family farms and ranches. . . . You cut off livestock and wild game. And that makes no sense. Plus you have to use eminent domain, which in Texas is an F-word.

If you look at 1,800 miles of the border, theres about 700 miles where it makes sense to have a physical barrier. You use airborne assets like aerostats. You use cameras, ground sensors, troops on the ground. This is doable. You dont have to have a big, big wall.

QWeve talked before about (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), which allows people who came over here as children through no decision of their own from another country without papers to have some protection.

AThe bulk of what are commonly labeled Dreamers dont represent a risk to this country. I believe they should not be at risk for deportation. I dont like the way President Obama promulgated DACA, because its a congressional responsibility. Nonetheless, were living under DACA today for that group of immigrants. Im fine with that.

Q Should DACA be repealed so we can get a legislative alternative?

A No, what would be better would be for Congress to pass a path to citizenship for Dreamers. . . . Then you dont need DACA. . . .

Look, if you take someone who was brought here when they were 2 years old and say, Now were going to ship you to Venezuela, theyd be lost. Theyre Americans. Weve educated them. Why not make Americans out of them? Legal Americans.

Q What about other immigrants?

A We really dont have good metrics. We have this large underground employee base of 11 million people. The bulk of them are working. When I talk to the construction industry here, they cant get enough workers from here locally. So for me, there ought to be a construction visa.

You want an ag visa, bang, youve got your visa. All we need to do is make sure were not hurting local wages, not displacing someone from a job who wants a job, and they get quick access.

Once you fix the legal immigration system, theres no reason for a business to hire illegally. So if they do, the fines and penalties should be significant, employer sanctions.

Q (Regarding Flores support for a path to legalization for some of the 11 million undocumented.) So should they never get citizenship?

A Im not going to say that. But lets just get them here, register them here where they can buy a home, where they can work, get a drivers license and pay taxes and send their kids to school without fear of deportation.

QI wanted to ask you about the Affordable Care Act. Seventeen million more people have insurance than before. Can you do what you want to do with repeal and replace without causing that uninsured rate to go back up?

A Correct. We can. If you look at where the exchange markets are today, the uninsured rate is about to go up anyway.

In 70 percent of counties in Texas, were down to one insurer. They are losing hundreds of millions of dollars annually on their Texas exchange book of business. If they pull out, youve got hundreds of thousands of people suddenly uninsured. If they decide at the beginning of 2018 to pull out of the market, then Texas is hosed.

Q If those uninsured rates tick back up to where they were before the ACA, under the new Republican plan, will you say that plan has failed?

A Yes, I would say we havent designed a well-thought-out plan. But Im confident that we have a good repeal-and-replace strategy.

Q The things they want to keep from existing ACA, including allowing young people to stay on their plans until 26 . . .

A . . . Correct, were keeping that.

Q. . . Requiring insurers to keep people with pre-existing conditions. For some people thats reassuring, but I have to wonder, is that possible without the subsidies and mandates of the ACA?

A Were going to have to have subsidies for low-income Americans to buy health care coverage.

Weve got this disaster with the ACA, 25 percent annual increases in premiums last year. Huge increases in out-of-pocket and so forth. Where we want to be is either on Jan 1, 2019, or Jan. 1, 2020, wed like to have the new 21st-century health care world up and running. So there will be a transition period. When we say repeal-and-replace were not saying your insurance blows up on that day.

Q If you allow people to come in with a pre-existing condition, say, after they get cancer, and before that not paying into the system, theres a moral hazard there where people are taking advantage and everyone elses premiums go up. If you dont have the individual mandate, how do you keep that from happening?

A Well have to come up with, and I dont have a good answer for you at this point, we will have what I call provisions to prevent the moral hazard, to prevent someone from getting car insurance after the wreck. Youve got to come up with that so you have personal accountability and personal responsibility. But its not a mandate. You cant compel somebody to buy something.

Q I want to ask you about climate change. Do you believe in your lifetime that human activity has contributed to climate change?

A Yes. What percentage, I dont know. I believe its something we ought to address. But there are questions you have to solve before you start developing policies to deal with it. So as a policymaker, I want to know how much, what impact has human activity had, apart from all the other factors  sun, nature. How much can you actually bring temperatures down and at what cost? Is it better to mitigate climate change or adapt to climate change?

Q Are you opposed in principle to a carbon tax or carbon trading?

A I am opposed to a carbon tax. Let me say this first: It took us 150 years to get to the position were in. To me, we need a multidecade approach to get to a low-carbon economy. I think the way you get there is to create a knowledge base so the private sector can adapt and get us there. Then look at what are the impediments that current federal policy that keep us from getting there. What that involves is a bigger emphasis on basic research on low-carbon energy.

Q So you want more research on alternative energy?

A On energy. Look, if you could burn coal more cleanly, thats probably a good place to spend some money, if you could change the carbon profile or find a way to sequester it. Im not saying thats in the mix, but you could. The problem we have today with alternative energy sources is that theyre all intermittent. To get to this low-carbon economy, youve got to produce baseload power. . . . You need to have research on storage. And dont forget about what weve already got. The ultimate green fuel we have today for baseload is nuclear. Theres all kinds of new technology for nuclear, and we ought to look at it.

Q Do you think well be using less fossil fuel in 20 to 30 years?

A I think well get there. I think were on track. People say, Oh, youre a climate denier. No, Im not either. Im the largest residential producer of solar power in Brazos County. I did it because I could afford it, because Im a geek. It will never pay for itself, and why would I want to impose those costs on the economy? Yesterday, I produced 80 percent of my power. On a year-round basis, its about 40 percent.

We have to rely on the innovation of mankind. One the areas where the government is good is in basic research. So you put your whiz kids at Baylor to work, your principal investigators at A&M and Texas to work, and well solve those issues.

Im an oil and gas guy, but to me nuclear is the way to go. Some things people are coming up with on nuclear technology are incredible.
I have been blind for so long. It took me a long time, but I finally figured it all out. As I was looking at Facebook postings the other day, shaking my head at all the seemingly ridiculous stuff people put on there about politics, it suddenly dawned on me. The scales fell from my eyes and I wept at the freedom that washed over me.

We no longer live in a world of objective truth or even verifiable truth. In a world of alternative facts and fake news, we are now free to make it all up as we go. No longer do we need to hunt down sources or even get both sides of the story. All that matters is we put stuff out that has a modicum of plausibility, such as 2015s Jade Helm narrative about President Obama employing our troops and martial law to take over the country. That was a big summertime hit even our governor helped legitimize.

Ive therefore decided to create a new website dedicated to my new-found freedom. It will be called nostinkinfacts.com and, as a sample of what you can find there, I offer three samples of new news in our new age.

Donald Trump the vampire:

A senior White House official who asked to not be named for this story has confirmed what has been rumored for some time in our nations capital. Donald Trump is a vampire. Im not talking about the romantic, angst-driven vampires of Twilight fame, but more Bela Lugosi, Bram Stoker vampires, the source said. He has his own coffin in the Lincoln bedroom and only comes out at night. The real reason he ran for the presidency is so he can gain control of the nations blood banks.

This source, as well as others who cant be named, confirmed that Trumps vampire transformation took place during a visit to Russia several years ago. The reputed sex tape with Trump is in reality a tape of how he became a vampire. Its all tied into Putins seeking to gain control of the world.

Of course, Putin is a vampire, the source confirmed. Look at his photos. The guy never ages. He turned beautiful young Russian women into vampires who then seduce certain Western bigwigs and convert them into vampires themselves, all ultimately under Putins control.

When asked how it is Trump is able to be seen in the daytime, the source stated that the daytime Trump is really a very sophisticated robot developed by the KGB toward the fall of the Soviet Union. John Major, former prime minister of the United Kingdom, was the first Soviet robot to become a head of state. Watching tapes of that time, its easy to see that Major was a robot, not nearly as sophisticated as the current models.

Obama plots overthrow of government:

Barack Obama is secretly planning a military overthrow of the U.S. government. This was confirmed during a meeting Obama had with fellow plotters, according to a secret video recording from an Apple phone smuggled into the meeting.

According to the tape, Obama has been working with the United Nations and the Kenyan military to bring elite troops from around the world into the United States within the next few months. The troops, currently training at Guantanamo Bay, will enter the United States by crossing secretly across the Mexican border. The troops will gather at abandoned Walmarts across the country and attack during July 4 celebrations. Obama can be heard on the tape saying the Kenyans are more than happy to help one of their native-born sons become ruler of the world.

Obamas plan: Arrest Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, other key government officials and Bill and Hillary Clinton. Obama can be heard on the tape saying: The only thing the Republicans got right in the last election is when they were chanting, Lock her up!

Netanyahu, Saudi prince plot against Iran:

Sources have disclosed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been in secret talks with key Saudi officials to set off a dirty bomb near the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and blame it on Iran. The purpose is to unite all Sunni Muslims in a jihad against Iran and take some pressure off Israel. Ultimately, the Saudis will insist that Iran be settled by the Palestinians, thus freeing Israel to complete its conquest of the East Bank (or is it the West Bank? Does it matter?) and the Gaza Strip.

See how fun it is to be rid of facts and objectivity? All these stories could be floating around on the Internet, allowing each reader to come to his or her own conclusions. After all, isnt the mantra of this new age: We report, you decide?

Glynn Beaty is a local attorney and pastor.
I have a message for one and all: Every fact is an alternative fact!

The Oxford Dictionary provides a definition of the word truth as the state of being true. But it also offers a fact or belief that is accepted as true as yet another definition. The ambiguous nature of what we know and what we can learn has led to confusion about either the guilt or innocence of individuals in the public light, most notably individuals in current and past presidential administrations.

President Trumps calling rival politicians or the press liars and the reciprocal perception that President Trump has himself violated protocols about truth have seemingly sorted out adversaries on the political battlefield with defections happening daily, one way or the other. But whether a fact has been presented, or an alternative fact was given, it seems clear that many do not understand the second definition presented above.

In short, there is one word  accepted  which gives light to what is fact or alternatively factual.

Oxford gives this as a definition of fact: something that is known to be true. But when consulting a thesaurus, I noticed something interesting. For the most part, the term truth stands of its own accord where fact requires some degree of effort. The essential point is that fact is relative, while truth is absolute and neither is purely interchangeable.

Lets say we wake up one morning and decide we dont like the color blue and we look at the sky which is the most beautifully bright shade of blue. We decide that we will not call the sky blue and, since green is our favorite color, we will call it green to make ourselves feel better.

Further, we have a circle of friends who are like-minded and decide to go with our assessment of the situation and call the sky green instead. Acceptance of this change by this circle of friends has changed the fact as we see it and the sky is now green for today.

We have given an alternative fact. Facts are relative to our acceptance and perception.

In a court of law, whether civil, criminal or military, the authority in that court determines a fact and whether it is relevant in the case at hand. The judge must certify that each is a fact and that it is admissible in that court. If, perchance, that judge is having a bad day, he or she may not agree that something is a fact, whether solid evidence supports it or not. At any rate, the court must certify that what is presented is fact. An action is taken  effort! The facts are relative to the case.

The next day, we awaken to the same blue hue in the sky we saw the day before and we decide that it would be better for it to be blue instead of green (consider all the poetic missteps in describing the green eyes of someone as being the color of the sky! Im just sayin!) We get back with our friends and all agree that the sky should be blue instead of green. Once again, we have changed a fact. But the underlying truth remained unchanged  the hue and tint of the observation never changed, only what we accepted as the facts. Truth is absolute.

A friend once told me in an argument that I am entitled to my opinion but not my own set of facts. Incorrect. We each are entitled to our perception of the facts and our interpretation. The truth will not change. This is the problem. Aristotle, possibly the first to employ what has become known as Occams Razor, wrote that the truth can be shown with fewer explanations; the more explanations there are, the more unsure of the reliability of those explanations.

My take is that the truth is like the center of an onion; peel away all layers before you get to the heart of that which gives the onion its character.

The sparring back and forth over Kellyanne Conways alternative facts is for naught. What President Trump and Ms. Conway saw from the vantage point of the dais was different from that of the press pool trying to denigrate and delegitimize the president, who was the choice of the constitutional majority. Then again, to be fair, my use of constitutional majority is one alternative fact, while majority of the popular vote is another.

But the underlying, absolute truth is that President Trump is in office for the next four years.
The United States has started becoming a country of protesters again, largely in response to the proposed policies and rhetoric of President Trump. In response, citing the ostensible grounds of disorderliness and manipulation, Republican lawmakers have introduced bills to curb protesting in at least 17 states, with possibly more to come.

I dont approve and, if you dont either, I have a message for you: This trend has been the bipartisan thrust of American policy since the 1970s.

For decades, weve restricted protests to protect safety and public order, but an important part of our democracy has eroded, namely the constitutional right to public assembly. I outline this history in my new book, The Complacent Class: The Self-Defeating Quest for the American Dream; it is one of many examples of how Americans are giving up their former dynamism for greater security, all to the possible long-run detriment of society.

These days, there exists a mini-industry of protest planners, comparable to wedding or convention planners. They will help you coordinate with the police, set up stages and sound systems in the approved manner and clean up after the event. A major protest is a bureaucratized event, accompanied by professional teams of public relations and media management. The right to assembly has not been banished; its simply been limited and made more difficult and expensive.

To understand how we got to this point, consider the chaos of public protests from the 1960s and early 1970s. The 1968 to 1975 period saw more instances of anti-government violence than any time since the Civil War. Eventually state and local governments decided that they would regulate protests more closely.

Take the famed Selma civil-rights marchers of 1965, when the protesters had obtained the legal right, through petition, to conduct a 52-mile, five-day march down an interstate highway. Of course, that blocked the highway and inconvenienced many motorists and truckers. Americas NIMBY mentality would most likely prevent a comparable event today.

Starting in the 1970s, the federal courts began to assert that public spaces are not automatically fair game for marches and demonstrations, and so local governments have sought to please the users of such facilities rather than marchers and protesters. For instance, during the 2004 Democratic National Convention, numerous would-be demonstrators ended up being confined to a demonstration zone, which one federal judge described as analogous to Piranesis etchings of a prison. The zone was ringed by barricades, fences and coiled razor wire.

Or take the Occupy Wall Street movement in 2011, which was in large part defanged by authorities of the city of New York. Rather than opting for outright confrontation, and perhaps some publicity victories for the protesters, authorities waited for the winter to shut down the encampment. The city police also surrounded the main protest site, Zuccotti Park, with their cars and set up a watchtower to keep a vigil. Barricades were placed to keep pedestrians away from the site, and passers-by were encouraged to keep moving.

Washington is in some ways more restrictive yet. The National Park Service controls about 25 percent of the city, including many of the focal spots. If a protest is expected to be of any note, the organizers will be required to meet with the Park Police and possibly the Capitol Police to plan it out, accompanied by lawyers in many cases. Further complications arise if the Secret Service is involved, and virtually any protest can be stifled or shut down altogether by invoking national security or terrorism fears.

Universities have changed a great deal, too. After the invasion of Cambodia and the shootings at Kent State University in May 1970, almost 4 million students demonstrated and 536 schools shut down, with protests erupting on more than 1,250 campuses. During that single month of May, there were 95 instances of bombings and arson on college campuses alone, and 30 ROTC buildings were burned or bombed. Today, a campus protest is very often about demands for safe spaces rather than political revolution. That shift makes for a much more pleasant and productive campus life, but there are lingering suspicions that millennial students do not (yet?) understand the urgency of the times they live in.

The excesses of the 1960s and 70s are familiar, and the increasingly peaceful nature of American society has benefited virtually all of us. Still, I cant help wonder what has been lost. Surely there is a happy medium. Because American crime has come down, most likely the violence of protests would have fallen, too. Could we not have kept public demonstrations and protests more alive as a vital and nonbureaucratized tradition?

For a long time, most people ignored this issue, but I wonder if it wont start to seem urgent once again.

Tyler Cowen is a Bloomberg View columnist. He is a professor of economics at George Mason University and writes for the blog Marginal Revolution. His books include Average Is Over: Powering America Beyond the Age of the Great Stagnation.
Salleri locals forced to drink unsafe water

Residents of Salleri, the district headquarters of Solukhumbu, have been forced to drink contaminated water, thanks to negligence on the part of local authorities.
At one point at Tuesday evenings celebration of Mission Wacos 25th anniversary, executive director Jimmy Dorrell, championing youth volunteerism in causes great and obscure, reminded parents in the crowd of 1,100 that encouraging children in such endeavors changes the way they look at the world. Yet evidence suggests this truism isnt limited to the young.

Dorrell honored volunteers, donors and beneficiaries of all ages, races and income levels, trotting out observations of their goodness, modesty and humor. A few are familiar, such as local reality TV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines, who helped wrap up fundraising for Jubilee Food Market in 2016, ensuring North 15th and Colcord neighborhood residents can get affordable, fresh food in what was once termed a food desert.

Others came from the ranks of everyday people, churches, even corporations such as PepsiCo. (Dorrell declined to ask anyone to forsake hometown beverage Dr Pepper, but your second drink better be Pepsi!) Cindy Olbrich, mother of three, was recognized for boosting urban-city kids skills in science, engineering and math, so they have a shot at better-paying jobs. Brian Townley was feted for helping fund neighborhood childrens trip to our nations capital. Reggie Blake was praised for his building expertise as much as the religious spirit that drives him.

The result after 25 years? After-school programs, Pizza Hut mobile libraries, legal services for the poor (immigration and housing concerns dominate), a faith-based recovery center for people wrestling with addictions (ranked among the best in America), a 56-bed homeless shelter, a health clinic, job-training programs, not to mention crucial and sustained mission outreach in Mexico, India and Haiti.

One can only imagine where Mission Waco will go in addressing needs in the next 25 years. But its to their credit they are now seeking constructive input from businesses, churches and neighborhood folks about any future initiatives. This outreach represents the best of Mission Wacos credo, ensuring all have pivotal roles in lasting community solutions.
White House graft

The Trump family is wasting no time in making serious money from the presidency. Trumps threat to abolish the One-China policy and negotiate it was settled to his personal financial benefit. The business deal in Oman he claimed during the campaign hed refused because it was a conflict of interest continued right on schedule  and we paid part of the cost of accomplishing it. And Trumps daughter does business in Japan as well as other countries with her fathers position giving her leverage. She began using that leverage right after the election.

The proper term for all this is graft. But in their case, its legal.

Were also paying expensive, round-the-clock security for two homes in addition to the White House. Plus Trump makes money from charging to house Secret Service. Were paying for his kids business travels too.

Its up to Congress to end this idiocy instead of cutting other agency budgets to accommodate it. No other president has made so much green stuff from his position in this way. So far hes done little for our country except take credit for things he had nothing to do with. He has, however, made quite a tidy sum for himself.

Trump and chief strategist Steve Bannon intend to run diplomacy from the White House, leaving Secretary of State Rex Tillerson a mere figurehead. Since no one in the White House is exactly qualified, its easy to assume this is intended as the way to leverage his business interests. Given what we knew before about financial dealings in Russia and his insistence on making Russian dictator Vladimir Putin happy, this is no surprise. It may well become the template for dealing with other governments.

This is a man and his family who cannot have enough money, give nothing to charity and have never lifted a finger to help people any other way. Trump is being sued for his lifelong practice of cheating in business and we are now the source of other peoples money he brags about.

Whats not to love?

Shelby Muhl, Prairie Hill

The Gathering: 2017

In this season of our splintered, raucous society, I share a story of unity, purpose and hope. On Sunday, April 9, churches across denominational, cultural and economic lines will join together to sing, seek the Lord and pray for our city, Baylor University and our nation, as well as help stock local food pantries. Its The Gathering and it begins at 6:30 p.m. Palm Sunday in McLane Stadium. The Gathering in 2015 brought together 35,000 people from across Central Texas for a night of worship and a collection of 14 tons of canned food. It is happening again and at a perfect time!

Waco and Baylor have had rough spots in the news media in recent months. Lets come together April 9 and enjoy some unity, some healing and some prayer. We can use it. God certainly hears us!

John Durham, Waco
Muddy handprints cover the rusty, iron posts on this section of border fence in far South Texas. The 18-foot-tall barrier, which runs between a national wildlife refuge and a local nature center, ends abruptly less than a mile down the road. Still, somebody clearly thought it was best to cross here.

This is probably one of the most visible places they could have climbed, Scott Nicol, co-chair of the Sierra Clubs Borderlands Campaign, said before snapping photos of the handprints. I dont know if they got caught or not, but they made it up and over for sure.

Theres been a lot of debate about how effective the Bush-era barrier has been at keeping out illegal crossers and drug smugglers. Some data indicates the barriers have encouraged people to cross in places where there isnt one. But the handprints show that a determined person can still easily scale it.

What the border fence has kept out instead, according to environmentalists, scientists and local officials, is wildlife. And the people who have spent decades acquiring and restoring border habitat say that if President Donald Trump makes good on his promise to turn the border fence into a continuous, 40-foot concrete wall, the situation for wildlife along the border  one of the most biodiverse areas in North America  will only get worse.

Right now, a mix of vehicle barriers and pedestrian fencing covers only about one-third of the nearly 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border. Even with all those gaps, experts say the barriers have made it harder for animals to find food, water and mates. Many of them, like jaguars, gray wolves and ocelots, are already endangered.

Aaron Flesch, a biologist at the University of Arizona, said most border animals are already squeezed into small, fragmented patches of habitat.

If you just go and you cut movements off, he said, you can potentially destabilize these entire networks of population.

Still, the impacts of the border fence on wildlife arent totally understood. Thats in large part because Congress let the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ignore all the environmental laws that wouldve required the agency to fully study how the barrier would affect wildlife.

Flesch and other scientists say the federal government also has made almost no research money available to support independent studies. Most of the studies that have been done are limited in scope, but their findings are pretty clear: Impeding animal movements puts them on a faster path to extinction.

Environmentalists and conservation groups say the border fence also has compromised the federal governments own efforts to protect those vulnerable species, pitting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The latter agency bought large tracts of land along the border decades ago and turned them into national wildlife refuges.

A spokeswoman for the Fish and Wildlife Service said the agency is not studying the environmental impacts of the proposed border wall and referred the Tribune to Customs and Border Patrol. That agency told the Tribune that at this point we dont have anything to share.

When you envision the U.S.-Mexico border, you might think of a barren, dusty desert. But it actually ranks among the most biodiverse places in North America  particularly the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. The Valley is home to some of the last remaining tracts of sabal palm forest in the country  a lush, subtropical ecosystem that is prime habitat for an endangered wild cat called the ocelot.

Two major migratory bird paths also converge in the region, and several tropical bird species there cant be found anywhere else in the United States. More than 100 other endangered species may be impacted by construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to an analysis of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service data.

Decades-old laws like the Endangered Species Act often tie up major federal projects for decades or thwart them altogether, but a 2005 security and immigration law that Congress passed gave Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff the power to waive all those regulations  which he did in 2008.

The existing border fence went up in just a few years. That left scientists scrambling to measure the impacts themselves  racing to try to measure animal movements before the fence was installed so they could compare them to what happened afterward.

Because the wall went up so quickly, We didnt have any good environmental studies of this area to establish a baseline, said Laura Huffman, director of the Nature Conservancys Texas office. As a result, its hard to comment on where we are today. And there was a lot of concern about that.
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She is probably the only internet sensation in Harpursville, New York, a hamlet of about 3500 people in the Southern Tier region: April, a very pregnant giraffe, whose livestream video has attracted millions of viewers.

But April's instant stardom - the stream, which was posted about three weeks ago by Animal Adventure Park, where she lives, has been viewed nearly 20 million times on YouTube - is raising hopes that the attention will yield an economic boost for the region, a former manufacturing powerhouse that has struggled in recent years.

April with Allysa Swilley, zoologist and head giraffe keeper at Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, N.Y. Credit:Heather Ainsworth/The New York Times

The audience that has tuned in online to watch and wait for April to give birth has translated into phone calls, emails and a surge of interest in the 3 1/2-year-old animal park, now closed for the winter, said its owner, Jordan Patch.

Patch said he had received dozens of inquiries about which airport was closest to the park (Greater Binghamton Airport), the nearest hotels (also in Binghamton, about 20 minutes away), and where visitors could camp (Chenango Valley State Park).
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson on the set of Insiders, watching host Barrie Cassidy. Credit:Meredith O'Shea Listing lifestyle choices that the government should defund, he began with "ugly" single mothers. "The first that springs to mind is single motherhood," Mr Archibald wrote. Premier Colin Barnett on the campaign trail. Credit:Trevor Collens "These are women too lazy to attract and hold a mate, undoing the work of possibly 3 million years of evolutionary pressure.

"This will result in a rapid rise in the portion of the population that is lazy and ugly." Mark McGowan will try to remove Lisa Scaffidi if SAT doesn't. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen On Friday One Nation's candidate for another crucial seat, Kalamunda, on the eastern fringe of Perth, suddenly quit, citing a preference deal between One Nation and the Liberal Party. "I've had enough," Ray Gould, told ABC radio. "I'm talking to voters and they say, 'We like Pauline Hanson but she's done a deal with the Liberals and she can't be trusted'.

"I don't think I'll even get 4 per cent of the vote because she's messing with the voters' heads." Kalamunda could help decide which party wins government. It is held by the Liberal Party with a margin of 10.3 per cent, which is almost exactly the size of the swing Labor needs to win government and, according to recent polling, just about the size of the swing that polling suggests we might see on election day. The Liberal Party has faced criticism for cutting a deal with One Nation that will see it giving preferences to the insurgent outlier in the upper house in return for One Nation's preferences in the lower house. Speaking on ABC TV on Sunday morning, during an interview in which she backed a cut to weekend penalty rates, voiced her support for the Russian President Vladimir Putin and cast doubt on the safety of vaccines, Ms Hanson was frank in support of the agreement. "I have no problem with saying that because it is our best chance of getting One Nation candidates selected to the floor of Parliament. Of course, who is not going to do it?"

The deal has increased tensions between the Liberal Party and its National Party coalition partners, and demonstrated how seriously the Liberal Party takes the One Nation threat. Some observers believe Mr Barnett has effectively sacrificed the lower house seat of Perth, where voters have expressed anger at the deal, in order to stave off One Nation challenges in rural and regional seats. In the aftermath of a mining boom that some analysts consider to have been wasted, the election is being fought over bread and butter economic issues such as unemployment and debt. This has pitted the state's giant resources and agricultural sectors against one another, in turn increasing tension between the coalition partners. The National Party under Mr Grylls is pushing to increase a state production tax on iron ore from 25 cents a tonne to $5, a proposal being fought by WA's Chamber of Minerals and Energy. The Chamber's chief executive, Reg Howard-Smith, has been watching the electorate closely in the lead-up to the election.

"We've been close to the ground over the last few months and the feedback we've got is that everyone is concerned about jobs," he said. "Resource sector jobs, but jobs more generally always comes at the top of the order." Although the tax increase would generate an extra $3 billion in revenue for state coffers, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton have argued it would cost jobs in the Pilbara and across WA. Mr Howard-Smith also believes the tax rise, which would require legislation to overhaul state agreements with the two companies, would damage the investment attractiveness of the state. "We've had fantastic support across the sector for this campaign we're running about iron ore and that's focused on two companies, but the reason is there are many, many people who can remember the RSPT [Resource Super Profits Tax]," he said.

"When the RSPT was announced, on that Saturday the Dockers and the Eagles were to play  I never got to that game  capital dried up instantly." But Mr Howard-Smith was also concerned about a Nationals plan to give companies payroll tax breaks for workers in the Pilbara who were not fly-in, fly-out (FIFO), an idea which could cost jobs everywhere but in Mr Grylls' own electorate. Mr Howard-Smith said the plan would devastate small towns in the south-west like Busselton and Manjimup where many FIFO workers choose to live, and where the Liberal Party holds a swathe of crucial seats. "If you're coming out of Busselton and you've made the choice to live there but to maintain your job you have to travel to the Pilbara, then it's clearly a matter of choice," he said. "Manjimup only has a small number of FIFO workers, in the twenties, but by the time you look at families and everything else, the contribution they make is significant.

"Rio reached out to those workers in Manjimup. At the time the timber industry was closing there were some good operators who they took on, so it just doesn't make any sense. "They would have the most mature FIFO model, so you have a lot of people coming out of Busselton, a number from Albany, Geraldton, and Broome and Broome is essentially Aboriginal employment. "That's working extremely well and I don't think the National party policy is realistic for one moment." Unions have been quick to link the Liberal Party to One Nation. On Sunday the Victorian CFMEU leader John Setka tweeted in reference to the penalty rates decision, "Pauline Hanson is just another Liberal who hates workers!" Ms Hanson herself travelled to Western Australia to begin a week's campaigning on Sunday, with an itinerary planned to include stops in Perth and towns in the south-west as well as regional centres including Port Hedland, Karratha, Kalgoorlie and Geraldton.
A man who allegedly tailed and then rammed an undercover police car in Perth's southern suburbs on Saturday has been arrested and charged.

The incident occurred on Carrington Street in Hilton around 6am.

The undercover police car was rammed by a 37-year-old Hilton man around 6am on Saturday. Credit:WA Police

A police spokesman said Fremantle Detectives noticed a Ford Territory following their vehicle as they travelled down Winterfold Road.

"As the officers turned into Carrington Street, the Ford remained behind the police vehicle," he said.
Contact: Emily Weeks

Emily Weeks Emily.Weeks@ncgop.org

Raleigh, NC Just when it seems like Governor Cooper could not possibly make any worse decisions with his appointees, he went above and beyond to defy expectations. Governor Cooper has now appointed convicted felon Zander Guy , to lead the ABC Commission.- Michele Nix, NCGOP Vice ChairmanIn 1990 Guy was convicted for using his insurance agency to fraudulently bill clients, which totaled almost $16,000.
UML to change programme venue after Morchas warning

After the cadres of Madhesi Morcha warned of foiling the CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Olis programme in Rajbiraj, the party has decided to change the programme venue.
UMLs Mechi-Mahakali Campaign kicks off

CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli launched the Mechi-Mahakali Campaign, an election drive of the main opposition party, at a function in Kakadvitta, Jhapa, on Saturday.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 05, 2017 | 07:29 AM | FRANKFORT, KY

Attorney General Andy Beshear is asking Kentuckians to report instances of price gouging to his office now that a state of emergency has been declared in Kentucky due to recent storms.

Kentuckians should never be subjected to price gouging by retailers and this is especially true during a natural disaster, Beshear said. My office and all of its resources stand ready to investigate and even prosecute cases of identifiable predatory pricing now that the governor has implemented the price gouging laws to help protect Kentucky consumers. During this time of crisis, we are asking Kentuckians to be cautious when purchasing goods and services.

Beshear is encouraging anyone with specific information regarding possible price gouging to contact the Office of the Attorney General at 888-432-9257 or e-mailconsumerprotection@ky.gov.

The emergency order triggers Kentuckys consumer protection measures the next 30 days. The protective measures may be extended beyond 30 days if needed.

The governors order empowers the Attorney Generals office to be on the lookout on behalf of consumers, and enables our office to prosecute, where appropriate, any instances of price gouging including, generators, building supplies, chainsaws, hotel rooms and other necessary goods and services at an exorbitant price in a time of disaster.

Beshear issued a scam alert last summer after heavy storms caused flood damage to many areas of the state. Beshears scam alert is to remind Kentuckians that con artists routinely prey on victims post-disaster stress by posing as someone who claims they can help.

Common schemes include phony contractors seeking quick payment for repair services they promise and never provide, or a bogus loan company employee who offers to provide financing for expensive repairs.

Beshear asks those impacted by the recent storms to be on the lookout for con artists who:

Demand full payment up front or in cash.

Do not have a physical business address.

Refuse to show proper identification.

Ask consumers to disclose personal financial information to speed up payment or to start the repair or lending process.

Ask consumers to borrow money to pay for the repairs, or steers consumers toward a particular lender or tries to act as an intermediary between the consumer and a lender.

Ask consumers to sign documents without reviewing them.

Kentuckians are encouraged to research reviews of businesses online and confirm any potential issues with the Better Business Bureau (Louisville/Western Kentucky: 800-388-2222, Lexington/Eastern Kentucky: 800-866-6668). Consumers may also check the Secretary of States website to verify the business is registered and is in good standing.

To help Kentuckians stay up-to-date on new and trending scams, Beshear launched Scam Alerts  a communications service that alerts Kentuckians when con artists are on the attack. To sign up for Scam Alerts, text the words KYOAG Scam to GOV311 (468311). Or, enroll online at ag.ky.gov/scams and select text message or email alert.
Police are running in front of the #NoDAPL march to guard the banks as crowd chants "Divest!" pic.twitter.com/eHTWJrxcsf March 4, 2017

Demonstrations against Dakota Access Pipeline are taking place outside Trump Tower in New York City.A protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) gathered outside the New York Public Library at 1pm on Saturday where activists made speeches and said prayers before marching to Trump Tower.The Standing Rock Sioux tribe have long rallied against the multi-billion dollar pipeline. The project was shelved during the Obama administration, but restarted after President Trump signed an executive order to fast track it shortly after he took office.The marchers were escorted by a heavy police presence as it made its way through the streets of New York.The anti-DAPL activists chanted "Water is life" and "this is what democracy looks like" outside the president's landmark building.The DAPL is designed to transport oil from northwest North Dakota to Illinois, passing through the states of South Dakota and Iowa. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota say the project passes through sacred Native American land and threatens their primary source of drinking water.A Rise with Standing Rock march on Washington to also protest the DAPL is scheduled to take place on Friday, March 10. The event has been widely publicized on social media gaining thousands of shares.
Uncertainty, not instability

Hisila Yamis reasoning that political instability is a primary factor behind Nepals development ills in a recent op-ed published in these pages was an interesting read.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 04/03/2017 (2073 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

wfpslideshow:415407003:wfpslideshow

More than 200 people showed up for duelling protests at city hall over competing versions of Canadian values Saturday, clashing verbally over what free speech and hate speech mean.

The scenario of opposing rallies was expected to play out in dozens of cities and towns across the country.

Here and in other cities, the rallies brought together supporters and opponents of Motion 103, which Mississauga Liberal MP Iqra Khalid introduced to condemn Islamophobia and all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination.

The Montreal-based Canadian Coalition of Concerned Citizens, a Facebook group widely reported to be linked to white supremacists, called for the rallies to oppose the parliamentary motion as a limit on free speech.

In Winnipeg, their rally brought out individuals who said they feared Muslims were trying to impose their culture and who were equally suspicious of the Islamic holy book, the Quran.

Khalid introduced the anti-Islamophobic motion in the Commons late last year, but it took on a greater public profile after the mass shooting at a Quebec City mosque Jan. 29. Since then, it has become a lightning rod for debate over how to define Canadian values of pluralism.

In Winnipeg, an anti-fascist activist group called Fascist Free Treaty 1 (FF1) organized its own rally to oppose the coalitions presence and support the parliamentary motion.

By noon, their supporters represented the majority of protesters at city hall.

When you show up, we show up, said one of their organizers, Omar Kinnarath. He identified himself as a refugee, a Muslim and a Canadian. The crowd loudly cheered him on.

This is the beginning of the anti-fascist resistance in this country. Theres rallies like this all the way from Charlottetown to Victoria Its too easy to pick on Muslims, Kinnarath said after.

Several followed Kinnarath to the front steps of city hall, including Michael Champagne, a North End community activist with Aboriginal Youth Opportunities Meet Me at the Bell Tower rallies held Friday evenings on Selkirk Avenue.

Champagne invited protesters to the next Bell Tower event.

None of the organizers of the initial rally  to oppose the parliamentary motion  stepped forward to identify themselves.

Their Facebook page said they had planned to open the event by singing O Canada, and they banned provocative signs at the rally, calling for placards with patriotic slogans.

Some critics said that was a deliberate ruse to hide their white supremacist sympathies. Their Facebook page expressed some apprehension over the counter-protest, urging supporters to let police know if they were attending.

Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Rob Carver said police didnt need to be called in by one side or the other. They were well aware of the competing rallies and planned to monitor them as a precautionary measure.

A dozen or more uniformed officers were visible on the edges of the crowd. At least two officers could be seen overlooking the protests from the roof of city hall.

Reports surfaced Saturday morning one of the anti-motion organizers was a neo-Nazi, a Winnipeg mother who once called herself the Nazi Mom. Her stated beliefs and those of her husband a decade ago alarmed child welfare officials so much they temporarily removed the couples two children from the family home.

Several people who indicated they supported the anti-motion coalition drew clusters of counter-protesters who denounced them loudly and repeatedly while the public speeches carried on.

At one point, some protesters tore up a pink sign with hateful messages carried by one man who said he copied them from the Quran. He found himself confronted. Other protesters picked up the pieces to hand back to him. He left the rally.

A man wearing a bright red Trump campaign ball cap stamped with Make America Great Again said the cap was a deliberate call for attention to spark the counter-protesters.

Im a provocateur kind of guy, he said.

Ive been called a fascist six or seven times, said another, a tall, bearded man. He faced the counter-protesters while appearing to record them with an iPhone.

His companion, a woman who gave her name as Crystal, said she attended the coalitions rally to support free speech.

I dont believe in Islamophobia. Its a made-up word, a way to criticize anyone who criticizes Islam, she said.

Crystal also admitted to some misgivings: counter-protesters told her one of the organizers had been seen with a swastika tattooed on his arm.

Thats not something I knew about before I got here, she said.

The rally finished off with a final word of thanks from Shahina Siddiqui, the president of the Islamic Social Services Association.

Siddiqui said afterward she felt gratified by the strong support for a pluralistic society.

The only way to defeat hate, phobia and racism is for the majority to stand up. If we remain silent, we give a platform to racism. And today, we stood up. We showed that enough is enough, she said.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 05/03/2017 (2072 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It appears that weather in March could be going out like lion, eh?

And were not talking about the Winnipeg Jets rookie sniper Patrik Laine, either.

Environment Canada is forecasting a major winter storm to hit parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba on Monday and Tuesday.

PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Heavy equipment clears McPhillips Street in early January following a major blizzard. Similar conditions are forecast Monday and Tuesday.

In Winnipeg, the snowfall is expected to be between five to 10 centimetres, said Rob Paola, a severe weather meteorologist for Environment Canada. But the main concern will be the potential perfect storm for poor travel conditions.

The forecast high in Winnipeg for Monday is 5 C with rain. Paola said the forecast temperature on Monday at 6 p.m. is 2 C, falling to -6 C at 10 p.m., with a possible 5-10 cm of snowfall and strong winds.

Well actually have rain ahead of the storm on Monday, said Paola, who also posts weather forecasts on his own Robs Obs website. So any standing water from the rain and snow melt on Monday night will be freezing up. Thats bad news when you go from above freezing to below freezing. Not a good combo for travel.

Plus, youll be having strong winds and falling and blowing snow. It could be pretty nasty.

Roads and conditions just outside of Winnipeg could be the most treacherous in the early morning hours of Tuesday, he added.

The Environment Canada website said the storm system that is now developing over the western United States is forecast to track across the Dakotas Monday and intensify as it moves into northwest Ontario Monday night into Tuesday.

This system is forecast to bring a widespread area of heavy snow from southeast Saskatchewan across western Manitoba and Interlake regions into central and northern Manitoba, the forecast said. Further east, precipitation will likely begin as rain or freezing rain over the Red River valley and east of Lake Winnipeg Monday morning before changing over to snow later in the day.

Snowfall totals from this system will range from five centimetres in southeast Manitoba to 30 centimetres or more in a large swath from the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border through Norway House to Gillam and east.

In addition, winds will be increasing Monday into Monday night with areas of blowing snow and poor visibility in open areas. Travel will become hazardous. Blizzard conditions are possible over the Manitoba lakes and much of northeast Manitoba Monday night into Tuesday.

Paola said snowfalls in western and northern Manitoba  the cold side of the storm  could be higher. They could easily be looking at 25 centimetres or more, he said, referring to communities such as Dauphin, The Pas, Swan River, Thompson and Norway House.

The Environment Canada forecast noted there is still some uncertainty on the exact track and intensity of this system, which will have an impact on precipitation type and overall snowfall amounts. But this will be a high impact storm for many areas, and the public should monitor forecasts and future watches and warnings as this system develops.

Meanwhile, the forecast for temperatures in Winnipeg is expected to fall below normal levels later in the week, including lows of -21 C and -16 on Thursday and Friday night, respectively.

randy.turner@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @randyturner15
ORLANDO, Fla.  For most of its 50 years, Floridas Wycliffe Associates built offices, guesthouses, training centers and airport runways for volunteers who traveled to other countries to assist Bible translators.

But in the past two years, the nonprofit has transformed the way it goes about its mission.

Now, as it celebrates its golden anniversary, the organizations ambitious goal is to have the Bible translated by 2025 into all of the estimated 7,000 languages spoken worldwide.

The magic is really unlocking the potential of the local people and encouraging and supporting them as a team as they do the work, President and Chief Executive Officer Bruce Smith said.

Through computer tablets, custom-designed software and desktop printers, Wycliffe Associates helps native speakers in their home countries translate and print copies in a fraction of the time it once took. The New Testament, for example, can be translated in a few months instead of the 25 or 30 years required when it was done by hand, printed elsewhere and then shipped, Smith said.

In 2014, Wycliffe Associates shifted from American to foreign translators working through their local churches. The nonprofit, using a new translation method, provides a version of the Bible free of copyright restrictions and translation tips for complicated sections. As a result, the book was translated into 600 languages in two years, with the goal of adding 400 more this year.

These people are the experts in their language and culture, and thats what translation is about, Smith said.

The backbone of Wycliffe Associates is its 7,000 volunteers worldwide. They serve in key management roles and also do a variety of jobs, including train other volunteers. Many are winter residents who live in an RV park on the campus during their stay.

We want to give as many people as we can that opportunity to know about and accept Christ into their lives, said Carlyle Kilmore, 78, a retired software developer from Rome, N.Y., who helped the ministrys annual auction raise $65,000 this month.

A shared sense of purpose has nurtured friendships. The women who work in the postage-stamp ministry, for example, toil side by side from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, exhibiting the patience of Job as they sort thousands of donated stamps by color, type, year and whether they are canceled.

They recharge by taking weekend trips together and participating in social activities. Recently, they saw manatees at Blue Spring State Park in Volusia County and went to a play in Cocoa. On campus, they go to movies, potlucks, pizza and game nights  and, of course, prayer services.

Volunteers operate in 76 countries  including Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, Africa and South America  some where Christians are persecuted.

Four translators were killed last year by suspected militants in the Middle East, who also destroyed equipment, Wycliffe Associates officials said. They would not reveal the country the attack occurred in, saying it would endanger more lives.

The nature of our work takes us into places that are risky, Smith said. Theres worse ways to lose your life.

Wycliffe Associates was founded in 1967 by three men who saw that Bible translators were spending time on tasks such as constructing buildings and raising money  time that could better be accomplished by others working in support roles.

In 2015, the nonprofit received $41.1 million in contributions and other revenue and spent $27.6 million on translation-ministry programs, according to its annual report.

It moved its headquarters from Southern California to Central Florida 13 years ago and shares a campus with Wycliffe Bible Translators, but the two are now separate. To add to the potential confusion, theres also a Wycliffe Global Alliance, which Wycliffe Associates withdrew from a year ago over translation disagreements.

All three groups were named for John Wycliffe, a 14th-century English theologian who, with help from his associates, was the first to translate the complete Bible into English.

We have a God of love and we want to give people peace of mind that they are forgiven for their wrongdoing, said Dia Terhaar, 71, who lives near Toronto and handles sales for the stamp ministry. Once they learn about forgiveness and love, it can change their life, and its nice to be able to spread that message.
MONTGOMERY, Minn. (AP)  A big symbol of Montgomerys past reappeared on the northwest side of town about 10 years ago  thanks to a power-washing project on the facade of an empty factory.

As Steve Simon sprayed off layers of grime and paint from his recently acquired 130-year-old structure, he uncovered giant letters spelling out the name of a product once bottled in the building.

The Chief Beer was a popular label for the old Montgomery Brewing Co., one of the bottling houses once operated in the eastern Le Sueur County town.

Simons discovery of the advertisement on the building untapped lots of talk about the towns history along with a discussion of starting a new business at the site of the former plant.

A redesign of the innards of the 25,000-square-foot vacant factory had been Simons original plan to create apartment rentals. Although some of the repurposed buildings space is leased out, its lower level is again in use as a beer business.

My brewery was an afterthought, said Chuck Dorsey, co-owner of the small-scale operation that opened at the site in December 2014.

Dorsey is married to Simons daughter, Stephani. Hes proprietor of the new Montgomery Brewing Co.. A.J. Newton is the head brewer.

Their microbrewery takes up about 1,500 square feet of the buildings space.

My father-in-law bought the building back in 2000 and hes been working on it ever since.

Several varieties of handcrafted beers are served to customers in a tap room, which is open for a limited number of hours five days a week. Suds lovers from out of town travel to Montgomery to sample brews and thirsty residents stop in after work for a glass or two.

About 3,000 people live in the community about 45 miles south of Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Everyone knows someone whos worked here, Dorsey said.

The tap rooms decor makes it easy for customers to reminisce. Stories draw many of the towns residents to the 1882 landmark building. For example, in 1935, an industrious brewmaster lost his life while polishing the insides of his beer vats.

Apparently, he was overcome by the fumes, said Dale Ruhland, 67, the towns unofficial beer historian.

Ruhland, a local electrician, is the descendant of a Wisconsin brewmeister who worked for the founder of Pabst before starting his own bottling plant at Baraboo.

Early on a recent evening, Ruhland joined Orville and Marilyn Richter, 92, and 86, respectively, of Montgomery, at a taproom table.

Orville was in familiar surroundings as he enjoyed the conversation and a cold one. His grandfather, E.P. Richter, was a founder of the original Montgomery Brewing Co. at the same address.

E.P. hailed from a family of brewery operators. He and his business partner, Joseph Handschuh, operated the bottling company  a consolidation with Lake Pepin Brewery  from 1905 to 1919.

The town had been home to various breweries before 1920 when a federal law banned the manufacture and sale of alcohol.

After the nations prohibition against liquor sales ended in 1933, Richter got back in the brewery business, Orville said. He has fond memories of family gatherings at his grandparents home, which was built close to the brewery.

My family, all my aunts and uncles played lots of cards.

E.P. loved to go hunting, but he refrained from using alcohol.

My grandfather was not a drinker, said Orville, who occasionally imbibes in a beer.

Hes good at that, teased Marilyn.

Orville chuckled then said he doesnt have a favorite brand.

Its all good.

Ruhland enjoyed the couples company along with a can of Red Bird Rye PA during his stop at the tap room during an informal tour he was giving to highlight Montgomerys history.

When settlers arrived in the late 1850s, a vast hardwood forest they called The Big Woods covered Le Sueur County.

Logging was the big business for the area in the late 1800s. Beer making took over around 1903, when the Milwaukee Railroad Co. built a branch line to meet other lines at Montgomery.

Those were glorious times for the brewery, Ruhland said.

Immigrants from Czechoslovakia made up the majority of brewery employees during the first decades of the 20th century.

Ruhlands tour included a visit with Bob Dvorak, 90, the kid brother of a beer deliveryman. Dvorak took a break from answering phones at Stadstad Plumbing & Heating to recount vivid tales from the 1930s when he was 10 years old and a helper to his sibling, Lyle. The elder Dvorak drove his truck on routes taking them as far as St. Cloud.

The younger Dvoraks job was to handle the cases of pop ordered by customers. On the Montgomery route, he helped roll kegs down to the cool basements of several of the towns establishments.

There were 10 saloons on Main Street. The Monte Hotel took barrels of beer.

When Ruhland showed Dvorak an old wooden keg and other carrying containers for beer, the memories came rolling back.

We used to bring ponies out to threshing crews to drink when they took their breaks.

He also recalled helping Lyle tote burlap bags of hops from the railroad station to the nearby brewery.

The Dvoraks would hang around awhile and talk to the employees and wait for the occasional excitement caused when men who were riding the rails stopped by.

Back then, the brewery gave out free samples. Hobos would try to come back for more and the brewery guys would chase them away.

A military draft in 1939 took a drain on the brewerys workforce.

Ruhland said some of the towns youths were enlisted to take over for adult employees in the service. Roy Washa, 92, was 15 when his father, who was on the board of the brewery, asked him to work on the picnic bottle line. Those Bohemian Club beer bottles had to be handled one at a time, Washa told Ruhland.

The labor shortage resulted in the brewerys vats shutting down in 1941.

When Dorsey and Newton opened their operation at the site, it was one of the states first breweries to take advantage of a new law allowing towns to permit Sunday growler sales, according to a 2015 Star Tribune story.

Minnesota has about 130 breweries in operation today  a slightly higher number than those in the state before Prohibition.

Montgomery Brewing Companys fermentations include an amber ale that gives a nod to the most popular beer made at the same Second Street address decades ago.

We named one of our beers The Chief to pay homage, Dorsey said.

The new bottles are sans the vintage label of a man with long black braids wearing a feathered headdress and a necklace of animal claws.

Ruhland said lots of breweries from E.P. Richters era used similar images. The bottling companies did not intend to be disrespectful of Native Americans, they wanted customers to identify their products with a romantic figure.

It was a different time back then, Dorsey said.

E.P. hailed from a family of brewery operators. He and his business partner, Joseph Handschuh, operated the bottling company  a consolidation with Lake Pepin Brewery  from 1905 to 1919.
Wow! It turns out all Donald Trump had to do was speak softly and leave his big stick back at the White House.

The man who as a candidate boasted his supporters would stay with him even if he killed somebody in daylight on Fifth Avenue is now the leader battling the lowest early popularity rating of any recent president by saying the same things hes always said  in more dulcet tones. To which the critics cheered and the stock market soared! At least for the moment.

Americans were so relieved Trump wasnt yelling at them the other night that they went to sleep on their sofas dreaming happily of better, cheaper health care, big pay raises, more fulfilling jobs, and succulent steaks on new grills  all just around the corner.

Soon, very soon, if Trump is to be believed, America will be like Garrison Keillors Lake Wobegon. All the women will be strong, all the men will be good-looking and all the children will be above average.

During his speech, Trump shook his finger at the somnolent Democrats in the House chamber and warned them its time to end the trivial fights. He was, of course, referring to their frivolous opposition to ending health care for 20 million Americans, his signing a law letting the severely mentally handicapped buy guns, making mortgages costlier for low-income homebuyers, ending environmental and consumer protections, building an expensive wall, letting transgender children be bullied, and making friends with killer dictators. You know, trivial stuff.

The dirty secret of all this is that Trump has sent no details of any of his promises to Capitol Hill. He hasnt given us any plans on health care, corporate and individual tax cuts, infrastructure investments, entitlement reform, or how to pay for any of it. Nothing.

Republicans have no idea how to replace the Affordable Care Act. They cant agree on an immigration reform plan. They dont know where to gut domestic spending to come up with $22 billion for a wall, $54 billion for defense and the billions more Trumps promised tax cut will cost. Trump wants to slash spending on clean air and water and our efforts to make foreigners like us. But entitlements make up two-thirds of the federal budget, and any cuts Congress agrees on are unlikely to make a notable difference.

By the way, whatever happened to Trumps secret plan to defeat the Islamic State? At least his speechwriters kept him from repeating what he had said just a few days before his first address to a joint session of Congress. He said America needs to start winning wars. You could interpret that as meaning he intended to start some wars just for practice. Yikes!

He purposefully repeated his mantra that we are at war with radical Islamic terrorists, even though his new national security adviser pleaded that Trump not use that term because it is inflammatory to nearly one-fourth of the worlds population, sending a message were at war with their religion. (That national security adviser, incidentally, is the first to hold the job without unhindered access to the president.)

Meanwhile, dozens of top administration jobs are unfilled because candidates cant pass a loyalty test proving they were on the Trump bandwagon months ago.

Our presidents also created a new office to spotlight violent crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, even though they commit far fewer crimes than U.S. citizens. He has spoken about ending violence in Americas cities but agrees to more unfettered access to guns.

This country wants and needs better roads, safer dams, stable tunnels, new bridges, deeper ports, modern airports, rural internet access and smoother rails. Trump says it will cost $1 trillion in public and private money. After that, no details. Nothing. If he expects a viable infrastructure plan to come out of Congress, hes delusional. He has to present one and elbow it through with all his might.

The newly presidential tone is welcome, if it lasts. We need a leader whos willing to forget about social engineering and force Congress to act in ways all hard-working Americans will applaud.

Sometimes, if you have a big stick, you have to use it. Wisely.

Trump has sent no details of any of his promises to Capitol Hill. He hasnt given us any plans on health care, corporate and individual tax cuts, infrastructure investments, entitlement reform, or how to pay for any of it. Nothing.
There is a strip mall across the street from Auschwitz.

From the commandants house at Plaszow its a short walk to McDonalds.

Belzec is in a residential neighborhood.

I didnt expect that.

In 2005, when I joined an interfaith pilgrimage to these camps where the Holocaust happened, it kept surprising me to find them located, not in deep woods hidden from prying eyes, but smack in the middle of urban areas.

I assumed all this development was new, that it had grown up in the decades since the war. But our guide told me these were always residential and commercial districts. Joe Engel, a Holocaust survivor in our group, said the same thing in a different way:

People say they didnt know. All the camps were so close to the city. How could they not know? You could smell the ashes, the flesh.

The closeness of death factories to places where people lived, worshiped and shopped was chilling. It suggested that evil didnt mind witnesses.

Saturday night, nearly eight decades after the death factories were closed, someone  more likely a gang of someones  toppled about 100 headstones at a Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia. The same thing happened last week in St. Louis. And there have been dozens of false bomb threats at Jewish community centers in over two dozen states, including Florida.

When the people of Poland were forced by their occupiers to stand witness to acts of mass atrocity, each had to decide how to respond. Some acquiesced willingly. Some looked the other way. And at risk of property and life, some fought back. They hid Jews from death and smuggled them to freedom.

What Linda Sarsour and Tarek El-Messidi did last week was not nearly so dramatic or risky, but it was certainly in the same spirit of outreach to the vulnerable Other. The two activists started a campaign on LaunchGood.com, a crowdfunding website for Muslims, asking their brothers and sisters in Islam to help raise $20,000 to repair the cemetery in St. Louis.

They reached that goal in three hours. As of Tuesday afternoon, their total stood north of $140,000. Sarsour and El-Messidi say the surplus from repairing the St. Louis cemetery will go toward the one in Philadelphia  and to a fund to repair any future acts of desecration.

Why would they do this?

On their LaunchGood page, they tell a story of the Prophet Muhammad once standing to pay his respects as a Jewish funeral procession passed by. When questioned about it, they say the Prophet responded: Is it not a human soul?

And what greater way is there to honor that common soul than for members of one group of the despised to reach out to another? At a time when we confront so much of what is wrong with America, it is heartening to be reminded of what is right. Necessary, too.

The Southern Poverty Law Center reports that since the election of Donald Trump, there has been a spike in right-wing extremism. African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Muslims, gays, transgender men and women, all of the most vulnerable and marginalized, find themselves under renewed attack: harassment, vandalism and even murder.

Again, no one is equating any of that with the Holocaust. Thats not the point.

Rather, the point is the willingness to see whats going on around you, whats being done and to whom. In the digital age, you dont need to live across from a death camp for that. Sarsour and El-Messidi remind us that we, like the Poles once did, bear witness to a campaign of hatred. And like them, we must decide:

What kind of witnesses shall we be?
Citing a negative work environment and her interactions with the Sauk County Boards chairman, an official credited with jump-starting the countys drug treatment court program has resigned.

After 29 months as Sauk Countys first criminal justice coordinator, Janelle Krueger has accepted a job with Baraboo-based Hope House of South Central Wisconsin. Her last day as a county employee is Monday.

Janelle Kruegers efforts in spearheading justice programs designed to reduce criminal recidivism have won her praise from community leaders. Her departure adds to evidence of a toxic county workplace that has bubbled to the surface in recent months.

Board chair a factor

Janelle Krueger said she does not want to continue in the current work climate. When pressed for details about that, she cited her dealings with Sauk County Board Chair Marty Krueger  who is not related  as one of several factors.

He hasnt done anything to me, Janelle Krueger said. It's the sum of many interactions (with him) over 29 months.

The board chair has been accused of political manipulations, most recently for his involvement in the $135,000 buyout of the countys top administrator and the hiring of her replacement. He also was singled out as a negative influence by respondents to a recent workplace survey.

In response to a phone call Friday, Marty Krueger first asked how he fit into a story about the criminal justice coordinator's resignation. When asked for his reaction to her departure and his impressions of her as an employee, he initially had positive things to say.

I was surprised by her resignation, he said. I think that shes done an excellent job getting this new initiative off the ground and making the progress that weve made in the county.

After he was informed that Janelle Krueger cited him as a factor in her resignation, the board chair said he was amazed, because he believed his interactions with her have been productive.

Two hours later, he called back to provide additional information. Marty Krueger then made several accusations against the outgoing justice coordinator. He said his opposition to her on several matters may have caused her to have a negative impression of him.

Accusations arise

Im getting a little tired of being thrown underneath the bus here, and thats why I called you back, Marty Krueger said.

Although he made numerous criticisms and insinuations, his main allegations were that Janelle Krueger circumvented committee processes on two occasions: Once to request a pay increase in 2015, and another time to slip money into a 10-year capital improvement plan to remodel building space for her department.

There was $350,000 that had been put in by her to redesign vacant space within the countys courthouse this year, Marty Krueger said, and another $2.5 million to carry out the remodeling in 2018.

The old Baraboo courthouses top floor was once the countys jail, and has sat mostly unused since the construction of a separate Law Enforcement Center, which opened in 2003.

Justice coordinator responds

It doesnt surprise me that that was his response, Janelle Krueger said in reply to the board chairs allegations.

The pay increase request came during a September 2015 joint meeting of the boards finance and personnel committees under an agenda item titled as follows: Discussion and consideration of reclassification requests associated with the compilation of the 2016 budget.

As someone who was fairly new to county government at the time, Janelle Krueger said, that seemed to her an appropriate channel for the request. She said she asked for the reclassification because her job responsibilities had quickly evolved during her first year as new justice programs were approved.

During the meeting, Marty Krueger argued against the reclassification, along with several others, and the joint committee ultimately turned it down.

The board chair said Friday that the request should have first come through various oversight committees, including one that he chairs.

Janelle Krueger denied that she inserted $2.85 million in the county's capital improvement plan to redesign and remodel the courthouses top floor.

How I even got brought into that is beyond me, she said.

The county's Capital Improvement Committee voted to include the remodeling in its 10-year plan as expenses for the Emergency Management, Building and Safety Department. Details of the remodeling plan identify the justice coordinator's programs as one use for that space.

Archived video of a September budget discussion shows the board chair lobbying against the 2017 design expense, saying the remodeling plan should have gone through oversight committees on which he serves if the space was intended for justice programs.

During the meeting, former Sauk County Administrative Coordinator Renae Fry pushed back, saying that although justice programs were identified as a potential use, the remodeling plan was mainly to ensure the space could be used by the county in some capacity. She noted that the Capital Improvement Committee had approved the proposal.

During the phone interview Friday, Marty Krueger did not provide evidence for his assertion that the justice coordinator inserted money into the plan.

Supervisor Bill Wenzel of Prairie du Sac, a member of the justice council, called the board chair's allegation "puzzling." He said remodeling of the courthouse's top floor is something the county has kicked around since before the justice coordinator was hired.

Wenzel credited Janelle Krueger with getting the justice councils programs up and running, and said he was disappointed to learn that she left due to a poor work environment.

The whole board is going to have to work on this, Wenzel said. This certainly is something the board can address to prevent it from happening again in the future.

Janelle Krueger said the board must address the county's workplace problem from the top down. And she shot back against the board chair's process criticisms.

It's interesting that everyone always wants to talk about process, because processes are followed by certain people and not by others," Janelle Krueger said. "Everyone wants to come back and say the process wasnt followed, but thats a major contradiction in many areas. ... The proof of the contradiction has been in the Baraboo News Republic for the past several months.

'Above and beyond'

Janelle Krueger was hired in 2014 after the county board formed the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, which consists of professionals from agencies in and outside county government. The panel is tasked with implementing evidence-based programs to address the root causes of crime.

The justice coordinator has helped develop several initiatives, including the Sauk County Adult Drug Court, which provides intensive treatment for defendants whose crimes are related to drug addiction. The local program is one of several intended to combat the heroin epidemic.

One of the things Im excited to do is bring my knowledge of substance abuse and mental health to the table in my new position, said Janelle Krueger, who worked with Marquette County's drug court program before she came to Sauk County.

District Attorney Kevin Calkins, who chairs the justice council, said Janelle Krueger will be difficult to replace.

She was really kind of the glue that held everything together for the (justice council) and kept us moving forward, he said. "She will be missed."

Calkins described Janelle Krueger as a spitfire who has gone over and above the call of duty.

He said the justice council may have to take some time to reevaluate the position's responsibilities and expectations before it searches for a replacement.
Items are listed under the day of the event only, running as space permits prior to the event. To submit items, call 745-3511, email jcutsforth@capitalnewspapers.com or visit www.portagedailyregister.com. Include name and phone number.

TODAY

Euchre card party: 6:30 p.m. Bethlehem Lutheran Church, W8267 Highway 33 East, Portage. Public welcome. Contact: Cloe, 429-2363.

Knights of Columbus: 7 p.m. meeting, Knights of Columbus Hall, Silver Lake Drive, Portage.

Zumba/Zumba Toning: 6 p.m. Harrisville. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com.

TUESDAY, MARCH 7

Preschool Story Time: Portage Public Library Childrens Department Preschool Story Time for ages 3-5 years, 10 a.m, Portage Public Library, 253 W Edgewater St, Portage. This week story time takes a look at the life of a pirate! Preschoolers will hear pirate stories, sing pirate songs, try to talk like a pirate, and have fun crafting a treasure bottle. As a bonus they will search for a hidden treasure, too. Only new families need to register by calling 742-4959 ext 211 or online at ww.portagelibrary.us

Photography Interest Group: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Northwoods Inc., Highway 51 South, Portage. Meet with fellow photographers to share photos and tips, explore new ideas and inspire creativity for upcoming events. Call Fred Baewer with questions at 608-742-4691.

Library Block Party: Portage Public Library Childrens Department Block Party, 3:30-4:30 p.m. for ages 4K-5th grade (children 4-6 years must have an adult with them during the entire program). Registration is not required. This week kids will use their blocks to learn about symmetry. For more information call 742-4959 ext 211

Zumba Toning: 4:30 p.m. Woodridge Primary School, Portage. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8

Preschool Story Time: Portage Public Library Childrens Department Preschool Story Time for ages 3-5 years, 10, Portage Public Library, 253 W Edgewater St, Portage. This week story time takes a look at the life of a pirate! Preschoolers will hear pirate stories, sing pirate songs, try to talk like a pirate, and have fun crafting a treasure bottle. As a bonus they will search for a hidden treasure, too. Only new families need to register by calling 742-4959 ext 211 or online at www.portagelibrary.us

Luncheon Meeting: The Womens Civic League will hold a luncheon meeting at Dinos Restaurant, New Pinery Road, Portage. Social hour begins at 11:30 a.m., lunch at noon, followed by the program Rebirth of Al Ringling Theatre by Bill Johnsen and Stephanie Miller-Lamb. Call to make or cancel reservations by today to Bev Johnson at 742-4410.

Bingo: 5:30 p.m. 131 Restaurant, North Main Street, Pardeeville. Bingo will be played every Wednesday, except the first one of the month.

Free blood pressure screenings: 1 to 5 p.m. Divine Savior Healthcare, 2817 New Pinery Road, Portage. No appointment necessary. Call 745-6405 for more information. Do not eat, smoke, drink caffeine or exercise for 30 minutes prior.

Museum: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Portage World War II Museum, 119 E. Cook St., Portage. Free tours for veterans every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The tours take 2 1/2 hours. For information, call 608-697-3690.

St. Vincent de Paul free medical clinic: 9 a.m. to noon. Wilz Drugs lower level, 140 E. Cook St., Portage. No appointments needed. Information needed is name, date of birth and a contact number. A chiropractor is available from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays. A foot clinic is available every week. The clinic can do exams and prescribe medications. Physical therapist available. Discounted medications are available at Wilz and Walmart. Call Bonny Oestreich, RN, at 608-234-0159 for information.

Writing group: Writers at the Portage, 5:30 p.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. New writers and any genre welcome.

Zumba/Zumba Toning: 5 p.m. Montello. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com.

Zumba: 5:30 p.m. 1208 Northport Road (the former Freedom Carpeting building). This is a $5 drop-in class. For more information, contact Deb at DJMACK00001@yahoo.com or Rena at 697-6713.

THURSDAY, MARCH 9

Preschool Story Time: Portage Public Library Childrens Department Toddler Thursday at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. for ages 18-36 months, Portage Public Library, 253 W Edgewater St, Portage, This week toddlers will get to go fishing! There will also be a fish story, fish song, and a creative fish project. Only new families need to register by calling 742-4959 ext 211 or online at www.portagelibrary.us Please choose only one time slot.Cookie sale: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. front lobby, Divine Savior Healthcare, 2817 New Pinery Road, Portage. On the second Thursday of each month, the Volunteer Partners of Divine Savior bake Smart Cookies. Cookies are 50 cents each or $5.50 per dozen. Cookie selection varies month to month, but chocolate chip is always available. All proceeds benefit scholarships for students educating in healthcare-related fields.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation public involvement meeting: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Portage Municipal Building, 115 W. Pleasant St., Portage. Discussion of preliminary design for the resurfacing of WIS 16, including a proposed safety improvement project at the I-39/WIS 16/WIS 127 ramp terminal in Portage. The meeting will follow an informal open house format with a brief presentation at 5 p.m.

Friday, March 10





Fish fry: 5 to 7:30 p.m. Knights of Columbus fish fry, Knights of Columbus Hall, 918 Silver Lake Drive, Portage. Cocktails at 4 p.m. Public invited. Cost is $10.75.

Seniors Bowling Social: 1 p.m. Fireball Lanes, 817 E. Wisconsin St., Portage. Cost is $6 and includes three games of bowling and shoe rental.

Saturday, March 11





Endeavor Wisconsin Committee to Protect All Pensions: 10 a.m. Endeavor/Moundville Fire Station/Bingo Hall, 631 S. Limits Road, Endeavor. Active workers, retirees, spouses and all people concerned about stopping retirement theft are invited to attend. For more information, visit http://mycspensionhandsoff.com.

Griefshare support group: 10 a.m. to noon, Portage United Methodist Church, 1804 New Pinery Road, Portage. Offered to individuals suffering from the loss of loved one(s). Meetings are held weekly on Saturdays. Call Laurie at 608-450-1081 or Jen at 608-345-8928 or visit www.griefshare.org for more information.

SUNDAY, MARCH 12





Bingo: Hosted by Knights of Columbus Council 6997, St. Thomas Parish Hall, 651 S. Main St., Poynette. The parish hall is open at 12:30 p.m. and bingo runs from 1 to 3 p.m. Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be available.

Ice Age Trail Association Lodi Valley Chapter full moon hike: 7:30 p.m. Meet at the Slack Road trailhead. For directions visit https://goo.gl/maps/f5TIJ. Wear appropriate clothing and shoes for the weather. Bring a light as it may be dark at times. This will be a short (about a mile to a mile and a half one way) walk. Well behaved, leashed dogs are welcome. For more information, contact Bill at 843-3926 or at billpatti@charter.net.

Zumba: 5:30 p.m. Rusch Elementary School, Portage. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com.
She was born Aug. 7, 1930, to William and Lillian Wiesshoff. She was united in marriage to Roland Smith Feb. 26, 1949. Florence and Roland lived in Pardeeville for many years. She was a devoted wife of 56 years of marriage. She was active and known to many in the Pardeeville area. She had been a member of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church for 30-plus years. Florence had a good heart in volunteering throughout the years. She was always on the go, after the death of Roland; it was a rare day to find her at home. She loved the outdoors and would rather have a rake in her hand than a vacuum cleaner. Many hours where spent with her son, Wayne, and daughter-in-law, Janice, going to eat, spending days boating on Swan Lake, and holiday get-togethers after the death of her husband. She had dreamed of going to Alaska with Roland, but that dream never came true because of his failing health, but that dream of an Alaska trip was realized when her son, Wayne, and his wife, Janice, took her to Alaska shortly after his death.




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The suspect

By: William Martin WorldWideWeirdNews.com

(Scroll down for video) A farmer in Thailand, asked his neighbors for help after seeing a naked man fondling and having sex with his cow.

65-year-old farmer Tong Kai Charoonprasitporn and his neighbors tried to catch the naked man, but he managed to flee.

He ran into the garage of a nearby home, where he barricaded himself in a bathroom. Police were called at 9:30 a.m., and they arrested the 40-year-old naked man from Lampang.

Videos and photos of the incident that were uploaded to the Internet, show the man smiling as he is being walked to a police pickup truck in handcuffs.

He was completely naked and was placed in the bed of the truck. Good Samaritans brought him blue shorts to cover up for his ride to the police station, where he was charged with bestiality.

The man allegedly told police that he had astrong emotionsa after watching it graze near a road and that he could not stop himself from engaging in sex with the cow as he was attracted to the animal.
Daniel John Pye

By: Alexis Bell WorldWideWeirdNews.com

(Scroll down for video) A married man who ran an orphanage to help lonely children, is accused of having sex with kids, according to police in Florida.

The Arkansas man who ran the missionary orphanage in Jacmel, Haiti, has been arrested and charged with traveling in foreign commerce with the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.

The arrest was announced by U.S. Attorney Wilfredo A. Ferrer, of the Southern District of Florida, and Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

According to court documents, Daniel John Pye, 35, of Ashdown, Arkansas, who is originally from Bradenton, Florida, traveled from Florida to Haiti on at least 40 occasions allegedly for the purpose of sexually abusing minor female children at the orphanage.

The girls were between 6 and 14 years old.

When the suspect was not in Haiti, he is believed to have resided in the Liberty Hill, Texas, Texarkana, Texas, and Ashdown, Arkansas.

Pye worked at the Liberty Hill School District for three years.
Helen Reynolds

By: Alexis Bell WorldWideWeirdNews.com

(Scroll down for video) A clever elderly woman managed to fight off her would be rapist.

88-year-old Helen Reynolds of Pennsylvania, said that she managed to talk herself out being sexually assaulted after she lied about being HIV positive.

Reynolds was in her apartment in Parkesburg, when a man posed as her apartment complex worker and walked into her home.

The man then attacked her, and used duct tape to cover her eyes and face before stuffing a piece in her mouth.

The man then took $40 from her purse and was about to rape her. Reynolds managed to speak despite being gagged.

Reynolds said that she came up with a lie that saved her from being raped. She told the man: aI have HIV and my husband died from it.a

The man then walked out and left her home.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Saturday, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum addressed local supporters, kicking off his campaign for Florida Governor.

"He understands the necessities for job expansion, he understands the plight of poverty, he understands that we need to have a world class education system, and he's going to stop at nothing to bring that to the state of Florida," said attendee Sharon Lettman-Hicks.

The 37-year-old politician was the youngest ever city commissioner in Tallahassee, elected to the office while studying at Florida A&M University.

He was then elected mayor in 2014.

Saturday, among students from his Alma Mater and current constituents, was one of Gillum's long-time supporters, Pat Zick, one of his high school teachers.

"I was his English teacher when he was in 10th grade, and Andrew has always been a leader and a hard worker and I always admired him from that early age," said Zick. "I've watched him rise up and do all the things he did. What I've always seen about Andrew is that he has a heart and he'll always have Florida's best interests."

So far, Gillum will be challenged in the democratic primary by Harvard graduate and CEO Chris King.

King's company builds affordable housing for families and he says his goal as governor will be to "give a voice to the voiceless".

Mayor Gillum says he hopes to focus on issues like education and clean energy, during the race.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - In an effort to unify the country, supporters of President Donald Trump gathered today in front of the old Florida Capitol building in Tallahassee standing behind the Commander in Chief.

Trump has become a controversial political figure. According to an ABC poll, he entered office with a 40% approval rating, making him the most unpopular of at least the last seven newly elected presidents.

With each action in the Oval Office there seems to be a greater rift between those who support and oppose Trump.

That's why Saturday, demonstrators like Julie Dybendahl felt they needed to join together.

"Now that he's in, what he's doing is just amazing," said Dybendahl. "He's lifting all the spirits of Americans and quite frankly on the media, the main stream media. There's a lot of negativity and I just think its unjustified."

The rally in Tallahassee was one of many across the country.

In Florida, people gathered with flags and signs to support the republican president in Sarasota.

Similar rallies took place in Austin, Nashville, Washington, and New York City.
A BNSF coal train heads west in the Columbia Gorge near Bingen on the Washington State side. It's headed to Vancouver, British Columbia and export to the Far East. (the engine seen is at the end of the train with multiple engines up front) State highway 14 is at top, right. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)
Supporters of Donald Trump clashed with counter-protesters at a rally in the famously left-leaning city of Berkeley, California, on a day of mostly peaceful gatherings in support of the US president across the country.

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At a park in Berkeley, across the bay from San Francisco, protesters from both sides wearing goggles, motorcycle helmets, gas masks or with their face half-covered with bandanas pushed each other, threw punches and hit each other with the sticks holding their signs.

Video of the scattered fights shows smoke bombs being thrown at the crowd and at least one Trump supporter pepper-spraying a brawling group as police in riot gear stood at a distance.

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X

Seven people were injured in the clashes, including one who had teeth knocked out, but none needed or wanted to go to the hospital.

Some in the pro-Trump crowd, holding American flags, faced off against black-clad opponents. An elderly Trump supporter was struck in the head and kicked on the ground.

Clashes in Berkeley (Photo: Reuters)

Organizers of the so-called Spirit of America rallies in at least 28 the country's 50 states had said they expected smaller turn-outs than the huge crowds of anti-Trump protesters that clogged the streets of Washington and other cities the day after the Republican's inauguration on January 20.

Support rally in Denver, Colorado (Photo: AP)

"There are a lot of angry groups protesting and we thought it was important to show our support," said Peter Boykin, president of Gays for Trump, who helped organize Saturday's rally in Washington.

Clashes in Berkeley (Photo: Reuters)

In many towns and cities, the rallies did not draw more than a few hundred people. At some, supporters of the president were at risk of being outnumbered by small groups of anti-Trump protesters who gathered to shout against the rallies.

Clashes in Berkeley (Photo: Reuters)

In Berkeley, the total crowd of both supporters and detractors numbered 200 to 300 people, police spokesman Byron White said. Three people were injured in the clashes.

Clashes in Berkeley (Photo: AP)

Police made 10 arrests: five people were arrested for battery, four for assault with a deadly weapon and one for resisting arrest. Officers confiscated a dagger, metal pipes, bats, pieces of lumber and bricks.

Clashes in Berkeley (Photo: Reuters)

One Trump supporter who took part in the violence came equipped with a baton, a gas mask and a shield emblazoned with the American flag.

White said police did break up fights between the two sides.

Clashes in Berkeley (Photo: Reuters)

"We've made a number of arrests, it's one of those things where we monitor the situation and take action as necessary," he said.

Clashes in Berkeley (Photo: Reuters)

The violence comes a month after mask-wearing protesters at the University of California, Berkeley, shut down a planned speech by a provocative far-right commentator by lighting fires and smashing windows.

Clashes in Berkeley (Photo: Reuters)

On Saturday, smaller skirmishes broke out in other parts of the country.

In Minnesota, 400 Trump supporters packed the state capitol rotunda in St. Paul and were met by a smaller group of some 50 counter-demonstrators. Scuffles erupted and six counter-protesters were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol and fled, police said.

Clashes in Berkeley (Photo: Reuters)

In Nashville, Trump supporters and counter-protesters cursed at each other and occasionally made physical contact during a rally at the Tennessee Capitol, but state troopers broke up the fighting, according to the city's public radio station.

Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Bill Miller said someone was arrested for stealing two Trump shirts, and an anti-Trump protester was arrested for trying to incite a riot and calling for violence.

Clashes in Berkeley (Photo: Reuters)

Several Republican lawmakers and other figures spoke at the event.

One Trump opponent took another approach. He brought camping chairs, held a sign that said "Talk to a Democrat" and sat with Trump supporters to discuss their differences.

Clashes in Berkeley (Photo: AP)

A rally at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus turned into a clash of words when Trump protesters shouted "No Trump, No KKK, No Fascist USA" over the supporters' "U-S-A" chants.

In the Washington state capital of Olympia, about 225 people attended the pro-Trump rally and a group of about 150 people against Trump staged a counter-protest. Four demonstrators were arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer. Authorities did not say if the people arrested were pro-Trump or anti-Trump.

Protester arrested in Olympia (Photo: AFP)

Around 200 Trump backers rallied in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in support of Trump. Some held American flags and others wore "Make America Great Again" hats and Trump T-shirts.

Also in attendance were some 100 counter-protesters, who quietly marched in from a nearby parking lot carrying a banner with the words "No Hate in Our Town." Some wore tape over their mouths. They stood nearly silent behind a barricade.

Clashes in Berkeley (Photo: Reuters)

About 300 people rallied in support of Trump in a gathering outside the Texas Capitol in Austin during rain, with some in the crowd toting umbrellas and wearing rain gear while carrying signs of support for Trump. Some of the marchers waved US flags.

One of the organizers, Jennifer Drabbant of Austin said there have been so many protests against Trump that she and others wanted to show there are people who support him.

Clashes in Austin (Photo: AP)

Participants walked from Wooldridge Square Park to the state Capitol for a rally that began with a prayer and then featured pro-Trump speeches.

About 30 Trump supporters rallied at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis to denounce what they see as unfair treatment of the Republican president.

A local organizer, 61-year-old Patty Collins, of Indianapolis, said Trump's critics "aren't giving him a chance." A 34-year-old, James Arbogast, added about Trump detractors that it's "not business as usual in Washington, and they can't stand it."

Clashes in Berkeley (Photo: Reuters)

One attendee held a sign saying, "The silent majority stands with Trump." Some passing cars honked in support. Others shouted disapproval.

In Phoenix, several hundred people participated in the event held on a lawn at the State Capitol. Some participants wore pro-Trump shirts. A small group of protesters also were on hand.

Most rallies appeared to take place without any disruption or violence, like one outside the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, which drew about 200 Trump supporters on one side of the state Capitol while 100 critics gathered on another side. At one point, the president's fans shouted "get on the bus" and "go back to Mexico."

Support rally in Michigan (Photo: AP)

"How can anyone be disappointed with bringing back jobs? And he promised he would secure our borders, and that's exactly what he's doing," said Meshawn Maddock, one of the organizers of the rally.

Brandon Blanchard, 24, among a small group of anti-Trump protesters, said he had come in support of immigrants, Muslims and transgender people, groups that have been negatively targeted by Trump's rhetoric and policies.

"I feel that every American that voted for Trump has been deceived," Blanchard said.

Support rally outside Trump Tower in New York (Photo: AP)

More than 200 supporters of the president rallied in downtown San Diego.

"After this, I think people will take the hint," said former US Marine David Moore, 42, a participant in the rally. "It's okay to voice support for the president and the country."

Hundreds gathered in rallies on both ends of Pennsylvania to show support for President Trump.

Supporters waved signs and flags and listened to speeches during the rally in Bensalem's Neshaminy State Park in eastern Pennsylvania's Bucks County.

"They love their country and they love what Donald Trump represents, which is about making America first," organizer Jim Worthington said. "We are here to meet and make sure all Americans are prospering."

Support rally outside Trump Tower in New York (Photo: AP)

In northwestern Pennsylvania, about 100 people gathered at a square in downtown Erie for a similar demonstration.

"We've got to get the whole country united behind this man," said Richard Brozell, 75, who along with his wife braved the mid-20s temperatures and stiff wind chill to attend.

Linda Pezzino, a 52-year-old retired Erie cosmetologist, told the crowd that they had "turned Erie red on November 8," making Trump the first Republican presidential candidate to win Erie County since Ronald Reagan in 1984.

Support rally outside Trump Tower in New York (Photo: AP)

"Trump has done more in three weeks than Obama did in eight years! It's ridiculous!" she said.

In Palm Beach, Florida, where Trump is staying this weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort, the president's motorcade stopped and Trump stepped outside his car to wave at a crowd of dozens of supporters. A smaller group of protesters stood across the street.

In New York, about 200 people demonstrated their support for the president in front of Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan. A couple hundred supporters were chanting "U-S-A." One held a sign reading: "I am not a Democrat anymore." Another read: "Yes he is our president."





Support rally outside Trump Tower in New York (Photo: AP)

In Washington, about 150 people marched from the Washington Monument to Lafayette Square in front of the White House to show their support for the president.
The state comptrollers report on Operation Protective Edge was discussed in detail last week. After rereading the reports comments, I went back to my notes from the 52 days of the operation.

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It was a period filled with off-the-record background conversations. I had such conversations with then-IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz, with senior members of the General Staff, with most of the commanders on the ground and with Security Cabinet ministers.

I joined the paratroopers force in the tunnels of Khan Yunis. The shortest of these meetings left me very shaken. I shook hands with Lt. Col. Dolev Keidar as we met near the border on the 14th day of the operation. Several hours later, he was killed.

Netanyahu, Ya'alon and Gantz. There is no room for being impressed by a military operation that left behind the same threats it was supposed to destroy (Photo: Amit Shabi)

What I wrote to myself back then indicates that everything, or almost everything, was known in real time: that both sides got sucked into a military conflict in what already seemed like a chapter from Barbara Tuchmans book, The March of Folly.

Neither side was trigger-happy nor did they enter the battle willingly. The fear of a ground incursion and the apprehension that this fear would be interpreted as cowardice; the operational difficulties in the war surrounding the tunnels, and the futility in destroying them when it was clear that they would be excavated again; the huge waste of ammunition, especially by the Air Force; the refusal to examine any other alternative for Gaza, either diplomatic and/or humanitarian; and most importantly, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus weak leadership, and as a result, the anarchy in the cabinet, all lurked in the background.

Military commanders said at the time the same thing they are saying today. They are not two-faced, which is porbably the only good news from an operation that will not go down in history as a great Israeli accomplishment.

Netanyahu, Gantz and then-defense minister Moshe Ya'alon judge the operations achievements based on the duration of the following period of calm, which is a mistake. A military operation which in everyones opinion, including their own, should not have been executed is not a source of pride, especially as it left behind the same threats it was supposed to destroy.

We shouldn't be impressed by a brawl between the strongest army in the Middle East and a terror organization with poor skills, which lasted 52 days and ended in a tie.

I spoke this week with one of the former ministers, a war veteran, a cabinet veteran. He asked me not to mention his name. That subtracts from the weight of his comments. Nevertheless, they are valuable.

The report, he said, wont generate any change. In the past, campaigns would be launched either by reserve soldiers or by political people or both, like the one following the Second Lebanon War. It wont happen this time because there is no opposition in Israel. (Opposition leader Isaaced) Herzog cannot handle this task. (Yesh Atid leader Yaired) Lapid is eyeing the voters. He is not offering a way.

Beyond the inability to form a strategy, which the report points out, there are more dangerous things. Hezbollahs missiles are a much more serious threat than the tunnels. And there are additional threats. No debate is being held on these threats. But (Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassaned) Nasrallah is beaten, they tell us. He is beaten, yet he may still enter a conflict. Thats what happened with Hamas in Gaza.

Bibi and Ya'alon's basic stance was that Gaza will not be occupied. That was a correct stance. And then the teens were kidnapped, and although everyone knew they were dead, voodoo rituals began everywhere and there were pressures within the government to do something. Despite Ya'alon's objection, which was justified, it was decided to arrest Hamas men who were released in the Shalit deal.

"This created pressure within Hamas. Hamas allowed rebel organizations to fire rockets, and that's how we were pulled into a course culminating in war. Ministers Bennett and Lieberman are largely responsible for what happened. They threatened Netanyahu and pushed him into a conflict he did not want.

In terms of the cabinet, we must distinguish between what happens before battle and during battle. Before a war, the cabinet must hold discussions. The goal is to form a policy which would prevent us from entering a war over national dignity or prestige or due to political pressure.

But during a war, things must be done differently. We cannot wage war while the cabinet becomes a credits' battlefield. During Protective Edge, lawlessness abounded in the government, the price being, failing the IDF and incurring a lot of damage to our national interest.

If you decide that you want to occupy Gaza, go occupy Gaza. But if you decide you dont, the question is how to end things. The problem is the same one that the government has with regard to the Palestinian Authority: There is an overt agenda and a covert agenda. In English, the government says, Two states; in Hebrew, it says, Never. To the Egyptian mediators it says, We will ease the blockade; to the Israelis it says, That will never happen.

Bombing the wrong targets

Whoever wants a ceasefire with Hamas knows that it takes 10 hours between the ceasefire agreement and its actual implementation. Here, when we decide to hold fire, we hold fire. There, the decision goes from Cairo to Qatar and from there, to Gaza. There is a political wing and a military wing and there are rebel organizations. Anyone setting the time for a ceasefire without taking this into account is basically debating the issue of guilt. We obeyed while they violated. A similar process could happen with Hezbollah.

IDF soldiers leave Gaza at the end of Operation Protective Edge. 'If you decide you don't want to occupy the strip, the question is how to end things' (Photo: Reuters)

When David Ben-Gurion assumed the Security portfolio in 1947, he held three rounds of discussions, which he referred to as a seminar. In the discussions, people said, we need more machine guns, we need more bullets, we have to train more fighters. Ben-Gurion spoke at the end. He assumed that the Arab countries would join the war. No, he said, machine guns are not enough. We need planes, tanks, artillery. Some of the people thought that the old man had gone mad.

The Air Forces basic mission was protecting Israels skies. Protection from what? From enemy planes, which would drop bombs. Today, in the missile era, it cannot do so. In my opinion, the only way to deal with Hezbollahs missiles is a firm decision by the political echelon to destroy infrastructuresseaports, airports, power stations. Hezbollah cannot afford to impose the cost of its war on all of Lebanon.

In Gaza too, we are bombing the wrong targets. Every day in which children are killed, it kills us in the international arena and brings no benefits because the population in Gaza has no alternative. In Operation Cast Lead, there was a discussion on every institution we bombed. In Protective Edge, they bombed without any consideration. The amount of ammunition that the IDF fired on Gaza was bigger than all the ammunition we fired during the Yom Kippur War.

This is what the former minister had to say. The report does not call for dismissals. It calls for a series of cabinet discussions on our policy on both fronts, the northern and the southern.

Are we only interested in keeping the next round at bay for a few more months? If thats the case, we have to let go of false slogans such as Let the IDF win. There is no victory in this story. Only a tie.

Or it may be time to change the situation from the core.

Gadi Yarkoni, who was seriously wounded in Operation Protective Edge and serves today as head of the Eshkol Regional Council, said last week that if all the billions that were invested in the fighting in Gaza had been used for the reconstruction of Gaza, our security situation would have been better.

Thats a valid point. Perhaps it should be added to the report.
NEW YORK  The New York Police Department is investigating a report of possible vandalism at a predominantly Jewish cemetery.

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An NYPD spokesman says Sunday the department's hate crimes division has been notified of headstones found toppled over at Washington Cemetery in Brooklyn.

Picture tweeted by Assemblyman Hikind

Picture tweeted by Assemblyman Hikind

Picture tweeted by Assemblyman Hikind

Assemblyman Dov Hikind tweeted photos Saturday night showing some headstones on the ground. The Democrat says he'll go to the cemetery Sunday to see them.

The Jewish politician said that he was alerted to the vandalism by the Boro Park Shomrim, a registered non-profit community policing organization.

There has been a rash at Jewish cemeteries and 122 bomb threats called in to Jewish organizations in three dozen states since early January.

Authorities said Friday that Juan Thompson , a former journalist fired for fabricating details in stories, made at least eight of the scores of threats against Jewish institutions nationwide as part of a campaign to harass and frame his ex-girlfriend.
In an article published recently in the Atlantic, " The Curse of Econ 101 ," University of Connecticut law professor James Kwak argues against what he assumes to be the content, thrust, and effect of the basic principles course, Economics 101.He thinks it's too simplistic. And he's sure that in its simplicity, it masks the complexities that must be accounted for when passing judgment on economic reality and especially on government policies.According to Kwak, over the past few decades Econ 101 has devolved into "economism," which he describes as "the belief that basic economics lessons can explain all social phenomena-that people, companies, and markets behave according to the abstract, two-dimensional illustrations of an Economics 101 textbook." The two-dimensional illustrations to which Kwak refers are supply-and-demand graphs.In Kwak's telling, Econ 101 professors indoctrinate impressionable students with the belief that anything in reality that is economically essential can be explained with simple and abstract supply-and-demand analysis.Moreover, according to Kwak, this abstract emphasis on supply and demand is both a consequence and cause of a larger problem with economics in general. That problem, Kwak notes, is that "economics degrees are highly mathematical, adopt a single narrow perspective and put little emphasis on historical context, critical thinking or real-world applications."That observation about economics degrees is Kwak's one kernel of truth. Modern economics is indeed excessively mathematical and typically presented without historical context, critical thinking, and real-world applications.Too many students are instructed that economics is the science of revealing the pure, eternal, and elegant mathematical description of the pattern of prices and quantities that is called "general competitive equilibrium"-an equilibrium that automatically emerges from the reactions of sheep-like utility-maximizing consumers and of machine-like profit-maximizing producers.There is, in these theories, no room for ideas, discovery, creativity, entrepreneurship, genuine change, error, or real competition. (One of the great ironies of modern economics is that in general competitive equilibrium there are no activities that any human being would recognize as competitive.)This economic fantasy world is bloodless and sterile. It's a world so foreign to human society that it is largely useless in helping us to make sense of reality. Kwak is right to lament that principles of economics students are often taught that way.I'll add that of the students who are not taught economics in that ethereal way, too many of them are taught that economics is the "science" of collecting and processing as much data as possible, torturing those data with ever-more-esoteric econometric devices, and reporting the empirical results largely independently of any underlying theory of economics. But we here ignore that problem with economics because Kwak's complaints are limited to what he alleges to be the misuse of economic theory.So I join Kwak in objecting to such airy theorizing. But I dissent from his identification of supply-and-demand analysis as the quintessence of such airy theorizing.When taught well and wisely, supply-and-demand analysis is the central part of the economic way of thinking. This way of thinking both deepens and broadens students' understanding of economic reality. Contrary to Kwak's assertion, such analysis teaches neither that prices automatically and without friction move to equilibrium levels nor that nothing matters except consumers' and producers' narrow material concerns.Instead, the economic way of thinking incites students to ask probing questions about reality that they would otherwise never ask. It encourages them to search for and discover aspects of reality that would otherwise remain hidden. It prompts students to ponder the reality far more profoundly and fully than they would otherwise do. Junking or radically changing Econ 101 would leave students ill-prepared to understand the world around them.I will illustrate with an example used by Kwak himself: minimum wage laws.Most people with no exposure to economics believe minimum wages to be an effective means of raising the incomes of low-skilled workers. The reasoning is simple: if government mandates that employers pay higher wages, workers will therefore receive more. But the economic way of thinking reveals this reasoning to be too simple.Most obviously, the economic way of thinking makes students aware that, as the cost of taking some action rises, people take less of that action. (It's called the "law of demand.") So if employers must pay their low-skilled workers higher wages, the quantity of low-skilled labor that will be employed will fall. Quite likely, some low-skilled workers will lose their jobs. Many others won't be able to find any legal work. Some intended beneficiaries therefore become unintended victims.This lesson is indeed, as Kwak notes, commonly taught in Econ 101 classes. But Kwak objects that this lesson is too simplistic. Other things happen, says Kwak, to render this conclusion that some people will be harmed false.Well, yes, other things do happen. But the other things that happen are things that reinforce the standard conclusion about the minimum wage, while the things that Kwak asserts do happen are things that the economic way of thinking reveals probably do not happen.For example, Kwak says that workers become so much more productive when their wages rise that this higher productivity pays for the wage hikes.This relationship between wages and productivity undoubtedly holds in many instances. But a good Econ 101 student asks (and answers) two questions. (1) Does this relationship always hold? (No, for if it did every worker's pay would be multiple times Bill Gates's annual income.) (2) When this relationship does hold, do firms have to be forced by government to raise workers' wages? (No, for it is in each firm's own private interest to raise its workers' wages whenever doing so results in productivity gains at least as large as the wage hikes.)Or consider Kwak's howler that minimum wages have no negative employment effects because employers just pass along the cost of minimum wages to consumers in the form of higher output prices.The good Econ 101 student would point out, in response to this claim, the fact that higher prices for consumer goods and services cause consumers to buy fewer such goods and services, thus reducing employers' demand for workers to produce these outputs. And if Kwak retorts with "How do you know? That's too simplistic!", the student calmly reminds him of the inescapable reality of trade-offs: if consumers buy the same amount of, say, McDonald's burgers as before but at higher prices, the extra spending must be offset by decreased spending somewhere-say, at Walmart-which results in lowered production and employment elsewhere.It turns out that the analyst who is simple-minded is not the good Econ 101 student, but instead, Kwak himself, who clearly doesn't have what it takes to reason as carefully as does this student.Fortunately, despite the excessive formality of advanced economics, good Econ 101 courses are not uncommon. In those courses, students learn the "mental toolkit" of economists.They learn that prices and wages are not set arbitrarily, that voluntary trade that crosses political borders is no less mutually advantageous than is voluntary trade that doesn't, that all goods and services have costs that someone must pay, that profits are a reward for serving consumers and not an unjust extraction from workers, that intentions are not results, and much more.Along the way, they also learn that most of what non-economists, and their political representatives, believe about the economy is mistaken.And students discover that there are reasons to doubt that coercive government policies like the minimum wage can on balance improve our welfare. That seems to be Kwak's main complaint against Econ 101. It's a badly misguided one.
1. Yes. Taxpayers are funding its operation; they should have a voice in the naming process.

2. Yes. The city should operate with a spirit of inclusivity. Residents will be responsive.

3. No. Public input can be problematic; rejection of suggestions can be divisive for residents.

4. No. Residents elect council members to make decisions on their behalf. No input is needed.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say whether public input would be more of a benefit or a hindrance.

Vote

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Minutes from a Security Cabinet meeting just before Operation Protective Edge obtained by Yedioth Ahronoth reveal discussions on evacuating civilian towns along the border with Gaza in case of concrete intelligence on Hamas's planning to carry out attacks there.

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The recently released State Comptroller's report on the operation, in addition to declaring that ministers were insufficiently informed on the threat posed by Hamas tunnels, also raised the matter of such evacuations.

In the meeting on July 2, 2014, Minister Naftali Bennett proposed evacuating towns based on intelligence of a possible attack emanating from the tunnels. Then-Minister of Defense Moshe Ya'alon replied, "We'll know what to do." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported Bennett's proposal and instructed Ya'alon and the IDF chief of staff to consider it.

Hamas militant in tunnel (Photo: Reuters)

Ya'alon replied that they would do so.

Bennett added, "The price of an evacuation carried out unnecessarily exists, but it's acceptable. So I would do it. Worst case, we'll be proven wrong." Ya'alon replied, "It may be."

In the end, no preventive evacuations were carried out, and Hamas did not carry out targeted attacks at Israeli towns on the Gazan border to open the conflict as had been feared.

On July 10, two days after the operation began, the GOC Southern Command Sami Turgeman came to the Security Cabinet and brought up the threats posed by Hamas tunnels. "There's a strategic threat that could be activated against us at any moment," he said. "There's at least nine tunnels entering our territory.

A Security Cabinet meeting at IDF headquarters during Protective Edge (Photo: Yaron Brener)

Ya'alon replied to him, "I'm considering the tunnel threat as an unsolved problem that we won't solve in this incident either."

A few days later, 13 terrorists infiltrated Israel via a tunnel that exited outside the Sufa kibbutz. They were identified and killed before they could carry out any attacks. This incident forced the Security Cabinet to authorize the ground operation against the tunnels.

The IDF has decided based on the lessons drawn from this operation that in the next conflict, be it along the Lebanese or Gazan borders, civilian populations will be evacuated. This is intended to minimize casualties caused by short-range rockets and tunnels.

In military assessments following Protective Edge, it was agreed that leaving civilians in their home had been a mistake.
The government's annual work plan was published Sunday and outlines the objectives of 26 government ministries for 2017-2018.

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The plans, which are coordinated by the Prime Minister's Office, provide the public with a blueprint of the goals of each ministry and how they are being implemented.

Prime Minister Netanyahu (Photo: Olivia Pitosi)

"The publication of government obligations reflects my commitment to the Israeli people," wrote Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "From year to year we are expanding the application of the principles of accountability and transparency in government work.

"This is in light of the perception that elected officials are routinely committed to providing accountability to the public on policy goals and the attainment of those goals. Therefore, at the end of 2017, we will publish the results of the implementation of these goals. I am confident this move will aid in policy implementation, streamline work processes and in reaching desired goals."

Prime Minister's Office

 Increasing the average implementation of government decisions from 60% today to 65-70% in 2017 and 70-75% in 2018

 Improving the absorption and assimilation process for Ethiopian immigrants  25% increase in the amount of Ethiopian officers in the IDF and a general decrease in the negative attitudes towards the Israel Police. Today, 68% of Ethiopians believe police use disproportionate force against them.

 Increase in the amount of people with disabilities serving in the civil service

 Decrease in regulation by 25% by the end of the decade

 Enacting 80% of programs for finance, reconstruction and security activities and emergency services for Gaza border communities

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 Increasing efforts against international anti-Semitism by advocating in parliaments, government ministries, security forces and Jewish communities

 Strengthening of cooperation with the United States

 Monitoring the Iranian position on the nuclear agreement

 Increasing the status, image and legitimacy of Israel in world public opinion, while also raising the Zionist narrative and fighting the Palestinian campaign against

 Prevention of anti-Israel initiatives at the UN and the prevention of anti-Israel moves initiated by Palestinians at the EU and European Parliament

Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked (Photo: Ido Erez)

Ministry of Justice

 Improving the quality of government legal services, especially in the realm of public legal aid for detainees, minors and the poor

 Closing of cases that have been deadlocked in the State Attorney's Office for a year

 Opening a common home registry, cancelling bank-direct mortgages without needing to come to the Land Registry and Settlement of Rights Department

 Upgrading computer systems

 Collecting NIS 22 billion in taxes in 2017

 Fighting the BDS movement and actions against Israel at the ICC in The Hague.

Minister of Immigrant Absorption (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

Ministry of Immigrant Absorption

 Simplifying bureaucratic procedures to improve access to information, improving interpersonal relations and immediately increasing aid to populations in need

 Employment assistance to immigrants

 Increase in public housing for immigrants by 1,700 units

 Increase the expected number of immigrants each year

Minister of the Interior (Photo: Hagai Dekel)

Ministry of the Interior

 Expand regional cooperation

 Allocating resources to focus on equal distribution by establishing a fund to narrow gaps

 Strengthening local election processes to be held in 2018

Minister of Social Equality Gila Gamliel (Photo: Ministry of Social Equality)

Ministry of Social Equality

 Increasing the number of women serving in senior corporate and government positions from 12% in 2016 to 16% in 2017

 Reducing the wage gap between men and women in the government sector from 20% in 2016 to 15% in 2018

 Raising the proportion of local Arab authorities involved in economic development programs for minority populations

Minister of Education Naftali Bennett (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

Ministry of Education

 Providing support programs to school with low matriculation rates

 Having at least 15,293 students taking the maximum allowable credits for mathematics in high school

 160,000 students engaged in technological studies

 Increasing education in Jewish values, Zionism and democracy

 Improving access to opportunities and closing gaps between sectors such as among Arab, ultra-Orthodox and Ethiopian

Minister of Transportation Israel Katz (Photo: Amit Shabi)

Ministry of Transportation

 An 8% reduction in the amount of traffic fatalities

 Completion of the Acre-Karmiel rail line

 Examination of transportation possibilities powered by electricity, batteries, cables and natural gas

 Establishment of a research center for intelligent, autonomous vehicles

Minister of Health Rabbi Yaakov Litzman (Photo: Amit Shabi)

Ministry of Health

 Increase the volume of surgical procedures available for the public

 Decrease in infections in hospitals

 Reduction in consumption of high-sugar foods as well as sodium and saturated fat

 Reduction in rates of childhood obesity

 Decrease in the percentage of smokers in the population, especially the Arab sector

 Increase the number of nurses

Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Ministry of Public Security

 Lower crime rates in the Arab sector and south Tel Aviv

 Increase enforcement against illegal immigrants

 Reduction in illegal building and encroachment upon state land

 Reduction in illegal weapons

 Easing bureaucratic process for acquiring a firearm license

 Increasing the amount of traffic enforcement and recruiting more traffic officers

 Creation of a new application for reporting reckless drivers to police

 Recruiting 75 additional firefighters and 50 more fire engines

Ministry of Environmental Protection Ze'ev Elkin

Ministry of the Environmental Protection

 Establishing a cyber unit responsible for protecting against cyber attacks on hazardous material installations

 Establishment of a national plan to decrease air pollution

 Increasing the number of inspectors in factories in the Haifa Bay

 Reducing the risk of importing ammonia

Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

Ministry of Agriculture

 Examination of the possibility to cultivate hemp cannabis

 Lowering the price of water for agriculture

 Preparing a position paper on the future of agriculture by 2030

 Organization of a new model for foreign workers
MOSCOW -- Nigerian pirates have released seven Russian and one Ukrainian sailors after they were captured last month on the cargo ship the BBC Caribbean, Russian news agencies reported on Sunday, citing a human rights activist in Crimea.

The sailors were released after talks between the owners of the ship and pirates.

Interfax news agency quoted human rights activist Pavel Butsay, in the city of Sevastopol, as saying the sailors were at a Frankfurt airport and planned to return home next week.

Butsay told TASS news agency that a ransom was paid but did not reveal the sum.
The Gaza Strip is controlled by a terror organization with an anti-Semitic platform, which calls for the annihilation of Jews. The international community has tried, time and again, to reach some kind of agreement with this organization. The most outstanding attempt was made by the Quartet (the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and Russia). It didnt help. Hamas refused.

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It favored the industry of deathrockets and tunnelsover prosperity. It acted just like all global jihad organizations act. All they produce is destruction. Every few years it suffers a blow, garners more energy to oil the gears of the industry of death, and drags Israel into another round of fighting.

In the two weeks before the beginning of the latest round, Operation Protective Edge, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly tried to prevent an escalation into an all-out war. The rockets had already begun falling on Israel, but Netanyahu insisted. He delivered the calm will be answered with calm speech. The Left applauded. The Right was angry.

Bennett, Netanyahu and Yaalon. Will this voodoo ritual prepare us for the next operation? (Photos: Motti Kimchi, Amit Shabi, Alex Kolomoisky)

When the operation began, there were more and more proposals and initiatives for a ceasefire. Netanyahu agreed. Hamas kept violating every agreement. Minister Naftali Bennett, meanwhile, kept objecting to a ceasefire. When the last ceasefire, which ended the operation, was being formulatedBennett voted against it. There is no need for a ceasefire, there's need to put out the fire, he said.

Nevertheless, the state comptroller determined that the Security Cabinet failed to discuss a diplomatic alternative or the serious humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Excuse me? The state comptroller is in no position to deal with an area he has no authority over to begin with. I dont recall Harry Trumans cabinet dealing with the humanitarian situation in bombed Tokyo, I dont recall Winston Churchills cabinet dealing with the humanitarian situation in ruined Dresden, and I dont remember the Obama administration speaking at length about the situation of tribes on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border while they were constantly under fire because of the Taliban hiding in their midst. But the State of Israels comptroller sees it as his duty to poke his nose into strategic considerations. Judicial activism has jumped from the Supreme Court over to the State Comptrollers Office.

I believe, by the way, that the Israeli government should offer Hamas everything: Prosperity, welfare, an end to the blockade, international economic aid, a seaport, an airport, candy for every child attached to every sack of concrete, and other goods of all types. Everything. Under one condition: That Hamas will accept the simple formula of demilitarization in exchange for prosperity. And this should be offered again and again, even though Hamas has turned it down again and again.

But with all due respect, this is none of the state comptrollers business. It wasnt just Netanyahus offer of calm will be answered with calm while Israel was being attacked with rockets but practiced restraint. It continued with 12 offers for a ceasefire during the operation. Israel either initiated or agreed. Hamas repeatedly turned them down or repeatedly violated them. Even a left-wing website wrote at the time about the remarkable friendship between Netanyahu and the Left. The comptroller has eyes, but he doesnt see. He has ears, but he doesnt hear. Whats wrong with him?

A senior official testified before state comptroller investigator Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Beinhorn, who wrote most of this report himself. Its not that Beinhorn knows more than the person he was questioning, but he had three legal experts by his side. The official felt like a culprit. Thats the story. Judicialization.

Judges and legalists know nothing about wars. They know nothing about policy. They know nothing about decision-making. They definitely know nothing about drawing conclusions. There is only one thing they know how to dolook for the guilty parties. Its in their DNA. The procedure they are conducting is adversarial. In other words, argumentative. And thats what the results look like.

State Comptroller Yosef Shapira (Photo: Zvika Tishler)

In the past week, no one engaged in drawing conclusions and learning lessons. Thats what matters, but its not interesting. The question that is more interesting is who is more guilty. The result is the sabre dance. An inquiry is held to draw conclusions. In an investigation, like the one carried out by a commission of inquiry or the state comptroller, is done to find the guilty parties.

Even before the investigation began, it was clear that this was a procedure with suspects who will turn into culprits. The report is an indictment, Opposition Chairman Isaac Herzog said a day before the report was released. He was right, and thats precisely the problem. We dont need indictments. We need a change.

This isn't a new thing. It has already become a normal ritual. Every war or operation over the past few decades has ended with harsh criticism. Even if there are recommendations for changes, all anybody deals with is claims made against the individuals. Thats the reason we had to watch an ugly exchange of accusations last week. Hamas is having a blast. Israel is exposing itself to criticism and beating itself up, as well as damning itself for not proposing a diplomatic alternative. If such castigation doesnt come from the outside, by a committee like Richard Goldstones, it comes from the inside.

Its not that all the moves made during the operation were wonderful and all the decisions were perfect. Its not that there is no room for improvement. Its not that there is no need for constrictive criticism. But all these necessary things have not been done and will not be achieved by commissions of inquiry or by the state comptrollers team.

If we were dealing with performance study and improvement, we would not need legal experts. Because legal experts know about wars and strategy and decision-making and performance study as much as I know about pharmacology. Why legal experts? Why not an an expert in the field of military operations? What is the meaning of the unnecessary and foolish judicialization?

The commissions of inquiry that have been appointed since the Yom Kippur War until now have not improved anything. Their practical or operational recommendations have been wrong over time. The Frumkin Commission from 1950 was supposed to deal with the imposition of the melting pot as part of the educational system. Its conclusions created separation and different sectors. The Agranat Commission dismissed late Chief of Staff David Elazar. Maj. Gen. (res.) Giora Eiland says that the committees conclusions caused irreversible damage. The Or Commission removed former Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami from political life. It didnt change a thing in Jewish-Arab relations.

These were examples of the march of folly. We are taking part in a voodoo ritual that entails nothing but inserting pins. Is this what is going to prepare us for the next operation? Seriously?

Heres an assignment for Knesset members who want to think outside the box: A bill that would create an efficient system to study operations and draw conclusions from them, instead of the current legal system. We need politicians and generals to come to these committees without lawyers. We want them to tell us where they erred without having a sword hanging over their head. Because with a hanging sword, a sane person shirks responsibility.

A system that creates indictments and exchange of accusations is not a system that would bring change. We need a sane alternative option, not to save one general or another and not to save Netanyahu or Moshe Yaalon. We need an alternative option for ourselves.
A new bill proposed by MK Itzik Shmuli (Zionist Union) seeks to regulate and subsidize surrogacy for Israelis who go through the process both at home and abroad.

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Domestically, the bill would open the path to surrogacy to single-parent and same-sex couples. For couples going through the process abroad, the bill would provide subsidies of 200,000 shekels, which is the amount of financial support given for surrogacy treatments carried out in Israel.

Medical staff attend to babies born from surrogacy in India (Photo: AFP)

Currently, only opposite-sex couples are permitted to go through the surrogacy process domestically. Shmuli said that he decided to propose the bill after three Israeli single fathers became stranded in Mexico last month with their newborn babies after Mexican authorities refused to issue birth certificates. Surrogacy laws had changed in Mexico that essentially barred foreigners. The law change only took place after the Israelis had begun the procedures.

In the past, other MKs have tried to amend the relevant legislation. Former Minister of Health MK Yael German's bill got through the first reading, but the Knesset was dissolved before it could get further. Shmuli is attempting to revive this, despite changes in the coalition and the strenuous opposition of the ultra-Orthodox factions.

The bill is also expected to run into difficulties in that it requires the Ministry of Finance's signing off on it.
UK media are reporting that former British Prime Minister and Quartet envoy to the Middle East, Tony Blair, is seeking to return to the area under the administration of US President Donald Trump.

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According to the Daily Mail, for the third time since September, Blair held a secret meeting with Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner.

Tony Blair (Photo: Reuters)

Blair met with Kushner for the first time in September during a meeting for media officials and politicians in the US. Their second meeting occurred several days after Trump's election victory in November and their third meeting was held March 1st at the White House.

The two reportedly discussed cooperation and the possibility for Blair to function as a representative of Trump to advance peace in the region, which Trump referred to as "the ultimate deal."

Jared Kushner and President Trump (Photo: MCT)

If Blair indeed does assume the position, it would be an opportunity for the former prime minister, who was criticized for involving Britain in the Iraq War alongside the United States.

Blair could also be seen as a wise choice by Trump, whose administration lacks officials with significant diplomatic experience, especially in the Middle East.
The Ministry of Justice is recommending that President Reuven Rivlin deny a request for clemency submitted a month ago by former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is currently serving a prison sentence for bribery

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The recommendation to deny the pardon was made by professional staff at the Ministry of Justice and Minister Ayelet Shaked is expected to relay the recommendation to Rivlin.

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (Photo: Tal Shahar)

Olmert was originally sentenced to six years over the Holyland bribery scandal, which was eventually decreased to 18 months following a successful appeal. However, Olmert was also sentenced to another eight months was tacked on to his sentence over the "Talansky" affair.

If the clemency request is granted, Olmert could possibly be freed immediately or have his sentence reduced by a certain amount. With the expected denial of clemency, Olmert is set to be released from prison in July.

Rivlin is expected to make his decision within a month.
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo visited Yad Vashem Sunday as part of his trip to Israel, where he referred to the increase in anti-Semitic incidents occurring in the United States.

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Speaking after his visit to the Holocaust memorial, Cuomo said, "Visiting Yad Vashem was powerful. It is a living lesson of what the Jewish people have gone through and what this world allowed them to go through. It reminds us all of the potential danger. We must live by the rule that an affront to one is an affront to all.

Cuomo speaking at Yad Vashem (: )

X

"To the residents of Israel I say that we will not tolerate these acts of anti-Semitism. The State of New York is taking a variety of aggressive measures, more than any other states, and I am proud of that. We have founded special units and we have offered rewards for information.

Photo: Reuters

Cuomo at Yad Vashem (Photo: Reuters)

"The rise of anti-Semitism is disgusting and reprehensible and violates every tenet of the New York State tradition," said Cuomo.

Cuomo was referring to a recent wave of widespread acts of anti-Semitism that have been occurring throughout the United States the last several months. Since January, 122 bomb threats have been made against Jewish centers and several synagogues and cemeteries have been vandalized.

Photo: Reuters

This morning, hours before Cuomo visited Yad Vashem, another Jewish cemetery had been vandalized in New York State, this time in Brooklyn.

"We must remember that large fires come from small fires, and we cannot tolerate discrimination against even one person," said Cuomo.
AMSTERDAM -- Dutch right-wing populist Geert Wilders says he would ban Turkey's entire Cabinet from visiting the Netherlands in coming weeks to prevent ministers campaigning here for a referendum on changing Turkey's constitution.

Wilders told foreign journalists on Sunday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is an "Islamo-fascist leader." Wilders also accused the Dutch government of weakness in not banning Turkey's foreign minister from holding a rally in Rotterdam in support of the constitutional change.

Dutch media report that Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is planning a campaign rally in Rotterdam, which has a large migrant Turkish community.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte has called such a rally "undesirable" and says his government won't cooperate.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday to voice opposition to what the Israeli leader charged were Iran's attempts to establish a permanent military foothold in Syria.

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"In the framework of a (future peace agreement) or without one, Iran is attempting to base itself permanently in Syriaeither through a military presence on the ground or a naval presenceand also through a gradual attempt to open a front against us on the Golan Heights," Netanyahu told his cabinet in public remarks on Sunday.

Netanyahu and Putin in Moscow on a previous visit (Photo: AFP)

"I will express to President Putin Israel's vigorous opposition to this possibility," he said.

Iran, Israel's arch-enemy, has been Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's staunchest backer and has provided militia fighters to help him.

Russia, also Assad's ally, is seen as holding the balance of power in achieving a deal on Syria's future. In Geneva on Friday, the first UN-led Syria peace talks in a year ended without a breakthrough.

Israeli leaders have pointed to Tehran's steadily increasing influence in the region during the six-year-old Syrian conflict, whether via its own Revolutionary Guard forces or Shi'ite Muslim proxies, especially Hezbollah.

Majority-Shi'ite Iran says its forces are in Syria to defend holy Shi'ite shrines. However, the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces said in November the Islamic republic may seek to set up naval bases in Yemen or Syria in the future.

Last year, MK Avi Dichter, the chair of Israel's foreign affairs and defense committee, said Iran had tried several times in the past to move forces into the Syrian Golan Heights, next to territory that Israel captured in the 1967 Six-Day War.

Dichter said those moves were repelled, but gave no details.

Netanyahu has said that Israel has carried out dozens of strikes to prevent weapons smuggling to the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah via Syria. Two years ago, Israel and Russia agreed to coordinate military actions over Syria in order to avoid accidentally trading fire.

"I hope that we'll be able to reach certain understandings to lessen the possible friction between our forces and their forces, as we've successfully done so far," he said at the cabinet meeting, referring to the Russian military.
The Nazareth District Court convicted Ashraf Abu Rubieh, 36, from Shfar'am, of supporting ISIS and weapons possession and sentenced him to 32 months in prison.

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Abu Rubieh admitted to the charges of weapons possession and support for a terrorist organization in a confession. He further admitted that he received the pistol and three magazines from a family member, which he then hid in his home.

ISIS (archive photo)

Due to fears of police searches, Abu Rubieh moved the gun between locations and even offered to sell it for NIS 42,000 at one point.

During a search of his computer, ISIS-support videos, websites, writings and images were discovered.

In February 2014, during a conversation on secure-messaging app Telegram, Abu Rubieh was chatting with a friend named Mahmoud Abu al-Fattah and sent him a picture of ISIS fighters with the caption, "I wish to be a martyr."

Abu Rubieh made contact with an ISIS recruiter on Facebook named Abu Turgeman al-Swariti and told his wife and mother that he planned to go to Syria and join ISIS.

After his arrest and subsequent interrogation, Abu Rubieh claimed that the charges of planning to join ISIS were merely a statement and that he never actually did anything. Police discovered the gun and ammunition during a search of his home, which Abu Rubieh claimed were merely part of another plan to sell ammunition because of a dire economic situation. He insisted he is not an arms dealer.
The cabinet voted on Sunday in favor of decriminalizing recreational marijuana use, joining some US states and European countries who have adopted a similar approach.

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The proposal was submitted by Minister for Public Security Gilad Erdan and Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked.

Erdan called the government vote "an important step towards creating new policy that will emphasize explaining (the dangers of drug use) and treatment instead of prosecution."

The vote followed the recommendations of a committee , nominated by Erdan, to impose fines on individuals caught possessing cannabis.

Cannabis (File photo: Reuters)

According to the new policy, people caught smoking marijuana would be fined rather than arrested and prosecuted. Criminal procedures would be launched only against those caught repeatedly with the drug.

An inter-ministerial committee will now draft new legislation to implement the new policy, which still must be ratified by the Knesset, a process that will likely take months.

Selling and growing marijuana would remain criminal offenses.

"On the one hand we are opening ourselves up to the future. On the other hand, we understand the dangers and will try to balance the two," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet in broadcast remarks.

"Israel cannot shut its eyes to the changes being made across the world in respect to marijuana consumption and its effects," Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said in a statement.

In the United States, 28 states have legalized marijuana for medical use and since 2012, several have also approved marijuana for recreational use.

Shaked said Israeli authorities would now put their focus on education about the possible harmful effects of drug use.

Marijuana use is fairly common in Israel. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has said that almost nine percent of Israelis use cannabis, though some Israeli experts believe the numbers are higher.

Israeli police figures showed only 188 people were arrested in 2015 for recreational use of marijuana, a 56 percent drop since 2010, and many of those apprehended in that time were never charged.

About 25,000 people have a license to use the drug for medicinal purposes in Israel, one of the world leaders in medical marijuana research.

Saul Kaye, founder and CEO of iCan: Israel-Cannabis, said the move would benefit entrepreneurship and investment in cannabis in Israel and create jobs.

Andrew Friedman/TPS contributed to this report.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that German actions in stopping political meetings of resident Turks "were no different to those of the Nazi period." In response to his accusations, Dutch nationalist Geert Wilders said on Sunday that he would ban Turkish officials from campaigning in the Netherlands.

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German authorities withdrew permission for two meetings in German cities last week that were part of a government campaign to win the 1.5 million-strong Turkish community's support for sweeping new powers for Erdogan going to referendum in April.

Turkish President Erdogan (Photo: Reuters)

"Germany, you have no relation whatsoever to democracy and you should know that your current actions are no different to those of Nazi period. When we say that, they get disturbed. Why are you disturbed?" he said at a rally in Istanbul.

On Friday, the Dutch government said plans by Turkish authorities to hold a referendum campaign rally in Rotterdam, were "undesirable," but stopped short of trying to prevent them.

Erdogan supporters in Germany (Photo: AFP)

Wilders told journalists in Amsterdam the response by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte was "very weak. I would do things differently."

"I would declare... the whole Cabinet of Turkey persona non grata," Wilders said. He called Turkish President Erdogan an "Islamofascist," saying that he opposed his efforts to change the constitution in Turkey to strengthen his position.

Geert Wilders (Photo: Reuters)

The Turkish referendum in April would grant Erdogan sweeping new powers, including the ability to appoint ministers and top state officials and dissolve parliament, declare emergency rule and issue decrees.

Wilders's Party for Freedom, campaigning to close the Dutch border to Muslim immigrants and shut mosques, is virtually tied with Rutte's conservative VVD party ahead of the general election on March 15.
Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip have canceled plans to give students a day off on Wednesday for international women's day.

The internationally backed Palestinian Authority in the West Bank has declared women's day a public holiday.

But the Islamic militant Hamas, which has controlled Gaza for the past decade, said Sunday it would not obey the order. It says Wednesday will be a normal work day and schools will be open, though the first hour of classes will include discussions about women's role in the Palestinian national struggle.

Hamas gave no reason for its decision.
Tony Blair will not assume the role of Middle East representative for US President Donald Trump, according to a report by the BBC.

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The rebuttal followed an earlier report on Sunday published by the Daily Mail claiming that former British prime minister Blair is seeking to attain the Middle East position under the new Trump administration.

Tony Blair (Photo: EPA)

In response, Blair's office issued a statement claiming the story was an "invention."

In an interview to the BBC, Blair's spokesman said that "He has been working on the peace process for 10 years. He continues to do so. He does so in a private capacity. He will continue to do it in that way. Period."
Egyptian intelligence has hired a US public relations firm to lobby on the country's behalf in Washington and boost its image, the first such engagement by part of the country's powerful security apparatus to be made public.

A filing dated Jan. 28 and seen by The Associated Press on the Department of Justice website Sunday showed that Egypt hired public relations firm Weber Shandwick and released details of the registration to comply with the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) of 1938.

The contract shows that Weber Shandwick will assist Egypt in promoting its "strategic partnership with the United States," highlighting its economic development, showcasing its civil society and publicizing Egypt's "leading role in managing regional risks" in an agreement worth $1.2 million annually. All points are issues President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's government is keen to portray in a positive light in its interactions with foreign powers, especially a key ally such as the United States that sends some $1.3 billion in annual military aid.
A Norwegian ship has rescued 503 people from the Mediterranean Sea in eight operations since Thursday.

The Norwegian Police Service says the Siem Pilot arrived Sunday in the Sicilian port of Catania with 503 migrants on board. A seriously ill 16-year-old boy died being helped on board, police said.

The agency said the migrants358 men, 29 women and 116 children, including babiessailed from Libya last week in rubber dinghies and wooden boats. It said many of them were injured, some with gunshot wounds, burn injuries and head wounds. It did not explain the reasons for the wounds or injuries. Police said two people on board suspected of being human traffickers were detained and handed over to Italian authorities for further investigation.
The northern Arab regional council of Jatt announced on Sunday that it plans on removing a street sign for Yasser Arafat Street, named after the deceased Palestinian terrorist and political leader, as per the request of Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas). In addition, the street signs commemorating 1930s-era mufti of Jerusalem Haj Amin al-Husseini and Syrian preacher Izz ad-Din al-Qassam. The decision also followed a statement made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who promised to have the signs removed earlier in the day.

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On the backdrop of these events, a stun grenade was thrown at a house belonging to former head of Jatt's street naming committee. There were no casulaties. Police forces have launched an investigation.

Netanyahu referred to the naming issue during a live Facebook feed. "On Friday, I spoke with Minister Deri, after hearing there was a street in Jatt named after Yasser Arafat. I thought this was unacceptable. It's inconceivable to have a street named after Israel' enemies inside Israel, and so I asked Minister Deri to take care of this during today's government meeting," said Netanyahu. "He did it. I am being informed that the regional council will remove the sign.

The sign for Yasser Arafat Street

"I want Israeli Arabs to be part of the Israel's success story and loyal citizens of the State of Israel," continued Netanyahu. "All doors are open to them, but this door cannot include naming streets after the enemies of Israel or the murderers of Israelis."

Netanyahu (Photo: Mark Israel Salem)

Netanyahu told the cabinet earlier Sunday that no street in the State of Israel will be named after murderers of Israelis and Jews, adding that he has undertaken steps together with Deri to remove street signs celebrating Arafat and other controversial Arab and Palestinian figures.

MK Yousef Jabareen (Photo: Hillel Maeir/TPS)

Arab leaders were quick to respond. MK Yousef Jabareen (Joint List) hailed Arafat as the national leader of the Palestinian people and described him as being intimately tied to the Palestinian narrative.

The Arab minority in Israel has the right to memorialize his memory in its public space, including naming streets after him.

Arafat led the Palestinian people to a historic reconciliation with Israel under the leadership of Yitzhak Rabin and supported the two-state solution in the 1967 borders.

Netanyahus opposition to naming a street after him in an Arab settlement is a reflection of (Netanyahused) rejection of the national identity of the Arab minority and of his opposition to any sort of historic reconciliation with the Palestinian people.

Netanyahu is leading the two peoples to disaster and is ensuring the continuation of the circle of violence, Jabareen concluded.

Jatt Regional Council also issued a statement, saying that the sign and street name were selected in 2006, but that this decision was never approved by the Interior Ministry. For this reason, they have decided to adhere to Deri's request and take the sign down on Monday. "All this isn't to say that we won't submit the name of Yasser Arafat, may he rest in peace, to the Interior Ministry, among the names we want to use," said Jatt Regional Council Head Mohammed Watad. "If we run into problems, we may very well consider filing an appeal on the matter."

Watad also pointed out that Arafat, together with then-Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.

Arafat is widely remembered in Israel as leading militants who targeted civilians. Many Palestinians, on the other hand, view him as a national icon of their movement for independence.
This coming Thursday, the song and video clip of Israel's representative in the Eurovision Song Contest will finally be revealed.

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The competition is set to be held in May, in the Ukranian capital of Kiev.

Imri Ziv, the big winner of the reality show the Next Star, will try to keep up with tradition and qualify for the finals and possibly even score the coveted award.

Imri Ziv (Photo: Moti Lavton)

Upon discovering that Ziv was filming the clip in very close proximity to Pnai Plus's offices, the writer decided to join the crew and watch the filming from up close.

Photo: Moti Lavton

On Sunday, the filming crew took temporary residence at Tel Aviv's Sarona Market complex along with several dozen extras and a foam machine, in an attempt to make a memorable video that would capture Europe's heart.

Photo: Moti Lavton

The song, which will be performed by Ziv, is titled I Feel Alive.
Tel Aviv HaShalom Station will shut down Sunday at midnight, stopping rail traffic for a week, due to works carried out for the Tel Aviv Light Rail.

No trains will pass from north to south, and vice versa. Northbound trains will stop at Tel Aviv HaHagana Station and southbound trains will terminate at Tel Aviv Savidor Central Station. The Ministry of Transport will operate free shuttle buses between the Tel Aviv stations.
The Shin Bet denied Majdi Othman's application for a technician's position in an external company working for the Airports Authority since his "security status was found unsuitable."

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Othman, a resident of Abu Ghosh, who served in the Border Police and in the IDF permanent service, said he was shocked to receive the letter of rejection despite serving as a combat medic and driver in the 162nd Division that fought in the Second Lebanon War.

He described his surroundings and his friends in Abu Ghosh as residents who have been ardent advocates of coexistence for decades, and are loyal to the state: "I was very hurt; they asked me if I had ties to ISIS. I am a married man and I want to live and support my family with dignity."

(Photo: Ofer Meir)

Othman said he chose to enlist in the army after going to school with Jewish kids in Jerusalem: "I wanted to contribute, to give of myself and get ahead in life."

He claimed that he had never been treated differently as an Arab during his service in the Border Police and the IDF: "Following my recruitment, young people from the village and neighboring villages like Ein Naqquba and Ein Rafa enlisted as well. I had the opportunity to work in security sensitive positions, like in the City of David, the Jerusalem area and the Light Rail."

A year ago, Othman applied for a job as a technician at Laufer Company that provides services to the Airports Authority in the Ben Gurion Airport area.

"I saw the job just like any other citizen in the country. I came across the recruitment ad in the newspaper, I met all the conditions and they asked me to wait for a security clearance." Othman insisted that those responsible for the recruitment process stayed in touch with him throughout and constantly told him they were still waiting for approval.

Majdi Othman during his service in the Border Police

In the official letter he received from the Shin Bet, it stated: "You security status was found unsuitable for the technician's job in the Airports Authority that has a security clearance level 6. Your security incompatibility was established based on conduct that has the potential to create a risk of violation of norms and rules, among them, relating to the security of facilities."

According to Othman, "their reasoning is national. I am loyal to the country and I am a good citizen, I have no criminal or security record. I hope senior officials like the prime minister and the defense minister come up with something to do so as not to lose good citizens who are contributing to the country."

Othman added that he did not believe that such incidents did in fact occur: "I kept hearing stories about racism and discrimination and did not believe them until it came to me. I'm in shock. The party that refused to recruit me was not just another employer, it was the State."

Othman's lawyer said he is considering appealing the decision to refuse his candidacy: "It is difficult to think of any other reason that could have affected the decision other than his ethnicity. If indeed this was the consideration, it is wrong. It is very surprising that one of the country's largest official bodies allows itself to treat a normative citizen who dedicated his life to serving his country in such a manner."

The Shin Bet said in response: "Majdi Othman was a candidate for a classified position, and thus, a security eligibility investigation was conducted by The Israel Security Agency. During the investigation, information regarding possible security risks arose, thus leading to the decision determining his lack of suitability for the position. Naturally, we cannot provide details with regard to the reasons underlying the decision. According to the law, Mr. Othman may appeal this decision."
YEREVAN, MARCH 5, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia and the Republican Party of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan gave a speech heralding the launch of the electoral campaign of the party. Armenpress reports Serzh Sargsyan particularly mentioned in his speech.

Dear fellow citizens,

Today the Republican Party of Armenia launches its campaign. Our party along with the whole country and society are entering an important historic phase. The process of forming the system of parliamentary republic is already the achievement of our fellow citizens. That means, it is your achievement, my friends. If, starting from today, you are considered as voters by different parties and alliances then for me you are definitely friends, strategic partners and colleagues. Thus, give your voice for the security and progress of Armenia.

For me as for the President of Armenias ruling party these elections are of an utmost significance. The most important thing is the trust of our citizens towards the election results. We have to hold such elections that no one will have doubts about its freedom, transparency and fairness. The elections that are appropriate to the power of law will be the victory of all of us no matter how many votes each of you will receive eventually. It will be the victory of our nation, state and society. I am sure that we as the citizens of the Republic of Armenia are ready for this.

Our party launches its campaign with the simple slogan Security and Progress.

The past twenty five years were the years of hard work and full of responsibilities for me. During this path I lost many friends who gave their lives for the security of the Republic of Armenia. And today I am standing here to tell you that there is nothing more important and vital than the security of our country and people. Everything else can be recovered. Unfinished works can be completed, the gaps can be filled and mistakes can be corrected, but there are no unimportant details when we talk about our security and every failure in this issue can be fatal. We will provide reliable security to Armenia and Artsakh. Today, the most important part of the Armenian society stands on the borders, I am talking about our youth. They will live in free and democratic Armenia. They will live in a country which will have an enormous progress.

The mission of the government headed by the Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan is to provide and foster that progress. I can assure you that every single citizen of our country will see the positive impact of the progress year by year and they will feel the improvement of the quality of their lives.

Dear friends,

Please remember that no individual can alone do much. We know the solutions to the problems that we encounter. However, the solutions demand nationwide endeavor, concentration and smart, efficient governance. The solutions also demand the true guiding power. Today, the Republican Party of Armenia is the developing power with its solid structures, young generation, and governing experience and finally with the Prime Minister who embodies the progress.

With all due respect to our opponents and competitors, we, the representatives of the Republican Party of Armenia, believe that we will win, because we believe in the future of our country as well as in the great potential of our people. Be confident, that we will become the most effective, fast developing and secure country in the region. And we commence our campaign to provide the people and the country with the SECURITY and PROGRESS.

Thank you.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond (C) said it would be "reckless" to go on a spending splurge, as Britain needed economic resilience as it gets ready to leave the EU

Finance minister Philip Hammond said Sunday he would keep chopping away at the deficit to get Britain fit to face Brexit, as he prepares to deliver his budget on Wednesday.

Hammond insisted it would be "reckless" to go on a spending splurge, as Britain needed to build up its economic resilience as it gets ready to leave the European Union.

Prime Minister Theresa May is due to start two years of divorce negotiations with Brussels by the end of the month.

"As we prepare to start our negotiations to leave the European Union and plan how we will make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead, my budget on Wednesday will set out the next steps to creating a stronger, fairer and better Britain," Hammond wrote in The Sunday Times newspaper.

"As we begin our negotiations with the EU we are embarking on a new chapter in our history.

"We need to maintain our commitment to fiscal discipline and to strengthen our economic position as we forge our vision of Britain's future in the world."

The chancellor of the exchequer said that when the centre-right Conservatives entered government in 2010, Britain was borrowing one pound in every five spent but the deficit was now down by nearly two-thirds.

"We must, as a country, ensure we get back to living within our means," he said, insisting that he would stick to his planned trajectory of reducing borrowing.

"There are still some voices calling for massive borrowing to fund huge spending sprees. That approach is not only confused, it's reckless, unsustainable and unfair on our young people, who would be left to deal with the consequences," he said.

- Youth skills training revamp -

In his budget, Hammond will unveil a revamp of skills training for 16 to 19-year-olds, the Treasury announced.

The current 13,000-odd technical education qualifications will be replaced by a more streamlined model of 15 designed better to suit the needs of students and businesses.

The government will work with employers and colleges to design the routes.

Story continues

The move is aimed at putting technical qualifications on a level footing with the academic qualifications open to 16 to 18-year-olds.

The plans involve increasing the amount of training by more than 50 percent to more than 900 hours a year.

The new qualifications will be rolled out from 2019-20 and 500 million ($615 million, 580 million euros) will be ploughed into them annually.

The Sunday Times said measures expected to be in the budget include a three percent payroll tax rise for self-employed workers to 12 percent; minimum pricing for cigarettes; a continuing freeze in fuel duty, and broadband Internet vouchers for small businesses.
Heres what the EU travel ban means for Americans abroad, if it goes through

On Thursday, members of the European Parliament voted to approve a resolution that calls for United States citizens to have visas before traveling to any country in the European Union. Currently, Americans can freely go to Europe on only a U.S. passport. This could totally change that, but its important to understand the real deal.

Heres a breakdown of what that means.

Why is the EU doing this?

Some experts suggest that the action is occurring because of US rules on travel by EU citizens. As it is now, EU citizens can come to the U.S. without a visa, unless theyre citizens of one of these five countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, Romania, and Cyprus. So the European Parliament may be getting the European Commission to issue sanctions on U.S. travel until they cooperate.

Why does the U.S. exempt those countries from visa-free travel?

The simple answer is that the U.S. thinks these countries have not met the requirements to be entered into the visa waiver program. Of course, foreign diplomacy is very complicated. There are many factors at play, including the fact that some of these countries are still relatively new to the EU. The Telegraph received this response from a State Department official:

The program is open to countries that have very low non-immigrant visitor visa refusal rates and immigration violations, issue secure travel documents, and work closely with U.S. law enforcement and security authorities.

What does it mean for travel?

In the short term, not a lot. The European Parliament resolution calls for the European Commission to start taking legal measures within two months. But that deadline isnt finite, CNN reports. If the Commission complies, a 2-year ticking clock to remove Americas visa waiver status starts.

As Uproxx reports, we may get a preview as to how the policy is implemented, as the EU handles the time-sensitive issue of UK visitors entering when Brexit takes full effect.

In the long term, travel obstacles hurt tourism on both sides. But as Uproxx points out, the U.S. has more to lose. 12.6 million American tourists visited Europe in 2015, out of 607.7 million tourists in Europe overall. Meanwhile, 14 million Europeans visited the U.S. out of just 75 million total. That gives the EU more bargaining power.

On principle alone, the loss of free movement without visas would be a blow to how we live now. On the other hand, maybe thats how Poland and Romania feel. Regardless, this issue will be an interesting test of how the US government responds to a diplomatic problem.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The leader of the centre-right bloc in the European Parliament threatened on Sunday to expel a Polish politician who has been nominated by Warsaw to replace fellow-Pole Donald Tusk as chair of European Union summit meetings. In a sign of mounting frustration among fellow Europeans with the right-wing government in Warsaw, Manfred Weber said in a statement that the conservative EPP, the biggest group in the EU legislature, would expel Jacek Saryusz-Wolski if he did not drop the bid to replace Tusk, which many diplomats see as farcical. EU leaders are expected to give Tusk, a former Polish prime minister from the centre-right Civic Platform (PO), a second 30-month term as president of their European Council during a summit in Brussels on Thursday. Until Saturday, no other candidate had emerged. By tradition any challenger would be expected to be a sitting or recently retired government leader. All members except Poland have backed Tusk. However, the current Warsaw government run by Tusk's right-wing opponents, the Law and Justice party (PiS) headed by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, has insisted Tusk should not be reappointed. On Saturday, it nominated Saryusz-Wolski, a PO lawmaker who sits in the European Parliament in Weber's EPP group. Weber, an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said on Sunday that the EPP continued to back Tusk, also an EPP member, and said it would expel Saryusz-Wolski if he did not drop out. "Donald Tusk ... enjoys unanimous support from the entire EPP party family," Weber said in a statement. "It is symptomatic that the Polish government once again pursues only a Polish domestic policy agenda and has completely abandoned any constructive ambition at European level. Every further attack on Donald Tusk will only jeopardize Polish interests in Europe." Under PiS, Poland, by far the biggest ex-Communist country in the EU, has been criticized by Brussels for attempting to curb the powers of the constitutional court and the media. Diplomats said the dispute over Tusk was unwelcome for nearly every other government. The chances of them naming another Pole to succeed him are virtually zero. Even putting that aside, few see the little known Saryusz-Wolski as credible. Nonetheless, Kaczynski's attack on Tusk creates a diplomatic embarrassment at a time when the EU is struggling to reaffirm its unity and credibility after Britain's vote to quit. Legally, no state has a veto. Tusk's reappointment can be confirmed by a majority vote. In 2014, the Council overrode fierce objections from then British Prime Minister David Cameron to appoint Jean-Claude Juncker president of the EU executive. However, diplomats say that leaders place greater store on finding a consensus choice when it comes to the presidency of their own summit institution, and would prefer not to vote on it. (Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Federal ministers see the asylum seeker situation on the ground in Emerson, Man.

As the number of asylum seekers crossing into Canada surges, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale pledged cash for the small Manitoba town most affected by the influx and said the federal government will continue to watch the situation.

"At this moment it's simply not physically possible to predict what that flow will be some weeks down the road," he said.

- Full coverage: Refugees at the Canada-U.S. border

Goodale was joined by Manitoba MP and Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr on Saturday to observe what's happening on the ground in the town on the U.S.-Canada border.

He said all levels of government are communicating with each other about the influx of people.

"The reaction of the community has been truly inspiring and I really want to say on behalf of the prime minister and the government of Canada and most importantly all Canadians that you have represented the very best instincts and values of Canadians in responding," Goodale said.

Manitoba RCMP said Saturday they have come into contact with 183 people entering into Manitoba somewhere other than an official border crossing so far in 2017. That number doesn't include asylum seekers who may have walked over without coming into contact with police.

From Tuesday to Friday alone, RCMP intercepted 40 people. Twenty-four people crossed on Friday and of them, 14 were still waiting at the Emerson border Saturday for processing, according to Rita Chahal, the executive director of Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council, which works with asylum seekers.

"I am here to see the situation on the ground, to understand the exact physical and logistical circumstances," Goodale told reporters at the community's fire hall on Saturday morning.

$30K for volunteer fire department

Goodale said meeting with people in Emerson will help the government anticipate the flow of asylum seekers into the future and appreciate what the local community, RCMP, Canada Border Services Agency and first responders have had to deal with as the flow of asylum seekers continues to grow.

Story continues

On Saturday, Goodale announced that Emerson would receive $30,000 so the community's "normal budget is not depleted by these extraordinary circumstances." The town had already used one-third of its fire department budget specifically to respond to asylum seekers.

For the time being, Goodale added that no extra resources were necessary for RCMP and CBSA because the agencies were able to reallocate resources internally.

Greg Janzen, the reeve of Emerson, said he has been happy with the response from all levels of government. Since the major surge in asylum seekers began about a month ago, he has been in constant communication with the province and the federal government, he said.

The extra funds for the community will cover the current pressures put on the community's 21-member volunteer fire department, but Janzen said he has been assured that if the refugee flow continues, so will the funding.

"There is no cap on it right now, there is no end to it," he said. "I have [it] in good faith, I am confident that our costs will be covered."

Settling asylum seekers

In Winnipeg, Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council, which runs Welcome Place, a newcomer resettlement agency, made a public appeal for $300,000 to pay for the costs associated with the influx of asylum seekers on Saturday.

Goodale said Ahmed Hussen, minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, has been in touch with settlement agencies in Winnipeg and across the country to assess the situation.

"The assessment is being undertaken by the immigration department and they will be in touch with all of their partners in the private sector and among the civil society groups," he said.

Premier Brian Pallister has also sent a letter to Justin Trudeau calling for more resources, as the province is under pressure because of the surge in asylum seekers.

In the letter obtained by CBC News dated Feb. 21, the premier wrote that the rising number of refugee claimants entering Manitoba is having a significant impact in a number of areas  in particular, on the caseloads of Legal Aid Manitoba, which provides legal assistance from the initiation of the refugee claim to the completion of the process.

Goodale said there have been conversations with the province and the premier, but the prime minister will respond the Pallister's letter.

No changes to border, Goodale says

For people worried about safety, Goodale said the integrity of the border is being maintained. Each day, about 400,000 people cross the border and it handles $2.5 billion in trade, so the hundreds of asylum seekers need to be seen in the total context, Goodale added.

"I want to make the point that all Canadian laws are being enforced. That is an absolute fundamental in these circumstances," he said.

"It is the longest most open international boundary quite frankly in the history of the world and one of the most successful," Goodale added.

Asylum seekers have been walking through snow-covered fields, often in frigid temperatures, to reach Canada.

They've been using an exception in the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement, which allows refugee claims from people who've entered the country somewhere other than an official port of entry.

Under the agreement, refugee claimants are required to request refugee protection in the first safe country they arrive in  meaning would-be claimants arriving at an official border crossing from the U.S. would be turned back.

There have been calls to suspend the agreement, but Goodale said there are still no plans to move in that direction.

"Safe Third is an agreement that has served Canada very well over the course of the last 10 to 15 years. It has proven to be an effective and compassionate tool and the immigration department, at this stage, has no basis to doubt its continued efficacy," he said.

Manitoba Conservative MP for Provencher Ted Falk put out a news release in response to Goodale's visit, calling for more action to protect the border.

Falk said the prime minister should publicly say if he opposes the irregular border crossings and "immediately close the loophole which is allowing for this abuse of our Canadian generosity."
Two months ago, Zsombor Toth was in the midst of a six-week vacation in Thailand with a good friend.

Now, he's fighting for his life in a Chiang Mai hospital  and if he's able to recover, his family doesn't know if a massive medical bill awaits them.

"Nothing is going to be the same, and he's not going to be the same," said his father Stefan.



In late January, the family says Zsombor had a motorbike accident, resulting in a severe head injury and leaving him in a coma for weeks. After four operations, he's regained consciousness, but a piece of his brain had to be removed and his condition is still critical.

"There's no reflex, he's not moving. He's able to move his eye ... just his left eye a little bit," he said.

Stefan says Zsombor told him he purchased travel insurance prior to leaving, but after weeks of searching, his family hasn't been able to find a policy number.

'Make copies and keep them with you'

It's the type of potential medical nightmare that many Canadian tourists end up in every year, says Will McAleer, president of the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada.

"Whatever types of activities you plan, you want to make sure those types of activities are also going to be covered under your travel insurance policy," he said, adding that this particular case shows the value of making copies of travel insurance and leaving them with loved ones.

"For typical travelers you want to make copies and keep them with you in your personal effects as well so you have those numbers when you need them the most."

Zsombor's family has hired a lawyer to gain access to his bank accounts and credit cards to see if he did in fact buy insurance.

The cost to fly him home when he's released is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands.

"Your travel documents, the contact numbers for your assistance company, I would rank that up there as being right along the same parallel as your passport," said McAleer.

With files from Brenna Rose
Demonstrators opposing Motion 103 to condemn Islamophobia clashed with counter-demonstrators in Edmonton on Saturday afternoon, resulting in one person being taken away in handcuffs.

Counter-demonstrators said their "block party," which drew more than 100 people, disbanded to protect those who came out as tensions rose.

"When we kind of see those different escalations ... we see that this isn't a safe space for our community," said Quetzala Carson.

Carson said the decision to break things up came after one the demonstrators supporting the Canadian Coalition of Concerned Citizens' opposition to Motion 103 ripped down one of the group's banners promoting immigration and LGBTQ rights.

Another demonstrator from that side passed the banner back, but Carson said counter-demonstrators decided to pack up.

Police said the person handcuffed and removed from the crowd was not charged though he was given a bylaw ticket.

As the counter-demonstrators were leaving, demonstrators chanted: "Hey hey, ho ho, Justin Trudeau's got to go."

Remaining counter-demonstrators responded: "Love is good, all the time."

Dion Park, with the Canadian Sentinel, said many of the demonstrators who came out against Motion 103 shared values with the Canadian Coalition of Concerned Citizens, but that many were there because of broader concerns regarding federal policy-making.

"We've got a lot of issues. Our Liberal government, they do not have our best interest," he said.

Park said he sees the demonstration and counter-demonstration as dialogue.

"Sounds like conversation to me," he said. "Just bring the ideas forward, maybe make a little bit of awareness."

Motion 103 calls on the government to condemn Islamophobia and was introduced by Liberal MP Iqra Khalid last fall.

The motion is not a bill and will not become law if the parliament supports it.
Executions have been set for (top row, from left) Kenneth Williams,

Jack Jones Jr., Marcell Williams, Bruce Earl Ward, and (bottom row, from

left) Don Davis, Stacey Johnson, Jason McGehee and Ledelle Lee.

For more than a decade, the state of Arkansas did not put to death a single condemned inmate. Next month, it will execute 8





Gov. Asa Hutchinson moved this week to reactivate the state's death chamber after a request by Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge to go ahead with the sentences. The governor ordered the executions on Monday.





No inmate in the state of Arkansas has been put to death since convicted killer Eric Randall Nance died by lethal injection more than 11 years ago. Following his execution, the state's death chamber remained dormant amid legal and operational challenges.





The effective deactivation of capital punishment in Arkansas represented an abrupt halt in the state's practice, and followed a period in which nearly 30 inmates were executed between 1990 and Nance's death in November 2005.





Aside from legal maneuvers that argued capital punishment is unconstitutional, the state's department of correction has also had difficulties obtaining the necessary drugs to carry out executions -- an obstacle several states have encountered in recent years.





Hutchinson's reasoning for ordering the executions of all 8 death row inmates before May appears to stem from the fact that the state's supply of midazolam -- 1 of 3 drugs used in the lethal mixtures -- expires at the end of April. The drug has received intense scrutiny over claims it is often ineffective and has directly contributed to multiple cruelly botched executions.





Most compound pharmacies that in the past sold midazolam to states for executions have stopped making it available, on ethical grounds, leaving most prisons departments without a source for the powerful sedative.





The men marked for death -- at an unprecedented rate of 2 per day for 4 days -- are Don Davis, Bruce Earl Ward, Ledelle Lee, Stacey Johnson, Marcell Williams, Jack Jones, Jr., Jason McGehee and Kenneth Williams. Davis and Ward are scheduled for April 17, Lee and Johnson on April 20, Williams and Jones on April 24 and McGehee and Williams on April 27.





"The Arkansas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty is outraged by ... plans to carry out 8 executions within the span of 10 days in April," the group said. "This planned mass execution is grotesque."





Attorneys for the men have so far unsuccessfully appealed to state and federal courts seeking a stay of execution. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the inmates' arguments that Arkansas' execution statutes, amended in 2015, are unlawful. After that refusal, Arkansas' high court promptly ended a stay it granted last summer and Rutledge asked Hutchinson to schedule the death sentences.





"This action is necessary to fulfill the requirement of the law, but it is also important to bring closure to the victims' families who have lived with the court appeals and uncertainty for a very long time," Hutchinson said.





An amended challenge from the inmates' lawyers, filed last week, claims that states' uses of midazolam do not have the intended effect during executions, saying the drug masks "torture by paralyzing the subject as he is burned alive from the inside." It is intended to sedate the prisoner before 2 more drugs are introduced to paralyze and kill them. The 2nd drug, pancuronium bromide, paralyzes the inmate and the 3rd, potassium chloride, stops the heart.





"Unless the prisoner is unconscious, then drugs 2 and 3 will cause pain -- torturous punishment, in violation of the Eighth Amendment, and state guarantees against cruel and unusual punishment," Jeff Rosenzweig, an attorney for the prisoners, said.





The Supreme Court refused to hear the challenges because it previously stipulated that any legal challenge opposing a state's use of midazolam in lethal injections must identify other available chemicals that can be used instead.





Rosenzweig said there's a high probability that a botched execution will happen if Arkansas goes through with the sentences next month.





"The idea of killing that many people in that short a time period evokes an assembly line," he said.

Midazolam in executions lineup

State set to use drug linked to botched killings elsewhere

The sleep-inducing drug that would be the 1st of 3 used to kill 8 Arkansas inmates next month has been the subject of lawsuits and national ethics debates after some botched executions in several states.





The contention, by the inmates' attorneys as well as death penalty opponents, is that midazolam is inadequate at blocking the pain caused by the subsequent drugs used to kill -- vecuronium bromide, a paralytic that inhibits breathing, and potassium chloride, to stop the heart.





In bungled executions using midazolam in recent years in Oklahoma, Ohio, Arizona and Alabama, the condemned prisoners eventually died, but the prolonged procedures lasted from 30 minutes to nearly 2 hours.





Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge has successfully defended the state's 3-drug protocol, established by Act 1096 of 2015, in the state's highest court.





In late February, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal by the state's prisoners, prompting Gov. Asa Hutchinson to schedule the executions for mid-April.





Lawmakers and Arkansas officials pushing for the executions to proceed have noted that it has been more than a decade since the state carried out its highest form of punishment, leaving the victims' families in limbo.





In court documents, attorneys for Rutledge's office pointed to a U.S. Supreme Court precedent that prisoners must provide a "known and available" alternative to the midazolam protocol when protesting its use.





A spokesman for Rutledge declined to make her available for comment for this article, citing the possibility of further legal challenges by the inmates.





"The concerns you read about are always, 'It may, or it maybe or it could," said Rep. Doug House, R-North Little Rock, who sponsored the legislation that became Act 1096. "No expert has ever come out and said it doesn't work."





Midazolam belongs to the class of drugs called benzodiazepines, a group of psychoactives. The best-known of these is Valium, used to treat anxiety.





Beyond its link to executions, midazolam is widely known in the medical field for its general use as a sedative, and occasionally for inducing anesthesia, according to Dr. Joseph Sanford, an assistant professor of anesthesiology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.





Working on receptors in the brain, Sanford said, midazolam causes "hypnosis and amnesia," meaning it will make the patient sleepy and prevent him from forming memories, with doses of as much as 2 milligrams. For the average patient, 14 milligrams would be enough to put him out for 80 minutes, he said.





Because it is not an anesthetic, Sanford said, when midazolam is used to put patients under for surgery, it is usually combined with a pain reliever -- often an opiate -- to prevent the physical reactions associated with pain.





"Midazolam does not block pain," Sanford said.





Before the introduction of midazolam in death penalty procedures in 2013, many states -- Arkansas 1 of them -- used barbiturates as either the 1st in a 3-drug cocktail or as the sole drug in lethal injections, according to Megan McCracken, an attorney with the Death Penalty Clinic at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law.





As U.S. manufacturers of those drugs shut down and European providers refused to sell them to prisons, many states switched to midazolam, McCracken said. While barbiturates are still legal as a single-drug method of execution in Arkansas, court filings indicate that the state has had little success in procuring them.





In 2014, Oklahoma's execution of Clayton Lockett, using midazolam as the 1st of 3 drugs, took 43 minutes. It was later discovered that paramedics and a doctor struggled to properly place an IV line in Lockett, according to the Tulsa World.





Several months later, Arizona executed Joseph Wood using a mixture of midazolam and an opiate, hydromorphone, as the 1st injection. That execution also went awry, according to news reports and Wood's attorney, Dale Baich, who was a witness to the death.





"After 10 minutes or so, his mouth opened wide, and he gasped," Baich told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. "He was gulping and gasping and struggling to breathe, and that went on for the next hour and 47 minutes."





Last year, Arizona agreed to stop using midazolam in its lethal injections. Oklahoma executed another inmate using midazolam in 2015 but has not carried out the death penalty since.





The lack of a different drug may affect Arkansas' ability to carry out the 8 executions next month.





The Department of Correction's batch of potassium chloride -- the final dose of the 3-drug protocol -- expired in January, and officials have yet to announce a new supply. However, Hutchinson told reporters last week that he was confident the drug could be obtained before April 17, when the first 2 executions are scheduled.





Under Hutchinson's schedule, the executions will be carried out in pairs over a period of 10 days. McCracken said she is concerned that the pace of the executions will put pressure on prison officials, increasing the likelihood of a botched execution.





Hutchinson told reporters that he was left with no choice other than to schedule the executions in quick order.





Arkansas has not executed anyone since 2005, in part because of legal challenges and the difficulty in obtaining execution drugs. Hutchinson said that has created a "backlog" on death row. There is also a small window of time to carry out the executions before the prison's supply of midazolam expires at the end of April.





"I'd love to have those extended over a period of multiple months and years, but that's not the circumstances that I find myself in," Hutchinson said. "The families of the victims that have endured this for so many years deserve this conclusion."





Citing the deaths of Lockett and Wood, as well as prolonged executions in Alabama and Ohio, the Arkansas inmates filed an amended appeal in Pulaski County Circuit Court last week seeking to have the midazolam protocol declared "cruel and unusual punishment."





Their pleas -- citing testimony from an Oklahoma State University pharmacology professor -- claims midazolam fails to negate the experiences of "pain, panic and suffocation" from the subsequent paralytic, followed by the "burning pain" of potassium chloride.





The state's execution protocol specifies that the condemned be given two doses of midazolam totaling 500 milligrams. Sanford, the UAMS anesthesiologist, said that at that level, the normal effects of the sedative would be "profound," but it would be impossible to say what the experience would be like when combined with the subsequent lethal drugs.





"Whether the patient still experiences pain under anesthesia is still an area of active research, surprisingly," Sanford said.

Arkansas plan to execute 8 men over 10 days 'unprecedented'

8 men are scheduled to be executed by lethal injection in Arkansas in the space of just 10 days, according to Gov. Asa Hutchinson's office.





The state -- which has not put anyone to death for 11 years -- plans to execute the men in pairs between April 17 and April 27.





"This action is necessary to fulfill the requirement of the law," Gov. Hutchinson said in a statement sent to CNN on Thursday. "But it is also important to bring closure to the victims' families who have lived with the court appeals and uncertainty for a very long time."





So many executions in such a short amount of time is "unprecedented" in the United States, a spokesman for a group that monitors US executions said.





Since the resumption of the use of the death penalty in 1977, only twice has a state conducted 8 executions in a single calendar month, said Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. That was Texas in May and June of 1977. But,"No state has ever conducted 8 executions over a 10-day period," Dunham said.





31 states currently administer the death penalty and lethal injection is the primary means of execution in all of them. The number of executions carried out in the United States fell to a 25-year low in 2016.





Death penalty opponents were quick to criticize the planned executions.





"The Arkansas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (ACADP) is outraged by ... plans to carry out 8 executions within the span of 10 days in April," the organization said. "This planned mass execution is grotesque and unprecedented."





Attorneys for the 8 men are attempting to block the executions.





They argue that Midazolam -- the drug used to render inmates unconscious before they are given 2 more drugs that paralyze and kill them -- does not effectively keep those being executed from experiencing a painful death.





The 2nd drug, pancuronium bromide, paralyzes the inmate. The 3rd, potassium chloride, brings on cardiac arrest and stops the heart.





"Unless the prisoner is unconscious, then drugs 2 and 3 will cause pain -- torturous punishment, in violation of the Eighth Amendment, and state guarantees against cruel and unusual punishment," said Jeffrey Rosenzweig, an attorney for 3 of the inmates.





He pointed to what he said were "botched executions" in several states that also involved Midazolam.





Most recently an execution in Alabama rekindled the debate regarding lethal injection. During his execution, Ronald B. Smith, reportedly "appeared to be struggling for breath and heaved and coughed and clenched his left fist," according to reporting by AL.com.





Reports also have emerged from executions in Oklahoma, Ohio and Arizona that inmates visibly struggled -- and possibly woke up -- after the final two injections were administered. "Midazolam may put you to sleep initially," Dunham told CNN, "but it doesn't render you insensate."





Dunham said the succession of so many executions raises the risk of something going wrong.





"To attempt 8 executions with Midazolam -- including 4 multiple executions -- is unheard of and reckless," Dunham told CNN.





Rosenzweig said the attorneys have also asked for clarification of whether or not a previously granted stay of execution is still in effect in Arkansas.





The stay was put in place while nine inmates asked the US Supreme Court to review an Arkansas Supreme Court decision to uphold the statutes that outline the state's execution protocol.





The high court declined to hear the case last week, and Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said at the time in a press release that the decision cleared the path for executions to resume.





Supply of "heart-stopping" drug expired last month





It remains unclear whether or not the Arkansas Department of Corrections will be able to go ahead with the executions as planned.





Rosenzweig said any of the inmates could file last-minute challenges or appeals. The state also is missing one of the drugs required in the execution procedure.





According to Solomon Graves, a spokesman for the state corrections' department, Arkansas' supply of potassium chloride -- the final drug to be administered -- expired last month. But Gov. Hutchinson's spokesman, JR Davis, said the governor "is confident in the department's ability to procure the expired drug."





Graves also said that the state's supply of Midazolam is set to expire in April 2017. Critics including the ACADP say the state is racing to execute the inmates before the drug expires. "This expiration date is directly linked to the state's urgency to execute 8 men in 10 days," the ACADP said.





Arkansas code allows execution by electrocution if the state is unable to use lethal injection, though Rosenzweig thinks that would be difficult. "I think the general consensus is electrocution is cruel and unusual punishment," he said. "If they attempt to do that, that's going to engender other challenges."





The controversy surrounding the use of Midazolam has been brewing for several years.





In 2010, European drug manufacturers began to ban exports of the cocktail ingredients to the United States.





The following year, concerned about the use of sodium thiopental in executions, Illinois-based Hospira stopped making the drug, and Denmark-based Lundbeck banned US prisons from using its pentobarbital.





The United Kingdom also introduced a ban on exporting sodium thiopental, and the European Union also has taken an official stance -- by approving trade restrictions on goods used for capital punishment and torture.





States have since turned to Midazolam as a substitute, but Dunham said there is no clear reason why. "There has been a herd mentality when it comes to execution drugs and procedures," he said, and after one state was able to carry out an execution using Midazolam, others followed.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



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Source: United Press International, March 4, 2017Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 3, 2017Source: CNN, March 3, 2017
Dress sharply and professionally.

RESEARCH.

Before you visit, think about how you would answer the "Why I want to go to school X" question.

Take notes.

Uh, have FUN?

send a thank-you note to anyone you met with from the admissions office

Once upon a time, the founders met countless admissions committee members from schools in the US and Europe at different recruiting events and conferences. One particularly surprising insight was shared repeatedly. Many adcom members (especially those in Europe) revealed they would NEVER admit someone who didnt visit the campus.Whoa.What if they cant afford it? we always asked. Their standard reply time and time again: business school is expensive and if they can afford b-school, they can afford a visit. A visit was hard evidence this person really wanted to attend, and that they took the time to really get to KNOW the school.The bottom line, obviously, is that schools visits are important. The value you get from them is unquantifiable. We wont say "visiting will get you in -- you cant strike out on the application and expect a visit to save you - but its a good and important step in this whole process nonetheless.Stepping foot on campus (vs. just reading about it on the interwebs) will make you confident about your choices, knowledgeable about the school, and will expand your network. Plus, its just fun. I mean, gosh, go hang out on a college campus for a day or two? Yes please!And lets be honest - if you're gonna drop $200K on a school and spend 2 years there... you should check out the goods first, right? Get a little consultation? Who spends that kind of money on something theyve never seen?So, yeah, you should make some time to pop on over to the schools on your shortlist. But before you do, make sure you know how to make the most of that trip:This isnt undergrad, folks, so leave the sweats at home. And even if youd wear jeans to class as a student, dont do so as a guest. The aim is to impress, after all, so business casual is appropriate.Don't fall for the tempting idea that youll "learn stuff when you get there. Find out all you can about this school BEFORE you go, and show up familiar with the program. Additionally, go with some goals - maybe to see a specific professor in action, to see how a club works, or to chat with students from your country/desired industry.And when youre there, taking in the scenery, take notes on anything (personal OR professional) that might be of use in your essays. This will absolutely come in handy later. You can work your findings into your essays to prove to the school that you've done your research and that you're serious about attending, and you can "name drop" people that you met and professors you listened to.Write down the name of EVERY person (student, alumni, faculty, administrator) you meet, what you talked about, and anything else about them (age, profession, country of origin, etc.) After a visit or two, all those faces and buildings and programs are going to blend together, and the last thing you want to do is profess your love for Dardens cluster program.in a letter to MIT.This isnt a work trip, folks. At least not ALL work. Its about figuring out where you want to spend the next 1-2 years. So live it up. And soak it up. All of it - the people, the community, the program, the atmosphere, the scene. Get out there, try the school on and see how it fits.And when you leave, a clearer picture in your mind,(no need to thank professorsunless you want to) This is a classy move (wahoo!) if you do it right. So make it brief. Dont overdo it or attempt to sell yourself. This isnt an application, after all. Just thank them for their time and sign off.Then head home and start working on those essays.
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
On 3-5 October 2017 Kyiv is going to host the Space and Future Forum to network international experts and youth, many of whom will also participate at the first CosmoHack in the world. Joinfo provides media coverage of the Forum, and some of its topics were already discussed ...
At 93, Joe Hucke is only three years into retirement from the company he helped build in Columbus, Timberweld Manufacturing.

He took a small company in rural Montana and made it national, building and selling wood beams for churches and commercial buildings across the United States. For more than 60 years, Timberweld was one of Stillwater Countys largest employers.

We had a lot of tenacity, Hucke said last week in an interview at his Billings home.

This month, Hucke and his family are saying goodbye to Timberweld, which launched after World War II in rural Montana.

The company shut down in the fall of 2015, and Timberlands main building, land and rail spur on Clough Avenue were put up for sale Wednesday during a live auction. The companys equipment will be sold at online auction later this month.

The Huckes almost had a deal to sell to another wood products company, but it fell through when the buyer hit a rough patch, said Doug Hucke, Joes son and Timberwelds president for more than a dozen years.

The building and property could still be used to support manufacturing jobs, provided the right buyer steps in, he said.

For Joe Hucke, Timberweld is all memories now.

Hucke stopped working out of the Billings office after suffering a broken hip. He moves slowly with a walker now, and hes mostly deaf in his right ear.

But Huckes mind remains sharp, particularly when he looks through old photographs of Timberweld projects from across the country.

Among his favorites was a home in California, built in the late 1990s around the tech boom. Pictures show a structure with tall, curved beams, a challenge to design to meet the specifics of the buyer, Joe said.

He wanted every beam to be different, and they were, Joe said with a chuckle.

Another project was Exploration Place, the air and space museum in Wichita, Kan., which Hucke called his most gratifying experience.

He also has old photos of Cabelas stores, which, in their early days, featured Timberweld beams. (Ironically, the Billings store, the closest to the plant, did not.)

But Timberweld beams are inside all sorts of other buildings in and around Billings. There are roughly a dozen churches, the atrium inside Rimrock Mall, the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch, and the Reef indoor water park on Billings West End.

Timberweld was started in Broadview in 1953 by Thelmer Mosdal. Hucke and his longtime partner, Ralph Heiken, were early investors, and they helped move the business to Columbus in the late 1950s.

We didnt have a big industry. It was a small industry at the time, Hucke said.

The company began making curved wooden beams for barns, which were popping up all over the region in the post-war boom years.

Timberweld later shifted to churches, who liked the style of the curved, laminated beams spanning the inside of the steeple.

Hucke handled the marketing side, while his partner, Heiken, was the plant manager in Columbus. An Army Air Corps pilot in World War II, Hucke put his flying skills to use, traveling all over the country to meet with clients and build the Timberweld brand.

In 1983, Hucke bought out Heiken and took over the business.

At its peak, Timberweld took in $6 million to $12 million annually in revenue and had a payroll of about 70, mostly in Columbus, Hucke said. The company operated sales offices nationwide, mostly in the Midwest.

In the 1990s, Timberweld ran into trouble through no fault of its own. The Environmental Protection Agency named the company a potentially responsible party for a chromium spill on land it had previously leased from the city of Columbus for storage.

Timberweld was later cleared of responsibility for the spill, which occurred before the company leased the land. Doug Hucke said the company lost money on legal fees that could have been invested in expanding the business.

At the turn of the century, churches began to slow their building, which cut into demand for Timberweld products. Then the recession hit in 2008, dealing a fatal blow for many builders and sending Timberweld into a tailspin.

It was tragic. Thats the reason we had the sale, Hucke said.

His son added, Commercial construction and church construction took a terrible hit. The people who specialized in this work, roughly half of them shut their doors.

The Huckes gave a lot to Timberweld, but they say theyre keeping their emotions in check while the last remnants of the company are sold at auction. For now, theres too much to do, and too little time for melancholy, they said.

Theres a lot of work in shutting down a business in terms of closing accounts and preparing property for a sale, Doug said.

Timberweld survived as long as it did because the Huckes say they kept a personal touch in the business.

I think it was the service. The contractors, the church builders, they all knew our drivers. Wed help them with architectural plans. Wed provide a lot of free service, and, in turn, earned some loyalty, Doug Hucke said.
The Sunday Times reported that investment bankers are looking at MTN as a potential takeover target.

Citing a company insider, the report stated that MTN has attracted interest from investment bankers  but no firm offer was on the table.

MTNs share price has plummeted from a high of over R260 a share in September 2014 to current levels of around R120 a share.

This made the company cheap to investors, who, according to Ashburton Fund Manager Wayne McCurrie, can pick up MTN at between R150 and R160 a share.

MTNs troubles may be behind it

MTN has faced many challenges over the last two years, including a large regulatory fine in Nigeria, foreign exchange losses, and losing money because of poor investments.

During this period, the company cleaned house. MTNs new CEO Rob Shuter will join the operator on 13 March, while new CFO Ralph Mupita will join the company in April.

MTN executive chairman Phuthuma Nhleko said the company has ensured it will avoid a rerun of its Nigerian regulatory problems.

There is nothing  that we are aware of  that is a big regulatory issue, said Nhleko.

In South Africa, the company has invested heavily in its network and is turning around its fortunes with subscriber and revenue growth.

MTNs subscribers in South Africa now total 30.8 million, with increases driven by the prepaid segment  which sits at 25.6 million.

MTN SAs annual revenue totals R42 billion, fueled by an increase of 1.9% in service revenue and growth of 11.4% in data revenue.

MTN share price over the past 5 years

Now read: MTN wins with better network and smartphone sales
The tech giant Nokia has announced plans to release a new version of the old classic 3310 mobile phone.

The original handset was popular at the turn of the century. The revised version will be a simple device that can make phone calls and send text messages, and not much else apart from play the cult game of Snake.

So why would a phone company move away from the traditional route of making smart phones more smart and opt for this retro technology?

We tend to appreciate technology if it allows us to lead an easier life by relieving us from undesirable, laborious human-work.

Think about this next time you push the auto sensor button to cook your microwave meal, random play your digital music collection or look on with astonished fear as experts talk of the potentials of artificial intelligence (AI).

Herein lies a conundrum: the more human-work we outsource to technology through advances driven by automation and digitisation, the further we distance ourselves from our innate human existence.

The desire for control

While many of us are grateful for technological progress, the apparent recoil of others is hard to miss. Take the enthusiasts of instant-print Polaroid cameras and SLR film cameras.

Others seem to enjoy typing on a typewriter, and probably take pleasure in using white-out to correct typos. The security benefits of typewriters aside, why would anyone use a technology that mesmerised writer Mark Twain nearly 150 years ago?

There is also the resurgence of vinyl records and revival of cassette tapes.

These playback formats were replaced by supposedly better technologies, such as the CD and MP3, precisely because the latter made our lives easier through downloading or streaming music with a handheld device.

So why do people yearn for technologies of a bygone era?

The love of vinyl

To answer this question, we conducted a rigorous, quantitative study of discussions appearing on a prominent online LP-related forum, Vinyl Engine.

We monitored the conversations of LP users and analysed their expressed sentiments over an eight-year period.

We captured a total of 222,584 messages written by 193,779 members, comprising about 20 million words (equivalent to about 200 full-length fiction novels).

Our results paint a stimulating picture of contemporary vinyl users.

They are individuals who like to express a much higher degree of control and interaction than modern technologies would allow them.

They are technically competent and sophisticated, and willing to spend quite a bit of money to enjoy using and interacting with the technology.

They appreciate the essence of a technology rather than just wanting something to get the job done.

In other words, vinyl enthusiasts do not use the turntable technology in the conventional application-centered sense  that is, just to listen to the music.

Rather, they use it in a technology-centered sense; they chose to use the technology for its own sake.

Interestingly, we found that these individuals, whom we may describe as retro-adopters, are not that different from the early-adopters tech companies often target when launching their new products.

Early-adopters form a small but lucrative market segment because they are daring and risk-averse, have access to financial resources, and are able to deal with complexities embedded in technology.

These attributes make them willing and able to purchase new products  a perfect target for a tech company trying to get market traction.

A new market for retro-adopters

So could retro-adopters offer a lucrative business proposition to tech firms as well? Could Apple, Tesla or Nokia access the looming business potential in this market segment?

Our answer is a definitive yes, and here is how they could do it.

Step 1: Develop a new and improved product model for traditional market segments. It could be a new mobile phone with augmented reality applications or an autonomous electric car.

Step 2: Now focus on the retro-adopter segment by identifying product features that can be designed backwards. In other words, bring signature features of classic technology back into the new product.

For example, make sure the built-in camera of the smart phone requires plenty of optional manual settings such as aperture size and shutter speed. Or that the autonomous electric car requires some form of manual servicing and repairs along with manual map navigation.

Step 3: Implement a premium pricing scheme. While this may appear counterintuitive, our study indicates that retro-adopters are relatively price-insensitive. It is this aspect of the retro-segment  no matter how small it may be  that is likely to make it attractive for businesses.

If current technological trends do continue, we expect to see a larger number of retro-adopters in a wider scope of markets. This means businesses should probably start paying more attention to this segment by designing products for it.

Nokias revised 3310 handset is interesting, as at 49 (A$67) it is much cheaper than a new smart phone.

But it is new technology that should appeal to those who prefer a simpler design, longer battery and talk time and very limited internet access  so no (work) email or social media options.

The question that all these innovating firms face is what product features should they remove from human control and interaction (thus making our lives easier), and what features should be left in that require human intervention such as observation, modification, fixing and tinkering.

Striking this balance is imperative for satisfying our need to be in control, a fundamental aspect of being human, and for rekindling our appreciation of technology at the same time.

Ozgur Dedehayir, Lecturer in Innovation Management, Queensland University of Technology and Tomi Nokelainen, Research manager in strategic management, Abo Akademi University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Now read: The best new smartphone at Mobile World Congress
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The Armenian youth in Argentina held a demonstration during the afternoon of Friday 3 March in front of the Azerbaijani embassy on the 29th anniversary of the Armenian pogroms in the Azerbaijani cities of Sumgait, Baku and Kirovabad, Prensa Armenia reported.

The authoritarian regime of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev spends millions of petrodollars on events and publicity to wash away the image of his corrupt government while keeping the civilian population in extreme poverty and harassing and persecuting journalism and opposition, said Brenda Kechiyan, member of Armenian Youth Federation of South America in her speech.

A large number of members of the Armenian community came to support the demonstration, with a strong presence of Homenetmen scouts.

As opposed to a dictatorial regime that oppresses its population, which censures the press and systematically denies the Armenian Genocide along with Turkey, is the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, which in September 2016 celebrated 25 years of independence, democracy, of elected governments at the polls that work day by day to improve the quality of life of their people, added Kechiyan, who then asked for the freedom of Russian-Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin.

This is why today we call the international community, but above all the Argentine authorities, to recognize the self-determination of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh as a free and independent State, and to condemn denialism in all its forms.
Minister: Britain's government faces tough decisions

Boris Johnson from fighting for Conservative Party leader over fears of losing income

Greece slams Turkish authorities' temporary ban on Greek official's entry

Scientifically proven: EU is inscrutable

OPEC: To avoid unrestrained volatility we need to invest in oil

Turkmenistan becomes regional energy center

Kishida pledges to strengthen Japan's naval and military capabilities

Germany and eight other EU member states plan to expand sanctions against Iran

NYT: Kyiv plans total evacuation in case of power outage

Iran reveals new air defense missile

IRGC neutralizes terrorist group in southwestern Iran

Bahrain to continue building relations with Israel after Netanyahu's victory

Iran says it confiscated a large batch of U.S.-made munitions

Iran successfully launches Ghaem 100 rocket, making the US nervous

U.S. sends warplanes to Iran

Washington Post: US privately urges Ukraine to show willingness to negotiate with Russia

Parisien: French man wins  160 million in European lottery

U.S. decides to block number of seats on planes because of the increase in passenger weight

BMW M4 turned into a pickup truck

Blinken calls on Israel and Palestine to urgently de-escalate tensions

Romania signs deal with Norway for purchase of over 30 F-16 fighters

Stoltenberg: The alliance has no plans to change nuclear positions and deployments

Tagesschau: Nearly 200,000 people took part in strikes at industrial enterprises of Germany

Teenagers hacks Uzbekistan senate website

Artsakh Ombudsman: Azerbaijanis fired at tractor in Khramort village of Artsakh

Rally participants' statement: Artsakh can't be a part of Azerbaijan

Person accused of arson in Russia cafe confesses

Fars: Iranian Foreign Ministry reported UAV deliveries to Russia a few months before the start of the UAS

Bayramov: Azerbaijan, Armenia leaders next meeting will take place in Brussels this month

Unity rally of participants start march in downtown Yerevan

North Korea launches 4 ballistic missiles

Council of Border Guard Troops commanders discusses situation at CIS external borders

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan joins rally in downtown Yerevan

Russia oil, natural gas companies plan to collaborate with Iraq

Armenia army intelligence troops 30th anniversary is solemnly celebrated (PHOTOS)

Rally of unity in support of Karabakh kicks off in downtown Yerevan

Pentagon announces sending 8 NASAMS air defense systems to Ukraine

Armenian Apostolic Church Supreme Spiritual Council meeting ends, Armenia and Artsakh security discussed

Tropical Storm Nalgae death toll climbs to 155 in Philippines

Artak Beglaryan is appointed advisor to Artsakh Minister of State (PHOTOS)

US House committee extends deadline for Trump to produce documents on Capitol attack

Over 200 elephants die in Kenya amid drought

13 dead in cafe fire in Russia

Armenia Security Council chief to head for Poland, Netherlands, Lithuania

Rishi Sunak: State cannot fix all problems

Newspaper: To what extent Armenia adheres to sanctions on Russia?

Biden accuses Twitter of spewing lies

Newspaper: There are active political processes in Karabakh

Qatar FM slams hypocrisy of calls to boycott World Cup

France, Singapore and Switzerland begin joint testing of experimental digital currencies

Oil war is Biden's biggest mistake

Japan considers possible deployment of hypersonic missiles by 2030

Germany to install better air defense system over Defense Ministry buildings

Erdogan and Stoltenberg discuss war in Ukraine

Armenian MOD: Azerbaijani Armed Forces open fire in direction of Armenian positions

True cost of Europe's rejection of Russian gas

White House tries to explain Biden's statement about freeing Iran

Former Pakistani Prime Minister: Either we will have a peaceful revolution or a bloody one

Aramyan: Why are police officers' salaries increasing, while defense officers' are not?

Pentagon and U.S. weapons manufacturers to discuss Russia, human resources and supply chain

Ankara says U.S. may approve sale of F-16s to Turkey within few months

IMF: Turkey should tighten monetary policy and give the Central Bank more independence

Pope urges religious leaders to keep the world from brink of abyss

Putin awards Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II with Order of Honor

U.S. says G7 countries realize need for coordinated response to China

Round-the-clock curfew is introduced in Kherson

Borrell says they can't put China and Russia on same level

Olaf Scholz calls on China to influence Russia

G7 foreign ministers express 'unwavering commitment' to protecting Ukraine, criticized PRC and IRI

Political technologist explains why Pashinyan was elected chairman of board of ruling party in Armenia

Erdogan signs up for TikTok

China's army is constantly preparing for war amid provocative U.S. actions

Kalin: Armenia is constructive about normalization of relations

Poland asks EU to suspend fines

Putin: Situation in Ukraine was deadly for Russia

Portugal to test a four-day workweek

US embassy in Armenia issues statement ahead of November 5 protests in Yerevan

Dollar, euro go up in Armenia

Baku authorities once again refuse to allow PFPA to hold protest rally

Iranians commemorate anniversary of US embassy seizure

Richard Kauzlarich: Azerbaijan, Armenia FMs meeting in Washington 'will send message to Putin'

Russia ratifies protocol on requirements for length of service of EEU bodies' employees for pensions

Armenia deputy defense minister in Russia, discusses military cooperation

Yerevan receives proposal to hold Russia-Armenia-Azerbaijan interparliamentary talks

Health minister: We will work with fallen Armenia detainees relatives one more time after which bodies will be buried

Putin allows mobilization of citizens with unexpunged criminal record for serious crimes

Arnika, NESEHNUTI NGOs of Czech Rep. issue joint statement on plan to expand gold mine in Armenias Karaberd

Putin urges to evacuate civilians living in Kherson from the war zone

Iran parliament speaker to visit Armenia

Ruling force MP: Canada is opening embassy in Armenia because we are one of worlds most democratic countries

Girl with Armenian roots ends up in Vladimir orphanage

Erdogan says he has agreed with Putin to supply grain to needy countries for free

Armenia President, UK envoy agree to continue cooperation, close contacts

Armenia FM receives EU Monitoring Capacity

Spanish MPs don't approve agreement with Baku as a sign of solidarity with Armenia

Japan says North Korea may go ahead with nuclear test

Armenia government to allocate about $5M to Karabakh refugees support program

Belarusian border service: Border guards intercepts Ukrainian training drone

President appoints Ruben Vardanyan as Karabakh Minister of State

US embassy expresses concern about human rights violation in Azerbaijan
YEREVAN. - Congress-People's Party of Armenia (PPA) alliance presents not a simple election program, but one aimed at telling the truth to the society, head of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) faction, Levon Zurabyan, said at the ANC headquarters on Sunday.

Introducing the program, he noted that the authorities presented the Karabakh issue as resolved for years. ''But 18 years have passed, and all these fairly tales have started popping like bubbles. Our objective is not to get points from the voters, but show them the truth,'' Zurabyan said.

In his words, Armenia should become a different state. The MP also stressed the need for getting out of the situation, when the country is choking with economic blocade and conflicts.

''It is necessary to normalize the relations with Azerbaijan, and resolve the Karabakh issue so as to ensure the security of both Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, as well as the right of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic people to self-determination. This program based on the Madrid Principle, which the Armenian authorities adopted in 2007, is the one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. It is simply necessary to reach the implementation of this program through diligent diplomatic efforts,'' Zurabyan said.

According to him, it is also necessary to normalize the relations wit Turkey without a commission of historians, which would call into question the Armenian Genocide.

''We are sure that after the normalization of relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey, as well as establishment of normal relations with all the neighbors, all the paths will open, and we will be able to develop trade and join all the largest regional projects,'' Zurabyan added.

Along with considering the conflict settlement as the most important issue, the party also presented issues on the exemplary organization of domestic life in the country.
The latest

Rapid review: Chez Jacques

You'll find Chez Jacques in the shadow of one of Milwaukee's most notable landmarks - the Allen-Bradley clock tower in historic Walker's Point. Don't miss this adorable little brasserie that await you.
It appears a bulk of the nation's TV viewers were watching as CNBC's "The Profit" featured Milwaukee business, The Soup Market in a drama-filled episode on Tuesday evening.

An interesting twist in the show came as Grace Ladewig, former director of operations for The Soup Market and co-founder of Grace Magnolia Luxury Brownies, was introduced to the audience after being told to "be invisible" by The Soup Market owner Dave Jurena.

In fact, #WhosGrace became the hashtag of the evening, prompting DILASCIA, another business featured on "The Profit," to release a T-shirt in her honor (clearly a very smart business move on their part).

Numerous readers have asked about Ladewig, so we caught up with her to chat about the demise of her brownie business and whats transpired since her appearance on the popular show.

Where's Grace now?

It turns out Ladewig is alive, well and flourishing. After being fired by Jurena during the filming of the show in June, she decided to pack her bags and join Dan  her husband of 20 years  in California, where he had taken a position about a year prior to the taping of the show.

"My kids were finishing up school here," notes Ladewig, "And I was helping out at The Soup Market. And wed made the decision that it was right for our family at that time."

Ladewig is currently training for a district manager position with a prominent local chain restaurant.

"I think its a great opportunity," she says. "Im doing well, really well. In the end, I didnt really realize how stressed and overworked I was. I was always the buffer between Dave and the staff. And I was always running around making sure that things were running smoothly. Now, Im refocused. And California is awesome. I cant complain. The weather is beautiful. There are all these local wineries. And I love it."

"The Profit"

When asked about the show itself, Ladewig admits she was a bit concerned about how the editing process would portray her in the show. "What if they make me out to be a monster?" she remarked to her husband before they watched it together.

After watching it, she said she was reflective.

"My husband and I just looked at one another and felt this overwhelming sadness," she said. "No one really knew what I had been going through, and this was the first time a lot of people really heard my story. I didnt want people to feel sorry for me or feel that I was a victim."

She says shes been torn about her decision to divulge the information she shared on the show; however, she says she now sees it as for the best.

"At the time, I saw myself as someone who had to speak up," she says. "There was a point when I did feel like maybe I shouldnt have said what I said. But so many people have told me that I was obligated. After all, Marcus Lemonis was a partner in the business at the time. He deserved to know what was going on."

Interestingly enough, Ladewig notes, she was the reason The Soup Market was featured on "The Profit" in the first place.

"The bizarre thing is that I reached out to Marcus [Lemonis]. I felt very strongly that Dave [Jurena] needed an investor. We just really needed a working environment that was safe and productive. And I believed in The Soup Market. I still do. I think they have a great product."

In fact, it was at that point when Ladewig says she halted the progress of her luxury brownie business.

"We really just put Grace Magnolia to the side at that point," she says. "When Tim [Talsky, The Soup Markets co-owner] died, it was a tough situation. And I put everything aside to help Dave keep the business running."

The aftermath

In the end, Ladewig is anything but bitter. In fact, she says shes gotten to the point where her sense of humor has kicked in over the whole scenario.

"The funny thing is, when the show aired, I caught wind of the fact that #WhosGrace was trending," she says. "But Im not savvy. I dont use Twitter, and I had to ask my daughters what that meant, and they helped me figure it out."

Ladewig and her family. (PHOTO: Courtesy of Grace Ladewig)

When she found out that a T-shirt had been made in her honor, she laughed.

"Really? Thats so funny. I need to reach out to them," she remarked. "Thats just so great. Its a little crazy. The show aired two days ago, and Im so surprised this hasnt blown over already. Its kind of unbelievable."

Ladewig says reaction to the show has been a mixed blessing.

"Ive had people from all over the country reaching out to me, which has been great. Ive been in touch with so many old friends and people who have been so supportive. And a lot of women have reached out to me. Just seeing that has been so great."

And, although her lawsuit against Jurena is still in process, Ladewig says its more a matter of justice than anything.

"I know people think Im crazy, but I really dont want to ruin this mans life," she says. "But there are laws that need to be followed with regard to treatment of employees. And I have to protect my rights and my livelihood. In the end, I just want to be fair. No more, no less."

As far as the future is concerned, Ladewig says that shes not sure exactly what lies ahead.

"People have asked if I would consider reviving Grace Magnolia. In fact, some people have asked if I would consider partnering with them. And Im still considering that."
In 1995, Georgia native Karen Branan discovered that her great-grandfather, once the sheriff of Harris County, sanctioned the lynching of four innocent African-Americans. Deeply shaken by this revelation, she spent the next 20 years uncovering painful truths about the legacy of mob violence against African-Americans lingering in her own family and community. Her work culminated in the publication of a book, "The Family Tree: A Lynching in Georgia, a Legacy of Secrets, and My Search for the Truth."

"As a nation, we have some ugly parts of our history," said Reggie Jackson, head griot (a West African troubadour-historian) at Americas Black Holocaust Museum (ABHM), addressing an attentive crowd gathered in Centennial Hall at the annual Founders Day Gathering on a brisk Saturday morning.

"You cant repair anything unless youre honest about what happened," Jackson added. "We believe that our nation should open up and start telling this truth about our history."

The event, titled "Lets Face It: How Communities Remember and Repair Racial Trauma," explored the complexity of Americas racial history and how to take steps toward reconciliation and healing. Founders Day celebrates the legacy of Dr. James Cameron, founder of ABHM and a lynching survivor.

The audience also viewed previews of "American Reckoning," Milwaukee filmmaker Brad Lichtensteins upcoming film about unsolved civil rights-era murders, and Emmy award-winning director Jacqueline Olives documentary project "Always in Season," slated to air on PBS in 2018.

"[Always in Season] is about telling the truth as best and honestly and accurately as I can ... when you hedge on the truth youre really making things worse," said Olive. "All people involved in a lynching are affected by it, including those who attended  Were all living with that trauma, passing it along from generation to generation."

Branan joined 10 other panelists, including Olive; Henry Banks, host of Wisconsin Public Radios People of Color; Randy Gamble, leader of the Lynching Sites Project of Memphis; Cassandra Greene, director of the Moores Ford Bridge lynching reenactment; public historian Doria D. Johnson; Serve2Unite co-founder Pardeep Singh Kaleka; Greendale middle school teacher Colleen Perry; Warren Read, author of "The Lyncher in Me: A Search for Redemption in the Face of History"; as well as Maria Cunningham and Jordan Davis, volunteers with the Dr. James Cameron Legacy Foundation.

More than 4,000 African-Americans were publicly murdered between 1877 and 1950, and while many of these crimes were perpetrated in the Deep South, the shame of lynching stains the streets of Milwaukee as well, panelists said. Falsely accused of killing a white man, 22-year-old George Marshall Clark lost his life in 1861, hung by the neck at the intersection of Buffalo and Water streets at the hands of an angry mob.

"We need to revisit our past in order to restore the harm [done] and truly reconcile," said Kaleka, whose father, Satwant Singh Kaleka, president of the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, died protecting worshipers from a white supremacist gunman in 2012.

Kaleka noted that he is concerned about the rise of "stochastic terrorism," the manipulation of mass media messages such as memes or fake news stories, and its culpability in prompting individuals to perpetrate ideologically motivated attacks.

The pain of truth-telling is especially apparent to Greene, who commemorates the 1946 lynching of George W. and Mae Murray Dorsey, and Roger and Dorothy Malcom in Walton County, Georgia, by directing an annual reenactment in an effort to illuminate the past and heal old wounds.

"The experience of standing on the ground where they died every year has been  emotional, to say the least," Greene said. "I cry as Im directing people. I feel like their spirits  call out to me every time Im on that ground."

Cold Spring Park resident Sheila Payton, 68, knew Dr. Cameron personally through a writing group, New World Griots, before he founded ABHM. Payton was 6 years old when the Supreme Court ruled against "separate but equal" schooling in the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education. She fears that young people today are not as emotionally well equipped as her generation to survive and thrive in a society marked by ongoing interpersonal and institutional racism.

"I think its very important to help them develop those skill sets so they can not only deal with those who might want to stop them but build upon a greater sense of 'were all here together'  we can get to the point where Dr. Cameron was trying to get, where you can forgive but never forget."

Dr. Cameron, a historian, civil rights activist and founder of ABHM, survived an attempted lynching at the age of 16. He died in 2006 at the age of 92.

The brick-and-mortar museum, which was established in 1984, closed in 2008. ABHM currently functions as a virtual museum, posting exhibits online. It expects to re-establish a physical museum in 2018.

The historical images of lynchings, not only of murdered African-Americans but also of smiling observers in their Sunday best, weigh heavily on the spirit of Lindsay Heights resident Kima Hamilton, 39. For him and many of the panelists, there is a distinct parallel between the horror of the past and the police brutality and hate crimes of the present.

"Its disappointing as a human being," Hamilton said. "Id like to think that were just wired to be good and to do good, and were programmed otherwise along the way."

Echoing Paytons hopes for young people of color, he said, "Its important for young people to know how valuable they are to the conversation and I think we miss that as adult activists." A generation raised with great technological capability, he said, has the potential to create powerful new models for activism and advocacy.

"When a person has something to wake up and live for and be involved in, I think that minimizes the [likelihood] that theyll just be blowing in the wind."
Entrepreneur Elon Musk has an estimated current net worth of $13.4 billion from interests in transport, payments and space technology

Sending tourists for a trip around the moon is the latest big idea launched by Elon Musk, a Silicon Valley star known for turning his passions into visionary enterprises.

Musk has become one of the United States' best-known innovators. He was a founder of payments company PayPal, electric carmaker Tesla Motors and SpaceX, maker and launcher of rockets and spacecraft.

SpaceX recently announced that two private citizens have paid money to be sent around the Moon in what would mark the farthest humans have ever traveled to deep space since the 1970s.

In a sector where entrepreneurs often speak of "moonshots," Musk is one of the biggest dreamers.

The 45-year-old South Africa-born entrepreneur has channeled a dot-com fortune into a series of ambitious ventures.

Besides being the head of SpaceX and Tesla, Musk is the chairman of SolarCity, a solar panel installer recently bought by Tesla.

He also operates his own foundation focusing on education, clean energy and child health.

And he drafted a paper detailing the feasibility of an ultra-fast "Hyperloop" rail transport system that would transport people at near supersonic speeds, then made it freely available to enterprises willing to pursue the project.

The SpaceX plan to fly tourists around the Moon in 2018

'Doesn't sit around'

"He is a visionary who has some key passions which he pursues with vigor," Jackdaw Research chief analyst Jan Dawson said of Musk.

"He doesn't sit around and wait for people to do something about them; he goes out and does it himself."

Musk's penchant for rocketing after his passions may appear to spread him thin, but he has built a record of success.

Musk appears strong on painting big ideas in broad strokes and then enlisting people skilled at tending to the nuts-and-bolts work needed to follow through, say observers.

"He doesn't seem to be able to focus," analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group said.

"He just likes coming up with the ideas and is good at picking other people who can deal with the plumbingthat is why he is able to do a lot of stuff."

And while some may wonder whether hubris or realism reigns in Musk's moves, his businesses have gained value, with the jury still out on the wisdom of the Tesla acquisition of SolarCity.

"He can certainly sell his ideas," Enderle said.

Visionary or mad scientistElon Musk's Tesla aims to conquer the car market in the oil-rich Middle East with electric vehicles

"The fact his businesses have held together so long indicates he is not a con man."

Fighting against evil

Musk more than a year ago took part in creating a nonprofit research company devoted to developing artificial intelligence that will help people and not hurt them.

Musk found himself in the middle of a technology world controversy by holding firm that AI could turn on humanity and be its ruin instead of a salvation.

Technology giants including Google, Apple and Microsoft have been investing in making machines smarter, contending the goal is to improve lives.

"If we create some digital super-intelligence that exceeds us in every way by a lot, it is very important that it be benign," Musk said at a conference in California.

He reasoned that even a benign situation with ultra-intelligent AI would put people so far beneath the machine they would be "like a house cat."

"I don't love the idea of being a house cat," Musk said, envisioning the creation of neural lacing that magnifies people's brain power by linking them directly to computing capabilities.

Elon Musk's SpaceX venture carries cargo to the International Space Station and has plans to send two private passengers on a trip around the Moon

Living in a game

Some of his ideas have prompted questions about whether Musk is a visionary or mad scientist. He has raised eyebrows with a theory that the world as it is known may be a computer simulation.

"I've had so many simulation discussions it's crazy," Musk said while fielding a question on the topic at the conference.

He maintained that "the odds that we are in base reality is one in billions."

Musk lives in Los Angeles and holds US, Canadian and South African citizenship.

He moved to Canada in his late teens and then to the United States, earning bachelor's degrees in physics and business from the University of Pennsylvania.

After graduating, Musk abandoned plans to pursue further studies at Stanford University and started Zip2, a company that made online publishing software for the media industry.

He banked his first millions before the age of 30 when he sold Zip2 to US computer maker Compaq for more than $300 million in 1999.

Musk's next company, X.com, eventually merged with PayPal, the online payments firm bought by Internet auction giant eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002.

Forbes estimates Musk's current net worth at $13.4 billion.

 2017 AFP
President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly called Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state from London where he is on medical vacation.

He promised the governor that he would return to Nigeria soon to continue from where his deputy, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, would stop.

Buhari has been receiving party chieftains from Nigeria

The Nigerian Tribune reports that Buhari told the governor that he was still observing his rest as advised by doctors, but that he was eager to return to the country.

A statement by the governors spokesperson, Kingsley Fanwo, said Buhari called Bello while the latter was in Lagos for an official engagement.

READ ALSO: Speak to me from London, Fayose tells Buhari

The statement further described the president as expressing joy over the show of love by the people of the state in particular and Nigeria in general since he had embarked on the vacation.

While in Lagos, President Muhammadu Buhari called Governor Yahaya Bello and interacted with him for a couple of minutes.

Governor Bello was in the company of the speaker, Kogi state House of Assembly, Rt Hon Alfa Imam, a few other members of the House, commissioners and other top government functionaries when the president made the call.

The President thanked the governor for his support and his leadership qualities. He told the Governor that he is observing rest and will return very soon to continue his assignment of providing purposeful leadership for the nation, the statement said on Sunday, March 5 urging the people of the state to continue to pray for the presidents sound health and also support the efforts at making Kogi great again.

READ ALSO: Confusion, fear in the north over Buhari's continued absence

We urge all Kogites to remain steadfast and believe in the policies of the new direction administration to rebound our state from decades of failure. Your governor will continue to make you proud.

Kogites in Lagos expressed joy as their governor has brought Kogi to the mainstream of national scheme of socio-politics in the nation, said the statement.

Source: Legit.ng
Dozens of people holding Chairman Mao posters protested in China's Jilin province on Sunday, calling for a boycott of South Korean goods as part of a backlash against the country's Lotte Group.

The retail giant has faced growing opposition in China since signing a deal to provide land for a US missile-defence system Tuesday.

The plan to install the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system was prompted by threats from North Korea, but Beijing fears the move will undermine its own military capabilities.

"No to THAAD! Boycott Korean goods!" chanted the protesters in northern Jilin province.

"Patriotism starts with me! Long live the Communist Party!"

Similar protests have sprouted across the country, as Lotte suffers setbacks in several of its Chinese ventures -- from last month's government-ordered halt of a $2.6 billion theme park project to apparent cyber-attacks on company websites.

Citing fire violations, authorities in Liaoning's Dandong city have also suspended the operation of Lotte Mart, the Yonhap news agency reported on Saturday.

Earlier this week, major tour operators confirmed to AFP that trips to South Korea have been suspended "due to policy and safety factors."

China has repeatedly denounced THAAD as a threat to its security, with a foreign ministry spokesman saying "the consequences entailed will be borne by the US and the Republic of Korea".

Calls are growing in China for Beijing to use the carrot and stick of its huge market to raise pressure on South Korea to abandon the THAAD plan.

The stakes are high for Lotte, which has invested more than ten trillion won ($8.76 billion) in its Chinese operations since 1994.
A controversial U-turn on mineral exports has sparked turmoil in Indonesia's key mining sector, providing a fresh headache for firms struggling to work in Southeast Asia's biggest economy.

Despite sitting atop some of the world's most abundant natural resources, successive governments have failed to take advantage of its vast riches, with critics blaming badly thought-out and nationalistic policies that make the country an uncertain place to invest.

And the latest overhaul has sparked a potentially damaging standoff with one of the United States' biggest miners and a major investor in the country.

Jakarta in January relaxed a 2014 landmark ban on shipments of raw mineral ores, which was originally aimed at spurring the domestic smelting industry but led to mine closures, job losses and a fall in government revenues.

While some firms may stand to benefit from the sudden rollback, it has infuriated companies that invested large amounts in Indonesia on operations for smelting, the process of extracting metals from their ores.

In addition, the government asked firms to sign new permits that critics say offer less protection -- triggering a standoff with US giant Freeport-McMoRan, which has stopped shipments from its huge copper and gold mine in the east.

The move is the latest in a series of regulatory changes from the government that have caused jitters among miners, with some foreign firms choosing to exit Indonesia rather than deal with such an unpredictable environment.

"One of the inherent problems in the Indonesian mining industry over the last few years has been the lack of consistency in government policy, with the government changing its mind quite regularly and unexpectedly," Bill Sullivan, a Jakarta-based lawyer and mining expert, told AFP.

Authorities have raised taxes and royalties on shipments and demanded that foreign miners reduce the stakes in their Indonesian operations to less than half.

- Heading for the exit -

Story continues

In June US gold mining giant Newmont sold its share in an Indonesian mine to local investors after more than three decades operating in the archipelago, citing more onerous regulations as a factor.

And Rio Tinto, the world's second-biggest miner, is reportedly considering walking away from its stake in Freeport's vast Grasberg mine in Papua province owing to the current row.

Economic nationalists have pushed putting stricter conditions on foreign firms in a bid to reap greater profits from the industry, but critics fear the moves could backfire by scaring off investors at a time policymakers are already struggling to reignite slowing economic growth.

As resource-rich nations benefit from a jump in commodity prices after years of declines, the regulatory uncertainty means Indonesia may not fare as well.

The latest policy change has sparked a fierce row with Freeport, which says it has given the government more than $16.5 billion in taxes and other payments since 1991.

The US miner has refused to bow to the government's demands to sign a new deal without additional assurances, stopped work at Grasberg -- the world's second-biggest copper pit -- started laying off workers, and threatened to sue the government.

"Right now we are at an impasse with the government," Freeport chief executive Richard Adkerson said during a visit to Jakarta last month.

Under the changes to Indonesia's export ban, miners will be able to export nickel ore and bauxite as well as concentrates of other minerals under certain conditions, instead of having to process them in Indonesia.

The amendments went further than analysts had expected, although some exports are still banned.

For investors who have already ploughed money into constructing smelters, including many Chinese firms, the U-turn on the ban is a disaster.

"People who have invested millions of dollars in Indonesia can only pray now that the government will revoke the regulation," said Jonatan Handojo, executive director of Indonesia's main smelter industry association.

Despite the outcry, officials are unrepentant with the finance ministry predicting the reversal could boost government coffers by $3.12 billion in the next five years.

Even if the government does not hit such an optimistic target, the policy overhaul may still turn out to be a good thing in the long term, said mining expert Sullivan.

"Indonesia is clearly being forced to rethink its position regarding resource nationalism and focus more on economic reality," he said.

burs-sr/fa/amj
Malaysia has expelled North Korea's ambassador, giving him 48 hours to leave the country in a major break in diplomatic relations over the airport assassination of the half-brother of Pyongyang's leader. Kim Jong-Nam was poisoned February 13 with deadly nerve agent VX. North Korea has not acknowledged the dead man's identity but has repeatedly disparaged the murder investigation, accusing Malaysia of conniving with its enemies. "The ambassador has been declared persona non grata" after Malaysia demanded but did not receive an apology for Pyongyang's attacks on the investigation, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Anifah Haji Aman said. "Malaysia will react strongly against any insults made against it or any attempt to tarnish its reputation," he said in a statement released late Saturday. Ambassador Kang Chol failed to present himself at the ministry when summoned and "is expected to leave Malaysia within 48 hours," the statement added. The expulsion deadline expires 6pm on Monday. Arch-rival South Korea has blamed the North for the murder, citing what they say was a standing order from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill his exiled half-brother who may have been seen as a potential rival. The foreign ministry said the expulsion is "part of the process by the Malaysian government to review its relations" with North Korea, which before Kim's assassination were unusually cosy. "North Korea must learn to respect other countries," Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Sunday. The expulsion shows "we are serious about solving this problem and we do not want it to be manipulated," he added. On Sunday evening, a senior government official who did not want to be named said Kang was still in the country and was expected to leave on a flight to Beijing on Monday. -- 'Diplomatically rude' -- The diplomatic spat erupted last month when Malaysian police rejected North Korean diplomats' demands to hand over Kim's body. Kang then claimed the investigation was politically motivated and said Kuala Lumpur was conspiring with "hostile forces". Malaysia summoned Kang for a dressing-down, with Prime Minister Najib Razak saying the ambassador's statement was "diplomatically rude". Malaysia issued a February 28 deadline for an apology, but "no such apology has been made, neither has there been any indication that one is forthcoming." Malaysia has also recalled its envoy to Pyongyang and cancelled a rare visa-free travel deal with North Korea. Police are seeking seven North Korean suspects in their probe but on Friday released the only North Korean arrested for lack of evidence. After Ri Jong-Chol was deported, he claimed police offered him a comfortable life in Malaysia for a false confession, saying the investigation was "a conspiracy to impair the dignity of the Republic (North Korea)". Two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- have been charged with murdering Kim Jong-Nam, with airport CCTV footage showing them approaching the heavyset 45-year-old and apparently smearing his face with a cloth. Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later. Swabs of the dead man's face revealed traces of VX nerve agent. -- End of cosy ties -- North Korea had few friends even before the assassination, but the fallout from the killing looks set to further isolate the nuclear-armed state. Malaysia formally established diplomatic relations with North Korea in 1973 and opened an embassy in Pyongyang in 2003. It has provided a conduit between Pyongyang and the wider world in recent years, with Kuala Lumpur serving as a discreet meeting place for talks between the regime and the United States. A recently released report by a UN Panel of Experts reviewing compliance with sanctions against Pyongyang identified a front company run by North Korean intelligence out of Malaysia, selling military communications equipment to Eritrea, with suppliers in China and an office in Singapore. Up to 1,000 North Koreans currently work in Malaysia and their remittances are a valuable source of foreign currency for the isolated regime. North Korea imports refined oil, natural rubber and palm oil from Malaysia, which buys electrical and electronic items, chemicals as well as iron and steel products from North Korea. Last week Malaysia's trade minister Mustapa Mohamed said the spat would have no impact on Kuala Lumpur as trade with the reclusive country is "insignificant".
AFP News

The UN's COP27 climate summit kicked off Sunday in Egypt with warnings against backsliding on efforts to cut emissions and calls for rich nations to compensate poor countries after a year of extreme weather disasters. An alarming UN report said the past eight years are on track to be the eight warmest on record, with an acceleration in sea level rise, glacier melt, heatwaves and other climate indicators. "As COP27 gets underway, our planet is sending a distress signal," UN chief Antonio Guterres said in a statement, calling the report a "chronicle of climate chaos". Just in the past few months, floods devastated Pakistan and Nigeria, droughts worsened in Africa and the United States, cyclones whipped the Caribbean, and unprecedented heatwaves seared three continents. The conference in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh also comes against the backdrop of Russia's war on Ukraine, an energy crunch, soaring inflation and the lingering effects from the Covid-19 pandemic. But Simon Stiell, the UN's climate change executive secretary, said he would not be a "custodian of backsliding" on the goal of slashing greenhouse emissions 45 percent by 2030 to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius above late 19th-century levels. "We will be holding people to account, be they presidents, prime ministers, CEOs," Stiell said as the 13-day summit opened. "The heart of implementation is everybody everywhere in the world every single day doing everything they possibly can to address the climate crisis," he said, noting that only 29 of 194 nations have presented improved plans as called for at COP26 in Glasgow last year. Current trends would see carbon pollution increase 10 percent by the end of the decade and the Earth's surface heat up 2.8C, according to findings unveiled last week. Promises made under the 2015 Paris Agreement would, if kept, only shave off a few tenths of a degree. Britain's Alok Sharma, who handed the COP presidency to Egypt, said that while world leaders have faced "competing priorities" this year, "inaction is myopic and can only defer climate catastrophe." "How many more wake-up calls does the world -- and world leaders -- actually need?" he said. - 'Loss and damage' - The COP27 summit will focus like never before on money -- a major sticking point that has soured relations between countries that got rich burning fossil fuels and the poorer ones suffering from the worst consequences of climate change. The United States and the European Union -- fearful of creating an open-ended reparations framework -- have dragged their feet and challenged the need for a separate funding stream. After two days of intense pre-summit negotiations, delegates agreed on Sunday to put the "loss and damage" issue on the COP27 agenda, a first step towards what are sure to be difficult discussions. Stiell said inclusion of loss and damage on the agenda after three decades of debate on the issue showed progress. "The fact that it is there as a substantive agenda item I believe bodes well," he told reporters. COP27 president Sameh Shoukry of Egypt said it would be unproductive to speculate on what outcome the negotiations will lead to, "but certainly everybody is hopeful." "Anything that we do effectively has to be on the basis of our common efforts and that we leave no one behind," he said. Shoukry also noted that rich nations have not fulfilled a separate pledge to deliver $100 billion per year to help developing countries green their economies and build resilience against future climate change. He lamented that most climate financing is based on loans. "We do not have the luxury to continue this way. We have to change our approaches to this existential threat," he said. - US-China tensions - After the first day of talks, some 110 world leaders will join the summit on Monday and Tuesday. The most conspicuous no-show will be China's Xi Jinping, whose leadership was renewed last month at a Communist Party Congress. US President Joe Biden has said he will come, but only after legislative elections on Tuesday that could see either or both houses of Congress fall into the hands of Republicans hostile to international action on climate change. Cooperation between the United States and China -- the world's two largest economies and carbon polluters -- has been crucial to rare breakthroughs in the nearly 30-year saga of UN climate talks, including the 2015 Paris Agreement. But Sino-US relations have sunk to a 40-year low after a visit to Taiwan by House leader Nancy Pelosi and a US ban on the sale of high-level chip technology to China, leaving the outcome of COP27 in doubt. A meeting between Xi and Biden at the G20 summit in Bali days before the UN climate meeting ends, if it happens, could be decisive. One bright spot at COP27 will be the arrival of Brazilian president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whose campaign vowed to protect the Amazon and reverse the extractive policies of outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro. bur-lth/mh/lg
Liar liar pants on fire.

American fraudster Mikhy K. Farrera-Brochez, 32, got caught for one thing and his house of cards started to crumble as all his lies got unravelled one after another.

Farrera-Brochez has been making headlines for a unique crime  he faked his HIV blood test results. Whats worse, his Singaporean partner, Ler Teck Siang, a general practitioner here, was in on it.

That isnt the only thing the American citizen is found guilty of  his entire life on paper has been a sham as more skeletons in his closet see the light of day. Here is everything you need to know about him:

He faked his HIV blood test to come work in Singapore

Source: Myspace.

Its simply unheard of  but Farrera-Brochez was found to have committed a grave criminal offence. He lied to MOM about his HIV status, when he applied for an Employment Pass (EP) to stay with his Singaporean boyfriend.

He enlisted the help of his boyfriend in manipulating the results of the HIV blood test to clear the application process. Who knows how many have fallen prey to his blatant dishonesty and unethical ways? We cant even begin to imagine.

He was a former lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic

Source: AsiaOne.

As a former lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic in two courses  Early Childhood Studies and Psychology Studies, he had mentioned that, Childhood development is not about making the child a genius, but to help children be all that they can be.

Come to think of it, could he have meant that along the lines of lying to get what he wants, with complete disregard for morals? We shudder at the thought of him teaching and interacting with young and impressionable students.

He had no idea he was gifted, really?

In an interview with The New Paper in 2010, he claimed to be trilingual and well-versed in Hebrew, English and Spanish. He even went on to boast about entering Princeton University at 13 before transferring to Vanderbilt University as the latter was better in linguistic courses.

Story continues

His story sounded sketchy but that didnt keep him from pushing it. He continued to attribute his success to his mother experimenting theories of gifted education on him since a young age. Well, were pretty sure his mom didnt forget to teach him a little something about honesty as he was groomed to be a child prodigy.

Also, he had no idea he was gifted but knew that testing positive for HIV would bar him from coming to work in Singapore. We really got to give it to him for being so gifted.

His educational qualifications are a sham

Mikhy Farrera-Brochezs profile on Academia.edu.

While he claimed to be the youngest registered psychologist in the American Psychological Association, wed go out on a limb to say thats complete BS. Also, so much for boasting that hes a genius since young, his doctorate degree in psychology and education from the University of Paris was found to be bogus.

His level of shadiness? To the max.

Last but not least, he dabbled in drugs

In Singapore, drugs are a no-go zone unless youve a death wish. If an individual is audacious enough to fake official documents and lie about his HIV status over the course of 8 years, whats stopping the daredevil to consume banned drugs?

Fair enough, Farrera-Brochez was found to be in possession of ketamine and cannabis mixture in May 2016. On the 1st of March, he was sentenced to 28 months jail as he pleaded guilty to a total of 6 charges with 17 pending. The other 3 charges that had been taken into consideration, were to be mentioned at a later date.

Now that his cover is blown on so many levels, his life may be better behind bars.

Recently, Farrera-Brochezs American counterpart in Singapore, sex predator Josh Robinson, who preyed on young children, is the subject of anger in an online petition to award him a harsher sentence.

The post Everything You Must Know About the Ex-Lecturer in Singapore Who Faked His HIV Blood Test appeared first on Alvinology.
AFP News

The UN's COP27 climate summit kicked off Sunday in Egypt with warnings against backsliding on efforts to cut emissions and calls for rich nations to compensate poor countries after a year of extreme weather disasters. Just in the past few months, climate-induced catastrophes have killed thousands, displaced millions and cost billions in damages across the world. Massive floods devastated swaths of Pakistan and Nigeria, droughts worsened in Africa and the western United States, cyclones whipped the Caribbean, and unprecedented heatwaves seared three continents. The conference in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh comes in a fraught year marked by Russia's war on Ukraine, an energy crunch, soaring inflation and the lingering effects from the Covid pandemic. But Simon Stiell, the UN's climate change executive secretary, said he would not be a "custodian of backsliding" on the goal of slashing greenhouse emissions 45 percent by 2030 to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius above late-19th-century levels. "We will be holding people to account, be they presidents, prime ministers, CEOs," Stiell said as the 13-day summit opened. "The heart of implementation is everybody everywhere in the world every single day doing everything they possibly can to address the climate crisis," he said. Current trends would see carbon pollution increase 10 percent by the end of the decade and Earth's surface heat up 2.8C, according to findings unveiled last week. Promises made under the 2015 Paris Agreement would, if kept, only shave off a few tenths of a degree. "Whilst I do understand that leaders around the world have faced competing priorities this year, we must be clear: as challenging as our current moment is, inaction is myopic and can only defer climate catastrophe," said Alok Sharma, British president of the previous COP26 as he handed over the chairmanship to Egypt. "How many more wake-up calls does the world -- and world leaders -- actually need?", he said. In a dire warning, the UN's World Meteorological Organization said the past eight years are on track to be the eight warmest on record, with an acceleration in sea level rise, glacier melt and heatwaves. "As COP27 gets underway, our planet is sending a distress signal," UN chief Antonio Guterres said in a statement. - 'Loss and damage' - The COP27 summit will focus like never before on money -- a major sticking point that has soured relations between countries that got rich burning fossil fuels and the poorer ones suffering from the worst consequences of climate change. The United States and the European Union -- fearful of creating an open-ended reparations framework -- have dragged their feet and challenged the need for a separate funding stream. Delegates agreed on Sunday to put the "loss and damage" issue on the COP27 agenda, a first step toward what are sure to be fraught discussions. Inclusion of the agenda item "reflects a sense of solidarity and empathy for the suffering of the victims of climate induced disasters," said COP27 president Sameh Shoukry of Egypt. "We all owe a debt of gratitude to activists and civil society organisations who have persistently demanded the space to discuss funding for loss and damage," he said to applause. Shoukry also noted that rich nations have not fulfilled a separate pledge to deliver $100 billion per year to help developing countries green their economies and build resilience against future climate change. He also lamented that most climate financing is based on loans. "We do not have the luxury to continue this way. We have to change our approaches to this existential threat," he said, calling for solutions that "prove we are serious about not leaving anyone behind". - US-China tensions - After the first day of talks, more than 120 world leaders will join the summit on Monday and Tuesday. The most conspicuous no-show will be China's Xi Jinping, whose leadership was renewed last month at a Communist Party Congress. US President Joe Biden has said he will come, but only after legislative elections on Tuesday that could see either or both houses of Congress fall into the hands of Republicans hostile to international action on climate change. Cooperation between the United States and China -- the world's two largest economies and carbon polluters -- has been crucial to rare breakthroughs in the nearly 30-year saga of UN climate talks, including the 2015 Paris Agreement. But Sino-US relations have sunk to a 40-year low after a visit to Taiwan by House leader Nancy Pelosi and a US ban on the sale of high-level chip technology to China, leaving the outcome of COP27 in doubt. A meeting between Xi and Biden at the G20 summit in Bali days before the UN climate meeting ends, if it happens, could be decisive. One bright spot at COP27 will be the arrival of Brazilian president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whose campaign vowed to protect the Amazon and reverse the extractive policies of outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro. bur-lth/fz
Scotland's opposition leader insisted Saturday there should be no second referendum on Scottish independence, urging the governing nationalists to concentrate on making the best of Brexit rather than exploiting it for another secession push. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson told the party's conference in Glasgow that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish National Party (SNP) was trying to bounce the country into a new referendum. Scotland voted to stay in the United Kingdom by 55 percent in the 2014 vote. It also voted by 62 percent for the UK to remain in the European Union last year, while the UK-wide vote was to leave, which Sturgeon seized upon. She has said Brexit makes a second independence referendum "highly likely." Many in her left-wing secessionist party hope she will announce a fresh bid at the SNP conference on March 17-18, with Britain set to trigger two years of divorce talks with the EU by the end of the month. Davidson, leader of the second-biggest party in the semi-autonomous Scottish Parliament, reaffirmed her opposition to independence. "Scotland said no to independence. Scotland is saying: stop trying to bounce us into another referendum," she told her centre-right party. "The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party will never waver in our determination to stand up for the decision we made as a country. We will fight you every step of the way. "We said 'no,' we meant it. Are you listening, Nicola? No second referendum. "We deserve a Scottish government that is focused on helping Team UK get the best Brexit deal for all of us, not using it to revive its independence obsession." - Nationalists protest outside - Outside the conference, around 200 nationalists gathered to protest, chanting "Tory scum" and waving banners calling for another referendum. Susan McGilvray, 41, an SNP member from East Ayrshire on Scotland's west coast, told AFP: "I would love to see the call for a second referendum." While polls have shifted slightly, support for independence remains in a minority. McGilvray said: "We might lose it, but no-one ever got anywhere by saying 'what if'?" The Scottish Parliament does not have the authority to hold a second independence referendum. It must seek the permission of the staunchly unionist British Prime Minister Theresa May. John Menzies, 48, an SNP councillor from Hamilton near Glasgow, was among several dozen motorcyclists who gathered under the banner "Bikers for Yes." May, Britain's Conservative leader, would be "very silly" if she blocked a fresh referendum, he argued. "That would irk even more of the Scottish people, who then go on and vote for independence," he said. On Friday, May told the conference in Glasgow that the SNP's "obsession" with independence and "tunnel vision nationalism" had caused it to neglect running Scotland's public services properly.
UN envoys on a mission to the Lake Chad region said Saturday that a conference would soon be held in Paris aimed at easing the humanitarian crisis gripping Chad. The country is one of several battling the Boko Haram jihadist insurgency, which has driven thousands from their homes and plunged areas into hunger and poverty. "The international community must respond to the moral and political obligation to support Chad's efforts," Francois Delattre, France's permanent representative to the UN, said in the capital, N'Djamena. Senegal's UN representative, Fode Seck, said Chad "has been on the front lines when it comes to helping Mali or fighting against Boko Haram." "It's normal that the Paris Conference, which we are all preparing, comes to Chad's aid." The 15 envoys from the UN's top decision-making body began their mission in Cameroon, and also plan to visit camps in Nigeria sheltering some of the 2.3 million people displaced in the Lake Chad region. Chad, a country of 12 million people, has imposed austerity measures to cope with the economic strain from falling oil prices and the cost of foreign military operations. "Chad has committed its own resources against jihadists in Mali, and against the Boko Haram sect in Cameroon, in Niger and in Nigeria," Prime Minister Albert Pahimi Padacke told the envoys after a meeting Saturday. "Chad is being confronted with these social difficulties because it is bearing these military costs and the care of refugees," he said.
2017 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #9

Posted on 5 March 2017 by John Hartz

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Story of the Week...

Antarctic Sea Ice Sets Record Low, Providing Another Mystery for Scientists

Antarctica's Adelie penguins basked in a particularly warm summer in 2015 and now live amid shrinking sea ice. Credit: Getty Images

A new record warm temperature for Antarctica was confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization as sea ice surrounding the continent has shrunk to a record low.

The temperature reached its record high of 63.5 degrees Fahrenheit on March 24, 2015, according to an announcement by the WMO, which often takes years to verify new records.

The news came as sea ice around Antarctica is experiencing its lowest extent ever. As of March 1, only 820,000 square miles of the ocean around Antarctica was covered in ice, according to data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colo. The loss of ice represents an all-time minimum for Antarctic sea ice cover since satellite observations began in 1979.

The current decline, however, may not be part of a larger climate change trend. The low point comes less than three years after Antarctic sea ice set a record high in October 2014. "If you look at the long-term trend, Antarctic sea ice is still increasing slightly, said Son Nghiem, a researcher with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

That increase has provided fodder for climate denial arguments and was a mystery to scientists because it differed so greatly from the rapid melting occurring in the Arctic. But recent research has provided clues to the reasons. The continent's unique topography shields it from warming occurring elsewhere, Nghiem said.

A study Nghiem and colleagues published last year found that topography creates icy winds blowing off Antarctica and a powerful ocean current that circles the continent. The study, published in the journal Remote Sensing of Environment, concluded that these two factors play a larger role in the formation and persistence of Antarctic sea ice than changes in temperature.

"I think Antarctic sea ice will be stable for at least some time into the future," Nghiem said.

That puts it in direct contrast with the Arctic, which is losing its ice at a rapid clip as it experiences a record-warm stretch and record low levels of sea ice at the North Pole. Last month temperatures in the far north were 20 degrees above normal according to data from the Danish Meteorological Institute. The ice cap over the North Pole receded to a record low in January for the second year in a row according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Antarctic Sea Ice Sets Record Low, Providing Another Mystery for Scientists by Phil Mckenna, InsideClimate News, Mar 3, 2017

Toon of the Week...

El Nino/ La Nina Update...

Australia could be heading into another El Nino year according to new analysis by the Bureau of Meteorology, which found the chance Australia would be affected by the phenomenon in 2017 had increased to 50%.

Six of the eight models used by Australian climatologists to predict El Nino and La Nina events indicate the El Nino threshold could be reached by July, while seven indicate a steady warming in the Pacific Ocean over the next six months.

El Nino is declared when temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean are 0.8C above average, and brings a dry winter and spring to southern Australia and a warmer than average spring and summer to the eastern states.

Australia placed on El Nino 'watch' as weather bureau puts chance at 50% for 2017 by Calla Wahlquist, Guardian, Mar 1, 2017

Quotes of the Week...

On Friday, the meteorology community was riding a major high as stunningly high-definition images came in from the nations newest and much-anticipated earth observation satellite. The high came crashing down that evening, though, as the first hints of significant cuts to the budget of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began to emerge.

NOAA oversees weather forecasting and is a major funder of weather and climate research. If these cuts  which an Office of Management and Budget document obtained by the Washington Post pegged at 17 percent agency-wide  materialize, they could significantly hamper improvements in weather forecasting and climate modeling and put the public at risk, experts warned.

Any weakening of our technological, scientific, and human capabilities related to weather and climate places American lives and property at risk, Marshall Shepherd, director of the atmospheric science program at the University of Georgia and a former president of the American Meteorological Society, said in a Forbes blog post.

The proposal is opposite to the leave it better than you found it philosophy. This is take the money while you can, and let someone else in the future put Humpty Dumpty (aka NOAA) together again,David Titley, director of the Center for Solutions to Weather and Climate Risk at Penn State and a retired rear admiral in the Navy, said in an email.

NOAA Cuts Could Stymie Research, Put Lives at Risk by Andrea Thompson & Brain Kahn, Climate Central, March 4, 2017

Graphic of the Week...

2016-17 Winter Weather Stations, Climate Central, Mar 1, 2017

SkS in the News...

Amber Sullivan, Chief Meterologoist for ABC 15 Arizona tweeted Great FREE app for your phone by @skepticscience! Check it out: #abc15wx #azwx #climate #climatematters.

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The Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) is a dynamic knowledge network that brings together leading researchers from British Columbia (BC) and around the world to study the impacts of climate change and to develop positive approaches to mitigation and adaptation.

Created in 2008 with a major endowment from the BC Ministry of the Environment, PICS is hosted and led by the University of Victoria in collaboration with BCs three other research-intensive universities: Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia and the University of Northern British Columbia.

Mission

To partner with governments, the private sector, other researchers and civil society, in order to undertake research on, monitor, and assess the potential impacts of climate change and to assess, develop and promote viable mitigation and adaptation options to better inform climate change policies and actions.

Objectives

The Institute's main objectives are:

understanding the magnitude and patterns of climate change and its impacts;

evaluating the physical, economic and social implications;

assessing mitigation and adaptation options and developing policy and business solutions;

evaluating and strengthening educational and capacity-building strategies to address climate change; and

communicating climate change issues to government, industry and the general public.

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Survey shows Americans want climate policy, but confusion undermines urgency (Dana)

(Dana) Explainer: How much did climate change cost in the 20th century? (Roz Pidcock)

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Climate Feedback Reviews...

Climate Feedback asked its network of scientists to review the article, Scientists: Heres What Really Causes Climate Change (And It Has Nothing To Do With Human Beings) by James Barrett, the Daily Wire, Feb 24, 2017.

Four scientists analyzed the article and estimated its overall scientific credibility to be 'low' to 'very low'.

A majority of reviewers tagged the article as: Flawed reasoning, Inappropriate backing, Misleading.

Click here to access the entire review.

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Alternative media were spreading a one-year-old video depicting France as a war zone. This is the weekly overview of the hoaxes that appeared this week.

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Traitors are attacking Trump

A conspiracy magazine suggests that there is a controlled attempt to oust the president going on in the US.

The Magazine Zem a Vek (Earth and Age) wrote on February 19 that Donald Trumps administration has been attacked by part of the secret services, neoconservatives, and military industry complex.

Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement

The recall of the presidents aide for national security, Michael Flynn, too should be proof that an attempt to remove the president is taking place in the US. The article suggests that secret services cooperating with traitor mainstream media are behind Flynns resignation. This should be namely the NSA, which intercepted Flynns conversation with the Russian ambassador in Washington Sergey Kysliak, and subsequently leaked the recording to the cooperating media.

Reports by WikiLeaks allegedly support these claims too: Trump's National Security Advisor Michael Flynn resigns after destabilisation campaign by US spies, Democrats, press and Foxbusiness: Everything is based on the attempts of some people from the intelligence services to marr any positive relations between the US and Russia.

None of the quotations (Wikileaks and Foxbusiness) was possible to find, however, except for a WikiLeaks tweet that was not supported with any documentation proving the claim.

The overall composition of the text should create the impression that secret services, military lobby, non-governmental organisations, and traitor media are behind everything and that they should prevent Trumps administration from scrapping sanctions and applying milder rhetoric towards Russia. The statements of Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the UN, and Sean Spicer, the White House spokesman, about how Russia must return Crimea to Ukraine, are ascribed to the pressure of the media.

The text goes as follows: Spicer during the press conference coped with the attacks of the journalists first, but in the end he let them push him to the corner with all probability, when he said that Trump expects that Russia will return Crimea to Ukraine, which was immediately picked up by the global mainstream and started spreading Spicers statement as a direct statement of the president.

This claim cannot be considered relevant. The White House spokesman and the US ambassador to the UN present the official stance of the president and his administration and it is improbable that any of them would be pushed in the corner.

(By Tomas Cizik, director of the Centre for European and North-Atlantic Relations)

Radioactive France

A hoax about an alleged accident at a French nuclear power plant promptly reacted to the otherwise true information about the occurrence of radioactive iodine above Europe.

The report was spread by several conspiracy websites, some of them even joined the call on people to purchase iodine pills and dosimeters as soon as possible.

The articles tried to compare the situation with 1986 when socialist governments kept silent about the disaster in Chernobyl. People thus did not know what measures to take for their own protection and therefore the number of those who were affected unnecessarily increased.

Read also:

Read also: The Sme daily starts a hunt for hoaxes Read more

The paradox is that governments of the western countries did nothing of the sort even back then and informed their citizens about the explosion and the steps to be taken for protection.

The hoax linked two events that are not connected. There really was a fire in the French nuclear power plant Flamanville on February 9, but the local authorities immediately informed that there was no threat of explosion or leak of radioactive substances.

And yes, the radioactive iodine was really measured above Europe and there is not much information about its origin, but it likely came from some of the factories producing pharmaceuticals.

Radioactive iodine 131 is used to treat cancer.

The first reports about the iodine in the air did not come from France at all, but rather from Norway. The local authorities did not inform about it because the amount of the substance in the air was so small that it does not cause health problems. In addition, the half-time of decay is eight days for iodine 131. The news, however, made it to the public anyway.

Read also:

Read also: Shortage of vegetables in Europes supermarkets is a hoax Read more

Civil war in France, part I

A hoax entitled Demonstrations leave France on the brink of a civil war was one of those that use true information and insert it in a deceitful context.

Several websites reacted to the demonstrations in France and depicted them as the start of a civil war that they also linked with immigration in Europe. In France, protests against police violence really took place. It was due to accusations that police officers raped a young man named Theo with their baton. All standard media informed about the accusations and about the protests. But the protests were far from being a civil war. Alternative websites additionally linked the protests with immigration. Most protesters were French citizens, however. The protests against police violence were also joined by anti-racist organisations and nationalist politician Marine LePen called on the government to ban the protests out of respect to the police corps.

The articles also claimed that France relaxed rules for using shotguns. By that they probably meant the fact that police officers may carry weapons also outside service. This rule emerged after terrorist attacks in November 2015, but the rules for civilians remained unchanged.

Civil war in France, part II

Czech server Parlamentni Listy also came up with an exemplary half-truth. It too concerned the unrest in France and the truth was again somewhere else.

The server published a video with only one text, This is Paris. It showed street protests, a blocked road, fire and clashes with the police.

In just the first three days after it was published the video gained almost 200,000 views, 3,400 shares, and more than 250 comments. Most of the commenters linked the video with the refugee crisis, some accuse mainstream media that they did not cover the event on purpose.

Only a few commentaries stated that the video was an exemplary hoax. It is one year old and it has nothing to do with refugees. It is a footage of the protests of Paris taxi drivers against Uber, from January 2016. The protest of taxi drivers was then part of a wider nation-wide strike of public servants who were protesting against the reforms to labour laws.

Parlamentni Listy at first sight did not lie at all, only did not state the real content of the video and let their audience on Facebook to interpret it.

Most of them immediately linked it with refugees and the video started living its own, albeit deceitful, life.

The Slovak Spectator brings the selection of hoaxes that were published on the internet and shared by Slovak users on social networks in cooperation with the Sme daily, which runs the project aimed at spotting hoaxes and confronting them with facts.
By Adam Jourdan SHANGHAI (Reuters) - South Korean firms are being squeezed in China, in suspected retaliation for Seoul's deployment of a U.S. missile defence system, highlighting the tools China can deploy to hit back at the corporate interests of trade partners it disagrees with. The chill facing Korea Inc, from cosmetics and supermarket chains to autos and tourism, points to a potential risk for American companies, amid a more confrontational stance taken by new U.S. President Donald Trump In China, state media and grassroots political groups have led angry calls to boycott popular Korean products. Photos on social media and local news websites showed crowds vandalising a Hyundai Motor Co <005380.KS> car, and some Chinese tourism firms moved to cancel Korean tours. Beijing is furious over a joint plan by South Korea and the United States to set up the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) missile system in South Korea. Seoul and Washington say it will defend against nuclear-armed North Korean missiles. But Beijing says its far-reaching radar is targeted at China. The furore echoes protests in 2012 against Japanese firms during a row with Tokyo over disputed islands in the East China Sea. The dispute flared on Monday when Lotte approved a land-swap deal that moved the THAAD system closer to deployment.[nL3N1GC2QR] On Thursday, Lotte Duty Free, an affiliate of Korean conglomerate Lotte Group, said it had been the target of a suspected Chinese cyber attack. [nL3N1GF2BZ] "What's happening to Korean companies now is a pretty good playbook for what might happen to U.S. firms over the next year," said Andrew Gilholm, director of analysis for China and North Asia at risk consultancy Control Risks. "Rather than the big dramatic trade war, everything goes to hell scenario under Trump, it's probably more likely to be manifested as regulatory harassment of companies - one of the lower intensity tools for China." Korean stocks plunged on Friday, hitting cosmetics giant Amorepacific Corp <090430.KS>, carmaker Hyundai, and airlines Jeju Air Co Ltd <089590.KS>, Korean Air Lines Co Ltd <003490.KS> and Asiana Airlines Inc <020560.KS>. [nL3N1GG07F] POLITICAL PRESSURE Some companies hinted at feeling political pressure to loosen or cut ties with South Korea. Korean media reported China had ordered tour operators in Beijing to stop selling trips to the country. Three major Chinese tour operators Reuters spoke to, including China Youth Travel Service <600138.SS>, said they were still offering Korean tours. A customer service worker at Tuniu Corp , however, said the firm had stopped providing tours to Korea, citing the THAAD controversy. Tuniu did not respond to requests for comment. Lotte also said searches for its products had been disrupted on major e-commerce platform JD.com Inc , though it did not directly say this was due to diplomatic tensions. JD.com declined to comment. The CEO of Chinese retailer Jumei.com posted on his official microblog that his firm would no longer sell Lotte products. The firm did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. "Some retailers have removed Lotte sales channels over the last week as a result of political pressure," said a senior China-based retail industry executive, asking not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issues. The Communist Party Youth League at central and local levels also fanned the flames online, calling for consumers not to buy products including cars, cosmetics and electronics. "We say 'no' to Lotte!" the national-level Communist Youth League wrote in a post on its official microblog page. 'IT'S BEING COORDINATED' The consumer backlash followed. The number of posts mentioning Lotte's Chinese name spiked to nearly 300,000 on Thursday from a normal level of a few thousand. Photos posted on Chinese social media showed a large group of people surrounding a smashed up Hyundai car covered with black graffiti, prompting alarm over a repeat of issues that have hit faced Japanese carmakers. Other posts circulated online called for a blanket ban on all Korean tours. China's tourism administration posted a statement about South Korean "travel tips" on Friday, reminding Chinese holiday-makers "to soberly understand the risks of travelling abroad and carefully choose their travel destinations." The administration did not comment on any travel ban. The normally hawkish state-run tabloid Global Times even struck a note of caution on Friday, warning vandalism of Korean products "won't win the support of mainstream public opinion". However, Gilholm added the wide spectrum of measures taken against South Korea was unusually aggressive and authorities - though staying officially on the sidelines - played a role. "For it to happen nationwide in such a short space of time it's clearly been coordinated. You don't see that being announced or admitted, but it's being coordinated," he said. The Global Times warned last November the United States could face such a coordinated campaign. If Donald Trump triggered a trade war with China, Beijing would then target firms from Boeing to Apple in a "tit-for-tat" approach. "If Trump wrecks Sino-U.S. trade, a number of U.S. industries will be impaired," it said in an editorial. (Additional reporting by Cate Cadell and Xu Muyu in BEIJING, SHANGHAI newsroom. Editing by Bill Tarrant.)
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) went into Northern Irelands latest election with ten seats more than its arch rival Sinn Fein. It came out the other side with just one seat more. This is a poor showing for the DUP and particularly for its leader Arlene Foster, whose campaign centred on bragging rights as the biggest party in the land.

Sinn Feins first preference vote share rose in this election by 4%. The DUP was down by 1%. Only a tiny number of votes separated the parties, with the DUP only marginally ahead of Sinn Fein by 28.1% compared to 27.9%.

Which party is the biggest is mainly of symbolic concern rather than relating to real political power. Under Northern Irelands power sharing system there is a shared prime ministership, but the leader of the bigger party becomes first minister and the leader of the smaller becomes deputy first minister.

What does matter about the actual number of seats won by each party is the fact that the DUP fell beneath 30 seats at this election. According to the rules of power sharing this means that the DUP no longer has the power to issue a petition of concern  a mechanism to try and block legislation it does not like. The party has used this approach in recent years to block the prospect of same-sex marriage, so it is a meaningful loss on top of the more aesthetic concern of seeing Sinn Fein eat into the vote share.

The election was also a disappointing one for Mike Nesbitt, the leader of the smaller unionist party (UUP). He has already resigned as leader after his hoped-for leap forward in the polls did not materialise. The smaller nationalist party, the SDLP, had a reasonably good election, keeping its vote share constant and managing to win 12 seats compared to the UUPs ten. The cross-community Alliance party is also happy with its performance, with its vote share rising two points to 9.1%.

The rise in voter turnout was a surprise too. Having had an election as recently as last May, voter fatigue and exasperation might have been predicted, especially as many people felt the election was unnecessary. But turnout actually rose by 10% to 65%.

Story continues

Now what?

While most democracies have elections in order to form a government, this election in Northern Ireland will probably produce negotiators rather than legislators. Although there are exciting ups and downs in the election results, the basic picture remains the same as before the vote. The two big parties are the DUP and Sinn Fein and the question looms: can they re-establish the power sharing government that they were running before Sinn Fein collapsed it?

The next three weeks will likely see much encouragement from Dublin and London to do just this. But Sinn Fein is demanding that Foster steps aside while an investigation into the cash for ash scandal takes its course. The DUP looks unlikely to concede on this.

If the DUP/Sinn Fein humpty dumpty cannot be put back together again within three weeks, the UK government will have to decide whether to re-introduce direct rule from London or to hold another election. Northern Ireland citizens appetite for democratic participation might wear thin if another election were called. And most heavyweight boxers need at least a few months before a rematch. So a period of direct rule looks likely.

This, in turn, begs the question as to whether this really is Sinn Feins desired option. As a party that tends more than most to strategically plan for the medium term, this election may be looked back upon as a turning point. Sinn Fein may be moving from power sharing in Northern Ireland (between nationalists and unionists) to power sharing for Northern Ireland (between London and Dublin). That could be the picture if direct rule morphs over time into joint authority.

In the meantime, while these nuances play out, the UK is preparing to leave the EU  a momentous change that could knock over the best laid plans.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

The Conversation

John Garry receives funding from the ESRC as Principal Investigator of the Northern Ireland Assembly Election Study
By John Irish and Andrew Callus PARIS (Reuters) - France's conservatives appeared to be at war with themselves less than 50 days from the presidential election as Francois Fillon clung on to his struggling, scandal-tainted campaign and senior party members fought to oust him as their candidate. In a drama-filled day, Fillon delivered a defiant speech to thousands of grassroots supporters in central Paris on Sunday, telling them that they would not be robbed of victory. But pressure mounted for him to stand aside, and yet another poll showed him on course to be knocked out of the election in the April 23 first round, leaving centrist Emmanuel Macron favourite to win a May 7 run-off against far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Once the frontrunner, Fillon is mired in a scandal over hundreds of thousands of euros of public money he paid his wife to be his parliamentary assistant. He denies allegations she did little work for the money, but suffered a serious blow last week when he learned he could be placed under formal investigation for misuse of public funds. Speaking on France 2 television's evening news, Fillon was asked directly whether he would stand down. "The answer is no," he said. "I see no reason to do that. It would lead to a dead end for my political family." He added, though, that he was open to discussions. "I am not autistic. I want to convince my friends that my programme is the only one that can bring about recovery for the country." Leaders of his party, The Republicans, are preparing for a meeting on Monday evening to discuss the crisis ahead of a March 17 deadline when all candidates must be formally endorsed by at least 500 elected officials. Fillon said he would be present. After a string of resignations among advisers and backers, the 63-year-old had been banking on a big turnout at the Paris rally to show his detractors that he remains their best hope to win the presidency. While hailing the support of thousands of tricolour-waving backers who braved pouring rain and chanted for him to stay, he also acknowledged the obstacles facing him. "I am attacked from all sides and with all consciousness I must listen to you, listen to this massive crowd that pushes me forward, but I must also ask myself about those who doubt me and jump ship," he said. His party appears divided, with some heavyweights attending the rally and others looking for an alternative. Christian Estrosi, Valerie Pecresse and Xavier Bertrand, who run three of the country's largest regions, will meet Fillon on Monday to try to find solutions, Estrosi said, naming ex prime minister Alain Juppe as the best replacement. Jean-Christophe Lagarde, head of the centre-right UDI party, which has an alliance with The Republicans, said Fillon would lead to "certain failure" and called for Juppe to take over. Minutes after Fillon's TV appearance, Juppe said on Twitter he would make a statement to the press on Monday morning. He has previously said he would not run against Fillon's will. L'Obs magazine, citing sources close to Juppe, said he planned to say that he would not stand for president, irrespective of what Fillon decided. It was not possible to confirm the report. A Kantar Sofres-OnePoint opinion poll published on Sunday showed Fillon down to 17 percent, well behind Macron and Le Pen in first-round voting intentions, and therefore out of the contest at that stage. But it also showed that if Juppe replaced Fillon, he would go through and face Le Pen in the run-off, with Macron eliminated in the first round. (Additional reporting by Adrian Croft, Simon Carraud, Sudip Kar-Gupta, Emmanuel Jarry and Sophie Louet; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
The US has carried out a new wave of airstrikes against Al-Qaeda in Yemen. Drones fired missiles at targets linked to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in two separate attacks. Residents said one missile hit a vehicle on the outskirts of the southern city of Ahwar, killing two suspected al-Qaeda members. The group have exploited the power vacuum left after two years of war between President Hadis government and Shiite rebels who control the capital Sanaa. Meanwhile, protesters gathered outside the UN office in the city, angry at how the conflict is affecting public services and contributing to a food crisis. We are here to tell the United Nations that it is now accused of (contributing to) the starvation of the people of Yemen. It is now responsible for the displacement of the Yemeni people. We are here for all Yemeni people, not a certain political party, Khalil el Shamri, head of the workers syndicate of Yemen. This month marks two years since a Saudi-led coalition entered the conflict in support of the government. UN efforts to broker peace and seven ceasefire deals have failed to end the fighting.
Storyful

Clashes broke out when a rally for the re-election of New York Governor Kathy Hochul was disrupted by protesters on Saturday, November 5.Hochul, the first female governor of New York, is currently running against the Republican partys Lee Zeldin.This footage, taken by Leeroy Johnson, shows a clash that happened at a rally for Hochul at the Stone Wall Inn, which Zeldin supporters disrupted.In the footage, a person is seen grabbing a woman by the neck before stopping and arguing with protesters.The NYPD got involved with no one getting arrested, Johnson said.In the footage, the woman can be seen climbing into an emergency medical services vehicle.The woman then speaks to the camera while holding a sign saying Vote Red and Vote Them Out, featuring pictures of Hochul and Antonio Delgado,Lieutenant Governor of New York, with blacked-out eyes and horns.A woman  a very large, heavyset woman, might have been a man  came and took my sign, she said. As I was trying to retrieve my sign, there was another man that came and choked me, and there were two other people there who were coming in and preventing me from trying to get my sign.I never wanted to get physical with anyone, she added. I was just there, just peacefully holding my sign, and, yknow, they didnt want to hear what I had to say. Credit: Leeroy Johnson via Storyful
Theyre stocky, rugged and friendly and theyve won over many hearts.

Meet the Icelandic, a breed of small horse that dates its origins back to the Vikings. Those ancient Nordic adventurers carried the horses in their longships on raiding voyages to the remote volcanic island that lies between Norway and Greenland.

Despite their small stature  theyre typically 13 to 14 hands or 52 to 56 inches tall, which is normally considered a pony  Icelandics are always called horses. Theyre known for their steady disposition, hardiness and two unique gaits, the tolt and the flying pace, which make them swift and comfortable to ride.

We call them our equine motor scooters,' said Ulla Hudson, of Windsong Icelandics & Dressage Center in Cedar Grove, near Edgewood.

Hudson first encountered Icelandic horses as a child when she learned to ride in her native Germany. Her riding career took her to medal-winning performances in dressage competitions in Germany and the United States.

Hudson now has international certification as a top-level instructor in this form of riding where horse and rider perform complex movements that demonstrate their gymnastic ability.

She travels the world giving clinics, but at home she has a soft spot for the sturdy little steeds from Iceland.

Ive always had Icelandic horses around. They were sort of my hobby horses, my relaxation horses, she said.

Homely yet lovable

Hudson introduced the breed to New Mexico about 20 years ago and shes been importing and breeding them ever since. Last year, she sold off all the other breeds of horses she kept to concentrate on the Icelandics. She trains Icelandics for other people and also sells to clients as far afield as Maine and Alaska.

Hudson currently has 16 Icelandics; two breeding stallions and various mares, geldings and a couple of youngsters. On a recent visit in February, the ground was muddy, the sky was gray and South Mountain, which looms in the near distance, still bore traces of snow. Most of the horses were outside in fields that surround Hudsons home.

I prefer to have my horses muddy the way they would be if they lived in the wild, Hudson said.

With their stocky bodies and shaggy winter coats that come in a variety of colors, theyre slightly homely.

Sorli, a 6-year-old gelding, was in his stall. He greeted Hudson and nuzzled her in a friendly, curious way.

They have this calmness about them that people are not afraid of, she said. But as calm as they are here, they can get really energetic under a saddle.

Icelandics walk, trot and canter like any other horse but their special gaits set them apart.

The tolt, a smooth four-beat gait like a walk, can be as fast as a canter. When they do the flying pace, Icelandics can reach speeds of up to 30 mph over short distances.

Adapted to cold

According to EldHestar.is, a website about horse touring in Iceland, historically most horses had more natural gaits than the walk, trot, canter and gallop. Those characteristics gradually disappeared as horses were bred to pull carriages or for military uses.

In Iceland, the horses were used as pack animals, to plow fields and as a key mode of transportation on an island that had no roads. Hudson said their fetlock joints in their lower legs are highly flexible enabling their hooves to avoid being bruised on stony ground. Their digestive system and teeth adapted to the frigid Icelandic terrain where they had to dig frozen roots from under the snow, she said.

They are also receptive to dressage training.

Dressage is nothing less than gymnasticizing your horse. We gymnasticize all our horses, Hudson said.

In her indoor arena she gave a demonstration with Andy, a gelding she recently obtained from the horse rescue center Walkin N Circles, where he had been surrendered by his former owner.

Hudson said shes heard of highly trained Icelandic horses fetching more than $100,000. She estimates there are currently about 4,600 Icelandics in the country, including a mare she imported in December.

The procedure is costly and complex. Hudson either makes a trip to Iceland or relies on a trusted contact to find a suitable animal to import. She relies on agents in Iceland and on the East Coast to perform the necessary health checks, transportation, export documentation, quarantine and customs requirements. The Icelandics she imports fly into an airport near Newburgh, N.Y., and she contracts with a transportation company to bring them to New Mexico. The total expense is between $6,000 and $7,000.

Once they are here, the horses can never return to their homeland. Back in the 10th century the human inhabitants of Iceland decided to stop importing horses and the ban on horse immigration to the island remains in force today.
Creating good jobs is the Legislatures top priority during this years session. A good place to start is by reforming the way New Mexico funds public works projects like roads and water systems. Thats why we are sponsoring Senate Bill 262.

For the past four decades, New Mexico has funded most infrastructure projects by dividing up the revenue from severance tax bonds between the governor and all 112 legislators.

This process has led to serious problems that have cost the state thousands of jobs. There is no system in place to prioritize the most urgent infrastructure projects or to make sure that projects are ready to begin as soon as they are funded. The result is $969.9 million that has been appropriated to various projects but never spent. Most tragically, some of those funds have been sitting around for years.

The current process is extremely inefficient. No single legislator is able to fully fund a large project, so they often appropriate a portion of the funding and hope to finish it in future years. In other cases, legislators choose to put their dollars toward small, non-infrastructure items because those may be the only expenditures that can be completed. This type of spending may not create jobs here in New Mexico.

We have introduced SB 262 to address these problems and implement a jobs-producing, transparent, merit-based approach to funding the states public infrastructure. Under our plan, an interim committee of the Legislature would hold public hearings to review and evaluate proposed infrastructure projects during the summer and fall before the legislative session begins.

The committee would evaluate projects for their potential to address urgent public health and safety needs, create jobs and leverage other dollars to expand the infrastructure pie. The process would be transparent and fact-based, giving careful consideration to the greatest needs of the state in any given year.

Right now, the Legislature is debating whether to raise taxes or cut spending. We believe a third approach would be enacting bills like SB 262 and using taxpayers dollars more efficiently. SB 262 would improve the quality of New Mexicos infrastructure, make us more economically competitive, and generate thousands of jobs. Every $100 million in effective infrastructure spending would create about 2,700 jobs, putting money in the pockets of families who will spend it and keep the economy growing.

Because SB 262 will directly create jobs and grow the economy, it is supported by both business and labor organizations, from the Association of Commerce and Industry to the New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council. Please join this growing coalition and encourage your legislators and the governor to support Senate Bill 262.
Infrastructure. The word conjures up images of roads and bridges, and maybe water pipes deep underground. Allow me to offer an additional type of infrastructure for New Mexicans to consider: a government ethics infrastructure.

Such a system provides a foundation for decision-making including ground rules, boundaries between black and white, and a process for figuring out the grays. An ethics infrastructure should include systems for training, advising and enforcing an ethics code. It should strive for independence from any one official, and include a support staff and some recognition that ethics rules and personnel matters may overlap, but they do not necessarily replace one another.

Building such a structure will not turn dishonest people into saints. If a public employee or official feels compelled to violate the code to benefit himself or a friend, then stronger laws will not necessarily dissuade him. Hopefully an ethics enforcement system or other law enforcement mechanisms will derail such folks.

Having worked in a state ethics agency, let me offer a sampling of the types of issues that may arise:

 A legislator with a financial interest in a large farming operation would be impacted by legislation being considered. Is it proper for her to cast a vote on that legislation?

 A state executive branch employee is co-chairing a fundraising event for a nonprofit along with a friend who is a consultant. The friend is planning to solicit contractors who work with the employees department. Are there potential ethics issues raised by this? If so, how can they be avoided?

 The procurement official for a city knows that the company his wife works with can offer better pricing on items the city is purchasing. Can he redirect the contract to her company to save the city money?

 A legislator wants to know whether his serving on the board of a large firm with state contracts creates potential conflicts of interest, and if so, what is the proper way to avoid those issues?

 The ethics officer for a state agency said that an anonymous vendor left tickets to a sporting event for an employee. That employee knows the gift should not be accepted under the state ethics code. What should be done with the tickets?

Even though our ethics agency had jurisdiction only over the executive branch of state government, we still received calls for guidance from legislators as well as local officials. The courts had their own ethics system, but there was no credible infrastructure in the legislative branch nor most local governments for dealing with such issues.

The lack of an arms-length, consistent mechanism for dealing with the inevitable gray areas of government decision-making is a disservice not only to the public, but to those working on the publics behalf. A public employee may be an expert in his or her policy area, but most are not trained for analyzing and avoiding matters that can reasonably be perceived as conflicts. Most have not thought about how to reasonably define financial interest  or whether even volunteer work for a nonprofit can raise questions about the public interest.

When a reporter calls a public official and questions the ethics of a given situation, that official is much better off when he can say, Well I thought about that, too, and that is why I went to the ethics commission for advice and here is a letter from them on how I should handle it.

Building an ethics infrastructure in New Mexico will not eliminate scandals. Bad players will still try to game the system. Good ones will make mistakes. But it should begin the process of establishing rules of conduct for public servants, help train and advise those who want to do the right thing, and build on enforcement options for those that make poor decisions.

I encourage New Mexico lawmakers to pass legislation creating an ethics commission. Let us take this important step to start building a better ethics infrastructure now.

David Maidenberg served as director of the Indiana State Ethics Commission from 1997 through 2000. He now resides in Santa Fe.
New Mexico faces numerous economic challenges today that require determined action by the Legislature and the governor: lack of jobs, high rates of childhood poverty and an exodus from our state of young and better-educated residents in search of brighter pay and career prospects in surrounding states.

One important step we can take now is to enact a statewide minimum wage increase of $9 per hour from the current $7.50. This is a modest increase that is long overdue, and it enjoys the backing of business groups and organized labor alike. I am proud of my colleagues in the Senate who voted for $9 last week with strong bipartisan support.

New Mexico already suffers from some of the lowest median wages in the country. The lowest-paid workers here have not had a pay raise in years. The truth is that working people really need a livable wage, but we can enact a modest pay raise for minimum-wage workers right now. They have waited long enough.

Full-time work year-round at the state-wide minimum wage of $7.50 per hour leaves an adult with two children earning thousands of dollars below the poverty line. Who thinks that it is right that residents working full-time should live in poverty?

The real value of New Mexicos current $7.50 minimum wage, set in 2009, has been eroded substantially by the ever-rising costs of housing, food and clothing in the intervening years. Raising the minimum wage to $9 an hour now would give thousands of families a lift they surely need.

Contrary to the claims of opponents, raising the minimum wage is good for the economy. More than 600 economists have affirmed that increasing the minimum wage has little or no negative effect on the employment of minimum-wage workers. A minimum-wage increase will help stimulate the economy and job creation since low-wage workers will have more earnings to spend.

This is not a Democratic or Republican issue. People across the political spectrum support an increase in New Mexicos minimum wage, as was witnessed in Senate committees where the legislation was debated, and on the floor of the Senate itself.

We wont be out of step with surrounding states if we increase to $9. Both Arizona and Colorado are raising their minimum wage to $12 per hour. If they can do that, New Mexico certainly can do $9.

Raising the minimum wage is a responsible policy. It is supported by ample research, and its broad support is reflected in polls of residents of our state. We should think of the people in communities across New Mexico who work for minimum wage every day, and who struggle to make ends meet and provide a decent life for their children.

If legislation for a $9 minimum wage progresses through the House of Representative and to the governors desk, New Mexico respectfully asks that she sign it into law. It is the right thing to do.
Establishment furor over the Trump administration is growing.

Outraged New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman recently compared Trumps victory to disasters in American history that killed and wounded thousands, such as the Pearl Harbor surprise bombing and the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The New Republic  based on no evidence  theorized that Trump could well be mentally unstable due to the effects of neurosyphilis.

Talk of removing the new president through impeachment, or opposing everything he does  the progressive Resistance  is commonplace. Some op-ed writers and pundits abroad have openly hoped for his violent death.

Trump is in a virtual war with the mainstream global media, the entrenched so-called deep state, the Democratic Party establishment, progressive activists, and many in the Republican Party as well.

The sometimes undisciplined and loud Trump is certainly not a member of the familiar ruling cadre, which dismisses him as a crude and know-nothing upstart who should never have been elected president. (Had Hillary Clinton won in 2016 and served a full term, a member of either the Bush or Clinton families would have president for 24 years of a 32-year span.)

But who, exactly, makes up these disgruntled elite classes?

In California, state planners and legislators focused on things like outlawing plastic grocery bags while Californias roads and dams sank into decrepitude over three decades. The result is crumbling infrastructure that now threatens the very safety of the public. Powerful Californians with impressive degrees also came up with the loony and neo-Confederate idea of nullifying federal immigration law through sanctuary cities.

Sophisticated Washington, D.C., economists produced budgets for the last eight years that saw U.S. debt explode from $10 trillion to nearly $19 trillion as economic growth reached its lowest level since the Hoover administration.

For a year, most expert pundits and pollsters smugly assured the public of a certain Hillary Clinton victory  until the hour before she was overwhelmed in the Electoral College.

Rhodes Scholar and former U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice lied repeatedly on national television about the Benghazi debacle.

From the fabulist former NBC anchorman Brian Williams to the disreputable reporters who turned up in WikiLeaks, there are lots of well-educated, influential and self-assured elites who apparently cannot tell the truth or in dishonest fashion mix journalism and politics.

Elitism sometimes seems predicated on being branded with the proper degrees. But when universities embrace a therapeutic curriculum and politically correct indoctrination, how can a costly university degree guarantee knowledge or inductive thinking?

Is elitism defined by an array of brilliant and proven theories?

Not really. University-sired identity politics has not led to racial and ethnic harmony. Is there free speech or diversity of thought on campuses? Did progressive government save the inner cities?

Are elites at least better-spoken and more knowledgeable than the rest of us?

Long before Trumps monotonous repetition of tremendous and great, Barack Obama thought corpsmen was pronounced corpse-men, and that Austrians spoke Austrian rather than German.

Not long ago, Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) warned that if Guam became too populated, it might just tip over and sink.

The Western world is having a breakdown. The symptoms are the recent rise of socialist Bernie Sanders, Trumps election, the Brexit vote and the spread of anti-European Union parties across Europe.

But these are desperate folk remedies, not the cause of the disease itself.

The malady instead stems from our false notion of elitism.

The public no longer believes that privilege and influence should be predicated on titles, brands and buzz, rather than on demonstrable knowledge and proven character. The idea that brilliance can be manifested in trade skills or retail sales, or courage expressed by dealing with the hardship of factory work, or character found on an Indiana farm, is foreign to the Washington Beltway, Hollywood and Silicon Valley.

Instead, 21st-century repute is accrued from the false gods of the right Zip code, high income, proper social circles and media exposure rather from a demonstrable record of moral or intellectual excellence.

In 1828, the wild and unruly Andrew Jackson was elected president because the rapidly expanding country had tired of the pretenses of an exhausted elite of tidewater and New England mediocrities. The outsider Jackson won by exposing their pretenses.

What got the brash Trump elected was a similar popular outrage that the self-described best and brightest of our time are has-beens, having enjoyed influence without real merit or visible achievement.

If Donald Trump did not exist, something like him would have had to be invented.
President Donald Trumps emerging immigration policies received some much-needed clarity  and realism  last week, and though far from definitive, the outline he provided in his address to Congress and during a private meeting with television news anchors is a path the nation has needed for far too long.

And it certainly is more helpful than some of his campaign rhetoric on the issue.

While his critics have harped continually on alleged mass deportation plans  which Trump has denied  the word out of Washington last week was about potential compromises that would be a reasonable blueprint for immigration reform that his predecessor avoided even when Democrats controlled both houses of Congress.

And while many in the news media have been borderline hysterical in reporting deportations under Trump, it is far below the more than 2.5 million deportations under President Obama.

Trumps apparent outline for an overhaul of a broken system is based on several reasonable principles, starting with border security. That, by the way, was key in the Senate Gang of Eight compromise floated in the Senate a few years ago.

It also focuses, appropriately, on deporting illegal immigrants with criminal records  especially those who already have outstanding deportation orders  and the end of the catch-and-release system where those apprehended were simply told to show up for a deportation hearing that many then skipped.

For those reasons, Trump is proposing more Border Patrol agents.

There is also discussion of giving law-abiding undocumented immigrants an opportunity to obtain legal status short of citizenship that would allow them to work and hopefully come and go across the border without hindrance. Many, in fact, want to work and not become citizens. It is an idea with merit.

And there would be a path to citizenship for the so-called dreamers who were already exempted from Trumps stepped-up enforcement orders.

Trump still insists on the flawed idea of a great wall along our southern border to cut off the flow of illicit drugs and block the path of illegal border-crossers. A physical barrier would help in some areas, but we need to be smarter and more tech savvy.

It is hard to disagree with Trumps pledge to take on the Mexican drug cartels whose products are wreaking so much havoc in this country, and it makes much more sense to focus on gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens.

That doesnt include most of the undocumented immigrants in this country.

The proposals wont make extremists on either side happy. One group essentially wants something between open borders and total amnesty; the other the roundup and deportation of anyone who is here in violation of our immigration laws. But to his credit, Trump delivered a civil speech in his first appearance before Congress on Tuesday, and he appears to be taking a more thoughtful approach to immigration than his earlier words and actions would indicate.

And perhaps thats all part of the art of the deal.

Trump would do well to work with Mexico  rather than try to embarrass the country by claiming it will pay for the wall, something Mexico has said categorically it will not do. There is no upside to empowering the leftist opponents of the current Mexican government.

Trump also says, correctly, that we need to revise our immigration policy to focus on Americas needs and with an eye toward allowing those here who are not going to be a burden on U.S. taxpayers. In fact, that was one of the historic tests at Ellis Island.

With 90 million Americans out of the workforce, we dont need an influx of unskilled labor to further depress wages. And theres no denying that the United States has, and will continue, to benefit from the many students, scientists, doctors, workers, artists and others who seek a better life in our country.

In his annual letter to shareholders, billionaire investor Warren Buffett noted the importance of immigrants to this nations financial wellbeing. Americans have combined human ingenuity, a market system, a tide of talented and ambitious immigrants, and the rule of law to deliver abundance beyond any dreams of our forefathers, he wrote.

Trumps developing immigration policy needs to ensure that the worlds brightest and most promising have smooth access to our universities and businesses, that the honest, hard work of Americans and immigrants here alike is recognized, that true criminals are dealt with accordingly, and that Americas borders mean something.

Of course, the devil is always in the details, and the Trump administration has yet to produce its blueprint for reformation of the system. But Tuesdays news provided some hope the new administration is working on a plan to follow up on its change in tone with corresponding actions.

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.
SANTA FE  The Senate on Saturday passed a bill allowing a judge to order someone to give up his or her firearms in cases of domestic abuse.

The proposal won approval on a 25-15 vote and now heads to the state House.

Senate Bill 259, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Joseph Cervantes of Las Cruces, would allow a judge  after a finding that domestic abuse has occurred  to order one of the parties to surrender his or her firearms and prohibit the buying of new ones. The judge would have to determine that the restrained party presents a credible threat to the physical safety of the household member.

The prohibition on having guns wouldnt be permanent. It would remain as long as theres an order of protection in place barring the person from abusing the protected household member.

The bill passed largely along party lines, with Democrats in favor.

Republican opposition focused on technical details of where the person would surrender the firearms and what kinds of equipment  silencers, for example  would be considered a firearm.

People would have to store their firearms with a law enforcement agency, a licensed dealer or with someone else who isnt prohibited from keeping a gun.

GOV. HEADS TO UTAH: Gov. Susana Martinez is headed to Park City, Utah, this weekend for a meeting of the Republican Governors Association.

She will be back in New Mexico on Tuesday.

The association works to elect and support Republican governors. Thirty-three of the 50 states have GOP governors.

VOTER REGISTRATION: The House adopted a bill Saturday thats intended to make it easier for people to register to vote when they get a drivers license.

Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero, D-Albuquerque, had initially pushed to register voters automatically when they get a license but, after some opposition, she revised the bill.

Under House Bill 28, as it stands now, voters will be asked  when they complete the electronic paperwork to obtain a drivers license  whether they also want to register to vote.

The proposal won approval on a 56-10 vote and now heads to the Senate.

FOLLOWING CHANGES: The House wants it to make it easier for the public to follow amendments to legislation.

A resolution adopted 62-0 on Saturday calls for staffers to post revised versions of legislation online, with the amendment incorporated into the entire bill.

The goal is to allow people to see the amendments in the context of the entire bill.

Under the current system, amendments are usually posted separately, forcing people to go back and forth between the amendment and the original bill to make sense of the changes.

The resolution was sponsored by House Minority Leader Nate Gentry, R-Albuquerque.

Dan McKay: dmckay@abqjournal.com
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

Across roughly 121,600 square miles of mountains and desert, sprinkled with communities large and small, New Mexico has 31 colleges and universities for a population of about 2 million.

Many of these institutions and campuses are overseen by their own boards whose members are appointed by the governor or elected locally, and each has its own faculty and leadership to keep it running.

But this model is showing increasing signs of strain under the one-two punch of declining enrollment, which means less tuition money, and recent state budget cuts to higher education that have called into question how to manage the states schools.

So is this system viable for the long term?

You want a one-word answer? No. But I dont think its sustainable across the U.S., said Chaouki Abdallah, acting president of the University of New Mexico, when asked about the states current higher education model.

Abdallah, a longtime professor and administrator at UNM, has suggested that consolidating the states higher education system would probably be beneficial in the long term for the state, though in the short term it could disrupt local economies.

For their part, smaller schools say the individual boards give them autonomy to respond to their communitys specific needs. And they fear consolidation would affect their offerings.

Ed DesPlas, with San Juan Community College, said San Juan County, which is home to the northwestern city of Farmington, is taxed to help fund the college.

Were governed by a local board. I just dont understand why the state would usurp the authority of local taxpayers, DesPlas said of consolidation.

All of the schools are coping with budget cuts.

UNM has eliminated staff positions through attrition and slowed the hiring of new faculty members.

At New Mexico State University, Chancellor Garrey Carruthers has launched a sweeping administrative and academic reorganization that could mean fewer programs and jobs at the states second-largest university.

Smaller schools are feeling the pinch as well. Administrators at San Juan Community College say they have restricted travel, canceled employee cellphone plans and laid people off to balance their budget.

Its not just colleges that are worried about the future. Two memorial bills currently in the state Legislature call for a review of the states higher education system.

House Joint Memorial 12, sponsored by Rep. Bill McCamley, D-Mesilla Park, emerged from the House Education Committee last month with a do pass recommendation. Its pending in the House.

Senate Joint Memorial 8, sponsored by Sen. John Sapien, D-Corrales, was approved 32-0 by the Senate last month and referred to the House Education Committee.

The Legislative Finance Committee, which makes budget recommendations, noted the state could improve in collaboration among institutions.

With fewer students and declining revenue, the current number of access points for higher education may become more difficult to maintain, reads the LFCs 2018 budget recommendation.

Barbara Damron, secretary of the state Department of Higher Education, says its clear something will have to change, but she warned against shooting from the hip when making decisions about the future of higher education in the state.

Damron  a professor, health care provider and administrator who has worked at UNM  said she doesnt want to subject any school to death by a thousand cuts. However, she also said the states colleges and universities might need to rethink their offerings.

Often, critics of New Mexicos higher education system say the state has too many schools. She disagrees with that argument and said, if anything, there are too many independent systems.

Does every institution need to be offering every major? Damron asked.

Too many boards?

In some states, a single board oversees many colleges. For example, in Nevada one board oversees the states seven higher education institutes and one research institute.

But in New Mexico, each school has a separate board, which can make coordination among all entities a challenge.

The states Higher Education Department has some oversight of the budgets of schools in the state and collects data on enrollment, retention and graduation rates. But college and university boards make their own spending and policy decisions and select presidents to lead their individual schools.

Damron, who was appointed by Gov. Susana Martinez, said New Mexico has one of the most decentralized approaches to managing higher education in the nation. But she isnt immediately calling for combining schools or culling governing boards.

Some of her departments efforts are geared toward commonality among the colleges and universities.

Consider common course numbering, a program that aims to ensure that a beginning English class taken at Northern New Mexico College would carry the same weight at UNM.

She said thats an improvement from a time when the schools didnt talk.

Were getting big reforms done, Damron said.

In recent years, schools have had to make cuts as enrollment fell. In fall 2011, 153,167 students were enrolled in the states universities and colleges. By fall 2015, that figure fell to 136,728, or about an 11 percent drop.

To complicate matters, the states budget has shrunk across the board. In the current fiscal year, lawmakers voted to reduce funding for higher education institutions by 5 percent. And though the state spends 13 percent of its general fund appropriation on higher education, leaders at the institutes say theyre running as lean as possible.

The higher education appropriation had risen from $716 million in the 2012 fiscal year to a high of $843 million in fiscal year 2016. That number dropped sharply in 2017 to $787 million, or about a 6.6 percent decrease from the peak but still significantly higher than 2012 levels.

In addition to state funding, tuition is a major source of revenue. But New Mexico is a poor state with many schools competing for students, and tuition remains lower here than in other states.

Small school autonomy

Smaller schools, both universities and colleges, say their size allows them autonomy and that consolidating supervisory oversight could hurt their offerings.

They also say New Mexicos physical size and rural communities demand schools for students who otherwise wouldnt, or couldnt, travel to Albuquerque or Las Cruces for their higher education needs.

Stephen Wells, president of New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology since July 2016, said he has worked at university systems in California and Nevada. Despite the numerous colleges, he said, New Mexico institutions are the ones that work most closely together.

Wells, who also previously worked as a professor at UNM, said boards that oversee several schools have more demands on their attention and it can be difficult for smaller schools to get that attention.

That could be a challenge for his school, which specializes in science education and research. Its also one of the smallest schools in the state with a student population of roughly 2,100 students in the rural town of Soccoro.

At New Mexico Tech, Wells said, he speaks with the schools regents regularly. That would be more difficult, he said, with a board in charge of more schools.

Wells said the problem is compounded when the people overseeing the colleges are elected. And the states schools shouldnt have to worry about competing with each other: We should be all working together to compete against the rest of the nation.

Robert Bailey, president of Northern New Mexico College since October 2016, said the school in Espanola serves a population that is traditionally underrepresented in higher education. The northern New Mexico city of about 10,000 struggles with poverty.

Our community needs to know theres a college dedicated specially to their needs, said Bailey, a veteran of the Air Force and a professor and administrator at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies at Air University in Alabama.

Bailey said consolidation could limit those offerings.

Not sustainable

Abdallah, UNMs acting president, said the states institutions are struggling along with their national peers, and the states current system is unsustainable.

He said the cost of running a university has increased in recent years, partially thanks to new operating costs tied to ensuring compliance with federal regulations such as Title IX, a gender anti-discrimination law.

Abdallah said he understands the appeal of smaller schools tailored to different communities, and he doesnt question their efficacy.

He also acknowledges that in the short term, consolidation would lead to economic hardship in many areas where small institutions are located.

This is obvious as higher education institutions have both a direct effect (above-average-pay jobs) as well as a multiplier effect in the small communities, he said.

However, Im questioning can you afford to have that if youre trying to educate a large population? Abdallah asked. I dont think its the right approach to educate a large number of people.

In the long term, he believes consolidation would lead to better educational outcomes such as higher graduation rates as limited resources are better used and targeted.

Although he said New Mexico funds higher education generously, it doesnt go as far as it could, given the number of schools.

NMSUs Carruthers, a former governor of New Mexico, said a challenge in managing New Mexicos higher education system is the state constitution, which dictates that, for example, one board of regents runs Western New Mexico University and another runs UNM. A change to the constitution would require approval from lawmakers and voters.

Carruthers said the state shouldnt reorganize the schools system just for the sake of reorganizing.

If it doesnt save any money, why would you do it? Carruthers said. Would reorganization help us or would we just make people unhappy?

If the higher education budget is again cut, that could mean more programs reduced and jobs lost, Damron said. And while there have been gains for the system  graduation rates are increasing and students incur less debt than the national average  it will be up to the states lawmakers and governor to determine what changes might be beneficial to the state and enact them.

Are they going to be strong enough to say thats what is best for the state? Damron asked. Only they can say that.

Part Two: How the states second largest university is dealing with its budget cuts and declining enrollment.
Universities and community colleges in New Mexico have numerous branch campuses. But what about the branches of the branches?

There are more than a dozen so-called twig institutions around the state in which a branch campus has its own smaller branch in another community, according to an analysis by the Legislative Finance Committee.

Take Dona Ana Community College in Las Cruces, for example.

DACC, which belongs to the New Mexico State University system, has learning centers in the unincorporated community of Chaparral, the village of Hatch and the cities of Anthony and Sunland Park  four locations that are 30 minutes or more from the main DACC campus.

NMSU has its own outpost in Albuquerque. As does New Mexico Highlands University, which also has small locations in Rio Rancho and Farmington.

Those raise questions of whether the individual schools are cooperating or competing.

Meanwhile, Luna Community College in Las Vegas has campuses in Mora and Santa Rosa. Western New Mexico University in Silver City has four learning centers in Hidalgo, Deming, Truth or Consequences and Gallup. And so on.

The learning centers are very different from a branch campus, said WNMU President Joseph Shepard. What the learning centers offer is that any university can offer classes at that location, although he noted that other colleges arent currently using those facilities.

https://abqjournal.com/962261/nms-higher-ed-crs-fewer-students.html

How cost-effective these satellite campuses are is a complicated question, according to Travis Dulany, a fiscal analyst for higher education with the Legislative Finance Committee. Some of them are costing money, but some are bringing in money.

Shepard noted that WNMUs learning centers make some classes more cost-effective for the main campus by piping in instruction via interactive television so that 10 students in Silver City might be paired with another 10 students in Gallup taking the same course.

But public education is not a business, per se, and the cost-effectiveness of any system is often weighed against student access and performance.

Higher Education Secretary Barbara Damron has criticized the decentralized governance structures of the states institutions while also praising their achievements in terms of access.

Were still a bricks and mortar industry, she told an audience at NMSUs Domenici Conference last fall. We still have gazillions of square footage in our higher ed institutions. Much of that is important. Much of that needs to be there. Certain things can still best be taught in the classroom. Here in New Mexico  you can barely go 40 miles in our state without having access to higher education.

There are new efforts to get diverse institutions to share their bricks and mortar.

Senate Bill 412, introduced this session by Sen. George Munoz, D-Gallup, would require higher education institutions to share physical facilities wherever it is reasonably feasible to do so and would grant the secretary of higher education authority to require institutions do so.

Sharing of physical facilities is likely to result in reduced costs to higher education institutions, although the exact cost-savings is unknown at this time, according to an LFC fiscal impact report on the bill.

The Senate Judiciary Committee gave it a do pass recommendation on Friday.
Film in the Works Tells the Story of African American Firefighters who Stood Up to the Los Angeles City Fire Department

Odyssey Sheds Light On Personal Stories of These Brave Men





Jonathan Sanger of Jonathan Sanger Productions in conjunction with LANY Pictures, Marques Johnson and Todd Wasserman have made a deal to develop and produce Stentorians, based on Todd Wasserman's script.

Praised as "an excellent story about basic human dignity," Stentorians follows the remarkable story of six African American firefighters working in the Los Angeles Fire Department as they embark on a one-year odyssey to win basic labor protections from a racist system that had been the culture of the Los Angeles Fire Department since its inception. Compelling, humorous, and deeply human, Stentorians is a story about struggle, the power of unity, and the courage it takes to fight for your rights. "It will be a powerful film that will spark dialogue around issues of racism, deplorable working conditions, and the fight to just belong. It's a story about empowerment and social consciousness," says Jonathan Sanger.

Sanger has recently produced Chapter and Verse which is in the theatres now. Sanger has also produced the highly anticipated Marshall movie starring Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, and Kate Hudson to be released in Fall of 2017. Among his other endeavors, his new book entitled Making The Elephant Man: A Producer's Memoir was recently published and is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle or the author's website www.JonathanSangerProductions.com

About The Stentorians

The Stentorians are an organization founded in 1954 by African-American firefighters of the Los Angeles City and Los Angeles County Fire Departments. Their purpose was to combat the racism and blatant bigotry that prevented African-Americans from joining and advancing in the fire service. The Stentorians fought to make the fire service a profession of equality and opportunity for all. The organization remains a strong force in the struggle for justice and equality in the fire service today and always. The Greek 'Stentor' meaning "(of a person's voice) loud and powerful" was taken from Homer's epic the Iliad.

About Jonathan Sanger

Brooklyn born Jonathan Sanger is a highly respected producer and director of major films, television series, and theatrical productions, having earned twenty Academy Award nominations, and winning three.

In 1976, Sanger moved to Los Angles where he worked for Lorimar Television on network television series The Blue Knight and Eight Is Enough. In 1978 he was Mel Brooks' Assistant Director on High Anxiety, which led to a long professional association. For Brooks' wife, Anne Bancroft's feature directorial debut film Fatso, Sanger served as Associate Producer. During this period Sanger had acquired the rights to the script of The Elephant Man  his first production which led to a successful career in both producing and directing films  films such as Frances, Without Limits, Vanilla Sky, Flight of the Navigator, The Producers, and Code Name: Emerald.

Sanger's passion about film led him to create The Discovery Program, which offers the opportunity for film professionals of all types to create short films of their own without the assistance of big-budget studios.

Along with the release of his memoir, Sanger is looking forward to two movie releases in 2017, Chapter and Verse, an indie film about a reformed Harlem gangster, and Marshall, a film about a case in the early law career of the first African-American associate judge of the U.S. Supreme Court, Thurgood Marshall.

-END-
The National Farmers Union (NFU) Dairy Board has called on the industry to treat recent vegan campaigns as a wakeup call.

Recent campaigns, including those by Go Vegan World, have left some dairy farmers fearing for their future.

The NFU Dairy Board Michael Oakes has issued a reassurance to its members, saying: "High profile vegan campaigns against the dairy industry need to be a wake-up call."

The Go Vegan World adverts, which have featured in the Sunday Telegraph and across the UK on billboards, have angered many farmers.

The advert displays a picture of a cow and its young, displaying the headline 'dairy takes babies from their mothers', it says "humane milk is a myth".

The advert appearing in the Sunday Times

Mr Oakes said he was "appalled" at the newspaper, and that it was "demoralising" for farmers.

He said in an open letter to the Sunday Telegraph: Adverts such as this paint an incorrect picture of the UK dairy industry and dishearten the nations dairy farmers, for whom the health, welfare and care of dairy cows and calves is incredibly important.

About half of our beef production comes from the dairy herd  a vital source of both calves for prime beef production and cow beef.

For calves to reach their potential they need to be happy and healthy, whether the future is within the dairy herd or within the beef supply chain."

Mr Oakes, and the NFU, have urged the public to champion the work of the Red Tractor, which applies to nearly all British farms and promotes high animal welfare, environmental and food standards.

However, Go Vegan World accused the NFU of 'entirely missing the point', and said in a vegan world farmers would be needed 'more than ever'.
Anne, Princess Royal has paid tribute to all the women who work behind the scenes in agriculture at the Royal Northern Spring Show.

Anne said: For all those ladies working hard behind the scenes, who perhaps dont have your names on the [business] letterheads, I hope you feel that progress has been made here.

For her praise, Janelle Anderson, first female president of the Royal Northern Agricultural Society (RNAS), thanked the royal and attributed her attendance for the larger crowd at the show.

During her visit, the Princess Royal handed out two long-service medals.

Robert Largue has worked for the Watson family at Suttie near Kintore, since May 1979. He was praised for his work as tractorman and stockman.

Gordon Anderson was praised for his 31 years of work with three generations of the Maitland family. He has been responsible for the day-to-day running of their farm.

Royal patronage

Anne became the patron of RNAS in 2010. It was founded by progressive farmers and landowners in northeast Scotland in 1843.

This area has been renowned for the quality of its livestock and stockmanship of its farmers. It has been honoured with royal patronage since its beginning.

According to its website: The society aims to improve agricultural production and the rural economy in all its branches.

Today, the society is best known for its range of activities including the acclaimed annual Spring Show, competitions for growing cereals and turnips, awards for outstanding service to agriculture and encouragement of good farming practice.

The society has also been able to give assistance to some very worthwhile causes, particularly Countryside Education for Young People.
A West Sussex egg farm has not taken any chances with its chickens and the current scare of bird flu, so it is taking advantage of the latest laser technology to protect its birds.

This week, the British government has extended the avian influenza (bird flu) prevention zone to April 2017.

The requirements of the zone have changed, meaning keepers may let their birds out provided that they have enhanced biosecurity measures in place.

The automated laser is an innovative method of repelling unwanted birds

These restrictions have caused havoc for free-range and organic poultry farms across the UK.

Orchard Eggs in West Sussex is not taking any chances with its chickens and it is taking advantage of the latest laser technology to protect its birds.

As Daniel Hoeberichts, the owner of Orchard Eggs, explains: Our birds are housed across 50 acres of orchard and we want to do everything to keep them safe from infection. Once we heard about the Agrilaser Autonomic it seemed like an ideal solution to complement all of our other biosecurity measure.

Enhancing biosecurity

The automated laser is an innovative method of repelling unwanted birds without causing harm to the wild birds, the chickens and the surrounding environment.

The system has been developed by the Dutch company Bird Control Group in cooperation with the Technical University of Delft, The Netherlands.

The laser is silent and shows effectiveness of 90 to 100% in bird dispersal at farms. This makes it a viable alternative to the expensive method of installing nets at the entire poultry farm.

The prevention zone was first declared from 6th December 2016 that all poultry and captive bird keepers had to apply heightened biosecurity including keeping their birds indoors if possible, or otherwise separated from wild birds.

This was renewed on 4th January 2017 to last until 28th February. This further zone will remain in force until at least the end of April 2017.
CROWLEY, Texas  In a parking lot on Main Street in this nondescript town of 14,000, Wal-Mart is testing out what it hopes could be its next small thing  a genuine convenience store.

Walk into the 2,500-square-foot store, and the surroundings feel familiar. Theres the multi-colored ICEE machine, hot dogs sizzling on a roller, and beer stacked in a walk-in refrigerator.

Its one of two convenience stores Wal-Mart opened last month. The other is in Rogers, Ark., near Wal-Marts Bentonville headquarters. Both stores are in the parking lots of Wal-Mart Supercenters. Wal-Mart continues to test small store formats even though it abandoned its 12,000-square-foot Wal-Mart Express stores last year.

Crowley was picked for being located on the outskirts of Dallas-Fort Worth, a very important market to us, said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Anne Hatfield. And because its just off Interstate-35, a major north-south highway in the central U.S.

Wal-Marts strategy seems to be not reinventing the convenience store concept but rather tweaking it.

The stores hot food section sells pizza, whole and by the slice, and on another bank of hot rollers are the tornadoes, a knockoff of 7-Elevens taquitos. Community coffee brand is sold from six taps, regular, decaf and flavored. Theres a healthy selection with fruit cups, yogurt and Market Side branded salads and wraps, but no calorie counts on the labels.

The rectangle-shaped building sits in front of a row of 16 gasoline pumps, all under cover.

Its a far cry from Amazon Go, a self-service food store that Amazon recently opened on the street level of one of its corporate buildings in Seattle. Amazon hasnt said much about another store under construction in Seattle with a drive-up canopy area in front of a building that locals speculate is for online grocery pick-ups.

Wal-Mart is also working on a convenience store concept for its online grocery shoppers.

In December, one of these 4,000-square-foot stores with gasoline pumps opened in Thornton, Colo. Its similar to one Wal-Mart opened a year ago in Huntsville, Ala.

Inside, the standard coffee, soda and snacks are sold, but these stores include a drive-through for picking up online grocery orders.

Both convenience store concepts are tests, Hatfield said.

Were eager for feedback from customers. We want to know whats working, she said in an interview.

The convenience store business is not huge for a company Wal-Marts size, but as a major seller of gasoline, its 100-and 200-square foot payment kiosks may not offer enough for many of its customers.

Wal-Mart operates a To-Go store in Bentonville, Ark., down the street from its headquarters, and it created a lot of buzz when it opened in 2014. There are no plans to build more of the single 5,000-square-foot To Go store, said Hatfield, which also has a deli section with some warm foods like rotisserie chickens.
Motorcycles have come a long way since 1885, when Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach built the first one in Germany. Called the reitwagen, or riding car, its engine had 0.5 horsepower and a top speed of 11 kilometers per hour. Fourteen years later, the first production bike was made by Hildebrand and Wolfmuller featuring a two-cylinder engine that produced 2.5 horsepower and topped out at 45 kph.

Today's motorcycles are obviously more powerful iron horses. Harley-Davidson (HOG 1.59%) recently unveiled its new Milwaukee-Eight engine that, on the 114 cubic inch high-end model model, has four valves per head and produces over 100 horsepower.

The industry has grown over the past 132 years serving a much more diverse crowd of riding enthusiasts. Although bike makers have struggled to recover from the financial-market meltdown a decade ago, here are 13 additional facts from the Motorcycle Industry Council that will blow you away.

1. Sales gains are fleeting.

There were 573,000 new motorcycles sold in 2015, up slightly from the prior year, but sales are expected to have declined around 2.1% in 2016.

2. Harley is still hogging sales.

Harley-Davidson accounted for 29.3% of all new motorcycle sales in the U.S. in 2015, followed by Honda Motors at 14%, and Yamaha at 13%. Polaris Industries (PII 3.63%) represented just 4.4% of total sales that year with its Indian and Victory brands. Yet Harley reported at the end of January, and 2016 U.S. sales fell 3.9% and were down globally 1.6%. Polaris, on the other hand, said its sales were up 1%, with Indian Motorcycle enjoying mid-20% growth.

3. Gang of eight.

Eight manufacturers represented 81% of all U.S sales in 2015. In addition to the four manufacturers above, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki, and BMW round out the list.

4. Going back to Cali.

California had the most new motorcycle sales, at 78,610, or 13.7% of the total. The next closest state was Florida, at 41,720, followed by Texas, with 41,420 new bikes sold. Despite being home to the annual motorcycle pilgrimage of Sturgis, South Dakota sold only 2,620 new bikes in 2015.

5. Wide open spaces.

Even though California topped all states in new bike sales, because it is also the most populous state, its sales work out to just 2.9 bikes per 100, below the national average of 3.2 bikes per 100 people. Wyoming, with 7.0 motorcycles per 100 people, has the most. As a result, there are fewer bikes in the east, with 2.9 per 100, and most in the midwest, with 3.4.

6. Changing makeup of riders.

Women represented 14% of all motorcycle owners in 2014, up from 6% in 1990 and 10% in 2009. It may be one of the most telling figures in why Harley is struggling; its core customer of middle-aged males has fallen from 94% of the motorcycle-owning population in 2009 to 86% in 2014. It's also part of the reason Harley introduced its Street 500 and 750 models, and Polaris came out with its Scout and Scout Sixty models to appeal to these riders newer to the market. However, IHS Automotive data says Harley-Davidson still has a 60.2% share of women riders.

7. A graying market.

The median age of the typical motorcycle owner is 47, up from 32 in 1990 and 40 in 2009. And although its sales are slipping, Harley maintains a 55.1% share of the 35 and older male rider demographic. However, more troubling for the industry is the decline in riders under 18, which has fallen from 8% in 1990 to 2%, and those between 18 and 24 from 16% of the total down to 6%. Where will the new bike buyers come from if the industry is not attracting these younger people?

8. The great escape.

Married riders comprise 61% of motorcycle owners, up from 57% in 1990.

9. Becoming a wealthy pursuit.

Some 24% of motorcycle owner households earned between $50,000 and $74,999 in 2014, and as much as 65% earned $50,000 or more. The the median household income was $62,200.

10. And well-educated.

72% of motorcycle owners have received at least some college or post-graduate education, and almost as many (71%) were employed. Some 15% were retired.

11. Most weren't off-roading.

Of all the new motorcycles sold in the U.S. in 2015, 74% were on-highway bikes, and the 8.4 million motorcycles that were registered in U.S. the year before was more than double the number in 1990. Motorcycles, in fact, represented 3% of total vehicle registrations.

12. Motorcycles do their part.

The motorcycle industry contributed $24.1 billion in economic value in 2015 via sales, services, state taxes paid, and licensing fees, and it employed 81,567 people.
LOS ANGELES (TNS)  The gig: Deryck van Rensburg is the new dean of Pepperdine Universitys Graziadio School of Business and Management in Malibu, Calif. He took over in November after spending 32 years in international business with consumer-products giant Unilever and then Coca-Cola Co. His task: To reinvigorate the business schools vision and strategy.

Early years

Van Rensburg, 57, was born and raised in South Africa when apartheid reigned. His father worked for the railroads and my mother left me when I was 4, she walked out, he said. It was complicated. He eventually served his mandatory two years in the South African military.

Needed change

After getting a bachelors degree in commerce, van Rensburg joined Unilever in its brand-management unit, married and then moved to England for postgraduate studies in part because being Christian I really struggled with the whole situation with apartheid, he said. We decided to find our footing elsewhere.

Lasting impression

Van Rensburg earned an MBA and the equivalent of a doctorate in England, then rejoined Unilever as a marketing manager in London. A few years later, a search firm hired by Coca-Cola came calling and van Rensburg moved to the Atlanta beverage giant. But van Rensburg never forgot the effect some professors had on him. I said, Thats what I want to do one day, he recalled.

Far-flung posts

With Coke, van Rensburg took turns heading operations in Austria, Romania, Greece and Germany. He often consolidated Cokes bottlers and made other sweeping changes to increase efficiency and boost sales. He also learned a key part of Cokes culture: That its crucial for executives to visit stores where Coke is sold and talk to customers. They had this fundamental belief that you immerse yourself at the street level, he said.

Riding a wave

By 2007, van Rensburg was back working in Cokes Atlanta headquarters. His oldest son, a surfer, was looking for U.S. colleges near the ocean and picked Pepperdine. Hes to blame actually, or to thank for leading van Rensburg to the school, the father said with a laugh. Another son attended Pepperdine as well, so van Rensburg bought a house in Malibu and came to know the schools senior administrators.

Opportunity knocks

One day a Pepperdine vice chancellor came through Atlanta, met with van Rensburg and asked if hed consider becoming the business schools new dean. Id always had this desire to develop myself and challenge myself intellectually, and (the offer) just came at the right time, he said. The job also came with a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean from the deans office on the hillside campus.

The challenge: Youve got a good school, were having good momentum and we have our highest enrollment in 12 years with 500 full-time students and 1,500 part-time and executive students, he said. But its been a little while since we really got clear about who do we really want to be and how do we want to be distinguished?

Setting goals

Van Rensburg has launched a program to figure out the schools vision and strategy, and he expects to produce a plan for both in the fall. The process has included talking to the faculty, alumni, students and staff, all with the goals of making the student experience transformational, spreading the word that Pepperdine stands apart and creating leaders of the future, he said. Also, its incumbent on us to get the very best students in the door. Before taking the job, van Rensburg also spoke with the deans of 26 other business schools to get their input.

Watch the fringes

When youre in a large company you typically benchmark yourself against your principal competitor, van Rensburg said. But in his last job at Coke, running a business unit that identifies and develops independent brands with big sales potential, what we found was, disruption comes from all kinds of places and typically from the fringe of the industry. That peripheral vision needed in the corporate world also applies to academia, he said. I believe higher education potentially will undergo disruption. I bring that perspective of always looking at the fringe of the industry, what are some of the technologies or trends that could impact what we do today?

Off the clock

Van Rensburg and his wife, Rozanne, have three sons and a daughter. International travel is still part of van Rensburgs life. He and his family recently went to Kenya to visit one of seven children in Africa they sponsor through Compassion International, and other recent travels took them to Israel and the Galapagos Islands. Theyll also return to South Africa this year for a family reunion.




Haiti - Rene Preval : Message of sympathy of President Moise





"President Jovenel Moses bows to salute the departure for the eternal of the former Head of State of Haiti, Rene Preval, this Friday, March 3, 2017 in Laboule...



On this sad occasion, the President of the Republic presents his sincere sympathies on behalf of the Haitian people and Government, the grieving family and the relatives of the disappeared. These words of condolence extend also to the sympathizers, political allies and supporters of the deceased who led the country for ten years (1996-2001, 2006-2011).



The President of the Republic pays tribute, in this painful circumstance, to this great figure of Haitian politics in recent decades. The Republic of Haiti expresses its gratitude to this worthy son, who will have made many sacrifices during his life for the benefit of the common fatherland."



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20253-haiti-flash-rene-garcia-preval-passed-away-this-friday.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Rene Preval : Messages of sympathy arrive from everywhere





Jack Guy Lafontant :

"I express my profound sadness following the death of former President Rene Preval. Haiti has lost a great son. That his soul rests in peace ! Jack Guy Lafontant, Appointed Prime Minister of the Republic of Haiti.



Jocelerme Privert :

"I lost a friend, an advisor and a mentor," Jocelerme Privert former Temporary President of Haiti



Senator Youri Latortue :

"I bow, with respect, to the departure of President Rene Garcia Preval for the Eternal. My sincere sympathies to his biological and political family," Senator Youri Latortue, President of the Senate.



Michel Martelly :

"President Preval, Ti Rene, my brother, my friend and adviser, your departure leaves us in shock. A man who has served his country never dies. That your soul rest in peace !" Michel Martelly, former President of Haiti.



Embassy of France in Haiti :

"The French Embassy in Haiti pays tribute to President Rene Preval and associates to the pain of his wife, his family and the Haitian people."



Embassy of Switzerland:

"The Swiss Embassy in Haiti salutes the memory of former Haitian President Rene Preval and offers his condolences to the Haitian people."



Chancellery of Brazil :

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil transmits "the solidarity of the Brazilian government with the people and the Haitian government and presents its condolences to the family of Rene Preval."



European Union :

"The European Union expresses its sincere condolences to the Haitian authorities and people and to the relatives and family of the deceased on the occasion of the sudden death of President Rene Preval. The European Union salutes the memory of this personality who has put himself at the service of his country and has worked to make advance it on the difficult paths of democracy and economic and social progress."



Sandra Honore :

"President Rene Preval was a great gatherer and a strong supporter of political pluralism, as he demonstrated through his two presidential terms [...] He will remain in the memories as one of the greatest personalities in the country [...]"



The Special Representative of the Secretary-General "salutes the memory of Mr. Preval and at this painful moment, and extends her deepest condolences to his wife Elisabeth, his family and political family, and to the Haitian people." Sandra Honore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Haiti.



Senatrice Dieudonne Luma Etienne (Nord) :

"I learned with great sadness the announcement of the death of former President Rene Preval. My sympathies to his family and friends affected."



Ambassador Bocchit Edmond :

"Farewell to the legendary Haitian President. You left leaving behind the mystery of having closed two mandates without a coup or exile," Bocchit Edmond Ambassador of Haiti in London.



The Consulate of Haiti in Miami :

"The Consulate General of Haiti in Miami presents his condolences to the family of the former President of the Republic, Mr. Rene G. Preval."



OAS, Luis Almagro :

"All our condolences to Haiti on the occasion of the passing of former President Rene Preval. Solidarity with his family and the Haitian people," Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS).



Former President Leonel Fernandez :

"We express our sincere condolences to the Haitian government and people for the passing away of our precious friend Rene Preval, Constitutional President of Haiti, a man of Peace and very affable, with whom I cultivated a great friendship," Leonel Fernandez Former President of the Dominican Republic.



Depute Jerry Tardieu :

Jerry Tardieu qui a passe deux heures avec lancien president dHaiti Rene Preval vendredi se dit etonne "Il etait bien [...] Il n'avait pas l'air different de tout autre jour. Je suis sous le choc.  Depute Jerry Tardieu (Petion-ville).



Deputy Gary Bodeau :

"Sad news for the country. Former President Rene Preval died on March 3 following a stroke. My sincere condolences to the family," Deputy of Delmas Gary Bodeau, Quaestor of the Bureau of the Lower House.



Mayor Ralph Youri Chevry :

"I join the Haitian Nation in mourning, face the the death of His Excellency Rene Garcia Preval. I express my sincere sympathies to his wife and family who live a painful and sad time. We have lost on this day a great personage in our history," Ralph Youri Chevry, Mayor of Port-au-Prince.



Bureau des Jeunes d'Afrique en Haiti :

"The Office of Young Africans in Haiti bends to the memory of this personality, simple, humble and of extraordinary wisdom [...] in this painful circumstance, the Office of Young Africans in Haiti presents its sincere Condolences to his family, relatives, friends and comrades and to all those affected by this disappearance."



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20259-haiti-rene-preval-message-from-the-us-embassy.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20254-haiti-rene-preval-message-of-sympathy-of-president-moise.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20253-haiti-flash-rene-garcia-preval-passed-away-this-friday.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping politics...





NOTICE: Thierry Gardere's funeral

The funeral of the CEO of the Rhum Barbancourt company, Thierry Gardere, who died on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, at the age of 65, will be sung on Tuesday, March 7, 2017, in the Saint-Pierre church of Petion-ville https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20236-haiti-flash-thierry-gardere-dg-of-barbancourt-passed-away.html



Jack Guy Lafontant promises a lot...

Jack Guy Lafontant, the Prime Minister appointed, gave the assurance to launch major development projects during the first 100 days of its administration; To respond to the campaign promises of President Jovenel Moise. Affirming that priority will be given to the economic sector so that Haiti becomes a country favorable to investments.



Senators on retreat on the coast of Arcadins

The 26 senators in office and the last 2 elected senators who have not yet taken the oath have been retiring since Friday at the Royal Decameron hotel on the Arcadins coast. The conscripted fathers will have to work on the legislative agenda, according to Youri Latortue, President of the Senate. This retreat will end on Sunday.



Toward an economic governance pact

Presentation yesterday Friday, in the lower house, of a special commission to develop an economic governance pact. Its is composed of 7 Members including the Deputy Franck Lauture, President and Gerard Paul Lormeus, secretary-rapporteur.



Tierry Gardere : Message from the CFI

"It is with great sadness that the Center for Facilitation of Investments (CFI) has learned the pasing of Mr. Thierry Gardere, the owner of Rhum Barbancourt, one of the best known haitian brands in the world. The CFI regrets the departure of a pioneer of national production and a brilliant manager and sends its most sincere sympathies to the parents, allies and collaborators experienced by this loss. May the earth rest lightly on you !!"



Nesmy Manigat, re-elected as President

The Embassy of France in Haiti congratulates former Minister of Education Nesmy Manigat on his re-election as President of the Governance Committee of the Global Partnership for Education.



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-16734-icihaiti-education-tribute-evening-to-nesmy-manigat.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16651-haiti-education-nesmy-manigat-appointed-president-of-a-committee-of-global-partnership-for-education.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















On Hindu councils complaint, Pakistan court bans liquor sales in Sindh Province

Pakistani law allows sale of liquor to minorities, including Hindus and Christians

Karachi : In an unusual move on Thursday, the High Court in Pakistani province of Sindh has banned sale of liquor and ordered the provincial government to shut all liquor shops and prepare a strategy to regulate its sale.

The order comes in response to a complaint filed by the Pakistan Hindu Council, a representative body of the Hindu community in Pakistan. Pakistani law allows sale of liquor to minorities, including Hindus and Christians. But the law is often manipulated when Muslims get liquor through their non-Muslim colleagues, friends or employees, according to its critics.

The Sindh High Court Chief Justice, Sajjad Ali Shah, ruled that liquor was being wrongfully sold in the name of non-Muslims. The Hindu Council and Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, a member of the National Assembly, argued before the court that sale of alcohol beverages without regulation is violation of Article 37(h) and Hudood Ordinance. The ordinance, enacted in 1977 as part of the then military ruler Zia-ul-Haqs Islamisation process, replaced parts of the British-era Penal Code, adding new criminal offences.

Dr. Vankwani also proposed to adopt the biometric verification process in selling liqour. He said alcohol is forbidden in all religions.

A bill has already been presented to the National Assembly for the amendment of Article 37(h) to regulate the sale of alcohol, he told the court.

The ruling came after Advocate General and lawyers of wine shops admitted that most of wine shops are not operating according to their permits.

Dr. Vankwani also said majority of the wine shops are established in the most expensive residential areas where a poor non-Muslim could not afford to go. The High Court had imposed a similar ban last year, but the owners of wine and liquor shops and wholesale dealers had challenged the decision in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court gave the owners a temporary relief by allowing the sales again.

Advocate Mir Jawed, who represented owners of alcohol shops, argued that all liquor shops were legal. There are 120 liquor shops across Sindh. Of them, 59 shops are in provincial capital Karachi

Source : Hindu Existence
Press Statement

Panun Kashmir held a meeting of its Political Affairs Committee at Jammu on 4th March 2017. The meeting was chaired by Prof. M.L.Raina, Chairman, PAC. Those who attended the meeting besides others included S/Shri Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo, President, Panun Kashmir, Virender Raina, National Spokesperson, Upinder Kaul, General Secretary, Kamal Bagati, Vijay Qazi and Sameer Bhat. The meeting discussed the current socio-political scenario and particularly the issue of the settlement of illegal immigrants in Jammu and Kashmir state. The steps taken by the government of India in this connection and particularly at the level of MHA were also debated upon.

Shri Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo, President, Panun Kashmir in his address said that Panun Kashmir feels satisfaction that the Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has sought report from the Jammu and Kashmir government on this sensitive issue. Panun Kashmir has been in the forefront of the campaign to raise voice regarding the illegal immigration of people from Myanmar and Bangladesh in the Jammu province. Due to persistent efforts made at various levels, this issue has assumed significance in the context that it can cause a big threat not only to the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir but is also considered as a demographic invasion on the Jammu Region. Moreover, this issue is also a potential threat to the civilizational flow of the Jammu region which has already been the soft target of the grand design of Muslim precedence in the J&K state.

In this context, the statement of Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoS in PMO who has sought an indepth probe into the settlement of Rohingyas on outskirts of Jammu and need for effective steps by the government to keep check on them also assumes importance. Panun Kashmir will continue to play a frontal role so far as thought process, follow up and awareness on this serious subject are concerned. It also needs to be probed as to how the UNHRC cards were prepared for these illegal immigrants while the State of India has been consistently and vigourously following the policy of non-interference of UN bodies in the Jammu and Kashmir state for the last seven decades.

The role of political parties and personalities, and certain connected NGOs should also come under scanner with the purpose to expose the whole mystry as to how such a serious threat has been invited by them particularly in the Jammu region. We are hopeful that the government/s will take this issue more seriously and initiate an exercise to deport these illegal immigrants as soon as possible.

Prof. M.L.Raina, Chairman, PAC while speaking on the occasion said that the so-called campaign on freedom of expression unleashed with an ulterior motive has the potential to recreate 2016 situation of unrest in Kashmir valley during this summer. The authorities need to view this new phase of disturbances very seriously particularly when the secessionist-terrorist combine in Kashmir have failed in their ulterior design due to the heroic sacrifices made by the brave security forces. It would be advisable for the government to nip the evil in the bud and thus make it sure that things do not get out of hand in any circumstances.

Virender Raina,

National Spokesperson
Shehla Rashid,

I am Aditya Tikoo. It was the morning of 19th January 1990. I (then 5) was playing with my mother on the bed. She was 7 months pregnant. She took me in her lap and asked  what do you want  baby brother or sister?. Brother  I replied. She kissed my forehead and held her hand on my head in affection.

Suddenly we heard a noise outside. It was some mob that was nearing our house. It kept getting noisy with each moment. My father who had gone outside rushed into the house and came to our room. I saw his eyes full of fear for the first time. He was a school master in Srinagar. They are coming, he said.

I felt my mothers grip around me was tightened suddenly. I looked at her face. She fainted. I asked, what happened? She almost cried, said- nothing Bachcha. She covered me with her shawl. I could clearly hear her heartbeats as my ears were pushed against her. Her heart was beating abnormally. I could not see her face now. It was all dark inside. But now I could realise, she was wiping her tears.

The procession was now outside our locality which had 7-8 Hindu homes. Someone from the mob shouted  Thats the masters house. And then started the announcement from the nearby mosques  Asi gachchi Pakistan, Batao roas te Batanev san (we want to become Pakistan with Hindu women not with their men). It was announced by the mob. All men must leave valley leaving behind their women. Some of them kicked the gate and pelted stones at the window. We were terrified. I was in mothers arms. Who was shivering. Carrying three hearts. Two within, one in arms.

Mosques started making announcements after announcements. It was a recorded cassette with Islamic songs warning the idolaters. To free Kashmir from Kufra. Azadi ka matlab kya La ilaah illillaah.

Few minutes later, 3-4 males from the locality knocked the door. My father opened it in fear. They were Hindu neighbours. Came to inform we are leaving in 2 hours. They have gone mad. They wont listen to us. They wont let us live anymore. This is our last day in valley.

While they were discussing how to flee, those words of mob  Asi gachchi Pakistan, Batao roas te Batanev san were playing in my mind endlessly. I only knew a woman in my life. She was my mother. I asked myself, what will they do with my mother? Why do they want her for Pakistan? I asked after a silence  Maa, what are they saying? Who are they? Why will they take you away? Will I go with you?

Na bachcha. I am your mother. I will be with you always  she cried bursting into tears.

In few hours, my father arranged tickets for us. Mother packed a few things  some jewellery, cash and a Shiva Ling. I was looking at her in fear while she was packing. She was constantly crying. She consoled me a couple of times and pretended she is fine. But I knew she wasnt.

We left home in the noise of loudspeakers from mosques. I can still hear those voices. Those aggressive tones, words and call for action. I could see skullcaps around staring at us with the glare of victory. Eyes that wanted to peel the skin off my mother and eat her flesh.

My father tried to pick me up since mother was advised not to lift heavy things. I thought if I leave her, she will go with mob.

I cried like never before. I said  Maa take me with you. Dont leave. She tried to explain- I am not leaving. I am with you. Just be with Dad. I refused. My father cried for the first time. He forcibly snatched me from mother again. I was so terrified that I almost felt unconscious.

When I got my consciousness back, I found myself in mothers lap in the bus. She was crying and thanking God. We fled the valley. There were thousands like us. We lived in a tent in Jammu for next 2 months. A lot happened there.

My mother had miscarriage. She lost the child. She lost the smile forever. A few years ago, I got to know the full story. When I fell unconscious, she did not let Dad touch me. She carried me for all the time so that when I open my eyes, I find her right in front. Because this is what I wanted. To be carried by her. She walked and ran for 5 long kilometers carrying two children  one in arms, one inside to catch the bus. She got the bus but lost her other child.

We are settled in Delhi now. With her sacrifice and blessings, I am doing well in life. My mother doesnt talk much.

Listen Shehla Rashid, I am not a storyteller. Neither are you some dear to me with whom I wanted to share what I never did till today.

I just want you to know one thing. Whenever my mother listens to the Azadi slogans or Kashmiriyat or La ilah illillaah on TV in Kashmir or Delhi, she sees her child bleeding to death. She cries in other room. Thinking about her child. Who was snatched away from him by the slogans of Azadi, Pakistan and La ilaah illillaah.

Your slogans and defence of Azadi lovers remind my mother of her child who was brutally murdered by you, your fathers and Islamists.

Thus, you are my enemy. Whenever someone tries to harm you or slaps you or beats you or threatens you, I feel he is standing with me for my lost sibling who I never saw. Whenever someone silences the voices of Azadi, hum le ke rahenge azadi, hum kya chahte azadi etc whether Army in Kashmir or people like ABVP or Agniveer in Delhi, we feel as if someone is coming to rescue us and our lost baby.

I find you personally responsible for tears of blood my mother shed all these years. You and millions of Azadi seeker Islamist swines are the reason she has never smiled since 19th January 1989. She is the victim. You are the attackers. Game will begin now.

You Jihadis will be slapped, beaten up and destroyed wherever you are. Those whom army cant shoot, will be taken care of by us. You cry victim. We will beat you more. For our mothers blood. For her tears. For her lost child. For her lost smile.

For all those hundreds of mothers whom you raped. For all mothers whom you abducted and snatched away from their children forever. Mothers who are still missing from the valley. Mothers whose breasts were cut off with the slogans of Allahu Akbar. Mothers whose private parts were mutilated with slogans of Islam Zindabad. Mothers whose thighs were tattooed with Islam Zindabad. Mothers whom you disrobed. Mothers whom you forced to parade naked in front of their children.

Whatever has happened to you is just a trailer. You cry that a few stones hit you and gave you scratches. Know that my mother almost bled to death. My mother saw her child bleed to death. Yours is a drama. Hers was real.

We swear to the dignity of all those mothers. All rapist Jihadi Kashmiri Islamists will be silenced by all means. Kashmir is not yours. Forget about it. Forever.

 From a real Kashmiri and son of Mother India

By: K Bharat on Friday, February 24th, 2017

Source : The Indian Voice
This Week in Palestine, March 3, 2017 by IMEMC

Welcome to this Week in Palestine, a service of the International Middle East Media Center, http://www.imemc.org , for February 25, to March 03, 2017.

Listen now: Copy the code below to embed this audio into a web page: <audio preload="none" src="https://www.indybay.org/uploads/2017/03/04/this_week_in_palestine_week_09_2017.mp3" controls="controls"></audio>

As US Senators try to block aid money to the Palestinian Authority this week, Israeli attacks leave two workers dead and other dozen civilians injured in both Gaza and the West Bank. These stories, and more, coming up, stay tuned.





The Nonviolence Report



Lets begin our weekly report as usual with the nonviolent activities organized in the West Bank. One Journalist was injured, many protesters were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation when Israeli troops attacked nonviolent protests organized in West Bank villages. IMEMCs Majd Batjali has more:



Protests were organized this week in the northern West Bank village of Kufer Qadum in addition to of Bilin, Nilin and al Nabi Saleh village in central West Bank.



A Palestinian journalist was shot in the head by rubber coated steel bullet by Israeli soldiers as they attacked the villagers of Kufer Kadum. Troops fired live rounds, and tear gas at protesters and their supporters at the village entrance. Many residents were also treated for the effects of tea gas inhalation. The journalist was moved to a nearby hospital in Qalqilia city.



In central West Bank, at the villages of Bilin and Nilin, Israeli soldiers attacked the protesters as soon as they reached the gate in the wall that separates local farmers from their lands. Many protesters suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation and were treated by field medics at both locations.



At the nearby Al Nabi Saleh village troops attacked protesters as soon as they reached the village entrance. Later Israeli forces and armed settlers invaded the village and fired tear gas into residents homes causing damage and many residents to suffer the effects of tear gas inhalation.



For IMEMC News this is Majd Batjali.





The Political Report



An Israeli military court postponed the imprisonment of an Israeli soldier convicted of manslaughter, meanwhile, US senators re-introduce a bill to stop aid to the Palestinian Authority, IMEMCs George Rishmawi has more:



This week, an Israeli military court, granted the request of Israeli soldier Elor Azarya  who was convicted, last month, of manslaughter for the filmed, execution-style shooting of 21-year-old Abd al-Fattah al-Sharif to postpone the beginning of his 18-month sentence until a ruling is made on his appeal, according to Israeli media.



Israeli media sources reported that Azarya was set to start his prison sentence on Sunday March 5, but, with the courts decision, he will remain under open detention at his units base, similar to the months he has already spent on open detention. The judge was quoted as saying, during the hearing, that Azarya has proven he poses no danger to the public and that theres no fear he would try to escape justice.



Though the prosecution initially objected to Azaryas request, saying the defendant was convicted of manslaughter, carried out an intentional killing, was motivated by the desire for revenge, broke army orders, the court eventually dropped its objection. Azaryas lawyer claimed that nine out of ten soldiers want Azarya to be released, and went on to note what he called massive gap between the guilty verdict and what millions of Jews in the state of Israel think.



It is worth mentioning that Azarya is the only Israeli soldier to be charged with killing a Palestinian in 2016  when at least 109 Palestinians were shot and killed by Israeli forces and settlers  according to Human Rights Watch. According to the Israeli rights group Yesh Din, of the 186 criminal investigations opened by the Israeli army into suspected offenses against Palestinians in 2015, just four yielded indictments.



On March 24, 2016, Al-Sharif was shot and left severely wounded on the ground for several minutes before Azarya stepped forward and shot him in the head, with a number of witnesses quoting him as saying This dog is still alive and This terrorist deserves to die before pulling the trigger.



In other news, United States senators re-introduced a bill which calls for cutting funds provided to the Palestinians Authority, claiming that it supports terrorism.



The bill, according to Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, was reintroduced by Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, in addition to two other senators, demanding a cut on US funding to the PA if it continues to provide monetary support to families of Palestinians involved of attacks against Israelis and others.



If a young Palestinian is convicted in a court in Israel of being a terrorist, the longer theyre in jail, the more their family receives from the Palestinian Authority, Graham said. He added that the aim of the new bill is not to destroy the PA rather than forcing it to change its policies.



Graham claimed that he supports peace between Israelis and Palestinians and to achieve peace PA must stop paying money for attackers who harm Israelis. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had raised this issue in his press conference with US President Donald Trump during his first official visit to the US after Trump assumed office.



For IMEMC News, this is George Rishmawi





The West Bank and Gaza Report



This week, two Palestinian workers killed this week by Israeli attacks in the West Bank, meanwhile in Gaza Israeli bombardment leave four injured civilians. IMEMCs Ghassan Bannoura Reports:



An Israeli settler shot and killed, Wednesday, Saadi Qaisiyya, 25, allegedly after he attacked him with a knife and stabbed him, in Teneh Omarim illegal colony, built on private Palestinian land, south of Hebron, in the southern part of the occupied West Bank. Qaisiyya comes from ath-Thaheriyya town, south of Hebron.



Israeli sources said that the wounded Israeli, 33 years of age, suffered mild injuries to his limbs, and received treatment by Israeli medics. Eyewitnesses said that Qaisiyya bled to death without receiving medical treatment.



On Tuesday of this week, Rabea Salman, 20, was killed after falling into a deep quarry when Israeli soldiers chased him, and others workers, while trying to enter Israel for work, without permits. The incident took place west of Salfit, in central West Bank. s from Askar refugee camp, in the northern West Bank district of Nablus.



Later in the week, Dozens of soldiers invaded, on Wednesday at dawn, Tulkarem city, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, and broke into a local print shop, before destroying many of its equipment, and confiscating machines. Also on Wednesday at dawn, Dozens of soldiers and police officers, invaded al-Eesawiyya town, in occupied East Jerusalem, and demolished a residential building housing thirty Palestinians, including children, under the pretext of being built without a permit.



On Monday, Israeli troops shot and injured two Palestinian women, one of them in her sixties, at the Qalandia terminal north of occupied East Jerusalem, and abducted the younger woman. This shooting comes few hours after Israeli soldiers shot and injured 72 year old elderly Palestinian man at the Huwwara military roadblock, south of Nablus, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.



During the week, Israeli forces conducted at least 66 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The army also conducted two limited invasions into the central and southern Gaza Strip. During invasions targeting the West Bank, Israeli troops abducted at least 40 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children.



In Gaza this week, four Palestinians have been injured, earlier on Monday, in a series of Israeli air strikes targeting several areas, in different parts of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army and air force have attacked at least fifteen targets, in different parts of the coastal region, on Monday, local sources reported. The sources added that most of the strikes targeted areas east of Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.



On Thursday of this week, Israeli navy ships fired several live rounds at fishing boats, in Palestinian waters close to the shore, in northern Gaza, while military helicopters flew over various parts of the coastal region. No injuries were reported.



Moreover, one Palestinian youth was injured on Friday when soldiers shot him as they attacked protesters near the northern borders with Israel.



For IMEMC News this is Ghassan Bannoura.





Conclusion



And thats all for today from This Week in Palestine. This was the Weekly report for February 25, to March 03, 2017. From the Occupied Palestinian Territories. For more news and updates please visit our website at www-dot-imemc-dot-org, This weeks report has been brought to you by Saed Naji and me Eman Abedraboo-Bannoura.
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By Annamarya Scaccia | (Yes! Magazine) |  

After Daniela Vargas recent arrest, the future for DACAs more than 750,000 recipients is more uncertain than ever. They need political support, but also safe spaces to process their anxiety.

The migraines came out of nowhere. Nanci Palacios, who lives in Tampa, Florida, had headaches before but never with the intensity shes currently experiencing. The back of her head throbs with pain. Her neck and shoulders become stiff. The migraines happen all the time now, Palacios said. Shes sluggish and less efficient.

Palacios knew Trump presented a very real threat to her and her family.

Palacios also cant sleep. Shes often anxious and her mind tends to race. At least four times a week, shes up through the night. Often, shes twisting and turning in bed. Palacios wears a Fitbit at night to track her sleeping patterns.

There were periods where I was awake and I dont remember being awake, Palacios said. I would wake up, and I was really tired.

Her symptoms began the day after the presidential election in November. Palacios knew Trump presented a very real threat to her and her family. As immigrants, they have been in his crosshairs since he announced his candidacy.

Palacios is particularly concerned about her status as one of more than 750,000 recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, former President Barack Obamas 2012 program that gave undocumented children renewable two-year work permits and relief from deportation. Trump has indicated that DACA is safe for now, but his escalating immigration enforcement tactics have contradicted that assurance. After all, Daniel Ramirez Medina was arrested and detained during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid on Feb. 10, even though he has the legal right to work and live in the United States under DACA. And on March 1, ICE agents arrested Daniela Vargas, who was in the process of renewing her DACA case, after she spoke out about her deportation fears at a news conference in Jackson, Mississippi.

For DACA recipientscommonly called dreamersthe future is uncertain. And that uncertainty has taken a toll on Palacios physical and mental health.

Its been something thats on the back of my mind all the time, said Palacios, who came to the United States from Guanajuato, Mexico, when she was 6 years old. Theres moments where I break down, crying, because I dont know whats going to happen, and if it happens, [I wonder]: How am I going to move forward? How am I going to protect those around me?

Trauma associated with immigration can be passed to infants.

A study published last year in the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health found that young immigrants who received DACA felt relief from increased access to services and opportunities, such as health care, work placement, and expanded support networks. If Palacios loses DACA, she could no longer work legally. If she gets fired, then she loses her health insurance. If she loses her health insurance, she cant go to the doctor to treat the symptoms shes experiencing. She wont have the money to support herself or her family, including her younger siblings. Palacios, 28, said this scenario runs through her mind every single day. It causes her severe anxiety, which leads to the migraines and the sleepless nights.

The impact to her mental and physical health that Palacios experiences is common among immigrants. Research has shown that maltreatment, discrimination, detention, and anti-immigration legislation can lead to stress, headaches, body pains, irritability, depression, and emotional trauma. In January, the University of Michigan released a study showing that the trauma associated with immigration can be passed to infants: Babies born to Latina mothers within 37 weeks of a 2008 immigration raid in Iowa had a 24 percent greater risk of low birth weight and an increased risk of preterm birth.

If you dont know whats going to happen from one day to the next, and you have no control over whats going to happenand that [it] may change the whole course of your lifeyoure going to be at a high level of anxiety [and] all the symptoms that come with it, said psychiatrist James Gordon, founder and director of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, D.C.

Gordon said these symptoms are appropriate responses to the culture of fear and intimidation Trump and his administration has created. In the month since hes taken office, Trump ordered a now-blocked travel ban targeting Muslim immigrants and broader deportation rules that have led to sweeping ICE raids across the country.

Weve really tried to rely on each other.

In response to these aggressive policies, immigrants and their allies have engaged in acts of resistance across the country. The National Education Association has created a Model Campus Safe Zones Resolution for K-12 schools to adopt to protect immigrant students. Over the past few months, students have held protests on college campuses to protest the potential dismantling of DACA. And a United We Dream petition asking Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to protect DACA is making its rounds online. Churches across the country are also providing sanctuary to undocumented immigrants.

These political actions help to advance the rights of immigrants, but addressing the crushing health issues triggered by Trumps mass deportation policy takes something more intimate. Self-care, supportive interpersonal relationships, and peer-led counseling sessions have been key to addressing the issues faced by Palacios and other dreamers.

Faith in Florida, a faith-based community organizing group where Palacios works as an organizer, has started a campaign to create safe spaces for DACA recipients and other immigrants where they can discuss their problems, receive counseling, learn self-care practices, and receive services like massages. The interfaith group has partnered with local organizations in Tampa and throughout southeastern Florida to organize these gatherings, Palacios said.

Were mindful of the need [for] self-care, she said. Weve really tried to rely on each other.

This is too much to handle.

Although she helps organize the sessions, Palacios said, she benefits from them as much as the people who attend. She also receives support from her colleagues at Faith in Florida and its umbrella organization, PICO National Network. Palacios said she receives calls and texts from work peers who want to check in on her well-being and remind her to take care of herself. She and her peers also spend time at the Faith in Florida office and during PICO retreats to talk about the fear and anxiety theyre shouldering.

We are recognizing what this moment is creating for our people, said Eddie Carmona, campaign manager of PICOs LA RED campaign, which Palacios works on. What were doing right now is making sure that everyone understands that youre not by yourself, he said.

Sometimes support doesnt come from group gatherings, but from close relationships. Zahra Karim (name changed), a DACA recipient who came to the United States from Pakistan by way of Uganda, said she vents to her friends and fellow dreamers about the pain she feels over the uncertainty of DACAs future. Karim works as a paralegal in New York City and wants to become a lawyer.

Since the election, Karim has experienced constant headaches, fatigue, appetite loss, and sleepless nights. Shes afraid that one day she will be rounded up in an ICE raid and disappear. She said the anxiety has led to two or three mental breakdowns.

Karims friends have helped her calm down and relax, she said. But Medinas arrest exacerbated her symptoms.

This is too much to handle, said Karim. Sometimes shell retreat to the bathroom at work to cry. Im trying to be highly functional, [and] I am. But on the inside, it feels like I am slowly dying.

There are other recipients who have more to fear if Trump repeals the program.

Before his first address to Congress on Feb. 28, Trump told reporters that he is open to immigration reform that could grant millions of undocumented immigrants legal status and a path to citizenship for DACA recipients. But Trump has flip-flopped on immigration before, and just hours after taking a softer tone with reporters, he gave an address to Congress that contained aggressive language on immigration.

While losing DACA would be devastating for Palacios, she said there are other recipients who have more to fear if Trump repeals the program. There are dreamers who have children to support and others at the legal clinic where Palacios works who are literally putting their lives on hold because they dont know what will happen to DACA, she said.

I cant imagine how much more worried they are than I am, Palacios said. I cant imagine what that means for them.

Annamarya Scaccia wrote this article for YES! Magazine. Annamarya is an award-winning freelance journalist who reports on immigration, public health, disabilities, and civil liberties. Her work has appeared in the Austin Chronicle and New York Daily News, and at Texas Observer, Esquire, Rolling Stone, Paste, and Vice, among others. Like any native New Yorker, she drinks too much coffee and has strong opinions about the Yankees. She is now based in Austin, Texas.

Reprinted from Yes! Magazine



Related video added by Juan Cole:

CNN: ICE arrests dad en route to school
Robyn Clausen and David Bauer have operated their eye clinic on Billings West End for nine years, and theyre ready to make a big move.

The couple are moving Bauer & Clausen Optometry March 9 into a newly constructed building at 100 Brookshire Blvd., behind Little Horn State Bank.

The two have operated from their 2,500-square-foot office inside Lamplighter Square for nearly a decade, and the space had become cramped, they said.

Our current space has been great, but we outgrew it, Clausen, 37, said.

At about 7,200 square feet, the new building has more exam room space, a more comfortable waiting room and space to grow, the couple said.

Patients can get in quicker to see their doctor, Bauer, 40, said.

The move is allowing Bauer and Clausen to hire a new associate optometrist, Dr. Jessica Forsch. They have nine staff members, and they say they may hire more after the move.

The area near the corner of Central Avenue and 28th Street West has become a growing hub for small medical service providers and other professional office space.

The building, which is about 12,000 square feet, is valued at $1.35 million, according to the city of Billings. Bauer and Clausen did not disclose what they paid for their space, which they own, similar to a condo arrangement.

The property was developed by Bill Hanser, and the general contractor was Jones Construction. The project was financed by Yellowstone Bank.

Bauer & Clause Optometry has patients drive from as far as the North Dakota border and Wyoming. The new space, less than a mile from current office, shows that the practice is striving to keep up with the latest technology and best serve patients, Clausen said.

People see that if youre investing in your practice, youre investing in them, she said.

Bauer & Clausen is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number is 656-8886.

EPC exec retiring

Lynn Larson, a top executive of EPC Services Co. in Billings, will retire in April after 14 years.

Larson, 60, began at the company in 2003 as general manager and was later promoted to vice president of operations.

EPC was formed in 2000 to provide project management, design and engineering services for utilities.

An EPC spokeswoman said the company hopes to name her replacement by the end of the month.

IRS eBook available

The Internal Revenue Service has unveiled this years eBook, which gives taxpayers an easy-to-read collection of the agencys documents and forms for tax preparation.

This years eBook is the 100th for the IRS, which agency officials called a milestone.

Its available for download at www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/ebooks .

The deadline to file taxes this year is April 18.

The IRS is also reminding taxpayers who havent filed in 2013 that refunds might still be available. In Montana, the IRS estimates about $3.4 million may be available for about 3,600 taxpayers.

To collect, taxpayers must file by this years April 18 deadline.

Techs pump $1B into state

Montanas high-tech industry generated more than $1 billion in revenue in 2016, the highest amount recorded in an annual study by the University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

Members of the Montana High Tech Business Alliance tallied $1.09 billion in revenue last year, an increase from $867 million the previous year, the group reported last week. Its the third year the high-tech alliance has commissioned the UM group to conduct the study.

The high-tech sector is growing seven times faster than the statewide economy and expects to add 960 new jobs this year, according to the alliance. Average pay is about $60,000 annually for high-tech workers, about double the Montana average.

Christina Henderson, director of the Montana High Tech Business Alliance, said the high-tech jobs boost the rest of the economy.

Theyre buying houses, theyre eating at local restaurants and theyre sending kids to local schools, she said Thursday.

The chairman of the high-tech alliance is Greg Gianforte, founder of Bozeman-based RightNow Technologies and a Republican candidate for Montanas lone congressional seat.

Haikus from the valley

The First Amendment

protects free speech. Not a shield

for stupid comments.
ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP)  Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton will spend one more day at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester after undergoing surgery Thursday for prostate cancer.

Spokesman Linden Zakula on Saturday said that the governors surgery was a success and the surgeon found no sign that the cancer had spread beyond the prostate. Dayton revealed his cancer diagnosis a day after he collapsed during his State of the State address in January.
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By Edu Montesanti | TeleSur |  

An interview with Hatem Abudayyeh, head of Chicagos Arab American Action Network, on the rising criminalization of Arab and Muslim life in the US.

In September of 2010, American federal agents in Chicago unjustifiably raided the Jefferson Park residence of Hatem Abudayyeh, Executive Director of Arab American Action Network (AAAN), in a time that federal agents were executing search warrants in residences and offices of several people in Chicago and in Minneapolis. Some of many "Muslim hunts" happening since the 9/11 attacks

The FBI agents took away a computer, video tapes and a cell phone of the Muslim civil rights leader. "They took everything in my home that had the word Palestinian on it," Abudayyeh said. The federal investigation was focused on whether Abudayyeh and the others have funded foreign terrorist organizations. Abudayyeh has never been charged

According to the AAAN leader, a son of Palestinians, the FBI then targeted him merely for having a pro-Palestinian view. "This is a massive escalation of the attacks on people that do Palestine support work in this country and anti-war work," said Abudayyeh at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, three months later as he refused to grant an interview to ABC. "Were not going to stop speaking out against the war. Were not going to stop speaking out against U.S. support of Israels violations of the Palestinian people."

In this interview, Hatem Abudayyeh speaks out about President Donald Trumps executive order on immigration that bars citizens of Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States for the next 90 days, and refugees from around the world for four months. He says: "Trump and the other racists and white supremacists in his government are extremely dangerous, not only to Arabs and Muslims, but also to immigrants in general, black people, workers, women, and all other marginalized and oppressed communities in the US. I believe that Trump wants to truly make American white again."

He states that Arabs and Muslims want to live in peace and dignity, as many of them have been intimidating and a number of their organizations devoted to social services, youth programming, and cultural outreach have been shut down in the "cradle of democracy."

Nothing has changed in the United Police States of America since the oppression he suffered in 2010, in the name of an endless "War on Terror" which spreads fear, violence and hate in the country and all over the world. "Post 9-11 policies have criminalized Arabs and Muslims to such an extent that we are living in constant fear of detention, deportation, surveillance, and general repression," he says. "Our community is facing massive, documented surveillance and repression."

But not only that, according to the Muslim activist: "He (Trump) criminalizes Arabs and Muslims in the U.S. to get support from the people here for imperialist goals in our countries abroad."

Nothing has changed in US "security policy" (a euphemism for institutionalized crimes) since the dark years of George W. Bush  but a world and the United States themselves much more insecure. That is all that totalitarian powers need to justify the lack of civil liberties and hard-line policies in general, in order to dominate and explore.

Below, the full interview with Hatem Abudayyeh.

Edu Montesanti: Hatem Abudayyeh, thank you so very much for granting this interview. Would you please tell us how the Arab American Action Network (AAAN) works?

Hatem Abudayyeh: The AAAN was established in 1995 to provide support to the Arab community of Greater Chicago in the areas of community organizing, advocacy, social services, youth programming, and cultural outreach.

It is unique in that we are the only Arab organization in Illinois, and one of the very few in the entire U.S. that challenge structural and institutional racism and national oppression with a grass-roots, base-building organizing lens.

We provide leadership development for youth and immigrant women, and the most affected community members lead our campaigns for social justice and systemic change.

What does it mean being an Arab in the United States today, especially Muslim Arabs after Sept. 11, 2001, and what has changed since President Donald Trump won the U.S. election?

Arabs in the U.S. have faced national oppression and racism for many decades, since way before 9-11 and now Trump, but the challenges are much more acute now.

RELATED:

Trump Picks Fan of Illegal Surveillance as Intelligence Czar

Post 9-11 policies have criminalized Arabs and Muslims to such an extent that we are living in constant fear of detention, deportation, surveillance, and general repression.

A number of our organizations have been shut down; prominent individuals like Rasmea Odeh have faced political indictments; and the court system, the media, the educational system, and others have made it very intimidating for Arabs and Muslims to live here in peace and dignity.

In his inauguration speech, President Donald Trump called for the civilized world to unite against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth. Later, President Trump confirmed Rep. Mike Pompeo as head of the CIA: Pompeo is a Tea Party Republican. Pompeo favors the reinstatement of waterboarding, among other torture techniques. He views Muslims as a threat to Christianity and Western civilization. He is identified as a radical Christian extremist who believes that the global war on terrorism (GWOT) constitutes a war between Islam and Christianity.

Your view, please, Hatem.

Trump and the other racists and white supremacists in his government are extremely dangerous, not only to Arabs and Muslims, but also to immigrants in general, Black people, workers, women, and all other marginalized and oppressed communities in the U.S.

There is not much of a difference between Republicans and Democrats in this country, especially when it comes to U.S. foreign policy and even most domestic and economic policy, but Trump is clearly different.

He is clearly pandering to the worst racism in U.S. society, has put avowed white supremacists in his government, and is attacking immigrants, Black people, and workers with every executive order that he signs.

The specific attack against Arabs and Muslims serves a very specific cause, a cause that has been served by every president since 9-11; i.e. to justify U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East  invasion, occupation, support for the destabilization of Syria, the threats against Iran and Lebanon, etc.the government here needs to put a local face on the "enemy" abroad.

He criminalizes Arabs and Muslims in the U.S. to get support from the people here for imperialist goals in our countries abroad. Yes, Trump and Pompeo are ultra-right radical racists, but this is just a continuation of imperialist policy, albeit maybe more devastating.

How do you see Trumps executive order on immigration that bars citizens of Muslim-majority countries  Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen  from entering the United States for the next 90 days, and refugees from around the world for four months?

I believe that Trump wants to truly "make American white again." The Muslim ban and previous executive order implementation memos have the express intent of banning immigrants of color from coming here, and kicking out others who are already heremostly Mexicans and Central Americans.

The AAAN does not believe that these policies are only affecting Arabs and Muslims. In fact, the people who are and will bear the brunt are Latinos, who constitute the largest population of undocumented immigrants in this country.

The vast majority of them work and pay taxes and try to support their families here, but Trump wants to deport them all. He is claiming that they have "broken the law," but the only thing broken is our immigration system, which has a massive backlog of applications for people trying to become permanent residents.

They have been here for years and years, and have mostly been forced here because of neo-liberal economic policies like NAFTA and CAFTA, but now they are being threatened daily with deportations.

Trump is a racist autocrat who is using executive actions to try to make the country look more like what his supporters want it to, i.e. the white European politically dominated society of the 30s, 40s, and 50s in the U.S.

How will it affect U.S. society and the world in the coming years?

These Muslim bans and anti-immigrant policies, in general, are already affecting American society, causing massive apprehension and intimidation, but also massive resistance.

We have not seen the kinds of daily, consistent protests like those triggered by Trump and his racism since the civil rights era, and it is clear that they will not slow down. At the same time that immigrants are under attack, Black people and their Black Liberation Movement are as well, as evidenced by the Trump plan to rescind Obamas policy of phasing out private prisons, and the Trump administrations propaganda attacks on the Movement for Black Lives and its demands that law enforcement in this country stop its racial profiling and killing of Black people.

The other current danger that we see today is white supremacist crimes against people in communities of color. Because Trump has normalized racism against Black people, Latinos, Arabs, Muslims and so many others, white supremacists have perpetrated racist hate crimes against all of these communities.

From a massacre in a Black church and armed white racists protesting against mosques to an Indian American shot because he looked Arab and Latinos being assaulted by white mobs, Trumps America looks very much like "Bull" Connors America in Alabama in the 50s and 60s.

But like the civil rights movement in Alabama and throughout the U.S., people today will not allow themselves to be victims. They will defend themselves, they will resist, and they will fight back.

And Trumps policies will be stopped by the masses like the Muslim ban was. The federal court that froze the ban stated clearly that it had caused "chaos," meaning our resistance, mass protests, and shutting down of airports had as much to do with the court decision as the unconstitutionality of the ban.

You once denounced FBI repression against activists, and you were a victim of an FBI raid in 2010. Does it still happen? Do you and your community feel victimized by any surveillance and repression?

Our community is facing massive, documented surveillance and repression. There are thousands of FBI informants in our communities staking out mosques, community centers and small businesses.

A federal program started by Obamas administration, called Countering Violent Extremism (CVE), gives massive amounts of money to communities to target young Arabs and Muslims, and considers our community to be extreme, but not the white supremacists who have perpetrated more terrorist attacks than anyone else in this country over the years.

Most specifically, we believe that surveillance and political repression affects Palestinians and their supporters the most, from students advocating for Palestinian rights and the Midwest 23 to community-based Palestinian organizations and the aforementioned Rasmea Odeh.

Political criticism of Israeli occupation and colonization is becoming the norm in this country, and the U.S. government, because of its unequivocal support of Israel, needs to repress Palestine support organizing to continue to ensure that Israel remains its watchdog in the Arab World.

And now, the ultra-right government of Trump is in place at the same time that the ultra-right government of Netanyahu rules Israel  so we should expect the repression to get worse.

Edu Montesanti is an independent analyst, researcher and journalist whose work has been published by Truth Out, Pravda, Global Research, and numerous other publications across the globe.

Via TeleSur



Related video added by Juan Cole:

Al Jazeera English: US: Mosque burnt after Trump announced Muslim ban
Several hundred Egyptian Christians have fled their homes in North Sinai over the last few days following a series of murders attributed to supporters of the so-called Islamic State.

Since the end of January at least seven people have been attacked and killed in the provincial capital, El Arish. Five were shot, one was beheaded, and one burnt to death.

Other Christians in the area say they have received threats by mobile phone and death lists have been circulated online. A video issued last week by a local IS affiliate vowed to step up attacks, describing the Christians as infidels empowering the West against Muslims.

The authorities have been battling against jihadists in northern Sinai for several years but with limited success. A statement from President Sisis office on Thursday said he has now given orders to completely eradicate them.

Although Sinai is a special case and the killings there have been particularly terrifying for Christian residents, sectarian conflict elsewhere in Egypt is not uncommon. Last December the bombing of a Coptic cathedral in Cairo left 25 dead. Country-wide, the Eshhad website has documented almost 500 incidents of various kinds since mid-2012. Besides violence against people they include attacks on homes and churches.

The automatic response of the authorities to such attacks is to try to restore calm as quickly as possible, but that can only be a short-term fix. Successive Egyptian governments have been reluctant to confront the underlying problem of religious discrimination. That is not very surprising because the state itself institutionalises discrimination to some extent  which in turn tends to legitimise discriminatory actions by individuals.

Commenting on the the cathedral bombing in December, Timothy Kaldas, a visiting professor at Nile University in Cairo, wrote:

While the vast majority of Egyptians rightfully condemns the murder of 25 worshippers at Sunday mass, other beliefs are pervasive, beliefs that perpetuate sectarianism throughout society and have been behind a majority of the violent sectarian attacks throughout the country. A majority of the country does not even accept that Christian citizens should have the right to build houses of worship as easily as Muslims can build mosques  The church building law passed in September maintains a set of rules and regulations for any sort of renovation and construction of a Christian house of worship, rules that mosques do not have to comply with. The different standards  and in the case of Christians, the more restrictive standards  drive structural and state-sanctioned inequality  When the state sets sectarianism as its example, its hardly surprising that society follows suit. Indeed, sectarian laws surrounding church building have been used as a pretext by vigilantes in rural areas to justify their attacks on Christian places of worship, whether they are private homes used to host prayers or churches seeking to renovate or repair their premises. Attackers often cite the restrictions on church building when defending their actions. The perpetrators frequently escape criminal prosecution, through either the use of reconciliation councils or through overall impunity.

Reconciliation councils  often used as part of the calming process after an incident  tend to favour the Muslim majority, often perpetuate injustices rather than resolving them and sometimes make rulings that are contrary to Egyptian law. A report by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights in 2015 described them as a major factor contributing to the recurrence of sectarian attacks.

Coupled with that are perceptions that the authorities do too little to protect Christians under threat and/or fail to take robust action against attackers. The most recent report on religious freedom in Egypt the US State Department noted:

The government frequently failed to prevent, investigate, or prosecute crimes targeting members of religious minority groups, which fostered a climate of impunity, according to a prominent local rights organisation. The government often failed to protect Christians targeted by kidnappings and extortion according to sources in the Christian community, and there were reports that security and police officials sometimes failed to respond to these crimes, especially in Upper Egypt.

There are also less conspicuous forms of discrimination. Christians in Egypt are thought to account for about 10% of the population but are clearly under-represented in some key areas. The State Department s report said:

The government discriminated against religious minorities in public sector hiring and staff appointments to public universities, according to academic sources. They also stated no Christians served as presidents of the countrys 17 public universities and few Christians occupied dean or vice dean positions in the public university system. Only Muslims could study at Al-Azhar University, a publicly funded institution. Additionally, the government barred non-Muslims from employment in public university training programs for Arabic language teachers because the curriculum involves study of the Quran. The total number of members of parliament was 596, of whom 568 were elected, including 120 chosen through coalition or party lists, and 28 were appointed by President Sisi. Thirty-six Christians were elected to parliament, and two were appointed.

Sectarianism in Egypt is unlikely to decline unless the government takes a clear lead in combating discrimination but that is probably too much to expect so long as the government remains complicit.
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Theresa Abebrese, the ex-lover of ace Highlife artiste Daddy Lumba has passed on seancitygh.com has gathered.

Roman Fada, the artiste's manager, who disclosed this to seancitygh.com stated that, Theresa died in Kumasi after a short illness. He also said that Daddy Lumba could not hide his tears when he heard the news of his longtime ex-lover.

"He is saddened shocked and in a somber mood". The worried manager disclosed.

Theresa Abebrese was Daddy Lumba's first girlfriend who help him travelled to Germany .He has been featuring her in most of his music videos and even had a sound track for her entitled, "Theresa".

They had planned to get married but it never materialised until she met her untimely death.

The one week commiseration will be held on the 6th of March, 2017 at her residence in Bohyen Kotoko, a suburb of Kumasi. She was 53.

The entire management of seancitygh.com wishes Daddy Lumba, his management and the bereaved family our deepest condolences.

More soon.
05.03.2017 LISTEN

12 beautiful ladies have been selected across the regions of Ghana for The Belinda Baidoo Model Search Africa which will start airing on GHOne TV this Sunday.

After this Sunday, there will be eviction every other Sunday until the final four are selected. For the period of the 12 weeks, the competitors will be given an overview of the global opportunities in the industry.

The television reality show is to prepare young Ghanaian models with the requisite skills, tools and knowledge needed to succeed in the modelling industry.

Activities of the show would be focused on various skills needed to successfully compete, cat walk, photo shoot, makeup, client relationship and marketing skills.

The ultimate winner would get a two year modelling contract with MSA models in New York and Los Angeles.

Speaking in an interview , the Ghanaian international model said she decided to push young ladies who have the passion for modelling owing to the fact that modeling does not pay well in Ghana.

This is my little contribution to the modelling industry because it has not been easy for me. I had to sell sachet water on the streets to achieve my dream but today here I am making it big she said.

Belinda Baidoo arrived on the fashion scene after winning Top Model Afrique 1998. She then went on to sign with Q Model Management in New York and is now represented by MSA Models which is also based in New York.

She has been on billboard advertisements in New York's Famous Times Square and has graced the covers of many international fashion magazines.

Her work for prestigious fashion clients includes the likes of L'Oreal, Nike, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, Clairol, African Pride, Mizani, Victoria Secret, Donna Karen, Marc Jacobs, MAC Cosmetics, Target, Clinique,Guinness, Motorola, Vogue, Essence, Cosmopolitan, Pride and Canoe.
Northern California in winter? Why not?

Sure, on a recent new year jaunt to the Bay Area, it rained five out of seven days, as an extraordinary weather phenomenon known as an atmospheric river soaked the northern half of the state out of its five-year drought. But San Francisco is mild year-round, and as a traveler fleeing Minnesota, I felt like I was in the tropics  and there was just enough sunshine to work with.

My visit was timed to my friends winter break from grad school, and I was compelled this time to explore to the north. So while nights were spent eating Korean food and attending comedy shows and a David Bowie tribute in the city, we also made a series of rain-or-shine day trips across the Golden Gate Bridge  up the coasts of Marin and Sonoma counties, from Sausalito to Bodega Bay.

Bonus: The California gray whale undertakes its epic 10,000-mile migration from Alaska to Mexico and back from January through April  and Id heard it was possible to see these beasts from shore. Without trying too hard or paying for a tour, maybe Id get lucky and spot a whale along the way.

For our first rainy Wednesday outing, we headed over the bridge into Marin County, through the recently dedicated Robin Williams Tunnel, exiting in the boutique suburb of Sausalito. Only we somehow stumbled upon the froufrou towns gritty waterfront. A wrong turn led us into a vintage shipyard, where a Visitors welcome sign beckoned us inside. There, we toured the work of modern boatbuilding students, a warehouse of antique marine artifacts and the star attraction  the 1885 schooner Freda, billed as the oldest/first yacht in the Bay Area.

The nautical theme continued at the nearby Bay Model, a massive, 2-acre indoor re-creation of the entire San Francisco Bay system that has to be seen to be believed. Created in 1957 by the Army Corps of Engineers, the Bay Model is not just an enormous science project  its an accurate representation of how the tides flow through the bay, with water constantly shifting around. Although its a gratifying visit for science and geography nerds, highlighting the Bay Areas sensitivity to Californias water shortage, I enjoyed it even more as a midcentury cultural oddity.

For lunch, we tried out Sausalitos critically acclaimed, literally named Fish for a steamed seafood basket ($30), and although the restaurants sustainability focus is admirable, our trout steak was swimming in salt and soy sauce. I was done for now with the indoor, suburban side of Marin County.

Indeed, the eastern bay side of the Marin Peninsula has become increasingly sprawling and upscale, with attractive homes perched on every hillside. But the western Pacific half is all winding mountain roads, sleepy villages and Keep Marin Wild bumper stickers. To get to the coast from Hwy. 101, you have to take any number of fun-to-drive back roads, revealing everything from windswept peaks to the occasional remnant of redwood forest. Bike lanes are everywhere, and even where there are none, Spandexed riders boldly cling to the narrow shoulders of mountain passes, even at night.

We set out for the Marin Headlands, the southernmost point of the county that looks back upon San Francisco. Hiking trails crisscross the area, and scenic drives rise and fall dramatically. In the rain, we had a virtually private walk down to the Point Bonita Lighthouse, flanked by volcanic geology as the Pacific Ocean came into view. At dusk, we arrived at the high overlooks at Hawk Hill, just in time to capture eerie images of the Golden Gate obscured by mist.

In search of the gray whale, I had heard that the seaside town of Bodega Bay was a prime location for spotting. But the area held another point of interest for me: Alfred Hitchcock used it as a location for his 1963 classic The Birds, about an avian apocalypse. In this unassuming Sonoma County fishing village and tourism town, the gulls do seem to fly about with more menace and authority.

It was 5 miles inland from Bodega Bay, in the hamlet of Bodega, where on Thursday we found perhaps the most iconic location in the film: an 1873 schoolhouse, virtually unchanged in 50 years but now a private residence. (Last fall, The Birds star Tippi Hedren, who shares my birthplace of New Ulm, Minn., came out with the revelation that the blonde-obsessed Hitchcock had sexually assaulted her, a not entirely surprising claim that lent a bitter edge to the discovery.) Behind the schoolhouse, a familiar white church is the subject of a famous Ansel Adams photograph.

For our next Sonoma diversion, we visited the Goat Head promontory by the mouth of the wine-famous Russian River, on a tip that seals were sunning there. We arrived too late for low tide, but did hike to the nearby Sunset Rocks, a set of 60-foot-tall, Stonehenge-like glacial deposits that one archaeologist thinks were rubbed smooth by woolly mammoths 12,000 years ago. In places, the giant boulders were smooth to the touch.

But we came to Bodega Bay for whales, so we drove to the top of Bodega Head, a large, rocky promontory that juts out into the Pacific, creating a famous whale-watching vista. Dozens of people had come for the same thing, and while a grand California sunset was in store (the sun was out this day), there were no whales to be found. I was striking out with the marine mammals of California.

Everywhere you go on this coast, there are oysters for sale  from roadside seafood shacks to finer sit-down restaurants. And apparently from the signage, BBQ oysters are the sought-after local novelty. On Friday night while exploring solo, I ducked into the Station House Cafe, a neighborhood restaurant in the charming Hwy. 1 village of Point Reyes Station.

The oysters (six for $18, or 13 for $36), grilled in the half-shell and doused in a tangy sauce, had a satisfying kick, though obviously not the briny sensuality of raw oysters. I backed them up with the restaurants Brussels sprouts, fries and a Belgian tripel, because I was celebrating. Hours earlier, I had spotted my great gray whale.

Point Reyes Station is the entry and exit point for Point Reyes National Seashore  a 111-square-mile triangular slab of land, separated from mainland Marin by the San Andreas Fault. On the map, Point Reyes looks like an island slamming into our continent  and when you cross the fault line into the park, you feel like youre entering another country, complete with its own mini mountain range.

I drove across the barren hills of the national seashore, past historic ranches and grazing cattle, on hairpin turns that tested my rental Mazda. When I finally arrived at the parking area for the Point Reyes Lighthouse, people were pointing down to the ocean. There it was, hundreds of feet below me: a black barnacled mass, periodically windmilling out of the water, followed by a distinctive two-pronged tail. An orca! someone declared. Not likely  this was the migrating gray whale.

I hiked a considerable distance down to the very edge of the cliff, on a hillside thick with tufts of wild grass, to get a closer look and a photo. Two hundred feet below me, sea lions crawled around on a sprawling, isolated beach. But the whale had moved on.

Far above me, humans were mostly oblivious, making their way to the 1870 lighthouse  a half-mile walk down 308 concrete steps. There, a dry-erase board recorded 15 whale sightings that day, compared with 25 on Monday. It seemed I had gotten lucky.

From the lighthouses perch over the water, there were no more whales to be seen  only cliffs, beaches and sea. To the north, what resembled an ancient volcano sat on the Sonoma horizon. To the south, a park ranger surprised me by pointing out the tips of the Golden Gate Bridge, somehow scantly visible over the Headlands.

It hit me that I was just 35 miles from one of the worlds great cities, and I could see nothing but wild, unspoiled coast.
N'Djamena (AFP) - UN envoys on a mission to the Lake Chad region said Saturday that a conference would soon be held in Paris aimed at easing the humanitarian crisis gripping Chad.

The country is one of several battling the Boko Haram jihadist insurgency, which has driven thousands from their homes and plunged areas into hunger and poverty.

"The international community must respond to the moral and political obligation to support Chad's efforts," Francois Delattre, France's permanent representative to the UN, said in the capital, N'Djamena.

Senegal's UN representative, Fode Seck, said Chad "has been on the front lines when it comes to helping Mali or fighting against Boko Haram."

"It's normal that the Paris Conference, which we are all preparing, comes to Chad's aid."

The 15 envoys from the UN's top decision-making body began their mission in Cameroon, and also plan to visit camps in Nigeria sheltering some of the 2.3 million people displaced in the Lake Chad region.

Map of the Lake Chad region showing regions most affected by chronic food shortages

Chad, a country of 12 million people, has imposed austerity measures to cope with the economic strain from falling oil prices and the cost of foreign military operations.

"Chad has committed its own resources against jihadists in Mali, and against the Boko Haram sect in Cameroon, in Niger and in Nigeria," Prime Minister Albert Pahimi Padacke told the envoys after a meeting Saturday.

"Chad is being confronted with these social difficulties because it is bearing these military costs and the care of refugees," he said.
By Amadu Kamil Sanah, GNA

Accra, March 4, GNA - Mr John-Peter Amewu, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, said Ghana would continue to share the vision of the European Union (EU) to ensure socio-economic growth.

He said this would make the Government to live up to the expectations of the citizenry to ensure economic growth and create job opportunities.

Mr Amewu said this when Mr William Hanna, the Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation in Ghana, led a three-member delegation to pay a courtesy call on him in Accra on Wednesday.

He said government was looking forward to the EU to support its policies, programmes and projects to enhance its work in the sustenance of a better livelihood for the citizenry.

Mr Amewu said issues of illegal mining was of great concern to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and that the ministry was looking at a framework to deal with the issue and would seek the support of the EU in that respect.

He commended the EU for its support to Ghana's forestry sector and urged it to continue to support the country in all areas of the economy.

Mr Hanna said Ghana was the first country to be issued the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) License under the Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the EU to help improve forest governance and promote trade in legal timber products.

He said the FLEGT License may only be issued to timber traceable legal forest operations in line with Legality Assurance Systems (LAS), develop through a participatory process involving civil society, the public and private sector.

Mr Hanna said the EU market was still Ghana's biggest market and opened for all Ghanaian value added products as consumers in the EU were much concerned about value for money and what they bought.

He appealed to the minister to demonstrate the country's global leadership by implementing the LAS, not only in the application of wood tracking technology but in the field of forest governance.

Mr Hanna said the issue of land sustainability was very important in the protection of the environment adding that climate change and agriculture were some of the key areas the EU interested in.

He, therefore, called for a holistic approach in dealing with climate change issues. GNA
Kinshasa (AFP) - The Democratic Republic of Congo announced Saturday that it had detained the spiritual leader of the Bundu dia Kongo (BDK) movement, an outlawed group that has called for an insurrection against the government.

A policeman and three BDK fighters were killed when the police advanced on the compound in Kinshasa that housed Ne Muanda Nsemi and several of his followers.

A statement from the communications ministry said that 307 people had surrendered and that Nsemi, his three wives and his son were being held.

Nsemi will face charges of "insulting the head of state, inciting tribal hatreds, and encouraging civil disobedience," the statement said, without disclosing a trial date.

The police had been hoping to dislodge the people holed up in the compound for two weeks, saying they wanted to search it.

BDK stands for "Kingdom of the Kongo" in the Kikongo language, and its members have pursued secession in order to restore an African monarchy that included what is today Kongo Central (formerly Bas-Congo) along with parts of neighbouring Angola, the Republic of Congo and Gabon.

Nsemi, a lawmaker originally from Kongo Central, in the west of the country, recently issued a call online for an uprising against President Joseph Kabila, saying he is not a Congolese citizen.

Nsemi began seeking a rapprochement with Kabila starting in late 2015, but reversed course when Kabila refused to step down after his second and final mandate ended on December 20.

Talks aimed at setting up a transition regime have stalled, and tribal violence has flared in several parts of the country.

On Saturday, the United Nations said it would provide aid worth $5 million to help people affected by the humanitarian crisis in the Kasai region.

At least 400 people have been killed in the region since September, the UN says, in clashes between government forces and supporters of a militia leader killed by the government last August.
Beta CORE

Im Ghanaian, because the Constitution categorizes me as such and I, of my own volition and following accepted practice, subscribe to the supremacy of the Constitution on the matter. Now, just for the benefit of us the ordinary and mortal, Ive reproduced the third chapter of our 1992 Constitution below in its entirety. That should keep us all equally informed on the subject, in this conversation.

The Constitution imposes specific obligations on me and defines rights and privileges Im entitled to by reason of being Ghanaian. The community of Ghanaians is right in expecting me to discharge those obligations without fail while I identify as a Ghanaian. By corollary consideration, Im entitled to expect the community of Ghanaians to uphold all my constitutional rights and privileges, at all times. Let us aspire and strive to keep faith with each other by virtue of our common citizenship, as our Beta CORE attribute. It will profit us immensely. In large part, we wont have to guess what our neighbour will or will not do in specified circumstances but rather, can insist that he adhere to the unequivocal provisions of the Constitution he pledges to uphold!

I promise on my honour to be faithful and loyal to my fellow Ghanaian.

I pledge to defend his right to remain different.

I pledge to uphold his constitutional rights at all times.

The Constitution

CHAPTER THREE

CITIZENSHIP

6. (1) Every person who, on the coming into force of this Constitution, is a citizen of Ghana by law shall continue to be a citizen of Ghana.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, a person born in or outside Ghana after the coming into force of this Constitution, shall become a citizen of Ghana at the date of his birth if either of his parents or grandparents is or was a citizen of Ghana.

(3) A child of not more than seven years of age found in Ghana whose parents are not know shall be presumed to be a citizen of Ghana by birth.

(4) A child of not more than sixteen years of age neither of whose parents is a citizen of Ghana who is adopted by a citizen of Ghana shall, by virtue of the adoption, be a citizen of Ghana.

7. (1) A woman married to a man who is a citizen of Ghana or a man married to a woman who is a citizen of Ghana may, upon making an application in the manner prescribed by Parliament, be registered as a citizen of Ghana.

(2) Clause (1) of this article applies also to a person who was married to a person who, but for his or her death, would have continued to be a citizen of Ghana under clause (1) of article 6 of this Constitution.

(3) Where the marriage of a woman is annulled after she has been registered as a citizen of Ghana under clause (1) of this article, she shall, unless she renounces that citizenship, continue to be a citizen of Ghana.

(4) Any child of a marriage of a woman registered as a citizen of Ghana under clause (1) of this article to which clause (3) of this article applies, shall continue to be a citizen of Ghana unless he renounces that citizenship.

(5) Where upon an application by a man for registration under clause (1) of this article, it appears to the authority responsible for the registration that a marriage has been entered into primarily with a view to obtaining the registration, the authority may request the applicant to satisfy him that the marriage was entered into in good faith; and the authority may only effect the registration upon being so satisfied.

(6) In the case of a man seeking registration, clause (1) of this article applies only if the applicant permanently resides in Ghana.

8. (1) Subject to this article, a citizen of Ghana Shall cease forthwith to be a citizen of Ghana if, on attaining the age of twenty-one years, he, by a voluntary act, other than marriage, acquired or retains the citizenship of a country other than Ghana.

(2) A person who becomes a citizen of Ghana by registration and immediately after the day on which he becomes a citizen of Ghana is also a citizen of some other country, shall cease to be a citizen of Ghana unless he has renounced his citizenship of that other country, taken the oath of allegiance specified in the Second Schedule to this Constitution and made and registered such declaration of his intentions concerning residence as may be prescribed by law, or unless he has obtained an extension of time for taking those steps and the extended period has not expired.

(3) A Ghanaian citizen who loses his Ghanaian citizenship as a result of the acquisition or possession of the citizenship of a country other than Ghana shall, on the renunciation of his citizenship of that other country, become a citizen of Ghana.

(4) Where the law of a country, other than Ghana, requires a person who marries a citizen of that country to renounce the citizenship of his own country by virtue of that marriage, a citizen of Ghana who is deprived of his citizenship of Ghana by virtue of that marriage shall, on the dissolution of that marriage, if he thereby loses his citizenship acquired by that marriage, become a citizen of Ghana.

9. (1) Parliamentary may make provision for the acquisition of citizenship of Ghana by persons who are not eligible to become citizens of Ghana under the provision of this Constitution.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in article 7 of this Constitution, a person shall not be registered as a citizen of Ghana unless at the time of his application for registration he is able to speak and understand an indigenous language of Ghana.

(3) The High Court may, on an application made for the purpose by the Attorney-General, deprive a person who is a citizen of Ghana, otherwise than by birth, of that citizenship on the ground.

(a) that the activities of that person are inimical of the security of the State or prejudicial to public morality or the public interest; or

(b) that the citizenship was acquired by fraud, misrepresentation or any other improper or irregular practice.

(4) There shall be published in the Gazette by the appropriate authority and within three months after the application or the registration, as the case may be, the name, particulars and other details of a person who, under this article applies to be registered as a citizen of Ghana or has been registered as a citizen of Ghana.

(5) Parliament may make provision for the renunciation by any person of his citizenship of Ghana.

10. (1) A reference in this Chapter to the citizenship of the parent of a person at the time of the birth of that person shall, in relation to a person born after the death of the parent, be construed as a reference to the citizenship of the parent at the time of the parent's death.

(2) For the purposes of clause (1) of this article, where the death occurred before the coming into force of this Constitution, the citizenship that the parent would have had if he or she had died on the coming into force of this Constitution shall be deemed to be his or her citizenship at the time of his or her death.

(SOURCE: https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.ghana.gov.gh/images/documents/constitution_ghana.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiTutbEubHSAhVIyGMKHSUlCl4QFgg3MAg&usg=AFQjCNFjoJu7bS8b_Y5sBUEgdR4HWcC4cA)

 to be continued... mehis in this to uphold the rule of law in this
There is no doubt that the Nana Akuffo-Addos government has assumed office with a lot of euphoria and high expectations from Ghanaians. The question I like to pose in this piece is whether or not the government will be able to sustain this euphoria and meet these high expectations. Undoubtedly, this government is not the first to assume office with this level of euphoria and high expectations in Ghana. The assumption of office by the Nkrumah administration in 1957 can be considered as the very first administration in Ghana to experience such a phenomenon. The government came into office with a lot of excitement under the euphoria of independence and high expectation of self-governance, freedom and justice. Similarly, the Rawlings administration in 1981 seemed to have enjoyed a lot of euphoria and high expectation from Ghanaians having come into office with the promise to rid the country of corruption that was a bane of the countrys development. The same could be said of the Kufuor administration which assumed office after a long period of military and pseudo-democratic rule under Rawlings.

As to whether or not Ghanaians realised the expectations they had of these regimes is something else. The sort of despondency that accompanied the exit of power by these administrations suggests that they have not been meeting the expectations of the generality of the Ghanaian populace. The Nkrumah administration, for instance, was ousted from office by a military coup with so much excitement by sections of the Ghanaian populace having been accused of being a dictator and abuser of human rights. Similarly, the Rawlings administration left office because of its appalling human rights record. Likewise, the Kufuor administration had its share of accusations when it was exiting office.

How then can the Akkufo-Addo administration sustain the euphoria and high expectation that welcomed it into office? My humble opinion is that the government needs to instil a high sense of civic responsibility in the citizenry to ensure unity of purpose in tackling the countrys development challenges. Ghana achieved an enviable level of development under the Nkrumah administration due to unity of purpose around the euphoria of independence and the determination of all and sundry to prove that the country could succeed given adequate resources and policy space. It is for this reason that some argue that import-substitution industrialisation, which aimed to tackle the structural problems of sub-Saharan African economies, including that of Ghana, ought to have been allowed enough space to correct their weaknesses instead of being replaced with neo-liberal policies after less than a decade of their implementation. This contention is against the background that neo-liberal policies have not been able to tackle such structural challenges following over two decades (1983-2006) of their implementation.

Similarly, Ghana succeeded somehow in its development effort under euphoria of Acheampongs Operation Feed Yourself (OFY) and Operation Feed your Industry (OFI) in terms of food sufficiency in the country. While the success of Nkrumahs government was somehow attributed to favourable external reserves from the ex-colonial administration at independence and had access to favourable external credit, Acheampongs administration benefited from favourable climatic condition that boosted cash and food crop productions, coupled with reserves accumulated from unilateral debt repudiation. However, unfavourable domestic and external economic conditions militated against progress made in both situations. While Nkrumahs expansionist development agenda was stalled by falling external receipts due to falling world market cocoa prices as against escalating debt and interest servicing, Acheampongs government was faced with unfavourable climatic conditions and alleged corrupt practices.

Another instance worth noting in this regard is the level of economic development achieved under the first term of the Kufuor government. The HIPC initiative ensured that the government stabilised the economic challenges it inherited, purging the country off the IMF condition-tied lending. This afforded the administration the opportunity to borrow independently from the capital market at its own terms and conditions, thus, allowing the government some policy space to implement the people centred (social) policies, such as the National Health Insurance Scheme. Although the administration left office with a relatively high budget deficit, the administration also recorded the second highest GDP growth rate in the countrys development history since independence.

A key lesson from these situations is that Ghanaians need to learn to sacrifice during difficult economic times while the government needs to be measured in its development agenda. While, for instance, the economy was challenged under the Nkrumah government, the government was still bent on continuing its expansionist development agenda. In a similar situation, the Acheampong administration was alleged to be enmeshed in opulence, while the populace were expected to sacrifice. The Kufuor and Rawlings administrations were accused of similar allegations. For instance, the critics of the Kufuor administration perceived the construction of a presidential palace (the Jubilee House) and an attempt to procure two military aircrafts by the administration as a waste of national resources.

Of course, while it could be argued that some projects that might be perceived as wasteful at the time of their execution, they turn to become useful as time goes on. For instance, the Nkrumah governments Job 600 project now provides offices for Members of Parliament. Similarly, the Rawlings administrations Value Added Tax which was vehemently opposed at the time of its initiation, has become a significant source of funding for education. Similarly, Kufuors Jubilee House has now been officially accepted as the seat of president.

There is, therefore, a need for proper forecasting and greater engagement with the public on the part of government to prioritise public expenditures in dire economic conditions. In this regard, it is important that when times are favourable, benefits need to be spread so that in bad times, everybody will see the need to sacrifice. Government functionaries should not be seen living in opulence in both favourable and difficult economic conditions, while the citizenry is expected to sacrifice at all times. Thus, it is a share responsibility on the part of government and the citizenry to endeavour to sacrifice. As the government takes the initiative to cut and abolish taxes, for instance, it is the responsibility of the citizenry to reduce the prices of goods and services affected by such tax cuts and abolition.

Generally, all of us need to eschew negative tendencies that do not help our development effort. Negative tendencies, such as corrupt practices, improper waste disposal, littering, lateness to work and functions, laziness and what have you, need to be shunned. It is my expectations that when we do this collectively, the high expectations that we have of the Akuffo-Addo administration will be realised. Otherwise, with such negative tendencies, we can only continue to have such expectation in vain.

Dr. S. A. Achanso, B. A. Arts (Legon), Ph.D. (Lincoln)

Lecturer and HoD: Development Education Studies

Faculty of Education

U.D.S.

Tamale, Ghana.

0204500622/0249540749

Patience hurts but it heals perpetually so exercise it!
The ninth edition of the most patronized business and entrepreneurial conference (Ghana @60 edition) comes off Sunday, March 5, 2017 at the Holiday Inn Hotel, Accra.

The collaborated event being organized Dream Big Consult and Capital Bank is themed: Achieving Financial Independence.

Following the successes achieved from the previous conferences, the Ghana at 60 edition has also promised greater success and impacts.

Very successful entrepreneurs and business owners are being lined up as speakers and facilitators for the event and they would share their individual stories.

Rev. Moses Bennisan, CEO of Dream Big Consult in a brief interview with FN News Frederick Noamesi has said that, this edition of the Raising Billionaires Conference is a life changing. He furthered revealed that, there would be sessions for patrons to be interact with facilitators.

It is his desire to see many Ghanaians for that matter Africans to be able to attain the billionaires status.

The conference is open to everyone including young entrepreneurs, business owners, students, pressure groups, churches and individuals.

Raising Billionaires Conference is sponsored by Dream Big Consult and Capital Bank with support from Nubian Accessories, and Family Altar.

Tickets to the event can be bought at the venue: Holiday Inn Hotel, Accra

https://www.facebook.com/raisingbillionaires/videos/854111741398448/
After having been floored flatly by the first budget of the NPP govt, and left with no avenue to criticize with facts and figures, the deniers of reality, thus, the NDC and its naysayers, have resorted to their usual lies led by a certain Haruna Iddrisu. This was one of the major mistakes committed by the NDC against well-meaning Ghanaians that drove them into opposition, but they are refusing to learn from their past mistakes and reform.

Haruna Iddrisu and his bunch of falsehood peddlers, owes Ghanaians a reminder regarding the budgets read by their previous govts from 7th January 1993 to 6th January 2001, and from 7th January 2009 to 6th January 2017, that ever reduced taxes even by Ghs 1 to help alleviate the suffering of the ordinary Ghanaian. This is what an opposition worth its salt does.

The Nana Akufo Addo administration has abolished about seven nuisance taxes, all imposed by previous NDC govts. The NDC claim to be social democrats, and social democrats per their ideology, are supposed to formulate and implement policies geared towards alleviating the hardship faced by the poor. The NDC should tell we the stupid Ghanaians the social intervention programmes that their various NDC govts, that have cumulatively ruled Ghana for 16 years since the dawn of the 4th Republic did in one way or the other, to ease the hardship of the poor.

Apart from overburdening the poor Ghanaian with high taxes, including taxes on cutlasses, condoms and other nuisance taxes, coupled with saddling the Ghanaian with a 72% of debt to GPD, and using SADA as a vehicle to loot the State coffers, what policy has the NDC put into practice that really had the poor Ghanaian at heart? Absolutely none! I stand for correction, Haruna Iddrisu, Nketia, Anyidoho, Kofi Adams and all those venom spewers!

The previous NPP govt from 7th January 2001 to 6th January 2009, formulated and implemented not less than 8 social intervention programmes. This include the National Health Insurance Scheme, the School Feeding Programme, and a host of others, and this is a political party whose ideology is the direct opposite of social democrats. The only social intervention policy the NDC attempted was SADA, and sadly, SADA turned out to be a conduit pipe for the NDC and its bunch of State looters to bring Ghana to its knees. SADAs jurisdiction was actually limited to the three (3) northern regions, encompassing the extreme northern parts of the Brong Ahafo and Volta Regions, so SADA, even if it was successful, had no national character.

What a credible opposition does, is to come out and tell the public what they did better in their previous budgets than for example, the abolishing of the nuisance taxes. Haruna Iddrisu and other like-minded individuals in the NDC, ought to tell Ghanaians that, they abolished more taxes in say, Atta Mills first budget in 2009, than what the NPP Finance Minister did on Thursday, 2nd March 2017.

Furthermore, Haruna Iddrisu and his associates, should tell Ghanaians that, they provided something far better than the free SHS education policy announced by the Nana Akufo Addo administration. Maybe the NDC provided free education at the tertiary level, which was not announced during their tenure of office. They are more than welcome to let us know. Apart from abolishing teacher and nursing trainee allowances, and virtually failing to meet all statutory payments on time, such as payment of subventions to the various public educational institutions, thus compelling some public universities to devise ways and means to survive, what did the NDC do in its 16 years in power to alleviate the suffering of the ordinary Ghanaian?

It is clear that the NDC functionaries have no clue as to what 419 stands for in the Nigerian context. Otherwise how can someone with functioning brains describe a budget that has abolished nuisance taxes and took concrete steps towards providing free SHS education as Advance-Fee Fraud, thus Section 419 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act that was popularized during the Babangida regime, where the victim is convinced to advance money to a stranger?

This throwing of dust into the eyes of most Ghanaians by the NDC cohorts manifested in their embarrassing defeat at the 7th December 2016 polls, because a majority of Ghanaians felt insulted by the Green Book propaganda and other broad daylight factual denials, that in most instances took the ordinary Ghanaian for stupid fools, which we are not, and this was amply demonstrated at the recent polls.

Until the NDC change their ways and get to understand that Ghanaians cannot be taken for stupid fools anymore, then they will continue to wallow in opposition for a considerable length of time.

Alhassan Salifu Bawah

Lecturer and Social Commentator

[email protected]
The silence of the government over the police-cum-military brutalities inflicted on the innocent citizens of Kumawu-Bodomase on Thursday, 16 February 2017, is a great cause for concern. The public will bear me witness that armed police and military personnel descended on Kumawu-Bodomase on Wednesday, 15 February 2017, on pretext of going to protect the mourners and the citizens of the town in the wake of laying in state, and the burial, and the final funeral celebrations, of, the late Kumawu Akyempemhene Nana Okyere Krapa II.

However, on Thursday, 16 February 2017, when the famous and popular Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua V and his sub-chiefs with their large retinue of mourners were in a procession to the funeral ground where their deceased colleague was laid in state to perform their traditional rites of adieu oaths, they were physically attacked by the police and the military personnel.

Barima Tweneboa Kodua V and his elders had done nothing provocative to warrant the assault on them by the government police and military personnel using various types of weapons as if they were fighting terrorists in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen or Syria. They fired live ammunitions, rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowd and into the air.

It is alleged that the Divisional Police Commander in Ashanti Effiduase ordered the armed police and military personnel to shoot and kill Barima Tweneboa Kodua V claiming his instruction for his execution to be an order from above.

In my fruitless attempts so far made to establish the identity of that unknown person issuing that so-called order from above, I have decided to escalate the matter to the Amnesty International because it is very preposterous on the part of anyone to order the execution of an innocent paramount chief who is supported by about 95% of the Kumawuman subjects, and who as law-abiding as he is, is using the courts to fight for his rightful heritage.

We voted for then presidential-candidate Nana Akufo Addo and New Patriotic Party (NPP) for a change for the better from the lawlessness, injustices, practice of selective justice, abuse of power by our leaders and the ruinous acts of corruption that had become the prevailing, but tormenting order of the day under then President John Dramani Mahama and his government and his ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) party.

Should I say little did we know that there was still going to be the tendency to perpetrate acts of injustices by some members and Ministers of the NPP government? If it was not so, who then issued that absurd order from above to the soldiers and the police to proceed to Kumawu-Bodomase with intent to shoot and kill Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua V?

For the information of the public, the late Kumawu Akyempemhene Nana Okyere Krapa II was a sub-chief owing allegiance to Barima Tweneboa Kodua V but not to the fraudulently enstooled Kumawuhene Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua. Additionally, he was a father to Barima Tweneboa Kodua V by extension of the Ashanti/Akans traditional extended family. Therefore, Kumawuhene Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua who had dubiously acted in collusion with Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to depose Nana Okyere Krapa II only to have the Mampong High Court rubbish their unconventional and unconstitutional methods used to depose him, was in no way invited to, or going to, attend, Nana Okeyere Krapa IIs funeral. He was a persona non grata, as far as the funeral celebrations go!

The late Kumawu Akyempemhene Nana Okyere Krapa II and his other three colleague sub-chiefs, Kumawu Akwamuhene Nana Kwasi Bafo II, Kumawu Aduanahene Nana Sarfo Agyekum Nyanor II and Kumawu Nsumankwaahene Nana Okyere Darko were confirmed by the Mampong High Court judge as still sub-chiefs who could not, and have not, been destooled by the bogus methods used by Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the alleged Kumawuhene Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua who in private life is Dr Yaw Sarfo.

How then could some heavily armed police-cum-military personnel proceed to Kumawu-Bodomase pretending to protect the people of the town and the visiting mourners only to assault them with intent to kill Barima Tweneboa Kodua V?

Kumawuhemaa Nana Abenaa Serwaah Amponsah who has allegedly been visiting some Ministers of the current NPP government lying to them to court their support to unleash her evilness on Barima Tweneboa Kodua V is a top NDC member who even cooked and supplied food to the NDC polling agents in the Kumawu and Afram Plains Constituencies during the recent past 7 December 2016 elections.

I do not care the party she or anyone belongs to. Once an election is over, I see everyone as a Ghanaian who is to be treated equally and fairly. Nonetheless, I find it shocking that some NPP Government Ministers are supportive of her evil plans to cause harm to some innocent people in Kumawuman as unfolded on Thursday, 16 February 2017 at Kumawu-Bodomase.

In the course of time, I shall name those people she has visited and what some of them said. We did not spend our time, money, and efforts to campaign and vote for NPP to come to power only to have the usual nonsensical Ghanaian tendency to perpetrate abhorrent injustices resurface soon afterwards.

Who ordered the armed police-cum-military personnel to go to Kumawu-Bodomase not only to disrupt the late Nana Okyere Krapa IIs funeral but also, to assault the people with intent to kill Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua V?

Is it the duty of the police and the military to involve themselves in chieftaincy disputes by taking sides? The transferred Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Officer ASP Yusuf Mohammed Tanko said on air and in the newspapers that the police acted on intelligence to proceed to Kumawu-Bodomase to forcibly stop Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua V from attending the funeral in the capacity of Kumawu Omanhene to avert clashes between his supporters and those of Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua? To him, there is only one paramount chief in Kumawu according to their police records.

I find his explanation very unprofessional and biased. Is it the duty of the police to enforce such chieftaincy issues without any court warrant or orders? The less I talk about it much the better because my emotions may compel me to rain insults on the security agents and those ministers who might have had a hand in that near-fatal assault on the good citizens of the town.

The criminal action by the police-cum-military personnel as unleashed on the people made most of the mourners not to attend the funeral on Saturday, 18 February 2017 hence the bereaved family incurring a huge debt of GHS30, 000. Who is going to pay for this debt? If the police and the soldiers had not acted in the stupid way that they did, the mourners would have attended in their greater numbers to make donations as it is required by our Akan tradition to offset or reduce the cost of the funeral.

Are there not two paramount chiefs currently in Accra in the Greater Accra region, Tuoabodom in the Brong-Ahafo region, Suhyen in the Eastern region and Bimbilla in the Northern region? Have the police been molesting any of them? If their answer is in the negative, then why only in Kumawu that they feel they should come to terrorise a rival chief who indeed has nearly the entire public support?

For your information, Asantehene is not the overlord of Asanteman with the powers he is presumed to possess. I have written about this and I shall in the coming days be publishing extensively about this topic quoting references from authoritative sources.

I shall not sit on the fence when my compatriots are being subjected to inhuman treatment under the hands of the very government and security forces we expect better from. Where is the justification for Ghana celebrating her sixty years of political independence amid such acts of sponsored injustices? SHAME!!!

Rockson Adofo

Dated: Saturday, 4 March 2017
Voi (Kenya) (AFP) -

Buffalo approach after a tanker delivers water to a water hole at the Tsavo-west national park on October 19, 2016

In a wildlife sanctuary in southern Kenya the relentless sun has bleached savannah grasses and dried up rivers, turning water holes first into muddy pits and now, dust bowls.

Herds of elephant, buffalo and zebra have gathered near one of the holes, where for six months, pea farmer Patrick Mwalua has been delivering water to them in a rented blue truck.

After the rains failed for the third time in November, Mwalua was so distressed by the obviously weak and thirsty animals that he began seeking donations to bring water to the Taita Hills sanctuary.

The 41-year-old was haunted by the memory of a 2009 drought, which the International Fund for Animal Welfare estimates led to the loss of 40 percent of the animals in the neighbouring Tsavo West National Park.

"It was so sad. I saw it myself and I felt very bad and I said this thing should never happen again," he told AFP.

Over his lifetime, Mwalua has seen the climate change drastically, with droughts causing chronic water shortages and increased conflict between villagers and wildlife.

Thirsty elephants -- which can drink up to 190 litres (400 pints) of water in one sitting -- have in recent months carried out often deadly raids on villages in search of water.

To the majority of locals struggling to survive the failure of their crops, these wildlife neighbours are little more than a menace and competition for land and resources.

'The animals come running'

However Mwalua believes it is crucial to protect the wildlife, arguing "we are the voice of the animals".

He reached out to foreigners, who had participated in a conservation programme he runs, to ask for donations to pay for the $250 (237-euro) truckloads of water.

At first, he would pour it into natural water holes but quickly realised that much was soaked up by the baking earth, so turned instead to a cement hole near a tourist lodge.

The animals "come running the moment they see the truck, they even know the timings. When they are really thirsty they even drink when the truck is emptying," the lodge's assistant manager Alex Namunje told AFP.

A GoFundMe crowdfunding page, set up by an American friend, has raised over $200,000 -- most of that in the past two weeks, as word spread about Mwalua's initiative.

"It has blown my mind," said Mwalua, who plans to buy his own water truck and dig a borehole in the park.

Meanwhile the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust -- famed for rearing orphan elephants -- has now joined him in trucking in water to the water hole.

In a sign of the crisis the region faces, the charity has drilled 13 boreholes over the years, Angela Sheldrick, who runs the trust, told AFP.

Snakebites

Zebra approach a watering hole after a tanker delivers water to thirsty wildlife at the Tsavo-west national park in Kenya on September 29, 2016

While conservationists praise Mwalua's efforts, they warn that climate change and human activity have affected water supply so badly it will take much more to solve the problem.

"It is a good initiative but how much water can we truck into Tsavo? How many boreholes can you sink?" asked Jacob Kipongoso, head of the Tsavo Heritage Foundation.

Conflict between humans and wildlife is only going to get worse, he believes.

One deadly clue is the snakes' behaviour.

Every morning, in Kipongoso's village, when women go to the water pumps, they see the swirling snake tracks in the sand.

Desperate for water and a cool place to shelter as drought and climate change affect their habitat, snakes increasingly come into contact with people.

As a result, snakebites have shot up so much in recent years that the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is trying to amend a law to stop having to compensate those bitten, which costs millions of euros per year.

Deadlier than poaching

Patrick Kilonzo fills a hired bowser water tanker before embarking on a 70 kilometre journey to deliver the water to thirsty wildlife in the Tsavo-west national park in Kenya, on February 24, 2017

The main water source for Tsavo West is Lake Jipe, which straddles the border with Tanzania. According to Kipongoso, its level has dropped 10 metres (33 feet) in a decade.

"At the same rate it means in another four or five years it will be a swamp, in another 15 years it will be a dust bowl. That means Tsavo West is dead, finished," he warned.

He blames the water problems on "sheer human activity" in catchment areas.

In the nearby Amboseli park, during the 2009 drought, 14 elephants were killed by poachers, while another 99 died because of lack of water, according to KWS figures.

"What all that means is we need now to stop focusing on poaching and start facing the imminent catastrophe which is the mass death of elephants and wildlife from lack of water," Kipongoso said.

"The only way you can do that is landscape rehabilitation," he said, referring to reverting the land to its state before human activity changed it.

Mwalua's undertaking is exhausting. Bleary-eyed, he eats a quick breakfast of Swahili sweet bun and tea before embarking on the 70-kilometre (43-mile) journey.

Delivering the 12,000 litres of water is a slow, hour-long drive that he sometimes makes several times a day, despite suffering from kidney failure requiring twice-weekly dialysis.

But he perks up when he sees the waiting animals.

On a February afternoon, clouds gather above the savannah and a rare burst of rain fills the air with an earthy petrichor but doesn't stick around long enough to penetrate the soil.

Weeks of driving rain are needed to break the drought, and forecasters are already gloomy about the next rainy season due this month.
The Minority is predicting that government will not be able to meet economic targets as set out in the 2017 budget.

According to them, the cuts in the sources of revenue for the government and the failure to appreciate fully the challenges that may confront the economic management style of the new government will affect the Akufo-Addo governments choice of production over taxation.

Government announced its intentions to cut the budget deficit and improve revenue performance in 2017, aside the review and scraping of taxes and levies during its first budget statement.

James Avedzi

But speaking to the media, the Deputy Minority Leader, James Avedzi, said the Finance Minister will be running back to Parliament with a downward review of its ambitious and unachievable targets during the mid-year budget review.

They have the opportunity to come and review the targets in the mid-year. They indicated that in four months time they will come for a mid-year review. I was even teasing them on the floor saying, how can you present a budget in March and in July, and you are coming for a review. We know they cannot attain those targets in terms of revenue that they want to collect, Mr. Avedzi opined.

The Deputy Minority Leader also downplayed the significance of abolishing import duty taxes on spare parts, as he explained that government had relinquished the stake it had it their trade.

What they have done is to give money to the traders at Abbosey Okai market because who among us will know the components of the percentage price of spare parts we buy? We do not know. They will import these parts. They will not pay tax and they will sell at the price they want. We don't have any mechanism to check them, Mr. Avedzi stated.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
We deeply mourn the loss of our mother and friend, Barbara Ann Long. She was born in La Crosse, April 22, 1948, and passed away Monday, Feb. 27, 2017, in Harlingen, Texas.

She was preceded by her parents, Paul and Lynette Johnson. She is survived by her three children, Jason of Texas, Courtenay (Coley) of Minnesota and Justin (Nicole) of Texas; and seven grandchildren, Sarah, Jennifer, Clare, Kimberly, Nolan, Hanae and Griffin.

She was fiercely independent and her passion was her family, her friends, traveling the world and returning home to her dogs, Charlie, Star, Murphy and Sammy. She was an extraordinarily strong woman who refused to accept that cancer was ever going to determine the course of her life. Barbara continued to live every moment of her life with optimism and purpose. She will be sorely missed but her spirit will continue with friends and family.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at St. Albans Episcopal Church in Harlingen. A celebration of Barbaras life will be held in Minneapolis in spring 2017. If you would like more information regarding Barbaras celebration, please email Courtenay at court@twincitydigs.com.
05.03.2017 LISTEN

In Celebration of Kwame Nkrumah's Exemplary Performance on Behalf of Unitary Ghana During 1951 - 1966

This paper is a continuation of "Quantum Leap in Education Under Kwame Nkrumah and the CPP (1951 - 1966)".

For generations and hundreds of years before independence in 1957, the Gold Coast/Ghana, contributed in no small measure to the development or Europe and that same Great Britain, from London all the way to Singapore. Yes, Singapore, where former President Kuffour stood the other day and proudly christened a drilling ship in his own name while parroting that 60-year sorry sad and sorry song.

Ghana, let all of the jokes be on them!

Let all of the jokes be on the tradition that stood against the Unitary Ghana concept and in dark corners of foreign embassies and capitals from Lome, to Lagos, to Monrovia, to London, aided and abetted the maiden overthrow of that duly elected government of Ghana through the barrel of the gun and hollow cups of coup plotter narratives most of whose truth and fidelity have since 1966 fallen apart as more reliable data information have become available for even the lazy to know.

The Akufo Addos, the Bawumias, the Rawlings, the Kuffours, and the Amoako-Baahs love to parade around town with coup-plotter narratives and sundry data hollering that Kwame Nkrumah's Ghana was had a super high, unsustainable national debt, that Ghana was "broke", in 1966.

When you invest in infrastructure, human capital, and a multitude of social systems to uplift all your people into citizens of the modern world regardless of which corner they come from, or reside, when you still have between $11M and $111 million in your bank accounts (according to whatever source you prefer), and your national investments are just beginning to bear fruits for your new nation, when you've not even drawn $11.2 million in approved credit for a power dam, what kind of person says their country was broke, particularly in 2000, and beyond?

Sure, in the early- to mid-1960s, Ghana had economic problems just as any other country. The price of cocoa had been "engineered" downward as punishment for Ghana's strife for economic development, respect, and independence.

And much promised economic development aid had been withheld.

As we observed in the "60-Year Old Mad Men" series, when Kwame Nkrumah's government was overthrown, Ghana owned an amount from all sources that was less than 30% of Ghana's annual GDP at that time. In comparison, the British national debt-to-GDP ratio was a high 75%.

However, by one account, Ankrah told the world Ghana was indebted to foreign creditors to the tune of 400,000,000, and thus justification for the coup. If that was true, Ankrah might just have said Ghana owned over $1 billion (actually, $1,121,203,066), to foreign creditors.

That was a fat lie!

The loud talk about a huge Ghana national debt under Kwame Nkrumah had all turned into cow dung by the time the rest of the NLC found out Ankrah was a bigger crooks than themselves.

In fact, months after the overthrow, the aid promised Ankrah had not arrived, except for some cartons of milk. And 1966 would turn out to be the year the US did not import anything from the NLC's Ghana.

Even so, without borrowing, the NLC still found money in Ghana's accounts to pay every soldier on every the payroll, no deductions for a shared national burden, thank you, for another 9 months.

In fact, for all that talk in the ears of the Johnson-Nixon government about expelling every single Chinese and Russia technician many of whom were actually assisting Ghana's industrialization effort by training Ghanaians, constructing factories, silos, bridges, roads, etc., and adding value to primary goods to boost Ghana' GDP, the NLC themselves, soon after those expulsions, had many an about face. They requested many of the same people they'd just expelled to return to Ghana.

So much for faux coup plotter economics!

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (SELECTED HIGHLIGHT)

In a previous essay, we argued that during the period 1957 through 1966, from independence day to the year Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown, the number of hospital beds in Ghana increased dramatically. From a low 0.50 per 1,000 of the population for the entire country, it more than tripled to nearly 1.8 beds per 1,000 of the population.

In 2013, forty-seven years after the overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah, there were just about 0.85 hospital beds per 1,000 of the population, indicating a gross failure to add to hospital bed capacity anywhere commensurate with the rate of growth in the population. Further, while the number of doctors per 1,000 of the population in Ghana did not see a negative dive, it was still not inspiring given the promise to Ghana by Kwame Nkrumah.

You see, by 1959, there were 0.5 doctors per 1,000 of the population. Six (6) short years later, in 1966, there were 0.8 doctors per 1,000 of the population, an increase of approximately 0.3 doctors per 1,000 of the population. During 2013, there were an estimated 0.1 doctors per 1,000 of the population, representing a failure to meaningfully add to the number of doctors in Ghana anywhere commensurate with the rate of growth in the population. In short, whereas during 1960-1966 the increase in doctors per 1,000 of the population was 0.3 those 6 years, the increase in the number of doctors per 1,000 of the population the entire 47 years after the overthrow of Nkrumah was 0.2.

Take all of that to the bank, partner!

CONCLUSION:

And so"...'(w)hile the detractors of African independence (were) predicting that the continent will revert to the jungles once it (was) left on its own peoples rule, Ghana (was) wasting no time refuting that prophecy...(mid-1960s).... Instead, with its own financial and manpower resources and technical and financial aid from the U.S. and other nations around the world, (Ghana...was...) toiling around the clock, building an industrial economy the likes of which colonial Africa had never seen....'.

Dear Reader, that was precisely the planned industrial, economic developmental, and social take-off for Ghana as reported by Ebony Magazine in 1964. By 1966, Kwame Nkrumah's development plans and investments in the People of Ghana and facilities, had begun to bear fruits for Ghana on more fronts than they could count.

In our "Only mad 60-year olds fault Kwame Nkrumah" series of essays, we argued that in actuality, the objective data shows that under Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana actually witnessed sharper increases in GDP per capita during 1963-1965, compared to Singapore during the same period; that there was sudden loss of economic performance beginning with the overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah in February of 1966.

For Ghana, the period 1962-1965 can actually be represented as the beginning of the lift-off of Ghana's economic and industrial revolution, until the Johnson CIA-sponsored coup d'etat in 1966. Between 1960 and 1966, when Nkrumah was overthrown, Ghana's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased 47%, from $181.00 to $266.00. By 1964, Nkrumah's development plans had begun to bear fruits for Ghana as the GDP figures confirm.

Seven (7) years after the overthrow in 1973, GDP per capita was still $5 less, compared to 1966. Thirty (30) years after the overthrow, Ghana's GDP per capita had increased just 80%, from $214.00 to $386.00 (compared to 47% just six years before the overthrow, from 1960-1966), as you can see.

Sadly, all of that success and promise, the "Take-Off" of Ghana's economic revolution, was stolen from Ghanaians through that Johnson-CIA-induced coup d'etat. That overthrow was fronted by a soldier-police "Benedict-Arnold"-elite NLC group (Ankrah-Afrifa-Kotoka-Nunoo-Ocran-Deku-Harlley, and rascal Busia), a traitor bunch who lied to Ghana and the entire world.

Yes, there are facts (data); and there are coup plotter narratives.

Ghana, which one do you want to believe?

So it goes!

SOURCES/NOTES

1. Prof Lung, Quantum leap in education under Kwame Nkrumah and the CPP (1951 - 1966), http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Quantum-Leap-in-Education-Under-Kwame-Nkrumah-and-the-CPP-1951-1966-514207.

1. Prof Lungu. 2015. GhanaHero.com (http://www.ghanahero.com/Visions/Nkrumah_Legacy_Project/Prof_Lungu/There_Was_No_Dum-Sor_Under_Kwame_Nkrumah-v2.pdf/).

2. KATH/Gee Hospital Still Is Another Kwame Nkrumah Sika Duro (Final)

http://www.ghanahero.com/Visions/Nkrumah_Legacy_Project/Prof_Lungu/KATH_Gee_Hospital_Still_Another_Nkrumah_Sika_Duro_Final.pdf

3. Ebony Magazine. Ghana's Industrial Revolution: Nation Toils to Close the Technology Gap, May 1964.

Visit for more information:

www.GhanaHero.com .

Read Mo'! Listen Mo'! See Mo'! Reflect Mo'!

Prof Lungu - Real Data, Real Current!

Subj: Quantum Leap in Economy Under Kwame Nkrumah (1951 - 1966)-ds.

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.com4 Mar 17.
The worlds leader in consumer electronics, Samsung has reiterated its commitment to continue doing business on the African continent at the 8th edition of its annual Africa Forum which took place in Cape Town, South Africa.

I believe that to know a place we must stand with its people, we must breathe in its air, we must listen to its heartbeat, in this way we can understand and love Africa, said Y. Y. Kim, President and CEO of Samsung Africa.

This years event brought together Samsung staff, over 500 dealers, suppliers and other partners as well as almost 100 media personnel from across Africa.

It was to afford Samsung the opportunity to showcase its smart technology product ranges and highlight the companys passion to the continent and its partners across Africa.

According to company officials, Samsung continues to view Africa as a vital part of its global business and the company showed its commitments to the region by demonstrating the media and partners, products selected specifically for the unique needs of Africas customers.

At Samsung Africa, we will listen to what you have to say, learn about what it means to be a part of Africa and to help whenever we can no matter how difficult, Mr. Kim told a gathering of Africas media at the event.

Among the categories of products showcased are home appliances, consumer and business air-conditioning solutions, the latest developments in television and audio visual products, as well as a range of wearable mobile devices.

Themed on One Pride which is in keeping with its African focus, Samsung explained in a statement that, this relates to both Samsungs pride in the quality of its products and the way the company and its partner network lead the regions consumer electronics space, just like a pride of lions would lead in the bushveld."

We talk about a herd of zebra and a school of fish, but we say pride of lions. The lion is king of the jungle, Strong and protective. Were the pride working to protect each other, to feed each other, to care for each other and in this way we can succeed together. The African pride, one pride, Mr. Kim emphasized.

According to Michelle Potgieter, Director of Corporate Marketing and Communications at Samsung South Africa, the Africa Forum was organised to help Samsung to achieve its goal of enriching our customers lives, while contributing to socio-economic prosperity across Africa and supporting a sustainable environment for us all.

The 8th annual Samsung Africa Forum affords us the opportunity to share our vision, commitment and world-class innovations in technology and design with our partners across the region. More crucially, it allows us to demonstrate that together, we can move forward with pride, passion and profitability, concludes Potgieter.

Other speakers touched on the new products and innovations that Samsung has added to existing products including the Wind-Free wi-fi enabled air conditioner, the new QLED Q9, Q8, and Q7 TV series with 100 percent colour volume, the Top Mounted Freezer (TMF) refrigerator range, Samsungs AddWash front-loader washing machines and the MS750 Soundbar.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
The Kitchen Supervisor at the Ablenkpe Branch of Marwako, Bernard Opoku, has defended the Restuarant's Supervisor, Jihad Chabaan, who has been accused of dipping an employee's face in hot pepper.

Jihad has been accused of locking up the 25 year-old with the burning and hurting eyes, preventing her other worried colleagues from helping her.

Speaking exclusively to Citi News' Philip Ashon, Bernard Opoku, defended his Supervisor, saying It is not anything bad that happened. We normally shop for fresh pepper for our chicken and she is at the rice department and that day there was pressure at the place so I asked her to prepare the fresh pepper and I went back to the restaurant to do other things. Within 35 to 25 minutes, I heard the noise According to the girls they said the man poured the thing[pepper] inside her face but I am not sure he poured it inside her face.

Getting to 7 to 8, the girl wanted to leave so one of the Supervisors asked the girl to go to the hospital and bring the bill. ..The following day, the girl was here and closed at the normal time then on Tuesday, she did not come so it is not anything serious. He did not intentionally pour the pepper inside her face. It has not happened in this company before and I have not witnessed something like that.

Click on audio to listen to Mr. Opoku



The victim's story

But the victim, who recounted her ordeal to Citi News, said: It was on Sunday, I went to work so after the rain stopped, I was at my department and one Supervisor called me to go and help someone to blend fresh pepper because there was pressure so I went to the Rice department . While I was blending the pepper, the blender was making noise Then all of a sudden Mr . Jihad appeared and started shouting on me and insulting me, asking me whether I did not know I was destroying the blender , then I told him: 'Mr. Jihad it is just fresh pepper.' Before I could open my mouth again, he put my face inside the blender and when I tried taking my face from blender, the pepper split into my eyes and my faceAll I could do was to cry.

Click on audio to listen to victim



The case, which is being handled by the police, has generated a lot of public interest and has raised many concerns about the treatment meted out to Ghanaians in various companies own by their foreign nationals.

Confirming the incident to Citi News, the Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, ASP Effia Tenge, said Jihad has been arrested and granted a police enquiry bail as investigations continue. She also added that, the victim has been given some medical forms to seek medical treatment.



By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
05.03.2017 LISTEN

By Mildred Siabi-Mensah, GNA

Essikado, March 5, GNA - Dr Kwaku Afriyie, the Western Regional Minister, has called on traditional authorities across the region to support government's decision in creating new regions.

He said the Government's quest to partitioning some regions was to ensure more rapid socio-economic development but with no intention of dividing the people.

Dr Afriyie made the call when he visited the Omanhene of Essikado, Nana Kobina Nketisa V, to officially introduce himself to him.

He said the region was mainly made up of Akans, who were matrilineal, and hence could never be divided on political grounds through the creation of new regions.

Dr Afriyie urged the chiefs in the area to assist in fighting that perception whilst concentrating on the broader picture of development.

He pledged his commitment to ensuring rapid socioeconomic growth adding; "I am starting a huge advocacy to uplift the region and I need the total support of all our traditional authorities".

Nana Nketsia described the minister as a "system thinker" who looked deep into the future than the present.

He recalled how the minister answered questions during his vetting and some selfless contributions he had made in the interest of the region and the nation as a whole.

Nana Nketsia urged the Government to ensure the revamping of the railways to bring back life to the region.

He said: "I don't want to believe that God has blessed us with poverty.... Look at all the natural resources we have, why should the people suffer? We must begin to do things right as a nation".

Nana Nketsia urged leaders to be committed to the truth and execute their tasks in uttermost sincerity adding; "you cannot rule with lies".

He said relocating the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation Headquarters to Sekondi was imperative to reviving the twin-city adding; "when Sekondi rises, Ghana will rise again".

He advised the minister to learn from past ministers and draw some good lessons from their tenure to enable him to build a better region.

Nana Nketsia tasked him to focus on growing the agricultural sector as well as growing the brand; 'Western Region'.

GNA
05.03.2017 LISTEN

This is not a missive intended to censure the current Honourable Minister of Lands and Natural Resources for the mess in the small-scale mining sector, far from it. But it rather seeks to remind the minister to thwart the illegal mining being carried out by the foreign infiltrators and their Ghanaian counterparts.

Undoubtedly, the influx of genuine tourists is good for the economy. However, what we should not be doing is opening our borders widely to individuals who harbour ulterior motives.

I have no doubt whatsoever that some Chinese immigrants secured authentic visas to enter Ghana, but I am not sure whether if the Ghana Embassy in China did grant visas to all the Chinese immigrants to come and undertake mining in Ghana.

In any case, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must endeavour to investigate the granting of visas by the Ghana Embassy in China, per the influx of illegal Chinese miners in Ghana.

It is also incumbent on the Ghana Immigration Service to put tabs on the illegal Chinese who are bent on laying their hands on our natural resources illegally. This is indeed a serious issue, and must therefore be treated with all the seriousness it deserves.

I must also venture to stress that our relations with China must not and cannot be the standing block in our efforts to bring the offending Chinese illegal miners to book.

We should not lose sight of the fact that subject to subsections (1) of 1989 small-scale mining laws (PNDCL 218) and (2) of section 75 of the Minerals and Mining Law, 1986 (PNDCL 153) and amended Act 2006(Act 703), no licence for small-scale gold mining operation shall be granted to any person who is not a citizen of Ghana.

Thus, in theory, any person who without a licence granted by the regulatory bodies and chooses to undertake any small-scale gold mining operation contrary to (subsection 1) of section 1 of small-scale mining law; or acts in contravention of any other provision of small-scale mining law in respect of which an offence has not been prescribed, shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.

More meaningfully, however, where a foreigner is convicted of an offence under this Law he, shall after paying the fine or serving any imprisonment imposed on him, be liable to deportation under section 13 of the Aliens Act, 1963 (Act 160).

In practice, though, I am not at all against foreigners who want to go about their business in Ghana legally, because I, like any other Ghanaian migrant, have lived amenably, worked and schooled in the United Kingdom, so I will be the first person to show reciprocity by stretching my hands and welcoming other immigrants into my country of birth.

Having said that, my understanding is: If you are in Rome, you must do what the Romans do. In other words, you must be prepared to conform to the laws of the land at all times.

Take, for instance, even though I have the legal right to live and blissfully eke out an income in the United Kingdom, if I chose to commit a reprehensible crime, in theory, I would be incarcerated and sent back to my country of birth after serving my term. With this in mind, how many discerning people would dare?

It is for this reason that I have been condemning and execrating the Chinese and other illegal immigrants shenanigans, -- illegally mining the natural resources in our countryside and in the process destroying our lands and water bodies.

Obviously, the illegal miners are taking advantage of the absence of monitoring and enforcement of the existing laws and regulations. If that was not the case, how on earth could foreigners seize our countryside, steal our gold and destroy the environment?

We (Ghanaians) have enacted expedient laws, albeit the monitoring and enforcement are carried out with a stark perfunctory, or often non-existent.

The Chinese never give up. They will never give up their pursuits. Whatever they pursue, they become experts and innovators in that field. They are never bogged down by failure. For them, failure simply means another shot to be successful, said a social commentator.

It seems some Chinese immigrants come across as aggressive, indocile and somehow disrespectful, when they come to mirthful Africa, -- no offence intended though.

They wield guns and would fire at anyone who dares to confront them to stop mining.

Given the Chinese immigrants stubbornness, I venture to suggest it would take a massive leadership in order to curb the illegal mining activities in our countryside.

Please, do not accuse me of sensationalising the problem confronting Ghanaians. For, we are probably dealing with criminals who have been released from prison in China, and have made their way to a paradise called Ghana.

Obviously, we have laws which govern the small scale mining in Ghana. So why are we dragging our feet in enforcing such laws?

It is, however, important to note that a lot of organisations are culpable in this instance, --for approaching their duties lackadaisically.

For example, we have Ghana Minerals Commission whose responsibilities include the enforcement of the rules and regulations--the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).

The Act vividly requires any person wanting to engage in any form of mining to obtain the requisite licence from the Minister responsible for Mines.

What is more, the holders of mineral rights and licences are by law required to obtain the necessary approvals and permits from the appropriate quarters, such as Environmental Protection Agency; Forestry Commission, where forests are involved; and Water Resources Commission, where water is involved, before the Miners can commence operation.

The Minerals and Mining Act, 2006(Act 703) thus places a duty on the aforementioned organisations to work in valence to ensure that the prospective Miners adhere to various regulations.

So, with such synergistic policies in place, why the mess in the small scale mining sector?

Your guess is as good as mine. In practice, there is no accountability.

I am afraid; Im beginning to suspect the governing or regulatory bodies are not up to the task.

Take, for example, according to the mining laws, no Small Scale Mining operations will be permitted within 100 meters of any water body. However, this has not always been observed.

Obviously, it is on record that the Chinese immigrants are denuding our countryside, and havent Ghana Minerals Commission heard?

Ironically, Ghana Minerals Commission insists that whoever contravenes any of the provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act 2006 (Act 703) shall be sanctioned and prosecuted in accordance with this Act and the Criminal Procedure Code, 1960 (Act 30).

However expedient the laws and regulations on mining, the Minerals Commission seems oblivious to the Chinese immigrants shenanigans in our countryside.

In sum, if, indeed, the Ghana Minerals Commission hasnt heard what is going on, then I would like to point out that some recalcitrant immigrants are bent on despoiling our natural resources and in the process, destroying the environment.

So, go ahead and thwart the activities of the lunatic fringe of Chinese immigrants and any other illegal miners without delay.

K. Badu, UK.
The free Senior Secondary School Program which will begin in September with more than 300,000 first year day students intake is a happy turn of event in Ghana. It would definitely cost the tax payers a colossal sums of money which would go to the benefit of both comfortably affluent and less privileged parents. But it will be of benefit to the nation as thousands of the students are trained in various fields. As happen in Scandinavian nations and Europe this socialist or welfare package which was conceived in the manifesto of the New Patriotic Party {NPP} since 2012 has received a huge approval by many people high and low in Ghana and abroad.

Although it is a program that will ensure rapid promotion of education for Ghanaian children especially the poor, it also brings along responsibility for all Ghanaians especially parents, parents and teacher associations, old students organizations, religious bodies, donor agencies and civil society bodies in education. Since all parents of beneficiary students have their welfare at heart, it is required that they continue with the support they give their wards [as they do currently}, before they leave home for school. That is needed to compliment the support being given by the tax payers through the government. The students must be provided with decent uniforms and shoes and be fed adequately at home by their parents. Those teachers who would cater for the students must also play their parts by providing them adequate tuition in school. The teachers also require support to be able to discharge their duties adequately. However, as they fight for their service conditions to be improved as they provide students with extra tuition, they must continue to show sympathy for the students by training them not only to pass exams but to grow into useful persons with good characters and good moral values. This is what pertains in all the welfare programs across the world. Ghana is therefore pursuing the right path. As the program is to begin with first year students the continuing students must not feel cheated but forerunners whose juniors some of whom might be their own younger brothers and sisters, {whose free tuition would be savings for their families} and to continue to benefit from the program.

What is likely to enrich the program is the increase in tempo of the work of the parent teacher associations across the nation especially now that the government has taken off a huge burden {in school fees} from the parents. The associations must be permitted to raise funds to support school projects as most of them are doing currently. However, since the parents consist of some poor single parents with some schools having to train orphans the associations must be moderate in levying parents. On the other hand, the rich parents can make heavy donations to boost the coffers of the associations. In this respect the association must not apply strict rules of enforcing the collection of PTA dues as happens now. The old students associations of some of the schools in Ghana are doing quite well in raising funds to provide their old schools with dormitories, library dining halls and other amenities. Am sure they would not relent but continue with their good works, which go a long way to facilitate teaching and learning across the country.

The role of education units under Ghana Education Service have also been of help to the education system throughout the country in enticing students of various religious bodies as Muslims, Christians to pursue education. Since their roles have been beneficial, they must be supported to go ahead with their counselling and providing the right teachers and learning materials in our schools especially the senior high schools. Although the government will roll out the free SHS program the donor agencies, civil societies and religious bodies who owns schools would continue to monitor the progress of the program to be able to compliment the effort of the ministry of education.

Executive Director

eanfoworld for sustainable development

[email protected]/[email protected]

0244370345/0208844792/0274853710
Hon. Joseph Osei-Owusu, Chairman of the Appointments Committee, and First Deputy Speaker of Parliament

05.03.2017 LISTEN

Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG) totally rejects the false impression that the chairman of the Parliamentary Appointments Committee (PAC) Hon. Joseph Osei-Owusu, sought to create during the vetting of Hon. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, that FSG is misleading various agencies for them to issue statements which are totally out of place.

Indeed, FSG considers this as a clear insult to the respectable organisations that have so far petitioned Parliament over the Plant Breeders Bill.

There are several groups that took the initiative to petition Parliament without any prompting from FSG. We can mention the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), The Convention Peoples Party (CPP), the Rastafari Council, Center for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD) and Food Span, and respectable faith-based organisations such as the National Catholic Secretariat of Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (NCS/GCBC), Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), Marshallan Relief and Development Services (MAREDES), Federation of Muslim Women of Ghana (FOMWAG), Ghana Muslim Mission (GMM), Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission of Ghana (AMM-G), Religious Bodies Network for Climate Change (RELBONET), Ahlussuna Wal Jamaa (ASWAJ), Office of the National Chief Imam (ONCI), to name but few.

The false impression that FSG is the main body that stands in opposition to the UPOV model for the Plant Breeders Bill and is misleading all others to oppose the Bill is mischievous and serves no other purpose than an attempt to diminish the obvious groundswell of opposition, in order to ignore it.

We find it unacceptable that after so many years of consultations, there is still no official report on the outcome of these consultations. All that we have heard so far are utterances from individual MPs that the consultations are over, without any formal response to the various petitions to Parliament over the issue.

What is "completely out of place" are the remarks that "the Plant Breeders' Bill has nothing to do with GMOs", without any attempt to address the pertinent issues that have been raised against the the Bill.

Sui Generis Plant Variety Protection

Food Sovereignty Ghana, together with various groups have called for a "sui generis plant variety protection system, in accordance with the WTO rules, rather than the UPOV 91 convention. See: Replace Plant Breeders Bill With A Sui Generis PVP System. | Food Sovereignty Ghana, April 27, 2016 https://foodsovereigntyghana.org/replace-plant-breeders-bill-with-a-sui-generis-pvp-system/

It is also instructive to note that the Petition to Parliament signed by over 50 organisations from Africa and around the world concerned with the conservation of agricultural biodiversity for livelihood security and food sovereignty, promoting farmers rights and self-determination and citizen involvement in the decision-making process, never mentions GMOs even once in their objections to the Plant Breeders Bill! The list of signatories include organisations as far and near as the Alliance For Food Sovereignty (AFSA), African Biodiversity Network, Actions pour le Developpement Durable/ Actions for sustainable Development NGO (Benin), African Centre for Biosafety (South Africa), Alternative Agriculture Network (Thailand), Berne Declaration (Switzerland), Bialii, Asesoria e Investigacion, A.C.(Mexico), Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, GRAIN International, Tanzania Alliance for Biodiversity (TABIO), Terra Nuova (Italy), Third World Network (Malaysia), Verein zur Erhaltung der Nutzpflanzenvielfalt-(Seed SaversAssociation, Germany), South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (Nepal), National Farmers Union (Canada) See: Ghanas Plant Breeders Bill Lacks Legitimacy! It Must Be Revised! | http://foodsovereigntyghana.org/ghanas-plant-breeders-bill-lacks-legitimacy-it-must-be-revised/

So what explains this one size fits-all responses we are getting from our MPs? How about coming out with a report on Parliaments official response to these petitions and their consultations? Is that also too much to ask? For the avoidance of any doubts, Food Sovereignty Ghana calls on Parliament to completely withdraw the UPOV-compliant Plant Breeders Bill and replace it with a sui generis plant variety protection (PVP) system suitable to our conditions. See: Replace Plant Breeders Bill With A Sui Generis PVP System. | Food Sovereignty Ghana http://foodsovereigntyghana.org/replace-plant-breeders-bill-with-a-sui-generis-pvp-system/

We demand a report from Parliament that explains the option to be UPOV 91 compliant when all the experts are saying this serves corporate interests rather than Ghanas own interests? See: UPOV Convention, Farmers Rights and Human Rights  An integrated assessment of potentially conflicting legal frameworks GIZ: http://www.giz.de//downloads/giz2015-en-upov-convention.pdf :

For Life, the Environment, and Social Justice!

Edwin Kweku Andoh Baffour

Communications Directorate, FSG
05.03.2017 LISTEN

Ghana was declared free from colonial rule 60years ago and has been led by highly intelligent nationalists like Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, Jerry John Rawlings, John Agyekum Kufuor, and Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo. Although we are respected worldwide for maintaining good democratic culture and having some well-educated and highly cultured citizens, we seem to have many foreign nationals looking down on us in Ghana and in some countries abroad.

A few days ago a lady staff of a foreign owned Marwako Fast Food Restaurant in Ghana was manhandled on duty in a manner that defies understanding. Although the culprit known as Jihad Thaabn is now before court and has been suspended from duty by his employers many people are demanding for stiffer punishment for him. Many people are questioning how uncultured people who lack knowledge of our rules get to come and live in Ghana? While many Ghanaians are being maltreated daily in Mining areas, manufacturing Industries and commercial firms some other Ghanaian hustlers who managed to travel to Europe, Asia., South Africa are also faring badly in these foreign lands.

A few days ago it was reported that some citizens in South Africa launched sporadic attacks on foreign nationals including Ghanaians who are found in gainful employments. This xenophobia attacks are going on at a time when in Ghana many foreign nationals including Chinese, men from South Africa have found themselves in gainful jobs in mining industries and retail trading.

In Europe and Asian nations of Saudi Arabia many Ghanaians are stranded and praying to be repatriated home after going through difficulties in their employment as domestic servants and laborers. Many of these people blame Ghanaian embassies for neglecting them while the embassies also say those people do not declare their presence when they arrive in those nations such as Germany.

To find solution to the problem of lack of regard for Ghanaians we need to embark on the following;

A committee must be set up to study the rules governing employment in the foreign owned companies as well in the small and medium level firms. The rules must conform to laid down rules. All those employees who fail to live to expectation must be sanctioned.

With regard to the Ghanaians who are suffering in foreign lands, the government must set up a committee to travel out to foreign lands especially in affected countries to have a first-hand experience on what our nationals are going through. Those who are going through difficulties could be sent back home with the help of their families back home in Ghana.

The committee could be made to also study the reasons and processes through which many Ghanaians travel through unapproved means to Europe Saudi Arabia and other nations abroad. It would be discovered that there are syndicates operating as travel agencies busily recruiting and trafficking young men and women including children to countries abroad. The fake travel agents are specialists in exploiting the weakness of the Ghanaian prospective travelers. They often narrate to them how easy to land gainful employments abroad detailing to them how much they are going to be paid,

Our experience has shown that the good picture painted are not true. Instead most of the job seekers especially in Arab countries are often detained indoors and are subjected to ill treatment being made to work with very little rest. Their passports are often seized thereby leaving them with no room to report themselves to their embassies.

The committee can be made to restructure the travel processes by Ghanaians seeking to travel for greener pastures abroad. All those wishing to travel to work outside should be made to register to go through orientation on what to expect in the countries of their choice. As they are going through training the committee may enter into agreement to send job seekers abroad.

The agreement must spell put the job specifications and the salary and service conditions. This way the nation would get to know how many Ghanaians are leaving the nation and where they are going. This way the nation would be able to monitor the movement of travelers out of Ghana just as is happening in some Asian nations as Singapore, Malaysia and others

Executive Director

eanfoworld for sustainable development

[email protected]/[email protected]

0244370345/0208844792/0274853710
Dakar (AFP) - The embattled mayor of Senegal's capital Dakar will face questioning Monday in connection with public funds worth $2.85 million (2.7 million euros) allegedly embezzled by his office, he said while rejecting the allegations.

Khalifa Sall, who has run the city since 2009, held a press conference Sunday to defend himself against claims made by prosecutors that his office was unable to show receipts proving that funds earmarked for food for the city's population had been spent correctly.

Sall broke down in tears during the press event, explaining his family had been shocked by the accusations, and told journalists he would comply with a request to be questioned by criminal investigators on Monday.

But he hit out at what he said were politically motivated allegations and said he was ready to face scrutiny over the missing cash.

"I am ready to go before the court with all those who accuse me," Sall said.

Sall, a rebel member of the Socialist Party, part of the country's ruling coalition, had been seen as a probable contender in the 2019 presidential elections, and has claimed a plot may be under way to remove him from the running.

He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing after a government monitor published a report raising a flag about missing funds.
Bamako (AFP) - At least 11 soldiers were killed in Mali on Sunday in an attack on an army base near the border with Burkina Faso, as rival armed factions surrounded the flashpoint city of Timbuktu.

The jihadist attack on the border village of Boulekessi killed 11 troops and wounded five more, according to an official toll from the defence ministry read out on national television.

"One of our positions was attacked early Sunday morning by terrorists, on the border with Burkina Faso," a highly-placed Malian military source told AFP on condition of anonymity earlier Sunday.

French forces stationed in the troubled west African nation sent helicopters to help Malian forces assess the attack site, the source later added, and 20 soldiers had crossed into Burkinabe territory to flee the violence.

A regional security source said the attack was carried out by Ansarul Islam, a jihadist group that claimed an attack in December in which 12 Burkinabe soldiers were killed.

Ansarul Islam is led by Burkinabe Malam Ibrahim Dicko, a radical preacher who wants to create an Islamist "kingdom" in the region, experts say.

There was no official claim of responsibility from the group.

Dozens of soldiers were killed in a suicide attack on an army base on January 18 in Gao, northern Mali.

But jihadist attacks like Sunday's have increased in Mali's centre, having previously been largely confined to the restive north.

A resident of Douentza, the county seat near the base, said the assailants had looted or torched large amounts of military hardware.

The Malian army told AFP that a team had been dispatched to assess the damage and provide reinforcements.

Timbuktu surrounded

Meanwhile in Timbuktu, northern Mali, residents said their city was entirely surrounded by rival armed groups, blocking all entry and exit points.

"They have taken position everywhere outside the city. We are very scared of being caught in crossfire," said the resident of Abaroudjou, a neighbourhood on the city's outer edge.

Witnesses told AFP shots were fired on the city outskirts and the main road to Timbuktu was cut off by mid-evening.

The tensions relate to Boubacar Ould Hamadi, an ex-separatist rebel who was awarded a position as head of an interim regional authority in Timbuktu that will pave the way for elections to be held when security improves.

Internal conflicts within the former rebel alliance have delayed Hamadi taking his position until Monday, and appeared to have erupted anew ahead of the deadline.

The government maintains that the heads of the new regional authorities in Timbuktu and Taoudenit will still begin work Monday.

Mali's north fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels and jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda in 2012, who were largely ousted by a French-led military operation in January 2013.

But the implementation of a peace accord struck in 2015 has been piecemeal, and insurgents who refused to sign the deal are still active across large parts of the country.

Meanwhile, three jihadist groups active in the Sahel region announced Thursday that they would merge to form a single organisation, raising fears of more attacks and better coordination by insurgents operating in Mali.
We the members of Modern Women of Wisdom Organization an all female advocacy group are highly disgruntled at the manner in which a female worker at Marwako fast foods was physically assaulted by her Lebanese branch supervisor.

The eyes of Miss Evelyn Boakye were soaked in hot blended pepper for reasons best known to her Lebanese supervisor called Jihad Chaaban.

The rise of abuse of Ghanaian workers by their foreign employers is becoming frightening if not deafening.

Some of these foreigners abuse their workers particularly women by raping them or constantly hitting them with sharp objects.

These foreigners enjoy taking their anger on their workers by isolating them from the outside world. Both the physical and mental efforts of these workers are steered through unconditional submission by their foreign bosses instead of enjoying mutual benefits.

Aside from being given minuscule amounts as salaries, these workers are compelled to work their lungs out like ancient slaves by their foreign masters.

They mostly deprive their workers access to education and recreation to ensure that their workers remain uneducated, helpless and dependent.These workers are not allowed to choose their lifestyles.

They live and die for them.

These Foreign employees instil a sense of inferiority complex in their workers so that their employees "know their place" and take interest in their masters' enterprise.

The punishment meted out to indigenes by these foreign employers in response to disobedience or perceived infractions is an eyesore.

Sometimes, pregnancy is not even a barrier to their punishments. They have special methods devised to administer punishment to pregnant women.

Today, we say, "Enough is Enough".

This maltreatment by foreigners must stop now, Ghana is an Independent Country.

We find the "fast track" damage control press release issued by the CEO of Mawarko fast foods laughable and disgraceful.

If the eyes of the daughter or the wife of the CEO were soaked in blended pepper we don't think he would have gotten the courage to issue that press release.

We are talking about one of the complex parts of the human body called eyes. The eye is the camera part of the body.

We don't believe the CEO and his supervisors understand visual impairments.

We, therefore, call on the Ghana Police service, the Gender Ministry and civil society groups to adhere to our clarion call by seeking justice for Miss Evelyn Boakye.

Together, we must challenge this and the stereotypes that undermine worker's voices and portray that violence against workers is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by anyone.

Long Live Ghana

Long Live Workers

Long live Modern Women of Wisdom

Spokespersons

Afua Foriwaa Boafo- 0249382845

Mercy Darkoah- 0244832860

Nana Ama Asantewaa Kwarkoh- 0244933893

Franklin Brobbey-0240566955
Ex-President Mahama

05.03.2017 LISTEN

Tertiary institutions, both private and public, including to some extent, second cycle institutions, were treated worse than garbage under ex-President John Mahamas administration, and this was a President who hypocritically proclaimed that he placed priority on education.

For the first time in Ghanas history since independence, second cycle institutions in some parts of northern Ghana had to forcefully close down due to mounting debts in respect of payments of food supplies, and this is someone who hails from the north and climbed the ladder to the Presidency through nothing, but education. Even during the famine in 1983, second cycle institutions across the country did not close down.

Private universities had their income taxed without any thought whatsoever, that such a tax will have a knock-on effect on the fees they charge students who are admitted to pursue their programmes offered. It is the same Ghanaians who are unable to secure admissions into the public universities, due to inadequate infrastructure arising out of the Mahama administrations neglect, who turn to these private universities, and he turned around to tax the private universities. Could it be that the Mahama administration deliberately neglected to expand the infrastructure at the public universities to reduce their intake of students, thereby pushing most applicants to the private universities, to enable his administration rake in more tax revenue from the private universities? In the UK, all universities, whether private or public are classified as charitable organisations, and therefore, pay no tax on their income. This is what is meant by prioritising education.

Statutory payments to subvented public tertiary institutions, could in some instances during President Mahamas tenure, be in arrears for close to 6 months, and he claimed to prioritise education? He probably didnt know the literal meaning of priority. Some public tertiary institutions took overdrafts, loans, and whatever credit facility available at their bankers to pre-finance basic running costs such as payment of salaries, vehicles insurance premiums, utility bills, etc, whilst waiting for government grants that took ages to arrive, thereby indebting these educational institutions further, arising out of accumulating interest and other charges by their respective credit providers.

To rub pepper into the wounds of these public tertiary institutions, at ceremonies that Ex-President was invited to grace the occasion, he would grab it gleefully, and attend himself or send a representative to deliver a speech that appeared as if he cared a hoot about their problems.

A public tertiary institution sourced a loan and put up a hospital, and without any shame, Ex-President went to commission it and delivered a speech without a second thought.

Most statutory payments that were carried out by previous administrations, became a propaganda tool by the Mahama administration. Payment of lecturers research and book allowances, was turned into a medium to sing praises to himself. It was like, yes, the whole world should see that I, John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, has been able to pay my public universities/polytechnics lecturers research and book allowance! What a disgrace! Rawlings, Kufuor and Atta Mills administrations, all paid these allowances without any hue and cry. Under Ex-President Mahama, lecturers had to either embark on strike actions or threaten to strike, before allowances legally due them were paid, what a travesty of justice!

The failure of Ex-President Mahamas administration to reconstitute the various public universities governing councils on the expiry of their terms of office is the greatest disservice he has done to the good people of Ghana. On a literal interpretation of the consequences of such a grave error, all decisions, actions and inactions, taken by those councils, whose tenure expired and were asked to continue by Mahamas administration until new governing councils were put in place, are null and void and therefore of no legal effect. All appointments, including my appointment, promotions, recommendations, the certificates of all those whose graduation was superintended over by these expired governing councils, etc., have no legal basis,

How long will it take a sitting President to reconstitute a public university governing council? The government appoints only 4 members, one of whom should be appointed the chairman and the over 10 other members remaining, come from other sources. So this was too difficult a task for Ex-President Mahama? If yes, then he had no business being the President of this country. This is a job for a deputy minister of education, not even the minister, and yet, the Mahama administration failed to undertake this simple formality for close to 3 years.

The current govt should not allow a similar situation to arise.

Alhassan Salifu Bawah

Lecturer and Social Commentator
- Prophet Joshua Iginla said he saw a vision concerning President Buhari

- The prophet advised the president not to hurry back to the country

- He urged him to listen to the medical voice and be fine before returning to Nigeria

Prophet Joshua Iginla has released another prophecy concerning the health of President Muhammadu Buhari warning him to heed to medical voice.

The president is in the UK on extended vacation citing medical reasons and the prophet has urged him not to allow people play politics with his health.

READ ALSO: Few weeks after father's burial, Pastor Joshua Iginla relocates mum to South Africa

Daily Post reports that the Abuja-based cleric said while in South Africa, he saw a vision concerning he president and urged his members to pray for him.

I have a prophetic message for the president which God gave me while in South Africa. No president becomes a president without the hand of God, either by permissive or perfect will. When GOD puts anyone there, its for a purpose.

I have a message for him. The Lord says he should take care of his health. He should not allow people around him to play politics with his health.

In my vision, I saw some people preparing boots with army uniform. They said he should take his bag and start travelling. I saw some white doctors cautioning him not to wear the boot that he should hold on till they are through with his treatment.

Its a prophetic advice,treat yourself and listen to the medical advice. Dont let them hurry you beause whats the essence of coming home in haste and rushing back in a hurry. Its because of the hurrying back again that God sent me to you. God has brought you this far. The seat is there for you and waiting for you. Its only the living that can rule Nigeria and not the dead. Wait until there is a medical clearance.

Do not allow politicians to use your life to play politics. Its only the living that can rule Nigeria. I saw a vision where people hurried him to wear the boot and come home only for him to be rushed back.

The reason is because there was an unfinished business medically. Let your persecutors persecute you and say whatever they wanted to say but make sure you give your health attention. Its only the living that rules. The throne is yours and nobody can occupy it. Thats why you must stay alive.

READ ALSO: Joshua Iginla's messages and prophecies for 2017

Iginla in his 2017 prophecy had said he saw the president travel out of the country for medical reasons

He had said: His Excellency, Mr. President should pray for his health, I see him traveling out for an unscheduled health checkup. But this time, it will be more serious. He should pray for his health, God will keep him.

Source: Legit.ng
Broken doesnt even to begin to describe the home Taityana Austin grew up in.

When she lived with her fathers family, her dad Jerome was usually never home and she said the familys faith as Jehovahs Witnesses took a toll on her self-worth. When she moved to Wisconsin during her middle school years, she said her mother Tuesday was no role model either, as the family lost apartment after apartment when she failed to pay the rent.

Upset, and determined to find a better place for herself, Austin left home and started living with close friends and families from school and church. Finding stability at home and rekindling a more positive relationship with God has given her the foundation she needed to succeed at school and pursue her passion for becoming a musician.

She has been an amazing student, Onalaska High School Choir Director Richard Moses said. Life handed her so many poopy moments. She made the best of it and never made any excuses.

Austin, 18, and a high school senior, overcame the abuse and the feelings of poor self-worth they caused. Active in the schools band, choir and show choir, teachers describe her as a positive role model who never lets things get her down and is Onalaska High Schools Extra Effort nominee.

Growing up in a broken home

Austins family split apart shortly after she was born. Her twin sister was stillborn, Austin said, which was hard for the family, eventually driving her parents apart.

When they split, Tuesday and Austins grandmother Doris Altman fought for her in the custody battle but lost to Jerome and his mother, Darlene. Originally from Alabama, Austin was raised by Darlenes family in a Mississippi trailer after Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home.

Devout Jehovahs Witnesses, Austin said she never really fit in with her familys fundamentalist faith. The religion made her feel like she wasnt worthy or good enough, and she spent most of her youth feeling like nobody really wanted or cared for her.

I was a really sad kid, she said. But you couldnt tell because I had this facade of being happy. I just kept telling myself to fake it until you make it happen.

Her dad wasnt home much, Austin said, often gone for long periods of time. After Austin alleged her father abused her, she went to live with Tuesday and Doris.

Moving in with her mother wasnt too bad, Austin said, as she frequently came up to visit family for the holidays. But because of all the negative feelings she had for herself, she turned to food as her friend.

She would eat away her feelings, she said, such as eating a whole pack of bologna in one sitting. She would just eat and eat to try and fill the hole she had inside. By the end of her fifth-grade year, she weighed more than 210 pounds and was less than 55 tall.

I didnt want to be that kid anymore, she said. I was the fattest kid in my grade and just felt so sorry for myself.

She started exercising and eating better, helping her lose weight and feel good about herself. Her teachers at La Crosses Lincoln Middle School, including counselor Rick Blasing, helped her with her self-esteem.

When she was at Lincoln, Blasing said he could tell Austin did her best to put on a brave face, but that her spirit was on the verge of breaking. But no matter how much baggage was weighing her down, he said he could tell music was one thing that lightened the burden. It was a passion he and the staff at the school helped her to pursue.

As an individual she was exceptional, he said. She always had a dream. It just sometimes needed to be encouraged.

While things were looking up at school, Austin was still dealing with trouble at home. Austin and her mother would get into a lot of fights because they kept getting evicted for not paying the rent.

Some of the places they lived in werent very safe or sanitary. One time, Austin said they lived in a house infested with mice and spiders. Another time, she had to go to her aunts place in order to get food. Eventually, she had had enough and decided to leave.

Building for the future

Like many high school students who leave home, Austin started out living at a friends house for a few months. But with no resources of her own, she said she felt like a burden on that family and decided to leave.

She bounced around homes her sophomore and junior years at Logan High School, staying with another friend for several months, then with a couple she met at a church youth group. Eventually, she found a home she could call her own and has been living with that family while she finishes her senior year at Onalaska.

While she enjoyed staying with her friends, Austin said she has a great relationship with the people she is living with and has found the stability she needs to flourish. After dipping her sophomore and junior year, Austin said her grades are improving and she has continued to fuel her passion for music.

She also found a better relationship with God. When she started attending First Free Church in Onalaska, she said she felt like she finally belonged and that God had his hand on her and her life.

I never felt accepted in Gods house before, she said of her first time at the church. But I finally felt that walking in there.

As a kid, she said she wanted to be a doctor, but the first time she saw blood, decided that career wasnt for her. She started writing poems as a young girl and eventually started putting them to music.

One of the first songs I wrote was about a highway, she remembered. But it was so horrible. My grandpa loved it, and he never gave up on me.

Austin was given a songbook by her grandparents to help her develop her skills and she taught herself piano. Music was a refuge when she struggled at school as she could go and sit down and write lyrics while playing.

At Onalaska, she became involved in show choir and theater along with band and choir. After she graduates this spring, she said she plans on studying audio production and business management at the IPR College of Creative Arts in Minneapolis as well as continuing her spiritual journey with that citys First Free congregation.

Moses, her band teacher, said he respected all that she has accomplished and all the obstacles she has overcome. With her talent and passion, he thinks she will go far and has been a great role model for all the students at the high school. She never makes and excuse and never gives up he said.
- The trauma Boko Haram victims have been subjected to cannot be quantified

- An international Non-Governmental Organisation is helping the victims overcome their experiences

- The project is called Healing Through Art

Zekeriya Ibrahim, 12, started drawing men with guns immediately a paper and pencil was handed to him by volunteers of the International Coalition for the Eradication of Hunger and Abuse (ICEHA) in the Internally Displaced Perosns (IDPs) camp in Durumi, outskirts of Abuja.

Zekeriya Ibrahim drawing 'Boko Haram fighters'

I am drawing Boko Haram that is coming here (pointing to his paper),'' Ibrahim told Legit.ng, that one now say, eh dont fear he is a soldier, after that they will start killing people, they will start running.

Little girls in Durumi IDP camp drawing during the 'Healing Through Art' campaign

Ibrahim was drawing from experience. He had witnessed Boko Haram attacks in his village in Gworza, Borno state.

A little boy displays his work of art during the 'Healing Through Art' project

READ ALSO: Boko Haram: Diplomatic betrayal and politics by Bukar Raheem

Like the stories that have been repeatedly told, the insurgents wear military uniforms and invade villages leaving the locals confused whether they are security agencies or terrorists.

When asked if he has seen Boko Haram members before, Yunusa Baba, 12, answered to the affirmative and added, they can shoot any person.

A boy puts up his hand filled with colouring for Legit.ng camera at the 'Healing Through Art' campaign

For Kaltume Umaru, 10, it was silence all the way, but she was able to put down her thoughts through her drawing.

Aisha Musa display her painting at the 'Healing Through Art' project

Founder and Executive Director of ICEHA, Carolyn Ronis says many of the children have known nothing of peace.

Carolyn Ronis, Founder and Executive Director of ICEHA

Her words: They have only known terror and further victimization by hunger, by disease after escaping Boko Haram. They are re-victimized.

A lot of these children need to heal from the pscho-social wounds. What happens here today, with these children, will affect the world.''

READ ALSO: Troops arrest Boko Haram suspect with N1.3m cash

ICEHA has been visiting IDP camps all over Nigeria helping to restore the emotional wounds of war faced by Boko Haram vicitims.

A volunteer of ICEHA tending to one of the kids in the IDP camp

The group says its Healing Through Art campaign will help stop the perpetuation of terrorist acts by generations to come.

Source: Legit.ng
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is one of the most revered Nigerian leaders in the society; as a politician, he has gained the respect of many as a result of his diplomatic way of handling issues in addition to the wisdom he is bestowed upon.

File photo of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The 80-year-old former head of the nation is highly respected because of the different position of authority he has occupied. Many consider him an extremely lucky man who has all that he has as a result of the grace of God.

The following points give the major highlights about the former Nigerian president:

1. He came into limelight in 1969-1970

Obasanjo, fondly called OBJ by many, came into limelight in 1969-1970 when he became then new commander of the Third Marine Commando. Although the Nigerian civil war had technically ended before his appointment, Benjamin Adekunle did majority of the work yet, the glory was given to Obasanjo.

READ ALSO: 6 SAFETY TIPS you must adhere to if you do not want an Okada to fall you down

2. His political ascension

The former Nigerian president was also favoured during the regime of General Gowon; afterwards, he became the vice president to Late Alhaji Murtala Mohammed. As a person protected by grace, the coup planned against Mohammed was a huge success as Dimka finished the then head of state.

The work was again completed by Dimka but the glory was given to Obasanjo, the man who knew nothing about the plot. The assassination plot was planned in three ways, Obasanjo and T.Y Danjuma were meant to be attacked too as stated by the Murtala Mohammeds orderly who was in the car with him when he killed.

3. Not his will, according to his book

Dimka, despite killing Mohammed, did not get to power; Obasanjo did. The book written by Obasanjo Not my will tells a lot about his journey as a Nigerian politician.

His life and journey will continue to be a source of inspiration to many politicians.

4. He was the first military man to hand over to civilian government without any struggle

Old picture showing Obasanjo as a military leader in Nigeria.

Also, he became the first military man in Nigeria to hand over power to civilian government without any tussle as seen with ex-president Jammeh of the Gambia.

He was considered to be the most important African in the international community before the Mandela era. His attributes and charisma as a born leader puts him at the forefront of Nigerias well-loved leaders

Obasanjo is also considered to be the first retired military man to rule Nigeria under democracy. He ruled for eight years and attempted a third term but failed. Before this time, he became a critic of Shagari, the man he handed over power to.

5. His life as a critic

He openly criticized IBB who likes and respects him. Abacha did not like him the same way; thus, he got him arrested and sentenced him through Major General Aziza. Aziza is late now, yet Obasanjo is alive, hale and hearty.

Thousands of Nigerians hold the belief that the death of M.K.O Abiola paved way for OBJ; this put him the position of leadership just as the death of Murtala launched him forward.

Irrespective of all these, the Ogun state born leader will always remain an important personality in the history of Nigeria.

6. On setting Nigeria on fire

It will be unfair to sing the praises of Obasanjo without mentioning the role he played when many said he allegedly set Nigeria on fire.

He handed over power to Yaradua who died while in power. Former president Goodluck Jonathan took over. That perhaps, was the beginning of the end of PDP.

7. Major projects

The major projects done by Olusegun Obasanjo moved Nigeria forward with more than a thousand steps at a time.

Operation feed the nation was orchestrated in his regime; he built refineries; saved a lot of money in the treasury; he established the EFCC, ICPC, pension reforms and others. He also completed Festac and instituted all the gas power plant in the country today.

READ ALSO: On Xenophobia: Not all Nigerians are criminals, another Nigerian in S/Africa reiterates

8. A friend to no one

The saying I am for everybody and belong to nobody clearly describes Obasanjos lifestyle. He has no friends; he is not a friend to anybody. While this is true, people dread having him against them as he wields so much power and authority.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo clocked 80 today, March 5, and is as strong as ever. Again, the grace of God has kept him till this very day. A very happy birthday to the iconic Nigerian leader.

Watch the video of Obasanjo dancing at his 79th birthday party:

Source: Legit.ng
- The Federal Government has denied the reports by some United Nations (UN) agencies of imminent famine in Nigeria, saying there is no threat of starvation in the whole country

- The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, made the denial when he featured at a News Agency of Nigeria Forum in Abuja

- He said that it was virtually impossible for Nigeria to face famine or starvation because the country remained a major source of food for other African countries

The Federal Government has denied the reports by some United Nations (UN) agencies of imminent famine in Nigeria, saying there is no threat of starvation in the whole country.

Nigeria faces no threat of famine  Agric Minister, Ogbeh

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, made the denial when he featured at a News Agency of Nigeria Forum in Abuja.

READ ALSO: There will be no famine in Nigeria - Audu Ogbeh

NAN reports that three UN agencies  Food and Agriculture Organisation, World Food Programme and International Fund for Agricultural Development  reported that Nigeria would suffer famine, food shortage and malnutrition.

Mr Ogbeh stressed that it was virtually impossible for Nigeria to face famine or starvation because the country remained a major source of food for other African countries such as Algeria and Libya.

I think theres a danger of mixing the situation in the North-East with the situation nationwide; I have seen that on CNN, starvation in Somalia and Nigeria, and then they go on to talk about the civil commotion in the North-East

I dont think that the rest of Nigeria is facing any threat of famine. That is not true and I think these agencies have to be a little more careful in their prognoses.

I think there are challenges in the North-East because this is a huge part of Nigeria which for five years has not engaged in food production.

Audu Ogbeh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development

Thats not the same in the North-West or North-Central or South-West or South-South.

So, I think there is some degree of exaggeration and a mixture of situations, theres no threat of starvation because we have been feeding Africa.

People come down from Algeria to buy food in Nigeria, they come from Libya, they come from Sudan and they come from Chad.

So, to suggest that this country that is feeding the rest of Africa is almost to go totally hungry is not true. 

The minister urged the citizens to use only non-toxic materials for preparing or packaging their cuisines.

Mr. Ogbeh also said the Federal Government is doing everything possible to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production before the end of 2018.

PAY ATTENTION: Nigeria News Legit.ng - Android Apps on Google Play

He said there were strong indications that Nigeria would become self-sufficient in rice production by 2018 because many farmers had rediscovered their potential in rice farming.

First, let me congratulate Nigerians for responding positively to the made-in-Nigeria rice during the last Christmas period.

Nigerians have discovered that Nigerian rice is better than rice from Thailand and Vietnam, which are the largest producers of rice in the world.

We are in a rivalry with the two countries for now and we will soon overtake them in rice production and take over the market from them.

People in Thailand do not eat parboiled rice but white rice. So, all the parboiled rice they produce is exported to Nigeria.

Nigeria is the biggest consumer of imported rice in the world.

By so doing, we are transferring our jobs to these two countries and leaving our teeming youths angry and hungry, he said.

Source: Legit.ng
As my colleagues Herve Taoko, Alan Cowell and Rukmini Callimachi report, the fate of President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso was in doubt late Thursday, after tens of thousands of demonstrators set fire to the Parliament building and seized the offices of state television in the capital, Ouagadougou.

Gen. Honore Nabere Traore, the chief of staff of Burkina Fasos armed forces, announced that a transitional authority would take power and rule the country until elections were held, within 12 months.
Pat and Char Barton of La Crosse dont have a lot of family in the Coulee Region, but their involvement with Irish activities stirs familial feelings.

And the Bartons moved to the head of the family when they received their formal green sashes as Irish Man and Irish Rose at the Greater La Crosse Area Shamrock Clubs annual St. Patricks Day Dinner on Saturday night at Shenanigans.

We kind of call them our second family, Pat said. They are decent, generous people.

Chars lineage is the more Irish of the pair, with a touch of Scottish, while Pats includes English, Irish and German blood, but both have greened up a bit, being volunteers with Irishfest for almost a decade and members of the Shamrock Club for four years.

The Bartons, who sported matching tartan kilts for their enshrinement as Irish Man and Rose, also will head up Irishfest La Crosses 10th annual St. Patricks Day Parade at noon Saturday, March 11, starting at Second and Vine streets.

The parade may be the smallest, but its a fun one, said Pat, who works for Outdoor Services Inc., while Char is a nurse case manager at LHI.

The run-up to the procession will start for many with a breakfast buffet and drink specials from 8 to 11 a.m. at Dublin Square Irish Pub and Eatery at 103 N. Third St. A post-parade social at the Brickhouse at 228 Fifth Ave. S. will include music by the Pinski Brothers, Irish dancing by students at Amandas Academy of Dance and members of ClogJam and a variety of Irish fare, as well as childrens food and beverages.

The Hunger Task Force will collect food and monetary donations at the beginning of the parade, along the route and at the Brickhouse.

The parades stepping out six days before St. Patricks Day has two bonuses: Saturday is more family-friendly for a parade than a weekday, and it clears the schedule on the official feast day of March 17 for the Irish Man and Rose to hop a bus along with other Irish festers to visit schools and nursing homes.

The Bartons, who have a 22-year-old daughter, Morgan, who is married, have been wanting to go visit the Old Sod, and they hope to cross it off their bucket list next year, probably with a side trip to Scotland to look up some of Chars relatives.

My dad just got back from a trip to Ireland, and the Californian ribbed the couple about it, Pat said, laughing. But we got to share a bottle of Jameson.

Pats hobby of home brewing beer has dipped into the Irish culture, with Char giving his Irish Fred four shamrocks out of five.

Pats luck of the draw with the hops and grains hasnt always been that of a brew master, he acknowledged.

Char bought a kit for me for Christmas, and the first batch was horrible. I chucked it right down the drain. The second batch was better, but still not good.

Home brewing is a cyclical enterprise, he said.

Its one of those hobbies where you can go six or nine months without making any, and then (get the urge) and make four or five batches, he said.

Its kind of fun to take water and make it into beer. You dont do it to save money, though, he said, laughing. Breweries can make it a lot cheaper.
We will work faster to address pollution caused by coal burning, Mr. Li said. Those steps would include trying to cut the amount of coal used for winter furnaces and heaters. All key sources of industrial pollution will be placed under round-the-clock online monitoring, he said.

But Chinas appetite for coal remains enormous. Mr. Li said that China would keep cutting excess coal production this year, but more slowly than previously. He said that this year the government aimed to shut down at least 150 million metric tons of coal production. Last year, he said, the government cut 290 million tons.

In terms of other pollutants, Mr. Li said that sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions would be cut 3 percent this year and that fine particles of pollution in the air, which are of particular threat to health, would decrease markedly in key areas. He also said that energy consumption would decline by 3.4 percent per unit of economic output  a calculation that will still allow increases in emissions of global warming gases.

World Stabilizing Force

Mr. Li did not mention President Trump, whose campaign language suggested a tougher stance against China on trade and regional issues. These annual reports by Chinas prime minister are traditionally used for laying out generalities, not specific policies. But Mr. Li built on an effort by the president, Xi Jinping, to promote China as a reassuringly stable and mature power in uncertain times.

In the face of profound changes in the international political and economic landscape, China will always be on the side of peace and stability, he said.

On trade, Mr. Li said China will continue to oppose protectionism. Economic globalization is in the fundamental interests of all countries, Mr. Li said. China will not shift in its commitment to promoting global economic cooperation.

But Chinese officials were circumspect about the governments latest increase in military spending.

On Saturday, a spokeswoman for the National Peoples Congress, Fu Ying, told reporters that the rise would be about 7 percent. But the documents released at the opening of the legislative meeting left people guessing about the exact size of Chinas official defense budget for 2017, unlike previous years.
A Long Island man was ordered held without bail on Saturday after federal authorities accused him of twice traveling to the Middle East in recent years in an effort to wage violent jihad alongside terrorist groups.

The man, Elvis Redzepagic, was arrested on Friday at his home in Commack, N.Y., on charges of attempting to provide material support and resources to terrorists, federal officials said.

Mr. Redzepagic, 26, is accused of trying to join the Islamic State or the Nusra Front in 2015 and 2016, according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Saturday in Federal District Court in Brooklyn.

This defendant made numerous attempts to travel to Syria to wage violent jihad, Robert L. Capers, the United States attorney in Brooklyn, said in a statement. We will continue to track down and prosecute individuals like the defendant before they are able to become foreign fighters or harm the United States and its allies.
Helen M. Marshall, a New York Democrat who was the first African-American to be elected Queens borough president, died on Saturday in California. She was 87.

Her former chief of staff, Alexandra Rosa, confirmed the death.

Ms. Marshall, who served three terms as borough president starting in 2001, was remembered on Saturday as a champion of public libraries and her borough.

She was a larger-than-life figure in the civic life of Queens who fought for city resources, Melinda Katz, the current Queens borough president, said in a statement.

Ms. Rosa recalled that Ms. Marshall, who was the second woman elected Queens borough president, had entered office with a detailed list of priorities, which staff members affectionately called the Marshall Plan for Queens.
An Afghan family of five that had received approval to move to the United States based on the fathers work for the American government has been detained for more than two days after flying into Los Angeles International Airport, a legal advocacy group said in court documents filed on Saturday.

A federal judge in Los Angeles issued on Saturday evening a temporary restraining order to prevent the mother and children from being transferred out of the state. The order, by Judge Josephine L. Staton of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, arrived as they were about to be put on a plane to Texas, most likely bound for a family detention center there, lawyers said.

The scene at the airport was chaotic, panicked; it was a mess, said Lali Madduri, a lawyer with the firm Gibson Dunn, which is representing the family pro bono. The whole time the children are crying, the woman is crying. They cant understand whats going on.

The father had arrived on Thursday with his wife and three children, ages 7, 6 and 8 months, on Special Immigrant Visas, according to the lawyers habeas corpus petition filed on Saturday in Federal District Court in Los Angeles. Those visas were created by Congress for citizens in Iraq and Afghanistan who have helped the United States military or government as drivers, interpreters or in other jobs  work that often makes them targets in their home countries.
WASHINGTON  The United States has increased its forces near the northern Syrian town of Manbij as concerns have grown that fighting could erupt among the complex array of militias and Syrian and Turkish troops who are operating on the crowded battlefield near there.

Photographs of American troops in Stryker vehicles and armored Humvees flying American flags circulated on Saturday on social media. The American-led command that is fighting the Islamic State, a militant group also known as ISIS or ISIL, acknowledged the buildup around the town, but did not provide details.

The coalition has increased its force presence in and around Manbij to deter any hostile action against the city and its civilians, to enhance local governance and to ensure there is no persistent Y.P.G. presence, an American military spokesman said, using the acronym for the Peoples Protection Units, Kurdish militia groups that have been trained by United States military advisers.

The Turks have repeatedly complained that the Y.P.G., which played a critical role in taking Manbij, has yet to vacate the city, despite American assurances that it has done so.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.  In 1976, archivists at Harvards natural history museum opened a drawer and discovered a haunting portrait of a shirtless enslaved man named Renty, gazing sorrowfully but steadily at the camera. Taken on a South Carolina plantation in 1850, it had been used by the Harvard biologist Louis Agassiz to formulate his now-discredited ideas about racial difference.

On Friday, Harvards president, Drew Gilpin Faust, stood at a lectern under a projection of Rentys face and began a rather different enterprise: a major public conference exploring the long-neglected connections between universities and slavery.

Harvard had been directly complicit in slavery, Ms. Faust acknowledged, before moving to a more present-minded statement of purpose.

Only by coming to terms with history, she said, can we free ourselves to create a more just world.
Its New Yorks salute to the vibrant arts of Asia, a 10-day festival where visitors admire or acquire ancient treasures and contemporary masterworks displayed in lustrous galleries, auction houses and museums. Now in its eighth year, Asia Week New York, which begins on Thursday, has blossomed into a kind of high-culture pub crawl where international and local exhibitors showcase fine art from all corners of Asia, and museums and others stage special events.

This year more than 50 vendors are participating  the most ever  but organizers are still mindful that a year ago, federal officials and the Manhattan district attorneys office raided several dealers during a crackdown on antiquities smuggling. They seized eight items and later charged one of the Asian art markets leading figures with trafficking in stolen goods.

The vast majority of dealers and auction houses were not implicated, however, and they are looking forward to displaying a cornucopia of traditional and modern works, including porcelain, jewelry, textiles, paintings, ceramics, sculpture, bronzes, prints, photographs and jades.

Lark E. Mason Jr., chairman of the nonprofit consortium that runs the event, said that while there is some concern about additional raids this year, he emphasized that his membership is law-abiding and cooperates with the authorities. Our community is for transparency and excellence and against trafficking and any illegal activities, he said.
But things took a turn, she said, when a senator from up north started asking me all these questions about Russia, and if I ever talked to them, and I got so nervous and confused. She continued, So I said no, I never talked to any Russians, ever, and thats all I got to say about that.

A few moments later she added, I talked to the Russians.

Other visitors who joined her at the bench included the bare-chested Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, played by Beck Bennett. (This meeting never happened, Putin instructs. I wasnt going to remember it anyway, Sessions replies.)

The sketch concluded with an encounter between Sessions and this weekends S.N.L. host, Octavia Spencer, as Minny Jackson, her Oscar-winning role from The Help, who hands him a fresh-baked pie. And thats all weve got to say about that.

Ms. Spencers opening monologue was followed by a commercial parody for a fake movie. A dramatic voice-over promises that the film will tell the story of the one Republican who decided enough was enough, a patriot who put country over party, who finally stood up for his nations founding values. (The running joke is that this persons name and likeness will be supplied later.)
Once in court, Laura struggles with a series of increasingly harrowing pitfalls. Thorny property law pertaining to the embryo comes into effect. Shes so emotional over the situation that she asks a witness questions, despite the fact that its not her job to do so. I found myself near tears as the case went on. The older white couple, Nicholas and Courtney Haight, dont actually want to use her fertilized egg in its entirety. They only want to extract healthy genes from it and place them in an embryo of Courtneys own  destroying Lauras fertilized egg in the process  because she has the genetic marker of a rare neurological disorder that makes having a healthy child impossible without scientific intervention. Laura and whatever child might have been born using her egg are inconsequential. Her D.N.A. is merely a tool.

I immediately thought of Henrietta Lacks, a black tobacco farmer whose genetic material was taken without her consent before her death in 1951. The material helped create pivotal vaccines and cancer medication  something her family didnt learn for decades. Lauras story line on The Good Fight touches on what Lackss legacy represents: the value of black womens bodies and their consent over them. The judge at first rules in favor of the Haights. Cruzs performance lends the story its pathos. She subtly evokes the mix of fear, longing and anger Laura experiences because of the situation. So it is a mistake not to display more of her reaction to the ruling, instead giving Diane a brief line about how inconsolable she was.

Diane also finds herself facing off against Mike Kresteva (Matthew Perry), an old adversary of Alicia Florricks. Hes a man whose slick charm suggests ulterior motives. Dianes wariness ends up being well founded. As new counsel for the Department of Justice, he seeks to curb police brutality not by dealing with violent cops or the systemic issues that enable them, but by stopping the firm from handling these cases. That Diane and Mike lock horns specifically over police brutality, not to mention the way the case resonates within Chicagos black community, underscores this episodes interest in the worth of the black body. I couldnt help but wonder, though, how Lucca felt about the matter. Shes present, but given her position as the only black woman among the shows leads, its curious that she doesnt get much of a voice on these subjects.

The Haights want to perform the procedure in Britain, but Diane is able to find a loophole in British law and block it. Unable to go through with the procedure, the Haights declare they want to have the egg destroyed instead of returning it to Laura. Thankfully, Laura is able to get the rights to her embryo back. Her case won, she approaches the Haights afterward to offer kind words, knowing shell be forever tied to Nicholas, who fertilized the embryo. That the Haights then respond by cruelly rebuffing her kindness speaks volumes.

As I watched the episode, the words from a 1962 speech by Malcolm X echoed in my mind: The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America is the black woman. In the face of tremendous adversity, Laura is able to be gracious. And yet the Haights cant even acknowledge her humanity. With this episode, The Good Fight demonstrates how powerful a show it can be when it develops the interior lives of its black characters as they handle political, legal and personal minefields.
Feud serves up a dish called hate as it recreates the rivalry between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. And America Masters honors the legacy of Patsy Cline.

Whats on TV

FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN 10 p.m. on FX. Ryan Murphy reimagines the high-dudgeon drama on the set of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, portrayed by Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange, having the time of their lives. Alfred Molina plays Robert Aldrich, the director Crawford signed up to reignite the dimming stars by way of the horror-thriller about two faded-actress sisters. Writing in The New York Times, James Poniewozik called this eight-episode series a love letter to hate  as a commodity, a product, a shameful meal plated under a silver dome. He added, Feud, with blunt writing but exquisite performances, recreates that dish, critiques it and eats it with relish.
His boss was fired, and in effect, so was he. Now Matthew S. Axelrod is moving on.

The former top deputy to the acting attorney general, Sally Q. Yates, who was dismissed by President Trump in January after refusing to enforce his executive order barring travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries, Mr. Axelrod is joining a major global law firm, Linklaters.

He will be a partner in that 179-year-old British firms Washington office, in its white-collar defense practice.

He and Ms. Yates had planned to leave their jobs once Jeff Sessions was confirmed as attorney general. But a week after the Jan. 20 inauguration, the White House issued an order that closed the borders to those from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

It was always anticipated that we would stay only a short period, Mr. Axelrod said in an interview. For the first week, we managed, but the ban was a surprise. As soon as the travel ban was announced, there were people being detained, and the department was being asked to defend the ban.
Adina Erdfarb and Daniel Landesman are to be married March 5 at Eden Palace, an event space in Brooklyn. Rabbi Leib Landesman, an uncle of the groom, is to officiate.

The bride, 27, is taking her husbands name. She is an actuary for Chubb Insurance in Whitehouse Station, N.J. She graduated summa cum laude from Yeshiva University.

She is a daughter of Deborah Erdfarb and Milton Erdfarb of Highland Park, N.J. The brides father is the office manager for the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, in Manhattan. Her mother is the coordinator at the Above and Beyond Day Care Center in Highland Park.

The groom, also 27, is a mechanical engineer for Emu Technology, a company in Manhattan that develops computers capable of handling large data applications. He was until last month a quality-assurance engineer for Raytheon in Tewksbury, Mass. He also served in the Israeli Army from August 2009 to November 2010. He graduated cum laude from the Grove School of Engineering of the City College of New York.
Ariel Lauren Levin and Benjamin Isaac Sperling were married March 4 at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington. Rabbi Rona Shapiro officiated.

The couple met at Emory University, from which they graduated.

Mrs. Sperling, 26, is a health-exchange analyst in Atlanta for Aon Hewitt, the human-resources and management-consulting subsidiary of the Aon Group of London.

She is the daughter of Bonnie S. Richter and Alan E. Levin of North Potomac, Md. The brides parents work for the United States Department of Energy in Germantown, Md. Her father is a nuclear engineer, her mother an epidemiologist.

Mr. Sperling, 27, is the chief operating officer and a founder of Next Generation Men, an education nonprofit organization in Atlanta.
Emily Greene Feinberg and Philip Benjamin Ugelow were married March 4 at the Arts Club of Washington. Cantor Mia Davidson officiated.

The bride, 33, works for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where she works with leadership and employees in order to develop a human resources agenda for the bank. She graduated from Haverford College in Haverford, Pa., and received a Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of Maryland.

She is a daughter of Linda G. Feinberg and Larry W. Feinberg of Washington. Her father retired as an assistant director for reporting and analysis of the National Assessment Governing Board in Washington. Her mother retired as a manager of development operations at the Carnegie Institution of Washington.

The groom, 37, is an associate director of marketing for Curriculum Associates, an educational publisher and technology company in Brooklyn. He graduated from Brown and received a masters degree in international relations at the University of Amsterdam, where he was a Fulbright scholar from 2002 to 2003.
Julia Ann Gordon, a daughter of Sonia Moskowitz and Michael B. Gordon of New York, was married March 4 to Adam Maxwell Tishman, a son of Erica Lindenbaum Tishman and Steven H. Tishman of New York. Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein officiated at the Plaza hotel.

Mrs. Tishman, 29, is pursuing a masters degree in clinical nutrition at N.Y.U. She graduated from Johns Hopkins.

The bride's father is the owner of Samatt Research Services in New York, a private investigation company. Her mother is a freelance photographer in New York focusing on cultural events, parties, style and celebrities.

The groom, 30, is a founder of Helix Sleep in New York, which sells mattresses. He graduated magna cum laude from Princeton and received an M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.
Sara Elizabeth Frankel and George Allan Kokkinidis are to be married March 5 at LEscale Restaurant at the Delamar Hotel in Greenwich, Conn. The Rev. Anthony Gambuzza, a minister of the Federation of Christian Ministries, is to officiate at the interfaith ceremony with Rabbi Debra Smith.

The bride, 31, is taking her husbands name. She is an associate at the Law Office of Elisa Hyman, a private public-interest law firm in Manhattan, where she represents parents of children with disabilities in special education cases as well as handling civil rights and discrimination litigation. She graduated from Barnard College and received a law degree from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn.

She is a daughter of Jill W. Frankel and James E. Frankel of Chappaqua, N.Y.

The groom, 39, works in Brooklyn as a graphic designer for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in Washington, where he serves as a design and technology innovation fellow. He graduated from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

He is a son of Francoise Kokkinidis and Athanasios Kokkinidis of Cos Cob, Conn.

The couple met in July 2014 at an event hosted by radio station WNYC in New York.
This guy is smoking weed, Sam said.

At about the same time, Sam received yet another alert, from Amazon, seeking verification of his recent spoken-command purchase using the Echo  an iPhone 7.

Sam texted: Why are you ordering an iPhone on my credit card?

According to Sam, the man replied: Sorry, I was just curious. Sam gained access to the camera feed. He was just doing weird stuff, he said. Walking around naked. The man noticed the camera and turned it toward the wall, and, a while later, turned it back.

Sam pulled up Megs account information, he said, and noticed a cellphone number he had not seen before. He called, and Meg herself answered. He explained the situation.

She looked at her account and saw trouble, Sam said. She told him that someone had used her account to book a recent string of back-to-back stays in apartments, and the apartment owners had reported damage, Sam said. Any negative feedback they may have written had not yet appeared.

You should call 911, Meg told him. I have no idea who is in your apartment.

Sam found he could not call 911 from Argentina, so he called his local police precinct in Greenpoint. It was around 2 a.m. on Feb. 23 in Brooklyn, and the officer who answered said there was nothing she could do, Sam recalled.

A renter needs to be physically present to report a break-in, Sam said he had been told. (The police said last week that at that time, any dispute sounded civil in nature, and not criminal, because Sam had agreed to rent out his home.)

In Williamsburg, the man was tucking himself in for the night, his sole companion Alexa, the name of the Echos virtual assistant, who records every command that comes her way.
The doorbells outside a yellow-brick apartment building reflected todays New York, with Albanian, Arabic and Spanish surnames taped above them. Down a narrow, dark hallway, strains of Spanish music came from an apartment. Daniela Alulema opened the door to where her mother and brother live. The shiny birthday balloons bobbing over a spotless dining table were there to commemorate her brothers birthday.

He reached a quarter-century, said the mother with a proud smile. She walked over to the oven and pulled out a roast rabbit for the modest celebration. On the radio, guitar trios played boleros, melancholy songs of romance and regret.

For a happy occasion, the music was somewhat apropos: Ms. Alulema and her parents moved to this country from Ecuador without papers and their story was told in The New York Times in 2009. The parents  who earned technical degrees in Ecuador  wanted their children to get a solid education here. In the 15 years since they arrived, much has changed. The brother, who was born here, is an architect. The father  who pushed his children to excel and aim high  returned to Ecuador. The mother scrapes by babysitting for young professionals in Williamsburg.

And Ms. Alulema? In recent years she finished college and went on to get a masters degree in public policy. Thanks to an Obama-era decision known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, she obtained permission to work and remain, and she now works for a migration policy group. For the first time, she felt as if she could breathe easy. But that was short-lived once Donald J. Trump was elected president after a campaign in which undocumented immigrants were used as rhetorical punching bags. The subsequent reports  and rumors  of arrests in immigrant communities have rattled her.
Lester Tenney survived the Bataan Death March, followed by three and a half years of slave labor as a prisoner of the Japanese in World War II. When he was released at the wars end, he learned that his wife had remarried, believing he was dead. He suffered from what came to be known as post-traumatic stress, but he married again and built a life in the academic and business worlds.

He eventually forgave the Japanese people for the atrocities visited upon him and thousands of other prisoners. But he never forgot. He waged a relentless and ultimately successful quest to win apologies from Japanese leaders for their nations brutality.

He died on Feb. 24 in Carlsbad, Calif., his son, Glenn, confirmed. He was 96.

An Army sergeant and tank commander, Mr. Tenney was among thousands of American and Filipino soldiers who had retreated to the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines after Japans attack on Pearl Harbor and its invasion of the Philippines.

In April 1942, the Americans on Bataan, virtually out of ammunition, medical supplies and food, were ordered by their commander to surrender. In May, the besieged American troops on the island of Corregidor, off Bataan, surrendered as well.
WASHINGTON  Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Republican of West Virginia, has voted more than 50 times in Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act. She plans to do it again this spring. But talking with voters in her impoverished state, which has a high rate of drug addiction, obesity and poor health, has given Ms. Capito a new sense of caution.

I met a woman the other day with a terrible illness, she said. She is really sick and really scared.

Ms. Capito and other Republican lawmakers, particularly in the Senate, increasingly see a need to tread carefully, or even alter course, as party leaders vow to quickly repeal and replace the health care law. That unease is all but certain to have an enormous impact as House and Senate Republicans begin to publicly draft a plan this month.

Animated by full control in Washington, Republicans have chosen a partisan route to remaking the law, in which 218 votes in the House and a mere 50 in the Senate are needed to repeal and replace it. While much of the focus has been on the potential for hard-line conservatives to act as spoilers with their opposition to anything but a bare-bones replacement, there is increased wariness among Republican senators who have the opposite concerns.
It might not be long before the inscription atop Yellowstone National Parks iconic Roosevelt Arch is posted in Ryan Zinkes new digs.

Its what the new Interior secretary says is his mission for the Department of Interiors management of federal lands: For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.

Sitting in my office and I am now recognizing the task before me. Im excited about it. Its great to be asked by the president to be his voice on public lands, Zinke said Friday. I look forward to going out in the field and visiting our parks, our refuges and our holdings and just talking to the people. It goes back to the benefit and enjoyment of the people, and I tend to live up to the model.

The Republican from Montana has repeated the statement often since saddling up and riding to work with the mounted National Mall Police on Thursday. He was then greeted by his new staff as a Northern Cheyenne Indian drummer pounded out an honor song at the top of the Department of the Interior steps. It was a dramatic departure from his job as just one vote out of 435 in U.S. House. Zinke is the only congressman from a state so wide it falls just a few miles short of taking up an entire time zone.

It was just two years ago when Zinke was moving into his House office. Hed been a state legislator for a couple terms in the last decade. Before that he was 23-year veteran of the Navy SEALs, where he reached the rank of commander. He served in Iraq.

In President Donald J. Trumps Cabinet of millionaires, Zinke, 55, is tied with Vice President Mike Pence as the least wealthy, by a long shot. Minus his congressional salary, Zinkes non-government worth is about $800,000 and includes a 1938 Cadillac, a Harley Davidson, some family art and some rental properties, most notably in the Montana timber and ski town of Whitefish, where Zinke, a plumbers son, grew up in the shadow of Glacier National Park.

It is impossible to look in any direction from Zinkes hometown without seeing federal land. The local ski resort, Big Mountain, occupies land leased from the Forest Service. There is a tight green stubble on the landscape where a legacy logging industry sawed jobs from federal timber. Theres the national park and to the east of it the Blackfeet Indian Reservation before the landscape flattens into millions of acres of Bureau of Land Management grazing land, punctuated by farm communities founded in the land rush of the early 1900s.

In Montana, the federal government is everyones neighbor. Its the fourth largest state in the nation. The federal government owns a third of the property. The Department of Interior manages all but the U.S. Forest Service property.

The department represents federal governments obligation to American Indian tribes. It supervises oil, gas drilling and coal mining on federal lands and waters. It manages national parks and battlefields, national monuments and also protects endangered species. The Fourth of July bash on the National Mall? Yep, that too, and several other purposes, as well. It employs 70,000 people and has a $20.7 billion annual budget.

Like all neighbor relations, sometimes there's tension between communities and their largest neighbor. It is the Department of the Interiors job to balance a the public's interests in both conservation and revenue from federal land, Zinke told Lee Montana on Friday.

I think we have to recognize that there are some public lands that fit better under the Muir model, where man is more of an observer, the lightest footprint," Zinke said. "And there are special places in our public land holdings that deserve that special recognition, and we have it to a degree with wilderness and national parks. But the preponderance of lands, I think, are under the Pinchot model of multiple use.

John Muir was a pioneer of American public land preservation whose vision was crucial in the creation of national parks. His counterpart was Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service. Pinchot established the management of natural resources for revenue. His maxim was, The greatest good for the greatest number and that good included industry.

Multiple use is making sure that the public can use our lands for the enjoyment and the benefit of the people, Zinke said. That benefit side may include timber harvest, it may include oil energy production. It may include mining. Our charter is to make sure that those activities that are more invasive have a reclamation plan where at the end of the project that land is returned either in the same or better condition than what we started with. And thats where the right regulation  but not excessive regulation  is needed.

Its where jobs are tied to federal land where relations are most heated between the federal government, states and local communities. Zinke sees a need to restore trust with those communities. In Congress, he tried to give local governments, states and Indian tribes more say in the management decision on federal lands. He was harshly criticized for it by House Democrats who said he was giving too much power to non-federal stakeholders in mining and drilling.

But the federal government should be able to create wealth and jobs from its resources, while also protecting public access to federal property for recreation.

National monuments

Several battles concerning public lands await the new Interior secretary. In Utah tempers are flaring over the Bears Ears National Monument. The ears are twin buttes that poke from Southern Utahs Elk Ridge. The features are surrounded by canyons, mesas and cliffs that include archaeological sites.

Former President Barack Obama declared the 1.35 million-acre monument before leaving office last year. Utah Republicans, like Rep. Jason Chaffetz have said the they hope President Trump and Zinke eliminate the monument status.

Republicans' stand on Bears Ears cost Utah the nations largest outdoors show, which brought 50,000 visitors to the state and $45 million year. Organizers said they couldnt support a state that didnt support Bears Ears.

Zinke didnt say the monument would be undone, but it might be changed.

I think we should follow the law in that there is no doubt there are areas that should have special protection and a monument is appropriate, Zinke said. But we should work with local communities, we should work with the states. We should follow the law that monuments should be appropriate to the specific areas that deserve that protection. Some of the monuments created in the last administration were popular. They had grassroots support. They had broad support at the state level. And other monuments, especially those that were created late and the actions that were taken late in administration, they do they smell of political agenda rather than gaining consensus. And theyve become viewed in many parts, especially in Utah, as, once again, breaching this bond of trust. And so my task as a secretary is to review all actions that were taken to make sure that we are and advocate for the local voice and advocate for the state and be seen as partners rather than adversaries.

The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument is an example of declaration that worked. The 330,780-acre monument in Northern California was widely supported by the community. Thats the support for a monument Zinke prefers.

A president has never undone a previous presidents national monument. Zinke said theres nothing in the law that prohibits nullification, but theres nothing that clearly allows it, either. But national monuments can be changed.

"Theres no doubt that a president can modify a monument that has been done before. Theres precedent in that, Zinke said. I think what the goal is on monument designation is to make sure you have local, and state, broad support of the people who live there the people who are most affected by the monument. And of course that speaks to what my motto has been and will be: for the enjoyment of the people, which is on the Roosevelt Arch.

Standing Rock and Malheur

If the federal government had better local relations, it might have fewer protests like the one at Standing Rock, N.D., where the Dakota Access Pipeline is to cross beneath the Missouri River. The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge standoff in Oregon is another example where Zinke said things might have been different if public perception of federal land management were different. Federal property was damaged, and in the Malheur standoff someone died. Both incidents cost the federal government millions of dollars that could have been spent on restoration and management, he said.

Going forward, when the public sees a Fish and Wildlife truck, or a BLM truck, I want the public to think about management, Zinke said, Wildlife and land management rather than law enforcement. And I think thats an important distinction. Going forward, again, my biggest task is to restore trust at the local level, and thats being an advocate and making sure people believe they have a voice.

Coal

Zinke is a coal-state Republican. Montana has the largest holdings of federal coal in the United States. In Congress, he fought against a DOI suspension of coal leases triggered by concerns that coal royalties were set too low and needed to be studied. President Trump and Congress have since worked to lift the coal lease ban.

Zinke said coal, oil and gas from federal land is important because low-priced energy powers U.S. manufacturing. Those mining jobs are also directly linked to manufacturing in other states, like Illinois, where Caterpillar employees are hopeful an increase in mining under the Trump administration will boost demand for heavy machinery.

Coals decline is tied to a glut in global supply which has made exports unprofitable while at the same time cheap natural gas replaces coal as the nations primary source at power plants. Zinke and other Republicans argue that federal policy shouldnt exacerbate coals problems. They would like to see more coal power, an idea President Trump campaigned on.

But other economies tied to federal land also need to be promoted where possible, Zinke said.

We should not view it in terms of just extraction," Zinke said. "Public land also has a driver when it comes to recreation. In some areas, particularly in the Seattle area, Mount Rainier, Olympic National Park, the forest around Seattle, there is a strong desire to elevate recreation. In Alaska, there is a strong desire for energy development, many of our Native tribes particularly. Some of the biggest resource concerns are owned by Eskimos and Native indigenous peoples, and they are very pro-energy development. They use the pipeline. In many ways, it is their lifeblood, so I think it's best to view things locally and start understanding the challenges of energy development. The president was right to look at punitive excessive regulations to undo those and let the market drive things. I think the goal is to make sure we have clean air, clean water, but also the economic engine of the U.S.

Tribal relations

Not all American Indian tribes support fossil fuel development, Zinke acknowledged. Where there is opposition, the United States needs to honor that, he said.

I think with the tribes, and Ive talked with the tribes extensively before, although as a congressman I had the best relationship with the tribes in Montana, Zinke said. As a secretary now of Interior I have to have the same relationship with all tribes.

I think it stems from three things. One is sovereignty, and sovereignty has to be more than a word. Sovereignty has to mean something. Two is respect. And three is self-determination. And thats making sure the tribes have the tools to shape their own destiny and the authority to do that. As you know, even in the West, tribes are not monolithic, meaning that some tribes are pro-resource, pro-energy, pro-fossil fuels. And other tribes stand staunchly against that. I think it goes back to respect and sovereignty that each tribe in my judgement has to have the authority, the tools to carve their own path. And also from the Department of the Interior is to understand culturally many of these tribes are different, and their path may be unique to them, and I have to respect that.
Democrats say the tax returns provide a nexus between concerns about Mr. Trumps personal financial conflicts of interest and his campaigns ties to the Russian government, issues that have troubled members of the presidents own party.

Im for transparency, Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, told a few hundred people in a high school cafeteria in Denham Springs, La., on a recent afternoon, stopping well short of a call for legislation.

Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, has led the chambers efforts to disclose Mr. Trumps returns, a push he said was driven by constituent outrage. People just kind of gasp, Mr. Wyden said. I can tell you it comes up at every one of my town meetings. People think it is very much linked to the Russia issue.

In the House, Democrats have pressed the issue on several, so far fruitless fronts. Representative Bill Pascrell Jr. of New Jersey, who wrote the letter that has drawn two Republican signatures, introduced a measure that would compel the House Committee on Ways and Means to request Mr. Trumps tax documents, as it is empowered to do.

Mr. Pascrell used a privileged resolution, a procedure that allows even a single member to bypass leadership to bring up a measure for a vote  and that was more theatrically employed by some House conservatives in the fall in an effort to oust the head of the Internal Revenue Service over objections by their leaders. Mr. Pascrells measure failed in a floor vote last week along party lines.

Representative Kevin Brady, Republican of Texas and the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has resisted calls to, as he described it to reporters, rummage around in the tax returns of the president.

A few Republicans have broken from their party on investigating connections between Mr. Trumps campaign and Russia. Representative Darrell Issa of California, who narrowly won re-election in November and is considered vulnerable in 2018, recently called for an outside investigation. The House and Senate intelligence committees will conduct their own inquiries.
WASHINGTON  Saying their patience is at an end, conservative activist groups backed by the billionaire Koch brothers and other powerful interests on the right are mobilizing to pressure Republicans to fulfill their promise to swiftly repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Their message is blunt and unforgiving, with the goal of reawakening some of the most extensive conservative grass-roots networks in the country. It is a reminder that even as Republicans control both the White House and Congress for the first time in a decade, the partys activist wing remains restless and will not go along passively for the sake of party unity.

With angry constituents storming town hall-style meetings across the country and demanding that Congress not repeal the law, these new campaigns are a sign of a growing concern on the right that lawmakers might buckle to the pressure.

Weve been patient this year, but it is past time to act and to act decisively, said Tim Phillips, the president of Americans for Prosperity, which is coordinating the push with other groups across the Kochs political network. Our network has spent more money, more time and more years fighting Obamacare than anything else. And now with the finish line in sight, we cannot allow some folks to pull up and give up.
Rules not subject to congressional review may still be at risk. The most radical shift has perhaps come at the Federal Communications Commission, which voted on Wednesday to halt new government rules related to data security from taking effect this week, after objections were raised by companies including Comcast, Verizon and AT&T.

Ajit Pai, a Republican whom Mr. Trump recently named as the F.C.C. chairman, has also made clear that he intends to push to roll back or abandon several other major rules, including the landmark net neutrality regulation intended to ensure equal access to content on the internet, as well as efforts to keep prison phone rates down and a proposal to break open the cable box market.

The efforts have been praised by telecommunications giants, like Comcast, but condemned by consumer advocates.

The administration started its campaign against regulation on the afternoon of Inauguration Day, with a memo from Reince Priebus, Mr. Trumps chief of staff, instructing agencies to halt work on new regulations and to delay putting completed regulations into effect.

So far, the effective dates of at least 75 rules have been delayed as a result of this order, based on an analysis of the Federal Register. That includes a measure intended to prevent potentially toxic formaldehyde exposure in homes caused by certain furniture products  an effort that has been underway since victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 were moved into contaminated government-issued trailers.

Such delays are not uncommon with new presidents  both George W. Bush and Mr. Obama did the same, to differing degrees. And certain measures are still going into effect as the Trump administration gets underway, including one that prohibits smoking in public housing nationwide as of Feb. 3.

Still, the general Trump administration freeze has drawn broad opposition, some of it surprising. The Department of Agriculture has delayed a rule that would make it easier for chicken farmers to sue chicken processors. Business groups, including the National Federation of Independent Business, want to kill the rule.
The White House showed no indication that it would back down from Mr. Trumps claims. On Sunday, the president demanded a congressional inquiry into whether Mr. Obama had abused the power of federal law enforcement agencies before the 2016 presidential election. In a statement from his spokesman, Mr. Trump called reports about the wiretapping very troubling and said Congress should examine them as part of its investigations into Russias meddling in the election.

In addition to being concerned about potential attacks on the bureaus credibility, senior F.B.I. officials are said to be worried that the notion of a court-approved wiretap will raise the publics expectations that the federal authorities have significant evidence implicating the Trump campaign in colluding with Russias efforts to disrupt the presidential election.

Mr. Comey has not been dealing directly with Attorney General Jeff Sessions on the matter, as Mr. Sessions announced on Thursday that he would recuse himself from any investigation of Russias efforts to influence the election. It had been revealed on Wednesday that Mr. Sessions had misled Congress about his meetings with the Russian ambassador during the campaign.

Mr. Comeys behind-the-scenes maneuvering is certain to invite contrasts to his actions last year, when he spoke publicly about the Hillary Clinton email case and disregarded Justice Department entreaties not to.

It is not clear why Mr. Comey did not issue a statement himself. He is the most senior law enforcement official who was kept on the job as the Obama administration gave way to the Trump administration. And while the Justice Department applies for intelligence-gathering warrants, the F.B.I. keeps its own records and is in a position to know whether Mr. Trumps claims are true. While intelligence officials do not normally discuss the existence or nonexistence of surveillance warrants, no law prevents Mr. Comey from issuing the statement.
WASHINGTON  Last year, when the United States and Iran exchanged prisoners, Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the Tehran government had also pledged to help in the search for a long-missing American who had disappeared in Iran in March 2007.

To bolster that promise, Iranian officials secretly informed the Obama administration that they had received intelligence that the remains of an American had been buried in Balochistan, a rugged, lawless region in western Pakistan that borders Afghanistan and Iran. The remains, it was assumed, were that of the missing man, Robert A. Levinson, a private investigator and former agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation who was also a part-time consultant for the Central Intelligence Agency.

But when the Pakistani authorities went to the supposed burial site, they did not find any remains. American officials concluded that the report, rather than a gesture of good will, was a gambit by Iran to further cloud its role in Mr. Levinsons fate.

Today, a decade after Mr. Levinson vanished, the Trump administration faces a decision about what steps to take, if any, to bring a resolution of his case. As a candidate, President Trump vowed in 2015 to bring Mr. Levinson home, and the Levinson family has asked to meet with him in hopes he will take a more aggressive stance toward getting answers than President Barack Obama did.
KABUL, Afghanistan  Pakistan has kept its border crossings with Afghanistan sealed for more than two weeks, with thousands of Afghan visitors stranded in Pakistan and traders unable to move their vegetables and fruit across.

After a suicide bombing at a shrine in Pakistans Sindh Province on Feb. 16, which killed more than 80 people, the Pakistani military shut its borders with Afghanistan, saying the terrorists behind the attack had sanctuaries in the country. It also carried out shelling into Afghanistan.

Omar Zakhilwal, Afghanistans ambassador to Pakistan, said Sunday that if the border did not open soon, his government would be forced to airlift its stranded citizens, which could be a new low in the relationship between the neighboring countries.

Their 1,600-mile border has long been a contentious issue. Ever since the fall of the Taliban government in 2001, Afghan and Western officials have said that the Afghan insurgencys leadership maintains havens in Pakistan, particularly in the city of Quetta. The free movement across the border has helped the militants avoid defeat in a 15-year war led by the United States.
NEW DELHI  American and Indian officials on Sunday swiftly condemned the shooting of a Sikh man in a suburb of Seattle, which followed by less than two weeks a similar episode in Kansas and amid a high-level crackdown on immigration.

The man, 39, was in the driveway of his home in Kent, Wash., working on his car on Friday night when a white man, wearing a mask over the lower part of his face, confronted him and then shot him in the arm, The Seattle Times reported.

The police have asked the F.B.I. and other law enforcement agencies for help finding the gunman, who the victim said told him to go back to your own country.

The victim was identified as Deep Rai, a United States citizen of Indian origin. Indias minister of external affairs, Sushma Swaraj, said she had spoken to the victims father, who said his son was out of danger and recovering in a private hospital.
JERUSALEM  Israel, which has been at the forefront of research into medical marijuana and the drugs commercialization, took a major step on Sunday toward officially decriminalizing its recreational use.

At a time when many American states and European countries are loosening marijuana laws, the Israeli cabinet approved a plan that would impose fines rather than criminal penalties on those caught using the drug in public.

Growing and selling marijuana, which is widely used here recreationally and medicinally, would remain illegal.

On the one hand, we are opening ourselves up to the future, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the cabinet. On the other hand, we understand the dangers and will try to balance the two.
JERUSALEM  Many Israelis are buoyed by signs that President Trump will be a friend to Israel. But the recent wave of toppled tombstones and threats against Jewish centers in the United States has at least as many worrying that his rise may also not be good for Jews.

Jews in America, thats supposed to work, said Einat Wilf, a former member of the Knesset for the center-left Labor Party. To have these instances, is that an aberration? Or has the American president unleashed forces  willingly, unwillingly, consciously, unconsciously  but maybe he has unleashed forces that will challenge the place of Jews in America?

Israelis have grown used to rising nationalism in Europe that has fed anti-Semitism. But many have looked to the United States, home to the largest number of Jews outside Israel, as a relative refuge from anti-Semitism, not another front for it.

Few here suggest that has permanently changed (though the Labor Party leader, Isaac Herzog, recently said Israel should prepare for a wave of American immigrants).
WASHINGTON  During his recent address to Congress, President Trump earned a standing ovation for once again declaring that, in place of Obamacare, Americans should have the freedom to purchase health insurance across state lines.

Heres the dirty little secret: Obamacare already gives Americans this freedom.

Dirtier still: When Republicans propose across state lines legislation, theyre really talking about reducing states sovereignty to make their own regulatory decisions. So much for states rights.

Filthiest yet: The best-case scenario for Trumps proposal would be that nothing happens; worst case, lots of people lose access to health care.

Despite the flip sloganeering, this is complicated stuff. (Nobody knew health care could be so complicated, amirite?) So first, heres some background on how the system works today.

Since 1945, the federal government has delegated the regulation of individual health-insurance plans to the states. That means states have decided what benefits insurers must cover (diabetes screening, in vitro fertilization, acupuncture, etc.); how much insurers can adjust premiums based on age, gender, past illness, occupation and other characteristics; and lots of other kinds of regulations, such as how plans can be marketed.

Then the Affordable Care Act came along.

Among many other provisions, Obamacare raised the floor for what services insurers had to cover, though states can still require benefits above the federal minimum. For example, the ACA says plans must fully pay for certain types of preventive care that not all states required previously.

The law also placed restrictions on how much insurers can adjust premiums based on age and other characteristics (though again, states can limit this further) in the individual and small group markets. The law says insurers cant charge you more just because you once had cancer or because youre female, both practices that almost all states used to allow.

And, apparently unbeknownst to Trump and other Republicans, Obamacare also encouraged the sale of insurance across state lines.

The law set up a framework to help states develop health care choice compacts with one another to allow plans to be sold across borders, conditional on mutually agreed-upon rules. Several states have started the process of creating such compacts. But to date, none has materialized.

Why is ... complicated.

Lots of state regulators dont want to give up turf, according to Georgetown University Health Policy Institute professor Sabrina Corlette. (Theres that state sovereignty thing again.) Plus, insurance companies havent exactly been clamoring for the right to sell across state lines.

The barriers to selling plans in a new state turn out to be less about regulatory red tape and more about the colossal costs associated with setting up networks and negotiating rates with new doctors and hospitals.

What, then, are Republicans proposing?

When Republicans talk about allowing health insurance to be sold across state lines, this is shorthand for a bigger suite of deregulatory proposals. What theyre usually referring to is (a) lowering or eliminating the federal minimum standards for all states, and allowing insurers from one state to sell a product that undermines anothers laws.

In other words, they want to allow a company in, say, lower-regulation Alabama to be able to sell insurance in higher-regulation Massachusetts, without having to follow Massachusettss laws about pricing or coverage.

At first blush this idea sounds like it has merit. It might give consumers more options.

But lets game out what happens.

Just as credit card companies tend to domicile in South Dakota, and many other companies wanting to minimize their tax liabilities incorporate in Delaware, every health insurer would have an incentive to park in the state with the least-restrictive regulations.

They could then cherry-pick the youngest, healthiest patients in the higher-regulation states who dont expect to consume much health care, according to Urban Institute senior fellow Linda Blumberg. That would leave behind older, less-healthy people in those relatively higher-regulation states, driving up average costs and making premiums less affordable.

In time, those sicker, older consumers would be forced to either drop their insurance altogether (causing costs for remaining patients to rise even further) or buy less-generous out-of-state coverage themselves. Any struggling insurers left in those high-regulation states would also pressure regulators to loosen coverage requirements to push prices down.

In other words, a race to the bottom. People either lose their coverage because they can no longer afford it, or they end up buying plans that dont cover much of anything.

Its hard to see the upside, which is why even conservative and free-market-oriented health experts have decided this unkillable across state lines proposal is junk. It sure sounds nice to those who dont know much about health care policy. Just ask our president.


William P. Homans, B.A. M.A.

(Image by William P. Homans) Details DMCA



Another Trump lie. Right-wing authoritarians know they have 90% of the guns and all of the armored military vehicles and warplanes, and if they think it's necessary, they will slaughter as few Americans as they can get away with in order to terrorize the rest.

You can see a barometer for such a narrative in, for instance, the recent op-ed by the famous (and very right-wing/libertarian) musician Charlie Daniels. He expects inevitable blood in the streets, and blames protesters for it.

Daniels did not know the name of the group of lawless protesters that he was blaming for what he felt was a closer approach to bloody civil unrest. However, he referenced the actions of what is known as the (soi-disant) anarchist/antifa Black Bloc (who were also the group that stopped Milo Yiannopoulos from speaking in California), in which there has been substantial vandalism.

However, there has been very little actual personal injury, and no deaths. Why would we get so lucky?

The answer is that the Black Bloc is a provocateur-infiltrated organization, which has a particular mission in today's climate of dissent. They are the heirs of certain Communist-front groups from the 1960s and 70s, in performing a particular mission.

Their mission, to state it very crudely, is to discredit all dissent, to give the general idea of disagreeing with government policies or officials, or with various corporate practices from bankers' bonuses to ramming pipelines through Indian land, a bad name.

Who do they work for in this way? I am not going to sit here and start naming agency acronyms and trying to connect all the dots.

You would dismiss me as a conspiracy theorist, and I would have to laugh with you, because although I am an investigator, I haven't the money to pay the operatives necessary to conduct a thorough, conclusive investigation of 9/11, or even the Murrah Bombing (though my MA thesis is the first academic work that was done on that subject).

I am not even sure that the Black Bloc could be successfully counter-infiltrated for investigative purposes, though the scale of money needed to do it would be, I speculate, much less than would be required, for instance, for conclusively investigating the Oklahoma City bombing.

However, I have over 40 years personal, antiwar and antinuclear movement experience with agents provocateurs. I have observed the Black Bloc closely on a couple of occasions, when they were readying themselves in Washington DC. There is a cadre of senior people, and the headstrong teens and 20-somethings you'd expect.

Any veteran knows that the senior people give the orders. But who is giving them orders?

I would posit that in general, those who are in power want to keep elements of society polarized as much as possible, so that its citizens cannot focus, trans-racially, trans-religiously, trans-economic-class, on the actions of that tenth of a percent of humans that intend to run things at a profit if it kills us all or not.

The politicians are managers for the owners of "private enterprise," even (perhaps some of them still naively think) "FREE enterprise." In this particular Administration, we have witnessed a giant step toward the .1-percent owner class being in direct control of the political management of government.

Citizens United was the giant step that made this one inevitable. With that court ruling, the rule of giga-money over the political process became legal.

All the Trumps and Tillersons and Mnuchins (and Kochs and Adelsons) of the world had to do was wait, pump enough billions into the slot machine, seal the deal with an unprecedented weaponization of a Federal law enforcement agency against the opponent at the end, and unregulated capitalism would triumph!

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From Consortium News

There may be a turn-about-is-fair-play element to Democrats parsing the words of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and other Trump administration officials to hang them on possible "perjury" charges. After all, the Republicans made "lock her up" a popular chant citing Hillary Clinton's arguably illegal use of a private email server as Secretary of State and her allegedly false claim under oath that her lawyers had hand-checked each of her 30,000 or so emails that were deleted as personal.

But there is a grave danger in playing partisan "gotcha" over U.S. relations with the world's other major nuclear superpower. If, for instance, President Trump finds himself having to demonstrate how tough he can be on Russia -- to save his political skin -- he could easily make a miscalculation that could push the two countries into a war that could truly be the war to end all wars -- along with ending human civilization. But Democrats, liberals and the mainstream news media seem to hate Trump so much they will take that risk.

Official Washington's Russia hysteria has reached such proportions that New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman has even compared the alleged Russian hacking of Democratic emails to Pearl Harbor and 9/11, two incidents that led the United States into violent warfare. On MSNBC's "Morning Joe" show, Friedman demanded that the hacking allegations be taken with the utmost seriousness: "That was a 9/11 scale event. They attacked the core of our democracy. That was a Pearl Harbor scale event. " This goes to the very core of our democracy."

But what really goes to "the very core of our democracy" is the failure to deal with this issue -- or pretty much any recent issue -- with the sobriety and the seriousness that should accompany a question of war or peace. Just as Friedman and other "star" journalists failed to ask the necessary questions about Iraq's WMD or to show professional skepticism in the face of U.S. propaganda campaigns around the conflicts in Libya, Syria or Ukraine, they have not demanded any actual evidence from the Obama administration for its lurid claims about Russian "hacking."

Before this madness goes any further, doesn't anyone think that the U.S. intelligence community should lay its cards on the table regarding exactly what the evidence is that Russian intelligence purloined Democratic emails and then slipped them to WikiLeaks for publication? President Obama's intelligence officials apparently went to great lengths to spread these allegations around -- even passing the secrets around overseas -- but they never told the American people what the evidence is. The two official reports dealing with the issue were laughably short on anything approaching evidence . They amounted to "trust us."

Further, WikiLeaks representatives have indicated that the two batches of emails -- one from the Democratic National Committee and the other from Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta -- did not come from the Russians but rather from two different American insiders. That could be wrong -- it is possible that Russian intelligence laundered the material through some American cutouts or used some other method to conceal Moscow's hand -- but Obama's intelligence officials apparently don't know how WikiLeaks obtained the emails. So, the entire "scandal" may rest upon a foundation of sand.

No "Fake News"

It's also important to note that nothing that WikiLeaks published was false. There was no "fake news." Indeed, a key reason why the emails were newsworthy at all was that they exposed misconduct and deception on the part of the Democrats and the Clinton campaign. The main point that the DNC emails revealed was that the leadership had violated its duty to approach the primary campaign even-handedly when instead they tilted the playing field against Sen. Bernie Sanders. Later, the Podesta emails revealed the contents of Clinton's speeches to Wall Street bankers, which she was trying to hide from the voters, and the emails exposed some of the pay-to-play tactics of the Clinton Foundation.



Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaking with supporters at a campaign rally in Phoenix, Arizona, March 21, 2016.

(Image by (Photo by Gage Skidmore)) Details DMCA



In other words, even if the Russians did reveal this information to the American people, how does knowing relevant facts regarding a presidential campaign translate into an attack on "the core of our democracy"? Usually, journalists believe that getting the truth out, even if it embarrasses some politician or some political party, is healthy for a democracy. As an American journalist, I prefer getting information from people who have America's best interests at heart, but I'm not naive enough to think that people who "leak" don't often do so for self-interested reasons. What's most important is that the information is genuine and newsworthy.

Frankly, I found the WikiLeaks material far more appropriate for an American political debate than the scurrilous rumors that the Clinton campaign was circulating about Trump supposedly getting urinated on by Russian prostitutes in a five-star Moscow hotel, claims for which no evidence has been presented.

Also, remember that no one thought that the DNC/Podesta emails were significant in deciding the 2016 election. Clinton herself blamed FBI Director James Comey for briefly reopening the FBI investigation into her private email server near the end of the campaign as the reason her poll numbers cratered. It's relevant, too, that Clinton ran a horrific campaign, which included breathtaking gaffes like referring to many Trump supporters as "deplorables," relying way too heavily on negative ads, failing to articulate a compelling vision for the future, and ignoring signs that her leads in Rust Belt states were disappearing. In other words, the current effort to portray the disclosure of Democratic emails as somehow decisive in the campaign is revisionist history.

Yet, here we are with The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN and almost the entire mainstream media (along with leading liberals and Democrats) panting every time they discover that someone from Trump's circle met with a Russian. We are supposed to forget that the Russian government for many years was collaborating closely with the U.S. government -- and particularly with U.S. national security agencies -- on vital issues. Russia assisted in supplying the U.S. military in Afghanistan; President Putin played a crucial role in getting Iran to curtail its nuclear program; and he also arranged for the Syrian government to surrender its stockpiles of chemical weapons. The last two accomplishments were among President Obama's most important foreign policy successes.

But those last two areas of cooperation -- Iran and Syria -- contributed to making Putin a target for Washington's powerful neoconservatives who were lusting for direct U.S. military strikes against those two countries. The neocons, along with the Israeli and Saudi governments, wanted "regime change" in Tehran and Damascus, not diplomatic agreements that left the governments in place.

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From Robert Reich Blog



Donald Trump

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Early Saturday morning, March 4, the 45th president of the United States alleged in a series of tweets that former president Barack Obama orchestrated a "Nixon/Watergate" plot to tap Trump's phones at his Trump Tower headquarters last fall in the run-up to the election. Trump concluded that the former president is a "Bad (or sick) guy!"

Trump cited no evidence for his accusation.

Folks, we've got a huge problem on our hands. Either:

Trump is more nuts than we suspected -- a true delusional paranoid who shouldn't be anywhere near the nuclear codes that could obliterate the planet, or near anything else that could determine the fate of America or the world.

Or Trump's outburst was triggered by commentary in the "alt-right" publication, Breitbart News, on Friday, which reported an assertion made Thursday night by right-wing talk-radio host Mark Levin suggesting Obama and his administration used "police state" tactics last fall to monitor the Trump team's dealings with Russian operatives.

But if this was the case, we've got a president willing to put the prestige and power of his office behind baseless claims emanating from well-known right-wing purveyors of lies. That means Trump still shouldn't be anywhere near the nuclear codes that could obliterate the planet or anywhere else he could do damage.

The third possibility is that Trump is correct, and the Obama administration did in fact tap his phones. But if this was the case, before the tap could occur it's highly likely Trump committed a very serious crime, including treason.

No president can order a wiretap on his own. For federal agents to obtain a wiretap on Trump, or anyone else, the Justice Department would first have had to convince a federal judge that it had gathered sufficient evidence of probable cause to believe Trump had committed a serious crime or was an agent of a foreign power, depending on whether it was a criminal or foreign intelligence wiretap.

If this is the case, we've got someone in the Oval Office who's very likely to have committed treason or some other highly serious crime. In which case he still shouldn't be making decisions that could endanger America or the world.

What other explanation could there be for Trump's Saturday rant? He's been known to use tweets to divert attention from news stories he doesn't want the public and the media to focus on. Was Trump seeking to divert public attention from the Jeff Sessions imbroglio and the increasing number of Trump associates found to have been in contact with Russian agents before and after the election?

That seems unlikely because Trump's trumped-up charge of wiretapping isn't really a distraction at all. If you accept Trump's version of events, why would the Obama administration have been collecting information on Trump if not because of Trump's purported Russian connections? Trump's accusation thereby focuses even more attention on the possibility he conspired with the Russians to win the election.

Or is Trump trying to build a case that the entire Russian story is a plot concocted by the Obama Administration, along with the CIA, FBI, and National Security Agency, and the mainstream press, to bring Trump down?

Perhaps that's what Trump is really after. But in this case, he's either paranoid (back to problem #1), or he really is trying to hide a nefarious collaboration that in fact occurred (back to problem #2).

So there you have it. Whatever the reason for Trump's rant, America is in deep trouble. We have a president who is either a dangerous paranoid, or is making judgments based on right-wing crackpots, or has in all likelihood committed treason.

Each of these possibilities is as worrying as the other.
President Trump mentioned that the "enemy of the people" writes articles saying, "sources said" without identifying by name the "source." This omission makes the story not true, fake news, scandalous, irresponsible, and malicious slander.

Part of the "scandalous" news was the report that Trump's national security advisor, Michael Flynn, had been in contact with Russian operatives and had a background of dealing with Russia. Amidst Trump's and his communication surrogates of "fake news" "irresponsible" "false accusations" Flynn was fired because it turned out he had lied to the Vice President on his Russian involvement. So the news as it turned out was not "fake news."

This has not stopped Trump from continuing his attacks on the press and has banned the nation's most respected and oldest news media services such as the Washington Post (55 Pulitzer Prizes) and New York Times (119 Pulitzer Prizes) newspapers. President Trump wants the nation to believe that the "freedom of the press" has turned against him for purely selfish and vindictive reasons.

Within days, the Washington Post reported that his newly confirmed Attorney General, Jefferson B. Sessions, had meetings with the Russian Ambassador, but had denied under oath to the Senate Committee reviewing his confirmation. Again, it was "fake news" was Trump's claim. But as it turned out, it is true --- and worse as it turned attention on several other Trump staff and consultants meetings and relationships with Russian officials so Trump's Russian fiasco grows.

Sessions has recused himself from investigation dealing with anything to do with the Trump campaign and with relationships with Russia who among other accusations there is the question of interference in the presidential elections.

The Russian connection that Trump has very often denied exists between himself, his family, his White House staff and campaign surrogates is falling apart -- more and more evidence is coming out that Trump himself has been less than truthful on this matter as video and written evidence is finding its way into media outlets. Trump seems to be headed into a corner which will surely lead to very bad news for him and probably endanger his presidency at very minimum force him to release his tax returns to determine whether there is a conflict of interest and a cover up of his relationship with Russian money making efforts that one of his sons has called "substantial."

Trump is a champion on altering the course of issues --- he needs to desperately get attention focused in a very dramatic and opposite direction -- so he does what he does best -- takes to Twitter to communicate with his loyal followers.

According to Trump's Tweet --- he has "just found out that Obama had his office bugged" ---- of course he made no mention of who it was that provided him with the information, no names, no sources and no evidence. How is that for turning the issue in another direction while forgetting his complaint about the press using "sources" without naming them?

Trump who tells us that he has no faith in some of the most credible sources seems to have gotten his information (though he did not mention them) from a alt-right radio commentator who suggested in defense of Trump and his staff/consultants discovered Russian connections, that the real scandal was that Obama had Trump's communications tapped and was listening to all conversations. How did this commentator find out? Who knows? But it seems that Trump added to this indicating that a court denied the tapping. So if that is the case, he obviously is suggesting that Obama broke a lot of laws in committing the crime.

Possibly President Trump is not aware of the seriousness of his accusation -- he is in fact saying that former President Obama is duplicating President Nixon's Watergate event. In order for such a presidential order to undertake this, the FBI and the court (5 judges with secret clearance) have to be involved, as a warrant needs to be issued. In order to get the warrant, superior evidence has to be presented in the case of a presidential candidate otherwise the warrant will not be given.

To this Trump will need to say that this was not done through the FBI or the court, rather Obama surrogates that undertook the clandestine mission --- wow, if he takes this route, good luck. Particularly since he would then need to explain how he found out, and how it was accomplished --- are there witnesses? Does President Trump believe that the accusation will not bring investigation, demand for proof, and that this could brand him a liar and truly do irreparable damage to his presidency?

In short his is a very foolish attempt at deviating from the issue at hand --- what is his and his staff members relationship with Russia, how much business does Trump have there, and show the tax returns to show whether the truth is being told?

So a bit of advice to President Trump ---- if you will stick to your story of your offices being bugged -- don't accuse former President Obama --- accuse the Russians.
WASHINGTON  President Trumps main achievement in his first address to Congress was to make the phrase President Trump seem more plausible to more Americans. The event had all the reassuring signs of normalcy  the familiar ovations, the teleprompter (actually being used), the policy proposals, the attempts at inspiration. International alliances were reaffirmed rather than questioned. A Gold Star family was honored instead of criticized. Trump made at least the attempt to present his nationalist, law-and-order views in the best light rather than the starkest contrast. His convictions, while still vivid, were not painted in his typical, jarring neon.

In all this, Trump made use of conventions rather than smashing them. And that provided some assurance that conventions could matter to the president and his team, at least for one winters evening. None of this represented a substantive change; it was a triumph of the speechwriting department, not the policy shop. But even some of Trumps toughest critics found encouragement in his attempt to be encouraging. What you are reading is proof. Call it the soft bigotry of ... something or other.

And still. The actual purpose of a presidents first speech to Congress is not to burnish his image; it is to clarify his budget priorities. And here, Trump is on more familiar, less coherent, ground. The Trump budget  which still only exists in its barest outlines  would increase defense spending by more than $50 billion, cut discretionary spending by a similar amount, and leave entitlement programs alone. All of these elements represent the fulfillment of campaign pledges. But, taken together, they seem like the liberal caricature of a Republican budget: Cut poverty-fighting programs and international aid in order to fund more ships and tanks, but leave programs for the elderly (who disproportionately vote Republican) untouched.

Republicans clearly foresee a division of labor in the budget process. Trump will do the big-picture persuasion while House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell take care of the details. But the problem here is the big picture. Even in outline, the Trump budget is impractical, cold-hearted and unsalable.

It offers little by way of outreach to Democrats, some of whom will be needed to pass appropriations bills requiring 60 votes in the Senate. The proposal to slash discretionary spending  which means cuts in things like education, environmental protection, AIDS drugs and medical research  is enough to embitter any liberal heart.

Discretionary spending has been steadily shrinking as a portion of the budget and has already taken considerable hits over the years. Trump is asking for gallons of blood from a pale and anemic patient.

Trumps budget does little to please Republican budget hawks. They have also proposed similar levels of cuts in the past. But they always planned on using the saved money for deficit reduction. Trump is proposing to shift spending into defense and law enforcement, with no net cut in spending. He seems to be arguing, says Yuval Levin, editor of National Affairs, for keeping the same budget trajectory we are on now, but still taking the political pain and human cost of big discretionary cuts. That is not an easy sell to Republicans.

Trumps budget does little to please entitlement hawks. Under Ryans leadership, congressional Republicans staked out the position that it is irresponsible to leave Social Security and Medicare on the path to insolvency and crisis. Ryan and company have now been undermined by another president who refuses to confront the mathematics of entitlement instability.

The president is likely to find resistance to elements of his budget in unlikely places. Some of the strongest opponents of cuts in foreign aid have backgrounds in the military. They understand that health and development spending can be a strategic tool, encouraging stability and decreasing the need for future interventions. Perhaps Trump should pause a moment in his praise of military leaders and actually listen to them.

The Trump budget outline is underdeveloped, compared with those of other presidencies; it leaves the trajectory of deficits unchanged; it imposes cruel and indiscriminate cuts in discretionary spending; it is cowardly, especially on the main drivers of future debt; it is injurious to elected Republicans who will risk the wrath of the Trump base in order to make rational budget choices; it is an indication of governing unseriousness and a preference for positioning over leadership.

But the speech was nice.
Hours after One Nation leader Pauline Hanson added to her collection of categorically bad takes by expressing a genuine affinity for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has reminded her that Putins Russia Well, it aint all that and a bag of chips.

ICYMI, Hanson appeared on ABCs Insiders this morning, and was questioned by host Barrie Cassidy about her previous statements regarding Putin. Viewers watched her wrestle with two options: stifling her affection for the bloke, or absolutely gushing. She chose the latter.

Despite the fact that the missile which downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Ukraine was linked to Putins Russia, Hanson still found time to be effusive for the strong man / strongman. She told Cassidy so many Australians here want that leadership here in Australia.



They want a leader here to stand up for the people and fight for this nation.

Speaking to the media in rural Queensland  traditionally Hansons home turf  Turnbull was all-but forced to swat down the senators claims. The PM said Vladimir Putins Russia is not and should not be an object of admiration in any respect.

He also reckoned Russia should hightail it out of occupied Ukraine, and should provide the information that we know they have on the identity of the people who shot down the MH17 airliner and in doing so murdered 38 Australians.

Its always confusing watching the biggest proponents of free speech openly advocate for a guy who has been repeatedly accused of killing dissenters, but hey. You do you, Pauline.*

*Actually, pls stop.

Source: The Australian.

Photo: Lisa Maree Williams / Getty.
I'd rather watch a flat spin from Patrick Schweika than those new tricks.

The Team

A bunch of good guys

Philipp Baum. Pro BMXer and good Moto X guy. Amazing trail builder as well. He works hard for his spots. He's new to MTB, but stay tuned for more. He wants to use his Moto X skills and BMX background to jump some big Jumps. He's not afraid of speed and is quite a stuntman, but with a brain and style. Trail Boss'n

Patrick Schweika, the king of flat spins. Even on a big bike on 22-meter jumps (Nine Knights).

Patrick Schweika Nicest World Champ ever, Aiko Goehler

Aiko Goehler, 4x World Champion 2015 Racing Style from Aiko Goehler

Patrick Schweika Philipp Baum at work

The old team manager health nut and yoga teacher who is happy to still ride with the boys and do some tables, still living his childhood bike dream.

"They are totally different, two forms of riding. Contest jumps to me are like instant potatoes. You make them in a week. Good trails are like wine, it takes years and years of building, that's how it comes together."

Philipp Baum front flip tuck-no-hander at his own spot.

Health Benefits From Forests

Philip Baum is a Trail Boss

Some of My Own BMX Trails History

Lukas Schaefer

Coming from Berlin, it was a no-brainer that I wanted to show the sweet dirt jumping spots that haven't been in the spotlight yet. Berlin is big and we have many spots! What sometimes amazes me is that often good riders haven't seen the other spot that is just 40 minutes away. I guess people these days just spend too much time on social media instead of taking small road trips with bike buddies. It's about having fun riding your bike with your buddies. This is exactly what I wanted to show with this video from the Propain Team. Speaking of spotlight it seems that the bike industry has forgotten about dirt jumpers a bit, so that also motivated us to do a trails video.But... maybe I should do a double flip on my 40th birthday? The double flip I didn't make back in New World Disorder 4 in 2003 Seriously, there is a strong fighter side in me that really would do it, but my "being a father" and Yoga side is thankfully stronger now!Around 2004 I was on a trails trip on the east coast with Aaron Chase, Kyle Ebett, Adam Hauck, Jeff Lenowsky, Aaron Lutze plus more, and it was an eye opener to see those amazing spots. I knew them from BMX videos and magssome of those spots are 20 years old!BMX legend, Fuzzy Hall, once said to me on the subject of trails/dirt jumps:It's so much work to have a good dirt spot!I am lucky that I have a BMX background because in the beginning when I switched over to MTB (in 2000) the image from mountain biking was not the best. BMXers just had a shaved legs spandex image of MTB.MTBers were sometimes messing up the trails with a full-suspension and big nobby tires in the wet, not digging or showing respect to the locals, but like it is for walkers and bikers in the mountains, there are big egos and people who don't get it on both sides. So just talk to the locals. See if they need help, often its just to show the good will and that's enough. Take your trash with you. Respect the work that went into those trails.One friend in Berlin once said to me, those jumps mean a lot to him, he had spent 10 years slapping and building them, and there was a time where he was not feeling well personally so the trails fell apart as well. Now he always keeps them spot on.Some kids that just show up at spots just don't get how much work it is to have a really good dirt spot. It's almost a way of meditation and therapy. You don't feel good, so you go out in the woods and dig some jumps and forget the negative thoughtsslap some anger out at the jumps.Speaking of nature, did you know that your immune system is getting recharged and kept healthy for weeks when you go deep into a natural environment, breathing in all that healing oxygen? We need to take a break from the rush of our daily lives. It's so important. Switch that phone off! Boosts immune system Lowers blood pressure Reduces stress Improves mood Increases ability to focus, even in children with ADHD Accelerates recovery from surgery or illness Increases energy level Improves sleepThere is also a joke between trail builders; "why go to the gym when you can slap some dirt and get really buff." Buff BMX street riders were especially mocked if they did not help dig but went to the gym instead, even when the sun was shining. But you have to master the technique of using the shovel left and right handed, your back will need the balance.I have to admit, to my shame I have never been a huge digger. Here I am typing about trail bosses & diggers, but not myself. I'm showing my respect for them!Trails Boss: there is always a local that is totally ruling a set of jumpsis a boss at building and keeping the spot clean and fun.He has his own spot and to help understand how much energy he puts into it; the location is on a Moto X Track. In exchange for having this land and his spot there called "The Backyard", he spends 250 hours a season fixing the Moto X Race Track with a machine. That's some dedication right there. He is a pro working with wood and big excavators as well.As a Racer I loved finding new lines at the local race track in Berln, jumping it from all sides and building new things. I was always the kid that was good at jumping. I started doing shows with local BMX stars when I was 12. In 1989, when the Berlin wall "came down" we were booked to do many shows at car dealers because many East German's were happy to trade their Trabby for a western car.In Berlin, we also had BMX spots that were a mix of trails and race tracks from early on. As far back as 1983!In 1994 I was in Las Vegas for one year, living as an exchange student with an American family (found through a BMX magazine where I asked for a family through a letter) and living my BMX dream, racing all over the states. It was during this time that I got to ride really technical, flowing dirt jump spots that I knew from the magazines.For example the famous California spot Sheep Hills (Ed: which recently flooded) and riding with my idols that I knew from the magazinespeople like Brian Foster and Todd Lyons.I was a buff racer and pretty stiff! (I quit math in high school and had weight training and sport class every day instead. The American school system is pretty funny.)Plus I did not ride the school bus, rather, I rode my BMX 10 miles a day.It was a big eye opener. Actually Brian Foster laughed at me and said he knew it when I cased a jump at Sheep Hills and I broke my frame. But he was so nice he took me to the S&M ( hardcore BMX Brand from California) Factory where I did get a Frame cheaper! Casing in front of my Idol I took this as motivation to get better.So after Sheep Hills and seeing Brian Foster with so much flow and style, I knew this is what I wanted to learn, and when I went back to Las Vegas with my friend TJ Lavin (who was just beginning his dirt jump career) it motivated me a lot to see TJ and what was possible on a bike. When I came back to Berlin I quit racing and started dirt jumping.Check this trails building Video . It shows the art of digging quite nicely.There is quite a dirt jump trails scene out there, it's just that the industry doesn't really take notice too much. It's been like that for many, many years and it doesn't matter if the industry likes Enduro and E-bikes more. We're still out in the woods digging and riding trails.Also check out canyoudigit a web Page dedicated to Trails.Many companies don't even have dirt jump bikes anymore as part of their program, but I see so many good dirt jumpers & freeriders out there going for their dream of being a pro rider! I also see their press books in my email inbox. I understand both sides, the company side and the one from the riders so being a Team Manager isn't so easy sometimes, making both sides happy and not taking it personally when riders get treated as an "Excel budget row" that gets deleted.It's not about the Money and there are far bigger things happening in the world than dirt jumpers & freeriders risking their bones. Boys, I hate to say it but there is something coming! You have to do your homework and treat your body well so it can heal and deal with all those crashes that are stored in your body! This is something you don't realize when you are in your early 20's. I know what I'm talking about here and I will be able to help soon with a yogaforbikers video!Again, big props to all the trail builders out there.Thanks to Viktor Strasse for the pics and 20ZollMedia for the Videos! So cool to work with friends and that are bikers as well!
By: Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting

Media Contact

Damon Noto, MD

***@dafoh.org

1-917-912-4858 Damon Noto, MD1-917-912-4858

End

-- China's top transplant official is trying to divert international attention from that country's appalling organ procurement record by making false statements about the practice of transplant medicine in the United States, says Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH), a leading medical ethics advocacy group. According to a recent interview in the Chinese Global Times, transplant chief and former Deputy Minister of Health, Huang Jiefu, denounced the US as "the most rampant organ trade country in the world.""Some groups, for instance poor people and refugees, will, for their livelihood, come to America and sell organs," Huang claimed in the interview, saying that in 2016, "280 foreign patients came to the US for transplants ... far more than the limit" allowed in the US. The limit regulation Huang Jiefu referred to was abolished three years ago and replaced by an obligatory transparent reporting system aimed to include every non-citizen/non-resident transplant. Yet, with 33,500 transplants performed in the US in 2016, the 280 that Huang cites as a violation would only represent a mere 0.83% of the total, far below the US guideline.Huang also stated that the "use of death row prisoner organs was not China's innovation,"but practiced first in the US. The Global Times quoted Huang as saying that during his visit to Harvard University in the 1990s, he was shown organ specimens taken from prisoners. In contrast to his claims, the provisions that permit organ harvesting from executed prisoners were legally adopted in China as early as 1984 and are believed to still be in place.China's claims of having ended the organ harvesting from executed prisoners in 2015 remain unverified. Lack of transparency and independent scrutiny are an increasingly insurmountable obstacle for China in meeting international ethical standards. During a conference on organ trafficking at the Vatican in early February, Huang offered a scant four-slide data presentation in attempts to allay international concerns about the continued practice of harvesting organs from prisoners, including prisoners of conscience. In a semantic attempt to brush off the mass of evidence on forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners in China, Huang refuted the claims with a simple "nonsense" retort but failed to provide any counter-evidence. http://www.prnewswire.com/ news-releases/ doctors-against- forced-organ- harvesting-china- attempts-to- dodge-scrutiny- on-organ-trade- with-falsehoods- about-us-transplant- practices-300413961.html? tc=eml_cleartime Dr. Torsten Trey, DAFOH executive director, states: "We have considerable eyewitness accounts from Falun Gong practitioners of having been subjected to implausible medical exams and blood tests while in detention in China. If the claims that prisoners of conscience are used as organ source is 'nonsense', then why not allow independent international inspections in Chinese detention camps?"Huang Jiefu has a record of making conflicting statements. In an interview with Australian ABC TV in 2013, he commented about organ harvesting from prisoners from an odd juxtaposition saying "before [the prisoner] died he found his conscience and found he needed to do something to repay society. So why do you object?" All global ethical standards condemn such practice. After an announced ban on harvesting organs from executed prisoners in 2015, Huang described death-row prisoners instead as citizens who have the right to donate organs, a gross misunderstanding not shared by the international community. http://blogs.bmj.com/ bmj/2015/10/ 08/chinas-semantic- trick... DAFOH is calling on the US medical community to repudiate China's false accusations, demand transparent access to its organ procurement and transplant system and to increase pressure on China to answer questions concerning the practice of forced organ harvesting from living prisoners of conscience.
The accompanying video shows how two men from Delhi set a Toyota Fortuner on fire in the West Delhi Subhash Nagar area. This was done to avenge an earlier incident of road rage. On early Wednesday morning, the duo walked upto the Fortuner, emptied a can of petrol over it and set it afire.

The two men can be clearly seen on the CCTV footage. They stepped out of a Chevrolet Cruz, walked over to the Fortuner SUV, emptied a can of petrol and set it on fire following which they sped off.

Reports suggest that the duo, Saurabh Makhija and Manmeet Singh, who had their faces covered, had an argument with the owner of the Fortuner, Vineet Makol for rash driving. The men argued over the issue after which they parted ways. Makol went home and parked his Fortuner outside his house. Later that night, he opened a window after hearing some sounds only to see his vehicle ablaze.

Even as Makol raised an alarm, locals rushed out of their houses and a fire tender reached the spot and doused the flames in 20 minutes but it was too late. The two men have been identified and taken into custody, further investigations are underway. Watch the video below.

More incidents of Road Rage

This is not the first time Delhi has been in news for incidents of road rage. Another incident which hit headlines was that of 40 year old Shahnawaz, who was travelling with his children and wife on his Suzuki Gixxer motorcycle. The incident took place on the streets of Delhis Turkman Gate.

Ironically this incident of road rage in Delhi streets occurred just 50 meters from a police station and yet there was no help at hand. The incident which occurred at 11.30 pm on a Sunday night took place when the victim, identified as Shahnawaz was returning home with his two sons and wife. His bikes silencer just brushed past an Hyundai i20 car at Turkman Gate following which the four occupants emerged and thrashed the victim black and blue till he died.

Images  Twitter

His wife and children rushed to the police station for help but were ignored. They then ran to their grandmother but by the time relatives and neighbours reached the site Shahnawaz was lying in a pool of blood. He was immediately taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead upon arrival.

Family members kept the victims body at the site and staged a massive sit in from Sunday night to Monday, demanding action against the culprits and causing traffic snarls in Central Delhi. Tension prevailed in the area as locals protested against police inaction while some protesters even set a few vehicles on fire. A case of murder has been registered and investigations are on while CCTV cameras installed in the area are being used to identify the culprits.

Image  Times of India

There are more incidents. In July last year, road rage in Delhi left a Manipuri boy dead.
The dramatic loss of Arctic sea ice through climate change is unlikely to lead to more severe winter weather across Northern Europe, new research has shown.

A pioneering new study has explored how Arctic sea-ice loss influences the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) weather phenomenon, which affects winter weather conditions in Northern Europe, in places such as the UK, Scandinavia and the Baltic states.

Previous studies have suggested that Arctic sea-ice loss causes the NAO to spend longer in its 'negative phase' - generating more easterly winds that bring colder air from Scandinavia and Siberia to the UK. This might be expected to cause more frequent cold winters, such as the deep freeze experienced in the UK in the winter of 2009/2010.

However the new study, carried out by Dr James Screen from the University of Exeter, crucially suggests that Arctic sea-ice loss does not cause colder European winters.

Dr Screen suggests this surprising result is due to a 'missing' cooling response - meaning that the expected cooling brought about by more easterly winds is offset by the widespread warming effects of Arctic sea-ice loss.

The study is published in leading science journal, Nature Communications.

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Dr Screen, a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics at the University of Exeter said: "We know that the NAO is an important factor in controlling winter weather over Northern Europe".

"The negative phase of the NAO is typically associated with colder winters. Because of this it has been reasonable to think that we would experience more severe winter weather if Arctic sea-ice loss intensifies the negative phase of the NAO".

"This research indicates that although sea-ice loss does intensify the negative NAO, bringing more days of cold easterly winds, it also causes those same winds to be warmer than they used to be. These two competing effects cancel each other out, meaning little change in the average temperature of European winters as a consequence of sea-ice loss".

The NAO phenomenon describes large-scale changes in atmospheric wind patterns over the North Atlantic. Importantly, the NAO relates to changes in the strength and position of the North Atlantic jet stream - a band of very fast winds high in the atmosphere. The position of the jet stream has a substantial impact on weather in Northern Europe.

Using the sophisticated UK Met Office climate model, Dr Screen conducted computer experiments to study the effects of Arctic sea-ice loss on the NAO and on Northern European winter temperatures.

Dr Screen added: "Scientists are eager to understand the far-flung effects of Arctic sea-ice loss. On the one hand this study shows that sea-ice loss does influence European wind patterns. But on the other hand, Arctic sea-ice loss does not appear to be a cause of European temperature change, as some scientists have argued."

It was funded through a grant by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
European aircraft maker AirBus continues to have problems with customers for its new A400M military transport. This time the angry customer is Germany who pointed out that at the end of 2016 only one of its A400Ms was available for service. One was stranded in Lithuania because of oil leaks in the engines. Two others were undergoing scheduled inspections and one was undergoing scheduled upgrades. Another was undergoing acceptance tests and one was available for use. Germany has already demanded $42 million in fines (as per the contract) for late delivery of the first five aircraft. Germany is a major investor in the A400M program and the largest customer. But it has seen its share of the costs rise nearly 20 percent even while deliveries were delayed and more problems kept showing up unexpectedly.

After Germany France is the next largest customer and the French took the lead in going after AirBus to get the aircraft operational and capable of doing what customers needed done. In 2016 this pressure resulted in AirBus agreeing to rapidly implement changes to produce a tactical A400M that is capable of dropping paratroopers, defending itself against heat-seeking missiles, has some lightweight armor for the cockpit and the capability to land on short airstrips. This came after France complained that the first A400Ms it received lacked all these features and that without these capabilities the A400M wasnt very useful. AirBus assured France that it would receive six of these tactical A400Ms by the end of 2016. Three would be new aircraft and three would be upgraded A400Ms that France had already received. AirBus was only able to deliver three of the updated A400Ms by the end of 2016. The others will be available in 2017. In light of the problems Germany and France are having the other A400M customers are also demanding that AirBus do more to deliver what they promised and do it on time.

The buyer expectation that the A400M would be comparable to the C-130 was apparently not the case. The tactical features the French demanded have long been available on the American C-130, which the A400M was designed to compete with. France believed that AirBus understood the need to compete with the C-130. The engines are still a problem as they require so much maintenance that the A400Ms still suffers low readiness (for use) rates. France also wants the ability to have the A400M refuel helicopters in the air.

All this comes in the wake of AirBus being forced in mid-2016 to go public with the reasons for the shrinking demand for its A400M. AirBus executives admitted that they screwed up and explained that the main problems were with the engines it selected for the A400M. These came from an inexperienced supplier and AirBus was late in realizing how bad the problems were. At the time AirBus said there were many lesser problems, mainly with not adding features users needed if they were to replace existing C-130s and similar transports with the A400M. It turned out that a lot of these minor problems were not so easy to fix and getting it done took a lot longer.

Meanwhile France was forced to improvise to get the tactical transport capabilities its needs. In early 2016 France ordered American Harvest Hawk kits that can quickly turn American made C-130 transports into gunships. This came after France ordered four C-130J transports in late 2015, mainly because of delays and inadequacies of the A400Ms had ordered. France already operates 14 of the older C-130H aircraft and was not expected to order the latest J model because France was a major backer, and customer, for the A400M. But this aircraft was delayed repeatedly and France only began receiving it in 2013. Then it turned out that the A400M could not yet handle aerial refueling of helicopters or paratroopers jumping from the side doors. To deal with that two of the new French C-130Js are transports and two are tankers. These C-130Js will begin arriving in France by late 2017. France needs the 70 ton C-130Js to support its special forces and other overseas intervention forces. That is also the reason for a gunship conversion kit as these gunships are particularly useful for special operations troops.

France received two A400Ms in 2013 and four in 2014. It took ten years of development to get the A400M into production, which was about four more years later than originally predicted. First flight took place in 2011, and production of prototypes began in 2007. Each one costs about $180 million. About 174 are on order and the delays have cost dozens of orders (and more may still follow). By the end of 2016 AirBus had delivered 40 A400Ms to France, Spain, Germany, Britain, Turkey and Malaysia.

The 141 ton A400M has a cruising speed of 780 kilometers per hour, a range of 6,400 kilometers (with a 20 ton load), and normally carries about 30 tons (or 116 paratroopers or slightly more regular passengers). The nearest competitor is the American C-130 and the most common version in service is the C-130H. It has a range of 8,368 kilometers, a top speed of 601 kilometers per hour, and can carry up to 18 tons of cargo, 92 troops, or 64 paratroopers. The latest version, the C-130J, has a top speed of 644 kilometers, 40 percent more range than the C130H, and can carry 20 tons of cargo. The C-130 is used by more than 50 countries.

The A400M had an opportunity to give the C-130 a lot of competition, but this opportunity was diluted because the A400M failed to arrive on time and on budget and lacked many essential features. Still, the C-130 does now have the most formidable competitor it has ever faced.

During the Cold War air transports were very low priority in Europe because if there was a war the mighty Red Army of the Soviet Union was going to deliver it and was right next door in East Germany ready to do so. But now all the action is far away, and the military needs air freight for emergencies and other peacekeeping or counter-terrorism missions. The American C-17 can carry up to 84 tons over longer distance but the advantage of the smaller C-130 and A400M is the ability to operate from shorter unpaved runways, which makes them less dependent on existing infrastructure. This is useful for disaster relief and peacekeeping as well. But first the A400M has to match the C-130 a features needed for these missions.
^pI^p first heard of the Bahai Faith on the transistor radio in my shepherds wagon in March 1963.^p

^pI was north of Helena at Canyon Creek, where I was herding 1,728 replacement ewe lambs for the Chevallier Sheep Co. And I was re-evaluating my Sunday-school Christianity in the light of my public school literacy; my 4-H and FFA projects in Michigan, where most of my relatives lived; my recent study of the worlds major religions; and my life as a sheepherder in a world continually at war.

Never had I encountered any mention of the Bahai Faith, which proclaimed that the spirit of Jesus and all the other manifestations of God, including Muhammad, had returned in the person of Bahaullah (Arabic for The Glory of God) in 19th-century Persia and was establishing the long-promised kingdom of God on earth.

Accordingly, the world was entangled in a struggle between historical authorities and a universal responsibility to recognize that the world was one country and mankind its citizens under Gods active direction through the revelation of Bahaullah. He had been impoverished, imprisoned and exiled with his family from Tehran, Baghdad, Constantinople and finally to Acre, Palestine, for proclaiming Gods message.

The American Civil War was just the beginning of a century of unimaginable, worldwide violence that would render civilization unable to bear the weight of its ignominious rejection of Gods new world order, which would take a thousand years to fully establish  a blink of an eye in the uncountable millennia our ancestors had traveled. But no childish fantasy was involved.

^pNo priesthood or political party could manage such a sweeping change. Only a world of converted hearts could establish the new harmony and prepare souls for eternal life. But as they changed and realigned with Bahaullahs world order, they would create a spiritual world civilization.

^pI wrote the sponsoring Bahai group in Helena for some brochures and thought about it through April lambing, and tending summer camp at Stemple Pass, when my draft board told me to come in for a physical. I was to serve two years working at the Michigan State Mental Hospital as a conscientious objector.

But after I met a few Helena Bahais and read Bahaullahs Book of Certitude, explaining progressive revelation, I became a Bahai in Great Falls, exactly 23 years after my birth. I changed my status to noncombatant, was drafted into the Army to become a medic and was sent to Vietnam, where I worked off-duty with Vietnamese Bahais and remained after discharge to work in a Vietnamese English school.

In April back then, the Bahais of Thailand asked me to work with them until I returned to the U.S., transformed from a Montana shepherd from the Michigan woods into a world citizen seeking a college degree.
The Wisconsin open enrollment program, which has been in place since 1998, allows Wisconsin families to enroll children in a neighboring school district or public virtual school. In the nearly 20 years since it started, more than 55,000 public school students in Wisconsin have exercised their statutory option to select their public school, even if they do not live in its boundary. The Coulee Region has outstanding public schools, as Coulee Region parents know. Dating back to 2005, thousands of students have taken advantage of open enrollment options by attending public schools of their choice within the Coulee Region. This year, almost 300 students from neighboring districts have open enrolled in to the School District of La Crosse.

Decades ago, leaders in the School District of La Crosse determined that when it comes to educating the children of our community, one size does not fit all. They understood that the goal of education should not be to standardize children. Building on a solid tradition of boundary schools that serve to anchor neighborhoods, the District has concurrently embraced choice through unique academic options, including our Coulee Montessori charter school, 7 Rivers Community High School, School of Technology and the Arts, Health Science Academy, the high school AVID program, the La Crosse Design Institute, the Summit Environmental School, and the North Woods International School, to name a few. Moreover, high school students in the School District of La Crosse have the opportunity to complete many of their course requirements through online learning moderated and supported by our own outstanding teachers.

No matter the circumstances, our entire staff work hard to ensure that every child, every day has a school employee in their life who cares about them. It is common for our staff to extend their workday with students before school, after school, and during lunch periods to build positive relationships, help with school work and improve grades. Our community embraces this commitment as well. As an example, our Health Science Academy, anchored by Gundersen Health Systems and Mayo Clinic Health Systems, is supported by many community volunteers and partners. More than 40 mentors from Gundersens Global Partners work with students in our schools. They eat breakfast with children, ensuring that students are greeted and are positioned to start their academic day well. In the past three years, more than 4,000 community members have registered to volunteer in our schools.

Not everything that should be measured, can be measured. Our internal benchmarking results show that students are making progress. Our academic performance exceeds or falls within state averages on most accounts. We are closing achievement gaps at a slightly higher rate than the state average. Data sets based solely on a test score today reflect little about the overall success of a school. We dont improve performance by testing more. Performance improves by recognizing that when we work together  teachers, students, parents and community  to focus on each child each day, we improve.

School choice is and will continue to be an increasingly dominant part of the states education landscape. Two years ago, our state legislators expanded the Milwaukee voucher program, which began in the early 1990s, to be statewide. In that first year, 59 School District of La Crosse students leveraged a private school voucher. This year, that number dropped to 37. And as we know, close to 75 percent of the students exercising a voucher were already enrolled in the private school when statewide vouchers were introduced.

Public school choice is a valued attribute of the School District of La Crosse. In the years to come, we are planning to expand academy options to include experiences around international business, engineering, manufacturing and teaching. These opportunities not only represent the future experiential needs that will support the workforce of the community, they also provide our students the opportunity every day to immerse themselves in the great diversity of our Coulee Region through the public school experience.
Zombie messages broadcast after Indiana radio station hack

Imagine an Orwellian world when you are driving and suddenly the Big Brother relays a message on the radio for all citizens of the world that they should remain indoors as conceived in 1984, a dystopian novel published in 1949 by English author George Orwell. 1984 is said to have created such a hype about Big Brother that people really come on roads fearing an attack. That was fiction and what happened in Indiana is a reality. A radio station in Indiana suddenly started broadcasting messages of a coming Zombie Apocalypse causing a mild panic among the listeners.

Around 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, an Indiana-based radio station WZZY, 98.3, was releasing emergency bulletins relating to a health emergency surrounding a disease outbreak, diseased bodies, and zombies, according to the Randolph County Sheriffs Department.

The radio station was apparently hacked by some unknown hackers who went on to run the Zombie Apocalypse tapes. The matter was immediately reported to the local Sherriff. It was confirmed that the radio station firewall was breached and a hack of the stations broadcasting system occurred, the sheriffs department said in a prepared statement, adding that WZZYs sister station was also issuing similar alerts. The stations were taken off the air to control the incident until the hack could be brought under control.

The hackers have not been identified but the radio station has been stopped from making any further broadcasts till the hack is investigated.

Both Randolph County Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Randolph County Sheriffs Department are investigating after a radio stations emergency alert system was hacked and zombie emergency bulletins were broadcast over the airwaves.
How to hide your IP address using a VPN and browse the Internet privately

The Internet is the backbone of all things we do today. Without the Internet, we cant use social media tools, conduct online banking transactions, chat with our near and dear ones, send and receive messages. In fact, we cannot do anything without the Internet. The Internet comes with some distinct disadvantages as well. One of them is Internet censorship. Blocking websites is the favorite game of governments. is something which almost all of us, no matter where we live, encounter in one form or the other. Social networking or video sharing sites like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are

Internet censorship is something which almost all of us, no matter where we live, encounter in one form or the other. Social networking or video sharing sites like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are usually blocked in offices. Some sites, like Kodi, Hulu, Netflix, Pandora, are country specific. Countries like China ban websites on the whims and fancies of their generals.

Even if you can visit the sites mentioned above using certain workarounds or tools, your school/company or ISP may record your recent activities, something you might not want. The other way to beat the censorship is to use online web proxies too, but many of them are of unknown origin and hence you cannot ensure complete privacy.

So how do you hide your IP address from the prying eyes of authorities and hackers and securely surf the web anonymously? VPN is probably the only best and ultimate solution to bypassing internet censorship in a secure way.

Using a VPN lets you hide your IP address from the prying eyes of the government authorities as well as the growing number of hackers and cyber criminals. It lets you beat the censorship and blockages to popular websites like The Pirate Bay, KickassTorrents, ExtraTorrents and thousands of NSFW websites.

Using the right VPN service makes a big difference to beating the censorship and browsing anonymously. LiquidVPN is one such VPN service which gives you total privacy while surfing.

Some of LiquidVPN softwares unique features include

Liquid Lock  Protect your identity if your VPN connection fails.

Automatic DNS/Data Leak Protection  Blocks unwanted apps from leaking your real information.

IPv6 Control  Disable IPv6 when connected to LiquidVPN

Session Traffic Statistics  Find out how fast your P2P VPN connection is transferring using the real-time HUD.

Custom Connections  Connect to all of LiquidVPN topologies with a few clicks.

Built-In Firewall  Block things like the WebRTC vulnerability with built in VPN firewall.

Thus, you will find that using a VPN is great for Kodi even if you are outside the United States. Same is the case when you are in a limited or censored network and using a VPN to connect to that network.LiquidVPN has many great features all bundled into one, that no other VPN providers offer to date LiquidVPN is great if you want to scramble across multiple IP addresses without having to reconnect and disconnect various times. LiquidVPN also has a very good TOS that ensures no logging is begin done, and that your connections remain secure.
As the worlds biggest mining convention gets underway in Toronto this week, Alexandra Horwood puts on her heels and starts digging.

The annual Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada event draws more than 20,000 mining-industry types from around the world who are looking for the next big thing in gold, nickel, copper and platinum.

As director of wealth management and a portfolio manager at Richardson GMP, Horwood is prospecting for her own gold, namely new clients. Over the last few years, she has carved out a niche managing miners money, particularly executives of resource firms who need help with their personal finances.

The investment expert says she first got invites in 2011 to hospitality suites at the massive networking event. I thought the people I was meeting were hysterical because theyre just really outgoing and fun, says Horwood, 29, recalling the tall tales she was told over a few beverages.

The convention draws people from all walks of the mineral exploration business, from the folks who stake claims in the bush to bankers, investors, geoscientists and executives from more than 100 countries, with Toronto renowned as the mining business capital of the world.

The next morning, I followed up with everyone I had met and offered them to come meet with us to look at their financials, she says with a smile.

While the resource game is an international business, its also a small world, so she naturally got more clients through word-of-mouth. Then she decided to drill deeper, and three years ago she bought a booth amid the 1,000 other exhibitors on the convention floor.

Shes says its the best $4,000 shes ever spent. Now, more than half of her client roster includes resource-company executives with portfolios averaging $900,000.

The cyclical mining industry has been struggling through a downturn in recent years and many mining executives  who are typically invested heavily in resource stocks  have seen their liquid net worth plummet, she notes.

Many have made millions and lost it all, made millions and lost it again. I make sure that when they make it, we sell what we can and diversify completely out of mining (except for company stock), so that they can preserve capital and grow their wealth, and (are) not living off welfare when they retire, she explains.

Horwood said that shes surprised at how many people in the mining business tell her they are diversified investors, and they have 10 different junior gold stocks.

Miners also often travel to dangerous countries as a natural part of the business, so they have specialized financial needs.

Youd think that people who are flying to god-knows-where every other week would have a will and insurance. Seventy-five per cent of (her clients) did not have a will or any life insurance, and they are between 45 and 65 years old, she says.

Horwood  who gave birth to her first child Mason last November  has come a long way in a short time at Richardson GMP, starting out as an assistant to her parents, who are longtime wealth managers, to become the youngest director at the firm in less than five years. Now she has her own team and handles about 100 high-net-worth clients and their families, the majority of which are in the mining game.

I worked my butt off building my business. It is such a grind at the beginning but I love it, she says, tending to Mason as she continues to work out of her home office since having the baby three and a half months ago.

She was working from her hospital bed after she gave birth, says her friend Ian Ball, chief executive of mining firm Abitibi Royalties Inc.

Horwood is back at the booth this week, seven hours a day through Wednesday with her associate Ghinel Bozek, making their golden opportunity pitch to prospective clients and touching base with current ones, who travel a lot and are rarely in the same place at the same time like they are this week.

Every year, we get a few new clients who are colleagues of existing clients. Theyre all families. As a woman, I think its very important that both spouses are involved and have a say in whats going on with their finances. Wives and mothers have very different goals from husbands and fathers, Horwood notes.

Her business is fee-based, and most of her accounts are discretionary, meaning she is authorized to make investment decision on her clients behalf, which works well in the industry since they dont have to sign off on every investment decision when theyre in the depths of a mine in Ecuador.

One thing I love about mining executives is they are so fast to get back to me; they organize, they delegate, theyre fun, they have a lot of risks because of their job, so theyre more assertive investors. They just know they need help.

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NEW YORKPrime Minister Justin Trudeau is heading to Manhattan this month to check out Canadas latest Broadway hit, Come From Away.

Trudeau tweeted Saturday that he has two tickets to see the musical set in a remote East Coast town in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Created by Canadian husband-and-wife duo Irene Sankoff and David Hein, the play is centred on Gander, N.L., where residents provided refuge to passengers and crew on 38 planes that were diverted when U.S. air space was following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Read more:How Come From Away made it to Broadway

The prime minister says hes looking forward to showing New Yorkers Canada at its best.

The production debuted on The Great White Way in New York City last month after generating critical buzz at earlier showcases in La Jolla, Calif., Washington, D.C., Seattle and Toronto.

Trudeau says he and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau will attend the show on March 15.

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Shorter attention spans (thanks, Internet) have made stories and essays more popular than ever. Here are five new collections.

Virgin and Other Stories, April Ayers Lawson

Virgin, the title story in April Ayers Lawsons fiction debut was shortlisted for the prestigious small-press Pushcart Prize and won The Paris Reviews Plimpton Prize, and its easy to see why: Jake and Sheila are an odd couple  he raised by a man-crazy mum, she by fundamental Christian parents. Even after they marry, Sheila isnt interested in sex with him, or possibly anyone. So why is he so suspicious about her activities? The five stories are situated in the American South, where that old-time religion collides with the modern world.

Where the Truth Lies, Rudy Wiebe

These 21 essays and speeches by Rudy Wiebe  written and spoken over the course of 40 years  is the 13th volume in NeWest Pres ss The Writer as Critic Series. It should find a permanent place on the bookshelves of the Western writers fans and indeed anyone curious about the terminal disease he calls Writeritis. The collection is divided into three sections Writing a Lifetime, Place is a Story and Where I Live. Recurring themes include the great open spaces that comprise Canada, aboriginal cultures innate wisdom and, of course, Wiebe lets us into the tent where creativity dwells.

Teardown, Clea Young

The titles of Clea Youngs stories often turn on ambiguity. In the title story, the teardown is the rental awaiting demolition where a young couple is living, but it also refers to the temporarily shaky structure of their marriage while awaiting the birth of their first child. Split, the second story, can refer to Tovas split left nipple or it could be the ambivalence she feels about becoming a mother. Three of Youngs engaging stories were published in several editions of the Journey Prize Stories anthologies, featuring the years best Canadian short fiction by emerging writers.

Signals, Tim Gautreaux

In the first story, Idols, a 63-year-old typewriter repairman inherits his aunts crumbling mansion; in the second, Attitude Adjustment, a young Catholic priest, disfigured and brain-damaged after his car collided with a moving train, continues his vocation as best he can; in the third, Sorry Blood, a befuddled old man gets lost in the Walmart parking lot and is kidnapped by a low-life who claims to be his son. You get the drift: Louisiana writer Gautreaux (author of three novels and three collections) invents interesting characters and plunks them down in uneasy situations.

All the Lives I Want: Essays About My Best Friends Who Happen to be Famous Strangers, Alana Massey

Alana Masseys book of essays  all revealing truth through the lens of celebrity culture  begins with the assertion that each of us is either a Gwyneth (a life so sufficiently figured out as to be both enviable and mundane) or a Winona (a messy but somehow more authentic life that is at once exciting and a little bit sad), then explains the limitations of that construct. The titles of her 15 essays hint at their smartness and wit, among them: The Queen of Hearts: An Alternative Account of the Life and Crimes of Courtney Love; Public Figures: Britneys Body is Everybodys; Emparadised: On Joan Didion and Personal Mythology as Survival. Fun for all ages.

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NEW YORKOn Friday night, Lee MacDougall stepped into an icy wind just outside the Schoenfeld Theatre, having just finished a boisterous preview performance of Come From Away, the feel-good musical about the uncommon hospitality of Gander, N.L., when it suddenly welcomed nearly 7,000 airplane passengers diverted there after the Sept. 11 attacks on New York in 2001.

MacDougall, who plays Nick, an uptight Brit who finds his soulmate there, was greeted with cheers by a hundred or so fans, and a question.

Does that happen every night? asked Bob Kay, who had travelled with his family from New Hampshire to see the show. He was talking about the standing ovation, an exuberant, extended affair egged on by a Newfoundland musical jamboree.

Yup. It does, shrugged MacDougall, almost a little sheepish. Never gets old, let me tell you.

Kay, who had seen the show on Tuesday as well, could confirm. That night, the audience would start spontaneously clapping mid-performance, Kay said. It made some of it hard to hear.

Ahead of the Broadway debut of "Come From Away," the musical's cast and creators recounted where they were on Sept. 11. Co-creator David Hein says his cousin was in the World Trade Center during the attacks.

As debuts go, Come From Aways has been a long one. But two years of tours, tests and previews have finally landed it here: On Broadway, and the early signs are good. Sold-out previews, standing ovations, and throngs of fans waiting outside, wanting to talk. But theres some anxiety, too.

Im sure there are some people here who arent ready to see this, said Irene Sankoff, who wrote the show with her husband, David Hein. There might be some people who are never ready, and thats fair enough.

When the show first arrived in New York, they made an appeal: For the initial preview performance in February, they invited emergency first responders, their families, survivors and the Fire Department of New York.

It was a terribly nervous moment, Sankoff said. The next day, they received a package: Dozens of FDNY hats, and a thank you.

They said it felt like a tribute to the people they had lost, and that we were part of their family now, Hein said.

Sankoff nodded. I keep reminding myself: They didnt have to do that, she said. They wanted to. And that feels so good.

Earlier in the week, Hein and Sankoff were holed up in the Schoenfeld, a century-old Broadway playhouse with gilded trim and cool blue walls, going over changes for the nights performance. A lumpy package wrapped in brown paper was waiting for Sankoff there, postmarked from Newfoundland. She tore through layers of unwieldy tape to finally extract a pair of things: A tiny painting of a rocky shoreline, and a pin cushion, hand-embroidered, with the logo that has come to define the universe that she and Hein have lived in the past four years.

Come From Away, it read, in familiar blue and gold, a little globe rendered in tight, soft tufts.

Awww, giggled Sankoff, holding it up for Hein, who laughed. Its a lot better than more cat soap, a fan favourite care package she receives a little too often. (People know I have cats, she shrugs.)

If Toronto  where their two cats are being cared for by friends  is their first home, then Gander, where the couple and writing team spent weeks in 2011 collecting stories of locals and arrivals to eventually write Come From Away, is surely their second.

With any luck, New York will be their third. After two weeks of previews here, with Sankoff and Hein smoothing and tweaking day by day, the show was locked Friday night: No more changes, a finished product for the world to see, and critics to judge, this week.

Come From Away has defied convention, and odds, since the beginning. An uproariously funny musical about one of the most devastating moments in recent history is nothing if not unorthodox. At the same time, its remarkable poise  gravity amid the merriment, a story of humanitys best impulses rising to meet its worst  has left a wake of acclaim.

In the fall, two charity shows in Gander were explosive, feel-good affairs.

We went there to get the OK  we wanted them to be proud of it, and give us permission to tell their story, says Caesar Samayoa, one of the cast. I still get goosebumps thinking about it.

During its recent eight-week Toronto run, people camped out overnight for its final performances. Some saw it a half-dozen times or more.

All in, the show grossed almost $10 million in its short run  enough for Mirvish Productions, its Toronto host, to bring it back next January for an unlimited engagement. It will run as long as audiences want it, said Mirvishs John Karastamatis. We estimate a minimum of one year.

Still, New York is a famously tougher crowd. More than a dozen new musicals open this season, competing for audience.

In the theatre it feels very safe, and were just continuing to make it better and better and stronger and stronger, Hein says. And then you walk outside and youre like oh my God  its Broadway!

The modest production might seem a tough sell next to, say, musical adaptations of Groundhog Day, Amelie and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, all opening this month. And some theatregoers may be unwilling to see a show, however hopeful, that unearths such painful memories.

Come From Away has been through this before, at every stage of its journey. When it began development at Sheridan Colleges Canadian Music Theatre Project more than four years ago, it was with a delicate sense of respect for the emotions it would inevitably touch.

Were very sensitive about using trigger words  we dont say World Trade Center, for example, until the very end. We wanted to create a safe space, Hein says.

As embraced as it has been so far, Sue Frost knows these are early days.

You just never know. You really dont, Frost sighed, just before a sold-out matinee preview performance last Wednesday. Frost, one of the producers with Junkyard Dog, which brought the show here, is a Broadway veteran with enviable laurels to her credit. In 2010, Junkyard Dog won a Tony Award for Memphis for best musical of the year.

Come From Away is a different sort of gamble, one thats taking on new resonance that a few years ago would have been impossible to predict.

Suddenly, this joyous musical seems like a big-hearted Canadian antidote to President Donald Trumps divisive leadership, opening just three weeks after his proposed travel ban on visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

In one powerful scene set in a church, a man sings Make Me a Channel of Your Peace, a Catholic hymn (Where there is hatred/let me bring your love, he sings). Hes joined by an Orthodox rabbi, singing a prayer in Hebrew, and a Muslim, kneeling on his mat for his daily prayers. By songs end, they all share the stage in perfect harmony.

The shows sudden timeliness introduces, for Frost, a new dilemma. The very thing you think  Well its such a great opportunity to have a good story at a bad time  someone else might see it as opportunistic, she sighs. You just dont know.

What they do know is something a little easier to see. The other actor in this is really the audience. We speak directly to them, says Samayoa. Youll often see people afterwards, just crying.

The characters he plays  one half of a gay couple both named Kevin (it was cute for a while, quips the other Kevin at one point) and, critically, Ali, an Egyptian Muslim traveling alone, who is shunned and subject to suspicion and a brutal search  have meant experiences far outside the usual actor-fan encounter.

I feel a huge responsibility to do it right, he says. After every performance, people throng the stage door, waiting for the actors to emerge. Some of them had seen three or four previews, he says.

Its not an autograph and a handshake  they really want to tell you: You showed my story up there. You showed it, he says. And its OK, because we need to talk, too. Its like nothing else Ive ever experienced. 

Come From Away has had practice treading softly, even in this fraught terrain. The show went to Washington, D.C., for a brief run on the 15th anniversary of the attacks, in September of last year.

It allowed us to see, in a town that was also directly attacked, Does that change how an audience watches our show? said director Christopher Ashley.

And there were definitely tonalities and nuances that we adjusted to try to take care of people who were directly affected. There were a couple of jokes we cut along the way. We decided those are great jokes, but maybe not right now.

A new layer of tough political reality hasnt meant specific changes, but a deeper sense of pride. Whenever you do a show, I think the audience brings in the lens of whatever is happening at that moment, Ashley says.

I think were all very glad to be telling a story right now about generosity to strangers, and what its like to take care of each other.

The sudden political shift caught the production off guard, as it did almost everyone else. When Trump won, defying the polls, the show was in the midst of its Toronto run. Arriving in New York has given it an added a layer of urgency.

The show was not written at a time that we knew we would be coming into this political environment  even though it feels like it was, Samayoa says. This notion of helping somebody in need rather than choosing fear  its always been a part of the show, but now it feels like its our driving force, every night.

For Sankoff and Hein, its a homecoming in more ways than they expected. In 2001, the couple lived on the Upper West Side in International House, a residence for international graduate students. Sankoff was completing her masters, while Hein worked for her uncle, who ran a studio that made music for Disney productions and the Muppets.

The day of the attacks, they huddled with dozens of students from all over the world, cobbling community from what was at hand to ward off the fear. It was, in many ways, a catalyst for what Come From Away eventually became: A gently urgent plea for hope amid despair, for unity and kindness in the hardest of moments.

If now feels a little like then, then maybe Come From Away is exactly where it is meant to be.

We have this memory  we were so good to each other and we want to remember how inspiring that was, Hein says. Theres never a bad time to talk about these things and tell a good story.

But it feels like right now its important to tell a story about coming together. Whether it was the people coming off the planes, or the people who welcomed them, there was a benefit from the kindness for both sides. That seems like something worth remembering.

On Friday night, the show locked and ready for the critics, the cast barreled through a performance  laughs hitting hard, and loud, right where they needed to  that landed firmly in a standing ovation, the crowd cheering and clapping along to a Newfoundland musical jam and two curtain calls.

As the crowd started to filter out, Mindy Davis, a New Yorker, let go an enormous sigh.

I had no idea what to expect, she said, eyes wide. All I knew was that this was the 9/11 musical. I had friends who had seen it three times already who told me, Dont listen to the album. They didnt want to ruin it for me. But its amazing. It takes you back, but its also right here. Its just so relevant right now.

As cast members emerged from the stage door one by one, to cheers each time, they chatted amiably with fans and signed autographs. Samayoa, wading through the crowd, arrived to greet a young Indian man who had been to the show several times before. He gives him a hug, tells him he looks forward to seeing him again (See? I told you, Samayoa says).

As the cast works its way through the crowd  chatty, unhurried, happy to be there  small groups linger despite the cold. It needs to run forever, because its so relatable, said Natalie Szczerba a New Yorker. Its totally universal.

Rebecca Schafer, one of her friends, still seemed a little shell shocked. And how relevant is it right now? she said. I mean, we have a travel ban. How important is it to know, right now, that people can be kind to each other and show their best instead of their worst?

Dana Cullinane, a friend in her group, agreed. I didnt know anything about it, but I had friends who had seen it and said it was life-changing, she said, nodding quickly. They were right.

Come From Away is in previews until Saturday, March 11, and opens Sunday, March 12, at Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 West 45th St., in New York. For tickets see www.comefromaway.com

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Saturday Night Live took a departure with its cold open this week, taking us out of the Trump White House  and into the universe of the 1994 movie Forrest Gump. Instead of Tom Hanks, it was Attorney General Jeff Sessions (Kate McKinnon) at the bus stop, eating chocolates and confiding in strangers about a rather momentous week.

Im the attorney general of the whole United States, Sessions said, introducing himself to a woman (Leslie Jones) in Gumps pronounced Southern drawl. He shook my hand like this, Sessions added, before imitating President Donald Trumps forceful (and oft-discussed) handshake.

Being in the government is so fun, Sessions continued, eventually pulling out a photo of his best good friend Kellyanne. The photo, of course, was the image of White House adviser Kellyanne Conway kneeling on a couch in the Oval Office during Trumps meeting this week with representatives from historically black colleges and universities. She aint got no legs.

The sketch managed to reference several of the weeks most prominent headlines, while also closely mirroring the dialogue from Robert Zemeckis Oscar-winning film. In Forrest Gump, the protagonist noted that his friend and commanding Army officer, Lieutenant Dan, had no legs  the result of an injury suffered during the Vietnam War.

The sketch also riffed on Gumps most famous line, with Sessions noting: I always say life is like a box of chocolates. Sure are a lot of brown ones in there.

The bus came, and another stranger sat next to Sessions on the bench. It was time to address the controversy surrounding revelations by The Washington Post that the attorney general had spoken twice last year with Russias ambassador to the United States but neglected to disclose those discussions during his confirmation hearing.

I was on the cover of the New York Times. You wanna see? Sessions asked.

It says you might have committed perjury, the stranger said.

Yeah, I had a bad week. Started out real good, Sessions said recalling Trumps address to a joint session of Congress. He continued:

The president made a great speech. Folks were thrilled on account of it was real words in a row for a whole hour. We was all as happy as a monkey with a peanut machine. Then I want to bed. I got 800 messages and phone alerts, saying I was a sneaky little liar. I didnt know what to do. So my lawyer said: Run, Jeffrey, run! I started running and running. I ended all the way sitting at this bus stop with you.

After telling yet another stranger that he had to prove that he had no ties to the Russians whatsoever, Russian President Vladimir Putin (a once-again shirtless Beck Bennett) popped up to say, simply, This meeting never happened.

A familiar face followed. It was SNL host Octavia Spencer, reprising her Oscar-winning role as Minny Jackson in The Help. After asking if Sessions was indeed the one whom Coretta Scott King wrote a letter about back in 1986, she introduced herself. Im Minny. You dont know me. Im from a different movie. She then gave him a pie that was immediately familiar to anyone who has seen the 2011 film, adapted from the novel by Kathryn Stockett.

Its presented as a chocolate pie but contains a special ingredient, adding new meaning to the phrase You never know what youre gonna get.

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More than 1,000 people participated in a counterdemonstration at Toronto City Hall Saturday against a March for Freedom, Liberty and Justice, organized by the Canadian Coalition of Concerned Citizens (CCCC).

The CCCC marched against M-103, a parliamentary motion that commits the Legislature to fight against hatred, discrimination and prejudices, particularly against Muslims. The group believes the motion will put a chill on free speech.

An Ontario Liberal backbencher, Iqra Khalid, brought forward the M-103 motion in Parliament last year. The Opposition tried to pass an amendment last month removing the word Islamophobia from the motion, but the Liberals used their majority to block the effort.

A similar anti-Islamophobia motion received unanimous support at Queens Park last week.

The #PracticeSolidarity crowd showed up an hour ahead of the CCCCs march, condemning the groups hate speech and calling on the federal government and MPs to condemn those who advocate hatred based on race, religion and gender.

The people that came to demonstrate against the CCCC march outnumbered the CCCC demonstrators by about 30 to one.

Sgt. Mike Dicosola, of the Toronto police, said he estimated the crowd at 1,500 people. He said that 60 officers were called in to keep the peace.

The police made three arrests. One person was released, one arrest was for a warrant unrelated to the event and police had no details on the other by press time.

Barbara Edwards, who helped organize the protest against M-103, declined to speak to the Red Star, but Jon Hammond, the Facebook administrator of the CCCC, said that M103 is a gateway drug for the Muslim Brotherhood ... Next, it becomes a bill, then it becomes a law and then were a communist country.

Walied Khogali, with the Coalition Against White Supremacy and Islamophobia said those claiming this clash was about freedom of speech are being intellectually dishonest.

We live in the most multicultural city in the world. This is downtown Toronto, so folks who think its appropriate to come and promote hate outside of City Hall have something else coming, he said. Were going to be vigilant and mobilize against people who promote hate every time.

This is not the first spontaneous counter protest to happen in Toronto.

On Feb. 17, several groups held an anti-Muslim protest outside the Masjid Toronto mosque, an event investigated by police. Around 30 Toronto citizens came out to support the Muslim community on that occasion.

A similar demonstration and counterdemonstration took place Saturday in Montreal.

With files from Brennan Doherty and The Canadian PressCorrection  May 11, 2017: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said Never Again Canada was one of the groups that held an anti-Muslim protest outside the Masjid Toronto Mosque on Feb. 17.

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Advocacy groups are hoping the law criminalizing HIV non-disclosure in Canada will change after a meeting between Ottawa and the provinces in the spring.

Under Canadian law, people with HIV are required to disclose their health status to their partner before engaging in sexual activity. Those who dont can be charged with aggravated sexual assault, whether or not HIV is actually transmitted, and face a maximum sentence of life in prison as well as permanent status as a registered sex offender.

Criminalizing non-disclosure only compounds the marginalization and fear in the lives of people living with HIV, advocacy groups say.

This is a really important issue. The federal government has made a commitment to review the way our justice system handles HIV-related cases. And thats something that we fully support and welcome, Emilie Smith, a spokesperson with the Ministry of the Attorney General, told the Star in an email.

Ontario is currently working with the federal government on this review  so that work has already started.

The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that a person with HIV can only keep their condition from a partner if they have a low viral load  the number of HIV virus particles in a millilitre of blood  and use a condom.

Advocates argue the law does not take into account science that says that as long as a person has an undetectable viral load, risk of transmission is practically zero, even if the person did not use a condom.

The Canadian medical community has also weighed in. In 2014, more than 70 national AIDS doctors and HIV researchers released a statement expressing concern for the Supreme Courts approach to nondisclosure as a poor appreciation of the science related to HIV contribut(ing) to an overly broad use of the criminal law.

Internationally, the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the Global Commission on HIV and the Law both urged governments to limit the use of criminal law to cases of intentional transmission of the virus.

For advocates calling on lawmakers to catch up with science and reconsider its laws on HIV criminalization, the meeting between the federal government and the provinces cannot come soon enough.

In a 2013 report on the criminalization of non-disclosure and recommendations for police, the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario underlined the significant scientific consensus on certain key issues as it relates to the virus.

For over a decade, HIV has been medically understood as a chronic, manageable infection, it reads, noting a low or undetectable viral load  usually the result of effective antiretroviral drug treatment  reduces the risks of HIV transmission through sex to a point where the risk of transmission is negligible.

The prosecutions are unfortunately having an impact on the most vulnerable people living with HIV, said Ryan Peck, the legal clinics executive director.

Theres also the issue that the current approach to criminal law is impacting peoples decisions to test for HIV in the first place  the current use providing a disincentive to get tested.

There is a deep fear that what people say to their health-care providers and public health authorities will end up in a court case against them.

Last month, a protest was held outside the ministrys office to protest the overly broad and unjust charges relative to HIV disclosure.

Ontario leads in the number of people charged with HIV status non-disclosure and 180 people have been charged across the country, Jonathan Valelly of Queers Crash the Beat said at the protest.

The protesters were calling for a moratorium on all HIV non-disclosure cases currently before the courts.

This issue is just not that cut-and-dry. These cases are highly complex, and no two cases are exactly alike, said Smith, the attorney-general spokesperson.

What needs to happen and what is happening, is a conversation that looks at the law, how it is being applied as well as our understanding of HIV. We agree that a review is needed and the federal government has committed to look at the current law critically to see if there are changes to the Criminal Code that need to be made.

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For the past 13 years, Michael has used fentanyl.

At 54, Michael is not an addict, nor does he sell the drug. Rather, it was prescribed to him to treat his chronic pain, which results from a neurological disorder called cervical dystonia.

Until January, he was prescribed two 100-microgram fentanyl transdermal patches, totalling a 200-microgram dosage at a time.

But last July, Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins announced that starting in January the provinces public drug plans would no longer pay for high doses of fentanyl, along with other opioids, in an effort to curb overdoses.

Fentanyl patches of 75 micrograms or higher were among those delisted from Ontario Drug Benefit Program funding.

For patients like Michael, whose last name the Star is not revealing for privacy reasons, this means they are forced to either find alternatives or possibly pay for their medication out of pocket.

Theyre putting me in a group with these drug addicts, he said. What theyre doing is theyre putting me, because I have a neurological disorder and Im in pain, with a group of people that are either selling these things or participating in illegal activity.

Fentanyl, a powerful painkiller about 80 times stronger than morphine, has been connected to a surge of deaths among intravenous drug users. There were at least 374 overdose deaths involving the drug last year in B.C.

In a statement to the Star, Hoskins said the changes were made following extensive discussions with clinical experts in pain, addiction, palliative care, clinical pharmacology, internal medicine, family practice, and pharmacy.

The decision to delist high-strength, long-acting opioids from the formulary is an important first step limiting high opioid doses, which are frequently associated with an increased risk of death from overdose, and will support improvement in the quality of care for patients with chronic pain, Hoskins stated.

The best advice from clinical experts has suggested that these changes will improve patient safety and patient outcomes with respect to pain management.

Michael said the drug has been of immense help to him since he was diagnosed more than 25 years ago.

The disorder causes his neck muscles to contract involuntarily, causing his head to be pulled to his left side and onto his shoulder. Doctors prescribed Botox injections at the time to stop the pain.

But 13 years later, the injections became ineffective after he wound up in hospital with congestive heart failure. Doctors tried a range of painkillers from Tylenol to morphine, but nothing worked as well as fentanyl.

I wasnt told anything about what youre hearing today, he said. Back then, you wouldnt hear anything about fentanyl.

One in every five Canadian adults lives with chronic pain, and of those, nearly half might be prescribed an opioid, said Western University physiotherapist Dave Walton.

Theyre prescribed them because they need them, Walton said. While addiction is a tragedy when it occurs, the story that I think some of the public are getting is that everyone who takes opioids is an addict, which is clearly not the case.

He said that by defunding high-dose opioids, Ontarios decision will impact not just those who abuse fentanyl, but those who need it for medical reasons.

The Ontario government has essentially sort of decided theyre just going to draw a line in the sand, Walton said.

The governments announcement last summer noted that it gave patients more than six months notice prior to implementation to consult their doctors about alternatives.

But Walton said the guidelines didnt provide clear guidance on what effective alternatives exist. This leaves people who cant afford to pay for the same dosage they had been receiving previously in a tough position.

My concern here is we end up trading one public health crisis for another, he said. That becomes untreated chronic pain, suffering, potentially depression, and in some tragic cases, I hope Im wrong, frankly, suicide. Unfortunately we know thats not uncommon among people with chronic pain.

Hoskins stated the province will continue to fund lower-strength, long-acting opioids, which patients may continue to use instead of higher doses. An exemption was also created that in some circumstances allows access to high-strength opioids for palliative patients.

From April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016, there were approximately 5,500 patients who received Ontario Drug Benefit funding for at least one prescription of a 100-microgram fentanyl patch.

Dr. David Juurlink, head of clinical pharmacology and toxicology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, said a gradual tapering of the fentanyl dosage is the best strategy for patients forced to switch to a lower dose.

With rare exception, opioids at those doses are rarely advisable and rarely in the best interests of patients, said Juurlink. We know very clearly that the harms of opioids increase as the dose goes up and we know that the same thing is not true of the benefits of opioids.

He said patients can quickly grow dependent on the drug, and if the dose they receive is cut too abruptly, they will suffer from opioid withdrawal.

There is very little reason why a doctor should have a patient on a 100-microgram patch of fentanyl for chronic pain, Juurlink said. Doses of this magnitude are very often needed simply because youve been on them, not because theyre helping you.

After the provinces new guidelines kicked in, Michael was instead prescribed four 50-microgram fentanyl patches to wear at a time. This equals the 200-microgram dosage Michael needs, but he said its more costly to taxpayers.

He also feels the change was redundant because of Ontarios Patch-For-Patch program. The legislation, passed in 2015, aims to combat drug abuse by requiring patients who receive a fentanyl prescription to return their used patches to a pharmacy before receiving new ones.

The way I look at it, the problems fixed, Michael said. Its difficult for me to see anyone saying anything bad about this because Im doing so well. Im pain-free, Im happy. Chronic pain is not something you want to go through.

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Gov. Scott Walkers budget proposal was big on money for K-12 education  to the tune of more than $600 million over two years  but light on anything that might assist in expanding education options for Wisconsin families. Fortunately, the governor isnt the only one with a say on this matter. A day after Walkers budget address, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said lifting the caps on enrollment for the statewide school voucher program, Wisconsin Parental Choice Program, was absolutely something the Senate GOP would take a look at.

This is promising news. The current enrollment caps placed on the WPCP are arbitrarily hindering growth and shutting the school house door on La Crosse families looking for education options.

Public schools at the La Crosse School District are failing their most vulnerable students  those from economically disadvantaged and minority backgrounds. Only 25 percent of students from low-income families are proficient in English. A staggeringly low 11 percent of African-American students are proficient in English. Even among the general student population, proficiency rates in these subjects are only in the high 30s. These problems are not unique to public schools in La Crosse, but it is painfully obvious that something else needs to be tried.

Fortunately, there is a solution. The Wisconsin Parental Choice Program allows certain families to use a state-funded voucher to send their child to a private school of their choosing. This gives alternatives to the traditional education system that the evidence shows produce better results for students  and we dont even have to look outside of Wisconsin for the evidence of this. The school choice program in Milwaukee has been quite beneficial in improving the educational outcomes for some of the poorest kids in the city. Academic studies have shown that students in choice schools are more likely to graduate have higher test scores, and are less likely to become involved in criminal activity. The success has led to rapid growth in the program, with more than 27,000 students enrolled during the previous school year.

These benefits could be realized in La Crosse, too. But only if the Legislature unshackles the program from arbitrary rules and caps meant to hinder its growth.

According to state law, in La Crosse, enrollment in the Wisconsin choice program is limited to 2 percent of enrollment at the La Crosse Public Schools  or about 135 kids for the upcoming school year. These caps are only slated to increase by 1 percent a year for the next 10 years before finally being removed after that 10th year. Even at this point, only about 680 economically disadvantaged students would be able to participate. Income limits at 185 percent of the federal poverty line (approximately $45,263 for a family of four) mean that middle-class families are left out of the WPCP all together.

Growth is further stunted by artificial limitations on when students can enter the program (Kindergarten for 4- and 5-year-olds, 1st and 9th grade). Such slow expansion stymies the ability for the choice sector to flourish like it has in Milwaukee and other parts of the country. Schools that might open to serve students in the choice program are unable to do so because they simply would not be able to serve a large enough group of students to be viable.

This should be an easy call for Republican legislators. If they want to increase funding for K-12 education, something that has been documented to have little to no effect on education outcomes, they ought to at least consider lifting the caps and income limits on a program that does have a track record of improving outcomes for students. Better yet, increasing enrollment in the WPCP will result in an overall savings to the state, due to the cheaper voucher cost, and more money per student at public schools.

Whats not to like?
When CBCs Marketplace tested the chicken sandwiches at several fast-food restaurants last week, they got a surprising result from a Subway sandwich.

Customers may have thought they were eating fresh, as the companys slogan goes. But the meat they were eating was only approximately 50 per cent chicken, according to the DNA researcher who analyzed it.

The sandwich chains results were an outlier: Other fast food chains, such as McDonalds, were found to have 80 per cent or more chicken in their samples (seasonings account for the less-than-100-per cent results).

Read more:Subway cries fowl after CBC report on chicken

And thats how Subway became the latest company to be labelled with one of the most pithy and withering insults of food service: mystery meat.

It has long been a slur thrown at cafeteria lunch ladies serving trays of gelatinous, over-sauced meat of questionable provenance.

It has also been slung at Spam, the processed cans of meats that urban legend alleged was an acronym for Spare Parts of Animal Meat or Scientifically Processed Animal Matter. (Spiced Ham was actually named Spam in a company contest, inventor Jay Hormel told the New Yorker in 1945.)

There were the Ikea meatballs that turned out to be horse. Neigh it aint so, tweeted the Australian columnist Martin McKenzie-Murray.

One study of hotdogs found human DNA in 2 per cent of hotdogs (hey, Soylent Green was mystery meat, too).

OK, so the human DNA was from poor hygiene, not actual human flesh  though this fact should not exactly reassure you. And the hotdog test found off-label meats, such as pork and chicken, in the mix, too.

Then there was the pink slime scandal, amplified by a 2012 ABC report that found an unappealing mixture of chemically treated cartilage and scrap meat treated with ammonia that went into ground beef sold in grocery stores and used as an ingredient at fast-food restaurants.

The moniker pink slime and the ensuing outcry led to lawsuits and the closure of some meat processing facilities. It was a great day to work at PETA.

The other 50 per cent of Subways chicken isnt such a mystery, actually. The DNA analysis pegged it as soy, which can be used to moisten meat. Subway has denied the CBCs report and has called for a retraction.

The stunningly flawed test by Marketplace is a tremendous disservice to our customers, said Suzanne Greco, Subway president and chief executive, in a statement issued Wednesday night. The allegation that our chicken is only 50 per cent chicken is 100 per cent wrong.

Our chicken is made with 100 per cent chicken + spices and marinade. The findings as reported on the show are wildly inaccurate.

On Wednesday, Subway fired back with its own analysis, for which the company hired two independent research laboratories.

Subway says they found the plant protein was less than 10 parts per million, or below 1 per cent of the sample. The CBC issued a statement standing by its report.

So, get ready for some public relations gymnastics, which the company will have to perform to shake the mystery meat label.

Subway has a good chance of recovering: Were still buying Ikea meatballs and hotdogs, after all.

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Kids adore their new robot siblings.

As millions of American families buy robotic voice assistants to turn off lights, order pizzas and fetch movie times, children are eagerly co-opting the gadgets to settle dinner table disputes, answer homework questions and entertain friends at sleepover parties.

Many parents have been startled and intrigued by the way these disembodied, know-it-all voices  Amazons Alexa, Google Home, Microsofts Cortana  are affecting their kids behaviour, making them more curious but also, at times, far less polite.

In just two years, the promise of the technology has already exceeded the marketing come-ons. People with disabilities are using voice assistants to control their homes, order groceries and listen to books. Caregivers to the elderly say the devices help with dementia, reminding users what day it is or when to take medicine.

For children, the potential for transformative interactions are just as dramatic  at home and in classrooms. But psychologists, technologists and linguists are only beginning to ponder the possible perils of surrounding kids with artificial intelligence, particularly as they traverse important stages of social and language development.

How they react and treat this nonhuman entity is, to me, the biggest question, said Sandra Calvert, a Georgetown University psychologist and director of the Childrens Digital Media Center. And how does that subsequently affect family dynamics and social interactions with other people?

With an estimated 25 million voice assistants expected to sell this year at $40 to $180 (U.S.)  up from 1.7 million in 2015  there are even ramifications for the diaper crowd.

Toy giant Mattel recently announced the birth of Aristotle, a home baby monitor launching this summer that comforts, teaches and entertains using AI from Microsoft. As children get older, they can ask or answer questions. The company says, Aristotle was specifically designed to grow up with a child.

Boosters of the technology say kids typically learn to acquire information using the prevailing technology of the moment  from the library card catalogue, to Google, to brief conversations with friendly, all-knowing voices. But what if these gadgets lead children, whose faces are already glued to screens, further away from situations where they learn important interpersonal skills?

Its unclear whether any of the companies involved are even paying attention to this issue.

Amazon did not return a request for comment. A spokeswoman for the Partnership for AI, a new organization that includes Google, Amazon, Microsoft and other companies working on voice assistants, said nobody was available to answer questions.

These devices dont have emotional intelligence, said Allison Druin, a University of Maryland professor who studies how children use technology. They have factual intelligence.

Children certainly enjoy their company, referring to Alexa like just another family member.

We like to ask her a lot of really random things, said Emerson Labovich, a Grade 5 pupil in Bethesda, Md., who pesters Alexa with her older brother, Asher.

This winter, Emerson asked her almost every day for help counting down the days until a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida.

She can also rap and rhyme, Emerson said.

Todays children will be shaped by AI much like their grandparents were shaped by new devices called television. But you couldnt talk with a TV.

Ken Yarmosh, a 36-year-old northern Virginia app developer and founder of Savvy Apps, has multiple voice assistants in his familys home, including those made by Google and Amazon. (The Washington Post is owned by Amazon founder Jeffrey P. Bezos, whose middle name is Preston, according to Alexa.)

Yarmoshs 2-year-old son has been so enthralled by Alexa that he tries to speak with coasters and other cylindrical objects that look like Amazons device. Meanwhile, Yarmoshs now 5-year-old son, in comparing his two assistants, came to believe Google knew him better.

Alexa isnt smart enough for me, hed say, asking random questions that his parents couldnt answer, like how many miles it is to China. (China is 7,248 miles away, Google Home says, as the crow flies.)

In talking that way about a device plugged into a wall, Yarmoshs son was anthropomorphizing it  which means to ascribe human features to something, Alexa happily explains. Humans do this a lot, Calvert said. We do it with dogs, dressing them in costumes on Halloween. We name boats. And when we encounter robots, we, especially children, treat them as near equals.

In 2012, University of Washington researchers published results of a study involving 90 children interacting with a life-size robot named Robovie. Most kids thought Robovie had mental states and was a social being. When Robovie was shoved into a closet, more than half felt it wasnt fair. A similar emotional connection is taking hold with Alexa and other assistants, even for parents.

Its definitely become part of our lives, said Emersons mother, Laura Labovich, who then quickly corrected herself: Shes definitely part of our lives.

The problem, Druin said, is that this emotional connection sets up expectations for children that devices cant or werent designed to meet, causing confusion, frustration and even changes in the way kids talk or interact with adults.

Yarmoshs son thought Alexa couldnt understand him, but it was the algorithms that couldnt grasp the pitch in his voice or the way children formulate questions. Educators introducing these devices into classrooms and school libraries have encountered the same issue.

If Alexa doesnt understand the question, is it Alexas fault or might it be the questions fault? said Gwyneth Jones, a librarian who uses Amazons device at Murray Hill Middle School in Laurel, Md. People are not always going to get what they are saying, so its important that they learn how to ask good questions.

Naomi Baron, an American University linguist who studies digital communication, is among those who wonder whether the devices, even as they get smarter, will push children to value simplistic language  and simplistic inquiries  over nuance and complex questions.

Asking Alexa, How do you ask a good question? produces this answer: I wasnt able to understand the question I heard. But she is able to answer a simple derivative: What is a question?

A linguistic expression used to make a request for information, she says.

And then there is the potential rewiring of adult-child communication.

Although Mattels new assistant will have a setting forcing children to say please when asking for information, the assistants made by Google, Amazon and others are designed so users can quickly  and bluntly  ask questions. Parents are noticing some not-so-subtle changes in their children.

In a blog post last year, a California venture capitalist wrote that his 4-year-old daughter thought Alexa was the best speller in the house. But I fear its also turning our daughter into a raging a------, Hunter Walk wrote. Because Alexa tolerates poor manners.

To ask her a question, all you need to do is say her name, followed by the query. No please. And no thank you before asking a follow-up.

Cognitively Im not sure a kid gets why you can boss Alexa around but not a person, Walk wrote. At the very least, it creates patterns and reinforcement that so long as your diction is good, you can get what you want without niceties.

Jones, the librarian, has witnessed the digital equivalent of everybody asking a question at the same time.

You all are being really pushy, shell say, as Alexa declares over and over that she doesnt understand. Youre confusing her. One at a time, just like a person.

The personal yet transactional nature of the relationship is appealing to children and teenagers. Parents (including this reporter) have noticed that queries previously made to adults are shifting to assistants, particularly for homework: spelling words, simple math, historical facts.

Or take the weather, particularly in winter. Instead of asking Mom or Dad the temperature that day, children just go to the device, treating the answer as gospel.

Upside: No more fights over what the temperature will really be and whats appropriate to wear. Downside: Kids will go to their parents less, with both sides losing out on timeworn interactions.

There can be a lot of unintended consequences to interactions with these devices that mimic conversation, said Kate Darling, an MIT professor who studies how humans interact with robots. We dont know what all of them are yet.

But most researchers, educators and parents, even some kids, already agree that these devices need to be put in their place, just like a know-it-all sibling.

Jones, the librarian, puts Alexa away for a couple of weeks at a time, so her students dont rely on her too much. Yarmosh, who recently launched a project curating online videos for kids, is keeping the assistants out of his childrens rooms. Emerson and her brother take a school playground approach.

Alexa, theyll say, youre such a butt.

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In the military-style hierarchy of U.S. restaurant kitchens, a dishwasher ranks near the bottom, even if chefs, given half a chance, will loudly sing a good pot-scrubbers praises. (These hard-working men and women, often immigrants, would probably prefer a living wage over songs of praise, but thats another story.)

But over in Copenhagen, Rene Redzepi, the chef and co-owner of Noma, did something extraordinary last week for the restaurants longtime dishwasher: he made Ali Sonko a partner in the Danish gastronomic temple that regularly ranks among the worlds best.

Sonko, a native of Gambia, was one of three new partners named during a party on Nomas last day at its waterfront space in the Christianshavn neighbourhood. Noma is expected to relocate in December to its new urban farm near Christiania, Copenhagens famous free town known for its boho lifestyle and ample drugs.

Related: Toronto restaurant Alo nabs top spot on 100 Best restaurants list

When Redzepi made the announcement to an assembled crowd of 250 staffers and friends of the house, he never expected it to be the big story that its become, the chef says from Tulum, Mexico, where Noma will operate an open-air pop-up in the jungle, starting in April. Since the announcement, Sonko has been interviewed on just about every TV channel in Denmark, Redzepi says.

The story has clearly struck a chord, particularly in the United States, where dishwashers dont earn the same respect as they do at Noma. Sonko has been with Redzepis restaurant since it opened in a former warehouse in 2003. For each of the past 13-plus years, Sonko has only been a dishwasher. He hasnt aspired to move up in the kitchen hierarchy, as a dishwasher might in the United States, largely because the Noma team doesnt view the dishwasher as a third-tier position.

In the culture of Noma, Sonko not only is one of the top-paid people in the entire kitchen, Redzepi says, but holds as much respect as the best head chef or sous chef. Because of his engaging personality, his work ethic and his dedication to doing the job right, Sonko has endeared himself to his colleagues. People just respond to that tremendously, Redzepi says. It doesnt matter what you do.

Sonko  along with two other veterans, service director Lau Richter and manager James Spreadbury  were collectively given 10 per cent of the holding company that oversees all the businesses related to Noma, which includes not just the restaurant with two Michelin stars, but also a more casual eatery that will take over the warehouse space.

While Noma has historically funneled all profits back into the business, Redzepi says the holding company itself is worth about $20 million (U.S.). More important, he says, the companys potential growth is almost unlimited.

In short, Sonko, 62, and his two co-workers will be set for life. But its not about the lucrative potential of Noma and its owners, Redzepi says. Its about that youre part of something.

Whether or not it influenced Redzepis decision-making, the chef has a family history that, in a sense, mirrors Sonkos: Redzepis father, a Macedonian Muslim named Ali-Rami Redzepi, immigrated to Copenhagen in the early 1970s.

My father was a dishwasher, says Redzepi. Ali-Rama, in fact, met his future wife at a Copenhagen cafeteria, where she was a cashier and Ali-Rami washed dishes. Their life together was not always easy, as the 2015 documentary Noma: My Perfect Storm laid bare: Ali-Rami dealt with casual Danish racism as a young man, likely the same attitudes that drive the countrys current restrictions on refugees.

I dont know if thats an extra-added element to this story about Ali: the fact that hes the same age as my Dad, has the same name and is a dishwasher, too, the chef says. Maybe there is something there. But Ali, he has, first and foremost, become a partner because hes amazing.

Redzepi, however, is certain that Sonkos success underscores the importance of open borders. Ali is such a story of a Muslim man from Africa, blending in well and making something amazing for himself.

Sonko shares a similar respect for Noma. He reportedly told BT, a Danish tabloid, I cannot describe how happy I am to work here. There are the best people to work with, and I am good friends with everyone. They show enormous respect towards me, and no matter what I say or ask them, they are there for me.

Sonko previously made news in 2010, when the Noma crew travelled to London to pick up its trophy for the top spot in the annual poll of the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants. Sonko could not secure a British visa to attend the ceremony, but the entire Noma team made sure he was there in spirit: They wore T-shirts bearing the dishwashers face. Two years later, when Noma earned the No. 1 ranking for a third consecutive year, Sonko was there to give a reception speech.

The dishwashers new-found celebrity status may earn him extra duties when Noma reopens later this year. Sonko may be spending a little more time with the guests, Redzepi says.

Why not? At this point, the chef adds, Sonko is probably going to be the best-known dishwasher anywhere.

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PARISWith the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, French conservative Francois Fillon clung tenaciously to his presidential candidacy Sunday, emboldened by thousands of supporters at a high-stakes rally aimed at quashing pressure on him to step aside because of impending corruption charges.

Crowds of flag-waving voters chanting Fillon, President! appeared to give him the confidence he needs to keep up the fight. That support came despite a raft of defections by conservative allies in recent days that threatened to plunge Frances unpredictable presidential campaign into unprecedented disarray just seven weeks before its first-round election.

No one can stop me from being a candidate, he said on France-2 television Sunday night. The rally, he said was a demonstration that my legitimacy remains very strong.

Read more:

Century-old satirical paper upends French presidential race

Presidential candidate Fillons scandal grips France leaving race wide open

Fillon, a former prime minister, apologized to voters for errors in judgment but insisted he was being unfairly targeted in an election season. Once the front-runner in Frances presidential race, he is now being eclipsed by two other candidates.

His low-profile Welsh wife Penelope  accused of earning a generous taxpayer-funded salary for years for jobs she never performed  took an unusually public place at his side at Sundays rally, waving a tricolour flag before adoring crowds.

Despite the rally, Fillons Republicans party remains dangerously divided over his candidacy. Its political committee is holding an urgent meeting Monday to evaluate the situation after Sundays rally and the recent defections, including by Fillons campaign manager and his campaign spokesman.

Many conservatives want Alain Juppe, another former prime minister who was the runner-up in the partys primary, to run in Fillons place.

Fillon warned that this close to election day, any improvised candidacy ... would lead to failure.

Juppe, who has shown little inclination to run as a replacement candidate, planned to make a statement Monday in Bordeaux, where he is mayor. He campaigned on a more moderate platform than the tough-on-security, pro-free market Fillon.

Polls now suggest that far-right leader Marine Le Pen and centrist independent candidate Emmanuel Macron will come out on top in the first-round vote on April 23. The top two vote-getters go on to compete in the May 7 presidential runoff. A poll released Sunday suggested Juppe would have a better chance at reaching the runoff than Fillon.

Fillon showed no sign of backing down Sunday, however.

You should not surrender to worry or anger, he told the rally on Place de Trocadero, buffeted by rain and wind. He thanked those of you who will never give up the fight, you who always refuse to listen to the siren calls of discouragement.

In this video from January, French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon and his wife were questioned for five hours by police investigators as part of a probe into allegations that Penelope Fillon had been paid for fake jobs.

Fillon apologized to his supporters for having to concentrate on defending his familys honour while the most essential thing for you, as for me, is to defend our country.

I committed the first error in the past, in asking my wife to work for me. ... I shouldnt have done that, he said. And I committed the second in hesitating about the way to talk about it.

Dozens of buses brought supporters in from around France, while riot police stood guard. Fillon claimed that 200,000 people showed up at Sundays rally, though police estimates were much lower. Puzzled tourists took selfies of the crowd.

Retirees Luc and Marie Houllier braved the blustery weather to denounce what they see as a politically-driven investigation.

He is the only one who can raise France up again, Luc said.

Older people constituted a large part of the rally, along with parents of young children attracted by Fillons support for traditional Catholic family values.

Hundreds of left-wing protesters held a counterdemonstration across town to denounce widespread political corruption among Frances political elite.

Le Pen is riding high even though she is at the centre of several investigations along with her anti-immigration National Front party.

Even Juppe, the potential saviour of conservative chances, was convicted in 2004 for an illegal party funding scheme and barred from elected office for a year.

In the Fillon case, financial prosecutors are investigating reports that she and two of their five children earned a total of more than 1 million euros in taxpayer-funded jobs as parliamentary aides that they never carried out. Its legal in France to hire relatives for public jobs, but they must actually do the work.

The Fillons insist they did.

Fillon initially said he would step down if charged, but decided Wednesday to maintain his candidacy even though hes been summoned to face charges on March 15.

In her first interview since the scandal broke, Penelope Fillon urged her husband to stay in the race.

Unlike the others, I will not abandon him, Penelope Fillon was quoted as saying in the Journal du dimanche newspaper. I told him to continue to the end.

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BERLINGermany planned to close its border with Austria and turn back asylum-seekers in September 2015, a move that could have dramatically changed the course of the European refugee crisis that was at its peak at the time, according to a German newspaper.

The Welt am Sonntag reported Sunday that Chancellor Angela Merkel and her ministers agreed Sept. 12 to send thousands of police to the border, where they were to turn back migrants who didnt have documents entitling them to enter Germany  including in case of asylum request.

The plan was halted hours before it was due to take effect on Sept. 13 after officials raised concerns about the border closure during an emergency meeting at Germanys Interior Ministry, the paper reported.

Read the latest news on Germany

Citing interviews with several unnamed high-ranking officials involved, Welt am Sonntag reported that ministers didnt want to take responsibility for a decision that might have been illegal under German and European law. The possibility of unpopular images of police officers blocking women and children was reportedly also a concern, resulting in a change to the police order that effectively allowed all asylum-seekers to enter the country.

The interior ministry said in a statement to The Associated Press that it could neither confirm nor deny the report.

Had the plan been implemented, tens of thousands of migrants who were making their way northward to Germany in the fall of 2015 would likely have been stranded as countries along the route closed their borders to avoid taking them in.

It would also have marked a sharp turnaround for Merkel, who only days earlier had effectively opened Germanys borders to migrants who were stuck in Hungary, citing humanitarian reasons.

More than half a million people  many of them Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans fleeing conflicts in their home countries  entered Germany in the last three months of 2015.

A EU deal with Turkey to prevent migrants from reaching Europe and tighter asylum rules have resulted in a marked drop in arrivals since then.

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The murder of the estranged half-brother of Kim Jong-un has put the often fantastical stories of political poisonings back in the news, in dramatic fashion.

The Victim: Kim Jong-nam, half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The Poison: VX nerve agent. Two women allegedly had the compounds of the poison on their hands and rubbed Kims face as he walked through the Kuala Lumpur international airport on Feb. 13.

The Suspects: North Koreas reclusive regime. They have denied involvement. The two women, one from Indonesia and one from Vietnam, along with a 46-year-old North Korean man, are being held in Malaysia.

The Outcome: Jong-nam, 45, died on the way to the hospital, within an estimated 20 minutes.

The Victim:Alexander Litvinenko, former Russian secret service officer who fled to the U.K. and likely worked as a consultant for Britains spy services.

The Poison: Radioactive polonium-210, believed to be delivered in a tea he drank at a London hotel during a meeting with Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun.

The Suspects: A British inquiry into the death concluded last year that Russian President Vladimir Putin probably approved the assassination. Moscow, Lugovoi and Kovtun deny the claim.

The Outcome: Litvinenko, 43, died in 2006, three weeks after the poisoning.

The Victim: Viktor Yushchenko, former Ukrainian president.

The Poison: TCDD dioxin. Unclear when he was poisoned but may have been tied to a September 2004 dinner he had with Ukrainian officials.

The Suspects: Yushchenko, who believes he was poisoned at that dinner by three Russian men in attendance, has blamed the Kremlin.

The Outcome: Yushchenko, now 63, survived  and later became president for five years. While disfigured by the poisoning, has made a full recovery.

The Victim: Khaled Meshaal, Palestinian political leader of Hamas.

The Poison: Powerful derivative of painkiller fentanyl, which was sprayed into Meshaals ear in Amman, Jordan, in September 1997.

The Suspects: Israel. Meshaals guards witnessed the attack and captured two Mossad agents, who were posing as Canadian tourists.

The Outcome: Meshaal, now 60, survived only with the involvement of Jordans King Hussein and then-U.S. President Bill Clinton. The king said the agents would be hanged unless Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered the antidote, which he did.

The Victim: Georgi Markov, Bulgarian journalist and dissident.

The Poison: Ricin. Markov was waiting for a bus in central London when he felt a sting in his leg. A pellet of ricin had been shot into his calf with the tip of an umbrella.

The Suspects: Agent Piccadilly, a spy for Bulgarias communist regime, was later identified as Francesco Gullino, a Danish national of Italian origin. He denied any involvement in the killing five years ago, when he was tracked down in a small Austrian town by filmmaker Klaus Dexel.

The Outcome: Markov, 49, died on Sept. 11, 1978, three days after he was poisoned.

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MANILA, PHILIPPINESPhilippine troops have found the remains of a German hostage who was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the countrys south, vowing Sunday to rescue more than 30 other captives and crush the ransom-seeking extremists.

Marines dug up the head and body of Jurgen Gustav Kantner late Saturday in the mountainous hinterlands of Indanan town in Sulu province, where the militants are holding at least 31 other foreign and Filipino hostages, said regional military commander Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr.

The 70-year-old Kantner was seized from his yacht with his female German companion off Malaysias Sabah state in November. Kantners companion was fatally shot on the yacht, which was later found in the southern Philippines, according to the military.

Read more: Filipino militants release video of beheading of German hostage

The couple had survived a kidnapping ordeal off Somalia in 2008.

Once again, the command is sending its deep regrets to the family for not being able to rescue Mr. Kantner on time, Galvez said. He repeated a pledge to rescue other hostages and crush the Abu Sayyaf.

President Rodrigo Dutertes spokesman, Ernesto Abella, said the government will leave no stone unturned in squarely addressing the evils of extremism and plain banditry.

Rest assured these mindless acts will not go unpunished, Abella said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned Kantners killing as an abominable act. The Abu Sayyaf circulated a video of the beheading online.

Duterte has said Filipino forces tried their best but apologized to Germany and Kantners family after troops failed to rescue him in his nearly four months of jungle captivity in Sulu, a poor Muslim province 590 miles (950 kilometres) south of Manila.

About two dozen Filipino troops were wounded in clashes that also killed 16 Abu Sayyaf gunmen in efforts to rescue Kantner. After he was beheaded, troops intensified ground assaults and airstrikes.

On Sunday, marines killed four Abu Sayyaf militants in an assault near Sulus Maimbung town. At least 10 other militants were killed in a separate clash Friday that also wounded 18 troops near Patikul town, said Sulus military commander, Col. Cirilito Sobejana.

An intelligence report seen by The Associated Press said the militants behind Kantners abduction and killing included Abu Sayyaf commander Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan and his nephew, Mujil Yadah, who was also allegedly involved in the 2015 kidnappings of a Norwegian, a Filipina and two Canadians from a yacht club in the south. The two Canadians were separately beheaded last year.

According to the report, the other kidnappers of the German included Moammar Askali and Idang Susukan. Askali, a young militant, insisted that Kantner should be killed on schedule as they had threatened to do, but others wanted to wait longer to get a huge ransom, which was last pegged at 30 million pesos (about $ 797,966), the report said.

The Abu Sayyaf, which has more than 400 fighters, has been blacklisted by the Philippines and the United States as a terrorist organization for kidnappings, beheadings and bombings.

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KENT, WASH. Fear, hurt and disbelief weighed on the minds of those who gathered at a Sikh temple Sunday after the shooting of a Sikh man who said a gunman approached him in his suburban Seattle driveway and told him go back to your own country.

Everybody who is part of this community needs to be vigilant, Satwinder Kaur, a Sikh community leader, said as several hundred people poured into a temple in Renton for worship services about one mile from Friday nights shooting.

It is scary, she added. The community has been shaken up.

Read more:

Man accused of shooting three people in Kansas bar a drunken mess, neighbour says

Kansas shooter yelled get out of my country, witnesses say

Authorities said a gunman approached the 39-year-old Sikh man as he worked on his car in his driveway in the city of Kent, about 20 miles south of Seattle. The FBI will help investigate the shooting, authorities said.

Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said the department is investigating the shooting as a hate crime. He said no arrests have been made yet after the victim was shot in the arm but that he did not believe anyone was in imminent danger.

This is a top priority investigation, and we are doing everything possible to identify and arrest the suspect, Thomas said in an email, adding that residents in the city of about 125,000 should be vigilant but also not let the shooting hurt their quality of life.

The FBIs Seattle office said in a statement Sunday that it is committed to investigating crimes that are potentially hate-motivated, the Seattle Times reported.

The shooting comes after an Indian man was killed and another wounded in a recent shooting at a Kansas bar that federal agencies are investigating as a hate crime after witnesses say the suspect yelled get out of my country.

Friday nights shooting was on the minds of many who poured into a Sikh Temple in nearby Renton Sunday morning for worship. Women in colourful saris and head scarves and men in turbans and beards sat on the floor on opposite sides inside the worship space.

As they entered and left the services, many expressed fear that one of their own was targeted and said theyre scared to go to the store or other public places. Some said they have noticed an uptick in name-calling and other racist incidents in recent months. Still others expressed hurt and disbelief at the lack of understanding and ignorance.

Sikhism teaches about equality and peace, said Sandeep Singh, 24. Its sad to see thats what it has come to, he said of the violence. This is our country. This is everyones country.

Gurjot Singh, 39, who served in the Marine Corps and is an Iraq War veteran, said he was dismayed that people think others who look different arent equal or dont contribute equally to the community.

This is equally my country as it is your country, he said. It doesnt anger me. It hurts me.

Hira Singh, a Sikh community leader, said there have been increasing complaints recently from Sikhs near Seattle who say they have been the target of foul language or other comments.

This kind of incident shakes up the whole community, he said, adding that about 50,000 members of the faith live in Washington state.

Kent Councilwoman Brenda Fincher went to the temple Sunday to show support for the community. When a hate crime happens, we have to stand up and make sure everyone knows its not acceptable, she said.

Kent police have not identified the man or released other information. But Indias foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, identified the victim on Twitter early Sunday, saying, I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a U.S. national of Indian origin.

She said she had spoken to Rais father, who told her Rai is out of danger and recovering in a hospital.

Rai told police a man he didnt know came up to him Friday night and they got into an argument, with the suspect telling Rai to go back to his homeland. He described the shooter as 6 feet tall and white with a stocky build, police said. He said the man was wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face.

All of the information that I have available at this time suggests that the information provided by the victim is credible, Thomas, the police chief, wrote.

Sikhs have previously been the target of assaults in the U.S. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the backlash that hit Muslims around the country expanded to include those of the Sikh faith. Men often cover their heads with turbans, which are considered sacred, and refrain from shaving their beards.

In 2012, a man shot and killed six Sikh worshippers and wounded four others at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee before killing himself.

The Sikh Coalition, a national civil rights group, on Sunday said everything must be done to confront this growing epidemic of hate violence.

We are all accountable for what happened in Kent, Washington on Friday night, Jasmit Singh, a Seattle-area community leader, said in a statement.

Raj Singh Ajmani, who lives in Bellevue, said he was shocked by the shooting.

When it happens in your own community, you realize the danger and the times were living in, he said before heading to service. Some people worry that more such violence will occur because of President Trump.

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AMSTERDAMA diplomatic rift between Turkey and key European nations deepened Sunday as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany of Nazi practices, days after a local authority prevented a Turkish minister from addressing a rally.

Over at an election campaign event in Amsterdam, meanwhile, Dutch right-wing populist Geert Wilders also resorted to extreme-right comparisons, calling Erdogan an Islamo-fascist leader.

The diplomatic tensions have been rising in recent days amid Turkish plans to have government ministers to address rallies in Germany and the Netherlands in support of an upcoming constitutional referendum that would give Erdogan new powers.

Read more:

Turkey must urgently change course to preserve democracy, human rights officials say

President Assad says U.S. troops are welcome in Syria to fight terrorists

Speaking in Istanbul, the Turkish president fanned the flames with a stinging verbal attack.

In Germany, they are not allowing our friends to speak. Let them do so. Do you think that by not allowing them to speak the votes in Germany will come out no instead of yes? Erdogan said. Germany, you dont have anything to do with democracy. These current practices of yours are no different than the Nazi practices of the past.

On Thursday, Turkeys justice minister cancelled a meeting with his German counterpart after local authorities in southwest Germany withdrew permission for him to use a venue to hold a rally near the French border that was part of a campaign to get Turks in Germany to vote yes in the referendum.

Turkeys economy minister, Nihat Zeybekci, was due to speak at two events in western Germany on Sunday. There are about 1.4 million people in Germany who are eligible to vote in the Turkish referendum.

Julia Kloeckner, a deputy leader of Merkels Christian Democratic Union, told the German daily Bild that Erdogans Nazi comparison was a new pinnacle of immoderation.

Mr. Erdogan is reacting like a stubborn child who cant get his own way, she told the paper.

Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern, in an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, said its time to pull the plug on long-stalled moves to bring Turkey into the 28-nation EU.

We shouldnt just temporarily suspend the accession talks with Turkey but end them, Kern said. We cant continue to negotiate about membership with a country that has been steadily distancing itself for years, during ongoing access talks, from democratic standards and principles of the rule of law.

The Dutch government is investigating whether it can halt a rally being planned for later in the week at which Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is reportedly due to speak.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Dutch broadcaster NOS on Saturday that his government is looking at all legal avenues to prevent such a visit. Rutte said the proposed constitutional changes take Turkey, an aspirant European Union member state, in a less democratic direction.

We believe that Dutch public space is not the place for political campaigns of other countries, Rutte wrote earlier on his Facebook page.

Kern urged a concerted approach by the EU to prevent such campaign appearances, saying then specific countries like Germany would not come under pressure from Turkey.

Wilders, whose Party for Freedom is lagging only slightly behind Ruttes VVD party in polls before the Dutch March 15 election for parliaments lower house, said he would go further if he were in power.

I think that coming here to advocate a change of the Turkish constitution that will only strengthen the Islamo-fascist leader Erdogan of Turkey more than Parliament, Turkish parliament, is the worst thing that could happen to us, Wilders told reporters at a campaign event.

Wilders said if he were the Dutch prime minister, I would call the whole cabinet of Turkey persona non grata for a month or two, not allowing them to come here.

Kern, however, pointed out that totally cutting ties with Ankara wouldnt be in EU interests. An EU migrant deal with Turkey, which also is a NATO member, has significantly cut down the number of migrants crossing into Europe.

We should realign the relationship, without the illusion of EU membership, Kern said. Turkey is an important partner in security matters, on migration and on economic co-operation. Turkey has stuck to all of its commitments resulting from the refugee deal, in any case. We should build upon that.

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SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADORRoman Catholic authorities in El Salvador said Sunday that the Vatican is studying a possible miracle attributed to slain Archbishop Oscar Romero that could lead to the once-controversial clerics canonization.

San Salvador Archbishop Jose Luis Escobar Alas told reporters that church officials in the country are convinced of the miracles authenticity. He cautioned that it could take a long time for the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints to consider the matter.

Romero is known to many as Saint Romero of the Americas. He was loved by the poor whom he defended and hated by conservatives who saw him as aligned with leftist causes ahead of El Salvadors civil war.

Romero was shot by a sniper in 1980 while celebrating Mass at a hospital chapel. He was beatified in 2015.

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PALM BEACH, FLA.U.S. President Donald Trump turned to Congress for help finding evidence to support his unsubstantiated claim that former president Barack Obama had Trumps telephones tapped during the election.

Obamas intelligence chief said no such action was ever carried out.

Republican leaders of Congress on Sunday appeared willing to honour Trumps request, but the move has potential risks for the president, particularly if the House and Senate intelligence committees unearth damaging information about Trump, his aides or his associates.

Trump claimed in a series of tweets without evidence Saturday that his predecessor had tried to undermine him by tapping the telephones at Trump Tower, the New York skyscraper where Trump based his campaign and transition operations, and maintains a home.

Obamas director of national intelligence, James Clapper, said nothing matching Trumps claims had taken place.

Absolutely, I can deny it, said Clapper, who left government when Trump took office in January. Other representatives for the former president also denied Trumps allegation.

FBI director James Comey asked the U.S. Justice Department this weekend to publicly reject Trumps assertion that Obama ordered the tapping of Trumps phones, senior U.S. officials said Sunday. Comey has argued that the highly charged claim is false and must be corrected, they said, but the department has not released any such statement.

Comey, who made the request Saturday after Trump levelled his allegation on Twitter, has been working to get the Justice Department to knock down the claim because it falsely insinuates that the FBI broke the law, the officials said.

A spokesperson for the FBI declined to comment. Sarah Isgur Flores, a spokesperson for the Justice Department, also declined to comment.

Comeys request is a remarkable rebuke of a sitting president, putting the top U.S. law enforcement official in the position of questioning the presidents truthfulness. The confrontation between the two is the most serious consequence of Trumps weekend Twitter outburst, and it underscores the dangers of what the president and his aides have unleashed by accusing the former president of a conspiracy to undermine Trumps administration.

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke out in an interview on Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends," saying that former president Barack Obama is behind leaks coming from the Trump White House.

Along with concerns about the potential attacks on the bureaus credibility, senior FBI officials are said to be worried that the notion of a court-approved wiretap will raise the publics expectations that federal authorities have significant evidence implicating the Trump campaign in colluding with Russias efforts to disrupt the presidential election.

Comey has not been dealing directly with Attorney General Jeff Sessions on the matter, as Sessions announced Thursday that he would recuse himself from any investigation of Russias efforts to influence the election. It had been revealed Wednesday that Sessions had misled Congress about his meetings with the Russian ambassador during the campaign.

The White House showed no indication that it would back down from Trumps claims. In his demand for a congressional inquiry, the president, through his press secretary, Sean Spicer, issued a statement Sunday that said: President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016.

Spicer, who repeated the entire statement in a series of Twitter messages, added that neither the White House nor the president will comment further until such oversight is conducted.

He said there would be no further comment until the investigations are completed, a statement that House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi took offence to and likened to autocratic behaviour.

Its called a wrap-up smear. You make up something. Then you have the press write about it. And then you say, everybody is writing about this charge. Its a tool of an authoritarian, Pelosi said.

Josh Earnest, who was Obamas press secretary, said presidents do not have authority to unilaterally order the wiretapping of U.S. citizens, as Trump has alleged was done to him. FBI investigators and Justice Department officials must seek a federal judges approval for such a step.

Earnest accused Trump of levelling the allegations to distract from the attention being given to campaign-season contacts by Trump aides with a Russian official, including Sessions, who was a campaign adviser before he resigned from the Senate to become attorney general. The FBI is investigating those contacts, as is Congress.

Senate intelligence committee chairman Richard Burr of North Carolina said in a statement that the panel will follow the evidence where it leads, and we will continue to be guided by the intelligence and facts as we compile our findings.

Rep. Devin Nunes of California, chairman of the House intelligence committee, said the committee will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political partys campaign officials or surrogates.

The committees top Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, said Trump was following a deeply disturbing pattern of distraction, distortion and downright fabrication.

A spokesperson for Obama and his former aides have called the accusation by Trump completely false, saying Obama never ordered any wiretapping of a U.S. citizen.

A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice, Kevin Lewis, Obamas spokesperson, said Saturday.

Trumps demand for a congressional investigation appears to be based, at least in part, on unproven claims by Breitbart News and conservative talk radio hosts that secret warrants were issued authorizing the tapping of the phones of Trump and his aides at Trump Tower in New York.

The claims about wiretapping appear similar in some ways to the unfounded voter fraud charges that Trump made during his first days in the Oval Office. Just after inauguration day, he reiterated in a series of Twitter posts his belief that millions of voters had cast ballots illegally, claims that also appeared to be based on conspiracy theories from right-wing websites.

As with his demand for a wiretapping inquiry, Trump also called for a major investigation into voter fraud, saying on Twitter that depending on results, we will strengthen up voting procedures! No investigation has been started.

Senior law enforcement and intelligence officials who worked in the Obama administration have said there were no secret intelligence warrants regarding Trump. Asked whether such a warrant existed, Clapper, a former director of national intelligence, said on NBCs Meet the Press, Not to my knowledge, no.

There was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time as a candidate or against his campaign, Clapper added.

Trumps demands for a congressional investigation were initially met with skepticism by lawmakers, including Republicans. Appearing on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida said he was not sure what it is that he is talking about.

Im not sure what the genesis of that statement was, Rubio said.

Pressed to elaborate on Meet the Press, Rubio said, Im not going to be a part of a witch hunt, but Im also not going to be a part of a coverup.

With files from The New York Times

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President Trumps speech to Congress this past week has received praise because it seemed less off kilter than his recent Twitter pronouncements and spontaneous performances. True, he didnt throw up on stage or physically assault anyone. He even had a couple of shout outs for Canada and Justin Trudeau.

But, in substance, it is the same recipe for policy both foreign and domestic: the answers lie in quick fixes, trade protectionism, and emotional appeals to nationalism. It was heavy on more policing, more enforcement, rounding people up, winning wars by eradicating the enemy, and, of course massive increases in military spending, and budget cuts everywhere else, including the State Department and other agencies.

Our own Prime Minister has made a point of not arguing publicly about the wisdom of these moves, but this week signalled that Canadas support for planned parenthood will stand in stark contrast to the slashing of any support for women that included abortion services.

This should be part of a broader re-framing of Canadian public policy, both at home and abroad. This involves new actions as well as new words. The government has made reconciliation a central theme in its domestic agenda. The new relationship with First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples needs to be matched by deeper institutional change on the ground. The close to $1 billion that is spend on administrative costs at the federal Department of Indigenous Affairs needs to be transferred to self governing institutions that are controlled by indigenous people themselves.

No treaty should force indigenous people to abandon their historic claim to a shared sovereignty of the land and resources, and budgets that accompany self government have to do more than reallocate the poverty and discrimination that has been a hallmark of Canadian public policy for literally hundreds of years.

Reconciliation needs to be given real meaning, and lead to a genuine capacity for sovereignty. Federal institutions themselves need to show they can change, and work differently with both the provinces and indigenous governments.

If we can make these changes, it will enhance our vision for Canadas role in the world. The struggle against extremist violence will require more than bombs and bullets. It also demands an understanding about creating stronger institutions, better education and social conditions, and the stability and security in which businesses can thrive and create jobs. Aid, Emergency Humanitarian Assistance, Defence, Diplomacy, are not separate silos but have to be made to fit together.

We learned these lessons after much trial and error in Afghanistan, but the sheer bureaucratic inertia of vested interest mean we have to re-learn them over and over again. It will take ministerial leadership and co-ordination to give us the ability to perform at maximum capability on the ground.

Trumps America firstism actually gives Canada the obligation to show that it is human values that come first, the hunger for stability, education, and opportunity that are truly universal, and that Canadas motivation is not to export ourselves but rather to facilitate other countries efforts to find the means for a better future.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair recently gave a powerful speech about the links between Brexit and Trumpism and the challenge they both pose to the world. As a sitting prime minister, Trudeau has to tread carefully. But this does not mean he should confine himself to bromides and the power of positive thinking. The world is in as dangerous and risky a period as we have ever experienced, and wise voices will be needed.

Every era of blustering nationalism has brought with it trade wars, short-sighted thinking, and conflicts that make things worse, not better. We need to find a voice that is matched by our commitment to deeds on the ground, and a willingness to engage with like-minded countries to make it less likely that mistakes will be made as the rhetoric heats up.

Canada at 150 celebrates our national achievements  it also is a moment to assess where we have unfinished business, where we have fallen short. Globally, it means understanding that what we want for ourselves  security, respect, dignity, opportunity, and prosperity  we want for others as well. And that we are prepared to take risks to do just that.

In a world where many countries are mired in poverty and conflict, its time for Canada to makes ourselves whole and practice reconciliation in our own lives as we share these skills and gifts with others.

Bob Rae served as Ontarios 21st Premier, the Liberal MP for Toronto Centre, and interim Leader of the Liberal Party from 2011 to 2013.

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Lets have one thumbs up for Canadas innovation minister, Navdeep Bains.

Bains is the man behind Bill C-25, the first overhaul of Canadian corporate law in more than a decade. It contains one good measure, but falls badly short in making the countrys laws less vulnerable to tax cheating.

The good measure involves prodding corporations toward greater diversity on their boards and in senior management teams.

In particular, it aims to increase the number of women in senior corporate ranks by requiring publicly traded corporations to disclose to shareholders the number of women on their boards and management teams. They will also have to disclose their policies on diversity  or explain why they dont have any.

The percentage of women on Canadian corporate boards is stuck at low levels, despite years of exhorting companies to do better. Women occupy only about 12 per cent of board seats, and Bains has said if his disclosure measure doesnt move the needle significantly within a few years then the government will consider imposing specific targets.

That deserves a thumbs-up. But give Bains a thumbs-down for other parts of his bill.

In particular, knowledgeable critics say the government is missing an opportunity to take meaningful steps against criminals and tax cheats who engage in so-called snow washing  using Canadian corporations to move money around anonymously.

The problem is that the way companies are registered in Canada involves a degree of secrecy more often associated with sunny tax havens, such as Panama and the Bahamas. The true owners of companies registered here dont have to be identified in corporate registries, which allows them to move assets under a cloak of anonymity.

They can pay a lawyer or other third party to have their name appear in public filings, concealing the identity of the person or persons who are actually the beneficial owners of the assets.

Unfortunately, Bill C-25 doesnt address this issue. It fails to require that the real beneficial owners of a company be identified. Its a missed opportunity, Brian Masse, an NDP MP who sits on the committee that studied the bill, told the Star. The message to the financial community is: were taking a pass.

Critics also note the bill fails to ban so-called bearer shares, financial instruments that can be traded like cash but carry no identification. They are known to play a big role in money laundering and have been banned in most tax havens.

But Bains bill would only ban the issuance of new bearer shares, rather than do away with them altogether.

The government should go further to rein in Canadas reputation as a go-to destination for those who want to move money around unchecked, or even evade paying their fair share of taxes.

Bill C-25 is scheduled for its final reading in the House of Commons next month. If the government fixes the bill before it becomes law, it will deserve an enthusiastic two thumbs up.

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William T. Newman Jr., on the set of WSC Avant Bards The Gospel at Colonus. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

All rise is the usual cry when William T. Newman Jr. makes his entrance, because usually, Newman is striding into court as chief judge of Arlington Countys Circuit Court. For the next several weeks, though, the 66-year-old will be making his entrance onstage with the respected small local company WSC Avant Bard as Oedipus in The Gospel at Colonus.

Acting is hardly a whim for the Arlington-raised lawyer. Its what he studied at Ohio University, where he got a bachelor of fine arts in a conservatory-like program, and it was onstage in the early 1970s that he met his future wife, entrepreneur and BET co-founder Sheila Johnson. Both were cast as replacements in the Negro Ensemble Companys Washington tour of Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, more than two decades before they unexpectedly crossed paths again in 2002 as Newman presided over Johnsons divorce from her first husband, Robert L. Johnson.

Ive been encouraging him to get back into his acting, says Johnson, whose brief fling with theater ended with Ceremonies, because I know he loves it so much.

Its tough to moonlight onstage, though, when youre maintaining a full-bodied legal career.

Ive sort of learned the job now, Newman says with an easy smile, sitting in a dressing room of Theater II in the Gunston Arts Center. (The county-run complex includes an elementary school that was a whites-only junior high school when Newman arrived for a week as a student during the areas integration years.) The hardest part is rehearsal. Once the show is up, you show up, do it for two or three hours, youre out of there. Its not a problem at all.



From left: eMarcus Harper-Short, William T. Newman Jr. (as Preacher Oedipus) and DeMone in "The Gospel at Colonus." (DJ Corey Photography/DJ Corey Photography)

Its safe to say its been awhile since hes had a role off book this big, says Tom Prewitt, WSC Avant Bards artistic director. Off book means with lines memorized: Prewitt recently saw Newman reading as Oedipus and Othello in one-night shows with the audio troupe Lean and Hungry Theater, and his ears pricked up. I was impressed with his command of the stage  his presence  and his command of the language in both cases, Prewitt says.

Chatting in the dressing room, Newman looks less like an actor than an inside-the-Beltway power player. The suit and tie come across as natural, dapper, not ostentatious, even with monogrammed initials just visible on the French cuffs.

He does sound the part, though  judge and actor. The voice is resonant. The statements are sure. He does not hem and haw. You understand when Johnson says hes an authoritative judge, and when she adds that a better sense of drama might help certain advocates who dont tell their clients stories well. (I think every lawyer should take acting classes, she says.)

Newman got stage work right out of school, heading to New York, and making appearances in off-Broadway showcases and on the NBC soap Somerset. He auditioned for the Negro Ensemble Companys Ceremonies in Dark Old Men and didnt get in, but got called when the troupe needed performers for its D.C. tour. He earned his Equity card  has always kept it  and began picking up local acting gigs, including several shows at Arena Stage.

Still, it didnt take long for him to decide to enroll in Catholic Universitys law school. I grew up here, where every other persons a lawyer, Newman explains. It was always if I wasnt going to be an actor, I was going to be a lawyer.

It was a major choice, and it helped him mend a fence. His father, a federal employee as a special police officer with the CIA, had urged his son toward law.

Im glad I didnt go back to New York, Newman says, because that next year my dad did die, the first year I started law school. And he was happy, because I had made that commitment. And when he died, I said, Im going to see this through.

But hold on, he adds. While this was going on, I would still be doing shows. I remember walking out of torts class, and everybody saying, Youre crazy. I was in a show at Arena at the time. Thats when I was doing Julius Caesar. 

In the 1980s, Newman built a law practice, took up politics by successfully campaigning twice for a seat on the Arlington County board and, by 1993, was appointed to the court. Im a grinder, he says. Im going to make it work. If it means Ive got to stay up all night to get it done, Im going to do it. Because I dont want to stand up in front of a bunch of people and look like a fool.

Meantime, Newman kept his hand in as an actor. He signed up for acting workshops. Took gigs as a public speaker. Did voice-over work. He participated in readings for fundraisers and for companies wanting to hear scripts out loud; in 2010 he even appeared in the play Sanctified at the Lincoln Theater. He would have done more, but it couldnt quite compete with his first priority.

Theres a learning curve to being a judge, and it was just very problematic to figure out time to do that, Newman says. But I would always go to auditions, even knowing that if I got the role I couldnt do it. Just to keep sharp.

Sheila Johnson and William T. Newman Jr.s wedding at Salamander Farm in 2005. (Tracy A. Woodward/The Washington Post)

draws a more pointed picture, noting that Newman would go to auditions not just in the District, but also in Richmond and New York. The past few years he has done radio broadcasts of Othello and Oedipus with the audio troupe Lean and Hungry Theater. He also had a preachers part in the movie Lee Daniels The Butler that was exciting to perform but that blips by quickly in the film.

Even Oprah said, Who is that guy up there?  says Johnson, an executive producer of the 2013 project. She thought it was the preacher of the church we were shooting in.

Details of the Newman-Johnson romance are irresistible: They had not seen each other between their long-ago acting encounter and the day of Johnsons divorce. Newman wasnt even the scheduled judge; he stepped in when a colleague had a conflict. Someone told him the splitting couple hoped he could take the bench early.

I said, Who the hell are these people?  Newman recalls. Judges take the bench when they take the bench.

His tone changed when he saw the names in the file. He offered to recuse, but it wasnt necessary. Johnson asked to approach the bench after the proceedings, and a few weeks later she invited him to an event. Newman pondered the invitation and wondered who to bring. His mother, who recalled how fondly Newman had spoken of Johnson years before, advised him to go on his own.

You never know, she said.

Their 2005 wedding was handled by the same planner used by Donald and Melania Trump. Its got to be the wedding of the year and then some for Virginia, Gov. Mark R. Warner said at the time.

Newman and Johnson seem in sync about his apparent next act whenever he retires from the bench. Ramping up the acting makes sense to their friend David Dower, co-artistic director of Bostons ArtsEmerson and a former associate artistic director at Arena Stage.

Ive never heard an ounce of regret, Dower says of Newmans acting impulses. I think the law career has been very powerful in his life, and very rewarding. So theres not been a sense that hes been sidelined as an actor. And in terms of appetite, I think hes been preparing for the time when he can spend the time. So this is it.

Newman is already committed to the August Wilson play Ma Raineys Black Bottom in June with the Tysons Corner troupe 1st Stage. A Gospel at Colonus castmate is asking Newman about a project for next year.

I think its good hes building his portfolio, Johnson says. And he needs to get an agent.

Is he going to?

Is he going to? Johnson repeats. As his wife telling him he needs to get an agent, hed better.


Tiffany Trump, center, at the inauguration of her father, Donald Trump. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Tiffany Trump wants to go to law school.

The presidents younger daughter graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in May and has apparently set her sights on becoming a lawyer. She has taken the Law School Admission Test and toured three of the top-ranked law schools in the country  Harvard, Columbia and New York University.

If she gets in, the 23-year-old will join the very short list of presidential children who attended law school while their fathers were serving in the White House. Shes certainly the only one with a father who has on various occasions called federal judges, including Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., disgraceful, so-called, a hater and so political.

The prospect of a Trump at one of these elite universities has provoked curiosity, envy and debate on law school blogs and forums.

I was actually wondering if u guys think being who she is and her dad being who he is does that hurt or help her chances? asked one prospective Harvard student on an online forum where participants obsessively dissect every possible detail of admission to the best law schools  which leads to the top jobs in corporate law (starting salary $180,000), elected office and the federal judiciary. Their verdict: It helps. A lot.

But Tiffanys application may be different, says David Lat, founder of Above the Law, a leading website covering the legal profession. The X factor is how her fathers controversial presidency affects what would normally be a big plus, he says.

Heres the unfair and unavoidable dilemma faced by a presidential offspring: Regardless of her grades or her test scores, most people will assume that Tiffany got into law school  or landed a great job, or accomplished anything else in her life  because of her famous name. And because that name is Trump, she could have it harder than most.

A law degree, according to sources close to her, would be Tiffanys way of being taken seriously and earning her place in the family empire. The presidents three older children grew up in New York, have served as executives in the global brand, had a significant presence on the campaign trail and were all named to his transition team as trusted advisers.

Tiffany, on the other hand, was raised in California by Marla Maples, the presidents second wife, and has lived the life of a wealthy young heiress: a flirtation with a pop singing career, an internship at Vogue magazine and a very active Instagram account with more than 740,000 followers. Other than delivering brief remarks at the 2016 GOP convention, shes best known as one of the Rich Kids of Instagram, a group of wealthy millennials who chronicle their gilded lives on social media.

(The Washington Post)

The first hint of her interest in law came last summer, when she posted a photo of study guides for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and a blond bitmoji avatar with the slogan I Got This. Sharp-eyed observers noticed a practice test with plenty of incorrect answers, but she didnt take the real exam until Dec. 3, when she was spotted at the City University of New York in Long Island City.

Days later, Tiffany popped up at Harvard, drawing the inevitable Legally Blonde comparisons. That was followed by a visit to Columbia with her mother and a tour of NYU, where she sat in on a first-year property class.

Applications for the Class of 2020 at these schools closed in February. Its not known which, if any, schools Tiffany has applied to or been accepted at.

The White House declined to comment on Tiffanys interest in a legal career, but she wouldnt be the first Trump to study law: Her aunt, Maryanne Trump Barry (the presidents older sister), is a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, and her brother-in-law, Jared Kushner, earned a law degree from NYU, although he has never practiced.

Tiffany graduated from Penn, the alma mater of her father and her older sister, Ivanka, with a B.A. in sociology, according to a university spokesman.

Her father, mother and siblings were all at commencement cheering her on. Her father has described her as a great student, although she was not listed in the commencement program as a Phi Beta Kappa member or receiving any other academic honors.

If her name were, say, Tiffany Smith, shed need stellar grades for a shot at any of the top-ranked law schools. Most of those admitted have college GPAs of 3.75 or higher and LSAT scores of 172 or higher out of a perfect 180, putting them in the top 2 percent of those taking the test.

The issue is how much a school would be willing to deviate from their normal LSAT standards for a famous person, says Lat, who graduated from No. 1-ranked Yale Law School. The most elite universities always make a few exceptions for wealthy donors, celebrity students and, yes, presidents kids.

But even if Tiffany graduated from Penn with straight As and earned an impressive test score, most people will say that its all about her name  which has worked both for and against her.

When she was a freshman at Penn, she was quickly shunned by the Tabard Society, two members told Vanity Fair, because they were afraid that the Trump name would scare off the blue bloods who typically join the exclusive private club. (She went on to join a sorority.)

By Trump standards, Tiffany has maintained a relatively low profile, which should help her blend in on any campus, says Lat, and most of the law students hes spoken to arent opposed to her as a classmate.

My guess is that there would be a small minority of people who would give her a piece of their mind, he says. But he thinks the majority would give her a chance. Law students can be mean and snarky, but they believe in due process. It violates due process to have preconceived judgments about people.

Still, questions about her arent likely to go away. Once admitted, law students vie for grades, law review, clerkships, internships and jobs at prestigious firms. Tiffany will be subject to intense scrutiny, second-guessing and the quiet resentments that breed in such a pressured, competitive environment.

And then theres Dad. One blog participant wondered whether having her in class might have more of a negative effect, where people dont want to attack the policies or legal arguments of the persons parents while theyre sitting right next to them. Or people could be afraid for their future career prospects if something they said that Dad doesnt like gets back to them.

Tiffany is reportedly interested in Yale, which accepts only 10 percent of applicants for its incoming class of 200. Of the three law schools she has publicly visited, Harvard (No. 2) is probably the best fit: The incoming class is much bigger  about 550 students  and generally regarded as less liberal than the smaller classes at Columbia (No. 4) and NYU (No. 6).

Plus its Harvard, a brand name even bigger than Trump.

If she ends up in Cambridge this fall, Tiffany will be on the same campus as Malia Obama, which could  at the very least  make for some interesting Instagrams.
THE DISTRICT

In Southeast, man, 74, dies in apartment fire

A 74-year-old man died Friday night in an apartment fire in Southeast Washington, officials said.

Officials are withholding the mans name, pending notification of his family.

The fire, reported about 10 p.m., was mostly contained to the second-floor unit in the 3800 block of V Street SE, according to Doug Buchanan, a spokesman for D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services. Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the blaze.

The death is the citys second fire fatality this year, Buchanan said.

 Susan Svrluga

Police: Woman rapedin Northwest home

A woman was raped Friday night at her home in Northwest Washington, according to D.C. police, after a man entered the house, blindfolded her and bound her hands.

The attack occurred on the 2300 block of California Street NW, in one of the citys most expensive neighborhoods, home to foreign embassies as well as the residences of former president Barack Obama and of President Trumps daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner.

D.C. police are asking for help from the public in locating a suspect in the first-degree sexual abuse and burglary offense. It was not known how the man entered the house.

 Susan Svrluga

Police investigate fatal shooting in Southeast

A 34-year-old man was fatally shot early Saturday in Southeast, according to D.C. police.

Officers responded to a report of a shooting shortly after 1 a.m. in the 2700 block of Langston Place and found Delonta Alexander, of Southwest, police said. Alexander was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Detectives are investigating.

 Susan Svrluga

MARYLAND

Pedestrian, 49, killed; motorist apprehended

A man was killed Saturday morning when a car hit him as he was crossing a street in Silver Spring, according to police.

Donald Morgan, Jr., 49, of Tuckerman Street NW in Washington, was in a crosswalk on Colesville Road at Fenton Street when a car struck him.

Witnesses told police the driver stopped and got out of her Honda Accord, but then left the scene. They were able to describe her and the car, and they gave police its license-plate information. An officer saw a car matching that description being driven north on Georgia Avenue and stopped it.

Janet Brown, 30, of Briarwood Drive in Laurel, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

No formal charges have been brought against the driver as detectives from Montgomery County Police Department investigate.

 Susan Svrluga

VIRGINIA

Driver, 36, dies in crash in Prince William

A 36-year-old Virginia man died Saturday morning after his car crashed into another vehicle in Prince William County.

Stephen Knerler of Front Royal was driving his Saturn Ion at 8:44 a.m. when he crashed into a Jeep Wrangler while making a left turn onto Bristow Road from northbound Old Church Road, according to Prince William police.

Police say Knerler ran through a stop sign. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Jeep was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

Police said speed, alcohol and drugs were not factors in the crash.

 Perry Stein

No IDs on bodies found in Fairfax County park

Fairfax County police gave no public updates Saturday on the identities of two sets of human remains discovered late Thursday night.

The bodies were found after the police gang unit received a tip saying they were buried in Holmes Run Park. They were discovered in the woods on a steep incline a few hundred feet behind a quiet cul-de-sac, and transferred to the state medical examiner for autopsy and identification. One body was buried at the top of the hill, the other at the bottom.

Fairfax police said that as of Saturday afternoon, it could provide no further details on the case.

Police Chief Edwin C. Roessler Jr. said Friday that the bodies could be linked to other gang murders.

He declined to comment on which gang might be involved in the current investigation, but MS-13 has seen a resurgence in the area in recent months and has been linked to other killings in Fairfax and Prince William counties.

 Perry Stein
Carey Tilghman with her daughters Raina and Paisley wait to testify regarding medical marijuana at the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee hearing in Annapolis. (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

Legalization of recreational marijuana is getting a full airing in the Maryland legislature this week, even as the main proponents of allowing adults to legally smoke pot acknowledge theres little chance of passage this year.

Lawmakers and advocates pushing to authorize sales of the drug for general use believe that a robust debate this year will put them in a good position for next years legislative session, when they are planning an all-out effort to get the Democratic-majority General Assembly to either legalize the drug or approve putting the issue to voters as a ballot question.

The legislature is also wrestling with several bills relating to Marylands sputtering medical marijuana program, which has become embroiled in controversies over whom state regulators chose and rejected to grow and sell the drug.

The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission last year awarded 15 preliminary licenses to grow, and 15 to process, medical marijuana, as well as 102 approvals to companies vying to sell the product. Businesses are on track to start selling medical cannabis by late summer, pending final inspections.

[Legislative champion for medical marijuana reprimanded over ethics]

Maryland Sen. Joan Carter Conway (D-Baltimore) voices her concern with the racial diversity makeup of approved marijuana growers, as well as the commission that made those decisions. (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

But the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, angered that no preapproved marijuana growing company is led by African Americans, is leading a charge to dissolve the cannabis commission and restart the process to add more minority-owned companies.

On a nation that was built on the backs of black folks, I just dont see how we can, as a progressive state, stand here and tolerate the current conditions, state Sen. Joan Carter Conway (D-Baltimore), one of the sponsors of the Black Caucus legislation, said Thursday at a Senate hearing.

Cannabis regulators said that when they awarded the licenses, they wanted to follow a provision in the 2014 medical marijuana legalization law calling for racially and ethnically diverse pot growers. But, they said, they were hamstrung by a letter from the attorney generals office suggesting that racial preferences would be unconstitutional absent a study showing disparities in the industry to justify the move.

The regulators also cited the results of a survey of their preapproved marijuana companies showing there are minority investors and employees.

Has the commission engaged in some nefarious racist misconduct in the outcome of the process? I dont think we have, said Commissioner Eric Sterling.

At hearings last week, lawmakers grilled members of the commission on why they did not try harder to find alternative ways to take racial diversity into account.

We are in this awful dilemma where you didnt follow the law, and we have people who need relief, state Sen. James Brochin (D-Baltimore County) told Sterling.

Even the lawmaker who requested the legal opinion on racial preferences in medical marijuana from the attorney generals office  Del. Christopher R. West (R-Baltimore County)  demanded to know why regulators had not returned to lawmakers earlier to sort out the confusion.

[A light at the end of the tunnel for Maryland medical marijuana program]

The fact is we didnt, so whats the next question? snapped Commissioner Dario J. Broccolino, the states attorney for Howard County, prompting gasps from the audience.

Black Caucus leaders say they are negotiating changes to their diversity bills after the hearings. The legislation is set to come up for a vote in the coming weeks.

Other proposed bills would expand the number of approved medical marijuana growers, while another would grant licenses to two prospective growers suing the cannabis commission because they were passed over in favor of lower-scoring applications in the name of geographic diversity.

The companies already slotted to grow and process medical marijuana in the state are fighting such efforts to expand the market. They formed a group called the Maryland Wholesale Medical Cannabis Trade Association, hired a lobbying firm and told lawmakers that they secured investments and drafted business plans based on the idea that they would have the early foothold in the industry.

We as a group here all received As on the test, said Jake Van Wingerden, president of Cecil Countys SunMed Growers and a member of the new trade group. There are a lot of people who didnt receive an A who are complaining about the administration of the test and maybe the administration that hired the professors.

Sen. Robert A. Zirkin (D-Baltimore County), who chairs the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee that must approve the medical marijuana bills, expressed concern that authorizing additional marijuana businesses would prompt more lawsuits from companies that, as a result of the change, would face increased competition. He repeatedly said his top priority was patient access.

I want to see patients have this medication yesterday, not in a year, not in three years, Zirkin said. Theyve waited long enough.

Several parents of children with medical disorders and veterans with amputated limbs also pleaded with lawmakers to not further delay the program. They included Carey Tilghman of Boonsboro, whose 6-year-old daughter had a stroke and 1-year-old has intractable epilepsy.

Im not trying to get my kid high as a kite. Im trying to relieve her symptoms. Dont delay. I cant wait anymore, Tilghman told lawmakers as she held her sleeping toddler.

We are not going to do anything to delay any part of this program; that I can assure you, Zirkin told her.

While cannabis commissioners have not objected to lawmakers expanding the number of licenses, they are fighting bills that would restart the licensing process or dissolve and revise their agency.

Were on the 10-yard line, first and goal, and the sideline is telling us to punt the ball and start all over. Thats crazy, Broccolino said.

While the fights over the medical marijuana program continue, committees in the House will consider bills to legalize recreational marijuana, while a Senate panel is examining a proposal to tax it like alcohol.

Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery), one of the sponsors of the legislation, says he does not expect his bills to pass this session because of uncertainty over how federal marijuana policy may change under President Trump (R).

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said last month that states should expect greater enforcement of marijuana laws. The Justice Department has so far not interfered with legal recreational sales permitted in several states, but that may change under Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Madaleno and other lawmakers behind the legalization push say they want to continue debating how marijuana sales would work in Maryland in preparation for future legislative sessions.

Sen. Brian J. Feldman (D-Montgomery) is offering an alternative measure to refer the matter to voters, as lawmakers did with same-sex marriage and casinos.

Some have speculated that adding marijuana legalization to the 2018 ballot could help turn out young and other Democratic-leaning voters when popular Republican Gov. Larry Hogan is up for reelection.
Jerry Lipson, a former reporter who worked for a decade and a half as an aide to Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill, died Feb. 28 at a skilled nursing facility in Springfield, Va. He was 81.

The cause was complications from cancer, said his son, Jonathan C. Lipson.

Gerald Lipson was born in Chicago on Aug. 27, 1935. He received a bachelors degree in history from Roosevelt University in Chicago in 1957 and a masters degree in journalism from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., in 1961.

In the 1960s, Mr. Lipson reported for publications including the Wilmington News Journal in Delaware, the old Washington Star and the old Chicago Daily News, where he covered the 1968 Democratic National Convention and the legal case of James Earl Ray, who assassinated civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.

In the early 1970s, Mr. Lipson embarked on a career on Capitol Hill. He was press secretary for Sen. Charles H. Percy (R-Ill.) and Rep. John B. Anderson (R-Ill.), according to his son, as well as for Rep. John J. Rhodes (R-Ariz.) during his tenure as House minority leader and for the House International Relations Committee under chairman Benjamin A. Gilman (R-N.Y.).

In the 1980s, Mr. Lipson returned to journalism, reporting for the New York Post and the Chicago Sun-Times. In the late 80s and early 90s, he was spokesman for the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Mr. Lipson was a delegate to the 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit and campaign manager for Maryland state delegate Constance A. Morella (R) when she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986. His memberships included the Washington Press Club.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years, the former Lois Zittler of Alexandria, Va.; two children, Jonathan C. Lipson of Philadelphia and Greg Lipson of Sykesville, Md.; a sister; and four grandchildren.
One person is dead following a fire at a Capitol Heights home Sunday morning, Prince Georges County authorities said.

The blaze started about 9 a.m. in the 5900 block of Crown Street, about a half mile east of the Capitol Heights Metro station, the Prince Georges County Fire Department said. Firefighters said smoke was showing from the 1.5-story home when they arrived.

Authorities discovered the body while putting out flames in the back of the home, the department said. The victim has not been identified.

Authorities said a neighbor initially alerted them to the fire, calling 911 to say the home was ablaze and they believed someone was still inside.

The county fire marshal and homicide unit were alerted of the fire and death investigation, the department said.

Authorities said an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.

.
A Prince Georges County police officer exchanged shots with a man Saturday night during a foot chase, authorities said.

We are actively still looking for the suspect, said County Police Lt. David Coleman late Saturday night.

The incident was touched off about 9 p.m. when police were sent to the 900 block of Kayak Avenue, in the Capitol Heights area, in response to a call about a fight, the county police said.

When police arrived, someone told them that he had been robbed.

An officer then spotted a man walking nearby who, according to police, appeared to fit the description given of the perpetrator in the Kayak Avenue incident.

The man ran from the officer, police said, and the officer ran after him.

At some point during the chase, the officer and the subject exchanged gunfire, the police said in a preliminary account.

The officer was not struck. It was not clear whether the suspect was hit.

Police said that it appeared as if the man was headed toward the District.

Southern Avenue, which forms the border between the District and the county, is about eight blocks northwest of the Kayak Avenue site. The distance is about a half-mile.

It was not immediately clear late Saturday how many shots had been fired by either the officer or the suspect.

Police asked for help from the public in providing information about the incident.

Kayak Avenue, where matters began, is a residential street where well-separated houses sit on grassy plots.
Passengers using one of many escalators at L'Enfant Plaza Metro station in Washington, on Feb. 9, 2016. (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

Metro Blue Line riders relieved to see their trains back in service after 18 days of SafeTrack repairs last month: Dont get too comfortable. Ditto for those who switched to the Yellow Line to get through the last surge.

SafeTrack rumbles back through Northern Virginia for the final time this month, with 36 days of round-the-clock single-tracking, causing slowdowns and headaches in the city of Alexandria and Arlington and Fairfax counties  and potentially snarling commutes in other parts of the system. This time around, the track work, which started Saturday, will be performed in two phases: the first on the Blue and Yellow lines through April 1, and then shifting exclusively to the Yellow Line, April 2-9.

[ For SafeTrack Surge No. 12, the Blue Line takes a hiatus]

The initial work zone stretches from the Braddock Road station to the Van Dorn Street station on the Blue Line and to the Huntington station on the Yellow Line. For that phase, Yellow Line trains will run every 24 minutes from Huntington to Mount Vernon Square  even during rush hours  and Blue Line trains will run at that same frequency systemwide, including rush hours. Yellow Line Rush Plus service, which normally provides Blue Line passengers an alternative route to the District, will be halted. Though service will be more frequent from Reagan National Airport northward, riders on both lines are being urged to seek alternatives.

What appears to be at first blush a fairly localized impact has reverberations all throughout the system, said Metro board member Christian Dorsey, who represents Arlington. Looking at alternatives will be essential to get you from where you are to where you need to be with a minimum of disruption and a minimum of frustration.

South of National Airport, service will be skeletal, with a fourth as many trains as normal through April 1. For riders north of the airport, it wont be smooth sailing either. Half the usual number of trains will serve stations up to Rosslyn and LEnfant Plaza. With those levels of service, any unexpected disruption could cause widespread crowding and delays. Metro says it is staging additional employees and trains within the system in case of a breakdown.

Officials, meanwhile, urged riders to stay away from the work zone if possible.

I want to reiterate the importance of using alternate modes of transportation during this period of time so that we make sure that we are freeing up space on our roads as well as allowing for repairs to be made to our Metro system, said Sharon Bulova (D), chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

[Ridership losses, exacerbated by SafeTrack, push Metro to financial tipping point]

With the latest surge, however, theres a silver lining: If all goes to plan, it will be Virginias last taste of the year-long repair program, which has disrupted travel across the region and driven riders away from Metro at historic rates, causing the agency financial distress.

For those riders in Virginia who have long experienced issues on the Blue Line, whether its reduced service, unreliable service and then, the previous surge and the current surge, I have a message, said Dorsey. The light is at the end of the tunnel. Were almost done. April 9 we should get something more closely resembling the service that we want to provide on a regular basis.

For Blue Line riders, who have been dealt their fair share of SafeTrack-related pain, relief will come soonest, with repairs concluding on April Fools Day  perhaps an unfortunate omen.

[SafeTrack closures: These D.C. Metro lines and stations will be disrupted in the next year]

After the first round of repairs concludes April 1, track work will shift exclusively to the Yellow Line while the Blue Line returns to its normal 12-minute waits. Round-the-clock single-tracking will take place between the King St.-Old Town and Huntington stations, keeping slowdowns in place, including during rush hour. Like before, trains from Huntington to Mount Vernon Square will run every 24 minutes, with additional service from National Airport to downtown.

In all, the surge is expected to affect 43,000 trips each weekday. At a news conference on the repairs, officials urged riders to find different ways of getting to and from work over the next month.

Please rethink your commute and try alternate travel options such as walking, biking, using our DASH bus system or Metrobus, carpooling or using Amtrak, [Virginia Railway Express] or telecommuting, said Alexandria Mayor Allison Silberberg (D).

Free shuttle buses will ferry passengers between the Franconia-Springfield and Pentagon stations. Alternative bus routes include the 10A, from Alexandria to Pentagon, the 11Y, from Mount Vernon to downtown Washington, and Metroway, the bus rapid transit service from Braddock Road to the Pentagon City Metro station. VRE is another option: Officials recommend the Fredericksburg Line for an alternative between Franconia-Springfield, King St.-Old Town or Crystal City, and the District. Fairfax Connector Route 394 will run more frequent service from the Saratoga Park-and-Ride to the Pentagon.

Capital Bikeshare, which enacted a $2 single trip fare for SafeTrack, was pitched as another option. And slugging, the informal carpooling system popular in Northern Virginia, was hailed as yet another.

[Looking for an alternative to SafeTrack? Try the original ride-sharing system: Slugging.]

Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld pointed out that Surge 13 is expected to be the last with significant impact across the system.

The good news is this is our last major one, Wiedefeld said. The remaining tend to be at the end of the system so they dont have a major impact on service.

Surges 14 and 15 encompass repair work on the Green and Orange lines, the first stretching from the College Park station to the Greenbelt station beginning in mid-April and the latter from the Minnesota Avenue station to the New Carrollton station later on. A subsequent surge is planned for the Red Line from Twinbrook to Shady Grove.

The program is expected to conclude in June.

Wiedefeld lauded the programs progress over eight months of repairs, despite the impact on ridership.

Weve achieved quite a bit, he said, pointing out that 53 miles of track have been covered, representing 23 percent of the system. If you just think of the crossties and the fastening system that holds the rail down weve done the equivalent of the Silver Line extension.

Bulova urged patience as the system continues to undergo much-needed rehabilitation.

Please help with this process in letting our employees use telework and flexible time so that we are giving people the ability to be off the roads during peak hour, she said.

The surge is just the latest test for users of the beleaguered system and the regions transportation network. But Metro Board member Cathy Hudgins, who represents Fairfax County, said its manageable if riders take the appropriate precautions.

Dont just hop in your car, she said. Plan your ride, decide where you need to go, when you need to get there, and I think well get through this one as well.
A wholesaler carries frozen tuna at Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo in July. In Japan, developmental problems were detected in children who ate a large amount of fish. (Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images)

Molly Lutcavage thought she had a deal. For more than a decade, she had collected hundreds of tissue samples from bluefin tuna in hopes of settling a question that has long vexed pregnant women and the parents of young children: Should they eat the big fish, a beneficial source of protein and fatty acids? Or did mercury contamination make them too dangerous?

Lutcavage hoped to test the theory that selenium, a key chemical found in tuna, prevents mercury from being transferred to the people who eat them and that, therefore, the fish are safe to eat. So she gave her hard-won samples to a colleague, Nick Fisher, to analyze in his lab.

But Fisher, it seems, didnt have as much interest in Lutcavages selenium theory. Two years later, he produced a study focused almost exclusively on his own hypothesis: that lowering pollution emissions from power plants reduced the levels of mercury in bluefin tuna.

Lutcavage was furious, and the two scientists went to war.

We kept fighting on this, said Lutcavage, a researcher at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. I feel that the paper didnt advance the issue whatsoever on this divide between scientists over methylmercury. I cant tell you how much [my colleagues and I] agonized over taking our names off the paper.

The battle, raging for two years, sheds light on the unsettled and contentious issue of seafood safety, particularly for large, long-lived fish like tuna and swordfish that tend to accumulate mercury.

Federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health urge caution for some types of fish, especially for pregnant women and young children, because high levels of mercury contamination can cause developmental disorders. But the agencies base their recommendations on a body of research that often comes to conflicting conclusions.

[Burning less coal doesnt just make your air cleaner. It makes your tuna safer.]

Tuna and seafood, in general, is delicious and healthy. Nutritionists emphasize that its nutrients are great for growing brains. But mercury contamination could potentially outweigh those advantages. So Lutcavages question about whether selenium could bind to mercury and protect people from its effects is a potentially important one.

But Fisher, a professor of marine science at Stony Brook University on Long Island, argues that it makes more sense to try to figure out how to keep the mercury out of the fish in the first place by keeping it out of the environment.

We specifically did not address the toxicology of mercury in tuna, he said, only what the concentrations in tuna are and how they change over time. At the start of the research, he said his team could not isolate enough selenium from the samples for a reliable test. But later, near the end, they did.

When we generated some good selenium data, I said to Molly I would ship that data . . . and you can take the lead on publishing this. She chose not to do anything to do with that, Fisher said.

Both Lutcavage and Fisher recalled her exact words: I dont want anything further to do with this.

Mercury is released into the atmosphere from coal-burning plant emissions and other pollution sources around the world, and it settles on fresh and salt waters. Microbes convert it into methylmercury, which collects in small organisms and fish. Big predators, such as tuna, accumulate higher levels of methylmercury by gobbling hundreds of smaller fish.

Previous studies of how methylmercury affects people who consume large quantities of seafood have had mixed results. In Seychelles, off the East African coast, few harmful effects were found in mothers or children. In Japan, however, developmental problems were detected in children who ate a lot of fish. In a study from an island off the coast of Norway, results were mixed.

Lutcavages tissue samples came from 1,300 bluefin tuna collected over 14 years. Bluefin tuna isnt canned or widely eaten by Americans  its favored for sushi and largely consumed in Japan. But the mix of methylmercury and selenium in their bodies could have shed light on whats happening in other fish.

The story of whether eating tuna is harmful is all over the media, but the science itself is rarely covered, Lutcavage said. The paper [from her collaboration with Fisher] does not discuss the very deep divide among scientists on whether methylmercury is dangerous to humans.

Speaking for her other labs scientists, she said: Were very sad. We feel that the best possible science wasnt used here and we lost a lot in terms of this research.

Fisher was dumbfounded that his former colleague spoke so openly about their fighting, to the point of effectively disavowing their published study. Im not looking to pick a fight with her.

The study had a single purpose, according to Fisher. It simply shows that by implementing changes in mercury emissions, it could very rapidly result in changes in mercury concentrations in large fish like tuna. It did that effectively, showing that closing coal-fired plants that belch pollution reduces mercury in the environment and the ocean food chain.

[Does the dolphin safe tuna label really protect dolphins?]

Conservationists, who are concerned about the environmental impact of overfishing, have taken up the issue of mercury contamination. They have squared off against the seafood industry for decades, with activists saying beware of eating fish and the industry saying theres no solid evidence of harm.

Oceana, a nonprofit environmental group, launched a campaign to persuade grocery stores to place the FDAs mercury warning on cans of tuna. Jointly with the EPA, the FDA says pregnant women should avoid such fish as orange roughy and bigeye tuna.

But the National Fisheries Institute, which represents the seafood industry, points out that the same agencies say eating a variety of crab, lobster, scallops, shrimp and fish, including canned skipjack tuna, is a good choice, even for pregnant women and children.

The level of mercury in canned tuna remains . . . completely safe, said Lynsee Fowler, a spokeswoman for the institute. Levels of mercury in seafood, she said, are simply not making consumers sick.

After three years of research yielded no evidence to contribute to the debate, Lutcavage now wonders why she bothered to contact Fisher and why she relied on only a verbal agreement.

I blame myself, she said. Everyone has different ideas of what a collaboration might be. Its like a relationship. Get it in writing, like a prenup, she said.

Scientists who want to better understand the relationship between selenium and methylmercury will have to look elsewhere for answers.

We fought as hard as we could for our points of view on the science, Lutcavage said of her research team. And we lost.
Constituents point to a person with a question during a town hall meeting with Sen. Lindsey Graham in Clemson, S.C. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON STATE

Sikh man shot in suspected hate crime

A 39-year-old Sikh man was working on his car in his driveway in Kent, Wash., just south of Seattle, when a masked man walked up holding a gun.

According to a report in the Seattle Times, there was an altercation, and the gunman  a stocky, 6-foot-tall white man wearing a mask over the bottom part of his face  said, Go back to your own country, and pulled the trigger.

Authorities are investigating the shooting as a suspected hate crime, the newspaper reported.

The victim, whose name has not been released, was shot in the arm about 8 p.m. Friday and suffered injuries that are not life-threatening, the newspaper reported. The man who shot him remained on the loose. Kent police have reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies for help.

The shooting comes just weeks after an Indian man in Kansas was killed and another was injured by a gunman who told them to get out of my country before opening fire in a bar.

Authorities there were also investigating whether the shooting was motivated by bias.

Cleve R. Wootson Jr.

NEW YORK

Prosecutors say man aimed to fight for jihad

A New York man repeatedly traveled to the Middle East to try to join the Islamic State or another extremist group in Syria and told authorities he had been prepared to strap on a bomb to sacrifice himself for jihad, U.S. prosecutors said Saturday.

After police on suburban Long Island arrested Elvis Redzepagic on Feb. 2 on a minor, unrelated charge, he told them, Im going to leave this country, and Im going to come back with an Army  Islam is coming, according to a federal court complaint unsealed Saturday.

The 26-year-old U.S. citizen was being held without bail after appearing in a Brooklyn federal court Saturday. Hes charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

His lawyer, Mildred Whalen, noted that Redzepagic had cooperated with law enforcement.

Redzepagic was persistent in his efforts to join Islamist militants in Syria, making it to Turkey in 2015 and Jordan last year and even getting to the Syrian border, said William F. Sweeney, assistant director in charge of the FBIs New York field office.

Associated Press

MASSACHUSETTS

Mother and 4 children die in house fire

A mother and four children were killed when flames swept through their rural Massachusetts home early Saturday, fire officials said.

Two other family members escaped the fire, which broke out in the single-family house about 12:45 a.m. Investigators said initial indications suggested the blaze was accidental and possibly started in a wood stove in the kitchen.

The bodies of the victims were recovered in the rubble of the home once the fire was extinguished several hours later, authorities said. The victims had not yet been identified.

There was nothing we could have done different, unfortunately, an emotional Fire Chief Ron Gates said during an afternoon news conference. When we got on scene, the house was totally engulfed.

The town of fewer than 800 residents in Franklin County, in the northwestern part of the state, has no fire hydrants, and firefighters had to draw water from a source about a half-mile from the house, Gates said.

The two people who escaped the fire, believed to be an adult and a child, were taken to a hospital in Keene, N.H., with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Associated Press

Soy butter recalled: A peanut butter substitute is being recalled after 12 cases of E. coli were linked to the product. I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter, based in Glenview, Ill., is voluntarily recalling its SoyNut Butter products. E. coli cases in Arizona, California, Maryland, New Jersey and Oregon have been linked to the nut-free product.

Airspace violated near Mar-a-Lago: Federal officials say more than two dozen aircraft violated airspace restrictions near President Trumps estate in Florida last month. The Federal Aviation Administration reported 27 violations near Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. In one instance, Air Force jets speeding to intercept an aircraft caused a sonic boom that rattled Palm Beach and Broward counties. Agency officials said they are investigating each case.

From news reports
MALAYSIA

N. Korean ambassador expelled for comments

Malaysia is expelling North Koreas ambassador for refusing to apologize for his strong accusations over Malaysias handling of the investigation into the killing of North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns estranged half brother.

Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said a notice was sent to the North Korean Embassy about 6 p.m. Saturday, declaring Ambassador Kang Chol persona non grata. The notice said Kang must leave Malaysia within 48 hours.

Earlier in the week, Malaysia demanded that North Korea formally apologize for Kangs accusations over the investigation into the Feb. 13 killing of Kim Jong Nam at Kuala Lumpurs airport, including that the Malaysian government had something to hide and that Malaysia has colluded with outside powers to defame North Korea, Anifah said in a statement.

He said that no apology had come and that none appeared forthcoming. He also said North Korean Embassy officials failed to turn up for a meeting Saturday at the Foreign Ministry, so Malaysia decided to expel the ambassador.

A camel eats food stored in a discarded car on a summer day in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, March 4, 2017. The camels are used for providing fun rides for children in the city. (Mahesh Kumar A./AP)

The death of Kim has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. Kangs expulsion came just days after Malaysia said it would scrap visa-free entry for North Koreans.

 Associated Press

ITALY

Berlin attacker was a drug user, ofcial says

An Italian official says the autopsy on the chief suspect in the Berlin Christmas market attack indicated frequent drug use.

A court official said Saturday that Anis Amri used both cocaine and hashish but not on the day he was killed. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to give details about the case, says it wasnt possible to determine whether Amri had used the drugs before the Dec. 19 truck attack that killed 12 people and injured dozens.

Amri was killed during a routine stop by police in a Milan suburb four days after the attack.

It wasnt clear why Amri, a 24-year-old Tunisian, had come to Italy. Authorities say he may have been heading toward Sicily, where he had some acquaintances.

 Associated Press

Terrorist group suspects arrested in Bahrain: Bahrain said Saturday that it has arrested 25 suspected members of a terrorist group allegedly backed by Iran in the island nation, which is home to the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet. Irans government had no immediate comment. Sunni-ruled Bahrain, like other Persian Gulf Arab nations, remains suspicious of Shiite Iran. Bahrain linked the group to several attacks, including a January prison break. It said without elaborating that the groups leader was in Germany.

Families of Malaysia Airlines flight try to reboot search: Families of passengers on board missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 launched a campaign to privately fund a new search for the aircraft. Australia, Malaysia and China jointly called off a two-year underwater search in January. Organizers hope to raise $15 million to fund a search north of the previous search area.

Hunt is on for pilot of crashed Syrian fighter jet: Turkey said that a warplane probably belonging to the Syrian air force crashed on the Syrian side of the countries border and that a search was underway for the pilot, who probably bailed out and may have landed on Turkish soil. But a local Turkish governor told the Anatolia news agency that a rescue team had reached the wreckage of the plane, which suggested it might have come down on the Turkish side of the border. There were no remains found in the wreckage.

Mexico rescues 31 Cuban migrants from smugglers: Mexican authorities rescued 31 Cuban migrants who were being held at a house in the Caribbean city of Cancun. A government statement said police acting on a tip located the 22 men and nine women. The migrants said armed captors had held them and demanded money to free them. They did not have migratory documents and were given food and medical evaluations before being repatriated.

Members of Colombian drug gang arrested in Spain: Spanish police say they arrested 24 members of a Colombian drug ring seeking to establish a network for the wholesale distribution of cocaine to local dealers. Police said the arrested members include two of the groups leaders. Police also confiscated six vehicles equipped with secret caches to transport drugs and raided houses in several parts of Spain, including Madrid and the northern coast.

 From news services
110 dead from hunger in past 48 hours in drought: MOGADISHU, Somalia  Somalia's prime minister said Saturday that 110 people have died from hunger in the past 48 hours in a single region  the first death toll announced in a severe drought threatening millions of people across the country. Somalia's government declared the drought a national disaster on Tuesday. The United Nations estimates that 5 million people in this Horn of Africa nation need aid, amid warnings of a full-blown famine.

Jordan hangs 10 for attacks linked to Islamic extremism: AMMAN, Jordan  Jordan on Saturday executed 10 prisoners with ties to Islamic extremism who carried out five shootings and a bombing since 2003, the government spokesman said. It was the largest round of executions in the kingdom in at least a decade. Among those killed in the attacks were a British tourist, an outspoken Jordanian critic of Islamic extremism and members of the Jordanian security forces. Saturday's executions were the first since pro-Western Jordan launched a crackdown on Islamic militants two years ago, in response to the killing of a captured Jordanian fighter pilot by the Islamic State group.

Plane crashes near Turkey-Syria border: ISTANBUL  Turkish officials said that an aircraft believed to belong to the Syrian military crashed near the Turkey-Syria border Saturday, with the Syrian opposition claiming to Turkish media they were responsible for shooting the plane down. Hatay governor Erdal Ata told state-run Anadolu news agency that rescue teams had arrived at the wreckage and reported that the cockpit was empty, confirming earlier reports by local villagers who claimed to have observed the pilots ejecting. Ata added that there had been no airspace violation and no intervention by Turkish forces.
Del. Dan K. Morhaim talks to reporters Friday after his reprimand by the Maryland House of Delegates for using his legislative position to influence medical marijuana regulators without publicly disclosing that he was a paid consultant to a prospective dispensary. (Brian Witte/Associated Press)

MARYLANDS ROLLOUT of its medical marijuana program has been called  one of the slowest of the 28 states that allow it. Approved about three years ago, the program is still months away from being operational and that might be optimistic. The length of time, one would hope, means there was careful planning and follow-through  but sadly, that has not been the case. Instead, the process has been tainted by self-dealing and complaints of racial bias, secrecy and political interference.

Getting most of the attention was Fridays official censure for a state lawmaker who was less than forthright about his dual roles in the states push for medical marijuana. The House of Delegates reprimanded Del. Dan K. Morhaim (D-Baltimore County) after the ethics committee found he had improperly advocated changes to medical marijuana without publicly disclosing his role as a paid consultant to a prospective cannabis dispensary. Critics saw the punishment as a slap on the wrist, but at least lawmakers took some action in response to unacceptable behavior.

Equal concern should also be directed at the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission and how it selected the businesses to receive the limited number of lucrative licenses to grow and process cannabis. Recent revelations in a lawsuit brought by two companies that were abruptly bumped from the list of 15 finalists raise questions about whether political connections may have played a role.

Maryland Cultivation and Processing and Green Thumb Industries had been ranked No. 8 and No. 12, respectively, by a panel of outside experts advising the selection subcommittee. The subcommittee voted unanimously on July 27 to approve them, but two days later the subcommittees chairman, Cheverly Police Chief Harry Robshaw, persuaded three other members to reverse their votes and instead approve two lower-ranked firms. One of them proposed to do business in Prince Georges County and has political ties that include Maryland Fraternal Order of Police head Vince Canales and former state secretary of health Nelson Sabatini as well as representation by high-profile Annapolis lobbyist Gerard Evans. The company has said the team was assembled based on experience and expertise and it never tried to influence the commission. Commission officials have said the change was needed to enhance geographic diversity, something required by the statute legalizing medical marijuana.

Why then were applicants not told that geography would be determinant? And how did this only emerge as a concern 48 hours after the initial vote? Mr. Robshaws explanation that the subcommittee initially didnt have complete information on the counties in which the applicants would operate was contradicted in a sworn deposition by former commissioner Deborah Miran, the lone holdout in making the swap, who said the subcommittee had all the geographic information before the unanimous vote.

A spokeswoman for the commission told us that allegations of political favoritism are false, unsubstantiated, and based on rumor and conjecture. It is clear that more needs to be known about these events, so it is troubling that the state attorney generals office has blocked the release of information  including the dissent of Ms. Miran, who curiously was subsequently denied reappointment to the commission. We hope the judge hearing this case will make clear the need for transparency in facts and actions taken by public regulatory bodies.
THE NEW YORK TIMES reports that the Trump administration has divided over whether to remove the United States from the Paris climate agreement, a landmark international deal with vast diplomatic and environmental significance. Withdrawing  or asking the Senate to decide what to do, which is effectively the same thing  would be an enormous and possibly irreparable error. This is not a hard call: Staying in the agreement is costless, while leaving would rightly provoke sharp and sustained international outrage.

The Paris agreement does not formally obligate the United States to make any particular level of emissions cuts. All it does is ask countries to announce emissions plans of their choosing and report on their progress. It has no major implications for U.S. sovereignty and demands no particular policy balance between environmental and industrial concerns. If the Trump administration wants to move that balance toward fossil fuel interests, it does not have to leave the Paris agreement to do so.

President Trump could modify the U.S. Paris commitment, or simply leave President Barack Obamas Paris pledge in place. Although Mr. Trump has promised to rip up major elements of Mr. Obamas climate plan, other policies, such as congressionally mandated renewables subsidies and state-level efforts, would continue apace. Crushing the Environmental Protection Agencys Clean Power Plan would ill-prepare the country for the significant emissions cuts that it will have to make in coming decades, but it would not keep the nation from reducing its emissions by more modest levels in the near term. If the country is going to be achieving emissions cuts anyway, why not take some international credit for them?

Given all that, leaving Paris would be nothing more than a gratuitous thumb in the eye of practically every important nation on the planet, a bizarre and irrational unforced error.

The Times reports that Ivanka Trump and others pushing to stay in the Paris agreement might be mollified if the president declared that deal is a treaty that requires Senate ratification, tossing its fate into lawmakers hands. This is just another way to kill it, a ruse that would trick no foreign government. During the Paris negotiations, international diplomats bent over backward to accommodate the U.S. political system, specifically designing an agreement that relies on purely voluntary, nonbinding emissions commitments from every major polluting nation. Many governments would have much preferred a treaty with legally mandatory emissions requirements. But they recognized that the Senate, where rural and energy interests are quite powerful, would certainly scuttle it.

Neither Ms. Trump nor anyone else in the White House should imagine that the global reaction would be any different if the president, in effect, asks the Senate to do his dirty work for him rather than simply withdrawing from the Paris agreement himself. Like it or not, climate change has become a central concern on the global stage that drives a great deal of modern diplomacy. And for good reason: The only workable response to the threat is an international one based on U.S. leadership and mutual trust. Pulling out of Paris would uselessly undermine both.
TEXAS IS suffering the first consequence of the Trump administrations indifference to voting rights, which is a polite way of characterizing the ongoing Republican campaign to disenfranchise young and minority voters who tend to support Democrats.

In one of his first significant moves since taking office, Attorney General Jeff Sessions threw cold water on long-standing efforts by the Justice Department to clean up a blatantly discriminatory Texas law clearly designed to suppress African American and other Democratic-leaning votes.

The move was in keeping with Mr. Sessionss long-standing hostility to civil and voting rights, and with a widespread view within the GOP that nothing short of blatant hate speech should be considered as racism. However, by pulling back from the lawsuit seeking changes in the Texas statute, the administration threw in the towel on four years of efforts by civil rights lawyers in the Justice Department, which had so far been successful in the federal courts.

The Texas voter ID law is a particularly toxic version of legislative efforts in several dozen states that use the phony pretext of combating fraudulent voting  which extensive research has shown to be almost nonexistent at polling places  to justify a campaign of voter suppression. The statute, passed in 2011, requires voters to produce forms of government-issued photo IDs, including drivers licenses and hunting permits, which white voters are much more likely to possess than young, black and other primarily Democratic voting blocs. Other forms of documentation those groups would be more likely to have, including student IDs issued by state colleges and universities, are not valid for voting.

A federal judge found that more than 600,000 Texans, about 4 percent of all the states registered voters, would be barred from the polls by the laws ID requirements  a fact easily known to GOP lawmakers. The question of the bills effects having been settled, the main remaining issue for the courts was whether the Texas legislature enacted the law with discriminatory intent. If judges conclude that it did, then Texas would be subject to federal supervision and pre-clearance of all voting laws it might enact for up to a decade.

In a ruling last summer, the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, one of the nations most conservative tribunals, agreed that the Texas laws effects were discriminatory and left it for lower courts to reexamine the question of intent. The lawsuit will now continue, pressed by civil rights groups representing voters against the state. But on the critical question of discriminatory intent, the suit will go forward without the full force of the federal governments moral and legal weight.

In the presidential campaign, Mr. Trump asked African American voters, What the hell do you have to lose? by voting for him. Now his Justice Department has delivered the answer: His administration will not oppose intentional efforts to violate basic civil rights.
Donald Trumps political career was born amid the fever swamps of the far right. He seized on a favorite conspiracy theory bubbling there  that then-President Barack Obama was not, in fact, born in the United States and, therefore, was an illegitimate president  to boost his profile in national politics.

That boost eventually led to his 2016 candidacy. That candidacy led to President Trump. But what never changed is Trumps willingness to actively engage the world of conspiracy theorists.

The latest example came Saturday morning when Trump took to Twitter  where else!  to allege that he was the target of a wiretapping campaign authorized by Obama during the 2016 race.

Typed Trump: Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!

How did he know this, you might ask. When and what government agency told him about the wiretapping, you might ask.

(Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

The answer appears to be that Trump made the allegations after reading a Breitbart News article on Friday. That article, based heavily on conservative talk radio host Mark Levins views, suggested that the Obama administration had conducted a silent coup to keep Trump from the presidency. Heres the key paragraph:

In summary: the Obama administration sought, and eventually obtained, authorization to eavesdrop on the Trump campaign; continued monitoring the Trump team even when no evidence of wrongdoing was found; then relaxed the NSA rules to allow evidence to be shared widely within the government, virtually ensuring that the information, including the conversations of private citizens, would be leaked to the media.

[Fact Checker: Trumps evidence for Obama wiretap claims relies on sketchy, anonymously sourced]

Thats not to say that these events couldnt be related somehow. But it is to say that zero factual evidence has been offered that ties them together.

The White House didnt offer that proof on Sunday, demanding instead that Congress add a search for it to its ongoing investigations into Russias apparent meddling in the 2016 election. Reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said.

The problem for Trump and his White House is that while they were dodging direct requests for proof of his allegations, people in a position to know were flatly denying the claims.

A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice, said Kevin Lewis, a spokesman for Obama. As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false.

[How hard is it to get an intelligence wiretap? Pretty hard.]

Former director of national intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. told NBCs Chuck Todd on Sunday that there was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time as a candidate or against his campaign, adding that he would absolutely have been aware if there had been.

Heres the thing: If you are going to say there is a grand conspiracy that only you and a handful of others see, you need to offer a step-by-step explanation to the broader public to show why youre right.

And that goes double when you have shown a penchant for embracing conspiracy theories  Obama wasnt born in the United States, Sen. Ted Cruzs father was involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Muslims were cheering on rooftops in New Jersey after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and so on and so forth.

The ball is in Trumps court. Short of convincing evidence to back up the wiretapping claims, the conspiracy-theory candidate will have transformed into the conspiracy-theory president.
President Trump on Saturday angrily accused former president Barack Obama of orchestrating a Nixon/Watergate plot to tap the phones at his Trump Tower headquarters in the run-up to last falls election, providing no evidence to support his explosive claim and drawing a flat denial from Obamas office.

Leveling the extraordinary allegation about his predecessor in a series of four early morning tweets, Trump said Obama had been wire tapping his New York offices and suggested that the former president had meddled with the very sacred election process. Obamas supposed actions, Trump said, amounted to McCarthyism.

Bad (or sick) guy! the 45th president tweeted about the 44th, insisting that the surveillance efforts resulted in nothing found.

Senior U.S. officials with knowledge of a wide-ranging federal investigation into Russian interference in the election, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss classified information, said Saturday that there had been no wiretap of Trump.

Kevin Lewis, a spokesman for Obama, said in a statement: A cardinal rule of the Obama Administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice. As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false.

President Trump speaks to Navy and shipyard personnel aboard nuclear aircraft carrier U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford in Newport News, Va., on Thursday, March 2. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

Officials at the FBI and the Justice Department declined to comment.

According to senior administration officials, White House Counsel Donald McGahn and his office are inquiring about possible surveillance of then-candidate Trump while being sensitive to legal and national security considerations.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said McGahn is reviewing what options, if any, are available to us.

It could not be immediately determined whether there had been wiretaps of anyone in Trumps orbit who might be a subject of the Russia probe. Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.) told MSNBC on Friday that he believes transcripts exist that would show whether Russian officials colluded with Trumps campaign.

Wiretaps in a foreign intelligence probe cannot legally be directed at a U.S. facility without probable cause  reviewed by a federal judge  that the phone lines or Internet addresses at the facility were being used by agents of a foreign power or by someone spying for or acting on behalf of a foreign government.

Ben Rhodes, a longtime national security adviser to Obama, tweeted at Trump: No President can order a wiretap. Those restrictions were put in place to protect citizens from people like you.

Neither Trump nor his aides offered any citation to back up Trumps accusation about Obama. Trump may have been prompted by a report on the conservative website Breitbart and commentary from talk radio host Mark Levin suggesting that the Obama administration used police state tactics to monitor the Trump team. The Breitbart report circulated among Trumps senior aides Friday and early Saturday, and Trump may have simply been reacting to the piece when he took to his preferred megaphone, Twitter, to trumpet his claim.

1 of 83 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  See what President Trump has been doing since taking office View Photos The beginning of his term has featured controversial executive orders and frequent conflicts with the media. Caption The beginning of the presidents term has featured controversial executive orders and frequent conflicts with the media. March 17, 2017 President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron, walk to Marine One at the White House en route to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

Trumps tweets punctuated a general feeling shared by the president, his advisers and allies that Obama and the Deep State of critics within the intelligence community  who they think are fueling stories on Trump and Russia  have been conspiring to derail his presidency. At the heart of each of the presidents tweets is Trumps apparent belief that Obama himself  as opposed to members of his administration  had been personally overseeing surveillance of Trump Tower.

The conservative media landscape  including Sean Hannitys show on Fox News and Infowars, the conspiracy website run by Alex Jones, outlets on which Trump has appeared  has in recent days given birth to tales of Obama and his closest confidants trying to spur Trumps impeachment or force his resignation.

But separately, the president is furious that a slow churn of revelations about communications between Attorney General Jeff Sessions, ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn and other Trump associates and Russian officials has overshadowed the early weeks of his administration. And he has grown fixated on identifying leakers.

Hes angry, and he thinks that the leaks  even forgetting the rhetoric on politics  are a significant problem that hurts the security of the country, said Thomas J. Barrack Jr., a close friend who chaired Trumps inauguration. He feels if he cant rely on his team, if he were negotiating with North Korea on something sensitive and death by a thousand leaks continued, he views that as really being disruptive to the security of America.

Trump has directed his aides to investigate employees across the federal government, with a particular focus on holdovers from the Obama administration and career intelligence officers, who Trump believes are trying to sabotage him.

White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon has been in close touch with the president about what he has called the Deep State. Bannons remarks in a recent speech about the deconstruction of the administrative state were designed in part to raise alarm among activists on the right about entrenched bureaucrats in the intelligence and defense agencies, according to White House officials.

Roger Stone, a longtime political adviser to Trump who does not work in the administration but still talks with the president, said he is urging Trump to fire and prosecute anyone who leaks damaging information.

What the president doesnt understand is he has more power than he knows, Stone said. He needs to clean house. Just clean house! Hand the pink slips to everybody. . . . Lock them out of their offices and tell the FBI to start going through their emails and phone messages.

Trump was incensed over Sessionss decision to recuse himself from the Russia probe after The Washington Post reported that Sessions had met twice with the Russian ambassador but then testified falsely at his Senate confirmation hearing that he did not have communications with the Russians.

In the Oval Office on Friday morning, Trump fumed at his senior staff about the Sessions situation and told them that he disagreed with the attorney generals move, according to senior White House officials who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Trump told aides that he thought the White House and Justice Department should have done more to counter the argument that Sessions needed to step away. Trump said he wanted to see his staff fight back against what he saw as a widespread effort to destabilize his presidency, the officials said.

Trump then departed for Palm Beach, Fla.  in what one associate described as a [expletive] bad mood  to spend the weekend at his private Mar-a-Lago Club, where he fired off Saturday mornings tweets alleging wiretaps.

Trump amended his public schedule Saturday to add an early evening meeting with Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, as well as dinner with both men and other advisers, including Bannon.

If the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court approved a wiretapping order on one of Trumps associates, that would mean the federal judge involved had decided there was probable cause that the person was colluding with a foreign government.

Some current and former intelligence officials cast doubt on Trumps wiretapping assertion.

Its extremely unlikely that there would have been any sort of criminal or intelligence surveillance of Trump, said Jennifer Daskal, a former senior Justice Department national security official. Theres no credible evidence yet to suggest that that happened. It would be an extraordinary measure for the FBI to ask for and the court to grant a surveillance order on a presidential candidate of the opposing party in an election year.

Most Republican leaders were quiet on the issue Saturday, but Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) vowed at a town hall meeting with constituents to get to the bottom of this. He said it would be the biggest scandal since Watergate if Obama illegally spied on Trump or if a judge approved a warrant to monitor Trumps campaign for possible communications with Russia.

Im very worried that our president is suggesting that the former president has done something illegally, Graham said. At the same time, because of what it would signal, I would be very worried if in fact the Obama administration was able to obtain a warrant lawfully about Trump campaign activity with foreign governments.

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) called for Trump to provide the public more information about his charges. We are in the midst of a civilization-warping crisis of public trust, and the Presidents allegations today demand the thorough and dispassionate attention of serious patriots, Sasse said in a statement.

Democrats, meanwhile, blasted Trump. Rep. Adam B. Schiff (Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said the president leveled a spectacularly reckless allegation against Obama without evidence.

Referencing Trumps description of Obama as a bad (or sick) guy, Schiff said in a statement, If there is something bad or sick going on, it is the willingness of the nations chief executive to make the most outlandish and destructive claims without providing a scintilla of evidence to support them.

Daskal, who now teaches law at American University, agreed. It is extremely dangerous for the president to be suggesting that he was being surveilled for political purposes, when there is absolutely no evidence of that fact, she said.

Jenna Portnoy in Palm Beach, Fla., and David Weigel and Matt Zapotosky in Washington contributed to this report.
Donald Trumps presidency has veered onto a road with no centerlines or guardrails.

The presidents accusation Saturday that his predecessor, Barack Obama, had tapped his phone during the very sacred election process escalated on Sunday into the White Houses call for a congressional investigation of that evidence-free claim.

The audacious tactic was a familiar one for Trump, who has little regard for norms and conventions. When he wants to change a subject, he often does it by touching a match to the dry tinder of a sketchy conspiracy theory.

But the stakes have gotten higher, and the consequences more real and serious, as questions mount over Moscows reported attempts to interfere with last years presidential election.

[Trump, citing no evidence, accuses Obama of Nixon/Watergate plot]

(Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post)

Trumps response also has deepened doubts about his own judgment, not just in the face of the first crisis to confront his young presidency but in dealing with the challenges that lie ahead for the chief executive of the worlds most powerful nation.

His tweets may have been an effort to distract from revelations that his aides and associates had contact with Russian officials during the election and transition, as well as to deflect criticism onto Obama.

But instead, the president has invited more scrutiny to the larger controversy over Russian interference. The issue shows no signs of fading.

So explosive was Trumps unsubstantiated wiretap accusation that FBI Director James B. Comey asked the Justice Department to take the extraordinary step of issuing a statement rebutting it, a U.S. official said, confirming a report Sunday in the New York Times.

[Analysis: Russia is the slow burn of the Trump administration, and its not going away]

The process of obtaining permission to conduct a wiretap on an American in a foreign intelligence investigation is an arduous one. If it turns out that a government agency put one on Trump or individuals around him, an obvious question would be what evidence was used to justify the action.

Trumps tweetstorm early Saturday made his disciplined, well-received speech to Congress four days before seem less a turning point than an aberration.

Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! Trump fired out, in the first of four tweets on the subject.

The charge was reminiscent of the early days of his political ascendancy, when he built a political base by pandering to the fringes with false stories about Obamas birthplace. After he was elected with less than a popular majority, Trump made the groundless claim that millions of people had voted illegally.

But the voice of a U.S. commander in chief carries much greater weight than that of just about anyone else on the planet. Trumps detractors say the way he uses that platform has worrisome implications that go far beyond the sensation he creates on social media and his ability to dominate the news.

We have as president a man who is erratic, vindictive, volatile, obsessive, a chronic liar, and prone to believe in conspiracy theories, said conservative commentator Peter Wehner, who was the top policy strategist in George W. Bushs White House. And you can count on the fact that there will be more to come, since when people like Donald Trump gain power they become less, not more, restrained.

Nor does Trump appear to have a governing apparatus around him that can temper and channel his impulses.

When the president goes off and does what he did within the last few days, of just going ahead and tweeting without checking on things, theres something wrong. Theres something wrong in terms of the discipline within the White House and how you operate, Leon Panetta, a White House chief of staff for Bill Clinton and CIA director during the Obama administration, said Sunday on CBSs Face the Nation.

Trump and his allies, however, say that the criticism is misdirected.

In their view, the concern over Russian interference in the election has been overblown by Democrats looking for an excuse for Hillary Clintons defeat last November.

They also say that more focus should be concentrated on the people within the government who are leaking sensitive information to the news media.

Within a government bureaucracy that tilts Democratic, there is an active deep state opposition to a populist disruptive reformer. Many believe it is their duty to break the law and lie, said former House speaker Newt Gingrich. For Trump to succeed, there will have to be profound overhaul of the bureaucracy. To be normal in this environment is to fail.

Still, Republicans on Capitol Hill have been unsettled by Trumps latest claims, which come amid investigations by the House and Senate intelligence committees and calls by some for more drastic measures, including a select committee, independent commission or special prosecutor.

It would be more helpful if he turned over to the Intelligence Committee any evidence that he has, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a member of that panel, said on Face the Nation. It would probably be helpful if he gave more information, but it also might be helpful if he just didnt comment further and allowed us to do our work.

Some note that Trump now sits in the Oval Office in large part because voters did not want another conventional politician in the job.

A lot of this outrage thats out there is because Donald Trump is doing what Donald Trump said he was going to do if he was elected, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who ran against Trump for the GOP presidential nomination, said on Meet the Press.

Yet Trumps accusations may well inflame  rather than calm  another sentiment that abounds in the country.

This is exceedingly problematic. We were already in a huge deficit as to what the country trusted out of Washington and our leaders, said Matthew Dowd, who has been a strategist for both Democratic and Republican politicians.

This only adds to it, Dowd said. Were in a surreal world.
Republican Sens. Mike Lee (Utah), left, and Rand Paul (Ky.) are threatening to vote against the GOPs emerging House bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act. They object to a proposed tax credit it contains. (J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press)

The last time a Republican president and Republican Congress passed a tax cut, in 2003, Peter J. Roskam was serving in the Illinois state Senate.

The last time a Republican president and Republican Congress overhauled federal health policy, also in 2003, when prescription drug coverage was added to Medicare, Michael C. Burgess was serving his first year in the House.

Flash forward 14 years, and now those two lawmakers, Reps. Roskam (R-Ill.) and Burgess (R-Tex.), are senior members of the influential committees trying to overhaul tax and health policy with a new Republican president and a GOP-controlled Congress.

Across the Capitol, theres a new generation of Republicans who have risen to power since the GOP last attempted to enact a sweeping agenda that would overhaul big pieces of the economy such as the health-care and tax systems. Quite simply, there arent many Republicans around with muscle memory of what its like to craft large pieces of legislation that rely almost entirely on votes from their side of the aisle.

The problem is particularly acute in the House, where just 60 Republicans  a quarter of their caucus  have ever served in the majority with a GOP president.

Moreover, more than 160 House Republicans are getting their first taste of working with a Republican president. Their entire legislative careers until now have been dedicated to stopping an administrations actions.

Some GOP elder statesmen are worried this block-everything mentality is still the mind-set dominating several dozen Republicans.

Theyve got to get in line, Trent Lott (R-Miss.), a former Senate majority leader, said in an interview. The former senator said some conservatives who are threatening to hold up the emerging health and tax bills do not understand the difference between controlling Congress alone and having both Congress and the White House.

[The GOP leadership is] going to have to be prepared to crush that, he said.

Its not just a problem in the House. Over in the Senate, a trio of next-generation Republicans  Ted Cruz (Tex.), Mike Lee (Utah) and Rand Paul (Ky.)  are threatening to block the emerging House bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act. They dont like a proposed tax credit it contains, viewing it as a new entitlement.

[White House split on import tax puts Congress in limbo]

The trick for House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is to convince these younger Republicans that while they might not get everything they want in the big health-care and tax overhauls, they have been handed a golden opportunity to pass what is by all measures a very conservative agenda. GOP aides noted they wouldnt be averse to a tweet from President Trump backing the Hill leaderships agenda.

Both Republican leaders want to pass a health-care overhaul in early April before Congress leaves town on a two-week spring break.

There is an example from 2001 of how things could work, Lott recalled, pointing to George W. Bushs first year in office, when the Senate was split 50-50 and the majority hinged on Vice President Richard B. Cheneys tiebreaking vote.

Republicans had agreed to a massive $1.3 trillion tax cut, but moderate Senate Republicans demanded more funds for special education. House conservatives opposed the additional money, but that was the price they had to pay to get the bigger issue to Bushs desk for his signature.

We managed to make it work, Lott said.

Todays Senate does have several seasoned hands involved in the current legislative fights, particularly Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), a former governor and proven dealmaker. In addition, Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) has been in office more than 40 years and is now chairing his third panel, the Finance Committee, with oversight of health and tax matters.

But in the House, Reps. Kevin Brady (R-Tex.) and Greg Walden (R-Ore.) have a combined total of 18 months respectively chairing the Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce committees. They are in charge of writing the House versions of the tax and health bills.

Roskam is chairman of the tax subcommittee at Ways and Means, and Burgess chairs the health subcommittee at Energy and Commerce. Both are in their first year running those key policy venues.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the most prolific Democratic legislator of the last five years, wonders whether any House Republican beyond Ryan has the stature to make the deals.

It doesnt just happen because you decide to write something on a wall and put it on a piece of paper, Murray said. Its called catching the car if youre the dog. Saying something as a campaign slogan is easy.

[Conservative groups and lawmakers demanding full repeal could derail Obamacare rollback]

In 2013 Murray and Ryan, then the chairmen of the Senate and House budget committees, crafted a compromise federal-spending outline that virtually guaranteed no government-shutdown standoffs for two years. The easy part, Murray said, was drawing up the policy. Then they had to sell it.

It wasnt just going in a room and write it, she said. We had to actually go and talk to people, work it, make sure we had the votes from each side. It was a lot of work.

Even when Republicans have the most experienced legislators, getting big things done can still be difficult. Back in 2003, Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.), a 25-year veteran at the time, chaired the Ways and Means Committee and had to fight, scrap and claw the Medicare bill to final passage.

The vote, beginning about 3 a.m. in late November, was held open nearly three hours before the last holdouts came around, for a final vote total of 220 to 215.

There were 25 Republicans who bucked their leaders and the White House, including a second-term congressman from Indiana, Mike Pence. The legislation only passed because 16 Democrats voted with Thomas.

Today, Ryan  who voted for the 2003 bill  is not expecting a single vote from the Democrats to repeal the ACA. If 25 Republicans take the route that Pence, the future vice president, took in 2003, the legislation will fail.

Trumps administration is now stocked with four House Republicans, leaving Ryan just 21 votes to spare from his side to still win in a close vote. McConnell can spare just two votes in the Senate, or else the ACA overhaul fails there.

No one is certain whether this GOP generation is ready to follow its leaders.

Were fixin to find out, Lott said.

Read more from Paul Kanes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny helped found the Anti-corruption Foundation, which published an investigation accusing Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of funneling more than $1 billion worth of bribes. (Sergei Ilnitsky/European Pressphoto Agency)

Anyone following the uproar in Washington over allegations of inappropriate ties to Russia within the Trump administration might be interested in Moscows reaction to sweeping corruption charges the countrys most recognizable Kremlin opponent has leveled against Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Crickets, pretty much.

Alexei Navalny, who has said he will run for president in 2018, released last week a report and a 50-minute video detailing allegations that Medvedev has funneled more than $1 billion in bribes through companies and charities run by his associates to acquire vineyards, luxury yachts and lavish mansions. The Russian government quickly dismissed the accusations as an attention-grabbing stunt by a self-proclaimed presidential candidate with no chance of winning.

That came out on Thursday, the same day Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from any investigation into possible Kremlin interference in the U.S. presidential election after The Washington Posts report that he had met with Russias ambassador to the United States despite telling senators at his confirmation hearing that he had not met with Russian officials during the campaign.

Official Moscow quickly characterized the Sessions affair as a witch hunt motivated by anti-Russian hysteria, and the Internet was peppered with tweets poking fun at the furor and pictures of Americans real and imaginary who have met Ambassador Sergei Kislyak.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. (Yekaterina Shtukina/AP)

[Moscow blames anti-Russian hysteria for Sessionss plight]

Online Russia has been far less dismissive of Navalnys video, which has more than 5 million views on YouTube, and more than 400 comments, many of which appear to have been written by Russians who support its conclusions. The allegations, which Navalny said were put together relying on publicly available documents, were also reported by online news portals and a few influential newspapers.

But they were ignored or dismissed by government-controlled television and most major print publications, following the lead of Medvedevs spokeswoman, Natalya Timakova, who said there was no point in commenting on propaganda insinuations, and President Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, who backed Timakovas remarks, referring to Navalny as a notorious convicted citizen.

And that highlights a major difference between the political state of affairs for dissidents in Russia and the United States at the moment.

Navalny, who emerged as an anti-corruption whistleblower and took a leading role in the street protests that accompanied Putins 2012 return to the presidency, has been the target of fraud and embezzlement probes he calls politically motivated. In 2013, he was convicted of siphoning money off a lumber sale, a verdict that the European Court of Human Rights declared prejudicial, saying that Navalny and his co-defendant were denied the right to a fair trial.

In November, Russias Supreme Court declared a retrial, and Navalny was convicted of embezzlement and handed a five-year suspended sentence in February, which by Russian law would prevent him from running for president.

Navalnys conviction is one of a long line of misfortunes that befall vocal opponents of Putin. Boris Nemtsov, a charismatic former deputy prime minister and opposition leader, was gunned down in sight of the Kremlin walls in 2015. Vladimir Kara-Murza, another opposition activist, was in a medical coma in the hospital last month after a suspected poisoning, the second since 2015. Others have been discredited by hidden camera videos aired on state television.

The Kremlin denies involvement in any of this, and it would seem unnecessary for Putin to worry about his opponents when his popularity rating, according to one polling center, hasnt dipped below 80 percent in three years.

[How to understand Putins jaw-droppingly high popularity rating]

That same pollster, the Levada Center, in February reported that 47 percent of 1,600 Russians surveyed had heard of Navalny, but only 10 percent said they might vote for the 40-year-old whistleblower.

Asked Friday whether the Russian parliament would look into the report, pro-Kremlin legislator Vyacheslav Nikonov dismissed it as a desperate attempt to get attention by an unpopular candidate. He also poured scorn on the way Navalny built his case against Medvedev, which relies on connections to the premiers former classmates, Instagram photos that appear to place Medvedev on one of the yachts or at one of the estates, and garishly colored sneakers and shirts that were sent to one of the companies and were identical to ones worn by Medvedev in pictures and videos shown in the video.

Piecing together the evidence, Navalny concluded that without a doubt, Medvedev, who has frequently spoken of the need to fight official corruption, is one of the richest people in the country and one of the most corrupt bureaucrats.

One former classmate linked to companies and charities mentioned in the scheme denied any connection, and Nikonov countered that Navalnys accusations boiled down to the fact that Medvedev wears pink sneakers.

In an interview on Ekho Moskvy radio, Ilya Shumanov, a deputy head of the Russian branch of Transparency International, agreed that Navalny has failed to make an irrefutable case that Medvedev benefited financially from his acquaintances.

Navalny decried what he called public indifference to corruption in Russia.

I try to do things in a way they should be done in a normal world, Navalny told the station. In Russia we see an absurd situation in which we publish on the Internet that someone received 70 billion [rubles] in bribes, and everybodys reaction is like, yeah, nothing interesting here. 

Read more:

Putin foe Alexei Navalny found guilty in retrial, threatening 2018 presidential run

Interview with Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny

Inside Trumps financial ties to Russia and his unusual flattery of Putin

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
ROCHESTER, Minn. Madeline Van Ert, of Rochester, has had quite the year during her reign as Miss Minnesota, with lots of fun memories and experiences.

One of them is the trip she took to Paris last month, at the invitation of Lebanese fashion designer of Haute Couture and ready-to-wear clothing Georges Hobeika, who is the designer of the dress she wore to the Miss America Pageant last fall.

I took a very unconventional route to Miss America with my choices, style-wise and personality-wise, she said. It was really important to stay true to myself and make sure that the things I was choosing were things that I would actually choose, and I wasnt just picking things for Miss America.

This designer, Georges Hobeika, is based out of Lebanon and Ive always really admired his designs, Van Ert said, so we had sent a message to one of his PR people asking if they carried any of his dresses in the U.S., so we could look and see about getting one for Miss America. They got so excited and were very enthusiastic and agreed to help sponsor the dress.

It was a cool connection and super unconventional, which was great, and that enough was super lucky for me that I could wear this super fancy dress at Miss America, she said, But in December we got an email from the PR department with an invitation to the Paris Fashion Week show. It was such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one of those hypothetical bucket-list things. It was never anything I thought I would actually get to go to.

I was in awe the whole time and kept feeling like it was a dream the whole time I was there, Van Ert said. Id never been to Paris before this trip, so that in itself was already super exciting. I dont know the norms of these shows and events, so I showed up and was waiting in a standby line and someone pointed out that I had a VIP card, so I was in the wrong line.

It kept being one lucky encounter after another, she said. And once we got inside, they ended up moving me to the front row, which if you watch Sex and the City, is a pretty big deal!

The outfits Van Ert wore in Paris were all hers. I personally thought she looked like she could have been one of the models, so I was surprised to find out those were all her clothes.

They were my clothes, but I bought them for that trip, she said. My personal stylist (my mom) and I went shopping for all of those outfits. It was funny, though, because it was a fun jumpsuit and a couple people from the press asked to take my picture, so then I had to pretend that I really belonged there and that I knew how to pose.

The dresses and clothes on the runway were so beautiful and intricate, Van Ert said, it was an overwhelming experience, but it didnt stop there!

I ended up getting to meet with Georges for a meet-and-greet after the show, she said. It was fun to chat with him about wearing his dress for Miss America, and then (this was the part that she got tossed into reality) when we were going to have our picture taken, the photographer told me that my lips were chapped, and told me to put chapstick on and come back for the picture. That photographer knew I was an impostor!

He took our picture for some French fashion magazine. I dont know what it was, but my lips are very moisturized in that photo, wherever it ended up.

The dress from Hobeikas line that she wore in the pageant is part of his ready-to-wear line but was custom fit to Van Ert.

It was hard to narrow down because all of these dresses are amazing, she said. I picked one and then sent them my measurements. All of my measurements, they needed everything, from my pinky to my wrist and my thumb to my wrist and my wrist to my elbow, and my wrist to my shoulder  they probably could have built another me with all these measurements, but they custom made the dress to my body so it came and fit perfectly.

Van Ert wore that dress to the Ivey Awards (kind of like the Minnesota Tonys, celebrating Minnesotas professional theater) and has a few more events throughout her reign that she will be able to wear it at. Her reign ends on June 17, when she gives the crown away to the next Miss Minnesota.

Some of the highlights (of the year) obviously were Miss America and this Paris trip, and I really love all of the service work, but its hard to pick one thing over another because each appearance is so different, she said. One thing that was really cool, and surprisingly difficult for me, was when I was asked to speak to all of the speech classes at Mayo High School. I graduated from Mayo (in December 2013) and I have had to do a lot of nerve-wracking things, like speaking in front of legislators at a brunch or speaking at at 5K walk for sick children and their families, but going to talk to a bunch of high-schoolers was the scariest thing Ive had to do this year. My siblings go there and a lot of those kids know my family, so if I did something embarrassing, it would get back to me.
Irans judiciary has indicted a member of the countrys team that negotiated the nuclear deal with world powers, a spokesman said Sunday, probably an Iranian Canadian national previously detained by authorities on suspicion of espionage.

An Iranian American also faces charges after allegedly taking $3.1 million from people after promising to help them emigrate overseas, judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei said, according to reports by the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

In the case involving the nuclear-team member, Mohseni-Ejei said it would be up to a court to decide whether to try the individual charged. He did not name the team member indicted, nor did he explain what charges the indictment carried.

However, Mohseni-Ejei did say that the person involved was a dual national with the initials D.E. That suggests the person is probably Abdolrasoul Dorri Esfahani, a dual Iranian Canadian national.

In August, hard-line news outlets said authorities detained Esfahani, who reportedly worked as a member of a parallel team focusing on the lifting of economic sanctions as part of the deal. He later was granted bail, which is rare in Iran for those accused of having committed a serious crime.

After the 1979 Islamic revolution, Esfahani reportedly served as a member of the Iranian team working at The Hague on disputes between Iran and the United States over pre-revolution purchases of military equipment from the United States by Iran. He is a member of the chartered professional accountants institute in Ontario. He also has served as an adviser to the head of Irans Central Bank.

The nuclear deal remains a sore spot for Iranian hard-liners, but it was a foreign policy victory for moderate President Hassan Rouhani.

Rouhani is widely expected to seek a second term in Irans May presidential election.

Meanwhile, Mohseni-Ejei announced the case against the unnamed Iranian American, who presumably faces fraud charges.

The person has been detained, but they were not a government official, he said.

The U.S. State Department did not respond to a request for comment.

Several Iranian Americans have been detained in the wake of the 2015 nuclear deal, which saw Iran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of some economic sanctions.

Iran does not recognize dual nationalities, meaning that those it detains cannot receive consular assistance. In most of the recent cases, dual nationals have faced secret charges in closed-door hearings before Irans Revolutionary Court, which handles cases involving alleged attempts to overthrow the government.
Armed men in uniform identified by allied Syrian fighters as U.S. Special Operations forces ride in the back of a pickup truck in the village of Fatisah in the northern Syrian province of Raqqa on May 25, 2016. (Delil Souleiman/AFP/Getty Images)

A Pentagon plan for the coming assault on Raqqa, the Islamic State capital in Syria, calls for significant U.S. military participation, including increased Special Operations forces, attack helicopters and artillery, and arms supplies to the main Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighting force on the ground, according to U.S. officials.

The militarys favored option among several variations currently under White House review, the proposal would ease a number of restrictions on U.S. activities imposed during the Obama administration.

Officials involved in the planning have proposed lifting a cap on the size of the U.S. military contingent in Syria, currently numbering about 500 Special Operations trainers and advisers to the combined Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. While the Americans would not be directly involved in ground combat, the proposal would allow them to work closer to the front line and would delegate more decision-making authority down the military line from Washington.

President Trump, who campaigned on a pledge to expand the fight against the militants in Syria, Iraq and beyond, received the plan Monday after giving the Pentagon 30 days to prepare it.

But in a conflict where nothing has been as simple as anticipated, the Raqqa offensive has already sparked new alliances. In just the past two days, U.S. forces intended for the Raqqa battle have had to detour to a town in northern Syria to head off a confrontation between two American allied forces  Turkish and Syrian Kurdish fighters. There, they have found themselves effectively side by side with Russian and Syrian government forces with the same apparent objective.





[U.S. military aid is fueling big ambitions for Syrias leftist Kurdish militia]

Approval of the Raqqa plan would effectively shut the door on Turkeys demands that Syrian Kurds, considered terrorists by Ankara, be denied U.S. equipment and kept out of the upcoming offensive. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that arming and including the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, in the operation is unacceptable and has vowed to move his own troops and Turkish-allied Syrian rebel forces toward Raqqa.

U.S. officials, some of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity about the still-secret planning, believe Erdogans tough talk is motivated primarily by domestic politics, specifically a desire to bolster prospects for an April 16 nationwide referendum that would transform Turkeys governing system to give more power to the presidency.

Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, the Baghdad-based U.S. commander of the anti-Islamic State coalition, told reporters Wednesday that there was zero evidence that the YPG was a threat to Turkey. With some apparent exasperation, Townsend called on all anti-Islamic State forces in northern Syria to stop fighting among themselves and concentrate on the best way to beat the militants.

U.S. talks with Turkey, a NATO ally and coalition member, are ongoing. But events over the past several days in and around the town of Manbij have injected a new element in the conflict that could either help the Americans avoid a direct clash with Ankara, or set the many forces now converging on the town on the path toward a new confrontation.

Manbij, located near the Turkish border about 85 miles northwest of Raqqa, was captured by the Islamic State three years ago and retaken last August by the YPG, backed by U.S. airstrikes and advisers. The town now forms the western edge of a militant-cleared border strip extending to neighboring Iraq.

[Our journey to the front lines in the fight against ISIS]

The United States had promised the Turks that Kurdish control would not extend to the west beyond the nearby Euphrates River, and Manbij was turned over to the Manbij Military Council, Arab fighters within the SDF. Kurdish police are in charge of local security, but the Americans have insisted that YPG fighters have largely left the scene.

Turkey disagrees and has long threatened to forcibly eject the Kurds, who it says are affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, a designated terrorist organization in both Turkey and the United States that is waging an insurgency inside Turkey for greater autonomy. After Turkish troops and their Syrian rebel allies took the nearby Syrian town of Al-Bab from the Islamic State on Feb. 23, the Turkish-led force began advancing toward Manbij and has captured at least two villages.

On Thursday, as Turkish shells reached the outskirts of the town, the Manbij Military Council announced it had invited the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to take over several nearby villages as part of a deal brokered by Russia to avoid conflict with the Turks.

On Friday, Moscow announced that Russian and Syrian humanitarian convoys were heading toward Manbij. Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters in Washington that the convoys also included some armored equipment.

Davis said that the U.S. government had been informed of the movements by Russia but that its nothing that were party to.

Meanwhile, photographs posted on social media showed U.S. military vehicles headed into Manbij from the east.

On Saturday, the U.S. military confirmed that it had increased force presence in and around Manbij to deter hostile acts, enhance governance and ensure theres no persistent YPG presence, effectively inserting U.S. forces to keep two coalition members  Turkey and the Syrian Kurds  from fighting.

In postings on his Twitter account, coalition spokesman Col. John L. Dorrian said the coalition has taken this deliberate action to reassure Coalition [members] & partner forces, deter aggression and keep focus on defeating ISIS, an acronym for the Islamic State.

The United States and Russia have managed to avoid confrontation in Syrias separate civil war, where they are on opposing sides. Trump has said repeatedly that the two powers should cooperate against the Islamic State, and he has indicated that the future of Russia-backed Assad is of less concern to him.

The Pentagon disapproves of possible U.S.-Russia cooperation, although U.S. officials are not unhappy at the buffer Russia and Syria now appear to be creating between Turkey and the Kurds, or the prospect of the Syrian government moving into Manbij. A positive result, officials said, would not only prevent Turkish forces and their Syrian allies  many of whom are on the jihadist side of the anti-Assad rebel coalition  from moving into the town, but it would also potentially push any remaining YPG forces to the eastern side of the Euphrates.

While Turkey has supported rebel forces fighting against Assad, it has never come into direct conflict with the Syrian military, and U.S. officials believe it would far rather have the Syrian government in charge of Manbij than the Kurds. There are hopes that Moscow, which has been simultaneously working to improve relations with Turkey, can help persuade Erdogan to back off.

What the Americans manifestly do not want to see happen is the creation of a new military front and potential conflagration around Manbij that would drain both attention and resources away from plans for Raqqa. With the city believed to be the center of Islamic State planning for overseas attacks, the offensive is seen as urgent and has already been delayed from original plans to begin in February.

In his final days in office, former president Barack Obama approved plans to send two or three Apache attack helicopters to the Syrian theater but deferred approval of arming the Kurds as part of the SDF. Rather than moving immediately on the plan already in place, Trump at the end of January ordered the Pentagon to draw up new options by the end of February.

[Obamas White House worked for months on a plan to seize Raqqa. Trumps team took a brief look and decided not to pull the trigger.]

With the only real alternative being to use U.S. ground troops against Raqqa, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has stuck with the basic outline of the plan drawn up under Obama, officials said. The combined Syrian Arab-Kurdish force, now numbering more than 50,000, has moved steadily to within less than six miles of the outskirts of Raqqa in an isolation phase that is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.

Even if Turkey does direct its forces south toward Raqqa, the hope is that the difficult terrain they would have to travel would prevent them from reaching there until after the offensive is well underway.

Rather than a wholesale revision, the new proposal calls for increased U.S. participation, with more personnel and equipment and less-restrictive rules. As they have in support of the Iraqi military in Mosul, U.S. fixed-wing aircraft and attack helicopters would actively back the ground force. U.S. owned and operated artillery would be moved into Syria to pound the militants from afar, while more Special Operations troops would move closer to the front lines  requiring more U.S. military assets to protect them.

The SDF  both Kurds and Arabs  would be supplied with weaponry along with vehicles and equipment to travel through and disarm what are expected to be extensive minefields and other improvised explosive devices along the way.

Trumps executive order also directed the Pentagon to recommend changes to Obama administration restrictions on military rules of engagement that went beyond those required by international law. Principal among them is an Obama executive order, signed last summer, imposing strict rules to avoid civilian casualties. It is not known whether the new military proposal would lift those restrictions.

Sly reported from Beirut. Zakaria Zakaria in Istanbul and Heba Habib in Stockholm contributed to this report.
Breakfast is one of the best meals of the day, especially when it features pancakes with maple syrup. Now breakfast lovers can indulge in the ultimate pancake-lovers fantasy: soaking in a big pool of maple syrup. According to Rocket News 24 , in Hakone, Japan, there is a famous hot...

Breakfast is one of the best meals of the day, especially when it features pancakes with maple syrup. Now breakfast lovers can indulge in the ultimate pancake-lovers fantasy: soaking in a big pool of maple syrup.

According to Rocket News 24, in Hakone, Japan, there is a famous hot spring resort called Yunessun Spa House, which has several different, unconventional communal soaking baths that smell like tea, coffee, and a ramen bath with fake noodles in it. Now theyre opening up a new one that will have actual maple syrup in it.

The maple syrup bath is part of a tie-in promotion with a popular pancake mix company that wanted to celebrate its 60th anniversary in an unexpected way. So now the resort has a bath that smells like maple syrup, and several times a day staff pour actual maple syrup into the baths. That might sound a bit sticky, but at least everyone will smell nice when they leave.
Markle and Harry head to Jamaica to attend the wedding of Tom "Skippy" Inskip  one of Harry's closest friends  and Laura Hughes-Young. Harry and Meghan seem very much in love, a source tells PEOPLE, adding that Harry spent much of his time introducing Markle to friends during the joyful wedding. At one point, the onlooker says that Harry got up and did a little dance for Markle.

Look out for the bouquet!

Meghan Markle partied with some of Prince Harrys closest pals at the wedding of one of his best friends in Montego Bay, Jamaica on Thursday.

The couple is in the Caribbean to witness the wedding of Tom Skippy Inskip and literary agent Lara Hughes-Young. Inskip and Harry are childhood friends  they met at Eton College and Inskip is popularly said to have been Harrys wingman on rowdy evenings out during their younger days.

For the nuptials, Markle wore a long floral dress and sunglasses as the royal, who was one of 14 ushers, suited up in a navy blue blazer and trousers.

For Markle, it is thought to be the first time she has accompanied Harry to a wedding and it marks something of a public coming out for the couple.

But she will fit in well as she has already met most of Harrys closest friends in London during restaurant and theater dates over several months of dating.

During the wedding, an onlooker tells PEOPLE that the two shared plenty of PDA, including a sweet kiss.

Harry and Meghan seem very much in love, the source said, adding that Harry spent much of his time introducing Markle to friends during the joyful wedding.

At one point, the onlooker says that Harry got up and did a little dance for Markle.

According to local reports, Harry  accompanied by a heavy security detail, as the Jamaica Observer put it  arrived at the international airport at Montego Bay on Wednesday afternoon. Markle is believed to have flown in separately from her home in Toronto. The outlet says that the royal is planning to stay in the Caribbean for a week.

The wedding party is thought to be staying at the Round Hill Hotel and Resort in Montego Bay. The 110-acre private enclave features luxury villas and oceanfront rooms.

After spending a romantic break with Harry in Norway, Markle spent much of January and February in London with Harry  staying at his Nottingham Cottage in Kensington Palace  but she returned to Toronto to prep for the filming of the next season of Suits in mid-February.

Story continues

It just feels very natural for them both, a source told PEOPLE of the duos dynamic. It feels easy  like theyve known each other for a long time.

Markle posted on Instagram earlier this month after a two-month hiatus from the social media platform, sending a positive message to her followers alongside a photo of her too-cute Charlotte Olympia cat flats below the text #NOBADENERGY.

Sending good vibes  always in all ways, she captioned the snap.

Representatives for Kensington Palace and Markle would not comment.




Bamako (AFP) - At least 11 soldiers were killed in Mali on Sunday in an attack on an army base near the border with Burkina Faso, as rival armed factions surrounded the flashpoint city of Timbuktu.

The jihadist attack on the border village of Boulekessi killed 11 troops and wounded five more, according to an official toll from the defence ministry read out on national television.

"One of our positions was attacked early Sunday morning by terrorists, on the border with Burkina Faso," a highly-placed Malian military source told AFP on condition of anonymity earlier Sunday.

French forces stationed in the troubled west African nation sent helicopters to help Malian forces assess the attack site, the source later added, and 20 soldiers had crossed into Burkinabe territory to flee the violence.

A regional security source said the attack was carried out by Ansarul Islam, a jihadist group that claimed an attack in December in which 12 Burkinabe soldiers were killed.

Ansarul Islam is led by Burkinabe Malam Ibrahim Dicko, a radical preacher who wants to create an Islamist "kingdom" in the region, experts say.

There was no official claim of responsibility from the group.

Dozens of soldiers were killed in a suicide attack on an army base on January 18 in Gao, northern Mali.

But jihadist attacks like Sunday's have increased in Mali's centre, having previously been largely confined to the restive north.

A resident of Douentza, the county seat near the base, said the assailants had looted or torched large amounts of military hardware.

The Malian army told AFP that a team had been dispatched to assess the damage and provide reinforcements.

- Timbuktu surrounded -

Meanwhile in Timbuktu, northern Mali, residents said their city was entirely surrounded by rival armed groups, blocking all entry and exit points.

"They have taken position everywhere outside the city. We are very scared of being caught in crossfire," said the resident of Abaroudjou, a neighbourhood on the city's outer edge.

Story continues

Witnesses told AFP shots were fired on the city outskirts and the main road to Timbuktu was cut off by mid-evening.

The tensions relate to Boubacar Ould Hamadi, an ex-separatist rebel who was awarded a position as head of an interim regional authority in Timbuktu that will pave the way for elections to be held when security improves.

Internal conflicts within the former rebel alliance have delayed Hamadi taking his position until Monday, and appeared to have erupted anew ahead of the deadline.

The government maintains that the heads of the new regional authorities in Timbuktu and Taoudenit will still begin work Monday.

Mali's north fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels and jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda in 2012, who were largely ousted by a French-led military operation in January 2013.

But the implementation of a peace accord struck in 2015 has been piecemeal, and insurgents who refused to sign the deal are still active across large parts of the country.

Meanwhile, three jihadist groups active in the Sahel region announced Thursday that they would merge to form a single organisation, raising fears of more attacks and better coordination by insurgents operating in Mali.
The majority of people who spoke at a veterans town hall meeting at the Tomah Veterans Administration hospital Saturday praised the Tomah VA staff and the care they received.

However, most agreed that a program designed to offer choice outside the VA system remains tangled in bureaucracy, and one person said his brother died while waiting for dental care in Tomah.

The meeting, conducted by Tomah VA medical director Victoria Brahm, lasted nearly two hours and attracted 50 people.

Donald Hildebrandt said his brother, Marine veteran Richard Hildebrandt, died less than a month after a Feb. 2 appointment in Tomah to repair a broken tooth was cancelled. Donald Hildebrandt said the dentist had called in sick that day and that the appointment was rescheduled for mid-April. He found his brother dead in his Nekoosa apartment Feb. 28.

Richard Hildebrandt, who served a tour in the Vietnam war, was 71 years old. Donald Hildebrandt said the cancelled appointment may have contributed to his brothers death.

That just goes with the wait times, Donald Hildebrandt said. I know for a fact that with a tooth problem ... it affects other conditions in the body.

He said his brother also had cardiac and circulatory conditions that werent adequately treated by the VA.

Brahm declined to comment directly on the case but said the Tomah VA isnt a full-service medical facility. She said the hospital focuses on primary care, mental health patients and long-term care.

We do not have an emergency department, and we do not have all the specialists that the larger hospitals have, Brahm said. Its incumbent on us when we see something very serious happening to quickly refer to either our partners, Flight for Life or any resources we have available ... It is our mission to protect every veteran, whatever it takes.

Brahm said changes are likely coming to the choice program, which allows veterans to be treated by private providers and bill the VA. She said a package of VA reforms offered by new Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin would eliminate a provision that limits choice to veterans who are required to travel more than 40 miles for care.

The reforms are needed, said Larry Hill, Wisconsin adjutant for Disabled American Veterans.

The Congressional representatives know that choice is broken, Hill said.

He also said the VA needs to streamline an eligibility appeals process in which individual cases can take up to three years.

Our appeals is broken and needs to be fixed, he said.

Even veterans who expressed frustration with the bureaucracy said their experience with Tomah staff was mostly positive. One veteran urged patience and persistence.

Do your part and advocate for yourself and keep moving she said. Just do it in a loving and respectful way.
Mosul (Iraq) (AFP) - Tens of thousands of civilians have fled offensives against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, where the jihadists are battling to keep what remains of their territory, the UN said Sunday.

IS overran large areas of both countries in 2014, declaring a "caliphate" in territory it controlled, but the jihadist group has since lost ground to Iraqi forces and faced advances from different groups in Syria.

Amid intense fighting in recent days, the thousands of displaced have been seen arriving in areas outside IS control, many hungry and terrified after years under jihadist rule.

In Iraq, the offensive by US-backed Iraqi forces to retake west Mosul from IS has displaced more than 45,000 people in little more than a week, the UN migration agency said.

In neighbouring Syria, more than 26,000 people have been forced to flee fighting in the country's north in the same period from February 25, UN humanitarian agency OCHA said.

Before the battle for Mosul was launched in October, a million-plus civilians were thought to still live inside Iraq's second city, which is IS's last major bastion in the country.

Iraqi forces backed by US air strikes in January retook the eastern side of the city, which is divided by the river Tigris, before setting their sights on its smaller but more densely populated west.

They launched a major push to recapture west Mosul from IS on February 19, retaking the airport and then pushing up into the city from the south.

Families escaping the battle for west Mosul have arrived in droves at sites for the displaced in the past week, the International Organization for Migration said.

On Saturday, Iraq's minister of displacement and migration criticised UN-led efforts to aid those displaced by the fighting, while the UN said that such assistance is the "top priority".

More than 200,000 are currently displaced as a result of the Mosul operation, while more fled but later returned to their homes, according to the IOM.

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- 'Left with nothing' -

In Syria, OCHA said 26,000 people had fled areas where government forces backed by Russian air power have been waging a fierce offensive against IS.

Those areas lie east of the town of Al-Bab, which Turkey-backed rebels seized from IS on February 23 after several months of fighting in another advance on the jihadist group.

The UN agency said the nearly 40,000 people displaced from the town since November fled north to areas controlled by other rebel forces.

Many have sought refuge in areas around Manbij, a town controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.

An AFP correspondent in Manbij said that long queues of families were still forming at checkpoints leading to the town on Sunday.

Pick-up trucks full of children and women wearing full black veils were being searched by SDF personnel before being allowed to enter.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said Saturday that 30,000 people had been displaced by the government's offensive on IS.

The push is aimed at IS-held Khafsah, the main station pumping water into Aleppo.

Residents of Syria's second city, under full regime control since December, have been without mains water for 48 days after the jihadists cut the supply.

On Sunday, Russian and regime warplanes bombarded IS positions in support of Syrian troops, which had advanced to around 11 kilometres (nine miles) from Khafsah, the Observatory said.

Since war broke out in Syria in March 2011, more than half of its pre-war population has been forced to flee their homes.

Aleppo province hosts tens of thousands of displaced Syrians, many in camps near the Turkish border.

"We left our homes with nothing: no fuel, no bread. Our children are starving," said Jumana, a 25-year old Syrian woman who fled the clashes with her two children.

Turkey launched an unprecedented military campaign inside Syria in August, backing opposition rebels to fight IS. But it views the Syrian Kurds who lead the SDF as "terrorists".

The SDF are pressing an advance towards retaking the group's de-facto capital of Raqa, backed by a US-led coalition that has been carrying out air strikes in Syria and Iraq since 2014.
Markeith Loyd appeared in court Wednesday and was asked to enter a plea in response to charges that he killed his pregnant girlfriend as well as an Orlando police officer. Loyd refused to enter a plea, however, telling the judge "y'all can't do nothing to me" and declaring himself a "human being" and not a "fictitious person" or "corporation." He also said he would use the Uniform Commercial Code to "write the charges off."

All of that might sound like gibberish, but Chief Judge Frederick Lauten immediately recognized it for what it was  the ideology of the sovereign citizens movement, which the FBI has labeled as "domestic terrorism." The movement is popular enough that Lauten had seen it in his court room before.

"For the record, Mr. Loyd wants to talk about the UCC and corporate status, which is a position that certain citizens that are sometimes called sovereign citizens take in courts of law, oftentimes misguided, Lauten said, according to the Washington Post. But it is not the first time the court has heard that position.

The sovereign citizens movement is based on a rather bizarre set of anti-government beliefs and positions. Sovereign citizens declare themselves exempt from laws and free of the jurisdiction of any government, which, naturally means they don't think they should have to pay taxes.

In 2010, the FBI labeled the group a strain of domestic terrorism.

"[Sovereign citizens] clog up the court system with frivolous lawsuits and liens against public officials to harass them," the FBI said. "And they use fake money orders, personal checks, and the like at government agencies, banks, and businesses."

But while a general anti-government stance is not that unusual for a fringe group, sovereign citizens don't just oppose the government, they seem to sincerely believe that they can legally free themselves from the government's jurisdiction using a complicated set of declarations and paperwork, all based on a truly outlandish conspiracy theory.

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According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate and extremist groups, the sovereign citizens movement was started in the 1980s by white supremacists and anti-Semites in response to perceived international Jewish conspiracies. (The SPLC notes that many sovereign citizens are African-Americans seemingly unaware of the movement's origins).

The movement adheres to the belief that the U.S. government had to put up collateral when it stopped backing dollars with gold in 1933. To do this, the theory goes, the government had to pledge its citizenry as collateral to an international cabal of foreign investors. Sovereign citizens believe, effectively, that the U.S. sells its babies off at birth.

"When a baby is born in the U.S., a birth certificate is issued, and the hospital usually requires that the parents apply for a Social Security number at that time," the SPLC explained. "Sovereigns say that the government then uses that birth certificate to set up a kind of corporate trust in the baby's name  a secret Treasury account  which it funds with an amount ranging from $600,000 to $20 million."

The movement's ideology holds that names on birth certificates are issued with capital letters because the capitalized version of a person's name references a corporate shell entity, not the actual human with that name. All legal documents then become applicable only to the corporate shell entity, not the person, who is free from the government's clutches, and therefore a sovereign citizen, unbeholden to any nation.

So when Lauten heard Loyd declare himself a "human being" and not a "fictitious person" or "corporation" he immediately recognized Loyd as an adherent of the sovereign citizen belief system. Unfortunately for Floyd, Lauten and the state of Florida are adherents of a different system  the legal one.

Related Articles
By Sue Horton

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. agents detained an Afghan family of five with valid entry visas at Los Angeles International Airport and have been holding them for several days in California, according to legal papers filed in federal court in California by human rights lawyers.

The father, mother and three small children were granted Special Immigrant Visas because family members risked their lives to defend the U.S. government overseas, said the filing from lawyers with the International Refugee Assistance Project, a legal aid group for refugees and displaced persons.

"Yet despite this record of service on behalf of our country, CBP has detained this brave family and denied them access to counsel," said the petition, filed on Saturday with the U.S. District Court Central District of California, referring to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

CBP declined to comment on the matter.

Immigrant advocates are increasingly concerned about tougher scrutiny of visitors, even those with the proper documentation and visas, as part of President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration on national security grounds.

"The betrayal of this family by the U.S. government shocks the conscience," the petition said, adding the father, who was not named, was employed by the U.S. government in Afghanistan. The wife and children, aged 7 years, 6 years, and 8 months, were also not named.

The lawsuit did not state the nature of his employment but the visas are often granted after careful vetting of people who serve in jobs such as translators for the U.S. military.

"It is extremely unusual if not entirely unique for someone with this type of visa to be detained upon arrival. The visas require extreme vetting to get," said Talia Inlender, a lawyer with Public Counsel who is part of the family's defense team.

The family arrived in the United States on Thursday and was almost immediately taken into custody by CBP agents at the Los Angeles airport, the filing said.

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The mother was being detained in downtown Los Angeles with her children, while the father was in a maximum-security detention facility in Orange County, California, Inlender told Reuters.

The family's lawyers said the government intended to transfer the mother and children to Texas, but they persuaded a U.S. district court judge on Saturday night to intervene and stop the move.

Online court filings related to the stay were not immediately located.

COURT HEARING

When asked to comment about the judge's order, Carl Rusnok, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said in an email: ICE will fully comply with the March 4 judicial order and all other legal requirements.

The government may explain its reasons for detaining the family at a hearing on Monday in federal court in Orange County, Inlender said.

We think it is going to be hard if not impossible to justify keeping a family in custody for days on end without access to their lawyers, she said.

Trump issued a directive in January suspending travel to the United States by citizens of seven mostly Muslim countries. Afghanistan was not on the list and a federal court suspended the order.

The Jan. 27 order caused chaos at airports around the world in the following days as visa holders heading to the United States were pulled off planes or turned around on arrival at U.S. airports.

(Additional reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Editing by Frank McGurty and Peter Cooney)
NEW YORK (AP)  Add one more to the list of things dividing left and right in this country: We can't even agree what it means to be an American.

A new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds Republicans are far more likely to cite a culture grounded in Christian beliefs and the traditions of early European immigrants as essential to U.S. identity.

Democrats are more apt to point to the country's history of mixing of people from around the globe and a tradition of offering refuge to the persecuted.

While there's disagreement on what makes up the American identity, 7 in 10 people  regardless of party  say the country is losing that identity.

"It's such stark divisions," said Lynele Jones, a 65-year-old accountant in Boulder, Colorado. Like many Democrats, Jones pointed to diversity and openness to refugees and other immigrants as central components of being American.

"There's so much turmoil in the American political situation right now. People's ideas of what is America's place in the world are so different from one end of the spectrum to the other," Jones said.

There are some points of resounding agreement among Democrats, Republicans and independents about what makes up the country's identity. Among them: a fair judicial system and rule of law, the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution, and the ability to get good jobs and achieve the American dream.

Big gulfs emerged between the left and right on other characteristics seen as inherent to America.

About 65 percent of Democrats said a mix of global cultures was extremely or very important to American identity, compared with 35 percent of Republicans. Twenty-nine percent of Democrats saw Christianity as that important, compared with 57 percent of Republicans.

Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to say that the ability of people to come to escape violence and persecution is very important, 74 percent to 55 percent. Also, 25 percent of Democrats said the culture of the country's early European immigrants very important, versus 46 percent of Republicans.

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Reggie Lawrence, a 44-year-old Republican in Midland, Texas, who runs a business servicing oil fields, said the country and the Constitution were shaped by Christian values. As those slip away, he said, so does the structure of families, and ultimately, the country's identity.

"If you lose your identity," Lawrence said, "What are we? We're not a country anymore."

Patrick Miller, a political science professor at the University of Kansas who studies partisanship and polling, said the results reflect long-standing differences in the U.S. between one camp's desire for openness and diversity and another's vision of the country grounded in the white, English-speaking, Protestant traditions of its early settlers.

Those factions have seen their competing visions of American identity brought to a boil at points throughout history, such as when lawmakers barred Chinese immigration beginning in the 1880s or when bias against Catholic immigrants and their descendants bubbled up through a long stretch of the 20th century.

The starkness of the divide and the continuing questions over what it means to be American are a natural byproduct, Miller said, not just of U.S. history, but the current political climate and the rancor of today's debates over immigration and the welcoming of refugees.

"Our sense of identity is almost inseparable from the subject of immigration because it's how we were built," he said. "Given what we are and how we've come about, it's a very natural debate."

The poll found Democrats were nearly three times as likely as Republicans to say that the U.S. should be a country made up of many cultures and values that change as new people arrive, with far more Republicans saying there should be an essential American culture that immigrants adopt.

Republicans overwhelmingly viewed immigrants who arrived in the past decade as having retained their own cultures and values rather than adopting American ones.

Among the areas seen as the greatest threats to the American way of life, Democrats coalesce around a fear of the country's political leaders, political polarization and economic inequality. Most Republicans point instead to illegal immigration as a top concern.

Perhaps surprisingly, fear of influence from foreign governments was roughly the same on the left and right at a time when calls for an investigation into President Donald Trump's possible ties to Russia have largely come from Democrats. About 4 in 10 Democrats and Republicans alike viewed the issue as extremely or very threatening.

Two questions, also posed during the presidential campaign, offered insight into how Trump's election may have changed partisans' views. The poll found about 52 percent of Republicans now regard the U.S. as the single greatest country in the world, up significantly from 35 percent when the question was asked last June.

Some 22 percent of Democrats expressed that view, essentially unchanged from the earlier poll.

Democrats appear to be reinforcing their belief that the country's range of races, religions and backgrounds make the country stronger. About 80 percent made that assessment in the new poll, compared with 68 percent eight months earlier.

About 51 percent of Republicans held that view, similar to the percentage who said so in the previous poll.

___

The AP-NORC poll of 1,004 adults was conducted Feb. 16-20, using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

Respondents were first selected randomly using address-based sampling methods, and later interviewed online or by phone.

___

AP Polling Editor Emily Swanson in Washington contributed to this report.

___

Follow Matt Sedensky on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/sedensky

___

Online:

AP-NORC: http://www.apnorc.org/
The Daily Beast

GettyIt only took a few hours after Russias Vladimir Putin hailed his mobilization as a sparkling success Friday for a torrent of humiliating reports to emerge that suggest the war effort has been more successful in turning the country against him than defeating mythical Nazis in Ukraine.The most staggering contradiction to the Russian presidents boastful claims came perhaps in Kazan, where dozens of drafted troops were captured on video late Friday berating military leadership outside a colle
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  Despite metal detectors and armed guards at the doors to the Capitol and leading to galleries overlooking the Arkansas House, a state lawmaker says he would feel safer if he were allowed to pack his own heat.

Republican Rep. Mickey Gates is proposing that lawmakers licensed to carry a concealed handgun be allowed to bring their weapons into the Arkansas Capitol and other publicly owned facilities throughout the state. Prisons would be excluded.

"I have a key to the Capitol and I can go in whenever I want. You can't always be sure that there will be security," Gates said Friday.

He said that because he cannot bring a weapon into the Capitol or even leave it in his car, he's not armed when he travels from his Hot Springs home to Little Rock.

"I feel safer when it's on me rather than in the car," Gates said, noting that someone could break into the vehicle and steal the firearm.

The decisions that lawmakers make can be emotionally charged, and if guards aren't around there could be trouble, he said.

"If you have a right to life, you have a right to protect life," Gates said.

Sen. Keith Ingram of West Memphis, a Democrat, said he's opposed to Gates' measure. Ingram said he doesn't know of any other lawmakers who are interested in being able to carry a handgun  though he has heard of some fearing "someone with a gun getting in."

Arkansas legislators are not subject to searches when they enter the Capitol, though most other people are. Gates said some lawmakers  including ones who have worked in law enforcement  have received exemptions to pack heat in the building, though he doesn't know which legislators.

Security officials at the Oklahoma Capitol last year had grumbled about a growing trend among conservative legislators who were declining to submit to the weapons screening that's been required at government buildings for several years, and breezing through checkpoints. An Associated Press reporter watched six GOP Oklahoma House members set off alarms at that state's Capitol as they walked through metal detectors with their briefcases and satchels.

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In New Hampshire in January, Republican Rep. Carolyn Halstead dropped her loaded gun on the floor near some children. It didn't fire and nobody was hurt. Later that month in Kansas, Republican Rep. Willie Dove acknowledged he inadvertently left a loaded gun in a public committee room where a secretary found it a few minutes later.

The Arkansas proposal is among several guns rights measures filed in the Legislature since Republicans expanded their majorities in both chambers in the November election. A proposal to allow concealed handguns at college campuses has stalled after facing resistance from the National Rifle Association over age and training requirements. Other measures include a bill that would eliminate the need for a license to carry a concealed handgun.

___

Follow Tafi Mukunyadzi on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TafiMukunyadzi
Palmyra (Syria) (AFP) - Atop the ruins of Syria's famed Palmyra theatre, recently recaptured from the Islamic State group, teenage musician Angel Dayoub sings an old Arabic favourite: "We're coming back, oh love, we're coming back."

The 15-year-old's voice floats over the ancient Roman theatre, heavily damaged then abandoned by IS jihadists on Thursday as Russian-backed government forces drew near.

"A little destruction won't stop us from coming here to play and sing on this stage, despite what happened to it," Dayoub tells AFP.

"I want to play music and sing everywhere that has seen the expulsion of IS, which hates singing and banned playing instruments," she says defiantly.

Dayoub's rendition of Lebanese diva Fairuz's famous song is accompanied by fellow musicians of all ages playing violins, tambourines and the oud, the pear-shaped stringed instrument beloved in the Arab world.

"We're singing 'We're coming back' because we will come back even stronger than before to rebuild Syria," she says.

"Everyone will rebuild in their own way. We want to rebuild it with music and singing."

The city and its ruins, designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1980, have traded hands several times during Syria's six-year war.

IS first seized Palmyra in May 2015 and began to systematically destroy and loot the site's monuments and temples during a brutal ten-month reign.

It used the ancient theatre as a venue for execution-style killings before being driven out in March 2016.

- IS 'is darkness, music is light' -

The jihadists then recaptured Palmyra in December, blowing up the tetrapylon monument and part of the theatre.

Young musicians flocked to the theatre during a press tour organised by the army at the weekend, playing to an audience of dozens of Syrian and Russian soldiers.

Explosions can still be heard in the distance, as Syrian forces and their Russian allies press their offensive against IS north and east of Palmyra.

Story continues

"Daesh (IS) wanted to ban us from the theatre, to ban us from singing, but I want to challenge it, to beat it," says Maysaa al-Nuqari, an oud player in her 30s.

Dressed in a black leather jacket and combat boots, her curly hair dyed a deep red, Nuqari gestures at several nearby musicians to join the jam session.

"Daesh is darkness, but music is light," she says.

Although the precise date of its founding is unknown, Palmyra's name is referred to on a tablet dating from the 19th century BC as a stopping point for caravans between the Mediterranean and the east.

- 'A few scratches' -

It developed into a wealthy metropolis thanks to trade in spices, perfumes, silk and ivory from the east and became known to Syrians as the "Pearl of the Desert."

Palmyra's temples, colonnaded alleys and elaborately decorated tombs -- some of the best preserved classical monuments in the Middle East -- attracted more than 150,000 tourists a year before Syria's conflict broke out.

Now, the difficult task of assessing what remains of those celebrated monuments has been left to Wael al-Hafyan, who heads the engineering unit in Homs province's antiquities department.

The 40-year-old walks through the Old City, examining various artefacts and recording his observations in a small notebook.

After a preliminary assessment, Hafyan says additional destruction is limited to the theatre's front including an arched recess behind the stage, as well as the explosion of the tetrapylon.

He broke down when he came across the theatre and the tetrapylon, once a 16-columned structure that marked one end of Palmyra's colonnade.

IS reduced it to a pile of rocks in a massive explosion in January, lambasted by the UN as "a new war crime and an immense loss for the Syrian people and for humanity."

"It's impossible for anyone with even an iota of humanity not to feel sad when they see this. I'm sad, and I will stay sad until Palmyra goes back to the way it was," Hafyan tells AFP.

But with international help and UNESCO's support, the engineer says, Palmyra can be restored.

Asked to summarise what is left of Palmyra's renowned artefacts, Hafyan bites his lip and considers the question quietly.

"All of Palmyra is left. Palmyra's history has remained," he answers.

"A few scratches cannot distort its beauty. The enormity of what Daesh did here, all of its crimes, doesn't even amount to a scratch on this beautiful, glorious face that is Palmyra."
BERLIN (Reuters) - Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern on Sunday called for a European Union-wide ban on campaign appearances by Turkish politicians to avoid having individual member countries like Germany come under pressure from Ankara. Turkey said on Saturday it would defy opposition from authorities in Germany and the Netherlands and continue holding rallies in both countries to urge Turks living there to back an April 16 referendum to boost President Tayyip Erdogan's powers. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu criticized German and Dutch restrictions on such gatherings as undemocratic, and said Turkey would press on with them in the run-up to the vote. Kern, in an interview published in the Welt am Sonntag newspaper, said the measure would weaken the rule of law in Turkey, limit the separation of powers, and violate the values of the EU. He also called for the EU to end discussions with Turkey about membership in the bloc and scrap or restrict 4.5 billion euros in aid planned for Turkey through 2020. "We should reorient relations with Turkey without the illusion of EU membership," Kern told the newspaper. "Turkey has moved further and further away from Europe in the past few years. Human rights and democratic values are being trampled. Press freedom is a foreign word," he said. Kern criticized Ankara's arrest of German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel, a correspondent for Die Welt newspaper, and many other journalists, academics and civil servants, and called for Yucel's immediate release. At the same time, he said, Turkey remained an important partner in issues of security, migration and economic cooperation, and said Ankara had lived up to its obligations under the migrant deal struck with the EU. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Dan Grebler)
Dubai (AFP) - Bahrain's upper house of parliament on Sunday approved a constitutional amendment which grants military courts the right to try civilians, sparking concern for the fate of activists already in custody.

The 40-seat Shura Council, the upper parliamentary chamber appointed by the king in the Gulf state, unanimously approved an amendment to Article 105, members of the council told AFP.

The amendment drops a clause limiting military trials to members of the armed forces or other security branches. Civilians charged with "damaging public interest" or with terrorism, a vague legal term, could now face courts martial.

Sunni-ruled Bahrain last month marked six years since protests demanding constitutional reform in the Shiite-majority kingdom erupted in the capital Manama.

King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa, whose family has ruled Bahrain for two centuries, declared a three-month state of emergency in 2011 during which special military courts were established to try civilians.

Sunday's move comes two weeks after approval by parliament's elected lower chamber, and has sparked concern among rights activists for Bahraini civilians -- including those already in detention.

"We are concerned that they will choose someone to make an example of," Said Yousif al-Muhafdha, vice-president of the non-governmental Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), told AFP.

Leading Shiite cleric Issa Qassem, who was stripped of his Bahraini citizenship last year, could be one such example, according to Muhafdha.

Qassem is currently on trial on a string of charges which include inciting unrest. His citizenship was revoked over charges that he incited religious tensions.

Hundreds of Shiite protesters including high-profile opposition leaders have been arrested since 2011, as Bahraini authorities make sweeping use of counter-terrorism legislation.

Prominent Shiite human rights activist Nabeel Rajab, a BCHR founder, is also in custody facing trial on a list of charges, including spreading "false information" about Bahrain.

Authorities in the small but strategic archipelago state have accused Shiite-dominated Iran of meddling in the domestic affairs of Arab countries in the Gulf.

Iran has consistently denied the charge.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Bahrain's parliament on Sunday approved a constitutional change allowing military courts to try civilians, the kingdom's latest rollback on reforms made after its 2011 Arab Spring protests that likely will stoke an ongoing government crackdown on dissent.

Activists warn the amendment will allow an undeclared state of martial law on the island near Saudi Arabia that's home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. Loyalists of Bahrain's rulers call the change necessary to fight terrorism as the persistent low-level unrest that followed the 2011 demonstrations has escalated recently in tandem with the crackdown.

The island's 40-member Consultative Council, the upper house of the Bahraini parliament appointed by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, voted for the measure Sunday. Their approval came less than two weeks after the 40-seat Council of Representatives, the parliament's elected lower house, passed it with little opposition.

The bill revises a portion of Bahrain's constitution by removing limitations on who military courts can try.

Bahrain is a predominantly Shiite island ruled by a Sunni monarchy. Government forces, with help from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, crushed the 2011 uprising by Shiites and others who sought more political power.

In the wake of the protests, military courts tried hundreds of defendants. A government-appointed investigation after the protests criticized the use of the courts, saying they were employed "to punish those in the opposition" and raised "a number of concerns about their conformity with international human rights law."

"This came from the Bahraini king and for him to sign off on this amendment means that he is personally approving the new repressive measure and all the consequences it will have," Sayed Alwadaei, the director of advocacy at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, said in a statement. "The responsibility for this de facto martial law lies at his feet."

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Bahrain's government did not respond to a request for comment about the constitutional change. During the council's session Sunday, Justice Minister Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa told lawmakers the amendment was necessary as military judges are "best placed" to deal with "irregular warfare."

"If militias and armed groups are committing terrorist acts targeting innocent lives and property, as well as receiving elements of combat training, we must confront them ... and stop their threats to peace and security," he said.

This is not the first step away from reforms Bahrain made after the protests. Already, the kingdom has restored the power of its feared domestic spy service to make some arrests.

Since the beginning of a government crackdown in April, activists have been imprisoned or forced into exile. Bahrain's main Shiite opposition group has been dismantled. Independent news gathering on the island also has grown more difficult.

Meanwhile, a series of attacks, including a January prison break, have targeted the island. Shiite militant groups have claimed some of the assaults. Bahrain on Saturday accused Iran's Revolutionary Guard of training and arming some militants.

In January, Bahrain executed three men found guilty of a deadly bomb attack on police. Activists allege that testimony used against the condemned men was obtained through torture.

The executions and increasing crackdown have been linked by activists to the end of U.S. President Barack Obama's administration and the start of Donald Trump's.

Under Obama, the U.S. held off on finalizing a multi-billion-dollar deal for F-16 fighter jets amid American concerns about human rights issues in Bahrain. Since Trump took office, there has been growing speculation in Washington that the deal might be pushed through.

"In a year where the new Trump administration is dismissing human rights from its foreign policy to Bahrain and the Gulf and preparing to sell arms without conditions, this is a dangerous sign of things to come," Husain Abdulla, the executive director of the group Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain, said in a statement.

___

Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap. His work can be found at http://apne.ws/2galNpz.
Paris (AFP) - Paris fashion's trendsetter of the moment Demna Gvasalia spun heads yet again Sunday with a Balenciaga show that featured car mat skirts.

With the brand mired in a row over the alleged mistreatment of more than 150 models at the casting for the show, the Georgian wunderkind brought the spotlight back on the clothes with a string of cheeky and breathtaking innovations.

Having caused a sensation last year with his trench coats and jackets pulled down off the shoulder -- worn most memorably by Kim Kardashian the night she was tied up and robbed in Paris -- the young designer has given the venerable aristocratic label a second almighty yank.

This time as well as wrap-around skirts inspired by rubber car mats, Gvasalia gave his coats another violent tug, pulling their right side up over the left shoulder.

The effect both startled and delighted critics, with Vogue declaring within minutes that he had brought the label's "legacy forward with audacity and wit".

Gvasalia included a series of spectacular, floatily oversized ball gowns at the end of the show, the first couture dresses the brand has shown since the twilight years of its founder Cristobal Balenciaga in the late 1960s.

The 35-year-old told the legendary Vogue critic Suzy Menkes backstage that he only finished the dresses at the last minute, having studied photographs of classic Balenciaga gowns once worn by European royalty.

"They are all made by hand. The pieces all came together yesterday, like it happens in couture, last minute, because there were so many people working on them," Gvasalia said.

"They were all lying like corpses on these tables in the atelier, which was quite an amazing experience."

- Rearview mirror bags -

New York Times critic Vanessa Friedman gave the collection her imprimatur, calling the dresses "cool couture" while suggesting they just might be the thing to wear to the Big Apple's party of the year.

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"Someone should wear this to the Met Gala," she tweeted, a reference to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's annual star-studded benefit.

The iconoclastic designer's rearview mirror clutch bags -- the second part of his car theme -- also turned heads, and could yet prove to be the next Gvasalia object of desire for fashionistas.

Whether they should be taken as some ironic commentary on what has been a torrid week for the label is open to conjecture.

But the brand will be grateful for the distraction the show has brought to its troubles off the runway.

Balenciaga was forced to sack two casting directors earlier this week over claims of alleged "sadistic" treatment of scores of models who were forced for wait hours in an airless stairway during a "cattle call" casting at its headquarters.

Several told AFP that the door was closed on them and they were left in dark.

While the brand apologised to the models, the sacked casting agent denied Friday that she had been at fault and turned the blame back on the label.

- 'Make fashion diverse again' -

Last year Gvasalia -- who also heads the uber-hip Vetements brand -- faced criticism for failing to use a single black model in his shows up to then.

The designer, who counts black rap stars including Kanye West among his biggest fans and clients, had said he got his ideas from travelling on the metro through one of the French capital's most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods.

However, Gvasalia used five black models and four Asians among the 47 who walked in his jokily-billed "intimate" Balenciaga show Sunday in a cavernous Paris convention centre.

Even so, a model had protested outside the show with a placard that read: "Make fashion diverse again. Women's rights are human rights. More ethnic models."

Gvasalia's immense influence on the current fashion scene was there to see in French label Celine autumn-winter collection, another highlight of Sunday's shows.

While there was plenty of the label's trademark modernist chic tailoring, models carried blanket-towels similar to ones that appeared in Balenciaga's menswear show in January, and one man's style shirt and skirt combination was a clear nod to the young pretender.

Given that Celine's designer Phoebe Philo is herself a huge influencer of high street trends, that is quite a compliment.
Lithium-ion battery-cell chemistry is currently dominant in electric cars, not to mention consumer electronics and other fields.

But what seems to be an army of researchers thinks it can be improved.

That includes one of the people who helped create lithium-ion batteries in the first place.

CHECK OUT: Tesla granted patent on metal-air battery charging

John Goodenough, a 94-year-old professor at the University of Texas Austin's Cockrell School of Engineeringand the co-inventor of the lithium-ion cellrecently led a team that developed what is purported to be a better alternative.

As discussed in a paper published in the journal Energy & Environmental Science (via Scientific American), Goodenough and his colleagues claim their new battery can charge faster than current lithium-ion designs, and is noncombustible.

The latter quality is due to the battery's solid-state design, which replaces the flammable liquid electrolyte used in current lithium-ion battery cells with a solid material.

Lithium-ion cell and battery pack assembly for Nissan Leaf electric car in Sunderland, U.K., plant

In this case, the solid electrolyte material is glass, which researchers believe would lower the cost of any commercialized battery based on their design.

That's because it would allow for the use of cheaper sodium, extracted from seawater, for the electrolyte rather than the lithium used in other solid-state batteries.

The researchers also claim better performance than current lithium-ion cells.

MORE: Solid-State Batteries Already Powering Electric Cars: BlueCars, In Fact (Jun 2015)

They say the glass-electrolyte solid-state battery can charge and discharge faster, and will have a longer lifespan than batteries with lithium-ion chemistry.

The experimental battery is also three times more energy dense, according to the researchers.

Energy density represents the amount of energy that can be stored in a given volume.

Lithium-ion cell and battery pack assembly for Nissan Leaf electric car in Sunderland, U.K., plant

Greater energy density is desirable because it allows for increases in range without increasing the storage volume needed.

As with all research, it's worth noting that a technology that looks promising in the lab, may not necessarily be commercially viable.

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Even if it is, the transition from research project to consumer product can take years.

Some companies already market solid-state batteries, albeit of somewhat different designs to one proposed by Goodenough and his colleagues.

Battery pack assembly for 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV electric car at GM's Brownstown, Michigan, plant

Solid state cells are used in the BlueCar electric cars deployed by French firm Bollore in car-sharing services in the U.S. and Europe.

QuantumScape and Sakti3 have also sought to commercialize solid-state batteries.

Sakti3 was purchased by Dyson, the U.K. company famous for its bag-less vacuum cleaners, in 2015 for $90 million.

[hat tip: Raymond Cooper]

_______________________________________________

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bella thorne dating breakup

Bella Thorne keeps posting racy pictures, but she accidentally posted a completely topless video on the live camera. The Disneys Shake It Up star was getting ready for a party in a cleavage-baring top and caught up on live feeds.

Bella Thornes nude live feed video has since been deleted from Instagram. The dolled-up actress was heading out for a fun night with friends. The former Disney star put glitter all over her face and chest area for makeup and paired her plunging black top with white pants and fur coat.

[Image by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Babes For Boobs]

According to Hollywood Life, the 19-year-old actress topless video does not seem intentional. There are chances that she did not know that the action is getting recorded on camera.
Everyone's in a tizzy about the upcoming "sequel" to either beloved or loathed Christmas film Love, Actually and now you can get more excited because two key characters are still together.

SEE ALSO: 'Love Actually' is actually a huge bummer

The short film follow-up, debuting on Red Nose Day on March 24, will feature a bevy of the original film's characters, including Keira Knightley, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Rowan Atkinson (though not Emma Thompson or the late Alan Rickman for an obvious, heartbreaking reason).

And, now, thanks to screenwriter Emma Freud (via Buzzfeed), we know it will also include Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon who  SPOILER ALERT  will still be together. Grant's David is still prime minister and he and McCutcheon's Natalie are still married, Freud revealed via Twitter.

And here he is. Our Prime Minister. Again. And still hot. #rednosedayactually pic.twitter.com/yydy1Nc1l0  emma freud (@emmafreud) March 5, 2017

Our pm is still married. And she's still lovely. #rednosedayactually pic.twitter.com/MGtUVDGiBE  emma freud (@emmafreud) March 5, 2017

Freud's tweets are timed with the on-set visit of some lucky contest winners, who appeared as extras in scenes involving Grant and McCutcheon.

The short will air on the BBC on March 24 and will very likely make the rounds online immediately after, though you can also catch it on NBC on May 25 during the U.S. version of Red Nose Day, which, like the UK original, uses comedy to raise money for children's charities.
By Anthony Boadle and Tatiana Bautzer BRASILIA/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's top prosecutor will seek authorization from the Supreme Court as soon as this week to investigate senior ministers in President Michel Temer's Cabinet and senators from his PMDB party for corruption, a source familiar with the situation said on Sunday. Folha de S. Paulo newspaper reported on Sunday that the request by Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot will include Presidential Chief of Staff Eliseu Padilha and Wellington Moreira Franco, the minister in charge of a major infrastructure and privatization program. According to the paper, Janot is also considering whether to include Temer himself in the request. The source confirmed the thrust of the Folha report but did not name the ministers and senators involved in the request, which is based on recent plea bargain deals by 77 employees of Brazil's largest construction group Odebrecht S.A. [ODBES.UL] The source, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said prosecutors will also ask the Supreme Court to make public the content of the executives' depositions, which are under seal. Odebrecht - which agreed to pay a record $3.5 billion to Brazilian, Swiss and U.S. authorities to settle bribery charges in December - is at the heart of a sprawling investigation into illegal political payments by firms in return for contracts with Brazilian state oil company Petrobras. The statements by Odebrecht executives are expected to further tarnish the image of Temer's government, which is already struggling with rock-bottom ratings as it seeks to pass austerity measures aimed at curbing Brazil's massive budget deficit. However, the slow pace of justice in Brazil would likely allow the government to press ahead with pension and labor reforms in Congress before any impact was felt, analysts say. "I don't see a short-term effect on Temer's clout in Congress," said Luciano Dias, partner at consultancy firm CAC, noting the Supreme Court typically takes around 8 months to formally indict suspects and a further year before a trial begins. A presidential aide said on Sunday that any minister would only be suspended if prosecutors decided to bring formal charges against them following an investigation, and would only be dismissed if a judge accepted the charges and placed them on trial. The departure of Padilha, who is already absent on health leave, would deprive the government of one of its most effective political operators but Congressional leadership could take up the slack in ushering through reforms, said Christopher Garman of Eurasia Group. TEMER IN CROSSHAIRS The allegations against Padilha and Moreira Franco stemmed from testimony by Odebrecht's former head of government relations in Brasilia, Claudio Melo Filho, which was leaked to the media. The testimony alleged that Odebrecht cultivated ties with senior members of the PMDB for years and that Padilha received an illicit 10 million real ($3.21 million) payment for the party's 2014 election campaign. A spokesman for Padilha declined to comment. A representative for Moreira Franco said he had never talked about party issues or financing with Melo Filho. Folha said the prosecutors' list included other senior members of the PMDB, including the government's leader in Congress, Senator Romero Juca, former Senate head Renan Calheiros, and the current Senate president Eunicio Oliveira. Senior members of the allied PSDB party including former presidential candidate Senator Aecio Neves and Senator Jose Serra, who resigned as foreign minister two weeks ago, are also being targeted by prosecutors, the paper said. Press representatives for the senators did not comment on the report. Former presidents Dilma Rousseff and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the Workers' Party are also among the politicians that Janot intends to investigate, the paper said. Lawyers for Lula and Rousseff did not respond to requests for comment. The Constitution forbids investigating a sitting president for crimes committed before the start of his term, but prosecutors are considering whether they should also seek to investigate Temer. The prosecutors are discussing whether his term as a vice-president, before Rousseff's impeachment last year, counts as part of his current term, according to the paper. The Planalto presidential palace did not comment. The president has repeatedly denied accusations of soliciting illegal funds and insisted any donations were legal and duly registered with electoral authorities. (Editing by Daniel Flynn and Mary Milliken)
BEIJING (AP)  China's finance ministry said Sunday that the country's defense budget this year will top 1 trillion yuan ($145 billion) for the first time, after the exact figure was initially kept out of public documents released at the start of the country's annual legislative sessions.

The ministry put the figure at 1.044 trillion yuan ($151 billion), a 7 percent increase from last year, marking the smallest percentage annual growth rate this century.

A ministry information officer told The Associated Press the exact figure had already been released to the almost 3,000 delegates to the National People's Congress. But he didn't say why it had been withheld from the government budget report, where it usually appears. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media.

On Saturday, congress spokeswoman Fu Ying told reporters the budget would increase around 7 percent in 2017 over last year.

The U.S. and others have routinely asked China to be more forthcoming about the goals of its ambitious military modernization program, under which the budget has grown by double-digit percentages for most of the past two decades. Other observers say actual military spending could be considerably higher because China doesn't include certain items such as the purchase of armaments from overseas.

China has the world's second-largest defense budget, although it is still only about one-quarter of what the U.S. spends. China has never provided a breakdown on how the money is spent, although it says most goes to improving living conditions for the troops.

Military analyst Ni Lexiong at Shanghai's University of Politics and Law said the modest growth rate of 7 percent demonstrates China's goodwill in avoiding conflicts and supporting regional stability.

It "shows China's sincerity of peace to the world," he added.
London (AFP) - Britain will "fight back" if the EU will not strike an acceptable deal on Brexit, finance minister Philip Hammond said Sunday.

He said Britain would "do whatever we need to do" to be competitive if the country left the European Union without concluding a trade agreement.

"If there is anybody in the European Union who thinks that if we don't do a deal with the European Union, if we don't continue to work closely together, Britain will simply slink off as a wounded animal, that is not going to happen," he told BBC television.

"British people have a great fighting spirit and we will fight back. We will forge new trade deals around the world.

"We will do whatever we need to do to make the British economy competitive and to make sure that this country has a great and successful future."

Hammond, the chancellor of the Exchequer, refused to be drawn on whether that meant Britain would cut its corporation tax, set to fall to 19 percent on April 1 from 20 percent, in a bid to attract investment away from Europe.

"We expect to be able to achieve a comprehensive free trade deal with our European Union partners, but they should know that the alternative isn't Britain just slinking away into a corner," he said.

Britain is one of the largest net contributors to the EU budget, along with Germany, France and Italy, and the issue of outstanding payments will be a priority for Brussels in the Brexit talks.

Britain's former ambassador to the EU has said the bloc is set to demand up to 60 billion euros ($64 billion) from Britain, a figure that other EU sources have confirmed to AFP.

A committee in the British parliament's upper House of Lords said Saturday that the UK could legally leave the EU without settling its accounts.

But Hammond indicated that Britain would pay any bills it owed to the EU.

"This is a piece of negotiating strategy that we are seeing in Brussels," he said.

Story continues

"We are a nation that honours its obligations and if we do have any bills that fall to be paid we will obviously deal with them in the proper way."

Prime Minister Theresa May intends to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty by the end of March.

This starts a two-year withdrawal process, after which Britain will leave the union whether or not it has struck a deal on its future ties with the bloc.
London (AFP) - Britain and Ireland said Sunday they would dispatch envoys to help resolve a stalemate in Northern Ireland after elections in the British province last week that failed to end divisions.

Political parties in Northern Ireland started a three-week countdown on Saturday to form a power-sharing executive following Thursday's election.

The vote was sparked by divisions between the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which wants Northern Ireland to remain in the United Kingdom, and Sinn Fein, which wants it to be reunited with the rest of Ireland.

British Prime Minister Theresa May and her Irish counterpart Enda Kenny spoke by phone on Sunday and agreed Britain's Northern Ireland Minister James Brokenshire and Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan will hold talks with the parties on Wednesday.

"They discussed their shared commitment to work with the parties to move forward and create a stable administration which ensures a strong, peaceful and prosperous Northern Ireland," a spokesman for May said.

The British and Irish premiers will hold further talks on the fate of Northern Ireland's semi-autonomous assembly at an EU summit on Thursday, he added.

Dublin said the two leaders will stay in close contact over the political situation, with Kenny's office stressing the aim of "re-establishing a functioning executive as soon as possible".

The election was prompted when Sinn Fein, the Irish republican party, refused to continue working with the pro-British DUP after leader Arlene Foster refused to step aside pending an ongoing investigation into a botched green energy programme she had introduced as energy minister.

The DUP won 28 seats in the election while Sinn Fein garnered 27 seats in the 90-seat assembly.

The overall results marking a historic shift as unionist parties lost their absolute majority for the first time since the province's creation in 1921.

The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), a nationalist party, won 12 seats; the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) won 10; the cross-community Alliance Party took eight; and others won five.

Story continues

Following the election, Brokenshire called for "urgent discussions" to see the devolved parliament get back on track.

"Now that assembly members have been elected, there is a limited window in which the assembly and executive can be restored," he said.

Sinn Fein has so far refused to back down on its demand for Foster to step down.

If the political deadlock cannot be resolved within three weeks, the assembly could be suspended and governance of the province transferred to London.
London (AFP) - Finance minister Philip Hammond said Sunday he would keep chopping away at the deficit to get Britain fit to face Brexit, as he prepares to deliver his budget on Wednesday.

Hammond insisted it would be "reckless" to go on a spending splurge, as Britain needed to build up its economic resilience as it gets ready to leave the European Union.

Prime Minister Theresa May is due to start two years of divorce negotiations with Brussels by the end of the month.

"As we prepare to start our negotiations to leave the European Union and plan how we will make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead, my budget on Wednesday will set out the next steps to creating a stronger, fairer and better Britain," Hammond wrote in The Sunday Times newspaper.

"As we begin our negotiations with the EU we are embarking on a new chapter in our history.

"We need to maintain our commitment to fiscal discipline and to strengthen our economic position as we forge our vision of Britain's future in the world."

The chancellor of the exchequer said that when the centre-right Conservatives entered government in 2010, Britain was borrowing one pound in every five spent but the deficit was now down by nearly two-thirds.

"We must, as a country, ensure we get back to living within our means," he said, insisting that he would stick to his planned trajectory of reducing borrowing.

"There are still some voices calling for massive borrowing to fund huge spending sprees. That approach is not only confused, it's reckless, unsustainable and unfair on our young people, who would be left to deal with the consequences," he said.

- Youth skills training revamp -

In his budget, Hammond will unveil a revamp of skills training for 16 to 19-year-olds, the Treasury announced.

The current 13,000-odd technical education qualifications will be replaced by a more streamlined model of 15 designed better to suit the needs of students and businesses.

Story continues

The government will work with employers and colleges to design the routes.

The move is aimed at putting technical qualifications on a level footing with the academic qualifications open to 16 to 18-year-olds.

The plans involve increasing the amount of training by more than 50 percent to more than 900 hours a year.

The new qualifications will be rolled out from 2019-20 and 500 million ($615 million, 580 million euros) will be ploughed into them annually.

The Sunday Times said measures expected to be in the budget include a three percent payroll tax rise for self-employed workers to 12 percent; minimum pricing for cigarettes; a continuing freeze in fuel duty, and broadband Internet vouchers for small businesses.
CHICAGO (AP)  Chicago nearly went a full week without a fatal shooting.

The Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune reported the city had passed such a milestone on Sunday morning for the first time in more than five years.

However, that was before the Cook County Medical Examiner's office on Sunday afternoon reported the homicide of 22-year-old Antoine D. Watkins from multiple gunshot wounds. Police say they found him lying face down Saturday in a vacant lot about a block from where he lived in the Austin neighborhood on the city's west side.

Before that fatal shooting, the last one had occurred Feb. 26.

The newspapers report the city has recorded more than 100 homicides so far this year.
(NEW YORK)  Cursive writing is looping back into style in schools across the country after a generation of students who know only keyboarding, texting and printing out their words longhand.

Alabama and Louisiana passed laws in 2016 mandating cursive proficiency in public schools, the latest of 14 states that require cursive. And last fall, the 1.1 million-student New York City schools, the nations largest public school system, encouraged the teaching of cursive to students, generally in the third grade.

Its definitely not necessary but I think its, like, cool to have it, said Emily Ma, a 17-year-old senior at New York Citys academically rigorous Stuyvesant High School who was never taught cursive in school and had to learn it on her own.

Quiz: See If You Remember How to Write in Cursive

sample_m_k

To play, just draw the letters with your mouse or finger on the blank chalkboard below and well compare your letter to the one commonly taught in schools.

Penmanship proponents say writing words in an unbroken line of swooshing ls and three-humped ms is just a faster, easier way of taking notes. Others say students should be able to understand documents written in cursive, such as, say, a letter from Grandma. And still more say its just a good life skill to have, especially when it comes to signing your name.

That was where New York state Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis drew the line on the cursive generation gap, when she encountered an 18-year-old at a voter registration event who printed out his name in block letters.

I said to him, No, you have to sign here,' Malliotakis said. And he said, That is my signature. I never learned script.'

Malliotakis, a Republican from the New York City borough of Staten Island, took her concerns to city education officials and found a receptive audience.

Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina distributed a handbook on teaching cursive writing in September and is encouraging principals to use it. It cites research suggesting that fluent cursive helps students master writing tasks such as spelling and sentence construction because they dont have to think as much about forming letters.

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Malliotakis also noted that students who cant read cursive will never be able to read historical documents. If an American student cannot read the Declaration of Independence, that is sad.

Its hard to pinpoint exactly when cursive writing began to fall out of favor. But cursive instruction was in decline long before 2010, when most states adopted the Common Core curriculum standards, which say nothing about handwriting.

Some script skeptics question the advantage of cursive writing over printing and wonder whether teaching it takes away from other valuable instruction.

Anne Trubek, author of The History and Uncertain Future of Handwriting, said schools should not require cursive mastery any more than they should require all children to play a musical instrument.

I think students would all benefit from learning the piano, she said, but I dont think schools should require all students take piano lessons.

At P.S. 166 in Queens, Principal Jessica Geller said there was never a formal decision over the years to banish the teaching of cursive. We just got busy with the addition of technology, and we started focusing on computers, she said.

Third-graders at the school beamed as they prepared for a cursive lesson this past week. The 8-year-olds got their markers out, straightened their posture and flexed their wrists. Then it was swoosh, curl, swoosh, curl, as teacher Christine Weltner guided the students in writing linked-together cs and as.

Norzim Lama said he prefers cursive writing to printing cause it looks fancy. Camille Santos said cursive is actually like doodling a little bit.

Added Araceli Lazaro: Its a really fascinating way to write, and I really think that everybody should learn about writing in script.
Portion of engraving by Paul Revere, 1770

On that night, the foundation of American Independence was laid, wrote John Adams. Not the Battle of Lexington or Bunker Hill, not the surrender of Burgoyne or Cornwallis, were more important events in American history than the battle of King Street on the 5th of March, 1770.

In front of the Custom House on King Street in Boston, British soldiers fired upon a group of colonists, killing three instantly and two later as a result of their wounds. There are varying accounts of what happened, but most people agree that the soldiers were provoked by a group of rowdy colonists, and that someone yelled fire  though no one knows who.

Before that night, tensions had been rising in Boston for some time. After the Stamp Act was repealed, Britain felt the need to show that it still had control over the colonies, so Parliament passed a series of acts known as the Townshend Acts. These laws were designed to tax the colonies on imports they could only get from Great Britain, such as glass, paper and tea. The British thought that since this was an external tax  unlike the Stamp Act, which was internal  the colonists would not object. This, of course, was not the case. John Dickinson wrote a series of letters titled Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania in which he outlined how many colonists wished not be taxed purely for revenue for the British empire.

On March 5, 1770, the Bostonians were fuming over taxes and constant surveillance by the British military, both of which had started two years prior. As a result, a small disagreement between a wigmaker apprentice and a soldier easily escalated to a small riot. Henry Knox, the future Secretary of War, was one of the first colonists on the scene, and told the soldier, Private Hugh White, that if he fired a shot, he will die.

Through the course of the day, a crowd of more than two hundred colonists came to the defense of the apprentice. White eventually felt unsafe enough to call for help. He sent a messenger to get Captain Thomas Preston and his battalion of seven troops as backup. Allegedly, the protestors became more violent, throwing objects at the soldiers and jeering at them. As the scene was becoming more and more chaotic, Preston did not make any orders, but someone yelled fire, leading the soldiers to shoot into the crowd.

Story continues

When the dust cleared, three colonists were dead; two others died later as a result of their wounds. The first three were Crispus Attucks, Samuel Gray, and James Caldwell; the other two were Samuel Maverick and Patrick Carr. Attucks is considered the most famous African American of the Revolutionary War and eventually became a symbol for the abolitionist movement.

After the Massacre, the soldiers were put on trial, represented by future President John Adams and Josiah Quincey. Adams and Quincey took up the defense in order to show the British that the colonies could conduct a fair trial. Most of the soldiers ended up being acquitted, including Thomas Preston, who was found innocent because he never ordered the shots. Two soldiers were found guilty for murder, and their hands were branded with M as their punishment.

The incident fueled the anger of colonists like Samuel Adams and Paul Revere. They used the massacre as propaganda, recreating a Henry Pelham painting and distributing copies all over the Boston area in order to incite the public. Revere misrepresented the painting in such a way as to cast the British in a more negative light. The biggest misrepresentation was the depiction of each side. The Bostonians look scared and out of sorts, while the British looked as if they were carrying out a planned attack. Although accounts differ, there is agreement that the whole thing was a mess, and that in no way were the British organized.

The British ended up withdrawing their troops from Boston and positioning them on an island off the coast of Massachusetts. While the Revolutionary War would not start for another six years, this first bloody encounter attracted more attention to radical groups like the Sons of Liberty and set the war in motion.

Fun fact: The Boston Massacre is reenacted every year in front of the Massachusetts Old State House on March 5.

Chris Calabrese is an intern at the National Constitution Center. He is also a recent graduate of St. Josephs University.

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By Stephen Lam and Tim Branfalt BERKELEY, Calif./LANSING, Mich. (Reuters) - Supporters of Donald Trump clashed with counter-protesters at a rally in the famously left-leaning city of Berkeley, California, on a day of mostly peaceful gatherings in support of the U.S. president across the country.

At a park in Berkeley, across the bay from San Francisco, protesters from both sides struck one another over the head with wooden sticks and Trump supporters fired pepper spray as police in riot gear stood at a distance. Some in the pro-Trump crowd, holding American flags, faced off against black-clad opponents. An elderly Trump supporter was struck in the head and kicked on the ground.

Organizers of the so-called Spirit of America rallies in at least 28 the country's 50 states had said they expected smaller turn-outs than the huge crowds of anti-Trump protesters that clogged the streets of Washington and other cities the day after the Republican's inauguration on Jan. 20.

SLIDESHOW: Pro-Trump rally turns violent in Berkeley >>>

"There are a lot of angry groups protesting and we thought it was important to show our support," said Peter Boykin, president of Gays for Trump, who helped organize Saturday's rally in Washington.

In many towns and cities, the rallies did not draw more than a few hundred people. At some, supporters of the president were at risk of being outnumbered by small groups of anti-Trump protesters who gathered to shout against the rallies.

In Berkeley, the total crowd of both supporters and detractors numbered 200 to 300 people, police spokesman Byron White said. Three people were injured in the clash, including one who had teeth knocked out, and police made five arrests.

One Trump supporter who took part in the violence came equipped with a baton, a gas mask and a shield emblazoned with the American flag.

White said police did break up fights between the two sides.

"We've made a number of arrests, it's one of those things where we monitor the situation and take action as necessary," he said.

Story continues

The violence comes a month after mask-wearing protesters at the University of California, Berkeley, shut down a planned speech by a provocative far-right commentator by lighting fires and smashing windows. On Saturday, smaller skirmishes broke out in other parts of the country.

In Minnesota, 400 Trump supporters packed the state capitol rotunda in St. Paul and were met by a smaller group of counter-demonstrators, according to the Star Tribune. Scuffles erupted and six counter-protesters were arrested, the newspaper reported.

In Nashville, Tennessee, Trump supporters and counter-protesters cursed at each other and occasionally made physical contact, but state troopers broke up the fighting, according to the city's public radio station. Most rallies appeared to take place without any disruption or violence, like one outside the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing.

"How can anyone be disappointed with bringing back jobs? And he promised he would secure our borders, and that's exactly what he's doing," said Meshawn Maddock, one of the organizers of the rally which drew about 200 people.

Brandon Blanchard, 24, among a small group of anti-Trump protesters, said he had come in support of immigrants, Muslims and transgender people, groups that have been negatively targeted by Trump's rhetoric and policies.

"I feel that every American that voted for Trump has been deceived," Blanchard said. More than 200 supporters of the president rallied in downtown San Diego.

"After this, I think people will take the hint," said former U.S. Marine David Moore, 42, a participant in the rally. "Its okay to voice support for the president and the country."

In Palm Beach, Florida, where Trump is staying this weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort, the president's motorcade stopped and Trump stepped outside his car to wave at a crowd of dozens of supporters. A smaller group of protesters stood across the street.

In New York, about 200 people demonstrated their support for the president in front of Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan. In Washington, about 150 people marched from the Washington Monument to Lafayette Square in front of the White House to show their support for the president. (Additional reporting by Ned Randolph in San Diego, Melissa Fares in Palm Beach, Florida, and Jonathan Allen in New York; Writing and additional reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Dan Grebler and Mary Milliken)
TSHOLOTSHO, Zimbabwe (AP)  From kitchen items to livestock and even her house, Assa Mkwananzi says she has "lost it all" to floods that have hit southern Zimbabwe.

"We lost all our blankets, pots and cooking utensils, our goats and chickens as well because of the heavy rains," Mkwananzi told The Associated Press in the southern district of Tsholotsho, about 200 kilometers (124 miles) north of Bulawayo.

Since December, floods have killed 246 people, injured 128 and left nearly 2,000 homeless, Saviour Kasukuwere, Zimbabwe's minister of local government, said last week. Those who have survived the floods say they have lost their possessions.

"The only thing we managed to save is that suitcase with a few clothes," said Joice Ncube, another villager.

Like Mkwananzi, she is now housed at a camp where survivors are crammed in tents and plastic shelters and survive on charity.

"We have between 850 to 900 people here. They were airlifted by helicopters after being marooned," said, Sibongile Nyoni, an official with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development stationed at the camp.

For weeks heavy rains have been pouring in Zimbabwe, especially southern parts of the country, ending a years' long drought.

This southern African country last week appealed to international donors for $100 million to help those affected by the floods, which have washed away bridges and roads and cut off some communities. President Robert Mugabe, currently in Singapore for medical treatment, declared the floods to be a national disaster.

Just last year, a regional drought largely induced by the El Nino weather phenomenon killed livestock and forced people to forage for food in forests and seek drinking water from parched river beds in many parts of Zimbabwe.

Desperate for rainfall, some people revived a long-abandoned tradition, dating to pre-colonial times, of rain-making ceremonies. In parts of Zimbabwe, traditional leaders and spirit mediums, with the support of the government, led ceremonies atop mountains and other sacred places to appeal to ancestral spirits for rain. Others who no longer believe in traditional customs held Christian prayers.

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The drought has ended and now people are suffering from the downpour. Some people in the rural areas of Matabeleland North province are unable to reach the safety of clinics and schools. Dams have overflowed, raising concerns about communities living downstream.

Five bridges on major highways have been swept away nationwide, Transport Minister Joram Gumbo said.

In Tsholotsho, homes, mainly grass-thatched huts, have crumbled. Debious Sibanda, 20, is one of the few villagers who still returns to his family's home in Mbanyana village "to check out if everything is still OK."

Women balancing bags on their heads trudge through the mud carrying food for those still in the village taking care of remaining livestock. The rest of the villagers are at the camp, on the lookout for a sign of the arrival of food donors.

Zimbabwe's cash-strapped government is already struggling to meet routine commitments such as the payment of state workers' salaries. Thousands of nurses in state hospitals went on strike last week over a lack of year-end bonus payments, straining an already dire situation at the poorly resourced hospitals. State hospital doctors have been on strike since Feb. 15, forcing the government to send in army and police doctors to care for patients.
Former President Barrack Obamas spokesperson issued a statement on his behalf Saturday, following President Donald Trumps sensational accusations where the current President accused his predecessor of wiretapping Trump Tower just before the presidential election last November. Trump made the claims without providing any proof to back his assertions and his comments were eventually slammed by Democrats.

"Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!," Trump said in one of his tweets Saturday morning.

Is it legal for a sitting President to be wiretapping a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW! he added in another tweet.

Obamas spokesman, Kevin Lewis, issued a short response to Trumps allegations, denying the accusations.

A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justiceas part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false, Kevin Lewis said.

Obama's foreign policy advisor and speechwriter Ben Rhodes also took to twitter to rubbish Trump's claims.

Several democrats such as Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) blasted Trump over his assertions. Pelosi, for instance, argued that Trump was doing this to divert attention from himself while Schiff questioned the lack of evidence.

"If there is something bad or sick going on, it is the willingness of the nation's chief executive to make the most outlandish and destructive claims without providing a scintilla of evidence to support them," Schiff said in a statement on Saturday, according to the Hill.

Story continues

It is still not clear what information Trump based his accusation against Obama on. However, according to various media reports, it is being speculated that the source was this article on the conservative, alt-right media company Breitbart News (whose former head Steve Bannon is currently Trump's chief strategist), which itself relied on a Heat Street piece. Bloomberg and New York Times also cited Breitbart as the source of information for Trumps tweets, citing anonymous sources considered to be informed about the situation.

Related Articles
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP)  Authorities in South Carolina say deputies answering a 911 call have shot and killed a man who pointed a gun at them.

Sheriff Will Lewis told local media outlets that deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call Saturday in Greenville County, about 30 miles west of Spartanburg, in which the woman who called 911 said her estranged husband was on the porch of the home with a gun.

Lewis said as deputies approached the man, he pointed a gun at them and said, "Do you not see my gun?" Lewis said deputies had no choice but to shoot the man, who he said died at the scene.

Five deputies who answered the call are on administrative leave while the incident is investigated by the State Law Enforcement Division and the Greenville County Coroner.

The man's identity hasn't been released.
Anti-Donald Trump protest sign at rally in New York. Violence broke out at Tump rally in Berkely California

Donald Trump supporters clashed with protesters at a pro-Trump rally in Berkeley, California.

According to NBC News Bay Area, the rally which was called, The March 4 Trump was marketed as a peaceful gathering. But a Trump supporter and a protester got into a fist fight before the march even got started.

Ironically, the march took place at the Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park. The atmosphere in the area was tense as supporters and protesters wielded signs, chanted slogans, and confronted each other over their separate political views.

It didnt take long for blood to be spilled. Fist fights werent the only violent outbreaks to happen at the rally. NBC News also reports that smoke bombs and fireworks were thrown, while flags and Make America Great Again hats were set on fire.

Click here to continue and read more...
It might not be long before the inscription atop Yellowstone National Parks iconic Roosevelt Arch is posted in Ryan Zinkes new digs.

Its what the new Interior secretary says is his mission for the Department of Interiors management of federal lands: For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.

Sitting in my office and I am now recognizing the task before me. Im excited about it. Its great to be asked by the president to be his voice on public lands, Zinke said Friday. I look forward to going out in the field and visiting our parks, our refuges and our holdings and just talking to the people. It goes back to the benefit and enjoyment of the people, and I intend to live up to the model.

The Republican from Montana has repeated the statement often since saddling up and riding to work with the mounted National Mall Police on Thursday. He was then greeted by his new staff as a Northern Cheyenne Indian drummer pounded out an honor song at the top of the Department of the Interior steps. It was a dramatic departure from his job as just one vote out of 435 in U.S. House. Zinke is the only congressman from a state so wide it falls just a few miles short of taking up an entire time zone.

It was just two years ago when Zinke was moving into his House office. Hed been a state legislator for a couple terms in the last decade. Before that he was 23-year veteran of the Navy SEALs, where he reached the rank of commander. He served in Iraq.

In President Donald J. Trumps Cabinet of millionaires, Zinke, 55, is tied with Vice President Mike Pence as the least wealthy, by a long shot. Minus his congressional salary, Zinkes non-government worth is about $800,000 and includes a 1938 Cadillac, a Harley Davidson, some family art and some rental properties, most notably in the Montana timber and ski town of Whitefish, where Zinke, a plumbers son, grew up in the shadow of Glacier National Park.

It is impossible to look in any direction from Zinkes hometown without seeing federal land. The local ski resort, Big Mountain, occupies land leased from the Forest Service. There is a tight green stubble on the landscape where a legacy logging industry sawed jobs from federal timber. Theres the national park and to the east of it the Blackfeet Indian Reservation before the landscape flattens into millions of acres of Bureau of Land Management grazing land, punctuated by farm communities founded in the land rush of the early 1900s.

In Montana, the federal government is everyones neighbor. Its the fourth largest state in the nation. The federal government owns a third of the property. The Department of Interior manages all but the U.S. Forest Service property.

The department represents federal governments obligation to American Indian tribes. It supervises oil, gas drilling and coal mining on federal lands and waters. It manages national parks and battlefields, national monuments and also protects endangered species. The Fourth of July bash on the National Mall? Yep, that too, and several other purposes, as well. It employs 70,000 people and has a $20.7 billion annual budget.

Like all neighbor relations, sometimes there's tension between communities and their largest neighbor. It is the Department of the Interiors job to balance the public's interests in both conservation and revenue from federal land, Zinke told Lee Montana on Friday.

I think we have to recognize that there are some public lands that fit better under the Muir model, where man is more of an observer, the lightest footprint," Zinke said. "And there are special places in our public land holdings that deserve that special recognition, and we have it to a degree with wilderness and national parks. But the preponderance of lands, I think, are under the Pinchot model of multiple use.

John Muir was a pioneer of American public land preservation whose vision was crucial in the creation of national parks. His counterpart was Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service. Pinchot established the management of natural resources for revenue. His maxim was, The greatest good for the greatest number and that good included industry.

Multiple use is making sure that the public can use our lands for the enjoyment and the benefit of the people, Zinke said. That benefit side may include timber harvest, it may include oil energy production. It may include mining. Our charter is to make sure that those activities that are more invasive have a reclamation plan where at the end of the project that land is returned either in the same or better condition than what we started with. And thats where the right regulation  but not excessive regulation  is needed.

Its where jobs are tied to federal land where relations are most heated between the federal government, states and local communities. Zinke sees a need to restore trust with those communities. In Congress, he tried to give local governments, states and Indian tribes more say in the management decision on federal lands. He was harshly criticized for it by House Democrats who said he was giving too much power to non-federal stakeholders in mining and drilling.

But the federal government should be able to create wealth and jobs from its resources, while also protecting public access to federal property for recreation.

National monuments

Several battles concerning public lands await the new Interior secretary. In Utah tempers are flaring over the Bears Ears National Monument. The ears are twin buttes that poke from Southern Utahs Elk Ridge. The features are surrounded by canyons, mesas and cliffs that include archaeological sites.

Former President Barack Obama declared the 1.35 million-acre monument before leaving office last year. Utah Republicans, like Rep. Jason Chaffetz have said the they hope President Trump and Zinke eliminate the monument status.

Republicans' stand on Bears Ears cost Utah the nations largest outdoors show, which brought 50,000 visitors to the state and $45 million year. Organizers said they couldnt support a state that didnt support Bears Ears.

Zinke didnt say the monument would be undone, but it might be changed.

I think we should follow the law in that there is no doubt there are areas that should have special protection and a monument is appropriate, Zinke said. But we should work with local communities, we should work with the states. We should follow the law that monuments should be appropriate to the specific areas that deserve that protection. Some of the monuments created in the last administration were popular. They had grassroots support. They had broad support at the state level. And other monuments, especially those that were created late and the actions that were taken late in administration, they do they smell of political agenda rather than gaining consensus. And theyve become viewed in many parts, especially in Utah, as, once again, breaching this bond of trust. And so my task as a secretary is to review all actions that were taken to make sure that we are and advocate for the local voice and advocate for the state and be seen as partners rather than adversaries.

The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument is an example of a declaration that worked. The 330,780-acre monument in Northern California was widely supported by the community. Thats the support for a monument Zinke prefers.

A president has never undone a previous presidents national monument. Zinke said theres nothing in the law that prohibits nullification, but theres nothing that clearly allows it, either. But national monuments can be changed.

"Theres no doubt that a president can modify a monument that has been done before. Theres precedent in that, Zinke said. I think what the goal is on monument designation is to make sure you have local, and state, broad support of the people who live there, the people who are most affected by the monument. And of course that speaks to what my motto has been and will be: for the enjoyment of the people, which is on the Roosevelt Arch.

Standing Rock and Malheur

If the federal government had better local relations, it would hopefully have fewer protests like the one at Standing Rock, North Dakota, where the Dakota Access Pipeline is to cross beneath the Missouri River. The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge standoff in Oregon is another example where Zinke said things might have been different if public perception of federal land management were different. Federal property was damaged, and in the Malheur standoff someone died. Both incidents cost the federal government millions of dollars that could have been spent on restoration and management, he said.

Going forward, when the public sees a Fish and Wildlife truck, or a BLM truck, I want the public to think about management, Zinke said, Wildlife and land management rather than law enforcement. And I think thats an important distinction. Going forward, again, my biggest task is to restore trust at the local level, and thats being an advocate and making sure people believe they have a voice.

Coal

Zinke is a coal-state Republican. Montana has the largest holdings of federal coal in the United States. In Congress, he fought against a DOI suspension of coal leases triggered by concerns that coal royalties were set too low and needed to be studied. President Trump and Congress have since worked to lift the coal lease ban.

Zinke said coal, oil and gas from federal land is important because low-priced energy powers U.S. manufacturing. Those mining jobs are also directly linked to manufacturing in other states, like Illinois, where Caterpillar employees are hopeful an increase in mining under the Trump administration will boost demand for heavy machinery.

Coals decline is tied to a glut in global supply which has made exports unprofitable while at the same time cheap natural gas replaces coal as the nations primary source at power plants. Zinke and other Republicans argue that federal policy shouldnt exacerbate coals problems. They would like to see more coal power, an idea President Trump campaigned on.

But other economies tied to federal land also need to be promoted where possible, Zinke said.

We should not view it in terms of just extraction," Zinke said. "Public land also has a driver when it comes to recreation. In some areas, particularly in the Seattle area, Mount Rainier, Olympic National Park, the forest around Seattle, there is a strong desire to elevate recreation. In Alaska, there is a strong desire for energy development, many of our Native tribes particularly. Some of the biggest resource concerns are owned by Eskimos and Native indigenous peoples, and they are very pro-energy development. They use the pipeline. In many ways, it is their lifeblood, so I think it's best to view things locally and start understanding the challenges of energy development. The president was right to look at punitive excessive regulations to undo those and let the market drive things. I think the goal is to make sure we have clean air, clean water, but also the economic engine of the U.S.

Tribal relations

Not all American Indian tribes support fossil fuel development, Zinke acknowledged. Where there is opposition, the United States needs to honor that, he said.

I think with the tribes, and Ive talked with the tribes extensively before, although as a congressman I had the best relationship with the tribes in Montana, Zinke said. As a secretary now of Interior I have to have the same relationship with all tribes.

I think it stems from three things. One is sovereignty, and sovereignty has to be more than a word. Sovereignty has to mean something. Two is respect. And three is self-determination. And thats making sure the tribes have the tools to shape their own destiny and the authority to do that. As you know, even in the West, tribes are not monolithic, meaning that some tribes are pro-resource, pro-energy, pro-fossil fuels. And other tribes stand staunchly against that. I think it goes back to respect and sovereignty that each tribe in my judgement has to have the authority, the tools to carve their own path. And also from the Department of the Interior is to understand culturally many of these tribes are different, and their path may be unique to them, and I have to respect that.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  A British daredevil known for his vertigo-inspiring online videos chronicling his climbs up buildings and construction cranes was interrogated by Dubai police over his recent ascents in the sheikhdom, authorities said Sunday.

James Kingston's interrogation comes as the city-state has fashioned itself as an extreme-sports haven, whether that means tourists skydiving over the man-made Palm Jumeirah archipelago or professionals base-jumping off of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.

But those adrenaline-seeking activities have the blessing of the city's rulers, unlike people like Kingston, whose most-recent video saw him shimmy over a fence at an active construction site in downtown Dubai in broad daylight while offer a running commentary.

Kingston told The Associated Press in a message Sunday that he had been detained and released hours later, without elaborating. That's after he wrote online Saturday that "four undercover agents plucked me from my hotel room earlier today with no warning."

The state-owned newspaper Emarat Al Youm quoted Dubai police Brig. Gen. Salem Khalifa al-Rumaithi on Sunday as confirming police had "summoned" Kingston over recent climbs in the sheikhdom. Al-Rumaithi said Kingston previously had been arrested in 2014 after climbing to the top of the Princess Tower in Dubai Marina, which at over 400 meters (1,300 feet) is the second-tallest building in Dubai.

Dubai police later issued a statement to the AP saying Kingston "was not arrested, but was asked to sign a statement that he will not attempt to perform such stunts in Dubai."

"Kingston's dangerous stunts on buildings in Dubai violated Dubai's strict regulations prohibiting such activities," the statement said.

British Embassy officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the AP.

Kingston's detention is the second major incident involving stunts on Dubai's skyscrapers. In February, Dubai police contacted a Russian model who posted images online of herself, holding onto only a man's hand, dangling out over the side of 300-meter (985-foot) Cayan Tower.

Story continues

"These pictures certainly attract huge numbers of hits on social media. But the risk involved makes them highly questionable," the state-owned The National newspaper later opined. "Is fleeting social media fame really worth risking your life for? Does it set a good example for others?"

For Kingston, the climbing sees him earn money from selling T-shirts and posters commemorating his stunts, and he's also written a book about his exploits.

But it may be a bit more than financial. While on top of a Dubai crane in his most-recent video, Kingston stopped to look out on the glittering Burj Khalifa.

He said: "I would love to stand on top of that: Goals."

___

Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap. His work can be found at http://apne.ws/2galNpz .
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP)  Roman Catholic authorities in El Salvador said Sunday that the Vatican is studying a possible miracle attributed to slain Archbishop Oscar Romero that could lead to the once-controversial cleric's canonization.

San Salvador Archbishop Jose Luis Escobar Alas told reporters that church officials in the country are "convinced" of the miracle's authenticity. He cautioned that it could take a long time for the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints to consider the matter.

Romero is known to many as "Saint Romero of the Americas." He was loved by the poor whom he defended and hated by conservatives who saw him as aligned with leftist causes ahead of El Salvador's civil war.

Romero was shot by a sniper in 1980 while celebrating Mass at a hospital chapel. He was beatified in 2015.
San Francisco (AFP) - Sending tourists for a trip around the moon is the latest big idea launched by Elon Musk, a Silicon Valley star known for turning his passions into visionary enterprises.

Musk has become one of the United States' best-known innovators. He was a founder of payments company PayPal, electric carmaker Tesla Motors and SpaceX, maker and launcher of rockets and spacecraft.

SpaceX recently announced that two private citizens have paid money to be sent around the Moon in what would mark the farthest humans have ever traveled to deep space since the 1970s.

In a sector where entrepreneurs often speak of "moonshots," Musk is one of the biggest dreamers.

The 45-year-old South Africa-born entrepreneur has channeled a dot-com fortune into a series of ambitious ventures.

Besides being the head of SpaceX and Tesla, Musk is the chairman of SolarCity, a solar panel installer recently bought by Tesla.

He also operates his own foundation focusing on education, clean energy and child health.

And he drafted a paper detailing the feasibility of an ultra-fast "Hyperloop" rail transport system that would transport people at near supersonic speeds, then made it freely available to enterprises willing to pursue the project.

- 'Doesn't sit around' -

"He is a visionary who has some key passions which he pursues with vigor," Jackdaw Research chief analyst Jan Dawson said of Musk.

"He doesn't sit around and wait for people to do something about them; he goes out and does it himself."

Musk's penchant for rocketing after his passions may appear to spread him thin, but he has built a record of success.

Musk appears strong on painting big ideas in broad strokes and then enlisting people skilled at tending to the nuts-and-bolts work needed to follow through, say observers.

"He doesn't seem to be able to focus," analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group said.

"He just likes coming up with the ideas and is good at picking other people who can deal with the plumbing -- that is why he is able to do a lot of stuff."

Story continues

And while some may wonder whether hubris or realism reigns in Musk's moves, his businesses have gained value, with the jury still out on the wisdom of the Tesla acquisition of SolarCity.

"He can certainly sell his ideas," Enderle said.

"The fact his businesses have held together so long indicates he is not a con man."

- Fighting against evil -

Musk more than a year ago took part in creating a nonprofit research company devoted to developing artificial intelligence that will help people and not hurt them.

Musk found himself in the middle of a technology world controversy by holding firm that AI could turn on humanity and be its ruin instead of a salvation.

Technology giants including Google, Apple and Microsoft have been investing in making machines smarter, contending the goal is to improve lives.

"If we create some digital super-intelligence that exceeds us in every way by a lot, it is very important that it be benign," Musk said at a conference in California.

He reasoned that even a benign situation with ultra-intelligent AI would put people so far beneath the machine they would be "like a house cat."

"I don't love the idea of being a house cat," Musk said, envisioning the creation of neural lacing that magnifies people's brain power by linking them directly to computing capabilities.

- Living in a game -

Some of his ideas have prompted questions about whether Musk is a visionary or mad scientist. He has raised eyebrows with a theory that the world as it is known may be a computer simulation.

"I've had so many simulation discussions it's crazy," Musk said while fielding a question on the topic at the conference.

He maintained that "the odds that we are in base reality is one in billions."

Musk lives in Los Angeles and holds US, Canadian and South African citizenship.

He moved to Canada in his late teens and then to the United States, earning bachelor's degrees in physics and business from the University of Pennsylvania.

After graduating, Musk abandoned plans to pursue further studies at Stanford University and started Zip2, a company that made online publishing software for the media industry.

He banked his first millions before the age of 30 when he sold Zip2 to US computer maker Compaq for more than $300 million in 1999.

Musk's next company, X.com, eventually merged with PayPal, the online payments firm bought by Internet auction giant eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002.

Forbes estimates Musk's current net worth at $13.4 billion.
U.S. satellites help us predict and prepare for powerful storms, even before they arrive at our door. The data let us to monitor climate change and map the effects on coastlines, glaciers, oceans and land. With satellite systems, we can tell when it's safe to fly a plane, steer a ship or drive a car.

This research  and far more  all falls largely under the umbrella of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), one of the top U.S. climate science agencies.

SEE ALSO: The first photos from a revolutionary new weather satellite are gorgeous

Yet NOAA may soon be forced to dial back or pause some of this work if the Trump administration succeeds in slashing the agency's budget.

The White House aims to cut NOAA's funding by 17 percent from current levels, according to a four-page budget memo obtained by the Washington Post last week.

Are you ready for the next round of @NOAA's GOES-16 images? See the first lightning mapper images on Monday @ https://t.co/m5YhBJPjH3 pic.twitter.com/xSoo95dYQB  NOAA Satellites PA (@NOAASatellitePA) March 4, 2017

That includes eliminating $513 million, or 22 percent, of the current funding for NOAA's satellite division, and slashing another $216 million, or 26 percent, from NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research.

Scientists said the deep cuts at NOAA would not only jeopardize academic research but also our ability to withstand storms and adapt to the effects of human-caused global warming.

A large low pressure system spins in the North Pacific Ocean in this water vapor imagery from Himawari-8. See more @ https://t.co/DMJJUu5C8u pic.twitter.com/f2tKyTmQDg  NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) February 2, 2017

"Any weakening of our technological, scientific and human capabilities related to weather and climate places American lives and property at risk," Marshall Shepherd, a leading climate expert and meteorologist at the University of Georgia, said in a Forbes column.

Story continues

For those unfamiliar with NOAA  and for all the weather and climate geeks  here's a quick tour of the agency's latest satellite-driven research.

Chasing storms

GOES infrared imagery shows the active system over the Plains that's slated to bring storms to the OH Valley. More @ https://t.co/MxC01vsIfE pic.twitter.com/CKPG9NCk5E  NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) February 6, 2017

See the development and progression of the Midwest storms in this 72-hour GOES water vapor imagery. More imagery at https://t.co/nSLCmGDsIJ pic.twitter.com/5Eyuy4YjRH  NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) March 2, 2017

This GOES imagery indicates the potential for severe storms in the MS & OH River Valleys today. See more imagery @ https://t.co/hmjSGco2js. pic.twitter.com/yTLm7e1gT6  NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) February 28, 2017





An area of low pressure in the Pacific brings moisture to HI in this animation from NOAA weatherView. Check it out @ https://t.co/b8QmCZhUVN pic.twitter.com/gZSqGlzsqi  NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) March 1, 2017

Charting climate change





These maps of land surface temperature show just how much warmer Feb. 2017 is compared to last year! See more at: https://t.co/MYS28mM204 pic.twitter.com/57pYVDJC17  NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) February 15, 2017

Sun spotting

The SUVI instrument aboard #GOES16 can see the sun in 6 ways, thereby improving space wx forecasts!!! Learn more at https://t.co/ltIuZ2JdSE pic.twitter.com/HrsjcWmY59  NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) February 28, 2017

GOES-13's Solar X-ray Imager constantly monitors the the suns corona for X-ray photon emissions!!! Learn why at https://t.co/ZuCq4LvoAJ pic.twitter.com/zOqJ0FfRGa  NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) February 22, 2017

Tracking coastal threats

NOAA's sea level rise projections at Mar-A-Lago. Current mean high water up to six feet. https://t.co/PkpzaeSM9J pic.twitter.com/UMQcW1yFrd  Eric Nost (@ericnost) February 19, 2017

In 2016, ocean plant growth bloomed in springtime as Arctic sea ice thinned. https://t.co/i0zAmcVan4 pic.twitter.com/okJqAnyVx9  NOAA Climate.gov (@NOAAClimate) February 7, 2017

Satellites help save whales from ship strikes. Learn more @NOAAResearch: https://t.co/VElf5rWo9h pic.twitter.com/W9chx3R0Ij  NOAA Satellites PA (@NOAASatellitePA) February 15, 2017

Interestingly, the budget memo shows only a tiny proposed cut to NOAA's National Weather Service. But without reliable, advanced weather satellites, the Weather Service will find it more difficult to do its job, meteorologists say. Satellites supply about 90 percent of the information that goes into weather forecasting models and are key tools for predicting severe storms like hurricanes and tornadoes.

Conrad Lautenbacher, a retired vice admiral who was the NOAA administrator under President George W. Bush, told the Washington Post that Trump's budget proposal is "ill-timed, given the needs of society, [the] economy and the military.

With the proposed cuts, "It will be very hard for NOAA to manage and maintain the kind of services the country requires," he told the newspaper.

The cuts would hit the agency just as it prepares to put its first of several next-generation, multibillion dollar satellites into service, with GOES-16 slated to go live later this year. If the budget cuts are realized and cause delays in satellite production and deployment, they could cause gaps when current satellites reach the end of their service life, which would make weather forecasts less reliable.

The budget blueprint is just the first word on government funding for Fiscal Year 2018, and Congress will have the final say over how deep President Trump's requested cuts actually will go.

Additional reporting by Mashable Science Editor Andrew Freedman.
By Ralph Boulton, Ece Toksabay and Andrea Shalal ISTANBUL/ANKARA/BERLIN (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany on Sunday of "fascist actions" reminiscent of Nazi times in a growing row over the cancellation of political rallies aimed at drumming up support for him among 1.5 million Turkish citizens in Germany. German politicians reacted with shock and anger. German Justice Minister Heiko Maas told broadcaster ARD that Erdogan's comments were "absurd, disgraceful and outlandish" and designed to provoke a reaction from Berlin. But he cautioned against banning Erdogan from visiting Germany or breaking off diplomatic ties, saying that such moves would push Ankara "straight into the arms of (Russian President Vladmir) Putin, which no one wants". The deputy leader of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party said the Turkish president was "reacting like a wilful child that cannot have his way", while a top leader of the CDU's Bavarian sister party described Erdogan as the "despot of the Bosphorus" and demanded an apology. German authorities withdrew permission last week for two rallies by Turkish citizens in German cities at which Turkish ministers were to urge a "Yes" vote in a referendum next month on granting Erdogan sweeping new presidential powers. Berlin says the rallies were canceled on security grounds. However, Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci spoke at large events in Leverkusen and Cologne on Sunday while protesters stood outside. The row has further soured relations between the two NATO members amid mounting public outrage in Germany over the arrest in Turkey of a Turkish-German journalist. It has also spurred growing demands for Merkel to produce a more forceful response to Erdogan's words and actions. A poll conducted for the Bild am Sonntag newspaper showed that 81 percent of Germans believe that Merkels government has been too accommodating with Ankara. Germany, under an agreement signed last year, relies on Turkey to prevent a further flood of migrants from pouring into Europe. DEFIANT The lead article in German news magazine Der Spiegel on Sunday urged Merkel to free herself from the handcuffs of the migrant deal. A defiant Erdogan said he could travel to Germany himself to rally support for the constitutional changes to grant him greater power. "Germany, you have no relation whatsoever to democracy and you should know that your current actions are no different to those of the Nazi period," Erdogan said at a rally in Istanbul. "If I want to come to Germany, I will, and if you don't let me in through your doors, if you don't let me speak, then I will make the world rise to its feet," he told a separate event. Neither Merkel's office nor the foreign ministry had any immediate comment. Erdogan says he needs the proposed new powers to tackle Kurdish rebels, Islamist militants and other political enemies in a land with a history of unstable coalition governments. Critics, meanwhile, argue that a "yes" vote in the April 16 referendum would abolish checks and balances that have already been eroded over 15 years of his rule. Germany and other European countries have grown increasingly concerned about mass arrests and dismissals in the army, judiciary and civil service across Turkey after a failed attempt to topple the president in July. ECONOMIC TIES The remarks by Erdogan - a man admired by many for his rhetorical flourishes - could win support among those who see Turkey threatened by militant attacks and abandoned by putative allies, but they could damage economic ties at a time when Turkey faces rising unemployment and inflation. Ten percent of Turkish exports go to Germany, while Germany accounts for about 11 percent of Turkish imports. The confrontation has also fanned anger across the European Union, which Turkey had aspired to join but with increasingly subdued conviction of late. Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern called for an EU-wide ban on campaign appearances by Turkish politicians to avoid member countries such as Germany coming under pressure from Ankara. Dutch nationalist Geert Wilders, expected to make huge gains in a March 15 election, said on Sunday that he would declare "the whole cabinet of Turkey persona non grata" and described Erdogan an "Islamo-fascist". Julia Kloeckner, deputy leader of Merkels Christian Democratic Union, told Bild newspaper: "The Nazi comparison is a new high point of intemperance. Andreas Scheuer, general secretary of the Bavarian CSU party, said that Erdogan's remarks marked a new low point in ties between the two allies and demanded an apology. "This was a monstrous gaffe by the despot of the Bosphorus," Scheuer told the Passauer Neue Presse. "The Nazi comparison is outrageous and preposterous. An apology is in order." (Editing by David Goodman)
By Alastair Macdonald BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May will write to European Council President Donald Tusk this month [L5N1GG31G] to trigger Britain's withdrawal from the European Union under Article 50 of the EU treaty. It should be out within two years. Here is a timeline: THE ARTICLE 50 LETTER March 13 - The earliest the British parliament can complete approvals to launch what Britain says is an irrevocable divorce. March 15 - Tusk wants May's letter in mid-March so leaders can react at an EU summit on April 6. Letter should be public. March 20 - To frustrate Scotland's ruling, anti-Brexit SNP, May might hold off till after the SNP congress on March 17-18. March 25 - The other 27 EU leaders meet in Rome to mark 60 years of founding treaty. May wants to avoid spoiling the party by filing for divorce around then. Self-set deadline March 31. SUMMIT, GUIDELINES, RECOMMENDATIONS April 6-7 - EU27 have pencilled summit to agree guidelines for EU executive negotiating team led by Michel Barnier. EU needs about four weeks to prepare the summit, so any delay in letter may push it back. April 14 - Good Friday. If Tusk can't hold summit before this, Easter holidays across Europe will delay it until after... April 23 - French presidential election begins but before... May 15 - French President Francois Hollande hands over to a successor elected in second round of voting on May 7. April-May - Barnier will reply to leaders, possibly in days, with his detailed "recommendations" of how to structure talks. DIRECTIVES A series of ministerial Council meetings, specialized by topic, will be called, again excluding Britain, to agree legal "negotiating directives" that will bind Barnier and his team. FACE TO FACE After nine months of phoney war since the June 23 referendum vote to quit, British negotiators led by Brexit Secretary David Davis will finally sit down with EU, possibly in May. Talks may start with what to discuss first and how to split up topics. THE DIVORCE DEAL December 2017 - Brussels wants a basic deal on Withdrawal Treaty by year's end, e.g.: exit bill for Britain's outstanding commitments; treatment of British and EU expats; dealing with outstanding EU legal cases; new border rules. TRANSITION TO FUTURE RELATIONSHIP 2018 - May wants a comprehensive free trade deal. Few see two years as enough time to agree one and Brussels wants to hold off starting talks until after a divorce deal. But London and some EU states may push for parallel trade talks. An idea of customs plans may be needed to resolve eg Irish border problem. October 2018 - Barnier's target for Withdrawal Treaty, to give time for ratification by the European Parliament and a majority in the European Council by March 2019. B-DAY March 15, 2019? - Britain will leave the European Union. At any rate, it should leave two years after May's letter. The date could be fine-tuned. Britain could leave earlier if it gets a deal; and the two-year deadline can be extended if all agree. But Brussels wants Britain out before EU elections in May 2019. Despite mutual threats of no deal, few want such chaos. A PERIOD OF TRANSITION May and EU leaders say transitional arrangements may well be needed, to give more time to agree a future trade deal and give people and businesses time to adjust to the divorce. Many see another two to five years after Brexit for a final settlement. (Editing by Anna Willard)
Washington (AFP) - FBI Director James Comey has asked the Justice Department to publicly refute President Donald Trump's explosive accusation that Barack Obama tapped his phones, US media reported on Sunday.

The New York Times, citing senior US officials, first reported that Comey believes Trump's unsubstantiated claim about his predecessor to be false. The department has not made any statement.

Comey made the request on Saturday because "there is no evidence to support it, and it insinuates that the FBI broke the law," the paper reported the officials as saying.

Neither the FBI nor the Justice Department immediately responded to an AFP request for comment.

Questioning the president's truthfulness, Comey's extraordinary measure provides an indication of the implications of the uncharted territory Trump has entered with his accusation.

However, although the Justice Department -- which is headed by Trump's staunch supporter Attorney General Jeff Sessions -- oversees the FBI, it is not clear why Comey didn't issue a statement himself.

Trump made his claim in a tweet on Saturday.

"How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process," he wrote. "This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" He provided no evidence to back up the claim.

Obama denied the allegation via a spokesman as "simply false."

However, the Republican chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Devin Nunes, said his panel would look into Trump's claim after the White House on Sunday urged Congress to investigate his allegation.

The accusation has prompted a firestorm of criticism, with many saying Trump's incendiary claim was aimed at diverting attention from a series of revelations about his aides' meetings with Russian officials.
Paris (AFP) - Francois Fillon was fighting to keep his embattled French presidential bid alive on Monday as former president Nicolas Sarkozy piled pressure on him ahead of a crisis meeting of their rightwing Republicans party.

The conservative Fillon, 63, was once a clear favourite to win France's two-stage election in April and May but his campaign is mired in accusations he used public funds to pay his wife for a fake parliamentary job.

Waiting in the wings is another former prime minister, Alain Juppe, whom Fillon beat in a primary vote to chose the candidate for the conservative Les Republicans party in November.

Sarkozy, who picked Fillon as his prime minister from 2007-2012, called on him and Juppe to meet "to find a dignified and credible way out of this situation which cannot continue and which is creating serious problems for the French people."

Juppe, 71, is seen as the most obvious replacement for Fillon but he has consistently ruled himself out of contention. He is expected to brief reporters early on Monday.

Despite a raft of desertions from his own camp, Fillon came out fighting again during a prime-time TV interview on Sunday, seemingly buoyed by a large rally by his supporters in Paris on Sunday.

"No one today can prevent me being a candidate," he told France 2, adding that the accusations against him were "aimed at stopping me being a candidate."

The chaos in Fillon's camp has made an already unpredictable election even harder to call.

Surveys suggest that if the election were held today, centrist pro-business candidate Emmanuel Macron and the far-right leader Marine Le Pen would be the top two candidates in the first round on April 23 and that Fillon would be eliminated.

Polls suggest that Macron would beat Le Pen in the decisive second round, but after the shock of Donald Trump's rise in the United States and Britain's vote to leave the European Union, analysts caution against bold predictions.

Story continues

- Hollande's 'final duty' -

Fillon, fired up by the rally in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower attended by tens of thousands of flag-waving supporters, hit back at suggestions Juppe could replace him on Sunday.

"If the voters of the right and the centre wanted Alain Juppe, they would have voted for Alain Juppe," he said.

But even his TV interview was not without controversy as he came under fire on social media for repeatedly stressing he was "not autistic" and could recognise the problems his campaign was suffering.

The current French leader, Francois Hollande, warned in an interview with six European papers published on Monday that the threat of a Le Pen presidency was real but that he would fight to prevent it happening.

"The far-right has not been so high (in the polls) for more than 30 years but France will not give in," the president said.

France "is aware that the vote on April 23 and May 7 will determine not only the fate of our country but also the future of the European project itself," he added.

Le Pen, 48, has vowed to ditch the euro as France's currency if elected and hold a referendum on the country's membership of the European Union.

Hollande, who has battled stubbornly high unemployment throughout his five-year term and has suffered low poll ratings, decided last year not to run for a second term.

- 'Clean candidate' -

He said it was his "last duty... to do everything to ensure that France is not convinced by such a plan" of taking the country out of the EU.

Fillon, a devout Catholic, beat Juppe in the Republicans' primary in November, pulling off a surprise victory by campaigning as a "clean" candidate.

He was the frontrunner in the presidential race until Le Canard Enchaine newspaper alleged in late January that he paid his wife Penelope and two of their children nearly 900,000 euros ($950,000) as his parliamentary assistants.

Fillon had previously promised to quit if he were charged but has since pulled back from the pledge.

He portrays himself as a victim of a politically motivated investigation and biased media who intends to put his case directly to the people.

Fillon's British-born wife Penelope, who accompanied him at the rally, broke her silence earlier Sunday, telling Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper she had carried out "a lot of different tasks" for her husband during his lengthy career.

She had also urged him to "keep going to the end" but said only he could make the final decision.
MAYVILLE, Wis. (AP)  Firefighters in the Wisconsin community of Mayville had to respond to a fire at a familiar scene  their own firehouse.

Firefighters were dispatched round 10 p.m. Saturday after a passer-by reported seeing flames at the station, which is not staffed around the clock.

The volunteer fire department said in a statement Sunday that crews arrived to find a vehicle on fire inside the station and put it out. The fire was confined to the vehicle, but the station had to be ventilated due to the heavy smoke.

Investigators are still trying to figure out what sparked the fire. The department says the fire won't affect its operations.

Cleanup was underway Sunday.

Mayville is about 45 miles northwest of Milwaukee.
NEW YORK (AP)  Cursive writing is looping back into style in schools across the country after a generation of students who know only keyboarding, texting and printing out their words longhand.

Alabama and Louisiana passed laws in 2016 mandating cursive proficiency in public schools, the latest of 14 states that require cursive. And last fall, the 1.1 million-student New York City schools, the nation's largest public school system, encouraged the teaching of cursive to students, generally in the third grade.

"It's definitely not necessary but I think it's, like, cool to have it," said Emily Ma, a 17-year-old senior at New York City's academically rigorous Stuyvesant High School who was never taught cursive in school and had to learn it on her own.

Penmanship proponents say writing words in an unbroken line of swooshing l's and three-humped m's is just a faster, easier way of taking notes. Others say students should be able to understand documents written in cursive, such as, say, a letter from Grandma. And still more say it's just a good life skill to have, especially when it comes to signing your name.

That was where New York state Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis drew the line on the cursive generation gap, when she encountered an 18-year-old at a voter registration event who printed out his name in block letters.

"I said to him, 'No, you have to sign here,'" Malliotakis said. "And he said, 'That is my signature. I never learned script.'"

Malliotakis, a Republican from the New York City borough of Staten Island, took her concerns to city education officials and found a receptive audience.

Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina distributed a handbook on teaching cursive writing in September and is encouraging principals to use it. It cites research suggesting that fluent cursive helps students master writing tasks such as spelling and sentence construction because they don't have to think as much about forming letters.

Malliotakis also noted that students who can't read cursive will never be able to read historical documents. "If an American student cannot read the Declaration of Independence, that is sad."

Story continues

It's hard to pinpoint exactly when cursive writing began to fall out of favor. But cursive instruction was in decline long before 2010, when most states adopted the Common Core curriculum standards, which say nothing about handwriting.

Some script skeptics question the advantage of cursive writing over printing and wonder whether teaching it takes away from other valuable instruction.

Anne Trubek, author of "The History and Uncertain Future of Handwriting," said schools should not require cursive mastery any more than they should require all children to play a musical instrument.

"I think students would all benefit from learning the piano," she said, "but I don't think schools should require all students take piano lessons."

At P.S. 166 in Queens, Principal Jessica Geller said there was never a formal decision over the years to banish the teaching of cursive. "We just got busy with the addition of technology, and we started focusing on computers," she said.

Third-graders at the school beamed as they prepared for a cursive lesson this past week. The 8-year-olds got their markers out, straightened their posture and flexed their wrists. Then it was "swoosh, curl, swoosh, curl," as teacher Christine Weltner guided the students in writing linked-together c's and a's.

Norzim Lama said he prefers cursive writing to printing "'cause it looks fancy." Camille Santos said cursive is "actually like doodling a little bit."

Added Araceli Lazaro: "It's a really fascinating way to write, and I really think that everybody should learn about writing in script."

Related Video: Bill Would Require Washington State Students to Learn Cursive (2016)

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.
UPDATE: 2:25 p.m. EST  House intelligence committee Chairman Devin Nunes said Sunday House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence would examine whether any political partys campaign officials or surrogates were the subject of government surveillance.

And we will continue to investigate this issue of the evidence warrants it, Nunes said in a statement.

Original story

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper denied Sunday there had been any order to wiretap Donald Trump during the 2016 election campaign or the transition.

But a White House spokeswoman said if any wiretapping did occur, it is the biggest abuse of power in U.S. history.

President Trump tweeted Saturday he had just learned his wires had been tapped in Trump Tower.

It was unclear on what Trump was basing his allegation, which came after Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he would recuse himself from the investigation of Russian hacking during the election and whether there were any ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

Clapper, in an interview on NBCs Meet the Press, said if there had been an order under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, he would have been aware of it.

I will say that, for the part of the national security apparatus that I oversaw as DNI, there was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time, or some [other] candidate, or against his campaign. I can't speak for other Title Three authorized entities in the government or a state or local entity, Clapper said.

Clapper said the investigation conducted by the National Security Agency, the FBI and CIA did not turn up collusion between members of the Trump campaign and the Russians. There was no evidence of that included in our report.

Story continues

Clapper said, however, it is in the current presidents interests, in the Democrats interests, in the Republican interest, in the countrys interest to get to the bottom of all this.

Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., on CNNs State of the Union and "Meet the Press," Susan Collins, R-Maine, on CBS Face the Nation, and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Meet the Press, all called for full investigations, with Schumer pushing for a special prosecutor, of not only the presidents allegations but also of Russian efforts to influence the election.

I've never heard that allegation made before by anybody. I've never seen anything about that anywhere before. But again, the president put that out there, and now the White House will have to answer as to exactly what he was referring to, Rubio said on "Meet the Press."

In a statement from the White House early Sunday, press secretary Sean Spicer called the allegations of wiretaps very troubling.

President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016. Neither the White House nor the president will comment further until such oversight is conducted, the statement said.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders also called for an investigation of whether President Barack Obama ordered surveillance of Trump on ABCs This Week.

All were saying is lets take a closer look. Lets look into this. If this happened, if this is accurate, this is the biggest overreach and the biggest scandal, Huckabee Sanders said.

Look, I think he's going off of information that he's seen that has led him to believe that this is a very real potential. I think hes made very clear what he believes, and hes asking that we get down to the bottom of this, get the truth here.







Huckabee Sanders said not only did reports of such surveillance show up in conservative media but in the New York Times and BBC as well.

If theyre going to investigate Russia ties, lets include this as part of it.

Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey told This Week Trump may not be correct but he could be right. He said the Justice Department could have sought surveillance through the FISA court if it was investigating whether anyone in the Trump organization was acting as a foreign agent working with or for the Russians during the investigation by intelligence agencies into the Russians hacking the email of the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.

Related Articles
Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper denied in an interview Sunday President Trumps claims that there was a court-ordered wiretap of Trump Tower prior to the 2016 election.

Clapper, who served as the head of the intelligence agency under former President Barack Obama, said he would have known about a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Act (FISA) order if one existed, he told NBCs Meet the Press.

There was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president, the president-elect at the time, or as a candidate, or against his campaign, Clapper told NBCs Chuck Todd.

Todd pressed him to confirm or deny the Presidents claims. I can deny it, Clapper said.

Former DNI Clapper on @MeetThePress: There was no wiretapping mounted against the president or his campaign https://t.co/thrhL9wfoE  NBC News (@NBCNews) March 5, 2017

Clapper said he would certainly hope that he and his agency would have been in the loop about a FISA order, though he added, I cant speak for other authorized entities in the government or a state or local entity.

His comments followed Trumps allegations in a series of tweets Saturday that Obama had bypassed a court rejection to wiretap Trump Tower. The White House on Sunday demanded Congress probe whether Obama abused executive branch powers during the 2016 election.

Obama has denied the accusation and said through a spokesman that Trumps claim was simply false.
Paris (AFP) - The wife of scandal-hit French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon broke her silence Sunday over the "fake jobs" scandal that threatens to engulf his bid for power.

The former prime minister hopes to keep his election hopes alive with a rally in Paris but he is struggling to regain the initiative after a week in which members of his team deserted him.

Their departures followed Fillon's disclosure that he would face charges over claims he gave his British-born wife and two of their children bogus parliamentary jobs.

In her first interview since the allegations of nearly 900,000 euros ($950,000) in pay, Penelope Fillon told Le Journal du Dimanche she had carried out "a lot of different tasks" for her husband during his lengthy political career.

She had also urged him to "keep going to the end" but said only he could make the decision to stay in the race.

Fillon, who turned 63 on Saturday, was once the frontrunner in an election in which Marine Le Pen is attempting to steer the far-right into power in a major European country.

But Fillon's support plummeted after the financial claims were made and he is now polling third behind Le Pen and 39-year-old centrist Emmanuel Macron.

French lawmakers are allowed to employ family members, but investigators are looking into what work Penelope did after it emerged she did not even have a pass for the National Assembly building.

"He needed someone to do a lot of different tasks, and if it wasn't for me, he would have paid someone to do it, so we decided it would be me," Penelope told the paper.

The former prime minister has claimed the accusations are politically motivated, even suggesting he believes the ruling Socialist government is behind the investigation.

He told supporters Saturday their opponents were trying to "intimidate" them.

The danger for the conservative Republicans party is that an election that they once expected to win handily could slip away if Fillon remains their candidate.

Story continues

Polls currently show he could be eliminated in the first round of the two-stage contest on April 23, leaving Le Pen and Macron to contest the May 7 runoff.

The Republicans' decision-making body is to meet Monday evening -- a day earlier than planned -- "to evaluate the situation", the party said Saturday.

Pressure grew on Fillon after it emerged police had raided his country manor house near Le Mans on Friday looking for evidence. His Paris apartment was searched on Thursday.

With some members of his party urging him to drop out, Sunday's rally on the Trocadero plaza opposite the Eiffel Tower -- heavy rain is forecast -- will be a test of how much confidence remains.

- 'Mr Clean' -

Fillon was a surprise winner of the conservative nominating contest in November, campaigning as a "Mr Clean" unsullied by the legal difficulties of his opponents and pledging to slash half a million civil servants' jobs.

But the claims about his expenses have led to barbs from critics that his moral authority has been undermined.

On Wednesday, Fillon revealed he would meet investigating magistrates on March 15 and be charged. His wife is also to face charges.

Fillon had previously said he would step down if such a development happened. But, to the dismay of many of his aides, he angrily accused the judicial system of bias and vowed to fight on.

His foreign affairs point man and campaign spokesman have quit and the leader of the small centrist UDI party said it was withdrawing its backing.

On Saturday, five members of the European Parliament from the Republicans also called for another candidate to be appointed before the March 17 deadline.

With just seven weeks to go before polling begins, the entourage of 71-year-old former premier Alain Juppe has said he is prepared to take over.

But Juppe, who is more centrist than Fillon, also has baggage -- he was given a suspended jail sentence in 2004 over a party funding scandal.

- Juppe popularity -

Yet a poll on Friday showed Juppe would vault into the lead if he stood.

The financial accusations have added to an already open race. Le Pen, 48, campaigning on an anti-immigration and anti-EU platform, has sought to capitalise on the anti-establishment sentiment that propelled US President Donald Trump to power and led to the British vote to leave the European Union.

Polls currently show however that the National Front chief will be beaten in the second round by either the fast-rising Macron or the conservative candidate.
Gays For Trump Rallies Overtake Major Cities

A Gays for Trump group launched rallies around the country on Saturday (March 4) in support of President Donald Trump.

Scott Presler, founder of Gays for Trump, said in comments to Mediaite that the group is a national organization that is basically educating and mobilizing volunteers across the nation.

While the idea of a Republican president inspiring a widespread LGBTQ following may seem against the grain, Presler insisted his organization has their reasons.

We are talking about how Mr. Trump is going to protect our rights and protect us from terrorists, Presler said.

During the campaign trail, then-candidate Donald Trump spoke out against what he often refers to as radical Islamic terrorism and some in the religions brutal treatment of LGBTQ persons.

Click here to continue and read more...
Frankfurt am Main (AFP) - Police in the German city of Cologne said Sunday they were boosting security around a campaign appearance by Turkey's economy minister, although there were no reported demonstrations planned.

Nihat Zeybekci is slated to speak at a private event in a central Cologne hotel on Sunday evening, after local authorities blocked two public rallies he had planned to woo Turkish expatriate voters for an April 16 referendum.

A police spokesman told AFP a police unit around 100 strong would be on hand if needed, but would not confirm details of the time or location of the event.

With roughly three million people of Turkish origin living in Germany, the country represents the biggest reserve of expatriate voters worldwide for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as he seeks public approval of constitutional changes extending his powers.

But several German towns have cancelled public campaign events by Turkish ministers in recent days over safety and security concerns, fraying relations between Berlin and Ankara.

While Chancellor Angela Merkel has said it is up to local authorities whether to permit rallies, Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag on Saturday complained that German leaders "do not say the decision taken by the authorities is wrong."

The justice minister had himself been scheduled to speak in the small western German town of Gaggenau on Thursday, but his rally was also cancelled.

German politicians and commentators have criticised Erdogan's proposed reforms as undemocratic, and Berlin was riled last week by Turkey's arrest of Die Welt newspaper correspondent Deniz Yucel on terrorism charges.
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany opposes a proposal by France and Italy to use bonds to finance a new 5 billion euro ($5.3 billion) European Union defense research fund, saying it would not be a viable way to finance European military projects, according to the Handelsblatt newspaper. Such a plan would "violate the basic principles of good budget practices and therefore is not a viable option for financing European defense efforts," the paper quoted a German government paper as saying in its Monday edition. Germany also argued in the paper that it would be unacceptable to view national contributions to the fund, which was first proposed in November, as one-time measures to obtain exemptions from European stability and growth requirements. The European Commission first proposed the fund in late November as a way of allowing European governments to lower costs by joining forces to buy new helicopters and planes. Paris and Rome back a proposal from the commission that would allow money for the fund to be raised on capital markets, underwritten by capital or governmental guarantees, but Germany is strongly opposed, the newspaper reported. It said Berlin could block any agreement to move in that direction. The German defense ministry referred questions to the finance ministry, which could not be immediately reached for comment. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Ros Russell)
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Social Democrats (SPD), junior partners in Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition, said on Sunday they would launch a new push to legalize same-sex marriage in Germany, a move opposed in the past by Merkel's Christian Democrats. Thomas Oppermann, who heads the SPD's parliamentary faction, told Der Spiegel magazine his party would raise the issue at the next meeting of the right-centre coalition, a move welcomed by the pro-environment Green party. The issue could help the SPD differentiate itself from Merkel's conservatives as the uneasy coalition partners ramp up campaigning ahead of Sept. 24 national elections. Merkel's Christian Democratic Union and its CSU Bavarian sister party edged ahead of the SPD in the latest poll conducted by Emnid for the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag. The SPD, which saw a surge in the polls after it nominated former European Parliament President Martin Schulz as its chancellor candidate, is hoping to win enough votes to form a new government with smaller allies such as the Green party. Oppermann told the magazine that the party would also press for rehabilitation and compensation of people charged under a law that criminalised homosexuality which was in effect in postwar West Germany until 1969. One leading conservative lawmaker, Deputy Finance Minister Jens Spahn, is openly gay and also backs same-sex marriage, according to Der Spiegel. Spahn, whom Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble named as a possible future candidate for chancellor, told Bild am Sonntag that he and his partner would like to adopt children. "I think we would be good, responsible parents," Spahn told the newspaper. "But unfortunately my party is conservative in the wrong way there." Katrin Goering-Eckardt, head of the Green party in parliament, said her party would ask for public debate on the issue. "For years, we've seen nothing but hot air from the conservatives and the SPD," she said in a statement. German Family Minister Manuela Schwesig, a Social Democrat, said legalizing same-sex marriage would mark important societal progress. "It's time for the conservatives to move on this issue. It must stop putting the brakes on modernization," she said in a statement, citing widespread support for such a move. The coalition government in 2015 agreed to small changes in same-sex civil partnership rules, but staunch opposition from the conservatives prevented approval of gay marriage. A study by Germany's Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency in January found that 83 percent of Germans supported legal equality for same-sex marriage. Thirteen European countries now recognize and perform same-sex marriages - Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Britain. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Ros Russell)
The President today made some very serious allegations, and the informed citizens that a republic requires deserve more information. We are in the midst of a civilization-warping crisis of public trust, and the Presidents allegations today demand the thorough and dispassionate attention of serious patriots. A quest for the full truth, rather than knee-jerk partisanship, must be our guide if we are going to rebuild civic trust and health.

Click here to continue and read more...
From the moment that SpaceX's Elon Musk announced the company's intention to send two unnamed people in a long loop around the moon in 2018, people started speculating about who those mystery passengers might be.

Musk didn't give out many clues about the individuals who contracted the company for the flight, aside from saying that they put down a hefty deposit and they know each other.

SEE ALSO: Forget about Mars for a minute: Let's talk about these rad moon missions

However, that won't stop us from wildly speculating about who the maybe famous and definitely rich folks flying to the moon with SpaceX might be.

Richard Branson

Yes, yes, its true that Richard Branson has his own commercial spaceflight program in Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit, but Virgin isnt aiming for the moon right now.

Therefore, this SpaceX offering wouldn't be in direct competition with his own favorite space plans as of right now.

Branson is eccentric and daring enough to want to fly to the moon, so it would follow that he could be the one contracting SpaceX to fly him in a long loop above the lunar surface.

A hover test of the Dragon capsule built for crew.

Image: spacex/flickr

James Cameron

Even though Musk specifically said that the people contracting SpaceX to fly them to the moon aren't from Hollywood, we're still leaving Titanic director James Cameron on this list.

Cameron has been a space fan for a long while, and in 2011, it was reported that he shelled out more than $100 million for a flight around the moon with Space Adventures, a private firm that pairs would-be space tourists with their rides to orbit. He has yet to take his trip, so who knows, maybe he's one of the people who's opted to ride with SpaceX.

Cameron is also an adventurer who supports scientific inquiry. In 2012 he dove deep into the Mariana Trench, breaking a world record for the deepest solo dive in the process.

South Park has even made fun of his somewhat odd penchant for exploration, so this doesn't seem outside of the realm of possibility for "the bravest pioneer."

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Random billionaires

In all likelihood, the people who already put down a deposit with SpaceX are probably folks we've never heard of.

In order to fly on a flight like this one, you basically just need a lot of expendable income  millions and millions of dollars of it  and a will to head out into the unknown. Plus, you probably need a lot of time on your hands for training and the like.

Don't be surprised if Musk announces that a couple of CEOs for huge international corporations are the ones asking to head to the moon on this first flight.

NASA

Artist's illustration of the Falcon Heavy rocket.

Image: spacex

Even though Musk said that a couple of private individuals were the ones contracting SpaceX for this flight, it's still possible that NASA astronauts could be the first people to fly on SpaceX's system.

Musk made it clear that if NASA wanted to take the flight profile for itself, then SpaceX would absolutely let them fly the first flight of the Dragon and Falcon Heavy bound for the moon.

SpaceX owes a lot to NASA, particularly because the space agency's significant investments in the company have helped it stay afloat since its founding in 2002.

NASA already has an uncrewed mission to circumnavigate the moon on the books for 2018 or 2019, so it's possible that the agency will want to cooperate with SpaceX on some kind of moon venture in the future.

Sergey Brin

Google co-founder and current president Sergey Brin might be one of the best guesses we have for the person heading to the moon with SpaceX.

Brin once put down some money with Space Adventures for a flight to the International Space Station, but he has yet to fly.

Brin is also involved with the Google Lunar X Prize, a competition designed to spark commercial development of the moon by awarding a $20 million prize to the first private company to fly to and land a spacecraft on the moon and perform a series of specific tasks.

Please just let one of them be a woman

The only people who have ever flown to the surface of the moon or its general vicinity have been men.

I'd say it's about time a woman made it there, don't you?
Budapest (AFP) - A group of young Hungarian activists who forced Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government into a rare retreat announced a new political party Sunday and said they plan to run for parliament next year.

Leaders of the new party, called the Momentum Movement, said it builds on the success of a recent signature drive it organised to demand a referendum be held on Budapest's bid to host the Olympic Games in 2024.

Last month the group of activists, who are mostly in their 20s and 30s, said they collected more than enough signatures to hold the ballot, but the government announced soon after it had withdrawn its backing for the candidacy.

The Momentum Movement plans to run candidates in all of Hungary's 106 constituencies at the next parliamentary election, scheduled to be held in the first half of next year.

While it is yet to set out an election programme, the party's leaders have told local media its policies will include better cooperation with other EU members on migration policy, in contrast to Orban, long known for his go-it-alone approach.

They have also criticised the strongman premier's cosy relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The party faces a daunting task in its challenge to Orban however as, according to recent opinion polls, the popularity of his ruling right-wing party Fidesz, in power since 2010, has hardly been dented by its Olympics bid setback.

"Although changing the government in 2018 seems unrealistic to many people, many people also thought that collecting more than 100,000 signatures would be impossible for us," Anna Orosz, a Momentum leader, told local media.

The party has also said it wants to bring an end the squabbling between the left and the right-wing.

"The left-wing and right-wing since the turn of the century have only been capable of dividing the country," reads a post on the party's Facebook page.
Tehran (AFP) - Iran said on Sunday there had been progress in talks with Saudi Arabia on allowing citizens of the Islamic republic to join this year's hajj pilgrimage, despite some remaining issues.

Iranians were barred from attending last year's hajj after the two countries severed diplomatic ties and failed to agree on security measures.

"Most of the questions up for discussion have been resolved and a couple of issues are remaining," the ISNA news agency quoted Ali Ghazi Askar, the Iranian supreme leader's representative for hajj affairs, as saying.

"If those questions are resolved, we hope pilgrims will soon be sent to Saudi Arabia," he added, without giving details.

Talks have been ongoing since an Iranian delegation travelled to Saudi Arabia on February 22.

Last year marked the first time in nearly three decades that Iran was barred from the pilgrimage, considered one of the most important religious obligations for able Muslims.

A key issue has been compensation for the families of hundreds of people killed in a stampede during the 2015 hajj. Iran says 464 of its citizens died in the disaster.

Ghazi Askar said Iran had also raised the sexual assault of two Iranian teenage boy pilgrims by Saudi police in Jeddah airport earlier that year.

Tehran suspended pilgrimages to Saudi holy places -- except during the hajj period -- in protest at the incident.

"The culprits have been sentenced by Saudi Arabia to four years in prison and 1,000 lashes and dismissed from duty," Ghazi Askar said.

"If these problems are resolved and it becomes clear for us that they have been punished, the lesser hajj will also be restored."

The lesser hajj -- or "umrah" -- refers to pilgrimages outside the hajj period, which lasts around five days and varies depending on the Islamic calendar.
Mosul (Iraq) (AFP) - Iraqi forces battled the Islamic State group in hours of heavy clashes in west Mosul on Sunday, as the number of people who fled fighting in the area topped 45,000.

Iraqi forces have recaptured several areas in west Mosul since launching the push to retake it on February 19, but their pace has slowed amid bad weather which muddies streets and makes air support more difficult.

West Mosul is the largest urban population centre still held by the Islamic State group, followed by the city of Raqa in Syria and the town of Tal Afar, which is located between Mosul and the Syrian border.

The fall of west Mosul would effectively mark the demise of IS's cross-border "caliphate," which its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced from a mosque in the city in 2014, but the threat posed by the jihadists would still be far from over.

Black smoke billowed over west Mosul on Sunday as Iraqi forces battled IS in a fight marked by explosions and continual automatic weapons fire.

In the course of the fighting, security forces targeted an approaching IS car bomb, detonating it and sending a fireball rising over the area, and also fired on a jihadist drone flying overhead.

"Rapid Response forces are moving toward important governmental buildings such as the governorate building and the police directorate," Lieutenant Colonel Abdulamir al-Mohammedawi, a member of the elite interior ministry unit, told AFP.

The jihadists are using snipers, mortars and bombs planted in streets and houses, Mohammedawi said.

Al-Dawasa, which includes the Nineveh province governor's headquarters and other government buildings was among several areas assaulted by Iraqi forces on Sunday.

The Joint Operations Command said the Rapid Response forces and federal police were attacking Al-Dindan and Al-Dawasa, while the Counter-Terrorism Service assaulted Al-Sumood and Tal al-Rumnan.

Lieutenant General Raed Shakir Jawdat later said in a statement that police -- presumably along with forces from the Rapid Response Division -- had advanced to within "dozens of metres" of the government buildings in Al-Dawasa.

Story continues

- More than 200,000 displaced -

The Counter-Terrorism Service and Rapid Response are two special forces units that have spearheaded most of the advances in the Mosul area.

The Iraqi army is also taking part in the fight for west Mosul, with the 9th Armoured Division advancing through the desert surrounding the city, aiming to cut if off from Tal Afar, farther west.

More than 45,000 people have fled west Mosul since the push to retake it began, while over 200,000 are currently displaced as a result of the battle to retake the city, which was launched on October 17, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The IOM figures indicate the number of people who came from west Mosul to sites for the displaced from February 25, when the arrivals began, through Sunday.

More than 17,000 people arrived from west Mosul on February 28 alone, while over 13,000 came on March 3, according to the IOM.

On Saturday, Iraq's minister of displacement and migration publicly criticised United Nations-led efforts to aid those displaced by the west Mosul fighting, while the UN said such assistance was the "top priority".

"Unfortunately, there is a clear shortfall in the work of these (UN) organisations," Jassem Mohammed al-Jaff said in a statement.

The UN, which has been providing shelter, food and other assistance to Iraqis who have fled Mosul during the nearly five-month-long battle, said it is working as fast as possible to help those displaced.

"The top priority for humanitarians is to make sure that there is sufficient capacity at emergency sites to deal with the number of civilians who are fleeing western Mosul," said Lise Grande, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Iraq.

IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes and other support have since regained most of the territory they lost.
A toddler-age girl lies helplessly with blisters on her face after she was hit with chemicals in a mortar attack. (Photo: Ash Gallagher for Yahoo News)

ERBIL, IRAQ  At West Emergency Hospital in Erbil, five small children lie in beds, along with their mother, all wrapped in bandages, with chemical burns from a mortar attack that hit their house.

The family is from a neighborhood called Giraj al-Shimal, in eastern Mosul. They are among the 15 people who had been brought to Erbil hospitals in the past few days. On Friday, the International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC] reported victims showing clinical symptoms consistent with an exposure to a blistering chemical agent. The symptoms included blisters, redness in the eyes, irritation, vomiting and coughing. Many victims are still being evaluated at field hospitals, and the ICRC couldnt account for those who had not been able to reach a doctor.

The attacks come as thousands of people have fled Mosul in recent weeks amid some of the most intense fighting since the operation to recapture the city from the Islamic State began last October. According to the International Organization of Migration, more than 200,000 people had been displaced by March 5, up from an estimated 164,000 as of Feb. 26.

At the hospital, the ICRC representative, Dr. Johannes Schad, confirmed to Yahoo News that from the smell and the signs and symptoms, it is most probably mustard gas. He said the chemical affects the skin primarily, but also [causes] itching eyes, breathing problems and signs of severe burns  first-, second- and third-degree burns.

The room where the family was isolated, on the main level of the hospital, smelled of burnt sulfur. The victims had just had their bandages freshly changed. One of the boys in the room was asleep, the skin on his face peeled in patches around his cheeks and eyes. A toddler girl slept at her mothers feet, her lips spotted with blisters. All the members of the family had dark black lines under their eyes from the smoke they inhaled.

Another of the boys, 10-year-old Thaier Nadm, was able to speak with Yahoo News. I was on the rooftop and a mortar attacked my house. I didnt see where it came from, he said. I saw a dark light and I fell down on the stairs. My hand was black. I smelled a bad smell. I was with my little sister on the roof. I tried to rescue my sister, but I felt dizzy, so I couldnt.

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Ten-year old Thaier Nadm sits in his hospital bed in Erbil after a mortar attack near Mosul. (Photo: Ash Gallagher for Yahoo News)

Ikhlas Mishaal, Thaiers mother, sat on the bed by the window in the hospital room. She didnt want her photo taken; she was embarrassed about how she appeared. Under her left eye, on the skin, at the top of her cheekbone and next to her nose were dark brown specks that appeared to have been from small burns. She told Yahoo News, I was in the garage of our house. We heard a loud sound. I was so scared, I was actually crying. I tried to rescue my children, she recounted. Our house was filled up with yellow smoke. When the mortar hit our house, there was black oil that spilled on our skin, and then the day after, we felt a burning [sensation], on our arms, and on the childrens legs. When we washed it, it was painful, and over time the burning [got worse.].

She said her neighbors had a car and took them right away to a hospital in Gogali, a town farther east in northern Iraq. Once there, the family was examined and then transferred to Erbil. The childrens grandmothers were also in the room watching over them and said their hair still smelled like the smoke from the mortar.

Dr. Marwan Ghafuri, one of the doctors at West Emergency Hospital, has been treating the family since their arrival four days ago. He told Yahoo News, First we washed all of them. We took off their clothes and washed their bodies. They felt terrible pain when they came in, but now their situation is improving.

For now, toxicologists are conducting ongoing tests to determine if in fact mustard gas or other chemicals were used and are present in victims bodies. Meanwhile, patients are being treated with antibiotics, as well as sedatives for pain.

Schad said of those who have come to the hospital, Some of them are in critical condition. If they are in life-threatening conditions, they most likely wont make it here [to the hospital].

He said the time it takes for people to get through security checkpoints on their way to the field hospitals could affect whether they will live to get treatment.

There is no hard evidence about who used the weapons. From the battlefield, Iraqi Army Brig. Gen. Qathaq Hamdani spoke to Yahoo News by phone and blamed the Islamic State for the attack.

The mortar came from the west side of Mosul, Hamdani said. It came from a hand rocket. ISIS is trying to terrify and scare the civilians. Its not like they released [a] chemical weapon [by itself]  theyre putting sulfur gas and chemicals inside the weapons. Hamdani said his brigade has not yet been able to reach where the mortars came from and is still in pursuit.

Even though the Iraqi Army officially liberated eastern Mosul after 100 days of fighting, it is still well within reach of ISIS militants, who still hold the western side of the city. ISIS has been accused of intensifying its use of drones, mortars and trip-wire improvised explosive devices.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has called for a thorough investigation. It released a statement saying, If the alleged use of chemical weapons is confirmed, this is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime, regardless of who the targets or the victims of the attacks are. There is never justification  none whatsoever  for the use of chemical weapons.

For a family whose neighborhood had only been recently liberated from ISIS, the attack and their injuries are a shattering experience. Thaier said the attack scared him. He was a boy just playing on his rooftop. His arms are stinging and blistered, but theyre getting better. As we left, he was able to muster a smile before digging into a full tray of hospital food.

An eleven-year old boy sleeps, his face burned by chemical gasses from a mortar attack near Mosul. (Photo: Ash Gallagher for Yahoo News)

_____

Ash Gallagher is a journalist covering the Middle East for Yahoo News.

Read more from Yahoo News:
Japan's emperor Akihito met Thailand's new monarch on Sunday during a brief visit to pay respects to his recently departed friend the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The audience was one of the first face to face meetings King Maha Vajiralongkorn has held with a fellow monarch since he ascended the throne following the October death of his father.

Thailand's palace is in a sensitive state of transition and observers are closely watching Vajiralongkorn for any signs over what direction he will take the monarchy during his reign.

Bhumibol was widely loved and sat on the throne for seven tumultuous decades that saw Thailand grow from an impoverished rural nation into a middle income country.

Vajiralongkorn, 64, has spent much of his time outside the kingdom and has yet to attain his father's widespread popularity.

Thailand's nightly royal news programme gave no details on what was said between the two monarchs as they met in Vajiralongkorns current Bangkok residence the Dusit Palace.

Both Akihito and his wife Michiko were dressed in black, a colour most Thais will wear for the duration of the one year mourning period until Bhumibol is cremated.

Earlier in the day the Japanese royal couple visited the Grand Palace where Bhumibol's body lies in state ahead of his cremation which is expected to take place at the end of the year.

Hatsuhisa Takashima, Akihito's press secretary, told reporters the Japanese royal couple decided to visit Thailand after a six-day visit to Vietnam because it was "their last occasion to meet with the late king and bid farewell to him".

He said the pair bowed "deeply" in front of Bhumibol's coffin as a mark of respect.

The meeting between Vajiralongkorn and Akihito, a contemporary of Bhumibol, displayed two very different types of Asian monarchies.

In the aftermath of World War Two Japan's royal family was reformed from an institution whose head was once considered a living god into a more contemporary and accountable royal family, albeit one still steeped in religious and palace tradition.

Story continues

Akihito, 83, has made clear his desire to abdicate with Japanese media reporting that palace officials are planning a 2019 handover to his eldest son.

Thailand's monarchy remains more of a throwback to an earlier era of kings.

Bhumibol was considered near god-like by many Thais while the royal family remains protected from scrutiny or debate by a ferociously enforced less majeste law that has been increasingly wielded in recent years.

Media must heavily self censor as a result.

Bhumibol also signed off on frequent army coups, made key interventions at times of political crises and at other times declined to intervene.

Abdication was never on the cards for Bhumibol who retreated from public view in the last few years of his life -- a time of intense political turmoil -- as he battled successive bouts of ill health.
BANGKOK (AP)  Japanese Emperor Akihito paid his respects to the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Sunday, arriving in Bangkok following a weeklong trip to Vietnam aimed at winning support against Chinese expansionism.

The monarchies  two of a handful remaining in Asia  have maintained close ties. Bhumibol first visited Japan in 1963, touching off a decades-long friendship with numerous visits back and forth, most recently a visit by Akihito to Thailand in 2006.

Akihito, accompanied by his wife, Empress Michiko, laid wreathes and signed a condolence book at the Grand Palace in Bangkok. He later met with King Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, who ascended the throne after the death of his widely revered father in October.

The emperor's two-day visit to Bangkok comes as Thailand tilts closer to China, Japan's main rival in East Asia.

Thailand and Japan have traditionally enjoyed close relations, unburdened by the legacy of World War II that has complicated Japan's relations with other Asian countries. After a brief struggle, Thailand formally became Japan's ally through much of the war, suffering little of the destruction wrought on others like China, Myanmar and the Philippines.

But following a 2014 coup, Thailand's Western allies cut back on assistance, pushing the country's ruling military junta closer to Beijing.

"The visit is symbolic of Japan's interest in boosting Japanese-Thai relations at a time when China seems to enjoy favor in Bangkok," said Paul Chambers, research director at the Institute of Southeast Asian Affairs.

China frightens many in Southeast Asia with expansionist policies in the South China Sea. But China's claims do not clash with Thai territorial waters, paving the way for friendly relations.

The 83-year-old emperor is Japan's constitutional head of state, a role symbolic rather than political. However, his trips often serve to bolster relations with nations friendly to Tokyo.

The emperor's itinerary has been packed with visits across Southeast Asia, a move aimed at shoring up a regional bulwark against China. Vietnam, which has sparred with China over territorial waters, rolled out the red carpet for Akihito's visit last week. In January 2016, the Japanese imperial family visited the Philippines, which also has disputes with China, paying its respects at a World War II memorial.
Jeff And Matt Hardy Win Ring Of Honor Tag Team Titles From Young Bucks

It has been a whirlwind of news coming out of the camp of the Hardy Boys, but it looks like Broken Matt Hardy and his brother Jeff have found a new home. After announcing that they were not re-signing with Impact Wrestling this week, the Hardys showed up at the Ring of Honor Manhattan Mayhem VI event and won the ROH tag team titles from the Young Bucks.

The match actually was a tag team title match between the Young Bucks and contenders Lio Rush and Jay White. In that match, the Young Bucks retained their titles but then the lights went out. When they came back on, Jeff and Matt Hardy stood in the ring.

Click here to continue and read more...
In the immortal words of Mr. Gump: "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

So if you're Octavia Spencer, you just might serve a very special kind of pie to Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions on Saturday Night Live.

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert skewers Jeff Sessions for lying, as expected

Spencer made an unusual host cameo in tonight's cold open. She showed up as her Oscar-winning character from The Help, Minny, all to deliver a hot slice of "chocolate" pie to Kate McKinnon's Sessions in a hilarious Forrest Gump send-up.

For those who haven't been following recent events, the attorney general is in a spot of bother right now over meetings he had with the Russian ambassador. Meetings Sessions apparently failed to disclose during his Senate confirmation hearing.

"This senator from up north started asking me all these questions about, Russia, if I ever talked to them," McKinnon said, in her southern bumpkin Sessions drawl. "I got so nervous and confused I got about as worked up as a double-donged piggy in a room full of sows."

So when the lie was uncovered, Sessions followed the advice of his lawyer to "Run Forrest, Run!" all the way to the bus stop. Unheeded, perhaps, was advice not to divulge anything more about potential meetings with the Russians.

"I was the only one who talked to the Russians. Well, me and Michael Flynn," McKinnon said. "So just me and Michael Flynn. And JD Gordon. So just me, Michael Flynn, and JD Gordon, and also Jared Kushner at Trump Tower. Me, Michael Flynn, and JD Gordon and Jared Kushner at Trump Tower. And Carter Page. And that's all I got to say about that. And Paul Manafort."

We're pretty sure Spencer's Minny didn't meet with the Russians, but she did show up to give Sessions  the very Jeff Sessions Coretta Scott King wrote that damning letter about  a slice of humble pie.
It was at the 2015 Geneva auto show that Koenigsegg first rolled out its Regera and impressed us with the cars innovative drivetrain. At this years show, which kicks off on March 7, the Swedish firm will show off the first two customer examples of the hybrid hypercar.

Car number one is finished in a shade of green reminiscent of the classic British racing green. The paint is actually a tint applied to the clear coat in such a way that it allows the carbon fiber weave of the body panels to remain visible. The interior of the car adopts a beautiful brown hue that contrasts nicely with the exterior. The second Regera features a combination of red and black for both its interior and exterior.

Koenigsegg intends to build 80 Regeras in total, which will make it the highest volume Koenigsegg model to date. The company says only a handful of build slots remain. To handle the extra volume, Koenigsegg is in the process of upgrading its plant. The goal is to build 20-25 cars per year when this process is complete, which is about double the current rate.

Koenigsegg Regera

Unique to the Regera is its drivetrain which is devoid of a conventional multi-gear transmission. Instead, Koenigsegg has developed a system called Direct Drive which connects the cars twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V-8 with the wheels via a single-speed reduction gear and hydraulic coupling system.

Once the vehicle has sufficient speed, in this case 30 mph, the coupling system locks up, meaning the wheels spin in direct proportion to engine rpm. Such a design would mean smooth acceleration all the way to the cars top speed, determined by maximum engine rpm. Below 30 mph, the revs are too low to drive the car so instead an electric drive system is employed. Three electric motors feature: one at each of the rear wheels and another mounted to the engine. The latter serves as the starter motor but can also recover energy as well as aid the engine by providing torque fill at low rpm.

Peak output is 1,500 horsepower, the highest of any production car. This is enough to propel the Regera from 0-186 mph in only 10 seconds. Keep the pedal mashed to the floor and the car is said to be capable of hitting 248 mph less than 10 seconds later.

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Koenigsegg Agera RS Gryphon

Also present on Koenigseggs stand in Geneva will be an Agera RS. This particular car has been commissioned by American supercar collector Manny Khoshbin and features a clear coat to show off the carbon fiber as well as highlights finished in 24-carat gold leaf.

Khoshbin has ordered the car with the 1,360-hp version of Koenigseggs twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V-8 introduced on the One:1 hypercar. The car's output is up on the standard Agera RSs 1,160-hp rating.

For more Geneva auto show coverage, head to our dedicated hub.
Lamar Odom spotted with Khloe Karsdashian lookalike

Lamar Odom had fans wondering whether they were seeing double after he was spotted on Friday, March 3, strolling along on the streets of Beverly Hills, California, with a couple of friends. The small group, apparently out shopping, included a mysterious blonde that could have been mistaken for Khloe Kardashian, the reality TV star ex-wife of the former Los Angeles Lakers forward.

However, sources close to Odom later told TMZ that the mysterious Khloe Kardashian lookalike was Odoms personal assistant, implying that she was not a romantic interest.

Despite the disclosure, the mysterious blondes remarkable similarly with Khloe sparked suggestions that Odoms choice for a personal assistant suggested he had cultivated a strong preference for the Khloe Kardashian type.

Click here to continue and read more...
Not only is Antarctica is experiencing some incredibly warm temperatures, it may soon lose a large piece of an ice shelf. That could cause massive amounts of ice to fall into the ocean, adding lots of fresh water and possibly raising the sea level.

What is an ice shelf?

An ice shelf is an extension of a glacier that's on land, but the shelf is floating in the water, thus it can melt directly into the ocean. When it does, it adds fresh water to the ocean.

The Larson C ice shelf has a huge crack in it, and scientists from the British Antarctic Survey have new footage that shows just how large the crack is. When the crack reaches the edge of the ice, a huge iceberg could break off from the shelf.

The video shows the massive chasm from above, making it almost appear small. In reality the crack is 1,500 feet wide and more than 100 miles long, according to Climate Central.

Scientists are concerned that when the ice breaks off, or calves, the entire shelf may collapse. This happened to the Larson A ice shelf in 1992 and Larson B in 2005. Calving is normal and is just the word for the process of ice disconnecting from the shelf. But if the ice breaks off and leaves Larson C unstable, then huge amounts of glacial ice could be released into the ocean, contributing to sea level rise.

"We wont be able to tell whether Larsen C is unstable until the iceberg has calved and we are able to understand the behavior of the remaining ice," said Dr. Paul Holland, and ice and ocean modeler at British Antarctic Survey, according to the BAS.

Related Articles
PITTSBURGH (AP)  Dr. Thomas Starzl, who pioneered liver transplant surgery in the 1960s and was a leading researcher into anti-rejection drugs, has died. He was 90.

The University of Pittsburgh, speaking on behalf of Starzl's family, said the renowned doctor died Saturday at his home in Pittsburgh.

Starzl performed the world's first liver transplant in 1963 and the world's first successful liver transplant in 1967, and pioneered kidney transplantation from cadavers. He later perfected the process by using identical twins and, eventually, other blood relatives as donors.

Since Starzl's first successful liver transplant, thousands of lives have been saved by similar operations.

"We regard him as the father of transplantation," said Dr. Abhinav Humar, clinical director of the Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute. "His legacy in transplantation is hard to put into words  it's really immense."

Starzl joined the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 1981 as professor of surgery, where his studies on the anti-rejection drug cyclosporin transformed transplantation from an experimental procedure into one that gave patients a hope they could survive an otherwise fatal organ failure.

It was Starzl's development of cyclosporin in combination with steroids that offered a solution to organ rejection.

Until 1991, Starzl served as chief of transplant services at UPMC, then was named director of the University of Pittsburgh Transplantation Institute, where he continued research on a process he called chimerism, based on a 1992 paper he wrote on the theory that new organs and old bodies "learn" to co-exist without immunosupression drugs.

The institute was renamed in Starzl's honor in 1996, and he continued as its director.

In his 1992 autobiography, "The Puzzle People: Memoirs of a Transplant Surgeon," Starzl said he actually hated performing surgery and was sickened with fear each time he prepared for an operation.

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"I was striving for liberation my whole life," he said in an interview.

Starzl's career-long interest in research began with a liver operation he assisted on while a resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. After the surgery to redirect blood flow around the liver, he noticed the patient's sugar diabetes also had improved.

Thinking he had found the cause of diabetes to be in the liver rather than the pancreas, he designed experiments in 1956 with dogs to prove his discovery. He was wrong, but had started on the path that would lead to the first human liver transplants at the University of Colorado in Denver seven years later.

In the early 1990s, livers from baboons were transplanted into humans, an operation made possible by Starzl's research into alternatives to scarce human livers. While work continues on such animal-to-human transplants, most researchers now focus on pigs rather than primates and use genetic engineering to try to knock out some proteins most involved in causing acute rejection, Humar said.

Starzl's other accomplishments included inventing a way to route the blood supply around the liver during surgery to make possible the marathon hours required to complete operations involving that complex organ.

He also showed that "soldier cells" from the transplanted organ become "missionary cells" that travel throughout the new body and find new homes, apparently helping the body accept the foreign organ.

Starzl helped develop with Dr. John Fung, his protege at UPMC and successor as director of transplant surgery, the use of the experimental anti-rejection drug FK506, which paved the way to more complicated transplants of multiple organs, including the difficult small intestine. FK506 was discovered in a soil sample by Japanese researchers.

In September 1990, at age 65, Starzl put away his scalpel for good, soon after the death of a famous young patient: a 14-year-old girl from White Settlement, Texas, named Stormie Jones. Starzl also underwent a heart bypass operation in 1990 and suffered lingering vision problems from a laser accident five years earlier.

Stormie lived six years after a combination heart-liver transplant at age 8 but needed a second liver in 1990 and died within nine months. Her death affected Starzl greatly.

"It is true that transplant surgeons saved patients, but the patients rescued us in turn and gave meaning to what we did, or tried to," he once wrote.

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald called Starzl "a true Pittsburgh icon and hero," whose research had worldwide impact.

"The number of lives which were, and continue to be transformed, by Dr. Starzl's groundbreaking work are immeasurable," he said.

Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto said Starzl "laid the foundation for the University of Pittsburgh's continued leadership in biomedical research and transplant surgery, and we are forever grateful for his legacy."

Starzl was born March 11, 1926, in LeMars, Iowa. His mother was a nurse and his father was a science fiction writer and the publisher of the local newspaper. Starzl's uncle, the late Frank Starzel, was general manager of The Associated Press from 1948 to 1962.

Starzl is survived by his wife of 36 years, Joy Starzl, his son, Timothy, and a grandchild.
Germany made medical weed legal this month, and doctors are already starting to pass out legal prescriptions to needy patients. Under the law, health insurance providers must cover the costs of the drug.

I predict a certain increase of this therapy, though to what extent is unclear, Josef Mischo of the German Medical Association told the Local newspaper. As a medical community, we welcome the fact that therapeutic possibilities have now been expanded.

Germany's favorite illegal drug is marijuana, but for those with a legal prescription from their doctor, medical marijuana is poised to soon change many German's lives. If they can get their hands on it. The law passed by the German parliament in January requires patients to apply for approval. Only around 1,000 people have received prescriptions so far for chronic pain or a serious loss of appetite due to an illness.

It is good that the legislators largely left it up to the doctors to decide if cannabis should be used, said Mischo, who is also president of Saarlands medical association. Right now I can already imagine that many doctors will now, for one thing, test to see if their chronic pain patients get better with cannabis.

Germany unanimously passed its medical marijuana law in May and then voted in January to make it official. It finally took effect in March.

"Critically ill people must be cared for in the best possible way," Federal Health Minister Hermann Grohe said in a statement at the time, adding that "costs of using cannabis for medicinal purposes will be met by the health insurance companies of the critically ill, if no other form of treatment is effective."

In the U.S., medical marijuana is now legal in most states, but still illegal under federal law.

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Mexico City (AFP) - Federal police in Mexico's Riviera Maya resort area freed 31 Cubans being held by gunmen in a house, authorities said.

The Cuban migrants said masked gunmen held them in the home near the Caribbean coast demanding money the Cubans did not have.

Police received multiple reports on the situation before moving in to free the 22 Cuban men and nine Cuban women, said Mexico's National Public Safety Board.

The Cubans, who did not have Mexican residency, were taken by state authorities for health checks.

At the beginning of the year former US president Barack Obama ended a longtime US policy of allowing Cubans who reach US soil to get near automatic US residency, work and health benefits.

Since then, hundreds of Cubans who left their country for US shores have become stuck in several Latin American countries including Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico.

Central America -- particularly its violence-prone nations of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras -- are a main source of undocumented migrants to the United States. The region is also a transit point for migrants from elsewhere.

Mexico provides more than half the migrants to the United States, though fewer than in years past, and is the country that shares America's southern border.

US President Donald Trump says the undocumented immigrants "present a significant threat to national security and public safety," and has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexican border.
Harare (AFP) - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe returned home Sunday from Singapore where he had flown earlier this week for a medical review, his spokesman said.

Mugabe returned "this morning", spokesman George Charamba told AFP.

He had travelled to Singapore Wednesday, just days after he celebrated his 93rd birthday, for what his spokesman had described as a "scheduled medical review".

"As for the review, well he resumes work tomorrow," Charamba said.

The veteran leader who has been in power since 1980, appeared frail at his birthday party on February 25.

Two journalists were arrested Friday over a report that claimed Mugabe was "in bad shape".

They were charged with undermining and insulting the office of the president, and released hours after their arrest. They have not yet been brought before a court.

Mugabe's health has been subject of increased speculation in recent years, and he regularly flies to Singapore for medical attention.

Despite his advanced age, Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party last year endorsed him as its candidate for the 2018 general elections.
Muslim students trying to meet with an Oklahoma lawmaker in the state capitol were given a questionnaire asking whether they beat their wives.

The three students visiting the office of Oklahoma Representative John Bennett were in Oklahoma City for an annual Muslim Day event organized by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) to build connections between Muslims and state elected officials, Adam Soltani, executive director of the Oklahoma chapter of CAIR, told Reuters.

Soltani said that when the students tried to meet with Bennett, they received a two-page form from one of Bennetts staff members and were told to fill it out. The question Do you beat your wife? appeared on the form, as did inquiries about whether Muslims should rule over non-Muslims and whether they believed an adherent to Islam should be punished for leaving the religion.

The students who visited the office  two are in high school and one is in law school  were told Bennett was away and did not get to speak to him, according to Soltani and a CAIR official who spoke to the Washington Post.

Whats most inflammatory is the questions itself, the fact that Muslims have to pass a religious test in order to see a representative of our state, surely he does not do this to Christian constituents or Jewish constituents, Soltani said.

Bennett  who has been criticized for speaking against Islam before  confirmed to the Tulsa World that the students were given the form asking, Do you beat your wife? He said that according to the Quran and Islamic law, Muslims are permitted to beat their wives.

This certainly does not mean that all Muslim men beat their wives, only that Islam permits them to do so, he said.
Seoul (AFP) - Nuclear-armed North Korea launched four ballistic missiles on Monday in another challenge to President Donald Trump, with three landing provocatively close to America's ally Japan.

Seoul and Washington began annual joint military exercises last week that always infuriate Pyongyang, with the North's military warning of "merciless nuclear counter-action".

Under leader Kim Jong-Un, Pyongyang has ambitions to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the US mainland -- something which Trump has vowed will not happen.

Seoul said four missiles were fired from Tongchang County in North Pyongan province into the East Sea -- its name for the Sea of Japan.

The missiles travelled around 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) and reached an altitude of 260 kilometres, said a spokesman for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, adding they were unlikely to be ICBMs.

Regional and world powers lined up to condemn the launches.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said three of the North Korean missiles came down in Tokyo's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) -- waters extending 200 nautical miles from its coast.

"This clearly shows North Korea has entered a new stage of threat," Abe told parliament.

The North's repeated launches "clearly violate UN Security Council resolutions", he said. "We can never tolerate this."

Pyongyang carried out two atomic tests and a series of missile launches last year, but Monday was only the second time its devices had entered Japan's EEZ.

After an emergency meeting of South Korea's National Security Council, acting president Hwang Kyo-Ahn called the North's nuclear and missile provocations "immediate and real threats" to his country.

"Considering the North Korean leadership's brutality and recklessness shown through the murder of Kim Jong-Nam, the results of the North having a nuclear weapon in its hands will be gruesome beyond imagination," he said.

Seoul has blamed Pyongyang for the killing of the half-brother of the North's leader by two women using VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport last month.

Story continues

Malaysia has expelled the North's ambassador over the incident and the envoy flew home Monday. Pyongyang responded by formally declaring the Malaysian envoy persona non grata.

Hwang called for "swift deployment" of a US missile defence system, THAAD, a proposal which has infuriated neighbouring China, the North's key diplomatic protector and main provider of trade and aid.

- 'Big, big problem' -

In Washington, the State Department condemned the launches, saying the US was ready to "use the full range of capabilities at our disposal against this growing threat".

"We remain prepared -- and will continue to take steps to increase our readiness -- to defend ourselves and our allies from attack," acting spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement.

Monday's launch came ahead of a trip to Japan, China and South Korea by new US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson this month, pointed out Dongguk University professor Kim Yong-Hyun.

Pyongyang was "trying to send a message early on in Trump's term that North Korea will not be dragged around by his administration", he said.

The North is barred under UN resolutions from any use of ballistic missile technology.

But six sets of UN sanctions since Pyongyang's first nuclear test in 2006 have failed to halt its drive for what it insists are defensive weapons.

Three years ago, Barack Obama ordered the Pentagon to increase cyber attacks against North Korea to try to sabotage its missiles before launch or just as they lift off, the New York Times reported at the weekend.

Several of the North's devices have failed soon after launch.

- 'Exercise restraint' -

Kim Dong-Yup, an analyst at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, noted that unlike previous launches the three missiles that reached Japan's EEZ were fired in different directions.

"North Korea may have attempted to show it can strike US bases in Japan simultaneously," he said.

Trump has described the North as a "big, big problem" and vowed to deal with the issue "very strongly".

Monday's missile firings were unlikely to be testing a newly developed device but were aimed instead at protesting the military drills in the South, analysts said.

Seoul and Washington launched the annual Foal Eagle exercises last week.

North Korea has regularly taken action to protest against the drills, firing seven ballistic missiles during the exercises last year.

Beijing has become increasingly frustrated with Pyongyang's nuclear and missile activities, and last month announced a suspension of all coal imports from the North until the end of the year -- a crucial source of foreign currency.

China's foreign ministry said it remained opposed to missile launches by the North that violate UN resolutions, but also voiced concern about the military exercises.

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JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday to voice opposition to what the Israeli leader charged were Iran's attempts to establish a permanent military foothold in Syria. "In the framework of a (future peace agreement) or without one, Iran is attempting to base itself permanently in Syria - either through a military presence on the ground or a naval presence - and also through a gradual attempt to open a front against us on the Golan Heights," Netanyahu told his cabinet in public remarks on Sunday. "I will express to President Putin Israel's vigorous opposition to this possibility," he said. Iran, Israel's arch-enemy, has been Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's staunchest backer and has provided militia fighters to help him. Russia, also Assad's ally, is seen as holding the balance of power in achieving a deal on Syria's future. In Geneva on Friday, the first U.N.-led Syria peace talks in a year ended without a breakthrough. Israeli leaders have pointed to Tehran's steadily increasing influence in the region during the six-year-old Syrian conflict, whether via its own Revolutionary Guard forces or Shi'ite Muslim proxies, especially Hezbollah. Majority-Shi'ite Iran says its forces are in Syria to defend holy Shi'ite shrines. However, the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces said in November the Islamic republic may seek to set up naval bases in Yemen or Syria in the future. Last year, Avi Dichter, the chair of Israel's foreign affairs and defense committee, said Iran had tried several times in the past to move forces into the Syrian Golan Heights, next to territory that Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war. Dichter said those moves were repelled, but gave no details. Netanyahu has said that Israel has carried out dozens of strikes to prevent weapons smuggling to the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah via Syria. Two years ago, Israel and Russia agreed to coordinate military actions over Syria in order to avoid accidentally trading fire. "I hope that we'll be able to reach certain understandings to lessen the possible friction between our forces and their forces, as we've successfully done so far," he said at the cabinet meeting, referring to the Russian military. (Reporting by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Ros Russell)
Jerusalem (AFP) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a plan to form a unity government with Israel's opposition last year as part of a regional peace bid, but later backtracked, a newspaper reported Sunday.

The plan centred on a document delivered to opposition leader Isaac Herzog in September, but Netanyahu later pulled back and talks collapsed in October, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

The effort came as moves were underway to restart peace talks with the Palestinians through a process that would include Arab countries in the region.

Netanyahu currently heads what is seen as the most right-wing government in Israeli history, with key members of his coalition openly opposing a Palestinian state.

Forming a unity government with the centre-left could have reassured Arab nations of his sincerity.

The document reportedly delivered to Herzog in September was a proposal for a joint declaration reiterating their commitment to a two-state solution and their desire to seek a resolution with the Palestinians.

It came some seven months after a previously reported secret meeting between Netanyahu, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Jordan's King Abdullah II and then US secretary of state John Kerry.

The meeting in the Jordanian city of Aqaba saw Kerry pitch a regional peace effort.

Arab countries have previously offered normalised relations with Israel in exchange for resolving the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Under Netanyahu's plan, the draft document negotiated with Herzog was to be submitted at a summit in Egypt in October to launch a regional peace initiative.

The two men were then to announce negotiations for the formation of a unity government after returning from the summit, which ultimately did not occur, Haaretz said.

According to the paper, Netanyahu later told Herzog he wanted to resolve controversy surrounding the evacuation of a Jewish outpost in the occupied West Bank first, and talks later collapsed.

Story continues

Netanyahu's office said the newspaper's description of how the "possible regional summit" ended up not taking place was "fundamentally wrong".

"The issue had nothing to do with Amona," the statement said of the outpost that was evacuated, stressing that "Netanyahu wants to advance a regional initiative."

A source close to Herzog told AFP that "a historic opportunity to change the face of the Middle East was missed" because of "a prime minister who bolted".

Donald Trump has since taken office as US president and has sent mixed signals regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Last month as Netanyahu visited the White House, Trump backed away from Washington's years-long commitment to a two-state solution, saying he would support a single state if it led to peace.

Israeli right-wing politicians have welcomed Trump's election, with some calling for an end to the idea of a Palestinian state.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin this week in Moscow to press for a limit to Iran's influence in Syria.

Israel is deeply concerned over whether Syria's civil war will result in its arch-foe Iran having increased its power in the neighbouring country.

Netanyahu, who has held a series of talks with Putin in recent months related to Syria, said he planned to meet the Russian leader on Thursday.

Russia has been conducting an air war in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, and Iran also supports Assad.

"Syria and the effort to formulate an agreement there will be at the centre of our conversation," Netanyahu said at the start of Sunday's cabinet meeting.

"In the context of this agreement, or without it, Iran is trying to establish itself permanently in Syria, with a military presence on the ground and at sea, and also a gradual attempt to open a front against us on the Golan Heights," he said.

"I will express to President Putin Israel's sharp and vigorous opposition to this possibility."

Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.

Israel opposes Assad, but has sought to avoid being dragged into the Syria's civil war.

However, it has carried out strikes there to stop arms deliveries to the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, which fights alongside Assad's forces. Israel fought a war against Hezbollah in 2006.

Last year, Netanyahu and Putin agreed to set up a "hotline" to avoid accidental clashes between their forces, and the Israeli premier said further discussions would be held on the issue this week.

"I hope we will be able to reach certain understandings in order to reduce possible friction between our forces and theirs, as we have successfully done up until now," he said.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Sunday not to allow a street in an Arab Israeli town to be named after late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, promising new legislation if needed.

The small Arab Israeli town of Jatt recently inaugurated Yasser Arafat Street in honour of the former Palestinian president, seen as a hero among Palestinians and many Arab Israelis.

Arab Israelis are descendants of Palestinians who remained after Israel's creation in 1948 and account for about 17.5 percent of the country's eight million population.

Jatt, located in northern Israel, has a population of some 11,000.

Speaking at the start of a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said "no street in the state of Israel will be named after murderers of Israelis and Jews.

"We cannot allow streets in the state of Israel to be named after Yasser Arafat and Haj Amin al-Husseini and others.

"We will make the arrangements, including new legislation if need be, so that this does not happen here."

Husseini, a Palestinian nationalist, was grand mufti of Jerusalem in the 1920s and 1930s, held strong anti-Jewish views and met with Hitler.

Jatt mayor Mohammed Taher Wattab defended naming the street for Arafat in comments to Israeli army radio.

"Yasser Arafat signed a peace deal with Israel and it is a shame that the prime minister finds the need to waste his time on the name of a street in a small town like ours," he said.

"We will act according to the law, according to the legal advice that we receive."

Arafat rose to become the leader of the Palestinian movement after the creation of Israel, leading an armed struggle against it in which thousands died.

Decades later he disavowed violence and famously shook hands with Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin on the White House lawn, though the peace the Oslo accords were supposed to bring never materialised.

Later on Sunday, the Jatt council decided to remove "all the controversial street signs", including the Arafat sign, and replace them with different names, according to a report on Channel 10 television.
Maiduguri (Nigeria) (AFP) - Thousands of Nigerian women forced from their homes by Boko Haram jihadists held a protest on Sunday to demand better conditions as UN Security Council envoys visited their camp, an AFP journalist saw.

The demonstrators accused local authorities and aid agencies of exacerbating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, which the UN says has left northeastern Nigeria on the brink of famine.

They also accused local aid agencies of diverting assistance that should have gone to the 15,000 displaced people living in the Teachers Village camp near the flashpoint city of Maiduguri.

The women held their protest as 15 ambassadors from the UN's top decision-making body visited the camp in northeastern Nigeria, seeking to draw global attention to the emergency affecting 21 million people in the Lake Chad region.

The region straddles Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger. The UN envoys are visiting all four nations on their mission, which began Friday in Cameroon and will end Monday in Abuja.

The humanitarian emergency afflicting the area was triggered by the Boko Haram insurgency, which erupted in Nigeria in 2009. Poor governance and climate change have also been powerful contributors to the crisis.

"We told the (UN) delegation about our long-standing grievances. There's no food, there is nothing good here for us," said 28-year-old Hajja Falmata, after she and several other displaced women met the envoys for half an hour.

"We were expelled from our homes by Boko Haram and we came to Maiduguri to seek refuge, but unfortunately we haven't been well treated," she added.

- Millions face food shortages -

Britain's envoy to the UN, Matthew Rycroft, had said at the start of the mission to the region that the ambassadors' aim was to "show that this will no longer be a neglected crisis".

"You can't tackle terrorism effectively without also tackling poverty, without also thinking about education and employment and protection of civilians and human rights and the rights in particular of women and girls who are disproportionately affected," Rycroft said Sunday.

Story continues

People forced by Boko Haram from their homes have frequently accused Nigerian authorities of corruption and poor aid management.

The government has responded by launching several enquiries.

In a statement Sunday, the UN said its visit to Nigeria was aimed at gathering "first-hand information on the various issues affecting the country...

"The delegation will use the mission to engage with Federal and State Authorities, (and) actors on the ground," it added.

The UN envoys' visit began a week after UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres set off alarm bells over the threat of famine in northeast Nigeria, the epicentre of Boko Haram's insurgency.

The UN is seeking $1.5 billion in funding for 2017 for the Lake Chad region -- almost half of which is needed for northeast Nigeria, where 5.1 million people face acute food shortages.

Fourteen donor countries have pledged $672 million in emergency aid. While the sum is just a fraction of what is needed, the UN is optimistic its target will be met.
Jerusalem (AFP) - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo began a whirlwind visit to Israel on Sunday, pledging solidarity with Jews as the United States sees a surge in anti-Semitic incidents.

There have been more than 100 bomb threats against US Jewish organisations since the beginning of the year and three Jewish cemeteries have been vandalised, with some analysts blaming the politics of the Donald Trump era.

Cuomo, seen as a possible Democratic presidential candidate in 2020, is governor of a state with a large Jewish population.

"It is disgusting, it is reprehensible, it violates every tenet of the New York state tradition," Cuomo told reporters, standing next to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin during a tour of Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial centre.

"To the people of Israel, I say that these acts of anti-Semitism will not be tolerated," he said.

"We believe in the spirit of inclusion and we live by discrimination of none. New Yorks principles were built on a rock," Cuomo added. "They will not change and the political winds will not change them."

Trump has faced accusations of being slow to condemn such acts.

Rights activists say his rise to the White House and the populist rhetoric that has accompanied it has encouraged the extreme right.

Amid the criticism, Trump spoke out against anti-Semitic incidents and also condemned a seemingly racially motivated killing of an Indian man in his maiden speech to Congress last week.

But while the rise in anti-Semitism has raised concerns, many of Israel's right-wing politicians have also welcomed Trump's presidency because of his pledges of support for the country.

Addressing Cuomo, Rivlin said "your arrival to Israel at this time is an extremely important signal that the US people and government will not let anti-Semitism win."

The Israeli president, whose role is mostly ceremonial, also said "the same appreciation goes to President Trump, who condemned the recent attacks."

Story continues

Cuomo's office said his brief visit would include meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan.

He also plans to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre -- built on the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried -- and the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray.

He will return to New York on Monday.
Madrid (AFP) - The son of infamous Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar slammed depictions of his father's life like those in the hit Netflix series "Narcos", saying they "glorify" criminals, in an interview published Sunday.

"I am not against telling stories, but I am against glorifying criminals and showing drug trafficking as glamorous. This confuses youths," Sebastian Marroquin, who changed his name from Juan Pablo Escobar after his father's death, told the Spanish newspaper El Periodico.

"I receive tonnes of messages from youths asking for help to be like my dad. They want to be that criminal, they send me photos dressed up like him, with his moustache, his hairstyle," Marroquin added.

"Series about narcos have turned my father into a hero and given young people the idea that it is cool to be a drug trafficker."

Marroquin, 39, made headlines last year when he took to Facebook to list 28 inaccuracies in Netflix's popular series about his father and called the show "insulting".

He told El Periodico that he offered the producers of the series access to his family's personal archives, including letters written by his father and never before released videos, but they said they were not interested.

"They preferred inventions by some scriptwriters in California to the truth from those who suffered this story in the flesh," Marroquin told the newspaper.

Colombian television station Caracol TV has also come out with a series about Escobar and several movies are in the works.

Escobar headed the world's leading cocaine cartel in the 1980s. He fought extradition to the United States with a violent campaign in Colombia, ordering bombings and the kidnapping and killing of politicians, judges and journalists who got in his way.

Marroquin was 16 when his father was shot to death in 1993 by Colombian police.

He rebuilt his life in Argentina after Escobar was gunned down, re-emerging as a guilt-ridden public speaker determined to make amends for his father's role in the drug war that racked Colombia.

Marroquin published a best-selling book in 2014 entitled "Pablo Escobar: My Father", which revealed details of wild parties where pinatas were stuffed full of tens of thousands of dollars in cash, and has just released a follow-up book.
Two Pennsylvania parents were arrested for the alleged assault of their three-week-old baby after the infant was discovered with numerous injuries.

Aaron Mills, 32, and 22 year-old Stephanie McGuire reportedly took the baby to a family doctor to be examined for severe diaper rash when the doctor noticed the infants other injuries.

Read: Stepfather Charged In 14-Month-Old's Murder, He Allegedly Sexually Abused and Beat Her Into Coma

According to a report, the three-week-old had broken legs, a fractured rib, bruised nose, and cuts on her face, as well as a tear in her rectum.

The baby was transported the hospital.

Read: Mom Gets 50 Years for Giving Son, 5, Fatal Dose of Pills and Setting His Body on Fire

Mills and McGuire were charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, endangering the welfare of children, among other charges.

Watch: Grandmom Faces Charges After 4-Year-Old Accidentally Shoots Brother: Cops

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Vice President Mike Pence is criticizing The Associated Press for listing his wife's email address in a story about his frequent resistance to public records requests while Indiana's governor.

In a tweet Saturday, Pence said that by publishing the personal AOL address of his wife, Karen, the AP "violated her privacy and our security." The vice president posted a letter his counsel sent to Gary Pruitt, the AP's president and CEO.

On Friday, the AP reported the Pences used their AOL accounts to conduct official business since at least 2013.

Lauren Easton, the AP's director of media relations, said in a statement: "AP removed the email address from subsequent stories after learning Mrs. Pence still used the account. The AP stands by its story, which addresses important transparency issues."
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump has declared that the media are the "enemy of the people," but his administration is willing to joke around with reporters  and poke fun at itself  in a venerable Washington tradition.

Vice President Mike Pence was the featured speaker Saturday night at the 132nd annual Gridiron Dinner, a comedic white-tie affair featuring skits, songs and speeches. He called the dinner "a light-hearted respite" from bruising beltway politics and dished out a number of jokes, including a dig at the Best Picture snafu at least week's Academy Awards.

"We haven't seen that many shocked Hollywood liberals since Nov. 8th," Pence said, recalling Trump's upset Election Day victory.

Trump did not attend the dinner, instead spending the weekend at his coastal Florida estate. For more than a century, every president has spoken at the dinner at least once.

But while most of Pence's remarks were self-deprecating, he also chastised reporters over what he considered unfair news coverage, seeming to channel his boss, the media critic in chief, by saying "we all just have to do better."

Most of the night, though, was good-humored with jabs at Hillary Clinton, White House leaks and the lingering question of Russian influence in the election.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who was the featured Democratic speaker, belted out "don't take my Medicare away" during a skit on the main stage. Standing just a few feet away from Pence, she noted that "this president has appointed so many people from Goldman Sachs to his Cabinet that there's no one left there to listen to Hillary's speeches."

"Does the president know you're here laughing with the enemies of the people?" Pelosi asked. "It's OK, Mr. Vice President. People here can keep a secret ... unlike at the White House."

And she said she was sorry Trump and his wife couldn't be there but offered a greeting to the first family  in Russian.

Story continues

Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, who gave the Republican address, said her goal was simple: "to make this speech shorter than Mike Flynn's time at the NSA." She also noted that Pence was "one heartbeat away from being the second most-powerful person in the country"  behind White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Among the Washington bold-faced names in attendance were former Secretary of State Colin Powell, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and the subject of many jokes, White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

The dinner is a Washington tradition. The Gridiron Club was founded in 1885, just after the election of Grover Cleveland. He never attended a dinner, but every president since has been at least once.

Fifteen journalists formed the club and instituted the formal dinner, in modern times held every year at a downtown Washington hotel in a setting less glitzy and celebrity-studded than its more famous cousin, the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Trump has said he will not attend that dinner this year either.

President Barack Obama attended the dinner three times while in office. George W. Bush made it six out of eight years while in office.

___

Associated Press writer Erica Werner contributed to this report.
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Philippine troops have found the remains of a German hostage who was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the country's south, vowing Sunday to rescue more than 30 other captives and crush the ransom-seeking extremists.

Marines dug up the head and body of Jurgen Gustav Kantner late Saturday in the mountainous hinterlands of Indanan town in Sulu province, where the militants are holding at least 31 other foreign and Filipino hostages, said regional military commander Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr.

The 70-year-old Kantner was seized from his yacht with his female German companion off Malaysia's Sabah state in November. Kantner's companion was fatally shot on the yacht, which was later found in the southern Philippines, according to the military.

The couple had survived a kidnapping ordeal off Somalia in 2008.

"Once again, the command is sending its deep regrets to the family for not being able to rescue Mr. Kantner on time," Galvez said. He repeated a pledge to rescue other hostages and crush the Abu Sayyaf.

President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman, Ernesto Abella, said the government "will leave no stone unturned in squarely addressing the evils of extremism and plain banditry."

"Rest assured these mindless acts will not go unpunished," Abella said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned Kantner's killing as an "abominable act." The Abu Sayyaf circulated a video of the beheading online.

Duterte has said Filipino forces tried their best but apologized to Germany and Kantner's family after troops failed to rescue him in his nearly four months of jungle captivity in Sulu, a poor Muslim province 590 miles (950 kilometers) south of Manila.

About two dozen Filipino troops were wounded in clashes that also killed 16 Abu Sayyaf gunmen in efforts to rescue Kantner. After he was beheaded, troops intensified ground assaults and airstrikes.

On Sunday, marines killed four Abu Sayyaf militants in an assault near Sulu's Maimbung town. At least 10 other militants were killed in a separate clash Friday that also wounded 18 troops near Patikul town, said Sulu's military commander, Col. Cirilito Sobejana.

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An intelligence report seen by The Associated Press said the militants behind Kantner's abduction and killing included Abu Sayyaf commander Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan and his nephew, Mujil Yadah, who was also allegedly involved in the 2015 kidnappings of a Norwegian, a Filipina and two Canadians from a yacht club in the south. The two Canadians were separately beheaded last year.

According to the report, the other kidnappers of the German included Moammar Askali and Idang Susukan. Askali, a young militant, insisted that Kantner should be killed on schedule as they had threatened to do, but others wanted to wait longer to get a huge ransom, which was last pegged at 30 million pesos ($600,000), the report said.

The Abu Sayyaf, which has more than 400 fighters, has been blacklisted by the Philippines and the United States as a terrorist organization for kidnappings, beheadings and bombings.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Nigerian pirates have released seven Russian and one Ukrainian sailors after they were captured last month on the cargo ship the BBC Caribbean, Russian news agencies reported on Sunday, citing a human rights activist in Crimea. The sailors were released after talks between the owners of the ship and pirates. Interfax news agency quoted human rights activist Pavel Butsay, in the city of Sevastopol, as saying the sailors were at a Frankfurt airport and planned to return home next week. Butsay told TASS news agency that a ransom was paid but did not reveal the sum. Security experts class West Africa's waters, especially off Nigeria where many pirates originate, as some of the world's most dangerous, with attackers often targeting oil tankers and holding hostages for ransom. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Dale Hudson)
WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland named a centre-right MEP as its candidate for European Council President on Saturday after it said it would oppose the re-appointment of former prime minister Donald Tusk as the chairman of EU leaders. "I have just submitted Jacek Saryusz-Wolski's candidature for the post by means of a diplomatic note," Polish state-run news agency PAP quoted Poland's Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski as saying. Saryusz-Wolski is a Polish member of the European Parliament and until Saturday a member of the Civic Platform (PO), the biggest opposition party to the ruling Law and Justice (PiS). Tusk, a former PO leader, has wide backing among EU leaders for a second term, even though he faces strong opposition in Poland. When PiS officials floated the possible candidacy of Saryusz-Wolski as an alternative to Tusk earlier this week, EU diplomats in Brussels largely dismissed the idea, saying Tusk will be re-appointed. EU officials had said discussing an alternative candidate to Tusk would only add to the many feuds inside the bloc as it wrestles with a range of challenges from a more assertive Russia to militant Islam. A Maltese official told Reuters on Saturday: "It is a normal election process, everything will be decided in a democratic way." Malta currently holds the EU's rotating six-month presidency. Earlier this week PiS leader and Tusk's Polish arch rival Jaroslaw Kaczynski said that Tusk "breaks the elementary rules of the European Union." And on Saturday, the political committee of PiS called Prime Minister Beata Szydlo to voice a "strong objection" against Tusk's re-election. Tusk's term at the head of the European Council ends in May. The Council chair will play a crucial role in Britain's negotiations to exit the EU, among other things. PO dismissed Saryusz-Wolski just after his candidature was announced on Saturday. (Reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko and Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk; additional reporting by Foo Yun Chee in Brussels; Editing by Clelia Oziel)
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  Brazilian police say a man was shot and wounded at Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome during the "Parade of Champions" Carnival event.

Military police in Rio said in a statement that the man was shot in the hip Sunday morning and is being treated at a local hospital. They did not give his condition or identify him. Police did not give more details about the incident, but local media reported that there was a dispute near the end of the parade.
Queen Elizabeth wedding dress did not have sapphires but a gift did.

There is a lot of focus on Queen Elizabeth in 2017 because of a 2014 David Bailey portrait of the queen in blue that will be used to celebrate her Sapphire Jubilee.

While an emphasis is currently being placed on the sapphire necklace, a wedding gift from her father, that Queen Elizabeth wore in the portrait, the near-crowdfunding story behind her unique wedding dress is almost as breathtaking.

Alternatively, it almost seems that Queen Elizabeth sends a subtle nod to that war ration wedding dress with the blue floral beading in her 2017 portrait.

Daily Mail reprinted Queen Elizabeths 2017 publicity portrait with the sapphire necklace, but an emphasis on her unique history with beaded gowns is not detailed.

Queen Elizabeths 1947 wedding dress was replicated for the Netflix series, The Crown. [Image by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images]

Before she was the rich Queen Elizabeth II with a closet of stylish beaded evening gowns, her majesty was a princess growing up in one of the hardest economic times in the past 100 years, according to People.

Click here to continue and read more...
By Sudipto Ganguly BENGALURU (Reuters) - Opener Matt Renshaw struck his second fifty of the series as Australia made slow progress towards a first innings lead against India in the second test at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday. After resuming the second day on 40-0, the touring side were 163 for five at tea to remain 26 adrift of India, who were bundled out for 189 in their first innings on Saturday. Shaun Marsh was unbeaten on 38 after brother Mitchell was out leg before to paceman Ishant Sharma without scoring off the last ball before the break. The touring side, who lead the four-match series 1-0 after their 333-run win in the opening test at Pune, lost two wickets in an enthralling morning session against a rejuvenated India but recovered through a 52-run stand between Renshaw and Marsh. The left-handed Marsh has been handed one reprieve, however, when he edged paceman Umesh Yadev to wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha on 14 but India made the mistake of opting against a review of the umpire's not out verdict. Earlier, India depended heavily on off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to weave some magic after his Australian counterpart Nathan Lyon picked up eight wickets for 50 on the first day. The world's top-ranked spinner did provide the breakthrough, spinning one around David Warner's bat to hit his off-stump. The left-handed opener managed to add 10 runs to his overnight score before being dismissed for 33. The fall of Warner spurred the Indian side on as they came hard at Renshaw and Australia captain Steve Smith, with an exchange of words between opposing players forcing the umpires to intervene to calm the situation. Cheered on by a big Sunday crowd, Ishant's hostile spell of fast bowling troubled Smith but Australia managed to keep India at bay for more than 20 overs with a second-wicket stand of 30. After a 10-over spell by Ashwin, during which he conceded just eight runs for the wicket of Warner, India captain Virat Kohli brought on left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja. He gave India the second success of the morning when Smith was out for eight, getting an inside edge to his pad to be caught by behind by Saha. The 20-year-old Renshaw, who scored 68 in Pune, was dropped by Kohli off Umesh on 29 and went on to complete his third half-century in tests. Renshaw, who made 60, hit Jadeja for the first six of the match over long-off but was outsmarted two balls later when the bowler got one to spin past the batsman for Saha to complete the stumping. Jadeja grabbed a third wicket when he dismissed Peter Handscomb for 16 with Ashwin completing a juggling catch at mid-wicket. (Editing by John O'Brien)
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  Iran's judiciary has indicted a member of the country's team that negotiated the nuclear deal with world powers, a spokesman said Sunday, likely an Iranian-Canadian national previously detained by authorities on suspicion of espionage.

An Iranian-American also faces charges after allegedly taking $3.1 million from people after promising to help them emigrate to foreign countries, judiciary spokesman Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejehi said, according to reports by Iran's official IRNA news agency.

In the case involving the nuclear team member, Ejehi said it would be up to a court to decide whether to try the individual charged. Ejehi did not directly name the team member who had been indicted, nor did he explain what charges the indictment carried.

However, Ejehi did say the person involved was a dual national with the initials D.E. That suggests the person indicted likely is Abdolrasoul Dorri Esfahani, a dual Iranian-Canadian national.

In August, hard-line news outlets said authorities detained Esfahani, who reportedly worked as a member of a parallel team focusing on lifting economic sanctions as part of the deal. He later was granted bail, which is rare in Iran for those accused of having committed a serious crime.

After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Esfahani reportedly served as a member of the Iranian team working at The Hague on disputes between Iran and the United States over pre-revolution purchases of military equipment from the U.S. by Iran. He is a member of the Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants in Canada. He also has served as an adviser to the head of Iran's Central Bank.

The Associated Press could not reach Esfahani for comment. John Babcock, a spokesman for Canada's Global Affairs department, said officials were aware of reports of the detention of a Canadian citizen in Iran, but declined to comment further.

The nuclear deal remains a sore spot for Iranian hard-liners, but it was a foreign policy victory for moderate President Hassan Rouhani. Rouhani is widely expected to seek a second term in Iran's May presidential election.

Story continues

Meanwhile, Ejehi announced the case against the unnamed Iranian-American, who presumably faces fraud charges.

"The person has been detained but they were not a government official," he said.

The U.S. State Department said it was "aware of media reports alleging the detention of an American citizen in Iran," but declined to comment further.

There have been several Iranian-Americans detained in the wake of the nuclear deal, which saw Iran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of some economic sanctions.

Among them are Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi and his octogenarian father, Baquer Namazi , who are serving 10-year prison sentences for "cooperating with the hostile American government." Also detained is Robin Shahini , who is serving an 18-year prison sentence for "collaboration with a hostile government."

Iran does not recognize dual nationalities, meaning that those it detains cannot receive consular assistance. In most of the recent cases, dual nationals have faced secret charges in closed-door hearings before Iran's Revolutionary Court, which handles cases involving alleged attempts to overthrow the government.

___

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
'RHONJ': Teresa Giudice, Joe Gorga Say Goodbye To Mom Antonia Gorga Dead At 66

Its a sad time for the stars of Real Housewives of New Jersey. According to People, Teresa Giudice and Joe Gorgas mom Antonia Gorga has passed away at age 66. The matriarch of the Gorga family made a few appearances on RHONJ over the years.

Both Joe and Teresa were very close to their mother, often sharing pictures with her on Instagram. There is still no official report on how Antonia Gorga died or if this was something sudden and unexpected. So far, neither Teresa Giudice nor Joe Gorga have publicly commented about their mothers death nor have they posted on social media since the news of her passing was reported.
Saint Petersburg (AFP) - Vladimir Putin recently quipped that Russian prostitutes are "the best in the world" as he dismissed unsubstantiated rumours that Moscow had incriminating evidence on Donald Trump.

But the reality is that Russian sex workers operate in a hidden world outside the law and out of sight -- making them doubly vulnerable to infection and abuse, as AFP journalists found after being granted rare access to an illegal brothel.

In a grand Stalin-era tower block in the northwestern city of Saint Petersburg, a woman in her 30s opens the door of an apartment, introducing herself as Inna, the receptionist of this so-called salon.

"Go into the kitchen. Nadya's working, but Nastya and Madina are in there," she says. Nastya, 31, and Madina, 20, are wearing T-shirts over flimsy nighties and are drinking tea in the small kitchen.

The women only agree to speak to AFP because they trust an accompanying activist from the only NGO in Russia for sex workers called Serebryanaya Roza, or Silver Rose.

The activist, Regina Akhmetzyanova, spends her evening going to such clandestine brothels to give out condoms and to offer sex workers an HIV test.

This is particularly important for prostitutes since infection rates in Russia are currently growing, with more than 103,000 new cases identified in 2016, up five percent on the previous year, while the real total is likely to be significantly higher.

Prostitutes admit they come under pressure to have unsafe sex.

"They've beaten me and threatened me with a knife, forced me to do it without a condom," said Madina, who is from Uzbekistan and speaks only basic Russian.

"I've had difficult situations with clients many times, for sure," added Nastya, who came to the city from the Urals region. "I've learnt not to show my fear."

- 'Absolute pariahs' -

"Russian prostitutes are absolute pariahs who have no real way of defending themselves," says Silver Rose's founder, Irina Maslova.

Story continues

Maslova knows what she is talking about. The slim blonde in her 40s says she spent six years selling sex in the city before becoming an activist in 2003 and one of the few public advocates for prostitutes' rights.

While prostitution is illegal in Russia, it is punishable by a fine of just 1,500 rubles ($26, 24 euros).

Pimps theoretically face up to three years in jail but are harder to convict since this requires police to track financial flows.

Activists say this legal ban is often used by police as an excuse not to investigate crimes against sex workers.

"We're told our profession doesn't exist, that means, we don't exist for the government on the one hand, but on the other hand, since (prostitution) is an administrative offence, sex workers are totally defenceless and without rights," complains Maslova.

The NGO chief believes that only legalisation of prostitution can bring an end to the abuses against the women and aims to create what she calls a "trade union for sex workers".

There seems little prospect of this currently as officials and lawmakers back conservative policies and stress the importance of fidelity in HIV prevention campaigns.

Prostitution officially did not exist in the Soviet Union but the first prostitutes targeting foreigners appeared in the late 1980s, taking payment in coveted hard currency.

In the 1990s, prostitutes openly solicited for trade on Moscow streets. Since the early 2000s, women have largely disappeared into brothels in residential blocks that may masquerade as massage parlours and operate allegedly under protection from corrupt police.

In 2015, the Kommersant business daily reported that brothels were routinely "protected" by those in the police department supposed to fight internal corruption, citing several former police officers.

- 'We're still people' -

In Saint Petersburg, Russia's second largest city, activists estimate there could be between 4,000 and 6,000 women who earn their living from prostitution.

"These women have all different backgrounds," says Akhmetzyanova. "There are students, divorced women and even housewives -- their husbands don't know or at least claim they don't."

Only some 10 percent work on the streets, while most work in brothels in city apartments, shared by a group of prostitutes with a security guard and receptionist, who takes calls from clients.

Clients find them from small ads pasted on the walls of buildings or on bus stops offering "leisure" or "girls" or simply giving women's names and a phone number. In the brothel, Akhmetzyanova prepares to test the women for HIV when the entry phone rings.

"Quick, girls, quick!" says Inna, looking at the video from a security camera by the door, showing a man going up to the apartment.

Nastya and Madina take off their T-shirts, put on high heels and run out. About 10 minutes later, Madina comes back alone: the client has chosen Nastya.

Every night, the three women who work here have around 10 to 15 clients between them but only receive half of the 2,000 rubles ($34) per hour that each pays.

The third woman Nadya, 33, comes back after her client leaves. She is married but her unemployed husband does not know her line of work. She sighs as she says: "We do what we do of our own accord, that's true."

"But we're still people all the same and it would be nice to be treated that way sometimes."
PARIS (Reuters) - Ex-French President Nicolas Sarkozy and former prime minister Alain Juppe discussed the situation regarding embattled presidential candidate Francois Fillon on Saturday night, a source close their Republican party said. "Yes. They had a long conversation," the source, who declined to give details, told Reuters on Sunday. A close ally of Sarkozy, Christian Estrosi said earlier on Sunday that he would issue a statement with other party heavyweights in the coming hours that would call for Juppe, who came second in the party's November primaries, to replace Fillon. (Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry; writing by John Irish; editing by Andrew Callus)
Saturday Night Live took on Attorney General Jeff Sessions controversial week in its cold open  spoofing Forrest Gumps iconic scene where Tom Hanks chats with strangers while explaining why life is like a box of chocolates.

Im the attorney general of the whole United States, cast member Kate McKinnon, who portrayed Sessions, said before greeting Leslie Jones.

Being in the government is so fun, McKinnon continued, pulling out a photo of Sessions best good friend Kellyanne. The photo was a copy of the viral picture of presidential advisor Kellyanne Conway kneeling on an Oval Office couch. She aint got no legs, Sessions said with a Southern drawl.

The sketch riffed on Sessions having to recuse himself earlier this week from any investigations involving Donald Trumps campaign after it was revealed he met with the Russian ambassador last year, but did not disclose it to the Senate during his confirmation hearing.

Watch the sketch above.
A Sikh man in Washington State was shot in his driveway Friday by a man who allegedly told him Go back to your country, according to police.

Read: Texas Hunters Who Claimed They Were Shot by 'Illegal Aliens' Actually Shot Each Other: Cops

The 39-year-old, who reportedly follows the Sikh religion, told police he was working on his car when an unknown man approached him.

An altercation ensued, according to police, and the man made the go back statement. The victim was then shot in the arm.

Read: Man Who Stabbed 8 People At Minnesota Mall Spoke of 'Allah', Shot Dead By Off-Duty Cop

The suspect is described as a white male, who wore dark clothing and a mask covering half of his face.

Police contacted the FBI about the incident.

Watch: Police Officer Who Shot Therapist: I Was Aiming For The Man With Autism

Related Articles:
A 39-year-old homeowner in Washington said he was shot by an unknown man in his own neighborhood Friday because he is a Sikh man. The victim said the shooter told him to go back to your own country, the Seattle Times reported.

Kent police said they were searching for the gunman, described as a white man wearing a mask to cover his face, and were working with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. The shooting was being investigated as a possible hate crime.

The victim was shot in the arm and was being treated for non-fatal injuries. He was tending to his car in his driveway around 8 p.m. when the gunman approached him.

The shooting came a week after a similar shooting in Kansas that left an Indian man dead and another wounded. Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, an Indian immigrant, was shot and killed by Adam Purinton, 51, at Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe, a city outside of Kansas City. Alok Madasani, 32, and bar patron Ian Grillot, 24, were injured in the shooting. Purinton apparently told the two Indian men to get out of my country.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has sought to link a rise in hate crimes to President Donald Trump. There were 1,094 bias incidents reported in the first 34 days after the election, according to a count by the Southern Poverty Law Center. "The hate was clearly tied directly to Trumps victory. The highest count came on the first day after the election, with the numbers diminishing steadily after that. And more than a third of the incidents directly referenced either Trump," the center said in a report in February.

But race attacks are far from new in the U.S. Two men in California were charged with hate crimes last year after attacking a Sikh man and cutting off his hair, which was kept long by religious mandate. The attack occurred in September in Richmond.

Related Articles
(Reuters) - A Sikh man was shot and wounded in Washington state by an attacker who approached him in his driveway and told him to leave the country, police and media reported on Saturday.

The shooting, on Friday night in the city of Kent about 15 miles (24 km) south of Seattle, followed a number of other attacks on Sikhs in the United States over a period of more than a decade.

Hate crime-tracking groups say assailants have occasionally mistaken Sikhs for Muslims, who have also been victimized in religiously motivated crimes.

The Sikh man was working on his car in the driveway of his home when he was shot in the arm, according to Seattle television station KIRO 7, which spoke to a woman who knows the victim and saw him after he was struck by the bullet.

"Some comments were made to the effect of 'get out of our country, go back to where you're from,' and our victim was then shot," Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said at a news conference.

"To think that this could happen in our community was very surprising and extremely disappointing," Thomas said.

Sikh community members stood behind Thomas as he described the shooting. Police believe the suspect, who is at large, is a man, media reported.

The victim was released from hospital, the Seattle Times reported.

A spokesman for Kent police could not be reached for further comment late on Saturday.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Chris Michaud, Robert Birsel)
Mogadishu (AFP) - Somalia's prime minister said Saturday that at least 110 people had died from drought and drought-related illnesses on Thursday and Friday, the first reported deaths since the country declared a national disaster late last month.

The deaths over 48 hours were a result of "droughts and acute watery diarrhoea around the southern regions of Somalia, particularly in the Bay and Bakool regions," Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire said in a statement.

Authorities in the village of Awdiinle in the Bay region said that at least 69 people, most of whom were children or elderly, died after cases of acute watery diarrhoea in the area.

"There is no medicine and the disease has turned into an epidemic," Abdullahi Mohamed, a local official in Awdiinle, told AFP.

The drought has "caused widespread water shortage," he said, adding that they needed "assistance from aid agencies."

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed on Tuesday declared the drought a "national disaster", pleading for help from the international community "to avoid a humanitarian tragedy".

The Horn of Africa nation is one of two countries -- along with Yemen and Nigeria -- on the verge of famine which has already been declared in South Sudan.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday that Somalia was at risk of its third famine in 25 years. The last one, in 2011, killed some 260,000 people.

The agency said that more than 6.2 million Somalis -- half of the population -- needed urgent humanitarian aid, including almost three million who are going hungry.

The drought has led to a spread of acute watery diarrhoea, cholera and measles, and nearly 5.5 million people are at risk of contracting waterborne diseases.

Overall, more than 20 million people face starvation in Somalia, Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen.

Of the four famine alerts, Somalia is the only one caused by drought, while the other three are described as "man-made food crises" stemming from unrest.

Somalis "must save their brothers in need who will die of hunger if not assisted," Khaire said.

"The priority of the government will be reaching out to these people who have been affected by the droughts," he said.
Horror Author Stephen King

Legendary horror author Stephen King is no stranger to hurling harsh criticism at President Donald Trump, but his latest Twitter session trolls Trump in epic fashion over the presidents wild accusations that former President Barack Obama illegally wiretapped Trump Tower. While King may be the master of horror, he showed he has quite a wicked sense of humor, as well, not that his fans would be surprised.

The Latest Donald Trump Tweets That Prompted Kings Mockery

Its common knowledge now how President Donald Trump uses Twitter to attack anyone he perceives as an enemy, but Trump seemed to be in quite a state Saturday in his latest series of tweets. The angry tweets came following reports the president went ballistic after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from any investigations into President Trumps ties with Russia, according to Business Insider. And its no secret when Trump gets angry, he uses Twitter as his favorite retaliation tool.

Click here to continue and read more...
Monrovia (AFP) - In November 2014, Salome Karwah of Liberia graced the cover of Time magazine as a symbol of strength and humanity after surviving Ebola and using her experience to help others with the virus.

But last month, Karwah died shortly after giving birth to her fourth child -- and her husband blames the stigma attached to Ebola.

"My wife died because she was not catered to by nurses and doctors. The reason, I believe, is because she is an Ebola survivor," James Harris said.

"I am saying this because I heard some nurses telling friends not to go near my wife because she is a survivor."

The outbreak of Ebola in West Africa starting in 2013, which hit Liberia the hardest, infected nearly 29,000 people by conservative estimates, killing more than a third.

Karwah worked as a counsellor for Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) after recovering from Ebola in the summer of 2014, helping others to cope with the psychological toll of the hemorrhagic fever.

One evening in February, Harris said, his wife was admitted to hospital in the capital, Monrovia, where she gave birth by caesarian section.

She returned home just two days later, telling her husband that some of the nurses refused to touch her.

- 'She did not deserve this' -

Complications soon developed, and Harris rushed to hospital seeking help. His concerns were dismissed by one doctor, and he was told to go to a pharmacy to buy an injection for his wife.

The medication was nowhere to be found, however, and Karwah was dead shortly afterwards.

"My wife was an Ebola survivor. She contracted the virus during the outbreak and she recovered," Harris said, bouncing the healthy new baby on his knee.

"She saved lives, she held babies who had Ebola, and she helped them to get better. She did not deserve this kind of treatment."

Karwah lost her parents, brother, aunts, uncles, cousins and a niece to Ebola, according to Time.

In an article for The Guardian in October 2014, Karwah wrote of the Ebola survivors she helped: "I help them with all my might because I understand the experience - I've been through the very same thing."

Story continues

Her photograph was chosen for the cover of Time when those fighting the Ebola outbreak were named person of the year.

The hospital has refused to comment on her death, but Liberia's chief medical officer, Francis Kateh, told AFP that the authorities were investigating the case.

Karwah's brother, Reginald Karwah, said her body was tested for Ebola and the result came back negative.

Many Ebola survivors continue to suffer high levels of shame and discrimination, which has been exacerbated by findings that the virus can stay in certain parts of the body for at least nine months after a patient has recovered.

Liberia also has some of the world's highest maternal mortality rates, according to the United Nations.

The UN's Population Fund has said that access to life-saving care has deteriorated since the Ebola outbreak because of the strain it has inflicted on the country's fragile health system.
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP)  Sushi in Pyongyang? At a restaurant run by a Japanese sushi chef famous for working for North Korea's late leader Kim Jong Il?

Kenji Fujimoto has opened his sushi restaurant in the North Korean capital, according to Canadian Michael Spavor, a consultant with a long record of working in the communist state. He was involved with NBA star Denis Rodman's trips to North Korea, and the two spent days with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who succeeded his father after his death in 2011.

Spavor said he was introduced to Fujimoto just last year, when he learnt about the chef's plans to open a restaurant in Pyongyang and tried to track it down early this year.

"I was quite excited, because I'd heard quite a lot about him," Spavor said. "So one day, for lunch, we met up, and we got along great, he speaks fluent Korean, so we spoke Korean, and that's when he mentioned to me he was planning on opening up a ramen restaurant or a sushi restaurant in Pyongyang."

It's rare to find a Japanese business openly operating in North Korea, because of strained relations between the two countries.

But Fujimoto is a special case. He worked for Kim Jong Il for many years. After Kim's death, Fujimoto reappeared in Pyongyang meeting with the new leader in images he shared with Japanese media.

Fujimoto's new restaurant in Pyongyang bears the name "Takahashi" outside its door. The main room with a sushi counter is very small, with just a handful of seats.

Raw fish dishes sushi and sashimi have been available in Pyongyang for many years, but usually the fish is frozen before it comes to the table, so the customer can chose either to crunch it frozen, or wait until it defrosts and loses its texture. Neither option meets the usual standards.

According to the latest images, the food at Fujimoto's is much better. But prices are high by Pyongyang standards, starting at $50 for a sushi set, and running to more than $100.

Story continues

There are also cheaper options available from the noodle restaurant that operates together with Fujimoto's sushi room.

"I think everyone in the world is aware that North Korea has its challenges and economic difficulties," Spavor said.

"That being said, there are many Koreans in Pyongyang who are able to afford these kind of high-end restaurants," he said. "And keep in mind also that Pyongyang has a lot of foreign diplomats, U.N. workers, businessmen from China and other countries who can also dine at this restaurant."
ADEN (Reuters) - Suspected al Qaeda militants opened fired on a Yemeni military checkpoint in the southern province of Abyan on Sunday, a security official and residents said, killing six troops and a civilian. The attack comes after the United States launched several days of air strikes against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), one of the most active branches of the global militant group. Government forces dubbed the "security belt" are deployed in the provinces around the southern port city of Aden which is the base of the country's internationally recognized government. Nearly two years of civil war between the government backed by a Saudi-led military coalition and the Iran-allied Houthi movement has allowed AQAP and Yemen's branch of Islamic State to gain territory and carry out attacks. (Reporting by Mohammed Mukhashaf; Writing by Noah Browning, editing by Louise Heavens)
ANKARA (Reuters) - A Syrian pilot whose plane crashed in Turkey on Saturday said in an initial statement to Turkish authorities that his aircraft was shot down on its way to strike rural areas near Idlib, which is in northern Syria, state-run Anadolu agency reported on Sunday. The Syrian airforce pilot who bailed out as his warplane crashed on Turkish territory was found by a Turkish rescue team and is being treated at a hospital in the Hatay region. The 56-year-old pilot said his MIG 23 had taken off from Latakia in Syria. (Reporting by Ece Toksabay. Editing by Jane Merriman)
Teresa Giudice appears at Mount Airy Resort Casino for a book signing and meet and greet on March 5, 2016 in Mount Pocono City.

Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice is said to be in deep mourning and inconsolable about the recent death of her mother.

Several media outlets have reported Antonia Gorga recently died at an area hospital. She was 66-years-old.

Yes, Antonia Gorga passed away, said a source. Teresa has been in the hospital with her and is inconsolable now. Teresa is also in communication with [her husband] Joe and will be visiting as soon as she can.

The 44-year-old Giudice was known to be quite close with her mom, taking to social media as recently as in December to post a photo of the two that she captioned, Mommy I love you so much  #daughtersloveforhermom.

In the photo, Teresa proudly snuggles close to her mom, who likewise beams with pride while seated at a dining room table.

Click here to continue and read more...
By Ian Graham DUBLIN (Reuters) - Northern Irish leaders prepared on Saturday for three weeks of challenging talks to save their devolved government after a snap election that could have dramatic implications for the politics and constitutional status of the British province. The pro-British Democratic Unionist Party narrowly remained the largest party after the closest-ever election for the provincial assembly. But surging Irish nationalists Sinn Fein came within one seat of their rivals to deny unionist politicians a majority for the first time since Ireland was partitioned in 1921. Major policy differences between the sides risk paralysing government, dividing communities and creating an unwelcome distraction for Prime Minister Theresa May as she prepares to launch Britain's formal divorce proceedings from the European Union later this month. Northern Ireland is the poorest region of the United Kingdom and potentially the one most economically exposed to Brexit, as its frontier with the Republic of Ireland is the UK's only land border with the EU. "The election yesterday was in many, many ways a watershed election. Clearly the notion of a permanent or a perpetual unionist majority has been demolished," Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams told reporters in Belfast. "We need to reflect on that and so do the leaders of unionism and so does everyone on this island," he added, standing in front of a mural of Bobby Sands, a member of the militant Irish Republican Army (IRA) who died in a hunger strike in prison in 1981. The two largest parties have three weeks to form a new power-sharing government to avoid a return to direct rule from London for the first time since 2007. Sinn Fein said it would make contact with the other parties on Sunday. GENERATIONAL SHIFT With relations at their lowest point in a decade and Sinn Fein insisting among its conditions that DUP leader Arlene Foster step aside before it will re-enter government, few analysts think an agreement can be reached in that time. An acrimonious campaign also added to the friction. Foster antagonised nationalists with her outright rejection of some of Sinn Fein's demands, saying: "If you feed a crocodile, it will keep coming back looking for more." Michelle O'Neill, the 40-year-old new leader of Sinn Fein whose elevation represented a generational shift within the former political wing of the IRA, benefited most from the highest turnout in two decades. "Foster angered nationalists and made sure they went out to vote but Michelle O'Neill is also a much more acceptable nationalist face than previously," said Gary Thompson, a 57-year-old voter, as he went for a jog near parliament buildings. Pensioner Tom Smyth, a DUP supporter, said Foster had to stand up to Sinn Fein but in doing so probably helped mobilise her rivals' vote. "This is terrible," he said. "There will be no living with them (Sinn Fein) now. All my life there has been a Unionist political majority. I feel a bit exposed now and wonder what the future holds." Nationalist candidates, traditionally backed by Catholics, narrowed the gap overall with unionists, who tend to be favoured by Protestants, to just one seat. Smaller, non-sectarian parties captured the remaining 12 percent of the vote. IRISH UNIFICATION Northern Ireland is still marginally a mainly Protestant province but demographics suggest Catholics could become the majority within a generation. The shift in the election will embolden Sinn Fein in its ultimate goal of leaving the United Kingdom and uniting the island of Ireland. The party has increased calls for a referendum on the issue since Northern Ireland, like Scotland, voted to remain in the EU while the United Kingdom's two other countries, England and Wales, chose to leave in last year's Brexit vote. Sinn Fein's Mairtin O'Muilleoir, the province's outgoing finance minister, described Brexit as "the gift that keeps on giving" for those that want a united Ireland. "The massive shift towards nationalism in this election completely changes the landscape and most certainly brings the constitutional question to the foreground," said Peter Shirlow, Director of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool. Britain's Northern Ireland Minister James Brokenshire urged the parties to engage intensively in the short time available. Ireland's foreign minister said both governments stood ready to provide whatever support was needed. Former Northern Ireland first minister David Trimble, a key player in the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement that ended three decades of sectarian bloodshed, said the British government should find a way to give the parties more time. Senior unionist politician Jeffrey Donaldson told BBC Radio: "If we can't do it in three weeks it could be a prolonged period of direct rule. "In those circumstances, with Brexit coming down the road, we won't have our own administration to speak for us and offer the best prospect of delivering the kind of outcome we need." (Writing by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump is asking Congress to probe "potentially politically motivated investigations" during the 2016 campaign, the White House said Sunday.

The announcement came one day after Trump took to Twitter to accuse his predecessor Barack Obama of tapping his phones ahead of the November election, without providing evidence of the explosive charge.

An Obama spokesman has denied Trump's accusation as "simply false."

Related Video:

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

In his statement, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer referred to unspecified reports of "potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election" as "very troubling."

"President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016," Spicer said.

He added that there would be no more comment on the matter from Trump or the White House.

Trump leveled his charges against Obama early Saturday, at the end of a week in which his administration was battered by controversy over communications between Russian officials and some of his senior aides including Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

"I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!" Trump wrote.

"How low has President Obama gone to tapp (sic) my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" he wrote in another tweet, referring to the political scandal that toppled president Richard Nixon in 1974.
Trump listens to questions from reporters at Trump Tower in January. (Mike Segar/Reuters)

A day after accusing former President Barack Obama of wiretapping his phones before the election, President Trump called on Congress to investigate his claim, for which he has cited no evidence.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer issued a statement on Sunday saying that reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling, and that Trump is asking Congress to investigate.

President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016, the statement read. Neither the White House nor the President will comment further until such oversight is conducted.

Related: Without evidence, Trump accuses Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower

FBI Director James Comey asked the Justice Department to publicly reject Trumps assertion that Obama ordered the tapping of Trumps phones, the New York Times reported Sunday.

Comey has argued that the highly charged claim is false and must be corrected, the paper said, citing senior American officials as its source.

Early Saturday morning, Trump unleashed a series of tweets claiming Obama had wiretapped the phones at Trump Tower prior to the 2016 election. Trump provided no citations to back up the claim, and a spokesman for the former president branded the accusation simply false.

Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! he declared from his Mar-a-Lago resort in West Palm Beach, Fla., where Trump is once again spending the weekend.

Is it legal for a sitting President to be wire tapping a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW! he added.

It wasnt clear what, exactly, Trump was referring to as he raged against his predecessor, whom he labeled a bad (or sick) guy! And the White House did not clarify from whom Trump had just learned this new information.

Story continues

But a report published Friday by right-wing Breitbart News quoted conservative radio host Mark Levin, who outlined the alleged steps the Obama took in its last months to undermine Donald Trumps presidential campaign and, later, his new administration. The Washington Post reported that the Breitbart article had been passed around in the White House ahead of Trumps tweets. (Steve Bannon, Trumps chief strategist in the White House, is a former chief executive of Breitbart.)

If Trump obtained the wiretap information from his own intelligence sources instead of media reports, hed have the authority to declassify the material and substantiate his claims.

On Sunday, Trump followed up his seemingly conspiratorial Twitter flurry with another early-morning tweet aimed at his predecessor.

Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, "Tell Vladimir that after the election I'll have more flexibility?" @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2017

Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, Tell Vladimir that after the election Ill have more flexibility?' Trump tweeted, tagging his favorite morning cable news program, Fox & Friends.

In the tweet, Trump was referring to a March 26, 2012, conversation between Obama and then-outgoing Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at a nuclear security summit in Seoul. Obama was caught on a hot mic telling Medvedev that he would have more flexibility after the 2012 election to deal with missile defense relations, urging Moscow to give him space to do so.

Medvedev assured Obama he would relay the message to then-incoming President Vladimir Putin.

I understand your message about space, Medvedev said. I will transmit this information to Vladimir.

More from Yahoo News:
President Trumps assertion that former President Barack Obama wiretapped his phones before the election dominated the political talk shows on Sunday. Trump provided no evidence to back up the claim, and a spokesman for the former president branded the accusation as simply false.

Across the networks, the White House defended the commander in chiefs call for a congressional investigation into the matter, while Democratic lawmakers and former Obama administration officials dismissed the accusation as absurd.

On ABCs This Week, White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tried to reframe Trumps wiretapping claim  which he stated as a fact  as something that may have happened.

All were saying is lets take a closer look, Huckabee Sanders said. Lets look into this. If this happened, if this is accurate, this is the biggest overreach and the biggest scandal.

If, if, if, if, host Martha Raddatz countered. Why is the president saying it did happen?

I think hes going off of information that hes seen that has led him to believe that this is a very real potential, Huckabee Sanders replied. And if it is, this is the greatest overreach and the greatest abuse of power that I think we have ever seen and a huge attack on democracy itself. And the American people have a right to know if this took place.

Related: Without evidence, Trump accuses Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower

Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., was among those who labeled the suggestion that Obama tapped Trumps phones as nonsense.

The president of the United States did not tap Donald Trumps phone, Franken said on This Week. I mean, thats just ridiculous.

Josh Earnest, who served as White House press secretary under Obama, agreed.

Let me just remove the mystery here and explain to you and your viewers why it is false to say that President Obama ordered a wiretap of Trump Tower, Earnest said. This may come as a surprise to the current occupant of the Oval Office, but the president of the United States does not have the authority to unilaterally order the wiretapping of an American citizen.

Story continues

Josh Earnest: This may "come as some surprise" to Pres. Trump, but a president can't "unilaterally order the wiretapping" of a US citizen. pic.twitter.com/oFgfZYvtts  ABC News (@ABC) March 5, 2017

If the FBI decided to use its wiretapping authority, Earnest explained, it would require FBI investigators, officials at the Department of Justice going to a federal judge, and making a case, and demonstrating probable cause to use that authority to conduct the investigation.

On CBS Face the Nation, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Trumps tweets show the president doesnt understand how you obtain a wiretap.

To make that type of claim without any evidence is, I think, very reckless, Warner said.

On NBCs Meet the Press, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper categorically denied any suggestion that communications at Trump Tower were wiretapped before the election.

There was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time, as a candidate, or against his campaign, Clapper said.

When asked by host Chuck Todd whether he could confirm or deny if a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Act order (or FISA) for such wiretapping existed, Clapper declared, I can deny it.

James Clapper: "There was no such wire tap activity amounted against" Donald Trump. #MTP pic.twitter.com/eNGFKe0vxY  Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) March 5, 2017

On Fox News Sunday, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who also sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he has yet to see evidence to substantiate Trumps allegation. Nonetheless, Cotton said he wasnt troubled by Trumps evidence-free tweet.

Presidents are human, he said.

Michael Mukasey, the attorney general under President George W. Bush, argued that there is a nuance Trumps critics are missing.

This is the difference between being correct and being right, Mukasey said on ABC. I think the president was not correct certainly in saying that President Obama ordered a tap on a server in Trump Tower. However, I think hes right in that there was surveillance and that it was conducted at the behest of the Justice Department.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., says a special prosecutor ought to be appointed to investigate whether the Trump campaign broke any laws in its contacts with Russia and whether it was complicit in working with the Russians to influence the election.

That needs a special prosecutor, Schumer said on Meet the Press.

But Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is currently investigating Russias election meddling, disagreed.

I certainly dont think were at that point at this moment, Rubio told Todd. The job of the intelligence committee is not to be a law enforcement agency. The job of the intelligence committee is to gather facts and evidence.

.@marcorubio on Trump's wiretapping claims: "I'm not sure what it is he is talking about" https://t.co/WgZv0WTgaU https://t.co/8INJbWfMRM  CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) March 5, 2017

Im not going to be part of a witch hunt, Rubio added, but Im also not going to be part of a cover-up. I want us to put the facts out there, wherever those facts lead us. And I believe that is what the Senate Intelligence Committee will do.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer issued a statement on Sunday saying that reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling, and that Trump is asking Congress to investigate.

President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016, the statement read. Neither the White House nor the President will comment further until such oversight is conducted.

Shortly after saying he wouldnt comment further, Spicer fired off a tweet calling attention to Mukaseys interview on ABC.

On @ThisWeekABC Fmr Atty General Mukasey:I think @POTUS is right in that there was surveillance at the behest of Obama Dept of Justice  Sean Spicer (@PressSec) March 5, 2017

Early Saturday morning, Trump unleashed a series of tweets claiming Obama had wiretapped the phones at Trump Tower prior to the 2016 election.

Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! he declared from his Mar-a-Lago resort in West Palm Beach, Fla., where Trump is once again spending the weekend.

Is it legal for a sitting President to be wire tapping a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW! he added.

It wasnt clear what, exactly, Trump was referring to as he raged against his predecessor, whom he labeled a bad (or sick) guy! And the White House did not clarify from whom Trump had just learned this new information.

But a report published Friday by Breitbart News quoted conservative radio host Mark Levin, who outlined the alleged steps the Obama took in its last months to undermine Donald Trumps presidential campaign and, later, his new administration. The Washington Post reported that the Breitbart article had been passed around in the White House ahead of Trumps tweets.

Steve Bannon, Trumps chief strategist in the White House, is a former chief executive of Breitbart.

Everybody acts like President Trump is the one that came up with this idea and just threw it out there, Huckabee Sanders said on This Week. There are multiple news outlets that have reported this. And all were asking is that we get the same level of look into the Obama administration and the potential that they had for a complete abuse of power that theyve been claiming that we have done over the last six months.

Trump just put another quarter in the conspiracy parking meter, former Michigan Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, ex-chairman of House Intelligence Committee, said on CNN. They have extended this story for a week, two weeks. Makes no sense to me whatsoever.

On Face the Nation, former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Trumps accusation weakens the United States and makes us vulnerable to our enemies.

But Panetta added: The truth will determine what went wrong here.

On CNNs State of the Union, Rubio said he was puzzled by Trumps wiretapping allegation.

Im not sure what it is he is talking about, Rubio said. Perhaps the president has information that is not yet available to us or to the public. And if its true, obviously were going to find out very quickly. And if it isnt, then obviously hell have to explain what he meant by it.

Also read: Trump calls on Congress to probe his evidence-free wiretap claim

Either way, Schumer said, its bad news for Trump.

If he falsely spread this kind of misinformation, Schumer said on Meet the Press, that is so wrong. Its beneath the dignity of the presidency. It is something that really hurts peoples view of government. Its civilization-warping, as Ben Sasse, conservative Republican, called it. And I dont know of any president, Democrat or Republican in the past, [who] has done this. It shows this president doesnt know how to conduct himself.

On the other hand, if its true, Schumer continued, its even worse for the president. Because that means that a federal judge, independently elected, has found probable cause that the president, or people on his staff, have probable cause to have broken the law or to have interacted with a foreign agent. Now thats serious stuff. So either way, the president makes it worse with these tweets.

More from Yahoo News:
Always rushing through airports to catch your flights? It may be advisable to reach a few minutes earlier because starting over the next few weeks, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has indicated a change in its pat-down approach that it described will involve more intimate contact. The new procedures will begin with smaller airports and eventually be implemented across all airports in the country.

Abandoning the currently used security protocol of the five different types of physical pat-downs at the screening line, TSA will now use a more comprehensive and universal physical screening pat down," Bloomberg reported Friday. Denver International Airport has already notified all its employees and flight crews regarding the newer, more rigorous searches which "will be more thorough and may involve an officer making more intimate contact than before."

I would say people who in the past would have gotten a pat-down that wasnt involved will notice that the [new] pat-down is more involved, TSA spokesman Bruce Anderson said Friday.

Although Anderson denied the suggestion that this new approach would create an overall increase in security delays, he cautiously added that "for the person who gets the pat down, it will slow them down."

Meanwhile, a passenger who experienced the new pat-down procedure at the Redding Municipal Airport in California told NBC News that he felt that the new procedure was invasive.

The passenger, identified as Joel Stratte-McClure, said that a TSA agent warned him that in order to look for concealed weapons hidden in pants etc, the new procedure would involve a more intense horizontal and vertical pat down, while he was catching a flight to Egypt on Thursday.

This was the most intriguing, intense and invasive pat down Ive had by the TSA since they came into existence, the passenger, identified as Joel Stratte-McClure, said in an email to NBC News. Usually its comparatively perfunctory (the gold bracelet on my right wrist sets off every security alarm in the US).

Story continues

Seasoned travelers might take it in stride but infrequent travelers will be embarrassed and shocked, he added.

The change in the policy is reportedly due to a 2015 audit conducted by the Department of Homeland Securitys Inspector General that criticized the TSA screening procedures for failing to detect handguns and other weapons.

The new policy also includes an increase in random checks of airport workers with crewmember status who are usually subjected to less stringent security. However, Anderson clarified that random search for airline crew would still be lesser than those of other airport employees.

Sometimes its random, sometimes theyre consistent, based on the door you enter, Anderson said, implying that the random searches would depend upon the airport and the screening program.

Denver airport officials also specified that employees can be searched at any random location.

If a pat down is required as part of the operation, badged employees will be required to comply with a TSA officers request to conduct a full body pat down, Denver airport officials reportedly said in a notice.

The TSA, however, has still not confirmed whether the new universal pat-down will involve touching the genitals of passengers.

Meanwhile, United States Customs and Border Protection has also reportedly been tinkering with airport security procedures to make the process more modern. For instance, they piloted a facial recognition technology that involves biometric recognition of faces, irises and/or fingerprints, to eliminate use of passports in two airports, John F. Kennedy International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport in 2015 and 2016, respectively, with similar plans of introducing it on an unspecified timeline to all other major airports.

Related Articles
By Ralph Boulton and Andrea Shalal ISTANBUL/BERLIN (Reuters) - Turkey said on Saturday it would keep holding rallies in Germany and the Netherlands to urge Turks living there to back a vote to boost President Tayyip Erdogan's powers, despite opposition from authorities in both countries. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu criticised German and Dutch restrictions on such gatherings as undemocratic, and said Turkey would press on with them in the run-up to the April 16 referendum. "None of you can prevent us," he told a campaign event in southern Turkey. "We can go anywhere we want, meet our citizens, hold our meetings." The defiant Turkish comments highlight the importance Erdogan places on securing the new powers, especially since a failed military coup last July, in what could turn out to be a close vote. The disagreement has led to sharp exchanges between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners. Adding to the tensions, Germany has demanded the release of a German journalist arrested in Turkey on Monday, while Erdogan on Friday called him a "German agent." Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke by phone on Saturday with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, a German government spokesman said, without providing details of the conversation. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, who will meet with his Turkish counterpart in Berlin this week, warned against stirring up tensions between the two countries, but also said Berlin would not refrain from criticism where warranted. "The German-Turkish friendship runs deeper than the diplomatic tensions we are experiencing today," he wrote in an essay published in the Bild am Sonntag newspaper on Sunday. "We cannot allow hate and misunderstanding to grow out of political differences." Gabriel said Turkish politicians who wanted to campaign in Germany should respect the "rules of law, as well as decency." Several members of Merkel's coalition voiced concerns on Saturday about Turkish politicians rallying support among Germany's 1.5 million Turkish citizens. Juergen Hardt, foreign policy spokesman for her conservative Christian Democratic Union, told Reuters: "We don't want marketing for the undemocratic and illegitimate Turkish referendum on German soil." Several events have already been blocked for security reasons, sparking anger among Turkish leaders who accused Germany of a double standard. Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci has had two events cancelled, but plans to speak at events on Sunday in Leverkusen and Cologne in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), which has a large Turkish population. The state premier of NRW and local politicians want the federal government to provide guidance about such campaign events, something that Merkel and Gabriel would like to avoid as they struggle to balance the broader issues at hand with Turkey, including migration and the fight against Islamic militancy. Critics of Erdogan fear the proposed new powers, including freedoms to govern by executive orders, would entrench autocratic trends. Erdogan says they are vital in tackling Kurdish rebels, Islamist militants and other political enemies in a land with a history of unstable coalition governments. The Dutch government said on Friday it would inform Ankara of its opposition to "undesirable" proposals to hold a referendum rally in Rotterdam. "The Netherlands told us 'You can't campaign in our public spaces.' What do you mean, we can't? Where is democracy ... where is freedom of expression?" Cavusoglu said. (Reporting by Ralph Boulton, Andreas Rinke, Gernot Heller, Reuters TV and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Mark Trevelyan and Richard Chang)
Sunday, March 5, 2017

The California State Bar Court Hearing Department has imposed a stipulated public reproval of an attorney who pled no contest to charges of domestic battery and engaged in frivolous litigation against the victim.

On May 12, 2012, respondent and her then spouse attended a party but left early and returned home due to respondents high level of intoxication.

When respondent arrived home, she became irate, began yelling and screaming at her spouse, and began throwing and breaking items in the house.

Respondents spouse exited the house to avoid a confrontation and called the police. He then entered the garage and found respondent, who continued to yell profanities at him, seated in his car. As respondents spouse attempted to calm respondent down, respondent scratched his arms and hands.

Thereafter, respondent left the garage and reentered the house where she continued to break items including a phone-fax machine, a computer and the glass front door.

Respondent ran to the houses of nearby neighbors and continued to yell and scream profanities, resulting in a least one of the neighbors calling police to report a trespasser.Respondent was visibly intoxicated, had difficulty maintaining her balance and was yelling profanities when Los Angeles Police Department ("LAPD") officers arrived.

During the course of their investigation, the officers observed redness, and scratches and bruises on both respondent and her spouse. LAPD officers arrested respondent for spousal battery. Respondent waived her Miranda rights and stated that she became angry and pushed a computer off a desk. At that time, however, respondent denied scratching or striking her spouse.

Respondent successfully completed probation.

In the ensuing divorce process, the attorney was sanctioned for frivolous litigation against the spouse.

By filing the lawsuits in case nos. LC100377, LC102075 and LC102192, and the appeal in case no. B261082 on behalf of herself that were frivolous, without merit, or prosecuted for improper purpose, respondent failed to maintain such action and proceedings only as appear to her legal or just, in willful violation of Business and Professions Code section 6068

There was mitigation

Respondents good character has been attested to by ten individuals, including three attorneys, three former clients, and a banker who are aware of her misconduct and who hold her in high regard, lauding her integrity, honesty, competence, dedication to her clients and her community. Respondents character letters are representative of a wide range of members of the general and legal communities who are aware of respondents misconduct in connection with the present matters, and as such, respondent is entitled to credit in mitigation for good character.

She had sought treatment for alcohol abuse and had insight into the misconduct

Respondent acknowledges that alcohol consumption has led her to exercise poor judgment in her personal life in the past and in order to address this problem, she voluntarily enrolled herself in New Directions for Women residential alcohol and drug rehabilitative and sober living program in October 2016. While enrolled in the residential treatment program respondent participated in individual and group therapy counseling, attended Alcoholics Anonymous daily, and worked with her case manager to prepare a comprehensive discharge plan to help her stay sober and return to her community to live a life free from substances. Respondent successfully completed the program in December 2016. By voluntarily enrolling herself into and completing New Directions for Women residential alcohol and drug rehabilitative and sober living program, respondent has demonstrated recognition of her wrongdoing

...respondent recognizes that her zealous self-representation in her dissolution and related legal matters caused her to lose sight of ethical responsibilities and has retained an attorney to assist her with her remaining legal matters. Respondents acceptance of and insight into her misconduct suggests that the misconduct is not likely to recur.

There is another reason that the misconduct likely will not recur, as recounted in an opinion of the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division Two imposing sanctions for a frivolous appeal

We have no difficulty concluding that this appeal is totally and completely without merit. The trial court found no evidence in appellants motion to support disqualification. On appeal, Ms. Perreault has doubled down on a bad bet by failing to present this Court with either the motion to disqualify or the opposition to it, thereby insuring that there would be no evidence on which to even review the trial courts ruling. Apart from submitting an inadequate appendix to this Court, Ms. Perreaults brief is incoherent, replete with vindictiveness rather than legal reasoning.

Focusing on appellants bad faith, we conclude that this appeal was prosecuted for an improper motive. We observe that Ms. Perreault has a history of tormenting her former husband, the now-deceased Andre Perreault, to the point of physically assaulting him, resulting in her criminal conviction for domestic violence. Though Ms. Perreault was prevented from physically attacking decedent as a result of restraining and protective orders, we may infer that her baseless attack on decedents counsel, Mr. Janner, was intended to harass decedent, even as he was dying of cancer, and to force decedent to needlessly expend his energy and financial resources to fend off Ms. Perreault.

To give a concrete example of appellants bizarre conduct, this Court notified the parties on August 28, 2015, that a successor-in-interest had to substitute into the case because Andre Perreault died while the appeal was pending. A few days later, Attorney Janner asked for a brief continuance because the matter was pending in the probate department, which appointed a special administrator on September 22, 2015. Ms. Perreault filed meritless opposition to the request for a continuance, submitting to this Court an incomprehensible document weighing nearly one and one-half pounds and containing e-mails, bank statements, her marital dissolution judgment and other items that are entirely irrelevant to the appointment of a special administrator to represent decedents interests. Further, Ms. Perreault petitioned to have herself appointed as the administrator of decedents estate while she had multiple lawsuits pending against decedent, an obvious conflict of interest.

Ms. Perreaults conduct falls far short of the professionalism expected of a lawyer. She has lost sight of her responsibilities as an officer of the court while waging a vendetta against her former husband and his family, wasting judicial resources in the process. On its own motion, the Court imposes sanctions of $5,000 against Ms. Perreault to discourage like conduct in the future.

It appears that the late husband was a sound re-recording mixer with The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. (Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2017/03/the-california-state-bar-court-hearing-department-has-imposed-a-stipulated-public-reproval-of-an-attorney.html
AMSTERDAM  A diplomatic rift between Turkey and key European nations deepened Sunday as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany of Nazi practices, days after a local authority prevented a Turkish minister from addressing a rally.

Over at an election campaign event in Amsterdam, meanwhile, Dutch right-wing populist Geert Wilders also resorted to extreme-right comparisons, calling Erdogan an Islamo-fascist leader.

The diplomatic tensions have been rising in recent days amid Turkish plans to have government ministers to address rallies in Germany and the Netherlands in support of an upcoming constitutional referendum that would give Erdogan new powers.

Speaking in Istanbul, the Turkish president fanned the flames with a stinging verbal attack.

In Germany, they are not allowing our friends to speak. Let them do so. Do you think that by not allowing them to speak the votes in Germany will come out no instead of yes?' Erdogan said. Germany, you dont have anything to do with democracy. These current practices of yours are no different than the Nazi practices of the past.

On Thursday, Turkeys justice minister canceled a meeting with his German counterpart after local authorities in southwest Germany withdrew permission for him to use a venue to hold a rally near the French border that was part of a campaign to get Turks in Germany to vote yes in the referendum.

Turkeys economy minister, Nihat Zeybekci, was due to speak at two events in western Germany on Sunday. There are about 1.4 million people in Germany who are eligible to vote in the Turkish referendum.

Julia Kloeckner, a deputy leader of Merkels Christian Democratic Union, told the German daily Bild that Erdogans Nazi comparison was a new pinnacle of immoderation.

Mr. Erdogan is reacting like a stubborn child who cant get his own way, she told the paper.

Story continues

Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern, in an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, said its time to pull the plug on long-stalled moves to bring Turkey into the 28-nation EU.

We shouldnt just temporarily suspend the accession talks with Turkey but end them, Kern said. We cant continue to negotiate about membership with a country that has been steadily distancing itself for years, during ongoing access talks, from democratic standards and principles of the rule of law.

The Dutch government is investigating whether it can halt a rally being planned for later in the week at which Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is reportedly due to speak.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Dutch broadcaster NOS on Saturday that his government is looking at all legal avenues to prevent such a visit. Rutte said the proposed constitutional changes take Turkey, an aspirant European Union member state, in a less democratic direction.

We believe that Dutch public space is not the place for political campaigns of other countries, Rutte wrote earlier on his Facebook page.

Kern urged a concerted approach by the EU to prevent such campaign appearances, saying then specific countries like Germany would not come under pressure from Turkey.

Wilders, whose Party for Freedom is lagging only slightly behind Ruttes VVD party in polls before the Dutch March 15 election for parliaments lower house, said he would go further if he were in power.

I think that coming here to advocate a change of the Turkish constitution that will only strengthen the Islamo-fascist leader Erdogan of Turkey more than Parliament, Turkish parliament, is the worst thing that could happen to us, Wilders told reporters at a campaign event.

Wilders said if he were the Dutch prime minister, I would call the whole cabinet of Turkey persona non grata for a month or two, not allowing them to come here.

Kern, however, pointed out that totally cutting ties with Ankara wouldnt be in EU interests. An EU migrant deal with Turkey, which also is a NATO member, has significantly cut down the number of migrants crossing into Europe.

We should realign the relationship, without the illusion of EU membership, Kern said. Turkey is an important partner in security matters, on migration and on economic cooperation. Turkey has stuck to all of its commitments resulting from the refugee deal, in any case. We should build upon that.
(Reuters) - The U.S. Marine Corps is looking into the suspected distribution of nude photographs of female members of the service among military personnel and veterans via a social media network that promotes sexual violence, the Marine Corps Times said on Sunday.

A Marine Corps spokesman told the independent newspaper specializing on the Corps that military officials are uncertain how many military personnel could be involved.

Officials from the Marine Corps Naval Criminal Investigative Service were not immediately available for comment.

The paper published an internal Marine Corps communications document with talking points about the issue, describing the social media network as a closed Facebook group with about 30,000 members. The network solicited nude photos of female service members, some of whom had their name, rank and duty station listed, it said.

The site talked of misogynist behavior, the document said, and the photos were on a secure drive in cloud storage, which has been removed.

The document advised a response along the lines of: The Marine Corps is deeply concerned about allegations regarding the derogatory online comments and sharing of salacious photographs in a closed website. This behavior destroys morale, erodes trust, and degrades the individual."

Representative Adam Smith, a Democrat from Washington State, and ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, called for a complete investigation and for proper care of the victims.

"This behavior by Marines and former Marines is degrading, dangerous, and completely unacceptable," the congressman said in a statement.

In an annual report the Pentagon released in May 2016, the U.S. military received about 6,000 reports of sexual assault in 2015, similar to the number in 2014, but such crimes are still underreported.

(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Editing by Frank McGurty and Nick Zieminski)
UFC 209 opened with a massive match between heavyweights Alistair Overeem and Mark Hunt.

UFC 209 opened with a massive fight between two premiere heavyweights, Alistair Overeem and Mark Hunt. The battle between the two contenders was hard-fought, bloody and intense, ultimately ending with Overeem connecting with a hard knee to Hunts face in the third round, causing the veteran MMA fighter to fall unconscious. With his win, Overeem is now a step closer to earning yet another shot at the title.

An ESPN report stated that the fighters, who are currently ranked at No. 3 and No. 8, respectively, met on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Overeem and Hunt already met inside the UFC Octagon back in July 2008, with the former winning the match via submission. This time, however, both Overeem and hunt are both in need of a notable win.

Click here to continue and read more...
By Kylie MacLellan LONDON (Reuters) - The British government should make a unilateral decision now to protect the post-Brexit rights of European Union nationals living in Britain, a committee of lawmakers said in a report published on Sunday. Prime Minister Theresa May has said she wants the issue to be dealt with as a priority in upcoming Brexit negotiations but is not prepared to offer a guarantee until other EU states agree to a reciprocal deal for Britons living abroad. "They did not have a vote in the referendum, but the result has left them living under a cloud of uncertainty," Hilary Benn, an opposition Labour lawmaker and chair of the Exiting the EU Committee, said in a statement. "They do not want to be used as bargaining chips. Although the government has said it wants EU citizens to be able to remain, this has not offered sufficient reassurance that the rights and status that they have enjoyed will be guaranteed. It should now do so." Parliament's upper house inflicted a defeat on May this week, voting for a change to her Brexit plan that says she can only trigger formal divorce talks with the European Union if she promises to protect the rights of EU citizens living in Britain. May is hoping to overturn that change when the legislation returns to the lower house of parliament. The Exiting the EU committee, made up of lawmakers from all the main political parties, also said the current process by which EU nationals can apply for permanent residence was not fit for purpose and should be streamlined. With an estimated 3 million EU nationals living in Britain, the government need to put extra resources in place to deal with the number of applications it could face, the committee said, adding that it should announce as soon as possible what the cut-off date would be for EU citizens arriving in Britain. "We were told that at pre-referendum rates of processing, giving residence documents to all potentially eligible applicants using the current system would take the equivalent of 140 years," said Benn. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Toby Davis)
President Donald Trump's immigration executive orders include some of the strictest, most controversial enforcement policies of any White House administration in modern U.S. history. Despite ongoing raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and new Department of Homeland Security guidelines expanding which deportations the federal government now prioritizes, however, some undocumented immigrants aren't planning on packing up and leaving Trump's America.

RTX1JYH5

Photo: Reuters

Juan Carlos Hernandez-Pacheco, an undocumented immigrant living in West Frankfort, Illinois, spent 20 days in an immigrant detention center after being recognized by a local Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent he met two years ago. But the father of three, whose children are U.S. citizens, wasnt dismayed by the incident  in fact, he said he and several of his cellmates supported Trumps immigration efforts.

"Donald Trump was the first to be known for promise and delivery," Hernandez-Pacheco told CNN Friday. Of his fellow undocumented immigrants within the immigrant detention center, he said, "They wish that the Mexican president and every other president in the world would do the same."

New guidelines issued by John Kelly, Trumps Department of Homeland secretary, expanded President Barack Obamas deportation focus from immigrants charged with violent felonies to virtually any undocumented immigrant with a criminal history or charged with a crime. Whereas Hernandez-Pacheco would not have been detained by immigration enforcement agents under the Obama administration, he was immediately susceptible to facing deportation under Trump in February after his two DUI charges from over 10 years ago.

Many activist organizations and nonpartisan groups alike have condemned Trumps immigration actions, saying his campaign promise to deport up to three million people within his first 100 days in office is a "human rights crisis" waiting to happen, International Business Times previously reported.

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But Hernanndez-Pacecho said he isn't going anywhere. The undocumented immigrant promised his oldest American son he would continue living in the U.S. during Trump's presidency.

"I told him that I was here to stay," Hernandez-Pacheco said. "I'm going nowhere."

Related Articles
Jerusalem (AFP) - A US member of Congress met top Israeli leaders Sunday to examine the possibility of moving the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Israeli officials said.

Ron DeSantis, who serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and they discussed "a number of regional issues including moving the embassy," an official said on condition of anonymity.

Netanyahu supports the US moving its embassy. "Jerusalem is Israel's capital and it would be good if the American embassy wasn't the only one to move here," he said in January.

Earlier on Sunday, DeSantis met with Yehuda Glick, a lawmaker from Netanyahu's Likud party, who said the US congressman's trip was to hold a close examination of the issue of moving the embassy.

Deputy foreign minister Tzipi Hotovely, who met with DeSantis as well, said she was "optimistic" the contested move would take place.

US President Donald Trump had promised during the US presidential campaign to move the embassy to Jerusalem.

Last month he said he would "love to see that happen".

The city's status is one of the thorniest issues of the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel occupied the West Bank and east Jerusalem in 1967. It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community.

In 1980, Israel declared "reunited" Jerusalem its capital.

A US embassy official said on Sunday that "we are at the early stages of the decision-making process on this, and no decision has yet been taken."

"The president said he is giving serious thought to the matter and is looking at it with great care," the official said about the possibility of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Ottawa (AFP) - As greater numbers of refugees flow from the United States into Canada by land, US-pledged cooperation has become essential, Canada's public safety minister said Saturday.

With US President Donald Trump beginning to tighten enforcement of immigration rules, and more than 11 million undocumented migrants living in the United States, crossings into Canada have been increasing since the beginning of the year.

"We need to have a very good cooperative, seamless arrangement with the US to fully appreciate where the flow began, and all of the factors that are contributing to the migration," said Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale during a visit to Emerson, Manitoba.

The recent wave of migrants to Canada originated mostly from East Africa and war-torn nations such as Syria.

"We need to make sure that we all have the same data and information about the makeup of this migration. It is clearly affecting Canada as the migrants come across the border," Goodale said.

"The Americans have indicated that they are equally interested in fully getting the facts and understanding the genesis of this and we will work collaboratively and seamlessly with them," he added.

But he did not say what that cooperation would look like, or when it would happen.

Federal police and immigration officials said some refugees appeared to have intended from the start to come to Canada after flying to the United States on a visitor visa.

Others decided to come only after they were denied asylum south of the border, or because they feared deportation amid the current US crackdown.

From January 1 to February 21, a total of about 4,000 people filed refugee claims in Canada, up from 2,500 during the same period last year.

The figure includes border jumpers and those arriving from the United States at border checkpoints.

Local officials say at least 180 asylum-seekers have crossed the border near Emerson since January.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- State Department officials will come to Minnesota on Tuesday to hold the only public meeting on a draft environmental review for the final segment of Enbridge Energy's project to boost capacity in its Alberta Clipper pipeline, which carries Canadian tar sands oil across northern Minnesota to Superior, Wisconsin.

The State Department's four-year review concluded that there would be no significant environmental impacts from completing the project, which requires a presidential permit because the last remaining segment crosses the U.S.-Canadian border in North Dakota. But environmentalists and some Native American tribes dispute that and are gearing up for the meeting in the northern Minnesota city of Bemidji.

Here's a look at some issues involved:

___

THE PIPELINE

Enbridge built the Alberta Clipper, also known as Line 67, in 2009 for $1 billion. Its capacity was 450,000 barrels per day. Enbridge later decided to nearly double that to 800,000 barrels; the Calgary, Alberta-based company did most of that by adding pumping stations along the route.

Enbridge needs a presidential permit for the 3-mile segment where the 1,000-mile pipeline crosses the border. Getting the permit is a lengthy process. The Keystone XL pipeline that would run from Canada's tar sands to Nebraska, for example, was derailed when President Barack Obama rejected its permit. President Donald Trump has invited Keystone XL developer TransCanada to reapply.

Enbridge is operating the Alberta Clipper at full capacity with a temporary workaround. It built a detour to and from a parallel pipeline that crosses the border nearby and already has a permit. Opponents challenged the legality of that setup in court but lost.

___

WHY ENBRIDGE WANTS IT

Enbridge spokeswoman Shannon Gustafson called the Alberta Clipper "a vital piece of energy infrastructure" that bolsters America's energy security because it lessens the need for imports from unstable nations. Midwest refineries depend on the oil that Enbridge pipelines deliver, she said.

Story continues

"Pipelines continue to be the safest, most reliable means of transporting crude oil that Minnesotans and Midwesterners rely on in their daily lives," Gustafson said.

Other Enbridge projects in the works are a proposed replacement for its 1960s-era Line 3 that would follow part of the same corridor. In fact, the Alberta Clipper detour uses an upgraded section of Line 3 to cross the border. Line 3 is also drawing opposition from tribes and environmentalists.

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THE OPPOSITION

A coalition of environmental and tribal groups opposes the Alberta Clipper because it carries tar sands oil, which they consider a bigger environmental threat than regular crude. The pipeline crosses the lake country of northern Minnesota, including the Leech Lake and Fond du Lac Ojibwe reservations. Opponents say it threatens ecologically sensitive areas, as well as resources such as wild rice that are important to the Ojibwe bands.

Some of the leading opponents, including Winona LaDuke, executive director of Honor the Earth, were also active in the fight against the Dakota Access oil pipeline. LaDuke said protests that drew thousands to the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota have spawned new "water protectors" to oppose Enbridge.

LaDuke is organizing a "Sustainability Summit" for Tuesday ahead of the State Department meeting. Her event will highlight clean energy alternatives. Participants will then march to the meeting and hold a rally that will include traditional Ojibwe drumming and dancing.

___

THE MEEETING

The State Department is holding Tuesday's meeting as part of the public comment period on the draft environmental review, which runs through March 27. The agency will consider those comments as it prepares the final version. The president must then determine whether issuing the permit is in the national interest.

___

Follow Steve Karnowski on Twitter at https://twitter.com/skarnowski . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/steve-karnowski
BOSTON (AP)  At the core of Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren's appeal is a critique of an economic system she says is rigged against the little guy.

Helping fuel that message is a voracious fundraising machine that has turned the Massachusetts Democrat into a powerhouse in her party as she looks ahead to a 2018 re-election campaign and what supporters hope is a 2020 presidential bid.

Warren started 2017 with $4.8 million in her campaign account, the biggest piggybank of any Senate Democrat facing voters next year, according to an Associated Press review of campaign finance records.

That's also $1 million more than any Democratic member of the Senate except for Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, of New York, with $10.7 million. Schumer won re-election last year.

Warren is also ahead of eight of the nine Senate Republicans running for re-election next year. Republican Sen. Bob Corker, of Tennessee, ended 2016 with $5.9 million. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, trailed Warren with $3.8 million. Sanders also had $5.5 million in his presidential campaign account.

Key to Warren's fundraising muscle is a wide base of supporters. Warren raked in donations from virtually every state in the past two years. Nearly all her contributions came from individual supporters, with just $34,000 from political action committees and other groups.

Even in states where President Donald Trump beat Democrat Hillary Clinton by double digit margins, Warren found tiny pockets of support.

In Kentucky, the former Harvard University law professor pulled in $5,200. In Alabama, she collected $3,200. And in Tennessee, she raised $9,600  all states where the vote exceeded 60 percent for Trump.

The totals count only contributions above $200 during the election cycle. Just 36 percent of the $5.8 million Warren raised in 2015 and 2016 crossed that threshold.

The low average donation means Warren can return to those supporters again and again before they hit the maximum of $2,700 per election cycle.

Story continues

Warren also raised about $1.2 million for her PAC for a Level Playing Field during the past two years. She donated $390,000 of that to Democratic candidates and committees.

Warren's success at cultivating small donors will be crucial to the Democratic Party's White House hopes in 2020 whether Warren runs or not, according to Peter Ubertaccio, director of the Martin Institute for Law & Society at Stonehill College.

"Her people have really figured out the secret sauce," Ubertaccio said. "Anyone who wants to be the Democratic nominee in 2020 is going to have to spend a lot of time cultivating Elizabeth Warren's supporters and donors, and ultimately her."

Warren is also adept at targeted fundraising appeals.

After Senate Republicans rebuked her for reading from a letter by Coretta Scott King during last months' debate on the nomination of Jeff Sessions for attorney general, Warren sent an email to outraged backers.

The liberal group MoveOn.org said it quickly raised more than $250,000 for Warren.

Warren also started selling "Nevertheless, She Persisted" T-shirts, echoing Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell who said, "She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted," before silencing Warren.

Contributions to Warren also spiked in the final three months of last year, when she took in $1 million, a period that included Trump's election.

Warren may also be hoping to discourage GOP challengers.

State Rep. Geoff Diehl, one of a handful of Massachusetts Republicans considering a Senate run, said Warren's cash isn't an obstacle.

"When you do the work and represent the interests of the people in the state, you can overcome whatever financial difference there may be," said Diehl, who served as the Trump campaign's Massachusetts co-chairman.

Warren has also become a fertile campaign tool for Republicans, much like the late Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy, whose seat Warren now holds.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has already released a series of paid digital ads linking 10 Senate Democrats up for re-election next year to Warren, highlighting how often they've voted with her.
Broadview School sixth-grader Cody Korenko is a spelling whiz.

Barely breaking a sweat, Cody spelled 12 words in 11 rounds Saturday to be named the champion of the 2017 Yellowstone County Spelling Bee. Not even the words vivisection and acronym could trip him up on his way to wrapping up the contest with corporal for the win.

Sixty-four students in grades five through eight took part in the bee held in the Skyview High auditorium. Thirty-five public, private and home schools were represented.

The students, known on stage only by the numbers they wore, sat in rows of chairs on the stage. All were poised as they stood and waited in line for their turn to step up to the microphone and spell their given word.

Second place went to Miguel Holloway, a sixth-grader at Newman Elementary School. He only missed one word in the contest that lasted slightly more than two hours.

Cody and Miguel will go on to the March 18 Treasure State Spelling Bee at Rocky Mountain College. They will be joined by third-place speller Seager Nentwig, an eighth-grader from Lewis & Clark Middle School, and Emily Sealey, a sixth-grader at Independent School.

Initially judges ruled that Emily had misspelled venerable in the first round. But the decision was appealed, and when judges Brenda Koch, Jamie Swan and Vanessa Lunda listened to a recording, they agreed she had gotten the word right.

The winner of the state bee advances to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which is slated for May 28-June 4 in Washington, D.C.

Mark Wilson and Paul Mushaben, hosts of the Breakfast Flakes show on Cat Country 102.9, once again acted as emcees at the event. They sought to put the students and the audience at ease before the event got underway.

The bee started with a practice round, where all of the students got a chance to spell a word with no penalty for a wrong spelling. The first round, which included challenging words like laburnums and Dantean, knocked out nearly half of the contestants.

By the end of the third round, only 15 contestants were left. That number shrunk to nine after round five, four by the end of round seven and, finally, two at the end of round 10.

At the start of the 11th round, Cody correctly spelled fennel and Miguel left a z out of piazza. When Cody then spelled corporal, he was declared the winner.

Cody, who looked stunned when he won, said later that winning felt amazing.

I felt blown away by the whole thing, he said, clasping his first-place trophy in his hands. I expected to just get out in the first round like I did last time, but instead I came in first place.

It probably helps that his three favorite subjects in school are reading, writing and spelling.

I love reading, I love writing stories, he said.

Cody figures hell spend the next two weeks studying like crazy.

Kurt Korenko, Codys father, admitted he was still shaking slightly after the bee ended. But he was pleased for his son.

He works hard and he studies hard and its just a great accomplishment for him, Korenko said, praising all of the students who participated.

Codys mom, Cassie ONeill, agreed with Korenko that sitting in the audience, watching Cody wasnt easy.

Its pretty nerve-wracking being out there, biting your fingernails just waiting, she said. I think the first round he was a little shaken, but he kind of got into the groove and he did great.

At the start of the bee, students were instructed by pronouncer Jaclyn Terland that they could ask her to repeat their word, ask for an alternative pronunciation if one was provided, ask for the words origin, its definition and for it to be used in a sentence.

Parents and teachers also were invited to file an appeal after a round if they felt their students or childs spelling of a word was mistakenly ruled wrong. Several parents took advantage of the process, but only Emily was reinstated.

Afterward, judge Vanessa Lund said she thinks the confusion came in because parents are used to hearing a word spoken a certain way.

We have to use the Websters Third New International Dictionarys primary pronunciation, and then its up to the kids to ask for alternate pronunciations, Lund said.

Asking for the alternative spelling is a skill the students should employ, Terland agreed. Otherwise they handicap themselves when they launch into spelling.

Often kids hear it and they think they know the word because it sounds like something else, she said. And they spell it based on the pronunciation that may not give them the most information.


College students around the world have been a powerful force for change throughout history.

In the United States, the 1930s, 1960s and 1990s were periods when every new generation of college students became involved in political action. They forced change on issues of war, poverty and environmental protection.

Millennials is a term that describes the current generation of 18 to 35 year-olds. They have faced criticism for rejecting behavior and beliefs of previous generations. But passion for political involvement is one quality that has not been lost.

In 2016, the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles reported on the opinions of over 141,000 first time college students. The study found one in 10 students expected to be involved in some kind of protest during their college career.

However, not all student political involvement looks the same.

Getting money out of politics

Cassie Cleary is from Wakefield, Massachusetts: a small town outside of Boston. The 21-year-old says politics was not often a topic of conversation among her friends growing up. Her high school had no student political groups that she knew of.

In her second year at Syracuse University in New York, the political science and history student learned of a group called Democracy Matters. The national organization works to prevent private corporations from giving money to election campaigns.

Cleary was concerned about the 2010 Supreme Court decision on campaign finance. The decision allows businesses and groups to spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns.

So she became a leader for her schools chapter of Democracy Matters. As chapter leader, Cleary plans meetings, invites guest speakers and even investigates sources of private donations to her university. She also organizes actions like getting student to call their representatives in Congress to express their concerns. Cleary sees her generations knowledge of technology and social media as a special tool for change.

"Lets be honest. We have more time than the average person because were not working. We dont have kids. So I think if we can get really involved in the backbone of these movements we can move them forward so much more. We have so much more to commit. And we have the energy to do it."

Helping minority communities

Wailly Compres, 21, is originally from Moca in the Dominican Republic. Like Cleary, Compres had little involvement in politics in his younger days. He said that as in the U.S., political discussion in his country can be very divisive. People often avoid it, he said.

In 2012, Compres and his family moved to New York City, where he attended an all-Latino high school. There he began to learn he and his fellow students shared similar experiences of discrimination as Latinos and immigrants.

After graduating, Compres began looking for a university that served his interests as a member of these communities. He learned of Bard College, a few hours north of the city. The school was home to La Vos, a publication designed to share news and information for the Spanish-speakers in the area.

Compres became involved with La Vos and worked with members of the community outside the college. The philosophy student wants to connect Latino immigrants with helpful resources. He also wants to change negative attitudes some Americans have about immigrants.

Between 2012 and 2016, several deaths of African American men at the hands of police drew national attention. To show his support, Compres started a Bard chapter of the Million Hoodies Movement for Justice. This is a national student human rights organization aiming to end police violence against African Americans and other minorities.

But as Compres becomes more involved, he notes many students feel they only have time for activism while they are students. Every four years, he said:

"They leave, the activism stops. Another generation comes, it happens again. It stops, and so on. So I think that, like, our main goal right now is How do we keep this going?'"

Sharing conservative values

Cade Marsh said he did form strong political opinions at an early age. Marsh is from San Diego, California. He calls himself a standard conservative, believing in limited government, personal freedom and individual responsibility.

Marsh began studying law at Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida in 2014. At the time, there was a mid-term election for members of Congress. Marsh was unhappy with how the government was being run. And he felt that politicians have not appealed to younger voters.

"As my generation is spoken to less, and as our opinions are taken and reflected by our elected officials less, we are even less likely to come out and vote  That sort of trend can only last so long, though, because at the end of the day, weve started to reject standard political campaign communication and have started connecting peer-to-peer."

In early 2015, Marsh wanted to test his abilities as a leader. So he decided to join his schools chapter of the College Republicans. Created in 1892, this national organization works to get students to join the Republican political party and support conservative goals. Marsh worked hard to share information about his political party.

By the fall, Marsh gathered 500 new members to his group. He also became the executive director of the Florida College Republican Federation. He even created his own political action committee called Campus Red PAC in 2016. The group raised over $100,000 to help share Republican messages at Florida colleges and register new voters.

Marsh graduated in early 2017, but he says his political activism is not over. He plans to continue his involvement throughout his life. And Marsh says he will encourage any children he has in the future to be politically active as well. He believes young people will always be a major force for change.

Im Pete Musto.

Pete Musto reported this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. How politically active are college students in your country? What kinds of student activism happen at colleges in your country? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

millennial(s)  n. a person who was born in the 1980s or 1990s

passion  n. a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something

chapter  n. the people in a certain area who make up one section of a large organization

social media  n. forms of electronic communication, such as Web sites, through which people create online communities to share information, ideas and personal messages

backbone  n. the most important or strongest part of something

commit  v. to decide to give your love, support, or effort to someone or something in a serious or permanent way

divisive  adj. causing a lot of disagreement between people and causing them to separate into different groups

graduating  v. earning a degree or diploma from a school, college, or university

negative  adj. harmful or bad

at the hands  idm. by or through the action of someone or something

standard  adj. regularly and widely used, seen, or accepted

reflect(ed)  v. to show something

trend  n. a general direction of change

peer  n. a person who belongs to the same age group or social group as someone else

encourage  v. to tell or advise someone to do something
Washington (AFP) - US authorities are temporarily suspending the speedy, premium processing of a visa which is often used by tech firms to recruit foreign skilled workers.

Although the move comes as President Donald Trump pledges to prioritize jobs for Americans, US Citizenship and Immigration Services said the suspension was only meant to help the agency reduce overall processing time.

The H-1B visa is issued to tens of thousands of highly skilled foreign nationals each year, but as of April 3, applicants will no longer be able to use a costly shortcut to rush the processing of their visas.

On Friday, USCIS announced that the "premium processing" of H-1B visas -- which saw wait times reduced from several months to 15 days for the price of $1,225 -- would be temporarily suspended for up to six months.

The visa has drawn particular attention since Trump's election, with White House spokesman Sean Spicer suggesting that presidential and congressional action could be taken on H-1B visas as "part of a larger immigration reform effort."

According to USCIS, the visas go to scientists, engineers, computer programmers or anyone "in specialty occupations that require the theoretical or practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge."

The United States offers 85,000 H-1B visas every year, most of which are snapped up by Indian outsourcers whose employees fill a skill gap in US engineering. Applications are vastly oversubscribed and are allocated via a lottery system.
Vice President Mike Pence publicly demanded an apology from the Associated Press (AP) on Saturday for listing his wifes private email address in a story about Pences apparent reluctance to make the records of his tenure as Indiana's governor public.

In a tweet on Saturday evening, Pence alleged that AP had violated his and his wifes privacy and security. The vice president also posted a detailed letter addressed to Gary Pruitt, AP's president and CEO, demanding an apology for a story the news agency published Friday.

"The publication of Mrs. Pence's active private email address to millions of her readers has subjected her to vitriolic and malicious emails and raised serious security concernsthe Associated Press should have done a proper inquiry into the status of Mrs. Pence's personal email account before publishing it," Mark Paoletta, counsel to the vice president, wrote in the letter.

Following Pences tweet, Lauren Easton, AP's director of media relations, said the following in a statement: "AP removed the email address from subsequent stories after learning Mrs. Pence still used the account. The AP stands by its story, which addresses important transparency issues."

The story surfaced following a report by the Indianapolis Star on Thursday, which claimed that Pence used a private AOL account to conduct state business during his tenure as governor of Indiana. The two stories suggested that the AOL email account was used by Pence to discuss seemingly confidential subjects such as terror attacks and to receive FBI updates. The email account was also reportedly hacked last summer.

"Similar to previous governors, during his time as Governor of Indiana, Mike Pence maintained a state email account and a personal email accountas Governor, Mr. Pence fully complied with Indiana law regarding email use and retention. Government emails involving his state and personal accounts are being archived by the state consistent with Indiana law, and are being managed according to Indianas Access to Public Records Act," Pence's office said in a statement to the Indianapolis Star.

Story continues

The news regarding Pences email is significant because former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clintons use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state was repeatedly denounced by the then Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Pence in the run-up to the presidential elections last year. Pence, however, said that "there's no comparison whatsoever," when asked if he felt any sympathy for Hillary Clinton under his current circumstances, according to CNN.

Although Clinton was ultimately cleared of any criminal wrongdoing by the FBI, news about Clintons email scandal was considered by many to be the tipping point that eventually gave Trump the upper hand in the presidential race. Former Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, for instance, also recently said that forces within the FBI worked against Clinton during a taped NewCo. Shift discussion with John Heilemann.

Explaining another possible reason for Clintons loss, the Vox video embedded below uses a Gallup report to suggest that news regarding the Clinton email scandal overwhelmingly dominated what American voters had read, seen or heard about the two candidates. In comparison, it suggests that the damning coverage around Trump was more scattered because of how media was operating during the election.

More recently, a photo of Clinton glancing at a newspaper headline about Pence using private email has gone viral on social media.

Related:

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

Related Articles
Mike Pence speaks about Karen Pence email

Vice President Mike Pence has called for an apology from the Associated Press for publishing his wifes email address. Publicly releasing a letter addressed to Gary B. Pruitt, president and CEO of the Associated Press, Pence announced that the news organization had refused to remove Karen Pences email from a published story, and declared that she is owed an apology.

Leaks of information at varying levels of presumed privacy, and varying levels of public interest, has been a recurring theme of the 2016 election and the first weeks of Donald Trumps presidency.

There were the WikiLeaks documents during the primaries, which were read by some voters as implicating Hillary Clinton and the DNC in a variety of bad behaviors, from misrepresenting the level of neutrality the committee held for the candidates in the Democratic primary, to leading media coverage.

Donald Trump spoke of these leaks, calling for the press and the public to give them more attention.

Click here to continue and read more...
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP)  Algerian law requires the next parliament to be made up of 30 percent women  but political parties across the spectrum have struggled to come up with enough female candidates to fill the quota.

While universities in this Muslim North African nation are increasingly full of young women, politics is still largely seen as a male domain. A relatively macho culture, especially in the desert and rural heartland, has left many parties short of female options as they sift through thousands of potential candidates to finalize party lists by Sunday for the May 4 election.

Parties reached out to journalists, teachers and other female professionals to try to persuade them to join male rivals who are clamoring to run for parliament, notably attracted by the political power and financial privileges of a legislative seat.

"I was never involved in political or union activity, but I was always interested in politics, through newspapers, television. I don't know what parliamentary work consists of, but the challenge interests me a lot," retired teacher Aziza Boudia said. The Algerian National Front party asked the energetic 55-year-old to be the No. 2 candidate for the party's list in Boumerdes east of Algiers.

Television presenter Nora Hamdi is more reticent and doesn't want to be seen as a token woman. Contacted by the minority Algerian Popular Movement party, she said, "It will depend on the position I would have on the list."

When Algeria's 22 million voters are called upon to choose 462 members of the lower house of parliament, 145 of them are meant to be women under a 2012 law championed by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to promote women in politics.

While the National Liberation Front party, or FLN, is expected to keep its parliamentary majority, the legislative elections are an important gauge of political shifts at a time when the president's health is a widespread concern. Bouteflika has rarely been seen in public since a 2013 stroke and recently canceled a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the last minute for health reasons.

Story continues

"We have received 6,228 dossiers from candidates overall, but barely more than 100 from women," Djamal Ould Abbas, general secretary of the majority FLN party, said two weeks before Sunday's deadline.

Sociologist Nasser Djabi described it as a "problem of society. Algerian political parties are macho. They haven't invested in promoting women in politics."

"They are disconnected to the evolution of Algerian society, where girls are in the majority in universities, and girls have higher success rates on exams," he said. "Certain professions that have become more female, like the press, the legal system, education, health  but I see that the political parties remain closed in on themselves, and haven't followed this movement of evolution."

Feminist law professor Nadia Ait Zai welcomed Bouteflika's "courage" in pushing for the law. "For years they did nothing to favor the emergence of women political leaders."

While some welcomed the new quotas, in effect for the first time at a national level in this year's election, professor Zalane Abderrahmane of the University of Algiers was less enthusiastic.

"There's no point in having 30 percent of women in parliament if they are coming just to be ... decorative plants," he said. "Women should be there because of their ideas, their capacities, their personalities, their commitment, because they are the future of Algeria."
Aden (AFP) - The United States on Sunday launched a new wave of air raids against Al-Qaeda in Yemen, as jihadists fled from towns being targeted to mountainous areas, security sources said.

At least five early morning raids hit targets linked to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in the southern Shabwa and central Baida provinces, security sources told AFP.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Among the areas from which the radical group pulled its operatives is the Baida town of Ghail, where top AQAP commander Abdulelah al-Dhahab has reportedly been holed up, the sources said.

Suspected AQAP gunmen meanwhile killed five soldiers at a checkpoint in the southern province of Abyan, which has itself been hit by air strikes in recent days, security sources and medics there said.

Since Thursday, Washington, which regards AQAP as the jihadist network's most dangerous branch, has stepped up its air and drone strikes on Yemeni provinces including Baida, Shabwa and Abyan.

The Pentagon on Friday confirmed it had carried out more than 30 strikes against AQAP, conducted in partnership with the Yemeni government.

Local officials and tribal sources told AFP that at least 20 jihadists were killed on Thursday and Friday.

The bombing campaign comes after a botched January 29 raid against AQAP left multiple civilians and a US Navy SEAL dead in the first military strike ordered by President Donald Trump.

Al-Qaeda has exploited a power vacuum created by two years of war between Yemen's government and Shiite rebels who control the capital to consolidate its presence, particularly in the south and east.
The White House asked Congress Sunday to probe whether former President Obama abused executive-branch powers during the 2016 election following Trumps accusations that he wiretapped Trump Tower while still in office.

Reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement.

According to the statement, Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016.

Neither the White House nor the President will comment further until such oversight is conducted, the statement said.

On Saturday, Trump claimed, without citing any evidence, in a series of tweets that Obama had bypassed a court rejection to wiretap Trump Tower in New York City and suggested a good lawyer could make a great case out of his accusation.

A spokesman for Obama said Trumps claim was simply false.
Google has begun rolling out Google Assistant to Android Nougat and Marshmallow users across the globe. Find out how to get, activate and start using the new digital assistant, here.

Almost a year after it was first unveiled, Google has finally begun a widespread rollout of its own AI-powered virtual assistant. Following it the footsteps of popular virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa and Cortana, Google Assistant brings a digital helper of its own to Android users across the globe.

The feature, which was first showcased at Google I/O last spring, was initially made available only to Google Pixel phone users, but as of this week, Google announced that many more Android users will be enjoying Google Assistant. The feature began rolling out to Nougat and Marshmallow devices the week of February 26 and continues to become available to more users every day.

If you have an Android device and want to get Google Assistant working on it but arent sure how, weve put together a comprehensive guide of everything you need to know to activate and begin using Google Assistant on your device.

Google Assistant Update Release: How To Get, Activate And Start Using Googles New Virtual Assistant

google assistant how to get use activate google assistant update google play service start google assistant pixel android smartphones compatible download apk instructions

Photo: Google

Which Devices Are Compatible With Google Assistant?

So before you try to grab Google Assistant, the first thing you need to check is if your device is compatible. Google Assistant has been available on Google Pixel Phone since its release, but this week, Google has begun rolling out the AI helper to Android phones running Android 7.0 Nougat and 6.0 Marshmallow. While there is no official listing of phones that will be compatible with the update, here are a few popular devices that should receive it:

HTC 10

HTC U Ultra

Huawei P9

LG G5

LG V20

Samsung Galaxy S7

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge

Sony Xperia XZ

Which Countries Will Receive The Google Assistant Update?

Unfortunately, Google Assistant wont be available to users in every country. The update will release to users in the U.S. first and then will roll out to users in the UK, Australia, Canada and Germany. Android users outside of these countries will not have access to the update.

Story continues

How Do I Get And Activate Google Assistant?

If you know your device is compatible then getting the Google Assistant is pretty simple. All that is required is to update your devices Google Play Services. Keep in mind, though, Google Assistant is rolling out slowly, so not everyone with a compaatible device in a country where the rollout is taking place will have access to it right away. If your Google Play Service is updated but Google Assistant still isn't available to you, it likely hasn't rolled out in your area yet. Just keep checking on it each day.

How Do I Update Google Play Services?

Updating Google Play Services is fairly simple but not exactly intuitive. Here are steps to follow for getting and updating Google Play Services on your Android phone.

Get the latest Google Play Services APK and download it on your device. You can find a full listing of these, here. Find the APK your downloaded, and copy it to your devices internal/external storage. Go to Settings > Security > Unknown Sources and check the box that allows 3rd-party application installation. Now find where you saved the APK on your device and open up the installation screen. Tap on the install button and the update will begin. Once the app is finished updating, Google Assistant should be ready to go!

How To Check If Google Assistant Is Installed

google assistant how to get use activate google assistant update google play service start google assistant pixel android smartphones compatible download apk instructions

Photo: Google

If Google Assistant has rolled out in our area, and Google Play Services have updated properly, Google Assistant should be ready to go. To activate Google assistant and start using it, simply long press on the home button. Youll be introduced to Google Assistant and asked to allow some permissions so that it can work. Once youve finished, Google Assistant is ready to use.

Tips And Tricks For Starting And Using Google Assistant

google assistant how to get use activate google assistant update google play service start google assistant pixel android smartphones compatible download apk instructions

Photo: Google

Once you know Google Assistant is installed, you are now ready to start using it. To activate Google Assistant either long press on the home button or say the magic words, Ok, Google. Google Assistant will pop up on the screen with a Hi, how can I help you message.

If you are new to using a virtual assistant, you might feel a little silly talking to it. Dont worry, though: New AI helpers like Google Assistant have been designed to recognize natural language, so just ask questions the way you would to a friend.

On the Google Assistants support page, the company actually offers a few suggestions for things you can ask your new smartphone helper. Heres a small sample:

What's the weather today?

What's will the weather be this weekend?

What restaurants are nearby? I feel like having pizza tonight.

Where's the closest gas station?

Which pharmacy is open?

How long will it take to get to the airport?

Show me my schedule for tomorrow.

Set an alarm for 6 a.m.

Show me my photos of the beach.

What's "How are you?" in German

Show me the trailer for the latest Pixar movie.

Are you using Google Assistant? What do you think of the new AI helper? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Related Articles
The artificial intelligence-based smartphone voice assistant is expected to get more "chatty," according to a report.

The Google Assistant feature was finally rolled out to Android Nougat and Android Marshmallow devices on Thursday. But to get the feature on your device, you will need the updated version of Google Play Services, which wasn't available on the Google Play app store at the time of writing.

If you havent received the update on your device, or for some reason, cant seem to get the feature on your device, there is another way out. Users who havent received the feature but still want to access it will need to download the APK version of the update and install.

Note: International Business Times cannot be held responsible if anything goes wrong. Users should proceed at their own risk.

First and foremost, two things are needed to download the update:

An Android smartphone running Android Marshmallow or Android Nougat

Google Play Services APK version 10.2.98 or higher

You will need to head to APK Mirror and download the correct variant of the APK for your device. In case you dont know which variant of Google Play Services you need, you can check out Play Services Info app made by third-party app developer Weberdo. The app will show you the version of Google Play Services running on your device and whether there is an update available.

2017 is expected to be the year of artificial intelligence-based voice assistants, with Google and Amazon being the major players in the arena. Google started the trend with its unveil of the Assistant in October 2016, but Amazon caught up soon with its Alexa voice assistant. Both companies have come out with smart speakers running on their AI-based voice assistant. Microsoft too is expected to come out with a similar device combined with its Cortana voice assistant.

In addition, HTC has already come out with its Sense Companion while Samsung is expected to unveil its Bixby voice assistant soon.

Related Articles
U.S. President Donald Trump asked Congress to investigate his claim that the Obama administration wiretapped his phones during the 2016 election. But a U.S. official said the FBI has asked the Justice Department to dispute the claim.

In a statement on Sunday, the presidents spokesman, Sean Spicer, said the administration is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016.

Spicer said, neither the White House nor the president will comment further until such oversight is conducted.

Several American news organizations, including The New York Times and the Associated Press, reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has asked the Justice Department to dispute the president's claim. The news reports quoted an unnamed U.S. official.

The FBI and the Justice Department -- the government agencies that would investigate Russian activity in the election -- did not make any official statements.

James Clapper was the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in the Obama administration. On Sunday, he told NBC News' Meet the Press program, There was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect [Donald Trump] at the time, or as a candidate or against his campaign.

Absolutely, I can deny it, Clapper said.

Controversy started with presidential tweets

Early Saturday morning, Trump said on Twitter that he Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. The president did not provide evidence for his accusation. He compared the actions of the Obama administration to Watergate, the political scandal that led to the resignation of U.S. President Richard Nixon in 1974.

Kevin Lewis is a spokesman for Obama. In a statement on Saturday, he said neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false. Lewis said no Obama official ever interfered with any investigation led by the Justice Department.

The Russian question

Trump has dealt with questions about his campaigns possible ties to Russia since before the election. While Obama was president, American intelligence agencies said Russia had interfered in the election to help Trump defeat Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Last week, it was reported that Sergei Kislyak, the Russian Ambassador to the United States, had met at Trump Tower in New York in December with Jared Kushner and Michael Flynn.

Kushner is an advisor to the president. He is married to Trumps daughter Ivanka. Michael Flynn is a retired army general. He was the presidents first national security advisor and was forced to leave the position after 24 days. Flynn admitted that he had given officials incomplete information about his phone conversations with Kislyak.

Hope Hicks is a spokeswoman for President Trump. She said the meetings at Trump Tower were held to establish a line of communication between Trump aides and the Russian ambassador. She said Kushner met with representatives from many countries.

On Thursday, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he would not take part in any investigations into Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election. Sessions was a member of the Senate during the campaign. He strongly supported Trump.

During a hearing called by senators to ask questions before they decided if they would approve his appointment as attorney general, Sessions said he had not met with Russian officials. But he later admitted that he had met with Kislyak twice during the presidential campaign.

Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English based on reporting from VOA and the Associated Press. Christopher Cruise was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

wiretap - v. to place a device on someone's phone in order to secretly listen to telephone calls

oversight - n. the act of overseeing something or someone. Congressional oversight gives the U.S. Congress the ability to review and monitor federal agencies, programs, activities and policy implementation


The government in Vietnam faces pressure from European lawmakers to improve its human rights record.

The rights issues are being raised at a time when European Union (EU) members are considering a free trade deal with the Southeast Asian nation.

The European Parliament recently sent its Subcommittee on Human Rights on a fact-finding trip to Vietnam. The committee called on Vietnamese officials to permit more debate about political rights and freedom of expression and religion.

The EU and Vietnam signed the free trade deal in December of 2015. However, the European Parliament and the legislatures of all EU members must approve the agreement for it to take effect.

That may be easier said than done.

Frederick Burke is with the law office of Baker & McKenzie in Ho Chi Minh City. He noted, They have this daunting prospect of having to go through 27 national assemblies to get anything ratified.

EU officials had sought the trade deal so European companies could easily do business with Vietnam and its market of 93 million people.

The EU also hopes the agreement will serve as a starting point for a free trade deal with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Vietnam is one of ASEANs 10 members.

Vietnam has been developing an export-driven economy. The country is seeking to diversify its markets and reduce dependence on China.

Future of Pacific free trade deal remains uncertain

Vietnam signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement with 11 other nations last year. The deal would have sharply cut import tariffs on Vietnamese products in Japan and the United States.

However, the future of the agreement is unclear. In January, the United States, under president Donald Trump, withdrew from the TPP.

Now, Vietnam is looking to increase trade with the European Union. The value of trade between the sides is estimated at $40 billion. The EU is already Vietnams third largest trading partner, after the U.S. and China.

Hoang Viet Phuong works at SSI Securities Service in Hanoi. She says Vietnam exports a lot of clothing and textile products to Europe. And she thinks the trade deal with the EU will help exports after the loss of the TPP.

The agreement would end almost all import tariffs between the two sides within seven years. It would also open Vietnam to European services, such as healthcare and packaging.

Activists demand greater attention to human rights

Nearly one year ago, the French group Worldwide Movement for Human Rights accused the EU of failing to study the effect the trade deal would have on rights.

Mauro Petriccione was the chief European negotiator. He said the deal included strong commitments to protect peoples basic rights at work, their human rights more broadly, and the environment.

But Fredrick Burke of Baker & McKenzie says Vietnams free trade agreement with the EU is not as strong on human rights as the TPP.

Burke said the TPP would have required changes to Vietnams labor laws, making them more supportive of labor unions. It also would have permitted fines on industries if pollution caused problems for trade. Violators would face extra tariffs.

The EU FTA (free trade agreement) was not drafted as clearly as the TPP, he said. The language is not as self-enforcing. It relies more on goodwill and people willing to do things.

Vietnam has faced criticism from rights groups for its record on free speech, labor rights and other issues.

The New York-based group Human Rights Watch says Vietnamese officials threaten and imprison bloggers and political activists. It also says workers cannot form unions and farmers risk losing land to development projects.

Another group, Open Doors, estimates there are 8 million Christians in Vietnam. But it says these people are sometimes arrested because the government sees religion as being tied to foreign powers.

The head of the European subcommittee spoke about human rights in Vietnam. He said without meeting Europes conditions on human rights, ratification of the trade deal would be difficult.

Im Mario Ritter.

Ralph Jennings reported this story for VOANews.com. Mario Ritter adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

daunting n. difficult to deal with, not easy

prospect  n. the possibility that something might take place

ratify  v. to officially sign and approve a treaty

diversify  v. to increase the different kinds of goods that are offered for sale

tariff  n. a tax on goods coming into or leaving a country


Hello and welcome to another Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.

Each week we tell the story of words and expressions used in American English.

Today, we talk about two phrases that were ripped from the headlines, meaning they both came into the language from news events that were covered extensively in the press.

The first is Stockholm syndrome. Stockholm is, of course, a big city in Sweden. Syndrome is a condition.

Stockholm syndrome is a type of brainwashing, a psychological condition. It describes a situation where a person held captive develops positive feelings toward their captors.

This expression comes from a failed bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden. In August of 1973 bank robbers held four employees captive in the bank for six days.

In time, the captives developed a strong connection with their captors. One captive allegedly said she was afraid the police would try to rescue them and endanger the captors.

You may hear the phrase Stockholm syndrome in news reports where kidnapped people refuse to leave their captors after living in captivity for a long time. Fearing for their lives, these people have learned how to survive the best way they can. Connecting with their captors is their coping mechanism.

We also use Stockholm syndrome to describe people who stay in unhealthy and sometimes even abusive relationships.

A famous example of Stockholm syndrome here in the U.S. relates to a wealthy heiress named Patty Hearst. In 1974 a group called the Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped Hearst, the 19-year-old grand-daughter of a wealthy newspaper owner.

Several weeks after her kidnapping, Hearst helped her captors rob a bank in California. Then she ran from authorities. Finally, the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Hearst, and lawyers charged her with armed bank robbery.

Hearst said she was a victim of brainwashing. She claimed she was abused by her captors and afraid for her life. Many professionals said she suffered from Stockholm syndrome. The court, however, did not agree. She was sentenced to 35 years in jail, but she only served two.

With help, people who are brainwashed can unlearn this coping mechanism. However, recovery is much more difficult for those who have drunk the Kool-Aid.

Lets say someone believes in something with all their heart and soul. That something can be a social cause, a political movement or the person in charge. If they are so wrapped up in the cause, movement or person  to the point where they are unable to think for themselves  we say they have drunk the Kool-Aid.

But what is Kool-Aid and how does drinking it relate to brainwashing?

Kool-Aid is a flavored, sweet drink that was once very popular with American children. However, to drink the Kool-Aid is to accept the beliefs of another person or organization completely.

This expression comes from a very dark, disturbing event that happened in 1978.

An American named Jim Jones was operating a utopian community in Guyana, South America called Jonestown. But according to former members and eyewitnesses, Jonestown was not a utopia. It was a cult and a prison. Members were not allowed to leave nor were they fed properly. And Jones claimed the role of father figure over everyone.

Former members of the cult who managed to escape asked the U.S. government to get involved. So, U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan and several journalists went to Guyana to investigate. At the airport as the group was preparing to leave, a cult member shot at the group. On the runway, he killed Ryan, several journalists and a fleeing cult member.

Before the U.S. government could act, Jim Jones asked his followers to kill themselves by drinking a sweet, flavored beverage. The drink contained poison. More than 900 of his followers drank it -- some willingly, some forced.

The massacre led to the expression dont drink the Kool-Aid.

As an historical note, the beverage that contained the poison was not actually Kool-Aid but another similar brand called Flavor-Aid. This detail, however, does not change the expression. Nor does its terrible origin stop people from using it.

In fact, in 2012 editors at Forbes included drink the Kool-Aid in that magazines List of Most Annoying Business Jargon.

Despite the dark origins of both drink the Kool-aid and Stockholm syndrome, they are both used today in serious and non-serious situations.

Im Anna Matteo.

____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

captive  adj. captured and kept in a prison, cage, etc.

captor  n. someone who has captured a person and is keeping that person as a prisoner

captivity  n. the state of being kept in a place (such as a prison or a cage) and not being able to leave or be free : the state or condition of being captive

coping mechanism  n. Psychology : an adaptation to environmental stress that is based on conscious or unconscious choice and that enhances control over behavior or gives psychological comfort.

heiress  n. a girl or woman who inherits a large amount of money

wrapped up  adj. If someone is wrapped up in a particular person or thing, they spend nearly all their time thinking about them, so that they forget about other things that may be important.

utopian  adj. impossibly ideal : utopia  n. an imaginary place in which the government, laws, and social conditions are perfect

cult  n. a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people as extreme or dangerous

father figure  n. an older man who is respected and admired like a father

massacre  n. the act or an instance of killing a number of usually helpless or unresisting human beings under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty

jargon  n. the language used for a particular activity or by a particular group of people
Tax us, please!

That was the unusual, bipartisan, cross-state request from Montana business, labor, engineers, truckers, local and state leaders to the House Transportation Committee. A coalition of 50 supporters from as far as Kalispell, Shelby, Sidney, Billings, Bozeman and Missoula urged the committee to approve a long-term solution to the states dangerously deteriorating transportation system.

Why?

Montana has the third highest traffic fatality rate in the nation.

A new, independent study concluded that 30 percent of the states roads are in poor condition.

Statewide, more than 900 bridges are structurally deficient or obsolete.

The extra vehicle repairs, maintenance and delays on bad roads costs Montanans about $800 million annually.

Montana funds its highways with a user fee: a tax on every gallon of gas and on-road diesel sold in the state. That tax hasnt been raised since 1994. The cost of building and maintaining roads has risen faster than volume of fuel sales, creating a gap in funding. Last year, the Montana Department of Transportation calculated the highway infrastructure needs for the coming decade to be $15 billion, while only $5 billion will be available.

Montana gets about $7 in federal highway money for each $1 in state-generated revenue. However, the state no longer has the money for that match.

House Bill 473 is a case study in how good legislation should be created. The Montana Infrastructure Coalition, a group of more than 150 Montana private and public entities, has been working on a plan for a transportation solution for the past couple of years. Rep. Frank Garner, R-Kalispell, a former police chief, courageously stepped up to sponsor this road and bridge safety bill that includes a fuel tax increase.

Gov. Steve Bullock is supporting Garners bill, which is endorsed by the Montana Association of Counties, the Motor Carriers of Montana, MDU Resources, Montana Contractors Association, AFL-CIO and other labor unions.

The money raised under HB473 would be used only for transportation safety. The fiscal note projects that the proposed increase of 8 cents per gallon of gas and 7.2 cents per gallon of diesel would generate $61 million next year. It would be split, with $35 million going to state roads, $2.75 million to maintain Montana Highway Patrol staffing and $23.5 million to be distributed to local governments for road work. The local government would be required to match $1 of every $5 in these road grants.

Although cities and counties are responsible for most of the miles of streets and roads in this state, they receive little fuel tax money now. Yellowstone County gets about $300,000 annually in gas tax money for its $8.6 million road budget, Commissioner John Ostlund told the Transportation Committee.

Billings City Councilman Richard Clark also testified in support of HB473, pointing out that the city has for 20 years talked about building a western route out of Billings Heights, but has never had the money.

Mayors of Missoula, Bozeman and Great Falls spoke of deferred maintenance lists that grow longer each year because there isnt money to keep up.

Local governments have turned to property taxpayers to pay for road improvements. In Billings, voters years ago passed a bond levy to pay for three specific road projects. Property taxpayers have arterial street fees and other street assessments on their annual bills.

HB473 provides an alternative to reliance on property taxes; cities and counties would have fuel tax dollars for street construction and repair.

Nearly 40 percent of that tax money will actually be paid by the millions of out-of-state visitors who drive into Montana every year.

Lets add up the return on the proposed 8-cent gas tax hike:

Montana visitors pay about 40 percent.

Federal highway funds to match every state $1 with $7 federal dollars.

Cities and counties share in fuel tax revenues as an alternative to raising property taxes for streets.

All the money is spent in Montana, creating jobs and, most importantly, safer transportation.

The Highway Patrol doesnt lose staff.

Lets finally get ahead of road problems. If motorists pay a little more at the pump, all will be safer and save money over time. Ask your legislators to support HB473 when they return to Helena this week.

As Garner said, HB473 is a long-term fix to a significant safety problem in our state. It will empower our local partners. It will keep the MHP working.
United Way focuses on the basic building blocks of a good quality of life: education, income and health. It isnt often that we have the chance to support public policy that can address all three.

This year, the Montana Legislature has an opportunity to strengthen low- and moderate-income working families by creating a state version of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The Senate is considering SB156, and the House is considering HB391, both of which will help Montana working families make ends meet and substantially improve the lives of children, families, and communities across Montana.

The federal EITC helps boost the incomes of low- and moderate-income working families. Its most significant beneficiaries are children. In 2015 alone, the federal EITC lifted more than 3.3 million children out of poverty. The EITC is available only to working families, and has been incredibly effective. Most recipients receive the credit for just one to two years, and then no longer need it.

Recognizing that the EITC is one of the countrys most successful anti-poverty policies, more than half of states have now enacted their own working families credit. It is Montanas time to do the same and help nearly 80,000 working Montana families.

The federal EITC improves financial stability and independence of individuals and families. Recipients report using their credit to pay bills, fix their cars, pay for braces or summer camps for their children, and make other smart investments. A state EITC is a cost-effective way to further help families catch up on bills and cover other family necessities.

A state EITC could also improve childrens education. Studies show that childrens school performance improves when their familys income increases. Down the road, this investment continues to pay off. Studies show children whose families received the credit are more likely to attend college and earn more as adults. By the time they reach 25, they can actually earn 17 percent more than they would have without the EITC.

A state EITC would also promote better health. In the 1990s, researchers found that healthier babies were born to mothers who received the EITC, in comparison to those who struggled without financial assistance. The mothers also were healthier. Years later, children whose families receive the credit are less likely to develop illnesses associated with childhood poverty. Families see lifelong benefits when children have a strong, healthy start.

Montanas families living in poverty have some of the highest tax liabilities of nearly any state in the nation. A state EITC would make life easier for these working families. Research shows a state EITC can actually help reduce the number of people who receive cash welfare assistance.

If our legislators truly want to improve the lives of working families across the state, they should seize this opportunity to create a state EITC. There is no better work they can do than improving the lives of our children. Income, education, and health, all in one. It's a great investment.
Faced with the killing of its leaders half brother in what appears to have all the trappings of a politically motivated hit, North Korea is turning up the volume on a familiar defense: Flatly deny the allegations, viciously attack the accusers.

Its a position the North has been in before, from dismissing U.N. reports outlining human rights abuses or the findings to disputing who threw the first punch in the Korean War.

But, while master of the message at home, rarely, if ever, has Pyongyang managed to effectively sway world opinion.

With evidence emerging that seems to strongly implicate some kind of North Korea connection to the killing of Kim Jong Uns estranged half brother Kim Jong Nam, the North is intensifying its public attack on the officials in charge of the investigation in Malaysia.

In its first mention of the case, state-run media denied Thursday that North Korean agents masterminded the killing and said the Malaysian investigation was full of holes and contradictions.

The response came a day after Malaysian police said they were seeking two more North Koreans, including the second secretary of North Koreas embassy in Kuala Lumpur, in connection with the Feb. 13 killing of Kim Jong Nam in an airport lobby.

North Koreas ambassador in Malaysia has made similar statements to reporters. But the decision to carry the story in the Norths highly selective official media is significant because it reflects a level of concern in Pyongyang over the allegations and its desire to push harder with the counter-message of its own.

Pyongyangs fiery and categorical denials and counter-allegations follow a well-established pattern: It has taken essentially the same tack in response to allegations leveled at it going all the way back to who started the 1950-53 Korean War (Pyongyang claims it was attacked, not the attacker).

To this day, it also disputes as biased and politically motivated the findings of an international investigation into the 2010 torpedoing of the Cheonan warship that left 46 South Koreans dead  calling it fictitious and an intolerable mockery.

A particularly damning U.N.-

backed report on human rights abuses that came out in 2014 continues to be written off by Pyongyang as based on the lies of human scum defectors eager to please Japan, the United States and South Korea in their plot to discredit the Norths social system.

More recently, it flipped the script by claiming South Korean agents had tricked a group of North Korean waitresses at a restaurant in China to defect. Obfuscating the Souths claim that the group defection indicated growing dissatisfaction in the North, Pyongyang accused Seoul of violating the womens human rights by holding them against their will and is demanding their immediate return.

Malaysian officials have not directly accused North Korea of being behind the killing, and Malaysia is one of the few countries with close ties to the North. But they have arrested a North Korean man working at a Malaysian company along with three other people and are searching for several more North Koreans.

And, not surprisingly, Malaysia has bristled at the Norths attacks on the integrity of its investigation.

According to Malaysian officials, North Korean diplomats were informed of the death the day it occurred; it was not made public until a day later. The diplomats had been at the Putrajaya government hospital closest to the airport for two days before moving to the Kuala Lumpur hospital when the body was transferred there for an autopsy.

Malaysian officials say that although the embassy officials made no public comments for several days, they privately demanded custody of the body and strongly objected to an autopsy. Investigators balked, saying they were following procedure as it was a sudden and suspicious death.

Three days after the killing, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is in charge of police, confirmed widespread reports in the media that the victim was Kim Jong Nam, though he carried identification with a different name.

For North Korea, thats the most sensitive of sensitive topics.

The North has not acknowledged the dead man is the half brother of its leader  or mentioned Kim Jong Nams name  in any of its statements. Information about the family tree of North Koreas rulers is tightly controlled and few North Koreans are aware that Kim Jong Un even had an elder half brother.

Soon after Malaysia officially pushed that button, Kang Chol, North Koreas ambassador, turned up at the morgue to demand custody of the body. He wasnt allowed in.

Kang then did what North Korean diplomats almost never do  he went straight to the cameras and gave an unexpected press conference, accusing Malaysia of trying to conceal something and colluding with hostile forces. He also pre-emptively said the North would categorically reject any autopsy carried out unilaterally and excluding our attendance.

His scorched-earth approach may have backfired.

Malaysias Prime Minister Najib Razak vowed Tuesday that his country will not be cowed and is resolute in getting to the bottom of the killing.

Malaysia will stand firm, he said. We will be guided by the principle of the rule of law.

The North now also faces another problem: the South Korean military has reportedly started using loudspeakers to broadcast news of the killing across the Demilitarized Zone.

Not many North Koreans will actually hear those broadcasts, and many of those who do wont believe them.

But some just might. By Eric Talmadge, AP
Elections have consequences, even though they may be unintended. Last July, our daughter and her husband, who live in the Midwest, had their first child. They found an excellent day care at a Jewish Community Center, which was strongly recommended by friends.

At the same time, Donald Trump, having bullied his way through the Republican primaries, was bullying his way through the general election under the guidance of superbully Steve Bannon. Shortly after our daughter returned to work, Trump won the general election. The ascendency of the Trump/Bannon coalition apparently inspired bullies of all stripes  white nationalists, anti-Semites, xenophobes, etc.  to press forward with their agendas.

Recently, the JCC day care received its second bomb threat. Here is how our daughter responded in a Facebook post:

Along with the other parents of sweet, innocent kiddos who attend the early childhood education program at our local JCC, I have waited in fear as my child was evacuated from her classroom on two occasions now. On those two days, I felt hopeless. I felt like no one noticed.

The president issued a statement yesterday on anti-Semitism. That was three weeks after the first time I got a phone call saying that my daughter's day care had received a threat and was being evacuated. It was one day after I drove past the JCC on my way to work and saw police cars surrounding it, knowing my phone would buzz shortly and feeling the pit in my stomach begin to grow in a familiar way.

The president's statement was too little, too late for this mom.

Elections have consequences. The hateful and derisive campaign successfully employed by Trump and friends was apparently tolerated by his supporters. Next election, we hope better angels will guide us.

Bill and Necia DeGroot

Red Lodge
The animals are on the march. When traditional politics fractures, new parties come to the fore. And in the Netherlands, the Party for the Animals is in the running before the March 15 national election.

While Geert Wilderss Freedom Party and Prime Minister Mark Ruttes Liberals fight it out for first place, the need for coalition partners means the Animal party could play a role in creating a working majority needed to form a government.

For a table of the latest Dutch polling intentions, including averages, click here

The rise in nationalist sentiment, which has bolstered groups such as the U.K. Independence Party and Marine Le Pens National Front in France, threatens to disrupt the conventional order in the Netherlands, one of the core founding members of the European Union. A new governing coalition that successfully excludes the anti-Islam, anti-immigration Freedom Party  as the mainstream groups have promised could require as many as six separate alliance members to reach a 76-seat majority in the Dutch lower house of Parliament. Thats where Marianne Thieme comes in.

Thieme, head of the Party for the Animals, which supports animal welfare and the environment, said that the traditional parties will have to court a smaller faction like hers to make the electoral math work in putting a government in place. And thats a very comfortable position because we can stay committed to our ideals and from that perspective we will look at the propositions made, she said in an interview last week in her office in The Hague.

Wilderss Freedom Party and Ruttes Liberals are both expected to take 22 seats in the election, according to a Feb. 28 EenVandaag poll published on Tuesday. The Party for the Animals would get seven seats, the most in the groups history and up from the two it currently controls.

After the election, the lower house of the 150-seat Parliament may be made up of as many as 14 different parties. And with the four mainstream groups  the Liberals, the Christian Democrats, the D66 party and Labour  expected to gain 70 seats in the March ballot, a theoretical coalition of those groups would only need one additional small party, such as the Animals, to form a ruling alliance.

The political system in the Netherlands has a low election threshold, with about 60,000 votes translating into a seat in the legislative body, Andre Krouwel, a professor of political science at Amsterdams VU University, said in a telephone interview. If the Dutch system required a threshold similar to that in other countries, five out of the current 11 parties wouldnt even be in parliament now, he said.

Given the vagaries of the process, that means the biggest political group could be shut out of the new government, an eventuality thats come to pass three times since World War II. That opens the door for new parties.

The Party for the Animals is an agenda-setting party and not a party that is driven by power or ruling the country, Krouwel said. The Dutch arent afraid to try something new and give a new party a chance.

Thieme, the only woman in parliament thats leading a party going into the elections, said shed only be willing to work with groups that accept her organizations pillars, such as attention to the environment and economic change. Like-minded parties include the Christian Union, the Greens, the Labor Party, the Democrats and, to a lesser extent, the Socialists, she said.

We would expect the new coalition to work seriously on climate change, Thieme, 44, said. We must step away from the focus on economic growth as a solution for all the problems.

And while the party, which Thieme helped found in 2002, places animal rights as one of its central tenets, its interest are diverse. The group is also against free-trade deals and would like to research ways to get out of the common currency. But the organizations varied interest could aid the coalition-building process, she said.

As weve seen in the past, small political parties can be the hinge point in the formation, Thieme said last week in an interview on national broadcaster NOS. And if we were asked, we would come and negotiate. By Corina Ruhe, Bloomberg
MONDAY the House Judiciary Committee met for almost four-and-a-half hours that afternoon, and after lengthy debates sent to the House floor bills to restrict the use of civil asset forfeiture and to charge heroin dealers with second-degree murder if a customer overdoses and dies.

TUESDAY the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, which sets the state's budgets, approved the budgets for the state's colleges and universities, including an extra $1.2 million so the College of Southern Idaho can buy Pristine Springs and safeguard the geothermal aquifer it uses for its heat. The House Transportation and Defense Committee voted to approve a bill setting up regulations for "personal delivery robots," after getting a demonstration from the lobbyists representing Starship Technologies of how the robots work. House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, appointed Rep. Clark Kauffman, R-Filer, to the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs, replacing Caldwell Republican Greg Chaney. Bedke said the appointment was unrelated to the controversy over a bill Chaney has introduced to take some state funding away from "sanctuary cities."

WEDNESDAY Boise developer Tommy Ahlquist announced he will run in the Republican primary for governor in 2018, the third declared candidate. Lt. Gov. Brad Little and former state Sen. Russ Fulcher will also run. After a lengthy debate, the state Senate voted to kill a resolution calling for a convention of states to pass a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Rep. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg, introduced a bill to allow schools to offer gun safety courses, and Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, introduced one to create a tax credit for donors to private schools. The Senate State Affairs Committee introduced a resolution brought by Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton, urging Congress to make Craters of the Moon a national park.

JFAC authorized an emergency $52 million appropriation to make repairs to the infrastructure by the harsh weather throughout the state this winter. Bedke had his annual lunch with the Capitol press corps, spending much of it going over the flood damage he saw in the Magic Valley and saying transportation funding will likely take up a good deal of the debate for the last month of the session. Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill usually comes as well, but he couldn't this year because he was at the constitutional debate.

THURSDAY the House passed asset forfeiture reform but voted down the heroin/murder bill. Lawmakers who support repealing the state's tax on groceries held a news conference to unveil their proposed and tout how much support they have  almost half the Legislature, including a majority of Republicans in both chambers, have signed on as co-sponsors. It remains to be seen if the measure will get a hearing.

FRIDAY was Idaho Day, and many people at the Capitol were wearing blue to mark the occasion. The Senate State Affairs Committee killed a bill that would have raised the smoking age from 18 to 21. House State Affairs printed a bill to legalize prescribing abortion drugs via telemedicine, which the Legislature needs to pass before the end of the session to comply with a settlement the state reached in a lawsuit with Planned Parenthood, as well as a bill brought by House Minority Leader Mat Erpelding, D-Boise, to extend the period during which workers who have been underpaid can claim their back wages from six months to two years.

Ahlquist released his first campaign ad. The full House passed, among other bills, the robot delivery bill and a resolution honoring the contributions legal immigrants have made to Idaho. The House Ways and Means Committee, which generally only meets a few times a session, held its first meeting of the year, agreeing to print a flurry of bills including one brought by Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d'Alene, to reform the state's liquor licensing system with an eye toward reducing bidding for the often-scarce licenses at exorbitant prices. After much debate, the House Resources and Conservation Committee voted 9-5 to pass a bill to hike Fish and Game fees while also putting more money into depredation programs.

NEXT WEEK I expect some transportation funding news. The week is supposed to be the last week of budget-setting for JFAC. Once that is done, all the budget bills will go over to the House. Monday should be very busy  the House GOP leadership wants to get all the bills that will be transmitted in by the end of the day.

"We are trying to get everything across Monday, and you're going to see us do a lot of bills to try to catch everything up," House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, said Friday afternoon.

But, he added, "having said that, there's going to be stuff that's going to go after that date and we all know it."
HAZELTON  In Hazelton, an agriculture-based town of 747, Idaho 25 becomes Main Street, where plastic-covered storefronts and windows might give the impression of a ghost town. But some of Hazeltons core businesses  a Chevron gas station, a pizza restaurant, an electrical contractors shop, a farm equipment dealer  were doing business as usual Feb. 8.

The coffee crowd

Theres only one rule if you want to join the Pizza Caches afternoon coffee crowd: You have to tell one true story every 30 minutes.

Thats what Hazelton resident Don Morrill told me as I took a seat at the table in the center of the room. The 75-year-old retiree was joined by friends trickling in the afternoon of Feb. 8.

As they do six days a week.

Ive been a rancher most of my life, Morrill said, wearing two plaid shirts and holding a coffee cup.

Although the group didnt have a designated leader, Morrill seemed the most eager to tell me some of his stories  like how his grandfather helped build Milner Dam, or how a Volkswagen hit a guardrail driving on black ice one night while Morrill plowed snow near St. Maries.

Many in the lively bunch were old school friends. Doug Kroll, a retired railroad worker, casually teased the restaurateurs daughter as she mopped the floor and served coffee. Smiling, she took it in stride.

Most of these regulars also meet up earlier for coffee at the senior center in Eden.

It gives us something to do, Morrill said.

The 3 p.m. coffee time at Pizza Cache is a standing invitation; theres no formal arrangement, he explained.

Its almost like a big family, Pizza Cache owner Liz Rovig said. Weve become very attached with a lot of our customers.

The hardware man

At The Farm Store, Steve Lakey examined a cardboard box of hardware while an old black Labrador lay quietly on a bed against one wall. The store manager was taking inventory in hopes of getting a bank loan.

Were trying to buy this, said Lakey, 62, wearing a matching green cap and vest. They gotta know what Im buying.

The Farm Store isnt a full-blown hardware store, he explained: Its just like it says, its a farm hardware store.

That could change. If Lakey is successful in purchasing the business, hed like to sell fishing and hunting licenses and ammunition.

Once farms start preparation for the crop season, Lakey would have little downtime. But for about three months in the winter, business is slow. So hed spent the past two weeks counting thousands of items  the screws, the gloves, the bags of dog food, none of it electronically inventoried  and expected it would take him another two weeks.

Lakey is experienced in running hardware stores, having owned or operated similar businesses in Jerome, Twin Falls and Rupert.

At the Hazelton store, farmers come in for common repair items like bolts, nuts and plumbing fixtures. That afternoon, one customer walked out with a 5-gallon bucket of hydraulic oil for a tractor.

Everyone walks in here with problems, Lakey said, and you are like the problem solver.

The market owner

The sun had shone in late morning, but by early afternoon clouds spilled a lazy drizzle of rain. The colorful sign outside Mi Ranchito welcomed visitors along Main Street to Hazeltons newest market.

Several residents had told me about the store, but I had to wait a while before it opened.

When its nice, we open at 10, owner Lupe Tapia said. When its ugly, we open at 1 or 2.

Shelving units in the dimly lit space displayed pantry items like Coca-Cola, breakfast syrup and hot sauce interspersed with Mexican imports  like a carton of green-bottled Jarritos sodas.

Against the back wall, clear packages of teas and herbs, with bilingual labels, hung above bags of rice and beans. The store was also well stocked with corn husks, tortillas and corn flour.

Tapia, a 42-year-old Latina woman from California, opened the Mexican market after three years in Hazelton, just two months before my Feb. 8 visit.

When we moved here, we used to struggle all the time, she said, explaining that she had to go out of town to buy tortillas and common ingredients used in Mexican cooking.

Mexican markets were common in her California hometown, Tapia said, and Edens Hispanic population frequents the store to make traditional dishes.

Business has been better than Tapia expected  much of it from ladies in town who cant drive or dont want to go to Burley or Twin Falls.

Mi Ranchito carries Mexican drinks and snacks, as well as dry goods and freshly made pastries brought daily from Rupert. But it also had some items I didnt expect to see, like a small selection of comforters, clothing and religious candles.

Its been working pretty good, Tapia said.
Sean Jones wasnt planning on bringing his elk bugle call to the public lands rally at the Idaho statehouse on Saturday. But its trumpeting sound rang out across Jefferson Street and the south steps of the capitol building in harmony with the raucous applause and cheers of the more than 2,000 Idahoans gathered in the chilly morning drizzle.

Jones, like so many other outdoor lovers, was at the rally because hes an avid hunter, rafter and hiker. Like he does on most outdoor adventures, he brought his gear bag, an elk antler strapped to the bungee cord on the back of the pack and the triumphant-sounding elk call conveniently at hand.

I want to have access, said Jones, echoing a theme that dominated the rally. Ive seen far too many no trespassing signs when Im out hunting.

Jones said he has emailed and called Idaho legislators to let them know he opposes the potential transfer of public lands to the state or private hands. He wasnt impressed with their responses.

Particularly Raul Labrador, said Jones. (Rep. Labrador has led pushes for pilot programs that would give states control over federal lands.)

How did the lawmakers respond?

The typical argument that lands are mismanaged, said Jones. But we know the forest managers, the BLM, the people making decisions (about Idaho lands) actually live here.

Some attendees said they felt the current political climate led to the massive turnout, one of the largest in the West on the issue. (Though, speaker Yvette Tuell, a member of the Shoshone-Bannock tribe pointed out, its not a new fight.) Some attendees carried signs that alluded to the Trump administration  one warning the government to keep your (tiny) hands off my public lands, and others calling out members of President Donald Trumps cabinet, like newly confirmed Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and head of the EPA Scott Pruitt.

Though Zinke, a former Montana congressman, has said he opposes the transfer of federal lands, some at the rally said they take little comfort in the politicians words.

I dont trust anybody in office right now, said Carolyn Blackhurst, who was at the gathering with her husband, an avid angler.

Closer to home, Utah Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz drew the ire of outdoorsmen when he introduced a bill asking the Interior Secretary to sell or dispose of more than 3.3 million acres of public land, legislation that Boise hunter Kevin Braley called disturbing. After public outcry, Chaffetz withdrew the proposal.

I think politicians dont fully understand the groundswell of opposition (to transferring public lands), said Braley, who attended a similar rally at the statehouse several years ago. At that time, Braley said, the gathering was mostly made up of hunters.

Hunters, anglers, hikers, rafters and more are not optimistic about what would happen to their ability to recreate if Idaho had control of lands, either. They say its not worth the risk to hope the state keeps their interests in mind.

Many protesters said the state simply doesnt have the money to maintain Idahos land  62 percent of the state is federally owned. One major wildfire or lawsuit, protesters said, and the most attractive option to Idaho could be to sell off their beloved lands.

We have this stuff right now. Its a tangible thing, said Ryan Callaghan, a spokesman for Idaho hunting gear brand First Light who spoke at the event. So why would you want to gamble all that?

John Thompson, a member of the Idaho Farm Bureau, doesnt see it that way. He drove across the state Saturday to pose a counterpoint to the rally. Idahos massive wildfires, beetle infestations and rural depopulation are results of poor land management by the federal government, Thompson said.

According to Thompson, selling public lands to the state wouldnt limit access. Despite Idahos track record for selling off its state-owned lands*, Thompson said, the state also acquires land on a fairly regular basis. Rather than focusing on recreation, Thompson said he wishes protesters would look at the issue from the standpoint of rural economies.

We dont want Idaho to just be a place for rich people to recreate, said Thompson, who argues that Idahos far-flung settlements would benefit more from flourishing industries boosted by state control than from sportsmen looking to gain access to public lands.

For both sides of the argument, many of the concerns are the same. And each is convinced that its solutions will work. Greg Blascovich, of nonprofit Keep It Public, took issue with Thompsons assertions that, economically speaking, Idaho is the best landlord for rural lands.

Right now its cheaper to graze cattle on federal land. There are assumptions being made that the state would sell its land to current grazers, Blascovich said. Thats not true. (Transferring land) will kill ranching.

He said federal management of lands has not been perfect, but to propose changing hands over a few discrepancies is the definition of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Instead, Blascovich said, there needs to be a mixed model to managing these lands and increased communication that makes sure all stakeholders have a voice.

Further, Martin Hackworth, executive director of Sharetrails, said rural communities like Challis have had success harnessing the popularity of recreation to boost their economies. After all, said Hackworth, there are only so many people in those areas who can ranch or work in industries like mining.

You cant eat the scenery, Hackworth said. Studies all show recreation is the single best shot in the arm for rural economies.

Thompson, who was accompanied by a handful of other pro-transfer companions at the rally, said hes not under any illusions about being in the minority.

Our voice is miniscule in comparison to the millions and millions of people who wont get behind state-owned lands, said Thompson, encouraging people to be skeptical of the messages coming from environmental groups.

Despite the underlying political tension of the rally, many protesters said support for federally owned land is something that goes across the board in Idaho  a state with more public lands than most others.

Im the guy they invited so they could say, See, even this guy agrees with us, said Hackworth during his speech. His group represents motor vehicle recreationists, a group that is sometimes at odds with other sportsmen over trail access.

Republican, Democrat, this is the one place that we all meet, said Blackhurst, who honeymooned in the Sawtooths with her husband 20 years ago and hopes her grandchildren can one day visit the same public spots.

That its such a cohesive movement could explain why the Saturday gathering drew such a crowd. (Organizers estimated the turnout at closer to 2,600 people.)

As rally winded down, a band on the steps of the capitol played This Land Is Your Land  a song with a storied political history. Time will tell, it seems, if this land was made for you and me.
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Obituaries Newsletter Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy
Edward (Eddy) Eusebio Elorrieta

January 5, 1938 - January 17, 2017

TWIN FALLS - Edward (Eddy) Eusebio Elorrieta, 79, of Twin Falls, passed away from natural causes on Tuesday, January 17, 2017 in Boise, Idaho.

Eddy was born on January 5, 1938 in Gooding, Idaho to Eugenia Goitiandia Elorrieta and Eusebio Elorrieta. He grew up in Shoshone and graduated from Shoshone High School in 1956 where he enjoyed many sports. He later attended Idaho State University and was active in ROTC.

His early career was with the Bureau of Land Management driving a tanker truck and fighting fires.

He met the love of his life, Marilyn Walker, in Shoshone, Idaho. They were later married in December of 1961 and celebrated 55 years together.

He served his country in the United States Army and Army Reserves from 1961-1965. Upon returning from active duty, he again joined the Bureau of Land Management as a Range Conservation Technician. He later worked in Twin Falls with Bob Reese Motors and Herrett's Stock, Inc.

Eddy began his finance career serving with Reliance Credit. He then moved to Commercial Credit, and later advanced to the Idaho First National Bank. He retired as Vice President with Twin Falls Bank and Trust in 1991.

Eddy was an automobile enthusiast from an early age and had a passion for Muscle Cars. He was always willing to work on his and his friend's cars to keep them running smoothly. He was often referred to as Mr. Tune-Up! He found pleasure in hunting and fishing, target practice, weight lifting, reading and attending movies with his family. He was also a hand-gun aficionado and enjoyed his collection. He was well read and enjoyed engaging in spirited discussions with all who would participate. Eddy (Aitxitxa) loved his family dearly and looked forward to visits with his grandchildren, often sneaking $20 dollar bills into their pockets.

He is survived by his wife Marilyn, his daughter Lisa (Burke Archibald) of Boise, his son Patrick of Nampa, his sisters Eugenia Wadsworth and Catherine Brollier, two grandchildren Isabella and Zachary Archibald, and many nieces and nephews.

Eddy suffered from Fibromyalgia and many medical complications, but found the strength to persevere with the help of his faith and the support of family and friends. Always a devoutly religious man, he was most recently a member of Saint Edward The Confessor Catholic Church.

A Rosary will be held March 10, 2017 at 9:45 a.m. at Saint Edward The Confessor Catholic Church, 161 6th Ave. East, Twin Falls, ID. The Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. at the same location and will conclude with a lunch reception at the Parish Hall. The internment will follow at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Saint Edward's Soup Kitchen, the Idaho Food Bank or a Charity of your choice. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Eddy's memorial webpage at www.summersfuneral.com
Helen Hoagland Parrott

September 2, 1925 - December 14, 2016

MOUNTAIN HOME - Helen Hoagland Parrott, age 91, of Mountain Home, passed away at Poplar Grove Assisted Living, in Glenns Ferry on Wednesday, December 14, 2016.

Helen was born on September 2, 1925 to David and Clarisey (Mann) Lambeth in Salmon, Idaho where she grew up. Helen was a hard worker working various jobs in restaurants, ranching on Clover Creek in Bliss where she ran cattle in the desert and later moving to Wendell to work in the Honey plant until finally settling down in her dream home in King Hill.

Helen loved horses, her chickens and her Jersey cow.

Helen is survived by her stepchildren, her sister and brother along with many other family and friends.

She was preceded in death by both her parents and two husbands, Loren Hoagland and Joseph Parrott.

A Memorial Service will be held on March 10, 2017 at 11:00 A.M. at the VFW Hall, Post #3646, in Glenns Ferry.

Cremation was under the direction of Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel, in Mountain Home.
Richard Dick Lee Larsen

November 13, 1944 - February 25, 2017

WENDELL - Richard Dick Lee Larsen, 72, of Wendell, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, February 25, 2017.

Born November 13, 1944 in Nevada City, CA, the son of George and Margaret Larsen. His early years were spent in Grass Valley, CA. The family seldom missed a summer trip Sightseeing and visiting family in Idaho. His father was transferred in 1957 to Danbury, CT When Richard was in 8th grade.

Richard graduated from Danbury High School in 1962. He then attended Danbury State College for two years. Then transferred to Oregon State University for a year.

On June 26, 1965 Richard L. Larsen and Barbara A. Mayo were united in marriage in New Milford, CT. That day they moved to Oregon. During their seven years in Oregon Richard and Barbara had their two daughters, Lori and Kym. Richard worked at a particle Board mill as a quality controller.

In 1972, after a family trip to Idaho, the family moved to Idaho. Richard attended CSI, Receiving his electronic technician certification. In 1973 he became self-employed, opening Dick's Electronics and making house calls in the green van. He retired after 35 years. During this time Barbara opened and ran Mother Goose Day-Care/Preschool for 39 years.

Richard and Barbara enjoyed many weekends camping at Anderson Ranch and Little Smokey camp ground. Later their cabin at West Magic Reservoir became their retreat. Many Hours were spent playing backgammon on the deck. Pinochle card parties were another Favorite past time with many laughs and good friends. Later he enjoyed playing card games With the grandchildren. He was good at sitting quietly, keeping score, and winning. The kids Would say, we've got to get Poppa.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara Larsen and two daughters, Lori Johnston of Wendell And Kym Monroe of Caldwell; six grandchildren, Spencer (Laura) Johnston of Pocatello, Lynae Johnston of Twin Falls, Jacob Seward, Jesse Seward, Josiah Seward, and Eliana Seward of Caldwell. A brother, Dr. George (Pam) Larsen of Sun City, AZ. Three special Cousins; Chrystell Robertson of Chubbuck, Mifanway Lane of Pocatello, and Phyllis (Dean) Bentley of Meridian and nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, George and Margaret Larsen and many aunts and uncles.

A celebration of his life will be held at Living Waters Evangelical Presbyterian Church at 11:00 am on Friday, March 10, 2017 in Wendell with Reverend Kevin Anderson officiating.

It is the family wishes that contributions be made to: Hospice Visions 1770 Park View Drive, Twin Falls, ID 83301.

Funeral and cremation arrangements are under the care and direction of Demaray FuneralService  Wendell Chapel.

Condolences, memories and photos may be shared with the family by visiting the obituaryLink at www.demarayfuneralservice.com.
GREAT FALLS  In the moments before her models stepped out onto the glowing blue and white stage, Belinda Bullshoe froze. Six of her creations were about to be presented before the global elite of fashion design.

Standing backstage at New York's Crowne Plaza hotel, the clothing designer from Montana's Blackfeet Indian Reservation held her breath for a moment.

"This is it," Bullshoe said quietly to herself. "All this worry and whatever or not  this is it. My creations are ready to hit the runway."

Six weeks earlier Bullshoe wasn't certain any of her designs would make it across the catwalk at Fashion Week. Four years ago she hadn't designed a single dress. Only her extended family and a few close friends had any idea Bullshoe was stretching her talents beyond colorful blankets and leg warmers to create something the New York fashion world might take an interest in.

"I was so nervous," Bullshoe said of the seconds before her designs hit the runway. "I was standing there and my heart was just beating. All I could think of was everyone who helped support me."

Even with the endorsement of a well-connected East Coast patron and the financial support of dozens of enthusiastic well-wishers, Belinda Bullshoe barely made it to New York Fashion Week.

Following her first two major fashion show presentations  one in Kamloops, British Columbia, the other in Edmonton, Alberta  Bullshoe received an invitation to show her designs at the Couture Fashion Week, one of the premier events bundled into the four-day extravaganza known as New York Fashion Week.

Getting an invitation to present your creations before alongside globally recognized designers such as Ralph Lauren and Pierre Cardin is a distinguished compliment, but it comes with a price. No one pays you to present at fashion week. You pay them for the privilege. Add to that the cost of travel, lodgings, food  not to mention the time and expense of creating a whole new line of fashions  and it's an expensive proposition, especially for a small-town designer.

It wasn't until the final possible moment that Bullshoe was certain she had raised enough funds to transport herself, her husband Rod, her mother and six hurriedly designed dresses to the downtown Manhattan venue. Waking at 2:30 a.m. Feb. 8, Bullshoe and her family skirted one of the worst Montana snowstorms in a decade to catch their flight out of Great Falls. All six of her newly tailored dresses were packed tightly in a carry-on suitcase.

"I was not going to take a chance on putting them underneath the plane," she said of her determination to avoid a lost-baggage catastrophe.

Twelve hours later, and cruising in on nearly zero sleep, the Bullshoe family arrived in New York.

After settling in for the night, Belinda found the Crowne Plaza Hotel and set about selecting her models for the following day's show. Right behind her was the winter storm that had chased her flight across the northern plains and into New York.

Three-foot snowdrifts in Browning are likely to slow things down  in Manhattan, they shut things down. On the day of the big event, drift-filled streets stopped one of Bullshoe's models from arriving on time. With less than 45 minutes before the curtain was scheduled to rise on her show, Bullshoe was forced to select a new model and make final adjustments to a previously fitted dress.

At that moment the whole backstage seemed to be in a state of barely contained chaos: hair stylists rolling up curls or ironing them into place, make-up artists spraying on foundation and sketching eye shadow, models dressing and undressing, personal assistants scurrying to the beck and call of harried designers  everywhere a swirl of last-minute fashion panic.

"People were just racing around," Bullshoe said. "I couldn't even imagine how they were able to pull the show off."

A sold-out crowd of close to 750 people waited in the Crowne Plaza auditorium. Bullshoe was the first designer scheduled to present her designs at the show.

As the music rose to announce the beginning of the show, a production assistant latched on to Bullshoe to make sure everyone was in place for the opening. He made it clear that after all six of Bullshoe's models had completed their turn across the u-shaped stage, Bullshoe should be ready to take her own walk before the assembled fashionistas.

Bullshoe turned to her mother and told her she was going to make the walk arm-in-arm with her.

"She was like, 'What? I ain't going out on that runway,'" Bullshoe said of her mother's response.

But it was already decided. Less than 10 minutes after the presentation began, it was the two Bullshoe women's turn to make the walk.

"I couldn't really see anything," Belinda Bullshoe said of her entry into the New York fashion world. "When I came out there were some bright lights on us and the media was right in front of us. I could see a bunch of flashes at me. All I could do was wave my hand, but I couldn't really see anybody. People were just waving back at me and clapping their hands. It was such an amazing moment."

"Right there is where I realized the dream had become a reality," she said. Standing there on that runway I was like, 'Oh my gosh, here it is. I'm finally here, I did it.'"

"I was trying so hard not to cry," she added. "All I could think was don't cry, don't cry ... please Belinda don't cry."

Just two days later and the Bullshoe family was back in Montana. As of yet there have been no multi-million dollar design contracts offered up to Belinda, but orders for her wedding and prom dress designs have spiked.

Bullshoe's dresses are already being promoted as one of the highlights of the 2017 Scottsdale Fashion Square show in Arizona. After they attend the Arizona show, Belinda and Rod will be driving up to Frog Lake, Alberta, for a youth conference where Bullshoe's designs will be presented as evidence that First Nations people can accomplish anything they set their minds to.

"I just can't begin to thank everyone, and all the overwhelming support they've to given me to make my dream of going to New York possible," Bullshoe said. "It's not only the donations, it was how many people on Facebook who gave me support while I was there. This has been such a great experience."
RICHFIELD  The Glanbia Foods cheese factory just outside town is most impressive, certainly. But Richfields Main Street is where life happens for this town of 494. Turn north from U.S. 26 and youll spot a small post office, a grocery store and homes. Go south: a public library, a senior center and an automotive shop.

The grocer who does it all

Six late-season elk carcasses hung ready for cutting in the backroom refrigerator of Piper Shopping Center, but Mike Piper had other things to do.

A shipment of meats, cheeses and other staples had just come in to the Main Street business the morning of Jan. 31. Between assisting customers, stocking shelves and answering the phone, Piper and his mother, Betty, had their work set out for them. Piper, 55  both grocer and butcher  figured hed be ready to tackle the big game the next day.

For two to three months there its a pretty good sprint, he said, recalling the busiest part of the hunting season, when a lot more than a half-dozen elk await butchering.

The Piper family has owned the Richfield business since 1939, now employing nine people. But it was Piper himself, stocking the deli aisle, who greeted me when I came in. When a customer called to ask that her check not be cashed just yet, it was Piper who picked up the phone.

Piper, a cheerful guy with a horseshoe mustache, guessed that most of his business competition is in Twin Falls.

A truck comes twice weekly to keep the shelves here  the only grocery store within 16 miles  stocked with essentials such as milk, bread and eggs. Picking up water softener salt for a school that day, Richfield School District maintenance worker Arnold Arn Ross said he tries to buy supplies locally as much as he can.

Just down the street, another of Pipers business ventures sits vacant: Richfields last gas station, which closed four or five ago.

I was bound and determined I was going to put gas in it sometime, Piper said. But he ran out of time  and money  to put in gas tanks. Hes asking $150,000 for the lot and building, which has space inside for a restaurant.

A lack of gas and other services, Piper said, makes Richfield isolated.

It dont bother us so much, cause were used to it.

Horsewoman and commissioner

On any given day, Rebecca Wood might step outside her house on North Main and find horses, cattle or even sheep walking down the road.

You never know what you might see here, she said. Even though Im on Main Street in Richfield, its still very rural. Its not like youre really in town.

She recalled, laughing, how she once saw three steers running down the road, followed (coincidentally) by the butcher. People on horseback or herding cattle are both common sights, as well as snowmobiles and vehicles stopped in the middle of the road while neighbors chat.

And theres a community spirit Wood has enjoyed since arriving in 2000 and bringing up six children.

Its something special when the whole town knows your kids name, said Wood, 52, who was doing paperwork in her sweatpants when a phone call from Piper sent her looking for me at the town library.

When she isnt on duty at her part-time Piper Shopping Center job, Wood might be riding her horses or caring for her quarter horse broodmares, which a friend boards just outside town. She offered me a ride to see the mares and their foals, describing railroad history and pointing out grain silos and a church-turned-home on the way.

Wood is in her third year as Richfields Lincoln County commissioner. The commission meets three Mondays a month in Shoshone, and Wood commutes to Twin Falls for meetings of other boards.

Glanbia and Richfield School District are the towns top employers, but Wood wants U.S. 26 drivers to have more reasons to stop in Richfield.

What Id like to do for Richfield, she said, is try to get some more business down here.

The techie in the stacks

To the casual traveler, Richfield might appear stuck in time  but that isnt the case at the Richfield District Library on South Main.

Library Director Clay Ritter manages a lot with a $400 program budget. He teaches children about circuitry, robotics or 3-D printer designing, using a grant-funded printer.

We show them the basics of 3-D design, he said. The access to technology is a big thing. Its about giving the kids an opportunity they might otherwise not have unless they went somewhere else.

The children design and print their own cellphone cases, keychains and guitar picks.

I want them to design it themselves to learn how the process works, said Ritter, 32.

Ritter and one other employee staff the library, which over the past couple of years doubled its weekly hours from 12 to 24. When I popped in, the other employee was finishing a storytime where children drew octopuses, and Ritter was manning the front desk.

When Ritter isnt in Richfield, hes directing a Shoshone library.

The 3-D printer isnt the only draw for children at Richfield District Library  19,000 books, nine computers and free wireless Internet also make it a popular after-school hangout.

After school most days, were completely full of kids, Ritter said.

The decent Internet connection, a challenge in Richfield, has led some children to camp outside with tents or sleeping bags, even in the rain  but not when snowbanks stand 4 feet above Main Street.
House minority leader Nancy Pelosi accused President Donald Trump of using "authoritarian" tactics by claiming -- without any evidence -- that President Barack Obama ordered that he be wiretapped.

In an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" Sunday, Pelosi called Trump the "deflector-in-chief -- anything to change the subject."

The California Democrat called Trump's assertions "just ridiculous" and a "smear."

But it's a tactic Trump often uses, she said.

"You make up something and then you have the press write about it, and then you say, 'everybody's writing about this charge,'" Pelosi said. "It's a tool of an authoritarian, to just have you always be talking about what you want to be talking about."

Pelosi also questioned the sincerity of Trump's request that Congress investigate whether Obama wiretapped him.

"And then to take it to the Congress and say, 'you investigate this,' when he's been not in favor of Congress investigating anything, including what do the Russians have on Donald Trump, politically, financially, or personally," Pelosi said, suggesting Trump wasn't serious about his request that Congress look into whether the Obama administration abused its investigative powers during the 2016 campaign.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer announced the President's request in a statement Sunday morning.

"Reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling," Spicer said, posting the statement on Twitter. "President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016.

"Neither the White House nor the President will comment further until such oversight is conducted," he added, without further details on Trump's request.

In her Sunday interview, Pelosi also addressed her claim last week that she'd never met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, the diplomat whose meetings with Attorney General Jeff Sessions prompted members of Congress pressure Sessions to recuse himself from all investigations connected to Trump's campaign.

A 2010 photo revealed that Pelosi and other congressional leaders had, in fact, sat at a table with Kislyak and other Russian officials during a meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev.

Pelosi said that meeting was "completely different" than Sessions' meetings with Kislyak.

"We were meeting with the president of Russia," Pelosi said. "He brought an entourage in with him. He was the one doing the talking. The question is, have you met with him. No, I haven't met with him, I met with the president of Russia. Who else was in his entourage? Who knows?"
The victim of a possible hate crime in Washington state Friday would not be the first Sikh to be targeted.
Great schools are a key to our future in Twin Falls and the Twin Falls Area Chamber of Commerce supports and encourages all voters to support the upcoming Twin Falls School District supplemental levy.

The Twin Falls area has experienced phenomenal economic development success over the past several years. This growth continues to draw new people to the region with many choosing to live within the Twin Falls School District. The upcoming supplemental levy is a critical investment in our community infrastructure and one that the Twin Falls Chamber of Commerce supports.

The proposed supplemental levy will generate approximately 10 percent of the school districts operating budget. Money will be used for many critical operational needs including teacher and support staff, textbooks and curriculum, and general classroom supplies. Having appropriate funding for our local school district is critical to the continued economic vitality and positive quality of life for the community. The availability of quality education is a key determining factor for companies that are looking to locate in Twin Falls or people considering moving to the city.

The school district has completed a thoughtful assessment of needs with its community-based Budget Advisory Committee. Their recommendation to slightly reduce the levy amount is prudent and will allow for a lower levy rate. This, along with the expanding tax base in the district, should result in property owners experiencing a reduction in the amount of tax paid.

The Board of Directors for the Twin Falls Area Chamber of Commerce sees this supplemental levy as a continued important investment in our children and in the local economy. We encourage you to vote yes in the March 14 election. You can get more information about the levy on the School District website at www.tfsd.org or by calling 208-733-6900. Early voting is underway until March 10 at Twin Falls County West, 630 Addison Avenue West from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Absentee ballots can be requested until March 3. Or, vote at your regular polling location on March 14 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Two years ago, voters in the Twin Falls School District turned out to approve a $9 million supplemental levy. This levy has helped to sustain the Twin Falls School District over the last two years as state revenue lagged and enrollment in our district continued to climb. The current levy will expire at the end of June this year. At the December school board meeting, the TFSD 411 Board of Trustees voted to lessen the amount by $500,000. Two reasons were cited by the board. First, the trustees wanted to recognize the support our community has shown to our district over the past decade by reducing the tax burden a bit. In addition, as our economy has rebounded from the Great Recession, the state legislature has provided our district with more funding resulting in a lesser reliance on supplemental funding by our community.

This levy asks for local tax dollars to be spent in local classrooms. The levy would allow the school district to provide the same level of services over the next two years as we now offer for students and school district patrons. Without the levy, the district will be forced to consider reducing school days, trimming valuable programs, decreasing extra-curricular activities, and cutting teaching and support positions. As trustees of the Twin Falls School District, we have taken a stand in support of maintaining educational services and voted unanimously to pursue this levy because we strongly believe that our teachers, staff and, most importantly, our students need adequate funding in order for us to continue with our primary mission which is to provide a comprehensive and well-rounded educational experience for all our students. Information regarding the supplemental levy is available on our website at www.tfsd.org. As other districts, communities, states, and countries continue to rise to the challenge of supporting education; we have a responsibility to the Twin Falls School District students to do the same.

The TFSD 411 utilizes a budget advisory committee, made up of staff members, students, parents, retirees and business men and women to analyze our budget and advise the school board regarding important financial decisions, such as the supplemental levy. Although the requested amount will not cover all of the needs in the district, the budget advisory committee felt that given the fact the community recently supported a bond levy to construct new buildings, it was important to minimize the impact on taxpayers by maintaining the current supplemental levy rate. The school board went a step further and reduced the amount by $500,000.

Twin Falls is a strong community with a long tradition of support for its public schools. We have the utmost faith that patrons of our school district will take the time to become informed about the supplemental levy and then exercise their right to make local decisions for local schools by voting on March 14.

Thank you for your continuing support of the children and schools of the Twin Falls School District.
GREAT FALLS  About 50 members of the Montana Air National Guard have returned home from a four-month deployment to Southwest Asia.

The Great Falls Tribune reports that it was the first large-scale deployment for the men and women of the 120th Airlift Wing since the unit was given its new assignment in 2013.

On March 1, 2014, the Air National Guard unit based in Great Falls received its first C-130. After two-and-a-half years, Air Wing Commander, Col. Lee Smith declared the unit's conversion from an F-15 fighter mission to the C-130 airlift mission complete. Just 23 days after that the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing took off for a four-month deployment overseas.
The world is becoming a more dangerous place, the Institute for Economics and Peace reported. The 2016 Global Peace Index shows that there are now only 10 counties in the world which are not engaged in conflict either internally or externally. These are: Botswana, Chile, Costa Rica, Japan, Mauritius, Panama, Qatar, Switzerland, Uruguay and Vietnam. The report further states that the worsening conflict in the Middle East, the lack of solution to the refugee crisis and the increase in deaths from major terrorist incidents all over the globe, have all contributed to the world being less peaceful in 2016 than it was in 2015.

The most remarkable result from the 2016 peace index was the extent to which the situation in the Middle East has dragged down the rest of the world in terms of peacefulness. The study said that if we took out the Middle East from the index, the world, in general, would become more peaceful. The study showed a trend where the more peaceful countries improved while the less peaceful ones deteriorated, producing what the study called peace inequality across the world. Eighty-one countries became more peaceful while 79 deteriorated. The report said that the majority of terrorist activities are concentrated in five countries, namely; Syria, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan, accounting for 78 percent of deaths from terrorism in 2014, although in 2015 to 2016, nearly every region had an increase in terrorism scores. The Philippines ranked 130th in 2011, dropped to 141st in 2015, and improved slightly to 139th in 2016 on the global peace index.

Amidst the worsening peace situation all over the world, the Global Peace Foundation chaired by Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon forges on with its peace building efforts around the globe. The Foundation which started in Korea to spur the unification of the North and South now has a presence in 16 countries, namely: Uruguay, the United States, Uganda, Tanzania, the Philippines, Paraguay, Nigeria, Nepal, Mongolia, Japan, Malaysia, Korea, Kenya, Ireland, Indonesia and India.

What does the foundation do? It partners with public and private institutions and persons to establish a culture of peace. Starting in the home where values are first learned by every person, the foundation, through the Global Peace Women, holds conferences and women leadership trainings to empower women in promoting the values of caring, sharing and loving unconditionally. It believes that if children grow up in an atmosphere of love, the culture of valuing peace and rejecting violence takes root. The foundation also focuses on other tracks to build peace, particularly in education, interfaith peacebuilding, and sustainable development and poverty reduction through a socially responsible business paradigm. The foundation realizes that it is not possible to talk of peace when hunger grips a people. Thus, it has also embarked on poverty alleviation through livelihood and entrepreneurial development in a number of countries.

When I first joined the movement for global peace, particularly the Global Peace Women, I was skeptical about how this almost unrealistic, if not impossible, dream could be achieved especially in the growing threats of terrorism worldwide. But when I saw in the four-day Global Peace Convention held at the Marriott hotel in Pasay City last week that no less than 40 nations were represented by at least a thousand delegates, I started re-thinking. Global peace is possible, it seems. It only takes a few determined and good-hearted people to start the ripples and soonwho knowsthe contagion of peace will spread and conquer the world. It was encouraging to see former heads of states and prominent world leaders in attendance among whom were former president of Guatemala, Venicio Cerezo; former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo; former deputy prime minister for strategy and finance of Korea, Jin-Pyo Kim; the Director of Geopolitic and International Relations and Unesco Peace Chairman in India, Madham Das Nalapat; and the founder and chairman of the Asian Studies Center, Edwin Feulner.

ADVERTISEMENT

In the Philippines, peace may be a hard nut to crack. Yet, with the reality that unrest is fueled by poverty, causing separatist ideals and communist insurgency, the track to take is to reduce poverty. The admnistration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte has planted the seed by starting a movement to shift the structure of government from the present unitary and too-centralized system to a federal form. Should he succeed in this, peace may yet be achieved as the poor regions in the Philippines can begin to strengthen their capacities to deliver to people the social services and economic progress they need. The government should not delay the process if peace were to be a reality.

Email: ritalindaj@gmail.com Visit: www.jimenolaw.com.ph

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CHICAGO  More restaurants are serving meals with a side of politics.

In weeks since President Donald Trump was inaugurated, bars, restaurants and cafes have staged politically laced fundraisers and bake sales. Still others have designated their eateries sanctuaries that promise a safe and tolerant atmosphere for both employees and customers. Food business owners are, increasingly, wearing their politics on their sleeve. Many times, that comes with big risks.

Some restaurateurs say their efforts are an extension of their long-standing political views, while others say the decision to take action  whether it be closing to allow employees to participate in a political protest or sending food to support immigration lawyers working with those affected by the administrations travel ban  is just the right thing to do. The restaurant industry, after all, is one of the largest employers of immigrants in the U.S.

Industry experts say its best for restaurant owners to keep their political views to themselves, but acknowledge thats a difficult task in the current political environment, no matter which side of the aisle one falls on.

Of course, expressing liberal political views is not as big of a risk in big cities that tend to lean heavily to the left. Chicagos Cook County, for example, went decisively for Hillary Clinton in the presidential election, and donations by local restaurateurs skewed strongly Democratic as well, based on a search of political donations on OpenSecrets.org.

But even in places like Chicago, experts say its always better for business owners to stay mum.

The safest bet is to stay away from politics, said Darren Tristano president of the food research firm Technomic. In the case of recent fundraisers, he added: its more likely that youll end up turning more people off on the right than bringing in more of the left.

However, Tristano said that its understandable for chefs and restaurateurs to be concerned about immigrant crackdowns that could have significant impacts on the industry.

About 1 in 4 employees in the restaurant industry are foreign-born, and the industry is also one of the largest employers of workers who are in the country illegally, according to government data.

The restaurant industry has a lot to lose and quite frankly the American public does too, Tristano said.

Restaurants want to become more politically involved, and thats reflective of the country as a whole, he added. Were more divided, but were more engaged too. Americans, especially the next generation, want a voice.

Michael Roper, owner of Hopleaf bar and restaurant in Chicago, said his moves since the election are part of a long-standing effort to raise money for causes he believes in.

Our version of doing good has been good for business, Roper said. There are always people who say they will not come to Hopleaf because of (our stances) or leave nasty reviews on Yelp. But I would say most of our customers are on board.

On Inauguration Day, Roper dubbed Hopleaf a No Trump Zone and donated a portion of Inauguration Day sales to Planned Parenthood because of concern about possible legislation that would limit access to abortion services. It was the busiest day in Hopleafs 25-year history, Roper said.

Hopleaf has held a number of fundraisers for charities related to social justice, the environment and public education.

We have certain causes that we are not ashamed to say we support, he said.

Roper said he didnt get any backlash from his efforts until Inauguration Day, when he got a long letter from a customer who said she voted for Trump and wouldnt be coming back.

Its her right not to shop at a place that offends her politics, Roper said. Im all for somebody coming in (and sharing their views) too. We like to have civil debate over a pint of beer. Thats tavern life.

But you have to be willing to listen, and we on the left have to be equally tolerant. Its a weird time because theres not a lot of listening going on.

In the future, Roper said he will continue to raise money for causes he believes in, but hell work to keep the focus positive.

That was a lesson learned most notably on Inauguration Day.

Roper acknowledges now that declaring Hopleaf a No Trump Zone was a bit over the top.

Weve never had any negative (reactions) until Inauguration Day, he said.

Its probably better in this climate to be positive, he added. And using our business as a conduit for that is a good thing.

***

There are some causes that Roper is uneasy about participating in.

He says hes on the fence about whether to join the sanctuary restaurant movement, a joint effort by Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, an organization that advocates for higher food industry wages, and Presente.org, an advocacy group for Latin American immigrants.

The movement urges restaurants, bars and cafes to proclaim they are safe places to work and dine, regardless of a persons immigration status, race, religion or gender identity.

By joining the movement, I worry I may be putting my immigrant workers at risk, said Roper, who fears making Hopleaf the target of raids by immigration officials. They all have green cards, and Social Security numbers, but theyre nervous for their cousins, brothers  or that their legitimate papers might be taken away from them. Other times I would say Im not afraid, but in these times, you never know.

Hopleaf also didnt participate in the recent Day Without Immigrants protest, because Roper didnt want his staff to go without tips for the day.

We had an employee deported once. He missed an immigration hearing and ran a stop sign. So I know there are millions of people who are on the edge of being kicked out and having their lives turned upside down, he said.

For those of us who are lucky enough to have our immigrant past a generation or two behind us, we have to stand up.

The Day Without Immigrants took place across the U.S. on Feb. 16. Prominent Chicago restaurants closed, while several other restaurants and cafes offered employees the day off with pay.

Ryan McCaskey, chef and owner of fine dining restaurant Acadia, said he felt compelled to participate after he saw travelers stopped at airports following Trumps executive order barring entry to the U.S. for citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries. Implementation of the order was later blocked by federal courts.

The most powerful person in the world is generating all this fear. Its tough to be quiet about, he said.

McCaskey, an immigrant who was adopted as a toddler from Saigon by a suburban Chicago couple near the end of the Vietnam War, first published his plan to close on Facebook.

The reaction was 98 percent positive, but there was 2 percent who were telling me to go back to Vietnam and things like that on social media, he said, adding that customers were very understanding when called to reschedule their reservations.

McCaskey employs three cooks who are in the U.S. on work visas, and he said Acadia usually brings in a few visa interns, from China, India, Vietnam  and none of them are illegal.

I think right now its very important that we as a country make our voices heard, he said. When our civil rights are being encroached upon, it makes a difference to all of us.

McCaskey said he will continue to closely monitor political developments and protests and when we can stand up, we will.

Coming up in the restaurant industry, it was just a normal thing that there were illegal immigrants in the kitchen, he said. At the end of the day, we just like people who work hard and do their jobs. Thats how black and white it is. It makes sense our voice in the industry is strong and it is heard.

***

That was the impetus behind the sanctuary restaurant movement, which started in January, its creators say.

Workers of color all feel vulnerable, and our industry is the largest employer of those vulnerable, said Saru Jayaraman, co-founder of ROC United. We thought we could build a proactive agenda.

There are about a dozen sanctuary restaurants in the Chicago area. More than 200 restaurants are participating nationwide, Jayaraman said.

Our industry faces tremendous challenges: The worst labor shortage in history and very low wages, she said. Now these (immigrant workers) are not only struggling just to survive but feeling this tremendous amount of fear. Deportation means being taken away from your family, being put in jail, in many cases their children are taken away and put in the American foster care system. Its way more than people realize.

Jayaraman said the focus for restaurateurs political actions recently has been on immigration in large part because of the makeup of its workers, but also because of what restaurants mean as a whole in our society.

Restaurants are where our culture happens: breaking bread and sharing a meal, she said. These things are all connected.
CHEYENNE, Wyo.  The Wyoming Legislature has upheld a state hiring freeze but not certain state budget cuts that were opposed by Gov. Matt Mead.

Mead exercised his line-item veto authority Thursday and tried to block the freeze as well as cuts affecting the Wyoming Business Council, Department of Corrections and Wyoming Pipeline Authority budgets.

The House and Senate voted by wide margins Friday to keep the hiring freeze in place, including currently vacant positions in corrections.

The overrides required margins of more than 2 to 1 in both chambers.

The Legislature failed to override Mead's veto of cuts affecting the three agencies. The votes happened in the waning hours of this year's legislative session.

Gov. Matt Mead had said some spending reductions approved by the Legislature would cut too deep and vetoed part of a supplemental budget bill.

Mead mostly kept the bill intact but also raised concerns in a letter Thursday to House Speaker Steve Harshman about $20 million in cuts to K-12 education.

Mead says the cuts could interfere with an upcoming review of the state's education funding formula, which won the approval of Wyoming courts after years of litigation.

Mead exercised his line-item veto authority to nix cuts to the Wyoming Business Council, Department of Corrections and Wyoming Pipeline Authority, saying they've already experienced major cuts. He also vetoed the Wyoming Water Development Commission budget, which also has come under scrutiny.

The supplemental budget modifies the state's two-year budget.
Throughout our lives, we have been told never to judge a book by its cover. It's a good saying, both metaphorically and literally. But we all do it. We are attracted to a certain aesthetic: a way of dressing, a particular hairstyle, a cool book cover that you'll want to be seen reading while riding the bus or sitting at the coffee shop. It's not completely unreliable to judge a book by its cover. There's a reason there are huge marketing and design teams at the big publishing houses  aesthetics sell. Montana author, Dana Fitz Gale's collection of short stories does not have one of those covers that draws people in. To be completely honest, I dislike it quite a bit. I consider my enjoyment and admiration of the stories contained within as a lesson learned. Sometimes looking beyond the exterior aesthetic exposes hidden beauty.

Spells for Victory and Courage is a lovely collection of short stories whose themes are as various as the characters contained within. Fitz Gales stories are vignettes of life. Her characters are people we know, and the twists that occur in their lives are unexpected in their simplicity. Fitz Gale seems to know the perfect moment to surprise the reader with revelation or action. As in life, these revelations are often small and simple, illuminating the reader with the smallest of lights.

Variation is the spice of this collection, her characters are diverse in age, lifestyle and background. A group of ladies in the neighborhood association look down their noses at the young woman who has moved into the cul-de-sac, a teenage girl struggles to care for her father, a gambling addict and alcoholic. A young boy, obsessed with monsters, guides us through a controversy at a fishing tournament and the lore of the Flathead Lake Monster. In my personal favorite of the collection, "Fourteen Tips for Selling Real Estate," Fitz Gale captures the tension and exasperation of Alzheimers, aging, and all the little things that tear a person apart during difficult times. "Fourteen Tips" contrasts standard, business-oriented real estate tips such as Tip # 1: Make sure your house has an appealing smell. Bake cookies, light a fragrant candle, place fresh bowls of potpourri in every room, with jarring, emotional tips, Tip # 5: If you have a wife with Alzheimers disease, attempt to keep her in the basement, out of sight. It is a beautiful and sad story that reads like verse.

Like many short story collections, Spells for Victory and Courage can also feel a little disjointed at times. There were moments when I was thrown off by the sudden change to a new story, characters and style. I wanted more at the end of several of the stories and it sometimes felt like Fitz Gale took my plate before I was finished eating. The collection may have benefited from a re-ordering of the stories or, perhaps, it would behoove the reader to read this book in spurts, allowing time between each story to allow it to settle before moving to the next.

Fitz Gale has created an edgy collection that makes for an enjoyable read. Simple lives can be very complex below the surface. Books with bad covers often have beautiful stories contained within.
Here's a poem by John Stanizzi, who lives in Connecticut, in which we get a good look inside middle-school culture in the '60s. But is it really any different today? This poet's most recent book is Hallelujah Time! (Big Table Publishing, 2015).

Cry To Me

We walked through some heartache in '62.

Gary liked Teresa but Teresa

asked Elizabeth to tell Peter that

she really wanted to go out with him

but Peter had been making out with Jane

in the theater, celebrating their

one month anniversary, so that was

out, and even though Jane broke up with Pete,

Peter kept asking Gail to talk with Jane

which Gail wouldn't do because she'd told

Brenda that she thought that Peter was cute

but Brenda wasn't listening to a word,

wrapped up in lonely teardrops shed for Greg.

The waters of 8th grade were never still.
HAMILTON  The decision to set the election date for Montanas lone congressman on the Thursday just before Memorial Day weekend has sent election administrations scrambling.

Ravalli County Clerk and Recorder Regina Plettenberg said the governor selected one of the three worst dates possible for the election to fill the seat vacated by now Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke.

I know the train of thought was to get it done as quickly as possible so the state can have a replacement in Congress, Plettenberg said. Election administrators across the state did ask for June 6, but unfortunately that wasnt the date selected.

Instead, Gov. Steve Bullock selected Thursday, May 25 to hold the special election.

For Plettenberg, that means the countys largest polling place wont be available.

Hamilton High School will be preparing for its graduation ceremonies that day, she said Friday. At this point, Im still searching for another location. This is really bad.  I cant blame the school. Normally we have elections planned two years out and the schools are able to plan their graduations around primary elections.

They didnt have the opportunity to do that this time around, Plettenberg said. My schools felt awful.

The Missoula election administrator told Plettenberg that seven of that countys 28 polling places wont be available on that Thursday.

And the challenge in finding substitute polling places doesnt even take into account that many of the election officials already have other plans and wont be available to work that day.

Its right before a long holiday, Plettenberg said. There are graduations, weddings, vacations and people out of town attending to loved ones gravesites.

When election officials from across the state considered the upcoming special election, they all agreed the three worst days to hold it were May 25, May 26 or May 30 due to the holiday.

When I sent out emails to schools informing them of the date, some thought I was confused and had given them the wrong date, she said. They pointed out that was a Thursday. We begged for it to be held on a Tuesday.

Plettenberg said election administrators are still hopeful the Legislature will offer counties the option of holding a mail ballot for this one election.

SB 305 would allow that.

The proposed legislation has already cleared the Senate by with a vote of 36-13.

It was a good strong vote, Plettenberg said. It went though the committee with strong support.

Plettenberg worries there might be more opposition in the House, where Majority Leader Ron Ehli of Hamilton has already said he believes his constituents would prefer an opportunity to vote at the polls.

Plettenberg  who knows her fellow Republican well  sent Ehli an email asking him if he had a suggestion for an alternate polling place in Hamilton.

Not all Republicans are opposed to this, she said. There is a good base of Republicans and Democrats who understand why were asking for the mail ballot for this one election. But there is a fraction, unfortunately, who are opposed and a lot of them are in leadership.

The bill is set to be heard by the House Judiciary Committee, which Plettenberg said seems odd to her. Most bills involving election matters are heard by the State Administration Committee.

I dont know why that committee was selected, she said. Im guessing its a less favorable committee.

If history is any indication, Plettenberg said she doubts that many people would opt to come to the polls for the special election. In 2007 the county held a special election for the county commission.

The turnout was dismal, she said. At the primary, only 19 percent of the electorate voted. In the general election, it was 30 percent.

With a high percentage of county voters already signed up to receive absentee ballots, Plettenberg said this election will be decided by the mail ballots in Ravalli County even if the state chooses to require the polls be open.

The county currently mails out 13,000 absentee ballots.

We no longer really run poll elections, Plettenberg said. They are more of a hybrid between mailing absentee ballots and poll locations, except voters who are casting absentee ballots are outnumbering the voters who are casting ballots at the polls.

Right now, all I can do is plan for the worst and hope for the best, Plettenberg said. To me, it just doesnt make any sense to not allow this election be held by mail ballot. I think there are many more reasons in the light of day to hold this election by mail than holding it by poll.
A week after Sen. Jon Tester released his Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act, some wilderness advocates question what it might really do.

Now designated as S. 507, the bill resurrects a portion of Testers 8-year-old Forest Jobs and Recreation Act affecting the southwest corner of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. That bill ran into opposition from some environmentalists and U.S. Forest Service officials who objected to the way it mandated commercial work in the forests.

The new bill has raised eyebrows for the compromises its made with mountain biking groups.

Weve gone backwards from FJRA, said Jake Kreilick of the Wild West Institute. That kind of activity (mountain biking) raises threats to grizzly bears and human tragedies. And its another step toward privatization and Balkanization of our national forests.

Kreilicks organization was part of the Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Citizen Task Force, which also includes the Montana Sierra Club, Wilderness Watch and Swan View Coalition. Members of those groups also opposed the earlier Tester bill.

The new legislation has added advocates as well. In addition to beefing up its list of snowmobile clubs, the bill won support from mountain bike groups who successfully lobbied for a new bike-riding area in the Monture Creek drainage north of Ovando.

We see that as a very positive development, said Jordan Reeves of the Wilderness Society, one of the original backers of FJRA. There are some very divisive, top-down efforts out there by extreme fringe mountain bike groups that threaten conservation efforts. This is a real example of the right way to do things. Where we respect multiple values you can find common ground to move forward on.

The proposed Spread Mountain Recreation Area for mountain biking takes about 3,800 acres out of a larger inventoried roadless area that FJRA had slated for full wilderness protection. Its adjacent to a 2,200-acre proposed Otatsy Recreation Management Area thats intended for snowmobile trail development (which was in the original FJRA).

Its amazing to see the mountain bike and wilderness communities come together and emphatically support the same proposal, said Ben Horan, executive director of International Mountain Bike Association chapter Mountain Bike Missoula. The collaborative process that resulted in this legislation has clearly demonstrated that the recreational trails and traditional conservation communities have more in common than we sometimes realize.

Mike Bader wrote a review of Testers new bill for the Flathead-Lolo Bitterroot Citizen Task Force. In it, he argued the two recreation areas bring new human activity to a place heavily used by grizzly bears and wintering elk herds.

If the Forest Service had proposed such dramatic changes, it would have had to do environmental impact statements and NEPA analyses, Bader said, referring to the National Environmental Policy Act review of forest activity. This is right next to the (state) Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area, and Montana sportsmen have invested a lot of money into that elk herd. This just rewards illegal snowmobile and bicycle use. Instead of shutting that down, Tester is giving it to them.

Those two recreation areas front a proposed 27,392-acre addition to the Scapegoat Wilderness. Thats next to a proposed 39,422-acre addition to the Bob Marshall Wilderness in the headwaters of Monture Creek. Farther north, the bill adds 7,784 acres to the Grizzly Basin and front of the Swan Range east of Seeley Lake, and 4,462 acres to the West Fork Clearwater addition on the east side of the Mission Mountain Wilderness.

Testers Blackfoot Clearwater proposal is occurring, coincidentally, at the same time that other Northwest members of Congress are reviving wilderness proposals in their states. The Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act are being pushed by Washington's Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Derek Kilmer, both Democrats. In Idaho, Republican Sen. Jim Risch is planning to reintroduce the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Act. And the Southwestern Oregon Watershed and Salmon Protection Act is being authored by several members of the Oregon congressional delegation.

The Wild Olympics bill would give wilderness designation to 126,554 acres and Wild and Scenic River protection to 464 miles of 19 rivers on the Olympic Peninsula. The Scotchman Peaks bill would protect 13,900 acres of the Idaho portion of a remote mountain area on the Montana border, where another 47,800 acres have not yet made it into legislation. The Oregon bill doesnt have any wilderness or Wild and Scenic designations, but would preserve several rivers and tributaries from mining activity in southwestern Oregon.

The bill also effectively extends the Southwest Crown of the Continent Collaboratives timber management activities for another 10 years. The collaborative brings together Seeley Lakes Pyramid Mountain Lumber Co. and numerous local organizations to help the Forest Service design logging and forest restoration projects. Congress has allocated forest management money targeted at collaborative networks, and Crown of the Continent Collaborative was one of the first to participate.

Sierra Club representative Claudia Narcisco said that creates an incentive for supporters of logging to keep getting paid for their participation. It also appears to trade wilderness increases for industrial access.

The collaborative has become a business, Narcisco said. How do you balance the national interest when youre elevating the concerns of local people over the people of the United States?

Reeves of the Wilderness Society noted that Pyramid had benefited from federal stewardship contracting that came about as Tester was working on the original FJRA 10 years ago. The company has continued its support for wilderness designations in the new bill.

In efforts like this, nobody gets 100 percent of what they want, Reeves said. Theres always critics of collaborations  folks on the margins that are not going to be satisfied with a collaborative proposal. We feel the proposal stands on its own.
A new small-batch butchery in Missoula aims to connect customers with local, pasture-raised meat from just 40 miles down the road in the Bitterroot Valley.

At the Cloven Hoof butcher shop, located at 101 N. Johnson St. near the Westside Lanes bowling alley, the fresh cuts of pork and lamb are processed into a myriad of different products  from rosemary and red wine sausages to sirloin chops to brine-cured belly pate  that you cant find at the grocery store. And the animals all come from the Tucker Family Farm near Victor, where they roam free, arent given hormones, and feed on grass and spent grains from local breweries and distilleries.

Abe Jindrich and Cathrine Walters gained a loyal following with the Cloven Hoof at the Missoula Farmers Market this past summer, but they realized they wanted to expand into a brick-and-mortar home. They were able to lease some space from Paige Pitzer of Riversong Gourmet and remodeled a storage room into their own custom display area.

Now you can sip fresh hot bone broth while picking out spare ribs, ginger-sage breakfast sausage or pork liver pate, then take home a bottle of wine, cider or beer and a fresh-baked loaf of bread for dinner. Its a foodies delight, but Jindrich and Walters have a more powerful motivation for what theyre doing than just catering to those who are bored with mass-produced deli meats.

We started raising animals and went through the whole process from start to finish and butchering hogs, and at that point it was no longer something we could do to go down to the grocery store and buy meat after having that experience, Jindrich explained. Not to pooh-pooh anybody elses way of living, but for us it became important to know where our meat come from.

And they decided that other people were longing for that farm-to-table experience as well.

We really want people to have access to good local meat, which is hard to find here in Montana, Walters said. And in this area, theres so many farms here up and down the Bitterroot Valley and everywhere. That was pretty much how we started, was us trying to find local pork chops.

Jindrich trained with expert butchers in New York, took a class from a Portland-based butcher cooperative and worked as a wild-game butcher in Ennis. Then, he helped his friend Tyler Tucker butcher some farm-raised hogs for his farmworkers. In talking with Tucker, he realized that the only way people could buy local meat was to pay a big lump sum for a half hog or whole hog up front and store it in their freezer.

Jindrich called around to local shops, and realized the only place for people to get locally raised lamb and pork in small portions was the self-serve section at the Good Food Store.

Theres a ton of farmers who want to put their product in front of people, and it wasnt being done around here, Jindrich said.

So, Jindrich and Walters decided they could buy the whole animals, which gives them the freedom to offer unique cuts. They don't have beef yet, but their pork comes from Berkshire pigs raised on flavor-enhancing annual crops, as are the East Friesian lambs.

We have breast of lamb, youre not going to see that in most shops, Jindrich said. Youre probably not going to see pork Denver or lamb neck, and youre generally not going to see the flatirons. Getting the whole animal allows me more freedom in what I cut.

Also, the locally raised animals have a flavor that will blow people away if all theyve ever gotten are the pink cutlets that may have been raised in a Chinese-owned feedlot in Iowa.

Everybody talks about terroir, which is the French word for food that tastes like where it comes from right? Jindrich said. Every grape variety tastes different according to the soil it grows in. Thats true for meat as well. People dont think of that extending to meat, but a pig from here and a pig from Kalispell or a pig from eastern Montana are all going to taste different depending on what they eat and what soil type it is, which is going to change what grows there. So there is a terroir for meat, which people take for granted.

Thats sort of our vision, too, is to expose that. So theyll taste not only the quality of the meat but the added health benefits.

Both Walters and Jindrich said theyre trying to educate people about why their meat costs more than mass-produced grocery store meat.

Thats another thing that is important to us, he said. The cheapness of meat, which I feel like is artificially cheap. We can get into long discussions about subsidies and that sort of thing. But people see our prices and say, Whoa.

"What we have to do is educate them and explain why this is better for you and if youre willing to cut your consumption a little bit, and eat local meat instead of meat from Iowa, youre going to get a product that tastes better and will do more and have more health benefits."

Jindrich is quick to say theyre not on a mission to change the world, even though he firmly believes that over-consumption of meat from feedlots has caused a lot of environmental and human-health harm.

In our small scale, if we can get 300 or 400 people in Missoula to eat a little bit less meat every week but eating fresher, better local meat, they will be eating healthier and they can feel a little bit better about the life that an animal lived and theyre supporting the local economy and farmers, he said.

They use almost every part of the animal, and even the bones and leftover organs are saved for pet treats.

The main goal for the couple is to create an atmosphere where they can interact with customers on a more personal level, find out what type of cooking they like and recommend certain meats or recipes.

We can talk to people like an old-school butcher shop, Jindrich says.
In the summer of 1973, Kevin Canty, an undergraduate in English at the University of Montana, got a job with the Milwaukee Railroad out of Avery, Idaho.

The year before, in the spring of 1972, a fire had broken out at the Sunshine silver mine outside Kellogg, Idaho, filling the mine shaft with smoke and carbon monoxide. Ninety-one miners were killed in the second-deadliest mining disaster in the United States.

Canty, who teaches fiction at the University of Montana, revisits the mine disaster through a fictionalized Silverton in "The Underground," released this week by W.W. Norton.

He rotates between the views of three residents as they grieve and attempt to cope with an out-sized tragedy in a small community, rather than assembling a detailed re-creation of the disaster itself.

"It's the human story that seemed like the one I was interested in," Canty said.

From a few years working in the field, he had what he called a tourist's view into the lives of blue-collar people, a section of American life rarely seen in novels.

"In most American fiction, nobody works. It's just one of those things people don't do," he said. "Nobody eats in fiction that much either, but I wanted to write about these lives that seemed foreclosed on, in a way."

His three point-of-view characters provide a cross-section of the small town's populace and the grip that the mine has on their existence.

David, a UM student, aspires for a different life than his brother and father, but feels the pull of home in the drastically different world of Missoula. Ann Malloy, a girl from nearby Smelterville, marries a miner, gets a job at a grocery store and feels the course of her life locked into place before she turns 25. Veteran mine worker Lyle is twice-divorced and ingrained in a lonely routine of work, bars and brothels.

The setting also allows Canty to engage with one of his favorite subjects in American fiction: class.

"You almost always know how much money somebody's got when you read about them in a novel. Or how much education they have. Or where they came from on the social spectrum," he said.

People internalize the expectations they've been raised with, he said, and the conflicts in which their world view is challenged by people or events is "where the stories come from," he said.

***

"The Underworld" originated with a novella, written from the perspective of David, who's about the same age as Canty was in college and drives the same Volkswagen Beetle through mountain passes, weather be damned. The similarities stop there.

"What you do as a writer is try to get away from yourself and try to inhabit other people's lives," he said.

He began adding the other point-of-view characters and layers so "you see this one thing in the middle but you see it from all these different places and different experiences."

He said Lyle, who is "so practical it's completely impractical," was a challenge. "You don't want to make him smaller than life," he said.

Canty alternates point-of-view chapters between Lyle, Ann and David, giving each a distinctive voice and vision of life.

"You're trying to take that leap and imagine your way into somebody else's life, into their head. Not just what they think, but what they think with, the mental furniture," he said.

Their community of Silverton, saturated in mine dust, bitter weather and scruffy bars, feels vivid.

Canty's writing is at its most insightful after the fire. The subject could lend itself to a protracted dirge, but he carefully and beautifully renders the state of shock that occurs after the death of a loved one.

One character "is alive and not alive. It may be that the memory has gotten denser, more solid, or it may be that the present moment is thinning out, but the two seem to have equal weight in her mind, like a secret harmony." A little later, he further develops what he calls a "doubling" of the character's mental state:

"It's odd to have this exact before-and-after, this one razor blade of a moment that divides the one life from the other, the life that ended, the one that hasn't started yet. Maybe will never start. Stillborn. And to be both of those people, in the same skin, all at once."

Not all the characters are able to cope, yet a hardened brand of hope is a central part of the book.

"I wanted people to get through this not because they wanted to but because they had to, in some ways. This was not the kind of hope that was wistful, but the kind that was forced on them," he said.

***

Canty researched the history of the mine disaster through official reports and nonfiction accounts like Greg Olsen's "The Deep Dark." He visited the site of the mine, now closed. A stop at the Oasis Bordello Museum in Wallace, Idaho, provided some insight for Lyle's story arc. It was operational until the 1980s, thanks to the madam's generous donations to local causes. It's a "totally intact 1980s whorehouse with mannequins," he said.

He looked up the Top 40 lists for the specific weeks to determine what would be playing at the bar (a scene-perfect Three Dog Night hit). The book is rendered with other subtle details: cars would lose all the stations during some sections of a road trip. Phones were located in the kitchen, where everyone could overhear your conversation.

He said it was interesting to realize that things that happened in his youth now qualify as material for a historical novel.

Canty was born in California and grew up in Washington, D.C. His father, Donald Canty, was an author and editor of Architecture magazine, and his mother, Joan McGowan Canty, raised the seven children. She grew up in Billings, and so the Cantys have been coming to Montana his whole life.

His father was a musician, and a high number of his siblings ended up as musicians as well. Brendan played drums in the influential post-hardcore band Fugazi and has directed two documentaries about Wilco. James was a member of post-punk bands like Nation of Ulysses and the Make-Up. His sister Susan is a mezzo-soprano.

Canty moved to Montana in 1972 to study at the University of Montana. He didn't graduate high school and needed a college that would accept his GED.

Thanks to "dumb luck," he landed at the creative writing program during a high point. He took classes from writers like Richard Hugo, William Kittredge, Earl Ganz and Madeline Defrees.

"It was a cool time in the history of Missoula," he said. "It was much more isolated then. It was much more of a distinctive place."

He tucked several references to '70s Missoula into the book. David buys cheese and salami from the Broadway Market, owned by Alfredo Cipolato. The Italian resident was interned at Fort Missoula during World War II, and after his release decided to stay, eventually opening the import corner grocery at Broadway and Madison Street.

In another early scene, David and some friends drive to The Cabin bar in East Missoula. Situated near a truck stop, the watering hole drew truckers, students and townies before it burned down in the 1980s.

***

Despite taking the craft seriously when he was younger, Canty didn't have much discipline in his work.

"To get good at writing, you have to sit down and do it, and do it badly for a really long time," he said. "That requires a level of discipline that I didn't have in my 20s."

Canty, who played in bar bands in Missoula during the '70s, landed in Portland, Oregon, for most of the 1980s, running a business doing sound for live concerts.

"Music is so much more fun than writing," he said. In contrast to writing ("there's a lot of ... just sitting around"), music is a social activity, with drinks and fun.

Doing sound meant hundreds of concerts a year and summers of 80-hour weeks, everything from punk and proto-grunge to state fairs and waterfront shows.

"Some of the fun of being in the bars really does wear off after a while," he said.

At 35, he returned to school at the University of Florida for his master's in English, followed by an MFA from the University of Arizona. He returned to Missoula in the mid-'90s when a teaching position in the creative writing program opened, where he's remained ever since.

It's a "weird career" arc, he said. He didn't publish a story until he was 40 years old.

"The Underworld" is his fourth novel. He's also published three collections of short stories, some of which appeared in the New York Times Magazine and the New Yorker.

In one notable feature of "The Underworld," readers see little of the mining company itself, much less any information about the causes of the fire. They're planted in the same position as David, Ann and Lyle.

"People didn't know how it was going to turn out," he said. He wrote it in present tense for that reason.

"You want to know everything. And the book needs to know exactly what the characters know and no more," he said.
The Department of the Interior is responsible for one-fifth of the land in the United States, including 20 million acres in Montana alone. And Montanas former congressman, Ryan Zinke, is now in charge of this far-reaching federal agency.

Congratulations began pouring in from elected officials of both political parties even before Zinke was sworn in as secretary of the Interior last Wednesday. But these well-deserved well-wishes must not be the last Zinke hears from Montana. It is crucial to the states future  particularly its environmental health and outdoor-based economy  that the nations new head of the Interior be a fierce guardian of public lands and a staunch advocate of the publics right to have a say in their management.

He certainly set the right tone on his first day as secretary, issuing a secretarial order aimed at increasing public access to the outdoors. The first order directs his bureaus to immediately identify areas where recreation and fishing can be expanded and work with councils to develop further recommendations on expanding public access and improving habitat.

"Outdoor recreation is about both our heritage and our economy. Between hunting, fishing, motorized recreation, camping and more, the industry generates thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity, Zinke said in prepared statements concerning the two orders. Over the past eight years however, hunting, and recreation enthusiasts have seen trails closed and dramatic decreases in access to public lands across the board. It worries me to think about hunting and fishing becoming activities for the land-owning elite. This package of secretarial orders will expand access for outdoor enthusiasts and also make sure the community's voice is heard."

Another immediate way Zinke can ensure that voice is heard is by using his powerful new position to take advocate for the new Bureau of Land Management rules collectively called Planning 2.0.

The BLM is just one of several bureaus within the Interior Department. For years, it has been crafting a set of rules to improve its planning process in a way that provides for earlier public comment and more transparency throughout. However, Planning 2.0 did not take effect until mid-January, meaning it is subject to the Congressional Review Act under which Congress may opt to throw out any government regulations issued within the previous 60 legislative workdays.

The U.S. House, of which Zinke was so recently a member, already approved legislation to nullify Planning 2.0. The Senate may vote as soon as this week. If senators continue down this road, the BLMs planning process will revert back to its old system  which was created more than three decades ago. For Zinke, tossing out the new rules would also mean he will not be able to issue any new regulations concerning BLM planning without prior Congressional approval, severely limiting his ability to respond quickly to new information or developments.

This comes at a heated time for public lands issues, both in Montana and beyond. Utah Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz recently introduced legislation that would have resulted in the potential sale of more than 3 million acres of public land in several states, including Montana. Groups and individuals raised enough outcry to force Chaffetz to withdraw the bill, but not before the Outdoor Industry Association announced that it was pulling the plug on its bi-annual trade show in Utah in protest of that states apparent support for privatizing public lands.

Seeing an opportunity, Gov. Steve Bullock fired off a letter inviting the association to bring the trade show, which pulls an estimated 50,000 attendees and brings in $45 million each year, to Montana.

Of course, this invitation only makes sense so long as Montana maintains its commitment to public lands and unfortunately, Montanas legislators have been sending mixed messages. So far this legislative session at least two proposals to protect public lands and oppose any efforts to transfer or sell them have died in committee.

On the other hand, the day before Zinkes confirmation, the Montana House narrowly approved a bill to declare March 1 Public Lands Day in Montana. It proclaims that on March 1, the anniversary of the day Yellowstone National Park was designated as the nations first national park, appropriate observation may be held by the public and in all public schools in tribute to the importance of public lands in Montana.

Such proclamation is not mere fluff. Given recent attempts to look into public lands transfer, it is important for Montana both to recognize the role of federal lands such as Glacier and Yellowstone national parks as a major economic influence, as well as to send a clear message about the ongoing need to ensure their continued ability to provide recreation, resource development and environmental value to the nation.

According to the Outdoor Industry Association, the outdoor economy in Montana supports 64,000 jobs, contributes $403 million in tax revenue and is responsible for generating $1.5 billion in wages.

Yet House Bill 491 to recognize these facts with an annual Public Lands Day was forwarded to the Senate on a close 52-48 vote on its third reading in the House, despite its bipartisan co-sponsorship. Montana can do better than that.

A Montanan now has an unparalleled leadership role in the public lands debate that shouldnt be a debate at all, but a settled matter. The nations federal lands are public properties that belong to all Americans, and every American citizen has the right to have a say in their management. Rules like Planning 2.0 help large federal agencies move a step closer to that reality.

Hopefully, Zinke agrees. And hopefully, hes willing to tell his former colleagues in Congress what his position is, and why, so that they too will protect the publics voice in guiding smart conservation, recreation and development of Americas public lands.
Why is the White House trying to block the FBI from looking into contact with Russia unless there is something to hide? The American people need to know the truth because it's a matter of national security. Congress, conservatives and liberals, needs to demand and seek the truth no matter where it leads. I might add that the president's "twittering" is a cause for great concern. Why is this allowed?

As to the immigration issue, we are all products of immigrants except for the Native Americans. Africans were forced to come here to be slaves when all they wanted to do was to stay with their families. Most of the rest of our ancestors came to escape oppression and violence, many of whom were met with suspicion and fear and weren't wanted. There is a serious problem with a society and culture which fears children and parents who just want to raise these children in a safe place. Even the president is a product of immigrants.

The United States has the potential to lead in the effort to co-exist peacefully in this worldinclusion, not exclusiontearing down walls instead of building them. Peace is hard work. Violence is easy. We must decide which road to take.

C.V. Cooper,

Missoula
Major U.S. retailers dont want taxes on imports and are lobbying hard to keep them from being imposed, either as classic import tariffs or as a border equalization feature of the corporate income tax. But Donald Trump got strong affirmation from supporters whenever he advocated taxes on imports, so keeping such taxes out of the picture entirely may be a vain hope.

Best Buy and Target are as concerned as Walmart, Sears or any other retailer that sources much merchandise abroad. But why, exactly, are they so concerned? Are these concerns well-founded? And should anyone in the public who does not own stock in these companies or work for them really be concerned?

There are a number of different scenarios for how retailers might be hurt by higher border taxes.

The simplest explanation would be that a tax on imports will raise the cost of retailers merchandise. This is a highly competitive, low-margin sector. If they have to pay a tax of, say, 20 percent to get things into this country from foreign suppliers, this higher cost will sharply reduce profits. This, in turn, will limit their ability to invest in new facilities, hire more workers and give raises.

The logical flaw in this is a fallacy of composition. Yes, an import tax in the ranges discussed would raise the cost of Targets or WalMarts merchandise. And yes, retailing is competitive. No single retailer can raise prices much without seeing shoppers go elsewhere.

But if all retailers face identical merchandise cost increases, then the overall market price for clothing, housewares, electronics or whatever will rise. No individual store or corporation is particularly disadvantaged relative to others. Consumers will pay more, just as they do if a frost wipes out an orange crop, sending citrus prices higher.

Yes, there may be details of one retailer sourcing a somewhat different proportion of some product line abroad than does a competitor. If Company A gets 85 percent of its clothing abroad and Company B gets 90 percent, then B will get smacked a little harder by import tariffs than will A. But adjustments can occur in a matter of months.

Advocates of import taxes argue that all firms could respond by sourcing more of their purchases from U.S. manufacturers. That is the very point of the tariff. And as the price advantages of foreign producers are erased by the tariffs, U.S. production will rise.

Skeptics will disagree, noting that for many products, there no longer is a manufacturing base in our country and that it will take many years for factories to be built, workers trained and so forth. If we suddenly tax imports, there wont instantaneously be alternative U.S.-produced goods waiting to be loaded for delivery to U.S. stores. I think this clearly is correct, but leave it aside for now.

A second scenario of why U.S. retailing firms should be concerned is that even if import taxes are largely passed on to consumers and retailers can maintain margins on what they sell, the implicit effect will be a cut in disposable incomes.

If higher costs due to import taxes means that households only can buy a smaller quantity of goods in total, then retailers sales volumes will fall. The fact that retailers may be able to keep the same margins on units they still sell is of little comfort if overall sales drop.

If a family has to pay more for clothing, housewares, toys and electronics because of taxes on imports, they will, indeed, buy less of these products. But the income effect may also affect their purchases of things not even imported at all. If you know it is going to cost you more to get clothing and supplies for the kids to return to school, you may decide you cannot go out to eat quite as often or cannot spend a week at the resort on Lake Wobegon as you usually do. Maybe the household budget gets stretched so tight you need to give up your yoga class or not go pheasant hunting with cousins in South Dakota.

The dampening effects can spread farther than the immediate imports taxed. Yes, import restrictions well may raise employment and profits in U.S. companies that compete with imports. And revenues from import taxes may allow other taxes to be cut, thus freeing up money to bolster household consumption. These arguments convince advocates of these taxes, but not most economists.

This brings us to the third scenario for concern.

Imposition of taxes on imports in the ranges discussed will be a major shock to the world economy. U.S. imports may shrink, but so will U.S. exports and so will the broader national economy. The Chinese economy will suffer a blow and so will Europe.

Slowing economic activity in the northern hemisphere means Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Zambia, Nigeria and other commodity exporters will slump as well. A global economy in recession means a U.S. economy in recession. Virtually all businesses will see lower sales and much lower profits. Retailers will suffer, but they wont be alone. Everybody will be in a slump everywhere.
The current president has taken the classic first steps of a budding autocrat by attempting to delegitimize the press and the judiciary.

He consistently attacks the media for publishing unflattering facts, and has repeatedly referred to the media as the enemy of the American people. His administration has also barred several media organizations from a recent news briefing. While frustration with the press is understandable, it is inexcusable and un-American to delegitimize and limit the access of the press.

The presidents attacks on the intelligence and legitimacy of federal judges who have ruled on Trump University and his travel ban are a dangerous assault on the integrity of the judiciary.

The president clearly intends to delegitimize anything and everyone that he disagrees with, including the institutions that are the foundation of our democracy.

We should all denounce attacks by any president on the free press and the judiciary. It is crucial for elected leaders to speak up as strong defenders of democratic principles. Please call U.S. Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines, and U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke to insist that they speak out against attacks by the president on the free press and federal judges.

Marty Kardos,

Missoula
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines outlandish demands that U.S. Sen. Jon Tester immediately endorse Trumps nominee for Supreme Court justice is an insult to my intelligence.

Isnt Daines the same senator who refused to give Barack Obamas nominee even an interview for nine months? Isnt Daines part of the party that, before the November election, threatened to never seat a Hillary Clinton nominee if she won? He is.

Did I hear Daines chastising his fellow Republicans for such trash talk? I did not. How does this blatant hypocrisy work? Does he think were stupid? Or that we suffer from short-term memory loss?

Tester is a patriot, not a puppet. I trust him to represent me. That means careful vetting of any nominee. There hasnt even been a hearing yet. And, thanks to Daines and his fellows, weve been without a full Supreme Court for more than 11 months. He obviously didnt think having a full court was important when the shoe was on the other foot.

Daines forfeited all moral right to make any comments about Testers decisions concerning Supreme Court justices. There is no reason for Tester to pay any attention to him. Neither should we.

Pat Tucker,

Hamilton
Operation Warm is a nationwide, nonprofit organization that raises money to purchase brand new winter coats for children in need.

When Operation Warm teamed up with firefighters four years ago, the Missoula Rural Firefighters Local 2457 jumped on the opportunity to participate. We recently completed our 2016 campaign and, as in previous years, it was a huge success.

Of course, that success would not have been possible without the support of several very gracious donors around Missoula. We are proud to say that those donations will keep 370 kids at Hawthorne, Target Range and Desmet elementary schools, as well as Head Start Missoula, warm this winter.

The continued support from community members in and around Missoula has allowed Local 2457 to give away a total of over 1,300 brand-new, American-made coats over the last four years. The Missoula Rural Firefighters are already looking forward to teaming up with the community for another successful year in 2017.

Thank you again to all who have contributed to this great program. Local 2457 and 1,300 Missoula area kids greatly appreciate your generosity.

Eric Huleatt,

Operation Warm coordinator,

Missoula Rural Firefighters Local 2457,

Missoula
BUTTE  Gayla Benefield was diagnosed with asbestos-related disease in 2001. Since then, shes lost her husband, who was diagnosed with lung cancer from asbestos exposure. She lost both parents to asbestosis. And four of her five children have been diagnosed with the disease.

Now she is one of thousands of sick Libby residents who are worriedly watching the Washington drama over repealing the Affordable Care Act. In the balance, she believes, is the way shell be able to live the rest of her life.

As The Affordable Care Act was being constructed in 2009, Montanas Max Baucus just happened to be chairman of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.

That put Baucus in a position to do something of lasting value for the residents of Libby. A decade earlier, the EPA began cleaning up the massive contamination caused by asbestos from a vermiculite mine that operated near Libby for more than half a century. More than 400 people have died from asbestos in the little northwestern Montana town, and more than 2,000 others have been diagnosed with incurable, often-fatal asbestos-related disease.

Baucus built three special provisions within the healthcare law for Libby asbestos victims:

 Money for a screening program at the communitys asbestos-related disease clinic, known as the CARD Clinic. Because of the latency period  the time between exposure and the onset of symptoms  nobody knows how many more people in Libby will develop the disease. More are being diagnosed each year, so the screening program is vital to the entire town.

 Anyone diagnosed with asbestos-related disease in Libby is automatically eligible under the ACA for Medicare, no matter their age.

 And perhaps most importantly, the healthcare law pays for a pilot program that provides wide-ranging medical care and home support not covered by Medicare.

Now, many believe those protections are imperiled by the possible repeal of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

Ill be frank, Sen. Jon Tester says. Libby would have had a hard time getting what it got if it werent for Baucus position at the time. Libby presents huge healthcare challenges.

"It meant so much to me" to insert the Libby provision in the ACA, Baucus said Saturday. "Libby so deserved it. It would be another injustice if the Congress were to repeal it."

Baucus, who resigned from the Senate to serve as Ambassador to China during the Obama Administration, added, "I wish I was still in the Senate to make sure their health insurance continues."

Currently, Republicans are working on a plan to repeal and replace Obamacare. The provisions of the draft bill are a closely guarded secret  only one copy of the bill has been provided in a reading room for Republicans in Congress to examine.

While House Republicans unsuccessfully voted to repeal the healthcare law more than 50 times during the Obama Administration, the party is deeply divided as to exactly what should replace it. In recent weeks, as the various Republican factions have feuded over who would be covered in a new law, and exactly what might replace the current complex system of coverage mandates and subsidies, polls show that public opinion has shifted in favor of the current law.

Tester, a Democrat, believes the best hope for Lincoln County residents is to avoid a full repeal. If the law were merely modified, not repealed, he thinks theres a better chance that the provisions Baucus engineered for Libby would survive.

Republican Sen. Steve Daines disagrees. Obamacare is in a death spiral  in Montana, families are seeing insurance hikes that average between 27 and 58 percent in 2017 alone, he said. He agrees that too many Libby families have suffered from the deadly effects of asbestos exposure, and those impacted by asbestos must be taken care of, but he also says that too many Montanans have suffered under Obamacare."

Daines adds, "Its critical that with repealing and replacing Obamacare we work in a bipartisan way to return healthcare decisions back to Montanans and create solutions that better work for rural Montana.

Its very unlikely that this (Libby provisions) will be touched by repeal and replace of Obamacare, a Daines spokesperson said Friday.

Tester is far less sanguine.

The bottom line is that this is a pretty specific thing, he says. Well never get time on the floor (to get a Libby-specific fix done.) And even under the best of circumstances  and it looks like were going to be far from the best of circumstances  I dont see how the special provisions for Libby survive a full repeal.

He said that were going to advocate like hell, but its going to be tough.

Bipartisan working ability? Tester said. They (Republicans) arent even letting all of their own members see the new plan. Theyre working in a room protected by armed guards.

For Benefield, now in her 70s, the pleural plaquing in her lungs that was diagnosed 16 years ago is spreading, but shes still able to function pretty well. The pilot program, she said, is a huge help.

It enables me to live in my house, she said. Its that simple. It provides me with assistance for my yard work and house work. It provides me with winter show-shoveling assistance. I could never get that done any more.

She added that the pilot program pays for hospital medications if you have to go in for observation. Just that cost us a thousand dollars when her husband was sick, she said.

Benefields brother-in-law has been diagnosed with treatable but inoperable lung cancer, and he has to go back and forth to Kalispell to see his doctor. The pilot program pays 55 cents a mile for the travel for treatments, she said.

She says being on Medicare provides nighttime oxygen for asbestos-disease sufferers. Some of the young people who have it  that nighttime oxygen gives them the energy to get up and go to work the next morning, she said. Theyd be lost without it.

Dr. Brad Black runs the Libby CARD Clinic. Hes extremely worried about the potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

The liable company (for Libby contamination) evaded the responsibility of providing healthcare for those affected by filing bankruptcy in 2002, he said. In 2009, the EPA declared its first and only Public Health Emergency.

In response to that declaration, Baucus was able to fashion the special provisions for Libby.

Thousands of people have benefited from these programs, Black said, receiving the critical healthcare they need to live successfully despite the health challenges they will face in the future.

The loss of these services will decrease access to care, decrease quality of life for many and likely result in increased mortality.

He said he appreciates the efforts of Tester and Daines, and he plans to keep in close touch with both of them as the issue comes to a head in Congress.

For Benefield, the threat of losing care for so many in Libby is disheartening.

Weve fought hard for everything weve gotten, she said, and we were so grateful to Max Baucus for what he did.

Now, I cant believe theyre going to kick us in the teeth again.

Both of my parents died with nothing  no help from anyone. Do they really want us to go through that again?
Native of France and new chef at The Hummingbird Cafe, Pascal Prunier didnt plan on coming to Montana.

Instead, he said, his move to the Big Sky State was the result of a chance encounter.

Prunier was living in Florida working in banqueting and fine dining when one day he decided to go out West.

It was my obsession, said Prunier. I wanted to see the rest of the country.

Pascal packed into his car and started heading northwest.

But there was a problem. His car broke down midway through the journey in Missouri.

Prunier took his car to a mechanic, where he met a fellow traveler whose car had also broken down.

The man was John Stevens, owner of the Caffe Firenze in Florence, Montana, who was traveling with a food trailer to service a banquet. Prunier said Stevens was flustered because he was worried about being late for the banquet and his executive chef had recently walked out on him.

He looked at me and I started laughing, said Prunier.

Prunier  who had undergone an intensive three-year apprenticeship in the UK, the European version of culinary school, and had worked at the prestigious Savoy Hotel in London in addition to his job in Florida  informed Stevens that he just happened to be chef.

Later on, the two met at a bar to discuss the possibility of Prunier coming to Firenze.

Four beers, three shots, and we shook hands, said Prunier. And that was that. He had the job.

Prunier went on to work at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, but had to take time off due to an illness. During his hiatus he saw a job ad for the Hummingbird, Prunier said, so he scoped the place out and submitted an application. He received a call back just 20 minutes later.

Prunier  whos part Sicilian and part French  said he enjoys living in Butte because of its relaxed atmosphere and the friendliness of its people.

As for his home country, Prunier said he grew up in a traditional, old farming community on the Normandy coast that has its own dialect, located an hour-and-a-half away from the site of the D-Day landing.

His mother is Sicilian, Prunier said, and she met his father in Normandy after leaving Sicily during World War II, when German forces destroyed the islands infrastructure before fleeing from an Allied invasion.

Not far from where he grew up, Prunier said, is the Mont Saint-Michel, a shallow-water island topped with a town, monastery and abbey that is only accessible by foot during low tide. Its often regarded as one of the eight wonders of the world, he added.

When asked what drew him to The Hummingbird, Prunier said he likes the restaurants one-of-a-kind nature.

Prunier said The Hummingbird tries to keep its recipes as simple as possible so that the food remains affordable. He added that the restaurant places an emphasis on fresh and local ingredients. Ninety percent of the food is prepared on site, he said, and the restaurant makes its own stock, desserts, sauces and dressings.

What we do, we do our own style, said Prunier.
Butte residents can once again enjoy vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free goodies at The Hummingbird Cafe, the Park Street restaurant known for its emphasis on natural and locally sourced food.

The Bird closed for a makeover two weeks ago as contractors repainted and staff fine-tuned the creation of a new menu, cafe manager Christine Martin told The Montana Standard Wednesday.

The restaurant reopened Saturday night, and patrons were greeted with new, upscale items like pork scallopini, vegetable jambalaya and Moroccan-style lentil and carrot soup.

Martin said The Hummingbird, owned by Taylor Brown, will now have a weekly rotating menu, featuring entrees, appetizers, soups, salads and desserts overseen by the restaurants new chef, Pascal Prunier, a native of France who has worked at the Savoy Hotel in London, Caffe Firenze in Florence, Montana, and Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, among other fine-dining establishments.

Martin described the new menu as drawing from a cosmopolitan blend of French, Asian, German and Italian cuisines, among several others.

They are dishes fusing aspects of different cultures to create something interesting, said Martin.

Another highlight is a new La Marzocco espresso machine, handcrafted in Italy.

Martin said the former espresso machine was more than 20 years old, and the new device should improve the quality of the shots.

It makes a big deal with the flavor, said Martin, noting the restaurant gets its coffee from Missoula-based Black Coffee Roasting Co.

I feel that it really does the coffee that we do buy better justice.

To show off the new menu and highlight the Hummingbird bar  which the restaurant launched last year, replete with signature mixed drinks  the restaurant will now be open 5 p.m. to midnight, Wednesday through Saturday, Martin said. Starting Mothers Day, the restaurant will expand its hours to feature weekend lunch and brunch.

Eventually, Martin said, lunch and breakfast will be back on the daily menu once those items have been perfected.

Breakfast and lunch are coming back, said Martin. Were just taking our time.

The Hummingbird interior has also been updated. Once eggplant walls are now a honeydew green with a black trim. The flooring has also been updated, Martin said, which now looks more like black lacquer than blonde wood.

When asked about the reasoning behind the changes, Martin said they are part of an overall strategy to improve the quality of the food, atmosphere and service.

When the new owners purchased The Hummingbird (in 2014) it had come with the previous menu, and we just felt at this point it kind of needed a change, said Martin.

She added that the rotating menu will also allow the kitchen staff to use the freshest produce possible, which is supplied from local vendors in Montana and Washington

Although the restaurant has changed a bit, Martin maintained its staying true to its roots.

Or focus is always going to be on serving organic, local dishes that are vegan or gluten-free, and our mission is to support local Montana businesses through our practices and healthy eating.

The Hummingbird Cafe is still The Bird, Martin said, its just growing up.
A house explosion at 420 W. Aluminum St. Saturday evening killed one man, according to Butte-Silver Bow police.

The 32-year-old male was found shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday when police went to investigate a report of a house explosion. The mans name has not been released, but police say they believe he was the only resident of the house.

BSB Police Captain Doug Conway said Sunday that the windows had been blown out of the house, and police found the remnants of an explosive device inside the house. Conway said the resident appeared to have set off the device, but whether it was intentional or not, he couldnt say.

Police found other devices inside the house that looked potentially explosive, so police evacuated neighboring houses and called in a bomb squad from Missoula. The Missoula explosive unit found items they took with them to examine further, said Conway.

Neighboring residents were allowed back into their homes around 1 a.m. Sunday. No one else was hurt.

BSB Coroner Lee LaBreche said the remains of the deceased male are being transported to the state crime lab for toxicology and autopsy results. The mans name will not be released until his family has been notified.
BILLINGS  It might not be long before the inscription atop Yellowstone National Park's iconic Roosevelt Arch is posted in Ryan Zinke's new digs.

It's what the new Interior secretary says is his mission for the Department of Interior's management of federal lands: "For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People."

"Sitting in my office, and I am now recognizing the task before me. I'm excited about it. It's great to be asked by the president to be his voice on public lands," Zinke said Friday. "I look forward to going out in the field and visiting our parks, our refuges, and our holdings and just talking to the people. It goes back to 'the benefit and enjoyment of the people,' and I tend to live up to the model."

The Republican from Montana has repeated the statement often since saddling up and riding to work with the mounted National Mall Police on Thursday. He was then greeted by his new staff as a Northern Cheyenne Indian drummer pounded out an honor song at the top of the Department of the Interior steps. It was a dramatic departure from his job as just one vote out of 435 in the U.S. House. Zinke is the only congressman from a state so wide it falls just a few miles short of taking up an entire time zone.

It was just two years ago when Zinke was moving into his House office. He'd been a state legislator for a couple terms in the last decade. Before that, he was 23-year veteran of the Navy SEALs, where he reached the rank of commander. He served in Iraq.

In President Donald J. Trump's cabinet of millionaires, Zinke, 55, is tied with Vice President Mike Pence as the least wealthy  by a long shot. Minus his congressional salary, Zinke's non-government worth is about $800,000 and includes a 1938 Cadillac, a Harley Davidson, some family art, and some rental properties, most notably in the Montana timber and ski town of Whitefish, where Zinke, a plumber's son, grew up in the shadow of Glacier National Park.

It is impossible to look in any direction from Zinke's hometown without seeing federal land. The local ski resort, Big Mountain, occupies land leased from the Forest Service. There is a tight green stubble on the landscape where a legacy logging industry sawed jobs from federal timber. There's the national park and, to the east of it, the Blackfeet Indian Reservation before the landscape flattens into millions of acres of Bureau of Land Management grazing land, punctuated by farm communities founded in the land rush of the early 1900s.

In Montana, the federal government is everyone's neighbor. Montana is the fourth largest state in the nation. The federal government owns a third of the property. The Department of Interior manages all but the U.S. Forest Service property.

The department represents federal government's obligation to American Indian tribes. It supervises oil, gas drilling, and coal mining on federal lands and waters. It manages national parks, battlefields, and national monuments and also protects endangered species. The Fourth of July bash on the National Mall? Yep, that too. The department has several other purposes as well. It employs 70,000 people and has a $20.7-billion annual budget.

Like all neighbor relations, sometimes there's tension between communities and their largest neighbor. It is the Department of the Interior's job to balance the public's interests in both conservation and revenue from federal land, Zinke told Lee Montana on Friday.

"I think we have to recognize that there are some public lands that fit better under the Muir model, where man is more of an observer, the lightest footprint," Zinke said. "And there are special places in our public land holdings that deserve that special recognition, and we have it to a degree with wilderness and national parks. But the preponderance of lands, I think, are under the Pinchot model of multiple use."

John Muir was a pioneer of American public land preservation whose vision was crucial in the creation of national parks. His counterpart was Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service. Pinchot established the management of natural resources for revenue. His maxim was "the greatest good for the greatest number," and that good included industry.

"Multiple use is making sure that the public can use our lands for the enjoyment and the benefit of the people," Zinke said. "That benefit side may include timber harvest; it may include oil energy production. It may include mining. Our charter is to make sure that those activities that are more invasive have a reclamation plan where at the end of the project that land is returned either in the same or better condition than what we started with. And that's where the right regulation  but not excessive regulation  is needed."

It's where jobs are tied to federal land that relations are most heated between the federal government and states and local communities. Zinke sees a need to restore trust with those communities. In Congress, he tried to give local governments, states, and Indian tribes more say in the management decision on federal lands. He was harshly criticized for it by House Democrats who said he was giving too much power to non-federal stakeholders in mining and drilling.

But, in principle, the federal government should be able to create wealth and jobs from its resources while also protecting public access to federal property for recreation.

National monuments

Several battles concerning public lands await the new Interior secretary. In Utah, tempers are flaring over the Bears Ears National Monument. The "ears" are twin buttes that poke from Southern Utah's Elk Ridge. The features are surrounded by canyons, mesas, and cliffs that include archaeological sites.

Former President Barack Obama declared the 1.35-million-acre monument before leaving office last year. Utah Republicans, like Rep. Jason Chaffetz, have said the they hope President Trump and Zinke eliminate the monument status.

Republicans' stand on Bears Ears cost Utah the nation's largest outdoors show, which brought 50,000 visitors to the state and $45 million a year. Organizers said they couldn't support a state that didn't support Bears Ears.

Zinke didn't say the monument would be undone, but it might be changed.

"I think we should follow the law in that there is no doubt there are areas that should have special protection, and a monument is appropriate," Zinke said. "But we should work with local communities; we should work with the states. We should follow the law that monuments should be appropriate to the specific areas that deserve that protection. Some of the monuments created in the last administration were popular. They had grassroots support. They had broad support at the state level. And other monuments, especially those that were created late and the actions that were taken late in administration, they do they smell of political agenda rather than gaining consensus. And they've become viewed in many parts, especially in Utah, as, once again, breaching this bond of trust. And so my task as a secretary is to review all actions that were taken to make sure that we are and advocate for the local voice and advocate for the state and be seen as partners rather than adversaries."

The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument is an example of a declaration that worked. The 330,780-acre monument in Northern California was widely supported by the community. That's the support for a monument Zinke prefers.

A president has never undone a previous president's national monument. Zinke said there's nothing in the law that prohibits nullification, but there's nothing that clearly allows it, either. But national monuments can be changed.

"There's no doubt that a president can modify a monument that has been done before. There's precedent in that," Zinke said. "I think what the goal is on monument designation is to make sure you have local and state, broad support of the people who live there, the people who are most affected by the monument. And of course that speaks to what my motto has been and will be: 'for the enjoyment of the people,' which is on the Roosevelt Arch."

Standing Rock and Malheur

If the federal government had better local relations, it would hopefully have fewer protests like the one at Standing Rock, North Dakota, where the Dakota Access Pipeline is to cross beneath the Missouri River. The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge standoff in Oregon is another example where Zinke said things might have been different if public perception of federal land management were different. Federal property was damaged, and in the Malheur standoff, someone died. Both incidents cost the federal government millions of dollars that could have been spent on restoration and management, he said.

"Going forward, when the public sees a Fish and Wildlife truck or a BLM truck, I want the public to think about management," Zinke said, "Wildlife and land management rather than law enforcement. And I think that's an important distinction. Going forward, again, my biggest task is to restore trust at the local level, and that's being an advocate and making sure people believe they have a voice."

Coal

Zinke is a coal-state Republican. Montana has the largest holdings of federal coal in the United States. In Congress, he fought against a DOI suspension of coal leases triggered by concerns that coal royalties were set too low and needed to be studied. President Trump and Congress have since worked to lift the coal lease ban.

Zinke said coal, oil, and gas from federal land are important because low-priced energy powers U.S. manufacturing. Those mining jobs are also directly linked to manufacturing in other states, like Illinois, where Caterpillar employees are hopeful an increase in mining under the Trump administration will boost demand for heavy machinery.

Coal's decline is tied to a glut in global supply which has made exports unprofitable while, at the same time, cheap natural gas replaces coal as the nation's primary source at power plants. Zinke and other Republicans argue that federal policy shouldn't exacerbate coal's problems. They would like to see more coal power, an idea President Trump campaigned on.

But other economies tied to federal land also need to be promoted where possible, Zinke said.

"We should not view it in terms of just extraction," Zinke said. "Public land also has a driver when it comes to recreation. In some areas, particularly in the Seattle area  Mount Rainier, Olympic National Park, the forest around Seattle  there is a strong desire to elevate recreation. In Alaska, there is a strong desire for energy development  many of our Native tribes particularly. Some of the biggest resource concerns are owned by Eskimos and Native indigenous peoples, and they are very pro-energy development. They use the pipeline. In many ways, it is their lifeblood, so I think it's best to view things locally and start understanding the challenges of energy development. The president was right to look at punitive excessive regulations, to undo those and let the market drive things. I think the goal is to make sure we have clean air, clean water, but also the economic engine of the U.S."

Tribal relations

Not all American Indian tribes support fossil fuel development, Zinke acknowledged. Where there is opposition, the United States needs to honor that, he said.

"I think with the tribes  and I've talked with the tribes extensively before, although as a congressman; I had the best relationship with the tribes in Montana," Zinke said. "As a secretary now of Interior, I have to have the same relationship with all tribes.

"I think it stems from three things. One is sovereignty, and sovereignty has to be more than a word. Sovereignty has to mean something. Two is respect. And three is self-determination. And that's making sure the tribes have the tools to shape their own destiny and the authority to do that. As you know, even in the West, tribes are not monolithic, meaning that some tribes are pro-resource, pro-energy, pro-fossil fuels. And other tribes stand staunchly against that. I think it goes back to respect and sovereignty that each tribe, in my judgment, has to have the authority, the tools, to carve their own path. And also from the Department of the Interior is to understand culturally many of these tribes are different, and their path may be unique to them, and I have to respect that."
A Pan-Asian noodle bar is opening in downtown Bismarck.

Owner Marty Lee is opening Noodlezip in the former Bell Pawn location, 208 E. Main Ave.

While there are some Asian food offerings in Bismarck-Mandan, nothing really fits his target market, according to Lee.

Noodlezip customers can expect to see such items as pho, a vietnamese beef noodle; Korean noodles with black bean noodle sauce; homemade dumplings and Japanese ramen, which Lee said is trending these days.

Lee moved to North Dakota three years ago to work in his fathers construction company but his passion always has been cooking. Hes a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has 10 years of industry experience working at restaurants, including a sushi and fresh fish restaurant in Long Island, N.Y., a Hibachi restaurant and a noodle bar in Virginia and as an executive chef at P.F. Chang.

Lee was approved last week for Renaissance Zone funding for his downtown restaurant, where he is investing about $64,000 to build out the rental space.

Lee said he thinks he has a good potential market as the Bismarck-Mandan community has expanded with people coming from larger cities, where they grew accustomed to a variety of dining options.

(Bismarck) doesnt really have a good authentic noodle place, said Lee, adding he believes it will be a good addition to the community.

He said he hopes to be open around the beginning of June. For more information, go online to www.noodlezip.com.

Salon and spa moved

Artists Inc. Salon & Spa has moved to a new location on Bowen Avenue in Bismarck.

Owner Andy Heidrich has been in the space for several months after moving out of her long-time space at 2100 E. Thayer Ave.

Heidrich has four rooms in her new space for independent stylists to rent. She has an esthetician who offers facials, waxing and eyelash extensions. She also has several hairdressers, and she has her masters degree for nails and is certified in chemical straightener application.

Heidrich said her salon focuses on organic products, with no ammonia, sulfate or other harsher chemicals.

Heidrich started her salon business in 2011, when she took over her former space from the second-generation run Sallys Family Hair Care. She has tried to keep a lot of the vintage elements from the old shop, including the antique hair station desks, and continues to aim for a, fun, retro atmosphere in her new location.

The 712 E. Bowen Ave. shop is open by appointment, which can be booked online at the salons Facebook page or by calling 701-226-2715.
MISSOULA  A week after Sen. Jon Tester released his Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act, some wilderness advocates question what it might really do.

Now designated as S. 507, the bill resurrects a portion of Testers 8-year-old Forest Jobs and Recreation Act affecting the southwest corner of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. That bill ran into opposition from some environmentalists and U.S. Forest Service officials who objected to the way it mandated commercial work in the forests.

The new bill has raised eyebrows for the compromises its made with mountain biking groups.

Weve gone backwards from FJRA, said Jake Kreilick of the Wild West Institute. That kind of activity (mountain biking) raises threats to grizzly bears and human tragedies. And its another step toward privatization and Balkanization of our national forests.

Kreilicks organization was part of the Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Citizen Task Force, which also includes the Montana Sierra Club, Wilderness Watch and Swan View Coalition. Members of those groups also opposed the earlier Tester bill.

The new legislation has added advocates as well. In addition to beefing up its list of snowmobile clubs, the bill won support from mountain bike groups who successfully lobbied for a new bike-riding area in the Monture Creek drainage north of Ovando.

We see that as a very positive development, said Jordan Reeves of the Wilderness Society, one of the original backers of FJRA. There are some very divisive, top-down efforts out there by extreme fringe mountain bike groups that threaten conservation efforts. This is a real example of the right way to do things. Where we respect multiple values you can find common ground to move forward on.

The proposed Spread Mountain Recreation Area for mountain biking takes about 3,800 acres out of a larger inventoried roadless area that FJRA had slated for full wilderness protection. Its adjacent to a 2,200-acre proposed Otatsy Recreation Management Area thats intended for snowmobile trail development (which was in the original FJRA).

Its amazing to see the mountain bike and wilderness communities come together and emphatically support the same proposal, said Ben Horan, executive director of International Mountain Bike Association chapter Mountain Bike Missoula. The collaborative process that resulted in this legislation has clearly demonstrated that the recreational trails and traditional conservation communities have more in common than we sometimes realize.

Mike Bader wrote a review of Testers new bill for the Flathead-Lolo Bitterroot Citizen Task Force. In it, he argued the two recreation areas bring new human activity to a place heavily used by grizzly bears and wintering elk herds.

If the Forest Service had proposed such dramatic changes, it would have had to do environmental impact statements and NEPA analyses, Bader said, referring to the National Environmental Policy Act review of forest activity. This is right next to the (state) Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area, and Montana sportsmen have invested a lot of money into that elk herd. This just rewards illegal snowmobile and bicycle use. Instead of shutting that down, Tester is giving it to them.

Those two recreation areas front a proposed 27,392-acre addition to the Scapegoat Wilderness. Thats next to a proposed 39,422-acre addition to the Bob Marshall Wilderness in the headwaters of Monture Creek. Farther north, the bill adds 7,784 acres to the Grizzly Basin and front of the Swan Range east of Seeley Lake, and 4,462 acres to the West Fork Clearwater addition on the east side of the Mission Mountain Wilderness.

Testers Blackfoot Clearwater proposal is occurring, coincidentally, at the same time that other Northwest members of Congress are reviving wilderness proposals in their states. The Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act are being pushed by Washington's Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Derek Kilmer, both Democrats. In Idaho, Republican Sen. Jim Risch is planning to reintroduce the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Act. And the Southwestern Oregon Watershed and Salmon Protection Act is being authored by several members of the Oregon congressional delegation.

The Wild Olympics bill would give wilderness designation to 126,554 acres and Wild and Scenic River protection to 464 miles of 19 rivers on the Olympic Peninsula. The Scotchman Peaks bill would protect 13,900 acres of the Idaho portion of a remote mountain area on the Montana border, where another 47,800 acres have not yet made it into legislation. The Oregon bill doesnt have any wilderness or Wild and Scenic designations, but would preserve several rivers and tributaries from mining activity in southwestern Oregon.

The bill also effectively extends the Southwest Crown of the Continent Collaboratives timber management activities for another 10 years. The collaborative brings together Seeley Lakes Pyramid Mountain Lumber Co. and numerous local organizations to help the Forest Service design logging and forest restoration projects. Congress has allocated forest management money targeted at collaborative networks, and Crown of the Continent Collaborative was one of the first to participate.

Sierra Club representative Claudia Narcisco said that creates an incentive for supporters of logging to keep getting paid for their participation. It also appears to trade wilderness increases for industrial access.

The collaborative has become a business, Narcisco said. How do you balance the national interest when youre elevating the concerns of local people over the people of the United States?

Reeves of the Wilderness Society noted that Pyramid had benefited from federal stewardship contracting that came about as Tester was working on the original FJRA 10 years ago. The company has continued its support for wilderness designations in the new bill.

In efforts like this, nobody gets 100 percent of what they want, Reeves said. Theres always critics of collaborations  folks on the margins that are not going to be satisfied with a collaborative proposal. We feel the proposal stands on its own.
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Gayla Benefield was diagnosed with asbestos-related disease in 2001. Since then, she's lost her husband, who was diagnosed with lung cancer from asbestos exposure. She lost both parents to the lung disease asbestosis. And four of her five children have been diagnosed with the disease.

Now she is one of thousands of sick Libby residents who are worriedly watching the Washington drama over repealing the Affordable Care Act. In the balance, she believes, is the way she'll be able to live the rest of her life.

As the Affordable Care Act was being constructed in 2009, Montana's Max Baucus just happened to be chairman of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.

That put Baucus in a position to do something of lasting value for the residents of Libby. A decade earlier, the EPA began cleaning up the massive contamination caused by asbestos from a vermiculite mine that operated near Libby for more than half a century. More than 400 people have died from asbestos in the little northwestern Montana town, and more than 2,000 others have been diagnosed with incurable, often fatal asbestos-related diseases.

Baucus built three special provisions within the healthcare law for Libby asbestos victims:

 Money for a screening program at the community's Center for Asbestos Related Disease, known as the CARD clinic. Because of the latency period  the time between exposure and onset of symptoms  nobody knows how many more people in Libby will develop the disease. More are being diagnosed each year, so the screening program is vital to the entire town.

 Anyone diagnosed with asbestos-related disease in Libby is automatically eligible under the ACA for Medicare, no matter what age they are.

 Perhaps most importantly, the healthcare law pays for a pilot program that provides wide-ranging medical care and home support not covered by Medicare.

IMPERILED PROTECTIONS

Now many believe those protections are imperiled by the possible repeal of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

"I'll be frank," Sen. Jon Tester said. "Libby would have had a hard time getting what it got if it weren't for Baucus's position at the time. Libby presents huge healthcare challenges."

"It meant so much to me" to insert the Libby provision in the ACA, Baucus said Saturday. "Libby so deserved it. It would be another injustice if the Congress were to repeal it."

Baucus, who resigned from the Senate to serve as Ambassador to China during the Obama Administration, added, "I wish I was still in the Senate to make sure their health insurance continues."

Currently, Republicans are working on a plan to "repeal and replace" Obamacare. The provisions of the draft bill are a closely guarded secret; only one copy of the bill has been provided in a reading room for Republicans in Congress to look at.

While House Republicans unsuccessfully voted to repeal the healthcare law more than 50 times during the Obama administration, the party is deeply divided as to exactly what should replace it. In recent weeks, as the various Republican factions have feuded over who would be covered in a new law and exactly what might replace the current complex system of coverage mandates and subsidies, polls show that public opinion has shifted in favor of the current law.

Tester, a Democrat, believes the best hope for Lincoln County residents is to avoid a full repeal. If the law were merely modified, not repealed, he thinks there's a better chance that the provisions Baucus engineered for Libby would survive.

Republican Sen. Steve Daines disagrees. "Obamacare is in a death spiral  in Montana, families are seeing insurance hikes that average between 27 and 58 percent in 2017 alone," he said. He agrees that "too many Libby families have suffered from the deadly effects of asbestos exposure" and "those impacted by asbestos must be taken care of," but he also says that "too many Montanans have suffered under Obamacare."

Daines added, "It's critical that with repealing and replacing Obamacare, we work in a bipartisan way to return healthcare decisions back to Montanans and create solutions that better work for rural Montana."

"It's very unlikely that this (the Libby provisions) will be touched by repeal and replace of Obamacare," a Daines spokesperson said Friday.

Tester is far less sanguine.

"The bottom line is that this is a pretty specific thing," he says. "We'll never get time on the floor (to get a Libby-specific fix done). And even under the best of circumstances  and it looks like we're going to be far from the best of circumstances  I don't see how the special provisions for Libby survive a full repeal."

He said that "we're going to advocate like hell, but it's going to be tough."

"Bipartisan working ability?" Tester said. "They (Republicans) aren't even letting all of their own members see the new plan. They're working in a room protected by armed guards."

LIVING HER LIFE

For Benefield, now in her 70s, the pleural plaquing in her lungs that was diagnosed 16 years ago is spreading, but she's still able to function pretty well. The pilot program, she said, is a huge help.

"It enables me to live in my house," she said. "It's that simple. It provides me with assistance for my yard work and house work. It provides me with winter snow-shoveling assistance. I could never get that done any more."

She added that the pilot program "pays for hospital medications if you have to go in for observation. Just that cost us a thousand dollars" when her husband was sick, she said.

Benefield's brother-in-law has been diagnosed with treatable but inoperable lung cancer, and he has to go back and forth to Kalispell to see his doctor. The pilot program "pays 55 cents a mile" for the travel for treatments, she said.

She says being on Medicare provides nighttime oxygen for asbestos-disease sufferers. "Some of the young people who have it, that nighttime oxygen gives them the energy to get up and go to work the next morning," she said. "They'd be lost without it."

Dr. Brad Black runs the Libby CARD clinic. He's extremely worried about the potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

"The liable company (for Libby contamination) evaded the responsibility of providing healthcare for those affected by filing bankruptcy in 2002," he said. "In 2009, the EPA declared its first and only Public Health Emergency."

In response to that declaration, Baucus was able to fashion the special provisions for Libby.

"Thousands of people have benefited from these programs," Black said, "receiving the critical healthcare they need to live successfully despite the health challenges they will face in the future.

"The loss of these services will decrease access to care, decrease quality of life for many, and likely result in increased mortality."

He said he appreciates the efforts of Tester and Daines, and he plans to keep in close touch with both of them as the issue comes to a head in Congress.

For Benefield, the threat of losing care for so many in Libby is disheartening.

"We've fought hard for everything we've gotten," she said, "and we were so grateful to Max Baucus for what he did.

"Now, I can't believe they're going to kick us in the teeth again.

"Both of my parents died with nothing  no help from anyone. Do they really want us to go through that again?"
MUSCATINE, Iowa  John Dabeet has been recognized by the Iowa House of Representatives for his work with Sister Cities International.

Dabeet, who immigrated to the United States from Palestine 28 years ago, is the second Iowan and the first Arab-American of Palestinian descent to serve on the board of the nonprofit, which builds partnerships between communities in different countries. Dabeet accepted the certificate from Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, Saturday afternoon.

Dabeet teaches at Muscatine Community College and is a member of the Muscatine Community School District Board of Education. He said he is honored and humbled by the recognition, and thanked the Iowa House and MCC for their support.

Coming especially from Bobby (Kaufmann), its first of all a big honor and it really makes me feel very proud because at some point in time, Bobby was my student, Dabeet said.

He said the award will spur him to work harder for Muscatine and Iowa. Another part of his mission, he said, is to promote good relations between Palestine and the United States.

My job is also to start bringing Palestinian cities to become sister cities with U.S. cities, and thats the best way that both sides will start learning about each other and recognizing whats important for each community, he said.

Sister cities are officially recognized partnerships between communities, and "promote peace through people-to-people relationships," according to Sister Cities International's website.

Kaufmann said the award is a big deal for Muscatine.

To be the second Iowan to ever serve on the Sister Cities board means that weve got someone here in Muscatine, Iowa, who has influence of international standards, he said. Gov. (Terry) Branstad recognizes that, I recognize that, I just want all of Muscatine to recognize that.

MCC President Naomi DeWinter said the college recognizes the importance of fostering international relationships.

It makes our students stronger, it makes their country stronger when they learn about our culture and Im happy to do whatever I can to support John in his work, she said. To have someone from Iowa on the national level, but to have someone from Muscatine on a national level is really significant."
After a brief threat of a moratorium on new wind energy projects in North Dakota, state officials have agreed to call for a study of the states energy landscape.

The move sidesteps pitting the coal and wind energy industries against one another  though many see the rise of one as the downfall of the other.

The reality is that both industries are struggling to surmount technological challenges that might otherwise leave them crippled. Coal needs to be cleaner; wind needs to become more reliable. Despite their faults, the energy sectors are battling one another for market shares, and the North Dakota Legislature is seeing some of the fallout as fledgling wind processors are running turbines in the face of what many characterize as more steady and reliable coal production.

Sen. Jessica Unruh, R-Beulah, said legislative discussion may have converted that conversation somewhat into coal versus wind  but she stresses that wasnt the point.

I think its time to try and level the playing field," said Unruh, pointing out that the wind industry has benefited from federal incentives and wind should be regulated equally with other forms of energy production in the state.

Sen. Dwight Cook, R-Mandan, said he introduced the study amendment to his original proposal of a wind project moratorium because a serious discussion on the states energy future is needed. Senate Bill 2314, in its amended form, passed the Senate 42-4 shortly before the Legislatures mid-session break.

Its more about reliability, and coal is the most reliable source of power we have, said Cook, adding that technology may eventually come about to allow storage of the energy produced by wind.

Until then, he said there needs to be a primary source of energy thats available for use on a bone-chilling minus-40 degree winter day when no wind is blowing in North Dakota.

The study is the best option, North Dakota Public Service Commission Chairman Randy Christmann said of Cook's SB2314.

Im not sure how that was going to work out, Christmann said of the original version of the bill.

After the Lindahl wind farm is completed near Tioga this spring, the state will have capacity for about 3,000 megawatts of wind energy, according to Christmann, adding that about 1,000 megawatts of this will have come online since spring 2016.

About 6,000 megawatts of wind energy projects have been given approval, many of which arent yet under construction and with some projects likely never to be built, he said.

Robert Harms, who has lobbied at the Legislature this session on behalf of Tradewind Energy, owner of the Lindahl wind farm project, said the conversation about energy is a timely one.

I think this gives an opportunity  to look at how our energy sector is evolving, said Harms, who disagreed on stepping back on wind energy production to preserve coal.

He said, if that were done, North Dakota coal would still have to compete with wind and other energy types in surrounding states.

In the days before the Legislatures mid-session break, the proposed two-year moratorium on new wind energy projects was among multiple bills relating to wind energy that were considered.

Another bill, Senate Bill 2313, passed the Senate 36-9 on Feb. 21.

SB2313 creates setbacks of 1.1 times the height of a wind turbine from the property line of a nonparticipating landowner as well as three times the height of a turbine from a quarter section of land that contains a residence of a nonparticipating landowner.

Christmann acknowledges more concerns are appearing in connection to wind projects. PSC rules include setbacks of 1.1 times the height of a wind turbine from various right of ways, such as highways. Though not in PSC rules, the agency requires a 1,400-foot setback from occupied residences.

Were starting to have more opposition at wind farm hearings, said Christmann, explaining that major issues in public hearings tend to be the sound turbines produce, the visual aspect and setbacks.

From a regulatory standpoint, he said it comes down to a delicate balancing act in terms of expanding the states energy production and ensuring theres enough capacity on the grid for electricity for times when demand spikes seasonally, according to Christmann.

Cook pointed out that, as plants are shut down, the result is fewer jobs as well as fewer taxes from the facilities stimulating area economies.

The study will be an important first step in preparing for the future, he said.

Weve just got to sit back  look at the big picture, Cook said.
Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi []
Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes []
Janice Charging Kerzmann, Sweet Grass (Madzuatsa), 66, Garrison, passed away on March 1, 2017, at the CHI-St. Alexius Hospital in Bismarck, with many loving family and friends surrounding her. Funeral services will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Garrison. Wake services will be held on Sunday beginning at 5 p.m. at the Ralph Wells Jr. Memorial Complex in White Shield where rosary will be said at 7 p.m. Burial will be at St. Nicholas Catholic Cemetery in Garrison.

Janice Rae Charging was born September 9, 1950, to George "Duane" and Beatrice (Gidding) Charging in Minot. She was raised west of White Shield. She attended school in White Shield and then attended high school at Marty Mission in Marty, S.D., graduating in 1968. She continued her education at the Haskell Institute in Haskell, S.D., receiving an Associate of Arts degree in business. She later earned a bachelors degree from UND in Grand Forks and earned her masters degree at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D.

On June 20, 1975, she married Jerry Kerzmann at the Ralph Wells Jr. Memorial Complex in White Shield. They made their home in Garrison and were blessed with four children, Georgia, Jerri Lynn, JR and Corey. Tragically, Jerry was killed in a construction accident near Turtle Lake in 1987. Janice was a woman of great strength and faith and continued to raise her children with unbelievable love and support.

Janices career began at New Town High School in 1974 before she began counseling in White Shield, where she spent the rest of her career. Her longevity as a guidance counselor was a true testament to her character. Janice was an extremely patient woman, who always gave the benefit of the doubt and searched for the good in all. Her coworkers had the utmost respect for her and the White Shield School will always hold her in a special place for the dedication and compassion she gave for so many years. She also made many lifelong friends while on the Ft. Berthold Community College board where she served from its existence in 1974 through the 1990s in many different capacities including board president. Janice was honored by the White Shield community at her retirement ceremony in June of 2016.

Though Janice gave her whole heart to her students, her greatest love was that she gave to her family, especially her children and grandchildren. Her passion became bouncing from all of her childrens homes to spend time with them and her grandchildren. Her familys happiness was all that mattered to her. There was never a time that something else came before her family. She was supremely dedicated and was always there for her family no matter the circumstances. And many of you know JR and Corey, so you can only imagine some of the circumstances. Even through her battles with breast cancer, she always put family first and never wanted attention or sympathy. Her doctors said she was a walking miracle as she was not to live through her first battle with cancer over 17 years ago. Breast cancer took her body but could not take her spirit! She was a wonderfully humble woman with incredible strength and her legacy is one her children will hold dearly for the rest of their lives. She can never be replaced, but her love will live on through her children, grandchildren, and numerous family, and she will forever hold a place in their hearts.

Janice is survived by her children, Georgia (Daniel) Leppell and their children, Lukas, William, Henry, and George, Garrison; Jerri Lynn Kerzmann and her son, Jeran Breidenbach, Lincoln; Jerry JR Kerzmann and his sons, Kolter and Benson, Garrison; and Corey (Nicole) Kerzmann, and their children, Brady, Finley, and Cutler; Bismarck; her mother, Beatrice (Giddings) Charging, Tahlequah, Okla., siblings, Mary (Harry) Osahwee, Tahlequah, Okla., Mark Charging, Wahpeton, Amy Zephier, Lincoln, Neb., Stanley Charging, Crystal, Minn., Carol (Tyke) Danks, New Town, Russell Charging, Fargo, Donna (Hank) Taken Alive, McLaughin, S.D., Nancy (John) Cohen, Missoula, Mont., Steve Charging, Brookings, S.D., and Robert (Terri Lynn) Charging, Aurora, S.D.; and numerous, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and godchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry, father, George "Duane" Charging, and numerous close family members and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials given to The Life Beyond Breast Cancer, llbc.org

To sign the online register go to www.garrisonthompson.com
RICHMOND  More than 100 activists and faith leaders gathered in Richmond on Saturday to protest the planned deportation of Napa-resident Oswaldo Martinez by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The protest was led by Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement (CIVIC) at the West County Detention Facility.

Oswaldo, 41, has lived in the United States since he was a teenager but was detained by ICE 10 months ago and has been fighting to remain in the country ever since, according to CIVIC leadership.

His ailing wife and 10-year-old daughter, who attended the protest, have struggled emotionally and financially since ICE detained him over misdemeanor crimes he committed in 2002, according to CIVIC.

CIVIC did not provide information about Oswaldos crimes.

People like Oswaldo who made minor mistakes long ago... are now paying such a terrible price due to our unjust and impractical immigration laws, said CIVIC executive director Christina Mansfield.

Mansfield said CIVIC has submitted a petition on Change.org that calls on ICE to administratively close Oswaldos case so that he may support his family and stay in the United States.
A new initiative may soon have more Napa high schoolers eyeing futures in the local wine industry.

Fields of Opportunity, an eight-week paid summer mentorship program for high school students within the Napa Valley Unified School District, opened this week for applications.

Stemming from a partnership between the Napa Valley Grapegrowers, the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation and the school district, the program is designed to cycle 16 students between four host companies, offering participants an interactive cross-section of the many occupations that drive the countys staple industry.

We have a big industry here that provides a lot of different opportunities, not just in the vineyards but in the winery, and marketing and sales and hospitality, said Sonya DeLuca, associate director of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers. Our hope is to be able to provide the students who grow up here and go to school here with a chance to see all aspects of that.

Geared toward local students approaching graduation, the program also doubles as a potential means of recruitment for the countys wine industry, channeling a prospective workforce from Napas schools to its wineries and vineyards.

Its desperately needed, Stephanie Solberg, vocational specialist with the Napa Valley Unified School District, said of the program. We should have a sustainable, local employment stream from our students to the businesses that people come to visit from all over the world.

Pete Richmond, owner of Silverado Farming Company, one of the four participating employers, echoed Solbergs sentiment. Just from a sustainability point of view from our workforce, we really would love our workforce to be based here and not be commuting, Richmond said, pointing to a shift in recent years toward more of his employees traveling to work from areas like American Canyon and Vallejo.

Open to all Napa Unified high school students above the age of 16, organizers are optimistic that the program will attract a broad range of participants. The goal, Deluca said, is to have some students who are college-bound and want to be a viticulturist or a winemaker one day, as well as other students who might be going to the junior college but have a strong interest in agriculture, possibly. And then we have a group of students  that might not know what theyre going to do when they graduate.

As the students, divided into cohorts of four, rotate through the companies, theyll get a little bit of a different view of the industry, DeLuca said. So, theyll be exposed to viticulture, vineyard operations, mechanics, but also cellar work, winery work  theyll also be doing some marketing and social media and tasting room hospitality work.

In addition to Silverado Farming, host companies include Walsh Vineyard Management, Quintessa winery and Renteria Vineyard Management. To enhance the real-world element of the program, organizers noted that each company will compensate students with the wages offered for the various positions they will hold.

At Silverado Farming, Richmond said, those wages will be set at $16 an hour.

The company, which works with 35 vineyards on approximately 600 acres throughout the valley, has been involved with the program since its inception in 2015, Richmond said, and has hosted students through a precursor program for the past two summers. Speaking Wednesday morning at the companys Napa offices, he described portions of the upcoming curriculum for students during their two-week rotations with the company.

While working with the companys mechanic a few days each week and learning about equipment maintenance, students will also work with vineyard crews and viticulturists, Richmond said. At that time of year were going to be doing canopy work so they get some understanding of what the crews doing. And then we want to get them exposed on the technical side of things, so theyll be working with our viticulturists on determining when to do irrigations, doing some scouting for pests, and more.

But overall, he said, the program will emphasize moving them through all phases of that work, so they get a taste of everything and see what theyre interested in there.

Once the program concludes, Richmond said, students may have the option of joining the company. The reality is if we have openings and they are interested, we will hire them as full-time employees once they graduate.

If students choose to pursue continued education, the company will also strive to accommodate class schedules, Richmond said, adding, we really want to push them to go to school. If its a certificate program, well work around that from an employer point of view because  I think part of this is giving kids an opportunity that may not have had an opportunity otherwise.

As of Wednesday, students can apply through the programs website: http://nvusdcareerprep.org/programs/classroom-connection/fields-of-opportunity/

Space is reserved only for 50 applicants on a first-come, first-served basis, though there will be a wait list for additional applicants. Selected students will be contacted in May for an interview with an employer.
Rick Landry is a familiar face at Justin-Siena High School, but on Saturday, the teacher was on campus for a nonacademic reason: pouring homebrewed beer as part of the annual Napa Homebrewers Classic, a fundraiser hosted by the Rotary Club of North Napa.

Landry, who has been homebrewing for 10 years and prefers to use local ingredients in his brews, was pouring a honey wheat pale ale as well as a citrus ale he calls Citra Ass Down, which drew many curious beer tasters.

Landry poured a sample of the citrus ale for an eager patron. The man sniffed at the glass before taking a sip. As he removed the glass from his lips, he gave a nod and smiled.

Thats what its all about, Landry said. Its the sipnsmile. Thats the greatest reward when you see people try your beer and you get that instant reaction of satisfaction. Its addictive. You start wondering what you should make next.

Landry, a member of Brewers United Napa Guild, shares his product with colleagues and friends, but he can also discuss his love of brewing in the classroom with his students.

Brewing is a science and its a lot like baking; your measurements have to be dead on, said Landry, a science teacher. There is a lot of creativity in brewing, playing with ingredients and developing flavors. I can discuss the process of brewing with my chemistry students to show them science is used in real life, and it doesnt have to take place in a science lab.

Jennifer Blenis of Pleasanton was a fan of Landrys brews and made a return trip to his station after enjoying the honey wheat ale.

I love events like this, Blenis said. You get to hang out with your friends and try different beers. I love sampling the local varieties. Its home grown and home owned. I had to come back to this table because I loved the honey wheat ale, so I wanted to try the citrus ale. There is a good chance hes going to be my gold coin.

Patrons at the Napa Homebrewers Classic, now in its sixth year, were given a tasting glass and a gold coin upon entry to the event. For the price of admission, guests were invited to sample up to 50 beers brewed by 30 Bay-Area based homebrewers. After sampling, patrons were encouraged to vote for their favorite beer by depositing a gold coin at the station pouring their favorite beer.

Tom Plunkett and his wife Anna Gill were taking their time as they sampled beers and chatted with brewers.

Weve been looking forward to this since we attended last years event, Plunkett said. This is a great event. Our local brewers have some great imaginations and these flavors are so refreshing. Youre not going to find these beers anywhere else. Were already spoiled in Napa with all the wine, but these craft brewers are the next big thing.

Plunkett enjoyed the Anaheim Pepper Pale Ale being served up by Martinez-based Del Cielo Brewing Co., while Gill was most fond of the cider from Napa-based Sawhorse Cider.

We love everything about this event, said Gill. We like to make an afternoon of it. Well sample some beers and then grab the lunch theyve got here and then well come back and do another round. The key is that you dont drink the whole sample and that you eat a lot of bread in between. Otherwise you might get yourself into trouble.

Sawhorse Cider made its tasting debut at the Napa Homebrewers Classic. Napa resident Will Drayton has been home brewing for 10 years, but he started up Sawhorse Cider with some friends back in 2014.

Weve never done anything like this (pouring at a tasting), said Drayton, who works in the wine industry. We were tired of working with grapes, so we decided to work with apples instead. We get apples from all over Northern California, including Napa and Calistoga.

Its a lot of fun, but its an expensive hobby, so wed like to get the proper licenses so that we can sell our cider, and people can pay us to keep our hobby going, Drayton added with a laugh.

The Napa Homebrewers Classic is a fundraiser for the Rotary Club of North Napa, which pledged to donate a majority of the proceeds to the Community Action Napa Valleys Food Bank. Last years event raised $13,000.
ST. HELENA  An environmental advocacy group that sued the city last year over water diversion at Bell Canyon Reservoir is now threatening a separate lawsuit over the long delay in the removal of the Upper York Creek Dam.

Grant Reynolds of Water Audit California, a public benefit corporation, wrote a letter to the city on Feb. 11 requesting various city records involving the dam, and followed up two days later with a letter threatening to sue to compel the city to action.

The dam has been declared a barrier to fish passage, and its removal has been on the citys to-do list since at least 1993 when, in response to a state lawsuit, the city agreed to a court order pledging to remove the dam by Nov. 1, 1993. The order was lifted in 2001 to help the city apply for grant funding, and in 2010 the city entered into a settlement agreement with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries pledging to remove the dam by 2012.

We are aware that the city claims that it is financially incapable of removing the dam, but having reviewed the citys financial statements we have concluded that the citys assertions are an excuse, not a reason, wrote Reynolds, a San Diego resident, in his letter. The city has a duty to the people of the State, and it must be performed.

I regret this unnecessary claim, said Mayor Alan Galbraith. During my time as mayor, the city has been steadfastly committed to the removal of the Upper York Creek Dam and associated environmental work, with funding from grants and the water enterprise. No general funds of the city are committed to this project, as is appropriate.

Recent councils have made the dams removal a priority, but have struggled to scrape together the estimated $6.2 million needed to finish the project. The new water rates would contribute $1.7 million toward the project, with the rest coming from grants and bond proceeds. The council approved the projects final environmental impact report in 2015.

Critics of the recent water rate increases say that, due to the long delay and escalating costs, the citys General Fund should contribute toward the project.

Water Audit sued the city of St. Helena last August, claiming the city has failed to bypass enough water from Bell Canyon Reservoir into Bell Creek, allegedly resulting in loss of fish habitat. In November, it also sued the state Department of Veterans Affairs, which owns Rector Reservoir, for not allowing enough water to enter Rector Creek.

Reynolds previously pursued expensive litigation against the city of Calistoga on similar grounds.

Reynolds public records request refers questions to attorney William McKinnon, who also assisted Reynolds with the Calistoga litigation.
Heavy drinking has become a bigger, more socially accepted part of American womens lives. And health statistics show the results have been deadly.

Alcohol is killing twice as many middle-age women as 18 years ago, said Kristie Gerrells, a licensed addiction counselor and clinical supervisor at the Red River Behavioral Health System in Grand Forks.

We have more understanding of why that takes place. Women have an extra predisposition to health problems stemming from alcohol abuse, due to their physiology, she said.

Since 2000, death rates have risen for whites, particularly women, in midlife, according to a recent analysis by the Washington Post of Centers for Disease Control mortality rates.

The study found women engaging in dangerous habits, including binge drinking, drinking more than once a week and being treated in emergency rooms for problems related to heavy drinking.

Other alcohol-related factors may be contributing to the climbing death rates, said Sharon Wilsnack, University of North Dakota Chester Fritz distinguished professor of psychiatry and an internationally recognized researcher of problem drinking in women.

We know, for example, that alcohol is linked to suicide, she said. The opioid epidemic may also be a factor -- thats a really dangerous combination.

She also cited the possibility that traffic accidents may be boosting the alcohol-related death rate of women, more of whom are driving themselves, she said.

In Grand Forks County, the death rate for white women has increased 85 percent since 1999, according to the CDC. The current rate of 231 deaths per 100,000 people is in the highest one-third of the state and the nation.

Coping mechanism

The way womens lives have changed over the years may explain the rising death rate, to some degree, Wilsnack said.

Decades ago, it was unusual for a women to have roles beyond that of wife and mother, she said. Now, you are supposed to do it all -- have kids, a job and be a perfect parent and perfect entertainer.

Its more normal now for women to have multiple roles and, if not, theres pressure to have multiple roles or to do it perfectly.

Alcohol may become an inviting antidote to those pressures.

The normalization of drinking is evident, for example, in the behavior of young mothers who plan play dates for their kids, Wilsnack said.

They bring bottles of wine and sip wine while watching their kids play in the park, she said. Alcohol is becoming a part of a lot of different interactions.

Websites, such as Moms Who Need Wine, reflect a growing social media phenomenon that makes light of young, stressed-out mothers who need to put their feet up. For example, they can buy novelty socks that convey their plight -- the foot of one sock imprinted with, If you can read this and on the other, bring me a glass of wine.

Other sites show images of a bottle-size glass of wine coupled with the phrase, I just had one glass.

Zoe Flaten, 23, a recovering alcoholic who lives in Grand Forks, said she has seen lots of things that attest to drinking, such as T-shirts that read, This mom needs a glass of wine or water bottles imprinted with This may contain alcohol.

She views it as messaging that is, at the least, unhealthy.

Just in our community alone, binge drinking is seen as normal, Flaten said. Its normal to black out and be completely obliterated -- to drink to get drunk and not for leisure. Its social; thats what activities are based on around here.

More dangerous for women

Excessive drinking in women is also dangerous because women are physiologically different from men, health care professionals say.

Women are more susceptible because of the way were made, Gerrells said. We metabolize alcohol at a different rate than men.

Women tend to weigh less than men and, pound for pound, a womans body contains less water and more fatty tissue than a mans. Because fatty tissue retains alcohol, alcohol remains at higher concentrations for longer periods of time in the womans body, exposing her brain and organs to more alcohol.

Women also have a smaller amount of enzymes, in general, than men, Gerrells said. These enzymes break down alcohol in the stomach and liver. We absorb more alcohol in the bloodstream because we have lower levels of these enzymes.

In a career that spans more than 20 years, Gerrells has seen an increase in the proportion of women who seek help for problem drinking.

I noticed early in my career, in the mid- to late-90s at treatment facilities, the majority of patients were male, she said. That has changed. Its become understandable that women can reach out for help.

The ratio of men to women has moved closer to 50-50 in the past five years, she said.

Multiple factors

Many factors -- including emotional, mental and family predisposition -- can contribute to womens abuse of alcohol, Gerrells emphasized. Those are separate, compounding factors.

Women may be on multiple medications, and medications can damage the liver, she said. The liver has a very big job, filtering toxins and waste, including medications.

When you look at death rates of women (due to alcohol use) you have to factor in what else they are ingesting.

And when it comes to social drinking, some women probably dont understand what binge drinking is, Gerrells said.

Binge drinking is defined as consuming four drinks within two hours.

Some women do, but whether they realize it or not, its happening.

Flaten agrees.

I dont think women understand the seriousness or the risk of binge drinking, she said. They think of it as funny, to get really drunk.

While pharmaceutical advertising includes information on potential risks, Flaten wonders why alcohol advertising does not, she said.

They spend so much time trying to get people to stop smoking, why isnt there more focus on the risk factors of drinking, on what it can do to you?

Ethics in alcohol ads

Wilsnack said she is skeptical about how well the industry complies with its rules against promoting heavy drinking in advertising, especially since no action is taken without a formal complaint being filed.

Wilsnack, who has been studying problem drinking in women since the early 1980s, served for 10 years on the review committee, and five years on the board of trustees, of the Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation, she said.

She and her colleagues who also are involved in alcohol-abuse research funded by the National Institutes of Health and other agencies share evidence of questionable marketing practices.

I have seen awful examples of violations of ethics, Wilsnack said, describing some magazine ads as pornographic.

Apparently nobody complains, she said.

The liquor industry is failing at self-regulation, but its something worth working on, Wilsnack said. I know there are ethical people in the industry who genuinely believe most people could use their products responsibly.  (But they) could find creative ways to monitor advertising.

Reacting to formal complaints is not a likely way of identifying problem ads.

Evolving concern

Wilsnack sees similarities between the marketing of alcohol to women in recent years to the cigarette industrys targeting of women decades ago.

In my college years (the 1970s), smoking was considered very sophisticated, she said. The Virginia Slims ads were saying, Youve come a long way, Baby.  Its the whole idea that we can do anything the guys can do.

That approach is replicated in some liquor industry marketing efforts.

The idea of empowerment and gender equality is a big part of it, Wilsnack said.

Shes seen websites where women brag about drinking, like, Look what I can do, that promote excessive drinking, she said. Women send in videos of themselves and their friends. Theyre just drunk, throwing up, half-naked -- as if to say, We can be just as gross and disgusting as the guys or Wow, isnt this cool?

If gender equality is driving more women to drink excessively, maybe things can and will change, Wilsnack said.

If thats one of the major dynamics, maybe that will all burn out and smart young women are going to figure out alcohol use will not lead to success, she said.

Hopefully, this will be somewhat of a passing pattern, and young women will realize its not smart to drink in an out-of-control way.
The easiest sell of President Donald Trump's life is that a "corrupt" media produces "fake news." After all, fewer than 2 in 10 Americans have "a lot" of trust in news organizations, the Pew Research Center has found, and we live in a "Matrix"-infused "conspiracy culture," according to social scientists, where one is thought to be impossibly simple to not understand that the world is ruled by collusion and machination.

Trump has helped make trust a big deal for media types, and they are now searching for ways to regain the faith of their readers. To combat the "fake news" charge, The New York Times, for example, is running full-page ads and even bought a television spot during the Oscars declaring that "the truth is more important now than ever." For some, the problem is that journalists have allowed too much of their personalities to creep into their work. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editor David Shribman prescribes "less analysis and more reporting, less personality and more facts." For others, there's a need to demonstrate that journalists are not faceless elites but real people. Washington Post opinion writer Dana Milbank wrote of his newsroom colleagues: "They hail from all corners of this country, from farms and small towns, the children of immigrants and factory workers, preachers and teachers." But even local papers, the ones most closely connected to their readers, are struggling to defend their integrity. One editor of a rural California paper accepted an op-ed about the danger of "fake news" in an attempt to instill some faith among the anti-press crowd.

You can hear similarly fretful discussions in dozens of other professions. The president has maligned politicians, scientists, judges, teachers, labor union leaders and intelligence officials, among others. "Donald Trump's most damaging legacy may be a lower-trust America," the Economist's Lexington column predicted. Trust in American institutions, however, has been in decline for some time. Trump is merely feeding on that sentiment.

The leaders of once-powerful institutions are desperate to resurrect the faith of the people they serve. They act like they have misplaced a credit card and must find the number so that a replacement can be ordered and then FedEx-ed, if possible overnight.

---

But that delivery truck is never coming. The decline in trust isn't because of what the press (or politicians or scientists) did or didn't do. Americans didn't lose their trust because of some particular event or scandal. And trust can't be regained with a new app or even an outbreak of competence. To believe so is to misunderstand what was lost.

In 1964, 3 out of 4 Americans trusted their government to do the right thing most of the time. By 1976, that number had dropped to 33 percent. It was a decline that political scientist Walter Dean Burnham described as "among the largest ever recorded in opinion surveys."

Of course, that intervening period brought a series of tumultuous events: the expansion of the war in Vietnam, the Watts riots of '65, the civil rights movement and, then, assassinations and Watergate. These affairs have served as shorthand explanations for our decline in trust. After all, who could trust an incompetent government that brought us scandal, riots and an unpopular war?

There are at least two problems with this explanation. First, the decline in trust in government has been accompanied by falling trust in nearly every institution. Why should a riot in Watts lead to distrust of organized labor? Yes, the news of the day caused fluctuations in how Americans felt about their institutions. The Watergate scandal caused Americans to lose faith in their government. Conversely, after the country was attacked on 9/11, trust in government soared and people went back to church. After the impact of scandal and threat faded, however, the long-term trends returned.

Second, the erosion hasn't been confined to the United States. "Declining trust in government has spread across almost all advanced industrial democracies since the 1960s/1970s," writes political scientist Russell Dalton. "Regardless of political history, electoral system, or style of government, most contemporary publics are less trustful of government than they were in the era of their grandparents."

We haven't simply changed our attitudes. We've voted with our feet, walking away from the institutions we supported for generations.

For instance, historian Martin Marty describes a "seismic shift" in religion. "From the birth of the republic until around 1965, as is well known, the churches now called mainline Protestant tended to grow with every census or survey," Marty wrote. And then, the pews started to empty. The six largest Protestant denominations together lost 5.6 million members - a fifth to a third of their membership - between 1965 and 1990.

And civic engagement has declined. Harvard's Robert Putnam has counted the drop in members of the Lions, the League of Women Voters and, famously, bowling leagues beginning in the mid-'60s . The decline of these associations brought about a decrease in consistent social connections. Society began to fray.

The changes that seemed to erupt suddenly in the early 1960s actually began long before and moved slowly at first, as the globe shrank and societies modernized. As far back as the 1600s, travelers confronted by new cultures and novel deities began to question their own societies' rules and institutions. "Not a tradition which escapes challenge, not an idea, however familiar, which is not assailed; not an authority that is allowed to stand," historian Paul Hazard wrote. "Institutions of every kind are demolished, and negation is the order of the day." This was the Enlightenment, a turning away from tradition and an anointing of reason, scientific inquiry and individualism.

Rising incomes and the welfare state brought Enlightenment individuality to the people. Political scientist Ron Inglehart proposed in the 1970s that as societies grow wealthier and less concerned about basic survival, we should expect a shift from communal to individual values: People express themselves more and trust authorities less.

---

Everything about modern life works against community and trust. Globalization and urbanization put people in touch with the different and the novel. Our economy rewards initiative over conformity, so that the weight of convention and tradition doesn't squelch the latest gizmo from coming to the attention of the next Bill Gates. Whereas parents in the 1920s said it was most important for their children to be obedient, that quality has declined in importance, replaced by a desire for independence and autonomy. Widespread education gives people the tools to make up their own minds. And technology offers everyone the chance to be one's own reporter, broadcaster and commentator.

We have become, in Polish sociologist Zygmunt Bauman's description, "artists of our own lives," ignoring authorities and booting traditions while turning power over to the self. The shift in outlook has been all-encompassing. It has changed the purpose of marriage (once a practical arrangement, now a means of personal fulfillment). It has altered the relationship between citizens and the state (an all-volunteer fighting force replacing the military draft). It has transformed the understanding of art (craftsmanship and assessment are out; free-range creativity and self-promotion are in). It has even inverted the orders of humanity and divinity (instead of obeying a god, now we choose one).

People enjoy their freedoms. There's no clamoring for a return to gray flannel suits and deferential housewives. Constant social retooling and choice come with costs, however. Without the authority and guidance of institutions to help order their lives, many people feel overwhelmed and adrift. "Depression is truly our modern illness," writes French sociologist Alain Ehrenberg, with rates 20 to 30 times what they were just two generations ago.

Sustained collective action has also become more difficult. Institutions are turning to behavioral "nudges," hoping to move an increasingly suspicious public to do what once could be accomplished by command or law. As groups based on tradition and consistent association dwindle, they are being replaced by "event communities," temporary gatherings that come and go without long-term commitment (think Burning Man). The protests spawned by Trump's election are more about passion than organization and focus. Today's demonstrations are sometimes compared to civil-rights-era marches, but they have more in common with L.A.'s Sunset Strip riots of 1966, when more than 1,000 young people gathered to object to a 10 p.m. curfew. "There's something happening here," goes the Buffalo Springfield song "For What It's Worth," commemorating the riots. "What it is ain't exactly clear." In our new politics, expression is a purpose itself.

A polarized and distrustful electorate may stymie the national government, but locally most communities are either overwhelmingly Republican or Democratic. In 2016, 8 out of 10 U.S. counties gave either Trump or Hillary Clinton a landslide victory. In these increasingly homogenous communities, nobody need bother about compromise and the trust it requires. From anti-abortion measures to laws governing factory farming, the policy action is taking place where majorities can do what they want without dealing with "those people" who live the next state over or a few miles down the road. At last count, 1 in 4 Americans supports the idea of their state seceding from the union.

Solutions and action shrink to the size of the individual. Increasing numbers of New York state parents have been holding their children out of end-of-year school tests in a kind of DIY education reform. In some Los Angeles schools, so many parents opt out of the vaccination regime that inoculation rates are on a par with South Sudan's as people make their own scientific judgments. The "we medicine" of community health, writes Donna Dickenson, is replaced by the "me medicine" of individual genetic testing, tailored drug regimes and all manner of personal "enhancement" technologies. And where once antitrust laws were used to break up monopolies in food markets, Michael Pollan concludes that today, we must "vote with our fork."

These are all penny-in-a-burned-out-fuse solutions that don't touch the big issues, such as economic inequality and climate change. They also avoid the question that now demands an answer: How does an increasingly diverse society govern itself democratically?

Political scientists tell us that democracies require a little faith. To engage with others, you have to believe that if you lose a contest or a debate, the winner will treat you equitably; that if the other side wins, it will act within the law and not send its opponents off to jail. You have to assume that institutions will be fair and that leaders will act in the country's best interest.

"Aren't you concerned, Sir," CNN's Jim Acosta asked Trump at last month's news conference, "that you are undermining the people's faith in the First Amendment, freedom of the press, the press in [this] country, when you call stories you don't like fake news?"

Trump responded: "The public doesn't believe you people anymore. Now maybe I had something to do with that. I don't know. But they don't believe you. If you were straight and really told it like it is . . . I would be your biggest booster."

The president is right that they don't believe. But he's wrong to take credit for it -- and wrong to suggest that there's much that can be done.

Bill Bishop is co-author, with Robert Cushing, of "The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded America is Tearing Us Apart." He lives in La Grange, Texas. He wrote this for The Washington Post.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem described the U.S. border with Mexico as a war zone last year when she sent dozens of state National Guard troops there. Noem said theyd be on the front lines of stopping drug smugglers and human traffickers. But newly released records from the National Guard show that in their two-month deployment, the South Dakota troops didnt seize any drugs and sometimes went days without encountering any migrants at all. Noem justified the deployment and a widely criticized private donation to fund as a state emergency because of drugs making their way across the southern border to South Dakota. But the records cast doubt on whether the deployment was effective in addressing that.
I enjoyed reading Carol Duncans response to my letter about Planned Parenthood ("More on Planned Parenthood," Feb. 19).

I learned that congressional panels do not find any entity guilty of crimes, but they do refer said entities for prosecution. Im referring to the Select Investigative Panel of the Energy and Commerce committee. I actually read a lot of the report. At 413 pages though, I found that I lacked the stamina to finish the report. The panel did refer for prosecution many of the charges that Ms. Duncan listed. But isnt Planned Parenthood innocent until proven guilty? At this time, there have been no successful prosecutions.

The states that held investigations are: Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Washington. In these states, Planned Parenthood was found to have followed all rules and was not found in violation of any Statutes or of committing any illegal activities.

States still investigating are Arizona and Louisiana. A grand jury in Harris County, Texas, voted not to indict Planned Parenthood. Instead, it voted to indict two anti-abortion activists from the Center for Medical Progress, the organization that videotaped the Planned Parenthood interviews that started all the investigations in the first place. The state of Texas has an ongoing investigation even with the results from the Harris County grand jury.

As for my use of the term fetal tissue, that Ms. Duncan took issue with, she would know, if she had read the report, that that was the term used by the congressional panel during its investigation. Chapter VI is titled Case studies of the Fetal Tissue Industry, the University Model. Chapter VIII is titled Case studies of the Fetal Tissue Industry-Planned Parenthood.

I would also like to remind Ms. Duncan that abortion is legal. Planned Parenthood performing abortions is providing a legal service that obviously has a demand. Its not like they are forcing people to get abortions, chasing down pregnant women and dragging them inside. So should you be mad at Planned Parenthood, or the woman that chooses abortion?

Personally, Im not mad at either. One is providing a service; the other is making a personal and legal decision that I feel is none of my business. Attacking the abortion provider is ridiculous. According to Lifenews.com, an anti-abortion website, Planned Parenthood does 40 percent of the abortions in the USA. Who is doing the other 60 percent? Why arent the other providers being picketed, attacked and investigated?

Ms. Duncan asks a moralistic question by writing if you are not sick of Planned Parenthood, how decent can you really be? I know a lot of Planned Parenthood supporters who are very decent, kind, empathetic and intelligent.

Tom Silva

Napa
DEVILS LAKE  Many throughout the Lake Region have gotten to know Annie Gerhardt through her work as a nurse practitioner at Altru Clinic-Lake Region.

Now, half a world away in the west African nation of Ghana, the people there are getting to know her, too, as she spends a month there working with their doctors and nurses in a medical readiness training exercise. The mission is a collaboration effort of US Army Africa, Brooke Army Medical Center, North Dakota National Guard, and the Ghanaian Government.

The Devils Lake Journal reports that Gerhardt is a captain in the North Dakota National Guard and finds herself in Accra, the capital city of Ghana where they call her "Doctor Annie."

She arrived there with two North Dakota National Guard Medics and 12 Regular Army Medical Soldiers from Brooke Army Medical Center on Feb. 5. They planned to return to North Dakota after working with the medical and military personnel serving the people who come in to the emergency room at the 37th Military Hospital with various injuries and needs.

"It's an austere environment to be working in," Gerhardt says.

"You learn to be innovative as you work alongside others in this military setting. We are working together for good outcomes for the patients we see," Gerhardt said.

She is embedded in the E.R., but in Ghana people have to purchase what they need before seeking medical care, therefore medical professionals often have to take into consideration what a patient or their family can afford before they treat them. They bring with them their own medications, sutures, materials for making splints, etc., when seeking care.

Often they opt to undergo medical procedures without pain medication simply because they might not be able to afford it.

Gerhardt said that they have to rely on other means to diagnose and treat patients because there's not the option of sending them next door for a CT scan, or the like, as they would have in a U.S. facility.

She said that she finds they are learning as much from the people of Ghana as they are teaching them.

Her first day on site, she made rounds with a neurosurgeon who asked for her help closing a wound a patient received when a backhoe fell on him. She is able to do things in Ghana that a general surgeon would do here in the states.

"I don't give orders until after reviewing the patient case with the doctors and verifying it is a possible and affordable treatment plan," she said, adding that she feels her training, professionalism and expertise has been appreciated.

This valuable training and experience will benefit Gerhardt when and if she is deployed to a part of the world where nurses and physicians work as a team in a war-torn country, for example.

"You have to get 'back to basics' of patient care without the luxuries you're used to," she explained.

A patient who needed a splint, for example, received one that Gerhardt and her team of medical providers fashioned from cardboard, gauze and tape. She says she is learning a lot and she also has the opportunity to teach others while in Ghana.

"We're learning from each other."

This is a world class experience, according to Gerhardt. When she was commissioned into the military it was to help others, to be of service to her country, the National Guard and to those in need, she said. Here in Ghana she is doing just that. "It is a great adventure!" she adds.

They work full days and full schedules in 80 to 90 degree temperatures, sometimes without the benefit of air conditioning and occasionally without electricity.

She said they recently had to finish a procedure by flashlight, but they were able to help the patient and that was the important thing.

They're up at 5:30 a.m. for physical training, breakfast at 7 a.m., and don't forget your malaria pills!

They work straight through, a full shift, in the military hospital including meetings with administrators from Ghana.

The weekends are used to debrief and rest up, they have little time for sightseeing, although Gerhardt says that Ghana is a colorful, beautiful country filled with friendly, warm people.

For a number of years, Ghana has partnered with the North Dakota Army National Guard at Camp Gilbert C. Grafton sending their soldiers here to the Regional Training Facility for education and receiving North Dakota soldiers to their country, too, for education and training.

She says that there is a lot of poverty in Ghana. The people are strong, even stoic. They work hard and want to be progressive. Their news reports are filled with news from the U.S. They very much follow what's happening in America.

"We are so blessed in our country," Gerhardt said, admitting that we, as Americans, take a lot for granted.

The experiences and training Gerhardt is getting in Africa will benefit her career in the Army National Guard and help with disaster preparedness in our own communities.

Gerhardt wanted to add her thanks to everyone who has made this experience, this "adventure," possible. She says her husband and family are coping without her by reading daily letters she provided for her 8-year-old when she knew she would be gone for a while.

She is grateful for the hospital in Devils Lake that generously provided her with scrubs she would need to wear in Ghana, her colleagues at Altru Clinic who have stepped up and covered for her while she's gone. She also wanted to acknowledge her patients here in the Lake Region who have been gracious and allowed her to be gone, and finally, to thank the people she has worked with in Ghana who have been supportive and welcoming.
If the XASM-3 hasn't been tested yet, its first test by Japan's MoD is certainly imminent.



We were reporting in 2015 that the test-firing would be done at a firing range designated G airspace close to Komatsu air base. According to the Japanese MoD in 2015 aerodynamic and captive carry tests on F-2 fighters had been completed and was then in the final stages of prototype manufacturing.



XASM-3 is capable of reaching Mach 3 speeds thanks to its ramjet engine fed by two air intakes (in a similar fashion to MBDA's Meteor air to air missile of to the French ASMP-A air-launched tactical nuclear missile). XASM-3 is flying close to sea level in the final stage of attack to reduce probability of detection and intercept.



XASM-3 basic specifications:

Overall length: 5.25m

Maximum speed: Mach 3 or more

Firing range: 80nm (about 150km) or more

Weight: 900kg

Power: Integral Rocket Ramjet

Navigation and seeker: inertial / GPS (intermediate stage) + active / passive seeker (terminal phase)



DDH-143 Shirane

The Shirane-class destroyers are a pair of Japanese destroyers originally built during the late 1970s. They are built around a large central hangar which houses up to three helicopters. They displace 7,500 tons. The second ship of the class, DDH-144 Kurama, is still in service.
State lawmakers took a step toward denting the states ban on parking meters Friday.

The House Transportation Committee gave a do pass recommendation to a bill that, as originally written, would have lifted the states decades-long ban. The amended version the committee passed would allow voters to approve a political subdivisions use of parking meters.

Senate Bill 2247, introduced by Sen. Jessica Unruh, R-Beulah, passed the Senate a month ago.

The ban was originally put in place with an initiated measure in 1949, but the Legislature repealed it two years later. Voters rejected that action in 1952 by 3,200 votes, according to a memo prepared for Unruh, who promoted the legislation as a matter of local control.

Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney supported removing the prohibition on parking meters, arguing in written testimony that the decision should be made by the City Commission.

The option to use parking meters on streets where parking is in high demand increases the availability of parking for customers who wish to shop, dine or do other business in the downtown, he said.

The bill was not placed on the calendar for a debate on the House floor as of Friday afternoon.

Spill bill set for hearing

A bill that would raise the threshold for reporting oil spills is scheduled for a hearing next week before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

House Bill 1151, previously approved by House lawmakers, would exempt oil companies from reporting spills that are less than 420 gallons if they are contained at a well site or facility location.

It applies to spills of crude oil, produced water or natural gas on well sites that have modern containment berms and other safeguards to protect the environment. The proposal does not change a requirement to clean up all spills.

The proposal was supported by the oil industry but opposed by landowners. Members of the Northwest Landowners Association continue to have concerns about the bill and prefer that oil companies report all spills above 42 gallons, said Chairman Troy Coons.

The Department of Mineral Resources is neutral on the bill, but may suggest that it be amended to apply to well sites constructed after a specified date so it would be easier to enforce, Director Lynn Helms told the Industrial Commission last month.

The hearing is at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Fort Lincoln Room.

Open records bills get hearings

A pair of bills that seek to shield some applicants for government jobs from public view will be debated in committee hearings next week.

House Bill 1333 says a record that would identify a person applying for chancellor of the North Dakota University System or president of a state university is confidential until he or she becomes a finalist. Senate Bill 2152 goes further and says records that could identify an applicant for a job with a public entity are confidential until they are designated a finalist.

HB1333 will be heard by the Senate Education Committee 9:30 a.m. Monday in the Sheyenne River Room, and SB2152 will be heard by the House Political Subdivisions Committee 9:30 a.m. Friday in the Prairie Room.
21:27

Bangladesh banned extremist Islamist group Ansar Al-Islam blamed for the brutal murders of several secular activists and atheist bloggers in the Muslim-majority country.





A home ministry spokesman said an order was issued banning the militant outfit as "the group is involved in anti-state activities which are contrary to peace and order and a threat to public safety and security in the country."





The radical group, which claims links to Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, has claimed responsibility for a spate of gruesome murders of secular activists and atheist bloggers in the country that sparked a security crackdown on extremists.





The ban was enforced as members of previously outlawed Ansarullah Bangla Team regrouped under the banner of Ansar al-Islam, the ministry said.





ABT was banned in May 2015 when one of its leaders was arrested and two members were sentenced to death for the murder of an atheist blogger in February 2013.





The group also claimed responsibility for the 2015 murder of Avijit Roy, an American atheist author of Bangladeshi origin, gay activist Xulhaz Mannan, a magazine editor and bloggers Niladri Chattopadhyay and Nazim Uddin Samad.





Image: American atheist author of Bangladeshi origin Avijit Roy
Six other security personnel, including an army Major, were injured during the fighting that began on Saturday evening in Tral town in the Kashmir Valley.

Director General of Police S.P. Vaid told the media that one of the guerrillas was identified as a Pakistani and the other as Aquib Molvi, a local commander of the Hizb-ul Mujahideen.

A house used up by the militants as a fortified bunker was demolished by the security forces with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the police said.

After the gunfight, villagers clashed with security personnel.

--IANS sq/mr/sm/ruwa

( 133 Words)

2017-03-05-13:58:07 (IANS)
The minister, who was on an official visit to northern West Bengal, told media persons at the airport that the government has taken a number of steps to upgrade the airport.

Parrikar said Bagdogra - a town in Darjeeling district - was of significant importance as it was the gateway to the NorthEast, Bhutan and Nepal.

He said Bagdogra Airport would have 24-hour commercial flight operation as early as possible and assured that late night landing facility for civil aircrafts at Bagdogra Amay Abegin shortly.

He said the ministry was also looking into extending the terminal area and the project would be taken up if the required land was available.

The Defence Minister met representatives of Confederation of Indian Industry as also Aeight commercial operators including Indigo and Spicejet which operate from Bagdogra.

Earlier, he inaugurated the new building of Ramakrishna Shiksha Parishad (RKSP) Higher Secondary School at Darjeeling.

The school building, constructed with funding from the centre, has come up under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

Parrikar, who was accompanied by Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Lok Sabha member from Darjeeling S.S. Ahluwalia, said that the central government has already laid a special focus on north West Bengal, the strategic location of which is immense.

--IANS ssp/vd

( 247 Words)

2017-03-05-22:58:07 (IANS)
Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran believes there is no competition between the lead actors in Malayalam filmdom because the industry is not congested and that allows actors to do the kind of films they believe in. Considered one of the leading stars of Malayalam industry, Prithviraj doesn't compete with the current crop of stars such as Fahadh Faasil, Dulquer Salmaan and Nivin Pauly because he is considered a "mature actor". "Although we are all pretty much in the same age bracket, my screen image and the amount of time I've spent on acting have translated to people perceiving me as a more mature actor. Therefore, I get characters that traverse big time span," Prithviraj told IANS here. Having made his acting debut with the 2002 Malayalam film "Nandanam", the "Mumbai Police" actor is on the verge of completing 100 films. He said: "I don't think the industry is congested enough for us to compete. We make about 100 films a year and we have only spoken about four to five actors who contribute 20 to 25 films which still leaves another 75 films. I also don't see anybody as competition because the kind of films I do are very different." With over half a dozen projects in his kitty, Prithviraj is looking forward to "Detroit Crossing" and the highly anticipated historic drama "Karnan". "Detroit Crossing", to be helmed by Nirmal Sahadev, will be the second crossover film in the actor's career. "It's something I have wanted to do for a very long time. On the international stage, there aren't many stories being told about our people. 'Detroit Crossing' is happening because I said yes to it. Had they done it as a small and independent parallel cinema, it might have been a good film, but it wouldn't have found the kind of money it has found now," he explained. To be completely shot in the US, the film will throw the spotlight on Tamil street fights in Michigan and Detroit. Talking about "Karnan", he said he isn't sure when they will go on floors. "If everything goes well and we manage to pull it off, it's going to be a very big film. The pre-production process of the film is going to be unlike any Malayalam film in terms of the amount of detailing required in the production," he said. "We know the actual shooting will take shorter time than what was spent on the pre-production. However, I'm still not sure when we plan to commence filming," he added. Prithviraj currently awaits the release of "Tiyaan", "Adam Joan" and "My Story". --IANS hp/nn/vt ( 441 Words) 2017-03-05-12:02:06 (IANS)
The 36-year-old actor told USA Today, "Action has always been a part of me. In the Marvel films, it's hidden in the playfulness and mischief of that character. But actually, there's several one-to-ones with 'Captain America' and 'Thor' where the action requires choreography. But 'Kong' puts all of that centre stage."

"It's like, this (Tom's character former SAS tracker Captain James Conrad)

is the guy you want on the ground in a jungle. It's lovely to be a hero," the 'Crimson Peak' star added.

Tom's 'Kong' character is introduced to viewers with a bar fight scene but the actor admitted he would probably "get the hell out of there" in a similar situation.

The movie is all set to hit the theatres in the US on March 10. (ANI)
Stress is capable of packing a double hit as it can make you obese over time, but now a recent study suggests that if you want to avoid those extra kilos, then it's time to stop counting calories and simply relax. Researchers from University College London (UCL) conducted the study on 2,527 men and women over the age of 50. They measured the level of cortisol, the stress hormone, in two centimetre clippings of hair (about two months' growth). After taking into account variations in age and sex as well as other factors like whether someone smokes or has diabetes, the researchers found that the higher the level of cortisol (ie. the more stressed someone was), the bigger the body weight, BMI and waist circumference of the person. Having a higher level of cortisol was also linked to persistent obesity over time. Lead author Sarah E. Jackson said that while we probably can't eliminate all stress from our lives, we might be able to find ways to control it: "Even just being aware that stress might make you eat more may help." The study appears in the journal Obesity. (ANI)
EMERSON, Manitoba -- Forty people were caught illegally crossing the international border near Pembina between Tuesday and Friday this past week, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a Saturday statement. The announcement comes amid a recent uptick in refugees crossing the U.S.-Canada border.

Information on the 40 people intercepted by Canadian authorities was not included in the release, and the statement said no further details on age or countries of origin will be provided. Canadian officials did not immediately respond to messages requesting additional information.

The release stated Manitoba authorities have caught 183 people illegally crossing the border since Jan 1.

The announcement by Canadian officials comes amid an uptick in refugees seeking asylum at the U.S.-Canada border. Welcome Place, a refugee agency in Manitoba, resettled 91 people claiming refugee status between Nov. 1 and late January, according to a Reuters report, which is more than a typical years worth.

Cynthia Shabb, executive director of the Global Friends Coalition -- a Grand Forks group dedicated to New American integration -- also spoke about the matter last month. She said she suspects most of the surge is people with expired visas filtering through the area, and said she has not heard any talk among local immigrants of joining them.

A late-January CBC report said that surge has largely come since Donald Trump won the White House and has been encouraged by his aggressive immigration policies. An executive order issued by Trump in late January barred foreign nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. for 90 days, halting refugee entry for 120 days and closing borders to Syrian refugees indefinitely.

A freeze on the order was upheld by a federal appeals court last month. National media reports indicate a new immigration order is set to be signed Monday.
Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said more than 10.5 million households have given up their Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) subsidy on the appeal made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The minister said people gave up their subsidy after Prime Minister Modi appealed to those who could afford the cooking gas to leave their subsidy. "More than 10.5 million households gave up their LPG subsidy. This will help the government to provide subsidy to the needy," said Pradhan while speaking at Harvard Kennedy School in the United States. Emphasizing on the government's goal to provide subsidy to the poor, the minister talked about the Centre's initiative for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in LPG subsidy. Pradhan also said after the success of DBT in LPG, the government is planning to use the same in Kerosene. "At one point of time, the government thought subsidy should be for the poor, for the downtrodden, but how do we do it. We have created a gateway which is known as PAHAL, Hindi name for DBT," said Pradhan. The minister also enlightened the students with another initiative of the government to create a subsidy movement in India. "JAM trinity: Jan Dhan Account, Aadhaar number and Mobile, is a new weapon to create targeted subsidy movement in India," he said. Earlier in the day, while speaking at the 2017 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Energy Conference, Pradhan said despite demonetisation India will continue its momentum and achieve an eight percent growth in 2017. "Last November, we demonetised 85 percent of our currency in circulation and even after that India's GDP continues to grow. According to recent data, growth for the September-December quarter stood at 7 per cent," he said. (ANI)
Does any of your relatives, friends or acquaintances in India wish to go to Canada, USA, Australia, England or any other country? Are they facing difficulties in getting Visa? Do they find themselves making innumerable visits to the Visa office without any result? There is no need to get disappointed or depressed at all. There is only one place that you must visit i.e. "Chamatkarik Shri Hanumanji Na Charan". A large number of worshippers come to the temple before going to any foreign embassy. A devotee said he has observed numerous instances of success due to the temple. "Any devotee who comes to our lord's temple, with great honour and reverence, and makes a wishes to lord Hanuman to get a visa, it has been my observation that none of the wishes have failed," said the devotee. There are many such 'visa temples' in India offering thousands of hopefuls a site to pray and seek divine help in fulfilling their wishes. A temple in southern Hyderabad city, called the 'Chilkur Balaji' temple, as well as a Sikh Gurudwara (temple) in northern Punjab state are among other go-to places for visa aspirants.(ANI)
DGP A.N. Upadhyay sent the warning letter to Kalluri after he circulated a WhatsApp post in this regard.

Kalluri has been served two notices and a response has been sought from him for the same in three days.

It is the same private function where former Sukma Superintendent of Police, IK Elesela allegedly said that human rights workers should be run over by vehicle.

Kalluri has been facing flak for alleged fake encounters and targeting local journalists, social and human rights activists in Bastar.

The 1994-batch officer, who was IG of police Bastar Range, was earlier sanctioned 90-day leave with effect from February 1.

However, instead of availing leave, he requested the DGP for a fresh posting and was subsequently sent to police head quarters. (ANI)
"Varanasi is represented by the Prime Minister. The other political parties believe if they take Narendra Modi on his home turf they will make an impact on national level but Narendra Modi is like Arjuna. All these Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav, Rahul Gandhi who are campaigning, sweating out in Varanasi are only wasting their energy," BJP leader S Prakash told ANI.

Asserting that Varanasi is a fortress of BJP, Prakash said the good work initiated by the Prime Minister yields rich dividends to the saffron party.

Wooing the electorate in his constituency, Prime Minister Modi yesterday took out a road show.

In a bid to ensure their popularity amongst the voters, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also took out a grand road show yesterday in Varanasi.(ANI)
As per sources, an incident of a weapon being snatched from a CRPF jawan had emerged, yesterday.

The Army had launched a cordon and search in Tral at around 6:30 pm on the basis of information of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Srinagar on Saturday.

Sourced further state that a terrorist named Aqib of Hina village is reported to be holed-up along with two more terrorists.

The area has been sealed and security forces have been zeroed in on the house where terrorists are holed up.

Attempts are underway to smoke out the terrorists.

More details are awaited. (ANI)
Six other security personnel including an army major were injured during the gunfight that started on Saturday evening in Tral town.

A house which was used up by the holed-up militants as a fortified bunker was demolished byt eh forces using improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the police said.

Syed Javid Mujtaba Gillani, Kashmir Inspector General of Police (IGP) has refuted rumours that a curfew was imposed in Tral.

After the fierce gunfight, protesters clashed with the security personnel.

--IANS sq/ksk

( 112 Words)

2017-03-05-10:22:11 (IANS)
The Indian Consulate in San Francisco is in touch with local authorities after an attack on a Sikh man in the US state of Washington by a masked gunman who told him "go back to your country", an official source here said on Sunday. The victim, identified as Deep Rai, 39, by the Indian Embassy in Washington, survived after being shot at in front of his house on Friday night unlike the two others, Harnish Patel of Lancaster, South Carolina, who was killed on Thursday, and Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was murdered on February 22 in Olathe, Kansas. Another Indian, Alok Madasani was also shot in Olathe, but survived. In the latest incident, the 39-year-old victim was working on his car in front of his house in Kent city when he was shot by the man described as white, who had his face partially covered, according to local police. "We're early on in our investigation," Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said on Saturday morning, according to the Seattle Times. "We are treating this as a very serious incident". KING5 TV reported that the incident was being investigated as a possible hate crime and police had reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for help. According to the source here, the victim "is able to walk". "We wish him a speedy recovery and are ready to offer all possible assistance," the source said. Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke has also reached out to the victim. Sikh community leader Jasmit Singh said: He is just very shaken up, both him and his family...We're all kind of at a loss in terms of what's going on right now. This is just bringing it home. The climate of hate that has been created doesn't distinguish between anyone." Kent is about 30 km from Seattle and is near the Congressional constituency of Pramila Jayapal, the Indian-origin member of the House of Representatives. Jayapal tweeted: "Thoughts and prayers to family and the entire Sikh community in wake of the horrific shooting. This must be investigated as hate crime." --IANS ab/ksk ( 358 Words) 2017-03-05-10:38:06 (IANS)
The state BJP unit has accused police administration of failing to ensure security of the demonstrators during civil disobedience movement and also for supporting the ruling party cadres in few places. BJP president Biplab Deb alleged that as many as 24 party workers were injured in the attack by CPI-M cadres in North and South Tripura district in the presence of police. The police was also beaten up by the demonstrators without using safe mob disperses tools when they tried to break the security barricades. He said three of the injured, including the party's Jansanyug Pramukh (public relation officer) Dr Alok Bhattacharjee, were shifted to Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) as police beat them in head and spin with heavy arms. "Though they are responding to the treatment, their injury was serious and may be shifted to outside Tripura for better treatment," Mr Deb said, adding that a sub-inspector of police hit Dr Bhattacharjee in Bishalgarh in front of Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) office taking arms from a policeman when he was leading the procession. In Dharmanagar, Udaipur and Belonia CPI-M cadres allegedly attacked the demonstrators when they were proceeding for civil disobedience in presence of police. Finally, the administration did not make sufficient arrangements for shifting them to hospital and civilians of the surrounding areas rescued BJP workers, alleged BJP Vice-President Subal Bhowmik. "It is once again proved that there was no distinction between party and administration. The CPI-M party cadres were posted in important administrative posts and police who has been directly working for the party violating all norms and rules," Mr Bhowmik pointed out. He, however, claimed that it was a dry run for mega rally against the misrule of Left Front government in Tripura for 25 years on March 10 next where number of top BJP leaders and Union Ministers are scheduled to take part. The movement to dislodge Left Front government from the power has begun now ahead of 2018 assembly poll. Hundreds of BJP supporters stormed the roads across 62 locations of Tripura yesterday as part of their civil disobedience movement demanding arrest of the accused involved of the murder of elected village committee member of tribal autonomous district council (ADC) Chanmohan Tripura on December 28 last. About 18,000 odd supporters were arrested from different parts of Tripura during their civil disobedience movement demanding CBI enquiry into the death of BJP's tribal leader Chanmohan.UNI BB AD1019 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0108-1175210.Xml
Police said the deceased was identified as Monisha Mohan (24), daughter of Sub-Inspector Jalaja Kumari of Peroorkada in Thiruvananthapuram.

She was found hanging in a room in her K B Tower flat early this morning, police added.

Stating a suicide note was found from the room, police further said a case has been registered and further probe was on.UNI PCH CS 1121

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Continuing its aggressive stance, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 24 more Indian fishermen and confiscated their four Mechanized fishing trawlers in two separate incidents for allegedly violating the Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), early today. Fisheries officials said the Sri Lankan Fast Attack Crafts attached to the North Central Naval Command arrested 15 fishermen, hailing from Rameswaram along with two fishing trawlers while they were poaching in the seas North of Mannar. The arrested fishermen, fishing gear, boats and other electronic gadgets were handed over to the Fisheries department for legal action. In another incident, the Sri Lankan maritime forces apprehended nine fishermen hailing from Jegadapattinam coastal hamlet in Pudukottai district, while they were engaged in illegal poaching in the seas north east of Delft Island. The fishermen were handed over to the Jaffna Fisheries Directorate for onward legal action. Meanwhile, upset over the continuous incarceration of innocent fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, the Mechanized Boat fishermen of Rameswaram have decided to launch an indefinite strike from March seven, demanding release of all the arrested fishermen along with boats. Leaders of 11 fishermen associations, which met here also decided to resort to a road-roko and rail-roko agitations on the Pamban road bridge and Pamban railway bridge, respectively on March seven to draw the attention of Central government on the plight of fishermen. The fishermen also threatened to launch a State-wide massive agitation by mobiling the support of students and youths if the Centre fails to resolve the decades-long fishermen issue. UNI GSM CS 1519 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1175530.Xml
Two resolutions before the North Dakota Legislature requesting conventions to amend the U.S. Constitution are efforts to enhance states rights and curb federal overreach, according to the resolutions sponsors.

The resolutions on their own have no effect and dont trigger any convention of the states until 34 states have requested a convention on the same topic, according to David Super, a professor of law at Georgetown University who works with the Center on Budget and Policy Priority in Washington, D.C.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 4006 calls for a convention to approve a countermand amendment.

Sen. Oley Larsen, R-Minor, the resolutions sponsor, said the planned amendment would allow a group of states to take action asking the federal government to rescind a law or regulation.

It creates an 18-month window to get the issues addressed and resolved, Larsen said.

A draft version of the amendment says that if 50 percent of the state legislatures vote against a federal law or regulation within 18 months, the law or regulation is void.

A single state cant take action, Larsen said.

Larsen said so far seven states have passed legislation requesting a convention to draft a countermand amendment.

Its starting to build steam, he said.

House Concurrent Resolution 3006 lists federal debt and improper and imprudent spending by the U.S. government as problems and proposes a convention of the states for the purpose of restraining these and related abuses of power.

HCR3006 passed the House on a 69-18 vote. It is sponsored by Rep. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo, and co-sponsored by Rep. Craig Headland, R-Montpelier, and others.

Headland said the resolution and the constitutional amendment it proposes are an attempt to regain control of the federal government.

Return the power granted to the states back to the states, he said.

Vague convention rules

The resolutions call for a convention of the states under the authority of Article V of the U.S. Constitution. Article V calls for a convention to propose amendments when either two-thirds of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate or two-thirds of the states make a request. Any amendment generated by the convention would need to be ratified by three-fourths of the states before becoming part of the Constitution.

The article does not set any rules or guidelines for how the convention should operate, Super said.

Article V is very vague and short and doesnt give any details, Super said. A convention could open up our most basic document. There is nothing in Article V to limit discussion to a single topic or list of topics.

Super said the lack of guidelines in Article V would likely mean the convention would be forced to make its own rules. This is what happened in the first and only constitutional convention in U.S. history in 1787.

The rules in question would include the basics such as whether each state gets one vote or if the voting is based on state populations.

Its hard to imagine how its resolved, Super said. You need a voting system to resolve the question of what the voting system should be.

Headland said the resolutions can be worded to limit the topics that any convention could address.

A runaway convention, he said. That is what the opposition uses to oppose this.

Joel Griffith, a director for the Center for State Fiscal Reform in Washington, D.C., said a runaway convention could completely restructure American government. He said a runaway convention could be avoided with a compact  an agreement between the states requesting the convention  defining the methods to be used during the convention and its topics.

The North Dakota Legislature passed, and Gov. Jack Dalrymple signed, a bill during the 2015 legislative session to participate in the Compact for America. This compact defines how a convention would operate and limits its agenda to a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Only Alaska, Georgia, Mississippi and North Dakota have approved such a resolution at this time.

The compact approach defines the rules in advance, Griffith said. It prohibits any state from participating other than on agenda items approved in the compact.

Griffith said the Compact for America was carefully worded to cover any possibilities and withstand legal challenges. The 2015 North Dakota law included 10 pages of specifications and restrictions on the convention. Griffith said the compact, and the balanced budget amendment it proposes, are a safe way to deal with the growing problem of national debt.

I encourage everyone to try to get a sense of the danger a $20 trillion debt has for this country, he said.

Super said he does not believe an agreement between the states would be binding on an Article V convention and that any convention to amend the Constitution has risks.

Any effort to call an Article V convention has to be considered a convention to review the entire Constitution, he said. The North Dakota resolution includes some rules, but North Dakota cant dictate convention rules.
Talking to reporters here, he said Peravoor St Sebastian Church Vicar Robin Vadakumcherry should be dealt with like a criminal as should not deserved any leniency being a priest.

He said mere registration of case against him would not be suffice but authorities should ensure stringent punishment to him.

Mr Antony said with increasing crime graph, Kerala cannot be described as 'God's Own Country.'

The 16-year girl, who was a student of the church run school where Vadkumcherry is the Manager, later delivered a boy in Christu Raja Hospital near Kuthuparamba recently.

Vadakumcherry, who had been arrested following complaints by Childline activists, had admitted to the crime.

Apart from Vadakumcherry, five nuns, and a male doctor have been arrested in connection with the case.UNI PCH CS 1506

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It would be proud moment for Tamil Superstar Rajinikanth's daughter and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador Aishwarya Dhanush when she gives a classical Bharatanatyam dance performance at the UN Headquarters in New York on March eight--the International Women's day. It was a rare honour for the classical dancer-turned film director as it was, perhaps, for the first time, an Indian danseue would beperforming at the UN stage on the momentous occasion coincidingwith the World Women's day. Talking to reporters here, an elated Aishwarya said it would bean hour long performance and the event was being organised by India's Permanent Mission to UN. The dance programme would be co-sponsored by America Tamil Sangam, an organisation formed by the Tamils in US to promote and development of the language. With this endeavour, the seeds for which were sown during aconversation she had with India's Permanent Representative toUN Syed Akbarudeen, Aishwarya would be back to some seriousdancing as she would be performing a series of renditions duringthe hour long event during which the famed Indian director was expected to mesmerise the audience. She said it was a proud moment for her and her family. This year, the theme for International Women's Day focuses on 'Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030.' The multi-talented director, who has earlier stated her passion for dance, would be promoting gender quality with her Bharatanatyam dance recital at the UN headquarters. "It's my honour and pleasure to be performing at the UN headquarters on International Women's Day this year'', she had said. After a gap of seven years, Aishwarya got back to dancing last yearalong with her mentor Meenakshi Chittaranjan. Since both her father and her husband Dhanush were busywith their shooting schedules, Aishwaryana would be leaving for New York alone for the solo show, during which she would perform for the song 'Maithrim Bhajathey', sung by late melody queen M S Subbulakshmi in the UN decadesback, to highlight the need for peace, she said. All the 190-member countries and top Indian diplomatswere invited for the event.UNI GV CS 1559 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1175566.Xml
Appreciating the activities carried out by the State Red Cross Society during the past months, the Governor said that the Organization is doing well both in terms of extending help during exigencies as well as mobilizing resources for its philanthropic activities.

The Governor emphasized the usefulness of Melas and similar events being organized at frequent intervals by the District and Regional Red Cross Societies to raise funds and contributions on a sustained basis.

The Governor also stressed the need for the objectives of the Red Cross being always kept in mind and for its trained Volunteers to be always at hand in the event of any kind of emergency, disaster or calamity.

He complimented the trained Volunteers of the Society in always staying being the first to lend a helping hand to those in distress.UNI VBH CJ SHK 2036

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today slammed opposition parties for poor development of purvanchal region and said 15 years of Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) governments ruined the Uttar Pradesh.Addressing gathering here in Kashi Vidyapeeth ground after road show, Mr Modi praised historical, cultural importance of Varanasi in words of famous American writer Mark Twain "Banaras itihas se bhi purana hai, ye ek bejod shahar hai" (Varanasi is older than history, it is extraordinary city).Commenting on opposition parties, he said his party believes in 'Sabka saath sabka vikas' (Everyone's contribution everyone's progress) while SP, BSP and Congress follows the ideology 'Kuchh ka saath kuchh ka vikas' (Some person's contribution some person's progress)."If purvanchal gets developed whole UP will be number one in development across the country" PM Modi asserted. He said that without development of UP and eastern region of the country the country cannot develop.Talking about demonetisation, Mr Modi said that when he started with 'Mere pyare bhaiyon behno' (My beloved brothers and sisters) all those politicians who used to criticize each other commonly started speaking in same voice against demonetisation move. Slamming opposition parties who criticized 'surgical strike' of Indian Army, Mr Modi said that it was unfortunate that some politicians driven by hate politics questioned the brave act of Indian Army and asked evidence of the same.The Prime Minister said that his government delivered his promise on One Rank One Pension (OROP). He said governments should be decisive as our government made the arrangements of Rs 12000 crore for the OROP which solved the long pending issue.Reiterating his motto "Kisan ke lliye sichayi, beccho ko padayi, yuva ko kamayi aur vradhh ko dawai" (Irrigation water for farmers, study for kids, jobs for youth and medicines for aged) Mr Modi said development is answer to every problem.He said that now public wants to get rid of ASP (Akhilesh Samajwadi Party), BSP and Congress and claimed that BJP will form the government by securing majority seats.UNI JDM MB SHK 2218 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1176087.Xml
"A cardinal rule of the Obama administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice," Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis issued a statement on Twitter yesterday.

"As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false," he added.

Similarly former deputy national security adviser to Obama, Ben Rhodes, in a tweet, said that presidents cannot order a wiretap.

"No President can order a wiretap. Those restrictions were put in place to protect citizens from people like you," he said.

Earlier, Trump, in series of tweets, alleged that the Trump Tower was tapped even before election victory. He likened the action to being as bad as the Watergate scandal.

"Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!," the President tweeted.

"How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!," he said.

Reiterating that Obama's 'people' were definitely behind the leak, Trump stated that some of the leaks are really serious as they are related to national security.

However, Trump did not offer any evidence for his claim.

Last month, Trump told Fox News that reports of his calls with the leaders of Mexico and Australia were caused by leaks from "Obama people."

Trump's administration has claimed to have been plagued by leaks within his administration to the media. (ANI)
A Sikh man was shot in the US state of Washington by a masked gunman who told him, "go back to your own country", before opening fire in front of his house. The victim, who was not identified by name by officials or the media, survived the attack that took place on Friday night unlike the two others, Harnish Patel of Lancaster, South Carolina, was killed on Thursday, and Srinivas Kuchibhotla murdered on February 22 in Olathe, Kansas. Another Indian, Alok Madasani was also shot in Olathe, but survived. In the latest incident, the 39-year-old victim was working on his car in front of his house in Kent city when he was shot by the man described as white, who had his face partially covered, according to local police. "We're early on in our investigation," Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said on Saturday morning, according to the Seattle Times. "We are treating this as a very serious incident". KING5 TV reported that the incident was being investigated as a possible hate crime and police had reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for help. Satwinder Kaur, a candidate for Kent City Council, said on Facebook that the victim, who was shot in the arm "wishes to remain anonymous at this time. So as a community we should respect that." Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke has also reached out to him. Sikh community leader Jasmit Singh said that the victim was released from the hospital. "He is just very shaken up, both him and his family," Singh said, adding "We're all kind of at a loss in terms of what's going on right now. This is just bringing it home. The climate of hate that has been created doesn't distinguish between anyone." Kent is about 30 km from Seattle and is near the Congressional constituency of Pramila Jayapal, the Indian-origin member of the House of Representatives. Jayapal tweeted: "Thoughts and prayers to family and the entire Sikh community in wake of the horrific shooting. This must be investigated as hate crime." In 2015, Hindu place of worship in Kent, the Sanatan Dharma Temple, was attacked and had its windows smashed and the word, "Fear" was painted on it. Another Hindu temple in nearby Bothell was also attacked. --IANS al/ksk ( 387 Words) 2017-03-05-08:48:06 (IANS)
Three people were killed when a house where fireworks were being made blew up in the same town recently hit by a devastating explosion of a fireworks market, local authorities said.The house, in a residential neighborhood of Tultepec outside Mexico City, was destroyed by the blast yesterday, which sent a large plume of smoke into the air, according to TV images.Two children and a woman were killed, the State of Mexico government said in a statement, noting that fireworks were being made in the home. Seven more people were injured, it said.The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear. The state's Red Cross said on its Twitter account that there had been a gas leak.A series of massive explosions destroyed a fireworks market in Tultepec in December and killed more than three dozen people. REUTERS SDR 0437 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-1175131.Xml
China pledged more support to its military today including strengthening maritime and air defences amid efforts to safeguard sovereignty, but unusually did not give spending figures for 2017 despite promises of transparency.Parliament's spokeswoman said yesterday defence spending for this year would rise about 7 per cent, though provided no other details.However, the actual defence spending target for this year was not included in the country's budget released at the opening of parliament's annual session today, as it has been in previous years."We will support efforts to deepen the reform of national defence and the armed forces, with the aim of building a solid defence and strong armed forces that are commensurate with China's international standing and are suited to our national security and development interests," the budget report said.It did not elaborate.State news agency Xinhua also did not report the figure. The Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.It was not clear why the number was not released. China has repeatedly said its defence spending is transparent.Last year, with the economy slowing, the defence budget recorded its lowest increase in six years, 7.6 per cent, the first single-digit rise since 2010, following a nearly unbroken two-decade run of double-digit increases.China's military build-up has rattled nerves around the region, particularly because it has taken an increasingly assertive stance in its territorial disputes in the East China Sea, the South China Sea and over Taiwan, which China claims as its own.Giving his annual work report to parliament, Premier Li Keqiang said China would deepen military reforms."We will strengthen maritime and air defence as well as border controls and ensure the important operations related to countering terrorism, safeguarding stability, international peacekeeping and providing escorts on the high seas as well organised," he said."We will boost military training and preparedness, so as to ensure that the sovereignty, security, and development interests are resolutely and effectively safeguarded."The defence budget figure for last year, 954.35 billion yuan (138.40 billion dollar), likely understates its investment, according to diplomats, though the number is closely watched around the region and in Washington for clues to China's intentions.A 7 per cent rise for this year based on last year's budget would bring the figure to 1.02 trillion yuan, still only a quarter or so of the US defence budget.The White House has proposed a 10 per cent increase in military spending to 603 billion dollar, even though the United States has wound down major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and is already the world's pre-eminent military power.There were calls last week for China to announce a commensurate rise in defence spending for this year."As far as our development is concerned, defence spending is not enough," Wang Ning, commander the paramilitary People's Armed Police, told reporters on the sidelines of parliament. "Such a large country is facing so many security issues."REUTERS SDR 0738 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-1175150.Xml
Condemning the attack on a Sikh man in Seattle, United States envoy to India MaryKay Loss Carlson quoted President Donald Trump's message denouncing all forms of hate and evil. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Saddened by shooting in WA. Wishes for quick and full recovery. As <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS">@POTUS</a> said we condemn "hate and evil in all its forms"</p> MaryKay Loss Carlson (@USAmbIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAmbIndia/status/838279665932345344">March 5, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Meanwhile, the Sikh man, who was shot in the arm by a masked gunman in Seattle, is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital, said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday after speaking to his family. Taking to Twitter, Swaraj posted the update about Deep Rai, who is a U.S. national of Indian origin. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai a US national of Indian origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh father of the victim./1</p> Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/838277839233245184">March 5, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital. /2</p> Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/838277899975176192">March 5, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> She also extended her condolences to the family of Harnish Patel, who was killed in Lancaster, assuring that the investigation of the case is in progress. What came as an apparent third hate crime case in two weeks against the Indian community in United States, a 39-year old Sikh man was injured by an unknown assailant, who shot the victim outside his home and allegedly shouted "go back to your own country." The victim was working on his vehicle outside his home in the city of Kent on Friday when he was approached by a stranger, who walked up to the driveway. There was an altercation, and the gunman - a stocky, 6-foot-tall white man wearing a mask over the bottom part of his face - said "Go back to your own country" and pulled the trigger. An argument ensued, and the suspect, wearing a mask, told him to go back to his homeland, the victim said. The victim told police the man then shot him in the arm. According to the local police, the Sikh man sustained "non life-threatening injuries" and they are "treating this as a very serious incident." Kent police have launched an investigation into the case and reached out to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. This development comes close on the heels of the tragic shooting in Kansas last month of 32-year old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was killed when 51-year old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani before yelling "get out of my country." Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gunshot wounds in his yard.(ANI)
Satwinder Kaur, a member of sikh "soch" and prominent community leader, has expressed shocked over the recent incident in Kent where a 39-year-old Sikh man was shot by an unknown assailant. "It was disheartening when I saw this news in the morning, I was shocked. It does not happen in our community; we did not expect it to happen here. I don't know it happens in Kansas or other places but it does not happen in Washington state and it does not happen in Kent," she said. The Sikh man was left injured after he was shot at Kent by an unknown man wearing a mask. She, however, expressed her satisfaction on the response from the Kent Police chief. "I was very happy with his response," she said. She added that the chief was able to answer the questions put by the media. Expressing her delight with the ongoing investigation, Kaur said that she was ready to see what comes out it. "We had a shooting here at Kent this morning against a Sikh person, a hate crime, FBI and Kent police is investigating it right now," she said. "We have got the support from our community leaders, public officials , Kent police departments which makes us feel better about the situation and we plan on to host events and rallies and better educate them who we are and in just with solidarity with everybody inclusiveness and diversity," Kaur added. She asked everyone to be vigilant and report if they witness something suspicious. (ANI)
Iran Envoy acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan Army's contributions towards regional peace and stability, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a release.

Honardoost also expressed his appreciation for ongoing operation Radd-ul-Fasaad for elimination of terrorism from Pakistan.

While thanking the Ambassador, General Bajwa said that the Pakistan Army greatly values historical relationship between the two brotherly countries which can never be compromised on any cost.

He said that enhanced Pak-Iran bilateral military to military cooperation will have positive impact on regional peace and stability. (ANI)
British Prime Minister Theresa May is unlikely to bow to political expedience in Brexit negotiations but will make up her own mind about what she believes is best and refuse to give ground - that's if past form is anything to go by.May, who backed the campaign to stay in the European Union in last June's referendum, will have to carry or quell the eurosceptics in her ruling Conservative Party as she formulates her negotiating priorities and strategy.The 60-year-old - often described as "sphinx-like" in the British press - has revealed little in her first eight months as leader about how she will approach divorce talks with Brussels, perhaps wary of weakening her hand.But her previous experience of trying to win the support of the eurosceptics who drove Brexit could offer some clues about her modus operandi: two years ago when as interior minister she sought to opt back into the European Arrest Warrant against the wishes of many in her party.May got her way in the end after a bruising encounter over the warrant, which speeds extradition between member states. She did not backtrack an inch and forced it through parliament.Her conduct and strategy present a picture of a stubborn negotiator who sticks as firmly as possible to what she believes is in Britain's best interests.Several government aides and a lawyer with knowledge of the matter said she was driven by a conviction she was right - that Britain needed to adopt the warrant and other EU justice measures - and, while acknowledging their shortcomings, would not let anything stand in her way.Supporters say her ultimate success offer evidence of her political steel, know-how and negotiating skills. Critics say the self-belief that drove her to open a rift in her party and face down a rebellion could be a weakness if it becomes inflexibility that hinders Britain striking winning the best deal."If you believe in what you're doing, that's key. If you do believe you're doing the right thing, that gives you resilience," May told the BBC's Desert Island Discs programme less than two weeks after the fight.She steadfastly refused to allow lawmakers a vote on the arrest warrant which she said was in "our national interest", reneging on a pledge to the outrage of the eurosceptics, instead offering only a vote on a broader package of justice measures.In a rare admission that her strategy may have been misjudged, she added in the BBC interview: "If I was starting it again now, would I do it in a different way? Given the understanding of how parliament felt then, perhaps I would."'NOT SHOWY'May spent six years as home secretary, or interior minister, before taking over from David Cameron as prime minister last year following the June 23 referendum when Britons backed leaving the EU by 52 per cent to 48 per cent.The premier, who describes herself as "not a showy politician", is something of an anomaly in a porous political scene rife with secret press briefings.Her closest aides, loyal since she became home secretary in 2010, ensure very little leaks. One government aide called her team "one of the most effective in Westminster".She has said she will trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, launching two years of divorce talks, by the end of this month. Parliament is expected to approve legislation to start the negotiations by mid-March.She will enter the EU negotiations with a long and broad wish list - wanting the closest possible trading conditions, maintaining security cooperation, regaining control over immigration and restoring sovereignty over British laws.It is an opening negotiating stance - one British government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, asked why would anyone start talks with anything less. Another British official said any strategy would evolve, depending on what the EU came up with and how the other 27 member states approached the talks.But with EU officials balking at granting her a good deal, fearing other European countries might follow suit, May will have to find a path to compromise.'STEEL YOURSELF'The so-called Brexiteers, or eurosceptic lawmakers in her party, will watch her every step closely as Britain negotiates a deal, to make sure they have scrutiny of all aspects. May will work hard to keep them on side."At the moment we have just been negotiating with ourselves," said a veteran politician now in the upper house of parliament. Once Britain starts negotiating with the EU, he said, the "very dysfunctions Brexiteers complained about are the same dysfunctions allowing them or not to arrive at a deal".When May first disclosed her plans to opt into 35 EU justice measures including the arrest warrant in 2012, they met little outcry in parliament. The recommendations coincided with her announcement that she had dropped a bid to extradite computer hacker Gary McKinnon to the United States, which delighted many in her party who regarded the UK-US extradition as imbalanced.But the issue blew up two years later when she sought to force the measures through parliament. May initially misjudged the level of protest but successfully faced down the rebels, and later said: "I wasn't trying smoke and mirrors."But for many Conservatives and members of opposition parties, her behaviour left a bad taste."It's not so much about how do you steel yourself, it's about, 'Are you doing the right thing?'" May told the Sunday Times late last year."If you know you are doing the right thing, you have the confidence, the energy to go and deliver that right message." REUTERS PS BD1525 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1175519.Xml
Embattled French presidential candidate Francois Fillon has pulled out of a Monday morning radio appearance that was to discuss his campaign, the show's host said today."Francois Fillon has officially cancelled his appearance on Europe 1's morning programme," presenter Thomas Sotto said on Twitter.Once the frontrunner, Fillon is under growing pressure to withdraw as the candidate for the right-wing Republicans party.He is mired in a scandal over his wife's pay and his campaign has been in serious trouble since he learned last week that he could be placed under formal investigation for misuse of public funds. REUTERS PS GC1710 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1175652.Xml
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow today to voice opposition to what the Israeli leader charged were Iran's attempts to establish a permanent military foothold in Syria."In the framework of a (future peace agreement) or without one, Iran is attempting to base itself permanently in Syria - either through a military presence on the ground or a naval presence - and also through a gradual attempt to open a front against us on the Golan Heights," Netanyahu told his cabinet in public remarks today."I will express to President Putin Israel's vigorous opposition to this possibility," he said.Iran, Israel's arch-enemy, has been Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's staunchest backer and has provided militia fighters to help him.Russia, also Assad's ally, is seen as holding the balance of power in achieving a deal on Syria's future. In Geneva on Friday, the first UN-led Syria peace talks in a year ended without a breakthrough.Israeli leaders have pointed to Tehran's steadily increasing influence in the region during the six-year-old Syrian conflict, whether via its own Revolutionary Guard forces or Shi'ite Muslim proxies, especially Hezbollah.Majority-Shi'ite Iran says its forces are in Syria to defend holy Shi'ite shrines. However, the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces said in November the Islamic republic may seek to set up naval bases in Yemen or Syria in the future.Last year, Avi Dichter, the chair of Israel's foreign affairs and defence committee, said Iran had tried several times in the past to move forces into the Syrian Golan Heights, next to territory that Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.Dichter said those moves were repelled, but gave no details.Netanyahu has said that Israel has carried out dozens of strikes to prevent weapons smuggling to the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah via Syria. Two years ago, Israel and Russia agreed to coordinate military actions over Syria in order to avoid accidentally trading fire."I hope that we'll be able to reach certain understandings to lessen the possible friction between our forces and their forces, as we've successfully done so far," he said at the cabinet meeting, referring to the Russian military.REUTERS PS GC1728 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1175695.Xml
Deniz Yucel, a German-Turkish journalist arrested last week in Turkey, views his solitary confinement in Turkey as "almost a form of torture," but said his health and mental condition are good, the German newspaper he reports for said today.The newspaper Welt am Sonntag published a short letter that it said Yucel dictated to Safak Pavey, a member of the CHP Turkish opposition party, during a visit at a high-security prison located about 80 km from Istanbul.Yucel's arrest has jolted relations between Ankara and Berlin. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said the dual German-Turkish national was a "German agent" and a member of an armed Kurdish militant group. A source in Germany's foreign ministry told Reuters those accusations were "absurd".The journalist was arrested on Monday on charges of propaganda in support of a terrorist organisation and inciting public violence and faces up to 10 1/2 years in prison if convicted. Germany has demanded his immediate release."Here at the prison in Silivri I am in an individual cell. That is very disturbing. I am being treated well, but being alone is almost a form of torture," Yucel said in the letter.He said prison guards had not allowed him to write the letter himself, and had even checked his hands to ensure he had not written any secret messages on them."I am not supposed to communicate with anyone, and am kept alone in my cell," Yucel said.Amid souring relations between the two NATO allies, Turkish leaders have condemned Germany for cancelling rallies of Turkish residents ahead of a vote to boost Erdogan's powers.Turkey's economy minister is due to speak at two events in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia on Sunday, with at least one of the events aimed at rallying support for the April referendum among the estimated 1.5 million Turkish citizens in Germany.A poll conducted by Emnid for the Bild am Sonntag newspaper showed that 81 percent of Germans believed the German government was too accepting of Turkey's behaviour.Nearly half of the 500 people polled on March 2 believed that the European Union should cancel a migration deal with Turkey, while 38 percent rejected such a move, Bild reportedA huge sign reading "#freedeniz" has been hung on the roof of the headquarters of the Bild and Welt newspapers in central Berlin.REUTERS PS BL1853 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1175841.Xml
Dutch nationalist Geert Wilders, who is expected to make huge gains in a March 15 election, said on Sunday he would ban Turkish officials from political campaigning in the Netherlands.On Friday, the Dutch government said plans by Turkish authorities to hold a referendum campaign rally in Rotterdam, were "undesirable," but stopped short of trying to prevent them.Wilders told journalists in Amsterdam the response by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte was "very weak. I would do things differently.""I would declare. ..the whole Cabinet of Turkey persona non grata," Wilders said. He called Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan an "Islamofascist," saying that he opposed his efforts to change the constitution in Turkey to strengthen his position.The Turkish referendum in April would grant Erdogan sweeping new powers, including the ability to appoint ministers and top state officials and dissolve parliament, declare emergency rule and issue decrees.Wilders's Party for Freedom, campaigning to close the Dutch border to Muslim immigrants and shut mosques, is virtually tied with Rutte's conservative VVD party ahead of the general election on March 15.REUTERS PS AN1918 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1175890.Xml
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued the notification today saying that the outfit is a militant group and is involved in anti-state activists - a threat to public security, reports the Daily star.

Previously, during the time of Mannan's murder, the organisation identified itself as the Bangladesh branch of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent.

The group also claimed responsibility of killings of secular activists including those of Niladri Chattopadhyay last year and Nazim Uddin Samad this month - both in Dhaka. (ANI)
Brazil's Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot plans to ask the Supreme Court to investigate ministers in President Michel Temer's cabinet and senior senators from his PMDB party for corruption as soon as this week, a source familiar with the plans said today.Folha de S. Paulo reported earlier today that the request by prosecutors will include Presidential Chief of Staff Eliseu Padilha and Wellington Moreira Franco, the minister in charge of planning and executing a major infrastructure investment and privatization program under Brazil's centre-right government.The source did not confirm the names of those involved in the request. Spokesman for Padilha and Moreira Franco were not immediately available for comment. REUTERS PS BL2003 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1175965.Xml
U.S. President Donald Trump is extremely frustrated with his senior staff and communications team for allowing the firestorm surrounding Attorney General Jeff Sessions to steal his thunder in the wake of his address to Congress, according to CNN. "Nobody has seen him that upset," CNN quoted a source as saying. The source added the feeling was the communications team allowed the Sessions news, which the administration deemed a nonstory, to overtake the narrative. Sessions is being accused of misleading the Congress by failing to disclose pre-election meetings with the Russian ambassador to Washington Sergey Kislyak. Following the accusations Democrats had called for Sessions to resign. It had emerged that Sessions spoke twice with the Russian ambassador to the United States during former's presidential campaign. Sessions did not mention either meeting, during his confirmation hearings when he said he knew of no contacts between Trump surrogates and Russians. A Justice official said Sessions didn't mislead senators during his confirmation. On Thursday, Sessions recused himself from any current or future investigations into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. Earlier there was furor over former national security advisor Michaely Flynn's Russia ties following which he had to resign. Renewed focus on Russia is seen as a major letdown after Tuesday when top officials were riding high, congratulating one another on Trump's speech to Congress. "The staff fumbled," Trump told the team for not being prepared when the Sessions story came out, according to another source. The President was "hot" and exasperated Thursday night after Sessions' recusal, a source familiar with the situation said, considering it hasty and overkill. The President is showing increasing flashes of anger over the performance of his senior staff and daily developments about Russia overshadowing his message, multiple people inside the White House and outside the administration told CNN. (ANI)
Almost 1,300 migrants arrived in Sicily on rescue ships over the weekend after crossing the Mediterranean, while a 16-year-old boy died on one of the ships, Italy's Coast Guard said.Italy has seen migrants arriving by boat at a record-setting pace so far this year, with far more people braving the crossing from North Africa this year than in the previous three years, Italian figures showed on Friday.Another 500 migrants were heading to Sicily and expected to arrive in the next couple of days, after being picked up from flimsy boats off the coast of Libya.Proactive Open Arms, which operated one of the rescue ships, also said on Twitter that five migrants had drowned before one of the rescues, but a Coast Guard spokesman could not confirm the deaths.In Catania, on Sicily's east coast, the body of the 16-year-old boy was taken off the Siem Pilot, a Norwegian vessel operating on behalf of European Union border agency Frontex."Unfortunately one of the migrants ... died on the Siem Pilot on Friday morning as a result of an illness," the ship's commander, Jorgen Berg, told Reuters. The boy's illness was still unknown, but he had no visible wounds, Berg said. His nationality was not disclosed.There had been 487 migrant deaths in the Mediterranean as of March 2, according to International Organization for Migration, higher than the 425 during the first two months of last year.Boat migrant arrivals in Italy are up more than 57 percent on the same period last year, according to Italian Interior Ministry figures. About half a million have arrived in Italy since the start of 2014, with a record 181,000 arriving in 2016.Those who have come so far this year have told of increasing violence and brutality in Libya, where rival factions battle for power and people smugglers operate with impunity amid the chaos left by the 2011 overthrow of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.Humanitarian groups say an agreement signed last month between Italy, the EU and the UN-backed government in Tripoli is one of the causes for the recent surge in migrant departures.The agreement aims to stop more migrants for setting out for Europe in part by funding migrant camps in run by the UN-backed government. REUTERS CJ BL2333 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1176108.Xml
The king said peace negotiations should be serious leading to the two-state solution, which results in the creation of an independent Palestinian state, Xinhua news agency reported.

The king said the two-state solution is the sole solution in this regard.

He made the remarks at a meeting with a delegation of Jewish American leaders, where they discussed the peace process and the situation in the Middle East.

The Jordanian leader said achieving just and comprehensive peace will lead to security and stability in the Middle East.

He added that no progress in peacemaking efforts will lead to more despair and frustration among the nations of the region.

King Abdullah stressed on the need to preserve the status quo in Jerusalem and to make any changes as that will lead to negative consequences.

--IANS lok/

( 174 Words)

2017-03-06-00:58:07 (IANS)
ARUSHA, Tanzania, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in southern Tanzania have shot and killed one of the four lions strayed from the Selous Game Reserve, one of the world's largest faunal reserves.

Poroleti Mgema, Acting Songea District Commissioner confirmed on Saturday that the killed lion is one of the four strayed from their natural habitats.

He said that in separate incidents between February 21 and 27, this year, the strayed lions have killed 22 cattle.

"We have dispatched wildlife officers and rangers into the affected village to try chase the remaining predators into their sanctuaries for people's safety," the official said, noting: "If these predators are left unattended they will also pose a serious threat to human beings as lions in this parts of Tanzania are unfriendly to people."

Mgema said the lion was shot by wildlife officials from Madaba District Council and those from the anti-poaching unit in the southern zone after the public raised alarm when the predator was spotted roaming in the area.

Igalusenga is one of the highly affected villages in the area.

Reports from the Igalusenga village said that since February 21, this year people in the area have been living in fear after four lions stormed their areas.

Method Mwenda, a resident of Igalusenga village said on February 21, they discovered that 17 cattle were killed.

Philibert Mlelwa also said that on February 27, three cows were killed by the strayed lions.

Tanzania is believed to have the highest number of lions in Africa.
Federica Mogherini (L), the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Chairman of Council of Ministers Denis Zvizdic attend a joint press conference in Sarajevo, BiH, on March 4, 2017. Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has made impressive progress towards the European Union (EU), visiting EU foreign policy chief said here on Saturday. (Xinhua/Haris Memija)

SARAJEVO, March 4 (Xinhua) --Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has made impressive progress towards the European Union (EU), visiting EU foreign policy chief said here on Saturday.

Federica Mogherini, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, made the comment at a press conference following her meeting with BiH Chairman of Council of Ministers Denis Zvizdic.

Recalling the skepticism occurred two years ago in terms of BiH's progress towards the EU, Mogherini said, but two years later, the country has made impressive strides towards the EU.

For his part, Zvizdic said that BiH made very noticeable steps forward in the last 20 months, but stressed that further integration process would depend solely on BiH.

According to the latest polls, more than 78 percent of BiH citizens committed to the EU path, added Zvizdic.

During her visit, Mogherini also met members of the presidency of BiH and other high officials of the country.

On Feb. 15, 2016, BiH formally submitted its application to join the EU. The EU's 28 member states on Sept. 20, 2016 accepted BiH's membership application.
HAVANA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Cuba's annual cigar fair ended in the early hours of Saturday with the traditional auction of unique handcrafted humidors, which raised about 1.3 million U.S. dollars for the country's public health service.

A much anticipated event among cigar connoisseurs, the auction is the highlight of the International Habanos Festival, which this year saw seven one-of-a-kind humidors made of precious woods snatch a total of 1.3 million U.S. dollars.

Canadian bidder Leander Da Silva walked away with the most expensive creation of the lot, a 20-drawer humidor stocked with 580 premium hand-rolled Cohiba cigars, purchased for 380,000 euros (403,600 U.S. dollars).

The funds are earmarked for Cuba's universal health care system, which provides free medical treatment to all citizens.

The closing night gala also saw a raft of festival awards presented for achievement in different aspects of the cigar industry.

The prize for best cigar roller went to Josefa Acosta Ramos; best cigar business went to Edward Sahakian, owner of Davidoff of London, and best cigar industry coverage went to Gordon Mott, a senior contributing editor for Cigar Aficionado magazine.

Chile's Felipe Rojas, meanwhile, was named best cigar sommelier, followed by Britain's Slavomir Marek Bielicki and Krystian Hordejuk, of the United Arab Emirates.

The fair, organized by Cuba's part state-run cigar company Habanos, drew some 2,000 buyers, distributors, collectors and fans from 50 countries.
CANBERRA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- There are fears Australia's famous saltwater crocodiles could become a bigger threat to humans, with ecologists discovering the giant reptile's population is increasing by three percent every year.

Saltwater crocodiles, which can grow up to seven meters in length, were listed as a protected species back in the 1970s, however since hunting the "crocs" was declared illegal, their population has recovered dramatically.

Parks and Wildlife ecologist, Ben Corey told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the reptiles could soon pose a very real risk to those who live in populated areas in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

"We've been doing surveys of crocodiles in the King River and other parts of (Western Australia) since 1986, and it's the longest running survey we've got for saltwater crocodiles in the Kimberley," Corey said.

"In the early years we'd count between 20 and 40 crocodiles along the 40 kilometers of river, and now in some years we are counting as many as 150 animals along the same area.

"Over time, we've seen an increase in the number of larger crocodiles as well, so this trend is consistent with a population that's recovering from the brink of extinction."

Colleague, Dr Andy Halford said the research points to the crocodiles moving into more urban areas as the population continues to increase.

"I don't think we're surprised by how much (the population has) gone up, but the reality is we're probably looking at a 260 to 300 percent increase in overall numbers on what was around some 30 years ago," he said.
BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China aims to reduce the number of rural residents living in poverty by over 10 million, including 3.4 million to be relocated from inhospitable areas, according to a government work report available to the media Sunday morning ahead of the annual parliamentary session.

To this end, central government funding for poverty alleviation will be increased by over 30 percent, according to the report.

China beat its annual target by lifting 12.4 million people out of poverty in 2016.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a government work report during the opening meeting of the fifth session of China's 12th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China will take targeted policies to cut excessive real estate inventory in the third- and fourth-tier cities and support residents to buy homes for personal use, according to a government work report delivered at the annual parliamentary session Sunday.

"We need to be clear that housing is for people to live in, and local governments should take primary responsibility in this respect," said the report by Premier Li Keqiang to the fifth session of the National People's Congress.

The report pledged to establish long-term mechanisms for promoting the steady and sound development of the real estate sector and to take more category-based and targeted steps to regulate the market.

Cities that are under big pressure from rising housing prices need to increase appropriate supply of land for residential use, and housing development, marketing and intermediary services should be better regulated, it said.

The government also plans to renovate another 6 million housing units in urban rundown areas this year, according to the report.

China is seeking to maintain stability in the property market this year after the roller coaster ride of 2016, with measures to prevent price surges in metropolises and reduce inventories in small cities.

The country's unsold homes dropped 11 percent year on year to 403 million square meters at the end of 2016.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a government work report during the opening meeting of the fifth session of China's 12th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday pledged to continue reforms to attain the economic growth target of about 6.5 percent this year despite challenges ahead.

The annual government work report, delivered by Li at the opening meeting of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, set the GDP growth target at around 6.5 percent, or higher if possible in practice.

The target, which Li said is "realistic and in keeping with economic principles," is the lowest for more than 20 years for China. Nonetheless, China remains one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

The target will help steer and steady expectations and make structural adjustments as well as help achieve the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020, Li said while delivering the report at the session, the first since Xi Jinping was endorsed as the core of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee last October.

Li called for uniting more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Xi as the core and working hard to fulfill development targets.

2017 is of crucial importance for the country as the CPC will convene its 19th National Congress in the second half of the year to elect a new leadership for the next five years during which Xi's vision of a well-off society will be achieved.

Nearly 3,000 NPC deputies listened to Li's report at the meeting chaired by Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, along with Xi and other leaders.

GROWTH TARGET ACHIEVABLE

Li also announced that in 2017, China will keep its CPI increase at around 3 percent, and create more than 11 million urban jobs with a registered urban unemployment rate within 4.5 percent.

The country will also reduce its energy consumption per unit of GDP by at least 3.4 percent.

"An important reason for stressing the need to maintain stable growth is to ensure employment and improve people's lives," Li said.

Last year, China's GDP reached 74.4 trillion yuan (10.8 trillion U.S. dollars), a 6.7-percent growth, outpacing most other economies and contributing more than 30 percent of global growth.

Despite challenges, China created 13.14 million urban jobs and increased per capita disposable income by 6.3 percent. About 12.4 million people shook off poverty.

Noting that China must be ready to face more complicated and graver situations including sluggish world economic growth and growing trend of protectionism, Li expressed his confidence that difficulties will be overcome as the country has a solid material foundation, abundant human resources, a huge market, and a complete system of industries.

National lawmaker Zhang Zhao'an called the target "reasonable, pragmatic and reachable."

"You have to take into account the large base figure of China's economic aggregates. The moderate adjustment of the target signals a greater focus on the quality and returns of economic growth," said Zhang, vice president of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

SUPPLY-SIDE STRUCTURAL REFORM

Supply-side structural reform will be given priority in China's development, Li said.

According to the report, efforts will center on a variety of areas,including streamlining administration, reducing taxes, further expanding market access, and reducing ineffective supply while expanding effective supply.

Comparing the reform as "the struggle from chrysalis to butterfly," Li said China must press forward with courage and get the job done.

"China's endeavors to deepen reforms, improve government efficiency and encourage innovation and entrepreneurship have had positive impacts on the economic sector," Zhang Zhao'an said.

To be specific, China will further reduce steel production capacity by around 50 million metric tons and coal capacity by at least 150 million metric tons this year, the report said.

It also highlighted cutting excess urban real estate inventory, bringing down the leverage of enterprises, reducing costs for enterprises and strengthen areas of weakness including poverty eradication.

China will pursue a more proactive and effective fiscal policy.It has set its government fiscal deficit this year at 2.38 trillion yuan, or 3 percent of its GDP, an increase of 200 billion yuan over last year.

It plans to invest 800 billion yuan in railway construction and 1.8 trillion yuan in highway and waterway projects, and begin construction on another 15 major water conservation projects.

This year, the government aims to reduce the number of rural residents living in poverty by over 10 million, including 3.4 million to be relocated from inhospitable areas. Central government funding for poverty alleviation will be increased by over 30 percent.

Meanwhile, the report said, transforming and upgrading the real economy through innovation will be another focus of work.

"China's population dividends are declining, but its institutional dividends are increasing," Zhang said.

GLOBALIZATION

Despite an increase in anti-globalization sentiment and attempts to reverse the trend, Li Keqiang reassured that China opposes protectionism in its different forms, and will work toward a deeper and higher level of opening up.

Li's remarks echoed President Xi Jinping's January speech during the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, in which Xi said pursuing protectionism is like "locking oneself in a dark room."

In this spirit, Li said, China will push ahead with the Belt and Road Initiative, for example, by accelerating the building of overland economic corridors and maritime cooperation hubs, and deepening international industrial-capacity cooperation.

The initiative, proposed by China in 2013 with the aim of connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes, has yielded infrastructure projects of all sorts, economic and trade cooperation zones, and jobs.

China will also make big moves to improve the environment for foreign investors, including making service industries, manufacturing, and mining more open to foreign investment, encouraging foreign-invested firms to be listed and issue bonds in China, and allowing them to take part in national science and technology projects, according to the report.

SOVEREIGNTY AND SECURITY

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, and 18th anniversary of Macao's return.

"We will continue to implement, both to the letter and in spirit, the principle of 'one country, two systems,'" Li said, stressing the principle will be steadfastly applied in Hong Kong and Macao without being bent or distorted.

The notion of "Hong Kong independence" will lead nowhere, he warned.

He also voiced opposition against and resolution to contain separatist activities for "Taiwan independence."

"We will never tolerate any activity, in any form or name, which attempts to separate Taiwan from the motherland," Li said.

In addition, China will continue to deepen reforms in national defense and the armed forces.

It will strengthen its maritime and air defense as well as border control amid efforts to safeguard its sovereignty and security, according to the report.

"We will boost military training and preparedness, so as to ensure that the sovereignty, security, and development interests of China are resolutely and effectively safeguarded," Li said.
LONDON, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Tens of thousands of people marched in London Saturday to protest against "yet more austerity" in the health service.

Thought to be one of the biggest rallies in support of England's state-run National Health Service (NHS) in history, the march came amid warnings of an unprecedented crisis within health services, fueled by 20 billion pounds (24.59 U.S. dollars) worth of cuts scheduled by 2020.

Organizers said the national demonstration was a call to arms for those who care about the NHS, as "more austerity in the NHS represents a real risk to the safety of patients and the service," the British newspaper Independent reported.

According to BBC, an estimated 250,000 people took part in the march beginning in Tavistock Square and ending in Westminster, where speakers including Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, addressed the crowd.

Speaking to the protesters in Parliament Square, Corbyn said: "The NHS is in crisis, in crisis because of the underfunding in social care and the people not getting the care and support they need."

"It is not the fault of the staff. It is the fault of a government who has made a political choice," said the Labour leader.

The protest organizers said the government's proposed Sustainability Transformation Plans (STPs) across the NHS in England were a "smokescreen for further cuts" and the "latest instruments of privatization."

Last week, it was reported that an increase in "excess deaths" in England and Wales could be linked to underfunding in the NHS. Researchers publishing a study claimed "relentless cuts" could have been behind as many as 30,000 deaths in 2015, but the government refuted the report.
SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, March 5 (Xinhua) -- An Indian policeman was killed and three others wounded Sunday in an overnight fierce gunfight between militants and Indian troops in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said.

The gunfight erupted Saturday evening at a Tral village in Pulwama district, about 42 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"In an overnight gunfight with militants at Hafoo-Nazneenpora, we have lost one policeman," a police official said. " He was part of team that tried to storm the house where militants are hiding."

The gunfight broke out after contingents of Indian troops and police encircled a house on the intelligence information suggesting presence of militants in the area.

Reports quoting officials said three government force personnel including an army trooper were also wounded in the standoff. The wounded men were immediately removed to hospital.

Locals said intermittent gunfight was going on throughout night.

"We heard sound of gunfire and blasts throughout the night," Showkat Ahmad, a local told Xinhua over telephone from Tral.

No sooner the news about the gunfight broke out, locals took to roads and clashed with police and paramilitary apparently in a bid to break cordon and help militants to escape. The clashes according to reports were going on until late.

Unconfirmed reports said a militant was killed in the village. However, his associate is said to be targeting police and army positions in the locality.

On Friday evening a similar gunfight broke out in Shopian. However, militants broke the cordon and escaped unhurt from the area. In the morning clashes broke out between locals and government forces. Police fired tear smoke shells and warning shots to chase the irate residents.

Separatist movement and guerilla war challenging New Delhi's rule has been going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989. Gunfight between militants and Indian troops takes place intermittently across the region.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their Independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Some seven police personnel were killed after Taliban militants attacked a security checkpoint in Afghanistan's northern province of Kunduz on Sunday, a local official said.
KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Some seven police personnel were killed after Taliban militants attacked a security checkpoint in Afghanistan's northern province of Kunduz on Sunday, a local police said.

"The attack took place after militants stormed an Afghan Local Police (ALP) post in Zhakhel, an area on outskirts of provincial capital Kunduz city at wee hours of Sunday. And one ALP officer was also injured during the firing," the police official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The government established the ALP, or community police, in 2010 to protect villages and districts around the country where army and police have limited presence.

However, local residents said that the killing was obviously as a result of a suspected insider attack as an ALP member apparently affiliated with the Taliban had facilitated the attack and after committing the crime took their weapons and joined the attackers.

The provincial police have launched an investigation into the incident and details will be shared later on the day, the police official added.

On Feb. 27, some 12 police were killed in an insider attack in restive southern Helmand province.

The Taliban militants, who ruled the country before being ousted in late 2001, renewed armed insurgency, staging ambushes and suicide attacks, killing combatants as well as civilians.

They have been on rampage since the beginning of 2015 when the Afghan security forces assumed the full responsibilities of security from the U.S. and NATO forces.
Photo taken on March 3, 2017 shows Haruki Murakami's latest novel Killing Commendatore at a bookstore in Tokyo, Japan. (Xinhua/Yang Ting)

TOKYO, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Japan's leading author Haruki Murakami has been under fire recently for acknowledging the Nanjing Massacre in his latest novel titled "Kishidancho Goroshi", or "Killing Commendatore."

The novel, released on Feb. 24 in Japan with 1.3 million copies printed, is Murakami's first multi-volume offering in seven years since 1Q84 and has instantly become a best-seller.

Part of the novel is about the hero, a 36-year-old painter living in the countryside, exploring together with his neighbor the riddles surrounding a painting titled "Killing Commendatore" stored in his attic.

When talking about the life experiences of the author of the painting, the neighbor mentioned a number of things that happened around 1937 and 1938, which were "fatal" to Japan, and also life-changing to the author of the painting and his family, including the full-scale commencement of Japan's invasive war against China and the Nanjing Massacre.

"Yes. It's the Nanjing Massacre. Japan seized the city of Nanjing after fierce battles and killed a lot of people there, both during the battles and after that. The Japanese troops had no time for the captives, so they killed most of the surrendered soldiers and civilians," writes Murakami through the voice of the neighbor in the book.

In the novel, the 20-year-old younger brother of the author of the painting was enlisted into the Japanese army and sent to China in 1938. He returned home in June 1939, but killed himself soon after that.

Why would a man surviving from the war, sound and unhurt, kill himself? Wondered the hero, which also reflects the wonder from the author of the novel.

The invading Japanese military brutally killed some 300,000 Chinese citizens and unarmed soldiers following the capture of Nanjing in 1937.

The novel, however, has drawn criticism from some ultra-right wing factions in Japan, who have been trying to completely deny the massacre ever happened. They have accused Murakami of "trying to be sycophantic to China so as to win a Nobel Prize" by mentioning the massacre in his novel.

Meanwhile, there are also many literary critics and readers praising Murakami's courage to explore such social and historical issues in his works.

"I'm reading the new novel by Murakami. I like it very much. Some people on Twitter attacked him as a traitor. I was surprised, " said a Japanese netizen on Twitter.

"Murakami mentioned the war that Japan has launched...He touched upon things that had aroused disputes. He is very courageous," said Mariko Ozaki, an editor from the Yomiuri Shimbun, a well-read newspaper in Japan.

Literary critics here have also pointed out the continuity in Murakami's works and his attitude towards the past war.

During a 2015 interview with the Tokyo Shimbun, just ahead of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivering his speech to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII, Murakami said Japan should repeatedly apologize for the atrocities it committed to its neighbors in the past war.

"I think history is very important, and to apologize sincerely is very important... To apologize is not something that is shameful," said the Nobel Prize Nominee.

In his earlier works, such as the Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, published in 1994, he also exposed the atrocities committed by the Japanese troops in the invasive war against China through his characters' dialogues.

"The war that we are undergoing now is not normal in any way... We killed a lot of innocent civilians... In Nanjing, we did some very bad things... We pushed dozens of Chinese into a well and then threw in several hand grenades. We even did things that were unspeakable," he writes in the book.

"Murakami's attention to social and historical issues has been developing in his works. In his earlier works such as Hear the Wind Sing published in 1979, he focused more on his personal world. But the Tokyo Subway Sarin gas incident in 1995 shocked him, and after that, he began to pay more attention to society in his writings, as evidenced by his recent works such as 1Q84," said Li Shengjie, associate professor at Wuhan University in China and expert on Japanese literature.

"There is a kind of continuity in his focus on such issues. He mentioning Nanjing Massacre in his works is not a sudden change of attitude like some right wingers asserted, and definitely not for winning a Nobel Prize," said Li.

"Murakami's works are popular around the world, because he is very good at describing the common feelings of people in cosmopolitan cities, no matter the nationality, ethnicity or social stratum." Takashi Okada, a commentator from Kyodo News, told Xinhua.

"The reason that Murakami mentioned the Nazis and Japan's invasive war in his works, and that he called on Japan to apologize, is possibly that he feels people in different countries and with different opinions have to acknowledge first their common history before they could truly have heart-to-heart communications," he said.
by Xu Haijing, Zhao Bo

CANBERRA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China has managed its economy better than expected and will still be the engine of the world's economic growth in the next ten years, a leading Australian economist said during an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

China did better than some commentators have suggested it might do, said Peter Drysdale, head of the East Asian Bureau of Economic Research and East Asia Forum, the Australian National University (ANU).

"China is still the engine of global economic growth. Even if China does not do quite as good it was doing at the moment, it will remain as an important source of global growth," he said.

"China accounts for about 40 percent of the world's income growth. That's likely to continue this decade, not necessarily that high proportion, but a major proportion," he said.

The Australia-China Joint Economic Report led by Drysdale suggests that China will add more global income output than all of the other major economies in East Asia, including Japan, South Korea, India, and Southeast Asia, over the next period.

Despite a better-than-expected economic performance in 2016 and a good start so far for 2017, Drysdale said that toward the end of the year, there probably would be more bites in China on the reform front "in order to navigate that transition of Chinese economy that will see China's high-mid income status to a more advanced economic structure."

Admittedly, China has to be prepared to confront many reform challenges and "that's why engaging externally in the reform process through RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) can help China carry those reforms through at home," he said.

Drysdale, recognized as the leading intellectual architect of Asia and Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), is a strong advocate of RCEP and just returned from the latest round of RCEP negotiations in Japan last week.

"Clearly in U.S. and Europe, there is a popular push against openness," he said, "(but) an open global economy that's multilaterally based is very important to East Asian economies because they are so dependent on international trade to achieve a higher level of income."

"Collectively, East Asian economies have a lot of stakes in mobilizing against those forces in Europe and North America that have put the global system under threat," he said.

Talking about new mechanisms and initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) and the Silk Road Fund, Drysdale said they complement the established institutions.

There is vast under-investment in infrastructure, he said, noting that these institutions and new mechanisms provide a way of realizing the investment that's necessary to ensure the gains from integration into global economy are achieved.
by Fei Liena, Ban Wei

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The year 2017 is bound to be unusual as the world is experiencing many uncertainties and the international order faces profound adjustments.

"What's wrong with this world?" "How to realize lasting peace and development for humanity?" China's ongoing "two sessions," with discussions ranging from domestic issues to foreign policies, hopefully will offer some answers.

The annual gatherings of the top legislature and the top political advisory body, dubbed as the "two sessions," are among the most important political events for the world's second largest economy.

The fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), and the fifth session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, are being held from March 3 to 15.

CHINA'S PLAN: COOPERATION & WIN-WIN

Four years ago in Russia, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the concept of building "a community of common destiny for mankind." About two months ago, when giving a speech at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Xi expounded his concept in a comprehensive, profound and systematic manner.

The world today is at a critical stage of change. Anti-globalization is on the rise; terrorism, refugee crisis, climate change and other global challenges are still daunting; the world economy is in a constant downturn; instability and uncertainty have become "the new normal."

These complicated issues have evolved beyond the handling capacity of a single country. Nations of this world have increasingly become "a community of common destiny."

The Tower of Babel collapsed for a lack of cooperation. In today's globalized world, countries rarely stand or fall alone. Thus cooperation is the inevitable choice, while mutual benefit and win-win are the right way for joint development.

Holding this belief, China hopes to work with other countries to bake a bigger cake and seek common interests.

According to British scholar Martin Jacques, China has provided a new possibility, that is, abandoning the zero-sum game and replacing it with cooperation and mutual benefits.

CHINA'S PATH: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

At the G20 Hangzhou summit, China for the first time put "development" on top of the agenda, and mapped out a systematic action plan surrounding the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The concept of "inclusive and coordinated development," proposed by China, targets the world's unequal and unbalanced development issues, and reveals China's determination to push all economies and all industries to develop in a coordinated manner, and to enable people from all walks of life to enjoy common prosperity.

From the ten cooperative projects in Central Africa, to supporting the industrial cooperation proposal for Africa and least-developed countries, to establishing the South-South cooperation aid fund, to the most influential Belt and Road Initiative, a series of proposals and actions from China are aimed at eliminating the global development gap and making development fruits enjoyed by all.

David Nabarro, a UN special adviser on 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, said last year that China has made a real and considerable effort to tackle a set of global goals for sustainable development to end poverty, inequality and combat climate change.

In February, the concept of building a community of common destiny for mankind was incorporated for the first time into a UN resolution.

Philipp Charwath, chair of the 55th session of the UN Commission for Social Development, noted that Xi's proposal has offered inspiration to a world beset by rising challenges and risks.

"In the long run, it profits us all," Charwath said. "I think that's how I understand the concept, and that's how the UN work can profit from the concept."

CHINA'S RESPONSIBILITY: BUILDING GLOBAL GOVERNANCE TOGETHER

At the G20 Hangzhou summit, Xi expounded China's policies and proposals on global governance based on equality, guided by opening up, motivated by cooperation, and to be shared by all.

According to Ross Terrill, a research associate at Harvard University's Fairbank Center, China's global governance idea centered on the goal of building "a community of common destiny" has shown the country's strategic thoughts on the long-term development of bilateral ties between China and other countries, and has injected new impetus into the effort to establish a new international order.

Observers say the smoothly-running Asian Investment Bank and BRICS New Development Bank, as well as the fact that China has become a formal member of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and China's currency RMB has joined the IMF's Special Drawing Rights (SDR) basket, among others, show China's increasing role in the deepening global financial cooperation and the betterment of the international financial governance system.

During the first half of March, delegates from all over China are meeting for the "two sessions" to give proposals and suggestions to the government and the parliament to help better build the country.

China observers say China's sharing with the world of its experience and wisdom of governing the country is conducive to building a better world.
This cellphone photo taken on March 5, 2017 shows the injured pilot of Syria's crashed fighter jet receiving medical treatments after saved by a Turkish rescue team in southern Hatay province of Turkey. Turkish rescue team on Sunday morning found the injured pilot of crashed fighter jet in southern Hatay province of Turkey after a nine-hour search, local Hurriyet reported.(Xinhua)

ANKARA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Turkish rescue team on Sunday morning found the injured pilot of crashed fighter jet in southern Hatay province of Turkey after a nine-hour search, local Hurriyet reported.

Late Saturday, a fighter jet from Syria crashed near the village of Yaylacik in central Antakya, 35 kilometers from the Syrian border. The pilot escaped after ejecting safely.

Turkish gendarmerie and paramedic teams reached the wreckage of the aircraft, but the cockpit was empty, according to Erdal Ata, the governor of Hatay.

The pilot was found exhausted, 40km from the wreckage of the jet on early Sunday.

The Syrian national, who was not identified,was quickly taken to Hatay State Hospital, the report said.

A Syrian opposition group Ahrar al-Sham has claimed in a statement that it shot down a aircraft belonging to the Syrian government on Saturday.

The plane was allegedly bombing Idlib province in northern Syria when it was shot down by the opposition forces, said the group.
MANILA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine military said on Sunday that its troops killed at least four Abu Sayyaf militants in the latest fierce fighting in Sulu, an island province in the southern Philippines.

The military said in a statement that troops encountered with a group of Abu Sayyaf bandits around 4:30 a.m. Sunday after the military deployed marines to the area.

"Heavy fire fighting erupted shortly after the marines arrived in the area about 4:30 (Sunday) morning," the statement read.

After scouring the site of the encounter, the statement said that marines found four bodies of the Abu Sayyaf members and recovered seven high-powered firearms, including two M-16 assault rifles and two M-203 grenade launchers.

As of press time, the military said that "skirmishes are still ongoing" as the marines continued its pursuit operations to capture the fleeing bandits.

Sunday's encounter broke out a day after the military found the body of German hostage Juergen Gustav Kantner who was beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf last Sunday.

Kantner had been held captive by the Abu Sayyaf for almost four months in the jungles of Indanan, Sulu.

During the search and retrieval operations, Col. Cirilito Sobejana of the Joint Task Force Sulu said that about 24 soldiers were wounded during the series of encounters that had also left 16 Abu Sayyaf militants killed and six others wounded in the past several days.

He also said that four Abu Sayyaf members were arrested.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the military to launch an all-out offensive against the estimated 500 Abu Sayyaf bandits operating mostly in the hinterlands of southern Philippine provinces of Sulu and Basilan.

The Abu Sayyaf group has been carrying out kidnapping for ransom, bombings and robberies in the southern Philippine region since late 1990s.
TOKYO, March 5 (Xinhua) -- A helicopter with nine people aboard crashed on Sunday afternoon in Nagano prefecture in central Japan.

The helicopter, belonging to the local government, was conducting a mountain rescue drill when the accident happened, according to local reports.

The nine people aboard included a pilot, seven fire fighters and a maintenance personnel, and it was not yet clear how badly they were hurt, said the reports.
BRASILIA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Growing protectionist tendencies and rising conservative nationalism have raised deep concern in a global scenario with a deterioration of multilateral security mechanisms since World War II, a leading Brazilian analyst said Saturday.

Luiz Fernando Horta, a historian and expert of international relations at the University of Brasilia (UnB), told Xinhua in an interview.

Post-World War II multilateral agreements that underpinned the world order have been undermined since the start of the new century by major Western powers, particularly the United States, said Horta.

"We have been seeing the disintegration of the Bretton Woods since 2001, involving not only the economic system, but also the global security system established after World War II. The United States and other powers began to ignore the (United Nations) Security Council, which was playing a very important role," said the expert.

Horta was referring to the Bretton Woods system of monetary management which established rules for commercial and financial relations between the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia and Japan in the mid-20th century.

One clear sign of the unraveling of the established order is the remilitarization of Japan, whose demilitarization after the war reflected the joint efforts of the international community to bolster global security, he said.

"Since Japan openly asserts the possibility of military action, it signals the end of those post-war agreements designed to make the system work," said Horta.

Horta expressed "great concern" about a potential military confrontation around the world, given U.S. President Donald Trump's stated intention to modernize and expand his country's nuclear arsenal.

For the analyst, the idea that the world system has become a multipolar one is highly questionable, as the actions of global players increasingly lack legitimacy.

"To have a multipolar world you need to have two things: on the one hand, poles have the capacity to take actions on the world stage. That is what we have. On the other hand, there must be a broad consensus that the actions taken by these countries are legitimate. We have a very big void here. There is no perception of legitimacy," said Horta.

"I believe this multipolarity is more of a theory than a reality in the world," he added.

The breach between the developed and developing world is a major obstacle on the path to multipolarity, and one that will not be easy to overcome, he said, because economies now striving to "catch up" are encountering many barriers.

The changing global landscape is giving rise to scenarios that would be unimaginable just a few years ago, said Horta, such as China's greater economic opening in contrast to Western powers's protectionist approach.

China today has "relative advantages." This is why free-trade talks no longer interest the Western powers, said the historian.

"We are entering an era of extreme conservatism. Due to the economic crisis, some countries are going to defend themselves with an economic nationalism agenda. I think in coming years we are going to see a decline of the idea of globalization," said Horta.
BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Despite holding two master's degrees, one from Johns Hopkins University and one from Stanford University, Xu Qingyuan returned from America to work in China.

She returned after earning her second master's degree, on U.S.-China economic relations, from Stanford University in 2013, and entered China's State Information Center to provide policy analysis on the United States, the European Union and Australia.

Having decided to pursue a career in the think tank industry during her first master's degree study, Xu finally chose to work for the Beijing-based government think tank. She believes talent like herself is much more needed at home.

"My specialty can contribute a lot to China's flourishing think tank industry and, eventually, overall development," Xu said.

Xu is not the only case of Chinese talent returning from overseas. Having developed rapidly for years, China is more and more attractive to overseas talent as a place to achieve their dreams. People like Xu are also needed to power of the country's development.

In 2016, 544,500 Chinese students studied overseas, 144,900 people more than 2012; while the number of returnees in 2016 was 432,500, up 159,600 on 2012, according to the Ministry of Education Wednesday. Returnees are on the rise.

Recently, both Nobel laureate Chen Ning Yang and Turing Award-winning computer scientist Andrew Chi-Chih Yao gave up their foreign citizenship and become Chinese citizens again, raising widespread attention in China.

With about 58 percent more people returning to China last year than in 2012, going back home is an increasingly popular choice.

For astrophysicist Zhang Shuangnan, who returned to China in 2002, going back home was about pursuing his long-held dream.

In 2001, having studied and worked in the United Kingdom and the United States for over 10 years, Zhang was invited back to China to work on a project developing the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT), a specialized space telescope that can observe black holes, neutron stars and other phenomena based X-ray and gamma ray emissions.

Having worked for NASA and Alabama University, Zhang had always wished to do this, despite the fact that leading core space projects such as HXMT without American citizenship was hardly possible in the United States.

"I realized the hope had come to me," Zhang said. It did not take long for him to make the decision - leaving his position as a tenure-tracked faculty member in Alabama University to come back for the project in Beijing.

As a result of the hard work by Zhang and his team, the HXMT is now ready for launch in the middle of 2017. They also developed an instrument called "POLAR," which was set atop China's first space lab Tiangong-2 that was launched in September 2016 and has been working successfully since then.

"I could hardly finish any of these works in the United States," said Zhang, currently the director of the Key Laboratory of Particle Astrophysics at the High Energy Physics Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Reaching out for ideals that are hard to be realize abroad was also part of the reason that Ding Hong returned.

Ding was invited by the Institute of Physics under CAS in 2008, when he had lived in the United States for 18 years and was a tenured professor at Boston College.

After paying several visits to the institute, the physicist found the research environment satisfying and saw it as an ideal place to work on improving large-scale scientific facilities in China.

"I hope to improve the general research level by introducing more advanced facilities," Ding said. He had put much of his efforts working into large-scale scientific facilities programs, which were significant for scientific research development but were long lacking in China.

As for Ding, implementation of such a plan was easier in his home country than abroad, since a mutual cultural background made communication so much smoother.

"As a result, ideas become actions more easily in China," Ding said.

Experience overseas also helps experts contribute to the fields they are working in, making returning to China a win-win scenario.

Having spent 10 years researching and teaching in the United States, Ding said that such experience gave him much to contribute to his field in China, in that he can share good experiences with other researchers in China and also introduce more international cooperation with his network overseas.

"While many fields have passed their peak abroad, they are still rapidly developing in China, which means there's great demand for high-quality Chinese talent," Zhang said.

While Zhang recalls that when he went abroad for study, the ultimate goal for most Chinese students was to stay abroad, many of his students choose to return nowadays.

As huge changes have taken place in social economy over the past several decades, there are more opportunities to explore for the future, and people are considering more about their own ideals, rather than just about getting by, and that includes Xu.

"Nothing is more meaningful than fulfilling my value to my home country." she said.
BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China's announcement of raising its defense budget by about 7 percent from the previous year has drawn attention from Western media, which called the increase "the lowest since 2010."

The Associated Press (AP) reported on China's defense budget rise, saying it continued "a trend of lowered growth ... despite regional tensions over the South China Sea and other issues."

Calling the increase a "relatively modest spending increase," AP said: "This year's budget could mark the third consecutive year of declines in defense spending growth rates."

The budget grew by 7.6 percent last year and 10.1 percent in 2015.

With the growth, China's total defense budget for 2017 would reach about one trillion yuan (145 billion U.S. dollars), yet "it still lags far behind the U.S. President Donald Trump has asked for a 10 percent increase in U.S. defense spending this year, adding 54 million U.S. dollars to the budget that topped 600 billion dollars last year," the AP said.

The Cable News Network (CNN) echoed AP by calling the budget rise "the smallest increase in seven years." It said: "China's defense spending is eclipsed by the United States, which in 2015 accounted for 36 percent of all military spending worldwide."

The BBC and the RT also noted the lower increase of China's military budget this year. "This is the lowest increase in the Chinese military budget since 2010," the RT said.

The Wall Street Journal reported the slowdown in growth of China's defense spending with the title "China eases foot off gas on military spending."

The Washington Post on March 4 published an article on its website entitled "As Trump pushes for bigger U.S. defense budget, China slows growth rate of its military spending."

According to the article, the United States "spends far more on defense, both in absolute numbers and as a proportion of gross domestic product."

China will spend 1.3 percent of its GDP on the military this year, according to Fu Ying, spokeswoman for the two-week 12th National People's Congress (NPC) annual session that opened here on Sunday.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has estimated that China in 2015 spent 1.9 percent of its GDP on the military, compared to 3.3 percent for the United States, the Washington Post said.

The paper also quoted Chinese military experts as saying that a rise in defense spending was part of a longstanding effort to modernize the Chinese military, not to counter the United States.

"The army's equipment is being upgraded," Chinese military expert Zhao Chu said. "China's army is still in the progress of military modernization."

The newspaper also warned that "the U.S. administration's tough talks, combined with new plans for a major rise in U.S. military spending, have deepened fears of conflict."
URUMQI, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Thanks to the first universal health check in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Mtailipu Rosuli, 65, a Uygur man in Bachu (Maralbexi) County, had his first health examination of his life.

The examination was performed at his home. The regional government sent more than 36,400 health workers to pasture and mountainous areas so that herdsmen and farmers could receive free basic health checks without having to travel far.

"For the first time in my life, I know my height and weight," said Rosuli.

Yin Yulin, head of the Xinjiang health commission, said Xinjiang's first overall health checks covered more than 17.5 million residents. The program lasted more than four months and cost 1.49 billion yuan (216 million U.S. dollars).

Thanks to the health checks, medical staff identified problems in 800,000 blood samples. They have helped 35,000 people make further medical consultations and put more than 20,000 patients into hospitals for treatment.

Yin said Xinjiang will continue the free basic health service in an effort to help the region's public health indicators catch up with the national average by 2020.

He said the second round of universal health checks in the region will be conducted in the second half of the year.
PHNOM PENH, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China has made great leaps forward in reducing poverty over the past two decades, lifting hundreds of millions of its citizens out of extreme poverty, said Cambodian scholars on Sunday.

"It is a miracle," said Chheang Vannarith, chairman of the Cambodian Institute for Strategic Studies, referring to China's progress in reducing poverty.

"China has significantly elevated hundreds of millions of people from poverty over the last two decades," he told Xinhua in an interview, adding "the successful story of China in poverty reduction should be further shared with other developing countries."

Pro-poor development strategy, social protection policy and human capital development are the three-pronged policy to reduce poverty in China, Vannarith said.

He added that efforts to achieve rural development, especially through infrastructure construction and agricultural productivity increase, have significantly contributed to poverty reduction in China's rural areas.

"The central and local governments have worked closely, effectively together to ensure that everyone shares the fruits of development," he noted.

Vannarith also appreciated the Chinese government for having invested heavily in education and healthcare, saying that the healthy and educated population are the necessary foundation for China's sustainable development.

Lawmaker Sok Eysan, a spokesman for the ruling Cambodian People's Party, said that China has seen great achievements in poverty alleviation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

"It is a pride for the Chinese people under the CPC's leadership," he said. "I believe that China will be able to achieve its target of eliminating extreme poverty by 2020."

The spokesman said the development of human resource, health, agriculture and infrastructure especially in rural areas, were effective in lifting people out of poverty in China.

"Cambodia also focuses on these sectors to reduce poverty and improve our people's livelihoods," he said. "It will be great if China further shares its good experience in poverty reduction with us."

The spokesman also congratulated China on the opening of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing on Sunday morning.

According to a Chinese government work report released to the media ahead of the NPC session, China aims to reduce the number of rural residents living in poverty by over 10 million, including 3.4 million to be relocated from inhospitable areas.
ADEN, Yemen, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Suspected al-Qaida militants launched an armed attack on a pro-government military checkpoint in Yemen's southern province of Abyan on Sunday, leaving four soldiers killed and a number of others injured, a security official told Xinhua.

Armed confrontations between the soldiers and the al-Qaida attackers lasted about half an hour at the checkpoint in the coastal city of Shuqra in the eastern outskirts of Abyan province, the security source said.

Elsewhere in the war-torn Arab country, suspected U.S. warplanes launched a series of airstrikes against al-Qaida-held positions in the southeastern province of Shabwa and in neighboring province of al-Bayda on Saturday night.

Residents confirmed to Xinhua that U.S. drones and apache choppers fired missiles on a house in Yakla village in al-Bayda province, leaving unknown number killed and injured at the scene.

The mountainous areas in Shabwa an Abyan provinces have been the scene of U.S. drone attacks and clashes between Yemeni security forces and militants of the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch since the emergence of the group in country eight years ago.

The militant group has yet to make comments about the latest U.S. airstrikes that targeted its positions for the fifth consecutive day.

Yemen, an impoverished Arab country, has been gripped by one of the most active regional Al-Qaida insurgencies in the Middle East.

The Yemen-based Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), also known locally as "Ansar al-Sharia," emerged in January 2009, has claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks against Yemen's army and governmental institutions.

The AQAP and the IS-linked militants took advantage of the security vacuum and ongoing civil war to expand their influence and seize more territories in southern Yemen.

Security in Yemen has deteriorated since March 2015, when war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and government forces backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition.

Over 10,000 people have been killed in ground battles and airstrikes since then, many of them civilians.
Girls carry cans they filled up with water at a camp for internally displaced people in Dharawan, near the capital Sanaa, YemenFebruary 28, 2017. (REUTERS Photo)

ADEN, Yemen, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Suspected al-Qaida militants launched an armed attack on a pro-government military checkpoint in Yemen's southern province of Abyan on Sunday, leaving four soldiers killed and a number of others injured, a security official told Xinhua.

Armed confrontations between the soldiers and the al-Qaida attackers lasted about half an hour at the checkpoint in the coastal city of Shuqra in the eastern outskirts of Abyan province, the security source said.

Elsewhere in the war-torn Arab country, suspected U.S. warplanes launched a series of airstrikes against al-Qaida-held positions in the southeastern province of Shabwa and in neighboring province of al-Bayda on Saturday night.

Residents confirmed to Xinhua that U.S. drones and apache choppers fired missiles on a house in Yakla village in al-Bayda province, leaving unknown number killed and injured at the scene.

The mountainous areas in Shabwa an Abyan provinces have been the scene of U.S. drone attacks and clashes between Yemeni security forces and militants of the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch since the emergence of the group in country eight years ago.

The militant group has yet to make comments about the latest U.S. airstrikes that targeted its positions for the fifth consecutive day.

Yemen, an impoverished Arab country, has been gripped by one of the most active regional Al-Qaida insurgencies in the Middle East.

The Yemen-based Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), also known locally as "Ansar al-Sharia," emerged in January 2009, has claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks against Yemen's army and governmental institutions.

The AQAP and the IS-linked militants took advantage of the security vacuum and ongoing civil war to expand their influence and seize more territories in southern Yemen.

Security in Yemen has deteriorated since March 2015, when war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and government forces backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition.

Over 10,000 people have been killed in ground battles and airstrikes since then, many of them civilians.
by Peter Mutai

NAIROBI, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Elephants in Tsavo National Park at the coastal Kenya have adapted to the new wildlife pathways that were opened to pave space for the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line, a Kenyan official has revealed.

Margaret Mwakima, Principal Secretary of State Department of Natural Resources, said that a survey done early this year found out that the animals are walking along to the new routes with ease as some rests below the bridge.

"The way the elephants are behaving today indicate they are at home and that the new pathways do not interfere with them at all," she said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

The new SGR line that stretches from the port of Mombasa to Nairobi, running through Tsavo West National Park and will also pass through Nairobi National Park is 90 percent funded by the China Exim Bank while Kenya is funding the remaining 10 percent.

Part of the SGR is elevated on viaducts, allowing wildlife to pass without risk of injury. The rest is elevated on embankments, and six underpasses have been constructed to allow wildlife to cross.

The SGR engineers designed wildlife paths under the railway line to ease migration of wildlife in the areas.

There were earlier fears by environmental advocates that the new construction would greatly impact the wildlife within national parks.

Mwakima also revealed that Kenya is currently in discussion with the Chinese government with the aim of providing additional funds towards reforestation and wildlife conservation.

She said that the funding will be channeled to Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI).

"The conservation and sustainable management of wildlife and habitats are crucial to the country's long term economic growth and development."

Praising China's bold move when they announced a ban on all ivory trade and processing activities by the end of 2017, Mwakima said that the example should be emulated by other countries that still consume wildlife products.

She called on the Chinese wildlife officials to emulate Kenya's efforts in conserving elephants and other wildlife to help boost the country's economic income.

"Wildlife products belong to the wildlife while they are alive and they play a major role in attracting tourists and help sustain local economy while wildlife crime threatens security, economy and biodiversity of a country," she added.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General Kitili Mbathi hailed China's conservation role towards the increase of the population of the giant panda that was faced with extinction a few years ago.

The pandas were once widespread throughout southern and eastern China but due to expanding human populations and development, were reduced to limited areas that still contain bamboo forests.

"The two countries can learn from each other and we are ready to help the country have wildlife in the wild," Mbathi added.

He said that China has lately been demonstrating to the whole world that wildlife is better alive than being killed. China is an example of what happens when a government is committed to conservation.

"They have done a good job by investing in panda habitats through the setting up of new reserves," he noted.

In the recent past, wildlife crime has threatened security, economy, and biodiversity of Kenya as demand for rhino horn and elephant ivory continues to rise and poaching methods become increasingly sophisticated.

International networks for poaching, transit, and sale of illegal wildlife products target wildlife populations across borders, creating a complex problem that transcends national boundaries.

Mbathi observed that Kenya's transit route for illegal wildlife products from Africa is fast closing down courtesy of the good working collaboration with China and other development agencies.
MOSUL, Iraq, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Sunday launched a new push toward Mosul old city center, on the western bank of Tigris River, amid heavy clashes with Islamic State (IS) militants, the Iraqi military said.

Early in the morning, the federal police and interior ministry special forces, known as Rapid Response, initiated a progress from the southern outskirts toward the IS defensive lines in the neighborhoods of Dandan and Dawassa, which are part of Mosul's old city center, Lt. Gen. Abdul-Amir Yarallah, from the Joint Operations Command said in a statement.

The battles in the old neighborhoods of downtown Mosul bring the troops closer to some main government buildings in Dawassa neighborhood.

Meanwhile, the commandos of the Counter-Terrorism Service advanced toward the neighborhoods of Sumoud and Tel al-Rumman in the southwestern part of the city, sparking fierce clashes with IS extremist militants, according to the statement.

The new push in the western side of Mosul, locally known as the right bank of Tigris, came after two-day pause of advance due to bad weather that had limited the air support by the Iraqi and international coalition aircraft.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, announced the start of an offensive on Feb. 19 to drive extremist militants out of the western side of Mosul, locally known as the right bank of Tigris River, which bisects the city.

Late in January, Abadi declared the liberation of the eastern side of Mosul, or the left bank of Tigris, after more than 100 days of fighting against IS militants.

However, the western part of Mosul, with its narrow streets and a population of between 750,000 and 800,000, appears to be a bigger challenge to the Iraqi forces.

Mosul, 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
File photo shows a lion drinking water in the Serengeti National Park, north Tanzania. (Xinhua/Zhang Ping)

ARUSHA, Tanzania, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in southern Tanzania have shot and killed one of the four lions strayed from the Selous Game Reserve, one of the world's largest faunal reserves.

Poroleti Mgema, Acting Songea District Commissioner confirmed on Saturday that the killed lion is one of the four strayed from their natural habitats.

He said that in separate incidents between February 21 and 27, this year, the strayed lions have killed 22 cattle.

"We have dispatched wildlife officers and rangers into the affected village to try chase the remaining predators into their sanctuaries for people's safety," the official said, noting: "If these predators are left unattended they will also pose a serious threat to human beings as lions in this parts of Tanzania are unfriendly to people."

Mgema said the lion was shot by wildlife officials from Madaba District Council and those from the anti-poaching unit in the southern zone after the public raised alarm when the predator was spotted roaming in the area.

Igalusenga is one of the highly affected villages in the area.

Reports from the Igalusenga village said that since February 21, this year people in the area have been living in fear after four lions stormed their areas.

Method Mwenda, a resident of Igalusenga village said on February 21, they discovered that 17 cattle were killed.

Philibert Mlelwa also said that on February 27, three cows were killed by the strayed lions.

Tanzania is believed to have the highest number of lions in Africa.
TOKYO, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Three people were confirmed dead after a helicopter with nine people aboard crashed in Nagano prefecture in central Japan on Sunday afternoon.

The helicopter, belonging to the local government, took off around 1:30 p.m. local time from Matsumoto airport for a mountain rescue drill, according to local reports.

It was set to land on the Takabocchi Plateau at 1:53 p.m.

The police found the crashed helicopter near Mt. Hachibuse around 3:10 p.m.

The nine people aboard the helicopter were a pilot, seven fire fighters and an engineer.

Five people were found at the scene of the crash. Three of them had been confirmed dead, while two others remain unconscious, said local police.

Police are still searching for the other four people, and the transport ministry has sent officials to look into the incident.
ATHENS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Greek far-right Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi) party has no longer been the third largest party in the parliament after it lost one deputy who turned independent, Greek national news agency AMNA reported Sunday.

The congressman, Dimitris Koukoutsis, sent a formal letter to the parliament speaker on Saturday, announcing his decision to leaves Golden Dawn, which would then had 17 seats in the 300-member assembly.

Koukoutsis' departure was "due to disappointment with new members in the party," according to the letter.

His decision made the Democratic Alliance become the third largest parliamentary group with 18 seats, only behind the ruling Radical Left SYRIZA (144 seats) and the conservative New Democracy (76 seats).

Golden Dawn entered the Greek parliament for the first time in the 2012 elections with 7 percent of votes, due to the voters' anger at the harsh austerity measures imposed on the nation since 2010 to address the severe debt crisis.

Since 2012, the party had retained the third position in the assembly elections.
NEW DELHI, March 5 (Xinhua) -- India on Sunday condoled the death of an Indian-origin store owner in South Carolina and condemned the attack on another Indian-origin American national in Washington.

In a tirade of tweets, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the investigation into last week's killing of 43-year-old Indian-origin store owner Harnish Patel was on and that he had spoken to the father of the other person who was shot at outside his home at Kent in Washington.

"I am pained to hear about the killing of Harnish Patel a U.S. national of Indian origin in Lancaster, South Carolina. Our Consul has reached Lancaster and met the family of Harnish Patel. The investigation of the case is in progress," Swaraj wrote.

Patel, who owned a convenience store in Lancaster County, South Carolina, was found shot dead in the front yard of his home Thursday.

On the attack on 39-year-old Sikh-American Deep Rai who was shot at by a man who reportedly told him to "go back to your own country", the Minister said. "I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a U.S. national of Indian origin. I have spoken to Sardar Harpal Singh, father of the victim."

"He told me that his son had a bullet injury on his arm. He is out of danger and is recovering in a private hospital," Swaraj added.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in the Indian capital has also condemned the attack on Rai. "Wishes for quick and full recovery. As @POTUS said we condemn hate and evil in all its forms," MaryKay L. Carlson, Charge dAffaires of American Embassy, tweeted.

Both these attacks came days after a 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead by a 51-year-old U.S. Navy veteran Adam Purinton, who had shouted "get out of my country".
BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping said Sunday China will continue to open up in all respects, particularly to further liberalize and facilitate trade and investment.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks as he joined in a panel discussion with national lawmakers at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress.

"The door of China's opening up will not close," Xi said.
NEW DELHI, March 5 (Xinhua) -- India's national carrier Air India has claimed to have made history by operating a flight around the world with an all-women crew.

The Air India flight (Boeing 777) departed from New Delhi on February 27 for San Francisco and returned to the Indian capital on March 3.

The aircraft flew over the Pacific Ocean on its trip to the United States, while its return flight was over the Atlantic Ocean, encircling the globe, the airline has said.

Not only the pilots and the cabin crew, even the check-in and ground-handling staff, engineers, and air traffic controllers who authorised the flight's departure and arrival were all women, it said.

A spokesperson for the carrier told the media that the airline has applied for an entry on the Guinness World Record for this feat ahead of the International Women's Day on March 8.
YANGON, March 5 (Xinhua) -- A 70-strong combined force from Kachin Independent Army (KIA) and Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) attacked Panlot outpost in Kutkai township which is stationed to provide security measures for Lashio-Muse Union Highway in northern Shan state, official media reported Sunday.

The combined force withdrew the skirmish when another group of military troops nearby joined the attacked military post and made counter-attack on Saturday.

Meanwhile, a combined force of 15 members from KIA and TNLA attacked Yinkwetaung outpost and Namtkhaing bridge Checkpoint using heavy and light weapons on the same day.

Some military members were killed and weapons and related items were taken away after the attack. Three civilians who worked for Oriental Highway Co.,Ltd near the attacked area got seriously injured by a motor shell fired by the combined force.

The military columns continued to conduct area clearance operations in the region.
HELSINKI, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Finnish national airline Finnair is forced to cancel several flights on Sunday and Monday, due to strikes staged by air traffic employees in Finland, announced the airline on Sunday.

Five domestic flights have been cancelled on Sunday and at least ten flights including nine domestic and one international flights will be cancelled next Monday. In addition, flights are also expected to be delayed on Monday.

The cancelations and delays are the results of the labor dispute between the Finnish Aviation Labour Union (IAU) and the Association of Service Sector Employers (Palta) about the wages and benefits of employees of Airpro, which is a subsidiary of the airport operator Finavia.

Customers whose flights will not be operated can either get a refund for the ticket, or change their travel schedule until March 20 without extra charges, said Finnair.

Earlier on Friday, the unsolved labor dispute caused an walkout at the Helsinki Airport between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. The strike affected airport security control and ground handling.

Negotiations between the disputing parties will continue through the weekend, and there is a chance that the strike will continue in the coming days, said local media.

According to Finavia, the next labor action will be staged from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. next Monday. Possible strikes on March 10 and 14 would include also air traffic at several other airports in Finland. 
NAIROBI, March 5 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is due in Nairobi on Sunday for a two-day visit to discuss a range of regional issues amid looming famine in the region.

A statement from Guterres spokesman office said while in Kenya, the world's top diplomat will meet with senior Kenyan government officials amid severe drought which has left more than 3 million Kenyans facing acute food shortage.

"While in Kenya, the Secretary-General will meet with senior leadership of the Kenyan Government to discuss a range of regional issues," the statement said on Sunday morning.

Gutteres who took the UN helm in January will also participate in a number of events in the Kenyan capital to mark International Women's Day.

"Prior to returning to New York, he will visit the UN Headquarters in Gigiri. We expect the Secretary-General to be back in New York on Thursday," the statement said.
JERUSALEM, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday and urge him to prevent Iran from establishing a military presence in Syria.

Netanyahu told his weekly cabinet meeting that he hopes to reach "understandings" with Putin on Iran's role in any future agreement to end the war in Syria.

"In the context of this agreement, or without it, Iran is trying to establish itself permanently in Syria, with a military presence on the ground and at sea, and also a gradual attempt to open a front against us on the Golan Heights," Netanyahu said.

"I will express to President Putin Israel's sharp and vigorous opposition to this possibility. I hope we will be able to reach certain understandings to reduce possible friction between our forces and theirs, as we have successfully done up until now," he added.

Iran has aided its close ally, Syria, in the seven-year civil war.

Israel has been formally neutral in the war but has reportedly carried out several airstrikes in the neighboring Syria.

In April, Netanyahu acknowledged for the first time that Israel had launched "dozens" of airstrikes in Syria in the past years to prevent the transfer of weapons to the Hezbollah militant organization in Lebanon.
CAIRO, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Hollywood's superstar Will Smith expressed on Sunday his fascination with the Sphinx at the plateau of Egypt's Pyramids of Giza during a tourist visit to the north African country, accompanying Egyptian archaeologist and former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass told Xinhua.

"He asked me how was the Sphinx carved by ancient Egyptians and I told him it was a huge piece of limestone dating back to 4,500 years," the archaeologist told Xinhua over the phone, noting he explained to the American movie star that the Sphinx was sculpted in a way to resemble the face of King Khafre of the second largest Pyramid with a lion's body.

He continued that the actor and his family were so happy and they greatly enjoyed the visit and took several photos, adding that he was asked to accompany them during their visit to Luxor next year.

Smith arrived with his family in Cairo earlier on Sunday coming from Morocco for a tourist visit according to Egypt's official MENA news agency.

"Smith said that when he was a child he wished to become an Egyptologist," MENA quoted archaeologist and Egyptologist Ashraf Mohie El-Din, the official in charge of the Pyramids plateau who also accompanied the Hollywood star during the visit, as saying.
iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- The Marine Corps is investigating allegations that current and former Marines shared and commented on hundreds of nude photos of female colleagues on a closed Facebook page.

The War Horse blog and Reveal first published the allegations. According to the report from Reveal, in one instance a Marine allegedly followed a woman corporal on a base and posted pictures of her without her knowledge to the closed Facebook group "Marines United."

Some of the additional photos posted may have been consensual and intended to be private, but were posted by others to "Marines United." Some members of the Facebook group also allegedly wrote obscene comments on the photos, according to Reveal.

It is unclear how many individuals were involved, a Marine spokesperson said to ABC News.

"The Marine Corps takes every allegation of misconduct seriously," a spokesperson said. "Allegations of misconduct are thoroughly investigated and handled at the appropriate judicial or administrative forum."

Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller did not comment on anything specific in the investigation, but said in part in a statement: "For anyone to target one of our Marines, online or otherwise, in an inappropriate manner, is distasteful and shows an absence of respect."

"We need to be brutally honest with ourselves and each other," Marine Corps Sgt. Gen. Ronald Green said in a statement. "This behavior hurts fellow Marines, family members, and civilians. It is a direct attack on our ethos and legacy. Let me be perfectly clear; no person should be treated this way. It is inconsistent with our Core Values, and it impedes our ability to perform our mission."



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DHAKA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government has banned the militant group -- Ansar-Al-Islam, which declared itself as the "Bangladesh branch" of al-Qaeda in the subcontinent.

Bangladeshi Ministry of Home Affairs banned the group for its militant and anti-state activities with publishing a gazette notification in this regard on Sunday.

The country had earlier banned seven such organizations for militant activities.

Ansar-Al-Islam is believed to be behind the gruesome death of a magazine editor and his friend. Shariful Islam Shihab, a key suspect, told law enforcers in an interrogation that the two were killed for their alleged anti-Islamic activities.

The group also claimed credit for the sensational murders in the capital Dhaka in April last year.

A number of secularist writers, bloggers and publishers in the country have been killed or seriously injured in attacks perpetrated by extremists since 2013.
SAGANA, Kenya, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Kenyan government announced on Sunday that it will spend 2.15 million U.S. dollars for cash payouts to support pastoralists to purchase fodder and animal feed for their stock until the end of the severe drought.

State House Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu told journalists that President Uhuru Kenyatta will this week formally launch the payouts to the affected pastoralists.

"Vulnerable pastoralists in Mandera, Marsabit, Isiolo, Tana River, Turkana and Wajir counties will benefit from the 2.15 million dollars payout," Esipisu told journalists at Sagana State Lodge in central Kenya.

The payments under the Kenya Livestock Insurance Programme will target 12,604 registered pastoralist households in the seven counties. Some 2,503 pastoralists in Turkana that are registered under the program were paid last month.

Esipisu said the government will enhance the measures to mitigate the drought. Animal herders have been one of the biggest causalities of the drought.

Farmers of key export crops such as tea are also being affected by the lack of rainfall that has led to water rationing in many urban centers.

The drought which began last year has affected 23 counties so far. Humanitarian organizations estimate that at least 3 million people are in need of food aid. The East African nation has also introduced a program to supply food to schools which will in turn reduce the school fees for students.

Esipisu said water trucking in the 23 affected counties has been enhanced and the government has rehabilitated boreholes experiencing pressure due to long hours of pumping water.

Esipisu also cited the animal off take program where the government is buying off animals and slaughtering them for the pastoralists.

The aim of the off take project is to put capital in the pocket of the pastoralists so that they can restock when the drought ends.

"In terms of provision of food, the administration has doubled up food rations to feed 3 million people, up from an initial figure of 1.3 million Kenyans. We are doing this through special programs," said Esipisu.
TEHRAN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan on Sunday signed two memorandums of understanding (MoU) to expand cooperation on financial and transportation sectors, official IRNA news agency reported.

The two MoUs encompass fighting money laundry and criminal assets, and fostering railroad cooperation and expanding railroad links between the two neighbors.

The documents were signed at the presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his visiting Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev who arrived in Tehran earlier in the day for an official visit.

Concurrent with the visit of President Aliyev to Tehran, the railroad to link Iran's Astara port city to its namesake in Azerbaijan republic will be test-launched, the report said.

Iran and Azerbaijan share immense cultural background and have been speeding up enhancement of their cooperation over the past years.

In Aliyev's last visit to Tehran in 2016, the two countries signed 11 documents of agreement to promote mutual cooperation in diverse areas.

In the ongoing visit of Aliyev, a high-ranking political and economic delegation accompanies the Azeri president.
TEHRAN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Iran is considering to grant the development of its southern Kish gas field to the Netherlands' Shell, Press TV quoted a senior Iranian energy official as saying on Sunday.

A planned tender over the development of Kish gas field might be scrapped because no other company has approached Iran over the project, so Iran may start negotiations with Shell to this end, said Noureddin Shahnazizadeh, the managing director of the Petroleum Development and Engineering Company.

Shell was already studying the field based on an agreement that it signed with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), Shahnazizadeh said, adding that the Dutch company is to complete its studies over Kish by July.

An Iranian company has also voiced interest to fund the development of Kish gas field, he said.

Kish gas field is located on Iran's Kish Island in the Persian Gulf. With a reservoir of 70 trillion cubic feet, the field is expected to produce about four million barrels of condensate as well as nine billion cubic meters of natural gas once fully developed. The gas field holds the country's largest reservoirs of natural gas after South Pars.

According to the report, Iran signed a basic agreement with Shell last December over studying the country's Kish gas field as well as South Azadegan and Yadavaran oil fields.

South Azadegan and Yadavaran are located in Iran's southwestern oil-rich province of Khouzestan and already have an early production of 40,000 bpd and 85,000 bpd, respectively.
KHARTOUM, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese army on Sunday announced that it has received 107 government soldiers and 18 civilians after they were released by the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector.

Sudanese army spokesman Ahmed Khalifa Al-Shami said in a statement Sunday that the released Prisoners of War (POWs) included three army officers, 104 from other ranks and 18 civilians.

"This work was a fruit of continuing joint effort based on the state's moral responsibility towards its citizens, particularly the prisoners of war who were performing their duty," said Al-Shami.

He expressed the Sudanese armed forces' thanks for the sincere efforts and initiatives which led to the release of the POWs, commending response of the SPLM/northern sector and regarding it as "a positive step that serves the efforts aiming at achieving peace in the country."

He further thanked all the parties which contributed to the release of the POWs via provision of facilitation and logistical services, top of them the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The SPLM/northern sector on Saturday announced that it released government army prisoners of war.

The SPLM/northern sector has been fighting Khartoum's central government at Blue Nile and South Kordofan areas since 2011.

So far ten rounds of peace talks have been held in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa between the Sudanese government and the SPLM/northern sector, under the patronage of the African Union, but all failed to end the conflict in the two areas.
Chinese President Xi Jinping joins a panel discussion with deputies to the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) from Shanghai Municipality at the annual session of the NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)



BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping said Sunday that China will stick to the all-round opening-up policy, and continue to liberalize and facilitate trade and investment.

Xi made the remarks during a panel discussion with lawmakers at the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC).

"China's opening door will not close again," he said at the discussion hosted by the NPC Shanghai delegation, of which he is a member.

"Shanghai officials should free their minds, seek new horizons, and be an example to the nation," said Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Xi urged Shanghai, a pioneer in reform and opening up, to do more in deepening free trade zone (FTZ) reforms, promoting science and technology innovation, improving social management, and governing the Party in an all-around and strict manner.

Shanghai became home to China's first pilot FTZ in 2013, the testbed of new economic policies, including the negative list for foreign capital management, which defines sectors in which foreign entities can invest.

Xi urged Shanghai to turn the FTZ into a zone of openness and innovation to serve the Belt and Road Initiative and help the country's businesses expand overseas.

The president stressed that innovation is key to the "new normal" in economic development and crucial to the supply-side structural reform, calling for greater advances in basic science and major breakthroughs in key technologies.

On city management, Xi said Shanghai should make better use of the Internet and big data in smart city administration, to become a safer, cleaner and more orderly international metropolis.
BAGHDAD, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing operations to free the western side of the city of Mosul from Islamic State (IS) militants have pushed up to 57,000 civilians to flee their homes, the Iraqi government said on Sunday.

"Teams affiliated to the Iraqi ministry of migration have received more than 57,000 civilians" during the past 15 days of the military operation in the western side of Mosul, according to a statement by Jassim Mohammed al-Jaf, Minister of Migration and Displaced.

The migration ministry provided emergency supplies, including food and medicine to displaced people, Jaf said, adding that the Iraqi ministry is also ready to receive some 100,000 people in its camps near Mosul.

The total number of displaced civilians reached to 286,000 people since the beginning of major offensive to liberate Mosul on Oct. 17, Jaf added.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, announced the start of an offensive on Feb. 19 to drive extremist militants out of the western side of Mosul, locally known as the right bank of Tigris River, which bisects the city.

Late in January, Abadi declared the liberation of the eastern side of Mosul, or the left bank of Tigris, after more than 100 days of fighting against IS militants.

United Nations estimated that about 750,000 to 800,000 people still live in the western side of Mosul, which could be a challenge to the Iraqi forces as the troops enter the city's narrow streets in the densely populated neighborhoods.

Mosul, 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
Manama, March 5 (Xinhua) -- An Indonesian delegation is in Bahrain on Sunday to study the possibility to lift the ban on domestic workers imposed in 2015.

Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) Chief Executive Officer Osama bin Abdulla Al-Absi highlighted in a statement on Sunday released by Bahrain News Agency that the delegation accepted to reconsider the ban decision imposed on Bahrain after learning about the efforts to protect migrant workers and fight human trafficking.

Indonesia stopped in 2015 sending its nationals to work as domestic helps in 21 countries, most of them in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and UAE.

Al-Absi highlighted that there are 12,343 Indonesians working in Bahrain, majority of them work as domestic workers, representing 94 percent of total Indonesian workforce.

Bahrain is dedicated to opening new recruitment markets to meet the high demands for foreign workers in various sectors, especially after this week decision of the Bangladeshi Embassy to stop new permissions for its nationals to work in Bahrain until their living and working conditions are improved.
Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), joins a panel discussion with deputies to the 12th NPC from Zhejiang Province at the annual session of the NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese leaders on Sunday joined national legislators in deliberating the government work report, stressing the main theme of "seeking progress while maintaining stability."

The report was delivered by Premier Li Keqiang at the opening of the annual session of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC).

Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan and Wang Qishan,all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, joined national lawmakers in deliberating the report.

Zhang, also chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, joined lawmakers from east China's Zhejiang Province.

Zhang stressed concrete actions to implement the decisions and policies of the CPC Central Committee, promote the steady and healthy development of the economy and the harmony of the society to create a favorable environment for the 19th National Congress of the Party, slated for later this year.

Yu Zhengsheng, also chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, joined a delegation of lawmakers from central China's Hubei Province during another panel discussion.

Yu urged Hubei Province to apply the new concepts of development and advance supply-side structural reform.

He called for further efforts to conserve energy and protect the environment to provide the people with clean water, fresh air, safe food and beautiful environment.

Liu Yunshan joined NPC deputies from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in their panel discussion.

Liu called for proper understanding of the relations between maintaining stability and seeking progress, stressing efforts to guide social expectations and dissolve risks, while making breakthroughs in reforms.P Major tasks in supply-side structural reform should be accomplished to improve growth quality and efficiency, he added.

Wang Qishan, also secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, joined NPC deputies from Beijing.

Wang stressed the need to explore effective CPC self-supervision for long-term governance, deepen reform of the national supervisory system and establish an anti-graft mechanism under the unified leadership of the Party.

The CPC should enhance supervision over itself and state organs to realize full-coverage oversight of all public servants, he added.
Visitors pick tulips during the 2017 Dutch National Tulip Day in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on Jan. 21, 2017. (Xinhua/Sylvia Lederer)

THE HAGUE, March 5 (Xinhua) -- With the parliamentary election in the Netherlands coming up in less than two weeks, millions of Dutch citizens are looking to online voting tests for clues as to who is the most deserving of their vote.

Over three millions people have taken the most popular online quiz known as Stemwijzer, or Vote Indicator, since it was launched on February 6, Eddy Habben Jansen, executive director of ProDemos, the organisation behind the platform, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

This is already a pretty large figure given that a total of 12.9 million people are eligible to vote on March 15 to elect a new lower house of parliament, but Jansen foresees a big surge in the number of participants in the final run-up to the election, even on the polling day.

"Many people do the test on the voting day. It has been the same for 15 years," said Jansen. "There are people who say 'I see the ballot sheet and I make my final decision.'"

He anticipated that over six million voters would take the Stemwijzer test this year, setting a new record for various voting guides in the country, roughly one million more than the last election season in 2012.

HOW IT WORKS

Housed in an office building overlooking the Binnenhof, the heart of Dutch politics in The Hague, ProDemos is an organisation that has been operating pre-elections guides for 25 years, funded by both the Dutch Interior Ministry and the parliament.

The online version of Stemwijzer was first launched in 1998, replacing the traditional printed questionnaires, and truly became a success in 2002, when around two million people did the test before the elections.

The current quiz consists of 30 questions that cover a wide range of policies, including immigration, jobs, education, tax and retirement age, to which the participants can answer by simply choosing among "agree," "disagree," or "neither."

Upon completion of the quiz, participants are given an individual analysis of their match by percentage with all the political parties running in the elections, based on how close their responses are to the political stances of these parties.

Jansen said that the questions had been agreed upon by the 28 parties running in the elections, adding that all the party leaders publicly took the quiz at the launching event.

The Stemwijzer system has been exported to several other countries including Germany, Bulgaria, he noted.

Young people and those changing from one party to another make up a large group of the quiz takers, while the proportion of older, more traditional people is comparatively small, according to Jansen.

"It is people looking for information," he said. "You are not automatically born with the information. We need to do that for every generation."

However, he does not recommend people to use Stemwijzer as the only tool for gathering information before they go to the polls, instead they should also "watch television debates and talk to their neighbours."

BEHIND THE SURGE

The election in the Netherlands is the first of a series of key elections in Europe this year, followed by those in France and Germany.

With the far-right and populist candidates gaining popularity in these three major members of the European Union, the outcome of this election could have substantial impacts on the future of the bloc.

In addition to the intricate domestic and international contexts, the diverse political landscape of the Netherlands also contribute to the increasing usage of online voting guides.

"Many people are no longer voting for the same party every time like 20 or 30 years ago when we had closer relations between parties and specific groups of the society. Traditional parties used to have strong basis in their groups," Jansen explained.

Nowadays Dutch voters tend to look at programmes more than at the basic principals of the parties, which makes them more cautious and really think about which party to vote for, he added.

The candidate who makes the most headlines this year is with no doubt Geert Wilders of the right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV), who has been riding high in the polls and are in a neck-and-neck battle with current Prime Minister Mark Rutte from the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).

Although Wilders fell behind Rutte in Wednesday's polls, for the first time in months, the Netherlands is experiencing the rise of populism regardless of the election results.

Jansen believes that a part of the voters for PVV see voting for the party as a strong signal of their worries and concerns. "Maybe they don't think PVV will solve their problems. They are sending a strong signal as a wake-up call, a warning. It is important that politicians understand what the concerns are and listen to their problems."

"These are all sentiments, but they cannot be ignored," he said.
ARUSHA, Tanzania, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The unabated destructive practice of dynamite, the use of gun and spear fishing are still widely practiced by unscrupulous fishermen in the Tanzania's semi autonomous Zanzibar archipelago, a senior official said Sunday.

Reports say that fish stock has been declining in Zanzibar sea waters due to the use of unfriendly fishing gears.

Hamad Rashid Mohamed, Zanzibar Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Natural Resources said: "I am aware of the new challenge and we've launched investigation on the matter and the report will be available as soon as possible."

"Illegal fishing is threatening the fisheries sector in Zanzibar, which employs a large number of Zanzibaris," the minister said.

He noted that his ministry has launched investigation over the claims that illegal fishing is rampant in Zanzibar waters.

"We have also received complaints from Tanzania Mainland over the rampant use of illegal fishing gears in our waters," he said.

In total, the number of fishermen is currently estimated at 34,500.

Ali Waali, one of the small-scale fishermen in isles, said that the situation has led to the decline of fish stock on the Indian Ocean coastline of Zanzibar.

Waali blamed some of the foreign fisheries companies for fueling illegal fishing in Zanzibar waters.

He also said that some of the fishermen have been using guns and spears for the last three years something which is contrary to Zanzibar Fisheries Act, 2010.

"Fish in shallow water have been moving into deep sea due to environmental degradation caused by unfriendly fishing gears, which kill breeding sites," he said.

He added that the situation has been affecting small-scale fishermen who are unable to fish in deep sea because of poor fishing vessels.

"In the past, we used to get three to four buckets of fish but now less than a bucket," said Ali, noting that guns and spears are applied openly and no actions are taken to address the vice.

Ali called upon Zanzibar government to address the situation facing the fisheries sector in the spices islands of Zanzibar.

"If left unattended the situation will turn worse as small-scale fishermen will start fighting with foreign investors," he said.
MOSCOW, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Seven Russian and one Ukrainian crew members of a German vessel had been released from the captivity of Nigerian pirates, Sevastopol human rights commissioner Pavel Butsai said Sunday.

"The Russian sailors -- residents of Sevastopol in Crimea -- are already in the airport of Germany's Frankfurt and will fly to their motherland in coming days," Butsai was quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency as saying.

"They are happy and well," he added.

Butsai did not disclose details of the release, only saying that everything was "successful and effective."

The ship BBC Caribbean, which belongs to German company Briese Schiffahrts, was attacked by Nigerian pirates on Feb. 5 in the Gulf of Guinea en route from Cameroon to Ghana.

The eight crew members were kidnapped while the vessel itself was not captured.
U.S. President Donald Trump (L) walks to the Oval Office after returning to the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on Feb 24, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

WASHINGTON, March 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday demanded Congress investigate the "potentially politically motivated" wiretapping of him ordered by his predecessor Barack Obama during the 2016 presidential race.

The White House said in a statement that reports concerning such politically motivated investigations "are very troubling."

"President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016," the statement said.

It added that neither the White House nor the president will comment further until such oversight is conducted.

On Saturday, Trump openly claimed Obama had his "wires tapped" in Trump Tower in New York before the 2016 Election Day in November.

"Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" Trump tweeted in a series of five tweets on Saturday morning.

Trump also compared the alleged wiretapping by Obama to the "Watergate" scandal, which brought down former Republican President Richard Nixon after it was exposed that he ordered wiretapping of the Democratic Party in the 1970s.

Trump did not detail how he got the information, nor provide any proof to support his accusation against Obama.

However, Obama immediately refuted Trump's accusation as "simply false."

"A cardinal rule of the Obama Administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice," Obama's spokesman Kevin Lewis said in a statement on Saturday.

"As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false," he said.

Trump's "wiretapping" accusation came after days of media reports about the contacts between some members of his campaign team and Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday he will recuse himself from any current or future investigations into Russia's possible link with Trump's presidential campaign, after admitting he met with Kislyak twice last year but didn't reveal it at the Senate hearings for his confirmation.

There have been suggestions that contacts between Trump campaign team and Russia were picked up by intelligence agencies as part of routine surveillance of the Russians.

Trump and his aides have denied there were any improper contacts. But the media reports about the phone talks between Trump's former national security advisor Michael Flynn with Kislyak during the transition period already led to Flynn's resignation last month.

Several congressional committees are currently investigating Trump team's contacts with Russia, which was accused of interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential race to help Trump through hacking activities. Russia has strongly denied such accusation.
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TEHRAN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian president and his visiting Azeri counterpart hailed Sunday the growing trend of bilateral relations and the launch of railway links to boost regional economy.

The two countries signed two MoUs to expand cooperation on financial and transportation sectors, as Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev visited Iran's capital Tehran.

The two MoUs encompass fighting money laundry and criminal assets, and fostering railroad cooperation and expanding railroad links between the two neighbors, official IRNA news agency reported.

The documents were signed at the presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Azeri counterpart.

Concurrent with the visit of President Aliyev to Tehran, the railroad linking Iran's Astara port city to its namesake in Azerbaijan republic was launched.

Aliyev also discussed with Rouhani the implementation of the North-South Transport Corridor (NSTC).

He told reporters that the NSTC could have positive effects on the economies of its host countries following his meeting with Rouhani, according to Press TV.

Aliyev also underscored Baku's determination to invest the construction of a railway between the two Iranian northern cities of Rasht and Astara, which could help facilitate the expansion of economic relations between the two countries.

The NSTC is a multimodal route to link India and the Middle East to the Caucasus, Central Asia and Europe.

The ship, road and rail route connects India's Mumbai to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas and further to Baku in Azerbaijan as well as Russia's Astrakhan, Moscow and St. Petersburg before stretching to northern Europe and Scandinavia.

For his part, Rouhani hailed the implementation of transit route of NSTC passing through Iran and Azerbaijan, saying that it would link the Indian Ocean to European countries.

"The Republic of Azerbaijan is a gateway linking Iran with the Caucasus and Europe, and Iran, reciprocally, is a very good gateway linking the Republic of Azerbaijan to southern regions, the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean," Rouhani was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.

He urged more consultation between Iran and Azerbaijan to formulate a lasting legal regime for the Caspian Sea by building a consensus among the lake's five littoral states.

Rouhani unveiled plans for talks between Iran and Azerbaijan's oil ministers on close partnership to use the Caspian Sea's resources, according to Tasnim.

Rouhani welcomed Azerbaijan's participation in the construction of the Iranian cities of Rasht-Astara railway and said that Iran is prepared to cooperate with Azerbaijan in the swap of oil products.

On Sunday meeting, both presidents discussed environmental issues in the Caspian Sea and the fulfillment of agreements reached by the Caspian littoral countries on marine environment.

The Iranian and Azeri presidents also called for the implementation of a rich set of previous agreements between Tehran and Baku.

According to IRNA, they also stressed the importance of Iran-Azerbaijan-Russia, Iran-Azerbaijan-Turkey and Iran-Azerbaijan-Georgia trilateral cooperation formula.

Iran and Azerbaijan share immense cultural background and have been speeding up enhancement of their cooperation over the past years.

In Aliyev's last visit to Tehran in early 2016, the two countries signed 11 documents of agreement to promote mutual cooperation in diverse areas. In Rouhani's visit to Baku late 2016, the two countries also signed 7 more cooperation documents.

In the ongoing visit of Aliyev, a high-ranking political and economic delegation accompanies the Azeri president.
LONDON, March 5 (Xinhua) -- A committee of politicians in the House of Commons Sunday called on British Prime Minister Theresa May's government to make a unilateral decision to safeguard the rights of 3.2 million nationals from EU countries living in Britain.

The cross-party Exiting the European Union Committee unanimously agreed in its report that May's government should act now.

The Members of Parliament (MPs) called on the government to ensure British nationals already residing in other EU countries, and EU citizens already living in Britain, do not lose their rights to healthcare and pensions after Brexit.

Veteran Labour MP Hilary Benn, who chairs the committee, said: "EU citizens who have come to live and work here have contributed enormously to the economic and cultural life of the UK. They have worked hard, paid their taxes, integrated, raised families and put down roots."

"They did not have a vote in the (EU) referendum, but the result has left them living under a cloud of uncertainty. They are understandably concerned about their right to remain, and their future rights to access education and healthcare," said the MP.

"Equally, Brits who live and work on the continent are worried about their right to work and access healthcare after Brexit."

"EU nationals in the UK and UK nationals in the EU are aware of the forthcoming negotiations, but they do not want to be used as bargaining chips. Although the government has said it wants EU citizens to be able to remain, this has not offered sufficient reassurance that the rights and status that they have enjoyed will be guaranteed. It should now do so," he added

The committee's findings are not binding on May's government who have said the status of EU nationals in Britain will be given priority once Brexit talks start with Brussels.

Last week, members of the unelected House of Lords agreed by a large majority an amendment to the parliament bill introduced by May to trigger the Brexit process. The amendment aims to guarantee the status of Europeans living in Britain, but it is expected to be dropped next week when the bill returns for a final decision to the House of Commons.

The committee report also called for an overhaul of the process for EU nationals in Britain applying for a permanent right to remain. It said the 85-page application form is not fit for purpose.

Committee chair Benn said: "We were told that at pre-referendum rates of processing, giving residence documents to all potentially eligible applicants using the current system would take the equivalent of 140 years."

The committee has also called on the government to set out how it will establish a new system for immigration to be in place within two years of triggering the Article 50 exit process, and what the rules for EU migrants will be once free movement ends.
LONDON, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Britain's top treasury chief Philip Hammond is to unveil a 74 billion U.S.dollar Brexit war chest when he outlines his government spending budget Wednesday in the House of Commons.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Hammond aims to use his showpiece budget speech to members of parliament (MPs) to support Britain's resilience to any economic turbulence as the country withdraws from the European Union.

The annual budget spells out Britain's spending and taxation policies for the coming year and is regarded as one of the key events in the parliamentary calendar.

As a trailer to his keynote speech, Hammond has outlined some of his aims in an article in London's Sunday Times newspaper.

In the article Hammond said it would be reckless to turn on the spending taps before Britain leaved the EU in 2019.

His speech will also be one of the last big parliamentary events before the prime minister triggers Article 50, the mechanism for officially declaring to Brussels that Britain is withdrawing from EU membership. Once Brussels is notified, it starts and irreversible two-year process to work out the future relationship between Britain and the remaining 27 EU member states.

Although May has pledged to trigger Article 50 by the end of March, she could start the process as early as the middle of the month.

Hammond said that as Britain prepares to start negotiations to leave the EU and plan how to make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead, his budget will set out the next steps to creating a stronger Britain, with an economy that works for everyone.

"The budget will be delivered against the backdrop of an economy that has shown itself to be remarkably resilient, confounding expectations with a robust performance during 2016. That performance gives us a strong base on which to build our plan for a truly global Britain," said Hammond.

"Quiet satisfaction at the strong performance of our economy should not be mistaken for complacency. As we begin our negotiations with the EU, we are embarking on a new chapter in our history. We need to maintain our commitment to fiscal discipline and to strengthen our economic position as we forge our vision of Britain's future in the world," he adds.

Responding to calls for huge spending sprees, Hammond described such an approach as "confused, reckless and unsustainable."

"As we leave the EU, we must forge our way in an ever more competitive world. And we must ensure that Britain remains at the forefront of innovation. We are already a centre of excellence in technology development, but we need to invest more in maintaining and enhancing our position."
After meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington earlier this month, US President Donald Trump said he would entertain a "two-state and a one-state" solution, although his ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, later tempered this stance, saying Washington "absolutely" supports a two-state solution but wants new ideas on how to move forward. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

AMMAN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- King Abdullah II of Jordan stressed Sunday the need for intensified efforts to resume peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel, the state-run Petra news agency reported.

The king said peace negotiations should be serious leading to the two-state solution, which results in the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

The king said the two-state solution is the sole solution in this regard.

He made the remarks at a meeting with a delegation of Jewish American leaders, where they discussed the peace process and the situation in the Middle East.

The Jordanian leader said achieving just and comprehensive peace will lead to security and stability in the Middle East.

He added that no progress in peacemaking efforts will lead to more dispair and frustration among the nations of the region.

King Abdullah stressed on the need to preserve the status quo in Jerusalem and to make any changes as that will lead to negative consequences.

Discussions also covered the pressure on Jordan due to hosting a large number of Syrian refugees.

The U.S. delegation stressed on Jordan's role in attaint Mideast peace.
RABAT, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Nearly five months after the parliamentary elections in Morocco, the re-appointed Islamist Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane is still struggling to form a new government.

The leader of Justice and Development Party (PJD) has gained the support of two parties since late October, yet he has been unable to make a deal with a third party to secure the majority of 395-seat parliament.

With PJD's 125 seats, the coalition with the leftist Party of Progress and Socialism (12 seats) and the nationalist Istiqlal Party (46 seats) is made up of 183 seats only.

While the second party in the October 7 elections, the secularist Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), has announced from day one its rejection to form a government with PJD, the other three parties available continue to raise the bar on Benkirane's requests.

To change the course of action, PJD has proposed to break its coalition with Istiqlal Party and restrict the membership of the new government to the parties which formed the previous coalition.

This move has not been accepted by the other two parties in the former coalition, namely the liberal National Rally of Independents (RNI) and the nationalist Popular Movement (MP).

The two parties insist that the Constitutional Union Party (UC) and the Socialist Union of Popular Forces Party (USFP) should also be included in the government.

On Saturday, the leader of RNI Aziz Akhannouch said his party wants not just a majority of seats in the parliament, but a "strong" coalition to address the various challenges the country faces.

Morocco's 2011 Constitution says nothing on the question of a prime minister-designate being unable to form a majority, which leaves room for the next step if the formation of the government fails.

If the stagnation of the talks lasts much longer, one option seems plausible, the announcement by Benkirane of the failure of forming the government and the call for fresh elections.
A picture taken on January 16, 2017 shows a general view of the Moroccan parliament in the capital Rabat.

Morocco's parliament elected leftist economist Habib el-Malki as the new speaker on January 16, 2017, three months after elections that left the North African country without a government. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

RABAT, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Nearly five months after the parliamentary elections in Morocco, the re-appointed Islamist Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane is still struggling to form a new government.

The leader of Justice and Development Party (PJD) has gained the support of two parties since late October, yet he has been unable to make a deal with a third party to secure the majority of 395-seat parliament.

With PJD's 125 seats, the coalition with the leftist Party of Progress and Socialism (12 seats) and the nationalist Istiqlal Party (46 seats) is made up of 183 seats only.

While the second party in the October 7 elections, the secularist Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), has announced from day one its rejection to form a government with PJD, the other three parties available continue to raise the bar on Benkirane's requests.

To change the course of action, PJD has proposed to break its coalition with Istiqlal Party and restrict the membership of the new government to the parties which formed the previous coalition.

This move has not been accepted by the other two parties in the former coalition, namely the liberal National Rally of Independents (RNI) and the nationalist Popular Movement (MP).

The two parties insist that the Constitutional Union Party (UC) and the Socialist Union of Popular Forces Party (USFP) should also be included in the government.

On Saturday, the leader of RNI Aziz Akhannouch said his party wants not just a majority of seats in the parliament, but a "strong" coalition to address the various challenges the country faces.

Morocco's 2011 Constitution says nothing on the question of a prime minister-designate being unable to form a majority, which leaves room for the next step if the formation of the government fails.

If the stagnation of the talks lasts much longer, one option seems plausible, the announcement by Benkirane of the failure of forming the government and the call for fresh elections.
TEHRAN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Iran is in talks with Saudi officials to resolve the issues which hamper the dispatch of pilgrims to the annual Muslim ceremonies in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.

Most of the disputed issues have been resolved in the negotiations with Saudi Arabia, and hopefully the remaining problems would be settled in coming days, Iran's representative in Hajj and pilgrimage affairs, Ali Qazi-Askar, said.

Iran plans to send at least 80,000 nationals to Saudi Arabia for Hajj pilgrimage this summer provided that remaining issues are resolved in the ongoing talks with Riyadh, Qazi-Askar was quoted as saying.

An Iranian delegation travelled to Saudi Arabia on February 23 for the talks on the Hajj pilgrimage of Iranians.

Iran decided to withdraw from sending the pilgrims to the last year Hajj season, in which it cited the reason for fearing the safety of its pilgrims after the deadly stampede in Hajj of 2015.

More than 450 Iranians were among 2300 pilgrims who died in stampede in Mina area.
DAMASCUS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Despite killings and conflicts, Syrian music lovers choose to play their tunes to purge the theater from darkness at the Roman theater of the ancient city of Palmyra, as remedy for war scars.

Holding their instruments, four girls entered the rubble-strewn Palmyra Theater in central Syria, and sat on rocks fallen from the facade of the theater after a recent explosion by the IS militants in the area.

"We came here to bring joy back to this area, because music brings life back to the dead places, including this one, where there is no life," Farah Yonnes, a kanoon instrument player, told Xinhua, as she was warming up to perform with her bandmates at the theater.

In January, the IS militants blew up part of the theater as well as the tetrapylon, a cubic Roman building in Palmyra, the latest in a series of systematic bombings of important monuments in Palmyra which was overran by the IS militants twice, in 2015 and late 2016 respectively.

In its previous invasion, the IS destroyed the Temple of Bel, the Triumphal Arch and other cultural sites in Palmyra.

The facade of the theater was devastated during their second invasion, before the Syrian army recaptured the city again last Thursday with the help of the Russian air forces and Shiite fighters, including those from the Lebanese Hezbollah group.

After the army recaptured Palmyra for the first time in early 2016, several orchestras, including Russian ones, came to the theater with the ambition of reviving the tradition of holding lively concerts at the site.

Colors lit the facade of the theater, with hundreds of people cheering and waving the Syrian flags around for the performers.

At that time, it may have never occurred to the crowd or performers that the very same area would be overrun by the IS again.

The concert was also a tribute to the Syrian soldiers savagely killed by the IS in the theater.

In 2005, the IS released a video shot at the theater, showing 25 Syrian soldiers lined up on their knees on the stage of the theater, where child executioners were being forced to brutally slaughter them.

In the second invasion, the IS seemed to blow up the theater in retaliation, leaving people in sorrow for further destruction of historic sites in Palmyra.

Now, rubbles greet people at the entrance, with huge rocks from the facade lying horribly on the ground, as a witness to the IS atrocities.

The stage where bands used to play is littered with rocks of the fallen facade, but the bands, sitting at the eastern and western parts of the theater among the rubble, continued playing to release their lively tunes into the air, lending the stage a sense of soft and affectionate atmosphere.

Sali Badr, a 17-year-old student who plays rhythm guitar in the girl band formed last year, said she came here to instill joy into the area.

"Art exists everywhere, even in destroyed places like this. We can deliver our music everywhere and here is no exception," she said.

On the other side of the theater, a boy band started playing traditional tunes, with encouraging lyrics to urge people to build and protect their country.

However, a man holding Oud drew people's attention.

When asked what he was going to play, he unexpectedly told the truth.

"I want to be frank with you, I am not even a player, I know the band and begged them to put my name as one of their player to come to Palmyra and visit this city. I love Palmyra so much I have many memories here, I feel like my spirit is here in this place," he said.

He said the destruction he saw in the city ached his heart.

"I can't imagine why would they (IS) do such a thing. These monuments and relics are harmless. This is our heritage. Why would they do that? Why would they try to smudge our history?" he lamented.

With the concert going on, fire was spotted from a distance, as the army was said to have been bombing the IS positions, just five kilometers east of Palmyra.

Army officials said they were ordered to hunt down IS militants around Palmyra to wrest control over key gas fields in the countryside of the city.

Russian choppers were hovering just overhead to comb the area as important Russian and Syrian figures were visiting the millennia-old city, where 2,000-year-old monuments and relics had been well preserved ahead of the IS invasions.

A Syrian brigadier general was also at the theater.

"I am very proud my ancestors built this city," he told Xinhua.

"IS took control over the city for the first time and we liberated it, and once again they got the city back, and we returned to liberate it because this is our heritage we cannot leave it in the hands of killers and blood shedders," he said.

The officer said the next move for the army is to liberate wherever terrorism is located.

"We will go to them wherever they are in the north, in the east, wherever they are we will go to them because in Syria there is no place for terrorists. Syria is a place for civilization, for light, for sun and we will not leave any one of them. They should understand that they will have no opportunity here in our country, in Syria," he said.
A view shows the Roman Theatre in the historical city of Palmyra, in Homs Governorate, Syria April 1, 2016. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

DAMASCUS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Despite killings and conflicts, Syrian music lovers choose to play their tunes to purge the theater from darkness at the Roman theater of the ancient city of Palmyra, as remedy for war scars.

Holding their instruments, four girls entered the rubble-strewn Palmyra Theater in central Syria, and sat on rocks fallen from the facade of the theater after a recent explosion by the IS militants in the area.

"We came here to bring joy back to this area, because music brings life back to the dead places, including this one, where there is no life," Farah Yonnes, a kanoon instrument player, told Xinhua, as she was warming up to perform with her bandmates at the theater.

In January, the IS militants blew up part of the theater as well as the tetrapylon, a cubic Roman building in Palmyra, the latest in a series of systematic bombings of important monuments in Palmyra which was overran by the IS militants twice, in 2015 and late 2016 respectively.

In its previous invasion, the IS destroyed the Temple of Bel, the Triumphal Arch and other cultural sites in Palmyra.

The facade of the theater was devastated during their second invasion, before the Syrian army recaptured the city again last Thursday with the help of the Russian air forces and Shiite fighters, including those from the Lebanese Hezbollah group.

After the army recaptured Palmyra for the first time in early 2016, several orchestras, including Russian ones, came to the theater with the ambition of reviving the tradition of holding lively concerts at the site.

Colors lit the facade of the theater, with hundreds of people cheering and waving the Syrian flags around for the performers.

At that time, it may have never occurred to the crowd or performers that the very same area would be overrun by the IS again.

The concert was also a tribute to the Syrian soldiers savagely killed by the IS in the theater.

In 2005, the IS released a video shot at the theater, showing 25 Syrian soldiers lined up on their knees on the stage of the theater, where child executioners were being forced to brutally slaughter them.

In the second invasion, the IS seemed to blow up the theater in retaliation, leaving people in sorrow for further destruction of historic sites in Palmyra.

Now, rubbles greet people at the entrance, with huge rocks from the facade lying horribly on the ground, as a witness to the IS atrocities.

The stage where bands used to play is littered with rocks of the fallen facade, but the bands, sitting at the eastern and western parts of the theater among the rubble, continued playing to release their lively tunes into the air, lending the stage a sense of soft and affectionate atmosphere.

Sali Badr, a 17-year-old student who plays rhythm guitar in the girl band formed last year, said she came here to instill joy into the area.

"Art exists everywhere, even in destroyed places like this. We can deliver our music everywhere and here is no exception," she said.

On the other side of the theater, a boy band started playing traditional tunes, with encouraging lyrics to urge people to build and protect their country.

However, a man holding Oud drew people's attention.

When asked what he was going to play, he unexpectedly told the truth.

"I want to be frank with you, I am not even a player, I know the band and begged them to put my name as one of their player to come to Palmyra and visit this city. I love Palmyra so much I have many memories here, I feel like my spirit is here in this place," he said.

He said the destruction he saw in the city ached his heart.

"I can't imagine why would they (IS) do such a thing. These monuments and relics are harmless. This is our heritage. Why would they do that? Why would they try to smudge our history?" he lamented.

With the concert going on, fire was spotted from a distance, as the army was said to have been bombing the IS positions, just five kilometers east of Palmyra.

Army officials said they were ordered to hunt down IS militants around Palmyra to wrest control over key gas fields in the countryside of the city.

Russian choppers were hovering just overhead to comb the area as important Russian and Syrian figures were visiting the millennia-old city, where 2,000-year-old monuments and relics had been well preserved ahead of the IS invasions.

A Syrian brigadier general was also at the theater.

"I am very proud my ancestors built this city," he told Xinhua.

"IS took control over the city for the first time and we liberated it, and once again they got the city back, and we returned to liberate it because this is our heritage we cannot leave it in the hands of killers and blood shedders," he said.

The officer said the next move for the army is to liberate wherever terrorism is located.

"We will go to them wherever they are in the north, in the east, wherever they are we will go to them because in Syria there is no place for terrorists. Syria is a place for civilization, for light, for sun and we will not leave any one of them. They should understand that they will have no opportunity here in our country, in Syria," he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump walks with his grandchildren Arabella Kushner (R) and Joseph Kushner (L) to board Marine One from the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, March 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

by Mahmoud Fouly, Abdel-Maguid Kamal

CAIRO, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian-American military cooperation is expected to improve under the new U.S. administration of President Donald Trump, said Egyptian military experts.

They said that possibility for better military ties grows particularly after the big power has recently announced willingness to resume its annual military aid to Egypt and its biannual military exercise with the North African country,

Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), General Joseph L. Votel, said during a visit to Cairo in late February that his country is willing to resume the massive joint Bright Star military exercise with Egypt, which was cancelled by former U.S. President Barack Obama in 2013 to protest the deadly crackdown on the loyalists of Egyptian ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.

"It is my goal to get that exercise back on track and try to re-establish that as another key part of our military relationship," Gen. Votel, the top commander of American military operations in the Middle East, told the Egyptian state TV after his meetings with President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and top military officials including Egyptian Defense Minister Sedqi Sobhi.

Egyptian military expert Talaat Musallam, a retired armed forces general, said that there is general improvement in the Egyptian-American relations under Trump, which will necessarily be reflected on their military cooperation and the resumption of their joint military exercise as well as the suspended U.S. 1.3 billion-dollar military aid to Egypt.

"Trump's administration tries to maintain its ties with Egypt, which it perceives in a way different from that of Obama's administration that defended Morsi's now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group," the expert told Xinhua, expecting the White House to earnestly work on resolving all issues with Egypt.

During his administration, Obama also suspended the delivery of some major weapon systems including fighter jets, tanks and missiles, but he later decided their resumption over growing regional and international security threats.

"Although the Bright Star military maneuvers serve the United States best, their resumption is good for both the American and the Egyptian sides," said Musallam.

He urged Cairo to ask Washington to increase and develop Egypt's military program after the United States decided last year to unprecedentedly provide Israel with 38 billion dollars over the coming ten years in military assistance.

The major biannual Bright Star joint American-Egyptian military exercise first began in 1980, a year after the United States brokered a peace treaty between its number one regional ally Israel and Egypt, the first and the second largest recipients of U.S. annual military aids.

The 12-state multinational Bright Star was regularly held in Egypt until 2009 with the participation of some 70,000 troops, then it was cancelled in 2011 and 2013 due to Egypt's upheavals that toppled two heads of state then, long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak and the Brotherhood's Morsi.

"I expect the Bright Star to be resumed as soon as possible especially that it is more beneficial to the United States than Egypt. Via the Bright Star, Washington can have troops who are well-trained for the nature of this region," said Gamal Mazloum, a security expert and former chief of the Armed Forces Center for Strategic Studies.

Mazloum does not expect the military cooperation between Cairo and Washington to be that high, due to the strong relations between Washington and Tel Aviv.

"Egypt seeks to maintain a balance in its relations with big powers, while the United States is concerned about the growing Egyptian-Russian approach and it tries under Trump to restore good terms with Egypt," the expert told Xinhua, arguing that Cairo-Washington relations may relatively improve, yet warning against prejudging Trump's administration.

Both the Egyptian and the American presidents have exchanged comments of praise and promises of mutual support and share similar views on various issues including fighting terrorism.

In late January, Trump told Sisi in a phone call that he will continue providing military aid to Egypt and expressed U.S. support for Egypt's fight against terrorism and its struggle to bolster economic growth.

"Trump tries to turn over a new leaf with Egypt and I expect the Bright Star as a form of military cooperation to be resumed soon, especially that Egypt does not decline countries' requests for joint military maneuvers," said Nabil Fouad, professor of strategic sciences at Cairo-based Nasser Military Academy.

The professor believes that Trump is convinced that the Middle East region is the world's strategic center and that it is not in favor of the United States to lose such a partner with a key strategic regional position as Egypt.

"Trump is inclined to work on improving ties with Egypt after they were unfavorable during the time of Obama," the strategic expert told Xinhua.
Francois Fillon attends a press conference in Paris, France on March 1, 2017. French presidential candidate Francois Fillon confirmed Wednesday that he would be summoned on March 15 by the investigating magistrates over alleged fake jobs. (Xinhua/Thierry Mahe)

PARIS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of supporters on Sunday cheered Francois Fillon, the conservative contender in the French presidential race, at a big rally in Paris in a show of support while his party seniors are mulling a possible "Plan B."

At the Trocadero square in French capital, flag-waving crowd which party officials said numbered 200,000 people, gave a standing ovation to the scandal-hit politician, chant "Fillon President," or "Fillon holds out, France needs you."

"My dear compatriots, they think I'm alone, they want me to be alone, are we alone? Thank you for you all to always refuse to hear the sirens of the discouragement," Fillon said, addressing the crowd. "I am being attacked from all sides and I have to listen to you... I must listen to this massive crowd which pushes me forward, but I must also ask myself about those who doubt me and flee the ship. Their responsibility is huge, and so is mine."

Mired in a fraud scandal, Fillon, 63, suffered a severe setback this week after the Republicans senior chiefs suspended their support for his bid and are mulling a Plan B in which the moderate conservative Alain Juppe is well placed to represent the right-wing party in the upcoming presidential election.

"I will continue to tell my political family that this choice does not belong to them, because this choice is your choice, of your votes and through them your expectations. I am sure that it will be all of France's choice if we are able to gather ourselves in an ultimate push," Fillon said.

Recent polls showed that once the favorite to become France's new head of state, the 63-year-old ex-prime minister seems to have little chance to make it to the second round.

An Odoxa poll released on Friday showed three quarters of respondents said the ex-premier was wrong to stick to his presidential bid despite a legal investigation, with a majority of them believing he should be replaced.

In a separate survey, the pollster predicted Juppe, who lost to Fillon in the November primary, to top voting intentions in the first round if he replaces Fillon.

The so called "PenelopeGate" emerged on Jan. 25 when French satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine reported that Fillon had paid his wife and two of his five children about one million euros (1.06 million U.S. dollars) for their jobs as parliamentary assistants. However, there was no evidence indicating that she had really worked, the report added.

Fillon has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, denouncing "judicial bias" in investigation related to his wife's fake job allegation.

MOUNTING PRESSURE

As the judicial inquiry is deepening few weeks ahead the election's first round, pressure is mounting for Fillon to quit the presidential race.

It was announced that the Republicans party's political committee will meet on Monday "given the evolution of the political situation just seven weeks from the presidential election."

Speaking to the BFMTV news channel, Christain Estrosi, a close ally of the ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy said the conservatives "will propose an initiative to indicate the way forward," and allows " a respectful withdrawal of Fillon."

"Fair or unfair, the situation of Francois Fillon no longer allows (us) to gather a majority of French," he added. "We do not have the time to debate who has the most talent. The easiest thing obviously... is the person who came second in the primaries and that quite simply is Alain Juppe."

In an interview with local broadcaster Europe1, Jean-Christophe Lagarde, head of the Union of Democrats and Independents, a center-right political party, said the Paris rally "won't change anything," as "with Fillon, failure is certain." "Today the question is about the candidate's ability to gather and not about ability to organize meetings. Even if there are 200,000 people...to win a presidential election you need 20 million people," he said.

On Friday, Lagarde announced his party withdrew its support for Fillon after the presidential candidate was put under formal investigation in relation to his wife's fictitious work.

Fillon said he would comply with magistrates' summon on March 15, two days before the deadline to submit the requested signatures of 500 of elected officials to officially join the race to the Elysee Palace.
by Maria Spiliopoulou

ATHENS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The vast majority of Greeks want a leaner public sector, fewer taxes and Greece's stay in the eurozone to overcome the seven-year debt crisis, according to a survey released on Sunday.

Some 62.4 percent of participants in the poll conducted nationwide by the Athens-based Dianeosis think tank called for the shrinking of the public sector, according to Kathimerini (Daily) newspaper that published the results.

A total of 73.2 percent of respondents believe that the government should give incentives to attract investments and boost exports to achieve economic recovery.

Some 38.9 percent of Greeks see tax evasion as a "legitimate defense" against over taxation, while 71.1 percent do not believe that the state will manage to combat tax dodging, despite efforts made.

Most Greeks (62.1 percent) acknowledge that the Greek debt crisis was mostly the result of Greece's shortcomings.

The survey showed that euro skepticism is strong. The 57.3 percent of respondents believe that the European Union (EU) won more from Greece's membership and only 29.6 percent said that Greece benefited more.

However, some 59.6 percent of Greeks want Greece's stay in the European common currency zone, while 33.1 percent said they preferred return to drachma.

Dianeosis noted that in April 2015 during a similar survey carried out by the think tank 73.9 percent supported the country's stay in the eurozone and 20.7 percent the return to the national currency.
ALGIERS, March 5 (Xinhua) --Tunisia and Algeria said Sunday they will sign a new security cooperation agreement amid growing terrorist threat in the region.

The two neighboring nations will sign seven cooperation agreements in various areas during the High Joint Commission due on March 9 in Tunis, Algerian Minister of Maghreb Affairs, African Union and Arab League Abdelkader Messahel told reporters in Algiers following the end of the 19th session of the Algerian-Tunisian Monitoring Committee, which he co-chaired with visiting Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui.

Jhinaoui said this forthcoming security agreement would boost security and military cooperation to address the dangers facing our two countries, especially terrorism, drug trafficking, organized crime, illegal migration and human-trafficking.

He added that the security cooperation agreement shows the strong relations between the two countries and the convergence of their views on the necessity to preserve the security of Algeria and Tunisia amid growing terrorist threats in the region.

Messahel further added that Algiers and Tunis are also set to sign an agreement on the delimitation of maritime boundaries between the two countries, saying those agreements would help boosting development efforts and broadening economic, trading and industrial partnership.

Messahel added that the meeting of the Algerian-Tunisian Monitoring Committee, held on 4 and 5 March, assessed the joint action recommended in the 20th session of the High Joint Commission, which took place in Algiers in Oct. 2015.

He specified that trade exchange between the two countries exceeded US$1 billion in 2016, while 1.2 million Algerian tourists visited the neighbouring country last year.

Later on Sunday, Tunisian FM was received by Prime Minister, Abdelmalek Sellal, as "they discussed means to strengthen traditional brotherly and friendship ties between the two countries on the eve of the 21st High Algerian-Tunisian Joint Committee," said a statement of the PM Office.

The two parties agreed to further consolidating political consultation over regional and international issues of common interest, as well as boosting security coordination, development of cross-border regions, and the free movement of people and goods.
KHARTOUM, March 5 (Xinhua) -- 107 Sudanese military personnel and 18 civilians arrived in Sudan's capital Khartoum on Sunday after they were released by the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector.

Ahmed Bilal Osman, Sudan's information minister and government spokesman, declared the government's welcome of their release.

"The government regards this move as a good gesture by the SPLM/northern sector and a step that helps boost the peace efforts," said Osman at a press conference at Khartoum airport.

Rene Gerard, the representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross, also welcomed their release and reunion with families.

The SPLM/northern sector, which has been fighting the central government at Blue Nile and South Kordofan areas since 2011, announced on Saturday that it had released government army prisoners of war.

So far, 10 rounds of peace talks between the Sudanese government and the SPLM/northern sector have been held in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, but all failed to end the conflict in the two areas.
ALGIERS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Algeria and Tunisia on Sunday reaffirmed in Algiers their commitment to help neighboring war-torn Libya reach a political and consensual solution.

"Algeria and Tunisia believe that the solution for the Libyan crisis must be consensual and not military," visiting Tunisian Foreign Minister, Khemaies Jhinaoui told a joint press conference with Algerian Minister for Maghreb Affairs, African Union, and Arab League, Abdelkader Messahel, following the 19th session of the Algerian-Tunisian Monitoring Committee.

Jhinaoui added that the UN Security Council should assume responsibility and work for reaching a peaceful resolution in Libya.

Messahel noted that Tunis and Algiers deplore "the recent clashes that occurred around the Oil Crescent region, saying "violence and weapons would not help to resolve the crisis in Libya."

"We are supportive of dialogue and are against the use of violence," said Messahel, adding that Algeria was in constant contact with all parties in that country, until the launch of a genuine and inclusive inter-Libyan dialogue for the resolution of the crisis.

The minister underlined the role of the UN in the settlement of the crisis and the need for Libyans to abide by the political accord signed on Dec. 17, 2015.
PASCAGOULA, Miss. - A reported kidnapping situation that began in Mobile spilled into Jackson County early Sunday morning as suspect allegedly fired shots from a speeding vehicle at a deputy before being apprehended at a casino, per Sheriff Mike Ezell.

On Monday, the suspect Terrell Lee Johnson appeared in court for his initial appearance. Johnson was assessed a $50,000 bond.

Around 3 a.m. Sunday morning, a Jackson County deputy was crossing U.S. 90 at Market Street when a tan SUV with an Alabama tag ran a red light, nearly hitting the deputy.

The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle but a chase ensued as the driver took off on U.S. 90. Per Ezell, the deputy recalled seeing muzzle flashes from both sides of the vehicle.

An occupant of the vehicle then began to throw things from it as the chase neared the Pascagoula and Gautier city limits. Gautier and Biloxi police joined the chase, which later ended in a casino parking lot.

Per police, a Mobile woman was the operator of the vehicle, while her 16-year-old son accompanied her in the passenger seat. Johnson was a passenger in a rear seat.

The woman told deputies that Johnson had kidnapped her and her son from their home in Mobile at gunpoint after she heard her other son fighting with Johnson. She said Johnson forced them into the SUV and they began driving toward Pascagoula. The woman told deputies that Johnson had fired at the deputy during the chase.

Mobile police went to the woman's home to check on her other son. When they arrived, Ezell said, they found that the son was missing and there was evidence an assault had taken place. The son was later found and was transported to a hospital to be treated for unknown injuries.

Two pistols believed to be thrown out of the vehicle during the chase were recovered near the West River Bridge on U.S. 90. One of the pistols had been reported stolen in Mobile.

Johnson has been charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and is currently being held at the Jackson County Adult Detention Center without bond. Mobile police have charged Johnson with aggravated assault, robbery and kidnapping charges.
LAS VEGAS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- As the largest manufacturing country of construction equipment in the world, China has sent a dream team to show in 2017 CONEXPO-CON/AGG, the largest international trade show for the construction industries all around world that takes place every three years.

Chinese companies will prove they are all-round champion in the industry to 130,000 professionals joined the event from March. 7 to 11 as the country has created many world records in recent years. Here are some examples.

5200 tonne meters

Zoomlion developed the largest upper swivel horizontal boom tower crane with lifting torque of 5200 tonne meters in the world in 2010, which played critical role in the construction of a number of bridges over the Yangtze River.

4000 tonnes of crawler crane

In 2012 XCMG developed 4000 tonnes of crawler cranes, the largest crawler crane in the world, for the construction of nuclear power plants.

101 meters

In 2012, Zoomlion developed the carbon fiber boom concrete pump with highest boom of 101 meters in the world.

621 meters

On September 7, 2015, Sany created the world record of concrete pumping height of 621 meters in Tianjin.

3640 tonne meters

Yongmao Building Machinery developed the largest topless tower crane with maximum lifting torque of 3640 tonne meters in the world in 2016.

12 tonne wheel loader

The largest 12 tonne class wheel loader in China was developed by XCMG and Liugong.

400 tonne crawler excavator

The largest 400 tonne crawler excavator in China was developed by XCMG.

900 horsepower bulldozer

The largest 900 horsepower bulldozer in China was developed by Santui.
BERLIN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- German politicians on Sunday responded strongly against the remarks made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who compared the present German government to the Nazi regime.

In a televised speech in Istanbul earlier on Sunday, Erdogan accused that German government "has nothing to do with democracy" and its "practices make no difference to the Nazi practices in the past," referring to the blocking of Turkish community gatherings by German local authorities citing security reasons.

Erdogan's words triggered great discontent among the German politicians, straining the already tense relations between Berlin and Ankara.

Volker Kauder, a member of the lower house Bundestag, called the comparison "unacceptable."

Another Bundestag member Julia Kloeckner told the local newspaper Bild that Erdogan's Nazi comparison is a "new peak of excess." "It is simply outrageous." said Kloeckner.

A series of disputes surfaced between Turkey and Germany since the failed coup within Turkey that aimed to oust Erdogan.

Turkey have been pressuring Germany, where around 1.6 million Turks resided, to extradite the dissidents, especially the military officers. However, Berlin questioned the Ankara's hunt-down and purge overseas, seeing it as violations of human rights.

Last month, a German correspondent of the newspaper "Die Welt", Deniz Yucel, was detained in Istanbul over his reports. Turkish government accused him of "supporting terrorism" despite Berlin's repeated demand for his release.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel is set to meet with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu Wednesday.
DUBLIN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- In response to the results of the Northern Ireland assembly elections, Irish and British prime ministers Enda Kenny and Theresa May on Sunday discussed the reestablishment of the Northern Ireland Executive.

In a phone conversation that lasted 15 minutes, the two prime ministers agreed that early engagement by the political parties in Northern Ireland is now required with a view to reestablishing a functioning executive as soon as possible, and to addressing outstanding issues under the agreements, according to a statement from the Irish government.

The Northern Ireland Executive is the administrative branch of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature for Northern Ireland. It consists of the first minister and deputy first minister and various ministers with individual portfolios and remits.

The government statement said the two also agreed that Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan and Britain's Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Brokenshire would engage together with the parties over the coming days.

Both Kenny and May agreed to stay in close contact, noting that they would see each other in Brussels on Thursday at the European Council, according to the statement.

In Thursday's assembly elections, the unionists emerged for the first time ever without a majority, with the pro-republican Sinn Fein making massive gains. Sinn Fein reduced the margin to just one seat, winning 27 assembly seats, just one less than the 28 won by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

The DUP leader Arlene Foster and Sinn Fein's new leader Michelle O'Neill now have three weeks to establish a government.

Under Northern Ireland's power-sharing agreement, the government must be run by Irish nationalists and unionists together.

If they fail to establish a working government in Northern Ireland, Brokenshire has the power to call another snap election, or introduce direct rule of the region from Westminster.
If there was ever a time where Felipe Cazals' film Canoa: A Shameful Memory seems relevant, it's certainly today in the current harsh political and social climate where it seems two sides of thinking can't come together and find common ground. With a failing education system and moving backwards in certain areas, it's no wonder why people are coming forward in thinking the Earth is flat or even starting violent fights or killing people because someone who is ill informed said to do so.

With that, Canoa: A Shameful Memory is as important as it was back in 1976 as it is today some 40 years later, and it's no doubt that it strikes a chord with many people, no matter if they are Americans or Mexicans. Canoa: A Shameful Memory tells the true story, which plays out almost like a documentary film, about a few young employees of a University who go hiking in the mountains. They end up having to spend the night in a small town named San Miguel Canoa, where the nut-job, yet powerful religious priest convinces the small-minded people in town that these University visitors are evil communists.

The priest then persuades the townsfolk to lynch them. This led to protests and violent massacres on campus where students died. It's a very unfortunate and tragic situation, which Felipe captures every emotional and real element in what led up to this horrific event. There is barely any use of simulated lighting or set pieces here, but rather the use of natural light and real locations to give this film a very natural and realistic feeling. With certain politicians or even drug cartels that run countries, along with the lack of education that seems to be going on around the world, it's easy to see how people were led to believe such powerful yet deranged people that always leads to violence.

Cazals uses the actions of the characters rather than long pieces of dialogue to showcase the explosive nature of every decision made in the film. It's a harrowing look at the lack of communication and morbid fear of something that is unknown or learned. This is where Canoa: A Shameful Memory succeeds and still tends to be relevant today. This is one story and film that lingers for a while long after viewing.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray

Canoa: A Shameful Memory comes with a 50GB Blu-ray Disc from Criterion and is Region A Locked. There is a Criterion booklet with an essay by Fernanda Solorzano, along with information on the crew and technical information on the film. The disc is housed in a hard clear, plastic case with spine #862.
Ex-prisoner shot dead

According to police, at about 8.50 am the body of Kofi Goodridge, 25, and of no fixed abode, was discovered in a drain at Mendoza Lane. His body bore two bullet wounds, one to the head and one to the chest.

Residents reported hearing gunshots on Friday night and it is believed this was when he was killed and his body dumped in the drain. Investigations are continuing.

In an unrelated incident two men were shot in Petit Valley on Friday night. According to reports at 10.30 pm Manuel Duncan, 19, and Kerron Saunders, 32, both of Sparrow Drive, were liming in a group at Simeon Road, Petit Valley when a black Nissan Tiida pulled up. Three masked men armed with guns came out and fired upon the group. The men ran but Duncan was shot in his left buttocks while Saunders was shot in his right thigh.

The vehicle used by the gunmen was later found abandoned a short distance away. PC Benjamin of Four Road CID is continuing inquiries.
Daughter: Why kill mummy for money?

Last Saturday, Dorothy Hoseins body was pulled out from a pond and her limbs had been tied with a piece of rope behind her back.

The body was facedown in the pond on an aqua farm at St Johns Road, Rio Claro.

An autopsy report revealed she was beaten to death with several injuries to the head.

A police report stated she was murdered shortly after withdrawing $10,000, three months worth in pension, from the bank.

Police had been exploring the possibility she may have been liming with her attacker who may have known about the money.

They are seeking close circuit television footage from nearby businesses to aid in their investigation.

Ali recalled her mothers life during the funeral at Christ the King RC Church in Piparo. She said her mother was a sweet woman who was loved by the community.

Even as she called for justice, Kelvin Dass, the lay minister who presided at the service, urged Ali and her two siblings to move beyond seeking revenge and ask God to help them forgive their mothers assailant.

To seek justice is right, but we need to move from just wanting revenge because that would not make anyone better.

Jesus gave us a remedy for the pain free of charge and, that remedy is forgiveness, Dass said.

Dass said the family, in order to avoid becoming bitter, should ask for God to give them the grace to help them to forgive whoever took Hoseins life.
The war in Afghanistan and the resulting PTSD, has become more of a topic for modern day cinema than Vietnam was in the 70s and 80s. It seems like once a month, we see a movie that deals with that subject matter, and I believe the reason for that is because it is still topical today. So, what becomes the most important element to these movies, and how do they differentiate from the rest? Man Down absolutely understands how to answer one part of that question. If you have powerful actors, their ability to make you forget that you have seen these topics before because of their acting is essential. Here the actors are firing on all cylinders, and for many of them, it is their best performance that I have seen. But does Man Downs director and screen writer understand how to set themselves apart? That is an answer I am unsure of.

Shia Labeouf plays Gabriel Drummer, a charismatic country guy who meets his best friend Devin Roberts (Jai Courtney) in the marine corps. Right off the bat, to put it politely, I don't feel like Labeouf and certainly not Courtney are cinemas greatest thespians; but I want to start out by congratulating Labeouf on his best performance yet (and his first really believable one), and compliment Courtney for not seeming stiff as a board; actually giving a performance that displays some charisma, and dare I say, emotional range. Gabriel is an all-American guy who is married to Natalie Drummer (Kate Mara) with a young son, Jonathan (Charlie Shotwell). But he also believes in fighting for his country, and Labeouf pulls that off effortlessly here. When his inevitable PTSD comes into play, he grounds it and that is the only thing that does, giving the subject matter the weight it deserves. Like Labeouf, Mara has always been an actress I never could get behind, but here there is a warmth to her character; even though she might be an underdeveloped character, she is a sympathetic one nonetheless.

Devins relationship becomes a key factor in the film and a big part of its nonlinear structure. This entire movie is told nonchronologically, and a key element to identifying what story line we are following, is where these two friends are in the war. One key storyline is with Garry Oldmans character, Councilor Peyton, who is a war psychiatrist that is either counseling or questioning Gabriel about a traumatic accident that we can only imagine has something to do with Devin. Another storyline is an odd one, where Jonathan is captured in a warehouse somewhere and Gabriel heads up a two-man covert op to save his son. It is a key storyline that comes fully into fruition in the last ten minutes of the movie. I won't spoil anything, but unfortunately it is at that point where all storylines collide, and I did feel a bit manipulated or cheated by the end result. Regardless of the scenes between Peyton and Gabriel, the movie largely doesn't deal with PTSD, and for that to come into play in the last ten minutes feels like the cheap approach to the subject, despite the acting being good throughout.

Man Downs biggest accomplishment is its acting. Specifically, Labeouf and Mara are excellent here, and even though the material eventually does fail them at the end, they carry this movie on their shoulders and pull us through the script problems here. Man Down hinges on its nonlinear structure so heavily that when it comes time to tie storylines together and bring in its PTSD element which, quite frankly, comes out of nowhere and feels emotionally manipulating. The way that Man Down wants to set itself apart from other war dramas is in its nonlinear structure, and that is its biggest downfall. If you are a person like me that can overlook more divisive plotting like this for strong performances you wouldn't normally get, then check this movie out, but only with that caveat.

The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats

Lionsgate brings Man Down to Blu-ray armed with a slipcover to hard cover casing that opens up to reveal a standard BD-50 Blu-ray and a Digital HD Ultraviolet download code. Lionsgate is known for front loading their Blu-rays with an epic amount of trailers and this is no exception, but if your thumb doesnt fall off from hitting the next button repeatedly, you might just get to the still image main menu where you will be able to navigate from there.
Moonlight, a film doubly rare

Dozens of accolades have been heaped on Barry Jenkins comingof- age drama, the Oscar winner for Best Picture at last Sundays Academy Awards. It had been nominated for eight, winning as well Oscars for best supporting actor for Mahershala Ali and best adapted screenplay for Jenkins and Tarell Alvin Mc- Craney. Here is a movie that lives up to the hype. As a work of art it achieves what good work should: it moves its audience to empathy and love. This is one of those films in which nothing happens yet everything happens. It is structured in three acts, all following the progress of Chiron. We see him as a shell-shocked child (Alex Hibbert) navigating a world torn apart by drugs; as a frail closeted teen (Ashton Sanders) being bullied by schoolmates; and as a buff adult (Trevante Rhodes) who has re-invented himself outwardly, even if he hasnt yet found expression for inner desires. Like Andrew Ahns Spa Night (2016), which deals with gay life within the Korean-American community, Moonlight gives us something doubly rare: a film about a race not represented enough, and then a minority within that race. Yes, there are black people and some of us are gay.

Ive been waiting too long for this. At one stage, when two stunning acts of violence occur, we are given a stark choice: be left devastated at the tragic consequences for the main character, or cheer loudly at poetic justice.

The crowd at studiofilmclub cheered. Trinidadians are yearning to see themselves onscreen and to live in a world where people arent taken advantage of just because they are gay or different in some way.

Still, Chiron pays a price for his actions. In the process, Jenkins subtly raises difficult questions about the criminal justice systemhow its narrow gaze ignores wider social conditions and history. Its the old determinism versus free will debate.

None of this should suggest Moonlight is a philosophical treatise.

Its strength lies in its singular focus on the human stories that populate it, including that of Juan, a charismatic drug-dealer played by Ali. Juan is haunted by a guilt that seems to manifest itself in the form of little Chiron. We learn Chirons mother Paula (an almost unrecognisable Naomie Harris) is one of the people to whom Juan sells drugs, effectively enabling the addiction that has torn Chirons life apart.

But while it does a good job of depicting black male experience, Moonlight struggles to shake the Madonna- whore complex when it comes to its female figures. They are either overwhelmingly supportive of the men in their lives, or largely sources of trauma. Paula is almost the Hollywood stereotype of a black woman: a crack-head veering out of control.

What redeems the films treatment of her are early and late scenes that give her layered complexity. (Harris has spoken about her initial reluctance to take the part, a reluctance she overcame when Jenkins told her the character was akin to his real-life mother.) While the film seems to fly in its first two acts, things slow down in its third. Developments essential to our understanding of Chiron happen, but much of the conflict is largely off-stage, reducing the tension. We learn that he has molted and become someone at odds with the sexuality explored in his youth. An act of fate triggers a literal voyage of re-discovery. As in Jenkins previous film, the wonderfully peripatetic Medicine for Melancholy, we see how the biggest moments of a life are the quietest ones.

And those quiet moments are truly stunning. Jenkin and his cinematographer James Laxon exercise restraint in their use of imagery. They give us the moon only once, but make it count in a stunning dissolve over the ocean. Composer Nicholas Britells score veers between stirring violins to Caetano Veloso.

In a marked departure from films such as Get Real, Philadelphia, and even the recent Bahamian films Children of God and Play the Devil, Jenkins dispenses with the standard tragic ending. This is not the place for the passion- infused horror of Brokeback Mountain. It is, instead, a lagniappe to James Ivorys delicious Maurice. There is one particularly beautiful moment when Chiron takes a glimpse at a path leading to the sea.

He could go down that path to the raging waters.

Of perhaps he can stay on dry land and, with his beloved, learn to swim.

Bravely, he stays in the light.


The Arkansas legislature is considering a bill that would prohibit "any books or other material authored by or concerning Howard Zinn" in its schools, on the grounds that Howard Zinn says means things about America, like, "It has the kinds of censoring, undemocratic state governments that ban all books by and discussions of critics of America and its actions."



Howard Zinn (who died in 2010) wrote the bestselling and brilliant People's History of the United States, which has been adapted into many equally brilliant other formats. My two favorites are the graphic novel and this collection of dramatic readings of primary source material from people who resisted oppression and fought for justice (for example, James Earl Jones reading "The Meaning of July the Fourth for the Negro" by Frederick Douglass.

Cowardly legislatures have been attempting to ban Zinn for years: in 2010, Indiana tried it; in 2011, Tuscon succeeded, getting A People's History yanked from the city's Mexican American studies curriculum.

The nonprofit Zinn Education Project is offering free copies of A People's History, along with classroom materials, to all Arkansas teachers.



With the legislative proposal to ban "any books or other material authored by or concerning Howard Zinn," the Zinn Education Project is offering free copies of A People's History of the United States and people's history lessons to teachers in Arkansas. We are inspired by the Librotraficante who delivered books to schools in Tucson, Arizona, in defiance of the ethnic studies ban.

Arkansas Teachers: Request Your Copy of A People's History and Lessons

[Zinn Education Project]

(via Naked Capitalism)
The buck stops somewhere else. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

President Trump is asking Congress to investigate his own seemingly baseless allegation that President Obama ordered a wiretap on him in the run up to the 2016 election, despite the fact that the White House is refusing to provide any evidence that such a wiretap even happened. Press Secretary Sean Spicer, in a statement released Sunday morning, instead insisted that reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling, though he, like Trump, did not cite any sources for that claim. Thus far, the only original reports making the wiretap allegation have been been a Breitbart, Infowars, and Sean Hannityamplified conspiracy theory put forward by a conservative radio host, and Trumps Saturday morning tweetstorm, which was likely referencing the same theory. Nonetheless, Spicer says that President Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016. He then says that neither the White House or the president will comment further until such oversight is conducted.

President Obamas spokesperson has categorically denied the allegation that Obama ordered a wiretap on Trump, or any other American, during his presidency. The Obama administrations former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper Jr. further added on Meet the Press Sunday that, to his knowledge, there were no secret intelligence warrants regarding Trump or his campaign to begin with. News also broke on Sunday afternoon that FBI Director James Comey reportedly thinks Trumps claim is false and he has been trying to get the Department of Justice to publicly rebuke the president  though that effort appears to have failed.

Newsmaxs Christopher Ruddy wrote on Sunday that he twice spoke with Trump about the wiretaps on Saturday, confirming that he hadnt seen [Trump] this pissed off in a long time. Continued Ruddy, When I mentioned Obama denials about the wiretaps, [Trump] shot back: This will be investigated, it will all come out. I will be proven right.

Related Stories Trumps New Russia Scandal Defense Is to Pose As the Victim of Obama

House Intelligence Committee Chair Devin Nunes  who has said that requests to investigate the potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia are almost like McCarthyism revisited  responded in the affirmative to Trumps request on Sunday. The GOP congressman insisted in a statement that the U.S. governments response to possible Russian interference in the 2016 election was already one of the focus points of the committees investigation, and that they will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political partys campaign officials or surrogates and will continue to investigate this issue if evidence warrants it.

WH officials with whom I spoke said POTUS got the info about wiretap from media - Breitbart, Levin - not from govt sources.  Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) March 5, 2017

On the Sunday morning political-show circuit, White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders, appearing on ABCs This Week, also declined to provide details about what reports Spicer was referencing, instead misleadingly alluding to the same inconclusive stories that the original conspiracy theory was based on. Lets find out, lets have an investigation, Sanders proposed, further claiming that if [the Obama-ordered wiretap] happened, if this is accurate, it would be the greatest overreach and the greatest abuse of power that I think we have ever seen and a huge attack on democracy itself.

Pressed by host Martha Raddatz to account for why Trump would say the wiretaps had happened when it now seems clear there is no definitive evidence to support that claim, Sanders unconvincingly explained that, I think hes going off of information that he has seen that had led him to believe that this is a very real potential[.]



WH spox claims there have been multiple reports prompting Trump's claims. About Obama wiretapping him? That's false. pic.twitter.com/dWViNN3qRj  Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) March 5, 2017

This additional exchange was particularly telling, as well:

RADDATZ: Well, what about these accusations? You keep saying, if, if, if. The President of the United States said it was a fact. He didnt say I read a story in Breitbart or The New York Times or wherever else. He said, just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower. Thats not an if.



SANDERS: Look, I  I will let the president speak for himself. But in terms of where we are in the White House, our ask 



RADDATZ: Youre his spokesperson.



SANDERS: And Im speaking about it right now.



RADDATZ: But youre backing off of it. Youre backing off of it.



SANDERS: How am I backing off of it while Im saying that I think that this happened 



RADDATZ: Because youre saying if.



The lack of clarity from the White House is not surprising considering the reports that Trump aides were themselves surprised by Trumps allegations on Saturday. There was then radio silence from the White House for an entire day, though the New York Times and Washington Post report that, according to administration sources, White House counsel Donald McGahn is now trying to obtain evidence that FISA warrant had been issued to tap Trump, should that evidence even exist. However, that inquiry in itself might be an unprecedented act of White House interference in an ongoing Justice Department investigation.



Trump was frustrated by the Sunday shows today/felt people didn't defend him strongly enough on his Obama claim, per ppl close to him.  Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) March 5, 2017

Pressed by the media and GOP lawmakers to back up Trumps very serious allegations against Obama, the White House has chosen simply to express alarm over the presidents report without making any credible attempt to explain it, while simultaneously continuing to suggest that President Obama ordered a Watergate-level illegal investigation, and then pass the buck to Congress to confirm whether or not that even happened.

Lastly, for a good analysis of the scattered reports that underpin the Breitbart-boosted wiretap theory, read this Just Security post from the Cato Institutes Julian Sanchez. His conclusion is that both Breitbart and Trump have advanced claims far more dramatic than anything the public evidence can support, though, in his libertarian opinion, Congress might as well take a look just in case:

[I]ntelligence monitoringwhether direct or indirectof persons connected with a presidential campaign inherently carries a high risk of abuse, and as Congress moves to launch its own inquiries into the Trump campaigns Russian ties, it would be entirely appropriate to further scrutinize both the FBIs initial surveillance and applications and the surveillance that was ultimately conducted for any signs of impropriety. In the meantime, it might behoove the Commander in Chief to refrain from issuing serious and inflammatory accusations based wholly on intelligence gleaned from Breitbart News.

Its also worth noting, however, that Trump might not ultimately like the outcome of the very investigation he is calling for. Thats because if hes right that FISA warrants were issued to investigate him or his campaign, that likely happened for a good, legally supported reason, and independent of any alleged Obama order. Wireds Brian Barrett, as part of his excellent explainer on the FISA process and how it might have come into play regarding the Trump-Russia investigation, cautions that Trumps wiretap claims carry presumably inadvertent implications:

First, based on previous reporting and the nature of FISA courts, any wiretaps within Trump Tower would be legal. And they would stem from overwhelming evidence that the Trump campaign, or someone within it, has unsavory ties to Russia or another foreign power. Otherwise, its unlikely those wiretaps would exist at all.



If federal authorities did have cause to listen in on Trump Tower, though, and they provided enough evidence for a FISA court to approve the snooping, Obama is not the one who ought to worry.



This post has been updated to include Rep. Nuness statement and Trumps comments to Newsmax.
Even the positive reviews for this film seem good at best.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/03/movies/beauty-and-the-beast-review.html



"Ms. Watson, already something of a feminist pioneer thanks to her portrayal of Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movies, perfectly embodies Belles compassion and intelligence. Mr. Stevens, blandly handsome as a human prince, is a splendid monster, especially when the diffidence and charm start to peek through the rage. The awkward business about imprisonment turning into true love is handled smoothly."



http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/beauty-beast-magical-emma-watson-movie-review-article-1.2987850



And Watson is an adult delight as Belle. Our Hermione has grown up, certainly, but she's stayed true to the smart girl we always knew  quietly strong, calmly self-assured and still happily bookish.



http://www.empireonline.com/movies/beauty-beast-2/review/



Those who predicted this wouldnt hold a talking candle to the animated original will be pleasantly surprised. The tale may be as old as time, but its retold with freshness, brio and flair



http://www.vulture.com/2017/03/beauty-and-the-beast-movie-review.html



Beauty and the Beast does right by its predecessor, delivering a musical experience that both dazzles the eyes and plucks the heartstrings.

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The highest score on Metacritic was 80. Also, if you really wanna do this, I can post the bad reviews she also received.



Edited at 2017-03-04 10:26 pm (UTC)

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Emma Watson is the real headliner here, and physically couldnt have been more perfectly cast. But someone really should have screen-tested her before she signed on  with an actual green screen. There are actors who can conjure up a world around them on a blank soundstage and make us believe in it just with their eyes; Watson is not one of those actors. Watching her sing to the hills during the re-creation of the iconic Belle (Reprise) or wander through the ominous ruins of the castles west wing (not that one) I found myself distracted, wondering where she thought she was walking when she filmed it, what she thought she was looking at. Her singing voice could stand to add a little oomph, but its the least of the problems in a performance that mostly adds up as a collection of charming poses and furrowed eyebrows.



http://www.vulture.com/2017/03/beauty-and-the-beast-movie-review.html

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https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2017/03/movie-review-beauty-and-the-beast-2017/

That is, sadly, apart from Emma Watson. The former Harry Potter star and fantastic public persona gives a dazzlingly dire performance in Beauty and the Beast, which only jars more when shes up against everyone elses energy. Shes dreary, dull, bland, boring. Shes IKEA furniture with none of the fun. Shes Orlando Bloom on his worst day. She has a lovely singing voice, but never looks convincing when shes mouthing along with the words. Whats frustrating is that Watson is a captivating screen presence and should be a fantastic leading lady, but its like she doesnt care. While everyone else is at eleven, shes barely pushing four. With the news that she was initially lined up to play Cinderella at one point, it sort of tells you that Disney wanted her for the role because shes Emma Watson rather than because shed make a good Belle. And its sad to say, but her performance drags the film down.

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Ms. Watson, already something of a feminist pioneer thanks to her portrayal of Hermione Granger



Mmmmmm

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'feminist pioneer'. To say 'really have to do the least' would be an insulting stretch.

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There are reports about them banning this in Russia because of the lame ass queerbaiting. The saddest moment since I left my social media tbh. I know one creepy 30yo Disney stan who is homophobic and probably wrote 10 thinkpieces about it already.

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It was a marketing ploy on disneys part lol. I can't believe him dancing with a guy for ten seconds is causing this much uproar.

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I love the part about Russia the most, considerig the state owned broadcast network aired the rimming scene from How To Get Away With Murder completely unedited for a way bigger audience that will buy a ticket to this.

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Is this an original? I wonder if they're trying to snag best song nominations next year.

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Can this shit please stop?



*yells into vacuum, chases children off lawn*

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Mte. We really need a roundup post for this movie. These smaller, frequent posts about this movie and its soundtrack are pretty grating.

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I like it!

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It's so much better than that Grande/Legend mess of a cover.

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these Disney cheques never stop for critics

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Nope

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I'm so sick of people blaming conspiracy theories about critics getting money any time a movie doesn't get the reviews they want it to get.

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They had her dress on display at WDW when I went last week and in person I still hate that damn yellow monstrosity

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I'm still not over the first 15 minutes of the movie someone posted in another post. Emma Watson's singing voice should just have been dubbed over, because the autotune was so strong that it gave me Finn's season one vocals in Glee. She sounds lifeless.



It's especially sad when you hear songs like this one, with actual vocalists.

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So true. I wonder why reviews say she has a great singing voice and whatever, did they listen to a different version?!

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sis do you have a link to those 15 minutes?

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i watched the original for the first time since i was a child a couple weeks ago and i didn't like it, lol.



i've never liked any of the disney princess movies though tbh.

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In retrospect I realized I adored the all animal casts when I was little way more.

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yeah, the lion king was the only one i watched a lot as a kid.

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Yeah I never cared for it either tbh. I did like the Cinderella remake but I didn't care for these stories growing up.

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ia it was never one of my faves and neither were ariel or cinderella or any of those. the lion king / aladdin / hunchback / mulan / hercules >>>>>>>>>



(and ot but i love your icon <3 saw them in concert once, great experience)

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Honestly, to this day, I've yet to watch the entire film.

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It was probably my least favorite major Disney movie of the 90s. I remember I bought all the dolls because I loved her yellow ball gown, but unlike Pocahontas or The Lion King or The Little Mermaid which I watched over and over I think I watched Beauty and the Beast maybe twice.

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Pretty song.

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Meanwhile Peabo Bryson's like

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I'm going to see this opening weekend with low expectations. Lol

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Lmao! Emma is a bad actress. News at 11.



I saw Twilight in theaters. I'm sure this movie will be somewhat better

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Oh Grobes  I'm seeing The Great Comet for my bday; I can't wait. (And I'll see BatB whether it's good or not, lbr.)

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i just saw the great comet today and it was AMAZING, you're going to leave hype as FUCK

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Yas! I've seen it twice. Best musical of the year, imo (and yes, I did see Dear Evan Hansen). Josh and cast are amazing.

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i dont watch ANTM, is Bello Sanchez a man? what about ethnicity and sexual orientation?



anyway, i'm not even surprised (sadly), i doubt a little blonde girl would have got more attention unless she was 'somebody'.



society sucks.

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thanks. yeah, i don't doubt that either :(



it honestly infuriates me so much! there is still so much stigma on survivors rather than those pieces of vile shit perpetrators.. and rape cases are often overlooked or dismissed -if brought to the police at all. i wished my city hosted a march for survivors on the 8th, instead theres just some fancy 'walk' where women can go and be like oh i'm woke. sometimes i really, really do loathe our society.

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He's so gross.

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The police department needs a serious overhaul. This is the second publicized case of French policemen raping

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I don't think he was raped by an officer. He was raped and the police didn't seem to care. I went back up to read in the bold and that's what I got, but maybe I'm dumb at 2 in the morning?



Either way, this police department needs to figure some things out. I think had it been a female, they would have at least pretended to care.

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he's probably not wrong considering it's france and all



that story about police sexually assaulting that black boy was infuriating

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"All the buildings are the same color. There's not really a lot of places you can hide at"



........?

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yeah i don't really understand that sentence either ???

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I get it, he's in a foreign place and doesn't recognize any landmarks or his surroundings so sure, everything could blend together - especially when he's experienced trauma.

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All the buildings in Paris look very similar, which would make it way EASIER for someone to hide and not find them. I'm sure he was just upset and didn't express it well, but nothing about that sentence makes sense.

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That's not at all what he said though.

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I guess he gets confused by european architecture?

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lmao l was so confused by that too

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"Paris is so easy to find someone," he said. "All the buildings are the same color. There's not really a lot of places you can hide at."





ummm

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I believe him but I feel like this happens so often regardless of sexuality and gender. Like women get sexually abused by men and the police don't give a shit. It's not a high priority crime for them.

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Yeah, it's not like women who were raped are generally treated that well by the police or the public, and only a tiny percentage of rapes are ever investigated properly. I have full empathy for him, but that he in the next breath trivialized what female rape victims go through (or implied that they have it better) is disgusting, imo.

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I feel so bad for him, I can't imagine feeling that helpless.

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poor guy :(





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unsurprising, following all the cases of police targeting minorities in Paris and the fact that everything about French police is like you just stepped into the 1960s. It's a huge problem and the police department needs to be completely redone bc... jfc.

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My cousin found her flatmate unconscious knocked out by the the edge of their living room table and raped by a stranger as she was unlocking the door after partying and the police was like "ugh what now. Stupid and silly drunk americans. Do u want to report it or not?" when she was studying abroad

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Something similar happened to an acquaintance in France. His dad even had to flew there bc the guy was really bad :(

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Holy shit that's horrible! :(

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I called the police (in France but not Paris) when I walked in on my neighbor attacking his wife, and they just showed up like "ugh, you don't speak French at all?" and left.

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That's insane. I can't even

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omg that is horrible

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Not surprising from the Paris police. Didn't some Paris officers sexually assault someone and claim it was an accident?

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Not surprising from the Paris police. Didn't some Paris officers sexually assault someone and claim it was an accident?



My frustration is not directed at you but



How can somebo...?

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everything about this was so disgusting

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/french-police-anal-rape-suspect-truncheon-paris-officer-accident-sodomised-expandable-baton-theo-a7572581.html omg yes and with a baton!everything about this was so disgusting

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yes they raped a black man with a BATON and tried to say it was an accident. fucking horrific

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yep, it's on camera, didn't deny beating him up but they still deny raping him. At least people aren't letting it go

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Yeah, sadly no one cares about male rape victims unless they're kids.

And French policemen remain trash.

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Ugh that's so upsetting but not surprising. :(

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In my experience, the default status for Paris police is being awful and not giving a shit. Add a minority status in there and that just magnifies a hundredfold.



(edit: because I said French first, then realised that wasn't quite fair since only times I've had to ask/report anything has been in Paris)



Edited at 2017-03-05 06:15 pm (UTC)

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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/09/the-counted-police-killings-us-vs-other-countries it's not just an american thing but there's no comparison. bisous from france

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exactly. or when they try and act like racism and colorism arent major issues in europe...im like???

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Europeans have the nerve to say police brutality is just an American thing.

now girl let's not even compare the two because that is reaching

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it's not. france is a smaller country so it happens on a smaller scale but it is definitely a huge problem here

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Noooo, not you too, Ken. </3 It does make sense though, since he's been friends with Matt for a decade already

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yea i feel really sad because i loved margaret and i loved manchester by the sea. so this was disappointing even though we knew that he had no issues with affleck. i think it is genuine obligation (he feels grateful towards matt after the margaret production fiasco) and it has grown into goodwill towards matt's close friend casey too.

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lonergan has been friends with affleck since meeting 2002. from interviews, he seems to be much closer to casey than matt.

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Ken is just pissed because it's reflecting badly on his film. It mars the celebration of the Oscar win. They all want it to be swept under the rug and forgotten.



He should have stayed out of this, he's just adding more fuel to the fire.

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In December 2008, Amanda White agreed to serve as a producer on an untitled documentary headed by Affleck and Flemmy Productions, which ultimately became Im Still Here. She had a decade-long history of working with Affleck. Over the course of filming, White alleged in the complaint that she was repeatedly harassed. On one occasion, she claimed that Affleck ordered a crew member to take off his pants and show White his peniseven after she vehemently objected. She claimed that Affleck repeatedly referred to women as cows, and recounted his sexual exploits with reckless abandon. In her complaint, White recalled Affleck asking her Isnt it about time you get pregnant? once he learned her age, and suggesting that she and a male crew member reproduce.



Whites accusations go on, ranging from incredibly unprofessional behavior to actual physical intimidation. She described an instance where she was prevented from returning to her bedroom during shooting, because Affleck and Phoenix had locked themselves in her room with two women where they had sex with them (Affleck was married with two children to Phoenixs sister, Summer, at the timethough the couple recently split). She also alleged that Affleck attempted to manipulate her into sharing a hotel room with him. When she resisted, White claimed, he grabbed her threateningly and attempted to scare her into submission. Affleck then allegedly proceeded to send White abusive text messages, calling her profane names for refusing to stay with him. White filed a $2 million lawsuit against Affleck in Los Angeles Superior Court on July 23, 2010.



As part of her producer duties, White was also asked to renegotiate an agreement with Magdalena Gorka, the films director of photography. Gorka had previously left the project due to an alleged similar pattern of harassment. In her complaint, Gorka described her treatment at the hands of Casey Affleck as the most traumatizing of her career.



Almost immediately after beginning work on the project, the gross comments allegedly began. Gorka claimed Affleck and other members of the production team openly talked about engaging in sexual activities with her, and jokingly suggested that she have sex with the camera assistant, a good friend of Afflecks.



On the assumption that Afflecks behavior wouldntor couldntget worse, Gorka said she stuck with the project, and traveled with other crew members to New York for shooting in mid-December 2008. At the time, Gorka was the only woman actively working on the film. In lieu of paying for a hotel, she said Affleck and Phoenix decided to have the crew stay overnight at their apartment. After a long shoot, she claimed Phoenix offered to sleep in the living room and give Gorka his private bedroom.



According to Gorkas complaint, she awoke in the middle of the night to find Affleck lying in bed next to her. She alleges that the actor was curled up next to her in the bed wearing only his underwear and a T-shirt. He had his arm around her, was caressing her back, his face was within inches of hers and his breath reeked of alcohol. Unaware of how long Affleck had been there or whether or not he had touched her while she slept, Gorka said she was shocked and repulsed. When she ordered Affleck out of bed, he allegedly responded, Why? to which she replied, Because you are married and you are my boss. Affleck then allegedly asked if she was sure, and when Gorka remained resolute, she claimed Affleck left and slammed the door in anger. Gorka then said that she flew back to New York, informed her agent of Afflecks sexual advances, and quit the project.



http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/11/22/casey-affleck-s-dark-secret-the-disturbing-allegations-against-the-oscar-hopeful.html



Just a reminder...

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jfc

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anybody can sue for anything in this country tho!

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This is the first time I'm seeing names of the victims. Y did the dB do that?



Edited at 2017-03-05 11:06 pm (UTC)

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I don't think their names have ever been secret? Nearly every article I've read on these cases names them.

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Their names were definitely never secret.

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They were never secret but people here are pretty considerate and don't use them much

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The unaware part is what gets me when people defend him. Like people no one but he knows what he did and can you imagine how hard it would be to fall asleep after that experience??

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disgusting. 2 unrelated women make the same claims and both are lying?? ok...

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"ultimately nothing was proved or disproved" -- yeah, because Casey Affleck settled the case, ultimately paying them off so they couldn't talk about it any more. Is that what an innocent person does, or do they want to prove they're innocent?



Of course anyone can sue for anything, but they have to give depositions under oath and testify in court under oath, which these women were willing and able to do.

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sexual assault? it was harassment.

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It was assault if he did was he accused of, he was only sued for harassment

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Does it make it less wrong or what?

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it was assault. there is literally no way to slice getting into bed with a woman and touching her in her sleep while naked that doesn't equal felony assault in criminal court. your priorities remain super cute.

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I have seen you make this "felony sexual assault" comment re: this case multiple times. Can you please point me to the jurisdiction where these actions would constitute felony sexual assault? I ask because I have never heard of anyone being charged for felony sexual assault for getting into bed with someone and touching their back. Generally (at least in my experience) sexual assault or sexual contact = touching or penetrating some area associated with sex (breasts, genitalia, butt). Not saying it can't happen, but that seems wild to me. By that logic, people could be charged with sexual assault for virtually any offensive physical contact.

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*he wasn't naked - he was wearing a tshirt and underwear

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If he touched her back, that is offensive bodily contact and I do think it could be simple assault. But not sexual assault.

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go to fucking bed

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Fuck this narrative that women lie about being sexually assaulted on a regular basis.



Casey Affleck won the fucking Oscar, alright? He's not being hurt by this, clearly. Nobody gives a fuck about victims, so your buddy remains free to assault again, and nothing is happening to him aside from being held responsible by a small selection of mostly-ignored journalists + internet commentators for what he's done.

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lol right ? it's crazy how people who defend him keep saying he's persecuted and omg dare you, ruining an honorable man's career like this !!1 homeboy is more than fine, in fact he's got several projects coming up.

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assault? how about sticking to what he was actually accused of which was harassment?

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No, he was accused of assault.

He was sued for harassment.

The actions listed are assault.

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Istg. On insta I saw one person say 90% of girls lie about it and I'm like ???????



Tf?



I hate everything

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a friend from HS tried saying shady shit like that when i posted the article by Time about this talking about in this country we are innocent until proven guilty and that girls lie about this kinda stuff. a gf of mine who is a dr (and has had to perform rape kits on girls as young as 8 to women as old as 60) shut his shit down so fast. then he was all 'i guess im just biased bc someone lied about me assaulting them and it ruined my life'. this was the first i heard of him being accused of that so i dont know the background of it and tbh im SUPER curious about it but dont want to ask our mutual friends.

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If anything, Lonergan is guilty of defamation against the women who made accusations against Affleck. He pretty much calls them liars and frauds.

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Go IN. What has he lost?! Nothing! What have the victims lost? Probably job prospects and 'credibility' because Hollywood is fucked up and will always reward the perpetrator.

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#StopYTs Let this be a lesson to us all, even talented people can be terrible.

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"warped PC-fueled sense of indignation" now i know why all the women in manchester by the sea are so one note and awful



the fact that he considers himself to be "on the Left" is so revealing. liberal ""progressive"" white men like to think they're feminists because they've said once at a dinner party ten years ago that they believe women should have equal pay.

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That's where I stopped. Said all I need to know about him and whatever bullshit he was going to keep spewing.





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i'm always going to side with the victims because as a survivor I know how hard it is to come forward. the statistics show it is extremely rare for victims to make false accusations. so many women deal with shit like this at work and it is never reported.



ppl don't want to believe that their friends or associates are bad people but to dismiss someone's claims of sexual assault/harassment is perpetuating the same shit that makes it so hard for victims to come forward in the first place



but this is a man so of course he's going to say ppl can sue someone for anything

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When I was in my teens a man I knew (real estate agent in our neighborhood) made veiled sexual comments about how he'd like to "teach me" and I was so mortified it took me ten years before I told my mom or anyone else about it. And those were just words - I couldn't imagine having to come out and accuse someone of assault or harassment until in my 30's it happened with a supervisor on a job. (And then I had to educate the President and Vice President of the school I worked at what constituted sexual harassment in our state.)



BTW, the people on this thread trying split hairs and be all "It was just harassment, not assault!" as if that somehow makes it better (abuse of power is abuse of power regardless of the form it takes) - I just can't at this. Not a good look.

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I get that he's an alumni but it's weird as hell hes responding to a piece in a student newspaper tbh. Why not take something up with the many professional publications that ran something about Casey's past instead of a student run newspaper? Maybe it's because this one called him out specifically but this is a little cowardly imo.

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I wondered the same. Why is he even responding? He doesn't have direct knowledge of what happened.

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yea the response is bizarre (not to mention morally repulsive)

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BC he's coward. He is to afraid to go after the big dogs. Pathetic pos

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Exactly. A student's an easy target.

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i think it's a deliberate and pointed choice. the same way trump makes blanket accusations against "the media." he can't trust those publications because they're all "against" casey

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old people are panicked that "PC culture" aka being decent is taking over campuses and soon all of society. sad!

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I love he mentions that nothing could be proved or disproved and then goes on to add "He reasserts that Casey Affleck is not guilty of the crime he was accused of." LMAO. Make up your mind Ken. And the only reason it didn't go far was because Casey decided to settle out of court.

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i think he meant casey was not found guilty by a court

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He would have phrased it differently in that case. He would have stated he was not found guilty. Saying he is not guilty vs he was not found guilty is two very different things. What Lonergan wrote is what he believes to be true and not an assessment of court's decision.



Edited at 2017-03-05 11:36 pm (UTC)

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he wasn't tho. no criminal charges were filed, affleck settled with both of his victims out of court.

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I've missed this gif

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he was undoubtedly the best performance this year by far but i dont think he deserved the oscr after what he did to those womenn

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Ok but is this the post to show all about how talented he is?

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denzel was pretty great too, wish he'd snatched it from him

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A gag order like that is so that the women will shut up i.e. I will give you ex amount of money but you can never talk about this again or I will sue you. And he's included in that because no one would sign an NDA where their harasser was allowed to talk about it as much as he wanted and be the only one to put his version out there.



Affleck and Lonergan are both so full of shit with their whole "Too bad the real story will never come out" when their silence is what he bought with the settlement.

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It's incredibly common in all civil law cases - not just hugely public celebrity cases, and not just relating to sexual abuse/harrassment - to have confidentiality as part of the agreement. I work in Wills law and every single settlement agreement I've drafted has that you can't talk about it. It's just common practice.

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Enjoying the new US Soccer Trump inspired policy about the anthem, sis?

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I like how in one week he, his girlfriend, and the director have shown their asses again

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what did his gf do?

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Production from the Kirkuk fields in northern Iraq were briefly disrupted on Thursday, when Kurdish protestors seized a pumping station in order to protest the policies of Baghdad and Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish area in northern Iraq. The protest was allegedly inspired by Kurdish demands that Baghdad authorize the construction of a refinery in Kirkuk, and they shut down a line shipping oil to Turkey. Kirkuk fields were producing 120,000 bpd before the incident temporarily shutdown operations.

The Kurdish forces allowed pumping to resume after several hours, but they have reportedly not departed the scene. Kirkuk, which is largely outside the Kurdish area, has been under partial Kurdish occupation since 2014, when Kurdish Peshmerga retook the city from the Islamic State.

The incident highlights the growing rift forming between the Iraqi government and the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), over how to best exploit the countys oil resources. Much of those resources, particularly those available for immediate production and transportation, are located in Kurdish areas. The partial disintegration of the Iraqi state since the rise of Islamic State in 2014, which saw Iraq lose around a third of its territory to IS forces, has both pressured the Kurds while heightening their de facto independence from Baghdad. Related: Oil Prices Find Support As OPEC Compliance Nears 100%

A precarious balance now exists in Kirkuk, where the North Oil Company (NOC) run by the Iraqi government manages the oil fields

Iraq, which possesses 143 billion barrels and produces around 3.5 million bpd, has struggled for decades to regain production rates and market position. Since the 2003 U.S. invasion and the toppling of Saddam Hussein, Iraq has effectively been split into two rival states: the national authority in Baghdad and the KRG, which has negotiated agreements with international oil companies and driven the bulk of the countrys energy exports. How the revenues from Kurdish oil are spent has been a major point of contention between Erbil and Baghdad, and a revenue-sharing deal was scrapped last year after acrimonious debate: instead, Kurdistan and Iraq share output and export crude jointly.

Despite its avowed adherence to the OPEC production cuts, Iraqs overall production went up by 1 percent in February, reaching 3.85 million bpd, with the bulk of the new production coming from the Kurdish area, where total oil sales increased by 9 percent, according to Bloomberg.

The Kurdish minister for natural resources told Reuters that the Iraqi government was shipping out oil from Kirkuk, around 40-50,000 bpd, rather than sending it to a refinery, thus easing Iraqs compliance with OPEC agreements. Related: Saudis Cut Light Crude Prices To Asia To Keep Market Share

The war against Islamic State, along with a host of domestic problems, has placed economic pressure on the Kurdish government, pressure which it seeks to alleviate through new oil agreements. Once such deal, with Russian state oil company Rosneft, was signed in February and raised about $3 billion for the Kurdish government. Baghdad has threatened to sue companies or governments that make agreements with the Kurdish government, arguing that Iraq possesses sovereign control over its natural resources. Pressure from Iraq has weakened, however, due to the reliance on Kurdish support in the war against Islamic State.

The question going forward is; what will happen when Islamic State in Iraq is finally defeated, an outcome which seems likely as Iraqi, Kurdish and international forces slowly retake Mosul, the last major city under IS control.

When that happens, disputes between the Kurds, who desire greater economic and political independence from Baghdad, and the Iraq central government which desperately needs oil to rebuild the shattered nation, will likely grow more vigorous and potentially violent. Throw in Iraqs somewhat dubious degree of compliance with the OPEC production agreement, its almost-total degree of dependence on oil revenues to maintain its struggling economy and state finances, and the chances of rising tensions appears high, with the Kirkuk oil fields emerging as a key prize for either Baghdad or Erbil to claim.

By Gregory Brew for Oilprice.com

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